cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Left ventricular diastolic function in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction due to coronary artery disease and effect of nicardipine

To assess the effect of nicardipine on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function independent of concurrent effects on loading conditions in patients with LV systolic dysfunction due to coronary artery disease, equihypotensive doses of intravenous nitroprusside and nicardipine were administered to 12 patients with congestive heart failure due to previous myocardial infarction (LV ejection fraction less than 0.40). LV micromanometer pressure and simultaneous radionuclide volume were obtained during a baseline period, during nitroprusside infusion, during a second baseline period and during nicardipine infusion. Mean systemic arterial pressure decreased an average of 21 mm Hg with nitroprusside and 19 mm Hg with nicardipine. A greater decrease in LV end-diastolic pressure was observed with nitroprusside (29 +/- 2 to 15 +/- 2 mm Hg, p less than 0.01) than with nicardipine (29 +/- 2 to 25 +/- 3 mm Hg, p less than 0.05). There was a decrease in the time constant of relaxation during nitroprusside but not during nicardipine infusion. There was enough overlap in LV volumes in the baseline and nitroprusside periods to compare diastolic pressure-volume relations over a common range of volumes in 4 patients, and enough overlap in the baseline and nicardipine periods in 11 patients. The relation was shifted downward in 3 of 4 patients taking nitroprusside and in 6 of 11 patients taking nicardipine. The relation between end-diastolic pressure and volume was not shifted with nicardipine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Missed opportunities: local health departments as providers of obesity prevention programs for adolescents.

Background This study examined the availability of local health department programs related to youth healthy eating, obesity control, and physical activity. Methods Data were obtained in the spring and summer of 2003. Selection of communities was based on a nationally representative sample of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students. Health departments with jurisdiction over these communities were contacted. Information was collected on departmental activities around healthy eating, weight loss, and physical activity. Results Results reveal that on average less than half the health departments surveyed provide, support, or advocate for programs targeting these activities. While the majority of informants indicated that these programs are of high priority, there is still an opportunity for health departments to expand these types of services. Conclusions By increasing and expanding these programs and advocacy efforts, health agencies could be an important resource in helping to curb the current obesity epidemic.
Hamiltonian dynamics of simple chemical reactions

The Hamiltonian formulation of chemical kinetics is applied to all closed, single-step, integer-order chemical reactions. In all cases, the dynamics of the Hamiltonian leads to the correct phenomenological rate equation. The relationship between reaction order and the form of the reaction potential is discussed.
Other applications of interstitial lymphoscintigraphy

Besides its use in malignant disease, a number ofnon-neoplastic applications are also available. These include the use of the technique in Milroy's disease and lymphedema of the extremities, alterations of lymphatic pathways and lymphedema following surgery as well as investigative studies of pulmonary and cardiac lymph drainage.
Functional Rescue of P23H Rhodopsin Photoreceptors by Gene Delivery

The mechanism of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP) caused by the P23H mutation in rhodopsin is tightly associated with misfolded rhodopsin (RHO) which causes endoplasmic reticulum overload (ER stress), activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), and triggers apoptosis. In efforts to create a therapy for ADRP caused by the P23H mutation, we have explored different approaches leading to survival of photoreceptor (PR) cells. The direct approach involves the modulation of the level of wild-type RHO, while the indirect approach involves reprogramming the UPR and increasing the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs). Taking the direct approach, we found that overexpression of wild-type RHO rescues scotopic ERG responses partially. However, greater therapeutic effects were obtained by manipulation of the UPR in P23H RHO rat PRs treated with the endoplasmic reticulum protein BiP/Grp78. In vitro study revealed that the prosurvival effect of Bip gene was not associated with its function as a molecular chaperone, but rather with its regulation of the UPR. Another indirect approach was the overexpression of the Hsf-1 gene, a transcriptional regulator of the heat shock response. AAV-delivery of Hsf-1 resulted in an increase of scotopic ERG amplitudes by over 35%. Taken together, these data suggest viable therapeutic treatments for ADRP.
Research Methods Tutor: evaluation of a dialogue-based tutoring system in the classroom.

Research Methods Tutor (RMT) is a dialogue-based intelligent tutoring system for use in conjunction with undergraduate psychology research methods courses. RMT includes five topics that correspond to the curriculum of introductory research methods courses: ethics, variables, reliability, validity, and experimental design. We evaluated the effectiveness of the RMT system in the classroom using a nonequivalent control group design. Students in three classes (n = 83) used RMT, and students in two classes (n = 53) did not use RMT. Results indicated that the use of RMT yielded strong learning gains of 0.75 standard deviations above classroom instruction alone. Further, the dialogue-based tutoring condition of the system resulted in higher gains than did the textbook-style condition (CAI version) of the system. Future directions for RMT include the addition of new topics and tutoring elements.
Investigation of anomalous beamwidth variation in the sinuous spiral antenna

The sinuous antenna [DuHamel, 1987] was developed to fill a long time need for a flush-mountable antenna that would respond simultaneously to opposite-sense polarizations over a very wide band. Although geometrically related to logarithmic spirals, the sinuous spiral antenna is a log-periodic structure that is self-scaling only for a discrete set of scale factors. Hence, frequency-independent performance is not guaranteed even in the absence of truncation effects. Indeed, variations with frequency of the half-power beamwidths have been observed experimentally for some sinuous spirals [Ingerson et al. 1991]. These variations have no analog in a spiral antenna of the same parameters. Numerical analysis of the current distributions on sinuous spirals has been undertaken to provide insight into the cause of the beamwidth variation. >
High-Energy, Short-Pulse Fiber Injection Lasers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

A short-pulse fiber injection laser for the advanced radiographic capability on the National Ignition Facility has been developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This system produces 100 ?J pulses with 5 nm of bandwidth centered at 1053 nm. The pulses are stretched to 2.5 ns, and have been recompressed to subpicoseconds pulsewidths. A key feature of the system is that the prepulse power contrast ratio exceeds 80 dB. The system can also precisely adjust the final recompressed pulsewidth and timing, and has been designed for reliable, hands-free operation. The key challenges in constructing this system were control of the SNR, dispersion management, and managing the impact of self-phase modulation on the chirped pulse.
G Protein-Coupled Receptor Internalization Signaling Is Required for Cardioprotection in Ischemic Preconditioning

The present study is designed to explore the role of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the protection afforded by ischemic preconditioning (PC). We used TG mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of a Gβγ-sequestering peptide, βARKct (TG βARKct mice), to test whether the protection of PC is Gβγ-dependent. To test the role of Gi protein, we used wild-type mice pretreated with the Gi inhibitor pertussis toxin. Recovery of left ventricular developed pressure and infarct size were measured as indices of protection. PC induced protection in wild-type mice, but this protection was blocked by pertussis toxin treatment and was also blocked in TG βARKct mice. To determine the mechanism of Gβγ-induced protection in PC, we investigated one of the downstream targets of Gβγ, the PI3K/p70S6K pathway. PC-induced phosphorylation of p70S6K was not blocked in TG βARKct hearts; therefore, we investigated other targets of Gβγ. Recent studies suggest a role for Gβγ in GPCR internalization. We found that βARKct, a specific PI3K inhibitor wortmannin, and bafilomycin A1, which all block receptor recycling, all blocked the protective effect of PC. To additionally test whether PI3K is involved in PC-activated receptor internalization and endosomal signaling, we used TG mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of a catalytically inactive mutant PI3Kγ, which disrupts the recruitment of functional PI3K to agonist-activated GPCRs in vivo. We found that the catalytically inactive mutant of PI3Kγ blocks the protection of PC. In summary, these data suggest the novel finding that the cardioprotective effect of PC requires receptor internalization.
Period Analysis of the Clinical Electroencephalogram

Period analysis as an analytical technique for data reduction of the electroencephalogram (EEG) was introduced in 1955 and has been under continuing development since that time. Most applications of period analysis have utilized only one or at most two channels of EEG and the majority of experimental situations have probably been state of consciousness studies often in unusual enviroments such as the orbital flight of Gemini-7. Only recently has the system been developed for 8 channels of simultaneous analysis, data logging and general purpose digital manipulation. The evolution of such an 8 channel system finally allows the application of period analytic techniques to the problems of clinical electroencephalography.
Characterization of Majorization Monotone Quantum Dynamics

In this technical note, the author studies the dynamics of open quantum system in Markovian environment. The author gives necessary and sufficient conditions for such dynamics to be majorization monotone, which are those dynamics always mixing the states.
Effects of Intraligand Electron Delocalization, Steric Tuning, and Excited-State Vibronic Coupling on the Photophysics of Aryl-Substituted Bipyridyl Complexes of Ru(II)

The synthesis and photophysical characterization of a series of aryl-substituted 2,2‘-bipyridyl complexes of RuII are reported. The static and time-resolved emission properties of [Ru(dpb)3](PF6)2, where dpb is 4,4‘-diphenyl-2,2‘-bipyridine, have been examined and are contrasted with those of [Ru(dmb)3](PF6)2 (dmb = 4,4‘-dimethyl-2,2‘-bipyridine). It is shown through analysis of electrochemical data and detailed fitting of the emission spectrum that the unusually large radiative quantum yield for [Ru(dpb)3](PF6)2 in CH3CN solution at room temperature is due to reduction of the degree of geometric distortion along primarily ring-stretch acceptor mode coordinates relative to other molecules in this class. It is proposed that the 3MLCT excited state of [Ru(dpb)3]2+ is characterized by a ligand conformation in which the 4,4‘-phenyl substituents are coplanar with the bipyridyl fragment, leading to extended intraligand electron delocalization and a smaller average change in the C−C bond length upon formation of...
Wenckebach during supraventricular tachycardia.

In case 1, a 71-year-old man with a history of coronary artery disease presented with recurrent paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) despite treatment with β-blockers. During electrophysiology study, the baseline sinus cycle length was 895 ms, atrial-His (AH) interval was 120 ms, and His-ventricular interval was 60 ms. A narrow complex SVT with tachycardia cycle length of 480 ms was initiated with atrial overdrive pacing at 400 ms, as well as with single atrial extrastimuli. The tachycardia showed a long RP interval with regular concentric atrial activation pattern and atrioventricular Wenckebach conduction (Figure 1). Ventricular overdrive pacing during tachycardia repeatedly terminated the tachycardia without activation of the atrium (Figure 2). Figure 1. Inducible SVT with Wenckebach block above the His (arrows) in patient 1 (ECG leads I, III, V1, and V6). His d indicates distal His; His p, proximal His; CS 1,2, distal coronary sinus; CS 7,8, proximal coronary sinus; and RVa, right ventricular apex. Figure 2. Ventricular overdrive pacing terminates tachycardia with ventriculoatrial block (arrow) (ECG leads I, III, V1, and V6 …
Chlamydial Heat Shock Proteins and Disease Pathology: New Paradigms for Old Problems?

The mucosal pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and is a significant cause of sexually transmitted disease. Although most acute infections can be easily managed, complications often occur that can be especially severe in women. It has been proposed that increased exposure to conserved chlamydial antigens, such as through reinfection or persistent infection, results in chronic inflammation and tissue scarring and contributes to the pathogenesis of endometrial and fallopian tube damage. This immunopathologic damage is believed to be a principal cause of ectopic pregnancy and tubal factor infertility. The chlamydial heat shock protein Hsp60, a homolog of Escherichia coli GroEL, has been identified as one protein capable of eliciting intense mononuclear inflammation. Furthermore, several studies have revealed a correlation between Hsp60 responses and the immunopathologic manifestations of human chlamydial disease. The role of additional antigens in the immunopathologic response to chlamydiae is currently undefined. A prime candidate, however, is the chlamydial GroES homolog Hsp10, which is genetically and physiologically linked to Hsp60. Recent studies provide data to suggest that immune reactivity to Hsp10 is significantly associated with tubal infertility in a chlamydiae-exposed population. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a more recently defined chlamydial species that has been implicated in a variety of ways with chronic disease processes, such as adult onset asthma and atherosclerosis. Evidence indicates that Hsp60 is present in human atheroma and may play a role in lesion development by direct activation of macrophages. Hsp60 causes the elaboration of inflammatory cytokines, the induction of metalloproteinase, and the oxidation of low density lipoprotein. Each of these events is directly associated with the progress of atherosclerosis. Thus, chlamydial heat shock proteins may function in at least two ways to promote chronic disease: first by direct antigenic stimulation and second as signal transducers that result in macrophage activation. These concepts in disease pathology are discussed in the context of chlamydial infections.
WaveMark: digital image watermaking using Daubechies' wavelets and error-correcting coding

As more and more digital images are distributed on-line via the Internet and WWW, many copyright owners are concerned about protecting the copyright of digital images. This paper describes WaveMark, a novel wavelet-based multiresolution digital watermarking system for color images. The algorithm in WaveMark uses discrete wavelet transforms and error- correcting coding schemes to provide robust watermarking of digital images. Unlike other wavelet-based algorithms, our watermark recovery procedure does not require a match with an uncorrupted original image. Our algorithm uses Daubechies' advanced wavelets and extended Hamming codes to deal with problems associated with JPEG compression and random additive noise. In addition, the algorithm is able to sustain intentional disturbances introduced by professional robustness testing programs such as StirMark. The use of Daubechies' advanced wavelets makes the watermarked images more perceptively faithful than the images watermarked with the Haar wavelet transform. The watermark is adaptively applied to different areas of the image, based on the smoothness of the areas, to increase robustness within the limits of perception. The system is practical for real-world applications, encoding or decoding images at the speed of less than one second each on a Pentium Pro PC.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Shaping of a Virtuous Citizenry: Educational Reform in Massachusetts, 1830–1860

In his “Ninth Annual Report to the Massachusetts Board of Education” (1846), the Secretary of the Board, Horace Mann, discussed the teaching of moral and civic virtues inside the classrooms of American public schools. “The question now arises,” he declared, “and it is a question on which the worth or worthlessness of our free institutions is suspended—whether [our schools] be put in requisition to impart a higher moral tone to the public mind; to enthrone the great ideas of justice, truth, benevolence, and reverence in the breasts of the people.” For Mann, of course, the answer was self-evident: it was the special task of public schooling to carry out “a revolution…down among the primordial elements of human character” itself. “[E]very fibre in the nation,” he declared, “should be strained to the endeavor…. It is the mission of our age to carry this cause one step further… in its progress of development.”
Perception of scale in forest management planning: Challenges and implications

Forest management practices imposed at one spatial scale may affect the patterns and processes of ecosystems at other scales. These impacts and feedbacks on the functioning of ecosystems across spatial scales are not well understood. We examined the effects of silvicultural manipulations simulated at two spatial scales of management planning on landscape pattern and assessed the implications for forest-interior bird species. Landscape context was taken into consideration in determining harvest locations in the landscape-base management planning scenario but not in the stand-base planning scenario (where the focus of planning activities was at the level of individual stands and the context in which stands were located was not considered). We also compared ecological implications of patterns created at the stand and landscape levels by even- and uneven-age silvicultural systems. We used a harvest simulator (HARVEST) to simulate even-age, uneven-age and a combination of even- and uneven-age management systems for a period of 5 decades in the two forest management planning scenarios. Clearcuts of 5 to 16 ha were simulated to represent even-age management and small openings of 0.09 to 0.22 ha scattered throughout a stand were simulated to represent uneven-age management. Forest management that considered landscape context generated greater landscape total core area compared to that of the stand-base planning. There was a difference in landscape mean patch size, interspersion index, Simpson's diversity index and total core area for patches defined by stand age between stand- and landscape-base management planning. These results indicate that different landscape patterns can be produced by management planning conducted at different spatial scales. The scale of focus should depend on the management goals. Silvicultural manipulations at the stand level can cause the creation of different patterns at the stand and landscape levels. Such differences can lead to different ecological implications at each of those levels, thereby making it difficult to simply aggregate stand-level responses to the landscape-level. Furthermore, the ecological effects of landscape patterns on processes can be highly variable as the effects depend on how patches are defined.
The intrinsic dynamics of retinal bipolar cells isolated from tiger salamander

We studied how intrinsic membrane properties affect the gain and temporal pattern of response in bipolar cells dissociated from retinae of tiger salamanders. Currents specified by a pseudorandom binary sequence, an m-sequence, superimposed on various means, were injected into the cells. From the resultant membrane voltage response for each mean current, impulse responses were estimated. From each impulse response, transfer function, gain, and time constant were calculated. The bipolar cells acted as quasilinear adaptive filters whose gain and response speed are determined by the mean input current. Near resting potential, gain, and time constant were maximum. Dynamics were slow and low-pass, characterized by an approximately exponential impulse response. With depolarization, gains were reduced sharply, responses were much faster, and dynamics became band-pass, as indicated by an undershoot in the impulse response. For any given mean current, the shape of the impulse response did not depend on the amplitude of the m-sequence currents. Thus, bipolar cells behaved in a quasilinear fashion. The adaptive behavior was eliminated by blocking a potassium current, which implicates the role of a voltage-gated potassium conductance. Computer simulations on a model neuron including a delayed-rectifier reconstructed the observed behavior, and provided insight into other, less readily observable, parameters. Thus, bipolar cells, even when isolated, possess mechanisms which regulate, with unsuspected elaborateness, the sensitivities and dynamics of their responsiveness. Implications for adaptation and neuronal processing are discussed.
Progressive ataxia, myoclonic epilepsy and cerebellar apoptosis in cystatin B-deficient mice

Loss-of-function mutations in the gene (CSTB) encoding human cystatin B, a widely expressed cysteine protease inhibitor, are responsible for a severe neurological disorder known as Unverricht-Lundborg disease (EPM1). The primary cellular events and mechanisms underlying the disease are unknown. We found that mice lacking cystatin B develop myoclonic seizures and ataxia, similar to symptoms seen in the human disease. The principal cytopathology appears to be a loss of cerebellar granule cells, which frequently display condensed nuclei, fragmented DNA and other cellular changes characteristic of apoptosis. This mouse model of EPM1 provides evidence that cystatin B, a non-caspase cysteine protease inhibitor, has a role in preventing cerebellar apoptosis.
Essay #9: Kant’s Analytic/Synthetic Distinction

The purpose of this essay is to undermine several standard objections to the analytic/synthetic distinction. It proceeds by quoting Kant’s formulation of the distinction, and then reviewing the English renderings by several noted translators. Three of Kant’s contemporary critics, W.V.O. Quine, Stephen Korner, and Richard Robinson criticize Kant on two points, viz. (1) his restriction of the distinction to subject predicate judgments, and (2) the specific formulation that he gives to the distinction. W.V.O. Quine, in “Two Dogmas of Empiricism” finds two faults with Kant’s formulation. The first is its limitation to statements of a subject-predicate form, and secondly to the notion of containment, which Quine considers metaphorical. Stephen Korner, in his book Kant, makes the same criticism, to which he adds a charge of vagueness. Richard Robinson endorses the same critiques, to which he adds the claim that Kant’s formulation requires a Leibnizean formula for distinguishing necessary from contingent propositions as a reconstruction.
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) gene deficiency alleviates diabetic kidney disease

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) inhibitors prevent or alleviate diabetic nephropathy. This study evaluated the role for PARP-1 in diabetic kidney disease using the PARP-1-deficient mouse. PARP-1-/- and the wild-type (129S1/SvImJ) mice were made diabetic with streptozotocin, and were maintained for 12 weeks. Final blood glucose concentrations were increased ∼ 3.7-fold in both diabetic groups. PARP-1 protein expression (Western blot analysis) in the renal cortex was similar in non-diabetic and diabetic wild-type mice (100% and 107%) whereas all knockouts were PARP-1-negative. PARP-1 gene deficiency reduced urinary albumin (ELISA) and protein excretion prevented diabetes-induced kidney hypertrophy, and decreased mesangial expansion and collagen deposition (both assessed by histochemistry) as well as fibronectin expression. Renal podocyte loss (immunohistochemistry) and nitrotyrosine and transforming growth factor-β₁ accumulations (both by ELISA) were slightly lower in diabetic PARP-1-/- mice, but the differences with diabetic wild-type group did not achieve statistical significance. In conclusion, PARP-1-/- gene deficiency alleviates although does not completely prevent diabetic kidney disease.
EPA's Proposed New Souce Performance Standards to Control Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Electric Utility-Generating Units

On April 13, 2012, EPA promulgated proposed new source performance standards for electric-generating units. The proposed regulations if finalized would essentially preclude the use of coal for new electric power plants. This article discusses the numerous legal issues that may be raised in a challenge to the regulations if they are finalized without significant changes.
Disulfide-Linked Dinitroxides for Monitoring Cellular Thiol Redox Status through Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Intracellular thiol-disulfide redox balance is crucial to cell health, and may be a key determinant of a cancer's response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The ability to assess intracellular thiol-disulfide balance may thus be useful not only in predicting responsiveness of cancers to therapy, but in assessing predisposition to disease. Assays of thiols in biology have relied on colorimetry or fluorimetry, both of which require UV-visible photons, which do not penetrate the body. Low-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) is an emerging magnetic imaging technique that uses radio waves, which penetrate the body well. Therefore, in combination with tailored imaging agents, EPRI affords the opportunity to image physiology within the body. In this study, we have prepared water-soluble and membrane-permeant disulfide-linked dinitroxides, at natural isotopic abundance, and with D,(15)N-substitution. Thiols such as glutathione cleave the disulfides, with simple bimolecular kinetics, to yield the monomeric nitroxide species, with distinctive changes in the EPR spectrum. Using the D,(15)N-substituted disulfide-dinitroxide and EPR spectroscopy, we have obtained quantitative estimates of accessible intracellular thiol in cultured human lymphocytes. Our estimates are in good agreement with published measurements. This suggests that in vivo EPRI of thiol-disulfide balance is feasible. Finally, we discuss the constraints on the design of probe molecules that would be useful for in vivo EPRI of thiol redox status.
The Influence of Cultural Variables on Treatment Retention and Engagement in a Sample of Mexican American Adolescent Males with Substance Use Disorders

Adolescent substance abuse is a serious public health concern, and in response to this problem, a number of effective treatment approaches have been developed. Despite this, retaining and engaging adolescents in treatment are 2 major challenges continuously faced by practitioners and clinical researchers. Low retention and engagement rates are especially salient for ethnic minority adolescents because they are at high risk for underutilization of substance abuse treatment compared to their White peers. Latino adolescents, in particular, are part of the fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States and experience high rates of substance use disorders. Heretofore, the empirical examination of cultural factors that influence treatment retention and engagement has been lacking in the literature. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of the cultural variables ethnic identity, familism, and acculturation on the retention and engagement of Latino adolescents participating in substance abuse treatment. This study used data collected from a sample of Latino adolescent males (N = 96), predominantly of Mexican descent, and largely recruited from the juvenile justice system. Analysis was conducted using generalized regression models for count variables. Results indicated that higher levels of exploration, a subfactor of ethnic identity, and familism were predictive of attendance and engagement. In contrast, higher levels of Anglo orientation, a subfactor of acculturation, were predictive of lower treatment attendance and engagement. Clinical implications for the variables of ethnic identity, acculturation, and familism as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
Robust Estimators in Fuzzy Logic Cellular-Automata Salt and Pepper Noise Filtering

In order to increase the performance of computational algorithms in terms of efficiency of estimators, we tested new nonparametric estimators in fuzzy and cellular automata models. In particular, image de-noising algorithms exist to restore digital images corrupted by impulse noise. These algorithms may do poorly in many common cases, for example, when high contrast and sharp edges lead to outliers, spikes, or non-symmetric patterns for neighborhing pixels. This would stem from the choices of estimators in the algorithms. We investigated new nonparametric estimators and compared to existing methods in simulation study. We detected better performances of our new methods under various situations.
ROCK mediates thrombin's endothelial barrier dysfunction

Thrombin-induced endothelial monolayer hyperpermeability is thought to result from increased F-actin stress fiber-related contractile tension, a process regulated by the small GTP-binding protein R...
REACTION TIME AND THE EXPECTANCY HYPOTHESIS.

The measurement and meaning of the term expectancy and equivalent concepts as used in areas such as learning and vigilance are discussed briefly, and some experiments designed to measure the temporal course of expectancy are reviewed. A visual reaction time experiment is reported in which the effects of 1, 2, 3, or 4 recurrences of 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-sec. “training” intervals on reaction time to a single “test” stimulus appearing 2, 3, 4, or 5 sec. after the last training stimulus were investigated. The results showed an insignificant effect of number of training intervals, but both the training and test interval effects and the interaction between the two were statistically significant. The general features of the curves plotted from the 16 training × test interval reaction time means illustrate that, under the conditions employed in the present experiment, mean reaction time is minimum when the training and test intervals are equal and increases as the absolute difference in duration of training and test ...
The Genus Cybaeus (Arachnida: Agelenidae) in Oregon

A study on the North American spiders of the genus Cybaeus was published by Dr. R. V. Chamberlin and Wilton Ivie in 1932 (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1932). In this paper five species of Cybaeus were recorded from Oregon. Since then, five additional species have been described from the state (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942). Since synonomy of the above species is in these papers, the reference given for each species discussed in this paper indicates only the best description or illustration. In this paper Cybaeus cascadius and C. simplex are described as new. The allotype (female) for C. scopulatus Chamberlin & Ivie is described and the male genitalia of C. multnoma Chamberlin and Ivie is illustrated for the first time. Specimens from Oregon representing four new species are being retained till additional and better specimens are obtained. Unless otherwise indicated all specimens were collected by the author.
Pressure-induced distortions of Pb(NO3)2 isomorphs

Energy-dispersive and angle-dispersive x-ray-diffraction (EDXD and ADXD) measurements show that when compressed by pressures above 10.0 GPa isostructural Pb${(\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_{3})}_{2}$, Ba${(\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_{3})}_{2}$, and Sr${(\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_{3})}_{2}$ transform reversibly to highly disordered structures. Raman measurements under compression suggest that the transformation occurs via reorientation of the nitrate ions to multiple sites and movement of the metal ions from the crystal positions. Our main conclusion is that EDXD and ADXD measurements give different meanings to the notion "x-ray amorphous." Thus, whenever this phrase is used, the method used and the conditions that prevail must be specified. We also suggest that our results show that Raman spectroscopy can be used to distinguish nonrandom nitrate and cation environments in metal nitrate glasses.
A Tail of Two Peptide Amphiphiles: Effect of Conjugation with Hydrophobic Polymer on Folding of Peptide Sequences

Peptide amphiphiles (PA) offer the potential of incorporating biological function into synthetic materials for tissue engineering in regenerative medicine. These hybrid conjugates are known to undergo self-assembly starting from single molecules to nanofibers before turning into hydrogel scaffolds—such a process involves conformational changes in secondary structures of peptides. Therefore, insights on the ability of peptide amphiphiles to form secondary structure as single molecules are useful for understanding self-assembly behavior. We report here a molecular simulation study of peptide folding by two PA sequences, each contains an alkyl tail and short peptide segment. The alkyl tail is observed to play two opposing roles in modulating sequence-dependent folding kinetics and thermodynamics. On one hand, it restricts conformational freedom reducing the entropic cost of folding, which is thus promoted. On the other hand, it acts as an interaction site with nonpolar peptide residues, blocking the peptide ...
Self-Assembled Photonic Devices

My group has recently demonstrated a number of strategies for self-assembling spherical colloids into complex structures for various types of applications. In one example, spherical colloids have been organized into uniform, polygonal or polyhedral clusters (such as dimers, trimers, squares, pentagons, hexagons, and tetrahedrons) with well-controlled shapes and structures. These well-defined clusters provide a good model system to study the light scattering or hydrodynamics of non-spherical colloids. In another example, spherical colloids have been assembled into three-dimensionally ordered lattices that exhibit interesting photonic bandgap properties. We can control the orientations of these photonic crystals by templating against relief structures etched in the surfaces of silicon wafers. In this presentation, I am going to briefly discuss the procedure, capability, advantages, disadvantages, and future directions for each approach.
Large-Scale Silica Overcoating of Gold Nanorods with Tunable Shell Thicknesses

Gold nanorods (GNRs) overcoated with SiO2 are of interest for enhancing the shape stability of GNRs during photothermal heating, for further functionalization with silanes, and for biomedical applications. While methods have recently been developed for synthesizing GNRs on a large scale, SiO2 overcoating of GNRs is still conducted on a small reaction scale. Here, we report a method for large-scale synthesis of SiO2-overcoated GNRs (SiO2-GNRs), which gives ∼190 mg of SiO2-GNRs. SiO2 is deposited onto and encapsulates the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) coatings that stabilize GNRs by adding tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) via syringe pump. Control over the CTAB concentration is critically important for obtaining uniform overcoatings. Optical absorbance spectra of SiO2-GNRs closely resemble those of uncoated GNRs, which indicates overcoating of single rather than multiple GNRs and confirms that they remain well dispersed. By adjusting the reaction conditions, shells as thick as ∼20 nm can be obtained. For th...
Rheumatologic disorders due to immune complexes.

Circulating autologous immune complexes are considered responsible for the vasculitis of systemic lupus erythematosus and of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis and appear to contribute to the vasculitis of one form of cryoglobulinemia. Complexes of virus and immunoglobulin probably cause half of the cases of polyarteritis nodosa.
Imaging chiral symmetry breaking from Kekulé bond order in graphene

Chirality—or ‘handedness’—is a symmetry property crucial to fields as diverse as biology, chemistry and high-energy physics. In graphene, chiral symmetry emerges naturally as a consequence of the carbon honeycomb lattice. This symmetry can be broken by interactions that couple electrons with opposite momenta in graphene. Here we directly visualize the formation of Kekule bond order, one such phase of broken chiral symmetry, in an ultraflat graphene sheet grown epitaxially on a copper substrate. We show that its origin lies in the interactions between individual vacancies in the copper substrate that are mediated electronically by the graphene. We show that this interaction causes the bonds in graphene to distort, creating a phase with broken chiral symmetry. The Kekule ordering is robust at ambient temperature and atmospheric conditions, indicating that intercalated atoms may be harnessed to drive graphene and other two-dimensional materials towards electronically desirable and exotic collective phases. Scanning tunnelling microscopy shows how the interaction between electrons in graphene and atomic vacancies in a copper substrate produces Kekule ordering — an electronic phase that breaks chiral symmetry.
Reliability of a Standardized Nasal Anatomic Worksheet and Correlation With Subjective Nasal Airway Obstruction.

ImportanceNasal obstruction is a common chief concern; however, a comprehensive standardized worksheet for evaluating nasal obstruction has not been developed. ObjectiveTo evaluate the interrater r...
Self and Community: The Importance of Interdependence and Its Shadow Side

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the relationship between self and community in the context of interdependence, grounded in an ethnographic study done in a L'Arche community home in which persons with and without intellectual disabilities share life. Through real-life examples and theoretical insights, the importance and shadow sides of interdependence are analyzed, with a concluding theological and practical reflection on how interdependence in community can be affirmed and lived in a freeing, non-oppressive way.
Association of health professional leadership behaviors on health promotion practice beliefs

Abstract Background Leadership is a process by which an individual influences a group or individual to achieve a common goal, in this case health promotion for individuals with disabilities. Objectives (1) To examine the association between the transformational leadership behaviors of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) network professionals and their practice beliefs about health promotion activities, specifically cardiovascular fitness and healthy weight, for people with disabilities. (2) To determine if discipline and/or years of practice moderate the association between transformational leadership behaviors and practice beliefs regarding health promotion. Hypothesis There is a positive association between transformational leadership behaviors and health professionals practice beliefs regarding health promotion activities for persons with disabilities. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional web-based survey design was used to determine the association between leadership behaviors and practices beliefs regarding health promotion for people with disabilities. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and an adapted version of the Role of Health Promotion in Physical Therapy Survey were used to measure leadership and practice beliefs, respectively. Multiple regression analysis was applied to determine the association of leadership behaviors with health promotion practice beliefs variables. Results Transformational leadership behaviors of the AUCD network professionals were positively associated with health promotion practice beliefs about cardiovascular fitness for people with disabilities. Years post licensure and discipline did not moderate the association between transformational leadership and practice beliefs regarding health promotion. Conclusion Transformational leadership may facilitate health professionals' health promotion practices for people with disabilities. Further research and training in leadership is needed.
THE EVOLUTION OF ATRIOVENTRICULAR VALVE FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH HETEROTAXY SYNDROME: A LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT FROM FETUS TO LATE AFTER FONTAN OPERATION

Background: The atrioventricular valve function is one of the most important determinants of mortality in patients with heterotaxy syndrome (HS). Though there are many reports to show the impact of atrioventricular valve regurgitation (AVVR) on the outcome of patients with HS, there are paucity of
Repurposing proteins for new bioinorganic functions

Inspired by the remarkable sophistication and complexity of natural metalloproteins, the field of protein design and engineering has traditionally sought to understand and recapitulate the design principles that underlie the interplay between metals and protein scaffolds. Yet, some recent efforts in the field demonstrate that it is possible to create new metalloproteins with structural, functional and physico-chemical properties that transcend evolutionary boundaries. This essay aims to highlight some of these efforts and draw attention to the ever-expanding scope of bioinorganic chemistry and its new connections to synthetic biology, biotechnology, supramolecular chemistry and materials engineering.
Parkinson's Disease Psychosis: Presentation, Diagnosis and Management

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and nonmotor symptoms. Psychosis is a common feature of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP) encompasses minor phenomena (illusions, passage hallucinations and presence hallucinations), visual and nonvisual hallucinations and delusions. PDP is associated with reduced function and quality of life. The initial management approach should focus on identification and treatment of any contributory medical factors, reduction or discontinuation of medications with potential to induce or worsen psychosis, nonpharmacological strategies and consideration of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor treatment in the setting of dementia. Pimavanserin, quetiapine and clozapine may all be considered for use in PDP. In this review, we discuss the presentation, diagnosis and management of PDP.
Distinguishing Linkage Position and Anomeric Configuration of Glucose–Glucose Disaccharides by Water Adduction to Lithiated Molecules

A method was developed to distinguish both the linkage position and the anomericity of all reducing and two nonreducing glucopyransosyl–glucose disaccharides using only electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (ESI–MS/MS). Carbohydrates are well-known to form complexes with metal cations during electrospray ionization. Addition of a lithium salt to a solution containing a disaccharide, M, results in [M + Li]+ after ESI. Collision-induced dissociation of these ions creates product ions at m/z 187 and m/z 169 from cleavage of the glycosidic bond and are present for all disaccharides studied. Both of these product ions were found to adduct water after their formation in a quadrupole ion trap. The kinetics of this water adduction can be measured by isolating either of the product ions and waiting a short time (<1 s) before mass analysis. Additionally, for both product ions, only a fraction of the ions were able to adduct water. This unreactive fraction was measured along with the reaction r...
Limitations of MLLR adaptation with Spanish-accented English: an error analysis.

We studied the effect of MLLR adaptation with Spanishaccented English to understand the strengths and weaknesses of MLLR with unseen foreign accents. We trained a global MLLR transform on 10 adaptation sentences per speaker, giving a 3.4% absolute decrease in phone error rate. We then studied the pattern of improvements across phones and phone classes. Phones that improved the least tended to be those that do not exist in Spanish. Results suggest the poorer performance is related to increased insertion and substituter rates during the adaptation phase, as well as greater acoustic variability.
Directing RNase P-Mediated Cleavage of Target mRNAs by Engineered External Guide Sequences in Cultured Cells

Ribonuclease P (RNase P) complexed with external guide sequence (termed as EGS) represents a novel nucleic acid-based gene interference approach to modulate gene expression. In previous studies, by using an in vitro selection procedure, we have successfully generated EGS variants that are complementary to target mRNAs, and these variants exhibit higher efficiency in directing human RNase P to cleave the target mRNAs than those derived from nature RNAs in vitro. This chapter describes the procedure of using engineered EGSs for in vitro trans-cleavage of target viral mRNAs in cultured cells. Detailed information is focused on (1) generation and in vitro cleavage assay of the customized EGS variants and (2) stable expression of EGS and evaluation of its activity in inhibition of viral gene expression and growth in cultured cells. These methods should provide general guidelines for using engineered EGS to direct RNase P-mediated cleavage of target mRNAs in cultured cells.
Meal Planning Program to Reduce Barriers and Improve Diet Quality in Worksite Wellness Center Members.

OBJECTIVE Many adults struggle with eating healthfully. To address this problem, dietitians and a physician at a worksite wellness center designed and implemented a healthy eating program to identify and reduce barriers and to improve nutrition knowledge, confidence, and eating habits. METHODS A single cohort study design of members of a worksite wellness center who attended the program. RESULTS Eight-six participants demonstrated significant improvement in reducing perceived barriers (P < 0.001), improving nutritional knowledge (P = 0.001), increasing confidence (P < 0.001), and increasing the frequency of preparing healthy meals (P < 0.001) and intake of fruits and vegetables (P < 0.001). These improvements were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSION These results suggest that participation in a 6-week nutrition education program at a worksite wellness center decreases barriers to healthy eating and improves dietary intake.
Intermodulation Uplink for Far-Field Passive RFID Applications

This work presents the first intermodulation (IM) uplink for far-field power-harvesting RFID applications. The implemented reader sends a two-tone signal for wireless power transfer with a better efficiency, and the tag modulates the rectifier-generated third-order I-M (IM3) frequency for the uplink communication. The IM3 uplink, with different transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) frequencies, allows a direct noise filtering at the power amplifier (PA) output. Therefore, the Rx signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is immune to the PA output noise. The 5.8-GHz far-field IM3 uplink prototype demonstrates a better Rx SNR and signal-to-blocker ratio (SBR) in the Rx spectrum, compared to the backscatterinz uplink.