cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Totally implantable artificial organ: cardiac prosthesis.

: This article reviews the current status of completely implantable cardiac prostheses, with an emphasis on those systems presently under development at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF). Such devices have been one of the final goals of artificial heart research since 1957, when Dr. Kolff initiated these studies in Cleveland. Although earlier plans aimed at using radio-isotopes as the energy source, more recently, due to public opinion and sociopolitical influences, the shift has been towards exclusive use of electrically activated energy converters. These systems can be roughly broken down into two groups according to the powertrain configuration. In the first group, electric heating coils maintain liquid salts in thermal batteries at temperatures close to 500°C. This thermal energy is then converted (through a Stirling cycle) to mechanical motion of the pusher plate (PP) which in turn acts on the blood. Two such systems (emphasized in this article) are under development here at CCF in joint efforts with Nimbus Corporation and the University of Washington, respectively. In the second group of ventricular assist systems, electric energy is converted directly to PP motion through rotating cams, solenoids, or electrohydraulic transmission systems. At least four American contractors are working at the preclinical stage on this group of devices. One in particular, the CCF-Nimbus system, consisting of a biolized surface blood pump, an electrohydraulic energy converter, and a compliance chamber to handle the variable volume behind the PP, is described in depth in this discussion. In terms of future prospects, it is forecasted that by 1988, the completely implantable VAS will be used clinically, and that by 1994, a specially designed total artificial heart (nontethered patient) would be ready for human use.
Pulmonary hypertension triggered by lipopolysaccharide in ascites-susceptible and -resistant broilers is not amplified by aminoguanidine, a specific inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent pulmonary vasodilator that modulates the pulmonary vasoconstriction and pulmonary hypertension (PH) triggered by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in broilers. The amplitude and duration of the LPS-induced PH are markedly enhanced following pretreatment with N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), which inhibits NO synthesis by both the constitutive (endothelial) and inducible (inflammatory) forms of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS and iNOS, respectively). In the present study L-NAME and the selective iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG) were administered to differentiate between iNOS and eNOS as the primary source of NO that attenuates the pulmonary vascular response to LPS. Clinically healthy male progeny from ascites-susceptible and ascites-resistant lines were anesthetized, and their pulmonary artery was cannulated. The initial pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was recorded, then the broilers either remained untreated (control group) or were injected i.v. with AG. Ten minutes later all birds received an i.v. injection of LPS, followed 40 min later by an i.v. injection of L-NAME. When compared with untreated controls, AG neither increased the baseline PAP nor did it increase or prolong the PH response to LPS. The ascites-susceptible broilers maintained a higher PAP than the ascites-resistant broilers throughout the experiment, and the ascites-resistant broilers exhibited greater relative increases in PAP in response to LPS than did the ascites-susceptible broilers. Within 40 min after the LPS injection, PAP subsided to a level that did not differ from the respective preinjection value for each line. Injecting L-NAME reversed the decline in PAP, and within 5 min PAP returned to hypertensive levels approaching the maximum peak PH response to LPS. The absence of any impact of AG coupled with the profound response to L-NAME indicates that NO synthesized by eNOS rather than iNOS likely modulated the acute (within 1 h) PH elicited by LPS. Evidently eNOS is activated by the increased shear stress exerted on the endothelium during the PH response to LPS, whereas LPS-mediated up-regulation of iNOS expression may take longer than 1 h before biologically effective quantities of NO are produced.
A three-phase multi-legged transformer model in ATP using the directly-formed inverse inductance matrix

A new transformer model based on core topology is developed. The model simulates the transformer as a set of coupled inductances. Winding flux linkages are chosen as state variables and currents are computed from the flux linkages using the directly-formed inverse inductance matrix, the /spl Gamma/-matrix. Due to the strong magnetic coupling among the windings, the inductance matrix of a transformer is ill-conditioned. Directly forming the /spl Gamma/-matrix will not only speed up the computation but also make it more stable. Transformer core saturation is represented by its anhysteretic magnetization curve. Eddy current and hysteretic losses of the core, and stray losses of the transformer are accounted for by a resistive load on the secondary. Winding capacitances are lumped to the terminals, the model is thus accurate up to 5 kHz. A supporting routine is written to generate /spl lambda/-i curve data for each segment of the core and the other input data for EMTP. The model has been incorporated into the Alternative Transients Program (ATP), the BPA EMTP, for evaluation, and has passed the benchmark test of the GPU line energization test of 1973.
Interaction of Vehicle Speed and Auditory Detection of Backup Alarms AKA: Can the Construction Worker Get Out of the Way?

Accident and incident reports have indicated that construction workers, who comprise only a fraction of the industrial work force, suffer more fatal injuries than in any other industry. Many of these accidents and incidents involve workers being struck and run over by a reversing vehicle. During performance of their duties, construction workers are frequently in the vicinity of backup alarms mounted on a variety of vehicles, each with different backing speeds. Due to the loud ambient noise prevalent on many construction sites, workers may wear hearing protection devices, which can affect their ability to detect these backup alarms. An experiment was conducted in free-field conditions to determine the distance at which normal-hearing listeners who wore a high-attenuation earmuff could detect a standard backup alarm signal. Based on the data collected, a relationship was established between the minimum-required backup alarm detection distance and the reversing speeds for several typical vehicles. Language: en
Separate effects study on sodium boiling and dryout under forced-and natural-convection conditions performed with a one-dimensional LOOP code

Abstract A comprehensive separate effects study has been performed with the one-dimensional code LOOP-1 on powers and times for sodium boiling initiation and dryout in a closed loop system. Two different kinds of transients were considered: loss-of-flow and loss-of-heat-sink. Loss-of-flow transients were studied under both forced- and natural-convection conditions. Loss-of-heat-sink transients were studied under natural-convection conditions. The results for loss-of-flow transients indicate that the boiling initiation time was reduced by a small amount, and the dryout time was reduced very significantly by increasing either the input power or the inlet temperature, or by decreasing the test section pressure for both forced- and natural-convection conditions. Under forced-convection conditions, a stabilizing effect occured by either increasing the test section valve setting or by decreasing the bypass ratio with a pump head adjusted to provide the same steady state and initial transient flows; thus, longer boiling times could be maintained before dryout occurred. For natural-convection loss-of-flow conditions, increasing the test section valve setting or decreasing the bypass ratio reduced the test section inlet flow, which resulted in boiling inception and dryout occurring more rapidly. A larger flow before the loss of flow transient starts yielded longer boiling initiation and dryout times. Under loss-of-heat-sink conditions, the higher the inlet temperature, the lower the boiling and the dryout powers. The margin between boiling and dryout powers increases with increasing inlet temperature. Results have been verified with experimental data. These results indicate that a margin between several seconds and several hours (depending on the type of transient) is available before core damage may occur in an actual reactor.
Dual-energy precursor and nuclear erythroid–related factor 2 activator treatment additively improve redox glutathione levels and neuron survival in aging and Alzheimer mouse neurons upstream of reactive oxygen species

To determine whether glutathione (GSH) loss or increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) are more important to neuron loss, aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD), we stressed or boosted GSH levels in neurons isolated from aging 3xTg-AD neurons compared with those from age-matched nontransgenic (non-Tg) neurons. Here, using titrating with buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (GCL), we observed that GSH depletion increased neuronal death of 3xTg-AD cultured neurons at increasing rates across the age span, whereas non-Tg neurons were resistant to GSH depletion until old age. Remarkably, the rate of neuron loss with ROS did not increase in old age and was the same for both genotypes, which indicates that cognitive deficits in the AD model were not caused by ROS. Therefore, we targeted for neuroprotection activation of the redox sensitive transcription factor, nuclear erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2) by 18 alpha glycyrrhetinic acid to stimulate GSH synthesis through GCL. This balanced stimulation of a number of redox enzymes restored the lower levels of Nrf2 and GCL seen in 3xTg-AD neurons compared with those of non-Tg neurons and promoted translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus. By combining the Nrf2 activator together with the NADH precursor, nicotinamide, we increased neuron survival against amyloid beta stress in an additive manner. These stress tests and neuroprotective treatments suggest that the redox environment is more important for neuron survival than ROS. The dual neuroprotective treatment with nicotinamide and an Nrf2 inducer indicates that these age-related and AD-related changes are reversible.
Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after YAG laser posterior capsulotomy.

Twenty-five eyes in 24 patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) after YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were treated during 1984 and 1985. The average time from extracapsular cataract surgery to YAG capsulotomy was 15 months. The average interval from capsulotomy to RD was 6 months (median time, 3 1/2 months). In 8 of the 25 eyes, a risk factor for RD (i.e., high myopia, lattice degeneration, or a history of RD in the fellow eye) was present. All but one of the detachments was successfully repaired.
Enhancer detector analysis of the extent of genomic involvement in nervous system development in Drosophila melanogaster.

We conducted a survey of the patterns of gene expression in the central nervous system (CNS) of larvae of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster to identify genes that may be important in the development of the CNS, aid in the recognition of basic organizing features that might underlie CNS development, and estimate the extent of the use of information encoded in the genome in the construction of the nervous system. A so-called enhancer detector strategy was used to generate many thousands of lines containing a β-galactosidase reporter gene. These lines were screened as third-instar larvae for patterns of expression in the developing optic lobes and other portions of the CNS. Most of the lines recovered which evidence staining within the CNS could be included in one of a relatively small number of patterns. A random sample of 594 lines from the larger population screened was selected to quantify the relative frequencies of these patterns, and a more careful analysis of the changes in the patterns of expression with developmental time was done for representative lines of nine of the patterns. These studies demonstrated great variability in the patterns of gene expression as a function of developmental stage. Few, if any, lines showed β-galactosidase activity limited to the optic lobes; similarly, few lines were identified in which staining was limited to only a small number of cells. Together with the limited number of patterns of gene expression seen, this suggests that in the larval CNS developmental pathways may be controlled by a combinatorial process of gene activity that involves the majority of the genome rather than by having a specific gene specify the fate of only a few neuronal precursors. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Using clustering to detect Chinese censorware

The Chinese government restricts access to religious, political, and pornographic content through the use of an intricate system of surveillance and censorship infrastructure. This infrastructure creates patterns that seem anomalous when compared to normal Chinese Internet traffic. Previous detection methods could neither detect zero-day attacks nor lower false-positives without first observing the attack and, later, collecting a large amount of training data. By using clustering, a technique from machine learning, fast detection of forged packets from Chinese government censorware becomes tractable. These new techniques expose previously hidden examples of sophisticated man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, and the algorithms used in these attacks. This paper provides both a methodology for using anomaly detection algorithms on Chinese censorware as well as examples of detected patterns. We provide circumvention strategies through the lens of exploiting computational complexity bottlenecks intrinsic to infrastructure required to censor the Internet for 250 million users. Lastly, approaches for building detectors for enterprise and civilian networks, like the power-grid, are discussed.
The morphology of the amelanotic Greene melanoma

Pieces of amelanotic Greene melanoma were transplanted onto the iris surface of rabbit eyes, where they started to grow rapidly after a dormant period of four to five days. Light microscopically, the melanoma cells appeared round or polygonal and contained large, lightly staining nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Electron microscopy revealed rather electron translucent nuclei containing only a small rim of heterochromatin immediately subjacent to the nuclear envelope. The very prominent, reticulated nucleoli frequently lay close to the nuclear surface. The cytoplasm of the cells showed a well developed Golgi field which contained myriad vesicles of different shape and density and cross-striated, membrane-bound organelles of early melanin synthesis. The mitochondria were short and the smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum was inconspicuous. The rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum was sparse and exhibited predominantly short segments. Like other very active cells, the melanoma cells contained a multitude of ribosomes. Melanoma cells which were not completely surrounded by other cells exhibited numerous processes at the free cell surface and, directly subjacent to these, a layer of very electron dense cytoplasm, indicating that these cells may possess a certain amount of motility. Many light and electron microscopical aspects of the amelanotic Greene melanoma are identical or similar to human uveal melanomas, especially of the epithelioid variety. On morphological grounds it is therefore possible to suspect a close biological relationship of these tumors. Thus, the use of the Greene amelanotic melanoma as a model for study of diagnostic and therapeutic problems in opthalmology may be considered adequate.
Magnitude and variability of oral pressure in tracheoesophageal speech.

The purpose of this study was to compare mean oral pressure (Po) and Po variability: (1) between tracheoesophageal (TE) and laryngeal speakers, and (2) between TE speakers’ voiced and voiceless phonemes. Sixteen TE and 10 laryngeal speakers produced stops and fricatives in a phrase while Po was recorded. The TE group produced greater mean Po and Po variability than the control group. TE speakers did maintain a Po difference between cognate members with greater pressure on voiceless consonants. A number of possible explanations for the findings are reviewed, although clearer delineation of the issue will require further study.
Abstract 3310: Regulation of reprogramming factors by c-Met signaling in glioblastoma stem cells

Reprogramming transcription factors such as Sox2, c-Myc, Klf4, Oct4 and Nanog have an essential role in sustaining the growth and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells. Forced expression of these reprogramming factors can reprogram differentiated somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells. Reprogramming factor overexpression has also been found in human cancer stem-like cells including glioblastoma stem cells (GBM SCs). This suggests that reprogramming factors support the self-renewing and tumor-initiating phenotype of cancer stem cells. Hence, the molecular signaling pathways that regulate reprogramming factor and their support of the cancer stem-like phenotype in GBM and other solid tumors are of considerable interest. We recently found that the tyrosine kinase c-Met oncogene up-regulates a network of reprogramming factors consisting of Oct4. Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc and Nanog in GBM-derived neurospheres that are enriched in GBM SCs. Reprogramming factor induction by c-Met was observed under serum-free culture conditions that support neurosphere-formation and in cells that were pre-differentiated in serum-containing medium. Using flow cytometry and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, we also found that GBM neurosphere cell subpopulations expressing c-Met at high levels also express high levels of Nanog and Sox2 in comparison to low c-Met expressing cells. Using specific pharmacological inhibitors of PI(3)kinase (LY294002, wortmannin), MAPkinase (PD98059, U0126), and Stat3 (Stattic, Janus Kinase JSI-124), we found that c-Met signaling regulates reprogramming factors mainly via two parallel pathways: the Jak-Stat3 and PI(3)K-Akt pathways. Inhibiting Oct4 induction abrogated the capacity of c-Met to induce Sox2, c-Myc, and Nanog but not KLF4 expression. Inhibiting Nanog induction significantly inhibited (84% inhibition) the capacity of c-Met signaling to stimulate GBM SC self renewal as measured by neurosphere formation and Edu incorporation, 84% and 61% inhibition, respectively. Together, these findings indicate that c-Met signaling upregulates an Oct4- and Nanog-dependent reprogramming factor network that supports GBM SCs. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3310. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3310
Syntheses of per-15N labeled etioporphyrins I–IV and a related tetrahydrobenzoporphyrin for applications in organic geochemistry and vibrational spectroscopy

Abstract Nitrogen-15 labeled pyrroles have been prepared from commercially available 15 N glycine or sodium nitrite using the Barton-Zard, Knorr, and Kleinspehn approaches. These pyrroles were used as intermediates in the synthesis of per- 15 N labeled porphyrins needed for the analysis and assignment of vibrational spectra for sedimentary porphyrins. Etioporphyrin-I was prepared via pyrromethene intermediates, while etioporphyrins II–V and a related tetrahydrobenzoporphyrin were synthesized via stepwise routes involving the copper(II) mediated cyclization of a,c-biladienes as the key step. Detailed analyses of both the proton and carbon-13 NMR spectra provide nitrogen-15 coupling constants for these important structures.
Purification and kinetic properties of elisabethatriene synthase from the coral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae.

Abstract The Bahamian octocoral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae is the source of pseudopterosins, diterpene glycosides with potent anti-inflammatory activity. The first committed step in pseudopterosin biosynthesis comprises the cyclisation of the universal diterpene precursor geranylgeranyl diphosphate to elisabethatriene. This reaction is catalysed by elisabethatriene synthase, which was purified to homogeneity from a crude coral extract. This represents the first purification to apparent homogeneity of a terpene cyclase from any marine source. The reaction kinetics of elisabethatriene synthase was examined using a steady state approach with 3 H-labelled isoprenyldiphosphates varying in carbon chain length (C 10 , C 15 , C 20 ). For the reaction of elisabethatriene synthase with its natural substrate geranylgeranyl diphosphate, values of K m (2.3 × 10 − 6 M), V max (3.4 × 10 4 nM elisabethatriene * s − 1 ) and the specificity constant ( k cat / K m = 1.8 × 10 − 10 M − 1 * s − 1 ) were comparable with diterpene cyclases from terrestrial plants. Elisabethatriene synthase also catalysed the conversion of C 15 and C 10 isoprenyldiphosphate analogues to monoterpene and sesquiterpene olefins, respectively. Kinetic parameters indicated that substrate specificity and K m of elisabethatriene synthase decreased with decreasing isoprenoid carbon chain length. Furthermore, GC–MS analysis showed increased product diversity with decreasing isoprenoid carbon chain length.
Fabrication and Evaluation of Cathode and Anode Materials for Implantable Hybrid Cells

The power output of flexible zinc and aluminum anodes in a plastic binder compared favorably with that of pure metals used in previous implantable hybrid cells. Cathodes of platinum and palladium black in a polyvinyl chloride binder compared well with cathodes of platinum black in teflon. In-vivo and in-vitro measurements on palladium black cathodes with a polyvinyl chloride binder indicate that they perform better than the platinum black cathodes using plastic binders. A spreading resistance measurement correlated with the catalytic activity of the cathode. Modified galvanostatic and spreading resistance measurements were used in in-vitro studies to evaluate the fabricated cathodes.
Multiple interacting elements delineate an ecdysone-dependent regulatory region with secondary responsive character

Within the 2.2 kb region between hsp23 and gene 1 of the small heat shock gene locus 67B1 of Drosophila melanogaster, an approximately 1 kb perturbation of the chromatin architecture has previously been observed to occur in response to the steroid hormone ecdysone. Transient expression assays in hormonally-responsive Drosophila tissue culture cells utilizing hsp70-lacZ chimeric reporter constructs revealed the presence of ecdysone-dependent regulatory sequences in this hsp23-gene 1 intergenic region. The analysis delimited five functional segments: three core regions which were completely encompassed within the region of chromatin perturbation, and two gene-proximal regions which appear to be functionally equivalent under some circumstances. None of the delineated regions was capable of stimulating expression independently, while sub-maximal expression was obtained when combinations of two or three regions were monitored. This requirement for multiple DNA segments to drive maximal transcription suggested that cooperative interactions between the regions were essential for full hormonal responsiveness. Unexpectedly, no binding of the ecdysone receptor was detectable within any of the delineated regions, implying the involvement of multiple non-receptor factors in the observed hormonal responsiveness. The ecdysone-dependent activation of reporter constructs driven by these sequences showed a significant time lag and was coupled with a marked sensitivity to low concentrations of cycloheximide. The data obtained strongly suggest that the cis-acting elements delimited within the hsp23-gene 1 intergenic region respond to ecdysone in a secondary manner, presumably by requiring interaction with the product(s) of primary ecdysone-responsive genes.
VERTIGO AND THE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM.

Abstract 1. 1. In 70 patients with the main complaint of vertigo, the majority of EEG records (51 out of 70) were normal. 2. 2. No case of epileptic vertigo was discovered in our material. 3. 3. The EEG should occasionally help to evaluate the presence of accompanying brain damage in patients with disordered function of the vestibular apparatus; on the other hand, normal EEG records do not preclude the possibility of cerebral or brain-stem involvement, especially in cases of vertebro-basilar artery insufficiency.
Variation in home range size along an elevational gradient in the iguanid lizard Sceloporus merriami

Variation in home range size among three populations of the saxicolous iguanid lizard Sceloporus merriami was studied in relation to density, food availability, behavioral patterns, and daily activity periods. These populations, separated by a maximum distance of 50 km, occur along an elevational gradient which spans the elevational range of the species in west Texas. The population with the smallest home ranges had the highest density, the lowest food availability, and the most restricted daily activity period. Within populations, males consistently had larger home ranges than females. No significant between-year variation in home range size was noted within a given area or sex. Intraspecific variation in home range size is not explained by any single factor, such as food availability or density, but appears to be complexly determined by the interaction of energetic, breeding, and activity constraints.
Is renovation riskier than new construction? An observational comparison of risk factors for stepladder‐related falls

BACKGROUND: Stepladder-related injuries at construction sites have increased in recent years. We aimed to quantify the prevalence of stepladder-related fall hazards in general construction and to compare the risks on renovation worksites to new construction build sites. METHODS: Eighteen worksites were visited, resulting in the observation of 771 stepladders. Eight of the sites were new builds and ten were renovation projects. RESULTS: High compliance with best practices was not observed for several factors, including having hands free while climbing (46%) and using minimum forces (72%). There was a notable trend toward more hazards on renovation build projects than on new construction sites; however, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: There was not sufficient evidence to show that stepladder fall hazards are more prevalent on renovation projects than on new build projects. Having hands free while climbing and using minimum forces were two practices needing more wide-scale adoption regardless of construction job type. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Language: en
News from the Society for Women's Health Research: Some Things Only a Woman Can Do

87 The Society for Women’s Health Research is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to improving the health of women through research. The Society was founded in 1990 to bring national attention to the problem of the exclusion of women from clinical trials and the need for greater federal funding for diseases and conditions prevalent in and unique to women. Today, the Society works closely with members of the public and private sectors and academic institutions to promote a women’s health research agenda. The Society seeks both to shape public policy and improve public and professional education. The Journal of Women’s Health & Gender-Based Medicine is the official publication of the Society but does not necessarily endorse its positions. We welcome your views. Contact us by fax at (202) 833-3472, or visit our website at http://www.womens-health. org.
Evaluation over thousands of queries

Information retrieval evaluation has typically been performed over several dozen queries, each judged to near-completeness. There has been a great deal of recent work on evaluation over much smaller judgment sets: how to select the best set of documents to judge and how to estimate evaluation measures when few judgments are available. In light of this, it should be possible to evaluate over many more queries without much more total judging effort. The Million Query Track at TREC 2007 used two document selection algorithms to acquire relevance judgments for more than 1,800 queries. We present results of the track, along with deeper analysis: investigating tradeoffs between the number of queries and number of judgments shows that, up to a point, evaluation over more queries with fewer judgments is more cost-effective and as reliable as fewer queries with more judgments. Total assessor effort can be reduced by 95% with no appreciable increase in evaluation errors.
Facilitators and Barriers to Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration in the Redesign of the Family-Centered Rounds Process

A human factors approach to healthcare system redesign emphasizes the involvement of multiple stakeholders in the process. This study identifies work system factors facilitating and hindering the collaboration of multiple stakeholders in a healthcare system redesign project. We interviewed 10 stakeholders participating in the redesign of the family-centered rounds process in a pediatric hospital, and conducted qualitative content analysis of the interview transcripts using the work system model of Smith and Carayon-Sainfort (1989). Various facilitators and barriers to stakeholder collaboration in healthcare system redesign were identified, such as personal characteristics, team characteristics, organizational structure and culture. Results of this study can be used to improve the process used to redesign healthcare work systems and processes that involve multiple stakeholders.
LGI1-associated epilepsy through altered ADAM23-dependent neuronal morphology

Most epilepsy genes encode ion channels, but the LGI1 gene responsible for autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features produces a secreted protein. LGI1 is suggested to regulate PSD-95 via ADAM22. However, no unbiased screen of LGI1 action has been conducted. Here, we searched for brain genes supporting high affinity LGI-1 binding. ADAM23 was the only LGI1 interactor identified. The related proteins, ADAM22 and ADAM11, but not ADAM12, bind LGI1. Neither ADAM23 nor ADAM11, nor some forms of ADAM22, contain PDZ-interacting sequences, suggesting PSD-95-independent mechanisms in ADPEAF. Because ADAMs modulate integrins, we examined LGI1 effect on neurite outgrowth. LGI1 increases outgrowth from wild-type but not ADAM23-/- neurons. Furthermore, CA1 pyramidal neurons of ADAM23-/- hippocampi have reduced dendritic arborization. ADAM23-/- mice exhibit spontaneous seizures, while ADAM23+/- mice have decreased seizure thresholds. Thus, LGI1 binding to ADAM23 is necessary to correctly pattern neuronal morphology and altered anatomical patterning contributes to ADPEAF.
City-county Consolidation and Local Government Expenditures:

As more local governments consider consolidation of government functions, officials are concerned about the expected impact on expenditures. Using a treatment group of consolidated city-counties an...
Are we really operating on diverticulitis

The results of elective surgery for diverticulitis in 100 consecutive patients were reviewed. Follow-up was possible in 82 individuals. Seventy-seven (94 percent) were improved. There was no inflammatory change apparent on histologic examination of the resected specimens in 24 percent of patients. These individuals were less likely to have favorable results. There are a number of preoperative factors which may predict the likelihood of a successful surgical outcome
Elevated blood pressure in cytochrome P4501A1 knockout mice is associated with reduced vasodilation to omega − 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

In vitro cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) metabolizes omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs); eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), primarily to 17,18-epoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (17,18-EEQ) and 19,20-epoxydocosapentaenoic acid (19,20-EDP), respectively. These metabolites have been shown to mediate vasodilation via increases in nitric oxide (NO) and activation of potassium channels. We hypothesized that genetic deletion of CYP1A1 would reduce vasodilatory responses to n-3 PUFAs, but not the metabolites, and increase blood pressure (BP) due to decreases in NO. We assessed BP by radiotelemetry in CYP1A1 wildtype (WT) and knockout (KO) mice±NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor. We also assessed vasodilation to acetylcholine (ACh), EPA, DHA, 17,18-EEQ and 19,20-EDP in aorta and mesenteric arterioles. Further, we assessed vasodilation to an NO donor and to DHA±inhibitors of potassium channels. CYP1A1 KO mice were hypertensive, compared to WT, (mean BP in mmHg, WT 103±1, KO 116±1, n=5/genotype, p<0.05), and exhibited a reduced heart rate (beats per minute, WT 575±5; KO 530±7; p<0.05). However, BP responses to NOS inhibition and vasorelaxation responses to ACh and an NO donor were normal in CYP1A1 KO mice, suggesting that NO bioavailability was not reduced. In contrast, CYP1A1 KO mice exhibited significantly attenuated vasorelaxation responses to EPA and DHA in both the aorta and mesenteric arterioles, but normal vasorelaxation responses to the CYP1A1 metabolites, 17,18-EEQ and 19,20-EDP, and normal responses to potassium channel inhibition. Taken together these data suggest that CYP1A1 metabolizes n-3 PUFAs to vasodilators in vivo and the loss of these vasodilators may lead to increases in BP.
Managing Stacy: A case study of turn-taking in the language classroom

Abstract A persistent and yet unresolved question raised by language teachers is how to ensure even participation during whole-class interaction. Neither published teacher training materials nor scholarly research on classroom turn-taking, however, have been addressed to this particular aspect of pedagogical concerns. Based on two-hour videotaped data from an adult ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom, this case study details how one teacher systematically manages the participation of a student who appears to be negotiating for more than her “fair share” of the floor. Findings of this study extend our current understanding of (classroom) turn-taking and constitute a potentially important resource for broadening and specifying language teacher education.
Enhanced Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival in Glaucoma by Hypoxic Postconditioning After Disease Onset

The neuroprotective efficacy of adaptive epigenetics, wherein beneficial gene expression changes are induced by nonharmful "conditioning" stimuli, is now well established in several acute, preclinical central nervous system injury models. Recently, in a mouse model of glaucoma, we demonstrated retinal ganglion cell (RGC) protection by repetitively "preconditioning" with hypoxia prior to disease onset, indicating an epigenetic approach may also yield benefits in chronic neurodegenerative disease. Herein, we determined whether presenting the repetitive hypoxic stimulus after disease initiation [repetitive hypoxic "postconditioning" (RH-Post)] could afford similar functional and morphologic protection against glaucomatous RGC injury. Chronic elevations in intraocular pressure (IOP) were induced unilaterally in adult male C57BL/6 mice by episcleral vein ligation. Mice were randomized to an RH-Post [1 h of systemic hypoxia (11% oxygen) every other day, starting 4 days after IOP elevation] or an untreated control group. After 3 weeks of experimental glaucoma, the 21-27% reduction and 5-25% prolongation in flash visual-evoked potential amplitudes and latencies, respectively, and the 30% impairment in visual acuity were robustly improved in RH-Post-treated mice, as was the 17% loss in RGC soma number and 20% reduction in axon integrity. These protective effects were observed without RH-Post affecting IOP. The present findings demonstrate that functional and morphologic protection of RGCs can be realized by stimulating epigenetic responses during the early stages of disease, and thus constitute a new conceptual approach to glaucoma therapeutics.
A comparison of two Monte Carlo methods for computations in statistical mechanics

Abstract A comparison of two Monte Carlo methods for computations in statistical mechanics is presented. In the comparison, involving a two-state problem, the transition probabilities introduced by Metropolis et al . are compared with the conditional probabilities of the Boltzmann distribution. The analytic relationship between the two is derived. Results of energy computations are given for an Ising spin system on a triangular lattice using first one set of transition probabilities, then the other. Both results are compared with the exact analytic solution. We found greater stability and faster convergence using the conditional Boltzmann probabilities. Also, some results for the Monte Carlo method in general are presented.
Randomized controlled trials of physical activity and breast cancer prevention.

Observational studies demonstrate that women who exercise have a lower risk of developing breast cancer compared with sedentary women, but clinical trials are necessary to demonstrate a decreased effect of exercise on breast cancer. This review presents a rationale for randomized controlled exercise trials for breast cancer prevention and proposes a construct for designing such trials
Self-saturation of collective pulsar emission

I propose a common mechanism at work in the pulse shortening of high power microwave devices, and in the giant radio pulses from the Crab and two other pulsars.
Ultrastructural features of the pineal gland from cold-exposed golden hamsters.

Golden hamsters exposed to various temperatures (5 and 25 °C) and photoperiods (8∶16 L∶D and 12∶10 L∶D), were killed at the end of 4, 8 and 12 weeks of exposure. The pineal glands were examined electron microscopically. Ultrastructural differences in the pineal gland were observed between the cold-exposed animals and the corresponding controls. The most striking difference was the occurrence of membranous whorls in pinealocytes of cold-exposed hamsters. These membranous whorls were of varying sizes and degree of complexity suggesting possible developmental stages of the membranous whorls. An apparent increase in ribosomal density and nuclear polymorphism were observed in the pinealocytes of cold-exposed hamsters. Short photoperiod appeared to augment the formation of membranous whorls in animals exposed to cold. It is suggested that the membranous whorls are focal sites of membrane reorganization that may be requisite for cellular activity under these environmental conditions. It is also suggested that gonadal involution owing to cold exposure may be mediated by the pineal gland.
Orientation and Control of Transcription in E. coli Phage λ

All the cistrons within the inner right quarter of the λ phage genome are transcribed leftward from genes N to int. A promoter is located to the left of N. The product of N is required for transcription initiated at this newly identified promoter but has no effect on the transcription of cistron N.
NEURAL INPUTS INTO THE NUCLEUS BASALIS OF THE SUBSTANTIA INNOMINATA (Ch4) IN THE RHESUS MONKEY

Neurons of the nucleus basalis-substantia innominata-nucleus of the ansa peduncularis complex (Ch4) provide the major source of cholinergic innervation for the entire neocortical surface. In contrast to their widespread projections to all parts of the neocortex, these neurons receive reciprocal projections from only very few cortical areas. Most of the sensory, motor, and association areas in the frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes do not seem to project back to the Ch4 complex. The Ch4 neurons receive their cortical input from prepyriform cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior insula, the temporal pole, entorhinal cortex and the medial temporal cortex. There are also subcortical inputs from septal nuclei, the nucleus accumbens-ventral pallidum complex and the hypothalamus. This organization suggests that the Ch4 complex is in a position to act as a cholinergic relay for transmitting predominantly limbic and paralimbic information to the neocortical surface. It would also appear that the cortical areas which do not project into Ch4 have no direct way of controlling the cholinergic input which they receive, whereas the limited set of cortical areas which do project into Ch4 can control not only the cholinergic innervation that they receive but also the cholinergic innervation into the entire neocortical mantle.
Synthesis and characterization of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/carbon nanotube composite piezoelectric powders

Nanocomposite piezoelectric powders comprising polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized using a novel process, which combines ultrasonication and solvent-nonsolvent mixture-induced crystallization at very low temperatures ≤10 °C. The morphological and thermal properties of these composite powders were extensively studied. Scanning electron microscopy characterization showed that these composite powders have polymer particles with an average diameter of 150 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle x-ray scattering analyses confirmed that at CNT concentrations of 0.05–20 wt% this process introduces the β-phase in both PVDF/single-walled CNT (SWCNT) and PVDF/multiwalled CNT (MWCNT) composite powders. Both types of composite powders (PVDF-multiwalled and PVDF-single-walled nanotubes) have shown piezoelectric response at different voltages up to 1% loading of multiwalled nanotubes (MWCNTs) and 0.5% loading of single-walled nanotubes (SWCNTs) in composites.
Biochemical Disease-Free Survival in Men Younger Than 60 Years With Prostate Cancer Treated With External Beam Radiation

Purpose: We determined the biochemical failure rate in patients 60 years and younger, and older than 60 years old who were treated with external beam radiation for localized prostate cancer or locally advanced prostate cancer. We also evaluated prognostic factors in the 2 age groups.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 964 patients who received full dose radiotherapy as the only treatment for prostate cancer. Followup prostate specific antigen was measured 3 to 6 months after the completion of radiotherapy and every 3 to 6 months thereafter. Biochemical failure was defined using the criteria established by the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Consensus Panel. Median followup in the whole study group was 48 months.Results: Of the 98 men 60 years or younger 46 (47%) had biochemical failure, whereas 261 (30%) of the 866 older than 60 years old had biochemical failure. The 5 and 7-year biochemical disease-free survival rates were 55% and 47% in the younger men, and ...
Population estimates from longitudinal records in otherwise data-deficient settings.

Existing methods for estimating population parameters in settings of data deficiency do not provide techniques for analysis of commonly available longitudinal data. In setting where complete population data is unavailable, longitudinal data recorded for only a subset of the total population are often available (e.g., event registers, genealogies). In this article we present and evaluate models which derive population parameters for the population subgroup underlying such longitudinal data. Using the distribution of individual times until first recorded event within a measurement interval, population parameters are estimated which provide basic denominator data for analyzing event occurrence. The models which we derive are especially suited to records which may include migration and population growth trends. The use of the models is demonstrated and evaluated through an application to genealogical records for a nineteenth-century population. Possible extensions of these models and their major limitations are also discussed.
Nucleotide Sequence Analysis of a Candidate Gene for Ataxia-Telangiectasia Group D (ATDC)

A radioresistant cell clone (1B3) was previously isolated after transfection of an ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) group D cell line with a human cosmid library. A cosmid rescued from the integration site in 1B3 contained human DNA from chromosome position 11q23, the same region shown by both genetic linkage and chromosome transfer to contain the genes for AT complementation groups A/B, C, and D. A gene within the cosmid (ATDC) was found to produce mRNAs of different sizes. A cDNA for one of the most abundant mRNAs (3.0 kb) was isolated from a HeLa cell library. In the present study, we sequenced the 3.0-kb cDNA and the surrounding intron DNA in the cosmids. We used polymerase chain reaction, with primers in the introns, to confirm the number of exons and to analyze DNA from AT group D cells for mutations within this gene. Although no mutations were found, we do not rule out the possibility that mutations may be present within the regulatory sequences or coding sequences found in other mRNAs specific for this gene. From the sequence analysis, we found that the ATDC gene product is one of a group of proteins that share multiple zinc finger motifs and an adjacent leucine zipper motif. These proteins have been proposed to form homo- or heterodimers involved in nucleic acid binding, consistent with the fact that many of these proteins appear to be transcriptional regulatory factors involved in carcinogenesis and/or differentiation. The likelihood that the ATDC gene product is involved in transcriptional regulation could explain the pleiomorphic characteristics of AT, including abnormal cell cycle regulation.
Industry-to-physician marketing and the cost of prescription drugs.

(2003). Industry-to-Physician Marketing and the Cost of Prescription Drugs. The American Journal of Bioethics: Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 28-29.
Net fluid absorption under membrane transport models of peritoneal dialysis.

The effect of oncotic pressure and lymphatic flow on intraperitoneal dialysate volumes in peritoneal dialysis is investigated under each of two membrane transport models: one assuming a homogeneous single-pore membrane and the other a heteroporous three-pore membrane. In both cases, solute and fluid removal are assumed to occur via a mass transport model in which the peritoneum acts like a synthetic membrane separating two well-mixed compartments (body and dialysate). The homoporous mass transport model of Pyle and Popovich and the three-pore model of Rippe et al., although conceptually different, are shown to be equivalent mathematically. This feature allows one to apply the analytical solutions of Vonesh et al. to either model. It also enables one to apply parameter estimates from one model to another; for example, one can apply the lumped sum reflection coefficients of the three-pore model to a homoporous membrane model. A comparison is made between the use of empirically estimated rejection coefficients computed under the homoporous membrane model of Pyle and Popovich versus lumped-sum reflection coefficients calculated in accordance with the three-pore model of Rippe et al. The two models predict similar drain volumes provided the exchange is conducted using glucose as the osmotic agent. However, one does see a significantly different contribution of protein oncotic pressure and lymphatic drainage to fluid absorption under the two sets of osmotic reflection coefficients. Moreover, for a simulated exchange employing an osmotic agent with a molecular weight of 20,000 daltons, the use of reflection coefficients calculated under the three-pore model yields net ultrafiltration values which are more consistent and physiological than results obtained using the empirically estimated rejection coefficients. Since estimates of ‘lymphatic flow’ will vary according to the quantity and quality of input parameter values (i.e., hydrostatic pressure, protein concentrations, osmotic reflection coefficients), it would be better to label these estimates as the sum of lymphatic and unmodeled net fluid absorption.