cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A coordinated and sustained international strategy is required to turn the tide on the Atlantic lionfish invasion

Atlantic lionfish have caused measurable ecosystem damage in their invaded range. As a matter of urgency, strategies to suppress lionfish have therefore risen to the fore amongst the ocean management community. We use a biophysical model and ocean climate data to demon- strate how Atlantic lionfish larvae are dispersed by currents and how this dispersal, combined with their breeding strategy, negates effective control using methods traditionally executed on a local scale. This study quantitatively emphasizes the high level of larval connectivity that exists between the many nations whose waters now support established lionfish populations. For any given area, our results indicate that the key to suppressing the invasion is to simultaneously choke all upstream linkages that supply external larvae and renourish the local population. On the basis of a case study developed for the Carolinas, USA, an area of high lionfish abundance, the model suggests that such a strategy requires monthly culls that remove 20% of lionfish biomass in the Carolinas and all locations to which the Carolinas are linked hydrographically. Conversely, if culls target only those locales that deliver the majority (95%) of lionfish larvae to the Carolinas, and therefore ignore those locations which contribute the remaining 5% of lionfish larvae, the requi- site cull rate exceeds 60% and suppresses lionfish abundance for only 5 yr. The latter finding exposes an intrinsic danger: sparse lionfish left uncontrolled may derail a concerted, yet not com- prehensive, effort to control the invader. This study provides a modelling approach to quantita- tively target and manage the lionfish population for nations whose waters are now plagued by invasive lionfish.
Instabilities of Rotating Neutron Stars

This paper reviews the analysis of instabilities of rapidly rotating stellar models. Particular emphasis is given here to those instabilities driven by dissipative processes (e.g. viscosity and gravitational radiation emission) that are expected to play a significant role in influencing the observable properties of rotating neutron stars.
The Roles of HIV-1 Proteins and Antiretroviral Drug Therapy in HIV-1-Associated Endothelial Dysfunction

Since the emergence of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1)-infected patients have demonstrated dramatic decreases in viral burden and opportunistic infections, and an overall increase in life expectancy. Despite these positive HAART-associated outcomes, it has become increasingly clear that HIV-1 patients have an enhanced risk of developing cardiovascular disease over time. Clinical studies are instrumental in our understanding of vascular dysfunction in the context of HIV-1 infection. However, most clinical studies often do not distinguish whether HIV-1 proteins, HAART, or a combination of these 2 factors cause cardiovascular complications. This review seeks to address the roles of both HIV-1 proteins and antiretroviral drugs in the development of endothelial dysfunction because endothelial dysfunction is the hallmark initial step of many cardiovascular diseases. We analyze recent in vitro and in vivo studies examining endothelial toxicity in response to HIV-1 proteins or in response to the various classes of antiretroviral drugs. Furthermore, we discuss the multiple mechanisms by which HIV-1 proteins and HAART injure the vascular endothelium in HIV-1 patients. By understanding the molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 protein- and antiretroviral-induced cardiovascular disease, we may ultimately improve the quality of life of HIV-1 patients through better drug design and the discovery of new pharmacological targets.
Rate‐Dependent Indentation Response of Structural Ceramics

Static and dynamic (high-rate) indentation hardness values are determined for ZrO 2 , SiC, and Si 3 N 4 ceramics. While the static hardness is determined using a conventional Vickers tester, the dynamic hardness is determined using a custom-designed tester that can produce a single indent within a 100-μs duration. The results indicated that the dynamic hardness is 7%-10% greater than the static hardness, depending on the type of ceramic material. Indentation-induced crack length is also appreciably smaller under dynamic indentation compared with static indentation. However, when the influence of increased hardness (i.e., reduced indentation size) under dynamic indentation is factored into the crack length measurements, the difference in crack length between static and dynamic indents disappears for SiC and Si 3 N 4 . In the Zr0 2 ceramic, the difference in crack lengths continues to persist, indicating that ductile behavior (transformation toughening) may be a factor for rate-dependent fracture characteristics in ceramics in this strain rate regime.
Yang–Mills Theory and a Superquadric

We construct a real-analytic CR supermanifold \(\mathcal{R}\), holomorphically embedded into a superquadric \(\mathcal{Q}\subset {\mathbf{ P}}^{3\vert 3} \times {\mathbf{ P}}^{{_\ast}3\vert 3}\). A CR distribution \(\mathcal{F}\) on \(\mathcal{R}\) enables us to define a tangential CR complex \(\left ({\Omega }_{\mathcal{F}}^{\bullet },\bar{\partial }\right )\).We define a \(\bar{\partial }\)-closed trace functional \(\int \nolimits \nolimits : {\Omega }_{\mathcal{F}}^{\bullet }\rightarrow \mathbb{C}\) and conjecture that a Chern-Simons theory associated with a triple \(\left ({\Omega }_{\mathcal{F}}^{\bullet }\otimes {\mathrm{Mat}}_{n},\bar{\partial },\int \nolimits \nolimits \ \mathrm{tr}\right )\) is equivalent to N = 3, D = 4 Yang–Mills theory with a gauge group U(n). We give some evidences to this conjecture.
Optimal control of a heat transfer problem with convective boundary condition

We consider the problem of controlling the solution of the heat equation with the convective boundary condition taking the heat transfer coefficient as the control. We take as our cost functional the sum of theL 2-norms of the control and the difference between the temperature attained and the desired temperature. We establish the existence of solutions of the underlying initial boundary-value problem and of an optimal control that minimizes the cost functional. We derive an optimality system by formally differentiating the cost functional with respect to the control and evaluating the result at an optimal control. We show how the solution depends in a differentiable way on the control using appropriate a priori estimates. We establish existence and uniqueness of the solution of the optimality system, and thus determine the unique optimal control in terms of the solution of the optimality system.
The benefits of writing and performing in the spoken word poetry community

Abstract Compared to other writers, such as novelists, poets have higher rates of mood disorders and suicide. Recently a new form of poetry has taken rise – spoken word poetry, in which performing and competing is incorporated in the medium. This study qualitatively explores how this new form of poetry affects poets’ mood and overall well-being. Ten poets were interviewed, and transcripts of these interviews were analyzed using grounded theory. Findings suggest that connecting with a community, having a forum of communication, emotional development, and having an internal drive to write and perform help the poets to feel balanced in everyday life. The performance aspect of spoken word poetry seems to confer several benefits that would not be found in writing alone, such as social support through connecting with others.
Chronic elevation of S100β protein does not alter APP mRNA expression or promote β-amyloid deposition in the brains of aging transgenic mice

Abstract S100β protein, a member of a Ca2+-binding protein family present primarily in the nervous system, affects the survival and differentiation of both neurons and glia cells. Elevated levels of S100β protein have been observed in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer Disease (AD), as well as in those with Down Syndrome (DS). We have examined transcript levels from the gene encoding the amyloid precursor protein (APP) in four brain regions of mice from I to 24 months of age. After stable adult levels of expression are reached, APP mRNA levels do not change with aging. APP mRNA levels are independent of normal regional variation in S100β mRNA and protein. Further, chronic exposure to S100 β elevated 2- or 7-fold above normal did not alter the transcript levels of APP in transgenic mice. These results leave open the possibility of focal changes in APP transcription and do not address possible effects of S100β on the complex processing known to occur with APP protein. However, neither control nor transgenic aged mice showed any evidence of abnormal deposition of amyloid in neuritic plaques. These results are discussed in the context of hypotheses about the role of elevated S100β in DS and AD.
ALTERATIONS IN HEPATIC LIPID BIOSYNTHETIC PATHWAYS AFTER ETHANOL, ETHIONINE AND CARBON TETRACHLORIDE.

Abstract Treatment of rats with ethanol, ethionine, or carbon tetrachloride increases the incorporation by liver homogenates of 1-C14-palmitate into triglycerides and decreases the incorporation into phospholipids. Homogenates from both treated and untreated hypophysectomized rats incorporate less palmitate into triglycerides and more into phospholipids than homogenates from similarly treated intact rats. Liver homogenates from female rats, either untreated or treated with ethionine, incorporate more radioactivity into triglycerides than homogenates from male rats. This increased enzymic incorporation of a fatty acid into triglycerides may contribute to the development of a triglyceride fatty liver after these agents. Impairment of hepatic release of triglycerides into plasma is important after ethionine or carbon tetrachloride, but not after ethanol.
Radiofrequency ground heating for soil remediation: Science and engineering

RF (radiofrequency) ground heating is a method of applying heat to soil at depth and affords a way of thermally desorbing organic contaminants for surface collection and destruction. Soil can be heated to high temperatures, and thus most organic contaminants, possibly including PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), can be desorbed. Applied heat greatly accelerates release and transport of the contaminants through the soil. This method therefore represents an advance over the widely-used method of vapor extraction. Laboratory desorption experiments demonstrate accelerated release of contaminants and non-exponential desorption rates
Keep or trade? Effects of pay-off range on decisions with the two-envelops problem

The “two-envelops” problem has stimulated much discussion on probabilistic reasoning, but relatively little experimentation. The problem specifies two identical envelopes, one of which contains twice as much money as the other. You are given one of the envelopes and the option of keeping it or trading for the other envelope. Variables of interest include the possible amounts of money involved, what is known about the process by which the amounts of money were assigned to the envelopes, and whether you are allowed to know how much money is in the envelope in hand before deciding whether to keep or trade. In an earlier study, Butler and Nickerson found that when participants were allowed to know how much was in the envelope in hand, they generally elected to trade if that amount was small relative to the range of possibilities and to keep otherwise. The present experiments showed that this propensity was independent of the amount of money in the envelopes. Participants made decisions with a strong bias for ...
Gas, solution, and solid state coordination environments for the nickel(II) complexes of a series of aminopyridine ligands of varying coordination number

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of the nickel(II) complexes from a series of aminopyridine ligands that range from tri- to heptadentate is described. The ligands include the tripod ligand tris(2-((2-pyridylmethyl)amino)ethyl)amine, TREN-pyr, and the following linear ligands: (2-pyridylmethyl)(2-(2-((2-((2-pyridylmethyl)amino)ethyl)amino)ethyl)amine, TRIEN-pyr; bis(2-((2-pyridylmethyl)amino)ethyl)amine, DIEN-pyr; (2-pyridylmethyl)(2-((2-pyridylmethyl)amino)ethyl)amine, EN-pyr; bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, AM-pyr; and methyl(2-((-pyridylmethyl)amino)ethyl)amine, MeEN-pyr. The following methods were used to determine the binding geometries of the nickel(II) complexes in the solid, solution, and gas phases: magnetic susceptibility measurements, absorption spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and analyzing the gas phase ion-molecule reactions in a mass spectrometer. The linked five-membered chelate character of the linear ligands appear to have imposed high-spin, octahedral geometry on the complexes in the condensed phases. The tripod ligand TREN-pyr and the two tridentate ligands, AM-pyr and MeEN-pyr, form six-coordinate complexes in the gas phase. In contrast, the rest of the complexes (TRIEN-pyr, DIEN-pyr, and EN-pyr) were found to have lower coordination numbers in the gas phase (five-, five-, and four-coordinate, respectively). The potentially heptadentate tripod ligand TREN-pyr does not appear to confer any unusual properties on the Ni(II) ion in the solution or solid phases, but does appear to be more effective than the hexadentate ligand TRIEN-pyr at maintaining the six-coordinate geometry in the gas phase.
An apparatus for sequentially combining microvolumes of reagents by infrasonic mixing

Abstract A method employing high-speed infrasonic mixing for obtaining timed samples for following the progress of a moderately rapid chemical reaction is described. Drops of 10 to 50 μl each of two reagents are mixed to initiate the reaction, followed, after a measured time interval, by mixing with a drop of a third reagent to quench the reaction. The method was developed for measuring the rate of denaturation of covalently closed, circular DNA in NaOH at several temperatures. For this purpose the timed samples were analyzed by analytical ultracentrifugation. The apparatus was tested by determination of the rate of hydrolysis of 2,4-dinitrophenyl acetate in an alkaline buffer. The important characteristics of the method are (i) it requires very small volumes of sample and reagents; (ii) the components of the reaction mixture are preequilibrated and mixed with no transfer outside the prescribed constant temperature environment; (iii) the mixing is very rapid; and (iv) satisfactorily precise measurements of relatively short time intervals (approximately 2 sec minimum) between sequential mixings of the components are readily obtainable.
Structural model for an oligonucleotide containing a bulged guanosine by NMR and energy minimization.

We present three-dimensional structural models for a DNA oligomer containing a bulged guanosine based on proton NMR data and energy minimization computations. The nonexchangeable proton resonances of the duplex 5'd(GATGGGCAG).d(CTGCGCCATC) are assigned by nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) and correlated spectroscopy connectivities, and the NMR spectrum is compared with that of a regular 8-mer of similar sequence, 5'd(GATGGCAG).d(CTGCCATC). Experimental proton-proton distances are obtained from NOESY spectra acquired with mixing times of 100, 150, and 200 ms. A refined three-dimensional structure for the bulge-containing duplex is calculated from regular B DNA starting coordinates by using the AMBER molecular mechanics program [Weiner, S. J., Kollman, P. A., Case, D. A., Singh, U. C., Ghio, C., Alagona, G., Profeta, S., & Weiner, P. (1984) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 106, 765-784]. We compare structures obtained by building the helix in three and four base pair increments with structures obtained by direct minimization of the entire nine base sequence, with and without experimental distance constraints. The general features of all the calculated structures are very similar. The helix is of the B family, with the extra guanine stacked into the helix, and the helix axis is bent by 18-23 degrees, in agreement with gel mobility data for bulge-containing sequences [Rice, J. A. (1987) Ph.D. Thesis, Yale University].
Mass Organizations in Mainland China

One of the major causes of the success of the Chinese Communist party is its effective organization and indoctrination of the masses at the grass roots, primarily through a myriad of mass organizations. A study of these organizations in mainland China is significant for a number of reasons. First, in a country like Communist China where the degree of bureaucratization and centralization is high and where mass organizations serve in many respects as a principal medium between government and party policies and the people, the basic programs and policy shifts formulated by the leading organs of these organizations often indicate the direction of the political wind. Second, while details of decisions and deliberations made at meetings of government and party organs are painstakingly guarded, information regarding the programs, activities, and leadership of the mass organizations is more available. Third, by an examination of these mass organizations, we may, to some extent, evaluate the attitudes and reactions of different social classes and groups in present-day China and at the same time observe the techniques employed by the CCP in social communication and political indoctrination.
Host as the Variable: Model Hosts Approach the Immunological Asymptote

There is currently great interest in studying the interaction of nonmammalian hosts with microbes that are pathogenic to mammals. In recent years, numerous studies have reported the outcome of human pathogenic microbe interactions with such nonmammalian hosts as amoebae, slime molds, plants, worms, fish, and insects (18, 20, 24, 27, 32, 34). This trend is fueled by many forces, including the precedent established by the discovery of Toll receptors in flies (3), the realization that microbial virulence mechanisms are often shared and conserved among very different types of hosts (26), the suggestion that for certain microbes mammalian virulence may originate from interactions with nonmammalian hosts in the environment (7, 34), the attraction of simpler host-microbe systems with well-developed genetic tool boxes (32), fewer restrictions on the use of nonvertebrate hosts, and scientific curiosity about the extent to which host-microbe interactions are common. In this issue, we are presented with a timely Minireview on worms and flies as model hosts (20) and the description of yet another model host system for the study of fungal pathogenesis using moths (23). Clearly, the study of model hosts is a powerful tool in microbial pathogenesis; yet, their use poses questions that range from the proper lexicon to the justification for this type of scientific inquiry.
Simulations of the mid-Pliocene Warm Period using two versions of the NASA/GISS ModelE2-R Coupled Model

Abstract. The mid-Pliocene Warm Period (mPWP) bears many similarities to aspects of future global warming as projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007). Both marine and terrestrial data point to high-latitude temperature amplification, including large decreases in sea ice and land ice, as well as expansion of warmer climate biomes into higher latitudes. Here we present our most recent simulations of the mid-Pliocene climate using the CMIP5 version of the NASA/GISS Earth System Model (ModelE2-R). We describe the substantial impact associated with a recent correction made in the implementation of the Gent-McWilliams ocean mixing scheme (GM), which has a large effect on the simulation of ocean surface temperatures, particularly in the North Atlantic Ocean. The effect of this correction on the Pliocene climate results would not have been easily determined from examining its impact on the preindustrial runs alone, a useful demonstration of how the consequences of code improvements as seen in modern climate control runs do not necessarily portend the impacts in extreme climates. Both the GM-corrected and GM-uncorrected simulations were contributed to the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) Experiment 2. Many findings presented here corroborate results from other PlioMIP multi-model ensemble papers, but we also emphasise features in the ModelE2-R simulations that are unlike the ensemble means. The corrected version yields results that more closely resemble the ocean core data as well as the PRISM3D reconstructions of the mid-Pliocene, especially the dramatic warming in the North Atlantic and Greenland-Iceland-Norwegian Sea, which in the new simulation appears to be far more realistic than previously found with older versions of the GISS model. Our belief is that continued development of key physical routines in the atmospheric model, along with higher resolution and recent corrections to mixing parameterisations in the ocean model, have led to an Earth System Model that will produce more accurate projections of future climate.
The statistical significance of close pairs of QSOs

Burbidge, Burbidge and O'Dell1 have proposed a method of statistical analysis of close pairs of quasistellar objects (QSOs) to test the null hypothesis that the redshifts of QSOs are of cosmological origin. Only two close pairs of QSOs were then known, therefore the analysis was inconclusive. Since then a number of close pairs of QSOs have been discovered and the same statistical test can be rediscussed with a greater measure of confidence. Indeed, as we show here, the probability of finding so many close pairs by chance, as required by the cosmological hypothesis, is as small as ≤10−4, depending on observational uncertainties.
Mechanical Contributions to Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability

Lateral ankle sprains are one of the most common athletic injuries. Even more concerning is the high recurrence rate after an initial sprain. The development of repetitive ankle sprains and persistent symptoms after injury has been termed chronic ankle instability (CAI). One of the purported causes of CAI is mechanical ankle instability (MAI). MAI results in abnormal ankle mechanics. Both hypermobility and hypomo-bility may change a joint’s axis of rotation and result in abnormal joint mechanics. The role of hypermobility, or laxity, has been examined extensively in the literature, but more recently the role of hypomobility has also been examined. There may be a relationship between the two, with implications at the talocrural, subtalar, and inferior tibiofibular joints. Assessment and treatment should focus on both hypermobility and hypomobil-ity and although injury may seem to be isolated to the talocrural joint, the inferior tibiofibular and subtalar joints should also be thoroughly examined.
Cell-to-cell spread of calcium signals mediated by ATP receptors in mast cells.

RAT basophilic leukaemia cells, like mast cells from which they are derived, have surface Feɛ receptors that trigger secretion of inflammatory mediators when crosslinked. Both GIF-binding proteins and a rise in cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) are implicated in the secretory mechanism1–5. Here we use a video-imaging technique to report that transient rises in [Ca2+]i initiated in an individual cell can spread from cell to cell in a wave-like pattern by means of a secreted intermediate, in the absence of gap-junctional communication. We find that the leukaemia cells, peritoneal mast cells and mucosal mast cells have cell-surface P2-type purinergic receptors that can trigger similar [Ca2+]i transients. We provide evidence that ATP is rapidly released, and that it can amplify [Ca2+]i signals and initial secretory responses during antigen-stimulation of rat basophilic leukaemia cells.
Relating nursing workload to quality of care in child and adolescent mental health inpatient services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a simple tool that enables inpatient psychiatric adolescent units to relate patient dependency to the number of nursing staff needed to give a defined level of care. Recorded at the same time was the number of nurses on each shift, and if they felt there were enough of them. A simple measure of what the ward felt like and if the nurses felt they had been therapeutic was also made for each shift. Some results are presented and an attempt made to relate the number of staff needed to give a certain quality of care in the context of rising dependency levels.Design/methodology/approach – An observational study collecting quantitative data including patient dependency, staffing and staff satisfaction. These were recorded daily for three years.Findings – Results show that when there is high dependency in the ward, if there are not enough nurses, then quality of care suffers. For our ward, a minimum of 11 nurses are needed to cover each 24 hour...
Platelet migration and chemotaxis demonstrated in vitro

Abstract We have demonstrated that platelets migrate out of a packed capillary tube in vitro . Crucial proof that this migration is a biological phenomenon and not the result of diffusion or Brownian movement was obtained from experiments which show that human platelets migrate directly to added collagen. This observation offers unequivocal proof that this platelet migration represents a true biological activity and also demonstrates that platelets are capable of a chemotactic response.
Antigen processing and CD24 expression determine antigen presentation by splenic CD4+ and CD8+ dendritic cells

To examine heterogeneity in dendritic cell (DC) antigen presentation function, murine splenic DCs were separated into CD4+ and CD8+ populations and assessed for the ability to process and present particulate antigen to CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ DCs both processed exogenous particulate antigen, but CD8+ DCs were much more efficient than CD4+ DCs for both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen presentation and MHC class I cross-presentation. While antigen processing efficiency contributed to the superior antigen presentation function of CD8+ DCs, our studies also revealed an important contribution of CD24. CD8+ DCs were also more efficient than CD4+ DCs in inducing naive T cells to acquire certain effector T-cell functions, for example generation of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and interferon (IFN)-gamma-producing CD4+ T cells. In summary, CD8+ DCs are particularly potent antigen-presenting cells that express critical costimulators and efficiently process exogenous antigen for presentation by both MHC class I and II molecules.
Functional effects of dopamine transporter gene genotypes on in vivo dopamine transporter functioning: a meta-analysis

Much psychiatric genetic research has focused on a 40-base pair variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism located in the 3′-untranslated region (3′UTR) of the dopamine active transporter (DAT) gene (SLC6A3). This variant produces two common alleles with 9- and 10-repeats (9R and 10R). Studies associating this variant with in vivo DAT activity in humans have had mixed results. We searched for studies using positron emission tomography (PET) or single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to evaluate this association. Random effects meta-analyses assessed the association of the 3′UTR variant with DAT activity. We also evaluated heterogeneity among studies and evidence for publication bias. We found twelve studies comprising 511 subjects, 125 from PET studies and 386 from SPECT studies. The PET studies provided highly significant evidence that the 9R allele was associated with increased DAT activity in human adults. The SPECT studies were highly heterogeneous. As a group, they suggested no association between the 3′UTR polymorphism and DAT activity. When the analysis was limited to the most commonly used ligand, [123I]β-CIT, stratification by affection status dramatically reduced heterogeneity and revealed a significant association of the 9R allele with increased DAT activity for healthy subjects. In humans, the 9R allele of the 3′UTR polymorphism of SLC6A3 regulates dopamine activity in the striatal brain regions independent of the presence of neuropsychiatric illness. Differences in study methodology account for the heterogeneous results across individual studies.
Contralateral interictal spikes are related to tapetum damage in left temporal lobe epilepsy.

SUMMARY Objective: In temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), the epileptogenic focus is focal and unilateral in the majority of patients. A key characteristic of focal TLE is the presence of subclinical epileptiform activity in both the ictal and contralateral “healthy” hemisphere. Such interictal activity is clinically important, as it may reflect the spread of pathology, potentially leading to secondary epileptogenesis. The role played by white matter pathways in this process is unknown. Methods: We compared three interhemispheric white matter tracts (anterior commissure, fornix, and tapetum) to determine the pathway most associated with the presence of contralateral interictal spikes. Forty patients with unilateral left or right TLE were categorized based on the presence or absence of contralateral interictal spikes. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were run on diffusion properties from each tract. Results: The analyses revealed that patients with left TLE and with bilateral interictal spikes had lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the tapetum. Patients with right TLE did not show this effect. No significant associations with bilateral activity were observed for the other tracts. Blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) functional connectivity data revealed that homotopic lateral, not mesial, temporal areas were reliably correlated in bilateral patients, independent of ictal side. Significance: Our results indicate that, among the tracts investigated, only the tapetum was associated with contralateral epileptiform activity, implicating this structure in seizures and possible secondary epileptogenesis. We describe two mechanisms that might explain this association (the interruption of inhibitory signals or the toxic effect of carrying epileptiform signals toward the healthy hemisphere), but also acknowledge other rival factors that may be at work. We also report that patients with TLE with bilateral spikes had increased lateral bitemporal lobe connectivity. Our current results can be seen as bringing together important functional and structural data to elucidate the basis of contralateral interictal activity in focal, unilateral epilepsy.
Onset, magnitude and duration of opioid blockade produced by buprenorphine and naltrexone in humans.

Rationale: One therapeutic benefit of mu opioid agonist or antagonist maintenance is the resultant attenuation of the effects of illicit opioids. It is important to characterize the development and duration of opioid blockade produced by buprenorphine, a novel opioid dependence pharmacotherapy. Objective: This study characterized the ability of buprenorphine to attenuate opioid effects during treatment initiation and discontinuation compared to naltrexone and placebo. Methods: Opioid-experienced volunteers (n = 8) participated in this 10-week, inpatient, double-blind, within-subject, crossover study. Five randomized conditions [buprenorphine (2 and 8 mg, sublingually), naltrexone (25 and 100 mg, PO) and placebo] were each examined during a 2-week period; the test drug was given for 7 days followed by a 7-day placebo wash-out. Cumulative doses of hydromorphone (0, 2 and 4 mg, IM, 45 min apart) were administered thrice-weekly corresponding with treatment and wash-out days 1, 3, and 5; behavioral, physiological and pharmacokinetic measures were collected. Results: Buprenorphine alone produced dose-related prototypic agonist effects during induction (i.e., positive mood, respiratory depression, miosis); tolerance developed only to the subjective effects. Buprenorphine 2 mg partially attenuated the effects of hydromorphone, while nearly complete attenuation was observed with 8 mg that lasted up to 72 h after discontinuation. Both naltrexone doses produced complete hydromorphone blockade after a single dose; blockade of the behavioral, but not physiological, effects persisted for 5 days after discontinuation of 100 mg. Conclusions: These data suggest that 2 mg buprenorphine is a sub-therapeutic maintenance dose, both buprenorphine 8 mg and naltrexone produce immediate and efficacious opioid blockade, and adequate protection against illicit opioids may be achieved with less-than-daily dosing.
Density-dependent reduction of nitric oxide diffusing capacity after pneumonectomy.

Airway lengthening after pneumonectomy (PNX) may increase diffusive resistance to gas mixing (1/DG); the effect is accentuated by increasing acinar gas density but is difficult to detect from lung ...
Zinc-dependent Regulation of the adh1 Antisense Transcript in Fission Yeast

In yeast, Adh1 (alcohol dehydrogenase 1) is an abundant zinc-binding protein that is required for the conversion of acetaldehyde to ethanol. Through transcriptome profiling of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome, we identified a natural antisense transcript at the adh1 locus that is induced in response to zinc limitation. This antisense transcript (adh1AS) shows a reciprocal expression pattern to that of the adh1 mRNA partner. In this study, we show that increased expression of the adh1AS transcript in zinc-limited cells is necessary for the repression of adh1 gene expression and that the increased level of the adh1AS transcript in zinc-limited cells is a result of two mechanisms. At the transcriptional level, the adh1AS transcript is expressed at a high level in zinc-limited cells. In addition to this transcriptional control, adh1AS transcripts preferentially accumulate in zinc-limited cells when the adh1AS transcript is expressed from a constitutive promoter. This secondary mechanism requires the simultaneous expression of adh1. Our studies reveal how multiple mechanisms can synergistically control the ratio of sense to antisense transcripts and highlight a novel mechanism by which adh1 gene expression can be controlled by cellular zinc availability.
Solitary Neurofibromatosis in the Maxilla: Report of Oral Findings

Clinical and histological manifestations of von Recklinghausen disease are reviewed. The oral findings in a patient with a solitary maxillary plexiform neurofibroma are described.
New Advances in Normal Mode Analysis of Supermolecular Complexes and Applications to Structural Refinement

Normal mode analysis is an effective computational method for studying large-amplitude low-frequency molecular deformations that are ubiquitously involved in the functions of biological macromoleccules, especially supermolecular complexes. The recent years have witnessed a substantial advance in methodology development in the field. This review is intended to summarize some of the important advances that enable one to simulate deformations of supermolecular complexes at expended resolution- and length-scales, with particular emphasis on the implications in structural refinement against low- to intermediate-resolution structural data such as those from electron cryomicroscopy and fibre diffraction.
Moving from tinkering in the garage to assembly line production: the manufacture of genetically modified T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) comes on line

Moving from tinkering in the garage to assembly line production: the manufacture of genetically modified T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) comes on line
Grandpa takes the boards.

I was indignant when I first learned of the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) examination in pediatric radiology. I believed that one of the less dismal implications of a lined face and gray hair was no longer being at risk for examinations, particularly the Boards, which I had narrowly but definitely passed some twenty years before. So I decided not to take the CAQ examination but instead to stand firmly on the bedrock of my own pomposity: “I’ve been a pediatric radiologist for my entire professional career. I’m a tenured professor and have coauthored a texthook on the subject, not to mention zillions of papers. Asking me to take an oral examination in pediatric radiology is absurd and insulting, and I simply won’t do it.” Harrumph, etc. But even while striding up and down and thinking these things, deep inside resignation was growing. Because deep inside, I was miserably aware that if I didn’t take the examination, THEY would somehow, sooner or later, contrive to cause me pain. So eventually I wrote for an application. The application arrived, with a list of inconvenient demands. It was clear thatthe Board had playfully decided to make application a fun occasion, a little race, along the lines of a scavenger hunt. The race was announced as follows:
RESISTANCE TO EXTINCTION AS A FUNCTION OF REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE AND TRAINING LEVEL: A TEST OF THEIOS AND BRELSFORD'S THEORY

Two experiments were run in which one group of rats received 100% reward with 16 pellets per trial (100%-16), a second group received 50% reward with 16 pellets on rewarded trials (50%-16), and a third group got 50% reward with 32 pellets on rewarded trials (50%-32). From Theios and Brelsford's theory it was predicted that Group 50%-32 should show less resistance to extinction than Group 50%-16, since both were equated for habit strength but differed on incentive motivation. In Exp. 1 all groups had 32 acquisition trials whereas in Exp. 2 all groups had 64 acquisition trials. Aside from this difference the two experiments were identical. The partial reinforcement extinction effect occurred in both studies. In Exp. 1, Group 50%-32 did not show less resistance to extinction than Group 50%-16, however, in Exp. 2 this result was obtained and confirmed the prediction under test.
Comparison of antiangiogenic therapy with thrombospondin type I repeats and gemcitabine in an orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer in SCID mice

Abstract Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease. Efficacy of type I repeats of thrombospondin (TSP-1) in mice with orthotopic pancreatic cancer was tested and compared to gemcitabine. Methods: SCID mice treated with an intrapancreatic injection of a human pancreatic cancer cell line (ASPC-1) developed large orthotopic tumors with local invasion, peritoneal and and mesenteric implants. Recombinant Thrombospondin Type I repeats (TSR), one of the antiangiogenic domains of TSP, was cloned and purified. One week after tumor implantation, mice were treated with 3TSR (n = 9, 0.3 mg/kg/day), gemcitabine (n = 6, 15 mg/kg, twice weekly) or the combination of the two drugs (n = 11) for 3 weeks. Subsequently, mouse weight, tumor size, number of metasteses were compared. Tumor volume was calculated using the formula 0.52 (width) 2 (length). Student's t test (Mann-Whitney) was used for statistical comparison. Results: Tumor bearing mice treated with TSR had a 65% reduction in tumor volume (371 ± 97 vs 1064 ± 375 mm 3 , p 3 ) and 79% with gemcitabine plus TSR treatment (219.39 ± 78.37 mm 3 ) p 0.05 when compared to eachother. Mean vessel density was lowest in the TSR treated animals (3.74 ± 1.2) and highest in the control group (7.96 ± 6.7), p Conclusions: Antiangiogenic therapy using TSR reduces tumor volume and vascular density in mice with orthotopic pancreatic tumors and can be used safely alone or in combination with gemcitabine.
Internet Cross Border Crime: A Growing Problem

ABSTRACT The internet offers consumers and businesses a global marketplace. But unscrupulous individuals also recognize the potentials of cyberspace. The same scams and frauds that have been conducted by mail and phone can now be found on the World Wide Web and in email, and these cyber scams are growing. It is sometimes hard to tell the difference between reputable online sellers and criminals who use the internet to rob people. One of the most infamous scams is the “Nigerian letter.” Nigerian scam letters or 419s appear in email boxes all over the world. They offer opportunity, adventure, travel, and an abundance of wealth. If you receive an unsolicited email seeking your assistance, for which you will receive a large sum of money, do not believe it. This is almost certainly a version of the Nigerian or 419 scam. You can protect yourself by learning how to recognize the danger signs of such scams.
Long-term oscillation of corticosterone following intermittent cocaine

We have shown that repeated administration of cocaine, as well as other drugs and nondrug stressors, can induce alternating increases and decreases in several neurotransmitter and endocrine endpoints, which we call oscillation. Oscillation studies have typically used 3-4 pretreatments with cocaine or other agents, raising the question of whether oscillation lasts beyond this point. Using plasma corticosterone as our endpoint measure, we therefore inquired whether oscillation would persist across eight administrations of cocaine over a 28-day period. We report oscillation of corticosterone levels persisting across all eight cocaine groups. Our data also indicate that the degree of oscillation increases with the intertreatment interval.
Hybrid model for trajectory planning of agile autonomous vehicles

This paper presents a hybrid architecture for autonomous trajectory planning of agile vehicles. A velocity control system providing the ability to accurately track trajectories is combined with a maneuver scheduler that enables execution of pre-programmed agile maneuvers. The closed-loop dynamics under this control architecture are described by a simple hybrid model, consisting of a set of constrained, linear time-invariant modes and discrete fixed-duration transitions in the state space. Given these dynamics, mixed integer linear programming (MILP) is used to compute optimal trajectories in cluttered environments. Continuous constraints and binary logic are combined to model the constraints governing the dynamics, to formulate switching rules between different velocity modes, to encode execution of agile maneuvers, and to account for obstacle avoidance. Both offline time-optimal planning and online receding horizon formulations are presented. The framework is applied in detail to a small-scale helicopter, for which several receding horizon results are given. A discussion about practical considerations regarding a real-time implementation concludes the paper.
InP IC Technology Powers Agilent's Infiniium 90000 X-Series Real Time Oscilloscope

Six indium phosphide integrated circuits power the front end of Agilent's new Infiniium 90000 X-Series Oscilloscope and InfiniiMax III Probing System. Setting a new standard in real-time oscilloscope performance, the chipset delivers 32 GHz of true analog bandwidth directly in hardware and is ideally suited to characterize and debug the high-speed signals of emerging serial data standards, fully capturing the fifth harmonic of 12.5 Gb/s signals and the third harmonic of 21 Gb/s signals.
Alcohol use by pedestrians who are struck by motor vehicles: how drinking influences behaviors, medical management, and outcomes

BACKGROUND: : Injuries to pedestrians struck by motor vehicles represent a significant public health hazard in large cities. The purpose of this study is to investigate the demographics of alcohol users who are struck by motor vehicles and to assess the effects of alcohol on pedestrian crossing patterns, medical management, and outcomes. METHODS: : Data were prospectively collected between December 2008 to September 2010 on all pedestrians who presented to a Level I trauma center after being struck by a motor vehicle. Variables were obtained by interviewing patients, scene witnesses, first responders, and medical records. RESULTS: : Pedestrians who used alcohol were less likely to cross the street in the crosswalk with the signal (22.6% vs. 64.7%) and more likely to cross either in the crosswalk against the signal (22.6% vs. 12.4%) or midblock (54.8% vs. 22.8%). Alcohol use was associated with more initial computed tomography imaging studies compared with no alcohol involvement. Alcohol use was associated with a higher Injury Severity Score (8.82 vs. 4.85; p Language: en
Validation of family history data in cancer family registries.

Abstract Background Although family history information on cancer is used to infer risk of the disease in population-based, case–control, cohort, or family-based studies, little information is available on the accuracy of a proband’s report. In this study, we sought to determine the validity of the reporting of family history of cancer by probands in population-based and clinic-based family registries of breast, ovarian, and colorectal cancers. Methods To assess the accuracy of probands’ reported family history of cancer in their relatives, we compared the family history from the personal interview of each proband to a reference standard that included pathology reports, self-reports, or death certificates on the relatives. Our study included 1111 families that accounted for 3222 relatives who were verified. To account for within-family correlations in the responses, we used a generalized estimating equation approach. Results The probability of agreement between the proband-reported cancer status in a relative with the reference standard varied by cancer site and by degree of relationship to the proband. This probability for first-degree relatives was 95.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]=92.6–98.3) for female breast cancer; 83.3% (95% CI=72.8–93.8) for ovarian cancer; 89.7% (95% CI=85.4–94.0) for colorectal cancer; and 79.3% (95% CI=70.0–88.6) for prostate cancer. Conclusions We found high reliability of probands’ reporting on most cancer sites when they reported on first-degree relatives and moderate reliability for their reporting on second- and third-degree relatives. Overreporting of cancer was rare (2.4%). Race or ethnicity and gender of the proband did not influence the accuracy of reporting. However, degree of relationship to the proband, type of cancer, age at diagnosis of the proband, and source of ascertainment of probands were statistically significant predictors of accuracy of reporting.
TOXICITY OF THE HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME (HUS) VEROCYTOTOXIN-1 (VT-1) FOR HUMAN PROXIMAL TUBULAR EPITHELIAL CELLS (PTEC). † 2169

TOXICITY OF THE HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME (HUS) VEROCYTOTOXIN-1 (VT-1) FOR HUMAN PROXIMAL TUBULAR EPITHELIAL CELLS (PTEC). † 2169
Technical advances in the characterization of the complexity of sleep and sleep disorders

Abstract The current clinical standard for quantifying sleep physiology is the laboratory polysomnogram, from which basic sleep–wake stages are determined. However, the complexity of sleep physiology has inspired alternative metrics that are providing additional insights into the rich dynamics of sleep. Electro-encephalography, magneto-encephalography, and functional magnetic resonance imaging represent advanced imaging modalities for understanding brain dynamics. These methods are complemented by autonomic measurements that provide additional important insights. We review here the spectrum of approaches that have been leveraged towards improved understanding of the complexity of sleep.
Lessons from the immune system: From catalysis to materials science

Nature has produced a remarkable array of molecules that perform the complex processes of living organisms, from the immune response and catalysis to signal transduction and gene regulation. However, in contrast to chemists who typically synthesize and characterize a single molecule at a time, Nature draws upon a vast combinatorial library of precursor molecules and screens them for desired properties. Perhaps the most notable example of this strategy is the immune system, which is capable of generating tremendous molecular diversity via gene rearrangements and somatic mutation and screening this diversity for high-affinity, selective receptors to foreign antigens. This natural example of the power of combinatorial processes has inspired chemists and biochemists alike to apply this strategy to other problems, ranging from catalysis and drug discovery to materials science. In this Account, we will describe a number of ongoing efforts in our laboratory which may help to illustrate the potential of combinatorial libraries in chemistry.