cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hippocampus and amygdala fear memory engrams re-emerge after contextual fear reinstatement

The formation and extinction of fear memories represent two forms of learning that each engage the hippocampus and amygdala. How cell populations in these areas contribute to fear relapse, however, remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that, in mice, cells active during fear conditioning in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus and basolateral amygdala exhibit decreased activity during extinction and are re-engaged after fear reinstatement. In vivo calcium imaging reveals that reinstatement drives population dynamics in the basolateral amygdala to revert to a network state similar to the state present during fear conditioning. Finally, we find that optogenetic inactivation of neuronal ensembles active during fear conditioning in either the hippocampus or amygdala is sufficient to disrupt fear expression after reinstatement. These results suggest that fear reinstatement triggers a partial re-emergence of the original fear memory representation, providing new insight into the neural substrates of fear relapse.
Examining the simultaneous change in emotions during a test: relations with expended effort and test performance

Using a sample of 497 college students, we measured test-taking emotions (anger, worry, pride, enjoyment) after the first third, second third, and last third of a low-stakes cognitive test of socio...
On mechanical response of Zircaloy-4 under a wider range of stress states: From uniaxial tension to uniaxial compression

Abstract The present work summarizes the experimental campaign and computational effort performed on Zircaloy-4 material commonly used in nuclear applications. The Zircaloy-4 exhibits a mild strength differential response under compression as compared with tension. Because of the well-known twinning-slip mechanism usually activated in compression after yielding in HCP metals, distortional hardening is required to define plastic flow throughout fracture. A general asymmetric yield function with the first invariant to the Cauchy stress tensor and the third invariant to the deviator stress tensor are considered to model the pressure-sensitive response and the Strength Differential (SD) effect in HCP polycrystal materials. The proposed macroscopic yield function provides results that are in good agreement with experiments. The onset of fracture and subsequent crack propagation in upsetting tests is also investigated. The results show that failure is not only controlled by material properties but also by friction between contact surfaces of specimens and experimental setup. In addition, the concept of a fixed cutoff value for negative stress triaxiality ( η = - 1 / 3 ) condition is analyzed. It turns out that the specimen fails differently of what is observed experimentally when a constant cutoff value is set. However, a cutoff stress triaxiality function, yields a more realistic fracture pattern consistent with tests.
Comparing liver and lower abdomen near-infrared spectroscopy in preterm infants.

Abstract Background Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is being increasingly used to investigate regional oxygenation (rSO2) and perfusion in areas such as the abdomen in preterm infants prone to feeding intolerance. Lower abdominal rSO2 values are extremely variable, high sensitivity and currently low specificity tools. The liver, a solid organ, could provide a more reliable site for splanchnic oxygenation and perfusion monitoring. Aims Compare liver and lower abdomen rSO2 values in stable preterm infants in response to feeding. Study design We prospectively evaluated the correlation between rSO2 over the liver and lower abdomen in 16 preterm infants born between 28 and 32 weeks' gestational age using 48 h of continuous NIRS data. Outcome measures Mean liver and lower abdomen rSO2 values. Results The overall mean liver rSO2 were higher than the overall mean lower abdomen values, 78.4 ± 7.1 vs. 65.1 ± 24.9 respectively. Time series analysis showed a mean maximum cross correlation between the liver and lower abdomen of 0.28 (SD ± 0.03; p Conclusion Liver rSO2 appears to be a more stable surrogate for splanchnic oxygenation and perfusion than lower abdomen rSO2.
Digitization and Automation: Firm Investment and Labor Outcomes

Digitization and automation are thought to be transforming the economy, but evidence on their adoption and impact is limited. This paper analyzes determinants and effects of firms' investment in these technologies using administrative data from Germany. The main result is that while technology typically substitutes for workers, in several service industries the complementarity effect dominates. This is shown using two approaches: (1) labor scarcity increases investment in technology on average but impedes it in selected industries; (2) technology typically reduces employment but increases it in selected industries. For identification, I instrument labor scarcity with population aging and use a difference-in-differences design that combines industry-level technological trends with local intensity of technology adoption. Additional results show that financial constraints impede technology adoption and that the new technology is skill-biased. Overall, the paper unwinds the heterogeneous link between new technologies and labor, highlighting the importance of analyzing a broad set of technologies and studying patterns of their adoption by firms.
Long-term gait biomechanics in level, uphill, and downhill conditions following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract Background Altered gait biomechanics have been linked to post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis development following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery, but the persistence of aberrant gait biomechanics after the first year post-surgery is inconsistent in the literature. Gait biomechanics are typically evaluated on a level surface, but this task may not elucidate discrepancies in individuals further removed from surgery due to the simplicity of the task. Graded surfaces are common in real-world ambulation and may exacerbate aberrant gait biomechanics due to greater mechanical demands. Methods Forty-seven individuals post-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (4 ± 3 years post-surgery) and forty-seven uninjured controls completed gait analysis under level, uphill, and downhill conditions on an instrumented treadmill. Outcomes included knee flexion displacement and peak knee flexion angle, vertical ground reaction force, and knee extension and abduction moments. Findings Knee extension moment and knee flexion displacement were lesser in the surgical limb compared to the contralateral during the downhill condition, with lesser knee flexion displacement also observed during the level condition. Additionally, knee extension moment was less symmetrical in the surgical group during both uphill and downhill conditions compared to controls. Knee flexion displacement was less symmetrical in the surgical group during both level and downhill conditions compared to controls. Interpretation Graded surfaces elucidate aberrant gait biomechanics in individuals more than 1 year post-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction that are not apparent during level walking. These findings suggest that gait assessment on level surfaces may mask existing deficiencies, and warrant emphasizing ambulation of graded surfaces during anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation.
The effects of temperature and salinity on the endocrinology in two life stages of juvenile rainbow/steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The San Francisco Bay Delta is experiencing seasonally warmer waters and saltwater intrusion into historically freshwater ecosystems due to climate change. Steelhead/rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are resident in the Bay-Delta from juvenile development through the smoltification process. Due to increases in sea level, premature seawater (SW) acclimation may co-occur with increased temperatures on pre-smolt juveniles. To evaluate the interactive effects of salinity and temperature on juvenile life stages of salmonids, rainbow trout alevin (3 days post-hatching) were exposed to 13, 16.4 and 19°C for 10 days and then challenged for 24 h to 18 parts per thousand SW. Similarly, fry (4 weeks post-hatching) were exposed to 13, 16.4 and 19°C for 2 weeks (14 days) and then challenged to SW. Estradiol-17β (E2 ), cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3 ) and thyroxine (T4 ) were measured in whole animal homogenates and muscle tissue using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Transcripts of gill Na+ /K+ ATPase β (NKAα1b), brain growth hormone I (gh1) and brain gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (gnrh2) were also measured. Alevin exhibited a significant temperature-dependent decrease in survival, and fry showed a temperature-dependent decrease in condition factor. The gene expression of NKAα1b, gh1 and gnrh2 significantly decreased in all SW-challenged alevin, and a significant decrease in gnrh2 expression was observed in fry with temperature. Alevin T3 and T4 concentrations significantly increased with increasing temperature. There was a temperature-dependent increase in E2 of fry but not of alevin. The results of this study demonstrate that increasing temperature and SW exposure may adversely affect the survival and SW acclimation of alevin and fry stages of salmonids and that the tolerances of younger juvenile stages should be considered when assessing the response of salmonid populations to climate change stressors.
Large cross-section blast chamber: design and experimental characterization

This study shows the basic design and experimental characterization of the Advanced Blast Chamber at Michigan State University. This facility is a large cross-section explosively-driven blast chamber. The cross-section of the facility is 2.03 m × 2.03 m, and the length of its tunnel is 5.5 m. This relatively short length was made possible by introducing a new driver design shaped like a pair of logarithmic spirals with a coincident focus. The experimental characterization of the facility demonstrates that this driver design produces blast fronts with very low curvature, and overpressure durations as short as 1.2 ms. Since this was the initial characterization of the facility, the maximum overpressure considered was 144 kPa. This facility was conceived to perform studies of blast-induced TBI based on full-size models of the human body or large animal models. Its large cross section ensures that area blockage is within permissible values, and its driver design ensures short overpressure durations typical of battle field blast events.
Circumventing the resolution-time tradeoff in Ultrasound Localization Microscopy by Velocity Filtering

Ultrasound Localization Microscopy (ULM) offers a cost-effective modality for microvascular imaging by using intravascular contrast agents (microbubbles). However, ULM has a fundamental trade-off between acquisition time and spatial resolution, which makes clinical translation challenging. In this paper, in order to circumvent the trade-off, we introduce a spatiotemporal filtering operation dubbed velocity filtering, which is capable of separating contrast agents into different groups based on their vector velocities thus reducing interference in the localization step, while simultaneously offering blood velocity mapping at super resolution, without tracking individual microbubbles. As side benefit, the velocity filter provides noise suppression before microbubble localization that could enable substantially increased penetration depth in tissue typically by 4cm or more. We provide a theoretical analysis of the performance of velocity filter. Numerical experiments confirm that the proposed velocity filter is able to separate the microbubbles with respect to the speed and direction of their motion. In combination with subsequent localization of microbubble centers, e.g. by matched filtering, the velocity filter improves the quality of the reconstructed vasculature significantly and provides blood flow information. Overall, the proposed imaging pipeline in this paper enables the use of higher concentrations of microbubbles while preserving spatial resolution, thus helping circumvent the trade-off between acquisition time and spatial resolution. Conveniently, because the velocity filtering operation can be implemented by fast Fourier transforms(FFTs) it admits fast, and potentially real-time realization. We believe that the proposed velocity filtering method has the potential to pave the way to clinical translation of ULM.
Calcium Signaling Mechanisms Across Kingdoms

Calcium (Ca2+) is a unique mineral that serves as both a nutrient and a signal in all eukaryotes. To maintain Ca2+ homeostasis for both nutrition and signaling purposes, the tool kit for Ca2+ transport has expanded across kingdoms of eukaryotes to encode specific Ca2+ signals referred to as Ca2+ signatures. In parallel, a large array of Ca2+-binding proteins has evolved as specific sensors to decode Ca2+ signatures. By comparing these coding and decoding mechanisms in fungi, animals, and plants, both unified and divergent themes have emerged, and the underlying complexity will challenge researchers for years to come. Considering the scale and breadth of the subject, instead of a literature survey, in this review we focus on a conceptual framework that aims to introduce readers to the principles and mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling. We finish with several examples of Ca2+-signaling pathways, including polarized cell growth, immunity and symbiosis, and systemic signaling, to piece together specific coding and decoding mechanisms in plants versus animals.
Nanomechanical Methods To Study Single Cells

In recent years, many novel techniques based on scanning probe microscopies have been developed that have myriad applications in studying cells. This chapter introduces scanning probe microscopy and related techniques that can have application in high-resolution imaging of cells and real-time monitoring of multiple cellular components in a multimodal fashion. The techniques described are scanning probe microscopy, atomic force microscope (AFM), cantilever-based spectroscopy, and cantilever-based sensing. These techniques can be effectively extended to sensing, physiological studies, and diagnostics in biological and microbiological analyses. These truly interdisciplinary developments have immense potential to transcend academic and industrial barriers, and are expected to allow significant advancements in nanoscale studies in biological systems. Future probes may be envisioned to be hybrid and multifunctional such that reproducible and robust data may be collected on a large number of biological samples.
An Overview of Inquiry-Based Learning in Mathematics

There exists a growing body of evidence in the research literature suggesting better learning outcomes for students in courses taught using inquiry-based learning. This article presents a broad overview of what inquiry-based learning is and the supporting research literature. Keywords: inquiry-based learning; mathematics; teaching; instruction
Active queue management for TCP-governed wireless networks

A theoretical framework is proposed to analyze the performance of active queue management (AQM) protocols in TCP-governed wireless networks. It is assumed that the TCP-governed sources operate in the linear-increase-multiplicative-decrease mode. A bottleneck network topology involving a single router and multiple users is examined and it is shown that the problem of synthesizing stabilizing AQM controllers is equivalent to that of solving a class of bilinear matrix inequality (BMI) problems. A series of such BMI formulations for a class of AQM controllers is presented and it is observed that some of these formulations can be recast as linear matrix inequality (LMI) formulations, which can be solved efficiently.
Realization of an Inertial Reference Frame from Mark III VLBI

Over 350 000 dual frequency Mark III VLBI observations from several geodetic and astrometric observing programs have been used to realize an inertial reference frame through the positions of 325 compact extragalactic radio sources uniformly distributed over the sky with standard errors typically under 1 milliarcsecond (mas). Internal and external tests indicate that the reference frame defined by the relative positions of these radio sources should be accurate and stable at the 1–2 mas level. Because the conventional precession and nutation models are adjusted in the estimation of the source positions, the positions and relative angles are not degraded over the interval of observations or at epochs away from the reference epoch.
Predictive Linkages between Recreation Specialization and Place Attachment

The theory of recreation specialization indicates that as recreationists become more specialized into a recreation activity, they become more dependent on particular resources along a continuum of ...
Automated multiplexed multidensity microfluidic (M/sup 3/) cell sensing based on electrical gain measurements

We present the preparation of multi-density cells automated in a microfluidic channel and then sensed with multiplexed surface microelectrode arrays at the bottom of the channel. Decreasing concentrations of cells are prepared by mixing decreasing volumes of cells with increasing volumes of cell culture media. The different cell concentrations are separated by oil blocks. The fluids are driven into the channel by three computer-controlled syringe pumps and Bode plot of the network formed the cells are generated continuously. The monitoring of the cells is carried out as the maxima of the Bode plot are plotted with respect to time showing the kinetics of cell growth. As an initial result, this monitoring is done for three sets of concentration of cells using glass/PDMS wells simultaneously. Preparation of different densities of cells is carried out by adjusting the ration of flow of the cells and media in a microchannel using a computer controlled syringe pumps system. For the conference, we will present the growth patterns of 16 density cells in order to study the effect of initial concentration on the cell growth of three different types of cells.
Scalable Unix tools on parallel processors

The introduction of parallel processors that run a separate copy of Unix on each process has introduced new problems in managing the user's environment. This paper discusses some generalizations of common Unix commands for managing files (e.g. 1s) and processes (e.g. ps) that are convenient and scalable. These basic tools, just like their Unix counterparts, are text-based. We also discuss a way to use these with a graphical user interface (GUI). Some notes on the implementation are provided. Prototypes of these commands are publically available. >
Dose-related suppression of REM sleep and PGO waves by the serotonin-1 agonist eltoprazine.

Parenteral administration of the serotonin-1 agonist eltoprazine (0.0625 to 4.0 mg/kg [0.0002 to 0.016 mmol/kg]) in freely moving cats produced significant supression of electrophysiologic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep signs, ponto-geniculo-occipital (PGG) activity, and REM sleep behavior. The virtual total suppression of REM sleep (0.4%, 4.0 mg/kg) and PGO wave activity (2 to 4 mg/kg) in exchange for increasing amounts of non-REM (NREM) slow-wave sleep was a dose-dependent function of the amount of eltoprazine administered. Wakefulness was unaffected by eltoprazine regardless of dose. Concurrent with this dose-dependent suppression of REM was a dose-dependent increase in electroencephalographic synchrony and mean electromyographic amplitude. Since eltoprazine was found to shift the balance between REM and NREM sleep but did not change the balance between sleep and waking, it is a potentially useful tool for the investigation of serotonergic-cholinergic interaction.
Placement of an implantable percutaneous permanent triple-lumen catheter.

Summary A new technique has been described for the placement of an implantable percutaneous triplelumen catheter. This procedure eliminates the need for a large bore introducer. It also provides a mechanism to change these catheters over a wire if necessary. This cannot be accomplished with the Hickman or Broviac catheters. The three lumens allow multiple, simultaneous intravenous therapies to be administered in the long-term inpatient, as well as the outpatient.
Houston’s Novel Strategy to Control Hazardous Air Pollutants: A Case Study in Policy Innovation and Political Stalemate

Although ambient concentrations have declined steadily over the past 30 years, Houston has recorded some of the highest levels of hazardous air pollutants in the United States. Nevertheless, federal and state regulatory efforts historically have emphasized compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone, treating “air toxics” in Houston as a residual problem to be solved through application of technology-based standards. Between 2004 and 2009, Mayor Bill White and his administration challenged the well-established hierarchy of air quality management spelled out in the Clean Air Act, whereby federal and state authorities are assigned primacy over local municipalities for the purpose of designing and implementing air pollution control strategies. The White Administration believed that existing regulations were not sufficient to protect the health of Houstonians and took a diversity of both collaborative and combative policy actions to mitigate air toxic emissions from stationary sources. Opposition was substantial from a local coalition of entrenched interests satisfied with the status quo, which hindered the city’s attempts to take unilateral policy actions. In the short term, the White Administration successfully raised the profile of the air toxics issue, pushed federal and state regulators to pay more attention, and induced a few polluting facilities to reduce emissions. But since White left office in 2010, air quality management in Houston has returned to the way it was before, and today there is scant evidence that his policies have had any lasting impact.
Apoptosis induced by human cytomegalovirus infection can be enhanced by cytokines to limit the spread of virus.

Abstract Fas-mediated apoptosis is one of the immune effector pathways leading to the elimination of virus infected cells. In vivo, apoptotic signals are delivered to virus infected cells by Fas-L and other cytokines secreted by specific T lymphocytes. Cellular immune response appears to be essential in prevention of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) disease. We have hypothesized that HCMV infection might directly or indirectly result in upregulation of Fas receptor and in the presence of Fas ligand, lead to apoptosis of infected cells. We show that infection of human fibroblasts with HCMV is associated with upmodulation of Fas-R process that could be further potentiated by interferon (IFN-γ). Using DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, terminal dideoxy transferase reaction, and annexin assay, we demonstrated that in a productive HCMV infection of human fibroblasts, loss of cell viability was not only due to virus-mediated cell lysis but also to due to apoptosis. IFN-γ induced relative HCMV resistance and prevented loss in cell viability. In contrast, anti-Fas monoclonal antibody CH11, serving as Fas agonist, resulted in an accelerated loss in viability of infected cells. IFN-γ in combination with CH11 further increased the rate of apoptosis and compared to cultures with CH11 only, this effect was not restricted to only infected cells. While IFN-γ did not affect the number of cells expressing immediate early antigen, it markedly reduced structural protein expression. IFN-γ in combination with CH11, decreased the expression of HCMV matrix protein pp65, reduced the amount of HCMV DNA and infectious virus produced. Our results are consistent with the theory that cells infected with HCMV can be eliminated by immune effector cells via Fas-mediated apoptosis. IFN-γ, in addition to its intrinsic antiviral activity, primes HCMV infected cells to the action of Fas ligand and Fas-mediated apoptosis.
The AIDS epidemic

The nature of the clinical presentation of HIV infection continues to evolve over time. New cutaneous (e.g., seborrheic dermatitis, onychomycosis, and tinea pedis) and systemic (e.g., Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium marneffei) opportunistic fungal infections can now be added to the classic clinical markers for progressive HIV infection, such as Kaposi's sarcoma, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, Mycobacterium avium intercellulare infections, and cryptococcal meningitis. The fact that the appearance of many of these fungal diseases is directly correlated with the patient's CD4 cell count is a valuable tool for ongoing clinical evaluation. Although systemic manifestations characterize a progression from asymptomatic HIV infection to AIDS, many of the signs of disease progression are cutaneous. Prophylaxis against many of the potentially life-threatening systemic opportunistic infections associated with HIV positivity has had a positive impact on the life expectancy of patients with AIDS.
The three reversible crystallization and melting processes of semicrystalline macromolecules

Linear, flexible macromolecules have long been recognized as being distributed between different metastable phases limited to micrometer and nanometer dimensions with their strong, covalent bonds crossing the phase boundaries. This structure leads to special properties and a multitude of changes are caused by differing thermal and mechanical histories. Temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) and related thermal analysis techniques which can separate equilibrium and non-equilibrium responses within a sample are ideal for the analysis of such systems. A surprising observation in the last 5 years has been that there are some local, reversible ordering and disordering processes within this overall metastable aggregate. Three different reversible processes with latent heats have been identified and will be discussed using the example of polyethylene crystals: (1) The formation of larger concentrations of defects within the crystals. (2) The melting of small, paraffin-like crystals existing within the metastable arrangement. (3) The reversible, partial melting of chains at high-temperature which avoids molecular nucleation.
Identification of a common chemical signal regulating the induction of enzymes that protect against chemical carcinogenesis

Carcinogenesis is blocked by an extraordinary variety of agents belonging to many different classes--e.g., phenolic antioxidants, azo dyes, polycyclic aromatics, flavonoids, coumarins, cinnamates, indoles, isothiocyanates, 1,2-dithiol-3-thiones, and thiocarbamates. The only known common property of these anticarcinogens is their ability to elevate in animal cells the activities of enzymes that inactivate the reactive electrophilic forms of carcinogens. Structure-activity studies on the induction of quinone reductase [NAD(P)H:(quinone-acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.2] and glutathione S-transferases have revealed that many anti-carcinogenic enzyme inducers contain a distinctive and hitherto unrecognized chemical feature (or acquire this feature after metabolism) that regulates the synthesis of these protective enzymes. The inducers are Michael reaction acceptors characterized by olefinic (or acetylenic) bonds that are rendered electrophilic (positively charged) by conjugation with electron-withdrawing substrates. The potency of inducers parallels their efficiency in Michael reactions. Many inducers are also substrates for glutathione S-transferases, which is further evidence for their electrophilicity. These generalizations have not only provided mechanistic insight into the perplexing question of how such seemingly unrelated anticarcinogens induce chemoprotective enzymes, but also have led to the prediction of the structures of inducers with potential chemoprotective activity.
The limits of enlightenment anthropology: Georg Forster and the Tahitians

The superiority of a state of civilization over that of barbarism could not be more clearly stated, than by the alterations and improvements we had made in this place. In the course of a few days, a small part of us had cleared away the woods from the surface of more than an acre, which fifty New Zealanders, with their tools of stone, could not have performed in three months. This spot, where immense numbers of plants left to themselves lived and decayed by turns, in one confused inanimated heap; this spot, we had converted into an active scene, where a hundred and twenty men pursued various branches of employment with unremitted ardour . . . ”
The effects of septal lesions on saccharine choice as a function of water deprivation

Abstract Rats with septal lesions consumed more water than operated control animals under ad libitum and normal temperature conditions. Under elevated ambient temperatures control rats increased their daily water consumption while lesioned animals did not. A saccharine-water choice was introduced after either 0 or 48 hr of water deprivation. Non-deprived animals showed a lower per cent preference for water in the first 24 hr than did deprived animals. The presence of saccharine over days differentially effected the recovery from deprivation of the lesioned and control animals. Non-deprived control rats increased saccharine—and decreased water consumption over days. Non-deprived lesioned animals exhibited an increase in both over days. Deprived animals showed comparable consumption trends within their surgical groups, but this was initially masked by “recovery” from deprivation.
TRENDS IN UPTAKE AND IN-HOSPITAL OUTCOMES WITH 2ND GENERATION DRUG ELUTING STENTS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN UNDERGOING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION: RESULTS FROM THE CATHPCI REGISTRY

Sparse female enrollment in trials comparing 1st versus 2nd generation drug eluting stents (DES) may influence clinical decision making at time of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We sought to examine trends in use and outcomes of 2nd generation DES across genders in a contemporary PCI
Crystallization-induced phase separation in mixtures of model linear and short-chain branched polyethylenes

Abstract The possibility of cocrystallization is investigated in a model system of linear and short-chain branched polyethylene. Both components have low molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution; the branched component, hydrogenated polybutadiene (HBD), contains one ethyl branch per 60–70 backbone carbon atoms. Cocrystallization was not observed even for the most rapid cooling conditions attainable, despite the essentially identical unit cells of the two materials. A combination of microscopy and scattering techniques was used to demonstrate that the HBD and linear polyethylene (LPE) crystallize into separate lamellar stacks. The rapid growth rate of the LPE creates volume-filling spherulites which trap the HBD in micron-size inclusions, within which it subsequently crystallizes on further cooling.
Low temperature water gas shift: Type and loading of metal impacts forward decomposition of pseudo-stabilized formate over metal/ceria catalysts

A similar degree of surface shell reduction of ceria was obtained for a series of metal/ceria catalysts. Surface formate species were generated by reaction of CO with bridging OH groups associated with the Ce3+ defects. Forward decomposition of the pseudo-stable formates was followed in flowing H2O, leading to the production of surface carbonate species. The forward formate decomposition rate was enhanced changing the promoter from Au to Pt, and by increasing the promoter loading (from 0.5 to 2.5%). Results suggest that formate CH bond breaking is not only facilitated by H2O, but it is further enhanced by type and loading of metal promoter. From earlier kinetic isotope effect and isotopic tracer studies, the rate-limiting step of the forward formate decomposition (WGS reaction) was considered to be associated with CH bond rupture of the formate. The results can explain the promotion in the WGS rates observed for these samples by changing from Au to Pt and by increasing the promoter loading.
Weight Loss Reduces C-Reactive Protein Levels in Obese Postmenopausal Women

Background — C-reactive protein (CRP) has been proposed as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has been positively associated with body weight and body fatness. We examined the hypothesis that weight loss would reduce plasma CRP levels in obese postmenopausal women. Methods and Results — In a sample of 61 obese (body mass index, 35.6±5.0 kg/m2), postmenopausal women (age, 56.4±5.2 years), we found that plasma CRP levels were positively associated with dual x-ray absorptiometry–measured total body fatness ( r =0.36, P <0.005) and CT-measured intra-abdominal body fat area ( r =0.30, P <0.02). Significant correlations were also found between plasma CRP and triglyceride levels ( r =0.33, P <0.009) and glucose disposal measured by the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique ( r =−0.29, P <0.03). Twenty-five of the 61 women tested at baseline completed a weight loss protocol. The average weight loss was 14.5±6.2 kg (−15.6%, P <0.0001), with losses of 10.4±5.4 kg fat mass (−25.0%, P <0.0001) and 2.8±1.4 kg fat-free mass (−6.0%, P <0.0001). Visceral and subcutaneous fat areas were reduced by −36.4% and −23.7%, respectively ( P <0.0001). Plasma CRP levels were significantly reduced by weight loss: average −32.3%, from 3.06 (+0.69, −1.29) to 1.63 (+0.70, −0.75) μg/mL ( P <0.0001, medians and interquartile differences). Changes in body weight and in total body fat mass were both positively associated with plasma CRP level reductions. Conclusions — Adiposity was a significant predictor of plasma CRP in postmenopausal women on a cross-sectional basis. Moreover, caloric restriction–induced weight loss decreased plasma CRP levels. Weight loss may represent an important intervention to reduce CRP levels, which may mediate part of its cardioprotective effects in obese postmenopausal women. Received September 10, 2001; revision received November 19, 2001; accepted November 22, 2001.
Craniofacial defects in AP-2 null mutant mice

AP-2 is a recent significant addition to the list of transcription factors that have been demonstrated by targeted gene disruption to be essential for normal development. Two recent reports of AP-2 null mutant mice indicate that AP-2 holds a key position in the network of genes and proteins controlling developmental pattern and morphogenesis, and that it is particularly important for development of the cranial region and for midline fusions.
The Drosophila selectin furrowed mediates intercellular planar cell polarity interactions via frizzled stabilization.

Summary Establishment of planar cell polarity (PCP) in a tissue requires coordination of directional signals from cell to cell. It is thought that this is mediated by the core PCP factors, which include cell-adhesion molecules. Here, we demonstrate that furrowed , the Drosophila selectin, is required for PCP generation. Disruption of PCP in furrowed -deficient flies results from a primary defect in Fz levels and cell adhesion. Furrowed localizes at or near apical junctions, largely colocalizing with Frizzled and Flamingo (Fmi). It physically interacts with and stabilizes Frizzled, and it mediates intercellular Frizzled-Van Gogh (Vang)/Strabismus interactions, similarly to Fmi. Furrowed does so through a homophilic cell-adhesion role that is distinct from its known carbohydrate-binding function described during vertebrate blood-cell/endothelial cell interactions. Importantly, the carbohydrate function is dispensable for PCP establishment. In vivo studies suggest that Furrowed functions partially redundantly with Fmi, mediating intercellular Frizzled-Vang interactions between neighboring cells.
Thermosensitive characteristics of a preoptic area neuron recorded over a 20 day period in the rabbit

Abstract The thermosensitive characteristics of a single preoptic area neuron were monitored over a period of twenty days from a rabbit fitted with chronic recording electrodes. No demonstrable daily changes were detected in either the basal firing rate or the mean interspike interval during control recordings. Only minor daily variations were observed in thermosensitivity (impulses-second/°C) and in the interspike interval coefficient of variation for this neuron in response to preoptic heating and cooling with a water-perfused thermode. When measured during early morning, early afternoon and at late night, thermosensitivity remained constant and showed no apparent circadian rhythm. The results from this single thermosensitive preoptic area neuron suggest that in spite of circadian rhythms of body temperature and other physiological parameters, some thermoregulatory neurons retain fixed temperature sensitive properties under conditions of stable ambient temperature.
Effects of subsurface Na, H and C on the bonding of carbon to nickel surfaces

Abstract This paper reports the results of a theoretical study of Na, H and C subsurface atomic species in nickel and demonstrates how these interstitial atoms influence the reactivity of the Ni(111) surface and the structure of carbon species adsorbed on the surface. The benzene molecule, C 6 H 6 , in planar and nonplanar geometries, is used to probe bonding at the surface. Adsorption energies are calculated by ab initio configuration interaction techniques modelling the surface as an embedded cluster. Adsorption energies of planar C 6 H 6 at the most stable, three-fold, adsorption site are 18 kcal/mol for the Ni(111) surface, and 10, 19 and 44 kcal/mol in the presence of the Na, H and C interstitials, respectively. The energies required for the planar to puckered distortion are 99 kcal/mol on Ni(111), 69 kcal/mol with the Na interstitial, 83 kcal/mol with H, and 134 kcal/mol with C compared to 198 kcal/mol for distortion of C 6 H 6 in the gas phase. The possible relevance of these results to the nucleation of diamond on nickel are discussed. The results indicate that subsurface Na stabilizes tetrahedrally bonded carbon subunits of the diamond structure while subsurface C may make it easier for the overlayer to revert to a planar graphite structure.
Structural and functional alterations in the surface of vascular endothelial cells associated with the formation of a confluent cell monolayer and with the withdrawal of fibroblast growth factor

Vascular endothelial cells cultured in the presence of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) divide actively when seeded at low or clonal cell densities and upon reaching confluence adopt a morphologic appearance and differentiated properties similar to those of the vascular endothelium in vivo. In this review, we present some of our recent observations regarding the characteristics (both structural and functional) of these endothelial cells and the role of FGF in controlling their proliferation and normal differentiation. At confluence the endothelial cells form a monolayer of closely apposed and nondividing cells that have a nonthrombogenic apical surface and can no longer internalize bound ligands such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The adoption of these properties is correlated and possibly causally related to changes in the cell surface such as the appearance of a 60,000 molecular weight protein (CSP-60); the disappearance of fibronectin from the apical cell surface and its concomitant accumulation in the basal lamina; and a restriction of the lateral mobility of various cell surface receptor sites. In contrast, endothelial cells that are maintained in the absence of FGF undergo within three passages alterations that are incompatible with their in vivo morphologic appearance and physiologic behavior. They grow at confluence on top of each other and hence can no longer adopt both the structural (CSP-60, cell surface polarity) and functional (barrier function, nonthrombogenicity) attributes of differentiated endothelial cells. Since these characteristics can be reacquired in response to readdition of FGF, in addition to being a mitogen FGF may also be involved in controlling the differentiation and phenotypic expression of the vascular endothelium.
Basketball as cultural capital: The original Celtics in early twentieth‐century New York City

(1998). Basketball as cultural capital: The original Celtics in early twentieth‐century New York City. Immigrants & Minorities: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 67-81.
Tschebychev Approximation to the Equation of Thermogravimetric Data

THE use of approximate expressions rather than tabulations for non-elementary functions, such as the exponential integral, is often predicated on the simplicity of computation and the attainable accuracy. Since approximations receive quite wide usage, it is generally recognized that many expressions of varying degrees of complexity and precision are available. However, it is not so widely realized by workers not directly concerned with numerical analysis that techniques exist which may be used to obtain maximum accuracy from given functional forms by varying appropriate constants within the expressions. Procedures which best achieve the desired result require that the constants be selected such that the maximum deviation of the approximant from the exact function be minimized over the selected range of the independent variable. This is a statement of the Tschebychev criterion (for a brief introduction see ref. 1). It is the purpose of this communication to present a Tschebychev approximation to the function p(x), given by Doyle2 as: which occurs in the equation of the thermogravimetric data plot.
Detection of native amino acids and peptides utilizing sinusoidal voltammetry.

Native amino acids and peptides were detected at a copper microelectrode using sinusoidal voltammetry (SV). Traditionally, these molecules can only be measured after derivatization with either a fluorescent or electroactive tag. In this work, an electrocatalytic oxidation reaction at copper is used to detect underivatized peptides and amino acids. The oxidation reaction is somewhat independent of peptide structure (i.e., it is not limited to the detection of aromatic amino acids) and is therefore able to produce nanomolar detection limits for all amino acids and peptides tested. A scanning technique, sinusoidal voltammetry, is used to provide the sensitivity of constant-potential techniques but also provide selectivity gained through utilization of the frequency domain. The frequency spectrum due to the oxidation of each molecule has a unique “fingerprint” response resulting from the kinetics of oxidation at the electrode surface. Through examination of the frequency spectra, even structurally similar mol...
Effect of endovascular hypothermia on acute ischemic edema: morphometric analysis of the ICTuS trial.

Pilot studies of hypothermia for stroke suggest a potential benefit in humans. We sought to test whether hypothermia decreases post-ischemic edema using CT scans from a pilot trial of endovascular hypothermia for stroke. Eighteen patients with acute ischemic stroke underwent therapeutic hypothermia (target = 33°C) for 12 or 24 h followed by a 12-h controlled re-warm using an endovascular system. CT scans obtained at baseline, 36–48 h (right after cooling and re-warming) and 30 days were digitized, intracranial compartment volumes measured using a validated stereological technique, and the calculated change in CSF volume between the three time-points were used as an estimate of edema formation in each patient. Patients were grouped retrospectively for analysis based on whether they cooled effectively (i.e., to a temperature nadir of less than 34.5°C within 8 h) or not. Eleven patients were cooled partially or not at all, and seven were effectively cooled. Baseline demographics and compartment volumes and densities were similar in both groups. At 36–48 h, the total CSF volume had significantly decreased in the not-cooled group compared to the cooled group (P < 0.05), with no significant difference in mean volume of ischemia between them (73 ± 73 ml vs. 54 ± 59 ml, respectively), suggesting an ameliorative effect of hypothermia on acute edema formation. At 30 days, the difference in CSF volumes had resolved, and infarct volumes (73 ± 71 ml vs. 84 ± 102 ml, respectively) and functional outcomes were comparable. Endovascular hypothermia decreases acute post-ischemic cerebral edema. A larger trial is warranted to determine if it affects final infarct volume and outcome in stroke.
Practical issues, limitations, and periprocedural management of the NOAC’s

The recent introduction of new oral anticoagulants or novel target specific oral anticoagulants (TSOA’s) is likely to have a major impact in the years ahead. Many large clinical trials have been published in the past few years showing these agents are generally safe and effective in several clinical settings including acute venous thromboembolic disease, prophylaxis in the postoperative setting, prevention of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, and in the management of acute coronary syndromes. Reported rates of overall and intracranial bleeding are lower compared to oral vitamin K antagonists. Other major advantages of oral direct thrombin inhibitors (dabigatran) and Xa inhibitors (rivaroxaban and apixaban) include rapid onset and offset of action and predictable pharmacodynamics with relatively wide therapeutic window allowing for unmonitored drug use. The relatively short half-life, rapid onset of action, and predictable pharmacokinetics should simplify periprocedural use of these agents. In this review we focus on some practical issues related to TSOA’s including some limitations, potential complications, considerations to be made for certain patient populations, periprocedural management and issues pertaining to transition to and from these novel agents.
Radiative corrections to the atomic photoeffect

The radiative corrections to the photoeffect are evaluated for the K-shell of hydrogenlike atoms to lowest order in the radiation field. The corrective matrix element is first discussed within the framework of the bound-state interaction (Furry) picture. We then employ the relativistic Born approximation for the Coulomb Dirac propagator and the final continuum wave function of the electron to obtain an expression which is correct to lowest order in ..cap alpha..Z, provided ..cap alpha..Z/..beta.. very-much-less-than 1, where ..beta.. is the velocity of the ejected electron. The renormalization program is carried out completely, and the lowest-order radiative corrections are given explicitly in terms of the familiar first-order invariant functions of QED. The matrix element which results is further analyzed in terms of invariant amplitudes which are expressed as sums of Feynman parameter integrals. Finally, we evaluate the differential cross section assuming the polarizations of the electron and photon are not observed. Infrared divergences are eliminated from this cross section by allowing for the possibility that an unobserved soft photon is emitted along with the photoelectron. Although in general a numerical evaluation is necessary, analytic expressions are given for the low- and high-energy limits of our final expression for the radiative correctionsmore » to the photoeffect. We find that, while the corrections are small at low energy, for incident photons in the range 1--10 MeV and for electrons emitted near the forward direction (finite momentum transfer), the radiative corrections tend to reduce the photoeffect differential cross section by 1.0 to 7.0%.« less
Primary Disseminated Varicella Presenting as an Acute Abdomen

We report a patient admitted with acute abdominal pain initially thought to be due to pancreatitis of unclear etiology. Later during his hospitalization he was diagnosed with primary varicella infection. The association between varicella and systemic multiorgan disease needs to be recognized in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. A prompt diagnosis prevents delay in the treatment of varicella, as well as in monitoring for and preventing complications of disseminated infection.
Moral Duty in the Use of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), when used in the context of reproductive medicine, can provide would-be parents with a vast amount of information about the genetic makeup of embryos concei...