cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward a multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ): assessment of advanced activities of daily living and psychological status in the patient-friendly health assessment questionnaire format.

Objective To develop components of a multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ) through the addition of new items in the “patient-friendly” HAQ format, including advanced activities of daily living (ADL), designed to overcome “floor effects” of the HAQ and modified HAQ (MHAQ) in which patients may report normal scores although they experience meaningful functional limitations, and psychological items, designed to screen efficiently for psychological distress in routine care. Methods The new MDHAQ items, as well as scales for pain, fatigue, helplessness, and global health status on a 2-page questionnaire, were completed by 688 consecutive patients with various rheumatic diseases, including 162 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 114 with fibromyalgia, 63 with osteoarthritis, 34 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 20 with vasculitis, 18 with psoriatic arthritis, 16 with scleroderma, and 261 with various other rheumatic diseases, over 2 years at a weekly academic rheumatology clinic. Results The new MDHAQ items have good test–retest reliability and face validity. MHAQ scores were highest in patients with RA, and scores for other scales were highest in patients with fibromyalgia. On the advanced ADL, 58% of patients reported difficulty with errands, 68% with climbing stairs, 79% with walking two miles, 87% with participating in sports and games, and 94% with running or jogging two miles. On the psychological items, 75% of patients reported difficulty with sleep, 63% with stress, 61% with anxiety, and 57% with depression. Normal MHAQ scores were reported by 23% of patients and normal HAQ scores by 16% of patients who completed these questionnaires, while fewer than 5% had normal scores on the MDHAQ. Conclusion The MDHAQ items overcome in large part the “floor effects” seen on the HAQ and MHAQ, and are useful to screen for problems with sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression in the “patient-friendly” HAQ format. These data support the value of completion of a simple 2-page patient questionnaire by each patient at each visit to a rheumatologist.
Argon endolaser suture lysis

Purpose: To develop a simple suture lysis technique for post-trabeculectomy examinations under anesthesia since slit lamp laser suture lysis in the clinic cannot be performed on infants and young children. Methods: An argon endolaser probe lysed 10-0 nylon suture through conjunctiva harvested from human cadaver eyes. Since suture lysis failed with the thick Hoskins lens, clear plastic from the suture package compressed the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva was examined histologically. Results: Argon laser suture lysis (250 mW, 0.1 sec, 488 - 514 nm) was achieved without conjunctival damage. Conclusion: The argon endolaser probe is effective for suture lysis when the slit lamp cannot be used.
Flowing versus Static Conditions for Measuring Multiple Exciton Generation in PbSe Quantum Dots

Recent reports question the validity of pulsed fs-laser experiments for measuring the photon-to-exciton quantum yields (QYs) that result from multiple exciton generation (MEG). The repetitive nature of these experiments opens up an alternative relaxation pathway that may produce artificially high results. We present transient-absorption (TA) data for 4.6 and 6.6 nm diameter PbSe quantum dots (QDs) at a variety of pump photon energies. The data are collected under laminar flow conditions with volumetric flow rates ranging from 0 to 150 mL/min (resulting in Reynolds numbers up to 460). The results are modeled with a spatially resolved population balance of generation, recombination, convective replacement, and accumulation of long-lived excited QDs. By comparing the simulations and experiments, the steady-state population of the long-lived QD-excited states and their kinetics are determined for different experimental conditions. We also improve upon reported photon-to-exciton QYs for PbSe QDs. We find diffe...
Structural and Thermodynamic Signatures of DNA Recognition by Mycobacterium tuberculosis DnaA.

An essential protein, DnaA, binds to 9-bp DNA sites within the origin of replication oriC. These binding events are prerequisite to forming an enigmatic nucleoprotein scaffold that initiates replication. The number, sequences, positions, and orientations of these short DNA sites, or DnaA boxes, within the oriCs of different bacteria vary considerably. To investigate features of DnaA boxes that are important for binding Mycobacterium tuberculosis DnaA (MtDnaA), we have determined the crystal structures of the DNA binding domain (DBD) of MtDnaA bound to a cognate MtDnaA-box (at 2.0 A resolution) and to a consensus Escherichia coli DnaA-box (at 2.3 A). These structures, complemented by calorimetric equilibrium binding studies of MtDnaA DBD in a series of DnaA-box variants, reveal the main determinants of DNA recognition and establish the [T/C][T/A][G/A]TCCACA sequence as a high-affinity MtDnaA-box. Bioinformatic and calorimetric analyses indicate that DnaA-box sequences in mycobacterial oriCs generally differ from the optimal binding sequence. This sequence variation occurs commonly at the first 2 bp, making an in vivo mycobacterial DnaA-box effectively a 7-mer and not a 9-mer. We demonstrate that the decrease in the affinity of these MtDnaA-box variants for MtDnaA DBD relative to that of the highest-affinity box TTGTCCACA is less than 10-fold. The understanding of DnaA-box recognition by MtDnaA and E. coli DnaA enables one to map DnaA-box sequences in the genomes of M. tuberculosis and other eubacteria.
Single-shot Z eff dense plasma diagnostic through simultaneous refraction and attenuation measurements with a Talbot–Lau x-ray moiré deflectometer

The Talbot–Lau x-ray moire deflectometer is a powerful plasma diagnostic capable of delivering simultaneous refraction and attenuation information through the accurate detection of x-ray phase shift and intensity. The diagnostic can provide the index of refraction n=1−δ+iβ of an object (dense plasma, for example) placed in the x-ray beam by independently measuring both δ and β, which are directly related to the electron density ne and the attenuation coefficient μ, respectively. Since δ and β depend on the effective atomic number Zeff, a map can be obtained from the ratio between phase and absorption images acquired in a single shot. The Talbot–Lau x-ray moire deflectometer and its corresponding data acquisition and processing are briefly described to illustrate how the above is achieved; Zeff values of test objects within the 4–12 range were obtained experimentally through simultaneous refraction and attenuation measurements. We show that Zeff mapping of objects does not require previous knowledge of sample length or shape. The determination of Zeff from refraction and attenuation measurements with moire deflectometry could be of high interest to various domains of high energy density research, such as shocked materials and inertial confinement fusion experiments, as well as material science and nondestructive testing.
Diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction

Up to 30 million men in the United States are affected by some degree of erectile dysfunction (ED). In the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) 52% of men between 40 and 70 years of age were found to have some degree of ED. The MMAS and other studies also found that the likelihood of developing ED increases significantly with age. The vast majority of ED is primarily of organic and vascular cause, although psychological factors also play a role in most cases. ED has been shown to compromise overall quality of life and is associated with depression, anxiety, and loss of self-esteem. It may also signal serious underlying disease, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, questions regarding sexual functioning should be a routine part of the medical history. In the early 1990s, with the growing number of nonspecific and effective as well as less invasive tests, a new algorithm was developed that tailored evaluation to the treatment goals of the patient and his partner. This "goal-directed" approach simplifies the management of ED in the primary care setting; the availability of an effective oral agent, as well as a range of other therapeutic options, allows men with ED of all causes to receive effective treatment.
Rojo amanecer y La ley de Herodes: cine político de la transición mexicana

AbstractWith the election of the opposition candidate, Vicente Fox, over the historical regime of the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) on 2 July 2002, Mexico took a significant step towards its transition to democracy. The defeat of the official party, which had ruled Mexico since 1929, was a product of a long struggle undertaken by several sectors of Mexican society. Political parties, social and cultural movements, and civil society at large, were key factors in achieving democratic change. This article seeks to analyse two essential films that shed light on the Mexican transition to democracy: Rojo amanecer (Jorge Fons, 1989), the first narrative film to deal with the Tlatelolco Massacre of 1968, and La ley de Herodes (Luis Estrada, 1999), a political farce about the corruption of the PRI government. These films not only prevailed against state censorship and boycotting attempts, but also galvanized civil society, the mass media, and the cinematographic community to strive for freedom of speech ...
A rural economic development plan to help the USA win its war on cocaine.

Since the 1980s, the USA has fought cocaine in the Andes with carrots and sticks: interdiction and crop eradication wield the sticks, while Alternative Development (AD), which offers economic assistance to farmers who voluntarily abandon illicit cultivation, provides the carrots. Yet cocaine continues to permeate US streets, and rural Andean communities remain isolated from the legitimate economy. Many critics blame US belligerence for compounding the Andean drug war. The underlying problem with the existing strategy, however, might not be the aggressiveness of its military sticks, but the flimsiness of its development carrots. The inability of AD to persuade farmers to abandon coca cultivation may be causing US policy makers to over-apply military solutions – often inflaming rural communities and exacerbating regional instability in so doing. Few legal crops can match the earning power of coca. The article therefore suggests that the US carrot could be made more attractive by adopting a Venture Developme...
(−)-α-Acetylmethadol effects on alcohol and diazepam use, sexual function and cardiac function

Abstract Selected behavioral and physiological effects of maintenance on (−)-α-acetylmethadol (LAAM) were examined for 67 men beginning LAAM maintenance. Thirty-four began LAAM maintenance after 1 month or more on methadone; 33 others were using street heroin immediately before beginning LAAM. Subjects were followed for 20 weeks on LAAM; assessment focused on changes in alcohol and diazepam use, sexual behavior and testicular function, and cardiovascular function. There was a trend toward increased alcoholism-related behaviors, but not consumption of alcohol, when on LAAM. Use of diazepam remained low. Subjects reported slightly enhanced sexual activity: reported number of ejaculations tended to increase, although interest in sexual activity remained constant. Semen volume values remained in the low normal range. In contrast to an earlier published report of reduced sperm motility in methadone and heroin users, normal motility was noted in this sample. The incidence of abnormal sperm morphology decreased from baseline to the end of the study. Cardiovascular function, as assessed by response to standard exercise, was unchanged during LAAM maintenance. Electrocardiograms revealed minor abnormalities prior to beginning LAAM maintenance ; but these abnormalities did not consistently change during treatment. There is little evidence that the effects of LAAM maintenance differ from the effects of methadone maintenance on these behavioral and physiological functions.
Occurrence of bacterial leaf spot of escarole caused by Pseudomonas cichorii in the everglades agricultural area of Southern Florida.

In the fall of 1997, 1998, and 2000, a leaf spot disease of escarole (Cichorium endivia L.) was widespread among commercial plantings in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), south and east of Lake Okeechobee, FL. Symptoms consisted of dry, dark gray-to-black lesions that expanded to ≈4 cm in diameter. Concentric rings were often observed in mature lesions. Growers and scouts in the area consistently identified this disease as Alternaria leaf spot, because the symptoms closely resembled Alternaria leaf spots seen on a number of other vegetables. Prolific bacterial streaming occurred when cut portions of lesions were observed microscopically. A fluorescent bacterium was consistently isolated when a sterile inoculation needle was pushed through lesions. Eight bacterial strains were isolated, restreaked to obtain pure cultures, and characterized. All strains were aerobic, gram-negative rods that were oxidase positive and arginine dihydrolase negative. Negative reactions were recorded for levan formation and rotting of potato slices. All strains utilized glucose, mannitol, and m-tartrate and were negative for sucrose, sorbitol, benzoate, d-arabinose, l-rhamnose, and cellobiose. Results for utilization of D-aspartate were variable. Based on these results, the causal agent of bacterial leaf spot of escarole was identified as Pseudomonas cichorii. Greenhouse-grown plants of escarole, cv. Full Heart, and Cos lettuce, cv. Tall Guzmaine, were mistinoculated with a suspension (107 CFU/ml) of each test strain from escarole and P. cichorii strain Pc28, originally isolated from celery (1). Plants were bagged for 3 days after inoculation. Symptoms characteristic of this disease were evident on escarole inoculated with all test strains and Pc28 6 days after inoculation. Pure cultures of P. cichorii were recovered from lesions on King's B medium. Three test strains produced mild leaf spot symptoms in Cos lettuce, but the symptoms were distinctly different from those associated with the common bacterial leaf spot of lettuce in Florida caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. cichorii causing this unusual target spot symptom on escarole in the EAA. References: (1) K. Pernezny et al. Plant Dis. 78:917, 1994. (2) K. Pernezny et al. Plant Dis. 79:359, 1995.
Non‐destructive xrf characterization of basaltic artifacts from Truckee, California

We have developed a new approach to the problem of the chemical fingerprinting of artifacts manufactured from volcanic rocks of basaltic and andesitic composition. The method is an adaptation of standard energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and is based on the observation that for irregularly-shaped rock fragments, the ratios of the intensities of the characteristic X-rays of certain trace elements are proportional to the ratios of the concentrations of those elements. This observation has allowed us to obtain geochemical data about the artifacts in a way that is rapid, inexpensive, and nondestructive, making it particularly suited to archaeological applications. We have used our approach to compare a suite of artifacts from an archaeological site in Martis Valley, near Truckee, California, with a group of lava flows from the surrounding area. Using a numerical measure of the geochemical difference between samples, we have been able to group the artifacts on the basis of their geochemistry, to determine which artifacts were manufactured from material found in Martis Valley and, in at least one case, to identify the lava flow that was the actual source of the lithic material for several of the artifacts.
TU-D-L100J-05: Assessment of Mesothelioma Tumor Response: Correlation of Tumor Thickness and Tumor Area

Purpose: The quantification of pleural mesothelioma tumor extent is required to evaluate the efficacy of clinical trials. The manual acquisition of up to three linear tumor thickness measurements on each of three sections across a series of computed tomography(CT) scans is the current standard for tumor response assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation of response based on linear tumor thickness measurements and response based on tumor area. Method/MATERIALS: Two CT scans from each of 22 mesothelioma patients were collected. Using a computer interface, a radiologist acquired linear tumor thickness measurements on three sections of each patient's baseline scan and on the corresponding sections of each patient's follow‐up scan in accordance with our clinical protocol. These linear measurements across 132 CT sections (3 sections per scan, 2 scans per patient, 22 patients) provided the standard for comparison of area measurements. Another radiologist used a computer interface to delineate the tumor border in the same 132 CT sections to obtain tumor area and the changes in tumor area between the baseline and follow‐up scans of each patient. Results: A comparison of the sum of tumor thickness measurements and tumor area yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.59 across the 132 sections. With regard to tumor response, a comparison of change in the sum of tumor thickness measurements and change in the total tumor area between the baseline and follow‐up scans of the 22 patients yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.83. This relatively high correlation, however, does not capture the extent of variability in the data. For example, among patients with RECIST‐based “stable disease,” change in tumor area ranged from a decrease of 58% to an increase of 89%. Conclusions: Although measurements of tumor thickness and tumor area demonstrated moderate correlation, variability in this association requires further investigation.
Molecular cloning, sequence and structure analysis of hamster apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (chAPE1) gene.

Abstract We have cloned a 13 kb genomic DNA fragment from the Chinese hamster ovary cell line, CHO-KI, and determined the nucleotide sequence of a 4 kb stretch of DNA which encompasses the complete sequence (2.277 kb) of the hamster apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (chAPE1) gene. The intron/exon boundaries, identified by RT-PCR, follow GT/AG rule. The structure of the chAPE1 gene is similar to other mammalian apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease (hAPE1, BAP1, rAPEN and mAPE1) genes in that it has five exons and four introns with the first exon unexpressed. This structure, however, differs from one of the two structures that have been proposed for mAPE1 gene. Three transcription start sites (TSS) for the chAPE1 gene were identified by primer extension analysis at +1, +14 and +18 positions. The sequence also includes 1.72 kb of the upstream region of the chAPE1 gene. In this region, a CCAAT box but no TATA box that could initiate the transcription at the initiation sites was identified. The upstream region also includes the binding sites for a variety of other transcription factors. A polyadenylation site, 13 nucleotides downstream to the polyadenylation signal, was identified by 3′-RACE analysis. The observed 1.28 kb transcript of the chAPE1 gene is smaller than the 1.5 kb transcript of the human AP endonuclease gene. The translation of chAPE1 gene starts within the second exon with ATG and terminates in the fifth exon with UGA codons, 318 and 2121 nucleotides downstream to the first TSS, respectively. The encoded peptide of 317 amino acid residues is similar in size and is highly homologous in its amino acid sequence to mouse, rat, human, and bovine AP endonucleases.
Dietary Recommendations and Athletic Menstrual Dysfunction

Exercise-induced or athletic menstrual dysfunction (amenorrhoea, oligomenorrhoea, anovulation, luteal phase deficiency, delayed menarche) is more common in active women and can significantly affect health and sport performance. Although athletic amenorrhoea represents the most extreme form of menstrual dysfunction, other forms can also result in suppressed estrogen levels and affect bone health and fertility. A number of factors, such as energy balance, exercise intensity and training practices, bodyweight and composition, disordered eating behaviours, and physical and emotional stress levels, may contribute to the development of athletic menstrual dysfunction. There also appears to be a high degree of individual variation with respect to the susceptibility of the reproductive axis to exercise and diet-related stresses. The dietary issues of the female athlete with athletic menstrual dysfunction are similar to those of her eumenorrhoeic counterpart. The most common nutrition issues in active women are poor energy intake and/or poor food selection, which can lead to poor intakes of protein, carbohydrate and essential fatty acids. The most common micronutrients to be low are the bone-building nutrients, especially calcium, the B vitamins, iron and zinc. If energy drain is the primary contributing factor to athletic menstrual dysfunction, improved energy balance will improve overall nutritional status and may reverse the menstrual dysfunction, thus returning the athlete to normal reproductive function. Because bone health can be compromised in female athletes with menstrual dysfunction, intakes of bone-building nutrients are especially important. Iron and zinc are typically low in the diets of female athletes if meat products are avoided. Adequate intake of the B vitamins is also important to ensure adequate energy production and the building and repair of muscle tissue. This review briefly discusses the various factors that may affect athletic menstrual dysfunction and two of the proposed mechanisms: the energy-drain and exercise-intensity hypotheses. Because energy drain can be a primary contributor to athletic menstrual dysfunction, recommendations for energy and the macro- and micronutrients are reviewed. Methods for helping the female athlete to reverse athletic menstrual dysfunction are discussed. The health consequences of trying to restrict energy intake too dramatically while training are also reviewed, as is the importance of screening athletes for disordered eating. Vitamins and minerals of greatest concern for the female athlete are addressed and recommendations for intake are given.
A chromatin-mediated mechanism for specification of conditional transcription factor targets

Organisms respond to changes in their environment, and many such responses are initiated at the level of gene transcription. Here, we provide evidence for a previously undiscovered mechanism for directing transcriptional regulators to new binding targets in response to an environmental change. We show that repressor-activator protein 1 (Rap1), a master regulator of yeast metabolism, binds to an expanded target set after glucose depletion despite decreasing protein levels and no evidence of posttranslational modification. Computational analysis predicts that proteins capable of recruiting the chromatin regulator Tup1 act to restrict the binding distribution of Rap1 in the presence of glucose. Deletion of the gene(s) encoding Tup1, recruiters of Tup1 or chromatin regulators recruited by Tup1 cause Rap1 to bind specifically and inappropriately to low-glucose targets. These data, combined with whole-genome measurements of nucleosome occupancy and Tup1 distribution, provide evidence for a mechanism of dynamic target specification that coordinates the genome-wide distribution of intermediate-affinity DNA sequence motifs with chromatin-mediated regulation of accessibility to those sites.
Application of voxelwise analysis in the detection of regions of reduced fractional anisotropy in multiple sclerosis patients.

Purpose To investigate the utility of voxelwise analysis in the detection of lesions in the normal appearing white matter (NAWM) of individual multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Materials and Methods Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed on 10 normal controls and six patients with MS lesions. The fractional anisotropy (FA) maps derived from the diffusion-weighted images were then spatially normalized (via an affine transformation) into Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space, and the normalized FA map of each of the patients was compared voxelwise with the normalized FA maps of the group of normals in a one-sample t-test (P = 0.0001). Two independent board-certified neuroradiologists reviewed the data. Results In the patient data for all six cases, the two reviewers determined detection sensitivities of 72% and 96% for the voxelwise technique based on known fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) lesions. In addition, between the two reviewers, nine NAWM regions exhibiting FA reductions were identified in the six patients. However, numerous regions of abnormal FA were detected that were attributed to poor intersubject image registration. Conclusion Voxelwise analysis of spatially normalized FA maps has the potential to identify regions of FA reduction in lesions and in the NAWM of individual MS patients in a rapid and reproducible fashion. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;26:552–556. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Low dissolved organic carbon input from fresh litter to deep mineral soils

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leached from recent litter in the forest floor has been suggested to be an important source of C to the mineral soil of forest ecosystems. To determine the rate at which this flux of C occurs, we have taken advantage of a local release of 14 C at Oak Ridge National Laboratory Reservation, Oak Ridge, TN (35°58'N, 84° 16'W). Eight replicate 7- by 7-m plots were established at four field sites on the reservation in an upland oak forest setting. Half of the plots were provided with 14 C-enriched litter (Δ 14 C ≈ 1000%o), and the other half with near-background litter (Δ 14 C ≈ 220‰) for multiple years. Differences in the labeled leaf litter were used to quantify the movement of litter-derived DOC through the soil profile. Soil solutions were collected for several years with tension lysimeters at 15- and 70-cm depths and measured for DOC concentration and 14 C abundance. The net amount of DOC retained between 15 and 70 cm was between 2 and 10 g m -2 yr -1 There were significant effects of the litter additions on the 14 C abundance in the DOC, but the net transport of 14 C from the added litter was small. The difference in Δ 14 C between the treatments with enriched and near-background litter was only about 130%o at both depths, which is small compared with the difference in Δ 14 C in the added litter. The primary source of DOC within the mineral soil must therefore have been either the Oe or Oa horizon or the organic matter in the mineral soil. During a 2-yr time frame, leaching of DOC from recent litter did not have a major impact on the C stock in the mineral soil below 15 cm in this ecosystem.
Redox active thiol sensors of oxidative and nitrosative stress.

Significance: The reactivity of the thiol in the side chain of cysteines is exploited by bacterial regulatory proteins that sense and respond to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Recent Advances: Charged residues and helix dipoles diminish the pKa of redox active cysteines, resulting in a thiolate that is stabilized by neighboring polar amino acids. The reaction of peroxides with thiolates generates a sulfenic acid (–SOH) intermediate that often gives rise to a reversible disulfide bond. Peroxide-induced intramolecular and intermolecular disulfides and intermolecular mixed disulfides modulate the signaling activity of members of the LysR/OxyR, MarR/OhrR, and RsrA family of transcriptional regulators. Thiol-dependent regulators also help bacteria resist the nitrosative and nitroxidative stress. −SOHs, mixed disulfides, and S-nitrosothiols are some of the post-translational modifications induced by nitrogen oxides in the thiol groups of OxyR and SsrB bacterial regulatory proteins. Sulfenylation, disulfide bond formation, S-thiolation, and S-nitrosylation are reversible modifications amenable to feedback regulation by antioxidant and antinitrosative repair systems. The structural and functional changes engaged in the thiol-dependent sensing of reactive species have been adopted by several regulators to foster bacterial virulence during exposure to products of NADPH phagocyte oxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Critical Issues: Investigations with LysR/OxyR, MarR/OhrR, and RsrA family members have helped in an understanding of the mechanisms by which thiols in regulatory proteins react with reactive species, thereby activating antioxidant and antinitrosative gene expression. Future Directions: To define the determinants that provide selectivity of redox active thiolates for some reactive species but not others is an important challenge for future investigations. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 17, 1201–1214.
Gain spectroscopy and vertical cavity devices in wide-gap semiconductors

Abstract The InGaN quantum-well diode laser is now reaching the threshold of commercial availability as an edge emitting blue/violet device, yet many questions remain concerning the details of its operation. For example, the threshold current density in the best cw InGaN QW lasers is still about one order of magnitude larger than that in the green ZnCdSe QW diode devices, in spite of the materials being quite similar in the effective mass band picture. On the one hand, the nitride semiconductors are remarkably tolerant of built-in crystalline defects at high current densities. On the other, the microscopics of optical gain are significantly influenced by crystalline `disorder’ that emanates from indium compositional anomalies in the active InGaN quantum-well material.
Regulation of D-aspartate release and uptake in adult brain stem auditory nuclei after unilateral middle ear ossicle removal and cochlear ablation

In young adult guinea pigs, the effects of unilateral ossicle removal and cochlear ablation were determined on transmitter release from glutamatergic presynaptic endings and glutamate inactivation via uptake. (i) D-[3H]Aspartate release and uptake were measured in subdivisions of the cochlear nucleus (CN) and in nuclei of the superior olive (SOC) and auditory midbrain (MB) up to 145 days after placing the lesions. Activities were compared to those from age-matched unlesioned controls. Fiber degeneration was visualized histologically. (ii) In the ipsilateral CN, changes in release and uptake were governed by the type of lesion. Ossicle removal produced sparse pruning of fibers only after 112 days and decreased release and uptake at 145 days, consistent with regulatory weakening of excitatory glutamatergic transmission. Cochlear ablation deafferented the CN, producing deficient release and uptake at 2 days and abundant fiber degeneration at 7 days. Subsequently, the residual release and uptake increased in magnitude, consistent with strengthening of excitatory glutamatergic transmission. (iii) In the contralateral CN, after either lesion, changes in release and uptake usually matched those in the ipsilateral CN. Thus, the auditory pathway associated with the lesioned ear probably provided cues for the regulation of synaptic strength in the contralateral CN. (iv) Both lesions increased release in the SOC and MB, and uptake in the SOC, consistent with strengthening of excitatory glutamatergic transmission. Sparse fiber degeneration, suggesting axonal pruning, appeared in the SOC and MB after cochlear ablation. (v) The strengthening of excitatory glutamatergic transmission may facilitate and maintain symptoms such as loudness recruitment and tinnitus which often accompany hearing loss.
Preparation and properties of a cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase isolated from frog erythrocytes.

Abstract A soluble cyclic 3′,5′-nucleotide phosphodiesterase has been purified more than 1000-fold from the erythrocytes of adult Rana pipiens. The enzyme catalyzed the formation of 5′-mononucleotides from cyclic 3′,5′-AMP, cyclic 3′,5′-GMP, and cyclic 3′,5′-IMP, although cyclic 3′,5′-AMP was the preferred substrate. Enzymic activity was optimal at pH 8.1 in the presence of either Mg2+ or Mn2+ ions and was inhibited by high concentrations (10−4 m –10−3 m ) of theophylline, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, 5′-GMP, and 5′-IMP. The hydrolysis of cyclic 3′,5′-AMP was competitively inhibited by cyclic 3′,5′-GMP and cyclic 3′,5′-IMP with Ki values of 3 × 10−6 m and 2 × 10−5 m , respectively.
Hypertensive Encephalopathy Presenting With Thunderclap Headache

A 68-year-old woman presented with thunderclap headache, which led to a search for subarachnoid hemorrhage. Both computerized tomography of the head and cerebrospinal fluid examination were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed abnormalities in the white matter in the parieto-occipital regions. There was no aneurysm on magnetic resonance angiography. Treatment of hypertension led to resolution of the posterior leukoencephalopathy. Hypertensive encephalopathy with reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy can present as a thunderclap headache.
Hepatic Mitochondrial Gene Expression is Stimulated by Factors Other Than Oxygen at Birth 275

The liver is an important organ in the transition from fetal to neonatal life. A significant component of this transition is an increase in hepatic mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Previous studies by Jacobs et al report an elevation in site I mitochondrial oxygen consumption after birth in rabbit hepatic mitochondria. This increase is blunted by 4 hours of neonatal hypoxia(10% FiO2). Site I oxygen consumption occurs when electrons enter the respiratory chain at complex I. We hypothesized that gene expression of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) (a component of complex I encoded in the mitochondrial genome) and the 39 kD protein of complex I (encoded in the nuclear genome) would increase after birth and be altered by neonatal hypoxia. Rabbit pups were delivered by Csection at term into a 10% inspired O2 chamber. Pups were sacrificed and liver harvested either at birth (B0) or after maintenence for four hours of either normoxia (N4) (21% FiO2) or hypoxia (H4)(10%FiO2). To measure mRNA levels, we used RTPCR with an internal control. PCR products were quantified and standardized. mRNA levels of ND2 increased by 50% in the N4 animals compared to the B0 animals (B0=1.0, N4ND2=1.54±0.12*, N439 kD=1.35±0.11; *p < 0.05). We conclude that hepatic gene expression of ND2 of complex I increases with age in the normoxic rabbit pup. Interestingly, gene expression of ND2 and 39kD protein also increased in the H4 group when compared to the N4 animals (N4=1.0, H4ND2=1.81±0.22*, H439kD=1.53±0.06*; *p < 0.05). This result is intriguing because oxygen has been traditionally presumed to be the primary positive regulator of mitochondrial gene expression. This study suggests that other factors may also significantly alter mitochondrial gene expression. We speculate that this increased gene expression may be important upon reperfusion, and thereby leading to increased free radical production and enhance the injury associated with hypoxia.
Effect of roughage in the bovine ration on types of bacteria in the rumen.

Summary A comparison was made between the numbers and types of bacteria present in large numbers (one hundred million or more per milliliter) in the rumen contents of cows fed large amounts of roughage (alfalfa hay) and of cows fed no roughage (grain concentrate plus alfalfa meal). Total direct microscopic counts from samples containing no roughage were two to three times as high as those from animals that were fed roughage. Colony counts in the absence of roughage represented 57 to 73% of the microscopic counts, whereas corresponding figures for the high roughage ration were only three to 12%. The results suggest that the predominant organisms in the high roughage material were unable to grow into visible colonies under the cultural conditions provided. Isolates from the 10 −8 or 10 −9 dilutions were characterized by the acids they produced from glucose. Organisms from the high-roughage ration represented a variety of types, with butyric acid formers comprising about one-third of the cultures. The predominant organisms from the rations without roughage converted glucose mainly to acetic, lactic, or succinic acids.
Baseplate placement in failed total shoulder replacement: Builder’s choice

Abstract Glenoid component loosening has been recognized as one of the common indications for revision surgery after total shoulder arthroplasty. Replacement with a standard glenoid component is sometimes possible when bone loss is minimal and contained within the glenoid vault. If glenoid bone stock is poor, more complex revision strategies include bone graft reconstruction, custom implants, and the use of augmented components. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty has also developed into a platform for revision surgery. However, surgeons must be aware that when used for revision, complication rates are higher and survival times are shorter. Glenoid revision is technically demanding even for an experienced shoulder surgeon and may lead to early revision failures if done improperly. Shoulder surgeons must have a detailed understanding of expected outcomes, proper indications and current bone grafting techniques when attempting glenoid reconstruction.
Kinematic synthesis of industrial robot hand/gripper - a creative design approach

Abstract The purpose of this research is to synthesize industrial robot hand mechanisms. Investigations on DOF(F), complexity and the structure (Graph) will be presented. Therefore, a kinematic structure table of robot hand mechanisms can be generated. The advantages of using this reference table are as follows: • ∗ Identification of the kinematic structure of robot hand mechanisms for robot hand standardization. • ∗ The atlas of graph (structure) can be used to enumerate new robot hand mechanisms. • ∗ Leads to creation or invention of new robot hand mechanisms according to the separation of structure and function. This paper will present a creative design approach in designing industrial robot hand/gripper mechanisms. This research work was conducted while the author was at Columbia University.
Ontogeny and limb bone scaling in two New World Marsupials, monodelphis domestica and Didelphis virginiana.

This study examines the growth of two species of marsupials who share common ancestry and are born at the same neonatal size of a little less than 1 g. Despite this similarity at birth, adult size of these two species differs by about 50 times, with the smaller species believed to be the more ancestral. We quantified the growth in the limb bones (humerus, femur, ulna, tibia, metacarpal, and metatarsal) beginning around 40 days of age until adult size was reached. Results indicate that the larger species grows at a higher rate of growth as well as for a longer period of time to reach its larger adult size. Despite these differences in growth, there were few differences observed in the scaling over time of length to width in the various limb bones that were measured. The two species, although different in their adult size and the patterns of growth, maintain the same length to width proportions in each limb bone. The biggest difference between species in scaling was observed in the bones of the hands and feet, which may suggest adaptation to size and/or locomotor performance as body size increases. Despite variation in size, these heterochronic patterns do not affect the shape among adults or over evolutionary time. J Morphol 231:117–130, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Optimism and pessimism: Relationships to circadian rhythms.

A 16-item scale to measure optimism-pessimism was developed and administered to 160 subjects to investigate differences in personality traits as related to circadian rhythm functioning. Evening typ...
PurT-encoded Glycinamide Ribonucleotide Transformylase ACCOMMODATION OF ADENOSINE NUCLEOTIDE ANALOGS WITHIN THE ACTIVE SITE

Abstract PurT-encoded glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase, or PurT transformylase, functions in purine biosynthesis by catalyzing the formylation of glycinamide ribonucleotide through a catalytic mechanism requiring Mg2+ATP and formate. From previous x-ray diffraction analyses, it has been demonstrated that PurT transformylase fromEscherichia coli belongs to the ATP-grasp superfamily of enzymes, which are characterized by three structural motifs referred to as the A-, B-, and C-domains. In all of the ATP-grasp enzymes studied to date, the adenosine nucleotide ligands are invariably wedged between the B- and C-domains, and in some cases, such as biotin carboxylase and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, the B-domains move significantly upon nucleotide binding. Here we present a systematic and high-resolution structural investigation of PurT transformylase complexed with various adenosine nucleotides or nucleotide analogs including Mg2+ATP, Mg2+-5′-adenylylimidodiphosphate, Mg2+-β,γ-methyleneadenosine 5′-triphosphate, Mg2+ATPγS, or Mg2+ADP. Taken together, these studies indicate that the conformation of the so-called “T-loop,” delineated by Lys-155 to Gln-165, is highly sensitive to the chemical identity of the nucleotide situated in the binding pocket. This sensitivity to nucleotide identity is in sharp contrast to that observed for the “P-loop”-containing enzymes, in which the conformation of the binding motif is virtually unchanged in the presence or absence of nucleotides.
On the Use of Electron Spraying as a Satellite SGEMP Response Simulation Technique

A possible method for generating SGEMP-like surface currents and fields about a satellite-like object has been studied. The method involves spraying electrons from an electron beam machine onto the object so as to reproduce responses which occur under photon illumination. It has been found that by spraying from a particular machine and for a particular geometrical arrangement, it is possible to obtain good reproduction of surface currents produced by photon illumination, even for many cases of severely space charge limited conditions. Electric fields normal to the body are reproduced well at significant distances from emitting or sprayed surfaces, but not so near or on such surfaces. At very low intensities of emitted photon-induced currents where space charge effects are insignificant, all fields and currents can be well-reproduced by spraying, with some electric field sign reversals near emission (or collection) surfaces.
Effects of induced electric fields on finite neuronal structures: a simulation study

An analysis is presented of magnetic stimulation of finite length neuronal structures using computer simulations. Models of finite neuronal structures in the presence of extrinsically applied electric fields indicate that excitation can be characterized by two driving functions: one due to field gradients and the other due to fields at the boundaries of neuronal structures. It is found that boundary field driving functions play an important role in governing excitation characteristics during magnetic stimulation. Simulations indicate that axons whose lengths are short compared to the spatial extent of the induced field are easier to excite than longer axons of the same diameter. Simulations also indicate that independent cellular dendritic processes are probably not excited during magnetic stimulation. Analysis of the temporal distribution of induced fields indicates that the temporal shape of the stimulus waveform modulates excitation thresholds and propagation of action potentials. >
Teacher efficacy, self-concept, and attitudes toward the implementation of instructional innovation☆

Abstract This paper describes an exploratory study designed to investigate the relation between selected teacher perceptions past research has shown to be shared by highly effective teachers, and teacher attitudes toward the implementation of new instructional practices. Data were gathered through a questionnaire administered to 120 elementary and secondary school teachers immediately following a one-day taff development program on mastery learning instructional strategies. Results showed that measures of teacher efficacy, teaching affect, and teaching self-concept were significantly related to teachers' attitudes regarding the congruence, difficulty of use, and importance of the recommended practices. Implications for instructional improvement efforts are discussed.
Fixing Climate: What Past Climate Changes Reveal About the Current Threat—And How to Counter It

The Earth's climate is changing due to human activities. Recent polls suggest that the U.S. public generally recognizes this fact, and the efforts that led the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former U.S. vice president Al Gore to win the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize have played no small role in bringing most of the public to realize what scientists have been discussing for years. Yet aside from distorted Hollywood movie accounts such as The Day After Tomorrow, the public knows little about the potential for abrupt change in the climate system. With support from climate science philanthropist Gary Comer, climate scientist Wally Broecker has teamed with science writer Robert Kunzig in this book to bring abrupt climate change into public view. They do this elegantly and convincingly, making the first 12 chapters quite enjoyable.
Electron microscopy of the thymus in two species of snakes, Crotalus atrox and Lampropeltis getulus.

The lymphoid cell population of thymus in the rattlesnake and king snake is similar to that of mammals. Lymphocytes occupy the interstices of an epithelial cell framework. An abudance of tonofilaments and desmosomes occupy the cytoplasm of epithelial cells with light, homogeneous nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Other epithelial cells contain phagocytized material in a dense cytoplasm which surrounds an irregular nucleus with heavily clumped chromatin. Small, granular vesicles are found within some epithelial cells. Myoid cells occur in the medullary area. In mature forms, myofibrils are arranged in a concentric fashion around the nucleus and occupy much of the cytoplasmic volume. The presence of developmental stages of these cells suggests their differentiation within the thymus of the adult animal.
Noise reduction for the infrared beamline at the Advanced Light Source

Significant reductions in the noise of the infrared light have been made at Beamline 1.4.3 infrared source at the Advanced Light Source. The primary source of vibrational noise has been identified as the water system for the storage ring RF system, which is located near the beamline. Modifications to this system have reduced the noise by an order of magnitude. The dominant source of higher frequency noise has been identified as phase noise in the RF master oscillator driving synchrotron oscillations of the beam. We present measurements of the effect of the electron beam motion in a Fourier transform interferometer detector and a discussion of the coupling mechanism to the beam.
Animal husbandry and farming in East Anglia from the 5th to the 10th centuries CE

Abstract Archaeological research that has been carried out in East Anglia since the 1960s has shed light on the changes in animal husbandry and farming that took place in eastern England between the 5th and the 10th centuries CE. The sites of West Stow and West Stow West have shed light on animal husbandry during the Early Saxon period. The rural estate centres of Brandon, Suffolk and Wicken Bonhunt, Essex provide evidence for Middle Saxon animal husbandry practices. Animal bones from the proto-urban ‘wic’ site of Ipswich in Suffolk show how this site was provisioned, while data from the Late Saxon contexts at Ipswich can shed light on the transition of this site from an emporium to a local market town. This paper takes a multi-proxy approach to changes in animal husbandry, farming, and landscape in Eastern England between the end of the Roman period and the 10th century, drawing on faunal data including species ratios, age profiles, biometrical data, and butchery patterns, as well as other classes of data that can inform us about changes in agriculture and landscape use.