cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vasodilation During Systemic Tyramine Administration

To the Editor: Jacob et al1 recently reported that systemic administration of tyramine, which is widely used as a pharmacological tool to assess sympathetic nervous system function, resulted in unexpected and seemingly paradoxical forearm vasodilation.1 Tyramine infusion is well known to increase entry of the sympathetic neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, into the extracellular fluid. By this indirect sympathomimetic effect, one would expect increased peripheral resistance to blood flow in tissues possessing sympathetic noradrenergic innervation. Instead, systemic tyramine infusion produced a clear decrease in forearm vascular resistance despite concurrently increased forearm norepinephrine spillover. In the same study, plasma levels of dopamine increased remarkably, by ≈50-fold, during tyramine infusion. The authors speculated that circulating dopamine, released or produced from tyramine, might mediate the paradoxical vasodilation. Dopamine might be released with norepinephrine from sympathetic nerves, or tyramine might be converted enzymatically to dopamine in the …
Monosynaptic convergence of chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal afferents onto ascending relay neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract: A high-resolution confocal and correlative electron microscopy approach

Physiological studies suggest convergence of chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal afferent axons onto single neurons of the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract (rNTS), but anatomical evidence has been elusive. The current study uses high-magnification confocal microscopy to identify putative synaptic contacts from afferent fibers of the two nerves onto individual projection neurons. Imaged tissue is revisualized with electron microscopy, confirming that overlapping fluorescent signals in confocal z-stacks accurately identify appositions between labeled terminal and dendrite pairs. Monte Carlo modeling reveals that the probability of overlapping fluorophores is stochastically unrelated to the density of afferent label, suggesting that convergent innervation in the rNTS is selective rather than opportunistic. Putative synaptic contacts from each nerve are often compartmentalized onto dendrite segments of convergently innervated neurons. These results have important implications for orosensory processing in the rNTS, and the techniques presented here have applications in investigations of neural microcircuitry with an emphasis on innervation patterning. J. Comp. Neurol. 521: 2907–2926, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Instability of terminal amino acid residues in oligopeptides in sodium dodecyl sulfate solution

Abstract Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) can induce an ordered structure in oligopeptides in solution which have a strong helix- or β-forming potential. The effect of terminal residues on the stability of the ordered conformation was studied by circular dichroism for fragments of glucagon, substance P and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. The minimum chain length for the helix was about nine mino acid residues in 25 mM SDS and might even be shorter, probably eight, in 1 mM SDS, suggesting that a segment of two or three residues at each of the NH2- and COOH-termini of a helix was unstable in SDS solution. The minimum number of terminal residues that could destabilize the β-form was less certain, but was probably in the same range as for the helix.
The oxazole-triamide rearrangement. Application to peptide synthesis

Abstract The carboxyl group of a N-acylated amino acid may be protected by conversion to an oxazole derivative which, on photoxygenation, regenerates the carboxyl group in activated (triamide) form for peptide synthesis.
A generalized habitat matching rule

When fitness of a resource-limited animal depends only on that individual's share of the total resource in a habitat patch and individuals are free to move to the patch where their gains are highest, population density matches resource availability under the simple assumption that individual fitness increases with resource use. Previous theory on habitat matching required the stronger assumption that individual fitness was directly proportional to (rather than monotonically increasing with) resource use. The basic theory suggests conditions under which population density empirically indicates habitat quality. Extensions of this basic theory apply when individuals that are free to move among resource patches interact by interfering with each other's resource extraction or by competing unequally. Analysis of existing models of such “ideal free competition” yields conditions for a single general matching rule in which the logarithm of “crowding” is a linear function of the logarithm of resource abundance. Double logarithmic plots of empirical data on habitat use and habitat quality based on this rule furnish possible graphical indicators of the occurrence and intensity of competition in nature.
Prior influence in linear regression when the number of covariates increases to infinity

Abstract It is becoming more typical in regression problems today to have the situation where “ p > n ”, that is, where the number of covariates is greater than the number of observations. Approaches to this problem include such strategies as model selection and dimension reduction, and, of course, a Bayesian approach. However, the discrepancy between p and n can be so large, especially in genomic data, that examining the limiting case where p → ∞ can be a relevant calculation. Here we look at the effect of a prior distribution on the coefficients, and in particular characterize the conditions under which, as p → ∞ , the prior does not overwhelm the data. Specifically, we find that the prior variance on the growing number of covariates must approach zero at rate 1 / p , otherwise the prior will overwhelm the data and the posterior distribution of the regression coefficient will equal the prior distribution.
Magnetic resonance imaging evidence of hippocampal injury after prolonged focal febrile convulsions

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed after complex febrile convulsions (CFCs) in 27 infants. Definite MRI abnormalities were seen in 6 of the 15 infants with focal or lateralized CFCs and in none of the 12 infants with generalized CFCs. In 2 of the 6 infants with lateralized CFCs and abnormal MRIs, the MR images showed preexisting bilateral hippocampal atrophy consistent with the history of perinatal insults in these infants. However, the remaining 4 infants with MRI abnormalities and lateralized CFCs had significantly longer seizures than other infants and had MRI changes suggesting acute edema with increased hippocampal T2-weighted signal intensity and increased volume predominantly in the hippocampus in the hemisphere of seizure origin. Of those with acute edema, 1 had electrographical seizure activity recorded in the temporal region and another had a choroid fissure cyst displacing the affected hippocampus; both infants had follow-up MRIs showing that hippocampal atrophy had developed. These patients demonstrate that prolonged and focal CFCs can occasionally produce acute hippocampal injury that evolves to hippocampal atrophy. Finally, evidence of preexisting hippocampal abnormalities in several infants and electrographical temporal lobe seizure activity in 1 suggests the possibility that CFCs actually originated in the temporal lobes in some patients.
Critical issues in the inclusion of students who use augmentative and alternative communication: An educational team perspective

Focus group research methodology was used to investigate educational team members' perceptions of critical issues regarding the inclusive education of students with augmentative and alternative com...
5.1.1 Enterprise Opportunity and Risk

In traditional systems engineering (TSE) environments, and particularly in recent years, many are concerned about risk management. So much so that risks are identified early and often, and mitigation techniques are aggressively pursued. In contrast one does not hear as much about opportunity management. What about enterprise systems engineering (ESE) environments? Do traditional methods of handling risk and opportunity carry over, or should we be concerned about potential changes in the way we view the problem? Assuming there are new perspectives to bring to bear on this topic, what are they, and what principles might be discovered and applied to the enterprise to better deal with opportunity and risk? This paper offers some answers to these questions There is duality in treating risks and opportunities. In ESE, be aggressive with opportunity and accepting of risk. The greatest enterprise risk may be in not pursuing enterprise opportunities.
An Overview of APP Processing Enzymes and Products

The generation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) by enzymatic cleavages of the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) has been at the center of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. While the basic process of β- and γ-secretase-mediated generation of Aβ is text book knowledge, new aspects of Aβ and other cleavage products have emerged in recent years. Also our understanding of the enzymes involved in APP proteolysis has increased dramatically. All of these discoveries contribute to a more complete understanding of APP processing and the physiologic and pathologic roles of its secreted and intracellular protein products. Understanding APP processing is important for any therapeutic strategy aimed at reducing Aβ levels in AD. In this review, we provide a concise description of the current state of understanding the enzymes involved in APP processing, the cleavage products generated by different processing patterns, and the potential functions of those cleavage products.
Pharmacokinetics of quinolones: Newer aspects

Differences in pharmacokinetic properties are emerging as important determinants in distinguishing among clinical uses of individual new quinolone antimicrobial agents. Selected data on pharmacokinetics, new pharmacokinetic studies, and pharmacodynamics are reviewed, with reference to norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, enoxacin, fleroxacin, lomefloxacin, and other new quinolones. Considering pharmacokinetics, oral bioavailability is excellent (greater than 95%) for most quinolones. Differences in peak serum concentrations and beta-half-lives of elimination exist, however, and are reflected in up to ten-fold differences in values of the area under the curve of serum concentration versus time for administration of similar drug doses. As suggested by high apparent volumes of distribution and low binding to serum proteins, penetration into many body tissues and fluids is favorable. Considering new findings, orally administered ciprofloxacin has been found to be absorbed primarily in the duodenum and jejunum. Studies also suggest this drug to be cleared by transepithelial elimination into the bowel lumen as well as by the renal route. Oral bioavailability of quinolones has been demonstrated to be in general good in ill as well as healthy subjects but is reduced on co-administration with magnesium- and aluminum-containing acids, sucralfate (which contains aluminum), or ferrous sulfate. Pharmacodynamic parameters, such as the relationship of serum concentrations and drug potency in vitro to clinical response and suppression of bacterial resistance, have been little studied and merit further investigation.
Managing America's rivers: Who's doing it?

Abstract The US is blessed with abundant water resources in comparison to many other countries, yet it faces problems associated with periodic droughts, floods, an aging infrastructure, threatened riverine and coastal environments and ecosystems, conflicts over multiple uses, and now new issues related to safety and security. A recent water policy forum (AWRA, 2002) of private, non‐governmental, and governmental professionals involved in water management throughout the country addressed these challenges. While there were many different opinions on how to meet these challenges, there were no disagreements on the need for national vision and leadership in supporting basin‐wide integrated water resources planning and management. Federal and non‐federal water and related land development and management practices and projects within river basins need to fit into an integrated plan for the entire basin if indeed these river systems are to be effectively planned and managed as integrated systems. The condition o...
Trajectory Slopes, Countergradient Heat Fluxes and Mixing by Lower Stratospheric Waves

Abstract In large-scale wave disturbances in the lower stratosphere, the poleward and upward velocity components are positively correlated so that typical air trajectories, when projected onto the meridional plane, slope upward toward the pole. The slope of the air trajectories can be reconciled with the observed poleward, countergradient eddy heat flux at these levels if one takes into account the poleward acceleration of warm air in the wave troughs and the equatorward acceleration of cold air in the ridges. These temperature anomalies are produced by subsidence in the wave troughs and ascent in the ridges. The same processes are capable of producing poleward and downward eddy fluxes of potential vorticity, ozone, and other tracers whose values or concentrations increase rapidly with height.
Imprinting in guinea pigs

Guinea pig pups were removed from their sow immediately after delivery and given following response (FR) training in a circular runway every 2 h over the first day after birth. A variety of imprinting objects were employed. Ss were subsequently given preference trials wherein the original lure was pitted against novel stimuli. Every pup developed a FR to the moving lure and, in choice testing, followed that object in preference to competing stimuli. These observations provided a clear-cut demonstration of classical imprinting in a mammal.
Comparative efficacy of 16 anesthetic chemicals on rainbow trout

Abstract Presently there are no legally registered fish anesthetics that allow for the release of fish or use of the fish for food soon after they have been anesthetized. MS-222 (tricaine), the only anesthetic registered for use on fish in the United States, cannot be used within 21 d of harvesting the fish for food. As the start in a search for an anesthetic that can be used with little or no withdrawal period, we tested the efficacy of 16 chemicals as anesthetics on rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri. Efficacy was defined by the fish (1) becoming handleable (quiet enough to be manipulated and handled readily) in 3 min or less, (2) recovering in 10 min or less, and (3) showing no mortality after 15 min in the anesthetic solution. Four chemicals—MS-222, quinaldine sulfate, benzocaine, and 2-phenoxyethanol—met these criteria for efficacy. Chemicals that yielded excessive induction or recovery times or caused excessive mortality were methylpentynol, chlorobutanol, etomidate, metomidate, Piscaine, propanidid, car...
The global challenge of infectious diseases: the evolving role of the National Institutes of Health in basic and clinical research

The US has entered a new period of fiscal restraint. What does this mean for basic research? Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, discusses the way forward for research scientists in the US.
Modeling the role of cyclic AMP in catabolite repression of inducible enzyme biosynthesis in mircobial cells

Modeling the role of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in catabolite repression of inducible enzyme production in microbial cells was studied. A catabolite repression index, F, was defined based on the postulation that complex formation occurs between RNA polymerase (RNAP) and DNA, and shifting from the inert form to the open form of this complex (the latter form is required for transcription) is accelerated by the cAMP.CRP complex. The catabolite repression index, F, was incorporated into model equations of mRNA production. Empirical relationships between intracellular cAMP level and medium glucose concentration were established based on experimental data and introduced into the model. Computer simulation results were obtained for a number of interesting cases. The practical utility of the proposed model was demonstrated by comparing it with the experimental results on glucose isomerase biosynthesis.
Use of external magnetic fields in hohlraum plasmas to improve laser-coupling

Efficient coupling of laser energy into hohlraum targets is important for indirect drive ignition. Laser-plasma instabilities can reduce coupling, reduce symmetry, and cause preheat. We consider the effects of an external magnetic field on laser-energy coupling in hohlraum targets. Experiments were performed at the Omega Laser Facility using low-Z gas-filled hohlraum targets which were placed in a magnetic coil with Bz ≤ 7.5-T. We found that an external field Bz = 7.5-T aligned along the hohlraum axis results in up to a 50% increase in plasma temperature as measured by Thomson scattering. The experiments were modeled using the 2-D magnetohydrodynamics package in HYDRA and were found to be in good agreement.
Hominin stature, body mass, and walking speed estimates based on 1.5 million-year-old fossil footprints at Ileret, Kenya.

Abstract The early Pleistocene marks a period of major transition in hominin body form, including increases in body mass and stature relative to earlier hominins. However, because complete postcranial fossils with reliable taxonomic attributions are rare, efforts to estimate hominin mass and stature are complicated by the frequent albeit necessary use of isolated, and often fragmentary, skeletal elements. The recent discovery of 1.52 million year old hominin footprints from multiple horizons in Ileret, Kenya, provides new data on the complete foot size of early Pleistocene hominins as well as stride lengths and other characteristics of their gaits. This study reports the results of controlled experiments with habitually unshod Daasanach adults from Ileret to examine the relationships between stride length and speed, and also those between footprint size, body mass, and stature. Based on significant relationships among these variables, we estimate travel speeds ranging between 0.45 m/s and 2.2 m/s from the fossil hominin footprint trails at Ileret. The fossil footprints of seven individuals show evidence of heavy (mean = 50.0 kg; range: 41.5–60.3 kg) and tall individuals (mean = 169.5 cm; range: 152.6–185.8 cm), suggesting that these prints were most likely made by Homo erectus and/or male Paranthropus boisei. The large sizes of these footprints provide strong evidence that hominin body size increased during the early Pleistocene.
SU‐E‐T‐565: Effectiveness of Robust Optimization in Head and Neck IMPT Dose Distributions

Purpose: The effectiveness of IMPT may be significantly diminished by range and patient setup uncertainties. The purpose of this presentation is to evaluate the ability of robust optimization methods to desensitize H&N IMPT plans to uncertainties and their impact on plan optimality. Methods: We use a robust optimization method, in which the objective function value for a given iteration is computed using the ‘worst case’ dose distribution. The conventionally optimized PTV‐based IMPT plans and robustly optimized plans were generated for 14 head and neck cancer cases. The dose standard deviation was calculated for every voxel and used to compute ‘standard‐deviation volume histograms’ (SVHs). The area under SVH curves was used to quantify the plan robustness. In addition, D1cc doses for spinal cord and brainstem, mean doses Dmean for oral cavity and parotids, and D1% doses for other organs were used to assess plan optimality. D5% and D95% doses are used to assess target dose coverage and homogeneity. The plan optimality and robustness are then compared statistically by the pair t‐tests using SPSS 19.0 software.Results: Compared with PTV‐based optimization, robust optimization provides significantly more robust dose distribution for both targets and organs without sacrificing, and possibly even improving, the sparing of normal tissues. In addition, our robust optimization method also leads to more homogeneous dose distribution in targets with better prescription dose coverage. Improvements are statistically significant with p‐value smaller than 0.05 for almost all end points compared. Conclusion: Robust optimization results in patient‐specific, optimizer‐determined, and effectively reduced margins compared to a predefined and fixed margin used in the PTV approach. The optimizer can find a desired beamlet weight solution from the degenerate solution space so that the dose distribution follows the changes in anatomical geometry and is minimally perturbed by uncertainties. Our results demonstrate the importance of robust optimization. This research is supported by National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant P01CA021239, the University Cancer Foundation via the Institutional Research Grant program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and MD Andersonâ€™s cancer center support grant CA0 16672.
Development of a social dependency scale.

Social dependence was defined in terms of three capacities identified as necessary for the performance of an adult role. The three capacities are everyday self-care competence, mobility competence, and social competence. Measurement of these concepts was facilitated through the use of 12 6-point scales (4 for each capacity). Scores were then computed for each capacity (range 4-24) and for all three capacities together (range 12-72). Operationally, social dependence was defined as the sum of the individual's scores in the three areas: everyday self-care competence, mobility competence, and social competence. The revised instrument was tested on 60 subjects with advanced diseases to determine its reliability. The reliability coefficient alpha was .90, and the standardized-item alpha was .91.
Novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene, MRK1, encoding a putative protein kinase with similarity to mammalian glycogen synthase kinase-3 and Drosophila Zeste-White3/Shaggy.

Abstract A Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene was identified that would encode a protein similar to the mammalian protein kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) and the Drosophila Zeste-White3/Shaggy gene product. The open reading frame predicts a 375 amino acid polypeptide with a putative protein kinase domain that displays 70% and 39% identity, respectively, to two known yeast proteins, Mds1p and Mck 1p. The new gene, designated MRK1 ( M ds1p R elated K inase), is located on chromosome IV. Disruption of MRK1 was not lethal and did not elicit any alteration in glycogen accumulation. In addition, an mck1 mds1 mrk1 triple disruptant was viable.
Effect of the wavelength dependence of the emissivity on inferred soot temperatures measured by spectrally resolved laser-induced incandescence

Flame-generated soot was heated using a pulsed laser, and temperatures of the irradiated soot were inferred by fitting the Planck function to spectrally resolved laser-induced incandescence with the temperature as an adjustable parameter. The effect of the wavelength dependence of the emissivity on the inferred temperatures of the irradiated soot was studied using selected expressions for the soot emissivity in the fit. Depending upon the choice of the functional form of the emissivity, the maximum temperature reached by the soot during the laser pulse was calculated to span a range of 341 K (3475–3816 K) at a 1064-nm laser fluence of 0.1 J/cm2 and 456 K (4115–4571 K) at a 1064-nm laser fluence of 0.4 J/cm2 with a 1σ standard deviation about the mean of ∼25 K. Comparison of the present results with temperature measurements from previous studies suggests that the emissivity may depend on flame conditions and that further investigation on the subject is needed. The use of two-color or spectrally resolved LII to infer the soot temperature during or after laser heating requires a careful characterization of the wavelength dependence of the emissivity. The spread in temperature leads to large uncertainties regarding the physico-chemical processes occurring at the surface of the soot during the laser heating.
Kinetics of the sodium carbonate–sulfur dioxide reaction

The kinetics of the SO/sub 2/-Na/sub 2/CO/sub 3/ reaction were studied at 353 to 413 K and atmospheric pressure with thermal gravimetric analysis data. Since the reaction is very fast, special precautions were taken to operate at conditions such that transport effects did not influence results. The data indicated that Na/sub 2/SO/sub 3/ was formed by two paths: direct reaction, and adsorption of SO/sub 2/ followed by conversion of adsorbed SO/sub 2/ to adsorbed CO/sub 2/ and finally desorption to final product. Rate constants were evaluated for each step in the proposed mechanism. Product distribution predicted from the rate constants agreed well with the distribution calculated from the experimental data at temperatures from 353 to 413 K. At 413 K the results suggested a change in mechanism.
Biocompatibility of Te–As–Se glass fibers for cell-based bio-optic infrared sensors

The chemical stability and toxicity of Te–As–Se (TAS) infrared fibers are investigated. These fibers are used for biosensing applications that involve direct contact with live cultivated human cells. It is shown that TAS fibers exhibit a small oxidation layer after extended exposure to air. This layer is highly soluble in water and easily removed. However, the TAS glass itself is stable in water over several days. While oxidized fibers release arsenate ions, which result in toxic effects to the cells, fresh or washed fibers show no toxic effects. A good correlation is shown between surface etching and the disappearance of toxicity.
Effect of Hypoxia on the Response of the Adult Rabbit Isolated Testicular Capsule to Sodium Nitroprusside, Papaverine and Verapamil

Spontaneous contractions of the adult rabbit isolated testicular capsule were found to be adversely affected by acute hypoxic exposure. The observed increase in testicular capsular tension (tone) resulting from hypoxia was demonstrated to be influenced by the addition of smooth muscle relaxant agents. Sodium nitroprusside, papaverine and verapamile each were found to relax the hypoxic-induced contracture of the testicular capsule and to restore capsular tone to a control aerated level. The present data suggests that these agents may be of use in preventing an increase in active tension development of the testicular capsule of the hypoxic testis.
Time as a variable in learning on the World-Wide Web.

Research in education, psychology, and neuroscience motivates a hypothesis that learning takes time. Support for the hypothesis was found in four replications of an upper level undergraduate course in which the material and activities for 50% of the topics were delivered over the World-Wide Web. Computer records were correlated with three types of test questions: multiple-choice, short-answer, and open-ended essay questions. Positive and significant correlations with time were observed for 33% of the correlations involving multiple-choice questions, 13% of those involving short-answer questions, and 60% of those involving open-ended essay questions. An estimate of the common underlying correlation, ρ, equal to .35 for the four replications was significant. The data also revealed generally low overall study times and a maladaptive pattern of “cramming” before tests instead of distributing practice. In the Discussion section, we argue that computer study times can be used as a predictor of subsequent test performance, which is a measure of student learning.
Reimbursement patterns in a hospital-based fixed-wing aeromedical service

Abstract Reimbursement, expressed as a percentage of total charges recovered, was examined for inpatients transported by a university hospital-based, dedicated, fixed-wing aeromedical service between July 1, 1988 and June 30, 1990. A total of 410 patients were transported; account information was available for 404 patients (98%). Patients transported from in-state institutions (n = 174) had a hospital reimbursement rate of 53.3%, whereas the flight program recovered 46.1% of transportation charges. Patients transported from out-of-state institutions (n = 150) had a hospital reimbursement rate of 51.3%, whereas the flight program recovered 69.3% of charges. More patients referred from in-state sources were covered by Medicaid than from out-of-state sources (31% vs 11%), and less were covered by Medicare (17% vs 30%). Reimbursement for hospital charges was low for patients covered by Medicaid (44% for in-state and 16% for out-of-state), and Medicaid reimbursed no flight charges for either in-state or out-of-state patients. The flight program recovered 86.7% of charges for “triangle” flights, which transported patients between two hospitals other than the sponsoring institution (n = 80). The overall hospital reimbursement rate for inpatients was 70% during the study period. The flight program recovered 53.7% of its operating costs from payment of charges for transport services. Aeromedically transported patients may represent a financial “high-risk” group of patients for the sponsoring institution.
Molecular dynamic simulation of aluminum–water reactions using the ReaxFF reactive force field

Abstract In this study we employed the ReaxFF reactive force field to examine the dynamics associated with the dissociation of adsorbed water molecules on an aluminum nanocluster surface. We have investigated several different concentrations of water on an Al100 cluster to elucidate the dynamics of the dissociation phenomena. Our results indicate that the dissociation of an isolated water molecule on the surface requires significant activation energy, and that an assisted dissociation by a neighboring, non-adsorbed, water molecule is more energetically favorable. The dynamics of this reaction pathway are discussed and compared to recent quantum studies along with a further investigation of the role inert gases and oxide layers have on these processes. Our results shed light on this atomic scale behavior and increase the potential for reactive metal/water systems to be used as lightweight, portable, and on-demand energy sources via fast hydrogen gas production.
Pseudoglottis procedure: Update and secondary reconstruction techniques

Since our first report of 12 cases in 1977, we have added 37 cases and continue to modify our primary procedure for the reconstruction of a pseudoglottis after total laryngectomy. It has been and continues to be applied to a growing number of patients. We have also introduced a procedure modified after Staffieri for the secondary reconstruction of a pseudoglottis after total laryngectomy. A review of our cases reveals that a high percentage have achieved a good voice. Complications and problems continue and are further examined in this report. The current techniques and indications for the secondary reconstruction procedures are discussed. Even with the continuing problems, we believe that the use of Staffieri techniques or modifications thereof continues to be promising and may well become an accepted procedure in American laryngeal surgery.
How diuretics lower blood pressure

Thiazides produce an average loss of 2 L of extracellular fluid volume, of which about 300 ml is plasma volume, during the first 48 hours of administration, and this reduction is maintained without further loss for as long as the drug is given. Do thiazides lower blood pressure by volume depletion or by direct vasodilator action? As evidence against the vasodilator theory, these facts may be adduced: (1) thiazides do not lower blood pressure in patients (with renal disease) who cannot obtain a diuresis, and (2) other diuretics and diets very low in sodium also reduce blood pressure and volume to a similar degree. A related hypothesis is that thiazides reduce total peripheral vascular resistance (TPR) by "dehydrating" vascular walls. However, direct measurements in small arteries failed to confirm such changes. There is, however, a fall in TPR after long-term treatment, although initially cardiac output falls and TPR remains unchanged. How these long-term readjustments occur remains unknown, although several hypotheses have been advanced.
Evolution of reaction center mimics to systems capable of generating solar fuel

Capturing and converting solar energy via artificial photosynthesis offers an ideal way to limit society’s dependence on fossil fuel and its myriad consequences. The development and study of molecular artificial photosynthetic reactions centers and antenna complexes and the combination of these constructs with catalysts to drive the photochemical production of a fuel helps to build the understanding needed for development of future scalable technologies. This review focuses on the study of molecular complexes, design of which is inspired by the components of natural photosynthesis, and covers research from early triad reaction centers developed by the group of Gust, Moore, and Moore to recent photoelectrochemical systems capable of using light to convert water to oxygen and hydrogen.
Genetic diversity and the evolutionary history of plant immunity genes in two species of Zea

Plant pathogenesis-related genes (PR genes) code for enzymes, enzyme inhibitors, and other peptides that confer resistance to pathogens and herbivores. Although several PR genes have been the subject of molecular population genetic analyses, a general understanding of their long-term evolutionary dynamics remains incomplete. Here we analyze sequence data from 17 PR genes from two closely related teosinte species of central Mexico. In addition to testing whether patterns of diversity at individual loci depart from expectations under a neutral model, we compared patterns of diversity at defense genes, as a class, to nondefense genes. In Zea diploperennis, the majority of defense genes have patterns of diversity consistent with neutral expectations while at least two genes showed evidence of recent positive selection consistent with arms-race models of antagonistic coevolution. In Zea mays ssp. parviglumis, by contrast, analyses of both defense and nondefense genes revealed strong and consistent departures from the neutral model, suggestive of nonequilibrium population dynamics or population structure. Nevertheless, we found a significant excess of replacement polymorphism in defense genes compared to nondefense genes. Although we cannot exclude relaxed selective constraint as an explanation, our results are consistent with temporally variable (transient or episodic) selection or geographically variable selection acting on parviglumis defense genes. The different patterns of diversity found in the two Zea species may be explained by parviglumis' greater distribution and population structure together with geographic variation in selection.
Optimal maintenance schedules of systems subject to stochastic failure

Abstract Almost all operational and standby systems need maintenance, yet this is often overlooked in the stages of design and development. Lately, maintenance has been emphasized by several factors such as rising costs of labor and material, increased complexity of systems and increased quality requirements. The aim of this paper is to develop new algorithms and analysis techniques that can be used in a general way to handle optimization of various types of inspection and maintenance schedules of systems subject to stochastic failure. Physical problems of systems in active operation with increasing failure rate are treated. Examples of such systems are: airborne electronic equipment, radio receivers, aircraft engines, etc. The optimal maintenance schedule incorporates the effects of inspection, maintenance, delayed detection, uptime and downtime costs. The techniques of classical differential calculus and dynamic programming are applied for the development of the optimal maintenance schedule.
Blood–brain barrier endogenous transporters as therapeutic targets: a new model for small molecule CNS drug discovery

Introduction: The blood–brain barrier (BBB) limits the uptake of most drugs by brain, and the traditional approach to the BBB problem is the use of medicinal chemistry to increase drug lipid solubility, and increase lipid-mediated transport across the BBB. This review advocates a new model to CNS drug discovery of BBB-penetrating small molecules, whereby drug candidates are screened for carrier-mediated transport (CMT) across the BBB.Areas covered: CMT systems are expressed by genes within the Solute Carrier (SLC) Transporter Gene Family, which now totals > 400 transporter genes. Emphasis is placed on reconciliation of the substrate transporter profile (STP) of BBB transport in vivo with the STP of the cloned SLC transporter in vitro. This reconciliation is crucial to the identification, from sometimes a large number of candidates, of the respective SLC transporter that is responsible for BBB transport in vivo for a given class of nutrients.Expert opinion: Dual track screening of a small molecule library ...
Measuring Participation among Elementary Grade Students

Research on children at risk for school failure emphasizes the need to understand the ways in which pupils are engaged or disengage from class and school activities. This paper describes the development of a teacher rating scale that assesses the form and extent of participation among elementary grade pupils. The Student Participation Questionnaire was tested with a large sample of Grade-4 teachers and their pupils. Three reliable scales were obtained and labeled (a) Effort, (b) Initiative, and (c) Nonparticipatory Behavior, along with a short scale that reflects the extent to which the student values school achievement. Analysis of variance of the subscales indicated that females, pupils from homes with higher incomes, and nonminority pupils generally participate in the classroom more than their peers, although there is some confounding of the race and SES effects. The instrument should prove particularly useful in further research on student involvement.
Dyslexia: A New Synergy Between Education and Cognitive Neuroscience

Reading is essential in modern societies, but many children have dyslexia, a difficulty in learning to read. Dyslexia often arises from impaired phonological awareness, the auditory analysis of spoken language that relates the sounds of language to print. Behavioral remediation, especially at a young age, is effective for many, but not all, children. Neuroimaging in children with dyslexia has revealed reduced engagement of the left temporo-parietal cortex for phonological processing of print, altered white-matter connectivity, and functional plasticity associated with effective intervention. Behavioral and brain measures identify infants and young children at risk for dyslexia, and preventive intervention is often effective. A combination of evidence-based teaching practices and cognitive neuroscience measures could prevent dyslexia from occurring in the majority of children who would otherwise develop dyslexia.
Numerical Simulation of Three-Dimensional Bubble Oscillations by a Generalized Vortex Method

A numerical method is implemented for simulating the simultaneous three-dimensional volume and shape oscillations of a compressible vapor or gas bubble suspended in an inviscid ambient fluid in the presence of interfacial tension. The flow generated by the bubble expansion, contraction, and deformation is represented by an interfacial distribution of potential dipoles supplemented by a point source situated inside the bubble, accounting for changes in the bubble volume. The mathematical formulation is completed by setting the strength of the point source proportional to the integral of the density of the double-layer potential over the interface. The motion of marker points distributed over the interface is computed using a boundary-element implementation of Baker's generalized vortex method in which the normal component of the interfacial velocity is computed in terms of tangential derivatives of the vector potential associated with the dipoles, whereas the tangential component of the interfacial velocity is computed in terms of the surface gradient of the scalar harmonic potential. The density of the double-layer distribution is computed by solving an integral equation of the second kind using an iterative method, while the evolution of the interfacial distribution of the harmonic potential is computed using Bernoulli's equation for irrotational flow. The onset of interfacial irregularities due to numerical instabilities is prevented by truncating the Fourier–Legendre spectrum of the interfacial distribution of the harmonic potential. With smoothing implemented, the numerical method is capable of describing simultaneous volume and shape oscillations for an indefinite period of time.
Towards Acoustic Vibration as a Diagnostic Tool for Spinal Fractures

The diagnostic tools for clinicians to detect vertebral body fractures are limited to radiation technologies1 , such as X-ray and CT. The objective is to identify shape changes that reflect bone tissue failure. Because this method is subjective, only crude changes of 15% and more in vertebral height can be detected2 . From in-vitro laboratory experiments it is know that the ultimate load is reached at deformations much less than 5%, and is generally detected before any shape changes are visible in radiographic images3 . Acoustic vibration is a promising technique to detect changes in material integrity and quality. The overall goal of this study was to investigate the use of acoustic vibration to detect spinal fractures.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Mechanisms of protein crystal growth: An atomic force microscopy study of canavalin crystallization.

The evolution of surface morphology and step dynamics during growth of single crystals of the protein Canavalin and of the cubic satellite tobacco mosaic virus crystals (STMV) have been investigated by in situ atomic force microscopy. These two crystals were observed to grow by very different mechanisms. Growth of Canavalin occurs on complex vicinal hillocks formed by multiple, independently acting screw dislocations. Small cluster were observed on the terraces. STMV on the other hand, was observed to grow by 2D nucleation of islands. No dislocations were found on the crystal. The results are used to determine the growth mechanisms and estimate fundamental materials parameters. The images also illustrate the important mechanism of defect incorporation and provide insight to the processes that limit the growth rate and uniformity of these crystals.
Ultimate Outreach: Exploring the Outreach Sea within the Engineering, Math and Physical Sciences Libraries at Cornell University

The Engineering, Math and Physical Sciences Libraries (under the acronym EMPSL) reinvented outreach toward users. Two of these libraries, Engineering and Physical Sciences, transitioned into e-libraries after consolidation and closing of the physical stacks. Though study space remains, informing our users about this transition and our resources is challenging without physical stacks or traditional services desks, even as our online resources are prospering. Leveraging the image of an octopus, this article describes the flexible and intertwined nature of outreach all three libraries perform. The tentacles in the image all represent a different area of outreach: library events, social media, liaison efforts, library instruction, orientation, virtual services, professional development, and soon-to-be-discovered collaborative elements associated with Cornell's developing Tech Campus in NYC. Each area of outreach is exemplified with specifics and includes new virtual web presences, guided tours of the library ...
Plant Nucleases V. Survey of Corn Ribonuclease II Isoenzymes

Corn (Zea mays L.) ribonuclease II of the root microsomal fraction was isolated from 11 inbreds and seven hybrids. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a total of five bands of activity among corn lines tested. Most inbreds had only one isoenzyme, but three had two isoenzymes. The hybrids tested contained all of the isoenzymes found in the parental inbreds.
First-principles calculations for the structural and magnetic properties of ordered NiFe(001) thin films with and without a Ta overlayer

The first-principles calculations within the local density approximation using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method were performed to investigate the structural and magnetic properties of the Ta/NiFe interface for both clean NixFe1−x (001) thin films and with a Ta overlayer. To study the composition dependence, we adopted x=0.5 (L10 structure with either Fe or Ni layers on the surface) and 0.75 (L12 structure with mixed Fe-Ni layers or with Ni on the surface). The equilibrium overlayer/substrate distance and the preferred site position of Ta were obtained by structural optimization employing atomic-force calculations and total energy comparisons for several possible adsorption sites of Ta. By comparing with results for the clean surface of five-layer NixFe1−x (001) films, we found that Ta has a significant detrimental effect on the magnetic properties of NiFe with its induced magnetic moment coupled ferro- or antiferro-magnetically with the substrate depending sensitively on t...
Silvichemicals from the forest

Tree species vary in properties because of the chemical nature of their respective extractive components. Extractives play an important role in ever increasing silvichemical industries. Numerous industrial extractive chemicals derived from wood and bark are discussed here.
Theoretical study of the response of 12 cubic metals to uniaxial loading

The theoretical mechanical response of 12 cubic metals (Al, Cu, Mo, Na, Li, K, Rb, Nb, Fe, Ni, Au, and Ag) to unconstrained uniaxial loadings, coaxial with each of the three principal symmetry directions, is analyzed, at finite strain, in the framework of the embedded-atom method model calculations. The models have been formulated to reproduce, identically, empirical values of the three second-order elastic moduli ${(C}_{11},$ ${C}_{12},$ and ${C}_{44})$ and the six third-order elastic moduli (${C}_{111},$ ${C}_{112},$ ${C}_{123},$ ${C}_{144},$ ${C}_{166},$ and ${C}_{456}),$ and thus both the linear (harmonic) and nonlinear (anharmonic) response of the metals is represented in the computations. The mechanical behavior, including theoretical strengths, is strongly influenced by crystalline symmetries and bifurcation phenomena. Characteristic anisotropies, both at infinitesimal and at finite strain, are associated with each of three subgroups, i.e., the fcc metals, the bcc alkali metals, and the bcc group-V and group-VI transition metals. The behavior of bcc Fe is intermediate to that of the bcc alkalis and that of the group-V and group-VI transition metals. For the fcc metals under [100] loading, the maximum stress generally is about 20--50 % of the value of Young's modulus, although a potential instability associated with the vanishing of the elastic moduli combination ${C}_{22}\ensuremath{-}{C}_{23}$ occurs at stresses of about 10--25 % of Young's modulus. Also, for the fcc metals, the maximum tensile stress in [111] loading is generally comparable with that in [100] loading, but in [110] loading, the maximum stresses are only about 2--5 % of the respective Young's modulus values. By contrast, in the bcc alkali metals, the maximum tensile stress in [100] loading is only about 1--3 % of Young's modulus, while in [111] and [110] loading, these percentages are about 10% and 30--35 %, respectively. The relative anisotropy of the bcc transition metals at finite strain is much less than that of the bcc alkali metals. For example, the maximum theoretical stresses in Nb range from about 25 GPa (in [100] loading) to 70 GPa (in [111] loading); for bcc Na, these values range from about 0.04 GPa (in [100] loading) to 2 GPa (in [110] loading).
Nucleotide sequence at the inverted terminal repetition of adenovirus type 2 DNA.

Abstract We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the inverted repetition present at the termini of adenovirus type 2 DNA. The terminal repetition is 103 nucleotides long. It is exactly identical in sequence at both termini. Adenovirus types 2 and 5 molecules share a perfect homology within this region.