cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical Challenges in the Study of Natural Radioactive Chains

Natural radioactivity was first confirmed by chemical means, and for many years it was the only known form of radioactivity. Chemical techniques remain necessary for obtaining samples of series components on which detailed studies can be made. These techniques must contend with features peculiar to or emphasized in the natural decay series—low specific activities of long-lived parents and trace quantities of short-lived intermediates, interferences from carriers (isotopic or non-isotopic), and rapid growth of impurities in initially pure fractions. Examples of each of these features (challenges) are given.
CXC Chemokine Redundancy Ensures Local Neutrophil Recruitment during Acute Inflammation

Previous publications demonstrated that elevated systemic levels of interleukin (IL)-8 decrease local neutrophil recruitment. We tested whether sustained, high plasma levels of IL-8 would prevent local inflammation after inflammatory insults. Mice carrying the transgene for human IL-8 were separated on the basis of their plasma levels of IL-8 into IL-8-positive (plasma levels >90 ng/ml) and IL-8-negative (IL-8 below detection). Presence of the IL-8 transgene did not improve survival or morbidity nor did it alter peritoneal neutrophil recruitment induced by the cecal ligation and puncture model of sepsis. In an acute lung injury model created by intratracheal injection of acid, IL-8-positive mice showed no reduction in alveolar neutrophil recruitment. There was no difference in the local recruitment of neutrophils when either thioglycollate or glycogen was injected intraperitoneally. We examined the chemotactic response to murine chemokines to test how neutrophil recruitment occurs in the setting of elevated plasma IL-8 and found that neutrophils from both IL-8-positive and -negative mice respond equally well to recombinant KC or macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2. We measured KC and MIP-2 in the peritoneum after thioglycollate injection and demonstrated that IL-8-positive mice have significantly higher levels of the chemokines compared to the IL-8-negative mice. Antibody inhibition of KC and MIP-2 in the IL-8-positive mice significantly decreased peritoneal neutrophil recruitment in response to thioglycollate, clarifying their important role in the local neutrophil recruitment. Our data demonstrate that despite the presence of high plasma levels of IL-8, neutrophils may still be recruited to sites of local inflammation because of chemokine redundancy.
Ministers' Perceptions of Foster Care, Adoptions, and the Role of the Black Church

ABSTRACT Results from survey research of 51 Black ministers indicate that the Black church is potentially an untapped resource for the placement of African American children in permanent homes. The study population indicated knowledge of the need for African American foster care and adoptive families but did not include this need as part of the focus of work for their respective churches. Implications for additional research are highlighted.
Design and Fabrication of Iron-Dominated Magnets and Cryomodule Magnetic Shielding for the Re-Accelerator Project at MSU

The National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University is constructing a rare isotope beam re-accelerator facility, called “ReA.” The compact facility will provide unique reaccelerated low-energy rare isotope beams produced by in-flight nuclear reactions and then stopped by interaction with matter. The ReA3 linac beam transport system comprises of room-temperature dipoles, quadrupoles, solenoids, and corrector magnets. The accelerating system of the linac is composed of cryomodules each containing niobium resonators and superconducting solenoids. The performance of the cavity is sensitive to magnetic fields coming mainly from the solenoid fringe field and the residual Earth's field. The 9-T solenoid is shielded with both a return yoke and bucking coils to reduce the magnetic field in the neighboring SRF cavities. The cavities are also equipped with a shield made up of commercially available high permeable material to further reduce the magnetic field on the cavities. Two of the cryomodules are in operation and have demonstrated effective shielding, eliminating the requirement of hysteresis cycling. This paper presents the results of the design of the magnets, fabrication, and status. In addition to the design of the magnetic shield, results of the survey of magnetic field in the cavities are presented.
Genetics and molecular biology of nitrate metabolism in higher plants

Nitrate uptake and reduction are highly regulated processes. In many plant species, nitrate uptake is induced by nitrate. Little, however, is known about the genetic and molecular aspects of nitrate transport. Reduction of nitrate to ammonia is carried out by nitrate and nitrite reductases. Nitrate and light enhance expression of the nitrate and nitrite reductase genes in most species. Mutants have been selected and characterized to identify genes controlling nitrate reductase in several higher plant species
Using social and behavior change communication to increase HIV testing and condom use: the Malawi BRIDGE Project

While overall HIV prevalence in Malawi has decreased, it is still high in the southern region of the country. Behavioral prevention activities are crucial to continue the reduction in HIV prevalence. Behavior change is influenced by many factors. Previous work indicates knowledge about HIV transmission, self-efficacy to protect oneself from exposure, and accurate risk perception of one's susceptibility all impact sexual behavior. The current study looks at the effects of a behavior change communication program in Malawi called the BRIDGE II Project on psychosocial and behavioral variables. The program sought to address barriers to individual action and confront societal norms related to sexual risk behavior through a mix of community-based activities and mass media messages delivered through local radio stations. Using cohort data (n = 594), we examined the effect of BRIDGE exposure on three variables that affect HIV behaviors: knowledge, self-efficacy, and risk perception, as well as two behavioral outco...
Analytical characterization of AOTV perigee aerothermodynamic regime

In preliminary design studies of AOTV (Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Vehicle) configurations, it is desirable to have a simple analytical method for characterizing the aerothermodynamic regime at skip trajectory perigee as a function of vehicle L/D and m/CDA (ballistic coefficient). The present study derives an approximate perigee solution from the generalized equations of motion. For a prescribed entry velocity vector, the solution determines a Zeta function (proportional to density divided by m/CDA) at perigee as a parametric function of the exit velocity vector and (constant) L/D. The perigee Zeta function then determines perigee density (or altitude) as a parametric function of m/CDA. The solution allows the following classic aerothermodynamic parameters to be determined at perigee as parametric functions of m/CDA, L/D, and the exit velocity vector: Reynolds Number (viscous effects), Mach Number (compressibility effects), Knudsen Number (rarefaction effects), sphere and disk bow shock standoff distance, Damkohler Number (relaxation effects), viscous correlation parameter (viscid-inviscid interactions), and Stanton Number (convective heat transfer). Results of the analysis are given for low L/D and mid L/D AOTV configurations on return from geosynchronous and L5 orbits. It is concluded the method successfully provides preliminary estimates of the aerothermodynamic parameters through the use of simple algebraic equations and plots.
Infrastructural competition among jurisdictions

Abstract This paper models jurisdictions that compete for an industry by building infrastructure more rapidly than their identical neighbors. Such competition can waste resources. Lucrative ‘prizes’ – the tax revenues and the value of jobs that an incoming firm would provide – stimulate infrastructural spending and waste. Low initial levels of infrastructure discourage infrastructural competition. The paper urges a cautious approach toward federal subsidies of local expenditures on infrastructure.
Unconstrained web-based color naming experiment

This paper describes an ongoing web-based approach to collecting color names or color categories. Previous studies have tended to require a large number of observations from a small number of observers. These studies have also tended to limit responses to one-word or monolexical replies. Many studies have also focused on response time or levels of intra-observer agreement in order to identify focal colors. This web-based study uses a distributed design to collect a small number of names from a large number of observers. The responses are neither limited to nor restricted from being monolexical. The focal color analysis is then based on statistical analysis of monolexcially named colors. This paper presents the methodology and infrastructure, as well as considerations for data analysis. Finally, preliminary results of the experiment are results are considered. The data from over 700 participants results in CIELAB hues and lightnesses for the basic colors that agree with previous investigations as well as those investigations agree with each other.
A STUDY OF THE MECHANISM OF RECOVERY FROM LOBAR PNEUMONIA

Employing a method devised for the investigation of natural immunity and experimental pneumococcus infection, a study has been made of the serum immune changes occurring during the course of lobar pneumonia due to Pneumococcus Types I and II and Group IV, in man. It was found that at the time of crisis or lysis the blood serum acquired constantly the property of promoting pneumococcus killing to a relatively marked degree. Other evidences of antipneumococcus reaction—mouse protection, opsonins, and agglutinins—were also demonstrable in the blood at this time. These immune changes appeared in the majority of cases at the beginning of recovery and failed to occur when the disease terminated fatally. The fact that these observations in human cases are practically identical with previous findings in the experimental disease in cats, enhances considerably the significance of the development of serum immune bodies at the time of crisis since in the experimental animal it was possible to show that the acquisition of passive immunity was associated with greatly increased antipneumococcus resistance.
Reliable Formation Of Feature Vectors For 2-D Shape Representation

An adaptive algorithm which has the capability of simultaneously identifying several shapes is introduced and derived. The identification of the irregular objects (shapes) can be accomplished over a wide range of scale factors, and independent of rotation and translation. It is demonstrated that excellent identification performance is obtained under the most adverse conditions. Specifically, it is demonstrated that the algorithm performs well in the presence of both noise and occlusion. Additionally, the matching process produces estimates of rotation, scaling, and translation for the various irregular objects. The algorithm is robust in the sense that adjustments can be made to accomodate both extreme noise and memory restrictions. It is demonstrated that the computational requirements for the procedure are not excessive.
The use and abuse of cea test in clinical practice

Charts of 437 patients having plasma carcinoembryonic antigen determinations during the period January 1, 1976 through April 30, 1976 were reviewed to determine whether CEA results led to clinical decisions altering management patterns. Data analysis disclosed that CEA test results did not result in any change in management in 167 patients with non-neoplastic disease. Most had single determinations. In 270 patients with neoplastic disease, CEA results led to changes in management in one patient with lung cancer and two patients with colon cancer, which may have altered prognosis. In a fourth patient, CEA results led to discovery of unresectable pancreatic cancer at laparotomy. Cost benefit analysis indicated a CEA test cost of $5,047 0.50 per patient benefitted in 299 patients eligible for analysis. We conclude that maximal benefit to the patient results from serial CEA test use in follow-up of colon cancer patients after curative therapy.
DNA Is Not a Molecular Wire: Protein-like Electron-Transfer Predicted for an Extended π-Electron System

The distance dependence of electron transfer in DNA in not a matter of purely academic concern; it controls the mechanism of DNA damage and repair in cells and is being exploited in new molecular probes of DNA sequence. We present a theoretical analysis based upon very large scale self-consistent-field quantum calculation of all valence electrons (as many as 3300) in these three systems. This computation is the first performed on such large macromolecules and also the first to extract long-range electronic interactions at this level of theory. DNA electron transfer is found to be mediated by through-space interactions between the {pi}-electron-containing base pairs, but the magnitude of the coupling facilitated by this channel drops rapidly with distance, as a consequence of the 3.4 A noncovalent gap between base pairs. These predictions are in agreement with most of the experimental data. The rapid decay of electron-transfer rates with distance computed here suggests that biologically controlled DNA electron-transfer events, of importance in DNA repair, must function over relatively short range. Moreover, the predicted distance dependence of electron transfer in DNA is strikingly close to that found in proteins. 23 refs., 3 figs.
Chemical determination of particulate nitrogen in San Francisco Bay. Nitrogen: chlorophyll a ratios in plankton

Particulate nitrogen (PN) and chlorophyll a (Chla) were measured in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay throughout 1980. The PN values were calculated as the differences between unfiltered and filtered (0·4 μm) samples analyzed using the UV-catalyzed peroxide digestion method. The Chla values were measured spectrophotometrically, with corrections made for phaeopigments. The plot of all PNChla data was found to be non-linear, and the concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) was found to be the best selector for linear subsets of the data. The best-fit slopes of PNChla plots, as determined by linear regression (model II), were interpreted to be the N: Chla ratios of phytoplankton. The Y-intercepts of the regression lines were considered to represent easily-oxidizable detrital nitrogen (EDN). In clear water ( < 10 mg l−1 SPM), the N: Chla ratio was 1·07 μg-at N per μg Chla. It decreased to 0·60 in the 10–18 mg l−1 range and averaged 0·31 in the remaining four ranges (18–35, 35–65, 65–155, and 155–470 mg l−1). The EDN values were less than 1 μg-at N l−1 in the clear water and increased monotonically to almost 12 μg-at N l−1 in the highest SPM range. The N: Chla ratios for the four highest SPM ranges agree well with data for phytoplankton in light-limited cultures. In these ranges, phytoplankton-N averaged only 20% of the PN, while EDN averaged 39% and refractory-N 41%.
United States HIV policy from the human rights perspective.

HIV is not only a public health crisis, an economic crisis, and a social crisis; it is a human rights crisis. Yet in the United States, HIV has not been approached through a human rights perspective. In general, people with HIV or at risk for HIV have been treated as distrusted perpetrators, and access to needed services, information, and care have been selectively, not universally, available. Because the United States is globally influential in HIV funding and policies, our neglect and abuse of human rights have been exported. This paper uses the human rights lens to examine some of the ways in which the United States has traditionally approached the HIV pandemic and to critique those approaches, and suggests what HIV policy might be if universal human rights were considered.
Short-course chemotherapy and role of surgery in adult and pediatric genitourinary tuberculosis.

Bright news exists with respect to tuberculosis therapy in the United States. Major advances in treatment during the 1970s have already led to near worldwide acceptance of short-course chemotherapy for both pulmonary and genitourinary forms of tuberculosis. Now this treatment is gaining recognition in this country. The key to this therapy is improved patient compliance to bactericidal medications (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide) which are employed in aggressive combinations and which have rapid sterilizing activity. Short-course chemotherapy does not mean giving former medicine regimens for briefer time periods; it means short-term, more effective combination chemotherapy. This chemotherapy should be equally efficacious in both the adult and pediatric populations. The emergence of these more aggressive but effective medical regimens should also allow the urologist to narrow the surgical indications in patients with genitourinary tuberculosis. When surgery is needed, new endourologic techniques may obviate the need for open operations. Advanced techniques now also exist for ureteral substitution and bladder augmentation in selected patients.
On the asymptotic expansion in three-dimensional compressible viscous flow

Abstract An exact solution of the set of equations (of motion, energy, continuity, and state) of a three-dimensional flow of a compressible viscous fluid (in which pressure, density, coefficients of viscosity and heat conductivity are functions of position) represents insurmountable difficulties and cannot be achieved. Consequently, only approximation methods may be considered. Goldstein (1, 2) 2 proposed an asymptotic expansion for the two-dimensional steady flow of an incompressible viscous fluid behind a solid body by means of exponential functions.That type of expansion was applied by the author to a few cases of a two-dimensional steady flow of a compressible viscous flow ( 3, 4, 5 ). In the present paper the author extends this method to a case of a three dimensional flow of a compressible fluid.Not to obscure the problem by many items of a simple algebraic nature, the paper presents only a general outline of the method of attack, applied to the simplest possible case, that is, to a flow along a yawed flat plate whose plane is parallel to the direction of the undisturbed flow.From two requirements: ( a ) to solve exactly or approximately the equations, ( b ) to satisfy exactly or approximately the boundary conditions, in a case of a compressible viscous fluid (when no use is made of velocity potential—or stream—functions) it is possible to satisfy the requirement ( a ) approximately and ( b ) exactly. This was shown by the author in the present as well as in previous papers.The presented method may be easily adjusted to three-dimensional wakes and jets similarly as it was done in plane flows.
A study of salivary glands of rats injected with actinomycin D

A study has been made of the salivary glands of the rat following an injection of a sublethal dose of actinomycin D. Body weights and weights of the parotid and submandibular glands showed significant decreases during the first 7 to 14 days. The loss in weight was the greatest in the parotid gland. Histological and cytological observations indicated that the changes in secretory cells occurred in the following order: (1) beginning of nuclear pyknosis with a rapid decrease in number and size of nuclei by 24 hours after the injection; (2) advanced stages of nuclear pyknosis with concomitant decrease in cytoplasmic basophilia and granules by day 3; (3) apparent vacuolization and rarification of cytoplasm by day 7; (4) beginning of nucleolar and nuclear recovery by day 10; and (5) complete cytoplasmic recovery by the end of experiment as evidenced by the return of basophilia and disappearance of vacuoles. Paralleling the weight changes, cytological damages were greater in the parotid than in the submandibular acini. This was thought to be related to differences in nature of secretory products by the two organs. A decrease in number and pronounced irregularity in size of the granules in salivary ducts of the submandibular gland were observed but at a later time than the above mentioned changes in the acini. The significance of these changes has been discussed in light of the recently gained knowledge on the biosynthesis of nucleic acids and proteins as related to the chemical mechanism of actinomycin D in the inhibition of m-RNA synthesis.
Representing spatial information through multimodal interfaces

The research discussed is a component of a larger study to explore the accessibility and usability of spatial data presented through multiple sensory modalities including haptic, auditory and visual interfaces. Geographical information systems (GIS) and other computer-based tools for spatial display predominantly use vision to communicate information to the user, as sight is the spatial sense par excellence. Ongoing research is exploring the fundamental concepts and techniques necessary to navigate through multimodal interfaces, which are user, task, domain, and interface specific. This highlights the necessity for both a conceptual/theoretical schema, and the need for extensive usability studies. Preliminary results presented here exploring feature recognition, and shape tracing in non-visual environments indicate multimodal interfaces have a great deal of potential for facilitating access to spatial data for blind and visually impaired persons. The research is undertaken with the wider goals of increasing information accessibility and promoting "universal access.".
Addition of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blocker to CCR2 Antagonist Markedly Attenuates Crescentic Glomerulonephritis

The monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)/CC-chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) pathway plays a critical role in the development of antiglomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) nephritis. We recently showed angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion in rats activated MCP-1 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), which in turn induced macrophage infiltration of renal tissues. This study was performed to demonstrate that combination therapy with a CCR2 antagonist (CA) and an Ang II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) ameliorated renal injury in the anti-GBM nephritis model. An anti-GBM nephritis rat model developed progressive proteinuria and glomerular crescent formation, accompanied by increased macrophage infiltration and glomerular expression of MCP-1, angiotensinogen, Ang II, and TGF-β1. Treatment with CA alone or ARB alone moderately ameliorated kidney injury; however, the combination treatment with CA and ARB dramatically prevented proteinuria and markedly reduced glomerular crescent formation. The combination treatment also suppressed the induction of macrophage infiltration, MCP-1, angiotensinogen, Ang II, and TGF-β1 and reversed the fibrotic change in the glomeruli. Next, primary cultured glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) stimulated by Ang II showed significant increases in MCP-1 and TGF-β1 expression. Furthermore, cocultured model consisting of MCs, parietal epithelial cells, and macrophages showed an increase in Ang II-induced cell proliferation and collagen secretion. ARB treatment attenuated these augmentations. These data suggest that Ang II enhances glomerular crescent formation of anti-GBM nephritis. Moreover, our results demonstrate that inhibition of the MCP-1/CCR2 pathway with a combination of ARB effectively reduces renal injury in anti-GBM nephritis.
The ERG of guinea pig (Cavis porcellus): comparison with I-type monkey and E-type rat.

We have been in search of an alternate species for the monkey to study the effects of drugs on the I-type photopic electroretinogram (ERG) response that is typically seen in the cone-rich retina of the primate. The guinea pig has two types of cones, one of which contains a middle-wavelength sensitive pigment otherwise found only in Old World primates. We studied the Ganzfeld electroretinogram (ERG) of the guinea pig in relation to monkey and rat ERGs to learn whether the guinea pig might be a good animal model to study the `primate-like' cone ERG. The guinea pig scotopic ERG was similar to other mammal ERGs and was not electronegative when fully dark-adapted. We saw no evidence of a negative-going scotopic threshold response (STR). The guinea pig photopic ERG a-wave is larger than that of the rat but much smaller than the primate a-wave, and it lacked a phasic d-wave. PDA eliminated guinea pig photopic a-wave and caused the OFF-response to long stimuli to invert polarity, as seen in monkey but not in rat. The guinea pig overall shows a weak I-type response and may be a useful substitute for primate in some studies of the photopic ERG.
Simulating underwater acoustic data using random variable transformations

Recent advances in underwater acoustics have shown the non-gaussian nature of acoustic signals in a random ocean. These advances have also demonstrated that the probability distribution of the amplitude of an acoustic signal is modeled quite well by the generalized gamma density function. This model is further developed in this study to include a phase distribution. This non-gaussian nature makes it difficult to simulate data needed to develop new signal processing methods for source localization. However, with the knowledge of these two first order statistics, a method for simulating a random ocean based purely on its statistical properties and using random variable transformations is presented. Although an accurate model for both the phase distribution and the amplitude distribution can be obtained, because of the non-gaussian nature of the acoustic signals, it is a more difficult problem to find the joint probability distribution of the two components. In the author's model for the phase distribution, referred to as the ricean model in communication literature, there is an inherent model for the amplitude distribution as well. This model also provides a convenient expression for the joint probability density function of the amplitude and phase. Hence, by using this model, random data can be created which have a known amplitude, phase and joint distribution. However, this amplitude distribution does not describe what is observed in practice. To overcome this problem, the idea of transforming random variables is used. In this idea, the generalized gamma amplitude distribution is obtained by passing the author's amplitude distribution model through a non-linearity while the phase is left unperturbed. The resulting amplitude and phase distributions match what is observed in practice for the single point statistics of a random ocean. Furthermore, by using the ricean model, a dependence between the amplitude and phase has been introduced, albeit somewhat modified by the non-linearity. Although it is difficult to solve for this transformation in closed form, numerically it is quite simple. This process does not give much insight into the resulting joint phase and amplitude distribution, but it does provide an excellent means to simulate data of a random ocean based only on its statistical properties. Furthermore, by correlating the data in some manner one can simulate the stochastic nature observed at a vertical array of hydrophones. >
Advancing therapeutics in human immunodeficiency virus-associated lymphoma: where to go from here?

, December 2012; 53(12): 2333–2334© 2012 Informa UK, Ltd.ISSN: 1042-8194 print / 1029-2403 onlineDOI: 10.3109/10428194.2012.712691Cor respondence: Kieron Dunleavy, MD, Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, Building 10, Room 4N/115, 9000 Rockville P ike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. E-mail: dunleavk@mail.nih.gov
The role of moderate static magnetic fields on biomineralization of osteoblasts on sulfonated polystyrene films

We have investigated the effects of moderate static magnetic fields (SMFs) on murine MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, and found that they enhance proliferations and promote differentiation. The increase in proliferation rates in response to SMFs was greater in cultures grown on partially sulfonated polytstyrene (SPS, degree of sulfonation: 33%) than in cultures grown on tissue culture plastic. We have previously shown that when the degree of sulfonation exceeded a critical value (12%) [1], spontaneous fibrillogenesis occured which allowed for direct observation of the ECM fibrillar organization under the influence of external fields. We found that the ECM produced in cultures grown on the SPS in the presence of the SMFs assembled into a lattice with larger dimensions than the ECM of the cultures grown in the absence of SMFs. During the early stages of the biomineralization process (day 7), the SMF exposed cultures also templated mineral deposition more rapidly than the control cultures. The rapid response is attributed to orientation of diamagnetic ECM proteins already present in the serum, which could then initiate further cellular signaling. SMFs also influenced late stage osteoblast differentiation as measured by the increased rate of osteocalcin secretion and gene expression beginning 15 days after SFM exposure. This correlated with a large increase in mineral deposition, and in cell modulus. GIXD and EDXS analysis confirmed early deposition of crystalline hydroxyapatite. Previous studies on the effects of moderate SMF had focused on cellular gene and protein expression, but did not consider the organization of the ECM fibers. Our ability to form these fibers has allowed us explore this additional effect and highlight its significance in the initiation of the biomineralization process.
Stretch of β1 Integrin Activates an Outwardly Rectifying Chloride Current via FAK and Src in Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes

Osmotic swelling of cardiac myocytes and other types of cells activates an outwardly rectifying, tamoxifen-sensitive Cl− current, ICl,swell, but it is unclear whether Cl− currents also are activated by direct mechanical stretch. We tested whether specific stretch of β1-integrin activates a Cl− current in rabbit left ventricular myocytes. Paramagnetic beads (4.5-μm diameter) coated with mAb to β1-integrin were applied to the surface of myocytes and pulled upward with an electromagnet while recording whole-cell current. In solutions designed to isolate anion currents, β1-integrin stretch elicited an outwardly rectifying Cl− current with biophysical and pharmacological properties similar to those of ICl,swell. Stretch-activated Cl− current activated slowly (t1/2 = 3.5 ± 0.1 min), partially inactivated at positive voltages, reversed near ECl, and was blocked by 10 μM tamoxifen. When stretch was terminated, 64 ± 8% of the stretch-induced current reversed within 10 min. Mechanotransduction involved protein tyrosine kinase. Genistein (100 μM), a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor previously shown to suppress ICl,swell in myocytes, inhibited stretch-activated Cl− current by 62 ± 6% during continued stretch. Because focal adhesion kinase and Src are known to be activated by cell swelling, mechanical stretch, and clustering of integrins, we tested whether these tyrosine kinases mediated the response to β1-integrin stretch. PP2 (10 μM), a selective blocker of focal adhesion kinase and Src, fully inhibited the stretch-activated Cl− current as well as part of the background Cl− current, whereas its inactive analogue PP3 (10 μM) had no significant effect. In addition to activating Cl− current, stretch of β1-integrin also appeared to activate a nonselective cation current and to suppress IK1. Integrins are the primary mechanical link between the extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton. The present results suggest that integrin stretch may contribute to mechano-electric feedback in heart, modulate electrical activity, and influence the propensity for arrhythmogenesis.
HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS FOR NUCLEAR WASTE SOLIDIFICATION CONTAINER

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Programs Design Authority is in the design stage of the Waste Solidification Building (WSB) for the treatment and solidification of the radioactive liquid waste streams generated by the Pit Disassembly and Conversion Facility (PDCF) and Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF). The waste streams will be mixed with a cementitious dry mix in a 55-gallon waste container. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has been performing the testing and evaluations to support technical decisions for the WSB. Engineering Modeling & Simulation Group was requested to evaluate the thermal performance of the 55-gallon drum containing hydration heat source associated with the current baseline cement waste form. A transient axi-symmetric heat transfer model for the drum partially filled with waste form cement has been developed and heat transfer calculations performed for the baseline design configurations. For this case, 65 percent of the drum volume was assumed to be filled with the waste form, which has transient hydration heat source, as one of the baseline conditions. A series of modeling calculations has been performed using a computational heat transfer approach. The baseline modeling results show that the time to reach the maximum temperature of the 65 percent filled drum is about 32 hours when a 43°C initial cement temperature is assumed to be cooled by natural convection with 27°C external air. In addition, the results computed by the present model were compared with analytical solutions. The modeling results will be benchmarked against the prototypic test results. The verified model will be used for the evaluation of the thermal performance for the WSB drum. Detailed results and the cases considered in the calculations will be discussed here.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Semantic enabled metadata management in PetaShare

We designed a semantic enabled metadata framework using ontology for multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional large-scale scientific data sets in a Data Grid setting. Two main issues are addressed: data integration for semantically and physically heterogeneous distributed knowledge stores, and semantic reasoning for data verification and inference in such a setting. This framework enables data interoperability between otherwise semantically incompatible data sources, cross-domain query capabilities and multi-source knowledge extraction. In this paper, we present the basic system architecture for this framework, as well as an initial implementation. We also analyse a real-life scenario and show integration of our framework into the PetaShare Data Grid where multi-disciplinary data archives are geographically distributed across six research institutions in Louisiana.
Multi-Channel Token Ring, Introduction and Throughput Analysis

If traffic on a large LAN segment can be localized, increased user throughput can be achieved by dividing the LAN segment into smaller interconnected segments. Each localized segment contains a group of communicating stations. If traffic cannot be localized, increasing the data-rate of the LAN is the typical solution to providing increased user bandwidth. An alternative solution is architecting multiple parallel LANs to increase bandwidth. This paper proposes a technique for increasing the bandwidth of a LAN without changing the data rate; namely, by utilizing a number of independent channels operating in parallel and at the same data rate. This technique is applied to token ring and is named Multi-Channel Token Ring (MCTR). Driving forces for MCTR are; preserving existing hardware and software as much as possible, being IEEE 802.5 standards compliant, and offering increased reliability. MCTR can be implemented without changing work-station interfaces or LAN protocols. A means of precisely computing peak single station throughput on a token ring LAN is developed. This throughput analysis is then applied to MCTR.
Europe and the African Cult of Saints, circa 350–900: An Essay in Mediterranean Communications

Shortly after the Vandals took Carthage in 439, the city's Catholic bishop, Quodvultdeus, and a large number of his clergy were said to have been placed “naked and despoiled on broken ships” and put to sea, banished from Africa. By God's mercy, the exiles made their way safely to Naples, where Quodvultdeus quickly came to be regarded as a saint: a fifth-century mosaic from the catacombs of St. Januarius (San Gennaro) in Capodimonte seems to depict the African bishop, and by the middle of the ninth century his feast day was celebrated in the local liturgical calendar. A similar story could be told of Gaudiosus of Abitina, another fifth-century African bishop who was said to have fled the Vandals and who also achieved sainthood in Campania. The flight of refugees like Quodvultdeus and Gaudiosus from the political turmoil that wracked North Africa between the fifth and the eighth centuries, however, has long been seen as having a far greater significance than the reinvention of exiled African bishops as sout...
Multiagent concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locoregionally advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer: mature results from a single institution.

Purpose A retrospective review with long-term follow-up is reported from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation studying radiation and concurrent multiagent chemotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer. Patients and Methods Between 1989 and 2002, 222 patients were treated with 4-day continuous infusions of fluorouracil (1,000 mg/m2/d) and cisplatin (20 mg/m2/d) during weeks 1 and 4 of either once daily or twice daily radiation therapy. Primary site resection was reserved for patients with residual or recurrent primary site disease after chemoradiotherapy. Neck dissection was considered for patients with N2 or greater disease, irrespective of clinical response, and for patients with residual or recurrent neck disease. Results With a median follow-up of 73 months, the Kaplan-Meier 5-year projected overall survival rate is 65.7%, freedom from recurrence rate is 74.0%, local control without the need for surgical resection rate is 86.7%, and overall survival rate with organ...
Dairy Demand, Supply and Policy in Korea: Potential for International Trade

Korea, like other Asian countries, has relatively low per capita consumption of dairy products and rapid demand growth. Tight import controls limit imports and the internal prices of dairy products are two to three times border prices. We find that dairy product demand (so far primarily fluid milk consumption) is elastic and has been sensitive to income growth and the modernization of the Korean economy represented by increased urbanization. Policy simulations and projections indicate substantial potential for import growth in manufactured dairy products, even if the growing fluid milk market is reserved for domestic producers and domestic milk prices rise somewhat. Comme les autres pays asiatiques, la Coree consomme relativement peu de produits laitiers par personne et fait face a une croissance rapide de la demande. Les importations sont severement restreintes et les prix interieurs de ces produits sont deux a trois fois les prix a l'importation. Nous constatons que la demande pour les produits laitiers, encore essentiellement limitee au lait de consommation, est elastique et qu'elle a reagi a la hausse des revenus et a la modernisation de l'economic coreenne, marquee par l'intensification de l'urbanisation. Des etudes en simulation et les projections des planificateurs font etat de possibilites importantes de croissance des importations de produits laitiers transformes, bien que le marche croissant du lait de consommation demeure reserve aux producteurs du pays et que les prix interieurs manifestent actuellement une certaine hausse.
Children and Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injury: Impact on the Family

The occurrence of a traumatic brain injury to a child can create substantial disruption and stress within a family. The family's ability to survive the trauma intact and adapt to the injured child is crucial since they are often the key to the child's successful rehabilitation and reentry into society. This article examines the potential impact of the injury upon the family and the complex array of factors that appear to be related to effective family coping and adaptation.
Key mechanisms of early lung development.

Lung morphogenesis requires the integration of multiple regulatory factors, which results in a functional air-blood interface required for gas exchange at birth. The respiratory tract is composed of endodermally derived epithelium surrounded by cells of mesodermal origin. Inductive signaling between these 2 tissue compartments plays a critical role in formation and differentiation of the lung, which is mediated by evolutionarily conserved signaling families used reiteratively during lung formation, including the fibroblast growth factor, hedgehog, retinoic acid, bone morphogenetic protein, and Wnt signaling pathways. Cells coordinate their response to these signaling proteins largely through transcription factors, which determine respiratory cell fate and pattern formation via the activation and repression of downstream target genes. Gain- and loss-of-function studies in null mutant and transgenic mice models have greatly facilitated the identification and hierarchical classification of these molecular pr...
AlgoSketch: algorithm sketching and interactive computation

We present AlgoSketch, a pen-based algorithm sketching prototype with supporting interactive computation. AlgoSketch lets users fluidly enter and edit 2D handwritten mathematical expressions in the form of pseudocode-like descriptions to support the algorithm design and development process. By utilizing a novel 2D algorithmic description language and a pen-based interface, AlgoSketch users need not work with traditional, yet complex 1D programming languages in the early parts of algorithm development. In this paper, we present the details behind AlgoSketch including the design of our 2D algorithmic description language, support for iteration and flow of control constructs and a simple debugging trace tool. We also provide some examples of how AlgoSketch might be used in the context of image analysis and number-theoretic calculation problems found. Based on preliminary user feedback, we believe AlgoSketch has the potential to be used to design and test new algorithms before more efficient code is implemented. In addition, it can support users who may not be familiar with any advanced programming languages.
Estimating In-Situ Monod Biodegradation Parameters Using a Novel Explicit Solution of a One-Dimensional Contaminant Transport Equation

We present a novel, explicit closed form solution using the Lambert W function to a steady-state one-dimensional contaminant transport equation incorporating the Monod expression for biodegradation. This new solution overcomes some of the limitations associated with using the existing implicit solution and provides a simple method of describing biodegradation at contaminated sites using the Monod equation. The field-scale applicability of this approach was tested using data on phenol and toluene biodegradation from previously published studies. A review of published Monod kinetic parameters for hydrocarbon biodegradation indicated that in most cases, the half saturation coefficient was lower than 5 mg/L, suggesting that the commonly used first-order approximation is valid only at low substrate concentrations. While the Monod equation does not have this limitation and can usually provide an accurate description of biodegradation at contaminated sites, its nonlinear nature presents computational and parameter estimation difficulties compared with the linear and relatively simple first- and zero-order approximations. The explicit closed form solution to the Monod equation presented in this study greatly simplifies its use and appears to be an attractive approach to describe contaminant biodegradation in the field.
Gene expression profiling gets to the root of human hair follicle stem cells

Hair follicle stem cells sustain growth and cycling of the hair follicle and are located in the permanent portion of the follicle known as the bulge. In this issue of the JCI, Ohyama et al. report the characterization of global gene expression patterns of human hair follicle stem cells after their isolation using sophisticated laser capture techniques to microdissect out bulge cells. They discovered a panel of cell surface markers useful for isolating living hair follicle stem cells, a finding with potential therapeutic implications since isolated stem cells in mice can generate new hair follicles when transplanted to other mice. The findings of Ohyama et al. validate the use of the mouse for studying hair follicle biology but also underscore critical differences between mouse and human stem cell markers. In particular, CD34, which delineates hair follicle stem cells in the mouse, is not expressed by human hair follicle stem cells, while CD200 is expressed by stem cells in both species. Ultimately, this information will assist efforts to develop cell-based and cell-targeted treatments for skin disease.
A NAND Flash PC Platform Read Write Cache

The traditional and ideal use of NAND flash has been primarily for the storage of digital images, music files, or data files in various memory cards types or USB keys. In this paper, a new non-volatile memory layer hierarchy is introduced into the PC computing platform as a NAND flash read write cache interfacing to the PCI express bus. The usage model of NAND flash in the consumer memory card environment is dramatically different from that of the PC computing environment. Consequently, the NAND flash PC platform cache usage model, work load analysis, reliability requirements and respective results was discussed.
A Method to Analyze Correlations between Multiple Brain Imaging Tasks to Characterize Schizophrenia

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is widely used to develop techniques to better understand brain disorders like schizophrenia. Due to the complexity of the disorder it is useful to fuse data collected while a subject performs different tasks. It has been hypothesized that schizophrenia is associated with disruptions in connectivity within brain regions. It has also been shown that schizophrenics activate more similarly to two different tasks than do controls. This paper introduces a novel technique to fuse data from multiple fMRI tasks taking into account all brain voxels. This approach evaluates the distributive nature of the disorder while fusing multitask data to identify if patients and controls activate differently. In a study involving three tasks it was found that patients with schizophrenia do activate more similarly to most of the combinations of tasks than do controls. Results also affirm that schizophrenia manifests with widespread functional changes over the whole brain.