cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
242 DEVELOPMENT OF BAC FISH PROBES FOR GENETIC ANALYSIS OF NON-HUMAN PRIMATE GAMETES AND EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Several factors relating to reproductive health and gamete competence must be considered when implementing programs for propagation of genetically valuable primates via natural breeding or assisted reproductive technologies. These relevant factors include ascertaining gamete chromosome normality of individuals. Our early attempts at characterizing aneuploidy levels of gametes within a model primate species, the rhesus macaque, utilizing Vysis centromeric fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) probes, failed to produce a signal. Commercially available probe sets for interphase cytogenetics rely partly on repetitive DNA probes. Therefore, we have employed either pools of human BACs or clones selected from a rhesus macaque BAC library for interphase cytogenetics. Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) FISH probes specific to regions of human DNA that are homologous to macaque DNA were produced, in collaboration with researchers at the University of California-Davis. The most common aneuploidies implicated in human birth defects or pregnancy failures are those involving the sex chromosomes and chromosomes HSA (human) 13, 16, 18, and 21 (Munne 2003 Placenta 24, 70–76). Hence, we have initially used human BAC FISH probes on the equivalent chromosome homologs in Macaca mulatta (MMU): X, Y, MMU 17 (HSA13), MMU 20 (HSA16), and MMU18 (HSA18). The homolog of HSA 21 is part of a larger chromosome in the macaque (MMU3) that also contains HSA 7 (based on nomenclature by Cambefort et al. 1976 Ann. Genet. 19, 5–9). Since aneuploidy has been linked to chromosome size and MMU3 is large, this macaque chromosome may be involved in aneuploidies. In addition, we determined the suitability of commercially available “chromosome paints” that target repetitive sequences and are widely used in determining karyotypes in human fertility clinics. Initial work was performed on cultured macaque blood cells exposed to Colcemid. Our preliminary data clearly demonstrate the feasibility of using probes that are commonly used in the analysis of human karyotypes to examine chromosomal anomalies in macaque gametes and embryos. Additional probes for other chromosomes are currently under investigation. The development of a large panel of available probes will provide a rapid and accurate method to assess aneuploidy/mosaicism levels in genetically valuable primate spermatozoa, in vitro-matured oocytes and blastomeres of IVP embryos. Furthermore, these probes will be useful to determine the karyotypic normalcy of cultured non-human primate embryonic stem cells. This research has been supported by the University of New Orleans to CAB, Tulane National Primate Research Center base grant NIH 5P51 RR00164-41, and the Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation Cellular Imaging Facility.
The Formation of the Emergency Medical Services System

The evolution of the emergency medical services system in the United States accelerated rapidly between 1960 and 1973 as a result of a number of medical, historical, and social forces. Current emergency medical services researchers, policy advocates, and administrators must acknowledge these forces and their limitations and work to modify the system into one that provides uniformly high-quality acute care to all patients, improves the overall public health through injury control and disease prevention programs, participates as a full partner in disease surveillance, and is prepared to address new community needs of all types.
New interpretation of the pion--nucleus optical potential for pionic atoms

It is shown that if the P-wave interaction volumes relevant for construction of the pion-nucleus optical potential used in pionic atom studies turn out to be simply related empirically to the free-space pion-nucleon scattering volumes, then this would be indicative of both sets of quantities being dominated by the DELTA (1236 MeV), which is to be treated as an independent baryonic excitation in nuclei. Within this framework, a simple derivation of modifications to the optical potential coming from baryon-baryon shont-range correlations is given. (auth)
Atomic emission spectrometry of trace levels of beryllium in industrial aerosols

A direct, sensitive, rapid and simple direct current plasma atomic emission spectrometric method was developed to measure traces of beryllium in industrial aerosol samples. The response is linear from 0.001 µg Be/mL to 5 µg Be/mL. Cellulose fiber and cellulose ester membrane filters are wet ashed with mineral acids. “Filtrete” filters are first dry ashed and subsequently treated with mineral acids. All Be is solubilized in 5% HCl and is measured using a Direct Current Plasma Emission Spectrometer at a wavelength of 234.9 nM. Quality control measures include analysis of reagents, blanks, spikes and NBS standard reference materials. Results of analysis of industrial samples collected in different filter media are reported. Some particle size measurements made with a new adaptation of a multicyclone sampler and with a Mercer impactor are also reported. Iron interferes with the Be measurement when it is present in very large concentrations.
A thin-layer chromatographic method for the analysis of thyroidal iodoamino acids

Abstract Many methods of paper or ion-exchange chromatographic separation of iodine-containing amino acids in the thyroid gland have been published. Thin-layer techniques appear to have been ignored, although Hollingsworth (1) and Schneider (2) have described unidimensional systems capable of resolving synthetic mixtures of iodotyrosines and iodothyronines. However, these methods were not applied to thyroid hydrolysates by these authors. The thin-layer chromatographic method (TLC) offers a number of important advantages over the older chromatographic techniques. We therefore developed a simple and effective bidimensional procedure for the analysis of iodinated amino acids in thyroid hydrolysates. The method allows the detection and chemical quantitation of these iodoamino acids with no need for radioactive iodine as a tracer. It also is well suited to the determination of specific activities after the administration of radioactive iodine.
PVT scaling parameters for polymer melts. II. Error in all variables

An algorithm is discussed for determining best-fit scaling parameters in the PVT equation of state of polymer melts from experimental data. The underlying theoretical expressions are those employed in our preceding work. There it was assumed that values of pressure and temperature are known exactly and experimental uncertainty was admitted in the volume solely. This condition is now relaxed to allow for errors in P and T also. The methodology developed involves multiple small nonlinear fitting problems for two or three unknowns at a time. We employ it on the experimental data base in the earlier work, which consists of 11 polymer melts. To these is added ethylene monomer, analyzed earlier by Nies et al. by different methods. The numerical values of the scaling parameters differ by at most a fraction of a percent from those in the earlier computations and enhance the accuracy of fit but slightly. The significant improvement over the consecutive procedure (analysis of atmospheric pressure isobar, followed by isotherms at elevated pressures), seen earlier, continues therefore. The scaling parameters so obtained should represent the ultimate in computational accuracy consistent with a specified experimental accuracy. This may have a bearing ultimately on the issue of modeling molecular characteristics, expressed through the scaling parameters, versus macroscopic properties. Using the parameters determined here, it is shown that the entropy is correlated with the scaling temperature and that the flexibility parameter is related to polymer complexity.
Phosphorylation of Tyrosine 537 on the Human Estrogen Receptor Is Required for Binding to an Estrogen Response Element

We report here that the phosphorylation of tyrosine 537 on the human estrogen receptor (hER) controls the receptor's dimerization and DNA binding ability. The DNA-binding form of both the hER from human MCF-7 mammary carcinoma cells and the hER overexpressed in Sf9 insect cells was isolated using estrogen response element (ERE) affinity chromatography. Western blot analyses demonstrated that the DNA-binding form of the hER from MCF-7 or Sf9 cells was (i) phosphorylated at tyrosine 537, (ii) localized in the nucleus of estradiol-treated MCF-7 cells with an apparent molecular mass of 67 kDa, and (iii) hyperphosphorylated at serine residue(s). The non-DNA-binding form of the hER was (i) devoid of phosphorylation at tyrosine 537, (ii) cytosolic with an apparent molecular mass of 66 kDa, and (iii) hypophosphorylated at serine residue(s). The dephosphorylation of the purified hER at phosphotyrosine 537 with a tyrosine phosphatase eliminated binding to an ERE in a gel mobility shift assay. The binding of the tyrosine-dephosphorylated hER to an ERE was restored by the rephosphorylation of tyrosine 537 with Src family tyrosine kinases, p60c-arc or p56lck. Mutation of tyrosine 537 to phenylalanine confirmed that the phosphorylation of tyrosine 537 is necessary for the hER to bind an ERE. An anti-hER antibody restored the binding of the tyrosine-dephosphorylated hER to an ERE, indicating that the bivalent anti-hER antibody brought together the two inactive hER monomers. A far-Western blot confirmed that phosphotyrosine 537 is required for hER homodimerization. These experiments establish that dimerization of the hER and DNA binding are regulated by phosphorylation at tyrosine 537. This is the first demonstration of the regulation of dimerization of a steroid hormone receptor by phosphorylation. These results are significant since p60c-arc is overexpressed in estrogen-dependent breast cancers and may act to enhance the activity of the hER.
Should a Woman Age 70 to 80 Years Receive Radiation After Breast-Conserving Surgery?

Case 1: A 72-year-old woman presents with a palpable mass detected during yearly physical examination by her primary care physician. She has controlled hypertension and remains active, playing tennis three times a week. Physical examination reveals a 1.5 cm mass in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast with no palpable axillary lymphadenopathy. Diagnostic imaging reveals a suspicious mass, and core biopsy confirms invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) that is estrogen receptor moderately positive (60%), progesterone receptor negative and Her2-neu that is not overexpressed. She undergoes a wide local excision and sentinel node biopsy. Pathology reveals a 1.5 cm IDC that is high grade without lymphovascular invasion (LVI). The margins are negative with the closest laterally at 2 mm. One sentinel node is negative for metastasis. Case 2: A 72-year-old woman presents with an abnormal screening mammogram that shows a small area of architectural distortion in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast (Fig 1). ...
A transform technique for time-varying linear hybrid systems

A computationally oriented transform technique for the analysis of time-varying linear systems involving both discrete-time (i.e., sampled-data) variables and continuous-time variables is presented in this paper. Finite-dimensional representations are described for the various linear operators involved, and methods for obtaining singular-value decompositions of these operators are given. The three parts of the singular-value decomposition are analogous to the direct transform, transfer function, and inverse transform of Laplace and Fourier transforms, and offer analogous insights into analysis and synthesis problems. An example is included to illustrate the analysis procedures.
Effective marketing of a closed-loop supply chain network : A fuzzy QFD approach

Both consumer and government concerns for the environment are driving many original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to engage in additional series of activities stemming from the reverse supply chain. The combination of forward/traditional supply chain and reverse supply chain forms the closed-loop supply chain. Apart from its efficient design, the success of a closed-loop supply chain network depends on its marketing strategy as well. Hence, it is important that the planned marketing strategy be evaluated with respect to the drivers of public participation in the network. To this end, we identify the important drivers of public participation and propose a fuzzy Quality Function Deployment based methodology and method of total preferences to evaluate the marketing strategy of a closed-loop supply chain with respect to those drivers. A numerical example is considered to illustrate the methodology.
Transmission of corneal collagen during ArF excimer laser ablation.

The time-resolved transmission of collagen films and 10-μm sections of bovine cornea during ArF laser ablation has been investigated. The film studies were performed on thin layers of extracted bovine corneal collagen, the principal chromophore in 193 nm photoablation. Transmission measurements were made on both dry and water-saturated films to assess the sensitivity of the ablation process to hydration. Distinct transient optical changes were observed in both fully desiccated and rehydrated films. Dehydrated films exhibit rapid reduction in film absorption over the time-course of the ablating laser pulse, presumably due to chromophore bleaching or annihilation. In contrast, rehydrated films demonstrate a short-lived enhancement of the attenuation. In either case, a single ablative laser pulse increased the long-term transmission of the film, although this increase was a factor of five greater for dehydrated films than for rehydrated samples. Results obtained from corneal tissue sections were essentially identical to those derived from hydrated collagen films. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Aspects of “Reality” and Ways of Knowing in Nursing: In Search of an Integrating Paradigm

Types of knowledge, theory and research needed in a practice-oriented discipline are considered in relation to different “aspects of reality.” Major changes in nursing epistemology are reviewed to show an expanding model of inquiry. It is argued that a paradigm which recognizes a spectrum of reality from “body” through “mind” to “spirit” provides a philosophical basis for understanding the necessity of multiple modes of inquiry and multiple types of knowledge and theory. From this perspective, fundamentally different modes of inquiry are seen as complementary rather than competitive or inherently superior or inferior.
Quantum oscillation in HgTe

Abstract Quantum oscillation of magnetoresistivity (Shubnikov-de Haas effect) has been studied in n-type HgTe crystals. From the temperature dependence of the oscillation amplitude the effective mass of electrons was obtained. Using Kane's formula for nonparabolic conduction band, it was found that E o = −0.29 eV and P =8.3 × 10 −8 eV cm.
Salicylamide I. Absorption, Excretion, and Blood Levels

An investigation of salicylamide blood levels in rabbits showed that maximum levels are reached in one hour falling rapidly thereafter, until the blood is practically free of drug in three to four hours. Absorption is rapid from the gastrointestinal tract. Excretion is also rapid, 81 per cent being recovered in the urine in four hours. The method of analysis employed is essentially that of Brodie, Udenfriend, and Coburn for salicylate, but preceded by acid hydrolsis. The hydrolytic treatment is believed to remove the glycuronide, freeing tie reactive phenolic hydroxyl group.
Abstract 4555: ERβ alters cell growth and the DNA damage response in lung cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, in both men and women. Estrogen receptors that mediate the biological effects of estrogen and ant-estrogens are very important for the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation in various human tissues. Recent data suggest that estrogen receptors may affect the initiation and progression of lung cancer. Here we show that estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) is expressed endogenously and it is localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus in the lung cancer cell line A549. Treatment of these cells with 17beta-estradiol does not alter the subcellular distribution of ERβ. Induction in the expression of ERβ in the same cells inhibits cell growth and modulates their resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy in a ligand-independent manner. These results suggest ERβ as an important player in biology of lung cancer and a potentially useful component in the clinical management of the disease. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4555. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4555
Conservation and divergence in plant microRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression in eukaryotic cells. The past decade has seen an explosion in our understanding of the sets of miRNA genes encoded in the genomes in different species of plants and the mechanisms by which miRNAs interact with target RNAs. A subset of miRNA families (and their binding sites in target RNAs) are conserved between angiosperms and basal plants, suggesting they predate the divergence of existing lineages of plants. However, the majority of miRNA families expressed by any given plant species have a narrow phylogenetic distribution. As a group, these “young” miRNAs genes appear to be evolutionarily fluid and lack clearly understood biological function. The goal of this review is to summarize our understanding of the sets of miRNA genes and miRNA targets that exist in various plant species and to discuss hypotheses that explain the patterns of conservation and divergence observed among microRNAs in plants.
The Order Upper Bound on Parity Embedding of a Graph

A graph?isparity embeddedin a surface if a closed path in the graph is orientation preserving or reversing according to whether its length is even or odd. Theparity demigenusof?is the minimum of 2??(S) (where?is the Euler characteristic) over all surfacesSin which?can be parity embedded. We calculate the maximum parity demigenus over all graphs, simple or not, of ordern.
Intramuscular midazolam versus intravenous lorazepam for the prehospital treatment of status epilepticus in the pediatric population

Although seizures arise from many etiologies, prolonged seizure activity from any cause is a dangerous neurologic emergency in both adults and children. Regardless of the initially precipitating cause, seizures that do not terminate spontaneously or with early treatment often create positive feedback loops in which the seizure becomes self-perpetuating, resulting in status epilepticus (SE). Despite its many disparate triggers, SE is a relatively homogenous pathophysiologic process for which the initial acute treatment, benzodiazepines, is the same regardless of the etiology or age of the patient.1,2 In the prehospital setting and in the emergency department (ED), conventional first-line therapy for patients with SE is intravenous (IV) diazepam or lorazepam.2,3 However, establishing an IV line in convulsing patients, especially in the prehospital setting, can be challenging and can delay treatment. Intramuscular (IM) delivery of midazolam has been advocated as an alternative treatment, but prior to 2012, it had not been demonstrated to be as safe or effective as IV treatment.4,5 The Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial (RAMPART) was a randomized controlled clinical trial designed to determine whether IM midazolam was non-inferior to IV lorazepam in adults and children with prehospital SE.6 Published in 2012, RAMPART showed that those randomized to IM midazolam were more likely to have terminated seizures prior to ED arrival and were less likely to require hospital ward or intensive care unit (ICU) admission. RAMPART included pediatric patients because children and adolescents constitute a substantial proportion of those with prehospital SE. Preliminary surveys were performed to ensure that the study population would have a sufficient representation of children. Given the consistency of the underlying biology of SE in adults and children, RAMPART was powered to test the primary noninferiority hypothesis in the overall cohort with results applicable to the general population of patients. Although it was not designed to evaluate efficacy separately in either the adult or pediatric subpopulation, the data obtained included a large number of nonadult patients. The RAMPART study represents the largest prospective clinical trial experience with prehospital SE in children and adolescents. The goal of this study is to describe and clinically characterize this unique cohort. Post hoc subgroup analyses by age and safety outcomes by age are also explored.
Simultaneous bilateral native nephrectomy and living donor renal transplantation are successful for polycystic kidney disease: the University of Maryland experience

Purpose: Patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease have significant morbidity due to large kidney size and the resultant compression of adjacent organs. Surgical extirpation is limited to the most severe cases due to the risk of complications. Typically surgical extirpation of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease kidneys and renal transplantation are performed in staged fashion. The additive risks of these 2 procedures have been a barrier to a simultaneous surgical approach. The risks include transplant compromise due to cyst rupture, bleeding, adjacent organ injury and anti-HLA antibody sensitization from transfusion in cases of pretransplant nephrectomy. We reviewed the results of and graft survival data on bilateral nephrectomy for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease with simultaneous live donor renal transplantation.Materials and Methods: From August 2003 to November 2007, 20 sets of kidneys were removed in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, f...
Angiocentric T-cell lymphoma presenting as midface destructive lesion: Case report and literature review

A case of angiocentric T-cell lymphoma presenting as a midface destructive lesion is reported. Angiocentric T-cell lymphoma typically manifests as an aggressive, progressively destructive, and necrotizing disorder, often with a fatal outcome. This case was characterized microscopically by the presence of an atypical lymphoid population that expressed a CD45+, CD3+ cytoplasmic, CD5+, and CD56- T-cell phenotype within a background of a polymorphous inflammatory infiltrate. Because of the rarity of the disorder, the differential diagnosis is discussed. Recent advances in clinical immunodiagnostics, the variations in therapeutic modalities, and the prognosis of the disease as reported in the recent literature are reviewed.
All fiber Michelson-Gires-Turnois interferometer-based optical filter with programmable transfer function

We present a flexible and dynamically programmable optical filter based on an all fiber Michelson Gires-Turnois interferometer (MGTI). Arbitrary filter transfer functions can be accomplished by dynamically adjusting the reflectance of fiber loop mirrors.
A flexible polyimide-based package for silicon sensors

Abstract This paper describes the development of a flexible polyimide-based package for silicon sensors. The fabrication process is compatible with standard integrated-circuit processes and produces a flexible package that sandwiches the metal leads between polyimide layers. Polyimide (DuPont PI-2611) is found to be resistant to the isotropic etchant (hydrofluoric acid/nitric acid) used to realize the sensing islands. Factors affecting package reliability, which include lead layout, island size and support material at the silicon/polyimide interface, are identified and investigated. Packages are tested in an automated test setup and on human subjects. A factor of three increase in lead width produces a two-fold increase in reliability. The use of epoxy as a support material between the rigid silicon island and the flexible polyimide produces a 50-fold increase in reliability on human subjects.
Cold crucible induction melter studies for making glass ceramic waste forms: A feasibility assessment

Abstract Glass ceramics are being developed to immobilize fission products, separated from used nuclear fuel by aqueous reprocessing, into a stable waste form suitable for disposal in a geological repository. This work documents the glass ceramic formulation at bench scale and for a scaled melter test performed in a pilot-scale (∼1/4 scale) cold crucible induction melter (CCIM). Melt viscosity, electrical conductivity, and crystallization behavior upon cooling were measured on a small set of compositions to select a formulation for melter testing. Property measurements also identified a temperature range for melter operation and cooling profiles necessary to crystallize the targeted phases in the waste form. Bench scale and melter run results successfully demonstrate the processability of the glass ceramic using the CCIM melter technology.
Trajectories of depressive symptoms among high risk African-American adolescents.

Abstract Purpose To examine the trajectories of depressive symptoms among African-American youth and the psychosocial factors associated with these trajectories. Methods The sample included 579 African-American adolescents who were at risk of dropping out of school, interviewed annually starting from ninth grade for 4 years. The measures included depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, stress, and active coping; all self-reported. We used cluster analysis to develop longitudinal trajectories of depression in our sample. Results Four different trajectories of depressive symptoms were found that represented the changes in depressive symptoms among the participants. These trajectories are: consistently high (15.9%), consistently low (21.1%), decreasing (41.8%), and increasing (21.2%) depressive symptoms. The results from the comparisons of the trajectories indicated that adolescents who presented consistently high levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to be female, reported more anxiety symptoms, lower self-esteem, higher stress, and lower grade point average (GPA) compared with adolescent members of the other trajectories. Discussion Depressive symptoms may be manifested in different ways according to the patterns of change. Different correlates are associated with these trajectories of depressive symptoms and provide insights about the antecedents and consequences of the patterns of change in depressive symptoms.
Stochastic reduced order models for inverse problems under uncertainty.

Abstract This work presents a novel methodology for solving inverse problems under uncertainty using stochastic reduced order models (SROMs). Given statistical information about an observed state variable in a system, unknown parameters are estimated probabilistically through the solution of a model-constrained, stochastic optimization problem. The point of departure and crux of the proposed framework is the representation of a random quantity using a SROM—a low dimensional, discrete approximation to a continuous random element that permits efficient and non-intrusive stochastic computations. Characterizing the uncertainties with SROMs transforms the stochastic optimization problem into a deterministic one. The non-intrusive nature of SROMs facilitates efficient gradient computations for random vector unknowns and relies entirely on calls to existing deterministic solvers. Furthermore, the method is naturally extended to handle multiple sources of uncertainty in cases where state variable data, system parameters, and boundary conditions are all considered random. The new and widely-applicable SROM framework is formulated for a general stochastic optimization problem in terms of an abstract objective function and constraining model. For demonstration purposes, however, we study its performance in the specific case of inverse identification of random material parameters in elastodynamics. We demonstrate the ability to efficiently recover random shear moduli given material displacement statistics as input data. We also show that the approach remains effective for the case where the loading in the problem is random as well.
Can algotutor change attitudes toward algorithms

The ability to design an algorithm is one of the most important learning outcomes of a computer science program. Unfortunately, not only is learning how to design algorithms a challenging task, but many students believe that algorithm design is not an important part of problem solving. To address this challenge and hopefully change student attitudes, we developed AlgoTutor, a web-based algorithm development tutoring system. AlgoTutor's primary components are the algorithm composer and the algorithm tracer. A third component, ProgramPad, was added to show the connection between algorithms and code. This paper presents the results of experiments that assessed AlgoTutor's effectiveness in changing student attitudes about algorithm development. The results show that students who used AlgoTutor in CS-I were more likely to realize the importance of algorithm design in problem solving and to have confidence in their own algorithm development abilities.
Building a term association model for documents of interest

Abstract This paper addresses the problem of building a model for text documents of interest. Specifically, it considers a scenario where a large collection of documents, for example theresult of a search on Internet using one of the popular search engines, is given. Each documentis indexed by certain keywords or terms. It is assumed that the user has identified a subset of documents that fits the user's need. The goal is to build a term association model for the documents of interest so that it can be used either for refining the user search or exported toother search engines/agents for further search of documents of interest. The model built is in the form of a unate Boolean function of the terms or keywords used in the initial search of documents. The proposed document model building algorithm is based on a modified version ofthe pocket algorithm for perceptron learning and a mapping method for converting neurons intoequivalent symbolic representations. 1. Introduction The majority of data mining applications deal with situations involving structured data, i.e. datacontaining well-defined alphanumeric fields with unambiguous meanings. This is not surprisingas most business databases contain structured data. In recent years, however, repositories ofsemi-structured or unstructured data, for example databases of text and image documents, haveshown a phenomenal growth, partly due to the popularity of Internet and decreasing hardwarecosts. The text and image data not only lack the structure of the common business data but alsoare ambiguous and generally open to several interpretations of the data. This characteristic isparticularly acute in image and video data. Consequently, management of semi or unstructured
Radiation-induced transient absorption in optical fibers

Transient absorption in optical fibers has been studied with emphasis on fast absorption components. Radiation damage was induced with a Febetron 706 electron accelerator, modified to deliver an electron pulse width of 1.1 ns. Dye lasers were synchronized to the accelerator to provide a light pulse through the fiber during the radiation pulse. The output light pulse was detected with a biplanar vacuum photodiode. Four scope traces were used on each electron pulse to monitor the Febetron output, the input drive pulse, and two records of the output pulse on two sweep speeds. Detailed data were acquired for times less than 100ons after irradiation. An insulated enclosure was used to vary fiber temperature from -30 C to +250 C. Several fibers were studied with emphasis on ITT T303 PCS fiber. Data were acquired at 600 and 850 nm. Theoretical modeling of the data will be presented.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Emerging Indian entrepreneurship in biotechnology and National Innovation System: exploring linkages and prospects

The recent expansion of Indian biotechnology industry backed by strong R&D allocations sets the upward movement of the industry on a new growth trajectory intertwined with innovation and entrepreneurship. This is most likely to take off Indian biopharma industry from 'bio-generics' and 'bio-similars' to a higher pedestal where it may develop 'proprietary processes', carving a new niche for the growth of the sector, giving further push to R&D-intensive activities. The issue is how National Innovation System (NIS), which could provide initial manpower and financial support to the sector, responds to the growing specialisation of the Indian biopharma and help evolve new strategies to sustain the growth in the high-end biopharma sector.
Electronic Structure, Localization and 5f Occupancy in Pu Materials

The electronic structure of delta plutonium ({delta}-Pu) and plutonium compounds is investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). Results for {delta}-Pu show a small component of the valence electronic structure which might reasonably be associated with a 5f{sup 6} configuration. PES results for PuTe are used as an indication for the 5f{sup 6} configuration due to the presence of atomic multiplet structure. Temperature dependent PES data on {delta}-Pu indicate a narrow peak centered 20 meV below the Fermi energy and 100 meV wide. The first PES data for PuCoIn5 indicate a 5f electronic structure more localized than the 5fs in the closely related PuCoGa{sub 5}. There is support from the PES data for a description of Pu materials with an electronic configuration of 5f{sup 5} with some admixture of 5f{sup 6} as well as a localized/delocalized 5f{sup 5} description.
Ab initio and molecular mechanics calculations on imine derivatives: a study of the rotational barriers and the development of MM2 parameters

The application of molecular mechanics methods for the study of structures has become a standard approach to conformational analysis. The MM2 force field has been extended to include imines. In general, a diverse group of aliphatic and aromatic imine structures can now be treated. The rotational energy profiles and barriers to N-substituted imines about the Csp2Csp2 single bonds adjacent to CN functional group were calculated via ab initio MO theory. Information obtained from the quantum mechanical calculations at the 3-21G, 6-31G*, and MP4/6-31G* //6-31G* levels was used both to study the phenomena involved and to parameterize MM2. The syn-anti isomerization was also studied, and the mechanistic pathways have been evaluated. In cases where the comparison with experimental data can be made, the agreements are good.
Speech Endpoint Detection in Noisy Environment Based on the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition

Speech endpoint detection is one of the key problems in the practical application of speech recognition system. In this paper, speech signal contained chirp is decomposed into several intrinsic mode function (IMF) with the method of ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD). At the same time, it eliminates the modal mix superposition phenomenon which usually comes out in processing speech signal with the algorithm of empirical mode decomposition (EMD). After that, selects IMFs contained major noise through the adaptive algorithm. Finally, the IMFs and speech signal contained chirp are input into the independent component analysis (ICA) and pure voice signal is separated out. The accuracy of speech endpoint detection can be improved in this way. The result shows that the new speech endpoint detection method proposed above is effective, and has strong anti-noises ability, especially suitable for the speech endpoint detection in low SNR.
Rapid water flow instrumentation

Measuring high flow rates for small quantities of water is useful when determining soil hydraulic properties. A system that measures such flow rates precisely and accurately is not currently on the market. We present a flow measuring system, which uses pressure transducers and a data logger. This flow system has three advantages over a scale: (i) an automated interface allows precise initiation and measurement of system response, (ii) the ability to measure intervals as short as a tenth of a second, and (iii) quick response. Tests show that the system is highly repeatable, accurate, and responsive. A direct comparison of the flow system and scale output collected simultaneously shows that the flow system was more responsive than the scale in the early stages of the test, though the total output of both was similar. The instrumentation is adaptable for both laboratory and field methods. The flow rate can be adjusted simply by changing the diameter of the cylinder used. The flow system is built from off-the-shelf parts, except the control circuitry, and can be built for less than $1000.
Library of congress overseas offices: Acquisition programs in the third world

Abstract The Library of Congress has utilized a network of overseas offices to provide library materials from a significant portion of the Third World since 1962. The Library has fulfilled its mandate from Congress to acquire and distribute printed materials and bibliographic information through its overseas programs. Accessions lists published by the overseas offices contain the descriptive bibliographic data of all material acquired through the Library 's outposts and thus provide acquisitions information for libraries throughout the world. Five of the six offices now in operation acquire and process materials not only for the Library of Congress but for a number of American research libraries as well. Further services to research libraries are provided through an extensive microform project located in New Delhi, India. Distribution of positive prints is handled by the Library of Congress, Washington. The future of the offices depends on economic and political conditions both at home and abroad. The situation looks reasonably secure in December 1981, particularly for those offices which are supported by a substantial number of participating institutions.
Lifestyle modification: Weight control, exercise, and smoking cessation

Cigarette smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle are known to increase risk of coronary and other vascular disease. Yet eliminating, or reducing, these risk factors through lifestyle modifications is a significant challenge to patients and their physicians. To help meet this challenge in patients with coronary and other vascular disease, physicians should use an approach similar to that followed in other treatment plans: First, help the patient understand the value of the therapy; second, discuss the way in which treatment will evolve and set appropriate goals; third, follow up by monitoring and encouraging the patient's progress and identifying any barriers or adverse effects. When applying this paradigm to exercise, physicians can motivate patients by making them aware of the benefit of even moderate levels of activity, outlining a specific exercise program and setting appropriate goals, and following up on their patients' progress. Studies show that physicians can have a major positive impact on smoking cessation merely by asking patients whether they smoke and advising smokers to quit. Physicians can further assist smokers by providing educational materials, referring patients to counseling groups when needed, and prescribing nicotine replacement therapy when appropriate. Again, follow-up is essential. Dietary intervention should be tailored to individual patients, their food preferences and ethnic backgrounds. Individuals should be encouraged to try a wide variety of nonfat and low-fat foods and incorporate those they find acceptable into their diet in place of higher-fat alternatives. Educational materials are helpful in motivating patients to modify their eating habits and in providing additional ideas for food substitutions.
Computing limits of convex sets of distribution

Let P≦ be n✗n nonnegative matrices. Define . We show that Sk is the convex set of all possible distribution vectors after k periods where the transition matrices are chosen between P and Q. We show how to compute each Sk from its predecessor and how to compute the long run behavior lim
Anatomy, Histology, and Post-larval Development of the Reproductive Systems of the Sugarbeet Root Maggot

The anatomy, histology, and post-larval development of the ♂ and ♀ reproductive systems of the sugarbeet root maggot, Tetanops myopacformis (Roder) (Otitidae), are described. The ♂ system consists of the aedeagus, andrium, ejaculatory bulb and apodeme, 3 pairs of accessory glands, paired vasa deferentia, and paired testes. The reproductive system of T. myopaeformis males differs from other described acalypterate ♂ systems as follows: structure of andrial endoskeleton; bootshaped ejaculatory apodeme; 2 pairs of short bulbous accessory glands; and brown coiled testes. Spermatids are first evident 2 days post-pupariation with mature spermatozoa present in newly emerged adults. Most males are capable of mating 1–2 days postemergence. The ♂ reproductive system consists of a pseudo-ovipositor, vagina, bursa copulatrix, ventral receptacle, 3 spermathecae, paired accessory glands, common oviduct, paired lateral oviducts, and paired ovate ovaries. The reproductive system of T. myopaeformis females differs from other described acalypterate female systems as follows: type of sensilla near apex of ovipositor; presence of 2 ventral diverticula of the vagina, the bursa copulatrix and ventral receptacle; and 3 spermathecae present on 2 ducts. Vitellogenesis begins within 9 days post-pupariation and is not complete until 1–2 days postemergence. Most females are sexually mature and capable of oviposition within 2 days postemergence. During copulation the aedeagus coils transversely 1–2 times in the bursa copulatrix. Spermatozoa are transferred in bundles from the testis to the bursa copulatrix. The bundles break up shortly after entering the bursa copulatrix.
Local-regional control of recurrent breast carcinoma after mastectomy: does hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy improve local control?

Abstract Purpose: Hyperfractionated, accelerated radiotherapy (HART) has been advocated for patients with local-regionally recurrent breast cancer because it is believed to enhance treatment effects in rapidly proliferating or chemoresistant tumors. This report examines the value of HART in patients with local-regionally recurrent breast cancer treated with multimodality therapy. Methods and Materials: The study included 148 patients with local-regionally recurrent breast cancer after mastectomy, who were treated with definitive local irradiation and systemic therapy consisting of either tamoxifen, cytotoxic chemotherapy, or both, along with excision of the recurrent tumor when possible. Patients with distant metastases were excluded, except for two patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular nodal metastases. Patients received comprehensive irradiation to the chest wall and regional lymphatics to a median dose of 45 Gy, with a boost to 60 Gy to areas of recurrence. Sixty-eight patients (46%) were treated once daily at 2 Gy/fraction (fx), and 80 (54%) were treated twice daily at 1.5 Gy/fx. Forty-eight patients (32%), who had palpable gross disease that was unresponsive to systemic therapy and/or unresectable, were irradiated. The median follow-up time of surviving patients was 78 months. Results: Overall actuarial local-regional control (LRC) rates at 5 and 10 years were 68% and 55%, respectively. Five- and ten-year actuarial overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 50% and 35%, 39% and 29%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that LRC was adversely affected by 1. advanced initial American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage ( p = 0.001), 2. clinically evident residual disease at time of treatment ( p p = 0.014), 4. short interval from mastectomy to recurrence ( p = 0.0007), 5. nuclear grade (III vs. I or II, p = 0.045), and 6. number of recurrent nodules (1 vs. > 1, p = 0.02). Patient age at time of recurrence ( Conclusions: Hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy, although well tolerated by patients with local-regionally recurrent breast cancer, did not result in superior local-regional control rates when compared to daily fractionated regimens. Alternative strategies, such as dose escalation or chemoradiation, may be required to improve control.
FATE OF OROGASTRICALLY ADMINISTERED INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTORS I AND II (IGF-I AND -II) TO SUCKLING RATS

IGF's are stimulators of mitosis and may be of importance in the regulation of intestinal growth in the neonate. Since IGF's are present in a variety of milks, we tested the hypothesis that ingested milk-borne IGF's might be available to gastrointestinal (GI) tissues and might also be absorbed to sites distant to the GI tract. Recombinant 125I-IGF-I and -II in rat milk were given via stomach tube to suckling rats. Approximately 40% of IGF-I or-II cpm remained in the GI tract at 30 min post ingestion with < 1 % appearing in most other organs. Gel chromatography demonstrated that much of radioactivity present in GI tract homogenates eluted together with authentic IGF. Significant differences we re noted in amounts of IGF-I vs-II found in GI tissues after 30 min, particularly in stomach and intestinal wall and lumen. Exogenous IGF-I represented twice the amount of IGF-II in these tissues. Competitive binding studies confirmed that binding of radioactivity present in peaks at 7.5K MW were identical to those of native 125I-IGF's. These studies show that milk-borne IGF remains intact in the GI tract of suckling rats for at least 30 min post ingestion.
Existence of anticorrelations for local field potentials recorded from mice reared in standard condition and environmental enrichment

In the present paper, we analyze local field potentials (LFPs) recorded from the secondary motor cortex (M2) and primary visual cortex (V1) of freely moving mice reared in environmental enrichment (EE) and standard condition (SC). We focus on the scaling properties of the signals by using an integrated approach combining three different techniques: the Higuchi method, detrended fluctuation analysis, and power spectrum. Each technique provides direct or indirect estimations of the Hurst exponent H and this prevents spurious identification of scaling properties in time-series analysis. It is well known that the power spectrum of an LFP signal scales as 1/f(β) with β>0. Our results indicate the existence of a particular power spectrum scaling law 1/f(β) with β<0 for low frequencies (f<4 Hz) for both SC and EE rearing conditions. This type of scaling behavior is associated to the presence of anticorrelation in the corresponding LFP signals. Moreover, since EE is an experimental protocol based on the enhancement of sensorimotor stimulation, we study the possible effects of EE on the scaling properties of secondary motor cortex (M2) and primary visual cortex (V1). Notably, the difference between Hurst's exponents in EE and SC for individual cortical regions (M2) and (V1) is not statistically significant. On the other hand, using the detrended cross-correlation coefficient, we find that EE significantly reduces the functional coupling between secondary motor cortex (M2) and visual cortex (V1).