cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A tropical lady beetle, Diomus lupusapudoves (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), deceives potential enemies to predate an ant-protected coffee pest through putative chemical mimicry

Several beetle species in the family Coccinellidae have evolved close associations with ants in order to consume ant-tended hemipteran prey. These myrmecophilous lady beetles employ various strategies for avoiding ant aggression, including physical and chemical protection. We asked how the lady beetle Diomus lupusapudoves Vandenberg, Iverson and Liere (Coccinellidae: Diomini) is capable of avoiding ant aggression in a Mexican coffee agroecosystem, given that its larvae are physically unprotected from the aggressive Azteca sericeasur Longino (Formicidae: Leptomyrmecini) ants. Through a classic scale-ant mutualism, these ants protect the primary food source of D. lupusapudoves, the green coffee scale, Coccus viridis Green (Coccidae: Coccini), an agricultural pest of coffee. Through three quantitative behavioral lab experiments, we found that the ants did not show aggression towards either D. lupusapudoves larvae or towards C. viridis. Similarly, the ants were not antagonistic to crickets (Orthoptera), which normally induce aggression, when they were covered in a coating of D. lupusapudoves larvae residues. Through a survival analysis, we found that D. lupusapudoves larvae are not apparently toxic to the ants, as ants that consumed a sugar solution containing the D. lupusapudoves larvae lived longer than those fed only a control sugar solution. From these series of experiments, we deduce that the D. lupusapudoves larvae likely employ chemical mimicry, allowing them to coexist with the aggressive A. sericeasur ants. The myrmecophilous behavior of the D. lupusapudoves larvae assists them in their role as an important biological control agent of the green coffee scale.
Microvascular replantation of a composite facial avulsion in a 24-month-old child after dog bite.

Dog bite injuries are common sources of morbidity with an estimated incidence of 4.5 million bites per year with over 350,000 requiring treatment in the emergency room. Children under the age of 14 are most likely to be affected with a peak age of 5-9 years old. We report a case of a 24-month-old female who sustained a large composite facial avulsion injury from a pit bull dog bite. The avulsed tissue involved a substantial portion of the patient's mid-face, including the entire soft tissue of the nose, upper lip, part of the left cheek, and left oral commissure. Artery-only microvascular replantation was performed because no recipient vein could be identified from the facial defect. Medicinal leech therapy was used for eight days postoperatively to prevent venous congestion. The patient experienced significant blood loss due to leech therapy and required nearly 29 L of blood product replacement. At the last follow up of 8 months postoperatively, the patient was recovering well with significant improvement in function and cosmesis of the mid-face. This case describes a successful artery-only replantation of an avulsive bite injury to the face of a young child. Despite the technical difficulty of cases such as this one, microvascular replantation should be attempted because when successful it provides a superior cosmetic and functional result to other reconstructive techniques.
Analysis of the mechanism of transferrin-iron acquisition by Neisseria gonorrhoeae

ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANISM OF TRANSFERRIN-IRON ACQUISITION BY NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE By Jennifer McMillan Noto A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008 Major Director: Cynthia Nau Cornelissen, Ph.D. Professor of Microbiology and Immunology Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate human pathogen that requires iron for its survival within the host. N. gonorrhoeae expresses high-affinity iron acquisition systems to acquire iron from host iron binding proteins. The gonococcal transferrin-iron uptake system is composed of two transferrin binding proteins, TbpA and TbpB. TbpA is a TonB-dependent, outer membrane transporter, while TbpB is a surface-exposed lipoprotein. Unlike TbpA, TbpB is not required for transferrin utilization, but makes the process more efficient. The precise mechanism by which TbpA and TbpB function to mediate transferrin-iron uptake has not been fully characterized. However, the
Age is no barrier to muscle structural, biochemical and angiogenic adaptations to training up to 24 months in female rats.

Ageing is associated with reduced transport and utilization of O2, diminishing exercise tolerance. Reductions may occur in cardiac output (delivery), and skeletal muscle oxidative capacity (utilization). To determine the reversibility of the declines in the muscular determinants of these limitations, skeletal muscle morphological, angiogenic and biochemical responses to acute exercise and endurance training were investigated in female Fischer 344 rats (n = 42; seven groups of six rats) aged 6 (Y) and 24 (O) months compared with resting untrained controls (YC, OC). Treadmill training lasted 8 weeks (10 deg incline, 1 h per day, 5 days per week). Two groups ran at maximum tolerated speeds (YTR, OTR), while an additional Y group (YTM) trained at OTR speed. There was no effect of age on vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in gastrocnemius muscles after acute exercise. Similarly, age did not impair the effects of training, with increases (P < 0.05; ± s.e.m.) occurring in all of the following: 1 h exercise running speed (YTR 92 ± 4%versus OTR 140 ± 25%); citrate synthase (YTR 37 ± 8%versus OTR 97 ± 33%) and β-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (YTR 31 ± 7%, versus OTR 72 ± 24%) activities; and capillary-to-fibre ratio (YTR 5.2 ± 0.2%versus OTR 8.1 ± 0.2%). However, YTM muscle was unchanged in each measure compared with YC. In conclusion, these muscular responses to training were (1) not reduced by ageing, but (2) dependent on relative and not absolute work rate, since, at the same speed, OTR rats showed greater changes than YTM. Therefore, increases in exercise tolerance and muscle adaptations are not impaired in female rats up to 24 months of age, and require a smaller absolute exercise stimulus (than young) to be manifest.
The synthesis of some 4,4′-disubstituted-2,2′-biquinolines

2,2′-Biquinoline dioxide and 4,4′-dichloro-2,2′-biquinoline have been used for the preparation of the following 4,4′-disubstituted-2,2′-biquinolines: dimethoxy, diethoxy, dihydroxy, dipiperidino, dipyrrolidino, dibromo, diphenoxy, dithiophenoxy, di(p-chloro-phenoxy), di(p-bromophenoxy), di(p-fluorophenoxy), di(β-naphthoxy) and the dinitro dioxide. Molar extinction coefficients have been determined for several of the copper (I) complexes of these compounds.
What makes desiccation tolerable

A comparison of drought tolerance in plants at extreme ends of the evolutionary spectrum is beginning to show the mechanisms involved.
Genome Rearrangement Phylogeny Using Weighbor

Evolution operates on whole genomes by operations that change the order and strandedness of genes within the genomes. This type of data presents new opportunities for discoveries about deep evolutionary rearrangement events. Several distance-based phylogenetic reconstruction methods have been proposed [12,21,19] that use neighbor joining (NJ) [16] with the expected breakpoint or inversion distances after k rearrangement events. In this paper we study the variance of the breakpoint and inversion distances. The result is combined with Weighbor [5], an improved version of NJ using the variance of true evolutionary distance estimators, to yield two new methods, Weighbor-IEBP and Weighbor-EDE. Experiments show the new methods have better accuracy than all previous distance-based methods, and are robust against model parameter misspecifications.
Distributing Learning Over Time: The Spacing Effect in Children’s Acquisition and Generalization of Science Concepts

The spacing effect describes the robust finding that long-term learning is promoted when learning events are spaced out in time rather than presented in immediate succession. Studies of the spacing effect have focused on memory processes rather than for other types of learning, such as the acquisition and generalization of new concepts. In this study, early elementary school children (5- to 7-year-olds; N = 36) were presented with science lessons on 1 of 3 schedules: massed, clumped, and spaced. The results revealed that spacing lessons out in time resulted in higher generalization performance for both simple and complex concepts. Spaced learning schedules promote several types of learning, strengthening the implications of the spacing effect for educational practices and curriculum.
Polarizability of stereoregular polymers

The Genkin-Mednis approach to the longitudinal polarizability of infinite polymer chains is revisited. It is shown that the correction of a small error in the formula for the dipole oscillator strength brings that quantity to a manifestly antihermitian form and leads to greater consistency in the computation of related quantities.
Statins and fracture risk. A systematic review

Purpose To summarize current evidence on statin use and fracture risk and to explore potential sources of heterogeneity among study results. Methods A computerized search was conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases using the keywords HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, osteoporosis, and fractures. A meta-analysis was performed to summarize results of studies identified. Results Statin use was associated with a 23% lower fracture risk (OR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.66–0.90). An effect of statins was found in case-control (OR = 0.62, 0.45–0.85, n = 6) and cohort (OR = 0.77, 0.59–1.00, n = 8) studies, but not in post hoc analyses of randomized trials (OR = 1.03, 0.91–1.16, n = 4). A reduced risk with statin use was found for fractures of the hip (OR = 0.58, 0.46–0.74, n = 16), spine (OR = 0.65, 0.48–0.88, n = 8) and other sites (OR = 0.77, 0.60–1.00, n = 7), and both in women (OR = 0.80, 0.66–0.96, n = 11) and men (OR = 0.62, 0.36–1.08, n = 3). Among the observational studies that also evaluated the effect of other lipid-lowering drugs, no reduced fracture risk was found for these agents (OR = 0.96, 0.85–1.09, n = 10). The test for heterogeneity was significant for study results of statin use versus no-use (p < 0.01). Meta-regression analyses suggested that study design might partly account for the heterogeneity. There was an indication of publication bias by examining Begg's plot, although Egger's test was not significant (p = 0.13). Conclusions Current evidence does not support an effect of statins in preventing fractures given (i) the lack of association in randomized trials, (ii) the heterogeneity among observational studies, (iii) the potential residual confounding, and (iv) the potential publication bias. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Deceleration of continuous molecular beams

A method for decelerating a continuous beam of neutral polar molecules is theoretically demonstrated. This method utilizes nonuniform static electric fields and regions of adiabatic population transfer to generate a mechanical force that opposes the molecular beam's velocity. By coupling this technique with dissipative trap-loading molecular densities $\ensuremath{\ge}{10}^{11}\text{ }{\text{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ are possible.
A new vision for coarray Fortran

In 1998, Numrich and Reid proposed Coarray Fortran as a simple set of extensions to Fortran 95 [7]. Their principal extension to Fortran was support for shared data known as coarrays. In 2005, the Fortran Standards Committee began exploring the addition of coarrays to Fortran 2008, which is now being finalized. Careful review of drafts of the emerging Fortran 2008 standard led us to identify several shortcomings with the proposed coarray extensions. In this paper, we briefly critique the coarray extensions proposed for Fortran 2008, outline a new vision for coarrays in Fortran language that is far more expressive, and briefly describe our strategy for implementing the language extensions that we propose.
Future Proton and Electron Colliders: Dreams for the 1990’s

We are nearing the end of a great cycle of accelerator building. New machines have been recently completed or are nearing completion in China, Japan, the U.S. and Western Europe.
Pictures, propositions, and primitives in the head

Data from neuropsychology do not support the idea that the primary visual cortex necessarily displays internal visual images. However, the choice of formats used in human cognition is not restricted to depictive or descriptive representations. Nestled between pictures and propositions, primitive spatial schemas with simple analog features extracted from pictorial scenes may play a subtle but wide role in cognition.
Deformation in Thin Films Deposited on Rigid Substrates

Stresses and strains are always present in thin films deposited on rigid substrates. They are introduced into the films during the deposition and/or subsequent heat and chemical treatments. Since the origins of the strains (stresses) in thin films and their shapes are different from those of bulk materials, the distribution of strains supported elastically by the films is different from that of the bulk materials. The present paper reviews deformation in thin films caused by elastic strains, using illustrative data of Pb and Nb films that were deposited on Si wafers. Also, x-ray diffraction techniques to detect such local deformation are briefly reviewed.
A Novel, Live-Attenuated Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Vector Displaying Conformationally Intact, Functional HIV-1 Envelope Trimers That Elicits Potent Cellular and Humoral Responses in Mice

Though vaccination with live-attenuated SIV provides the greatest protection from progressive disease caused by SIV challenge in rhesus macaques, attenuated HIV presents safety concerns as a vaccine; therefore, live viral vectors carrying HIV immunogens must be considered. We have designed a replication-competent vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) displaying immunogenic HIV-1 Env trimers and attenuating quantities of the native surface glycoprotein (G). The clade B Env immunogen is an Env-VSV G hybrid (EnvG) in which the transmembrane and cytoplasmic tail regions are derived from G. Relocation of the G gene to the 5′terminus of the genome and insertion of EnvG into the natural G position induced a ∼1 log reduction in surface G, significant growth attenuation compared to wild-type, and incorporation of abundant EnvG. Western blot analysis indicated that ∼75% of incorporated EnvG was a mature proteolytically processed form. Flow cytometry showed that surface EnvG bound various conformationally- and trimer-specific antibodies (Abs), and in-vitro growth assays on CD4+CCR5+ cells demonstrated EnvG functionality. Neither intranasal (IN) or intramuscular (IM) administration in mice induced any observable pathology and all regimens tested generated potent Env-specific ELISA titers of 104–105, with an IM VSV prime/IN VSV boost regimen eliciting the highest binding and neutralizing Ab titers. Significant quantities of Env-specific CD4+ T cells were also detected, which were augmented as much as 70-fold by priming with IM electroporated plasmids encoding EnvG and IL-12. These data suggest that our novel vector can achieve balanced safety and immunogenicity and should be considered as an HIV vaccine platform.
Hemoglobin J Rovigo (α53 Ala→Asp) in Associan with β-Thalassemia

Hemoglobin J Rovigo was first described by Alberti et al. (1) in an Italian family. Our report concerns the identification and fuctional properties of this variant in combination with β-thalassemia in a Brazilian family.
Dependence of myoblast fusion on a cortical actin wall and nonmuscle myosin IIA.

Cell–cell fusion is a fundamental cellular process that is essential for development as well as fertilization. Myoblast fusion to form multinucleated skeletal muscle myotubes is a well studied, yet incompletely understood example of cell–cell fusion that is essential for formation of contractile skeletal muscle tissue. Studies in this report identify several novel cytoskeletal events essential to an early phase of myoblast fusion among cultured murine myoblasts. During myoblast pairing and alignment, cortical actin filaments organize into a dense actin wall structure that parallels and extends the length of the plasma membrane of the bipolar, aligned cells. As fusion progresses, gaps appear within the actin wall at sites of vesicle accumulation, the vesicles pair across the aligned myoblasts, cell–cell contacts and fusion pores form. Inhibition of nonmuscle myosin IIA (NM-MHC-IIA) motor activity prevents formation of this cortical actin wall, as well as the appearance of vesicles at a membrane proximal location, and myoblast fusion. These results suggest that early formation of a subplasmalemmal actin wall during myoblast alignment is a critical event for myoblast fusion that supports bipolar membrane alignment and temporally regulates trafficking of vesicles to the nascent fusion sites during skeletal muscle myoblast differentiation.
State counting and low-temperature series.

Presentation d'une technique numerique simple d'evaluation du developpement de systemes statistiques discrets a basse temperature. Cette technique commence par une procedure recursive sur des reseaux finis pour compter les etats d'energie donnee. On extrait les coefficients des series de volume infini. La methode est testee avec le modele d'Ising tridimensionnel: on obtient le developpement de l'energie moyenne a travers des termes impliquant 34 liaisons excitees
Abstract 1404: An EGFR-Stat3-IL6 pathway contributes to NF1 tumor initiation and maintenance

Neurofibromas are incurable peripheral nerve tumors characteristic of Neurofibromatosis type 1. Development of effective neurofibroma therapies has been hindered by limited understanding of mechanisms underlying neurofibroma formation and growth. We used unbiased insertional mutagenesis screening to identify genes and signaling pathways that drive neurofibroma initiation and growth, and identified Stat3. Immunohistochemistry confirmed phosphorylated STAT3(P-Y705) in all human and mouse neurofibromas. Targeted genetic deletion of Stat3 in Schwann cell precursors (SCPs) and Schwann cells (SCs) significantly delayed neurofibroma formation, and in vitro analysis identified a role for Stat3 in SCP self-renewal and tumor initiation after xenografting. In vivo gain- and loss-of-function studies identified EGFR as the major upstream regulator of SCP P-Stat3. Downstream of P-Stat3, EGFR + SCPs secreted IL-6, which activated SCPs and mature neurofibroma Schwann cells. Therefore, Stat3 plays a critical role in early SC lineage cells, promoting neurofibroma initiation. Jak/Stat might also play a role in neurofibroma maintenance, as a pharmacological Jak2/Stat3 inhibitor reduced Schwann cell and neurofibroma growth. The data support Jak/Stat as a novel neurofibroma driver pathway and JAK/STAT inhibition as a potential neurofibroma therapeutic strategy. Citation Format: Jianqiang Wu, Nancy Ratner. An EGFR-Stat3-IL6 pathway contributes to NF1 tumor initiation and maintenance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1404. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1404
DC IR drop solver for large scale 3D power delivery networks

In this paper, DC IR drop simulation of 3D power delivery network (PDN) based on finite volume method with nonuniform grid is presented. Location-dependent resistivity is taken into account in the finite volume formulation which enables simulation of power delivery network with inhomogeneous resistivity. The generated system equation Yx = b is solved using the conjugate gradient (CG) method with a diagonal pre-conditioner. One large scale 3D integration example is simulated, and the results show that by employing the diagonal pre-conditioner and using the symmetric property of the impedance matrix Y, the conjugate gradient method based DC IR drop solver can solve large 3D DC IR drop problem with more than 10 million unknowns with 3 GB memory.
Quantal mechanism of long-term synaptic potentiation.

Abstract Intracellular recordings were used to demonstrate the occurrence and to analyze the microphysiology of long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP) in the crayfish opener neuromuscular synapse. Brief stimulation of the single excitor motor axon enhanced the amplitudes of subsequent postsynaptic potentials for several hours. Three methods of quantal analysis were used to evaluate the mechanism responsible for LTP. The results of all three methods supported predictions of the hypothesis that LTP results from a presynaptic mechanism that increases the average of neurotransmitter quanta evoked by nerve impulses in the excitor axon.
Levodopa-responsive parkinsonism following central herniation due to bilateral subdural hematomas.

A 66-year-old man suffered bilateral subdural hematomas progressing to central herniation, despite repeated surgical evacuations. This eventually resolved, leaving him with a severe parkinsonian syndrome that was responsive to levodopa. MRI and CT showed midbrain compression from central herniation, and a follow-up MRI revealed thinning of the pars compacta. The clinical and radiologie evidence suggested that midbrain compression from central herniation was the probable cause of parkinsonism in this patient.
China's Business Engagement in Africa

This article investigates China's business activities in Africa from the viewpoint of strategy. After a historical review of Chinese-African relations and identification of China's strategic objectives, we compare China's engagement in Africa with that of Western powers during the colonial and postcolonial eras. The analysis indicates that China's differentiation strategy, based on noninterference, soft power, and complementarity, has been largely successful in winning the trust of African host nations and cultivating bankable relationships. Moreover, China's well-coordinated trade, investment, and aid activities have been instrumental in building the infrastructure for sustainable economic growth in the region.
Evaluation of release rates and control of biofouling using monolithic coatings containing an isothiazolone

A commercially available isothiazolone, Sea‐Nine 211 (c‐9211) has been used to study the controlled release characteristics and antifouling behavior of non‐ablative coatings based upon a vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer resin (VYHH). The governing release mechanism was found to be Fickian diffusion when c‐9211 is released from a monolithic coating over the course of 30 d. The extent of fouling was evaluated for a number of marine fouling species found at Taylor's Creek, Beaufort, North Carolina, and Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, in relation to the rate of release of c‐9211 from the coating. The efficacy of c‐9211 as a single antifouling agent was determined based on the minimum flux required to keep the coating free of fouling, c‐9211 shows promise against a wide variety of fouling species in the marine environment above a flux of 5–7 μg.cm2.d‐1, with the exception of barnacles and to some extent, diatoms, which do not seem to be well controlled by c‐9211 at fluxes as high as 15 μg.cm2.d‐1.
Comparison of two dry chemistry analyzers and a wet chemistry analyzer using canine serum.

Canine serum was used to compare seven chemistry analytes on two tabletop clinical dry chemistry analyzers, Boehringer's Reflotron and Kodak's Ektachem. Results were compared to those obtained on a wet chemistry reference analyzer, Roche Diagnostic's Cobas Mira. Analytes measured were urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cholesterol, and bilirubin. Nine to 12 canine sera with values in the low, normal, and high range were evaluated. The correlations were acceptable for all comparisons with correlation coefficients greater than 0.98 for all analytes. Regression analysis resulted in significant differences for both tabletop analyzers when compared to the reference analyzer for cholesterol and bilirubin, and for glucose and AST on the Kodak Ektachem. Differences appeared to result from proportional systematic error occurring at high analyte concentrations.
The light and temperature dependence of photosynthesis and respiration in Potamogeton pectinatus L.

Abstract The photosynthesis and dark respiration of healthy shoots of Potamogeton pectinatus L. collected from a stream were examined using infrared gas analysis (IRGA) across a range of temperature (10–35°C) and light (0–2000 μmol m −2 s −1 ) conditions. The maximum net photosynthetic rate was estimated to be 1.51 mg C g −1 ash free dry weight (AFDW) h −1 , with an optimal temperature of 30°C. The maximum observed net photosynthesis was 1.46 mg C g −1 AFDW h −1 at 25°C. Maximum estimated and observed net photosynthesis at 10°C was 63% of net photosynthesis at optimum temperature, showing an unusually broad photosynthetic response across temperature. The photosynthetic characteristics of P. pectinatus indicate a species generalized to a broad range of environmental conditions.
A meta-analysis of comparing fine-needle aspiration and frozen section for evaluating thyroid nodules.

The literature on comparing fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and frozen section for evaluating thyroid nodules was reviewed. Publications on this subject were divided into three groups (follicular lesions, non-follicular lesions and thyroid lesions, not otherwise specified). A meta-analysis was done to compare sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values between FNA and frozen section diagnoses. For follicular lesions, FNA was much more sensitive but less specific, with lower positive predictive value than frozen section. FNA and frozen section are virtually identical in all parameters of accuracy in evaluating thyroid nodules that are not follicular lesions. The third group of publications that did not separate/specify follicular lesions from non-follicular lesions was non-contributory. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Research in group work: How did we get where we are?

Abstract A brief history of the development of research on group work is presented in the context of the evolution of group practice.
Variation in foraging behavior facilitates resource partitioning in a polymorphic cichlid, Herichthys minckleyi

We examined foraging behavior (microhabitat use and feeding behavior) in a trophically polymorphic cichlid fish, Herichthys minckleyi, to address several questions regarding resource partitioning in this threatened species. These include: (1) do morphotypes demonstrate different foraging behaviors? (2) do individuals within a morphotype vary in their foraging behavior (e.g. are some individuals specialists, only using a subset of available resources, while other are generalists)? (3) do foraging behaviors vary between isolated pools? (4) do foraging behaviors vary across seasons? We quantified microhabitat use and feeding behavior for over 100 individuals (of two morphotypes) feeding freely in two isolated pools (populations) and across two seasons (winter and summer). We found differences in foraging behavior between morphotypes and individual specializations within morphotypes; i.e. some individuals specialize on certain food resources by using a few feeding behaviors within a subset of microhabitats, whereas others employ a range feeding behaviors across many microhabitats. Foraging behavior also varied between pools and across seasons. This spatial and temporal variation in foraging behavior and resource use may serve to maintain this polymorphism, as the relative fitness of the each morph may vary over space and time.
Flow of bubbles through nozzles

Abstract One of the fundamental objectives in the mathematical modeling of two-phase flow is to understand and to formulate the interaction forces between two phases. For this purpose a well-defined two-phase flow situation, flow of bubbles through nozzles, was set up in the laboratory. A range of liquid flow fields was set up by flowing water through nozzles. Individual bubbles were injected into the water stream and their trajectories were recorded to provide data for evaluation and comparison with theories. Because of the limitations of the conventional photographic method of recording the bubble path, a computer-based optical system was designed for fast data acquisition. The optimal system works on the principle of the interruption of a light beam by a bubble passing between a sheet of light and a row of phototransistors. The bubble position (horizontal as well as vertical) along the nozzle is determined by its crossing through the light path to several rows of phototransistors attached to the nozzle. The performance and accuracy of the optical system were tested under various known physical situations. All the tests showed that the optical system is competent and effective in studying the motion of bubbles flowing through nozzles. A mathematical model was set up to predict the bubble motion. The various forces included in the model are the drag force, the apparent mass force, the buoyancy force, the bubble expansion force and the history forces. Comparisons between experiments and theories were made through a “point-to-point” numerical testing procedure. Results show that the bubble trajectory can be reasonably predicted (within 10% accuracy) by an equation of motion which includes a suitable drag force (dependent on relative velocity) and an apparent mass force (proportional to relative acceleration). Suggestions regarding the further improvement of the theory are also made.
Treatment of primary cultures of calf adrenal glomerulosa cells with adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and phorbol esters: a comparative study of the effects on aldosterone production and ACTH signaling system.

We studied the mechanism that underlies the desensitization of calf adrenal glomerulosa cells induced by 4 h of ACTH treatment. In control cells, acute ACTH treatment provoked sizeable increases in aldosterone, cAMP, and diacylglycerol, and translocated protein kinase-C from cytosol to membrane. In desensitized cells, acute ACTH effects on aldosterone and cAMP decreased by 25–60%, and diacylglycerol levels and protein kinase-C translocation were persistently stimulated and not substantially affected by further acute ACTH treatment. After 4 h of treatment with 1 μM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) there were no acute effects of ACTH on the production of aldosterone, cAMP, or diacylglycerol or on protein kinase-C, which was already strongly translocated. These results suggest that ACTH-mediated desensitization of calf adrenal glomerulosa cells may be at least partially mimicked by long term treatment with phorbol esters and could be due to ACTH-induced increases in diacylglycerol-protein kinase-C signa...
A 5-fluorodeoxyuridine prodrug as targeted therapy for prostate cancer

A method for targeted delivery of the cytotoxic agent 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (FudR) (1) to sites of metastatic prostate cancer is described. The prodrug was synthesized by coupling the active drug (FudR) to the PSA-peptide via a self-cleaving diamino acid linker to produce HSSKLQ-Leu-Aib-FudR. This prodrug serves as a substrate for prostate specific antigen (PSA). This approach permitted efficient conversion of the inactive prodrug back to the active cytotoxic state by the enzymatic activity of PSA which is highly expressed by prostate cells.
Evaluations of the renal cell carcinoma model caki-1 using a silicon based microvascular casting technique

The vascular development of orthotopically grown human renal cell carcinoma (Caki-1) was examined using a silicon based casting technique in nude mice. Images taken of these vascular casts showed Caki-1 tumors to be highly vascularized and invasive. The spread of the tumor within the cortex of the kidney revealed that Caki-1 recruits the kidney's own vasculature, destroying the functional glomeruli in the process. The loss of these glomeruli was further highlighted by the presence of enlarged glomeruli resulting from the development of super nephrons. Vessel size and density measurements were then made in this model. This was done using both computer-based and manual measurement methods. In the vessel size studies the computer-based method tended to overestimate the number of larger diameter vessels whereas the vessels density assessment showed good agreement between the two techniques. Nevertheless, both methods showed that Caki-1 tumors possessed a higher proportion of larger diameter vessels and a lower vessel density than normal kidney cortex. In summary, silicon based vascular casting proved to be a simple and effective tool for the study of tumor vasculature. In particular this technique could readily be used to examine the invasion of tumor into normal tissue. The computer-based technique for evaluating vessel number and vascular density was found to have merit in both normal and tumor tissues, particularly in the vascular density studies. However, in both settings this technique did tend to overestimate the number of larger diameter vessels.
Black-body radiation in a curved Robertson-Walker background

In the standard Friedmann cosmology the black-body radiation spectrum is usually taken (without explicit proof as far as we know) to have the same familiarT 4-form that it has in a flat space. With explicit use of the equation of motion of a quantized massless field propagating in a curved background Robertson-Walker metric we show (for the readily tractable scalar field case) that the assumption is in fact true for an open Universe. For a closed Universe, we find that there is an in principle modification to theT 4-law. Unfortunately, the correction turns out to be too small to be experimentally detectable. In passing, we also obtain a simple derivation for the cosmological red shift of frequencies.
Outcome following endoscopic transmural drainage of pancreatic fluid collections in outpatients.

Objective:To evaluate the performance of endoscopic transmural drainage of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs) in outpatients.Patients and Methods:We retrospectively reviewed 19 consecutive outpatient cases in 18 patients who underwent attempted endoscopic transmural drainage of PFCs by a single end
Glucose transport and metabolism in cultured cells of nervous tissue.

The effect of the concentration of glucose in the medium on the intracellular concentrations of metabolites in C-6 astrocytoma cells and C-1300 neuroblastoma cells in culture has been investigated. The intracellular concentrations of glucose, glycogen, glucose 6-P and UDP-glucose were measured at intervals after feeding the cells. A rapid increase in glucose and glucose 6-P levels occurred when fresh medium containing 5.5 mM glucose was applied to the cells, followed by slower increases in UDP-glucose and glycogen. When the medium glucose was increased ten-fold, the intracellular concentration of glucose was increased, but the levels of glucose 6-P, UDP-glucose and glycogen were not altered, nor were the rates of accumulation. The addition of insulin to the medium resulted in an increase of intracellular glucose, glucose 6-P and glycogen. The transport of glucose into the cells is not the rate-limiting step of the regulation of metabolite levels in the cells.
Strategic aspects of contingency planning in chaotic environments and systems: multi-case study

General concepts of chaos theory are used to explain how markets change, while complexity theory is often used to manage in an ever-changing business environment. Three large Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based organisations were studied from a case study-perspective, namely a global manufacturing corporation noted for its chemical production and pharmaceuticals, a financial services and banking company and a financial services and consulting company. A brief introduction to the corporate goals and its general operating environment are followed by sections describing local and area-wide disaster planning initiatives, such as contingency planning initiatives involving datacentres and ATM operations. A relatively detailed discussion of the practical applications of lessons learnt from the case studies and specific recommendations for contingency planning were included.
Polyclonal and antigen-specific B-cell responses in patients with common variable immunodeficiency.

Antigen-specific antibody responses were investigated in 32 hypogammaglobulinemic patients with common variable immunodeficiency followingin vitro sensitization of their peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures with sheep red blood-cell determinants. Anti-sheep red blood-cell antibody-secreting cells were quantitated in a hemolytic plaque assay. Amplification of T-cell help was achieved with the use of the T-cell mitogen concanavalin A or allogeneic irradiated T cells. Four patients groups, A through D, were identified. Group A was comprised of 10 patients whose cultured lymphocyte readily developed into antibody secreting cells. Cultures of 9 patients (Group B) responded suboptimally, but were enhanced following mitogen activation of autologous or exogenous T cells, and those of 7 patients (Group C) responded only when help was aplified. In 7 patients (Group D), no responses were elicited. On the simultaneous assessment of pokeweed mitogen-driven polyclonal generation of immunoglobulin-secreting cells, only 10 responders, all from groups A and B, were identified. Our observations indicate that the majority of patients with common variable immunodeficiency possesses B cells capable of producing antibodyin vitro. The ability of some patients' B cells to respond only in the antigen-specific assay while failing to do so in pokeweed mitogen-stimulated cultures suggests that these two reactions are not identical in their activation pathways.
Conjugate addition reactions of metallated alkyl pyridines. A direct route to 6-substituted pyridones

Abstract The conjugate addition of metallated alkylpyridines to enones followed by RaNi deprotection affords 6-substituted pyridones.
The Morality of Homosexuality

Homosexuality has been considered a form of mental illness, morally wrong and socially deviant. The purpose of this paper is to present both sides of the homosexuality issue from a religious standpoint: opponents of homosexuality versus supporters of homosexuality. It is proposed that how one interprets the morality of homosexuality will depend upon one's level of moral development according to Kohlberg's theory. Ten churches in the Raleigh area of North Carolina completed a questionnaire designed to ascertain the church's position on the issue of homosexuality. Specifically, questions were asked to ascertain the church's level of moral development.
Exploring the relationship between heterogeneity and generic management trends in hospitality organizations

Abstract This paper explores the role of heterogeneity in the study of service organizations in general, and hospitality organizations in specific. By integrating theory from organizational economics with current research in organizational culture, a case is made which illustrates the ill effects that can result when generic strategies are applied indiscriminately across organizations associated with heterogeneous industries. The paper concludes with a set of related research propositions to guide future study.
Regioselective 15-bromination and functionalization of a stable synthetic bacteriochlorin.

5-Methoxy-8,8,18,18-tetramethyl-2,12-di-p-tolylbacteriochlorin (MeO-BC) undergoes regioselective electrophilic bromination with NBS to give the 15-bromo analogue (MeO-BC-Br15) in 85% yield. By contrast, the bacteriochlorin lacking the 5-methoxy group (8,8,18,18-tetramethyl-2,12-di-p-tolylbacteriochlorin, H-BC) gives a mixture of two monobromo- and two dibromobacteriochlorins. Deuterium exchange of both bacteriochlorins (H-BC and MeO-BC) in acidic media (TFA-d) occurs preferentially at the β-pyrrole positions (3, 13) > unhindered meso-positions (5, 15 for H-BC; 15 for MeO-BC) > hindered meso-positions (10, 20). The 15-bromo-5-methoxybacteriochlorin MeO-BC-Br15 was subjected to three types of Pd-mediated coupling reactions (Suzuki, Sonogashira, Hartwig−Buchwald) to give six bacteriochlorins bearing functional groups at the 15-position (49% to 85% yield). The groups include 4-(tert-butoxycarbonylmethoxy)phenyl, 4-pyridyl, 3,5-diformylphenyl, phenylethynyl, TIPS-ethynyl, and N-benzamido. The presence of the 1...
The effect of 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid on endothelial cell gene expression

Abstract The endothelium plays a key role in inflammation, hemostasis and organ rejection. We report here that a synthetic polyunsaturated fatty acid, 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA), selectively inhibits the up-regulation of several genes on endothelial cells. ETYA suppresses endothelial cell activation by inhibiting the up-regulation of adhesion molecules like E-selectin. A runoff assay for E-selectin demonstrated that the suppression is at the level of transcription. The fact that ETYA inhibits E-selectin upon stimulation with a diverse group of stimuli like lipopolysaccharide, tumor necrosis factor-α or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, suggests that ETYA does not exert its effect by modifying membrane-bound receptors. The messenger RNA for interleukin-8 and glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase are not affected. Pre-treatment of endothelial cells with ETYA also prevents the adherence of monocytes to tumor necrosis factor-α-stimulated cells.
Magnetic behavior of the II–V-diluted magnetic semiconductor Cd1−xMnxSb

Abstract Polycrystalline samples of the II–V-diluted magnetic semiconductor Cd 1− x Mn x Sb ( x= 0.05–0.20) were synthesized. Standard high temperature ceramic methods under an inert atmosphere were utilized for sample fabrication. Structural characterization was done using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), which indicated that a simple substitution of Mn for Cd is probably not occurring. Hysteresis, ac susceptibility, dc magnetization, and spontaneous magnetization measurements were performed for Cd 0.90 Mn 0.10 Sb. The hysteresis data indicated the presence of a ferromagnetic component. Ferromagnetism in the Cd 0.90 Mn 0.10 Sb system is likely due to two sources: Mn spins in small Mn-rich regions and a small amount of MnSb in a minority phase. Analysis of the spontaneous magnetization as a function of temperature for Cd 0.90 Mn 0.10 Sb yielded the value 0.172 for the critical exponent β . In MnSb, β was found to have the value 0.379, which is close to the theoretical value for 3D-Heisenberg systems. Thus, in Cd 0.90 Mn 0.10 Sb, the ferromagnetism is not of the 3D-Heisenberg type; rather, it is closer to 2D Ising behavior, indicating reduced effective dimensionality.
Bayesian proportional hazards model for current status data with monotone splines

The proportional hazards model is widely used to deal with time to event data in many fields. However, its popularity is limited to right-censored data, for which the partial likelihood is available and the partial likelihood method allows one to estimate the regression coefficients directly without estimating the baseline hazard function. In this paper, we focus on current status data and propose an efficient and easy-to-implement Bayesian approach under the proportional hazards model. Specifically, we model the baseline cumulative hazard function with monotone splines leading to only a finite number of parameters to estimate while maintaining great modeling flexibility. An efficient Gibbs sampler is proposed for posterior computation relying on a data augmentation through Poisson latent variables. The proposed method is evaluated and compared to a constrained maximum likelihood method and three other existing approaches in a simulation study. Uterine fibroid data from an epidemiological study are analyzed as an illustration.
A low-jitter pulse generator for a Van de Graaff electron accelerator

Abstract The design of a new pulse generator used to drive the electron gun of a Van de Graaff accelerator is described. It consists of a pulse amplifier and a remote control unit. Both units are interconnected by means of two fiber optic cables by which the beam pulse parameters, i.e. pulse start, duration and amplitude, are conveyed. The duration and the amplitude are continuously variable from 2 ns to 1 μs and from 0 to 1.5 A, respectively. The overall time jitter is about 1 ns.
A Wide Band Current Monitor Based on Pulsed Transformer Techniques

A charged-particle beam current monitor has been designed using a coaxial cable transmission line in a configuration similar to that employed in building toroidal-wound wide band impedance matching and balun transformers. Several sizes of the coax-wound monitors have been constructed and compared with units of similar ferrite core material and geometry that were wound with ordinary magnet wire. One of the transformers has been used by experimenters at the NAL Internal Tarqet area since August of 1972. In order to simplify electronic signal processing, only average circulating charge is measured. This is done by measuring the "zero"signal" base-line shift due to the natural L/R response of the transformer.
Pulsed proton beam annealing: Semiconductors and silicides

Abstract The processing of materials using an intense pulsed beam of ions is described, and some applications are reviewed. The technique offers prospective advantages of flexibility, uniformity of treatment, and precise control of energy deposition profile, compared with conventional pulsed laser or electron beam annealing techniques. Experimental results are presented showing several distinct stages in the annealing of arsenic-implanted silicon, using a 400 ns pulse of 280 keV protons at energy densities ranging up to 3 J/cm 2 . Examples of epitaxial regrowth and the growth of metal silicide films are also given. The technique not only has potential value for semiconductor processing, but it also constitutes a versatile tool for studying the intrinsic mechanism of pulsed energy beam annealing.
Bond-orientational order, dislocation loops, and melting of solids and smectic- A liquid crystals

A three-dimensional solid with an equilibrium concentration of unbound dislocation loops displays a resistance to torsion not present in isotropic liquids. There is residual bond-angle order analogous to that found in the two-dimensional hexatic phase. A bulk phase with bond orientational order may be observable in supercooled liquids. Such a phase would display an angular modulation in monodomain x-ray-diffraction patterns, and would give rise to an intrinsic asymmetry in the limits of supercooling and superheating. Bond-angle order may also be present in glasses. A dislocation-loop mechanism for the smectic-$A$\char22{}to-nematic transition implies anisotropic scaling and fixes the ratio of the transverse and longitudinal correlation length exponents.
Recall of subject nominalizations

Twenty Ss were presented with two lists of 14 subject nominalizations for written free recall, and later with one list for an association task. These items, although superficially similar, differ in complexity of deep structure. A significant difference in recall was found in favor of the items with the simpler deep structure. No difference was observed in number of associations to the different items. The results provide additional support for the notion that the underlying structure of a sentence adequately serves as a conceptualization of the memory representation of that sentence.