cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
microRNA-100 Targets SMRT/NCOR2, Reduces Proliferation, and Improves Survival in Glioblastoma Animal Models

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequently diagnosed malignant human glioma, and current median patient survival is less than two years despite maximal surgery followed by temozolomide chemoradiation therapies. Novel microRNA-related therapies are now being developed for cancers such as GBM. Differential microRNA expression profiling revealed that miR-100 expression is down-regulated in GBM compared to normal controls. We report that miR-100 expression reduces GBM tumorigenicity. In vitro, four GBM lines (U87, U251, 22T, and 33T) demonstrated reduced proliferation 24 hours after transient miR100 overexpression via transfection. miR-100 triggered cell death an average 70% more than scrambled miR controls 24 hours after transient transfection (p < 0.01). miR-100 targeted inhibition of the “silencing mediator of retinoid or thyroid hormone receptor-2” (SMRT/NCOR2) gene was confirmed via reporter assays. Ki67 proliferation index was decreased 40% in tumor xenografts generated from stable miR-100 transfected GBM lines versus controls (p < 0.01). Furthermore, treatment of tumor xenografts with a single pre-mir-100 injection (60 pmol) significantly extended survival of mice bearing intracranial GBM xenografts 25% more than scrambled controls (p < 0.01; n=8). These studies establish miR-100’s effect on tumor GBM growth, and suggest clinical potential for microRNA-related GBM therapy.
Curious Characterizations of Projective and Affine Geometries

We prove the following characterization theorem: If any three of the following four matroid invariants-the number of points, the number of lines, the coefficient of @l^n^-^2 in the characteristic polynomial, and the number of three-element dependent sets-of a rank-n combinatorial geometry (or simple matroid) are the same as those of a rank-n projective geometry, then it is a projective geometry (of the same order). To do this, we use a lemma which is of independent interest: If H is a geometry in which all the lines have exactly @?-1 or @? points and G is a geometry with at least three of the four matroid invariants the same as H, then all the lines in G also have exactly @?-1 or @? points. An analogue of the characterization theorem holds for affine geometries. Our methods also yield inequalities amongst the four matroid invariants.
Bismuth film electrodes for adsorptive stripping voltammetry of trace nickel

Bismuth film electrodes are shown to be very attractive alternatives to common mercury electrodes used for adsorptive stripping voltammetric measurements of trace nickel in the presence of the dimethylglyoxime complexing agent. Variables affecting the response have been assessed and optimized. Such optimization resulted in a favorable and highly stable stripping response, with good linearity (up to 80 μg L−1) and precision (RSD=1.8%), and a low detection limit (0.8 μg L−1 with 180 s adsorption). The adsorptive stripping performance makes the bismuth film electrode very attractive for measurements of trace metals that cannot be plated electrolytically, and should address possible restrictions on the use of mercury electrodes.
Taking a Distributed Perspective to the School Principal's Workday.

Focusing on the school principal's day-to-day work, we examine who leads curriculum and instruction- and administration-related activities when the school principal is not leading but participating in the activity. We also explore the prevalence of coperformance of management and leadership activities in the school principal's workday. Looking across a range of administration-related and curriculum and instruction-related activities school principals participate in, we show that who takes responsibility for leading and managing the schoolhouse varies considerably from activity to activity and from one school to the next.
Separation and analysis of the RNA polymerase binding sites of a complex Bacillus subtilis promoter.

The Bacillus subtilis veg promotor site was shown to be composed of two neighboring RNA polymerase binding sites, only one of which (“Site I”) produces a transcript. The relationship between these sites has been investigated following (a) insertion of ten base pairs of DNA between the sites and subsequent cloning of each site independent of the other, and (b) deletion of DNA sequences upstream from the productive site. The effect of DNA insertion was to permit transcription initiation from the previously nonproductive Site II, in either the presence or absence of Site I. This could be attributed to insertion of a purine residue seven base pairs dowstream from the Pribnow box of Site II. Transcription from Site I was slightly increased in the presence of Site II cis, but was still efficient in the absence of Site II, indicating that there is no absolute dependence on Site II for in vitro transcription from Site I.
Perinatal depression screening in a Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program: perception of feasibility and acceptability among a multidisciplinary staff.

Abstract Objective Best practices for addressing women's mental health and screening for depression in public health clinics are not available. Clinic staff are often responsible for screening for depression; however, few studies examine staff perceptions on feasibility and acceptability of using perinatal screening for mood disorders in ethnically diverse public health clinics. Methods During December 2012, we conducted four focus groups using a semistructured interview guide with public health clinic staff of varying disciplines ( n =25) in a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. All interviews were audio recorded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results We found five descriptive themes related to acceptability and feasibility of screening for perinatal depression in a public health clinic. The main themes include (1) literacy barriers, (2) need for referrals and follow-up with outside services, (3) training and capacity needs, (4) stigma of depression, and (5) location and privacy of screening. Although multiple barriers to universal depression screening in a public health clinic were identified, participants found value in practice of screening low-income women for depression. Conclusion Factors for facilitating implementation of systematic depression screening in a public health clinic have been identified. Implications discuss how policy makers and public health clinic administrators can improve the universal depression screening process.
Tricholemmoma of the nose

Objectives: The objectives of this case report are to (1) identify clinical presentations of tricholemmoma, (2) discuss the characteristics of Cowden syndrome and the relationship between this syndrome and tricholemmoma, and (3) differentiate tricholemmoma from other superficial cutaneous tumors such as basal cell carcinoma and granulomas. Study design: We present a literature review and a case report. Methods: A literature review of tricholemmoma and a case report of an unusual manifestation of this neoplasm were presented. Results: Tricholemmoma was first described as a cutaneous neoplasm in 1962. It is associated with the Cowden syndrome and can be misdiagnosed as a more aggressive cutaneous malignancy. We report an unusual case of tricholemmoma presenting as a nasal mass. Conclusions: Tricholemmoma is described as having a predilection for the head and neck, yet little information has been published about this disorder within the Otolaryngology literature. Otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons must be familiar with this neoplasm because it can be frequently misdiagnosed as an aggressive cutaneous malignancy and hence can be incorrectly treated. We describe the presentation and diagnosis of tricholemmoma, describe the frequent association of this neoplasm with Cowden syndrome, and report an unusual presentation of tricholemmoma as an intranasal mass.
Analytic evaluation of two-center STO electron repulsion integrals via ellipsoidal expansion

Extant analytic methods for evaluating two-center electron repulsion integrals in a Slater-type orbital (STO) basis using ellipsoidal coordinates and the Neumann expansion of 1/r12 have problems of numerical stability that are analyzed in detail using computer-assisted algebraic techniques. Some of these problems can be eliminated by use of procedures known in this field 40 years ago but seemingly forgotten now. Others can be removed by use of a formulation suitable for small values of the STO screening parameter. A recent attempt at such a formulation is corrected and extended in a way permitting its practical use. The main functions encountered in the integrations over the ellipsoidal coordinate of the range 1 … ∞ are Bessel functions or generalizations thereof, as pointed out here for the first time. This fact is used to motivate the derivation of recurrence relations additional to those previously known. Novel techniques were devised for using these recurrence relations, thereby providing new ways of calculating the quantities that enter the ellipsoidal expansion. The convergence rate of this expansion and the numerical characteristics of several computational strategies are reported in enough detail to identify the ranges where various schemes can be used. This information shows that recent discussions of the “convergence characteristics of [the] ellipsoidal coordinate expansion” are in fact not that, but are instead discussions of an inability to make accurate calculations of the individual terms of the expansion. It is also seen that the parameter range suitable for use of Kotani's well-known recursive scheme is more limited than seems generally believed. The procedures discussed in this work are capable of yielding accurate two-center electron repulsion integrals by the ellipsoidal expansion method for all reasonable STO screening parameters, and have been implemented in illustrative public-domain computer programs. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2002
The synthesis of acetyl-1-C14-salicylic acid.

Acetyl-1-C14-salicylic acid was prepared from sodium acetate-1-C14 by formation of acetyl-1-C14-chloride which reacted with salicylic acid in the presence of dimethyl aniline.
Evaluation of differential pulse anodic-stripping voltammetry at a stationary mercury-film electrode with stirred solution.

Abstract Differential pulse anodic-stripping voltammetry at a stationary mercury-film electrode with the solution stirred during the deposition step has been investigated. The sensitivity achieved by using such a simple set-up is similar to that obtained with a mercury-film rotating disk electrode. The effects of various experimental parameters on the peak current are described. Lead and cadmium were used as test systems, and gave detection limits of around 1 × 10 −10 M with 5-min deposition times.
Using American College Testing Program Materials to Facilitate Career Exploration by Undecided Advisees

Assistance with choosing a career is one of the undecided student's greatest needs. Advisor responsibility includes provision of relevant information and guidance in its use. Discussion of how the ...
Francisco Vallés and the Renaissance reinterpretation of Aristotle's Meteorologica IV as a medical text.

In this paper I describe the context and goals of Francisco Valles' In IV librum Meteorologicorum commentaria (1558). Valles' work stands as a landmark because it interprets a work of Aristotle's natural philosophy specifically for medical doctors and medical theory. Valles' commentary is representative of new understandings of Galenic-Hippocratic medi-cine that emerged as a result of expanding textual knowledge. These approaches are evident in a number of sixteenth-century commentaries on Meteorologica IV; in particular the works of Pietro Pomponazzi, Lodovico Boccadiferro, Jacob Schegk, and Francesco Vimercati. Valles' conviction that Meteorologica IV is relevant to medical knowledge depends on his understanding of Aristotle's theory of homeomerous substances and their relation to composite substances. The application of Meteorologica IV to medical topics became commonplace in the following years, and this Aristotelian book became widely known as a bridge between natural philosophy and medicine.
Zitterbewegung in relativistic spin-0 and -1/2 Hamiltonian theories

By working in the Heisenberg picture, one of the present authors has previously given a general treatment of the charge-space Zitterbewegung of the coordinate in theories involving a Hamiltonian that factorizes the Klein-Gordon equation. In the present paper, this treatment is expanded, with particular exphasis being placed on the peculiar doubling of the dimension of the Hamiltonian due to Zitterbewegung. The two-component Weyl theory of the neutrino and the four-component Dirac and two-component Sakata-Taketani theories for massive particles of spin \textonehalf{} and 0, respectively, are discussed from the above viewpoint. The recent two-component theory of Biedenharn, Han, and van Dam (BHV) for massive spin-\textonehalf{} particles is analyzed. From our viewpoint, a Poincar\'e-invariant theory of this type necessarily has four components. We offer a two-component interpretation of the BHV theory at the expense of Poincar\'e invariance. This version cannot be generalized for an arbitrary electromagnetic field, in contrast to the four-component version. We also discuss the relation of the (first order in the time derivative) four-component BHV theory to the (second order) two-component Kramers theory.
Territory size and distribution of newly-emerged Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Newly emerged Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were observed from May to August 1981 at six isolated redds in Washington County, Maine, USA. Territorial size and distribution were measured. At the end of the emergence period (12 to 28 May), fish maintained positions (stations) at redds where water velocity did not exceed 52 cm s−1 By 12 June, most salmon (80–96%) had moved off the redds of origin and had established territories 1 to 5 m from the redd. The area defended increased substantially after mid-June, but territorial aggression diminished by 15 July, and the fry dispersed downstream. All fish observed were territorial, and the percentage of time during which stations were held decreased from 89 in mid-May to as low as 40% in mid-June.
Human aggressive responding during acute tobacco abstinence: effects of nicotine and placebo gum.

Aggressive and point maintained operant responding of heavy nicotine dependent male tobacco smokers were measured during five 25-min sessions conducted over an 8-h period. Responding under three tobacco abstinence conditions was compared to responding during a baseline condition of ad libitum smoking of the subject's preferred brand of cigarettes. The three tobacco abstinence conditions were: (1) placebo gum, (2) nicotine gum or (3) no gum. Under placebo and nicotine gum conditions, subjects were given two pieces of placebo or 2 mg nicotine gum to chew for 30 min prior to each session. Expired air carbon monoxide (CO) levels were measured at the end of each session to monitor smoking under baseline conditions and compliance with non-smoking requirements under abstinence conditions. Aggressive responding was increased in no gum and placebo gum conditions, with the highest frequency of aggressive responding occurring under no-gum conditions. Aggressive responding during nicotine gum conditions did not differ from baseline ad libitum tobacco smoking. Point maintained responding was either not affected or decreased under placebo and no-gum conditions. These results provided objective data consistent with clinical reports of increased irritability among dependent tobacco smokers during acute tobacco abstinence.
Role of cyanobacteria in Corg-rich deposits: an example from the Indidura Formation (Cenomanian-Turonian), northeastern Mexico

Abstract We present evidence of accumulation of calcareous cyanobacterial “microspheroids” as predominant components of the Cenomanian-Turonian Indidura Formation of northeastern Mexico. The unit at Parras de la Fuente includes a sequence of limestones and marls with well-defined light-dark rhythms at the decimetric to millimetric scale, in which CaCO3 and total organic carbon vary between 43–78% and 0.3–3.6%, respectively. A distinctive feature of the section is the presence of abundant millimeter-scale microlaminae arranged in nearly even-parallel white and dark gray “varve like” dual lamination less than 3 mm thick, in which the darker units contain scattered planktonic foraminifera and radiolaria, whereas the lighter microlaminae are dominated by calcitic microspheroids (20–40 μm). The white laminae are evidently the result of recurring cycles of calcareous cyanobacterial blooms, possibly associated with fluvial dilution of surface waters. The organic carbon-rich laminated marlstones and laminated biocalcilutites of the Indidura Formation document paleoceanographic conditions favorable to unusual cyanobacterial productivity cycles that were also characterized by strong dysoxic/anoxic bottom conditions.
Cyclic vectors of diagonal operators on the space of functions analytic on a disk

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to study cyclic vectors and invariant subspaces of operators on the space of functions analytic on an open disk in the complex plane having as eigenvectors the monomials z n .
Whitney Award Lecture—1987: Hydrogen—The Versatile Embrittler

Abstract Despite the great technological importance of hydrogen embrittlement in many metals and alloys, and the many investigations thereby motivated, no firm consensus exists on the mechanism in any one case. This review concentrates on the degradation of ferrous alloys by hydrogen, discussing the often conflicting results of experiments on the effects of hydrogen on the plastic properties of iron and steels. The decohesion model and the localized slip model, both depending on the electronic disturbance at the adjoining metal atoms caused by hydrogen, and the experiments supporting one or the other point of view, are critically discussed. The versatility of hydrogen, which is capable of producing diverse effects, challenges the experimentalist to elucidate which characteristic of hydrogen predominates in a given set of circumstances.
Continuous and filter-based measurements of PM2.5 nitrate and sulfate at the Fresno Supersite

PM2.5 nitrate \(\left( {\text{NO}_3^ - } \right)\) and sulfate (\({\text{SO}}_4^ = \)) were measured continuously with R&P8400N and R&P8400S instruments, respectively, and compared with filter-based measurements at the Fresno Supersite from October, 2000 through December, 2005. \({\text{NO}}_3^ - \) concentrations were higher in winter than summer with a long-term decreasing trend. Correlations between 24-h average continuous and filter-based \({\text{NO}}_3^ - \) were greater than 0.96 in 4 out of 5 years. Continuous \({\text{NO}}_3^ - \) was generally lower than filter-based \({\text{NO}}_3^ - \) although the difference decreased over time, from −52% in 2001 to +13% in 2005. These differences were similar in winter (−23%) and summer (−19%) while the corresponding differences between ambient and instrument temperature were −12 and 0.7°C, respectively. Neither seasonal nor long-term trends in \({\text{NO}}_3^ - \) can be explained by variations in ambient temperature, the difference between ambient and instrument temperature, or changes in aerosol chemical composition. There were no seasonal or long-term trends in \({\text{SO}}_4^ = \) concentrations, partially due to low concentrations observed in Fresno. Long-term variability in the performance of R&P8400 \({\text{NO}}_3^ - \) and \({\text{SO}}_4^ = \) instruments suggest that collocation with filter measurements is needed for long-term measurements.
TOPOLOGICAL CHIRALITY OF IRON-SULFUR PROTEINS

An examination of x-ray structures of single-cluster [4Fe-4S] proteins in the Protein Data Bank has revealed that all redox proteins and the glutamine 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate amidotransferase from Bacillus subtilis have a topological configuration arbitrarily designated as D, whereas the DNA repair enzyme endonuclease III from Escherichia coli has the opposite topological configuration, L. This is the first example in which both senses of topological chirality have been observed in a class of proteins. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biopoly 42: 411–414, 1997
Linguistic Invention and Semantic Warrant Production: Elementary Teachers’ Interpretation of Graphs

In this qualitative study of mathematical discourse between elementary teachers, we examined linguistic invention and semantic warrant production as participants made successive attempts to communicate mathematical ideas. Linguistic invention is a creative practice of describing mathematics in terms of personal experience. We introduce semantic warrant production, which emerged as part of our analysis of substantial arguments produced by teachers learning mathematics. Participants engaged in linguistic invention and semantic warrant production to convince themselves and others of the validity of their mathematical inferences about a graph of rate of change versus time. Personal experiences that are taken-as-shared in a learning community can support accurate mathematical inference if connections between conventional language, common experiences, and mathematical representations are made explicit by learners.
A low cost technique for producing high quality positive images from a SEM

SUMMARY Inexpensive positive prints can be made directly from a scanning electron microscope using standard print papers and image reversal of the photographic CRT.
Constitutive Modeling of Pia-Arachnoid Complex

The pia–arachnoid complex (PAC) covering the brain plays an important role in the mechanical response of the brain during impact or inertial loading. Recent studies have revealed the complicated material behavior of the PAC. In this study, the nonlinear viscoelastic, transversely isotropic material properties of the PAC were modeled as Mooney–Rivlin ground substance with collagen fibers strengthening within the meningeal plane through an exponential model. The material constants needed were determined using experimental data from in-plane tension, normal traction, and shear tests conducted on bovine specimens. Results from this study provide essential information to properly model the PAC membrane, an important component in the skull/brain interface, in a computational brain model. Such an improved representation of the skull/brain interface will enhance the accuracy of finite element models used in brain injury mechanism studies under various loading conditions.
Object recognition in dense clutter.

Observers in recognition experiments invariably view objects against a blank background, whereas observers of real scenes sometimes view objects against dense clutter. In this study, we examined whether an object’s background affects the information used for recognition. Our stimuli consisted of color photographs of everyday objects. The photographs were organized either as a sparse array, as is typical of a visual search experiment, or as high density clutter, such as might be found in a toy chest, a handbag, or a kitchen drawer. The observer’s task was to locate an animal, vehicle, or food target in the stimulus. We varied the information in the stimuli by convolving them with a low-pass filter (blur) or a high-pass filter (edge) or converting them to grayscale. In two experiments, we found that the blur and edge manipulations produced a modest decrement in performance with the sparse arrangement but a severe decrement in performance with the clutter arrangement. These results indicate that the information used for recognition depends on the object’s background. Thus, models of recognition that have been developed for isolated objects may not generalize to objects in dense clutter.
GABA imbalance in squirrel monkey after unilateral vestibular end-organ ablation

Abstract Using an antibody against GABA conjugated to bovine serum albumin, GABA-like immunoreactivity was measured in vestibular nuclei and adjacent structures in normal and unilaterally vestibular-deafferentated squirrel monkeys. Three and 6 days after end-organ ablation, GABA levels increased in lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) on the side ipsilateral to the lesion, while GABA decreased in LVN on the side contralateral to the lesion. GABA levels in ventral cochlear nucleus or inferior cerebellar peduncle did not differ from normal in either case.
Formation of Δtra F′ plasmids: Specific recombination at oriT

Delta tra F' plasmids can be isolated from matings between Hfr donors and recA- recipients, with selection for transfer of proximal chromosomal genes. Previous experiments indicate that F DNA from the neighborhood of the transfer origin up to the proximal junction with the chromosomal DNA is present on these plasmids, together with chromosomal segments, some of which belong to distinct size classes. We have sequenced across the novel joints contained in five delta tra FproA+ plasmids and in five delta tra FpurE+ plasmids, and we have compared these with the F sequence near oriT and with a chromosomal site near purE. The previously reported specificity in formation of some of these classes is confirmed at the nucleotide sequence level. The F DNA in nine of these novel joints extended beyond the nicking sites identified by others in lambda oriT+ bacteriophages up to a position between two sequenced oriT- mutations. Small plasmids containing these novel joints are mobilized in trans by pOX38 at frequencies less than 5 X 10(-7) times the mobilization frequencies for similar plasmids that contain oriT. The relations of these findings to the location of the nicking site at oriT are discussed.
Fast parallel language recognition by cellular automata

Abstract We look at linear cellular automata (CA's) which accept an input if and only if at some time during the computation all the processors in the array are in accepting states. We prove that there are noncontext-free languages that are accepted by CA's in O(log n) time. Moreover, this is the best possible since o(log n) time CA's can accept only regular sets. We show that one-way CA's operating in T(n) time can be simulated by CA's in 1 2 (T(n) + 1) time. As a corollary, CA's can accept the linear, Dyck, and bracketed context-free languages in 1 2 (n + 1) time, which is again optimal. We also study CA's with other modes of acceptance and derive results concerning speed-up, hierarchy, etcetera.
Skin banking methodology: an evaluation of package format, cooling and warming rates, and storage efficiency.

The two major skin packaging formats for transplantable human skin, flat — folded and rolled — cylindrical, were evaluated with respect to the control of cooling rate, warming rate, and storage efficiency. Experiments were performed with six amounts of skin ranging from 7.6 × 20 cm (0.17 ft2) up to 7.6 × 120 cm (1.00 ft2). Contrary to previously published statements, when skin packaged in either of the two formats is cooled at an uncontrolled rate in a low temperature (−70 °C) mechanical refrigerator or dry-ice chest, the smaller skin dimensions cool too rapidly (up to −24 °C min−1), while the packets containing larger skin dimensions exhibit prolonged exothermic temperature plateaus (8–44 min), allowing the possibility of significant crystallization damage to the cells. On the other hand, controlled-rate cooling of −1 °C min−1 can be obtained using a temperature-feedback controlled-rate freezer along with a flat skin packet geometry. Much less control is obtained if a cylindrical skin packet geometry is used with a controlled-rate freezer. Skin processed in the flat format is capable of being warmed by water immersion about 10 times more quickly than equivalent amounts of skin processed in the rolled format. The longer warming times associated with the cylindrical package format (3.5–25 min, depending upon the amount of skin per packet) result from extended endothermic temperature plateaus in the subzero region, which have been shown to damage skin cells and reduce their subsequent viability. The short warming times (0.25–3.5 min) associated with the flat skin package format are devoid of such complications, since they are within the needed warming rate of 50 °C–70 °C min−1. Package geometry affects the storage requirements of transplantable skin. The flat format possesses a two- to threefold advantage in storage efficiency. Capital equipment and liquid nitrogen usage for storage is drastically decreased if a flat package format is chosen.
Imaging System For Measuring Macromolecule Crystal Growth Rates in Microgravity

In order to determine how macromolecule crystal quality improvement in microgravity is related to crystal growth characteristics, a team of scientists and engineers at NASA's Marshal Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed flight hardware capable of measuring the crystal growth rates of a population of crystals growing under the same conditions. As crystal growth rate is defined as the change or delta in a defined dimension or length (L) of crystal over time, the hardware was named Delta-L. Delta-L consists of three sub assemblies: a fluid unit including a temperature-controlled growth cell, an imaging unit, and a control unit (consisting of a Data Acquisition and Control Unit (DACU), and a thermal control unit). Delta-L will be used in connection with the Glovebox Integrated Microgravity Isolation Technology (g-LIMIT) inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), onboard the International Space Station. This paper will describe the Delta-L imaging system. The Delta-L imaging system was designed to locate, resolve, and capture images of up to 10 individual crystals ranging in size from 10 to 500 microns with a point-to-point accuracy of +/- 2.0 microns within a quartz growth cell observation area of 20 mm x 10 mm x 1 mm. The optical imaging system is comprised of a video microscope camera mounted on computer controlled translation stages. The 3-axis translation stages and control units provide crewmembers the ability to search throughout the growth cell observation area for crystals forming in size of approximately 10 microns. Once the crewmember has selected ten crystals of interest, the growth of these crystals is tracked until the size reaches approximately 500 microns. In order to resolve these crystals an optical system with a magnification of 10X was designed. A black and white NTSC camera was utilized with a 20X microscope objective and a 0.5X custom designed relay lens with an inline light to meet the magnification requirement. The design allows a 500 pm crystal to be viewed in the vertical dimension on a standard NTSC monitor (4:3 aspect ratio). Images of the 10 crystals are collected periodically and stored in sets by the DACU.
Drug Abuse and the Simplest Neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitter vesicles are known to concentrate hydrogen ions (or protons), the simplest ion, and to release them during neurotransmission. Furthermore, receptors highly sensitive to protons, acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), were previously localized on the opposite side of the synaptic cleft on dendritic spines. Now, recent experiments provide some of the strongest support to date that protons function as a neurotransmitter in mice, crossing synapses onto medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), activating ASICs, and ultimately suppressing drug abuse-related behaviors.
How the High North became Central in NATO Strategy: Revelations from the NATO Archives

Abstract From the late 1970s and until the end of the Cold War, the ‘High North’ constituted a central theatre for military forces. Extensive NATO preparations were made, a solid infrastructure developed in northern Norway, and frequent and large-scale exercises were carried out. These developments, from the late 1970s, were much discussed by scholars and strategists. However, the change of perception, laying the foundation for the military build-up, had actually occurred a decade earlier, in the late 1960s. This change has not yet been given its rightful attention, partly because the relevant documents have only recently become available. This essay takes the chronology of events back into the 1960s and to NATO's secret discussions between the national Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Staff. The most significant turning-points were the Flexible Response strategy of 1967; SACLANT's concern over increased Soviet naval activity and his ‘Maritime Strategy’ studies of 1965 and 1967; NATO's awakening to the ...
Inner-City Firms and the Employment Problem of the Urban Poor: Are Poor People Really Excluded from Jobs Located in their Own Neighborhoods?:

This article investigates whether the employment problem of the urban poor has been exacerbated by inner-city employers and their use of hiring practices that limit local employment opportunities for residents of these neighborhoods. By using the Urban Poverty and Family Life Study’s survey of Chicago-area employers, this article estimates the effects of neighborhood poverty on a firm’s recruitment and screening practices while also estimating the impact of hiring practices and neighborhood poverty on the employment of local residents. The results suggest that the level of poverty in a firm’s neighborhood does not alter screening practices but significantly reduces recruitment through personal referrals and media advertisements. However, these different recruitment patterns do not significantly reduce a firm’s employment of neighborhood residents. Nor does firm-level neighborhood poverty affect its employment of neighborhood residents. Overall, these results suggest that inner-city residents are not excluded from jobs located in their own neighborhoods.
A geometric constraint method for estimating 3-D camera motion

We investigate the problem of estimating the camera motion parameters from a 2D image sequence that has been obtained under combined 3D camera translation and rotation. Geometrical constraints in 2D are used to iteratively narrow down regions of possible values in the space of 3D motion parameters. The approach is based on a new concept called "FOE-feasibility" of an image region, for which an efficient algorithm has been implemented. Results are shown on real images. >
Design, implementation and testing of extended and mixed precision BLAS

This article describes the design rationale, a C implementation, and conformance testing of a subset of the new Standard for the BLAS (Basic Linear Algebra Subroutines): Extended and Mixed Precision BLAS. Permitting higher internal precision and mixed input/output types and precisions allows us to implement some algorithms that are simpler, more accurate, and sometimes faster than possible without these features. The new BLAS are challenging to implement and test because there are many more subroutines than in the existing Standard, and because we must be able to assess whether a higher precision is used for internal computations than is used for either input or output variables. We have therefore developed an automated process of generating and systematically testing these routines. Our methodology is applicable to languages besides C. In particular, our algorithms used in the testing code will be valuable to all other BLAS implementors. Our extra precision routines achieve excellent performance---close to half of the machine peak Megaflop rate even for the Level 2 BLAS, when the data access is stride one.
Treatment of Brain Edema in Acute Liver Failure

Cerebral edema is very common in patients with acute liver failure and encephalopathy. In severe cases, it produces brain tissue shift and potentially fatal herniation. Brain swelling in acute liver failure is produced by a combination of cytotoxic (cellular) and vasogenic edema. Accumulation of ammonia and glutamine leads to disturbances in the regulation of cerebral osmolytes, increased free radical production and calcium-mediated mitochondrial injury, and alterations in glucose metabolism (inducing high levels of brain lactate), resulting in astrocyte swelling. Activation of inflammatory cytokines can cause increased blood-brain barrier permeability leading to vasogenic edema, although the relative contribution of vasogenic edema is probably minor compared with cellular swelling. Cerebral blood flow is disturbed and generally increased in patients with acute liver failure; persistent vasodilatation and loss of autoregulation may generate hyperemia, and the consequent augmentation in cerebral blood volume may exacerbate brain edema.Adequate management of intracranial hypertension demands continuous monitoring of intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure. Coagulation status should be assessed and bleeding diathesis should be treated prior to insertion of the intracranial pressure monitor. Standard treatment measures such as hyperventilation and osmotic agents (e.g., mannitol, hypertonic saline) remain useful first-line interventions. Although hypertonic saline may be preferred in patients with coexistent hyponatremia, the rate of correction of hyponatremia must be gradual to avoid the risk of osmotic demyelination. Barbiturate coma and intravenous indomethacin are available options in refractory cases. The most promising novel therapeutic alternative is the induction of moderate hypothermia (aiming for a core temperature of 32-34°C). However, the safety and efficacy of therapeutic hypothermia for brain swelling caused by liver failure still needs to be proven in randomized, controlled clinical trials. Management of intracranial pressure in patients with acute liver failure should be guided by well-defined treatment protocols.
Extraction and Processing of Various Components from Egg Yolk

Abstract An extraction procedure was investigated to separate lipid, aqueous, and protein fractions from egg yolk. Two studies were completed to determine the optimal pH and solvent ratio. The solvents used were ethanol, isopropanol (IPA), hexane-EtOH, and hexane IPA (77:23, w:w). The ratios were 1:1:1, 1:.5:2, 1:2:4, and 1:1:3 (egg yolk:solvent:water). The 1:1:1 ratio at pH 6.0 was chosen as the best with hexane-IPA giving the highest yield of egg oil. Analyses indicated that the crude lipid fraction contained 80 to 95% lipid with a high level of cholesterol (40 mg/g). The protein fraction contained 55% protein. Results of the mayonnaise tests showed that none of the fractions, alone or in combination, were as stable as emulsions made from native yolk. The crude oil fraction was degummed, refined, and bleached. The cholesterol content was reduced by 40% by refining, and free fatty acids were reduced from 3.4 to .65% after refining. Fatty acid composition analysis of the crude and unprocessed oils showed a decrease in the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids as compared to intact egg yolk. The sensory evaluation to heated egg oil indicated that further processing with improved conditions would aid the desirability of egg yolk oil as a commercial product.
Adjuvanticity of α2-Macroglobulin, an Independent Ligand for the Heat Shock Protein Receptor CD91

We recently have identified CD91 as a receptor for the heat shock protein gp96. CD91 was identified initially as a receptor for α2-macroglobulin (α2M). Gp96 and α2M are both ligands for CD91. Because gp96-chaperoned peptides can prime CD8+ T cell responses and are re-presented by APCs, we tested α2M for similar properties. Our studies show that α2M binds peptides in vitro and that the peptides, chaperoned by α2M, efficiently prime peptide-specific CD8+ T cell responses in mice immunized with α2M-peptide complexes. Furthermore, peptides chaperoned by α2M, like those chaperoned by gp96, can be re-presented by CD91+ APCs on their MHC I molecules. These studies demonstrate that α2M molecules, like the heat shock protein molecules, are T cell adjuvants that can channel exogenous Ags into the endogenous pathway of Ag presentaion. The remarkable similarities between an intracellular chaperone and an extracellular serum chaperone may have interesting physiological ramifications.
Humble persons are more helpful than less humble persons: Evidence from three studies

Connections between humility and other prosocial qualities led us to develop a humility–helpfulness hypothesis. In three studies, humble persons were more helpful than less humble persons. In Study 1, participants (n = 117) completed self-report measures of humility, the Big Five, and helpfulness. In Study 2, participants (n = 90) completed an implicit measure of humility and were presented with an unexpected opportunity to help someone in need. In Study 3, participants (n = 103) completed self-report and implicit measures of humility and were presented a similar helping opportunity. Humility and helpfulness correlated positively when personality and impression management were controlled. Humble participants helped more than did less humble participants even when agreeableness and desirable responding were statistically controlled. Further, implicit humility uniquely predicted helping behavior in an altruistic motivation condition.
Spontaneous Access of Proteins to Buried Nucleosomal DNA Target Sites Occurs via a Mechanism That Is Distinct from Nucleosome Translocation

Intrinsic nucleosome dynamics termed "site exposure" provides spontaneous and cooperative access to buried regions of nucleosomal DNA in vitro. Two different mechanisms for site exposure have been proposed, one based on nucleosome translocation, the other on dynamic nucleosome conformational changes in which a stretch of the nucleosomal DNA is transiently released off the histone surface. Here we report on three experiments that distinguish between these mechanisms. One experiment investigates the effects on the accessibilities of restriction enzyme target sites inside nucleosomes when extra DNA (onto which the nucleosome may move at low energetic cost) is appended onto one end. The other two experiments test directly for nucleosome mobility under the conditions used to probe accessibility to restriction enzymes: one on a selected nonnatural nucleosome positioning sequence, the other on the well-studied 5S rRNA gene nucleosome positioning sequence. We find from all three assays that restriction enzymes gain access to sites throughout the entire length of the nucleosomal DNA without contribution from nucleosome translocation. We conclude that site exposure in nucleosomes in vitro occurs via a nucleosome conformational change that leads to transient release of a stretch of DNA from the histone surface, most likely involving progressive uncoiling from an end. Recapture at a distal site along DNA that has partially uncoiled would result in looped structures which are believed to contribute to RNA polymerase elongation and may contribute to spontaneous or ATP-driven nucleosome mobility. Transient open states may facilitate the initial entry of transcription factors and enzymes in vivo.
Hand and microvascular replantation call availability study: a national real-time survey of level-I and level-II trauma centers.

Background Inconsistent availability of subspecialty hand and microvascular emergency call services could influence patient outcomes and the efficiency of a system dependent on limited resources and timely intervention because declining reimbursements, increased medicolegal risk, lack of confidence in microsurgical skills, and the disruption of elective schedules present a deterrent to call panel participation. This study assessed the availability of hand and microvascular replantation surgery call services at all level-I and level-II trauma centers in the United States. Methods Between May and December 2010, all level-I (N = 137) and level-II (N = 153) trauma centers across the U.S. were contacted by telephone. Phone contact was unannounced; responders were invited to participate in our institutional review board-approved anonymous survey regarding hand and microvascular replantation emergency coverage specific to their hospital. Results Level-I trauma centers: 117 (85%) of 137 participated, and sixty-four (55%) of these had immediate access for hand surgery and microvascular replantation services. Six hospitals provided services for fifteen to thirty-one days per month, and three hospitals supported services for one to fifteen days per month. Ten hospitals indicated inconsistent coverage, which was difficult to estimate, and thirty-four hospitals reported no coverage. Level-II trauma centers: 132 (86%) of 153 participated, and thirty-eight (29%) of these had immediate access for hand surgery and microvascular replantation services. Seven hospitals provided services for fifteen to thirty-one days per month, and three hospitals provided coverage for one to fifteen days per month. Eighty-four hospitals reported no specific coverage protocol. Conclusions Inconsistency in the definition and coverage of emergency hand and microvascular replantation services was identified at level-I and level-II trauma centers across the U.S. Many hospitals indicated the presence of subspecialty hand surgery coverage; however, the determination of microvascular replantation resources was not available consistently. The results of our study strengthen previous conclusions about the need for a more defined and coordinated system of emergency microvascular replantation surgery services in order to improve the efficiency of a limited resource and, ultimately, improve patient care.
Multiple Loci Mapping via Model-free Variable Selection

Summary. Despite recent flourish of proposals o nv ariable selection, genome-wide multiple loci mapping remains to be challenging. The majority of existing variable selection methods impose a model, and often the homoscedastic linear model, prior to selection. However, the true association between the phenotypical trait and the genetic markers is rarely known ap riori, and the presence of epistatic interactions makes the association more complex than al inear relation. Model-free variable selection o!ers a useful alternative in th is context, but the fact that the number of markers p often far exceeds the number of experimental units n renders all the existing model-free solutions that require n > p inapplicable. In this article, we examine a number of model-free variable selection methods for small-n-large-p regressions in the context of genome-wide multiple loci mapping. We propose and advocate a multivariate group-wise adaptive penalization solution, which requires no model prespecification and thus works for complex trait-marker association, and handles one variable at a time so that works for n < p .E !ctiveness of the new method is demonstrated through bo th intensive simulations and a comprehensive real data analysis across 6100 gene expression traits.
Foundations for a realist ontology of mental disease.

While classifications of mental disorders have existed for over one hundred years, it still remains unspecified what terms such as 'mental disorder', 'disease' and 'illness' might actually denote. While ontologies have been called in aid to address this shortfall since the GALEN project of the early 1990s, most attempts thus far have sought to provide a formal description of the structure of some pre-existing terminology or classification, rather than of the corresponding structures and processes on the side of the patient.
Long-term outcome of transcatheter secundum-type atrial septal defect closure using Amplatzer septal occluders.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess long-term results of percutaneous closure of secundum-type atrial septal defect (ASD II) using Amplatzer septal occluders (ASO). Background Only immediate-, short-, and intermediate-term results of ASO implantation are known so far. Methods Between September 1995 and January 2000, 151 patients underwent a successful percutaneous closure of ASD II in our institution. All were included in the present study and were followed up until September 2004. Results This group of patients was followed up from 56 to 108 months (median 78 months). The mean stretched defect diameter was 15.9 ± 4.8 mm. There were no deaths or significant complications during the study. At three years of follow-up, all defects were completely closed and remained closed thereafter. Conclusions Since the first human implantations in September 1995, the Amplatzer septal occluder proved as a safe and effective device for percutaneous closure of ASD II.