cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are lower in blood lipids of Usher's type I but not Usher's type II.

Purpose Previous studies have shown that persons with retinitis pigmentosa and Usher's syndrome have lower blood levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). In this study, the fatty acid composition of phospholipids from plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) was compared in persons with Usher's syndrome type I; Usher's syndrome type II; or no retinal disease (control subjects). Methods Blood was drawn from fasting volunteers and separated into plasma and RBCs by centrifugation. Lipids were extracted and phospholipids were obtained by thin-layer chromatography. Fatty acid methyl esters were prepared and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Results There were no differences in plasma or RBC phospholipid fatty acid composition between control subjects (n = 54) and persons with Usher's syndrome type II (n = 20). However, all 20- and 22-carbon PUFA levels from RBCs of persons with Usher's syndrome type I were lower than those from control subjects and persons with Usher's Syndrome type II. Likewise, plasma levels of 20:3n-6, 20: 5n-3, and 22:6n-3 were lower in Usher's syndrome type I compared with the control group. In contrast, plasma levels of 18:1n-9 and RBC levels of 16:0 and 18:1n-9 were higher in the group with Usher's syndrome type I. Conclusions Plasma and RBCs from Usher's syndrome type I, but not type II, have lower levels of long-chain PUFAs than plasma and RBCs from control subjects.
STRUCTURE AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE ENIGMATIC CHAROPHYCEAN GREEN ALGA ENTRANSIA FIMBRIATA (KLEBSORMIDIALES, CHAROPHYCEAE)1

As the closest relatives of embryophytes, the charophycean green algae (sensu Mattox and Stewart) may reveal the evolutionary history of characters in this lineage. Recent molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that the little-known species Entransia fimbriata Hughes is a member of the charophycean order Klebsormidiales. In this study LM and EM were used to identify and describe additional structural characters of Entransia so that comparisons could be made with Klebsormidium and with other charophycean algae outside the order Kiebsormidiales. Features that Entransia shares with various members of the genus Klebsormidium include cylindrical cells in unbranched filaments that may spiral, parietal chloroplasts that cover only part of the circumference of the cell, H-shaped cross walls, and vegetative reproduction by both fragmentation and formation of zoospores or aplanospores. Among the characteristics that distinguish Entransia from Klebsormidium are a highly lobed chloroplast with multiple pyrenoids; a single large vacuole; short cells that die and collapse, apparently facilitating filament fragmentation; and germinating filaments with condensed adhesive at the base and a tapering spine at the tip. Although Entransia has sometimes been tentatively considered to be a member of the Zygnemataceae, the presence of a flagellate life history stage distinguishes Entransia from this group. The pyrenoids of Entransia are typical of those of charophycean algae in having traversing membranes and surrounding starch. Presence of multiple such pyrenoids in each chloroplast of Entransia supports the hypothesis that the common ancestor of charophycean algae and embryophytes had a single chloroplast with multiple pyrenoids.
Assessing the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure: Inotropic Agents and Calcium Channel Blockers

Despite recent evidence that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduce mortality in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), it is important to note that roughly 40% of patients with New York Heart Association class I-III disease treated with these agents died during 4-year follow-up in the treatment arm of two large trials. Given this high mortality rate, there is an obvious need for therapy beyond digoxin, diuretics, and ACE inhibitors. Digoxin is associated with favorable effects on exercise capacity, ejection fraction, and clinical symptomatology in the majority of patients with CHF. Its effects on mortality are unknown, but are the subject of a continuing trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. The beta-agonists are also associated with hemodynamic and clinical improvements in patients with CHF, but probably increase the risk of mortality, especially when taken on a long-term basis. Therefore, their use should be limited to the short-term management of acute exacerbations of CHF. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors, particularly milrinone, are associated with increased mortality in patients with CHF, apparently related to their arrhythmogenic effect. Little evidence exists that calcium channel blockers exert beneficial effects in patients with CHF (unlike their role in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy); indeed, first-generation calcium channel blockers may be detrimental in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and they should generally be avoided in this setting. Treatment of ischemia in patients with CHF should be initiated with nitrates; low dosages of vasoselective dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers may be attempted if nitrates fail.
Locally determining the number of neighbors in the k -nearest neighbor rule based on statistical confidence

The k-nearest neighbor rule is one of the most attractive pattern classification algorithms. In practice, the value of k is usually determined by the cross-validation method. In this work, we propose a new method that locally determines the number of nearest neighbors based on the concept of statistical confidence. We define the confidence associated with decisions that are made by the majority rule from a finite number of observations and use it as a criterion to determine the number of nearest neighbors needed. The new algorithm is tested on several real-world datasets and yields results comparable to those obtained by the k-nearest neighbor rule. In contrast to the k-nearest neighbor rule that uses a fixed number of nearest neighbors throughout the feature space, our method locally adjusts the number of neighbors until a satisfactory level of confidence is reached. In addition, the statistical confidence provides a natural way to balance the trade-off between the reject rate and the error rate by excluding patterns that have low confidence levels.
On the independence ratio of distance graphs

A distance graph is an undirected graph on the integers where two integers are adjacent if their difference is in a prescribed distance set. The independence ratio of a distance graph G is the maximum density of an independent set in G . Lih etźal. (1999) showed that the independence ratio is equal to the inverse of the fractional chromatic number, thus relating the concept to the well studied question of finding the chromatic number of distance graphs.We prove that the independence ratio of a distance graph is achieved by a periodic set, and we present a framework for discharging arguments to demonstrate upper bounds on the independence ratio. With these tools, we determine the exact independence ratio for several infinite families of distance sets of size three and determine asymptotic values for others.
Evidence of significant large-scale impacts of boreal fires on ozone levels in the midlatitude Northern Hemisphere free troposphere

Summertime observations of O 3 and CO made at the PICO-NARE station during 2001, 2003, and 2004 are used to assess the impact of boreal forest fires on the distribution of O 3 mixing ratios in the midlatitude Northern Hemisphere (NH) lower free troposphere (FT). Backward trajectories were used to select measurements impacted by outflow from high-latitude regions. Measurements during these periods were segregated into two subsets: those obtained during periods with and without apparent significant upwind fire emissions. Periods affected by fire emissions were identified based on enhanced CO levels confirmed by global simulations of fire emissions transport. During fireimpacted periods, O 3 was shifted toward higher mixing ratios, with medians significantly higher than in periods without detectable upwind fire impacts. This implies a significant impact of boreal wildfires on midlatitude lower FT background O 3 during summer. Predicted future increases in boreal wildfires may therefore affect summertime O 3 levels over large regions.
Yield strength of Al2O3 at high pressures.

Measurements in the diamond cell at 300 K show that the static yield strength of polycrystalline ruby (${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$:Cr) increases linearly from about 4 GPa at ambient conditions to 5.8(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3) GPa at an average pressure of 70 GPa. In all cases our experiments document a creep (or plastic) strength; no fracturing is observed. Our results are in general agreement with dynamic (shock-wave) measurements of yielding at high pressures, and demonstrate that the increase in yield strength is proportional to the increase in the average shear modulus with pressure. Throughout the pressure range studied, the ratio of yield strength to shear modulus is 0.022(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002), which is within a factor of 2--5 of the theoretical yield strength. Extrapolating to higher pressures, the maximum difference between normal stresses is less than 10% (18 GPa) at 200 GPa. Thus, even for an infinitely weak sample contained in the diamond cell, the pressure obtained by the ruby-fluorescence technique should be within 10--20 GPa of the true sample pressure up to at least 200 GPa.
Document-Specific statistical machine translation for improving human translation productivity

We present two long term studies of the productivity of human translators by augmenting an existing Translation Memory system with Document-Specific Statistical Machine Translation. While the MT Post-Editing approach represents a significant change to the current practice of human translation, the two studies demonstrate a significant increase in the productivity of human translators, on the order of about 50% in the first study and of 68% in the second study conducted a year later. Both studies used a pool of 15 translators and concentrated on English-Spanish translation of IBM content in a production Translation Services Center.
Effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy for Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Analyzing 11 studies, we evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-occurring depression symptoms in individuals diagnosed with PTSD. Separate meta-analytic procedures for between-group studies using waitlist or alternative treatment comparisons yielded large to very large effect sizes for CPT versus waitlist, and medium to large effect sizes when CPT was compared to alternative treatments. Implications for evidence-supported practice and study limitations are discussed.
Immune modulation of the T-cell response in asthma through Wnt10b

Rationale : Wnt molecules are critical during development and regulate T-cell maintenance and activation. Utilizing a house dust mite asthma model, this study examined the role of Wnt10b on the asthmatic immune response. Methods: Wnt10b knockout and littermate control mice were i.n. administered HDM extract for 3 weeks. BAL was performed with differential cell counts obtained. Portions of the lung were fixed in formalin or homogenized for ELISA analysis (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-17). Lung and lymphoid tissues from HDM sensitized mice were harvested for FACS analysis. Thy1.2-enriched splenic cells were utilized for in vitro proliferation, activation and expression studies after CD3/CD28 treatment. Results: The loss of Wnt10b led to an increase in total cells and eosinophils in the BAL with a 50% increase in IL-13 expression compared to wild-type mice. Furthermore, Wnt10b-deficient BAL cells exhibited increased MCP-1 and Arg-1 expression. Examination of inflammatory cell regulation in vivo revealed increased activation of CD4-positive cells in the Wnt10b KO, HDM-sensitized lung by an increased percentage of CD62LloCD44hi cells. A CFSE dilution assay showed increased proliferation of CD4- and CD8-positive cells, which was reversed by the addition of recombinant Wnt10b protein. Wnt10b-deficient, Thy1.2-enriched splenic T-cells exhibited increased GATA3 expression after Th2 polarization compared to the wild-type cells. Conclusion : In the present study Wnt10b-deficiency results in an increase in the Th2-driven inflammatory response in HDM-triggered asthma likely due to increased T-cell activation and Th2 polarization. The findings suggest that Wnt10b plays a role in regulating asthmatic airway inflammation.
How curved is too curved? The severity of penile deformity may predict sexual disability among men with Peyronie’s disease

Peyronie’s disease (PD) is caused by progressive fibrotic scarring of the tunica albuginea resulting in curvature or other deformities of the erect penis. The severity of penile curvature or other deformity may contribute to a man’s inability to have intercourse (sexual disability), due to difficulty with penetration, partner pain or emotional stress. To determine whether the degree of curvature or type of penile deformity predicts sexual disability among men with PD. This cross-sectional analysis of consecutive men evaluated for PD at a single tertiary referral center used a PD-specific questionnaire to evaluate risk factors for sexual disability in men with PD, who did not have erectile dysfunction (ED). Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the clinical predictors of sexual disability. Sexual disability as defined by the inability to have penetrative intercourse. A total of 202 men were evaluated and 88 men with ED were excluded. Sexual disability was associated with relationship problems, penile curvature and penile length loss in bivariate, but not multivariate analysis. We found that although many of the demographic, medical and sexual function domains were significant predictors of inability to have sex, the only significant predictor of sexual disability in multivariate analysis was curvature>60° (odds ratio 3.23 95%CI 1.08–9.67). PD can be sexually disabling in many men without ED. Severe penile curvature is a robust independent predictor of the ability to have intercourse. Other penile deformities fail to predict sexual disability. This is important for counseling patients with newly diagnosed PD and those who are considering medical or surgical intervention.
Building Social Capital through Online Class Discussions: A Little Freedom Goes a Long Way

Online class discussions have been studied from many perspectives; however, the literature is lacking that shows instructors how to help online students build social capital. Social capital is an i...
Neurobehavioral studies of ethanol reward and activation

Abstract Although generally considered to be a depressant drug, ethanol has both stimulant and depressant effects on behavior. This biphasic action of ethanol may be related to its reinforcing effects and to the neurobehavioral events that occur with changes in blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Ethanol was found to reduce the threshold and increase response rates for brain stimulation reward (BSR) at lateral hypothalamic, but not ventral noradrenergic bundle brain sites. These effects were also found to only occur when testing occurred on the ascending limb of the BAC. Studies of the effects of ethanol on open-field activity showed that the stimulant effects of low doses of ethanol were also seen only during the ascending limb of the BAC; depression was usually found during the descending limb. Neurochemical data from other investigators suggest that the facilitation of BSR and stimulation of activity may be mediated by mesolimbie dopamine systems.
An Investigation of Chinese Textile Firms’ R&D Performance:

The purpose of this study was to enhance the understanding of Chinese textile manufacturers' research and development (RD (b) RD and (c) R&D effectiveness among Chinese textile firms and factors impacting it. The research results are based on survey data from 768 textile manufacturers located in a Southeastern County with a mature textile and apparel cluster. Logistic regression was employed for data analyses. The results showed that R&D investment levels among Chinese textile firms are relatively low in comparison with advanced textile industries in developed countries. Chinese textile firms with international operations had a higher R&D intensity, or investment level, than those without international operations. Foreign ownership and financial resources were not significant predictors of the firm's R&D intensity. Chinese textile firms that relied on acquiring new machinery/technology and were involved in internal R&D activities were more likely to have higher R&D effectiveness, which translated into positive profit margin. The R&D intensity did not contribute significantly to R&D effectiveness. To offset increasing production cost and sustain its diminishing low-cost comparative advantage, the Chinese textile industry's next step is to focus on R&D. The study offers strategic directions to the industry and policy makers that might be helpful to keep the industry competitive in the global marketplace.
A microindentation technique for determining strength of solder interface with silver metallization on co-fired multilayer ceramic substrate

The use of microindentation to determine the strength of a solder interface was explored in low-temperature co-fired multilayer ceramic packages. Microindentations were made on cross-sections of multilayered structures at small stand-off distances from the interface under different indentation loads. Cracking behavior of the interface was observed following indentations. At low indentation loads and large stand-off distances, well-known indentation crack systems developed in the ceramic. Higher indentation loads and smaller stand-off distances resulted in interfacial cracking. It is demonstrated that the indentation condition at the onset of the interfacial cracking may be used as a measure of the interfacial strength.
Finite element analysis of surface instability in hypo-elastic solids

Abstract The surface instability of hypo-elastic solids is detected by using numerical stability techniques similar to those used to address the buckling problems of shell and truss structures. The performance of the proposed method is tested by comparing numerical to analytical results in the case of a simple boundary value problem—the plane strain compression test of blocks made of isotropic and anisotropic hypo-elastic materials. Although tested in a simple example, the proposed method can be applied to detect surface instability of more complicated boundary value problems, which are encountered in the fields of solids mechanics, structural geology and rock mechanics.
Adenoviral neutral endopeptidase gene delivery in combination with paclitaxel for the treatment of prostate cancer

Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is a cell-surface peptidase that inhibits prostate cancer cell growth partly via inhibition of Akt kinase. We investigated the antitumor effects of an adenovirus gene delivery system (AdNEP) to restore NEP expression in DU145 prostate cancer cells in combination with paclitaxel chemotherapy. DU145 cells were infected with adenovirus expressing NEP or LacZ, treated with paclitaxel, and assessed for cell viability, Akt activation and induction of apoptosis. Athymic mice with established DU145 xenografts were injected intratumorally with AdNEP or AdLacZ and intraperitoneally with paclitaxel and monitored for tumor growth over 28 days. Compared to AdLacZ plus paclitaxel, AdNEP plus paclitaxel significantly inhibited DU145 cell growth and increased apoptosis as determined by increased caspase-3 and PARP-1 proteolytic fragments. In a xenograft model, tumor volume was reduced in mice treated with AdNEP plus paclitaxel (122.85±89.5 mm3; P<0.01) compared with mice treated with AdNEP plus saline (653.9±230.3 mm3), AdLacZ plus paclitaxel (575.9±176.6 mm3) or AdLacZ plus saline (920.2±238.2 mm3). In conclusion, these data suggest that NEP can augment taxane-induced apoptosis through inhibition of Akt/Bad signaling, and that the combination of NEP plus paclitaxel may be an effective strategy to inhibit castration-resistant prostate cancer growth.
Strain selection and physiology in the development of Gracilaria mariculture

Gracilaria species have been the focus of active research that seeks to provide an alternative source of agar over that from the slower-growing Gelidium species. The quality of agar from the genus Gracilaria is highly variable. Few species tested produce agar suitable for biomedical purposes. Furthermore, the suitability is dependent upon the extraction process (Santos, 1980). If the world’s needs for quality agar are to be met in part by Gracilaria, then the species must meet initial criteria before production or mariculture experiments can be considered. The agar must be within acceptable standards and the species should have a tendency toward vegetative rather than sexual reproduction.
Diel cycles of expansion and contraction in coral reef anthozoans

Diel patterns of expansion and contraction are widespread in coral reef anthozoans, yet no theory adequately explains this behavior. We have observed a wide variety of behavior patterns in 14 sea anemone species at 9 sites along the Caribbean coast. The distribution of zooxanthellae in anemone tissues was quantified by sectioning preserved specimens and calculating zooxanthella density in the endoderm. We show that polyp structures containing dense populations of zooxanthellae respond positively to light (expansion, positive orientation) and those with few or no zooxanthellae respond negatively (contraction, negative orientation). Structures capable of prey capture, feeding tentacles, are expanded at night when prey is available. Structures adapted for photosynthesis, auxiliary structures of the column and tentacles with dense zooxanthellae, are expanded during the day. Such independent reactions of structures acting as functional units for photosynthesis and/or prey capture combine to give the observed variety of behavior patterns. We hypothesize that the need to conserve limiting nutrients and energy could be the ultimate cause of expansion and contraction rhythms in coral reef anthozoams.
Neurotensin induces Fos and Zif268 expression in limbic nuclei of the rat brain

The endogenous tridecapeptide neurotensin exerts a wide range of behavioral, electrophysiological and neurochemical effects when administered directly into the brain. These effects are thought to result from the activation of distinct populations of neurotensin receptors distributed throughout the central nervous system. We have mapped the sites of functional change in the rat brain associated with the central administration of neurotensin using the induction of the nuclear protein products of the immediate early genes c-fos and zif268 as markers of cellular activation. The administration of neurotensin into the lateral ventricle of rats produced an increase in the number of nuclei positive for Fos and Zif268 immunoreactivity in the central and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala and the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Neurotensin also produced an increase in serum corticosterone concentration and decrease in body temperature. The intraperitoneal administration of SR48692, a non-peptide neurotensin receptor antagonist, blocked the neurotensin-induced corticosterone secretion and significantly reduced the number of neurotensin-induced Fos-positive and Zif268-positive neurons in the amygdaloid complex. A significant positive correlation was found between the number of Fos-positive nuclei in the central or basolateral nucleus of the amygdala and the serum corticosterone concentration. A significant positive correlation was also found between the number of Zif-positive cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and change in body temperature following treatment. Our findings indicate that the central role of neurotensin in increasing serum corticosterone involves the induction of Fos in the central and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala. In contrast, the neurotensin-induced hypothermia, which was unaffected by pretreatment with SR48692, involves Zif induction in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. These data support further the existence of central neurotensin receptor subtypes which may regulate distinct immediate early genes.
Nonsynchronous Vibration (NSV) due to a Flow-Induced Aerodynamic Instability in a Composite Fan Stator

This paper describes the identification and prediction of a new class of non-synchronous vibration (NSV) problem encountered during the development of an advanced composite fan stator for an aircraft engine application. Variable exhaust nozzle testing on an instrumented engine is used to map out the NSV boundary, with both choke- and stall-side instability zones present that converge toward the nominal fan operating line and place a limit on the high-speed operating range. Time-accurate three-dimensional viscous CFD analyses are used to demonstrate the NSV instability is being driven by dynamic stalling of the fan stator due to unsteady shock-boundary layer interaction. The effects of downstream struts in the front frame of the engine are found to exasperate the problem, with the two fat service struts in the bypass duct generating significant spatial variations in the stator flow field. Strain gage measurements indicate that the stator vanes experiencing the highest vibratory strains correspond to the low static pressure regions of the fan stator assembly located approximately 90 degrees away from the two fat struts. The CFD analyses confirm the low static pressure sectors of the stator assembly are the passages in which the flow-induced NSV instability is initiated due to localized choking phenomena. The CFD predictions of the instability frequency are in reasonable agreement with the strain gage data, with the strain gage data indicating that the NSV response occurs at a frequency approximately 25% below the frequency of the fundamental bending mode. The flow patterns predicted by the CFD analyses are also correlated with the results of an engine flow visualization test to demonstrate the complex nature of the fan stator flow field.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Improved PBS process for e-beam photomask lithography

An improved PBS process has been developed and tested for the photomask production. Significant improvements in CD uniformity (3(sigma) < 40 nm over 6' plates) and CD meant- to-target control (< 30 nm) have been achieved through a specially treated puddle development. A low-temperature bake (95 degree(s)C, 30 minutes) was utilized for better linearity while the resolution was 0.5 micrometers for the regular process and as low as 0.35 micrometers for the ghosting process. Defect densities on production plates have been greatly improved to a level lower than our normal production process. The new process is not limited by any specific type of processor, therefore it can be implemented into current production lines easily. It is expected that this new process will meet advanced specs for 256 M DRAM (with 0.25 micrometers design rule) and extend the life of the PBS production line for another 3 - 4 years.
Dura Mater for Soft-Tissue Augmentation: Evaluation in a Rabbit Model

• Irradiated human dura mater, a commercially available preparation of dura mater (Tutoplast), and irradiated rabbit dura mater were implanted in subcutaneous pockets in the pinna and forehead of New Zealand white rabbits and evaluated for their usefulness in soft-tissue augmentation at 3 months and 6 months. Postoperatively, no evidence of erythema, purulence, hematoma or seroma formation, wound dehiscence, graft extrusion, or flap necrosis was noted. Irradiated human dura mater was well tolerated by the host and elicited a mild cellular inflammatory response. The graft was well preserved, infiltrated by fibrous connective tissue, and fixed in place in the pinna sites. Forehead grafts were surrounded by a capsule of host tissue and were intact. Dura mater seems to be useful for soft-tissue augmentation. Tutoplast may give good results clinically. Because this represents a short-term evaluation, long-term clinical results are needed to define the potential of dura mater grafts. ( Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg . 1993;119:208-214)
Affective presence in museums: Ambient systems for creative expression

Abstract The space of technology design is being shaped by a drive for creating more authentic, rich experiences, taking into account the complex meaning-making activities we engage in every day. One approach toward enhancing technology design for experience is to identify aspects missing from existing computer models, such as emotion, creativity, spirituality, and add these missing components to the equation. Another approach attempts not to fit complex experiences into computer models but looks at alternate uses of technology for drawing attention to the complexity of meaning-making experiences. This second approach is introduced through the work of the Affective Presence consortium and advances the idea of design as a process of co-construction between users, systems, and designers. One project from the consortium is examined in detail: affective presence displays in museums for creative expression. We present results from initial prototype testing and findings for advancing the design and evaluation o...
Chloroprene and isoprene: cytogenetic studies in mice.

Groups of male B6C3F1 mice (n = 15) were exposed for 6 h per day to ambient air, to chloroprene (12, 32, 80, 200 p.p.m.) or to isoprene (438, 1750 and 7000 p.p.m.) on 12 days. These compounds are the 2-chloro and the 2-methyl analogues, respectively, of 1,3-butadiene, a genotoxic and carcinogenic chemical in B6C3F1 mice. Exposure to chloroprene resulted in a 100% incidence of mortality among the mice exposed to 200 p.p.m. At concentrations of 80 p.p.m. and below, chloroprene neither induced a significant increase in chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) or micronucleated erythrocytes, nor significantly altered the rate of erythropoiesis or of bone marrow cellular proliferation kinetics. However, the mitotic index (MI) in the bone marrow of chloroprene-exposed mice was significantly increased. Under similar conditions, exposure to isoprene induced significant increases at all concentrations in the frequency of SCE in bone marrow cells and in the levels of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) and of micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes in peripheral blood. In addition, a significant lengthening of the bone marrow average generation time and a significant decrease in the percentage of circulating PCE was detected. However, exposure to isoprene did not induce in bone marrow a significant increase in the frequency of CA nor did the exposure significantly alter the MI. The dose-response curves for SCE and micronuclei induction were non-linear, appearing to saturate at 438 and 1750 p.p.m., respectively. These results suggest that, similarly to butadiene, inhaled isoprene can be expected to induce tumors at multiple sites in B6C3F1 mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Experimental fluorescence optical tomography using adaptive finite elements and planar illumination with modulated excitation light

Fluorescence enhance optical tomography is an emerging imaging tool for investigating the molecular tissue environments in vivo. Owing to the scattering nature of near infrared radiation in tissue, iterative tomography approaches must employ the coupled diffusion equations for three-dimensional recovery of fluorescent properties from tissue boundary measurements. Unfortunately, the inverse problem suffers from computational inefficiency and ill-posed ness. Furthermore, the resolution attained in fluorescence tomography is limited by a priori fixed discretization of finite element/finite difference schemes used. These difficulties can be ameliorated by employing adaptive discretization strategies. To date, the efficacy of adaptive mesh refinement techniques has yet to be demonstrated in clinically relevant medical imaging situations. In this contribution we present a novel fluorescence tomography scheme which employs dual adaptive finite element meshes for three dimensional reconstructions of fluorescent targets beneath the simulated tissue surface. Image reconstructions for 1cm3 fluorescent target placed at the depth of 1 cm from the illumination surface are presented for target to background rations (TBRs) of 1:0 and 100:1 on the basis of dye concentration.
Asymptotic Expansion of the Off-Diagonal Bergman Kernel on Compact Kähler Manifolds

We compute the first four coefficients of the asymptotic off-diagonal expansion in Shiffman and Zelditch (J. Reine Angew. Math. 544:181–222, 2002) of the Bergman kernel for the N-th power of a positive line bundle on a compact Kahler manifold, and we show that the coefficient b 1 of the N −1/2 term vanishes when we use a K-frame. We also show that all the coefficients of the expansion are polynomials in the K-coordinates and the covariant derivatives of the curvature and are homogeneous with respect to the weight w in Lu (Am. J. Math. 122(2):235–273, 2000).
Developmentally Regulated Lectins from Chick Muscle, Brain, and Liver Have Similar Chemical and Immunological Properties'

Developmentally regulated lectins in extracts from brain, liver and muscle of 16-day-old chick embryos and liver of 7-day-old chicks have been purified by affinity chromatography. The purified preparations from the different tissues were indistinguishable in molecular weight and isoelectric point. The lectins could also not be distinguished when tested as antigens with antiserum raised against highly purified muscle lectin. This apparent identity was indicated both in double gel diffusion tests and by determination of the antibody-mediated inhibition of hemagglutination activity of the various lectins. Thiodigalactoside and lactose were potent inhibitors of the lectins from all sources. Galactose was a less potent inhibitor, especially with preparations from embryonic liver. After isoelectric focusing of these purified preparations, they all showed reduced and equivalent galactose sensitivity. Since the lectins from the different tissues appear identical, there is presently no basis to infer that they impart qualitative uniqueness to these tissues during differentiation.
Radiographic appearance of pediatric cardiovascular transcatheter devices

The treatment of congenital heart disease has been revolutionized by the availability of transcatheter devices. These advances in interventional pediatric cardiology require that both treating physicians and radiologists develop a more thorough understanding of the appearance of these devices on chest radiographs. Furthermore, recognition of appropriate versus inappropriate placement of transcatheter devices is essential to the care of patients with congenital heart disease. Knowledge of the radiographic appearance of devices used by interventional pediatric cardiologists can allow a radiologist to make better clinical assessments and detect possible complications given a limited clinical history.
Real-time transcutaneous vascular clipping guided by ultrasound: a minimally invasive technique for vascular control during interstitial tumor therapy

Interstitial tumor therapy guided by imaging techniques is a minimally invasive and promising surgical approach which will become clinically practical only when simple and safe modalities of control of vascular supply to tumors are available. In a novel experiment utilizing the Advanced Technology Laboratories Mark IX/HDI (Bothell, Washington) ultrasound scanner, the carotid artery (approximately 2.5 mmin diameter) of a New Zealand white rabbit was identified and then clamped using the Endo-Clip' disposable applier with medium-large clips. The Mark lx, equipped with a 10 MHz linear array transducer, guided and localized the tip of the EndoClipt1 tO therabbit's carotid artery. The artery was then clamped, and the Mark IX showed the cessation of blood flow within the carotid. The experimental result is revolutionary since the ultrasound not only provided the visualization of the arterial vessel, but also helped guide the surgical instrument used for clamping. The scanner provides a diagnostic medium comparable to that of Digital Subtraction Angiography, but without the need of intravenously injected contrast materials. More importantly, ultrasound has the ability to discern not only anatomical features, but also foreign objects, such as surgical instruments or clips. This additional feature of ultrasound, discerned from our experiment, provides further insight into the use of this kind of diagnostic modality as a monitor during vascular surgical procedures. A minimally invasive transcutaneous entry procedure is thus possible with the use of high spatial resolution scanner guidance to desired vessels. The ramifications of this experiment are far reaching, since technology with greater soft tissue contrast and the abifity to visualize the irreversible effects of energy deposition in tissues exists with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRJ). The feasibility of this approach has been ascertained via the above experimental fmding, and now needs to be further pursued.
High-Order Integration of Fatigue Crack Growth Using Surrogate Model

Modeling fatigue crack growth is a challenging computational fracture mechanics problem because the crack growth rate can only be evaluated at the current crack size. The forward Euler method has been a common choice in integrating fatigue crack growth, whose accuracy can only be guaranteed with a very small size of increment. This hinders failure investigation of systems with complex geometry, which would require expensive finite element simulations. Higher-order integration methods, such as the midpoint method, might allow larger increment size but require additional evaluation of crack growth rate at crack sizes larger than the current one. In arbitrary geometry, this is not an easy task because the direction of crack growth is unknown in advance, and additional simulations are often prohibitive. In this paper, two surrogate models are generated for the prior crack growth direction and stress intensity factor data and are used to predict the crack growth rate at future locations without the need for additional finite element simulations. The step size for the numerical integration is chosen based on the prior accuracy of the extrapolated data for the crack growth direction and stress intensity factor. Several examples were tested in which crack growth follows linear and curved paths under a range of boundary conditions leading to different relationships between stress intensity factor and crack size. Results showed that a large increase in the allowable step size may be used with increased accuracy over the Euler method without the need for additional simulations.
Femtosecond pulse imaging: ultrafast optical oscilloscope

A nonlinear optical processor that is capable of real-time conversion of a femtosecond pulse sequence into its spatial image is introduced, analyzed, and experimentally characterized. The method employs nonlinear spectral domain three-wave mixing in a crystal of LiB3O5, where spectral decomposition waves of a shaped femtosecond pulse are mixed with those of a transform-limited pulse to generate a quasi-monochromatic second-harmonic field. By means of this nonlinear process, the temporal-frequency content of the shaped pulse is directly encoded onto the spatial-frequency content of the second-harmonic field, producing a spatial image of the temporal shaped pulse. We show that, unlike the commonly used autocorrelator, such time-to-space conversion carries both amplitude and phase information on the shape of the femtosecond pulses.
α-Actinin 1 and α-actinin 4: Contrasting roles in the survival, motility, and RhoA signaling of astrocytoma cells

α-Actinin is a prominent actin filament associated protein for which different isoforms exist. Here, we have examined whether the two highly homologous non-muscle α-actinin isoforms 1 and 4 exhibit functional differences in astrocytoma cells. The protein levels of these isoforms were differentially regulated during the development and progression of astrocytomas, as α-actinin 1 was higher in astrocytomas compared to normal brains whereas α-actinin 4 was elevated in high-grade astrocytomas compared to normal brains and low grade astrocytomas. RNAi demonstrated contrasted contributions of α-actinin 1 and 4 to the malignant behavior of U-373, U-87 and A172 astrocytoma cells. While α-actinin 1 appeared to favor the expansion of U-373, U-87 and A172 astrocytoma cell populations, α-actinin 4 played this role only for U-373 cells. On the other hand, downregulation of α-actinin 4, but not 1, reduced cell motility, adhesion, cortical actin, and RhoA levels. Finally, in the three astrocytoma cell lines examined, α-actinin 1 and 4 had contrasted biochemical properties as α-actinin 4 was significantly more abundant in the actin cytoskeleton than α-actinin 1. Collectively, these findings suggest that α-actinin 1 and 4 are differentially regulated during the development and progression of astrocytomas because each of these isoforms uniquely contributes to distinct malignant properties of astrocytoma cells.
Covalently bound ω-hydroxyacylsphingosine in the stratum corneum

Pig epidermis was heat separated, and the stratum corneum was isolated after trypsinization. Exhaustive extraction of the stratum corneum fraction with chloroform/methanol mixtures yielded 14.7% lipid on a dry weight basis. After mild saponification of the extracted residue, additional lipid could be extracted which accounted for 2.1% of the stratum corneum weight. This bound lipid proved to consist mainly (91.9%) of N-(omega-hydroxyacyl)sphingosines in which the amide-linked omega-hydroxyacids were 28 to 34 carbon atoms in length. The release of this lipid by mild alkaline hydrolysis indicates that it is bound through an ester linkage. Half of the hydroxyceramide molecules reacted in situ with acidic acetone, suggesting that half of these molecules are attached to the stratum corneum through the omega-hydroxyl function, while the other half may be linked through one of the hydroxyl groups of the sphingosine.
Qualitative Effects Associated with Red Phosphorus Smoke Inhalation Exposures in Two Wildlife Species: Prairie Dogs and Rock Doves

AbstractEffects of red phosphorus/butyl rubber (RPIBR) smoke on two wildlife species, prairie dogs and rock doves (pigeons), were evaluated in laboratory range-finding experiments. Prairie dogs exposed to either 2.0, 4.0, or 6.0 mg/L concentrations of smoke showed no mortality within 30 days after one to four 1-h exposure sessions. Rock doves exposed to either 3.0 or 6.0 mg/L concentrations over 1–4 sessions, however, showed 26% mortality within 8 days postexposure. Male rock doves were much more vulnerable to RP/BR smoke effects, with 42% mortali% in contrast to 6% in the females. Assessments indicated affected or lost vocalization capability in both species, abnormal body postures in rock doves, and increased respiratory congestion in prairie dogs postexposure. Neither species showed definite, consistent effects in gross necropsy and histopathology assessments. Only a few of the rock doves in 6.0 mg/L groups showed signs of excess mucus or exudate in their nasal passages and larynges.
Enhancing Mobile Social Network Privacy

Privacy is an important concern for location based services (LBSs). In this paper, we consider a specific type of LBS known as a mobile social network (MSN). We demonstrate a new type of attack, where an adversary can combine the location and friendship information found in a MSN, to violate user privacy. We propose a fake location reporting solution that does not require any additional trusted third party deployment. We use extensive simulations to determine the validity of our scheme.
Temporal and spatial distribution of biozones and facies relative to geochemically correlated K-bentonites in the Middle Ordovician Taconic foredeep

The Middle Ordovician rocks of the Taconic foredeep in the Mohawk Valley, New York, contain numerous altered volcanic ash beds (K-bentonites). These synchronous beds have the potential to link disparate facies in a way that is not feasible with biostratigraphy or sequence stratigraphy alone. Geochemical fingerprinting of glass inclusions within volcanic quartz phenocrysts permits unambiguous matching of the compositionally unique ash layers. The resulting correlations demonstrate that time lines based on the graptolite biozones and transgressive-regressive facies patterns parallel the K-bentonite isochrons. They also demonstrate that much of the upper Trenton Group is older than previously believed and facies relations are markedly different from previous interpretations. Although some facies patterns appear to be synchronous across the region, the likely existence of substantial structural control on facies development in the basin suggests that it is unwise to attribute these patterns to eustatic sea-level changes.
Poor sleep as a pathophysiological pathway underlying the association between stressful experiences and the diurnal cortisol profile among children and adolescents

There is increasing evidence supporting the potential contribution of poor sleep as a pathophysiological pathway underlying the association between stress exposure and disruption of the diurnal cortisol profile. Specifically, convincing evidence shows that stress exposure leads to poor sleep, which, in part, is responsible for subsequent disruption of the diurnal cortisol profile. The overarching objective of the present study was to examine whether poor sleep mediates the relation between stress exposure and the diurnal cortisol profile in children and adolescents. Participants included children and adolescents aged 8-18 (N=220, M=12.62 years, 55.90% males). Participants’ salivary cortisol was sampled over two days to derive single sample (bedtime cortisol, maximum cortisol) and aggregate cortisol indices (AUCAG, AUCI, AUCTG, slopemax). Youth-report of stressful life events and daily hassles were obtained. Subjective reports of sleep duration and sleep quality were obtained by youth- and parent-report measures. Greater stressful life events were associated with elevated AUCAG and AUCTG. Greater daily hassles were associated with elevated maximum cortisol, AUCAG, AUCTG, and steeper slopemax. Greater stressful life events and daily hassles were associated with poorer sleep quality, which, in turn, was related to higher bedtime cortisol and AUCTG. Mediational analyses revealed that the sleep quality mediated the association between stress exposure and AUCTG. The present study provided evidence for poor sleep as a potential pathophysiological pathway underlying the effects of stress exposure on the diurnal cortisol profile in children and adolescents. The current research findings have important implications and help reframe prevention efforts and public policies aimed at reducing the physiological sequelae of stress exposure. Future research should replicate current findings using objective measures of sleep to better understand specific sleep parameters that underlie the association between stress exposure and the diurnal cortisol profile.