cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytogenetic observations of a human ovarian carcinoma clinically resistant to therapy

Resistance of a cancer cell to therapy represents an important problem in tumor biology. Hypotheses concerning the mechanism of resistance have included genetic instability, gene amplification, aneuploidy, and altered cell growth kinetics. Cytogenetic assays allow for the analysis of each of these parameters and provide important information concerning tumor heterogeneity. In using cytogenetic analysis, we have analyzed a human ovarian carcinoma clinically resistant to therapy. The ovarian carcinoma had a complex but stable karyotype with a mean chromosome number of 61.7 chromosomes/cell. Approximately 50% of the metaphase preparations examined had double-minute chromosomes, which have sometimes been associated with gene amplification. The frequency of double minutes varied from one pair to hundreds of pairs per cell. Cell cycle kinetic analysis revealed an average generation time of 38 hours. The cells were relatively resistant to doxorubicin in vitro, and the baseline sister chromatid exchange frequency, a measure of genetic instability, was elevated. These results suggest that cytogenetic assays have potential as predictive assays of tumor chemoresistance and may provide information regarding the biologic aggressiveness encountered clinically.
Stability of active suspensions

We study theoretically the stability of ``active suspensions,'' modeled here as a Stokesian fluid in which are suspended motile particles. The basis of our study is a kinetic model recently posed by Saintillan and Shelley [D. Saintillan and M. J. Shelley, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 178103 (2008); D. Saintillan and M. J. Shelley, Phys. Fluids 20, 123304 (2008)] where the motile particles are either ``pushers'' or ``pullers.'' General considerations suggest that, in the absence of diffusional processes, perturbations from uniform isotropy will decay for pullers, but grow unboundedly for pushers, suggesting a possible ill-posedness. Hence, we investigate the structure of this system linearized near a state of uniform isotropy. The linearized system is nonnormal and variable coefficient, and not wholly described by an eigenvalue problem, in particular at small length scales. Using a high wave-number asymptotic analysis, we show that while long-wave stability depends on the particular swimming mechanism, short-wave stability does not and that the growth of perturbations for pusher suspensions is associated not with concentration fluctuations, as we show these generally decay, but with a proliferation of oscillations in swimmer orientation. These results are also confirmed through numerical simulation and suggest that the basic model is well-posed, even in the absence of translational and rotational diffusion effects. We also consider the influence of diffusional effects in the case where the rotational and translational diffusion coefficients are proportional and inversely proportional, respectively, to the volume concentration and predict the existence of a critical volume concentration or system size for the onset of the long-wave instability in a pusher suspension. We find reasonable agreement between the predictions of our theory and numerical simulations of rodlike swimmers by Saintillan and Shelley [D. Saintillan and M. J. Shelley, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 058102 (2007)].
Chelates of cobaltous ion and flowering ofXanthium

Cobaltous ion (Co++) in concentrations from about 0.0004 to 0.06 Molar have been shown to inhibit the flowering of Xanthium pennsyl vanicum (Salisbury 1957). This inhibition of flowering is accompanied by a slight yellowing of the youngest leaves, beginning at the lowest concentrations which will inhibit flowering, and a browning of leaf edges and retardation and deformation of stem tips beginning at concentrations of about 0.01 M. The vegetative damage occurs regardless of when the Co++ is applied to the plants (providing three or four days are allowed for the damage to develop), but the effect on flowering is specific, since the inhibition of flowering occurs only when Co++ is applied before the end of the critical night (which may be defined as that period of darkness which is just infinitesimally too short for the initiation of flowers in short day-plants such as Xanthium). Application of Co++ before the inductive dark period results in a clear extension of the critical night by as much as three hours. The critical night is a manifestation of the plant's ability to measure time, and the results summarized above clearly imply that Co++ acts directly upon this time measurement phase of the flower ing process (Salisbury 1959). One other previously published experiment (Salisbury 1959, 1963; Collins, Salisbury and Ross 1963) is extremely difficult to interpret in any other way (see Fig. 5 in Collins etal., p. 138 this issue of Planta). Light interruptions are given at various times during a dark period to untreated control plants and to plants which have previously been dipped in solu tions of Co++ or other compounds. The control curve shows that sensiti vity to light increases rapidly during the first half of this 16 hour dark period. Treatment with Co++, however, decreases the rate at which this sensitivity to light interruption develops. Other compounds which also increase the critical night have no such effect upon the rate of
Review of cefotaxime sodium for surgical prophylaxis a model for the evolution toward single-dose or short-course cost-effective regimens

Cefotaxime is a parenteral broad-spectrum cephalosporin, used extensively worldwide for chemotherapy of serious infections. Since its release in 1979, cefotaxime has also been studied to minimize surgery-related infections and, more than any other new compound, has been used in a volume of evaluable cases. Because of the current cost-containment medical practice environment, most cefotaxime prophylaxis studies have established single-dose or short-course regimens. Over 9000 published cefotaxime prophylaxis cases were reviewed, and 81 references were cited. Single-dose cefotaxime was clearly indicated for a wide variety of operations, including hysterectomy, cesarean sections, bone and joint procedures, upper gastrointestinal cases, biliary tract procedures, transurethral resections, open urologic procedures, and some vascular cases. Approximately 24 hr of prophylaxis (cefotaxime X 4 doses) may be required for colorectal resections, cardiac surgery, head and neck surgery, transplants, and some pediatric surgical cases. Although contaminated abdominal cases and trauma surgery were not a true prophylaxis use, cefotaxime regimens have reduced wound morbidity to less than or equal to 10%. Changing to one- to four-dose schedules will have very favorable clinical impact by reducing prophylaxis cost, pharmacy preparation time, adverse reactions, and antimicrobic-resistance pressures. Surgeons should not hesitate to employ new cephalosporins (cefotaxime and others) with proved limited dose indications that would greatly benefit their patients and the hospital environment.
Monoclonal antibodies and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Since their introduction, monoclonal antibodies have found an ever expanding role in the treatment of a wide number of disorders. However, the perturbation of the immune system that attends their use may also increase the risk for the development of disorders that arise in the setting of immunosuppressive conditions, such as, opportunistic infection and malignancy. In this paper, we address the association between some monoclonal antibodies and the development of a rare demyelinating disease of the brain, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). PML results from infection with a ubiquitous polyoma virus, JC virus, and typically occurs in the setting of impaired immunity, most commonly, AIDS. It was first recognized as a potential complication of monoclonal antibody therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis and Crohn disease being treated with natalizumab, an α4β1 and α4β7 integrin inhibitor. Subsequently, efalizumab, a monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of psoriasis, was also demon...
Higher education: who cares what the customer wants?

Higher education business process surveys ignore the most important part of what they're meant to study - the customers and services. In June 2005, the Educause Center for Applied Research (ECAR) published the report, "Good Enough! IT Investment and Business Process Performance in Higher Education." The content of the report describes the complex set of issues surrounding the performance of higher education business process in higher education and the influence of information technology, leadership, culture and other factors on process performance. However, there are deficiencies in the ECAR study and others like it is that nowhere in the report is there a mention of the customers or services that these processes are meant to support. Also, lacking from the study is that it did not collect satisfaction data from two of higher education's most important players, the faculty and students.
The extreme Spectrum of Pallister-Hall syndrome

Pallister-Hall syndrome can result from GLI 3 gene mutation and is characterized by hypothalamic hamartoblastoma, hypopituitarism, imperforate anus, and postaxial polydactyly. It has a wide spectrum of severity, from perinatal lethal to minimally symptomatic. Familial cases with different expressiveness were reported before. We herein report a 22-week terminated fetus, which was a product of a GIPO 16-year-old healthy mother. Initial ultrasound at 20 weeks gestation revealed severe oligohydramnios and a small fetus. Subsequent ultrasound revealed absent stomach, dysplastic kidneys, short limbs, distal dysplasia, abnormal facies and the possibility of Roberts syndrome was discussed. The patient was counseled and pregnancy termination was sought. Cytogenetic studies revealed a normal 46,XY male karyotype and negative study for centromere analysis. Autopsy revealed a normally grown 22-23 week male fetus with hypothalamic hamartoma, polydactyly, imperforate anus and multiple other congenital anomalies. He had small, wide-spaced eyes, bilateral choanal atresia, soft tissue mass of the philtrum, small mouth with soft tissue fusion between alveolar ridges, lips and tongue, abnormal palate with possible midline clefting, micrognathia and simple lowset ears. There were short upper extremity digits with hypoplastic nail bed and bilateral partial duplication and fusion of the fourth digits. The feel were markedly everted with small medially placed great toes. The third, fourth and fifth digits are all short with poor nail bed. All digits had prominent syndactyly. There was anal atresia with blind rectosigmoid colon emptying into the bladder region without rectovesicular fistula. There was bilateral renal hypoplastic dysplasia with disorganization of the cortex. Brain examination revealed hypothalamic hamartoblastoma, 1.0 × 1.5 × 1.0 cm. There was absent cerebellar vermis, absent corpus callosum, probable absent olfactory grooves and tracts and sella turica wilh no pituitary gland present. Small adrenal glands with disorganization of the adrenal cortex were also noted. Cardiac exam revealed malrotation of the great vessels and cardiomegaly. Pulmonary hypoplasia and oligohydramnios sequence was noted with flexion conlractures of the joints. Our patient represents an extreme spectrum of PHS and emphasizes the importance of recognition of fetal syndrome and documented autopsy for genetic counseling.
Coordination chemistry of single-site catalyst precursors in reductively electropolymerized vinylbipyridine films

Reductive electropolymerization of [RuII(PhTpy)(5,5′-dvbpy)(Cl)](PF6) and [RuII(PhTpy)(5,5′-dvbpy)(MeCN)](PF6)2 (PhTpy is 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine; 5,5′-dvbpy is 5,5′-divinyl-2,2′-bipyridine) on glassy carbon electrodes gives well-defined films of poly{[RuII(PhTpy)(5,5′-dvbpy)(Cl)](PF6)} (poly-1) or poly{[RuII(PhTpy)(5,5′-dvbpy)(MeCN)](PF6)2} (poly-2). Oxidative cycling of poly-2 with added NO3– results in the replacement of coordinated MeCN by NO3– to give poly{[RuII(PhTpy)(5,5′-dvbpy)(NO3)]+}, and with 0.1 M HClO4, replacement by H2O occurs to give poly{[RuII(PhTpy)(5,5′-dvbpy)(OH2)]2+} (poly-OH2). Although analogous aqua complexes (e.g., [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(OH2)]2+) undergo rapid loss of H2O to MeCN in solution, poly-OH2 and poly-OH2+ are substitutionally inert in MeCN. The substitution chemistry is reversible, with reductive scans of poly-1 or poly-OH2 in MeCN resulting in poly-2, although with some loss of Faradaic response.
Histopathology of surgically managed renal tumors: analysis of a contemporary series.

Abstract Objectives To review the pathologic findings of a contemporary series of surgically treated renal tumors suspicious for malignancy to assess the frequency of benign disease in the modern era. The extensive application of modern imaging techniques has led to an increase in the number of incidentally discovered solid renal masses, many of which are small. A significant proportion of small renal tumors are benign or are low-grade malignancies. Methods The records of all patients at our institution who underwent treatment for a renal mass suspicious for malignancy between November 1999 and July 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Results A total of 173 patients with 186 renal tumors had pathologic information available for analysis. Of the 186 tumors, 48% were discovered incidentally. For masses 4 cm or less, the percentage of incidentally discovered tumors increased to 58%. The pathologic evaluation demonstrated malignancy in 160 (86%) and benignity in 26 (14%) overall. For tumors 4 cm or less, 18 (20%) of 90 were benign; for tumors between 4 and 7 cm, 8 (17%) of 47 benign. No tumors greater than 7 cm were benign. All renal cell carcinomas less than 2 cm in size were Fuhrman grade 1 or 2. Conclusions Small renal tumors, many of which are incidentally discovered, are often benign or are low-grade malignancies. For tumors 4 cm or less, the frequency of benign pathologic findings is greater than previously quoted in published reports. As a result, we recommend parenchymal-sparing approaches whenever possible.
L-type calcium channels may regulate neurite initiation in cultured chick embryo brain neurons and N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells.

Abstract The intracellular free Ca 2+ concentration, [Ca 2+ ] i , plays an important role in regulating neurite growth in cultured neurons. Insofar as [Ca 2+ ] i is partly a function of Ca 2+ influx through voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCC), Ca 2+ entry through VSCC should influence neurite growth. Vertebrate neurons may possess several types of VSCC. The most frequently described VSCC types are usually designated L, T and N. In most preparations, these VSCC types respond differently to certain pharmacological agents, including Cd 2+ , Ni 2+ , the dihydropyridines nifedipine and BAY K8644, and the aminoglycoside antibiotics. We used these agents to study the role of Ca 2+ influx in regulating neurite initiation and length in cultures of chick embryo brain neurons and N1E-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells. In chick neurons, nifedipine and Cd 2+ ( μ M), which have been reported to inhibit L-type channels, reduced neurite initiation but not mean neurite length. Ni 2+ ( μ M), reported to inhibit T-type channels, had no effect on either initiation or length. Low concentrations of most aminoglycosides ( μ M), reported to inhibit N-type channels, had no effect on neurite initiation, but high concentrations of streptomycin (>300 μ M), reported to inhibit both L- and N-type channels, reduced neurite initiation. BAY K8644, which enhances current flow through L-type channels, had no effect except at high concentration (50 μM), which inhibited initiation. N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells have been reported to contain L-type and T-type channels, but thus far no channel similar to the N-type has been described. In cultured N1E-115 cells, nifedipine (5 μM), Cd 2+ (5 μM), and streptomycin (200 μM) reduced neurite initiation, while nickel (50 μM) and neomycin (100 μM) did not affect initiation. None of these agents altered neurite length. In N1E-115 cells, whole-cell voltage clamp recordings showed that nifedipine and Cd 2+ inhibited L-type channels but not T-type channels, while Ni 2+ inhibited T-type channels but not L-type channels. Streptomycin slightly inhibited L-type channels but enhanced current flow through T-type channels. Neomycin slightly inhibited both channel types. These data indicate that neurite initiation in these two cell types may be modulated by Ca 2+ influx through L-type channels, but not T- or N-type channels. Neurite length was not significantly influenced by any of the agents tested, suggesting that Ca 2+ influx through VSCC may not affect neurite elongation.
775-5 Increased Incidence of Chlamydia Bacteria Detected within Coronary Arteries of Patients with Atherosclerotic Versus Transplant Induced Coronary Artery Disease

Previous work has suggested an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and coronary atherosclerosis, based on the demonstration of increased serologic titers and the detection of bacteria within atherosclerotic tissue. We sought to strengthen a possible etiologic link by comparing the incidence of Chlamydia infection in coronary atherosclerotic tissue to that in coronary arteries of patients with non-atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Coronary tissue specimens obtained from 90 consecutive patients (mean age = 57 yrs) with symptomatic coronary artery disease undergoing directional coronary atherectomy were tested for the presence of Chlamydia species by direct immunofluorescence using mouse monoclonal antibody. Immunofluorescence was positive in 68 (76%), equivocal in 5 (6%) and negative in 19 (21 %) of specimens. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed the specific Chlamydia strain TWAR in 2 cases. No clinical factors except the presence of a primary non-testenotic lesion (odds ratio = 3.0, p = 0.057) predicted the detection of Chlamydia. As a control, coronary tissue specimens from 11 patients with previous cardiac transplantation and subsequent transplant-induced coronary artery disease were also tested. Direct immunofluorescence performed on these diseased coronary artery segments was negative for Chlamydia in every case (p = 0.0001 compared with atherosclerotic specimens). Conclusion This high incidence of Chlamydia detected only in coronary arteries diseased by atherosclerosis suggests an etiologic role for Chlamydia infection in the development of coronary atherosclerosis, which should be further studied.
Externally applied electric fields up to 1.6 × 10(5) V/m do not affect the homogeneous nucleation of ice in supercooled water.

The freezing of water can initiate at electrically conducting electrodes kept at a high electric potential or at charged electrically insulating surfaces. The microscopic mechanisms of these phenomena are unknown, but they must involve interactions between water molecules and electric fields. This paper investigates the effect of uniform electric fields on the homogeneous nucleation of ice in supercooled water. Electric fields were applied across drops of water immersed in a perfluorinated liquid using a parallel-plate capacitor; the drops traveled in a microchannel and were supercooled until they froze due to the homogeneous nucleation of ice. The distribution of freezing temperatures of drops depended on the rate of nucleation of ice, and the sensitivity of measurements allowed detection of changes by a factor of 1.5 in the rate of nucleation. Sinusoidal alternation of the electric field at frequencies from 3 to 100 kHz prevented free ions present in water from screening the electric field in the bulk o...
War in the Land of Egypt: Yusuf al-Qa'id: Translated by Olive and Lorne Kenney and Christopher Tingley

Book reviewed in this article: Houses Behind the Trees: Mohamed El-Bisatie: Translated by Denys Johnson-Davies
Human immunodeficiency virus test refusal in pregnancy: a challenge to voluntary testing.

Abstract Objective: To determine if awareness of methods to reduce vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with HIV test acceptance and to clarify patients’ attitudes toward routine versus elective prenatal HIV testing. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 247 antenatal patients were surveyed regarding HIV knowledge, self-perceived HIV risk, and willingness to learn a positive test result. This information, along with demographic and risk factor data, was related to HIV test acceptance. Patients also indicated their attitudes toward routine versus elective prenatal testing for HIV and other common prenatal screening tests. Results: Seventy-two percent of antenatal patients accepted HIV testing. Test acceptance was not associated with the presence of risk factors, self-perceived HIV risk, or demographic factors, including race and ethnicity. Test acceptance was associated positively with patients’ knowledge of a medical intervention to reduce vertical transmission and their willingness to learn a positive HIV test result. Only 24% of patients knew that the risk of vertical transmission could be reduced using medication. Sixty-nine percent of patients said that prenatal HIV testing should be routine, whereas 27% said that it should be done only after specific written consent. As a group, our patients viewed HIV screening no differently from screening for other infections in pregnancy. Conclusion: Interventions aimed at increasing HIV testing rates among pregnant women should focus on educating patients about vertical transmission reduction and promising new therapies for HIV infection. Proponents of elective testing should re-evaluate the assumption that patients view HIV testing differently from other prenatal tests for which separate written consent is not required.
Interplay between bax, reactive oxygen species production, and cardiolipin oxidation during apoptosis

Bax/Bak activation and cardiolipin peroxidation are essential for cytochrome c release during apoptosis, yet, the link between them remains elusive. We report that sequence of events after exposure of mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells to actinomycin D followed the order: Bax translocation-->superoxide production-->cardiolipin peroxidation. Genetic ablation of Bax/Bak inhibited actinomycin D induced superoxide production and cardiolipin peroxidation. Rotenone caused robust superoxide generation but did not trigger cardiolipin peroxidation in Bax/Bak double knockout MEF cells. This suggests that, in addition to participating in ROS generation, Bax/Bak play another specific role in cardiolipin oxidation. In isolated mitochondria, recombinant Bax enhanced succinate induced cardiolipin oxidation and cytochrome c release. Mitochondrial peroxidase activity, likely involved in cardiolipin peroxidation, was enhanced upon incubation with recombinant Bax. Thus, cardiolipin peroxidation may be causatively and time-dependently related to Bax/Bak effects on ROS generation and peroxidase activation of cytochrome c.
pH-Switchable strand orientation in peptide assemblies.

The design of antiparallel coiled-coil heterotrimers with singly mismatched electrostatic interfaces is reported. The new complexes exhibit expected properties for well-formed coiled-coils and have stabilities comparable to those of parallel analogues. The mismatched interface facilitates switching from a parallel to antiparallel complex by pH-triggered strand exchange.
The virtual microscope for routine pathology based on a PACS system for 6 Gb images

Abstract The use of digital images for diagnosis, known as radiology, can bring substantial improvements for efficiency and functionality in routine histology. We developed a system that allows diagnosis with a virtual microscope using digital images from complete slides under highest magnification. The major technical challenges were the large data volumes and the necessary visualisation speed. Using image streaming technologies, we developed a system that solves those problems. We present our system and its advantages. Fast access to reference cases, easy integration of telepathology and an uninterrupted digital workflow may, in the long-term, convince pathologists of the digital virtual microscope (DVM) as a realistic alternative to light microscope.
Correlation of myoelectric activity and muscle force during selected cat treadmill locomotion.

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to associate the force produced by the cat medial gastrocnemius (MG) during unrestrained treadmill locomotion with the corresponding myoelectric signals (MES's). An intervention analysis based on an autoregressive-integrated moving average (ARIMA) process was performed on records obtained at treadmill speeds of 0.67 ms−1 and 2.24 ms−1. Results indicate that the pattern of MG myoelectric activity during a single step cycle may be divided into two parts. The primary burst (E1 burst) of activity occurs before foot contact and represents an energy build up which is related to a major part of the MG force monitored at the tendon. During stance, a second burst of activity is depicted by an almost critically damped second order system, and is responsible for the residual tension observed. Thus in vivo forces can be linked to MES's provided that phase differences between electrical and mechanical responses are taken into account.
Communication complexity of the Gaussian elimination algorithm on multiprocessors

Abstract This paper proposes a few lower bounds for communication complexity of the Gaussian elimination algorithm on multiprocessors. Three types of architectures are considered: a bus architecture, a nearest neighbor ring network, and a nearest neighbor grid network. It is shown that for the bus and the ring architectures, the minimum communication time is O(N2), independent of the number of processors, while for the grid it is reduced to O(k built-1 2 N2)+O(k built1 2 N) for a lock step Gaussian elimination algorithm, and to O(k built-1 2 N2)+O(k built1 2 ) for any pipelined Gaussian elimination algorithm, where k is the total number of processors. The practical implications of these bounds are discussed.
Effect of BTEX on Degradation of MTBE and TBA by Mixed Bacterial Consortium

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) contamination in groundwater often coexists with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) near the source of the plume. Tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) is a pre...
Influence of body weight, age, diet and sex on fat depots in rats.

Weanling male and female littermate Osborne Mendel rats were randomly separated into two groups. The control group was fed a grain ration. The second group was fed a high fat ration which ultimately produced obesity. Male and female rats were killed at weaning (body weight, 50–60 gm). Thereafter rats from both diet groups were killed after an initial weight gain of about 100 gm and subsequent gains of about 150 gm. The inguinal, forelimb (axillary), interscapular perirenal, genital, xiphoid, and mesenteric and omental fat depots were removed, weighed, and weights recorded. Fat depots usually increased in weight more rapidly than overall body weight. This was typical of younger rats from both diet groups, but more pronounced in rats fed the high fat ration. The perirenal depots increased in weight more rapidly than body weight throughout the 450+ days of the study. In both sexes and diet groups, from weaning through sexual maturity, the weight of the genital fat depots increased proportionately more rapidly than body weight. Thereafter, the weight gain more nearly paralleled the body weight gain. In both diet groups, with the exception of the interscapular depot, the subcutaneous depots increased rapidly in weight during the first 100 days of life. The weight gain of these depots maintained a close relationship to body weight gain after 100 days of age. The interscapular depot in obese females increased at a very rapid rate as the animals approached 900 gm of body weight.
Caught in the middle again: professional ethical considerations in genetic testing for health risks.

ABSTRACT Genotyping tests for molecular mutations associated with clinical syndromes increasingly allow clinicians to identify health risks before clinical problems occur, sometimes making prevention possible. The clinical use of these tests, however, can create moral problems for families and serious health policy challenges for communities. Those issues, in turn, complicate the professional ethics of genetic testing and counseling. Investigators working with families in gene-identification studies have already encountered these complications in the research setting and their experiences may help in the development of a clinical ethic for genetic testing. In addition to questions about the predictive significance of particular genotypes, three other sets of ethical considerations are becoming important to professional decision-making about genetic testing: the psycho–social impact of testing, the patient's privileges with respect to testing, and the potential for effective prevention following testing. U...
A high-precision millimeter-wave navigation system for indoor and urban environment autonomous vehicles

This paper presents a mm-wave based navigation system capable of measuring and tracking a vehicle's position with centimeter scale accuracy. The system uses two 144 GHz transmitters modulated with 13 and 14 MHz tones combined with quasi-optical lenses to establish a mm-wave beam that defines navigational pathway for a vehicle to follow. The system is suitable for applications where precision guiding of small autonomous vehicles along a precise path is required such as navigating indoors or in cluttered urban environments.
Cyclic Flexural Testing of Concentrically Braced Frame Beam-Column Connections

This research investigates the cyclic flexural behavior and performance of concentrically braced frame beam-column connections in the context of evaluating the reserve lateral load-resisting capacity in concentrically braced frames. Eight beam-column connections with gusset plates, employing double angle and end plate details, were studied using full-scale experiments to determine their flexural strength, stiffness, and ductility. In this paper, the effects of connection parameters, such as end plate thickness, angle thickness, bolt configuration, weld type and size, and supplementary seat angle, are evaluated. The global connection behavior and performance are quantified using normalized moment versus story drift data. In comparison to a baseline double angle detail, all connection variations increased the strength and stiffness. The end plate variations resulted in larger increases in strength, but drift capacity was limited by bolt fracture. The double angle variations increased the strength by smaller...
Protein Insolubility and Late-Stage Morphogenesis in Long-Term Postconfluent Cultures of MDCK Epithelial Cells

Abstract Epithelial morphogenesis in vitro has been studied in cultures soon after cell–cell contact at confluency when several actin-associated proteins (fodrin, adherens junction molecules E-cadherin and catenins) localize to specific subcellular domains and become resistant to extraction with non-ionic detergents. Here we demonstrate that early confluency is followed by a long postconfluent period of several weeks during which these proteins and actin itself become progressively enriched in the detergent-resistant fraction of MDCK epithelial cells. Cultures from another tissue (human retinal pigment epithelium) which produces weakly epithelialized monolayers in culture do not exhibit similar late-stage increases in protein insolubility. After confluency some cells in MDCK cultures undergo additional morphogenetic changes giving rise to cord-like structures, and the MDCK adherens junction becomes more stable to disrupting agents. These results indicate that in vitro morphogenesis is not restricted to early confluency in MDCK cells but rather molecular stabilization and dynamic changes in cell shape occur over a protracted postconfluent interval.
Two zebrafish alcohol dehydrogenases share common ancestry with mammalian class I, II, IV, and V alcohol dehydrogenase genes but have distinct functional characteristics.

Abstract Ethanol is teratogenic to many vertebrates. We are utilizing zebrafish as a model system to determine whether there is an association between ethanol metabolism and ethanol-mediated developmental toxicity. Here we report the isolation and characterization of two cDNAs encoding zebrafish alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs). Phylogenetic analysis of these zebrafish ADHs indicates that they share a common ancestor with mammalian class I, II, IV, and V ADHs. The genes encoding these zebrafish ADHs have been named Adh8a and Adh8b by the nomenclature committee. Both genes were genetically mapped to chromosome 13. The 1450-bp Adh8a is 82, 73, 72, and 72% similar at the amino acid level to the Baltic cod ADH8 (previously named ADH1), the human ADH1B2, the mouse ADH1, and the rat ADH1, respectively. Also, the 1484-bp Adh8b is 77, 68, 67, and 66% similar at the amino acid level to the Baltic cod ADH8, the human ADH1B2, the mouse ADH1, and the rat ADH1, respectively. ADH8A and ADH8B share 86% amino acid similarity. To characterize the functional properties of ADH8A and ADH8B, recombinant proteins were purified from SF-9 insect cells. Kinetic studies demonstrate that ADH8A metabolizes ethanol, with a Vmax of 13.4 nmol/min/mg protein, whereas ADH8B does not metabolize ethanol. The ADH8A Km for ethanol as a substrate is 0.7 mm. 4-Methyl pyrazole, a classical competitive inhibitor of class I ADH, failed to inhibit ADH8A. ADH8B has the capacity to efficiently biotransform longer chain primary alcohols (≥5 carbons) and S-hydroxymethlyglutathione, whereas ADH8A does not efficiently metabolize these substrates. Finally, mRNA expression studies indicate that both ADH8A and ADH8B mRNA are expressed during early development and in the adult brain, fin, gill, heart, kidney, muscle, and liver. Together these results indicate that class I-like ADH is conserved in zebrafish, albeit with mixed functional properties.
Adrenocortical function after chronic inhalation of fluocortinbutyl and beclomethasone dipropionate.

Fluocortinbutyl (FCB) is a C-21 ester, topically active corticosteroid; no adrenal suppression has been noted after large doses. We compared safety and effects on adrenocortical function of orally inhaled FCB (40 mg/day), beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) (2 mg/day), and placebo administered in four monitored divided doses for 4 wk by three groups of five healthy men. Circadian plasma Cortisol concentrations and daily urinary free cortisol excretion were determined before and after 3- and 4-wk exposure. Although pretreatment mean area under the curve (μg · hr · dl−1) for plasma cortisol did not differ among groups, mean values after weeks 3 and 4 of treatment were lower (p < 0.05) in the BDP group (95.1 and 83) than in the FCB (155.8 and 153.7) and placebo (141 and 135.8) groups. Mean urinary Cortisol excretion after week 4 for the BDP group (29 μg) was less (p < 0.05) than in the FCB (59 μg) and the placebo (69 μg) groups. Slopes of individual regression lines noting time trends in plasma and urinary Cortisol in the BDP group were negative and less (p < 0.05) than those of the other groups. A cosyntropin test given intravenously after 4 wk of exposure resulted in similar plasma Cortisol responses among groups. No serious adverse effects were noted. Thus after long-term high-dose treatment BDP but not FCB suppressed basal adrenocortical function, but neither suppressed the adrenocortical response to cosyntropin. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1981) 29, 643–649; doi:10.1038/clpt.1981.89
Characterization of age and cuticular hydrocarbon variation in mating pairs of house fly, Musca domestica, collected in the field

. House flies, Musca domestica L., were collected in copula over two summers from six dairies located in three climatically distinct regions in the U.S.A. southern California, Minnesota and Georgia. Ages of males and females from a total of 511 mating pairs were estimated using pterin analysis. Cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and gonotrophic ages of females also were evaluated. Mean age of mating males ranged from 54 to 102 degree-days (DD) (4–10 days based on field air temperatures), depending on the farm. Very young males ( 200 DD) were rare in mating pairs. Mean female age at mating ranged from 20 to 46 DD (2.5–4 days). All mating females had eggs in the early stages of vitellogenesis and 99.2% were nulliparous. However, some older and parous females were collected, demonstrating that re-mating can occur in the field. Head width measurements of mating pairs suggested that assortative mating by size did not occur. The cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of females were determined, with emphasis on (Z)-9-tricosene (muscalure). Overall, only 55% of mating females had detectable amounts (> 4 ηg per fly) of (Z)-9-tricosene. Of the females that had detectable (Z)-9-tricosene, variation in amount per female was high in all fly populations, and thus was not statistically related to the size or age of the mating female. The proportion of mating females with detectable levels of (Z)-9-tricosene varied by geographic region. Seventy-one, 63, and 27% of females from southern California, Minnesota and Georgia had detectable amounts of (Z)-9-tricosene. Principal components analysis of the eight most abundant hydrocarbons from mating females, by state, revealed state-level distinctiveness of hydrocarbons in house fly populations, which may reflect genetic variation associated with environmental stresses in those geographical zones.
Prototype detector for 6-keV x-rays using nine series arrays of tunnel junctions

We have fabricated a device consisting of nine arrays of series- connected superconducting aluminum tunnel junctions on a thin sapphire substrate, as a detector of 6-keV X-rays. Tunnel junctions are of interest as particle detectors because their theoretical minimum excitation energy is on the order of one milli-electron volt, a factor of one thousand lower than conventional semiconductor detectors. We have experimented with a new SiN passivation layer, intended to prevent further oxidation of the tunnel barrier on exposure to air. Preliminary tests with 200 angstrom thick SiN layers indicate improved stability of junction resistance on exposure to air. We will present results from a device with a 400 angstrom thick passivation layer. We will also report on tests of a detector without a SiN layer, where we observed coincident pulses between two of the nine arrays. The energy resolution for 6-keV X-rays is about 1 keV, limited by noise. If the signal size can be increased, pulse height and timing information from the nine separate arrays of this detector should allow simultaneous determination of position and energy.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Entity disambiguation using semantic networks

A major stumbling block preventing machines from understanding text is the problem of entity disambiguation. While humans find it easy to determine that a person named in one story is the same person referenced in a second story, machines rely heavily on crude heuristics such as string matching and stemming to make guesses as to whether nouns are coreferent. A key advantage that humans have over machines is the ability to mentally make connections between ideas and, based on these connections, reason how likely two entities are to be the same. Mirroring this natural thought process, we have created a prototype framework for disambiguating entities that is based on connectedness. In this article, we demonstrate it in the practical application of disambiguating authors across a large set of bibliographic records. By representing knowledge from the records as edges in a graph between a subject and an object, we believe that the problem of disambiguating entities reduces to the problem of discovering the most strongly connected nodes in a graph. The knowledge from the records comes in many different forms, such as names of people, date of publication, and themes extracted from the text of the abstract. These different types of knowledge are fused to create the graph required for disambiguation. Furthermore, the resulting graph and framework can be used for more complex operations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Control of health hazards due to sulfur dioxide pollution

Abstract The hazards due to environmental pollution by sulfur dioxide are reviewed, the current methods and new trends suggested for pollution control of sulfur dioxide such as removal of sulfur either before or after the combustion of petroleum products or fuels, chemical reaction with water, conversion of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur, dry absorption of the gas, and wet scrubbing, are also presented.
Stress-Driven Wrinkling oF α-Alumina Films Grown oN Fe-Cr-Al by Thermal Oxidation

A thin α-Al2O3 film forms on Fe-20w/oCr-5w/oAl alloys when they are heated in air to about 1000°C. This thermally grown oxide exhibits a wrinkled morphology within minutes and with an amplitude and characteristic wavelength that increases with oxidation time. Measurements of the residual strain in the oxide, using Cr3+ photoluminescence piezospectroscopy, indicate that the wrinkling is associated with stress relaxation during the course of the thickening of the oxide. AFM and piezospectroscopic measurements reveal a strong time dependence of the growth stress and oxide wrinkling, as well as a marked dependence on the crystallographic orientation of the underlying Fe-Cr-Al substrate. Small additions (about 0.3 w/o) of yttrium to the metal completely suppress the wrinkling phenomenon although it is found not to lessen the growth stresses in the oxide film.
Convergence analysis for reduced-order adaptive controller design of uncertain SISO linear systems with noisy output measurements

We consider in this article a class of uncertain SISO linear systems that are subject to system and measurement noises. Reduced-order adaptive controller designs have been proposed before for such systems by the authors and stability analysis of the closed-loop systems has been established. Here we analyse, further, the robustness properties for these reduced-order adaptive control systems by providing detailed convergence analysis results for the key closed-loop signals and parameter estimates. We rigorously prove that, whenever the exogenous disturbance input is of finite energy and bounded, and the reference trajectory and its derivatives up to rth order are bounded, r being the relative degree of the transfer function of the true system, a set of signals, including the tracking error, the estimation error between the system output and its estimate, the projection signal, are of finite energy and converge to zero; and the system states and their estimates exhibit asymptotic behaviours with certain form...
Education for older adults

Older adults may well represent one of the largest groups of potential learners. To tap this market, program providers must determine their specific learning interests and desired learning formats and instructional supports.
Some Applications of Fourier Transform Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

A new photoacoustic cell for use with Fourier transform infrared spectrometers is detailed. Photoacoustic infrared spectra showing high sensitivity on a variety of chemical systems are presented. Comparison of the photoacoustic infrared spectra with transmission and attenuated total internal reflectance spectra show that saturation effects can play a prominent role in the photoacoustic spectra. Spectral subtractions and study of the situ chemical reactions are possible using the photoacoustic technique. The photoacoustic and diffuse reflectance techniques yield very similar spectra.
Risk and Reward in Managua's Commercial Sex Market: The Importance of Workplace

Abstract This article focuses on the capabilities of women in sex work—a sector in which a substantial number of women in developing countries find themselves. Sex workers confront important unfreedoms—violence and disease—on a daily basis. How well sex workers can manage these threats has implications not only for the workers themselves but also their families and communities, and thus is an important concern in development policy. Using original data from Managua, Nicaragua, I show how workplace conditions determine women’s autonomy to manage risks of disease and violence, including their capacity to negotiate appropriate risk compensation. I present a model of a segmented labor market, and describe how women’s autonomy in choosing a particular segment is constrained by access to networks and human capital. Next, I estimate the compensation to different risks by market segment. I find that sex workers in higher‐end segments are less likely than women in other segments to take risks to their health or sa...
Watermarking sinusoidal audio representations by quantization index modulation in multiple frequencies

The focus of the paper is to hide information in sinusoidal audio representations. Watermarks are embedded by introducing quantization index modulation (QIM) in frequencies of sinusoids. The frequency shifts due to QIM are controlled to be less than one-thirtieth Bark, which requires high accuracy in frequency estimation for watermark decoding. Therefore, the paper presents a hybrid multiple frequency estimator which consists of spectral interpolation followed by iterative square error minimization. The frequency estimator is tested in watermarking both computer generated sounds and actual recordings. The watermarks are intended to survive MP3 compression. Selected experiments are documented and discussed.
Understanding changes in sexual activity among young metropolitan men: 1979-1995.

This study examined how attitudes about sex behavior and exposure to AIDS education have affected premarital sexual behavior among urban teenage (Black and non-Black) males aged 17-19 years in 1979 1988 and 1995 in the US. Data were obtained from a 1979 National Survey of Young Men and the 1988 and 1995 National Surveys of Adolescent Males. The weighted pooled data set included 2087 never-married males aged 17-19 years. The percentage of those who had experienced sexual intercourse (SI) rose from 66% to 76% and then declined to 68% in 1995. For Black male youths SI rates remained stable after 1988. The percentage with recent SI in the 4 weeks before the survey rose from 40% to 45% in 1979 and 1988 and then declined to 39% in 1995. The average number of female sexual partners (FSPs) was 4. The average number of FSPs declined among non-Blacks--from 3.8 in 1979 to 2.9 in 1995--and increased among Blacks--from 5.1 in 1979 to 6.9 in 1995. SI frequency during the prior year rose significantly from 14 encounters/year in 1979 to 21 in 1995. Among Black adolescents SI frequency rose from 13 encounters/year in 1988 to 24 in 1995. Approval of nonmarital sex without an intention to marry followed similar increases and declines as for SI. Attitudes about premarital sex were strongly correlated with recent sexual activity. Teenagers who had received education about STDs or AIDS were significantly less likely to report having had recent SI. Birth control education and race were unrelated to sex behavior. Blacks were more supportive of marriage for nonmarital pregnancy in 1979. Black attitudes toward premarital sex grew more conservative. Less sexual activity is attributed in part to prevalence of AIDS education (except for Blacks) and more conservative attitudes with unknown other factors.