cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Legal services for the poor: Access, self-interest, and pro bono

Purpose – Decreasing governmental support means access to legal services for the poor depends upon the interests of private actors controlling the needed resources. Law firms are a major source of resources for non-profit entities providing those services. This chapter examines the nature of that support.Design/methodology/approach – Law firms are guided by self-interest. How this influences their pro bono activities supporting legal services to the poor is explored through a case study of the legal services market in Cook County, IL and Chicago. It draws from: documentary research on over 50 private legal service providers in Cook County; interviews with 31 lawyers participating in the market for legal services in Cook County; and a focus group with 10 lawyers participating in that market.Findings – The interests driving law firm support for legal services do not match the demonstrated areas of greatest legal need or the stated purposes of the non-profit entities receiving that support. Instead, they reflect reasonable firm self-interest in such goals as lawyer training and marketing. Consequently, non-profit entities receiving support must accommodate those goals.Research limitations/implications – This study points to the need for more empirical research into the consequences of the privatization of legal services.Originality/value – Privatization means that some crucial legal needs will never be met, and this study provides an empirical context for the debate over “civil Gideon” – whether there should be a constitutional right to legal representation in civil matters akin to the constitutional right in criminal matters.
Surreptitious Ingestion of a Long-Acting Vitamin K Antagonist/Rodenticide, Brodifacoum: Clinical and Metabolic Studies of Three Cases

The vitamin K metabolism of three patients with factitious purpura due to brodifacoum ingestion was studied. These patients, who presented with bleeding disorders due to deficiency of the vitamin K-dependent blood clotting proteins, were refractory to vitamin K1 at standard doses and required fresh frozen plasma to control bleeding until large doses of vitamin K1 were used. Metabolic studies demonstrated a blockade in vitamin K utilization, consistent with the presence of a vitamin K antagonist, but the patients denied use of anticoagulants. Warfarin assays were negative. We show that the factitious purpura in each patient was due to the surreptitious ingestion of brodifacoum, a potent second generation long-acting vitamin K antagonist used as a rodenticide. The coagulopathies responded to long-term therapy with large doses of vitamin K1. The serum elimination half-time for brodifacoum ranged from 16 to 36 days in these patients. The anticoagulant effect is of long duration, requiring chronic vitamin K treatment. With increasing availability of new rodenticides, factitious purpura due to surreptitious ingestion of these potent vitamin K antagonists is emerging as a new problem, previously associated with warfarin, with important implications for diagnosis and treatment.
Career Options within the Undergraduate Major.

(1979). Career Options within the Undergraduate Major. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 50, No. 6, pp. 84-85.
Epidemiological Fingerprinting of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by the Production of and Sensitivity to Pyocin and Bacteriophage

A new method has been devised to trace cross-infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Unknown strains growing logarithmically in liquid media were treated with mitomycin C to induce the liberation of pyocin and phage. The lysates were then tested against 27 selected indicator strains, and the zones of clearing were differentiated as to killing by pyocin or lysis by phage. Twenty-four standard pyocin-phage lysates were then applied to each of the unknowns, and the sensitivity pattern was recorded. Thus, an "epidemiological fingerprint" consisting of 51 operational characteristics was established for each isolate. Organisms from the same source had identical or similar fingerprints, but organisms from different origins could easily be distinguished. Pyocin production, pyocin sensitivity, and phage production were found to be stable genetic characters; however, spontaneous mutations in phage sensitivity were frequently encountered. The epidemiological fingerprint has proven to be a sensitive tool in establishing the identity or dissimilarity of unknown strains. This method has been of great value in tracing the epidemiology of P. aeruginosa in the hospital environment. Each of the 157 P. aeruginosa strains tested has been typable by this method.
Dynein motors of the Chlamydomonas flagellum

Chlamydomonas is a biflagellate unicellular green alga that has proven especially amenable for the analysis of microtubule (MT)-based molecular motors, notably dyneins. These enzymes form the inner and outer arms of the flagellum and are also required for intraflagellar transport. Dyneins have masses of approximately 1-2 MDa and consist of up to 15 different polypeptides. Nucleotide binding/hydrolysis and MT motor activity are associated with the heavy chains, and we detail here our current model for the substructural organization of these approximately 520-kDa proteins. The remaining polypeptides play a variety of roles in dynein function, including attachment of the motor to cargo, regulation of motor activity in response to specific inputs, and their necessity for the assembly and/or stability of the entire complex. The combination of genetic, physiological, structural, and biochemical approaches has made the Chlamydomonas flagellum a very powerful model system in which to dissect the function of these fascinating molecular motors.
Safe-radius based motion planning of hexapod using RRT-connect

Rapidly exploring Random Trees (RRT), a sampling based algorithm, efficiently computes a path between a start and a goal configuration. RRT-Connect, is a variant of RRT that works by incrementally building two RRTs rooted at the start and the goal configurations. Significant amount of research has been done on the motion planning of six-legged robots. We improve upon a certain technique which employs a human-like approach. Initailly, a rough path is calculated using a motion planning algorithm. This path is then further divided into start and goal configurations and another motion planning algorithm is used to compute these paths which may force the robot to take detours. Our proposed technique brings an improvement to this approach by making use of another human behaviour in the algorithm.
Selective inactivation of peroxisomal and cytosolic 3-ketothiolase IB by 2-chloro-6-phenylhexanoate in intact hepatocytes.

Rat liver mitochondria and cytosol contain two types of 3-ketothiolases, namely 3-ketothiolases IA and IB, which cleave 3-ketoacyl-coenzyme A (CoA) esters containing four or more carbons and 3-ketothiolases IIA and IIB, which cleave 3-ketoacyl-CoA esters containing four carbons, i.e. acetoacetyl-CoA (Aragon, J.J., and Lowenstein, J.M. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 4725-4733). We now report that rat liver peroxisomes also contain 3-ketothiolases IA and IB and show that incubation of hepatocytes with 2-chloro-6-phenylhexanoate causes the selective inactivation of peroxisomal and cytosolic 3-ketothiolase IB, while mitochondrial 3-ketothiolases are not appreciably affected. The basis of the selectivity of the inhibitor for peroxisomal and cytosolic 3-ketothiolases can be accounted for in terms of the specificities of the enzymes in the different pathways of beta-oxidation. Evidence is presented that 2-chloro-6-phenylhexanoate is metabolized to 2-chloro-3-keto-6-phenylhexanoyl-CoA, which then alkylates 3-ketothiolase and thereby inactivates the enzyme. Evidence is presented which suggests that cytosolic 3-ketothiolases IA and IB are not artifacts of homogenization and organelle preparation.
Optimization of dispersion-compensating axial index profiles for compressing ultrashort optical pulses in optical fibers

We present a theoretical investigation of the dispersive properties of linearly-chirped fiber Bragg gratings, establishing optimal parameters for the refractive index variation along the fiber length. Employing numerical methods, we show that a 3-cm-long chirped Bragg filter is able to compensate for the dispersion from 100 km of fiber at 1.2 micrometers , recompressing a 20 os Gaussian input pulse from its dispersion-broadened 74.4 ps width back to 20.6 ps. We also prove that a uniform grating profile provides the optimum compression for this input pulse type, confirming recently published claims.
Children's perceptions of what counts as a programming language

An educational programming language may be more accessible, less frustrating, and more rewarding for young students. However, if a student thinks that the educational language does not constitute actual computer programming, it is hard to build interest in the subject and confidence in their programming skills. We conducted a study in a summer enrichment program for academically high-achieving students entering the sixth grade. Students were interviewed about their perception of various computer programming environments and our analysis of their reasoning helps us to better understand students' tacit assumptions about computer programming. Half of the students were selected to complete a worksheet showing the connections between the programming language Scratch, Java, C++, and Python. Using linear regression we found that there were no statistically significant differences between students who did and did not complete this worksheet in terms of confidence and perception.
Designing for an informal learning environment: towards a participatory simulation design process for public policy planning

Modern planning practices recruit stakeholders to add specialized expertise to the planning process, but this expertise often remains inert, leading to superficial and circular discussions. By encouraging stakeholders co-construct an external shared representation, more nuanced debates could emerge. This work reports on formative interviews that will inform the design of software that will allow stakeholders to articulate and share their knowledge, and to inspect the underlying assumptions of others and the outcomes of the system.
A calcium-channel homologue required for adaptation to dopamine and serotonin in Caenorhabditis elegans

PROCESSING and storage of information by the nervous system requires the ability to modulate the response of excitable cells to neurotransmitter. A simple process of this type, known as adaptation or desensitization, occurs when prolonged stimulation triggers processes that attenuate the response to neurotransmitter. Here we report that the Caenorhabditis elegans gene unc-2 is required for adaptation to two neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin. A loss-of-function mutation in unc-2 resulted in failure to adapt either to paralysis by dopamine or to stimulation of egg laying by serotonin. In addition, unc-2 mutants displayed behaviours similar to those induced by serotonin treatment. We found that unc-2 encodes a homologue of a voltage-sensitive calcium-channel α-1 subunit. Expression of unc-2 occurs in two types of neurons implicated in the control of egg laying, a behaviour regulated by serotonin. Unc-2 appears to be required in modulatory neurons to downregulate the response of the egg-laying muscles to serotonin. We propose that adaptation to serotonin occurs through activation of an Unc-2-dependent calcium influx, which modulates the post-synaptic response to serotonin, perhaps by inhibiting the release of a potentiating neuropeptide.
Medium-term follow-up of transvaginal suburethral slings: variance in outcome success using two different evaluation methods

Abstract Objectives To compare Groutz-Blaivas’ Simplified Urinary Incontinence Outcome Score (SUIOS) with retrospective chart review for medium-term evaluation of transvaginal suburethral slings. Methods A total of 127 consecutive women underwent transvaginal suburethral sling surgery using In-fast bone screw technology, with a fascia lata graft, from April 1997 to September 1998 (30-month follow-up), performed by a single method. Retrospective evaluation of the patients’ office charts was compared with the outcome data determined by the previously validated SUIOS. Results Of the 107 available patients, 65 (61%) responded. When evaluating the patients’ charts retrospectively, we obtained a complete cure of urinary stress incontinence in 59 (91%), improvement in 3 (4.5%), and complete failure in 3 (4.5%) of the 65 women. Of the 65 patients, 9 (13.5%) reported urge incontinence. The overall urge de novo rate was 9% (6 of 65). On the basis of the SUIOS, 24 (37%) were cured, 22 (34%) had good results, and 10 (15%) of the 65 women had a fair response. By SUIOS, 21 (60%) of 35 patients with mixed incontinence continued having urge incontinence episodes postoperatively compared with 16 (53%) of 30 patients without documented preoperative urge incontinence who developed de novo urge incontinence postoperatively (P Conclusions Despite extensive preoperative counseling, patients perceive any kind of postoperative urinary incontinence as a poor outcome. However, we, as physicians, regard success as cure of the stress component when the surgical intervention is concerned. A validated simplified urinary incontinence score represents a more objective account of the outcome.
Extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with several extrahepatic disorders. Although the exact pathogenesis of these conditions is not fully understood, several studies have provided insight into the role of HCV in their development. This review discusses the different conditions that have been associated with HCV infection. Among the most commonly reported are cryoglobulinemia, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, Sjogren's syndrome, lichen planus and porphyria cutanea tarda. In some patients, these disorders are the first sign of HCV infection.
Effects of age on apparent 31P spin–lattice relaxation times of rat brain phosphates

Apparent 31P spin-lattice relaxation times have been measured in vivo for brain phosphates in young adult, mature adult, and aged rats at 4.7 T and 35 degrees C. Statistically significant differences were found for most phosphate species, except PCr and gamma-ATP, among the three age groups, particularly between the young and mature adults. Age-related changes in tissue composition and exchange reactions are discussed as possible contributors to these results.
Mathematical Simulation of Early Transcription Events During VSV Infection

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a prototypic negative sense single-stranded RNA virus which shares most of its transcription replication mechanism with deadly human pathogens e.g. Ebola virus. The bullet-shape appearance of the virion results from tightly wound helical turns of the nucleoprotein encapsidated RNA template (N-RNA) around a central cavity. Transcription and replication require polymerase complexes, which include a catalytic subunit L and a template-binding subunit P. Transcription initiates at a promoter site close to the 3' end of the N-RNA template which is located at the tip of the virion. Using super-resolution fluorescence imaging and atomic force microscopy (AFM) on single VSV virions, we have shown that L and P are packaged with uniform density starting from the blunt end of virus. Our finding positions the polymerases at the opposite end of the genome with respect to the only transcriptional promoter. How the polymerase complex finds the promoter region is not clear. Here we build a model based on the movement of polymerase on the template through Monte Carlo simulation to test several hypotheses. Due to the large time scale of each transcription reaction, this model allows us to avoid massive calculations but still track each polymerase protein. Through this model we have found that one-dimensional diffusion of L along the RNP plays an essential role in transcription initiation and this rate would be a key parameter to be measured in future experiments.
Precision and Interpretation of Data Collected Using a New Measurement Technique for Microhabitat Features at Fish Locations Determined by Radio Telemetry

ABSTRACT We developed a microhabitat sampling methodology for investigating fish habitat use by radio telemetry. The technique is based on the concept of an area of probable occurrence (APO; a circular confidence interval around an estimated fish location) with measurements of depth, velocity, substrate, and cover features to describe the habitat in the vicinity of a fish's location. We conducted a test of precision and observer agreement of data obtained by this technique and found that the statistical precision of data varied among habitat variables and was low for features that were visually estimated. However, when data were interpreted within the context of several biologically relevant research questions, observer agreement was high indicating that the data led to consistent conclusions regarding microhabitat features within an APO.
Closed-Form Nonlinear Analysis of Beam-Based Flexure Modules

The simple beam acts as a constraint element when used in flexure mechanisms. Non-linearities arising from the force equilibrium conditions in a beam significantly affect its properties as a constraint element. Consequently, beam-based flexure mechanisms typically suffer from performance tradeoffs in terms of motion range, accuracy and stiffness. This paper presents simple yet accurate approximations that capture this non-linearity and allow for the closed-form analysis of flexure mechanisms of moderate complexity. These general analytical tools enable a designer to parametrically predict key performance parameters of a conceived mechanism such as mobility, over-constraint, stiffness variation, and error motions, without resorting to tedious numerical or computational methods. To illustrate their effectiveness, these approximations are used in deriving the closed-form force-displacement characteristics of several important beam-based flexure modules, and the results are validated using Finite Element Analysis. Variations in the beam shape and flexure module geometry are also considered analytically.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Robust pro-inflammatory and lesser anti-inflammatory immune responses during primary simian varicella virus infection and reactivation in rhesus macaques

Simian varicella virus (SVV) infection of non-human primates models human varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection. Assessment of cell signaling immune responses in monkeys after primary SVV infection, after immunosuppression and during reactivation revealed strong pro-inflammatory responses and lesser anti-inflammatory components during varicella and reactivation. Pro-inflammatory mediators elevated during varicella included interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1), interferon inducible T-cell α chemoattractant protein (I-TAC), interferon processing protein (IP-10), and anti-inflammatory interleukin-1 Receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). After immunosuppression and at reactivation, levels of pro-inflammatory mediators MCP-1, eotaxin, IL-6, IL-8, MIF, RANTES (regulated-on-activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted), and HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) were elevated, as was the anti-inflammatory mediator IL-1Ra. Characterization of cytokine, chemokine and growth factor responses during different stages of varicella virus infection will facilitate immunotherapeutic and vaccine strategies.
"Can't walk nor raise arms to head": Harvey Cushing's surgical treatment of poliomyelitis.

Prior to the advent of poliomyelitis vaccinations, with Salk's inactivated virus vaccine announced in 1955,1 and Sabin's live virus vaccine licensed in 1962,2 the disease was the bane of medical practices worldwide. Poliomyelitis was first recognized as a distinct disease entity in 1840 by Jakob Heine3; however, it was not until 1908 that a virus was recognized as the causative factor by Landsteiner and Levaditi.4 At the turn of the 20th century, it was recognized that poliomyelitis, or anterior poliomyelitis, was caused by “inflammation of the gray matter of the anterior horns of the spinal cord.”5 Recognized as a disease of neurons, neurological surgeons sought to restore motor function by performing nerve anastomoses.5–8 Although literature from the time contains some reports of nerve anastomoses, the procedure was considered radical and was not widely practiced. Here we report a case of multiple nerve anastomoses in a single patient, conducted by Harvey Cushing at the Johns Hopkins Hospital during his career as a young attending in neurosurgery. The case presented here illustrates Cushing's desire to explore all facets of the field he helped develop in American surgical practice.
Simple Lessons from Complexity

The complexity of the world is contrasted with the simplicity of the basic laws of physics. In recent years, considerable study has been devoted to systems that exhibit complex outcomes. This experience has not given us any new laws of physics, but has instead given us a set of lessons about appropriate ways of approaching complex systems.
Simultaneous Determination of Physical and Chemical Properties of Sodium Chloride Solutions by near Infrared Spectroscopy

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been investigated as a new technique for the simultaneous determination of physical and chemical properties of NaCl solutions. The spectra of NaCl solutions (0 to 5 M) were measured with cuvettes in the 1100–2500 nm and 680–1230 nm regions at temperatures between 23.0 and 28.5°C, and with a fibre-optic probe in the 1100–1870 nm region at room temperature (23.0 ± 0.5°C). These spectra were correlated with various properties of NaCl solutions by principal component regression (PCR) and multilinear regression (MLR) models. The properties studied include water concentration, density, refractive index, relative viscosity, freezing point depression, osmolality, electrical conductance and activity coefficient of NaCl. Very good correlations were found between the NIR predicted values and literature values. The results of this study demonstrate that several properties of NaCl solutions can be determined simultaneously with NIR spectroscopy. Remote sensing of the properties can...
Reduction of Heterocyclic Aromatic Amine Formation and Overall Mutagenicity in Fried Ground Beef Patties by Organosulfur Compounds

: The effects of several organosulfur compounds on heterocyclic aromatic amine (HAA) formation and overall mutagenicity in fried ground beef patties were evaluated. The greatest inhibition of total HAA formation was achieved with diallyl disulfide (78%) and dipropyl disulfide (70%); these compounds also reduced overall mutagenicity by 75 and 65%, respectively. The addition of diallyl sulfide, allyl methyl sulfide, and allyl mercaptan also significantly (p < 0.05) reduced mutagenicity, with reductions of 56, 43, and 30%, respectively. The addition of cysteine and cystine, however, did not reduce the mutagenicity of cooked meat, an observation confirmed by the relatively small reductions in HAA concentrations.
Femtosecond time-resolved XUV + UV photoelectron imaging of pure helium nanodroplets

Liquid helium nanodroplets, consisting of on average 2 × 106 atoms, are examined using femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging. The droplets are excited by an extreme ultraviolet light pulse centered at 23.7 eV photon energy, leading to states within a band that is associated with the 1s3p and 1s4p Rydberg levels of free helium atoms. The initially excited states and subsequent relaxation dynamics are probed by photoionizing transient species with a 3.2 eV pulse and using velocity map imaging to measure time-dependent photoelectron kinetic energy distributions. Significant differences are seen compared to previous studies with a lower energy (1.6 eV) probe pulse. Three distinct time-dependent signals are analyzed by global fitting. A broad intense signal, centered at an electron kinetic energy (eKE) of 2.3 eV, grows in faster than the experimental time resolution and decays in ∼100 fs. This feature is attributed to the initially excited droplet state. A second broad transient feature, with eKE ranging from 0.5 to 4 eV, appears at a rate similar to the decay of the initially excited state and is attributed to rapid atomic reconfiguration resulting in Franck-Condon overlap with a broader range of cation geometries, possibly involving formation of a Rydberg-excited (Hen)* core within the droplet. An additional relaxation pathway leads to another short-lived feature with vertical binding energies ≳2.4 eV, which is identified as a transient population within the lower-lying 1s2p Rydberg band. Ionization at 3.2 eV shows an enhanced contribution from electronically excited droplet states compared to ejected Rydberg atoms, which dominate at 1.6 eV. This is possibly the result of increased photoelectron generation from the bulk of the droplet by the more energetic probe photons.
Expectations of chemotherapy-related nausea: emotional and experiential predictors.

Despite literature indicating that expectations are important determinants of experiences of nonvolitional outcomes (e.g., pain, nausea), little research has explored their source. The dual process model suggests that concurrent experience of emotional distress should be a strong contributor, whereas social learning theory supports the position that expectations of nonvolitional outcomes should be based primarily on prior experience. These alternative hypotheses were tested in a sample of 80 breast cancer patients undergoing outpatient adjuvant chemotherapy, as such protocols provide a unique opportunity to study the impact of emotional distress and prior experience on patients' expectations of side effects. Bivariate analyses suggested that emotional distress contributed early in the course of treatment, but once prior experience of posttreatment nausea (PTN) was accounted for in the statistical model, distress no longer made significant contributions to patients' expectations of PTN, whereas prior experience did (p < .001). These findings suggest that experience of chemotherapy infusions is an important source of expectations for PTN, which may be representative of the source of expectations for nonvolitional outcomes in broader contexts.
Squamous cell carcinomas that arise in the oral cavity and tongue base: can CT help predict perineural or vascular invasion?

PURPOSE: To determine the ability to use computed tomography (CT) to predict invasion of adjacent nerves or vessels by oral cavity tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Contrast material-enhanced CT scans and histopathologic reports were retrospectively reviewed in 48 patients (36 men, 12 women) aged 38-75 years who underwent gross total resection of squamous cell carcinomas arising in the tongue, the base of the tongue, and the floor of the mouth. CT criteria for diagnosis of perineural or vascular invasion were aggressive tumor margins, invasion of the sublingual space, and direct adjacency of the tumor to the enhanced lingual vasculature in the sublingual space. CT and histopathologic findings of perineural and/or vascular invasion by tumor were correlated in all patients. RESULTS: With the above criteria, CT findings predictive of perineural or vascular invasion had a sensitivity of 88%; specificity, 83%; positive predictive value, 85%; and negative predictive value, 84%. CONCLUSION: CT findings can be used ...
‘Education is the key of life’: Language, schooling, and gender in Tanzanian beauty pageants

Abstract This paper discusses how education, and especially its key product English, shape Tanzanian beauty pageants both implicitly and explicitly. Discourses within these events extol education as the primary resource for social mobility and the most promising solution to society’s and individuals’ problems. Furthermore, contestants and observers plug into English-language, school-based models of speaking, listening, and manifesting knowledge, a process facilitated by the configuration of contestants as schoolgirls. Yet the data presented here demonstrate a mismatch between the social construction of education and the realities that it offers on and off stage. This article will thus outline the mobility of educational models of language use in urban Tanzania, and how, once mobile, they are subject to reinterpretation, revision, and hierarchical reorganization.
Effect of substituting of S for O: The sulfide perovskite BaZrS 3 investigated with density functional theory

We use first-principles density functional theory calculations to investigate the ground-state structure of sulfide perovskite ${\text{BaZrS}}_{3}$. The material has a lower band gap than its oxide analog ${\text{BaZrO}}_{3}$. Neither are ferroelectric in the ground state at $T=0\text{ }\text{K}$. We also examine the IR-active phonon contributions to the dielectric constant $ϵ$ of ${\text{BaZrS}}_{3}$, which are then compared to those of ${\text{BaZrO}}_{3}$. The roles of atomic size, mass, and covalency are discussed with regard to band gap and dielectric response.
A, B, CD, DVD: Marketing Higher Education to the Millennial Generation

ABSTRACT Based on compelling financial and strategic reasons, Iowa State University replaced its paper viewbook with a CD-ROM digital viewbook following the Fall 1998 recruiting cycle. The first interactive DVD viewbook debuted for the Fall 2003 recruiting cycle, following a qualitative research study designed to gauge the effectiveness of the medium.
A Human Factors Research Program for Videotex Technology

A research program to study factors of human interaction with videotext/teletext technology, hereafter referred to as videotex, should consist of three fundamental components. First, formative and technological research are used in the conceptualization and design stages of system hardware and software development.
Repeated Reserpine Increases Striatal Dopamine Receptor and Guanine Nucleotide Binding Protein RNA

In the present study the effects of repeated administration of reserpine on striatal dopamine receptor and guanine nucleotide binding protein mRNAs were determined. Twenty-four hours after seven consecutive daily injections of reserpine--a treatment that is known to produce functional sensitization of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors--the level of striatal D1 dopamine receptor mRNA was unchanged. However, the level of mRNA for the G protein Gs alpha was increased by 127%. After extended reserpine treatment for 14 days, levels of both striatal D1 DA receptor and Gs alpha mRNAs were elevated by 99 and 78%, respectively. Seven days of reserpine treatment also increased levels of mRNA of the striatal D2 dopamine receptor and of G proteins Gi2 alpha and Go alpha by 200, 79, and 32%, respectively. After 14 days of reserpine treatment the level of striatal D2 dopamine receptor mRNA was increased by twofold. In contrast, levels of the mRNAs coding for the G proteins Gi2 alpha and Go alpha were unchanged. These data suggest that dopamine receptors and their respective G proteins play important roles in the development of sensitization of striatal dopamine receptors during repeated reserpine treatment. Furthermore, the persistent increase in level of striatal Gs alpha mRNA suggests that this G protein is necessary to maintain supersensitivity of the striatal D1 dopamine receptor system following long-term dopamine depletion.
Uncus and Amygdala Lesions: Effects on Social Behavior in the Free-Ranging Rhesus Monkey

The eflect of uncinectomny on the social behavior of free-ranging rhesus monkeys was observed on Cayo Santiago Island. Operated subjects showed social indifjerence, failed to display appropriate aggressive and submissive gestures. were expelled from their social group, and evenitlually died. Two juvenile subjects with the lesion restricted to amygdala survived and have rejoinied their social group. Size of lesion and age at operation were major factors in determniting the degree of behavioral change.
Muscarinic agonists activate Ca2+ store-operated and -independent ionic currents in insulin-secreting HIT-T15 cells and mouse pancreatic beta-cells.

The neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a muscarinic receptor agonist, augments glucose-induced insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells by depolarizing the membrane to enhance voltage-gated Ca2+ influx. To clarify the electrical events involved in this process, we measured ionic currents from a clonal β-cell line (HIT-T15) and mouse pancreatic β-cells. In whole-cell recordings, the muscarinic agonist carbachol (CCh) dose-dependently and reversibly activated a voltage-independent, nonselective current (whole-cell conductance 24 pS/pF, reversal potential ~-15 mV). The current, which we refer to as I musc, was blocked by atropine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist, and SKF 96365, a nonspecific ion channel blocker. The magnitude of the current decreased by 52% when extracellular Na+ was removed, but was not affected by changes in extracellular Ca2+, confirming that I musc is a nonselective current. To determine if I musc activates following release of Ca2+ from an intracellular store, we blocked intracellular IP3 receptors with heparin. Carbachol still activated a current in the presence of heparin, demonstrating the presence of a Ca2+ store-independent, muscarinic agonist-activated ionic current in HIT cells. However, the store-independent current was smaller and had a more positive reversal potential (~0 mV) than the current activated by CCh under control conditions. This result indicates that heparin had blocked a component of I musc, which likely activates following release of stored Ca2+. Depleting IP3-sensitive calcium stores with thapsigargin also activated a non-selective, SKF 96365-blockable current in HIT cells. The properties of this putative store-operated current were similar to the component of I musc that was blocked by heparin, being voltage-independent and reversing near −30 mV. We conclude that I musc consists of store-operated and store-independent components, both of which may contribute to the depolarizing action of muscarinic agonists on pancreatic β-cells.
The application of high-dose interleukin-2 for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) evokes an immune response, which has occasionally resulted in spontaneous and dramatic remissions [1, 2, 3]. In an attempt to reproduce or accentuate this response, various immunotherapeutic strategies have been studied. The most consistent anti-tumor activity has been reported with interferon alfa (IFN-α) and interleukin 2 (IL-2). In recent years, randomized trials have suggested that high-dose intravenous bolus IL-2 is superior in terms of response rate and possibly response quality to regimens that involve either low-dose IL-2 and IFN-α, intermediate- or low-dose IL-2 alone, or low-dose IFN-α alone. As this list of effective therapies for RCC grows, improvements in patient selection will be necessary to ensure that the only therapy capable of producing durable remissions will remain available to the patients who should receive it [4, 5, 6, 7].
A Sharkovsky theorem for vertex maps on trees

Let T be a tree with n vertices. Let be continuous and suppose that the n vertices form a periodic orbit under f. We show: If n is not a divisor of 2 k then f has a periodic point with period 2 k . If , where is odd and , then f has a periodic point with period 2 p r for any . The map f also has periodic orbits of any period m where m can be obtained from n by removing ones from the right of the binary expansion of n and changing them to zeroes. Conversely, given any n, there is a tree with n vertices and a map f such that the vertices form a periodic orbit and f has no other periods apart from the ones given above.
Finding and Navigating to Household Objects with UHF RFID Tags by Optimizing RF Signal Strength

We address the challenge of finding and navigating to an object with an attached ultra-high frequency radiofrequency identification (UHF RFID) tag. With current off-theshelf technology, one can affix inexpensive self-adhesive UHF RFID tags to hundreds of objects, thereby enabling a robot to sense the RF signal strength it receives from each uniquely identified object. The received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with a tagged object varies widely and depends on many factors, including the object’s pose, material properties and surroundings. This complexity creates challenges for methods that attempt to explicitly estimate the object’s pose. We present an alternative approach that formulates finding and navigating to a tagged object as an optimization problem where the robot must find a pose of a directional antenna that maximizes the RSSI associated with the target tag. We then present three autonomous robot behaviors that together perform this optimization by combining global and local search. The first behavior uses sparse sampling of RSSI across the entire environment to move the robot to a location near the tag; the second samples RSSI over orientation to point the robot toward the tag; and the third samples RSSI from two antennas pointing in different directions to enable the robot to approach the tag. We justify our formulation using the radar equation and associated literature. We also demonstrate that it has good performance in practice via tests with a PR2 robot from Willow Garage in a house with a variety of tagged household objects.
A reexamination of the low-temperature crystal structure of the p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene–toluene inclusion compound. Differences in spatial averaging with Cu and Mo Kα radiation

The low-temperature crystal structure of the p-tert-butyl­calix[4]arene–toluene inclusion compound, C44H56O4·C7H8, exhibits significant guest-induced distortion of the host calixarene molecule. This distortion persists long enough to establish a correlation in the orientation of guests in adjacent host molecules. Remarkably, the space group and unit cell that best describe the structure appear to depend on the wavelength of the incident radiation. This behaviour appears to arise from spatial averaging over the different scattering volumes required to establish the diffraction peaks.
Performance evaluation of the IBM SP and the Compaq AlphaServer SC

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has recently installed both a Compaq AlphaServer SC and an IBM SP, each with 4-way SMP nodes, allowing a direct comparison of the two architectures. In this paper, we describe our initial evaluation. The evaluation looks at both kernel and application performance for a spectral atmospheric general circulation model, an important application for the ORNL systems.
Relief of angina and congestive failure by Hufnagel valve: subsequent term pregnancy.

Abstract A report is given of a 19-year-old patient with severe free aortic regurgitation due to chronic rheumatic heart disease in Class IV functional capacity. A Hufnagel valve was inserted, with subsequent improvement of her cardiac symptoms and successful completion of a full-term pregnancy.
Mitochondria and Free Radicals in Neurodegenerative Diseases

As one of the chapters of this book points out, the need for a comprehensive text covering these topics demonstrates how “the study of neurodegenerative diseases is undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift.” Certainly, an impressive body of work, presented authoritatively in this book, demonstrates the importance of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in neuronal death.The book's editors are leaders in the study of mitochondrial genetics, physiology, oxidative stress, and electron transport. There are multiple contributing authors, which is both a strength and a weakness. Much descriptive material repeats throughout the chapters, with the authors applying their own particular spin about how and why a particular molecular, biochemical, or physiologic entity is relevant to neurodegeneration. Repetition enforces various concepts, but some readers might find it wearisome. Newcomers to this work may also find it difficult to separate established principles from less-understood phenomena and opinion. Still, the contentious nature of the field makes this unavoidable, and the book deserves credit for presenting a range of expert views.Because of the overlap among chapters, the book works better as a reference than as a seamless whole. Still, as long as one keeps in mind that much of the subject matter represents science in progress, the book definitely does deliver. Its overall organization also is effective in guiding the reader through essential themes, moving from basic concepts of mitochondrial physiology and oxidative stress (with subsections on excitotoxicity and apoptosis) to known and potential applications of the basic science to specific neurodegenerative diseases. Certain chapters in this book will appeal primarily to basic scientists, and others will mostly interest those clinicians (the enlightened ones, in my opinion) who are not put off by the view that Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative disorders are “mitochondriopathies.” Individual readers will no doubt draw their own conclusions about the importance of mitochondrial dysfunction in such diseases.Because of the speed with which this field is advancing, some of the chapters are already out of date. Still, the book serves as a comprehensive starting point for those wishing to learn more about the importance of mitochondria and oxidative stress in neurodegeneration. Those already knowledgeable in the field will find it sufficiently in-depth to make it a worthwhile addition to their collections, and the detailed chapter bibliographies serve as useful guides to the primary literature. Outsiders to the field may wish to look up Flint Beal's concise 1995 review in Annals of Neurology, which covers much of the same ground; those experiencing a palpable feeling of excitement on hearing of the subject matter will be glad to have this book on hand.
Plantar Fascitis–Early Blood Pool Images in Diagnosis of Inflammatory Process:

Bone scintigraphy is of diagnostic value in stress fractures where radiography may not be helpful. Obtaining early blood pool images during scintigraphy for suspected stress fractures may help to identify soft tissue inflammation (plantar fascitis) when delayed images are normal.
Endogenous Fractal Dynamics at Alpine Treeline Ecotones

Many of the hypotheses proposed to explain ecotones are based on an individualistic paradigm and are essentially static. While they include local feedbacks, they ignore the interactions between pattern and process across scales. These feedbacks in ecotones are nonlinear in nature and complicate the relations of pattern and process in vegetation, which, combined with observed fractal patterns, suggests a complexity science approach to investigate ecotone dynamics. A cellular automaton of alpine treeline, including nonlinear, local, positive, and negative feedbacks in tree establishment and mortality, as reported in field studies, is used as a model system. Fourier analysis of simulated alpine treelines shows fractal patterns across the treeline landscapes, which are created by patch development. The temporal evolution of the spatial pattern is also fractal. Landscape scale linear correlations between spatial pattern and the rate of advance of trees into tundra arise from localized nonlinear interactions. A tree-patch-landscape scale explanation of pattern–process interaction is proposed in which the endogenous feedbacks determine the spatial and temporal fractal properties of the ecotone. The simulated treeline advance exhibits self-organized complexity and may indicate a potential strategy for monitoring change.
Building on the legacies of the International Geophysical Year

During the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957–1958, nearly 80,000 scientists and volunteers from 67 countries gathered data at about 8,000 stations from pole to pole on planet Earth in an ambitious endeavor to add to the storehouse of knowledge about our shared habitat. Lloyd Berkner, a prime mover of the IGY, noted that it was a program “operated by scientists, with the consent, cooperation and aid, but not the direction of governments.” The 40th anniversary of the IGY will be observed at AGU's Spring Meeting on May 28th. The All-Union Session Building on the Legacies of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) for the 21st Century I (U31A) offers an opportune occasion to reflect on the rich legacies of the IGY and begin planning for a comparable science-inspired initiative in the 21st century.
Integration of microbial fuel cell techniques into activated sludge wastewater treatment processes to improve nitrogen removal and reduce sludge production.

Abstract Bioelectrochemical systems are emerging for wastewater treatment, yet little is known about how well they can be integrated with current wastewater treatment processes. In this bench-scale study, the microbial fuel cell (MFC) technique was incorporated into the Modified Ludzack–Ettinger (MLE) process (phase I) and later with the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process (phase II) to evaluate the performance of MFC assisted wastewater treatment systems (i.e., MLE–MFC and MBR–MFC). There was no significant difference in the effluent NH4+–N concentration between the systems integrating MFC and the open circuit controls. The average effluent COD concentration was significantly lower in the MLE–MFC, but it did not change much in the MBR–MFC because of the already low COD concentrations in MBR operation. The MLE–MFC and MBR–MFC systems increased the NO3−–N removal efficiencies by 31% (±12%) and 20% (±12%), respectively, and reduced sludge production by 11% and 6%, respectively, while generating an average voltage of 0.13 (±0.03) V in both systems. Analysis of the bacterial specific oxygen uptake rate, the sludge volume index, and ammonia-oxidizing bacterial population (dominated by Nitrosomonas through terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis) indicated that there was no significant difference in sludge activity, settling property, and nitrifying community structure between the MFC assisted systems and the open circuit controls. The results suggest that the wastewater treatment systems could achieve higher effluent water quality and lower sludge production if it is integrated well with MFC techniques.
Atypical Retinochoroidal Coloboma in Patients With Dysplastic Optic Discs and Transsphenoidal Encephalocele: Report of Five Cases

Objective: To evaluate the clinical significance of V- or tongue-shaped infrapapillary retinochoroidal depigmentation in association with dysplastic optic discs. Methods: Clinical data from all patients with V- or tongue-shaped infrapapillary retinochoroidal depigmentation and dysplastic optic discs were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Five patients with this atypical colobomatous anomaly had transsphenoidal encephalocele. A sixth patient had an ectopic midline pharyngeal mass with no skull-base defect. Conclusion: In patients with optic disc dysplasias, the finding of this V- or tongue-shaped retinochoroidal pigmentary anomaly should prompt neuroimaging to look for transsphenoidal encephalocele.
Generalized Neyman–Pearson optimality of empirical likelihood for testing parameter hypotheses

This paper studies the Generalized Neyman–Pearson (GNP) optimality of empirical likelihood-based tests for parameter hypotheses. The GNP optimality focuses on the large deviation errors of tests, i.e., the convergence rates of the type I and II error probabilities under fixed alternatives. We derive (i) the GNP optimality of the empirical likelihood criterion (ELC) test against all alternatives, and (ii) a necessary and a sufficient condition for the GNP optimality of the empirical likelihood ratio (ELR) test against each alternative.