cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remission of hypertension after surgical cure of Cushing's syndrome.

CONTEXT Hypertension associated with Cushing's syndrome (CS) increases cardiovascular risk. The time-course of improvement after cure is unclear. OBJECTIVE To describe the time-course and predictors of blood pressure (BP) normalization during one year after surgical cure of CS. DESIGN Retrospective chart review of 75 hypertensive adults cured of CS (72 with ACTH-dependent CS; 3 with adrenal adenoma). Hypertension was defined as current use of antihypertensives, a systolic BP >130 mm Hg, or diastolic BP >80 mm Hg. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Remission of hypertension: BP ≤130/80 mm Hg and no antihypertensive medications. Improvement in hypertension: BP >130/80 mm Hg and decreased number or dose of medications, or blood pressure ≤130/80 with continued use of medications at constant dose. RESULTS At postoperative discharge, 17 (23%, P < .001), 51 (68%, P < .001) and 7 (9%) patients had remission, improvement in hypertension or no change. Twenty-nine had no follow-up. Others achieved remission at 3 (n = 5), 6 (n = 6), or 12-months (n = 5). At the last evaluation, 33/75 (44%) had remission, 36/75 (48%) had improved hypertension and 6 were unchanged. Patients with improvement discontinued a median of one medication (P < .001). At 12-months, 27/42 (64%) patients had normal BP (P < .002). Longer estimated duration of CS (P = .0106), younger age (P = .0022), and lower baseline body mass index (P = .0413) predicted hypertension remission. CONCLUSIONS About 80% of CS patients experienced BP normalization or improvement within 10 days of cure, but about half failed to normalize BP by one year. BP should be monitored after cure, and antihypertensive medications adjusted to avoid unwanted cardiovascular effects.
Predicting Student Success on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® Examination.

Importance: A predictive tool to support academic and practice outcomes for occupational therapy students is needed for use in advising students. Objective: To determine whether characteristics of academic and professional behavior across cohorts could indicate the likelihood of student success in passing the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® examination. Design: Causal–comparative research. Participants: Master of occupational therapy students (N = 315; eight cohorts). Measures: Demographics, college entrance exams, grade point average, program benchmarks (i.e., specific course grades, fieldwork grades, Occupational Therapy Knowledge Exam scores), licensure exam. Results: Baseline and in-program characteristics were used to determine success; for each unit increase in the success score, the odds of passing the exam were 4.11 (95% confidence interval [2.23, 7.60]). Conclusions and Relevance: Case studies that have used this success score suggest that additional resources and targeted interventions could be allocated to help students at highest risk of not passing the licensure exam. What This Article Adds: Using a predictive tool to support student success can enable more effective academic advising throughout an occupational therapy program and result in positive outcomes on the licensure exam
Towards understanding mechanistic subgroups of osteoarthritis: 8-year cartilage thickness trajectory analysis.

Many studies have validated cartilage thickness as a biomarker for knee osteoarthritis (OA); however, few studies investigate beyond cross-sectional observations or comparisons across two timepoints. By characterizing the trajectory of cartilage thickness changes over 8 years in healthy individuals from the OA initiative data set, this study discovers associations between the dynamics of cartilage changes and OA incidence. A fully automated cartilage segmentation and thickness measurement method were developed and validated against manual measurements: mean absolute error = 0.11-0.14 mm (n = 4129 knees) and automatic reproducibility = 0.04-0.07 mm (n = 316 knees). The mean thickness for the medial and lateral tibia (MT, LT), central weight-bearing medial and lateral femur (cMF, cLF), and patella (P) cartilage compartments were quantified for 1453 knees at seven timepoints. Trajectory subgroups were defined per cartilage compartment such as stable, thinning to thickening, accelerated thickening, plateaued thickening, thickening to thinning, accelerated thinning, or plateaued thinning. For tibiofemoral compartments, the stable (22%-36%) and plateaued thinning (22%-37%) trajectories were the most common, with an average initial velocity (μm/month), acceleration (μm/month2 ) for the plateaued thinning trajectories LT: -2.66, 0.0326; MT: -2.49, 0.0365; cMF: -3.51, 0.0509; and cLF: -2.68, 0.041. In the patella compartment, the plateaued thinning (35%) and thickening to thinning (24%) trajectories were the most common, with an average initial velocity, acceleration for each -4.17, 0.0424; 1.95, -0.0835. Knees with nonstable trajectories had higher adjusted odds of OA incidence than stable trajectories: accelerated thickening, accelerated thinning, and plateaued thinning trajectories of the MT had adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 18.9, 5.48, and 1.47, respectively; in the cMF, adjusted OR of 8.55, 10.1, and 2.61, respectively.
MTORC1 and the Rebirth of Stemness.

MTORC1 activity is critical for tissue regeneration in multiple organs and contexts. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Miao et al. describe upstream regulators of mTORC1 activity which promote paligenosis, a process where mature cells de-differentiate to acquire stem cell activity in the face of injury.
Housing Outcomes for Homeless Individuals in Street Outreach Compared to Shelter

Outreach is a core component of homelessness policy, but its effectiveness at housing individuals has been understudied. Employing administrative data, this paper compares the outcomes of outreach ...
Stridulation Frequency Dependence on Music Genre in Acheta domesticus

Crickets are mainly nocturnal species known for the loud, persistent, chirping sounds many of their species make. Cricket chirping (stridulation) is produced by stridulatory organs located on their forewings. Stridulation is done by males to entice females, but at times can lure doom, drawing predators and parasites towards them. Consequently, crickets cease chirping when they sense sound frequency vibrations nearby, indicating that a predator is nearby. In this experiment, the cricket species Acheta domesticus, of the order Orthoptera and the family Formicidae, was used to test stridulation frequency differences based on exposure to different music genres. Crickets were exposed to either silence (control), hip hop, jazz, country, or classical music. During this music exposure period, the number of chirps was counted for a minute. Stridulation frequency was 83.3 chirps per minute for the control setting, 65 chirps per minute for classical music, 61.3 chirps per minute for country music, 54 chirps per minute for jazz music, and 41 chirps per minute for hip hop music. Causative factors for this trend may be due to neurological characteristics of the cricket. A major auditory sensory neuron, Ascending Neuron 1 (AN1), is excited by both high-frequency sounds and self-generated chirps. We conclude that music genres dominated by high-frequency sounds, such as hip hop and jazz, stimulate AN1, causing increased auditory information to be sent to the brain, leading to decreased stridulation as crickets interpret this information as the presence of a possible threat.
Uncovering the Meaning: Exploring Semantic Differences in US Perceptions of “Gamer” and Game Players:

Gaming is an increasingly acceptable outlet for recreation, social engagement, and professional practice. Despite this acceptance, perceptions of “gamers” have been slower to evolve. The traditiona...
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Among Health Care Personnel at a Health Care System in Pakistan.

Health care personnel (HCP) are at high risk for coronavirus disease-2019 acquisition. Serum antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) indicate past infection. Our institution offered SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing to HCP. We surveyed HCP with positive test results to explore past exposure to SARS-CoV-2, details of symptoms during the preceding 6 months, and a history of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testing. A total of 2162 HCP underwent antibody testing. Eight hundred fifty-seven (39.6%) employees tested positive and, of these, 820 (95.7%) participated in the survey. When adjusted for age, males had higher odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies compared with females (OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.37-2.05; P = .00) and clinical staff had higher odds of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity compared with nonclinical staff (OR = 1.273; 95% CI = 1.06-1.53; P = .01). Implementation of effective infection control measures is essential to protect HCP from coronavirus disease-2019.
Design and development of the home healthcare worker observation tool

Background: The rapidly growing number of home healthcare workers (HHCW) are exposed to unique occupational hazards within each patient home. This article describes the development of an observation tool to document occupational hazards HHCWs encounter. Methods: Tool development followed three steps: determining content domain, content validity, and inter-rater agreement. Results: Expert feedback guided the revision of content domain to 636 items. Scale level content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.90. Inter-rater agreement tests resulted in percent agreement and accuracy mean of 89.5% and frequency variables resulted in standard deviations from 0 to 8.62. Conclusions: The observation tool encompasses the diverse range of occupational hazards HHCWs encounter; inter-rater percent agreement and overall accuracy scores were acceptable. Future pilot testing of this tool among broader raters and populations is recommended to characterize its usability, internal consistency, and reliability to assess HHCW occupational hazards.
More than just content: building community in the graduate classroom.

Community building should be integrated into the graduate classroom to foster the development of a professional identity and build connections between students and faculty.
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination for elderly people.

Abstract For elderly people who have low incidence of influenza, calculation of credible vaccine effectiveness (VE) sometimes becomes difficult. Currently, VE for elderly people is insufficient to ascertain the precise efficacy specifically. Cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination of elderly people is discussed widely in terms of topics and areas. This report describes research results demonstrating influenza vaccination effectiveness among elderly people based on recent findings. Newly available influenza vaccination for elderly people appears to be cost-effective compared with that of trivalent inactiveted influenza vaccine. Overall, for all influenza virus types, it remains unclear whether influenza vaccination shows high VE. A decreasing effect of repeated vaccination was confirmed partially by test negative design and a serological study of cohorts. However, some studies have found no such decreasing effect. Measurement of VE and subsequent analysis of the cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination for elderly people requires long-term monitoring using serological studies and test negative design.
Heterologous expression of endo-beta-1,4-D-glucanase from Clostridium cellulovorans in Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 following transformation of the engB gene

Abstract Heterologous expression of the Clostridium cellulovorans engB gene by Clostridium acetobutylicum BKW-1 was detected as zones of hydrolysis on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) Trypticase glucose yeast plates stained with Congo red. The extracellular cellulase preparation from C. acetobutylicum BKW-1 has a specific activity towards CMC which is more than fourfold that present in C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824. Western blot (immunoblot) analysis using the C. cellulovorans anti-EngB primary antibody demonstrated that an additional 44-kDa protein band was present in the supernatant derived from C. acetobutylicum BKW-1 but was not present in ATCC 824 or ATCC 824(pMTL500E).
Failure of Laminated Composites at Thickness Discontinuities – an Experimental and Analytical Study

Failure initiation of laminated composites at a thickness discontinuity is studied experimentally with the aid of an optical microscope under combined loading of tension, transverse shear and bending, making use of three- and four-point bending arrangements. Because transverse shear produced relatively small effects in failure initiation results are presented as tension-bending interactions. Two loading frames for three- and four-point bending were designed to apply moment and tension simultaneously to produce failure by generating a ply crack; this initiation was evaluated by finite element analysis using ABAQUS. For cross-plies bounding the interface at the base of the step it is found that a maximum strain criterion applied to the continuing (long) ply describes the failure initiation. Ultimate failure resulted at loads on the order of 25 to 35% higher than those at failure initiation.
Exploring chemical space with computers: challenges and opportunities

Summary form only given. Small molecules with at most a few dozen atoms play a fundamental role in organic chemistry and biology. They can be used as combinatorial building blocks for chemical synthesis, as molecular probes for perturbing and analyzing biological systems, and for the screening/design/discovery of new drugs. As datasets of small molecules become increasingly available, it becomes important to develop computational methods for the classification and analysis of small molecules and in particular for the prediction of their physical, chemical, and biological properties. We describe datasets and machine learning methods, in particular kernel methods, for chemical molecules represented by 1D strings, 2D graphs of bonds, and 3D structures. We demonstrate state-of-the-art results for the prediction of physical, chemical, or biological properties including the prediction of toxicity and anti-cancer activity. More broadly, we will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for computer science, AI, and machine learning in chemistry.
New Solar Thermal Energy Applications for Commercial, Industrial, and Government Facilities

ABSTRACT The science of non-imaging optics, developed by Roland Winston at The University of Chicago, has created a breakthrough in solar energy collection technology. It is now possible for roof-integrated solar thermal energy collectors to efficiently produce heated fluids at temperatures up to 750°F for use in building energy systems. In addition to the production of hot water, some of the new solar thermal energy applications that are now feasible are HVAC systems that use double-effect absorption chillers, desiccant dehumidification, thermal electric power from steam-driven and ORC engines, combined power, heating, and cooling systems, industrial process heat over a wide temperature range, and commercial refrigeration. By incorporating passive solar design concepts, such as daylighting, with these active solar energy systems, significant reductions in conventional energy use in buildings are now possible. This article discusses new solar thermal collectors that employ non-imaging optics, several proj...
Cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases. VI. Isolation and partial purification of a protein kinase activated by guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate.

Abstract An enzyme which catalyzes the phosphorylation of histone by ATP, and is activated by low concentrations of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate, has been found in lobster muscle and partially purified. The guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase has been separated from an adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase found in the same tissue. The rate of phosphorylation of histone, catalyzed by the guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase, was increased about 5-fold by guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate at a concentration of 0.5 µm; the apparent Km of the enzyme was about 0.08 µm for guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate and about 4 µm for adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate. The apparent Km of the adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase isolated from the same tissue was about 0.02 µm for adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate and about 1.2 µm for guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate.
CEO Health Disclosure at Apple: A Public or Private Matter

In recent years, much attention has been paid to CEO succession planning as a risk management issue. However, it is not clear what information the company should disclose on this matter or how extensive the disclosure should be. This is particularly true when it comes to companies whose CEOs are experiencing health issues. On the one hand, shareholders value detailed disclosure on the health of the CEO because it helps them to make a reasoned assessment of whether and when a transition might occur. On the other hand, health information is a private matter, which the CEO may not wish to disclose.We examine this issue as it has unfolded at Apple. How extensive should disclosure on CEO health be? How should the board weigh its obligations to shareholders against the protection of privacy? Should the board disclose other, less sensitive information regarding CEO behavior that might be material to the market price of the stock price (such as a distracting divorce, excessive stress levels, or risky hobbies)?Topics, Issues and Controversies in Corporate Governance and Leadership: The Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the book Corporate Governance Matters, and A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance.
Fast-to-Slow Conversion Following Chronic Low-Frequency Activation of Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle in Cats. II. Motoneuron Properties

Munson, John B., Robert C. Foehring, Lorne M. Mendell, and Tessa Gordon. Fast-to-slow conversion following chronic low-frequency activation of medial gastrocnemius muscle in cats. II. Motoneuron pr...
Shanzhai, Sumptuary Law, and Intellectual Property Law in Contemporary China

“Shanzhai” denotes the wide array of copying and appropriationist practices pervasive in contemporary China. These practices often take the form of the for-profit production of knockoffs and counterfeits of all manner of consumer goods (and even services), sometimes otherwise take the form of deliberate antiauthoritarian culture jamming, and sometimes take the form of both. This brief symposium contribution focuses on shanzhai status goods and on efforts in China to use intellectual property law to suppress their production. Extending previous work on U.S. intellectual property law, the article observes that Chinese intellectual property law has come to take on, among its many functions, the function of sumptuary law; the law is being adapted to regulate and enforce China’s emerging system of consumption-based social distinction. The article is critical of this development and proposes two possible images of the future of shanzhai in China and elsewhere: a pessimistic and more likely image of the future in which intellectual property law succeeds in it is role as sumptuary law and effectively suppresses shanzhai practices, and an optimistic image of the future of shanzhai in which intellectual property law fails as sumptuary law and in which consumers continue to assert a “shanzhai attitude” inured to and dismissive of the imperatives of consumption-based social distinction.
Volumetric properties of organic liquids as a function of temperature and pressure: Experimental data and prediction of compressibility

Abstract Molar or specific volumes, isobaric expansivities and/or isothermal compressibilities have been determined by the piezometric method for: n-nonane, 3,3- diethylpentane (DEP), 5 ,5-dibutylnonane, 4,4-dipropylheptane (DPH), n-heptadecane, tetraethylsilane, tetraethylammonium tetrapropylborate (TETP), tetrapropylammonium tetraethylborate (TPTE), tetrapropylammonium tetrabutylborate TPTB), equimolar mixtures of DEP and DPH, and water. The temperature interval covered was in most cases 30–150°C, pressures 0–800 J·cm−3. Normal melting temperatures were determined: 353 K for TETP, 382 K for TPTE and 383 K for TPTB. A formula relating the liquid isothermal compressibility to both temperature and pressure has been proposed and successfully tested; it is applicable to inorganic as well as organic materials.
An idealized modeling study of nocturnal cooling processes inside a small enclosed basin

[1] The Advanced Regional Prediction System is utilized to examine the evolution of the nocturnal boundary layer observed within Arizona's Meteor Crater, a small enclosed basin, on quiescent nights during the 2006 Meteor Crater Experiment field campaign. Two aspects of the observed basin atmosphere are investigated: a quasi steady-state three-layer temperature structure, including an isothermal layer away from the basin floor, and the intrusion of a regional-scale cold air drainage flow into the basin. In general, the two-dimensional numerical simulations are able to reproduce the salient features of the nocturnal boundary layer inside Meteor Crater. A combination of increasingly cold air intruding into the basin and pooling near the basin floor and compensating adiabatic ascent yield an isothermal layer over a large depth of the basin atmosphere. A series of experiments are then conducted in order to examine the sensitivity of basin thermal structure to upstream terrain slope, basin width, and the presence of a rim surrounding the basin. In the case of a large basin of O(10 km) in diameter, the cold air intrusion process remains, but the larger basin volume yields greater dilution of the cold air intruding into the basin, and a weak inversion develops inside the basin away from the floor. In the case of a small basin with the same dimensions as Meteor Crater but with flat upstream terrain, the influence of the surrounding terrain on basin cooling is negligible. Last, the presence of a rim surrounding the basin is found to not be necessary for isothermal layer development.
Life-cycle assessment of pavements. Part I: Critical review

The rapidly expanding set of pavement life-cycle assessments (LCAs) available in the literature represents the growing interest in improving the sustainability of this critical infrastructure system. The existing literature establishes a foundational framework for quantifying environmental impact, but fails to deliver global conclusions regarding materials choices, maintenance strategies, design lives, and other best-practice policies for achieving sustainability goals. In order to comprehensively quantify environmental footprints and effectively guide sustainability efforts, functional units need to be standardized, systems boundaries expanded, data quality and reliability improved, and study scopes broadened. Improving these deficiencies will allow future studies to perform equitable and comparable assessments, thus creating a synergistic set of literature that continuously builds upon itself rather than generates independent and isolated conclusions. These improvements will place the body of pavement LCA research in a better position to confidently lead private industry and government agencies on successful paths towards sustainability goals.
The effects of survey administration on disclosure rates to sensitive items among men: A comparison of an internet panel sample with a RDD telephone sample

Research using Internet surveys is an emerging field, yet research on the legitimacy of using Internet studies, particularly those targeting sensitive topics, remains under-investigated. The current study builds on the existing literature by exploring the demographic differences between Internet panel and RDD telephone survey samples, as well as differences in responses with regard to experiences of intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization, alcohol and substance use/abuse, PTSD symptomatology, and social support. Analyses indicated that after controlling for demographic differences, there were few differences between the samples in their disclosure of sensitive information, and that the online sample was more socially isolated than the phone sample. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for using Internet samples in research on sensitive topics.
Local Indicators of Network-Constrained Clusters in Spatial Patterns Represented by a Link Attribute

Clustering in a spatially distributed phenomenon is an important focus of spatial analysis because it not only suggests characteristics of the pattern itself but also of its background processes. Traditional methods of spatial cluster detection mostly rely on the planar space assumption, yet a variety of spatial phenomena do not support its logic. This article expounds on an exploratory spatial data analysis methodology named local indicators of network-constrained clusters (LINCS) introduced elsewhere for detecting local-scale clustering in a spatial phenomenon that is constrained by a network space. In particular, this article focuses on two types of LINCS methods that are network extensions of traditional methods for analyzing spatial associations in zone-based planar-space data, namely, the local Moran I statistic and the local Getis and Ord G statistic. They are designed for phenomena that are represented by attribute values of individual network links. Examples of such phenomena include traffic volu...
What Do Engineers Want? Work Values, Job Rewards, and Job Satisfaction:

This article reexamines the classical distinction between professional and organizational work orientations for the case of engineers. Based on data from a survey questionnaire mailed to a sample of 800 engineers in the Rochester, New York, area in 1986, it argues that the two orientations are not opposites. Instead, it is possible to score high on measures of both orientations, or to score low on both. The result is a more complex, fourfold typology of engineers' work orientations. This fourfold typology is then applied to the analysis of engineers' job satisfaction. The most important finding is that the content of engineers' work—that is, the level of challenge and the intrinsic interest of the work—is the central predictor of their satisfaction. The results thus support the conjecture that contemporary engineers have become highly focused—perhaps overly focused—on the gratifications derived from technical work as a process.
Analysis of operating a diesel engine on biodiesel-ethanol and biodiesel-methanol blends

Abstract In this work, standard diesel, neat biodiesel, biodiesel(85%)-methanol(15%) (B85M15) and biodiesel(85%)-ethanol(15%) (B85E15) fuels are tested. Experiments are carried out using a two-cylinder, 4-cycle, direct injected, water-cooled diesel engine at five loads between no load and a full load of 3000 rpm. Performance and emission characteristics of the engine fueled with biodiesel-ethanol and biodiesel-methanol blends were compared to neat biodiesel and standard diesel fuel as the baseline fuels. Overall, biodiesel-alcohol blends, as compared to diesel, reduce NO emissions while increasing CO and HC emissions, at below 70% loads. It is also shown that biodiesel-ethanol blend is more effective than biodiesel-methanol for emission reduction and overall engine performance.
Low-Coordinate Iron Complexes Stabilized by N-(tert-Hydrocarbyl)anilide Ligation: Adduct Formation, Chemical Oxidation, and Nitric Oxide Complexation

Monomeric iron complexes supported by the new, sterically-demanding NRArF (R = C(CD3)2CH3, ArF = 2,5-C6H3FMe) and NR‘ArF (R‘ = C(CD3)2Ph) ligands are described. Four-coordinate Fe(Cl)(TMEDA)(NRArF) (1) was isolated in 87% yield as a colorless solid. The bis(amide) complexes Fe(L)(NRArF)2 (L = pyridine-d5, 2; L = PEt3, 3) were isolated in 91% and 80% yields as orange-red and yellow solids, respectively. The related complex Fe(py-d5)(NR‘ArF)2 (4) was prepared in 79% yield, characterized structurally by X-ray diffraction, and found to display chelation of the ArF residue via dative Fe···F interactions. The iodo complex Fe(I)(py-d5)(NRArF)2 (5) was obtained in 91% yield as a purple solid upon treatment of 2 with 1/2 equiv of iodine; according to an X-ray diffraction study 5 is a pseudotetrahedral monomer. The nitric oxide complexes Fe(NO)(L)(NRArF)2 (L = py-d5, 6; L = PEt3, 7) were obtained as wine red crystalline solids in 92% and 89% yields, respectively, upon treatment of 2 or 3 with a slight excess of gas...
Elevation of cyclin D1 following trimethyltin induced hippocampal neurodegeneration

Previous work has suggested that a major contributor to neuronal cell death is the aberrant induction of the cell cycle process, as indicated by an up-regulation of cyclin D. In order to examine the temporal and spatial relationship of cyclin D in a model of acute neurodegeneration, the hippocampal toxicant, trimethyltin (TMT; 2.0 mg/kg), was administered to 21-day old CD−1 male mice and the level and cellular localization of cyclin D1 examined. Within 24 h following TMT, dentate granule cells of the hippocampus showed evidence of neuronal necrosis resulting in severe cell loss over a 3-day period. The pyramidal cell layer was spared with only sparse punctate neuronal necrosis. Microglia response was seen at 72 h with ameboid microglia present in the dentate and ramified microglia present in the pyramidal cell layer, contributing to the elevation seen in TNF-alpha mRNA levels. A transient elevation was seen in mRNA levels for cyclin D1 over 48–72 h post-TMT. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a transient increase in staining for cyclin D1 in CA1 pyramidal neurons as early as 24 h. Punctate staining occurred in neurons throughout the dentate at 48 h. BrdU positive cells were present along the inner blades of the dentate in control animals. Following TMT exposure, an increase was seen in both the number of neurons stained and a diffusion of the staining pattern into the full dentate region. Thus, in TMT-induced neurodegeneration, cyclin D1 is not expressed in the vulnerable neurons but rather in neurons spared from degeneration. This expression pattern appears to not be linked to an increase in the cellular processes for proliferation as the majority of BrdU positive cells were present in the region of neuronal damage.
On the convergence properties of second-order multiplier methods

The purpose of this note is to provide some estimates relating to Newton-type methods of multipliers. These estimates can be used to infer that convergence in such methods can be achieved for an arbitrary choice of the initial multiplier vector by selecting the penalty parameter sufficiently large.
The decay of 151Gd to the levels of 151Eu

Abstract The γ-rays of 151 Eu have been investigated with a 35 cm 3 Ge(Li) detector coupled to a 4096-channel analyser. Gamma rays of the following energies and intensities (in parenthesis) were found to decay with the half-life of 151 Gd: 106.51±0.06(1.29), 110.53±0.11(0.12), 153.57±0.06(100), 174.65±0.06(48.3), 196.46±0.09(0.45), 239.00±0.14(2.31), 243.22± 0.06(89.9), 260.39±0.09(0.84), 286.00±0.09(1.35), 307.43±0.09(16.5), 328.23±0.09(1.32), 332.13±0.12(0.17) and 353.51±0.09(2.04). Using the energy sum rules and coincidence relationships the levels at 21.54, 196.21, 196.46, 243.22, 260.44, 306.99, 307.47, 349.76 and 353.56 keV are proposed for 151 Eu. A decay scheme consistent with our results is presented. The present studies support the previously proposed collective states.
L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid competitively antagonizes metabotropic glutamate receptors 1α and 5 in Xenopus oocytes

The aspartate analog 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (AP3) antagonizes glutamate-stimulated phosphatidyl inositide hydrolysis in brain slices, but is reportedly weak or ineffective in antagonizing the phosphatidyl inositide-coupled cloned metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 alpha and 5. Thus we examined the pharmacological properties of AP3 on mGlu1 alpha and mGlu5 receptor responses in Xenopus oocytes. DL-AP3 antagonized mGlu1 alpha and mGlu5 responses, but antagonism was overcome at high glutamate concentrations consistent with competitive inhibition (IC50 = 2.1 mM for mGlu1 alpha). Both responses were also inhibited by (RS)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG). We conclude that the available antagonists cannot distinguish between the mGlu1 alpha receptor and mGlu5 receptor, and that antagonism by AP3 may be obscured in the presence of high agonist concentrations or in cells with spare receptors.
Inside out: tubulin cytomotive filaments versus microtubules.

In this issue of Structure, Zehr and colleagues describe a structure of a three-stranded PhuZ tubulin cytomotive filament determined at 8.6 A resolution. This reveals an assembly mechanism different from that of microtubules, leading to a hypothesis explaining cytomotive-filament dynamics.
Tandoori tastes: perceptions of Indian restaurants in America

The USA is culturally and ethnically diverse and becoming more so. This diversity is reflected in the variety of cuisines available both in stores and in restaurants. Trends show a movement towards trying out new and exotic foods, increasing interest in vegetarian items, as well as a growing use of spices, herbs, and hot peppers. Asian foods are getting more popular with cuisines from China, Thailand, and Japan in the lead. Indian cuisine is hot, spicy, flavored with herbs, and offers many vegetarian options. This study examines the perceptions of White Americans, South Asians, and those of other ethnic origins in their perceptions of the food and service in Indian restaurants in the USA. The findings of this study suggest that there are universal likes/dislikes as well as differential perceptions between ethnic groups. Implications for researchers and operators of Indian restaurants are provided.
EFFECTS OF A NERVE‐GROWTH FACTOR, EMBRYO AGE AND METABOLIC INHIBITORS ON GROWTH OF FIBRES AND ON SYNTHESIS OF RIBONUCLEIC ACID AND PROTEIN IN EMBRYONIC SYMPATHETIC GANGLIA

Incorporation of labelled precursors into RNA and protein was measured in lumbar sympathetic ganglia from chicken embryos (usually 13-14 days old) in the presence . or absence of nerve-growth factor. The ganglia were incubated with labelled precursors while embedded in plasma clots, so that the outgrowth of nerve fibres could be measured in the same ganglia as the incorporation. Fibre outgrowth was estimated quantitatively by the use of a newly-devised objective measure of mean halo width. In controls without the nerve-growth factor, there was an abrupt slowing of labelling of both RNA and protein after 6-12 h. This slowing was greatly delayed or prevented by addition of the growth factor. At earlier times, small increases in incorporation of both labels accompanied addition of the growth factor, but were not always statistically significant. When ganglia were incubated for 28 h with labelled precursors in the presence of the growth factor, 11 per cent of both the labelled protein and the labelled RNA were found in the halos of outgrowing fibres and 89 per cent in the bodies of the ganglia. In ganglia from embryos of different ages, there was a maximum of labelling per unit volume of ganglion in both RNA and protein at 10 days and a minimum at 12 days of embryonic age. The growth factor increased the labelling during 22 h of incubation at most ages, regardless of whether outgrowth of fibres was great (13-14 days) or minimal (9-10 days). Almost total inhibition of RNA labelling by actinomycin-D caused only moderate impairment of fibre outgrowth. Actinomycin-D also somewhat reduced protein labelling. Cyclo-heximide, in concentrations which produced degrees of inhibition of protein labelling identical to those of actinomycin-D, caused similar impairment of fibre outgrowth. We conclude that RNA synthesis is not essential to the initiation of fibre outgrowth by the nerve-growth factor.
Applications of PET in liver imaging

Fluorodeoxyglucose PET (FDG-PET) imaging has an important role in determining if there are metastases to the liver and whether disease has spread beyond the liver. Such information is critical for planning surgical resections of liver metastases. The ability of FDG-PET quantitatively to estimate metabolic rates makes it an important tool for monitoring. With increasingly broad indications for FDG-PET imaging, it is expected that FDG-PET (and PET-CT) of the liver will play a growing and increasingly important role in detecting and monitoring treatment of tumors involving the liver.
Multiwavelets in solving integral equations of the 1st and 2nd kind

Multiwavelet based moment method (MMM) is employed to solve the integral equations of the 1st and 2nd kind in 3D cases. We implement partial derivative sampling along two orthogonal directions in order to keep tracking the directional derivative along arbitrary directions. This produces a nonsquare impedance matrix if the traditional Galerkin procedure is applied. We can obtain a square impedance matrix by reducing the number of observation points, but the solution is very sensitive to the distribution of the observation points. The least-mean-square (LMS) method is demonstrated to be very effective in solving nonsquare matrix equations. We conduct the LMS in our 3D MMM, thus the advantages of the MMM in 2D cases are preserved with a minor increase in the computational cost of the LMS.
CAVE EXPLORATION AS A GUIDE TO GEOLOGIC RESEARCH IN THE APPALACHIANS

Cave exploration and mapping can provide considerable insight into the nature of groundwater flow and geologic processes in soluble rocks. The Appalachian Mountains provide an ideal setting for this exchange of information because their geology varies greatly over short distances. Caves reveal the way in which groundwater flow is guided by geologic structure, and they help to clarify aquifer test data, well yield, and contaminant dispersion. Well tests in karst aquifers often reveal confined or unconfined conditions that make little sense stratigraphically, but which can be explained with the aid of cave mapping. With regard to geologic mapping, many caves reveal structures that are not visible at the surface. Caves also show evidence for underground geochemical processes that cannot be detected from well data. Subtle mineralogical clues are generally erased by weathering and erosion at the surface, but persist in many caves. The information that caves have provided about subsurface geology and water flow is now being used by explorers, even those with no geologic background, to help them find new caves. DOI: 10.4311/jcks2008es0042
SU-E-T-415: Investigation of VMAT Patient Specific Quality Assurance Action Levels

Purpose: To examine the appropriateness of patient specific IMRTquality assurance (QA) action levels for use in VMAT QA. Methods: QA measurements were evaluated for the test geometries provided in AAPM Task Group Report 119. The structure sets were copied onto a cylindrical water‐equivalent phantom. Using the Philips Pinnacle treatment planning system, IMRT and VMAT treatments were planned. The plans were delivered and the resulting dose distributions were measured (1) in 2 planes and at 3–4 points in the cylindrical phantom using radiochromic film and ion chamber, respectively, and (2) using a commercial 2D diode array. Ion chamber and diode array measurements were taken five times each, and film measurements were taken three times. Measured planar doses were analyzed using gamma analysis with criteria of 3%/3mm. Measured point doses were analyzed using percent difference. Differences between IMRT QA and VMAT QA results were tested for significance using a Student's t‐test. Results: The radiochromic film results showed averages of 98.9%±1.0% and 99.1%±0.9% (p=0.47) of measured doses within 3%/3mm of calculated doses for IMRT and VMAT plans, respectively. Ion chamber results showed average differences between measured and calculated point doses of − 0.95%±1.5% and −1.8%±1.8% (p<0.01) for IMRT and VMAT plans, respectively. The diode array results showed averages of 98.7%±0.5% and 98.6%±0.7% (p=0.70) of measured doses within 3%/3mm of calculated doses for IMRT and VMAT plans, respectively. Conclusion: Differences between IMRT QA and VMAT QA results were not statistically significant for planar doses measured with radiochromic film and 2D diode array. The average difference between measured and calculated point doses was smaller in IMRT plans (p<0.01); however, the average point dose differences for both IMRT and VMAT were less than 2%. These results suggest that current action levels used in our clinic for evaluating IMRT QA may be applicable to VMAT QA. This work is supported in part by a sponsored research agreement with Elekta, Inc.
Creep of V-4Cr-4Ti in a lithium environment

Abstract Biaxial creep specimens of V–4Cr–4Ti were exposed to liquid lithium at 665 and 765 °C to complement similar tests in a vacuum environment. Although the Li tests are at an early stage, results are consistent with those of the vacuum tests. At 765 °C, exposures of nearly 2000 h have been reached, and at 665 °C, 1100 h have been attained. There is only a brief period of steady-state creep, a power law stress dependence is observed, and temperature dependence is described by an activation energy slightly lower than that of self-diffusion, 2.8 eV. At this stage, even the vacuum tests had little increase in oxygen so that the similarity is not unexpected. No creep failures have been observed. This is expected based upon comparison with vacuum tests on similar specimens and with uniaxial tests with specimens of the same heat of V–4Cr–4Ti.
Voltaire this ain't

I think the only literary genre more frivolous than theologians writing about science (Teilhard de Chardin 1959) is scientists writing about theology (Miller 1999; Dennett 2006; Collins 2006; Roughgarden 2006). This latter group has now devolved into two camps: some scientists find it reasonable to seek spiritual meaning in the natural world, inheriting the centuries-old ambitions of John Ray and William Paley. The less pious also write about it, although with different goals. While the devout are trying to reconcile their beliefs about the non-material universe to the domain of science, the less devout are trying to convince them that they are idiots, a somewhat less respectable ambition, even if just as likely to be unsuccessful. Richard Dawkins, recently retired Oxford professor of the Public Understanding of Science and one of the leading voices of contemporary Darwinism, aggressively links science, and particularly evolutionary science, to his evangelical atheism. The result is a best-selling screed and an eloquent testimony to the poverty and problems of modern science education. I will discuss the book in terms of several critical paradoxes it raised for me. Science, as a set of tools for producing reliable knowledge of the natural world, is a product of seventeenth-century European minds. Its most fundamental assumption is that despite critical points of contact, there is some sort of basic division between Nature and Supernature, the former being governed by matter and law, and the latter by spirit and miracle. The uniqueness of that underlying assumption?that the natural and supernatural realms are basically distinct and separable from one
Change in the prevalence of leisure activity with the number of activities recalled.

ABSTRACTEVENSON, K. R., S. L. HUSTON, J. L. WOOD, and P. BORS. Change in the Prevalence of Leisure Activity with the Number of Activities Recalled. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 35, No. 11, pp. 1882–1886, 2003.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine how the estimated prevalence of leisure ac
Regions of stability for gain or phase variations in multivariable systems

This paper extends the well-known norm-bounded robust stability criteria from strict inequalities that specify open sets to inequalities that specify closed sets. Both the Nyquist and inverse Nyquist type of norm-bounded criteria are considered. The extended criteria form the theoretical basis in the formulation of an iterative procedure for searching the regions of stability for simultaneous gain or phase variations in multivariable feedback systems. The basic idea of the iterative procedure lies in successively perturbing the feedback system from a set of nominal gains or phases that are on the boundary of a previously established region of stability. The iterative procedure is illustrated by a numerical example.
Chromatographic and physical studies of tropomyosin in aqueous-organic media at low pH.

Non-cross-linked and disulfide-cross-linked two-chain molecules comprising the α and/or β chains of rabbit skeletal tropomyosin were studied by electrophoretic, chromatographic and physical methods. Elution order on C4 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography depends markedly on the number and positionof th cross-links. In the C4 reversed-phase elution medium, cross-lined and non-cross-linked species are > 85% helical by circular dichroism, but the non-cross-linked elute late from high-peformance size-exclusion chromatography (G4000) and have molecular mass ofl 31 000–41 000 dalton by equilibriuim ultracentrifugation. The data suggest tha tin the C4 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography elution medium non-cross-linked tropomyosin exists as amphiphatic single-chain α-helices.
Analysis of the factors that influence the C=N stretching frequency of polyene Schiff bases. Implications for bacteriorhodopsin and rhodopsin

In this study quantum mechanical calculations of force constants and normal mode analysis are used to elucidate the factors that influence the C=C and C=N stretching frequencies in polyenes and in protonated Schiff bases. The C=N stretching frequency is found to depend on both the C=N stretching force constant and the C=N-H bending force constant. Due to the contributions of these two modes, the C=N stretching frequency is particularly sensitive to the magnitude of the Schiff base counterion interactions and to the hydrogen bonding environment of the Schiff base nitrogen. Models for chromophore-protein interactions in the retinal binding site and for the photochemical transformations of bacteriorhodopsin and rhodopsin are evaluated in light of these results.
Sensitization of enteric neurons to morphine by HIV‐1 Tat protein

Background Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is a major cause of morbidity in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV-1-induced neuropathogenesis is significantly enhanced by opiate abuse, which increases proinflammatory chemokine/cytokine release, the production of reactive species, glial reactivity, and neuronal injury in the central nervous system. Despite marked interactions in the gut, little is known about the effects of HIV-1 in combination with opiate use on the enteric nervous system. Methods To explore HIV-opiate interactions in myenteric neurons, the effects of Tat ± morphine (0.03, 0.3, and 3 μM) were examined in isolated neurons from doxycycline- (DOX-) inducible HIV-1 Tat1-86 transgenic mice or following in vitro Tat 100 nM exposure (>6 h). Key Results Current clamp recordings demonstrated increased neuronal excitability in neurons of inducible Tat(+) mice (Tat+/DOX) compared to control Tat−/DOX mice. In neurons from Tat+/DOX, but not from Tat−/DOX mice, 0.03 μM morphine significantly reduced neuronal excitability, fast transient and late long-lasting sodium currents. There was a significant leftward shift in V0.5 of inactivation following exposure to 0.03 μM morphine, with a 50% decrease in availability of sodium channels at −100 mV. Similar effects were noted with in vitro Tat exposure in the presence of 0.3 μM morphine. Additionally, GI motility was significantly more sensitive to morphine in Tat(+) mice than Tat(−) mice. Conclusions & Inferences Overall, these data suggest that the sensitivity of enteric neurons to morphine is enhanced in the presence of Tat. Opiates and HIV-1 may uniquely interact to exacerbate the deleterious effects of HIV-1-infection and opiate exposure on GI function.