cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine structure and differentiation of Ascidian muscle. I. Differentiated caudal musculature of Distaplia occidentalis tadpoles.

The structure of the caudal muscle in the tadpole larva of the compound ascidian Distaplia occidentalis has been investigated with light and electron microscopy. The two muscle bands are composed of about 1500 flattened cells arranged in longitudinal rows between the epidermis and the notochord. The muscle cells are mononucleate and contain numerous mitochondria, a small Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, proteid-yolk inclusions, and large amounts of glycogen. The myofibrils and sarcoplasmic reticulum are confined to the peripheral sarcoplasm. Myofibrils are discrete along most of their length but branch near the tapered ends of the muscle cell, producing a Felderstruktur. The myofibrils originate and terminate at specialized intercellular junctional complexes. These myomuscular junctions are normal to the primary axes of the myofibrils and resemble the intercalated disks of vertebrate cardiac muscle. The myofibrils insert at the myomuscular junction near the level of a Z-line. Thin filaments (presumably actin) extend from the terminal Z-line and make contact with the sarcolemma. These thin filaments frequently appear to be continuous with filaments in the extracellular junctional space, but other evidence suggests that the extracellular filaments are not myofilaments. A T-system is absent, but numerous peripheral couplings between the sarcolemma and cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) are present on all cell surfaces. Cisternae coupled to the sarcolemma are continuous with transverse components of SR which encircle the myofibrils at each I-band and H-band. The transverse component over the I-band consists of anastomosing tubules applied as a single layer to the surface of the myofibril. The transverse component over the H-band is also composed of anastomosing tubules, but the myofibrils are invested by a double or triple layer. Two or three tubules of sarcoplasmic reticulum interconnect consecutive transverse components. Each muscle band is surrounded by a thin external lamina. The external lamina does not parallel the irregular cell contours nor does it penetrate the extracellular space between cells. In contracted muscle, the sarcolemmata at the epidermal and notochordal boundaries indent to the level of each Z-line, and peripheral couplings are located at the base of the indentations. The external lamina and basal lamina of the epidermis are displaced toward the indentations. The location, function, and neuromuscular junctions of larval ascidian caudal muscle are similar to vertebrate somatic striated muscle. Other attributes, including the mononucleate condition, transverse myomuscular junctions, prolific gap junctions, active Golgi apparatus, and incomplete nervous innervation are characteristic of vertebrate cardiac muscle cells.
Statistical and similarity methods for classifying emotion in suicide notes

In this paper we report on the approaches that we developed for the 2011 i2b2 Shared Task on Sentiment Analysis of Suicide Notes. We have cast the problem of detecting emotions in suicide notes as a supervised multi-label classification problem. Our classifiers use a variety of features based on (a) lexical indicators, (b) topic scores, and (c) similarity measures. Our best submission has a precision of 0.551, a recall of 0.485, and a F-measure of 0.516.
Inner ear protection and regeneration: a 'historical' perspective.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW In evaluating strategies to preserve or regenerate the cochlea, understanding the process of labyrinthine injury on a cellular and molecular level is crucial. Examination of inner ear injury reveals mechanism-specific types of damage, often at specific areas within the cochlea. Site-specific interventions can then be considered. RECENT FINDINGS The review will briefly summarize the historical perspective of advancements in hearing science through 2006. Areas of research covered include hair cell protection, hair cell regeneration, spiral ganglion cell regeneration, and stria vascularis metabolic regulation. SUMMARY The review will briefly summarize the early development of a few such site-specific interventions for inner ear functional rehabilitation, for work done prior to 2006. The outstanding reviews of cutting edge research from this year's and last year's Hearing Science section of Current Opinion in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery can then be understood and appreciated in a more informed manner.
Combining edge and surface information for object recognition

One of the central problems of computer vision is model based object recognition. A catalogue of model objects is described via a set of features which are matched with the images. Image features that are most important to object recognition can be categorized into two types: edges and regions. Edges and surface patches are obtained from intensity and range images via independent algorithms. In this paper, we describe an algorithm that sets up a correspondence between the edge and surface features in a multiobject scene. Each edge is labeled with a list of surfaces to which it belongs and each surface is labeled with a list of edges that are on its boundary. This information can then be passed to higher level routines to group into individual objects for scene analysis. Both synthetic (with Gaussian noise) and real images containing multiple object scenes have been tested. Results appear quite encouraging.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mutagenesis studies on TenA: A thiamin salvage enzyme from Bacillus subtilis

TenA catalyzes the hydrolysis of 4-amino-5-aminomethyl-2-methylpyrimidine and participates in the salvage of base-degraded thiamin. Here, we describe mutagenesis of the active site of TenA guided by structures of the enzyme complexed to a substrate analog and to the product. Catalytic roles for each of the active site residues are identified and a mechanism for the reaction is described.
POLAR TRANSPORT OF GROWTH-REGULATORS IN PITH AND VASCULAR TISSUES OF COLEUS STEMS'

A B S T R A C T Movement of IAA-C'4 and 2,4-D-C'4 through cylinders of known size and histology was compared using liquid scintillation counting. Both auxins showed strongly polar movement, even through pith parenchyma cut from Coleus internode #5, the youngest internode to have ceased elongation. The polar movement was correlated with sizable elongation of the excised cylinders. Velocities of basipetal movement for a given auxin, as determined by the intercept method, showed small or negligible differences between pith and "corner" cylinders. (Corner cylinders comprised mostly vascular tissue, plus some cortical, pith, and epidermal cells.) For IAA, basipetal velocities ranged from 2.1 to 3.3 mm per hr; for 2,4-D, they were 0.6-0.8. For both auxins there was much more net loss into corner than into pith cylinders, a difference associated with the fact that corner cylinders showed 10 times as many cells in transection. More 2,4-D moved basipetally through corner than through pith cylinders and the reverse was true of IAA. By chromatographic evidence, all the radioactivity in the basal receiving blocks was still associated with the auxin molecules. POLARITY Is strikingly widespread as a develop
Relaxation and Polarization Effects in Valence Photodetachment of the Negative Fluoride and Bromide Ions

The photodetachment cross sections, branching ratios, and angular-distribution asymmetry parameters have been calculated for ${\mathrm{F}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ and ${\mathrm{Br}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ in the relativistic random-phase approximation (RRPA) and modifications of the RRPA that allow for the inclusion of relaxation and core-polarization effects. Photodetachment cross sections are compared with experimental measurements to assess the effectiveness of the various approximations. The effects of core polarization are found to partially cancel relaxation effects.
Regulation of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activation by the Cytoplasmic Domain of the α6 Integrin Subunit

Abstract We examined the possibility that the α6A and α6B cytoplasmic domain variants of the α6β1 integrin differentially activate p42 and p44 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. P388D1 macrophages that express equivalent surface levels of either the α6Aβ1 or α6Bβ1 integrin were used to examine this issue. Adhesion to laminin-1 mediated by the α6Aβ1 integrin triggered activation of a substantial fraction of total p42 and p44 MAP kinases as assessed using a mobility shift assay, immunoblot analysis with a phosphospecific MAP kinase antibody, and an immune complex kinase assay. In contrast, ligation of the α6Bβ1 integrin did not trigger significant MAP kinase activation. These data were confirmed by antibody clustering of the α6β1 integrins. Both the α6Aβ1 and α6Bβ1 integrins were capable of activating the p70 ribosomal S6 kinase and this activation, unlike MAP kinase activation, is dependent on phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase. Activation of MAP kinase by α6β1 requires both Ras and protein kinase C activity. A functional correlate for differential activation of MAP kinase was provided by the findings that the α6Aβ1 transfectants migrated significantly better on laminin than the α6Bβ1transfectants and this migration was dependent on MAP kinase activity based on the use of the MAP kinase kinase (MEK1) inhibitor PD98059. Our findings demonstrate that the α6β1 integrin can activate MAP kinase, that this activation is regulated by the cytoplasmic domain of the α6 subunit, and that it relates to α6β1-mediated migration.
Environmental Temperature and Infertility in White Leghorns

Abstract SOME of the factors that influence the proportion of eggs infertile among those laid by hens mated with a single male cannot be easily controlled, if at all, while others, of which environmental temperature is one, can be readily controlled if it is profitable to do so. It has been demonstrated by Payne and Ingram (1927) that if the combs and wattles of breeding males are frozen their fertility is greatly reduced. That low temperatures which do not cause injury by freezing may also lower fertility was suggested recently by Hays and Sanborn (1939), who presented evidence that fertility of Rhode Island Reds gradually improved during the spring concurrent with, and presumably as a result of, the seasonal rise in environmental temperature. The present study was undertaken to determine whether fertility in White Leghorns, probably more susceptible to cold than Rhode Island Reds because of larger combs and wattles and . . .
Separate But Simultaneous Interviewing of Husbands and Wives: Making Sense of Their Stories

This article argues that separate interviews with spouses can provide valuable insights on marital decision making. The notion that one partner can speak for both needs to be abandoned. However, in the process of including unrepresented family voices, making sense of multiple accounts becomes problematic. Multiple accounts of marriage are told when a researcher interviews husbands and wives on the process of decision making. Some differences in spouses' accounts arise from their division of labor, where one spouse knows more than the other. Other differences in accounts result from a division of labor in storytelling where the partners support each other in joint and individual perfor mances of telling. However, some differences in accounts render the researcher's analytic tasks far more complex when two stories, not one, are told. Finally, the account that ultimately becomes the written version needs to be better understood as a shifting construct of separate interviews with both spouses and how the rese...
Impact of variable risk preferences on the effectiveness of control by pay

Pay for performance is an organizational control mechanism intended to align the interests of employer and employee. We investigated whether employee risk preference interferes with the effects of this ‘control by pay’ on attitudinal and behavioural outcomes. We found that the degree of consistency between risk preference and control by pay affected withdrawal intentions, contingent pay satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviour, as hypothesized. The results suggest that the use of pay for performance as a control mechanism should take into account employee risk preference, and that this concern should apply broadly in the organization, not just at the executive level.
Diverse Targets for Intervention during Inflammatory and Neurodegenerative Phases of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disease that causes relapsing and chronic neurologic impairment. Recent observations have altered certain traditional concepts regarding MS pathogenesis. A greater diversity of cell types and molecules involved in MS is now evident. While remyelination can occur during the early inflammatory phase when damage may be reversible, it is impaired in the later stages, which involve axonal death. These observations have important therapeutic implications.
Stock market reactions to regulatory investigations: Evidence from options backdating

Abstract Option backdating practices have resulted in broad regulatory scrutiny, formal inquiries by federal authorities, and internal investigations by companies. In this paper, we investigate stock market reactions to option backdating probe announcements. For the 245 implicated companies, we detect negative abnormal stock returns, which are modest for internal investigation, larger for SEC probes, and the most severe for Department of Justice investigations. We also find that the market reaction is more negative for companies with higher stock price volatility, less effective corporate governance, and lower quality of financial statements. Results suggest that option backdating practices demonstrate weak corporate governance and financial reporting, and regulatory investigations of such practices are value-relevant as reflected in stock prices.
Walking North on a Southbound Train

A great storyteller I know once told a story about a fox that appears at the edge of a clearing in which a dog is tethered to a pole. The fox begins to run in circles just outside the radius of the dog’s tether, followed by the frantically barking dog. After a few laps the fox has managed to tie the dog to the tether, at which point he struts in to devour the dog’s food while the helpless mutt looks on. Something like that has happened to all of us who believe climate stability and healthy ecosystems are worth preserving and that this is a matter of obligation, spirit, true economy, and common sense. But someone or something has run us in circles, tied us up, and is eating our lunch. It is time to ask who and why and how we might respond. Here is what we know:
TRACER AND NON-TRACER POTASSIUM FLUXES IN FROG SARTORIUS MUSCLE AND THE KINETICS OF NET POTASSIUM MOVEMENT.

Experiments were performed to test the applicability of permeability kinetics to whole frog sartorius muscle using K42 ions as tracers of potassium flux. The whole muscle was found to obey closely the kinetic laws expected to hold for single cellular units in which the potassium fluxes are membrane-limited and intracellular mixing is rapid enough not to introduce serious error. In a 5 mM K Ringer's solution, potassium efflux was very nearly equal to influx when the rate constant for K42 loss was applied to the whole of the muscle potassium. Over a fairly wide range of external potassium concentration, the assumed unidirectional fluxes measured with tracer K42 showed good agreement with net potassium changes determined analytically. The specific activity of potassium lost from labeled muscles to an initially K-free Ringer's solution was measured as a test of the adequacy of intracellular mixing. The results were those expected for a population of cells with uniformly distributed intracellular K42. A small deviation was encountered which can be attributed either to a dispersion of fiber sizes in the sartorius or to a possible small additional cellular compartment in each individual fiber. The additional cellular compartment, should it exist, contains from 0.5 to 1 per cent of the muscle potassium. This is evidently not large enough to interfere seriously with the applicability of permeability kinetics to the whole muscle.
Laminar flow heat transfer to viscous powerlaw fluids in double-sine ducts

Abstract Fully developed, constant property, laminar flows of viscous power-law fluids in double-sine shaped ducts are considered. The double-sine cross section represents a limiting inter-plate channel geometry in plate heat exchangers with sinusoidally corrugated plates. The non-Newtonian fluid theology is described by the power-law or Ostwald-de Waele model, and shear thinning (n 1) flows are considered. Both fluid flow and convective heat transfer problems under (T) and (H1) thermal boundary conditions are analyzed. Analytical solutions based on the Galerkin integral method are presented for a wide range of flow behavior index (0.15 ⩽ n ⩽ 2.5) and duct aspect ratio (0.25 ⩽ γ ⩽ 4.0). The effects of fluid rheology (pseudoplasticity or dilatancy), duct geometry, and thermal boundary conditions on the velocity and temperature field, are delineated. Also, isothermal friction factor and Nusselt number results for various conditions are presented, and strategies for predicting f Re and Nu are evaluated.
Social status, gonadal state, and the adrenal stress response in the lizard, Anolis carolinensis

Adult males of the small arboreal iguanid lizard, Anolis carolinensis, form social dominance hierarchies when placed in habitats with limited resources. Skin color changes occur during hierarchy formation, most conspicuously in subordinates, who appear darker (more brown) than dominants (more green). Because skin color in this species is under the control of hormones frequently associated with physiological stress, radioimmunoassay of plasma levels of the principal reptilian adrenal steroid, corticosterone, was performed. To examine the influence of gonadal androgen, known to influence the aggression that attends hierarchy formation, lizard pairs were constituted in which one or both members were castrated. Corticosterone levels of intact subordinates were significantly elevated, whereas those of castrated subordinates or dominants showed levels comparable to those of isolates. No significant differences in spermatogenic stage could be detected between intact dominants or subordinates.
Practical implementation of the finite-analytic method

A general methodology for practical implementation of the finite-analytic method for numerical solutions of process models is presented. The methodology is demonstrated by applications to typical one- and two-dimensional problems using both the standard and the power series-based local analytic solutions. Because the finite-analytic method leads to significantly higher order accurate numerical schemes over relatively small local grid systems, the finite-analytic approach appears to be a very powerful technique for applications to problems encountered in engineering and the natural sciences.
Strain estimation from scattered observations in an inhomogeneously deformed domain of rocks

Abstract Strict reconstruction of the overall lengthening and shortening of an inhomogeneously deformed domain from strain measurements requires a dense grid of observation points. Strain between points of known strain must be intermediate in principal magnitudes and orientation. For a domain covered by much more widely spaced measurements, such a reconstruction is impossible, but estimates of overall strain can still be attempted, if several characteristic subdomains are measured by local dense grids allowing the full reconstruction of displacements and rotations for each of these subdomains. In that case, the local constructed overall strain can be compared with two different kinds of local statistical average. One of these gives an upper bound for the intensity of the overall strain. This is the case for a strain found by calculating the mean value, throughout the statistically sampled domain, of each of the three principal strains. The result is an average invariant state of strain, independent of orientation. The second statistical average yields a lower bound of the intensity of the overall strain. This limiting strain is the mean value of each of the six components of the statistically sampled strains, all referred to a common set of coordinates. The array of these mean values forms a strain tensor for which principal values and directions can be calculated. To find appropriate means, finite observed strains should be transformed into nearly infinitesimal counterparts by finding the very small, incremental, strains that must be repeated, say, a thousand times to yield the observed large strains. All statistics and comparisons are performed on these incremental strains. Correlations were found between constructed overall and calculated average incremental strains of both kinds for three small regions within the larger domain. This allowed correction factors to be calculated that permit the overall strain to be estimated from each of the two mean strains for the domain in general. The combined estimates were found to be indistinguishable from the mean value between the upper and lower bounds derived from the two kinds of average strain for the larger domain. That particular result may be fortuitous and valid only for the region under study. As an application of this method of strain estimate, a pre-deformation stratigraphic thickness was calculated for the studied region. To be useful, this calculation must be supplemented by an estimate of sediment compaction and of the attendant strain, so that the figure of interest, the pretectonic stratigraphic thickness can be stated.
Influence of temperature and photoperiod on cytokinin pools in the potato, Solanum tuberosum L

Abstract Using the cucumber cotyledon bioassay, total cytokinin activity in Katahdin potato plants grown under inducing conditions (26° day and 12° night with an 8-h photoperiod) was found to be significantly higher than that of plants grown under non-inducing conditions (30° day and night with a 16-h photoperiod). Highest cytokinin activity was observed in induced, above-ground tissue after 4 days. In induced, below-ground tissue, highest cytokinin activity was observed after 6 days, with tuber initiation after 8 to 10 days.
Distributed cooperative load sharing in parallel DC-DC converters

A distributed cooperative control method for load sharing of parallel converters is proposed. Using consensus-voting protocols, the need for a master converter or a central controller is eliminated. The proposed modular structure does not require a priori knowledge of the number of active converters, which makes it a viable option for plug-and-play operational framework. Moreover, additional links in the communication graph offers enhanced reliability. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the distributed current sharing method for a parallel four-converter system, and show resiliency against the loss of converters or communication links.
Performance of OFDM in high-mobility environments

This paper focuses on communications within a high-mobility context with OFDM as the modulation of choice. We first show that the Air-to-Ground (AtG) channel is the most difficult to adapt using standard channel equalization methods. We then derive a new channel model (AtGMM) for the AtG case and use it as the basis for analysis and for simulating the effects within the AtG environment. Next, we derive the optimal channel-estimation-based equalizer for the AtG channel; showing performance equivalent to a comparable time-invariant channel. We then analyze the performance of conventional OFDM-based systems using the AtGMM channel model and provide guidelines to maximizing the throughput within differing mobility contexts.
An endopeptidase from rheumatoid synovial tissue culture

Abstract 1. 1.|An endopeptidase, capable of degrading gelatin to small fragments, has been found in the medium from cultures of rheumatoid synovium. This peptidase, which does not degrade undenatured collagen, has numerous characteristics in common with the rheumatoid synovial collagenase: It is inhibited by EDTA, by serum proteins and by sulfhydryl compounds such as cysteine; it has a broad pH optimum in the neutral range; its synthesis and release does not seem to be stimulated by addition of sucrose to the culture media. 2. 2.|The protease has a mol. wt. approximately twice that of the collagenase, and can hydrolyze a chromophore-peptide (Pbz- l -Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro- d -Arg) synthesized as a specific substrate for bacterial collagenase. Using a sensitive assay for neutral protease activity with 14 C-labeled gelatin as substrate, the synovial collagenase has a limited capacity to degrade gelatin peptides to small fragments ( 3. 3.|These data suggest that collagen may be degraded in vivo , extracellularly, by at least two enzymes—a collagenase to make an initial cleavage through the collagen molecule and a protease to degrade further the gelatin polypeptides resulting from collagenolysis.
Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the liver presenting with acute hepatitis

Introduction: Although hepatic involvement in systemic lymphoma is present in the majority of affected patients, primary hepatic lymphoma occurs rarely. Patients with primary hepatic lymphoma usually present with constitutional symptoms, and often have hepatic mass lesions on imaging. We describe a patient with primary hepatic lymphoma presenting with acute hepatitis from lymphomatous infiltration.
Rupture of dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm into the right ventricle

Abstract Intracardiac rupture of a dissecting aortic aneurysm is rare. Although previous cases of rupture into the atria have been reported, we are unaware of any report of rupture into the right ventricle. We suggest that the pathophysiologic findings in this situation are similar to those seen in the intracardiac rupture of sinus of Valsalva aneurysms. The indications for urgent operation combine both the known progressive decompensation seen in this anatomic situation and the significant possibility of external rupture of the false sac of the aneurysm.
NDVI relationship to monthly evaporation

Note: 25(10): 1753-1756 Reference EFLUM-ARTICLE-1998-006doi:10.1029/98GL01176 Record created on 2005-09-08, modified on 2017-02-23
Robust fluorescent tomography using likelihood priors: Phantom experimental results

A method is proposed for improving the robustness of fluorescent tomography by estimating the likelihood of non-zero concentration at any voxel. Phantom experimental results demonstrate robust reconstruction despite significant modeling mismatch due to optical heterogeneities.
Determination of absorption coefficient by digital holographic measurement of optical excitation

Digital holographic microscopy produces quantitative phase analysis of a specimen with excellent optical precision. In this study, this imaging method has been used to observe and measure induced thermal lensing by optical excitation. Previous studies have derived these phase shifts from intensity profiles for the determination of photothermal properties of very transparent materials. We have measured physical observables and determined the absorption coefficients of methanol and ethanol with improved precision and accuracy over traditional thermal lens spectroscopy methods.
A Southern Hemisphere Wave Response to ENSO with Implications for Southern Africa Precipitation

Ensemble GCM simulations with an imposed, idealized warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean reveal two wave anomalies in the Southern Hemisphere, one in the eastern and one in the western hemisphere. Both are statistically significant at the 99% confidence level. Application of a steady-state linear model and a Rossby wave source analysis is used to diagnose the causes of the waves. The western hemisphere wave is forced by the advection and stretching of planetary vorticity by the divergent flow from the Southern Hemisphere component of the central Pacific ‘‘twin anticyclones’’ that straddle the equator during warm events. The eastern hemisphere wave is a result of the northeastward shift of the South Indian convergence zone (SICZ) that, in turn, is forced from the upper troposphere by convergence to the north. An upper-level convergence maximum over the equatorial Indian Ocean induces divergence to the south, encouraging vertical motion and precipitation to the northeast of the SICZ’s normal position. The resulting anomalous upper-level convergence in the climatological position of the SICZ, as well as the anomalous vorticity flux convergence by the transients associated with an equatorward shift of the storm track behind the SICZ, force the eastern hemisphere Rossby wave. Since a shift of the SICZ is a fairly robust observed consequence of ENSO events, these results suggest the mechanism by which drought conditions develop over southern Africa at the height of many warm events. Seasonal prediction capabilities in this region can be improved by monitoring and understanding the details and consequences of the adjustment of the Walker circulation near the equator outside of the Pacific Ocean basin.
The Generation Effect in Monkeys

How well one retains new information depends on how actively it is processed during learning. Active attempts to retrieve information from memory result in more learning than passive observation of the same information (the generation effect). Here, we present evidence for the generation effect in monkeys. Subjects were trained to respond to five-item lists of photographs in a particular order. On some lists, they could request "hints" to guide their behavior; on others, they had to generate the correct order from memory. Training with hints resulted in high levels of initial performance, but accuracy dropped precipitously when the hints were removed on the criterion test. Training without hints led to relatively poor initial performance, but accuracy increased steadily and remained high on the criterion test.
HIV-1 entry inhibitors: an overview.

Purpose of reviewTo provide an overview of HIV-1 entry inhibitors, with a focus on chemokine receptor antagonists.Recent findingsEntry of HIV-1 into target cells is an ordered multistep process involving attachment, co-receptor binding, and fusion. Inhibitors of each step have been identified and sh
Henoch-Schönlein purpura that wasn’t!

We present an interesting case of a 13 year old girl with Wegener’s granulomatosis/granulomatosis with polyangiitis, who was misdiagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura. The case highlights several important learning points for paediatric practice.
Glia and muscle sculpt neuromuscular arbors by engulfing destabilized synaptic boutons and shed presynaptic debris

Synapse remodeling is an extremely dynamic process, often regulated by neural activity. Here we show during activity-dependent synaptic growth at the Drosophila NMJ many immature synaptic boutons fail to form stable postsynaptic contacts, are selectively shed from the parent arbor, and degenerate or disappear from the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Surprisingly, we also observe the widespread appearance of presynaptically derived “debris” during normal synaptic growth. The shedding of both immature boutons and presynaptic debris is enhanced by high-frequency stimulation of motorneurons, indicating that their formation is modulated by neural activity. Interestingly, we find that glia dynamically invade the NMJ and, working together with muscle cells, phagocytose shed presynaptic material. Suppressing engulfment activity in glia or muscle by disrupting the Draper/Ced-6 pathway results in a dramatic accumulation of presynaptic debris, and synaptic growth in turn is severely compromised. Thus actively growing NMJ arbors appear to constitutively generate an excessive number of immature boutons, eliminate those that are not stabilized through a shedding process, and normal synaptic expansion requires the continuous clearance of this material by both glia and muscle cells.
Efficient Automated Glacier Surface Velocity Measurement From Repeat Images Using Multi-Image/Multichip and Null Exclusion Feature Tracking

Observations of ice motion are critical for constraining ice sheet mass balance and contribution to sea level rise, as well as predicting future changes. A wealth of imagery now exists for measuring ice motion from space, but existing repeat-image feature-tracking (RIFT) algorithms require the selection of several location- and data-specific parameters and manual data editing and are therefore not efficient for processing large numbers of image pairs for differing regions. Here, we present the multiple-image/multiple-chip RIFT algorithm which does not involve any user-defined local/empirical parameters and has a higher matching success rate than conventional single-image single-chip correlation matching. We also present an efficient method for applying RIFT to null-value striped data, such as the Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus. This method offers the potential for fully automated processing of large data sets.
Detection of multiple faults in MOS circuits

Test sets that detect multiple faults in MOS circuits are characterized, guided by the observation that such circuits are implemented as networks of switches. This leads to a conceptually simple technique for generating multiple fault test sets. Sufficient conditions for the detection of all multiple faults are given for switch networks, and it is shown that a test set exists meeting these conditions for any irredundant circuit with certain restrictions on fan out. In the cases where these conditions cannot be met, a class of robust test sets is presented. Test sets that generate complete multiple fault test sets with fewer vectors for many MOS complex gates than is possible using a gate-level description of the circuit are presented. >
Probable Hypoglycemic Adverse Drug Reaction Associated with Prickly Pear Cactus, Glipizide, and Metformin in a Patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective:To report a case of an adverse drug reaction (ADR) in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus taking prickly pear cactus (PPC), glipizide, and metformin.Case Summary:A 58-year-old Mexican male with type 2 diabetes mellitus being treated with metformin 1000 mg twice daily and extended-release glipizide 10 mg daily was referred to the pharmacist for medication education. He denied taking herbal supplements or experiencing hypoglycemia. Two hemoglobin A1c values (6.8% and 6.7%) obtained over the past year demonstrated glycemic control, which was supported by his reported fasting blood glucose readings of 113–132 mg/dL. One month later, the patient reported 4 hypoglycemic events with blood glucose readings of 49–68 mg/dL, which resulted in discontinuation of glipizide. One month later, the patient denied any further hypoglycemia. During medication reconciliation he reported consuming crude PPC pads daily for 2 months for glucose control.Discussion:Literature suggests that PPC has an effect on loweri...
Post Porosity Plasma Protection a new approach to integrate k ≤ 2.2 porous ULK materials

Integration of porous low dielectric constant materials constitutes a major roadblock in the reliable manufacturing of back end of the line (BEOL) wiring for the advanced technology nodes. The two main issues for Ultra low-k (ULK) materials are their low mechanical properties and high sensitivity to plasma induced damage (PID). We have developed a new class of bridged oxycarbosilane (OCS) type materials with unique stiffness, and a novel process to enable their integration. The Post Porosity Plasma Protection (P4) consists of refilling the pores of the fully cured porous ULK with an organic material prior to patterning, integrating the protected ULK and thermally removing the filler at the end of the process. We demonstrate the enormous potential of our integrated solution (materials at k≤2.2 and P4 process) on blanket films and its compatibility with integration of single damascene structures at relaxed ground rules.
Use of Uniform Terminology by Occupational Therapists

Uniform Terminology for Occupational Therapy-Second Edition (American Occupational Therapy Association, 1989b) was published to foster consistency in terminology among occupational therapists. In this study, agreement between occupational therapists and Uniform Terminology about the definition and categorization of 15 terms was examined. Agreement was measured on 113 responses from a randomly selected sample of 180 occupational therapists. Low levels of agreement were found on both definition of terms (71.9 mean percentage of agreement, SD = 12.4) and categorization of terms into larger conceptual categories (34.9 mean percentage of agreement, SD = 11.7). Therapists selected an alternative definition more often than the one given by Uniform Terminology on 2 of 15 terms and selected an alternative categorization more often than the one given in Uniform Terminology on 8 of 15 terms. These results indicate that therapists do not agree with many Uniform Terminology definitions and categorizations.
Axis Ratios of Water Drops Levitated in a Vertical Wind Tunnel

The shapes of falling raindrops are often significantly altered by drop oscillations, complicating dualpolarization radar methods that rely on a predictable, monotonic variation of drop axis ratio a with equivolume drop diameter d. This oscillation behavior varies with d so that time-averaged shapes, which are determined by oscillation mode, sometimes deviate from the d-dependent quiescent shape. The literature identifies a predominance of particular oscillation modes at discrete d, as well as the onset of oscillations at d ’ 1 mm; however, the specific mechanisms of this phenomenon are unknown. In the present work, measurements of drop axis ratio a were obtained from observations of drops levitated in a vertical wind tunnel. Discordance of the present data with the literature suggests a correlation between oscillation mode and fall trajectory, as well as a steady-state mechanism for the excitation of specific modes for d 5 1.3‐3-mm drops.
Nonspecific laryngeal granuloma: a case study of a professional singer.

Summary A professional singer with laryngeal granuloma underwent surgery following failed response to conservative treatments. Two primary findings emerged. First, although a sizable lesion was present initially, presurgical voice measures were largely normal or superior. The exception was elevated phonatory effort during singing. Second, postsurgical voice functions were entirely normal or superior (including phonatory effort), despite demanding singing performances a few weeks following surgery. The results add to the limited corpus of quantitative, normative-referenced data on voice in patients with granulomas and are inconsistent with previous reports of voice abnormalities in such patients and poor functional response to surgery.
The effect of passive torque on the kinematics of vestibular-evoked reflexive head movements

When the body is passively moved in space, reflexive compensatory head movements (vesitbulo-collic reflex, VCR) are produced to help stabilize the head with respect to the trunk. In addition, cervical stretch reflexes are activated when the head moves on the trunk (cervico-collic reflex, CCR). Each of these reflexes is thought to contribute to the stability of the head with respect to the trunk by producing head movements during body perturbations. In humans, the VCR has been shown to rapidly adapt to changes in the head's inertia by adding mass to the head during whole body rotations. In this study, a method was developed for modifying the torque acting on the head during rotation in squirrel monkeys in order to study adaptive properties of the VCR in animals. The VCR produced during horizontal rotation was studied in two squirrel monkeys while the torque exerted on the head was varied (0-5.5 oz-in). During low torque conditions the kinematics of the head movements (gain and phase) were anti-compensatory rather than compensatory. As the imposed torque was increased, the gain of the head movements gradually increased until the head was stable in space. These results illustrate the interactions between the VCR and CCR in small non-human primates free to move their head during whole body rotations. Further studies are necessary to determine what neural circuits underlie the observed interactions between the VCR and CCR
Modeling users with neural architectures

A research framework for building a user model system by utilizing artificial neural network (ANN) approaches is proposed. First, some problems in user modeling are discussed which underlie the motivations of introducing ANN approaches. Second, some considerations on ANN properties and their applications in task-related user modeling are presented. Finally, an ANN-based, integrated user modeling system is proposed which incorporates conventional symbolic reasoning approaches in a multilevel processing environment. >
Pilomatrix carcinoma of the vulva.

Background Pilomatrix carcinomas are rare, frequently occurring in older male patients. We report a case of vulvar pilomatrix carcinoma in a 30-year-old woman, the second known reported case occurring on the external genitalia.
A Tournament of Equity Analysts: Compensation, Performance, and Deviations from Consensus

We study the tournament behavior of sell-side analysts under proper timing and show that a strong non-monotonic relationship exists between analysts' relative forecasting performance early in the tournament and their later deviations from consensus. Given that the highest performers earn disproportionately large rewards while the lowest face the threat of termination, these top and bottom performers would be expected to herd to the consensus, relative to intermediate performers, a result that we find. Further, using exogenous shocks to the competitive pressures within tournaments, we show that an increase in the rewards, relative to punishments, increases participants' deviations from consensus.
How are those “lost to follow-up” patients really doing? A compliance comparison in arthroplasty patients

AIM: To determine whether there is a functional difference between patients who actively follow-up in the office (OFU) and those who are non-compliant with office follow-up visits (NFU). METHODS: We reviewed a consecutive group of 588 patients, who had undergone total joint arthroplasty (TJA), for compliance and functional outcomes at one to two years post-operatively. All patients were given verbal instructions by the primary surgeon to return at one year for routine follow-up visits. Patients that were compliant with the instructions at one year were placed in the OFU cohort, while those who were non-compliant were placed in the NFU cohort. Survey mailings and telephone interviews were utilized to obtain complete follow-up for the cohort. A χ2 test and an unpaired t test were used for comparison of baseline characteristics. Analysis of covariance was used to compare the mean clinical outcomes after controlling for confounding variables. RESULTS: Complete follow-up data was collected on 554 of the 588 total patients (93%), with 75.5% of patients assigned to the OFU cohort and 24.5% assigned to the NFU cohort. We found significant differences between the cohorts with the OFU group having a higher mean age (P = 0.026) and a greater proportion of females (P = 0.041). No significant differences were found in either the SF12 or WOMAC scores at baseline or at 12 mo postoperative. CONCLUSION: Patients who are compliant to routine follow-up visits at one to two years post-operation do not experience better patient reported outcomes than those that are non-compliant. Additionally, after TJA, older women are more likely to be compliant in following surgeon instructions with regard to follow-up office care.
Distribution of Lygus Hesperus (Knight) (Miridae: Hemiptera) on Cotton

Lygus hesperus (Knight) on cotton in the field were, on the average, distributed on the fifth through seventh nodes from the terminal. Most nymphs were located on squares, while the majority of adults were found on bolls. In comparison, adults on glasshouse plants were located predominantly in the upper four mainstem nodes; most were found on leaves. In the glasshouse, L. hesperus that were on fruit structures were almost entirely on squares. The difference in distribution between L. hesperus populations in the field and glasshouse appeared to be largely due to different plant growth patterns. Glasshouse plants were spindly, with a simple canopy characterized by short branches, few fruits, and relatively little vegetation. Plants in the field developed a full canopy, larger and more branches, and more fruit per branch, thus providing more habitat further down the plant for L. hesperus to feed. These results suggest that glasshouse experiments provide biased information on L. hesperus distribution and, possibly, feeding behavior.
Limited-Open Achilles Tendon Repair Using Locking Sutures Versus Nonlocking Sutures: An In Vitro Model.

Background:Several limited-open Achilles tendon repair techniques that use locking or nonlocking sutures have been developed, but direct comparisons of in vitro mechanical properties have not yet been reported in the literature. It was our hypothesis that loads applied to the repaired Achilles tendon would be better resisted by limited-open techniques that use locking stitches compared with limited-open repairs that use nonlocking stitches.Methods:The Achilles tendons of 31 fresh-frozen cadaver lower limbs were incised 4 cm proximal to the calcaneal insertion. Tendons were then repaired using 1 of 2 limited-open Achilles tendon repair tools, one using 3 nonlocking sutures and the other using a combination of locking and nonlocking sutures. Repaired specimens were cycled to 1000 cycles from 20 to 100 N and from 20 to 190 N followed by a single load to failure test. Nonparametric analyses were performed to compare the number of cycles to gapping and total load to failure between the 2 repair techniques.Resu...
Interobserver variability in radiation therapy plan output: Results of a single-institution study

Abstract Purpose We investigated the sources of variability in radiation therapy treatment plan output between planners within a single institution. Methods and materials Forty treatment planners across 5 campuses of an institution created a plan on the same thoracic esophagus patient computed tomography scan and structure set. Plans were scored and ranked based on the planner's adherence to an ordered list of target dose coverage and normal tissue evaluation criteria. A runs test was used to identify whether any of the studied planner qualities influenced the ranking. Spearman rank correlation was used to investigate whether plan score correlated with years of experience or planned monitor units. Results The distribution of scores, ranging from 80.24 to 135.89, was negatively skewed (mean, 128.7; median, 131.5). No statistically significant relationship between plan score and campus ( P = .193), job title ( P = .174), previous outside experience ( P = .611), or number of gantry angles ( P = .156) was discovered. No statistical correlation between plan score and monitor unit or years of experience was found. Conclusions Despite clear and established critical organ dose criteria and well-documented planning guidelines, planning variation still occurs, even among members of the same institution. Because plan consistency does not seem to significantly correlate with experience, career path, or campus, investigation into alternate methods beyond additional education and training to reduce this variation, such as knowledge-based planning or advanced optimization techniques, is necessary.