cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of multiscalar metallic multilayer composites for high strength, high toughness, and low CTE mismatch

We propose a new class of multilayer composites that consists of alternating tough and strong layers. Both the tough and the strong layers are metallic, effectively reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch problem that often plagues metal-ceramic composites. The high-strength layers are themselves very fine-scale metallic multilayer composites. The high strengths result from Orowan strengthening of these very fine-scale layers. We present detailed analyses of the flow stress, toughness, and thermal stability of these multiscalar metallic multi-layer composites (M3C) as a guide for microstructural optimization. The dominant term in the flow stress is proportional to the volume fraction of the strong layers and scales inversely with thickness of the very fine-scale layers that make up the strong layer. The toughness is dominated by the plastic flow of the tough layers and is proportional to the volume fraction and flow stress of the tough layers, as modified by plastic constraint. The thermal stability of M3Cs is discussed in the context of solubility, length scales, and interdiffusivity of the two metals. Preliminary results suggest that M3Cs do exhibit an unusual combination of high toughness and strength.
Mathematical analysis of spectral orthogonality

Spectral Orthogonality Assessment Methodologies Approximation Methodologies K-matrix Analysis Applications P-matrix Analysis Applications Appendix A: Linear Algebra Appendix B: Multivariate Statistics Appendix C: Additional Applications Notation Index
Growth of lung cancer colonies from bronchoscopy washings.

Cells from bronchoscopy washings from 30 patients with lung cancer were plated in tissue culture using a human tumor stem cell assay technique. These culture results were subsequently compared to routine ctyology readings carried out on the same specimens. The stem cell culture showed colony growth from 9 of 11 cytologically positive bronchoscopy washing specimens. More colonies grew from cytologically positive specimens (average of six colonies per plate) than from cytologically negative specimens (average of 0.8 colonies per plate). With additional refinements, the stem cell culture system could be used to improve the diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy washings. However, at present, the low number of tumor colonies grown from the washings precludes performing chemosensitivity studies on tumor cells from the bronchoscopy washing specimens.
Mammalian Cell DNA Damage and Repair Kinetics of Monohaloacetic Acid Drinking Water Disinfection By-Products

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are the second most common class of chlorinated water disinfection by-products (DBPs). The single cell gel electrophoresis genotoxicity assay using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was modified to include liquid holding recovery time to measure genomic DNA damage and repair kinetics of three monoHAAs: chloroacetic acid (CAA), bromoacetic acid (BAA), and iodoacetic acid (IAA). The rank order of genotoxic potency was IAA > BAA >> CAA from previous research. The concentration of each HAA was chosen to generate approximately the same level of genotoxic damage. No cytotoxicity was expressed during the 24 h liquid holding period. Nuclei from CHO cells treated with BAA showed the lowest rate of DNA repair (t(50) = 296 min) compared to that of CAA or IAA (t(50) = 134 and 84 min, respectively). The different rates of genomic repair expressed by IAA or CAA versus BAA suggest that different distributions of DNA lesions are induced. The use of DNA repair coupled with genomic technologies may lead to the understanding of the biological and genetic mechanisms involved in toxic responses induced by DBPs.
Risk of Uterine Leiomyomata among Premenopausal Women in Relation to Body Size and Cigarette Smoking

To examine the relation between family history of breast cancer in a mother or sister and a man's risk of fatal prostate cancer, we analyzed data from a prospective mortality study of adult men in the United States. During 12 years of follow-up, there were 3,141 deaths from prostate cancer in a cohort of 480,802 men who were cancer-free at study entry in 1982. Results from Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for other risk factors, showed a modest increased risk of fatal prostate cancer associated with a family history of breast cancer (in the absence of a family history of prostate cancer) [rate ratio (RR) = 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.33]. The association was stronger among men younger than 65 years of age whose relatives were diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 years (RR = 1.65; 95% CI = 0.88-3.10) and among Jewish men (RR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.00-2.97). The increased risks observed in these subgroups may reflect genetic alterations underlying familial clustering of prostate and breast cancer.
Abstract 4322: Ligand-directed therapy and molecular imaging in a mouse model of androgen-independent osteogenic prostate cancer

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC In working towards a theranostic approach in human prostate cancer, we have used in vivo phage display in a unique animal model of androgen-independent human osteoblastic bone metastases (animal model described by Li et al. J. Clin. Invest. 2008 Aug;118(8):2697-710) to uncover accessible targets and peptide ligands for molecular imaging and treatment. This unbiased combinatorial screening identified a peptide targeting Glucose-regulated Protein 78kDa (GRP78), a protein previously implicated in human cancer, including prostate cancer. By using a hybrid gene delivery vehicle consisting of phage capsid-proteins and AAV genomic elements (AAVP) we have successfully expressed thymidine kinase protein from Herpes Simplex Virus (HSVtk) for a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) approach. In combination with 18FEAU as an imaging probe, the expression of this protein was monitored by Positron Emission Tomography (PET). After expression was confirmed, treatment with the prodrug gancyclovir was used to induce tumor-specific apoptosis. In a second approach, this ligand-receptor system was used to specifically and efficiently deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) in vitro and in vivo. Both approaches clearly show that the newly identified peptide targeting GRP78 can be considered for targeted drug development against human metastatic androgen-independent osteogenic prostate cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4322.
Differing effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on long-term mortality in patient subgroups of MADIT-CRT defined by baseline conduction and 1-year post-treatment left ventricular remodeling

Background Long-term mortality data after cardiac resynchronization therapy with implanted defibrillator (CRT-D) in minimally symptomatic patients are limited. Objective To clarify influences on long-term mortality after CRT-D, we assessed MADIT-CRT (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial—Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) patient outcomes by baseline conduction abnormality and 1-year posttreatment remodeling. Methods MADIT-CRT followed 1820 patients assigned to CRT-D or implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) only. Using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, treatment effects (CRT-D vs ICD only) on mortality were evaluated in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) and non-LBBB. Among 1196 patients with echocardiography repeated at 1 year, effect of CRT-D on later mortality (landmark analysis) was analyzed by baseline conduction and 1-year change in left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV). Results Overall mortality was not reduced by CRT-D (hazard ratio [HR] for CRT-D/ICD only 0.94; P = .72). Among 761 patients with LBBB and CRT-D, mortality trended lower (HR 0.71; P = .10) after adjustment for clinical covariates. The effect of CRT-D on mortality was further evaluated in patients who did (responders) and did not (hypo-responders) have reduction in LVESV by≥30%. LBBB responders (n = 323) had significantly reduced mortality with CRT-D (HR 0.36; P = .027), and LBBB hypo-responders (n = 182) did not (HR 0.99). By contrast, non-LBBB responders (n = 89) trended toward more deaths with CRT-D (HR 2.11; P = .22). Non-LBBB hypo-responders (n = 118) had significantly worsened mortality (HR 3.72; P =.011). Conclusions In MADIT-CRT, late mortality with CRT-D varied markedly with baseline conduction defect and remodeling response. Patients with both LBBB and substantially reduced LVESV had improved mortality. Those with non-LBBB or with LBBB and less-reduced LVESV had unchanged or worsened mortality after CRT-D.
Energy-aware control: ℓ 2 gain for closed-loop systems implemented with stochastic schedulers

We investigate a control system implemented with a stochastic scheduler on a modern microprocessor where the clock frequency of the microprocessor can be adjusted in real-time. We consider the case when the microprocessor clock frequency may be set so low that the control algorithm occasionally fails to generate an updated control signal in the time allotted to it by the operating system. We seek to understand the relationships between energy consumption, closed-loop performance, and a control signal that is occasionally not updated by the control system. We provide stability and H∞ performance results for a class of jump linear systems governed by time-inhomogeneous stochastic processes.
Synthesis and crystal structure of Ir(C2H4)2(C5H7O2)

Abstract We report a new synthesis and characterization of Ir(C2H4)2(C5H7O2) [(acetylacetonato)-bis(η2-ethene)iridium(I)], prepared from (NH4)3IrCl6 · H2O in a yield of about 45%. The compound has been characterized by X-ray diffraction crystallography, infrared, Raman, and NMR spectroscopies and calculations at the level of density functional theory. Ir(C2H4)2(C5H7O2) is isostructural with Rh(C2H4)2(C5H7O2), but there is a substantial difference in the ethylene binding energies, with Ir–ethylene having a stronger interaction than Rh–ethylene; two ethylenes are bound to Ir with a binding energy of 94 kcal/mol and to Rh with a binding energy of 70 kcal/mol.
Analysis of an endoreversible stirling cooler

Abstract An internally reversible and externally irreversible Stirling refrigeration cycle which achieves cryogenic temperatures in a single stage is presented in this paper. The equations relating the maximum cooling load, working fluid temperatures and power input of the cryocooler are found. These relationships provide a base for practicing engineers to design a new cryocooler.
Selective loss of ribosomal RNA genes during the aging of post-mitotic tissues

Abstract Maintenance of long-term genetic integrity in living cells is facilitated by a combination of enzymatic repair mechanisms and cellular selection processes. In dividing cell populations, and in tissues comprised of dividing cells, defective cells can be continuously replaced through the selective propagation of the most viable cells. However, many important organs in higher animals are comprised of non-dividing (post-mitotic) cells in which such selection processes can not operate. It was of interest, therefore, to investigate the possibility of genetic damage as a factor in the age-dependent deterioration observed in key post-mitotic tissues such as the nervous and muscular system. The technique of RNA·DNA molecular hybridization was used to measure the dosage of ribosomal RNA genes in selected mitotic and post-mitotic tissues of aging beagle dogs. This approach was chosen both because of the importance of these genes to protein synthesis and in order to test a previously proposedmodel for the selective loss of such tandemly duplicated genes during aging. The results indicate a substantial decline in the number of ribosomal RNA cistrons in DNA from brain, heart and skeletal muscle of 10-year-old dogs. These findings and the proposed model are discussed in relation to other studies of age-dependent changes in DNA and the possible effects of the observed gene loss on cellular function.
Protein synthetic patterns during the asexual life cycle of Volvox carteri

The polypeptide labeling patterns of somatic cells, gonidia (asexual reproductive cells), embryos, and juvenile spheroids of Volvox carteri cultures synchronized by a light/dark cycle were studied as a function of developmental stage and incubation condition. Specimens were exposed to 35SO=4 for 1-hr periods at selected intervals throughout the asexual life cycle; proteins were then extracted and analyzed by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by fluorography. Although sulfation accounts for more than half the 35S incorporated, the conditions of extraction and electrophoresis employed resulted in exclusion of most sulfated products and inclusion of nearly all products bearing incorporated sulfur amino acids in the electrophoretic analysis. Hence SDS-PAGE profiles reflect relative rates of synthesis of major polypeptides. The first phase of these studies involved examination of stage-specific differences in protein synthetic patterns. Because a single developmental stage exhibits different protein synthetic patterns in light and darkness, detailed developmental comparisons were made only on organisms or cells exposed to label in the light. They yielded the following results: Shortly after the completion of embryogenesis (while all cells are still linked by numerous cytoplasmic bridges) presumptive somatic cells and gonidia exhibit a nearly identical pattern of labeling of the major polypeptides. In just a few hours, however, as cytoplasmic bridges begin to break down, the synthetic patterns of the two cell types begin to diverge; with passing time this divergence becomes progressively greater. By the time gonidia are mature, the patterns of labeling of major polypeptides by somatic cells and gonidia exhibit far more differences than similarities. Embryos derived from these mature gonidia then exhibit numerous, reproducible, stage-specific changes in polypeptide labeling throughout embryogenesis. However, two glycoproteins that previous authors implicated in the control of the differentiative cleavage division are here shown to be labeled in the parental somatic cells, not in the embryos as was previously supposed; hence a central role for them in embryonic development seems highly unlikely. In the second phase of this study the effects of light on protein synthetic patterns of organisms at selected developmental stages were analyzed. At all stages marked, rapid, reversible changes in the pattern of labeling of major polypeptides occur when cultures are transferred from light to dark or vice versa, but these changes are most marked in juvenile spheroids at the end of the dark period during which they had completed their embryogenesis. Some, but by no means all, of the changes induced by light can be attributed to stimulated synthesis of chloroplast proteins, on both chloroplast and cytosol ribosomes. The proteins made at the beginning of one light period are not identical to those made at the end of the preceding light period...
Evaluating similarity measures for brain image registration

Evaluation of similarity measures for image registration is a challenging problem due to its complex interaction with the underlying optimization, regularization, image type and modality. We propose a single performance metric, named robustness, as part of a new evaluation method which quantifies the effectiveness of similarity measures for brain image registration while eliminating the effects of the other parts of the registration process. We show empirically that similarity measures with higher robustness are more effective in registering degraded images and are also more successful in performing intermodal image registration. Further, we introduce a new similarity measure, called normalized spatial mutual information, for 3D brain image registration whose robustness is shown to be much higher than the existing ones. Consequently, it tolerates greater image degradation and provides more consistent outcomes for intermodal brain image registration.
Characterization of the gene encoding the salivary Gln/Glu-rich C-terminal variant A protein.

Abstract The rat submandibular gland-specific GRP-Ca gene (encoding C-terminal variant A of the glutamine/glutamic acid-rich protein) has been cloned from a male Wistar/Furth genomic library. The complete sequence, including 2.0 kb of 5′ flanking and 0.5 kb of 3′ flanking DNA has been determined. Electron microscopic heteroduplex analysis and sequence analysis established that transcripts coding for GRP-Ca and GRP-Cb are encoded by separate genes. The GRP-Ca gene is approx. 4.5 kb in size and is comprised of four exons and three introns. Comparison of this gene with several rodent and human salivary proline-rich protein-encoding genes (PRP) indicates that GRP-Ca shares this exon-intron structure with the rat SMR-2 gene, the hamster H29 gene, and the human PRP genes. In addition, a 28-bp element found in the proximal promoter region of GRP-Ca was found to be highly conserved among the superfamily of PRP genes.
Efficient gene inactivation in Bacillus anthracis

A procedure for high-efficiency gene inactivation in Bacillus anthracis has been developed. It is based on a highly temperature-sensitive plasmid vector carrying kanamycin resistance cassette surrounded by DNA fragments flanking the desired insertion site. The approach was tested by constructing glutamate racemase E1 (racE1), glutamate racemase E2 (racE2) and comEC knock-out mutants of B. anthracis strain DeltaANR. Allelic replacements were observed at high frequencies, ranging from approximately 0.5% for racE2 up to 50% for racE1 and comEC. The system can be used for genetic validation of potential drug targets.
Effect of the culture medium on the oxidation of acetate by Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus.

Abstract The tryptone yeast-extract medium used in these studies appeared to contain a dialyzable substance which interfered in some way with the ability of the cells of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus to oxidize acetate. In a synthetic medium, glucose produced a similar effect. The inhibited acetate-oxidizing system of the cells was stimulated by succinate or glutamate at pH 7.5 but not at pH 5.5.
Grammatical relations as determinants of sentence similarity

Generalization of a motor response among the kernel, passive, negative, and passivenegative forms of a number of sentences was investigated. The generalization among such constructions, relative to generalization among unrelated sentences, was found to be highly significant. A distance metric was used to compare the generalization decrements obtained between the various constructions. It was found that the distance between sentences related by the passive transformation was less than the distance between sentences related by the negative transformation, or by the combination of the negative and passive transformations. The distance between sentences related by the negative transformation was not consistently less than the distance between sentences related by the combination of passive and negative transformations. However, when the possible orders of application of the transformations were taken into account, it appeared that the distance between sentences related by the combination of passive and negative transformations equalled the sum of the distance between sentences related by the passive transformation and the distance between sentences related by the negative transformation. The implications of current linguistic analyses calling into question the transformational nature of the relationships among the sentences were briefly considered.
TRANSLUMINAL TREATMENT OF ARTERIOSCLEROTIC OBSTRUCTION. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW TECHNIC AND A PRELIMINARY REPORT OF ITS APPLICATION.

The rationale and technic of a new procedure—transluminal recanalization of arterio-sclerotic obstructions—has been described. Of the 11 extremities treated, six have shown marked improvement (four amputations averted). It is reasonable to assume that with a perfected technic and patients with less advanced disease, the percentage of successful recanalizations would increase. Early treatment with this technic may well prevent otherwise serious disease, not just prevent amputation of extremities not suitable for definitive surgery. We are satisfied that percutaneous transluminal recanalization is the treatment of choice for many lesions of the femoral and popliteal arteries. We believe this method is ready for application to obstructions up to approximately 10 cm. by those skilled in the use of vascular catheters. No doubt the interest and ingenuity of others will lead to refinements of technic as well as further clarification of the role of this attack on arteriosclerotic obstructions.
Impact of polymer modulus/chain mobility on water accumulation at polymer/metal oxide interfaces

Moisture is known to accumulate at the interface between polymers and metal oxides, leading to detrimental effects on physical properties such as modulus and adhesion. Direct measurement of the interfacial moisture profile has been carried out with neutron reflectivity, while thickness dependent swelling of a thin film series has also been also utilized to indirectly assess the interfacial moisture content. In this work, the moisture adsorption on the clean surfaces is compared to that observed when the surface is coated with a series of polymer films. The mechanical properties of the polymer appear to impact the quantity of moisture adsorbed at the interface; surprisingly less moisture accumulates at the interface if the coating is rubbery (larger intrinsic mobility of polymer chains). For glassy polymers, the total accumulation at the interface is identical to the adsorption on the clean metal oxide surface. This result potentially provides an understanding of solvent distribution in glassy nanocomposites by measuring moisture adsorption onto the bare filler materials prior to incorporation into the polymer matrix.
The use of strategy in debate

(1925). The use of strategy in debate. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 368-372.
Effect of solvent on the histamine-releasing, enzyme-releasing, and mitogenic properties of the calcium ionophore A23187☆

Abstract The potency of the calcium ionophore A23187 in inducing three activities of human leukocytes (histamine secretion from basophils, enzyme secretion from PMNs, and proliferation of lymphocytes) was markedly dependent on the solvent (DMSO versus ethanol versus aqueous buffer) used for its initial sonication. While 0.1 μg/ml of DMSO- and ethanol-solubilized A23187 induced maximal histamine release from basophils and histaminase release from PMNs, concentrations of aqueous buffer-sonicated ionophore of ≥ 1 μ g/ml were required for an equivalent response. Ionophore sonicated in organic solvents caused a maximum release of 40% of PMN s-glucuronidase, at an optimal concentration tenfold higher than that required for maximal histamine release; ionophore sonicated in aqueous buffers, even at high concentrations, effected a release of less than 5% of cellular s-glucuronidase. A23187 also induced lymphocyte proliferation over a narrow concentration range; 0.05 μg/ml of DMSO-sonicated ionophore induced optimal proliferation and concentrations ≥0.2 μ g/ml were toxic. Twofold higher concentrations of ethanol-sonicated ionophore and fourfold higher concentrations of aqueous-sonicated ionophore were necessary for maximal proliferation, and the magnitude of the maximal response with aqueous-sonicated A23187 was only one-half that of DMSO-solubilized agent. Ionophore-induced release of histamine from basophils and enzymes from PMNs was not cytotoxic, since ionophore induced neither LDH nor histamine release from heat-treated (47°C) cells. These results explain several previous, discortant reports on the presence or absence of an effect of A23187 on cellular secretory events, on differing dose-response relationships, and on cytotoxic versus noncytotoxic mechanisms of action.
Parenting Competency Across Pregnancy and Postpartum Among Urban Minority Women

Taking a life-course perspective, we explored the sense of parenting efficacy during the pregnancy-postpartum transition among a group under-represented in much of adult developmental research, minority women. Our intent was to describe the women's report of parenting competency in a major life transition occurring within the context of an impoverished urban environment. We also explored associations with depression, social support, and life events. One hundred and eighty-two African-American and Hispanic mothers at community health centers in low-income urban areas completed measures early in the third trimester and again at 3 months postpartum. Across time, the levels of reported parental efficacy and satisfaction increased while depressive symptoms decreased. Negative life events and levels of depressive symptomatology differentially influenced women's experience of parenting satisfaction and efficacy feelings before and after their babies were born.
Muslim Women in France and Morocco: Applying Grounded Theory Methodology for Research in French and Francophone Studies

Comparative studies are of increasing importance when trying to understand population groups that shape French and francophone societies. When these groups are involved in social and cultural changes, interdisciplinary research is especially valuable. This article argues that Grounded Theory methodology is helpful when studying issues of change in a comparative setting. Grounded Theory, which allows for maximum flexibility, aims at inducting theory from interview data collected in such a way so as to allow respondents to speak on their own terms. This reduces the risk of an analytical framework imported from one context leading to misreading of experiences shaped in other contexts. The major strategy is a general method of comparative analysis that aims at explanation of behavior. This article describes application and outcomes of this methodology in examining attitudes and perceptions of Moroccan women and women of Moroccan origin in France.
Integrating visual information from successive fixations

One of the classic problems in perception is how visual information from successive fixations of a scene is integrated to form a coherent view of the scene. The results of this experiment implicate a process that integrates by summing information from successive fixations after spatially reconciling the information from each glimpse. The output of this process is a memory image that preserves the properly reconciled information from successive fixations.
Stochastic Modelling of Multiple Random Genetic Mutations Under the Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis

The probability distribution for the size of each of the various cancer cell subpopulations created by random genetic mutations is expressed in the case of non-exponential growth of cancer and in the case of a heterogeneous tumor cell population.
Patterns of communities in the tropics

Tropical countries have many times more species of most taxa than temperate ones, and small areas in the tropics have a smaller multiple of the number of species of small temperate areas. Where many species are present, abundances tend to be more equal and geographic distributions more spotty. Most tropical environments are less seasonal and more productive, and the dry areas and mountains which are relatively more seasonal and less productive have fewer species. The species which have reached offshore islands are often much commoner there and occupy expanded habitats. To account for these relations, the following general hypothesis seems necessary:species interactions are important and the tropics have a head start on speciation. The head start, or greater rate, allows extra species to pile up in the tropics, but because of the importance of competition, no single area becomes as greatly enriched. Rather, faunal differences between areas increase. The lesser excess of tropical species in small areas is largely due to greater productivity and reduced seasonality which make marginal ways of life profitable. With more overlap in resources, the closely packed tropical species have more uniform abundances and the coexistence of these species is more precarious, causing the spotty geographic distributions. Neither the species diversity of the food supply nor the longer breeding season (supposedly allowing staggered nesting seasons with an early shift and a later shift) is relevant to bird species diversity.
Identification of Conformational Substates in Oxymyoglobin through the pH-Dependence of the Low-Temperature Photoproduct Yield

The effect of pH on the inner barrier to oxygen binding in myoglobin has been examined through a study of the pH-dependence of the low-temperature photoproduct yield for horse oxymyoglobin (MbO2). ...
Precautionary Savings Behavior of Maritally Stressed Couples

According to precautionary savings theory, households tend to save more when future income is less certain. Divorce often results in reduced levels of household income and individual consumption comparable to other potential income shocks. Households that will divorce or separate in 5 years are identified from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1994–1999) to determine whether these households maintain greater wealth holdings in anticipation of divorce. When spouses earn comparable incomes, divorce-prone households have significantly higher wealth levels (p < .01) than households that remain married. When there is a higher-earning spouse, households have significantly lower wealth levels (p < .01) than households that remain married. Results suggest that spouses with comparable earnings treat divorce as a wealth shock, whereas higher-earning spouses rationally dissave when divorce is imminent. Equitable wealth allocation for lower-earning spouses may require a more detailed investigation of predivorce wealth changes.
Calculation of Exchange Second Virial Coefficient of a Hard‐Sphere Gas by Path Integrals

By direct examination of the path (Wiener)-integral representation of the diffusion Green’s function in the presence of an opaque sphere, we are able to obtain upper and lower bounds for that Green’s function. These bounds are asymptotically correct for short-time, even in the shadow region. Essentially, we have succeeded in showing that diffusion probabilities for short-time intervals are concentrated mainly on the optical path. By integrating the Green’s function, we obtain upper- and lower-bound estimates for the exchange part of the second virial coefficient of a hard-sphere gas.
Epidemiology of breast cancer in older women: implications for future healthcare.

Breast cancer in elderly women is already a significant public health problem. Elderly women have a 6-fold higher breast cancer incidence rate and 8-fold higher mortality rate compared with non-elderly women. Because of demographic trends, the number of elderly women diagnosed with breast cancer is likely to increase substantially in the coming decades. Specifically, if incidence rates remain constant, we project a 72% increase in the number of elderly women in the US diagnosed with breast cancer by 2025, an increase from approximately 89 500 in 1998 to almost 154 000 in 2025. If this projection holds true, the sheer magnitude of the increase in patients has profound implications for the delivery of medical care. Considerable planning is needed to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to effectively treat these patients. The burgeoning number of elderly patients with breast cancer accentuates the need for more definitive evidence concerning preventing and treating breast cancer in the elderly. Treatment patterns for elderly patients with breast cancer have been shown to differ from those for non-elderly patients, but the evidence base for differentiating treatment plans by age is deficient. For example, information is needed to tease apart the relative importance of age per se compared with important age-related factors, such as comorbidity. Patient care will benefit from an interdisciplinary team approach that includes oncologists, geriatricians, surgeons, radiation oncologists, nurses and social workers. The continued increase in life expectancy necessitates well-crafted strategies for the primary and secondary prevention of breast cancer. Carefully addressing the priorities for breast cancer prevention and control in the elderly during the first portion of the century may reap substantial dividends by the end of the century.
A Critique of Six Measures for Assessing Creativity

Tests and measures of creativity are critical instruments guiding educators in identifying highly productive individuals capable of contributing insightful and far reaching solutionsto ourproblem ridden civilization. This paperanalyzesand critiques six popularlyused measures ofcreativity: 1) The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking by E. Paul Torrance (1966); 2) The Creativity Assessment Packet by frank Williams (1980); three subtests of divergent production of the 3) Structure ofthe Intellect Learning Abilities Test by Mary Meeker; 4) Thinking Creatively With Sounds and Words by E. Paul Torrance, Joe Khatena and Bert F. Cunnington (1973); 5) Thinking Creatively In Action and Movement by E. Paul Torrance (1981); 6) Khatena-Torrance Creative Perception Inventory by Joe Khatena & E. Paul Torrance (1976). Reviewed through personal observation and published literature, these tests reveal a capacity as partial measures of divergent and productive thinking. Findings indicate that updating and upgrading of several tests with thought toward key constituent factors of the creative process would be qualitatively beneficial to test design. Harnessing creative potential is a main concern of educators hoping to prepare America's youth for a fast paced and rapidly changing existence. The questions at the heart of this concern: what creativity is, what constitutes creative thinking, and what the creative individual is like, have given birth to many tests and biographical checklists. Understanding the dimensions ofcreativity is difficult at best, and assessing it through tests or biographical checklists is even more problematic. Through direct examination and a review ofthe literature, this paper critiques six such measures for validity, reliability and utility. Those measures included: the Creativity Assessment Packet (CAP), the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TICT), Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement, Thinking Creatively with Sound and Words, Khatena-Torrance Creative Perception Inventory, and three divergent thinking subtests ofthe Structure of Intellect Learning Abilities Test (SOl-LA).
Insertion of Colicin E1 into Omp TolC is Mediated by the Ordered Segment of Translocation Domain

Cellular import of nuclease colicins through the outer membrane utilizes the OmpF porin; crystal structures imply that a disordered N-terminal segment initiates insertion1,2. Colicin E1 utilizes the drug export protein, TolC.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint SlideRecombinant colicin peptides spanning the N-terminal translocation and receptor-binding domains were used to define TolC-binding site(s). Far-UV CD spectra showed that the N-terminal 40 residue segment lacks ordered secondary structure, while near-UV spectra imply tight packing around aromatic residues. Peptide ‘41-190’ is helical (78%). High helix content and significant cooperativity of melting of receptor(BtuB)-binding domain implies a coiled-coil conformation. Binding of colicin N-terminal peptides to TolC was tested using size-exclusion chromatography and occlusion of TolC channels3. The ‘41-190’ peptide co-eluted with TolC, whereas ‘1-81’ peptide and TolC eluted separately. Channel activity was assayed with TolC reconstituted into planar bilayers. While the ‘41-190’ peptide caused closure of TolC channels, the ‘1-40’ and ‘1-81’ peptides did not occlude. Peptides ’82-140’ and ‘141-190’ were active in TolC channel closure, although less efficiently than peptide ’41-190’ [NIH GM18457; Henry Koffler Professorship].1EMBO J., 27, 2171-2180, 2008;2PNAS, 107, 21412-21417, 2010;3Biophys. J., 87, 3901-3911, 2004.
“No donor”? Consider a haploidentical transplant

Abstract Haploidentical stem cell transplantation (HaploSCT) is an attractive option for patients requiring a hematopoietic stem cell transplant who do not have an HLA-matched donor, because it is cheaper, can be performed faster, and may extend transplantation to virtually all patients in need. Significant advances have been made in the recent decade with dramatic improvement in treatment outcomes. Historically, overcoming the HLA-incompatibility barrier has been a significant limitation to the expansion of this form of transplant. While ex vivo T-cell depletion effectively prevented the development of acute GVHD, it was associated with a higher treatment-related mortality, in excess of 40% in some series, due to a significant delay in recovery of the adaptive immune system. Newer methods have successfully maintained the memory T cells in the graft and/or selectively depleted alloreactive T cells, and are associated with improved treatment outcomes. Post-transplant cyclophosphamide for GVHD prevention has proven very effective in controlling GVHD with lower incidence of infectious complications and treatment-related mortality—as low as 7% at 1 year—and has become the new standard in how this transplant is performed. Here, we reviewed the current experience with this approach and various other strategies employed to control alloreactivity in this setting, including selective depletion of T cells from the graft, as well as we discuss post-transplantation therapy to prevent disease relapse and improve immunologic reconstitution.
Energy bands and forbidden gaps in the Kronig-Penney model

The conventional form of the energy-crystal-momentum relations for the Kronig-Penney model is rewritten in a form amenable to qualitative analysis. The results of a complete analysis are summarized.
Urine Mercury Excretion Following meso-Dimercaptosuccinic Acid Challenge in Fish Eaters

Abstract Context.—Public awareness of methylmercury in fish has caused patients to seek testing for mercury poisoning. In some patients, the diagnosis of mercury poisoning has been made based on urine mercury excretions following oral dosing of meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), a metal chelator. However, studies comparing urine mercury excretion following DMSA in healthy non–fish eaters with healthy fish eaters could not be located. Objectives.—To describe urinary mercury excretion before and after DMSA in healthy fish eaters and non–fish eaters, and to determine whether urine mercury excretion after DMSA would rise above baseline levels to a greater extent in fish eaters. Design.—A total of 24 healthy physicians were assigned to 1 of 3 groups based on fish consumption: non–fish eaters; 1 to 2 fish servings per week; and 3 or more servings per week. Blood mercury concentrations and 12-hour urine mercury and creatinine excretions were measured before and after oral ingestion of 30 mg of DMSA per kilogra...
Ouabain-Binding Protein(s) From Human Plasma

Conservation of the binding site on mammalian Na+,K+-ATPase for cardiac glycosides and the importance of the Na+ pump in mammalian cellular physiology has stimulated the search for a mammalian analog of these plant compounds. One candidate, isolated from brain and blood, appears to be ouabain itself or a closely related isomer, the ouabain-like compound. Little is known about the circulating form. Because human steroid hormones circulate with carrier proteins, we produced a ouabain-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb 1-10) and used it to probe normal human plasma for ouabain-protein carrier complex. Ouabain-like biological activity was isolated in association with protein bands of 80, 50, and 25 kDa. These proteins appear to be human immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin-like because they are recognized by anti-human immunoglobulin antibodies, but not by anti-mouse immunoglobulin antibodies. The protein-containing fractions inhibit the binding of mAb 1-10 to immobilized ouabain, and with further purification on protein A, the immunoglobulin-like protein binds radioactive ouabain with an IC50 of 200 to 600 nmol/L, but binds digoxin with 100-fold less affinity, suggesting specificity for ouabain or its isomer. Active protein fractions after purification on C18 inhibit Na+ pump activity in human erythrocytes (IC50 approximately 4 nmol/L, ouabain equivalents), and this chromatography appears to dissociate the ouabain-like compound from the immunoglobulin protein(s). These immunoglobulin-like molecules may represent a subset of immunoglobulins (< or =0.5% of total protein A immunoglobulin) that function as a reservoir and delivery system for ouabain-like compounds in the modulation of human Na+, K+-ATPase in vivo.
Staging of Pacific flyway brant in relation to eelgrass abundance and site isolation, with special consideration of Humboldt Bay, California

Spring distributions of black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) are closely related to that of their primary food plant, eelgrass (Zostera marina).Using historical (1931–2001) brant data from Humboldt Bay, California, we show that proportional use of two main feeding areas in the bay strongly reflects food abundance.We used multiple regression to investigate whether the spatial relationship between brant and eelgrass holds at the flyway level.We related peak brant numbers at 11 staging areas in the Pacific flyway to the sites’ Z. marina abundance and isolation from other important staging areas.We explained 90% of the variation in peak brant numbers across sites with these variables; isolated bays with high eelgrass abundance supported the most brant.Our results emphasize the importance of protecting large eelgrass habitats along the Pacific Coast, particularly in bays that are geographically isolated from other large staging areas. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd.All rights reserved.
Function and dysfunction of presenilin in Alzheimer’s disease

Presenilins are the major genes responsible for familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD). To elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms underlying FAD mutations, we employ advanced genetic approaches to investigate the normal function of presenilin in the brain and the dysfunction caused by disease causing mutations. Through development and multidisciplinary analysis of a number of cell type specific conditional mutant mice, we defined essential roles of presenilins in processes that are highly relevant to AD pathogenesis, such as memory, synaptic function and age-related neuronal survival. Our detailed analysis further elucidated the mechanisms by which presenilins regulate these processes, and whether presenilins regulate these processes via Notch receptors and in a γ-secretase-dependent manner. We also investigated the effects of various missense mutations in presenilin-1 associated with either FAD or frontotemporal dementia using both culture systems and knockin mice, and discovered their distinct molecular mechanisms. While FAD mutations cause partial to complete loss of γ-secretase activity in cis, mutant proteins further interfere the function of wild-type proteins in trans. The implications of our in vivo studies to disease mechanisms will be discussed.
Electroproduction at large momentum transfers

Abstract The possibilitis of electroproduction experiments at a facility such as the proposed European electron accelerator are discussed. Examples given are from studies of hadronization, color transparency, backward production, virtual Compton scattering and target spectator decay. Some conclusions about machine parameters are drawn.
Detection of Anti-West Nile Virus Immunoglobulin M in Chicken Serum by an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

The emergence of West Nile (WN) virus in New York and the surrounding area in 1999 prompted an increase in surveillance measures throughout the United States, including the screening of sentinel chicken flocks for antibodies. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of chicken immunoglobulin M (IgM) to WN virus was developed, standardized, and characterized as a rapid and sensitive means to detect WN viral antibodies in sentinel flocks. Serum specimens from experimentally infected chickens were analyzed by using this assay, and IgM was detected as early as 3 to 7 days postinfection. Persistence of IgM varied from at least 19 to more than 61 days postinfection, which indicates the need to bleed sentinel flocks at least every 2 weeks for optimal results if this method is to be used as a screening tool. The ELISA was compared to hemagglutination-inhibition and plaque reduction neutralization tests and was found to be the method of choice when early detection of WN antibody is required. House sparrows and rock doves are potential free-ranging sentinel species for WN virus, and the chicken WN IgM-capture ELISA was capable of detecting anti-WN IgM in house sparrow serum samples from laboratory-infected birds but not from rock dove serum samples. The chicken WN IgM-capture ELISA detected anti-WN antibodies in serum samples from naturally infected chickens. It also detected IgM in serum samples from two species of geese and from experimentally infected ring-necked pheasants, American crows, common grackles, and redwinged blackbirds. However, the test was determined to be less appropriate than an IgG (IgY)-based assay for use with free-ranging birds. The positive-to-negative ratios in the ELISA were similar regardless of the strain of WN viral antigen used, and only minimal cross-reactivity was observed between the WN and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) IgM-capture ELISAs. A blind-coded serum panel was tested, and the chicken WN IgM-capture ELISA produced consistent results, with the exception of one borderline result. A preliminary test was done to assess the feasibility of a combined SLE and WN IgM-capture ELISA, and results were promising.
Analytic Study of Performance of Error Estimators for Linear Discriminant Analysis

We derive double asymptotic analytical expressions for the first moments, second moments, and cross-moments with the actual error for the resubstitution and leave-one-out error estimators in the case of linear discriminant analysis in the multivariate Gaussian model under the assumption of a common known covariance matrix and a fixed Mahalanobis distance as dimensionality approaches infinity. Sample sizes for the two classes need not be the same; they are only assumed to reach a fixed, but arbitrary, asymptotic ratio with the dimensionality. From the asymptotic moment representations, we directly obtain double asymptotic expressions for the bias, variance, and RMS of the error estimators. The asymptotic expressions presented here generally provide good small sample approximations, as demonstrated via numerical experiments. The applicability of the theoretical results is illustrated by finding the minimum sample size to bound the RMS in gene-expression classification.
Increased seizure threshold in mice lacking aquaporin-4 water channels

Aquaporins are intrinsic membrane proteins involved in water transport in fluid-transporting tissues. In the brain, aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is expressed widely by glial cells, but its function is unclear. Extensive basic and clinical studies indicate that osmolarity affects seizure susceptibility, and in our previous studies we found that AQP4 -/- mice have an elevated seizure threshold in response to the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazol. In this study, we examined the seizure phenotype of AQP4 -/- mice in greater detail using in vivo electroencephalographic recording. AQP4 -/- mice were found to have dramatically longer stimulation-evoked seizures following hippocampal stimulation as well as a higher seizure threshold. These results implicate AQP4 in water and potassium regulation associated with neuronal activity and seizures.