cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient Polyester Hydrogenolytic Deconstruction via Tandem Catalysis

Using a mechanism-based solvent-free tandem catalytic approach, commodity polyester plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) are rapidly and selectively deconstructed by combining the two air- and moisture-stable catalysts, Hf(OTf) 4 and Pd/C, under 1 atm H 2 , affording terephthalic acid (or naphthalene dicarboxylic acid for PEN) and ethane (or butane for PBT) in essentially quantitative yield. This process is effective for both laboratory grade and waste plastics, and comingled polypropylene remains unchanged. Combined experimental and DFT mechanistic analyses indicate that Hf(OTf) 4 catalyzes a mildly exergonic retro-hydroalkoxylation reaction in which an alkoxy C-O bond is first cleaved, yielding a carboxylic acid and alkene, and this process is closely coupled to an exergonic olefin hydrogenation step, driving the overall reaction forward.
Judges Beyond Politics in Democracy and Dictatorship: List of Interviewees (alphabetical by category)

SUPREME COURT JUDGES Marcos Aburto Ochoa (1996) Orlando Alvarez (2001) Efren Araya Vergara (1996) Adolfo Banados Cuadra (1996) Jose Benquis Camhi (2001) Lionel Beraud Poblete (1996) Oscar Carrasco Acuna (1996) Luis Correa Bulo (1996) Enrique Cury Urzua (2001) Humberto Espejo Zuniga (2001) Osvaldo Faundez Vallejos (1996) Mario Garrido Montt (1996) Servando Jordan Lopez (1996) Milton Juica Arancibia (2001) Domingo Kokisch Mourgues (2001) Marcos Libedinsky Tschorne (1996, 2001) Urbano Marin Vallejo (2001) Jorge Medina Cuevas (2001) Jose Luis Perez Zanartu (2001) Guillermo Navas Bustamente (1996) Eleodoro Ortiz Sepulveda (1996) Arnaldo Toro Leiva (1996) German Valenzuela Erazo (1996) Enrique Zurita Camps (1996) APPELLATE COURT JUDGES Juan Araya Elizalde (1996) Haroldo Brito Cruz (1996) Raquel Camposano Echegaray (1996) Hector Carreno Seaman (1996) Carlos Cerda Fernandez (1996, 2001) Alberto Chaigneau del Campo (1996) Raimundo Diaz Gamboa (1996) Humberto Espejo Zuniga (1996) Ricardo Galvez Blanco (1996) Violeta Guzman Farren (1996) Juan Guzman Tapia (1996, 2001) Juan Gonzalez Zuniga (1996) Milton Juica Arancibia (1996) Domingo Kokisch Mourgues (1996) Hernan Matus Valencia (1996) Jorge Medina Cuevas (1996) Sergio Munoz Gajardo (2001) Enrique Paillas Pena (1996) Jorge Pizarro Almarza (1996) Alejandro Solis Munoz (1996) Sergio Valenzuela Patino (1996) Cornelio Villarroel Ramirez (1996, 2001) LOWER COURT AND FORMER JUDGES Rodolfo Aldea Moscoso (1996) Carmen Carvajal Maureira (1996) Sergio Dunlop Rudolffi (1996) Juan Manuel Escandon (1996) Rene Farias Roja (1996) Ruben Galecio Gomez (1996) Raul Gutierrez Varas (1996) Alicia Herrera Rivera (1996) Fernando Roman Diaz (1996) Cesar Toledo Fuentes (1996) ABOGADOS INTEGRANTES Juan Colombo Campbell (1996) Claudio Illanes Rios (1996) Carlos Kunsemuller Loebenfelder (1996) Jose Luis Perez (1996) Fernando Roman Diaz (1996) Mario Verdugo Marinkovic (1996) HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYERS AND ACTIVISTS Andres Aylwin Azocar (1996) Pedro Aylwin (1996) Sebastian Brett (1996) Mario Bugueno (1996, 2001) Adolfo Castillo (1996) Jaime Castillo Velasco (1996, 2001) Francisco Estevez (1996) Lorena Fries (1996) Roberto Garreton (1996) Fabiola Letelier del Solar (1996) Pamela Pereira (1996) Marta Perez (1996) Alfonso Insunza (1996) Manuel Jacques (1996) Marco Ruiz (1996) Hector Salazar Ardiles (1996) […]
Specification and simulated likelihood estimation of a non-normal treatment-outcome model with selection: Application to health care utilization

In this paper we develop a specification and estimation framework for a class of nonlinear, non normal microeconometric models of treatment and outcome with selection. The primary focus in such models is usually on the effect of an endogenous treatment variable on an economic outcome. The model specification comprises an outcome equation with a structural-causal interpretation and other equations that model the generating process of treatment variables. We apply our methodology to analyse the important but empirically unresolved question of the causal effect of managed care (treatment) on the utilization of health care services (outcome). Our work is related to that of Goldman (1995), Cardon and Hendel (2001) and Mello et al. (2002) in that we also construct and estimate an econometric model that takes the endogeneity of insurance status into account. We distinguish between HMOs and other types of managed care plans which makes insurance a multinomial choice, while others have typically examined binary insurance choices.1
Pragmatism and Genealogy: An Overview of the Literature

A brief overview on the existing comparative literature on pragmatism and genealogy. This paper comprehensively introduces all of the existing literature, focusing especially on the comparative literature on Dewey and Foucault. This work is intended as an ongoing project collecting work in this area.
Development of an integrated science and technology undergraduate program at Penn State Altoona

An integrated science and technology program is being developed by the science and engineering faculty at Penn State Altoona. This program is designed for students planning careers in business and industry for which the traditional engineering education is not necessary.
Nodulin 26, a nodule-specific symbiosome membrane protein from soybean, is an ion channel

Nodulin 26 is an integral symbiosome membrane protein of nitrogen-fixing soybean nodules. Nodulin 26 is a member of a family of structurally homologous membrane proteins with diverse transport functions. Thus, it has been proposed to be involved in symbiosome membrane transport. Despite this claim, there has not been any evidence that nodulin 26 has a transport activity. In this study, nodulin 26 was purified from soybean nodules by a non-denaturing protocol and was reconstituted into liposomes for channel studies in planar lipid bilayers. Nodulin 26 readily incorporated into bilayers, forming single channels with a maximum unitary conductance of 3.1 nanosiemens (nS) in a recording buffer of 20 mM 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonate-NaOH, pH 7.4, 1 M KCl. Nodulin 26 also exhibited multiple, discreet lower conductance states ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 nS. Nodulin 26 channels were voltage-sensitive. The maximal 3.1-nS state was preferentially occupied at lower applied voltages, whereas the lower conductance states were more frequently occupied at higher voltage potentials. Nodulin 26 channels transported both cations and anions, but showed a weak selectivity for anions. These results represent the first purification and functional characterization of the nodulin 26 channel and support a role for this protein in symbiosome membrane transport.
How Many Iterations are Sufficient for Efficient Semiparametric Estimation

Abstract. A common practice in obtaining an efficient semiparametric estimate is through iteratively maximizing the (penalized) full log-likelihood w.r.t. its Euclidean parameter and functional nuisance parameter. A rigorous theoretical study of this semiparametric iterative estimation approach is the main purpose of this study. We first show that the grid search algorithm produces an initial estimate with the proper convergence rate. Our second contribution is to provide a formula in calculating the minimal number of iterations k* needed to produce an efficient estimate . We discover that (i) k* depends on the convergence rates of the initial estimate and the nuisance functional estimate, and (ii) k* iterations are also sufficient for recovering the estimation sparsity in high dimensional data. The last contribution is the novel construction of which does not require knowing the explicit expression of the efficient score function. The above general conclusions apply to semiparametric models estimated under various regularizations, for example, kernel or penalized estimation. As far as we are aware, this study provides a first general theoretical justification for the ‘one-/two-step iteration’ phenomena observed in the semiparametric literature.
Laser-induced structural transformations in semiconductor nanoparticles

We report laser-induced phase transformations in CdS nanocrystals under radiation of high-power nanosecond laser pulses with wavelength of 532 nm and 355 nm. The observed changes in size distribution of nanocrystals as well as the changes of their crystal structure from orthorhombic to cubic are uncovered by absorption spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction.
The enzymatic carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate. I. Purification and properties of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.

Abstract Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase has been isolated from germinating peanut cotyledons and purified 2700-fold. The purified enzyme is approximately 80% pure as judged from sedimentation patterns, has a sedimentation coefficient (s20,w) of 13.9 S, and catalyzes the carboxylation of 50 µmoles of phosphoenolpyruvate per min per mg of protein (refractometrically determined) at 30°. Enzymatic carboxylation occurs optimally at pH 8.0 to 8.2. The Km values determined for HCO3-, phosphoenolpyruvate, and Mg2+ are 3.1 x 10-4, 5 to 6 x 10-4, and 3 to 4 x 10-4 m, respectively, at pH 7.9. Studies on the effect of pH on the Km values for phosphoenolpyruvate and Mg2+ were conducted. Evaluation of plots of -log Km (Mg2+ and phosphoenolpyruvate) against pH indicate that a dissociable group (or groups) of the carboxylase having a pK of 7.3, presumably an imidazole group, is involved in Mg2+ and phosphoenolpyruvate binding. Other evidence supporting this view is presented. During the enzymatic carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate, 18O from substrate HC18O3- is incorporated into the orthophosphate and oxalacetate reaction products in a ratio of 1:2. This indicates that the HCO3- (or CO32-) anion rather than CO2 is the active species in the carboxylation reaction. A mechanism is proposed which is consistent with this and other observations on the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase-catalyzed reaction.
Activation of inactive nitrogenase by acid-treated component I.

When Azotobacter vinelandii was derepressed for nitrogenase synthesis in a N-free medium containing tungstate instead of molybdate, an inactive component I was synthesized. Although this inactive component I could be activated in vivo upon addition of molybdate to the medium, it could not be activated in vitro when molybdate was added to the extracts. Activation occurred, however, when an acid-treated component I was added to extracts of cells derepressed in medium containing tungstate. Acid treatment completely abolished component I activity. Mutant strains UW45 and UW10 were unable to fix N2. Both strains synthesized normal levels of component II but produced inactive component I. Acid-treated component I activated inactive component I in extracts of mutant strain UW45 but not mutant strain UW10. This activating factor could be obtained from N2-fixing Klebsiella pneumoniae, Clostridium pasteurianum, and Rhodospirillum rubrum.
A REVISION OF THE GENUS CHIRIDOTEA (ISOPODA: CHAETILIIDAE) WITH SPECIES REDESCRIPTIONS AND A KEY

Abstract A review of the isopod genus Chiridotea Harger, 1878 is presented. Five species are recognized from the eastern United States and the northern Gulf of Mexico (Chiridotea almyra, C. arenicola, C. coeca, C. excavata and C. tuftsii). C. nigrescens is regarded as a junior synonym of C. coeca. Diagnoses and descriptions are given for each species, neotypes are selected for C. coeca and C. tuftsii, and a key for species identification is presented.
The role of reward prediction in the control of attention.

Previously rewarded stimuli involuntarily capture attention. The learning mechanisms underlying this value-driven attentional capture remain less understood. We tested whether theories of prediction-based associative reward learning explain the conditions under which reward feedback leads to value-based modulations of attentional priority. Across 4 experiments, we manipulated whether stimulus features served as unique predictors of reward outcomes. Participants received monetary rewards for correctly identifying a color-defined target in an initial search task (training phase) and then immediately completed a second, unrewarded visual search task in which color was irrelevant (test phase). In Experiments 1-3, monetary reward followed correct target selection during training, but critically, no target-defining features carried uniquely predictive information about reward outcomes. Under these conditions, we found no evidence of attentional capture by the previous target colors in the subsequent test phase. Conversely, when target colors in the training phase of Experiment 4 carried uniquely predictive information about reward magnitude, we observed significant attentional capture by the previously rewarded color. Our findings show that value-based attentional priority only develops for stimulus features that carry uniquely predictive information about reward, ruling out a purely motivational account and suggesting that mechanisms of reward prediction play an important role in shaping attentional priorities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Desegregation in Big-City School Systems

(1983). Desegregation in Big-City School Systems. The Educational Forum: Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 83-96.
Age comparisons of body temperature and cold tolerance among different strains of Mus musculus.

Abstract The age-related declines in colonic temperature (Tco) and cold tolerance (ability to maintain Tco when exposed to 10°C for 3 h) described for C57BL/6J mice are compared to other mouse strains. Assessment of young and aged male mice of the C57BL/6J and A/J inbred strains and their F1 hybrid, B6AF1/J, as well as a pen-bred strain of Mus musculus captured from the wild revealed an aged-related decline in thermoregulation among all these strains. The degree of decline in thermoregulation was roughly correlated to differences in strain-specific lifespan. Aged mice of the relatively short-lived genotype, A/J (mean lifespan of 22 months), had the lowest Tco and poorest cold tolerance. The long-lived hybrids, B6AF1/J (mean lifespan of 29 months), demonstrated the highest Tco and the best cold tolerance among aged mice. C57BL/6J (mean lifespan of 26 months) showed an intermediate level of thermoregulation. Aged pen-bred mice demonstrated a significant decline in cold tolerance, but not a significant decline in Tco. The thermoregulatory responses of the pen-bred mice were superior to those observed among the domesticated strains. These data suggest that the age-related impairment in thermoregulation is a general phenomenon of aging in Mus musculus that is correlated with strain-specific lifespan but is possibly affected by the level of hybridization and domestication.
Poison control centers decrease emergency healthcare utilization costs.

Introduction Patient home management by a regional poison control center has potential to save public healthcare dollars by preventing unnecessary utilization of emergency department services. We wished to conservatively quantify such savings at a large regional poison center and compare savings to funds received in state support.
The Team/Fleet Models for Simultaneous Facility and Equipment Siting

A number of new location models which utilize the notion of coverage were developed, tested and utilized in a study of the Baltimore City Fire Protection System. These models extend the location decision to include not only specification of the sites of the basic facilities but also the distribution of specialized equipment and/or manpower among those sites. They are seen as more realistic representations of the location decisions which are required in public sector applications.
Modulation of substance P-ergic system in the rat spinal cord by an opioid antagonist

Substance P- and opioid peptide-immunoreactive nerve terminals functionally interact in the spinal cord as two opposing systems in the regulation of the nociceptive pathway. In order to determine how SP-ergic system adapts to chronic opioid receptor blockade, the effects of naltrexone on SP level, SP receptor and the second messenger system coupled to the SP receptor were examined in the rat spinal cord. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with naltrexone or vehicle for seven days by constant minipump infusion. Animals were sacrificed on day 8, spinal cords rapidly removed, segmentally sectioned and used to determine SP and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [ins(1,4,5)P3] tissue contents, and to examine the regulation of their respective receptors in in vitro receptor binding assays. Following chronic naltrexone treatment, SP content in the lumbosacral segment of the spinal cord was increased by 53% over matched control values. The binding capacity (Bmax) of SP receptors, determined using [125I]BHSP, in lumbosacral synaptosomal membranes was significantly increased by 92%, but the binding affinity (Kd) remained unchanged. In addition, the concentration of [Sar9, Met(O2)11]SP, an NK-1 receptor-specific agonist, required to inhibit half of [125I]BHSP binding (IC50) in lumbosacral synaptosomal membranes was significantly decreased, but the IC50s for SP, the endogenous ligand for the SP receptor, and [Pro7]NK B, an NK-3 receptor-specific agonist, were unaltered by chronic blockade of opioid receptors. The data suggest that although naltrexone does not directly interact with tachykinin receptors, it acts indirectly on SP-ergic neurons to cause a change in the apparent affinity of NK-1 receptor (as reflected by a change in IC50 value). Formation of cellular ins(1,4,5)P3 in the lumbosacral cord, quantified by a highly sensitive and selective radioreceptor assay, was significantly increased by 34% relative to matched controls. A time course study indicated that increases in ins(1,4,5)P3 contents over the time studied corresponded qualitatively with increases in SP level in the lumbosacral cord. With [3H]ins(1,4,5)P3 as a ligand, Scatchard analyses of the concentration dependent saturation curves showed that the density of intracellular ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors was also increased by 119%, with no change in binding affinity. The data suggest that ins(1,4,5)P3 formation, possibly coupled to functional SP receptor activation, and ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors, which mediate ins(1,4,5)P3-induced alterations in intracellular Ca2+ flux, are increased in the lumbosacral cord by chronic blockade of opioid receptors. Taken together, the data support the concept of a role for endogenous opioids in the regulation of SP receptor activity in the spinal cord.
Soft-input soft-output linear programming decoding

This paper presents the soft-input soft-output (SISO) linear programming (LP) decoder. It is shown that the soft information gleaned from a pseudo-codeword solution to the LP optimization is not only useful, but that it can be superior to the soft information output from a SISO belief propagation (BP) decoder in certain situations.
Snapshot molecular imaging using coded energy-sensitive detection

We demonstrate a technique for measuring the range-resolved coherent scatter form factors of different objects from a single snapshot. By illuminating the object with an x-ray pencil beam and placing a coded aperture in front of a linear array of energy-sensitive detector elements, we record the coherently scattered x-rays. This approach yields lateral, range, and momentum transfer resolutions of 1 mm, 5 mm, and 0.2 nm−1, respectively, which is sufficient for the distinguishing a variety of solids and liquids. These results indicate a path toward real-time volumetric molecular imaging for non-destructive examination in a variety of applications, including medical diagnostics, quality inspection, and security detection.
A simple and accurate coordinate transformation for a stereotactic radiotherapy system.

A global registration algorithm using only two CT slices was developed to transform target points known in the Brown–Roberts–Wells frame back to a CT-simulator coordinate system. The algorithm uses exact solutions to determine all of the points of interest based on BRW pins in the two CT-slices. In comparison with the algorithms based on individual slices, there is no requirement of digitization of BRW pins in every CT slice. There is no approximation (or linear interpolation) for determination of the target points that fell in between two CT slices. Results in 60 clinical cases demonstrate that the accuracy and precision of the isocentric positions are within the digitization uncertainty. Application of this global image registration can simplify the coordinate transformation in stereotactic radiation therapy.
Brain mechanisms for simple perception and bistable perception

When faced with ambiguous sensory inputs, subjective perception alternates between the different interpretations in a stochastic manner. Such multistable perception phenomena have intrigued scientists and laymen alike for over a century. Despite rigorous investigations, the underlying mechanisms of multistable perception remain elusive. Recent studies using multivariate pattern analysis revealed that activity patterns in posterior visual areas correlate with fluctuating percepts. However, increasing evidence suggests that vision—and perception at large—is an active inferential process involving hierarchical brain systems. We applied searchlight multivariate pattern analysis to functional magnetic resonance imaging signals across the human brain to decode perceptual content during bistable perception and simple unambiguous perception. Although perceptually reflective activity patterns during simple perception localized predominantly to posterior visual regions, bistable perception involved additionally many higher-order frontoparietal and temporal regions. Moreover, compared with simple perception, both top-down and bottom-up influences were dramatically enhanced during bistable perception. We further studied the intermittent presentation of ambiguous images—a condition that is known to elicit perceptual memory. Compared with continuous presentation, intermittent presentation recruited even more higher-order regions and was accompanied by further strengthened top-down influences but relatively weakened bottom-up influences. Taken together, these results strongly support an active top-down inferential process in perception.
Combined modality treatment of locally advanced breast cancer: adjuvant combination chemotherapy with and without doxorubicin.

Forty-one women with non-metastatic but locally advanced breast cancer were treated by modified radical or radical mastectomy, and were then randomized to receive one of two adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. Regimen A consisted of 6 months of cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, and fluorouracil (CAF) followed by 6 months of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, vincristine, and prednisone (CMFVP). Regimen B was 12 months of CMFVP. Patients were stratified for estrogen-receptor status, and all patients with a positive estrogen receptor value received tamoxifen 20 mg bid in addition to the chemotherapy. Eight of 21 patients radomized to Regimen A are alive and free of disease, whereas only 1 of 20 patients on Regimen B is well. A trend toward improved disease-free survival favoring Regimen A was observed (P = .05), although a significant difference in overall survival has not been demonstrated. Our findings support the continued study of adriamycin-containing regimens in the adjuvant setting and in combined modality therapy of locally advanced breast cancer.
Light duty gasoline vehicle emission factors at high transient and constant speeds for short road segments

Vehicle emissions estimates are needed at high spatial and temporal resolution to estimate near-roadway air quality and human exposures. The MOBILE6 emission factor model is based on transient test cycles of less than 65 mph. Correction factors for high speed and constant speed are developed based on vehicle-specific power-based modal models for light duty gasoline vehicles, using data from portable emission measurement systems. At 80 mph versus 65 mph, the estimated average emission rates are greater by 30%, 20%, 80%, and 10% for nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The ratio of constant to average of transient speed emission rates range from 0.49 to 0.94 for NOx at speeds of 20 mph and 80 mph. The high speed and constant speed correction factors are applied to estimate vehicle emissions for a freeway segment that includes vehicle cruising speeds between 65 and 80 mph. The potential error for not accounting for constant speed operation on a short segment of highway could be 49% at moderate speed and 24% at high speed.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THREE DIFFERENT KINETIC MODELS APPLIED TO THE AGEING OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL BEESWAX USED AS A PAINT MEDIUM

Kinetic evaluation of thermogravimetry data was used to understand the ageing behavior of beeswax used as an artists’ paint medium on ancient mummy shrouds and Fayum portraits. Individual components of beeswax were subjected to dynamic thermogravimetry to assess their evaporation rates, and three methods of kinetic analysis were evaluated for accuracy. The results showed that although it is impossible to accurately predict the volatility at room temperature for individual components of beeswax due mostly to their high molecular mass, relative trends and ranking of the volatility of the compounds can be obtained which may explain compositional changes over time.
Determination of subsurface plastic strain in machining using an embossed grid

Abstract A technique is described for embossing an orthogonal array of lines (grid) on prepared metal surfaces. Workpieces of oxygen-free high conductivity copper and 18% nickel maraging steel were machined orthogonally under dry unlubricated conditions and the plastic strain distribution in the surface region was determined from the distortion of the array. It is shown that appreciable plastic strain can be produced, the distribution of which is complex. It is suggested that such strains may be important in machining because they can affect the residual stress distribution which, in turn, can have a controlling influence on the behavior of components in service with respect to their resistance to fatigue, creep and stress corrosion cracking.
Method for study of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in rabbit intrarenal arterial network.

Abstract The objectives of this study were twofold: 1) to determine whether a microdissected rabbit intrarenal arterial network (IAN), consisting mainly of interlobar, arcuate, and interlobular arteries exhibits endothelium-dependent vasodilatation, and 2) to establish a means of selectively abolishing this response. The IAN was perfused at a constant flow with heated-oxygenated Krebs-bicarbonate buffer through the main renal artery, and evoked responses were limited to vessels distal to the renal artery. A decrease in perfusion pressure reflected a vasodilator response, after vascular tone had been induced by intraarterial infusion of phenylephrine. Bolus injections of acetylcholine produced graded endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses, whereas glyceryl trinitrate caused endothelium-independent responses. Manual deendothelialization was accomplished by gently stroking the IAN and at the same time removing any remaining glomeruli. This procedure blocked the response to acetylcholine, but not to glyceryl trinitrate ( n = 6). A 10-min infusion of N G nitro-L-arginine (NArg) (4 × 10 −5 −3 × 10 −4 M) into the IAN also selectively attenuated the response to acetylcholine ( n = 7). The third procedure, consisting of a 10-min infusion of 22–44 mM hydrogen peroxide into the IAN also attenuated the response to acetylcholine, but not to glyceryl trinitrate in nine of 12 experiments. This investigation demonstrates that intrarenal arteries are capable of undergoing endothelium-dependent vasodilatation, and the potential use of the IAN for further study of renal endothelium-derived vasoactive factors.
Simulations of a reconstructed cerebellar purkinje cell based on simplified channel kinetics

When cerebellar Purkinje cells are depolarized with a constant current pulse injected at the soma, complex spike discharge patterns are observed (Llinas and Sugimori 1980b). A computer model has been constructed to analyze how the Purkinje cell ionic conductance identified to date interact to produce the observed firing behavior. The kinetics of voltage-dependent conductance used in the model were significantly simpler than Hodgkin-Huxley kinetics, which have many parameters that must be experimentally determined. Our simplified scheme was able to reproduce the complex nonlinear responses found in real Purkinje cells. A similar approach could be used to study the wide variety of neurons found in different brain regions.
A Note on the Elasticity of Polymer Melts Described by Primary Normal Stress Difference (N1)

A method is proposed to characterize the elastic behavior of polyolefin melts, by calculating the first normal stress difference, N1 as a function of shear rate. The method is predicated on Cogswell's abrupt contraction flow analysis.1 These results are compared with experimental measurements and calculated values with a variety of methods, such as: i) Laun's rule2 for obtaining viscometric functions from linear viscoelastic data, ii) methods proposed by A. Khalik, et. al.3,4 and Wagner,5 for calculating N1 from viscosity data, and iii) N1 values calculated with the Johnson & Segalman constitutive equation.6 These comparisons yield acceptable agreement.
Beyond sorafenib: novel targeted therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Importance of the field: The successful approval of sorafenib has greatly stimulated the development of other molecular targeted agents in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Areas covered in this review: The aim of this review was to summarize the key data of sorafenib Phase III studies and the lessons and unanswered questions with sorafenib in HCC. It extensively updated the current ongoing studies combining sorafenib with erlotinib and other targeted agents or chemotherapy, and many molecularly targeted agents under development that inhibit angiogenesis, EGFR, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).What the reader will gain: A comprehensive understanding of the current status of drug development of targeted agents in advanced HCC and insights into the challenges of developing these agents in HCC.Take home message: Sorafenib is the first and only approved agent in advanced HCC. Several Phase III studies are ongoing with other drugs in advanced HCC. Many early clinical trials are conducted to asses...
Criticisms Biologically Unwarranted and Analytically Irrelevant: Reply to Rominger et al

Abstract The criticisms of Rominger et al. (2008) of our retrospective analysis of desert bighorn sheep (DBS; Ovis canadensis mexicana) dynamics in the San Andres Mountains of south-central New Mexico, USA, contained many biological errors and analytical oversights. Herein, we show that Rominger et al. (2008) 1) overstated both magnitude and potential effect of predator removal; 2) incorrectly claimed that our total precipitation (TP) model did not fit the data when TP correctly classed ≥66% of subsequent population increases and declines (P ≤ 0.063); 3) presented a necessary prerequisite of the exponential model (serial correlation between Nt and Nt+1) as the key relationship in the DBS data, when it merely reflected that DBS are strongly K-selected and was irrelevant to our hypothesis tests specific to factors affecting the instantaneous rate of population increase (r); 4) greatly oversimplified relationships among precipitation, arid environments, and DBS; and 5) advocated a time for collection of lamb...
Rituximab Can Induce a Durable Response in Refractory Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura Associated with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is observed in 2% of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, anti-Rh(D) immunoglobulins, and splenectomy remain the mainstays of treatment in ITP. Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20 antigen expressed on B-lymphocytes and, therefore, has B-cell–depleting and immunomodulatory capabilities. Many case reports, series, and retrospective studies have reported its efficacy in the treatment of patients with refractory ITP. However, its efficacy in CLL-associated ITP is not well described. Herein, a patient with refractory CLL-associated ITP who achieved a durable complete response for 8 months after treatment with rituximab is described.
The human mitochondrial transcription termination factor (mTERF) is a multizipper protein but binds to DNA as a monomer, with evidence pointing to intramolecular leucine zipper interactions

The human mitochondrial transcription termination factor (mTERF) cDNA has been cloned and expressed in vitro, and two alternative precursors of the protein have been imported into isolated mitochondria and processed to the mature protein. The precursors contain a mitochondrial targeting sequence, and the mature mTERF (342 residues) exhibits three leucine zippers, of which one is bipartite, and two widely spaced basic domains. The in vitro synthesized mature protein has the expected specific binding capacity for a double-stranded oligonucleotide containing the tridecamer sequence required for directing termination, and produces a DNase I footprint very similar to that produced by the natural protein. However, in contrast to the latter, it lacks transcription termination-promoting activity in an in vitro system, pointing to another component(s) being required for making mTERF termination-competent. A detailed structure–function analysis of the recombinant protein and mutagenized versions of it by band shift assays has demonstrated that both basic domains and the three leucine zipper motifs are necessary for DNA binding. Furthermore, a variety of tests have shown that both the recombinant and the natural mTERF bind to DNA as a monomer, arguing against a dimerization role for the leucine zippers, and rather pointing, together with the results of mutagenesis experiments, to intramolecular leucine zipper interactions being required to bring the two basic domains in close register with the mTERF target DNA sequence.
INCIDENCE OF INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE BY DELIVERY METHOD

The optimal method for delivery of the infant less than 1500 grams is still under debate. In order to assess this situation we examined the records of all infants born between June,1981 and Dec., 1982. During that 18 month period, 226 infants were delivered between 500 and 1500 gms. A total of 91 infants were born vaginally and 135 by C/section. All infants were inborn. The overall survival rate was 85%. For this study only non-asphyxiated infants (5 minute Apgar ≥ 7) were included, for a total of 155 infants. There were 60 infants born vaginally and 95 born by C/section. The mean birth weights were 1161±255 gms and 1153±231 gms respectively. All infants had a routine cranial ultrasound during the first 72 hours of life, and then weekly thereafter as indicated. The overall incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) was 12%. The results by delivery were as follows: The incidence of IVH, diagnosed after the fifth day of life was 8% in both groups. This would indicate neonatal rather than perinatal factors being more contributory. Although the numbers ultimately were small and there was no difference in survival noted, delivery tended to favor C/section.
Incidence of hyperfibrinogenemia in 1961 patients with cancer.

The incidence of hyperfibrinogenemia was studied in 1961 patients with different malignancies. Hyperfibrinogenemia was found to be associated with rapidly growing tumors. On the one hand, carcinomas, sarcomas, and Hodgkin's disease presented hyperfibrinogenemia very frequently. On the other hand, chronic leukemias and lymphosarcomas seldom presented hyperfibrinogenemia. This study confirms that hyperfibrinogenemia and hypercoagulability might play a role in the growth of tumors and indicates the tumors more suitable for future prospective studies.
L-TRIIODOTHYRONINE BINDING TO SERUM PROTEIN. I. COMPETITION BY THYRONINE.

Summary1, It has been shown that DL-thyronine competes for the binding sites in human serum proteins of both T-3 and T-4 to the extent of 12-18% for the former and 4-7% for the latter. 2. It thus appears that thyroxine is more firmly held to these proteins than T-3; or that T-O is more like T-3 than like T-4 in its binding properties. 3. 3,5-diiodo-3'-isopropyl-thyronine was also shown to be a competitor of T-3 for binding sites of serum proteins, although to a much lower extent (2-5%). Monoiodo and Diiodo-tyrosine did not show competition for these binding sites.
Health Complaints Related to Pesticide Stored at a Public Health Clinic

Employees at a health center in Georgia were concerned that symptoms experienced by some employees were related to pesticide exposure at the center. Malathion and DDT, used for mosquito control from 1969 to 1981, had been stored and handled at the center's first floor. We surveyed 117 (91%) of 129 employees to determine whether reported symptoms were associated with pesticide exposure. We performed environmental sampling for pesticides. We analyzed serum samples for 17 chlorinated pesticides, and urine samples for malathion. We found that 37% of the participants had reported a diagnosis of sinusitis and 24% of bronchitis since working at the health center. Frequently reported symptoms were eye irritation (44%) and headache (68%). DDT and malathion were found at levels of 2.4 and 11%, respectively, in bulk samples from the loading dock of the building. Multivariate analysis of responses to the questionnaire showed that the perception of odors, inadequate air flow, and length of employment were significantly associated with the employees' health complaints. Pesticide concentrations in employees' serum and urine samples were not associated with any health complaint. The health complaints reported by the employees at the health center were precipitated by both environmental and psychological factors. The epidemiology and laboratory components of this study highlight the importance of obtaining biological measurements in episodes of perceived environmental exposure.
Talking Nano – 6 DVD Video Set

Overall an excellent overview with something for almost everyone – a very good set of presenters who are not only leaders in the field but also good communicators
Temperature diagnostics with multichannel imaging telescopes

Modern solar telescope design in the EUV to x-ray range is now capable of producing large images in multiple channels at rapid cadences, with high spatial and temperature resolution. We discuss reconstruction of differential emission measures for solar coronal plasma using two state-of-the-art instruments: the X-Ray Telescope on Solar-B, and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. We discuss the relative merits of iteration and direct inversion methods for determining DEM(T ). We also consider strategies for automating and visualizing DEM maps, given the high data rates that these instruments will produce. We touch on the scientific potential of high-cadence, spatially resolved DEM data products. Solar telescope design in the EUV to x-ray range is now capable of producing large images (4096 × 4096 pixels) in multiple channels (six or more) at rapid cadences (∼ 10 seconds), with high spatial (sub-arcsecond) and temperature (order of emission kernel widths) resolution. Such instruments permit more sophisticated temperature diagnostics than the filter-ratio method used with the previous generation of coronal imaging telescopes. In this paper, we discuss the issues, capabilities, and science for DEM reconstruction in the context of two state-of-the-art instruments: the X-Ray Telescope on the Solar-B spacecraft, and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The X-Ray Telescope (XRT) is a grazing-incidence, broadband instrument with nine diagnostic filters spanning the range 6.1 < log T< 7.5. More information on the design of XRT for DEM reconstruction can be found in Golub et al. (2004). The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) is a normal-incidence, narrow-band instrument with four 20-cm, dual-channel telescopes operating simultaneously at a 10 second cadence (Fig. 1a). The mirrors in each telescope are subdivided into two areas (called “D”s) with different multilayer coatings, giving seven EUV channels, plus a channel used for UV and white-light observations (Fig. 1b). The AIA will be able to image coronal plasmas for 5.5 < log T< 7.5, and cooler regions of the solar atmosphere. The focal plane detector is a 4k×4k back-illuminated CCD with 0.6 arcsecond pixels and a 43 arcminute field-of-view which will be able to capture the entire solar disk— the AIA will combine the f.o.v. of SoHO/EIT with the resolution of TRACE.
Mass transfer in a ErBa2Cu3O7 pellet partially melted in a thermal gradient

Abstract Melt texturing in high thermal gradients promotes the crystallization of oriented RBa2Cu3Ox grains which improves the critical current densities. However, the presence of high thermal gradients induces a transport of material that modifies the composition of the melt and disrupts the crystallization process. In this study, material transfer phenomena have been examined by crystallizing a ErBa2Cu3Ox pellet in a static thermal field. The influence of material transfer on the microstructure of textured pellets has been studied. These microstructures indicate that the material is transferred mainly by thermocapillarity. We also determined that the temperature of the characteristic ridge formed during crystallization was about 892 ± 10°C which corresponds closely to the solidification of the binary and ternary eutectic temperatures.
Acute effects of bovine growth hormone on renal calcium and phosphate excretion

To evaluate the acute effects of bovine growth hormone upon renal hemodynamics and urinary electrolyte excretion, clearance studies were performed in intact and thyroparathyroidectomized dogs, receiving either vehicle alone or bovine growth hormone. Growth hormone had no effect when compared to controls upon glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, or clearance of sodium, calcium, and phosphate either in the presence or absence of parathyroid hormone. It is concluded that acute changes in circulating growth hormone levels do not play an important role in calcium and phosphate homeostasis. The data suggest that previously described antiphosphaturic and hypercalciuric actions of growth hormone are not due to direct acute renal tubular effects but may be the result of indirect effects of chronic growth hormone administration.
Journal of Media Economics 25th Anniversary Essay

I'm grateful to Editors Nodir Adilov and Hugh J. Martin for the invitation to former Editors to pen a few thoughts on the Journal of Media Economics (JME) on its 25th year of publication. My goal i...
In vitro percutaneous absorption models.

: In vitro skin absorption studies are commonly used to estimate in vivo skin absorption in topical safety and efficacy evaluations. in vitro studies are more economical and result in minimization or elimination of the use of animals.
Recovering stride versus letting it slide: Attributions for “Slips” following smoking cessation treatment

Abstract We telephoned people 1½ to 2 years after they had completed smoking cessation treatment and identified 17 who had relapsed after a period of abstinence (slip-relapse) and 15 who had lapsed but returned to abstinence (slip-abstinent). Compared to slipabstinent smokers, slip-relapse participants (a) were more likely to see characterological factors and other people or circumstances as contributing to their slip; (b) felt neither better nor worse about the slip; and (c) saw future smoking as more likely. Slip-relapse subjects displayed the characterological self-blame that is a part of the abstinence violation effect (Marlatt, 1985b). but they also engaged in behavioral self-blame and attributed the slip to mood and external factors. Slip-abstinent subjects reported behavioral self-blame and mood ascriptions only. We discuss the emotions and
Temperature adaptation and the phospholipids of membranes in goldfish (Carassius auratus).

Abstract 1. 1. No major differences were found in the relative concentrations of various phosphatides in tissues of 5°C- and 25°C-adapted goldfish. 2. 2. Greater incorporation of 14C-acetate into the phosphatides of 5°C- than of 25°C-adapted fish tissues occured and varied with the phosphatide. It is suggested that the non-uniform incorporation was due in part to different phosphatide turnover rates and in part to acyltransferase activity, especially in the gill. 3. 3. The phosphatides of liver and the PC and “PI” of gill all showed greater turnover in 5°C-adapted fish as measured by 32Pi incorporation. However, gill PE and CL showed greater turnover in 25°C-adapted fish. These differences may be due to enzyme specificity for the fatty acids moieties of the precursor molecules. Temperature acclimation markedly influenced the turnovers of gill PC and PE and liver PC and “PI”. 4. 4. Cold temperature acclimation influenced the incorporation of 14C into gill-PC more than into liver-PC, and 32Pi into liver-PC more than into gill-PC. 5. 5. The effect of temperature acclimation remained after systemic influences were removed as shown by comparing the in vivo and in vitro data. 6. 6. Transport of the isotopes into brain tissue was poor, especially for 32Pi where negligible incorporation occured during 48 hr.
CYTOGEOGRAPHY AND CYTOTAXONOMIC RELATIONSHIPS OF RUMEX PAUCIFOLIUS

A cytogeographic survey of western American Rumex paucifolius Nutt. reveals that diploid (2n = 14) and tetraploid (2n = 28) populations occur within the Rocky Mountain var. paucifolius and also within the California var. gracilescens Rech. The meiotic behavior of the chromosomes, the occurrence of aneuploid individuals in the populations, and the occasional occurrence of higher polyploids in nature suggest that the tetraploids are substantially autopolyploid in origin. The two diploid populations are restricted in range and are known, respectively, from high elevations in the southern Sierra Nevada of California and the mountainous region at the headwaters of the Missouri River in Montana and Wyoming. They are patroendemics, for they represent the ancestral diploids from which the more abundant polyploids arose. Both the diploid and the tetraploid populations are dioecious. The available evidence supports the suggestion that sex determination follows an X/Y (Melandrium) scheme in inheritance, but no evidence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes was found. Rumex paucifolius is cytologically and morphologically distinct from any other native North American Rumex. Its characters resemble the R. acetosella group of the subgenus Acetosella, as much as they resemble any known members of subgenus Acetosa. For this and other reasons, the subgenera Acetosa and Acetosella should be combined.
Intracoronal pressure during crown cementation

Abstract A model system was developed which recorded the intracoronal pressure during crown cementation at three locations simultaneously. Peak pressures and residual pressures were greatest with zinc phosphate cement. The zinc oxide-eugenol cement generated the smallest amount of peak and residual pressures. The polycar☐ylate cement exhibited an intermediate pressure intensity. The uneven intracoronal pressure in the cement suggests a complex flow pattern capable of developing the separation of phases that earlier work reported. However, the small residual pressure indicates that these internal back pressures appear to play a limited role in preventing a complete seating of a crown.