cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) and non‐NMDA glutamate receptor genes in neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, and other cell lines

We evaluated expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA glutamate receptor (GluR) genes by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blotting in nine established cell lines: rat CG-4 (oligodendroglial lineage) and RINm5F insulinoma cells; human CHP134, SMS-KCNR, SKNSH, and Nb69 neuroblastoma cells; and human D384Med, D425Med, and D458Med medulloblastoma cells. CG-4 expressed mRNAs encoding GluR2–7, KA-1, and KA-2 non-NMDA GluR (Yoshioka et al.: J Neurochem 64:2442–2448, 1995) and NR1 (NMDAR1) and NR2D NMDA GluR. After differentiation to oligodendrocyte-like cells, CG-4 also expressed NR2B mRNA. Rat insulinoma cells expressed GluR5, and KA-2 non-NMDA and NR1 and NR2D NMDA GluR mRNAs. The four human neuroblastoma lines all expressed mRNAs encoding GluR2–4, 6, 7 and KA-1 non-NMDA and NR1 NMDA GluR, and the three human medulloblastoma cell lines all expressed mRNAs encoding GluR1, 6 and KA-1, but none of the NMDA GluRs. Whereas CG-4 is susceptible to kainate excitotoxicity, treatment of insulinoma, neuroblastoma, and medulloblastoma lines with L-glutamate, kainate, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), or NMDA failed to cause cell damage or to augment 45Ca2+ influx. Thus, despite expressing a variety of non-NMDA and NMDA GluR genes, the human neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma and rat insulinoma lines failed to assemble Ca2+-permeable NMDA or non-NMDA GluR channels. This failure confers protection against excitotoxicity and may contribute to progression of tumors of these types. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nuclear and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways of p53

In contrast to p53-mediated cell cycle arrest, the mechanisms of p53-mediated apoptosis in response to cellular stresses such as DNA damage, hypoxia and oncogenic signals still remain poorly understood. Elucidating these pathways is all the more pressing since there is good evidence that the activation of apoptosis rather than cell cycle arrest is crucial in p53 tumor suppression. Moreover, the therapeutic interest in p53 as the molecular target of anticancer intervention rests mainly on its powerful apoptotic capability. This puzzling elusiveness suggests that p53 not only engages a plethora of downstream pathways but itself might possess a biochemical flexibility that goes beyond its role as a mere transcription factor. Recent evidence of a direct pro-apoptotic role of p53 protein at mitochondria suggests a synergistic effect with its transcriptional activation function and brings an unexpected new level of complexity into p53 apoptotic pathways.
Efficient object contour tracing in a quadtree encoded image

A new algorithm is presented to extract the chain-code representation of the boundary of a binary image. The quadtree representation of this image acts as the input to the algorithm. This algorithm is more efficient than the previously reported algorithm. The algorithm can trace the boundary according to either eight-connected or four-connected neighborhood definitions without any modification. The boundary is traced in the clock-wise direction with respect to the object. The algorithm is based on the following two observations; (1) Visiting a sequence of four-connected white nodes that lie along the object boundary yields an eight-connected boundary while (2) visiting a sequence of four-connected black nodes that lie along the object boundary yields a four-connected boundary. In other words, tracing the object boundary from outside the object using four-connected neighborhood definition extracts an eight-connected boundary, and tracing the object boundary from within the object using four-connected neighborhood definition extracts a four-connected boundary.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Scalable, distributed data structures for internet service construction

This paper presents a new persistent data management layer designed to simplify cluster-based Internet service construction. This self-managing layer, called a distributed data structure (DDS), presents a conventional single-site data structure interface to service authors, but partitions and replicates the data across a cluster. We have designed and implemented a distributed hash table DDS that has properties necessary for Internet services (incremental scaling of throughput and data capacity, fault tolerance and high availability, high concurrency, consistency, and durability). The hash table uses two-phase commits to present a coherent view of its data across all cluster nodes, allowing any node to service any task. We show that the distributed hash table simplifies Internet service construction by decoupling service-specific logic from the complexities of persistent, consistent state management, and by allowing services to inherit the necessary service properties from the DDS rather than having to implement the properties themselves. We have scaled the hash table to a 128 node cluster, 1 terabyte of storage, and an in-core read throughput of 61,432 operations/s and write throughput of 13,582 operations/s.
Can the finiteness of a mean be tested

Abstract Let G m ( H m ) denote the set of absolutely continuous distributions on [0, ∞) with finite (infinite) mean. We show the non-existence of a test of H0: F ϵ G m versus H 1 : F ϵ H m in the class of sequential tests based on independent identically distributed observations X1,X2,… distributed as F, and which make the right decision with arbitrarily high probability and have finite stopping times almost surely. This result is obtained using the distinguishability theory of Hoeffding and Wolfowitz (1958).
Going with the Flow: JAK-STAT Signaling in JMML

Knowledge of the distinctive cellular and genetic traits of a cancer aids in diagnosis, prognosis, and potentially treatment. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Kotecha et al. (2008) demonstrate using a sophisticated flow cytometry approach that signal transduction responses to exogenous stimulation can inform diagnosis and pathobiology of myeloproliferative neoplasms.
The interdiffusion of Cu, Co and Au Thin Films at elevated temperatures

A detailed study of the interdiffusion and resistivity of Cu/Au, Cu/Co/ Co/Au and Cu/Co/Au thin film structures was carried out at temperatures ranging from 25 to 550°C1. Both Cu and Au, in the Cu/Au structure, intermix readily even at temperatures as low as 150°C and the interdiffusion is accompanied by rapid increase in resistivity. Very little interdiffusion occurs in the Cu/Co, Co/Au or Cu/Co/Au thin film structures up to about 400°C, after which the resistivity increases. The very rapid increase in resistivity observed at 250°C for the Cu/Au system and at 450°C for Cu/Co/Au, is associated with recrystallization of the films into large grains and the formation of AuCu, Cu3Au and Cu3Au2 compounds. The Cu/Co/Au structure recrystallizes at a higher temperature because of the time needed for Cu and Au to diffuse through the Co layer, which did not react significantly with either Au or Cu.
DEA: A method for ranking the greeness of design decisions

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is employed as a tool for understanding the environmental consequences of design decisions. In this study, DEA is applied to fifteen materials using six different environmental indexes. Based on this analysis it is determined that four materials are efficient for all environmental indexes. Two materials are inefficient for all indexes and nine materials are efficient for at least one index. From the perspective of environmental impact it is found that some materials should be priced over five times their market price. How DEA can be used for design decisions is also considered.
Role for glucagon as a mineralocorticoid antagonist during the fetal-perinatal period.

Abstract The progressive decrease in total body water (TBW) and sodium during the fetal-perinatal period; the normally noted 5–10 per cent largely water weight loss noted in term infants during the first 3–4 days postnatally; and, the even greater TBW and sodium losses incurred by premature infants during the initial post-natal week may, in part, be secondary to a glucagon-mediated, renal distal tubular hyporesponsiveness to aldosterone.
Study of Factors Which Affect Training in ISABELLE R&d Magnets

Five RD the others reached fields in the range 3.8T to 4.2T. The industrial magnets had generally lower levels of prestress than the R&D magnets and differed in other important respects as well. These changes were designed to reduce the heat generated by conductor motion due to Lorentz forces. Construction of magnets with the present design has eliminated the largest part of the training quenches seen in the industrial series of magnets.
On the power of universal bases in sequencing by hybridization

Sequencing by hybridization is a novel DNA sequencing technique in which an array (SBH chip) of short sequences of nucleotides (probes) is brought in contact with a solution of (replicas of) the target DNA sequence. A biochemical method determines the subset of probes that bind to the target sequence (the spectrum of the sequence), and a combinatorial method is used to reconstruct the DNA sequence from the spectrum. Since technology limits the number of probes on the SBH chip, a challenging combinatorial question is the design of a smallest set of probes that can sequence an arbitrary DNA string of a given length. We show in this work that the use of universal bases (bases that bind to any nucleotide [LB94]) can drastically improve the performance of the SBH process. We present a novel probe design with performance that asymptotically approaches the information-theoretical bound up to a constant factor, and, for any number of probes, is significantly better than previously analyzed probe patterns. Furthermore, the sequencing algorithm we use is substantially simpler than the Eulerian path method used in previous work.
The theory of braids and the analysis of impossible figures

Abstract Impossible figures were regarded neither as new perceptual phenomena, nor as examples of known phenomena such as illusions. They were seen as geometric anomalies, not psychological ones, which serve a heuristic function in the study of perception. With this in mind, a topological analysis was undertaken with the anticipation of the following goals: (a) A systematic way (algorithm) of generating these figures should be evident; (b) simple properties of impossible figures which may not have been previously understood should be discovered. Both of these conditions were met.
Risk reduction for adverse drug events through sequential implementation of patient safety initiatives in a children's hospital.

Management van geneesmiddelenverstrekking is een complex systeem. In meerdere studies is aangetoond dat dit proces (van voorschrijven tot toedienen) gevoelig is voor het maken van fouten in een of meer stappen binnen het proces.2 Het voorschrijven van geneesmiddelen heeft zowel een cognitieve als een technische component. Interventies om medicatiefouten te verminderen zullen daarom gericht moeten zijn op de opleiding in het veilig en correct bereiden en het gebruiken van geneesmiddelen. Maar ook op gedragsverandering om een eenduidige en heldere communicatie over receptuur te bewerkstelligen. Gecomputeriseerde voorschrijfsystemen hebben hun intrede gedaan om potenti¾le en re¾le medicatiefouten te verminderen, alhoewel er ook literatuur is die het tegendeel suggereert.
The Copula in Vernacular Negerhollands

Using the texts collected by J.B.P. de Josselin de Jong as a data base, the paper describes the linguistic conditioning associated with copula forms in Negerhollands, a Dutch-lexicon Creole which was once spoken in what are now the U.S. Virgin Islands. Seven copula forms are identified: wees, bi, bin, bee, mi, a, and zero. The findings suggest that Negerhollands is similar to several other creoles in that there is a tripartite copula in the present tense; however, it is also shown that the Negerhollands copula differs from previously described language varieties.
Twisted multiplets and new supersymmetric non-linear σ-models☆☆☆★

A new D = 2 supersymmetric representation, the twisted chiral multiplet, is derived. Describing spins zero and one-half, the twisted multiplet is used to formulate supersymmetric nonlinear σ-models with N = 2,4 extended supersymmetry. In general, the geometries of these new theories fall outside the classification given by Alvarez-Gaume and Freedman. We give a complete description of the geometry of these new models; the scalar manifolds are not Kahler but are hermitian locally product spaces.
Genetic susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in Cambodia

We have studied the risk of progression to active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) among a population of Cambodian rural poor suffering from one of the highest global incidences of TB. Together with a community-based TB program, we have established a research partnership that has demonstrated the association of a particular HLA binding motif and progression to active pulmonary TB. We have also shown that candidate gene polymorphisms are ethnic specific and unique in Cambodia and are likely markers for as yet unidentified disease susceptibility and resistance loci. We have also uncovered a high incidence of antigen-specific anergy to purified protein derivative among patients with active pulmonary TB and have correlated this with an expansion of immunosuppressive IL-10 producing T cells and other impaired T cell responses to mycobacterial antigens. These experiments lend insight into TB susceptibility and the molecular mechanisms of antigen-specific anergy. Moreover, they demonstrate that a partnership between TB cure and scientific discovery is possible in even the most impoverished settings.
Terahertz frequency generation by frequency mixing in semiconductor optical amplifiers

We describe the generation of terahertz optical frequency comb using the spontaneous emissions from a semiconductor optical amplifier as the signal source. The source drives an all-fiber LYOT-Sagnac birefringent fiber. This transforms the broad band source into a discrete set of evenly spaced frequencies. The output of the Sagnac loop mirror is then coupled to fiber pigtailed Faraday Mirror reflecting the optical frequency comb back into the optical amplifier for further amplification. The method resulted in generating optical frequency comb ranging from 183THz to 213 THz with frequency spacing of 560 GHz.
Eulerian subgraphs containing given vertices and hamiltonian line graphs

Abstract Let G be a graph and let D 1 ( G ) be the set of vertices of degree 1 in G . Veldman (1994) proves the following conjecture from Benhocine et al. (1986) that if G − D 1 ( G ) is a 2-edge-connected simple graph with n vertices and if for every edge xy ∈ E ( G ), d ( x ) + d ( y ) > (2 n )/5 − 2, then for n large, L ( G ), the line graph of G , is hamiltonian. We shall show the following improvement of this theorem: if G − D 1 ( G ) is a 2-edge-connected simple graph with n vertices and if for every edge xy ∈ E ( G ), max[; d ( x ), d ( y )] ⩾ n/5 − 1, then for n large, L ( G ) is hamiltonian with the exception of a class of well characterized graphs. Our result implies Veldman's theorem.
Electrode-surface coordination chemistry: ligand (-SH/I) substitutions at polycrystalline platinum

Abstract Ligand substitution (adsorbate displacement) reactions between iodine and the -SH functional group in 2,5-dihydroxythiophenol (DHT), previously investigated on Au, have been studied at a smooth polycrystalline platinum electrode in 1 M H 2 SO 4 . Experiments involved pretreatment of the Pt surface with a full monolayer of DHT (or iodine) followed by exposure to a dilute aqueous solution of KI (or DHT) Thin-layer electrochemistry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were then used to characterize the DHT and/or I that remained on the surface. The results were as follows: (i) exposure of the I-coated surface to DHT led to the displacement of 40% of the original I and the incorporation of 70% of a monolayer of DHT; exposure of the DHT-coated Pt to KI yielded a layer that retained at least 90% of the original DHT and the coadsorption of no more than 10% of a monolayer of iodine. This observation indicates that, on Pt, the -SH functional group is selectively surface-coordinated over I; the converse occurs on Au where I is preferentially chemisorbed over DHT; (ii) The presence of coadsorbed I disrupts the substrate-mediated DHT-DHT interactions, as indicated by the sharpening of the reversible redox peaks of the pendant diphenolic moiety, on going from pure DHT to mixed I-DHT adlayers. On Au, the redox peaks were equally sharp whether or not iodine was present on the surface; (iii) The apparent molecular cross-section of DHT in the mixed I-DHT layer (0.20 nm 2 ) was less than that in the pure DHT layer (0.31 nm 2 ). This result, along with the coadsorbed-I-induced diminution of the redox peak widths, suggest that, as on Au, the coadsorbed I and DHT species are distributed homogeneously, not heterogeneously as distinct domains of pure I and pure DHT.
A study of the 16O(p, pα)12C and the 20Ne(p, pα)16O reactions at 46.8 MeV

Abstract The cross sections for the reactions 16 O(p, pα) 12 C and 20 Ne(p, pα) 16 O were measured at 46.8 MeV incident energy. An attempt was made to observe quasi-elastic p-α scattering. Within the context of the impulse approximation no clear evidence for this reaction mechanism was observed. These reactions appear to be dominated by sequential processes.
Transcriptional Regulation of the tad Locus in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans : a Termination Cascade

The tad (tight adherence) locus of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans includes genes for the biogenesis of Flp pili, which are necessary for bacterial adhesion to surfaces, biofilm formation, and pathogenesis. Although studies have elucidated the functions of some of the Tad proteins, little is known about the regulation of the tad locus in A. actinomycetemcomitans. A promoter upstream of the tad locus was previously identified and shown to function in Escherichia coli. Using a specially constructed reporter plasmid, we show here that this promoter (tadp) functions in A. actinomycetemcomitans. To study expression of the pilin gene (flp-1) relative to that of tad secretion complex genes, we used Northern hybridization analysis and a lacZ reporter assay. We identified three terminators, two of which (T1 and T2) can explain flp-1 mRNA abundance, while the third (T3) is at the end of the locus. T1 and T3 have the appearance and behavior of intrinsic terminators, while T2 has a different structure and is inhibited by bicyclomycin, indicating that T2 is probably Rho dependent. To help achieve the appropriate stoichiometry of the Tad proteins, we show that a transcriptional-termination cascade is important to the proper expression of the tad genes. These data indicate a previously unreported mechanism of regulation in A. actinomycetemcomitans and lead to a more complete understanding of its Flp pilus biogenesis.
Ganglioside-induced regeneration and reestablishment of axonal continuity in spinal cord-transected rats

In this study we examined the effect of chronic GM-1 ganglioside treatment on the reestablishment of axonal continuity and functional recovery in spinal cord-transected rats. Previous studies have shown that chronic treatment with GM-1 ganglioside is effective in producing regeneration of lesioned mesostriatal dopaminergic neurons in the central nervous system [1, 2]. In addition, GM-1 ganglioside advances peripheral nerve regeneration following nerve crush injury [12]. Axonal continuity was determined by the ability of the spinal cord to transport horseradish peroxidase across the region of transection. Comparisons between ganglioside-treated and saline-treated controls showed that ganglioside treatment resulted in the reestablishment of axonal continuity between the spinal cord distal to the level of the transection and the brainstem. Saline-treated controls showed little evidence of axonal continuity between these two regions. Thus gangliosides induce reestablishment of axonal continuity and thereby could advance functional recovery in rats following spinal cord transection.
Interdisciplinary treatment planning in inpatient settings: from myth to model

The staffs of many mental health facilities describe their treatment planning processes as interdisciplinary, but as most practicing clinicians know, this is more of a myth than reality. Individualized, person-focused treatment planning itself is not a simple endeavor. Effective treatment planning is further complicated by the fact that most discipline training programs teach neither treatment planning nor interdisciplinary methods to provide care and treatment. Psychiatric treatment teams are at a disadvantage from the start. Additionally, although facility and agency administrators expect treatment planning to occur, often the infrastructure to support the work is not there. This article describes a practical and effective treatment planning implementation model or framework developed by the authors, concentrating on three sub-sets of the treatment planning system: structure, content, and process.
The history of military colorectal trauma management

The management of the injured colon and rectum has been one of the more controversial surgical topics over the past century. The accumulated experiences of wartime surgeons caring for battle casualties guided the care of colon and rectal wounds for a number of years until prospective trials could address their optimal management. While often constrained by official doctrine, these surgeons made great contributions to our understanding of these complex patients. From the American Civil War, through the World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam, to modern regional conflicts, the mortality from colorectal battle injuries has fallen from greater than 90% to less than 5% today.
The Wired Classroom: Hype and Reality in Foreign Language Teaching

DEBATES OVER FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING at institutions of higher education raise questions about the role of instructional technology in the classroom. The public at large is listening to leading inventors, scholars, and entrepreneurs discussing the future of instructional technology with the media, while marketing strategies by publishers of educational materials influence the needs of the foreign language instructor. Like everyone else, teachers of foreign languages are intrigued by, and wary of, the promises of the technological revolution and what it might mean for the future of their classrooms.
Transposon excision from an atypical site: a mechanism of evolution of novel transposable elements

The role of transposable elements in sculpting the genome is well appreciated but remains poorly understood. Some organisms, such as humans, do not have active transposons; however, transposable elements were presumably active in their ancestral genomes. Of specific interest is whether the DNA surrounding the sites of transposon excision become recombinogenic, thus bringing about homologous recombination. Previous studies in maize and Drosophila have provided conflicting evidence on whether transposon excision is correlated with homologous recombination. Here we take advantage of an atypical Dissociation (Ds) element, a maize transposon that can be mobilized by the Ac transposase gene in Arabidopsis thaliana, to address questions on the mechanism of Ds excision. This atypical Ds element contains an adjacent 598 base pairs (bp) inverted repeat; the element was allowed to excise by the introduction of an unlinked Ac transposase source through mating. Footprints at the excision site suggest a micro-homology mediated non-homologous end joining reminiscent of V(D)J recombination involving the formation of intra-helix 3′ to 5′ trans-esterification as an intermediate, a mechanism consistent with previous observations in maize, Antirrhinum and in certain insects. The proposed mechanism suggests that the broken chromosome at the excision site should not allow recombinational interaction with the homologous chromosome, and that the linked inverted repeat should also be mobilizable. To test the first prediction, we measured recombination of flanking chromosomal arms selected for the excision of Ds. In congruence with the model, Ds excision did not influence crossover recombination. Furthermore, evidence for correlated movement of the adjacent inverted repeat sequence is presented; its origin and movement suggest a novel mechanism for the evolution of repeated elements. Taken together these results suggest that the movement of transposable elements themselves may not directly influence linkage. Possibility remains, however, for novel repeated DNA sequences produced as a consequence of transposon movement to influence crossover in subsequent generations.
Quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation in reflection from AlxGa1-xAs heterostructures.

Quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic (SH) generation in reflection geometry is described and demonstrated. The SH intensity can be strongly enhanced by spatially modulating the optical properties of the nonlinear medium. This type of quasi-phase-matching is demonstrated by using an Al0.8Ga0.2As/GaAs heterostructure designed for λ = 1.06 μm incident light. The SH light intensity generated in reflection from the heterostructure is enhanced 70 times relative to the SH response of a homogeneous GaAs wafer. A resonant cavity design that employs this structure to make thin films with extremely high SH generation efficiencies is proposed.
Multifamily Housing Characteristics and Tenant Satisfaction

This paper examines the long-term impact of structural features and physical amenities on the residential satisfaction of renters in multifamily housing. A cumulative logit analysis of 7,206 rented multifamily units in the 2005 American Housing Survey indicates that features creating separated space (additional room, bathroom, garage/carport, or balcony/patio) were associated with significantly higher satisfaction, even when holding total unit area constant. Conversely, violation of space separation by noise intrusion through walls, floors, or ceilings created dramatically negative effects. Other amenities such as a fireplace, disposal, or dishwasher had no statistically significant impact. Tracking a cohort of 5,170 rented multifamily units from 1997 to 2005 revealed somewhat similar effects on the satisfaction trajectory of residents during this period. More bathrooms, bedrooms, and other rooms, as well as the presence of a balcony/patio were associated with satisfaction improvements. Analyzing cohort u...
The Effect of a Prejudice‐Reduction Simulation on Attitude Change

The effectiveness of a well-known prejudice-reduction simulation, “Blue Eyes-Brown Eyes,” was assessed as a tool for changing the attitudes of nonblack teacher education students toward blacks. The three outcomes were (a) virtually all of the subjects reported that the experience was meaningful for them; (b) the statistical evidence supporting the effectiveness of the activity for prejudice reduction was moderate; and (c) virtually all of the participants, as well as the simulation facilitator, reported stress from the simulation.
Effective eddy diffusion coefficient and atmospheric composition in the lower thermosphere

Abstract The magnitude of the effective eddy diffusion coefficient and its height profile are crucial to the composition structure near and above turbopause in the lower thermosphere. However, neither theories nor direct observations are available for the eddy diffusion coefficient in the upper atmosphere. This paper considers theoretically the effects of the profile of the effective eddy diffusion coefficient on the height variations in O, O 2 and He number densities. Assuming various profiles of the eddy diffusion coefficient based on some theoretical and experimental evidence, the time-dependent continuity equations have been solved, including transport terms by molecular and eddy diffusion as well as various chemical reactions. The results indicate that a maximum eddy diffusion coefficient of the order of 10 7 cm 2 sec −1 in the height range of 95–105 km would explain most observations of the height variation in composition by rocket-borne mass spectrometer, except for He, where the lateral flow of particles in ballistic trajectories in the exosphere may produce a large seasonal variation. It is shown that the reduction of [O] is particularly pronounced when the eddy diffusion coefficient has a peak near 100 km. The result also shows, in accordance with keneshea and Zimmerman (1970), that the local equilibrium is not maintained, but that the total production and loss for the atomic oxygen over a 24-hr period is almost in balance at each height.
Pt effects in γ-Ni(Al)/α-Al2O3 adhesion

We present a systematic first-principles density-functional theory (DFT) study of the effects of Pt on the adhesion of the γ-Ni(Al)/α-Al2O3 interface, in a close comparison with those of Hf and S. Both the thermodynamically preferred Al-rich and the stoichiometric interfaces are considered. S is found to segregate to and substantially weaken both interfaces. Hf can pin S in bulk γ-Ni even at temperatures as high as 1,600 K, effectively inhibiting S segregation, while Pt cannot, due to phonon effects. For the stronger, Al-rich interface, both Hf and Pt have larger heats of segregation than S, inhibiting S segregation through preferential segregation. For the weaker, stoichiometric interface, Hf can significantly strengthen its adhesion to be as large as that of the Al-rich interface, and also inhibit S segregation through preferential segregation. Pt, as a contrast, can neither inhibit S segregation nor directly enhance the interface bonding.
A density functional theory of one- and two-layer freezing in a confined colloid system

We report an analysis of the change in character of the fluid-to-solid transition in a quasi-two-dimensional hard-sphere colloid system as the confining wall separation changes from one to two hard-sphere diameters. Our analysis is based on a study of the bifurcation of solutions of the integral equation for the singlet density, using both direct and pair correlation function representations. Two approximations used in previous bifurcation analyses of freezing are improved in the work reported in this paper. The results of the analysis correctly predict the qualitative change in freezing as a function of the confining wall separation and density, specifically the change from a fluid-to-one-layer hexagonal solid transition to a fluid-to-two-layer square solid transition at a wall separation of 1.6 hard-sphere diameters. The numerical predictions of the theory are in semi-quantitative agreement with simulation data for the density dependence of the liquid–solid transition line for wall separations up to 1.6 hard-sphere diameters.
Draft Genome Sequence of Microbacterium sp. Strain UCD-TDU (Phylum Actinobacteria)

ABSTRACT Here, we present the draft genome sequence of Microbacterium sp. strain UCD-TDU, a member of the phylum Actinobacteria. The assembly contains 3,746,321 bp (in 8 scaffolds). This strain was isolated from a residential toilet as part of an undergraduate student research project to sequence reference genomes of microbes from the built environment.
RELIABILITY OF RETROSPECTIVE REPORTS OF PERCEIVED MATERNAL ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION IN CHILDHOOD

Research reported here addresses the issue of the reliability of retrospective reports of children's perceptions of maternal acceptance-rejection as measured by the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Qu...
High resolution micro ultrasonic machining (HR-μUSM) for post-fabrication trimming of fused silica 3-D microstructures

This paper presents the design and characterization of a high resolution micro ultrasonic machining (HR-μUSM) process suitable for post-fabrication trimming of 3-D microstructures made from fused silica and other materials. The process targets low machining rates, high resolution, and high surface quality. On flat fused silica substrates, the process achieves machining rates ≤10 nm/sec averaged over 1 minute. The average surface roughness (Sa) achieved is ≤30 nm. The process is successfully demonstrated for trimming hemispherical 3-D microstructures made from fused silica.
A double dissociation of subcortical hippocampal efferents for encoding and consolidation/retrieval of spatial information.

CA3 lesions impair encoding, whereas CA1 lesions impair retrieval during learning of a Hebb-Williams maze. CA3 efferents in the fimbria were transected, taking care to spare cholinergic and GABAergic afferents. CA1 efferents in the dorsal fornix were similarly transected. Fimbria transections, but not dorsal fornix transections, resulted in deficits for the encoding of spatial information during learning of a Hebb-Williams maze. Dorsal fornix, but not fimbria, transections resulted in deficits for retrieval of spatial memory during learning of a Hebb-Williams maze. These results reveal a double dissociation for the roles of CA3 and CA1 subcortical efferents in encoding and retrieval processes that mirror the double dissociation seen after excitotoxic lesions of CA1 and CA3. These data provide support for the theory that the cholinergic projections from the septal nuclei modulate the dynamics for encoding and consolidation/retrieval in the hippocampus. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Would You Like Some Cardiopulmonary Bypass With Your Coronary Revascularization

In an effort to reduce morbidity and mortality attributable to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB),1 US surgeons performed ≈20% of all coronary artery bypass (CAB) operations off-pump, without the use of CPB, in 2006.2 These surgeons were guided by several retrospective reviews of large databases that have shown off-pump CAB (OPCAB) is associated with lower risk-adjusted morbidity and mortality than coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on CPB (ONCAB).3–5 In 2004, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, National Adult Cardiac Database added a data field to record intraoperative conversions, which permits the comparison of outcomes after OPCAB and ONCAB by intention-to-treat. In the first subsequent analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Adult Cardiac Database,6 preoperative risk factors and postoperative outcomes were analyzed for 42 477 consecutive patients who underwent non-emergent, isolated, primary CAB surgery from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2005. OPCAB was associated with a significantly reduced risk-adjusted incidence of death (odds ratio [OR], 0.83; P =0.03), stroke (OR, 0.65; P <0.001), myocardial infarction (OR, 0.67; P <0.001), major adverse cardiac events (OR, 0.71; P <0.001), renal failure (OR, 0.74; P <0.001), new dialysis (OR, 0.63; P <0.001), deep sternal wound infection (OR, 0.67; P =0.04), reoperation (OR, 0.86; P =0.004), atrial fibrillation (OR, 0.88; P <0.001), prolonged ventilation (OR, 0.75; P <0.001), and prolonged length of stay (OR, 0.70; P <0.001) compared with ONCAB. A recent retrospective review of risk factors and clinical outcomes for 11 413 consecutive patients who underwent isolated CABG between January 1, 1997, and May 31, 2005, at Emory University found that OPCAB particularly benefited female patients. Among women, OPCAB was associated with a significant reduction in death (OR, 0.39; P =0.001), stroke (OR, 0.43; P =0.002), and major adverse cardiac events (OR, 0.43; P <0.001) compared with ONCAB.7 Article …
Manipulation of a fragile object by elderly individuals

We investigated strategies of healthy elderly participants (74–84 years old) during prehension and transport of an object with varying degrees of fragility. Fragility was specified as the maximal normal force that the object could withstand without collapsing. Specifically, kinetic and kinematic variables as well as and force covariation indices were quantified and compared to those shown by young healthy persons (19–28 years old). We tested three hypotheses related to age-related changes in two safety margins (slip safety margin and crush safety margin) and indices of force covariation. Compared to young controls, elderly individuals exhibited a decrease in object acceleration and an increase in movement time, an increase in grip force production, a decrease in the correlation between grip and load forces, an overall decrease in indices of multi-digit synergies, and lower safety margin indices computed with respect to both dropping and crushing the object. Elderly participants preferred to be at a relatively lower risk of crushing the object even if this led to a higher risk of dropping it. Both groups showed an increase in the index of synergy stabilizing total normal force produced by the four fingers with increased fragility of the object. Age-related changes are viewed as a direct result of physiological changes due to aging, not adaptation to object fragility. Such changes in overall characteristics of prehension likely reflect diminished synergic control by the central nervous system of finger forces with aging. The findings corroborate an earlier hypothesis on an age-related shift from synergic to element-based control.
Identification of MIMO Hammerstein systems with nonlinear feedback

In this paper we present a general identification framework for a particular class of Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) discrete time nonlinear dynamic systems containing the cascade of a linear dynamic system with static nonlinearities at both the input and feedback loop. Linearly parameterized decompositions of the static nonlinearities are introduced and a Subspace Instrumental Variable identification method is used for the closed-loop system model recovery. Finally, a numerical example is presented to verify the proposed algorithm.
THE SHOOT APEX AND EARLY LEAF DEVELOPMENT IN CLEMATIS

TEPFER, SANFORD S. (U. Oregon, Eugene.) The shoot apex and early leaf development in Clematis. Amer. Jour. Bot. 47(8): 655-664. Illus. 1960.-The high-domed shoot apex comprises a 2-layered tunica and shallow corpus. The rib meristem at times extends to within 5 cells of the summit. The cells of tunica and corpus are uniform cytologically, distinguishable only by the orientation of division planes. No zonation is visible within the corpus. No evidence was found of the existence of a meristeme d'attente; mitotic figures appear frequently in the central region of the tunica and corpus. Decussately arranged leaf primordia arise high on the flanks of the apex. Periclinal divisions in the inner tiunica and outermost corpus layers mark the site of initiation. Details of the growth and early differentiation of the leaf primordia follow the usual pattern of buttress formation, growth through apical and subapical initials. Apical growth continues beyond the early stages of leaf ontogeny; the blade-forming marginal meristems do not appear until after leaflet primordia are formed. There are 5 primary leaflets, pinnately arranged. Each leaflet is 3- to 5-lobed. In primordium P3 expansion of the adaxial-lateral margins occurs at the base, but not above. This marks the upper limits of the basal pair of lateral leaflets. In P4 the upper limits of the upper lateral leaflets become demarcated in similar fashion. THIS study of Clematis was undertaken to continue previous developmental work with Ranunculaceae (Tepfer, 1953). Among the long-term objectives of this work are: to achieve a better understanding of the structural changes that occur in a shoot apex as it passes from the vegetative stage of growth into the flowering stage; to compare the patterns of development in genera that have terminal flowers with those genera in which vegetative growth is indeterminate; to seek developmental evidence of the phylogenetic relationships between genera with determinate inflorescences and those with indeterminate inflorescences. The present paper deals with the vegetative stage in the growth cycle of Clematis; a later paper will describe the development of the inflorescence and flowers with details of the formation of floral organs. It is hoped that a broad study of this relatively primitive family with its wide variety of floral and inflorescence types will contribute to our knowledge of the origins of structural variations in the group.
Animal models of nicotine exposure: relevance to second-hand smoking, electronic cigarette use, and compulsive smoking.

Much evidence indicates that individuals use tobacco primarily to experience the psychopharmacological properties of nicotine and that a large proportion of smokers eventually become dependent on nicotine. In humans, nicotine acutely produces positive reinforcing effects, including mild euphoria, whereas a nicotine abstinence syndrome with both somatic and affective components is observed after chronic nicotine exposure. Animal models of nicotine self-administration and chronic exposure to nicotine have been critical in unveiling the neurobiological substrates that mediate the acute reinforcing effects of nicotine and emergence of a withdrawal syndrome during abstinence. However, important aspects of the transition from nicotine abuse to nicotine dependence, such as the emergence of increased motivation and compulsive nicotine intake following repeated exposure to the drug, have only recently begun to be modeled in animals. Thus, the neurobiological mechanisms that are involved in these important aspects of nicotine addiction remain largely unknown. In this review, we describe the different animal models available to date and discuss recent advances in animal models of nicotine exposure and nicotine dependence. This review demonstrates that novel animal models of nicotine vapor exposure and escalation of nicotine intake provide a unique opportunity to investigate the neurobiological effects of second-hand nicotine exposure, electronic cigarette use and the mechanisms that underlie the transition from nicotine use to compulsive nicotine intake.
Determining the nature of prefrontal cortex recruitment after traumatic brain injury: a response to Turner.

Summary: multIple roleS for prefrontal cortex after Injury The goal remains to determine what pre-frontal recruitment represents after injury, and while I have been critical of this work by Turner et al. (2011), it is clear that gain-ing traction on this issue is not simple. When considering this literature broadly, part of the difficulty may be attributable to the potentially distinct response to injury occurring across functionally discrete nodes within prefrontal cortex. Ultimately, we anticipate that at least part of what has been observed as prefrontal recruitment in TBI represents the unmasking of latent resources during periods of inefficient task processing. This does not, however, preclude the possibility that subcomponents within prefrontal cortex operate to facilitate per-formance under certain conditions or at certain thresholds.In this sense, the role of prefrontal cortex recruitment in working memory is multifaceted and there is unlikely to be uniform dedication of the same resources throughout the life of a task. For exam-ple, in studying TBI, reductions in right prefrontal connectivity can be observed from “early” to “late” in a task as learning occurs (see Hillary et al., 2011). Moreover, the relationship between activation and performance may depend upon how per-formance is measured. One might imagine a scenario where resources are necessary and sufficient for completion of a task (i.e., accuracy), but involvement of these same resources does not also guaran-tee rapid and efficient responding (i.e., reaction time). Thus, to determine the potentially divergent roles of prefrontal cortex recruitment on task performance after TBI, several nuanced manipulations will be required in combination. Future research should focus on within-subject and within-task changes in the neural and behavioral responses, connectivity analy-ses to examine prefrontal communication with other network regions (such as those offered in Turner et al., 2011 here), and lon-gitudinal designs to observe the evolution of prefrontal involvement during critical windows of recovery.based upon incomplete information thus limiting how these findings might inform us more generally about how prefrontal cortex accommodates injury.
CHARACTERIZATION OF TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE, FERTILIZATION-DEFECTIVE MUTANTS OF THE NEMATODE CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

The isolation and characterization of three Caenorhabditis elegans temperature-sensitive mutants that are defective at fertilization are described. All three are alleles of the gene fer-1. At the restrictive temperature of 25°, mutant hermaphrodites make sperm and oocytes in normal numbers. No oocytes are fertilized, although they pass through the spermatheca and uterus normally. The oocytes can be fertilized by sperm transferred by wild-type males, indicating that the mutant defect is in the sperm. The temperature-sensitive period for the mutants coincides with spermatogenesis. Sperm made by mutants at 25° cannot be distinguished from wild-type sperm by light microscopy. The sperm do contact oocytes in mutant hermaphrodites, but do not fertilize. Mutant sperm appear to be nonmotile. Mutant males are also sterile when grown at 25°. They transfer normal numbers of sperm to hermaphrodites at mating, but these sperm fail to migrate to the spermatheca and are infertile. The phenotype of these mutants is consistent with a primary defect in sperm motility, but the cause of this defect is not known.
Protein folding by zipping and assembly

How do proteins fold so quickly? Some denatured proteins fold to their native structures in only microseconds, on average, implying that there is a folding "mechanism," i.e., a particular set of events by which the protein short-circuits a broader conformational search. Predicting protein structures using atomically detailed physical models is currently challenging. The most definitive proof of a putative folding mechanism would be whether it speeds up protein structure prediction in physical models. In the zipping and assembly (ZA) mechanism, local structuring happens first at independent sites along the chain, then those structures either grow (zip) or coalescence (assemble) with other structures. Here, we apply the ZA search mechanism to protein native structure prediction by using the AMBER96 force field with a generalized Born/surface area implicit solvent model and sampling by replica exchange molecular dynamics. Starting from open denatured conformations, our algorithm, called the ZA method, converges to an average of 2.2 A from the Protein Data Bank native structures of eight of nine proteins that we tested, which ranged from 25 to 73 aa in length. In addition, experimental Phi values, where available on these proteins, are consistent with the predicted routes. We conclude that ZA is a viable model for how proteins physically fold. The present work also shows that physics-based force fields are quite good and that physics-based protein structure prediction may be practical, at least for some small proteins.
Visual System I

Visual transduction and a fair amount of the initial neural processing of visual information occurs with the local circuitry that is present in the neural retina within the eye. Most of the visual disorders with which physicians must contend involve the eye or the retina rather than the central visual pathways.