cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BRAIN TUMOR THERAPY-INDUCED CHANGES IN NORMAL-APPEARING BRAINSTEM MEASURED WITH LONGITUDINAL DIFFUSION TENSOR IMAGING

Purpose To characterize therapy-induced changes in normal-appearing brainstems of childhood brain tumor patients by serial diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods and Materials We analyzed 109 DTI studies from 20 brain tumor patients, aged 4 to 23 years, with normal-appearing brainstems included in the treatment fields. Those with medulloblastomas, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors, and atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors ( n = 10) received postoperative craniospinal irradiation (23.4–39.6 Gy) and a cumulative dose of 55.8 Gy to the primary site, followed by four cycles of high-dose chemotherapy. Patients with high-grade gliomas ( n = 10) received erlotinib during and after irradiation (54–59.4 Gy). Parametric maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were computed and spatially registered to three-dimensional radiation dose data. Volumes of interest included corticospinal tracts, medial lemnisci, and the pons. Serving as an age-related benchmark for comparison, 37 DTI studies from 20 healthy volunteers, aged 6 to 25 years, were included in the analysis. Results The median DTI follow-up time was 3.5 years (range, 1.6–5.0 years). The median mean dose to the pons was 56 Gy (range, 7–59 Gy). Three patterns were seen in longitudinal FA and apparent diffusion coefficient changes: ( 1 ) a stable or normal developing time trend, ( 2 ) initial deviation from normal with subsequent recovery, and ( 3 ) progressive deviation without evidence of complete recovery. The maximal decline in FA often occurred 1.5 to 3.5 years after the start of radiation therapy. A full recovery time trend could be observed within 4 years. Patients with incomplete recovery often had a larger decline in FA within the first year. Radiation dose alone did not predict long-term recovery patterns. Conclusions Variations existed among individual patients after therapy in longitudinal evolution of brainstem white matter injury and recovery. Early response in brainstem anisotropy may serve as an indicator of the recovery time trend over 5 years after radiation therapy.
Influence of vegetation size on clinical outcome of right-sided infective endocarditis

Endocarditis involving right-sided valvular structures is largely a disease of intravenous drug abusers. The majority of these patients respond to antibiotic therapy with clearing of their bacteremia and preservation of their hemodynamic status. This study evaluated the prognostic value of echocardiographically determined vegetation size in 23 episodes of right-sided valvular endocarditis in 21 patients. Right-sided vegetations were visualized in 19 of 23 episodes (83 percent). Of these, a vegetation of 1.0 cm or greater was found in 11. No patient with an echocardiographically determined vegetation size of less than 1.0 cm required surgery, whereas four of 11 (36 percent) of those episodes in which the vegetation size was 1.0 cm or greater required surgery for persistent pyrexia (p less than 0.05). In all patients requiring surgery, a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve was placed at the time of initial surgery and in no patient did early reinfection occur. This study reconfirms the benign prognosis of right-sided valvular endocarditis. Further, although vegetations of less than 1.0 cm identify those patients who will respond to medical therapy, echocardiographically documented vegetations of 1.0 cm or greater are associated with a significantly lower response rate to appropriate medical therapy. The association of fever that persists for more than three weeks in the absence of another source of infection with an echocardiographically demonstrable right-sided vegetation of 1 cm or more identifies those patients who will require surgical intervention. Finally, tricuspid valve replacement can be performed at the time of initial surgery without undue concern for early reinfection or valve dysfunction.
Simultaneous HPLC Analysis of Carbamazepine and Carbamazepine Epoxide in Human Brain Microdialysate

Abstract Intracerebral microdialysis has become a standard method for neurochemistry studies and is becoming recognized as an important new method for pharmacological studies. The technique permits repeated measurement of drug concentrations in the brain extracellular fluid with minimal disturbance of the neuronal environment. The sample volumes are exceedingly small, on the order of tens of microliters. This is countered by the purity of the samples, reducing the need for extraction prior to assay. We present a HPLC assay capable of reliably measuring the concentrations of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine and its metabolites carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide and carbamazepine-10,11trans-diol.
Effect of light, methyl jasmonate and cyclodextrin on production of phenolic compounds in hairy root cultures of Scutellaria lateriflora

Abstract Scutellaria lateriflora (American skullcap) has been used in traditional medicine to treat several medical conditions including nervous disorders and cancer. Previous studies have associated these medicinal properties to flavones present in roots and leaves of this species. In order to develop a production system and study the biosynthesis of these bioactive compounds, hairy root cultures of S. lateriflora were established and line 4 was selected for further studies based on its growth performance in a modified Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid. Scanning electron microscopy of the hairy roots showed a high profusion of hairs along the root. Several phenolic compounds, including verbascoside, and the flavones wogonin, baicalein, scutellarein and their respective glucuronides were identified by high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in the root tissue, but not in the culture medium. Among these compounds, verbascoside accumulated at the highest levels. Interestingly, cultures incubated under continuous light and treated with 15 mM methyl-β-cyclodextrin for 24 h produced significantly higher levels of the aglycones, baicalein and wogonin, but not scutellarein, compared to cultures incubated under continuous darkness. This work demonstrates that hairy root cultures of S. lateriflora have the biosynthetic capacity to produce known Scutellaria flavones and suggest that light may have a selected regulatory effect on the synthesis or accumulation of these phenolic compounds.
Role of cytochrome P450 reductase in nitrofurantoin-induced redox cycling and cytotoxicity

The one-electron reduction of redox-active chemotherapeutic agents generates highly toxic radical anions and reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI). A major enzyme catalyzing this process is cytochrome P450 reductase. Because many tumor cells highly express this enzyme, redox cycling of chemotherapeutic agents in these cells may confer selective antitumor activity. Nitrofurantoin is a commonly used redox-active antibiotic that possesses antitumor activity. In the present studies we determined whether nitrofurantoin redox cycling is correlated with cytochrome P450 reductase activity and cytotoxicity in a variety of cell lines. Recombinant cytochrome P450 reductase was found to support redox cycling of nitrofurantoin and to generate superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and, in the presence of redox-active iron, hydroxyl radicals. This activity was NADPH dependent and inhibitable by diphenyleneiodonium, indicating a requirement for the flavin cofactors in the reductase. Nitrofurantoin-induced redox cycling was next analyzed in different cell lines varying in cytochrome P450 reductase activity including Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-OR) constructed to overexpress the enzyme. Nitrofurantoin-induced hydrogen peroxide production was 16-fold greater in lysates from CHO-OR cells than from control CHO cells. A strong correlation between cytochrome P450 reductase activity and nitrofurantoin-induced redox cycling among the cell lines was found. Unexpectedly, no correlation between nitrofurantoin-induced ROI production and cytotoxicity was observed. These data indicate that nitrofurantoin-induced redox cycling and subsequent generation of ROI are not sufficient to mediate cytotoxicity and that cytochrome P450 reductase is not a determinant of sensitivity to redox-active chemotherapeutic agents.
Regulation of mouse embryonic stem cell neural differentiation by retinoic acid

Pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) derived from the early blastocyst can differentiate in vitro into a variety of somatic cell types including lineages from all three embryonic germ layers. Protocols for ES cell neural differentiation typically involve induction by retinoic acid (RA), or by exposure to growth factors or medium conditioned by other cell types. A serum-free differentiation (SFD) medium completely lacking exogenous retinoids was devised that allows for efficient conversion of aggregated mouse ESCs into neural precursors and immature neurons. Neural cells produced in this medium express neuronal ion channels, establish polarity, and form functional excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Brief exposure to RA during the period of cell aggregation speeds neuronal maturation and suppresses cell proliferation. Differentiation without RA yields neurons and neural progenitors with apparent telencephalic identity, whereas cells differentiated with exposure to RA express markers of hindbrain and spinal cord. Transcriptional profiling indicates a substantial representation of transit amplifying neuroblasts in SFD cultures not exposed to RA.
Koyaanisqatsi, Godfrey Reggio (1982)

(2009). Koyaanisqatsi, Godfrey Reggio (1982) Design and Culture: Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 236-239.
Left atrial abnormality as an electrocardiographs criterion for the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in the presence of right bundle branch block

Abstract Left atrial (LA) abnormality determined from precordial lead V1 was assessed by 2 observers as a criterion of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy in the presence of right bundle branch block (BBS) in 23 patients. The presence of LV hypertrophy was confirmed from a postmortem cardiac partition technique and defined at 2 levels of confidence: probable and definite hypertrophy. Observers reliably differentiated between the hypertrophied and normal-sized ventricle in the presence of right BBB by using LA abnormality as an electrocardiographic criterion. When defined as definite hypertrophy, observer 1 correctly identified LV hypertrophy in 78% of the cases and observer 2 in 67% of the cases. False-positive results were present in 21% of cases by observer 1 and 14% by observer 2. Comparable results were achieved when a definition of probable hypertrophy was used. Observer performance of recognition of LA abnormality in this study was satisfactory with 91% agreement between observers. Our results are comparable and in some instances superior to conventional criteria commonly recommended to diagnose LV hypertrophy on the electrocardiogram without right BBB.
Wide angle X-ray diffraction investigations of orientation of chopped fibers in fabricated thermoplastic parts†

A method of determining fiber orientation in composites using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) is described. This approach is based upon examining the alignment of the highly oriented crystalline fibers. X-ray studies were carried out using Kevlar [poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA)] fibers suspended at a 0.31 volume fraction loading in a polycarbonate matrix. A pole figure device was used to determine the orientation distribution and average orientation factor of the PPTA crystallographic chain axes relative to reference axes located in the test specimen. We prepared ideally oriented uniaxial and bioaxial composites as reference specimens using a compression molding machine. The fiber orientations in capillary extrudates, slit die extrudates, cold rolled sheets, and injection-molded specimens were examined by WAXD. The capillary extrudates showed uniaxial orientation but the slit die extrudates and cold rolled sheets exhibited biaxial orientation. Injection-molded specimens contained complex states of fiber orientation.
Characterization of volatile organic compounds in human leukocyte antigen heterologous expression systems: a cell's "chemical odor fingerprint".

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene-coding region in humans, plays a significant role in infectious disease response, autoimmunity, and cellular recognition. This super locus is essential in mate selection and kin recognition because of the organism-specific odor which can be perceived by other individuals. However, how the unique MHC genetic combination of an organism correlates with generation of the organism-specific odor is not well understood. In the present work, we have shown that human B-cells produce a set of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be measured by GC-MS. More importantly, our results show that specific HLA alleles are related to production of selected VOCs, and that this leads to a cell-specific odor "fingerprint". We used a C1R HLA class I A and B locus negative cell line, along with C1R cell lines that were stably transfected with specific A and B alleles. Our work demonstrates for the first time that HLA alleles can directly influence production of specific odor compounds at the cellular level. Given that the resulting odor fingerprint depends on expression of specific HLA sequences, it may yield information on unique human scent profiles, composition of exhaled breath, as well as immune response states in future studies.
How emotion is made and measured

How we design and evaluate for emotions depends crucially on what we take emotions to be. In affective computing, affect is often taken to be another kind of information-discrete units or states internal to an individual that can be transmitted in a loss-free manner from people to computational systems and back. While affective computing explicitly challenges the primacy of rationality in cognitivist accounts of human activity, at a deeper level it often relies on and reproduces the same information-processing model of cognition. Drawing on cultural, social, and interactional critiques of cognition which have arisen in human-computer interaction (HCI), as well as anthropological and historical accounts of emotion, we explore an alternative perspective on emotion as interaction: dynamic, culturally mediated, and socially constructed and experienced. We demonstrate how this model leads to new goals for affective systems-instead of sensing and transmitting emotion, systems should support human users in understanding, interpreting, and experiencing emotion in its full complexity and ambiguity. In developing from emotion as objective, externally measurable unit to emotion as experience, evaluation, too, alters focus from externally tracking the circulation of emotional information to co-interpreting emotions as they are made in interaction.
Measurement of S-2-(3-Aminopropylamino)ethanethiol (WR1065) in Blood and Tissues

Abstract A procedure for the analysis of blood and tissue specimens for WR1065, the dephosphorylated metabolite of the radioprotective drug WR2721, has been developed. The method includes the use of a perchloric acid/EDTA extraction step at 0°C followed by chromatographic analysis using a mercury/gold thin film electrochemical detection liquid chromatography system. The extraction technique was designed to assure the stability of both WR1065 and any WR2721 present in blood or tissues. Using the described chromatography conditions and an analog of WR1065, 3-(4-aminopropylamino)propanethiol (WR251833), as an internal standard the respective retention times of these two compounds are 6.2 and 8.3 minutes. Experiments showing the applicability of this method to pharmacokinetic studies of WR2721 and WR1065 and to investigation of the kinetics of WR2721 hydrolysis in biological fluids such as stomach juice are described.
Selection potential for tuber total nitrogen and total solids content in a tetraploid breeding population

A 2-year study of 10 crosses involving 20 different tetraploid parents from the USDA potato breeding program showed significant differences in tuber content of total nitrogen (TN, crude protein) and total solids among offspring means and among parents. Offspring TN ranged from 0.20–0.50% in 1968 and from 0.20–040% in 1969 (fresh-weight basis). Heritabilities in the narrow sense ranged from 24–34% (1 and 5 replicates, respectively) for TN and from 24–38% for solids. TN selection was indicated to be potentially as effective as solids selection. The expected gain from selecting 10 of 100 clones in a 5-replicate, 1-year test was calculated as 6.4% of the parental mean for TN and 3.4% for solids.
Micromechanics-based FEM simulation of fiber-reinforced cementitious composite components

Abstract Fiber bridging along cracks is an important mechanism governing the fracture toughness and the pseudo-ductility of fiber-reinforced brittle materials and structures. This paper attempts to predict structural behavior of fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (FRCC) components using the finite-element procedure with micromechanics-based constitutive modeling of the stress-displacement relation along the crack. The tensile stress-displacement relation along a Mode I (opening) crack is established based on fiber pullout curves derived from a micromechanical model. A statistical model is used to account for random fiber distribution. Two-dimensional finite-element simulations of beam behavior are performed with the finite-element package ADINA. Using the discrete crack approach, strain softening truss elements are placed along the crack to simulate the fiber bridging effect. Experiments of beams under four-point bending are performed with specimens containing different fiber volume fractions (up to 1.5%). The numerical results for the load vs deformation behavior of the beams agree well with the experimental results. The FEM procedure for micromechanics-based design and analysis of FRCC components is therefore established. Simulation of component behavior to identify the most cost-effective design can, hence, be carried out.
Semi-Stable Markov Processes. I

A real valued random function {x,}, continuous in probability and with x o =0, is called semi-stable if there is a constant ~ > 0 (called the order of the process) such that for every a>O the random functions {x,t } and {a~x,} have the same joint distributions. If {xt} is Markovian with the stationary transition function Pt(x, E), it is obvious that this condition holds provided that xo =0 and that
Lower gastrointestinal bleeding

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding is defined as blood loss that originates from a source distal to the ligament of Treitz and results in hemodynamic instability or symptomatic anemia. Although approximately 10% to 15% of patients presenting with acute severe hematochezia have an upper gastrointestinal source of bleeding identified on upper endoscopy, the most common causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding are diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, ischemic colitis, and angiodysplasia. As with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, lower gastrointestinal bleeding ceases spontaneously in most cases.
DCOF—An Arbitration Free Directly Connected Optical Fabric

In this paper, we investigate the unique potential of optics to provide a family of arbitration free topologies that are not realizable using conventional electronics. This is accomplished by creating a directly connected fabric of waveguides that can be configured to support everything from a crossbar to fully connected topologies. The large number of waveguides required to create a directly connected optical fabric (DCOF) can be built by taking advantage of multiple photonic layers connected with photonic vias, allowing the architect to choose the degree of simultaneous communication (a parameter called) necessary to meet the performance requirements and available power budget. In order to evaluate DCOF we developed a detailed implementation model for three different network instantiations-a crossbar similar to Corona, DCOF configured as a crossbar, and DCOF configured as a fully connected network. We analyzed the power consumption and performance of these topologies on a variety of benchmarks, including SPLASH-2 and synthetic traces. Our results demonstrate that the overhead required by arbitration is nontrivial, especially at high loads. Eliminating the need for arbitration, sizing the buffers carefully and retransmitting lost packets when there is contention results in a significant reduction in average packet latency without additional power overhead. We also show that when configured as a crossbar DCOF is the most energy efficient while maintaining excellent performance, and when configured as a fully connected network provides the best performance, but at a potentially prohibitive photonic power cost.
MEASUREMENT OF NATURAL SELECTION IN NATURAL POPULATIONS.

VAN VALEN1 has proposed a measure of natural selection intensity as an extension of Haldane's2 measure of intensity I and applied this to data on fossil horses. Van Valen's measure, at least in the example given, is actually a special case of Haldane's I. Van Valen wrote: “The intensity Ip of natural (or artificial) selection by means of differential viability, relative to statistical parameter or set of parameters p, may be defined as the minimum reduction of the original population that would yield a population with specified values of the parameter or set of parameters”. For a single normally distributed character this corresponds to the truncation area of a normal curve necessary to shift the mean and standard deviation to the new observed values under directional selection. Haldane's measure of intensity is defined as: where s0 is the survival percentage at the optimum phenotype or genotype and S is the overall survival percentage. Haldane has shown that (1) can be written: where ƒ1(x0) and ƒ2(x0) are the probability densities of the characters at the optimum value x0 before and after selection, respectively. Furthermore, if ƒ1(x) and ƒ2(x) are normal densities (the notation of Rao3 is used throughout)
Organic spin valves: the first organic spintronics devices

Organic spin valves (OSV) are the most promising building blocks for future organic electronic devices based on the electron spin degree of freedom, namely Organic Spintronics. Tremendous progress has been achieved in the past four years in fabricating, studying and understanding the underlying physics of these devices. We highlight the most significant advances in OSV research, including temperature and bias voltage dependences, and address the future outlook of this young field.
Hey! What About Us?! Changing Roles of Subject Specialists and Reference Librarians in the Age of Electronic Resources

For the acquisition of periodicals and indexes, the selector role of subject specialists and reference librarians has been transformed by electronic access. In the past these librarians made independent recommendations for new periodicals, indexes, and abstracts by using traditional selection criteria (e.g., relevance, quality, and cost). With electronic resources, considerations such as licensing negotiations, consortial agreements, and technical issues have complicated the decision-making process and have sometimes removed it from individual librarians or even individual libraries. The author discusses the opportunities for individual librarians, particularly in public service roles, to participate in serials collection management decisions and provides a case study of business periodicals collection management in an academic library. Serials Review 2002; 28:283–286.
COMPARISON OF ONE-FOCUS AND TWO-FOCI SETUP IN SINGLE-MOLECULE DETECTION EXPERIMENTS

Single molecule detection in fluid flow has become a widely used technique in ultrasensitive fluorescence detection. The detection of a single molecule in a fluid flow at room temperature is limited by effects such as background signals from the surrounding liquid and possible contamination in it, photobleaching effects which restrict the overall number of detectable photons from one molecule, and diffusion can cause the molecule to miss the exciting laser beam when flowing along the capillary. A method for enhancing the single molecule detection efficiency is the use of multiple excitation-detection regions along the capillary and the application of an analysis for correlating the photon detection data from the different regions. In this note we demonstrate that, at a constant laser power, no improvement results using time-correlated detection from multiple-foci regions. (AIP) {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital Society for Applied Spectroscopy}
On the computation of oscillatory integrals

Computation of integrals of the type is of frequent occurrence in applied problems. Here λ is real and i is the imaginary unit. Tables of the integrals are often required for a wide range of λ values, some of which may be quite large. Tabulation of the integrand for each λ, followed by ordinary methods of numerical integration, is slow and tedious because the number of points required increases with increasing λ. In this paper formulas are given so that once f(y) is tabulated over the range of interest, the integral in question can be easily evaluated for any λ.
Stress Related Cardiomyopathy during Flexible Bronchoscopy

Flexible bronchoscopy is a safe medical procedure, but the incidence rate of major complications is 0.08-0.3%. Here, we report 2 cases of stress induced cardiomyopathy, which developed immediately after flexible bronchoscopy. Stress related cardiomyopathy was confirmed by EKG, echocardiography, and coronary angiogram. The cardiac functions of these patients were fully recovered with conservative treatment. Although, the pathogenesis of stress related cardiomyopathy is not well understood, post-bronchoscopy tachycardia or arrhythmia is thought to be associated with hypoxemia or catecholamine excess. Because the clinical presentation is quite similar to acute myocardial infarction, discrete evaluations are required for appropriate treatment.
A CORTISONE-RESISTANT ABNORMALITY IN THE DIURETIC RESPONSE TO INGESTED WATER IN PRIMARY MYXEDEMA

IN NORMAL humans the ingestion of 20 milliliters of water per kilogram of body weight evokes a characteristic water diuresis. After a slight delay, urine flow increases and peak flows are achieved within one hour, at which time a copious dilute urine is excreted. In primary hypoadrenalism the excretion of water after ingesting such a water load is delayed (1, 2). The following report indicates that a similar abnormality in the diuretic response to ingested water is associated with untreated primary idiopathic myxedema. In bypoadrenalism treatment with cortisone reinstates a normal diuretic response to a water load (1, 3). Studies are presented to show that cortisone therapy does not establish a normal diuretic response in untreated primary myxedema, whereas thyroid therapy does in association with the change to the euthyroid state. Studies in postoperative myxedema and in postirradiation myxedema are also reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eleven patients (9 female, 2 male) with primary myxedema (8 idiopathi...
What determines the spatial pattern in summer upwelling trends on the U.S. West Coast

[1] Analysis of sea surface temperature (SST) from coastal buoys suggests that the summertime over-shelf water temperature off the U.S. West Coast has been declining during the past 30 years at an average rate of −0.19°C decade−1. This cooling trend manifests itself more strongly off south-central California than off Oregon and northern California. The variability and trend in the upwelling north of off San Francisco are positively correlated with those of the equatorward wind, indicating a role of offshore Ekman transport in the north. In contrast, Ekman pumping associated with wind stress curls better explains the stronger and statistically more significant cooling trend in the south. While the coast-wide variability and trend in SST are strongly correlated with those of large-scale modes of climate variability, they in general fail to explain the southward intensification of the trend in SST and wind stress curl. This result suggests that the local wind stress curl, often topographically forced, may have played a role in the upwelling trend pattern.
Thermal Management for Chip-Scale Atomic Clocks

Power dissipation of chip-scale atomic clocks is one of the major design considerations. The largest power dissipation is for temperature control of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and cesium vapor cell. For example, the temperature of the VCSEL and Cs cell have to both be at 70±0.1°C or there will be frequency shift which will ruin the lock of the clock. These temperatures have to be maintained even under a large temperature variation such as −40°C to 50°C. There are three major thermal designs to consider: a) micro-heaters to fine-tune the temperatures of VCSEL and Cs cell, b) use of waste heat from other units to heat the system when outside temperature is low, and c) use of a thermal switch to release any extra waste heat when ambient temperatures are high. These three thermal designs have been incorporated in to a thermal test vehicle, which will be used to develop a thermal management design for the clock. This paper describes the proposed clock design, creation of the thermal test vehicle and development of a bimetallic snap based thermal conduction switch. The switch has been demonstrated to change thermal resistance from 52.9±2.8 K/W when the switch is open to 19.5±1.1 K/W with the switch closed.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Seasonal variations in the progression of myopia in children enrolled in the correction of myopia evaluation trial.

Purpose. To investigate monthly and seasonal variations in the progression of myopia in children enrolled in the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial (COMET).
Plasmid vectors for constructing translational fusions to the B subunit of cholera toxin

Abstract A family of plasmid cloning vectors has been developed for creating translational fusions to the ctxB gene encoding the B subunit of cholera toxin (CTB) in Escherichia coli. These vectors permit insertion of transcriptionally and translationally competent gene sequences upstream from ctxB. To test the utility of the system, a portion of the glucosyltransferase B (GTF) gene (tfB) from the cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans G S-5 (Bratthall serotype c), encoding the N-terminal one-third of the protein, was inserted into each vector. E. coli ly sates containing the constructs were partially purified by passage over a GM1 ganglioside affinity column. Western blotting analysis of the column retentate from one of the lysates revealed the presence of a novel 58-kDa protein which cross-reacted with antisera to GTF and CTB. These vectors are of general use for making other translational fusions to ctxB. The high binding affinity of CTB can be exploited in purifying large polypeptides fused to this relatively small protein. Moreover, these vectors can be used to create neoantigens with altered immunogenicity for use in polypeptide-based vaccines.
Optimizing finite element programs on the Cray X1 using coloring schemes

Using the Environmental Quality Modeling program FEMWATER as a test-bed code, 27 percent of the time needed to run a given groundwater flow application on the ERDC Cray X1 using four multistream processors (MSPs) was spent assembling the global stiffness matrix. This poor performance is because the above code cannot multistream without help. The technique of "coloring" the elements makes it possible to multistream this section of the code, thus taking advantage of the hardware capability of the machine. Coloring for assembling the global stiffness matrix involves dividing the elements into different groups such that no node point touches any elements with the same color. This paper presents a simple coloring algorithm in FORTRAN and show how it was implemented into FEMWATER to achieve multistreaming on the ERDC Cray X1. It then gives a detailed description on how the program was modified, what compiler options were used, and what compiler directives worked best. Finally, timing results are given. Some programs that have good MPI (or equivalent) communication are better suited for running in the single-streamed processor (SSP) mode. In the SSP mode, coloring of the elements is not needed for assembling the global stiffness matrix. Timings for running in the SSP mode are shown, too.
The CDH study group and advances in the clinical care of the patient with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) occurs in 1 of every 2,000 to 4,000 births and accounts for 8% of all major congenital anomalies. Recurrence risk for a subsequent pregnancy is estimated at 2%. The mortality rate for CDH when diagnosed antenatally, varies with fetal age and with the presence or absence of hydramnios and degree of pulmonary hypoplasia. The prognosis has improved dramatically in recent years, primarily due to advances in neonatal and surgical interventions. Neonatal survival rates with an antenatal diagnosis now exceed 80% in some centers. Treatment for infants with CDH reflects other pediatric surgical problems in that a majority of the clinical research that shapes treatment is retrospective in nature. Because CDH is a relatively rare disease, using a compilation of cases, such as the CDH database provides, greatly aids our understanding of this disease process. Moreover, the application of a quality assessment scale provides the practitioner with a knowledge base to critically evaluate the published retrospective data.
Torque-Angle Characteristics of Synchronous Machines Following System Disturbances

A method of predetermining the torque-angle characteristic of a synchronous machine following a system disturbance is of importance in calculating the transient stability limit and in evaluating the effect on this limit of additional rotor circuits or of a change in excitation. In the first part of this paper equations are derived which are of sufficient generality to evaluate such factors. Two types of system disturbances are considered: 1. Switching in or out of a connecting line, 2. Occurrence of a balanced three-phase system fault. In the second part, an actual case of switching out a connecting line is calculated and the results compared with field tests taken on the New York Power and Light Corporation's system. No attempt has been made to draw any general conclusions as to the effect of amortisseurs or changes in excitation. A subsequent paper will present results which have been obtained from the application of the method presented in this paper.
Early impacts of limited stakes casino gambling on rural community life

Abstract Owing to the potential windfall profits of casino gambling, rural communities throughout the United States are considering gambling tourism as a means to revitalize failing economies. The communities of Deadwood, South Dakota, and Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, Colorado, have implemented one form of casino gambling, limited stakes, with varying degrees of success. It is clear from the early experience of these communities that gambling can spawn terrific windfalls — and generate tremendous costs. Thus, public officials, casino owners and managers, community leaders and residents must all understand the issues communities face in making the transition to a gambling economy and plan accordingly. An unbridled move to a gambling economy causes tremendous change and the need for dramatic adjustment in the lives of community residents. Early indications are that planning is essential at the community, state and gambling industry level. Determining appropriate scale, assessing current and future competition, and identifying who should benefit must be an integral part of this planning effort.
The Mechanism of Intersystem Crossing for Some Substituted Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Abstract In view of the experimentally observed energy levels, the mechanism of intersystem crossing for 9,10-diphenylanthracene, 9,10-dimethylanthra-cene, and 1,3,6,8-tetraphenylpyrene is discussed and compared with that for parent hydrocarbons. The proposed mechanism explains the drastic changes in the photophysical properties upon phenyl or methyl substitution at the most active centers of anthracene and pyrene rings.
Arranging the Farm Kitchen for Efficiency in the Early 20th Century

In 1915 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) asked some farmwomen what kind of information they required. At the time, legislation to establish the Extension Service was under consideration, so one focus was what assistance Extension personnel could give farmwives. Among the replies were requests for information on improved kitchens, a hot topic at the time since scientific management, with its emphasis on efficiency and sanitation, was expanding into the concept of home design. The USDA responded with some publications, but not as many directly concerned with redesign as might be expected. The women Extension agents, however, were busy teaching kitchen planning and set the pattern for future farm kitchen designs in the latter half of the century. The USDA and land-grant university publications helped farmwomen update their kitchens to the new standards that made kitchens more convenient and comfortable.
Effect of temperature on the intra-hepatic vasculature

In the isolated perfused liver of the dog, cooling produced vasoconstriction in the hepatic arterial bed and, particularly, in thee vascular bed of the portal vein. Raising the temperature to 40 degrees C dilated the portal venous bed but did not change hepatic arterial resistance. The portal venous bed is very sensitive to variations in temperature.
Fireball and shock wave dynamics in the detonation of aluminized novel munitions

High-speed 4-kHz visible imagery from 13 field detonations of aluminized RDX munitions with varying liner compositions are collected to study shock wave and fireball dynamics. The Sedov-Taylor point blast model is fitted to shock front temporal history data, and blast wave characteristics are interpreted by varying the energy release factor s and blast dimensionality n. Assuming a constant rate of energy release (s = 1), the Sedov-Taylor model establishes a nearspherical expansion with the dimension n = 2.2–3.1 and shock energies of 0.5–8.9 MJ. These shock energies correspond to efficiencies of 2–15% of the RDX heats of detonation. A drag model for the fireball size yields a maximum radius of ≈5 m, which is consistent with the luminous fireball size in visible imagery, and initial shock speeds corresponding to Mach numbers of 4.7–8.2. Initial shock speeds are smaller than the RDX theoretical maximum speed by a factor of 3–4. Shock energy decreases if aluminum is in the liner rather than in the high explosive.
The question of radiation-induced phase changes∗

Abstract Radiation-induced phase changes can give valuable information about the nature of thermal-spike regions. Recent experiments suggest the following classification: (1) If dV/dT is always positive, even at the transformation point, the thermal spike is a region containing Frenkel pairs or many displaced atoms, as in the “displacement spike” of Brinkman . (2) If dV/dT has an anomaly, corresponding to an increase of density due to the formation of a more closely packed phase, one may expect the more dense phase to be produced in a “structure spike”. In the latter case the high pressure which a thermal spike exerts on the surrounding matrix is an important factor in creating the high-temperature phase.
Modeling the effects of contrast enhancement on target acquisition performance

Contrast enhancement and dynamic range compression are currently being used to improve the performance of infrared imagers by increasing the contrast between the target and the scene content, by better utilizing the available gray levels either globally or locally. This paper assesses the range-performance effects of various contrast enhancement algorithms for target identification with well contrasted vehicles. Human perception experiments were performed to determine field performance using contrast enhancement on the U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD standard military eight target set using an un-cooled LWIR camera. The experiments compare the identification performance of observers viewing linearly scaled images and various contrast enhancement processed images. Contrast enhancement is modeled in the US Army thermal target acquisition model (NVThermIP) by changing the scene contrast temperature. The model predicts improved performance based on any improved target contrast, regardless of feature saturation or enhancement. To account for the equivalent blur associated with each contrast enhancement algorithm, an additional effective MTF was calculated and added to the model. The measured results are compared with the predicted performance based on the target task difficulty metric used in NVThermIP.
Nuclear Localization of α1A-Adrenergic Receptors Is Required for Signaling in Cardiac Myocytes: An “Inside-Out” α1-AR Signaling Pathway

Background Recent studies indicate that α1-adrenergic receptors (α1-ARs) are cardioprotective by preventing cardiac myocyte death and augmenting contractility in heart failure. Although G-protein-coupled receptors are assumed to localize to and signal at the plasma membrane, we previously demonstrated that endogenous α1-ARs localize to the nuclei in adult cardiac myocytes. However, the functional consequence of this nuclear localization remains unclear. Here, we attempted to reconcile nuclear localization of α1-ARs with their physiologic function by examining α1-AR-induced contractility in adult cardiac myocytes. Methods and Results By measuring shortening in unloaded, cultured adult cardiac myocytes, we found that the α1A-subtype regulated contractility through phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) at the protein kinase C (PKC) site, threonine 144. Reconstitution of an α1A-subtype nuclear localization mutant in cardiac myocytes lacking α1-ARs failed to rescue nuclear α1A-mediated phosphorylation of cTnI and myocyte contractility. Leptomycin B, the nuclear export inhibitor, also blocked α1A-mediated phosphorylation of cTnI. These data indicate that α1-AR signaling originates in the nucleus. Consistent with these observations, we localized the α1A-subtype to the inner nuclear membrane, identified PKCα, δ, and e in the nucleus, and found that α1-ARs activate PKCδ in nuclei isolated from adult cardiac myocytes. Finally, we found that a PKCδ nuclear localization mutant blunted α1-induced phosphorylation of cTnI. Conclusions Together, our data identify a novel, “inside-out” nuclear α1A-subtype/PKCδ/cTnI-signaling pathway that regulates contractile function in adult cardiac myocytes. Importantly, these data help resolve the discrepancy between nuclear localization of α1-ARs and α1-AR-mediated physiologic function.
Chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis of the single cysteine in motif 3 of class II Escherichia coli prolyl-tRNA synthetase.

Class II prolyl-tRNA synthetase (ProRS) from Escherichia coli contains all three of the conserved consensus motifs characteristic of class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. In this study, chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis of the single cysteine located at position 443 in motif 3 of Escherichia coli ProRS is carried out. We show that chemical modification of C443 blocks the ability of the enzyme to form the activated aminoacyl-adenylate, a prerequisite for tRNAPro aminoacylation. Nearly complete protection from inactivation is achieved by preincubating the enzyme with ATP or ATP and proline, but not proline alone or tRNAPro. Mutagenesis of C443 to amino acids Ala, Gly, and Ser resulted in significant decreases (16−225-fold) in kcat/KMPro as measured by the ATP−PPi exchange reaction. The Ala and Gly mutations have a relatively small effect (4−7-fold) on the overall aminoacylation reaction, while the activity of the C443S mutant in this same assay is substantially reduced (80-fold). A sequence...
Granulomatous Eccrinotropic Lymphomatoid Papulosis

We describe 9 patients with a novel variant of lymphomatoid papulosis characterized by prominent localization of the infiltrate around the eccrine coil, resulting in nodular expansion of the coil accompanied by variable granulomatous inflammation. Light microscopy, immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies to CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD7, CD8, and CD30 in 6 cases, and polymerase chain reaction–singlestranded conformational polymorphism analysis for Tcell receptor γ chain gene rearrangement in 5 cases revealed 2 cytomorphologic patterns (large cell dominant with polymorphous inflammation, small cell lymphocyte-rich with an inconspicuous large cell component [phenotypes, CD30+/CD3+/CD4+/CD7– for large atypical cells; reactive for small lymphocytes]) and clonal restriction in 4 and polyclonality in 1 of the lymphocyte-dominant cases. During an average 6-year follow-up, no lymphomas developed. Recognition of this variant is important— accentuation of the infiltrate around the eccrine coil and cutaneous nerves, presence of granulomatous inflammation, dominance of small lymphocytes in the dermis, and variable extension into the panniculus may lead to diagnostic confusion with entities such as discoid lupus erythematosus, Jessner lymphocytic infiltrate of skin, subcutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and persistent arthropod bite reaction. Our findings suggest that pruritus, a younger age at diagnosis, and a more indolent course are defining clinical features. The prototypic lymphoproliferative disorders that express the activation marker Ki-1 (CD30) are Hodgkin disease (HD), 1 anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), 2-4 lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP), 5,6 and rare cases of large cell B- or T-cell lymphoma. The distinctive manifestation of LyP is a chronic, self-limited dermatosis comprising recurrent “crops” of ulcerative nodules and papules resolving within 3 to 6 weeks, the histologic features of which comprise an atypical lymphocytic infiltrate mimicking malignant lymphoma. Roughly 10% of LyP cases manifest the subsequent or concurrent emergence of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, HD, or ALCL. 7-9 In some cases, molecular studies suggest an evolution of lesions of LyP into mycosis fungoides (MF) or primary cutaneous CD30+ ALCL rather than the secondary lymphoma being a genomically independent event.
BALANCING THE RIGHT TO HABILITATION WITH THE RIGHT TO PERSONAL LIBERTIES: THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO EAT TOO MANY DOUGHNUTS AND TAKE A NAP

In the pursuit of efficient habilitation, many service providers exercise a great deal of control over the lives of clients with developmental disabilities. For example, service providers often choose the client's habilitative goals, determine the daily schedule, and regulate access to preferred activities. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of allowing clients to exercise personal liberties, such as the right to choose and refuse daily activities. On one hand, poor choices on the part of the client could hinder habilitation. On the other hand, moral and legal issues arise when the client's right to choice is abridged. Recommendations are offered to protect both the right to habilitation and the freedom to choose.
Current issues and opportunities in health care high technology development and transfer

I address ways technology can provide opportunities to alleviate current health care economic issues, and some of the problems that stand in the way of realizing these opportunities.
The formation of elliptical wakes

The wakes formed behind sharp-edged, bluff, elliptical bodies have elliptical cross-sections, but the major axis of the wake is aligned with the minor axis of the body. This effect was observed in both mean velocity and turbulent intensity data in wakes throughout the range of the experiment, from several body diameters to distances of 250 diameters downstream of the body. The turbulent energy in the wake flow near the body displayed a periodicity which was correlated using a Strouhal number. Over the Reynolds-number range from 8 × 103 to 7 × 104, the Strouhal number depended only on the body eccentricity.