cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transport in Semiconductor Mesoscopic Devices, Second edition

This graduate textbook introduces the physics and applications of transport in mesoscopic devices and nanoscale electronic systems and devices. This expanded second edition is fully updated and contains the latest research in the field, including nano-devices for qubits. Worked examples, problems, solutions and videos are provided to enhance understanding.
Taking the “Me” out of meat: A new demethylation pathway dismantles a toxin's precursor

Carnitine, a molecule found in red meat, is metabolized to trimethylamine (TMA) by the gut microbiota. TMA is then converted in the liver to trimethylamine oxide, a causative agent for atherosclerosis. Kountz et al. have discovered an alternative pathway for carnitine metabolism in the gut bacterium Eubacterium limosum. Instead of forming TMA, carnitine is demethylated by the newly discovered methyltransferase MtcB, sending one-carbon units into production of short-chain fatty acids. These results suggest that bacterial metabolic activities could promote cardiovascular health by preventing the buildup of toxin precursors.
The role of YggS in vitamin B 6 homeostasis in Salmonella enterica is informed by heterologous expression of yeast SNZ3

YggS (COG0325) is a pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-binding protein proposed to be involved in homeostasis of B6 vitamers. In Salmonella enterica, lack of yggS resulted in phenotypes that were distinct, and others that were similar, to those of a yggS mutant of Escherichia coli. Like other organisms, yggS mutants of S. enterica accumulate endogenous pyridoxine 5′-phosphate (PNP). Data herein show that strains lacking YggS accumulated ∼10-fold more PLP in growth medium than a parental strain. The deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate-dependent biosynthetic pathway for PLP and the pyridoxine 5′-phosphate (PNP)/pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate (PMP) oxidase credited with interconverting B6 vitamers were replaced with a single PLP synthase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The impact of a yggS deletion on the intracellular and extracellular levels of B6 vitamers in this restructured strain supported a role for PdxH in PLP homeostasis and led to a general model for YggS function in PLP-PMP cycling. Our findings uncovered broader consequences of a yggS mutation than previously reported and suggest the accumulation of PNP is not a direct effect of lacking YggS, but rather a downstream consequence. IMPORTANCE Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) is an essential cofactor for enzymes in all domains of life. Perturbations in PLP or B6 vitamer content can be detrimental, notably causing B6-dependent epilepsy in humans. YggS homologs are broadly conserved and have been implicated in altered levels of B6 vitamers in multiple organisms. The biochemical activity of YggS, expected to be conserved across domains, is not yet known. Herein, a simplified heterologous pathway minimized metabolic variables and allowed the dissection of this system to generate new metabolic knowledge that will be relevant to understanding YggS.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Self-Rated Health Among Rural Residents.

This study examines racial and ethnic differences in self-rated health among rural residents and whether these differences can be explained by socio-demographic characteristics. We used data from the 2011–2017 National Health Interview Survey to assess differences in self-rated health by race and ethnicity among rural residents (living in non-metropolitan counties; n = 46,883). We used logistic regression analyses to estimate the odds of reporting fair/poor health after adjusting for individual socio-demographic characteristics. Non-Hispanic Black and American Indian rural residents reported worse self-rated health than their non-Hispanic White counterparts (25.8% and 20.8% reporting fair/poor health, respectively, vs. 14.8%; p < 0.001). After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, disparities remained for non-Hispanic Black rural residents (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.55; 95% CI 1.36, 1.76). This study suggests more attention is required to address inequities among rural people and to develop policies to address structural racism and improve the health of all rural residents.
The role of ligands in electron transport in nanocrystal solids

We investigate theoretically the transport of electrons and holes in crystalline solids consisting of three-dimensional arrays of semiconductor nanocrystals passivated by two types of organic ligands—linear chain carboxylates and functionalized aromatic cinnamates. We focus on a critical quantity in transport: the quantum-mechanical overlap of the strongly confined electron and hole wavefunctions on neighboring nanocrystals. Using results from density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations, we construct a one-dimensional model system whose analytic wavefunctions reproduce the full DFT numerical overlap values. By investigating the analytic behavior of this model, we reveal several important features of electron transport. The most significant is that the wavefunction overlap decays exponentially with ligand length, with a characteristic decay length that depends primarily on properties of the ligand and is almost independent of the size and type of nanocrystal. Functionalization of the ligands can also affect the overlap by changing the height of the tunneling barrier. The physically transparent analytic expressions we obtain for the wavefunction overlap and its decay length should be useful for future efforts to control transport in nanocrystal solids.
National and Institutional Research Efforts

National and international emergency medicine research networks exist, but none are specifically focused on oncologic emergency care. Oncologic emergency medicine is an emerging subdiscipline necessitated by the rising incidence of cancer worldwide (due in part to the aging population), the increase in outpatient delivery of care, and the rise in survivorship. General emergency centers are likely to see an increase in cancer patients presenting for care and these patients can be expected to have complicating comorbidities, such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, and COPD. In the United States (USA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invests about $41.7 billion annually in medical research. More than 80% of this funding is awarded for extramural research, largely through almost 50,000 competitive grants to more than 300,000 researchers from more than 2500 universities, medical schools, and other research institutions in every state. Of note, there is no institute that is dedicated to emergency medicine. Fundamentally, moving the science of oncologic emergencies forward requires collaboration with scientists from different disciplines, building upon existing research infrastructure, and investing in training and education of emergency department (ED) practitioners in research. In this chapter, we review research focusing on oncologic emergencies and present the study limitations identified by the authors, present two ongoing research programs at a national and institutional level, and offer future directions.
Mitochondrial morphology and function varies across diaphragm muscle fiber types.

Abstract In diaphragm muscle (DIAm), type I and IIa fibers are recruited to accomplish breathing, while type IIx/IIb fibers are recruited only during expulsive/straining behaviors. Thus, type I and IIa DIAm fibers are much more active (duty cycle of ∼40 %) than type IIx/IIb fibers (duty cycle of
Control by bacteriophage T4 of the reduction of adenosine nucleotide to deoxyadenosine nucleotide.

Abstract After infection with bacteriophage T4, Escherichia coli B shows an increase in activity for reduction of adenosine diphosphate to deoxyadenosine diphosphate. An allosteric effector appears to be deoxyguanosine triphosphate, which is needed to reveal the activity in crude extracts of the infected cells. The enzyme system determined by the three phage genes, nrdA, B, and C, is involved in the reduction of all of the ribonucleoside diphosphates, ADP, GDP, UDP, and CDP. A sensitive assay for ribonucleotide reductase was developed which was based on the separation of the reaction products by polyethyleneimine cellulose thin layer chromatography.
Owning Versus Renting: Thoughts on Housing Policy, Tax Incentives, and Middle Class Dreams

This document gathers together 22 essays that were originally published as online commentary by Professor Neil H. Buchanan, between 2008 and 2012. All but one of the essays first appeared on the Dorf on Law blog. In these essays, Professor Buchanan discusses the arguments for and against government support of individual home ownership. Most of the essays focus on how to move away from the model of individual ownership. The latter essays, however, begin to embrace the possibility that home ownership incentives should be expanded, to mitigate the current upside-down quality of those subsidies, and to preserve middle-class professional jobs. These essays were also included in the continuing legal education materials for the “Teaching Tax” session at the 2012 Joint Fall CLE meeting of the ABA Sections of Taxation and RPTE in Boston, on September 14, 2012.
A Paradox of Risk Aversion

The quantity of funds managed by sovereign states is now enormous. Efficient and productive investment of these funds may be critical to returning the globe to a period of rapid economic growth. But widespread risk aversion, due to exchange instability and capital flow imbalances, the author argues, may impede that solution and is now one of the major dangers to the world.
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in the preterm neonate: effect of chronologic age.

In this study, effect of chronologic age on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) chemiluminescence and random and chemotactic motility was evaluated in 38 stable preterm neonates of less than 32 weeks' gestation during the first month of life. Chemiluminescence and random and chemotactic motility of PMNs from preterm neonates were first evaluated at mean postnatal age of 9.8 days and then weekly for an ensuing 21-day period. For comparison, one blood sample was obtained for PMN functions from 14 healthy term neonates younger than 72 hours of age and seven normal adults. On day 1 PMN chemiluminescence and random and chemotactic motility values in preterm neonates were significantly lower (P less than .001) compared with those in term neonates and PMN function values of term neonates were significantly lower (P less than .001) than those of adults. Although initial PMN chemiluminescence and random and chemotactic motility values in preterm neonates were depressed, subsequent values on days 7, 14, and 21 increased significantly (P less than .002). On day 21 (mean postnatal age of 30.8 days) no differences existed in chemiluminescent activity and random motility between preterm and term neonates; chemotactic motility in preterm neonates, however, remained impaired. Mean cumulative age (gestational age at birth plus postnatal age) of preterm neonates on day 21 of study was 32.5 weeks, suggesting that chronologic age has more effect on maturational changes in PMN functions than gestational age.
Changes in the Pulmonary Alveolar Subphase at Birth in Term and Premature Lambs

ABSTRACT: To study the changes in alveolar fluid at birth, we measured alveolar Cl− as soon as possible after onset of ventilation in 11 anesthetized lanibs. The lambs ranged from 129 to 144 days gestation and were delivered by cesarean section. Subpleural alveoli were punctured with Cl− selective microelectrodes as soon as 5 min and as late as 135 min after the onset of mechanical ventilation. The [Cl−] was 151 ± 7 mEq/liter (mean ± SD, n = 11) in fetal lung fluid collected before ventilation. After about 40 min of ventilation, alveolar Cl− was not different from that in term lambs 24 to 72 h old (94 ± 6 mEq/liter, n = 21). Assuming first order kinetics the mean t½ was 10.4 min. There was no difference as a function of gestation. Thus, alveolar chloride decreases rapidly and alveolar fluid assumes a mature character very soon after the start of breathing in term and premature lambs. The onset of ventilation appeared to stimulate these rapid changes.
Discrimination of restrictions upon sequentially encoded information: Variable length periodicities

Two-state Markov sequences were encoded in the form of auditory pulse trains for forced-choice discrimination tests. Successive items were selected by block sampling from specified patterns, defined either in terms of a “string” with a beginning and an end or in terms of a “circle” without a beginning and end. The discriminability of such sequences is
Bronchial hyperresponsiveness: insights into new signaling molecules.

Abstract Signaling molecules play a critical role in the pathophysiology of airway diseases. Recent evidence shows that cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPr), an endogenous activator of the ryanodine receptor channel in mammalian cells, modulates agonist-induced calcium responses in airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells. In addition, cADPr-mediated calcium release appears to play an important role in the ‘non-specific’ increased ASM responsiveness to contractile agonists in cytokine-treated cells, a characteristic finding of asthma. Furthermore, other signaling molecules such as Rho/Rho kinase and phosphodiesterase also contribute to bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Thus, a better understanding of these signaling molecules that alter calcium signaling and contractility of ASM might provide new insight into novel therapeutic targets for the control of bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
Operation of the CMS silicon strip tracker

Abstract The CMS Silicon Strip Tracker (SST), comprising 9.6 million readout channels from 15148 modules covering an area of about 200 m², needs to be precisely calibrated in order to correctly interpret and reconstruct the events recorded from the detector, ensuring that the SST performance fully meets the physics research program of the CMS experiment. Calibration constants may be derived from promptly reconstructed events as well as from pedestal runs gathered just before the acquisition of physics runs. These calibration procedures were exercised in summer and winter 2009, when the CMS detector was commissioned using cosmic muons and proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energies of 900 GeV and 2.36 TeV. During these data taking periods the performance of the SST was carefully studied: the noise of the detector, the data integrity, the signal-to-noise ratio, the hit reconstruction efficiency, the calibration workflows have been all checked for stability and for different conditions, at the module level. The calibration procedures and the detector performance results from recent physics runs are described.
HDAC inhibition prevents NF-κB activation by suppressing proteasome activity: Down-regulation of proteasome subunit expression stabilizes IκBα

The short chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate (BA) and other histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors can rapidly induce cell cycle arrest and differentation of colon cancer cell lines. We found that butyrate and the specific HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) can reprogram the NF-(kappa)B response in colon cancer cells. Specifically, TNF-alpha activation is suppressed in butyrate-differentiated cells, whereas IL-1beta activation is largely unaffected. To gain insight into the relationship between butyrate-induced differentiation and NF-(kappa)B regulation, we determined the impact of butyrate on proteasome activity and subunit expression. Interestingly, butyrate and TSA reduced the cellular proteasome activity in colon cancer cell lines. The drop in proteasome activity results from the reduced expression of the catalytic beta-type subunits of the proteasome at both the protein and mRNA level. The selective impact of HDAC inhibitors on TNF-alpha-induced NF-(kappa)B activation appears to relate to the fact that the TNF-alpha-induced activation of NF-(kappa)B is mediated by the proteasome, whereas NF-kappaB activation by IL-1beta is largely proteasome-independent. These findings indicate that cellular differentation status and/or proliferative capacity can significantly impact proteasome activity and selectively alter NF-(kappa)B responses in colon cancer cells. This information may be useful for the further development and targeting of HDAC inhibitors as anti-neoplastic and anti-inflammatory agents.
New Probes of Ligand Flexibility in Drug Design: Transferred 13C CSA−Dipolar Cross-Correlated Relaxation at Natural Abundance

Understanding the impact of molecular flexibility remains an important outstanding problem in rational drug design. Toward this end, we present new NMR relaxation methods that describe ligand flexibility at the atomic level. Specifically, we measure natural abundance 13C cross-correlated relaxation parameters for ligands in rapid exchange between the free and receptor-bound states. The rapid exchange transfers the bound state relaxation parameters to the free state, such that a comparison of relaxation rates in the absence and presence of protein receptor yields site-specific information concerning the bound ligand flexibility. We perform these measurements for aromatic carbons, which are highly prevalent in drug-like molecules and demonstrate significant cross-correlated relaxation between the 13C−1H dipole−dipole (DD) and 13C chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) relaxation mechanisms. Our use of natural abundance measurements addresses the practical difficulties of obtaining isotope-labeled ligands in pharma...
Solar spectral absorption by marine stratus clouds: Measurements and modeling

[1] The measurement of cloud absorption from aircraft has been a controversial subject largely because broadband measurements provide little insight into the physical mechanisms underlying the absorption. To partition and quantify the various mechanisms of cloud absorption, spectrally resolved measurements are required. Measurements of cloud solar spectral (400–2150 nm) absorption from airborne spectroradiometers are presented from two cases of extensive tropical marine stratus cloud fields. Radiative transfer modeling was used to retrieve the cloud optical thickness and cloud droplet effective radius from a best fit with the measured cloud spectral albedo. These values were used to estimate the cloud spectral absorptance. For the higher optical thickness case, the measurement-model agreement in absorptance across the spectrum is better than 0.05 and substantially better (within 0.01) at visible wavelengths unaffected by cloud absorption. For an optically thinner and more heterogeneous cloud field, the differences were higher, up to 0.07 in the near infrared. The standard deviations of cloud absorptance spectra show that the integrated absorbed irradiances, usually measured by broadband radiometers, are strongly affected by variations in the water vapor amount. Radiative transfer modeling is used to illustrate the spectral dependence of the absorption from radiatively important gases (e.g., water vapor), cloud liquid water, and absorbing aerosol particles. A novel sampling strategy, based on single aircraft measurements, is demonstrated, as is the value of spectrally resolved measurements in partitioning the various mechanisms of cloud absorption including the possible effects of absorbing aerosols embedded in clouds.
Follow-up one year after parent-child interaction training: effects on behavior of preschool children.

Abstract A preventive mental health intervention previously reported found positive effects in a parent-child interaction training program on attention deficit and internalizing symptoms of low-income preschool children as rated by parents. Families were randomly assigned to a "minimal treatment" control group or a more extensive treatment experimental group. The present study reports follow-up results measured approximately 1 year after the end of the intervention. Parent ratings and child achievement test scores showed no difference between the two groups. Teachers blind to the condition of the intervention, however, rated experimental children as significantly superior to control children with respect to attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms (preintervention ratings by teachers on the same variable were statistically controlled). Composite teacher ratings of child behavior also significantly favored the experimental group. Children's improvements in classroom behavior were significantly correlated with improvements parents had shown during the intervention in their behavior toward the children. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1991, 30, 1:138–143.
Lessons learned in creating a safe and therapeutic milieu for children, adolescents, and families: developmental considerations.

TOPIC. Converging developnental characteristics, responses to stress, and underlying psycho-pathological processes of this population present unique challenges in assessment, treatment planning, and approaches to patient care. PURPOSE. To share lessons learned in designing and implementing a dmelopnentally sensitive and safe psychiatric milieu for children, adolescents, and families. SOURCES. Personal observations and experiences, and information dwioed from literatiire in the field. CONCLUSIONS. Psychiatric nurses contribute essential roles in designing and implmazting a developmentally sensitive and safe psychiatric milieu for children, adolescents, and families.
Fatty acid composition of tissue lipids of captive and wild brown lemmings

Abstract 1. 1. The fatty acid composition of the lipids of white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), skeletal muscle (MUS) and liver was determined from brown lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus Merriam = L. sibiricus Kerr) subjected to different conditions of captivity and from wild lemmings caught in the field at Barrow, Alaska. 2. 2. The slight changes in the fatty acid composition of WAT, BAT or MUS of captive lemmings acclimated to two different diets, two ambient temperatures (5 and 20°C) and two photoperiods (16 and 0 hr of light/24 hr) were not statistically significant. 3. 3. The fatty acid composition of the livers of captives differed with diet and with acclimation temperature becoming more unsaturated in the cold. 4. 4. There were marked seasonal differences in the fatty acid composition of WAT, BAT and liver of wild caught lemmings. Muscle was not analyzed. High amounts of linolenic acid in summer and of linoleic acid in winter may have been correlated with diet. 5. 5. There was an increase in the percentage unsaturation of the fatty acids in WAT and BAT during winter but not of those in liver. The double-bond index, indicating the degree of unsaturation, was also high in winter but remained high in summer due to large amounts of linolenic acid in the tissues.
Symposium report — drugs and nutrition

Three broad areas were selected for representation: (I) the effects of drugs on nutritional status; (2) the influence of nutritional status on the pharmacokinetic behavior of drugs; and (3) an area where the boundaries between pharmacology and nutrition become completely fluid, namely total parenterai nutrition.
Terrane-specific rock magnetic characteristics preserved in glacimarine sediment from southern coastal Alaska

Sediments deposited in three fjord systems latitudinally spanning the northeast Gulf of Alaska coastline have distinctive rock magnetic characteristics that are derived from glacially eroded accret...
Transoral robotic-assisted thyroidectomy: a preclinical feasibility study in 2 cadavers

Background Technological advances in thyroid surgery have included various “minimally invasive” thyroidectomy techniques, both open and endoscopic. These include not only minimally invasive video-associated approaches but also variations of the transaxillary approach. More recently, a transoral technique using video assistance has been reported for thyroidectomy. Use of the robot was also recently published in a transaxillary approach to the thyroid. We hypothesized that the robot in combination with the previously described transoral technique would facilitate this novel surgical approach. Methods In 2 human cadavers the da Vinci robot was used to perform a transoral thyroidectomy. The dissection was performed with successful removal of the thyroid gland through the floor of the mouth. Results A total thyroidectomy was performed in 2 cadavers using the da Vinci robot transoral technique. The recurrent laryngeal nerve was preserved. Conclusions Transoral robotic-assisted thyroidectomy (TRAT) provides an attractive approach to the central compartment for thyroidectomy in a field of “minimally invasive” and “scarless” techniques. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010
Size-selective poorly soluble particulate reference materials for evaluation of quantitative analytical methods

Owing to the absence of readily available certified particulate reference materials (RMs), most analytical methods used to determine particulate contaminant levels in workplace or other environments are validated using solution RMs, which do not assess the robustness of the digestion step for all forms and sizes of particles in a sample. A library of particulate RMs having a range of chemical forms and particle sizes is needed to support a shift in method evaluation strategies to include both solution and particulate RMs. In support of creating this library, we characterized bulk and physically size separated fractions of beryllium oxide (BeO) particles recovered from the machining fluid sludge of an industrial ceramic products grinding operation. Particles were large agglomerates of compact, crystalline BeO primary particles having diameters on the order of several micrometers. As expected, the particle surface area was independent of sieve size, with a range from 3.61 m2/g (53–63-μm fraction) to 4.82 m2/g (355–600-μm fraction). The density was near the theoretical value (3.01 g/cm3). The data support more detailed characterization of the sludge materials for use as size-selective RMs. This work illustrates an approach that can be used to develop RMs that are difficult to digest.
Nature of ribonuclease-resistant nucleic acid of chick embryo cells transformed by Schmidt-Ruppin strain of Rous Sarcoma Virus.

THE mode of replication of RNA or RNA-containing tumour viruses is not understood. The recent studies on Rous sarcoma and other RNA-containing oncogenic viruses suggest that the replicative cycle of the RNA of these viruses might not be associated with ribonuclease-resistant structures (double stranded RNAs), but might involve the synthesis of a DNA intermediate specific to viral RNA1–3. Two groups of workers, however, presented evidence for the presence of a double stranded RNA in 78 Al cell line of rat embryo fibroblasts which had been transformed and chronically infected with the murine sarcoma-leukaemia virus complex (MSV-MLV)4,5 and it was suggested that the mode of replication of oncogenic viral RNAs was the same as that of non-oncogenic viral RNAs4. This apparent discrepancy prompted me to look for ribonuclease-resistant RNA structures in the chick embryo cells transformed by Schmidt-Ruppin Rous sarcoma virus (SR-RSV).
Neonatal immune-tolerance in mice does not prevent xenograft rejection

Assessing the efficacy of human stem cell transplantation in rodent models is complicated by the significant immune rejection that occurs. Two recent reports have shown conflicting results using neonatal tolerance to xenografts in rats. Here we extend this approach to mice and assess whether neonatal tolerance can prevent the rapid rejection of xenografts. In three strains of neonatal immune-intact mice, using two different brain transplant regimes and three independent stem cell types, we conclusively show that there is rapid rejection of the implanted cells. We also address specific challenges associated with the generation of humanized mouse models of disease.
Patient willingness to take teriparatide

Abstract Objective Teriparatide [rhPTH (1-34)] is an effective treatment for osteoporosis administered by daily subcutaneous injection. The objective of this study was to determine how much benefit women expect teriparatide to confer before agreeing to perform daily injections. Methods We recruited postmenopausal women who had recently undergone bone densitometry and were found to have either a T -score less than −2.5 at the hip or spine and/or had a fracture index (FI) of ≥6. Participants completed an adaptive conjoint analysis questionnaire to determine their treatment preferences. Results The study sample included 185 women, mean age 71 (range 46–90). An increasing number of subjects preferred rhPTH (1-34) as the efficacy of teriparatide increased, but most women demanded efficacy advantages greater than those demonstrated in clinical studies. We found no association between absolute fracture risk and preference for rhPTH (1-34); however, subjects with an excessively high perceived risk of future fracture were more likely to accept daily subcutaneous injections compared to subjects with a lower perceived risk of future fracture (40% versus 15%, p = 0.001). Conclusion Our results suggest that most women demand benefits far greater than those conferred by rhPTH (1-34) in order to administer daily subcutaneous injections to decrease their future risk of fractures. Practice implications Given the poor adherence for treatment of osteoporosis, and the choices older adults must make when paying for medications, development of novel treatment approaches should be based on older adults’ treatment preferences.
A Multiplier-less Algorithm for Evaluating Intrinsic and Nonlinear Functions

This paper addresses the problem of efficiently approximating a function for systems-on-a-chip and other FPGA applications, hi these systems, high speed, minimal chip size, and efficient computation are necessary. Examples of common functions requiring computation include trigonometric functions and other nonlinear functions such as computing temperature using a thermistor. A generic method for determining the approximating function is based on a genetic algorithm (GA) and was published in [1]. hi general, the GA discovers a set of 3rd degree polynomials in a piecewise fashion to fit a set of training data points offline. The specific runtime algorithm implementation used to evaluate the set of 3rd degree polynomials is directly dependent on the hardware available and the tradeoffs are discussed. Specifically, we present an efficient multiplier-less method of evaluating the 3rd degree polynomials based on logarithms targeted for FPGA applications.
Irreversible binding of a novel phenylisothiocyanate tropane analog to monoamine transporters in rat brain

Abstract Irreversible tropane analogs have been useful in identifying binding sites of cocaine on biogenic amine transporters, including transporters for dopamine (DAT), serotonin (SERT) and norepinephrine (NET). The present study characterizes the properties of the novel phenylisothiocyanate tropane HD-205, synthesized from the highly potent 2-napthyl tropane analog WF-23. In radioligand binding studies in brain membranes, direct IC 50 values of HD-205 were 4.1, 14 and 280 nM at DAT, SERT and NET, respectively. Wash-resistant binding was characterized by preincubation of HD-205 with brain membranes, followed by extensive washing before performing transporter radioligand binding. Results for HD-205 showed wash-resistant IC 50 values of 191, 230 and 840 nM at DAT, SERT and NET, respectively. Saturation binding studies with [ 125 I]RTI-55 in membranes pretreated with 100 nM HD-205 showed that HD-205 significantly decreased the B max but not K D of DAT and SERT binding. To further characterize its irreversible binding, an iodinated analog of HD-205, HD-244, was prepared from a trimethylsilyl precursor. The direct IC 50 of HD-244 at DAT was 20 nM. [ 125 I]HD-244 was synthesized with chloramine-T, purified on HPLC, reacted with rat striatal membranes, and proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE. Results showed several non-specific labeled bands, but only a single specific band of radioactivity co-migrating with an immunoreactive DAT band at approx. 80 kilodaltons was detected, suggesting that [ 125 I]HD-244 covalently labeled DAT protein in striatal membranes. These results demonstrate that phenylisothiocyanate analogs of WF-23 can be used as potential ligands to map distinct binding sites of cocaine analogs at DAT.
Computation of the discrete cosine transform using the iterative arithmetic fourier transform

Abstract A method of computing the discrete cosine transform using the iterative arithmetic Fourier transform is presented. It overcomes the difficulty of dense, Farey-fraction sampling in the time domain or space domain when using the original arithmetic Fourier transform (AFT) algorithm. Also, dense transform-domain samples are obtained without any interpolation or zero-padding. These dense samples can be advantageously used for accurate parameter estimation or determination of a few principal components. The inverse discrete cosine transform can be efficiently computed from these dense, Farey-fraction transform-domain samples using the original AFT. The resulting structure is suitable for VLSI implementation.
Some remarks upon the destructive effects of the hurricane, September 14–15, 1944, observed at Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Only a few observations could be made during the hurricane in the night; the majority were made in the morning, after the hurricane-weather had been replaced by bright sunshine. In the following, some unpretentious remarks are given; so unassuming they are, that it would not have paid to study the immense literature in order to find out how far similar considerations had been made. Their value, if any, may lie in the fact that the inferences were drawn immediately from actual observations.
Using Physical Chemistry To Differentiate Nicotinic from Cholinergic Agonists at the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor

The binding of three distinct agonists - acetylcholine (ACh), nicotine, and epibatidine - to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor has been probed using unnatural amino acid mutagenesis. ACh makes a cation−π interaction with Trp α149, while nicotine employs a hydrogen bond to a backbone carbonyl in the same region of the agonist binding site. The nicotine analogue epibatidine achieves its high potency by taking advantage of both the cation−π interaction and the backbone hydrogen bond. A simple structural model that considers only possible interactions with Trp α149 suggests that a novel aromatic C - H···O=C hydrogen bond further augments the binding of epibatidine. These studies illustrate the subtleties and complexities of the interactions between drugs and membrane receptors and establish a paradigm for obtaining detailed structural information.
Cultivating Our “Musical Bumps” while Fighting the “Progress of Popery”: The Rise of Art and Music Education in the Mid-Nineteenth Century United States

This article seeks to understand the social and cultural factors that led to the introduction of music and art education in public schools, a process that began in the middle decades of the nineteenth century. Based on archival material, including institutional catalogues, school board reports, magazine articles, and tracts, I demonstrate that music and art held varied meanings in this period, one of the most important of which was denominational competition. One major element in a nationwide promotion of the arts in the mid-nineteenth century was the revitalized Protestant contest for religious adherents in the wake of Catholic immigration. A second important, and often overlooked, aspect of music and art education was its vocational implications. Although some historians have relegated women's study of music and art to the reproduction of elite status, a significant aspect of these studies was vocational. In a world in which limited occupations were open to women, skill in music and art expanded women's...
Postoperative ureteral obstruction after confirmed ureteral patency: a case report

Ureteral injury after pelvic floor surgery and anti-incontinence surgery is a well-known risk [1, 2, 3]. It is common practice to evaluate ureteral patency immediately after surgery prior to leaving the operating theater to assure that the ureters are open and functional [1, 2]. In this report we discuss the case of a patient who was admitted 9 days after surgery with acute onset of ureteral obstruction after having patent ureters documented at the time of surgery. A literature search failed to show any documented cases.
A first-principles approach to modeling alloy phase equilibria

This paper presents a brief overview of recent developments in the application of first-principles calculations to the study of bulk and interfacial thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria in alloys. Among the applications discussed are calculations of: bulk thermodynamic properties, phase boundaries, interfacial free energies, and precipitate morphologies. The article concludes by highlighting some further recent developments that are likely to lead to increasing applications of these modeling techniques.
Yorkie and Scalloped Signaling Regulates Notch-Dependent Lineage Specification during Drosophila Hematopoiesis

Cellular microenvironments established by the spatial and temporal expression of specific signaling molecules are critical for both the maintenance and lineage-specific differentiation of progenitor cells. In Drosophila, a population of hematopoietic progenitors, or prohemocytes, within the larval lymph gland gives rise to three mature cell types: plasmatocytes, lamellocytes, and crystal cells. Removal of the secreted signaling molecules Hedgehog and PVF1 from the posterior signaling center (PSC), which acts as a niche, leads to a loss of progenitors and complete differentiation of the lymph gland. Here, we characterize a novel population of signaling cells within the lymph gland, distinct from the PSC, that are required for lineage-specific differentiation of crystal cells. We provide evidence that Yorkie and Scalloped, the Drosophila homologs of YAP and TEAD, are required in lineage-specifying cells to regulate expression of Serrate, the Notch ligand responsible for the initiation of the crystal cell differentiation program. Genetic manipulation of yorkie and scalloped in the lymph gland specifically alters Serrate expression and crystal cell differentiation. Furthermore, Serrate expression in lineage-specifying cells is eliminated in the lymph gland upon the immune response induced by wasp parasitization to ensure the proper differentiation of lamellocytes at the expense of crystal cells. These findings expand the roles for Yorkie/Scalloped beyond growth to encompass specific cell-fate determination in the context of blood development. Similar regulatory functions may extend to their homologs in vertebrate progenitor cell niches that are required for specifying cell fate.
Exact distribution functions in two‐dimensional lattice polymers. Comparison with maximum entropy distributions

Toeplitz matrices are used to calculate the complete distribution functions for such quantities as the fraction of a particular conformational state and the end-to-end distance in 2-dimensional lattice polymer models with a finite range of intrachain correlation. These are compared with approximate distribution functions obtained using the maximum entropy principle. The two-parameter maximum entropy distribution (giving the exact first and second moments) in most cases gives a good approximation to the exact distribution and always gives a better approximation than a simple Gaussian approximation. We illustratesome extreme forms of the distribution functions when the intrachain interactions are either very attractive or very repulsive.
Endovascular treatment of dural arteriovenous shunts

Dural arteriovenous shunts comprise 10% to 15% of intracranial vascular malformations. Their pathophysiology is complex and their natural history has only recently been adequately elucidated. High-grade dural arteriovenous shunts (those with cortical venous reflux) are associated with a 6.9% annual incidence of nonhemorrhagic neurologic complications, a 8.1% annual incidence of intracranial hemorrhage, and a 10.1% annual mortality rate. This article provides an overview of the imaging, workup, and indications and latest techniques for endovascular treatment of dural arteriovenous shunts. Treatment efficacy and complication rates are also discussed.
Molecular analysis of overlapping chromosomal deletions in patients with Langer-Giedion syndrome

Abstract We have obtained lymphoblastoid cell lines from three patients with Langer-Giedion syndrome who have over-lapping deletions in 8q24.1. To isolate the deletion chromosomes from their normal homologs, patient cell lines were fused with hamster cells and hybrid cells were selected for retention of human chromosome 8. These hybrid cell lines were screened for the presence of chromosome 8 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and by Southern blot hybridization. We have hybridized 31 recombinant DNA clones derived from the 8q22-qter region to Southern blots of the hybrid cell lines; 8 were found to lie within the deletion of at least one patient. One clone identified sequences that were missing from one copy of chromosome 8 in all three patients. These clones help to further define the deletions in these patients and will serve as starting points for detailed characterization of the region.
Suicide in our elders : A 10-year review of Kentucky medical examiner cases

The suicide rate in the United States is consistently higher in the elderly (>-65 years) than among younger cohorts, reaching approx 5500 deaths in 2002. In this article, we present a 10-year (1993–2002) retrospective review of 348 Kentucky medical examiner cases ascribed to suicide between 65 and 96 years. Most victims were males (86.8%) and Caucasian (98.9%). The predominant cause of death was firearm injury (80.7%), followed by hanging (4.9%) and overdose (4.3%). The pervasiveness of elderly suicide by firearm requires a multidisciplinary approach to the recognition of indicators and the development of strategies for treatment and prevention of suicide in at-risk elders.
Neurologic Aspects of Drug Abuse

Neurologic aspects of drug abuse vary. This article explains the general nature of drug abuse, identifies the physiologic effects of certain drugs, and briefly describes the neurobiology of addiction. This article also reviews available treatment options for those addicted to substances of abuse, and clarifies common misconceptions, including the differences between tolerance, abuse, and addiction.
Response of the Isolated Dogfish Gastric Mucosa to Histamine

SummaryThe dogfish gastric mucosa is relatively refractory to histamine. An interstitial concentration of 2 mM is required to insure maximal secretion of acid. This concentration is high enough to suggest that if cholinergic excitation is mediated by the release of histamine, histamine is released within the oxyntic cells of this species. The dogfish mucosa is much less responsive to hog gastrin than is the bullfrog gastric mucosa.
Regulation of specific gene expression during embryonic development: Synthesis of globin messenger RNA during red cell formation in chick embryos

Abstract Globin mRNA from chick red blood cells at various stages of embryonic development have been isolated and characterized physically and functionally by translation in a cell-free system. Also described is the preparation and use of “cDNA” complementary to mRNA in the study of globin mRNA synthesis during the early stages of erythroid cell differentiation.
Lateral mobility of lipid analogues and GPI-anchored proteins in supported bilayers determined by fluorescent bead tracking.

Lipid analogues and glycosylphosphati-dylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins incorporated in glass-supported phospholipid bilayers (SBL) were coupled to small (30 nm diameter) fluorescent beads whose motion in the liquid phase was tracked by intensified fluorescence video microscopy. Streptavidin (St), covalently attached to the carboxyl modified surface of the polystyrene bead, bound either the biotinylated membrane component, or a biotinylated monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against a specific membrane constituent. The positions of the beads tethered to randomly diffusing membrane molecules were recorded at 0.2 sec intervals for about l min. The mean square displacement (ϱ) of the beads was found to be a linear function of diffusion time t, and the diffusion coefficient, D, was derived from the relation, ϱ(t) = 4Dt. The values of D for biotinylated phosphatidylethanolamine (Bi-PE) dispersed in an egg lecithin: cholesterol (80:20%) bilayer obtained by this methodology range from 0.05 to 0.6 μm2/sec with an average of 〈D〉 = 0.26 μm2/sec, similar to the value of 〈D〉 = 0.24 μm2/sec for fluorescein-conjugated phosphati-dylethanolamine (Fl-PE) linked to St-coupled beads by the anti-fluorescein mAb 4-4-20 or its Fab fragment. These values of D are comparable to those reported for Fl-PE linked to 30 nm gold particles but are several times lower than that of Fl-PE in the same planar bilayer as measured by fluorescence photobleaching recovery, D = 1.3 μm2sec. The mobilities of two GPI-anchored proteins in similar SBL were also determined by use of the appropriate biotinylated mAb and were found to be 〈D〉 = 0.25 and 0.56 μm2/sec for the decay accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) and the human FcγRIIIB (CD16) receptors, respectively. The methodology described here is suitable for tracking any accessible membrane component.
Stability of an adaptive switched controller for power system oscillation damping using remote synchrophasor signals

This paper is concerned with the stability of an adaptive switched controller for interarea power system oscillation damping using remote signals. These signals introduce variable latency into the damping control system due to phasor processing and communication network delays. In previous work, we designed an adaptive controller that dynamically switches among different compensators depending on the latency of the incoming measurements. To prevent switching instability, a long reset time was implemented. We demonstrated the stability of the adaptive system using simulations. In this work, we use the concept of average dwell time (ADT) of switched control systems to develop a sufficient condition that guarantees the stability of our adaptive switching algorithm. Using this condition, we formulate a feasibility problem to compute the minimum average dwell time for the set of designed compensators. We apply the algorithm to a thyristor-controlled series compensator on a two-area power system and show that the adaptive controller is stable for time-varying latency.
Minimum variance unbiased estimation in a modified power series distribution and some of its applications

In this paper we study the minimum variance unbiased estimation in the modified power series distribution introduced by the author (1974a). Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of minimum variance unbiased estimate (MVUE) of the parameter based on sufficient statistics are obtained. These results are, then, applied to obtain MVUE of θr (r ≥ 1) for the generalized negative binomial and the decapitated generalized negative binomial distributions (Jain and Consul, 1971). Similar estimates are obtained for the generalized Poisson (Consul and Jain, 1973a) and the generalized logarithmic series distributions (Jain and Gupta, 1973). Several of the well-known results follow trivially from the results obtained here.