cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery.

A case of anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in a 64-year-old woman is described. She is the oldest patient in whom the diagnosis of this rare anomaly has been made during life. Angiography established the diagnosis and demonstrated retrograde blood flow in the very dilated and tortuous right coronary artery. Congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation were present but angina was absent; however, in contrast to other instances of this anomaly, no other associated congenital or acquired heart disease was present that might have caused heart failure or atrial fibrillation.
Individualism-Collectivism as a Boundary Condition for Effectiveness of Minority Influence in Decision Making.

Results of this experiment demonstrate that individualists and collectivists react differently to minority influence. Based on the distinction between objectivity and preference norms in the minority influence literature, we hypothesize that individualism and collectivism influence (A) responses to minority influence (focusing on the target of influence) and (B) effectiveness of minority influence (focusing on the influence agent). Our results replicate past research and demonstrate improved decision quality for individuals exposed to a minority perspective. Moreover, minority influence targets with high horizontal individualism and low horizontal collectivism made higher quality decisions. Influence targets with high vertical collectivism demonstrated higher quality decisions when the influence agent held a high status position in the group. Results also demonstrate that influence agents with high vertical individualism experienced less role stress than those with low vertical individualism. Finally, influence agents with low role stress were more effective in influencing the decision making of others. We discuss our findings in terms of boundary conditions to the minority influence process.
Modafinil-associated weight loss in a clozapine-treated schizoaffective disorder patient.

Background. We report a case of weight loss associated with modafinil-initiation in a clozapine-treated man with schizoaffective disorder.Methods. To report the impact of modafinil, a wake promoting agent that lacks the unwanted side affects brought on by many psychostimulants, on weight in a clozapine-treated patient.Results. Modafinil was initiated, and over the course of 1 year, Mr. B. experienced a weight loss of 40 lbs (from 280 lbs to 240 lbs) and a reduction in body mass index (BMI) of 5.08 Kg/m2 (from 35.52 Kg/m2 to 30.44 Kg/m2). After 3 years on the combination of clozapine and modafinil, his weight stabilized at 230 lbs (BMI = 29.59 Kg/m2). A 30-lb weight gain over a 6-month period occurred following discontinuation of modafinil. Reinstitution of modafinil resulted in a 10-lb. weight loss over a 6-week period.Conclusions. Modafinil treatment resulted in a significant weight loss in this patient, possibly due to reducing clozapine-associated fatigue. Randomized placebo-controlled trials are neces...
The Rise in Appendiceal Cancer Incidence: 2000–2009

Purpose Appendiceal cancer is a rare and potentially aggressive malignancy. The objectives of this study were to characterize secular demographic patterns of disease and to determine survival by using a population-based data source.
Hitler's Demand for Casablanca in 1940: Incident or Policy?

French government ot Marshal Henri Philippe Petain received an official note from the German government on 15 July 1940, in which Germany demanded active help from France in the war against Great Britain. Specifically, Adolf Hitler asked for the use of eight airfields to be built near Casablanca, Morocco's most important city and best harbour, on sites to be chosen by a German commission. The French would provide equipment, including ground personnel; land nearby for anti-aircraft batteries; unrestricted use of their merchant shipping, North African ports, and the Tunis-Rabat railroad; and full access to North Africa's communications network and weather stations. Although the entire network would operate under German command, France would be held responsible for acts of sabotage by French nationals or subjects. Hitler demanded agreement immediately.1 Few historians have examined the demand in detail and those who
The Systematic Position of Pseudomicrothorax dubius, Ciliate with a Unique Combination of Anatomical Features*

SYNOPSIS. The rather rarely found holotrichous ciliate Pseudomicrothorax dubius, generally considered in the most authoritative literature to be a member of the order Trichostomatida, more likely belongs in the Hymenostomatida. Its curious combination of trans-ordinal characteristics, however, makes difficult exact systematic allocation of it and of the congeneric species P. agilis. The provocative morphological features include: a gymnostome-like cytopharyngeal “basket”; a tetrahymenal buccal apparatus, with membranelles comparable with those of primitive hymenostomes; an advanced semi-autonomous type of stomatogenesis; and sensory bristles, flattened rigid form, and restricted ciliature reminiscent of certain spirotrichs. Brief discussion is presented concerning the influence of modern ideas of ciliate classification upon what is considered the proper taxonomic position of the genus.
Catalytic subunit of protein kinase A caged at the activating phosphothreonine.

Caged reagents are photoactivatable molecules with applications in biological research. While a great deal of work has been carried out on small caged molecules, less has been done on caged macromolecules, such as proteins. Caged proteins would be especially useful in signal transduction research. Since most proteins involved in cell signaling are regulated by phosphorylation, a means to cage phosphorylated proteins would be generally applicable. Here we show that the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A can be activated by thiophosphorylation at Thr-197. The modified protein can then be caged with 4-hydroxyphenacyl bromide to yield a derivative with a specific catalytic activity that is reduced by ∼17-fold. Upon photolysis at near UV wavelengths, an ∼15-fold increase in activity is observed, representing an ∼85−90% yield of uncaged product with a quantum yield φP = 0.21. Because protein kinases belong to a superfamily with structurally related catalytic domains, the protein chemistry demonstrated here s...
A simple subclassification of American Society of Anesthesiology III patients undergoing peripheral revascularization based on functional capacity

Purpose The American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification remains the most widely used risk-stratification system in the world. However, it is not practical in patients undergoing revascularization procedures because most are classified as ASA III. We hypothesized that ASA III patients can be subdivided into two subgroups, ASA IIIA and ASA IIIB, simply based on their preoperative functional capacity measured in metabolic equivalents (METS) of Methods All charts of 482 patients (99% men) who underwent revascularization for disabling claudication or critical limb ischemia between June 2001 and October 2006 were reviewed for demographics, comorbidities, operative and interventional details, postoperative complications, and outcomes defined as myocardial infarction, stroke, and death. Preoperative functional capacity information was obtained from the anesthesia records in the electronic charts. Results There were 35 patients (7%) in ASA II, 371 patients (77%) in ASA III (45% in ASA IIIA, 32% in ASA IIIB) and 76 patients (16%) in ASA IV. The age, albumin level, prevalence of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, renal insufficiency (creatinine >1.5 mg/dL), critical limb ischemia, and length of stay were significantly higher in ASA IIIB than IIIA patients. Significantly more myocardial infarctions and deaths occurred in IIIB than in IIIA patients. The overall survival rate was significantly better in ASA IIIA than in ASA IIIB patients. A univariate Cox proportional model identified coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), renal insufficiency, hypercholesterolemia, presence of critical limb ischemia, and preoperative albumin level of Conclusion Functional capacity assessment is an integral part of routine preoperative anesthesia evaluation, and we found this to be very reliable in predicting postoperative morbidity and mortality as well as overall survival in ASA III patients undergoing peripheral revascularization. This simple modification allows ASA III patients (approximately 80% of vascular patients) to be unbundled into two very distinct subgroups, which will potentially lead to a more accurate preoperative risk assessment.
Adult-onset Henoch-Schonlein purpura with positive c-ANCA (anti-proteinase 3): case report and review of literature.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have two common patterns detected by indirect immunoXuorescence test (IIF test). The cytoplasmic pattern (c-ANCA) that is strongly associated with antibodies against proteinase-3 (PR3) and the perinuclear pattern (p-ANCA) that is mostly directed against myeloperoxidase (MPO). Anti-proteinase 3 and anti-MPO are characteristic for pauci-immune small vessel vasculitis like Wegener’s granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, Churg–Strauss syndrome and idiopathic crescentic glomerulonephritis [1]. In Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG), the combination of c-ANCA with anti-PR3 antibodies has a sensitivity of 58% and a speciWcity of 99% [2]. On the other hand, the presence of c-ANCA (anti-PR3) in immune-complex-mediated vasculitis such as Henoch–Schonlein purpura (HSP) is very unusual. We report a case of biopsy proven HSP associated with IgG c-ANCA (anti-PR3).
Can Mixed-Metal Surfaces Provide an Additional Enhancement to SERS?

We explore the chemical contribution to surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in mixed-metal substrates, both experimentally and by computer simulation. These substrates are composed of a chemically active, transition-metal overlayer deposited on an effective SERS substrate. We report improved analytical enhancement factors obtained by using a small surface coverage of palladium or platinum over nanostructured silver substrates. Theoretical predictions of the chemical contribution to the surface enhancement using density functional theory support the experimental results. In addition, these approaches show that the increased enhancement is due not only to an increase in surface coverage of the analyte but also to a higher Raman scattering cross section per molecule. The additional chemical enhancement in mixed-metal SERS substrates correlates with the binding energy of the analyte on the surface and includes both static and dynamical effects. SERS using mixed-metal substrates has the potential to impro...
A Self-Contained First and Second Grade Bilingual Classroom in the Midwest

Abstract This is a descriptive account of a self-contained first and second grade bilingual classroom in an urban school district in the Midwest, and the sociocultural context in which it is located. The description includes information about students, teachers, and administrators; the bilingual curriculum; ESL goals; entry and exit assessment; Spanish and English reading and writing activities, and home-school connections. The article concludes with critical comments and recommendations which focus on the need for greater parent involvement; training of teachers, administrators, and parents; clearer procedures for language and content area assessment; more effective bilingual teacher meetings; and material resources for bilingual teachers.
FLAME: Formal Linear Algebra Methods Environment

Since the advent of high-performance distributed-memory parallel computing, the need for intelligible code has become ever greater. The development and maintenance of libraries for these architectures is simply too complex to be amenable to conventional approaches to implementation. Attempts to employ traditional methodology have led, in our opinion, to the production of an abundance of anfractuous code that is difficult to maintain and almost impossible to upgrade.Having struggled with these issues for more than a decade, we have concluded that a solution is to apply a technique from theoretical computer science, formal derivation, to the development of high-performance linear algebra libraries. We think the resulting approach results in aesthetically pleasing, coherent code that greatly facilitates intelligent modularity and high performance while enhancing confidence in its correctness. Since the technique is language-independent, it lends itself equally well to a wide spectrum of programming languages (and paradigms) ranging from C and Fortran to C++ and Java. In this paper, we illustrate our observations by looking at the Formal Linear Algebra Methods Environment (FLAME), a framework that facilitates the derivation and implementation of linear algebra algorithms on sequential architectures. This environment demonstrates that lessons learned in the distributed-memory world can guide us toward better approaches even in the sequential world.We present performance experiments on the Intel (R) Pentium (R) III processor that demonstrate that high performance can be attained by coding at a high level of abstraction.
The Democratic Potential in the Transition of Postmodernism From Critique to Social Evolution

Postmodernism is more than a school of thought or merely a critique of modernism. It is rather a period of transition that marks an evolutionary trend in the development of human culture and in the development of democratic government. As such, postmodernism warrants more than reform; it calls for the conscious engagement of its potential. Further, the dilemmas of postmodernism could become permanently embedded in our culture if they are not recognized as the transitory growing pains of a society seeking a new balance rather than merely confronting a social malaise. Indeed, the basic tenets of postmodern philosophy can be understood from different perspectives—not all of which lead to the decline of civilization. Postmodernism, for example, is also an opportunity for government to participate in the evolution of American democracy. Such participation, however, calls for a self-conscious public administration, one more concerned with stewarding this change than regulating it.
Photoluminescence and Förster Resonance Energy Transfer in Elemental Bundles of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are commonly synthesized in bundles for which the luminescence is often quenched altogether. Here, we report on the simplest case of nanotube bundles: a single pair of individual air-suspended SWNTs. Using luminescence imaging spectroscopy, we find that emission and excitation spectra can be described within an energy transfer picture, with donor to acceptor transfer of excitation. The multiplicity of emission peaks in small bundles indicates that the transfer of luminescence is only partial at room temperature, with thermal occupation of the donor being significant. We attribute this signature to the unique band structure of SWNTs, with diameter and chirality dependent energy, recombination rate, and density of states.
Space-time finite element computation of compressible flows involving moving boundaries and interfaces☆

Abstract The deformable-spatial-domain/stabilized-space-time (DSD/SST) formulation, introduced by Tezduyar et al. is applied to computation of viscous compressible flows involving moving boundaries and interfaces. The stabilization technique employed is a streamline-upwind/Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) method, with a modified SUPG stabilization matrix. The stabilized finite element formulation of the governing equations is written over the space-time domain of the problem, and therefore the deformation of the spatial domain with respect to time is taken into account automatically. The frequency of remeshing is minimized to minimize the projection errors involved in remeshing and also to increase the parallelization potential of the computations. The implicit equation systems arising from the space-time finite element discretizations are solved iteratively. It is demonstrated that the combination of the SUPG stabilization and the space-time approach gives the capability of handling complicated compressible flow problems, including those with moving surfaces and shock-boundary layer interactions.
Residual Stresses, Thermomechanical Behavior and Interfaces in the Weld Joint of Ni-based Superalloys†

The paper relates aspects of interfaces, residual stresses and dislocations with joint behaviour in the Ni-based single crystals. It is focused on the understanding the fundamental driving forces and response of the materials which leads to the formation of dislocation structure during local melting and solidification. Oscillations in the dislocation structure are observed at both macro and micro scales. The underlying mechanism of these processes is essential to real world applications.
Validation of a Screening Instrument for Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis

Objective To develop and pilot test a screening tool to identify cases of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) among patients exposed to gadolinium-containing contrast agents. Methods Sixty English-speaking subjects were enrolled: 10 subjects diagnosed as having NSF, 10 subjects with other fibrosing skin diseases, 20 subjects with nonfibrosing skin diseases, and 20 subjects without a skin disease. Subjects answered a questionnaire with 8 closed-ended (yes/no) questions focusing on cutaneous and musculoskeletal manifestations of NSF. The subjects were evaluated by a dermatologist for the presence of clinical signs of NSF. We compared the number of affirmative responses in the NSF group to those in the other groups, and the optimal cutoff that would differentiate groups was calculated. Discrimination, positive and negative predictive values, and internal consistency were also assessed. Results Subjects in the NSF group tended to provide more affirmative answers. Using a cutoff of ≥3 affirmative responses yields a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 70%, with an area under the curve of 0.85, indicating good discrimination. Sensitivity analysis using modified control group or weighted scores exhibited only slightly better discriminatory power. The positive predictive value of the questionnaire ranged from 0.3% to 39.7%, and its negative predictive values ranged from 97% to >99% with the different proposed prevalence estimates. The instrument had high internal consistency. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrates that this questionnaire has both high internal consistency and good discriminatory ability. Thus, it may be used to screen populations for NSF.
Proton chemical potential, proton electrical potential and bacterial motility

Bacillus subtilis, maintained at an external pH of 5·5, was found to have a transmembrane proton chemical potential difference of 80mV (inside alkaline) as the only contribution to protonmotive force under these conditions; the electrical potential difference was negligible. (Escherichia coli, in contrast, maintains an appreciable electrical potential over a wide range of pH conditions ( Padan et al., 1976 ; Ramos & Kaback, 1977a ; this paper).) B. subtilis cells at pH 5·5, energized by proton chemical potential alone, were vigorously and indefinitely motile. The mean swimming speed of 40 μm per second was the same as at external pH 7·5, where motility was driven by electrical potential alone. Measurements of motility as a function of protonmotive force at pH 7·5 and 5·5 indicated that (1) a threshold of 30 mV was needed for motility, (2) a further increase to 60 mV yielded a rapid increase in swimming speed, and (3) the motors appeared to be saturated above 60 mV, since no further increase in swimming speed occurred. These characteristics applied to motility driven either by proton chemical potential or by proton electrical potential, although slightly higher potentials were needed in the former case. The implications of a device that converts diffusion potential into sustained mechanical work are discussed.
Fluro-Gold: composition, and mechanism of uptake

Determining the mechanism by which fluorescent retrograde neuronal tracers are taken up requires knowledge of their composition. It has been claimed that Fluoro-Gold, a retrogradely transported fluorescent neuronal tracer, is 2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene (hydroxystilbamidine), an amidine antibiotic. However, this appears questionable, since the fluorescence spectrograms reported for Fluoro-Gold differ markedly from the spectrograms previously reported for purified hydroxystilbamidine. To help clarify the mechanism by which Fluoro-Gold might be taken up, it was decided to examine its composition and determine whether hydroxystilbamidine was its active agent. Fluoro-Gold was found by mass spectrometry to contain a component with a molecular weight of 280 Da (identical to that of hydroxystilbamidine), and fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated the existence of a substance with a fluorescence spectrum similar to that of purified hydroxystilbamidine. Although a major fluorescent impurity was also observed, chromatographic separation of different fluorescent components of Fluoro-Gold suggested that the fraction resembling hydroxystilbamidine was responsible for its retrograde labeling of cells. It is concluded that hydroxystilbamidine is the active constituent of Fluoro-Gold. Chemically, hydroxystilbamidine is a weak base. In this respect it resembles True blue, DAPI, Granular blue, bis-benzimide, Nuclear yellow, and several other retrogradely transported molecules. It is suggested that these agents cross cell membranes in their uncharged form and are trapped in lysosomes and endosomes by a favorable pH gradient. Thus, the uptake of this type of retrograde tracer may be an example of a well-understood process occurring widely throughout biological systems: the trapping of weak bases in acidic cellular compartments.
Influence of three ratios of silage and grain and corn versus beet pulp on voluntary intake by dairy heifers.

Abstract Silage alone and silage to corn or beet pulp ratios of 80:20, 60:40, and 40:60 (dry matter basis) were fed to dairy heifers and fistulated steers to study the inter-relationships between ration composition, rumen fermentation, and voluntary intake of dry matter and estimated net energy. The silage was a wheat plus ryegrass mixture. When corn was fed, dry matter intake was not improved over the 80:20 ratio by higher levels of substitution. The same trend occurred with beet pulp, except that the maximum level of 40:60 reduced intake to a level similar to silage alone. Due to increased ration digestibility, the two feeds resulted in similar and consistent increases in estimated net energy intake at each level of substitution. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the relationships between ration composition and intake were complex, involving a delicate balance between cellulose, nitrogen-free extract, rate of rumen fermentation, and bulk density of the ration.
Cloning and expression of the gene from Candida albicans that encodes a high-affinity corticosteroid-binding protein.

Abstract We have previously demonstrated the presence of a corticosteroid-binding protein (CBP) in Candida albicans and speculated on its homology to the glucocorticoid receptor. To explore this relationship further, we cloned the CBP gene. Our strategy employed sequencing enzymatically derived peptide fragments from purified CBP and using this information to synthesize degenerate oligonucleotide primers for use in the PCR. A 117-bp fragment amplified from C. albicans DNA was then used to screen a genomic library. Hybridizing clones were isolated, and DNA sequencing revealed an open reading frame of 1467 bp which encoded a protein with a molecular weight of 55,545. Southern analysis demonstrated that the gene was present at a unique locus within chromosome R of the Candida genome, while Northern analysis showed that the gene was expressed in C. albicans as a 1.8-kb transcript. CBP was over-expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and it exhibited an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 7 nM for [3H]corticosterone and displayed a steroid hormone binding profile comparable to that of the native protein. Searches of the data banks revealed little overall similarity to other cloned genes. However, the amino acid sequence contains a dinucleotide-binding fingerprint. In conclusion, we have cloned the gene encoding the CBP from C. albicans and have shown that the expressed protein has the properties of the native CBP. A comparison of the cloned gene to members of the steroid-thyroid-retinoic acid receptor gene superfamily showed that CBP is unrelated to these hormone receptors.
Primary flight computers for the Boeing 777

Abstract This paper follows one on the Boeing 777 primary flight computers, which was presented at ERA's 1992 Avionics Conference. The current paper focuses on the system requirements software implementation, and operational consequences of a fault-tolerant system. Beginning with the reasons for fly-by-wire, the paper goes on to describe the overall architecture of the Boeing 777 primary flight computer system. Particular emphasis is placed on the control modes and the way in which envelope protection functions are implemented. After a brief description of the hardware, the paper describes the software life-cycle process, including design, coding and test, highlighting the way in which the integrity of the software has been achieved. The fault-tolerant aspects of the design, and the advantages that these provide to operators, conclude the paper
Pleuropneumonectomy for the treatment of Masaoka stage IVA thymoma.

Background The treatment of locally advanced Masaoka stage IVA thymoma is not standardized and is problematic. Methods A single-institution retrospective study was made of 5 patients with World Health Organization B3 thymomas who underwent pleuropneumonectomy for locally advanced thymoma. Two patients had recurrent thymoma and 3 presented de novo with stage IVA disease. Patients had a variety of induction and adjuvant treatments. Results There was no operative mortality, and only 1 patient had a major complication. Several patients had relatively prolonged disease-free survival. The median survival was 86 months, and the Kaplan-Meier survival was 75% (95% confidence interval: 53% to 97%) at 5 years and 50% (95% confidence interval: 25% to 75%) at 10 years. Conclusions Pleuropneumonectomy can be performed safely in patients with advanced thymomas and may improve survival. Highly selected patients might be cured with this approach if a complete resection is performed. While the optimal multimodality strategy for these patients is unknown, induction chemotherapy followed by resection then chemoradiotherapy seems promising.
Insights into DNA replication from the third domain of life.

The discovery of the Archaea (1), the third domain of life, has reinvigorated efforts to understand the phylogenetic relationships among all forms of life. It is therefore not surprising that the recent completion of four archaeal genomes (2–5) created a flurry of excitement among biologists (Genetics, Vol. 152). A comparison of genome sequences reveals that the prokaryotes, Archaea and Bacteria, have closer similarities in their metabolic processes, but Archaea and Eukarya have more similarities in their information processing machineries (DNA replication, transcription, and translation) (6, 7). If this initial observation were supported by further biochemical analyses, then it would suggest that Archaea and Bacteria diverged before the evolution of mechanisms that substantially increased the fidelity of information transfer. That pressure for accuracy may have increased as genomes became more and more complex. Furthermore, it would suggest Archaea and Eukarya share a common ancestor more recently than either shares with Bacteria (Fig. 1). This observation has drawn intense interests from biochemists who have long been battling with the complexities of eukaryal biology. If Archaea embody a more primitive form of the highly evolved Eukarya, then simplified models for complex systems of Eukarya may be found in Archaea. Indeed, a composite of the putative replication proteins identified from four archaeal genomes supports this view (Table 1) (7). This rationale provided the motivation for the biochemical characterization of the Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum MCM protein.
Obesity: a challenge to esophagogastric junction integrity.

Background & Aims: The aim of the current study was to analyze the relationship between obesity and the morphology of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) pressure segment using high-resolution manometry. Methods: Two hundred eighty-five patients (108 men, aged 18–87) were studied. A solid-state manometric assembly with 36 circumferential sensors spaced 1 cm apart was placed transnasally, and simultaneous intra-esophageal and intragastric pressures were measured over 6–8 respiratory cycles. Separation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and crural diaphragm was quantified by measuring the distance between the two EGJ elements during inspiration. The association between anthropometric variables and pressure values were examined using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: There was a significant correlation of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with intragastric pressure (inspiration, BMI [ r = 0.57], WC [ r = 0.62] P r = 0.58], WC [ r = 0.64], P r = 0.37], WC [ r = 0.43], P r = 0.24], WC [ r = 0.26], P r = 0.17, P r = 0.21, P
Paras, Palaces, Pathogens: frameworks for the growth of Calcutta, 1800–1850

THE HISTORICAL FABRIC OF CALCUTTA incorporates both the perspective of indigenous knowledges and practices, as well as successive regimes of “improvements” that British colonial authorities sought to introduce in the period 1798-1850. In the face of these diverse interests the urban fabric served as a crurial medium for the negotiation of difference. Portions of the indigenous population selectively adapted their budding designs and social practices to British conventions, while protecting other patterns and practices in efforts both to accommodate and to maintain difference. [Colonial cities, urban planning, hygiene, India, Calcutta]
Cross education and the human central nervous system

Chronic unilateral motor activity affects the motor output of the contralateral homologous muscle. Such adaptation, or "cross education," indicates an organizational and functional role for the contralateral elements of the central nervous system. In this article, cross education is used as a model to examine this contralateral organization of the human central nervous system. The possibility of whether there are direct changes in the excitability of transcallosal paths and whether, linked to these changes, there are indirect modulations in the excitability of contralateral corticospinal projections is examined. The paper also explores the possibility that there is a spinal component in cross education. The study observed that there is an abundance of evidence to suggest that chronic activation of muscles on one side of the body produces adaptations in the same muscles on the other side of the body in healthy adults as well as in individuals with a variety of pathologies. Data inferred from cross-sectional studies make it likely that interhemispheric and spinal paths both contribute to cross education. Although interhemispheric callosal paths in humans are moderate to dense with the majority of the interhemispheric connections being inhibitory, the connections between the homologous muscles tend to be excitatory, providing a neuroanatomical basis for cross education. The possibility exists that the effects of unilateral practice on interhemispheric inhibition and on the excitability of the contralateral corticospinal projections are linked, and these effects are graded according to the nature of muscle activation. The possibility also exists that cross education is mediated by cross-spinal paths. Cutaneous stimulation appears to exert strong excitatory effects on contralateral motor neurons. In total, an understanding of interhemispheric interactions in the human motor cortex may shed light on the mechanisms of motor learning and the coordination of bilateral movements and improve methods of therapeutic rehabilitation.
Insect Eggs Can Enhance Wound Response in Plants: A Study System of Tomato Solanum lycopersicum L. and Helicoverpa zea Boddie

Insect oviposition on plants frequently precedes herbivory. Accumulating evidence indicates that plants recognize insect oviposition and elicit direct or indirect defenses to reduce the pressure of future herbivory. Most of the oviposition-triggered plant defenses described thus far remove eggs or keep them away from the host plant or their desirable feeding sites. Here, we report induction of antiherbivore defense by insect oviposition which targets newly hatched larvae, not the eggs, in the system of tomato Solanum lycopersicum L., and tomato fruitworm moth Helicoverpa zea Boddie. When tomato plants were oviposited by H. zea moths, pin2, a highly inducible gene encoding protease inhibitor2, which is a representative defense protein against herbivorous arthropods, was expressed at significantly higher level at the oviposition site than surrounding tissues, and expression decreased with distance away from the site of oviposition. Moreover, more eggs resulted in higher pin2 expression in leaves, and both fertilized and unfertilized eggs induced pin2 expression. Notably, when quantified daily following deposition of eggs, pin2 expression at the oviposition site was highest just before the emergence of larvae. Furthermore, H. zea oviposition primed the wound-induced increase of pin2 transcription and a burst of jasmonic acid (JA); tomato plants previously exposed to H. zea oviposition showed significantly stronger induction of pin2 and higher production of JA upon subsequent simulated herbivory than without oviposition. Our results suggest that tomato plants recognize H. zea oviposition as a signal of impending future herbivory and induce defenses to prepare for this herbivory by newly hatched neonate larvae.
Toward Sensing, Communications and Control Architectures for Frequency Regulation in Systems with Highly Variable Resources

The basic objective of this chapter is to rethink frequency regulation in electric power systems as a problem of cyber system design for a particular class of complex dynamical systems. It is suggested that the measurements, communications, and control architectures must be designed with a clear understanding of the temporal and spatial characteristics of the power grid as well as of its generation and load dynamics. The problem of Automatic Generation Control (AGC) and frequency regulation design lends itself well to supporting this somewhat general observation because its current implementation draws on unique structures and assumptions common to model aggregation in typical large-scale dynamic network systems. We describe how these assumptions are changing as a result of both organizational and technological industry changes. We propose the interactions variable-based modeling framework necessary for deriving models, which relax conventional assumptions when that is needed. Using this framework, we show that the measurements, communications, and control architectures key to ensuring acceptable frequency response depend on the types of disturbances, the electrical characteristics of the interconnected system and the desired technical and economic performance. The simulations illustrate several qualitatively different electric energy systems. This approach is by and large motivated by today’s AGC and its measurement, communications and control architectures. It is with this in mind that we refer to our interactions variable-based frequency regulation framework as “enhanced AGC” (E-AGC). The enhancements come from accounting for temporal and spatial characteristics of the system which require a more advanced frequency regulation design than the one presently in place. Our proposed interactions variable-based aggregation modeling could form the basis for a coordination of interactions between the smart balancing authorities (SBAs) responsible for frequency regulation in the changing industry. Given the rapid deployment of synchrophasors, the proposed E-AGC can be easily implemented.
Development of implicit and explicit category learning.

We present two studies that examined developmental differences in the implicit and explicit acquisition of category knowledge. College-attending adults consistently outperformed school-age children on two separate information-integration paradigms due to children’s more frequent use of an explicit rule-based strategy. Accuracy rates were also higher for adults on a unidimensional rule-based task due to children’s more frequent use of the irrelevant dimension to guide their behavior. Results across these two studies suggest that the ability to learn categorization structures may be dependent on a child’s ability to inhibit output from the explicit system.
A Bio-Inspired Active Radio-Frequency Silicon Cochlea

Fast wideband spectrum analysis is expensive in power and hardware resources. We show that the spectrum-analysis architecture used by the biological cochlea is extremely efficient: analysis time, power and hardware usage all scale linearly with N, the number of output frequency bins, versus N log(N) for the Fast Fourier Transform. We also demonstrate two on-chip radio frequency (RF) spectrum analyzers inspired by the cochlea. They use exponentially-tapered transmission lines or filter cascades to model cochlear operation: Inductors map to fluid mass, capacitors to membrane stiffness and active elements (transistors) to active outer hair cell feedback mechanisms. Our RF cochlea chips, implemented in a 0.13 mum CMOS process, are 3 mm times 1.5 mm in size, have 50 exponentially-spaced output channels, have 70 dB of dynamic range, consume <300 mW of power and analyze the radio spectrum from 600 MHz to 8 GHz. Our work, which delivers insight into the efficiency of analog computation in the ear, may be useful in the front ends of ultra-wideband radio systems for fast, power-efficient spectral decomposition and analysis. Our novel rational cochlear transfer functions with zeros also enable improved audio silicon cochlea designs with sharper rolloff slopes and lower group delay than prior all-pole versions.
Integrated Analytical and Experimental Research to Develop a New Seismic Design Methodology for Precast Concrete Diaphragms

AbstractA new seismic diaphragm design methodology has been developed for precast concrete floor diaphragms. The knowledge required to create the design methodology was obtained through an integrated analytical and experimental research project using two Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) equipment sites. The activities of the project involved a sequence of integrated research tasks that systematically developed knowledge about diaphragm behavior from the reinforcement detail level to the structural system level. These tasks included the use of state-of-the-art experimental techniques made possible through the NEES facilities including hybrid simulation and large-scale shake table tests. Such techniques were crucial to the research as the complex behavior of precast diaphragms is not well described by simple analytical models or idealized experiments. Valuable industry oversight in the planning, execution, and technology transfer stages of the project guided the research activities, incl...
Psychology's responsibility in false accusations of child abuse.

Each year, there are persons who go to jail and lose their life savings, their homes, their reputations, and their jobs because social workers, psychologists, prosecutors, jurors, and judges believe what young children tell them about being sexually molested. Hundreds of thousands of individuals each year are accused falsely of child abuse (Besharov, 1984; Eberle and Eberle, 1986; Pride, 1986; Renshaw, 1986). Techniques often associated with psychological science play a prominent part in the process that results in many of the false accusations. In an article entitled, "Why Don't They Understand Us?" in the American Psychologist, Benjamin (1986) states that "some elements of the public...doubt psychology's value as a science, a profession, and a means of promoting human welfare" (p. 941). The psychological profession's inability, or unwillingness, to speak out against the misuse of unscientifically based instruments in child abuse may be a partial reason why portions of the public may question the value of psychology. Language: en
Inhibition by metrifonate and dichlorvos of cholinesterases in schistosomes.

Abstract 1. No species differences between Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni were detected when the I50 of metrifonate for the acetylcholinesterases (AChE) and the cholinesterases (ChE) of these two trematodes were determined in isolated enzyme preparations or following exposure of the intact worms to this drug in vitro. 2. S. haematobium appeared to be more affected by AChE inhibition because, after administration of metrifonate to hamsters, a hepatic shift of the parasites was observed with a dose of metrifonate (150 mg (0·6 mmol) per kg) which produced no shift of S. mansoni, although AChE inhibition was comparable in both species. 3. Administration of a possible metabolite of metrifonate, dichlorvos, to hamsters resulted in a greater inhibition of AChE and ChE activities of S. haematobium than those of S. mansoni. Furthermore, when schistosomes were incubated with dichlorvos, inhibition of AChE activity of female S. haematobium was significantly greater (P<0·005) than that of both sexes of S. mansoni and of male S. haematobium. 4. The discrepancy between the lack of a significant chemotherapeutic effect of metrifonate in hamsters infected with S. haematobium and the clinical results obtained with this organophosphorus compound in human schistosomiasis haematobium is discussed, and the need to conduct similar studies in primates is pointed out.
Flying in the face of total disruption

More than 50% of the 13,666 Drosophila melanogaster genes are now reported to contain a P-element or piggyBac insertion. Some of these insertions have been used to create molecularly defined deletions spanning more than 50% of the genome.
Ecological changes in Coyotes (Canis latrans) in response to the ice age megafaunal extinctions.

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are an important species in human-inhabited areas. They control pests and are the apex predators in many ecosystems. Because of their importance it is imperative to understand how environmental change will affect this species. The end of the Pleistocene Ice Age brought with it many ecological changes for coyotes and here we statistically determine the changes that occurred in coyotes, when these changes occurred, and what the ecological consequences were of these changes. We examined the mandibles of three coyote populations: Pleistocene Rancho La Brean (13–29 Ka), earliest Holocene Rancho La Brean (8– 10 Ka), and Recent from North America, using 2D geometric morphometrics to determine the morphological differences among them. Our results show that these three populations were morphologically distinct. The Pleistocene coyotes had an overall robust mandible with an increased shearing arcade and a decreased grinding arcade, adapted for carnivory and killing larger prey; whereas the modern populations show a gracile morphology with a tendency toward omnivory or grinding. The earliest Holocene populations are intermediate in morphology and smallest in size. These findings indicate that a niche shift occurred in coyotes at the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary – from a hunter of large prey to a small prey/more omnivorous animal. Species interactions between Canis were the most likely cause of this transition. This study shows that the Pleistocene extinction event affected species that did not go extinct as well as those that did.
Simple and efficient numerical methods for problems of electromagnetic radiation and scattering from surfaces

Simple and efficient numerical methods are developed for treating electromagnetic problems of scattering and radiation from surfaces. Special consideration is given to the treatment of edges so that rather arbitrary geometrical configurations may be handled. For the conducting body problems considered, an electric field integral formulation is used, and the method of moments is applied using pulse expansions to represent both the current and the charge. It is demonstrated that proper placement of the current and charge subdomains relative to edges not only is important in treating edges but also yields a convenient numerical procedure. A simple testing scheme is used which is almost as efficient as point-matching. Numerical results indicate that the approach is free of anomalies in the behavior of current near edges and of other previously observed numerical instabilities. Problems considered include conducting strips (both TM and TE), a bent rectangular plate, and both material and conducting bodies of revolution.
Cortical Microvascular Remodeling in the Stenotic Kidney. Role of Increased Oxidative Stress

Objective— Mechanisms of renal injury distal to renal artery stenosis (RAS) remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that it involves microvascular remodeling consequent to increased oxidative stress. Methods and Results— Three groups of pigs (n=6 each) were studied after 12 weeks of RAS, RAS+antioxidant supplementation (100 IU/kg vitamin E and 1 g vitamin C daily), or controls. The spatial density and tortuousity of renal microvessels (<500 μm) were tomographically determined by 3D microcomputed tomography. The in situ production of superoxide anion and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its receptor VEGFR-2, hypoxia-inducible-factor (HIF)-1α, von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein, and NAD(P)H oxidase (p47phox and p67phox subunits) were determined in cortical tissue. RAS and RAS+antioxidant groups had similar degrees of stenosis and hypertension. The RAS group showed a decrease in spatial density of cortical microvessels, which was normalized in the RAS+antioxidant group, as was arteriolar tortuousity. RAS kidneys also showed tissue fibrosis (by trichrome and Sirius red staining), increased superoxide anion abundance, NAD(P)H oxidase, VHL protein, and HIF-1α mRNA expression. In contrast, expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, and VEGFR-2 protein was downregulated. These were all significantly improved by antioxidant intervention. Conclusions— Increased oxidative stress in the stenotic kidney alters growth factor activity and plays an important role in renal microvascular remodeling, which can be prevented by chronic antioxidant intervention.