cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 15 – An Optimization Approach to Direct Recycle

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an optimization-based formulation for the mathematical solution of the direct-recycle problem. Graphical tools may become cumbersome for problems with numerous sources or sinks and for problems with a wide range of flow rate or load scale. Additionally, algebraic techniques cannot easily handle problems with multiple fresh resources. Therefore, it is beneficial to develop a mathematical-programming approach to the targeting of material recycle. Such an approach can also be integrated with other optimization techniques. The first step in the analysis is to represent the problem through a source–sink representation. Each source is split into fractions of unknown flow rates that are allocated to the various sinks. An additional sink is placed to account for unrecycled/unreused material. This sink is referred to as the “waste” sink. The fresh sources are also allowed to split and are allocated to the sinks. The foregoing formulation is a linear program that can be solved globally to identify the minimum cost or flow rate of the fresh streams, an optimum assignment of process sources to sinks, and the discharged waste. The results are consistent with those obtained graphically using the material recycle pinch diagram.
Systemic Effects of Missense Mutations on SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Stability and Receptor Binding Affinity

The spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the binding to the permissive cells. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 S protein directly interacts with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the host cell membrane. In this study, we used computational saturation mutagenesis approaches, including structure-based energy calculations and sequence-based pathogenicity predictions, to quantify the systemic effects of missense mutations on SARS-CoV-2 S protein structure and function. A total of 18,354 mutations in S protein were analyzed and we discovered that most of these mutations could destabilize the entire S protein and its RBD. Specifically, residues G431 and S514 in SARS-CoV-2 RBD are important for S protein stability. We analyzed 384 experimentally verified S missense variations and revealed that the dominant pandemic form, D614G, can stabilize the entire S protein. Moreover, many mutations in N-linked glycosylation sites can increase the stability of the S protein. In addition, we investigated 3,705 mutations in SARS-CoV-2 RBD and 11,324 mutations in human ACE2 and found that SARS-CoV-2 neighbor residues G496 and F497 and ACE2 residues D355 and Y41 are critical for the RBD-ACE2 interaction. The findings comprehensively provide potential target sites in the development of drugs and vaccines against COVID-19.
Execution of Parker Solar Probe's unprecedented flight to the Sun and early results

Abstract Parker Solar Probe (PSP) was launched on August 12, 2018, on its way to enter the solar corona and “touch” the Sun for the first time. We utilize enormous planetary gravity assists from 7 repeated Venus flybys via a V7GA trajectory in 24 solar orbits over 7 years, to get within 8.86 solar radii from the Sun's surface. The probe successfully entered the V7GA trajectory and made the first Venus flyby only 52 days after launch. Five weeks later it flew by the Sun at a perihelion distance of 0.166 AU and flyby speed of 95.3 km/s, setting new records as the closest craft to the Sun and the fastest human-made object. In this paper, the overall strategy, plan, process, and early flight results and performance for PSP's flight execution including in-flight trajectory control and re-optimization, orbit determination and navigation, and trajectory correction maneuvers are presented. The unique challenges and operation constraints we encountered in flying a solar mission are described.
Second primary malignancies after ocular adnexal lymphoma diagnosis.

Although studies have investigated the risk of second primary malignancies (SPMs) associated with lymphoma of various sites, limited studies have investigated this risk in patients with lymphoma originating within the ocular adnexa. We conducted a retrospective study to assess incidence of secondary malignancies in patients with a prior diagnosis of ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) and to determine latency periods and age-groups at increased risk for SPM occurrence. Retrospective analysis was performed on data obtained from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 9 database. Patients with an initial primary malignancy diagnosis of OAL between 1973 and 2015 were included in the study. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and excess absolute risks (EAR) compared to a SEER reference population with similar sex, race, age, and calendar year were computed for SPMs. Excess absolute risk is per 10,000 individuals; alpha of 0.05 was used. Of 1834 patients with primary ocular adnexal lymphoma, 279 developed a secondary malignancy during average follow-up of 110.03 months (+/− 88.46), denoting higher incidence than expected (SIR 1.20; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.35; EAR 30.56). Amongst the primary lymphoma cohort, 98.7% (1810/1834) of patients had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and amongst those that developed secondary malignancies, 99.6% (278/279) had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Patients exhibited increased incidence of lymphohematopoietic and non-lymphohematopoietic second malignancies and no secondary malignancies of the eye or orbit. Patients had increased incidence of secondary malignancies in the first year (SIR 2.07; 95% CI, 1.49 to 2.79; EAR 150.37) and 1–5 years following lymphoma diagnosis (SIR 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.51; EAR 34.89). Patients with various OAL subtypes demonstrated differing patterns of site-specific and overall SPM risk. Patients with prior diagnosis of ocular adnexal lymphoma possess increased risk of hematologic and non-hematologic secondary malignancies. Risk of secondary malignancy could vary by lymphoma subtype. Patients with ocular adnexal lymphoma may benefit from regular surveillance to promote early detection of second primary malignancies.
Comprehensive analysis of dose intensity of acute lymphoblastic leukemia chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy dosages are often compromised, but most reports lack data on dosages that are actually delivered. In two consecutive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) trials that differed in their asparaginase formulation, native E. coli L-asparaginase in St. Jude Total 15 (T15, n=365) and pegaspargase in Total 16 (T16, n=524), we tallied the dose intensities (DIs) for all medications on the low-risk (LR) or standard-risk (SR) arms, analyzing 504,039 dosing records. The median DI for each drug ranged from 61-100%; DIs for several drugs were over 10% higher on T15 than on T16: cyclophosphamide (p < 0.0001 for SR), cytarabine (p < 0.0001 for SR), and mercaptopurine (p < 0.0001 for LR and < 0.0001 for SR). We attributed the lower dosages on T16 to the higher asparaginase dosages on T16 than T15 (p.
Food Security, Local Access to Healthy Foods, and Malnutrition.

Ecology of Food and Nutrition (EFN) promotes scholarly discussion and engagement on the holistic and cross-cultural dimensions of food and nutrition. Articles published in this journal focus on foo...
Experimental Mathematics

The rise of the field of “experimental mathematics” poses an apparent challenge to traditional philosophical accounts of mathematics as an a priori, non-empirical endeavor. This paper surveys different attempts to characterize experimental mathematics. One suggestion is that experimental mathematics makes essential use of electronic computers. A second suggestion is that experimental mathematics involves support being gathered for an hypothesis which is inductive rather than deductive. Each of these options turns out to be inadequate, and instead a third suggestion is considered according to which experimental mathematics involves calculating instances of some general hypothesis. The paper concludes with the examination of some philosophical implications of this characterization.
Moving the Needle: (Re)Imagining Antiracist Education for Our Children

The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the vast social-psychological, economic, and political inequities in our society. Education has become even more important than before to counter systemic oppression and institute justice. Parents, students, and educators are thrown into chaos where opportunity and access are diminished and dissipated. This essay reports on critical conversations between two mothers who are teacher-scholars whose children were subjected to the subtle but profound practices of othering in public schools. Using vignettes, we interrogate and (re)think the taken-for-granted Eurocentric approaches to education that arguably marginalized our children and insidiously masked their cultural heritage. We engage in auto-ethnographic narrative inquiry to capture how we, as social beings, live in relation to those whose words and actions impact us and shape our existence. We share four vignettes about our struggles with difference, othering, dismissal, and alienation: 1) “Thank You for Your Email”;2) It takes quite a bit;3) We can do more!;and 4) Our History, Our Existence, Redacted. This essay offers narratives that are contextual, temporal, partial, and becoming.
Transverse presentation of the fetus.

Abstract 1. 1. Sixty-five cases of true transverse presentation have been presented and analyzed. 2. 2. Transverse presentation is a dangerous complication of labor. 3. 3. Transverse presentation should be diagnosed before the onset of labor and corrected by external cephalic version whenever this procedure is possible. 4. 4. The more frequent use of cesarean section in the treatment of transverse presentation has decreased maternal and fetal mortality associated with this complication in the Hospitals of the Medical College of Virginia. 5. 5. The use of the antibiotics, sulfonamides, and transfusions of whole blood has been of value in treating the neglected cases.
Genetic-Algorithm-based Light Curve Optimization Applied to Observations of the W UMa star BH Cas

I have developed a procedure utilizing a Genetic-Algorithm-based optimization scheme to fit the observed light curves of an eclipsing binary star with a model produced by the Wilson-Devinney code. The principal advantages of this approach are the global search capability and the objectivity of the final result. Although this method can be more efficient than some other comparably global search techniques, the computational requirements of the code are still considerable. I have applied this fitting procedure to my observations of the W UMa type eclipsing binary BH Cassiopeiae. An analysis of V-band CCD data obtained in 1994/95 from Steward Observatory and U- and B-band photoelectric data obtained in 1996 from McDonald Observatory provided three complete light curves to constrain the fit. In addition, radial velocity curves obtained in 1997 from McDonald Observatory provided a direct measurement of the system mass ratio to restrict the search. The results of the GA-based fit are in excellent agreement with the final orbital solution obtained with the standard differential corrections procedure in the Wilson-Devinney code.
Functional comparison of transactivation by simian immunodeficiency virus from rhesus macaques and human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Simian immunodeficiency virus from rhesus macaques (SIVmac), like human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), encodes a transactivator (tat) which stimulates long terminal repeat (LTR)-directed gene expression. We performed cotransfection assays of SIVmac and HIV-1 tat constructs with LTR-CAT reporter plasmids. The primary effect of transactivation for both SIVmac and HIV-1 is an increase in LTR-directed mRNA accumulation. The SIVmac tat gene product partially transactivates an HIV-1 LTR, whereas the HIV-1 tat gene product fully transactivates an SIVmac LTR. Significant transactivation is achieved by the product of coding exon 1 of the HIV-1 tat gene; however, inclusion of coding exon 2 results in a further increase in mRNA accumulation. In contrast, coding exon 2 of the SIVmac tat gene is required for significant transactivation. These results imply that the tat proteins of SIVmac and HIV-1 are functionally similar but not interchangeable. In addition, an in vitro-generated mutation in SIVmac tat disrupts splicing at the normal splice acceptor site at the beginning of coding exon 2 and activates a site approximately 15 nucleotides downstream. The product of this splice variant stimulates LTR-directed gene expression. This alternative splice acceptor site is also used by a biologically active provirus with an efficiency of approximately 5% compared with the upstream site. These data suggest that a novel tat protein is encoded during the course of viral infection.
Infant telemonitoring system

In this paper we present a real-time infant telemonitoring system using Internet protocols. Client-Server model is used to develop the system. The sensor and associated electronics were designed and built. The sensor is safe, compact and noninvasive. Cardiopulmonary data from the infant is acquired, analyzed, stored and transmitted to the server application by the remote client application. The server application is used for monitoring, analysis and storage of data at a monitoring station. Chat windows are also provided for communication between the server and client. Provision to turn audio/video on by the server at the remote location is also provided. Role of handheld devices to acquire and view medical data from remote locations is also presented.
Voting for protection: Does direct foreign investment influence legislator behavior?

The political economy of trade protection has long been of interest to economists and policy makers. The idea that levels of protection may be endogenous with trade flows has been a particularly important issue in the literature. In general, the endogenous protection literature postulates that import penetration will cause domestic interests to lobby more intensely for protection. Thus, higher levels of import penetration lead to increased protection. As a result, a number of papers (see, for example, Arye L. Hillman, 1982; Wolfgang Mayer, 1984; Robert E. Baldwin, 1985; Stephen P. Magee et al., 1989; Ronald D. Fischer, 1992) have established that foreign firms will import less under a regime of endogenous protection than one where the level of protection is exogenous to trade flows. On the empirical side, Daniel Trefler (1993) finds that ignoring the endogeneity of trade and protection understates the impact of U.S. protection on imports by a magnitude of ten…
A role for 12(S)-HETE in the response of human lens epithelial cells to epidermal growth factor and insulin.

PURPOSE To determine whether the 12-lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism is present in the human lens and whether 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12(S)-HETE) plays a role in regulating proto-oncogene expression and DNA synthesis in human lens epithelial cells (HLECs). METHODS Second- and third-passage primary cultures of HLECs were used for analysis. Human cataract epithelia were obtained from surgery. 12-lipoxygenase mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the PCR product was sequenced. The 12-lipoxygenase protein was detected by immunoblotting. 12(S)-HETE was detected in HLEC-conditioned medium by radioimmunoassay. For studies of growth factor-induced mitogenesis, HLECs were serum starved, then stimulated with 15 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF) and 1 microgram/ml insulin or with 0.3 microM 12(S)-HETE. The 12-lipoxygenase inhibitor, cinnamyl-3,4-dihydroxy-alpha-cyanocinnamate (CDC, 10 microM) was used to block endogenous 12-lipoxygenase activity. Expression of c-fos mRNA was determined by RT-PCR, and DNA synthesis was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation. RESULTS 12-lipoxygenase mRNA and protein were detected in HLECs and in human cataract tissues. 12(S)-HETE was released into the medium by HLECs in the presence of EGF-insulin. Stimulation of c-fos mRNA expression and DNA synthesis by EGF-insulin was inhibited when the 12-lipoxygenase pathway was blocked by CDC. This inhibition was reversed completely by exogenously added 12(S)-HETE. However, exogenous 12(S)-HETE was unable to stimulate HLEC DNA synthesis in the absence of growth factors. CONCLUSIONS The 12-lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism is present in human lens epithelial cells. 12(S)-HETE does not stimulate HLEC DNA synthesis in the absence of growth factors but enables the cellular response to EGF and insulin.
Reading between the (Blood) Lines

Legal scholars and historians have depicted the rule of hypodescent - that "one drop" of African blood categorized one as Black - as one of the powerful ways that law and society deployed to construct racial identities and deny equal citizenship. Ariela J. Gross's new book, "What Blood Won't Tell: A History of Race on Trial in America," boldly complicates the dominant narrative about hypodescent rules in legal scholarship. On the one hand, "What Blood Won't Tell" argues that the legal and social construction of race was far more complex, flexible and subject to manipulation than the scholarship regarding the rules about blood distinctions has suggested. On the other hand, "What Blood Won't Tell" highlights circumstances, both historically and in recent memory, of the ways in which blood distinctions played crucial roles in shaping the identity of people of color, including indigenous peoples. Importantly, "What Blood Won't Tell" also examines how blood quantum rules relate to contemporary efforts to reassert indigenous peoples' sovereignty and claims to lands. This Review highlights the important contributions of "What Blood Won't Tell" to our understanding of the racial experience of indigenous peoples and the contemporary methods used to remedy the present-day effects of indigenous peoples' colonial experience. "What Blood Won't Tell" advances a more robust account of the racialization of people of color through rules about blood differences in at least three ways. First, it places the colonial experience of indigenous peoples within the larger historical contexts of racial subordination and efforts to promote White domination and privilege. Second, it underscores the federal government's ongoing responsibility to counteract the long-standing effects of its past misdeeds by addressing indigenous peoples' unresolved claims to lands that have been stolen from them. Third, it allows us to take a careful look at the relationship between blood quantum rules and the right of indigenous peoples to exercise self-determination. Taken together, these three perspectives reveal the immense challenges inherent to remedying the long-term effects of the racialization and colonization of indigenous peoples.
The Chlamydomonas mutant pf27 reveals novel features of ciliary radial spoke assembly

To address the mechanisms of ciliary radial spoke assembly, we took advantage of the Chlamydomonas pf27 mutant. The radial spokes that assemble in pf27 are localized to the proximal quarter of the axoneme, but otherwise are fully assembled into 20S radial spoke complexes competent to bind spokeless axonemes in vitro. Thus, pf27 is not defective in radial spoke assembly or docking to the axoneme. Rather, our results suggest that pf27 is defective in the transport of spoke complexes. During ciliary regeneration in pf27, radial spoke assembly occurs asynchronously from other axonemal components. In contrast, during ciliary regeneration in wild-type Chlamydomonas, radial spokes and other axonemal components assemble concurrently as the axoneme grows. Complementation in temporary dikaryons between wild-type and pf27 reveals rescue of radial spoke assembly that begins at the distal tip, allowing further assembly to proceed from tip to base of the axoneme. Notably, rescued assembly of radial spokes occurred independently of the established proximal radial spokes in pf27 axonemes in dikaryons. These results reveal that 20S radial spokes can assemble proximally in the pf27 cilium but as the cilium lengthens, spoke assembly requires transport. We postulate that PF27 encodes an adaptor or modifier protein required for radial spoke – IFT interaction.
A local/global strategy based on signal strength for message routing in wireless mobile ad-hoc networks

Route switching is an important issue to connection-oriented communication that needs to maintain a route for a certain period. This paper suggests a new approach to ease the route switching problems in a network with higher migration rate of hosts. By monitoring the signal strength of messages, a host in a route that receives an incoming message can detect possible route fluctuations locally. As the average signal strength declines into a dangerous level, the host that receives the message will send an advance-warning message to the route source host. If the source host can find more stable routes locally, it will adapt a substitute route and will complete the process of adaptation before the breakdown of the original route actually occurs. If the route source host cannot adapt a new route locally, the source host will be forced to search for a new route by considering the entire network.
Mass spectrometry in clinical chemistry.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the nature of mass spectra and the functional elements of mass spectrometers. The currently employed analytical techniques—such as the combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and ionization techniques—are also reviewed. The “medical-mass spectrometers” technology has advanced to routine clinical use. The most important areas of its applications are multibed monitoring in intensive care and trauma units, monitoring during surgery, and physiological testing and diagnosis. The spark-source-mass spectrometry is useful for the comprehensive survey of all the elements at ultratrace levels in a single analysis. Additive, subtractive, and synergistic interactions can be studied by this method. The GC/MS-computer technique is well suited for the multicomponent analysis of endogenous metabolites in body fluids. This technique—when chemical ionization and fragmentography are available—is ideally suited for monitoring the individual drug levels and for detecting, identifying, and quantifying the drugs and metabolites in pharmacological studies.
Regulation of Liver Metabolism by Autophagy

Intracellular components must be recycled for cells to maintain energy and ensure quality control of proteins and organelles. Autophagy is a highly conserved recycling process that involves degradation of cellular constituents in lysosomes. Although autophagy regulates a number of cell functions, it was first found to maintain energy balance in liver cells. As our understanding of autophagy has increased, we have found its connections to energy regulation in liver cells to be tight and complex. We review 3 mechanisms by which hepatic autophagy monitors and regulates cellular metabolism. Autophagy provides essential components (amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates) required to meet the cell's energy needs, and it also regulates energy supply by controlling the number, quality, and dynamics of the mitochondria. Finally, autophagy also modulates levels of enzymes in metabolic pathways. In light of the multiple ways in which autophagy participates to control liver metabolism, it is no surprise that dysregulation of autophagy has been associated with metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome, as well as liver-specific disorders such as fatty liver, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. We discuss some of these connections and how hepatic autophagy might serve as a therapeutic target in common metabolic disorders.
One step closer to fixing association studies: evidence for age- and gender-specific allele frequency variations and deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations in controls

Association studies are the most powerful method available for identifying modest gene effects in complex disorders, but they often produce inconsistent results. With the rapidly growing SNP databases, haplotype maps and high throughput genotyping, the use of association studies is expected to increase; therefore, it is critical and timely that the problems with study design are identified and fixed. We questioned if unrecognized allele and genotype frequency variations in controls could be responsible for some of the inconsistent association findings. We performed a population genetic study of apolipoprotein E (APOE) and cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) in 1,748 individuals ranging in age from newborns to centenarians. Although APOE and CYP2D6 are two of the most commonly used candidate genes, this is the first study to examine age- and gender-specific frequency distributions over the entire age spectrum, using a large, ethnically and geographically uniform population. We found significant, previously unrecognized variations in APOE allele frequencies, and deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations in CYP2D6 genotype frequencies starting at birth. The allele frequency variations within controls were larger than some reported case-control differences. We demonstrate that unrecognized frequency fluctuations in controls are a serious and potentially common confounder whose impact on association studies has not been appreciated, and one that can be addressed with proper study design. We recommend that population genetic studies be performed on commonly used candidate markers and that rigorous standards be applied for case-control matching.
A G protein-gated K channel is activated via beta 2-adrenergic receptors and G beta gamma subunits in Xenopus oocytes.

In many tissues, inwardly rectifying K channels are coupled to seven- helix receptors via the Gi/Go family of heterotrimeric G proteins. This activation proceeds at least partially via G beta gamma subunits. These experiments test the hypothesis that G beta gamma subunits activate the channel even if released from other classes of heterotrimeric G proteins. The G protein-gated K channel from rat atrium, KGA/GIRK1, was expressed in Xenopus oocytes with various receptors and G proteins. The beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2AR), a Gs-linked receptor, activated large KGA currents when the alpha subunit, G alpha s, was also overexpressed. Although G alpha s augmented the coupling between beta 2AR and KGA, G alpha s also inhibited the basal, agonist-independent activity of KGA. KGA currents stimulated via beta 2AR activated, deactivated, and desensitized more slowly than currents stimulated via Gi/Go-linked receptors. There was partial occlusion between currents stimulated via beta 2AR and the m2 muscarinic receptor (a Gi/Go-linked receptor), indicating some convergence in the mechanism of activation by these two receptors. Although stimulation of beta 2AR also activates adenylyl cyclase and protein kinase A, activation of KGA via beta 2AR is not mediated by this second messenger pathway, because direct elevation of intracellular cAMP levels had no effect on KGA currents. Experiments with other coexpressed G protein alpha and beta gamma subunits showed that (a) a constitutively active G alpha s mutant did not suppress basal KGA currents and was only partially as effective as wild type G alpha s in coupling beta 2AR to KGA, and (b) beta gamma subunits increased basal KGA currents. These results reinforce present concepts that beta gamma subunits activate KGA, and also suggest that beta gamma subunits may provide a link between KGA and receptors not previously known to couple to inward rectifiers.
Depletion of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase activity in mammalian tissues and human tumor xenografts in nude mice by treatment with O6-methylguanine

We have previously shown that exposure of cells in culture to O6-methylguanine significantly reduces their level of the repair protein, O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (AGT), thus rendering cells more sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic chloroethylating agents. Experiments were carried out in mice to determine whether the AGT content of tissues and tumors could be reduced by in vivo treatment with O6-methylguanine. There was a dose-dependent decrease in AGT activity in liver tissues of CD-1 mice to 24% of basal levels after four hourly intraperitoneal injections of O6-methylguanine (110 mg/kg). Although the decline in AGT activity in the liver was reversible, the activity remained at 75% of basal levels for up to 25 h after the final injection. The effect of O6-methylguanine treatment on AGT activity was measured in mouse tissues as well as human colonic carcinoma tumors (HT29 and BE) grown in Swiss athymic nude mice. The activity in the liver, kidney, and spleen of these mice decreased to 33%–35% of control levels, whereas the activity in HT29 tumors was likewise diminished to 25% of control levels after four hourly injections of O6-methylguanine (100 mg/kg). There was no enhancement of the tumoricidal effectiveness of chloroethylating agents on the HT29 tumor after O6-methylguanine treatment, probably due to a disproportionately higher level of AGT in human tissue than in murine tissue. However, these studies suggest that O6-methylguanine can be given in vivo to examine the role of the AGT protein in protecting against the toxic and carcinogenic effects of alkylating agents.
Serum α1-acid glycoprotein in epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract Fifty-six patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma receiving chemotherapy were monitored with serum α 1 -acid glycoprotein (AGP) levels. The mean and standard deviation of serum AGP levels for 63 healthy controls were 0.88 ± 0.469 mg/ml. A serum level above 1.80 mg/ml was considered as above normal level. Five patients had evidence of persistent ovarian carcinoma and had elevated AGP levels. Sixteen patients had normal serum AGP levels and had no evidence of persistent ovarian cancer at second-look laparotomy. However, 35 patients had false-negative AGP levels at the time they had persistent tumor. Although the specificity of the AGP level was 100%, the sensitivity was only 12.5% and the overall accuracy 37%. Therefore, it would appear that serum AGP levels are not of value in monitoring patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma.
Creating Microstructures on Silicon Wafers Using UV-Crosslinked Polystyrene Thin Films

We report that UV-crosslinked polystyrene (PS) thin films can be used as an inexpensive wet chemical etch resist to create microstructures on silicon wafers. When spin-coated PS films were irradiat ...
Control of phase composition in hydroxyapatite/tetracalcium phosphate biphasic thin coatings for biomedical applications.

Biphasic calcium phosphates comprising well-controlled mixtures of nonresorbable hydroxyapatite and other resorbable calcium phosphate phases often exhibit a combination of enhanced bioactivity and mechanical stability that is difficult to achieve in single-phase materials. This makes these biphasic bioceramics promising substrate materials for applications in bone tissue regeneration and repair. In this paper we report the synthesis of highly crystalline, biphasic coatings of hydroxyapatite/tetracalcium phosphate with control over the weight fraction of the constituent phases. The coatings were produced by pulsed laser deposition using ablation targets of pure crystalline hydroxyapatite. The fraction of tetracalcium phosphate phase in the coatings was controlled by varying the substrate temperature and the partial pressure of water vapor in the deposition chamber. A systematic study of phase composition in the hydroxyapatite/tetracalcium phosphate biphasic coatings was performed with X-ray diffraction. Tetracalcium phosphate in the coatings obtained at high substrate temperature is not formed by partial conversion of previously deposited hydroxyapatite. Instead, it is produced by nucleation and growth of tetracalcium phosphate itself from the ablation products of the hydroxyapatite target or by accretion of tetracalcium phosphate grains formed during ablation. This finding was confirmed by formation of calcium oxide, not tetracalcium phosphate, after annealing of pure hydroxyapatite coatings at high temperatures of 700–850∘C.
Power Calculations for a General Class of Tests of Linkage and Association That Use Nuclear Families with Affected and Unaffected Sibs

Family-based tests of association are now often used when trying to fine-map a disease susceptibility locus. Recently, several tests of linkage and association have been proposed that use nuclear families with multiple affected and unaffected sibs rather than just case-parent triads. In this paper we propose a test that generalizes these previous tests. Formulae are derived to calculate the power of the test for a randomly mating population. These power calculations are used to determine conditions under which it is advantageous to include unaffected sibs in the analysis.
Optimal Training Sequences For Efficient MIMO Frequency-Selective Fading Channel Estimation

In this paper, novel channel estimation schemes using uncorrelated periodic complementary sets of unitary sequences are proposed for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) frequency-selective fading channels. When the additive noise is Gaussian, the proposed best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) achieves the minimum possible classical Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB), if the channel coefficients are regarded as unknown deterministics. On the other hand, the proposed linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) estimator attains the minimum possible Bayesian CRLB, when the underlying channel coefficients are Gaussian and independent of the additive Gaussian noise. The proposed channel estimators can be implemented with very low complexity via FFT, which makes them very suitable for practical systems such as, but not limited to, MIMO orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) systems.
A model of the shear modulus

The shear modulus is modeled at all temperatures and densities. Parameters are provided for twenty-two metals.
On Sustainability, Estuaries, and Ecosystem Restoration: The Art of the Practical

Ecosystem restoration in highly complex, human-dominated estuaries rests on a strong conceptual foundation of sustainability, ecosystems, and adaptive management of human-induced environmental impacts. Successful application involves evaluating uncertainty, incorporating placebased information, and engaging diverse constituencies in the planning process. That means integration of technical knowledge with an understanding of the ‘‘cultural milieu’’ inherent in all estuaries, that is, the intensity of human activity and impacts plus socioeconomic factors relevant to restoration goals. Operational definitions of what constitutes acceptable ecosystem conditions and current baselines are critical yet rest in large measure on cultural values and socioeconomic considerations. Resources for long-term monitoring and research to assess performance and ecosystem condition are paramount. Unprecedented population growth promises additional stressors on estuarine environments worldwide, making maintenance of present conditions difficult. The art of good, practical ecosystem restoration as a management tool at multiple geographic scales promises to play a crucial role in sustainability goals.
The Paradox of Service Industrialization and the Creation of Meaning

The emergent interdisciplinary area Service Science Management & Engineering (SSME) considers the study of people, technology, and shared information as prime components in service systems. Frequently, the area regarding people is the one that draws less attention. The author analyzes how the knowledge and application of discoveries on how the human mind perceives and stores concepts and events has important implications regarding service design in the experience economy. Specifically, they analyzed the creation of meaning and the quality of experience assessment. The paradox of service industrialization arises when defining a continuum between maximum industrialization of the service on one end and complete personalization on the other. Under certain circumstances, industrialization, which on the one hand creates value, can also destroy it. The contribution of this work lies in pointing out research lines for Service Science (SSME).
Viscous heating correction for thermally developing flows in slit die viscometry

In the thermally developing region, dπ yy /dx| y=h varies along the flow direction x, where π yy denotes the component of stress normal to the y-plane; y = ±h at the die walls. A finite element method for two-dimensional Newtonian flow in a parallel slit was used to obtain an equation relating dπ yy /dx/ y=h and the wall shear stress σω0 at the inlet; isothermal slit walls were used for the calculation and the inlet liquid temperature T0 was assumed to be equal to the wall temperature. For a temperature-viscosity relation η/η0 = [1+β(T−T0]−1, a simple expression [(hdπ yy /dx/ y=h )/σ w0] = 1−[1-F c(Na)] [M(χ)+P(Pr) ·Q(Gz −1)] was found to hold over the practical range of parameters involved, where Na, Gz, and Pr denote the Nahme-Griffith number, Graetz number, and Prandtl number; χ is a dimensionless variable which depends on Na and Gz. An order-of-magnitude analysis for momentum and energy equations supports the validity of this expression. The function F c(Na) was obtained from an analytical solution for thermally developed flow; F c(Na) = 1 for isothermal flow. M(χ), P(Pr), and Q(Gz) were obtained by fitting numerical results with simple equations. The wall shear rate $$\dot \gamma _{w0} $$ at the inlet can be calculated from the flow rate Q using the isothermal equation.
Salvage Therapy for Multiple Myeloma: The University of Arkansas Experience

Objective To summarize a spectrum of salvage regimens for multiple myeloma (MM) developed during the past decade. Design We reviewed the experience at the University of Arkansas in the management of patients with MM who failed to achieve remission ("primary unresponsive") or had a relapse despite myelosup-pressive doses of chemotherapy ("resistant relapse"). Material and Methods Results with use of the various chemotherapeutic protocols are presented, and multivariate regression analysis was applied to determine the independent contributions of certain factors toward event-free and overall survival. Results The VAD regimen (vincristine sulfate, Adriamycin [doxorubicin hydrochloride], and dexamethasone) yielded responses in 29% of previously unresponsive and 46% of relapsed cases of MM, in comparison with 25% and 21%, respectively, with use of dexamethasone only. Responses occurred more frequently when tumor cell RNA content was high, tumor burden was low, and duration of drug resistance was less than 1 year. The duration of survival in patients who received high doses of melphalan was decreased in those with increased serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase. EDAP (etoposide, dexamethasone, ara-C, and cisplatin) produced 75% or more tumor cytoreduction in 8 of 20 patients. Overall in patients with an increasing number of adverse factors, response rates and survival decreased progressively with less intensive therapy but were unaffected when more intensive therapy was used. In the multivariate analysis, the most important features for extended survival were a low β 2 -microglobulin level before transplantation and application of two bone marrow transplants within 6 months. Conclusion Variables relative to the patient's overall medical condition, prior treatment, characteristics of MM at diagnosis, and response history should be carefully assessed to determine a plan for salvage therapy that will maximize the opportunity for sustained remission and survival.
Lesions involving the fourth ventricle evaluated by CT and MR: A comparative study

Abstract A retrospective review of 21 patients with lesions involving the fourth ventricle was performed to determine the relative capability of computed tomography (CT) and MR for detection, characterization, localization, and diagnosis. Lesions involving the fourth ventricle included ependymoma (three), subependymoma (one), glioma (five), cysticercosis cyst (three), medulloblastoma (three), bleeding into the fourth ventricle (two), epidermoid cyst (two), “trapped” fourth ventricle (one), and lymphomatoid granuloma (one). Posterior fossa lesions that displaced but did not invade the fourth ventricle were excluded. Lesion detectability on CT was judged excellent in ten, good in 8, and fair or poor in 3. Detectability of lesions by MR was judged excellent in 16 and good in 5. There was complete agreement on lesion extension between CT and MR in 6 lesions, mild disagreement in 4, and moderate to significant disagreement in 11. Preoperatively, MR alone correctly diagnosed seven lesions, and CT alone correctly diagnosed three lesions. A review of the combined scans (after the correct diagnosis was given) showed both CT and MR were equal in the diagnosis of 14 lesions, MR better than CT in six, and CT better in one. There was complete agreement on both CT and MR with the surgical/pathologic findings in three lesions. Both studies proved disappointing in their ability to make the correct histologic diagnosis, probably because CT and MR characteristics may not always offer a definitive diagnosis and because of the wide spectrum of pathologic processes that may involve the fourth ventricle.
Lead K Absorption Edge for μ-Meson Mass Determination

Using a two-crystal spectrometer with the diffracted x-ray beam passing through the crystals, a messurement of the lead K absorption edge was made. The massattenuation coefficient of lead was measured at 88,450 ev and found to be 7.30 plus or minus 0.1 cm/sup 2//g. (C.J.G.)
Dark Anaerobic Dinitrogen Fixation by a Photosynthetic Microorganism

Photosynthetic purple bacteria can grow with dinitrogen gas as the sole nitrogen source under anaerobic conditions with light as the energy source. The bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata can fix nitrogen in darkness with alternative energy conversion systems, namely, anaerobic sugar fermentation and aerobic respiration at low oxygen tension. Although growth on dinitrogen is optimal under photosynthetic conditions, the results show that reduction of dinitrogen is not obligatorily coupled to activity of the photosynthetic apparatus.
Examination of cancer in mouse models using high-frequency quantitative ultrasound

Two mouse models of mammary cancer (a carcinoma and sarcoma) were examined using quantitative ultrasound (QUS). Scatterer property estimates, i.e., the average scatterer diameter (ASD) and average acoustic concentration (AAC), were estimated from regions-of-interest (ROIs) inside the tumors. Initially, the spherical Gaussian model was used over an analysis bandwidth of 10 to 25 MHz to obtain ASD and AAC estimates. ASD estimates were 31.7 +/- 9.36 microm and 31.0 +/- 7.20 microm for the carcinomas and sarcomas, respectively. AAC estimates were 6.77 +/- 8.75 dB[mm(-3)] and 9.87 +/- 9.24 dB[mm(-3)], respectively. The initial ASD and AAC estimates did not yield statistically significant differences between the two kinds of tumors (p = 0.83, 0.86 for the ASD and AAC estimates, respectively). However, optical photomicrographs revealed distinct morphologic differences between the tumors. F-tests on the average power spectra from the tumors revealed statistically significant differences between the spectra over the range of 16 to 25 MHz. ASD and AAC estimates using the spherical Gaussian model were then obtained over the new analysis bandwidth of 16 to 25 MHz. The new ASD estimates were 42.1 +/- 4.01 microm and 32.1 +/- 3.81 microm for the carcinomas and sarcomas, respectively. The new AAC estimates were 16.4 +/- 17.1 dB[mm(-3)] and 36.4 +/- 11.9 dB[mm(-3)], respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed for both the ASD and AAC estimates when using the new analysis bandwidth. Structural differences between the tumors were revealed by both QUS and optical photomicrographs.
Nanostructured phosphides as photoelectrode materials for artificial photosynthesis

In this work we describe present experimental results for two related ternary phosphide materials, N-alloyed GaP and ZnGeP 2 . These materials represent two potential mid-bandgap photoelectrode materials for artificial photosynthetic systems for solar energy conversion/storage. For photoelectrochemical cells designed to generate energyrich chemical fuels under illumination, candidate photoelectrode materials should demonstrate the capacity to sustain large photovoltages and photocurrent densities under solar insolation. The results in this work show that the optical properties of these two materials should enable the possibilities for light collection out past 600 nm. For N-alloyed GaP nanowire films, diffuse reflectance spectra show the increase of light absorption at sub-bandgap wavelengths with increasing NH 3 (g) used during the annealing step. Corresponding photoelectrochemical data show that the quantum efficiency for light collection at sub-bandgap wavelengths does not follow the same monotonic trend. Separately, we report the first demonstration of ZnGeP 2 nanowire films. The as-prepared materials show reflectance responses consistent with a mid-bandgap material featuring a pseudo-direct bandgap.
High-aspect-ratio single-crystal Si microelectromechanical systems

A review of fabrication techniques and testing of single crystal Si resonant devices with high aspect ratio capacitive transduction mechanisms has been presented. Deep trenches have been etched in single crystal Si using a Cl2 plasma generated by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source. This etching has been extended to the fabrication of resonant devices thicker than 50 micrometer using a frontside-release process and these devices have been electrically tested. The thick devices allow larger capacitance between drive and sense plates, which in turn reduces required driving voltage and increases sensing current. In addition, an etching condition has been developed which can etch trenches as narrow as 0.1 micrometer to depths greater than 3 micrometer. This etch has been used to fabricate comb driven resonators with high aspect ratio gaps (greater than 30) between comb fingers. Finally, a fabrication method to integrate these single crystal Si mechanical devices with a conventional circuit process with only one additional masking step has been developed. Eleven micrometer thick clamped-clamped beam comb driven resonators have been fabricated and tested on the same chip with working CMOS transimpedance amplifiers. The resonator had a resonant frequency of 28.9 kHz and a maximum amplitude of vibration of 4.6 micrometer, while the amplifier had a 3-dB frequency of 150 kHz and a power dissipation of 1.25 (mu) W.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Extended fractal feature for first-stage SAR target detection

The Extended Fractal (EF) feature has been shown to lower the false alarm rate for the focus of attention (FOA) stage of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) system. The feature is both contrast and size sensitive, and thus, can discriminate between targets and many types of cultural clutter at the earliest stages of the ATR. In this paper we modify the EF feature so that one can 'tune' the size sensitivity to the specific targets of interest. We show how to optimize the EF feature using target chip data from the public MSTAR database. We demonstrate improvements in performance for FOA algorithms that include the new feature by comparing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for all possible combinations of FOA algorithms incorporating EF, two-parameter CFAR, and variance features. Finally, we perform timing experiments on the fused detector to demonstrate the feasibility for implementation of the detector in a real system.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.