cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pallidothalamocortical pathway to the medial agranular cortex in the rat: a double labeling light and electron microscopic study

The goal of the present study was to determine if the medial agranular cortex (AGm) that is thought to contain the supplementary motor area in the rat receives the pallidothalamocortical pathway. A double labeling paradigm was employed whereby injections of the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) into the entopeduncular nucleus (EN) were combined with injections of the retrograde tracer cholera toxin subunit B into either the rostral or caudal part AGm in the rat. We found that the pallidothalamic projections occupied a crescent shaped arc within the thalamic ventral anterior-ventral lateral nuclear complex (VAL) and ventral medial nucleus (VM). Additional efferents projected to LD/LP, MD, Pf and CL. Dense projections were also found to LHb. In addition, we found that a wide band of cells extending from rostral thalamus including VAL and VM through caudal thalamus including MD, Po, LD/LP, Pf and CL projected to either the rostral or caudal parts of the AGm. The greatest coincidence of the pallidothalamic efferents and AGm thalamocortical cells was found in VAL and VM where numerous PHA-L varicosities were found in close apposition to CTB labeled cells. Synaptic contacts between VAL thalamocortical neurons and pallidal terminals were verified in the electron microscope. These results demonstrate for the first time the pallidothalamocortical pathway by way of VAL to the AGm in the rat.
The Dutch Hunger Winter and the developmental origins of health and disease

In the early 1980s, David Barker and others noted a paradox: although overall rates of cardiovascular disease increase with rising national prosperity, the least prosperous residents of a wealthy nation suffer the highest rates. He and others proposed over a series of studies that an adverse fetal environment followed by plentiful food in adulthood may be a recipe for adult chronic disease, a claim referred to as the Barker Hypothesis. These studies generally correlated birth weight and other infant parameters to the incidence of adult disease. Detractors, including an editorial in BMJ in 1995, complained that “[e]arly nutrition is inferred indirectly from fetal and infant growth, and fetal growth especially is a doubtful surrogate measure” (1). Most of the epidemiological studies were also vulnerable to confounding factors, particularly social class, that influence both intrauterine and adult environment, which delayed acceptance of the hypothesis. In PNAS, Rooij et al. (2) present another chapter in the ongoing study of the children of the Dutch Hunger Winter, a key test of the hypothesis (2). They show that, in addition to the previously shown effects of food restriction in utero on metabolism and cardiovascular health, there are effects on age-associated decline of cognitive functions. In the winter and spring of 1944 after a railway strike, the German occupation limited rations such that people, including pregnant women, in the western region of The Netherlands, including Amsterdam, received as little as 400–800 calories/d. The famine affected people of all social classes and was followed by growing prosperity in the postwar period. Thus, the Dutch Hunger Winter study, from which results were first published in 1976, provides an almost perfectly designed, although tragic, human experiment in the effects of intrauterine deprivation on subsequent adult health. This study has provided crucial support and fundamental insights for the growing field of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD).
Symmetry constraint inference in assembly planning: automatic assembly configuration specification

In this paper we shall discuss how to treat the automatic generation of assembly task specifications as a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) over finite and infinite domains. Conceptually it is straightforward to formulate assembly planning in terms of CSP, however the choice of constraint representation and of the order in which the constraints are applied is nontrivial if a computationally tractable system design is to be achieved. This work investigates a subtle interaction between a pair of interleaving constraints, namely the kinematic and the spatial occupancy constraints. While finding one consistent solution to a general CSP is NP-complete, our work shows how to reduce the combinatorics in problems arising in assembly using the symmetries of assembly components. Group theory, being the standard mathematical theory of symmetry, is used extensively in this work since both robots and assembly components are threedimensional rigid bodies whose features have certain symmetries. This forms part of our high-level robot assembly task planner in which geometric solid modelling, group theory and CSP are combined into one computationally effective framework.
Public (Mis)Perceptions of Supreme Court Ideology A Method for Directly Comparing Citizens and Justices

Do people accurately perceive the Supreme Court's ideology in relation to their own positions? Which types of people are most likely to misperceive? Answering these questions is important for understanding the basis of public support for the Supreme Court. To do so requires plac- ing the public and the Supreme Court on a common ideological scale. This study represents the first attempt to do so. We ask respondents how they would have voted on a set of cases recently decided by the Court, meaning that we can generate a comparable set of ideal points for both masses and elites in a common space. We find that the Court is generally representa- tive of mass opinion and that most citizens have accurate perceptions of the Court. However, we also find that people are substantially more likely to misperceive the Court as being too liberal than too conservative.
Chemokine receptor Cxcr4 contributes to kidney fibrosis via multiple effectors

Kidney fibrosis is the final common pathway for virtually every type of chronic kidney disease and is a consequence of a prolonged healing response that follows tissue inflammation. Chronic kidney ...
Kinesin-1 Acts with Netrin and DCC to Maintain Sensory Neuron Position in Caenorhabditis elegans

The organization of neurons and the maintenance of that arrangement are critical to brain function. Failure of these processes in humans can lead to severe birth defects, mental retardation, and epilepsy. Several kinesins have been shown to play important roles in cell migration in vertebrate systems, but few upstream and downstream pathway members have been identified. Here, we utilize the genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to elucidate the pathway by which the C. elegans Kinesin-1 Heavy Chain (KHC)/KIF5 ortholog UNC-116 functions to maintain neuronal cell body position in the PHB sensory neurons. We find that UNC-116/KHC acts in part with the cell and axon migration molecules UNC-6/Netrin and UNC-40/DCC in this process, but in parallel to SAX-3/Robo. We have also identified several potential adaptor, cargo, and regulatory proteins that may provide insight into the mechanism of UNC-116/KHC’s function in this process. These include the cargo receptor UNC-33/CRMP2, the cargo adaptor protein UNC-76/FEZ and its regulator UNC-51/ULK, the cargo molecule UNC-69/SCOCO, and the actin regulators UNC-44/Ankyrin and UNC-34/Enabled. These genes also act in cell migration and axon outgrowth; however, many proteins that function in these processes do not affect PHB position. Our findings suggest an active posterior cell migration mediated by UNC-116/KHC occurs throughout development to maintain proper PHB cell body position and define a new pathway that mediates maintenance of neuronal cell body position.
On the minimality of testing for rights in transformation models

Defines and analyzes a family of access control models, called transformation models, which are based on the concept of transformation of rights. In these models, propagation of access rights is authorized entirely by existing rights for the object in question. Transformation models are useful for expressing various kinds of consistency, confidentiality, and integrity controls. These models also generalize the monotonic transform model of Sandhu, and its non-monotonic extension (NMT) by Sandhu and Suri. The authors argue that NMT is inadequate for expressing the document release example discussed by Sandhu and Suri, because it can test only one access matrix cell in its state changing commands. They then analyze the relative expressive power of testing two access matrix cells in state changing commands versus testing more than two. The conclusion is that it suffices to allow testing for two cells. >
Ceo Charismatic Leadership: Levels-of-Management and Levels-of-Analysis Effects

We present a model of CEO charismatic leadership in organizations and show how such leadership can, through levels of management and analysis, impact organizational performance. We integrate levels issues relevant to the conceptualization of theoretical constructs and their relationships, measurement, and echelons, and develop the concept of close versus distant leadership as a means of understanding the dynamics of CEO leadership. We also include a consideration of possible alternative levels of analysis at which the constructs in our model may be operating.
Diffusion tensor imaging of hemispheric asymmetries in the developing brain

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed in 39 right-handed children to examine structural hemispheric differences and the impact of age, socioeconomic status, and sex on these differences. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were smaller in the left than in the right temporal, prefrontal, anterior internal capsular and the thalamic regions, and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were larger in the left than in the right internal capsule, thalamus, and cingulate. Significant region-by-sex interactions disclosed that the relation of DTI asymmetries to performance depended on sex including the relation of temporal lobes to reading comprehension and the relation of frontal lobes to solving applied mathematical problems.
Current management of non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome: reconciling the results of randomized controlled trials.

Aims Patients presenting with non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome represent a heterogeneous group with regard to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and prognosis. The conventional approach to their treatment has involved admission to the hospital for pharmacologic stabilization, subsequent mobilization, and management by either a conservative or an invasive strategy. The choice of one approach over another is guided largely by local practice patterns and the availability of invasive facilities. Methods and results However, recent randomized trials comparing the strategies have demonstrated a superiority of the invasive strategy, particularly in patients at higher risk. Furthermore, randomized trials have provided information on refining risk stratification. On the basis of these data, we outline criteria for assessing risk and recommend that stratification be conducted at presentation using clinical features, the electrocardiogram, and biomarkers. Conclusion Higher-risk patients should be admitted for pharmacologic stabilization and assessed by coronary angiography within 48h with the aim of early revascularization, provided the risk of periprocedural complications is not prohibitive. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors are indicated, particularly in patients requiring percutaneous coronary intervention. The conservative strategy remains appropriate for patients admitted to hospitals without invasive facilities. Patients not at highrisk may be observed in a facility with cardiac monitoring such as a chest pain unit and undergo subsequent stress testing. The adoption of such an early risk stratification and revascularization-based approach is likely to result in a reduction in recurrent myocardial infarction and ischaemia, duration of hospitalization, repeat hospitalization, and mortality.
Visual effects of varying the extent of compensation for eye movements.

The effects of small, involuntary eye movements have been counteracted by an optical system that fixes a test image at a given point on the retina. This causes the test object to disappear. In the present experiment the relative amount of image motion has been varied over a wide range, with special attention to the condition of nearly complete absence of image motion. The disappearance is greatest for low contrast images with minimal amounts of motion.
On the Biological Success of Viruses

Are viruses more biologically successful than cellular life? Here we examine many ways of gauging biological success, including numerical abundance, environmental tolerance, type biodiversity, reproductive potential, and widespread impact on other organisms. We especially focus on successful ability to evolutionarily adapt in the face of environmental change. Viruses are often challenged by dynamic environments, such as host immune function and evolved resistance as well as abiotic fluctuations in temperature, moisture, and other stressors that reduce virion stability. Despite these challenges, our experimental evolution studies show that viruses can often readily adapt, and novel virus emergence in humans and other hosts is increasingly problematic. We additionally consider whether viruses are advantaged in evolvability—the capacity to evolve—and in avoidance of extinction. On the basis of these different ways of gauging biological success, we conclude that viruses are the most successful inhabitants of ...
Visual explanations of probabilistic reasoning

Continuing our research in explanation-oriented language design, we present a domain-specific visual language for explaining probabilistic reasoning. Programs in this language, called explanation objects, can be manipulated according to a set of laws to automatically generate many equivalent explanation instances. We argue that this increases the explanatory power of our language by allowing a user to view a problem from many different perspectives.
On the complexity of designing optimal branch-and-combine clock networks

Recently, an unconventional clock distribution scheme, called Branch-and-Combine (BaC) was proposed. The scheme is the first to guarantee constant skew upper bound irrespective of the clocked network's size. In BaC clocking, a set of interconnected nodes perform simple processing on clock signals such that the path from the source to any node is automatically and adaptively selected such that it is the shortest delay path. The graph underlying a BaC network is constrained by the requirement that each pair of adjacent nodes is in a cycle of length /spl les/k, where k is the feature cycle length. The graph representing such a network is called a BaC(k) graph. The feature cycle length (k) is an important parameter upon which skew bound and node function depend. We study the complexity of the general problem of designing a minimum cost BaC network for clocking a data processing network of arbitrary topology so that a certain feature cycle length is satisfied. We define two versions of the problem, differing in the way we are allowed to place edges in the graph representing the BaC network. We show that, in both cases, the general optimization problem is NP hard. We also provide efficient heuristic algorithms for both versions of the optimization problem. When k=2, the two versions of the optimization problem become the same and can be solved in polynomial time. For k=3, the complexity is still unknown.
Sub-Pixel Position Sensing for Pixelated, 3-D Position Sensitive, Wide Band-Gap, Semiconductor, Gamma-Ray Detectors

This article presents a technique to improve the lateral position resolution of pixelated 3-D position sensitive, semiconductor detectors. Improvements in lateral position resolution allow for more precise Compton-imaging calculations, detector-response calibrations, and interaction-based corrections resulting in better spectroscopic and imaging performance. In pixelated detectors, the lateral position resolution of a gamma-ray interaction location is traditionally limited to the dimensions of the individual pixels that constitute an anode array. Sub-pixel position resolution is achieved through algorithms that compare the amount of transient charge induced on pixels that neighbor a charge-collecting pixel. Measurements of the charge induced on the non-collecting pixels are made through analysis of digitized preamplifier pulse waveforms using optimized digital signal processing algorithms. A 2.0 cm × 2.0 cm × 1.5 cm CdZnTe detector with a pixel pitch of 1.72 mm is used to demonstrate the sub-pixel position technique. A 100 μm tungsten collimator is used to verify the accuracy of the method. The measured sub-pixel position resolution is 230 μm at 662 keV. This result is consistent with the predicted value of 180 μm at 662 keV based on a detailed system simulation assuming 4 keV FWHM electronic noise.
Gaussian quadrature rules and numerical examples for strong extensions of mass distribution functions

Abstract The theory of strong moment problems has provided Gaussian quadrature rules for approximate integration with respect to strong distributions. In Hagler (Ph.D. Thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1997) and Hagler et al. (Lecture Notes in Pure and Applied Mathematics, Marcel Dekker, New York, in press), a transformation of the form v ( x )=(1/ λ )( x − γ / x ), λ , γ >0, is used to obtain strong mass distribution functions from mass distribution functions. This transformation also links the systems of orthogonal polynomials and Laurent polynomials and their zeros. In this paper we show how the transformation method can be used to obtain the Gaussian quadrature rules for strong extensions of mass distribution functions. We then provide numerical examples of strong Gaussian quadrature approximations to the integrals of elementary functions with respect to selected strong distributions.
Central Bone Marrow Lesions in Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis and Their Relationship to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears and Cartilage Loss

Bone marrow lesions (BMLs) are areas of abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals that histologically represent necrosis, fibrosis, bleeding, and edema (1). The focus of research until now has been BMLs of the lateral or medial tibiofemoral compartment (2–6), which occur in the cortical subchondral region and strongly predict subsequent overlying cartilage loss (7). Their presence has been related to malalignment (8) and excess loading (9). Osteoarthritic (OA) knees with medial BMLs were more likely to have varus alignment, whereas lateral BMLs were more common in the presence of valgus alignment (8). Moreover, these lesions have also been associated with concomitant increased local bone density, which suggests that they may be secondary to long-term excess loading (9). However, central BMLs (between the tibial spines, at the spines themselves, and at the femoral notch), localized in an area uncovered by cartilage and not directly involved in weight bearing, have not been assessed. One reason for this neglect is that the Whole-Organ MRI Score (WORMS), the most common grading system used when reading MRIs (10), does not grade lesions in the femoral notch. Unlike BMLs in the weight-bearing compartments, many central BMLs do not abut cortical bone but surround the insertions of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), suggesting a different etiology related to cruciate damage and perhaps enthesopathy. On the other hand, some central lesions may represent extensions of an adjacent medial or lateral BML and, like these lesions, reflect the bone response to increased loading. We suggest the existence of 2 nonexclusive types of central BMLs: type 1 lesions, which are anatomically related to ACL/PCL insertion, and type 2 lesions, which encompass the central compartment and either the medial or the lateral compartment. We hypothesized that type 1 lesions will not increase the risk of cartilage loss, but should be associated with ACL tears (because PCL tears are extremely infrequent, we focused only on ACL tears). We further hypothesized that type 2 lesions are extensions of lesions in either the medial or the lateral compartment and, like these, should increase the risk of cartilage loss in the appropriate compartment. The purposes of this study were to describe the overall prevalence of central BMLs, to assess the frequency of the 2 types of central lesions described above, and to address their association with cartilage loss and ACL tears, testing our hypotheses.
On the computation and application of multi-period security-constrained optimal power flow for real-time electricity market operations

This work concerns the formulation and solution of a multi-period security-constrained optimal power flow problem for real-time electricity market operations. The solution of the proposed problem is intended to be part of the core pricing procedure for electricity trading in open markets where real energy, reactive energy, voltages support, and other system resources and services can all be traded in discrete bids and offers. Traditionally, real-time dispatching operations only involve solving single-period security-constrained optimal power flow problems. This work demonstrates the need for solving multi-period security-constrained optimal power flows. The nonsmoothness of the offer/bid-driven optimal power flow problem is studied. Three techniques, namely, a trust-region based augmented Lagrangian method, a step-controlled primal-dual interior point method, and a modified constrained cost variables method, are developed for reliable and efficient computation of large-scale nonsmooth optimal power flows. Numerical studies show that these techniques are reliable and better than some existing ones. To reduce the computational complexity, two decomposition techniques are proposed and studied. In the first one, the auxiliary problem principle method is extended to handle inequality constraints created from generator ramping limits. In the second one, binding time-coupling and contingency-coupling constraints are estimated, ranked, and filtered before the computation is decomposed and parallelized using standard block matrix computation techniques. According to experimental results, the most promising way of solving large-scale multi-period security-constrained optimal power flow problems in real time is to combine the second decomposition method with the modified constrained cost variables method. The optimal power flow formulation and relevant computation techniques proposed in this work balance the needs for: (1) deterministic convergence, (2) accurate computation of nodal prices, (3) support of both smooth and nonsmooth costings of a variety of resources and services, such as real energy, reactive energy, voltage support, etc., (4) full active and reactive power flow modeling of large-scale systems, and (5) satisfactory worst-case performance that meets the real-time dispatching requirement.
Isolation and analysis of dominant secA mutations in Escherichia coli.

The secA gene product is an autoregulated, membrane-associated ATPase which catalyzes protein export across the Escherichia coli plasma membrane. Previous genetic selective strategies have yielded secA mutations at a limited number of sites. In order to define additional regions of the SecA protein that are important in its biological function, we mutagenized a plasmid-encoded copy of the secA gene to create small internal deletions or duplications marked by an oligonucleotide linker. The mutagenized plasmids were screened in an E. coli strain that allowed the ready detection of dominant secA mutations by their ability to derepress a secA-lacZ protein fusion when protein export is compromised. Twelve new secA mutations were found to cluster into four regions corresponding to amino acid residues 196 to 252, 352 to 367, 626 to 653, and 783 to 808. Analysis of these alleles in wild-type and secA mutant strains indicated that three of them still maintained the essential functions of SecA, albeit at a reduced level, while the remainder abolished SecA translocation activity and caused dominant protein export defects accompanied by secA depression. Three secA alleles caused dominant, conditional-lethal, cold-sensitive phenotypes and resulted in some of the strongest defects in protein export characterized to date. The abundance of dominant secA mutations strongly favors certain biochemical models defining the function of SecA in protein translocation. These new dominant secA mutants should be useful in biochemical studies designed to elucidate SecA protein9s functional sites and its precise role in catalyzing protein export across the plasma membrane. Images
Consequences of routine delivery at 38 weeks for A-2 gestational diabetes

Objective. To report our intrapartum experience with routine delivery at 38 weeks of gestation of A-2 diabetic pregnancies requiring primarily oral hypoglycemic therapy.Methods. This retrospective study consisted of 143 consecutive women with gestational diabetes not controlled with diet alone (A-2). Each underwent a routine trial of labor at 38 weeks of gestation. The preinduction condition of the cervix, need for oxytocin, and primary cesarean rates were primary endpoints. For comparison, a control group during that same period consisted of 137 consecutive diet-controlled diabetic (A-1) pregnancies with the same eligibility criteria who underwent expectant management at 38 weeks.Results. The study group was more likely to have an unfavorable cervix (75% versus 45%; p < 0.001) and to require oxytocin (76% versus 56%; p < 0.001). Early onset meconium was less common in the study group (3.5% versus 13.1%; p < 0.01). Primary cesarean rates were low and not different between the study and control groups (12....
The Role of Gesture in Meaning Construction

This article examines the role of gesture in the shared meaning-making processes of 6th-grade students studying plate tectonics using a data visualization tool; specifically, a geographic information system. Students' verbal and gestural characterizations of key concepts of plate motions (i.e., subduction, rift, and buckling) were transcribed and coded across episodes of small-group work during the course of the unit, tracking emergent concepts and their subsequent refinements. The emergence histories of these concepts showed that they were initiated in gesture before they were conveyed in speech. Once they appeared in speech, speech and gesture figured prominently in the further elaboration, modification, and refinement of the key concepts. Gestures introduced by 1 member of the group were picked up and used by peers. Gestures were found to afford joint attention to concepts and negotiation of meaning in the group (e.g., through manual manipulation, imitation, and correction of gestures). These interacti...
Participation in the Paid Labor Force by Caregivers of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

We explored the relationship between school-age children's emotional and behavioral symptoms and workforce participation of their family caregivers using structural equation modeling. Secondary analysis of data from the national evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program was performed with a subsample of 2,585 caregivers. Findings from structural equation modeling indicated that higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were significant predictors of more frequent school absences, less adequate childcare, and greater caregiver strain related to missing work. In turn, more adequate childcare and greater caregiver strain from missed work were associated with lower likelihood of workforce participation. Further research on labor force participation and increased family support is necessary to improve work—life integration for caregivers of children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Future investigations should examine caregi...
Potassium permanganate as an abortifacient, A 5-year review.

Abstract Sixty cases of genital bleeding from the use of potassium permanganate, occurring during the 5 year period 1954 to 1959, have been reported. The medical profession should be kept aware of this entity, for it may be the cause of serious genital hemorrhage and late sequelae. Some of the complications and clinical vagaries of chemical burns of the vagina and cervix are presented, as well as an outline of principles of treatment.
The Effect of Management Discretion on the Efficiency of Profit Sharing Contracts: Evidence from the Motion Picture Industry

Through the examination of a unique sample of profit participation audit reports, I evaluate the implementation of a specific type of profit sharing contract and quantify the effect of management discretion over its outcomes. I show that the level of claimed underreporting of profit participation is increasing in the ambiguity of the compensation contracts’ provisions, and that the amount of discrepancy appears to be driven by a film’s success as opposed to specific characteristics of a studio or participant. The results provide support for the idea that the definition of the profit pool is as important as its division in determining the effectiveness of these contracts.
Formalizing Properties of Agents

There is a wide gulf between the formal logics used by logicians to describe agents and the informal vocabulary used by people who actually build robotic or software agents. In an effort to help bridge the gap, this report applies techniques borrowed from the field of formal software methods to develop a common vocabulary. Terms useful for discussing agents are given formal definitions. A framework for describing agents, tasks and environments is developed using the Z specification language. The terms successful, capable, reactive, reflexive, perceptive, predictive, interpretive, rational and sound are then defined in terms of this framework. In addition, a hierarchy for characterizing tasks is given. The aim of this report is to develop a precise vocabulary for discussing and comparing agents.
Abstract 2378: Right Hemisphere Ischemia is Overrepresented in Patients with Poor Outcomes After tPA is Not Given Because of “Rapidly Improving or Mild Symptoms”

Background and Purpose: Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is currently the only FDA approved treatment for acute ischemic stroke. Rapidly improving or minor symptoms is the most common reason for not treating with tPA, based on the presumption that these patients will have good outcomes without thrombolysis. We reviewed hospital course and discharge outcomes for patients excluded from tPA because of rapidly improving or mild symptoms, with the aim of being better able to identify patients in this group who may benefit from thrombolysis. Methods: We used the AHA/ASA “Get with the Guidelines” database to identify consecutive patients between April 2006 and June 2010 from our tertiary care academic medical center who did not receive tPA with “rapidly improving or mild symptoms” indicated as the reason for exclusion. Poor outcome was defined as hospital discharge to location other than home or inability to ambulate independently at discharge. The medical record was reviewed to determine details of hospital course, infarct location, and reasons for poor outcome. Results: There were 66 patients excluded from tPA treatment because of rapidly improving or mild symptoms. Eleven patients (16.7%) had poor outcomes. In 6 patients (9%), poor outcome was due to neurologic deficit and in 5 poor outcome was secondary to general medical conditions or deconditioning. Of the 6 patients with continued neurologic deficit, 4 were not treated due to “improvement”. All 6 patients with continued neurologic deficits had right hemisphere strokes, and one also had cerebellar infarcts. Conclusions: Patients presenting with rapidly improving or mild symptoms do not universally have good outcomes. This may be particularly true in the case of right hemispheric ischemia where deficits are not fully reflected by NIHSS score. In conclusion, if a patient with a low NIHSS score is otherwise a candidate for tPA, a more detailed exam is warranted to better identify potentially disabling deficits that would be an indication for thrombolysis.
Leydig cells contribute to the inhibition of spermatogonial differentiation after irradiation of the rat.

Irradiation with 6 Gy produces a complete block of spermatogonial differentiation in LBNF1 rats that would be permanent without treatment. Subsequent suppression of gonadotropins and testosterone (T) restores differentiation to the spermatocyte stage; however, this process requires 6 weeks. We evaluated the role of Leydig cells (LCs) in maintenance of the block in spermatogonial differentiation after exposure to radiation by specifically eliminating functional LCs with ethane dimethane sulfonate (EDS). EDS (but not another alkylating agent), given at 10 weeks after irradiation, induced spermatogonial differentiation in 24% of seminiferous tubules 2 weeks later. However, differentiation became blocked again at 4 weeks as LCs recovered. When EDS was followed by treatment with GnRH antagonist and flutamide, sustained spermatogonial differentiation was induced in >70% of tubules within 2 weeks. When EDS was followed by GnRH antagonist plus exogenous T, which also inhibits LC recovery but restores follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, the spermatogonial differentiation was again rapid but transient. These results confirm that the factors that block spermatogonial differentiation are indirectly regulated by T, and probably FSH, and that adult and possibly immature LCs contribute to the production of such inhibitory factors. We tested whether insulin-like 3 (INSL3), a LC-produced protein whose expression correlated with the block in spermatogonial differentiation, was indeed responsible for the block by injecting synthetic INSL3 into the testes and knocking down its expression in vivo with siRNA. Neither treatment had any effect on spermatogonial differentiation. The Leydig cell products that contribute to the inhibition of spermatogonial differentiation in irradiated rats remain to be elucidated.
BD/DVD/CD Compatible Actuator with Radial Tilt Function for 9.5mm Slim Optical Disc Drives

We present a new 3-axis actuator for CD/DVD/BD compatible pickups, applicable to 9.5mm slim disc drives. The various numerical analyses and test results proved the effectiveness of the proposed model.
Taxonomic Status of Petinomys morrisi (Carter) and Its Relationship to Petinomys setosus (Temminck and Schlegel)

Specimens of a small flying squirrel, Petinomys , recently collected in northern Thailand and West Malaysia show great similarity and appear to belong to a single species. Those from northern Thailand are similar to the holo-type of Petinomys morrisi (Carter, 1942). Specimens collected south of the Isthmus of Kra are similar to the holotype of Petinomys setosus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1845). On the basis of color and color patterns, body and skull measurements, and other characteristics the specimens from northern Burma and northern Thailand are considered to represent a slightly larger subspecies of Petinomys setosus , thus becoming P. s. morrisi (Carter, 1942). The smaller, nominate subspecies occurs south of the Isthmus of Kra. Additional material from Borneo is needed to establish whether the latter taxon should be further divided.
Achieving Educational Excellence: A Critical Assessment of Priorities and Practices in Higher Education

(1986). Achieving Educational Excellence: A Critical Assessment of Priorities and Practices in Higher Education. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 324-327.
Long-Term Landslide Hazard Mitigation Programs: Structure and Experience from Other Countries

Industrial countries with major and continuing landslide losses have incorporated a strong central government role in the direction of mitigation activities to assure consistent standards of practice and application, and to prevent unequal and inadequate performance at provincial, municipal, and private levels. In countries with more regional or local landslide hazards, the federal government plays a less active role and functions primarily as a source of expertise, research support, and funding of provincial and municipal control works. Common elements of many of the most successful foreign programs are being applied in limited areas of the United States, but there is no uniform national effort in effect, and large areas with significant landslide hazard have received little or no benefit from this substantial body of research, engineering, and management experience.
Excitation wavelengths for fura 2 provide a linear relationship between [Ca2+] and fluorescence ratio

We proposed and tested the use of nontraditional excitation wavelengths (λ1 and λ2) and an emission wavelength (λem) to define conditions under which free calcium concentration and a fluorescence r...
Study on Simulation Modeling of Excitation System for Stability Calculation

The simulation modeling method of excitation system for stability calculation and the check method of parameters are proposed based on the current need of power system.The process of simulation modeling is analyzed in detail based on the actual project,and models and parameters of excitation system are decided which are the basis of actability analysis,daily production and dispatch of power system.
Nitrogen consumption of double-season hybrid rice and influence factors in South China

Nitrogen consumption(CN),i.e.grams of nitrogen absorbed by plant for producing 1 kg grain yield,is one of the key parameters in determining fertilizer-N rate.The objectives of this paper were: 1) to investigate the CN for early and late season rice in south China;and 2) to evaluate the effects of N rate,timing and climatic factors such as light and temperature on CN.Seven field experiments were conducted during 2001-2005 and CN of double-season hybrid rice in South China was evaluated.The results showed that: 1) CN was significantly affected by fertilizer-N rate and timing.CN increased as N rate increased.Applying N during panicle initiation and grain filling stage resulted in significantly greater CN,while N applied as basal or during tillering had little effect on CN.2) There was a quadratic relationship between grain yield and CN,with an optimum CN at a certain condition.Optimum CN is positively related with sunshine hours during grain-filling stage.Low optimum CN resulted mainly from the low light intensity during grain-filling for early season rice.3) Based on the results obtained in this study and those in the literature,the average CN was 19 and 21 for early and late season hybrid rice for normal years in south China,respectively.The CN parameter can be improved using target yield or sunshine hours during grain-filling stage.
Curative Treatment for Pancreatic Neoplasms: Radical Resection

The 5-year survival rate following the Whipple resection for pancreatic cancer is still only 10%. There is some evidence, especially from Japan, that more extensive resections than are commonly done with the standard Whipple operation may prolong survival.Many of the published series that compare the two operations, however, are retrospective and uncontrolled for the stage of disease. Such comparisons, therefore, are unjustified. Before any modification of the standard pancreaticoduodenectomy is adopted, an appropriately designed study should be performed to confirm its efficacy.
Characterization of the Pyruvate Oxidase CidC from S. aureus

Pyruvate oxidases use flavin adenine dinucleotide and thiamine pyrophosphate as cofactors to directly convert pyruvate to either acetyl-phosphate or acetate. We describe here CidC - a recently identified pyruvate oxidase from Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) which has very different properties versus its bacterial homologues and might play an important role in biofilm formation and programmed cell death. Recombinant CidC has been prepared and optimized on the milligram scale to conduct in vitro enzymatic studies. Using the classic ferricyanide reduction assay we show that CidC converts pyruvate exclusively to acetate and only in a relatively narrow pH ranging from 5.2 to 6.2 (with negligible activity outside this range). CidC is very likely participating in the S. aureus electron transport chain because it is able to reduce cytochrome c via menaquinone (which is present in this bacteria) and not via ubiquinone (which is absent) in vitro. Unlike other bacterial homologues, CidC is intrinsically active and is not further stimulated by amphiphiles or by proteolysis. However, CidC binds tightly to membranes independent of its oxidation state and membrane-binding increases its enzymatic activity. CidC only exists as a monomer in vitro and its stability was investigated with respect to self-aggregation and proteolysis. The CidC enzymatic kinetics was quantitatively investigated by several experiments, including isothermal titration calorimetry. Our studies suggest that CidC may be structurally different from its bacterial homologues and provide a rationale for the CidC properties observed in vivo.
Intersystem Crossing in Diplatinum Complexes

Intersystem crossing (ISC) in solid [(C4H9)4N]4[Pt2(μ-P2O5(BF2)2)4], abbreviated Pt(pop-BF2), is remarkably slow for a third-row transition metal complex, ranging from τISC ≈ 0.9 ns at 310 K to τISC ≈ 29 ns below 100 K. A classical model based on Boltzmann population of one temperature-independent and two thermally activated pathways was previously employed to account for the ISC rate behavior. An alternative we prefer is to treat Pt(pop-BF2) ISC quantum mechanically, using expressions for multiphonon radiationless transitions. Here we show that a two-channel model with physically plausible parameters can account for the observed ISC temperature dependence. In channel 1, 1A2u intersystem crosses directly into 3A2u using a high energy B–F or P–O vibration as accepting mode, resulting in a temperature-independent ISC rate. In channel 2, ISC occurs via a deactivating state of triplet character (which then rapidly decays to 3A2u), using Pt–Pt stretching (160 cm–1) as a distorting mode to provide the energy ne...
Modulation Classification based on Statistical Moments

The ability to identify the modulation of an arbitrary signal is desirable for a number of reasons, including signal confirmation, interference identification, and the selection of proper demodulators. A modulation classification algorithm using statistical pattern recognition techniques has been developed and tested on numerically simulated signals. This algorithm uses statistical moments of both the demodulated signal and the signal spectrum as the modulation identifying parameters. The basis for the classification routine is a set of formulated probability distributions which were developed by generating and statistically analyzing a large set of numerically simulated signals. The resulting classification equations were tested on an independent set of numerically simulated signals.
A blind deconvolution method for neural spike identification

We consider the problem of estimating neural spikes from extracellular voltage recordings. Most current methods are based on clustering, which requires substantial human supervision and systematically mishandles temporally overlapping spikes. We formulate the problem as one of statistical inference, in which the recorded voltage is a noisy sum of the spike trains of each neuron convolved with its associated spike waveform. Joint maximum-a-posteriori (MAP) estimation of the waveforms and spikes is then a blind deconvolution problem in which the coefficients are sparse. We develop a block-coordinate descent procedure to approximate the MAP solution, based on our recently developed continuous basis pursuit method. We validate our method on simulated data as well as real data for which ground truth is available via simultaneous intracellular recordings. In both cases, our method substantially reduces the number of missed spikes and false positives when compared to a standard clustering algorithm, primarily by recovering overlapping spikes. The method offers a fully automated alternative to clustering methods that is less susceptible to systematic errors.
ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED SECONDARY PHASE IN PLZT CERAMICS

Macroscopic strain measurements on certain compositions of PLZT ceramics reveal a volumetric decrease when these ceramics are switched from the thermally depoled state. A phase transformation is postulated to occur in some grains during the switching process. The amount of volume decrease and hence secondary phase is related to the remanent polarization state being maximal in the electrically depoled state. X-ray and other evidence supports this conclusion. This discovery is important in understanding the scattering mode ferroelectric-photoconductor (FE-PC) device, i.e. the Cerampic, as well as the new FE-PC device, the Fericon, which stores information as deformations on the ceramic surface.
Epigenetic therapy in a new era of medicine: creating and integrating molecular profiles of patients.

In the 17 th century, Antonie von Leeuwenhoek revolutionized microbiology with the advent of the microscope. Today we are in a similar revolution for cancer and genetics with the development of sequencing technology as “molecular microscopes” to peer into cells and catalog their genetic and epigenetic changes. We now have the capabilities to study diseases like cancer and how tumors evolve via single-cell sequencing and dynamics (1,2). Sequencing has gone far to transform the way we understand and view the central dogma of biology (3). While the central dogma of molecular biology is still a guiding framework for understanding disease (DNA to RNA to protein), we are beginning to understand the panoply of regulatory levers and mechanisms that guide—and even deviate—from such an orderly progression of molecular relationships, especially in the context of diseases like cancer.
Radical Professionals? Sex Worker Rights Activists and Collaboration With Human Service Nonprofits

Professionalization of the human service nonprofit (HSNP) sector has been well documented. While professionalization of the human services can result in improved client outcomes, it may also lead t...
Patellar Fracture with Sleeve Avulsion

A 9-year-old girl presented with knee pain and inability to extend her leg after landing on her flexed right knee while jumping on a trampoline. Physical examination revealed superior displacement of the patella.