cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acidosomes: recipients of multiple sources of membrane and cargo during development and maturation

Acidosomes are organelles that in Paramecium are responsible for the acidification of phagosomes before phagosomes fuse with lysosomes. Using a combination of (a) the quick-freeze deep-etch (QF-DE) technique, (b) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that label specific membrane pools including those of the acidosomes, and (c) horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-uptake studies, we followed the development of acidosomes from the Golgi complex as well as the rapid transfer of HRP into the acidosomes. We also studied some of the characteristics of the involved membrane pools. Morphologically, acidosomes were first detected in the cytosol near the ER and Golgi stacks as clumps of tubules and vesicles, which apparently coalesced to form larger spherical or elongated preacidosomes. These clumped vesicles and preacidosomes had a QF-DE morphology resembling that of the mature acidosomes and were specifically labeled with mAbs that also labeled mature acidosomes. Within 10 s HRP cargo could be internalized by acidosomes while they were docked at the nascent vacuole membrane. This rapid uptake of HRP along with membrane occurs by vesicle fusion, a conclusion supported by QF-DE images. Thus the acidosome obtains its membrane from at least two sources, from the trans-Golgi network, and from the small HRP-containing vesicles. Cargo can also be acquired from two sources, the Golgi apparatus and the transport vesicles. Since it acquires non-particulate exogenous marker we conclude that the acidosome is linked to the endocytic pathway.
Sugars and Fats: The Neurobiology of Preference

The appetite for specific foods and nutrients may be under neuroregulatory control. In animal studies, fat intake is increased by both opioids and galanin and reduced by enterostatin, whereas carbohydrate intake is increased by neuropeptide Y (NPY). However, what may be affected is the consumption of preferred foods rather than macronutrients. Fat and sugars are highly preferred whether consumed separately or as mixtures in foods. Studies suggest that sustained consumption of sugars and fats may have additional metabolic consequences; among these are neurochemical changes in brain sites involved in feeding and reward, some of which are also affected by drugs of abuse. Furthermore, the consumption of fats and sugars alters tissue expression of uncoupling proteins, which are also influenced by neuroregulatory peptides and may be markers of energy expenditure. These data suggest that these palatable nutrients may influence energy expenditure through changes in central neuropeptide activity. Fats and sugars could affect central reward systems, thereby increasing food intake, and might have an additional effect on energy expenditure. Such palatable substances may contribute to the observed increase in the body weight of populations from affluent societies during the past few decades.
Long-Term Clinical Outcomes and Cardiovascular Events after Carotid Endarterectomy

Background Long-term atherosclerotic adverse events are anticipated in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA); however, their incidence and risk predictors remain unknown. Methods A consecutive cohort of CEAs between 1/1/2000–12/31/2007 was analyzed. End points were any stroke, coronary event (myocardial infarction, coronary bypass, or stenting), vascular interventions for critical limb ischemia, aortic aneurysm or carotid disease, and death. Survival analysis and Cox regression models were used to identify clinical predictors. Results A total of 1,136 CEAs (bilateral, 89; mean age, 71.2 ± 9.2 years; 56.5% male; 36.3% symptomatic, and 3.9% combined with coronary bypass) were performed during the study period with a mean clinical follow-up of 60 months (0–155 months). The postoperative combined stroke and/or death rate was 2.7% and 1.9% for asymptomatic and 4.1% for symptomatic patients. Five and 10-year risks of the end points were 7.2% and 16.1% for stroke, 18.4% and 31.5% for coronary interventions, 20.6% and 28.5% for major vascular interventions, and 25.8% and 50.1% for death. Statins conferred a significant protective effect for stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 0.53; P = 0.016) and death (HR, 0.66; P P = 0.003), peripheral arterial disease (HR, 2.03; P P P = 0.023 for stroke; HR, 1.62; P = 0.008 for coronary events; HR, 2.38; P Conclusions Patients undergoing CEA continue to derive long-term low stroke rate benefit but still sustain major coronary events and require vascular interventions, indicating a need for more intensive medical treatment and rigorous follow-up.
Genetic analysis of the role of cAMP in mediating effects of interferon

Abstract The effects of interferon (IFN) on Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis, intracellular cAMP levels, antiviral activity, and growth inhibition were analyzed in a cloned macrophage-like cell line, J774.2, and variants derived from it. Purified IFN increased Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis in J774.2 cells, and in cAMP-responsive nonphagocytic variants but was without effect in cAMP-unresponsive nonphagocytic variants, in adenylate cyclase-deficient variants, and in cAMP-dependent protein kinase-deficient variants. Under conditions in which IFN augmented phagocytosis, it increased intracellular levels of cAMP. Parental cells were highly sensitive to IFN-mediated growth inhibition. In contrast, cAMP-dependent protein kinase-deficient variants were only 1/100th as sensitive to growth inhibition by IFN. All cell lines tested, both responsive and unresponsive to cAMP, were equally protected by IFN against infection with vesicular stomatitis virus, demonstrating that the antiviral state was independent of cAMP. These results indicate that, in transformed macrophages, stimulation of phagocytosis and inhibition of growth by IFN are mediated through intracellular cAMP, whereas the antiviral state induced by IFN is independent of cAMP.
Systematics of light meson spectroscopy

Abstract The systematics of L = 2 light meson spin dependent spectra is examined within the context of the spectroscopy of other meson states. A relatively model independent measure of the average quark velocity in light meson spectroscopy is presented. A qualitative picture of (q q ) valence quark spectra with relativistic kinematics seems to emerge from the data.
The Opiates: Two Centuries of Scientific Study

(1980). The Opiates: Two Centuries of Scientific Study. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 89-103.
De l’enfance à l’âge adulte : quelques effets d’un environnement postmoderne sur le processus de subjectivation

Resume Le monde postmoderne offre a l’enfant et a l’adolescent un environnement transforme. Le couple est precarise et la famille multi-recomposee, les modalites des soins et de l’education de l’enfant, sont profondement modifiees avec l’estompage des grands reperes structurants de la difference des sexes et celle des generations, le retrecissement de l’exercice de l’autorite dans l’education et le quasi-abandon par les familles de l’education de leur enfant en tant que preparation a la vie adulte et la perte de l’etayage educatif par le lien de connivence parent–ecole. L’envahissement de l’espace societal comme familial par les ecrans ajoute une nouveaute profonde dans les echanges du jeune avec son environnement, en particulier par l’interactivite et l’ouverture sans limite au monde virtuel, et l’absence de controle parental reel. La construction de la personnalite de l’enfant comme celle de l’adolescent dans son architecture comme dans l’equilibre entre les differentes instances classiques s’en trouvent modifies. Qu’en est-il des effets de ces changements au cours de l’entree a l’âge adulte, sur le processus de subjectivation si essentiel au travail de l’adolescent ? En decoule-t-il un organisation modifiee de la personnalite ? Des mecanismes de defenses differents ? Des pratiques relationnelles et sociales autres ? Une personnalite de base nouvelle traduirait ces changements, avec une organisation des instances et des defenses plus adaptatives et plus mouvantes, s’eloignant de la structure propre a la personnalite de base nevrotico-normale du siecle precedent.
Shape-anisotropic colloids: Building blocks for complex assemblies

Abstract Recent breakthroughs in colloidal synthesis allow the control of particle shapes and properties with high precision. This provides us with a constantly expanding library of new anisotropic building blocks, thus opening new avenues to explore colloidal self-assembly at a higher level of complexity. This article reviews the most recent advances in the preparation and self-assembly of colloids with well-defined anisotropic shapes. A particular emphasis is given to solution-based syntheses that provide micron-sized colloids in high yields, and to assembly schemes that exploit the shape anisotropy of the building blocks involved.
Overview of Currently Approved Serological Methods with a Focus On Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoid Potency Testing

Vaccines are biological products made from living organisms. The natural complexity of biological molecules along with the inherent uncertainties of product manufacturing introduces the likelihood that random alterations can impact the quality of the vaccine each time it is made. The factors that can affect the final product are often unknown. Testing for potency of vaccine bulk or product dispensed into final containers was designed with the hope of ensuring that a vaccine is effective when used during its approved dating period and that its protective activity was not inadvertently altered during any phase of production. Ideally, potency testing measures a biological or biochemical property of the vaccine that is related to its ability to elicit protective immunity in the target population and provide some assurance that consistent clinical benefit is derived from each lot of product. Potency methods vary depending on the nature and composition of the vaccine. In vivo potency testing might entail immunizing groups of laboratory animals and then challenging them directly to measure survival, or involve serological potency assays in which sera from immunized laboratory animals are tested for the ability to neutralize pathogens or toxins. In the U.S., diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid potency tests have customarily involved a serological method. This approach uses fewer animals than would have been required using a direct challenge method, while providing satisfactory evidence that each toxoid lot could induce protective immunity. This paper will discuss the details of the original U.S. test method for diphtheria and tetanus toxoid potency and present issues that must be considered when developing and validating non-animal-based approaches to refine or replace these tests.
Diffusion of traditional and new media tactics in crisis communication

The Internet is emerging as an important tool for organizations to communicate with journalists and publics. This article reports the results of a five point-in-time study of organizational use of the Internet in crisis communication. Through the lens of Rogers’ [Rogers, E. (1962/1995). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press] diffusion of innovations research, the data suggest that about half of the organizations experiencing a national crisis are integrating the Internet into their response. To illustrate this diffusion, the article provides exemplars of innovative Internet response during crisis.
Research challenges in wireless networks of biomedical sensors

Implanted biomedical devices have the potential to revolutionize medicine. Smart sensors, which are created by combining sensing materials with integrated circuitry, are being considered for several biomedical applications such as a glucose level monitor or a retina prosthesis. These devices require the capability to communicate with an external computer system (base station) via a wireless interface. The limited power and computational capabilities of smart sensor based biological implants present research challenges in several aspects of wireless networking due to the need for having a bio-compatible, fault-tolerant, energy-efficient, and scalable design. Further, em bedding thesesensors in humans add additional requirements. For example, the wireless networking solutions should be ultra-safe and reliable, work trouble-free in different geographical locations (although implants are typically not expected to move; they shouldn't restrict the movements of their human host), and require minimal maintenance. This necessitates application-specific solutions which are vastly different from traditional solutions.In this paper, we describe the potential of biomedical smart sensors. We then explain the challenges for wireless networking of human-embedded smart sensor arrays and our preliminary approach for wireless networking of a retina prosthesis. Our aim is to motivate vigorous research in this area by illustrating the need for more application-specific and novel approaches toward developing wireless networking solutions for human-implanted smart sensors.
Dental Caries Detection via Global Raman Imaging

An innovative global Raman imaging system was reported for imaging the mineralization status of teeth including lesions. Results showed that global Raman imaging has the potential to diagnosis early teeth decay in clinic.
Shape-based topologies for real-time onboard image generation

The field steerable mirror (FSM) Infrared camera system used in Persistent Surveillance Systems provides wide area coverage using smaller number of cameras. The mirror locations float in a-priori known manner through the field of view and is supposed to be stitched together using image features. This is because the platform motion between mirror positions makes it difficult to exploit a-prior knowledge of the mirror positions. The mosaic generation mechanism developed at ITT Exelis utilizes a calibration step which uses elementary shapes that are joined continuously to create complex topologies that capture platform movement. This shape topology process can be extended to other platforms and systems. This paper presents the process by which the meta-data is used in the calibration step that will ultimately allow for real-time Infrared image mosaic generation. By using the geographic coordinates, found in the image meta-data, we are able to estimate the amount of overlap between any two images to be stitched, preventing the need for unnecessary and expensive image feature extraction and matching. This is achieved by using a polygon clipping approach to determine the vertex coordinates of the captured images in order to estimate overlap and disconnection in the field of view.
Master–slave synchronization of continuously and intermittently coupled sampled-data chaotic oscillators

Abstract In this paper, we consider the problem of synchronizing a master–slave chaotic system in the sampled-data setting. We consider both the intermittent coupling and continuous coupling cases. We use an Euler approximation technique to discretize a continuous-time chaotic oscillator containing a continuous nonlinear function. Next, we formulate the problem of global asymptotic synchronization of the sampled-data master–slave chaotic system as equivalent to the states of a corresponding error system asymptotically converging to zero for arbitrary initial conditions. We begin by developing a pulse-based intermittent control strategy for chaos synchronization. Using the discrete-time Lyapunov stability theory and the linear matrix inequality (LMI) framework, we construct a state feedback periodic pulse control law which yields global asymptotic synchronization of the sampled-data master–slave chaotic system for arbitrary initial conditions. We obtain a continuously coupled sampled-data feedback control law as a special case of the pulse-based feedback control. Finally, we provide experimental validation of our results by implementing, on a set of microcontrollers endowed with RF communication capability, a sampled-data master–slave chaotic system based on Chua’s circuit.
On firm Carthaginian ground: ethnic boundary fluidity and Chaucer’s Dido

Rome’s genocidal destruction of Carthage reveals profound anxiety concerning Phoenician culture. A dynamic maritime empire whose merchant-sailors regularly assimilated themselves into various locales, Carthage generated considerable ethnic instability in the Mediterranean. Roman poets systematically reduced Carthaginian difference to its founder-queen Dido’s trauma, consigning Phoenician culture to the past. Removing the story of Dido’s diasporic leadership, and misidentifying her realm as a generalized Libya, Chaucer prolongs Rome’s anti-Punic campaign. Presenting Dido as a pitiful lover who ignominiously dethrones herself for Aeneas, Chaucer also aestheticizes Rome’s reduction of Carthaginian dynamism into a desert.
Asbestos Lung Cancer Risks: Comparison of Animal and Human Extrapolations1

Using the most comprehensive inhalation study available, (Wagner, et al., 1974), the dose-response effects of the four major types of asbestos fibers (amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, and chrysotile: Canadian, Rhodesian) for lung cancer have been determined. From linear regression analysis of the animal data and five human epidemiology studies giving a wide range of risk estimates, slopes of the curves have been determined and lifetime risk estimates made. Projected risks for rats are presented with and without surface area (s.a.) conversion factors. On the basis of cumulative exposure, the geometric mean of the point estimates for the human studies (0.0146) is quite close to the geometric mean of the animal data (0.0179 without s.a.; 0.0122 with s.a. calculations). These values also match quite well if one of the studies (McDonald, et al.) is eliminated (geometric mean = 0.031) due to qualitatively different exposure considerations (mining and milling vs. industrial environments). Animal risks based on a concentration per day basis (assuming an average 70-year lifespan for humans) are below the lowest human estimate but within 5-6 fold (less) of the projected risk from nonsmoking asbestos workers (2.2 X 10(-3) using the Hammond et al. study.
An investigation of the view update problem for object-oriented views

An investigation of the view update problem for object-oriented views is presented. Views are formed using an object algebra that provides a set-oriented approach to the retrieval of objects. A view is defined to include an intension and an extension, where the extension of a view is updated by modifying objects in the scope of the query intension. The rich set of semantic constraints inherent in an object-oriented data model, enhanced with semantic modeling concepts, helps to make the effects of view updates explicit. The contribution of this research is the development of an approach for analyzing semantic constraints associated with the view intension to (1) identify alternative view update translations and (2) identify potential update side effects. The approach can be used to help in the design of view update operations that correctly reflect the intended semantics of the update. >
Analysis of the first- and second-generation Raving Dragon Novelty Bath Salts containing methylone and pentedrone.

In recent years, a large number of designer drugs sold as “Bath Salts” have appeared on the market. In July of 2011, Raving Dragon Novelty Bath Salts was obtained over the Internet. This product became unavailable in October of that year coinciding with the DEA issuing a temporarily schedule of mephedrone, methylone, and MDPV. Four months later in February of 2012, a new product was released from the same company under the new name Raving Dragon Voodoo Dust. The contents of both products were identified using spectroscopy methods: nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared, UV–visible, tandem mass spectrometry, and high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It was determined that Raving Dragon Novelty Bath Salts contained methylone. The replacement product Raving Dragon Voodoo Dust contained the unscheduled drug pentedrone. The Raving Dragon brand of products illustrates the rapid change of ingredients in these products to circumvent laws restricting availability, distribution, and use.
Cybermedicine and the moral integrity of the physician-patient relationship

Some critiques of cybermedicine claim that it is problematic because it fails to create physician--patient relationships. But, electronically mediated encounters do create such relationships. The issue is the nature and quality of those relationships and whether they are conducive to good patient care and meet the ethical ideals and standards of medicine. In this paper, I argue that effective communication and compassion are, in most cases, necessary for the establishment of trusting and morally appropriate physician--patient relationships. The creation of these relationships requires patients and physicians to take psychological and emotional risks and to make commitments to each other. The problem is that by altering the form and content of verbal and non-verbal behaviors and by limiting the kinds of interactions that can take place, cybermedicine makes risk-free interactions easier and more commonplace and retards the development of physician compassion and patient trust. In doing so, cybermedicine encourages morally inappropriate physician--patient relationships. I argue that Merleau-Ponty's notion of embodiment and Kierkegaard's criticisms of disinterested reflection help us to understand how cybermedicine can undermine patient health and well being and why it should be seen as a possible threat to the moral integrity of physician--patient relationships.
Thermal measurements for jets in disturbed and undisturbed crosswind conditions

A direct comparison is made of the thermal field properties for a low-disturbance and a high-disturbance level condition affecting the low-temperature air jets introduced into gas turbine combustor aft sections in order both to cool the high-temperature gases and quench the combustion reactions. Sixty-four fast-response thermocouples were simultaneously sampled and corrected for their time constant effect at a downstream plane close to the jet exit. Histograms formed from independent samples were sufficiently smooth to approximate a pdf.
Contralateral radiculopathy after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion

Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is an effective treatment for patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease. Opposite side radiculopathy after the TLIF procedure has been recognized in this institution but has not been addressed in the literature. We present a case of opposite side radiculopathy after the TLIF procedure. We believe that this complication is related to asymptomatic stenosis on the contralateral side that is unmasked by the increased lordosis of the TLIF. The authors recommend increasing both disc height and foraminal height when choosing an interbody graft, and possibly decompressing the opposite foramen when preoperative MRI demonstrates foraminal stenosis.
British and American Horology: A Comment on Hoke

Donald Hoke has performed admirably in analyzing how mechanics and entrepreneurs helped to create the American System of Manufactures, both in his doctoral dissertation and in his article. He states, rightly, that the success of the Waltham Watch Company was based on its ability to provide watches cheaply through the design and installation of automatic tools. Then he adds, "If the new machines of the American System of Manufactures were so highly profitable in America, then they should also have been highly profitable in England.' According to him, the factor-substitution model should have provided the English with the incentive to adopt American machinery. But, as he says, they did not. These statements require comments. First, Hoke assumes that American watch production was highly profitable. This is debatable and at best only partly true. In fact, most companies failed or were absorbed by others that later failed. The list is long: Auburndale Watch Company, Tremont (Melrose) Watch Company, Keystone Watch Company, Aurora Watch Company, Cornell Watch Company, Manhattan Watch Company, Marion Watch Company, and many others.2 Second, Hoke seems to contradict himself. In his doctoral dissertation he sees the development of the American System of Manufactures in horology as an interaction between the mechanic and the entrepreneur. They knew each other well and their working relationship resulted in more investment in improved technology. Hoke declares that nineteenth-century mechanics played the single most important role in the rise of the American System.3 Unless Hoke is assuming that the British could somehow entice these mechanics to emigrate, then his ideas about import substitution are incorrect. How could the special relationship between mechanic and entrepreneur have been imported? It was not just the machine that brought success to the profitable companies. In the nineteenth century most watchmaking machines were tailored to specific tasks. The American System of Manufactures was a unique blend of hand and machine labor. Thus the Waltham success would have been impossible without the genius of Aaron Dennison, Charles Vander Woerd, James Gerry, Charles Moseley, N. B. Sherwood, George Reed, P. S. Bartlett, and Nelson Stratton. These designers, inventors, and mechanics developed the application of spring clutches to lathes, the automatic mechanism for cutting pinions, the design of measuring instruments, the creation of screw-cutting machines, and transfer mechanisms for moving work from one station to another. Nearly everyone agrees that the success of the American watch industry in the nineteenth century was dependent on the application of the concept of interchangeable parts. Interchangeable parts had been used in several industries before the idea was
Hormone secretory patterns, pituitary characteristics and selected blood metabolites in feedlot steers implanted with growth stimulants

Abstract Twelve Charolais-crossbred steers (256 kg) received one of three treatments: non-implanted controls (C), implanted initially and at 84 days with 36 mg zeranol (Ralgro, R) and implanted initially and at 84 days with 200 mg of progesterone and 20 mg of estradiol benzoate (Synovex-S,S). All steers were fed a corn-based diet (calculated metabolizable energy 2.89 Mcal/kg dry matter) ad libitum. In a parallel comparative slaughter trial, rates of empty body protein accretion were increased 14% in R and 24% in S steers (P
Heterosexism in ESL: Examining Our Attitudes

The following is the text of a speech delivered in March 1992 in Vancouver, Canada, at the 26th Annual TESOL Convention. It was part of a colloquium entitled “We Are Your Colleagues: Lesbians and Gays in ESL.” Lisa Carscadden, Jim Ward, and I presented the colloquium, the first official TESOL event to specifically address lesbian and gay issues, to an audience of more than 300 people. The oral character of the presentation has been preserved.
Applying Lean Manufacturing Principles to Revolutionize Cubrside Equipment and Collection Processes

The application of lean manufacturing principles has improved the production flow of manufacturing companies across the globe. In a similar vein, environmentally conscious design has been an increasingly important avenue of research which similarly seeks to reduce waste and thereby mitigate environmental impact. An analysis of the curbside municipal solid waste (MSW) and recycling collection process from a lean manufacturing standpoint reveals numerous non-value added activities which can be eliminated or reduced and value-added activities which can be made more efficient. Environmental America Inc. (EAI) has proposed a collection process which will improve the overall material flow through the use of a collection vehicle specializing in the combined collection of raw waste and recyclable waste. This collection vehicle, combined with localized, low-impact material offloading facilities has the potential to revolutionize the curbside collection process. Our research supports this vision by configuring the truck layout and process operations, as discussed in this paper.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The built environment and obesity among low-income preschool children

In spite of the evidence that adult obesity is influenced by environmental factors, the influence of the environment on childhood obesity remains under-investigated. This paper examines the association of the built environment with the prevalence of obesity in low-income preschool children. Built environment indicators include measures relating to food choice and physical activity. The relationship of the environment with childhood obesity is further stratified by urban-rural location. Overall, the built environment is associated with the prevalence of obesity in low-income preschool children, although the impact of the environment is affected by urban-rural status. Results imply broad-scope for community-level interventions.
Telomere shortening and mood disorders: preliminary support for a chronic stress model of accelerated aging.

Background Little is known about the biological mechanisms underlying the excess medical morbidity and mortality associated with mood disorders. Substantial evidence supports abnormalities in stress-related biological systems in depression. Accelerated telomere shortening may reflect stress-related oxidative damage to cells and accelerated aging, and severe psychosocial stress has been linked to telomere shortening. We propose that chronic stress associated with mood disorders may contribute to excess vulnerability for diseases of aging such as cardiovascular disease and possibly some cancers through accelerated organismal aging. Methods Telomere length was measured by Southern Analysis in 44 individuals with chronic mood disorders and 44 nonpsychiatrically ill age-matched control subjects. Results Telomere length was significantly shorter in those with mood disorders, representing as much as 10 years of accelerated aging. Conclusions These results provide preliminary evidence that mood disorders are associated with accelerated aging and may suggest a novel mechanism for mood disorder-associated morbidity and mortality.
Environmentalism, a Secular Faith

Much of American environmentalism's passion and political power, as well as shortcomings and tactical failures, have their origin in the movement's demands for new attitudes toward nature as well as new laws and policies. A full understanding of environmentalism requires seeing it as a secular faith, movement concerned with ultimate questions of humans' place and purpose in the world. This perspective explains much about its development, its emphasis on individual action, the vehemence of its opposition, and its political failure in the last generation. Comparisons with other national environmental movements, not considered here, constitute an important topic for further research.
A novel window for harmonic analysis

This paper presents a new window design technique and discusses its effect on the detection of harmonic signals in the presence of nearby strong harmonic interference. Four design parameters are introduced to independently control the pattern falloff rate, the overall sidelobe level, the near-sidelobe level and the depth of a steerable wide dip. Since the deep dip can be steered to any frequency the new window has effectively improved the detectability of a small tone without degrading resolvability. Contrary to the conventional approach of initially specifying the continuous weighting, the new design technique starts with constructing the spectral window which meets the specifications and then employs the fast Fourier transform to compute the discrete weighting. No iterative sampling or perturbation procedure is required. Numerous examples are given to demonstrate the flexibility of the new window. Several examples of detecting a three-tone signal have demonstrated the superiority of the new window in its detectability, resolvability, and accuracy of measuring the tone frequencies and amplitudes.
Composition-Tunable Properties Of CdSxTe1-x Alloy Nanocrystals

Ternary CdSxTe1−x semiconductor quantum dots with both homogeneous and gradient composition have been fabricated via pyrolysis of organometallic precursors. The nanocrystal structure, size, and composition were characterized by UV−visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray elemental analysis, and X-ray diffractrometry. It was found that the band gap of homogeneously alloyed CdSxTe1−x is highly nonlinear with the crystalline composition, which was evidenced by a significant red-shift in the fluorescence of these nanocrystals with respect to the emission wavelength of their CdS and CdTe binary compounds. This effect, also known as optical bowing, seems to be enhanced in CdSxTe1−x nanocrystals because of large differences in atomic radii and electronegativities of S and Te chalcogens. Properties of gradient ternary alloys were found to be markedly different from those of homogeneous CdSxTe1−x. Their absorption and emission profiles, for instanc...
Direct and controlled manipulation of nanometer-sized particles using the non-contact atomic force microscope

In this paper, we present techniques for the direct and controlled manipulation of nanoscale three-dimensional (3D) features using the non-contact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM). A systematic examination of the nature of NC-AFM images of such 3D features leads us to propose two distinct protocols for nanomanipulation. The first protocol consists of switching off the NC-AFM feedback loop just as the tip approaches a nanofeature of interest. This results in tip-nanofeature contact and causes the feature to be `pushed' along the surface as the tip continues to move laterally. The second protocol exploits a peculiar feature of the NC-AFM which produces reversal of contrast of nanofeatures from positive to negative in NC-AFM images, due to a feedback instability. The contrast reversal, which is likely to be universal to NC-AFM, occurs with changes in imaging conditions and potentially leads to tip-sample contact, thereby allowing manipulation. This second technique has the advantage of easier identification of the manipulation regime and the potential for manipulating features that are only a few nm in size. We demonstrate the viability of these two protocols by directly manipulating gold particles of diameters 5 and 15 nm into predetermined patterns on a mica surface. We also illustrate a simple, generic approach that is useful for obtaining detailed information on the mechanism of any manipulation based on the scanning probe microscope.
Iron in Precambrian rocks: implications for the global oxygen budget of the ancient Earth.

Abstract Banded iron formations (BIF) are prominent in sediments older than 2 Ga. However, little is known about the absolute abundance of BIF in Archean and Early Proterozoic sediments, and the source of the Fe is still somewhat uncertain. Also unknown is the role that Fe may have played in the maintenance of low oxygen pressures in the Archean and Early Proterozoic atmosphere. An analysis of the chemical composition of Precambrian rocks provides some insight into the role of Fe in Precambrian geochemical cycles. The Fe content of igneous rocks is well correlated with their Ti content. Plots of Fe vs. Ti in Precambrian sandstones and graywackes fall very close to the igneous rock trend. Plots of Fe vs. Ti in Precambrian shales also follow this trend but show a definite scatter toward an excess of Fe. Phanerozoic shales and sandstones lie essentially on the igneous rock trend and show surprisingly little scatter. Mn Ti relations show a stronger indication of Precambrian Mn loss, perhaps due to weathering under a less oxidizing early atmosphere. These data show that Fe was neither substantially added to nor significantly redistributed in Archean and early Proterozoic sediments. Enough hydrothermal Fe was added to these sediments to increase the average Fe content of shales by at most a factor of 2. This enrichment would probably not have greatly affected the near-surface redox cycle or atmospheric oxygen levels. Continued redistribution of Fe and mixing with weathered igneous rocks during the recycling of Precambrian sediments account for the excellent correlation of Fe with Ti in Phanerozoic shales and for the similarity between their Fe/Ti ratio and that of igneous rocks.
Tibial eminence fractures in children: earlier posttreatment mobilization results in improved outcomes.

Background:Arthrofibrosis and decreased range of motion (ROM) are well-described sequelae of tibial eminence fractures. We sought to evaluate the effects of timing of ROM rehabilitation and postsurgical immobilization on clinical outcomes in children with fractures of the tibial eminence.Methods:We
Experiments on Complex Repetitive Impact Dynamics of a Built-Up Beam Structure

This paper investigates the experimental dynamics of a beam structure that supports an attached rigid body and that can impact a comparatively compliant base structure. The problem area is motivated by impact phenomena that are observed in certain structures internal to nuclear reactors. The assembly is subjected to base excitation at specified frequency and acceleration, and the resulting displacement and velocity time histories are recorded and used to obtain spectra, phase diagrams, and Poincare sections. The measurements validate simulation results obtained by using a constraint and modal mapping method based on the two sets of modes when the structure is in-contact, and when it is not-in-contact. Generalized coordinates are mapped across the impact discontinuities in the modal representation. The forced response simulation predicts the test specimen's response over a range of excitation frequencies. The specimens are fabricated as single integral structures from acrylnitrile butadene styrene plastic through rapid prototyping technology in order to eliminate the undesirable dissipation and flexibility arising from joints and connections. The experimental system can exhibit complex response characteristics, and the influences on complexity of deadband clearance and of asymmetry in the point of impact are examined in the experiments.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Climatology of Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Southeastern United States

Rainfall associated with tropical cyclones contributes a significant amount to the annual rainfall in the southeastern United States. This study quantifies this amount from 1980-2004 as we compare the total rainfall to an amount excluding rainfall arising from tropical cyclones. Additionally, we use these precipitation amounts to examine the climatic water balance and observed hurricane-season moisture deficits and compare actual deficits to deficits with tropical cyclone rainfall removed. Tropical cyclones contribute as much as 15% of the hurricane-season rainfall along portions of the Carolinas. The Appalachian Mountains act as a barrier to the inland influence of tropical cyclone rainfall and generate a spatial rainfall gradient on mean precipitation maps. Within a hurricane-season, the percentage of rainfall that can be attributed to tropical cyclones tends to progress eastward throughout the season. Temporally, rainfall from tropical cyclones has increased over much of the region, while nontropical c...
Effects of topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases in the cornea

Abstract Purpose To assess the effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) eyedrops on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases in corneal tissue. Setting Ocular Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory, Refractive Surgery Research Laboratory, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Methods Seventy rats were divided into 2 groups: intact and debrided epithelium. Uniform central corneal epithelial defects were created in the right eye of the debrided corneal group. Each group was divided into 4 subgroups, each receiving 1 of the following eyedrops or artificial tears: The 3 NSAIDs were diclofenac sodium 0.1% (Falcon® or Voltaren®) and preservative-free ketorolac 0.5% (Acular® PF). The artificial tears were carboxymethylcellulose sodium 0.5% (Refresh Plus® PF). The eyedrops were administered 4 times a day for 1 week. The rats were killed on days 2 and 7. The corneas were excised and processed for immunohistochemical staining, Western blot assay, and zymography studies to determine the localization of the production of the following matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs): MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-8, and MMP-9. Results Matrix metalloproteinase-1, MMP-8, and MMP-2 were detected in rat corneas at 48 hours in the debrided and intact epithelium groups treated with NSAID eyedrops. The MMP-1 and MMP-8 expression levels were higher in intact corneas in the diclofenac sodium groups than in the ketorolac and artificial tears groups. The expression was localized mostly in the epithelial cells and occasionally in keratocytes. Conclusion This study provides preliminary evidence that topical application of some NSAIDs can induce the early expression of MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-8 in the cornea, suggesting that MMPs play a role in the corneal cytotoxicity of certain NSAIDs.
Advances in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors

Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors are characterized by generally slow growth rates and the ability to secrete a variety of hormones and biogenic amines. For patients with localized disease, surgical resection alone is often curative; however, patients with metastatic disease often present a therapeutic challenge. Although somatostatin analogs are highly effective in controlling symptoms of hormonal secretion, they are rarely associated with tumor regression. Selected patients with hepatic metastases may benefit from surgical debulking, embolization, or other ablative therapies. The clinical benefit associated with the administration of systemic agents such as alpha interferon or cytotoxic chemotherapy is less clear, and the widespread use of such regimens has been limited by their relatively modest antitumor activity as well as by concerns regarding their potential toxicity. The highly vascular nature of neuroendocrine tumors has led to interest in angiogenesis inhibition as a potentially novel treatment strategy. In addition, several small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently being evaluated in a Phase II setting. The naturally indolent growth of neuroendocrine tumors presents a challenge in interpreting efficacy endpoints from small Phase II studies. Larger, randomized trials, along with the evaluation of surrogate endpoints of biologic activity, may be necessary to establish the potential clinical benefit of these novel agents.
Small intestinal absorption of simple sugars and water in the cat

A egale concentration, les taux d'absorption dud-glucose et du D-galactose dans le jejunum et l'ileum du chat sont identiques. Ils depassent nettement ceux dud-xylose. En cela, l'absorption du sucre simple dans l'intestin grele du chat est semblable a celle qui s'observe chez les autres mammiferes.
Pheochromocytoma with diabetes; a case report and discussion.

HYPERTENSION and glycosuria are conditions which in the vast majority of cases are not accessible to causal therapy. Yet there is a small—but important—group of patients with high blood pressure, paroxysmal or persistent, and with glycosuria, transitory or even permanent, who can find curative treatment, if the correct diagnosis of their disease is made in time. These are the patients with pheochromocytoma. The pheochromocytoma is an endocrine tumor of adrenal medullary tissue and produces epinephrine. Its active cells are chromaffin and give a brownish stain when exposed to a solution of potassium bichromate; it is from this reaction, that the name pheochromocytoma (brown cell tumor) was derived. The adrenal medulla originates from the sympathetic nerve system and the pheochromocyte is one of the final developmental forms of the sympathogonia, the stem cell of the sympathetic nerve system. It is therefore easily understandable that only those tumors of the adrenal medulla are hormone-producing in which t...
Selection of reagents for human radioimmunotherapy.

Abstract Promising response rates are noted in patients with refractory Hodgkin's disease after radioimmunoglobulin therapy (RIT) with Yttrium-90 labeled polyclonal antiferritin. To explore the most efficacious selection of RIT reagents for use in humans, experimental animal data are reviewed for radiolabeled antiferritin and B72.3. Nude mice with subcutaneously implanted human malignancies provide an excellent primary screen for radiolabeled antibodies under consideration for use in humans. They provide information on the potential of a new reagent to target a human malignancy in vivo . The other determinant of the therapeutic ratio of RIT reagents— normal tissue toxicity—is best analyzed in large animals, such as dogs. Hematologic toxicity is dose limiting in all species and best predicted by a prescription of radiolabeled antibodies in mCi per kilogram body weight and the presence or absence of bone marrow targeting. Per cGy, RIT is more effective in causing BM damage in dogs than in rats. In dogs, bone marrow transplantation with autologous cryopreserved bone marrow cells or G-CSF treatment can accelerate hemopoietic recovery and granulopoiesis, respectively, after RIT. When dose escalation beyond bone marrow toxicity is performed, the liver (dog) or the intestinal tract (rat) become the next dose limiting tissue in dose escalation studies. Significant improvement in RIT results will be achieved when the normal liver uptake of chelated monoclonal antibody in dogs and in human patients can be prevented. The described animal models and continued investigations of RIT in patients with endstage Hodgkin's disease will allow for further improvement in the therapeutic ratio of RIT and the applicability of RIT in humans.
Effect of CRF and related peptides on calcium signaling in human and rodent melanoma cells

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) induces a rapid, within seconds, and dose-dependent increase in the intracellular Ca2+ in both human and hamster melanoma cells. This effect is inhibited by depletion of extracellular calcium using 3 mM EGTA and is attenuated by the CRF receptor antagonist, α-helical-CRF(9-41). Other peptides of the CRF superfamily, sauvagine and urocortin, also induce increases in cytoplasmic calcium concentration but at higher concentrations than CRF. We conclude that malignant melanocytes express CRF receptors, which are coupled to activation of plasma membrane calcium channels.
Simple, Age-based Formula for Predicting Renal Length in Children

Objective To determine a simple, age based formula for predicting ideal renal length in children. Renal size is a valuable marker in the evaluation of children with urological disorders. Although many authors have described complex nomograms and multivariate formulas for determining renal size, we propose a simple and accurate formula. Material and Methods All renal ultrasound (US) studies performed over a 9-year period in patients Results Ultrasounds were performed in 778 children R 2 = .81. In infants younger than 1 year, renal length was poorly estimated by a simple age-based formula. Conclusion Our proposed formula can be used to predict renal length in children older than 1 year.