cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circadian regulation of molecular, dietary, and metabolic signaling mechanisms of human breast cancer growth by the nocturnal melatonin signal and the consequences of its disruption by light at night.

This review article discusses recent work on the melatonin-mediated circadian regulation and integration of molecular, dietary, and metabolic signaling mechanisms involved in human breast cancer growth and the consequences of circadian disruption by exposure to light at night (LAN). The antiproliferative effects of the circadian melatonin signal are mediated through a major mechanism involving the activation of MT(1) melatonin receptors expressed in human breast cancer cell lines and xenografts. In estrogen receptor (ERα+) human breast cancer cells, melatonin suppresses both ERα mRNA expression and estrogen-induced transcriptional activity of the ERα via MT(1) -induced activation of G(αi2) signaling and reduction of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels. Melatonin also regulates the transactivation of additional members of the steroid hormone/nuclear receptor super-family, enzymes involved in estrogen metabolism, expression/activation of telomerase, and the expression of core clock and clock-related genes. The anti-invasive/anti-metastatic actions of melatonin involve the blockade of p38 phosphorylation and the expression of matrix metalloproteinases. Melatonin also inhibits the growth of human breast cancer xenografts via another critical pathway involving MT(1) -mediated suppression of cAMP leading to blockade of linoleic acid uptake and its metabolism to the mitogenic signaling molecule 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE). Down-regulation of 13-HODE reduces the activation of growth factor pathways supporting cell proliferation and survival. Experimental evidence in rats and humans indicating that LAN-induced circadian disruption of the nocturnal melatonin signal activates human breast cancer growth, metabolism, and signaling provides the strongest mechanistic support, thus far, for population and ecological studies demonstrating elevated breast cancer risk in night shift workers and other individuals increasingly exposed to LAN.
The Effect of Seniority and Security Covenants on Bond Price Reactions to Credit News

We examine the daily abnormal returns of corporate bonds with different seniority and security covenants following Moody`s Watchlist and rating change events. We find that bond returns react significantly positive (negative) following upgrade (downgrade) Watchlist events but not necessarily following rating change events. Because Watchlist news precede rating changes, we infer that the Watchlist contains more unexpected information and, hence, the short-run bond price effects are stronger. Especially, we find that subordinated bond prices react more than secured bonds to Watchlist news. However, this finding does not hold when we compare investment and non-investment grade bonds, suggesting that seniority/security can explain the cross sectional bond returns. Our regression results confirm this finding even after controlling for issue- and issuer-specific characteristics such as time to maturity, coupon rate, bond rating, and firm size.
LFA-1 contributes an early signal for NK cell cytotoxicity.

Cytotoxicity of human NK cells is activated by receptors that bind ligands on target cells, but the relative contribution of the many different activating and inhibitory NK cell receptors is difficult to assess. In this study, we describe an experimental system that circumvents some of the difficulties. Adhesion through β 2 integrin LFA-1 is a common requirement of CTLs and NK cells for efficient lysis of target cells. However, the contribution of LFA-1 to activation signals for NK cell cytotoxicity, besides its role in adhesion, is unclear. The role of LFA-1 was evaluated by exposing NK cells to human ICAM-1 that was either expressed on a Drosophila insect cell line, or directly coupled to beads. Expression of ICAM-1 on insect cells was sufficient to induce lysis by NK cells through LFA-1. Coexpression of peptide-loaded HLA-C with ICAM-1 on insect cells blocked the LFA-1-dependent cytotoxicity of NK cells that expressed HLA-C-specific inhibitory receptors. Polarization of cytotoxic granules in NK cells toward ICAM-1- and ICAM-2-coated beads showed that engagement of LFA-1 alone is sufficient to initiate activation signals in NK cells. Thus, in contrast to T cells, in which even adhesion through LFA-1 is dependent on signals from other receptors, NK cells receive early activation signals directly through LFA-1.
MySpiders : Evolve Your Own Intelligent Web Crawlers

The dynamic nature of the World Wide Web makes it a challenge to find information that is both relevant and recent. Intelligent agents can complement the power of search engines to meet this challenge. We present a Web tool called MySpiders, which implements an evolutionary algorithm managing a population of adaptive crawlers who browse the Web autonomously. Each agent acts as an intelligent client on behalf of the user, driven by a user query and by textual and linkage clues in the crawled pages. Agents autonomously decide which links to follow, which clues to internalize, when to spawn offspring to focus the search near a relevant source, and when to starve. The tool is available to the public as a threaded Java applet. We discuss the development and deployment of such a system.
Erving Goffman: Theorizing the Self in the Age of Advanced Consumer Capitalism

The authors argue that Erving Goffman developed concepts that contribute to an understanding of historical changes in the construction of the self and enable us to see the new forms that self-construction is taking in a society driven by consumption, marketing, and media. These concepts include: commercial realism; dramatic scripting; hyper-ritualization; the glimpse; and the dissolution or undermining of the real, the authentic, and the autonomous. By placing Goffman's under-discussed work, Gender Advertisements, in rapprochement with the work of Guy Debord, Jean Baudrillard, and Fredric Jameson, we draw out shared concerns over the ways that the self becomes externally defined and incoherent in advanced consumer capitalism. We then turn to Goffman's “Territories of the Self” (in which Goffman discusses the self in terms of the spatial concepts of “preserves” and “markers”) in order to show that Goffman balances his historicist analysis with a theory of a self that can maintain its coherence amidst the fragmenting forces of the media and the consumer society. Thus we document the continuing relevance of Goffman's thought for cultural and media analysis in contemporary consumer society.
Friend or foe: personal use and friends' use of protective behavioral strategies and spring break drinking

The present study examined associations between use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) by college students and their friends and drinking-related outcomes during Spring Break (SB). Moreover, this study examined the influence of friends' own PBS use on participants' PBS use during SB. Participants included college students (N = 694) and their nominated friends (N = 131) who were part of a larger study of SB drinking. Data were collected via web-based surveys that participants and friends took after SB, which assessed SB PBS, drinking, and related negative consequences. Results indicated that higher levels of Serious Harm Reduction (SHR) strategies and Limiting/Stopping (LS) strategies were associated with increased consumption, higher likelihood of experiencing any consequences, and an increased number of consequences. A different pattern emerged for Manner of Drinking (MD) strategy use; participants utilizing higher levels of MD strategies drank less and had fewer consequences. LS and MD strategies used by the participant's friends appeared to have less of an impact on the participant's drinking outcomes. However, greater friends' use of SHR strategies was associated with increased alcohol use by the participant, but not with consequences. Greater friends' use of SHR strategies was associated with greater SHR strategy use by the participant. Friends' LS and MD strategies were not associated with participant drinking, consequences, or PBS. These findings highlight the potential utility of interventions that focus on drinking behaviors on specific high-risk occasions for those at risk as well as for their friends.
Processes Influencing Floral Initiation and Bloom: The Role of Phytohormones in a Conceptual Flowering Model

The reproductive phenologies of temperate fruit tree species are briefly introduced and compared to the reproductive phenologies of three tropical and subtropical fruit tree species. The impact of leaf and fruit development and the phytohormones they may produce on the reproductive or vegetative fate of bourse buds in apple spurs serves as the model to discuss temperate fruit flowering. In contrast, conceptual models of citrus (Citrus L.), mango (Mangifera indica L.), and lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) flowering are described which propose physiological mechanisms for both flowering and vegetative flushing in trees grown in subtropical and tropical environments. Possible roles for auxin and cytokinins in shoot initiation and for gibberellins and a putative florigenic promoter in induction are discussed as they relate to the physiology of flowering and vegetative flushing of tropical species. Successful application of these conceptual flowering models through the use of growth regulators and other horticultural management techniques to control flowering of citrus, mango, and lychee is described.
Identification of Serum Cholinesterase Fluoride Variants by Differential Inhibition in Tris and Phosphate Buffers

We describe a useful technique to identify "fluoride-resistant" serum cholinesterase variants (E1uE1f and E1fE1f) by using the method of Garry to detect "atypical" variants and to measure serum cholinesterase activity [Clin. Chem. 17, 192 (1971)]. With butyrylthiocholine as substrate, sodium fluoride is used as a differential inhibitor in both Tris and phosphate buffer systems (50 mmol/liter, pH 7.4, 25°C). Fluoride inhibition values are plotted on two-dimensional graph paper, Tris plus sodium fluoride vs. phosphate plus sodium fluoride. Inhibition values for the "fluoride-resistant" and "atypical" variants are located in specific quadrants, which permits unequivocal identification of each variant. Examination of 836 Caucasian preschool children revealed a gene frequency of 0.0066 for the "fluoride" variant. No "fluoride-resistant" variants were found in 168 Negro preschool children examined.
DWBA study of the collinear H + H2 reaction

Abstract The Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA) is used to study the reaction probability in the threshold region for the collinear H + H2 reaction. The effect of varying the features of the distortion surface upon the reaction probability is investigated. It is found that a fair approximation to exact reaction probabilities already reported for this reaction may be obtained for a suitable choice of distortion surface parameters. The DWBA results provide a significant improvement over the predictions of classical mechanics in the threshold region.
Efficient disk allocation for fast similarity searching

As databases increasingly integrate non-textual information it is becoming necessary to support efficient similarity searching in addition to range searching. Recently, declustering techniques have been proposed for improving the performance of similarity searches through parallel I/O. In this paper, we propose a new scheme which provides good declustering for similarity searching. In particular, it does global declustering as opposed to local declustering, exploits the availability of extra disks and does not limit the partitioning of the data space. Our technique is based upon the cyclic declustering schemes which were developed for range and partial match queries. We establish, in general, that cyclic declustering techniques outperform previously proposed techniques.
Genetic and Environmental Factors Affecting T-Pilin Export and T-Pilus Biogenesis in Relation to Flagellation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

The T pilus, primarily composed of cyclic T-pilin subunits, is essential for the transmission of the Ti-plasmid T-DNA from Agrobacterium tumefaciens to plant cells. Although the virB2 gene of the 11-gene virB operon was previously demonstrated to encode the full-length propilin, and other genes of this operon have been implicated as members of a conserved transmembrane transport apparatus, the role of each virB gene in T-pilin synthesis and transport and T-pilus biogenesis remained undefined. In the present study, each virB gene was examined and was found to be unessential for T-pilin biosynthesis, except virB2, but was determined to be essential for the export of the T-pilin subunits and for T-pilus formation. We also find that the genes of the virD operon are neither involved in T-pilin export nor T-pilus formation. Critical analysis of three different virD4 mutants also showed that they are not involved in T-pilus biogenesis irrespective of the A. tumefaciens strains used. With respect to the environmental effects on T-pilus biogenesis, we find that T pili are produced both on agar and in liquid culture and are produced at one end of the A. tumefaciens rod-shaped cell in a polar manner. We also report a novel phenomenon whereby flagellum production is shut down under conditions which turn on T-pilus formation. These conditions are the usual induction with acetosyringone at pH 5.5 of Ti-plasmid vir genes. A search of the vir genes involved in controlling this biphasic reaction in induced A. tumefaciens cells revealed that virA on the Ti plasmid is involved and that neither virB nor virD genes are needed for this reaction. The biphasic reaction therefore appears to be mediated through a two-component signal transducing system likely involving an unidentified vir gene in A. tumefaciens.
Narrow-linewidth passband filters and UV laser source for rotational Raman imaging

We present two novel narrow passband spectral filters capable of frequency resolved imaging of rotational Raman light scattering with strong spectral rejection of out-of- band Raman, Rayleigh and Mie scattering. The first filter, capable of 2D imaging and spectral selectivity, is based on mercury vapor absorption and subsequent resonant florescence. The second filter exploits the variation in the index-of-refraction near resonance to spatially resolve small spectral shifts. It is capable of simultaneous 1D measurements of multiple frequencies. Each filter has a spectral sensitivity of better than 1 cm-1. The filters are paired with an injection seeded, cavity locked, frequency tripled Ti:Sapphire laser which produces > 30 mJ pulse of single mode, tunable light in the vicinity of 253.7 nm. The laser and resonant fluorescence filter are combined to spectrally resolve scattering form individual rotational Raman lines of nitrogen and oxygen. A description of each filter is given.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of Exercise Load and Blood-Flow Restriction on Skeletal Muscle Function

ABSTRACTResistance training at low loads with blood flow restriction (BFR) (also known as Kaatsu) has been shown to stimulate increases in muscle size and strength. It is unclear how occlusion pressure, exercise intensity, and occlusion duration interact, or which combination of these factors result
Wind velocity as it affects body temperature, water consumption and feed consumption during heat stress of roosters.

Abstract Drury and Siegel (1965) and Siegel and Drury (1968), using birds six to nine weeks of age, found that increased wind velocity tended to decrease the body temperature when ambient temperature was below 40°C. However, birds held above 40°C., at higher air velocities (150 meters/min.), had significantly higher body temperatures and heart rates than those maintained at low velocity (6 meters/min.). Lee et al. (1945), using adult hens, reported that the effects of air movement were slight. The rise of rectal temperature was somewhat reduced by increased air movement (up to 300 ft. per minute) in hot, humid atmospheres, (40.56°C, 75% R.H.), but not in dry atmospheres (40.56°C., 25% R.H.). Boone and Huston (1967), using adult roosters, found a non-significant correlation (r = .02) between body temperature and wind velocity. The object of the experiment reported here was to determine what effect wind velocities had on the body temperature of…
The Accretion Disk and White Dwarf in the Short‐Period Dwarf Novae TY Piscium and V436 Centauri during Quiescence

The short-period dwarf novae TY Psc and V436 Cen are SU UMa systems with very similar orbital periods, similar recurrence times for normal outbursts (~23 days) and superoutbursts (~340 days), and nearly identical outburst amplitudes. We have carried out high-gravity model atmosphere and accretion disk synthetic spectra from the grid of Wade & Hubeny. The best-fit stellar model spectrum, from spectral slope and line fitting, is a white dwarf photosphere having Teff = 25,000 K, log g = 8, and essentially solar chemical abundances, while the best-fit optically thick accretion disk model, from spectral slope fitting, has Mwd = 0.55 M⊙, = 10-9.5 M⊙ yr–1, and an inclination i = 18°. The implied accretion rate is almost certainly too large for dwarf nova quiescence. The predicted fluxes using parameters from the photosphere and disk spectral slope fitting models reveal enormous differences compared with the observed luminosity using a reasonable distance estimate. For TY Psc, the predicted accretion disk luminosity is ~100 times too luminous, while the stellar luminosity is too luminous by a factor of ~10. For V436 Cen, the best-fit high-gravity model photosphere, from spectral slope fitting, yields Teff = 24,000 K, log g = 8, and essentially solar abundance, while the best-fit accretion disk models, from spectral slope fitting, yield Mwd = 0.8 M⊙, = 10-10 M⊙ yr–1, and i = 75°. The presence of broad absorption troughs at unusual wavelength positions suggests the presence of an absorption curtain (upper disk atmosphere) in V436 Cen. The temperatures we have for TY Psc and V436 Cen are higher than normal for the accreting white dwarfs in dwarf novae below the period gap. This could indicate that the systems were not in the deepest level of quiescence when they were observed.
Subjective alcohol effects and drinking behavior: the relative influence of early response and acquired tolerance.

Abstract Objectives (1) To establish the reliability and validity of a modified version of the Self-Rating of Alcohol (SRE) form. (2) To differentiate early subjective alcohol response (SR) from acquired tolerance in the prediction of drinking outcomes. Method 353 undergraduates completed an online survey. SR was assessed using the SRE form and a modified SRE including items assessing global stimulant and sedative effects. The Daily Drinking Questionnaire-Revised (DDQ-R), and the Rutgers Alcohol Problems Index (RAPI) assessed alcohol use and problems, respectively. Results The revised version of the SRE showed good internal consistency and incremental validity. Early SR assessed by the modified SRE was consistently associated with use and problems. Acquired tolerance was significantly related to use and problems above and beyond early SR. Conclusions The modified SRE incorporating stimulant and sedative responses demonstrated good psychometric properties and the potential to capture unique variability in drinking outcomes. Differentiating early SR from tolerance showed that each contributes uniquely to drinking behavior and problems. Thus, future studies would benefit from examining the unique contribution of each aspect of SR.
Principles for mujltimodal user inteface desgin

The goal of this workshop is to identify ten guiding principles for designing multimodal user interfaces. Researchers will use these principles to identify topics requiring further research. Practitioners will use these principles to generate guidelines for designing multimodal user interfaces.
Imaging spin probe distribution in the tumor of a living mouse with 250 MHz EPR: Correlation with BOLD MRI

Electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) promises to provide new insights into the physiology of tissues in health and disease. Understanding the in vivo imaging capability of this new modality requires comparison with other physiologically responsive techniques. Here, an initial comparison between 2D EPR spatial imaging of a narrow single line injectable paramagnetic trityl spin probe and 2D slice-selected carbogen subtraction BOLD MRI is presented. The images were obtained from the same FSa fibrosarcoma grown in the leg of a C3H mouse. This tumor was unusual in comparison with others imaged with subtraction BOLD MRI because of its peripheral distribution of intensity. The spatial distribution of the EPR spin probe showed the same peripheral distribution. The pixel resolutions of these images are comparable. These images provide an early in vivo comparison of EPRI with a well-established imaging modality. The comparison validates the in vivo distribution of spin probe as imaged with EPRI, and provides a proof of principle for the comparison of BOLD and EPRI.
POSTOPERATIVE SURVEILLANCE PROTOCOL FOR PATIENTS WITH LOCALIZED AND LOCALLY ADVANCED RENAL CELL CARCINOMA BASED ON A VALIDATED PROGNOSTIC NOMOGRAM AND RISK GROUP STRATIFICATION SYSTEM

ABSTRACTPurpose: We created an evidence based postoperative surveillance protocol for patients with localized and locally advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) based on a risk group stratification system.Materials and Methods: 559 patients undergoing surgery for localized and locally advanced RCC were stratified into low risk (LR), intermediate risk (IR) and high risk (HR) groups based on the University of California-Los Angeles Integrated Staging System (UISS). Tumor recurrences were identified and categorized according to time and location.Results: Patients with localized disease had a lower 5-year recurrence rate than patients with locally advanced (nodal) disease (27.6% vs 64%, p <0.0001). Patients in the LR, IR, and HR groups following nephrectomy demonstrated 5-year recurrence-free rates of 90.4%, 61.8%, and 41.9%, respectively (p <0.0001), and median times to recurrence of 28.9, 17.8 and 9.5 months, respectively (p <0.0001). Chest and abdomen recurrences comprised of 75% and 37.5%, 77.4% and 58.1%, a...
Schistosoma mansoni: correlation between lipid partition coefficients and the transintegumental uptake of nonelectrolytes.

Comparison of transintegumental membrane permeability and partition coefficients of selected nonelectrolytes attempted to correlate the parameters of lipid solubility and membrane permeation in male and female Schistosoma mansoni. Transintegumental uptakes and octanol:water partition coefficients were determined for 10 nonelectrolytes (acetamide, antipyrine, benzyl alcohol, caffeine, ethanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, sucrose, thiourea, and urea). Linear regression analyses comparing the logarithm of the partition coefficient to the transintegumental uptakes yielded values of R = 0.80 (P < 0.001) for males, R = 0.84 (P < 0.001) for females, and R = 0.82 (P < 0.001) for a combined analysis of males and females. The male and female schistosomes showed no statistically significant differences in correlation of these parameters. The evidence, then, suggests that the multilaminate membrane functions in a way similar to the function of a lipid bilayer with regard to the parameters studied.
Corticosteroid and antihistamine modification of bleomycin-induced fever.

SummaryFever is a common and frequently debilitating complication following the administration of bleomycin to patients. Bleomycin-induced fever has been demonstrated in rabbits where it is dose related and mediated through the release of endogenous pyrogen from phagocytes. Because cortico-steroids are known to suppress fever in several clinical states and to reduce endogenous pyrogen release from stimulated human phagocytes in vitro the effect of hydrocorti-sone pretreatment on bleomycin-induced fever was studied. All rabbits studied received bleomycin 1 unit/kg i.v. One group received no other medication. A second group received hydrocortisone 5 mg/kg i.v. 1 hr before bleomycin, and a third group received the same dose of hydrocortisone administered as a single injection 1 hr after bleomycin. Hydrocor-tisone-pretreated rabbits, 44%, developed bleomycin-induced fever compared to 90% of the rabbits who received bleomycin alone. Hydrocortisone pretreatment diminished the mean peak fever (ΔT) from 0.80° to ...
Multi-objective optimization for leaching process using improved two-stage guide PSO algorithm

A mathematical mechanism model was proposed for the description and analysis of the heat-stirring-acid leaching process. The model is proved to be effective by experiment. Afterwards, the leaching problem was formulated as a constrained multi-objective optimization problem based on the mechanism model. A two-stage guide multi-objective particle swarm optimization (TSG-MOPSO) algorithm was proposed to solve this optimization problem, which can accelerate the convergence and guarantee the diversity of pareto-optimal front set as well. Computational experiment was conducted to compare the solution by the proposed algorithm with SIGMA-MOPSO by solving the model and with the manual solution in practice. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm shows better performance than SIGMA-MOPSO, and can improve the current manual solutions significantly. The improvements of production time and economic benefit compared with manual solutions are 10.5% and 7.3%, respectively.
On the sedimentation of a sphere in a centrifuge

The flow field about a small, slowly sedimenting particle in a centrifuge is examined using matched asymptotic expansions. The near field is dominated by Stokes flow while in the far field a non-axisymmetric cubical conical structure (a viscously modified Taylor column) is found. This far field induces a Coriolis modification in the near field leading to Coriolis corrections to the Stokes drag law. The Coriolis modification of the predicted molecular weight (if the particle were a molecule) of a small particle is calculated. The analysis is applied to an unbounded fluid as well as to a fluid bounded between parallel plates oriented normal to the rotation vector. In the latter case the governing equations for the rotating fluid are posed as a self-adjoint system of partial differential equations and solved using (symmetric) Green's matrices.
Determination of Chloride in Milk

Summary Chloride in bucket milk samples from 100 cows was estimated by a modified Volhard method, an electrometric procedure, and direct titration with AgNO 3 . The readings of the electrometric procedure and the modified Volhard method were more closely related than those of the direct titration with AgNO 3 and the modified Volhard method. The electrometric procedure could be more readily conducted than the two other methods, and it practically eliminated operator variability in the detection of end points.
New England Library Association Annual Conference

At their annual conference on September 27, 1999 the New England Library Association featured two particularly fascinating sessions. The first was entitled “Riding the Tsunami: Managing the Licensi...
A mouse cell-adapted NS4B mutation attenuates West Nile virus RNA synthesis

An adaptive mutation (E249G) within West Nile virus (WNV) NS4B gene was consistently recovered from replicon RNAs in C3H/He mouse cells. The E249G is located at the C-terminal tail of NS4B predicted to be on the cytoplasmic side of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The E249G substitution reduced replicon RNA synthesis. Compared with the wild-type NS4B, the E249G mutant protein exhibited a similar efficiency in evasion of interferon-β response. Recombinant E249G virus exhibited smaller plaques, slower growth kinetics, and lower RNA synthesis than the wild-type virus in a host-dependent manner, with the greatest difference in rodent cells (C3H/He and BHK-21) and the least difference in mosquito cells (C3/36). Selection of revertants of E249G virus identified a second site mutation at residue 246, which could compensate for the low replication phenotype in cell culture. These results demonstrate that distinct residues within the C-terminal tail of flavivirus NS4B are critical for viral replication.
Dependence of adsorption of cosurfactant on chain length

Abstract The ability of a surfactant formulation to recover petroleum from a reservoir depends on its phase behavior and on its sweep efficiency. Phase behavior can be adjusted by the amount and the kind of cosurfactant, usually an alcohol, added to the mixture. As the slug moves through the reservoir, chromatographic adsorption will cause its composition to change. In this paper, the relationship of adsorption of alcohols from hydrocarbon to their chain length is addressed by measuring surface excesses and enthalpies of replacement. The results show that the amount of alcohol in the surface phase decreases with chain length, the free energy per mole is relatively independent of chain length, while the enthalpy and entropy become more negative.
Intersection multiplicity on blow-ups

A conjecture on vanishing and non-negativity of intersection multiplicity on the blow-up of a regular local ring at its closed point has been proposed. Proofs of vanishing, several special cases of non-negativity and a sufficient condition for non-negativity of this conjecture are described. The topic on intersection multiplicity on vector bundles is also addressed. Introduction. Let X be a regular scheme of finite type over a field or an excellent discrete valuation ring and F ,G be two coherent OX -modules such that l(H i(X,TorX j (F ,G))) < ∞, for i, j ≥ 0. We define χX (F ,G) as Σ(−1)i+jl(Hi(X,TorX j (F ,G))). Note that this is an extension of Serre’s definition of intersection multiplicity on regular local rings ([Se]). First, we would propose the following conjecture: Conjecture. Let (R,m,K) be a regular local ring of dimension n and of essentially finite type over a field or an excellent discrete valuation ring. Let X denote the blow-up of X = SpecR at the closed point s = [m]. Let Ỹ , Z be any two subvarieties of X such that Ỹ ∩ Z ⊂ E = P K . The following statements hold: i) if dim Ỹ + dim Z < dim X, then χX (OỸ ,OZ) = 0 ii) if dim Ỹ +dim Z = dim X and if at least one of Ỹ and Z is not contained in E , then χX (OỸ ,OZ) ≥ 0. AMS Subject Classification: Primary 13H15, 14C17; secondary 13D25, 14C40
Improved efficiency of the walnut somatic embryo gene transfer system.

AnAgrobacterium-mediated gene transfer system which relies on repetitive embryogenesis to regenerate transgenic walnut plants has been made more efficient by using a more virulent strain ofAgrobacterium and vectors containing genes for both kanamycin resistance and beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activity to facilitate early screening and selection. Two plasmids (pCGN7001 and pCGN7314) introduced individually into the disarmedAgrobacterium host strain EHA101 were used as inoculum. Embryos maintained on medium containing 100 mg/l kanamycin after co-cultivation produced more transformed secondary embryos than embryos maintained on kanamycin-free medium. Of the 186 GUS-positive secondary embryo lines identified, 70% were regenerated from 3 out of 16 primary embryos inoculated with EHA101/pCGN7314 and grown on kanamycin- containing medium, 28% from 4 out of 17 primary embryos inoculated with EHA101/ pCGN7001 and grown on kanamycin medium, and 2% from one out of 13 primary embryos inoculated with EHA101/pCGN7001 but not exposed to kanamycin. Because kanamycin inhibits but does not completely block new embryo formation in controls, identification of transformants formerly required repetitive selection on kanamycin for several months. Introduction of the GUS marker gene allowed positive identification of transformant secondary embryos as early as 5–6 weeks after inoculation. DNA analysis of a representative subset of lines (n=13) derived from secondary embryos confirmed transformation and provided evidence for multiple insertion events in single inoculated primary embryos.
Changes in nuclear chromatin related to apoptosis or necrosis induced by the DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor fostriecin in MOLT-4 and HL-60 cells are revealed by altered DNA sensitivity to denaturation.

Abstract The antitumor drug fostriecin (phosphotrienin, FST) has been reported to exert its cytostatic and cytotoxic effects via inhibition of DNA topoisomerase II. The sensitivity of human lymphocytic leukemic MOLT-4 and promyelocytic HL-60 leukemic cells to a wide range of FST concentrations was studied by analyzing the cell cycle-specific effects and changes in nuclear chromatin induced by this inhibitor. The latter was evaluated by assaying the sensitivity of DNA in situ to acid-induced denaturation cytofluorimetrically, with the use of the metachromatic fluorochrome acridine orange (AO), which differentially stains double-stranded and denatured DNA. The cytostatic effects were observed soon after addition of FST (at concentrations of 1–30 μ M for MOLT-4 cultures and 1–5 μ M for HL-60 cultures) as a perturbation of cell progression through S and G 2 phases of the cell cycle. Cell progression through the cycle was halted at >30 μ M FST in MOLT-4 cultures and at >5 μ M in HL-60 cultures; the effect was instantaneous and affected all phases of the cycle, so that no changes in the cell cycle distribution were apparent with increasing length of exposure to the drug. Instead, at these high FST concentrations, immediate cytotoxic effects became evident, manifesting either as cell apoptosis or necrosis. Apoptosis was observed only in the case of HL-60 cells, at FST concentrations of 5–100 μ M , and was characterized by markedly increased sensitivity of DNA to denaturation combined with a decrease in overall DNA stainability, either with the DNA-specific dye DAPI or with AO, indicative of the activation of endogenous nucleases. Necrotic cell death was observed at FST concentrations of 1 m M and at >30 μ M for HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells, respectively: in both cases the overall DNA stainability, with either DAPI or AO, was unchanged compared to the control, but their DNA was very sensitive to denaturation. Interestingly, DNA in G 2 and late S phase MOLT-4 cells, which were undergoing necrotic death, was much more sensitive to denaturation than was DNA in G 1 cells of this lineage. The data indicate that chromatin changes induced by DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors in cells that undergo apoptotic or necrotic death can be conveniently monitored by the assay of DNA in situ sensitivity to denaturation.
Tarsal tunnel surgery for treatment of tarsal ganglion: a rewarding operation with devastating potential complications.

Three patients who originally presented with a mass in the tarsal tunnel are described to develop an algorithm for management of the tarsal ganglion. All three patients had complications from ganglion excision, including complete division of the posterior tibial nerve, injury to the posterior tibial artery, and ganglion recurrence. The guiding principles relating to the presence of an extraneural versus an intraneural ganglion are developed. An example of a posterior tibial intraneural ganglion is presented. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 95(5): 459–463, 2005)
Image Sequence Compression With A Subjective Criterion

ABSTRACT In the previous paper, the techniques of dual -mode codingwere introduced. One of the techniques uses the two - dimensional delta modulation to code the image pixels. In this scheme, the predictor is switched Latween the Graham'spredictor and the normal predictor which sends the directionbits. The bit rate is the lowest of the considered systems. Inthis paper, the channel coding of the system is considered. Especially in coding the difference bits, several methods were studied including the ordering of the bits according tothe two -dimensional statistics of the difference bit map. Thewindow for the predictor of the difference bits was designedto maximize the coding efficiency. For a variety of imagestested in this paper, the bit rates for the difference bits werein the range 0.6717 - 0.8774 bits /pixel which are about 11 to28 percent less than those of the one -dimensional run -lengthcoded bits. 1. INTRODUCTION The research on the dual -mode predictive coding systems was carried out by Lee et al'.
Bcl-2 is upregulated at the CD4^+ CD8^+ stage during positive selection and promotes thymocyte differentiation at several control points

Abstract In vivo thymocyte maturation models were used to investigate the differentiation role of Bcl-2. In α/β T cell receptor (TCR) class 11-restricted transgenic mice, Bcl-2 was upregulated at the CD4+CD8* stage during positive selection. The Ick pr ,-bcl 2 transgene was bred onto MHC classes I -I- and II -I- , MHC -I- , and α/β TCR backgrounds to determine whether Bcl-2 promoted thymocyte maturation in the absence of coreceptor-MHC interaction. Bcl-2 rescued CD8 + thymocytes in class I -I- and α/β TCR mice; however, they were not exported to the periphery. Bcl-2 had no effect on CD4 lineage maturation in class II -I- mice. No single-positive thymocytes accumulate in MHC -I- mice despite overexpressed Bcl-2. Thus, Bcl-2 enables selection of certain TCRs on class 11 molecules and their differentiation along the CD8 pathway; however, Bcl-2 did not substitute for positive selection. In RAG-1 -I- mice, Bcl-2 promoted differentiation to the CD4+CD8+ stage. Bcl-2 can promote thymocyte maturation at several control points.
Early Motion After Quadriceps and Patellar Tendon Repairs: Outcomes With Single-Suture Augmentation

BackgroundComplications of immobilization after quadriceps and patellar tendon repairs include decreased patellar mobility, limited flexion, persistent pain, muscle weakness, and patella baja. In contrast, early motion limits muscle atrophy, accelerates tendon healing, and prevents joint stiffness.HypothesisQuadriceps and patellar tendon repairs protected with a “relaxing suture” are strong enough to safely permit early motion, full weightbearing, and brace-free ambulation.Study DesignCase series; Level of evidence, 4.MethodsTwenty quadriceps and 30 patellar tendon ruptures were treated with a primary repair augmented with a single No. 5 Ethibond suture, a postoperative regimen of controlled motion and full weightbearing at 7 to 10 days, and brace-free ambulation at 6 weeks after surgery. At a minimum follow-up of 12 months, results of surgery were assessed with the Lysholm knee rating system.ResultsSix weeks after surgery, 120° of flexion and brace-free ambulation were the goals and were achieved at a me...
A thermodynamic basis for evaluating environmental policy trade-offs

This paper introduces a novel thermodynamic measure of chemical change in the environment called pollutionpotential, which is defined as the change in exergy of mixing per mole of chemical species in the environment that may be attributed to pollutant releases – equivalent to the ideal exergy per mole required to remove a pollutant from the environment. Because all chemical pollutants may be measured in terms of pollution potential, the methodology described may provide a scientific basis for cross-comparison of disparate environmental impacts such as global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP) in a single measure. As an illustrative example, steady-state pollution potentials are calculated for several CFC replacements and a strong correlation between pollution potential and GWP is found for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Although ozone depletion is found to be a significant factor in the pollution potential of CFC-11, for hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) the contribution of ozone effects to total pollution potential is minimal. These findings suggest that policies that favor marginal reductions in ODP without regard for other environmental effects (e.g. climate change) may have unintended and detrimental consequences.
Evaluation of noise power spectra of CT images

Using a commercial clinical CT scanner (GE lightspeed), nine CT scans were performed on a 20 cm diameter plastic pipe filled with water. The mAs was varied from 10 to 400mAs and the beam energy was varied from 80 to140kVp. For each scan three volume datasets were reconstructed using different filters. Noise power spectrum (NPS) curves were measured to examine the effect of varying kVp, mAs and reconstruction filter on the noise content. Sixteen slices from each of the reconstructed volumes were used to compute the NPS; the central 192x192 pixels of each slice were split into four overlapping regions of interest (ROI) of 128x128 pixels. A total of 64 ROI were used per scan. The magnitude squared of the 2D Fourier transform of each ROI was computed. The mean of the 64 2D results was averaged over radial frequency, yielding a 1D NPS. The overall shape of the NPS was dependent on the reconstruction filter used. The magnitude of the curves decreased with the increase of mAs or kVp. kVp, mAs, and the reconstruction filter can be adjusted to modulate the amount of noise present in resulting CT volumes, but the effect these values have on the patient must be considered. The relationship between NPS and the Noise Equivalent Quanta (NEQ) makes trends in NPS important and is the motivation for this evaluation and future research.
A Model of a Bi-Directional Transfer Mechanism Using Rule Combinations

This paper proposes a new type of transfer mechanism, called Rule Combination Transfer (or RCT), that produces an output structure by non-destructively combining target parts of translation rules, each of which consists of dependency structures in source and target languages and correspondences between them. This proposed mechanism employs more extended mapping of correspondences than one-to-one mapping used in conventional transfer systems, to allow expression of some peculiar or exceptional translation phenomena. Further, these translation rules can be used bi-directionally. Although, the proposed transfer mechanism is intended to be a foundation for an example-based transfer system by coupling it with a mechanism selecting translation rules based on the similarity with an input, it can be also used as a foundation for a conventional transfer system.
Risk Strategy and Attitudinal Sensitivity

We discuss risk and organizational resilience, and provide a paradigm representing the relationship among threats, crises, disruptions, and impact. Decision models are useful in selecting strategies to enhance organizational resilience. Evaluating risk strategies involves the determination of the likelihood of events. Strategies involve costs and might influence event probabilities and impacts. We present a methodology for the selection of risk strategies that incorporates sensitivity analysis of the decision maker's attitude.
CCL3L1 and CCL4L1 chemokine genes are located in a segmental duplication at chromosome 17q12

Abstract Sixteen CC chemokine genes localize to a 2.06-Mb interval at 17q11.2–q12 on genomic contig NT_010799.13. Four of these genes comprise two closely related paralogous pairs: CCL3–CCL3L1 and CCL4–CCL4L1. Members within each pair share 95% sequence identity at both the genomic and the amino acid levels. One BAC clone (AC131056.5) on the contig with substantial internal sequence duplication contains two complete copies of CCL3L1 and CCL4L1 and one truncated copy of CCL3L1, while a partially overlapping clone (AC003976.1) contains one copy each of CCL3 and CCL4. Dot-matrix comparison of the regions of AC131056.5 with those of AC003976.1 containing the four genes reveals 90% sequence similarity over 37 kb. These observations support the idea that the multiple copies of CCL3L1 and CCL4L1 present in a single diploid genome are the result of segmental duplication.
Adaptive control of robotic manipulators

The paper presents a new approach to adaptive control of manipulators to achieve trajectory tracking by the joint angles. The central concept in this approach is the utilization of the manipulator "inverse" as a feedforward controller. The desired trajectory is applied as an input to the feedforward controller which "behaves" as the "inverse" of the manipulator at any operating point; and the controller output is used as the driving torque for the manipulator. The controller gains are then updated by an adaptation algorithm derived from MRAC theory to cope with variations in the manipulator inverse due to changes of the operating point. An adaptive feedback controller and an auxiliary signal are also used to enhance closed-loop stability and to achieve faster adaptation. The proposed control scheme is computationally fast and does not require a priori knowledge of the complex dynamic model or the parameter values of the manipulator or the payload.
Repeated Sexual Victimization and Mental Disorders in Women

ABSTRACT The relationship between mental disorders and sexual victimization is well documented in the literature; however, which characteristics of the victimization experience actually produce this increased risk is not well understood. The present study explored the role of repeated sexual victimization in producing increased risk for mental disorders, relative to adult-only or child-only sexual victimization. Ninety-two females completed questionnaires including trauma history and sexual victimization history. Diagnostic interviews were completed to assess for mental disorders. PTSD was the only mental disorder which was found to differentiate between women with repeated victimization versus child-only or adult-only sexual assault. The results were limited by small sample size, but suggest the need to consider adult revictimization as a contributing factor to PTSD related to child sexual abuse.
High-pressure liquid chromatography of neurotoxic phenylphosphonothioate esters and related compounds

Abstract A method for the separation of the neurotoxic phenylphosphonothiaote esters; leptophos (O-4-bromo-2,5-dichlorophenyl O-methyl-phenylphosphonothioate), desbromo-leptophos (O-2,5-dichlorophenyl O-methyl phenylphosphonothioate), EPN (O-ethyl-O-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate), cyanofenphos (O-ethyl-O-4-cyanophenyl phenylphosphonothioate), and EPBP (O-ethyl O-2,4-dichlorophenyl phenylphosphonothioate), from their possible degradation products by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography is described. Compounds were separated on a microparticulate RP-8 column using a gradient of 1 to 95% menthol in water (the initial solvent also contained 5% glacial acetic acid) in 30 min following a 10-min isocratic delay. Quantification was performed by measuring ultraviolet absorbance at 280 nm. Retention times and peak areas were highly reproducible for the 20 compounds analyzed. The relationship between peak area and amount injected was linear over at least a 100-fold range (0.1–10.0 μg) for the parent compounds as well as their oxygen analogs and phenolic products. The ultraviolet detection limits were ⋍0.01 μg for EPN and related compounds and ⋍0.1 μg for leptophos, cyanofenphos, EPBP, and related products. Using this method, separation and determination of the products of in vitro phenylphosphonothioate metabolism have been achieved.
The response of the ‘green revolution’ to climatic variability

The purpose of this research is to assess the climatic sensitivity of high yielding variety (‘HYV’) ‘green revolution’ wheat. Improved multiple regression models were constructed for yields in India and Sonora, Mexico — the two most intensively planted regions in the world. After isolating the most important climatic predictors (which, not surprisingly, are total rainfall over the irrigation basins), the models were reduced to the pre-HYV period, and then re-run with successively more years of HYV input. This test indicated that increased adoption of the HYV package is associated with a significant increase in yield sensitivity to the most important climatic determinants of yield.