cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on a material which induces electrical excitability in bimolecular lipid membranes. I. Production, isolation, gross identification and assay.

Abstract This report constitutes the first part of an investigation into the nature of the material which induces electrical excitability in experimental bimolecular lipid membranes. The excitability-inducing material (EIM) is released upon growth of Aerobacter cloacae ATCC 961 in a defined medium containing only low molecular weight substances. It has been isolated by adsorption on Kieselgel and subsequent elution with 1% ammonia solution. By TEAE-cellulose column chromatography of EIM solution, protein and RNA moieties, the only detectable components of EIM, have been separated. The separation of moieties results in loss of activity. Partial reactivation can be obtained by mixing 1% solutions of the protein and RNA. This reactivation does not occur when 0.1% solutions (or lower) are mixed. Both moieties obtained by TEAE-cellulose column chromatography shows gross homogeneity by electrophoretic and sedimentation studies. The basic properties of the protein moiety, not evident with total EIM, become apparent after its separation from RNA. The chemical chromatographic and electrophoretic studies reported in this paper raise the possibility that a ribonucleoprotein complex constitutes the functional entity of the material. The paper also presents standardization of the EIM activity assay.
Improved deprotection in solid phase peptide synthesis: quantitative reduction of methionine sulfoxide to methionine during HF cleavage

Abstract The reduction of methionine sulfoxide residues in peptides was found to be quantitative by treatment with a low concentration of HF in dimethylsulfide (HF:dimethylsulfide, 1:3, v/v). The reduction was dependent on the acidity function of HF and was optimal with an HF concentration between 25% and 40%. The low HF concentration cleavage reagent also deprotected most of the benzyl alcohol-derived protecting groups.
Optimum Kinematics Error Allocation in Robotic Manipulators Using Geometric Programming

In this paper, a simple and efficient formulation is presented to optimize the kinematic error mapping from the Cartesian space of the end-effector position and orientation to the inputs space. The results are optimized allocation of the joints’ errors for the accepted end-effector positioning errors. The linearized relation (Jacobian) between the end-effector position and the joints’ errors is used. Upper bounds of the error are developed so that the error function is defined in the form of posinomials of joint errors. An optimization problem is set up to find the optimum error allocation at each joint. The problem is then formulated as a zero degree-of-difficulty geometric programming. It is shown that the weight of each term in the total cost function is constant and independent of manipulator’s design. As a result, the solution to the error optimization is readily available. Explicit solutions to these weight factors are presented.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A Note on the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, An Agency Perspective

Significant attention has been devoted to agency theory in the financial literature. Dating back to the seminal contribution of Jensen and Meckling (1976), financial economists have examined agency relationships mainly in the context of shareholders versus managers, and shareholders versus creditors. The purpose of this essay is to document the existence of additional agency problems created as a result of the adoption of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. An introduction to the bankruptcy environment and the main features of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (hereafter referred to as the Act) are followed by description of the agency problems arising out of the 1978 Act.
A New Hygrometer

The hygrometer described is continuous-indicating; a value of the humidity is obtained by balancing a column of atmospheric air against a column of air saturated with water vapor and observing the effect, on a suspended vane, of the difference of pressure due to the different densities. The instrument used in the investigation is more sensitive than the Regnault-Alluard type of dew-point hygrometer and can be made a hundred times as sensitive if required.
A preliminary qualitative analysis of the axial skeleton of tupaiids (Mammalia, Scandentia): functional morphology and phylogenetic implications

In this study, the axial skeleton of 14 species of tupaiids (tree shrews) was analysed functionally and compared to that of other archontan mammals. Several differences that relate to differential substrate use were found in the ribs and vertebrae. These differences included cranio-caudal width of the ribs; number of thoracic, lumbar, and caudal vertebrae; cranio-caudal width of the atlas; orientation of the spinous process of the axis; length and cranio-caudal width of the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae; length of the spinous processes of the lumbar vertebrae; length and orientation of the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae; and the number of sacral vertebrae that articulate with the ilia. The ribs and vertebrae of the arboreal Ptilocercus lowii, the only ptilocercine, exhibit adaptations for a stable thorax that probably facilitate bridging locomotion. The vertebral columns of tupaiines, on the other hand, are more mobile and allow more flexion and extension of the spine; this increased flexion and extension increases stride length, which in turn increases speed in bounding or galloping mammals such as terrestrial tupaiines. It is proposed here that the attributes of the thorax of Ptilocercus are primitive for the Tupaiidae, that the ancestral tupaiid was arboreal, that the tupaiine condition is derived, and that the ancestral tupaiine was terrestrial. It is also proposed that: Ptilocercus may be primitive for the Archonta in its axial skeletal features; a stable thorax was first evolved in an arboreal ancestral archontan; the adaptations for stability of the thorax were retained in the Volitantia (dermopterans and chiropterans) for certain locomotor types, including gliding or flying; a mobile thorax evolved in conjunction with the shift to graspleaping in the ancestral euprimate. These scenarios may be further tested by quantitative analyses of vertebral osteology, as well as myological analyses of the epaxial musculature.
Quantitative scanning of fluorescent or light-absorbing spots on thin-layer chromatograms.

Abstract The construction and operation of a scanning accessory for 25 x 200 mm TLC plates adapted to the Aminco Fluoro-Microphotometer are described. Fluorescent compounds can be quantitatively scanned in the range from 0.005 to 5 μg, but calibration curves are not linear. Repeated scans of any one plate are identical, but the standard deviation of triplicates is high (10 to 20%) because of variations in dispersion of the fluorescent compound in the thin layer during chromatography and drying. Light-absorbing compounds of high molecular extinction coefficient can be quantitatively scanned by reflectance in the range from I to 20 μg; calibration curves are not linear and triplicates also slhow high variance caused by chromatography and drying.
Modelling and simulation of a dual-clutch transmission vehicle to analyse the effect of pump selection on fuel economy

Positive displacement pumps are used in automotive transmissions to provide pressurised fluid to various hydraulic components in the transmission and also lubricate the mechanical components. The output flow of these pumps increases with pump/transmission speed, almost linearly, but the transmission flow requirements often saturate at higher speeds, resulting in excess flow capacity that must be wasted by allowing it to drain back to the sump. This represents a parasitic loss in the transmission leading to a loss in fuel economy. To overcome this issue, variable displacement pumps have been used in the transmission, where the output flow can be reduced by controlling the displacement of the pump. The use of these pumps in automatic transmissions has resulted in better fuel economy as compared with some types of fixed displacement pumps. However, the literature does not fully explore the benefits of variable displacement pumps to a specific type of transmission namely, dual-clutch transmission (DCT), which has different pressure and flow requirements from an epicyclic gear train. This paper presents an analysis of the effect of pump selection on fuel economy in a five-speed DCT of a commercial vehicle. Models of the engine, transmission, and vehicle are developed along with the models of two different types of pumps: a fixed displacement gerotor pump and a variable displacement vane pump. The models are then parameterised using experimental data, and the fuel economy of the vehicle is simulated on a standard driving cycle. The results suggest that the fuel economy benefit obtained by the use of the variable displacement pump in DCTs is comparable to the benefit previously shown for these pumps in automatic transmissions.
Abstract 1669: DIRAS family members inhibit cell growth and proliferation while inducing autophagy in human ovarian cancer cells.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Among the three members of the DIRAS family, DIRAS3 (also known as AplasiaRasHomolog Member I; ARHI) has been best characterized. ARHI is a maternally expressed imprinted tumor suppressor gene that encodes a 26 kDa GTPase with 60% homology to Ras and Rap. ARHI is downregulated in many tumor types including ovarian cancer where its re-expression at physiologic levels inhibits cancer cell growth, reduces motility, induces autophagy and promotes tumor dormancy. ARHI induces autophagy by multiple mechanism including:1) blocking PI3K-Akt signaling and inhibiting mTOR activity, 2) displacing Bcl-2 from Beclin and participating directly in the autophagy initiation complex; and 3) inducing expression of Atg4 and participating directly in the formation of autophagic vesicles, co-localizing with MAP-LC3-II in the vesicle membrane. In human cells, knockdown experiments have demonstrated that ARHI is essential for the induction of autophagy. During evolution, murine cells have lost the ARHI (DIRAS3) gene, yet can still undergo autophagy. Mice and humans express two closely related Ras-related GTPases,DIRAS1 and DIRAS2. These 22 kDa GTPases, have 30-40% overall homology with H-Ras, and 50-60% homology with ARHI (DIRAS3) with the only major difference being the truncation of the N-terminal extension. In this study, we show that transfection of DIRAS1, 2 or 3 with a selectable marker inhibits clonogenic growth of SKOv3 human ovarian cancer cells. Whereas DIRAS3 produced complete inhibition, DIRAS 1 produced 50% inhibition and D IRAS2 35% inhibition of clonogenic growth. One possible mechanism for the growth inhibition observed could be attributed to the induction of autophagy which has been shown by the formation of LC3 punctae in SKOV3 cells and the increased conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II by western blot analysis when DIRAS1 and DIRAS2 were overexpressed by transfection. These findings suggest that these DIRAS family homologs may have similar functions in limiting human tumor progression and in inducing autophagy. Future studies will examine whether DIRAS1 and DIRAS2 serve as surrogates forARHI (DIRAS3) in murine cells. Citation Format: Margie N. Sutton, Zhen Lu, Robert C. Bast. DIRAS family members inhibit cell growth and proliferation while inducing autophagy in human ovarian cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1669. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1669
Specific conformational changes of plasminogen induced by chloride ions, 6-aminohexanoic acid and benzamidine, but not the overall openness of plasminogen regulate, production of biologically active angiostatins.

The overall conformation of plasminogen depends upon the presence of anions and molecules such as AHA (6-aminohexanoic acid) and BZ (benzamidine). The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of conformation on the initial and secondary cleavages of plasminogen to generate active angiostatins. Plasminogen was digested with the physiologically relevant neutrophil elastase in one of the four Tris/acetate buffers: buffer alone or buffer plus NaCl, AHA or BZ. The initial cleavage of Glu1-plasminogen was much slower in the tight NaCl-induced α-conformation, fastest in the intermediate BZ-induced β-conformation and intermediate both in the control and in the AHA-induced open γ-conformation. Although the buffer system determined the relative amounts of the initial cleavage products, the same four cleavage sites were utilized under all conditions. A fifth major initial cleavage within the protease domain was observed in the presence of BZ. N-terminal peptide cleavage required for angiostatin formation occurred as either the initial or the secondary cleavage. Angiostatins were generated fastest in the presence of BZ and slowest in the presence of NaCl. Both the initial and secondary cleavages were affected by the modifying agents, indicating that they influence the conformation of both Glu-plasminogen and the initial cleavage products. The angiostatins produced under the different conditions inhibited proliferation of human umbilical-vein endothelial cells. These results suggest that plasminogen conversion into active angiostatins is dependent more on the specific conformation changes induced by the various modifying reagents rather than on the overall openness of the molecule.
Model-based color image sequence quantization

We investigate the display of color image sequences using a model-based approach to multilevel error diffusion. We extend Bouman and Kolpatzik's technique for design of optimal filters to the temporal dimension. Our model for the human visual system accounts for the spatial and temporal frequency dependence of the contrast sensitivity of the luminance and chrominance channels. We observe an improvement in image quality over that yielded by frame-independent quantization, when the frame rate is sufficiently high to support temporal averaging by the human visual system.
A parallel algorithm for computing the eigenvalues of a symmetric tridiagonal matrix

A parallel algorithm, called polysection, is presented for computing the eigenvalues of a symmetric tridiagonal matrix. The method is based on a quadratic recurrence in which the characteristic polynomial is constructed on a binary tree from polynomials whose degree doubles at each level. Intervals that contain exactly one zero are determined by the zeros of polynomials at the previous level which ensures that different processors compute different zeros. The signs of the polynomials at the interval endpoints are determined a priori and used to guarantee that all zeros are found. The use of finite-precision arithmetic may result in multiple zeros; however, in this case, the intervals coalesce and their number determines exactly the multiplicity of the zero. For an N x N matrix the eigenvalues can be determined in O(log-squared N) time with N-squared processors and O(N) time with N processors. The method is compared with a parallel variant of bisection that requires O(N-squared) time on a single processor, O(N) time with N processors, and O(log N) time with N-squared processors.
Exploring decision‐making processes for selection of appropriate reading media for individuals with visual impairments

Abstract This article describes an ongoing line of research that seeks to establish a systematic process for determining appropriate reading media for students with visual impairments. A two‐phase process is described for selecting print or braille media for all students with visual impairments. Also discussed is an objective procedure for determining the relative effectiveness of print media for students with low vision; this procedure is illustrated with selected case studies.
CALCULATION OF ANOMALIES IN GAUGE THEORIES USING A GEOMETRIC APPROACH

Gauge theory and anomalies which arise under quantization of these theories are formulated using differential geometric methods. The Wess–Zumino conditions are developed and some other relevant geometric properties of anomalies are mentioned. An elementary derivation of the non-Abelian anomaly in 2n dimensions is presented using this formalism.
Severe genital prolapse and its relationship to detrusor instability

Twelve women with severe genital prolapse through the vaginal introitus were evaluated urodynamically with and without a properly fitted vaginal ring pessary in order to evaluate the relationship between severe genital prolapse and detrusor instability in women. Provocative retrograde medium-fill urethrocystometry confirmed detrusor instability in all patients. Seven women showed resolution of uninhibited detrusor contractions during provocative maneuvers after pessary placement. Nine women underwent vaginal hysterectomy and vaginal repair operation; a bladder neck suspension was performed if indicated. Five women returned postoperatively for urodynamic evaluation. Three of 4 women who responded to pessary placement with resolution of uninhibited detrusor contractions had a stable bladder and no uregency symptoms postoperatively. One patient who did not respond to pessary placement continued to have symptomatic motor urge incontinence after a vaginal repair procedure. The data suggest that genital prolapse may provoke uninhibited bladder contraction by increasing urethral resistance, and that vaginal pessary placement may be useful in predicting which patient with genital prolapse and uninhibited detrusor contractions during cystometry will have a stable bladder after vaginal repair operation.
Can We Do a Prospective Trial for Fetal Tachycardia? The Barriers to Clinical Trials in Small Patient Populations

Jaeggi and colleagues1 have added to the literature with their extensive assessment of 159 fetal tachyarrhythmia cases collected from 3 institutions over a 10-year period. However, before we comment on their study, it is worth reviewing some of the relevant issues for management of fetal arrhythmias. An estimated 0.4% to 0.6% of pregnancies have a fetal arrhythmia at some point during the pregnancy.2,3 Although the vast majority are not of clinical significance and require no treatment, a much smaller percentage have a sustained tachyarrhythmia that can be life-threatening to the fetus. The most frequent serious arrhythmias in the fetus are supraventricular, most commonly from atrioventricular reentry tachycardia involving an accessory atrioventricular connection (supraventricular tachycardia [SVT]) or atrial flutter, but occasionally from atrioventricular node reentry (also SVT) or ectopic atrial tachycardia.2,3 Here, we refer to all these mechanisms together as supraventricular a rrhythmias (SVAs) and the subgroups of interest as SVT or atrial flutter. Importantly, SVAs can lead to tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy because of prolonged decreased cardiac output and myocardial fatigue, which can lead to hydrops fetalis and rare fetal death,2,3 as reviewed by Jaeggi et al.1 Treatment options include careful observation, maternal drug therapy, or delivery of the fetus. Article see p 1747 More than 20 studies have looked at outcomes of drug therapy for fetal SVA, some of which are reviewed by Jaeggi et al.1 The most commonly used antiarrhythmics are digoxin, flecainide, sotalol, and amiodarone, but many drugs have been used less frequently, and results vary widely. In the studies using digoxin as first-line therapy, successful conversion has been reported in 50% to 100% of fetuses without hydrops, but only 0% to 20% of patients with hydrops.4–9 Flecainide has resulted in sinus rhythm in …
Polydisperse Particulate Solids Mixing and Segregation: Nonstationary Markov Chains

The feasibility of analyzing interparticulate translocations within agitated beds of polydisperse particulate solids in terms of Markov chains was investigated. A binary mixture of spherical particles subjected to vertical sine wave vibration is shown to behave in accordance with a nonstationary Markov chain having singly stochastic transition matrixes. The transition probability elements of such matrixes, calculated from a knowledge of the initial and final occupancy vectors, agree with those estimated using tracer particles. With appropriate restrictions, the former method, based on the solution of simultaneous equations, permits a quantitative evaluation of particle mobilities throughout the bed.
Occurrence of a miscibility gap in thin surface layers of Hg1−xCdxTe(s)

Measurements of the partial pressure of Hg over Te-saturated Hg1−xCdxTe(s) between 400 and 500 K indicate the formation of a miscibility gap. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate this gap develops most rapidly at the surface.
Immunocytochemical staining of c-erbB-2 oncogene in fine-needle aspirates of breast carcinoma : a comparison with tissue sections and other breast cancer prognostic factors

The role of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in breast cancer management is expanding to include prognostic in addition to diagnostic studies. This study was undertaken to compare the immunohistochemical staining of c-erbB-2, a breast cancer prognostic factor, on cytologic FNA smears of breast cancer with that on corresponding formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the same tumor and to correlate the c-erbB-2 expression with other known breast cancer prognostic factors. FNA smears (destained, alcoholfixed, Pap-stained direct smears) and corresponding tissue sections (formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, unstained sections) from 36 primary breast carcinomas were stained immunohistochemically with c-erbB-2 antibody using an avidin-biotin procedure. Ten tumors (28%) showed strong positive staining for c-erbB-2 on the FNA smear and, of those ten, seven were positive on the corresponding tissue section and three were negative. In several of the cytology and tissue positive cases, staining on the tissue section was significantly weaker than on the FNA smear. Two cases involved treatment with preoperative chemotherapy; in one of those cases, tissue staining was weaker than cytologic staining, and, in the other case, both were negative. Correlation of c-erbB-2 staining with other prognostic factors showed an association between positive c-erbB-2 staining and high nuclear grade. Our results indicate that immunohistochemical staining for c-erbB-2 can be performed on destained FNA smears of breast carcinomas and may be more sensitive on the cytologic specimens than on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Diagn Cytopathol 1994;11:250–254. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A biosystematic study of the Panicum amarum-P. amarulum complex (Gramineae)

Panicum amarum andP. amarulum exhibit north-south clinal variation and are virtually indistinguishable in the southern part of their range. Cytological evidence indicates thatP. amarum (2n = 54) is probably an autohexaploid derivative ofP. amarulum (2n = 36). The minor morphological differences, the apparent close genetic relationship, and the close ecological and chemical affinities between these two taxa indicate thatP. amarum andP. amarulum should have varietal rather than specific rank.
Measurement of Mitochondrial Membrane Potential Using Fluorescent Rhodamine Derivatives

We investigated the use of rhodamine 123 (R123), tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM), and tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester (TMRE) as fluorescent probes to monitor the membrane potential of mitochondria. These indicator dyes are lipophilic cations accumulated by mitochondria in proportion to DeltaPsi. Upon accumulation, all three dyes exhibit a red shift in both their absorption and fluorescence emission spectra. The fluorescence intensity is quenched when the dyes are accumulated by mitochondria. These properties have been used to develop a method to dynamically monitor DeltaPsi of isolated rat heart mitochondria using a ratio fluorescence approach. All three dyes bound to the inner and outer aspects of the inner mitochondrial membrane and, as a result, were accumulated by mitochondria in a greater quantity than predicted by the Nernst equation. Binding to mitochondria was temperature-dependent and the degree of binding was in the order of TMRE > R123 > TMRM. The internal and external partition coefficients for binding were determined to correct for binding in the calculation of DeltaPsi. All three dyes suppressed mitochondrial respiratory control to some extent. Inhibition of respiration was greatest with TMRE, followed by R123 and TMRM. When used at low concentrations, TMRM did not suppress respiration. The use of these dyes and ratio fluorescence techniques affords a simple method for measurement of DeltaPsi of isolated mitochondria. We also applied this approach to the isolated perfused heart to determine whether DeltaPsi could be monitored in an intact tissue. Wavelength scanning of the surface fluorescence of the heart under various conditions after accumulation of TMRM indicated that the mitochondrial matrix-induced wavelength shift of TMRM also occurs in the heart cytosol, eliminating the use of this approach in the intact heart.
A 200-point analog computer of average transients for electrophysiological measurements.

A 200-point computer of average transients uses capacitors as the memory devices and MOS-FET switches. The averaged wave form is stored exponentially and the memory decays exponentially when that input is removed. The memory exponential time constant (i.e. the number of sweeps averaged) can be varied with one resistor. Read-out to an oscilloscope occurs simultaneously with read-in of each new signal. This linear circuit computes a highly accurate average, even though 10% components are used. It is more cost-effective than commercial digital averagers for many applications and can average evoked potentials, field potentials, weak single units and intracellularly recorded postsynaptic potentials.
Beyond indigenization and reconceptualization Towards a global, multidirectional model of technology transfer

In light of the limitations of existing models of social work exchange, an alternative multidirectional model of technology transfer is presented. Based on social development principles, this model would be effective in depicting the global dissemination of initiatives originating in developing countries that are successfully applied in the developed world.FrenchEn l'absence d'un modele d'echange en service social, cet article presente un modele alternatif multidirectionnel de transfert de technologies. Fonde sur des principes de developpement social, ce modele pourrait s'averer un moyen efficace visant a demontrer que des initiatives provenant de pays en voie de developpement obtiennent du succes dans le monde developpe.SpanishPara aclarar las limitaciones del intercambio existente de modelos de trabajo social, se presenta un modelo global y multidireccional de transferencia technologica. Basado en los principios del desarrollo social, este modelo seria efectivo para representar la diseminacion global de...
Management Science: What Does it Have to do with Management or Science?

First, I want to tell you what I have in mind in talking about management and science. A broad view of management is that it involves procedures to forecast, plan, analyse, decide, motivate, communicate, and implement. On the scientific side, my definition is limited: science is the use of objective and replicable procedures to compare different approaches, techniques or theories. Management science has delivered many useful things and it has made management more efficient, but it is capable of doing much more. Only a small percentage of the studies in management science are useful, and that proportion is declining. Meanwhile, useful findings that do occur are often unseen, or rejected, or ignored. So, in addition to talking about improving management science, I will also discuss how to improve the communication of important scientific findings.
Lipoic acid stimulates cAMP production via G protein-coupled receptor-dependent and -independent mechanisms☆

Lipoic acid (LA) is a naturally occurring fatty acid that exhibits anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and is being pursued as a therapeutic for many diseases including multiple sclerosis, diabetic polyneuropathy and Alzheimer's disease. We previously reported on the novel finding that racemic LA (50:50 mixture of R-LA and S-LA) stimulates cAMP production, activates prostanoid EP2 and EP4 receptors and adenylyl cyclases (AC), and suppresses activation and cytotoxicity in NK cells. In this study, we present evidence that furthers our understanding of the mechanisms of action of LA. Using various LA derivatives, such as dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), S,S-dimethyl lipoic acid (DMLA) and lipoamide (LPM), we discovered that only LA is capable of stimulating cAMP production in NK cells. Furthermore, there is no difference in cAMP production after stimulation with either R-LA, S-LA or racemic LA. Competition and synergistic studies indicate that LA may also activate AC independent of the EP2 and EP4 receptors. Pretreatment of PBMCs with KH7 (a specific peptide inhibitor of soluble AC) and the calcium inhibitor (Bapta) prior to LA treatment resulted in reduced cAMP levels, suggesting that soluble AC and calcium signaling mediate LA stimulation of cAMP production. In addition, pharmacological inhibitor studies demonstrate that LA also activates other G protein-coupled receptors, including histamine and adenosine but not the β-adrenergic receptors. These novel findings provide information to better understand the mechanisms of action of LA, which can help facilitate the use of LA as a therapeutic for various diseases.
Scheduling job families about an unrestricted common due date on a single machine

We consider the NP-hard problem of scheduling jobs on a single machine about an unrestricted due date to minimize total weighted earliness and tardiness cost. Jobs are grouped into families where jobs in the same family share a setup; a setup time is required between the processing of two jobs from different families. Each job has an earliness penalty rate and a tardiness penalty rate that are allowed to be arbitrary. These rates are assessed on a per-period basis when the completion time deviates from its due date. In this paper, we generalize properties from the literature that characterize the structure of an optimal schedule, present a lower bound, propose a branch and bound algorithm and a beam search procedure, and report results from a computational experiment. We find that optimal solutions can be quickly obtained for smaller problem instances. For large problems, we find high quality solutions within a few minutes of CPU time.
Spectral separation resolves partial volume effect in MRSI: A validation study

Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is utilized clinically in conjunction with anatomical MRI to assess the presence and extent of brain tumors and evaluate treatment response. Unfortunately, the clinical utility of MRSI is limited by significant variability of in vivo spectra. Spectral profiles show increased variability due to partial coverage of large voxel volumes, infiltration of normal brain tissue by tumors, innate tumor heterogeneity and measurement noise. This study investigates spectral separation as a novel quantification tool, addressing these problems directly by quantifying the abundance (i.e. volume fraction) within a voxel for each tissue type instead of the conventional estimation of metabolite concentrations from spectral resonance peaks. Present results on 20 clinical cases of brain tumors show reduced cross-subject variability. This reduced variability leads to improved discrimination between high and low-grade gliomas, confirming the physiological relevance of the extracted spectra. Further validation on phantom data demonstrates the accuracy of the estimated abundances. These results show that the proposed spectral analysis method can improve the effectiveness of MRSI as a diagnostic tool.
T-DNA-Associated Duplication/Translocations in Arabidopsis. Implications for Mutant Analysis and Functional Genomics

T-DNA insertion mutants have become a valuable resource for studies of gene function in Arabidopsis. In the course of both forward and reverse genetic projects, we have identified novel interchromosomal rearrangements in two Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion lines. Both rearrangements were unilateral translocations associated with the left borders of T-DNA inserts that exhibited normal Mendelian segregation. In one study, we characterized the embryo-defective 88 mutation. Although emb 88 had been mapped to chromosome I, molecular analysis of DNA adjacent to the T-DNA left border revealed sequence from chromosome V. Simple sequence length polymorphism mapping of the T-DNA insertion demonstrated that a >40-kbp region of chromosome V had inserted with the T-DNA into the emb 88 locus on chromosome I. A similar scenario was observed with a prospective T-DNA knockout allele of the LIGHT-REGULATED RECEPTOR PROTEIN KINASE ( LRRPK ) gene. Whereas wild-type LRRPK is on lower chromosome IV, mapping of the T-DNA localized the disrupted LRRPK allele to chromosome V. In both these cases, the sequence of a single T-DNA-flanking region did not provide an accurate picture of DNA disruption because flanking sequences had duplicated and inserted, with the T-DNA, into other chromosomal locations. Our results indicate that T-DNA insertion lines—even those that exhibit straightforward genetic behavior—may contain an unexpectedly high frequency of rearrangements. Such duplication/translocations can interfere with reverse genetic analyses and provide misleading information about the molecular basis of mutant phenotypes. Simple mapping and polymerase chain reaction methods for detecting such rearrangements should be included as a standard step in T-DNA mutant analysis.
Sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas.

Summary: There are no published reports of domestic or sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas. The aim of the present survey was to determine the presence of Trichinella species in selected representative species of potential wildlife reservoirs in southern Texas. In 1998-99, tongues of 211 wild mammals were collected in southern Texas: 154 coyotes (Canis latrans), three bobcats (Lynx rufus), 32 racoons (Procyon lotor), 1 3 opossum (Didelphis marsupialis), four ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and five wild boars (Sus scrofa). Presence of Trichinella sp. larvae was investigated by artificial digestion and larvae of positive samples were identified at the species level by a multiple-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Nine (5.8 %) coyotes had trichinellosis ; in the muscles of seven of these coyotes, the larvae were identified as Trichinella murrelli. This is the first report of sylvatic trichinellosis in Texas.
On the efficient calculation of ordinary and generalized spherical harmonics

SUMMARY Algorithms for the stable computation of generalized and ordinary spherical harmonics are presented. The algorithms are fast and have the useful property that they can compute harmonics for isolated harmonic degrees. fortran and C programs implementing these algorithms are available from the authors.
Perceptions of disease and health-related quality of life among patients with gout

Objective. To assess the impact of gout on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients in three large US cities. Methods. Gout patients completed the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and a series of questions regarding their gout, comorbidities and demographics. Their physicians confirmed the gout diagnosis and evaluated the severity of patient’s gout. The differences in mean norm-based SF-36 scores between the US norms and gout patients and between subgroups of gout patients were calculated. The relative weight and significance of gout-related characteristics associated with patients’ HRQoL were also calculated. Results. The majority of the patients were males with a mean age of 62.2 years and median disease duration of 13.8 years. Most were overweight/obese with several comorbidities. Half of the patients experienced three or more gout attacks per year with a typical gout attack involving five joints and lasting for at least 4 days. The Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) was significantly lower for gout patients (P < 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively). Among gout patients, the mean PCS and MCS were lower for those with more frequent gout attacks and greater number of affected joints (P < 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively). After adjusting for age, gender and comorbidities, the number of joints involved during a typical and the worst gout attack had the greatest impact on patient’s PCS and MCS. Conclusion. Gout patients had clinically significant lower HRQoL than their age-matched US norm. Comorbidities and several additional gout-related factors significantly impacted the overall HRQoL.
Seven years of experience of preimplantation HLA typing: a clinical overview of 327 cycles

Abstract Preimplantation human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing allows the birth of healthy children who are potential donors of stem cells for their affected siblings. This technique can be used for acquired diseases such as leukaemia or can be used for single-gene disorders such as thalassaemia. This retrospective study presents clinical data obtained from 171 couples who had undergone 327 preimplantation HLA typing cycles: 262 cycles for HLA typing in combination with mutation analysis and 65 cycles for the sole purpose of HLA typing. Of the diagnosed embryos 17.6% were found to be HLA matched. Embryo transfer was performed in 212 cycles, 34.9% clinical pregnancy rate per transfer was achieved and 59 healthy and HLA-compatible children were born. Twenty-one sick children have been cured through haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. The effect of maternal age and ovarian reserve on reproductive outcome was assessed retrospectively. The data demonstrated that, once a mutation-free and HLA-compatible embryo was found, clinical pregnancy rate did not differ statistically significantly despite the presence of some cycle-related limitations such as advanced maternal age and/or diminished ovarian reserve. Preimplantation HLA typing is an effective therapeutic tool for curing an affected sibling even for poor-prognosis patients. Preimplantation human leukocyte antigent (HLA) typing allows the birth of healthy children who are potential donors of stem cells for their affected siblings. This technique can be used for acquired diseases such as leukaemia or can be used for single-gene disorders such as thalassaemia. This study presents clinical data obtained from 171 couples who underwent 327 preimplantation HLA-typing cycles. Of these, 262 cycles were performed for HLA typing in combination with mutation analysis and 65 cycles were performed for the sole purpose of HLA typing. A total of 17.6% of the diagnosed embryos were found to be HLA matched. Embryo transfer was performed in 212 cycles. The clinical pregnancy rate per transfer was 34.9% and 59 healthy and HLA compatible children were born. Twenty-one sick children have been cured through haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. The effect of maternal age and ovarian reserve on reproductive outcome was assessed retrospectively. The data demonstrated that, once a mutation-free and HLA-compatible embryo was found, clinical pregnancy rates did not differ statistically significantly by the presence of some cycle-related limitations such as advanced maternal age and/or diminished ovarian reserve. Preimplantation HLA typing is an effective therapeutic tool for curing an affected sibling even for poor-prognosis patients.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nanodiamond Graphitization

Nanocarbons have attracted great interest due to their potential applications in nanoscale devices, medicine, lubrication and composite materials. Recently, nanocarbons with a variety of morphologies are reported to have been obtained after annealing nanodiamonds above 1,200 K. Here, we have investigated the transformation of 2–5 nm nanodiamond particles upon annealing using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations show that nanodiamonds undergo annealing-induced graphitization by a progressive sp3 to sp2 conversion of carbon atoms that begins at the surface. The extent of this conversion depends on the size and morphology of the nanodiamond. It is found that while graphitization proceeds easily from {111} surfaces towards the core, the presence of {100} surfaces leads to residual sp3 carbon atoms. We will also discuss different steps involved in nanodiamond graphitization, the formation of onion-like carbon and vibrational spectra of these structures.
Managing standby and active mode leakage power in deep sub-micron design

Scaling has allowed rising transistor counts per die and increases leakage at an exponential rate, making power a primary constraint in all integrated circuit designs. Future designs must address emerging leakage components due to direct band to band tunneling, through MOSFET oxides and at steep junction doping gradients. In this paper, we describe circuit design techniques for managing leakage power, both during standby and for limiting the leakage power contribution during active operation. The efficacy, design effort, and process ramifications of different approaches are examined. The schemes are primarily aimed at hand-held devices such as cell phones, since the needs for low power are most acute in these markets due to limited battery capacity.
Kootenai River velocities, depth, and white sturgeon spawning site selection – a mystery unraveled?

Summary The Kootenai River white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus population in Idaho, US and British Columbia (BC), Canada became recruitment limited shortly after Libby Dam became fully operational on the Kootenai River, Montana, USA in 1974. In the USA the species was listed under the Endangered Species Act in September of 1994. Kootenai River white sturgeon spawn within an 18-km reach in Idaho, river kilometer (rkm) 228.0–246.0. Each autumn and spring Kootenai River white sturgeon follow a short two-step migration from the lower river and Kootenay Lake, BC, to staging reaches downstream of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Initially, augmented spring flows for white sturgeon spawning were thought to be sufficient to recover the population. Spring discharge mitigation enhanced white sturgeon spawning but a series of research investigations determined that the white sturgeon were spawning over unsuitable incubation and rearing habitat (sand) and that survival of eggs and larvae was negligible. It was not known whether post-Libby Dam management had changed the habitat or if the white sturgeon were not returning to more suitable spawning substrates farther upstream. Fisheries and hydrology researchers made a team effort to determine if the spawning habitat had been changed by Libby Dam operations. Researchers modeled and compared velocities, sediment transport, and bathymetry with post-Libby Dam white sturgeon egg collection locations. Substrate coring studies confirmed cobbles and gravel substrates in most of the spawning locations but that they were buried under a meter or more of post-Libby Dam sediment. Analysis suggested that Kootenai River white sturgeon spawn in areas of highest available velocity and depths over a range of flows. Regardless of the discharge, the locations of accelerating velocities and maximum depth do not change and spawning locations remain consistent. Kootenai River white sturgeon are likely spawning in the same locations as pre-dam, but postLibby Dam water management has reduced velocities and shear stress, thus sediment is now covering the cobbles and gravels. Although higher discharges will likely provide more suitable spawning and rearing conditions, this would be socially and politically unacceptable because it would bring the river elevation to or in excess of 537.66 m, which is flood stage. Thus, support should be given to habitat modifications incorporated into a management plan to restore suitable habitat and ensure better survival of eggs and larvae.
Problem-based learning in biomedical engineering curricula

Problem-based learning (PBL) anchors learning and instruction in concrete problems. We believe that PBL is well suited to educating undergraduate and graduate students within the interdisciplinary field of biomedical engineering (BME). BME draws upon many traditional disciplines to address a range of problems, from biotechnology to clinical medicine. A challenge for BME educators is to balance this broad base of fundamentals with the analytical, in depth problem solving necessary to be successful bioengineers. The ability to adapt, be innovative, and acquire and integrate relevant information is not efficiently learned in a lecture format, but rather in a small group setting that encourages self-directed learning, such as PBL. We have developed a graduate BME program with PBL as one of the pivotal components and are embarking on the introduction of this methodology to undergraduate sections. We have found PBL to be an effective vehicle for instruction, retention of material, and introduction of topics necessary for professional development.
The digital radiology environment

The problems of implementing a digital radiology environment are addressed, focusing on the role of communications. Because the digital radiology environment is essentially a medical image multimedia system, the medical information industry could take advantage of recent advances in managing multimedia systems that deal with applications, such as prepress formatting and CAE/CAD/CAM. The paper describes the experience of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University relative to the digital radiology environment. Next, impediments to the implementation of a digital radiology environment are presented. Suggestions to the ACR/NEMA Digital Imaging and Communications (DICOM) Standard, a standard being jointly developed by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the National Electronics Manufacturing Association (NEMA), are examined, and suggestions for its use in the digital radiology environment are given. A digital radiology environment architecture is proposed. >
Lack of Sensitivity of the Latex Agglutination Test to Detect Bacterial Antigen in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Culture-Negative Meningitis

For culture-negative meningitis, use of the latex agglutination test for detection of bacterial antigen in the CSF has a sensitivity of only 7%. Routine use of the latex agglutination test may not contribute to the management of suspected acute bacterial meningitis, since patients are treated on the basis of their clinical presentations and CSF findings.