cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chromophore-assisted laser inactivation (CALI) to elucidate cellular mechanisms of cancer

Chromophore-assisted laser inactivation (CALI) is a new technology for acute protein inactivation in living cells. It targets laser energy to specific proteins via non-function-blocking antibodies that are labeled with the dye malachite green. Excitation of the dye generates short-lived free radicals that damage the bound protein without affecting other cellular components. The wavelength of laser light used (620 nm) is not readily absorbed by cells such that non-specific light damage does not occur. CALI provides an alternative to other inactivation strategies and has the advantages of high spatial and temporal resolution. The ultimate value of this technology for cancer research will be assessed by how effective CALI is in ascribing in situ function during cancer-relevant processes and in identifying and validating protein targets for drug discovery. Recent work using CALI on ezrin and pp60-c-src, two proteins that may be involved in cancer, suggests its potential. Further application of CALI will likely be of utility for understanding cellular mechanisms of cancer and developing cancer therapeutics.
The concept of development in contextualism

Abstract Contextualism, a world view or paradigm which suggests the role of social, cultural, and historical change in individual development, became the focus of increasing interest throughout the 1970s. Nevertheless, despite the suggestion that contextualism offered a new philosophical position from which to derive concepts and theories of development, criticism occurred because it was believed that the dispersive nature of contextualism obviated the formulation of a useful definition of development. We review the characteristics of the contextual paradigm and argue for a principled integration (as opposed to an eclectic one) between selected features of contextualism and of organicism. The former approach offers a dispersive view of the nature of variables involved in development and the latter provides an integrative one. We attempt to forge a probabilistic epigenetic, or developmental-contextual, paradigm for the study of human development, one which relies on the concept of integrative levels and which conceives of the causal variables of development as interacting in a temporally probabilistic manner.
Magnetic catheter manipulation in the interventional MR imaging environment.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate deflection capability of a prototype endovascular catheter, which is remotely magnetically steerable, for use in the interventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging environment. Materials and Methods Copper coils were mounted on the tips of commercially available 2.3–3.0-F microcatheters. The coils were fabricated in a novel manner by plasma vapor deposition of a copper layer followed by laser lithography of the layer into coils. Orthogonal helical (ie, solenoid) and saddle-shaped (ie, Helmholtz) coils were mounted on a single catheter tip. Microcatheters were tested in water bath phantoms in a 1.5-T clinical MR scanner, with variable simultaneous currents applied to the coils. Catheter tip deflection was imaged in the axial plane by using a "real-time" steady-state free precession MR imaging sequence. Degree of deflection and catheter tip orientation were measured for each current application. Results The catheter tip was clearly visible in the longitudinal and axial planes. Magnetic field artifacts were visible when the orthogonal coils at the catheter tip were energized. Variable amounts of current applied to a single coil demonstrated consistent catheter deflection in all water bath experiments. Changing current polarity reversed the observed direction of deflection, whereas current applied to two different coils resulted in deflection represented by the composite vector of individual coil activations. Microcatheter navigation through the vascular phantom was successful through control of applied current to one or more coils. Conclusions Controlled catheter deflection is possible with laser lithographed multiaxis coil-tipped catheters in the MR imaging environment.
Intraosseous ganglion cyst within the L4 lamina causing spinal stenosis

Abstract Background context There are rare reports of intraosseous ganglion cysts in the cervical spine. However, to our knowledge, there are no previous reports of these cysts occurring in the lumbar spine. Purpose To report a case of symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis caused by an intraosseous ganglion cyst of the L4 lamina that communicated with the spinal canal. Study design Case report. Methods An 86-year-old woman was referred to our spine service for a 2-year history of anterior thigh and leg pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a benign-appearing intraosseous cyst in the left L4 lamina communicating with a posterior epidural cyst at L4–L5 causing marked spinal stenosis. The patient was treated successfully with a laminectomy and resection. Results The patient underwent partial laminectomies of L4 and L5 preserving the interspinous ligaments between L5–S1 and L3–L4. The cyst was removed en bloc without violation of the cyst wall. Histopathologic examination revealed focal myxoid changes without a cellular lining of the cyst wall, confirming the diagnosis of intraosseous ganglion cyst. Conclusions This is the first report to describe an intraosseous ganglion cyst occurring in the lumbar spine. Although spinal stenosis is commonly a result of degenerative joint or disc disease, it occasionally may result from more obscure causes. This case illustrates a patient with an intraosseous ganglion cyst within the spinal lamina resulting in spinal stenosis, treated successfully with a laminectomy and resection.
The effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on spontaneously active midbrain dopamine neurons in adult male offspring: an electrophysiological study.

Abstract In this study, the technique of extracellular single unit recording was used to examine the effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on the number of spontaneously active dopamine (DA) cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC or A9) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA or A10) of male Sprague-Dawley rats on postnatal days 56–68. In addition, the effect of the direct DA receptor agonist (±)-apomorphine (APO) on the basal firing rate of A10 DA cells was also determined. A significant decrease in the number of spontaneously active A10 DA cells was observed in offspring whose dams were treated with 40 mg/kg/day of cocaine s.c. from gestational days 8–20 when compared with offspring of pair-fed and non-treated control dams. The number of spontaneously active A9 DA cells was significantly decreased in the offspring of cocaine-exposed dams when compared to pair-fed offspring. In contrast, there were no significant differences among the three prenatal groups regarding the sensitivity of spontaneously active A10 DA cells to APO (2–64 μg/kg, i.v.). Overall, our results suggest that in utero cocaine exposure may alter presynaptic DA activity in offspring long after their exposure has been terminated.
The changing epidemiology of spinal trauma: a 13-year review from a Level I trauma centre.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal injuries secondary to trauma are a major cause of patient morbidity and a source of significant health care expenditure. Increases in traffic safety standards and improved health care resources may have changed the characteristics and incidence of spinal injury. The purpose of this study was to review a single metropolitan Level I trauma centre's experience to assess the changing characteristics and incidence of traumatic spinal injuries and spinal cord injuries (SCI) over a 13-year period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of patients admitted to a Level I trauma centre between 1996 and 2008 was performed. Patients with spinal fractures and SCI were identified. Demographics, mechanism of injury, level of spinal injury and Injury Severity Score (ISS) were extracted. The outcomes assessed were the incidence rate of SCI and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Over the 13-year period, 5.8% of all trauma patients suffered spinal fractures, with 21.7% of patients with spinal injuries having SCI. Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) were responsible for the majority of spinal injuries (32.6%). The mortality rate due to spinal injury decreased significantly over the study period despite a constant mean ISS. The incidence rate of SCI also decreased over the years, which was paralleled by a significant reduction in MVA associated SCI (from 23.5% in 1996 to 14.3% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2008). With increasing age there was an increase in spinal injuries; frequency of blunt SCI; and injuries at multiple spinal levels. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a reduction in mortality attributable to spinal injury. There has been a marked reduction in SCI due to MVAs, which may be related to improvements in motor vehicle safety and traffic regulations. The elderly population was more likely to suffer SCI, especially by blunt injury, and at multiple levels. Underlying reasons may be anatomical, physiological or mechanism related. Language: en
Fixation with even small quantities of glutaraldehyde affects red blood cell surface properties in a cell- and species-dependent manner. Studies by cell partitioning.

Partitioning in charge-sensitive dextran-poly(ethylene glycol) aqueous phase systems reveals that fixation with even small concentrations of glutaraldehyde (e.g., 0.1% w/v) changes the surface properties of cells. While fixation with larger concentrations of glutaraldehyde (i.e., 1.85%) increases erythrocyte partition ratios, the effect of lower glutaraldehyde concentrations on the partition ratios appears to be species-specific. The differential effect of glutaraldehyde on rat reticulocytes and erythrocytes indicates that fixation is also cell-dependent. These data, together with the previous report that glutaraldehyde fixation does not change the characteristicrelative partition ratios of rat mature erythrocytes of different cell ages, suggest that the nature and extent of glutaraldehyde alteration of cell surfaces must, in each case, be empirically evaluated.
Use of Maxted's Method for Group Classification of Hemolytic Streptococci

SummaryExperience with 1010 consecutive strains of hemolytic streptococci examined by Maxted's grouping technique is presented. Classification by this method was successful with 998 strains. Comparison with the older formamide and hot acid techniques suggests that Maxted's method is reliable and is simpler to perform.
Comparison of TOPEX sea surface heights and tide gauge sea levels

TOPEX sea surface height data from the first 300 days of the mission are compared to sea level data from 71 tide gauges. The initial comparison uses sea surface height data processed according to standard procedures as defined in the users handbook. It is found that the median correlations for island and for coastal tide gauges are 0.53 and 0.42, respectively. The analogous root mean square (RMS) differences between the two data sets are 7.9 and 10.4 cm. The comparisons improve significantly when a 60-day harmonic is fit to the differences and removed. This period captures aliased M(sub 2) and S(sub 2) tidal energy that is not removed by the tide model. Making this correction and smoothing the sea surface height data over 25-km along-track segments results in median correlations of 0.58 and 0.46 for the islands and coastal stations, and median RMS differences of 5.8 and 7.7 cm, respectively. Removing once per revolution signals from the sea surface heights results in degraded comparisons with the sea levels. It is also found that a number of stations have poor comparisons due to propagating signals that introduce temporal lags between the altimeter and tide gauge time series. A final comparison is made by eliminating stations where this propagation effect is large, discarding two stations that are suspected to have problems with the sea level data, smoothing over 10-day intervals, and restricting attention to islands gauges. This results in a set of 552 data pairs that have a correlation of 0.66 and a RMS difference of 4.3 cm. The conclusion is that on timescales longer than about 10 days the RMS sea surface height errors are less than or of the order of several centimeters.
pH-dependent reduction potentials and proton-coupled electron transfer mechanisms in hydrogen-producing nickel molecular electrocatalysts.

The nickel-based P2PhN2Bn electrocatalysts comprised of a nickel atom and two 1,5-dibenzyl-3,7-diphenyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane ligands catalyze H2 production in acetonitrile. Recent electrochemical experiments revealed a linear dependence of the NiII/I reduction potential on pH with a slope of 57 mV/pH unit, implicating a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process with the same number of electrons and protons transferred. The combined theoretical and experimental studies herein provide an explanation for this pH dependence in the context of the overall proposed catalytic mechanism. In the proposed mechanisms, the catalytic cycle begins with a series of intermolecular proton transfers from an acid to the pendant amine ligand and electrochemical electron transfers to the nickel center to produce the doubly protonated Ni0 species, a precursor to H2 evolution. The calculated NiII/I reduction potentials of the doubly protonated species are in excellent agreement with the experimentally observe...
Prediction of Nitric Oxide Destruction by Advanced Reburning

Advanced reburning refers to a process wherein injection of a hydrocarbon fuel such as natural gas aft of the combustion zone is followed by injection of a nitrogen-containing species such as ammon...
A phase field model with non-local and anisotropic potential

We present an alternative formulation of the phase field method for modeling interfaces. In this approach one works directly with integral equations instead of differential equations. The technique allows one to derive, from microscopic potentials, the surface tension and macroscopic conditions at the interface. In the last section a numerical example is given to illustrate the use of the technique. For a given form of interaction potential, the surface tension and its anisotropy are calculated from which we construct the equilibrium shapes.
Complications of radial artery catheterization

Sixty patients, representing a ten per cent incidence of complications, developed ischaemic or necrotic changes in the involved hand following radial artery cannulation. The loss of digits or hands could have been avoided by adequate evaluation of the vascular status of the hand both before and after cannulation.
Stability analysis in polymerization reactor systems

Abstract Stability of steady states in the polymerization reactor systems was considered. Liapunov functions were generated for each of the steady states and the regions of asymptotic stability were obtained from these Liapunov functions. Two different polymer reactor systems were examined, namely the two tanks-in-series with backflow with homopolymerization and one CSTR with copolymerization.
A LATTICE-THEORETIC APPROACH TO A CLASS OF DYNAMIC GAMES

Abstract We consider a general class of dynamic games arising in strategic capital accumulation/resource extraction, and show that they have Nash equilibria in pure stationary strategies. The approach is new and relies on Topkis' results in lattice programming and Tarski's fixed-point theorem.
Studies of the melting of a 2D solid

The authors have made a detailed numerical analysis of neutron diffraction lineshapes across the constant-coverage melting transition of incommensurate monolayers of methane on graphite. They find that in the liquid phase the liquid lineshape is well fitted with a lorentzian structure factor. While the exact nature of the transition very close to Tm cannot be commented upon, the 'freezing' of liquid appears to be initially continuous, with an increase in correlation length to hundreds of Angstroms before the appearance of a solid phase.
Effects of intracisternally injected serotonin on cerebral blood flow in cats during winter and summer, and after dark exposure.

This investigation reports on two experiments: (a) The examination of the effects of intracisternally injected serotonin on cerebral blood flow and systemic pressure in cats during winter (1/10–3/7) and summer (7/6–9/3) at a latitude of 39' 40, and (b) the effects of similarly injected serotonin on the same parameters in 11 cats after exposure to 3 days of continuous darkness during the summer months. Serotonin (5 mg) injected intracisternally produced significant decreases in cerebral blood flow and systemic pressure that lasted from 60 to 180 min after injection. Blood flow decreases, expressed as percentage change from baseline, seen during winter (n = 24) periods were significantly greater [analysis of variance (ANOVA), p < 0.02] from decreases seen during summer (n = 25) periods. Following serotonin injection, systemic pressure decreases between the winter and summer cats were not significantly different. Eleven summer cats were subjected to 3 days of continuous darkness before being injected with se...
Amorphization Alone Does Not Account for the Enhancement of Solubility of Drug Co-ground with Silicate: The Case of Indomethacin

The solubility advantage of indomethacin amorphized by co-grinding with Neusilin US2 in various media was investigated. Physical mixtures of γ-indomethacin and Neusilin US2 (in the ratios 1:1, 1:4 and 1:5) were amorphized at room temperature employing 75% RH in a porcelain jar mill using zirconia balls. The crystallinity of the samples was determined using ATR-FTIR and PXRD. The solubility and dissolution profiles of co-ground powders and crystalline counterparts were evaluated in 0.1 N HCl, water and phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) in a USP type II dissolution apparatus at 250 rpm and 37 °C. Very high concentrations of dissolved indomethacin as compared to the solubility of γ-indomethacin (~500 times in water and ~ 3.7 times in phosphate buffer) were attained. However, the presence of other polymorphs detected by PXRD and a change in the pH of the medium made interpretation of the results difficult. In 0.1 N HCl the solubility (i.e., the peak in a concentration versus time plot) of the amorphized drug in a 1:5 ratio with Neusilin increased to 109 times the solubility of crystalline γ-indomethacin alone. An increase in amount of drug and Neusilin in the same ratio added to the dissolution medium also increased peak and plateau dissolution concentrations. The presence of silicic acid and ions (Mg2+ and Al3+) in the dissolution media were found to cause the increase in the plateau concentration of indomethacin. Amorphization alone does not account for all of the dissolution enhancement; acidity, ions, and silicic acid are major contributors to dissolution enhancement.
Disposition of topically applied vitamin A in the albino rabbit eye

Abstract Using radiotracer techniques, the disposition of vitamin A in the albino eye was studied following instillation of its solution in arachis oil in tear chamber, Early peak times were observed in the conjunctiva and the cornea suggesting rapid uptake of the drug by these tissues. Perhaps because of their proximity to the fear pool, these two tissues possessed the highest concentration of vitamin A. Sustained drug concentration was evident in all the ocuiar tissues studied—conjunctiva, cornea, aqueous humor and iris-ciliary body—beginning at 30 min post-instillation. This presumably was due to a reservoir for vitamin A in the precorneal area and perhaps the corneal epithelium; the nature of this reservoir has yet to be resolved. The significance was that vitamin A was available to the conjunctiva and the cornea from topical dosing, the two tissues known to undergo changes in vitamin A deficiency and dry-eye states. Unfortunately, these data as yet do not permit the formulation of a dosage regimen for topically applied vitamin A in the treatment of xerophthalmia.
Good and bad lipids in the lung

Bacterial pneumonia can be a life-threatening disease that causes lung injury. A new study shows that accumulation of a phospholipid in the lung fluid in mice and humans worsens gas exchange during the microbial infection (pages 1120–1127). Clearance of this lipid may improve lung function during infection.
Consistent variable selection in high dimensional regression via multiple testing

Abstract This paper connects consistent variable selection with multiple hypotheses testing procedures in the linear regression model Y = X β + ɛ , where the dimension p of the parameter β is allowed to grow with the sample size n . We view the variable selection problem as one of estimating the index set I 0 ⊆ { 1 , … , p } of the non-zero components of β ∈ R p . Estimation of I 0 can be further reformulated in terms of testing the hypotheses β 1 = 0 , … , β p = 0 . We study here testing via the false discovery rate (FDR) and Bonferroni methods. We show that the set I ^ ⊆ { 1 , … , p } consisting of the indices of rejected hypotheses β i = 0 is a consistent estimator of I 0 , under appropriate conditions on the design matrix X and the control values used in either procedure. This technique can handle situations where p is large at a very low computational cost, as no exhaustive search over the space of the 2 p submodels is required.
Performing spiritual healing in the here and now: botánicas and holistic health care

Through ethnographic study of midwestern botanicas in Indiana, this research illustrates the multifunctional nature of these spaces. Research findings point to botanicas as working in the ‘here and now’, addressing immediate and emergent spiritual, financial, and health problems in a diverse community. Local religious leaders also perform divinations and healing in this space; thus the botanica both symbolizes and acts as a cross-cultural health system. I analyze a therapeutic form of traditional medicine through a focus on one of the main activities that takes place in botanicas – healings or limpias. Limpias cleanse a person, place, or object of any bad, evil, or harmful energy or sickness. I also explore the role of botanicas as a form of spiritual/medical diplomacy. Ultimately, this paper demonstrates that botanicas serve as economically and culturally acceptable health care alternatives, offering a means to address otherwise unmet community needs.
Radiative lifetimes, fluorescence quantum yields and photodissociation of the C2N2 (A1Σu−) and (B1Δu) states: evidence for sterically hindered, triplet mediated crossings to the (X1Σg+) ground state

Abstract C2N2 A1Σu−→X1Σg+ and B1Δu→X1Σg+ absorption, laser-induced fluorescence and CN photodissociation fragment spectra have been measured between 230 and 206 nm. Photophysical properties of individual vibrational levels of both electronically excited states are reported. Radiative lifetimes, quenching rates and fluorescence and dissociation quantum yields have been measured for the A1Σu− state. All vibrational bands of the B1Δu state are pre-dissociative with a 100% yield to CN fragments.
Nanomechanics on the deformation of single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes under radial pressure

Abstract In this paper, the deformation of single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes under radial pressure has been studied by using an analytical molecular structural mechanics model. The elastic in-plane properties (in-plane stiffness in the hoop direction, Y θ ) and Poisson's ratio ( v θ z ) of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) has been derived and shown to be equal to the axial direction in-plane properties ( Y z , v z θ ) for all tube diameters. In-plane properties are sensitive to tube diameter at small diameter ranges and insensitive to tube size at large diameters. Using the obtained hoop stiffness, the radial deformation of SWCNTs under radial pressure is formulated. The effect of van der Waals forces between layers in multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) has been incorporated within the analytical molecular structural mechanics model to analyze the radial deformation of MWCNTs. Closed form solution for the radial deformation of MWCNTs is obtained by using the universal graphite potential function for the interlayer van der Waals interactions. Load transfer between layers is considered. The behavior of MWCNTs under large radial deformation has also been studied by incorporating nonlinear van der Waals interactions. The present theoretical investigation provides a very simple approach to predict the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes.
Identification and properties of 8α-[N(1)-histidyl]-riboflavin: The flavin component of thiamine dehydrogenase and β-cyclopiazonate oxidocyclase

Abstract In addition to 8α-[N(3)-histidyl]-riboflavin which had previously been characterized as the product on condensation of N α -blocked histidine with 8α-bromotetraacetyl-riboflavin (after removal of the blocking groups), a second histidylflavin isomer is obtained in 20–25% yield of the total histidylflavin fraction. This isomer is identified as 8α-[N(1)-histidyl]-riboflavin by chemical degradation of the histidylflavin analog after alkylation of the imidazole with methyliodide. Acid hydrolysis at high temperature yields 3-methylhistidine, identified by its mobility on high voltage electrophoresis, while Zn reduction yields riboflavin, identified by thin layer chromatography. The properties of synthetic 8α-[N(1)-histidyl]-riboflavin are identical with the histidylriboflavin obtained from thiamine dehydrogenase and β-cyclopiazonate oxidocyclase in pK a of fluorescence quenching, electrophoretic mobility, and in reduction by sodium borohydride. Thus, both the N(1) and the N(3) histidylriboflavin isomers occur in nature. The compound obtained on acid treatment of 8α-[N(3)-histidyl]-riboflavin (previously thought to be 8α-[N(1)-histidyl]-riboflavin) is shown to differ from the parent compound only in the ribityl side chain.
Photo Quiz: A 5-Year-Old Male with Multiple Pustules Covering the Entire Scalp

A 5-year-old Mayan male presented to a volunteer-staffed clinic in a remote location in rural southern Belize with a chief complaint of multiple open, painful, pus-filled lesions unresponsive to previous antimicrobial treatment. The child had presented 6 weeks earlier to a neighboring clinic in a
Sums of Triple Harmonic Series

Abstract For positive integers a , b , c with a ⩾2, let A ( a , b , c ) denote the triple harmonic series[formula]We show that the sum of the A ( a , b , c ) with a + b + c = n is ζ ( n )=∑ i ⩾1 1/ i n . A similar identity for double harmonic series goes back to Euler
Rapid spectral-domain localization

We present a method to dynamically image structures at nanometer spatial resolution with far-field instruments. We propose the use of engineered nanoprobes with distinguishable spectral responses and the measurement of coherent scattering, rather than fluorescence. Approaches such as PALM/STORM have relied on the rarity of emission events in time to distinguish signals from distinct probes. By distinguishing signals in the spectral domain, we enable the acquisition of data in a multiplex fashion and thus circumvent the fundamental problem of slow data acquisition of current techniques. The described method has the potential to image dynamic systems with a spatial resolution only limited to the size of the scattering probes.
Androgen Deprivation as a Strategy for Prostate Cancer Chemoprevention

Androgens are required for the normal development and function of the prostate gland. Prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia are common in men and develop in an environment of continuous androgen exposure. The utility of androgen deprivation as a treatment for advanced prostate cancer was first demonstrated in 1941 (1), and many new classes of drugs that interfere with androgen production and function have been introduced in recent years. These agents are effective in treating prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia and may have an important role in chemoprevention. Since 1991, prostate cancer has been the most common noncutaneous cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men. The major difficulty in treating prostate cancer is the limitation of current tools to accurately predict the behavior of a given tumor. Although many prostate cancers are clinically insignificant and will have an indolent course, others will result in considerable morbidity and mortality. The major dilemma with regard to prostate cancer is determining what men to treat and who would be better served by expectant management (2). Previous efforts (3) have concentrated on treating invasive cancer, often in advanced stages. Other work (4,5) suggests that an evolving multistep molecular and cellular process, known as carcinogenesis, begins years before invasive cancer is detected. Chemoprevention refers to prevention of cancer or reduction of risk in susceptible individuals by administration of natural or synthetic drugs with little or no toxicity that suppress, delay, or reverse carcinogenesis (6,7). Chemoprevention is most effective in the early stages of cancer formation when reversibility may be feasible. In prostatic carcinoma, the time from tumor initiation and progression to invasive carcinoma often begins in men in the fourth and fifth decades of life and extends across decades, allowing sufficient time to halt or to reverse carcinogenesis (8,9).
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) enhances functional thermal and chemical responses of TRP cation channels in human synoviocytes

Background We have shown functional expression of several TRP channels on human synovial cells, proposing significance in known calcium dependent proliferative and secretory responses in joint inflammation. The present study further characterizes synoviocyte TRP expression and activation responses to thermal and osmotic stimuli after pre-treatment with proinflammatory mediator tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, EC50 1.3221 × 10-10g/L).
Shaping of the Eyebrows with Botox

By rebalancing the forehead and periocular muscles, Botox injections can improve the shape and position of the eyebrows. It is even possible to induce a modest “chemical brow lift” and help correct intrinsic or iatrogenic asymmetry of the eyebrows. Reports by Carruthers1 as well as Frankel and Kamer2 have shown that the majority of patients experience a modest elevation of the brow.
Carbonate Pseudomatrix in Siliciclastic-Carbonate Turbidites from the Oquirrh-Wood River Basin, Southern Idaho

ABSTRACT Upper Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sandy turbidites from the Oquirrh-Wood River basin in southern Idaho contain 20 to 60 modal percent microspar and pseudospar. Previous interpretations suggested that neomorphism of detrital lime mud produced the observed carbonate textures. The original detrital lime mud content, based on these interpretations, indicates matrix-rich, poorly sorted turbidite deposits. However, observed turbidite hydrodynamics, and grain-size data from experimental and naturally occurring sandy turbidite deposits, indicate that Ta-Tc intervals of sandy turbidites are generally moderately well sorted, with low matrix content. Fluorescence microscopy reveals that the carbonate fraction of these mixed siliciclastic-carbonate turbidites contains micritized skeletal grains and fusulinids, and algal peloids. These micritized grains and peloids were physically compacted and neomorphosed to form a carbonate pseudomatrix. Formation of carbonate pseudomatrix is analogous to formation of pseudomatrix in siliciclastic lithic sands, which includes crushing and recrystallization of lithic grains. Grain-size analysis of siliciclastic and slightly compacted carbonate grains indicates that these are moderately well sorted turbidite deposits with similar grain-size populations in both fractions. The presence of rare noncompacted bioclasts, which have experienced only minor micritization, suggests that micritization control ed grain integrity and, therefore, later pseudomatrix generation. Lack of recognition of carbonate pseudomatrix could lead to erroneous interpretations of carbonate petrology. Identification of carbonate pseudomatrix is important to the study of mixed siliciclastic-carbonate gravity-flow deposits. This study demonstrates the value of fluorescence microscopy in the recognition of carbonate pseudomatrix.
Selection for Egg Mass in Different Social Environments 3. Changes in Agonistic Activity and Social Dominance

Abstract Changes in agonistic activity levels and in social dominance potential were studied in 6 strains of chickens derived from the Kentville Randombred Control. Two of the 6 were selected for increased part-year egg mass when kept in intermingled-family flocks, 2 strains were selected on the same criterion when kept in separated-family flocks, and 2 consisted of unselected controls, maintained in an essentially asocial environment (individual cages). Behavior was compared in generations, 2, 4, 6, and 7. Random genetic drift is the most likely cause for differences in frequency of agonistic acts found between strains within systems of selection. Increased social dominance ability occurred under both selection schemes as shown by peck-order ranks when selected strains were intermingled with unselected controls. We hypothesize that this result is in some way associated with the earlier sexual maturity of the selected strains. Housing environment influenced frequency of threat-avoidances; fewer were observed in colony cages as compared with floor pens. Agonistic acts were more frequent during adolescence than during the young adult stage.
Influence of an Oyster Reef on Development of the Microbial Heterotrophic Community of an Estuarine Biofilm

We characterized microbial biofilm communities developed over two very closely located but distinct benthic habitats in the Pensacola Bay estuary using two complementary cultivation-independent molecular techniques. Biofilms were grown for 7 days on glass slides held in racks 10 to 15 cm over an oyster reef and an adjacent muddy sand bottom. Total biomass and optical densities of dried biofilms showed dramatic differences for oyster reef versus non-oyster reef biofilms. This study assessed whether the observed spatial variation was reflected in the heterotrophic prokaryotic species composition. Genomic biofilm DNA from both locations was isolated and served as a template to amplify 16S rRNA genes with universal eubacterial primers. Fluorescently labeled PCR products were analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, creating a genetic fingerprint of the composition of the microbial communities. Unlabeled PCR products were cloned in order to construct a clone library of 16S rRNA genes. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis was used to screen and define ribotypes. Partial sequences from unique ribotypes were compared with existing database entries to identify species and to construct phylogenetic trees representative of community structures. A pronounced difference in species richness and evenness was observed at the two sites. The biofilm community structure from the oyster reef setting had greater evenness and species richness than the one from the muddy sand bottom. The vast majority of the bacteria in the oyster reef biofilm were related to members of the gamma- and delta-subdivisions of Proteobacteria, the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium -Bacteroides cluster, and the phyla Planctomyces and Holophaga-Acidobacterium. The same groups were also present in the biofilm harvested at the muddy sand bottom, with the difference that nearly half of the community consisted of representatives of the Planctomyces phylum. Total species richness was estimated to be 417 for the oyster reef and 60 for the muddy sand bottom, with 10.5% of the total unique species identified being shared between habitats. The results suggest dramatic differences in habitat-specific microbial diversity that have implications for overall microbial diversity within estuaries.
Do physicians examine patients in contact isolation less frequently? A brief report

Results: Of a total of 139 patients, 31 (22%) were in contact isolation. Senior medical residents examined 26 of 31 patients (84%) in contact isolation versus 94 of 108 patients (87%) not in contact isolation (relative risk, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.14; P = .58). In comparison, attending physicians examined 11 of 31 patients (35%) in contact isolation versus 79 of 108 patients (73%) not in contact isolation (relative risk, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.79; P < .001).
On the frequency distribution of net annual snow accumulation at the South Pole

The frequency distribution of stratigraphic layer thickness in cores and a snowmine at South Pole is not compatible with a significant number (>1%) of missing layers associated with zero-accumulation years inferred from pole-height measurements. A reconciliation of these data sets is needed if observed stratigraphic records are to be used as reliable paleoclimate indicators. Three explanations for the discrepancy are offered, namely (i) during a significant number of years, a visible stratigraphic horizon does not form or is not identified, (ii) the true distribution is characterized by two maxima, with a secondary maximum centered around zero layer thickness, or (iii) the pole-height measurements are misinterpreted and there are very few zero-accumulation years at South Pole. With the currently available data, it is not possible to discriminate among these three possibilities.
A reconfigurable Yagi array for wireless applications

The reconfigurable antenna is a revolutionary new type of antenna that controls the radiation pattern by dynamically adjusting its aperture. It provides a unique way to cover different frequency bands and, in an array, provides a beam steering capability. There is therefore a great demand for reconfigurable antennas in the field of wireless communications, satellite communications, radar etc. We present a reconfigurable Yagi to work at both the 5.78 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequencies. It is intended for use in the transition period when wireless communication shifts to the 5.78 GHz band. Preliminary results for this reconfigurable antenna are presented.
Celebrating 100 years 1911-2011.

ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY, the American Journal of Public Health becomes its own feature, a fascinating public health entity in its own right. Over the century, the Journal has moved with the American Public Health Association (APHA) from Boston, to New York, to Washington, DC, trying on different looks, making treasured friends, and revealing its personality.
Improving left ventricular border recognition using probability surfaces

The authors present a method for automating the generation of search targets used in finding borders of the left ventricle (LV) from digital-subtraction angiography (DSA) images and thus further automating LV-border determination. This method uses a large clinical database of LV borders to generate a probability surface of expected border locations. A composite image of all observed border points is used to create a set of extraction lines that is overlaid on the LV of interest. Border points are found by using a dynamic search on the density matrix formed by extracting pixel values at the points defined by the extraction matrix. User interaction is only needed to define the valve plane, confirm the final border, and make corrections if needed. LV contours then be used to find end-diastole and end-systole volume and ejection fraction. >
The upgraded RF system for the AGS and high intensity proton beams

The AGS has been upgraded over the past three years to produce a record beam intensity of 6/spl times/10/sup 13/ protons per pulse for the fixed-target physics program. The major elements of the upgrade are: the new 1.5 GeV Booster synchrotron, the main magnet power supply, a high frequency longitudinal dilution cavity, a feedback damper for transverse instabilities, a fast gamma transition jump system, and a new high-power RF system. The new RF system and its role in achieving the high intensity goal are the subjects of this report. The RF system is heavily beam loaded, with 7 A of RF current in the beam and a peak power of 0.75 MW delivered to the beam by ten cavities. As an example of the scale of beam loading, at one point in the acceleration cycle the cavities are operated at 1.5 kV/gap; whereas, were it not for the new power amplifiers, the beam-induced voltage on the cavities would be over 25 kV/gap. The upgraded RF system, comprising: new power amplifiers, wide band RF feedback, improved cavities, and new low-level beam control electronics, is described. Results of measurements with beam, which characterize the system's performance, are presented. A typical high intensity acceleration cycle is described with emphasis on the key challenges of beam loading.
Reinforcement learning-based neural network congestion controller for ATM networks

This paper presents a new approach to the problem of congestion control arising at the user-to-network interface (UNI) of the ATM-based broadband integrated services digital networks (BISDN). Our approach employs an adaptive rate-based feedback control algorithm using reinforcement learning neural networks (NNs). The reinforcement learning NN controller provides an adaptive optimal control solution. This is achieved via the formulation of a performance measure function (cost function) that is used to, adaptively, tune the weights of the NN. The cost function is defined in terms of two main objectives: (1) to minimize the cell loss rate (CLR), i.e., control congestion and (2) to preserve the quality of the voice/video traffic via maintaining the original coding rate of the multimedia sources. The results show that the NN control system is adaptive in the sense that it is applicable to any type of multimedia traffic. Also, the control signal is optimal in the sense that it maximizes the performance of the system which is defined in terms of its performance measure function. Hence, our novel approach is very effective in controlling congestion of the multimedia traffic in ATM networks.
Normalized Microwave Reflection Index: Validation of Vegetation Water Content Estimates From Montana Grasslands

The Normalized Microwave Reflection Index (NMRI) measures the intensity of GPS reflections, which is affected by vegetation within $\sim{\bf 100}\nbsp\hbox{\bf m}$ of GPS antennas. In a companion paper, the theoretical basis for NMRI and how it is derived from data archived at geodetic GPS installations are described. NMRI is calculated by normalizing the standard GPS metric ${\bf MP}_{\bf 1}{\bf rms}$ on a site-by-site basis to minimize terrain effects. Here, we validate NMRI as a metric for estimating vegetation water content (VWC) and evaluate the normalization procedure. In situ measurements of plant height, biomass, and VWC were taken on a biweekly basis during 2012 at four grassland sites in Montana. These measurements were compared to time series of ${\bf MP}_{\bf 1}{\bf rms}$ , NMRI, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from each site. At each site, a significant linear relationship exists between ${\bf MP}_{\bf 1}{\bf rms}$ and VWC. However, this relationship is not consistent across sites. Once normalized, a linear relationship exists between NMRI and VWC ( ${\bf r}^{\bf 2} = {\bf 0.71}$ ) that is consistent across the four sites. This suggests that VWC could be predicted from NMRI at sites without in situ observations, as long as vegetation and climate are similar. There is no clear relationship between NMRI and either vegetation height or biomass. The importance of normalization is shown using data from eight additional sites. After normalization, a strong positive correlation is apparent between NMRI and NDVI across all grassland GPS sites in Montana.
Generalized measures of fault tolerance with application to N-cube networks

In developing deterministic measures of system-level fault tolerance for multiple-processor systems, it has generally been assumed that any subset of system components (processors or links) can potentially fail at the same time. In the present work, the author generalizes these measures by restricting the potentially faulty sets to some subsets of the system components. Using this model, he presents a fault-tolerance analysis for the n-cube networks that shows that such networks can tolerate up to 2n-3 processor failures and remain connected provided that for each processor p in the network, all the processors which are directly connected to p do not fail at the same time. He also shows that in this situation the diameter of the network may increase only by a constant value. The author presents an O((kn)/sup 2/) time algorithm for determining if the network is disconnected when a set of k faulty processors, k >
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction for Prostate Specific Antigen in the Management of Prostate Cancer

AbstractPurpose: Polymerase chain reaction is a powerful tool for expanding minute quantities of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for detailed study. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) involves the initial conversion of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to DNA, followed by the amplification of the DNA product for molecular analysis. The mRNA for prostate specific antigen (PSA) is expressed only by prostatic cells. RT-PCR offers a potentially more sensitive assay for the detection of cells expressing PSA mRNA in peripheral circulation or in extraprostatic tissues. The current status of RT-PCR in the amplification and detection of PSA gene expression in the management of prostate cancer is reviewed.Materials and Methods: The literature was reviewed for available data using RT-PCR for detection of prostatic cells outside of the prostate.Results: Amplification of mRNA by RT-PCR represents a highly sensitive method of detection of gene expression. A single cell expressing PSA among 10 to 100 m...
Cluster algorithms for discrete models of colloids with bars

Colloids are mixtures of two different types of molecules. The model has a hard-core constraint forcing all the molecules to occupy non-overlapping positions, but there are no additional interactions between molecules; all non-overlapping arrangements are equally likely. It is believed that colloids undergo a phase transition whereby at low density the two types of molecules will be uniformly interspersed, while at high density large clusters will form and the two types of molecules will effectively separate. While local algorithms are not believed to work at or beyond the critical point, an algorithm due to Dress and Krauth [3] offers an alternative approach to sampling potentially beyond the critical point where clusters begin to form. We study the DK algorithm on a colloid model consisting of long bars and small diamonds on the periodic lattice Z2n. We show that if we restrict the model to allow at most one bar in each column of the lattice region, then local algorithms are slow, but the DK algorithm is provably efficient (if the bars are long enough). However, we show that when we allow any number of bars per column, the DK algorithm also requires exponential time to reach equilibrium.
Emergence of a Unique Penicillin-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Serogroup 35 Strain

We analyzed seven Streptococcus pneumoniae serogroup 35 isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of the genome and pbp2b gene nucleotide sequences. Three penicillin-susceptible strains and one penicillin-intermediate-resistant strain exhibited 100% identity to prototype R6. Two resistant strains and one other intermediate strain differed from them and contained a unique sequence.