cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcranial photobiomodulation and thermal stimulation induce distinct topographies of EEG alpha and beta power changes in healthy humans.

Our recent study demonstrated that prefrontal transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) with 1064-nm laser enables significant changes in EEG rhythms, but these changes might result from the laser-induced heat rather than tPBM. This study hypothesized that tPBM-induced and heat-induced alterations in EEG power topography were significantly distinct. We performed two sets of measurements from two separate groups of healthy humans under tPBM (n = 46) and thermal stimulation (thermo_stim; n = 11) conditions. Each group participated in the study twice under true and respective sham stimulation with concurrent recordings of 64-channel EEG before, during, and after 8-min tPBM at 1064 nm or thermo_stim with temperature of 33-41 °C, respectively. After data preprocessing, EEG power spectral densities (PSD) per channel per subject were quantified and normalized by respective baseline PSD to remove the power-law effect. At the group level for each group, percent changes of EEG powers per channel were statistically compared between (1) tPBM vs light-stimulation sham, (2) thermo_stim vs heat-stimulation sham, and (3) tPBM vs thermo_stim after sham exclusion at five frequency bands using the non-parametric permutation tests. By performing the false discovery rate correction for multi-channel comparisons, we showed by EEG power change topographies that (1) tPBM significantly increased EEG alpha and beta powers, (2) the thermal stimulation created opposite effects on EEG power topographic patterns, and (3) tPBM and thermal stimulations induced significantly different topographies of changes in EEG alpha and beta power. Overall, this study provided evidence to support our hypothesis, showing that the laser-induced heat on the human forehead is not a mechanistic source causing increases in EEG power during and after tPBM.
Precision medicine in trauma: a transformational frontier in patient care, education, and research.

Trauma is the leading cause of death before the age of 45 in the United States. Precision medicine (PM) is the most advanced scientific form of medical practice and seeks to gather data from the genome, environmental interactions, and lifestyles. Relating to trauma, PM promises to significantly advance our understanding of the factors that contribute to the physiologic response to injury. We review the status of PM-driven trauma care. Semantic-based methods were used to gather data on genetic/epigenetic variability previously linked to the principal causes of trauma-related outcomes. Data were curated to include human investigations involving genomics/epigenomics with clinical relevance identifiable early after injury. Most studies relevant to genomic/epigenomic differences in trauma are specific to traumatic brain injury and injury-related sepsis. Genomic/epigenomic differences rarely encompass other relevant factors, such as coagulability and pharmacogenomics. Few studies describe clinical use of genomics/epigenomics for therapeutic intervention in trauma care, and even fewer attempt to incorporate real-time genomic/epigenomic information to precisely guide clinical decision-making. Considering that genomics/epigenomics, environmental exposures, and lifestyles are most likely to be of significant medical relevance in advancing the field of trauma, the lack of application of concepts and methodologies from PM to trauma education, research, practice, and community wellness is underwhelming. We suggest that significant effort be given to incorporate the tools of what is becoming the “new medicine”.
Enzymatic cleavage of S-adenosylmethionine.

S-adenosylmethionine, known for some time to be the biological methyl donor in mammalian enzymatic transmethylation reactions (1,2), has more recently been implicated in other transalkylation reactions in bacteria and yeast (3-6). The enzyme system catalyzing the condensation of ATP and methionine to form AMe’ has been found in a variety of tissues and organisms, and has been purified from two sources and investigated in detail (7, 8). The broad distribution of these enzymes suggests that AMe likewise has widespread distribution and lends importance to a study of its further metabolism. The present paper reports the presence of an enzyme in baker’s yeast which decomposes AMe to 5’-methylthioadenosine and a-aminobutyrolactone (Equation 1; A = adenine, R = ribose) .
[INVITED] Time reversal optical tomography: Detecting and locating tumors in an ex vivo model human breast

Abstract Time reversal optical tomography (TROT), a recently introduced diffuse optical imaging approach, is used to detect, locate, and obtain cross-section images of tumors inside a “model human breast.” The model cancerous breast is assembled as a semi-cylindrical slab of uniform thickness using ex vivo human breast tissues with two pieces of tumors embedded in it. The experimental arrangement used a 750-nm light beam from a Ti:sapphire laser to illuminate an end face (source plane) of the sample in a multi-source probing scheme. A multi-detector signal acquisition scheme measured transmitted light intensity distribution on the other end face (detector plane). The perturbations in light intensity distribution in the detector plane were analyzed using TROT to obtain locations of the tumor pieces in three dimensions and estimate their cross sections. The estimated locations and dimensions of targets are in good agreement with the results of a corroborating magnetic resonance imaging experiment.
Hierarchal Autophagic Divergence of Hematopoietic System

Autophagy is integral to hematopoiesis and protects against leukemogenesis. However, the fundamentals of the required molecular machinery have yet to be fully explored. Using conditional mouse models to create strategic defects in the hematopoietic hierarchy, we have shown that recovery capacities in stem cells and somatic cells differ if autophagy is impaired or flawed. An in vivo Atg7 deletion in hematopoietic stem cells completely ablates the autophagic response, leading to irreversible and ultimately lethal hematopoiesis. However, while no adverse phenotype is manifested in vivo by Atg7-deficient myeloid cells, they maintain active autophagy that is sensitive to brefeldin A, an inhibitor targeting Golgi-derived membranes destined for autophagosome formation in alternative autophagy. Removing Rab9, a key regulatory protein, in alternative autophagy, disables autophagy altogether in Atg7-deficient macrophages. Functional analysis indicates that ATG7-dependent canonical autophagy is physiologically active in both hematopoietic stem cells and in terminally differentiated hematopoietic cells; however, only terminally differentiated cells such as macrophages are rescued by alternative autophagy if canonical autophagy is ineffective. Thus, it appears that hematopoietic stem cells rely solely on ATG7-dependent canonical autophagy, whereas terminally differentiated or somatic cells are capable of alternative autophagy in the event that ATG7-mediated autophagy is dysfunctional. These findings offer new insight into the transformational trajectory of hematopoietic stem cells, which in our view renders the autophagic machinery in stem cells more vulnerable to disruption.
Evidence for range stasis during the latter Pleistocene for the Atlantic Coastal Plain endemic genus, Pyxidanthera Michaux

The general phylogeographical paradigm for eastern North America (ENA) is that many plant and animal species retreated into southern refugia during the last glacial period, then expanded northward after the last glacial maximum (LGM). However, some taxa of the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain (GACP) demonstrate complex yet recurrent distributional patterns that cannot be explained by this model. For example, eight co-occurring endemic plant taxa with ranges from New York to South Carolina exhibit a large disjunction separating northern and southern populations by >300 km. Pyxidanthera (Diapensiaceae), a plant genus that exhibits this pattern, consists of two taxa recognized as either species or varieties. We investigated the taxonomy and phylogeography of Pyxidanthera using morphological data, cpDNA sequences, and amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. Morphological characters thought to be important in distinguishing Pyxidanthera barbulata and P. brevifolia demonstrate substantial overlap with no clear discontinuities. Genetic differentiation is minimal and diversity estimates for northern and southern populations of Pxyidanthera are similar, with no decrease in rare alleles in northern populations. In addition, the northern populations harbour several unique cpDNA haplotypes. Pyxidanthera appears to consist of one morphologically variable species that persisted in or near its present range at least through the latter Pleistocene, while the vicariance of the northern and southern populations may be comparatively recent. This work demonstrates that the refugial paradigm is not always appropriate and GACP endemic plants, in particular, may exhibit phylogeographical patterns qualitatively different from those of other ENA plant species.
The role of emotion in the psychological functioning of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse

This study examined the role of two aspects of emotion in the psychological distress of individuals with and without a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). It was hypothesized that experiential avoidance and expressivity would mediate the relationship between CSA status and psychological distress. Ninety-nine participants completed measures that assessed for a CSA history, experiential avoidance, emotional expressivity, and psychological functioning. The results indicated that CSA status, experiential avoidance, and emotional expressivity were significantly related to psychological distress. However, only experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between CSA status and distress. These results contribute to the growing body of literature indicating that experiential avoidance has an influential role in the development of psychological symptoms.
NF-κB and transcriptional control of renal epithelial-inducible nitric oxide synthase

NF-κB and transcriptional control of renal epithelial-inducible nitric oxide synthase. Expression of the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is subject to strict tissue specific transcriptional control. Recently, the NF-κB/Rel family of transcription factors, and particularly c-rel, was shown to mediate bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction of iNOS in macrophages. Since LPS is only a weak inducer of iNOS in most nonimmune cells, we investigated the role of NF-κB in the regulation of iNOS expression in mouse renal epithelial cells. We report that LPS activates NF-κB in renal epithelium, but that this is not sufficient for induction of iNOS activity. The NF-κB complexes activated by LPS in renal epithelium differ from those in macrophages in that they lack c-rel, which may explain the absence of iNOS induction in renal epithelium. Conversely, LPS and interferon-γ (IFN) synergize to induce renal epithelial iNOS. Functional iNOS promoter analysis indicate that this synergistic induction requires NF-κB. We conclude that NF-κB is necessary but not sufficient for the induction of renal epithelial iNOS expression, and that in contrast to macrophages, c-rel does not appear to play a major role in the regulation of renal epithelial iNOS.
Human umbilical vein endothelial cells fuse with cardiomyocytes but do not activate cardiac gene expression

It was recently reported that human umbilical endothelial vein cells (HUVECs) transdifferentiate and express cardiac genes when co-cultured with rat neonatal cardiomyocytes (Condorelli et al. (2001)). If substantiated and optimized, this phenomenon could have many therapeutic applications. We re-investigated the HUVEC-rat neonatal cardiomyocyte co-culture system but detected cardiomyocyte markers (sarcomeric myosin) in only 1.2% of the cells containing nuclei that were immuno-positive for human nuclear antigen (HNA); and the frequency of such cells was not enhanced in co-cultures containing more embryonic cardiomyocytes. Because the majority of HNA-positive/myosin-positive cells were binucleated, we tested the hypothesis that these cells resulted from HUVEC-cardiomyocyte fusion rather than from HUVEC transdifferentiation. Analysis with a Cre/lox recombination assay indicated that virtually all HUVECs containing cardiac markers had fused with cardiomyocytes. To determine whether human cardiomyocyte genes are activated at low levels in HUVEC-cardiomyocyte co-cultures, quantitative RT-PCR was performed with primers specific for human β-MyHC and cTnI. We found no evidence for transcriptional activation of these genes. None of our data support conversion of HUVECs to cardiomyocytes.
Parvovirus B19-Induced Apoptosis of Hepatocytes

Parvovirus B19 (B19 virus) can persist in multiple tissues and has been implicated in a variety of diseases, including acute fulminant liver failure. The mechanism by which B19 virus induces liver failure remains unknown. Hepatocytes are nonpermissive for B19 virus replication. We previously reported that acute fulminant liver failure associated with B19 virus infection was characterized by hepatocellular dropout. We inoculated both primary hepatocytes and the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep G2 with B19 virus and assayed for apoptosis by using annexin V staining. Reverse transcriptase PCR analysis and immunofluorescence demonstrated that B19 virus was able to infect the cells and produce its nonstructural protein but little or no structural capsid protein. Infection with B19 virus induced means of 28% of Hep G2 cells and 10% of primary hepatocytes to undergo apoptosis, which were four- and threefold increases, respectively, over background levels. Analysis of caspase involvement showed that B19 virus-inoculated cultures had a significant increase in the number of cells with active caspase 3. Inhibition studies demonstrated that caspases 3 and 9, but not caspase 8, are required for B19 virus-induced apoptosis.
Comparing 20th Century Trends in U.S. and Global Agricultural Water and Land Use

Abstract Globally and in the United States, agriculture is the major user not only of water but also of land. This paper compares trends in aggregate and per capita water and land use by the agricultural sector in the United States and the world during the 20th century. It finds that although cropland use per capita has been declining in both areas since the early 1900s, agricultural water use per capita only began declining in the latter half of that century. That the increases in efficiencies of agricultural water use lagged behind the increases in the efficiency of cropland use is consistent with the fact that farmers (and farming communities) have traditionally had stronger property rights to their land than to their water. As a result, through much of the 20th century, farmers had a greater incentive to improve the efficiency of land use than that of water use and to substitute water for land (or irrigated land for dryland) in producing crops.
Evolutionary Implications of Pliocene Hominid Footprints

Hominid footprints discovered at the Pliocene (3.6 to 3.8 million years ago) site of Laetoli in northern Tanzania represent the earliest evidence of bipedalism in human evolution. This new evidence emphasizes the mosaic pattern of human evolution.
Effects of Progesterone Upon the Uterus of the Mouse.

SummaryWith or without concomitant treatment with estrogen, the daily injection of 0.25 or 0.5 mg of progesterone into mice ovariectomized 3 weeks previously evoked mitosis in all the tunics of the uterus. The nuclei of the cells of the uterine tunica propria became larger and transformed from the fusiform, pyknotic type into vesicular nuclei. The latter condition was also seen in pregnant and lactating mice. Neither estrogen alone nor androgen provoked this morphology.
Molecular clock evidence for survival of Antarctic cyanobacteria (Oscillatoriales, Phormidium autumnale) from Paleozoic times.

Cyanobacteria are well adapted to freezing and desiccation; they have been proposed as possible survivors of comprehensive Antarctic glaciations. Filamentous types from the order Oscillatoriales , especially the species Phormidium autumnale Kutzing ex Gomont 1892, have widely diverse morphotypes that dominate in Antarctic aquatic microbial mats, seepages, and wet soils. Currently little is known about the dispersion of cyanobacteria in Antarctica and of their population history. We tested the hypothesis that cyanobacteria survived Antarctic glaciations directly on site after the Gondwana breakup by using the relaxed and strict molecular clock in the analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. We estimated that the biogeographic history of Antarctic cyanobacteria belonging to P. autumnale lineages has ancient origins. The oldest go further back in time than the breakup of Gondwana and originated somewhere on the supercontinent between 442 and 297 Ma. Enhanced speciation rate was found around the time of the opening of the Drake Passage ( c . 31–45 Ma) with beginning of glaciations ( c . 43 Ma). Our results, based primarily on the strains collected in maritime Antarctica, mostly around James Ross Island, support the hypothesis that long-term survival took place in glacial refuges. The high morphological diversification of P. autumnale suggested the coevolution of lineages and formation of complex associations with different morphologies, resulting in a specific endemic Antarctic cyanobacterial flora.
Reduced susceptibility to seizures in carbonic anhydrase II deficient mutant mice

Abstract The seizure susceptibility of carbonic anhydrase II (CA) deficient mice and their normal littermates was determined and compared. In flurothyl-induced seizures, CA deficient mice displayed longer latencies to the onset of both clonic and tonic-clonic seizures. In pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures mutant mice exhibited a lower incidence of clonic seizures than did their normal littermates. Acetazolamide (a CA blocker) was used for the pretreatment of normal mice to compare them to CA deficient littermates. The pretreated mice displayed a lower incidence of flurothyl-induced tonic-clonic seizures and af both types of pentylenetetrazole seizures. The attempts to elicit audiogenic seizure did not reveal any difference between normal and mutant littermates. However, when the mice were primed by a loud sound during the critical period and retested for audiogenic seizures again at age 1.5 months, the CA deficient mice displayed a significantly lower incidence of seizures. The similarity between the anticonvulsant action of CA deficiency and the anticonvulsant action of acetazolamide suggests an important role of CA in seizures. The exact mechanism of anticonvulsant action by CA inhibition, however, remains to be elucidated.
The transcription factor D-Pax2 regulates crystallin production during eye development in Drosophila melanogaster.

The generation of a functioning Drosophila eye requires the coordinated differentiation of multiple cell types and the morphogenesis of eye-specific structures. Here we show that D-Pax2 plays a significant role in lens development through regulation of the Crystallin gene and because Crystallin is also expressed in D-Pax2+ cells in the external sensory organs. Loss of D-Pax2 function leads to loss of Crystallin expression in both eyes and bristles. A 2.3 kilobase (kb) upstream region of the Crystallin gene can drive GFP expression in the eye and is dependent on D-Pax2. In addition, D-Pax2 binds to an evolutionarily conserved site in this region that, by itself, is sufficient to drive GFP expression in the eye. However, mutation of this site does not greatly affect the regulatory region's function. The data indicate that D-Pax2 acts to promote lens development by controlling the production of the major protein component of the lens. Whether this control is direct or indirect remains unresolved. Developmental Dynamics 238:2530–2539, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Does mother know best? Adolescent and mother reports of impulsivity and subsequent delinquency.

Although impulsivity is one of the strongest psychological predictors of crime, it is unclear how well impulsivity, measured at a specific moment in adolescence, predicts criminal behavior months or years into the future. The present study investigated how far into the future self-reports and parents’ reports of a youth’s impulsivity predicted whether he engaged in illegal behavior, whether one reporter’s assessment was more predictive than the other’s, and whether there is value in obtaining multiple reports. Data were obtained from a 6-year longitudinal study of adjudicated juvenile offenders (n = 701 mother-son dyads). Youth (m = 15.93 years old; sd = 1.14) and their mothers independently reported on adolescents’ impulsivity at the initial assessment. We examined the prospective correlation of these measures with illegal behavior, assessed by official records of arrests and youths’ self-reports of offending across the 72-month study period. Youths’ and mothers’ reports of the adolescents’ impulsivity were weakly, but significantly, correlated with one another. Furthermore, mothers’ ratings of their sons’ impulsivity predicted arrest up to 6 years into the future, whereas youths’ reports did not significantly predict arrest beyond 30 months. With respect to youths’ self-reports of offending, mothers’ ratings of impulsivity again predicted farther into the future (as late as 6 years later) than did youths’ self-reports of impulsivity, which were not predictive beyond 4 years. However, across the first 4 years, youths’ self-reports of impulsivity explained more variance in self-reported offending than did mothers’ ratings. The results underscore the endurance of the predictive utility of an assessment of impulsivity and the importance (and accuracy) of parents’ reports of developmental constructs, even when their children are adolescents.
Protection from Lethality and Behavioral Incapacitation Resulting from Intoxication by Soman (Pinacolyl Methylphosphono Fluoridate) and Treatment with Atropine Sulfate and 2–PAM Chloride in the guinea Pig, Cavia Porcellus

ABSTRACTThe lethal and incapacitating effects of the toxic organophosphorus (OP) agent, soman were evaluated in guinea pigs. The protective effects of the standard therapies atropine sulfate (ATR) and pralidoxime chloride (2–PAM) in minimizing or reducing soman-produced lethality and incapacitation (evaluated using a modification of the rat conditioned avoidance procedure) were also studied. At 0.75 and 1.5 LD50 soman was extremely toxic and fast-acting; its effects appeared within five minutes, and its lethal effects occurred within the fist three hours. Therapeutic combinations of ATR (64 or 128 mg/kg) and 2–PAM (25 or 100 mg/kg) protected animals from the lethality of soman, but not from its incapacitating effects. However, therapeutic treatment with ATR and 2–PAM also produced a behavioral toxicity in its own right, an effect which lasted for at least three hours in the guinea pig. This behavioral toxicity was lessened by reducing ATR dosage from 128 to 64 mag, but 2–PAM dosage did not influence the b...
Mild hypothermia increases Bcl-2 protein expression following global cerebral ischemia.

Mild hypothermia protects the brain against experimental ischemia, but the reasons are not well known. We examined whether the protective effects of mild hypothermia could be correlated with alterations in expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein in a rat model of transient global ischemia. Following 10 min of forebrain ischemia, hippocampal neurons were examined 72 h later for survival, expression of Bcl-2 family proteins and apoptosis. Intraischemic mild hypothermia was applied for 3 h (33°C, isch-33) or normal body temperature was maintained (37°C, isch-37). Survival of CA1 neurons was significantly improved in the isch-33 group compared to the isch-37 group (90 vs. 53% survival; P<0.01). The proportion of Bcl-2-positive cells among surviving CA1 neurons in the isch-33 group was increased compared to that of sham and isch-37 groups (P<0.01). Bax expression in CA1 was no different between sham and isch-33 groups, but was significantly decreased in isch-37 (P<0.05). TUNEL staining was positive in many isch-37 CA1 neurons, but absent in isch-33. Utilizing electron microscopy, more cells meeting criteria for apoptosis were observed in the isch-37 than isch-33. These data suggest that mild hypothermia attenuates apoptotic death, and that this protection may be related to increases in Bcl-2.
Respiration in rat cerebral astrocytes from primary culture.

Respiration was measured polarographically in astrocytes from dissociated neonatal rat cerebra grown in primary culture. Cells grown in a modified Eagle's minimal essential medium containing 20% fetal calf serum for 14 to 21 days respired at a rate of 34.23 n at. equiv 0 mg protein−1 min−1. Cells which were grown in this medium for 14 days and then grown in serum-free medium containing 0.25 mM dibutyrylcyclic-AMP (dbcAMP) for three to six days, had respiratory rates 20% higher than in cells from untreated control cultures (P = 0.005). Maximal inhibition by oligomycin required 200 p mole per mg protein for dbcAMP-treated cells and 80 pmole per mg protein for untreated cells. Oligomycin inhibited the respiration of both dbcAMP-treated and untreated cells by about 70%. At a concentration of 175 nmole per mg protein, 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) produced a maximal stimulation of respiration, which was 191% of the resting rate in dbc AMP-treated cells and 218% of the resting rate in untreated cells. The maximal DNP-stimulated respiratory rates were the same in dbcAMP-treated and untreated cells.
Dry Etching and Boron Diffusion of Heavily Doped, High Aspect Ratio Si Trenches

The deep etch-shallow diffusion process has been applied to the fabrication of comb drive resonators and micromirrors successfully. Etch rate of Si with various doping concentrations in a Cl2 plasma generated by an electron cyclotron resonance source and B diffusion in high aspect ratio Si trenches were characterized. It was found that lightly B and P doped Si were etched at similar rates of 0.17 micrometers/min, whereas heavily B doped p++Si had a slower etch rate of 0.16 micrometers/min and heavily P doped n++Si had faster etch rate of 0.31 micrometers/min. Typical etch conditions are 100 W microwave power and 100 W rf power at 3 mTorr, with 20 sccm of Cl2 flow and a source to sample distance of 8 cm. The difference between the p++ and n++Si rate was more significant when etched at higher microwave power, higher rf power, or higher temperature. The depth of a heavily B doped Si layer was measured for different feature sizes, trench openings, and aspect wide trenches to 1.5 micrometers at the bottom of 2 micrometers wide trenches. The diffusion layer on the sides of the trenches for a 30 min B diffusion was 3.25 micrometer thick and it is independent of the trench opening and the trench aspect ratio.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
LOW-FREQUENCY SURFACE WAVES ON A WARM PLASMA.

Ion motion is included in analyzing the surface modes of a semi-infinite plasma with warm electrons. It is found that the ions drastically alter the nature of the spectrum for frequencies below the ion plasma frequency.
Substrate Specificity Differences between Recombinant Rat Testes Endopeptidase EC 3.4.24.15 and the Native Brain Enzyme

Abstract We have characterized and compared the substrate specificity of affinity-purified recombinant rat testes endopeptidase EC 3.4.24.15 (EP 24.15) with that reported for the isolated brain enzyme. Of the peptides tested, only bradykinin, dynorphin A 1-8 , and neurotensin were efficiently cleaved by the recombinant enzyme (k cat /K m = 3.0, 2.8 and 0.5 × 10 5 M −1 sec −1 , respectively); other peptides considered substrates of EP 24.15 (gonadotropin-releasing hormone, substance P, somatostatin and angiotensin) were not metabolized. The enzyme was inhibited by metal ion chelators and thiol-reactive agents, as well as a specific EP 24.15 inhibitor (N-[1( R , S )-carboxy-3-phenylpropyl]-Ala-Ala-Tyr- p -aminobenzoate), thus confirming the enzyme as a thiol-dependent metalloendopeptidase. The observed discrepancies in substrate specificity of the recombinant testicular and the isolated brain enzymes may result from tissue-specific forms and/or post-translational modifications of EP 24.15.
DETERMINATION OF LINEAR-CHAIN MULTIPLE BOUND STATE RESONANCES IN REFLECTION HIGH-ENERGY ELECTRON DIFFRACTION

Using the R-matrix dynamical theory of Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED), we analyze the intensity anomalies commonly observed in RHEED rocking curves. Results for Ag(001) and Pt(111) show that the anomalies are associated with the trapping of particular components of the electron wave field inside the crystal by linear chain potential parallel to the surface. These pseudobound states correspond to minima in the total elastic flux of an ultrathin film (≤10 monolayer) and maxima in the inelastic flux. The discrete energy levels of the bound states in Ag(001) and Pt(111) are determined for the first time and the effect of such bound states on the rocking curves is discussed.
Further characterization of preproenkephalin mRNA-containing cells in the rodent globus pallidus

The globus pallidus (external pallidum of primates) is an essential nucleus within basal ganglia circuitry, in part because it receives at least one-half of striatal efferent projections. Neurons of the globus pallidus can be divided into subpopulations based on anatomical, physiological, and chemical features. Globus pallidus neurons project to several structures (the striatum, subthalamic nucleus, entopeduncular nucleus, and substantia nigra pars reticulata), have one of two alternative waveforms (positive/negative versus negative/positive), contain either the calcium binding protein parvalbumin or the neuropeptide precursor preproenkephalin mRNA and show differential immediate early gene responses to dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists. The objective of the present study was to characterize in greater detail the preproenkephalin mRNA-containing pallidal neurons using Sprague-Dawley rats. In situ hybridization for preproenkephalin mRNA was combined with immunocytochemical detection of: (i) the neuron-specific nuclear protein, NeuN, (ii) FluoroGold-labeled pallidostriatal and pallidosubthalamic cells, or (iii) Fos induced by either systemic combined D1-class/D2-class dopamine receptor agonists or a D2-class receptor antagonist. These experiments demonstrated that a substantial population (42%) of globus pallidus neurons contains preproenkephalin mRNA, and that globus pallidus neurons retrogradely labeled after FluoroGold injections into the striatum are more frequently preproenkephalinergic, compared to the population of pallidosubthalamic neurons. Furthermore, systemic administration of a D2 receptor antagonist, eticlopride, induced Fos immunoreactivity predominantly in globus pallidus neurons expressing preproenkephalin mRNA, while combined administration of D1 and D2 receptor agonists induced Fos predominantly in pallidal neurons lacking preproenkephalin mRNA.These results support the conclusion that preproenkephalin mRNA identifies one of the two major subpopulations of pallidal neurons. This preproenkephalin mRNA-expressing pallidal subpopulation preferentially targets the striatum and is more readily activated in its immediate early gene expression by D2 receptor antagonists than by dopamine receptor agonists. This projection provides a pallidal substrate for the dopaminergic regulation of striatal information processing.
Hypersensitivity to m-chlorophenylpiperazine in a subject with subclinical panic attacks.

We report on the behavioral effects of MCPP on a subject with a history of subclinical panic attacks and family loading for anxiety disorders, who demonstrated repeated anxiety increases (including panic attacks) on orally administered MCPP (0.25 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg) compared with placebo or to healthy subjects given comparable MCPP doses. We also report on the subject's responses to orally administered MCPP (0.5 mg/kg) following pretreatment with the 5HT antagonists metergoline and methysergide
Producing and Reproducing Class and Status Differences: Racial and Gender Gaps in U.S. Employment and Retirement Income

Recent research indicates that between 1970 and 1990 the racial gap in employment income increased (Cancio, Evans and Maume 1996), while the gender gap decreased (Wellington 1994). We find a parallel pattern in retirement income for the cohort that retired in 1980–1981. The racial gap is greater in retirement than it was in employment, while the gender gap is smaller. Regression analyses specify the qualitatively different ways in which racial and gender inequality are produced in employment and reproduced in retirement. Focusing on how self-employment and marital status interact with race and gender in predicting income, we explain how the redistributive effects of Social Security, pensions, and assets contribute to the enduring racial gap (and, perhaps, to the declining gender gap).
Urea, electrolyte and total solute excretion following water deprivation in the opossum (Didelphis marsupialis virginiana).

Abstract 1. 1. The opossum is able to secrete more particles of solute per cm 3 of urine following water deprivation when dietary urea (protein) is increased. 2. 2. Elevation of urine electrolyte concentration did not depress the urine urea concentration nor vice versa. 3. 3. Urine electrolyte concentration is enhanced with an increase of the concentration of urine area. 4. 4. The renal form and function of the opossum kidney is comparable to that of placental mammals.
Quantal transmitter secretion from myocytes loaded with acetylcholine.

IT is well known that transmitter secretion requires specialized secretory organdies, the synaptic vesicles, for the packaging, storage and exocytotic release of the transmitter1,2. Here we report that when acetylcholine (ACh) is loaded into an isolated Xenopus myocyte, there is spontaneous quantal release of ACh from the myocyte which results in activation of its own surface ACh channels and the appearance of membrane currents resembling miniature endplate currents. This myocyte secretion probably reflects Ca2+-regulated exocytosis of ACh-filled cytoplasmic compartments. Furthermore, step depolarization of the myocyte membrane triggers evoked ACh release from the myocyte with a weak excitation–secretion coupling. These findings suggest that quantal transmitter secretion does not require secretory pathways unique to neurons and that the essence of presynaptic differentiation may reside in the provision of transmitter supply and modification of the preexisting secretion pathway.
Abstract 2876: Inflammation of the tumor microenvironment is regulated by myeloid derived suppressor cell and macrophage crosstalk.

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSC) polarize macrophages to a Type II tumor-promoting phenotype via MDSC-macrophage crosstalk. We previously demonstrated that MDSC produce IL-10 which inhibits macrophage production of IL-12, and MDSC production of IL-10 is dependent on TLR4 and enhanced by cell-cell contact with macrophages. However, the role of inflammation in MDSC-macrophage crosstalk is not well defined. To determine the role of inflammation, we utilized wild type, IL-6-/-, and IL-10-/- mice bearing syngeneic 4T1 mammary carcinoma. IL-10 is classically an anti-inflammatory cytokine. In contrast, IL-6 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is secreted by activated Type 1 macrophages, is found at higher levels in tumor-bearing patients, and is an inducer of MDSC. 4T1-induced MDSC and macrophages express both IL-6 and IL-10 receptors, suggesting that they have the potential to respond to both cytokines. To determine if IL-6 and IL-10 contribute to tumor progression by modulating MDSC-macrophage crosstalk, MDSC from wild type or IL-10-/- mice bearing 4T1 tumors were cultured with macrophages from wild type or IL-6-/- BALB/c mice. Although MDSC are typically pro-inflammatory cells, they significantly decreased macrophage production of IL-6, suggesting that MDSC can also function as anti-inflammatory cells. IL-6 levels are important in vivo since primary 4T1 tumors grow more slowly in IL-6-deficient mice, and these mice have significantly extended survival compared to wild type BALB/c mice. Anti-inflammatory effects are further exacerbated by macrophages themselves, since their production of IL-6 increases MDSC production of IL-10. However, macrophage-produced IL-6 affects MDSC indirectly, as incubation of MDSC with exogenous IL-6 in the absence of macrophages does not increase IL-10 production. Although IL-10 is classically considered as an anti-inflammatory cytokine, it contributes to tumor progression because 4T1-bearing IL-10-/- mice have delayed primary tumor progression and extended survival vs. wild type mice. These data demonstrate that MDSC have both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects and that MDSC-macrophage cross-talk contributes to the overall milieu of IL-10 and IL-6 within the tumor microenvironment. Since IL-6 is a signature cytokine of anti-tumor M1-like macrophages, these data also suggest that although MDSC may decrease inflammation through their production of IL-10, this effect neither promotes the development of tumoricidal macrophages nor decreases tumor progression. Supported by NIH R01 CA115880, RO1CA84232, and DOD BCRP W81XWH-11-1-0115 Citation Format: Daniel W. Beury, Katherine H. Parker, Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg. Inflammation of the tumor microenvironment is regulated by myeloid derived suppressor cell and macrophage crosstalk. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2876. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2876
Union-intersection principle and constrained statistical inference

Abstract Most statistical models arising in real life applications as well as in interdisciplinary research are complex in their designs, sampling plans, and associated probability laws, which in turn are often constrained by inequality, order, functional, shape or other restraints. Optimality of conventional likelihood ratio based statistical inference may not be tenable here, although the use of restricted or quasi-likelihood has spurred in such environments. S.N. Roy's ingenious union–intersection principle provides an alternative avenue, often having some computational advantages, increased scope of adaptability, and flexibility beyond conventional likelihood paradigms. This scenario is appraised here with some illustrative examples, and with some interesting problems of inference on stochastic ordering (dominance) in parametric as well as beyond parametric setups.
Prostate Androgen-Regulated Mucin-Like protein 1: A Novel Regulator of Progesterone Metabolism

The LH surge reprograms preovulatory follicular cells to become terminally differentiated luteal cells which produce high levels of progesterone and become resistant to apoptosis. PARM1 (prostate androgen regulated mucin-like protein 1) has been implicated in cell differentiation and cell survival in nonovarian cells, but little is known about PARM1 in the ovary. This study demonstrated that the LH surge induced a dramatic increase in Parm1 expression in periovulatory follicles and newly forming CL in both cycling and immature rat models. We further demonstrated that hCG increases Parm1 expression in granulosa cell cultures. The in vitro up-regulation of Parm1 expression was mediated by hCG-activated multiple signaling pathways and transcriptional activation of this gene. Parm1 knockdown increased the viability of cultured granulosa cells but resulted in a decrease in progesterone levels. The inhibitory effect of Parm1 silencing on progesterone was reversed by adenoviral mediated add-back expression of Parm1. Parm1 silencing had little effect on the expression of genes involved in progesterone biosynthesis and metabolism such as Scarb1, Ldlr, Vldlr, Scp2, Star, Cyp11a1, Hsd3b, and Srd5a1, while decreasing the expression of Akr1c3. Analyses of culture media steroid levels revealed that Parm1 knockdown had no effect on pregnenolone levels, while resulting in time-dependent decreases in progesterone and 20α-dihydroprogesterone and accelerated accumulation of 5α-pregnanediol. This study revealed that the up-regulation of Parm1 expression promotes progesterone and 20α-dihydroprogesterone accumulation in luteinizing granulosa cells by inhibiting progesterone catabolism to 5α-pregnanediol. PARM1 contributes to ovulation and/or luteal function by acting as a novel regulator of progesterone metabolism.
Toward a computationally-enhanced acoustic grand piano

Although the capabilities of electronic musical instruments have grown exponentially over the past decades, many performers continue to prefer acoustic instruments, perceiving them to be more expressive than their electronic counterparts. We seek to create a new application for computer music interfaces by augmenting, rather than replacing, acoustic instruments. Starting with an acoustic grand piano, an optical keyboard scanner measures the continuous position of every key while electromagnetic actuators directly induce the strings to vibration. Unlike the traditional piano, the performer is given the ability to continuously modulate the sound of each note, resulting in a new creative vocabulary. Ongoing work explores the creation of intelligent mappings from sensed user input to acoustic control parameters which build on the existing musical intuition of trained pianists, creating a hybrid acoustic-electronic instrument that offers new expressive dimensions for human performers.
When disfluency is—and is not—a desirable difficulty: The influence of typeface clarity on metacognitive judgments and memory

There are many instances in which perceptual disfluency leads to improved memory performance, a phenomenon often referred to as the perceptual-interference effect (e.g., Diemand-Yauman, Oppenheimer, & Vaughn (Cognition 118:111–115, 2010); Nairne (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 14:248–255, 1988)). In some situations, however, perceptual disfluency does not affect memory (Rhodes & Castel (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 137:615–625, 2008)), or even impairs memory (Glass, (Psychology and Aging 22:233–238, 2007)). Because of the uncertain effects of perceptual disfluency, it is important to establish when disfluency is a “desirable difficulty” (Bjork, 1994) and when it is not, and the degree to which people’s judgments of learning (JOLs) reflect the consequences of processing disfluent information. In five experiments, our participants saw multiple lists of blurred and clear words and gave JOLs after each word. The JOLs were consistently higher for the perceptually fluent items in within-subjects designs, which accurately predicted the pattern of recall performance when the presentation time was short (Exps. 1a and 2a). When the final test was recognition or when the presentation time was long, however, we found no difference in recall for clear and blurred words, although JOLs continued to be higher for clear words (Exps. 2b and 3). When fluency was manipulated between subjects, neither JOLs nor recall varied between formats (Exp. 1b). This study suggests a boundary condition for the desirable difficulty of perceptual disfluency and indicates that a visual distortion, such as blurring a word, may not always induce the deeper processing necessary to create a perceptual-interference effect.
A prospective randomized trial of ampicillin/sulbactam vs cefoxitin prophylaxis for radical gynecologic surgery

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of ampicillin/sulbactam vs cefoxitin for the prevention of postoperative febrile morbidity and operative site infection in patients undergoing radical surgery for gynecological malignancies and to evaluate the occurrence of Clostridium difficile toxin-associated colitis in patients receiving these prophylactic antibiotics. A prospective randomized trial of 150 patients, 75 receiving ampicillin/sulbactam and 75 receiving cefoxitin. No significant differences in patient characteristics, preoperative risk factors or surgical characteristics were detected between the two groups. Twenty-one of 75 patients (28%) receiving ampicillin/sulbactam developed febrile morbidity compared with 31 of 75 patients (41%) receiving cefoxitin. Surgical site infection (3% vs 5%) and nonsurgical site infections (13% vs 12%) were comparable. Four patients (5%) treated with cefoxitin developed C. difficile toxin-associated colitis vs no patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam. Ampicillin/sulbactam prophylaxis is comparable to cefoxitin in prevention of surgical site infection but is not associated with C. difficile toxin-associated colitis.
Ocular injury caused by tarantula hairs.

Hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae (commonly called tarantulas) possess specialized hairs on the dorsal surface of the abdomen; these hairs have long been known to cause skin irritation. Because of the popularity of these animals as pets, we wish to call attention to the possibility of ocular injury from the urticating hairs of the tarantula.
Injury with Spontaneous Deployment of an Automobile Air Bag

We report a case of significant injury to an automobile driver due to spontaneous air bag deployment not associated with a collision or application of external force to the automobile. Language: en
Evaluation of Commercially Available Remote Sensors for Highway Bridge Condition Assessment

Improving transportation infrastructure inspection methods and the ability to assess conditions of bridges has become a priority in recent years as the transportation infrastructure continues to age. Current bridge inspection techniques consist largely of labor-intensive subjective measures for quantifying deterioration of various bridge elements. Some advanced nondestructive testing techniques, such as ground- penetrating radar, are being implemented; however, little attention has been given to remote sensing technologies. Remote sensing technologies can be used to assess and monitor the condition of bridge infrastructure and improve the efficiency of inspection, repair, and rehabilitation efforts. Most important, monitoring the condition of a bridge using remote sensors can eliminate the need for traffic disruption or total lane closure because remote sensors do not come in direct contact with the structure. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate 12 potential remote sensing technologies for assessing the bridge deck and superstructure condition. Each technology was rated for accuracy, commercial availability, cost of measurement, precollection preparation, complexity of analysis and interpretation, ease of data collection, stand-off distance, and traffic disruption. Results from this study demonstrate the capabilities of each technology and their ability to address bridge challenges.
Determination of Tire‐Road Friction Coefficients for Skid Mark Analysis

Abstract An experimental study was made to compare the validities of methods currently used by accident reconstructionists to determine the coefficient of friction between the road and the vehicle tires at the time of an incident. This value could then be used in conjunction with skid mark length and vehicle weight to calculate the prebraking speed of the vehicle. Three automobiles and three trucks with a variety of tires and loadings were used on a variety of pavements. The accuracy and area of applicability of each of four methods for obtaining friction coefficients were determined by relating the prebraking speed calculated from each to the actual speed at the time of brake application. All four methods were satisfactory for automobiles and the pickup truck used, but only two were acceptable for heavy trucks. The most valid coefficients are obtained from skid mark lengths obtained under conditions duplicating those in an incident.