cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proximal 5p trisomy resulting from a marker chromosome implicates band 5p13 in 5p trisomy syndrome

We describe an infant with trisomy of (5)(p10p13.1) resulting from a de novo marker chromosome. The marker's origin was identified by chromosome microdissection and reverse in situ hybridization. The clinical findings are compared to those of other partial and complete 5p duplications. This case further defines the critical region of 5p trisomy syndrome to proximal 5p.
Collagen type I selectively activates ectodomain shedding of the discoidin domain receptor 1: Involvement of Src tyrosine kinase

The discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is highly expressed in breast carcinoma cells. Upon binding to collagen, DDR1 undergoes autophosphorylation followed by limited proteolysis to generate a tyrosine phosphorylated C-terminal fragment (CTF). Although it was postulated that this fragment is formed as a result of shedding of the N-terminal ectodomain, collagen-dependent release of the DDR1 extracellular domain has not been demonstrated. We now report that, in conjunction with CTF formation, collagen type I stimulates concentration-dependent, saturable shedding of the DDR1 ectodomain from two carcinoma cell lines, and from transfected cells. In contrast, collagen did not promote cleavage of other transmembrane proteins including the amyloid precursor protein (APP), ErbB2, and E-cadherin. Collagen-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation and proteolysis of DDR1 in carcinoma cells were reduced by a pharmacologic Src inhibitor. Moreover, expression of a dominant negative Src mutant protein in human embryonic kidney cells inhibited collagen-dependent phosphorylation and shedding of co-transfected DDR1. The hydroxamate-based metalloproteinase inhibitor TAPI-1 (tumor necrosis factor-α protease inhibitor-1), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-3, also blocked collagen-evoked DDR1 shedding, but did not reduce levels of the phosphorylated CTF. Neither shedding nor CTF formation were affected by the γ-secretase inhibitor, L-685,458. The results demonstrate that collagen-evoked ectodomain cleavage of DDR1 is mediated in part by Src-dependent activation or recruitment of a matrix- or disintegrin metalloproteinase, and that CTF formation can occur independently of ectodomain shedding. Delayed shedding of the DDR1 ectodomain may represent a mechanism that limits DDR1-dependent cell adhesion and migration on collagen matrices.
Fast, Accurate Defense for Homeland Security: Bringing High-Performance Computing to First Responders

An urban-oriented emergency assessment system, called CT-Analyst ® was developed to evaluate airborne contaminant transport threats and to aid in making rapid decisions for complex-geometryenvironmentssuchascitieswherecurrenttransportanddispersionmethods are slow and inaccurate. Contaminant transport-Analyst was designed for the military prior to 9/11 to incorporate verbal reports, to treat systems with mobile sensors, and to function in realistic situations where the nature, amount, and source location of an airborne contaminant or a chemical, biological, or radiological agent is unknown. Thus contaminant transport-Analyst is well suited to urban defense in the Homeland Security context. Contaminant transport-Analyst gives good accuracy and much greater speed than possible with current alternatives because is it based on entirely new principles and designed to function in information-starved situations, characterizing the first few minutes of a terrorist or accident scenario, where alternate technologies do not. These advantages derive from pre-computed data structures based on three-dimensional large-eddy simulation computational fluid dynamics that includes solar heating and buoyancy, complete building geometry specification,trees,andimpressedwindfluctuations.Afewdetailedurbanaerodynamicssimulations are pre-computed for each coverage region when contaminant transport-Analyst is installed. These results extend to all wind directions, speeds, likely sources and source locationsthroughanewdatastructurecalledDispersionNomografs™.Thusahigh-performance computing based system can generate Nomografs for cities, military bases, industrial complexes,andotherpotentialdangerareaswellinadvance,removingtheneedfortheemergency first responders and warfighters to wait for supporting analyses. Furthermore, since the full power of high-performance computing is available for the pre-computations, contaminant transport-Analyst provides important, new, real-time, zero-latency functions such as sensor data fusion, backtracking to an unknown source location, and evacuation route planning directly to the first responder. Thus the Department of Homeland Security can avoid the delays and uncertainties of reachback to high-performance computing modeling resources and the associated support and communications infrastructure currently required during airborne contaminant transport emergencies.
LQT2 Nonsense Mutation Escapes NMD by the Reinitiation of Translation to Generate N-Terminally Truncated hERG Channels

Mutations in the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) result in long QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2). hERG mRNA transcripts that contain premature termination codon (PTC) mutations are known to be rapidly degraded by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). We have identified a LQT2 nonsense mutation Q81X which escapes NMD-mediated degradation through the reinitiation of translation to generate an N-terminally truncated channel with altered gating properties. RNA analysis of full-length wild-type or Q81X hERG minigenes revealed equivalent mRNA levels, in contrast with transcripts containing the P141fs+2X frameshift mutation which undergo NMD. Western blot analysis revealed that Q81X channels are expressed at the cell surface but have a lower molecular weight than wild-type channels. Functional analysis of the Q81X channels revealed reduced current levels and accelerated deactivation kinetics compared with wild-type channels. These results are consistent with the disruption of the hERG N-terminus, including the Per, Arnt, and Sim domain, which is known to play an important role in regulating hERG channel deactivation. Site-specific mutagenesis showed that translation of the Q81X transcript is reinitiated at Met124 following premature termination. Furthermore, we found that Q81X co-assembles with wild-type hERG channels resulting in the dominant-negative acceleration of deactivation in heteromeric channels. Our findings indicate that the reinitiation of translation may be an important pathogenic mechanism in patients with early nonsense and frameshift LQT2 mutations.
Overhead infrared sensor for monitoring vehicular traffic

An experimental infrared optical system was designed to detect and monitor vehicular road traffic. The system used was developed and first tested in the laboratory using infrared laser sources and detectors in conjunction with computerized signal processing and correlation techniques. Preliminary road tests confirmed the system's capability to detect, monitor, and count the passage of vehicular road traffic. It is expected that a system based on the technology described would be cost-effective and weather resistant. Additional developments should give it the potential for more sophisticated applications, including vehicle speed measurement and length classification. >
Redefining Agriculture in Interindustry Analysis

common uses is in determining the size or importance of an industry or set of industries. The availability of several secondary-data-based input-output models for states and counties has allowed for more frequent use of interindustry analysis for smaller regions. This paper addresses key issues related to interindustry studies of agriculture and includes a review of national and state studies.
A developmentally regulated wound epithelial antigen of the newt limb regenerate is also present in a variety of secretory/transport cell types

The role of the wound epithelium in amphibian limb regeneration is not understood. We showed previously that monoclonal antibody (mAb) WE3 stains the wound epithelium but not skin epidermis, suggesting that the WE3 antigen may be a marker for, or be important in, the function of the wound epithelium. In the present study, we conducted an extensive immunohistochemical survey of adult newt tissues to define the distribution of the WE3 antigen. The results show that the antigen is most commonly found in tissues specialized in macromolecular secretion and/or ion transport. Since the enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, serves as a useful marker for a variety of specialized transporting cell types, we examined whether this enzyme was present in WE3-reactive cells. Of the tissues examined, a striking degree of colocalization of carbonic anhydrase and the WE3 antigen was observed, further strengthening the view that the WE3 antigen is an important constituent of specialized transporting cells. A preliminary biochemical characterization suggests that the antigen is probably a glycoprotein, which elutes during gel filtration as a species of over 660 kDa. Possible implications for the function of the wound epithelium are discussed.
A family study of anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Abstract A family study is presented that examines the association between eating disorders and effective illness. 307 relatives of 30 eating disorder patients, of 16 patients with major depression, and of 20 normal controls, were interviewed to determine lifetime histories of psychiatric illness. Using logistic regression analyses, the results supported previous findings of a familial association between eating disorders and major depression. However, there was no evidence that clinical features of eating disorder patients (presence of bulimia or major depression) can be used to predict morbid risk. In addition, the results failed to reveal a familial aggregation of either alcoholism or drug abuse in eating disorder families.
Laplacian Guided Editing, Synthesis, and Simulation

Summary form only given. The Laplacian has been playing a central role in numerous scientific and engineering problems. It has also become popular in computer graphics. This talk presents a series of our work that exploits the Laplacian in mesh editing, texture synthesis and flow simulation. First, a review is given on mesh editing using differential coordinates and the Poisson equation, which involves the Laplacian. The distinctive feature of this approach is that it modifies the original geometry implicitly through gradient field manipulation. This approach can produce desired results for both global and local editing operations, such as deformation, object merging, and denoising. This technique is computationally involved since it requires solving a large sparse linear system. To overcome this difficulty, an efficient multigrid algorithm specifically tailored for geometry processing has been developed. This multigrid algorithm is capable of interactively processing meshes with hundreds of thousands of vertices. In our latest work, Laplacian-based editing has been generalized to deforming mesh sequences, and efficient user interaction techniques have also been designed. Second, this talk presents a Laplacian-based method for surface texture synthesis and mixing from multiple sources. Eliminating seams among texture patches is important during texture synthesis. In our technique, it is solved by performing Laplacian texture reconstruction, which retains the high frequency details but computes new consistent low frequency components. Third, a method for inviscid flow simulation over manifold surfaces is presented. This method enforces incompressibility on closed surfaces by solving a discrete Poisson equation. Different from previous work, it performs simulations directly on triangle meshes and thus eliminates parametrization distortions.
An oxygen flow calorimeter for kilogram-size samples of municipal solid waste Part II. Trial combustions of kilogram-size samples

Abstract A new calorimeter is being developed at the National Bureau of Standards to determine the enthalpies of combustion of kilogram-size samples of municipal solid waste (MSW) in flowing oxygen near atmospheric pressure. Experiments were carried out to develop a prototype combustor in which pellets of relatively unprocessed MSW can be rapidly and completely burned with minimal scattering of ash. Pellets of up to 2.2 kg mass with ash contents between 20 and 35% have been successfully burned at a rate of 15 minutes per kilogram initial mass with CO CO 2 ratios not greater than 0.1%.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Focused Mixture Library of Analogues of the Antimitotic Marine Natural Product Curacin A

The marine natural product curacin A served as the lead compound for the combinatorial synthesis of 6-compound mixture libraries. Fluorous trapping with a vinyl ether tag was used to streamline purification of the heterogeneous multicomponent reaction products and provide chemically clearly defined mixtures. The screening profile of one mixture library, 17mix, was attractive enough to warrant the re-synthesis of the individual compounds, and an evaluation of their biological effects validated the composite data previously obtained on the product mixture. The most active of these compounds inhibited tubulin polymerization with an IC50 of ca. 1 μM, showed an average growth inhibition activity GI50 of ca. 250 nM, inhibited [3H]colchicine binding to tubulin, and blocked mitotic progression at nanomolar concentrations. These compounds represent some of the most potent synthetic curacin A analogues identified to date but have simplified structures, greater water solubility, and increased chemical stability.
Lack of an association between delayed memory and hippocampal and temporal lobe size in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls

The purpose of the present study was to investigate putative neural substrates of long-term (delayed) memory in schizophrenia and young healthy controls. Ten “low” and 10 “high” memory patients were selected from a large sample of DSM-III-R diagnosed schizophrenia spectrum patients, based on composite verbal and nonverbal delayed recall memory scores. Ten “low” and 9 “high” memory individuals were also selected from a larger sample of young healthy controls. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired on a 1.5-T GE Signa scanner using a SPGR sequence (repetition time = 24 msec, echo time = 5 msec). Hippocampal volumes were computed from manual tracings (intraclass correlation = .96), and temporal lobe and whole brain tissue volumes were obtained using a semiautomated technique. In both the patient sample and controls, there was no significant relationship between delayed memory ability and hippocampal, temporal lobe, or whole brain volume. The integration of results from this study, and from studies on normal aging and Alzheimer's disease, supports a model suggesting that hippocampal size may be an indicator of long-term memory ability, but only when hippocampal measures reflect aging and degenerative hippocampal atrophy. If the hippocampal measures reflect individual differences in hippocampal size prior to the onset of hippocampal atrophy, then hippocampal size does not appear to predict long-term memory ability.
Gene delivery to the heart: an updated review on vectors and methods.

Keywords cardiac; gene therapy; cell therapy; heartHeart diseases cause signiﬁcant morbidity and mortality in modern society.Molecular causes for many heart diseases are nowclearly deﬁned. Genetherapyrepresents a critical next step in translating these exciting basic science break-throughs to human patients. A central issue in gene therapy is to effectivelydeliver therapeutic genetic materials to the target tissues/organs. In this regard,the heart has been considered as a highly challenging target because of thedynamic nature of the physiology and the unique anatomic location. Signiﬁcantprogress has been made over the last few years in heart gene delivery. Whatinitially started as a simple direct plasmid injection to the rodent myocardiumhas now evolved into advanced chemical and viral vectors, and also clinicallyapproachable delivery methods for whole heart transduction in large animalmodels and human patients. Despite the proof-of-principle in numerous animalmodels and encouraging data in several early stage clinical trials, unequivocal suc-cessin humanpatients remainslacking.Appa rently,novelstrategiesare needed tomeettheclinicalchallenge.Inthisregard,aclear understandingof thecurrentsta-tus of heart gene transfer will serve as a good foundation for future development.InanEducation Session of the recent Annual Meetingof American SocietyofGene and Cell Therapy, technological advances and the existing obstacles inthe ﬁeld of heart gene delivery were discussed and updated. A collectionof reviews from the speakers of this session is presented in this special issue[1–3]. Three core issues in heart gene therapy are covered. Speciﬁcally, whatkind of vehicle is appropriate to deliver a therapeutic gene to the heart? Whatare the pros and cons of various heart gene delivery methods? What genesshould we use to treat different types of heart failure?The ultimate driving forces for cardiac gene therapy are the patient needs.Compared with other commonly used modalities (such as heart transplanta-tion), there is still ample growing space regarding the development of heartgene therapy. Signiﬁcant effort is warranted to deal with concerns related toinadequate gene transfer efﬁcacy, inefﬁcient genetransfer vectors and compro-mised gene delivery methods. We hope that this collection of reviews willserve as a starting point for the younger generation of physicians and scientistswho are interested in this ﬁeld. We anticipate many pleasant surprises in thenext chapter of heart gene therapy. We ﬁrmly believe that the long-soughthealth beneﬁt of heart gene therapy will be realized in the near future.
Applications of Doppler Ultrasound to Foot and Ankle Care

Systolic blood pressures are well correlated with limb ischemia. The simplicity of Doppler ultrasound technique makes it ideally suited for office use by the interested physician. Topics presented include the use of properly chosen equipment, the clinical indications, and establishment of specific pressure measurements consistent with limb ischemia, rest pain, and healing prognosis.
Reply [to Comment on “Chapman and Alfven: A rigorous mathematical physicist versus an inspirational experimental physicist”]

My article was not intended to be a history of magnetospheric research and magnetic storm study; in fact, I do not wish to be a historian. The purpose of my article was to point out only the veryroot of the Chapman-Allven controversy at its outset. I concluded that it was a confrontation of a rigorous mathematical physicist versus an inspirational experimental physicist, as the title of my article indicates.
Risk factors for hyperechogenic pancreas on endoscopic ultrasound: a case-control study.

Objective:Hyperechogenic pancreas (HP) suggestive of fatty replacement is a common finding during endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Recent data have implicated pancreatic steatosis as a risk factor for pancreatitis and pancreatic malignancy. Hepatic steatosis has been linked to obesity, increased age, hy
Eye tracking, cortisol, and a sleep vs. wake consolidation delay: combining methods to uncover an interactive effect of sleep and cortisol on memory.

Although rises in cortisol can benefit memory consolidation, as can sleep soon after encoding, there is currently a paucity of literature as to how these two factors may interact to influence consolidation. Here we present a protocol to examine the interactive influence of cortisol and sleep on memory consolidation, by combining three methods: eye tracking, salivary cortisol analysis, and behavioral memory testing across sleep and wake delays. To assess resting cortisol levels, participants gave a saliva sample before viewing negative and neutral objects within scenes. To measure overt attention, participants’ eye gaze was tracked during encoding. To manipulate whether sleep occurred during the consolidation window, participants either encoded scenes in the evening, slept overnight, and took a recognition test the next morning, or encoded scenes in the morning and remained awake during a comparably long retention interval. Additional control groups were tested after a 20 min delay in the morning or evening, to control for time-of-day effects. Together, results showed that there is a direct relation between resting cortisol at encoding and subsequent memory, only following a period of sleep. Through eye tracking, it was further determined that for negative stimuli, this beneficial effect of cortisol on subsequent memory may be due to cortisol strengthening the relation between where participants look during encoding and what they are later able to remember. Overall, results obtained by a combination of these methods uncovered an interactive effect of sleep and cortisol on memory consolidation.
Projectile-charge dependence of ejected-electron spectra

We have studied ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$+He and $^{3}\mathrm{He}^{++}$+He ionizing collisions at intermediate energies (60 to 120 keV/amu) and have observed a significant shift in the velocity position of the maxima in forward-ejected electron spectra when changing projectiles from protons to \ensuremath{\alpha} particles. In ionizing collisions, a large portion of the ejected electrons are stranded near the transitory equiforce, or saddle point, position between the target ion and receding projectile. The shift in the electron spectra maxima to smaller velocities, due to changing projectiles from protons to \ensuremath{\alpha} particles, is consistent with the shift in the saddle-point velocity when the projectile charge is increased.
The Image of Women in American Government Textbooks

Twenty introductory American government textbooks are surveyed for both the quality and the quantity of the presentation of women's political history, political behavior, and public policy affecting women. A longitudinal analysis of one textbook suggests that little change has occurred over the last decade. In the conclusion, suggestions are made concerning ways to enhance the image of women in American government textbooks.
Canine motor neuron disease: clinicopathologic features and selected indicators of oxidative stress.

Hereditary canine spinal muscular atrophy (HCSMA) is an inherited motor neuron disease affecting a kindred of Brittanies. We have examined the clinicopathologic abnormalities in 57 animals with HCSMA, including 43 affected adult dogs and 14 homozygote pups. We also measured selected biochemical indices of oxidative stress: serum vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and Se concentrations; serum concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mg, and Fe; and total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in red blood cells. Dogs with HCSMA had the following abnormalities: regenerative anemia, hypoglobulinemia, hypochloremia, and abnormally high creatine kinase and liver alkaline phosphatase activities. Serum Cu concentration was significantly (P = .01) increased in adult dogs with HCSMA compared to control dogs. Serum vitamin E concentrations tended to be lower in adult dogs with HCSMA compared to controls, and were significantly (P = .01) lower in homozygote pups compared to control pups.
1,25-DIHYDROXYVITAMIN D3 RECEPTORS IN DEVELOPING DORSAL ROOT GANGLIA OF FETAL RATS

Abstract We observed immunostaining for the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 receptor (VDR) and calbindin-D 28k in neurons, but not glial cells, of fetal rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) from days 13 through 21 of gestation. Dispersed cultures of DRG collected from rat fetuses at gestational day 15 also contained epitopes for VDR and calbindin-D 28k in neurons, but not in glial cells. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D 3 , through VDR, may perform significant functions in the development of neuronal cells.
Child Support Enforcement and Sexual Activity of Male Adolescents.

Strong child support enforcement requires fathers to take financial responsibility for their children and may also encourage more responsible sexual behavior. Using the 1997 – 2001 waves of the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (N = 4,272), this article examines the association between child support enforcement and the sexual activity of male adolescents. Stronger child support enforcement was associated with fewer sexual partners, less frequent sexual intercourse, and a higher likelihood of using contraceptive methods among adolescents who had had sexual intercourse in the 12 months preceding data collection. The effects of child support enforcement were particularly strong for non-White adolescents and those living in high-poverty areas. These findings suggest that strengthening child support enforcement may be associated with reductions in some aspects of male adolescents’ sexual activity.
Bounds on R-hadron production from calorimetry experiments

Abstract Supersymmetry suggests that new families of hadrons (R-hadrons) may exist, with masses possibly in the GeV/c2 range. If so, relatively model-independent bounds on their pair-production in proton collisions can be obtained by careful calorimetry experiments. Preliminary results indicate an upper limit ⪅ 100 μb for the pN → RR + X cross section at √s = 27.5 GeV.
Gene structure, sequence, and chromosomal localization of the human red cell-type low-molecular-weight acid phosphotyrosyl phosphatase gene, ACP1

Two distinct isoenzymes of the human red cell-type acid phosphatase (RCAP) have been known to exist for some time, but the genetic basis of this phenomenon was uncertain. We previously reported the isolation and characterization of two cDNA clones for human RCAP. We showed that the coding regions of the two cDNAs for the human isoenzymes were identical except for a divergent segment spanning nucleotides 176-274, called the variable region. We have now cloned, characterized, and mapped the gene encoding the red cell-type acid phosphatase isoenzymes. The human ACP1 gene is shown to span about 18 kb and to consist of seven exons. The promoter region of ACP1 is very GC-rich and has no apparent TATA or CCAAT boxes. The sequence information confirms that the variable regions of the isoenzymes exist in the gDNA sequence as separate and distinct exons, apparently subject to mutually exclusive alternative splicing. Using a genomic ACP1 clone, we have established the chromosomal localization of the gene to the distal portion of 2p25 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.
A cocaine high-risk situations questionnaire: Development and psychometric properties

Although high-risk situations have been identified for alcoholism, opiate abuse, and smoking, further research is needed to identify high-risk situations for cocaine abuse. A 233-item Cocaine High-Risk Situations Survey was developed based on a comprehensive literature review and was administered to 179 cocaine users in treatment. Situations that occurred infrequently or that were not often associated with cocaine use were eliminated and the remaining 89 items were factor analyzed using half the sample with confirmatory factor analysis on the remainder of the sample. Only one factor was found for frequency of cocaine use in these situations. The 21 items with high factor loadings and a diverse range of content were retained for subsequent analyses and renamed the Cocaine High-Risk Situations Questionnaire (CHRSQ). Reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of this scale were demonstrated. Frequency of alcohol use in the same situations was not significantly related to cocaine use and abuse, supporting discriminant validity. The findings suggest that the frequency of ongoing cocaine use is not determined by specific situations. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
Exciton transport in naphthalene alloys: A transition from percolation to diffusion

Abstract Steady-state singlet excitation transport in ternary naphthalene crystals (C 10 H 8 /C 10 D 8 /β-methylnaphthalene) fits diffusion models at 4.2 K, but not at 1.8 K, where it fits a percolation model.
Influence of the d Orbital Occupation on the Structures and Sequential Binding Energies of Pyridine to the Late First-Row Divalent Transition Metal Cations: A DFT Study

The ground-state structures and sequential binding energies of the late first-row divalent transition metal cations to pyridine (Pyr) are determined using density functional theory (DFT) methods. Five late first-row transition metal cations in their +2 oxidation states are examined including: Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+. Calculations at B3LYP, BHandHLYP, and M06 levels of theory using 6-31G* and 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis sets are employed to determine the structures and theoretical estimates for the sequential binding energies of the M2+(Pyr)x complexes, where x = 1–6, respectively. Structures of the Ca2+(Pyr)x complexes are compared to those for the M2+(Pyr)x complexes of Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ to further assess the effects of the d-orbital occupation on the preferred binding geometries. The B3LYP, BHandHLYP, and M06 levels of theory yield very similar geometries for the analogous M2+(Pyr)x complexes. The overall trends in the sequential BDEs for all five metal cations at all three levels of th...
Design of a Clinical Fluorometer for Intraoral Use

A simple fluorometer has been designed for intraoral measurement of fluorescence. The instrument uses a mercury penlight source, fiber optics, filter, and a commercial detection system. Use of ultraviolet illumination for oral diagnosis is described in the preceding article.
Paraeducators as Critical Team Members: Redefining Roles and Responsibilities

This article provides an overview of the changing and expanding roles of paraeducators, notes the importance of paraeducators as critical team members, offers several ideas that teachers can use to enhance the use of paraeducators in the classroom, and provides some insights for school principals about the benefits of paraeducators and some legal and ethical considerations in their use. Future role definition, function, and opportunities for paraeducators are discussed.
Photodissociation dynamics of nitromethane and methyl nitrite by infrared multiphoton dissociation imaging with quasiclassical trajectory calculations: signatures of the roaming pathway.

We combine the techniques of infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) with state selective ion imaging to probe roaming dynamics in the unimolecular dissociation of nitromethane and methyl nitrite. Recent theoretical calculations suggest a “roaming-mediated isomerization” pathway of nitromethane to methyl nitrite prior to decomposition. State-resolved imaging of the NO product coupled with infrared multiphoton dissociation was carried out to examine this unimolecular decomposition near threshold. The IRMPD images for the NO product from nitromethane are consistent with the earlier IRMPD studies that first suggested the importance of an isomerization pathway. A significant Λ-doublet propensity is seen in nitromethane IRMPD but not methyl nitrite. The experimental observations are augmented by quasiclassical trajectory calculations for nitromethane and methyl nitrite near threshold for each dissociation pathway. The observation of distinct methoxy vibrational excitation for trajectories from nitromethane and methyl nitrite dissociation at the same total energy show that the nitromethane dissociation bears a nonstatistical signature of the roaming isomerization pathway, and this is possibly responsible for the nitromethane Λ-doublet propensity as well.
Estimation of experimental conditions that permit cell separations by velocity sedimentation on isokinetic gradients of ficoll in tissue culture medium

Abstract In previous papers, I have demonstrated that cell sedimentation in gradients of Ficoll (polysucrose) in tissue culture medium is accurately described by the differential sedimentation equation integrated by a computer to predict the location of cells having specified diameters and densities as a function of time during sedimentation. For the investigator who is working with a specific group of cells, it is cumbersome and time-consuming to adapt our computer program to his computer. Fortunately, the densities of most cells in gradients of Ficoll in tissue culture medium fall within a narrow range of possible densities (1.060–1.120 gm/ml); therefore, it is possible to construct one gradient in which the sedimentation of most mammalian cells will closely approach being isokinetic. The isokinetic gradient reported here begins 13.7 cm from the center of revolution; the necessary dimensions can be obtained in a variety of low-speed centrifuges (I.E.C. PR-2, I.E.C. PR-4, MSE 6L, etc.). Using the previously reported computer-generated numerical integration of the sedimentation equation, a table has been generated that lists the velocities of cells having a wide range of densities and diameters in the isokinetic gradient. Having determined the densities of the cells and their location on the isokinetic gradient at any one centrifuge speed, the investigator can use this table to predict their location on the isokinetic gradient at other centrifuge speeds without using a computer.
An imaging-based platform for high-content, quantitative evaluation of therapeutic response in 3D tumour models

While it is increasingly recognized that three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models recapitulate drug responses of human cancers with more fidelity than monolayer cultures, a lack of quantitative analysis methods limit their implementation for reliable and routine assessment of emerging therapies. Here, we introduce an approach based on computational analysis of fluorescence image data to provide high-content readouts of dose-dependent cytotoxicity, growth inhibition, treatment-induced architectural changes and size-dependent response in 3D tumour models. We demonstrate this approach in adherent 3D ovarian and pancreatic multiwell extracellular matrix tumour overlays subjected to a panel of clinically relevant cytotoxic modalities and appropriately designed controls for reliable quantification of fluorescence signal. This streamlined methodology reads out the high density of information embedded in 3D culture systems, while maintaining a level of speed and efficiency traditionally achieved with global colorimetric reporters in order to facilitate broader implementation of 3D tumour models in therapeutic screening.
Collateral Circulation, Renal Function and Histology after Experimental Obstruction of Renal Veins

Changes in renal excretion and histology were studied for varying periods following unilateral or bilateral ligation of the renal veins in female rats. Collaterals were studied by plastic corrosion models of alternate rats in each series. Proteinuria lasted less than one week. The most common histologic findings were infarction, hemorrhagic changes and congestion. Return toward normal was related to the development of functioning venous collaterals which began from one to three days following ligation, depending on the site of ligation. Since the ovarian vein is a tributary of the left renal vein, ligation proximal or distal to their junction made a significant difference in the effective collateralization on that side. The left kidney appeared to withstand ligation better than the right which manifested more abnormalities even when it was the unligated kidney. With bilateral renal venous ligation, survival appeared to be closely related to the site of ligation, especially of the left renal vein. Although the rate of development of collaterals and the duration of functional and histologic changes differ from those reported for thrombotic obstruction of the renal veins, clinical implications may be recognized.
Kerma factors of elements and compounds for neutron energies below 30 MeV

Based on recently calculated tables of neutron kerma factors for 19 elements, kerma factors for 44 compounds have been calculated. The neutron energy range covered extends from 8 eV to 30 MeV. Because of the increased uncertainty in the nuclear data at the higher energies, care must be taken when the tables are applied above 15 MeV. The user must also be careful when applying these results to compounds at low neutron energies, because of the difficulties in associating kerma values with molecular materials at energies below ∼ 30eV.
Mapping absorbance spectra, cone fractions, and neuronal mechanisms to photopic spectral sensitivity in the zebrafish.

Abstract The four spectral cone types in the zebrafish retina each contribute to photopic visual sensitivity as measured by the b-wave of the electroretinogram (ERG). The goal of the current study was to evaluate a model of photopic b-wave spectral sensitivity in the zebrafish that mapped first-order cellular and biophysical aspects of cone photoreceptors (visual pigment absorbance spectra and cone fractions) onto a second-order physiological aspect of cone-derived neural activity in the retina. Good correspondence between the model and photopic ERG data was attained using new visual pigment absorbance data for zebrafish cones (lambda(max) of the L, M, and S cones were 564, 473, and 407 nm, respectively), visual pigment templates, and linearly gained cone fractions. The model inferred four distinct cone processing channels that contribute to the photopic b-wave, two of which are antagonistic combinations of cone-derived signals (L-M and M-S), and two of which are noncombinatorial signals from S and U cones. The nature of the gains and the processing channels suggested general rules of cone-specific inputs to second-order neurons. The model further suggested that the zebrafish retina utilizes neuronal mechanisms for enhancing sensitivity to luminance contrast at short wavelengths and chromatic contrast at middle and long wavelengths. The results indicated that first-order cellular and biophysical aspects of cone photoreceptors can successfully explain physiological aspects of cone-derived neuronal activity in the zebrafish retina.
Thecal cell 3-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity: modulation by human chorionic gonadotropin, progesterone, estradiol-17 beta and dihydrotestosterone.

Thecal cell steroidogenesis plays a major role in folliculogenesis within the porcine ovary. Accorclingly, the effects of physiological concentrations of steroids on 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity (3β-HSD) were determined. Theca was excised from large porcine follicles and prepared in a monolayer culture in 1 ml of serum-free media. Cells were treated 24 h after culture as follows: (1) control, (2) hCG (5IU); (3) progesterone (P, 3μg); estradiol-17β (E, 4μg); 5β-dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 1 μg); (4) hCG + P or E or DHT. At 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after treatment, media were assessed for P levels. For 3β-HSD activity, P formation by microsomal fractions incubated with 1 μM pregnenolone + 5 μM NAD+ for l h (37°C) was monitored. Thecal cell P secretion increased from 27 to 72 h. hCG significantly (P < 0.05) increased P levels after 36 h compared to controls. E or E + hCG decreased P levels at 36, 48, and 72 h and DHT prevented the hCG-induced increase in P secretion. 3β-HSD activity in thecal microsomes increased significantly from 27 to 72 h. hCG had little effect on 3β-HSD activity compared with controls from 27 to 36 h, but significantly (P < 0.05) decreased 3β-HSD activity at 48 and 72 h. However, P or P + hCG significantly (P < 0.05) decreased 3β-HSD activity at all times. In addition, E or E + hCG significantly (P < 0.05) decreased 3β-HSD activity at 48 and 72 h. DHT prevented the hCG-induced decrease in 3β-HSD activity. In conclusion, porcine thecal secretion of P and microsomal 3β-HSD activity increased during 72 h of culture. Paradoxically, the addition of hCG to cultures enhanced media P concentrations but inhibited 3β-HSD activity. Further, the addition of E to cultures decreased media concentrations of P while P or E decreased 3β-HSD activity. Therefore, paracrine/autocrine effects of locally produced steroids may play a role in modulating thecal cell steroidogenesis.
Environmental occurrence of the enterococcal surface protein (esp) gene is an unreliable indicator of human fecal contamination.

The enterococcal surface protein (esp) gene found in Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium has recently been explored as a marker of sewage pollution in recreational waters but its occurrence and distribution in environmental enterococci has not been well-documented. If the esp gene is found in environmental samples, there are potential implications for microbial source tracking applications. In the current study, a total of 452 samples (lake water, 100; stream water, 129; nearshore sand, 96; and backshore sand, 71; Cladophora sp. (Chlorophyta), 41; and periphyton (mostly Bacillariophyceae), 15) collected from the coastal watersheds of southern Lake Michigan were selectively cultured for enterococci and then analyzed for the esp gene by PCR, targeting E. faecalis/E. faecium (espfs/fm) and E. faecium (espfm). Overall relative frequencies for espfs/fm and espfm were 27.4 and 5.1%. Respective percent frequency for the espfs/fm and espfm was 36 and 14% in lake water; 38.8 and 2.3% in stream water; 24 and 6.3% ...
Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus

Abstract A large part of James N. Gilliam's abbreviated investigative career was devoted to testing a hypothesis that strong relationships do exist between the cutaneous and systemic manifestations of lupus erythematosus (LE). As a result of clinical observations made during his early studies designed to test this hypothesis, he introduced the term "subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus" (SCLE) to designate a clinically distinctive nonscarring type of histologically confirmed cutaneous LE that he felt might represent a cutaneous marker for a discrete subset of LE patients. 1 A series of studies carried out in our and other laboratories have since confirmed that patients who develop SCLE skin lesions do indeed share other clinical, pathologic, serologic, and immunogenetic features. Dr. Gilliam died on June 6, 1984, before the full impact of his initial clinical observations had been fully recognized. I would, therefore, like to dedicate the following discussion of the clinical and laboratory features of patients with SCLE skin lesions to his memory.
Is video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy inferior to open lobectomy oncologically?

uring the last 4 decades, slow but steady progress Dhas been made in the overall survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Yet even with all the improvements in care in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical techniques, the overall survival is still less than 20%. No treatment should jeopardize this slow, but real progress. The goal of treatment of cancer is—number one—to cure cancer.
Formal languages defined by uniform substitutions

When a uniform substitution is applied to a word, the same letter at different positions in the word is transformed everywhere in the same way. Thus, a uniform substitution SH is determined by a set H of homomorphisms. We define recognizable and rational sets of homomorphisms and we prove closure and non-closure properties of the class of languages of the form SH(L), where L is regular and H is recognizable. We also show that in this case (and in more general situations as well) the membership problem for SH(L) is solvable in deterministic polynomial time.
Interventional CMR: Clinical Applications and Future Directions

Interventional cardiovascular magnetic resonance (iCMR) promises to enable radiation-free catheterization procedures and to enhance contemporary image guidance for structural heart and electrophysiological interventions. However, clinical translation of exciting pre-clinical interventions has been limited by availability of devices that are safe to use in the magnetic resonance (MR) environment. We discuss challenges and solutions for clinical translation, including MR-conditional and MR-safe device design, and how to configure an interventional suite. We review the recent advances that have already enabled diagnostic MR right heart catheterization and simple electrophysiologic ablation to be performed in humans and explore future clinical applications.
Failure diagnosis of discrete-time stochastic systems subject to temporal logic correctness requirements

This paper studies the failure diagnosis of discrete-time stochastic systems with linear-time temporal logic (LTL) as correctness requirement—A fault is a violation of the LTL specification. The detection problem is first reduced to stochastic reachability estimation problem for an input-output stochastic hybrid automaton (I/O-SHA) introduced in this paper, based on which the likelihood of no-fault is recursively computed for issuing a detection decision. The performance of the detection scheme is measured in terms of false alarm (FA) and missed detection (MD) rates, and the condition for the existence of a detector to achieve any desired rates of FA and MD is captured in form of Stochastic-Diagnosability. The proposed method of fault detection is illustrated by a practical example.
Effects of lethal acidity on plasma sodium concentrations in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) from a naturally acidic and a naturally alkaline lake

Abstract 1. 1. In situ plasma sodium concentrations of yellow perch ( Perca fluvescens ) from naturally acidic Wharton lake (pH 4.6) and naturally alkaline Trout lake (pH 7.9) were similar. 2. 2. Exposure to lethal acidity (pH 3.2) for 48 hr resulted in significant but similar decreases in plasma sodium levels in both populations, even though Whartor lake perch were known to survive significantly longer than Trout lake perch at low pH. 3. 3. This suggests that the observed differences in acidity tolerance between the two populations are not due to differences in rates of plasma sodium decrease.
Heuristic solutions and confidence intervals for the multicovering problem

The multicovering problem can be expressed as: Minimize CX subject to AX ⩾, b, X ϵ {0, 1}, where A is a zero-one matrix and b is a vector of positive integers. This mathematical model has many applications to scheduling and location problems. Large examples of such problems arise in industrial, commercial and military settings, and their size frequently exceeds the limits of computational tractability. For this important problem, we examine a variety of simple heuristic approaches which can be applied when optimal solutions are not available. The approximate solutions thus generated are used to construct confidence intervals for the unknown value of the optimal solution. A large-scale computational study for randomly generated problmes suggests that these intervals are both very narrow and very likely to contain the optimal solution value. A study of 10 very large real-world problems further supports the success of our methodology and the quality of the approximate solutions found.
The prisoner’s dilemma and economics 101: Do active learning exercises correlate with student performance?

The importance of active learning in the classroom has been well established in the field of Economic education. This paper examines the connection between active learning and performance outcomes in an Economics 101 course. Students participated in single play simultaneous move game with a clear dominant strategy, modeled after the Prisoner’s Dilemma. The hypothesis is that if a student understands the Prisoner’s Dilemma and the relevant assumptions in Economic theory, he will choose the dominant strategy in the game. But will his choice be correlated with his performance on two important metrics? Empirical evidence indicates that there is a correlation between a student’s performance on the Prisoner’s Dilemma game and his performance on the subsequent in-class exam and in the course overall.
Moving Plate Studies of Titanium Dioxide

The optical density of spectral lines emitted during the spark or arc excitation of a sample may vary during the time of the exposure. It is useful to know whether this variation occurs for an element being analyzed, and to adjust the exposure conditions accordingly.