cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PHOSPHATE TRANSPORT IN ISOLATED AND PERFUSED RENAL TUBULES

The isolated perfused renal tubule technique has been adapted to study a number of questions regarding the renal handling of phosphate. The purpose of this review is to describe the observations made thus far relative to four areas of interest; segmental localization of phosphate reabsorption, structural-functional heterogeneity for phosphate transport, cellular mechanisms of phosphate reabosrption, and factors regulating epithelial phosphate reabsorption rates. Although our presentation will emphasize data obtained using the isolated perfused renal tubule technique, these observations need to be viewed, of course, in the context of the important information obtained using clearance, micropuncture and membrane vesicle techniques. This information has been reviewed previously.1
Chemical Communication Within Microbial Biofilms: Chemotaxis and Quorum Sensing in Bacterial Cells

Bacteria obtain a wide range of information from their surrounding environment. This includes physical cues such as temperature and viscosity, inorganic cues such as pH, oxygen and ionic concentration, and various organic chemical cues (Karp-Boss et al. 1996). The successful adaptation of bacteria to changing natural conditions requires that the organism is able to sense and respond to its external environment and modulate gene expression accordingly (Pirhonen et al. 1993).
Statistical Learning and Modeling of TF-DNA Binding

Discovering binding sites and motifs of specific TFs is an important first step towards the understanding of gene regulation circuitry. Computational approaches have been developed to identify transcription factor binding sites from a set of co-regulated genes. Recently, the abundance of gene expression data, ChIP-based TF-binding data (ChIP-array/seq), and high-resolution epigenetic maps have brought up the possibility of capturing sequence features relevant to TF-DNA interactions so as to improve the predictive power of gene regulation modeling. In this chapter, we introduce some statistical models and computational strategies used to predict TF-DNA interactions from the DNA sequence information, and describe a general framework of predictive modeling approaches to the TF-DNA binding problem, which includes both traditional regression methods and statistical learning methods by selecting relevant sequence features and epigenetic markers.
Exploring Negative Absolute Temperature Using NetLogo.

The possibility of negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale is intriguing and confusing simultaneously. This is because students are used to thinking of temperature as a measure of the internal energy of a system. While this concept is good for many systems, it does not work for all systems. Nuclear and electron spin systems, along with lasers and other energy-bound systems, have negative absolute temperature. These systems have an upper limit to their energy, which arises out of the quantum nature of these systems. This is what gives rise to the negative absolute temperature. Temperature in the broadest sense is related to the change of the entropy of a system for a given change in the internal energy of the system. To help students understand this concept, we have developed a NetLogo model simulation of a binary spin lattice system using the 2D Ising model. For example, imagine a grid of tiny suspended bar magnets, with each magnet only allowed one of two orientations: north pole up or south pole up. NetLogo is a software tool that allows users to program agents that can interact with each other and the environment. Through using this simulation, students in a calculus-based physics or thermodynamics class will get a visual and hands-on experience of the full range of temperatures possible.
Pineal glioblastoma: Case report and literature review of an exceedingly rare etiology for pineal region mass.

Abstract Pineal glioblastoma is an exceedingly rare potential etiology for a pineal region mass. The presentation, imaging appearance, and changes in treatment have been documented in a select number of cases since its first description in 1954. Through these cases, changes in treatment have shown to improve outcomes in select patients, some of which have had survival times over two or three years. We present a case of a 39 year old female with biopsy proven pineal glioblastoma who demonstrates improvement on imaging and survival >12 months after treatment with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Our case and the prior reported cases enable future research into improving treatment, classification, and imaging recognition for this unlikely disease.
Impact of Patient-Centered Care on the Patient Experience in Nuclear Medicine.

Abstract Objective To quantify the impact of direct patient-physician interaction within a nuclear medicine pretherapy consultation clinic on the patient experience. Methods Patients were asked to complete a survey before and after meeting with the nuclear medicine physician. During each visit, the physician provided disease-specific information, discussed the planned therapy, answered questions, and provided tip sheets and checklists to prepare the patient for therapy. Results Thirty-eight patients were included in the analysis. Before consultation, 17 patients (44.7%) were “somewhat” or “extremely” familiar with the term “nuclear medicine doctor,” whereas after the consultation, 33 patients (86.8%) were “somewhat” or “extremely” familiar with the term “nuclear medicine doctor” (P Discussion Patient- and family-centered care in radiology includes direct physician participation in care delivery. In this report, we evaluate and measure the impact of our nuclear medicine pretherapy consultation clinic on the patient experience. We demonstrate significant impact of direct patient-physician encounters on patient anxiety, patient knowledge of the role of the nuclear medicine physician, and overall patient understanding of their treatment plan.
Comics-based research: The affordances of comics for research across disciplines:

Comics have long been a focus of scholarly inquiry. In recent years, this interest has taken a methodological turn, with scholars integrating comics creation into the research process itself. In th...
Between BRICs’ Promise and Past Western Trauma: Whither, Africa?

This chapter examines OAU/AU relations with BRICs: primarily, Brazil, Russia, India and China. Given the power changes that occurred after the Cold War, these countries have provided an alternative approach to economic development and world order, challenging a US-led global order. China, rapidly emerging as the US’ major challenger, and once the subject of experiences similar to those of African and Asian nations by western powers, has increased its engagement and infrastructure funding, making state-centric economic development seem viable. Focusing on China because of its extensive relations with the AU and bilaterally with African countries and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and its summits every three years, the chapter also examines how other BRICs have addressed AU relations. Brazil’s engagement is sporadic, driven by its history with Portugal and Portugal’s colonialism in Africa, and lacking a state-level forum. Russia’s first forum was held in 2018; Russia’s challenges dealing with Africa are myriad, given a lack of shared history, geography or direct interactions. India began convening the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS), but its internal issues (e.g., a sixth of its population living under the poverty line) and the history of India-Africa relations especially during colonization, the chapter assesses both the opportunities for collaboration but also the areas of differences in these relationships.
Uncertainty Aware Texture Classification and Mapping Using Soft Tactile Sensors

Spatial mapping of surface roughness is a critical enabling technology for automating adaptive sanding operations. We leverage GelSight sensors to convert the problem of surface roughness measurement into a vision classification problem. By combining GelSight sensors with Optitrack positioning systems we attempt to develop an accurate spatial mapping of surface roughness that can compare to human touch, the current state of the art for large scale manufacturing. To perform the classification, we propose the use of Bayesian neural networks in conjunction with uncertainty-aware prediction. We compare the sensor and network with a human baseline for both absolute and relative texture classification. To establish a baseline, we collected performance data from humans on their ability to classify materials into 60, 120, and 180 grit sanded pine boards. Our results showed that the probabilistic network performs at the level of human touch for absolute and relative classifications. Using the Bayesian approach enables establishing a confidence bound on our prediction. We were able to integrate the sensor with Optitrack to provide a spatial map of sanding grit applied to pine boards. From this result, we can conclude that GelSight with Bayesian neural networks can learn accurate representations for sanding, and could be a significant enabling technology for closed loop robotic sanding operations.
Conservative Judaism on Abortion and Related Issues

Grounded in its commitment to be historically authentic in integrating tradition with modernity, the Conservative movement, like the Torah and Rabbinic sources, sees the fetus as “simply liquid” during the first forty days of gestation and “like the thigh of its mother” from then until birth. As a result, the Conservative movement generally forbids abortion as an act of self-injury. At the same time, when the woman’s life or physical or mental health is at stake, an abortion may be required or permitted, depending on the circumstances. Furthermore, now that we know significant facts about the status of the fetus in the uterus, abortions are also permitted if the fetus has a lethal or debilitating disease and the mother responds to that news, after consultation, with an assertion that she cannot mentally tolerate carrying the fetus to term and then either raising it or giving it up for adoption. Non-Orthodox Jews, however, commonly misunderstand the tradition to permit abortion whenever the mother wants one, leading to far too many abortions among Jews, especially in light of the demographic crisis in which Jews currently find themselves.
Multi-objective design optimization of a fast spectrum nuclear experiment facility using artificial intelligence

Abstract Nuclear experimental design is often a balance between competing objectives or goals for the experiment. The Fast Neutron Source (FNS) at the University of Tennessee would be a unique platform for building targeted integral nuclear cross section measurement experiments to reduce nuclear data uncertainty on future reactor designs. In this paper we apply a genetic algorithm using non-dominated sorting, elitism, and crowding distance heuristics to explore the design space of a simplified 1D approximation of the FNS, and from this data, we present correlations in the final suite of designs which will be the basis of heuristics for more complex optimizations and geometries in the future. In this analysis, we show that a multi-objective genetic algorithm can be used to design nuclear experiments with the dual objective of spectrum matching and flux maximization.
Coming of Age for the Photoreceptor Synapse.

Purpose To discuss the potential contribution of rod and cone synapses to the loss of visual function in retinal injury and disease. Methods The published literature and the authors' own work were reviewed. Results Retinal detachment is used as a case study of rod spherule and cone pedicle plasticity after injury. Both rod and cone photoreceptors terminals are damaged after detachment although the structural changes observed are only partially overlapping. For second-order neurons, only those associated with rod spherules respond consistently to injury by remodeling. Examination of signaling pathways involved in plasticity of conventional synapses and in neural development has been and may continue to be productive in discovering novel therapeutic targets. Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibition is an example of therapy that may reduce synaptic damage by preserving normal synaptic structure of rod and cone cells. Conclusions We hypothesize that synaptic damage contributes to poor visual restoration after otherwise successful anatomical repair of retinal detachment. A similar situation may exist for patients with degenerative retinal disease. Thus, synaptic structure and function should be routinely studied, as this information may disclose therapeutic strategies to mitigate visual loss.
Design for Assessment of Dissection in Anatomy Laboratory Based on Group Identification of Structures and Peer Evaluation.

Dissection is a unique multisensory educational experience and is essential to learning the anatomical construction of the human and animal bodies. This study aims to introduce a specialized design for assessment of dissection and to discuss the assessment's attributes. The design was a product of the "assessment drives learning" concept and was developed to motivate students to dissect. Students were awarded "dissection points" based on prior group dissection and identification of structures. Students' perception of the design was examined, and content analysis was performed. The assessment consisted of two parts: the first assigning each student group structures to "pin" on their previously dissected cadavers; the second was a group peer evaluation. The most critical factor for the assessment's success was careful selection of structures assigned to students to pin. The assessment was fit for the purpose, valid, reliable, and had a significant educational impact. Eighty-three percent of students (n = 116) recommended maintaining the assessment design, as they felt it promoted a deep approach to learning as well as teamwork while reducing stress to a minimum. A strong correlation (Spearman's rho = 0.46, P < 0.0001) was present between the high rating of the design and the number of structures learned, as well as, high rating and lower stress level (Spearman's rho = 0.40, P < 0.0001). There was no apparent influence of grades on student perception of the effectiveness of the assessment. This specific design of evaluation could be used as part of anatomy education in veterinary and medical schools.
Black Women in Ivory Towers: Race, Gender, and Class in British Campus Fiction

How twentieth-century British women authors represent women academics in their fiction has been recently studied, but one key element has been missing: race. The twentieth century saw the systematic dismantling of the British Empire, increasing Commonwealth immigration, and rising racial tensions at home, as evidenced by the 2011 riots in north London. Yet given the close relationship between cultural and literary history, there seems to be no evidence of these dramatic cultural changes within the campus novel genre. Using Crenshaw's highly critical term "intersectionality," this study focuses simultaneously on the lived experiences of Black women academics (through history, biography, and ethnographic study), as well as the literary interpretations of those lives. Focusing particularly on Judith Cutler's Dying Fall and Ahdaf Soueif's In the Eye of the Sun, this essay argues that the absence of and/or "white-washed" representations of Black Minority Ethnic (BME) women in British campus novels signifies how BME women's experiences are either rendered invisible or are subsumed under cultural norms of whiteness and middle-class identity.
Self-Instantiation and Self-Participation

While each Form is what it is to be F, some Forms also instantiate F (or “self-instantiate”). Here I consider whether the explanation for a Form’s instantiating F should be the Form’s participating in itself. First, I motivate the need for an explanation of self-instantiation. Second, I consider the advantages and disadvantages of self-participation alongside an alternative explanation—that the Form’s being what it is to be F is a sufficient explanation of its instantiation of F. The result is not a conclusive case for self-participation, but only some initial considerations in favor of it.
Association of Fluoroquinolone Prescribing Rates With Black Box Warnings from the US Food and Drug Administration.

Importance In 2013 and 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings and recommended limited use of fluoroquinolones for patients with certain acute conditions. It is not clear how prescribers have responded to these warnings. Objective To analyze changes in prescribing of fluoroquinolones after the 2013 and 2016 FDA warnings and to examine the physician characteristics associated with these changes. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used Medicare administrative claims data on Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries and OneKey data on physicians and their organizations from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017. The sample was restricted to outpatient visits for sinusitis, bronchitis, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. An interrupted time series approach was used to analyze the changes in the prescription rate after each FDA warning. Data analysis was performed between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2017. Interventions Two FDA black box warnings released in August 2013 and July 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was an indicator for fluoroquinolone prescriptions in 3 periods: before the 2013 warning (baseline period), after the 2013 warning but before the 2016 warning (postwarning period 1), and after the 2016 warning (postwarning period 2). Results The sample comprised 1 238 397 unique patients with a total of 2 720 071 outpatient acute care visits. Of this sample, 848 360 were women (68.5%), and the mean (SD) age was 69.7 (12.6) years. The immediate prescribing levels of fluoroquinolones in postwarning period 1 increased by 3.42 percentage points (95% CI, 3.23-3.62;P Conclusions and Relevance This cross-sectional study found an overall decline in prescribing of fluoroquinolones after the release of FDA warnings. Understanding the association of physician and organizational characteristics with fluoroquinolone prescribing behavior may ultimately help to identify mechanisms to improve de-adoption.
Issues in a Grounded Theory Study of Customer Desired Value Change: Resolutions using Phenomenology, Ethnography and Holistic Transcript Readings

This paper addresses issues involved with exploring customer desired value change through the use of grounded theory methodology. Specifically, capturing experiential value change data within a grounded theory study involves resolving three issues. These issues and their resolution are discussed along with early signs of success within a current study.
Women College Students’ Reasons for Engaging in Psychological Dating Aggression: a Qualitative Examination

Dating violence frequently occurs within women college students’ relationships, but few examinations of their reasons for engaging in psychological aggression have been conducted. Accordingly, the current study investigated psychological aggression initiated by women undergraduates against their male partners using a qualitative methodology. Overall, 72 of the 206 participants responded to an open-ended question examining their reasons for initiating psychological aggression. Six domains of reasons were identified; the two most frequently reported precipitants were negative affect and a partner’s transgression. One domain, “self-soothing,” (i.e., aggressing to help oneself feel better) had not been observed in studies of women’s initiation of physical aggression. These reasons could be targeted in prevention and intervention programs for reducing dating aggression among undergraduates.
Intra-annual variation of soil respiration across four heterogeneous longleaf pine forests in the southeastern United States

Abstract Soil respiration ( R S ) is one of the largest fluxes of net ecosystem exchange and is related to both soil climate and vegetatively driven substrate supply at various spatial and temporal scales. Relationships between the intra-annual variation in R S and abiotic and biotic variables were examined across diverse longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forests to better understand factors related to R S in these low density, spatially heterogeneous forests. Soil respiration, soil temperature, soil moisture, litter mass, size and proximity of nearby trees, understory cover, and root biomass were measured over 13 months in four longleaf pine forests varying in age from 5 to 87 years. The exponential relationship between R S and soil temperature accounted for the majority of the intra-annual variation in R S with a corresponding temperature sensitivity ( Q 10 ) of 2.18. Soil moisture affected the R S -temperature relationship by dampening R S and Q 10 during times of extremely dry soil conditions, as defined by soil moisture ⩽50% of the texture-derived wilting point, but volumetric soil moisture did not directly correlate with R S . The intra-annual variation in temperature-normalized R S was negatively related to the distance to nearest tree and positively related to pine root biomass, but not related to litter mass, understory cover, or stand structural variables such as stand age, basal area, or tree density. Annual R S estimates ranged from 12.0 Mg ha - 1 of C in the 5-year-old stand with mostly grass stage seedlings to 13.9 Mg ha - 1 of C in the dense 21-year-old stand. This study contributes to our understanding of carbon fluxes across diverse longleaf pine ecosystems and indicates the importance of climate in determining the carbon sink potential of southeastern longleaf pine forests.
Controlled Opiate Use:: Fact or Artifact?

This paper is intended to counter the prevailing tendency to disregard or dismiss nonaddictive patterns of opiate use. Studies conducted during the 1970s pointed out the existence of large numbers of occasional opiate users, but left unresolved questions about how well controlled such use might be. Findings from research on long-term, moderate opiate users show that controlled use is possible and should be distinguished from compulsive/addictive opiate use. Several hypotheses which suggest that controlled use is an "artifact" are contradicted by the study findings. Some of the implications for future research on opiate use are discussed.
Far field radiation in sub-picosecond systems

FDTD and Monte Carlo methods are combined to simulate the terahertz radiation fields from a coplanar photoconducting structure. Two techniques are considered for modeling the far field radiation. One uses Maxwell equations directly with an approximation made regarding the source term. As an improvement to the first technique, we propose the use of a near-to-far-field FDTD transformation with the use of equivalent surface current densities. Computational results showing the far field radiation are in agreement with published experimental results.
The partition of glycosaminoglycan-quaternary ammonium complexes: I. The effect of phase composition

The complexes formed between quaternary ammonium cations and polyanionic glycosaminoglycans can be partitioned between partially miscible aqueous inorganic salt and alcohol phases. Small changes in salt concentration can completely shift the complex from one phase to the other. The effect of the phase composition variables: the type of inorganic salt, the type of quaternary ammonium salt, and the alcohol used, were systematically investigated. The sharp transition from solubility in the upper non-aqueous phase to solubility in the lower, aqueous phase was found to be strongly affected by the type of inorganic salt. This transition occurred at higher salt concentrations when NaCl, KCl, or LiCl were used than when CaCl2 or MgCl2 were used. Differences in behavior among glycosaminoglycans were larger for NaCl than for CaCl2. The complex is stabilized to dissociation by salt by increasing hydrophobicity of the non-aqueous phase. However, aggregation of the complex into an insoluble form is also favored by an increasingly hydrophobic environment. The most consistent partition was observed with 1- and 2-butanol. The partition isotherm of chondroitin 4-sulfate was investigated at constant salt concentration. It was found that the partition coefficient varies with the concentration of chondroitin 4-sulfate, although the magnitude of this effect could be diminished by increasing the quaternary ammonium salt concentration.
Particle simulations in magnetospheric plasmas

In view of the recent remarkable advancement of computer technology and simulation software, simulation studies are one of the most powerful academic tools for establishment of quantitative space physics and modelling of our space environment. The complex nature encountered in space plasma physics has motivated considerable development in computer simulations, which have played an essential role in the development of space plasma theory. This report describes research undertaken to understand physical processes involved in plasma waves observed in the magnetospheric plasmas, and associated nonlinear phenomena such as heating, diffusion, and acceleration of particles due to excited waves. The research explains and clarifies the observational data both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Age Differences in Prediction of Student Achievement From Graduate Record Examination Scores

(1998). Age Differences in Prediction of Student Achievement From Graduate Record Examination Scores. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 159, No. 3, pp. 379-382.
Network/hardware cross-layer evaluation for ROHC and packet aggregation on wireless mesh networks

This paper proposes a profile-based network and hardware co-simulation method to investigate the overall performance and real-timing characteristics of a wireless mesh network (WMN) affected by hardware capabilities, speed and complexity. For the sophisticated algorithms to be assisted by a hardware realization, we adopt the RObust Header Compression (ROHC) and packet aggregation that provide high and reliable data transmission over unstable wireless links, which is proven in the preliminary works. To verify the hardware support needs to get the benefit of the two algorithms, we measure the ROHC processing time from Intel Pentium 4 and RouterBOARD, and identify the deterioration of sensor throughput and successful voice calls under various NS-2 simulation scenarios. The co-simulation method integrates the network level simulator, NS-2 and hardware level simulator, SystemC. In this approach, we first insert the modules of ROHC and packet aggregation algorithms into the network simulator hierarchy, and measure the packet arrival times. Then, the corresponding hardware architecture is designed by SystemC for profiling the hardware delay appeared in encoding and decoding packets. The hardware is suitably designed to reduce the complexity and make a sufficient speedup in the packet processing. Finally, the traced hardware delays are applied into the network level simulator to extract real-timing WMN behaviors changed by the hardware operations in each mesh router.
Using semiotic grammars for the rapid design of evolving video game mechanics

In prior work, we proposed the model of cardboard semiotics. The model applies the use of semiotics (the study of signs and symbols and their interpretations) as a conceptual prototyping tool for game story development. In this paper we adapt the theoretical principle of cardboard semiotics towards an engineered formalism for the design of game mechanics. We first provide a brief introduction to video game literacy, a key method of semiotic analysis, and examples of the new approach by looking at its application in the design of Real-Time Strategy (RTS) and First-Person Shooter (FPS) games. We then use generalized semiotic grammars, or methods for composing symbolic sentences, to expose the underlying frameworks of popular commercial games to show how games can be re-imagined in other contexts through the semiotic technique of structural analysis.
Expedient synthesis of electronically modified luciferins for bioluminescence imaging

Bioluminescence imaging with luciferase enzymes requires access to light-emitting, small-molecule luciferins. Here, we describe a rapid method to synthesize d-luciferin, the substrate for firefly luciferase (Fluc), along with a novel set of electronically modified analogues. Our procedure utilizes a relatively rare, but synthetically useful dithiazolium reagent to generate heteroaromatic scaffolds in a divergent fashion. Two of the luciferin analogues produced with this approach emit light with Fluc in vitro and in live cells. Collectively, our work increases the number of substrates that can be used for bioluminescence imaging and provides a general strategy for synthesizing new collections of luciferins.
Measurements of Solar Radiation and Atmospheric Attenuation at 4.3-Millimeters Wavelength

Solar radiation and atmospheric attenuation were measured at 4.3-mm wavelength The sun was scanned with a radio telescope consisting of a 10-foot precision paraboloid antenna (6.7-minute beamwidth) and a Dicke-type radiometer. Atmospheric attenuations were determined from the change in received solar radiation with changing elevation of the sun and from direct measurements of the thermal radiation from the atmosphere. The measured attenuations at the zenith for clear skies were between 1.6 and 2.2 db. At 4.3-mm wavelength, the sun (when it is free of sunspots) appears to be a uniform disk nearly one per cent larger than its optical size. From a large number of measurements over a period of 6 months, the solar brightness temperature was found to be 7000 °K with an uncertainty of about 10 per cent. Sunspot regions are slightly brighter than the quiet areas; the largest observed enhancement is 2 per cent.
A THERMAL‐MECHANICAL FATIGUE CRACK‐GROWTH TESTING SYSTEM

An automated system for crack growth studies under thermal-mechanical loading conditions utilizing a compact tension (CT) specimen has been developed. Since the materials to be tested are for high temperature machinery, they are of high cost and low availability, making the CT testing capability advantageous. The system described uses quartz lamps and a multiple-zone control system to accurately control the specimen temperature according to a predetermined profile. A cyclic mechanical loading can be applied along with cyclic temperature profile in a prescribed manner. Test results are discussed for fatigue crack growth behavior in a titanium aluminide intermetallic. 7 references.
Integrating vocational interests, competencies, and interpersonal dispositions in middle school children

Abstract Vocational interests and interpersonal dispositions have been well researched in adults from the perspectives of Holland's RIASEC (1997) model of interests and the Interpersonal Circumplex (IPC), respectively. Few studies have applied either model to children and no studies have examined their overlap in children. A vector fitting procedure was applied to data from adults to demonstrate the intersection of vocational interests and interpersonal dispositions from the perspective of the IPC. The same procedure was then applied to interests and competencies and interpersonal dispositions in a sample of sixth grade children. Plotting the vocational variables within interpersonal space defined by the IPC showed the specific interpersonal aspects of vocational interests in young adults and interests and competencies in late childhood. Half of the interests had associations with the IPC that were consistent across adults and children, while the remaining interests had associations that were unique to children.
Sodium-calcium exchange affects local calcium signal decay and the rate of exocytotic secretion in single chromaffin cells.

The effects of Na+ deprivation on local calcium signal decay and the rate of exocytotic secretion were measured in single bovine chromaffin cells to determine whether Na-Ca exchange influences the local cytosolic Ca2+ signal for neurohormone release. Na+ replacement with N-methylglucamine caused a marked slowing of the decay of the local Ca2+ signal near points of its initiation, as measured by high-resolution fluorescent Ca2+ imaging in the confocal laser scanning microscope. Na+ replacement also resulted in a doubling of the rate and magnitude of exocytotic secretion measured in single cells by high-resolution microamperometry, Release rates provide an independent measure of local active zone Ca2+, Five repetitive stimulations of the same cell in Na+-free, but not in Na+-containing, medium resulted in a progressively increasing rate of catecholamine release, suggesting an increasing level of active zone Ca2+ and a role of Na-Ca exchange activity in Ca2+ clearance between stimulations. As secretory activity and its triggering Ca2+ signals are known to be co-localized in active zones along the plasma membrane, the results suggest that Na-Ca exchange may influence the decay of the local Ca2+ signal for exocytotic secretion. This would be consistent with a contribution to local Ca2+ clearance by a novel mechanism utilizing the insertion of secretory vesicle Na-Ca exchangers into the plasma membrane during exocytosis.
The Leadership Quarterly Yearly Review for 2010: A scholarly tribute to Bernard M. Bass and James G. Hunt

Abstract In this introduction to The Leadership Quarterly Yearly Review for 2010, an overview of the issue and the nine articles is presented. An attempt is made to emulate and integrate the writing styles of Bernard M. (Bernie) Bass (especially for the article overviews) and James G. (Jerry) Hunt (especially from prior Yearly Review introductions), as a tribute to their contributions to leadership research in general and The Leadership Quarterly in particular.
Hearing and communication in blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis)

Hearing and vocal communication in blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis) was studied within an ecological context. Field measurements of the acoustical characteristics of the blue monkey's natural habitat were conducted in the Kibale forest (Uganda) and in Kakamega forest (Kenya). Measurements of background noise levels indicated that vocal communication pitched in the 100–1000-Hz frequency band would be relatively unimpeded by disruptive background noises. Furthermore, measurements of the propagation rate of audio signals indicated that calls pitched in the 125–200-Hz region penetrated the forest with minimal decrement in amplitude. Tests of the blue monkey's acoustic sensitivyty and range of hearing were conducted in the laboratory with standard audiometric procedures. Hearing in the blue monkey was characterized by a U-shaped function, with maximum sensitivity of about 5 dB SPL spanning a four-octave range from 1 to 16 kHz. The hearing of blue monkeys was superior to human hearing for tones below 500 Hz and above 8 kHz in frequency. A comparative analysis of primate hearing indicated that the blue monkey was approximately 18 dB more sensitive to low-frequency tones than the comparably sized, semi-terrestrial rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). Furthermore, blue monkeys exhibit phonatory specializations for vocal production in this relatively unused, low-frequency band of 125–200 Hz. These specializations for low-frequency vocal production and low-frequency hearing collectively act to increase the effective distance of long-range acoustic communication in the forest canopy.
Effects of colcemid on cavitation during mouse blastocoele formation.

Abstract In this investigation we studied whether mouse blastocoele formation is sensitive to colcemid, an anti-microtubular drug. Morulae on the verge of cavitating were observed by phase contrast microscopy before, during and after exposure to colcemid. Control morulae contained many refractile vesicles, which were initially dispersed and which subsequently became aligned under contiguous cell borders. Then vesicles diminished in number and were replaced by refractile furrows delineating contiguous cell borders, with cavitation following shortly thereafter. In 90% of morulate treated with colcemid (0.01 μg/ml), vesicle alignment, furrow formation and cavitation were prevented. This effect of colcemid was still reversible in 50% of morulate treated with colcemid for 12 h and then returned to control medium. When the effect of colcemid treatment on cell number was compared with that on cavitation, we found that (1) both the incidence of cavitation and cell number per blastocyst were dependent on the length of colcemid treatment; and (2) cavitation was more sensitive to colcemid treatment performed at the morula stage than at earlier stages of development, whereas cell number per blastocyst showed no stage-dependent sensitivity to colcemid treatment. These results are consistent with these inferences: (1) cavitation may involve intact microtubules; and (2) microtubules participating in cavitation may differ from microtubules participating in mitosis in sensitivity to colcemid.
Mitral cell loss following lateral olfactory tract transection increases proliferation density in rat olfactory epithelium

Olfactory sensory neurons are replaced throughout the life of vertebrates by proliferation of basal cells and differentiation of the new cells into neurons. Removal of their target, the olfactory bulb, increases proliferation twofold because sensory neurons die prematurely, suggesting that the olfactory bulb provides a trophic substance required for survival. We asked whether mitral cells, a major postsynaptic target of olfactory sensory neurons, are involved in their survival. We report here that depletion of mitral cells increases proliferation and cell death in the olfactory sensory neuron population. Mitral cell loss was induced unilaterally by transection of their axons in the lateral olfactory tract in 18-day-old rats. At all time points after surgery (3 weeks, 7 weeks, 3 months, 14 months) there was a 29% mean reduction in the number of mitral cells ipsilateral to the transection. The surviving mitral cells were smaller than controls and had less rough endoplasmic reticulum. In the olfactory epithelium, proliferation density (BrdU-positive cells/mm epithelial length) in the progenitor basal cells was increased by an average of 20-25% at all time points, as was the number of TUNEL-positive dying cells. The results are consistent with the notion that mitral cells, or the synaptic sites on them, are a source of trophic factor required for maintenance of the lives of olfactory sensory cells. The target field of postsynaptic neurons remaining after lateral olfactory tract transection is insufficient to maintain normal survival of all existing olfactory neurons. In unperturbed animals the proliferation density declines in an age-dependent manner and interestingly the decline on the tractotomized side is parallel. This suggests that with age the sensory cells are less dependent on their targets.
Nocturnal sleep, cardiovascular function, and adrenal activity following maximum-capacity exercise☆

Eight subjects performed a treadmill test of their maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) to determine whether exercise which is maximally stressful but relatively low in total energy expenditure may affect nocturnal sleep. The test was performed at 16.00 h on day 3 of the study, with day 1 as adaptation, day 2 as baseline and day 4 as a carryover night. Changes observed after exercise included a decrease in the duration of the first REM sleep period, an elevation of heart rate in the first 2 h of sleep, a reduction in norepinephrine excretion and an increased excretion of dopamine. Comparisons of sleep alterations in 4 subjects who exercised regularly (active group) with 4 subjects who took no regular exercise revealed differences in the first sleep cycle. Active subjects displayed an increased duration of SWS coupled with an increased latency to first REM onset. Non-active subjects, by contrast, displayed a shortened REM latency and duration of SWS. These results indicate that short-term maximum exercise may induce significant alteration of the temporal distribution of SWS with differences in response seen between regular exercisers and non-exercisers.
The Management of Hypertension in the African American Patient

A panel was convened to discuss the topic of the management of hypertension in the African American patient. Jackson T. Wright, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, moderated the panel. Kenneth A. Jamerson, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, and Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc, and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, participated in the discussion. This expert panel discussion was supported by Novartis and each author received an honorarium from Novartis for time and effort spent participating in the discussion and reviewing the transcript for important intellectual content prior to publication. The authors maintained full control of the discussion and the resulting content of this article; Novartis had no input in the choice of topic, speakers, or content.
Effect of huperzine A, a new cholinesterase inhibitor, on the central cholinergic system of the rat

The present study represents the first comprehensive investigation of the effect of huperzine A (HUP-A), a new cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) isolated from a Lycopodium species, upon acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, acetylcholine (ACh) levels and release, and cholinergic receptors in rat brain following acute i.m. or i.p. administration. The study shows that HUP-A can produce a long-term inhibition of AChE activity in brain (up to 360 min) and an increase in the ACh levels up to 40% at 60 min. There is considerable regional variation in the degree of ACh elevation after HUP-A with maximal values seen in frontal (125%) and parietal (105%) cortex and smaller increases (22-65%) in other brain regions. HUP-A at concentrations of 10(-6) to 10(-4) M does not significantly alter the electrically evoked release of 3H-ACh from cortical slices. With the exception of the highest concentrations (6 X 10(-4) M) the displacement effect of HUP-A for cholinergic ligands is stronger for 3H-(-)nicotine than for 3H-QNB. A parallel autoradiographic study in the mouse shows that 60 min after i.v. injection (183 micrograms/kg) the drug is present in all brain regions, but it is particularly concentrated in certain areas such as frontoparietal cortex, nucleus accumbens, hippocampal, and striatal cortex. Radio-activity is practically absent in the whole body at 12 hr. Our study suggests that this new ChEI has interesting cholinomimetic properties, and its effects satisfy more closely established criteria for an ideal ChEI for therapeutic use than previously tested compounds.
The equational theory of CA 3 is undecidable

There is no algorithm for determining whether or not an equation is true in every 3-dimensional cylindric algebra. This theorem completes the solution to the problem of finding those values of α and β for which the equational theories of CAα and RCAβ are undecidable. (CAα and RCAβ are the classes of α-dimensional cylindric algebras and representable β-dimensional cylindric algebras. See [4] for definitions.) This problem was considered in [3]. It was known that RCA0 = CA0 and RCA1 = CA1 and that the equational theories of these classes are decidable. Tarski had shown that the equational theory of relation algebras is undecidable and, by utilizing connections between relation algebras and cylindric algebras, had also shown that the equational theories of CAα and RCAβ are undecidable whenever 4 ≤ α and 3 ≤ β. (Tarski's argument also applies to some varieties K ⊆ RCAβ with 3 ≤ β and to any variety K such that RCAα ⊆ K ⊆ CAα and 4 ≤ α.)Thus the only cases left open in 1961 were CA2, RCA2 and CA3. Shortly there-after Henkin proved, in one of Tarski's seminars at Berkeley, that the equational theory of CA2 is decidable, and Scott proved that the set of valid sentences in a first-order language with only two variables is recursive [11]. (For a more model-theoretic proof of Scott's theorem see [9].) Scott's result is equivalent to the decidability of the equational theory of RCA2, so the only case left open was CA3.
Selectivity, specificity and sensitivity in the photoionization of sputtered species☆

Abstract Resonance ionization of sputtered species has emerged as an exceedingly powerful technique for surface-compositional analysis and as a means to study a variety of fundamental aspects of the sputtering process. To deal with the problem of non- or near-resonant ionization, one needs to achieve the highest selectivity for photoionization of the species of interest relative to isobarically overlapping species by choosing a specific photoionization scheme tailored to that purpose. The present paper illustrates this point with several examples and helps point the way to still further improvements in detection sensitivity by minimizing non- or near-resonant ionization through detailed exploration of alternative photoionization schemes.
Decreased in vivo disappearance of labelled liver protein after partial hepatectomy

Two groups of six mice each were injected intraperitoneally with L-arginine (guanido-14C); 36 hours later 23 of the liver was removed from the animals in one group. The removed tissue served as control for both groups. Three days after the operation the regenerating livers still contained 104% of the total protein radioactivity whereas the normal livers had lost 50% of it.
The information matrix of a sample of observations with missing data from a multivariate normal distribution with a covariance structure

Abstract We consider a multivariate normal distribution with a covariance structure. A set of observations is assumed to be a random sample with missing data from this distribution. We derive the information matrix of this set of data. The result derived in this note is for the general case of missing data with the distribution having any covariance structure.
Theory of capacitance and conductance behavior of Schottky‐barrier and conducting M‐I‐S diodes with interface traps

A small‐signal model is developed for conducting M‐I‐S structures which is used to explain the general features expected in their parallel equivalent capacitance and parallel equivalent conductance in forward bias. It is shown that effects of the minority band as well as recombination currents very significantly influence the interpretation of this data. Further, it is shown that reported correlation between surface‐state densities and metallization material can be explained, at least partially, in terms of barrier height dependence on the metallization.
Genetic Transformation of Rice

Abstract Rice was the first major monocot crop species to be transformed and regenerated. Initially, rice transformation was limited to japonica cultivars. Subsequently, a number of indica and javanica cultivars have also been transformed and regenerated into fertile transgenic plants. Most transformation studies in rice have used direct DNA uptake into protoplasts, induced by polyethylene glycol treatment or electroporation. Recently, other transformation methods have been developed that are less genotype dependent, such as microprojectile bombardment of cell suspensions and immature embryos. This review summarizes progress in both protoplast-based and other transformation methods.