cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Webtanks for knowledge management: web-based collaborative learning environment

My assignment at NASA Ames Research Center is to develop a program plan for a think tank, BEACON (Bio-Evolutionary Advanced Concepts for NASA), that brings together cross-disciplinary teams to conceive the next generation of NASA technology and scientific research across IT and Fundamental Biology. A "webtank" (think tank on the web) is being developed to support think tank activities. Prior to implementing a webtank for BEACON, I initiated collaboration with the SETI Institute on their development of a high school integrated science curriculum (astronomy, geology, biology, and the evolution of technology) where students explore how the concept of evolution underpins and integrates these disciplines. Curriculum requirements for the final Evolution of Technology module provided an opportunity to develop, pilot, and test a self-organizing collaborative web environment, or webtank, to be later adapted, augmented, and extended to support BEACON. SETI established a systematic method for pilot testing and field testing all elements of the curriculum, and so offered a useful webtank testbed.
Patterns of cortical projection to hindlimb muscle motoneurone pools

Summary This study was undertaken to examine the organization of the hindlimb area of the motor cortex. Two specific questions were posed. The first was: are the cortical neurones which control the excitability of a given motoneurone pool localized in a small zone of cortex or are they diffuse? The second question was: does microstimulation in the hindlimb area of the motor cortex activate spinal motoneurones in a reciprocal fashion, i.e. , is cortically elicited facilitation of amuscle accompanied by inhibition of the antagonist? Intracortical microstimulation was used to condition monosynaptic reflexes of the cat hindlimb to study the organnization of a cortical projection to lumbar motoneurone pools. Cortical neurones which produced facilitation or inhibition of a given monosynaptic reflex were localized within a small zone of the cortex. Facilitatory and inhibitory effective zones were found to have similar shape and size. Intracortical microstimulation elicited facilitation or inhibition of individual monosynaptic reflexes without eliciting reciprocal effects on the antagonists. The pyramidal tract was shown to play an important role in the mediation of cortically elicited facilition as well as inhibition of the monosynaptic reflexes in the lumbar cord.
Influence of estradiol on the disposition of chlorpromazine in the rat

The treatment of male rats with estradiol resulted in an increased hypothermic response to chlorpromazine. This increased pharmacologic response appears to be due to a decreased metabolism of chlorpromazine as indicated by the increased blood levels of S-35 after S-35 chlorpromazine administration and a decreased in vitro metabolism of chlorpromazine by liver microsomes from treated rats. No significant change was observed in the total liver or microsomal protein content. There is indication that decreased NADPH oxidase activity may be involved.
Steroid 21-sulfatase activity in human placenta

Abstract Intravenously administered [3H]-deoxycorticosterone sulfate is not metabolized by way of deoxycorticosterone in men or non-pregnant women. Thus, it can be implied that steroid 21-sulfatase is not active in human tissues. On the other hand, evidence has accrued that deoxycorticosterone sulfate is hydrolyzed in human placenta. In the present investigation, we sought to ascertain if steroid 21-sulfatase activity were present in placenta and, if so, to characterize the enzyme activity in this tissue. Steroid 21-sulfatase activity was found to be present in microsome-enriched fractions prepared from human placental tissue; conditions of linearity of the reaction with time and protein concentration were established and the apparent KM of the enzyme for deoxycorticosterone sulfate was 100 μM. Thus, deoxycorticosterone sulfate, which is present in high concentration in plasma of the human fetus, may enter trophoblast wherein it could be hydrolyzed; the deoxycorticosterone formed could be secreted into the maternal circulation. Such a process, together with deoxycorticosterone formation from plasma progesterone in extraadrenal sites, could account for the high concentrations of deoxycorticosterone that are present in plasma of near-term pregnant women.
Mutations in the PTS1 receptor gene, PXR1, define complementation group 2 of the peroxisome biogenesis disorders

Mutations in the PTS1 receptor gene, PXR1, define complementation group 2 of the peroxisome biogenesis disorders
An automated coding and classification system with supporting database for effective design of manufacturing systems

The philosophy of group technology (GT) is an important concept in the design of flexible manufacturing systems and manufacturing cells. Group technology is a manufacturing philosophy that identifies similar parts and groups them into families. Beside assigning unique codes to these parts, group technology developers intend to take advantage of part similarities during design and manufacturing processes. GT is not the answer to all manufacturing problems, but it is a good management technique with which to standardize efforts and eliminate duplication. Group technology classifies parts by assigning them to different families based on their similarities in: (1) design attributes (physical shape and size), and/or (2) manufacturing attributes (processing sequence). The manufacturing industry today is process focused; departments and sub units are no longer independent but are interdependent. If the product development process is to be optimized, engineering and manufacturing cannot remain independent any more: they must be coordinated. Each sub-system is a critical component within an integrated manufacturing framework. The coding and classification system is the basis of CAPP and the functioning and reliability of CAPP depends on the robustness of the coding system. The proposed coding system is considered superior to the previously proposed coding systems, in that it has the capability to migrate into multiple manufacturing environments. This article presents the design of a coding and classification system and the supporting database for manufacturing processes based on both design and manufacturing attributes of parts. An interface with the spreadsheet will calculate the machine operation costs for various processes. This menu-driven interactive package is implemented using dBASE-IV. Part Family formation is achieved using a KAMCELL package developed in TURBO Pascal.
Double mode of action of black widow spider venom on frog neuromuscular junction.

Black widow spider venom (BWSV) contains a toxin, α-latrotoxin, which is capable of stimulating vesicle release, resulting eventually in depletion of vesicles and block of neuromuscular transmission at the frog neuromuscular junction. Since it has been shown that α-latrotoxin very markedly increases the cation conductance of artificial lipid bilayers, it was postulated that BWSV stimulates release by opening channels permeable to Ca2+ and, in the case of Ca2+-free Ringer's, to Na+ which would release Ca2+ from intracellular stores. To test this hypothesis we chose as a sodium substitute, glucosamine, which is impermeable to the venom-induced channels in the lipid bilayers and to the postsynaptic membrane of the frog neuromuscular junction. Electron microscopical analysis showed that up to 75 min perfusion in Na+ and Ca2+-free medium did not alter the ultrastructure of the nerve terminals. However when BWSV was applied in this medium a significant depletion was noticeable within 15 min and after 60 min the terminals were depleted of vesicles whereas the mitochondria were unchanged in number and structure. If BWSV is applied for 60 min in glucosamine Ringer's containing 1.8 mM Ca2+, most of the nerve terminals still have synaptic vesicles scattered in the cytoplasm or clustered around amorphous structures and the mitochondria are swollen. Application of large doses of BWSV in low Ca2+ Ringer's leads to damage of the mitochondria and to very pronounced swelling of the nerve endings, whereas this is not observed if the dose of venom is applied in Na+-free and Ca2+-free Ringer's. Electrophysiological recording showed that neuromuscular transmission is already blocked after 15 min treatment with BWSV in glucosamme-Ringer's. From these results we conclude that BWSV increases the conductance of the nerve terminal membrane to cations such as Na+ and Ca2+ and stimulates release by a mechanism which may not involve its ionophore property.
Maternal-fetal transfer and fetal toxicity of anti-HIV drugs

Summary Due to the tremendous societal pressure to accelerate clinical trials of anti-HIV drugs in both children and pregnant women, it is imperative that preclinical studies in a representative animal model be accelerated. However, this raises the question as to which is the most representative animal model for these studies. The data presented above in the various animal models suggests that the macaque, M. nemestrina, is an excellent model in which to study the maternal-fetal transfer and fetal toxicity of dideoxynucleosides. This model has additional advantages not described above. First, an AIDS-like syndrome can be produced in this species with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) (Desrosiers, 1990). Second, transmission studies in M. nemestrina indicate that the maternal-fetal transmission rate of SIV is analogous to that of HIV in humans (Ochs et al., 1991). Third, recent data indicate that M. nemestrina can be infected by HIV (Agy et al., 1992). Data collected to date on materal-fetal transfer and fetal toxicity of AZT indicate that AZT does not accumulate in the fetus and appears to be remarkably nontoxic to the fetus. However, studies of pregnant women and our study of pregnant macaques (Ha et al., 1994) must first be completed before we can arrive at a definitive conclusion with respect to the fetal toxicity of the drug. As to the other dideoxynucleosides, (ddC and ddI), insufficient data are available in animal models to predict their toxicities in pregnant women.
SOLITON MATTER AND THE ONSET OF COLOR CONDUCTIVITY

Abstract We employ the hybrid soliton model of the nucleon consisting of a topological meson field and deeply bound quarks to investigate the behavior of the quarks on soliton matter as a function of density. We investigate a particular possible ground state by placing the solitons on a spatial lattice. The model suggests the transition of matter from a color insulator to a color conductor above a critical density of a few times normal nuclear density.
Mycotoxins in review.

The putative involvement of mycotoxins in human diseases, including cancer, is reviewed with reference to ergotism, citreoviridin toxicosis, alimentary toxic aleukia, stachybotryotoxicosis, Balkan endemic nephropathy and aflatoxicoses. Analytical and sampling problems in determining the occurrence of and exposure to mycotoxins are discussed against the background that over 300 mycotoxins have been identified, produced by some 350 fungal species, and that the potency of some of them demands the quantitation of extremely small quantities of analyte. Mycotoxins associated with food and originating from Alternaria, Aspergillus Fusaria, Penicillia and Claviceps spp. are reviewed with reference to the toxicological, regulatory and economic issues arising. It is concluded that continued efforts are needed to: identify and quantify human/animal exposure; estimate health risks and make defensible risk‐benefit judgements; develop sampling plans based on experimental observation; arrive at agreed regulatory levels b...
Focal alterations in metabolic capabilities associated with development of cholesterol-induced atheromatous lesions: A quantitative cytochemical study☆

Abstract Succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were measured in thoracic aorta sections obtained from hypercholesterolemic New Zealand White rabbits in order to characterize metabolic alterations associated with early atheromatous lesion development. Quantitative cytochemical and micrometric techniques were employed to assess enzyme activities within various zones of the vessel wall (intima, inner-, mid-, and outer-tunica media) during lesion development. In aortic sections from control (normocholesterolemic) rabbits, and in nonlesion segments from hypercholesterolemic rabbits, oxidative enzyme activity was uniform and constant among the three zones of the tunica media; activity in uninvolved (nonlesioned) aortic segments excised from cholesterol-fed rabbits did not differ from control levels. In regions of mural lipidosis, however, the intima exhibited markedly elevated activities of SDH, G-6-PDH, and LDH in comparison to the normal rabbit media. From the onset of lesion formation, metabolic alterations (increased G-6-PDH and LDH activities) were evidenced in smooth muscle cells of the inner media. With progressive intimal thickening, increased enzymatic activity was also observed in outer zones of the tunica media. Transmural medial gradients in enzymatic activity were noted in severely lesioned sites. G-6-PDH and LDH activities were greatest in the inner media; SDH activity, however, was greatest in the outer media. The overall data indicate that atheromatous lesion formation is associated with elevated metabolic capabilities within the intima and entire smooth muscle cell population which underlies aortic lesion sites, and that the observed cellular transformations occur only after the onset of mural lipidosis.
Theory of higher-order stark effect of symmetric top molecules

Abstract The Stark effect formula for symmetric top molecules, which is correct to the fifth order of an external electric field, is given. The formula is applicable to linear molecules without or with electronic angular momenta coupled in Hund;s case a . Numerical tables are given for the special case of linear molecules without any electronic angular momentum. The effect of centrifugal stretching is considered to the first order. It is shown that our perturbation formula, which is correct to the sixth order of an external electric field, is good even when μ E / B is about 1.
O’Neill’s Aeneid: Virgilian Allusion in Mourning Becomes Electra

With a primary focus on the character of the Chantyman, this essay traces a system of allusion to Virgil’s Aeneid in Eugene O’Neill’s adaptation of the Oresteia, Mourning Becomes Electra. O’Neill’s drunken and enigmatic sailor has no corresponding character in Aeschylus’ Oresteia, nor in its subsequent classical iterations. As I show, the Chantyman is explicitly crafted after the mythological Charon, imported from Book 6 of Virgil’s Aeneid. Moreover, the use of this epic archetype serves to promote O’Neill’s mechanism of predetermined causality, both by means of its thematic implications and structural position within the narrative of Aeneid 6. The allusion recalls the Virgilian unveiling of Aeneas’ familial destiny and thereby underscores the broader and inevitable consequences of Brant’s death upon the House of Mannon. Ultimately, this intertextual strategy augments O’Neill’s self-professed project in this play: to recreate on the modern stage a tragic world order governed by fate, in the conspicuous absence of a divine apparatus.
Mechanism underlying factor VII deficiency in Jewish populations with the Ala244Val mutation

We investigated a Sephardic Jewish patient with a mild bleeding diathesis whose plasma levels of factor VII coagulant activity and factor VII antigen were 7% and 9% of normal, respectively. Sequencing demonstrated homozygosity for the Ala244Val mutation and the Arg353Gln polymorphism, which is associated with a modest decrease in factor VII levels. To elucidate the mechanism by which Ala244Val reduced factor VII levels in this patient, transient transfections were performed in COS-1 cells with wild type and mutant factor VII cDNAs and factor VII antigen levels in cell lysates and conditioned media were measured. The secretion of the mutant protein (FVII244V) into the media was 20% of wild type (FVIIwt), and intracellular levels of FVII244V were 60% of FVIIwt. A construct encoding Ala244Val along with the Arg353Gln polymorphism decreased the factor VII level in the media to that observed in the patient's plasma. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that FVII244V did not accumulate intracellularly and that low levels of the abnormal protein were maintained throughout the chase. To test the hypothesis that FVII244V results in an unstable molecule, amino acids with smaller (Gly) or larger (Phe) side chains were substituted for Val244 by site-directed mutagenesis. Transient transfection assays with these constructs demonstrated that the side chain of amino acid 244 is crucial in maintaining a proper conformation of the molecule. We conclude that Ala244Val results in a factor VII molecule that is unstable and is probably degraded intracellularly.
Antigenic Phenotype of Pigment Cell Lesions: A Study of Melanoma, Its Precursor Lesions and Heterogeneity in Metastatic Melanoma

Expression of surface antigens on cells comprising malignant, dysplastic, and benign pigment cell lesions has been evaluated in situ using an avidin-biotin immunohistologic technique. We have demonstrated expression of HLA-DR, β2-microglobulin, and 2 melanoma-associated antigens (MAA) in a range of benign and malignant lesion, and have confirmed the close association of HLA-DR and MAA on malignant lesions. In addition, 5 subcutaneous lesions removed at the same time from one individual were evaluated. Clinical and histologic appearance differed among lesions although the antigenic patterns were similar.
Liquidation of a large block of stock

Abstract In the financial engineering literature, stock-selling rules are mainly concerned with liquidation of the security within a short period of time. This is practically feasible only when a relative smaller number of shares of a stock is involved. Selling a large position in a market place normally depresses the market if sold in a short period of time, which would result in poor filling prices. In this paper, we consider the liquidation strategy for selling a large block of stock by selling much smaller number of shares over a longer period of time. In particular, we treat the selling rule problem by using a fluid model in the sense that the number of shares are treated as fluid (continuous) and the corresponding liquidation is dictated by the rate of selling over time. The objective is to maximize the expected overall return. The underlying problem may be formulated as a stochastic control problem with state constraints. Method of constrained viscosity solution is used to characterize the dynamics governing the optimal reward function and the associated boundary conditions. Numerical examples are reported to illustrate the results.
“Mandelbrot set” for a pair of linear maps: The local geometry

We consider the iterated function system {λz−1, λz+1} in the complex plane, for λ in the open unit disk. Let M be the set of λ such that the attractor of the IFS is connected. We discuss some topological and geometric properties of the set M and prove a new result about possible corners on its boundary. Some open problems and directions for further research are discussed as well.
On the Salt-Induced Activation of Lyophilized Enzymes in Organic Solvents: Effect of Salt Kosmotropicity on Enzyme Activity

The dramatic activation of enzymes in nonaqueous media upon co-lyophilization with simple inorganic salts has been investigated as a function of the Jones−Dole B coefficient, a thermodynamic parameter for characterizing the salt's affinity for water and its chaotropic (water-structure breaking) or kosmotropic (water-structure making) character. In general, the water content, active-site content, and transesterification activity of freeze-dried subtilisin Carlsberg preparations containing >96% w/w salt increased with increasing kosmotropicity of the activating salt. Degrees of activation relative to the salt-free enzyme ranged from 33-fold for chaotropic sodium iodide to 2480-fold for kosmotropic sodium acetate. Exceptions to the general trend can be explained by the mechanical properties and freezing characteristics of the salts undergoing lyophilization. The profound activating effect can thus be attributed in part to the stabilizing (salting-out) effect of kosmotropic salts and the phenomenon of prefere...
Town and Square: From the Agora to the Village Green

This book is the first publication in English which gives a general survey of the development of the inner structure of the town from a dual point of view: that of the function of the square in the life of the community and that of its conception in purely aesthetic terms.Squares have played an important part in civic life from the agora of Greek towns to the "green" or "common" of New England villages; from the small public square to the monumental plaza of a metropolis. The square, as the heart of the city, has been a basic factor in city planning.But beyond this, the square represents an artistic creation in its own right. Artistically relevant squares are more than mere voids; they form organized space. A history of the square is actually a history of space as the subject matter of artistic creation and has to be considered separately from a history of architectural design.Starting from this new and original concept of the meaning of spatial relations, Dr. Zucker shows how the visual and aesthetic concept of the Square has varied with its function in the community and traces the development of both in civic life and in artistic appearance.Dr. Zucker shows a continuous development from Greece and Rome, through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, to the creative heights of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, periods which he considers the culmination of this development. A concluding chapter, contributed by Carl Feiss, surveys the role of the square in early American life. Adding greatly to the beauty and the usefulness of the book are 55 line cuts in the text and 96 pages of illustration.
Glycation of MP26 and MP22 in bovine lens membranes.

Abstract Alkali treated membranes were isolated from mature bovine lenses and incubated with different sugars for 3 weeks to study the effect of glycation on the lens intrinsic membrane proteins, MP26 and MP22. The obtained results show that a) [1 −14 C] ascorbic acid (ASA) was able to glycate the intrinsic membrane proteins as rapidly as soluble lens proteins; b) on 15% acrylamide gels in SDS, glucose, fructose, galactose and ribose exhibited low activity for crosslinking membrane proteins; whereas ASA, dehydroascorbate (DHA), diketogulonate (DKG), xylosone and threose, all showed not only the formation of protein multimers, but also highly crosslinked products, which did not enter the spacer gel; c) except glycated MP22, all of the crosslinks of MP26 or MP22, and also the glycated MP26, showed cross reactivity with polyclonal MP26 antibody; d) the extent of crosslinking correlated with an equal loss of lysine and arginine contents by amino acid analysis.
Evaluation of a MULTIFIT-based scheduling algorithm

Consideration is given to the problem of nonpreemptively scheduling a set of N independent tasks to a system of M identical processors, with the objective to minimize the overall finish time. It is proved that the MULTIFIT scheduling heuristic can be modified, without increasing its time complexity from O(Nlog N), so that its worst-case performance ratio is reduced from some value in the range [1311, 65] to 7261.
Modeling of a deformable manikin neck for multibody dynamic simulation

The Articulated Total Body (ATB) is a rigid body dynamics computer model of the human body used at the Armstrong Laboratory (AL). The model is used to predict the kinetic response of the human body in different dynamic environments, such as aircraft pilot ejections, sled tests, etc. In order to predict the response accurately, however, a rigid body model may not be sufficient. This is particularly true for the more flexible segments such as the neck, and for cases where local segment vibrations occur. In this study, a deformable body dynamics option of the ATB is developed, which incorporates linear deformation of individual segments in the ATB model. The displacements due to deformation are determined using finite element modal analysis. The study concentrates on the modeling of manikin necks which have shown large deformation in certain environments. The Hybrid III manikin neck finite element model and modal solution are presented. Modal analysis results are incorporated into the ATB model. Selected parameters for quasi-static Hybrid III neck and several head-neck dynamic simulations are compared with the experimental results, where available. It is shown that the new model simulation results have excellent agreement with the experimental results, particularly when compared with the rigid model.
Direct estimation of air–oil and oil–water capillary pressure and permeability relations from multi-step outflow experiments

Abstract Vadose zone description of multi-fluid flow requires measurement techniques capable of determining the capillary pressure and permeability functions of multi-fluid soil systems. Multi-step outflow experiments are presented that use a modified Tempe cell for air–water, oil (Soltrol)–water, and air–oil fluid pairs in Columbia fine sandy loam and a Lincoln sandy loam. In addition to measurements of cumulative outflow and wetting fluid pressure in outflow experiments of air displacing water or oil, pressure changes of the oil (non-wetting fluid) were measured in oil–water experiments. Results from the multi-step measurements were successfully used to directly estimate capillary pressure–saturation and wetting fluid permeability functions. The capillary pressure saturation data for each fluid pair were scaled using their interfacial tension values relative to that of air–water, thereby yielding a combined capillary pressure–saturation curve for the three measured fluid pairs. The combined relative permeability data for both soils nearly coalesce to a single curve, indicating that the relative permeability is solely a function of the porous medium properties. Furthermore, the directly estimated permeability data agreed well with permeability functions obtained using a parameter estimation approach, by which parameters were optimized from comparison of observed and numerically-simulated values of capillary pressure and cumulative outflow.
Are informal tools better?: comparing DEMAIS, pencil and paper, and authorware for early multimedia design

DEMAIS is an informal design tool that we claim helps a multimedia designer explore and communicate temporal and interactive (behavioral) design ideas better than existing tools. This paper seeks to empirically validate our claim. We report on an evaluation comparing DEMAIS to pencil and paper and Authorware for the exploration and communication of behavior in early multimedia design. The main results are that (i) DEMAIS was better than Authorware for both exploring and communicating behavior, (ii) DEMAIS was better than pencil and paper for communicating behavior, and (iii) DEMAIS was able to capture most of a designer's behavioral design ideas. Our results show that DEMAIS bridges the early investment/communication gap that exists among current multimedia design tools.
Opto-Electric Biosensor to Examine In Vitro Toxicity Stimuli to Endothelial Cell Motility and Morphology

An integrated opto-electric biosensor is developed that uses an optically transparent and electrically conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film coated on a slide glass substrate. This biosensor can simultaneously acquire the micro-impedance response and microscopic images of live cells in vitro under various toxic agent stimuli. The dynamic response of live porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PPAECs) exposed to various doses of cytochalasin D are comprehensively examined by monitoring the micro-impedance characteristics at a specified frequency and DICM images using the opto-electric biosensor. The change in PPAEC morphology and motility caused by cytochalasin D clearly illustrates the dose-dependent actin filament disruption where optical images are correlated with the changes in the micro-electric impedance.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Linking ecological footprints with ecosystem valuation in the provisioning of urban freshwater

Abstract Two prominent and alternate approaches, ecosystem service valuation and ecological footprints, link the production of ecosystem services with their consumption by societies. An overlapping goal of both approaches is to promote the sustainable use of ecosystem services such that their production rates are not compromised. Yet, little integration of these perspectives and their emphasis on distinct units, dollars and area, has been attempted. We combined these two approaches to better understand variation in the societal demand and production of freshwater, a critical ecosystem service, for 121 cities in the United States. The analysis linked previously compiled data on urban water use and the spatial distribution of run-off water throughout the conterminous United States. Incorporating the spatial distribution of water consumption and production, we computed heterogeneous urban water use footprints for all 121 cities. From the relationship between annual municipal utility expense and footprint area, the median monetary value for water footprint area was $88,808 km − 2 yr − 1 from all the cities we considered. The ratio between the footprint-estimated cost and the utility-observed cost was negatively related to the local availability of water, and was independent of population size. By linking ecosystem service valuation and ecological footprint analyses into a coherent framework, we developed an integrated metric for understanding the provisioning of ecosystem services, which could help inform sustainable pricing guidelines for renewable freshwater.
Attachment and exploration in infancy: Research and applied issues

The quality of infants' attachment to their primary caregiver has become a major concern of researchers and practitioners. A recent approach to understanding infant behavior and development suggests that attachment, wariness, and exploration function as one interdependent behavioral system. Because of its integrative nature, this new approach can provide a richer understanding of infant development and serve as a conceptual framework for addressing applied and public policy concerns. In this article, major theories of attachment are contrasted, and recent research relevant to the interdependent system perspective is evaluated. Directions for future basic and applied research are suggested, and implications for practice and public policy are discussed.
Abstract 2976: Small molecule screening of prostate and pancreatic cancer cell lines identifies tilorone dihydrochloride as a compound that selectively inhibits growth in cells with inhibited cyclin-dependent kinase 5

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) has long been known to be an enzyme necessary for neuronal migration. In recent years, extraneural functions of CDK5 have been discovered, including CDK5 playing an essential role in invasion and migration in pancreatic and prostate cancer, and in tumor growth and Ras signaling through Ral in pancreatic cancer. This makes CDK5 an interesting target against cancer. We blocked CDK5 activity in prostate cancer cell line PC3 by dominant-negative constructs, and used a library consisting of 3360 compounds to screen for small molecules that differentially inhibit proliferation activity in wildtype PC3 (PC3wt) and CDK5 dominant-negative PC3 (PC3cdn) cells, by performing MTS assays. We selected for compounds in which the difference in proliferation activity between the two cell lines was more than 40% and/or compounds that inhibited both cell lines by more than 50%. With this selection, 32 compounds were identified. Topically acting compounds were excluded, the other compounds were sorted for difference in proliferation activity inhibition between the two cell lines, and a Pubmed search was performed on the compounds with the largest difference. This way, tilorone analog R 9536-DA was selected as the most potent compound, as it inhibited proliferation in PC3wt and PC3cdn cells by 72.5% (SD 0.5%) and 81.1% (SD 2.1%) respectively (a difference in proliferation activity of 32%). MTS and clonogenic assays confirmed the differential sensitivity of PC3wt and PC3cdn cells to tilorone dihydrochloride. The IC50 in PC3wt cells was around 16 μM, while in PC3cdn cells it was around 10 μM. This difference in sensitivity to tilorone dihydrochloride in the presence of CDK5 inhibition was confirmed in pancreatic and other prostate cancer cell lines as well. To examine the toxicity of tilorone dihydrochloride in normal cells, the compound was administered to normal human prostate fibroblasts, in which the IC50 was found to be higher than 20μM. Western blots were performed to investigate the mechanism behind this difference in sensitivity between cell lines. These experiments conclude that administration of tilorone dihydrochloride differentially induces PARP and the p38-MAPK signaling pathway, indicating the involvement of this pathway in tilorone induced cell death. Tilorone analogs previously have been shown in mice to inhibit metastasis and increase survival in several tumor types. This study suggests that the combination of tilorone and inhibition of CDK5 may be a promising therapeutic strategy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2976. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2976
EDEM an ER quality control receptor

Defective proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are tagged as terminally aberrant by the composition of their N-linked glycans. The ER carbohydrate-binding protein EDEM selectively recognizes such tags and sorts the defective proteins for degradation via the ERAD pathway.
Urban environmental challenges and climate change action in New York City

Climate change presents cities with significant challenges such as adaptation to dynamic climate risks and protection of critical infrastructure systems and residents’ livelihoods. City governments and inhabitants must continually respond to a variety of urban environmental risks. Understanding how cities have begun to extend these experiences to the context of climate change adaptation as well as mitigation is crucial for the development and identification of climate action best practices. The focus of this paper will be to document and explore how the city of New York has begun to define and implement a set of climate actions over the past half decade. These actions are presented within a discussion of past and future climate risks and vulnerabilities, and of climate and sustainability programmes that the city government has developed recently. Even as a mature, mega-city in a developed country, lessons from the New York City experience can be transferred to a variety of other urban contexts.
Spin polarized secondary electrons; theory

Abstract We show that the spin polarization of the secondary electrons, P ( E ), yields useful information about the electron-electron interaction. The ratio of majority to minority spin lifetimes is related to the measured values of P ( E ) by τ ↑( E )/ τ ↓( E =[(1− p B )/(1+ p B )][(1+ P ( E ))/(1− P ( E ))], where p B is the bulk magnetization.
Hemodynamics of Uremic Anemia

This study was undertaken to assess the importance of an elevated cardiac output in the generation of the hypertension associated with chronic renal failure. Forty stable uremic patients on a program of maintenance hemodialysis underwent hemodynamic studies. Cardiac index measured by dye dilution was found to be significantly elevated. Calculated peripheral vascular resistance was normal despite elevated blood pressure. Six patients underwent serial hemodynamic studies over a period of 6 to 12 weeks while being transfused with packed red blood cells to a normal hematocrit. Blood volume and body weight were constant during the study period. Cardiac index decreased during transfusion, reaching a normal level at a hematocrit of 30%. Diastolic blood pressure progressively rose, averaging an increase of 20 mm Hg at a hematocrit of 40%. Peripheral vascular resistance increased by 80% at a hematocrit of 40%. We concluded that the elevation of cardiac index in uremic patients is secondary to anemia and is reversi...
Influence of substrate on electron transfer mechanisms in chambered benthic microbial fuel cells.

This research investigated whether the addition of an exogenous electron donor would affect power production in laboratory-scale benthic microbial fuel cells (BMFC) by differentially influencing microbially mediated electron transfer processes. Six BMFCs were operated for over one year in a temperature-controlled laboratory. Three BMFCs relied on endogenous electron donors, and three were supplemented with lactate. The supplemented BMFCs generated more cumulative charge, but did not generate higher average current between periods of lactate enrichment. Coulombic efficiencies during the lactate treatments ranged from 25 to 65% suggesting that lactate utilization was variably coupled to power production. Cumulative electron flux resulting from lactate additions and chemical changes within the anode chamber, as well as a difference in the anode-hosted microbial communities indicated that lactate supplementation promoted sulfate reduction. After the addition of molybdate to suppress sulfate reduction and sulf...
Marriage, Protestantism, and Religious Conflict in Nineteenth-Century Puerto Rico

This article studies Catholic and Protestant marriages in nineteenth-century Puerto Rico. It uses the institution of marriage and the widespread resistance to it as windows into tensions between church and state, the religious values and behaviour of the island's masses, and the impact of Protestant penetration. The marriage records of the Anglican church of Ponce, Puerto Rico, provide insights as to the congregation's evolving racial and class composition and on the extent to which Protestantism attracted native Puerto Ricans.
The chemistry of the carbon-transition metal double and triple bond : Annual survey covering the year 2005

Abstract This is a review of papers published in the year 2005 that focus on the synthesis, reactivity, or properties of compounds containing a carbon–transition metal double or triple bond.
The Major Developments of the Evolving Reverse Osmosis Membranes and Ultrafiltration Membranes

The current status of reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration membranes are reviewed with the view for the future. In the case of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, as examples, new crosslinked aromatic polyamide membranes exhibited the superior separation performance with the sufficient water permeability, the high tolerance for oxidizing agents and chemicals. Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane based on poly(phenylene sulfide sulfone)(PPSS) also exibited the superior separation performance with the high solvent, heat and fouling resistance.
A maximum likelihood beamspace processor for improved search and track

The authors describe a two-stage digital beamforming architecture for use in radars. The first stage implements a fully adaptive array of subarrays while the second stage implements a fully adaptive array of beams. Maximum likelihood processing is used in the second stage to estimate target amplitude and angle of arrival. The new architecture supports improved search and track performance compared to traditional systems that use a single receive beam and monopulse processing to measure angle.
An improved method for monensin in feeds.

2. Blood DC, Radostits OM: 1989, Urolithiasis. In: Veterinary by extrapelvic urethral or urethropreputial anastomosis. J Am Medicine, 7th ed., pp. 402-408. Balliere-Tindall, London. Vet Med Assoc 205:1157-1160. 3. Garret PD: 1987, Urethral recess in male goats, sheep, cattle, 6. Maxie MG: 1993, The urinary system. In: Pathology of the and swine. J Am Vet Med Assoc 191:689-691. domestic animals, eds. Jubb KVF, Kennedy PC, Palmer N, 4th 4. Hinkle RF, Howard JL, Stowater JL: An anatomical barrier to ed., vol. 2, pp. 526-527. Academic Press Inc., Sydney. urethral catheterization in the male goat. J Am Vet Med Assoc 7. McClure SR, Welch RD, Johnson TL: 1992, Use of an implant 173:1584-1586. for intraosseous infusion as supportive therapy for a Vietnamese 5. Mann FA, Cowart RP, McClure RC, Constantinescu GM: 1994, pot-bellied pig with urethral obstruction caused by a polyp. J Am Permanent urinary diversion in two Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs Vet Med Assoc 201:1587-1590.
Sensitivity and Specificity of the Online Version of ImPACT in High School and Collegiate Athletes

Background:The utility of postconcussion neurocognitive testing versus symptom data has been debated. The sensitivity of the desktop version of the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) tool has been documented, but psychometric properties of the recently released online version of ImPACT have yet to be fully established.Purpose:To document the sensitivity of the online ImPACT version in samples of (1) symptomatic concussed (high school and collegiate) athletes, and (2) asymptomatic concussed (high school and collegiate) athletes suspected of hiding their concussions.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A total of 81 athletes observed to sustain a concussion by a certified athletic trainer or team physician, a finding that was confirmed with reported postconcussion symptoms, completed the ImPACT test within 3 days of injury. Data were compared with an independent sample of 81 athletes who completed preseason baseline cognitive assessments using ImPACT and w...
Nondestructive assessment of dentin demineralization using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography after exposure to fluoride and laser irradiation.

Previous studies have demonstrated that polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) can be used to image natural and artificial caries in dentin. The purpose of this study was to measure nondestructively the severity of artificial caries lesions in dentin and determine the efficacy of intervention with anticaries agents including fluoride and lasers. Although several studies have assessed the utility of PS-OCT to image caries lesions in enamel and to quantify the lesion severity, only a few studies have focused on lesions in dentin. In this study, images of artificial dentin lesions on extracted human teeth were acquired with PS-OCT. Before exposure to an artificial demineralizing solution, three incisions were made on the sample surfaces using either Er:YAG, Nd:YAG (λ = 355 nm), or TEA CO2 lasers and selected areas were treated with topical fluoride to create six unique treatment areas for each of the three laser conditions investigated. The integrated reflectivity and depth of demineralization were calculated for each of the six areas on each sample using the PS-OCT images. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) and transverse microradiography (TMR) were used to measure lesion severity on histological thin sections for comparison. PS-OCT successfully measured the inhibition of demineralization by topical fluoride. Laser irradiation was not particularly effective in increasing or decreasing the rate of dentin demineralization. PLM and TMR corroborated those results. This study demonstrates that PS-OCT can be used to measure demineralization on dentin surfaces and determine the degree of inhibition of demineralization by anticaries agents. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009
The murine SP-C promoter directs type II cell-specific expression in transgenic mice

Genomic DNA from the mouse pulmonary surfactant protein C (SP-C) gene was analyzed in transgenic mice to identify DNA essential for alveolar type II cell-specific expression. SP-C promoter construc...
Intermediate state during the crystal transition in aspartame, studied with thermal analysis, solid-state NMR, and molecular dynamics simulation.

Aspartame (L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester) is a dipeptide sweetener about 200 times as sweet as sugar. It exists in crystal forms such as IA, IB, IIA, and IIB, which differ in crystal structure and in the degree of hydration. Among these, IIA is the most stable crystal form, and its crystal structure has been well determined (Hatada et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 107, 4279-4282 (1985)). To elucidate the structural factors of thermal stability in the IIA form of aspartame and to examine the physical process in the crystal transformation between the IIA and IIB forms, we performed a thermal analysis and solid-state NMR measurements. We found that a quasi-stable intermediate state exists in the transformation, and it has the same crystal lattice as the usual IIA form, despite the dehydration from 1/2 mol to 1/3 mol per 1 mol of aspartame. The results of the energy component analysis and the molecular dynamics simulation suggest that the entropic effect promotes the generation of the intermediate state, which is presumably caused by the evaporation of the water of crystallization and the increase of molecular motion in aspartame. Thus, the thermal stability of the IIA form is attributable to a structural property, i.e., the crystal lattice itself is retained during the above dehydration. Moreover, the molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the aspartame molecules have two kinds of conformational flexibility in the intermediate state.
Role of Calcium in Regulation of Hepatic Oxygen Uptake

In recent studies, we employed miniature O2 electrodes placed on periportal and pericentral regions of the liver lobule to measure local rates of oxygen uptake. In the perfused liver, O2 uptake was 2- to 3-fold higher in periportal (137 ± 8 μmol/g/h; O2 concentration = 478 ± 37 μM) than in pericentral regions (59 ± 5 μmol/g/h; O2 concentration = 263 ± 25 μM) of the liver lobule. O2 uptake was also greater in periportal than pericentral regions of the liver lobule at physiological O2 tensions in situ. In perfusions in the natural anterograde direction, oxygen uptake was dependent on oxygen at oxygen concentrations considerably higher than levels that caused reduction of NADH. It is well known that the Km of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase for O2 is very low (less than 1 μM); however, rates of O2 uptake in the whole organ declined to about one-quarter of maximal values when O2 concentration in the inflow perfusate was diminished under conditions before hypoxia reflected by reduction of NAD+ could be detected. Maximal rates of O2 uptake were dependent on O2 tensions greater than 200 μM. Based on studies with inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, it was concluded that O2 uptake in both regions of the liver lobule was dependent largely on mitochondrial electron transport. The regional distribution of oxygen uptake was reversed when perfusion was in the retrograde direction, resulting in rates of O2 uptake 2- to 3-fold higher in pericentral than in periportal regions of the liver lobule. Further, the lower rates of O2 uptake observed in downstream regions of the liver lobule were not due to hypoxia since the ATP content and the ATP:ADP ratio were similar in microdissected samples from periportal and pericentral regions. On the other hand, agents which increased intracellular free calcium, such as epinephrine (0.1 μM), elevated rates of O2 uptake predominantly in downstream regions of the liver lobule irrespective of the direction of flow in perfused liver. In contrast, W-7, an inhibitor of calmodulin, diminished rates of O2 uptake predominantly in upstream regions of the liver lobule irrespective of the direction of flow. Thus, in addition to regulation by the supply of ADP, it is concluded that the calcium-calmodulin complex is involved in the regulation of local rates of O2 uptake in perfused liver.