cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Replication‐deficient vaccinia virus gene therapy vector: evaluation of exogenous gene expression mediated by PUV‐inactivated virus in glioma cells

Background Mild psoralen and UV (PUV) treatments inactivate viral DNA replication, but the virus retains its ability to infect cells. Thus, PUV treatment of vaccinia virus (VV) vectors may increase the safety of gene delivery and extend the duration of gene expression. Although the first studies on PUV-inactivated VV (PUV-VV) for the delivery of suicide or cytokine genes to cancer cells were promising, the efficiency and kinetics of exogenous gene expression have not been fully evaluated. Furthermore, these studies should be extended to other gene therapy strategies, e.g. tumor suppressor genes. Methods We constructed VV recombinants carrying the luciferase (luc) gene, or the tumor suppressor p53 gene, to analyze exogenous gene expression after PUV treatment. Apoptosis induction and antitumor effects were examined in glioma cell culture and in an animal model, respectively. Results PUV-VV induced efficient PE/L-driven expression of luc and p53 exogenous genes in infected cells. A surprising prolonged p53 protein production was measured in glioma cells infected with PUV-VV expressing p53 (VV-TK-53) on Days 5–7 post-infection, reaching a maximal level of 9 µg/ml. VV-TK-53 induced apoptosis in 88% and 77.6% of infected C6 and 9L glioma cells, respectively. In contrast, 80% of cells infected with the PUV-inactivated control virus remained viable. Finally, ex vivo infection of C6 glioma cells with PUV-inactivated VV-TK-53 significantly reduced subsequent tumor growth in nude mice. Conclusions Replication-deficient PUV-VV is safe and very efficient in prolonged foreign gene expression. Therefore PUV-VVs are recommended as vectors for applications in cancer gene therapy and recombinant vaccine development. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dysfunction in Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Is Associated with Depressive-Like Behavior in Wistar Kyoto Rats

Background While the etiology of depression is not clearly understood at the present time, this mental disorder is thought be a complex and multifactorial trait with important genetic and environmental contributing factors.
Mechanisms of Senile Cataract Formation

Research on the mechanisms of lens opacification during the past 20 years has revealed a number of individual, identifiable cataractogenic stresses in man. They include osmotic cataract formation (diabetic, galactosemic and hypoglycemic cataracts), radiation cataracts (X-irradiation, near U.V. radiation and microwave radiation) and in senile cataract the conversion of soluble low molecular weight cytoplasmic proteins to soluble high molecular weight aggregates, insoluble phases, and insoluble membrane-protein matrices. Oxidative stress has emerged as a common denominator of many changes in senile cataract. As we increase our understanding of these mechanisms, we may be able to intervene therapeutically to delay or prevent human cataract formation in man.
Microwave spectroscopic study of the conformations, relative energies, and dipole moments of ethyl cyanoformate

Abstract The microwave spectrum of ethyl cyanoformate displays a-type band spectra from three nearly prolate conformers. High-resolution spectra of the two more stable species have been assigned. One form, designated extended, has rotational constants A″ = 6453.3(4) MHz, B″ = 1500.47(6) MHz, C″ = 1236.36(6) MHz, which are consistent with a syn-anti [τ1 (OCOC) = 0°, τ2 (COCC) = 180°] structure. The second form, labeled compact, has rotational constants A″ = 6787.8(7) MHz, B″ = 1549.38(8) MHz, C″ = 1406.80(8) MHz, which are consistent with a syn-gauche [τ1 (OCOC) = 0°, τ2 (COCC) ∼ 90°] structure. The extended form is marginally more stable, ΔE = 55 ± 27 cm−1. The extended conformer has dipole moment components μa = 4.44(7), μb ∼ 0 D and the compact conformer has dipole moment components μa = 4.25(7), μb = 0, μc = 1.08(23) D. The third conformer (relative energy 600 ± 140 cm−1) has the most intense band series even at −63°C. the bands of this conformer are unresolvable into individual rotational transitions.
Mixed lineage kinase 3 deficient mice are protected against the high fat high carbohydrate diet-induced steatohepatitis

Background & Aims C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation is pivotal in the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK) 3 is one of the mitogen activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K) that mediates JNK activation in the liver. Despite this concept, the role of MLK3 in modulating liver injury during nutrient excess has not been explored. Our aim was to determine if MLK3 deficient mice were protected against high fat high carbohydrate (HFHC) diet-induced NASH. Methods We employed eight-week-old Mlk3−/− male C57BL/6J mice, and wild type (WT) mice C57BL/6J as controls. Mice were fed a HFHC or a chow diet adlib for 16 weeks. Results Hepatic JNK activating phosphorylation was readily absent in the Mlk3−/− mice fed the HFHC diet, but not in WT mice. This inhibition of JNK activation was hepatoprotective. Despite a comparable increase in weight gain, hepatic steatosis by histological examination and hepatic triglyceride quantification was reduced in HFHC diet-fed Mlk3−/− mice compared with WT mice. In addition, compared with the WT mice, HFHC diet-fed Mlk3−/− mice had significantly attenuated liver injury as manifested by reduced ALT levels, hepatocyte apoptosis, markers of hepatic inflammation and indices of hepatic fibrogenesis. Conclusion Our results suggest that loss of MLK3 in mice is protective against HFHC diet-induced NASH, in a weight-independent fashion, through attenuation of JNK activation. MLK3 is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of human NASH.
O-lattice modeling of ledged, partially coherent b.c.c.:h.c.p. boundaries

Abstract The structure of ledged, partially coherent b.c.c.:h.c.p. (β:ζ) interfaces has been modeled by extending the Bollmann O-lattice theory to permit the matching of all atom positions in the two crystal structures and the matching between relaxed atom positions, each of which creates a set of additional O-points. Misfit-compensating ledges and structural ledges are predicted when interphase boundaries made up of parallel steps and terraces intersect additional O-points. Misfit-compensating ledges with Burgers ( 1 1 00) ζ (2 11 ) β and Pitsch-Schrader (2 11 0) ζ ( 1 00) β terraces have Burgers vectors and interledge spacings both one half those associated with misfit dislocations on the corresponding flat interfaces. Biatomic structural ledges with Burgers (1 1 00) ζ (2 11 ) β and Potter (1 1 01) ζ (10 1 ) β terraces are shown to have Burgers vectors and interledge spacings both one sixth of their misfit dislocation counterparts.
The role of stem cells in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a significant and rapidly growing complication of diabetes and its effects on wound healing. Over half of diabetic patients who develop a single ulcer will subsequently develop another ulcer of which the majority will become chronic non-healing ulcers. One-third will progress to lower extremity amputation. Over the past decade, the outcomes for patients with DFUs ulcers have not improved, despite advances in wound care. Successful treatment of diabetic foot ulcers is hindered by the lack of targeted therapy that hones in on the healing processes dysregulated by diabetes. Stem cells are a promising treatment for DFUs as they are capable of targeting, as well as bypassing, the underlying abnormal healing mechanisms and deranged cell signaling in diabetic wounds and promote healing. This review will focus on existing stem cell technologies and their application in the treatment of DFUs.
Lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of NF-κB non-canonical pathway requires BCL10 serine 138 and NIK phosphorylations.

Abstract Background and aims B-cell lymphoma/leukemia (BCL)-10 and reactive oxygen species mediate two pathways of NF-κB (RelA) activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human colonic epithelial cells. The pathway for LPS activation of RelB by the non-canonical pathway (RelB) in non-myeloid cells was not yet reported, but important for understanding the range of potential microbial LPS-induced effects in inflammatory bowel disease. Methods Experiments were performed in human colonic epithelial cells and in mouse embryonic fibroblasts deficient in components of the IkappaB kinase (IKK) signalosome, in order to detect mediators of the non-canonical pathway of NF-κB activation, including nuclear RelB and p52 and phospho- and total NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK). BCL10 was silenced by siRNA and effects of mutations of specific phosphorylation sites of BCL10 (Ser138Gly and Ser218Gly) were determined. Results By the non-canonical pathway, LPS exposure increased nuclear RelB and p52, and phospho-NIK, with no change in total NIK. Phosphorylation of BCL10 serine 138 was required for NIK phosphorylation, since mutation of this residue eliminated the increases in phospho-NIK and nuclear RelB and p52. Mutations of either serine 138 or serine 218 reduced RelA, p50, and phospho-IκBα of the canonical pathway. Effects of LPS stimulation and BCL10 silencing on NIK phosphorylation were demonstrated in confocal images. Conclusions LPS induces activation of both canonical and non-canonical pathways of NF-κB in human colonic epithelial cells, and the non-canonical pathway requires phosphorylations of BCL10 (serine 138) and NIK. These findings demonstrate the important role of BCL10 in mediating LPS-induced inflammation in human colonic epithelial cells and may open new avenues for therapeutic interventions.
Purification and characterization of fructokinase from developing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits

A procedure is described which allows the purification of fructokinase (EC 2.7.1.4) from young tomato fruit. The procedure yielded a 400-fold purification and two isoenzymes designated fructokinase I and II (FKI and FKII) were separated by anion-exchange chromatography. Using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) the molecular mass was estimated to be 35 kDa. Gel filtration on Sepharose-12 indicated that for both fructokinases the functional form is a dimer. Two dimensional isoelectric focusing/SDS-PAGE combined with immunoblotting showed that FKI has two components with isoelectric points (pIs) of 6.42 and 6.55, while four components with pIs from 6.07 to 6.55 were detected for FKII. A mixture of both fructokinases showed that the components of FKI match the more alkaline components of FKII. The activity of both fructokinases increased with increasing pH to around 8.0 and equal activity was observed from 8.0 to 9.5. Both fructokinases were specific for fructose with Km values for fructose of 0.131 and 0.201 mM for FKI and FKII, respectively. At high concentrations (> 0.5 mM), fructose was also a strong inhibitor with inhibition constants (Ki) of 1.82 and 1.39 mM for FKI and FKII, respectively. The preferred phosphate donor for both isoforms was ATP, and Km values of 0.11 and 0.15 mM were observed for FKI and FKII. At low concentrations (0.05–0.2 mM), fructose exhibited noncompetitive inhibition with respect to ATP for both fructokinases. This inhibition pattern changed to uncompetitive when higher fructose concentrations (0.5–10 mM) were used. These data indicated that substrate addition is ordered, with ATP adding first. Inhibition by ADP was also affected by the fructose concentrations. At 0.5 mM fructose, FKI showed non-competitive inhibition by ADP with respect to ATP and this inhibition changed to uncompetitive when 3 mM fructose was used. The isoform FKII showed a competitive inhibition pattern for ADP at 0.5 mM fructose which also changed to uncompetitive when 3 mM fructose was used. The features of the regulation of both fructokinases suggest that this enzyme might have a relevant role in carbon metabolism during tomato fruit development.
Think piece: membership has its partisans

When faced with a difficult decision of any kind, the first step organizations often take is forming a commission to study the issue. What do commissions do? They propose future policy, explain embarrassing failures and shape perceptions--and often policies--of governments, organizations, and businesses. Heralded as impartial investigators, commissions are proclaimed as embodying the collective wisdom of the time.
Metabolism of the polyadenylate sequence of nuclear rna and messenger rna in mammalian cells.

Abstract The poly(A) sequences at the 3′ end of mRNA and nuclear RNA molecules of mouse sarcoma and Chinese hamster cells are subject to an elongation process distinct from de novo synthesis. This process continues in cells treated with a high level of actinomycin D to block transcription. This results in the labeling of the steady-state poly(A) population in the cytoplasm and of unusually long poly(A) segments in the nucleus. In cells incubated with 3 H-adenosine in the absence of drug treatment, cytoplasmic steady-state poly(A) segments with short labeled sequences at the 3′ end can be detected by their heterogeneous size distribution and by measurements of adenosine and AMP released by alkaline hydrolysis. These measurements indicate an average size of 8 residues for the labeled sequences. In the nucleus, a slow elongation of preexisting poly(A) chains can also be detected through measurements of AMP and adenosine. The cytoplasmic elongation process leads to turnover of the 3′ end of the poly(A) sequence on mRNA, because of concomitant removal of AMP residues. It is apparently not linked to mRNA translation. The Chinese hamster and mouse sarcoma cells appear to differ markedly with respect to relative extents of poly(A) chain extension and de novo synthesis.
Computed tomography of the lower urinary tract and pelvis

Despite its limitations, CT scanning is of significant value in evaluating the lower urinary tract and pelvis. Its major role in imaging the ureter involves the confirmation or further characterization of causes of obstruction or deviation of the ureter by tumor masses or vascular abnormalities. It is also useful in the evaluation of radiolucent filling defects found at urography and can help to delineate extraluminal extension of disease. The major role played by CT in evaluation of the bladder and prostate gland involves the staging of malignancy, especially in assessing of lymphadenopathy and distant metastases, in suggesting tumor involvement in adjacent tissue, and evaluating secondary complications such as renal obstruction. CT is also helpful in evaluating some nonneoplastic conditions of the bladder and prostate gland, particularly inflammatory lesions and continent urinary diversion.
Spectra—A model for K-shell spectroscopy☆

Abstract X-ray spectroscopy is a powerful tool for understanding the kinetics of highly ionized plasmas. Its usefulness depends on the accuracy of the model used in analyzing spectra. We have developed a computer code for modeling and analyzing plasmas which is highly accurate as well as fast and easy to use. It produces synthetic spectra for hydrogen-like and helium-like ions at arbitrary density and temperature. Populations are calculated from rate equations including all relevant collisional and radiative process. The level populations of the hydrogen, helium and lithium-like ionization stages are calculated explicitly; those of all other ionization stages are lumped into one level. The microfield distribution and the shape of the line profiles are determined using detailed calculations. The code includes graphics to plot line ratios and synthetic spectra, and to do on-line analysis of experiments. The usefulness of this technique is demonstrated by analyzing the spectra from three different experiments: a laser irradiated aluminum disk; a neon gas puff pinch; and a laser imploded gas microballon.
Shaw v. Reno and the Future of Voting Rights

F our key factors affected the initial phase of 1990 congressional and legislative redistricting: (1) the continued insistence by federal courts on strict standards of population equality (especially for congressional districts) that frequently forced state legislatures to cross city and county lines for the purpose of population equalization (Grofman and Handley 1991); (2) the Supreme Court's upholding in 1986 of the constitutionality of the "effects test" language added to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 when the Act was renewed
Differential Effects of Lead and cAMP on Development and Activities of Th1- and Th2-Lymphocytes

Lead (Pb) is known to have detrimental effects on the central nervous, hematopoietic, renal, and immune systems. Herein, it is demonstrated that Pb can skew T cell reactivities by preferentially enhancing the development of Th2 cells and inhibiting the development of Th1 cells. When naive splenic CD4+ T cells from DO11.10 ovalbumin-specific transgenic (OVA-tg) mice or OVA-tg/RAG2-/- mice were developed in vitro in the presence of Pb, preferential skewing toward Th2 cells was evident. The Pb-driven skewing toward Th2 was blocked significantly in the presence of exogenous IL-12 or anti-IL-4 mAbs. Although Pb and dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) appear to have similar effects on the development and reactivity of Th1 cells, unlike Pb, dbcAMP did not enhance Th2 development/activity. Further evidence of Pb's differential T cell effects was observed, in that regardless of the activation stimuli (Ag/APC; anti-CD3; PMA + ionomycin), the addition of PbCl2 consistently resulted in significant inhibition of IFN gamma production by a Th1 clone and in increased IL-4 production by a Th2 clone. In vitro addition of IL-12 overcame Pb's inhibition of Th1 cells. Th1 cells treated with a phosphodiesterase inhibitor had significantly elevated [cAMP]i levels following anti-CD3 activation in the presence of Pb, suggesting that Pb may inhibit Th1 development by enhancing adenylate cyclase activity and elevating the [cAMP]i level. Similar to Pb, a low concentration (10 microM) of dbcAMP inhibited IFN gamma production by Th1, which was prevented by IL-12; however, inhibition of protein kinase A activity by KT5720 did not reverse these effects. These results indicate that the environmental toxicant Pb can modify immune reactivities by significantly altering the differentiation of precursor or naive Th cells as well as by directly inhibiting Th1 cells and stimulating Th2 cells.
The image-dissector photomultiplier as a detector in a rapid scanning approach to direct-reading analytical emission spectrometry

Abstract This paper describes a direct-reading optical emission spectrometer system in which an image-dissector photomultiplier tube serves the dual purpose as a light detector and as a non-mechanical, spectral scanning device. In this instrument, a small spectral range is focused directly on the photocathode of an image-dissector photomultiplier tube. The electrons emitted from the photocathode are magnetically focused to form an electron image of each spectral line on a slit aperture interposed between the photocathode and the first dynode of the secondary electron multiplication system. With the addition of an external magnetic sweep coil, these electron images can be periodically scanned across the aperture. The signal pulses generated by the passage of the electron images over the internal aperture may be displayed on an oscilloscope to form a visual presentation, or they may be electronically isolated and integrated for quantitative measurements. This detection system minimizes several problems encountered in more conventional direct-reading spectrometers. No exit slits are required and programming the instrument for different sets of spectral lines is greatly simplified. Problems arising from imprecise positioning of the exit slits or the displacement of spectral lines are also minimized. Background and dark current contributions to measured line intensities can be automatically subtracted. Typical analytical results obtained with a simple system are summarized.
The Effect of Nicarbazin on Yolk Quality

ABSTRACT IN A previous paper by Baker et al. (1957) the effects of feeding Nicarbazin to laying hens on the yolk quality of their eggs was described. Neither the nature of the damage to the yolk nor the mechanisms involved in causing the damage were known. Experiments were designed to study the possible mechanisms involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eggs were obtained from hens fed Nicarbazin. The scoring system used to estimate yolk damage was the same as described previously (Baker et al., 1957). Water uptake of the yolk was determined according to the method of Orru (1939). The intact yolk was dried on filter paper, placed in a tared beaker and covered with the experimental solution. The system was incubated at 37°C. for 3 hours, the fluid drained off and the last traces of solution removed with filter paper by rolling the yolk over the paper. It proved to be practically . . .
The scattering of deuterons by helium at deuteron energies from 0.9 to 3.5 Mev

The differential cross sections for the elastic scattering of deuterons by helium have been measured for deuterons of 0.9 to 3.5 Mev over an angular range from 15\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 160\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the center-of-mass system. The probable error in the absolute values of the cross sections is 3 percent or less. For angles greater than 60\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} the cross sections are roughly independent of angle except at 3.5 Mev where they decrease with increasing angle up to 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and increase beyond.
An Exploratory Attempt toward a Feminist Pedagogy for Science Education.

(1994). An Exploratory Attempt toward a Feminist Pedagogy for Science Education. Action in Teacher Education: Vol. 15, Feminist Pedagogy in Teacher Education, pp. 36-46.
An Evidence-Based Estimate on the Size of the Potential Patient Pool for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery

Background Observational and randomized studies have demonstrated that lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) improves symptoms, lung function, and survival in selected patients with emphysema. In spite of an approximately 3.8 million patient prevalence of the disease in the US, only 119 LVRS procedures were performed nationwide under Medicare during 2008. In order to obtain evidence-based estimate on the size of the patient pool potentially suitable for LVRS, we analyzed the database from our clinical practice that is representative of a substantial segment of the general emphysema population. Methods Our pulmonary function test laboratory database between 1996 and 2006 was searched for patients with stage III and IV global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) who also had lung volumes and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity data. Patients without available chest computed tomographic scans (CT) or with primary diagnoses other than emphysema were excluded. The resultant emphysema cohort was screened using clinical inclusion and exclusion criteria adopted from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial. A suitable clinical profile combined with CT scan evidence of 40% or greater involvement of the lungs and predominantly upper lobe distribution of emphysema were regarded as favorable markers for LVRS. Results Pulmonary function test criteria were met by 959 patients and CT scans were available in 588 patients, but 175 patients were excluded because of primary diagnoses other than emphysema. In the remaining 413 patients, 61 or 15% exhibited favorable clinical profiles and anatomy for LVRS. Conclusions In a subset of patients that resembles a substantial segment of the general population with advanced emphysema, up to 15% appeared potential candidates for LVRS. Formation of a task force by relevant medical specialty and patient advocate organizations to address the apparent underutilization of LVRS is recommended.
A different kind of programming languages course

The complexity of the well-explored regions of the programming language design space has increased substantially in the last twenty-five years with the addition of a large number of object-oriented programming languages (OOPLs). This design domain was already known to be large and complex before OOPLs came on the scene, and many offerings of the standard programming languages course before that time did not even mention the object-oriented programming (OOP) paradigm. Now that OOP has become mainstream, undergraduate programs which include a course on programming language design and implementation have responded by expanding their existing course or by jettisoning some of the alternative ideas in favor of expanded coverage of OOPLs. There are two facts, however, which must be confronted as we consider what information we would like to pass on to our students in this fascinating area of our discipline. The first is that the design space represented by OOPLs is large enough to justify a separate course, and the second is that a large number of ideas from other language paradigms appear in subsets of well-known languages for OOP. This paper presents a course in the design and implementation of programming languages that (as OOP itself did in the late eighties) turns some accepted notions "inside out" by proposing that the entire course be presented from the OOP point of view. Such a course has been offered by Grove City College for a decade and has matured into a very effective means of communicating essential programming language design and implementation ideas to our students. The course could be offered as the only advanced course in the area, as one course in a two-semester sequence, or as an alternative to the traditional course.
Investigation and Prediction of Wave Impact Loads on Ship Appendage Shapes

Navy fleet problems with damage to hatches and other appendages after operation in high sea states suggest that wave impact loads may be greater than the current design guidelines of 1000 pounds per square foot (48 kilopascal) (Ship Specification Section 100, General Requirements for Hull Structure and Guidance Manual for Temporary Alterations, NAVSEA S9070-AA-MME-010/SSN, SSBN). These large impact forces not only cause damage to ships and ship structures, they can also endanger the ship’s crew. To design robust marine structures, accurate estimates of all encountered loads are necessary, including the wave impact forces, which are complex and involve wave breaking, making them difficult to estimate numerically. An experiment to investigate wave impact loads was performed at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in 2005. During this experiment, the horizontal and vertical loads of regular, non-breaking waves on a 12 inch (0.305 m) square plate and a 19.75 inch (0.5 m) diameter horizontal cylinder were measured while varying incident wave height, wavelength, wave steepness, plate angle and immersion level of the plate and cylinder. Wave heights of up to 1.5 feet (0.46 m) were tested, with wavelenghs of up to 30 feet (9.1 m). In all cases, the horizontal wave impact force increased with wave steepness. For some angles, the horizontal wave impact force increased with greater submergence. A feed-forward neural network (FFNN) developed by Applied Simulation Technologies was used to predict the horizontal forces measured during the experiment based on the values of wave height, wavelength, wave steepness, plate angle and immersion level of the plate and cyclinder. A FFNN is a computational method used to develop nonlinear equation systems that use input variables to predict output variables. Predictions of forces from the FFNN compare well with the experimental data, and may be useful in future design of ships and ship structures.
Differing strategies for the establishment and maintenance of teashirt and homothorax repression in the Drosophila wing

Secreted signaling molecules such as Wingless (Wg) and Decapentaplegic (Dpp) organize positional information along the proximodistal (PD) axis of the Drosophila wing imaginal disc. Responding cells activate different downstream targets depending on the combination and level of these signals and other factors present at the time of signal transduction. Two such factors, teashirt (tsh) and homothorax (hth), are initially co-expressed throughout the entire wing disc, but are later repressed in distal cells, permitting the subsequent elaboration of distal fates. Control of tsh and hth repression is, therefore, crucial for wing development, and plays a role in shaping and sizing the adult appendage. Although both Wg and Dpp participate in this control, their specific contributions remain unclear. In this report, we analyze tsh and hthregulation in the wing disc, and show that Wg and Dpp act independently as the primary signals for the repression of tsh and hth, respectively. In cells that receive low levels of Dpp, hth repression also requires Vestigial (Vg). Furthermore, although Dpp is required continuously for hth repression throughout development, Wg is only required for the initiation of tsh repression. Instead, the maintenance of tsh repression requires Polycomb group (PcG) mediated gene silencing, which is dispensable for hth repression. Thus, despite their overall similar expression patterns, tsh and hth repression in the wing disc is controlled by two very different mechanisms.
TH-C-AUD C-06: Nearly Real-Time Tumor-Position Monitoring During Arc Therapy with Combined MV and KV Imaging

Purpose: To examine the feasibility and accuracy of using treatment MV beam and on‐board kV imaging for monitoring of the positions of implanted fiducials during arc therapy. Method and Materials: A Varian Trilogy LINAC with onboard kV imager was used for the study. A phantom with 13 ball bearings at known locations was used to calibrate the hybrid MV/kV imaging system to determine the spatial transformation matrix from the pixel coordinates to the radiation‐source‐centered coordinates. The feasibility and accuracy of the fiducial tracking system was examined using a 4D motion phantom capable of moving in accordance with a pre‐programmed trajectory. During an arc delivery, MV images acquired by the EPID and cine kV images were obtained simultaneously using a two‐channel frame‐grabber for real‐time analysis. A fast fiducial detection algorithm was developed to extract fiducial coordinates. Tracking results are compared with the preset trajectories. The accuracy of the tracking system was evaluated for a number of fiducial motion trajectories and for a variety of kV beam sampling rates ranging 15fps to 0.5fps. Results: The studies showed that it is feasible to use treatment MV beam and the orthogonal kV beam to monitor the fiducial motion in nearly real‐time during arc therapy. A time delay of ∼150ms was observed, which was caused by the imaging electronics and data analysis. This delay does not pose any significant error in fiducial tracking for the motion speed commonly seen in the clinics and can be compensated by a motion prediction algorithm when needed. Overall, the spatial accuracy was found to be better than 1mm. Conclusion: Nearly real‐time monitoring of implanted markers using hybrid MV/kV imaging during arc treatments is achievable. The system requires no hardware modification and delivers much less dose to the patient as compared with the conventional stereoscopic imaging technique.
Multi-resolution background modeling of dynamic scenes using weighted match filters

Accurate background modeling is fundamentally important to motion-based segmentation, object tracking, and video surveillance. Models must discriminate between coherent foreground motion and periodic, random, or small pixel variations typically found in complex outdoor scenes. We introduce an adaptive match filter framework that is capable of modeling the locally changing spatial image structure. The correlation values of these filters are combined to robustly discriminate foreground regions from regions that conform to the background model.Each filter is constrained to produce a predefined correlation value with the previously seen background blocks for a particular offset and resolution while minimizing the average energy of the correlation plane. The power spectrum of each sample is weighed by the local temporal gradient to take into account regions that exhibit significant change. The system is demonstrated on challenging outdoor environments including object motion near swaying trees and objects on moving water. Results compare favorably to traditional parametric pixel-based methods that produce a significant number of false-positives under similar conditions.
Electrical Properties of Germanium Semiconductors at Low Temperatures

Low-temperature anomalies in the Hall coefficient and electrical resistivity---a steep maximum and a change of the slope of the log resistivity versus $\frac{1}{T}$ curve in germanium semiconductors---which were first observed by Hung and Gliessman, have been reinvestigated at temperatures between 1.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K using single crystals of $n$- and $p$-type germanium of various impurity concentrations. The influence of contacts and of various surface treatments has been studied. It was found that the effects observed cannot be explained by surface conduction. To exclude electrical field effects at low temperatures, fields well below the breakdown field have been used. The Hall coefficient was measured with magnetic fields ranging from 100 to 3500 gauss. Measurements on crystals cut in different crystal orientations show that the anomalies cannot be due to directional effects. In the same temperature region where the Hall effect and resistivity become anomalous, the magnetoresistive ratio also shows a drastic change. Throughout the whole temperature range the sample type, $n$ or $p$; is retained. The results indicate that in order to describe the observations it seems necessary to assume conduction in at least two bands, the regular conduction band (valence band in the case of $p$-type material) and one band with a very small mobility. Hung's model of impurity band conduction has to be refined considerably or altered to account for the complicated behavior of germanium samples with impurity contents between 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{16}$ and 7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{16}$ acceptors/cc or between 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{16}$ and 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{17}$ donors/cc.
Early experience and sex interact to influence limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis function after acute alcohol administration in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Background: Studies in rodents demonstrate sex differences in neuroendocrine stress axis activity after treatment with alcohol. In abstinent alcoholics, atypical depressives, and individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder, limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA)-axis activity is often blunted; among females in these patient populations, however, resistance to glucocorticoid feedback and increased pituitary reactivity is observed. Early parental loss is a major life stressor and is a risk factor for both affective disturbances and LHPA-axis abnormalities later in life. We wanted to determine whether sex and early life parental absence would interact to influence alcohol-induced alterations in LHPA-axis activity after exposure to ethanol in macaques. Methods: Animals were reared with their mothers in social groups (MR, n= 94) or without adults in peer-only groups (PR, n= 79). At 5 years of age, they received an intravenous infusion of alcohol (2–2.2 g/kg), and the effects of alcohol, sex, and rearing condition on ACTH and cortisol levels were analyzed by ANOVA. Results: Peer-reared females had higher ACTH levels than did PR males, MR females, and MR males after alcohol infusion. Alcohol-induced cortisol levels were not affected by sex and rearing condition. Conclusions: These findings suggest that there are sex differences in glucocorticoid negative feedback, pituitary responsivity, or release of ACTH secretagogues among individuals exposed to early life stress and emphasize the importance of considering sex effects when studying LHPA-axis dysregulation in alcoholism and other stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
A new approach to non-adiabatic transitions in collision theory

Abstract A practical method for solving the close-coupling problem for electronically non-adiabatic transitions is presented. The present approach combines the separate advantages of adiabatic and diabatic sets by introducing a “crude adiabatic” basis set over limited intervals. The method requires as input the adiabatic potentials and a set of readily computed electronic overlap-type integrals at a discrete number of points.
Goal Setting in Sport and Exercise: Research and Practical Applications doi: 10.4025/reveducfis.v24i2.17524

By definition, a goal is that which an individual is trying to accomplish; it is the object or aim of an action. For example, in most goal setting studies, the term goal refers to attaining a specific level of proficiency on a task, usually within a specified time limit (Locke, Shaw, Saari, & Latham, l981). From a practical point of view, goals focus on standards of excellence such as improving free throw percentage by 5 points, losing 10 pounds, lowering one's time in the mile run by 4 seconds, or improving one's batting average by 20 points. In addition, these goals would have to be reached within a given time frame, such as by the end of the season or within a certain number of days, weeks, or months
Dissociation of cortisol and adrenal androgen secretion in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency.

Plasma cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS), and androstenedione (Δ4-A) were measured by RIA during ACTH infusion in preadrenarchal children with constitutional short stature, normal” adults, and patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency resulting from hypothalamic-pituitary disease or corticosteroid therapy. The plasma levels of all four steroids were decreased in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency compared to normal adults, but the decrease in DHA and DHAS was considerably greater than that in cortisol and Δ4-A, resulting in significant decreases in the plasma ratios of DHA to cortisol, DHAS to cortisol, DHA to Δ4-A, and DHAS to Δ4-A (P < 0.00001). The decreased DHA and DHAS responses to ACTH persisted in one glucocorticoid-treated patient after glucocorticoid therapy was terminated and the cortisol response to ACTH had normalized. The data suggest that adrenal atrophy due to hypothalamicpituitary disease or corticosteroid therapy is associated wit...
Juvenile hormone biosynthesis in moths: synthesis and evaluation of farnesol homologs as alternate substrates of farnesol oxidase

The oxidation of farnesol to farnesal is an important step in insect juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis and is mediated by one or more alcohol oxidases located within the minute endocrine gland, the corpus allatum. Because lepidopteran insects have the capacity to produce homologous JH structures, the substrate selectivity of farnesol oxidase was examined by determining the ability of several terpenol homologs to inhibit farnesol oxidation in moths. Results utilizing corpora allata homogenates from larval, adult, and embryonic Manduca sexta indicate that increased steric bulk at the C-3 position of the sesquiterpenol chain is detrimental to inhibitory potency. Triethylhomofarnesol (1h), which is precursor to JH 0 and therefore a physiologically important metabolite of M. sexta embryos, was found to be a poor inhibitor of farnesol oxidation but was oxidized in almost same amount as farnesol. This data indicate that farnesol oxidase of the corpus allatum plays a limited role in controlling JH homolog production in moths, and suggests that another oxidative enzyme, which is present at early stages of moth development, is involved in JH homolog construction.
Representation of similar well-learned cognitive procedures

Continued practice on a task is characterized by several quantitative and qualitative changes in performance. The most salient is the speed-up in the time to execute the task. To account for these effects, some models of skilled performance have proposed automatic mechanisms that merge knowlege structures associated with the task into fewer, larger structures. The present study investigated how the representation of similar cognitive procedures might interact with the success of such automatic mechanisms. In five experiments, subjects learned complex, multistep mental arithmetic procedures. These procedures included two types of knowledge thought to characterize most cognitive procedures: “component” knowledge for achieving intermediate results and “integrative” knowledge for organizing and integrating intermediate results. Subjects simultaneously practiced two procedures that had either the same component steps or the same integrative structure. Practiceeffect models supported a procedure-independent representation for common component steps. The availability of these common steps for use in a new procedure was also measured. Steps practiced in the context of two procedures were expected to show greater transfer to a new procedure than steps learned in the context of a single procedure. This did not always occur. A model using component/integrative knowledge distinction reconciled these results by proposing that integrative knowledge operated on all steps of the procedure: An integral part of the knowledge associated with achieving an intermediate result or state includes how it contributes to later task demands. These results are discussed in the context of automatic mechanisms for skill acquisition.
Symmetry of point imperfections in solids

Abstract Symmetry principles are applied to condensed matter physics, with emphasis on point imperfections in crystalline solids, including both lattice defects and impurities. The theory of finite groups is reviewed, and the relation between group theory and quantum mechanics is established. The classification of electronic and vibronic states of point imperfections by the irreducible representations of crystallographic point groups is discussed. An example of spontaneously broken symmetry is provided by the Jahn-Teller effect.
Comparative Oncology Today

The value of comparative oncology has been increasingly recognized in the field of cancer research, including the identification of cancer-associated genes; the study of environmental risk factors, tumor biology, and progression; and, perhaps most importantly, the evaluation of novel cancer therapeutics. The fruits of this effort are expected to be the creation of better and more specific drugs to benefit veterinary and human patients who have cancer. The state of the comparative oncology field is outlined in this article, with an emphasis on cancer in dogs.
Charges on Droplets Produced by Atomization of Solutions

The charges on droplets produced by air-blast atomization were determined for 0.1%, 1.0%, and 10% concentration of sodium chloride-uranine solute in water. A parallel-plate mobility spectrometer was used to measure the mobility of residual solid particles, and simultaneous size distribution measurements made it possible to calculate the charge on the droplet from which the solid particle was derived. The relationship between the average number of electronic units of charge, |q¯| on a droplet and its diameter, D, |q¯| aD b where a and b are functions of the solute concentration. Droplet charges were not symmetrical with respect to polarity, an effect which was also related to concentration. The results are compared with those reported by others, and their practical significance is discussed.
ACCULTURATION, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, AND HEALTH AMONG HISPANICS

Acculturation and socioeconomic factors are closely related to nutrition and health outcomes. Greater acculturation among Hispanics (e.g., Mexican Americans) in the United States has been linked to less healthful food intake patterns, elevated exposure to media among children, and increases in the prevalence of cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, and obesity. Conversely, acculturation seems to be associated with several positive health-related outcomes, such as increases in leisure-time physical activities, better self-rated health, and greater access to and utilization of health care services. Health of immigrants with low socioeconomic status (SES) is compromised partially because of less healthful food intake and physical activity patterns, higher obesity rates, limited access to and use of health care services, and environments that limit healthier lifestyle choices. SES and acculturation are interconnected, and lower levels of acculturation might be protective, especially in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, through retention of social norms, social support, and healthier food intake patterns. Socioeconomic conditions at individual and environmental levels seem to modify the associations between acculturation and nutrition- and health-related outcomes, and two immigrant groups appear to be specifically at high risk: those with persistent low SES, and those who later gain purchasing power without educational and social advancements. In addition to the community level interventions and macro level policies, promoting the retention of healthier traditional food intake habits and social support systems, increasing knowledge and skills related to foods and lifestyle in the United States, and improving health and media literacy can be viable primary prevention strategies at the individual and household levels.
Investigation on conditions of minimum induced drag of closed wing systems and C-wings

A theoretical method for predicting minimum induced-drag conditions in a nonplanar lifting systems is presented in this paper. The procedure is based on lifting line theory and the small perturbation acceleration potential. Under the hypotheses of linearity and rigid wake aligned with the freestream, optimality conditions are formulated using the Euler-Lagrange integral equation with constraints on fixed total lifting force and wing span. Particular attention is paid to analysis and numerical treatment of the Hadamard finite-part integrals involved in the solution process. The minimum induced-drag problem is then formulated and solved numerically and analytically. In the case of annular wings, closed-form expressions for the optimal circulation distribution, the normalwash, the induced-drag coefficient, and the efficiency are presented. Optimal annular wings and C-wings are extensively analyzed
Ionic atmosphere effects on the energetics of thermal and optical electron-exchange reactions : application to ferrocenium-ferrocene self exchange

A treatment of ionic-atmosphere effects upon symmetrical electron-transfer reactions resulting from added electrolyte is outlined. Relationships are derived on the basis of the extended Debye-Huckel model for the increase in the activation free energy, ΔGia*, associated with reorganization of the ionic atmosphere for homogeneous-phase reactions involving a pair of spherical reactants with varying internuclear distance R. Similar relationships apply to the energetics of symmetrical optical electron transfer, since the increase in the optical transition energy, ΔE, should equal the corresponding ionic atmosphere reorganization energy, E; under the anticipated linear response conditions, E = 4ΔGia*. The predicted ΔGia* (and hence ΔE) values increase sharply with increasing R, as a consequence of the diminished “sharing” of the ionic cloud surrounding the donor and acceptor sites under these conditions. Outer-sphere electrochemical reactions, featuring a single “near-isolated” reactant, are predicted to feature substantially larger ΔGia* values than for homogeneous processes proceeding with the reaction partners in contact. The influence of more specific “ionic atmosphere” effects upon ΔGia*, especially involving reactant-electrolyte ion pairing, is also discussed. Unlike that of the nonspecific ionic atmosphere, the nuclear reorganization process associated with counterion transport between donor and acceptor sites coupled with electron transfer is nonlinear in nature, so that E ≠ 4ΔGia*. Some recent experimental data for electrolyte effects upon the rate constants for ferrocenium-ferrocene self exchange and related systems are examined in the light of these considerations.