cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Well-differentiated lipomatous neoplasms with p53 alterations: A clinicopathologic and molecular study of eight cases with features of atypical pleomorphic lipomatous tumor.

AIMS Well-differentiated lipomatous neoplasms encompass a broad spectrum of benign and malignant tumors, many of which are characterized by recurrent genetic abnormalities. Although a key regulator of p53 signaling, MDM2, is characteristically amplified in well-differentiated liposarcoma, recurrent abnormalities of p53 itself have not been reported in well-differentiated adipocytic neoplasms. Here, we present a series of well-differentiated lipomatous tumors characterized by p53 alterations and histologic features in keeping with atypical pleomorphic lipomatous tumor (APLT). METHODS AND RESULTS We reviewed the morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic features of eight lipomatous tumors with p53 alterations. Four tumors arose in the thigh, and one case each arose in the shoulder, calf, upper back, and subclavicular regions; six tumors were deep/subfascial and two were subcutaneous. Relevant clinical history included two patients with Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Morphologically, all cases demonstrated well-differentiated adipocytes with prominent nuclear pleomorphism, limited mitotic activity, and no tumor cell necrosis. All cases were negative for MDM2 overexpression and amplification by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization, respectively. By immunohistochemistry, p16 was diffusely overexpressed in all cases; seven tumors (88%) showed abnormal loss of Rb and p53. TP53 mutation or deletion was identified in 4 of 6 tumors evaluated by exon-targeted hybrid capture-based massively parallel sequencing; RB1 mutation or deletion was present in 5 of 6 cases. CONCLUSIONS We present a series of eight well-differentiated lipomatous neoplasms characterized by p53 alterations in addition to Rb loss and histologic features of APLT. These findings suggest that impaired p53 signaling may contribute to the pathogenesis of APLT in a subset of cases.
Tumor necrosis factor-α modulates GABAergic and Dopaminergic neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray of female mice.

Neuroimmune signaling is increasingly identified as a critical component of various illnesses, including chronic pain, substance use disorder, and depression. However, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), may play a role by modulating synaptic function and long-term plasticity. The midbrain structure periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a well-established role in pain processing, and while TNF-α inhibitors have emerged as a therapeutic strategy for pain-related disorders, the impact of TNF-α on PAG neuronal activity has not been thoroughly characterized. Recent studies have identified subpopulations of ventrolateral PAG (vlPAG) with opposing effects on nociception, with dopamine (DA) neurons driving pain relief in contrast to GABA neurons. Therefore, we used slice physiology to examine the impact of TNF-α on neuronal activity of both these subpopulations. We focused on female mice since the PAG is a sexually dimorphic region and most studies use male subjects, limiting our understanding of mechanistic variations in females. We selectively targeted GABA and DA neurons using transgenic reporter lines. Following exposure to TNF-α there was an increase in excitability of GABA neurons along with a reduction in glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In DA neurons, TNF-α exposure resulted in a robust decrease in excitability along with a modest reduction in glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Interestingly, TNF-α had no effect on inhibitory transmission onto DA neurons. Collectively, these data suggest that TNF-α differentially affects the function of GABA and DA neurons in female mice and enhances our understanding of how TNF-α mediated signaling modulates vlPAG function.
A MICROECONOMIC SCHEDULER FOR PARALLEL COMPUTERS

We describe a scheduler based on the microeconomic paradigm for scheduling on-line a set of parallel jobs in a multiprocessor system. In addition to the classical objectives of increasing the system throughput and reducing the response time, we consider fairness in allocating system resources among the users, and providing the user with control over the relative performances of his jobs. We associate with every user a savings account in which he receives money at a constant rate. When a user wants to run a job, he creates an expense account for that job to which he transfers money from his savings account. The job uses the funds in its expense account to obtain the system resources it needs for execution. The share of the system resources allocated to the user is directly related to the rate at which the user receives money; the rate at which the user transfers money into a job expense account controls the job''s performance. We prove that starvation is not possible in our model. Simulation results show that our scheduler improves both system and user performances in comparison with two different variable partitioning policies. It is also shown to be effective in guaranteeing fairness and providing control over the performance of jobs.
The solar coronal mass ejection of 20–21 November, 1973

An analysis of the polarization signal of the nonloop-like coronal transient event of November 20-21 is presented. It is found that the event can be described as an axisymmetric-cylindrical or conical volume, the boundaries of which remain constant over its lifetime. The results are used to place bounds on the variation of transient spatial density with height and on the variation of density with time.
Evidence for the Chemical Interaction between 2-Mercaptoethanol and Tetrahydrofolate

Abstract Evidence is presented that tetrahydrofolate reacts chemically with 2-mercaptoethanol. The resulting product is more stable than tetrahydrofolate itself. The rate of decomposition of this derivative has been investigated. The possible sequences of interaction of tetrahydrofolate with 2-mercaptoethanol are discussed.
Anchoring TRP to the INAD macromolecular complex requires the last 14 residues in its carboxyl terminus

J. Neurochem. (2008) 104, 1526–1535. Abstract Drosophila transient-receptor-potential (TRP) is a Ca2+ channel responsible for the light-dependent depolarization of photoreceptors. TRP is anchored to a macromolecular complex by tethering to inactivation-no-afterpotential D (INAD). We previously reported that INAD associated with the carboxyl tail of TRP via its third post-synaptic density protein 95, discs-large, zonular occludens-1 domain. In this paper, we further explored the molecular basis of the INAD interaction and demonstrated the requirement of the last 14 residues of TRP, with the critical contribution of Gly1262, Val1266, Trp1274, and Leu1275. We also revealed by pull-down assays that the last 14 residues of TRP comprised the minimal sequence that competes with the endogenous TRP from fly extracts, leading to the co-purification of a partial INAD complex containing INAD, no-receptor-potential A, and eye-protein kinase C (PKC). Eye-PKC is critical for the negative regulation of the visual signaling and was shown to phosphorylate TRP in vivo. To uncover the substrates of eye-PKC in the INAD complex, we designed a complex-dependent eye-PKC assay, which utilized endogenous INAD complexes isolated from flies. We demonstrate that activated eye-PKC phosphorylates INAD, TRP but not no-receptor-potential A. Moreover, phosphorylation of TRP is dependent on the presence of both eye-PKC and INAD. Together, these findings indicate that stable kinase-containing protein complexes may be isolated by pull-down assays, and used in this modified kinase assay to investigate phosphorylation of the proteins in the complex. We conclude that TRP associates with INAD via its last 14 residues to facilitate its regulation by eye-PKC that fine-tunes the visual signaling.
Estimation of the L-Curve via Lanczos Bidiagonalization

The L-curve criterion is often applied to determine a suitable value of the regularization parameter when solving ill-conditioned linear systems of equations with a right-hand side contaminated by errors of unknown norm. However, the computation of the L-curve is quite costly for large problems; the determination of a point on the L-curve requires that both the norm of the regularized approximate solution and the norm of the corresponding residual vector be available. Therefore, usually only a few points on the L-curve are computed and these values, rather than the L-curve, are used to determine a value of the regularization parameter. We propose a new approach to determine a value of the regularization parameter based on computing an L-ribbon that contains the L-curve in its interior. An L-ribbon can be computed fairly inexpensively by partial Lanczos bidiagonalization of the matrix of the given linear system of equations. A suitable value of the regularization parameter is then determined from the L-ribbon, and we show that an associated approximate solution of the linear system can be computed with little additional work.
Insightful Storytelling on Geodynamics

The central goal of Earth science is to understand how our planet works. In the bad old days, because our understanding was so primitive, one could contribute without feeling much constrained by realistic ideas of material properties and processes. Much of geophysics was more closely related to applied mathematics than to physics. The remarkable advances of the past few decades have led the way to a highly interdisciplinary activity in which three aspects are equally important: data collection and analysis, computer modeling of processes, and material physics and chemistry. A well-trained geophysicist should no longer hope to excel with an expertise in just one area.
Differential expression of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in high versus low Gleason score prostate cancer.

AbstractPurpose: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system appears to be important in human prostate cancer biology. Expression of specific IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) by prostate cancer tissues may modulate IGF cellular actions, and possibly determine both IGF-dependent tumor growth and biological aggressiveness in vivo. The purpose of this study was to examine the differential expression of all six IGFBP genes in benign and malignant prostate tissue samples.Materials and Methods: Using RNAse protection assays, we examined expression of IGFBPs 1 through 6 in 23 paired benign and neoplastic prostate tissue samples obtained from the same prostatectomy specimen. RNA expression levels on each tissue sample were determined densitometrically and groups compared using standard Student's t test.Results: We found expression of IGFBPs 2 through 6, but not IGFBP-1, in both malignant and benign tissues. A statistically significant differential expression of IGFBPs 2, 3 and 5 was found between tumors with high Gl...
Gamma-Ray Lines from Asymmetric Supernovae

We present three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of supernova explosions from 100 s to 1 yr after core bounce. By extending our modeling efforts to a three-dimensional hydrodynamics treatment, we are able to investigate the effects of explosion asymmetries on mixing and γ-ray line emergence in supernovae. A series of initial explosion conditions are implemented, including jetlike and equatorial asymmetries of varying degree. For comparison, symmetric explosion models are also calculated. A series of time slices from the explosion evolution are further analyzed using a three-dimensional Monte Carlo γ-ray transport code. The emergent hard X- and γ-ray spectra are calculated as a function of both viewing angle and time, including trends in the γ-ray line profiles. We find significant differences in the velocity distribution of radioactive nickel between the symmetric and asymmetric explosion models. The effects of this spatial distribution change are reflected in the overall high-energy spectrum, as well as in the individual γ-ray line profiles.
Wittgenstein on Self-knowledge

I want to examine some features of the sort of putative knowledge which persons may be said to have of themselves in Wittgenstein's later philosophy-especially in the Philosophical Investigations. I am primarily interested in one sort of putative self-knowledge in this essay. Wherever we have a first-person present-tense use of a psychological verb or verbal phrase, and one might conceivably be said to know that the verb applies truly in one's own case, issues arise over whether this really is knowledge. Now the following view is attributed to Wittgenstein by a number of philosophers, including Anthony Kenny, whose interpretation I shall scrutinize here.' In the case of 'I know that I am in pain', it is claimed Wittgenstein holds that this sort of utterance is an abuse of language, or, in a non-linguistic version, that Wittgenstein holds that I cannot know that I am in pain. It is in the spirit of such interpreters that this supposed view of Wittgenstein's is not to be confined to pain. In what follows, I shall argue that on Wittgenstein's view as expressed in various later texts self-knowledge of the sort we are considering is a possibility, in a way not allowed by the interpretation at issue. Moreover, Wittgenstein's actual view helps bring out some important features of such self-knowledge. I shall now discuss the two main passages in the Investigations usually invoked by those who hold the interpretation I am criticizing: section 246 and a set of remarks on page 222.2 These passages, invoked by Kenny, deserve comment independently of examination of other features of his position. The interpretation at issue usually involves construing in isolation the sentences of section 246 of the Investigations 'It can't be said of me at all (except perhaps as a joke) that I know I am in pain. What is it supposed to mean-except perhaps that I am in pain?' On my reading, the first paragraph of 246 should be read as an exchange of views. Sometimes in the Investigations Wittgenstein presents what amount to interpersonal dialogues or perhaps expressions of jarring views which seem to recommend themselves to one person with conflicting inclinations. Often a
Static investigation of post-exit vanes for multiaxis thrust vectoring

Transonic wind tunnel tests are conducted to determine the flow-turning capabilities and nozzle internal performance of axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric nozzles employing postexit vanes for multiaxis thrust-vectoring. The geometric parameters investigated for the axisymmetric nozzle installation were number of vanes, vane curvature, vane location relative to nozzle exit, and vane deflection angle; for the nonaxisymmetric cases, the parameters were vane planform and curvature, nozzle type, and nozzle exit aspect ratio. Nozzle pressure ratio was varied from 1.5 to 6.0, using high pressure air.
JASPER: an Eclipse plug-in to facilitate software maintenance tasks

Recent research has shown that developers spend significant amounts of time navigating around code. Much of this time is spent on redundant navigations to code that the developer previously found. This is necessary today because existing development environments do not enable users to easily collect relevant information, such as web pages, textual notes, and code fragments. JASPER is a new system that allows users to collect relevant artifacts into a working set for easy reference. These artifacts are visible in a single view that represents the user's current task and allows users to easily make each artifact visible within its context. We predict that JASPER will significantly reduce time spent on redundant navigations. In addition, JASPER will facilitate multitasking, interruption management, and sharing task information with other developers.
Formation of the astral mitotic spindle: ultrastructural basis for the centrosome-kinetochore interaction.

The formation of the astral mitotic spindle is initiated at the time of nuclear envelope breakdown from an interaction between the replicated spindle poles (i.e. centrosomes) and the chromosomes. As a result of this interaction bundles of microtubules are generated which firmly attach the kinetochores on each chromosome to opposite spindle poles. Since these kinetochore fibers are also involved in moving the chromosomes, the mechanism by which they are formed is of paramount importance to understanding the etiology of force production within the spindle. As a prelude to outlining such a mechanism, the dynamics of spindle formation and chromosome behavior are examined in the living cell. Next, the properties of centrosomes and kinetochores are reviewed with particular emphasis on the structural and functional changes that occur within these organelles as the cell transits from interphase to mitosis. Finally, a number of recent observations relevant to the mechanism by which these organelles interact are detailed and discussed. From these diverse data it can be concluded that kinetochore fiber microtubules are derived from dynamically unstable astral microtubules that grow into, or grow by and then interact laterally with, the kinetochore. Moreover, the data clearly demonstrate that the interaction of a single astral microtubule with one of the kinetochores on an unattached chromosome is sufficient to attach the chromosome to the spindle, orient it towards a pole, and initiate poleward motion. As the chromosomes move into the region of the forming spindle more astral microtubules become incorporated into the nascent kinetochore fibers and chromosome velocity decreases dramatically. During this time the distribution of spindle microtubules changes from two overlapping radial arrays to the fusiform array characteristic of metaphase cells.
Thermal desorption of CO, O2 and CH4 molecules from Ni(111) single crystals

Abstract The thermal desorption of CO, O 2 and CH 4 molecules from a Ni(111) single crystal surface has been studied by Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) and Mass Spectroscopy. The crystal surface was exposed to the above molecules at pressures from 10 -9 to 10 -5 Torr. Surface structures and bonding were studied by the above techniques. The absolute coverage of the molecules on the surface was measured and activation energies for thermal desorption were measured for each case.
The effect of catalyst preparation conditions on the morphology of MgO catalyst supports

Abstract The role of chloride in the periclase-brucite system and its effect on the surface area and crystalline state have been studied as a function of pretreatment. Chloride increases the degree of transformation of periclase into brucite at room temperature. If the chloride is removed from the brucite prior to dehydration, he brucite undergoes a pseudomorphic transformation to a microporous, high surface area MgO. The presence of any residual chloride from the catalyst precursor compounds hinders the development of high surface areas. A hydrazine treatment in the aqueous phase prior to the dehydration greatly reduces the amount of residual chloride in the MgO. Previous work (Leofanti et al., Appl. Catal., 3 (1982) 131) had revealed a correlation between the temperature for release of water from the brucite, and the residual chloride contamination. While the early release of water may be explained on the basis of a lowering of the activation energy for proton conduction in the brucite, the drop in surface area appears to be a post-dehydration phenomenon related to the ability of chloride to aid sintering and grain growth in the oxide.
Desert grassland canopy arthropod species richness: temporal patterns and effects of intense, short-duration livestock grazing

Abstract Arthropods living in the canopies of two woody shrub species (a sub-shrub (Gutierrezia sarothrae) and a large shrub (Prosopis glandulosa)) and perennial grasses plus associated herbaceous species, were sampled on 18, 0.5 hectare plots in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland for five consecutive years. Mesquite shrubs were removed from nine plots, six plots were grazed by yearling cattle in August and six plots were grazed in February for the last 3 years of the 5 year study. Arthropod species richness ranged between 154 and 353 on grasses, from 120 to 266 on G. sarothrae, and from 69 to 116 on P. glandulosa. There was a significant relationship between the number of families of insects on grass and G. sarothrae and growing season rainfall but species richness was not a function of growing season rainfall on any of the plants. Several of the arthropod families that were the most species rich in this grassland were found on all of the plants sampled, i.e. Salticid spiders, Bruchid and Curculionid beetles, Cicadellid and Psyllid homopterans, and ants (Formicidae). There were more species rich families that were shared by grasses and the sub-shrub G. sarothrae than with mesquite. The absence of a relationship between growing season rainfall and species richness was attributed to variation in life history characteristics of arthropods and to the non-linear responses of annual and perennial desert grassland plants to rainfall. There were no significant differences in insect family or species richness on any of the plant types as a result of removal of mesquite (P. glandulosa) from selected plots. Intense, short duration (24 h) grazing by livestock during in late summer resulted in reduced species richness in the grass-herb vegetation layer but had no effect on insect species richness on snakeweed or mesquite shrubs. Livestock grazing in winter had no effect on insect species richness on any of the vegetation sampled.
Does religion matter? A comparison study of the ethical beliefs of marketing students of religious and secular universities in Japan

This study was designed to examine the determinants of and differences between the ethical beliefs of two groups of Japanese students in religious and secular universities. Multiple regression analysis revealed that students of the Japanese religious university perceived that young, male, relativistic, and opportunistic students tended to behave less ethically than did older, female, and idealistic students. Students of the Japanese secular university perceived that male, achievement-oriented, and opportunistic students tended to behave less ethically than did female and experience-oriented students. Opportunism was found to be one of the most important determinants in explaining misconduct. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) revealed that students of the Japanese secular university tended to score higher on achievement and humanism, and lower on theism and positivism than did students of the Japanese religious university. In addition, students of the Japanese secular university were somewhat more sensitive to academic dishonesty practices than were students of the Japanese religious university.
Intrapleural chemotherapy for effusion from metastatic breast carcinoma

Efficacy of thoracentesis with the instillation of nitrogen mustard or thio-TEPA for malignant pleural effusions due to metastatic mammary carcinoma is investigated. One hundred and thirty-eight patients were evaluated, of whom 93 were treated by aspiration or intercostal tube drainage of the effusion followed by instillation of a cytotoxic agent. The remaining 45 patients received similar intrapleural chemotherapy and subsequent systemic cytotoxic agents several months later. Thirty-eight (27.5%) of the total patients in this study demonstrated an objective response with an average duration of 8.8 months. Subjective improvement was observed in 73 (53%). Rate and duration of response to instillation of nitrogen mustard and thio-TEPA were similar. The use of a recently devised weighted intercostal tube with the same alkylating agents significantly improved the results.
MHC Toolbox: Drugs of abuse

In the past year, several questions have been posed on the CPNP Email Discussion List regarding bath salts and spice. Designer drugs, such as bath salts or spice, are agents that have pharmacologic effects similar to controlled substances, but are not under legal control since they are chemically distinct from controlled substances.1 These drugs may be marketed as a “legal high”. The dilemma in controlling designer drugs based on their structural similarity stems from the fact that these designer drugs may also be structurally similar to approved medications for depression or anaphylaxis.1 Designer drugs can also avoid control by being placed in packaging labeled “not for human consumption”, thereby failing to meet all attributes needed to be considered a controlled substance.1 The example previously mentioned, bath salts, have no legitimate use for bathing and are meant to be abused and the same chemical has also been sold as plant food. This month's MHC Toolbox of Drugs of Abuse, though not all-inclusiv...
Strabismus and congenital hypothyroidsm

Summary A survey of 63 children with congenital hypothyroidism revealed that 43 per cent had strabismus which persisted after thyroid replacement therapy. An additional 10 per cent had nystagmus. The persistence of ocular findings depsite thyroid replacement therapy constitutes a significant physical sign of congenital hypothyroidism
Breakup criteria for fluid particles

Abstract A simple mechanistic model is developed based on the combination of Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor instability theory to describe the breakup of freely rising or falling fluid particles, i.e. bubbles and drops. The breakup is predicted to occur if the growth rate of interfacial waves on the leading front is faster than the rate at which waves propagate around the interface to the side of the particle. Based on this theoretical model and available experimental data, simple correlations are developed to predict the maximum size a fluid particle can reach. Predicted values of the breakup diameter are compared with experimental data for cases of freely rising bubbles, falling drops in gas and freely falling or rising drops in immiscible liquids. The results are extended to predict the maximum droplet size in a high-velocity gas field which is the most interesting case in terms of practical applications. Good agreement between predicted values and experimental data indicates that the principal mechanisms involved in the fluid particle breakup process are properly accounted for by the proposed model.
Baseline EEG asymmetries and performance on neuropsychological tasks

Thirty-two participants were tested for both resting electroencephalography (EEG) and neuropsychological function. Eight one-minute trials of resting EEG were recorded from 14 channels referenced to linked ears, which was rederived to an average reference. Neuropsychological tasks included Verbal Fluency, the Tower of London, and Corsi's Recurring Blocks. Asymmetries in EEG alpha activity were correlated with performance on these tasks. Similar patterns were obtained for delta and theta bands. Factor analyses of resting EEG asymmetries over particular regions suggested that asymmetries over anterior scalp regions may be partly independent from those over posterior scalp regions. These results support the notions that resting EEG asymmetries are specified by multiple mechanisms along the rostral/caudal plane, and that these asymmetries predict task performance in a manner consistent with lesion and neuroimaging studies.
Influence of 22-day treatment on the anticonvulsant properties of cannabinoids

Mice were given delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), cannabidiol (CBD) or phenytoin (PHT) daily for 22 days. Drug activity was measured weekly in three different anticonvulsant tests: the maximal electroshock threshold, the 60-Hz-electroshock threshold and the 6-Hz-electroshock threshold. In order to correlate potential pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic changes resulting from repeated treatment, brain-drug concentrations were determined at each test time. The results from the delta-9-THC study indicate that, although tolerance developed in all three tests, there were no changes in the brain-drug concentration. For CBD the pharmacodynamics were strikingly different: an increase in sensitivity to the drug developed in two of the tests, tolerance in only one test. Here again, there were no changes in brain-drug concentrations. The results of the PHT study differed from both the cannabinoids, for tolerance developed in one test, an increase in sensitivity in one test, and the activity was unchanged in the third test. Again, the brain concentrations remained constant throughout. The results demonstrate that both tolerance and increased sensitivity can develop concomitantly with anticonvulsant effects of the cannabinoids and PHT, and that these modifications in drug activity appear to result from cellular or functional rather than dispositional changes.
[3H]AF-DX 116 labels subsets of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in rat brain and heart.

Abstract The in vitro binding properties of the novel muscarinic antagonist [3H]AF-DX 116 were studied using a rapid filtration technique. Association and dissociation rates of [3H]AF-DX 116 binding were rapid at 25°C (2.74 and 2.70 × 107 min−1 M−1 for k+1; 0.87 and 0.93 min−1 for k−1) but 20–40 times slower at 0–4°C (0.13 and 0.096 × 107 min−1 M−1 for k+1; 0.031 and 0.022 min−1 for k−1 in cerebral cortical and cardiac membranes, respectively). Kinetic dissociation constants (Kds) were estimated to be 31.8 nM and 30.9 nM at 25°C ; 23.1 nM and 22.9 nM at 0–4°C for the cerebral cortex and heart, respectively. In saturation studies, [3H]AF-DX 116 labeled 29 percent of the total [3H](−)QNB binding sites in the cerebral cortical membranes and 87 percent in the cardiac membranes, with Kd values of 28.9 nM and 17.9 nM, respectively. Muscarinic antagonists inhibited [3H]AF-DX 116 binding in a rank order of potency of atropine > dexetimide > AF-DX 116 > PZ > levetimide in both tissues. Except for PZ/[3H]AF-DX 116 and AF-DX 116/[3H]AF-DX 116 in the cerebral cortex, all the antagonist competition curves had Hill coefficients close to one. Carbachol and oxotremorine produced shallow inhibition curves against [3H]AF-DX 116 binding in both tissues. Regional distribution studies with [3H](−)QNB, [3H]PZ and [3H]AF-DX 116 showed that most of the muscarinic receptors in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and corpus striattum are of the M1 subtype while those in the brainstem, cerebellum and other lower brain regions are of the M2 subtype. These results indicate that [3H]AF-DX 116 is a useful probe for the study of heterogeneity of muscarinic cholinergic receptors.
Copper status and ascorbic acid concentrations in rats

Abstract Copper is a trace element essential for several biological systems. Important cuproenzymes, peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM) and dopamine-β—monooxygenase (DBM), also require ascorbic acid (AA) as a cosubstrate for normal activity. To extend previous studies in mice, AA was determined in organs from thirty-day-old copper-adequate (+Cu) and copper-deficient (-Cu) male and female rats. Copper deficiency was initiated during the last two weeks of gestation and verified by the severe reduction in liver and brain copper concentrations, 85 and 75% respectively. Rat tissue AA concentrations were determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Brain, liver, and kidney were not influenced by diet while spleens from -Cu rats contained 20% less AA than controls. In a second study, male weanling rats were fed a -Cu diet for 5.5 weeks and compared to +Cu controls. Sixty-day-old male rats, +Cu and -Cu, had comparable AA levels but differing Cu status. Changes in PAM and DBM activity in -Cu rats are not likely to be influenced by changes in AA. Brain cortex and cerebellum AA levels were determined between birth and 6-weeks of age in control rats. A marked rise in cerebellar AA was noted during lactation which fell upon weaning.
Clinical significance of gastric myoelectrical dysrhythmias.

Normal rhythmic myoelectrieal activity of the human stomach is 3 cpm, regulating gastric contractile activity. Dysrhythmia in gastric myoelectrieal activity is found to be associated with functional d
Microstructural effects on the springback of advanced high-strength steel

The application of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) has been growing rapidly in the automotive industry. Because of their high-strength, thinner sheet metals can be used for body components to achieve both weight savings and increased safety. However, this will lead to greater springback deviation from design after the forming operation. Fundamental understanding and prediction of springback are required for springback compensation and tooling design. While various types of continuum mechanics based models have been proposed to simulate the mechanical behavior of advanced high-strength steels, few of them consider microstructural effects such as material heterogeneity. In this study, through sheet thickness strength variation has been observed in DP 780 and TRIP 780 steels. Finite-element simulation indicates that the through thickness effect (TTE) can have a significant impact on the springback behavior of these sheet metals. This is verified through our experimental work using draw-bend testing. The results suggest that microstructural effects should be considered to accurately simulate springback of AHSS. Based on these results, implications of different microstructural designs will be discussed.
Viability of cryopreserved spermatozoa of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus L.

Summary Semen of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus L., was frozen and stored at −74°C for periods up to 50 days in a glycerol/sea water medium (phosphate buffer). After collecting in glass centrifuge tubes, untreated semen was cooled between 15 and 5°C at a rate of −0.5°C/min. After 30 min of equilibration, semen was transferred to 2-ml glass ampoules and diluted with three volumes of diluent (25 ml of 0.4 M NaCl/0.1 M glycine, 4 ml of 0.028 M NaH2P04/0.072 M Na2HP04(pH. 7.2), and 5 ml of glycerol). Each sample was then cooled−6°C/min between 5°C to −35°C and quick-frozen to −79°C by immersion in a solid C02/acetone bath. After varying storage periods, cryopreserved semen samples were thawed under running tap water (20°C) and their viability tested. Compared to unfrozen control semen, viability tests (control = 100%) indicated that 73% of the spermatozoa showed eosin dye exclusion, 40% showed sperm-egg attachment, and 17% of fertilized eggs showed embryonic development.
Tobacco, Good and Bad: Prosaics of Marijuana in a Sepik Society

In the Murik Lakes at the mouth of the Sepik River, young men debated middle-aged and senior men about the moral value of marijuana, and the moral status of their community as a whole, as they did. In part, their discourse had been absorbed into perduring, but shifting, genres that preceded the arrival of the drug. On the one hand, it had been assimilated into precapitalist views of trade and several dimensions of conflict discourse. On the other, it had given rise to a combined, partly market-based, partly kinship-based view of intertribal trade, as well as to a secular predilection for the drug's perceived effects. Marijuana talk, according to Lipset, comprised an important forum in which Murik men engaged one another, not conclusively, but open-endedly, in uneasy, nervous dialogue about the increasingly limited efficacy of male agency in postcolonial PNG.
Effects of Binder Modification on Aggregate Structure and Thermovolumetric Properties of Asphalt Mixtures

Modifiers have been widely used to improve the engineering value of asphalt binders and the performance characteristics of asphalt mixtures. Recent studies have confirmed that binder modification can influence mixture performance by two mechanisms: improving the mechanical properties of the continuous phase (i.e., binder or the asphalt-mineral filler mastic) of the mixture and changing the initial or inherent aggregate structure of the mixture (i.e., aggregates' packing). A study identifies the relative importance of these two mechanisms on the low-temperature response of asphalt mixtures by using both experimental testing and finite element model analysis. This study uses three modifications: elastomeric, plastomeric, and a combination of elastomeric and plastomeric (i.e., hybrid). The low-temperature mechanical characterization of asphalt binders and mastics are measured with the bending beam rheometer and the glass transition temperature test. Mixture performance at low temperatures is evaluated with t...
Supersense tagging of unknown nouns in WordNet

We present a new framework for classifying common nouns that extends named-entity classification. We used a fixed set of 26 semantic labels, which we called supersenses. These are the labels used by lexicographers developing WordNet. This framework has a number of practical advantages. We show how information contained in the dictionary can be used as additional training data that improves accuracy in learning new nouns. We also define a more realistic evaluation procedure than cross-validation.
Weapon classification and shooter localization using distributed multichannel acoustic sensors

A wireless sensor network-based wearable countersniper system prototype is presented. The sensor board is connected to a small helmet-mounted microphone array that uses time of arrival (ToA) estimates of the ballistic shockwave and the muzzle blast to compute the angle of arrival (AoA) of both acoustic events. A low-power radio is used to form an ad-hoc multihop network that shares the detections among the nodes. Utilizing all available ToA and AoA data, a novel sensor fusion algorithm then estimates the shooter position, bullet trajectory, miss distance, caliber, and weapon type. A single sensor relying only on its own detections is able determine the shooter position when both the shockwave and the muzzle blast are detected by at least three microphones each. Even with just one shockwave and one muzzle blast detection, the miss distance and range can be accurately estimated by a single sensor. The system has been tested multiple times at the US Army Aberdeen Test Center and the Nashville Police Academy. The demonstrated performance is 1-degree trajectory precision, over 95% caliber estimation accuracy, and close to 100% weapon estimation accuracy for 4 out of the 6 guns tested.
Geometrical theory of diffraction, evanescent waves, complex rays and Gaussian beams

Summary. The Gaussian beam method has recently been introduced into synthetic seismology to overcome shortcomings of the ray method, especially in transition regions due to focusing or diffraction where ray theory fails. One proceeds by discretizing the initial data as a superposition of paraxial Gaussian beams, each of which is then traced through the seismic environment. Since Gaussian beam fields do not diverge in ray transition regions, they are ‘uniformly regular’ although the quality of this regularity depends on the beam parameters and on the ‘numerical distance’ which defines the extent of the transitional domain. However, when Gaussian beam patches are used to simulate non-Gaussian initial data, there arise ambiguities due to choice of patch size and location, beam width, etc., which are at the user's disposal. The effects of this arbitrariness have customarily been explored by trial and error numerical experiment but no quantitative recommendations have emerged as yet. As a step toward a priori predictive capability, it is proposed here to perform a systematic study on analytically tractable prototype models of how the parameters and location of a single beam affect the quality of the observed seismic field, especially in ray transition regions. The conversion of ordinary ray fields into beam fields in canonical configurations can be accomplished conveniently by displacing a real source point into a complex coordinate space. Thus, the desired beam solutions can be obtained directly from available ray, and even paraxial ray, fields. Complex ray theory and its implications are reviewed here, with an emphasis on improvements of beam tracking schemes employed at present.
Mealworm asthma: clinical and immunologic studies

Abstract Mealworms are larvae of the Tenibrio molitor (Tm) beetle and are widely used as fishing bait. Four of five bait handlers in a warehouse who were exposed to particulates of Tm exoskeletons reported immediate-onset asthma, rhinitis, or contact urticaria while unwrapping and packaging the larvae. Positive cutaneous prick tests to Tm extract were detected in all four symptomatic workers. Specific IgE against Tm antigens of 14.6% and 22.5% were found by the RAST method in the two workers with Tm-induced asthma. Specificity ofTm-IgE binding was confirmed by RAST inhibition of 73%, 58%, and 37% by 2 × 10 −1 , 2 × 10 −2 and 2 × 10 −3 dilutions of Tm antigen. No significant inhibition of Tm-IgE binding by mite and cockroach antigen or by extracts of three other larval species of the Diptera and Lepidoptera orders, to which the workers were also exposed, was detected. Bronchial provocation challenge with Tm antigen performed in the two workers with asthma exhibited an immediate fall in FEV 1 of more than 20% at provocation-dose dilutions of 2 × 10 −3 and 2 × 10 −5 , respectively. In the latter worker, pretreatment with disodium cromoglycate inhibited the bronchial response to 2 × 10 −4 dilution of Tm antigen. This study demonstrates that inhaled particulates from Tm exoskeletons are potent sensitizers and elicit IgE-mediated occupational asthma. Allergenic cross-reactivity between orders of insects was not observed. This occupational setting serves as a model for the prospective study of insect allergy.
Nanosized Amorphous Materials as Anodes for Lithium Batteries

The carbon anode presently used in commercial lithium ion batteries has a relatively low capacity and may pose safety problems particularly under fast charging. Nanosized amorphous materials have excellent electrochemical behavior when applied as anodes for lithium ion batteries; especially they have advantages over bulk materials on capacity retention and rate capability. The initial studies on some amorphous compounds are promising. A commercialized tin-cobalt-carbon amorphous material, which is composed of ~5nm nanoparticles, shows a capacity retention of >350 mAh/g for 50+ cycles. Manganese oxide nanofibers were synthesized by polymer templated electrospinning followed by calcinations. The fibers have 200-500 nm diameter and the main composition is Mn3O4. The capacity remains 400 mAh/g for at least 50 cycles.
Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody Associated Systemic Vasculitis Is Associated with Epstein - Barr virus in the Setting of HIV Infection

IntroductionEpstein-Barr virus has been a leading candidate as a trigger for several autoimmune diseases. We describe an antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated systemic vasculitis as the initial presenting illness of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.Case Report and ResultsThe pa
A note on transient thermometry with inert thermometers

Der Einfluss der Tragheit von Thermometern mit Warmekapazitat wird berechnet fur den Fall zweier Thermometer im Kontakt mit einem langen Stab. Temperaturleitfahigkeit und die Lage von Warmequellen konnen aus den Therniometerablesungen fur kleine Zeitwerte erhalten werden.
Variable temperature cure polyetherimide epoxy-based prepreg systems

This work identifies the necessary attributes of variable temperature cure epoxy-based prepreg systems as they relate to high performance prepreg systems capable for composite repair. Model polyetherimide epoxy blend resins were developed and hot-melt impregnated into woven carbon fabric and compared with a commercial prepreg system. It was found that when the PEI content was increased from 0 to 14 wt% in the base resin of the prepregs, the G IC and G IIC fracture toughness increased by over 70%. The fracture toughness was found to be similar when the model prepreg was cured at either 121°C or 177°C, a result of only a 9% difference in conversion and complete phase separation of the PEI at both cure temperatures. Void content in vacuum cured laminates were found to decrease as the PEI content was increased because of a large quantity of resin in the interstitial areas between the longitudinal and transverse tows. A comparison of the model and commercial prepreg system demonstrated many similarities and some significant differences. For example, the commercial prepreg had a 15% difference in conversion when cured at 121°C versus 177°C and very little PEI phase separation after both cure cycles. As a result, a significant difference in G IIC for the commercial prepreg was observed for the two cure temperatures.
Ontological individualism reconsidered

The thesis of methodological individualism in social science is commonly divided into two different claims—explanatory individualism and ontological individualism. Ontological individualism is the thesis that facts about individuals exhaustively determine social facts. Initially taken to be a claim about the identity of groups with sets of individuals or their properties, ontological individualism has more recently been understood as a global supervenience claim. While explanatory individualism has remained controversial, ontological individualism thus understood is almost universally accepted. In this paper I argue that ontological individualism is false. Only if the thesis is weakened to the point that it is equivalent to physicalism can it be true, but then it fails to be a thesis about the determination of social facts by facts about individual persons. Even when individualistic facts are expanded to include people’s local environments and practices, I shall argue, those still underdetermine the social facts that obtain. If true, this has implications for explanation as well as ontology. I first consider arguments against the local supervenience of social facts on facts about individuals, correcting some flaws in existing arguments and affirming that local supervenience fails for a broad set of social properties. I subsequently apply a similar approach to defeat a particularly weak form of global supervenience, and consider potential responses. Finally, I explore why it is that people have taken ontological individualism to be true.
A Thermal Analysis of a Spirally Wound Battery Using a Simple Mathematical Model

A two-dimensional thermal model for spirally wound batteries has been developed. The governing equation of the model is the energy balance. Convective and insulated boundary conditions are used, and the equations are solved using a finite element code called TOPAZ2D. The finite element mesh is generated using a preprocessor to TOPAZ2D called MAZE. The model is used to estimate temperature profiles within a spirally wound D-size cell. The model is applied to the lithium/thionyl chloride cell because of the thermal management problems that this cell exhibits. Simplified one-dimensional models are presented that can be used to predict best and worst temperature profiles. The two-dimensional model is used to predict the regions of maximum temperature within the spirally wound cell. Normal discharge as well as thermal runaway conditions are investigated.
Glass formation and crystallization in binary Zr–Pt systems

Previous rapid solidification studies of Zr–Pt alloys have focused primarily on compositions very close to the Zr80Pt20 eutectic. In the current work, a wide range of alloys, Zr x Pt100 − x (69 ≤ x ≤ 81), were synthesized by melt spinning to examine their starting structures and devitrification behaviours. Similar to the frequently reported formation of a metastable quasicrystalline phase during heating of near-eutectic compositions, ribbons with Zr contents as low as 75 at.% show comparable transformations, but at higher temperatures, before transforming to the stable Zr5Pt3 structure. With the quench rate used in this study, a further decrease below 75 at.% Zr precludes the formation of the metastable quasicrystalline phase and instead results in crystallization directly to the stable Zr5Pt3 structure. Preliminary analysis of the transformation kinetics reveals a lower activation energy for the transformation of an amorphous Zr–Pt structure to the metastable quasicrystal phase in comparison to the stabl...