Using hypnosis to facilitate direct observation of multiple tics and self-monitoring in a typically developing teenager

A hypnotic induction technique was used to facilitate direct observation of multiple tics in a typically developing teenager in a home setting. A comprehensive habit reversal program then was implemented, including awareness training, competing response training, relaxation training, self-monitoring, social support and contingency management. Duration of relaxation was then self-monitored using a changing criterion design. The procedure eliminated multiple tics and achieved long-term maintenance of treatment gains. Implications for assessing and treating tics are discussed.

Direct observation of strong coupling in a dense plasma

We present differential x-ray scattering cross sections for a radiatively heated plasma showing overall consistency, in both form and absolute value, with theoretical simulations. In particular, the evolution of the plasma from a strongly coupled high density phase to a lower density weakly coupled phase is quite clearly shown in both experiment and simulation. The success of this experiment shows that x-ray scattering has the potential to become an extremely useful diagnostic technique for dense plasma physics.

Direct Detection of the Asteroidal YORP Effect

The Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack effect is believed to alter the spin states of small bodies in the solar system. However, evidence for the effect has so far been indirect. Here we report precise optical photometric and radar observations acquired over four years of a small near-Earth asteroid (54509) 2000 PH5. We find the asteroid has been continuously increasing its rotation rate omega over this period by domega/dt = (2.0+/- 0.2) x 10-4 deg/day2. We simulated the close Earth approaches from 2001-2005, showing that gravitational torques cannot explain the observed spin-rate increase. Dynamical simulations also suggest that 2000 PH5 may reach a rotation period of ~20 seconds towards the end of its expected lifetime

The complex array of bradykinin-related peptides (BRPs) in the peptidome of pickerel frog (Rana palustris) skin secretion is the product of transcriptional economy.

Previous peptidomic analyses of the defensive skin secretion from the North American pickerel frog, Rana palustris, have established the presence of canonical bradykinin and multiple bradykinin-related peptides (BRPs). As a consequence of the multiplicity of peptides identified and their diverse primary structures, it was speculated that they must represent the products of expression of multiple genes. Here, we present unequivocal evidence that the majority of BRPs (11/13) identified in skin secretion by the peptidomic approach can be generated by differential site-specific protease cleavage from a single common precursor of 321 amino acid residues, named skin kininogen 1, whose primary structure was deduced from cloned skin secretion-derived cDNA. The organization of skin kininogen 1 consists of a hydrophobic signal peptide followed by eight non-identical domains each encoding a single copy of either canonical bradykinin or a BRP. Two additional splice variants, encoding precursors of 233 (skin kininogen 2) or 189 amino acid residues (skin kininogen 3), were also cloned and were found to lack BRP-encoding domains 5 and 6 or 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Thus, generation of peptidome diversity in amphibian defensive skin secretions can be achieved in part by differential protease cleavage of relatively large and multiple-encoding domain precursors reflecting a high degree of transcriptional economy.

Direct Observation of strong coupling in a laser-shock compressed plasma

In this Letter we report on a near collective x-ray scattering experiment on shock-compressed targets. A highly coupled Al plasma was generated and probed by spectrally resolving an x-ray source forward scattered by the sample. A significant reduction in the intensity of the elastic scatter was observed, which we attribute to the formation of an incipient long-range order. This speculation is confirmed by x-ray scattering calculations accounting for both electron degeneracy and strong coupling effects. Measurements from rear side visible diagnostics are consistent with the plasma parameters inferred from x-ray scattering data. These results give the experimental evidence of the strongly coupled ionic dynamics in dense plasmas.

Evidence that the major degradation product of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, GIP(3-42), is a GIP receptor antagonist in vivo

The incretin hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is rapidly degraded in the circulation by dipeptidyl peptidase IV forming the N-terminally truncated peptide GIP(3-42). The present study examined the biological activity of this abundant circulating fragment peptide to establish its possible role in GIP action. Human GIP and GIP(3-42) were synthesised by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis, purified by HPLC and characterised by electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry. In GIP receptor-transfected Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts, GIP(3-42) dose dependently inhibited GIP-stimulated (10(-7) M) cAMP production (up to 75.4 +/-5.4%; P

Density-viscosity product of small-volume ionic liquid samples using quartz crystal impedance analysis

Quartz crystal impedance analysis has been developed as a technique to assess whether room-temperature ionic liquids are Newtonian fluids and as a small-volume method for determining the values of their viscosity-density product, rho eta. Changes in the impedance spectrum of a 5-MHz fundamental frequency quartz crystal induced by a water-miscible room-temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium. trifluoromethylsulfonate ([C(4)mim][OTf]), were measured. From coupled frequency shift and bandwidth changes as the concentration was varied from 0 to 100% ionic liquid, it was determined that this liquid provided a Newtonian response. A second water-immiscible ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [C(4)mim][NTf2], with concentration varied using methanol, was tested and also found to provide a Newtonian response. In both cases, the values of the square root of the viscosity-density product deduced from the small-volume quartz crystal technique were consistent with those measured using a viscometer and density meter. The third harmonic of the crystal was found to provide the closest agreement between the two measurement methods; the pure ionic liquids had the largest difference of similar to 10%. In addition, 18 pure ionic liquids were tested, and for 11 of these, good-quality frequency shift and bandwidth data were obtained; these 12 all had a Newtonian response. The frequency shift of the third harmonic was found to vary linearly with square root of viscosity-density product of the pure ionic liquids up to a value of root(rho eta) approximate to 18 kg m(-2) s(-1/2), but with a slope 10% smaller than that predicted by the Kanazawa and Gordon equation. It is envisaged that the quartz crystal technique could be used in a high-throughput microfluidic system for characterizing ionic liquids.