cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorometric quantitation of single-stranded DNA: A method applicable to the technique of alkaline elution

Abstract The use of Hoechst dye 33258 for the fluorometric quantitation of single-stranded DNA was investigated for the purpose of developing a simple nonradiometric method of quantitating DNA in fractions collected during the analysis of DNA damage by the method of alkaline elution. The sensitivity of the assay allowed amounts of single-stranded DNA as small as 100 ng to be quantitated reliably. The requirement of a near-neutral pH necessitated that alkaline samples be buffered in order to perform DNA quantitation. However, that the addition of a predetermined volume of buffered dye solution to each sample is the only manipulation required prior to fluorescence measurement makes this procedure the simplest yet described for quantitating DNA collected during alkaline elution.
Direct measurement of retinal microvascular pressures in the live, anesthetized cat.

Abstract Microvascular pressures in retinal circulation were measured in living, anesthetized cat by the servonull micropuncture technique. Of the total vascular pressure drop 32% was in the segment proximal to the large retinal arteries when intraocular pressure was set at 10 mm Hg and decreased to 27% when intraocular pressure was increased to 20 mm Hg. The pressure in the retinal veins was substantially (>7 mm Hg) greater than intraocular pressure at both values of intraocular pressure. There was negligible pressure drop within venous segment; however, the pressure drop from the retinal veins to the systemic veins was large and cannot be explained on the basis of a venous waterfall within the retina.
Materials by Design: Merging Proteins and Music

Summary Tailored materials with tunable properties are crucial for applications as biomaterials, for drug delivery, as functional coatings, or as lightweight composites. An emerging paradigm in designing such materials is the construction of hierarchical assemblies of simple building blocks into complex architectures with superior properties. We review this approach in a case study of silk, a genetically programmable and processable biomaterial, which, in its natural role serves as a versatile protein fiber with hierarchical organization to provide structural support, prey procurement or protection of eggs. Through an abstraction of knowledge from the physical system, silk, to a mathematical model using category theory, we describe how the mechanism of spinning fibers from proteins can be translated into music through a process that assigns a set of rules that governs the construction of the system. This technique allows one to express the structure, mechanisms and properties of the ‘material’ in a very different domain, ‘music’. The integration of science and art through categorization of structure–property relationships presents a novel paradigm to create new bioinspired materials, through the translation of structures and mechanisms from distinct hierarchical systems and in the context of the limited number of building blocks that universally governs these systems.
Numerical Differentiation by Finite-Dimensional Regularition

Application de la regularisation de Tikhonov d'ordre 1 a l'operation de differentiation. Minimisation de la fonctionnelle de regularisation. Etude de la stabilite et de la precision de la methode
Mechanisms Underlying Reduction in Stroop Interference With Practice for Young and Old Adults

Age-related factors in the reduction of Stroop interference with practice were examined in 3 studies. Young and old adults received extensive practice on a modified version of the Stroop task. Both groups showed reduced interference on the Stroop task with practice. Results suggest that young adults' reduction in Stroop interference was due to general task factors plus the development of a reading suppression response. The old adults' reduction in Stroop interference was attributed primarily to general task factors. Results indicate that old adults have greater difficulty than young adults in developing new automatic processes and modifying existing automatic processes. The implication of these findings for current models of Stroop interference is that, in addition to automatic processing, attentional mechanisms must be incorporated to account for the age-related differences.
Morphology and properties of layered silicate‐polyethylene nanocomposite blown films

Film grade ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and high density polyethylene (HDPE) were melt compounded with an organically modified montmorillonite, then blown into films. The morphology studies showed that all three types of film involve intercalated clay particles. The dependence of intercalation extent on the matrix as well as on the molecular weight of compatibilizers is discussed. The tensile testing data showed that the clay enhancing effects apply mainly to the modulus, instead of to the strength. The EVA-based nanocomposite films exhibit the most significantly improved modulus while the HDPE-based films have the least. Lower molecular weight compatibilizers could promote the clay enhancing effects while higher molecular weight compatibilizers could increase the matrix properties. Steady shear viscosities of an intercalated and an exfoliated system were also investigated. Comparing our data with that from the literature lead us to conclude that: 1) the zero-shear viscosity of a nanocomposite is mainly determined by clay loading instead of by clay intercalation/exfoliation structures and the matrix viscosity; and 2) the clay orientation during a shear flow is highly dependent on the matrix flow behavior and to a lesser extent on the clay structural state. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:469–477, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers
Insulin pumps and glucose regulation.

Par des avances technologiques, l'interet des appareils implantables d'infusion d'insuline a resurgi. Jusqu'a present, on n'a pu trouver de systeme a circuit ferme satisfaisant. Les systemes a circuit ouvert comprennent la pompe, le catheter d'infusion et le systeme de communication entre la pompe et le patient. Il existe plusieurs systemes actuellement sous investigation clinique. Les pompes peuvent etre implantees avec une morbidite minime. Le probleme a long terme le plus frequent est celui de la sous-infusion. Plusieurs etudes recentes suggerent que les pompes implantables peuvent controler de facon sure et efficace la glycemie. La prochaine etape est le developpement d'un systeme satisfaisant a circuit ferme.
The effect of adrenal stimulation with adrenocorticotrophic hormone on the excretion of dehydroisoandrosterone in man.

In a previous paper (Landau, Knowlton, Lugibihl and Munson, 1950) we reviewed and extended the evidence relating the urinary excretion of dehydroisoandrosterone to adrenal cortical function. In the course of these studies a critical evaluation was made of the modified Pettenkofer reaction (Munson, Jones, McCall and Gallagher, 1948) employed as the means of estimating dehydroisoandrosterone and related steroids in neutral urine extracts. Since dehydroisoandrosterone and its two known hydrolytic artifacts, Δ5 androstadienone-17 and Δ5 3 (β) chlorandrostenone-17, possessed essentially the same chromogenic capacities and, in addition, were the only Pettenkofer chromogens which had been identified in ketonic extracts, it was felt that this procedure provided truer estimates of the dehydroisoandrosterone excreted than other methods. The chromogenicity of certain non-ketonic alcoholic steroids permitted rough approximations of this group as well. With this procedure available, the enhanced excretion of urinary 1...
A Phase I Trial of Outpatient Weekly Docetaxel and Concurrent Radiation Therapy for Stage III Unresectable Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Vanderbuilt Cancer Center Affiliate Network (VCCAN) Trial

Abstract Docetaxel has demonstrated activity as a radiosensitizer in numerous preclinical studies, probably due to its role as a cell cycle synchronizer for the G2/M radiosensitive phase of the cell cycle. We conducted a phase I trial to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) of docetaxel with concurrent thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) to patients with unresectable stage III non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fifteen patients were entered into this study. Docetaxel was administered as a 1-hour intravenous (I.V.) infusion, repeated every week for 6 weeks with starting dose of 20 mg/m 2 . Doses were escalated in 10 mg/m 2 increments in successive cohorts of three new patients, if tolerated. Unacceptable toxicity was defined as grade ≤ 3 nonhematologic or hematologic toxicity according to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) toxicity criteria. TRT was administered to the primary tumor and regional lymph nodes (40 Gy) followed by a boost to the tumor (20 Gy). At the first dose level (20 mg/m 2 /week), one patient developed grade 4 hyperglycemia and accrual was expanded to five patients. At the second level (30 mg/m 2 /week), two out of six patients developed grade 3 esophagitis. At the third level (40 mg/m 2 /week), two out of four patients developed grade 3 esophagitis and one patient developed grade 3 pulmonary toxicity. The weekly docetaxel MTD with concurrent radiation therapy (RT) was found to be 30 mg/m 2 . The DLT was esophagitis and pulmonary toxicity. Other toxicities encountered included skin reaction, nausea and vomiting, as well as diarrhea. Additionally, there were no treatment-related mortalities or late-occurring toxicities. Esophagitis was the principal DLT of concurrent weekly docetaxel and thoracic radiation in the outpatient setting. The MTD of concurrent weekly docetaxel with TRT is 30 mg/m 2 weekly for 6 weeks. This study is still open to accrual with weekly docetaxel and TRT in locally advanced NSCLC patients.
Making Valid and Consistent Inferences About School Effectiveness From Multiple Measures

This study explores the use of multiple measures to enhance the validity and reliability of inferences about school and district effectiveness. Using data from the state of Ohio, a framework for combining measures is applied to examine the individual and collective impact of multiple measures on both the federal AYP designations and state ratings. Implications for the use of multiple measures to broaden the construct of district and school effectiveness, improve the acceptance and legitimacy of accountability programs, and promote desired outcomes are discussed.
Optimizing computational feature sets for subthalamic nucleus localization in DBS surgery with feature selection

Abstract Objective Microelectrode recording (MER) is used to identify the subthalamic nucleus (STN) during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. Automated STN detection typically involves extracting quantitative features from MERs for classifier training. This study evaluates the ability of feature selection to identify optimal feature combinations for automated STN localization. Methods We extracted 13 features from 65 MERs for classifier training. For logistic regression (LR) classification, we compared classifiers identified by feature selection to those containing all possible feature combinations. We used classification error as our metric with hold-one-patient-out cross-validation. We also compared patient-specific vs. independent normalization on classifier performance. Results Feature selection and patient-specific normalization were superior to non-optimized, patient-independent classifiers. Feature selection, patient-specific normalization, and both produced relative error reductions of 4.95%, 31.36%, and 38.92%, respectively. Three of four feature-selected LR classifiers performed better than 99% of classifiers with all possible feature combinations. Optimal feature combinations were not predictable from individual feature performance. Conclusions Feature selection reduces classification error in automated STN localization from MERs. Additional improvement from patient-specific normalization suggests these approaches are necessary for clinically reliable automation of MER interpretation. Significance These findings represent an incremental advance in automated functional localization of STN from MER in DBS surgery.
A computer proof that the Lorenz equations have “chaotic” solutions

Abstract We describe a computerized proof, using methods of interval arithmetic and recent results of the authors, that the Lorenz equations support a form of chaos. We need to integrate fewer than 550 solutions of the equations numerically, compared with 700,000 for another recent result of this type.
Magmatic activity across the East African North Tanzanian Divergence Zone

Volcanism across the North Tanzanian Divergence Zone (NTD), part of the East African Rift System, occurred episodically from the late Miocene to Recent. Here, we present a summary of previously published K–Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages, new 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages, and geochemical and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic analyses on samples collected from several volcanoes distributed across the NTD: Burko, Monduli, Tarosero, Ketumbeine, Gelai, Kerimasi and Meru. The locus of volcanism over this period progressed from the southwestern portion of the NTD to the north and east, with a main pulse occurring at about 2.3 Ma, possibly marking the inception of a main rifting event. We model the source of the NTD volcanic rocks as a metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle that includes minor and variable amounts of garnet and amphibole. REE data indicate variations in residual garnet content, consistent with varying depth of melt separation. Radiogenic isotopic data show systematic variations requiring the involvement of up to three components. Two alternative but not exclusive tectonic scenarios are proposed: one requiring the involvement of contributions from recent plume-related fluids, and one explaining the observed geochemical variations by melting of a lithosphere layered by multiple metasomatic events. Supplementary material: Details of analytical methods, operating system and calibration methods, a summary table of the recalculated 40 Ar/ 39 Ar and K–Ar NTD ages, a complete set of detailed release spectra analysis and dating figures, 40 Ar/ 39 Ar incremental heating data and analytical conditions, and examples of NTD calculated fractional crystallization modes are available at http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18813.
ACM SRC poster: a scalable group testing based algorithm for finding d-highest betweenness centrality vertices in large scale networks

We present a group testing approach to identify the first d vertices with the highest betweenness centrality. Betweenness centrality (BC) of a vertex is the ratio of shortest paths that pass through it and is an important metric in complex networks. The Brandes algorithm computes the BC cumulatively over all vertices. Approximate BC of a single vertex can be computed by selective vertex sampling. However, applications such as community detection require only the vertices with the first few highest BC values, which are not known a-priori. In our method we sample a set of vertices and compute their combined BC. It can be shown that for small values of d, the number of tests required to find the d-highest BC vertices is logarithmic in the total number of vertices. Our algorithm is highly scalable since the samples are independently selected and therefore each test can be performed in parallel.
The routine use of health-related quality of life measures in the care of patients with epilepsy: rationale and research agenda

Reliable and valid patient-completed questionnaires to assess the health related quality of life (HRQOL) of people with epilepsy are becoming increasingly available. At present, however, they are not routinely used in epilepsy patients' care. The use of HRQOL measurement in clinical practice settings may improve the quality of care for people with epilepsy through (1) increasing the detection of patients' problems with daily functioning and well-being: (2) guiding therapeutic management; and (3) leading to improvements in patients' HRQOL and satisfaction with care. To realize the potential benefits of HRQOL assessment in the care of people with epilepsy, research into the feasibility of the office-based use of HRQOL questionnaires, measurement quality, and the impact of routine HRQOL assessment on the quality of epilepsy patients' care needs to be undertaken. The transfer of HRQOL questionnaires from research tools into clinical tools requires the collaboration of social scientists, health services researchers, and clinicians. HRQOL questionnaires have the potential to become a new clinical tool which could enhance the quality of care physicians are able to provide for their patients with epilepsy.
Methodological Issues in Free Energy Calculation of Lipid Flip-Flop in Bilayers

Lipid flip-flop is an important biological process and may play an important role in trafficking biological relevant molecules such as ions, proteins and drug molecules. Recent molecular dynamics simulations suggest that it is accompanied by water pore formation. However in this work, we find that this molecular observation is sensitive to the simulation parameters. In Berger forcefield, the choice of the van del Waals (vdw) cutoff length makes significant difference. In the literature, various vdw cutoff lengths have been used and it is usually assumed not to matter as long as dispersion correction is applied. However the dispersion correction does not work well in lipid bilayers due to the inhomogeneity in space. By varying the vdw cutoff from 0.9 to 1.4 nm, the area per lipid reduces from 68.0±1.0 to 60.4±0.9 A2. With larger cutoff length the free energy is 20 kJ/mol higher and no water pore is spontaneously forms. Since the area per lipid is only indirectly determined from experiments and has been reported in a wider range in literature, it does not serve as strong evidence to choose the right cutoff. To determine the appropriate cutoff length, we adopt a similar principle as used to develop the Berger forcefield. We determine the cutoff length that can produce the right density and heat vaporization energy of pentadecane but without applying dispersion correction. We recommend this cutoff for future simulations especially for free energy calculations of lipid flip-flops and transfer cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides.
A Study of Islanding in Utility-Connected Residential Photovoltaic Systems Part II--case Studies

The phenomenon wherein a group of residential, utility-connected, photovoltaic inverters continue to operate even after loss of the utility source is known as 'islanding.' Islanded operation is undesirable since it can jeopardize the safety of utility personnel as well as cause damage to connected equipment. Analytical methods for the study of islanding have been presented in the companion paper [1]. It has been shown therein that a power-flow analysis type of method can be effectively used to identify the electrical frequency at which a power balance can be achieved in an islanded system. If such a frequency exists then islanding is possible. At this predicted frequency, largesignal Describing Function analysis and small-signal stability analysis can be used to determine if islanding will actually occur. In the present paper the methods are extended to the analysis of systems containing multiple power conditioning systems (PCS). Beginning with a general state-variable format, models are defined for power-flow analysis, describing functions analysis, and small-signal stability analysis. The methods above are used to study islanding in several test systems. Three types of PCSs are studied-the Gemini manufactured by Windworks, Inc., the Teslaco manufactured by Teslaco, Inc., and
A new procedure for calculating molecular polarizabilities; applications using MNDO

Abstract A simple and effective method is described for calculating molecular polarizabilities in which the effect of an applied electron field is mimicked by an appropriate array of point changes. Calculations of polarizabilities for a number of molecules are reported, using the MNDO method.
Interface engineering through atomic dopants in HfO2-based gate stacks

Controlling the effective work function (ϕeff) of metal electrodes is critical and challenging in metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors. The introduction of atomic dopants (also referred to as “capping” layers) is an emerging approach to controllably modify ϕeff. Here, we investigate the energetic preference of the location of La, Y, Sc, Al, Ce, Ti, and Zr as atomic dopants within a model Pt/HfO2/Si stack and the resulting variation of ϕeff using density functional theory calculations. Our results indicate that all the considered atomic dopants prefer to be situated at the interfaces. The dopant-induced variation of ϕeff is found to be strongly correlated to the dopant electronegativity and location. Dopants at the metal/HfO2 interface decrease ϕeff with increasing dopant electronegativity, while a contrary trend is seen for dopants at the Si/HfO2 interface. These results are consistent with available experimental data for La, Al, and Ti doping. Our findings, especially the identified correla...
Fundamentals of low-energy neutral atom imaging

Imaging of the space plasma environment via low-energy neutral atoms (LENAs) promises to revolutionize the way in which largescale space plasma phenomena are viewed and understood. LENAs are produced by charge exchange between plasma ions (less than tens of kilo-electron-volts) and cold geocoronat neutrals; these LENAs radiate outward in all directions from their points of origin. Previously developed methods for imaging higher energy neutrals are not suitable for observing the majority of the terrestrial magnetosphere, which is comprised primarily of lower energy plasma populations. This paper briefly describes both the direct and indirect techniques that have been suggested for imaging LENAs to date. We then examine in more detail the most advanced of these techniques appropriate for magnetospheric imaging, indirect detection based on ionization of LENAs as they transit ultrathin foils. Such a LENA imager consists of four basic components: (1) a biased collimator to remove the ambient charged particles and set the azimuthal field of view; (2) an ultrathin foil, which ionizes a portion of the incident LENAs; (3) an electrostatic analyzer to reject UV light and set the energy passband; and (4) a coincidence position detector to measure converted LENAs while rejecting noise and penetrating radiation.
Broad Spectrum Antiangiogenic Treatment for Ocular Neovascular Diseases

Pathological neovascularization is a hallmark of late stage neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50 in the western world. The treatments focus on suppression of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), while current approved therapies are limited to inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) exclusively. However, this treatment does not address the underlying cause of AMD, and the loss of VEGF's neuroprotective can be a potential side effect. Therapy which targets the key processes in AMD, the pathological neovascularization, vessel leakage and inflammation could bring a major shift in the approach to disease treatment and prevention. In this study we have demonstrated the efficacy of such broad spectrum antiangiogenic therapy on mouse model of AMD. Methods and Findings Lodamin, a polymeric formulation of TNP-470, is a potent broad-spectrum antiangiogenic drug. Lodamin significantly reduced key processes involved in AMD progression as demonstrated in mice and rats. Its suppressive effects on angiogenesis, vascular leakage and inflammation were studied in a wide array of assays including; a Matrigel, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), Miles assay, laser-induced CNV and corneal micropocket assay. Lodamin significantly suppressed the secretion of various pro-inflammatory cytokines in the CNV lesion including monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1/Ccl2). Importantly, Lodamin was found to regress established CNV lesions, unlike soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlk-1). The drug was found to be safe in mice and have little toxicity as demonstrated by electroretinography (ERG) assessing retinal and by histology.
Evaluation of Rubblized Pavement Sections in Michigan

In 1987 the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) began using rubblization of portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement followed by the application of a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay as a rehabilitation method for deteriorated PCC pavements. Early projects constructed in Michigan used the resonant frequency breaker to rubblize the PCC pavement, but by 1997 MDOT began to use the multihead breaker (MHB) also. In 1999, because some rubblization projects needed rehabilitation after fewer than 12 years of service, MDOT initiated a study to identify causes for underperforming rubblized concrete pavement projects. The current study, initiated in 2005, was conducted specifically to investigate the performance of rubblized projects constructed with the MHB with the use of data provided by MDOT. Analysis of projects constructed in Michigan that used the MHB between 1997 and 2002 revealed that 20 of the 21 pavement sections evaluated had a distress index (DI) condition rating of good, and all sections had ride ...
Characterization of a CREB Gain-of-Function Mutant with Constitutive Transcriptional Activity In Vivo

The cyclic AMP (cAMP)-responsive factor CREB promotes cellular gene expression, following its phosphorylation at Ser133, via recruitment of the coactivator paralogs CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300. CBP and p300, in turn, appear to mediate target gene induction via their association with RNA polymerase II complexes and via intrinsic histone acetyltransferase activities that mobilize promoter-bound nucleosomes. In addition to cAMP, a wide variety of stimuli, including hypoxia, UV irradiation, and growth factor addition, induce Ser133 phosphorylation with stoichiometry and kinetics comparable to those induced by cAMP. Yet a number of these signals are incapable of promoting target gene activation via CREB phosphorylation per se, suggesting the presence of additional regulatory events either at the level of CREB-CBP complex formation or in the subsequent recruitment of the transcriptional apparatus. Here we characterize a Tyr134Phe CREB mutant that behaves as a constitutive activator in vivo. Like protein kinase A (PKA)-stimulated wild-type CREB, the Tyr134Phe polypeptide was found to stimulate target gene expression via the Ser133-dependent recruitment of CBP and p300. Biochemical studies reveal that mutation of Tyr134 to Phe lowers the K(m) for PKA phosphorylation and thereby induces high levels of constitutive Ser133 phosphorylation in vivo. Consistent with its constitutive activity, Tyr134Phe CREB strongly promoted differentiation of PC12 cells in concert with suboptimal doses of nerve growth factor. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Ser133 phosphorylation is sufficient for cellular gene activation and that additional signal-dependent modifications of CBP or p300 are not required for recruitment of the transcriptional apparatus to the promoter.
Luminal Ca2+ Controls Termination and Refractory Behavior of Ca2+-Induced Ca2+ Release in Cardiac Myocytes

Despite extensive research, the mechanisms responsible for the graded nature and early termination of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in cardiac muscle remain poorly understood. Suggested mechanisms include cytosolic Ca2+-dependent inactivation/adaptation and luminal Ca2+-dependent deactivation of the SR Ca2+ release channels/ryanodine receptors (RyRs). To explore the importance of cytosolic versus luminal Ca2+ regulatory mechanisms in controlling CICR, we assessed the impact of intra-SR Ca2+ buffering on global and local Ca2+ release properties of patch-clamped or permeabilized rat ventricular myocytes. Exogenous, low-affinity Ca2+ buffers (5 to 20 mmol/L ADA, citrate or maleate) were introduced into the SR by exposing the cells to "internal" solutions containing the buffers. Enhanced Ca2+ buffering in the SR was confirmed by an increase in the total SR Ca2+ content, as revealed by application of caffeine. At the whole-cell level, intra-SR [Ca2+] buffering dramatically increased the magnitude of Ca2+ transients induced by I(Ca) and deranged the smoothly graded I(Ca)-SR Ca2+ release relationship. The amplitude and time-to-peak of local Ca2+ release events, Ca2+ sparks, as well as the duration of local Ca2+ release fluxes underlying sparks were increased up to 2- to 3-fold. The exogenous Ca2+ buffers in the SR also reduced the frequency of repetitive activity observed at individual release sites in the presence of the RyR activator Imperatoxin A. We conclude that regulation of RyR openings by local intra-SR [Ca2+] is responsible for termination of CICR and for the subsequent restitution behavior of Ca2+ release sites in cardiac muscle.
Therapeutic testosterone administration preserves excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus during autoimmune demyelinating disease

Over 50% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience cognitive deficits, and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment has been reported in >30% of these patients. While postmortem pathology studies and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging demonstrate that the hippocampus is targeted in MS, the neuropathology underlying hippocampal dysfunction remains unknown. Furthermore, there are no treatments available to date to effectively prevent neurodegeneration and associated cognitive dysfunction in MS. We have recently demonstrated that the hippocampus is also targeted in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the most widely used animal model of MS. The objective of this study was to assess whether a candidate treatment (testosterone) could prevent hippocampal synaptic dysfunction and underlying pathology when administered in either a preventative or a therapeutic (postdisease induction) manner. Electrophysiological studies revealed impairments in basal excitatory synaptic transmission that involved both AMPA receptor-mediated changes in synaptic currents, and faster decay rates of NMDA receptor-mediated currents in mice with EAE. Neuropathology revealed atrophy of the pyramidal and dendritic layers of hippocampal CA1, decreased presynaptic (Synapsin-1) and postsynaptic (postsynaptic density 95; PSD-95) staining, diffuse demyelination, and microglial activation. Testosterone treatment administered either before or after disease induction restores excitatory synaptic transmission as well as presynaptic and postsynaptic protein levels within the hippocampus. Furthermore, cross-modality correlations demonstrate that fluctuations in EPSPs are significantly correlated to changes in postsynaptic protein levels and suggest that PSD-95 is a neuropathological substrate to impaired synaptic transmission in the hippocampus during EAE. This is the first report demonstrating that testosterone is a viable therapeutic treatment option that can restore both hippocampal function and disease-associated pathology that occur during autoimmune disease.
Detection and management of the unstable patient

The vast majority of doctor-patient interactions in the field of facial plastic surgery are mutually rewarding. Unstable patients will be encountered, however, because of the psychological components of cosmetic surgery. The harm or chaos such patients cause can be minimized by an awareness of unstable patient characteristics, an effort to screen for unstable behavior potential, and development of plans and protocols to manage such patients when they are encountered.
Comparative Study of Methods for Detecting Sequence Compartmentalization in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects different organs and tissues. During these infection events, subpopulations of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) develop and, if viral trafficking is restricted between subpopulations, the viruses can follow independent evolutionary histories, i.e., become compartmentalized. This phenomenon is usually detected via comparative sequence analysis and has been reported for viruses isolated from the central nervous system (CNS) and the genital tract. Several approaches have been proposed to study the compartmentalization of HIV sequences, but to date, no rigorous comparison of the most commonly employed methods has been made. In this study, we systematically compared inferences made by six different methods for detecting compartmentalization based on three data sets: (i) a sample of 45 patients with sequences gathered from the CNS, (ii) sequences from the female genital tract of 18 patients, and (iii) a set of simulated sequences. We found that different methods often reached contradictory conclusions. Methods based on the topology of a phylogenetic tree derived from clonal sequences were generally more sensitive in detecting compartmentalization than those that relied solely upon pairwise genetic distances between sequences. However, as the branching structure in a phylogenetic tree is often uncertain, especially for short, low-diversity, or recombinant sequences, tree-based approaches may need to be modified to take phylogenetic uncertainty into account. Given the frequently discordant predictions of different methods and the strengths and weaknesses of each particular methodology, we recommend that a suite of several approaches be used for reliable inference of compartmentalized population structure.
GC-MS Studies on the Regioisomeric Methoxy-Methyl- Phenethylamines Related to MDEA, MDMMA, and MBDB

Three regioisomeric 3,4-methylenedioxyphenethylamines having the same molecular weight and major mass spectral fragments of equal mass have been reported as drugs of abuse in forensic studies in recent years. These compounds are 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine (MDEA), 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-N-dimethylamphetamine (MDMMA), and N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine (MBDB). The mass spectra of the regioisomers (4-methoxy-3-methyl and 4-methoxy-2-methyl-phenethylamines) are essentially equivalent to the three compounds reported as drugs of abuse. This project focused on the synthesis, mass spectral characterization, and chromatographic analysis of these six regioisomeric methoxy methyl phenethylamines. Additionally, the mass spectral and chromatographic properties of these compounds will be compared to the isobaric 2,3- and 3,4-methylenedioxyphenethyl-amines of the same side chain. The six regioisomeric methoxy-methyl-phenethylamines were synthesized from commercially available starting materials. Side chain differentiation by mass spectrometry was possible after the formation of the perfluoroacyl derivatives, pentafluoropropionylamides (PFPA) and heptafluorobutrylamides (HFBA). Gas chromatographic separation on Rtx-1 was successful at resolving the perfluoroacyl derivatives of the 4-methoxy-3-methyl phenethylamines from those of the 4-methoxy-2-methyl phenethylamines. The 4-methoxy-3-methyl-phenethylamine derivatives eluted before the 4-methoxy-2-methyl-phenethylamine derivatives as both the PFPA and HFBA derivatives.
The value of persistence: a study of the creation, ordering and use of conversation archives by a knowledge worker

This paper argues that designers of computer mediated communication systems (CMCs) need to pay attention to the storage, organization and retrieval of conversations. It presents an ethnographic study of 'Bob,' an expert consultant to consultants in a large organization, and examines the ways in which he fashioned what he calls his "external memory pack" from the thousands of conversations he has had via instant messaging, email, and other forms of CMC. Particular attention is paid to the way in which he organizes, searches, and weaves together conversations to achieve his ends. We conclude by outlining the design implications of his use.
Merkel cell carcinoma in a malignant pleural effusion: case report

Merkel cell (neuroendocrine) carcinoma is a small round blue cell malignant neoplasm that primarily presents in the skin. The diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma in a pleural fluid is challenging because of the morphological similarity to many other malignant neoplasms. Immunohistochemical stains can be essential to establish the diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma.
A pulsed neural network capable of universal approximation

The authors describe a pulsed network version of the cerebellar model articulation controller (CMAC), popularized by Albus (1981). The network produces output pulses whose times of occurrence are a function of input pulse intervals. Within limits imposed by causality conditions, this function can approximate any bounded measurable function on a compact domain. Simulation results demonstrate the viability of training the network with a least mean square algorithm. >
Nicotine dependence and intentions to quit smoking in three samples of male and female recovering alcoholics and problem drinkers

We report gender-specific data on tobacco use and quitting smoking from three studies of nicotine-related issues during alcoholism treatment. Study 1 data are from 309 alcoholism treatment professionals who were current or former smokers with a personal history of alcoholism or problem drinking. Study 2 data are from 496 smokers receiving counseling for their problems with alcohol in outpatient alcoholism treatment centers. Study 3 data are from 90 smokers receiving intensive alcoholism treatment in residential or inpatient programs. Interest in smoking cessation was high in all groups. Significant gender differences were apparent among the recovering alcoholics but not among the problem drinkers. Severity of alcohol use problems also showed some association with smoking cessation behaviors.
Political speech in social media streams: YouTube comments and Twitter posts

Recently, political sentiment on social media websites has been receiving much attention both in research circles and in the news. However, political sentiment analysis has been largely performed on only a single social media source. It is unclear what outcomes would result if more than one source were used. We present a unique comparison of the textual content of two popular social media -- Twitter posts and YouTube comments -- over a common set of queries which include politicians, issues, and events. We show Twitter as a stream driven by news and outside sources with 40% share of its content lacking any sentiment, and YouTube as an outlet for opinionated speech. Specifically in YouTube, we find that the author's political stance and the sentiment of the document do not always match, and should be treated separately in analysis of political documents. We also examine the connection between social media sentiment and that of general population by comparing our findings to the Gallup poll, and show that neither discussion volume or sentiment expressed in the two social media were able to predict the republican Presidential nominee frontrunner.
Anomalous aftershocks of deep earthquakes in Mariana

Seismic moment of aftershocks during the August 23, 1995 deep earthquake sequence in the Mariana amounts up to 17% of that of the main shock (Mw 7.0). Such a high aftershock activity is extremely unusual. Based on the inversion of broadband P and SH waveforms, however, we found nothing anomalous in the source mechanisms. Among the 33 largest deep earthquakes (Mw≥7.0) since 1958, only events in the Mariana have high aftershock activity. We associate this observation with the unique configuration of the Mariana slab which seems to plunge sub-vertically into the lower mantle with little distortion.
Reproducibility of BP responses to changes in dietary salt: compelling evidence for universal sodium restriction?

Hypertension is a highly prevalent disorder association with significant population-attributable risk for cardiovascular and renal morbidity and mortality. Given the high lifetime risk of hypertension and associated complications, a public health approach to prevention is logical. The DASH-Sodium trial represents a landmark study on nutrition and blood pressure (BP) regulation in a middle-aged population (≈48±10 years) comprised of overweight-obese (body mass index [BMI] ≈30±5 kg/m2), disproportionately minority (≈60%, mainly African American) volunteers with BP averaging in the high normal range at ≈134±10/≈86±5 mm Hg.1 The findings from this carefully controlled feeding study, if applied to the general population, have the potential to reduce BP and delay and possibly prevent the development of hypertension and associated complications. Based on a post hoc analysis on the reproducibility of salt sensitivity in the DASH-Sodium trial, Obarzanek and colleagues2 conclude that salt sensitivity is not a highly reproducible finding. The authors interpret the low-order reproducibility of BP responses to changes of dietary sodium ( r =0.27, r 2=0.07) as further support for universal Na+ restriction in the entire population. They extend this reasoning to a recommendation for limiting sodium intake in food processing. Obarzanek et al, acknowledge that this is a post hoc analysis of the DASH-Sodium data for which the study was not designed. In this regard, there are 3 significant limitations.
New tools for robustness analysis

The author provides a personal perspective on research concerning Kharitonov's theorem of robustness analysis, as well as extensions and generalizations of this theorem. He discusses only a selected subset of the published literature which he feels provides the uninitiated reader with a coherent path through the rapidly expanding diversity of results. After a statement of Kharitonov's theorem and its limitations, he considers such issues as polytope stability problems and the edge theorem, and more general coefficient dependencies on perturbations. >
Modeling Interactions between Biochemical Reactions

From the information processing point of view a living cell consists of a (huge) number of biochemical reactions that interact with each other. Two main mechanisms through which biochemical reactions influence each other are facilitation and inhibition. Therefore it is reasonable to base a formal model of interactions between biochemical reactions on a suitable formalization of these two mechanisms. Recently introduction reaction systems is a formal model following this way of reasoning. We have made a number of assumptions that hold for a great number of biochemical reactions and therefore underlie the model of reaction systems. The assumptions are: Reactions are primary, while structures are secondary. There is a "threshold supply" of elements: either an element is present and then there is "enough" of it, or an element is not present. Thus there is no counting in the basic model. There is no "permanency" of elements: if "nothing" happens to an element, then it ceases to exist. Sustaining an element requires an effort ("life/existence must be sustained"). We will argue that assumptions underlying the functioning of biochemical reactions are very different to the underlying axioms of standard models in theoretical computer science (including the model of Petri nets).
Effects of Urban Growth Controls on Intercity Commuting

This paper presents an empirical study of the effects of urban growth controls on the intercity commuting of workers. Growth controls (land use regulations that attempt to restrict population growth and urban sprawl) have increased housing prices and diverted population growth to uncontrolled cities. It has been suggested that resulting changes in local labour supply might stimulate intercity commuting from uncontrolled to controlled cities. To test this hypothesis, a gravity model of commuting flows between places in California is estimated using alternative econometric methods (OLS, Heckman selection and count-data). The possibility of spatial dependence in commuting flows is also taken into consideration. Results suggest larger commuting flows to destination places that restrict residential growth.
Parallel FFT Algorithms for Cache Based Shared Memory Multiprocessors

Shared memory multiprocessors with cache require careful consideration of cache parameters while implementing an algorithm to obtain optimal performance. In this paper, we study the implementation of some existing FFT algorithms and analyze the number of cache misses based on the problem size, number of processors, cache size, and block size. We also propose a new FFT algorithm which minimizes the number of cache misses.
A Special Issue on Tobacco

Tobacco use remains one of the greatest challenges to global health and is accepted as a major contributor to the rise in cancer incidence and mortality in the past century. Despite substantial knowledge about the harms conferred by tobacco in its various forms, recent changes in tobacco product
Catalase activity and red cell metabolism.

Catalase (H2O2:O2 oxidoreductase) is present in high concentrations in several tissues of the human body, among them the liver and the erythrocyte. Erythrocyte catalase is thought to mediate the detoxification of H2O2 in the following fashion (Deisseroth and Dounce, 1970):
Cs laser for homeland and national security

An efficient Cs vapor laser pumped by a diode laser has been demonstrated. This laser can be scaled to high powers and can be used for missile defense and for MANPADS protection.
Forest type affects predation on gypsy moth pupae

Predation by small mammals has previously been shown to be the largest source of mortality in low-density gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), popula- tions in established populations in north-eastern North America. Fluctuations in predation levels are critical in determining changes in population densities. 2 We compared small mammal communities and levels of predation on gypsy moth pupae among five different oak-dominated forest types along this insect's western expanding population front in Wisconsin. Comparisons of predator impact can provide critical information for predicting variation in susceptibil- ity among forest types. 3 The results indicated that small mammals caused more mortality than did invertebrates. 4 Both abundance of Peromyscus sp. predators and predation levels were lower in urban and xeric forest types than in mesic sites. 5 These results suggest that, because predation pressures will probably be greater in the mesic sites, gypsy moths may be less likely to develop outbreaks in these habitats, and that defoliation will probably be more frequent in urban and xeric oak-dominated sites.
Optimal Policies for Distributed Data Aggregation in Wireless Sensor Networks

We consider the scenario of distributed data aggregation in wireless sensor networks, where each sensor can obtain and estimate the information of the whole sensing field through local data exchange and aggregation. The intrinsic trade-off between energy and delay in aggregation operations imposes a crucial question on nodes to decide optimal instants for forwarding their samples. The samples could be composed of the information from their own sensor readings or an aggregation of information with other samples forwarded from neighboring nodes. By considering the randomness of the sample arrival instants and the uncertainty of the availability of the multiaccess communication channel due to the asynchronous nature of information exchange among neighboring nodes, we propose a decision process model to analyze this problem and determine the optimal decision policies at nodes with local information. We show that, once the statistics of the sample arrival and the availability of the channel satisfy certain conditions, there exist optimal control-limit type policies which are easy to implement in practice. In the case that the required conditions are not satisfied, we provide two learning algorithms to solve a finite-state approximation model of the decision problem. Simulations on a practical distributed data aggregation scenario demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed policies, which can also achieve a desired energy-delay tradeoff.