cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Antimalarials on the Plasmodium falciparum Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase

Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHOD) is a key enzyme in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis and the major source of electrons for the mitochondrial electron transport chain of intraerythrocytic malaria parasites. DHOD and the electron transport chain may also be the site of inhibition by certain antimalarial drugs. In order to test this, Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes were exposed in vitro to artemisinin or various 8-aminoquinolines, such as primaquine, WR 238605, WR 225448, and WR 255956, and then assayed for both enzyme activity and [3H]hypoxanthine incorporation, which is an indicator of viability. Atovaquone inhibits DHOD activity to a much greater extent than hypoxanthine incorporation, which is consistent with previous reports that it targets the parasite respiratory chain. However, artemisinin and the 8-aminoquinolines inhibit DHOD to the same or lesser extent than hypoxanthine incorporation, suggesting that these compounds have different modes of action.
The Impact of an Integrated Microcredit Program on The Empowerment of Women and Gender Equality in Rural Vietnam

In this paper we attempt to analyze the impact of an integrated microcredit program on the empowerment of women in rural Vietnam. We conduct a longitudinal study in 2008 and 2012 on a sample of 50 microcredit recipients. The finding indicates the importance of the empowerment components in the Peace Trees microcredit program, which serves as leverage for higher income generation and greater gender equality. The study emphasizes the role of the Women’s Union in designing and implementing the microcredit program with the objective of empowering women. This study supports the importance of the feminist empowerment paradigm in which empowerment is a best practice when a gender equality approach is embedded in program design, rather than an add-on benefit. The microcredit program has also integrated the poverty alleviation paradigm and the financial self-sustainability paradigm.
Intracellular ATP and GTP are both required to preserve modulation of N-type calcium channel current by norepinephrine

Norepinephrine (NE) inhibits voltage-dependent calcium channels of sympathetic neurons. We investigated the role of intracellular nucleotides in this inhibition for clues to receptor-channel coupling mechanisms. Both ATP and GTP are required to preserve NE responsiveness during whole-cell dialysis. The response to NE was gradually lost in bullfrog sympathetic neurons dialyzed with GTP as the only nucleotide, ATP only, or no nucleotides. Replacing ATP with ATP[γ-S] resulted in spontaneous modulation of calcium channel current, possibly because of production of GTP[γ-S]. The nonhydrolyzable ATP analog p[NH]ppA could substitute for ATP to preserve NE responsiveness. The protein phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and calyculin-A did not affect NE inhibition of calcium channel current, or recovery from that inhibition. These results suggest protein phosphorylation is not involved in the inhibition of calcium channel current, but binding of ATP to some intracellular site is required for the coupling of adrenergic receptors to calcium channels.
Intensification of intraoral roentgenograms by toning.

Abstract In order to evaluate the effectiveness of a toning solution for the intensification of roentgenograms, three roentgenograms in duplicate were taken for each of twenty areas of the mouth (in twenty patients). These films were exposed, developed, and intensified according to various experimental and normal specifications. Evaluation of these films by a panel from the Department of Stomatology suggested that, under various conditions in which it may be impossible to obtain other than an underdeveloped or underexposed radiograph, the subsequent use of a toner intensifier is indicated to improve the quality of the available films. In many instances, the image produced will be superior to that in the unintensified state. The intensification process, an inexpensive, readily available, simply performed procedure, is carried out in room light and hence the roentgenogram may be toned to exactly the desired density and contrast. The technique may also prove to be of value in restoring age-faded roentgenograms and as a new specific differential diagnostic aid for hard-tissue lesions. Consideration should be given particularly to the use of such an intensifier to permit decreased exposure times of standard x-ray films in order to minimize both operator and patient exposure to radiation.
The icy Galilean satellites: ultraviolet phase curve analysis

Abstract Ultraviolet disk-integrated solar phase curves of the icy galilean satellites Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto are presented, using combined data sets from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE), Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and the Galileo Ultraviolet Spectrometer. Global, disk-integrated solar phase curves for all three satellites, in addition to disk-integrated solar phase curves for Europa's leading, trailing, jovian, and anti-jovian hemispheres, are modeled using Hapke's equations for 7 broadband UV wavelengths between 260 and 320 nm. The sparse coverage in solar phase angle, particularly for Ganymede and Callisto, and the noise in the data sets poorly constrain some of the photometric parameter values in the model. However, the results are sufficient for forming a preliminary relationship between the effects of particle bombardment on icy surfaces and photometric scattering properties at ultraviolet wavelengths. Callisto exhibits a large UV opposition surge and a surface comprised of relatively low-backward scattering particles. Europa's surface displays a dichotomy between the jovian and anti-jovian hemispheres (the anti-jovian hemisphere is more backward scattering), while a less pronounced hemispherical variation was detected between the leading and trailing hemispheres. Europa's surface, with the exception of the trailing hemisphere region, appears to have become less backscattering between the late-1970s–early-1980s and the mid-1990s. These results are commensurate with the bombardment history of these surfaces by magnetospheric charged particles.
Vaccinia virus L1 binds to cell surfaces and blocks virus entry independently of glycosaminoglycans

L1 and A28 are vaccinia virus (VACV) envelope proteins which are essential for cellular entry. However, their specific roles during entry are unknown. We tested whether one or both of these proteins might serve as receptor binding proteins (RBP). We found that a soluble, truncated form of L1, but not A28, bound to cell surfaces independently of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Hence, VACV A28 is not likely to be a RBP and functions after attachment during entry. Importantly, soluble L1 inhibited both binding and entry of VACV in GAG-deficient cells, suggesting that soluble L1 blocks entry at the binding step by competing with the virions for non-GAG receptors on cells. In contrast, soluble A27, a VACV protein which attaches to GAGs but is non-essential for virus entry, inhibited binding and entry of VACV in a GAG-dependent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a VACV envelope protein that blocks virus binding and entry independently of GAGs.
LAUGHING AT FIRST CONTACT

This paper examines student perceptions of humor in the film First Contact. Based on previous critiques of cultural representations—namely, charges that some ethnographic films replicate stereotypes and that images of deified European explorers instantiate a “myth model”—the paper considers the possibility that laughter evoked by First Contact derives from the viewers’ sense of cultural superiority. For the most part, this interpretation is not confirmed. Instead, audience laughter is found to be based on incongruities in the interactions captured in the film. Using notions of incongruity, connections are drawn between humor, wonder, intellectual discovery, and cultural contact.
Propene hydrogenation over truncated octahedral Pt nanoparticles supported on alumina

Abstract Colloidal Pt nanoparticles synthesized by a 1:5 concentration ratio of K 2 PtCl 4 to polyacrylate were loaded on nanoporous alumina using the impregnation method at room temperature. The deposited Pt particles, present on the external surfaces of the support, were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, which indicated predominantly truncated octahedral (TO) shapes with a mean diameter of 10 nm. Their catalytic performance in the hydrogenation of propene at 30–80 °C was studied as a test reaction. The initial rate, reaction order, rate constant, activation energy, and turnover frequency were determined. The activation energy was found to be 8.4±0.2 kcal/mol, which is slightly lower than results reported for other platinum systems (10–14 kcal/mol). The TO platinum nanoparticles have atom-high surface steps, ledges, and kinks, and these atomic-scale fine structures are expected to decrease the activation energy. The reactivity of the surface atoms in this nanoparticle is so high that above 50 °C side reactions leading to complete surface poisoning take place within a few minutes. The effect of the polymer concentration of the polyacrylate-capped TO Pt/Al 2 O 3 on the hydrogenation catalytic activity was also investigated.
Molecular biology of bcr-abl1-positive chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been regarded as the paradigmatic example of a malignancy defined by a unique molecular event, the BCR-ABL1 oncogene. Decades of research zeroing in on the role of BCR-ABL1 kinase in the pathogenesis of CML have culminated in the development of highly efficacious therapeutics that, like imatinib mesylate, target the oncogenic kinase activity of BCR-ABL1. In recent years, most research efforts in CML have been devoted to developing novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as well as to elucidating the mechanisms of resistance to imatinib and other TKIs. Nonetheless, primordial aspects of the pathogenesis of CML, such as the mechanisms responsible for the transition from chronic phase to blast crisis, the causes of genomic instability and faulty DNA repair, the phenomenon of stem cell quiescence, the role of tumor suppressors in TKI resistance and CML progression, or the cross-talk between BCR-ABL1 and other oncogenic signaling pathways, still remain poorly understood. Herein, we synthesize the most relevant and current knowledge on such areas of the pathogenesis of CML.
Characterization of a novel porcine parvovirus tentatively designated PPV5.

A new porcine parvovirus (PPV), provisionally designated as PPV5, was identified in U.S. pigs. Cloning and sequencing from a circular or head-to-tail concatemeric array revealed that the PPV5 possesses the typical genomic organization of parvoviruses with two major predicted open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2), and is most closely related to PPV4 with overall genomic identities of 64.1–67.3%. The amino acid identities between PPV5 and PPV4 were 84.6%–85.1% for ORF1 and 54.0%–54.3% for ORF2. Unlike PPV4, but similar to bovine parvovirus 2 (BPV2), PPV5 lacks the additional ORF3 and has a much longer ORF2. Moreover, the amino acid sequences of ORF1 and ORF2 of BPV2 showed higher homologies to PPV5 than to PPV4. The conserved motifs of the Ca2+ binding loop (YXGXG) and the catalytic center (HDXXY) of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) were identified in VP1 (ORF2) of PPV5, as well as in BPV2, but were not present in PPV4. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that PPV5, PPV4 and BPV2 form a separate clade different from the genera Parvovirus and Bocavirus. Further epidemiologic investigations of PPV4 and PPV5 in U.S. pigs of different ages indicated a slightly higher prevalence for PPV5 (6.6%; 32/483) compared to PPV4 (4.1%; 20/483), with detection of concurrent PPV4 and PPV5 in 15.6% (7/45) of lungs of infected pigs. Evidence for potential vertical transmission or association with reproductive failure was minimal for both PPV4 and PPV5. The high similarity to PPV4 and the lack of ORF3 may suggest PPV5 is an intermediate of PPV4 during the evolution of parvoviruses in pigs.
Slew Maneuver Control of the Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE)

In this paper, the dynamics and control of the NASA-Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE) test article slew maneuver are developed. The slew maneuver is specified about any arbitrary axis of the spacecraft, and it is considered that the spacecraft undergoes nonlinear rigid-body motion and linear elastic motion.
Hospital Cost of Care, Quality of Care, and Readmission Rates: Penny Wise and Pound Foolish?

Background Hospitals face increasing pressure to lower cost of care while improving quality of care. It is unclear if efforts to reduce hospital cost of care will adversely affect quality of care or increase downstream inpatient cost of care. Methods We conducted an observational cross-sectional study of US hospitals discharging Medicare patients for congestive heart failure (CHF) or pneumonia in 2006. For each condition, we examined the association between hospital cost of care and the following variables: process quality of care, 30-day mortality rates, readmission rates, and 6-month inpatient cost of care. Results Compared with hospitals in the lowest-cost quartile for CHF care, hospitals in the highest-cost quartile had higher quality-of-care scores (89.9% vs 85.5%) and lower mortality for CHF (9.8% vs 10.8%) ( P P = .002) and higher mortality for pneumonia (11.7% vs 10.9%, P P P = .20 for pneumonia). Nevertheless, patients initially seen in low-cost hospitals incurred lower 6-month inpatient cost of care compared with patients initially seen in hospitals with the highest cost of care ($12 715 vs $18 411 for CHF and $10 143 vs $15 138 for pneumonia, P Conclusions The associations are inconsistent between hospitals' cost of care and quality of care and between hospitals' cost of care and mortality rates. Most evidence did not support the “penny wise and pound foolish” hypothesis that low-cost hospitals discharge patients earlier but have higher readmission rates and greater downstream inpatient cost of care.
The mammalian Golgi — complex debates

Since the first description of the Golgi in 1898, key issues regarding this organelle have remained contentious among cell biologists. Resolving these complex debates, which revolve around Golgi structure-function relationships, is prerequisite to understanding how the Golgi fulfils its role as the central organelle and sorting station of the mammalian secretory pathway.
Discrimination learning in the South American tapir (Tapirella)

Strong position responses appear related to a high level of emotional arousal. Performance abruptly improved from a chance level after a very extended period.
Physical, structural, and dehydrogenation properties of ammonia borane in ionic liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are excellent solvents for the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB); however, the basic properties that allow efficient dehydrogenation are still unclear. In this report, density, viscosity, melting/freezing/glass transition temperature, solubility, and the dehydrogenation properties, including impurity gas quantification, of AB-imidazolium-based IL solutions were studied. Note that ILs can solubilize 32–35 wt% of AB, and the liquid AB–IL solutions have densities of ∼0.9 g cm−3, viscosities similar to motor oil (100–250 cP), and glass transition temperatures below −50 °C. AB–ILs are stable at room temperature for several weeks with minimal hydrogen generation, although some hydrolysis occurs immediately upon mixing as a result of trace water content. Between 80 and 130 °C, more than 2 mol H2/AB are desorbed from AB–ILs with limited impurity emissions. Furthermore, there is no reaction between AB and ILs upon dehydrogenation, and structural analysis reveals a complex solid solution.
Lessons from the repression of the α‐fetoprotein gene in the adult liver

The developmental regulation of the α-fetoprotein (AFP) gene in liver results in high-level expression in the fetus, followed by dramatic transcriptional repression after birth. We have examined the mouse AFP gene for transcriptional control sequences that may be involved in its postnatal repression in liver. We showed previously that removal of a DNA region between positions −250 base pairs (bp) and −838 bp of the AFP gene resulted in the persistence of expression of an AFP minigene in the postpartum liver of transgenic mice (Vacher and Tilghman, Science 250;1732–1735, 1990). This study examines the distribution of these transgene transcripts in liver using in situ hybridization. We show that there is a zonal distribution of minigene transcripts in the adult livers of these animals. Hepatocytes surrounding the central veins express high levels of minigene transcripts, while hepatocytes in the intermediate and portal areas contain few, if any, transcripts. Quantitative RNAsc protection analysis shows a decrease in transgene RNA levels after birth, consistent with repression in all but a small subset of hepatocytes. These results indicate that repression in the pericentral hepatocytes is dependent upon the presence of a cis-acting, negative-regulatory domain, which is located between the enhancers and the proximal promoter of the AFP gene. In contrast, this domain is not essential for complete repression of AFP transgenes in the intermediate zone and periportal hepatocytes.
Influence of selenophene on the properties of semi-random polymers and their blends with PC61BM.

In an effort to broaden the absorption of conjugated polymers, atomistic bandgap control was applied to the semi-random polymer architecture. Here, we report the physical properties of semi-random polyselenophenes as compared to analogous polythiophenes. In order to examine the effect of the selenium heteroatom on the optical properties of the polymers, UV–vis spectra were studied and it was found that all polyselenophenes exhibit lower bandgaps and higher absorption coefficients in thin films. Further, differential scanning calorimetry and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction results indicate that semi-random polyselenophenes are semicrystalline polymers and their (100) interchain distances are shorter than in the case of semi-random polythiophenes, which may be responsible for higher absorption coefficients. To probe the effect of the selenium heteroatom on the nano-organization of these polymers and their blends with PC61BM, thin films were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM images show a segregation between more densely packed areas from less densely packed areas in the pristine polymer films, which is more pronounced for polyselenophenes than for polythiophenes. The blends of polyselenophenes with PC61BM do not show the well-defined segregation observed for the polythiophene analogues. However, the broadened and extended absorption of semi-random polyselenophenes translates into an extended photocurrent response in the photovoltaic devices, as evidenced by external quantum efficiency measurements.
Organization of the hamster intergeniculate leaflet: NPY and ENK projections to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, intergeniculate leaflet and posterior limitans nucleus.

The intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) is an integral part of the circadian visual system. It receives direct retinal input and relays photic information to the circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) through a geniculohypothalamic tract (GHT). In both rat and hamster, neuropeptide Y immunoreactive (NPY-IR) IGL cells project through the GHT to the SCN. However, the hamster GHT also contains enkephalin-IR (ENK-IR) fibers, presumably of IGL origin. In the present investigations, the IGL was examined for NPY-, ENK-, or dual-IR cells. Their projections to the SCN, contralateral IGL and pretectum were also studied. The results show that the hamster IGL contains both NPY- and ENK-IR neurons and that about 50% of these are immunoreactive to both peptides. Double-label retrograde analysis indicates that cells of each peptide class project to the SCN. Similarly, IGL neurons, many of which are NPY- and ENK-IR, project to the pretectum, particularly the posterior limitans nucleus. While numerous IGL neurons project contralaterally, very few are NPY- or ENK-IR.The distribution of SCN- and pretectum-projecting cells, in conjunction with the distribution of peptide-IR neurons, allows expansion of the IGL definition to include the region medial to the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (VLG). The VLG is ventrolateral to the IGL and does not contain either neurons projecting to the SCN nor NPY- or ENK-IR cells, but does have numerous neurons projecting to the pretectum. The results substantiate and expand the previous definition of the hamster IGL, elaborate the species difference in IGL organization, and demonstrate the increased breadth of the circadian visual system.
Extreme-ultraviolet observations of coronal holes. I: Locations, sizes and evolution of coronal holes, June 1973 - January 1974.

The disk boundaries of coronal holes have been systematically determined from XUV observations taken during the manned Skylab missions (June 1973-January 1974). The resulting atlas was used to find the sizes, global distributions, differential rotation rates, growth/decay rates and lifetimes of holes during this period. The polar cap holes together covered 15% of the sun's total surface area, a number which remained surprisingly constant throughout Skylab despite the fact that each pole was independently evolving in time. Lower latitude holes contributed another 2 to 5%.
Multiple Nosocomial Infections: A Risk of Modern Intensive Care

Many components of modern medical care greatly predispose subjects to nosocomial infection. These include cancer chemotherapy, organ transplantation, immunosuppression, and intensive supportive care, particularly in conjunction with mechanical ventilatory support, invasive monitoring devices and prolonged central or peripheral intravenous therapy. The hazard of nosocomial infection associated with residence in a modern intensive care unit is dramatized by the case history of a near-drowning victim whose hospital course was complicated by an unusually large number and variety of nosocomial bacterial infections. Sixteen different bacterial organisms were isolated from cultures of blood, purulent thoracostomy tube drainage, or purulent tracheal secretions during the patient's prolonged hospital course. Factors which predisposed this patient to nosocomial infections included prolonged positive pressure mechanical ventilation, long-term broad spectrum antibiotics, indwelling arterial and central venous lines, violation of anatomic barriers by foreign bodies such as multiple thoracostomy tubes, and residence in an intensive care unit. This patient's case demonstrates that effective means to prevent nosocomial colonization and infection are urgently needed.
Rake Reception With Channel Estimation Error

Several digital cellular systems employ coherent RAKE reception, wherein channel estimates are used to combine despread values. In this paper, a maximum likelihood (ML) approach to RAKE combining that accounts for channel estimation error, including error correlation across despread values, is examined. Fading and noise correlation are also considered. The performance of the ML approach is compared to traditional RAKE combining as well as approximate ML-based approaches. Results show that when the channel estimation error and noise are of the same order, ML-based approaches can provide gains on the order of 1 dB over traditional RAKE reception
The Expressive Function of Succession Law and the Merits of Non-Marital Inclusion

Intestacy statutes seek to further donative freedom by effectuating the attributed intent of those who fail to execute a valid estate plan during life. One might reasonably hypothesize that gay men and lesbians, on the whole, differ from the non-gay majority with respect to their donative intent. The fundamental difference in romantic and affectional preferences between gay people and non-gay people is likely to produce such a disparate donative intent. Much anecdotal evidence and recent empirical evidence strongly support this hypothesis.Article II of the Uniform Probate Code presently ignores the existence of gay men and lesbians, despite the drafters' expressed effort to recognize the changing nature of the American family. Article II would better implement its principal goal of promoting donative freedom, however, if its intestacy provisions were redrafted to implement the attributed intent of gay men and lesbians. Such inclusion could be implemented consistent with the 1990 Code's desire for simplicity and certainty in succession law by utilizing a registration system for qualification of committed partners, a multi-factor approach that limits judicial discretion through objective requirements and clearly delineated factors for qualification or a combination of these two systems.Succession reform to include same-sex committed partners also would remove the badge of inferiority that Article II presently places on gay men and lesbians and their relationships. By failing to recognize the fundamental difference between gay people and non-gay people with respect to donative preferences, Article II implies that gay and lesbian relationships are insignificant or unsuitable for recognition. This implicit expression is made all the more pronounced in light of the lack of any justification for same-sex exclusion deriving from the principles of succession law on which the drafters grounded the 1990 Code.
TYPE-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS, M AND T, OF MATT AND GLOSSY VARIANTS OF GROUP A HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI

1. Two qualitatively different type-specific antigens, designated M and T, have been found present in matt variants of group A hemolytic streptococci, but only one of these, the T antigen, occurs in the degraded glossy variant. 2. The protein nature of the M antigen, present in matt variants only, has been demonstrated in previous work, but the chemical characteristics of the newly recognized antigenic factor, T, present in both variants, have not been determined. This T factor is identified only by its immunological reactions. It is unknown whether the two type-specific antigenic factors, M and T, occur as separate chemical entities in the matt variant or in conjugation. 3. Antibody to the type-specific protein, M, appears responsible for the M precipitin reaction, for type-specific protection, and, as a rule, for part of the type-specific agglutination of matt variants, but in type 1 it does not cause agglutination. 4. Antibody to the second type-specific antigen, T, seems to be solely responsible for type-specific agglutination of the glossy form and to play a large role in type-specific agglutination of the matt form, but apparently it is not involved in protection. This T antibody causes all of the type-specific agglutination of type 1. Consequently, type 1 matt and glossy variants agglutinate and absorb agglutinin alike, and antisera to both are identical in content of type-specific agglutinin though they differ in respect to M antibody. 5. Recognition of the principle underlying type-specific agglutination of glossy variants makes it possible to suggest, with certain reservations, the use of glossy variants for type classification by agglutination. These variants are suitable for preparing type-specific agglutinating antisera, and they form stable suspensions for use in the reaction. Improved methods are needed for deriving glossy from matt variants.
Evaluating visual cues for window switching on large screens

An increasing number of users are adopting large, multi-monitor displays. The resulting setups cover such a broad viewing angle that users can no longer simultaneously perceive all parts of the screen. Changes outside the user's visual field often go unnoticed. As a result, users sometimes have trouble locating the active window, for example after switching focus. This paper surveys graphical cues designed to direct visual attention and adapts them to window switching. Visual cues include five types of frames and mask around the target window and four trails leading to the window. We report the results of two user studies. The first evaluates each cue in isolation. The second evaluates hybrid techniques created by combining the most successful candidates from the first study. The best cues were visually sparse --- combinations of curved frames which use color to pop-out and tapered trails with predictable origin.
The modified National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale: Its Time Has Come

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a well known, reliable and valid stroke deficit scale. The NIHSS is simple, quick, and has shown significant reliability in diverse groups, settings, and languages. The NIHSS also contains items with poor reliability and redundancy. Recent investigations (include assessing a new training DVD, analyzing webbased or videotape certifications, and testing foreign language versions) have further detailed reliability issues. Items recurrently shown to have poor reliability include Level of Consciousness, Facial Palsy, Limb Ataxia, and Dysarthria. The modified NIHSS (mNIHSS) minimizes redundancy and eliminates poorly reliable items. The mNIHSS shows greater reliability in multiple settings and cohorts, including scores abstracted from records, when used via telemedicine, and when used in clinical trials. In a validation of the mNIHSS against the NIHSS, the number of elements with excellent agreement increased from 54% to 71%, while poor agreement decreased from 12% to 5%. Overall, 45% of NIHSS items had less than excellent reliability vs. only 29% for the mNIHSS. The mNIHSS is not the ideal stroke scale, but it is a significant improvement over the NIHSS. The mNIHSS has shown reliability at bedside, with record abstraction, with telemedicine, and in clinical trials. Since the mNIHSS is more reliable, it may allow for improved practitioner communication, improved medical care, and refinement of trial enrollments. The mNIHSS should now serve as the primary stroke clinical deficit scale for clinical and research aims. When it comes to the mNIHSS, its time has come!
Determination and use of moisture diffusion coefficient to characterize drying of northern red oak ( Quercus rubra )

Diffusion analysis can be used to estimate the time required to dry lumber. However, more accurate calculations require additional information on the relationship between the diffusion coefficient as a function of moisture content and on the effects of temperature, equilibrium moisture content, board thickness, and air velocity on drying time and moisture gradients. The primary objectives of this study were (1) to determine the diffusion coefficient of northern red oak (Quercus rubra) as a function of moisture content and (2) to compare experimentally determined sorption times and moisture content gradients with those calculated by the diffusion model. The diffusion coefficient was found to increase approximately exponentially with moisture content over a range of 6 to 30 percent at 43°C. This relationship was similar in both adsorption and desorption tests. Experimental adsorption and desorption times and desorption moisture content gradients were compared with finite difference solutions to the diffusion equation. Practical uses of solutions to the diffusion equation are illustrated for kiln drying wood that has first been predried to below the fiber saturation point. Drying time is also related to variable kiln conditions and board thickness.
The tip of the iceberg: RNA-binding proteins with prion-like domains in neurodegenerative disease

Prions are self-templating protein conformers that are naturally transmitted between individuals and promote phenotypic change. In yeast, prion-encoded phenotypes can be beneficial, neutral or deleterious depending upon genetic background and environmental conditions. A distinctive and portable 'prion domain' enriched in asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine and glycine residues unifies the majority of yeast prion proteins. Deletion of this domain precludes prionogenesis and appending this domain to reporter proteins can confer prionogenicity. An algorithm designed to detect prion domains has successfully identified 19 domains that can confer prion behavior. Scouring the human genome with this algorithm enriches a select group of RNA-binding proteins harboring a canonical RNA recognition motif (RRM) and a putative prion domain. Indeed, of 210 human RRM-bearing proteins, 29 have a putative prion domain, and 12 of these are in the top 60 prion candidates in the entire genome. Startlingly, these RNA-binding prion candidates are inexorably emerging, one by one, in the pathology and genetics of devastating neurodegenerative disorders, including: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions (FTLD-U), Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. For example, FUS and TDP-43, which rank 1st and 10th among RRM-bearing prion candidates, form cytoplasmic inclusions in the degenerating motor neurons of ALS patients and mutations in TDP-43 and FUS cause familial ALS. Recently, perturbed RNA-binding proteostasis of TAF15, which is the 2nd ranked RRM-bearing prion candidate, has been connected with ALS and FTLD-U. We strongly suspect that we have now merely reached the tip of the iceberg. We predict that additional RNA-binding prion candidates identified by our algorithm will soon surface as genetic modifiers or causes of diverse neurodegenerative conditions. Indeed, simple prion-like transfer mechanisms involving the prion domains of RNA-binding proteins could underlie the classical non-cell-autonomous emanation of neurodegenerative pathology from originating epicenters to neighboring portions of the nervous system. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled RNA-Binding Proteins.
Origins of the Sensitivity of Molecular Vibrations to Electric Fields: Carbonyl and Nitrosyl Stretches in Model Compounds and Proteins

The vibrational Stark effect (VSE) is the effect of an electric field on the vibrational spectrum. Typically, the largest change induced by an electric field is the linear frequency shift whose sensitivity is known as theStark tuning rate Δμ; the magnitude and direction of Δμ are measured by VSE spectroscopy. This can be used to calibrate the sensitivity of vibrational frequencies to local electrostatic fields in proteins. To be most useful, it is critical to obtain a sensitive probe that has a large Δμ, and understanding the origins of Δμ is required. The Stark tuning rate arises from two distinct origins: mechanical anharmonicity (Δμ a n h ) and the change of the bond force constant because of the electronic polarizability (Δμ b o n d ), with Δμ = Δμ a n h + Δμ b o n d . These two origins were quantitatively investigated for carbonyl and nitrosyl stretches in model compounds and proteins by IR and VSE spectroscopy. The contribution of Δμ a n h was found to dominate Δμ for carbonyl stretches in acetone, methyl vinyl ketone, and 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone despite their different degrees of electron delocalization. In contrast, the presence of d-π * back-bonding when CO is bound to the heme causes Δμ b o n d to be more significant, giving rise to large variations in the Fe-CO and C-O stretch frequencies in heme protein variants such as myoglobin mutants, with a strong negative correlation between v F e - C O and v C - O . The back-bonding also increases Δμ a n h because of the enhanced effective charges on the CO oscillator. By comparison, the small variation in Fe-NO stretch frequency and the absence of a strong negative correlation between Fe-NO and N-O stretch frequencies for NO bound to the heme iron in myoglobin variants suggest that Δμ F e - N O is much smaller than Δμ F e C O , possibly because of less back-bonding in heme-NO complexes. Nevertheless, Δμ N - O has approximately the same magnitude as Δμ C - O when bound to heme, suggesting that the anharmonic effect on VSE is larger for the N-O stretch than that for C-O stretch.
Addition of a clinical pharmacist to an inpatient family medicine service.

Pharmacists can play an important role in improving the continuity of medication management for hospitalized patients.[1][1],[2][2] Interventions, including medication reconciliation at the time of admission and discharge, may help to reduce hospital readmissions and even patient mortality.[3][3
Moving the gesture engram into the 21st century

Professor Georg Goldenberg is to be commended for providing a detailed and thoughtful summary of much of the body of work relevant to apraxia. His contribution to the field has been sustained and important, raising the profile of a fascinating and sometimes perplexing disorder. In that context, there are a number of areas in which he seems unduly influenced by older “box and arrow” models of cognition and action, perhaps failing to fully appreciate the implications of recent research relevant to the distributed architecture of the action semantic system. In this commentary, I will first summarize two of Goldenberg’s central premises, and then briefly review recent evidence that permits us to reject them.
Improve the position measurement accuracy using a dynamic on-line fuzzy interpolation technique

Traditional robot calibration implements model and modeless methods. The compensation of position error in modeless method is to move the end-effector of robot to the target position in the workspace, and to find the position error of that target position by using a bilinear interpolation method based on the neighboring 4-point's errors around the target position. A camera or other measurement devices can be utilized to find or measure this position error, and compensate this error with the interpolation result. This paper provides a novel fuzzy interpolation method to improve the compensation accuracy obtained by using a bilinear interpolation method. A dynamic online fuzzy inference system is implemented to meet the needs of a fast real-time control system and calibration environment. The simulated results show that the compensation accuracy can be greatly improved by using this fuzzy interpolation method compared with the bilinear interpolation method.
Space, the final hippocampal frontier?

It has been 13 years since O’Keefe and Nadel published their landmark theory on hippocampal function (O’Keefe and Nadel, 1978). They postulated that the hippocampus is critically involved in the formation of “cognitive maps,” which ultimately enable an animal to define its position within the environment. At the time their book was written, theories that explained hippocampal function did not sufficiently account for all the experimental findings, and their notion that the hippocampus processed spatiul memories appeared to be more consistent with the available data. Presumably, much of what prompted their theory was O’Keefe’s finding that single neurons in the hippocampus discharged only when an animal was located in a particular place in its environment (O’Keefe, 1976). H e referred to these cells as place cells, and the location from which they discharged was termed the place field. Since these initial observations, many laboratories have extended O’Keefe’s findings and have added a considerable body of knowledge concerning the properties of place cells. In recent years, a second type of spatial cell, the head direction cell, has been identified in the dorsal presubiculum (postsubiculum); these neurons discharge as a function of the animal’s head direction in the horizontal plane (Taube et al., 1990a). Although both of these spatial cells were originally identified in rodents, in recent years spatial cells in the hippocampus of nonhuman primates have also been observed (Rolls et al., 1989; Ono et al., 1989). While these neurophysiological studies are consistent with the cognitive mapping theory, it is important to consider the significance of these spatially tuned cells in terms of hippocampal function. This article will discuss whether the hippocampal formation is preferentially involved in spatial behavior by focusing its discussion on the following question: What d o the physiological recording studies on place cells and head direction cells tell us about hippocampal function? Along the way, comments will be made pertaining to some of the issues mentioned bv Nadel in his article.
‘How we feel the music’: popular music by elders and for elders

This article is inspired by the voices and perceptions of elder music fans and performing musicians, especially those older than 70 years of age. Based upon field interviews and ethnographic observations, it challenges the deleterious influences of social labelling and ageist perspectives (including casual yet damaging attributions of nostalgic yearning) that tend to delegitimise the musical interests or tastes of older citizens. By also emphasising musical performance, the article explores the active forms of music making as a strategy that mitigates notions of elders as non-productive consumers. The analysis further engages the contexts of musical performances within regulated institutional settings of assisted living residences, interrogating the logic and discourses of commercial management or State bureaucracies as they are expressed through organised musical recreation activities.
The Money Pitch: Baseball Free Agency and Salary Arbitration

The article reviews the book “The Money Pitch: Baseball Free Agency and Salary Arbitration.” by Roger I. Abrams.
Treatment of Lateral Knee Pain Using Soft Tissue Mobilization in Four Female Triathletes

Study Design: Prospective case series. Background: These case reports present results of the treatment of lateral knee pain in four female amateur triathletes. The athletes were referred to the author’s clinic with either a diagnosis of iliotibial band friction syndrome or patellofemoral pain syndrome, all four having symptoms for longer than seven months. Changes in training routines were identified as the possible cause of the overuse injuries that eventually developed into chronic conditions. Intervention: Treatment involved soft tissue mobilization of the musculotendinous structures on the lateral aspect of the knee. Results: At four weeks, three of the athletes improved 9 to 19 points on the Lower Extremity Functional Scale, 3 to 5 points on the Global Rating of Change Scale, and demonstrated improvement in hamstring and iliotibial band flexibility. At eight weeks the Global Rating of Change for these three athletes was a 7 (“a very great deal better”) and they had returned to triathlon training with no complaints of lateral knee pain. One athlete did not respond to treatment and eventually underwent arthroscopic surgery for debridement of a lateral meniscus tear. Conclusions: After ruling out common causes for lateral knee pain such as lateral meniscus tear, lateral collateral ligament sprain, patellofemoral dysfunction, osteochondral injury, biceps femoris tendonitis, iliotibial band friction syndrome or osteoarthritis, soft tissue restriction should be considered a potential source of dysfunction. In some cases soft tissue restriction is overlooked; athletes go undiagnosed and are limited from sports participation.
Rates of microbial transformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and sediments in the vicinity of a coal-coking wastewater discharge.

To facilitate predictions of the transport and fate of contaminants at future coal conversion facilities, rates of microbial transformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in stream water and sediment samples collected in the vicinity of a coal-coking treated wastewater discharge from November 1977 through August 1979. Six radiolabeled polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were incubated with sediment and water samples; 14CO2, cell-bound 14C, and polar transformation products were isolated and quantified. Whereas 14CO2 and bound 14C were major transformation products in sediment assays, soluble polar 14C dominated transformation in water samples. Mean rate constants (measured at 20°C) in sediments collected downstream from the effluent outfall were 7.8 × 10−2 h−1 (naphthalene), 1.6 × 10−2 h−1 (anthracene), and 3.3 × 10−3 h−1 [benz(a)anthracene], which corresponded to turnover times of 13, 62, and 300 h, respectively. No unequivocal evidence for transformation of benzo(a)pyrene or dibenz(a,h)anthracene was obtained. Only naphthalene and anthracene transformations were observed in water samples; rate constants were consistently 5- and 20-fold lower, respectively, than in the corresponding sediment samples. The measured rate constants for anthracene transformation in July 1978 sediment samples were not related to total heterotroph numbers. In late July 1978, the effluent was diverted from the primary study area; however, no differences were observed either in transformation rate constants or in the downstream/upstream sediment rate constant ratio. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that continuous inputs of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons result in an increased ability within a microbial community to utilize certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. However, because transformation rates remained elevated for more than 1 year after removal of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon source, microbial communities may shift only slowly in response to changes in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations.
Nearshore Fish Distributions in an Alaskan Estuary in Relation to Stratification, Temperature and Salinity

Fish were sampled with beach seines and small-meshed beam trawls in nearshore (<1 km) and shallow (<25 m) habitats on the southern coast of Kachemak Bay, Cook Inlet, Alaska, from June to August, 1996–1998. Fish distributions among habitats were analysed for species composition, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and frequency of occurrence. Two oceanographically distinct areas of Kachemak Bay were sampled and compared: the Outer Bay and the Inner Bay. Outer Kachemak Bay is exposed and receives oceanic, upwelled water from the Gulf of Alaska, whereas the Inner Bay is more estuarine. Thermohaline properties of bottom water in the Outer and Inner Bay were essentially the same, whereas the Inner Bay water-column was stratified with warmer, less saline waters near the surface. Distribution and abundance of pelagic schooling fish corresponded with area differences in stratification, temperature and salinity. The Inner Bay supported more species and higher densities of schooling and demersal fish than the Outer Bay. Schooling fish communities sampled by beach seine differed between the Outer and Inner Bays. Juvenile and adult Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi), osmerids (Osmeridae) and sculpins (Cottidae) were all more abundant in the Inner Bay. Gadids (Gadidae) were the only schooling fish taxa more abundant in the Outer Bay. Thermohaline characteristics of bottom water were similar throughout Kachemak Bay. Correspondingly, bottom fish communities were similar in all areas. Relative abundances (CPUE) were not significantly different between areas for any of the five demersal fish groups: flatfishes (Pleuronectidae), ronquils (Bathymasteridae), sculpins (Cottidae), gadids (Gadidae) and pricklebacks (Stichaeidae).
Alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation with exogenous norepinephrine or release of endogenous catecholamines mimics ischemic preconditioning

BACKGROUNDBrief episodes of ischemia induced by proximal coronary artery occlusion can precondition the myocardium. Whether other stressful stimuli have the potential to protect the myocardium from subsequent ischemia remains controversial.METHODS AND RESULTSTo study the hypothesis that transient alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation mimics preconditioning, for 5 minutes we administered 0.25 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 norepinephrine or saline 10 minutes before a 30-minute coronary occlusion and 4 hours of reperfusion in an in vivo rabbit model. The area of necrosis (AN) and area of risk (AR) were measured. We found that norepinephrine pretreatment caused a reduction in infarct size when compared with controls (AN/AR, 0.17 +/- 0.04 versus 0.31 +/- 0.04; P < .02). Ischemic preconditioning also reduced infarct size (AN/AR, 0.22 +/- 0.03). The protection observed with norepinephrine treatment was entirely eliminated by pretreatment with alpha-adrenergic blockade using prazosin (AN/AR, 0.42 +/- 0.06). Tyramine, an agent t...