cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transformation of a pituitary macroadenoma into to a corticotropin-secreting carcinoma over 16 years.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe a case of a pituitary macroadenoma that differentiated into a corticotropin (ACTH)-secreting carcinoma with metastasis to the thigh. Methods We present a case report with a 16-year follow-up that includes anatomic and endocrine documentation of the history of an ACTH-secreting carcinoma. Results A 32-year-old woman presented for evaluation in 1989 because of visual feld defects. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a locally invasive 3-cm macroadenoma. She had no clinical signs of cortisol excess. The patient underwent surgical debulking followed by a course of radiation directed to the pituitary. Results from retrospective immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against ACTH, prolactin, and MIB-1 were negative. Postoperatively, she could not be weaned from exogenous steroids without developing symptoms of adrenal insuffciency. In 1995, she developed left facial palsy and diplopia caused by tumor growth. In 1997, the patient developed progressive symptoms of cortisol excess, which continued after exogenous steroid replacement was discontinued. The patient’s clinical status continued to deteriorate because of local mass effect from tumor growth and uncontrolled hypercortisolism. She underwent bilateral adrenalectomy in 2003. The patient remained debilitated in a long-term care facility for 2 years when she was found to have a mass on her left hip. Biopsy results of the obturator muscle revealed metastatic tumor of neuroendocrine origin with strong reactivity to ACTH antibodies and MIB-1 labeling in 8% of tumor cell nuclei. Conclusion A pituitary tumor can transform into an ACTH-secreting carcinoma in an indolent manner. Patients with invasive pituitary adenomas require long-term surveillance to monitor for differentiation into pituitary carcinoma. (Endocr Pract. 2007;13:463-471)
Evolution and faith: empathy is misplaced.

I found the News Focus story “Crossing the divide” (J. Couzin, 22 February, p. [1034][1]) to be particularly disturbing and unworthy of publication in Science . Three full pages were dedicated to paleontologist Stephen Godfrey, who (finally) rejected creationism and embraced evolution and “is still recovering from the traumatic journey.” Give me a break! Had Science magazine been around during the 17th century, would we have seen such consolatory text for those “traumatized” by the fact that the Sun does not revolve around the Earth? Or earlier, would we have seen such gentle treatment of those “devastated” by the realization that the Earth is not flat? While Dr. Godfrey's escape from the ignorant shroud of Biblical literalists is praiseworthy, Science magazine is not the place to give even a hint of respectability to those who would deny the fundamental fact of evolution. There is too much at stake, for our children and our society, to give any credence to those promoting unscientific nonsense (creationism or intelligent design) and justifying irrational beliefs under the guise of religion. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.319.5866.1034
Overlapping Vocabulary and Comprehension: Context Clues Complement Semantic Gradients

Despite the clear and longstanding connection between meaning vocabulary and reading comprehension, programs designed to teach vocabulary have often had surprisingly little impact on overall reading ability. One possible reason for this small effect is that teaching methods may not make this vocabulary-to-comprehension connection explicit for the students. To address this disconnect, this article describes practical tips for overlapping vocabulary and comprehension instructional methods. Specifically, the authors combined two strategies, context clues and semantic gradients, to support their graduate students as they, in turn, helped their own students examine shades of meaning among related sets of words. The purpose of overlapping these two strategies is to enable students to reconnect individual word meanings back to the text, helping them bridge the vocabulary to comprehension divide. A specific sequence of instruction is provided.
Preservice Teachers and Geography Education in Colorado

In the United States, there has been concern about the state of geographic literacy. There is concern that the social studies in general and geography specifically are not being taught well in K–12 schools. This article is a discussion of the state of geography in the context of preservice teacher training in Colorado. The availability of geography classes is variable among the fifteen institutions of higher education that train teachers. A synthesis of the availability of geography classes for preservice teachers is presented with general recommendations about the modification of teacher education in Colorado.
Characterization of zeolite Beta grown in microgravity

Abstract Zeolite Beta was grown in the microgravity environment (10 −3 –10 −5 g) of the International Space Station from the precursor solutions held unmixed until activation on orbit. The space-grown product had the same spheroidal and truncated square bipyramidal particle morphology, and close to identical “surface” and framework Si/Al ratio, and the same unit cell dimensions as the terrestrial/control product. However, the flight particles were ∼10% larger on average. The less intense terminal silanol infrared band acquired for the flight particles was consistent with their larger average size, but may also indicate a more uniform or “smoother” surface. The Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction of 4- tert -butylcyclohexanone with 2-propanol performed using the heat-treated flight samples showed lower catalyst activity and higher tr -4- tert -butylcyclohexanol selectivity when compared with the terrestrial/controls. This suggests smaller amounts of aluminum partially coordinated to the framework (as characterized by the ∼3670 cm −1 infrared band), and more space being available in the straight channels of the flight zeolite Beta for hydrogen transfer (i.e., no steric hindrances). This is consistent with a higher degree of perfection and order in the space-grown zeolite Beta framework, and higher degree of thermal stability of the flight product.
The role of dietary protein in generating daily rhythms in rat liver tryptophan pyrrolase and tyrosine transaminase

Abstract Groups of rats exposed to light for 12 hr daily were given access to an 18% casein diet or to a protein-free diet at different times of day or night, and killed 24 hr later. Tryptophan pyrrolase activity rose significantly during the dark period (by 34%–67%) in all animals. Tyrosine transaminase activity, however, rose during the dark period (by 163%) only among those eating protein. In rats given access to a protein-containing chow diet in the afternoon following an overnight fast and killed 2 or 4 hr later, tryptophan pyrrolase activity did not increase after food consumption, but tyrosine transaminase activity rose by 120%–140%. If animals consumed chow for 12 hr/day, starting either at the onset of darkness or 6 hr later, the daily increases in tryptophan pyrrolase began several hours before animals were given access to food rather than after food ingestion, while the daily increases in tyrosine transaminase were always noted immediately after eating. These observations confirm findings which indicate that the cyclic ingestion of dietary protein is of major importance in generating the tyrosine transaminase rhythm, but is of little significance in producing the tryptophan pyrrolase rhythm. Variations in plasma tryptophan concentration did not correlate well with tryptophan pyrrolase activity in any group fed a diet containing protein; plasma tryptophan concentrations did not rise prior to the increases in tryptophan pyrrolase activity, nor did they fall after these increases. Hence, the normal daily rhythm in tryptophan pyrrolase activity apparently neither results from nor elicits the plasma tryptophan rhythm.
TH‐D‐M100F‐03: A PET Head and Neck Tumor Delineation Approach Based On Adaptive Region‐Growing and Dual‐Front Active Contours

Purpose: To present a novel, semi‐automatic hybrid method for PETtumor delineation utilizing adaptive region‐growing and dual‐front active contours. Method and Materials: The process begins when an experienced radiation oncologist manually draws a rough region of interest (ROI) that encloses a tumor. The image voxel having the highest intensity is chosen as a seed point. A region growing algorithm successively appends to the seed point all neighboring voxels whose intensities >= T% of the mean of the current region, which is updated after each voxel is added. When T varies from 100 to 0, the resulting volumes increase from a small region to the entire rough ROI. With this criterion, a sharp volume increase has been observed at certain T values. The process uses the sharp increases as landmarks that are used to define the image intensity level that is used to define the tumor boundary. However, the tumor volume is found to be slightly larger than the anatomically defined volume possibly due to the partial volume effect. Therefore, we use a dual‐front active contour model to refine it automatically. We assign all points on the initial tumor boundary one label, and the seed point another label. Then we propagate the labeled boundaries towards each other. The evolution stops at meeting points that form the final tumor boundary. Results: A cylindrical phantom with seven hollow spheres of varying size (8–32mm) was constructed and scanned using a Siemens PET scanner under 12 various conditions. The method was tested on these 84 images with errors of volume overlap metric of 57.4% to 99.0% between the detected volumes and the actual volumes. Conclusion: This hybrid method guarantees a reproducible result for a specific image. Experimental results demonstrate the robustness, accuracy, reproducibility, and its potential usefulness in clinical radiation therapy planning.
Single site electronic spectroscopy of magnesium isobacteriochlorin in n-octane matrixes at 7 K.

The high resolution, single site emission and absorption spectra of magnesium isobacteriochlorin (MgiBC) in n-octane matrixes at 7 K are reported. Its emission and Q and Soret band absorption regions have been investigated. The vibrational frequencies of the ground and the lowest energy ππ* singlet excited states were determined from luminescence and excitation spectra, respectively. The emission from MgiBC at 7 K seems to be entirely fluorescence. The luminescence and Qy region spectra of the complex are similar, having intense, narrow origin bands followed by relatively weak, but orderly vibrational structure. The Qx region does not have a clear origin and exhibits complex vibrational structure that increases in intensity going to higher energy. In the Soret region the individual ππ* origins are clearly identifiable and some vibrational structure was also observed.
Do Written Reports of Suicide Induce High‐School Students to Believe that Suicidal Contagion Will Occur?1

To see if high-school students who read that a distressed adolescent knew about suicide thought that suicidal contagion would occur, 66 consenting high-school students read a written account of John, a high-schooler with multiple problems including knowing someone who had died (either by suicide or viral illness). They then anonymously completed the UCLA Loneliness scale and a questionnaire about what John (or they in the same situation) might do. When John knew of a sympathetic response to a viral illness death, or an unsympathetic response to suicide, he was rated as relatively more likely to make new friends and less likely to want to die. These high school students saw themselves as immune to suicidal contagion from a written report, but thought that others might be vulnerable if people were sympathetic.
An Electric Bottle for Colloids

Particle concentration is a dominant control parameter for colloids and other soft matter systems. We demonstrate a simple technique, ``dielectrophoretic equilibrium,'' implemented as an ``electric bottle,'' a planar capacitor in a larger volume. The uniform $E$ field in the capacitor traps particles in this force-free region at a higher density than in the zero field regions outside. We show how the technique measures the equation of state and we initiate and grow colloidal crystals. ``Dielectrophoretic equilibria'' enable the study of a complete concentration-dependent phase diagram from a single microscopic sample, obviating the previous need for preparing a large number of samples.
Genetic characterization of plasmid formation by N− mutants of bacteriophage

Abstract A λ phage defective in gene N can persist as an independently replicating plasmid in its Escherichia coli host ( Signer, 1969 ). This paper further characterizes the genetic requirements for N− plasmid formation: (1) This process requires both known λ replicating functions, O and P, and the λ regulatory function, cro (tof); it does not require either Q or S functions nor any of the “nonessential” λ functions between att and cI. (2) Active phage repressor (the product of gene cI) prevents formation of N− plasmids, and an N−cI+ phage can produce enough cI product to repress its own plasmid formation. (3) Complementation tests for plasmid formation can be performed between two N− phages. In such experiments, P− and cro− defects are complemented in trans, while O−, c17, and ri5bc defects are not. (4) Observation of complementation in such experiments implies that two different N− plasmid genomes are capable of coexisting efficiently and relatively stably in the same cell. This behavior is quite different from that of many other types of bacterial plasmids, such as the F sex factor, where two plasmid genomes of the same type are not able to coexist. (5) The nin5 mutation eliminates plasmid formation, but its deleterious effects are reversed by additional mutations in genes Q and S.
Sensitivity Analysis of a Biomass Fired Stirling Engine Combined Cooling, Heating, and Power System for a Small Office Building

Over the past decade, rising energy demand and cost have created a surge of interest in alternative methods of power generation. As a result, the implementation of combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems has become a potential candidate for substitution in conventional power generation. The evaluation of a CCHP system must be based on its potential for savings in cost and primary energy reduction. In general, a CCHP system includes several components to satisfy the electric and thermal demands of the facility. These components include the prime mover, heat recovery system, auxiliary boiler, absorption chiller, heating coil unit, and hot water system unit. In practice, the most common prime mover used in CCHP technology is the internal combustion engine, which is limited by low thermal efficiency and poor emissions. Hence, this paper proposes the use of a Stirling engine prime mover that makes use of waste wood chips for fuel. In addition to the standard CCHP components, the Stirling engine houses heat exchangers to aid heat addition and rejection processes. These heat exchangers must be considered along with the other components when analyzing energy requirements. The goal of this study is to determine how the operational characteristics of a constant output biomass-fired Stirling CCHP system are affected by the performance of the individual CCHP system components. The results of this sensitivity analysis are useful in determining the most important parameters to be considered when implementing and designing the system. Results suggest that fuel cost, engine efficiency, engine size, chiller efficiency, and the Stirling engine’s hot side heat exchanger play the most important roles in the CCHP system operational cost. For example, the results show that increasing the engine size leads to increases in primary energy. In addition, an optimum engine size is suggested for cost savings, with smaller and larger engines both leading to increases in operational cost.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Patient Sources of Information and Decision Factors in Selecting Cosmetic Surgeons

This paper presents the results of an exploratory study designed to examine influential information sources and decision factors in the selection of plastic surgeons for cosmetic versus medical procedures. Physician referrals were found to be the most influential sources of information for both groups. Word-of-mouth and magazine and newspaper articles were also important information sources for cosmetic patients. Primary selection factors were significantly different between groups, with board certification the most influential for cosmetic patients and recommendation by physician most influential for medical patients.
Reproducibility of graph metrics in FMRI networks.

The reliability of graph metrics calculated in network analysis is essential to the interpretation of complex network organization. These graph metrics are used to deduce the small-world properties in networks. In this study, we investigated the test-retest reliability of graph metrics from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data collected for two runs in 45 healthy older adults. Graph metrics were calculated on data for both runs and compared using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) statistics and Bland-Altman (BA) plots. ICC scores describe the level of absolute agreement between two measurements and provide a measure of reproducibility. For mean graph metrics, ICC scores were high for clustering coefficient (ICC=0.86), global efficiency (ICC=0.83), path length (ICC=0.79), and local efficiency (ICC=0.75); the ICC score for degree was found to be low (ICC=0.29). ICC scores were also used to generate reproducibility maps in brain space to test voxel-wise reproducibility for unsmoothed and smoothed data. Reproducibility was uniform across the brain for global efficiency and path length, but was only high in network hubs for clustering coefficient, local efficiency and degree. BA plots were used to test the measurement repeatability of all graph metrics. All graph metrics fell within the limits for repeatability. Together, these results suggest that with exception of degree, mean graph metrics are reproducible and suitable for clinical studies. Further exploration is warranted to better understand reproducibility across the brain on a voxel-wise basis.
Synthesis and characterization of p-type conductivity dopant 2-(3-(adamantan-1-yl)propyl)-3,5,6-trifluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane

We report the synthesis and characterization of 2-(3-(adamantan-1-yl)propyl)-3,5,6-trifluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F3TCNQ-Ad1), a substituted analog of 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ), designed for p-type conductivity doping. The dopant is designed as a model for substituted alternatives to F4TCNQ that maintain similar electronic properties with the goal of engineering dopants with superior fabrication characteristics over F4TCNQ. We describe the design strategy for F3TCNQ-Ad1 based on molecular modeling predictions that substitution of a single fluorine atom of F4TCNQ has little effect on the electronic properties of the molecule. Photophysical and electrochemical characterization reveal that the adamantyl substituent in F3TCNQ-Ad1 does not significantly alter the electronic properties of the substituted dopant relative to F4TCNQ. Unfortunately, F3TCNQ-Ad1 degrades under standard sublimation conditions, preventing sublimation deposition processing. Instead, hole-only devices were made via solution-processing of the p-doped films with the structure glass/ITO/2.3 × 103 A PVK:(MTDATA:dopant)/2.0 × 102 A Au/1.0 × 103 A Al, where dopant is either F4TCNQ or F3TCNQ-Ad1. We demonstrate that F3TCNQ-Ad1 increased the conductivity of the films by at least 1000 times compared to an undoped device.
Sinusitis: A critical need for further study

In the Ilast few years, we have observed a renaissance of interest in diseases of the paranasal sinuses. The widespread popularity of functional endoscopic sinus surgery, the promotion of over-the-counter sinus remedies, and our understanding and recognition of the connection between sinusitis and asthma have led to increased lay and professional attention. Few, if any, of the novel treatment modalities have been submitted to rigorous prospective study under doubleblind conditions. Thus, their application is largely empirical. In this brief article, we present our clinical approach to sinusitis in a more logical framework for discussion.
Communicating at a distance: A study of interaction in a distance education classroom

The offering of college courses is one application of Iowa's first‐in‐the‐nation statewide, interactive video fiber‐optics telecommunications network. This essay explores the communication that takes place during one of these college courses and reports, from the students' perspectives, what it is like to be a participant in a live, interactive television classroom. Results from classroom observations and from individual and group interviews indicate that the distance learning setting influenced students' perceptions of classroom interaction. We make suggestions for teachers who seek to improve interaction in the distance setting and conclude with research questions communication scholars should pursue to help teachers improve the communication climate of the fiber‐optics classroom.
Frischella perrara gen. nov., sp. nov., a gammaproteobacterium isolated from the gut of the honeybee, Apis mellifera

The gut of the Western honeybee, Apis mellifera, is colonized by a characteristic set of bacteria. Two distinct gammaproteobacteria are consistent members of this unique microbial community, and one has recently been described in a new genus and species with the name Gilliamella apicola . Here, we present the isolation and characterization of PEB0191T, a strain belonging to the second gammaproteobacterial species present in the honeybee gut microbiota, formerly referred to as ‘Gammaproteobacterium-2’. Cells of strain PEB0191T were mesophilic and had a mean length of around 2 µm, and optimal growth was achieved under anaerobic conditions. Growth was not obtained under aerobic conditions and was reduced in a microaerophilic environment. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain PEB0191T belongs to the family Orbaceae , and its closest relatives, with around 95 % sequence similarity, are species of the genera Orbus and Gilliamella . Phylogenetic analyses suggest that PEB0191T is more closely related to the genus Orbus than to the genus Gilliamella . In accordance with its evolutionary relationship, further similarities between strain PEB0191T and other members of the family Orbaceae were revealed based on the respiratory quinone type (ubiquinone 8), the fatty acid profile and the DNA G+C content. Interestingly, like strains of the genus Gilliamella , PEB0191T exhibited a high level of resistance to oxytetracycline. The similar levels of sequence divergence from the genera Gilliamella and Orbus and its uncertain phylogenetic position within the family Orbaceae indicate that strain PEB0191T represents a novel species of a new genus, with the proposed name Frischella perrara gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Frischella perrara is PEB0191T ( = NCIMB 14821T = ATCC BAA-2450T).
Growth rate of bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) maintained in groups and in isolation

Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) were maintained under three conditions: grouped in a 454-liter aquarium (n=5), grouped in a 76-liter aquarium (n=5), and isolated (each fish in a 76-liter aquarium, n=5). Body weight was recorded across 320 days, and growth of isolated fish was compared with growth of subordinate individuals in group situations. Each set of five fish was rotated through grouped and isolated conditions during the study. Hence, the effect of change in social environment on growth rate was observed. Isolated individuals grew at a more rapid rate than subordinate individuals in groups. This was true for between-subjects as well as within-subjects comparisons. Growth rate changes consequent to manipulation of social conditions occurred rapidly (usually within 10 days).
Telecommunications in times of crisis: reflections on September 11

Looks at how different, alternative, forms of communication helped cope with the September 11 crisis in the most tragic of times. States if there is any real lesson to be learned from the tragedy, in terms of telecommunications – it is true, in terms of crisis that many forms of alternative communication are of great benefit.
Effects of 2,4-DB on Yield and Pod Development in Peanuts

Abstract The herbicide 2,4-DB [4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butyric acid] was not readily absorbed by peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) leaves, was not accumlated in the nut at harvest and was very slowly me...
Mechanism of Repression by Bacillus subtilis CcpC, a LysR Family Regulator

Abstract Bacillus subtilis CcpC is a LysR family transcriptional regulatory protein that negatively regulates genes encoding enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid branch of the Krebs cycle. In the present work, the promoter region of the aconitase (citB) gene was used to investigate the mechanism of repression by CcpC. The binding of CcpC to the citB promoter region was shown to depend on DNA elements located near positions −66 and −27. Binding to these elements induced a bend in the DNA at position −41. Introduction of mutations in the −27 region and the presence of citrate, the inducer, had similar effects. In either case, citB expression was derepressed in vivo, the affinity of CcpC binding was reduced in vitro, the angle of the bend was relaxed, and RNA polymerase gained greater access to the −35 region of the promoter.
INEVITABLE HUMANS: SIMON CONWAY MORRIS'S EVOLUTIONARY PALEONTOLOGY

Book review of Simon Conway Morris's Life's Solution: Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe.
Effect of Broken Corn Levels on Water Absorption and Steepwater Characteristics

ABSTRACT Broken corn created by grounding sound corn kernels was added back at levels of 0, 4, 8, 12, or 16%, by weight, to whole kernels of three corresponding hybrids: FR27 × FRMo17 (a soft endosperm corn), FR618 × FR600 (amedium-hard endosperm corn), and FR618 × LH123 (a hard endosperm corn). The samples had been dried from 28% moisture content to 15% moisture content either by using ambient air at ≈25°C or at 110°C. Samples were steeped for 36 hr at 52°C in 0.15% sulfur dioxide and 0.5% lactic acid steeping solution. The steepwater characteristics, such as water absorption, solids and protein content in the steepwater, and steepwater pH, were measured by periodic sampling and analyzed. Broken corn level has a significant effect on the amount of solids released during steeping and steepwater protein content for all samples. Both steepwater solids and protein content increased linearly as broken corn content increased. Corn drying temperature, kernel hardness, and interactions between drying temperature...
Scattering by a semi-infinite impedance strip in a waveguide

The problem of dominant mode scattering by a symmetrically placed impedance strip in a parallel plane waveguide is solved exactly. The mode matching technique used is considerably more straightforward than the Weiner-Hopf method and is applicable to a number of other problems.
Sonographic evaluation of the incompetent cervix

Ultrasound can provide objective information in diagnosing incompetency of the internal os of the cervix during pregnancy and in evaluating the need for surgical correction. Attention must be paid to the technical aspects of the examination, and the examiner must be familiar with normal variations in the configuration.
Integrity of a recombinant hemagglutinin protein of an avian influenza virus

An open reading frame representing cDNA from a hemagglutinin (HA) encoding gene of a low pathogenic avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H10N7 was cloned in the pNMT1-TOPO vector under the control of thiamine response promoter. This construct was designated as pNMT1-HA. The pNMT1-HA construct was transformed into Schizosaccharomyces pombe for expression of HA antigen. The correct expression of recombinant HA protein was confirmed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot. The level of expression of recombinant HA protein was approximately 0.2% of total soluble protein. Purified yeast-derived recombinant HA protein showed hemagglutination activity. The 2-D and 3-D scanning images of recombinant HA protein were observed with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The structural integrity of the HA protein under AFM and hemagglutination activity provided support that the recombinant HA protein may be suitable for development of AIV subunit vaccine for mass administration to poultry.
Convective Performance of Nanofluids in a Laminar Thermally Developing Tube Flow

While many of the published papers on nanofluids focus on measuring the increased thermal conductivity of the suspension under static conditions, the convective performance of these fluids has received relatively little attention. The present work measures the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids under developing convective boundary layer conditions in tubes of diameter 5 mm. The experiments use a hydrodynamically fully developed laminar tube flow in the range 500Re1600 with constant wall heat flux. The experiments were validated through measurements on pure de-ionized (DI) water, which results in a thermal conductivity value that agrees within 0.4% of handbook value. The increase in effective thermal conductivity for DI-water/Al2O3 nanofluids is 6% for 2% volume concentration of Al2O3, which is consistent with the previously reported conductivity values for this sample. For a suspension of multiwall carbon nanotubes in silicone oil, the thermal conductivity is increased by 10% over that of the base fluid for a concentration of 0.2% by volume. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized to examine the structure of the dry state of the nanotubes and elucidate the performance differences of carbon nanomaterials. DOI: 10.1115/1.3013831
A generalization of the prolate spheroidal wave functions

Many systems of orthogonal polynomials and functions are bases of a variety of function spaces, such as the Hermite and Laguerre functions which are orthogonal bases of L 2 (-∞, oo) and L 2 (0, ∞), and the Jacobi polynomials which are an orthogonal basis of a weighted L 2 (-1, 1). The associated Legendre functions, and more generally, the spheroidal wave functions are also an orthogonal basis of L 2 (-1, 1). The prolate spheroidal wave functions, which are a special case of the spheroidal wave functions, possess a very surprising and unique property. They are an orthogonal basis of both L 2 (-1, 1) and a subspace of L 2 (-∞, ∞), known as the Paley-Wiener space of bandlimited functions. They also satisfy a discrete orthogonality relation. No other system of classical orthogonal functions is known to possess this strange property. This raises the question of whether there are other systems possessing this property. The aim of the article is to answer this question in the affirmative by providing an algorithm to generate such systems and then demonstrating the algorithm by a new example.
Controller design for a Hybrid Energy Storage System enabling longer battery life in wind turbine generators

The permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) based variable speed wind turbine is connected to the power grid via a full-scale converter. The full-scale converter presented in this paper consists of an active rectifier, an inverter and DC-DC converter for Energy Storage System (ESS). The rectifier controller uses the rotor flux oriented control (FOC) system and achieves Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) which is necessary for the wind turbine to obtain maximum power conversion. The grid side controller uses a voltage oriented control system to regulate the active and reactive power dispatched to the power grid. The employed voltage source inverter (VSI) regulates the output power at desired reference value (in our case 1 pu) while keeping the output voltage in a sinusoidal waveform. The output electrical power from the PMSG is fluctuating, which is unacceptable from the standpoint of power system operation. An energy storage system (ESS) can help accommodate the difference between fluctuating wind power and that dispatched to the grid. The ESS absorbs the extra energy from the DC-link (via charging) and releases the stored energy to the DC-link when required (via discharging). The presented ESS for this paper is a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) consisting of high power density supercapacitors and high energy density batteries. The HESS controller is designed to smooth and regulate the output power while help increase the battery's life. In the control system of DC-DC controller some logic gates are employed to appropriately disconnect the battery from DC-link. The system is modeled and simulated in PSCAD software.
Beamline 12.2.2: An Extreme Conditions Beamline at the Advanced Light Source

The Advanced Light Source (ALS) is a 1.9-GeV, third-generation synchrotron optimized for the production of VUV and soft X-rays from undulators. There is also a hard X-ray program at the ALS, which is based around three 6-T superconducting bending magnets [1] that shift the critical energy from 3 keV to 12 keV. The extreme conditions beamline at the ALS is situated on Beamline 12.2.2, which benefits from radiation produced by one of these superbend sources. The beamline is designed for X-ray diffraction, X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray imaging of samples held in diamond-anvil high-pressure cells (DACs). In a DAC, samples are on the order of 10 to 50 μm in diameter and 10 to 30 μm thick and are contained in a metal gasket of typical inner diameters of 100 to 150 μm. For high-quality diffraction patterns with little or no contamination from diffraction from the gasket, the X-ray beam size needs to be on the order of 10 μm × 10 μm.
Methodology development for three-dimensional MR-guided near infrared spectroscopy of breast tumors

Combined Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) has been proposed as a unique method to quantify hemodynamics, water content, and cellular size and packing density of breast tumors, as these tissue constituents can be quantified with increased resolution and overlaid on the structural features identified by the MR. However, the choices in how to reconstruct and visualize this information can have a dramatic impact on the feasibility of implementing this modality in the clinic. This is especially true in 3 dimensions, as there is often limited optical sampling of the breast tissue, and methods need to accurately reflect the tissue composition. In this paper, the implementation and display of fully 3D MR image-guided NIRS is outlined and demonstrated using in vivo data from three healthy women and a volunteer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Additionally, a display feature presented here scales the transparency of the optical images to the sensitivity of the measurements, providing a logical way to incorporate partial volume sets of optical images onto the MR volume. These concepts are demonstrated with 3D data sets using Volview software online.
Superior Performance of LiFePO4 Aqueous Dispersions via Corona Treatment and Surface Energy Optimization

In lithium-ion battery electrode processing, obtaining good wetting and adhesion of the electrode dispersion to the current collector foil is essential for achieving high capacity and good long-term performance. The surface tension of LiFePO4 aqueous dispersions is much higher than the surface energy of untreated Al foil due to the high surface tension of water (72.8 mN/m), which causes inferior wetting during the coating step. In this work it has been shown that the surface energy of Al foil is significantly increased by corona plasma treatment. Consequently, the wetting and adhesion of the LiFePO4 aqueous dispersion to the Al foil are dramatically improved, as evidenced by contact angle measurements, adhesion energy calculations and interfacial tension calculations. The LiFePO4 cathodes with corona treated Al foil exhibited superior capacity (∼20 mAh/g improvement) with no increase in capacity fade at 0.5C/−0.5C cycling compared to an identical electrode without treatment. © 2012 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.018208jes] All rights reserved.
The Perception of Short Phrases Presented Simultaneously for Visual & Auditory Reception:

Abstract Subjects were provided with outline maps that were incomplete in several details. Brief, simultaneous, visual and auditory instructions were given for completing some of the missing details. Certain items could be completed on the basis of direct information contained in one or other of the sensory modalities. Others, however, could be completed only because of their relation to details capable of location by direct instruction. Information important for the completion of map details was distributed randomly among short passages of unconnected words. All relevant visual and aural clues were presented simultaneously in every case. Opportunities for alternations of attention were curtailed. Thirty-six subjects were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions, and to two groups that were given different instructions. One group was told that relevant information would always appear simultaneously, while the other group was not allowed this information. The number of successfully located simult...
Encouraging Progress in the ω-Aspartylation of Complex Oligosaccharides as a General Route to β-N-Linked Glycopolypeptides

Described herein is a method for the joining of complex peptides to complex oligosaccharides via an N-linkage. The ω-aspartylation is conducted by coupling fully deprotected glycosylamine with a peptide containing a unique thioacid at the ω-aspartate carboxyl. In the presence of HOBT, under conditions that, in principle, allow for oxidation, complex components are combined in encouraging yields to produce structurally and stereochemically defined N-linked glycopolypeptides wherein the carbohydrate domain can be quite complex. Various mechanisms for oxidative coupling are proposed.
Anticancer activities of pomegranate extracts and genistein in human breast cancer cells.

Previous studies have demonstrated the anticarcinogenic activity of pomegranate extracts and genistein in a series of human cancer cells. In the present study, the potential anticancer effects of pomegranate extracts and genistein on inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in human breast cancer cells was investigated. Human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were cultured as monolayers in complete RPMI 1640 medium. The cells were cultured for 48 hours to allow growth and achieve about 80% confluence in 48-well culture plates, and then exposed to the agents for 24 hours in single and combination treatments. Post-treatment growth rate and apoptosis induction were assessed by the use of a series of bioassays—lactate dehydrogenase and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (inner salt) for viability and cytotoxicity; acridine orange-ethidium bromide and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assays for induction...
Myocardial contrast quantitation during stress echocardiography

Please see page 217 for the article by Toledo et al. ( doi:10.1016/j.euje.2005.07.012 ) to which this editorial pertains. Quantification of functional and perfusion abnormalities with stress imaging techniques is an important challenge in the assessment of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). The standard technique for evaluation of CAD with echocardiography relies upon subjective observation of wall motion abnormalities during exercise or pharmacologic stress, with a semi-quantitative approach to evaluate the extent of functional abnormalities using a 16-segment or 3 coronary arterial territorial distribution model.1,2 This approach has permitted the diagnosis of CAD with moderate sensitivity and moderate-to-high specificity. However, the extent of CAD has been consistently underestimated with this method and the sensitivity remains modest particularly in patients with single vessel CAD.3 Furthermore, hard cardiac events are still observed in around 1% annually among patients with a normal wall motion study.4–7 Real time myocardial contrast echocardiography (RTMCI) has been shown to be a safe and feasible …
Oxytocin content of the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs and its relationship to pain induced by spinal cord compression.

Objectives—To determine whether oxytocin exists in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of dogs and whether the amount of oxytocin in the CSF of dogs with neck or back pain caused by spinal cord compression is significantly different than that in the CSF of clinically normal dogs. Study Design—Prospective controlled study. Animal Population—A total of 15 purpose-bred beagles and 17 client-owned dogs. Methods—CSF was collected by needle puncture of the cerebellar medullary cistern after induction of general anesthesia. Oxytocin levels within the samples were determined through radioimmunoassay. Results—Dogs with spinal cord compression had significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than the clinically normal dogs (13.76 ± 2.0 pg/mL and 3.61 ± 0.63 pg/mL, respectively; P 7 days) had significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than dogs with acute signs (<7 days) (21.60 ± 0.86 pg/mL and 6.80 ± 0.81 pg/mL, respectively; P < .0001). Both acutely and chronically affected dogs had significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than the controls (P < .005 and P < .0001 respectively). Conclusions—Dogs with neck and back pain caused by spinal cord compression have significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than clinically normal dogs. Dogs with chronic clinical signs have significantly more oxytocin in their CSF than dogs with acute clinical signs. Clinical Relevance—In humans, intrathecal injection of oxytocin is effective in treating low back pain for up to 5 hours. Intrathecal oxytocin may be a logical choice for perioperative analgesia in dogs undergoing myelography because the intrathecal space is accessed for injection of contrast agent.
Essential management activities to support effective disaster planning

Abstract Just as many disasters contain common recovery steps, the disaster planning process itself contains common management activities, regardless of the disaster being planned. This manuscript outlines seven major areas of concerns that management must address when conducting contingency planning. This list of essential management activities will guide management, disaster planners, internal auditors and independent auditors to determine if management has considered the appropriate topics to ensure that contingency plans will operate properly when needed.
On the calculation of consistent stress distributions in finite element approximations

The theory of conjugate approximations is used to obtain persistent approximations of stress fields in finite element approximations based on displacement and assumptions. These consistent stresses are continuous across interelement boundaries and involve less mean error than those computed by the conventional approach. (Author)
Mechanical Strength of Silicon Wafers Cut by Loose Abrasive Slurry and Fixed Abrasive Diamond Wire Sawing

This paper reports on the mechanical strength of polycrystalline silicon wafers cut by loose abrasive slurry and fixed abrasive diamond wire sawing processes. Four line bending and biaxial flexure tests are used to evaluate the fracture strength of the wafers. Fracture strength of the wafers depends on the location, size, and orientation of microcracks in the silicon wafer and the distribution and magnitude of applied stresses. Measurement of microcracks at the wafer edge and center shows that edge cracks are typically larger than center cracks. Fixed abrasive diamond wire sawn wafers are found to have a higher crack density but smaller average crack length. Wafer fracture in four line bending is found to be primarily due to the propagation of edge cracks while center cracks are found to be the primary cause of wafer failure in biaxial flexure tests. Fracture mechanics based analyses demonstrate that crack orientation plays a significant role in four line bending, but not in biaxial flexure. Correlations of the wafer fracture strength and critical crack length agree well with microcrack measurements. The fracture strength of diamond cut wafers is found to be comparable or superior to the strength of slurry cut wafers.
One more push: Forcing the Dardanelles in March 1915

The historiography of the Gallipoli campaign suggests that the Turks were critically short of ammunition for the Dardanelles coastal defences in March 1915. This theme, established by Winston Churchill, became the basis for a widespread belief that the Royal Navy, after its failure to carry the Dardanelles on 18 March 1915, simply needed one more determined naval push to breakthrough the narrows. The presumed consequence was that the Ottoman Empire, with Constantinople under the guns of the Royal Navy, would have withdrawn from the war. Using modern Turkish sources, the author examines the available quantities, placement, and expenditure of ammunition, and challenges the premise that the Turks were desperately short of heavy shells. The author concludes that the Turks had sufficient remaining ammunition to fiercely contest control of the straits.
N1-Acetyl-5-Methoxykynuramine (AMK) Is Produced in the Human Epidermis and Shows Antiproliferative Effects

Previously, we demonstrated that skin cells metabolize melatonin to 6-hydroxymelatonin, N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine and 5-methoxytryptamine. In this study, we determined that N1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK) is endogenously produced in the human epidermis from melatonin through the kynuric pathway. The epidermal content of AMK (average from 13 subjects) is 0.99 ± 0.21 ng/mg protein, being significantly higher in African Americans (1.50 ± 0.36 ng/mg protein) than in Caucasians (0.56 ± 0.09 ng/mg protein). It is especially high in young African Americans. The levels do not differ significantly between males and females. In vitro testing using HaCaT keratinocytes has shown that exogenously added melatonin is metabolized to AMK in a dose dependent manner with a Vmax = 388 pg/million cells and Km = 185 μM. AMK production is higher in melanized than in amelanotic melanoma cells. Testing of DNA incorporation shows that AMK has antiproliferative effects in HaCaT and SKMEL-188 cells (nonpigmented and pigmented). AMK also inhibits growth of normal melanocytes but has no significant effect on melanogenesis or cell morphology. These findings indicate that antiproliferative effects of AMK are not related to melanin pigmentation. In summary, we show for the first time that AMK is produced endogenously in the human epidermis, that its production is affected by melanin skin pigmentation, and that AMK exhibits antiproliferative effects in cultured keratinocytes and melanoma cells.