cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A modified proportional change model of attitude change by group discussion

The data of two experiments of dyadic group discussion have been reanalysed. An extended proportional change model was designed to explain the actual process of attitude change. The model is deined by two parameters. The irst represents the impact ofsingle pro-arguments and single con-arguments on the attitude or decision preference. The second describes the resistance to further change that increases with the distance from the initial position. It was hypothesized that the irst parameter should be higher and the second lower, with a similar partner than with a dissimilar one. The prediction was conirmed for the irst parameter only. A comparison ofthe extended proportional change model to related models concludes the report.
Syntheses and spectral studies of some dienic and enynic esters

Abstract Syntheses of dienic esters of the trans-cinnamyl rans-cinnamate and trans-cinnamyl cis-cinnamate types and enynic esters of the trans-cinnamyl phenylpropiolate and phenylpropargyl trans-cinnamate types are described. Characteristic UV, IR and NMR absorption bands are noted.
Adipocyte development in the rat hypodermis

The relationship between hair-follicle development and adipocyte formation in the rat hypodermis was studied. Skin samples from rats of various body weights were prepared for histological, histochemical, and electron microscopic analysis. Adipocyte formation in the rat hypodermis was linked spatially and temporally with hair-follicle growth and development. Cells trapped along the invading edge of hair follicles developed into adipocytes after the descent of the follicles through the dermis. Histochemical characteristics of the outermost cells of hair follicles indicated hypoxic conditions. These conditions may have directed a vascularization process that resulted in a network of adipocytes and capillaries around these follicles. Thus, under normal conditions, adipocyte formation is an integral phase of hair-follicle development in the rat.
C70: intersystem crossing and singlet oxygen production

Time-resolved, pulsed-laser photoacoustic calorimetry has been utilized to investigate the photophysics of the fullerene C70 in benzene and toluene solutions at room temperature for excitation at three wavelengths from 337 to 510 nm. Analysis of the data indicates that C70 exhibits wavelength-independent population of T1: Φisc = 0.97 ± 0.03. Data taken in the presence of the quencher oxygen show that C70(T1) is an efficient, but not quantitative, sensitizer for singlet oxygen: SΔ = 0.89 ± 0.04.
A theory of context effects based on cross-context matching

Abstract In cross-context matching, an observer reports that some stimulus elements, seen in one context, match other stimulus elements, see in a different context. The effect of changing from context S to context T defines a function gS,T, where gS,T(A) = B if stimulus A in T matches B in S. The description of context changes by functions is particularly powerful when there exist a semigroup of transformations of the stimulus elements that exhibits a special property called context-invariance. In this case, the functions gS,T are affine transformations of commutative groups. This means that knowledge of some effects of a context change can be used, via the group structure, to predict other effects. Predictive power is increased further when the contexts themselves are related by transformations that leave cross-context matching invariant; and the greatest power is obtained when stimuli and contexts have vector structure, as with color stimuli. Some previous theories of context effects in color are discussed from the standpoint of different semigroups of context-invariant transformations.
Baseline Visual Field Findings in the Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial (IIHTT)

RESULTS.The majority (60%) of the baseline hemifields consisted of localized nerve fiber bundle-type VF loss. Approximately one-third (31.5%) of all the classifications consisted of partial arcuate defects combined with an enlarged blind spot, making this the most common type of hemifield classification. Inferior hemifield loss was greater than superior loss for both study and nonstudy eyes. Reader agreements were>90% for both inferior and superior hemifields for two out of three readers. Test‐retest reliability agreement for individual readers was 95% for both hemifields. There were few QC errors with only 5.48 error points per 100point VF. C ONCLUSIONS.The most common type of IIHTT baseline hemifield abnormality was a localized nerve fiber bundle-like defect. Localized inferior hemifield loss was more common than superior hemifield loss. Quality control and within- and between-reader agreement were excellent for the IIHTT (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01003639).
A new measure for distress during child sexual abuse examinations: the genital examination distress scale.

Abstract Objective: The primary aim was to develop a simple scale to quantify indices of emotional distress during the rectal-genital (anogenital) phase of a child sexual abuse examination. Method: A scale successfully developed to measure reactions of children to painful procedures, in particular bone marrow aspirations, was used as a model (Elliot, Jay, & Woody, 1987) . This new scale was developed to have a simplified rating format, more relevant operational definitions and possibly a different set of behavioral categories. This new scale was developed using 300 children being examined for possible child sexual abuse. Intraclass correlation coefficients identified reliable items to use. Factor analysis and Cronbach alpha were employed to understand the internal structure of the scale. Paired t-tests, Pearson correlations and hierarchical regression were used to explore validity. Results: A simple 7-item scale was developed along with two subscales representing agitated and verbally mediated distress. Ratings of distress were significantly greater during the anogenital phase than the general physical part of the examination. Increased distress was associated with positive physical findings. Ratings by the children that they disliked the physician looking at their bodies provided discriminant validity by correlating with increased scores for emotional distress during the anogenital segment of the examination. Conclusion: The Genital Examination Distress Scale (GEDS) has been developed for measuring the emotional distress of children during the anogenital component of child sexual abuse examinations. The GEDS has been provided for prudent use. Descriptive data offer a comparative standard for other programs and research.
Trans-Horizon Microwave Propagation over Hilly Terrain

By introducing three path parameters into the geometry of scattered signal transmission, the spherical earth formulas of W. E. Gordon were extended to the nonspherical earth case. This paper describes the result of analysis. The nonspherical earth formulas were applied to the prediction of the signal power and characteristics of tropospheric scattered fields on the hilly 93-mile path between Ithaca and Wethersfield-Springs, N.Y., and on the 119-mile path between Ithaca and Buffalo, N.Y. The transmission experiments over these two paths were conducted at Cornell University, at frequencies of 2,780 mc and 9,150 mc. The results of the experiments are presented together with the predictions in this paper.
A boolean delay equation model of ENSO variability

Abstract Boolean delay equations (BDEs) provide a mathematical framework to formulate and analyze conceptual models of complex multi-component systems. This framework is used here to construct a simple conceptual model for the El-Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. ENSO involves the coupling of atmospheric and oceanic processes that are far from being completely understood. Our BDE model uses Boolean variables to represent key atmospheric and oceanic quantities and equations that involve logical operators to describe their evolution. Two distinct time-delay parameters, one for the local atmosphere–ocean coupling effects and the other for oceanic wave propagation, are introduced. Over a range of physically relevant delay values, this truly minimal model captures two essential features of ENSO’s interannual variability — its regularity and its tendency to phase-lock to the annual cycle. Oscillations with average cycle length that is an integer multiple of the seasonal cycle are prevalent and range from 2 to 7 years. Transition zones — where the average period lengths are noninteger rational multiples of the forcing period — exhibit Devil’s staircases, a signature of the quasi-periodic (QP) route to chaos. Our BDE model thus validates results from previous studies of the interaction of the seasonal cycle with ENSO’s “delayed oscillator”. It gives therewith support to the view that the observed irregularity results predominantly from low-order chaotic processes rather than from stochastic weather noise. Moreover, in the transition zone between the two integer periodicities of 2 and 3 years, a heretofore unsuspected, self-similar “fractal sunburst” pattern emerges in phase-parameter space. This pattern provides a distinct and more complex scenario than the QP route to chaos found in earlier, more detailed ENSO models. Period selection in this 2–3-year transitional region seems to play a key role in ENSO’s irregularity, as well as in the appearance of the observed quasi-biennial mode of variability.
Functional role of O-linked and N-linked glycosylation sites present on the activation peptide of factor X

Background There are two O-linked and two N-linked glycosylation sites on the activation peptide of factor X (FX) involving residues Thr-17, Thr-29, Asn-39 and Asn-49. Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the contribution of carbohydrates of the FX activation peptide to zymogen recognition by physiological activators. Methods The putative glycosylation sites were substituted individually or in combinations with Ala and mutants were expressed in mammalian cells. The entire activation peptide up to the P3 residue was deleted in another construct. Results It was discovered that activation of zymogen mutants by both FVIIa and FIXa on negatively charged phospholipid vesicles has been improved 2-40-fold independent of a cofactor. These mutants were activated with slightly lower catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) by FVIIa in the extrinsic Xase complex, though both K(m) and k(cat) constants for mutants were elevated. With the exception of approximately 3-fold improvement in the activation of N49A, the catalytic efficiency of FIXa toward mutants was decreased 2-5-fold in the intrinsic Xase complex. Conclusions The carbohydrate chains of the FX activation peptide play an important role in restricting the specificity of zymogen recognition by both FVIIa and FIXa, thereby preventing the cofactor-independent activation of FX by these proteases. On the other hand, the carbohydrates contribute to the cofactor-dependent recognition of the zymogen by both extrinsic and intrinsic Xase complexes.
The Split Virus Influenza Vaccine rapidly activates immune cells through Fcγ receptors.

Seasonal influenza vaccination is one of the most common medical procedures and yet the extent to which it activates the immune system beyond inducing antibody production is not well understood. In the United States, the most prevalent formulations of the vaccine consist of degraded or “split” viral particles distributed without any adjuvants. Based on previous reports we sought to determine whether the split influenza vaccine activates innate immune receptors—specifically Toll-like receptors. High-dimensional proteomic profiling of human whole-blood using Cytometry by Time-of-Flight (CyTOF) was used to compare signaling pathway activation and cytokine production between the split influenza vaccine and a prototypical TLR response ex vivo. This analysis revealed that the split vaccine rapidly and potently activates multiple immune cell types but yields a proteomic signature quite distinct from TLR activation. Importantly, vaccine induced activity was dependent upon the presence of human sera indicating that a serum factor was necessary for vaccine-dependent immune activation. We found this serum factor to be human antibodies specific for influenza proteins and therefore immediate immune activation by the split vaccine is immune-complex dependent. These studies demonstrate that influenza virus “splitting” inactivates any potential adjuvants endogenous to influenza, such as RNA, but in previously exposed individuals can elicit a potent immune response by facilitating the rapid formation of immune complexes.
Density Functional Theory Study of the Geometry, Energetics, and Reconstruction Process of Si(111) Surfaces

We report the structures and energies from first principles density functional calculations of 12 different reconstructed (111) surfaces of silicon, including the 3 × 3 to 9 × 9 dimer−adatom−stacking fault (DAS) structures. These calculations used the Perdew−Burke−Ernzerhof generalized gradient approximation of density functional theory and Gaussian basis functions. We considered fully periodic slabs of various thicknesses. We find that the most stable surface is the DAS 7 × 7 structure, with a surface energy of 1.044 eV/1 × 1 cell (1310 dyn/cm). To analyze the origins of the stability of these systems and to predict energetics for more complex, less-ordered systems, we develop a model in which the surface energy is partitioned into contributions from seven different types of atom environments. This analysis is used to predict the surface energy of larger DAS structures (including their asymptotic behavior for very large unit cells) and to study the energetics of the sequential size change (SSC) model proposed by Shimada and Tochihara for the observed dynamical reconstruction of the Si(111) 1 × 1 structure. We obtain an energy barrier at the 2 × 2 cell size and confirm that the 7 × 7 regular stage of the SSC model (corresponding to the DAS 7 × 7 reconstruction) provides the highest energy reduction per unit cell with respect to the unreconstructed Si(111) 1 × 1 surface.
A microeconomic evaluation of the impact of Mycoplasma meleagridis infection in turkey production

Abstract A microeconomic evaluation approach was used to determine the economic impact of Mycoplasma meleagridis (MM) infection in turkeys. Profit maximization, using the production, cost and profit functions, and prices of inputs and outputs was utilized to determine the economically optimal time birds should be raised as well as the corresponding optimal level of feed input and liveweight meat output. Optimal was defined as that level which maximized profits. Using regression analysis, the predicted weights of MM-infected (MM(+)) males and females were found to be significantly greater, for a given age or level of feed input, than noninfected (MM(−)) cohorts of identical age and parent line. This unusual weight advantage demonstrated by the infected birds may be the result of higher embryo mortality of this group thus reducing the survivability of some of the potentially poor weight gainers in the MM(+) group. By evaluating the profit functions, this weight advantage also translated into a profit advantage of $0.06 per bird associated with raising MM(+) turkeys. Although the weight gain results were obtained from birds raised under environmentally controlled conditions and thus not subjected to typical overcrowding and climatic stress faced under field conditions, they agree with recent results obtained in a field study (Carpenter et al., 1982a). This apparent profit advantage should be considered when measuring the benefits derived from averting decreased hatchability, leg problems, and other anomalies associated with MM infection. This microeconomic approach should aid producers, veterinarians and administrators in their disease control/eradication decision making.
A Lake Breeze on the Eastern Shore of Lake Michigan: Observations and Model

Abstract This study was undertaken to determine the physical and dynamical characteristics of the lake breeze wind system at a site on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Lake breeze development and progress inland were observed by hourly pilot balloon ascents in a vertical plane perpendicular to the lake shore. The fields of moisture and temperature in this vertical plane on a day when a clearly defined lake breeze occurred were obtained using an instrumented aircraft. Observations were made during periods when prevailing external meteorological conditions would exert minimum influence on the local thermal circulation. Over the land the depth of the layer of onshore flow is approximately 750 m and a maximum velocity of 5–7 m sec−1 is observed within 250 m of the surface directly over the lake shore. Above the lake breeze current a well defined return flow is apparent by midafternoon. The layer of return flow is about twice as deep as the lake breeze and velocities in the return flow axe proportionately l...
Abstract 4098: COX-2 expression in human pancreatic cancer cells is associated with an epithelial phenotype

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Epithelial to mesenchymal transition is a developmental pathway that has been shown to have a direct role in tumor progression and drug resistance. Increasing evidence suggests that EMT (and MET) leads to global changes in chromatin architecture that modifies expression of numerous genes. Interestingly, reports in the literature indicate a possible association between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and EMT. COX-2 is upregulated in response to inflammation, and is known to be overexpressed in multiple malignancies, including pancreatic cancer. As a critical mediator of prostaglandin production, COX-2 has proangiogenic properties associated with increased tumor growth and invasion, and is also thought to play a role in the carcinogenic process. In this study, we report that COX-2 expression is associated with an epithelial phenotype among a panel of human pancreatic cancer cells. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), we demonstrate increased acetylated H3 at the COX-2 promoter region in the epithelial cell lines versus mesenchymal cell lines. Treatment with a Type-I selective HDAC inhibitor SNDX-275 increased levels of acetylation at the COX-2 promoter region in mesenchymal cell lines and subsequently promoted COX-2 gene expression. Overall, these data point to an epigenetic suppression of COX-2 expression in mesenchymal pancreatic cancer cells that can be reversed by Type-I HDAC inhibitors. Our results suggest that COX2 inhibitors will preferentially target “epithelial” pancreatic cancers and that combinations of Cox2 and HDAC inhibitors may display increased anti-tumor activity. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4098. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4098
Limits of convergence of the Rayleigh method for surface scattering

A method of testing the validity of the Rayleigh assumption is presented. The test can be applied for any one-dimensional or two-dimensional surface of analytic shape. It can be used for Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions and also when the surface is penetrable and a refracted field exists. The test is based on the asymptotic evaluation of the diffracted order amplitudes and in this way is similar to Millar's potential-theory analysis.
A method for the design of binary tree classifiers

Abstract A method based on multivariate stepwise regression is proposed for the design of binary tree classifiers. Experimental results of cell classification are given to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method.
Air toxics and health risks in California: the public health implications of outdoor concentrations.

Of the 188 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) listed in the Clean Air Act, only a handful have information on human health effects, derived primarily from animal and occupational studies. Lack of consistent monitoring data on ambient air toxics makes it difficult to assess the extent of low-level, chronic, ambient exposures to HAPs that could affect human health, and limits attempts to prioritize and evaluate policy initiatives for emissions reduction. Modeled outdoor HAP concentration estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Cumulative Exposure Project were used to characterize the extent of the air toxics problem in California for the base year of 1990. These air toxics concentration estimates were used with chronic toxicity data to estimate cancer and noncancer hazards for individual HAPs and the risks posed by multiple pollutants. Although hazardous air pollutants are ubiquitous in the environment, potential cancer and noncancer health hazards posed by ambient exposures are geographically concentrated in three urbanized areas and in a few rural counties. This analysis estimated a median excess individual cancer risk of 2.7E−4 for all air toxics concentrations and 8600 excess lifetime cancer cases, 70% of which were attributable to four pollutants: polycyclic organic matter, 1,3 butadiene, formaldehyde, and benzene. For noncancer effects, the analysis estimated a total hazard index representing the combined effect of all HAPs considered. Each pollutant contributes to the index a ratio of estimated concentration to reference concentration. The median value of the index across census tracts was 17, due primarily to acrolein and chromium concentration estimates. On average, HAP concentrations and cancer and noncancer health risks originate mostly from area and mobile source emissions, although there are several locations in the state where point sources account for a large portion of estimated concentrations and health risks. Risk estimates from this study can provide guidance for prioritizing research, monitoring, and regulatory intervention activities to reduce potential hazards to the general population. Improved ambient monitoring efforts can help clarify uncertainties inherent in this analysis.
Set size, individuation, and attention to shape.

Much research has demonstrated a shape bias in categorizing and naming solid objects. This research has shown that when an entity is conceptualized as an individual object, adults and children attend to the object’s shape. Separate research in the domain of numerical cognition suggest that there are distinct processes for quantifying small and large sets of discrete items. This research shows that small set discrimination, comparison, and apprehension is often precise for 1–3 and sometimes 4 items; however, large numerosity representation is imprecise. Results from three experiments suggest a link between the processes for small and large number representation and the shape bias in a forced choice categorization task using naming and non-naming procedures. Experiment 1 showed that adults generalized a newly learned name for an object to new instances of the same shape only when those instances were presented in sets of less than 3 or 4. Experiment 2 showed that preschool children who were monolingual speakers of three different languages were also influenced by set size when categorizing objects in sets. Experiment 3 extended these results and showed the same effect in a non-naming task and when the novel noun was presented in a count-noun syntax frame. The results are discussed in terms of a relation between the precision of object representation and the precision of small and large number representation.
Conventional prosthetic rehabilitation after free flap reconstruction of a maxillectomy defect: A clinical report

Microvascular free flap reconstruction of maxillectomy defects has been advocated as a more desirable treatment option than conventional prosthetic rehabilitation. Free flap reconstruction can successfully separate the oral and sinonasal cavities, but the reconstructed defect may not improve the treatment outcome when compared with conventional prosthetic rehabilitation of a nonsurgically reconstructed defect. In this report, the prosthetic management of a patient who underwent immediate microvascular free flap reconstruction of a unilateral maxillectomy defect is described, and the issue of surgical versus nonsurgical reconstruction is discussed.
Planning Civil Society: Putting Value on the Arts through Cultural Planning

AbstractThis paper analyzes one published community cultural plan (with contrasts to other plans) to illustrate the theoretical framework adopted for a larger study of community cultural plans from across the U.S. In particular, the case study illustrates how different planning initiators prefer specific planning styles, and how such styles shape the selection of planning partners, the collection and analysis of data and decision-making forums (public hearings, focus-group sessions, task-force meetings, etc.) and ultimately the specific planning goals and programs adopted for the arts and culture. In the specific case studied here, the driving force of civic foundations in initiating the plan led to a planning process that combined a communicative with a technocratic style of planning. This meant a broad inclusion of political and civic leaders combined with a heavy emphasis on professional research. The plan intermingled a language of expert-based professionalism with a language of civic individualism, a...
Catalytic O−O Activation Chemistry Mediated by Iron Hangman Porphyrins with a Wide Range of Proton-Donating Abilities

A library of hanging porphyrin xanthene (HPX) compounds containing pendant groups with various proton-donating abilities (pKa ranging from ∼2 to 25) has been synthesized. Their corresponding chloroiron(III) complexes promote the catalase-like disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide. The overall activity and turnover numbers (TONs) are maximal for iron HPX complexes bearing acidic hydrogen-bond pendants. These results establish that careful control of intramolecular proton inventory can dramatically influence the catalytic activation of O−O bonds.
fbc Operon, encoding the Rieske FeS protein cytochrome b, and cytochrome c1 apoproteins previously described from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides, is from Rhodopseudomonas capsulata☆

Detailed comparison of the ‘Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides GA’ strain used by Gabellini et al. (1985) with genuine R. sphaeroides and R. capsulata strains indicated that the previously reported fbc operon of R. sphaeroides (Gabellini and Sebald, 1986) encoding the structural genes for the Rieske FeS protein, Cytochrome b and cytochrome c1 subunits of the ubiquinol: cytochrome c2 oxidoreductase, is not from R. sphaeroides, but is rather from a strain of R. capsulata. Consequently, the genuine bc1 genes from R. sphaeroides were cloned using corresponding R. capsulata genes as probes, and a partial nucleotide sequence for the Rieske FeS protein of R. sphaeroides was determined and compared with that of R. capsulata.
Evaluation of rankings with regard to the possible number of agreements and conflicts

Abstract An interesting problem in group decision analysis is how many different agreements can occur, or conversely disagreements may exist, between two or more different rankings of a set of alternatives. In this paper it is assumed that a reference ranking has been established for the set of alternatives. This reference ranking may represent the ranking of a high authority decision maker or be just a virtual ranking to be used in determining the discrepancy between pairs of rankings. Then, the problem examined here is to evaluate the number of possible rankings when the ranking method is the number of agreements with some reference ranking. The analysis presented here illustrates that this problem is not trivial and moreover, its simple context conceals complexity in its depth. The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of the number of possible agreements in rankings given to a set of concepts, alternatives or ideas, by two or more decision makers. The number of possible agreements takes on the values 0, 1, 2,…, n − 2, or n when n concepts are compared. This paper develops a recursive closed form formula for calculating the frequencies for the various numbers of agreements.
The limitations of the positional order effect: Can it support silent threats and non-equilibrium behavior?

Abstract Common knowledge about the chronological order of play in extensive form games has been shown in several studies to change the behavior of the players by conferring an advantage to the first mover. To study the validity and limitations of this positional order effect , we study sequential battle-of-sexes games where it predicts an unannounced commitment to a weakly dominated strategy, and a class of 2×2 games with unique equilibria where it even predicts non-equilibrium behavior. We observe that the effect weakens considerably in the former and vanishes completely in the latter. Thus, the study provides evidence about the importance of physical temporal ordering for real life economic decisions.
Treatment outcomes and quality-of-life assessment in a university-based fertility preservation program: Results of a registry of female cancer patients at 2 years

Purpose To explore patient goals and quality of life (QOL) via a prospective registry and compare fertility preservation (FP) outcomes before, during, and after cancer therapy.
On the estimation of localization economies

Abstract This paper proposes a new method for testing for the existence of localization economies for growing industries. The key concept is the elasticity of the growth rate of a local industry with respect to the base year level of activity in the local area. If this elasticity is positive, the industry tends to centralize as it grows; if this elasticity is negative, the industry decentralizes as it grows.
Combinations of cyclophosphamide and misonidazole in the KHT sarcoma.

Abstract The effect on intramuscularly growing KHT sarcomas of combinations of the chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide (CYC) and the radiosensitizer misonidazole (MISO) was determined. Tumor response was evaluated using an in vivo to in vitro clonogenic cell survival assay or an in situ tumor growth delay assay. MISO, at doses ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 mg/g, was found to be effective at enhancing the tumor response to CYC when given for times of 0–4 hr before the chemotherapeutic agent. Clonogenic cell survival studies in which a 1.0 mg/g dose of MISO was administered simultaneously with CYC demonstrated that the addition of the sensitizer increased the level of tumor cell kill assessed 24 hr after treatment by a factor of ∼4–8 for CYC doses ranging from 25–150 mg/kg. Similarly, in the in situ experiments MISO enhanced the regrowth delay resulting from CYC treatments with doses up to 150 mg/kg by ∼2–4 days. Consequently, the addition of MISO to CYC was not found to be strictly dose modifying, but rather resulted in enhancement ratios ranging from 1.3 to 1.5 depending on the dose of the chemotherapeutic agent used. Normal tissue toxicity to combinations of CYC and MISO was assessed 24 hr after treatment using a spleen colony assay. When MISO (1.0 mg/g) was administered simultaneously with a range of CYC doses, a dose modifying factor of ∼1.2 for bone marrow stem cell toxicity was observed. On the basis of these observations, the addition of MISO to CYC treatment may lead to a small therapeutic gain.
MochiView: versatile software for genome browsing and DNA motif analysis

As high-throughput technologies rapidly generate genome-scale data, it becomes increasingly important to visually integrate these data so that specific hypotheses can be formulated and tested. We present MochiView, a platform-independent Java software that integrates browsing of genomic sequences, features, and data with DNA motif visualization and analysis in a visually-appealing and user-friendly application. While highly versatile, the software is particularly useful for organizing, exploring, and analyzing large genomic data sets, such as those from deep RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments (ChIP-Seq and ChIP-Chip), and transcriptional profiling. MochiView provides an extensive suite of utilities to identify and to explore connections between these data sets and short sequence motifs present in DNA or RNA.
Paclitaxel in extensively pretreated nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.

Paclitaxel was given as a single agent to previously treated, cisplatin-refractory, and relapsed patients with metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (GCT). Fifteen patients received paclitaxel at 250 mg/m(2) as a 24-hour continuous intravenous infusion, repeated every 21 days. The regimen was premedicated to prevent hypersensitivity reactions. Patients were supported with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor until resolution of the neutropenia. Of 15 patients, I I patients had received at least three previous chemotherapy regimens; 80% of the patients were cisplatin-refractory at study entry. A total of 34 courses of paclitaxel were delivered. A serologic partial response and a partial remission for an overall response rate of 13.3% (95% C.I. 2-39%), with a median duration of 9.5 weeks, were achieved. Thirteen (86.6%) patients developed progressive disease. The toxicity of the regimen consisted of grade 3 4 neutropenia, with only one infectious complication and no life-threatening events. Nonhematologic toxicity was significant for progressive peripheral neuropathy in 8 patients. No hypersensitivity reactions or symptomatic cardiac toxicity occurred. In conclusion, paclitaxel in the dose and schedule given has minimal activity in this extensively treated, cisplatin-refractory group of patients with nonseminomatous GCT. Further investigation is warranted to find the role of paclitaxel in GCT by either selecting a better patient population and/or combining it with cisplatin, which would use the synergistic cytotoxicity that has been reported.
Effect of Dietary Aspartame on Plasma Concentrations of Phenylalanine and Tyrosine in Normal and Homozygous Phenylketonuric Patients

Six normal subjects each ingested a single 12-oz can of a diet cola (Diet Coke) providing 184 mg aspartame (APM), of which 104 mg is phenylalanine (Phe), and, on another occasion, a single 12-oz can of regular cola (Coke Classic). Neither cola significantly affected plasma concentrations of Phe or tyrosine over the three-hour postingestion study period. Each of five homozygous phenylketonuric (PKU) subjects (ages 11, 16, 17, 21, and 23 years) ingested a single 12-oz can of the same diet cola. In these five subjects (three with classic PKU and two with hyperphenylalinemia), the increase in plasma Phe concentrations varied from 0.26 mg/dL to 1.77 mg/dL two or three hours after ingestion (baseline levels, 5.04 to 17.2 mg/dL). Tyrosine concentrations did not differ significantly from baseline levels. The data indicate that ingestion of dietary Phe, as supplied in a single can of diet cola, is readily handled in both normal and PKU subjects. The small increases in plasma Phe concentrations in the homozygous PKU patients are not considered clinically significant.
Kreuzung von Aspergillus nidulans

Aspergillus nidulans ist ein filamentoser Schlauchpilz (Euascomycet), der ubiquitar im Boden verbreitet ist und auch im Labor sehr leicht kultiviert werden kann. Dieser Pilz eignet sich neben anderen Pilzarten, wie Schizosaccharomyces (die Spalthefe) oder Neurospora (der Brot- oder Backerschimmel), sehr gut fur genetische Untersuchungen. Er kann sich asexuell durch Konidiosporen und sexuell durch Ascosporen vermehren. Der sexuellen Sporenbildung kann eine Paarung unterschiedlicher Stamme vorangehen, was in Kreuzungsexperimenten ausgenutzt wird. Bei einer Kreuzung kann man beispielsweise Mutanten verwenden, die Defekte in Genen der Pigmentbiosynthese aufweisen, wodurch sie leicht phanotypisch unterschieden werden konnen (Abbildung 1). Die unterschiedlichen Phanotypen treten direkt wieder bei den Nachkommen einer Kreuzung auf, da es sich bei A. nidulans um einen haploiden Organismus handelt. Neben den Mutationen in den Genen fur die Pigmentbiosynthese kommen bei A. nidulans viele weitere Mutanten vor, in denen bestimmte Enzyme von Stoffwechselwegen defekt sind. Diese konnen durch Kultivierung der Stamme auf Selektivmedien festgestellt werden (siehe unten).
Guest Editorial: Digital Videos as Tools for Learning Mathematics

What about the mathematics teachers? Are they prepared to guide student learning of mathematics for the 2010’s and beyond? The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) established its Technology Principle in its Principles and Standards of School Mathematics, “The existence, versatility, and power of technology make it possible and necessary to reexamine what mathematics students should learn as well as how they can best learn it” (NCTM, 2000, p. 25).
A Phase I Trial of Lenalidomide in Patients with Recurrent Primary Central Nervous System Tumors

Purpose: Inhibition of angiogenesis represents a promising new therapeutic strategy for treating primary malignant brain tumors. Lenalidomide, a potent analogue of the antiangiogenic agent thalidomide, has shown significant activity in several hematologic malignancies, and therefore we chose to explore its tolerability and activity in patients with primary central nervous system tumors. Experimental Design: A phase I interpatient dose escalation trial of lenalidomide in patients with recurrent primary central nervous system tumors was conducted. Results: Thirty-six patients were accrued to the study, of which 28 were evaluable for toxicity, the primary end point of the trial. We show that lenalidomide can be given safely up to doses of 20 mg/m 2 , with the only toxicity being a probable increased risk of thromboembolic disease. Pharmacokinetic studies reveal good bioavailability, linear kinetics, and no effects of enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs on the metabolism of lenalidomide. No objective radiographic responses were seen in any of the treated patients. In the group of 24 patients with recurrent glioblastoma, the median time to tumor progression was Conclusion: Lenalidomide is well tolerated in patients with recurrent glioma in doses up to 20 mg/m 2 . Treatment may be associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic disease. Preliminary data suggest that single agent activity may be limited in patients with recurrent glioblastoma at the doses evaluated although larger studies will be needed to confirm these observations.
Identification and Measurement of Growth Hormone in Extracts of Human Urine

Evidence is presented to indicate that biologically active human growth hormone (HGH) can be extracted from normal human urine and quantitatively measured. The antigenic identity of HGH in urine extracts has been demonstrated on Ouchterlony plates. Hemagglutination-inhibition studies indicate that more than 5 times as much HGH is present in extracts of urine from patients with active untreated acromegaly as in extracts of urine from normals. No HGH was detected in urine extracts from each of 4 hypophysectomized patients.
Genetic analysis of a Bison bison herd derived from the Yellowstone National Park population

The objective of this study is to inventory the current genetic diversity of the bison quarantine feasibility study (BQFS) herd originating from Yellowstone National Park (YNP) using previously described microsatellite, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers with the aim to determine the degree, if any, of cattle DNA introgression in this herd. This work can provide an important tool in monitoring and managing bison genetic diversity as brucellosis-free reintroduced herds are re-established throughout the US for conservation purposes. The BQFS composed of 89 Bison bison from YNP that were quarantined and tested to qualify as free of brucellosis in 2006–2007. Understanding genetic diversity of the herd is important to determine if any genetic characteristics such as cattle DNA introgression or low genetic diversity may threaten the herd's protected status. We evaluated genetic diversity at 42 microsatellite loci representing each of the nuclear chromosomes in the bison genome. We found no detectable evidenc...
Inhibition of Class A and Class C Beta-Lactamases by Penems: Crystallographic Structures of a Novel 1,4-Thiazepine Intermediate

A new beta-lactamase inhibitor, a methylidene penem having a 5,6-dihydro-8H-imidazo[2,1-c][1,4]oxazine heterocyclic substituent at the C6 position with a Z configuration, irreversibly inhibits both class A and class C serine beta-lactamases with IC(50) values of 0.4 and 9.0 nM for TEM-1 and SHV-1 (class A), respectively, and 4.8 nM in AmpC (class C) beta-lactamases. The compound also inhibits irreversibly the class C extended-spectrum GC1 beta-lactamase (IC(50) = 6.2 nM). High-resolution crystallographic structures of a reaction intermediate of (5R)-(6Z)-6-(5,6-dihydro-8H-imidazo[2,1-c][1,4]oxazin-2-ylmethylene)-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-3-carboxylic acid 1 with the SHV-1 beta-lactamase and with the GC1 beta-lactamase have been determined by X-ray diffraction to resolutions of 1.10 and 1.38 A, respectively. The two complexes were refined to crystallographic R-factors (R(free)) of 0.141 (0.186) and 0.138 (0.202), respectively. Cryoquenching of the reaction of 1 with each beta-lactamase crystal produced a common, covalently bound intermediate. After acylation of the serine, a nucleophilic attack by the departing thiolate on the C6' atom yielded a novel seven-membered 1,4-thiazepine ring having R stereochemistry at the new C7 moiety. The orientation of this ring in each complex differs by a 180 degrees rotation about the bond to the acylated serine. The acyl ester bond is stabilized to hydrolysis through resonance stabilization with the dihydrothiazepine ring and by low occupancy or disorder of hydrolytic water molecules. In the class A complex, the buried water molecule on the alpha-face of the ester bond appears to be loosely bound or absent. In the class C complex, a water molecule on the beta-face is disordered and poorly activated for hydrolysis. Here, the acyl intermediate is unable to assist its own hydrolysis, as is thought to occur with many class C substrates.
Distributed multirobot localization

In this paper, we present a new approach to the problem of simultaneously localizing a group of mobile robots capable of sensing one another. Each of the robots collects sensor data regarding its own motion and shares this information with the rest of the team during the update cycles. A single estimator, in the form of a Kalman filter, processes the available positioning information from all the members of the team and produces a pose estimate for every one of them. The equations for this centralized estimator can be written in a decentralized form, therefore allowing this single Kalman filter to be decomposed into a number of smaller communicating filters. Each of these filters processes the sensor data collected by its host robot. Exchange of information between the individual filters is necessary only when two robots detect each other and measure their relative pose. The resulting decentralized estimation schema, which we call collective localization, constitutes a unique means for fusing measurements collected from a variety of sensors with minimal communication and processing requirements. The distributed localization algorithm is applied to a group of three robots and the improvement in localization accuracy is presented. Finally, a comparison to the equivalent decentralized information filter is provided.
Structuring the student research experience

The benefits of working in a research group are clear: students develop domain expertise, gain an understanding and appreciation of the research process and its practice, and acquire team, communication, problem-solving, and higher-level thinking skills. Students with this experience are better equipped to make informed judgments about technical matters and to communicate and work in teams to solve complex problems. However, it is difficult to provide a quality experience to large numbers of students, particularly to students of differing abilities.The Systems and Software Engineering Affinity Research Group model provides a socialization mechanism and infrastructure that supports the development and management of large research groups that engage undergraduate and graduate students, who have a wide range of skill levels and experiences, in research and projects. This non-hierarchical model integrates students into both small research groups and an encompassing large research group, and uses structured activities to develop their research, technical, communication, and group skills.In this paper we introduce the model and report how the model meets independently developed Best Practice guidelines for student research experiences and we provide indicators of success for use by other projects.
Conditional Akt activation promotes androgen-independent progression of prostate cancer

Aggressive androgen-independent (also termed as hormone-refractory) prostate cancer is a major clinical obstacle because there is no means to cure. Previous studies have shown that Akt activation is associated with prostate cancer progression from androgen-dependent to androgen-independent stage. However, its causative role in this process has not been established. One of the major limitations is the lack of a well-controlled inducible system to study Akt involvement. Recently, we developed a novel inducible Akt (iAKT) system based on a chemically induced dimerization (CID) approach. This system allows for conditional activation of Akt in a physiological setting. Utilizing this iAKT system, we found that Akt activation prevented cell death after serum withdrawal and promoted cell proliferation in the absence of androgen in vitro in human prostate cancer LNCaP cells, which should stop growing after androgen withdrawal or even die after serum starvation. The iAKT-induced death protection and growth promotion were further demonstrated in vivo using a transgenic mouse model that expresses the iAKT system conditionally in the prostate epithelium. Most importantly, in a mouse xenograft model derived from LNCaP cells, iAKT activation promoted tumor growth in castrated animals by enhancing cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Taken together, our data suggest that Akt activation is playing a causative role in androgen-independent progression of prostate cancer. This study provides a significant relevance of Akt-targeted therapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancers.
From "death camps" to cordon sanitaire: the development of sleeping sickness policy in the Uele district of the Belgian Congo, 1903-1914.

When sleeping sickness was discovered to be epidemic in the Congo Free State in 1904, the administration responded by attempting to implement public health measures which had evolved in Europe in relation to plague and cholera epidemics. These measures were to identify and isolate victims and suspected victims of the disease and to map out the infected and uninfected zones. This article describes the early sleeping-sickness campaign of the Belgian authorities in the Uele District of Province Orientale between 1904 and 1914, focusing on the formation of isolation camps or lazarets. Uele district had been identified as a potentially rich and uninfected zone to be protected from contamination by the establishment of a cordon sanitaire. Public health policy and practice during this period provides an example of attempted ‘social engineering’ on the part of a colonial authority. While sleeping sickness provided the major impetus for the gradual development of the colonial medical service by the 1920s, the early period between 1903 and World War I was particularly onerous for the African populations in the north-east. The public health policy was perceived by many Africans as one more element in the on-going conquest and exploitation of the region. Examples are provided to demonstrate the ways in which numerous sleeping-sickness regulations affected African societies in Uele.