cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DROP: Deep relocating option policy for optimal ride-hailing vehicle repositioning.

In a ride-hailing system, an optimal relocation of vacant vehicles can significantly reduce fleet idling time and balance the supply-demand distribution, enhancing system efficiency and promoting driver satisfaction and retention. Model-free deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has been shown to dynamically learn the relocating policy by actively interacting with the intrinsic dynamics in large-scale ride-hailing systems. However, the issues of sparse reward signals and unbalanced demand and supply distribution place critical barriers in developing effective DRL models. Conventional exploration strategy (e.g., the $\epsilon$-greedy) may barely work under such an environment because of dithering in low-demand regions distant from high-revenue regions. This study proposes the deep relocating option policy (DROP) that supervises vehicle agents to escape from oversupply areas and effectively relocate to potentially underserved areas. We propose to learn the Laplacian embedding of a time-expanded relocation graph, as an approximation representation of the system relocation policy. The embedding generates task-agnostic signals, which in combination with task-dependent signals, constitute the pseudo-reward function for generating DROPs. We present a hierarchical learning framework that trains a high-level relocation policy and a set of low-level DROPs. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated using a custom-built high-fidelity simulator with real-world trip record data. We report that DROP significantly improves baseline models with 15.7% more hourly revenue and can effectively resolve the dithering issue in low-demand areas.
Material Analysis by Means of Nuclear Reactions

The use of nuclear reactions for surface analyses is a field in which a wealth of interesting opportunities exists for small accelerator groups. The field is exciting and interesting both from the scientific standpoint of understanding the fundamental processes involved and from the specific applications which are still being developed. Important early contributions in this field may be found in references 1–9. Interest in the field, spurred perhaps in part by the advent of high resolution solid state detectors for charged particles and gamma rays and of improved data processing equipment, has increased to the point where entire conferences are now devoted to nuclear reaction analysis techniques which utilize charged particle bombardment (10–l6).
42 Expanding the conformational space of structure/function relationship of tyrosine kinases

Src and Syk tyrosine kinases work together in immune signaling and are targets of considerable interest for therapeutics. Molecular dynamics simulations combined with NMR spectroscopy are used to g...
Pierre-François Landry, Decentralized Authoritarianism in China: The Communist Party’s Control of Local Elites in the Post-Mao Era

China, or Zhongguo (literally “central state”), is seen by many as naturally or traditionally centralized under authoritarian rule. Yet China recently has enjoyed a brisk boom of prosperity that local entrepreneurs have brought by eroding a formerly centralized, now competitive market. How has the Communist Party maintained political control, as the economy has burgeoned and diversified? Pierre Landry answers this question by analyzing the efficiency of appointment and promotion systems. Presuming that the main motive of any official is to retain his/her current position (or, better, to move up the government ladder), an efficient system allocates appointment powers to a level that can effectively monitor and sanction cadres. Deductive theory suggests that if administrative appointing agents are located too far above a post to be filled, they will lack enough information about potential candidates. But if the appointing officials are too close in level to the vacant post, a talented appointee could later challenge their own authority. Post-Mao China offered a natural experiment to put empirical flesh on the bones of this theory: In the early 1980s, the Party’s Central Organization Department mandated a “two levels down” (xia liangji) rule: Any appointment to an important post was approved by a Party group not at the next-higher level, but two levels up. This procedure did not work well. So since 1984, the norm has been changed: the Party makes appointments just one level down. This applies to all leadership posts—in the state bureaucracy, businesses, congregations, universities, the media, and the Party itself. Specifically, the Party’s Organization Department in Beijing appoints provincelevel leaders (governors, Party secretaries, provincial Party standing committees, chairs of provincial people’s consultative conferences, chief justices and procurators, J OF CHIN POLIT SCI (2010) 15:337–338 DOI 10.1007/s11366-010-9105-3
NGNP/HTE full-power operation at reduced high-temperature heat exchanger temperatures.

Operation of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) with reduced reactor outlet temperature at full power was investigated for the High Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) hydrogen-production application. The foremost challenge for operation at design temperature is achieving an acceptably long service life for heat exchangers. In both the Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX) and the Process Heat Exchanger (PHX) (referred to collectively as high temperature heat exchangers) a pressure differential of several MPa exists with temperatures at or above 850 C. Thermal creep of the heat exchanger channel wall may severely limit heat exchanger life depending on the alloy selected. This report investigates plant performance with IHX temperatures reduced by lowering reactor outlet temperature. The objective is to lower the temperature in heat transfer channels to the point where existing materials can meet the 40 year lifetime needed for this component. A conservative estimate for this temperature is believed to be about 700 C. The reactor outlet temperature was reduced from 850 C to 700 C while maintaining reactor power at 600 MWt and high pressure compressor outlet at 7 MPa. We included a previously reported design option for reducing temperature at the PHX. Heat exchanger lengths were adjusted to reflect themore » change in performance resulting from coolant property changes and from resizing related to operating-point change. Turbomachine parameters were also optimized for the new operating condition. An integrated optimization of the complete system including heat transfer equipment was not performed. It is estimated, however, that by performing a pinch analysis the combined plant efficiency can be increased from 35.5 percent obtained in this report to a value between 38.5 and 40.1 percent. Then after normalizing for a more than three percent decrease in commodities inventory compared to the reference plant, the commodities-normalized efficiency lies between 40.0 and 41.3. This compares with a value of 43.9 for the reference plant. This latter plant has a reactor outlet temperature of 850 C and the two high temperature heat exchangers. The reduction in reactor outlet temperature from 850 C to 700 C reduces the tritium permeability rate in the IHX metal by a factor of three and thermal creep by five orders of magnitude. The design option for reducing PHX temperature from 800 C to 200 C reduces the permeability there by three orders of magnitude. In that design option this heat exchanger is the single 'choke-point' for tritium migration from the nuclear to the chemical plant.« less
Theoretical study of lattice instabilities in YBa2Cu3O7.

We have performed a molecular dynamics simulation of the YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ structure under the constraints of the rigid-ion model. These simulations used a variety of charge states for the Cu ions and the O ions, and except for one case, the interionic potentials were obtained in an ab initio fashion. The results of these simulations showed that a lattice instability involving the Cu-O chains existed. This instability was further investigated and it was shown that simple electronic screening is probably insufficient to stabilize the lattice. An instability of this nature provides a simple explanation of some experimentally observed phenomena.
Some issues in decentralized control of nonlinear systems

The authors present two results on controlling nonlinear systems via decentralized feedback. They begin with a method for observing the system state at a particular input/output port by closing the loop with output feedback at the other input/output ports. The conditions for observing the state with linearized error dynamics are met by choosing the output feedback functions to satisfy the local observability conditions. They also examined a system with nonlinear subsystems and nonlinear interconnections. For this class of systems, a local feedback linearizing controller is proposed, and a linear state feedback law which compensates for the interconnections resulting in exponential stability of the system is given. >
High Contrast Imaging with Gaussian Aperture Pupil Masks

Gaussian aperture pupil masks (GAPMs) can, in theory, achieve the requisite contrast for directly imaging an extrasolar planet around a nearby solar-type star. We outline the process of designing, fabricating, and testing a GAPM for use on current telescopes, and specifically the Penn State near-IR Imager and Spectrograph (PIRIS) at the Mount Wilson 100 inch (2.54 m) telescope. We find that the initial prototype observations are quite successful, achieving a contrast similar to a traditional Lyot coronagraph without blocking any light from a central object, and useful for finding faint companions to nearby young solar analogues. In the lab, we can reproduce the expected point-spread function reasonably well and with a single-aperture design that achieves ~4 × 10-5 contrast at 10λ/D. We find that small inaccuracies in the mask fabrication process and insufficient correction of the atmosphere contribute the most degradation to contrast at these levels.
On some conservation laws of conservative and non-conservative dynamic systems

Abstract This study is concerned with the derivation of conservation laws of both conservative and non-coaservative dynaraical systems with finite numbers of degrees of freedom. First, the derivation of generators of the infinitesimal transformations of the generalized coordinates and time from Noether's basic identity is discussed. In the second part, a special class of conservation laws of conservative dynamical systems which are called action integral conservation laws is developed.
A mathematical model of human inhibitory control

The Stop-Signal paradigm has generated a great deal of research interest among cognitive neuroscientists because of its ability to probe response inhibition [1]. In the task, subjects make a speeded button press when prompted, except on a fraction of trials where a second stimulus (the stop signal) instructs the subject to withold the prepotent response. The success or failure of the subject on trial 'n' is known to influence the following 'n+1' trial, and is thought to index top-down control [1-3]. In the present study, we examined the putative networks involved in action monitoring [4] and top down control [5] with the goal of understanding the neural mechanisms underlying this stop signal after-effect [6]. We utilize a dynamical systems approach based on a recent conductance-based model of prefrontal cortex activity [7]. The behavior of the model is dictated by the amount of inhibitory control utilized during trial 'n', with successful inhibition requiring the most inhibitory resources and go trials (no stop signal) the least, modeled here as recurrent activity within the prefrontal cortex. The use of a biophysically realistic model facilitated testing the hypothesis that a prefrontal top-down signal drives the extent of response inhibition on subsequent trials. A single trial in the model begins with the presentation of a 'GO' stimulus to a 'GO' neural group. During a non-stop signal trial, activity within the GO group increases until it reaches a fixed threshold and we define the model to have 'gone'. During a stop signal trial, an 'Inhibition' neural group (as in [5]) begins to generate activity. Depending on the stop signal delay, the model either goes (failed inhibition) or successfully inhibits. Activation of these inhibitory groups also activates another neural group that represents how the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, as in [4]) monitors conflict with respect to the different time courses of the 'Inhibition' and 'GO' groups. As suggested in [3-5], ACC activity is passed onto the prefrontal cortex (modeled per [7]) where recurrent activity is maintained to influence the following trials. The model exhibits realistic patterns of reaction times, with successful inhibition trials eliciting the most post-trial slowing, then failed inhibition trials, then no stop signal trials. These findings suggest that inhibitory after-effects may be driven by ACC and prefrontal influences, with the proposed mechanism potentially having implications for situations where motor inhibition is impaired, such as schizophrenia and aging.
Cultured fungal associates from the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa

Abstract The cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa provides important habitat to many deep-sea fishes and invertebrates. Studies of the microbial taxa associated with L. pertusa thus far have focused on bacteria, neglecting the microeukaryotic members. This is the first study to culture fungi from living L. pertusa and to investigate carbon source utilization by the fungal associates. Twenty-seven fungal isolates from seven families, including both filamentous and yeast morphotypes, were cultured from healthy L. pertusa colonies collected from the northern Gulf of Mexico, the West Florida Slope, and the western Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast. Isolates from different sites were phylogenetically closely related, indicating these genera are widely distributed in association with L. pertusa . Biolog™ Filamentous Fungi microtiter plates were employed to determine the functional capacity of a subset of isolates to grow on varied carbon sources. While four of the isolates exhibited no growth on any provided carbon source, the rest ( n =10) grew on 8.3–66.7% of carbon sources available. Carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, and amino acids were the most commonly metabolized carbon sources, with overlap between the carbon sources used and amino acids found in L. pertusa mucus. This study represents the first attempt to characterize a microeukaryotic group associated with L. pertusa . However, the functional role of fungi within the coral holobiont remains unclear.
Coordination and Management of Multisite Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Therapies: Experience from a Multisite Reflexology Intervention Trial

Background Multisite randomized clinical trials allow for increased research collaboration among investigators and expedite data collection efforts. As a result, government funding agencies typically look favorably upon this approach. As the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) continues to evolve, so do increased calls for the use of more rigorous study design and trial methodologies, which can present challenges for investigators.
Minimum standards, insurance regulation and adverse selection: evidence from the Medigap market

Abstract This paper examines the implications of minimum standards for insurance markets. I study the imposition of binding minimum standards on the market for voluntary private health insurance for the elderly. The central estimates suggest that the introduction of the standards was associated with an 8 percentage point (25%) decrease in the proportion of the population with coverage in the affected market, with no evidence of substitution toward other, unregulated sources of insurance coverage. To explore possible factors contributing to the impact of the minimum standards, I develop comparative static predictions of the impact of imposing minimum standards in an insurance market with adverse selection. The observed changes in market equilibrium associated with the minimum standards are broadly consistent with these predictions, providing evidence of the existence of adverse selection in this insurance market. More importantly, they suggest that the presence of adverse selection—which in principle may provide an economic rationale for minimum standards—in practice may have exacerbated the declines in insurance coverage associated with the minimum standards.
Lipidomic analysis of the retina in a rat model of Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome: alterations in docosahexaenoic acid content of phospholipid molecular species

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is a complex hereditary disease caused by an enzymatic defect in the last step of cholesterol biosynthesis. Progressive retinal degeneration occurs in an AY9944-induced rat model of SLOS, with biochemical and electroretinographic hallmarks comparable with the human disease. We evaluated alterations in the non-sterol lipid components of the retina in this model, compared with age-matched controls, using lipidomic analysis. The levels of 16:0-22:6 and 18:0-22:6 phosphatidylcholine molecular species in retinas were less by > 50% and > 33%, respectively, in rats treated for either 2 or 3 months with AY9944. Relative to controls, AY9944 treatment resulted in > 60% less di-22:6 and > 15% less 18:0-22:6 phosphatidylethanolamine molecular species. The predominant phosphatidylserine (PS) molecular species in control retinas were 18:0-22:6 and di-22:6; notably, AY9944 treatment resulted in > 80% less di-22:6 PS, relative to controls. Remarkably, these changes occurred in the absence of n3 fatty acid deficiency in plasma or liver. Thus, the retinal lipidome is globally altered in the SLOS rat model, relative to control rats, with the most profound changes being less phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and PS molecular species containing docosahexaenoic acid (22:6). These findings suggest that SLOS may involve additional metabolic compromise beyond the primary enzymatic defect in the cholesterol pathway.
The Preparation of Professional School Counselors for Group Work

An online survey about the group work training experiences of school counselors was completed by 802 members of the American School Counseling Association (ASCA). Most respondents had one course in group work; a minority had the opportunity to observe or co-lead groups with children and/or adolescents as part of their training. Qualitative analysis of comment data provided more depth and insight about school counselors' training in group work. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Growth and allometry in primate masticatory muscles

A study of the dry weight of primate and non-primate masticatory musculature permitted possible allometric and ontogenetic influences on this musculature to be explored. Using weight as an indicator of adult body size, all of the masticatory muscles examined (anterior temporalis, posterior temporalis, masseter, medial pterygoid, lateral pterygoid, digastrics, and total adductor mass) are isometric. This is true even when prosimians and non-primates are removed from consideration, leaving only adult anthropoid primates. Thus, size-related changes do not affect the masticatory musculature of anthropoids differently from the musculature of examined prosimians and non-primates. However, other measures of body size (skull length, head and body length) reveal a different picture. Yet, irrespective of the indicator of body size chosen, the allometric properties of the masticatory muscles appear similar and the fluctuations of the various muscle indices therefore reflect functional changes, and are not caused by allometry. Exudate-eating and frugivory are discussed in relation to body size and the development of the mandibular depressor muscles. The logs of the masticatory muscles do not show a significant correlation with age, except when species are followed across age grades. For the five anthropoid species for which this is possible, the medial and lateral pterygoid and digastric muscles are still not correlated with age. When all examined species are considered, some muscle ratios correlate significantly with age. Following anthropoid species across age grades singles out an early surge in growth of the medial pterygoid muscle over the masseter muscle, a situation which was apparent also in the general age correlation.
Sulpholane as a solvent for titration of barbiturates and sulpha drugs.

Abstract Sulpholane (tetramethylenesulphone) has been used as the medium for non-aqueous potentiometric titration of barbiturates and sulpha drugs with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. Recoveries for 0·1–0·3 mmole of barbituric acid, phenobarbital, amobarbital, barbital, secobarbital, sulphapyridine, sulphadiazine and sulphamerazine were generally in the range 99–101%. A glass-calomel electrode system was used: common acid—base indicators give no colour change in the medium used.
The basis number of the powers of the complete graph

Abstract A basis of the cycle space C(G) of a graph G is h -fold if each edge of G occurs in at most h cycles of the basis. The basis number b ( G ) of G is the least integer h such that C(G) has an h -fold basis. MacLane (1937) showed that a graph G is planar if and only if b ( G )⩽2. Schmeichel (1981) proved that b ( K n )⩽3, and Banks and Schmeichel (1982) proved that b ( K 2 d )⩽4 where K 2 d is the d -dimensional hypercube. We show that b ( K n d )⩽9 for any n and d , where K n d is the cartesian d th power of the complete graph K n .
The role of Pi-conjugation in attachment of organic molecules to the silicon (001) surface

Abstract We have investigated the role of conjugation in attachment of multifunctional organic molecules to the Si(0 0 1) surface. The model molecules we have chosen are acrylonitrile (CH 2 CHCN) and allyl cyanide (CH 2 CHCH 2 CN) due to the electron-withdrawing nature of the cyano group. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that significant difference in primary binding configuration exists. Infrared spectroscopy establishes that acrylonitrile attaches to the Si(0 0 1) surface primarily through a mechanism involving the cyano group, leading to a novel keteneimine structure that is evidenced by characteristic strong infrared absorbance at 1985 cm −1 . Allyl cyanide adsorbs in a way that principally utilizes the vinyl portion of the molecule, leading mainly to alkane infrared absorbance below 3000 cm −1 . These results show that conjugation can play an important role in controlling product distribution when attaching multifunctional organic molecules to the Si(0 0 1) surface.
The Structure of Atomic Nuclei

In a previous paper it was shown that the energies of nuclear reactions are multiples of q = 0·000415 in atomic weight units and that the atomic weights of the light elements may be supposed equal to N (1 + b ) sq , where N and s are integer and b is a small quantity the same for all elements. In the reaction equations the terms N (1 + b ) cancel out so that the reaction energies are given by nq = Σ sq . Thus the equation 4Be9 + 1H1 = 4Be8 + 1H2 + nq gives 9 (1 + b ) + 33 q + 1 + b + 19 q = 8 (1 + b ) + 17 q + 2 (1 + b ) + 34 q + nq , so that 33 q + 19 q = 17 q + 34 q + nq which gives 52 = 51 + n , or n = 1. The number of independent reaction equations is two less than the number of elements involved so that two of the values of the energy integer s can be elected. In the previous paper the values of s for 2He4 1H1 were taken to be 8 and 19 respectively and the values of s for the other elements were calculated by means of the reaction equations.
Weeding nursing e-books in an academic library

Libraries supporting health sciences programs must periodically weed collections to remove outdated materials. Both print and e-book collections should be weeded. This article outlines the process Auburn Montgomery librarians followed to weed the NetLibrary e-book collection supporting the School of Nursing curriculum. The nursing courses are taught primarily online or as hybrid courses, increasing reliance on remotely accessible electronic resources. While this e-book weeding project is focused on a specific subject area and the number of e-books weeded is small, the basic method can be applied to larger e-book weeding projects in subject areas other than nursing.
Physical parameters and electron-transfer kinetics of the copper(II/I) complex with the macrocyclic sexadentate ligand [18]aneS6.

The electron-transfer kinetics of the complex formed by copper(II/I) with the sexadentate macrocyclic ligand 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexathiacyclooctadecane ([18]aneS6) have been measured in acetonitrile with a series of three oxidizing agents and three reducing agents. These studies have been supplemented by determinations of the redox potential and the stability constants of the CuI- and CuII([18]aneS6) complexes in both acetonitrile and aqueous solution. The Marcus cross relationship has been applied to the cross-reaction rate constants for the six reactions studied to resolve the electron self-exchange rate constant for the CuII/I([18]aneS6) complex. An average value of k11 = 3 × 103 M-1 s-1 was obtained at 25 °C, μ = 0.10 M in acetonitrile. This value is approximately 2 orders of magnitude smaller than the values reported previously for the corresponding Cu(II/I) complexes with the quadridentate and quinquedentate homoleptic homologues having all ethylene bridges, namely, 1,4,7,10-tetrathiacyclododecane ([12]...
IKKβ specifically binds to P16 and phosphorylates Ser8 of P16

In spite of its central roles in cell cycle progression, senescence, and aging, knowledge about the posttranslational regulation of P16 (also known as INK4A and MTS1) remains limited. While it has been reported that P16 could be phosphorylated at Ser7, Ser8, Ser140, and Ser152, the corresponding kinases have not been identified yet. Here we report that IKKβ, a primary kinase for IκBα phosphorylation, is involved in P16 phosphorylation. Immunoprecipitation and kinase assays showed that IKKβ specifically binds to P16 and phosphorylates P16 at Ser8 in WI38 cells. Biochemical characterization of phosphomimetic Ser → Glu P16 mutants demonstrated that phosphorylation at Ser8 of P16 brings about a significant loss of its cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4-inhibitory activity while P16 retains structurally and functionally intact upon phosphorylation at Ser7, Ser140, and Ser152. Our results reveal the novel role of IKKβ in P16 phosphorylation and broaden our understanding of the regulation of P16.
Surgery for ovarian masses in infants, children, and adolescents: 102 consecutive patients treated in a 15-year period☆

Abstract Background/Purpose: Ovarian pathology, although rare in children, must be included in the differential diagnosis of all girls who present with abdominal pain, an abdominal mass, or precocious puberty. Methods: To improve clinical appreciation of these lesions, the authors reviewed the presentation, evaluation, and outcome of all patients with ovarian pathology surgically treated at their institution since 1985. Results: One hundred two girls (aged 9.8 ± 5.5 years; range, 2 days to 20 years) underwent 106 separate ovarian operations (43 salpingo-oophorectomies, 21 oophorectomies, 33 ovarian cystectomies, and 9 ovarian biopsies). Of those presenting with acute abdominal pain (n = 59), 25 (42%) had ovarian torsion (14 associated with a mature teratoma), and only 1 (2%) had a malignant tumor. In contrast, of those presenting with an abdominal mass (n = 23), 6 (26%) had malignancies. There was no age difference between those with benign disease (9.9 ± 5.6 years; n=96) and those with malignant tumors (8.6 ± 3.9 years, n=10). Nine children had 10 operations for presumed malignant tumors (3 dysgerminomas, 2 immature teratomas with foci of yolk sac tumor, 2 juvenile granulosa cell tumors, 1 yolk sac tumor, and 1 Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor). These patients all had unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, 4 had chemotherapy, and all are now disease free at 8.4 ± 4.1 years follow-up. Conclusion: Ovarian pathology remains a rare indication for surgery in girls less than 20 years of age. Because most of these lesions are benign, ovarian-preserving operations should be performed whenever feasible. J Pediatr Surg 36:693-699. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
The fundamental four-spiral semigroup

Pastijn [17] showed that every semigroup may be embedded in a bisimple idempotent-generated semigroup. This resolves in the negative the conjecture of Eberhart, Williams, and Kinch [4] that a simple idempotent-generated semigroup is completely simple and suggests a study of the structure of bisimple idempotent-generated semigroups which are not completely simple. In this paper we introduce and analyse the structure of a semigroup which is a basic building block for bisimple non-completely simple idempotent-generated semigroups. This semigroup is fundamental (in the sense of Munn [13] and Nambooripad [15]) and has a biordered set of idempotents which can be described as a “spiral” biordered set: It is idempotent-generated, generated by four idempotents and can be described as a rectangular band of four semigroups, three of which are isomorphic to the bicyclic semigroup and one of which is a union of a bicyclic semigroup and an infinite cyclic semigroup.
Collaborative inquiry for adult learning

Through its structure for peer participation, multiple ways of knowing, and systematic validity procedures, collaborative inquiry provides a highly effective strategy for facilitating learning from experience.
Architecting with just enough information

We learned an important lesson recently about breaking down barriers among architects, developers, and other stakeholders when we were engaged on a project and were challenged to deliver the architecture in smaller increments and shorter iterations. We learned how information was used and exchanged among key players participating in the software development process and are seeking to formalize our understanding through principles of workflow from lean software development and how architecture knowledge management can influence defining an appropriate architecture batch size for effective incremental development.
Neutrophil chemotaxis and enzyme release competitive inhibition by a diazoacetamide pepsin inhibitor

Abstract Treatment of human neutrophils with a reagent (diazoacetylnorleucine methyl ester plus copper ion) which covalently labels the active site of the acid proteases, pepsin and cathepsin D, inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis and enzyme release stimulated by the chemoattractants pepstatin and formylmethionyl peptides. In contrast, chemotaxis and enzyme release in response to zymosan-activated serum are not affected. Furthermore, diazoacetylnorleucine methyl ester plus copper competes with [ 3 H]formylmethionyl leucylphenylalanine for binding to neutrophils. Since pepstatin shares binding sites with formylmethionyl leucylphenylalanine, the present data suggest that diazoacetylnorleucine methyl ester plus copper reacts with the neutrophil receptor for pepstatin and formylmethionyl peptides, and thus may be useful in further characterization of this structure.
Evidence for the presence of serotonergic perikarya in the fetal rat pancreas as demonstrated by the high affinity uptake of [3H]5-HT

Evidence has been obtained for the presence of serotonergic fibers in the adult rat pancreas; however, the location of the serotonergic cell bodies remains unknown. Fetal rat pancreata (18, 20 and 22 days) were demonstrated to possess a high-affinity uptake of serotonin. Radioautography revealed the uptake sites to be similar to those seen in the adult, indicating the presence of serotonergic fibers in early development. In addition, cell bodies, possibly representing primitive neurons, were demonstrated to be heavily labelled. This suggests a possible intra-pancreatic location for the cell bodies of the pancreatic nerves. The preservation of the specific serotonin uptake in 18-day fetal tissue after 4 days in organ culture substantiates this view.
Prevalence in a volunteer population of pelvic cancer detected with transvaginal ultrasound and color flow Doppler.

Our objective was to find the prevalence of non-symptomatic endometrial and ovarian neoplasms in a volunteer population of women, aged 40 and over. We offered a free volunteer screening program to asymptomatic women for a study using transvaginal ultrasound and color flow Doppler for the detection of pelvic cancer. In the first 2 years, 2117 women were examined, 51.3% post-menopausal. An ovarian cyst was defined as having a maximum diameter of more than 2.4 cm. Color flow was used to identify blood vessels feeding pelvic organs and adnexal enlargements. An abnormal Doppler flow velocity for the ovary was defined as a resistance index of less than 0.41. Ovarian cysts of less than 5 cm with normal Doppler indices were followed up in 6 months to 1 year. An adnexal morphology score was created to quantify the usefulness of this parameter, particularly in postmenopausal women. Indications for surgery were pre-defined as a persistent ovarian cyst of more than 5 cm, a persistent suspicious Doppler and a total endometrial thickness of greater than 0.59 cm in postmenopausal women not taking hormones. A total of 202 women (9.5%) had ovarian cysts. Fourteen women were operated upon because of size criteria, one because of family history and three for persistent abnormal flow. By Doppler study, 15 cysts were predicted to be benign and histology was confirmatory. There were two false positives and one true positive, a stage Ib ovarian cancer. There were no false negatives, although a stage I endometrioid cancer of the ovary was detected 8 months after a negative scan. In those cases in which follow-up data were available, 56% of the cysts regressed in premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, 28% regressed. Twenty of 1086 postmenopausal women had endometrial biopsies. Three had endometrial cancer, two stage I and one stage IIA. Five had atypical or adenomatous hyperplasia, and seven had benign polyps. So many women have small asymptomatic cysts of the ovary that a major reorientation of physicians' attitudes towards the ovary will have to be introduced to adapt to this new information. In this population, the prevalence of benign epithelial ovarian neoplasms was 7/1000, and of malignancy was 05/1000. In postmenopausal women, the prevalence rate for endometrial cancer was 5/1000, with 5/1000 hyperplasias and 7/1000 benign polyps. When endometrial and ovarian cancer screening are combined, the yield is comparable to that seen in breast and cervical cancer screening. Copyright © 1994 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Treatment planning for negative pi-meson radiation therapy: UNM-LASL experience

Abstract Human radiobiological studies using negative pi-mesons have recently been conducted at the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility; metastatic tumor nodules in the skin and superficial tumors have been treated. Large tumors of the head and neck, cervix and rectum will be treated later this year to evaluate mucosal reactions. The dosimetry and treatment planning for these clinical studies is presented. Comparisons of measurements and calculations of the effect of inhomogeneities on pion dose distributions are shown. The pion treatment code, PIPLAN, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Monte Carlo code have been compared and an example of their respective dose distribution calculations is given.
Case Study in Cost-Based Risk Assessment for Selecting a Stream Restoration Design Method for a Channel Relocation Project

A low-risk, stream restoration design includes methods that validate design assumptions, incorporate uncertainty in the decision-making process during the project design phase, and reduce uncertainty by checking the final design. A two-step method of incorporating uncertainty and risk in stream restoration design has been developed as a combination of design failure modes and effects analysis (DFMEA) and risk quantification. As a first step, DFMEA is applied to identify risk in terms of ratings with respect to consequence of failure, the likelihood of occurrence of a failure, and the ability to detect a failure. Due to its evolutionary nature, the DFMEA can be revised to account for design modifications and relative ratings are reevaluated to examine reductions in uncertainty, and thereby, risk. The second step of the method is quantifying risk using initial and expected failure costs. The two-step, risk-based method is illustrated through application to a stream relocation project in Pennsylvania. Both sediment transport capacity and supply analysis and alluvial channel modeling design methods were shown to reduce uncertainty and risk by detecting design deficiencies that the initial design using incipient motion tests overlooked. However, the alluvial channel model method was favored due to its ability to simulate the combined effects of flow hydraulics, sediment transport, and river channel adjustment.
Trends in antipsychotic drug use by very young, privately insured children.

Objective This study describes recent trends and patterns in antipsychotic treatment of privately insured children aged 2 through 5 years. Method A trend analysis is presented of antipsychotic medication use (1999–2001 versus 2007) stratified by patient characteristics. Data are analyzed from a large administrative database of privately insured individuals. Participants were privately insured children, aged 2 through 5 years, with 12 months of continuous service enrollment in 1999–2001 (N = 400,196) or 2007 (N = 755,793). The main outcomes are annualized rates of antipsychotic use and adjusted rate ratios (ARR) of year effect on rate of antipsychotic use adjusted for age, sex, and treated mental disorder. Results The annualized rate of any antipsychotic use per 1,000 children increased from 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69–0.88) (1999–2001) to 1.59 (95% CI 1.50–1.68) (2007) (ARR 1.76, 95% CI 1.56–2.00). Significant increases in antipsychotic drug use were evident for boys (ARR 1.66, 95% CI 1.44–1.90) and girls (ARR 2.26, 95% CI 1.70–3.01) and for children diagnosed with several different psychiatric disorders. Among antipsychotic-treated children in the 2007 sample, pervasive developmental disorder or mental retardation (28.2%), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (23.7%), and disruptive behavior disorder (12.9%) were the most common clinical diagnoses. Fewer than one-half of antipsychotic-treated young children received a mental health assessment (40.8%), a psychotherapy visit (41.4%), or a visit with a psychiatrist (42.6%) during the year of antipsychotic use. Conclusions Despite increasing rates of antipsychotic use by very young children, provision of formal mental health services remains sparse. These service patterns highlight a critical need to improve the availability of specialized and well integrated mental health care for very young children with serious mental health problems.
811 HIGH-DOSE MELPHALAN (HD L-PAM) THERAPY PLUS AUTOLOGOUS BONE MARROW REINFUSION TO TREAT REFRACTORY NEUROBLASTOMA (NB)

New treatments are urgently needed for stage IV NB, which becomes resistant to chemotherapy (CT) in 75% of cases. We have treated 6 children (ch) with refractory NB with HD L-PAM, either 120 mg/m2 (4 ch) or 180 mg/m2 (2 ch), in 3 divided doses, followed by reinfusion of bone marrow (BM) previously frozen in liquid N2 during BM remission. The ch were isolated during the neutropenic phase and supported with red cells and platelets, and hyperalimentation via Broviac catheters. Toxicity: all 6 recovered hemopoietic function, in median periods of 28 days (neutrophils 500), 34 days (retics 1%), and 35 days (platelets 50,000). Gastrointestinal side effects were severe but short-lived. 1 ch developed hepatic venocclusive disease, which regressed completely with supportive measures. 3 ch developed sepsis while neutropenic. 1 ch died after 3 mo complete response (CR) from complications of prior abdominal surgery and had no tumor at autopsy. Responses: 120 mg/m2 (4 ch)--1 CR (6 mo), 1 PR (1 mo), 2 NR. 180 mg/m2 (2 ch)--2 CR (3 mo and 4+ mo). Conclusions: 1. HD L-PAM is clearly active against NB. 2. Autologous BM reinfusions protect against severe myelosuppression. 3. BM autografting may uncover other dose-limiting toxicities of L-PAM. 4. L-PAM should be combined with other agents in further phase II and III studies.
Two-dimensional polaron coherence in Poly(3-hexylthiophene)

The two-dimensional coherence function corresponding to positively charged polarons (“holes”) in poly(3- hexylthiophene) π-stacks is calculated based on a Holstein-style Hamiltonian which treats electronic coupling, vibronic coupling and disorder on equal footing. Assuming a model of isotropic site-energy disorder, the hole is found to be delocalized between 1-2 nm along the polymer chain and between 0.5-1 nm along the stacking axis.
Neonatal Kidney Size and Function in Preterm Infants: What Is a True Estimate of Glomerular Filtration Rate?

Objectives To distinguish between cystatin C (CysC) and creatinine (Cr) as markers of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in preterm infants and to correlate eGFR with total kidney volume (TKV) as a surrogate of nephron mass. Study design Sixty preterm ( Results Renal lengths correlated with GA and were within the reference values for intrauterine measurements. Estimation equations for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) based on Cr, CysC, and combined CysC + Cr demonstrated that Cr-based equations consistently underestimated GFR, whereas CysC and combined equations were more consistent with referenced inulin clearance studies. Term infants demonstrated significantly better eGFR than preterm infants. TKV, GA, and MAP correlated positively with eGFR, although only MAP and GA remained significant when adjusted for other covariates. Conclusions Primary determinants of eGFR in preterm infants are GA and MAP. The CysC level is a superior biomarker to serum Cr in the assessment of GFR in premature infants.
Early bilateral deafening prevents calretinin up-regulation in the dorsal cortex of the inferior colliculus of aged CBA/CaJ mice

Abstract This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that age-related calretinin (CR) up-regulation seen in the dorsal cortex of the inferior colliculus (ICdc) of old hearing CBA mice is dependent upon neural activity within the auditory pathway. We tested this hypothesis by bilaterally deafening young CBA/CaJ mice with kanamycin, and then aging them until 24 months. This manipulation mimics the lack of sound-evoked auditory activity experienced by old C57BL/6J mice, who are deaf and do not show CR up-regulation with age. Cell counts revealed that the density of CR+ cells in the ICdc of old hearing CBA mice was statistically different from old deafened CBA mice raised under identical conditions. Old hearing CBAs possessed an average of 27.54 more CR+ cells/100 μm 2 than old deafened CBAs. When old deafened CBAs were compared to young hearing CBAs, young hearing C57s, and old deaf C57s, there was no significant difference in mean CR+ cell density in ICdc. Thus, only the old normal hearing CBAs showed an increase in CR+ cells with age, supporting the hypothesis that CR up-regulation depends upon sound-evoked activity. Moreover, these results demonstrate that up-regulation of CR expression was not simply due to a mouse strain difference.
Twenty Major Issues in Remarriage Families

Twenty major issues in remarriage families are identified from the professional literature and are placed in four categories: initial family issues, developing family issues, feelings about self and others, and adult issues. Each issue is discussed using citations from the primary sources. Many suggestions for counselor assessment and intervention are offered.
Ikaros, CK2 kinase, and the road to leukemia

Ikaros encodes a zinc finger protein that is essential for hematopoiesis and that acts as a tumor suppressor in leukemia. Ikaros function depends on its ability to localize to pericentromeric-heterochromatin (PC-HC). Ikaros protein binds to the upstream regulatory elements of target genes, aids in their recruitment to PC-HC, and regulates their transcription via chromatin remodeling. We identified four novel Ikaros phosphorylation sites that are phosphorylated by CK2 kinase. Using Ikaros phosphomimetic and phosphoresistant mutants of the CK2 phosphorylation sites, we demonstrate that (1) CK2-mediated phosphorylation inhibits Ikaros' localization to PC-HC; (2) dephosphorylation of Ikaros at CK2 sites increases its binding to the promoter of the terminal deoxynucleotidetransferase (TdT) gene, leading to TdT repression during thymocyte differentiation; and (3) hyperphosphorylation of Ikaros promotes its degradation by the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. We show that Ikaros is dephosphorylated by Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1) via interaction at a consensus PP1-binding motif, RVXF. Point mutations that abolish Ikaros-PP1 interaction result in functional changes in DNA-binding affinity and subcellular localization, similar to those observed in hyperphosphorylated Ikaros and/or Ikaros phosphomimetic mutants. Phosphoresistant Ikaros mutations at CK2 sites restored Ikaros' DNA-binding activity and localization to PC-HC and prevented accelerated Ikaros degradation. These results demonstrate the role of CK2 kinase in lymphocyte differentiation and in regulation of Ikaros' function, and suggest that CK2 promotes leukemogenesis by inhibiting the tumor suppressor activity of Ikaros. We propose a model whereby a balance between CK2 kinase and PP1 phosphatase is essential for normal lymphocyte differentiation and for the prevention of malignant transformation.
Earthworms increase soil microbial biomass carrying capacity and nitrogen retention in northern hardwood forests

Abstract Earthworms have been shown to produce contrasting effects on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools and dynamics. We measured soil C and N pools and processes and traced the flow of 13C and 15N from sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) litter into soil microbial biomass and respirable C and mineralizable and inorganic N pools in mature northern hardwood forest plots with variable earthworm communities. Previous studies have shown that plots dominated by either Lumbricus rubellus or Lumbricus terrestris have markedly lower total soil C than uncolonized plots. Here we show that total soil N pools in earthworm colonized plots were reduced much less than C, but significantly so in plots dominated by contain L. rubellus. Pools of microbial biomass C and N were higher in earthworm-colonized (especially those dominated by L. rubellus) plots and more 13C and 15N were recovered in microbial biomass and less was recovered in mineralizable and inorganic N pools in these plots. These plots also had lower rates of potential net N mineralization and nitrification than uncolonized reference plots. These results suggest that earthworm stimulation of microbial biomass and activity underlie depletion of soil C and retention and maintenance of soil N pools, at least in northern hardwood forests. Earthworms increase the carrying capacity of soil for microbial biomass and facilitate the flow of N from litter into stable soil organic matter. However, declines in soil C and C:N ratio may increase the potential for hydrologic and gaseous losses in earthworm-colonized sites under changing environmental conditions.
SIMS study of hydrogen at the surface and grain boundaries of nickel bicrystals

The distribution of deuterium at the surface and at grain boundaries of cathodically charged nickel bicrystals was studied using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. Both high energy and low energy boundaries were studied under conditions where deuteride formation occurred during charging. The formation of the deuteride along the grain boundaries was compared to that in the adjacent grains and interpreted in terms of the deuterium diffusion in the lattice and along the grain boundaries. Decomposition of the deuteride was also studied. The results are interpreted in terms of the dependence of diffusion along grain boundaries on the structure of the boundary.