cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Row Nucleation of Isotactic Polypropylene on Graphite Fibres

IN spite of extensive interest and study, the heterogeneous nucleation of crystallizable high polymers has remained a poorly understood phenomenon. Bulk crystallization, even from purified melts, is, for example, probably always heterogeneous in nature with the primary nucleating structures ranging from dust to catalyst remnants; these are usually completely uncharacterized with respect to size, geometry or activity1. In cases where nucleation has been studied as a function of the chemistry and concentration of additives2, the published accounts have often been simple listings of good and poor nucleants with only limited attempts at interpreting observations on a molecular level.
Effect of molecular diffusivity on turbulent diffusion in isotropic turbulence

Abstract Dispersion of heat or mass from a point source in homogeneous isotropic turbulence is considered. Molecular diffusion can cause thermal or molecular markers to escape from fluid particles. As a consequence, the contribution of turbulence to the dispersion decreases with increasing molecular diffusivity. This effect is explored by calculating the property autocorrelation for turbulent fields having defined Eulerian space-time correlations. The analysis uses the Corrsin independence approximation and the assumption that the distribution of the particle displacements at some time after release is defined by a Gaussian function.
Diagnosis and management of oral viral infections

Many common viral infections produce characteristic lesions in the oral cavity. The diagnostic clinical features and the available confirmatory tests appropriate for each infection are reviewed. Therapeutic options are tailored to the management of both healthy and immunocompromised patients.
CLEO-c: A new frontier in our understanding of the weak and strong interactions

Abstract A proposed experiment, CLEO-c, to be performed at Cornell University's Wilson Laboratory, is described. CLEO-c will exploit the physics potential of the CLEO detector and the CESR storage ring operation in the center-of-mass energy range 3 – 5 GeV. With initial data-taking expected to start in early 2003, and a detailed program covering three years of operation, CLEO-c has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of many aspects of strong and weak interaction physics.
The convex floating body

Abstract The convex floating body of a polytope is constructed and parametric variation of its volume and surface area functionals are illustrated through example.
Multiple Mechanisms Contribute to Inhibit Transcription in Response to DNA Damage

Cellular DNA damage elicits the phosphorylation and ubiquitination of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), leading to the global repression of transcription. In this report we show that there are at least two different pathways to transcriptional repression, depending on the type of DNA damage. After H2O2 treatment, transcription was rapidly inhibited and rapidly restored. On the other hand, UV irradiation caused a much slower transcriptional inhibition, with a corresponding depletion of unphosphorylated RNAPII. We found that after UV treatment, but not treatment with H2O2, the inhibition of transcription was dependent on both the proteasome and new protein synthesis. In addition, RNAPII activity and ubiquitination were regulated through the phosphorylation of RNAPII by the P-TEFb kinase. These results highlight that multiple cellular pathways exist to globally repress transcriptional processes that might interfere with the repair of DNA damage.
Unconstrained approach to the extremization of constrained functions

Abstract In this paper, the problem of extremizing a function ƒ(x) subject to the constraint ϑ(x) = 0 is considered. Here, ƒ is a scalar, x an n-vector, and ϑ a q-vector, where 0 ⩽ q Since the performance index R(y) involves the first derivatives ƒx and ϑx, the gradient G(y) = Ry(y), which is employed in quadratically convergent algorithms, involves the second derivatives ƒxx and ϑxx. To avoid the explicit use of these second derivatives, a two-point determination of the gradient G(y) is developed: the (n + q)-vector G(y) is computed numerically through only two evaluations of the function R(y). Concerning the one-dimensional determination of the stepsize α, a two-point quasilinearization search is developed. This method requires only two evaluations of the function R(y), but preserves the eventual quadratic convergence of the quasilinearization method. Two terminating conditions are investigated: exact search and one-cycle search. Thus, the method presented here is a first-order method. For the ideal case of a quadratic function subject to a linear constraint, it converges to the solution in n + q iterations, at most. The total computational effort involved is equivalent to, at most, 3(n + q) + 1 evaluations of the function R(y). Three numerical examples are given using both the exact search and the one-cycle search. The results are presented in terms of number of iterations and number of function evaluations for convergence.
Phylogenetic distribution of superoxide dismutase supports an endosymbiotic origin for chloroplasts and mitochondria

Three isozymes of superoxide dismutase (SOD) have been identified and characterized. The iron and manganese isozymes (Fe-SOD and Mn-SOD, respectively) show extensive primary sequence and structural homology, suggesting a common evolutionary ancestor. In contrast, the copper/zinc isozyme (CuZn-SOD) shows no homology with Fe-SOD or Mn-SOD, suggesting an independent origin for this enzyme. The three isozymes are unequally distributed throughout the biological kingdoms and are located in different subcellular compartments. Obligate anaerobes and aerobic diazotrophs contain Fe-SOD exclusively. Facultative aerobes contain either Fe-SOD or Mn-SOD or both. Fe-SOD is found in the cytosol of cyanobacteria while the thylakoid membranes of these organisms contain a tightly bound Mn-SOD. Similarly, most eukaryotic algae contain Fe-SOD in the chloroplast stroma and Mn-SOD bound to the thylakoids. Most higher plants contain a cytosol-specific and a chloroplast-specific CuZn-SOD, and possibly a thylakoid-bound Mn-SOD as well. Plants also contain Mn-SOD in their mitochondria. Likewise, animals and fungi contain a cytosolic CuZn-SOD and a mitochondrial Mn-SOD. The Mn-SOD found in the mitochondria of eukaryotes shows strong homology to the prokaryotic form of the enzyme. Taken together, the phylogenetic distribution and subcellular localization of the SOD isozymes provide strong support for the hypothesis that the chloroplasts and mitochondria of eukaryotic cells arose from prokaryotic endosymbionts.
Automated workpiece localization for robotic welding

Precise knowledge of a workpiece's position is essential to robotic manufacturing. This often requires design and use of special purpose fixtures and programming between manufacturing operations. Our goal is to remove these requirements and automate the discovery of position (localization) of the workpiece. For quick setup and localization we have augmented the end-effector of the robot with a laser projector and a laser displacement sensor. The laser projector guides the worker in initial fixture and workpiece placement and the laser displacement sensor acquires a 3D point cloud of the workspace. The point cloud collected after scanning the workspace is processed to provide a sparse outline of the workpiece. This outline is then compared to the computer aided design (CAD) data of the workpiece to estimate a transformation between the actual and planned position. This estimation is made by using an iterative closest point algorithm. Multiple searches are run using different seed points to improve the chance of finding the best fit while maintaining low run times. In this paper, we have used flat weldments as test cases. In our experiments we were able to localize and weld workpieces with significant time savings against current practices in manual welding.
Modulation of GM-CSF release by enantiomers of β-agonists in human airway smooth muscle

Background β 2 -Adrenergic receptor agonists can reduce the release of GM-CSF by human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). These effects are considered anti-inflammatory and are ascribed to the activity of the (R)-enantiomer within the racemate of the agonist. However, the effect of the (S)-enantiomer on GM-CSF release, once thought to be inert, has not been extensively explored. Objective We hypothesized that the (S)-enantiomer may counter the effects of the (R)-enantiomer, potentially increasing GM-CSF release. Therefore, the effects of administration of individual and combined enantiomers on GM-CSF release were examined. Methods Cultured HASMCs were stimulated with IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ and treated with (R)-enantiomers and (S)-enantiomers of albuterol and formoterol, with and without propranolol and ICI-118,551, and in combination with dexamethasone. GM-CSF in the resulting conditioned media was assessed by ELISA. Results (R)-enantiomers significantly reduced GM-CSF release by as much as 41% ( P P P Conclusion We conclude that GM-CSF release by HASMC is downregulated by (R)-enantiomers and enhanced by (S)-enantiomers. The reversal of (R)-enantiomer and dexamethasone effects by the (S)-enantiomer suggests suppression of their anti-inflammatory effects, perhaps through an antagonistic mechanism similar to propranolol.
Orphan structure of the first-order Reed-Muller codes

We investigate a method of combining two codes which we call the outer product. First-order Reed-Muller codes are outer products of a number of copies of the full binary space of length 2, and we apply our results to obtain cosets of the Reed-Muller codes which have no ancestors, that is, which are orphans.
Is History New? Recent Modernist Interpretations of Hegel

Abstract This review explores a recent trend in commentary on Hegel’s philosophy of history which owes much of its interpretive substance to the aesthetic modernism of the Frankfurt School. This modernist trend emphasizes the interplay of form and content, material conditions of rationality, and the temporal disjunction between experiencing and cognizing history. In so doing, it produces a deeply political, psychoanalytic, and musical reading of Hegel.
Laboratory observation of ion conics by velocity-space tomography of a plasma.

Laboratory experiments have examined particular elements of proposed mechanisms for ion conic formation seen in the Earth's auroral-zone magnetosphere. A laser-induced fluorescence diagnostic measured the ion distribution function at many angles in velocity space, allowing tomographic techniques to reconstruct the multidimensional ion distribution function. Ion conics, as well as drifting Maxwellians, were observed.
Hotel Guests' Cumulative Satisfaction Updating Process in the Context of Service Failure and Service Recovery

Consumers constantly revise their satisfaction judgments as they gain new service experience. While some researchers found that consumers weigh their prior cumulative experience more heavily than their most current individual service encounters when updating their cumulative overall satisfaction, others found the opposite result. Following the development of the literature, this study investigated customers' satisfaction updating process in the context of service failure and service recovery in the hotel industry. The results of the data analysis show that when updating overall satisfaction, participants weighed their current service encounter satisfaction more heavily than prior cumulative overall satisfaction, regardless of different levels of service failure and service recovery. The findings of this research also suggest that once customers experience service problems, it is difficult to bring customers' satisfaction level back to where it was.
Big locational unemployment differences despite high labor mobility

Considerable labor mobility exists across US states, enough that, if migration arbitrages local unemployment, one might expect very low unemployment differences across states. However, cross-state data reveal large unemployment differences. An equilibrium multi-location model with stochastic worker-location match productivity and within-location trading frictions can account for these facts. In the model, some workers move to, or stay in, a location with high unemployment because they are more productive there than elsewhere. According to the model, labor mobility and aggregate unemployment are negatively related. This prediction is in stark contrast to standard sectoral reallocation theory, but consistent with the US data.
Effects of phenothiazine tranquilizers on the cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate system of rat brain

The effects of phenothiazine tranquilizers on the concentration of cyclic 3',5'-AMP in brain in vivo, on the norepinephrine-induced increase of cyclic 3',5'-AMP in brain slices, and on the activities of the enzymes responsible for the formation and hydrolysis of cyclic 3',5'-AMP i.e. adenyl cyclase and phosphodiesterase, were examined. The concentration of cyclic 3',5'-AMP in rat cerebellum increased 5-fold within 2 min after decapitation. The administration of trifluoperazine did not change the basal concentration of cyclic 3',5'-AMP, but completely blocked its rise after decapitation. Chlorpromazine was less potent than trifluoperazine, and trifluoperazine sulphoxide and promethazine, which are weak tranquilizers, failed to prevent the rise of cyclic 3',5'-AMP caused by decapitation. Norepinephrine increased the concentration of cyclic 3',5'-AMP in brain slices about 2-fold. Trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine inhibited this norepinephrine-induced accumulation of cyclic 3',5'-AMP without affecting its basal concentration. Trifluoperazine was more active than chlorpromazine, and the sulphoxide metabolites of these compounds and promethazine were without effect. In pineal gland homogenates, norepinephrine increased adenyl cyclase activity 2- to 3-fold. Trifluoperazine inhibited this norepinephrine-induced activation of adenyl cyclase to a greater extent than it did the basal enzyme activity. Again trifluoperazine was more effective than was chlorpromazine, promethazine was a weak inhibitor, and the sulphoxide metabolites of trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine produced almost no inhibition of pineal adenyl cyclase activity. Trifluoperazine inhibited phosphodiesterase activity of rat cerebrum and brain stem more effectively than it did the enzyme of cerebellum. It was concluded that the relative effectiveness of these phenothiazine derivatives in inhibiting the activated cyclic 3',5'-AMP system of rat brain correlates well with their relative potencies as tranquilizers.
Respiratory pattern generator model using Ca++-induced Ca++ release in neurons shows both pacemaker and reciprocal network properties

There are two contradictory explanations for central respiratory rhythmogenesis. One suggests that respiratory rhythm emerges from interaction between inspiratory and expiratory neural semicenters that inhibit each other and thereby provide reciprocal rhythmic activity (Brown 1914). The other uses bursting pacemaker activity of individual neurons to produce the rhythm (Feldman and Cleland 1982). Hybrid models have been developed to reconcile these two seemingly conflicting mechanisms (Smith et al. 2000; Rybak et al. 2001). Here we report computer simulations that demonstrate a unified mechanism of the two types of oscillator. In the model, we use the interaction of Ca++-dependent K+ channels (Mifflin et al. 1985) with Ca++-induced Ca++ release from intracellular stores (McPherson and Campbell 1993), which was recently revealed in neurons (Hernandez-Cruz et al. 1997; Mitra and Slaughter 2002a,b; Scornik et al. 2001). Our computations demonstrate that uncoupled neurons with these intracellular mechanisms show conditional pacemaker properties (Butera et al. 1999) when exposed to steady excitatory inputs. Adding weak inhibitory synapses (based on increased K+ conductivity) between two model neural pools surprisingly synchronizes the activity of both neural pools. As inhibitory synaptic connections between the two pools increase from zero to higher values, the model produces first dissociated pacemaker activity of individual neurons, then periodic synchronous bursts of all neurons (inspiratory and expiratory), and finally reciprocal rhythmic activity of the neural pools.
Circular Polarization of Sunlight Reflected by Clouds

Measurements of circular polarization of visible light from planets have recently been reported. It is pointed out that the values measured for the circular polarization for Jupiter and Venus are of the magnitude expected for sunlight reflected by a cloudy planetary atmosphere. The variations of the sense of the polarization with phase angle and with location on the planetary disk are also consistent with expectations for reflection by clouds.
A New Algorithm for Computing Inertial Altitude and Vertical Velocity

Inertial navigators determine inertial altitude and vertical velocity by a closed feedback loop in which the vertical accelerometer output is mixed with a pressure altitude reference. Pressure altitude is determined as a function of presure based on the standard atmosphere models. Since the atmosphere is almost always nonstandard, large inertial altitude and vertical velocity errors may result. A unique algorithm has been devised to compute a dynamically corrected altitude reference by numerically integrating the physical relation for a column of air as a function of pressure, gravity, and absolute temperature. The new algorithm has been flight tested and has been shown to yield accurate results.
Dynamics of cryogenic hydrogen storage in insulated pressure vessels for automotive applications

Abstract A dynamic model is used to characterize cryogenic H 2 storage in an insulated pressure vessel that can flexibly hold liquid H 2 and compressed H 2 at 350 bar. A double-flow refueling device is needed to ensure that the tank can be consistently refueled to its theoretical capacity regardless of the initial conditions. Liquid H 2 charged into the tank is stored as supercritical fluid if the initial tank temperature is >120 K and as a subcooled liquid if it is 2 is stored as a supercritical fluid, liquid H 2 will form as H 2 is withdrawn and will further transform to a two-phase mixture and ultimately to a superheated gas. The recoverable fraction of the total stored inventory depends on the minimum H 2 delivery pressure and the power rating of the heater. The dormancy of cryogenic H 2 is a function of the maximum allowable pressure and the pressure of stored H 2 ; the evaporative losses cannot deplete H 2 from the tank beyond 64% of the theoretical storage capacity.
Lack of Seroreactivity to Ehrlichia chaffeensis Among Rodent Populations

A retrospective serosurvey for antibodies to Ehrlichia chaffeensis was conducted on eight species of wild rodents (Mus musculus, Oryzomys palustris, Peromysctts leucopns, Rattus norvegicus, Reithrodontomys humulis, Sciurus carolinensis, Sciurus niger, and Sigmodon hispidus) from the southeastern United States. Serum samples (n = 281) collected between 1973 and 1993 were evaluated using an indirect fluorescent antibody test. All samples, screened at a dilution of 1:32, were negative for antibodies to E. chaffeensis. Sixty-three percent of the rodents tested were from areas where E. chaffeensis has been confirmed or is strongly suspected to be endemic. These data suggest limited or no involvement of rodents in the epidemiology of E. chaffeensis.
Leptin, Body Composition and Bone Mineral Density in Premenopausal Women

Body weight is known to be associated with bone mass, however, it is unclear whether body composition, as reflected by the percent of total weight that is fat tissue (%fat), is associated with bone mass independently of weight. Fat tissue is metabolically active, and hormonal factors may mediate an association of %fat with bone mass. Leptin, a hormone produced in fat tissue, has recently been shown to be inversely related to bone mass in mice, but whether it is related to human bone mass is uncertain. We sought to investigate the associations of %fat and of serum leptin concentration with bone mineral density (BMD) in a cohort of 153 premenopausal women. BMD measurements of the total hip, lumbar spine and total body as well as body composition were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Serum leptin levels were established using a commercial competitive binding assay. Individually, body weight, %fat and leptin were each positively associated with BMD at all three sites. However, when we examined BMD either as a function of both body weight and %fat together, or as a function of both body weight and leptin together, we found that for a given body weight, BMD appeared to be inversely associated with %fat and similarly appeared to be inversely associated with leptin. When BMD was examined as a function of %fat and leptin together, we found that for a given %fat, leptin appeared to be inversely associated with BMD. In summary, the results of this study suggest that for a given body weight, a higher proportion of fat and a higher serum leptin concentration have negative associations with bone mass in premenopausal women.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Transcriptional Activation Is Mediated by Hypoxia-inducible Factor 1α, HDM2, and p70S6K1 in Response to Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/AKT Signaling

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression is elevated in ovarian and other cancer cells. However, the mechanism that causes the increase in VEGF expression still remains to be elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that activation of PI3K signaling mediated VEGF protein expression at the transcriptional level through hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) expression in human ovarian cancer cells. We found that inhibition of PI3K activity by LY294002 decreased VEGF transcriptional activation and that forced expression of AKT completely reversed the inhibitory effect. HDM2 and p70S6K1 are two downstream targets of AKT that mediate growth factor-induced VEGF transcriptional activation and HIF-1alpha expression. The inhibition of PI3K by LY294002 inhibited p70S6K1 and HDM2 activity in the cells. Forced expression of p70S6K1 or HDM2 reversed LY294002-inhibited VEGF transcriptional activation and HIF-1alpha expression. This study identifies a potential novel mechanism responsible for increased VEGF expression in ovarian cancer cells. It also indicates the important role of VEGF and HIF-1 in ovarian tumorigenesis and angiogenesis, which is mediated by the PI3K/AKT/HDM2 and AKT/p70S6K1 pathways in ovarian cancer cells.
Nonsingular van der Waals Potentials for Nonconducting Condensed Bodies

Abstract Nonsingular van der Waals potentials are developed, from the newly established nonsingular intermolecular interactions by two of the present authors, for the following cases: two half spaces, two macroscopic spheres, a macroscopic sphere and a half space, a molecule and a half space, and a molecule and a sphere. Inclusion of a repulsive exponential-decay (Born) potential to each of the above attractive potentials is also discussed. In particular, calculations of cohesion and adhesion energies for two slabs have been performed for systems whose accurate Hamaker–Lifshitz constants and experimental surface and interfacial tensions are available. Agreement is good for each of these systems.
Peripheral Artery Disease and CKD: A Focus on Peripheral Artery Disease as a Critical Component of CKD Care

The incidence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is higher in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) than in the general population. PAD is a strong independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity, including limb amputation, in persons with CKD. Diagnosis of PAD in patients with CKD may be challenging in the absence of classic intermittent claudication or the presence of atypical leg symptoms. In addition, pedal artery incompressibility may decrease the accuracy of ankle-brachial index measurement, the most common PAD diagnostic tool. Alternative methods such as toe-brachial index should be used if clinical suspicion persists despite a normal ankle-brachial index value. Aggressive risk-factor modification, including treatment of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension and smoking cessation, should be mandatory in all patients. Treatment of all individuals with PAD should include antiplatelet medications and prescribed supervised exercise programs and/or cilostazol for individuals with claudication symptoms. Preventive foot care measures and a multidisciplinary approach involving podiatrists and vascular and wound care specialists should be used to reduce amputations. Revascularization for critical limb ischemia is associated with poor outcomes in patients with CKD with PAD. Future investigation is recommended to evaluate the benefit of earlier treatment strategies in this high cardiovascular disease risk population with CKD.
Response of cytochrome a, a3 to carbon monoxide in canine hearts with prior infarcts

Abstract The effects of moderate levels of carbon monoxide (CO) on the oxidation-reduction state of cytochrome a, a3 (cyt a, a3) were examined in the hearts of twelve dogs with a prior myocardial infarction. Exposure to ten minutes CO produced a carboxy-hemoglobin (CO-Hb) level of 9.4%, a level experienced by heavy smokers. Accompanying the exposure to CO, cyt a, a3 became more reduced; 17.4% ± 4.7%. Exposure to CO was accompanied by an increase of 33% ± 4% in the rate of cyt a, a3 reduction following occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery and a decrease of 24% ± 8% in the rate of cyt a, a3 oxidation with release. There was also a decrease in the magnitude of cyt a, a3 reduction from 86% ± 9% to 70% ± 11%. These results indicate that moderate levels of CO trap cyt a, a3 in the reduced state which impairs the ability of the heart to recover from transient ischemic episodes.
Lentiviral Vectors: Regulated Gene Expression

Lentiviral vectors can deliver and express genes in a wide variety of dividing and nondividing cells. These include terminally differentiated neurons, myotubes, hepatocytes, and hematopoietic stem cells. We now describe the generation of lentiviral vectors in which the expression of the transgene can be regulated. We have developed an inducible lentiviral vector system that contains the entire tetracycline (Tet)-regulated system developed by H. Bujard and colleagues. The novel vector expresses the GFP reporter gene and the tetracycline transactivator under the control of the tetracycline-inducible promoter and the human CMV promoter, respectively. In vitro transduction of human 293 cells resulted in a very low basal expression of GFP in the presence of the effector substance doxycyline. Withdrawal of doxycyline induced a more than 500-fold increase in transgene expression. Switching transgene expression "off and on" did not change either the kinetics or the magnitude of induction. Maximal suppression of GFP mRNA transcription was achieved within 24 h of addition of the drug; however, due to the slow turnover rate of GFP, green fluorescent cells could be detected up to 10 days following doxycyline treatment. Following transduction of rat brain with recombinant lentiviruses, doxycyline-regulated GFP expression could be observed in terminally differentiated neurons. Specifically, by adding or withdrawing doxycyline from the rats' drinking water, induction and suppression of GFP expression could be regulated in vivo. These studies show that an inducible lentiviral vector can deliver and regulate transgene expression in vivo. We believe that regulated gene expression is an essential tool for successful gene therapy approaches.
ANDROSTENEDIOL (AED) PREVENTS NEUROENDOCRINE-MEDIATED SUPPRESSION OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO AN INFLUENZA VIRAL INFECTION

The goal of these studies was to analyze the ability of androstenediol (AED) to counter-regulate the influences of stress on anti-viral immune responses. Male C57BL/6 mice, treated with 320 mg/kg AED were infected with influenza virus and subjected to repeated cycles of restraint (RST). AED blocked RST-mediated suppression of cell recruitment to the draining lymph node, lung NK cell activity, and CD4 + T cell activation. In addition, mice treated with AED had lower pre-corticosterone levels as compared to vehicle controls and the RST-mediated elevation of corticosterone was significantly blunted by AED treatment. These data suggest that AED functions to augment anti-viral immune responses by counter-regulating glucocorticoid function.
Survival in lymph node negative adenocarcinoma of the esophagus after R0 resection with and without neoadjuvant therapy: evidence for downstaging of N status.

Background After esophagectomy, many patients who received neoadjuvant therapy have no evidence of lymph node involvement (N0 disease). Whether lymph nodes were initially involved and eradicated by the neoadjuvant therapy (down-staged) or if the nodes were never involved is a subject of debate. To address this issue, we compared clinical outcomes in N0 patients treated with neoadjuvant therapy with outcomes in patients treated with surgery alone. Study Design We reviewed records of 100 consecutive patients who underwent R0 esophagectomy for adenocarcinoma with pathologic N0 status. Seventy-five patients were treated by operation alone and 25 received neoadjuvant therapy. Tumor characteristics including length, depth, lymphovascular invasion, and degree of differentiation were compared and longterm survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis at a median of 46 months (interquartile range 26 to 77 months). Results Tumor characteristics were similar between groups. Recurrence was more common in patients who received neoadjuvant therapy compared with those treated with surgery alone (10 of 25 versus 10 of 75, p=0.0063). Patients with N0 disease after neoadjuvant therapy had a significantly worse survival than patients treated by surgery alone (49% versus 85%, p=0.005). Conclusions Although neoadjuvant therapy may eradicate lymph node metastases, it does not result in the same outcomes as those achieved in patients with N0 disease treated with surgery alone. The poor clinical outcomes observed in N0 patients after neoadjuvant therapy suggest that they initially had node involvement and were downstaged by eradication of lymph node disease.
Tissue distribution of parenteral Co60 vitamin B12 in mouse, hamster, rat and guinea pig.

SummaryThe excretion and tissue distribution of parenterally administered Co60 B12 has been studied in the rat, hamster, mouse and guinea pig. The liver contained more radioactivity than any other organ in the hamster, mouse and guinea pig, whereas the kidneys contained more radioactivity than any other organ in the rat. In the rat and mouse, more radioactivity was excreted in the stools than in the urine whereas in the guinea pig and hamster, the urine was the chief excretory pathway.
Megabase chromatin domains involved in DNA double-strand breaks in vivo.

The loss of chromosomal integrity from DNA double-strand breaks introduced into mammalian cells by ionizing radiation results in the specific phosphorylation of histone H2AX on serine residue 139, yielding a specific modified form named γ-H2AX. An antibody prepared to the unique region of human γ-H2AX shows that H2AX homologues are phosphorylated not only in irradiated mammalian cells but also in irradiated cells from other species, including Xenopus laevis, Drosophila melanogaster, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The antibody reveals that γ-H2AX appears as discrete nuclear foci within 1 min after exposure of cells to ionizing radiation. The numbers of these foci are comparable to the numbers of induced DNA double-strand breaks. When DNA double-strand breaks are introduced into specific partial nuclear volumes of cells by means of a pulsed microbeam laser, γ-H2AX foci form at these sites. In mitotic cells from cultures exposed to nonlethal amounts of ionizing radiation, γ-H2AX foci form band-like structures on chromosome arms and on the end of broken arms. These results offer direct visual confirmation that γ-H2AX forms en masse at chromosomal sites of DNA double-strand breaks. The results further suggest the possible existence of units of higher order chromatin structure involved in monitoring DNA integrity.
Monoclonal antibody to human thyrotropin.

Using the technique of somatic cell fusion, a monoclonal antibody to human TSH (hTSH) has been produced. The monoclonal antibody (anti-hTSH 1/1) has an affinity (Kd=4.04 × 10−9 M/liter) for hTSH which is slightly less than that of the polyclonal antisera (Kd=9.8×−10 M/liter) derived from the same mouse used for the fusion experiment. The β- subunit of hTSH displays nearly complete cross-reaction, but has a lower affinity (Kd=2.6×10 −8 M/liter) for the monoclonal antibody. hCG and its α and β-subunits as well as human LH do not cross-react with this antibody. The high specificity of this antibody will make it useful as an immunofluorescent probe of hTSH-secreting cells as well as in the immunoabsorption and purification of hTSH.
The impact of myelodysplastic syndromes on quality of life: lessons learned from 70 voices.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the impact of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) on the quality of life (QOL) of those living with the disease. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore this phenomenon. METHODS Seventy patients with MDS participated in five focus groups conducted throughout the United States. Transcripts from recordings of focus group sessions were coded and emerging themes identified using thematic analysis. RESULTS Findings revealed a multifaceted description of how MDS affects QOL. MDS was found to cause a substantial and sustained decrease in ability to function. QOL was adversely affected by work expended on managing the disease. The emotional impact was often viewed as more problematic than the physical impact; emotional reactions included shock, anger, depression, and anxiety. In contrast, spiritual well-being was often enhanced, with a renewed appreciation for life, relationships, and faith. CONCLUSIONS Data from this study suggest that MDS has a substantial, often negative impact on patients' lives and clinicians should be cognizant of this impact. Attention must be directed at providing more comprehensive support for the patient throughout the illness trajectory. LIMITATIONS The method of subject recruitment may have limited participation to individuals who are more proactive in obtaining information about their illness. The focus groups convened only once; thus, purposive sampling and repeated assessments were not possible.
Minimizing complications with radiofrequency ablation for liver cancer: the importance of properly controlled clinical trials and standardized reporting.

Surgical resection has long been considered to be the only treatment to offer prolonged survival to patients with primary or metastatic cancer confined to the liver. Unfortunately, most of patients with hepatic malignancy have disease that is not amenable to surgical resection because of large tumor size, multifocal disease, inadequate predicted liver reserve, or comorbid medical conditions precluding safe operation. These facts led to the recent development of multiple nonresectional modalities for ablating liver tumors, one of which is radiofrequency ablation (RFA).1 When used properly in appropriately selected patients, it is hoped that RFA will improve survival for some patients with hepatic cancer who cannot undergo liver resection.
Assignment of free and disulfide-bonded cysteine residues in testis angiotensin-converting enzyme: functional implications.

Human testicular angiotensin-converting enzyme (tACE) is an extracellular protein that contains seven cysteine residues. The cysteines occur in a sequential distribution that is precisely mimicked in the tACE from rabbit and mouse, and in both domains of all known species of somatic ACE. One of the cysteines in human tACE, Cys496, is present in the reduced form as shown by labeling it with 5-[[2-(iodoacetyl)amino]ethylamino]naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid, isolating the fluorescent peptide from enzymatic digests by HPLC, and analyzing its sequence by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) . Thiol reagents have no significant effect on the activity of tACE, indicating that this Cys is not involved in catalysis. The other six cysteines exist as three disulfides. Mass spectral analysis of cyanogen bromide peptides has established that the cystine connectivities follow a nearest-neighbor, aabbcc, pattern i.e., Cys152−Cys158, Cys352−Cys370, and Cys538−Cys550, in which the disulfid...
Relativistic kinetic theory description of thick Einstein shells

Thick Einstein shells are composed of layers of particles that follow circular geodesics. They produce spacetimes that are static and spherically symmetric. In previous work the stress-energy tensor and particle number current were derived using heuristic arguments. Here, relativistic kinetic theory is used to derive these quantities, as well as the conserved entropy current, which was not given previously. We present two exact solutions for which everything from the metric to the entropy and particle number of the shells can be explicitly integrated.
On a Feature-Oriented Characterization of Exception Flows in Software Product Lines

The Exception Handling (EH) is a widely used mechanism for building robust systems. In Software Product Line (SPL) context it is not different. As EH mechanisms are embedded in most of mainstream programming languages, we can find exception signalers and handlers spread over code assets associated to common and variable SPL features. When exception signalers and handlers are added to an SPL in an unplanned way, one of the possible consequences is the generation of faulty family instances (i.e., instances on which common or variable features signal exceptions that are mistakenly caught inside the system). This paper reports a first systematic study, based on manual inspection and static code analysis, in order to categorize the possible ways exceptions flow in SPLs, and analyze its consequences. Fault-prone exception handling flows were consistently detected during this study, such as flows on which a variable feature signaled an exception a different variable feature handled it.
Modelling the hydrologic effects of land-use and climate changes

Climate and land use affect water quantity and quality; however, the complex relations of climate and land use regarding flow and instream nutrient levels have yet to be elucidated. This study aims to assess the hydrologic effects of different land-use and climatic regimes in the Lower Great Miami River Basin. The modelling results from BASINS showed that, as expected, agricultural lands and the wettest scenario yielded the highest amount of streamflow, fecal coliform, and nutrient loadings. But, it was the dry scenario (+2°C, -20% precipitation of the current average climatic conditions in SW Ohio), instead of the driest scenario (+4°C, -20% precipitation), that produced the highest daily nutrient concentrations. When the future land-use and climate scenarios were coupled, the worst situation was found under the current land use and the wettest condition. Hence, a change in land-use pattern may help to alleviate the adverse hydrologic impacts of climate change.
EFFECT OF DETERGENT ON ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF SQUID AXON MEMBRANE.

The effects of detergents on squid giant axon action and resting potentials as well as membrane conductances in the voltage clamp have been studied. Anionic detergents (sodium lauryl sulfate, 0.1 to 1.0 mM; dimethyl benzene sulfonate, 1 to 20 mM, pH 7.6) cause a temporary increase and a later decrease of action potential height and the value of the resting potential. Cationic detergent (cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, 6 x 10-5M or more, pH 7.6) generally brings about immediate and irreversible decreases in the action and resting potentials. Non-ionic detergent (tween 80, 0.1 M, pH 7.6) causes a slight reversible reduction of action potential height without affecting the value of the resting potential. Both anionic and cationic detergents generally decrease the sodium and potassium conductances irreversibly. The effect of non-ionic detergent is to decrease the sodium conductance reversibly, leaving the potassium conductance almost unchanged.
Potent inhibition of checkpoint kinase activity by a hymenialdisine-derived indoloazepine

Abstract The marine sponge metabolite hymenialdisine is a potent inhibitor of a variety of kinases including MEK-1, GSK-3β, and CK1. In addition, hymenialdisine and debromohymenialdisine exhibit inhibition of the G2 cell cycle checkpoint at micromolar concentrations. We report herein the potent inhibition of cell cycle kinase Chk2 by the indolic-hymenialdisine indoloazepine 1 (IC50=8 nM).
Decreased Orthotic Effectiveness in Overweight Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Background: Many studies have demonstrated that orthotic treatment is effective for the prevention of curve progression in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. However, the effect of being overweight on the outcome of orthotic treatment has not been reported. The purpose of the present stu
Side‐chain liquid crystalline polymers containing 4‐[2‐(S)‐methyl‐1‐butoxy]‐4′‐(11‐undecanyl‐1‐oxy)‐α‐methylstilbene side groups

Preparation d'acrylate, de methacrylate, de poly(methylsiloxane) et d'un tetramethyl-1,3,5,7 cyclotetrasiloxane contenant la chaine laterale chirale. Les 3 polymeres montrent une mesophase enantiotrope et une cristallisation de la chaine laterale. Le tetrasiloxane montre une mesophase monotrope
Glucose and nonmaintained pH decrease expression of the accessory gene regulator (agr) in Staphylococcus aureus.

The effect of glucose on accessory gene regulator (agr) expression in Staphylococcus aureus was examined. agr is a global regulator that affects the expression of numerous genes, including those for some factors implicated in virulence, such as toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, alpha-hemolysin, and protein A. The agr locus determines two divergent transcripts, designated RNAII and RNAIII. RNAII contains four open reading frames (agrABCD), and RNAIII encodes delta-hemolysin. The mechanisms responsible for agr-mediated regulation are not well understood, but it appears that the RNAIII transcript plays a central role in the regulation of a number of target genes, including those for alpha-hemolysin (hla), beta-hemolysin (hlb), protein A (spa), and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (seb+). In this study, S. aureus cultures were grown either in a shake flask system with a complex medium or in a fermentor system with a completely defined medium in which the pH and glucose concentration were maintained. Northern (RNA) blot analysis revealed that a dramatic reduction in agr expression was apparent only when the cultures contained glucose and when the pH was 5.5 or was not maintained. The effect of glucose on two agr target genes, sec+ and hla, was also studied. Glucose-containing cultures produced less sec+ and hla mRNAs at maintained pH (6.5). In addition, the glucose effect on sec+ and hla was enhanced under conditions that inhibited agr expression (i.e., pH 5.5 or a nonmaintained pH).
Mix and match: combining terms and operators for successful web searches

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the structure and components of queries written by experimental participants in a study that manipulated two factors found to affect end-user information retrieval performance: training in Boolean logic and the type of search interface. As reported previously, we found that both Boolean training and the use of an assisted interface improved the participants' ability to find correct responses to information requests. Here, we examine the impact of these training and interface manipulations on the Boolean operators and search terms that comprise the submitted queries. Our analysis shows that both Boolean training and the use of an assisted interface improved the participants' ability to correctly utilize various operators. An unexpected finding is that this training also had a positive impact on term selection. The terms and, to a lesser extent, the operators comprising a query were important factors affecting the participants' performance in query tasks. Our findings demonstrate that even small training interventions can improve the users' search performance and highlight the need for additional information retrieval research into how search interfaces can provide superior support to today's untrained users of the Web.
A restricted ‘spotlight’ of attention in visual object recognition

We describe a patient (NJ), with a progressive visual disturbance, who showed an impairment in identifying larger visually-presented objects relative to their smaller counterparts. NJ showed this size effect for line drawings of objects, words and single letters. When presented with large letters comprised of smaller letters and asked to give speeded identification responses to either the large or small letters, NJ was grossly impaired at identifying the large letter. Additionally, when presented with a context meant to bias responding to either the large or small letter, NJ showed faster and more accurate responding in the small direction, but not in the large direction. We interpret these results as indicative of an impaired 'spotlight' of attention, which is deployed across the visual array, and is necessary for providing the selective visual attention responsible for the integration of visual features.
Accumulation and Selective Maternal Transfer of Contaminants in the Turtle Trachemys scripta Associated with Coal Ash Deposition

Coal combustion wastes are enriched in a number of potentially toxic compounds and may pose risks to biota ex- posed to the wastes. Slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) are common inhabitants of coal ash settling basins in South Caro- lina, USA, where they feed on contaminated prey items and accumulate high levels of potentially toxic compounds in their tissues. Furthermore, female sliders sometimes nest in contam- inated spill piles and thus may expose embryos to contaminated soils. We examined two potential pathways by which female T. scripta may influence the survivorship and quality of their offspring in a contaminated habitat: (1) nesting in contaminated soil and (2) maternal transfer of pollutants. Eggs were collected from turtles captured in coal ash-polluted or unpolluted sites; individual clutches were incubated in both ash-contaminated and uncontaminated soil in outdoor, artificial nests. Incubation in contaminated soil was associated with reduced embryo sur- vivorship. Adult females from the polluted site accumulated high levels of As, Cd, Cr, and Se in their tissues, yet Se was the only element transferred maternally to hatchlings at relatively high levels. Hatchlings from polluted-site females exhibited reduced O2 consumption rates compared to hatchlings from reference sites. Relatively high levels of Se transferred to hatchlings by females at the ash-polluted site might contribute to the observed differences in hatchling physiology.
Mode selection in doubly-resonant optical parametric oscillators

By using a computer model to calculate the threshold for each signal and idler mode-pair in doubly resonant optical parametric oscillators, we investigate the effects of the three principal tuning parameters (temperature, cavity length, and pump wavelength) on the mode selection. Through consideration of type I and type II noncritical phase-matched geometries for lithium triborate optical parametric oscillators, we illustrate that the tuning behavior depends on the difference between the refractive indexes experienced by the signal and idler fields. >