cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organization of permanent and transient neuropeptide Y‐immunoreactive neuron groups and fiber systems in the developing hamster diencephalon

The development of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive (NPY-IR) cell and fiber systems in the hamster diencephalon was studied. Eight perinatal groups of NPY-IR neurons develop into 12 distinct sets in nuclei of the adult diencephalon and mesencephalon. NPY-IR neurons of the thalamic precommissural nucleus, nucleus of the optic tract, and olivary pretectal nucleus are derived from the superior group. Those in the adult magnocellular nucleus of the posterior commissure and deep mesencephalic nucleus are from the dorsal group. An arcuate group contributes neurons to the arcuate nucleus and median eminence and a mammillary group transiently exists in the mammillary region. A medial group gives rise to two sets of neurons, one that migrates to the intergeniculate leaflet and another that develops in the medial nucleus reuniens. A very large ventral group provides NPY-IR neurons to the adult medial zona incerta and caudal reticular thalamus. Groups of NPY-IR neurons also appear in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and centromedian thalamic nucleus. Superior group neurons may undergo apoptosis. In several groups, neurons become fewer during development, and NPY-IR may disappear. NPY-IR neurons of several groups initially migrate away from the neuroepithelial zone with later emergence of a distinct, persistent set of NPY-IR neurons in the same neuroepithelial region. The data show that neuropeptide content can be used to identify particular sets of neurons early in development, thereby allowing migration patterns to be followed and principles of brain development to be elucidated.
Gibrat's law in marketing: The case of liquor brand sales☆

Abstract We test the applicability of Gibrat's Law in the liquor brand market. Basically, we model annual changes in the unit sales of the top fifty liquor brands as white noise. Our results reject this model, but we do find that changes in sales are independent of starting market sales. This leads to the interpretation that brands with above average market share do not tend to gain market share, i.e., initial market share does not affect the subsequent change in market share. Furthermore, brands with above average sales do not have more stable sales than do firms with below average sales. Changes in sales appear highly positively correlated between periods, i.e., brands that gain sales in one period tend to gain sales in the next. Finally, no major liquor type or manufacturer had consistently and significantly greater or lower success across our various annual time periods.
Indentation-induced two-way shape memory surfaces

A method is described for the creation of surfaces with cyclically reversible topographical form. Using spherical and cylindrical indenters applied to NiTi shapememory alloys, an indentation-planarization technique is shown to result in a two-way shape memory effect that can drive flat-to-wavy surface transitions on changing temperature. First, it is shown that deep spherical indents, made in martensitic NiTi, exhibit pronounced two-way cyclic depth changes. After planarization, these two-way cyclic depth changes are converted to reversible surface protrusions, or “exdents.” Both indent depth changes and cyclic exdent amplitudes can be related to the existence of a subsurface deformation zone in which indentation has resulted in plastic strains beyond that which can be accomplished by martensite detwinning reactions. Cylindrical indentation leads to two-way displacements that are about twice as large as that for the spherical case. This is shown to be due to the larger deformation zone under cylindrical indents, as measured by incremental grinding experiments.
Candidates for synergies: linear discriminants versus principal components

Movement primitives or synergies have been extracted from human hand movements using several matrix factorization, dimensionality reduction, and classification methods. Principal component analysis (PCA) is widely used to obtain the first few significant eigenvectors of covariance that explain most of the variance of the data. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is also used as a supervised learning method to classify the hand postures corresponding to the objects grasped. Synergies obtained using PCA are principal component vectors aligned with dominant variances. On the other hand, synergies obtained using LDA are linear discriminant vectors that separate the groups of variances. In this paper, time varying kinematic synergies in the human hand grasping movements were extracted using these two diametrically opposite methods and were evaluated in reconstructing natural and American sign language (ASL) postural movements. We used an unsupervised LDA (ULDA) to extract linear discriminants. The results suggest that PCA outperformed LDA. The uniqueness, advantages, and disadvantages of each of these methods in representing high-dimensional hand movements in reduced dimensions were discussed.
Self-organizing Neural Networks Bridge the Biomolecular Resolution Gap

Topology-representing neural networks are employed to generate pseudo-atomic structures of large-scale protein assemblies by combining high-resolution data with volumetric data at lower resolution. As an application example, actin monomers and structural subdomains are located in a three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction from electron micrographs. To test the reliability of the method, the resolution of the atomic model of an actin polymer is lowered to a level typically encountered in electron microscopic reconstructions. The atomic model is restored with a precision nine times the nominal resolution of the corresponding low-resolution density. The presented self-organizing computing method may be used as an information-processing tool for the synthesis of structural data from a variety of biophysical sources.
Exact zero modes in closed systems of interacting fermions

We show that for closed finite-sized systems with an odd number of real fermionic modes, even in the presence of many-body interactions, there are always at least two fermionic operators that commute with the Hamiltonian. There is a zero mode corresponding to the total Majorana operator, as shown by Akhmerov [Phys. Rev. B 82, 020509 (2010)], as well as additional linearly independent zero modes, one of which is (1) continuously connected to the Majorana mode solution in the noninteracting limit, and (2) less prone to decoherence when the system is opened to contact with an infinite bath. We also show that in the idealized situation where there are two or more well-separated zero modes each associated with a finite number of interacting fermions at a localized vortex, these modes have non-Abelian Ising statistics under braiding. Furthermore the algebra of the zero mode operators makes them useful for fermionic quantum computation [S. B. Bravii and A. Y. Kitaev, Ann. Phys. 298, 210 (2002)].
Central adiposity and increased risk of coronary artery disease mortality in older women

Abstract The relation between central adiposity, measured by the waist/hip circumference ratio (WHR), and 4-year risk of fatal coronary artery disease was examined in a large cohort (n = 32,898) of women aged 55 to 69 years. The age-adjusted relative risk of death from coronary artery disease (115 deaths) was 3.3 for women in the highest tertile of WHR compared to the lowest tertile (95% confidence interval: 2.0, 5.6). After adjustment for age, body mass, smoking, physical activity, estrogen use, marital status, and alcohol intake, the relative risk o f coronary death for women in the middle and highest tertiles versus those in the lowest tertile of WHR were 1.3 and 2.8, respectively (P for linear trend
Impact of Room Air Resuscitation on Early Growth Response Gene-1 in a Neonatal Piglet Model of Cerebral Hypoxic Ischemia

Early growth response gene-1 (Egr-1) is up-regulated by hypoxia-ischemia (HI) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in adult animals, functioning as a master switch in inflammation and thrombogenesis. We hypothesized that resuscitation from HI with 100% O2 would result in greater Egr-1 expression, ROS, and cell death (CD) in the brains of newborn piglets than 21% O2. Two control groups breathed 21% O2 for 1 h followed by 21% or 100% O2 for 1 h. Two HI groups underwent carotid artery occlusion and breathed 8–12% O2 for 1 h followed by occlusion release and 21% or 100% O2 for 1 h. Brain Egr-1 mRNA and protein were analyzed via quantitative PCR and Western blot. CD and ROS were measured by fluorescence microscopy. Egr-1 mRNA expression increased throughout the brain in response to HI with regional heterogeneity, but protein levels did not. Resuscitation with 100% oxygen did not cause any additional Egr-1 mRNA, Egr-1 protein, CD, or ROS production as compared with 21% oxygen. There was no difference in physiologic recovery after HI with room air compared with 100% O2 resuscitation. However, 100% O2 administration was associated with increased CD in the brainstem independent of HI. Therefore, 100% O2 may have been toxic to some brainstem cells and potentially have significance in long-term neurologic sequelae seen after neonatal HI/resuscitation. Egr-1 protein levels may be tightly regulated in an attempt to diminish neurotoxicity or to enhance plasticity at this stage of development.
Controversies and Challenges in Defining the Etiology and Pathophysiology of Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) can occur as a primary disorder, with no apparent cause other than a possible genetic predisposition, or as a secondary condition, most commonly related to iron deficiency, pregnancy, or end-stage renal disease. Recent studies have identified 2 different phenotypes of RLS based on age at onset of symptoms. Persons whose RLS symptoms start at an earlier age (<45 years) are more likely to have a family history of RLS and tend to have a more slowly progressive development of the disorder compared with individuals who have later onset of symptoms. In the past, our ability to determine either prevalence or population factors associated with increased occurrence of RLS has been limited. However, 4 different diagnostic criteria have been established. Familiarity with diagnostic criteria and clinical characteristics are essential for diagnosis and appropriate treatment, if required.
On the predictability of mode-1 internal tides

Abstract A frequency–wavenumber tidal analysis for deriving internal-tide harmonic constants from TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) measurements of sea-surface height (SSH) has been developed, taking advantage of the evident temporal and spatial coherence and the weak dissipation of internal tides. Previous analyses consisted of simple tidal analysis at individual points, which gave inconsistent harmonic constants at altimeter track crossover points. Such analyses have difficulty in distinguishing between the effects of interference, incoherence, and dissipation. The frequency–wavenumber analysis provides an objective way to interpolate the internal tides measured along altimetry tracks to any arbitrary point, while leveraging all available data for optimal tidal estimates. Tidal analysis of T/P data from 2000 to 2007 is used to predict in situ time series measured during the 2001–2002 Hawaiian Ocean mixing experiment (HOME), the 1987 reciprocal tomography experiment (RTE87), and the 1991 acoustic mid-ocean dynamics experiment (AMODE), demonstrating both the temporal coherence and the lack of incoherent elements to this wave propagation. It has been conjectured that significant energy would be lost from mode-1 internal tides as they cross the 28.9°N critical latitude of parametric subharmonic instability (PSI). No apparent change in amplitude at 28.9°N was detected by this analysis, however. Further, after correcting for changes in background stratification, the amplitude of the mode-1 internal tide was found to decrease by less than 20% over the 2000 km between the Hawaiian Ridge and 40°N. A significant fraction of the variability of internal waves, that component associated with mode-1 internal tides, appears to be predictable over most of the world's oceans, using harmonic constants derived from satellite altimetry.
Ginsparg-Wilson relation and ultralocality

It is shown that it is impossible to construct a free theory of fermions on infinite hypercubic Euclidean lattice in four dimensions that is: (a) ultralocal, (b) respects symmetries of hypercubic lattice, (c) corresponding kernel satisfies D gamma5 + gamma5 D = D gamma5 D (Ginsparg-Wilson relation), (d) describes single species of massless Dirac fermions in the continuum limit.
Equilibration with intrinsic traps in molecularly doped polymers

Abstract Photocurrents in molecularly doped polymers are modeled as random walks with activated hopping in a Gaussian manifold of states. Special attention is given to the deepest sites encountered per transit. The field dependent mobility μ is found when M ∼ 1–10 deep sites are rate limiting in transits with over 106 steps. The microscopic picture of multi-step releases based on many returns to deep sites leads to 1n μ ∝ ✓E in the equilibration regime.
Corrosion of Fe-10Al-Cr alloys by coal char

Corrosion of iron-base alloys at 982°C (1800°F) by coal char is observed and the phase morphologies are discussed. No sulfidation was observed at 50 hr exposure. After 100 hr internal aluminum-rich sulfides were observed along with thick outer scales of iron oxide. The species causing the hightemperature-induced corrosion are probably sulfides and sulfates, present in most coal chars. Possible mechanisms for the corrosion are also discussed.
Reading “Rights of Desire” and “Rights of Opacity” in J. M. Coetzee's Disgrace

This article argues that the novel Disgrace points toward a politics of illegiblity and opacity that aligns more readily with anti-identitarian queer theory instead of rights- and recognition-based human rights discourses. Through an extended consideration of the relation between national allegory, history, and legibility, I argue that the novel sustains two interpretations of the category of lesbian-first, the national allegorical reading that erases her rights of lesbian desire in the transmission of racialized and sexual historical debts and second, Lucy's refusal of legibility as a lesbian in the national narrative and legal structures.
Simulation of the breakage of bonded agglomerates in a ball mill

Abstract Size reduction is an essential operation across many industries. Despite its prevalence, the efficiency of the conversion of applied force to the creation of new surfaces is extremely poor, none worse than the commonly encountered ball mill. However, tuning of operational parameters may be a means to increase the low efficiency levels, if the proper connection between operating conditions and breakage conditions can be determined. Described here is the implementation of the Bonded Particle Model (BPM) within the Discrete Element Method (DEM) framework to analyze the breakage of bonded agglomerates within a batch ball mill. The effect of agglomerate bond strength ( σ ¯ max ), grinding media diameter (dm), grinding media fill level (J) and drum rotation rate (ϕc) on breakage and flow is analyzed using the Attainable Region (AR) approach. It is found that agglomerate strength and grinding media diameter affect breakage significantly, whereas grinding media fill level has a minor affect. Drum rotation rate has potential as a control parameter for fine tuning of the breakage behavior. The majority of breakage occurs near the mill shell, rather than at the point of impact between the media and material and the extent of material breakage has a significant influence on the material flow within the mill. Our work demonstrates that computational simulation is a powerful tool for analyzing the flow and breakage in ball mills and can aid in decision-making for more efficient operation.
Dorsal raphe neurons: depression of firing during sleep in cats.

The results of lesion and pharmacological experiments suggest that 5-HT-containing neurons localized in the raphe nuclei of the brain stem participate functionally in the control of slow wave sleep (SWS) 24-27 as well as in a variety of waking (W) behavioral processes s,l°. Studies of neuronal unit discharge of this cell type in unanesthetized chronic animals should provide additional data bearing on their functions in the control of sleep and waking behaviors. The dorsal raphe nucleus of the midbrain is a primary location of neuronal perikarya containing 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and a major source of axons projecting to forebrain sites 5,xl,z°,2a. This report describes the changes in the rate and pattern of unit discharge of dorsal raphe neurons during the W-SWS-REM cycle in the cat*. Single units were recorded from adult cats through chronically-implanted flexible Formvar insulated nichrome wires with diameters of 32, 45, or 62 #m as described previously in. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, bundles of 6 microwires were stereotaxically lowered into position through the barrel of a mechanical microdrive in. The dorsal raphe nucleus (AP --2 to + 1, H --1 to --3, L 0) was approached through the cerebellum with the microdrive inclined caudally 40 ° from the vertical to avoid the bony tentorium. Each microwire, as well as leads to macroelectrodes for recording cortical and subcortical slow wave activity, eye movements and neck EMG, were soldered to a standard electrical connector which was rigidly attached to the skull with dental cement. Beginning two weeks following surgery, the cat was placed within an insulated, shielded cubicle (each side about 60 cm), and connected to recording amplifiers through a low noise cable. The microdrive was advanced until stable single units with signal to noise ratios exceeding 2:1 were encountered. A continuous recording, in* Preliminary reports describing these results previously presented are: McGINTY, D. J., Neurochemically defined neurons: behavioral correlates of unit activity of serotonin-containing neurons. In M. I. PHILLIPS (Ed), Brain Unit Activity During Behavior, Thomas, Springfield, Ii1., 1973, pp. 244-267. McGINTY, D. J., HARPER, R. M., AND FAIRBANKS, M. K., 5-HT-containing neurons: unit activity in behaving cats. In J. BARCHAS AND E. USmN (Eds.), Serotonin and Behavior, Academic Press, New York, 1973, pp. 267-279.
Argon Laser Irradiation in Root Surface Caries: in Vitro Study Examines Laser’S Effects

Argon laser shows promise in retarding caries progression. Recent research shows that laser irradiation can improve enamel’s resistance to caries. This in vitro study examines the effects of argon laser irradiation on root surface caries. Treated surfaces seemed more resistant to an artificial caries medium than control surfaces.
Parasitoid‐host interactions: Historical perspectives and current status

The papers contained in this special issue of Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology are published in connection with the symposium entitled “Physiological and Molecular Interactions Between Parasitoids and Their Hosts” held at the XIX International Congress of Entomology, Beijing, China. Speakers in the program discussed advances in the field and provided insight into future directions of study. As a preface to this special issue, we summarize the history of this field as reflected through the continuing series of symposia held in association with the International Congresses.
Winter annual small grain forage potential. II. Quantification of nutritive characteristics of four small grain species at six growth stages

Abstract Four small grain species, barley, oat, rye, and wheat were harvested at six growth stages to investigate their nutritive quality as a possible replacement for corn silage. Crude protein (CP), in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and lignin contents were measured on fresh and ensiled samples. The IVDMD, an estimate of forage ruminant digestibility, of all species generally decreased from the vegetative (765–854 g kg‐1) through the milk stage (505–662 g kg‐1) and then remained unchanged or increased slightly through hard dough with the exception of oats which often decreased during later stages of growth. The IVDMD of rye was usually lower than the other species from the milk to hard dough stage. The IVDMD of barley was generally higher than the other species at the soft and hard dough stages. The NDF, ADF, and lignin fractions usually increased from the vegetative to milk stages and remained unchanged or increased slightly through the...
The adenovirus E3 region 14.7 kDa protein, heat and sodium arsenite inhibit the TNF-induced release of arachidonic acid.

In this report we show that the adenovirus E3 region 14.7 kDa protein, heat and sodium arsenite, which have been defined previously as inhibitors of cytolysis, inhibit the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF)-induced release of 3H-arachidonic acid from cycloheximide-sensitized C3HA fibroblasts. Since the A23187-induced release of 3H-a.a. was unaffected, our results suggest that these inhibitors provide resistance to lysis by selectively interfering with the lytic response pathway. Our results also show that heat and sodium arsenite can themselves induce the release of 3H-arachidonic acid. These results raise the possibility that stressor-induced resistance to TNF results from the selective desensitization of phospholipase A2.
Capillaries Modified by Polyelectrolyte Multilayers for Electrophoretic Separations

Fused silica capillaries coated with thin films of physically adsorbed charged polymers are employed for capillary zone electrophoretic separations. The coating is a polyelectrolyte multilayer, constructed in situ by alternating rinses with positively and negatively charged polymers. The thickness of the multilayer and amount of surface charge is controlled by the concentration of salt in the deposition solutions. The direction of the electroosmotic flow oscillates as the multilayer surface charge alternates in polarity during buildup. The apparent surface charge, deduced from the electroosmotic mobility, is considerably less than the nominal surface charge of the film. Mechanisms limiting this apparent surface charge for a buffer-permeable layer are discussed. The multilayer-coated columns exhibit many desirable features in addition to ease of construction and reproducible control of electroosmotic flow: stable flow rates are achieved immediately on exposure of the column to running buffer, and reversed...
Standard prophylactic enoxaparin dosing leads to inadequate anti-Xa levels and increased deep venous thrombosis rates in critically ill trauma and surgical patients.

Background: Deep venous thromboses (DVT) continue to cause significant morbidity in critically ill patients. Standard prophylaxis for high risk patients includes twice-daily dosing with 30 mg enoxaparin. Despite prophylaxis, DVT rates still exceed 10% to 15%. Anti-Xa levels are used to measure the activity of enoxaparin and 12-hour trough levels ≤0.1 IU/mL have been associated with higher rates of DVT in orthopedic patients. We hypothesized that low Anti-Xa levels would be found in critically ill trauma and surgical patients and that low levels would be associated with higher rates of DVT. Methods: All patients on the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) service were prospectively followed. In the absence of contraindications, patients were given prophylactic enoxaparin and anti-Xa levels were drawn after the third dose. Trough levels ≤0.1 IU/mL were considered low. Screening duplex exams were obtained within 48 hours of admission and then weekly. Patients were excluded if they did not receive a duplex, if they had a prior DVT, or if they lacked correctly timed anti-Xa levels. DVT rates and demographic data were compared between patients with low and normal anti-Xa levels. Results: Data were complete for 54 patients. Eighty-five percent suffered trauma (Injury Severity Score of 25 ± 12) and 74% were male. Overall, 27 patients (50%) had low anti-Xa levels. Patients with low anti-Xa levels had significantly more DVTs than those with normal levels (37% vs. 11%, p = 0.026), despite similar age, body mass index, Injury Severity Score, creatinine clearance, high risk injuries, and ICU/ventilator days. Conclusion: Standard dosing of enoxaparin leads to low anti-Xa levels in half of surgical ICU patients. Low levels are associated with a significant increase in the risk of DVT. These data support future studies using adjusted-dose enoxaparin.
Effects of different broadening mechanisms on pulse amplification in the superradiant regime

Abstract We compare the effects of homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening mechanisms on the amplification of a seed pulse in an inverted two-level system in the superradiant density regime. We find both quantitative and qualitative differences in the shape of the output bursts, most notably in the wing behavior. In particular, we show the formation of trailing 0π-solitons in the inhomogeneously broadened case.
Structural Link between γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A (GABAA) Receptor Agonist Binding Site and Inner β-Sheet Governs Channel Activation and Allosteric Drug Modulation

Rapid opening and closing of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) regulate information flow throughout the brain. For pLGICs, it is postulated that neurotransmitter-induced movements in the extracellular inner β-sheet trigger channel activation. Homology modeling reveals that the β4-β5 linker physically connects the neurotransmitter binding site to the inner β-sheet. Inserting 1, 2, 4, and 8 glycines in this region of the GABAA receptor β-subunit progressively decreases GABA activation and converts the competitive antagonist SR-95531 into a partial agonist, demonstrating that this linker is a key element whose length and flexibility are optimized for efficient signal propagation. Insertions in the α- and γ-subunits have little effect on GABA or SR-95531 actions, suggesting that asymmetric motions in the extracellular domain power pLGIC gating. The effects of insertions on allosteric modulator actions, pentobarbital, and benzodiazepines, have different subunit dependences, indicating that modulator-induced signaling is distinct from agonist gating.
Binary collision Monte Carlo simulations of cascades in polyatomic ceramics

Abstract The understanding of radiation damage phenomena in polyatomic ceramic materials (PCMs) is still at an early stage as compared to that in metallic structural alloys. The binary collision approximation (BCA) is used in a Monte Carlo (MC) study of high-energy collision-cascade creation in SPINEL (MgAl2O4). The study focuses on two aspects of cascade generation: cascade morphology and cascade stoichiometry. In the high-energy regime, typical of fusion neutrons, cascades show a tree-like morphology. To a large degree, instantaneous recombination occurs in the “stem” part of the cascade because of the closer separation of vacancy-interstitial pairs. Following this recombination phase, fusion neutron cascades tend to result in Frenkel pairs distributed on the “branches” of the tree in a zone extending over 100 to 200 nm. The stoichiometry of displacements within the cascade is found to be substantially different from bulk stoichiometry and is dependent upon the energy and type of primary knock-on atom (PKA). Limitations of the BCA to model the low energy characteristics of the cascade are discussed in the paper.
Thoughts on randomised trials for evaluation of development: presentation to the Cairo evaluation clinic

The authors were asked to discuss specific methodological approaches to evaluating three hypothetical interventions. This article uses this forum to discuss three misperceptions about randomised trials. First, nobody argues that randomised trials are appropriate in all settings, and for all questions. Everyone agrees that asking the right question is the highest priority. Second, the decision about what to measure and how to measure it, that is, through qualitative or participatory methods versus quantitative survey or administrative data methods, is independent of the decision about whether to conduct a randomised trial. Third, randomised trials can be used to evaluate complex and dynamic processes, not just simple and static interventions. Evaluators should aim to answer the most important questions for future decisions, and to do so as reliably as possible. Reliability is improved with randomised trials, when feasible, and with attention to underlying theory and tests of why interventions work or fail ...
Contextual Influences on Men’s Perceptions of Women’s Sexual Interest

The current study evaluated whether the sexual relevance of the social environment potentiated men’s judgments of women’s sexual interest, particularly among men reporting more frequent misperception of a potential partner’s sexual interest. Twenty-eight scenes were constructed depicting social environments that were either lower or higher in sexual relevance (e.g., office vs. bar). A full-body photograph of one of 14 college-aged women was inserted into each scene; the women all expressed neutral-to-positive affect and varied in provocativeness of dress and attractiveness. A total of 237 undergraduate males viewed each scene and judged how sexually interested and friendly each woman felt. Sexually relevant social environments potentiated men’s judgments of women’s sexual interest far more than their friendliness. This effect was stronger among more conservatively dressed women and among men reporting more frequent experiences of misperceiving a woman’s sexual interest. The findings highlight the contextualized nature of emotional perception, whereby perception of emotion is potentiated in congruent, relative to incongruent, contexts.
Sustained improvements in plasma ACTH and clinical status in a patient with Nelson's syndrome treated with pasireotide LAR, a multireceptor somatostatin analog.

Context: Nelson's syndrome refers to aggressive pituitary corticotroph adenoma growth after bilateral adrenalectomy for treatment of Cushing's disease (CD). Pasireotide, a novel somatostatin analog, has been effective in treating CD. Here, the first case report of a patient with Nelson's syndrome treated with pasireotide is presented. Case Presentation: A 55-year-old female was diagnosed with CD in 1973 at age 15 years and underwent bilateral adrenalectomy 1 year later. She subsequently developed Nelson's syndrome and underwent multiple surgeries and radiotherapy for adenoma growth. After presentation with ocular pain, third cranial nerve palsy, and a finding of suprasellar tumor enlargement with hemorrhage, she began pasireotide long-acting release 60 mg/28 days im. At baseline, fasting plasma ACTH was 42 710 pg/mL (normal, 5–27 pg/mL), and fasting plasma glucose was 98 mg/dL. After 1 month, ACTH declined to 4272 pg/mL, and it has remained stable over 19 months of follow-up. Hyperpigmentation progressive...
Chain Length Effects for Cluster Ion Formation during High Energy Ion/Surface Collisions with Self-Assembled Monolayer Surfaces

A high-resolution time-of-flight secondary ionization mass spectrometer (TOF-SIMS) was used to investigate chain length effects for the formation of cluster ions. The clusters were formed from high energy monatomic ion collisions with hydrocarbon self-assembled monolayer (SAM) surfaces that were deposited onto gold substrates. A wide range of n-alkanethiols was used to make the SAM surfaces, which included both odd and even hydrocarbon chain length thiols. The mass range of the TOF-SIMS made it possible to monitor all of the cluster ions that were formed by the high energy ion/surface interactions. The focus of this work was on the formation of high mass gold-sulfur and gold-adsorbate cluster ions. Mechanisms for the formation of these large cluster ions are proposed, which build upon a precursor cluster mechanism for high energy collisions with hydrocarbon SAM surfaces. 1 The formation of high mass cluster ions is a function of the chain length of the alkanethiol chemisorbed to the gold surface. It has been demonstrated that both the attenuation of the ions by steric effects and van der Waals interactions dictate their formation.
Leave-one-out bounds for kernel methods

In this article, we study leave-one-out style cross-validation bounds for kernel methods. The essential element in our analysis is a bound on the parameter estimation stability for regularized kernel formulations. Using this result, we derive bounds on expected leave-one-out cross-validation errors, which lead to expected generalization bounds for various kernel algorithms. In addition, we also obtain variance bounds for leave-one-out errors. We apply our analysis to some classification and regression problems and compare them with previous results.
Digestion, absorption, and cancer preventative activity of dietary chlorophyll derivatives

The growing body of epidemiological and experimental evidence associating diets rich in fruits and vegetables with prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer has stimulated interest in plant food phytochemicals as physiologically active dietary components. Chlorophyll and its various derivatives are believed to be among the family of phytochemical compounds that are potentially responsible for such associations. Dietary chlorophyll is predominantly composed of lipophilic derivatives including chlorophyll a and b (fresh fruits and vegetables), metal-free pheophytins and pyropheophytins (thermally processed fruits and vegetables), as well as Zn-pheophytins and Zn-pyropheophytins (thermally processed green vegetables). Water-soluble derivatives including chlorophyllides, pheophorbides, as well as a commercial-grade derivative known as sodium copper chlorophyllin (SCC) also contribute to the diversity of dietary chlorophyll derivatives. Although the use of chlorophyll derivatives, especially SCC, in traditional medical applications is well documented, it is perhaps the potential of chlorophyll as a cancer preventative agent that has drawn significant attention recently. Biological activities attributed to chlorophyll derivatives consistent with cancer prevention include antioxidant and antimutagenic activity, mutagen trapping, modulation of xenobiotic metabolism, and induction of apoptosis. Although most research has focused on commercial-grade SCC, the extent to which natural chlorophyll derivatives modulate biomarkers of cancer risk is also being explored. Recent research efforts have also included investigation of the impact of digestive factors on chlorophyll structure and bioaccessibility as a means to better understand the extent to which these pigments may be bioavailable in humans and therefore have more systemic impact in the prevention of cancer.
The effects of hemorrhage and hormones on the partition of body water

Summary o 1. A method is described for the sequential measurement of changes in the total volume of extracellular fluid by observing variations in the predicted concentration curve of equilibrated radiobromine in specially prepared dogs. 2. When this method is combined with an analogous method for the continuous measurement of plasma volume it is possible to study acute changes in fluid partition. 3. The accuracy of these methods was tested by recording their sensitivity in measuring changes in fluid partition induced by the infusion of known volumes of isotonic and hypertonic electrolyte and crystalloid solutions. The methods were capable of demonstrating expansion of extracellular fluid from exogenous sources or from newly released cell water with an error of approximately 1 per cent of the extracellular fluid volume. 4. The plasma volume was strongly favored in the partition of all the fluids studied. 5. It is concluded that this method is satisfactory for the study of the effect of hemorrhage on the partition of body water.
Europium-152 as a potential substitute for cobalt-60 in radiation therapy.

Construction has begun of prototype europium‐152 sources, with the principal goal of providing cost‐effective teletherapy for emergent nations where prices for cobalt‐60 are excessive, owing to replacement needs, and the use of linacs is economically prohibitive and technologically unfeasible. 152Eu sources (T 1/2=13.4y vs T 1/2=5.26y for 60Co) are designed for absorbed dose rates ≳1.5 Gy/min at 1 m, with specific activities ≳5 TBq/gm, allowing substitution into existing irradiators. Costs of 152Eu compare favorably with 60Co, taking account of extended useful lifetime.
If I only had a brain: exploring mouse brain images in the Allen Brain Atlas.

The combination of a powerful well-designed user interface with detailed high-quality data sets can create new possibilities for data exploration and analysis. The Allen Brain Atlas (http:www.brain-map.org) provides a collection of tools for examining a set of images that detail gene expression in the mouse brain. Powerful web-based viewers for individual images and parallel examination of related images interact with an external application for three-dimensional views. The underlying dataset, generated via high-throughput analysis of expression patterns of more than 21000 genes in adult mouse brains, provides three-dimensional views of gene expression patterns displayed in the context of an anatomical ontology. Facilities for filtering views, saving views of interest, annotating images and sharing views via email support the ongoing process of analysis and provide a model for the future of integrated tools for analysing large image data sets.
Assessment of bovine mononuclear phagocytes and neutrophils for induced L-arginine-dependent nitric oxide production

Microbicidal activity of reactive oxygen intermediates and reactive nitrogen intermediates has been described from both murine and human cytokine activated macrophages. An L-arginine-dependent pathway of nitric oxide generation has recently been described from bovine bone marrow-derived and monocyte-derived macrophages in response to a phagocytic stimulus. We have investigated the induction and release of both reactive oxygen intermediates and reactive nitrogen intermediates from bovine neutrophils, and blood and spleen mononuclear phagocytes in response to either a phagocytic or cytokine stimulus. Mononuclear phagocytes were poor producers of hydrogen peroxide (a measure of reactive oxygen intermediate production) under conditions that readily caused release by neutrophils. In contrast, nitrite, as a measure of nitric oxide production, could not be induced from neutrophils under any stimulation conditions, while mononuclear phagocytes responded to both a phagocytic stimulus and cytokines with the induction of nitric oxide synthase message and production of nitric oxide. There appeared to be two populations of monocytes that differed both in their adherent characteristics and their level of cytokine-induced nitric oxide production. Both populations stained with a single monoclonal antibody. However, the population that had not adhered to plastic within 3 h responded to cytokine stimulation, producing up to 3 times more nitric oxide on a per cell basis than the readily adherent population. Cytokine induction required the presence of interferon-gamma and either tumor necrosis factor-alpha or lipopolysaccharide. L-arginine dependence was demonstrated by inhibition with an L-arginine analog and restoration with addition of excess L-arginine.
Feminist Approaches to Middle English Religious Writing: The Cases of Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich

Feminist study of Middle English religious writings is a relatively new field, but it is a rich and well-developed one. Although the work of such pioneers as Eileen Edna Power set the stage in the early twentieth century, feminist scholarship of the corpus of medieval religious texts in English only emerged as a truly vibrant area of inquiry in the past twenty years. Indeed, the entry of such figures as Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich into the canon, marked iconically by their entries into the Norton Anthology of British Literature in 1986 and 1993 respectively, suggests at once how recent a scholarly development such work is and how strong an influence such scholarship has had on the study of Middle English literature. Using the cases of Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich as test cases, this essay explores the key debates that have driven and shaped feminist scholarship on Middle English religious texts over the past two decades, and it explores newly emergent trends. It examines the impact of psychoanalytic criticism on medieval feminist scholarship and interrogates the contributions made by scholars who embrace French feminist approaches. It addresses the paradigm shifts enacted by the ground-breaking work of Caroline Walker Bynum as well as the questions concerning gender and essentialism raised by her work. The importance of New Historicism in the field is also a key concern in the essay, as are new takes on historicist research, especially the work of scholars who are rethinking questions of historical periodization.
Simultaneous regulation of plasmid replication and heterologous gene expression in Escherichia coli.

Abstract An expression plasmid in which plasmid DNA replication and heterologous gene expression can be simultaneously regulated was constructed to avoid depression prior to induction. This was achieved by placing a pBR322 origin of replication immediately downstream of an anthranilate synthase-human epidermal growth factor fusion gene (trpE-hEGF), both under the control of the promoter from the tryptophan biosynthetic operon. Regulation of plasmid copy number ensured tight repression of the trp promoter prior to induction. Upon induction, plasmid copy number increased up to six-fold and the fusion protein accumulated to approximately 12% of total cell protein. Induction experiments with a series of plasmid derivatives with sequentially lower copy numbers revealed that accumulation levels of the TrpE-hEGF fusion protein post-induction correlated well with plasmid copy number. Plasmid constructs where the native trp promoter had been replaced by derivatives deleted of the attenuator resulted in high levels of hEGF accumulation in the tryptophan-free medium prior to induction. Nevertheless, up to two-fold increase in TrpE-hEGF accumulation levels were obtained using the constructs lacking the attenuator compared to those bearing the native trp promoter.
On a Newton-Moser type method

We prove that a variant of Moser's iterative method for solving nonlinear equations is quadratically convergent and give error bounds. We estimate the amount of arithmetic for the method and compare it to Newton's method. Finally we use the method to solve a problem with small divisors.
Parsing the genetic and nongenetic variance in children's depressive behavior

Estimates of the genetic and environmental contributions to depressive behavior were derived using model-fitting analyses with data from a sample of 364 twin pairs, aged 4 to 12 years. Results suggested that genetic and nonshared environmental factors accounted for significant proportions of the variance in children's depressive symptomatology, but estimates differ for boys and girls. Further analyses indicated different genetic and environmental contributions for younger and older children. Analyses of a direct measure of shared and nonshared components of the environment identified specific aspects of children's environments which were associated with depressive behavior.
Measuring equity sensitivity

Purpose – To examine the Equity Sensitivity Instrument (ESI) and the Equity Preference Questionnaire (EPQ) in a single study in order to see how the two measures are related, as well as how they relate to other variables, in an effort to identify which scale constitutes a better measure of the equity sensitivity construct.Design/methodology/approach – Using a self‐report questionnaire with two samples, 164 students and 186 non‐students, we analyzed the convergent and discriminant validity of the ESI and the EPQ with established measures of Machiavellianism and Positive Affect/Negative Affect. Additionally, the study examined the factor structures of the ESI and the EPQ.Findings – The summated ESI and EPQ scales showed little correlation with each other. Factor analysis of the scales revealed that the EPQ was multidimensional, while the ESI was unidimensional. Mixed findings among factor correlations precluded a definitive assessment of convergent or discriminant validity for the two scales. Many studies l...
Methods for measuring fat absorption.

SummaryGastric retention of a lipid may lead to erroneous conclusions when rates of fat absorption are measured by the generally accepted methods. Separate recoveries of the remaining lipids from the stomach and intestines after an absorptive period permits a correction for the lipid unavailable for absorption in relative rate calculations.
Chemokine gradient formation in microfluidic devices to investigate prostate cancer cell migration

Metastasis of cancer requires adhesion and migration of cells. The effect of chemokine gradient on prostate cancer cells (PCC) is not well understood. A poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device that enables time-lapse study of cell migration is presented. Photolithography and soft lithography processes were used to fabricate the PDMS devices from SU-8 molds. The device has two inlets, a cell reservoir and an outlet channel with a depth of 100μm. The microfluidic device is configured to provide fluid mixing leading to a gradient across the outlet channel. The inlets allow for introduction of different chemokines at different concentrations and flow rates. The cell migration in the presence of chemokine gradient and flow rate can thus be monitored in a time-lapse fashion. The gradient formations at different flow rates over different lengths of time have been analyzed. Flow rates of 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 20 μl/min at 5-minute intervals for over an hour were monitored to determine optimum flow rates and times required to produce desired gradient profiles. Results suggest that gradients formed at lower flow rates have less variation over time. Moreover, lower flow rates do not affect cell movement making observation of cell migration towards gradients possible. Higher flow rates have better gradient definition but cells tend to flow away with the fluid.
An improved separation procedure for nucleoside monophosphates on polyethyleneimine- (PEI-)cellulose thin layers

Abstract A procedure is described for the two-dimensional separation of the 4 major and 16 modified nucleoside-(5') monophosphates on anion-exchange thin layers of polyethyleneimine- (PEI-)cellulose. The method, which is simple and less time-consuming than existing partition chromatographic methods, may be used for the identification of 5'-termini of RNA and RNA fragments.
Language Assessment Methods For Three Age Groups of Children

This article describes results of a survey of licensed, midwestern, school-based speech-language pathologists regarding methods used to assess the language of children ages 3 to 5 years, 6 to 11 years, and 12 to 18 years. Striking similarities were found in methods used for each age group. Results of this survey are also compared to those of a similar survey done in a western state to indicate if national tendencies in language assessment may be present. How these methods relate to assessment practices recommended in literature and reasons cited by respondents for choosing these methods are discussed.