cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemistry Beyond the Actinides

Humans have been fascinated ever since ancient times with trying to understand the composition of the terrestrial world around them and even the stars beyond their reach. In the 4th century B.C., Aristotle proposed that all matter could be described in terms of varying proportions of four “elements”—air, earth, fire, and water. Elements, including gold, silver, and tin, that are found relatively pure in nature were isolated and used over the period of the next several hundred years. The alchemists of medieval times isolated and discovered additional elements and used secret formulas and rituals in the attempt to find the “philosopher’s stone” and attain their goal of transmuting lead into gold. The development of experimental science and the scientific method in the 18th century accelerated the pace of the discovery of new elements, but uranium, discovered in 1789 by Klaproth in pitchblende from Saxony, Germany, remained the heaviest known chemical element for 150 years. After the discovery by Becquerel in 1896 that uranium salts blackened photographic plates due to radiations from the natural decay chains of uranium, Marie Curie and Pierre Curie (Curie and Curie, 1898) began extensive studies of the new phenomenon that they dubbed “radioactivity.” They were successful in isolating and identifying the first radioactive elements Po (84) and Ra (88) in pitchblende. They shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Becquerel in 1903 for their studies of radioactivity. Marie Curie continued her investigations of radioactive species and isolated macro quantities of Ra to be used for medical purposes. She received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911 for the isolation of pure radium and the determination of its molecular weight. She is recognized as the founder of the subdiscipline of “radiochemistry,” which can be defined as the study of radioactivity and radioactive elements; she could rightfully be acknowledged as the founder of nuclear medicine as well. In the mid-1930s, the new breed of “nuclear” scientists, including both chemists and physicists, became intrigued with the possibility of actually synthesizing new “artificial” elements not found in nature. The discovery of “artificial” radioactivity by Joliot–Curies in 1934, the invention of the cyclotron by E. O. Lawrence in
Intermodulation Effects and System Sensitivity Degradation in $5\mathrm{G}$ Phased-Arrays due to Multiple Interferers

Electronically-scanned phased arrays are an integral part of millimeter-wave 5G networks, and therefore, it is important to examine the effects of interferers on the performance of a receiving phased-array. This paper presents both theoretical analysis and experimental verification of 1M3 effects in a 28 GHz 5G phased array operating in the receive mode. It is shown that the intermodulation products generated by interferers peak at certain predictable scan angles depending on their direction of arrival and can limit the sensitivity of the phased array. The interferers degrade the phased-array sensitivity even if present in the direction of pattern nulls. Theoretical predictions are verified by numerical code and measurement results for multiple interferers from different directions.
100.25 Left Ventricular Unloading and Delayed Reperfusion Reduces Infarct Size in Large Anterior STEMI: A Substudy From the DTU-STEMI Safety and Feasibility Trial

For every 30-minute delay to reperfusion, myocardial infarct size should increase by 37%. However, extensive preclinical studies support that mechanically unloading the left ventricle (LV) and delaying reperfusion is cardioprotective and reduces infarct size (IS). The Door-To-Unload STEMI Pilot
Variable Hall coefficient in Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 − x across the metal-insulator transition

Measurements are reported of the Hall coefficient ${R}_{H}$ and ab-plane resistivity for single-crystal ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{8\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$, with variable oxygen configuration. As the system is driven through the metal-``insulator'' transition, ${R}_{H}$ increases strongly but continues to obey the empirical expression 1/${R}_{H}$=\ensuremath{\gamma}+\ensuremath{\beta}T, where T is the temperature. For low oxygen content the Hall mobility ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{H}$ becomes temperature independent. We examine these results in terms of various normal-state transport models.
Workplace Reform in a Jobless Recovery

In 2012, the United States was recovering from a recession and policy makers were debating how to solve the country’s economy. This essay looks at the labor and employment reforms (or lack thereof) of President Obama’s first term, and the differing views of the role of government in creating jobs. The article challenges us to think beyond the two solutions commonly discussed: de-regulation and a “New Deal” program. There are ways current lawmakers could come together to help protect jobs. Some of the solutions offered by the article include using automatic contribution plans, promoting part-time work, and giving employees more power in the company.
Commercialization of the gene-edited crop and morality: challenges from the liberal patent law and the strict GMO law in the EU

The EU aspires to utilize the economic advantages of gene-editing technology on one hand and ensure human health and environmental safety on the other. Surrounding the fierce debates over emerging ...
Audio Object Classification Using Distributed Beliefs and Attention

One of the unique characteristics of human hearing is its ability to recognize acoustic objects even in presence of severe noise and distortions. In this article, we explore two mechanisms underlying this ability: 1) redundant mapping of acoustic waveforms along distributed latent representations and 2) adaptive feedback based on prior knowledge to selectively attend to targets of interest. We propose a bio-mimetic account of acoustic object classification by developing a novel distributed deep belief network validated for the task of robust acoustic object classification using the UrbanSound database. The proposed distributed belief network (DBN) encompasses an array of independent sub-networks trained generatively to capture different abstractions of natural sounds. A supervised classifier then performs a readout of this distributed mapping. The overall architecture not only matches the state of the art system for acoustic object classification but leads to significant improvement over the baseline in mismatched noisy conditions (31.4% relative improvement in 0 dB conditions). Furthermore, we incorporate mechanisms of attentional feedback that allows the DBN to deploy local memories of sounds targets estimated at multiple views to bias network activation when attending to a particular object. This adaptive feedback results in further improvement of object classification in unseen noise conditions (relative improvement of 54% over the baseline in 0 dB conditions).
Delivery of cell-penetrating chromatin sensor-actuators to human osteosarcoma cells

The leading FDA-approved drugs for epigenetic cancer therapy are small molecule compounds that activate silenced tumor suppressors by inhibiting enzymes that generate aberrant repressive chromatin. Although promising, this approach is limited because chromatin-modifying enzymes often target non-chromatin proteins and can serve dual functions as gene repressors and activators. Previously, we have demonstrated that a transgenically expressed synthetic polycomb-derived transcription factor (PcTF) could activate genes in silenced chromatin via specific interactions with histone H3 trimethylated at lysine 27 (H3K27me3). Efficient non-viral intracellular delivery remains a challenge for protein-based biologics. Herein, we report the delivery of cell-penetrating PcTF (CP-PcTF) to cultured cells. We expressed and purified recombinant PcTF that was fused in frame with a nuclear localization signal and a cell penetrating peptide tag (TAT). We demonstrated rapid and efficient uptake of soluble CP-PcTF by osteosarcoma U-2 OS cells grown in 2-D monolayers and 3-D spheroids. However, CP-PcTF had a modest effect on gene expression and cell proliferation compared to transgenically-expressed PcTF from our previous work. Overall, these results suggest that TAT is a very effective delivery vehicle for the recombinant transcriptional regulator PcTF, and that further technical development is needed to deliver functional PcTF into cell nuclei.
Building capacity from within: a pilot peer coaching project in an early childhood program

This study evaluated the impact of a pilot coaching project that included peer coaching in an early childhood program in the Northeast. A total of 18 coaches provided coaching with 15 teachers. Pee...
Embodying Experiences with Nature in Everyday Life Recovery for Persons with Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can be understood as attempts to manage a problematic relationship with one's own body. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore and discuss perspectives of embodying "experiences with nature" related to recovery in everyday life for persons experiencing eating disorders. The study was carried out in the context of a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Eight participants with an interest in nature and friluftsliv (outdoor pursuits), and with experiences with bulimia nervosa and/or binge-eating disorders, were interviewed twice. Interviews took place in nature, in combination with a "going together" method. The results reveal how the participants highlighted experiences with nature as accentuating feelings of calmness and an engagement of the senses. Participants described nature as a non-judgmental environment that also provided room for self-care. This article explores the implications of everyday life perspectives on nature in recovery, as well as of an integrated focus on body and mind in experiences with eating disorders. The article concludes with an emphasis on how participant's embodying experiences with nature enabled a (re)connection with one's own body.
Chapter 9 – Allergy and immunopathology: the “price” of immunity

Publisher Summary This chapter reflects the widespread contemporary view that the same mechanisms that provide for defense against infectious disease ought not to function also to embarrass the host. In the dawning years of the twentieth century, those investigators active in the young field of immunology had been brought up, with Metchnikoff and Ehrlich, to view the immune response as an eminently useful Darwinian adaptation. It had evolved, presumably, to defend the organism against an outside world heavily populated by highly pathogenic organisms and virulent toxins. One of the scientists also argued that hypersensitivity and immunity are closely related. He cited the lack of obvious relationship between the level of tuberculin skin reactivity and the resistance to infection or the spread of disease in both man and experimental animals. He further pointed out: that simple hypersensitive inflammation is incapable of preventing the early spread of bacteria in the absence of specific acquired resistance; that immunity can be established without concomitant hypersensitivity; that immunity can be passively transferred without transfer of hypersensitivity; and that acquired resistance remains intact both in man and in lower animals after the abolition of hypersensitivity by desensitization.
Losses of CO and CO2 upon collision-activated dissociation of substituted 2-methoxyphenoxides after methyl radical loss

Abstract Some deprotonated, substituted 2-methoxyphenols fragment by methyl radical loss followed by competing losses of CO and CO2 upon collisional activation in linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometers. These reactions were examined experimentally and computationally in order to determine their mechanisms. For deprotonated vanillin, the CO loss was found to involve ring contraction, with the highest free energy barrier of 58.0 kcal mol−1 (for the syn rotamer; here, syn refers to the relationship between the aldehyde oxygen atom and the oxygen atom of the methoxy group) for the entire process. The atoms lost in this fragmentation are the oxygen atom that was bound to the first eliminated methyl group and the aromatic carbon atom bound to this oxygen. Examination of carbon-13 labeled vanillin supports these assignments. Examination of several model compounds revealed that this reaction requires the presence of an electron-withdrawing substituent in the para-position relative to the phenol moiety. In contrast, the CO2 loss from deprotonated vanillin occurs via ring opening followed by re-cyclization and then ring contraction, leading to the loss of CO2 in a process wherein the highest free energy barrier is 84.5 kcal mol−1 (for the syn isomer). The atoms lost in this fragmentation are the carbon and oxygen atoms from the phenoxide group and the oxygen atom that was bound to the first eliminated methyl group, which is supported by examination of carbon-13 labeled vanillin. Despite the higher total free energy requirement, the CO2 loss is competitive with CO loss, possibly due to favorable entropy and low activation energy (free energy barrier of 48.9 kcal mol−1) for the first reaction step (the analogous value for CO loss is 58.0 kcal mol−1). The extent of CO2 loss is strongly affected by substituents – it either is not observed or is very slow for the other compounds studied here. For example, it is substantially less favorable than CO loss (highest free energy barrier 60.9 kcal mol−1) for deprotonated acetovanillone for which the first reaction step for CO2 loss has a substantially greater free energy barrier (60.6 kcal mol−1) than for vanillin.
Guns and Violence: Weapon Instrumentality in New Orleans Homicide, 1920–1945

Criminologists, sociologists, and public-health scholars have devoted enormous attention to the role of firearms in violence, particularly regarding American homicide rates, but historians have bee...
Hepatic-Specific Decrease in the Expression of Selenoenzymes and Factors Essential for Selenium Processing After Endotoxemia.

Background: Selenium (Se) levels decrease in the circulation during acute inflammatory states and sepsis, and are inversely associated with morbidity and mortality. A more specific understanding of where selenoproteins and Se processing are compromised during insult is needed. We investigated the acute signaling response in selenoenzymes and Se processing machinery in multiple organs after innate immune activation in response to systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: Wild type (WT) adult male C57/B6 mice were exposed to LPS (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Blood, liver, lung, kidney and spleen were collected from control mice as well as 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after LPS. Plasma Se concentration was determined by ICP-MS. Liver, lung, kidney and spleen were evaluated for mRNA and protein content of selenoenzymes and proteins required to process Se. Results: After 8 hours of endotoxemia, plasma levels of Se and the Se transporter protein, SELENOP were significantly decreased. Consistent with this timing, the transcription and protein content of several hepatic selenoenzymes, including SELENOP, glutathione peroxidase 1 and 4 were significantly decreased. Furthermore, hepatic transcription and protein content of factors required for the Se processing, including selenophosphate synthetase 2 (Sps2), phosphoseryl tRNA kinase (Pstk), selenocysteine synthase (SepsecS) and selenocysteine lyase (Scly) were significantly decreased. Significant LPS-induced downregulation of these key selenium processing enzymes was observed in isolated hepatocytes. In contrast to the acute and dynamic changes observed in the liver, selenoenzymes did not decrease in the lung, kidney or spleen. Conclusion: Hepatic selenoenzyme production and Se processing factors decreased after endotoxemia. This was temporally associated with decreased circulating Se. In contrast to these active changes in the regulation of Se processing in the liver, selenoenzymes did not decrease in the lung, kidney or spleen. These findings highlight the need to further study the impact of innate immune challenges on Se processing in the liver and the impact of targeted therapeutic Se replacement strategies during innate immune challenge.
Multidimensional Team Communication Modeling for Adaptive Team Training: A Hybrid Deep Learning and Graphical Modeling Framework.

Team communication modeling offers great potential for adaptive learning environments for team training. However, the complex dynamics of team communication pose significant challenges for team communication modeling. To address these challenges, we present a hybrid framework integrating deep learning and probabilistic graphical models that analyzes team communication utterances with respect to the intent of the utterance and the directional flow of communication within the team. The hybrid framework utilizes conditional random fields (CRFs) that use deep learning-based contextual, distributed language representations extracted from team members’ utterances. An evaluation with communication data collected from six teams during a live training exercise indicate that linear-chain CRFs utilizing ELMo utterance embeddings (1) outperform both multi-task and single-task variants of stacked bidirectional long short-term memory networks using the same distributed representations of the utterances, (2) outperform a hybrid approach that uses non-contextual utterance representations for the dialogue classification tasks, and (3) demonstrate promising domain-transfer capabilities. The findings suggest that the hybrid multidimensional team communication analysis framework can accurately recognize speaker intent and model the directional flow of team communication to guide adaptivity in team training environments.
From Galen to Eustachio: Discovering the Anatomy of the Facial Nerve.

OBJECTIVE To discuss the historical relevance of the original illustrations and descriptions of the facial nerve during the Italian Renaissance (ca. late 14th to early 17th centuries). MATERIAL AND METHODS Graphic and textual information related to facial nerve discoveries were harvested from the works of the study period's anatomists, with special attention to those of Leonardo da Vinci, Andreas Vesalius, Gabrielle Falloppio, and Bartolomeo Eustachio. The importance of Galen's anatomical works as a guide to these discoveries is discussed. CONCLUSION The reviewed texts and the illustrations therein contained provided sufficient information to establish a sequence of discoveries that resulted in a near-modern knowledge of the anatomy of the facial nerve and the basis to comprehend its function.
Increasing Vegetable Intake Decreases Urinary Acidity and Bone Resorption Marker in Overweight and Obese Adults: An 8-Week Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND Controlled intervention trials are needed to confirm a positive association from epidemiological studies between vegetable consumption and bone health. OBJECTIVE We investigated whether providing vegetables at the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommended amount affects excretion of acid and calcium in urine and bone turnover markers in serum in adults with low vegetable intake. METHODS In total, 102 adults (19 males and 83 females, age 18-65 y, BMI ≥25 kg/m2) consuming ≤1 serving of vegetables (128 g raw leafy or 64 g cooked vegetables) per d were recruited in a 2-arm, parallel, randomized, controlled, and community-based 8-wk feeding intervention trial. The 2 arms included a vegetable intervention (VI) during which participants received extra vegetables (∼270 g/d) and an attention control (CON) group that conducted only the testing visits. Measurements included nutrient intake, plasma carotenoids, and bone-related markers in serum and urine. Differences between CON and VI at week 8 were tested using the ANCOVA with baseline values as a covariate. RESULTS Compared with CON, carotenoid intake (mean ± SD) was higher (6.4 ± 3.4 compared with 2.0 ± 1.2 mg/d) (P < 0.01) and dietary potential renal acid load was lower (20 ± 13 compared with 3.4 ± 14 mEq/d) (P < 0.01) in VI. Compared with CON at week 8, urine titratable acid and Mg were 24 and 26% lower, respectively, while urine pH was 3% greater (P < 0.05) and serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) was 19% lower in VI. There were no group differences in serum concentrations of propeptide of type 1 procollagen and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase or urinary excretion of deoxypyridinoline and CTX. CONCLUSIONS Consumption of vegetables at the DGA-recommended amount by adults with low vegetable intake potentially benefits bone health. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02585102.
Initial experimental investigation of tearing instability theory

An initial experimental investigation was conducted to confirm the theory of tearing instability developed in previous work. A simple testing program was selected which employed 3-point bend specimens with various crack size to specimen depth ratios and an additional spring bar to easily adjust effective specimen span (or loading system compliance). All stable-unstable behaviors observed in the tests are in good agreement with those predicted by the theory. Thus the present study demonstrates the appropriateness of the tearing instability analysis, presenting guidelines for its further development.
Is the United States Still the Best Country in the World? Think Again

This paper examines the rankings of the United States in key areas so that people can see for themselves how well the country is actually doing. Areas examined include: percentage of people living below the poverty line, children living in poverty, income inequality, median wealth per adult, happiness, GDP per capita, Corruption Perception Index, quality of education and health, democracy ranking, size of prison population, and stability as a nation. Sadly, the United States does poorly on many of the above measures. The 2015 Social Progress Index, which considers 52 different measures, ranks the United States 16th out of 133 countries. It is hoped that examination of the above statistics will make people aware of how much needs to be done if the United States wants to remain a world power.
Future X‐ray observations of ‘normal’ galaxies

This paper starts with a brief review of the status of our knowledge of the X‐ray properties of normal galaxies after the Einstein Observatory survey. It then summarizes some of the currently open issues on this subject, and addresses how substantial increases in sensitivity, angular resolution, bandwidth, spectral capabilities, and the capability to do timing observations are needed to further our knowledge of the X‐ray properties of galaxies. It concludes by proposing a large throughput X‐ray lunar observatory as a goal for the high‐energy astrophysical community, but this should be preceded by a series of increasingly ambitious missions.
Cyclic nucleotide levels in the rat striatum and cerebellum--in vivo effects of dopamine and acetylcholine receptor agonists and antagonists.

Abstract The role of dopamine and acetylcholine receptors in the regulation of cyclic nucleotide levels in the striatum and cerebellum was investigated after in vivo administration of drugs. Apomorphine increased cyclic AMP levels only in the striatum and this effect was blocked by haloperidol and dexetimide. Cyclic GMP levels were increased both in the striatum and cerebellum by apomorphine and pilocarbine. Haloperidol significantly decreased cyclic GMP levels and blocked the effect of apomorphine and pilocarpine on cyclic GMP in the cerebellum. In the striatum, haloperidol blocked only the pilocarpine-induced rise of cyclic GMP. Dexetimide increased cyclic GMP levels and failed to block the rise in cyclic GMP by either apomorphine or pilocarpine. These results suggest that the regulation of cyclic GMP levels may involve more than one mechanism.
The modelling of a ‘binomial’ event

Abstract This paper models the pricing dynamics of the two-way or ‘binomial’ competition for contract awards often encountered in Pentagon procurement. The case of the $90 billion Advanced Technical Fighter contract is examined, the results of which are consistent with either a cost-effective Pentagon decision or an inefficient stock market.
Regular subdivision in $\mathbf{Z}[\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}]$

In the ring $\mathbf{Z}[\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}]$, there is a natural subdivision technique analogous to regular subdivision in rational algebraic rings like $\mathbf{Z}[\frac{1}{2}]$. The properties of this subdivision process are developed using the matrix associated to the Fibonacci substitution tiling. These properties are applied to prove some finiteness properties for a discrete group of piecewise-linear homeomorphisms.
Antagonism of methadone's intestinal effects by cyproheptadine.

The narcotic agonist methadone increases the amplitude of intestinal phasic contractions and can retard intestinal propulsive activity. Like morphine, methadone may produce its intestinal effects by release of local 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). The ability of the 5-HT receptor blocking agent cyproheptadine to antagonize the intestinal effects of methadone was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In vascularly perfused segments of dog isolated intestine, cyproheptadine-decreased the stimulatory effect of methadone and 5-HT, but not the effect produced by bethanechol, a cholinergic agonist. Atropine decreased responses to methadone, 5-HT, and bethanechol because one component of 5-HT action is mediated by intramural cholinergic nerves. Cyproheptadine also antagonized the methadone-induced reduction in transit of test meals in mice. The LD 50 of methadone was not altered by cyproheptadine. The ability of a 5-HT blocking agent to antagonize the intestinal effects of methadone suggests a potentially useful means of overcoming one of the troublesome side effects of the narcotic drugs.
Dectin-1 and IL-17A Suppress Murine Asthma Induced by Aspergillus versicolor but Not Cladosporium cladosporioides Due to Differences in β-Glucan Surface Exposure

There is considerable evidence supporting a role for mold exposure in the pathogenesis and expression of childhood asthma. Aspergillus versicolor and Cladosporium cladosporioides are common molds that have been implicated in asthma. In a model of mold-induced asthma, mice were repeatedly exposed to either A. versicolor or C. cladosporioides spores. The two molds induced distinct phenotypes, and this effect was observed in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 strains. C. cladosporioides induced robust airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), eosinophilia, and a predominately Th2 response, whereas A. versicolor induced a strong Th17 response and neutrophilic inflammation, but very mild AHR. Neutralization of IL-17A resulted in strong AHR and eosinophilic inflammation following A. versicolor exposure. In Dectin-1-deficient mice, A. versicolor exposure resulted in markedly attenuated IL-17A and robust AHR compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, C. cladosporioides induced AHR and eosinophilic inflammation independent of IL-17A and Dectin-1. A. versicolor, but not C. cladosporioides, spores had increased exposure of β-glucans on their surface and were able to bind Dectin-1. Thus, the host response to C. cladosporioides was IL-17A- and Dectin-1-independent, whereas Dectin-1- and IL-17A-dependent pathways were protective against the development of asthma after exposure to A. versicolor.
A perceptually-based heuristic codebook design algorithm

Although the generalized Lloyd algorithm (GLA) minimizes the average squared error on the training set, the squared-error distortion measure cannot discriminate between edge and shade vectors. Moreover, the GLA is dependent on the initial codebook. These drawbacks can lead to a perceptually poorly performing codebook. A heuristic algorithm is presented which compensates for the above deficiencies to render a high-quality codebook from the perceptual point of view. This algorithm has been developed for a special vector-quantization-based image coding method, the mean/quantized residual vector quantizer (MQRVQ) method. The parameters used for tuning the algorithm depend on the distortion measure and the image vector quantization method. Thus, it lacks the generality of the GLA. In the context of MQRVQ, the algorithm has resulted in a codebook which is very close to a local optimum while providing good perceptual quality for reconstructed images. The details of this ad hoc codebook design algorithm are described. Experimental results and reconstructed images are shown. >
How learning works in design education: educating for creative awareness through formative reflexivity

This paper reviews and extends educational principles from recent learning sciences literature to address the nuanced needs of creative design education. We have performed a variety of ethnographic and qualitative research activities, including interviews with design students and learning experts, as well as reflecting on our experiences as design educators and practitioners. Our findings identify opportunities in the areas of the classroom environment, learning objectives, formative strategies for student achievement, iterative learning, and suggest the value of an adaptive interface between objectives and learning strategies. We therefore propose a new model of reflexive learning to both improve design education and support creativity and self-leadership in studio design practice.
Vannevar bush: An engineer builds a book

(1996). Vannevar bush: An engineer builds a book. Science as Culture: Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 373-399.
Steroid-dependent auditory plasticity leads to adaptive coupling of sender and receiver.

For seasonally breeding vertebrates, reproductive cycling is often coupled with changes in vocalizations that function in courtship and territoriality. Less is known about changes in auditory sensitivity to those vocalizations. Here, we show that nonreproductive female midshipman fish treated with either testosterone or 17β-estradiol exhibit an increase in the degree of temporal encoding of the frequency content of male vocalizations by the inner ear that mimics the reproductive female's auditory phenotype. This sensory plasticity provides an adaptable mechanism that enhances coupling between sender and receiver in vocal communication.
DEVELOPMENTAL EXPRESSION OF FIBRILLIN GENES SUGGESTS HETEROGENEITY OF EXTRACELLULAR MICROFIBRILS

Extracellular microfibrils, alone or in association with elastin, confer critical biomechanical properties on a variety of connective tissues. Little is known about the composition of the microfibrils or the factors responsible for their spatial organization into tissue-specific macroaggregates. Recent work has revealed the existence of two structurally related microfibrillar components, termed fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2. The functional relationships between these glycoproteins and between them and other components of the microfibrils and elastic fibers are obscure. As a first step toward elucidating these important points, we compared the expression pattern of the fibrillin genes during mammalian embryogenesis. The results revealed that the two genes are differentially expressed, in terms of both developmental stages and tissue distribution. In the majority of cases, fibrillin-2 transcripts appear earlier and accumulate for a shorter period of time than fibrillin-1 transcripts. Synthesis of fibrillin-1 correlates with late morphogenesis and the appearance of well-defined organ structures; fibrillin-2 synthesis, on the other hand, coincides with early morphogenesis and, in particular, with the beginning of elastogenesis. The findings lend indirect support to our original hypothesis stating that fibrillins contribute to the compositional and functional heterogeneity of the microfibrils. The available evidence is also consistent with the notion that the fibrillins might have distinct, but related roles in microfibril physiology. Accordingly, we propose that fibrillin-1 provides mostly force-bearing structural support, whereas fibrillin-2 predominantly regulates the early process of elastic fiber assembly.
29 Si-NMR studies of the sol-gel hybrid solution containing octadecyltriethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane used to fabricate a stationary phase for open tubular capillary electrochromatography

n-Octadecyltriethoxysilane (C18-TEOS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were used as the precursors to fabricate an organic-inorganic hybrid composite by sol-gel processing. The hydrolysis and initial condensation reactions of TEOS and C18-TEOS/TEOS mixtures were studied by 29Si-NMR spectroscopy. The rate of disappearance of the silane precursors and the evolution of the various silicon species during the reaction indicate that TEOS hydrolyzes and condenses faster than C18-TEOS. The rate of hydrolysis for C18-TEOS, however, increases when reacting in the C18-TEOS/TEOS hybrid mixture, indicating that the condensation reactions involving TEOS species drive the reaction of C18-TEOS. The formation of cross-condensed products leads to the composite with octadecyl groups incorporated into the final glass material. The maximum degree of condensation in the C18-TEOS/TEOS mixture was observed after 2 h of reaction. Fused-silica capillary columns were coated with the C18-TEOS/TEOS mixture while in its liquid-like stage. After drying, the columns were tested for open tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC). Coating of the columns was performed after the maximum degree of condensation was achieved, which has been shown to correlate with maximum chromatographic retention.
Lupus anticoagulant and protein S deficiency in children with postvaricella purpura fulminans or thrombosis

Abstract OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the cause of purpura fulminans, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or thrombosis in seven children with varicella. All children were found to have a lupus anticoagulant and acquired protein S deficiency. Thrombosis in five children was associated with presumed or documented infection with streptococcus. STUDY DESIGN: Coagulation tests included determinations of the activated partial thromboplastin time, the prothrombin time, the dilute Russell viper venom time, the prothrombin F 1+2 fragment, the C4b-binding protein (C4b), total and free protein S antigen, and clotting activities of factors II, V, VII, and X and of protein C and protein S. Autoantibodies to phospholipids, cardiolipin, and protein S were determined in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: All children had a lupus anticoagulant and acquired protein S deficiency. Thrombosis in five children was associated with presumed or documented infection with streptococcus. All children transiently expressed free protein S deficiency, elevated levels of IgG, IgM, or both binding to protein S, the lupus anticoagulant, and increased concentration of the F 1+2 fragment. Four children also had antiphospholipid or anticardiolipin antibodies. In one child a purified IgG fraction cross-reacted with both protein S and a specific varicella antigen. CONCLUSIONS: A subset of children with varicella infection, some of whom are coinfected with streptococcus, are prone to development of a lupus anticoagulant and an autoantibody to protein S, which results in acquired free protein S deficiency. Such children are at risk of having life-threatening thrombotic events. (J P EDIATR 1996;128:319-23)
Limitations of the Mini‐Mental State Examination in predicting neuropsychological functioning in a psychiatric sample

The present study examined the ability of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a cognitive screening test commonly employed in research and clinical applications, to predict level of performance on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery (LNNB). The tests were administered to a diagnostically mixed sample of 90 psychiatric inpatients. Correlations between the tests were statistically significant but modest and the MMSE was not able to detect many patients who demonstrated significant deficits on the LNNB. Additional correlational analyses between the MMSE and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised in a subset of patients (n = 72) also showed a modest relationship between these instruments. The results suggest that the MMSE may seriously underestimate cognitive impairment in samples exclusively composed of psychiatric patients, making it inappropriate to rely solely on this instrument to distinguish psychiatric patients with and without cognitive deficit.
Identification of a Novel Syntaxin- and Synaptobrevin/VAMP-binding Protein, SNAP-23, Expressed in Non-neuronal Tissues

The specificity of vesicular transport is regulated, in part, by the interaction of a vesicle-associated membrane protein termed synaptobrevin/VAMP with a target compartment membrane protein termed syntaxin. These proteins, together with SNAP-25 (synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa), form a complex which serves as a binding site for the general membrane fusion machinery. Synaptobrevin/VAMP and syntaxin are ubiquitously expressed proteins and are believed to be involved in vesicular transport in most (if not all) cells. However, SNAP-25 is present almost exclusively in the brain, suggesting that a ubiquitously expressed homolog of SNAP-25 exists to facilitate transport vesicle/target membrane fusion in other tissues. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we have identified a 23-kDa protein from human B lymphocytes (termed SNAP-23) that binds tightly to multiple syntaxins and synaptobrevins/VAMPs in vitro. SNAP-23 is 59% identical with SNAP-25. Unlike SNAP-25, SNAP-23 was expressed in all tissues examined. These findings suggest that SNAP-23 is an essential component of the high affinity receptor for the general membrane fusion machinery and an important regulator of transport vesicle docking and fusion in all mammalian cells.
Direct time integration of rigid body motion with discrete‐impulse midpoint approximation: explicit Newmark algorithms

We address time integration of computational mechanical models where the evaluation of the forcing is expensive (molecular dynamics, for example), and hence we investigate integrators that are explicit in the forcing evaluations. The point of departure is the midpoint rule, either in the classical form for the vector space setting, or the Lie form for the rotation group. By introducing discrete, concentrated impulses we approximate the forcing imparted to the system over the time step, and thus we formulate two adjoint explicit first-order integrators. These may be composed to yield a second-order integrator which inherits the good properties of the first-order integrators, in our case symplecticity and momentum conservation. Thus, we get the classical Newmark algorithm for translational motion (vector space dynamics), or the rotation-group counterpart of the vector space integrator, which we call the explicit midpoint Lie Newmark algorithm. Enunciation of the parallels between these two algorithms is the main accomplishment of this contribution. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A method for correcting Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) dynamic alignment errors

The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), like most Fourier Transform spectrometers, can be sensitive to mechanical disturbances during the time spectral data is collected. The Michelson interferometer within the spectrometer modulates input radiation at a frequency equal to the product of the wavenumber of the radiation and the constant optical path difference (OPD) velocity associated with the moving mirror. The modulation efficiency depends on the angular alignment of the two wavefronts exiting the spectrometer. Mechanical disturbances can cause errors in the alignment of the wavefronts which manifest as noise in the spectrum. To mitigate these affects CrIS will employ a laser to monitor alignment and dynamically correct the errors. Additionally, a vibration isolation system will damp disturbances imparted to the sensor from the spacecraft. Despite these efforts, residual noise may remain under certain conditions. Through simulation of CrIS data, we demonstrated an algorithmic technique to correct residual dynamic alignment errors. The technique requires only the time-dependent wavefront angle, sampled coincidentally with the interferogram, and the second derivative of the erroneous interferogram as inputs to compute the correction. The technique can function with raw interferograms on board the spacecraft, or with decimated interferograms on the ground. We were able to reduce the dynamic alignment noise by approximately a factor of ten in both cases. Performing the correction on the ground would require an increase in data rate of 1-2% over what is currently planned, in the form of 8-bit digitized angle data.
Near-threshold continuum structure and the dissociation energies of H2, HD, and D2.

Using laser double-resonance spectroscopy, we have studied the second dissociation limit of all three stable isotopic variants of molecular hydrogen. Just above threshold, the vibrational continuum exhibits considerable fine-grained structure, differing greatly between isotopes because of varying nonadiabatic couplings between the B, B', and C states. Significantly improved values of the dissociation energies are obtained from the continuum onsets. We also report preliminary investigations of atomic 2S:2P branching ratios very near threshold.
Intramyocardial pressure: Effect of preload on transmural distribution of systolic coronary blood flow

Impairment of systolic coronary blood flow (CBF) may be mediated by intramyocardial pressure (PIM). However, the effect of systole on the magnitude and transmural distribution of coronary blood flow has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to measure this effect, and, indirectly, intramyocardial pressure. It is assumed that intramyocardial pressure acts on the coronary vessels as a Starling resistor, such that local coronary blood flow is determined by the equation: Coronary perfusion pressure minus intramyocardial pressure equals resistance times coronary blood flow. This equation was integrated with respect to time and solved simultaneously for intramyocardial pressure and resistance by measuring regional coronary blood flow (radioactive microsphere technique) during maximal coronary vasodilatation in two states: beating and hypocalcemic diastolic arrest. Measurements were made in 7 to 16 concentric layers of the left ventricle of 16 dogs. Intramyocardial pressure ranged from near zero to twice peak left ventricular pressure. The transmural distribution of intramyocardial pressure and systolic coronary blood flow depended on preload. The transmural distribution of the ratio of intramyocardial pressure to coronary perfusion pressure was not significantly different from unity across the left ventricular wall at low levels of preload (0 to 4 mm Hg). At moderate to high levels of preload (7 to 35 mm Hg) this ratio was not different from unity (mean 1.03 and 0.96) in the two inner fifths of the left ventricular wall, but was significantly lower (mean 0.79, 0.64 and 0.41, respectively) in the middle and two outer fifths. These data show that intramyocardial pressure shuts off systolic coronary blood flow across the entire left ventricular wall at low levels of preload, and at high levels of preload determines a gradient of decreasing systolic coronary blood flow from the subepicardium to zero in the subendocardial layers. This finding suggests that a dilated or failing left ventricle receives systolic flow to the outer myocardial layers, whereas at low preload levels myocardial perfusion occurs entirely during diastole.
Reflections of science as a product

A new form of title for scientific reports, one which confidently asserts a conclusion rather than implying it, is becoming more prevalent. That's a bad thing.
Zentrifugale (antidrome) Nervenfasern im menschlichen Sehnerven

Sehnerven von zwei Patienten wurden histologisch untersucht, deren zugehorige Retinae einmal 11 und einmal 16 Jahre zuvor operativ entfernt wurden. In beiden Sehnerven wurden gleicherweise noch zahlreiche, feine Nervenfasern erhalten gefunden. Diese Tatsache wird als Beweis fur die Existenz zentrifugaler Nervenfasern im Sehnerven des Menschen angesehen.
Endometrial carcinoma: Treatment and outcomes in the regional hospital setting

OBJECTIVE: Between 1986 and 2000, 204 cases of endometrial carcinoma were managed at Good Samaritan Hospital and Samaritan Regional Cancer Center, both located in Corvallis, Ore. Too often in the private practice setting, accurate outcome data and critical review of appropriateness of care are insufficient or lacking. The current review is the first in-depth examination of endometrial malignancies treated in Corvallis since the author's arrival in 1985. STUDY DESIGN: Data were retrieved through confidential review of hospital, Cancer Center, and office charts of all patients treated for endometrial carcinoma during the previous 15 years. RESULTS: Treatment modalities included surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and combinations thereof. Seventy-six percent of the cases were surgical stage I, 9% were stage II, 10% were stage III, and 5% were stage IV. Tumors were predominantly grade 1 or 2, which accounted for 69% of the total. Twenty-seven percent were grade 3 or undifferentiated. The overall 5-year disease-free survival was 86%. CONCLUSION: The outcomes for this patient population compare favorably with previously published survival data from larger studies.
Brillouin-scattering study of the elastic constants of phenothiazine through the phase transition.

It has been proposed that single crystals of phenothiazine undergo a proper ferroelastic phase transition: Pnma(${\mathit{D}}_{2\mathit{h}}$)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}P${2}_{1}$/c(${\mathit{C}}_{2\mathit{h}}$). This premise is in conflict with Brillouin-scattering studies from both quasi- and high-symmetry longitudinal and transverse acoustic modes reported here. The ${\mathit{C}}_{55}$ elastic constant of phenothiazine as an orthorhombic crystal at ambient conditions shows no temperature dependence. The inelastic, light-scattering spectra support an order-disorder phase transition; no significantly unstable acoustic phonons were observed through the phase transition. Laser diffraction from structural domains reveals that the crystal is polysynthetically twinned above and below ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. At room temperature, domain walls are made indistinct by disorder but become visible as the sample is cooled. Stress-strain hysteresis below ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ is attributed to a ferrobielastic effect.
Differential Mortality by Measles Vaccine Titer and Sex

Mortality was evaluated in 1972 children who had received measles vaccines at 6-11 months of age that were 10-fold (medium titer) or 100-fold (high titer) greater than standard titer. Mortality among boys did not differ by vaccine titer and was similar to mortality in children who received standard-titer vaccine. Girl recipients of high-titer vaccine had somewhat greater mortality than girls who received medium-titer vaccine (risk ratio = 1.71, 95% confidence interval = 0.91-3.24). Increased mortality was associated with high-titer vaccine for girls but not for boys (P = .04). There was no evidence of selection bias or preferential health care by sex that might explain the differential mortality. This mortality pattern has been noted in two other populations with high background infant and childhood mortality. The biologic basis for this effect on mortality has not been determined. Data from this and other studies have resulted in discontinuation of the use of high-titer measles vaccines.