cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Non-Canonical BRD9-containing BAF Chromatin Remodeling Complex Regulates Naive Pluripotency in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

The role of individual subunits in the targeting and function of the mammalian BRG1-associated factors (BAF) complex in embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency maintenance has not yet been elucidated. Here we find that the Bromodomain containing protein 9 (BRD9) and Glioma tumor suppressor candidate region gene 1 (GLTSCR1) or its paralog GLTSCR1-like (GLTSCR1L) define a smaller, non-canonical BAF complex (GBAF complex) in mouse ESCs that is distinct from the canonical ESC BAF complex (esBAF). GBAF and esBAF complexes are targeted to different genomic features, with GBAF co-localizing with key regulators of naive pluripotency, which is consistent with its specific function in maintaining naive pluripotency gene expression. BRD9 interacts with BRD4 in a bromodomain-dependent fashion, which leads to the recruitment of GBAF complexes to chromatin, explaining the functional similarity between these epigenetic regulators. Together, our results highlight the biological importance of BAF complex heterogeneity in maintaining the transcriptional network of pluripotency.
(CDC)-Rhodium-catalyzed hydroallylation of vinylarenes and 1,3-dienes with allyltrifluoroborates

Catalytic site-selective hydroallylation of vinyl arenes and 1,3-dienes is reported. Transformations are promoted by a readily accessible bidentate carbodicarbene–rhodium complex and involve commer...
Population structure and the evolution of Homo sapiens in Africa

It has been proposed that a multiregional model could describe how Homo sapiens evolved in Africa beginning 300,000 years ago. Multiregionalism would require enduring morphological or behavioral differences among African regions and morphological or behavioral continuity within each. African fossils, archeology, and genetics do not comply with either requirement and are unlikely to, because climatic change periodically disrupted continuity and reshuffled populations. As an alternative to multiregionalism, I suggest that reshuffling produced novel gene constellations, including one in which the additive or cumulative effect of newly associated genes enhanced cognitive or communicative potential. Eventual fixation of such a constellation in the lineage leading to modern H. sapiens would explain the abrupt appearance of the African Later Stone Age 50-45 thousand years ago, its nearly simultaneous expansion to Eurasia in the form of the Upper Paleolithic, and the ability of fully modern Upper Paleolithic people to swamp or replace non-modern Eurasians.
The Effect of Police Oversight on Crime and Allegations of Misconduct: Evidence from Chicago

Does policing the police increase crime? We avoid simultaneity effects of increased public oversight following an officer-involved shooting scandal by identifying events in Chicago that only impacted officers’ self-monitoring. We estimate crimes’ response to types of oversight using generalized synthetic control methods. Cautionary notes from the police union, inducing officers to self-monitor, significantly reduced Constitutional violation complaints without increasing crime. In contrast, complaints and crime rise post-scandal. This suggests that higher crime following more oversight results not solely from de-policing but also from civilian behavior simultaneously changing. Our research suggests that proactive accountability improves police resident interactions without increasing crime.
Outcomes After Noncardiac Surgery for Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension: A Historical Cohort Study.

Objective Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a substantial preoperative risk factor. For this study, morbidity and mortality were examined after noncardiac surgery in patients with precapillary PH. Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting Quaternary medical center in Rochester, MN. Participants Adults with PH undergoing noncardiac surgery. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results The PH and surgical databases were reviewed from 2010 to 2017. Patients were excluded if PH was attributable to left-sided heart disease or they had undergone cardiac or transplantation surgeries. To assess whether PH-specific diagnostic or cardiopulmonary testing parameters were predictive of perioperative complications, generalized estimating equations were used. Of 196 patients with PH, 53 (27%) experienced 1 or more complications, including 5 deaths (3%) within 30 days. After adjustment for age and PH type, there were more complications in those undergoing moderate- to high-risk versus low-risk procedures (odds ratio [OR] 4.17 [95% confidence interval {CI} 2.07-8.40]; p Conclusion PH patients undergoing noncardiac surgery have a high frequency of complications. Worse functional status, elevated serum NT-proBNP, and higher-risk surgery are predictive of worse outcome.
Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Muscle Soreness and Performance.

Reno, AM, Green, M, Killen, LG, O'Neal, EK, Pritchett, K, and Hanson, Z. Effects of magnesium supplementation on muscle soreness and performance. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2020-This double-blind, between-group study examined effects of magnesium (Mg) supplementation (350 mg·d, 10 days) on muscle soreness and performance. College-aged male (n = 9) and female (n = 13) subjects completed baseline and posttreatment eccentric bench press sessions inducing fatigue/soreness followed by performance sessions (total volume and repetitions to failure [RTF] [65, 75, and 85% of 1 repetition maximum]) 48 hours later with perceptual measures. Subjects estimated soreness using a Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness scale by striking a vertical line on a 6-cm horizontal line (at 24, 36, and 48 hours post trial) from 0-no soreness to 6-intolerable soreness. Results are presented as means ± SD (alpha ≤0.05). Mg significantly reduced (∼1-2 units lower on a 6-point scale) muscle soreness from the baseline eccentric to postintervention trial 24, 36, and 48 hours with no significant change for placebo (Pla) group. Performance approached significance for total RTF (p = 0.06) and 65 and 75% RTF (p = 0.08) (Mg vs. Pla). Perceptual responses for session rating of perceived exertion and acute rating of perceived exertion were significant for Mg (5.1 ± 2.4 to 4.1 ± 2.0) vs. Pla (5.0 ± 1.8 to 5.5 ± 1.6). Perceived recovery after supplementation was improved vs. baseline for Mg (5.4 ± 2.2 to 7.5 ± 2.3) but not for Pla (6.2 ± 2.4 to 7.2 ± 3.3). Results show significantly reduced muscle soreness, session rating of perceived exertion, acute rating of perceived exertion, and improved perceived recovery after Mg (vs. Pla) supplementation and some evidence for positive performance impact.
Individual and Organizational Predictors of White-Collar Crime: A Meta-Analysis:

Studying white-collar crime presents challenges due to definitional disputes, variation in units of analysis, lack of data, and the use of proxy measures. This study employed multilevel meta-analyt...
Polymer cements by copolymerization of waste sulfur, oleic acid, and pozzolan cements

Abstract A host of emerging cementitious products derived from waste materials or sustainable precursors have drawn increasing interest in response to economic, social and regulatory pressures. Among the more well-studied and abundant of such cement products are sulfur cements and pozzolans like fly ash, silica fume, ground granulated blast furnace slag, and metakaolin. For the current study, oleic acid was combined with these compounds to make a series of pastes. Oleic acid is an attractive additive because it is a primary constituent of low value, high-volume by-products of biodiesel production and animal product rendering. The current work is thus a comparative study of pastes prepared by heating sulfur and oleic acid with either ordinary Portland cement or one of the pozzolan-extended cements. The mechanical properties of the cured sulfur-oleic acid pastes were assessed by dynamic mechanical analysis to provide stress-strain curves both before and after acid challenge. All of the blocks prepared from the pastes retain significantly more mechanical strength (up to 100%) after exposure to strong oxidizing acid solutions than does ordinary Portland cement. Surface damage to these sulfur cement blocks can be healed to varying extents by thermal annealing, as assessed by optical microscopy.
Expanding the Transformative Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Design Archetype in a Cross-Cultural Context: The Polemics of African Refugee Livelihoods in Places of Resettlement:

Transformative sequential mixed methods design in a cross-cultural context is seldom straightforward. Using a community-based participatory research approach as the transformative lens in an Africa...
Local discouragement and global collapse: A theory of coordination avalanches

Abstract We study a dynamic game in which all players initially possess the same information and coordinate on a high level of activity. Eventually, players with a long string of bad experiences become inactive. This prospect can cause a coordination avalanche in which all activity in the population stops. Coordination avalanches are part of Pareto-efficient equilibria; they can occur at any point in the game; their occurrence does not depend on the true state of nature; and allowing players to exchange information may merely hasten their onset. We present applications to search markets, organizational meltdown, and inefficient computer upgrades. (JEL D83)
A New Era of Segregation Twenty Years After Olmstead: The Failure of HCBS Waiver Programs and the Need for a Comprehensive Federal HCBS Program

Despite significant improvements in treatment and care over the last century, individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) still face barriers to access of appropriate services that allow for total integration into local communities. The United States Supreme Court held in Olmstead that individuals with IDD have the right to receive services in the community to avoid institutionalization. While attempts have been made to provide such services, the current scheme of Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Programs at the state level is failing, which has resulted in a new era of segregation. This Article compares and contrasts the failed Kerr-Mills Medical Assistance for the Aged Act, a precursor to Medicare, and the failing HCBS Waiver Programs. Drawing on the damning similarities between the two programs, this Article highlights the failure of the state HCBS Waiver Programs and calls for the creation of a Federal Home and Community-Based Services program for the same reasons that Congress ultimately enacted Medicare, a Federal program, as a replacement for the Kerr-Mills Medical Assistance for the Aged Act.
Live-Cell Imaging of (p)ppGpp with RNA-based Fluorescent Sensors

Abstract Guanosine tetra- and pentaphosphate, (p)ppGpp, are important alarmone nucleotides that regulate bacterial survival in stressful environment. A direct detection of (p)ppGpp in living cells is critical for our understanding of the mechanism of bacterial stringent response. However, it is still challenging to directly image and measure cellular (p)ppGpp. Here, we report a type of RNA-based fluorescent sensors for live-cell imaging of (p)ppGpp. Our sensor is engineered by conjugating a recently identified (p)ppGpp-specific riboswitch with a fluorogenic RNA aptamer, Broccoli. These sensors can be genetically encoded and enable direct monitoring of cellular (p)ppGpp accumulation. Unprecedented information on cell-to-cell variation and cellular dynamics of (p)ppGpp levels can now be obtained under different nutritional conditions. We predict that these RNA-based sensors will be broadly adapted to study bacterial stringent response.
The effect of Snapchat on learner satisfaction and anatomical knowledge retention: Preliminary observations.

Biomedical educators have turned to technologies, like social media, to supplement progressive reductions in time spent in class. Many studies of social media have been limited to quantifying learner satisfaction and studies on the effects on learning outcomes are sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using Snapchat on learner satisfaction and learning outcomes. A Snapchat account was used to share blood flow diagrams during the anatomy course of a physical therapist education program. Viewing statistics were recorded, a survey was distributed, and learning outcomes quantified at the end of the course and 12 months later were compared with a control group that did not have access to the account. Eighty-two percent of the class subscribed to the Snapchat account and 86.7% of the subscribers completed viewing of the five drawings posted. Learners rated the account as extremely accurate, were quite interested in more content presented, and felt quite confident in the diagrams. Performance on blood flow questions on the end of course examinations were similar between experimental and control groups. Assessments administered 12 months later revealed greater scores for the Snapchat group (90.7% correct) compared with the control group (86.7% correct, p = 0.04). These findings suggest that Snapchat is an effective way to deliver educational content and that learners found the content useful, accurate, and helpful in preparing them for the assessment. The ephemeral nature of disappearing content has potential to garner greater student attention and can be leveraged to improve knowledge retention.
The External Dimension

There are many reasons why Africa's engagement with the rest of the world – the external dimension – is so important for understanding both politics and development on the continent. Its contemporary states were once territories created by the colonial powers to extract resources for their own use. Although these foreign powers made contributions to the social and economic development of these countries, at independence they were still far from modernized, lacked the human resources to manage their development, and had no real experience of governing themselves. The European powers had not anticipated that their colonies would gain independence so quickly. Many officials in the mother countries also argued against independence on the ground that the colonies were not yet ready to “go it alone.” This position was brushed aside not only by African nationalists but also by governments in other regions of the world. In fact, just prior to the first wave of African independence in 1960, the United Nations had adopted a resolution (No. 1514), which stated that there are no specific preconditions before a country can be granted independence and recognized as a sovereign state. With independence granted by the international community when the African colonies were still economically and politically weak, the fifty years since this landmark event have been characterized by continued dependence on wealthier and more powerful countries. The economic dimension of this dependency relation dominated the academic and policy debate in the first two decades after independence, whereas the political dimension, manifest in a dependence on the international donor community, has come to the fore since the 1990s.
Voltage-controlled long-range propagation of indirect excitons in a van der Waals heterostructure

Indirect excitons (IXs), also known as interlayer excitons, can form the medium for excitonic devices whose operation is based on controlled propagation of excitons. A proof of principle for excitonic devices was demonstrated in GaAs heterostructures where the operation of excitonic devices is limited to low temperatures. IXs in van der Waals transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterostructures are characterized by high binding energies making IXs robust at room temperature and offering an opportunity to create excitonic devices operating at high temperatures suitable for applications. However, a characteristic feature of TMD heterostructures is the presence of moir\'e superlattice potentials, which are predicted to cause modulations of IX energy reaching tens of meV. These in-plane energy landscapes can lead to IX localization, making IX propagation fundamentally different in TMD and GaAs heterostructures and making uncertain whether long-range IX propagation, sufficiently long to allow for creating elaborate excitonic devices and circuits, can be realized in TMD heterostructures. In this work, we realize long-range IX propagation with the $1/e$ IX luminescence decay distances reaching 13 microns in a ${\mathrm{MoSe}}_{2}/{\mathrm{WSe}}_{2}$ heterostructure. We trace the IX luminescence along the IX propagation path. In the presented TMD materials, the long-range IX propagation occurs up to $\ensuremath{\sim}50$ K. This is a step toward the room temperature operation, which can be realized in TMD heterostructures due to the high IX binding energy. We also realize control of the long-range IX propagation by voltage. The IX luminescence signal in the drain of an excitonic transistor is controlled within 40 times by gate voltage. The control of the IX propagation in the ${\mathrm{MoSe}}_{2}/{\mathrm{WSe}}_{2}$ heterostructure is governed by new mechanisms, beyond the mechanism for controlling IX transport by an energy barrier to IX propagation (or a trap for IXs) created by the gate electrode, known since the studies of GaAs heterostructures. We discuss the origin of the voltage-controlled long-range IX propagation in the ${\mathrm{MoSe}}_{2}/{\mathrm{WSe}}_{2}$ heterostructure, in particular, the electric-field control of the moir\'e potential.
Definitions for Stochastic Diffusion

Here and in chapters 5 and 6, we frequently refer to the textbooks on stochastic processes by van Kampen and Gardiner. For convenience, reference is generally made to the earlier editions, Gardiner (1983) and van Kampen (1981), because we used them in much of our earlier work (Rodean 1994). There are exceptions, for example, to van Kampen (1992) in cases involving the Langevin equation and to Gardiner (1990) for discussion of the procedures of Ito and Stratonovich for integrating stochastic differential equations.
Transformation Pressure of ZnS by a New Primary Pressure Technique

The transformation of zinc sulfide to the conducting State under high pressure has been observed previously by several different techniques [1–3]; however, the transformation pressures were obtained from hypothetical or extrapolated pressure scales. The present experiment was designed to measure the transformation pressure by a primary pressure method using an indentor-anvil system made of single-crystal diamond.
The whole-earth array - Developments in very-long-baseline interferometry

Radio astronomers, in common with many others who work with radio antennas, have always felt rather handicapped by the basic physical relationship between the size of an antenna (measured in wavelengths) and its resolving power (or beamwidth): ΔΘ ~ λ/D, where ΔΘ is the beamwidth in radians, λ the wavelength and D the diameter of the aperture. The largest fully-steerable antennas used as radio telescopes have dimensions of at most a few thousand times their minimum useable wavelength; as a result the beamwidth of such instruments, and hence the angular resolving power, is at best a few minutes of arc.
Analysis and design of gain scheduled control systems

Gain scheduling, as an idea, is to construct a global feedback control system for a time varying and/or nonlinear plant from a collection of local time invariant designs. However in the absence of a sound analysis, these designs come with no guarantees on the robustness, performance, or even nominal stability of the overall gain schedule design. Such an analysis is presented for three types of gain scheduling situations: (1) a linear parameter varying plant scheduling on its exogenous parameters, (2) a nonlinear plant scheduling on a prescribed reference trajectory, and (3) a nonlinear plant scheduling on the current plant output. Conditions are given which guarantee that the stability, robustness, and performance properties of the fixed operating point designs carry over to the global gain scheduled designs, such as the scheduling variable should vary slowly and capture the plants nonlinearities. Finally, an alternate design framework is proposed which removes the slowing varying restriction or gain scheduled systems. This framework addresses some fundamental feedback issues previously ignored in standard gain.
Comparing operational definitions of DSM-5 anorexia nervosa for research contexts.

Objective DSM-5 anorexia nervosa (AN) criteria include several changes that increase reliance on clinical judgment. However, research contexts require operational definitions that can be applied reliably and that demonstrate validity. The present study evaluated different operational definitions for DSM-5 AN. Method DSM-5 AN criteria were applied to diagnostic interview data from 364 women varying two features: threshold for determining low weight for Criterion A (body mass index [BMI] <17.0 kg/m2 vs. <18.5 kg/m2) and explicit endorsement of weight phobia (Criterion B explicit vs. inferred). Resulting groups of individuals with DSM-5 AN were compared on estimated frequency. In addition, AN groups were compared to non-eating disorder controls and individuals with an other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) on external validators. Results All operational DSM-5 definitions produced higher lifetime frequency estimates than reported for DSM-IV AN, with a particularly large increase associated with the broadest definition. All definitions produced significant differences in comparison to controls on external validators that were associated with medium to large effect sizes. Only definitions that required a lower weight threshold or explicit endorsement of weight phobia demonstrated significant differences compared to OSFED on external validators, and these were of small effect size. The specific combination of BMI <18.5 kg/m2 with inferred weight phobia exhibited few meaningful distinctions from the OSFED group. Discussion To balance inclusivity, syndromal reliability, and validity, an operational definition for DSM-5 AN in research contexts should define low weight as BMI <18.5 kg/m2 and require measurable rather than inferred weight phobia. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2014; 47:76–84)
The importance of the exposure metric in air pollution epidemiology studies: When does it matter, and why?

Exposure error in ambient air pollution epidemiologic studies may introduce bias and/or attenuation of the health risk estimate, reduce statistical significance, and lower statistical power. Alternative exposure metrics are increasingly being used in place of central-site measurements, with the intent of reducing exposure error. Dependent on the study design, health outcome, and pollutant of interest, these metrics may provide a means of reducing error (leading to less bias and uncertainty in health risk estimates) if they capture variability in exposure which is not represented when central-site measurements are used. We examine the current evidence for answering the question of when the choice of exposure metric matters and why, focusing on studies which examined multiple exposure metrics in the same epidemiologic study. We conclude that for time-series and case-crossover studies, central-site measurements may be sufficient, especially for homogeneous pollutants, and in cohort and panel studies, approaches that increase spatial resolution of the exposure metrics do impact the health effect estimates. We note that while the current literature is widely dispersed across exposure metrics and health outcomes, the largest collective, common body of literature is focused on birth/pregnancy outcomes and traffic-related pollution. Also additional discussion and agreement is needed on how to classify metrics as “different” and “better.” Primary recommendations are to provide context for the reasons behind selection of exposure metrics and to encourage collaboration between exposure scientists and epidemiologists when designing and implementing a study, as results can have important implications for the development of policies and regulations.
Pressure–Viscosity Coefficient of Hydrocarbon Base Oil through Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The pressure–viscosity coefficient (the α value), which represents the variation of viscosity as a function of pressure, is an important parameter for elastohydrodynamic lubrication analyses. The properties of hydrocarbons in the C20–C40 mass range are of fundamental importance as they are basic constituents of synthetic- and mineral-based lubricant stocks. The conventional acquisition of the α value requires preparation of lubricant samples and experimental testing by means of a high-pressure viscometer. In this paper, we present a method to obtain the α value of a typical base oil (1-Decene trimer) based solely on the molecular dynamics simulations. Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations were performed to calculate the shear viscosity of the lubricant at various temperatures and pressures up to 1 GPa. Elevated temperatures and time–temperature superposition (TTS)-based extrapolations were applied to further extend the ability of the NEMD simulations, and the rotational relaxation time was calculated and used to determine the validity of the NEMD calculations. The α value at 100 °C was calculated and compared with experimental results. Effectiveness of the extrapolation was evaluated with a 95 % confidence interval.
Patient Outcomes and Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Retrospective Case Series Evaluating Patient Satisfaction, Pain Scores, and Opioid Requirements.

Introduction Spinal cord stimulators (SCS) are used to treat various chronic pain states. Establishing patient outcomes in terms of pain control, opioid medication use, and overall satisfaction is vital in maintaining SCS's role in clinical practice. Methods All patients who underwent SCS implantation between January 2001 and December 2011 at a tertiary academic pain medicine center were included if he or she underwent permanent cervical or thoracolumbar dorsal column SCS implantation and age was 18 or greater. For the 199 patients who met inclusion criteria, data were collected retrospectively. Preimplant information included indication for implantation, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score, and dose in oral morphine equivalents (OME). Postimplant NRS score was recorded at 6 months and 1 year. OME requirement and patient satisfaction were determined at 1 year postimplantation. Results This data set showed an overall decrease in OME requirements and NRS scores at both 6 months and 1 year. These differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01) compared to preimplantation values. Additionally, 84.27% of patients were satisfied with their implants at 1 year. Patient outcomes were analyzed further in respect to implant indication; groups included failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), angina, and other. For all groups, there were statistically significant (P < 0.01) decreases in NRS scores at 6 months and 1 year. In the FBSS and CRPS groups, statistically significant (P < 0.02) decreases in OME usage existed. Conclusion Retrospective review of patients with spinal cord stimulators revealed OME reduction at 1 year for those patients in the FBSS and CRPS groups; patient satisfaction at 1 year and NRS score reduction at 6 months and 1 year were statistically significant for all groups.
The lens-pinhole spatial filter (teaching)

The author describes a lens-pinhole spatial filter assembly with good thermal and vibration stability, of lower cost than commercially available units and capable of precise and easy alignment, yet rugged enough for normal student use. The assembly provides an expanded laser output beam with a Gaussian intensity profile.
Specialized I/O and High-Speed CPU Yields Efficient Microcontroller for Automotive Applications

Due to increasing governmental demands for tighter exhaust emission standards, a greater fuel economy, and the contrasting consumer desire for higher performance and efficiency from smaller displacement power plants, the automotive industry is turning to electronics for a wider range of applications. Electronics, specifically in the form of the microcontroller, has evolved specialized on-chip peripheral functions to meet this need. Higher resolution analog-to-digital converters, high-speed inputs and outputs, timer/counters, and watchdog timers have been added on-board to augment standard digital I/O ports, make a more cost-effective solution, and to unburden the CPU.
Exercise-mediated changes in high-density lipoprotein: Impact on form and function

The goal of this systematic review was to assess the current understanding of the effects of exercise intervention on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-C) and changes in HDL function as well as modification of these effects by genomic factors. The reviewed studies demonstrate that exercise has modest effects on HDL-C with limited data suggesting an effect on HDL function. Genetic polymorphisms in proteins associated with HDL metabolism play a role in modifying the HDL-C response to exercise and possibly its function. Exercise as an intervention for patients at risk for cardiovascular events can lead to small improvements in HDL-C and potential changes in HDL function. There is an important modifier effect of genetics in determining these changes.
Further observations on the neurokeratin network of peripheral nerves.

Abstract Electron microscope studies of peripheral nerve fibres, made after the application of various histochemical tests, demonstrate that the latter probably cause changes in the myelin; however, only in the case of Baker's phospholipid reaction, and as a result of the turpentine extraction of osmicated nerve do these techniques cause the type of change which would be reflected under the light microscope as a radial structure. Enzyme histochemical techniques do this with only a few fibres. It is suggested that in the radial bands described as “neurokeratin network” the protein is largely enzyme protein and that it forms a complex with the phospholipid which resists disruption. It is possible that regional localization of polysaccharide has this effect. This hypothesis reconciles the results of histochemical and electron microscope studies. There is no evidence that lipid solvents remove the lipid fraction of myelin leaving the protein behind as a sort of skeleton nor that the material biochemists have isolated and which they call “neurokeratin” has anything at all to do with what histologists have, for 80 years, called the “neurokeratin network” of peripheral nerves. Lipid solvents cause a complete collapse of the lipo-protein complex in radial segments of the myelin sheath, leaving areas of more or less intact myelin between the collapsed areas.
Mechanism of Tachycardia Caused by Intracarotid PGE2 in Conscious Ewes

AbstractConscious adult ewes prepared with nonocclusive indwelling vascular catheters were used to determine the mechanism by which heart rate increases during central administration of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Heart rate increased 14 bpm during steady-state intracarotid infusion of PGE2, 10 ng/kg/min (P < 0.05). Intravenous atropine methyl bromide, 1 mg/kg, increased heart rate 26 bpm (P < 0.05) 5 min after injection. Heart rate remained elevated 30 min after injection. The heart rate response to PGE2 plus atropine was greater than the heart rate response to either atropine or PGE2 alone (P < 0.05). Propranolol, 1 mg/kg bolus plus intravenous infusion, 0.025 mg/kg/min, did not change resting heart rate. Propranolol attenuated but did not abolish the increase in heart rate caused by intracarotid PGE2. Although heart rate increased in response to PGE2 after administration of either propranolol or atropine alone, the combination of propranolol and atropine prevented any further increase in heart rate during...
Analysis of the effect of internal phase leakage on liquid membrane separations

A general physical model of a typical batch extraction system employing liquid surfactant membranes is developed. The model takes into account the continuous-phase resistance and the interfacial resistance along with permeation through a composite emulsion globule. It also quantifies the loss in extraction efficiencies by leakage of the encapsulated phase due to membrane breakage. The physical model is easily adapted to apply to the case of transport facilitation wherein the solute is reacted in the internal phase to yield products incapable of permeating through the membrane phase. Experimental data on o-chlorophenol extraction are satisfactorily correlated with the model.
Induced responses of cherry trees to periodical cicada oviposition

Cherry trees (Prunus serotina) responded to oviposition by periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) by depositing gum at the egg nest. The proportion of cicada eggs that hatched successfully was significantly reduced at egg nests with visible gum compared to non-gummed egg nests. The number of egg nests with gum increased in proportion to the total number of egg nests on a tree. The probability of an egg nest having visible gum increased as the total number of egg nests increased. Mortality at hatching due to gum deposition increased as a direct density-dependent function of the number of cicada eggs laid in the tree. Although statistically significant, this relationship was weak and appeared to hold only at densities above 100 egg nests per tree.Gum deposition is discussed as an induced plant response to cicada attack. A cherry may reduce the number of cicada nymphs that will parasitize it up to the next oviposition period (17 or 13 years later) by reducing cicada hatching through gum deposition at the site of oviposition.
PERSONALITY STRUCTURE OF ELDERLY DRIVERS

This paper reports the factor structure of a 37-item personality questionnaire intended to be predictive of driving performance in elderly persons. Subjects were 191 persons 63 years of age of older, about half of whom also were given perceptual/cognitive tasks and drove on a closed driving course. Although the personality questionnaire did not predict driving skill, the factor structure of the questionnaire is of interest. Of several factor analyses, the most satisfactory was a 2-factor solution. We interpreted the approximately orthogonal factors as measuring what we labeled Competence and Emotionality.
Bartonella henselae infection in splenectomized domestic cats previously infected with hemotropic Mycoplasma species.

Abstract Cat scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae and the domestic cat represents its main reservoir. In immunocompromised patients, infection with B. henselae is characterized by more severe clinical forms than in non-immunocompromised individuals. The objective of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of B. henselae (Houston-I strain) infection in four splenectomized and three non-splenectomized cats, five of which were chronically infected with ‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’. No major clinical signs were observed in either group of cats. Cats in both splenectomized and non-splenectomized groups became bacteremic within a week post-inoculation. Although bacteremia was on average 10 days longer in the splenectomized cats, that difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.72). In both groups, the level of bacteremia peaked within the same time frame; however, the level of bacteremia was about 10-fold higher in the splenectomized cats ( P = 0.007). Such a difference could be associated with a reduced immune response to the infection, especially a reduced ability to phagocytize Bartonella organisms in the splenectomized cats. Concurrent infection with ‘ Candidatus M. haemominutum’ did not appear to alter the course of infection.
Studies of factors related to the differentiation of alkaline phosphatases derived from several tissues

Abstract The alkaline phosphatases of liver, kidney, spleen, and bone were differentiated from the intestinal enzyme by the relative activities of these enzymes on several phosphomonoester substrates. K m values for these enzymes with β-glycerophosphate at pH 9.7 failed to detect these differences. Evidence derived from inhibition studies and from studies on heat inactivation indicate that the activity of the enzyme against a variety of phosphomonoesters is due to an enzyme with a broad specificity rather than a family of separate enzymes. The alteration of chromatographic behavior of the phosphatases by the mode of enzyme preparation and the significance of this finding to enzyme variants is discussed.
Magneto-optical absorption in a two-dimensional electron grid

We have fabricated a two‐dimensional (2D) electron grid in the high mobility GaAs/Al0.35Ga0.65As heterostructure and observed, in the magneto‐optical absorption, new resonances and an anomalous dispersion, similar to that recently reported by Kern et al.1 in antidots in a high density InGaAs/AlInAs heterostructure. We have studied their dependencies on the 2D electron density and demonstrate their plasma origin. The anomaly in magnetic field dependence is explained by the mixing of cyclotron resonance and edge magnetoplasma modes in this 2D electron microstructure.
Stochastic programming for off-line adaptive radiotherapy

In intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), a treatment is designed to deliver high radiation doses to tumors, while avoiding the healthy tissue. Optimization-based treatment planning often produces sharp dose gradients between tumors and healthy tissue. Random shifts during treatment can cause significant differences between the dose in the “optimized” plan and the actual dose delivered to a patient. An IMRT treatment plan is delivered as a series of small daily dosages, or fractions, over a period of time (typically 35 days). It has recently become technically possible to measure variations in patient setup and the delivered doses after each fraction. We develop an optimization framework, which exploits the dynamic nature of radiotherapy and information gathering by adapting the treatment plan in response to temporal variations measured during the treatment course of a individual patient. The resulting (suboptimal) control policies, which re-optimize before each fraction, include two approximate dynamic programming schemes: certainty equivalent control (CEC) and open-loop feedback control (OLFC). Computational experiments show that resulting individualized adaptive radiotherapy plans promise to provide a considerable improvement compared to non-adaptive treatment plans, while remaining computationally feasible to implement.
Aneurysm of the nonpatent ductus arteriosus

Abstract Clinical and necropsy findings are described in a 6 week old infant with aneurysm of the ductus arteriosus. It was obliterated at the pulmonary arterial end and patent at the aortic end. Observations in this case and in 60 previously described cases of ductal aneurysm disclosed that 46 of the aneurysms occurred in infants less than 2 months old, 4 in children, and 11 in adults. The aortic end of the ductal aneurysm is always patent. The pulmonary arterial end may or may not be patent. Since complications (rupture, embolism or infection) tend to develop in nearly half of the ductal aneurysms, operative resection appears indicated.
Heat Transfer Performance of Superhydrophilic Nanostructured Cu Micropost Wicks for Micro Heat Pipes

Micro-heat pipes incorporating advanced wicks are promising for the thermal management of power electronics. We report the heat transfer performance of superhydrophilic Cu micropost wicks fabricated on thin silicon substrates using electrochemical deposition and controlled chemical oxidation. For a fixed post diameter, the inter-post spacing and hence solid fraction is found to be a main design factor affecting the effective heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux. The effective heat transfer coefficient as high as 20 W/cm2 K and the critical heat flux >500 W/cm2 over 2 mm × 2 mm heating areas are demonstrated. Copper oxide nanostructures formed on the micropost surfaces significantly enhance the critical heat flux without compromising the effective heat transfer coefficient. The advanced wick structures and experimental approaches developed in this work will help develop thin and lightweight thermal management solutions for high-power density semiconductor devices.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Defining the molecular pathologies in cloaca malformation: similarities between mouse and human

Anorectal malformations are congenital anomalies that form a spectrum of disorders, from the most benign type with excellent functional prognosis, to very complex, such as cloaca malformation in females in which the rectum, vagina and urethra fail to develop separately and instead drain via a single common channel into the perineum. The severity of this phenotype suggests that the defect occurs in the early stages of embryonic development of the organs derived from the cloaca. Owing to the inability to directly investigate human embryonic cloaca development, current research has relied on the use of mouse models of anorectal malformations. However, even studies of mouse embryos lack analysis of the earliest stages of cloaca patterning and morphogenesis. Here we compared human and mouse cloaca development and retrospectively identified that early mis-patterning of the embryonic cloaca might underlie the most severe forms of anorectal malformation in humans. In mouse, we identified that defective sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling results in early dorsal-ventral epithelial abnormalities prior to the reported defects in septation. This is manifested by the absence of Sox2 and aberrant expression of keratins in the embryonic cloaca of Shh knockout mice. Shh knockout embryos additionally develop a hypervascular stroma, which is defective in BMP signaling. These epithelial and stromal defects persist later, creating an indeterminate epithelium with molecular alterations in the common channel. We then used these animals to perform a broad comparison with patients with mild-to-severe forms of anorectal malformations including cloaca malformation. We found striking parallels with the Shh mouse model, including nearly identical defective molecular identity of the epithelium and surrounding stroma. Our work strongly suggests that early embryonic cloacal epithelial differentiation defects might be the underlying cause of severe forms of anorectal malformations in humans. Moreover, deranged Shh and BMP signaling is correlated with severe anorectal malformations in both mouse and humans.
Experiments with calcium carbonate phosphates and the effect of topical application of sodium fluoride.

Abstract The experiments illuminate the behaviour of calcium phosphate precipitates. Coprecipitated impurities of secondary calcium phosphate and of calcium carbonate disturb the crystallization of the apatite. They even can completely destroy the apatite structure: the precipitate becomes an amorphous aggregate. The amorphous state of the precipitate may be preserved for some time, when the conditions of its formation remain unchanged. Under changed conditions the impurities can react with each other and cause a recrystallization of the precipitate. The same impurities are present in the biological apatites of bones and teeth, where they behave in the same way. The effect of sodium fluoride upon various calcium phosphates and carbonates and upon dental enamel and dentine is investigated. The results can explain the caries inhibiting effect of topical application of sodium fluoride: the carbonate and the secondary phosphate, which are the enamel components most soluble in weak acid, are replaced by calcium fluoride, which is very little soluble in acid. This replacement substantially impedes the self-accelerating effect of the initial acid attack upon the enamel, viz. the enlargement of the diffusion paths which accompanies the early stages of the demineralization.
Ten Theses on the Chinese Revolution

The twentieth century has been the century of revolution. Although the revolutionary model began with the eighteenth-century revolutions of North America and France, the nineteenth century was an era of failed revolution, and it was only in the current century that revolution swept the world-most notably in the revolutions of Mexico, Russia, Yugoslavia, China, Korea, Vietnam, and Cuba, but also in the national revolutions of Algeria, the Middle East, Indonesia, and much of Africa. Some would even subsume the radical changes brought by the Nazi and Fascist movements of Germany and Italy within the definition of "revolution" (Schoenbaum, 1966). Revolutions have reshaped the global environment and reordered the structures of daily life in this century (Arendt, 1963). An enormous, useful, and insightful literature analyzes both the general phenomenon of revolution and the variety of specific national revolutionary movements. That literature provides an essential foundation for understanding the world in which we live. But as we approach the twenty-first century, we face a world in which, one after
Contact sensitization to cyanoacrylate adhesive as a cause of severe onychodystrophy.

BackgroundThe technology used for artificial nails, the chemistry of cyanoacrylates and the reported reactions to these products are briefly reviewed. Materials and methodsWe studied three patients with prominent fingernail dystrophy, nail bed hyperkeratosis, fingertip eczema, and onycholysis, two of whom also had eczematous lesions at distant sites, ostensibly from hand transfer. Patch testing was performed with a standard screening tray, dried cyanoacrylate adhesives, and, in one case, with fingernail clippings. ResultsAll three patients were prominently patch-test positive to the polymerized 2-ethylcyanoacrylate, used as an adhesive on artificial (plastic) fingernails. One patient was also mildly formaldehyde sensitive, one was mildly reactive to two acrylate allergens, and one was extremely allergic to toluenesulfonamide formaldehyde resin. One patient had a positive patch test to her fingernail clippings 2 months after use of the adhesive was discontinued and an attempt was made to remove it. ConclusionsReactions to cyanoacrylate adhesives used for artificial nails can cause both nail dystrophy and fingertip eczema, and may produce eczema elsewhere, probably from hand transfer. Persistence is likely due to retained polymer, which slowly degrades in the presence of water probably releasing antigens. Patch testing with the dried adhesive on an adhesive plaster seems to be reliable.
Notch and the Skeleton

Notch receptors are transmembrane receptors that regulate cell fate decisions. There are four Notch receptors in mammals. Upon binding to members of the Delta and Jagged family of transmembrane proteins, Notch is cleaved and the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) is released. NICD then translocates to the nucleus, where it associates with the CBF-1, Suppressor of Hairless, and Lag-2 (CSL) and Mastermind-Like (MAML) proteins. This complex activates the transcription of Notch target genes, such as Hairy Enhancer of Split (Hes) and Hes-related with YRPF motif (Hey). Notch signaling is critical for the regulation of mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. Misexpression of Notch in skeletal tissue indicates a role as an inhibitor of skeletal development and postnatal bone formation. Overexpression of Notch inhibits endochondral bone formation and osteoblastic differentiation, causing severe osteopenia. Conditional inactivation of Notch in the skeleton causes an increase in cancellous bone volume and enhanced osteoblastic differentiation. Notch ligands are expressed in the hematopoietic stem cell niche and are critical for the regulation of hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal. Dysregulation of Notch signaling is the underlying cause of diseases affecting the skeletal tissue, including Alagille syndrome, spondylocostal dysostosis, and possibly, osteosarcoma.