cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Topics on Expressing and Predicting Results of Life-Cycle Tests

In April 1967, Mount and Stephan published results of two life-cycle toxicity tests with the fathead minnow and introduced the terms maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) and laboratory fish production index. Although the methodology for life-cycle tests has been improved substantially, and such tests can now be conducted with a variety of fishes and invertebrates, major issues exist concerning the ways in which results of these tests can be calculated and presented. The purpose of this paper is to present the rationale to answer three questions. First, is it better to calculate results by considering data for a smorgasbord of individual biological measurements or for one or a few integrated effects that are commercially, recreationally, or ecologically important? Second, is it better to calculate results using hypothesis testing or regression analysis? Third, what terminology is appropriate for expressing results of life-cycle chronic tests? The usefulness of various other tests for predicting results of life-cycle tests cannot be adequately assessed until some of these issues are resolved.
Autophagy and regulation of lipid metabolism.

Macroautophagy (henceforth referred to as autophagy) is an in-bulk lysosomal degradative pathway that plays a crucial role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis through the removal of damaged proteins and aged organelles. Following nutrient deprivation, a primary cellular response is the induction of autophagy that breaks down redundant cellular components and provides amino acids and additional precursor molecules for processes critical for cellular survival. In parallel, nutrient depletion leads to the mobilization of cellular lipid stores to supply free fatty acids for energy, thus pointing to regulatory and functional similarities between autophagy and lipid metabolism. The current chapter discusses the novel and mutually exclusive roles of autophagy in the regulation of lipid metabolism in the liver and of fat storage within the adipose tissue. Our studies in cultured hepatocytes and the murine liver have demonstrated that autophagy serves to degrade intracellular lipid stores through a process that we have termed “macrolipophagy” and that ablation of liver-specific autophagy leads to excessive hepatic lipid accumulation and the development of fatty liver. In contrast, preadipocytes in culture that lacked autophagy failed to differentiate into mature adipocytes and exhibited a reduction in fat storage that translated to decreased adipose tissue mass in an in vivo mouse model. These recent findings establish an association between autophagy and regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism and adipose tissue biology, thus providing new mechanistic insights into the regulation of these complex processes. These findings also highlight the possibility of novel therapeutic approaches, such as differential organ-specific regulation of autophagy to solve problems that arise from lipid over accumulation that occur in the metabolic syndrome and with aging.
Some Realism About Punishment Naturalism

In this paper we critique the increasingly prominent claims of punishment naturalism – the notion that highly nuanced intuitions about most forms of crime and punishment are broadly shared, and that this agreement is best explained by a particular form of evolutionary psychology. While the core claims of punishment naturalism are deeply attractive and intuitive, they are contradicted by a broad array of studies and depend on a number of logical missteps. The most obvious shortcoming of punishment naturalism is that it ignores empirical research demonstrating deep disagreements over what constitutes a wrongful act and just how wrongful it should be deemed to be. But an equally serious shortcoming of punishment naturalism is that it fails to provide a credible account of the social and cognitive mechanisms by which individuals evaluate both crime and punishment, opting instead for explanations that are either specific and demonstrably wrong or so vague as to be untestable. By way of contrast we describe an alternative approach, punishment realism, that develops the core insights of legal realism via psychology and anthropology. Punishment realism, we argue, offers a more complete account of agreement and disagreement over the criminal law and provides a more detailed and credible account of the social and cognitive mechanisms that move people to either agree or disagree with one another on whether and how much praise or punishment a given act deserves. The differences between these two empirical accounts also entail contrasting implications for how those interested in maximizing social welfare and public satisfaction with the law should approach questions of crime and punishment.
Uptake, storage, and distribution of amines in bovine adrenal medullary vesicles.

The biphasic nature of the efflux of amines from isolated adrenal storage vesicles suggests that there are two storage pools. The uptake, storage, and distribution of 11 amines were determined to elucidate the structural specificity of the uptake mechanism and storage system in each pool. The half-times for efflux of newly incorporated amines from the two pools were 5 min ("fast pool") and 0.5-3 hr ("slow pool"). Both pools were located in the heavy vesicle fraction, as demonstrated by density gradient centrifugation of vesicles labeled with 14 C-epinephrine (a slow pool seeker) and 3 H-metaraminol (a fast pool seeker). The following moieties increased fast pool uptake when substituted on the basic β-phenylethylamine structure: p -hydroxyl, m -methoxy, and α-methyl. Slow pool uptake was increased by p - and m -hydroxyl substitution and by replacement of the phenyl ring with 5-hydroxyindole. β-Hydroxyl and catechol groups contributed to the stability of storage in the slow pool, but not in the fast pool. Amines which enter the slow pool were more dependent on ATP-Mg 2+ -stimulated uptake (and therefore more sensitive to blockade of uptake by reserpine) than were amines which primarily enter the fast pool. Other amines inhibited the uptake of epinephrine in both pools, and the slow pool uptake mechanism was saturated at lower substrate concentrations. β-Phenylethylamine was not taken up into either pool, but inhibited epinephrine incorporation, suggesting that the uptake process is independent of the storage process. Binding of amines to chromogranins cannot account for the storage of amines in either pool, but may contribute to the specificity of binding in the slow pool.
Creating Your Own Professional Portfolio

Many school districts are using professional portfolios as part of their hiring, retention, evaluation, and promotion process. This article provides educators with guidelines and resources for developing professional portfolios that reflect their experiences, training, and achievements as educators. Although the guidelines are presented in the context of educators entering the profession, they can be adapted by educators who have been teaching for several years.
Unique Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of the One-Compartment First-Order Absorption Model with Equal Absorption and Elimination Rate Constants

Evaluation of slow-release products often demands a clear understanding of pharmacokinetic characteristics of the one-compartiment first-order absorption model when the absorption rate constant approaches the elimination rate constant. The aim of this communication is to present a unique semilogarithmic ratio plot for assessing the equality of these two rate constants.
Kinetic-energy functional of the electron density.

A kinetic-energy functional of the electronic density is presented. This functional is based on an integral form and is correct through second order in the response. The formulas are compared numerically with the Thomas--Fermi--von Weizs\"acker--like formulas and favorable results are found. These formulas correctly give both shell structures in the electron densities of atoms and bond charges in the electron densities of solids. This quantum oscillation in the electron density is lacking in the densities of previous kinetic-energy functionals and is regarded as the major achievement of the current approach.
The effect of a mechanical force on quantum reaction rate: quantum Bell formula.

The purpose of this note is to derive a quantum-mechanical analog of Bell's formula, which describes the sensitivity of a chemical reaction to a mechanical pulling force. According to this formula, the reaction rate depends exponentially on the force f, i.e., k( f ) ∼ exp( f / fc), where the force scale fc is estimated as the thermal energy kBT divided by a distance a between the reactant and transition states along the pulling coordinate. Here I use instanton theory to show that, at low temperatures where quantum tunneling is dominant, this force scale becomes fc ∼ ℏω/a (in the limit where frictional damping is absent) or fc ∼ ℏτ−1/a (in the strong damping limit). Here ω is a characteristic vibration frequency along the pulling coordinate and τ is a characteristic relaxation time in the reactant state. That is, unlike the classical case where fc is unaffected by dissipation, this force scale becomes friction dependent in the quantum limit. I further derive higher-order corrections in the force dependence...
Volumetric topological analysis: a novel method for trabecular bone characterization on the continuum between plates and rods

Trabecular bone (TB) is a complex quasi-random network of interconnected struts and plates. TB constantly remodels to adapt dynamically to the stresses to which it is subjected (Wolff's Law). In osteoporosis, this dynamic equilibrium between bone formation and resorption is perturbed, leading to bone loss and structural deterioration, both increasing fracture risk. Bone's mechanical competence can only be partly explained by variations in bone mineral density, which led to the notion of bone structural quality. Previously, we developed digital topological analysis or DTA which classifies plates, rods, profiles, edges and junctions in a TB skeletal representation. Although the method has become quite popular, a major limitation is that DTA produces hard classifications only, failing to distinguish between narrow and wide plates. Here, we present a new method called volumetric topological analysis or VTA for quantification of regional topology in complex quasi-random TB networks. At each TB voxel, the method uniquely classifies the topology on the continuum between perfect plates and rods. Therefore, the method is capable of detecting early alterations of trabeculae from plates to rods according to the known etiology of osteoporotic bone loss. Here, novel ideas of geodesic distance transform, geodesic scale and feature propagation have been introduced and combined with DTA and fuzzy distance transform methods conceiving the new VTA technology. The method has been applied to MDCT and μCT images of a cadaveric distal tibia specimen and the results have been quantitatively evaluated. Specifically, intra- and inter-modality reproducibility of the method has been examined and the results are found very promising.
Dark current, breakdown, and magnetic field effects in a multicell, 805 MHz cavity.

We present measurements of dark currents and x rays in a six cell 805 MHz cavity, taken as part of an rf development program for muon cooling, which requires high power, high stored energy, low frequency cavities operating in a strong magnetic field. We have done the first systematic study of the behavior of high power rf in a strong (2.5-4 T) magnetic field. Our measurements extend over a very large dynamic range in current and provide good fits to the Fowler-Nordheim field emission model assuming mechanical structures produce field enhancements at the surface. The locally enhanced field intensities we derive at the tips of these emitters are very large, (-10 GV/m), and should produce tensile stresses comparable to the tensile strength of the copper cavity walls and should be capable of causing breakdown events. We also compare our data with estimates of tensile stresses from a variety of accelerating structures. Preliminary studies of the internal surface of the cavity and window are presented, which show splashes of copper with many sharp cone shaped protrusions and wires which can explain the experimentally measured field enhancements. We discuss a 'cold copper' breakdown mechanism and briefly review alternatives. We also discuss amore » number of effects due to the 2.5 T solenoidal fields on the cavity such as altered field emission due to mechanical deformation of emitters, and dark current ring beams, which are produced from the irises by ExB drifts during the nonrelativistic part of the acceleration process.« less
Intra-pixel response of the new JWST infrared detector arrays

We have repeated some of our previous measurements of the intra-pixel response of the infrared detector arrays for the Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This set of tests was performed on a 5 micron cutoff substrate-removed HAWAII-1RG from the new batch of devices produced for JWST. The measurements were done at wavelengths from 650 nm to 1550 nm. The results from these tests indicate that there are no significant differences in the intra-pixel response between the older JWST devices and the new ones. Modeling suggests that the primary contributor to the response profile is diffusion in the bulk detector material.
Bifunctional Reagents for Bioorganic Syntheses. Bis-Enamines. Cross-Linking by Amine Exchange Reactions

Abstract Synthesis of several 3,3′-sulfonyl-bis-enamines (7–11) is reported. These bis-enamines undergo facile amine exchange reactions with primary amines to form new, more stable bis-enamines (12–16). Bis-enamines represent a new class of bifunctional reagents with potential utility in biomacromolecular cross-linking.
MIXED GERM CELL TUMOR OF THE TESTICLE PRESENTING WITH A SACROCOCCYGEAL MASS AND NO EVIDENCE OF RETROPERITONEAL ADENOPATHY

M. W., a 42-year-old man, presented with painless enlargement of the left testicle and right lower extremity weakness associated with low back pain. Physical examination revealed a firm mass in the left testicle and right lower extremity weakness associated with decreased sensation corresponding to spinal cord levels L4-S1. Lactic dehydrogenase and p human chorionic gonadotropin were elevated at 478 and 40, respectively, and (Y fetoprotein was normal. Scrotal ultrasound demonstrated a heterogeneous, solid left testiculac mass (fig. 1). Computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed no evidence of retroperitoneal adenopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine revealed a sacral mass within the epidural space abutting the nerve roots SlS3. Left radical orchiectomy was performed. Pathological FIG. 2. CT guided fine needle aspiration reveals sacral mass evaluation &owed a mixed germ cell t~mor composed of seminoma, mature teratoma and embryonal cell carcinoma. CT guided aspiration of the sacral mass revealed cellular characteristics consistent with seminoma (fig. 2).
Resection of the inferior vena cava without reconstruction for urologic malignancies.

Objectives To present our experience with inferior vena cava (IVC) resection in 6 patients. Complete surgical excision of tumors within the retroperitoneum may afford patients their best chance at long-term disease-free survival. In rare instances, surgical therapy may require resection of the IVC. Methods Between 2005 and 2008, a total of 6 patients underwent caval resection. The median age of the patients was 47 years (range 26-66 years). Three patients had metastatic germ cell tumors within the retroperitoneum and underwent postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Two patients had transitional cell carcinoma and 1 had renal cell carcinoma of the right kidney, which were treated by radical nephrectomy. The infrarenal IVC was removed in 5 patients and the infrahepatic cava in the remaining patient. The IVC was not reconstructed in any patient. Results Mean length of stay was 10 days (range 7-17 days). Five complications were noted in 2 patients. Complications included pneumothorax, lower-extremity compartment syndrome, right upper-extremity brachial plexus stretch injury, and respiratory failure in 1 patient and atrial fibrillation in another. No complications occurred in the remaining patients. Chronic lower extremity edema was not encountered in any patient. At present, all 3 patients with testicular cancer are disease-free. Of the 3 patients with kidney cancer, 2 died of disease progression and the remaining patient has metastatic disease. Conclusions IVC resection without reconstruction is well tolerated in patients with large retroperitoneal masses because most patients have well-established collaterals before surgery due to pre-existing caval obstruction. Multiple variables have been correlated with improved prognosis in cancer patients. One of the factors most important to surgical oncologists is complete tumor resection at the time of initial extirpative surgery. Complete excision of tumors within the retroperitoneum may require resection of major vascular structures, including the IVC.
Decision making in the treatment of school-age children who stutter

The purpose of this article is to provide clinicians information on some of the key issues in making decisions about the treatment process for children who stutter. Ten decisions that should be considered prior to, during, and at the time of dismissal are discussed. These decisions relate to a number of issues regarding treatment such as: increasing clinicians' confidence in treating stuttering in children, setting long- and short-term goals, selecting an approach to treatment, documenting progress, involving parents and teachers in the treatment process, and determining when the child is ready to be dismissed from treatment. Additionally, questions clinicians should ask themselves are presented with each of the ten decisions. The intent of this article is to show how an analysis of clinical information systematically collected over a period of time will help a clinician make accurate decisions about the treatment of children who stutter.
Analogical Reasoning and Computer Programming

Investigations of the cognitive demands of programming can inform teaching and validate claims that important cognitive skills are inherent in programming. Given reports of experts' use of analogic...
Combined effects of caffeine and malnutrition on the development of the trigeminal nuclear center: autoradiographic and biochemical studies.

Six groups of pregnant dams were each fed a 20%, 12%, and 6% protein diet with and without caffeine (2 mg/100 g b.wt), starting on day 7 of gestation. Dams of each group were injected with two successive daily doses of 3H-thymidine in an overlapping series beginning on day 7 and ending on day 16 of gestation. At day 15 postbirth, brains of the offspring were removed, fixed and embedded. Neurogenesis in the rat trigeminal motor nucleus was examined by radiogram in serial sections. In general, the peak production of the neurons of the motor nucleus of V in the malnourished group of the control was on embryonic (E) days E10 + 11, whereas that of the caffeine group was E11 + 12. In the normally nourished group, peak production in the control was E9 + 10, whereas in the caffeine group it was E11 + 12. Trigeminal areas from the brains of pups of each group, which were kept frozen from our previous studies on suckling behavior (23), were used to analyze DNA, protein and cholesterol levels in the present study. At day 1 caffeine's effects on DNA, protein and cholesterol concentrations of the trigeminal area between the groups were different, depending upon the nutritional status. At day 15, those parameters in the caffeine group were greater although no caffeine was added to the lactating dams' diet. This study again demonstrated that prenatal caffeine intake in combination with protein-energy malnutrition produces permanent effects on the trigeminal nuclear center indicated by autoradiography and changes in biochemical parameters.
Design Requirements For Large-Scale Focal Planes

This paper presents the rationale, based on sensitivity and reduced optical aperture, for selecting a staring sensor over a scanning sensor for space applications where a weak target signal must be extracted from a heavily cluttered background. Performance requirements are also discussed, including parameters of material, sensitivity, uniformity, dead space, resolution, and dynamic range. The important processes in signal processing are presented: filtering, correlation, detection, and tracking.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Applying knowledge-based methods to design and implement an air quality workshop

In response to protection needs in class I wilderness areas, forest land managers of the USDA Forest Service must provide input to regulatory agencies regarding air pollutant impacts on air quality-related values. Regional workshops have been convened for land managers and scientists to discuss the aspects and extent of wilderness protection needs. Previous experience with a national workshop indicated that a document summarizing workshop discussions will have little operational utility. An alternative is to create a knowledge-based analytical system, in addition to the document, to aid land managers in assessing effects of air pollutants on wilderness. Knowledge-based methods were used to design and conduct regional workshops in the western United States. Extracting knowledge from a large number of workshop participants required careful planning of workshop discussions. Knowledge elicitation methods helped with this task. This knowledge-based approach appears to be effective for focusing group discussions and collecting knowledge from large groups of specialists.
Acetylation and chromosomal functions

Since the initial discovery of histone acetyltransferases, numerous reports have established that histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases regulate transcription by acetylating and deacetylating histones, respectively. Recent studies have focused on the effects of histone acetylation on gene expression regulation during development and the roles of histone hypoacetylation in the maintenance of centromeric structure, X-inactivation and genomic imprinting. Recent findings have also shown that the functions of non-histone proteins can also be regulated by acetylation. Together, these data highlight the importance of acetylation of histones and non-histone proteins in a variety of chromosomal functions.
Theoretical modelling of the structural evolution of gels

Abstract In the preparation of oxides by the sol-gel route, it has been observed that the viscosity increases with time. Throughout this process, the molecular weight of species is also increasing. Theoretical models are proposed to elucidate the structural evolution of gels utilizing measurements of viscosity vs. time dependencies. Two models, one for nearly linear growth and another for fractal growth, are presented.
Non-surgical therapy for the management of peri-implantitis: a systematic review.

Peri-implantitis is characterized by mucosal inflammation and loss of supporting peri-implant bone. Objective The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of non-surgical treatment of peri-implantitis. Materials and methods MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched to identify randomized clinical trial studies that assessed non-surgical treatment of peri-implantitis with a minimum follow-up period of 3 months. Results From a total of 29 abstracts, nine trials were included in this systematic review. Adjunctive local delivery of antibiotics, submucosal glycine powder air polishing, or Er:YAG laser treatment resulted in greater reduction in bleeding on probing compared with submucosal debridement using curettes with adjunctive irrigation with chlorhexidine. In addition, greater reductions in probing depths were found following adjunctive local delivery of antibiotics. The evidence neither supported nor refuted the clinical efficacy of submucosal debridement using curettes or ultrasonic scalers alone. No progressive bone loss was found following any of the assessed treatments over a maximum observation period of 12 months. Only two studies reported implant survival rates, which were 100% over 6 months. Conclusions The available evidence suggested that submucosal debridement with adjunctive local delivery of antibiotics, submucosal glycine powder air polishing, or Er:YAG laser treatment may reduce clinical signs of peri-implant mucosal inflammation to a greater extent relative to submucosal debridement using curettes with adjunctive irrigation with chlorhexidine. Long-term randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the efficacy of non-surgical therapy on progressing bone loss, implant survival rates, and measures of oral health-related quality of life.
Murine immunological and histological changes in response to chronic silica exposure.

Abstract The relationship between immunological and histological changes was studied in mice exposed to silica dust over a period of 39 weeks. The response of these mice to Escherichia coli antigens given as an aerosol was suppressed in the spleen at all times tested, while in the mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN) an initial enhancement at 9 weeks was followed by suppression of responses at all subsequent times. The development of silica-induced lesions also was studied using histological methods. With polarized light, silica-laden aggregations of macrophages were observed in the lungs after 24, 33, 36, and 39 weeks. Using scanning electron microscopy, numerous macrophages were frequently present in respiratory airways of silica-exposed animals. Typical silicotic lesions were observed in lungs and adjacent lymph nodes after 39 weeks of exposure.
Pseudo-Replication of [GADV]-Proteins and Origin of Life

The RNA world hypothesis on the origin of life is generally considered as the key to solve the “chicken and egg dilemma” concerning the evolution of genes and proteins as observed in the modern organisms. This hypothesis, however, contains several serious weak points. We have a counterproposal called [GADV]-protein world hypothesis, abbreviated as GADV hypothesis, in which we have suggested that life originated from a [GADV]-protein world, which comprised proteins composed of four amino acids: Gly [G], Ala [A], Asp [D], and Val [V]. A new concept “pseudo-replication” is crucial for the description of the emergence of life. The new hypothesis not only plausibly explains how life originated from the initial chaotic protein world, but also how genes, genetic code, and proteins co-evolved.
Assessment and management of plant genetic diversity: considerations of intra- and interspecific variation

Abstract Effective management of plant genetic diversity incorporates agricultural development as a critical element of conservation. Advancement of renewable production of food and other plant-derived essentials of human culture must be compatible with and supportive of stewardship of those biological resources basic to agriculture. Balance must be struck between the accumulation of short-term dividends contributing to an enhanced quality of life and maintenance of insurance consisting of representative and well-characterized genetic diversity for the future. Plant genetic diversity is complex in theory and practice. To best understand plant genetic diversity, it is essential to consider variation as richness and distribution at both the intra- and interspecific levels. If a species is defined as a potentially interbreeding population, then the diversity existing in the gene pool is manifested as its resilience in response to selection, whether natural or artificial. Depending on the state of our genetic understanding of a taxon, genetic diversity may be considered at different organizational levels: gene pool, population, individual, genome, locus, and DNA base sequence. Concepts and techniques of classical genetics must be consolidated with recent progress in population, systematic and molecular biology. This synthesis will allow for a clearer characterization of both intra- and interspecific variation of wild and domesticated plants and greatly enhance conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources for the future.
The impact of autonomy on information systems planning effectiveness

Autonomy for information systems planning may have an impact on the effectiveness of that planning. Theory Y suggests that when managers have more autonomy, they have greater feelings of ownership, commitment, and responsibility, and thus perform better. A postal survey of 131 chief information officers of US subsidiaries of multinational firms collected data to test hypotheses based on the theory. Data analysis revealed that autonomy for IS planning in general and the strategy selection planning activity in particular significantly predicted IS planning effectiveness. These findings thus extend the theory to a new domain, namely IS planning in multinational firms, and thereby facilitate a better understanding of the management of IS planning. They further suggest that parent managers consider delegating greater autonomy to the managers of their foreign subsidiaries.
Avoidant control difficulty and aversive incentive appraisals: Additional evidence of an energization effect

There is evidence that certain physiological and subjective indices of stress are relatively great when control over aversive outcomes is moderately difficult and relatively reduced when control over such outcomes is either easy or impossible. A possible explanation is suggested by Brehm's recent theory of motivation, which asserts that energy mobilization and the perceived unpleasantness of an aversive event will (a) increase with the difficulty of avoidant behavior so long as avoidance is believed to be possible and worthwhile, and (b) be low when avoidant behavior is impossible, not worthwhile, or simply unavailable. This article reports two experiments that examined appraisals of an aversive incentive under conditions where avoidance was expected to be easy, difficult, and impossible. The first demonstrated the complete nonmonotonic pattern of appraisals predicted by the energization theory, something that has proved elusive in previous investigations. The second study demonstrated this as well and, in addition, showed a correspondence between subjects' incentive appraisals and their cardiovascular responses immediately before and during an avoidance task period. Implications and alternative interpretations are discussed.
A New type of Periodic Structure Obtained by Reconstitution of Paramyosin from Acid Solutions.

The type of periodic distribution of density characteristic of naturally occurring paramyosin fibrils (native paramyosin) obtained from molluscan adductor muscles has been described by Hall, Jakus and Schmitt.l Small angle x-ray diffraction work,2 using adductor muscles of the clam, Venus mercenaria, showed that the native paramyosin fibril has small angle order in only one plane. The periodicity in the dry state is described by a nonprimitive cell with elements ao = 261 A., bo = 720 A. (fiber axis), included angle 90?35' and with five equivalent positions per cell. In the wet state, the structure is similar, but with cell elements ao = 310 A., bo = 725 A. and included angle 94?. The type of lattice deduced from the x-ray diffraction data can be directly visualized in electron micrographs of fibrils stained with phosphotungstic acid (PTA), the structure consisting of fine dense bands spaced 145 A. apart, together with a network of dense spots superimposed on the bands in such a manner that the true repeat period is 5 X 145 = 725 A. Thus, the native paramyosin fibril can be regarded as a well-characterized entity, easily recognizable in the electron microscope. Extensive electron microscopic investigation of preparations from Venus adductor muscles has failed to disclose the presence of any type of periodically striated fibril other than that described above.3 It will be shown in the present paper that it is possible under certain conditions to cause at least one of the constituents of native paramyosin (which itself may be a complex) to undergo a reconstitution process from solution, resulting in the formation of protein fibrils having a type of repeating structure distinctly different from that of the native paramyosin. When adductor muscles from Venus (particularly the white portions thereof) are macerated by means of a Waring Blendor in dilute salt solution, (0.2-0.3 M KC1, pH 5-6), a suspension of long needle-like fibrils is obtained which, however, contains considerable amounts bf dissolved proteins and cellular debris. Such suspensions are easily purified by differential centrifugation, and after repeated centrifugation, it is possible to obtain suspensions containing very little other than typical native paramyosin fibrils. These fibrils are insoluble i:t low ionic strength in the pH range 5-7. On the addition of dilute acid (usually acetic acid, because of its buffering capacity), there is an immediate clearing of the opaque suspensions as the protein goes into solution. Such solutions have ultra-violet absorption spectra characteristic of proteins, no unusual bands being observable. By
Generating a taxonomy of spatially cued attention for visual discrimination: effects of judgment precision and set size on attention

Attention precues improve the performance of perceptual tasks in many but not all circumstances. These spatial attention effects may depend upon display set size or workload, and have been variously attributed to external noise filtering, stimulus enhancement, contrast gain, or response gain, or to uncertainty or other decision effects. In this study, we document systematically different effects of spatial attention in low- and high-precision judgments, with and without external noise, and in different set sizes in order to contribute to the development of a taxonomy of spatial attention. An elaborated perceptual template model (ePTM) provides an integrated account of a complex set of effects of spatial attention with just two attention factors: a set-size dependent exclusion or filtering of external noise and a narrowing of the perceptual template to focus on the signal stimulus. These results are related to the previous literature by classifying the judgment precision and presence of external noise masks in those experiments, suggesting a taxonomy of spatially cued attention in discrimination accuracy.
Critical role of promoter IV-driven BDNF transcription in GABAergic transmission and synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex

Transcription of Bdnf is controlled by multiple promoters, which drive expression of multiple transcripts encoding for the same protein. Promoter IV contributes significantly to activity-dependent brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) transcription. We have generated promoter IV mutant mice (BDNF-KIV) by inserting a GFP-STOP cassette within the Bdnf exon IV locus. This genetic manipulation results in disruption of promoter IV-mediated Bdnf expression. BDNF-KIV animals exhibited significant deficits in GABAergic interneurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), particularly those expressing parvalbumin, a subtype implicated in executive function and schizophrenia. Moreover, disruption of promoter IV-driven Bdnf transcription impaired inhibitory but not excitatory synaptic transmission recorded from layer V pyramidal neurons in the PFC. The attenuation of GABAergic inputs resulted in an aberrant appearance of spike-timing-dependent synaptic potentiation (STDP) in PFC slices derived from BDNF-KIV, but not wild-type littermates. These results demonstrate the importance of promoter IV-dependent Bdnf transcription in GABAergic function and reveal an unexpected regulation of STDP in the PFC by BDNF.
Changing how I feel about the food: experimentally manipulated affective associations with fruits change fruit choice behaviors

Fewer than half of Americans meet current recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake. The behavioral affective associations model posits that feelings and emotions associated with a behavior are a proximal influence on decision making. Cross-sectional evidence supports the model and suggests that affective associations predict fruit and vegetable consumption. The purpose of this study was to test whether a causal relation exists between affective associations about fruits and future fruit consumption behavior, as measured by a snack selection task. Following a baseline assessment of cognitive and affective variables, participants’ (N = 161) affective associations about fruits were experimentally manipulated with an implicit priming paradigm. Images of fruits were repeatedly paired with positive, negative, or neutral affective stimuli. The key outcome measure was a behavioral choice task in which participants chose between fruit and a granola bar. Participants in the positive prime condition were three times more likely than those in the negative condition to select a piece of fruit over the granola bar alternative in the snack selection task. They were also twice as likely as those in the neutral condition to select fruit. There were no changes in self-reported affective associations or cognitive beliefs. These findings provide further evidence of the implicit and direct influence of affective associations on behavior, suggesting the need to both incorporate the role of affect in health decision making models, as well as the potential utility of intervention strategies targeting affective associations with health-related behaviors.
Threshold stress intensity factor and crack growth rate prediction under mixed-mode loading

A new mixed-mode threshold stress intensity factor is developed using a critical plane-based multiaxial fatigue theory and the Kitagawa diagram. The proposed method is a nominal approach since the fatigue damage is evaluated using remote stresses acting on a cracked component rather than stresses near the crack tip. An equivalent stress intensity factor defined on the critical plane is proposed to predict the fatigue crack growth rate under mixed-mode loading. A major advantage is the applicability of the proposed model to many different materials, which experience either shear or tensile dominated crack growth. The proposed model is also capable to nonproportional fatigue loading since the critical plane explicitly considers the influence of the load path. The predictions of the proposed fatigue crack growth model under constant amplitude loading are compared with a wide range of fatigue results in the literature. Excellent agreements between experimental data and model predictions are observed.
Mechanistic systems modeling to guide drug discovery and development

A crucial question that must be addressed in the drug development process is whether the proposed therapeutic target will yield the desired effect in the clinical population. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies place a large investment on research and development, long before confirmatory data are available from human trials. Basic science has greatly expanded the computable knowledge of disease processes, both through the generation of large omics data sets and a compendium of studies assessing cellular and systemic responses to physiologic and pathophysiologic stimuli. Given inherent uncertainties in drug development, mechanistic systems models can better inform target selection and the decision process for advancing compounds through preclinical and clinical research.
Modern Transportation Funding and User-Pays Principle: Are Drivers Paying for What They Get and Getting What They Pay For?

Shrinking gas tax purchasing power has resulted in a growing dependence on sales taxes dedicated to local transportation to fund California roadway and transit projects. However, these new funding strategies stray from the traditional user-pays principle embodied in the gas tax and long espoused by FHWA as the fairest way to finance highway projects. After the funding sources of the Presidio Parkway (an ongoing public-private partnership project in San Francisco, California, that uses availability payments) were analyzed, it was found that federal and state gas taxes were still the largest source of funding at 53%, while federal support, tolls, and sales taxes contributed 23%, 16%, and 8%, respectively. An analysis of users of the facility, in the form of commuters who use private cars and bus transit to access downtown from the surrounding San Francisco and North Bay areas, revealed that individual contributions through a host of transportation taxes and fees were minuscule when compared with the annual ...
Safety in the operating room: Neurosurgical perspective

Neurosurgical procedures involve a great deal of complexity and are carried out over a prolonged time period. Consequently the operating room personnel have to ensure precise safety measures for its smooth functioning. The safety measures are in concurrence with the general safety guidelines for surgical procedures. However there are specific considerations which apply to neurosurgical operations. Operating on the wrong side of the brain, leaving cottonoids in the brain and prevention of intracranial granulomas and meningitis due to bone dust while drilling are a few important points which need attention. The safety procedures will be discussed in relation to the pertinent literature on the subject.
TREE-RING VARIATION IN PINYON PREDICTS LIKELIHOOD OF DEATH FOLLOWING SEVERE DROUGHT

A severe drought in northern Arizona caused widespread pinyon (Pinus edulis) mortality, exceeding 40% in some populations. We measured tree-ring widths of pinyons that survived and that died in three sites designated as “high,” “medium,” and “low” stress. Growth characteristics during the previous 10–15 years can be used to predict the likelihood of drought-induced death; dead trees exhibited 1.5 times greater variation in growth than live trees. A model of ring-width deviations vs. drought severity showed a loss of “climatic sensitivity” with age in dead trees. These differences were independent of site. We found two distinct tree types that are predisposed to die during drought; highly sensitive young trees, and insensitive older trees. As the Southwest has a dynamic climate typified by severe droughts, it is important to understand how droughts act as bottleneck events to affect a dominant tree in a major vegetation type of the United States.
All-in-One Optical Pickup Lens

Objective lens comprises two elements that be able to read and write CD, DVD and BD. Adjusts axial position of one piece of lens, to changed the NA value. Simultaneously compensate spherical and chromatic aberration.
Improved link analysis method for user interface design-modified link table and optimisation-based algorithm

Link analysis (LA) is one of most widely used methods in user interface design to arrange control elements on user interfaces. However, traditional LA method is insufficient for evaluating transitional cost associated with accessibility (the easiness for the operator to reach certain control element on the interface) and the link table commonly used contains no directional information for assessing difficulty. To address these two problems, an improved LA method based on a modified link table and a branch-and-bound algorithm is proposed in this study. A case study on a simplified control interface of a boiling water reactor (BWR) in a real-world nuclear control system was exemplified to elucidate the improved method and an experiment was conducted to validate the effectiveness of the method in improving users' performance time. The results showed that the total completion time (CT) and the completion time of accessibility-associated operations were significantly shorter on the interface modified by the improved method than by the traditional LA method, while the difference of the completion time of proximity-associated operations between the two interfaces was non-significant. Therefore, although the traditional LA method can significantly ameliorate the random interface by optimising the proximity between control elements, the improved method can further improve the CT by optimally trading off the accessibility and proximity. The method can be applied to the interface which requires physical movements between the user and the interface and within the interface, especially touch screen and control panels.
Escherichia coli B N5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine vitamin-B12 transmethylase: Formation and photolability of a methylcobalamin enzyme

Abstract Extensive evidence is presented that incubation of reduced Escherichia coli 13 vitamin-B 12 transmethylase with N 5 -methyl- 14 C-tetrahydrofolate (plus unlabeled S -adenosylmethionine), with methyl- 14 C- S -adenosyImethionine alone, or with methyl- 14 C iodide resulted in the formation of a methyl- 11 C -cobalamin enzyme. Under optimal conditions N 5 -methyl- 14 C -tetrahydrofolate and methyl- 14 C-S-adenosylmethionirie yielded 0.5 equivalent and 1 equivalent, respectively, of melhyl- 14 C-cobalamin enzyme. Unlabeled N 5 -methyletrahydrofolate decreased methyl- 14 C-B 12 enzyme formation with methyl- 14 C- S -adenosylmethionine by 10-fold. Methyl- 14 C-cobalamin enzyme formation was accompanied by changes in the absorption spectrum of the initial transmethylase and produced a spectrum that displayed the characteristic of free methylcobalamin. Upon the addition of homocysteine to a methyl- 14 C-cobalamin enzyme, methionine- 14 CH 3 was obtained and the spectrum reverted back to one which was similar to that for the original enzyme. Regardless of the methyl- 14 C group donor, the methyl- 14 C-cobalamin enzyme which formed was stable to light at 0 ° unless the protein solution was acidified to pH 2.
Histogenic layer manipulation in chimeral ‘Thornless Evergreen’ trailing blackberry

‘Thornless Evergreen’ blackberry (Rubus laciniatus Willd.) is a periclinal chimera in which the epidermis has mutated to a thornless phenotype while the internal portions of the plant possess the wild thorny genotype. Shoot tips were used to establish a source of experimental material. Nine hundred plants of ‘Thornless Evergreen’ were proliferated and rooted in vitro in an effort to locate a chimeral rearrangement and/or a pure thornless plant. When these tissue culture propagated plants were grown in the greenhouse, two predominant plant types were observed; about 53% of the propagules showed a normal vining growth habit while the other 47% of the plants were dwarfed due to shortened internodes. Adventitious shoots from isolated root segments of the normal plants were thorny, while those from many of the dwarfed plants had developed from epidermal cells of the parent. Such plants of epidermal origin are no longer chimeral but are of pure thornless genotype.
Absorption and tolerability of aqueous chlorhexidine gluconate used for skin antisepsis prior to catheter insertion in preterm neonates.

To assess chlorhexidine absorption and skin tolerability in premature infants, following skin antisepsis with 2% aqueous chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) prior to peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement. Neonates less than 32 weeks gestation had skin cleansed with CHG prior to PICC placement. CHG concentrations were measured on serial blood samples. Skin integrity was evaluated for 2 weeks after CHG exposure. Twenty infants were enrolled; median gestational age was 28 2/7 weeks (range 24 3/7 to 31 4/7). Ten infants had detectable serum chlorhexidine concentrations (range 1.6 to 206 ng ml−1). Seven of these infants had their highest serum concentration 2 to 3 days following exposure. No CHG-related skin irritation occurred in any infant. CHG was detected in the blood of preterm infants receiving CHG skin antisepsis for PICC insertion. Highest serum concentrations occurred 2 to 3 days after exposure. Further investigation is needed to determine the clinical relevance of CHG absorption in preterm infants.