cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of cellular polyamines in tobacco by transfer and expression of mouse ornithine decarboxylase cDNA.

In an attempt to modulate the metabolism of polyamines in plants, Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains were produced which contained either a full-length or a 3′-truncated mouse ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) cDNA under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Plants of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi were used for transformation with these two strains of Agrobacterium. Transformations were confirmed by Southern hybridization and amplification by polymerase chain reaction. Two plants containing the full-length cDNA (ODC-12 and ODC-30) and two containing the truncated cDNA (12701-2 and 12701-31) were selected for further experiments. Northern blot analysis indicated that transcription was occurring and western blot analysis detected a polypeptide of ca. 50 kDa that was unique to the plants transformed with truncated ODC cDNA. In order to distinguish between the native and the mouse ODC in the transformed tissues, enzyme activity was assayed at pH optima for the two enzymes, i.e. pH 8.2 and 6.8, respectively. Substantially higher levels of ODC activity were seen at pH 6.8 (optimum for mouse ODC) in the transformants as compared to the controls. This ODC activity was inhibited by α-difluoromethylornithine and anti-mouse ODC antisera in a manner consistent with that reported for the mouse ODC. Analysis of cellular polyamines showed significantly elevated levels (4–12-fold) of putrescine in callus derived from transformed plant tissues as compared to the controls. The modulation of polyamine biosynthesis in plants by these techniques should allow us to further analyze the role of these ubiquitous compounds in plant growth and development.
Oxidation and Hydration of U3O8 Materials Following Controlled Exposure to Temperature and Humidity

Chemical signatures correlated with uranium oxide processing are of interest to forensic science for inferring sample provenance. Identification of temporal changes in chemical structures of process uranium materials as a function of controlled temperatures and relative humidities may provide additional information regarding sample history. In this study, a high-purity α-U3O8 sample and three other uranium oxide samples synthesized from reaction routes used in nuclear conversion processes were stored under controlled conditions over 2–3.5 years, and powder X-ray diffraction analysis and X-ray absorption spectroscopy were employed to characterize chemical speciation. Signatures measured from the α-U3O8 sample indicated that the material oxidized and hydrated after storage under high humidity conditions over time. Impurities, such as uranyl fluoride or schoepites, were initially detectable in the other uranium oxide samples. After storage under controlled conditions, the analyses of the samples revealed oxi...
Reflections on Reflexivity

Three realizations about developing an intercultural code of ethics for WAC that may be useful to the next series of discussions.
The creation and use of the Botswana defence force

(1984). The creation and use of the Botswana defence force. The Round Table: Vol. 73, No. 290, pp. 216-235.
Occlusive Disease of the Carotid Arteries

Within the last 10 years there has been increasing recognition of the frequency of spontaneous occlusions of the carotid arteries as a cause for neurologic deficit, and several reports of successful therapy instituted early in the disease have appeared. Since many patients with symptoms due to carotid occlusion will be seen initially by the general practitioner or internist, increased awareness and knowledge of the condition seem warranted. The clinical and laboratory features of 50 patients with proved carotid occlusions are presented, the varying clinical pictures produced by such occlusions are described, and the potential means of therapy are discussed.
Randomized comparison of standard laparoscopic trainer to novel, at-home, low-cost, camera-less laparoscopic trainer.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the utility of a portable, at-home, low-cost, camera-less laparoscopic trainer to provide laparoscopy training inexpensively and outside the constraints of the hospital environment. Methods Twenty-two urology residents (postgraduate year 1 to 7) were tested prospectively on four basic laparoscopic tasks on a standard video laparoscopic trainer (pretest). Objective and subjective data were collected for each participant. The subjects were then randomized to 5 hours of training on either a portable, camera-less trainer (group 1) or a standard video laparoscopic trainer (group 2). Each resident was then retested on the initial same four laparoscopic tasks (post-test). Efficiency ratios were calculated for each task, incorporating both time and accuracy. Improvements between the pretest and post-test evaluations were compared between the two groups using the two-group t test. Results All subjects significantly improved their performance with training. The average improvement in the time required to complete the laparoscopic tasks for all participants was 36%. Efficiency increased by 52%. However, no difference was found between the two groups. In the poststudy self-evaluations, 91% of participants in group 1 either agreed or strongly agreed that the at-home trainer was a helpful teaching modality. Conclusions The improvements in laparoscopic skills on our inexpensive, portable, at-home, camera-less trainer were not significantly different from those gained using a traditional video laparoscopic trainer. Participants trained on our portable trainer were able to improve objectively and subjectively by both external and internal evaluations. Thus, our system will allow trainees to develop their laparoscopic skills in an inexpensive manner in the comfort of their own home.
Automated detection of immunofluorescently labeled cytomegalovirus-infected cells in isolated peripheral blood leukocytes using decision tree analysis.

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection continues to be a major problem for immunocompromised patients. Detection of viral antigens in leukocytes (antigenemia assay) is widely used for the diagnosis of CMV infection and for guiding antiviral therapy. The antigenemia technique, contingent upon the manual microscopic analysis of rare cells, is a laborious task that is subject to human error. In this study, we combine automated microscopy with artificial intelligence for reliable detection of fluorescently labeled CMV-infected cells. Methods Cytospin preparations of peripheral blood leukocytes were immunofluorescently labeled for the CMV lower matrix phosphoprotein (pp65) and scanned in the Rare Event Imaging System (REIS), a fully automated image cytometer. The REIS detected potential positive objects and digitally recorded 49 measured cellular features for each identified case. The measurement data of these objects were analyzed by the See5 decision tree (DT) algorithm to ascertain whether they were true-positive detections. Results The DT was built from the measurement data of 2,047 true- and 2,028 false-positive detections, collected from 32 patient samples. By designating misclassifications of false-negatives three times more costly, the 10-fold cross-validation sensitivity, specificity, and misclassification error of the assay was 94.3%, 56.2%, and 25%, respectively. The method was also validated using an independent test set of 21 patient samples, in which similar results were obtained. Conclusions To our knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to improve the accuracy of rare event image cytometry through the implementation of artificial intelligence methodology. Results suggest that cost-sensitive decision tree analysis of digitally measured cellular features vastly improves the performance of rare event image cytometry. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Induced anisotropy and positive exchange bias: A temperature, angular, and cooling field study by ferromagnetic resonance

Exchange-biased ${\mathrm{MnF}}_{2}/\mathrm{F}\mathrm{e}$ bilayers, examined by variable angle and temperature ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), exhibit a sudden onset of a unidirectional and fourfold anisotropy below the ${\mathrm{MnF}}_{2}$ N\'eel temperature. This unexpected fourfold symmetry arises from frustrated perpendicular coupling between the ${\mathrm{MnF}}_{2}$ and the Fe overlayer in the presence of twinning in the antiferromagnet layer. These data are consistent with earlier polarized-neutron-reflectometry results. The FMR data show a clear reversal in the direction of the unidirectional anisotropy as a function of cooling field, switching sign at ${H}_{\mathrm{FC}}=13\mathrm{kOe},$ which is consistent with the onset of positive exchange bias observed in conventional magnetometry experiments. The low-temperature FMR linewidth reflects the in-plane symmetry of the resonance itself, exhibiting surprising divergence in the hard directions. Temperature-dependent FMR measurements reveal a sharp reduction in the resonance field below the N\'eel point due to the ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic coupling.
Tunable far infrared absorption in logarithmically graded quantum wells

Abstract Compositional grading in the growth direction z of a GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs heterostructure is used to simulate a potential well of the form V(z) = −a−2ln (abz + 1) + zb/a, where a and b are constants. Using both a front gate and an epitaxially grown back gate, we observe a large Stark shift from 35 to 125 cm−1 in the far infrared collective electronic resonant response by moving the electron gas through the asymmetric well.
A Molecular Theory of Polymer Gels

A new theory for polymer gels is developed on the basis of the single-chain mean-field (SCMF) theory. This theory takes the mesh chain or the star polymer as the characteristic unit of polymer gels, and it allows the study of chain conformation properties for gels in their different states. The preparation condition effect is conveniently described by the current theory, and the gels with complex chain structures can also be studied since the SCMF theory take realistic chain conformations into consideration. In this work, the theory is compared with the widely used Flory-type gel theory and with experimental observations. It is shown that the star polymer is a more natural basic unit of the gel structure. The current theory is found to provide a better description of the gels than the Flory-type theory as well as better agreement with gel swelling experimental data for poly(ethylene oxide) gels.
RECENTERED AND RESCALED INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLE ESTIMATION OF TOBIT AND PROBIT MODELS WITH ERRORS IN VARIABLES

Since Durbin (1954) and Sargan (1958), instrumental variable (IV) method has long been one of the most popular procedures among economists and other social scientists to handle linear models with errors-in-variables. A direct application of this method to nonlinear errors-in-variables models, however, fails to yield consistent estimators. This article restricts attention to Tobit and Probit models and shows that simple recentering and rescaling of the observed dependent variable may restore consistency of the standard IV estimator if the true dependent variable and the IV's are jointly normally distributed. Although the required condition seems rarely to be satisfied by real data, our Monte Carlo experiment suggests that the proposed estimator may be quite robust to the possible deviation from normality.
The chick intestinal cytosol binding protein for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3: A study of analog binding

Abstract The structural features of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 that permit its high affinity binding to a 3.7 S protein from chick intestinal cytosol were determined in a series of binding and competition experiments analyzed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Optimal binding to the 3.7 S protein was achieved when both 1α- and 25-hydroxyls were present in the vitamin D3 molecule. Modification of the side chain by the introduction of a methyl on C-24 and a double bond on C-22,23 (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2) did not alter the binding of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, but significantly diminished the binding of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. However, introduction of a hydroxyl on C-24 decreased the ability of either 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 to compete, especially when the 24-hydroxyl was in the S configuration. These results reveal that the 3.7 S protein requires specific ligand structural features for binding and suggest that metabolite discrimination by the chick intestinal receptor system is likely located in the 3.7 S cytosol protein.
Social Support and Self-Efficacy in Problem Solving Among Teacher Assistance Teams and School Staff

ABSTRACT Previous research has neglected to examine possible antecedents to self-efficacy in problem solving among school staff. In the current study, the relationship between social support and self-efficacy in problem solving was investigated at 27 elementary schools. Participants were 125 teacher assistance team (TAT) members and 129 staff receiving their services (TAT consumers). Three types of social support were examined: guidance, reliable alliance, and reassurance of worth. The results indicated that reassurance of worth had a particularly strong relationship to the TAT consumers' self-efficacy with respect to (a) over all problem-solving skills and (b) planning and evaluating interventions for students with behavior problems.
The epistemology of complex systems

Abstract The human knowledge structure is acquired by a very complex process of learning. ‘Folk knowledge’, acquired in ordinary daily life, may be distinguished from ‘Scholarly knowledge’. Folk knowledge has images which range from about 105 to 10−5 of the human size; scholarly knowledge produces images which range from about 1020 to 10−20 of the human size. Knowledge results from the interaction of internal and external messages. Internal messages produce perceptions of identities—propositions which cannot be untrue, and also perceptions of ‘near-identities’—propositions which have a high probability of being true. Beyond these are the empirical propositions, derived from ordered observation of the records of the past and the present, and from experiment. These are always subjet both to error, and the reduction of error. Each field of knowledge has to find its appropriate method, depending on the nature of the system about which knowledge is sought. These systems may be classified as predictable (with stable parameters) and partially predictable (systems involving information, or subject to parametric change.) It is a mistake to transfer methods appropriate in one field to another, where they may be inappropriate.
Growth-From-The-Melt Of ADP Crystals For EO Applications

Experimental work is described in this paper demonstrating the feasibility of growing crystals of an incongruently melting compound from its melt, provided that its composition is not far removed from a congruently melting composition. Approximately 60 crystal-growth runs were made from the melt of ammonium dihydrogen orthophosphate (ADP). Crystals of acceptable quality were grown in 10-mm and 25-mm diameters, with pulling rates of 2 mm/h or less and 1 mm/h or less, respectively. Although still rather slow, these growth rates are at least one order of magnitude faster than those obtained in industrial crystal growth from solutions of the same material.
Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Male Reproduction

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of persistent organic pollutants that were widely used in the mid-20th century. Though their production and use was banned by most countries several decades ago, the general population continues to be exposed due to the persistence and bioaccumulation of PCBs. A number of human epidemiological studies have assessed the relationship between environmental PCB exposure and markers of male reproductive health, namely semen quality parameters (sperm concentration, motility, and morphology), sperm DNA integrity (DNA damage or chromatin fragmentation), and circulating reproductive hormone levels. Despite a wide range of study designs and locations, measurement methods, and PCB exposure levels, reports of inverse associations between PCBs and sperm motility have been consistent which may suggest a lack of exposure threshold for a PCB-related effect on sperm motility. Several studies have also reported inverse associations between PCBs and circulating testosterone levels in men, though the specific form of testosterone (i.e. total, bound, or free testosterone) associated with exposure has not been fully consistent between studies. In conclusion, although PCBs are no longer used and can be considered a legacy chemical, concerns regarding altered male fertility in relation to PCBs remain due to the existing human data demonstrating inverse associations with markers of male reproductive function coupled with recent evidence for continued population exposure.
Hiroshima and 9/11: Linking memorials for peace

Utilizing theories from the field of collective memory, this article explores the meaning and implications behind the installation of a small origami crane folded by a Hiroshima bombing victim in the Tribute WTC Visitor Center in New York City. The Tribute WTC Visitor Center was established by the September 11th Families’ Association to commemorate the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The origami crane installed in 2007 at the Tribute WTC Visitor Center was folded in 1955 by Sadako Sasaki, a 12‐year‐old girl suffering from leukemia as a result of radiation exposure from the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima. The installation of this crane at the Tribute WTC Visitor Center presents an informative model of how collective memories of tragic events of global proportion may intersect today in new and creative ways. The overlapping of these memories, after these have been transformed, depoliticized and centered on the innocent victims and not the perpetrators, has the potential to create new meanings that n...
Contribution of Intestinal Barrier Damage, Microbial Translocation and HIV-1 Infection Status to an Inflammaging Signature

Background Systemic inflammation is a characteristic of both HIV-1 infection and aging (“inflammaging”). Intestinal epithelial barrier damage (IEBD) and microbial translocation (MT) contribute to HIV-associated inflammation, but their impact on inflammaging remains unclear. Methods Plasma biomarkers for IEBD (iFABP), MT (LPS, sCD14), T-cell activation (sCD27), and inflammation (hsCRP, IL-6) were measured in 88 HIV-1 uninfected (HIVneg) and 83 treated, HIV-1-infected (HIVpos) adults from 20–100 years old. Results Age positively correlated with iFABP (r = 0.284, p = 0.008), sCD14 (r = 0.646, p = <0.0001) and LPS (r = 0.421, p = 0.0002) levels in HIVneg but not HIVpos subjects. Age also correlated with sCD27, hsCRP, and IL-6 levels regardless of HIV status. Middle-aged HIVpos subjects had elevated plasma biomarker levels similar to or greater than those of elderly HIVneg subjects with the exception of sCD14. Clustering analysis described an inflammaging phenotype (IP) based on iFABP, sCD14, sCD27, and hsCRP levels in HIVneg subjects over 60 years of age. The IP in HIVneg subjects was used to develop a classification model that was applied to HIVpos subjects to determine whether HIVpos subjects under 60 years of age were IP+. HIVpos IP+ subjects were similar in age to IP- subjects but had a greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) based on Framingham risk score (p = 0.01). Conclusions We describe a novel IP that incorporates biomarkers of IEBD, MT, immune activation as well as inflammation. Application of this novel IP in HIV-infected subjects identified a group at higher risk of CVD.
Gaussian quadrature formulae with fixed nodes

Let N = ∑i = 1k (μi + 1) + ∑i = 1k mi and let {ui}i = 1N be an extended Chebysev system. Let μ1, μ2, …, μk be given odd positive integers and m1, m2, …, ms given even positive integers with corresponding fixed nodes x1 < x2 < ··· < xs in the interval (a, b). If L is a positive linear functional on U = span {ui}i = 1N, we prove that L has a unique representation of the form such that Q(p) = L(p) for all p ϵ U. Here a < t1 < t2 < ··· < tk < b. The proof combines use of the degree of a mapping with results from the theory of divided differences.
NONLINEAR RESPONSE OF A NON-ROTATING ROTOR BLADE TO A PERIODIC GUST

A rotating slotted cylinder (RSC) gust generator installed in the Duke University low speed wind tunnel was used to generate a gust excitation field, and the nonlinear response of a non-rotating flexible rotor blade to periodic gust excitations was studied theoretically and experimentally. The quantitative agreement between theory and experiment indicates that the assumption of an uniform chordwise gust angle of attack and an approximate solution procedure of the nonlinear equations are allowable for a high aspect ratio blade and the parameter range considered in this study. For a periodic gust flow field, the effects of geometric structural nonlinearity and aerodynamic nonlinearity on dynamic aeroelastic behavior are significant and lead to aperiodic or chaotic motion when stall occurs.
Novel treatment for triple-negative breast and ovarian cancer: endogenous opioid suppression of women's cancers

Breast and ovarian cancers are responsible for more than 500,000 female deaths worldwide each year. Fifteen percent of the 230,000 women in the USA diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 will have triple-negative breast cancer, a disease with few options for treatment, and a twofold greater mortality risk than other breast cancers. The OGF-OGF receptor pathway is present in these cancers, and regulates cell proliferation during homeostasis and disease. OGF is a tonically active peptide that inhibits DNA synthesis by upregulation of cyclin-dependent inhibitory kinases, without disrupting cell migration, differentiation or apoptosis. OGF receptor is a determinant in the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and can be genetically modified to alter neoplastic cell replication in vitro and in nude mice. Preclinical studies warrant the use of OGF alone, or in combination, for treatment of triple-negative breast and ovarian cancer patients.
Administrators as applied theorists

Effective administrators function as applied theorists by developing and using generalizable knowledge about programs related to their responsibilities as managers and leaders in organizational settings.
The self-concept of chiropractic students as science students

Purpose To determine the self-concepts of chiropractic students as science students and if any personal variable affect their self-concepts.
Topographically driven crustal flow and its implication to the development of pinned oroclines

Pinned oroclines, a type of curved orogen which results from lateral pinning of a growing fold-thrust belt, tend to resemble parabolic Newtonian curvature modified by different degrees of flattening at the flow front. It is proposed that such curves can be generated by Newtonian crustal flow driven by topographic variations. In this model, regional topographic differences create a regional flow which produces a parabolic flow front on interaction with lateral bounding obstacles. Local topographic variations modify the parabolic curves and yield more flat-crested, non-Newtonian-type curvatures. A finite-difference thin-skin tectonic simulation demonstrates that both Newtonian and non-Newtonian curved orogens can be produced within a Newtonian crust.
Piezoelectric energy harvesting through shear mode operation

Piezoelectric materials are excellent candidates for use in energy harvesting applications due to their high electromechanical coupling properties that enable them to convert input mechanical energy into useful electric power. The electromechanical coupling coefficient of the piezoelectric material is one of the most significant parameters affecting energy conversion and is dependent on the piezoelectric mode of operation. In most piezoceramics, the d15 piezoelectric shear coefficient is the highest coefficient compared to the commonly used axial and transverse modes that utilize the d33 and the d31 piezoelectric strain coefficients. However, complicated electroding methods and challenges in evaluating the performance of energy harvesting devices operating in the shear mode have slowed research in this area. The shear deformation of a piezoelectric layer can be induced in a vibrating sandwich beam with a piezoelectric core. Here, a model based on Timoshenko beam theory is developed to predict the electric power output from a cantilever piezoelectric sandwich beam under base excitations. It is shown that the energy harvester operating in the shear mode is able to generate ~50% more power compared to the transverse mode for a numerical case study. Reduced models of both shear and transverse energy harvesters are obtained to determine the optimal load resistance in the system and perform an efficiency comparison between two models with fixed and adaptive resistances.
Signals for Lorentz violation in post-Newtonian gravity

The pure-gravity sector of the minimal standard-model extension is studied in the limit of Riemann spacetime. A method is developed to extract the modified Einstein field equations in the limit of small metric fluctuations about the Minkowski vacuum, while allowing for the dynamics of the 20 independent coefficients for Lorentz violation. The linearized effective equations are solved to obtain the post-Newtonian metric. The corresponding post-Newtonian behavior of a perfect fluid is studied and applied to the gravitating many-body system. Illustrative examples of the methodology are provided using bumblebee models. The implications of the general theoretical results are studied for a variety of existing and proposed gravitational experiments, including lunar and satellite laser-ranging, laboratory experiments with gravimeters and torsion pendula, measurements of the spin precession of orbiting gyroscopes, timing studies of signals from binary pulsars, and the classic tests involving the perihelion precession and the time delay of light. For each type of experiment considered, estimates of the attainable sensitivities are provided. Numerous effects of local Lorentz violation can be studied in existing or near-future experiments at sensitivities ranging from parts in ${10}^{4}$ down to parts in ${10}^{15}$.
Quality of life after parotid-sparing IMRT for head-and-neck cancer: a prospective longitudinal study.

Abstract Purpose Parotid-sparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head-and-neck cancer reduces xerostomia compared with standard RT. To assess potential improvements in broader aspects of quality of life (QOL), we initiated a study of patient-reported QOL and its predictors after IMRT. Methods and materials This was a prospective longitudinal study of head-and-neck cancer patients receiving multisegmental static IMRT. Patients were given a validated xerostomia questionnaire (XQ), and a validated head-and-neck cancer-related QOL questionnaire consisting of four multi-item domains: Eating, Communication, Pain, and Emotion. The Eating domain contains one question (total of six) asking directly about xerostomia. In both questionnaires, higher scores denote worse symptoms or QOL. The questionnaires and measurements of salivary output from the major glands were completed before RT started (pre-RT) and at 3, 6, and 12 months after RT. The association between the QOL scores and patient-, tumor-, and therapy-related factors was assessed using the random effects model. Results Thirty-six patients participating in the study completed the questionnaires through 12 months. The XQ scores worsened significantly at 3 months compared with the pre-RT scores, but later they improved gradually through 12 months ( p = 0.003), in parallel with an increase in the salivary output from the spared salivary glands. The QOL summary scores were stable between the baseline (pre-RT) and 3 months after RT scores. Patients receiving postoperative RT (whose pre-RT questionnaires were taken a few weeks after surgery) tended to have improved scores after RT, reflecting the subsidence of acute postoperative sequelae, compared with a tendency toward worsened scores in patients receiving definitive RT. After 3 months, statistically significant improvement was noted in the summary QOL scores for all patients, through 12 months after RT ( p = 0.01). The salivary flow rates, tumor doses, mean oral cavity dose, age, gender, sites or stages of tumor, surgery, and use of chemotherapy were not associated with the QOL scores at any point. The mean dose to the parotid glands correlated with the QOL scores at 3 months ( p = 0.05) but not at other post-RT periods. The XQ and QOL summary scores did not correlate before RT but were significantly correlated at each post-RT point ( p r ) of 0.59, 0.72, and 0.67 at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. At these points, the XQ scores also correlated significantly with the scores of each of the individual QOL domains ( p ≤ 0.01), including the domains Pain and Emotion, which did not contain any xerostomia-related question. Conclusion After parotid-sparing IMRT, a statistically significant correlation was noted between patient-reported xerostomia and each of the domains of QOL: Eating, Communication, Pain, and Emotion. Both xerostomia and QOL scores improved significantly over time during the first year after therapy. These results suggest that the efforts to improve xerostomia using IMRT may yield improvements in broad aspects of QOL.
Interfacial structure of widmanstatten plates in a TiCr alloy

Abstract A TEM study was conducted of the interphase boundary structure of the two types of h.c.p. proeutectoid α plate formed in the b.c.c. β matrix of a hypoeutectoid Ti-7.15% Cr alloy. Ill-formed normal α plates were found to be partially coherent at their edges as well as along their broad faces. Misfit dislocations observed on the broad faces are of a-type, with Burgers vector a 3 〈11 2 0〉 α spaced 20 nm apart, and on the edges are of c + a-type with b = a 3 〈11 2 3〉 α and 89 nm apart. Very well formed black plates, developed at lower reaction temperatures, exhibit an interdislocation spacing of ca 35 nm on their broad faces. 0-lattice analysis indicates that the broad faces of neither morphology correspond to the b.c.c.:h.c.p. boundary with the smallest structural component of interfacial energy. This analysis also suggests that second arrays of misfit dislocations were absent because they are either too closely spaced or lie at too small an angle to the first arrays. The average spacing between the growth ledges on the broad faces of black plates is markedly greater than that on the broad faces of normal α plates, consistently with their smaller thickness/length ratio and higher lengthening rate.
Membrane Lipids of B16 Melanoma Cells and Heat-resistant Variants

SummaryMembrane lipid composition and fluidity of a series of B16 melanoma cell variants with increased resistance to heat were analysed for changes within the lipid component that may contribute to the acquisition of heat resistance. Within one series of heat-resistant lines the cholesterol content of the cells decreased as their heat resistance increased. The most heat-resistant line, WH75, had 40 per cent less cholesterol than the parent line. No change in the composition of phospholipid fatty acids was found. An increased level of membrane fluidity in WH75 was demonstrated by electron paramagnetic resonance using 5- or 12-doxyl stearic acid. When challenged by heat the increase in membrane fluidity was similar for WH75 and for the parent line. Thus the increased heat resistance of the variants is probably not due to their ability to adapt to heat challenge by increasing membrane thermostability. The inverse relationship between heat resistance and cholesterol content was not demonstrated in two other ...
Cineradiographic assessment of combined island flap pushback and pharyngeal flap in the surgical management of submucous cleft palate

Summary The application of cineradiographic analysis to the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cleft palate speech is presented. Posterior displacement of the levator veli palatini insertion is essential in the surgical correction of velopharyngeal incompetence.
Adenovirally encoded prohormone convertase-1 functions in atrial myocyte large dense core vesicles

Bioactive peptides are usually synthesized as inactive precursor proteins that yield bioactive products only after specific biosynthetic processing events. Large dense core vesicles (LDCV) are usually the site of storage of mature peptides. Atrial myocyte LDCV are rather unique in their storage of intact prohormone, proatrial natriuretic factor (pro-ANF), with no storage of cleaved products. To investigate whether the lack of intracellular cleavage of pro-ANF is due to the absence of prohormone convertases (PCs) from the atrial granules or to other factors, we expressed PC1 in atrial myocyte cultures using a recombinant adenovirus vector. Pro-PC1 protein was processed to mature PC1 and to the COOH-terminally shortened neuroendocrine-specific form of PC1 and rapidly secreted. Integral membrane forms of peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM) were processed by PC1, and two primary products were secreted: a monofunctional monooxygenase and a larger bifunctional form. The cleaved PAM products were stored in LDCV, as secretion of PAM-derived products was stimulatable. In addition, pro-ANF was processed to ANF within PC1-expressing cells. In primary atrial myocytes, virally encoded PC1 is active on three substrates; lack of cleavage of pro-ANF and PAM in atrial myocytes is not due to a fundamental inability of atrial LDCV to support endoproteolytic processing.
Effects of Carrier Material and Design on Microalgae Attachment for Biofuel Manufacturing: A Literature Review

Continuous use of petroleum derived fuels is widely recognized as unsustainable due to depleting supplies and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the environment. Renewable, carbon neutral transport fuels are needed for environmental and economic sustainabilities. Algae have been demonstrated to be one of the most promising sources for biofuel production. However, large-scale algae production and harvesting for energy manufacturing are too costly using existing methods. The approach of growing algae on solid carriers is innovative and can potentially lead to cost-effective manufacturing of algae biofuels. As cells approach to the solid surface, many factors come in to influence microbial attachment such as the surface wettability, free energy, polarity, roughness and topography. Surface wettability plays an important role in the initial cell attachment. For further contact, surface free energy and polarity are more directly related to cell-substratum attachment strength. Surface roughness and texture are species-specific parameters and have been applied widely in attachment studies.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Spinal tumors in children: long-term retrospective evaluation of a series of 134 cases treated in a single unit of pediatric neurosurgery.

Abstract Background context Spinal tumors in childhood are rare and heterogeneous, and their treatment is very demanding. It is necessary to both manage the disease and preserve the spinal stability so that the spine can grow normally. As a consequence, results in terms of both mortality and morbidity are often suboptimal. Purpose The results of a single pediatric neurosurgery institution are reported to highlight the peculiarities and pitfalls of the management of this disease. Tumors are analyzed from the point of view of their localization, histology, and outcome in terms of mortality and morbidity, with a special focus on postoperative spinal deformity. Study design The study design was retrospective. Patient sample Between 1995 and 2011, 134 children (75 males and 59 females) were admitted for spinal tumors, accounting for 7.7% of all the patients admitted for central nervous system malignancies. The mean age was 8.5 years (14 days–26 years), and the mean follow-up was 28 months (3 months–13 years). Outcome measures Clinical and radiological outcomes were evaluated to assess mortality, morbidity, and surgical outcomes. A special interest was directed toward morbidity related to spinal deformity and neurologic deficits. Methods Patients were divided into four groups: intramedullary (46 patients), intradural extramedullary (25 patients), extradural (53 patients), and paravertebral tumors (10 patients). Data were obtained retrospectively from medical records and radiological archives. Results Low-grade glioma was the most common histology (14.1%). One hundred seventeen patients were surgically treated, with a total of 138 surgical procedures. A posterior approach was chosen in 111 cases, with osteoplastic laminotomy in 80. Radiotherapy was administered to 22 patients and chemotherapy to 26. At the last follow-up, 16 patients (11.9%) had died. A good control of the tumor with clinical improvement was reported in 100 patients (74.6%). Five patients developed a spinal instability (3.7%). Conclusions The goals of surgery should be histology, spine and nerve root decompression, and preservation of spinal stability. In our experience, osteoplastic laminotomy was a good surgical approach to perform the resection of the tumor with a low risk of secondary spinal instability.
Transition and Assistive Technology Planning with Families Across Cultures

Effective assistive technology transition planning for adolescents and adults with disabilities cannot occur without careful consideration of family and cultural factors. Using the language of the IDEA, the position is taken that successful transition planning requires family participation, consideration of the communication needs of adolescents and young adults with disabilities, and decisions regarding which assistive technology devices and services are required. A range of issues is explored pertaining to transition planning, including (a) independence for the adolescent or young adult desired by the family, (b) rules of acceptance, (c) needs for information, (d) changes in family routines, and (e) family and child life experiences. The importance of related assistive technology issues to training is discussed with particular emphasis on dimensions of relevance and specificity, family and cultural sensitivity, duration and intensity, and user-friendliness.
Coriolis-Coupled Quantum Dynamics for O(1D) + H2 → OH + H†

The O(1D) + H2 → OH + H reaction has been studied with a time-dependent wave packet method for total angular momenta J = 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30. Total reaction probabilities from calculations in which the Coriolis coupling terms (CC) in the Hamiltonian are included are compared with those from calculations in which the Helicity−Conserving (HC) approximation is employed. The calculations were performed combining a real wave packet method with the Coriolis-coupled method on parallel computers. At low values of J, the CC reaction probabilities are somewhat smaller than the HC results; the agreement between the two methods improves, however, as J increases. For this reaction, the HC approximation should yield accurate estimates of the reaction cross section and rate constants. However, because reactive collisions involve a high degree of Coriolis mixing, it is very likely that inclusion of these terms will affect calculation of less averaged quantities such as the differential cross section or OH interna...
Precision high-speed neutron activation analysis via very short-lived activities

An automated, highly reproducible fast-transfer system (0.36±0.01 sec) has been developed, an oscillator/multichannel-scaling system has been developed to follow rapidly-changing spectrometer dead-times, the mathematics has been developed, and the data processing steps have been computerized. Three induced activities have been studied in some detail:207mPb (0.80 sec),38mCl (0.70 sec) and20F (11.03 sec). Both steady-state and high-intensity pulsed reactor irradiations, with and without a Cd liner, have been used. The dead-time correction method has been carefully checked, and the overall method has been tested by the analysis of two NBS Standard Reference Materials: orchard leaves (for Cl and Pb) and bovine liver (for Cl).
Toxoplasmosis in the fetus and newborn: an update on prevalence, diagnosis and treatment

Toxoplasma gondii is an unicellular coccidian parasite with worldwide distribution. It is estimated that more than a third of the world’s population has been infected with the parasite, but seroprevalence is unevenly distributed across countries and different socioeconomic strata. The majority of newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis do not have any clinical signs of the disease at birth; however, 30–70% of those with clinical abnormalities were not detected initially, and are found to have new retinal lesions consistent with toxoplasmicchorioretinitis later in life. Congenital toxoplasmosis can also cause fetal death, stillbirths or long-term disabling sequelae, particularly among untreated infants. The disease appears to be more frequent and severe at certain latitudes. Congenital toxoplasmosis can be prevented and treated during gestation. Less severe disease is commonly reported in countries where prenatal screening and treatment have been systematically implemented. By contrast, severe disease appears to be observed primarily in infants born to untreated mothers. For definition purposes, it is best to use the term toxoplasma or Toxoplasma gondii infection when referring to asymptomatic patients with primary or chronic infection, and toxoplasmosis when referring to patients with symptoms or signs.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 and Angiotensin-(1-7). An Evolving Story in Cardiovascular Regulation

This lecture summarizes the chronology and rationale that led to the discovery of angiotensin-(1-7) as a hormone that, in its own right, opposes the vasoconstrictor and proliferative actions of angiotensin II. The work discussed here additionally analyzes the newest findings on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the angiotensin-converting enzyme homologue that efficiently hydrolyzes angiotensin II into angiotensin-(1-7). Both components of this system may significantly influence our future perspective of the role of the renin-angiotensin system, not just in terms of its role in the regulation of cardiovascular and renal function but, moreover, as regulators of a vast array of disease processes in which inflammation and immune mechanisms play a role.
Surface Heterogeneity Issues in Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture

In advance of two upcoming soil moisture satellite missions, it is important to improve our understanding of the error sources associated with satellite-based soil moisture retrievals. Uncertainties in remotely-sensed soil moisture estimates can be attributed to many factors, including errors in measured brightness temperatures and input parameters, deficiencies of the radiative transfer scheme and variability of surface conditions within a satellite footprint. The purpose of this study is to quantify the magnitude of scaling errors attributable to heterogeneity within a satellite footprint of soil and vegetation properties and to present a method to reduce these errors. We address this problem using simulated single-frequency, single-polarization passive L-band microwave observations for an agricultural region of the United States.
Stable Properties of Spontaneous EPSCs and Miniature Retinal EPSCs during the Development of ON/OFF Sublamination in the Ferret Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

Retinal projections to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in ferrets progressively segregate into eye-specific laminae and subsequently into sublaminae that receive inputs from either ON-center or OFF-center afferents. To study the development of synaptic efficacy during a period of activity-dependent growth and reorganization in the CNS, we recorded spontaneous EPSCs (sEPSCs) from cells of the LGN during ON/OFF sublamination. We also examined retinal inputs specifically by stimulating the optic tract in the presence of strontium and recording evoked miniature EPSCs (emEPSCs). The rise times, areas, half-widths, and decay times of sEPSCs and emEPSCs and interevent intervals of sEPSCs recorded at the beginning of ON/OFF sublamination were not different from those recorded after its completion. Typically EPSC areas were small (10–20 fC) but varied greatly both within and between neurons. The frequency of sEPSCs was also quite variable, ranging from 0.2 to 5 Hz. sEPSCs were equivalent to miniature EPSCs recorded in the presence of tetrodotoxin, and both sEPSCs and emEPSCs were CNQX-sensitive. No difference was observed between sEPSCs recorded at room temperature and those recorded at 34°C, and strontium could be substituted for calcium with no effect on sEPSC shape. These data argue for a remarkable stability in the components of at least AMPA-mediated synaptic transmission during a period of major synaptic rearrangement in the LGN.
Sry induces cell proliferation in the mouse gonad

Sry is the only gene on the Y chromosome that is required for testis formation in mammals. One of the earliest morphological changes that occurs as a result of Sry expression is a size increase of the rudimentary XY gonad relative to the XX gonad. Using 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation to label dividing cells, we found that the size increase corresponds with a dramatic increase in somatic cell proliferation in XY gonads, which is not detected in XX gonads. This male-specific proliferation was observed initially in the cells of the coelomic epithelium and occurred in two distinct stages. During the first stage, proliferation in the XY gonad was observed largely in SF1-positive cells and contributed to the Sertoli cell population. During the second stage, proliferation was observed in SF1-negative cells at and below the coelomic epithelium and did not give rise to Sertoli cells. Both stages of proliferation were dependent on Sry and independent of any other genetic differences between male and female gonads, such as X chromosome dosage or other genes on the Y chromosome. The increase in cell proliferation began less than 24 hours after the onset of Sry expression, before the establishment of male-specific gene expression patterns, and before the appearance of any other known male-specific morphological changes in the XY gonad. Therefore, an increase in cell proliferation in the male coelomic epithelium is the earliest identified effect of Sry expression.