cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Definition of Preradiotherapy Prostate-Specific Antigen Velocity on Its Association with Prostate Cancer-Specific Mortality and All-Cause Mortality

OBJECTIVES An increasing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity (PSAV) is associated with a shorter time to prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) after definitive local therapy. This study examined the effect on this association when the PSAV was estimated using all PSA values (PSAV-all) instead of the PSA values within 18 months before diagnosis (PSAV-18). METHODS We studied 358 men (median age 71.2) with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy to a dose of 70.35 Gy from 1989 to 2002. The median follow-up was 4.0 years. The Cox and Gray's multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between PSAV and the interval to PSA recurrence, all-cause mortality, and PCSM, adjusting for known prognostic factors. RESULTS The median PSAV-18 and PSAV-all was 1.50 ng/mL/yr (interquartile range 0.74 to 3.82) and 1.20 ng/mL/yr (interquartile range 0.69 to 3.34), respectively. Of the 358 men, 226 (63%) had only two PSA values; therefore, the estimation of their PSAV was the same, irrespective of the method used. Remarkably, despite the identical estimates for PSAV in 63% of the men in this study, after adjusting for known prognostic factors, the hazard ratios describing the significant associations with the interval to PSA recurrence, PCSM, and all-cause mortality increased and the associated P values decreased using PSAV-18 compared with PSAV-all. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study have shown that the PSAV estimated using the pretreatment PSA values obtained approximately 18 months before diagnosis compared with using all previous PSA values provides a stronger association with the interval to PSA recurrence, PCSM, and all-cause mortality after RT.
People in Places

By studying people in places, qualitative researchers look at multiple levels of social life. The study of people in places typically draws on case studies but cases themselves are used in a variety of ways. By studying people in places, qualitative researchers can consider joint enterprises as well as shared circumstances, draw on various types of data, examine both individuals and institutions, and attend to both structure and agency.
Protein kinase C in erythroid and megakaryocytic differentiation: possible role in lineage determination

Erythroid differentiation of normal human hematopoietic progenitor cells was drastically inhibited by phorbol ester, 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an agent known to activate the class of serine-threonine kinases, protein kinase C (PKC). This inhibition was accompanied by augmented megakaryocytic differentiation as demonstrated by expression of megakaryocyte-specific mRNAs and proteins. These effects of PMA were reversed by two specific antagonists of PKC. Analysis of single colonies transferred from cultures not containing PMA to PMA-containing cultures indicated that, in this system, PMA exerts megakaryocytic differentiating activity directly on cells which may have already initiated a progression toward the erythroid pathway of differentiation. These results suggest that modulation of PKC activity plays a role in erythroid and megakaryocytic differentiation, and may constitute an important selective signal between these pathways during normal blood cell development.
Some trade-offs in the application of unconditionally-stable schemes to the finite-element time-domain method

It is often surmised that adopting an unconditionally stable scheme for the finite-element time-domain (FETD) method is desirable. This is because a larger timestep Δt can decrease the overall number of time steps and hence potentially yield a shorter computing time. However, FETD involves a linear solve at every time step (in contrast to FDTD), so the characteristics of the associated linear system play a significant role in assessing its performance. In this regard, two fundamental questions arise. The first one asks how the condition numbers of the system matrices of unconditionally- and conditionally-stable schemes behave and whether there are any significant differences between the two. The second question asks how these differences, if any, behave as a function of mesh refinement level and/or size.
Binocular interaction in the dark

Abstract Replication of the Lansford-Baker phenomenon confirmed that light adaptation of one eye in a particular way can subsequently lower thresholds during dark adaptation of the other eye. Pressureblinding the non-test eye when dark adapted lowered thresholds in the test eye by the same amount, but pressure-blinding the non-test eye when light adapted had no noticeable effect on the test eye. It follows that a dark adapted eye sends signals to the brain that interfere with detection of signals elicited from the test eye by weak stimuli. The evidence favours interpretation in terms of binocular rivalry rather than ordinary discrimination of signal from noise.
Country music as impression management: A meditation on fabricating authenticity

Abstract Without using Goffman's well-known theory of impression management in any conscious way, Richard Peterson, in his Creating country music: Fabricating authenticity (1997), demonstrated that impression management was a central process in creating country music. The present study explicitly links Peterson's ideas about the fabrication of authenticity to Goffman's Presentation of self in everyday life (1959) in an attempt to show that impression management provides a set of concepts and a theory to conceptualize the processes underlying the fabrication and maintenance of authenticity. In addition, the parallel between Peterson's and Goffman's work shows that macrosocial units have to deal with the same problems faced by microsocial actors in fostering and sustaining definitions of the situation, and that the solving of these problems can be understood in much the same way at both levels of analysis. Finally, the present study suggests that concepts used to understand interpersonal interaction can be used to bridge the gap between culture theories that currently focus separately on the processes of production and consumption of culture.
Role of maternally derived circulating antibodies in protection of neonatal swine against porcine group A rotavirus

The ability of maternally derived antibodies in the circulation of neonatal pigs to protect against challenge with virulent porcine group A rotavirus (OSU strain) was evaluated. Groups of neonatal pigs with nondetectable (group 1), low (group 2), or high (group 3) serum levels of OSU rotavirus-specific maternally derived antibodies were challenged with virulent OSU rotavirus at 3 days of age and monitored for infection and disease. Control pigs were sham-inoculated with diluent at 3 days of age. Although all virus-inoculated pigs shed rotavirus and developed diarrhea, group 3 pigs developed significantly less severe diarrhea and shed for significantly fewer days than group 1 and 2 pigs, and they maintained appetites and weight gains comparable to sham-inoculated controls. It was concluded that circulating maternally derived antibodies play a significant role in mitigating clinical disease following rotavirus infection in neonatal swine and that the protection afforded by these antibodies is titer dependent.
Impossible physics: what is not forbidden is compulsory

Time travel, teleportation, telepathy… Physicist Michio Kaku explores the outer limits of what is possible
Drug effects on response-duration differentiation. IV: Effects of trimethyltin.

Abstract Trimethyltin (TMT) is a toxicological agent that produces damage in a number of limbic structures, resulting in concomitant disruptions of behavior. The purpose of the present study was to determine the utility of response-duration differentiation (RDD) responding as a behavioral baseline for studying the behavioral consequences of TMT administration. Under the RDD schedule, responses of a restricted duration (1–1.3 s) were reinforced, and disruption of this performance may represent effects upon fine motor control, timing behavior, or both. Two doses of TMT (4 mg/kg) were administered 1 week apart, and behavior under the schedule was studied daily for 6 weeks thereafter in a group of four rats. Additionally, the effects of diazepam (0.1–3 mg/kg) administered prior to and following TMT administration were compared. TMT produced disruptions in accuracy of responding and increases in rates of responding in the weeks following its administration. Behavior had generally recovered by 6 weeks after the first TMT administration. Diazepam flattened the relative frequency distributions of response durations at lower doses in the TMT-treated rat. These data show that RDD responding is sensitive to the effects of TMT, and that TMT treatment can result in alterations in the effects of diazepam.
Light-Induced Electron Transfer of a Supramolecular Bis(Zinc Porphyrin)−Fullerene Triad Constructed via a Diacetylamidopyridine/Uracil Hydrogen-Bonding Motif

Using a diacetylamidopyridine/uracil complementary hydrogen-bonding motif, a novel bis(zinc porphyrin)−fullerene supramolecular triad is constructed and characterized. The geometry of the triad ded...
Family of concurrence monotones and its applications

We extend the definition of concurrence into a family of entanglement monotones, which we call concurrence monotones. We discuss their properties and advantages as computational manageable measures of entanglement, and show that for pure bipartite states all measures of entanglement can be written as functions of the concurrence monotones. We then show that the concurrence monotones provide bounds on quantum information tasks. As an example, we discuss their applications to remote entanglement distributions (RED) such as entanglement swapping and remote preparation of bipartite entangled states (RPBES). We prove a powerful theorem which states what kind of (possibly mixed) bipartite states or distributions of bipartite states cannot be remotely prepared. The theorem establishes an upper bound on the amount of $G$-concurrence (one member in the concurrence family) that can be created between two single-qudit nodes of quantum networks by means of tripartite RED. For pure bipartite states the bound on the $G$-concurrence can always be saturated by RPBES.
VISCOUS POLYSACCHARIDE AND STARCH SYNTHESIS IN RHODELLA RETICULATA (PORPHYRIDIALES, RHODOPHYTA)1

Rhodella reticulata Deason, Butler and Rhyne produces copious amounts of a viscous polysaccharide (VP) during growth in batch cultures. The VPs accumulated on the cell surface and in the culture medium once cells ceased growth; starch concurrently accumulated within the cells. Light-saturated {sup 14}C-uptake declined steadily as the cells aged. Net synthesis rates for starch and mucilage were two- and four-fold lower, respectively, in non-growing cells than in growing cells, while the relative partitioning of newly-fixed carbon into these materials was not different. These data suggest that total photosynthetic loading, rather than partitioning into one specific pool, controls cellular synthesis rates. No preferential synthesis of VPs occurred during the stationary phase. The findings have important implications for the commercial production of VPs.
Regulation of yeast DNA polymerase δ-mediated strand displacement synthesis by 5′-flaps

The strand displacement activity of DNA polymerase δ is strongly stimulated by its interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). However, inactivation of the 3'-5' exonuclease activity is sufficient to allow the polymerase to carry out strand displacement even in the absence of PCNA. We have examined in vitro the basic biochemical properties that allow Pol δ-exo(-) to carry out strand displacement synthesis and discovered that it is regulated by the 5'-flaps in the DNA strand to be displaced. Under conditions where Pol δ carries out strand displacement synthesis, the presence of long 5'-flaps or addition in trans of ssDNA suppress this activity. This suggests the presence of a secondary DNA binding site on the enzyme that is responsible for modulation of strand displacement activity. The inhibitory effect of a long 5'-flap can be suppressed by its interaction with single-stranded DNA binding proteins. However, this relief of flap-inhibition does not simply originate from binding of Replication Protein A to the flap and sequestering it. Interaction of Pol δ with PCNA eliminates flap-mediated inhibition of strand displacement synthesis by masking the secondary DNA site on the polymerase. These data suggest that in addition to enhancing the processivity of the polymerase PCNA is an allosteric modulator of other Pol δ activities.
The Influence of Radical Stability of Organomagnesium Halide Reagents on the Direction of Addition to an α-β-Unsaturated Phosphoryl Group

Abstract The addition of Grignard reagents with increasing radical character to α,β-unsaturated phosphoryl groups was found to occur with a corresponding increase in the yield of the aromatic substitution products. Molecular modelling was used to determine that the radical character has a greater role in determining the degree of aromatic substitution than does steric parameters.
Multipole expansion at the level of the action

Sources of long wavelength radiation are naturally described by an effective field theory (EFT) which takes the form of a multipole expansion. Its action is given by a derivative expansion where higher order terms are suppressed by powers of the ratio of the size of the source over the wavelength. In order to determine the Wilson coefficients of the EFT, i.e. the multipole moments, one needs the mapping between a linear source term action and the multipole expansion form of the action of the EFT. In this paper we perform the multipole expansion to all orders by Taylor expanding the field in the source term and then decomposing the action into symmetric trace-free tensors which form irreducible representations of the rotation group. We work at the level of the action, and we obtain the action to all orders in the multipole expansion and the exact expressions for the multipole moments for a scalar field, electromagnetism, and linearized gravity. Our results for the latter two cases are manifestly gauge invariant. We also give expressions for the energy flux and the (gauge dependent) radiation field to all orders in the multipole expansion. The results for linearized gravity are a component of the EFT framework NRGR and will greatly simplify future calculations of gravitational wave observables in the radiation sector of NRGR.
Neuron-specific protein interactions of Drosophila CASK-β are revealed by mass spectrometry

Modular scaffolding proteins are designed to have multiple interactors. CASK, a member of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) superfamily, has been shown to have roles in many tissues, including neurons and epithelia. It is likely that the set of proteins it interacts with is different in each of these diverse tissues. In this study we asked if within the Drosophila central nervous system, there were neuron-specific sets of CASK-interacting proteins. A YFP-tagged CASK transgene was expressed in genetically defined subsets of neurons in the Drosophila brain known to be important for CASK function, and proteins present in an anti-GFP immunoprecipitation were identified by mass spectrometry. Each subset of neurons had a distinct set of interacting proteins, suggesting that CASK participates in multiple protein networks and that these networks may be different in different neuronal circuits. One common set of proteins was associated with mitochondria, and we show here that endogenous CASK co-purifies with mitochondria. We also determined CASK posttranslational modifications for one cell type, supporting the idea that this technique can be used to assess cell- and circuit-specific protein modifications as well as protein interaction networks.
Conic: A fast renderer for spacefilling molecules with shadows

We present an algorithm for generating images of molecules represented as a set of intersecting opaque spheres. Both perspective and shadows are computed to provide realistic visual cues. Compared to existing programs for generating similar images, our algorithm is both more accurate and several times faster. We present in detail the mathematics used in picture generation, along with examples of the computed images.
Influence of gel and molecular weight on the properties of natural rubber

Abstract The influence of gel and molecular weight on the properties of natural rubber has been described. Crystallization, stress relaxation and orientation properties of different samples have been studied. Samples having different gel contents but similar molecular weights and samples having the same gel content with varying molecular weights have been prepared by extracting whole natural rubber. The gel content was varied from 1.5 to 29% and molecular weight from 1 × 105 to 9.9 × 105 g mol−1. The gels reduce the overall crystallinity measured by differential scanning calorimetric experiments after freezing the samples for different time periods at −15°C. They also have a stiffening effect on the tensile relaxation modulus and decrease the rate of relaxation significantly. Birefringence, which measures the orientation and stress-induced crystallization, increases with time at high elongation for samples containing gels. At lower elongation, however, the birefringence of unvulcanized samples decreases with time. This decrease is less for gel samples. Natural rubbers of high molecular weight behave similarly in the above properties when compared to low molecular weight samples. The effect of gel is more predominant than that of molecular weight.
An LC–MS-Based Chemical and Analytical Method for Targeted Metabolite Quantification in the Model Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

Herein, we detail the development of a method for the chemical isolation and tandem LC-MS/MS quantification of a targeted subset of internal metabolites from cyanobacteria. We illustrate the selection of target compounds; requirements for and optimization of mass spectral detection channels, screening, and optimization of chromatography; and development of a sampling protocol that seeks to achieve complete, representative, and stable metabolite extraction on the seconds time scale. Several key factors influencing the separation by reversed-phase ion pairing chromatography, specifically the hydrophobicity of the sample matrix and sensitivity to mobile phase acidity, are identified and resolved. We illustrate this methodology with an example from the autofermentative metabolism in the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, for which intracellular levels of 25 metabolites were monitored over 48 h, including intermediates in central carbon metabolism together with those involved in the cellular energy charge and redox poise. Upon removal of alternative reductant sinks (nitrate), anoxia induces autofermentation of carbohydrates with a parallel rise in the intracellular pyridine nucleotide redox poise that is specific to NAD(H) and alongside a gradual decline in the adenylate energy charge. This LC-MS/MS-based method provides for accurate time-resolved quantification of multiple metabolites in parallel, thus enabling experimental verification of the active metabolic pathways.
Evaluation of Supplementary Traffic Control Measures for Freeway Work-Zone Approaches

Controlling traffic in work zones to improve safety continues to be a major concern for highway agencies. Three traffic control devices—white lane-drop arrows, the citizens band (CB) wizard alert system, and orange rumble strips—were tested for their effectiveness in improving merging and in reducing speed and speed variance at an Interstate highway work zone in Missouri. On the basis of the results of the study described, the lane-drop arrows, CB message, and rumble strips can be expected to promote some increases in early merging and some decreases in mean speeds of vehicles approaching an Interstate highway work zone with a lane drop. Effects of all three devices on speed variance are inconclusive. However, because of the difficulty in summarizing across the many variables involved (day/night/dawn/dusk, open/closed lane, vehicle class, etc.), it is recommended that anyone considering the use of the devices examine the full report.
Glutamates 78 and 122 in the Active Site of Saccharopine Dehydrogenase Contribute to Reactant Binding and Modulate the Basicity of the Acid-Base Catalysts

Saccharopine dehydrogenase catalyzes the NAD-dependent oxidative deamination of saccharopine to give l-lysine and α-ketoglutarate. There are a number of conserved hydrophilic, ionizable residues in the active site, all of which must be important to the overall reaction. In an attempt to determine the contribution to binding and rate enhancement of each of the residues in the active site, mutations at each residue are being made, and double mutants are being made to estimate the interrelationship between residues. Here, we report the effects of mutations of active site glutamate residues, Glu78 and Glu122, on reactant binding and catalysis. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to generate E78Q, E122Q, E78Q/E122Q, E78A, E122A, and E78A/E122A mutant enzymes. Mutation of these residues increases the positive charge of the active site and is expected to affect the pKa values of the catalytic groups. Each mutant enzyme was completely characterized with respect to its kinetic and chemical mechanism. The kinetic mechanism remains the same as that of wild type enzymes for all of the mutant enzymes, with the exception of E78A, which exhibits binding of α-ketoglutarate to E and E·NADH. Large changes in V/KLys, but not V, suggest that Glu78 and Glu122 contribute binding energy for lysine. Shifts of more than a pH unit to higher and lower pH of the pKa values observed in the V/KLys pH-rate profile of the mutant enzymes suggests that the presence of Glu78 and Glu122 modulates the basicity of the catalytic groups.
The Prospects of Democracy and Economic Reform in the Arab World

While it is hard to predict where the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be in ten years, one thing is certain: a peaceful reconciliation between Israel and Palestine, based on a two-state solution that guarantees Palestinians and Israelis territorial integrity and security, would have a positive impact on economic and democratic developments in the Arab world. These developments, however, will not occur easily; such transitions are often chaotic, shocking, and painful.Amaney Jamal is assistant professor of politics at Princeton University (ajamal@princeton.edu).
Subjective expectancy and choice reaction times

Abstract Previous findings suggested that selective response times might be affected both by the inter-stimulus interval and by the probability of occurrence of the stimulus for reaction. These two factors have been tested independently and have been found to influence reaction times in a fashion that an expectancy hypothesis would predict.
Intensive recombinant interleukin‐2 and alpha‐interferon therapy in patients with advanced head and neck squamous carcinoma

Background Cellular immune deficiency is a consistent finding in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Interleukin-2 and alpha-interferon are modulators of the immune system. Methods Eleven patients with recurrent head and neck cancer were treated in a Phase II study of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rIL-2) and alpha-2a-interferon (Roferon-A, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, NJ). Each course consisted of rIL-2, 3 x 10(6) U/m2/day, as a continuous intravenous infusion over 24 hours for 4 days, and recombinant alpha-2a-interferon, 5 x 10(6) U/m2/day intramuscularly or subcutaneously daily for 4 days. This treatment was repeated weekly for 4 weeks, and then a second cycle was given after a 2-week break. Results Two patients (18%) achieved a partial response. Toxic effects were substantial. Three of 11 patients experienced Grade 3 hypotension, 3 patients had Grade 3 oliguria, and Grade 3 fatigue was one of the most common reasons for withdrawal from the study. There were no deaths or need for intensive care monitoring. Conclusions In view of the 18% response rate, additional investigation of biologic therapy in advanced head and neck cancer is warranted.
Comparison of beam characteristics in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and those under normal treatment condition.

In the step-and-shoot delivery of an IMRT plan with a Siemens Primus accelerator, radiation is turned off by desynchronizing the injector while the field parameters are being changed. When the machine is ready again a trigger pulse is sent to the injector to start the beam instantaneously. The objective of this study is to investigate the beam characteristics of the machine operating in the IMRT mode and to study the effect of the Initial Pulse Forming Network (IPEN) on the dark current. The central axis (CAX) output for a 10×10 cm 2 field over the range 1–100 MU was measured with an ion chamber in a polystyrene phantom for both 6 and 15 MV x rays. Beam profiles were also measured over the range of 2–40 MU with the machine operating in the IMRT mode and compared with those in the normal mode. By adjusting the IPFN value, dark currentradiation (DCR) was measured using ion chambermeasurements. For both the normal and IMRT modes, dose versus MU is nonlinear in the range 1–5 MUs. Above 5 MU, dose varies linearly with MU for both 6 and 15 MV x rays. For stability of dose profiles, the 2 MU–IM group exhibit 20% variation from one subfield to another. The variation is about 5% for the 8 MU–IM group and 80% of the PFN value, a spurious radiation associated with dark current at approximately 0.7% of the dose at isocenter for a 10×10 cm 2 field is detected during the “PAUSE” state of the accelerator for 15 MV x rays. When the IPFN is lowered to <80% of the PFN value, no DCR is detected. For 6 MV x rays, no measurable DCR was detected regardless of the IPFN setting.
Partitioning Trees" Matching, Domination, and Maximum Diameter

A matching and a dominating set in a graph G are related in that they determine diameter-bounded subtree partitions of G. For a maximum matching and a minimum dominating set, the associate partitions have the fewest numbers of trees. The problem of determining a minimum dominating set in an arbitrary graph G is known to be NP-complete. In this paper we present a linear algorithm for partitioning an arbitrary tree into a minimum number of subtrees, each having a diameter at mostk, for a givenk.
Towards higher standards in standards

Good Standards are essential for economic progress - bad standards lead to stagnation of design and uneconomic design; a difficult and delicate balance exists which necessitates clear thinking and real understanding. Britain's Standards should compete worldwide; preferably they should lead, which is one of the best ways of making our technical presence felt, as has been proved on many occasions
An Examination of the Renal Transplant Evaluation Process Focusing on Cost and the Reasons for Patient Exclusion

A medical evaluation of prospective renal transplant recipients is performed to identify conditions that may exclude patients from transplantation because of unacceptable risks. Protocols for evaluating potential transplant candidates are available, but there is little information about reasons for excluding patients from transplantation. To assess the effectiveness and cost of our renal transplant-recipient evaluation process, we retrospectively reviewed patients excluded from renal transplantation between January 1993 and December 1995 to categorize the reasons for exclusion. We also examined the costs of the evaluation. The study group included all adults referred for kidney-only transplantation during the study period who were excluded from transplantation (n=125). Demographics of the 160 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who underwent renal transplantation during the study period were also examined. Compared with the patients who underwent transplantation, the excluded patients were older (48+/-14 v 43+/-12 years; P=0.006) and more likely to be women (66 of 125 patients; 53% v 57 of 160 patients; 36%; P=0.005) and diabetic (59 of 125 patients; 47% v 30 of 160 patients; 19%; P=0.005). The most common reason for excluding patients was medical contraindication (46%), followed by patient declined (25%), obesity (10%, defined as a body mass index [BMI] > or = 35), patient death (6%), and insurance/financial (5%). The medical reasons for exclusion were heart disease (38%), noncompliance (28%), miscellaneous (22%), and cancer (12%). Tests performed after the initial evaluation included cardiac testing (stress thallium or echocardiography and coronary angiography) in 50 patients, Doppler studies of the lower extremities in 28 patients, and hepatitis C polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) assays in 8 patients. The cost of standard pretransplantation blood work for selected tests (ABO blood group typing, HLA, hepatitis B and C, and cytomegalovirus) was $709. Deferring such routine pretransplantation blood work until after the patient education session and history and physical examinations by nephrology and surgery in the 31 patients (25%) who declined transplantation at the initial visit would have resulted in considerable savings. Our evaluation process now includes prereferral information on a prospective recipient's medical problems, height and weight, and basic screening laboratory tests. This protocol has resulted in a more efficient and cost-effective evaluation process. Further examination of the cost-effectiveness of the transplant evaluation process is warranted.
Noise-induced transition and turbulent spectral invariants

The joint probability distribution of the spatial velocity increment and its spatial derivatives is modelled analytically for homogeneous turbulent flow. For the steady helical case, one finds the possibility of a noise-induced transition. For the unsteady case, assuming weak interaction between separated length scales, soliton behavior in k-space may be obtained.
Modulation of NKT Cell Development by B7-CD28 Interaction: An Expanding Horizon for Costimulation

It has been demonstrated that the development of NKT cells requires CD1d. The contribution of costimulatory molecules in this process has not been studied. Here we show that in mice with targeted mutations of B7-1/2 and CD28, the TCRβ+α-Galcer/CD1d + (iVα14 NKT) subset is significantly reduced in the thymus, spleen and liver. This is mainly due to decreased cell proliferation; although increased cell death in the thymi of CD28-deficient mice was also observed. Moreover, in the B7-1/2- and CD28-deficient mice, we found a decreased percentage of the CD4−NK1.1+ subset and a correspondingly increased portion of the CD4+NK1.1− subset. In addition, the mice with a targeted mutation of either B7 or CD28 had a reduced susceptibility to Con A induced hepatitis, which is known to be mediated by NKT cells. Our results demonstrate that the development, maturation and function of NKT cell are modulated by the costimulatory pathway and thus expand the horizon of costimulation into NKT, which is widely viewed as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. As such, costimulation may modulate all major branches of cell-mediated immunity, including T cells, NK cells and NKT cells.
Liquid chromatographic separation of aminoglycosides with pulsed amperometric detection

Abstract The absence of strong chromophoric groups in aminoglycoside antibiotics virtually eliminates the possibility of their photometric detection in analytical liquid chromatography Pulsed amperometric detection is described for the sensitivity detection of several nebramycin factors following separation on a neutral polystyrene column. The alkaline eluent (0.25 M sodium hydroxide) is appropriate as the electrolyte for the electrochemical detection, and the need for post-column addition of reagents is avoided. The use of a coupled fore-column is illustrated for on-line preconcentration when concentrations are below ca. 1 ppm in 50-μl samples (i.e., ca. 50 ng).
Differential rates of sucrose and hexose transport by asparagus cell cultures

Abstract Cell cultures of asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis L.) grew well on media containing 3% (w/v) sucrose, glucose or fructose. However, optimal growth occurred with sucrose. The objective of this work was to characterize sugar transport and to determine the presence of sugar carriers in these cells. Cell cultures preferentially transported fructose, glucose, 3- O -methyl glucose (3-OMG), sucrose and l -glucose, in that order. Both sucrose and 3-OMG uptake was inhibited by carbonylcyanide chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) and p -chloromercuribenzene sulfonic acid (PCMBS). Due to high cell wall invertase activity, sucrose was efficiently hydrolyzed so that no sucrose was detected in the culture medium after 5 days and cells accumulated more hexose than sucrose. Furthermore [ 14 C]sucrose uptake was partially inhibited in the presence of unlabeled 3-OMG. Cell cultures transported 1′-fluorosucrose, a sucrose analog not subject to invertase hydrolysis, at rates similar to that of sucrose. The evidence indicated that despite the presence of high cell wall invertase activity and efficient hexose transport, a sucrose carrier is present at the plasmalemma of asparagus cell cultures. Therefore, sucrose hydrolysis by invertase is not essential for transport into these cells.
Mössbauer measurements on the aging of iron-carbon martensite

Abstract Mossbauer spectroscopy data, analyzed directly in terms of difference-spectra, indicate that in a high-carbon iron-base alloy (1.86 wt.%C) virgin martensite ages at room temperature by agglomeration of carbon atoms into higher carbon regions, in which two different iron sites are evidenced (with magnetic moments of ~2μB and ~3μB), consistent with the formation of an ordered atomic arrangement structurally similar to Fe4N. Further aging at 82°C leads to continued agglomeration of carbon atoms, at the expense of those arrangements present after 3 months of room-temperature aging. An additional Mossbauer spectrum, developed after 62 h at 82°C and characterized by a hyperfine field of 240 kOe. may be due to e-carbide. In the virgin martensite itself, three separate iron-atom spectra can be distinguished, and are interpreted as being due to first-, second- and third-nearest neighbors of carbon interstitials (with hyperfine fields of 280, 334 and 364 kOe, respectively). The data also indicate that the carbon atoms are widely separated, rather than randomly arranged, in the virgin martensite as well as in the retained austenite.
The time course of recognition of novel melodies

Seven experiments explored the time course of recognition of brief novel melodies. In a continuous-running-memory task, subjects recognized melodic transpositions following delays up to 2.0 min. The delays were either empty or filled with other melodies. Test items included exact transpositions (T), same-contour lures (SC) with altered pitch intervals, and different-contour lures (DC). DCs differed from Ts in the pattern of ups and downs of pitch. With this design, we assessed subjects’ discrimination of detailed changes in pitch intervals (T/SC discrimination) as well as their discrimination of contour changes (T/DC). We used both artificial and “real” melodies. Artificial melodies differed in conformity to a musical key, being tonal or atonal. After empty delays, T/DC discrimination was superior to T/SC discrimination. Surprisingly, after filled delays, T/SC discrimination was superior to T/DC. When only filled delays were tested, T/SC discrimination did not decline over the longest delays. T/DC performance declined more than did T/SC performance across both empty and filled delays. Tonality was an important factor only for T/SC discrimination after filled delays. T/DC performance was better with rhythmically intact folk melodies than with artificial isochronous melodies. Although T/SC performance improved over filled delays, it did not overtake T/DC performance. These results suggest that (1) contour and pitch-interval information make different contributions to recognition, with contour dominating performance after brief empty delays and pitch intervals dominating after longer filled delays; (2) a coherent tonality facilitates the encoding of pitch-interval patterns of melodies; and (3) the rich melodic—rhythmic contours of real melodies facilitate T/DC discrimination. These results are discussed in terms of automatic and controlled processing of melodic information.
Foetal surgery for spina bifida

In utero repair of open spina bifida or myelomeningocele (MMC) is now performed in selected patients and presents an additional alternative to obstetricians and neonatologists counselling expectant mothers carrying a foetus with MMC. Early foetal intervention may improve neurologic outcomes and reduce the hindbrain herniation associated with the Arnold-Chiari II malformation in open spina bifida. These changes may improve long-term neurologic function and limit requirements for shunt placements and other surgical interventions. Further research is needed to better understand the pathophysiology of MMC, the ideal timing and technique of repair, and the long-term impact of in utero intervention. A prospective, randomized clinical trial is planned comparing prenatal MMC repair with postnatal repair.
Induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity and antitumor immunity by systemic BCG.

Abstract Both delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and antitumor resistance induced in mice by intravenous (i.v.) and local injection of highly immunogenic irradiated Meth A cells were potentiated by prior systemic BCG infection. DTH and antitumor immunity were not elicited by i.v. injection of poorly immunogenic irradiated mastocytoma cells, P 815 (MA), but were induced by the local injection of these cells when animals were systemically infected with BCG. The level of the potentiated response corresponded with the dose of immunogen up to an optimum, beyond which additional immunogen was suppressive. At all dose levels the subcutaneous (s.c.) route of immunogen inoculation was more effective than the i.v. route. Significant DTH was first detected 7 days after the local administration of immunogen and was correlated with antitumor immunity. Systemically administered BCG grew mainly in the liver and spleen until the development of maximal tuberculin sensitivity when the number of organisms decreased. However, the small number of mycobacteria that reached the peripheral lymph nodes remained constant after maximal tuberculin sensitivity but failed to augment the cell proliferation that occurred in these lymph nodes as a result of the local inoculation of irradiated tumor cells. Autoradiographs of such nodes revealed proliferation in the thymus-dependent areas whereas nodes from mice immunized with immunogen alone manifested B- as well as T-cell activity. Local immunization in both BCG-infected and uninfected hosts was also associated with a proliferative response in the red pulp of the spleen but the BCG-infected hosts differed conspicuously by virtue of the presence of tubercles and depletion of lymphoid cells from the periarteriolar sheath. Immunity generated by the local administration of immunogen in systemically infected mice was tumor specific and could be adoptively transferred with spleen cells.
The insurance and risk management industries: new players in the delivery of energy-efficient and renewable energy products and services

Abstract The insurance and risk management industries are typically considered to have little interest in energy issues, other than those associated with large energy supply systems. The historical involvement of these industries in the development and deployment of familiar loss-prevention technologies such as automobile air bags, fire prevention/suppression systems, and anti-theft devices, evidences a tradition of mediating and facilitating the use of technology to improve safety and otherwise reduce the likelihood of losses. Through an examination of the connection between risk management and energy technology, we have identified nearly 80 examples of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies that offer loss-prevention benefits (such as improved fire safety). This article presents the business case for insurer involvement in the sustainable energy sector and documents early case studies of insurer efforts along these lines. We have mapped these opportunities onto the appropriate market segments (life, health, property, liability, business interruption, etc.). We review steps taken by 53 forward-looking insurers and reinsurers, 5 brokers, 7 insurance organizations, and 13 non-insurance organizations. We group the approaches into the categories of: information, education, and demonstration; financial incentives; specialized policies and insurance products; direct investment; customer services and inspections; codes, standards, and policies; research and development; in-house energy management; and an emerging concept informally known as “carbon insurance”. While most companies have made only a modest effort to position themselves in the “green” marketplace, a few have comprehensive environmental programs that include energy efficiency and renewable energy activities.
Effective Dimensionality Reduction Based on Support Vector Machine

This paper presents an effective dimensionality reduction method based on support vector machine. By utilizing mapping vectors from support vector machine for dimensionality reduction purpose, we obtain features which are computationally efficient, providing high classification accuracy and robustness especially in noisy environment. These characteristics are acquired from the generalization capability of support vector machine by minimizing the structural risk. To further reduce dimensionality, this paper introduces the redundancy removal process based on an asymmetric decor relation measure with kernel function. Experimental results show that the proposed dimensionality reduction method provides the most appropriate trade off between classification accuracy and robustness in relatively low dimensional space.
Overexpression of theca-cell messenger RNA in polycystic ovary syndrome does not correlate with polymorphisms in the cholesterol side-chain cleavage and 17α-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase promoters

Abstract Objective: To determine whether overexpression of CYP17 or CYP11A messenger (m)RNA in theca cells from polycystic ovaries is related to polymorphic regions in the gene promoters that may increase transcription. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Research institute. Patient(s): Fifty-one women with PCOS and 280 regularly cycling controls underwent genotyping. Thecal cells were obtained from 23 women with PCOS and 51 controls. Main Outcome Measure(s): Ovarian tissue was obtained from women with PCOS undergoing wedge resection for treatment of their infertility and from controls undergoing ovariectomy for indications unrelated to the study. Expression of mRNA in theca cells was measured by using competitive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Genotype analysis for polymorphisms in the CYP11A and CYP17 promoters was performed by using polymerase chain reaction. Result(s): Although expression of CYP11A and CYP17 mRNA was higher in women with PCOS, no significant dose effects of CYP11A or CYP17 alleles were observed with respect to serum testosterone; follicular fluid androstenedione, estradiol, and androstenedione-to-estradiol ratio; or CYP11A or CYP17 mRNA expression. Conclusion(s): Overexpression of CYP17 and CYP11A mRNA in theca cells from polycystic ovaries is explained by polymorphic differences in the gene promoters.
Epileptogenesis and the Immature Brain

Summary: Epidemiological studies indicate that the incidence of seizures is highest early in life. This report discusses the experimental data derived from studies of focal epileptogenesis of the immature brain in tandem with ongoing maturational changes. During development, neurons have characteristic neurophysiological properties. Local interictal discharges are long in duration, lack a stereotypic morphology, and have limited fields. Yet the immature brain is very susceptible to the development of bilateral, although asynchronous, seizures and status epilepticus induced by amygdala kindling or by convul-sant drugs. This increased seizure susceptibility may be due to a functional immaturity of a substantia nigra, GABA-sensitive output system. The morbidity of convulsions occurring early in life may not be as grave as previously thought in terms of subsequent acquisition of “normal” developmental milestones. The propensity to develop recurrent convulsions in adulthood is not related to the severity of a single seizure in infancy. Although multiple severe seizures may predispose animals to the development of seizures later in life, this is not a unique feature of the immature brain, since it also occurs in the adult brain. Finally, there is evidence that the immature brain may respond to anticonvulsant drugs differently from its mature counterpart; these findings emphasize the need to develop new antiepileptic therapies that take into account the maturational state of the brain.
Welcome to Rachel Harrison, the new Editor-in-Chief of the Software Quality Journal

As the ‘‘In This Issue’’ indicates, starting with the next issue, Rachel Harrison will take over the Software Quality Journal. I knew of Rachel’s research long before I had the opportunity to meet her at a conference. She joined the SQJ Editorial Board soon after I took over as Editor-in-Chief. She has been one of the most active members of the board— she has supervised the reviews of many papers and has insured that these papers were reviewed carefully and promptly. Rachel is currently the Managing Director of Stratton Edge Consulting. She is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading and a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at The Open University. She was a Professor at the University of Reading for over six years where she served as Head of the Computer Science Department, School Director of Research, Co-Director of the Reading e-Science Centre, and Co-Director of the Informatics Research Centre. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Southampton, and M.Sc. in Computer Science from University College London, and an M.A. in Mathematics from the University of Oxford. She is also a Chartered Engineer. Rachel is a well-known software engineering researcher with over 90 research papers published in a wide variety of books, journals, and conferences. Her research focus has been on empirical software engineering with an emphasis on requirements, software evolution, software architecture, and software measurement. Her research has been funded by numerous funding agencies. Rachel Harrison is clearly a productive researcher, and her practical experience shows that she understands the needs of practitioners. Rachel has taken many leadership roles in the software engineering community. She has been a program committee member for dozens of software engineering research conferences and workshops including highly regarded meetings such as ICSE, ICSM, ISESE, and Metrics. In addition to serving on the Software Quality Journal Editorial Board, she has served on the Editorial Boards of the International Journal of Cognitive Informatics, IEE Proceedings: Software, and the Journal of Software Measurement. She has been the Guest Editor for special issues of the Journal of Systems and Software and IET Software.