cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to Heavy Metal Toxicity in Mammals

Throughout biologic evolution, living forms have incorporated into biochemical constituents those available metals that had physical and chemical properties suitable for carrying out the functions of life. The progress of evolution is a response to the ever-changing environment. Animal requirements for certain metals are a direct outgrowth of this association. Our knowledge of trace-metal requirements for mammalian growth, development, general health, and reproduction is growing rapidly as intense research progresses (Hopps, 1972). Certain metals that previously were considered to be toxicants are now considered essential nutrients. At the same time, increased concern and effort are extended to problems of metal toxicity and safety in man and other mammals. The actual and potential problems of metal toxicity are often examined with too-limited knowledge by environmentalists and by those in the news media who suggest when and where technology must stop in order to preserve the immediate environment of endangered species. Experiments readily show that any compound is harmful if given in excess! Science and technology allow man considerable control of his immediate environment, but the earth-inhabitant continuum cannot be denied. The secret of survival, therefore, is not to absolutely prohibit the use of any chemical, but to utilize each chemical rationally.
PD-L1 Expression and Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in High-Risk and Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ObjectiveTo characterize programmed death–ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) positivity for locally aggressive or regionally metastatic cutaneous head and neck squa...
Primary Osteosarcoma of the Breast: Pathophysiology and Imaging Review

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma are rare malignant mesenchymal neoplasms of soft tissues representing around 1% of all soft tissue. The exact mechanism of tumorigenesis of primary breast osteosarcoma is still unclear. However, most of the cases develop without a recognized etiologic factor. Primary osteosarcoma of the breast is often initially misdiagnosed as breast fibroadenoma. Different imaging modalities and pathology play important role in differentiating breast osteosarcoma from other benign and malignant lesions of the breast resulting in dramatic change in the management.
Hemorrhagic conversion after alteplase administration in a patient with vasculitis and acute ischemic stroke

Purpose A case of alteplase administration to a patient with vasculitis and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is reported. Summary A 38-year-old woman with a recent diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) received alteplase for AIS and developed symptomatic hemorrhagic conversion. Published reports regarding the safety of thrombolytic therapy in patients with a high inflammatory burden are inconsistent. The current case adds to the literature on the topic. Conclusion More data regarding alteplase treatment in patients with GPA are needed to further establish the safety of this therapy.
OpenSHMEM Sets and Groups: An Approach to Worksharing and Memory Management

Collective operations in the OpenSHMEM programming model are defined over an active set, which is a grouping of (PEs) based on a triple of information including the starting PE, a \(log_2\) stride, and the size of the active set. In addition to the active set, collectives require Users to allocate and initialize synchronization (i.e., pSync) and scratchpad (i.e., pWrk) buffers for use by the collective operations. While active sets and the user-defined buffers were previously useful based on hardware and algorithmic considerations, future systems and applications require us to re-evaluate these concepts. In this paper, we propose Sets and Groups as abstractions to create persistent, flexible groupings of PEs (i.e., Sets) and couple these groups of PEs with memory spaces (i.e., Groups), which remove the allocation and initialization burden from the User. To evaluate Sets and Groups, we perform multiple micro-benchmarks to determine the overhead of these abstractions and demonstrate their utility by implementing a distributed APSP application, which we evaluate using multiple synthetic and real-world graphs.
Resonant Microelectromechanical Receiver

This paper reports a practical demonstration of a proposed resonant microelectromechanical receiver for low power wake-up receiver (WuRx) applications. The proposed system is made of three main components: a piezoelectric based acoustic resonator, an electrostatically-driven MEMS resonant demodulator, and a CMOS baseband trigger circuit. The filtering, amplification, and demodulation of the incoming signal are performed through the piezoelectric resonator and the resonant demodulator, ensuring zero power consumption for both the radio frequency (RF) and mixing stages. The only power consumption occurs at baseband by operating the CMOS circuit in deep subthreshold. This system utilizes a lithium niobate piezoelectric resonator possessing a figure of merit of around 650 and achieving voltage gain of 28 dB. A resonant demodulator fabricated in the Epi-Seal MEMS process is utilized to attain a conversion efficiency of 13.8 nA/V2. In the trigger circuit, an amplifier with transimpedance $>200~\text{M} {\Omega }$ is utilized to sense the output current from the demodulator. An intermediate buffer and a multiple stage passive latch rectifier are utilized to generate the wake-up signal through a Schmitt trigger. The demonstrated system achieves −40.2 dBm sensitivity for a 44 kHz amplitude-modulated 50 MHz RF signal while consuming 38.75 nW. This architecture is a promising step toward a WuRx capable of achieving higher interference rejection, high sensitivity, and nW range power consumption at a high data rate. [2018-0261]
Dynamic Optimization of Nitrogen in Plateau Cotton Yield Functions with Nitrogen Carryover Considerations

This study utilizes a dynamic programming decision model, considering an intertemporal nitrogen carryover function, combined with both linear stochastic and deterministic plateau response functions to evaluate optimal nitrogen fertilizer decision rules and net present values (NPVs) in Texas High Plains cotton production. Nitrogen recommendations and NPVs are influenced by response function choice and nitrogen-to-cotton price ratios. Results indicate the stochastic plateau function better describes the data; the optimum nitrogen recommendation is to apply approximately 40 lb. of nitrogen for each bale of cotton production when considering nitrogen carryover information.
Population fluctuation of fruit fly Anastrepha spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) in guava (Psidium guajava L.) accesses produced in organic system

Guava ( Psidium guajava L.) presented prominence among the tropical fruit. Guava exports are still unimpressive, because of the quarantine pests, among them the fruit flies. The present research had as objective to evaluate the population fluctuation of fruit flies Anastrepha spp. and the fruits infestation caused in guava accesses cultivated in organic system, and study the possible correlations between this pest and meteorological factors. To estimate population fluctuation, 20 yellow sticky traps were used. The reviews were initiated in April 2013, for 378 days. The traps were kept in the field for the entire duration of the experiment, and they were reviewed every 14 days in most cases, during replacement of traps for new ones. With the data, simple correlations were calculated between the fruit flies of the genus Anastrepha spp., the temperature, and precipitation. Nine fruits per accession, at the stage of maturation, were taken to the laboratory and evaluated for fruit fly infestation by the longitudinal cutting of fruit. The averages were compared by the Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. The genus Anastrepha was found in greater quantity, and there is no correlation between the meteorological factors and population fluctuation of Anastrepha . Also was found some individuals of the species Ceratitis capitata . Most of the fruits of the evaluated accesses presented high infestations by fruit flies. Accesses IAC – 4 – Cica noteworthy for not presenting any infested fruit, without differing from accesses Taquaritinga Comum, both red. The accesses Torrao de Ouro, Supreme BA, L2P4, and Supreme, also showed low numbers of fruit attacked.
Effects of propagation distance and half angle on the merging of hypervelocity plasma jets

We investigate the effects of the half angle on the intersection and merger of two plasma jets and verify the observation of the density drop and undulations at the merger interface seen in recent experiments. To perform this analysis, we employed a Smooth Particle Hydrodynamic code to model the jets and their merger. We validate the code against well-known test cases, Sod shock tube, Noh-Cylindrical implosion, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. These cases stress and quantify the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic code's ability to handle the expected physics of two jet merging. The half angle influences the shock region of the jets, but all jets merge and demonstrate density undulations along their centerline. The merged jet has velocity and density profiles consistent with experimental observations. The density drop was observed in the simulation and can be attributed to the sequence of thermal expansion of the free jets prior to the merge and subsequent density jump across the shock, where the centerline jump would be at the lowest density. A potential cause of the undulations along the centerline can be attributed to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability as it was the culprit in the simulation, although perturbations in the experiments or other causes cannot be ruled out.
Clinical reasoning performance assessment: Using situated cognition theory as a conceptual framework

Developing valid assessment approaches to clinical reasoning performance has been challenging. Situated cognition theory posits that cognition (e.g. clinical reasoning) emerges from interactions between the clinician and situational (contextual) factors and recognizes an opportunity to gain deeper insights into clinical reasoning performance and its assessment through the study of these interactions. The authors apply situated cognition theory to develop a conceptual model to better understand the assessment of clinical reasoning. The model highlights how the interactions between six contextual factors, including assessee, patient, rater, and environment, assessment method, and task, can impact the outcomes of clinical reasoning performance assessment. Exploring the impact of these interactions can provide insights into the nature of clinical reasoning and its assessment. Three significant implications of this model are: (1) credible clinical reasoning performance assessment requires broad sampling of learners by expert raters in diverse workplace-based contexts; (2) contextual factors should be more explicitly defined and explored; and (3) non-linear statistical models are at times necessary to reveal the complex interactions that can impact clinical reasoning performance assessment.
Governing Affect: Neoliberalism and Disaster Reconstruction

Barrios’ book offers a rare attempt to do a comparative analysis of disasters. In his ethnographic analysis of the aftermath of four disasters, he shows that much of what is done in the name of rec...
Quantitative analysis of vascular complexity in OCTA of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major ocular manifestation of diabetes. DR can cause irreversible damage to the retina if not intervened timely. Therefore, early detection and reliable classification are essential for effective management of DR. As DR progresses into the proliferative stage (PDR), manifestation of localized neovascularization and complex capillary meshes are observed in the retina. These vascular complex structures can be quantified as biomarkers of transition of DR from no-proliferative to proliferative stage (NPDR). This study investigates four optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) features, i.e. vessel complexity index (VCI), fractal dimension (FD), four-point crossover (FCO), and blood vessel tortuosity (BVT), to quantify vascular complexity to distinguish NPDR from PDR eyes. OCTA images from 20 control, 60 NPDR and 56 PDR patients were analyzed. The univariate analysis showed that, with the progression of DR, all four complexity features increased with statistical significance (ANOVA, P < 0.05). A posthoc study showed that, only VCI and BVT were able to distinguish between NPDR and PDR. A multivariate logistic regression identified VCI and BVT as the most significant feature combination for NPDR vs PDR classification.
Discovering Lipid Droplet Proteins: From Seeds to Seedlings.

During germination and early seedling establishment, embryos rely on stored energy for growth and cellular maintenance until photoautotrophic growth takes over. Proteins and lipids make up most of the energy-rich stores in the embryo, and in Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ), lipids can
Dynamic Assignment Control of a Closed Queueing Network under Complete Resource Pooling

We study the design of dynamic assignment control in networks with a fixed number of circulating resources (supply units). Each time a demand arises, the controller has (limited) flexibility in choosing the node from which to assign a supply unit. If no supply units are available at any compatible node, the demand is lost. If the demand is served, this causes to the supply unit to relocate to the "destination" of the demand. We study how to minimize the proportion of lost requests in steady state (or over a finite horizon) via a large deviations analysis. We propose a family of simple state-dependent policies called Scaled MaxWeight (SMW) policies that dynamically manage the distribution of supply in the network. We prove that under a complete resource pooling condition (analogous to the condition in Hall's marriage theorem), any SMW policy leads to exponential decay of demand-loss probability as the number of supply units scales to infinity. Further, there is an SMW policy that achieves the $\textbf{optimal}$ loss exponent among all assignment policies, and we analytically specify this policy in terms of the demand arrival rates for all origin-destination pairs. The optimal SMW policy maintains high supply levels adjacent to structurally under-supplied nodes. We discuss two applications: (i) Shared transportation platforms (like ride-hailing and bikesharing): We incorporate travel delays in our model and show that SMW policies for assignment control continue to have exponentially small loss. Simulations of ride-hailing based on the NYC taxi dataset demonstrate excellent performance. (ii) Service provider selection in scrip systems (like for babysitting or for kidney exchange): With only cosmetic modifications to the setup, our results translate fully to a model of scrip systems and lead to strong performance guarantees for a "Scaled Minimum Scrip" service provider selection rule.
Reversible structural transformations in supercooled liquid water from 135 to 245 K

A fundamental understanding of the unusual properties of water remains elusive because of the limited data at the temperatures and pressures needed to decide among competing theories. We investigated the structural transformations of transiently heated supercooled water films, which evolved for several nanoseconds per pulse during fast laser heating before quenching to 70 kelvin (K). Water's structure relaxed from its initial configuration to a steady-state configuration before appreciable crystallization. Over the full temperature range investigated, all structural changes were reversible and reproducible by a linear combination of high- and low-temperature structural motifs. The fraction of the liquid with the high-temperature motif decreased rapidly as the temperature decreased from 245 to 190 K, consistent with the predictions of two-state "mixture" models for supercooled water in the supercritical regime.
Wayfinding in Interior Environments: An Integrative Review.

Wayfinding is an issue in complex facilities—including hospitals, airports, and office buildings—and wayfinding difficulties are associated with negative psychological and physiological consequences. In addition, since finding one’s way in a building is a prerequisite for successfully using that building, wayfinding has attracted the attention of scholars and decision makers. The goal of this article is to review and synthesize the published literature on wayfinding in interior environments. A systematic search was conducted of four databases: PsychINFO, JSTOR, ProQuest, and EBSCO. A hand search was also conducted. From the initial harvest of 804 records, a total of 84 records met the inclusion criteria for full review. After several rounds of review, four broad domains were identified: (1) wayfinding cognition, (2) wayfinding behavior, (3) individual and group differences, and (4) environmental factors. These domains are used as a framework to organize the findings, and the review shows that the sub-domains most thoroughly addressed in the literature are spatial memories, floor plan configuration, landmarks, signs, and maps. This review can deepen the field’s understanding of factors that contribute to interior wayfinding and can serve as a resource for decision makers and designers.
Accurate singlet-triplet gaps in biradicals via the spin averaged anti-Hermitian contracted Schrödinger equation.

The accurate description of biradical systems, and in particular the resolution of their singlet–triplet gaps, has long posed a major challenge to the development of electronic structure theories. Biradicaloid singlet ground states are often marked by strong correlation and, hence, may not be accurately treated by mainstream, single-reference methods such as density functional theory or coupled cluster theory. The anti-Hermitian contracted Schrodinger equation (ACSE), whose fundamental quantity is the two-electron reduced density matrix rather than the N-electron wave function, has previously been shown to account for both dynamic and strong correlations when seeded with a strongly correlated guess from a complete active space (CAS) calculation. Here, we develop a spin-averaged implementation of the ACSE, allowing it to treat higher multiplicity states from the CAS input without additional state preparation. We apply the spin-averaged ACSE to calculate the singlet–triplet gaps in a set of small main group biradicaloids, as well as the organic four-electron biradicals trimethylenemethane and cyclobutadiene, and naphthalene, benchmarking the results against other state-of-the-art methods reported in the literature.
Numerical and Simulation Verification for Optimal Server Allocation in Edge Computing

In this paper, we consider the server allocation problem in edge computing. We consider a system model where there are a number of areas or locations, each of which has an associated Base Station (BS), where we can deploy an edge cloud with multiple servers. Each edge cloud will process application requests received at the corresponding BS from users in the corresponding area. The system manager/operator has a budget to deploy a given number of servers to the BSs. Our goal is to come up with a server allocation plan, i.e., how many servers to deploy at each of the BSs, such that the overall average turnaround time of application requests generated by all the users is minimized. In order to achieve the optimal solution for the problem, we resort to queueing theory and model each edge cloud as an M/M/c queue. Analysis on the problem motivates a Largest Weighted Reduction Time First (LWRTF) algorithm to assign servers to edge clouds. Numerical comparisons among various algorithms verify that Algorithm LWRTF has near-optimal performances in terms of minimizing the average turnaround time. Simulation results using the CloudSim Plus simulation tool also verify that Algorithm LWRTF achieves better performances compared to other reasonably designed heuristic algorithms.
Influence of structural and material property uncertainties on biomechanics of intervertebral discs - Implications for disc tissue engineering.

Abstract: This study investigated how variations of structural and material properties of human intervertebral discs (IVDs) affect the biomechanical responses of the IVDs under simulated physiological loading conditions using a stochastic finite element (SFE) model. An SFE method, which combined an anatomic FE model of human lumbar L3-4 segment and probabilistic analysis of its structural and material properties, was used to generate a dataset of 500 random disc samples with varying structural and material properties. The sensitivity of the biomechanical responses, including intervertebral displacements/rotations, intradiscal pressures (IDP), fiber stresses and matrix strains of annulus fibrosus (AF), were systematically quantified under various physiological loading conditions, including a 500N compression and 7.5Nm moments in the 3 primary rotations. Significant variations of the IDPs, IVD displacements/rotations, and stress/strain distributions were found using the dataset of 500 ramdom disc samples. Under all the loading conditions, the IDPs were positively correlated with the Poisson's ratio of the NP (r = 0.46 to 0.75, p = 0.004–0.001) and negatively with the Young's modulus of the annulus matrix (r = −0.48 to −0.65, p = 0.003–0.001). The primary intervertebral rotations were significantly affected by the Young's modulus of the annulus matrix (r = −0.44 to −0.71, p = 0.001–0.032) and the orientations of the annular fibers (r = −0.45 to −0.69, p = 0.001–0.029). The heterogeneity of structures and material properties of the IVD had distinct effects on the biomechanical performances of the IVD. These data could help improve our understanding of the intrinsic biomechanics of the IVD and provide references for optimal design of tissue engineered discs by controlling structural and material properties of the disc components.
Deposition of conformal thin film coatings on sawtooth substrates using ion bombardment

When a nominally flat surface is bombarded with a broad ion beam at oblique incidence, nanoscale ripples often develop on the surface. For high angles of incidence, surfaces typically develop into a terraced form at the late stages of their time evolution. In the present work, this process is exploited to prevent unwanted smoothing of ordered terraced substrates during the deposition of thin films. A Si surface prepatterned with a 500 nm pitch binary grating structure was bombarded at oblique incidence by a low energy Xe+ ion beam to establish an ordered terraced topography. Subsequently, Si/SiO2 bilayers were deposited on the surface, and further oblique incidence Xe+ bombardment was performed following the deposition of each Si layer to re-establish the ordered terraced topography. Self-organized processes, such as in the present work, that only require exposure of a surface to a plasma or ion source have the potential to provide a simple and inexpensive route for fabricating large-area nanostructured surfaces. The presented procedure has potential applications in the fabrication of multilayer blazed gratings for use in the extreme ultraviolet or soft x-ray regimes.
Interactive Knowledge Frontier Discovery with COBWEB-KFD

Knowledge frontier discovery is a novel technique for identifying interesting subpopulations of a dataset with respect to classification performance. A knowledge frontier is a collection of meaningful groups where any sub-partition with significantly different predictive accuracy is not meaningful. This research introduces knowledge frontiers and knowledge frontier discovery. The first knowledge frontier discovery algorithm, COBWEB-KFD, is also described in detail. Knowledge frontier discovery extends clustering and subgroup discovery to provide information that those techniques cannot.
Development of New Collaborative Design & Engineering Environment

The present day advanced mechanical CAD systems support wide variety of sophisticated capabilities. But, they are essentially aimed at single engineer’s use. Drastic productivity improvement requires an evolution of CAD/CAM systems so that they are appropriate for two or more engineers simultaneous use. The present paper discusses a collaboration support environment realized in CADCEUS, which is an integrated CAD/CAM/CAE/CG system developed by Nihon Unisys. Major technical focuses for its development has been adoption of SWS(Shared Work Space) and PWS(Private Work Space) concepts in DBMS and effective use of parametric modeling capability for the automatic consistency management of design data.
Coexistence and Specialization of Investment Banks and Commercial Banks: Evidence from Corporate Bond Underwriting

Prior research documents that commercial banks underwrite bonds with lower net yields than investment banks and concludes that commercial banks are superior underwriters. However, such a conclusion is inconsistent with the observed prominent role of investment banks in underwriting. This paper demonstrates that the findings of prior research are driven by the empirical methodology employed. This methodology does not permit individual underwriters to possess different comparative advantages and to serve different clienteles. When such factors are included, the results are markedly different from those of prior studies. On average, both types of underwriters serve their bond-issuing clients better than the other would and obtain significantly higher bond prices for them. The findings demonstrate that firms select rationally between underwriter types, seeking to minimize the total costs of bond issuance.
Mechanisms Controlling Sex Myoblast Migration in Caenorhabditis elegans Hermaphrodites

Sex myoblast migration in C. elegans hermaphrodites is controlled by multiple guidance mechanisms. A gonad-dependent attraction functions to guide the sex myoblasts to their precise final positions flanking the gonad. In the absence of this attraction, a gonad-dependent repulsion is revealed. In addition to gonad-dependent influences, a gonad-independent mechanism propels the sex myoblasts anteriorly to a broad range of positions near the center of the animal. Here we describe a temporal analysis of sex myoblast migration that reveals when the gonad-dependent attraction and the gonad-independent mechanisms normally function. We provide evidence that EGL-17, a fibroblast growth factor-like protein, is expressed in the gonadal cells required to attract the sex myoblasts to their precise final positions, further supporting our model that EGL-17 defines the gonad-dependent attractant. Furthermore, cell ablation experiments reveal that EGL-17 and the gonad-dependent repellent likely emanate from the same cellular sources. Analyses of candidate mutations for their effects on the gonad-dependent repulsion reveal that a set of genes known to affect multiple aspects of axonogenesis, unc-14, unc-33, unc-44, and unc-51, is essential for this repulsive mechanism. In addition, we have discovered that a SAX-3/Roundabout-dependent mechanism is used to maintain the sex myoblasts along the ventral muscle quadrants.
School-day and overall physical activity among youth.

Background Increasing school-day physical activity through policy and programs is commonly suggested to prevent obesity and improve overall child health. However, strategies that focus on school-day physical activity may not increase total physical activity if youth compensate by reducing physical activity outside of school. Purpose Objectively measured, nationally representative physical activity data were used to test the hypothesis that higher school-day physical activity is associated with higher overall daily physical activity in youth. Methods Accelerometer data from 2003–2004/2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were analyzed in 2012 to estimate physical activity levels during the school day (8am–3pm) among youth aged 6–19 years ( n =2548). Fixed-effects regressions were used to estimate the impact of changes in school-day minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on changes in total daily MVPA. Results Each additional minute of school-day MVPA was associated with an additional 1.14 minutes (95% CI=1.04, 1.24; p p =0.008) outside the school day, controlling for total daily accelerometer wear time and age, gender, race/ethnicity, and other non–time varying covariates. There were no differences in the effect of school-day MVPA on total MVPA by age group, gender, race/ethnicity, poverty status, or degree of change in MVPA. Conclusions Higher school-day MVPA was associated with higher daily MVPA among U.S. youth with no evidence for same-day "compensation." Increasing school-based physical activity is a promising approach that can improve total daily physical activity levels of youth.
STUDIES IN THE FLORAL ANATOMY OF POLYGALA (POLYGALACEAE)

A B S T R A C T Flowers of Polygala are irregular, each having three small and two long winglike sepals, three petals, eight stamens, and a bilocular ovary. These flowers have been considered pentamerous, and placentation has been subject to various interpretations. Development and anatomy of flowers of Polygala alba, P. lanceolata, and P. lutea were studied to see if evidence of pentamery and change in placentation could be found. These studies reveal no evidence of vestigial petals or stamens nor of vascular traces to organs that are missing in the three species studied. Neither are there abortive sporangia in the bisporangiate anthers. Observations on development of carpel primordia and on the vascular plan of mature carpels indicate that placentation is fundamentally parietal rather than axile. Speculation is offered as to the deriva
Melanoma Cytotoxicity of Buthionine Sulfoximine (BSO) Alone and in Combination with 3,4-Dihydroxybenzylamine and Melphalan

Abstract Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), a specific inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, showed variable growth-inhibitory activity in different tumor cell lines with a high degree of inhibitory activity against melanoma-derived cell lines. A correlation between BSO growth-inhibitory effects and cellular glutathione peroxidase activity was observed. In contrast, no correlation was demonstrated between the response to BSO and cellular tyrosinase, γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, glutathione transferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, or glutathione reductase activities. BSO enhanced 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamine (3,4-DHBA) (fourfold) and melphalan (threefold) in vitro cytotoxic activity as determined by inhibition of DNA synthesis in human melanoma cells and this enhancement was dependent on the duration of exposure to drug. BSO demonstrated in vivo antitumor activity in B16 melanomabearing mice prolonging survival by 29% and in combination with 3,4-DHBA resulted in a slight (48% versus 38%) increase in life span as compared to 3,4-DHBA alone. The combination of BSO and melphalan, however, increased the life span of B16 melanoma-bearing mice by 170%, as compared to melphalan alone (80%). These studies demonstrate a unique in vivo antimelanoma activity of BSO.
A continuous stirred tank reactor investigation of the gas‐phase reaction of hydroxyl radicals and toluene

A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was used to study the gas-phase reaction between HO⋅ and toluene. HO⋅ was generated by the in situ photolysis of nitrous acid. Flow reactor operation at steady-state conditions with a residence time of 20 min allowed investigation of primary and very rapid secondary reactions. CSTR and batch reactor experiments were also performed with selected products. Both gas-phase and aerosol products were identified by chromatography and mass spectroscopy, with total product yields between 55 and 75% of reacted carbon. Toluene reaction products included cresols, nitrocresols, nitrotoluenes, 3,5-dinitrotouluene, benzaldehyde, benzyl nitrate, nitrophenols, methyl-p-benzoquinone, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, formaldehyde, methyl nitrate, PAN, and CO. The fraction of HO⋅ methyl hydrogen abstraction was calculated to be 0.13 ± 0.04. The ratio of reaction rate constants for nitrotoluene versus cresol formation from the HO⋅-adduct was calculated to be about 3.3 × 104. Also, the ratio of cresol formation versus O2 addition to the HO⋅-adduct was estimated to be ≥0.5 for atmospheric conditions. Comparisons of these measurements with previous values and the implications with respect to photochemical kinetics modeling of the atmosphere are discussed.
β-Catenin is required for the establishment of vegetal embryonic fates in the nemertean, Cerebratulus lacteus

Downstream components of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway that result in the nuclear localization of beta-catenin are involved in diverse developmental processes including the formation of the mesendoderm, the regulation of axial properties and asymmetric cell divisions in a wide array of metazoans. The nemertean worm, Cerebratulus lacteus, represents a member of the understudied lophotrochozoan clade that exhibits a highly stereotyped spiral cleavage program in which ectodermal, endodermal, and mesodermal origins are known from intracellular fate mapping studies. Here, the embryonic distribution of beta-catenin protein was studied using injection of synthetic mRNA, encoding GFP-tagged beta-catenin, into fertilized eggs. During the early cleavage stages beta-catenin was destabilized/degraded in animal hemisphere blastomeres and became localized to the nuclei of the four vegetal-most cells at the 64-cell stage, which give rise to definitive larval and adult endoderm. Functional assays indicate that beta-catenin plays a key role in the development of the endoderm. Morpholino knockdown of endogenous beta-catenin, as confirmed by Western analysis, resulted in the failure to gastrulate, absence of the gut and an animalized phenotype in the resulting larvae, including the formation of ectopic (anterior) apical organ tissue with elongated apical tuft cilia and no indications of dorsoventral polarity. Similarly, over-expression of the cytoplasmic domain of cadherin or a beta-catenin-engrailed repressor fusion construct prevented endoderm formation and generated the same animalized phenotype. Injections of mRNA encoding either a stabilized, constitutively activated form of beta-catenin or a dominant negative form of GSK3-beta converted all or nearly all cells into endodermal fates expressing gut-specific esterase. Thus, beta-catenin appears to be both necessary and sufficient to promote endoderm formation in C. lacteus, consistent with its role in endoderm and endomesoderm formation in anthozoan cnidarians, ascidians, and echinoderms. Consistent with the results of other studies, beta-catenin may be viewed as playing a role in the development of posterior/vegetal larval fates (i.e., endoderm) in C. lacteus. However, unlike the case found in polychaete annelid and soil nematode embryos, there is no evidence for a role of beta-catenin in regulating cell fates and asymmetric cell divisions along the entire anterior-posterior axis.
Assessment of coal and graphite electrolysis on carbon fiber electrodes

Abstract Novel carbon fiber electrodes prepared by plating of noble metals (Pt, Rh, Pt–Rh, Pt–Ir, Pt–Ir–Rh) on carbon fibers were evaluated for the electrolysis of coal and graphite under galvanostatic conditions. Graphite was used as a baseline to compare its performance with coal. The electrodes were tested on a sandwich configuration coal electrolytic cell (CEC) designed to reduce the ohmic resistance of the system. Among Pt, Rh, Pt–Rh, Pt–Ir, and Pt–Ir–Rh electrodes with the same loading (5 mg cm−1 of fiber bundle), Pt and Pt–Ir seemed to produce the highest CO2 Faradaic efficiency. Factorial design was used to determine the effect of loading and composition on the electrooxidation of coal and graphite to CO2. The effect of abrasion on the coating of the electrodes was determined by performing weight change analysis. Most electrodes were not significantly affected by abrasive effect (about 2% weight loss); however, Pt and Pt–Rh electrodes were significantly affected by erosion (above 10% weight loss). The presence of graphite had a positive effect on the electrooxidation of coal to CO2 in a graphite–coal slurry mixture. The energy consumption for the production of hydrogen from the electrolysis of coal was about 22 Wh g−1 of H2 for all the electrodes tested (50% lower than that for hydrogen production by electrolysis of water under similar operating conditions). This fact shows that coal electrolysis is a competitive method for in situ hydrogen generation.
Sulfur dioxide in geothermal waters and gases

Abstract Methods were developed for stabilizing SO 2 in water and gas samples. The pararosaniline colorimetric method, and a gas Chromatographic method using a flame photometric detector specific for sulfur gases were used to assay SO 2 . Assays were also performed for sulfide, elemental sulfur and sulfate. A large number of acidic, neutral, and alkaline springs in Yellowstone National Park were sampled: SO 2 was found in small amounts in most of them. The highest concentration detected in water was 0.5–0.6 μg/ml (expressed as sulfur). Sulfur dioxide was never detected in gases emanating from hot springs, or in fumaroles, although H 2 S was readily detected. Because of the high solubility of SO 2 in water, and its low pK , it is unlikely that environmentally significant quantities are volatilized from geothermal systems of the low-temperature type characteristic of Yellowstone Park. Laboratory studies suggest that in acid waters, ferric iron is the primary oxidant, as H 2 S is not oxidized by O 2 at low pH. At neutral or alkaline pH, O 2 is the likely oxidant, because sulfide is oxidized by O 2 at these pH values, and neutral and alkaline hot springs are always low in iron. Although bacteria capable of oxidizing sulfide and elemental sulfur are present in most of the springs sampled, it is concluded that the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds to sulfur dioxide is primarily a chemical process, because of the rapidity with which it occurs and the lack of any evidence that bacteria produce sulfur dioxide.
Borel–Moore homology, Riemann–Roch transformations, and local terms

Abstract We develop various properties of etale Borel–Moore homology and study its relationship with intersection theory. Using Gabber's localized cycle classes we define etale homological Gysin morphisms and show that they are compatible with the cycle class map and Gysin morphisms in intersection theory. We also study etale versions of bivariant operations, and establish their compatibility with Riemann–Roch transformations and Fulton–MacPherson bivariant operations. As an application of these techniques we show that in certain situations local terms for correspondences acting on etale cohomology are given by cycle classes.
Density Functional Theory Calculations of Nitrogen Hyperfine and Quadrupole Coupling Constants in Oxovanadium(IV) Complexes

Relativistic density functional theory (DFT) calculations of nitrogen hyperfine and quadrupole coupling constants were conducted for a series of oxovanadium complexes with axial and equatorial nitrogen ligands. The computational results qualitatively reproduced the observed experimental trends in nitrogen hyperfine coupling constants with ligand type (amine, imine, and isothiocyanate) and coordination (axial vs equatorial). The best quantitative agreement between calculated and experimental nitrogen coupling constants was obtained using the scalar-relativistic, spin-unrestricted, open-shell Kohn−Sham (SR UKS) method. These results have important implications for the interpretation of high-resolution electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of oxovanadium complexes with nitrogen ligands.
Empirical Review Supporting the Application of the “Pain Assessment as a Social Transaction” Model in Pediatrics

Despite decades of research, national mandates, and widespread implementation of guidelines, recent reports suggest that the quality of pain assessment and management in hospitalized children remains suboptimal. The mismatch between what is advocated and what is done in practice has led experts to argue for a conceptual shift in thinking, where the pain assessment process is viewed from a complex social communication or transaction framework. This article examines the empirical evidence from the recent pediatric pain assessment and decision-making literature that supports adaptation of Schiavenato and Craig's "Pain Assessment as a Social Transaction" model in explaining pediatric acute pain management decisions. Multiple factors contributing to children's pain experiences and expressions are explored, and some of the difficulties interpreting their pain scores are exposed. Gaps in knowledge related to nurses' clinical pain management decisions are identified, and the importance of children's and parents' preferences and roles and the influence of risks and adverse events on decision making are identified. This review highlights the complexity of pediatric nurses' pain management decisions toward the clinical goal of improving comfort while minimizing risk. Further study evaluating the propositions related to nurses' decisions to intervene is needed in pediatric clinical settings to better synthesize this model for children.
Fracture analysis of semi-circular and semi-circular-bend geometries

A fracture mechanics analysis of the semi-circular (SC) and semi-circular-bend (SCB) fracture geometries is presented. The weight function method is implemented to obtain wide ranging stress intensity factor (SIF) and crack opening displacement (COD) expressions. This study has as its basis a finite element analysis of the semi-circular disk (SC) subjected to a reference loading case. The latter is required to determine both the associated reference stress intensity factor and the weight function for the base-edge-cracked semi-circular geometry. With this information, SIF and COD expressions for the full range of crack lengths are obtained. The special cases of the SC subject to a concentrated crack mouth loading and the SCB are analyzed in detail. The weight function for the SCB is fully developed, with an accurate expression for the SIF and and a numerical result for the crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD). The latter wide ranging expressions can, in turn, be applied as a reference solution. From this weight function approach, SIF's and COD's for the SC and SCB subject to any other loading can be obtained.
Distribution and behavior of scavenging amphipods from the central North Pacific

Deep-sea scavenging amphipod distributions, abundance, and behavior were studied with five-vehicle baited traps. The species composition and numerical abundances were comparable in the areas sampled. All size classes of the four predominant species (Paralicella caperesca, P. tenuipes, Orchomene gerulicorbis, and Eurythenes gryllus) were trapped including sexually mature individuals, but no females were ovigerous. The central North Pacific E. gryllus is morphologically distinct from Atlantic E. gryllus and may represent a different species. Pelagic and demersal amphipod guilds exist, as determined by body size and vertical and horizontal distributional patterns. The demersal guild is composed of P. caperesca, P. tenuipes, and O. gerulicorbis, all of which are <2 cm in total body length and occur within 1 m of the sediment. E. gryllus, the only representative of the pelagic guild, ranges between 1.7 and 14 cm in total body length and has its greatest abundance several to tens of meters above the sediment. Members of the demersal guild probably can detect and exploit both large and small food falls or autochthonous organic particles because of their proximity to the sediment. They reside within the area of the benthic boundary layer where currents are slowest, and the diffusion of odor is slower than higher in the water column, thus reducing the area from which they can be attracted to a food item. The vertical distribution of E. gryllus correlates well with several physical features of the benthic boundary layer. Their vertical abundance increases an order of magnitude near the top of the Ekman layer, correlating with the increase in current velocities. It continues to increase up to 20 m, corresponding with the probable vertical extent of more than two-thirds of an odor trace. Their abundance decreases significantly above 20 m. The above correlations imply that the vertical distribution of E. gryllus is an adaptation that provides a wide chemosensory overview of the sediment, and that they may be adapted to use the swifter background currents above the Ekman layer in their search for food. Finally, their vertical distribution implies that they feed primarily on relatively large food particles. Individuals found above 50 m are likely to be unaware of food falls and probably feed by predation. Species in the demersal guild are very patchy and probably occur in groups even when not feeding; film data indicate that E. gryllus occurs singly when not at bait. Near an odeor source all species tend to choose bait with other amphipods on it, neglecting similar bait nearby. When given a choice of traps, individual E. gryllus prefer to enter traps containing individuals of similar age and sex. At least at close range, locating a food item is probably based more on information received from other amphipods rather than food odor. It is unknown how this communication might occur.
Removing barriers to global pandemic influenza vaccination

This article clarifies the regulatory issues surrounding influenza pandemic vaccine for the larger policy community and describes the need for regulatory harmonization. Vaccination would save lives in an influenza pandemic, but a lack of global manufacturing capacity will leave most of the world without access to vaccine. Capacity can be expanded if governments harmonize their regulatory policies. This article details the regulatory approaches taken by the United States, the European Union, and Japan for pandemic vaccine development, three regions that produce the majority of the world's seasonal influenza vaccine. They should quickly converge on regulatory requirements, intellectual property considerations, the use of recombinant DNA techniques for vaccine production, and technical issues about the composition of pandemic vaccine.
The Role of Specific Retinoid Receptors in Sebaceous Epithelial Cell (Sebocyte) Growth and Differentiation in Culture

The Role of Specific Retinoid Receptors in Sebaceous Epithelial Cell (Sebocyte) Growth and Differentiation in Culture
Polyamines appear to be second messengers in mediating Ca2+ fluxes and neurotransmitter release in potassium-depolarized synaptosomes.

High potassium (50 mM) depolarization induces a rapid (<15 sec) increase in the levels of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine and their rate-regulating synthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase in synaptosomes from rat cerebral cortex. The ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor α-difluoromethylornithine blocked the K+-stimulated increase in enzyme activity and polyamines and also suppressed the increase in 45Ca2+ influx and efflux and the Ca2+-dependent release of GABA and norepinephrine. Added putrescine attenuated or negated the effects of α-difluoromethylornithine. These results suggest that enhanced polyamine synthesis is required for potassium depolarized stimulation of synaptic function.
Validations of Particle/Fluid Interaction Models

Several particle/fluid simulation models have been tested, including Euler-Lagrange type and Euler type models. Other effects, such as gravitational force, turbulence model and particle collision, are also discussed. Comparisons with literature data have shown good agreement by using the Euler type model.Copyright © 2004 by ASME