cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Renal Phosphate Wasting Due to Tumor-Induced (Oncogenic) Osteomalacia

Osteomalacia is a widely prevalent bone disorder that is caused by an imbalance in body calcium and phosphate. Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare form of osteomalacia that is associated with mesenchymal tumors. It is caused by overproduction of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23), a hormone involved in phosphate regulation. A 59-year-old male with a history of factor V Leiden mutation, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis was diagnosed with oncogenic osteomalacia in 2008 following laboratory findings significant for low phosphorus and elevated FGF-23 levels. He underwent a resection of a right suprascapular notch mass with the biopsy confirming a phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor. He was maintained on oral phosphorus and calcitriol replacements with a regular follow-up with oncology and nephrology. Eight years later, the patient's phosphorus levels started declining despite replacement. A repeat test showed FGF-23 levels once again elevated. A whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed no significant findings. The patient was continued on oral replacement therapy with a close follow-up. Two years later, urine phosphorus excretion was elevated at 2494 mg per 24 hours with low plasma phosphorus (1.2 mg/dL) and an elevated FGF-23 level of 1005 relative units (RU)/mL. A repeat MRI of the right shoulder revealed a mass in the supraspinatus muscle and another in the spinal glenoid notch. The masses were resected and the biopsy was consistent with a recurrence of the phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor. Follow-up serum phosphate levels remained in the normal range. FGF-23 plays a critical role in bone mineralization through the regulation of phosphate levels. Overproduction, as seen in mesenchymal tumors, results in hyperphosphaturia, hypophosphatemia, and low calcitriol levels. While the definitive treatment of TIO involves the resection of the mesenchymal tumor, localization of the tumor is often challenging given its small size and slow growth. This leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment. For individuals whose tumor cannot be resected or detected, burosumab is the preferred form of therapy. Interestingly, FGF-23 is shown to have a potential cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality through various mechanisms like activation of myocardial FGF-23 receptors, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and altered phosphorus and vitamin D metabolisms. While studies have shown possible FGF-23 effects on CV outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease, this has not been proven in cases of TIO.
A BiCMOS wireless stimulator chip for micromachined stimulating microprobes [neural recording/prostheses application]

This paper describes a 4-channel BiCMOS wireless stimulator chip, (Interestim-2), to be integrated with the University of Michigan micromachined passive stimulating microprobes sharing the same process. Interestim-2 uses an amplitude modulated 4 MHz carrier to receive data and power through inductive coupling. It is designed to generate two regulated 5 V and 10 V supplies capable of providing up to 50 mW, to regenerate a 4 MHz internal clock from the radiofrequency (RF) carrier, and to extract data bit stream up to 100 kBit/sec from the ASK modulated RF carrier. Any of the stimulating sites can be connected to V/sub CC/, an individual current sink, a common analog line, or left at high impedance. A 7-bit digital to analog converter (DAC) controls the gate voltage of NMOS transistors used as current sink, whose output characteristic is nonlinear and gives finer control over smaller stimulating current levels. The circuitry has been designed and fabricated through the University of Michigan's single metal, dual-poly 3-/spl mu/m BiCMOS process, and consists of 1600 transistors occupying an area of 13 mm/sup 2/. The total power dissipation of the chip is less than 10 mW.
Nutritional Improvement of Soy Flour

Heating soy flour at 45 degrees C in pH 8.5 Tris buffer for 1 hour in the presence of cysteine or N-acetylcysteine followed by dialysis to remove unreacted thiols resulted in the introduction of new half-cystine residues and lowered trypsin inhibitor content from 37.5 to 6.8 or 4.8 mg/g, respectively, compared to only 14.8 mg/g in the absence of sulfhydryl compounds. Presence of cysteine or N-acetylcysteine during treatment increased protein efficiency ratio (PER) from 0.95 to 2.01 or 2.20, respectively. Corresponding values at 65 degrees C are 1.61, 2.43 and 2.02; and at 75 degrees C, 2.14, 2.53 and 3.19, respectively. Proteins are modified through formation of mixed disulfide bonds, which leads to loss of inhibitory activity and increased protein digestibility and nutritive value.
Mutational analysis of the histidine operon promoter of Salmonella typhimurium

We isolated a collection of 67 independent, spontaneous Salmonella typhimurium his operon promoter mutants with decreased his expression. The mutants were isolated by selecting for resistance to the toxic lactose analog o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-thiogalactoside in a his-lac fusion strain. The collection included base pair substitutions. small insertions, a deletion, and one large insertion identified as IS30 (IS121), which is resident on the Mu d1 cts(Apr lac) phage used to construct the his-lac fusion. Of the 37 mutations that were sequenced, 14 were unique. Six of the 14 were isolated more than once, with the IS30 insertion occurring 16 times. The mutations were located throughout the his promoter region, with two in the conserved - 35 hexamer sequence, four in the conserved - 10 hexamer sequence (Pribnow box), seven in the spacer between the - 10 and -35 hexamer sequences, and the IS30 insertions just upstream of the -35 hexamer sequence. Four of the five substitution mutations changed a consensus base pair recognized by E sigma 70 RNA polymerase in the -10 or -35 hexamer. Decreased his expression caused by the 14 different his promoter mutations was measured in vivo. Relative to the wild-type promoter, the mutations resulted in as little as a 4-fold decrease to as much as a 357-fold decrease in his expression, with the largest decreases resulting from changes in the most highly conserved features of E sigma 70 promoters.
The colorimetric determination of iron in biological material with reference to its measurement during chelation therapy.

Iron may be determined in biologic material by a wet-ash method employing chloric and nitric acids and a non-ash method using trichloroacetic acid treatment. Bathophenanthroline or bipyridyl is utilized for color development, performed in a buffered medium with mercaptoacetic acid as reductant. The wet-ash technic is best for estimating total iron in urine, and the non-ash technic for nonhemoglobin-bound urinary iron and iron excretion during chelation therapy. Recovery and precision studies indicate a high degree of reliability. Bilirubin, hemoglobin, and excess phosphates have no significant effect on iron estimation and interference of copper and cobalt may be eliminated. Urinary iron excretion levels for 14 normal healthy children were 32-285 µg./24 hr. (mean, 113.45 ± 76 µg.); for 11 with sickle cell anemia, 115-1270 µg./24 hr. (mean, 685.4 ± 374.3); and for 2 with thalassemia major, 120-690 µg./24 hr. (mean, 363.3± 160.0).
VALIDATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE INFORMATION ON RISK FACTORS AND DISEASE OUTCOMES IN A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY OF WOMEN

To assess the validity of self-reported illnesses, medical records were reviewed for participants reporting major illnesses on the biennial follow-up questionnaires used in a prospective cohort study which began in 1976. In over 90% of cases of cancer of the breast, skin, large bowel, and thyroid, histopathology reports confirmed the subjects' self-report. Lower levels of confirmation were obtained for cancers of the lung, ovary, and uterus. Application of strict diagnostic criteria also gave lower levels of confirmation for myocardial infarction (68%) and stroke (66%). Among random samples of women reporting fractures and hypertension all records obtained confirmed self-reports. For self-reported elevated cholesterol levels 85.7% of self-reports were confirmed. Self-report is a valuable epidemiologic tool but may require additional documentation when the disease is diagnostically complex.
Plasma Heating and Ultrafast Semiconductor Laser Modulation Through a Terahertz Heating Field

Electron-hole plasma heating and ultrafast modulation in a semiconductor laser under a terahertz electrical field are investigated using a set of hydrodynamic equations derived from the semiconductor Bloch equations. The self-consistent treatment of lasing and heating processes leads to the prediction of a strong saturation and degradation of modulation depth even at moderate terahertz field intensity. This saturation places a severe limit to bandwidth achievable with such scheme in ultrafast modulation. Strategies for increasing modulation depth are discussed.
Characterization of Hydrogen-Encapsulated Type-I Silicon Clathrate

This study describes a new stable inorganic clathrate compound encapsulating hydrogen in the Si cage structure. In this work, the characterization of the new type-I Si clathrate, Na6(H2)2Si46, is illustrated. Na6(H2)2Si46 was prepared from NaSi and NH4X (X = Cl and Br) under dynamic vacuum at 300 oC. Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction data was consistent with the clathrate type-I structure. Solid-state 1 H, 29 Si and 23 Na MAS NMR confirmed the presence of both hydrogen and sodium in the clatharte cages. 23 Na NMR indicated that the guest sites are not fully occupied by Na. In order to validate the structure and investigate the Na content, the synthesized particles were examined using spherical aberration (Cs) corrected VG HB501 scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) operated at 100 kV. Fig. 2 shows a high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) image taken along [100] with the convergence semi-angle of 20 mrad and collection semi-angle of 70-210 mrad. Image calculation was made with Kirkland’s code [3] with the thickness of 21 nm and defocus value of 22.5 nm. The calculated image inserted in Fig. 2 is in good agreement with the experimental one. The ring pattern and the center of the ring correspond to the Si24 cage and the 6d sites, respectively. When observed along [100], the 6d sites are aligned in an atomic column which is apart from the nearest columns by 0.23 nm so that the Na occupancy in the 6d sites can be determined by comparing the experimental intensity profiles with calculated ones. Fig. 3 shows an averaged experimental image using 2dx software [4] and calculated images with different Na occupancies in the 6d sites as well as intensity profiles along the line X-Y. The peak intensity at the
Tips for Clinicians

Our second submission to “Tips for Clinicians” addresses the issue of physician/clinician gender and patient preference. Drs. Hewitt and Brown provide us with an insightful discussion of the topic, incorporating the male and female perspectives. Of note was the finding that adolescents ascribed a long wait time in a doctor’s office to socioeconomic differences; clinicians need to be aware of any patient misperceptions and help to address them proactively. The authors remind us of the importance of the 5 Cs in providing optimal service to adolescents: cleanliness, caring, competence, confidentiality, and conversation. The 5 Cs do not have to be gender-dependent, giving us hope for all of our male colleagues invested in the care of young women everywhere. The care of adolescent girls need not be an exclusively female domain in the future.
Men's fear of sex with women: A cross-cultural study

Anthropologists have described cultural beliefs in many societies that suggest men fear sex with women. In this paper I derive and cross-culturally test the implications of four theories that may help explain such fear. These theories suggest that men may fear sex with women because their wives come from enemy villages; population pressure on resources favors the avoidance of intercourse; males are conflicted about their sexual identity; or males have an exaggerated Oedipus complex. The cross-cultural evidence is generally consistent with all four theories. A tentative causal model is presented to account for the results.
A quantitative model of normal Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis and its disruption after stress

The invariant lineage of Caenorhabditis elegans has powerful potential for quantifying developmental variability in normal and stressed embryos. Previous studies of division timing by automated lineage tracing suggested that variability in cell cycle timing is low in younger embryos, but manual lineage tracing of specific lineages suggested that variability may increase for later divisions. We developed improved automated lineage tracing methods that allowroutine lineage tracing through the last round of embryonic cell divisions and we applied these methods to trace the lineage of 18 wild-type embryos. Cell cycle lengths, division axes and cell positions are remarkably consistent among these embryos at all stages, with only slight increase in variability later in development. The resulting quantitative 4-dimensional model of embryogenesis provides a powerful reference dataset to identify defects in mutants or in embryos that have experienced environmental perturbations. We also traced the lineages of embryos imaged at higher temperatures to quantify the decay in developmental robustness under temperature stress. Developmental variability increases modestly at 25°C compared with 22°C and dramatically at 26°C, and we identify homeotic transformations in a subset of embryos grown at 26°C. The deep lineage tracing methods provide a powerful tool for analysis of normal development, gene expression and mutants and we provide a graphical user interface to allow other researchers to explore the average behavior of arbitrary cells in a reference embryo.
Non-negative integer basis algorithms for linear equations with integer coefficients

A new class of non-negative integer basis algorithms for linear equations with integer coefficients is developed. Computer experiments with one of the new algorithms and comparisons with other non-negative integer basis algorithms are reported. When the total run times for collections of common simple examples typical of automated deduction applications are computed, the new algorithm has been found to be significantly faster than previous algorithms.
Identifying children in need of ancillary and enabling services: a population approach.

Children with chronic or disabling conditions use health, education and social services at a higher rate than their healthy peers. Estimates of the number of children in need of these specialized services are widely varied and often depend on categorical definitions that do not account for either the diversity or commonality of their experiences. Developing methods for identifying the population in need of services, particularly children likely to use long-term ancillary (audiology, occupational, physical or speech therapy, or social work) and/or enabling services (special equipment, personal care assistance, respite care, transportation, or environmental modifications), is essential for effective policy and program implementation. This study examines several recent attempts to operationalize definitions of children with chronic conditions using a noncategorical classification approach. Particular emphasis is placed on the subgroup of children identified as having functional limitations. Proposed operational definitions of children with functional limitations are compared using data from the 1994-1995 Disability Supplement to the US National Health Interview Survey. Estimates of the number of children reported to be using ancillary and enabling services are generated and compared across operational definitions of functional limitation as well as by the number, severity, and type (i.e. mobility, self-care, communication/sensory, social cognition/learning ability) of limitation. Depending on the operational definition selected, 9-14% of US community-dwelling children are estimated to have functional limitations. Among children with limitations, 26-30% regularly use ancillary services and 11-14% use enabling services. The strengths, limitations, and potential applications for each operational definition are discussed.
Is there a strategy behind buying advertising time and space

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to note the advertising business overspending on advertising messages that is often done with minimal consideration to the impact or effects of many consumer exposures.Design/methodology/approach – The paper notes textbooks statement of advertising budget spending as the money needed to attain pragmatic communications goals and compares this to the ongoing business reality of media planning that mostly devolves into maximization of audience exposures to mass media vehicles carrying the brand or company name.Findings – The pragmatic business need is for more questioning the value of media spending, not as return on investment, but how it contributes to overall communications concerns. The media planners dilemma is the uncertainty of the effects of every additional audience exposure, thus (and too often) they take the easy route and simply resolve to purchase as many target audience impressions as possible for as low a price as can be negotiated.Originality/value – Thi...
Storage of Treated Sewage Effluent and Storm Water in a Saline Aquifer, Pinellas Peninsula, Florida

The Pinellas Peninsula, an area of 750 square kilometres (290 square miles) in coastal west-central Florida, is a small hydrogeologic replica of Florida. Most of the Peninsula's water supply is imported from well fields as much as 65 kilometres (40 miles) inland. Stresses on the hydrologic environment of the Peninsula and on adjacent water bodies, resulting from intensive water-resources development and waste discharge, have resulted in marked interest in subsurface storage of waste water (treated effluent and untreated storm water) and in future retrieval of the stored water for nonpotable use. If subsurface storage is approved by regulatory agencies, as much as 265 megalitres per day (70 million gallons a day) of waste water could be stored underground within a few years, and more than 565 megalitres per day (150 million gallons a day) could be stored in about 25 years. This storage would constitute a large resource of nearly fresh water in the saline aquifers underlying about 520 square kilometres (200 square miles) of the Peninsula. The upper 1,060 metres (3,480 feet) of the rock column underlying four test sites on the Pinellas Peninsula have been explored. The rocks consist chiefly of limestone and dolomite. Three moderately to highly transmissive zones, separated by leaky confining beds, (low permeability limestone) from about 225 to 380 metres (740 to 1,250 feet) below mean sea level, have been identified in the lower part of the Floridan aquifer in the Avon Park Limestone. Results of withdrawal and injection tests in Pinellas County indicate that the middle transmissive zone has the highest estimated transmissivity-about 10 times other reported values. The chloride concentration of water in this zone, as well as in the two other transmissive zones in the Avon Park Limestone in Pinellas Peninsula, is about 19,000 milligrams per litre. If subsurface storage is approved and implemented, this middle zone probably would be used for storage of the waste water and the zone would become the most extensively used in Florida for this purpose.
A New Shared Access Method for IMS-Based Services

IMS as an IP connectivity and service control architecture is increasingly drawing more attention as the future architecture of the core network. At the same time, the cellular backhauled Wi-Fi has been constantly gaining ground as data rates of commercial cellular network continue to increase rapidly while the cost of data services declines at a similar pace. This paper presents a methodology using which IMS-based services can be offered to multiple user devices across a Wi-Fi network. The primary user in the case considered is a bona fide IMS user and Wi-Fi network backhauled by a cellular network. The proposed shared services method will enable sharing of IMS-based services that a UMTS/IMS user has subscribed to, by taking advantage of the authentication scheme specified in 3GPP TR 33.978 security aspects of early IMS, and the availability of cellular backhauled Wi-Fi network.
Degeneracy-corrected perturbation theory for electronic structure calculations

Abstract The second-order perturbative treatment of molecular electronic energies is modified in a way that takes account of near-degeneracy effects. The resulting formalism (DCPT2) is just as easy to apply as the popular second-order Moller-Plesset theory (also called second-order many-body perturbation theory) but is more accurate because it is less sensitive to near-degeneracy effects. Illustrative calculations are reported for a series of small molecules, showing significant improvement for cases with lone pairs on vicinal atoms.
Foreign Languages in High School

Author's summary.— Present-day popular interest in the immediately useful subjects of instruction makes it necessary that foreign language teachers give emphasis to the importance of languages in the present emergency. The basic practical and potential values of foreign languages have been restated by a noted authority on vocational education, and the contribution which foreign language teachers may make by collaboration with their colleagues in other departments has been demonstrated by teachers conducting such projects. This article summarizes the address, papers, and discussion at the foreign language meeting during the San Francisco session of the American Association of School Administrators.
Product strategy in harsh economic times: Subway

Purpose – This paper aims to describe a pricing process that can aid companies in modifying their product strategy.Design/methodology/approach – The case describes an approach that uses grass roots data from franchisees to change pricing strategy effectively.Findings – The paper illustrates the wisdom of franchisees with customer contact and an intimate knowledge of customer wants. The application may not be applicable to all industries. The restaurant industry is affected by numerous economic conditions that can bankrupt operators. Fast food operations usually lose less business than traditional restaurants, since consumers who want to eat out but need to economize “trade down.” Within the fast food sector, Subway capitalized on consumers' need to economize and reduced the price of its sandwiches. It was the right move for the times and Subway enjoy considerable success. Their results can be valuable to other companies.Research limitations/implications – As in all case studies, the specific conditions fo...
NMR Structure of the Human Rad18 Zinc Finger in Complex with Ubiquitin Defines a Class of UBZ Domains in Proteins Linked to the DNA Damage Response.

Ubiquitin-mediated interactions are critical for the cellular DNA damage response (DDR). Therefore, many DDR-related proteins contain ubiquitin-binding domains, including ubiquitin-binding zinc fingers (UBZs). The majority of these UBZ domains belong to the C2H2 (type 3 Polη-like) or C2HC (type 4 Rad18-like) family. We have used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to characterize the binding to ubiquitin and determine the structure of the type 4 UBZ domain (UBZ4) from human Rad18, which is a key ubiquitin ligase in the DNA damage tolerance pathway responsible for monoubiquitination of the DNA sliding clamp PCNA. The Rad18-UBZ domain binds ubiquitin with micromolar affinity and adopts a β1-β2-α fold similar to the previously characterized type 3 UBZ domain (UBZ3) from the translesion synthesis DNA polymerase Polη. However, despite nearly identical structures, a disparity in the location of binding-induced NMR chemical shift perturbations shows that the Rad18-UBZ4 and Polη-UBZ3 domains bind ubiquitin in distinctly different modes. The Rad18-UBZ4 domain interacts with ubiquitin with the α-helix and strand β1 as shown by the structure of the Rad18-UBZ domain-ubiquitin complex determined in this work, while the Polη-UBZ3 domain exclusively utilizes the α-helix. Our findings suggest the existence of two classes of UBZ domains in DDR-related proteins with similar structures but unique ubiquitin binding properties and provide context for further study to establish the differential roles of these domains in the complex cellular response to DNA damage.
The structure of Si(112):Ga-(N×1) reconstructions

Abstract We have studied the structure of Si(112):Ga-( N ×1) reconstructions using atomic-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles calculations. The nanofaceted clean Si(112) surface becomes planar following the adsorption of Ga, which forms long chains on the surface interrupted by isolated quasi-periodic defects. The defects create a mixture of ( N ×1) structures ( N ≈4–7) with 5×1 and 6×1 unit cells most common. We demonstrate that this structure consists of a chain of Ga atoms adsorbed at the (111)-like step edge within the (112) unit cell, and that the defects are Ga vacancies where the exposed step edge Si atoms form a dimer bond. Calculations performed as a function of vacancy period confirm that the surface energy is minimized at N =5–6, when compressive strain associated with the Si–Ga bonds is effectively minimized.
Nonviolent Resistance in the Western Sahara

In November of 2010, Moroccan news media reported on the violent riots taking place in Laayoune, the capital city of Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara. The television coverage focused on violence ...
Abstract 3975: Regression of established tumors requires timely adoptive T cell transfer following whole body irradiation.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Adoptive immunotherapy with CD8+ T cells has achieved some success in treating established cancer. Response rates are increased by preconditioning the patient with lymphodepleting whole body irradiation (WBI) prior to T cell transfer, including an increased fraction of complete responses. Using a mouse model of autochthonous brain cancer, we previously demonstrated that adoptive transfer of tumor-specific T cells following WBI promotes complete regression of established tumors and long-term survival. However, the mechanisms required to achieve complete responses remain to be defined. Here we investigate kinetic requirements for adoptive T cell transfer to achieve tumor control following WBI. To test the hypothesis that adoptive transfer early after irradiation is required for maximum long-term tumor control, we delayed adoptive transfer of T cells to tumor-bearing mice at varying intervals following irradiation. We show that delay of adoptive transfer did not affect initial T cell priming or the timing of initial appearance of activated T cells at the tumor site. However, we observed a modest decrease in T cell accumulation at the earliest appearance of cells in the brain (5 days post-transfer). Tumors were completely eliminated within 10 days in mice that received T cell transfer one day following WBI, while delayed transfer abrogated this effect. When adoptive transfer was delayed by one week following WBI, incomplete tumor regression was observed at 10 days post-transfer. Although mice in this group lived significantly longer than control animals, they eventually succumbed to lethal tumor recurrence. Our data suggest that lymphodepleting doses of WBI promote a prolonged window for effective T cell priming against the endogenous tumor antigen, but that optimal therapeutic potential requires T cell transfer early after irradiation conditioning. Supported by research grant CA02500 from the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health. Citation Format: Eugene M. Cozza, Lynn R. Budgeon, Neil D. Christensen, Todd D. Schell. Regression of established tumors requires timely adoptive T cell transfer following whole body irradiation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3975. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3975
Copper migration during tungsten via formation

A yield problem is observed with tungsten vias formed on copper interconnects. Copper migration can occur during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of tungsten, if there are defects in the liner inside the via. Copper can react quickly with SiH4 during the early stages of tungsten deposition, when SiH4-reduction of WF6 is used. Under severe conditions, large amounts of copper diffuse out of the underlying metal layer, resulting in copper silicide formation in the via and leaving voids in the copper wire. Copper migration can be minimized by reducing the time that the wafers are exposed to SiH4.
Radionuclide studies in Hodgkin's disease and lymphomas

A rational, multidisciplinary approach to Hodgkin's disease and the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas has been responsible for major advances in therapy. Invasive diagnostic procedures and exploratory laparotomy, with their associated complications, make nontraumatic radionuclide imaging most appealing in both the clinical staging of disease and in evaluating therapy. Gallium-67-citrate, the tumor scanning agent of the early 1970s, has demonstrated a marked affinity for Hodgkin's disease and the other lymphomas. False positives are few, with sensitivity greater than 70% throughout the spectrum of Hodgkin's disease and the histiocytic lymphomas. In addition to confirming sites of suspected neoplasm, this agent has proved useful in the detection of occult involvement. Moreover, resolution of abnormal gallium-67 concentrations on follow-up studies functions as a visual ancillary index of therapeutic response. The value of whole-body gallium-67 scintigraphy is further enhanced when used in conjunction with routine technetium brain, bone, liver, and spleen scans. While the diagnostic accuracy of gallium-67 studies has been limited in the abdomen due to bowel activity, our attempts to improve these results with the tumor-seeking radiopharmaceutical indium-111-Bleomycin were unrewarding and subsequently were discontinued. Finally, radionuclide lymphography has also been explored. Its diagnostic usefulness in detecting pelvic and abdominal lymph node involvement warrants further investigation.
On optimum mixing in continuous homogeneous reactors

Abstract The effect of micromixing on conversion is analyzed for continuous, homogeneous chemical reactors with premixed feed and arbitrary residence time distributions. Optimum micromixing is shown to depend on the convexity property of the rate of reaction expression. For concave-up rate expression, segregation yields the highest conversion, while for concave-down rate expressions maximum mixedness yields the highest conversion.
Effects of Bisphosphonate on Long-Term Culture of Cartilage Allografts

Zoledronic acid (ZA), an FDA approved bisphosphonate (BP) medicine, is widely used for the treatment of osteoclast-related bone loss diseases [1]. Our previous study has found that systemic administration of ZA could dramatically suppress the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) in the DMM (destabilization of the medial meniscus) mouse model, a model recapitulating the altered joint loading associated with PTOA [2]. This finding is consistent with a few similar studies using different animal models [3]. However, little is known about the cellular and biochemical mechanisms of BP mediated chondro-protection in PTOA pathogenesis. Studies have shown that PTOA often initiates from the apoptosis and altered metabolism of cartilage chondrocytes. In this study, we will investigate the direct effects of ZA on the metabolisms of chondrocytes using long-term in vitro culture of cartilage allografts. As one of the earliest responses of chondrocytes to mechanical stimulation, intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) signaling is the upstream of numerous mechanotransduction pathways [4]. We hypothesize that the chondro-protective mechanisms of ZA could be represented by the characteristics of [Ca2+]i signaling of in situ chondrocytes. Our specific aims were to: (i) compare the in situ spontaneous [Ca2+]i responses of chondrocytes cultured in non-ZA and ZA supplemented environments, and (ii) compare the biomechanical properties of cartilage allografts under the two culture conditions.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Cyclopoid copepods (Lichomolgidae) associated with the coral genus Favites in the Moluccas

Three new species of Lichomolgidae, Cerioxynus moluccensis, Cerioxynus bandensis, and Rakotoa ceramensis, are described from the scleractinian corals Favites pentagona (Esper) and Favites virens (Dana) in Ceram and Banda.
Continuous cooling from a high initial temperature through a freezing-in transition

Abstract The proposal that “freezing-in” transitions occur on cooling when the Lillie Number, ≅ (− B τ)′ ≅ − d Bτ d T ≃ τ ≅ d τ d t , ≡ (−Bτ)′ ≡ − d Bτ/ d T ≅ dot τ ≡ d τ/ d t , where t is time, T is temperature, τ is structural relaxation time, and B ≡ −dT/dt is the cooling rate) is of the order of unity, is examined and tested against the analytical solution of Hutchinson and Kovacs and numerical solutions of Scherer for single relaxation time processes. It is found that in all cases the progress of the transition is determined by the value of i′. Additional considerations of freezing-in processes and a brief consideration of a distribution of relaxation times are presented.
The minimum independence number for designs

Fort=2,3 andk≥2t−1 we prove the existence oft−(n,k,λ) designs with independence numberC λ,k n (k−t)/(k−1) (ln n) 1/(k−1) . This is, up to the constant factor, the best possible. Some other related results are considered.
The use of chloromethylation products in preparation of substances of pharmacologic interest

Several diamidines having a homologous relationship to various chemotherapeutic diamidines have been prepared from the bis (chloromethylation)-derivatives of naphthalene, biphenyl, and bibenzyl. Two of these, 4,4′-bis(amidinomethyl)bibenzyl dihydrochloride and 4,4′-bis (amidinomethyl)biphenyl dihydrochloride, were found to possess a high order of antibacterial activity when tested in vitro using cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, H37Rv. The ease of reaction of the intermediate chloromethyl derivatives with various nucleophilic reagents makes possible their conversion to a number of substances of possible pharmacologic interest. The preparation of basic ethers by reaction of the chloromethyl derivatives with sodium diethylaminoethoxide is described.
Pelage Color Changes in Perognathus longimembris

On October 15, 1950, Mr. Loraine Woodbury captured a specimen of Perognathus longimembris in a desert area known as Cedar Valley which lies to the west of Utah Lake in Utah County, Utah. The animal was caught by the tail in a snap trap and was brought into the laboratory alive. Strikingly contrary to the normal color of this species, which is predominantly buff overlaid with brown or black dorsally, the animal mentioned above was pure white except for a …
Formation of novel D-ring and E-ring isoprostane-like compounds (neuroprostanes) in vivo from docosahexaenoic acid

Oxidant stress and peroxidation of lipids have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of human diseases’-7. A highly accurate marker of oxidative stressin vivois the quantification of isoprostanes8’9. Isoprostanes (IsoPs) are prostaglandin (PG)-like compounds generated from the free radical catalyzed peroxidation of arachidonic acid. The generation of these compounds proceeds through bicyclic endoperoxide PGH2-like intermediates which are subsequently reduced to PGF2-like compounds (F2-IsoPs)10or undergo rearrangement to PGD2and PGE2-like compounds (D2/E2- IsoPs)’1and thromboxane-like compounds (isothromboxanes)12.In vivo, arachidonic acid is primarily present esterified to phospholipids. Thus, IsoPs are formed esterifiedin situand are subsequently released preformed13. In addition to being reliable markers of oxidative stressin vivo, several of the IsoPs have been shown to be capable of exerting potent biological activity; therefore, these compounds may mediate some of the pathophysiological sequelae of oxidant stress“.
‘Adieu Madras, Adieu Foulard’: Musical Origins and the Doudou's Colonial Plaint

Il part et l'amputation de son etre disparait a mesure que le profil du paquebot se precise. Il lit sa puissance, sa mutation, dans les yeux de ceux qui l'ont accompagne. (‘Adieu madras, adieu foulard’ in Fanon 1952) This paper offers a postcolonial critique and musicology of the 18th-century French West Indian folksong ‘Adieu madras, adieu foulard’ and its crystallization of the doudou, a recurring character in the repertoire of French imperial mythology well into the 20th century. The classic colonial doudou (there are variants) represents a black or metisse Creole woman who loves a white French man, but who can only melancholically sing the impossibility of their relationship. While there are a number of archetypal French ‘natives’ (i.e. the ‘noble savage’ or the ‘senegalese’ soldier), the doudou's beautiful song sets her apart. What is at stake in the musicality of the doudou? How does this singing beauty, and her beautiful sound, express ideas about ‘self’ and ‘other’, and what ethics of relation doe...
Regulation of hERG C-Terminal Isoform Expression by Modified U1 Small Nuclear RNA

The human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) encodes the pore-forming subunit of the rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium channel in the heart. The expression of C-terminal isoforms is directed by the alternative splicing and polyadenylation of intron 9. Splicing of intron 9 leads to the formation of a functional, full-length hERGa channel and polyadenylation of intron 9 results in the production of a non-functional, C-terminally truncated hERGaUSO isoform. The relative expression of hERGa and hERGaUSO plays an important role in regulating hERG channel function. In the heart only one-third of hERG pre-mRNA is processed to hERGa due to the weak 5' splice site of intron 9. We previously showed that the weak splice site is caused by sequence deviation from consensus and that strengthening the splice site with mutations at the +4 and +6 positions toward consensus increased the efficiency of intron 9 splicing. It is well established that 5' splice sites are recognized by complementary base-paring with U1 small nuclear RNA (U1 snRNA). In this study, we modified the sequence of U1 snRNA to increase its complementarity to the 5' splice site of hERG intron 9 at the +4 and +6 positions. Using modified U1 snRNA, we observed a significant increase in the efficiency of intron 9 splicing. RNase protection assay and western blot analysis show that modified U1 snRNA increased the expression of the functional hERGa isoform and concomitantly decreased the expression of the non-functional hERGaUSO isoform. In patch-clamp experiment, modified U1 snRNA significantly increased the hERG current. Our findings suggest that relative expression of hERG C-terminal isoforms can be regulated by modified U1 snRNA.
The effect of quinidine on ventricular fibrillation induced by coronary ligation

Abstract Numerous attempts have been made in the field of animal experimentation to support the use of quinidine in clinical coronary occlusion as a prophylatic agent against possible ventricular fibrillation. Quinidine has been reported to be effective in raising the “fibrillation threshold” following electrical stimulation of the ventricles in living animals, 1–6 after electrical stimulation of an isolated frog heart, 7 in isolated hearts perfused with toxic drugs, 8,9 following hydrocarbon inhalation and epinephrine injection, 10,11 and in dogs treated with toxic drugs. 12 None of these methods, however, would appear to simulate the ischemic mechanism which presumably is responsible for ventricular fibrillation in clinical coronary insufficiency. Only two reports were found in which coronary artery ligation was employed to produce this arrhythmia. Moisset de Espanes 13 reported that quinidine increased the incidence of fibrillation from 60 per cent in twenty-five control dogs to 80 per cent in twenty-five treated dogs. Smith, McEachern, and Hall, 14 on the other hand, reported that quinidine lowered the twenty-four-hour mortality from 70 per cent in sixteen control dogs to 55 per cent in twenty treated dogs. Neither of these apparently contradictory results, however, proved to be statistically significant. The purpose of the present experiment was to determine the effect of quinidine on the incidence of ventricular fibrillation induced in dogs by ligation at the origin of the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery, utilizing previous information regarding the importance of accurate localization of the ligature. 15
The mechanism of the photochemical oxidation of water to oxygen with silver chloride colloids

Photoexcitation of silver chloride colloids in the presence of excess silver ions, leads to the decomposition of water. Hydroxyl radicals were found to be intermediates in the decomposition process. Irradiation leads to hydroxyl radicals, which recombine to give hydrogen peroxide, on the colloidal particle surface. Subsequent decomposition of H 2 O 2 to give O 2 is catalyzed by silver ions. Addition of alcohols such as methanol and isopropanol reduce the oxygen yield, as they react with OH radicals and reduce the H 2 O 2 yield.
Fabrication of uniform size titanium oxide nanotubes: Impact of current density and solution conditions

The synthesis of TiO2 nanotube arrays on titanium foil was investigated under various electrochemical conditions. The following two conditions were shown to affect the nanotube diameter and number density. First, as the anodic current density for the foil increased from 10 to 30 mA cm−2, the mean inner diameter of TiO2 nanotubes increased from 30 to 145 nm. Second, as the ratio of methanol to water increased, the TiO2 nanotube number density decreased and resulted in larger spaces between the nanotubes.
Thioredoxin Interacting Protein (TXNIP) and Pathogenesis of Diabetic Retinopathy

Chronic hyperglycemia (HG)-associated reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) stress and low grade inflammation are considered to play critical roles in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Excess glucose metabolic flux through the aldose reductase/polyol pathway, advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation, elevated hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP), diacyl glycerol/PKC activation, and mitochondrial ROS generation are all implicated in DR. In addition, endoplasmic reticulum stress/unfolded protein response (er-UPR) and deregulation of mitochondrial quality control by autophagy/mitophagy are observed causing cellular bioenergetic deficiency and injury. Recently, a pro-oxidant and pro-apoptotic thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) was shown to be highly up-regulated in DR and by HG in retinal cells in culture. TXNIP binds to thioredoxin (Trx) inhibiting its oxidant scavenging and thiolreducing capacity. Hence, prolonged overexpression of TXNIP causes ROS/RNS stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and premature cell death in DR. Initially, DR was considered as microvascular complications of endothelial dysfunction and pericyte loss characterized by capillary basement membrane thickening, pericyte ghost, blood retinal barrier leakage, acellular capillary and neovascularization. However, it is currently acknowledged that neuro-glia are also affected by HG in diabetes and that neuronal injury, glial activation, innate immunity/sterile inflammation, and ganglion apoptosis occur early in DR. In addition, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) becomes dysfunctional in DR. Since TXNIP is induced by HG in most cells, its effects are not restricted to a particular cell type in DR. However, depending on the metabolic activity and anti-oxidant capacity, some cells may be affected earlier by TXNIP than others. Identification of TXNIP sensitive cells and elucidating the underlying mechanism(s) will be critical for preventing pre-mature cell death and progression of DR.
Purchasing management and business competitiveness in the coming decade

Changing dynamics of the marketplace require that old mind-sets of the procurement function radically shift directions. Cost-based practices of the past should be replaced by a value-added focus in today's organizational supply channel. This paper, based upon in-depth discussions with a focus group of experts, documents the upcoming challenges for purchasing professionals and defines a new role for purchasing managers. Additionally, key questions are suggested as an impetus for future research.
3DMR osseous reconstructions of the shoulder using a gradient-echo based two-point Dixon reconstruction: a feasibility study

To create 3DMR osseous models of the shoulder similar to 3DCT models using a gradient-echo-based two-point/Dixon sequence. CT and 3TMR examinations of 7 cadaveric shoulders were obtained. Glenoid defects were created in 4 of the cadaveric shoulders. Each MR study included an axial Dixon 3D-dual-echo-time T1W-FLASH (acquisition time of 3 min/30 s). The water-only image data from the Dixon sequence and CT data were post-processed using 3D software. The following measurements were obtained on the shoulders: surface area (SA), height/width of the glenoid and humeral head, and width of the biceps groove. The glenoid defects were measured on imaging and compared with measurements made on en face digital photographs of the glenoid fossae (reference standard). Paired t tests/ANOVA were used to assess the differences between the imaging modalities. The differences between the glenoid and humeral measurements were not statistically significant (cm): glenoid SA 0.12 ± 0.04 (p = 0.45) and glenoid width 0.13 ± 0.06 (p = 0.06) with no difference in glenoid height measurement; humeral head SA 0.07 ± 0.12 (p = 0.42), humeral head height 0.03 ± 0.06 (p = 0.42), humeral head width 0.07 ± 0.06(p = 0.18), and biceps groove width 0.02 ± 0.01 (p = 0.07). The mean/standard deviation difference between the reference standard and 3DMR measurements was 0.25 ± 0.96 %/0.30 ± 0.14 mm; 3DCT 0.25 ± 0.96 /0.75 ± 0.39 mm. There was no statistical difference between the measurements obtained on 3DMR and 3DCT (percentage, p = 0.45; mm, p = 0.20). Accurate 3D osseous models of the shoulder can be produced using a 3D two-point/Dixon sequence and can be added to MR examinations with a minor increase in imaging time, used to quantify glenoid loss, and may eliminate the need for pre-surgical CT examinations.
Phenanthroindolizidines and Phenanthroquinolizidines: Promising Alkaloids for Anti-Cancer Therapy

The phenanthroindolizidine and phenanthroquinolizidine alkaloids, typified by tylophorine and cryptopleurine, are a family of plant-derived small molecules with significant therapeutic potential. The plant extracts have been used in herbal medicine and the isolated compounds have displayed a range of promising therapeutic activity such as anti-ameobicidal, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity. Despite their therapeutic protential, no compounds in this class have fully passed clinical trials. Drawbacks include low in vivo anti-cancer activity, central nervous system toxicity and low natural availability. A number of biological effects of these compounds, such as protein and nucleic acid synthesis suppression, have been identified, but the specific biomolecular targets have not yet been identified. Significant effort has been expended in the synthesis and structure-activity-relationship (SAR) studies of these compounds with the hope that a new drug will emerge. This review will highlight important contributions to the isolation, synthesis, SAR and mechanism of action of the phenanthroindolizidine and pheanthroquinolizidine alkaloids.