cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the imaging characteristics of curved-channel and straight-channel microchannel plates.

We have measured and compared the spatial fidelity of two types of microchannel plates over roughly half of their active area. Measurements of the spatial fidelity of curved-channel microchannel plates confirm earlier reports of large (>25 µm), irregular position offsets between the front and the back of the microchannel plates. Straight-pore microchannel plates used in a chevron configuration, on the other hand, showed almost no such position offsets (<4 µm).
Optical anisotropy in individual CdS quantum dot ensembles

The polarized microphotoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy of individual spherical and rod-shaped CdS quantum dot (QD) ensembles has been investigated. In a spherical QD ensemble, optical anisotropy was observed despite the spherical shapes of both the ensemble and individual QD components. The directions of the maximum linearly polarized PL were different for different spherical QD ensembles, and independent on the polarization direction of the excitation. However, for a fixed polarization direction of PL, the PL yield significantly varied with the polarization direction of the excitation. In a rod-shaped QD ensemble, the direction of maximum polarized PL was observed to be perpendicular to the length direction of the rod, regardless of the polarization direction of the excitation. The observed PL anisotropies in individual spherical and rod-shaped QD ensembles are explained in terms of the crystallographic orientation of the individual QD components that make up the ensemble and obey the linear polarization selection rules. A statistic model is proposed to qualitatively describe the degree of polarization based on a three-dimensional crystallographic orientation of QDs with respect to the directions of excitation and observation.
Mps1 activation loop autophosphorylation enhances kinase activity.

The Mps1 protein kinase is required for proper assembly of the mitotic spindle, checkpoint signaling, and several other aspects of cell growth and differentiation. Mps1 regulation is mediated by cell cycle-dependent changes in transcription and protein level. There is also a strong correlation between hyperphosphorylated mitotic forms of Mps1 and increased kinase activity. We investigated the role that autophosphorylation plays in regulating human Mps1 (hMps1) protein kinase activity. Here we report that hyperphosphorylated hMps1 forms are not the only active forms of the kinase. However, autophosphorylation of hMps1 within the activation loop is required for full activity in vitro. Mass spectrometry analysis of de novo synthesized enzyme in Escherichia coli identified autophosphorylation sites at residues Thr675, Thr676, and Thr686, but phosphatase-treated and reactivated enzyme was only phosphorylated on Thr676. Mutation of Thr676 in hMps1 or the corresponding Thr591 residue within yeast Mps1 reduces kinase activity in vitro. We find that overexpression of an hMps1-T676A mutation inhibits centrosome duplication in RPE1 cells. Likewise, yeast cells harboring mps1-T591A as the sole MPS1 allele are not viable. Our data strongly support the conclusion that site-specific Mps1 autophosphorylation within the activation loop is required for full activity in vitro and function in vivo.
Aqueous carbon black dispersions prepared with steam‐jet‐cooked corn starch

The utilization of jet-cooked waxy and normal corn starch to prepare aqueous dispersions of hydrophobic carbon black (CB; Vulcan XC-72R) is reported. Blending into aqueous jet-cooked dispersions of starch followed by high-pressure homogenization produced stable aqueous CB dispersions. The dispersed CB particles were shown to have starch adsorbed onto their particle surfaces. The adsorbed starch imparted hydrophilic properties to the CB, and after extensive washing to remove dissolved and loosely bound starch, the CB particles remained well dispersed in water. Thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, acid and enzymic starch digestion experiments, and microscopy (light and transmission electron microscopy) were used to characterize the starch-coated CB particles. The method described herein demonstrates a simple, effective, and environmentally friendly method for preparing aqueous CB dispersions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Immunogold localization of primary carboxylases in leaves of aquatic and A C3-C4 intermediate species

Abstract Using protein A-gold labeled antibodies, attempts were made to determine the cellular location of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) in two aquatic macrophytes and a terrestrial C 3 -C 4 intermediate plant. Hydrilla verticillata and Myriophyllum spicatum are submersed angiosperms which exhibit variable photorespiratory states. Leaf sections indicated that neither possessed Kranz anatomy. In Myriophyllum , the chloroplasts were confined to a single epidermal layer. The Hydrilla leaf was composed of two morphologically distinct chloroplastic cell layers. Immunocytochemical studies showed that Rubisco was distributed in the chloroplasts of all the cells of both layers, and that no difference in Rubisco labeling between cells was apparent, even though low-photorespiration Hydrilla has many biochemical and physiological characteristics of C 4 -photosynthesis. In Hydrilla the location of PEPC was largely cytosolic and was in all leaf cells. These data support the postulate that an intracellular separation of C 4 and C 3 fixation events may account for the low photorespiration state in Hydrilla . PEPC labeling was undectectable in Myriophyllum , which correlates with its lack of C 4 -like photosynthetic biochemistry. The terrestrial C 3 -C 4 intermediate species, Moricandia arvensis , has leaves with photosynthetic cells differentiated into a chloroplast-containing bundle sheath layer surrounded by mesophyll tissue. Rubisco labeling was found in the chloroplasts of both cell types. Thus, the reduced apparent photorespiration in Moricandia is not achieved through a separation of CO 2 fixation events into different cells, as occurs in C 4 plants with Kranz anatomy, but is more likely due to efficient refixation of photorespiratory CO 2 by Rubisco.
What the World Needs Now: JACI: In Practice

Robert A. Wood, MD, Baltimore, Md As we contemplate the inaugural issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice (JACI: In Practice), we cannot help but ask and try to answer the question, does the world need another allergy journal? We believe that the answer is yes for 2 basic reasons. First, the conditions that allergistsimmunologists treat are extremely common, estimated to affect 40 to 50 million Americans and hundreds of millions more worldwide. Second, most allergists-immunologists spend most of their professional time treating patients. It is thus our opinion that a journal devoted entirely to the needs of the clinical allergyimmunology practitioner fills a needed niche and provides a unique resource for the practitioner. At the outset, we would like to acknowledge the leadership of the AAAAI, especially Past President Dennis Ledford, MD, and Past President and current Executive Vice President Tom Casale, MD, for their vision and hard work to establish our new journal. We would also like to thank JACI editor Donald Leung, MD, PhD, for his invaluable support and guidance as the journal has developed from an idea to a reality. We very much appreciate the willingness of our stellar inaugural Editorial Board (Table I) to help guide this endeavor. Finally, we thank the more than 150 AAAAI members and fellows who have agreed to serve as JACI: In Practice reviewers, and it is not too late to volunteer. Thinking about what the allergy world needs now made us wonder what the allergy world was like when the first Journal of Allergy (now the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology) appeared in November 1929. Two articles in the first issue that attempted to define the spectrum of allergic diseases give us
Effect of plasma insulin level on myocardial blood flow and its mechanism of action.

Abstract Considerable evidence suggests that coronary endothelium regulates myocardial blood flow and metabolism by elaborating vasoactive substances. The physiologic signals mediating this process are uncertain. To test the hypothesis that the process is influenced by physiologic variation in local insulin concentration, we examined the effect of direct intracoronary insulin infusion on myocardial blood flow and oxidative substrate metabolism in 10 patients with coronary heart disease. Ten men (aged 51 to 68 years) who were fasting received a 60-minute intracoronary infusion of insulin at a rate (10 mU/min) sufficient to raise coronary venous plasma insulin from 12 ± 4 to 133 ± 17 mU/ml without increasing the systemic insulin level. Local coronary hyperinsulinemia increased coronary sinus blood flow in every subject, from 50 ± 4 to 61 ± 6 ml/min (p
An Exploratory Investigation of NPD Practices in Nonprofit Organizations

Studies of practices in new product and service development have focused predominantly on for-profit organizations, whereas attention to the nonprofit sector has been minimal. Such attention is needed given that nonprofit organizations are unique in their structures and are growing with regards to impact on the world economy and society in general. Moreover, such disparate attention suggests a void in this discipline's understanding of new product development (NPD) practices of nonprofit organizations. Two particular research questions are posed: (1) To what extent are the practices of for-profit organizations employed in nonprofit organizations? (2) How do the practices of nonprofits compare to those of for-profit organizations? In the course of answering these questions, the present study reviewed literature and the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) certification work. The study subsequently identified six dimensions of successful NPD efforts: strategy, portfolio management, process, market research, people, and metrics and performance measurement. These dimensions were applied via an in-depth case-study methodology to six large, U.S. nonprofit organizations: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Club of America, and Goodwill Industries. The dimensions assisted in categorizing and analyzing the responses of 40 respondents across the six organizations. Results show that some NPD practices of large nonprofit organizations are similar to for-profit organizations, but other practices are more distinctive and related to the nature of nonprofit organizations. Large nonprofit organizations tend to be very good at articulating their mission, embedding it throughout, and using it to drive programs and activities. These organizations tend to view product development as a tactical endeavor versus a strategic one and do not engage in portfolio management practices for their new programs. Instead, broad criteria such as fit with mission, funding availability, and presence of a champion are used for evaluating programs. The NPD process tends to be informal with little structure, and individual departments and local chapters tend to undertake their own NPD initiatives and have their own process for doing so. Nonprofits place a heavy emphasis on ideation and less emphasis on other activities such as concept development and testing, project evaluation, and business analysis. Pilot testing is the most used type of market research. These results suggest that NPD processes within large nonprofit organizations share some of the same weaknesses as those of for-profit organizations, with NPD metrics being a particularly weak area. The NPD practices of nonprofits also have some unique characteristics that include the following: a heavy emphasis on the mission, a desire for flexibility, strong influence of external sponsors, and difficulty in assessing long-term program success. Management of nonprofit NPD and directions for future research are discussed.
Clinical utility of serum sclerostin measurements

Sclerostin is an osteocyte-secreted soluble antagonist of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway requisite for osteoblast development and activity. Efforts over the past several years have focused on unraveling the role of sclerostin in both normal physiological and pathological conditions. Sclerostin levels are undetectable in the serum of patients with sclerosteosis. In normal individuals, serum sclerostin levels are higher in males and increase in both sexes across the adult lifespan. Some, but not other, studies have demonstrated that higher serum sclerostin levels are associated with increased fracture risk, particularly when paired with lower bone mineral density. Levels of circulating sclerostin are highly correlated with bone marrow sclerostin levels. Sclerostin levels are inversely related to parathyroid hormone levels. Clinical conditions in which serum sclerostin levels have been measured include ankylosing spondylitis, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, fractures, hypercortisolism, multiple myeloma and spinal cord injury. Even within clearly defined clinical conditions, however, consistent changes in serum sclerostin levels have not always been seen. This may reflect differences in currently available commercial assays or sample sources (serum versus plasma), and suggests further study is needed before sclerostin measurements are introduced into routine clinical practice. Until such issues are resolved, measurement of sclerostin levels appears to be most useful for understanding the mechanisms by which osteocytes regulate bone turnover through the integration of hormonal, physical and pharmacological stimuli, rather than to guide clinical-care decisions.
Differential development of the ventral visual cortex extends through adolescence.

The ventral temporal cortex (VTC) in humans includes functionally defined regions that preferentially respond to objects, faces, and places. Recent developmental studies suggest that the face selective region in the fusiform gyrus (‘fusiform face area’, FFA) undergoes a prolonged development involving substantial increases in its volume after age 7 years. However, the endpoint of this development is not known. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the development of face-, object- and place-selective regions in the VTC of adolescents (12 – 16 year olds) and adults (18 – 40 year olds). We found that the volume of face-selective activations in the right fusiform gyrus was substantially larger in adults than in adolescents, and was positively correlated with age. This development was associated with higher response amplitudes and selectivity for faces in face-selective regions of VTC and increased differentiation of the distributed response patterns to faces versus non-face stimuli across the entire VTC. Furthermore, right FFA size was positively correlated with face recognition memory performance, but not with recognition memory of objects or places. In contrast, the volume of object- and place-selective cortical regions or their response amplitudes did not change across our age-groups. Thus, we found a striking and prolonged development of face-selectivity across the VTC during adolescence that was specifically associated with proficiency in face recognition memory. These findings have important implications for theories of development and functional specialization in ventral temporal cortex.
An electrostatic ion guide interface for combining electrospray with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

A new interface for coupling electrospray (ES) ionization and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry has been developed based on an electrostatic ion guide (EIG). In these initial studies, the EIG interface has been demonstrated to be a simple but effective means of transmitting ES ions generated outside the magnetic field to the FTICR cell. In the current system, the pressures in the EIG region and front FTICR cell are 10−5 and 10−6 Torr, respectively. Under these conditions, ions may be accumulated with low trapping voltages (0.5–0.75 V) and without a high pressure pulse of buffer gas. ES-FTICR spectra of picomole to femtomole quantities of several peptides, proteins, nucleotides and dinucleotides have been obtained. Modifications currently in progress should enhance performance with respect both to limits of detection and to mass resolution.
PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF VISUAL PURPLE : III. THE RELATION BETWEEN THE INTENSITY OF LIGHT AND THE RATE OF BLEACHING OF VISUAL PURPLE.

It is shown that the velocity of bleaching of visual purple by light, under comparable conditions of concentration, volume, and surface exposed, is directly proportional to the intensity.
Role of the pleckstrin homology domain of PLCγ1 in its interaction with the insulin receptor

A thiol-reactive membrane-associated protein (TRAP) binds covalently to the cytoplasmic domain of the human insulin receptor (IR) beta-subunit when cells are treated with the homobifunctional cross-linker reagent 1,6-bismaleimidohexane. Here, TRAP was found to be phospholipase C gamma1 (PLCgamma1) by mass spectrometry analysis. PLCgamma1 associated with the IR both in cultured cell lines and in a primary culture of rat hepatocytes. Insulin increased PLCgamma1 tyrosine phosphorylation at Tyr-783 and its colocalization with the IR in punctated structures enriched in cortical actin at the dorsal plasma membrane. This association was found to be independent of PLCgamma1 Src homology 2 domains, and instead required the pleckstrin homology (PH)-EF-hand domain. Expression of the PH-EF construct blocked endogenous PLCgamma1 binding to the IR and inhibited insulin-dependent phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), but not AKT. Silencing PLCgamma1 expression using small interfering RNA markedly reduced insulin-dependent MAPK regulation in HepG2 cells. Conversely, reconstitution of PLCgamma1 in PLCgamma1-/- fibroblasts improved MAPK activation by insulin. Our results show that PLCgamma1 is a thiol-reactive protein whose association with the IR could contribute to the activation of MAPK signaling by insulin.
Early hospital readmission of nursing home residents and community-dwelling elderly adults discharged from the geriatrics service of an urban teaching hospital: patterns and risk factors.

Objectives To compare rates and risk factors for early hospital readmission for nursing home residents and community-dwelling older adults. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Geriatric inpatient service at a large urban hospital. Participants Nursing home residents (n = 625) and community-dwelling individuals (n = 413) aged 65 and older admitted over a 1-year period. Measurements Thirty-day readmissions. Results There were 1,706 hospital admissions within the 1-year study period involving 1,038 individuals. The 30-day readmission rate was higher for subjects discharged to a nursing home than those discharged to the community (34.4% vs 22.6%, P < .001). Chronic kidney disease and pressure ulcers were associated with greater risk of readmission in both groups. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was a risk factor for readmission only in community-dwelling individuals. Congestive heart failure and dementia were associated with greater risk of readmission only in nursing home residents. Readmission rates varied between individual nursing homes by more than a factor of 2. Risk of readmission was 30% lower in nursing home residents cared for by hospitalist than nonhospitalist geriatricians. Conclusion Higher rates of hospital readmission for individuals discharged to nursing homes than to the community and differing patterns of risk factors for readmission indicate the importance of customized interventions to reduce readmission rates for two distinct elderly populations.
Effect of Sustained Tension on Bladder Smooth Muscle Cells in Three-Dimensional Culture

Previous studies demonstrated that bladder cells respond to changes in their mechanical environments by exhibiting alterations in cellular functions, such as hypertrophy or fibrosis. In the present study, we hypothesize that changes in smooth muscle cell (SMC) behavior triggered by mechanical stimuli may represent a phenotypic shift between contractile and synthetic phenotypes. Using a custom-made device, rat bladder SMCs were cultured in three-dimensional (3-D) collagen gels and exposed to sustained tension. When compared to no-tension controls, SMCs exposed to tension exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), while cell population density was similar in both groups. In addition, both mean and median aspect ratios of SMCs in 3-D collagen constructs exposed to tension were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than those of cells cultured under no externally applied tension, indicating that there are more elongated, spindle-shaped cells in the tension group. These SMCs in 3-D cultures exposed to tension also exhibited cellular alignment along the direction of applied tension. Since contractile SMCs are known to exhibit greater expression of phenotypic marker proteins as well as a more elongated morphology, we concluded that sustained tension on cells is an important mechanical stimulus for maintenance of the contractile phenotype of bladder SMCs in vitro.
Calcium-Sensitive Dynamic Effects of Troponin's TnI Inhibitory Region

Contraction of cardiac and skeletal muscle is tightly controlled by the thin filament protein troponin, which acts as an off switch when the Ca2+ concentration is low. We previously studied, by mutational replacements, the function of an 11-residue segment in the TnI subunit that is called the inhibitory peptide (Ip) because of its potency when studied as an isolated oligomer. Ip replacement with gly-ala linkers selectively altered specific functional properties of the thin filament. The present work further investigates the role of Ip and Ip replacement, by quantitative mapping of troponin dynamics using hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). Effects of Ip replacement were assessed in the presence and absence of TnC regulatory site II Ca2+. In the absence of Ca2+, the Ip-mutation was widely destabilizing, selectively affecting many regions both near and far from Ip. Ca2+ broadly but incompletely reversed this effect. After Ip replacement, Ca2+ stabilized the TnT-TnI coiled coil, parts of TnI helix 1, and the N-lobe of TnC, but not the switch helix of TnI. The biggest effects were observed in the TnT-TnI coiled coil region, helix 1 and helix 4 of TnI and parts of TnC's N and C lobes. In presence of Ca2+, the Ip-mutation caused more mixed effects, with helix 4 of TnI destabilized, a mixed effect on the TnI regions contained in the coiled coil and helix 1 as well as the N and C lobes of TnC. In both cases (with and without Ca2+), an unexpected stabilization toward the C-term of TnI was observed. The results emphasize the importance of the Ip region both in the “on” and “off” states of troponin. Unexpected effects of Ip replacement with a flexible linker propagate across the Tn molecule.
Microscopic metastasis of a human lung carcinoma cell line in athymic nude mice: Isolation of a metastatic variant

A human lung carcinoma cell line, UCP3, was carried as subcutaneous xenotransplants in athymic mice. Autopsies of these animals showed rare foci of microscopically visible metastases in the lungs and lymph nodes. There were no metastases to any of the other organs. A metastatic variant, 522, was established serendipitously in vitro as a continuous cell line by blind isolation of the pulmonary metastatic foci, at the time of autopsy, from the lungs of the animals that carried subcutaneous xenotransplants of the parental cell line. The parental UCP3 and the metastatic variant 522 were examined by karyotypic and isoenzyme analysis and shown to be human and related. The metastatic variant, 522, metastasizes spontaneously from subcutaneous sites (like the parental UCP3). However, it forms larger subcutaneous xenotransplants and forms more metastatic foci in the lungs of the animals than does the parental cell line. Comparisons of the cell surface glycolipids show many similarities and a few differences. This model system may now be used for further investigations into the processes of metastasis of this human neoplasm.
Initial results of a 12-week, institution-based, supervised exercise rehabilitation program for the management of peripheral arterial disease.

This study assessed the effectiveness of a 12-week, institution-based, supervised exercise rehabilitation program with atherogenic risk factor modification in improving cardiovascular profile, ambulatory function, and quality of life of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) by comparing pre- and postprogram measurements. Participants were prospectively enrolled. Cardiovascular profile variables, ambulatory function tests, and quality of life questionnaires were evaluated. Of 101 institution-based program participants, 69 completed the 12-session minimum and 47 completed a postprogram evaluation. Mean postprogram results were significantly different from preprogram results, corresponding to improvement, for the following variables: triglyceride levels (p = .036), both function tests (p < .001 for both), four of five Walking Impairment Questionnaire measurements, and Intermittent Claudication Questionnaire score (p = .001). This supervised exercise program improved the cardiovascular profiles, amb...
Side‐docking in robotic‐assisted gynaecologic cancer surgery

Background The majority of previous experience with the robotic-sssisted laparoscopic technique for gynaecological procedures has utilized a method in which the robot is centrally located (CD) between the patient's legs. Methods Twelve consecutive patients undergoing robotic-assisted procedures for gynaecological malignancies were positioned in a side-docking (SD) fashion, in which the robot is positioned lateral to the patient. The relevant clinical parameters were collected and compared to the previous 12 patients undergoing surgery using the conventional, centre-docking (CD) technique. Results Specimen retrieval time for larger uteri was reduced in the SD group compared to the CD group (p = 0.03). Total operative times were slightly lower in the SD group and specimen retrieval times for all uterine weights were unchanged when compared to the CD group. Statistical significance was not observed. Conclusions Side-docking is an alternative to the conventional centre-docking approach in robotic-assisted surgery. Its use may facilitate larger specimen retrieval while decreasing operative time and associated costs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cathodic Electrografting of Alkyl Nanopatterns on Silicon (100)

Nanoscale patterns are created on silicon !100" surfaces via cathodic electrografting of alkyls. Self-assembled polystyrene micro-spheres on silicon surfaces can serve as dielectric masks. Cathodic potentials are applied to masked substrates in liquid hexynoicacid or phenylacetylene leading to the formation of nanoscale islands with monolayers of covalently bound functional groups onsilicon. Silicon surfaces functionalized with islands of hexynoic acid are demonstrated using a biotin reaction. Cyclic voltammetry,scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy are used to characterize the patterned surfaces. The method providesa facile and high throughput process for spatially deﬁning the local reactions on silicon with nanometer-scale resolution.© 2009 The Electrochemical Society. #DOI: 10.1149/1.3121243$ All rights reserved.Manuscript submitted January 12, 2009; revised manuscript received March 6, 2009. Published April 29, 2009.
Further Studies on the Relationship between Parental Age and the Life Cycle of the Mealworm, Tenebrio Molitor

Eggs were collected at intervals of 2 weeks throughout the egg-laying period from beetles maintained at 30°, 25° and 20°C Eggs and larvae were maintained at the same temperature as was used for the parent beetles. Parental age had no effect on the duration of the egg stage or on the weights of the eggs or newly hatched larvae. At each temperature the percentage of eggs which hatched decreased with an increase in parental age, from approximately 90 for those laid during the first 2 months to about 50 for those laid 4 months after emergence. At each temperature, larvae from young parents grew at a slower rate than those from the same parents after they had aged 9 weeks. At 30° there were no other effects of parental age, but at 25° and 20° larvae from young parents required a significantly longer time to complete development and had more molts than those from the same parents after they had aged 1 month or longer. At these temperatures, an increase in parental age resulted in a decrease in the duration of adult life. This effect was not evident until the parents had aged 9 weeks in Series A (water was added to the food after 6 weeks of larval life) and 6 weeks in Series B at 25°C. (water was added to the food throughout the larval period). In every case larvae from Series B grew at a faster rate and required less time for development than those of Series A.
Prediction of phase separation in binary borate glasses

Abstract Binary and ternary borate glasses were melted and examined to determine the immiscibility temperature for phase separation in each system. The critical temperatures of binary borate glasses are compared to the predicted critical temperatures from the Debye-Huckel model as developed for phase separated glasses and melts. When the anion structural unit is assumed to be a BO 4 − unit with a particular interionic spacing, the results agree very well with the Debye-Huckel predictions.
Cerebellar degeneration caused by high-dose cytosine arabinoside: a clinicopathological study

Twenty-four patients with leukemia or lymphoma refractory to conventional chemotherapy were given a course of systemic, high-dose cytosine arabinoside (3 gm/m2 every 12 hours for twelve doses). Four patients developed cerebellar degeneration during treatment. Ataxia of gait and limb movements, dysarthria, and nystagmus appeared five to seven days after the first dose, worsened over the next two to three days, and then remained stable for two to six days. Incomplete improvement occurred over the following one to two weeks. Postmortem examination disclosed loss of Purkinje cells in the depths of cortical sulci with relative preservation of those at the crests of folia and those in the most posterior inferior portions of the cerebellum. Other patients developed a mild, reversible cerebellar syndrome over the same time course as that of the irreversible disorder. Manifestations ranged from nystagmus alone to dysarthria and unsteadiness of gait without limb ataxia. We conclude that cytosine arabinoside at this dosage causes a cerebellar degeneration with characteristic clinical and pathological features. Among the present patients with refractory hematological malignancies, such degeneration occurred with an incidence of 16.7%, more than twice that reported in previous series.
A Simple Tire Deformation Model for the Transient Aspect of Hydroplaning

Abstract When a nonrotating tire moves from a quasi‐dry section to a flooded section of pavement, a transition from a nonhydroplaning to a hydroplaning state takes place; during this transition, the tire deforms continuously. With the assumption that each instant during this transition represents an equilibrium state, a tire deformation model is developed. The deformation is computed by modeling a nonrotating tire as a semi‐infinite solid, and by replacing the effects of tire inflation pressure and vertical load by a modified elastic modulus. The close agreement between the predicted results from the model and the experimentally measured tire deformation values at a limited number of points on the tire contact surface suggests that the semi‐infinite‐solid model for the tire deformation computations is a reasonable technique for determining tire elastic behavior under hydroplaning condition.
Imaging of the Alphavirus Capsid Protein during Virus Replication

ABSTRACT Alphaviruses are enveloped viruses with highly organized structures. The nucleocapsid (NC) core contains a capsid protein lattice enclosing the plus-sense RNA genome, and it is surrounded by a lipid bilayer containing a lattice of the E1 and E2 envelope glycoproteins. Capsid protein is synthesized in the cytoplasm and particle budding occurs at the plasma membrane (PM), but the traffic and assembly of viral components and the exit of virions from host cells are not well understood. To visualize the dynamics of capsid protein during infection, we developed a Sindbis virus infectious clone tagged with a tetracysteine motif. Tagged capsid protein could be fluorescently labeled with biarsenical dyes in living cells without effects on virus growth, morphology, or protein distribution. Live cell imaging and colocalization experiments defined distinct groups of capsid foci in infected cells. We observed highly motile internal puncta that colocalized with E2 protein, which may represent the transport machinery that capsid protein uses to reach the PM. Capsid was also found in larger nonmotile internal structures that colocalized with cellular G3BP and viral nsP3. Thus, capsid may play an unforeseen role in these previously observed G3BP-positive foci, such as regulation of cellular stress granules. Capsid puncta were also observed at the PM. These puncta colocalized with E2 and recruited newly synthesized capsid protein; thus, they may be sites of virus assembly and egress. Together, our studies provide the first dynamic views of the alphavirus capsid protein in living cells and a system to define detailed mechanisms during alphavirus infection.
Management of famine relief.

We have, over the course of time, made discoveries in compassion as well as discoveries in technology. Many problems that had been judged insoluble in the past are no longer tolerable. For many centuries, starvation was inevitable, largely because means of information and means of transportation were not at hand; the fact that there usually was more food available somewhere else on the same or another continent was irrelevant. There was no way of hearing of the famine, bringing the food where it was needed, or distributing it. We now have the knowledge to install early warning systems based on economic and on medical surveillance (8). Such data as weather reports, crop forecasts, food reserves and retail prices, height-to-weight ratios, skin fold thicknesses, and height-to-arm circumference ratios in children can warn us in advance of impending famine. We also now have the means to transport the food to the area of threatening or actual mass starvation. Therefore, we have obligations that did not exist in past generations. We are now also in a much smaller world from which some of our contemporaries have stepped out to look at the spaceship on which we are all traveling. The worldwide civil rights revolution of the 19609s has brought about greater realization that all human beings are born equal and must be preserved and helped. All this means not only that we must organize to prevent famines on a worldwide basis, but also that we must use the most modern technology to do so. The fact that famine often occurs in remote areas is no reason why we cannot use computers and other modern technology. The very need for programming computers, with the planned coding and feeding of data that it entails, not only forces preparedness but also obliges planners to examine responses to various contingencies. National and international training courses for policy-makers and managers of famine relief should follow. Even if mankind brings its resources and its population into balance, a sound organization of famine relief preparation will still be needed to cope with local contingencies. Rapid agricultural advancement, development of innovative food sources, and, above all, control of population growth are necessary if famine is not to stalk all of mankind in the future.
Shedding light on surfaces—using photons to transform and pattern material surfaces

The ultimate goal of surface modification is to quantitatively control surface properties by precise manipulation of surface chemical structure at the molecular level. Advances in the understanding of molecular design principles for soft matter surfaces can be combined with the available arsenal of interesting photochemical reactions to create an exciting paradigm for surface modification: the use of photons to both transform and pattern chemical functionality at soft matter surfaces. The success of the paradigm is predicated on the ability to design and synthesize “photochemical surface delivery vehicles”, complex photoactive molecules that form stable surface monolayers and subsequently deliver photoactive moieties to the surface. Shedding light onto these smart, modified surfaces brings about a wide variety of precise photochemical reactions that are preprogrammed within the surface delivery vehicle. Surface chemical patterns are formed by exposure through a mask. Some photochemical surface transformation can be considered as “green” chemistry since only photons are required as reagents. In this review, we provide a brief tutorial on photochemistry fundamentals to illustrate the nature of possible photochemical surface reactions and discuss the principles of design for photochemical surface delivery vehicles. Applications of the paradigm drawn from a variety of fields emphasize the tremendous potential for photochemical surface transformation and patterning on both hard and soft substrates.
Traffic aspects in future low power, multi-channel trunked systems

A traffic analysis is presented for a low-power, multichannel, trunked system. A comparison between exponentially distributed and constant holding times is generated by incorporating two delay theory traffic modules, Erlang C and Grommelin-Pollaczek. The effects of queuing and time-out-timing on the system capacity and grade of service are also discussed. Four types of communication systems are investigated: (a) fixed telephone; (b) cellular telephone; (c) dispatch and (d) two-way selective calling. Bar charts of the number of channels in a two-cell system are also presented. >
Molecular electronic latches and memories

Many two terminal molecular devices functioning as diodes have been synthesized with responses similar to solid state devices such as rectifying and resonant tunneling diodes. In this paper, the feasibility of integrating these molecular diodes into current circuit architectures is explored. A bistable latch and memory architecture are simulated using IV data from the 2'-amino-4-ethynylphenyl-4'-ethynylphenyl-5'-nitro-1-bensenethiolate molecule previously published by the Reed group at Yale University. HSPICE simulation results are used to illustrate the performance of a bistable latch and a memory array.
Holocene Transgression in South-Central Long Island, New York

ABSTRACT The Holocene history of south-central Long-Island and the adjacent inner continental shelf, as recorded in the stratigraphy of transgressive deposits, was studied, using information obtained from more than 400 boreholes, cores, and marsh probings in the barrier- and backbarrier-areas and vibracores and numerous seismic-reflection and bathymetric profiles on the inner shelf. A sequence of deposits which records the Flandrian transgression is preserved in the backbarrier areas of south-central Long Island. The vertical sequence of these trangressive deposits was produced by the movement of successive environments of coastal deposition landward and upward with the rising sea. The vertical sequence is as follows reading from bottom to top: the buried Pleistocene surface, brackish- to salt-marsh peat, open-lagoonal silty clays, backbarrier sands, backbarrier-fringe salt-marsh peat, and barrier island sands. The entire transgressive sequence forms a lens-shaped deposit. In going seaward from the mainland shore to the barriers, the sequence thickens from 0 to 10 m; seaward of the barriers the sequence becomes thin again. In places beneath the barrier islands, t e transgressive sequence has been completely reworked by the lateral migration of tidal inlets. Radiocarbon dating of basal peat and organic silty clays has provided a chronology of relative sea-level rise on the southern Long Island coast for the past 8000 years. Relative sea level on the Long Island coast is interpreted to have been rising at about 2.5 mm·yr-1 between 7000 and 3000 yr BP and slowed markedly to about 1 mm·yr-1 during the last 3000 years. Prior to 7000 yr BP, the rate of submergence may have been as high as 5 mm·yr-1. The extensive preservation of backbarrier sediments, dated between 7000 and 8000 yr BP, on the inner shelf of southern Long Island suggests that the barriers have not retreated by continuous shoreface erosion alone but have also undergone discontinuous retreat by in-place "drowning" of barriers and stepwise retreat of the surf zone landward. This would have locally prevented the backbarrier sediments from being reworked and thus would lead to their preservation on the inner shelf.
Image subtraction with an encoded extended incoherent source

A technique of encoding an extended incoherent source for image subtraction is presented. The source encoding is obtained from the coherence requirement for image subtraction operation. Since the coherence requirement is a point–pair concept for image subtraction the encoding can take place by spatial sampling an extended incoherent source with narrow slit apertures. The basic advantage of the source encoding is to increase the available light power for the processing operation, so that the inherent difficulty of obtaining a very small incoherent source can be alleviated. Experimental results obtained with this encoded incoherent source are given. Comparisons with the results obtained by processing technique are also provided.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Integration of Remotely Sensed Data with Geographic Information Systems

Although databases for geographic information systems (GIS) have been developed to manage digital map data, the integration of remotely sensed imagery and other collateral non-map information is rarely performed. For the most part, the use of sophisticated intelligent spatial databases, in which the user can query interactively about map, terrain, or associated imagery, is unknown in the GIS and cartographic community. In standard GIS systems, the ability to formulate complex queries requiring dynamic computation of factual and geometric properties is severely limited, often reflecting its origin as collections of thematic map overlays. Spatial database research requires the integration of ideas and techniques from many disciplines such as computer graphics, computational geometry, database methodology, image analysis, photogrammetry, and artificial intelligence. In this paper we discuss some ideas on how the scope of geographic information systems can be expanded by utilizing techniques from the Al community that may remedy deficiencies in user interfaces, spatial data representation, and its utilization. We draw on ongoing research at Carnegie Mellon University for examples of these techniques in the areas of image/map database and knowledge-based image interpretation.
Selenium uptake response among selected wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties and relationship with soil selenium fractions

Some South Dakota soils contain high levels of available selenium (Se) for crop uptake. A field study was conducted to determine if any popular wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties demonstrate differential Se uptake. A total of 280 samples including eight winter wheat and ten spring wheat varieties were analyzed for grain Se concentration and uptake for two growing years. Soil samples were sequentially fractionated into (1) plant available (0.1 M KH2PO4 extractable) and (2) conditionally available (4 M HCl extractable) pools and analyzed separately for total Se. Selenium concentration in wheat grain had a wide variability and the mean value over two years was 0.63 µg Se g−1. Grain Se concentration and Se uptake were not significantly different by wheat varieties tested in this study. Grain Se concentration was significantly correlated with soil Se levels, soil pH, and orthophosphate-P content within a location, but grain Se concentration was strongly influenced by geographical location in which different a...
Two-photon interference from disparate quantum sources

When photons emitted from different sources are indistinguishable they will interfere when brought together on a beam splitter. Using quantum dots and parametric down conversion, we manipulate dissimilar quantum sources to produce mutually indistinguishable photons.
Organizational Red Tape: A Measurement Experiment

Multiple public administration survey research projects have asked respondents to assess the level of red tape in their organizations. Many of these surveys use the following questionnaire item: If red tape is defined as “burdensome rules and procedures that have negative effects on the organization’s effectiveness,” how would you assess the level of red tape in your organization. Unfortunately, no research has tested the ways in which the language used in this item may bias responses. This research uses data from a 2010 national survey of 2500 local government managers in the United States to test three variations of the Organizational Red Tape scale, investigating whether or not there is variation in perceived organizational red tape based on the question wording. The findings from this research contribute to the red tape literature by providing empirical evidence that the definition used in the Organizational Red Tape scale, a commonly used questionnaire item in public administration research, influences responses about red tape perceptions.
The impact of money on an African subsistence economy

It has often been claimed that money was to be found in much of the African continent before the impact of the European world and the extension of trade made coinage general. When we examine these claims, however, they tend to evaporate or to emerge as tricks of definition. It is an astounding fact that economists have, for decades, been assigning three or four qualities to money when they discuss it with reference to our own society or to those of the medieval and modern world, yet the moment they have gone to ancient history or to the societies and economies studied by anthropologists they have sought the “real” nature of money by allowing only one of these defining characteristics to dominate their definitions.
Warranty Signalling and Reputation

In this paper, we present a signalling-based explanation for the empirical phenomenon that a longer warranty may be offered by a product with lower quality. Our explanation hinges on differences in consumer knowledge about reliability of established and newer products. In a product market where a new entrant competes with an established product, we show that signalling behavior leads to an outcome where the less reliable product may carry the longer warranty.