cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 5280: Branched chain amino acids represent indispensible metabolic substrates in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with limited treatment options. Considerable advances have been made in understanding the genetic alterations driving these tumors, however, the metabolic alterations and mechanisms underlying these aggressive phenotypes remain unclear. We performed global metabolomic profiling of patient derived low-grade astrocytoma (LGA, n= 28) and GBM (n=80). Hierarchical clustering (HC) identified amino acid (AA) metabolism as a dominant metabolic node in GBM compared to LGA. Considerable inter-tumoral heterogeneity of AA metabolism was observed in GBM, with HC identifying two clearly distinct metabolic subtypes consisting of increased and decreased concentrations of AA and their metabolic intermediates. VIP analysis identified the accumulation of branched chain amino acids (BCAA)- leucine, valine and isoleucine as the top ranked metabolites differentiating these subtypes. Based on this, GBMs were classified as BCAA-high and BCAA-low. BCAA-high GBM was enriched with mesenchymal and classical subtypes while BCAA-low GBM was enriched with proneural and neural subtypes. Integrative analysis coupling these metabolic signatures with gene expression profiling performed on matched tissue demonstrated upregulation of BCAA metabolism-associated genes in BCAA-high GBM, along with global transcriptional programs designed to activate cell cycle progression. When extended into molecular subtype specific preclinical models, we demonstrated that BCAA were indispensible for survival of mesenchymal GBM cells, which was independent of the presence or absence of other non-essential and essential amino acids. Further, these cells were able to maintain long-term survival in a dormant state when grown in media devoid of all essential and non-essential AA other than BCAA and glutamine. Knockdown of key enzymes in BCAA metabolism led to robust cytotoxicity in this model, underscoring the importance of BCAA in GBM survival. Ongoing studies are designed to determine the biologic consequence and intermediary metabolism of BCAA in GBM. Collectively these results identify BCAA metabolism as a therapeutic target in GBM. Citation Format: Antony H. Prabhu, Shiva Kant, Pravin Kesarwani, Prakash Chinnaiyan. Branched chain amino acids represent indispensible metabolic substrates in glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5280.
Drug Prevention Strategy: Time Out for Reading

The purpose of this teaching strategy is to demonstrate the experience of drug dependency for adolescents through the use of broken story telling. The strategy ends with a debriefing session.
Uterus transplant: fleeting trend or enduring treatment?

“Character is determined more by the lack of certain experiences than by those one has had.” —Friedrich Neitzche
Centroid of Age Neighborhoods: A Generalized Approach to Estimate Biological Age

Estimation of human biological age is an important and difficult challenge. In this work, we generalize a biological age estimation method and investigate the performance of the method against popular approaches. We introduce a centroid based approach, using the notion of age neighborhoods. We develop a model, based on which we compute biological age using blood biomarkers, body measurements, and a combination of both, by considering the centroid of specially selected age neighborhoods. Experiments were performed on the NHANES dataset (21451 individuals). Our experiments show that the proposed age neighborhood model results in an improved performance in biological age prediction.
Tissue and cell-specific patterns of expression of rat liver and intestinal fatty acid binding protein during development and in experimental colonic and small intestinal adenocarcinomas.

Background Mammalian small intestinal and colonic epithelium express members of a multigene family of hydrophobic ligand binding proteins of which liver and intestinal fatty acid binding protein represent among the most abundant intestinal gene products. These proteins are expressed in a cell- and region-specific manner and emerge in a temporally distinctive pattern. Experimental design We have studied expression of these genes in the small intestine and colon of rats treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine since these animals develop a predictable pattern of both small and large bowel cancers. Studies were also undertaken in fetal and neonatal small intestine and colon. Results There was a 10- and 50-fold decrease, respectively, in mRNA abundance for intestinal and liver fatty acid binding protein in RNA from colon cancers compared with either uninvolved or control RNA. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed decreased staining for both proteins within their normal distribution together with ectopic clusters of cells reactive for liver fatty acid binding protein within colonic tumors. A more striking mosaic of immunocytochemical staining for both liver and intestinal fatty acid binding protein was found in small intestinal adenocarcinomas. Similar mosaic patterns of immunocytochemical staining were transiently detectable in rat fetal small intestine and neonatal colon. Conclusions The region- and cell-specific expression of these genes, which may be linked temporally to events in intestinal differentiation, are subject to disruption in a cell-specific manner in the transformed, or dedifferentiated, phenotype.
Ascosporogenesis in Dipodascopsis Tothii (Hemiascomycetidae)

Each of the 100+ spore initials in the ascus of Dipodascopsis tothii are delimited from the ascus cytoplasm by a double, delimiting membrane, herein called the spore vesicle, after the completion o...
Sapphire advanced mitigation process: wet etch to expose sub-surface damage and increase laser damage resistance and mechanical strength

A novel, to the best of our knowledge, method of wet chemical etching of sapphire workpieces (such as optics, wafers, windows, and cones), called the sapphire advanced mitigation process (or sapphire AMP), has been developed that exposes sub-surface mechanical damage created during the optical fabrication process and significantly enhances the surface laser damage resistance ($ \gt {2{\times}}$>2×) and mechanical strength (up to $\sim{2.6{\times}}$∼2.6×). Sapphire AMP involves first treating the workpiece with a mixture of sulfuric and phosphoric acid $([{\rm H_{2}{\rm SO_{4}}}]:[{\rm H_{3}{\rm PO_{4}}}]=1:3)$([H2SO4]:[H3PO4]=1:3) at 220°C, followed with phosphoric acid at 160°C, then with sodium hydroxide base (NaOH) and surfactant at 40°C, and finally with a high-pressure deionized water spray rinse. Sapphire AMP has been demonstrated on both A- and C-plane sapphire workpieces. The mechanism of this etch process involves the reaction of the sapphire $({\rm Al_{2}}{\rm O_{3}})$(Al2O3) surface with sulfuric acid $({\rm H_{2}}{\rm SO_{4}})$(H2SO4) forming aluminum sulfate $[{{\rm Al}_2}{({{\rm SO}_4})_3}]$[Al2(SO4)3], which has low solubility. The high phosphoric acid content in the first and second steps of sapphire AMP results in the efficient conversion of ${{\rm Al}_2}{({{\rm SO}_4})_3}$Al2(SO4)3 to aluminum phosphate $({\rm AlPO_{4}})$(AlPO4), which is very soluble, greatly reducing reaction product redeposition on the workpiece surface. Sapphire AMP is shown to expose sub-surface mechanical damage on the sapphire surface created during the grinding and polishing processes, whose etched morphology has either isotropic or anisotropic evolution depending on the nature of the initial surface damage. Sapphire AMP was also designed to remove the key known surface, laser absorbing precursors (namely, foreign chemical impurities, the fracture surface layer of preexisting sub-surface damage, and reaction product or foreign species redeposition or precipitation). Static and sliding indention induced surface microfractures on sapphire are shown after sapphire AMP to have a significant decrease in the fast photoluminescence intensity (a known metric for measuring the degree of laser damaging absorbing precursors). In addition, the onset of laser damage (at 351 nm 3 ns) on sapphire AMP treated workpieces was shown to increase in fluence from $\sim{4}$∼4 to $ \gt {9}.{5}\;{{\rm J/cm}^2}$>9.5J/cm2. Finally, biaxial ball-on-ring mechanical tests on sapphire disks showed an increase in the failure stress from 340 MPa (with pre-existing 28 µm flaws) to $\sim{900}\;{\rm MPa}$∼900MPa after sapphire AMP, which is attributed to the blunting of the surface microfractures.
Optimal Chandra and XMM-Newton Bandpasses for Detecting Low-Temperature Groups and Clusters of Galaxies

In this short paper I present the results of a calculation that seeks the maximum, or optimal, signal-to-noise energy band for galaxy group or cluster X-ray emission detected by the Chandra and XMM-Newton observatories. Using a background spectrum derived from observations and a grid of models, I show that the "classical" 0.5-2 keV band is indeed close to optimal for clusters with gas temperatures greater than 2 keV and redshifts z 0. The implication is that current and forthcoming surveys should be carefully constructed in order to minimize bias against the low-mass, low-temperature end of the cluster/group population.
Patterns of E-Cigarette Use Among Primary Care Patients at an Urban Community Center.

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the US. The number of tobacco products has grown over the past decade. E-cigarette use has increased rapidly in recent years, but patterns and correlates of use have not been thoroughly assessed. We examined relationships among demographic factors, e-cigarette and conventional cigarette use in a large sample (N = 12,409) of adult patients at a community health center in the Northeastern US. Overall, 13% (N = 1675) of the sample reported ever using e-cigarettes. In logistic regression models, ever having used e-cigarettes was associated with younger age (ages 18–25; OR = 3.5, p < 0.001). Being transgender (OR = 1.8, p < 0.001), bisexual (OR = 1.5, p < 0.001), un-partnered (OR = 1.5, p < 0.001), having a lower income (OR = 1.6, p < 0.001) or a high BMI (OR = 1.4, p = 0.009) were associated with increased odds of use, whereas being a woman (OR = 0.7, p < 0.001) or Black/African American (OR = 0.7, p = 0.007) were associated with lower odds of use. Of the participants who reported e-cigarette use, a majority also endorsed current or former use of conventional cigarettes. Individuals who formerly used conventional cigarettes were nearly three times more likely to report daily e-cigarette use than current users. Among primary care patients at a community health center, e-cigarette use was reported by a sizeable portion of the sample. Overall, odds of use were higher in certain patient populations, and individuals who formally used cigarettes were more likely to report e-cigarette use than individuals who currently smoke, suggesting that e-cigarettes may be functioning as a cessation aid or a strategy to reduce conventional cigarette use.
The International Committee of the Red Cross and support for civilian self-protection in Colombia

How can international humanitarian actors support civilians in their efforts to protect themselves during armed conflicts? This study analyzes the wartime interactions between international organiz...
Genomic sequence data of bacterial isolates from pistachio trees and other woody plants in California are inconsistent with a role of Rhodococcus as the causative agent of Pistachio Bushy Top Syndrome

Pistachio Bushy Top Syndrome (PBTS) is a serious problem for pistachio growers in the western U.S. but the cause of this disorder remains controversial. Recently, it was proposed that the Rhodococc...
The United Nations Development Programme: A Better Way?

The United Nations Development Programme is the central network co-ordinating the work of the United Nations in over 160 developing countries. This 2006 book provides the first authoritative and accessible history of the Programme and its predecessors. Based on the findings of hundreds of interviews and archives in more than two dozen countries, Craig Murphy traces the history of the UNDP's organizational structure and mission, its relationship to the multilateral financial institutions, and the development of its doctrines. He argues that the principles on which the UNDP was founded remain as relevant in a world divided by terrorism as they were in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, as are the fundamental problems that have plagued the Programme from its origin, including the opposition of traditionally isolationist forces in the industrialized world.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy with On-Line Computers

In spite of the so-called computer revolution, the general acceptance of the digital computer by research scientists as a laboratory tool has been slow in coming. All too often uninitiated members of the scientific community look upon the in-lab, on-line computer system as an overly complex, expensive instrument of limited performance. These misconceptions arise in part from not recognizing the enormous strides modern electronic technology has made in size reduction and increased performance. A modern minicomputer, while no bigger than a suitcase, contains as much memory, operates faster, and has more input-output capabilities than many of the early large-scale machines, all with a purchase price around $5000. Indeed, each year the performance of these machines increases, the size decreases, and the cost goes down.
Volatilization Losses of Nitrogen as Ammonia from Surface-Applied Fertilizers, Organic Amendments, and Crop Residues

Publisher Summary Loss of nitrogen (N) as NH 3 from applied fertilizers, organic amendments, and crop residues is only one of several possible fates of soil and applied N. Leaching losses of N, largely as nitrate (NO 3 –N), may be severe on sandy, gravelly, or lateritic soils under conditions of heavy rainfall or excessive irrigation. This chapter reviews the research results on NH 3 volatile losses from applied N fertilizers and examines the impact of greater use of urea N. The chapter discusses the losses of NH 3 from crop residues, applied manures, and other organic amendments. Techniques for measuring N volatilization losses directly as NH 3 and indirectly by measuring crop uptake of applied N. NH 3 absorption by soils and vegetation are also discussed in the chapter. Research results have shown that NH 3 –N losses from fertilizers surface-applied to moist soils increase with intensity of drying conditions and with decrease in soil sorption capacity for NH 4 –N. Results from laboratory, greenhouse pot, and field plot experiments agree, in general, concerning the various factors contributing to NH 3 –N losses.
Control of hydrogen for the improvement of optical properties of Ga(In)NAs epilayers grown on GaAs

In this work we have undertaken a systematic study of the influence of growth parameters and post growth rapid thermal annealing upon the optimization of optical properties of InGaAsN lattice matched and GaAsN metamorphic epilayers with room temperature bandgaps ranging from 1-1.3 eV. Epilayers were grown by chemical beam epitaxy on [001] GaAs substrates using a radio-frequency (RF) plasma source. A special emphasis is given to decipher the role of atomic hydrogen (generated during the growth process) upon structural properties and optical quality of Ga(In)NAs epilayers. Finally the optimization of H*/N* ratio yielded high quality quantum well material as attested by the unusually strong IR photoresponse of GaAsN/GaAs QW solar cells.
Gs and Gq/11 couple vasoactive intestinal peptide and cholinergic stimulation to lacrimal secretion.

Purpose The intent of this study was to determine the physiological role of selected G proteins in receptor-mediated protein release by lacrimal acini. Methods The role of G proteins in lacrimal secretion was determined in tissues obtained from the lacrimal glands of adult male New Zealand White rabbits. Pertussis toxin treatment of primary acinar cultures and permeabilization of cultured acini with streptolysin-O and insertion of GDP beta S or antibodies against the alpha subunit of Gs or Gq/11 were used to determine the role of G proteins in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and carbachol-stimulated lacrimal secretion. Gs and Gq/11 were identified in lacrimal membranes obtained from freshly isolated lacrimal gland fragments, freshly isolated acini, and cultured acini by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Results Permeabilization by streptolysin-O and introduction of guanosine thiodiphosphate into cultured acini blocked stimulation of protein released by either 100 nM VIP or 100 microM carbachol by approximately 50%. Exposure of cultured acini to 100 ng/ml pertussis toxin for 36 to 48 hours did not affect stimulated release by either agonist, indicating that the guanosine triphosphate-dependent actions of VIP and carbachol are mediated through pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. Pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins in lacrimal membranes obtained from freshly isolated glands, freshly isolated acini, and cultured acini were identified with polyclonal antibodies to the alpha subunits of Gs and Gq/11. Immunoblotting of lacrimal membranes with anti-Gs alpha antiserum showed two immunoreactive bands at 44 and 47 kDa. Anti-Gq/11 alpha antiserum detected a single band at 46 kDa in similar membrane preparations. Anti-Gs alpha antiserum reduced the secretory response to VIP by 64% and to carbachol by 37%. Introduction of anti-Gq/11 alpha antiserum reduced the response to carbachol by 70%; however, the response to VIP was unchanged. Simultaneous introduction of both antisera caused no further reduction of VIP-stimulated release than did anti-Gs alpha antiserum alone. However, simultaneous introduction of both anti-Gs alpha and anti-Gq/11 alpha antisera resulted in complete inhibition of the effects of carbachol on protein release by cultured acini. Conclusions These results show that VIP receptor activation of lacrimal protein release is mediated through Gs, whereas cholinergic stimulation involves both Gs and Gq/11. From the authors' results, the authors conclude that Gs links VIP receptor activation to adenylyl cyclase and cyclic adenosine 3'-5' monophosphate production and the ultimate release of protein by acinar cells and that Gq/11 links muscarinic receptor activation to phospholipase C and IP3 and diacylglycerol accumulation, which also leads to protein release. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that Gs has an additional role in the regulation of vesicular traffic and exocytosis.
Taming a flood with a T-CUP: designing flood-control structures with a genetic algorithm

This paper describes the use of a genetic algorithm to solve a hydrology design problem - determining an optimal or near-optimal prescription of Best Management Practices in a flood-prone watershed. The model has proved capable of discovering design prescriptions that are more cost-effective than existing designs, promising significant financial benefits in a shorter time period. The approach is flexible enough to be applied to any watershed with basic precipitation and soil data.
Direction-of-arrival estimation using an ESPRIT array with double invariance

We present a new non-iterative method called Weighted Subspace Estimation (WSE) for estimating directions-of-arrival (DOA's) of narrow band plane waves impinging on an ESPRIT array with double invariance. WSE uses the first invariance to get a subspace estimate; the estimates of DOA's are then extracted from the estimated subspace by exploiting the second invariance. Simulations show that, the performance of WSE achieves or is very close to the Cramer-Rao bound in a wide range of SNRs and signal correlation. >
Lithium ions have a potent and selective inhibitory effect on cyclic GMP formation stimulated by neurotensin, angiotensin II and bradykinin

Abstract The effect of lithium ion (Li + ) on receptor-mediated synthesis of cyclic GMP, a putative second messenger, was examined using intact murine neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115). Lithium chloride potently inhibited cyclic GMP formation stimulated by the neuropeptides, neurotensin, angiotensin II and bradykinin in an identical concentration-dependent (IC 50 s of around 12 mM), saturable and reversible manner. In the presence of veratridine, an alkaloid which by stimulating sodium channels can increase Li + entry into the cells, Li + inhibited neurotensin-stimulated cyclic GMP formation more potently (IC 50 = 7 mM). No effect of Li + was observed on phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17) activity. These results suggest that Li + may interfere with the function of these receptors through its inhibitory effect at a common site in the pathway of receptor-mediated cyclic GMP formation.
What mAbs tell us about shapes: multiple roads lead to Rome.

In this issue of Immunity, Liao et al. (2013) utilize monoclonal antibodies isolated from RV144 vaccinees to gain key insights into the structural vulnerabilities of the V1-V2 loops of HIV gp120 protein and how they might be associated with vaccine efficacy.
Normal “suspicious” EEG

The EEG is a unique measure of electrical brain function and is widely used in patients with seizures. Many normal variants and variations of normal EEG have a predilection for the temporal lobe and mimic epileptiform discharges. The high prevalence of temporal lobe epilepsy and the propensity for normal variants to occupy the temporal lobe may result in an undesired bias, leading to misidentification of normal waveforms. Learning the common pitfalls, such as the variations of normal EEG, benign variants, and common artifacts, are essential lessons in EEG. Continuing education and acquiring experience in EEG interpretation are the basic tools to ensure patient safety. Above all, judging the results of the EEG interpretation in light of the patient's clinical symptoms is a prerequisite to ensure proper management.
Condensation in Rotating Stepped Wall Heat Pipes with Hysteretic Annular Flow

Hysteresis effects of annular e ow in rotating stepped wall heat pipes are addressed based on visualization and systematic experiments. The region of hysteretic annular e ow is dee ned. Experimental data relating the condensation heat transfer for annular e ow in a rotating stepped wall heat pipe are presented. A model for predicting the condensation heat transfer coefe cient is proposed. The theoretical result is compared with experimental data. The effect of vapor shear drag on the condensation heat transfer is discussed.
Mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavioral therapies in practice

Mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavioral therapies in practice is an introductory guide to the integration of mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavioral therapies into mainstream clinical pra...
Bias in error rate estimates in discriminant analysis when stepwise variable selection is employed

Little attention has been given to properties of error rate estimates obtained from stepwise-selected discriminant analyses. We present simulation results that describe the effects of several factors on the error estimates' bias. Six estimators are compared; most can give substantially biased estimates when used in conjunction with stepwise discriminant analysis. Holdout methods are recommended because they are nearly unbiased and have desirable stability properties
INFLUENCE OF WALL THICKNESS ON RAYLEIGH CONDUCTIVITY AND FLOW-INDUCED APERTURE TONES

Abstract A theoretical investigation is made of the effect of finite wall thickness on the interaction of a pressure perturbation, produced by sound or large-scale structural vibration, with a wall aperture in the presence of a tangential mean flow. Previous analyses for a wall of infinitesimal thickness (Howe, Scott & Sipcic) indicate that the perturbation is damped during the interaction if the Strouhal number based on aperture diameter and mean velocity is small. The damping is caused by the transfer of energy to the mean flow via the production of vorticity in the aperture. We show that the damping at low Strouhal numbers is unchanged when the wall has small, but finite, thickness, characteristic of real structures. However, wall thickness has a substantial influence on flow stability and on the excitation of self-sustained oscillations of fluid in the aperture. Instabilities exist when the Rayleigh conductivity, K R (ο) , of the aperture at frequency ο possesses poles in the upper ο- plane (an instability frequency being equal to the real part of ο at a pole); increasing wall thickness exacerbates the tendency towards instability by causing poles initially in the lower half plane to cross the real axis. Detailed results are given for two-sided flow which (for an ideal fluid) is stable for a wall of zero thickness when the flow speed is the same on both sides, and for one-sided flow over an aperture, which is unstable for arbitrary wall thickness. In both cases the instability frequencies are shown to progressively decrease as the wall thickness increases, but externally forced motion at low Strouhal numbers is always damped.
Indium tin oxide coverings on solar panels for plasma-Spacecraft connection

Via ground-based experiments, we were able to determine the I-V characteristic of indium tin oxide-coated glass in a simulated low Earth environment. We achieved a passive plasma contact by biasing a planar surface coated in a thin layer of indium tin oxide. We found that a thin layer of indium tin oxide-coated glass can facilitate current collection comparable to gold plating (order of magnitude) for the tested voltage range. This coated glass can also be used to cover solar panels, thus allowing a small spacecraft's limited surface area to serve a dual purpose.
Depilatory laser: a potential causative factor for inguinal hyperhidrosis: Report of three cases

AbstractHyperhidrosis has recently been described as a novel adverse effect of laser-assisted hair removal in the axillary area. Inguinal Hyperhidrosis (IH) is a localized and, typically, a primary form of hyperhidrosis affecting the groin area in individuals before age 25. IH has been reported in the literature after traumas and as a dysfunction of the central sympathetic nervous system. To the best of our knowledge, IH has never been reported as secondary to laser-assisted hair removal. Herein, we report three cases of IH following depilatory laser of the inguinal zone.Three female patients with no relevant medical history presented with the complaint of excessive sweating in the inguinal area after undergoing full bikini depilatory laser sessions.Although never described before, depilatory laser seems to trigger the occurrence of hyperhidrosis in the inguinal zone.
Magnetic Ordering in the Rare Earth Molecule-Based Magnets, Ln(TCNE)3 (Ln = Gd, Dy; TCNE = Tetracyanoethylene)

The reaction of LnI3·xMeCN (Ln = Gd, Dy) and TCNE (tetracyanoethylene) in acetonitrile forms Ln2[C4(CN)8]3·xMeCN. These paramagnetic light-colored solids contain the S = 0 octacyanobutandiide dianion, [C4(CN)8]2-, which upon desolvation of these products forms dark green Ln(TCNE)3. In these compounds the central C−C σ bond in [C4(CN)8]2- is broken, re-forming S = 1/2 [TCNE]•-. as evidenced by the color change and the infrared spectra. Ln(TCNE)3 exhibit coupling between Ln3+ and [TCNE]•- and magnetically order as ferrimagnets at 8.5 (Dy) and 3.5 (Gd) K.
Perfect-reconstruction filtering with unitary operators and projections☆

Abstract Perfect-reconstruction filter banks, wavelets, and multiresolution analysis have generated many new results in harmonic analysis and function theory. Traditionally, these techniques are based on families of convolutions and decimation/interpolation operations. When viewed as linear-algebraic operations, those building blocks can be generalized to unitary operators and related projections. We have developed a general approach to perfect reconstruction and multiresolution analysis that uses polynomial functions of unitary operators and closely related projection operations. This general framework is powerful in that it easily captures much of the known theory as special cases and gives a simple mechanism for constructing arbitrary perfect reconstruction families of operators. Using the general framework, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the perfect reconstruction property, even for higher-dimensional non-separable sampling lattices and operators. The necessary conditions can be interpreted in terms of the spectral mapping theorem and, although explicity stated, are not directly computable.
Le réacteur à gaz à très haute température (VHTR)

Les reacteurs a haute temperature font l'objet d'un regain d'interet certain depuis cinq ans environ. Ceci se materialise dans les projets PBMR d'Afrique du Sud, GT-MHR de Russie et GT-HTR au Japon. Depuis quelques mois, en particulier dans le cadre du Forum Generation IV, on entend de plus en plus parler de VHTR, Very High Temperature Reactor. Nous proposons de passer en revue les caracteristiques principales possibles de ce que pourrait etre un VHTR, comment on passe des HTR au VHTR, quelles sont les principaux nouveaux defis technologiques presentes par ceux-ci et d'abord, quelle est la justification pour le VHTR.
A Multi-modal Sparse Coding Classifier Using Dictionaries with Different Number of Atoms

Most of classification methods including the ones based on sparse representation (SRC), look at every training sample and its extracted modalities as a single point in a high dimensional space and a collection of these points build the training space used to train the classifier. In a multimodality classification problem, there might be lots of redundancies associated with different modalities of the training data which degrade the performance of the classifier. This paper considers the problem of multi-modality classification in a sparse representation framework which separately looks at each modality space and builds abstract and in the same time, precise models with different number of representatives for each individual modality. An optimization is also introduced to solve the classification problem using these models. In comparison to SRC which directly uses one modality from the training samples, the proposed method utilizes multiple abstract modalities to form efficient and comprehensive representation of the data in order to increase both the accuracy and efficiency of the classification process. Experimental results on face and digit recognition applications show that the proposed method has higher recognition rate compared to single-modality as well as multi-modality methods based on SRC.
High resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis of protein from congenic wheat lines differing by single resistance genes

Two methods were developed for the extraction of proteins from green wheat leaves. The methods result in distinct, highly reproducible patterns of polypeptides when separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Interference due to phenolic compounds and proteinases was minimized by these methods, and over 300 polypeptides were observed when visualized with Coomassie blue stain. Comparisons of 12 different congenic host lines, each differing by a single gene for resistance to Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici (Pm isolines), failed to reveal any differences in polypeptide mobility which could be attributed to, or associated with, a gene for resistance. Some seedlings of “Chancellor” wheat, the common background parent cultivar from which all of the Pm lines were derived, exhibited a unique polypeptide variant. The variant polypeptide was not found in all seedlings of “Chancellor”, nor was it found in any of the Pm lines tested. The variant polypeptide appears to reflect a change in molecular weight from about 63 000 to about 68 000, with a very slight change in charge (pI of about 4). The variant polypeptide is among the 300 most visible polypeptides in seedling extracts that were subjected to electrophoresis and stained with silver. Thus, the variant polypeptide appears to be made in a large number of copies. Chancellor appears to be a mixture of the original type and a variant type which appeared subsequent to the breeding of the Pm lines.
Late appearance and deprivation-sensitive growth of permanent dendrites in the avian cochlear nucleus (Nuc. magnocellularis)

The second-order auditory neurons in the avian nucleus magnocellularis (NM) do not begin to grow permanent dendrites until about embryonic day 17 (E17), a few days before hatching. Since the auditory periphery and brain-stem auditory nuclei are functional by E14 at the latest, the late appearance and growth of permanent dendrites in NM provides an unusual opportunity to examine the role of sensory experience in the very early stages of dendritic growth. We studied the development of NM dendrites in normal chickens and in animals with sustained monaural acoustic deprivation. In Golgi-Hortega preparations at E17 and posthatching days 4 (P4), 10 (P10), and 60 (P60), the proportion of stained NM neurons with a dendritic process (“dendritic neurons”) and the length of these dendrites were measured. In normal animals the mean proportion of dendritic neurons rose from about 14% at E17 to 40% at P4 and thereafter. The mean length of NM dendrites in normal animals, however, grew significantly until P10, rising from about 14 μm at E17 to 48 μm by P4, and about 100 μm at P10 and P60. A 40-dB monaural conductive hearing loss maintained with plastic earplugs from E18 on produced substantial retardation of dendritic growth after P4; at P10 the difference in length between deprived and nondeprived dendrites was 32% and at P60 was 38%. The proportion of dendritic neurons in the deprived NM and the mean diameter of the deprived dendrites were not affected by deprivation. Deprived dendrites in experimental animals were also significantly shorter than those in normal control animals. The length of nondeprived dendrites in experimental animals did not differ from that of controls, arguing against any compensatory hypertrophy. The functions of NM dendrites in the central processing of auditory information are as yet unknown. The facts that these dendrites (1) undergo their most rapid growth during the period of the animal's first exposure to airborne sound and (2) are markedly stunted by a nondeafferenting moderately severe acoustic deprivation suggest that acoustic experience has a strong facilitative function in the posthatching development of the cochlear nucleus. These results also suggest that afferent synaptic stimulation can affect the subsequent elongation, but not the initial outgrowth, of dendrites.
The study of the isomerization of bicyclo[6.1.0]nona-3,5-diene into bicyclo-[6.1.0]nona-2,4-diene by ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods

Abstract The activation energies for the bicyclo[6.1.0]nonadienes isomerization into bicyclo[6.1.0]nona-2,4-diene are computed with both the ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods supporting the non-local BLYP/6-31G∗ theory level is acceptible for studying these systems.
Cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding diacylglycerol acyltransferase from castor bean.

The oil from castor seed (Ricinus communis) contains 90% ricinoleate, a hydroxy FA that is used in producing numerous industrial products. Castor diacylglycerol acyltransferase (RcDGAT) is a critical enzyme, as it catalyzes the terminal step in castor oil biosynthesis in which the products contain two or three ricinoleoyl moieties. We have isolated a cDNA encoding RcDGAT from developing castor seeds. Analysis of the sequence reveals that this cDNA encodes a protein of 521 amino acids with a molecular mass of 59.9 kDa. Although there are regions of high similarity to other plant DGAT coding sequences, there are sequences that distinguish it as well. Southern blot analysis suggests that the castor genome contains a single copy of RcDGAT. Analysis by reverse transcription-PCR reveals that the accumulation of the mRNA reaches its highest level at 19 d after pollination and declines thereafter. Expression of the full-length cDNA for RcDGAT in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain INVSc1 results in sevenfold higher DGAT activity compared with controls. When different molecular species of DAG were provided as substrates to the microsomal mixture, the RcDGAT showed a greater preference to catalyze the transfer of oleate from [14C]oleoyl-CoA to diricinolein than to diolein and dipalmitolein. With the addition of 0.25 mM substrates, diricinolein gave 318 pmol/mg/min diricinoleoyloleoylglycerol (RRO), while diolein and dipalmitolein gave only about 195 pmol/mg/min of triolein (OOO) and 120 pmol/mg/min dipalmitoyleoylglycerol (PoPoO), respectively. This work will facilitate investigation of the role of RcDGAT in castor oil biosynthesis.
Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) in the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) with description of a new species.

During the preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands a new endemic species of Heliotropium L. (Boraginaceae) has come to light and is described herein: Heliotropium perlmanii Lorence & W. L. Wagner. It is known only from the island of Eiao and appears most closely related to Heliotropium marchionicum Decne., also endemic to the Marquesas and known from Nuku Hiva. An amended description of Heliotropium marchionicum and key to separate the Marquesan species are given and their differences discussed.
COMPREHENSION OF INDIRECT REQUESTS IN ADULTS WITH AUTISTIC DISORDERS AND MENTAL RETARDATION

Eight adults with autistic disorders and 8 IQ-matched, mentally retarded (MR) subjects were given a task involving the comprehension of indirect requests. In one condition, requests were prefaced b...
Properties of β-alumina doped with cerium

Abstract Cerium-doped β-alumina was prepared by sintering samples of β-alumina with Ce(III) nitrate or Ce(IV) oxide. The maximum solubility of cerium in β-alumina was determined to be ∼ 10 w/o Ce using Vegard's Law. X-Ray absorption corrections were made for angles greater than 50°, using the wide-angle error function. The photoacoustic spectrum of cerium-doped β-alumina was determined and was consistent with the uv-visible absorption spectrum of Ce(IV) in an oxide lattice. Magnetic susceptibility measurements also indicated the existence of Ce(IV) in the β-alumina lattice. Conductivity values were measured on samples containing 2 and 4 w/o cerium. A decrease in conductivity compared to undoped β-alumina was similar to that found for Cr(IV)-doped β-alumina.
From the Editor in Chief: Patent Pending

Ive always believed that one of the keys to success is knowing the rules of the game. Finding the rules fair but being unhappy with the effect is called result mongering. Much of the legal fighting over intellectual property today seems more about achieving particular results than optimizing the overall economy. The details of IP law are worked out in the political process, a space where those who have the most to gain from changes often exert the most influence and where local optimization might not give the best overall results.
Experimental models of coronary artery restenosis.

Abstract The study of potentially effective drug therapies and mechanical devices for the prevention of restenosis after percutaneous coronary revascularization was relied heavily on the use of experimental animal models. To date, >50 experimental studies have been reported and have suggested that at least nine different classes of pharmacologic agents inhibit the intimal proliferative response to arterial injury. However, no pharmacologic intervention has yet been shown to reproducibly reduce the incidence of restenosis after coronary balloon angioplasty in humans. To identify the reasons for the apparent nonspecificity of the animal models and to determine which model should most reliably predict the efficacy of individual therapies in humans, the distinguishing characteristics of the experimental models were compared. Particular attention was paid to the size and morphologic structure of the treated artery, the susceptibility of the species to spontaneous and diet-induced arterial disease, the nature of the stimulus to intimal proliferation and several practical and logistic considerations. Finally, the reported efficacies of specific drug therapies in the respective animal models and in humans were compared. This review suggests that significant interspecies and occasionally intraspecies differences do exist among the respective animal models, particularly in the extent and composition of the neointimal thickening. These differences appear to reflect not only differences in the nature and extent of the arterial injury, but also intrinsic differences among the species in drug and lipid metabolism and in the activity of the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. These differences may account for the variability in sensitivity of these models to pharmacologic interventions and should be considered carefully in the interpretation of experimental studies of new devices and of apparently effective pharmacologic therapies.
A case of acro-dermato-ungual-lacrimal-tooth syndrome with chronic parotitis: A new association?

Acro-dermato-ungual-lacrimal-tooth syndrome is characterized by ectrodactyly, syndactyly, nail dysplasia, hypoplasia of the breast and nipple, excessive freckling, lacrimal duct atresia, alopecia, primary hypodontia, and/or early loss of permanent teeth. It is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, which has been linked to mutation in the p63 gene. However unfortunately, the facilities to detect this mutation are not present in many centers. Five overlapping limb malformation syndromes have been described, including the ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-cleft syndrome .
Attenuation of cue-induced cigarette craving and anterior cingulate cortex activation in bupropion-treated smokers: a preliminary study

In untreated smokers, exposure to cigarette-related cues increases both the intensity of cigarette craving and relative glucose metabolism of the perigenual/ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Given that treatment with bupropion HCl reduces overall cigarette craving levels in nicotine dependent subjects, we performed a preliminary study of smokers to determine if bupropion HCl treatment attenuates cue-induced cigarette craving and associated brain metabolic activation. Thirty-seven, otherwise healthy smokers (20 untreated and 17 who had received open-label treatment with bupropion HCl) underwent two (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scanning sessions in randomized order--one when presented with neutral cues and the other when presented with cigarette-related cues. Bupropion-treated smokers had smaller cigarette cue-induced increases in craving scores on the Urge to Smoke (UTS) Scale and less activation of perigenual/ventral ACC metabolism from the neutral to the cigarette cue scan than untreated smokers. Thus, in addition to its known effects on spontaneous cigarette craving and withdrawal symptoms, bupropion HCl diminishes cue-induced cigarette craving and appears to attenuate cigarette cue-induced ACC activation. These results are consistent with the known effects of bupropion HCl, including its enhancement of catecholaminergic neurotransmission.
What's new on the street?

Abstract Substances of abuse and their pattern of recretional use change constantly. Websites can affect the popularity of drugs of abuse; as the epidemiology of drug use changes, unfamiliar clinical scenarios may arise in emergency departments. This report not only describes the clinical manifestations of newer street drugs, but also a means of accessing current information about these materials. The wide availability of emergency department-based Internet access enables clinicians to learn of the street entities they are treating. In this manner, clinicians are able to provide accurate therapy and patient education in real time, and to stay abreast of changing patterns of drug use.
Pleiotrophin stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of β-adducin through inactivation of the transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase β/ζ

Pleiotrophin (PTN the protein, Ptn the gene) signals through a unique mechanism; it inactivates the tyrosine phosphatase activity of its receptor, the transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP)beta/zeta, and increases tyrosine phosphorylation of the substrates of RPTPbeta/zeta through the continued activity of a yet to be described protein tyrosine kinase(s) in PTN-stimulated cells. We have now found that the cytoskeletal protein beta-adducin interacts with the intracellular domain of RPTPbeta/zeta in a yeast two-hybrid system, that beta-adducin is a substrate of RPTPbeta/zeta, that beta-adducin is phosphorylated in tyrosine in cells not stimulated by PTN, and that tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-adducin is sharply increased in PTN-stimulated cells, suggesting that beta-adducin is a downstream target of and regulated by the PTN/RPTPbeta/zeta signaling pathway. beta-Catenin was the first downstream target of the PTN/RPTPbeta/zeta signaling pathway to be identified; these data thus also suggest that PTN coordinately regulates steady state levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of the important cytoskeletal proteins beta-adducin and beta-catenin and, through PTN-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation, beta-adducin may contribute to the disruption of cytoskeletal structure, increased plasticity, and loss of homophilic cell-cell adhesion that are the consequences of PTN stimulation of cells and a characteristic feature of different malignant cells with mutations that activate constitutive expression of the endogenous Ptn gene.
Microwave conductance in random waveguides in the cross-over to Anderson localization and single-parameter scaling.

A full account of electrical conductance in disordered solids requires the probability distributions of the conductance in many equivalent samples for different sample lengths in the cross-over from freely diffusing to strongly localized waves. But the probability distribution of conductance for localized waves has not been measured. Here we show that predictions of single-parameter scaling theory of localization in 1D hold in multichannel samples. We find a Gaussian distribution for the logarithm of the transmittance of microwave radiation for deeply localized waves. On the way to localization, we find an anomalous asymmetrical distribution of transmittance and explain this using a charge model that captures the repulsion between values of transmission in channels.
Sonography of Muscle: Normal Findings and Spectrum of Abnormalities

This article will demonstrate a variety of diagnostic entities and categories of muscle disease that can be assessed using ultrasound. Illustrative examples based on four general categories of muscle pathology (trauma, edema, fluid collections, and mass) will be presented with pertinent findings highlighted and discussed. Multiple distinct advantages of ultrasound compared to other imaging modalities will be emphasized through these examples. Normal appearance and architecture of muscle on ultrasound will be reviewed with discussion of the specific ultrasound techniques that yield images of greatest diagnostic utility.
Intergenerational Transmission of Internalizing Problems: Effects of Parental and Grandparental Major Depressive Disorder on Child Behavior

Effects of lifetime histories of grandparental (G1) and parental (G2) major depressive disorder (MDD) on children's (G3) internalizing problems were investigated among 267 G3 children (ages 2–18 years) who received Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) ratings and had diagnostic data available on 267 biological G2 parents and 527 biological G1 grandparents. Results indicated that G1 MDD conferred risk for G2 MDD, but not for G3 CBCL scores. G2 MDD predicted higher G3 Internalizing and Anxious/Depressed scores. Also, there was an interaction between G1 MDD and G2 MDD in predicting higher G3 Anxious/Depressed scores such that scores were highest among children with both depressed parents and grandparents. These effects were robust to statistical adjustments for status variables and parental relationship measures but not to adjustment for concurrent parental depressive symptoms.