cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Misalignment-compensated resonant power transfer system

Electric Vehicle (EV) technology is an ideal candidate for environment-friendly and pollution-free transportation. Wireless chargers, where EV batteries can simply be charged by parking the vehicle on a charging pad, provide customers with convenience and electrical safety. In addition, cordless chargers also bring new charging strategies such as “opportunistic” and “charge-on-the-go”. Cordless EV charging technology, based on the principle of resonance (inductive or coupled magnetic) is a variant of air core transformer. In this work, we propose a novel system based on magnetic resonance principle that would passively compensate for any misalignment between transmitter and receiver coil assemblies thereby maintaining high efficiency. The proposed system is prototyped and the performance is validated against an equivalent circuit model.
Random feature subset selection for ensemble based classification of data with missing features

We report on our recent progress in developing an ensemble of classifiers based algorithm for addressing the missing feature problem. Inspired in part by the random subspace method, and in part by an AdaBoost type distribution update rule for creating a sequence of classifiers, the proposed algorithm generates an ensemble of classifiers, each trained on a different subset of the available features. Then, an instance with missing features is classified using only those classifiers whose training dataset did not include the currently missing features. Within this framework, we experiment with several bootstrap sampling strategies each using a slightly different distribution update rule. We also analyze the effect of the algorithm's primary free parameter (the number of features used to train each classifier) on its performance. We show that the algorithm is able to accommodate data with up to 30% missing features, with little or no significant performance drop.
Functional and Ethical Characteristics of the Relationship Between Genetic Counselor and Client

(1989). Functional and Ethical Characteristics of the Relationship Between Genetic Counselor and Client. Loss, Grief & Care: Vol. 3, No. 3-4, pp. 47-57.
Effects of Nordic walking on physical functions and depression in frail people aged 70 years and above

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of Nordic walking on physical functions and depression in frail people aged 70 years and above. [Subjects] Twenty frail elderly individuals ≥70 years old were assigned to either a Nordic walking group (n=8) or general exercise group (n=10). [Methods] The duration of intervention was equal in both groups (3 sessions/week for 12 weeks, 60 min/session). Physical function (balance, upper extremity strength, lower extremity strength, weakness) and depression were examined before and after the interventions. [Results] With the exception of upper extremity muscle strength, lower extremity strength, weakness, balance, and depression after Nordic walking demonstrated statistically significant improvement. However, in the general exercise group, only balance demonstrated a statistically significant improvement after the intervention. There were significant differences in the changes in lower extremity muscle strength, weakness and depression between the groups. [Conclusion] In conclusion, Nordic walking was more effective than general exercise. Therefore, we suggest that Nordic walking may be an attractive option for significant functional improvement in frail people over 70 years old.
The Purifying Confession of Failings Required by the Didache's Eucharistic Sacrifice:

This study begins by exploring the meaning of the Didache against the backdrop of the “spiritualization” of sacrifice that was widespread as a Jewish response to the traditional piety of offering animal sacrifices. In order to insure a “pure sacrifice,” the Didache community was set up two distinct safeguards: no unbaptized or unreconciled person was admitted (DIDACHE 9: 5) and the confession of failings was to be held prior to the eucharist on the Lord's Day (DIDACHE 14: 1). These practices had the effect of enforcing the standards of holiness cherished by the community members. No one could keep coming week after week and repeatedly confess the same failing. Thus, for a community out of step with the rest of society, the confession of failings served to recall both backsliders and forgetters to the perfection (the Way of Life) to which they were called at the time of their preparation for baptism.
A Multiplex Label-Free Approach to Avian Influenza Surveillance and Serology

Influenza serology has traditionally relied on techniques such as hemagglutination inhibition, microneutralization, and ELISA. These assays are complex, challenging to implement in a format allowing detection of several types of antibody-analyte interactions at once (multiplex), and troublesome to implement in the field. As an alternative, we have developed a hemagglutinin microarray on the Arrayed Imaging Reflectometry (AIR) platform. AIR provides sensitive, rapid, and label-free multiplex detection of targets in complex analyte samples such as serum. In preliminary work, we demonstrated the application of this array to the testing of human samples from a vaccine trial. Here, we report the application of an expanded label-free hemagglutinin microarray to the analysis of avian serum samples. Samples from influenza virus challenge experiments in mallards yielded strong, selective detection of antibodies to the challenge antigen in most cases. Samples acquired in the field from mallards were also analyzed, and compared with viral hemagglutinin inhibition and microneutralization assays. We find that the AIR hemagglutinin microarray can provide a simple and robust alternative to standard methods, offering substantially greater information density from a simple workflow.
Pastoral Engagement in the Mindfulness Movement: Gift, Opportunities, and Challenges

“Mindfulness” is a cultural buzz word these days. Time Magazine ’s cover story for January 23, 2014, was titled, “The Mindful Revolution,” and the cover story of the most recent issue of Scientific American (Nov. 2014) is “Mind of the Meditator.” In this article the author suggests two ways in which Christians might engage this cultural phenomenon. First, Christians have something important to learn from this cultural movement. Second, Christians have something important to contribute to the mindfulness movement. Christians can gratefully acknowledge and learn from the hundreds of rigorous scientific studies conducted in the past decade that suggest ways that mindfulness practices may provide effective means of improving physical and mental health and connecting to a deeper sense of meaning and compassion in human life. However, Christians also have something essential to contribute to the cultural dialogue regarding mindfulness by drawing upon our own rich theological heritage of prayer and meditation. In the Christian tradition, mindfulness is a tool for cultivating a deeper awareness of and relationship with the Triune God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and attested to by Scripture. The author concludes by noting that theologians and pastoral ministers have a responsibility to engage in our culture’s interest in mindfulness. The mindfulness movement presents an opportunity to educate baptized Christians and others and invite them into the rich tradition of contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition. Such contributions from the Christian tradition may also help to challenge the mindfulness movement to acknowledge the spiritual roots from which it has evolved. Such contributions may also help to overcome the risk of mindfulness becoming another passing fad or a middle- to-upper class commodity for supporting health and well-being. Christian contemplation teaches persons to embrace imperfection and suffering while remaining committed to the good of all persons and all creation in love. By sharing the fruits of the tradition through education and catechesis and by creating communities that support contemplative prayer, pastoral leaders and theologians may help persons to navigate the challenges of remaining committed to a life of prayer amidst the struggles and sufferings of life in contemporary, late modern cultures.
Parametric Continuous and Smooth Motion Interpolation

This paper deals with the synthesis of second order parametrically continuous (C 2 ) motion that interpolates through a given set of configurations of an object. It derives conditions for blending two motion segments with C 2 continuity and develops an algorithm for constructing a C 2 composite Bezier type motion that has similarities to Beta-splines in the field of Computer Aided Geometric Design. A criterion for evaluating the smoothness of a motion is established and is used to synthesize a globally smooth motion. The results have applications in trajectory generation in robotics, mechanical systems animation and CAD/CAM.
Visualization of intra-thalamic nuclei with optimized white-matter-nulled MPRAGE at 7T.

Abstract Novel MR image acquisition strategies have been investigated to elicit contrast within the thalamus, but direct visualization of individual thalamic nuclei remains a challenge because of their small size and the low intrinsic contrast between adjacent nuclei. We present a step-by-step specific optimization of the 3D MPRAGE pulse sequence at 7 T to visualize the intra-thalamic nuclei. We first measured T1 values within different sub-regions of the thalamus at 7 T in 5 individuals. We used these to perform simulations and sequential experimental measurements (n = 17) to tune the parameters of the MPRAGE sequence. The optimal set of parameters was used to collect high-quality data in 6 additional volunteers. Delineation of thalamic nuclei was performed twice by one rater and MR-defined nuclei were compared to the classic Morel histological atlas. T1 values within the thalamus ranged from 1400 ms to 1800 ms for adjacent nuclei. Using these values for theoretical evaluations combined with in vivo measurements, we showed that a short inversion time (TI) close to the white matter null regime (TI = 670 ms) enhanced the contrast between the thalamus and the surrounding tissues, and best revealed intra-thalamic contrast. At this particular nulling regime, lengthening the time between successive inversion pulses (TS = 6000 ms) increased the thalamic signal and contrast and lengthening the α pulse train time (N*TR) further increased the thalamic signal. Finally, a low flip angle during the gradient echo acquisition (α = 4°) was observed to mitigate the blur induced by the evolution of the magnetization along the α pulse train. This optimized set of parameters enabled the 3D delineation of 15 substructures in all 6 individuals; these substructures corresponded well with the known anatomical structures of the thalamus based on the classic Morel atlas. The mean Euclidean distance between the centers of mass of MR- and Morel atlas-defined nuclei was 2.67 mm (± 1.02 mm). The reproducibility of the MR-defined nuclei was excellent with intraclass correlation coefficient measured at 0.997 and a mean Euclidean distance between corresponding centers of mass found at first versus second readings of 0.69 mm (± 0.38 mm). This 7 T strategy paves the way to better identification of thalamic nuclei for neurosurgical planning and investigation of regional changes in neurological disorders.
Contemporary Perspectives on Planned Social Change: A Comparison

This paper offers a typology of social change efforts based on an analysis of their divergent root assumptions about values and the nature of reality rather than a categorization of their various activities. Analysis of change agents' images of society and of the individual, their diagnoses of contemporary society, and their priorities for action yields three perspectives of planned social change: the professional-technical, the political, and the countercultural, which the authors discuss in terms of such issues as their varying kinds of constituencies, resources, roles, and institutional bases.
Simulation and optimization of porous gas-diffusion electrodes used in hydrogen/oxygen phosphoric acid fuel cells—I. Application of cathode model simulation and optimization to PAFC cathode development

Abstract A systematic approach is presented for the application of realistic models to porous gas-diffusion electrodes used as cathodes in the phosphoric acid fuel cell. This modeling approach determines model parameters that describe a specific electrode structure through an optimization procedure which utilizes data from carefully planned experimental studies. The final optimized model can be used to interpret the major performance limitations of the particular electrode. Additionally, the optimized model can also be used in a simulation mode for a predictive analysis of electrode performance under a variety of conditions. This combination of a detailed modeling effort and carefully implemented experiments can provide beneficial feedback to the electrode development process.
Global comparisons between contact and noncontact mapping techniques in the right atrium: role of cavitary probe size.

In the right atrium (RA) we globally investigated: (1) the properties of noncontact electrograms measured by multielectrode cavitary probes, (2) the features of endocardial electrograms computed from the noncontact probe electrograms, and (3) the impact of the probe size on both the noncontact and the computed electrograms. We deployed a custom catheter in the dog RA, which consisted of a cylindrical probe with 64 electrodes on its surface, for measuring noncontact cavitary electrograms, and a concentric endocardial basket carrying an additional array of 64 electrodes, for measuring contact endocardial electrograms (the “gold standard”). Both a 5-mm- and a 10-mm-diam probe (P5 and P10, respectively) were sequentially tested in the same RA of one dog. Unipolar electrograms from both the probe and the basket were simultaneously acquired during normal as well as during paced rhythms (n ⩾24 protocols per probe). Boundary element method and numeric regularization were applied to compute endocardial electrograms at the basket electrode locations. We found that noncontact electrograms were attenuated and smoothed, and this effect was exaggerated with the small probe. Computed endocardial electrograms more accurately reconstructed important amplitude distribution and morphological features; peak-to-peak amplitude error, 35% for P5 and 34% for P10. Activation and spatial errors of computed endocardial electrograms were 8.8 ± 6.8 ms and 5.1 ± 6.1 mm for P5, respectively, and 6.0 ± 5.5 ms and 3.2 ± 4.4 mm for P10, respectively. In conclusion, global RA activation may be delineated directly from noncontact cavitary electrograms alone, but may be affected by volume attenuation, smoothing, and probe size. Accurate endocardial electrograms, however, can be successfully computed from noncontact electrograms acquired with small probes and be used to reconstruct both electrogram amplitude and detailed morphology. © 2001 Biomedical Engineering Society.
After life review: autobiography as ‘art of the future’

When adult students write their life story, they gather selected life experiences and transform these onto the written page. In the course of this literary process they revisit sites of the past and reflect on the meaning of past events; many reconstruct these events from the point of view of the present, and most close their narrative by affirming their identity in the present and envisioning a possible future. Through an analysis of the written life narratives as well as research with one group of writers, a case is made for autobiography's power as an instructional method to bring new light to the past and deepen our sense of self and others.
In vitro AHH induction by polychlorinated biphenyl and dibenzofuran mixtures: Additive effects

Abstract The activities of several individual polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and several environmentally significant reconstituted mixtures of these compounds as inducers of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) in rat hepatoma H-4-II E cells were determined. The observed AHH and EROD induction EC50S for the mixtures were compared with the calculated values, which were based on the summation of the relative per cent contributions of the individual components of the reconstituted PCB and PCDF mixtures. The results show that the differences between the observed and calculated EC50s for these mixtures were minimal or not significant and the data supports the use of the rat hepatoma H-4-II E cell system as a bioassay for toxic halogenated aryl hydrocarbons.
Isolation stress and volitional ethanol consumption in the rat

Abstract Twelve rats of the Wistar strain were maintained for sixteen hr daily in individual cages with ad lib food, water, and 25% (v/v) ethanol. During the remaining eight hr period the animals were housed either individually or in pairs in large cages without food or liquids. Daily consumption of water and ethanol were recorded for 60 days; after which the rats were sacrificed and their adrenal glands examined. The results showed that the isolated rats consumed significantly more ethanol than the pair-housed rats from the twenty-fifth day on. Furthermore, the isolated rats had enlarged adrenal glands indicating hyperadrenalcorticism. Hence, the rat's typical increase in ethanol consumption over time may be a response to stress induced by experimental housing procedures.
Sonic Hedgehog Expands Diaphyseal Trabecular Bone Altering Bone Marrow Niche and Lymphocyte Compartment

Bone marrow contains distinct microenvironments that regulate hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The endosteal HSC niche includes osteoblasts, mineral, and extracellular matrix proteins that interact through various molecular signals to control HSCs. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a morphogen involved in the regulation of skeletal development and hematopoiesis, but the effects of Shh on bone in relation to the HSC niche are not well understood. We demonstrate that systemic overexpression of Shh in mice increases osteoblast number with the resultant formation of new trabeculae in the femoral diaphysis. Suggestive of a functional change in the hematopoietic niche, numbers of Lin− Sca-1+ c-Kit+ cells with hematopoietic progenitor function expand, although cells with in vivo repopulating capacity in the wild-type environment do not increase. Instead, Shh mediates a decrease in number of bone marrow lymphocytes accompanied by a decreased expression of stromal-derived growth factor 1 (SDF-1) and a decrease in Flk2-expressing Lin− Sca-1+ c-Kit+ cells, indicating a modulation of early lymphopoiesis. This is caused by a microenvironment-induced mechanism as Shh treatment of bone marrow recipients, but not donors, results in a dramatic depletion of lymphocytes. Together, these data suggest that Shh mediates alterations in the bone marrow hematopoietic niche affecting the early lymphoid differentiation.
Effect of oxygen concentration upon the ductility of amorphous Zr57Nb5Al10Cu15.4Ni12.6

The effect of oxygen content on the mechanical and thermal properties of Zr57Nb5Al10Cu15.4Ni12.6 bulk metallic glass was measured. Oxygen was systematically added to a master alloy through the addition of ZrO2. Compression, Vickers hardness and bending, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray measurements were performed. Material with no additional oxygen demonstrated the ability to deform through multiple shear band formation, while that with higher oxygen content retained up to 90% of its compressive strength but lost virtually all ductility. The loss of ductility is attributed to the formation of Zr2Cu- and Zr2Ni-type intermetallic oxide particles.
Dimensions and Volumetric BMD of the Proximal Femur and Their Relation to Age Among Older U.S. Men

We measured femoral neck and shaft dimensions and volumetric BMD with QCT. Relations of these measures to age were quantified in a cross-sectional study among 3358 men 65–100 years old. Relations of femoral neck dimensions and vBMD to age differed from those in the shaft, indicating that patterns of bone modeling and remodeling in the neck and shaft are distinct. Introduction: Little is known about population variation in dimensions and volumetric BMD of the proximal femur or the relation of these measures to age among older men. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, dimensions and volumetric BMD (vBMD) in the femoral neck and shaft were obtained from QCT scans among 3358 men 65–100 years of age in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men cohort. Total bone size and size of the cortical and medullary compartments were measured with volumes in the femoral neck and with areas in the shaft. We quantified distributions of these measures and examined their relations to age with multivariable linear regression. Results: Population variation in femoral neck and shaft dimensions and vBMD was substantial. In the femoral neck, total volume was minimally related to age, whereas cortical volume was 5% smaller and medullary volume was 10% larger (both p < 0.0001) in the oldest (85+ years) compared with the youngest (65–69 years) men. Across these ages, the percent of cortical bone declined from 46% to 42% (p < 0.0001). Integral and trabecular vBMD were 9% and 22% lower, whereas DXA femoral neck BMD was 4% lower, in the older men. Neck cortical vBMD was unrelated to age. In the shaft, cross-sectional area and medullary area were 9% and 22% larger, respectively, in the oldest men (both p < 0.0001), but cortical area was unchanged with age. The percent of cortical bone declined from 69% to 65% across these ages (p < 0.0001). Shaft cortical BMD was 4% lower in the older men (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: There is substantial diversity of femoral morphology and vBMD among older U.S. men. Patterns indicative of modeling and remodeling in the femoral neck were distinct from those in the shaft. Notably, changes in periosteal and endosteal dimensions that underlie cortical thinning appear to differ in the neck and shaft.
Regulation of US Charitable Solicitations Since 1954

A major shift in the climate for the solicitation of charitable donations in the United States occurred in the second half of the twentieth century. Starting with legislation passed by the Legislatures of New York and Massachusetts in 1954 and eventually including 40 largely similar laws in force today, state governments grew to playing a predominant part in the regulation of appeals for public support for charitable activities. State regulators, voluntary oversight and advocacy groups, accounting standards-setting bodies, and the data-collection activities of the Internal Revenue Service all influenced the development of the body of regulations which now shape the process of seeking support for nonprofits’ work. This article summarizes the effect of earlier innovations in the field of fundraising and then examines the interplay of public and private actors in the course of the creation of the present regulatory climate.
The use of indicator variables in computing predictions

Abstract The use of indicator variables to construct predictions and to estimate the variances of prediction errors is illustrated for systems of equations, nonlinear regressions and autoregressions.
A W-linked palindrome and gene conversion in New World sparrows and blackbirds

A hallmark feature of the male-specific region of the human Y chromosome is the presence of large and near-identical palindromes. These palindromes are maintained in a state of near identity via gene conversion between the arms of the palindrome, and both neutral and selection-based theories have been proposed to explain their enrichment on the human Y and X chromosomes. While those proposed theories would be applicable to sex chromosomes in other species, it has not been established whether near-identical palindromes are a common feature of sex chromosomes in a broader range of taxa, including other tetrapods. Here, we report the genomic sequencing and features of a 279-kb region of the non-recombining portion of the W chromosome spanning the CHD1W locus in a New World sparrow, the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), and the corresponding region on the Z chromosome. As has been observed for other Y and W chromosomes, we detected a high repetitive element content (51%) and low gene content on the white-throated sparrow W chromosome. In addition, we identified a 22-kb near-identical (>99%) palindrome on the W chromosome that flanks the 5′ end of the CHD1W gene. Signatures of gene conversion were readily detected between the arms of this palindrome, as was the presence of this palindrome in other New World sparrows and blackbirds. Near-identical palindromes are therefore present on the avian W chromosome and may persist due to the same forces proposed for the enrichment of these elements on the human sex chromosomes.
On optimal zone heating and energy conservation in passive solar buildings

Abstract Strategies for reducing the energy consumption of buildings include energy conservation, passive solar, and zone heating systems. In this paper, the constrained and global interzonal and overall building load coefficients, and the optimal mix of energy conservation, passive solar and zone heating are calculated as a function of economic and thermal parameters. Results are presented for the sensitivities of the optimal cost fractions to changes in the cost of passive solar and zone heating. For representative costs, the analysis indicated the largest component is energy conservation, followed by passive solar, zone heating and interzonal insulation.
SEA domain proteolysis determines the functional composition of dystroglycan

Post-translational modifications of the extracellular matrix receptor dystroglycan (DG) determine its functional state, and defects in these modifications are linked to muscular dystrophies and cancers. A prominent feature of DG biosynthesis is a precursor cleavage that segregates the ligand-binding and transmembrane domains into the noncovalently attached alpha- and beta-subunits. We investigate here the structural determinants and functional significance of this cleavage. We show that cleavage of DG elicits a conspicuous change in its ligand-binding activity. Mutations that obstruct this cleavage result in increased capacity to bind laminin, in part, due to enhanced glycosylation of alpha-DG. Reconstitution of DG cleavage in a cell-free expression system demonstrates that cleavage takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum, providing a suitable regulatory point for later processing events. Sequence and mutational analyses reveal that the cleavage occurs within a full SEA (sea urchin, enterokinase, agrin) module with traits matching those ascribed to autoproteolysis. Thus, cleavage of DG constitutes a control point for the modulation of its ligand-binding properties, with therapeutic implications for muscular dystrophies. We provide a structural model for the cleavage domain that is validated by experimental analysis and discuss this cleavage in the context of mucin protein and SEA domain evolution.
Treatment Options for Parasomnias

Parasomnias are undesirable physical or experiential events that occur in and around sleep. Treatments include reassurance in some cases, various forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and pharmacologic agents. Cognitive restructuring, imagery rehearsal, relaxation, hypnosis, desensitization, and anticipatory awakenings are some of the common CBT and nonpharmacologic interventions. Medications that are used belong to a wide variety of pharmacologic classes, such as alpha-blockers (prazosin), tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine and clomipramine), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines (diazepam and clonazepam), anticonvulsants (topiramate and gabapentin), desmopressin acetate, and anticholinergic agents (oxybutynin and tolterodine). Data on efficacy are only available from randomized trials on CBT and prazosin for nightmares and on pharmacologic and alarm therapy for enuresis. No large-scale randomized trials are available to assess the efficacy of the other treatments, and most data come from anecdotal case reports, case series, or small open-label trials.
“School's Not Really a Place for Reading”: A Research Synthesis of the Literate Lives of Students with Severe Disabilities:

Developmental and connectionist research describing a student's development of competent reading and writing skills commonly evokes the image of a normative ladder to literacy. Each rung of the ladder is believed to constitute certain sets of increasingly complex subskills. It is believed that cognitive mastery is required prior to the next step up the ladder. For people labeled with severe mental retardation, subskill mastery is often considered an intellectual impossibility. Hence, literacy is denied. In this research synthesis, however, we suggest that people with severe intellectual limitations can be understood as symbolic, and specific literacy skills can be supported. We use the term research synthesis to describe the textual weaving of two sources of understanding: (a) qualitative stories garnered from six students who were research participants and (b) published autobiographical and biographical stories by people with disabilities or their parents. These two sources of understanding underscore th...
Spontaneous coordinated activity in cultured networks: analysis of multiple ignition sites, primary circuits, and burst phase delay distributions

All higher order central nervous systems exhibit spontaneous neural activity, though the purpose and mechanistic origin of such activity remains poorly understood. We quantitatively analyzed the ignition and spread of collective spontaneous electrophysiological activity in networks of cultured cortical neurons growing on microelectrode arrays. Leader neurons, which form a mono-synaptically connected primary circuit, and initiate a majority of network bursts were found to be a small subset of recorded neurons. Leader/follower firing delay times formed temporally stable positively skewed distributions. Blocking inhibitory synapses usually resulted in shorter delay times with reduced variance. These distributions are characterizations of general aspects of internal network dynamics and provide estimates of pair-wise synaptic distances. The resulting analysis produced specific quantitative constraints and insights into the activation patterns of collective neuronal activity in self-organized cortical networks, which may prove useful for models emulating spontaneously active systems.
Axonal transport of dopamine D1 receptors in the rat brain

Abstract Binding of a specific dopamine D1 receptor antagonist,125I-SCH 23982, was measured in rat brain sections by quantitative autoradiography at various time intervals, following a knife cut through the striatonigral pathway. Twenty-four hours after lesioning, accumulations of D1 receptor binding sites were found in sagittal sections both rostral and caudal to the lesion site. No other regions studied (caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, and substantia nigra pars reticulata) showed any change in D1 receptor binding 24h after the lesion. In brain sections obtained 10 days after lesioning, only the substantia nigra pars reticulata had a significant decrease in D1 receptors ipsilateral to the lesion. These findings suggest the possibility of a presence of bidirectional axonal transport of D1 receptors in rat striatonigral pathway.
A New Design Method—Deep-Layer Synthesized Design Method of Full Functions and Full Performances of Product

In recent one century more than 60 design methods of products have been proposed and most of them can satisfy the one or several requirements of the general qualities only. So it is necessary to develop some synthesized design method, which can satisfy requirements of general synthesized qualities of product. Up to now, several scientists and technologists have done their efforts to study several synthesized design methods in order to satisfy more requirements of users. These methods are comprehensive design method, QFD method, taguchi design method, axiomatic design method, etc. Based on the classification of the design methods, we have proposed a new synthesized design method, named 1+3+X. The present method meet the need of customers for different general synthesized qualities of product including main and supplementary functions, structural performances, working performances and manufacturing performances and the first 1 is functional optimum design, the 3 are the dynamic optimum design, intelligent design and visual design to satisfy structural performances, working performances and manufacturing performances respectively, and the X is the design to satisfy other requirements.
Alvimopan* (ADL 8-2698) is a novel peripheral opioid antagonist.

Alvimopan (ADL 8-2698; Adolor Corporation, Exton, PA, USA) is a novel, peripherally restricted opioid antagonist. After oral administration, it has activity specific to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. ADL 8-2698 has low systemic absorption and a high affinity for μ-opioid receptors. In healthy subjects, ADL 8-2698 antagonized loperamide-induced changes in GI transit and prevented morphine-induced delays in oral-cecal transit time without antagonizing centrally mediated opioid effects, such as analgesia or pupillary constriction. In the treatment of opioid naive patients who underwent surgery and received opioids for acute pain, oral ADL 8-2698 (6.0 mg) improved the management of postoperative ileus (POI) by shortening the time to achieve normal bowel function and, ultimately, hospital stay. Postoperative nausea and vomiting and the overall incidence of all GI side effects were reduced in patients treated with ADL 8-2698 for POI. Analgesia was not compromised, because there were no changes in median opioid consumption or Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores in patients treated with ADL 8-2698 versus patients treated with placebo. No drug-related side effects were observed in acute pain postsurgical patients in the initial POI study. In patients treated with opioids for chronic pain or opioid addiction, lower doses of oral ADL 8-2698 (0.5 to 3.0 mg) reversed opioid bowel dysfunction (OBD) and normalized GI activity. These effects were evident without compromising opioid analgesia or inducing central nervous system symptoms of withdrawal. Some chronic opioid patients receiving apparently supramaximal doses of ADL 8-2698 (≥3.0 mg) reported localized GI side effects, possibly indicative of a localized GI withdrawal response. The most common side effects of ADL 8-2698 in chronic pain patients with OBD were abdominal pain, flatulence, and diarrhea. These effects were not observed in most OBD patients receiving lower doses of ADL 8-2698. Overall, ADL 8-2698 was well tolerated in clinical trials. Further studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ADL 8-2698 in clinical practice are in progress.
Impairment of spatial but not contextual memory in CaMKII mutant mice with a selective loss of hippocampal ltp in the range of the θ frequency

We assessed hippocampal-dependent memory in mice with a Ca(2+)-independent form of CaMKII generated by the introduction of an aspartate at amino acid 286. The CaMKII-Asp-286 mice show normal LTP at high frequency stimulation, but in the 5-10 Hz range, they show a shift in the frequency-response curve favoring LTD. This range of frequencies is similar to the theta rhythm, which is associated with exploration in rodents. Using the Barnes maze to assess spatial memory, we found the transgenic mice could not learn to navigate to a specific location using spatial cues. In contrast, one line of transgenic mice performed normally in contextual fear conditioning, a task that is also hippocampal dependent. This dissociation between spatial and contextual memory suggests that even though both require the hippocampus, they may be mediated by different synaptic mechanisms.
High-Efficiency MEMS Electrochemical Actuators and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Characterization

We present high-efficiency Nafion-coated electrochemical actuators having biocompatible construction suitable for biomedical applications such as drug delivery. High flow rates of up to 141.95 ± 0.46 μL/min were achieved (at 13 mA). Nafion coating increased efficiency across all current values tested and prevented current-induced damage to electrodes. The effects of coating thickness, electroplating, actuator orientation, and changes in temperature on actuator performance were studied. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is introduced as a tool for characterizing electrodes, quality of electrochemical cleaning, determining surface area activity, and also for understanding the impact of electrolyte coatings, electroplating, and substrate changes on actuator performance. Parylene and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) were investigated as flexible substrate substitutes for soda lime glass. The higher surface roughness of the PEEK substrate compared to glass led to actuators with improved flow rates.
Anxiety and oppositional defiant disorder: A transdiagnostic conceptualization

This review puts forth a transdiagnostic lens through which to examine the oft-found comorbidity between anxiety and oppositional defiant disorder in children and adolescents. Children who experience these co-occurring disorders may be at greater risk for adverse outcomes. Our review begins with a broad examination of the comorbidity between anxiety and oppositionality and then highlights three underlying processes that characterize both anxiety and oppositionality: emotion regulation difficulties, information processing biases, and specific parenting practices. These underlying processes are then discussed within the context of developing a treatment to target these transdiagnostic processes for families with a child who experiences comorbid anxiety and oppositionality. Our review concludes with future directions for this emerging area of research.
Footloose and Fancy-Free: Kicking the Habit of Conventional Classroom Furniture

As teachers, we often begin a lesson by urging students to "sit up," "get your feet out of the aisle and under your desk where they belong," and "pay attention!" Would we be sympathetic if one of those students had the temerity to respond, "I can't. My human body was not designed for the contour and hardness of the furniture this school provides"? No, indeed. Apparently we educators are far behind researchers in ergonomics-the study of the efficiency of people working with machines and technology in various physical environments. Have you seen the Ford and Honda advertisements that describe their ergonomically designed driver seats? The car industry has recognized that people who sit for any length of time in seats without appropriate back support find it difficult to concentrate. Does having appropriate back support suggest that people need to "sit up"? No; quite the reverse. It really suggests that many humans need to lean back in a relaxed, casual position-hard to do when one is required to listen intently, take notes, and write during most of an hour's lecture! Industry is providing softer, rounded cushions for secretaries who need to listen intently, concentrate on details, take notes, revise and correct them, and retain a great deal of what they are told. Schools do the reverse. They install wooden, steel, or plastic seats and desks and require that almost-seven-foot-tall basketball players and their barely five-foot classmates occupy the identical-size space at the identical height from the floor with the identical amount of distance from both the seat in front and the seat behind.
Endoscopic assisted otoplasty: a preliminary report

The use of endoscopy in facial aesthetic surgery, especially the browlift, is becoming well accepted. We report on the use of an endoscopic assisted technique to correct prominent ears in 10 patients. The instruments were inserted through scalp incisions. No skin excision was performed. The posterior (medial) cartilage surface was weakened by abrasion with a custom-made abrader to create a new antihelical fold. Nonabsorbable sutures were inserted through one or two postauricular stab incisions to appose the scaphal cartilage and the mastoid fascia to hold the new fold. Surgical technique, results and advantages of the operation are discussed. A new classification of prominent ears was used in patient selection for the procedure.
Positive immunohistochemical staining of KIT in solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas is not associated with KIT/PDGFRA mutations.

Solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas are uncommon neoplasms of low malignant potential and of uncertain histogenesis. A small percentage of patients develop metastatic disease and some succumb to disease. The management of patients with metastatic disease or unresectable tumor, and patients who are just not good surgical candidates is problematic. Novel therapy targets are needed. Successful treatment of metastatic and unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumors with KIT kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), makes it intriguing to look at the status of KIT in solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas. In this study, we investigated KIT expression in 50 solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms by immunohistochemical staining. Of the 50 (50%) solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms, 25 showed diffuse expression (in >50% neoplastic cells) of KIT and additional five (10%) cases showed focal staining (in 10–50% neoplastic cells). Expression of KIT was not associated with tumor behavior and prognosis. A subset of 11 cases showing diffuse KIT expression detected by immunohistochemical staining were further evaluated for the presence of activating mutations in KIT exons 9, 11, 13 and 17, and PDGFRA exons 12 and 18 using PCR amplification followed by direct sequencing. However, no KIT or PDGFRA mutations were identified in any of these 11 cases tested, suggesting that the overexpression of KIT is probably not due to activating mutations in KIT or PDGFRA. The exact mechanism of KIT overexpression in solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms remains to be elucidated. One possible mechanism is gene dose effect (increased copies of KIT gene). Experience in gastrointestinal stromal tumors and other tumors have shown that mutation-mediated activation of KIT or PDGFRA is a prerequisite for clinical response with imatinib mesylate. Thus, lack of mutations in KIT or PDGFRA in solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms suggests that imatinib mesylate is less likely to be effective in the treatment for patients with metastatic disease or unresectable tumor, and patients who are just not good surgical candidates.
In Defense of Pseudoseizure

There continues to be disagreement over the best term for behavior that simulates an epileptic seizure. In the author's view, pseudoseizure is the most accurate of the expressions currently in use, and fears about its potentially damaging effects are unfounded. Even pseudoseizure, however, fails to convey the behavioral nature of the phenomenon in question, for it identifies what the problem is not, rather than what it is.
Modeling explosive cellular damage

We derive a closed-form expression for the cell radius change induced by preferential absorption of continuous wave non-ionizing radiation. The result is an approximate solution to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. The approximation is shown to be reasonable by numerical comparison.© (2008) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Expression of functional sodium channels in stage II-III Xenopus oocytes.

Abstract We have injected mRNA from rabbit brain into stage II–III Xenopus oocytes to determine whether they will translate exogenous RNA and incorporate functional ion channels into the membrane. Our results show that 48 h after RNA injection, functional voltage-dependent Na channels are present at sufficient densities to allow quantitative electrophysiological recording. The smaller oocytes have at least 2 experimental advantages over the stage V–VI oocytes normally used for electrophysiological experiments: (1) the smaller membrane capacitance (approximately 5-fold) allows a faster settling time following a voltage step and a more detailed kinetic analysis of membrane currents than was previously possible with the 2-microelectrode technique, and (2) roughly 8-fold less RNA is needed for each injection. Thus, the stage II–III Xenopus oocyte is a suitable preparation for the study of ion channels.
Marijuana as a trigger of cardiovascular events: Speculation or scientific certainty?

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in the United States. Cardiovascular complications in association with marijuana use have been reported during the past three decades. In view of the elevated public interest in this drug's role in pharmacotherapy in the recent years and the aging population of long-term marijuana users from the late 1960s, encounters with marijuana-related cardiovascular adversities may be silently on the rise. The purpose of this article is to increase awareness of the potential of marijuana to lead to cardiovascular disease. Here, we will discuss the physiologic effects of marijuana and include a comprehensive review of the studies and case reports that provide supportive evidence for marijuana as a trigger of adverse cardiovascular events, including tachyarrhythmias, acute coronary syndrome, vascular complications, and even congenital heart defects.
A modified tandem affinity purification tag technique for the purification of protein complexes in mammalian cells

The tandem affinity purification (TAP) tag technique has been used with success to identify under nondenaturing conditions protein complexes in yeast. The technique can be used in mammalian cells, but we found that the original technique does not yield enough recovery for the identification of proteins when mammalian cells growing in monolayer have to be used. We present here a modified TAP tag technique that allows sufficient recovery of proteins from mouse fibroblasts growing in monolayer cultures. The recovery allows protein identification by mass spectrometry.