cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Not a Rubble Pile

Over the past decade, a consensus had started to emerge that comets are essentially blobs of rubble held together by gravity. In his Perspective, Weaver discusses reports in the same issue by teams from the Stardust mission to comet Wild 2 that throw that picture into doubt. Images of the comet9s nucleus show cratering that indicates substantial strength of a solid body. This suggests a more diverse range of nucleus types than previously thought and is sure to fire up debates over cometary structure. Wild 2 also shows unusual dust jet activity and some puzzling chemistry. But the biggest surprises may be still to come, as Stardust heads back to Earth with its payload of captured cometary material.
Tissue-engineered intervertebral discs: MRI results and histology in the rodent spine.

Object Tissue-engineered intervertebral discs (TE-IVDs) represent a new experimental approach for the treatment of degenerative disc disease. Compared with mechanical implants, TE-IVDs may better mimic the properties of native discs. The authors conducted a study to evaluate the outcome of TE-IVDs implanted into the rat-tail spine using radiological parameters and histology. Methods Tissue-engineered intervertebral discs consist of a distinct nucleus pulposus (NP) and anulus fibrosus (AF) that are engineered in vitro from sheep IVD chondrocytes. In 10 athymic rats a discectomy in the caudal spine was performed. The discs were replaced with TE-IVDs. Animals were kept alive for 8 months and were killed for histological evaluation. At 1, 5, and 8 months, MR images were obtained; T1-weighted sequences were used for disc height measurements, and T2-weighted sequences were used for morphological analysis. Quantitative T2 relaxation time analysis was used to assess the water content and T1ρ-relaxation time to as...
The development of photoemission spectroscopy and its application to the study of semiconductor interfaces Observations on the interplay between basic and applied research (Welch Memorial Lecture)

A sketch is given of the development of photoemission electron spectroscopy (PES) with emphasis on the author's own experience. Emphasis is placed: (1) on the period between 1958-1970; (2) on the various developments which were required for PES to emerge; and (3) on the strong interactions between applied/fundamental and knowledge/empirically based research. A more detailed discussion is given of the recent (1975-present) application of PES to study the interfaces of III-V semiconductors.
Implementing Academic Choice: A Self-Study in Evolving Pedagogy

The goal of this research is to examine how implementing a new pedagogical structure, Academic Choice, informs my understanding of my students as learners and individuals. Using a self-study methodology over the course of eight working sessions in my Kindergarten classroom, I collected multiple forms of qualitative data, including student work samples, focal student observations, structured interviews, and research journal entries containing my own reflections as well as notes on consultations with critical friends. These data were analyzed inductively by connecting observations and patterns from across these sources. Findings indicated that providing a choice in content allowed struggling students to self-differentiate, that one-on-one interactions were essential to understanding a student's choice and work process, and that advanced students needed support to challenge themselves. Furthermore, I found that developmental stage, time allotted for working, and social construction of knowledge were importan...
The synergistic effects of maltodextrin and high-fructose corn sweetener 90 in a fat-reduced muffin

Low-fat muffins were prepared using as fat substitutes a combination of maltodextrin and high-fructose corn sweetener 90 (HFCS-90), which replaced sucrose at a rate of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. The focus of the investigation was to determine the synergistic effects of these two ingredients on the physical properties in a low-fat muffin. Results indicated that maltodextrin and HFCS-90 were effective in maintaining moisture and water activity (aw) levels similar (P> 0.05) to the full-fat muffin. Texture profiles indicated that the low-fat variations were firmer (P< 0.05) than the full-fat counterpart. Increased levels of HFCS-90 had a significant effect (P< 0.05) on crust and crumb darkening. Maltodextrin alone significantly (P< 0.05) impeded the staling rate during storage. However, when maltodextrin was combined with increased levels of HFCS-90, the staling rate accelerated. The two ingredients were found to be effective in maintaining product quality, but HFCS-90 could only be used up to a 50% replacement before any adverse effects in product quality were observed.
Osteonecrosis of the Jaw in the United States Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a serious adverse drug event that was initially reported with intravenous bisphosphonates (BPs) and more recently with other classes of drugs such as receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) inhibitor, antiangiogenic agents, and mammalian target of rapamycin (m-TOR) inhibitors. The purpose of this study is to analyze the ONJ cases and the associated drugs in the US Food and Drug Administration's adverse event reporting system (FAERS). The FAERS database was queried for the adverse drug events reported from the first quarter of 2010 to the first quarter of 2014. The reporting odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each queried drug. A total of 17,119 unique ONJ cases were identified. In the overall analysis, the drugs with the highest reporting ORs were BPs: pamidronate (OR = 498.9), zoledronate (OR = 171.7), and alendronate (OR = 63.6), whereas denosumab had lower ORs than all the BPs except for etidronate. The antiangiogenic and m-TOR inhibitors had the lowest ORs. In cancer patients who were treated for prevention of skeletal-related events (SREs), the reporting ORs for zoledronate and denosumab were 125.2 and 4.9, respectively. In patients with osteoporosis, the ORs were 1.1 (1.0-1.18) for zoledronate and 0.63 (0.56-0.70) for denosumab, respectively. Our analysis of the FAERS database showed that the intravenous BPs were associated with the highest risk for ONJ, RANKL inhibitor was associated with risk comparable to BPs used for osteoporosis such as etidronate, and the antiangiogenic agents and m-TOR inhibitors were associated with the lowest risk for ONJ. The high risk for ONJ with zoledronate and denosumab was mainly observed in those who were treated for prevention of SREs, whereas there was limited evidence for such risk in those who were treated for osteoporosis.
Imaging an Active Normal Fault in Alluvium by High-Resolution Magnetic and Electromagnetic Surveys

High-resolution geophysical investigations can improve paleoseismic studies and the characterization of fault zones. Here, forward modeling of detailed magnetic data indicates that 60–70 m of vertical separation occurred on the South Crater Flat fault (SCFF), Nevada, since the eruption of Pliocene basalt approximately 3.75 Ma. The average throw rate on the SCFF, therefore, is 0.017 ± 0.003 mm/year, and the average slip rate, assuming fault plane dips of 55°–65°, is 0.02 ± 0.003 mm/year during this interval. These values are approximately one order of magnitude greater than Quaternary slip rates derived from trench studies of alluvial stratigraphy across the fault and are in agreement with slip rates derived for the same period on nearby faults. In addition, these surveys reveal several synthetic and antithetic normal faults west of the SCFF and a decrease in vertical displacement on the SCFF from north to the south. A 140- to 200-m-wide, 1.5- to 2.5-milliSiemens (mS)/m electrical conductivity anomaly parallels the fault zone in the alluvial wedge of the hanging wall. This anomaly correlates with active drainageways and reflects lateral variations in allostratigraphy caused by Quaternary slip on the SCFF. These combined results indicate that displacement has been distributed across several faults and that the long-term average slip rate (Pliocene to present) is higher than Quaternary slip rates derived from trench studies alone. Thus, these geophysical methods provide an areal and temporal perspective on the fault zone that can augment traditional fault characterization techniques.
Kinetics governing phase separation of nanostructured SnxGe1- x alloys

We have studied the dynamic phenomenon of SnxGe1–x/Ge phase separation during deposition by molecular beam epitaxy on Ge(001) substrates. Phase separation leads to the formation of direct band gap semiconductor nanowire arrays embedded in Ge oriented along the [001] growth direction. The effect of strain and composition on the periodicity were decoupled by growth on Ge(001) and partially relaxed SiyGe1–y/Ge(001) virtual substrates. The experimental results are compared with three linear instability models of strained film growth and find good agreement with only one of the models for phase separation during dynamic growth.
The underpotential deposition of zinc for mitigation of hydrogen absorption and penetration into HY-130 steel

Abstract It is shown that underpotential deposition of zinc from a plating solution inhibited the discharge of hydrogen on HY-130 steel. In the presence of a monolayer coverage of Zn, hydrogen evolution currents were reduced by 58% compared with values obtained on bare HY-130 steel. The observed effects are due to the kinetic limitations of the hydrogen discharge reaction and the suppression of hydrogen absorption by the deposited monolayers. The hydrogen atom direct entry mechanism was used and a mass transfer term was introduced into the permeation model to interpret the experimental data. In the presence of zinc monolayers, the hydrogen entry efficiency in the alloy and the hydrogen entry rate constant were reduced by a factor of three and by 74%, respectively.
Dynamics of ascorbic acid in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Gala’ apples during on-tree development and storage in atmospheres conducive to internal browning development

Abstract The underlying causes as well as chemical and biochemical alleviation for CO2-induced browning in apple fruit are poorly understood. Ascorbic acid (AsA) dynamics in ‘Braeburn,’ a susceptible cultivar, and ‘Gala’, a resistant cultivar, were evaluated during on-tree development and storage at 0.5 °C in air or controlled atmospheres (CA) containing 1 kPa O2 and 1, 3 or 5 kPa CO2. ‘Braeburn’ fruit treated with diphenylamine (DPA) was also stored for 1 month to determine effects on browning incidence and AsA concentration. ‘Braeburn’ apples had significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) AsA levels than ‘Gala’ during on-tree development, and storage. No correlation between AsA and maturity/ripening indices for ‘Braeburn’ or ‘Gala’ was apparent. Histochemical localization of fruit AsA showed a staining intensity consistent with the quantity analytically determined, and showed that AsA is diffusely distributed throughout the cortex in both cultivars during on-tree development. During storage, AsA was localized to the periphery of brown tissue in ‘Braeburn’ and to the coreline and cortex proximal to the peel in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Gala’ tissues. DPA decreased browning development during storage, however, no correlation between DPA treatment and AsA quantity in healthy or brown cortex tissue was observed. The results indicate AsA quantity alone is not an indicator of CO2 sensitivity in these two cultivars.
Pharmacological analysis of antigen-induced late airway response in rats.

The pharmacological and pathophysiological characteristics of rat antigen-induced late airway response (LAR) are not yet fully understood. In this study, the pharmacological properties of rat ovalbumin (OVA)-induced LAR and effects of the clinically used anti-asthmatic drugs salbutamol (β 2 -agonist), ketotifen (antihistamine), pranlukast (anti-leukotriene C 4 /D 4 /E 4 ), and prednisolone (steroid) were examined. In addition, a comparison was made of cell infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) between immediate airway response (IAR) and LAR, and the edematous features of lung during LAR were also examined. Although infiltration of inflammatory cells into BALF was increased in both IAR and LAR, only the increase in eosinophils at 1, 3, and 6 h during LAR were significantly higher than those during IAR. Although β 2 -agonist, antihistamine, and anti-leukotriene C 4 /D 4 /E 4 exhibited no effects on rat LAR, steroid attenuated LAR and decreased eosinophil number in BALF. LAR and the percentage water content were both increased after antigen inhalation, suggesting that LAR is involved in pulmonary edema in rats. In conclusion, antigen-induced LAR was related to pulmonary edema and eosinophil infiltration rather than contraction of airway smooth muscle. This is the first comprehensive study of the profiles of rat antigen-induced LAR, and these analyses of LAR improve understanding of the diverse mechanisms underlying human asthmatic diseases.
Measuring software failure risk: methodology and an example

Abstract The economic significance of failure is incorporated with software reliability theory to assess software failure risk—the expected loss resulting from software failure. The methodology draws upon probabilistic risk assessment and safety techniques to assess the potential consequence of failures in the environment in which the software will operate. The potential loss due to failures caused by faults in different modules is estimated by relating the module's function and expected use to these consequences. Loss estimates are combined with failure likelihood estimates from a time-dependent software reliability model. A case study illustrates application of the methodology to a payables processing system.
MIGRATION FREQUENCIES FOR COMPLEX DIFFUSION PATHS

Abstract Possible migration paths are examined for complex crystal structures. Many migration paths consist of a variety of metastable intermediate states. During migration the diffusing atom may reside briefly at these intermediate locations. The expression for the overall jump frequency derived earlier by Condit ( Mater. Sci. Res. 4 , 284, 1969) and Condit et al . ( Oxidat. Metals 8 , 409, 1974) is expanded to include multiple jumps. This expression is interpreted to obtain very general rules about the activation energy for migration and the fraction of successful traverses of a complex pathway. The activation energy for migration is simply the difference between the highest saddle point energy and the normal site energy. The fraction of successful traverses of the diffusion path is I/N , where N is the number of saddle points in the path that have the same peak energy. This formalism applied equally for diffusion that requires several atoms to move; in this case, reaction coordinates are used instead of distance. Three examples of diffusion in compounds with complex diffusion paths are then examined in detail.
Synthesis and single-crystal X-ray investigation of 4-azido-2-(triphenylphosphinimino)-3,5,6-trifluorobenzonitrile: A chromogenic nitrene precursor for photolabeling

Coupling of the TMS derivative of triphenylphosphinimine with 4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzonitrile give substitution exclusively at the ortho position. The resulting bifunctional molecule has a photoprobe at one terminus and contains a chelating moiety, which readily complexes Pd. Substitution shifts the λmax to 350 nm, which is beyond the absorption limit of most biomolecules and permits photoactivation without damaging the biomolecule.
Recurrent headache in adolescents: nonreferred versus clinic population.

OBJECTIVE To compare headache activity, psychosocial measures, and cold pressor response between referred and nonreferred adolescents with frequent headache. DESIGN Thirteen boys and 19 girls with a mean age of 13.4 +/- 0.9 years who had been referred to a hospital-based behavioral treatment program for recurrent headache were compared with an age- and sex-matched school-based population of nonreferred students consisting of 31 adolescents with frequent headaches and 32 adolescents with infrequent or no headaches. All subjects completed the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory/Trait form, the Children's Depression Inventory, the Childhood Somatization Inventory, and measures of headache activity and related functional disability. Additionally, all subjects reported interval discomfort scores on a 40-second cold pressor test with arm immersion in a 10 degrees +/- 1 degree C cold water bath. RESULTS Subjects from both headache groups reported significantly more anxiety than those with infrequent or no headaches. The school-based nonreferred adolescents reported more depressive symptoms than the clinic-based referred subjects. In addition, the latter group reported headaches of longer duration and more school days missed due to headaches than both other groups. Whereas school-based subjects and those with infrequent or no headaches reported relatively low initial cold pressor test scores and gradually reported increasing scores with time, clinic-based subjects rated their discomfort as high at the initial interval report and maintained high levels throughout the test. No differences in somatization were found among groups. CONCLUSION Although adolescents who seek behavioral treatment for recurrent headache do not report more psychological symptoms than nonreferred adolescents with frequent headaches, they report headaches of longer duration, miss more school days due to headache, and report higher initial sustained discomfort scores to a standardized noxious stimulus.
Menzerath's law at the gene-exon level in the human genome

A previous discussion of a linguistic law called Menzerath's law (the longer a word, the shorter the syllables) in the genomic context was focused on the genome-chromosome-base level (the more number of chromosomes in a genome, the smaller the chromosome size). We apply this linguistic metaphor to more appropriate levels of gene, exon, and base. Using the human gene data, we found that the Menzerath's law at these levels holds true: the more number of exons in a gene, the shorted the averaged exon size. Since this negative correlation can be a trivial consequence of the constant size of the messenger RNA coded by the gene, we also exclude this possibility by showing that messenger RNA size increases with the number of exons. This increase of messenger RNA size is however not fast enough for genes with large number of exons to maintain a constant exon size. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2011. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Response Model for Multiple-Choice Items

In the mid-1960s, Samejima initiated the development of item response models that involve separate response functions for all of the alternatives in the multiple choice and Likert-type formats. Her work in this area began at the Educational Testing Service and continued during a visit to the L.L. Thurstone Psychometric Laboratory at the University of North Carolina. Both Samejima’s (1969; this volume) original model for graded item responses and Bock’s (1972; this volume) model for nominal responses were originally intended to produce response functions for all of the alternatives of multiple-choice items. For various reasons, neither model has proved entirely satisfactory for that purpose, although both have been applied in other contexts. Using a combination of ideas suggested by Bock (1972) and Samejima (1968, 1979), a multiple-choice model was developed that produces response functions that fit unidimensional multiple-choice tests better (Thissen and Steinberg, 1984); that model is the subject of this chapter.
Shedding Light on Sperm pHertility

The acquisition of fertilization capacity by sperm is regulated by intracellular pH (pH i ), but the transport pathways that regulate pH i are not well understood. Lishko et al. (2010) now report that Hv1, the voltage-sensitive proton channel, is present in human sperm and is an important regulator of the functional maturation of sperm.
Tangent Bundles on Special Manifolds for Action Recognition

Increasingly, machines are interacting with people through human action recognition from video streams. Video data can naturally be represented as a third-order data tensor. Although many tensor-based approaches have been proposed for action recognition, the geometry of the tensor space is seldom regarded as an important aspect. In this paper, we stress that a data tensor is related to a tangent bundle on a special manifold. Using a manifold charting, we can extract discriminating information between actions. Data tensors are first factorized using high-order singular value decomposition, where each factor is projected onto a tangent space and the intrinsic distance is computed from a tangent bundle for action classification. We examine a standard manifold charting and some alternative chartings on special manifolds, particularly, the special orthogonal group, Stiefel manifolds, and Grassmann manifolds. Because the proposed paradigm frames the classification scheme as a nearest neighbor based on the intrinsic distance, prior training is unnecessary. We evaluate our method on three public action databases including the Cambridge gesture, the UMD Keck body gesture, and the UCF sport datasets. The empirical results reveal that our method is highly competitive with the current state-of-the-art methods, robust to small alignment errors, and yet simpler.
Far-field superlenses based on plasmon tomography

Superlenses were fabricated by patterning a dye-doped dielectric layer deposited over a thin film of gold and plasmon-tomography was used for imaging. Nanofeatures with lateral dimensions smaller than λ/20 were visible in the images.
Stabilization of Cubic AlN in Epitaxial AlN/TiN Superlattices

The high-pressure rocksalt structure of AlN was stabilized in epitaxial AlN/TiN(001) superlattices with AlN layer thickness $\ensuremath{\le}2.0\mathrm{nm}$. The AlN layers were shown to be pure rocksalt-structure AlN, with a stress-free lattice parameter of $0.408\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002\mathrm{nm}$, using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The stable hexagonal phase was observed for AlN layer thickness $g2\mathrm{nm}$. The rocksalt structure formed at small layer thicknesses since it provided lower AlN/TiN interfacial energy than the hexagonal or zinc-blende structures.
Outpatient contingency management of operant vomiting

Abstract This paper describes the elimination of eight years' intermittent chronic vomiting which became daily during the last six months prior to treatment. By means of the differential attention technique, the rate of vomiting was reduced from its baseline rate of 29 occurrences per week to zero occurrences in three weeks. Factors relating to the successful use of this approach on an outpatient basis are indicated.
The Molecular Architecture of Odor and Pheromone Sensing in Mammals

It is not yet known how signals derived from different ORs and VRs are organized beyond the bulb, nor is it known how those signals are ultimately decoded to yield the perception of an odorant or a specific endocrine or behavioral response to a pheromone. It was recently shown that a truncated form of wheat germ agglutinin or its close relative, barley lectin, can serve as a transneuronal tracer when it is expressed from a transgene in mice (27xA genetic approach to trace neural circuits. Horowitz, L.F, Montmayer, J, Echelard, Y, and Buck, L.B. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1999; 96: 3194–3199Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (69)See all References, 82xA genetic approach to visualization of multisynaptic neural pathways using plant lectin transgene. Yoshihara, Y, Mizuno, T, Nakahira, M, Kawasaki, M, Watanabe, Y, Kagamiyama, H, Jishage, K, Ueda, O, Suzuki, H, Tabuchi, K et al. Neuron. 1999; 22: 33–41Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (119)See all References). Studies in which one of these lectins is coexpressed with a single OR or VR should allow for visualization of the patterns of inputs formed at higher levels of the odor and pheromone sensing pathways. Imaging studies should also provide important insight into the roles played by the intrinsic circuitry of the olfactory bulb and subsequent relays in the final readout of odor and pheromone signals.*E-mail: lbuck@hms.harvard.edu.
Mixed external cavity mode dynamics in a semiconductor laser.

We observe experimentally and numerically novel mixed-mode dynamic states of a diode laser subject to two delayed optical feedbacks. These states have been proposed and analyzed within the framework of the Lang–Kobayashi single-feedback model. Such states are combinations of two distinct external cavity modes and can be identified through a characteristic sequence of a Hopf bifurcation followed by a secondary quasi-periodic bifurcation. We present experimental and numerical results that demonstrate such sequences.
The instant axis of rotation influences facet forces at L5/S1 during flexion/extension and lateral bending

Because the disc and facets work together to constrain spinal kinematics, changes in the instant axis of rotation associated with disc degeneration or disc replacement may adversely influence risk for facet overloading and arthritis. The relationships between L5/S1 segmental kinematics and facet forces are not well defined, since previous studies have separated investigations of spinal motion and facet force. The goal of this cadaveric biomechanical study was to report and correlate a measure of intervertebral kinematics (the centrode, or the path of the instant axis of rotation) and the facet forces at the L5/S1 motion segment while under a physiologic combination of compression and anterior shear loading. Twelve fresh-frozen human cadaveric L5/S1 joints (age range 50-64 years) were tested biomechanically under semi-constrained conditions by applying compression plus shear forces in several postures: neutral, and 3 degrees and 6 degrees of flexion, extension and lateral bending. The experimental boundary conditions imposed compression and shear representative of in vivo conditions during upright stance. The 3-D instantaneous axis of rotation (IAR) was calculated between two consecutive postures. The facet joint force was simultaneously measured using thin-film sensors placed between both facet surfaces. Variations of IAR location and facet force during motion were analyzed. During flexion and extension, the IAR was oriented laterally. The IAR intersection with the mid-sagittal plane moved cephalad relative to S1 endplate during flexion (P=0.010), and posterior during extension (P=0.001). The facet force did not correlate with posture (P=0.844). However, changes in the facet force between postures did correlate with IAR position: higher IAR's during flexion correlated with lower facet forces and vice versa (P=0.04). During lateral bending, the IAR was oblique relative to the main plane of motion and translated parallel to S1 endplate, toward the side of the bending. Overall, the facet force was increased on the ipsilateral side of bending (P=0.002). The IAR positions demonstrate that the L5 vertebral body primarily rotates forward during flexion (IAR close to vertebral body center) and rotates/translates backward during extension (IAR at or below the L5/S1 intervertebral disc). In lateral bending, the IAR obliquity demonstrated coupling with axial torsion due to resistance of the ipsilateral facet.
Cultural Differences in the Perception of Geometric Illusions

Data from 15 societies are presented showing substantial intersocietal differences of two types in susceptibility to geometric optical illusions. The pattern of response differences suggests the existence of different habits of perceptual inference which relate to cultural and ecological factors in the visual environment.
Terrestrial adaptations in the postcranial skeletons of guenons

Arboreal and semiterrestrial guenons show similar osteological features of the limbs across a wide range of species, environments, and geography, while the more terrestrially committed guenons exhibit greater morphological divergence. An ecomorphological comparison of two sympatric guenons living in Kibale Forest, Uganda, reveals an array of anatomical adaptations for terrestriality in the limbs of Cercopithecus lhoesti similar to those found in Erythrocebus patas. In contrast, Cercopithecus aethiops, although also frequent users of the terrestrial environment, generally exhibit fewer morphological adaptations characteristic of a terrestrial lifestyle. It appears that significant morphological modification for terrestriality has occurred twice within the diverse radiation of living guenons with C. aethiops perhaps representing a third group in the making.
Induction of endogenous channels by high levels of heterologous membrane proteins in Xenopus oocytes.

Xenopus oocytes are widely employed for heterologous expression of cloned proteins, particularly electrogenic molecules such as ion channels and transporters. The high levels of expression readily obtained permit detailed investigations without interference from endogenous conductances. Injection of min K mRNA into Xenopus oocytes results in expression of voltage-dependent potassium-selective channels. Recent data show that injections of high concentrations of min K mRNA also induce a chloride current with very different biophysical, pharmacological, and regulatory properties from the min K potassium current. This led to the suggestion that the min K protein acts as an inducer of endogenous, normally silent oocyte ion channels. We now report that high levels of heterologous expression of many membrane proteins in Xenopus oocytes specifically induce this chloride current and a hyperpolarization-activated cation-selective current. The current is blocked by 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2–2'-disulphonic acid and tetraethylammonium, enhanced by clofilium, and is pH-sensitive. Criteria are presented that distinguish this endogenous current from those due to heterologous expression of electrogenic proteins in Xenopus oocytes. Together with structure-function studies, these results support the hypothesis that the min K protein comprises a potassium-selective channel.
Vertex Packings: Structural Properties and Algorithms.

We consider a binary integer programming formulation (VP) for the weighted vertex packing problem in a simple graph. A sufficient “local” optimality condition for (VP) is given and this result is used to derive relations between (VP) and the linear program (VLP) obtained by deleting the integrality restrictions in (VP). Our most striking result is that those variables which assume binary values in an optimum (VLP) solution retain the same values in an optimum (VP) solution. This result is of interest because variables are (0, 1/2, 1). valued in basic feasible solutions to (VLP) and (VLP) can be solved by a “good” algorithm. This relationship and other optimality conditions are incorporated into an implicit enumeration algorithm for solving (VP). Some computational experience is reported.
A comparison of methods for measuring acetyl cholinesterase activity in blood samples inhibited by carbamates

Abstract An unambiguous method based on the measurement of the acetylcholinesterase activity resulting from complete decarbamoylation of the acetylcholinesterase in blood samples inhibited by a carbamate is described and compared with a spectrophotometric modification of Ellman's method.
Neurotoxic effects of (±)fenfluramine and phentermine, alone and in combination, on monoamine neurons in the mouse brain

Until recently, (+/-)fenfluramine (FEN) was widely prescribed as an appetite suppressant. In animals, FEN is a potent and selective brain serotonin neurotoxin. The present studies assessed the effects of phentermine (PHEN), an appetite suppressant frequently used clinically in combination with FEN, on FEN-induced serotonin neurotoxicity. Groups (n = 6/group) of mice were treated with FEN (10 mg/kg), PHEN (20 mg/kg or 40 mg/kg), FEN (10 mg/kg) plus PHEN (20 mg/kg or 40 mg/kg), or vehicle twice daily for four days. Food intake and body weight were measured during and after drug treatment. Brains were evaluated for regional brain serotonin and dopamine axonal markers two weeks after drug treatment. PHEN enhanced the anorectic and weight-reducing effects of FEN. PHEN also significantly enhanced FEN's long-term toxic effects on 5-HT axons. This effect was evident in some (hypothalamus, striatum) but not all (hippocampus, cortex) brain regions examined. PHEN alone produced no long-term effects on 5-HT axonal markers. However, whether given alone or in combination with FEN, PHEN produced significant, dose-related decreases in striatal DA axonal markers. These results, coupled with those from previous studies, suggest that PHEN has the potential to exacerbate FEN-induced serotonin neurotoxicity, if utilized in certain doses. Further, the present results indicate that PHEN possesses dopamine (DA) neurotoxic potential. The relevance of these data to humans previously treated with FEN/PHEN is discussed.
High-Speed Frequency Domain Camera for Biomedical Imaging

We report on development of a high-speed frequency domain camera for biomedical imaging with real-time processing. Tests show this system is capable of shot-noise-limited phase and amplitude imaging in as little as 3 ms.
Ophthalmologist-patient communication, self-efficacy, and glaucoma medication adherence.

Objective To examine the associations of provider–patient communication, glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy, and outcome expectations with glaucoma medication adherence. Design Prospective, observational cohort study. Participants Two hundred seventy-nine patients with glaucoma who were newly prescribed or taking glaucoma medications were recruited at 6 ophthalmology clinics. Methods Patients' visits were video recorded and communication variables were coded using a detailed coding tool developed by the authors. Adherence was measured using Medication Event Monitoring Systems for 60 days after their visits. Main Outcome Measures The following adherence variables were measured for the 60-day period after their visits: whether the patient took 80% or more of the prescribed doses, percentage of the correct number of prescribed doses taken each day, and percentage of the prescribed doses taken on time. Results Higher glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy was associated positively with better adherence with all 3 measures. Black race was associated negatively with percentage of the correct number of doses taken each day (β = −0.16; P P P Conclusions These findings indicate that provider education about how to administer glaucoma drops and patient glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy are associated positively with adherence.
Sequence Similarity Network Reveals Common Ancestry of Multidomain Proteins

We address the problem of homology identification in complex multidomain families with varied domain architectures. The challenge is to distinguish sequence pairs that share common ancestry from pairs that share an inserted domain but are otherwise unrelated. This distinction is essential for accuracy in gene annotation, function prediction, and comparative genomics. There are two major obstacles to multidomain homology identification: lack of a formal definition and lack of curated benchmarks for evaluating the performance of new methods. We offer preliminary solutions to both problems: 1) an extension of the traditional model of homology to include domain insertions; and 2) a manually curated benchmark of well-studied families in mouse and human. We further present Neighborhood Correlation, a novel method that exploits the local structure of the sequence similarity network to identify homologs with great accuracy based on the observation that gene duplication and domain shuffling leave distinct patterns in the sequence similarity network. In a rigorous, empirical comparison using our curated data, Neighborhood Correlation outperforms sequence similarity, alignment length, and domain architecture comparison. Neighborhood Correlation is well suited for automated, genome-scale analyses. It is easy to compute, does not require explicit knowledge of domain architecture, and classifies both single and multidomain homologs with high accuracy. Homolog predictions obtained with our method, as well as our manually curated benchmark and a web-based visualization tool for exploratory analysis of the network neighborhood structure, are available at http://www.neighborhoodcorrelation.org. Our work represents a departure from the prevailing view that the concept of homology cannot be applied to genes that have undergone domain shuffling. In contrast to current approaches that either focus on the homology of individual domains or consider only families with identical domain architectures, we show that homology can be rationally defined for multidomain families with diverse architectures by considering the genomic context of the genes that encode them. Our study demonstrates the utility of mining network structure for evolutionary information, suggesting this is a fertile approach for investigating evolutionary processes in the post-genomic era.
Designing and managing storage systems: issues, techniques, and challenges

Summary form only given. Modern data centers can contain thousands of hosts and hundreds of disk arrays, with total storage capacities approaching petabytes. The drive for reducing the cost of the IT infrastructure leads to consolidation of the enterprise's applications, and a single data center may support thousands of applications, with users spread over continents and administrated by IT personnel with no direct connection with the users of the application. In a conventional IT environment, applications are usually managed by a small group of administrators who understand the application's requirements and how it interacts with the hardware and storage. This approach breaks down in the large data center, where the administrators may manage many applications and have only a limited understanding of their behavior. Moreover, because of the degree of resource sharing in a data center, the interactions between applications are many and complex, and it is difficult for the administrators to predict the interactions well enough to generate good designs; as a result, the storage solutions are often over-engineered
Electron-phonon superconductivity in LaNiPO

We report first-principles calculations of the electronic structure, phonon dispersions, and electron-phonon coupling of LaNiPO. These calculations show that this material can be explained as a conventional electron-phonon superconductor in contrast to the FeAs based high-temperature superconductors.
Commentary: the virtual psyche, the self and the other.

The notion of virtual reality seems to have derived from the widespread use of the internet and to pertain exclusively to cyberspace; it is in the public domain, where the term is used “as opposed to real, not at all real,” or “almost, not entirely objectively real.” In contrast, people depend on congruent, objective reality. Negotiating city traffic is a primary example of a reality check. Yet, as demonstrated innumerable times, the psychological experience of a motor vehicle accident may vary from one witness to the other, distorted by honest if false perceptions and memory, and difference of opinion, vis-a-vis the inanimate event of colliding cars. For many people then the boundaries between the objectively real, the subjective and the virtual are often blurred. Unlike species whose behavior is largely governed by reflexes and automatisms, beginning in early infancy, the human psychological experiences, ranging from emotions and feelings to thinking, dreams, fantasy and creativity, with memory at center stage, are born subjectively real, before becoming also objectively real.
Calcification of the choroid plexus as a marker of depression in schizophrenia.

Dear Editors, Although depressive symptoms are a common and serious problem in schizophrenia, little is known about their biological substrate (Hirsch et al., 1989; Green et al., 1990). Depression has been linked to decreased cerebral serotonin (5-HT) functions in both nonpsychotic and chronic schizophrenic patients (Van Praag, 1982, 1983) particularly those with suicidal behavior (Van Praag, 1983) and enlarged cerebral ventricles (Potkin et al., 1983). The metabolic activity of the choroid plexus (CP), which is the major site for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production in the brain (Cserr, 1971) is regulated by the 5-HT system (Moskowitz et al., 1979; Napoleone et al., 1982; Faraci et al., 1989). We suggest, therefore, that alterations in the metabolic activity of the CP may underlie depressive symptoms in schizophrenia. To test this hypothesis, we recruited 22 consecutive patients (20 men, two women) from predominantly male wards of an urban pyschiatric hospital. They were selected for a schizophrenic diagnosis by RDC and DSM-III criteria (Spitzer et al., 1978; American Psychiatric Association, 1980) and absence of focal abnormalities on a screening neurological examination. The sample characteristics appear in Table 1. To standardize the psychotropic medication, all patients were stabilized on chlorpromazine over 4-5 weeks (group mean = 928.8 mg/day). Patients were then clinically assessed and subjected to non-
The role of galectin-3 and galectin-3-binding protein in venous thrombosis.

Galectin-3–binding protein (gal3bp) and its receptor/ligand, galectin-3 (gal3), are secreted proteins that initiate signaling cascades in several diseases, and recent human proteomic data suggest they may play a role in venous thrombosis (VT). We hypothesized that gal3bp and gal3 may promote VT. Using a mouse stasis model of VT, we found that gal3bp and gal3 were localized on vein wall, red blood cells, platelets, and microparticles, whereas leukocytes expressed gal3 only. Gal3 was dramatically increased during early VT and gal3bp:gal3 colocalized in the leukocyte/endothelial cell interface, where leukocytes were partially attached to the vein wall. Thrombus size correlated with elevated gal3 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) vein wall levels. Recombinant gal3 promoted VT and increased vein wall IL-6 mRNA. Although recombinant gal3 restored the VT size in gal3−/− mice, it had no effect on IL6−/− mice, suggesting that gal3:gal3bp promotes VT through IL-6. Moreover, significantly fewer activated neutrophils were present in the gal3−/− vein walls. In a group of human patients, elevated circulating gal3bp correlated with acute VT. In conclusion, gal3bp:gal3 play a critical role in VT, likely via IL-6 and PMN-mediated thrombotic mechanisms, and may be a potential biomarker in human VT.
Low-field magnetoresistance in granular Pb films near the insulator-superconductor transition.

We have studied the insulator-superconductor transition in quench-condensed granular Pb films from 0.1 to 10 K. Resistance measurements were made in zero magnetic field and low noise conditions. Magnetoresistance measurements were also performed for low magnetic fields (less than 100 G). The magnetoresistance results on the superconducting side of the transition suggest that we are directly probing the finite length scales associated with the range of phase coherence in these granular materials.
Posttherapy surveillance monitoring of cervical cancer by FDG-PET.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the effect of irradiation and chemotherapy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix on posttreatment tumor uptake of the glucose analog 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaged by positron emission tomography (PET) and to assess the utility of FDG-PET for surveillance monitoring. Methods and materials: This was a retrospective review of 76 patients with a new diagnosis of carcinoma of the uterine cervix who underwent pre- and posttreatment whole-body FDG-PET. Posttreatment FDG-PET was performed 2.4–10.4 months (median 4.2) after irradiation completion. Results: After treatment, persistent abnormal FDG uptake in the cervix was found in 18% (14 of 76), in the pelvic lymph nodes in 16% (9 of 55), in the paraaortic lymph nodes in 45% (5 of 11), and in the supraclavicular lymph nodes in 75% (3 of 4). Eleven patients developed new sites of increased FDG uptake. In relation to the findings on posttreatment PET, the 2-year progression-free survival rate was 86% for patients with no abnormal FDG uptake at any site and 40% for those with persistent abnormal uptake; there were no survivors at 2 years among patients who developed new sites of abnormal FDG uptake ( p p Conclusion: FDG-PET is a valuable tool to evaluate the response of primary cervical carcinoma and lymph node metastasis to treatment and for the surveillance of patients after initial therapy.
Electrokinetically synchronized polymerase chain reaction microchip fabricated in polycarbonate.

This paper presents a novel method for DNA thermal amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in an electrokinetically driven synchronized continuous flow PCR (EDS-CF-PCR) configuration carried out in a microfabricated polycarbonate (PC) chip. The synchronized format allowed patterning a shorter length microchannel for the PCR compared to nonsynchronized continuous flow formats, permitting the use of smaller applied voltages when the flow is driven electrically and also allowed flexibility in selecting the cycle number without having to change the microchip architecture. A home-built temperature control system was developed to precisely configure three isothermal zones on the chip for denaturing (95 °C), annealing (55 °C), and extension (72 °C) within a single-loop channel. DNA templates were introduced into the PCR reactor, which was filled with the PCR cocktail, by electrokinetic injection. The PCR cocktail consisted of low salt concentrations (KCl) to reduce the current in the EDS-CF-PCR d...
Follow the data: How astronomers use and reuse data

Author(s): Borgman, Christine L.; Sands, Ashley; Wynholds, Laura; Traweek, Sharon | Abstract: We analyze the people and infrastructure involved in the building, sustaining, and curation of large astronomy sky surveys. Our research assesses what new infrastructures, divisions of labor, knowledge, and expertise are necessary for the proper care of data. Between May 2011- February 2012, we conducted fourteen interviews employing Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data use as the focus. SDSS is a multi-faceted, multi-phased data-driven telescope project with hundreds of collaborators and thousands of users of the open data. The Follow the Data interview protocol identifies a single publication authored by each interviewee and uses it as a lens looking backward and forward to identify data uses leading into and out of the publication. The interviews revealed the ways these astronomers discover, locate, retrieve, and store external data for their research. Any given astronomy research project may employ multiple methods to discover, locate, retrieve, and store multiple datasets. Our research finds that informal and formal methods are used to discover and locate data, including person-to-person contact. Data retrieval and storage methods are often determined by the size of the dataset and the amount of infrastructure available to the researcher. Astronomy research practices are evolving rapidly with access to more data and better tools. The poster presentation will report further on how those data are used and reused in astronomy. Sands, A., Borgman, C. L., Wynholds, L., a Traweek, S. (2012, October 29). Follow the Data: How astronomers use and reuse data. Poster presented at the ASISaT; 75th Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. Retrieved from http://www.asis.org/asist2012/abstracts/341.html
Sperm maturation and ultrastructure in Scyllarus chacei

Abstract The ultrastructure of the sperm of Scyllarus chacei has been examined. The sperm comprises a nucleus, lamellar region and acrosome. The nucleus contains uncondensed microtubules which originate from the subacrosomal region projecting from the body of the sperm. The unique acrosome is structurally complex. It contains homogeneous, scrolled and crystalline areas capped over by an umbrella-like structure having 40 projections.