cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sestrins Inhibit mTORC1 Kinase Activation through the GATOR Complex

Summary The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase is a sensor of different environmental conditions and regulator of cell growth, metabolism, and autophagy. mTORC1 is activated by Rag GTPases, working as RagA:RagB and RagC:RagD heterodimers. Rags control mTORC1 activity by tethering mTORC1 to the lysosomes where it is activated by Rheb GTPase. RagA:RagB, active in its GTP-bound form, is inhibited by GATOR1 complex, a GTPase-activating protein, and GATOR1 is in turn negatively regulated by GATOR2 complex. Sestrins are stress-responsive proteins that inhibit mTORC1 via activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and tuberous sclerosis complex. Here we report an AMPK-independent mechanism of mTORC1 inhibition by Sestrins mediated by their interaction with GATOR2. As a result of this interaction, the Sestrins suppress mTOR lysosomal localization in a Rag-dependent manner. This mechanism is potentially involved in mTORC1 regulation by amino acids, rotenone, and tunicamycin, connecting stress response with mTORC1 inhibition.
Production of protein and fatty acids in the anaerobic fermentation of molasses byE. ruminantium

Production of protein and volatile fatty acids by anaerobic digestion of blackstrap molasses was investigated. This protein may have potential as a feed for animals (and, we hope, for humans) in the near future. Volatile fatty acids can be further fermented to produce methane. Fermentation of molasses byEubacterium ruminantium was studied in a chemostat at a constant temperature of 37 C. This study focused on kinetics of growth of the pure culture. The maximum rate of protein production of about 0.326 g/l/hr was obtained when the pH and retention times were 6.2 and between 5 and 7 hrs, respectively. Average cell yield was 12.6% and carbohydrate conversion was 82 to 99%. Volatile fatty acids also were produced, with acetic acid and n-butyric acid being the predominant products. Two different kinetic models were used to fit the experimental data. The kinetic parameters obtained for the Monod model were: μmax=0.207 (1/hr); ks=0.165 g/l.
On hamiltonian circuits in cartesian products of Cayley digraphs

In this paper, we investigate the existence of a hamiltonian circuit in the cartesian product of two Cayley digraphs. Three of our results can be summarized as follows. Suppose K is the Cayley digraph of a dihedral, semidihedral, or dicyclic group arising from a specified pair of (standard) generators, and suppose L is a Cayley digraph with a hamiltonian circuit. Then, the cartesian product of K and L has a hamiltonian circuit. As a corollary to our main theorem, we also show that the cartesian product of an undirected cycle of length n and a directed cycle of length k has a hamiltonian circuit unless n = 2 and k is odd. Some open problems are stated.
The impact of a combined cognitive–affective intervention on pre-service teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and anticipated professional behaviors regarding homosexuality and gay and lesbian issues

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a cognitive–affective intervention the attitudes, knowledge, and anticipated professional behaviors regarding homosexuality and gay and lesbian issues of pre-service teachers in the United States. Sixty-seven participants were randomly assigned either to a control group ( n = 34) or an experimental group ( n = 33). Pre-test and post-test means were compared using paired-samples t -tests to determine the impact of the intervention. Data analysis revealed significant positive changes in the pre-service teachers’ attitudes and knowledge about homosexuality, as well as their anticipated professional behaviors with respect to homosexual students and their families.
The effects of androgen and estrogen in castrated and hypophysectomized C3H mice.

INTRODUCTION ESTROGEN-ANDROGEN antagonism may be denned as the suppression or modification of the effect of one hormone on an endorgan or tissue by the opposite sex hormone. The phenomenon has been demonstrated in many experiments (review, Burrows, 1949), but it is not clear to what extent antagonism occurs at the site of action on the endorgan, or to what extent it is brought about indirectly through changes in pituitary or gonadal function. The experiments of Moore and Price (1932) seemed to indicate that no estrogen-androgen antagonism existed except as mediated through the influence of the gonadal hormones on pituitary gonadotropic function. Martin (1951), on the other hand, has stated that estrogen-androgen antagonism probably holds for any tissue affected by either hormone, and that inhibitions are due to direct antagonistic action in the tissues. The present study was designed to indicate the extent of estrogen-androgen antagonism occurring in animals from which pituitary and gonadal influences wer...
Independence of cell shape and loss of cartilage matrix production during retinoic acid treatment of cultured chondrocytes.

Abstract Retinoic acid has been shown to cause chondrocytes in culture to flatten and to inhibit the synthesis of cartilage specific components. Since the biochemical expression of chondrocytes is considered to be dependent on cell shape, it has been proposed that retinoic acid acts on these cells primarily by causing a change in cell morphology. This hypothesis was tested by culturing chick sternal chondrocytes suspended in methyl cellulose, which prevents cell flattening. Cultures were labeled with [ 35 S]methionine and differentiation was assessed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results showed that retinoic acid-treated chondrocytes in suspension remained rounded but synthesized proteins characteristic of flattened or dedifferented chondrocytes. Chondrocytes exposed to retinoic acid in suspension became fibroblastic when placed in monolayer culture in the absence of retinoic acid. This effect was irreversible after 2 weeks of culture. These results suggest that retinoic acid has a direct molecular or biochemical effect on the chondrocyte and that the cell shape change is secondary.
Distinguishing Syntectonic Unconformity Types to Enhance Analysis of Growth Strata: An Example from the Cretaceous, Southeastern Nevada, U.S.A.

Abstract Two syntectonic unconformity types are recognized in nonmarine Upper Cretaceous growth strata adjacent to the Willow Tank thrust in southeastern Nevada, U.S.A. Unconformities with larger angular discordance (6–90°, "traditional-type") developed when uplift outpaced sediment accumulation. More subtle unconformities with less discordance (2–5°, "subtle-type") developed when sediment accumulation nearly kept pace with uplift. Traditional-type unconformities are the focus of most studies of growth strata because the discordances are obvious in the field. By contrast, subtle-type unconformities are more difficult to identify. Subtle-type unconformities are mappable surfaces of erosion or nondeposition located within progressive, flattening-up stratigraphic successions, and are associated with clustering of large-scale (0.5–4 m) soft-sediment deformation features (possible seismites), better-developed or clustered paleosols, greater reworking, and/or grain-size increase. Increasing sediment supply, in the presence of positive net accommodation, allows syntectonic deposits to aggrade above a growing structure despite no change in uplift rate. Aggradation across a structure is punctuated when uplift is slightly higher than sedimentation, producing subtle discordances (subtle-type) with evidence of slope destabilization, seismicity, or longer residence time, instead of the traditional-type angular unconformities. Identification of unconformity types in growth strata can document additional phases of uplift, particularly for intervals where sediments aggraded above an active structure because of higher sediment supply, and regional subsidence or sea-level rise. Although these syntectonic unconformity types are identified in nonmarine, compressional growth strata, they are likely present in many other depositional and structural settings.
Reaching the Nonlinear Regime of Raman Amplification of Ultrashort Laser Pulses

The intensity of a subpicosecond laser pulse was amplified by a factor of up to 1000 using the Raman backscatter interaction in a 2 mm long gas jet plasma. The process of Raman amplification reached the nonlinear regime, with the intensity of the amplified pulse exceeding that of the pump pulse by more than an order of magnitude. Features unique to the nonlinear regime such as gain saturation, bandwidth broadening, and pulse shortening were observed. Simulation and theory are in qualitative agreement with the measurements.
Preliminary In Vivo Experimental Validation of SMA Based Bowel Extender for Short Bowel Syndrome

Short Bowel Syndrome is a serious medical condition caused by insufficient small bowel length resulting in significantly high rates of morbidity and mortality. The limited success of current therapies has prompted the investigation of a new treatment approach based on mechanotransduction — the process through which mechanical tensile loading on the bowel induces longitudinal growth. To enable clinically relevant mechanotransduction growth studies in large animals, such as pigs, a fully implantable and instrumented bowel extender device based on a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) ratchet was developed and validated in benchtop and ex vivo tests. These devices, however, must also be validated against the unique in vivo environment which presents challenges such as sealing, battery life, surgical implantation, signal attenuation from tissue, and isolating the measurement of tensile loading on the bowel wall. This paper extends the earlier development work to in vivo validation experiments within live pigs. A brief summary of the bowel extender architecture and operation is provided along with earlier ex vivo results that established device limits for in vivo testing. The wireless communication rate was updated to extend battery life and new surgical implantation procedures and lengthening schemes were developed. Two bowel extenders were tested in in vivo experiments ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 days with data collected to validate the wireless communication, SMA ratcheting and load/displacement measurements, confirming that the bowel extender successfully operates in vivo. More importantly, the bowel extenders successfully induced significant growth, which is promising for future studies comparing different lengthening schemes for optimal growth and the development of a clinical device for treating short bowel syndrome in humans.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
External rhinoplasties: indications for use

The technique, indications and role of external rhinoplasty in nasal surgery are presented. The technique has been utilised in 563 patients with a minimum follow-up of 18 months. The external approach has been especially helpful in the severely twisted nose, secondary rhinoplasty, augmentation rhinoplasty, congenital deformities of the nose, closure of septal perforations and in the teaching and learning of rhinoplasty. In this series there were no reported complications attributable to the external approach.
An investigation into porch dust lead levels.

Abstract Lead in porch dust can expose children through direct contact or track-in to the home, but has not been adequately evaluated. At homes undergoing lead hazard control in Rochester, NY, we sampled settled dust lead on exterior porch floors at baseline, immediately post-lead hazard control and one-year post-work ( n =79 homes with complete data) via wipe sampling and collected housing, neighborhood and soil data. Baseline GM porch floor dust lead loading (PbPD) was 68 µg/ft 2 , almost four times more than baseline GM interior floor dust lead (18 µg/ft 2 ). Immediate post-work PbPD declined 55% after porch floor replacement and 53% after porch floor paint stabilization ( p =0.009 and p =0.041, respectively). When no porch floor work was conducted but lead hazard control was conducted elsewhere, immediate post-work PbPD increased 97% ( p =0.008). At one-year, GM PbPD continued to decline for porch replacement (77% below baseline) and paint stabilization (72% below baseline), but where no porch floor work was done, GM PbPD was not significantly different than baseline ( p p =0.028 and p =0.504, respectively). Modeling determined that porch floor replacement had significantly lower one-year PbPD than stabilization when baseline PbPD levels were higher than 148 µg/ft 2 (the 77th percentile) but not at lower levels. Treatment of porches with lead paint results in substantial declines in PbPD levels. It is of concern that PbPD levels increased significantly at immediate post-work when lead hazard control was not conducted on the porch but was conducted elsewhere. Standards for porch lead dust should be adopted to protect children from inadequate clean-up after lead hazard control.
Duplication of distal 15q: Report of five new cases from two different translocation kindreds

Four children and one spontaneously aborted fetus from 2 separate families have a similar pattern of malformation secondary to duplication of distal 15q. In both families, the abnormal chromosomes were derived from balanced reciprocal translocations carried by the mothers. Clinical features common to the 4 liveborn children include appropriate birth weight, length, and head circumference for gestational age; similar craniofacial anomalies, including sloping forehead, bulbous nose, prominent nasal bridge and septum, midline crease in the lower lip, and micrognathia; arachnodactyly; joint contractures involving hands and feet; cardiac defects; and genital anomalies. The 2 infants with duplication 15q22.1----qter and deletion 13q32.3----qter died in the immediate neonatal period. The abortus, who shared the same chromosome constitution, had an omphalocele and a cephalic defect in neural tube closure. The 2 children with duplication 15q22----qter and deletion 11q25----qter survived but have severe psychomotor retardation and postnatal onset growth deficiency, at 48 and 30 months, respectively. The findings in these 5 cases plus review of the literature permit further delineation of a recognizable pattern of malformation secondary to duplication of distal 15q.
The Role of Communities in Developing Cloud Standards

Organizations of varying shapes, types, and sizes play a variety of roles in motivating and developing cloud standards. Establishing community-driven, consensus-based international mutually agreed-upon standards in rapidly developing fields like cloud computing requires many such intermediate organizations to bridge communication gaps that would otherwise exist between theory and implementation when characteristics such as interoperability, portability between architectures, privacy, or other cross-cutting issues are required.
Angular distribution of gamma rays from inelastic neutron scattering near threshold

Abstract The angular distributions of gamma rays following inelastic neutron scattering near threshold to the first excited states of the target nuclei were investigated experimentally and theoretically. Measurements used NaI(Tl) crystal detectors and natural targets of iron and cerium. Data were obtained for the angular distribution of gamma rays following inelastic neutron scattering by 56Fe at the neutron center-of-mass energies E = 0.87, 0.90, 0.93, 0.95 and 0.99 MeV and by 140Ce at E = 1.64, 1.67, 1.71, 1.75 and 1.87 MeV. The predictions for the gamma-ray angular distributions of the two following theories are determined: (i) the Satchler-Scheldon theory and (ii) the theory of Moldauer, specialized to the pure compound nucleus process and employing the “uncorrelated amplitude” assumption. Near threshold the predictions of the two theories are nearly the same. Theory and experiment are in good agreement for cerium at all energies at which angular distributions were obtained and for iron at E = 0.99 MeV but not at lower energies. Two general conclusions are drawn about measurements of the angular distribution of gamma rays following inelastic neutron scattering in medium and heavy nuclei at energies near threshold; (i) such measurements are not useful in deciding between the theories of Satchler-Sheldon and Moldauer, but (ii) they provide data for a sensitive test of the Hauser-Feshbach statistical assumptions.
Mechanically tunable photonic crystal lens

We designed, fabricated and characterized MEMS-enabled mechanically-tunable photonic crystal lens comprised of 2D photonic crystal and symmetrical electro-thermal actuators. The 2D photonic crystal was made of a honeycomb-lattice of 340 nm thick, 260 nm diameter high-index silicon rods embedded in low-index 10 μm thick SU-8 cladding. Silicon input waveguide and deflection block were also fabricated for light in-coupling and monitoring of focused spot size, respectively. When actuated, the electro-thermal actuators induced mechanical strain which changed the lattice constant of the photonic crystal and consequently modified the photonic band structure. This in turn modified the focal-length of the photonic crystal lens. The fabricated device was characterized using a tunable laser (1400~1602 nm) and an infrared camera during actuation. At the wavelength of 1450 nm, the lateral light spot size observed at the deflection block gradually decreased 40%, as applied current increased from 0 to 0.7 A, indicating changes in focal length in response to the mechanical stretching.
Variation between bee communities on a sand dune complex in the Great Basin Desert, North America: implications for sand dune conservation.

Abstract Sand dunes across the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts house rich bee communities. The pollination services these bees provide can be vital in maintaining the diverse, and often endemic, dune flora. These dune environments, however, are threatened by intense off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. Conservation efforts adopted by land managers often consist of setting aside a portion of a dune system that is off-limits to OHV use, but little work has been done showing the extent to which this protects native bee communities. A two-year study of bee communities on a Great Basin sand dune complex in Dugway Proving Ground located in northwestern Utah revealed low similarity index values between closely situated collecting plots (1–40 km apart). Similarity values ranged from 0.13 to 0.70 for species composition, and from 0.07 to 0.57 when similarity was weighted by abundance. Distance between plots had no significant relationship to similarity when richness and abundance were considered. Bee similarity between plots was significantly correlated with floral similarity. These results indicate that dune conservation strategies that preserve “representative” portions of dune systems may be insufficient to protect bees and the pollination services they provide.
Some quasinilpotent generators of the hyperfinite II1 factor

For each sequence {cn}n in l1(N) we define an operator A in the hyperfinite II1-factor R. We prove that these operators are quasinilpotent and they generate the whole hyperfinite II1-factor. We show that they have non-trivial, closed, invariant subspaces affiliated to the von Neumann algebra and we provide enough evidence to suggest that these operators are interesting for the hyperinvariant subspace problem. We also present some of their properties. In particular, we show that the real and imaginary part of A are equally distributed, and we find a combinatorial formula as well as an analytical way to compute their moments. We present a combinatorial way of computing the moments of A∗A.
On discrete Gauss-Hermite functions and eigenvectors of the discrete Fourier transform

The problem of furnishing an orthogonal basis of eigenvectors for the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is fundamental to signal processing and also a key step in the recent development of discrete fractional Fourier transforms with projected applications in data multiplexing, compression, and hiding. Existing solutions toward furnishing this basis of DFT eigenvectors are based on the commuting matrix framework. However, none of the existing approaches are able to furnish a commuting matrix where both the eigenvalue spectrum and the eigenvectors are a close match to corresponding properties of the continuous differential Gauss-Hermite (G-H) operator. Furthermore, any linear combination of commuting matrices produced by existing approaches also commutes with the DFT, thereby bringing up issues of uniqueness. In this paper, inspired by concepts from quantum mechanics in finite dimensions, we present an approach that furnishes a basis of orthogonal eigenvectors for both versions of the DFT. This approach furnishes a commuting matrix whose eigenvalue spectrum is a very close approximation to that of the G-H differential operator and in the process furnishes two generators of the group of matrices that commute with the DFT.
An analytical model for a.c. transport in double-barrier heterojunction diodes

Abstract We propose an analytical model for small-signal a.c. transport in double-barrier heterojunction diodes (DBDs). The model relies on the transfer-Hamiltonian method as modified for systems with harmonic tunneling potentials. Band structure, double-barrier geometry, and position of quasi-Fermi energies incorporate directly into the model. Salient features of the DBD frequency response arise from a frequency-dependent integration kernel, in the form of an overlap matrix element. A new prediction of the model is finite response beyond the quasi-static limit Δϵ h (where Δϵ is the resonance energy width) due to transitions between quasi-bound states.
Low Temperature NH(X 3Σ-) Radical Reactions with NO, Saturated, and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons Studied in a Pulsed Supersonic Laval Nozzle Flow Reactor between 53 and 188 K

The reactions of ground-state imidogen radicals (NH(X 3Σ-)) with NO and select saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons have been measured in a pulsed supersonic expansion Laval nozzle flow reactor in the temperature range 53−188 K. The rate coefficients for the NH + NO system display negative temperature dependence in the temperature regime currently investigated and a global temperature-dependent fit is best represented in a modified power law functional form, with k1(NH + NO) = (4.11 ± 0.31) × 10-11 × (T/300)(-0.30±0.17) × exp(77±21/T) cm3/s. The reactions of NH with ethylene, acetylene, propene, and diacetylene were measured over the temperature range 53−135 K. In addition, the reactions of NH with methane and ethane were also measured at 53 K, for reasons discussed later. The temperature dependence of the reactions of NH with the unsaturated hydrocarbons are fit using power law expressions, k(T) = A(T/300)-n, and are as follows: k4 = (2.3 ± 1.2) × 10-12 × (T/300)(-1.09±0.33) cm3/s, k5 = (4.5 ± 0.3) × ...
Interim guidance for prediction of wave run-up on beaches

Abstract A method of predicting wind wave run-up (for any desired quantile or statistic value) on smooth linear mild slopes has been presented. The method is based on a re-analysis of an extensive laboratory measurement run-up data base of Mase [(1989), Random wave run-up height on gentle slopes. J. WatWay, Port, Coastal, Ocean Engng Div., ASCE115, 649–661] and Mase and Iwagaki [(1984), Run-up of random waves on gentle slopes. Proceedings of the 19th Coastal Engineering Conference, ASCE, pp. 593–609]. The predictive run-up measurement equation is based on a modified dimensionless form of the Hunt [(1959), Design of seawalls and breakwaters. Proc. J. WatWay Harbour Div., ASCE, 85, 123–152] formula with a linear intercept term (which appears to be due to mild slope wave set-up). Values of the slope coefficient in the run-up predictive equation are based on the Rayleigh probability distribution in accordance with findings from the present re-analysis of the Mase data set. Run-up prediction for a given quantile or statistic value is then found utilizing the slope coefficient based on Rayleigh theory combined with the predictive linear equation found herein for the average run-up height Rmean in a stationary wave train. In the case of rough slopes and permeable beaches, it is obvious that the true run-up would be reduced from the predicted values of run-up given by the smooth slope method provided herein. At present the extent of such reduction is a matter of speculation. As an interim measure, it is recommended that conservative design practice be followed by using the run-up values predicted via the method given herein unless sufficient justification for run-up reduction based on laboratory or field findings can be provided.
Use of the least squares criterion in the finite element formulation

This paper presents a new method of formulating the finite element relationships based on the least squares criterion. To overcome the high degree of inter-element continuity, a method of reducing the original governing differential equation to a set of equivalent system of first-order differential equations is proposed. The validity of the method is demonstrated by means of several numerical examples. In particular, application of the method to problems with unknown variational functionals is considered.
Food demand and meal size in mice with single or combined disruption of melanocortin type 3 and 4 receptors

Mice with homozygous genetic disruption of the melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R-/-) are known to be hyperphagic and become obese, while those with disruption of the melanocortin-3 receptor gene (MC3R-/-) do not become markedly obese. The contribution of MC3R signaling in energy homeostasis remains little studied. In the present work, we compare MC3R-/- mice with wild-type (WT), MC4R-/-, and mice bearing disruption of both genes (double knockout, DKO) on select feeding and neuroanatomical dimensions. DKO mice were significantly more obese than MC4R-/-, whereas MC3R-/- weighed the same as WT. In a food demand protocol, DKO and MC4R-/- were hyperphagic at low unit costs for food, due primarily to increased meal size. However, at higher costs, their intake dropped below that of WT and MC3R-/-, indicating increased elasticity of food demand. To determine whether this higher elasticity was due to either the genotype or to the obese phenotype, the same food demand protocol was conducted in dietary obese C57BL6 mice. They showed similar elasticity to lean mice, suggesting that the effect is of genotypic origin. To assess whether the increased meal size in MC4R-/- and DKO might be due to reduced CCK signaling, we examined the acute anorectic effect of peripherally administered CCK and subsequently the induction of c-Fos immunoreactivity in select brain regions. The anorectic effect of CCK was comparable in MC4R-/-, DKO, and WT, but it was unexpectedly absent in MC3R-/-. CCK-induced c-Fos was lower in the paraventricular nucleus in MC3R-/- than the other genotypes. These data are discussed in terms of demand functions for food intake, MC receptors involved in feeding, and their relation to actions of gut hormones, such as CCK, and to obesity.
The catalyzed graphite-water vapor reaction—Isotopic studies using Ba13CO3

Abstract The mechanism of the catalytic effect of barium carbonate on the steam gasification of carbon was investigated by adding Ba 13 CO 3 to pure graphite and measuring the kinetics and products of the reaction with water vapor as functions of temperature. The onset of the catalyzed reaction at around 800 °C was accompanied by the appearance of 13 CO and 13 CO 2 in the gas phase. When Ba 13 CO 3 and graphite were heated together in an inert atmosphere, small amounts of 13 CO 2 were evolved above 600 °C and copious amounts of 13 CO and 13 CO 2 above 900 °C. Graphite catalyzed the decomposition of the BaCO 3 at low temperatures as the dissociation of pure BaCO 3 was very slow below 1000 °C. The catalytic effect of the salt in the gasification reaction could be interpreted in terms of a sequential series of reaction steps involving decomposition of the carbonate to oxide, followed by regeneration of the carbonate phase by reaction with the gaseous environment.
A new and practical five-carbon component for metal-catalyzed

Described herein is an efficient preparative scale synthesis of 1-(2-methyoxyethoxy)-1-vinylcyclopropane and the investigation of the utility of this reagent as a new five-carbon component in metal-catalyzed [5 + 2] cycloadditions. A new cycloaddition procedure is also described that proceeds up to 12-fold faster and with 10-fold less catalyst than previously described, providing cycloheptenones in many cases in minutes and in isolated yields of 75−97%. The procedure is readily conducted on a small or large scale (up to 100 mmol thus far).
A stable noniterative Prediction/Correction domain decomposition method for hyperbolic problems

In this paper, a noniterative domain decomposition algorithm for solving hyperbolic partial differential equations is presented. The algorithm includes a prediction to estimate the values at the interface and these values are corrected by a scheme that improves the accuracy. It has been shown that the algorithm is unconditionally stable. Efficiency is analyzed in terms of speedup and operation ratio. Numerical experiments illustrate that the method is stable and efficient.
Magnetic resonance urography in pediatric urology

Purpose of review: Magnetic resonance urography (MRU) has emerged as a powerful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of the pediatric genitourinary tract. The purpose of this review is to familiarize the reader with the basic techniques, strengths and limitations, as well as the current and potential future applications of MRU in pediatric urology. Recent findings: MRU can provide detailed anatomical information and assess renal function and drainage in a single study. MRU does not employ ionizing radiation and may be utilized in patients with iodine-based contrast allergy or impaired renal function. MRU has been most often applied to the evaluation of hydronephrosis and provides valuable insight into a wide range of obstructive uropathies. MRU was shown to be superior to renal scintigraphy for the diagnosis of pyelonephritis and renal scarring. The use of MRU for the assessment of urolithiasis and vesicoureteral reflux is limited and technical refinements are required. Potential future applications include fetal MRU, virtual endoscopy, and MRU-guided procedures. The develop- ment of new contrast agents and new image-processing software will further enhance the diagnostic potential of MRU in pediatric urology.
Coupled Lateral and Lane Separation Control for 2-D Vehicle Groups

This paper describes control methodologies for a group of coordinated ground vehicles in which a single lead vehicle is assumed to be autonomous and the rest followers in a two-dimensional formation. The lead vehicle can be in any position of the group. Speed (throttle) and steering controllers are deployed in the follower vehicles which utilize only two parameters for position sensing. A minimum (safe) separation distance for vehicles following in lane (lane separation) and for those traveling abreast (lateral separation). Several sample missions, including lane following, square formations in right turns and lap runs are used to determine the performance of the controller for a four vehicle group. The variations in both lane and lateral separations during the mission are monitored as the primary measure of the controller performance.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Cardiac Arrhythmias During Pregnancy

This article reviews the appropriate evaluation and management of cardiac arrhythmias in the pregnant patient. Any treatment strategy in this patient population has the inherent potential to adversely affect the health of the unborn child. As such, there is no room for empiric therapy in these patients. Adequate arrhythmia documentation is paramount, preferably by noninvasive means. The decision to treat should be based on symptom severity and the risk to both mother and fetus posed by potentially recurring arrhythmia episodes throughout the pregnancy. Minimal symptoms in the setting of a structurally normal heart call for a conservative approach. Less is better. If pharmacologic therapy is justified, drugs with historically demonstrated safety profiles in pregnancy should be tried first. The safety profiles of virtually all drugs used to treat cardiac arrhythmias during human pregnancy are based solely on an accumulation of past clinical experience. Newer antiarrhythmics therefore carry a largely unknown risk. Most inherent rhythm disorders manifest long before a woman reaches childbearing age. Women with previously diagnosed arrhythmias frequently experience a recurrence or worsening of their arrhythmia during the pregnancy. Counseling of these individuals and perhaps preemptive treatment by means such as arrhythmia ablation prior to a planned pregnancy would seem optimal.
Aerodynamic characteristics of a circulation control elliptical airfoil with two blown jets

Effects of two blown jets on the aerodynamic characteristics of a 20°7o-thick, 8.5 % -cambered elliptical airfoil are described. The jet slots are designed so that the jets are tangential to the blunt rear surface of the airfoil. Section lift, drag, and moment coefficients are given for the airfoil at 0-deg angle of attack for a freestream wind tunnel velocity of approximately 30 m/s (98-100 ft/s) and a Reynolds number of 9.5 x 105. Two jets are found to be more effective in producing lift than a single jet at the same total blowing momentum coefficient.
The morphology of the sex pheromone gland in Drosophila grimshawi

The morphology of a sex pheromone-producing gland found in the abdomen of Drosophila grimshawi males was studied by light and electron microscopy. This gland, consisting of two intra-anal lobes, contains cells that resemble those of other insect pheromone glands. However, in contrast to many other insect pheromone glands that release pheromone through the cuticle, cells of the intra-anal lobes secrete into a canaliculi-duct system that empties into the anal region. The liquid secretory product flows along the surface of the intra-anal lobes and is brushed onto the substrate by fingerlike projections on the lobes' surfaces.
Draper, Darwin, and the Oxford evolution debate of 1860

Historians of science have written much about the famous exchange over Darwinism in 1860 at the Oxford meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science between Bishop Samuel Wilberforce and Thomas Henry Huxley. The event is one of the most famous in nineteenth-century science. But little has been written about the paper that served as the occasion of that debate. The paper was one presented by John William Draper, a British-born American scientist and physician. A full transcription of Draper's paper is presented here, with a discussion of Draper's earlier writing and lectures on geology, evolution, and the philosophy of history. Together Draper's writings show his early adoption of key principles of the development hypothesis, his willingness to accept the principle of human evolution, and his claims for what he saw as the evolutionary nature of human society.
Diagnostic dilemma in Evans syndrome

Evans syndrome, a complex uncommon disease, poses a great diagnostic dilemma due to its variable presentation. The present case of 26-year-old Indian female faced similar difficulty as it was not diagnosed initially when it presented with thrombocytopenia and was treated by platelet concentrate transfusion and steroids. However, the patient showed repeated episodes of remissions and exacerbations without any substantial improvement and later at a tertiary care center it was diagnosed as Evans' Syndrome after direct antiglobulin test and relevant investigations to rule out other causes. This case stresses on the importance of direct antiglobulin test in every patient presenting with autoimmune thrombocytopenia to rule out autoimmune hemolytic anemia and thus excluding this syndrome.
The Next Generation in Tuberculosis

Present basic principles of tuberculosis control consist of (1) prevention of inter-human infection, (2) sterilization of the bacillary reservoir in the population, and (3) development of methods of prophylaxis. Historical changes in this century have brought us first through an era of basis hygiene, then one of specific therapy, and now, to the beginning of an era of prevention and prophylaxis for the future. Because of bacteriologic seeding already present among the living, concepts of eradication of tuberculosis at present probably must be thought of in terms of the next three generations, approaching a century in time. To start, maximum effort now for maximum achievable results with present methods will require (1) locating and treating all active cases, (2) monitoring all old cases and high risk groups, and (3) detecting all tuberculin reactors as a foundation for follow-up programs and prophylaxis when indicated. The role of every physician whatever his field is of paramount importance in such a program. Three critical times in the life cycle of each generation for tuberculosis where universal tuberculin testing is needed are (1) the child in school, (2) the young adult as a pre-marital requirement, and (3) the grandparent at retirement as a social security requirement. Basic tools needed for eradication but still lacking are (1) a universally effective vaccine, (2) an accurate serologic test for tuberculosis, and (3) a rapid-acting bacteriocidal therapeutic agent. Re-examination of our national research program in an effort to fulfill these needs is warranted now. In addition, changing social patterns in the United States today require development of new methods for reaching, educating, and motivating people if the future program for tuberculosis is to be carried to where the disease is. Eradication of tuberculosis as a national goal is a bold and worthy concept for which preparation should logically begin now, so that it may become achievable that much sooner in the future.
Career Centers and Needs Assessments: Getting the Information You Need to Increase Your Success

Career Centers are experiencing increasing demands to justify the cost of their services, document the effectiveness of their services, increase their use of technology, and provide a broader range of services. Given the limited personnel and funding associated with most Career Centers, and it can seem like an overwhelming set of demands to respond to. This article explores the use of the needs assessment as a tool to provide evidence of effectiveness, justify costs, and make effective decisions about the services they provide. This article will discuss the benefits of conducting a needs assessment, the process of developing and implementing a needs assessment using an needs assessment project conducted at a small, mid-western University.
Roomba MADNeT: a mobile ad-hoc delay tolerant network testbed

We have built a mobile, ad-hoc, delay tolerant, network testbed (MADNeT). Our testbed is geared towards enabling the exploration of highly disconnected networks whose nodes must store and forward information (multi-hop paths are very unlikely), while allowing us to explore connected network scenarios as well. Using our MADNeT, we can emulate a wide range of mobile networking scenarios and execute real-world (albeit somewhat simplified) data collection missions. Our system is built from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware running a paired-down Linux OS, yielding a relatively inexpensive but fairly flexible mobile network testbed. We have implemented replication-based information diffusion protocols and a distributed opportunistic surveillance application on the testbed as proof-of-concept. Currently, we are refining our software tool-set and instrumenting our nodes to test both our protocols and application.
Estimation of elastic parameters in a nonlinear elliptic model of a plate

We consider the estimation of an elastic parameter in a nonlinear von Karman model of large deformations of a thin plate with uniform cross-section but with variable Young's modulus. It is well known that these equations may possess multiple solutions, and thus the parameter-to-state mapping is no longer well defined. In spite of this, it is still possible to give meaning to a regularized output-least-squares formulation of the parameter estimation problem. We introduce a model error function and determine conditions under which a solution and its differentiability may be analyzed locally. We also discuss stability and the application of the augmented Lagrangian method in this case. If the conditions are not satisfied, we provide an analysis of the penalty method applied to the problem. Finally, we report the results of numerical experiments.
A great theorems course in Mathematics

(1986). A “Great Theorems” Course in Mathematics. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 93, No. 10, pp. 808-811.
Woman and athlete: Toward role consistency

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of a general population toward female participation in sports and to replicate a previous study. The two areas investigated were (1) the perception of enhancement or detraction of femininity by girls' participation in athletics, and (2) whether different sports elicited different attitudes towards female participation in athletics. A town in Iowa was sampled. The results indicated that, in general, participation in sports neither detracted from nor enhanced femininity. Furthermore, most of the people wanted their daughters to play basketball, even though it neither detracted from nor enhanced femininity. The data suggest that traditional, rigid sex-role stereotypes were transcended and the opportunity set was dominant.
THE EFFECT OF AMINO ACID DEPRIVATION ON SUBSEQUENT DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID REPLICATION.

The pattern of replication of DNA was studied using a quadruple auxotroph of Escherichia coli requiring thymine, methionine, arginine, and tryptophan. Cells were labelled with a pulse of tritiated thymine and then grown in bromouracil medium either immediately or after an intervening period of amino acid starvation. The patterns of conversion of light-radioactive into hybrid-radioactive DNA under these different conditions provide evidence that a sequential pattern of replication for the bacterial chromosome exists. Prolonged amino acid deprivation was shown to align the DNA replication cycles of individual cells. However, that DNA which is replicated in the absence of amino acids is abnormal. It is subsequently replicated at a slower rate than the DNA normally made in the presence of amino acids.
First use of a high sensitivity active pixel sensor array as a detector for electron microscopy

There is an urgent need to replace film and CCD cameras as recording instruments for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Film is too cumbersome to process and CCD cameras have low resolution, marginal to poor signal-to-noise ratio for single electron detection and high spatial distortion. To find a replacement device, we have tested a high sensitivity active pixel sensor (APS) array currently being developed for nuclear physics. The tests were done at 120 keV in a JEOL 1200 electron microscope. At this energy, each electron produced on average a signal-tonoise ratio about 20/1. The spatial resolution was also excellent with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) about 20 microns. Since it is very radiation tolerant and has almost no spatial distortion, the above tests showed that a high sensitivity CMOS APS array holds great promise as a direct detection device for electron microscopy.
Assessing the contribution of heterogeneous distributions of oligomers to aggregation mechanisms of polyglutamine peptides.

Abstract Polyglutamine aggregation is associated with neurodegeneration in nine different disorders. The effects of polyglutamine length and peptide concentration on the kinetics of aggregation were previously analyzed using a homogeneous nucleation model that assumes the presence of a single bottleneck along the free energy profile G(n), where n denotes the number of polyglutamine molecules. The observation of stable, soluble oligomers as intermediates along aggregation pathways is refractory to the assumptions of homogeneous nucleation. Furthermore, the analysis of in vitro kinetic data using a specific variant of homogeneous nucleation leads to confounding observations such as fractional and/or negative values for estimates of the critical nucleus size. Here, we show that the homogeneous nucleation model is inherently robust and is unlikely to yield fractional values if the underlying process is strictly homogeneous with a free energy profile G(n) that displays a sharp maximum at n = n*, where n* corresponds to the critical nucleus. Conversely, a model that includes oligomers of different size and different potentials for supporting turnover into fibrils yields estimates of fractional and/or negative nucleus sizes when the kinetic data are analyzed using the assumption of a homogeneous process. This model provides a route to reconcile independent observations of heterogeneous distributions of oligomers and other non-fibrillar aggregates with results obtained from analysis of aggregation kinetics using the assumption of a homogeneous nucleation model. In the new model, the mechanisms of fibril assembly are governed by the relative stabilities of two types of oligomers viz., fibril-competent and fibril-incompetent oligomers, the size of the smallest fibril competent oligomer, and rates for conformational conversion within different oligomers.
Glucagon-induced Hypocalcemia in the Rat: Effects of Maturation and Insulin

In adults of several species including man, a small transient decrease in serum calcium concentration follows glucagon administration in doses of 1 to 10 mg/kg. The effects of maturation and insulin on this phenomenon were assessed by comparing the response of newborn and adult rats to equivalent doses of glucagon with and without prior insulin administration. After injection of 1 microgram/g of glucagon, the decrease in serum calcium concentration at 60 min was significant in the newborn rats (-1.75 mg/dl; P less than 0.001) and not significant in the intact adults (-0.07 mg/dl; P greater than 0.1). In pancreatomized adults, the decrease in serum calcium after the same dose of glucagon became significant (-1.23 mg/dl; P less than or equal to 0.01). This hypocalcemic effect was prevented in the pancreatectomized adult rat if insulin in a dose of 0.01 micron/g was given 15 min before glucagon. In the newborn rats, the same dose of insulin decreased the hypocalcemic effect, but the change was still significant (-0.74 mg/dl; P less than 0.01). Glucagon decreased serum calcium at one hr in newborn rats but not in adults. After pancreatectomy, the adult response to glucagon was significant and similar to that of the newborn. Insulin cancelled this effect of glucagon in the pancreatectomized adults and reduced it in the newborns.