cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dandelion Effect: Treat the Whole Lawn or Weed Selectively?

postoperative amifostine / chemoradiotherapy in head and neck cancer. Is there evidence for radioprotection? Strahlenther Onkol 179:385-389, 2003 8. Buentzel J, Micke O, Adamietz IA, et al: Intravenous amifostine during chemoradiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer: A randomized placebo-controlled phase III study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 64:684-691, 2006 9. Haddad R, Sonis S, Posner M, et al: Randomized phase 2 study of concomitant chemotherapy using weekly carboplatin/paclitaxel with or without daily subcutaneous amifostine in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. Cancer 115:4514-4523, 2009 10. Hey J, Setz J, Gerlach R, et al: Effect of cisplatin on parotid gland function in concomitant radiochemotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 75:1475-1480, 2009 11. Eisbruch A, Kim HM, Terrell JE, et al: Xerostomia and its predictors following parotid-sparing irradiation of head-and-neck cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 50:695-704, 2001 12. Rudat V, Munter M, Rades D, et al: The effect of amifostine or IMRT to preserve the parotid function after radiotherapy of the head and neck region measured by quantitative salivary gland scintigraphy. Radiother Oncol 89:71-80, 2008 13. Braaksma M, Levendag P: Tools for optimal tissue sparing in concomitant chemoradiation of advanced head and neck cancer: subcutaneous amifostine and computed tomography-based target delineation. Semin Oncol 29:63-70, 2002 (6 suppl 19) 14. Brizel DM, Murphy BA, Rosenthal DI, et al: Phase II study of palifermin and concurrent chemoradiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 26:2489-2496, 2008 15. Finch PW, Rubin JS: Keratinocyte growth factor expression and activity in cancer: Implications for use in patients with solid tumors. J Natl Cancer Inst 98:812-824, 2006 16. Feng FY, Kim HM, Lyden TH, et al: Intensity-modulated chemoradiotherapy aiming to reduce dysphagia in patients with oropharyngeal cancer: Clinical and functional results. J Clin Oncol 28:2732-2738, 2010 17. Bonner JA, Harari PM, Giralt J, et al: Radiotherapy plus cetuximab for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. N Engl J Med 354:567-578, 2006 18. Pryor DI, Porceddu SV, Burmeister BH, et al: Enhanced toxicity with concurrent cetuximab and radiotherapy in head and neck cancer. Radiother Oncol 90:172-176, 2009 19. Ang KK, Harris J, Wheeler R, et al: Human papillomavirus and survival of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med 363:24-35, 2010
Hox proteins activate the IGFBP-1 promoter and suppress the function of hPR in human endometrial cells

Previous studies have shown that progestin activates the transcription of IGFBP-1 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1). Four regions in the IGFBP-1 promotor have been identified to enhance the transcription. Two of the regions, located at -73 to -65 bp and -319 to -311 bp formed identical DNA-protein complexes with the nuclear extracts of endometrial stromal/decidual cells. To identify the binding protein(s) in endometrial cells that interact with these two regions, we have used the TGTCAATTA repeats (-319 to -11 bp of the IGFBP-1 promoter) to screen the human decidual cDNA library by yeast one-hybrid system. We found that Hox A10, HoxA11, HoxB2, HoxB4, and HoxD11 interacted with the TGTCAATTA repeats in yeast cells. Among these hox genes, the full-length coding region of HoxA10, HoxA11, and HoxB4 were used for functional analysis in three types of endometrial cells, undifferentiated endometrial stromal cells, decidual cells (differentiated stromal cells) and endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line...
Strategic Project Evaluation

In this article the author describes a project evaluation tool that has been adapted by Portland State University Library. A project evaluation tool is used to prioritize an organization's projects and strategic initiatives. In any organization, projects and strategic initiatives compete for limited human and financial resources. Librarians can use this tool to critically and objectively analyze competing projects and select and prioritize only those that make the greatest impact.
Relative state selective capture cross sections for low energy collisions between highly charged bare ions and neutral atoms

Abstract Relative state selective ( n ) single electron capture cross sections are calculated for low energy collisions involving bare oxygen and nitrogen ions and neutral H and O, using a three body classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method. The population of states are studied as a function of relative collision speed and ionization potential of the active target electron, and compared with other theoretical calculations and experimental data.
Single-neutron excitations in neutron-rich N = 51 nuclei

Single-neutron transfer reactions have been measured on two N = 50 isotones at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF). The single-particle-like states of 83Ge and 85Se have been populated using radioactive ion beams of 82Ge and 84Se and the (d, p) reaction in inverse kinematics. The properties of the lowest-lying states —including excitation energies, orbital angular momenta, and spectroscopic factors— have been determined for these N = 51 nuclei.
RNA backbone rotamers – finding your way in seven dimensions

Despite the importance of local structural detail for a mechanistic understanding of RNA catalysis and binding functions, RNA backbone conformation has been recalcitrant to analysis. There are too many variable dihedral angles per residue, and their raw empirical distributions are poorly clustered. This study applies quality-filtering techniques (using resolution, crystallographic B factor and all-atom-steric clashes) to the backbone dihedral angle distributions from a selected 8636 residue RNA database. With noise levels significantly decreased, clear signal appears for the underlying angle preferences. We analyse the multidimensional backbone dihedral distributions within sugar-to-sugar ‘suites’ rather than chemical residues due to the greater base interaction and steric interdependence within the suite. The final result is a small library of RNA backbone rotamers, each represented by a data cluster in seven-dimensional dihedral space, which should provide valid conformations for nearly all RNA backbones encountered in experimental structures. We are in the process of improving that library, and developing tools and applications for it in structure determination and analysis.
Echocardiographic recognition of ventricular septai, aneurysm ‐ A case report

The noninvasive detection of an aneurysm of the interventricular septum may be predictive of spontaneous closure of a ventricular septal defect. Moreover, in patients with audible systolic clicks the distinction must be made between septal aneurysm and mitral valve prolapse. The current report describes the echocardiographic visualization and pattern of motion of an aneurysm of the membranous ventricular septum. The diagnosis was made by both single crystal and real-time cross-sectional, multiple crystal ultrasound techniques prior to catheterization. These findings form the basis of the present study.
Pharmacologic approaches for the treatment of chronic insomnia

Insomnia is a common problem that for many sufferers persists chronically and may result from a wide range of causes. Specific treatments address particular underlying medical disorders. General therapeutic approaches, including pharmacologic and behavioral strategies, may have broad applicability to insomnia patients. Many different medications and substances have been used in an attempt to improve sleep. This article reviews the advantages and disadvantages of medications and other substances employed to promote improved sleep. Special emphasis is given to the use of the newer-generation benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics.
Isolation and proof of structure of wildfire toxin.

For two decades wildfire toxin has attracted attention because of its curious biological and chemical properties. Its structure, reported here for the first time, may be a clue to its mode of action: it is one of the few naturally occurring β-lactams.
Electron-atom scattering in a resonant laser field

Dressed states of an atom in a classical laser field of frequency close to an atomic transition frequency are obtained, which are a considerable improvement over the usual two-level rotating-wave approximation. These wave functions are used in a calculation of the cross section for elastic electron-atom scattering in a laser field. Numerical calculations for electron-hydrogen scattering demonstrate that scattering involving absorption or emission of photons can be strongly influenced by coupling to the nonresonant states, regardless of the field strength. Inclusion of the counter-rotating terms in the calculation is shown to be essential for extending the applicability of the theory to scattering in nonresonant fields, where a first-order perturbation-theoretic treatment of the atom-field interaction would be expected to be quite justified.
HfO2 and Ta2O5 as grain growth inhibitors in Eu2O3

Abstract Because of the high neutron capture cross section for five consecutive europium isotopes, Eu 2 O 3 is of interest as a control material for nuclear reactors. A tendency toward excessive grain growth degrades its mechanical properties. Small amounts of HfO 2 and Ta 2 O 5 were added to the Eu 2 O 3 in attempts to suppress this grain growth. Three at % substitution of Hf for
Stability of the earth's neutral sheet

Abstract The stability of the Earth's neutral sheet is analyzed. It is found that for conditions just prior to substorm expansion onset, the cross-field current instability (CFCI) can be triggered. Numerical solution of the dispersion equation shows that the CFCI has a growth time comparable to the substorm onset time. The excited waves have a mixed polarization in the lower hybrid frequency range and propagate obliquely to the local magnetic field. The ensuing turbulence of this instability can lead to a reduction of the cross-tail current and the formation of a substorm current wedge as observed. The CFCI is driven by neutral sheet ions becoming unmagnetized and accelerated by the cross-tail electric field. Heating of both ions and electrons is anticipated from this instability. The scenario for substorm development based on this mechanism is proposed which can account for the skew in local time of substorm onsets, the three conditions in the solar wind under which substorm onsets are observed, pseudo-breakups prior to substorm onsets, local time expansion of the substorm current wedge with discrete westward jump for the evening expansion, and tailward spreading of the current reduction region.
Applied Heat Flux Distribution and Time Response Effects on Cone Calorimeter Characterization of a Commercial Flexible Polyurethane Foam

The burning behavior of a commercial flexible polyurethane foam has been studied in a cone calorimeter using standard ASTM procedures. It is shown that burning takes place in two distinct stages, with the first primarily due to the release of species derived from the isocyanate used in the manufacture of the foam and the second due to species derived from the polyether component. Experiments showed that approximately 40% of the original foam mass is lost during the first burning stage. Due to the low density and high flammability of the foam, burning takes place at a high rate, and experimental times are relatively short. As a result, the heat release rates measured by the cone calorimeter are distorted by the non-uniform heat flux distribution of the cone heater over the sample volume and the instrument’s finite time response. Two heat release models were developed and applied to approximately correct for the effects of finite time response and non-uniform heat flux distribution. Values reported include mass loss rate, heat release rate, heat of combustion, and heat of gasification for each of the burning stages. The measurement results are compared with earlier published findings for similar foams. The results are found to fall into two distinct classes with different heat release rate behaviors. Possible reasons for the differences are discussed.
Northern fur seal thermoregulation: Thermal responses to pelagic conditions

Abstract 1. 1.|Temperatures were measured at 11 sites representing the hindflipper, trunk periphery, and core in six northern fur seals after they had been shot and brought aboard the ship. 2. 2.|Intrathoracic temperature (37.4 ± 0.6°C) was at the expected level, however reduced rectal (35.8 ± 1.1°C) and sub-blubber (32.9 ± 1.1°C) temperatures reflect a decrease in peripheral temperature during long term exposure to 7.7 ± 0.3°C sea water. Hindflippers were uniformly cool (10.2 ± 1.1°C) suggesting the operation of a physiological heat conserving mechanism (vasoconstriction).
Optical signal processing using semiconductor optical amplifiers and applications to packet and burst switching

In this talk we review functions for optical packet and burst switching networks and the all-optical signal processing technologies that can be used to implement these functions. Research utilizing ultra-fast all-optical nonlinear fiber wavelength converters and InP integrated optical wavelength converters will be discussed as well as application to all-optical label swapping and WDM/OTDM networks.
Increasing hadron-nucleus cross sections and cosmic ray muon Zenithal variations

Abstract Ground-level muon intensities have been calculated using both a constant and an energy-dependent inelastic cross section for hadron-nucleus interactions. The use of the energy-dependent cross section reduces the muon intensities significantly at high muon energies but has very little effect on the zenithal enhancements.
Overview of Ultrasound Imaging Algorithms Based on Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique

Synthetic aperture focusing ultrasound imaging technique used signal processing method to analysis ultrasonic echo data. It let the performance of transducer with small apertures be as well as the transducer with large aperture. It can still obtain high azimuth resolution image and form three-dimensional image, when it was operated at lower operating frequency. This paper describes the history and the theory of synthetic aperture focusing ultrasound imaging technology. It also contains the development of the synthetic aperture focusing ultrasound imaging technology in China and at abroad. And lots of excellent synthetic aperture focusing ultrasound imaging algorithms were listed in this paper. We analyzed the deficiencies and problems of the existing ultrasound focusing algorithms. And we made forecast about the development of synthetic aperture technology in nondestructive testing.
Job–Family Role Strain Among Low-Wage Workers

This exploratory study aimed to identify the personal, family, and job characteristics associated with low-wage employees’ job–family role strain. Data were collected from both English and non-English speaking workers at one hotel site. Multivariate data analyses revealed that different sets of circumstances create job–family strain for employees. Supervisor support was independently associated with two of the three job–family strain variables while other job factors emerged as significant when interacting with demographic variables. Findings suggest that structural factors associated with managing work and family responsibilities may more accurately measure job–family role strain for this worker population. The study provides further evidence that the concept of job–family role strain is inherently complex, warranting further investigation, especially for employees in low-wage earning jobs.
From the Editor: Changes at Interfaces

Iwould like to bring to your attention several important changes that have taken place over the last few months. First, you may have noticed that we have changed the tagline for Interfaces from “An International Journal of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences,” to “The INFORMS Journal on the Practice of Operations Research.” I feel this is much more descriptive of the mission of Interfaces and the role it plays in the profession. My thanks go to Bruce Golden of the University of Maryland for suggesting the change. Second, my colleague Uday Rao of the University of Cincinnati has served as deputy editor since 2005. Uday has decided to step down because of an increase in his other responsibilities. Uday, thank you for your service to this journal. Mike Gorman of the University of Dayton has joined the board as new deputy editor. Welcome aboard, Mike. Finally, Candi Gerzevitz has been the production editor throughout my tenure as editor in chief. Candi, I appreciate the superb job you have done in tending to all the details to make sure that the journal gets to and through production and into readers’ hands. Working with you over the last four years has been an absolute pleasure. Best of luck to you with your new assignments with INFORMS. Stephanie Trickey is the new production editor for Interfaces. Stephanie has hit the ground running and we welcome her to the team.
Colorectal carcinoma. Evidence for circulating CEA-anti-CEA complexes.

Significant increments in measurable plasma CEA were effected by 2.5 M MgCl2 elution from putative circulating CEA–anti-CEA complexes in 11 of 15 patients with disseminated colorectal cancer and in five of ten patients with a high probability of having subclinical disease (Dukes' C category). Following 2.5 M MgCl2 elution, IgG from a patient with a high CEA increment effected a higher specific binding to 125I-CEA than a similar IgG eluate from a patient with a negligible increment in measurable CEA. These data suggest that CEA is autoimmunogenic and may result in circulating CEA–anti-CEA complex formation. The clinical implications of such complexes in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with colorectal cancer remain to be determined. Cancer 52:146-149, 1983.
Early Days of Circuit Placement

In this talk, we will give a brief survey of circuit placement techniques in the early days of EDA. We will present the main contributions by Prof. Kurt Antreich on circuit placement, focusing on the classical works GORDIAN and DOMINO.
Market Reactions to XBRL-Formatted Financial Information: Empirical Evidence from China

XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) facilitates the efficient processing/interpreting of corporate financial information by investors. This paper examines market reactions to financial statement filings in China in the period before and after the XBRL mandate in China to assess the extent to which XBRL may impact the processing of financial information. It finds that absolute price reactions of financial statement filings are larger (smaller) in the post-XBRL (pre-XBRL) period. This result holds for the cumulative 3-day window surrounding filings, as well as for each individual day during the event window. This paper also finds similar results for the average volume of trading around these event windows. Consistent with its expectations, its findings suggest XBRL financial statements play a significant role in investors' decision making process.
A New ILS Algorithm for Cast Planning Problem in Steel Industry

Cast planning is a practical problem frequently encountered in steel industry. Its task is to group charges into batches (casts) with respect to the similarities of steel-grade and dimensions between charges, taking account of the practical technique constraints on life-span of tundish. Effective cast planning can reduce the changeover cost of charges and enhance the productivity of continuous casters. The objective under our consideration is to minimize the total dissimilarity costs between the charges in the same casts, to minimize the number of casts and the number of unselected charges. A quadratic integer programming model with multiple objectives for this problem is formulated. It is NP-complete, and so an iterated local search (ILS) algorithm is developed for the problem. In this algorithm, cyclic transfer neighborhood is adopted, in which several charges are transferred among casts simultaneously as a manner of cycle. A new kick strategy is developed with the idea of assigning charges to different casts according to the dissimilarity costs between them and the casts’ central charges identified by the current solution. Computational results using real data from an advanced iron & steel company in China indicate that the ILS algorithm provides optimal solutions for small instances, and better near-optimal solutions for larger instances compared with a linear solver, Lingo 8.0, used to solve the equivalent linear integer programming obtained by transforming the original model. Totally, 92.3% of the instances are solved to global optima by the ILS algorithm while it is possible that the other 9.7% instances also are solved to optimal, which indicates the efficiency of the algorithm. At the same time, the algorithm also provides better solutions than the ones obtained by the current system used in the company.
Cutting the Old Woman Meteorite

In June 1977, the second largest U.S. meteorite was removed from the Old Woman Mountains of southeastern California by the Smithsonian Institution. A large amount of publicity accompanied the removal because of ownership claims by the prospectors who discovered the meteorite and because of demands by Californians that the meteorite be exhibited in California. The 10 largest U.S. meteorites discovered in or west of the Rocky Mountains are presently all exhibited in museums east of the Mississippi. The California congressional delegation became involved in presenting the case for retaining the meteorite in California, and finally, the Department of Interior announced that ‘with the concurrence of the Smithsonian Institution the Old Woman Meteorite would remain in California’ and ‘details of the maintenance and research arrangements would be worked out with the State of California.’ In this letter I want to discuss the Smithsonian's decision that about one-third (1 ton) of the meteorite is required for scientific study.
Identifying opportunities for conservation embedded in cropland anthromes

Anthromes characterize terrestrial ecological patterns in terms of human populations and how these populations use the land. However, data are needed to assess the conservation value of habitats embedded in anthromes, particularly when possible conservation opportunities do not reflect the traditional focus of conservation in a region. One such region is the central Great Plains of North America where the grassland biome has been replaced by a cropland anthrome with a landscape mosaic dominated by arable crops with small patches of grass and woody cover embedded within. Grassland birds have been the primary focus of avian conservation research and practice, a reflection of the biome classification. Yet conservation of other bird species may be a missed conservation opportunity better identified via anthromes. In this project we evaluated the variation in abundance of shrubland and open forest birds in response to heterogeneity and availability of woody and grass cover at local (100 m) and landscape (5,000 m) scales. We found that local heterogeneity, a trait of croplands not grasslands, was the best predictor of abundance, with five species of conservation concern more abundant in heterogeneous sites. There was limited response to woody cover and a mixed response across scale to grassland cover with local response positive and landscape negative. These data suggest that increasing heterogeneity in the Great Plains cropland anthrome may provide a unique conservation opportunity. In particular, farm systems have the capacity to complement regional species conservation efforts by increasing heterogeneity. Importantly these conservation efforts may not come at the expense of grassland bird conservation or crop production. The limited response to extensive grassland cover at the larger scale suggests that in Great Plains agroecosystems, a diverse mix of crops, pasture, and linear habitats would allow farmers to continue to produce food while contributing to the conservation of species of concern.
Type 1 and 2 generalized morphological operators

We present Type 1 and 2 Generalized Morphological operators. We also present and prove the properties of these operators. Generalized operators are useful when multiple characteristics of the geometric patterns are used for analysis. These multiple patterns are encoded via Partitioned Structuring Elements.
The importance of communication, from teddy bears to type 1 diabetes.

(1999). The Importance of Communication, From Teddy Bears to Type 1 Diabetes. Journal of American College Health: Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 45-46.
Unidirectional Cross‐tolerance from Levetiracetam to Carbamazepine in Amygdala‐kindled Seizures

Summary: Purpose: Tolerance is a potential problem in long-term anticonvulsant therapy of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and neuropathic pain. The present study was designed to determine whether cross-tolerance occurs between levetiracetam (LEV) and carbamazepine (CBZ) in amygdala-kindled rats. Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats were implanted with an electrode into the left amygdala. While kindling stimulation was started, animals received repeated treatment (i.p.) with saline (n = 7) or LEV (150 mg/kg, n = 8). Saline-injected rats were subsequently challenged with a single dose of 150 mg/kg LEV when full kindling developed (stage ≥4). Both groups of rats were then administered long-term CBZ (5 mg/kg) until rats developed complete tolerance. All CBZ-tolerant rats were subsequently reexposed to LEV (150 mg/kg) for an additional 10 consecutive days. Results: Repeated LEV treatment significantly suppressed the increase in seizure stage, seizure duration, and afterdischarge duration induced by amygdala stimulation, markedly increasing the number of stimulations to achieve a kindling major motor seizure. The LEV challenge produced a more robust suppression of seizure stage in saline-injected rats compared with LEV-treated animals. CBZ treatment markedly suppressed fully kindled seizures in rats initially injected with saline, and then anticonvulsant tolerance rapidly developed after 3–4 days of repeated treatment. In contrast, rats that had initially received repeated LEV treatment did not show a response to treatment with CBZ (5 mg/kg). When CBZ-tolerant rats were subsequently exposed to LEV (150 mg/kg), noticeable anticonvulsant effects were observed; but these were gradually lost with increasing numbers of LEV exposures. Conclusions: Whereas LEV shows potent antiepileptogenic and anticonvulsant effects in amygdala-kindled rats, its repeated treatment induces anticonvulsant tolerance and unidirectional cross-tolerance to CBZ. In contrast, anticonvulsant tolerance to CBZ does not transfer to LEV. The mechanistic implications of the present results for clinical therapeutics remain to be evaluated.
Thermodynamic equations for a black planet with nearest-neighbour surface Carnot interaction

This approach provides a quantitative description of the work efficiency of a compound system that has a natural separation between entropy-producing channels and the zero-entropy channel. Within this model we obtain a generalization of the concept of Carnot efficiency no longer between two infinite reservoirs but for a structure that has an internal dynamics put into motion by an external heat source.
Isotope tracing of siberian river water in the Arctic Ocean

Abstract Measurements of tritium and 18 O in waters on the Siberian shelf indicate residence times of 3–6 years. The circulation in the Arctic basin is counterclockwise with about a 10 year residence time scale.
Postmenopausal skin and estrogen

The aging global population continues to drive increasing demand for cosmaceuticals and cosmetic surgery among older men and women. Since the discovery in the 1990s that estrogen receptors are present in skin cells and decline in number from the onset of menopause in women, researchers have explored a number of ways in which estrogen can improve skin condition. Skin is estrogen responsive, and several studies now exist to support the antiaging properties of estrogen replacement therapies in postmenopausal women. Both systemic and topical estrogens appear to have positive effects on hormonal aging, increasing skin collagen content, thickness, elasticity and hydration. Estrogen therapies may also improve wound healing and reduce the incidence of wound complications. This review explores the potential for targeted estrogen replacement as a therapeutic option for long-term skin management in postmenopausal women.
Priorities in perioperative geriatrics.

T he aging of the baby-boom population and the decreases in adult mortality seen in the last few decades will dramatically increase the age of Americans between 2010 and 2030. During that time, the population older than age 65 yr is expected to grow by 75%, whereas between 1995 and 2050, the cumulative growth of the population older than 85 yr is expected to exceed 400% (1). Furthermore, it has been reported that the increased demand for surgery in this population may exceed the rate of population growth (2). The implications of an aging population for the practice of anesthesiology are profound. Age-related changes in physiology and pharmacology can affect every aspect of perioperative care. The changes in surgical demographics will compel the anesthesiologist to become familiar with the physiology and clinical care of the aged. This review will serve as an introduction. First, some of the physiologic changes that occur with aging will be presented. Second, the preoperative assessment of the older surgical patient will be discussed. Third, some of the research related to intraoperative management of the geriatric surgical patient will be described. In the fourth section, we will discuss some geriatric-specific issues related to postoperative management.
Collaborative knowledge-integration systems: a tool for AEC design, management, and coordination

: This paper describes a formal, unified methodology for design and management in order to facilitate AEC collaboration. Issues related to the AEC industry pave the way for a description of the collaborative AEC environment and its requirements for supporting information systems. Next, constraint management is described as the core of the unified methodology. A system architecture is briefly presented with an illustrative example. A discussion of integration philosophies and a comparison with parallel research in the area of system integration in the civil engineering domain conclude the paper.
Microbial metabolism of pyrene

The isolation and identification of pyrene metabolites formed from pyrene by the fungus Cunninghamella elegans is described. C. elegans was incubated with pyrene for 24 h. Six metabolites were isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid (HPLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and characterized by the application of UV absorption, 1H-NMR and mass spectral techniques. C. elegans hydroxylated pyrene predominantly at the 1,6- and 1,8-positions with subsequent glucosylation to form glucoside conjugates of 1-hydroxypyrene, 1,6- and 1,8-dihydroxypyrene. In addition, 1,6- and 1,8-pyrenequinones and 1-hydroxypyrene were identified as metabolites. Experiments with [4-14C]pyrene indicated that over a 24-h period, 41% of pyrene was metabolized to ethyl acetate-soluble metabolites. The glucoside conjugates of 1-hydroxypyrene, 1,6- and 1,8-dihydroxypyrene accounted for 26%, 7% and 14% of the pyrene metabolized, respectively. Pyrenequinones accounted for 22%. The results indicate that the fungus C. elegans metabolized pyrene to non-toxic metabolites (glucoside conjugates) as well as to compounds (pyrenequinones) which have been suggested to be biologically active in higher organisms. In addition, there was no metabolism at the K-region of the molecule which is a major site of enzymatic attack in mammalian systems.
Purification and partial characterization of Culex pipiens fatigans yolk protein

Abstract Extraction of washed Culex pipiens fatigens egg homogenate pellets with high ionic strength-high pH medium yields a crude yolk extract which can be divided into three fractions by gel chromatography. The major fraction resulting from chromatography appears to be Culex yolk protein. Our studies suggest that Culex pipiens fatigens yolk protein has a molecular weight of 3.8 × 10 5 daltons and contains protein bound phosphate, lipid and carbohydrate, as do many other vertebrate and invertebrate yolk proteins. Culex yolk protein appears to be composed of two classes of polypeptide chains of molecular weights of 1.6 × 10 5 and 0.82 × 10 5 daltons. Yolk protein appears to aggregate under the conditions used in this investigation.
Spontaneous resolution of a kink in an internal mammary artery bypass graft.

48-year-old man with coronary artery disease had undergone two-vessel coronary artery bypass graft surgery (right internal mammary artery to posterior descending artery; saphenous vein graft to obtuse marginal artery) in 1999. In 2003, an angiography for angina demonstrated an occluded vein graft, which necessitated stenting of the native left circumflex artery. In 2005, recurrence of chest pain prompted a repeat angiography that revealed patency of the circumflex stent. The right internal mammary artery graft was also patent; however a focal narrowing in the mid segment, consistent with a “kink” in the graft, was evident (Fig 1A, black arrow). This was not present on the earlier angiogram. Management of kinks in internal mammary artery bypass grafts is controversial. Treatments used for this condition have included repeat surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention including stenting [1, 2]. A stenosis in a mammary artery graft secondary to a kink, however, may be best left untreated. These kinks are not related to graft vessel disease and are probably related to the tortuosities in the graft. Percutaneous treatment using intracoronary stents can in fact result in displacement of these kinks. Rerkpattanapipat and colleagues [2] reported a case treated with an intracoronary stent that moved the kink proximally requiring placement of an additional stent. We elected not to intervene on this graft and a follow-up angiogram 3 months later for atypical chest pain revealed no angiographic evidence of any narrowing (Fig 1B, black arrow). Our case illustrates spontaneous resolution of such kinks in internal mammary artery grafts. This reinforces a strategy of continued medical management rather than repeat revascularization for angiographic narrowings of this nature.
Civil rights and institutional law: The role of social psychology in judicial implementation

In this paper we examine the development of “institutional law,” a recent corpus of doctrines and decisions by which courts have attempted to limit, restructure, and reform total institutions in the name of protecting individual liberty. We suggest that institutional law has reached a crucial stage in which legal decrees now must translate more effectively into institutional change. We use court-ordered school desegregation of the southern United States as an instructive counterexample in a discussion of the procedural and structural impediments to the judicial reform of institutions. We conclude that institutional change requires much greater attention to applied social psychology than heretofore given it by the courts, and toward this end we propose a brief list of change-oriented heuristics.
Closed yesterday and closed minds: asking the right questions of the corpus to distinguish thematic from sentential relations

Collocation-based tagging and bracketing programs have attained promising results. Yet, they have not arrived at the stage where they could be used as pre-processors for full-fledged parsing. Accuracy, is still not high enough.To improve accuracy, it is necessary to investigate the points where statistical data is being misinterpreted, leading to incorrect results.In this paper we investigate inaccuracy which is injected when a pre-pocessor relies solely on collocations and blurs the distinction between two separate relations: thematic relations and sentential relations.Thematic relations are word paris, not necessarily adjacent, (e.g., adjourn a meeting) that encode information at the concept level. Sentential relations, on the other hand, concern adjacent word pairs that form a noun group. E.g., preferred stock is a noun group that must be identified as such at the syntactic level.Blurring the difference between these two phenomena contributes to errors in tagging of pairs such as expressed concerns, a verb-noun construct, as opposed to preferred stocks, an adjective-noun construct. Although both relations are manifested in the corpus as high mutual-information collocations, they possess different properties and they need to be separated.In our method, we distinguish between these two cases by asking additional questions of the corpus. By definition, thematic relations take on further variations in the corpus. Expressed concerns (a thematic relation) takes concerns expressed, expressing concerns, express his concerns etc. On the other hand, preferred stock (a sentential relation) does not take any such syntactic variations.We show how this method impacts preprocessing and parsing, and we provide empirical results based on the analysis of an 80-million word corpus.
Regulation of the synthesis of rat liver serine dehydratase by adenosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate

Abstract The formation of rat liver serine dehydratase was stimulated by the injection of animals with adenosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate, epinephrine, or glucagon. The enhanced formation of serine dehydratase was sensitive to actinomycin D. An inhibition of the formation of serine dehydratase by glucose could be overcome by adenosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate or, more effectively, by its dibutyryl derivative.
Terminal Oxidase Diversity and Function in “Metallosphaera yellowstonensis”: Gene Expression and Protein Modeling Suggest Mechanisms of Fe(II) Oxidation in the Sulfolobales

ABSTRACT “Metallosphaera yellowstonensis” is a thermoacidophilic archaeon isolated from Yellowstone National Park that is capable of autotrophic growth using Fe(II), elemental S, or pyrite as electron donors. Analysis of the draft genome sequence from M. yellowstonensis strain MK1 revealed seven different copies of heme copper oxidases (subunit I) in a total of five different terminal oxidase complexes, including doxBCEF, foxABCDEFGHIJ, soxABC, and the soxM supercomplex, as well as a novel hypothetical two-protein doxB-like polyferredoxin complex. Other genes found in M. yellowstonensis with possible roles in S and or Fe cycling include a thiosulfate oxidase (tqoAB), a sulfite oxidase (som), a cbsA cytochrome b558/566, several small blue copper proteins, and a novel gene sequence coding for a putative multicopper oxidase (Mco). Results from gene expression studies, including reverse transcriptase (RT) quantitative PCR (qPCR) of cultures grown autotrophically on either Fe(II), pyrite, or elemental S showed that the fox gene cluster and mco are highly expressed under conditions where Fe(II) is an electron donor. Metagenome sequence and gene expression studies of Fe-oxide mats confirmed the importance of fox genes (e.g., foxA and foxC) and mco under Fe(II)-oxidizing conditions. Protein modeling of FoxC suggests a novel lysine-lysine or lysine-arginine heme B binding domain, indicating that it is likely the cytochrome component of a heterodimer complex with foxG as a ferredoxin subunit. Analysis of mco shows that it encodes a novel multicopper blue protein with two plastocyanin type I copper domains that may play a role in the transfer of electrons within the Fox protein complex. An understanding of metabolic pathways involved in aerobic iron and sulfur oxidation in Sulfolobales has broad implications for understanding the evolution and niche diversification of these thermophiles as well as practical applications in fields such as bioleaching of trace metals from pyritic ores.
Ovarian expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF binding proteins, and growth hormone (GH) receptor in heifers actively immunized against GH-releasing factors

Active immunization against GRF at 6 months of age delays puberty in beef heifers. The objectives of the present study were to determine whether active immunization against GRF at an earlier age would affect normal onset of puberty and follicular growth and to determine whether these changes were related to alterations in ovarian insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) or IGF binding protein (IG-FBP) messenger RNA (mRNA) levels. Heifers were immunized against human serum albumin (HSAi; n = 15) or against GRF conjugated to HSA (GRFi; n = 18) at 3 months of age. A third group of heifers was not immunized (CON; n = 16). Immunization against GRF delayed puberty beyond 13 months of age in 75% of treated heifers. Unilateral ovariectomy at 191 days of age revealed that the delay in puberty was associated with a reduction in the number of large ( > or = 7 mm in diameter) follicles. Large follicles were present in only 22% of GRFi heifers compared to 77% of HSAi heifers. The number of small ( < or = 3 mm in diameter)...
Direct endocytosis of concanavalin A by motile fibroblasts.

Abstract The distribution of total and cell surface concanavalin A (ConA) in the motile cell lines, BHK21 and L929, was established by direct and indirect immunofluorescence. Exposure of BHK21 and L929 cells to ConA results in the direct endocytosis of lectin in the absence of any global surface redistribution. The kinetics of lectin internalization observed by fluorescence microscopy are strikingly similar in the two motile cell lines and a third, non-motile cell line, CHO. Direct lectin interiorization was observed over a wide range of ConA concentrations and experimental conditions including chases in lectin-free medium. At high ConA concentrations, cell surface clearing of lectin from ruffle-like areas at the cell margin occurred. Treatment of cells with the antimitotic agent, colcemid, had little effect on the direct pinocytosis of lectin. Cytochalasin B (CB) treatment inhibited lectin endocytosis and produced scattered minicaps of ConA about the cell surface. The dominance of direct endocytosis of bound lectin over redistribution in the plane of the membrane may be maintained by the localized organizational state of microfilaments.
Current practice regarding seizure prophylaxis in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage across academic centers

Object The objective of this study was to determine current practices regarding seizure prophylaxis in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods An eight question survey was sent to 25 US centers with high volume aSAH cases (>100 annually). Respondents were asked about institutional practices regarding use, duration, and type of seizure prophylaxis. Results 13 (52%) respondents endorsed the utility of seizure prophylaxis while 10 (40%) did not, and two (8%) were unsure. Among respondents using prophylaxis, levetiracetam was the firstline medication for the majority (94%) while phenytoin was used as a primary agent at one (4%) center and as a secondary agent at four (16%) centers. Duration of levetiracetam prophylaxis ranged from 1 day to 6 weeks following SAH (mean 13.2; median 11). Only a single center employed EEG routinely in all aSAH patients but most supported EEG use when the neurologic examination was unreliable or inexplicably declining. 24 (96%) respondents agreed that a trial randomizing patients to levetiracetam or no antiseizure medication is warranted at this time, and all 25 (100%) believed that such a trial would be appropriate or ethically sound. Conclusions The routine use of seizure prophylaxis following aSAH is controversial. Among a sampling of 25 major academic centers, most administer prophylaxis, while a significant proportion does not. The majority believes a trial randomizing patients to receive seizure prophylaxis is both timely and ethical.
Magnesium Advances and Applications in North America Automotive Industry

Magnesium is increasingly becoming an attractive alternative to steel, aluminum, and polymer composites for vehicle weight reduction due to its ability to meet vehicle performance requirements. To meet the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard and to maximize the weight reduction of vehicles in the coming years, the magnesium applications are expected to increase significantly in both structural and powertrain components where material creep resistance is required. This first half of the paper will give an overview of recent automotive magnesium R&D programs including Light Metal Cast, Magnesium Powertrain Cast Components, and Structural Cast Magnesium Development supported by the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) and the US Department of Energy. The USCAR is the umbrella organization of DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company and General Motors, which was formed in 1992 to further strengthen the technology base of the US automotive industry through cooperative, pre-competitive research. During the last decade, the magnesium foundry industry has grown, yet the material and manufacturing process costs of magnesium die-casting has impeded large-scale implementation into the automotive industry. As a result, Ford Motor Company initiated a Cost Reduced Magnesium Die Castings Using Heated Runners (CORMAG) program in partnership of the Advanced Technology Program of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. The second half of this paper will briefly present the program goal, progress and its impact. In addition, this paper will present some magnesium applications, including a 2004 Ford F-150 light truck Front End Support Assembly and a 2005 Ford GT instrument panel structure.
Acoustic emissions unveil internal motion in granular materials

When confronted with a heavy load or deformed by stress, the individual particles in a granular material will sometimes reorganize to a more stable arrangement. At small scales these reorganizations are little more than the redistribution of grains in the pile. In some cases, though, a reorganization is the first step of a critical failure, the trigger for an avalanche or landslide.
Cystoprostatectomy and orthotopic ileal neobladder reconstruction for management of bacille Calmette Guérin-induced bladder contractures.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the incidence of bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-contracted bladders and attempt to ascertain the potential risk factors for this severe complication. BCG is the most effective intravesical agent for the treatment of high-grade, noninvasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. Widely used by urologists for the management of superficial TCC, adverse effects are not uncommon. These adverse effects are most commonly limited to irritative voiding symptoms, hematuria, and fever; however, severe adverse effects may occur. Methods We retrospectively reviewed two cystectomy databases (University of Southern California/Norris Cancer Center and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine) and identified patients who underwent cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder reconstruction for BCG-induced bladder contracture. Results We identified 1 case each in the two institutions’ cystectomy databases of severely contracted bladders. The overall incidence of this complication leading to cystectomy was 0.05% and 0.3% at each institution. Both patients were salvaged with cystoprostatectomy and orthotopic reconstruction with an ileal neobladder. Neither patient had residual cancer at pathologic analysis of the cystectomy specimen, and both patients’ severe lower urinary tract symptoms were alleviated postoperatively. Conclusions A contracted bladder due to extravasation of BCG, although rare, is a serious complication. Cystoprostatectomy with orthotopic neobladder reconstruction may be the optimal solution to alleviate severe lower urinary tract symptoms and remove the risk of subsequent urothelial malignancy.