cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parathyroid Hormone Secretion: Effect of β-Adrenergic Blockade before and after Surgery for Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) response to β-adrenergic blockade by propranolol infusion was determined in 11 normal subjects and 6 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) before and again after the surgical removal of abnormal parathyroid tissue. Propranolol infusion in PHPT patients before surgery resulted in no significant decrease in serum iPTH except at 2 h, when the mean value was 83 ± 4.4% of baseline. After surgery and achieving a euparathyroid state, the same patients showed a significant propranolol-induced decrease in serum iPTH from baseline at all time periods tested, reaching the nadir value of 57 ± 7.5% of baseline at 2 h after the start of the propranolol infusion. This response in PHPT patients after surgery was very similar to the response seen in normal subjects. Therefore, the impaired suppressibility of serum iPTH in PHPT is corrected after removal of the abnormal parathyroid tissue. The studies indicate that abnormal parathyroid tissue (either per se or via ...
Variational propagation constant expressions for lossy inhomogeneous anisotropic waveguides

Based on reciprocal relationships for the adjoint operator, we derive a variational formulation for the propagation constant satisfying the divergence-free condition in lossy inhomogeneous anisotropic waveguides whose media tensors have all nine components. In addition, with some advantages over previous representations, two variational formulations have been derived for waveguides with the transverse part of the media tensors decoupled from the longitudinal part. However, to obtain a variational formulation for a general lossy reciprocal problem the waveguide must be bi-directional. Each of the variational expressions results in a standard generalized eigenvalue equation with the propagation constant appearing explicitly as the desired eigenvalue. The stationarity of the formulations is shown. It is also shown that for a general lossy nonreciprocal problem the variational functional exists only if the original and adjoint waveguide are mutually bi-directional. >
The synthesis and characterization of mono- and dinuclear cobaloxime selenocyanate and thiocyanate complexes containing phosphines, arsines and stibines

Abstract Complexes of the type trans -[Co(DH) 2 (L)X] and trans -[(L)Co(DH) 2 -X-Co(DH) 2 -X] have been synthesized by the reaction between trans -[Co(DH) 2 (L)Y] and X in a variety of solvents (DH = monoanion of dimethylglyoxime; L = triphenylstibine, triphenylarsine, triphenylphosphine, tri- n -butylstibine; X = SeCN − , SCN − ; Y = Cl − , Br − ). The formation of mononuclear complexes resulted in solvents of high dielectric, while dinuclear complexes usually resulted in solvents of low dielectric. All of the terminal SeCN − groups exhibit coordination via the selenium atom, regardless of the nature of L. Several of the terminal SCN − groups in the mononuclear complexes were N-bound. Little or none of the dinuclear complexes could be produced from N-bound complexes, regardless of solvent dielectric. These results are in accord with the dissociative mechanism proposed for the formation of the dinuclear complexes, i.e. , dissociation of the neutral L ligands would be expected to be facilitated by solvents of low dielectric and retarded by the lower trans -effect of the N-bound thiocyanate. The bonding modes adopted by the NCS − and NCSe − ions in these complexes are discussed in the context of competing anti-symbiotic and symbiotic effects, respectively.
Factorization of symmetric singular M-matrices

Abstract Suppose A is a symmetric, singular M-matrix. A sufficient condition for A to have a triangular, singular M-matrix factorization is given, and it is shown that PAPT always has such a factorization for a particular permutation matrix P.
BlobCR: Virtual disk based checkpoint-restart for HPC applications on IaaS clouds

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) cloud computing is gaining significant interest in industry and academia as an alternative platform for running HPC applications. Given the need to provide fault tolerance, support for suspend-resume and offline migration, an efficient Checkpoint-Restart mechanism becomes paramount in this context. We propose BlobCR, a dedicated checkpoint repository that is able to take live incremental snapshots of the whole disk attached to the virtual machine (VM) instances. BlobCR aims to minimize the performance overhead of checkpointing by persisting VM disk snapshots asynchronously in the background using a low overhead technique we call selective copy-on-write. It includes support for both application-level and process-level checkpointing, as well as support to roll back filesystem changes. Experiments at large scale demonstrate the benefits of our proposal both in synthetic settings and for a real-life HPC application.
Productivity improvements with a direct digital radiography system integrated with PACS

The productivity-improving features of a direct digital radiography system for projection radiography are introduced and the integration of the system with PACS is discussed. A flat panel digital array, an array controller, and a system controller with video monitor and standard interface to a local or wide area communications network are the main components of the direct digital radiography system of which prototypes have been built and tested in laboratory settings. When used in radiology room for projection radiography, the digital array converts x-ray photons into digital image data and makes the data available immediately for display on a video monitor for the technologist's review. Upon the technologist's acceptance of the image, an industry-standard network allows the transmission of the image to a workstation where additional image processing can be performed and where the image can be viewed on a high resolution display by the radiologist. If so desired, the image may be routed to a laser printer, digital mass storage medium, or to a PACS communication interface. By connecting the direct digital radiography system with a PACS network, radiographs may be shared electronically like images of other digital modalities. In this scenario, productivity improvements would come mainly from shorter patient exams as a result of the immediate availability of the review images, wider exposure latitude and ease of handling of the digital array, and from the electronic transport, storage and retrieval of image files and patient data in a PACS environment.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Detecting positive selection from genome scans of linkage disequilibrium

Though a variety of linkage disequilibrium tests have recently been introduced to measure the signal of recent positive selection, the statistical properties of the various methods have not been directly compared. While most applications of these tests have suggested that positive selection has played an important role in recent human history, the results of these tests have varied dramatically. Here, we evaluate the performance of three statistics designed to detect incomplete selective sweeps, LRH and iHS, and ALnLH. To analyze the properties of these tests, we introduce a new computational method that can model complex population histories with migration and changing population sizes to simulate gene trees influenced by recent positive selection. We demonstrate that iHS performs substantially better than the other two statistics, with power of up to 0.74 at the 0.01 level for the variation best suited for full genome scans and a power of over 0.8 at the 0.01 level for the variation best suited for candidate gene tests. The performance of the iHS statistic was robust to complex demographic histories and variable recombination rates. Genome scans involving the other two statistics suffer from low power and high false positive rates, with false discovery rates of up to 0.96 for ALnLH. The difference in performance between iHS and ALnLH, did not result from the properties of the statistics, but instead from the different methods for mitigating the multiple comparison problem inherent in full genome scans. We introduce a new method for simulating genealogies influenced by positive selection with complex demographic scenarios. In a power analysis based on this method, iHS outperformed LRH and ALnLH in detecting incomplete selective sweeps. We also show that the single-site iHS statistic is more powerful in a candidate gene test than the multi-site statistic, but that the multi-site statistic maintains a low false discovery rate with only a minor loss of power when applied to a scan of the entire genome. Our results highlight the need for careful consideration of multiple comparison problems when evaluating and interpreting the results of full genome scans for positive selection.
Human Single-Chain Antibodies Inhibit Replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1)

The F240 human monoclonal antibody specifically recognizes the disulfide loop-bonded immunodominant epitope of gp41 spanning residues 592-606 and expressed broadly on HIV-1 primary isolates. Despite broad reactivity with native virions and HIV-infected cells, the antibody fails to neutralize infection. However, cytoplasmic expression of single-chain antibody (scFv) directed against gp41 of HIV-1 provides a rationale means to inhibit the maturation of envelope protein. The variable regions of the heavy chain and light chain of human monoclonal antibody were amplified by PCR and linked by a 15 amino acid (GGSGS)3 linker in an orientation of VL-linker-VH and retroviral expression vectors were constructed to simultaneously express F240 scFv and eGFP to facilitate selection of scFv-producing cells. Incorporation of a human immunoglobulin signal sequence directed secretion of the F240 scFv (s-scFv) while an otherwise identical vector lacked this sequence (scFv) resulting in intracellular expression of scFv. Transduced human CD4+ H9 T cells were challenged with HIV. While both secreted and nonsecreted F240 scFv inhibited viral production, secretory F240 scFv was more potent. Thus, this novel approach to direct expression of a nonneutralizing scFv using the Ig signal sequence suggests that targeted therapy using antibodies to conserved, highly expressed epitopes may result in a decrease in viral production due to a reduction of viral assembly and/or transport and expression.
Smad10 Is Required for Formation of the Frog Nervous System

Abstract Before the nervous system establishes its complex array of cell types and connections, multipotent cells are instructed to adopt a neural fate and an anterior-posterior pattern is established. In this report, we show that Smad10, a member of the Smad family of intracellular transducers of TGFβ signaling, is required for formation of the nervous system. In addition, two types of molecules proposed as key to neural induction and patterning, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists and fibroblast growth factor (FGF), require Smad10 for these activities. These data suggest that Smad10 may be a central mediator of the development of the frog nervous system.
Apolipoprotein and lipid distribution in canine serum lipoproteins.

1. 1. Lipoprotein fractions were isolated from canine serum by sequential preparative ultracentrifugation and purified. Immunochemical and quantitative chemical analyses were performed to characterize their apolipoprotein and lipid composition. 2. 2. High density (d 1.063–1.210 g/ml) lipoproteins contain most of the cholesterol and phospholipid present in canine serum and at least two immunologically distinct apolipoprotein components. Relatively more protein and phospholipid are present in these fractions than in lower density lipoproteins and the amounts of cholesterol and triglyceride are relatively less. 3. 3. Low density (d 1.006–1.063 g/ml) lipoproteins contain primarily a single apolipoprotein which is also demonstrable in very low density (d < 1.006 g/ml) lipoproteins. In addition, the very low density lipoprotein fraction contains an immunologically distinct component which may correspond with the apolipoprotein C found in human plasma. 4. 4. Immunochemical analyses also demonstrated the presence of an unusual protein component in purified very low density lipoproteins, in unpurified but not purified high density lipoproteins and in the serum sample from which lipoproteins of d<1.250 g/ml had been removed. This component migrated on immunoelectrophoresis as a γ-globulin and also reacted with anti-canine γ-globulin serum. These observations suggest the possibility that this protein is a specific autoantibody to canine lipoproteins, although alternative explanations are presented. 5. 5. Lipoproteins containing an antigenic component characteristic of one density range were often found in purified, i.e. albumin-free lipoproteins isolated in an adjacent density range, supporting the conclusion that in the dog, as in man, a lipoprotein classification system based solely on hydrated densities has limited applicability.
Intracellular distribution of various boron compounds for use in boron neutron capture therapy

Abstract The neutron capture reaction in boron ( 10 B(n,α) 7 Li) generates two short-range particles with high linear energy transfer. The effect of neutron capture therapy depends on the selective localization of 10 B atoms in target cells. The determination of the distribution of boron compounds in cancer cells at the subcellular level is required for the understanding of the effect of this treatment. The monomeric sulfhydryl borane (BSH) compound has been used clinically in Japan and preclinically in the U.S.A. Recently, new compounds have been developed: a dimeric sulfhydryl borane (BSSB), a boronophenylalanine (BPA), and two porphyrin complexes (BOPP and VCDP). This study demonstrates that the porphyrin complexes (BOPP and VCDP) are more cytotoxic than the other three compounds to the rat 9L gliosarcoma cell line. Using atomic absorption spectrophotometry to determine boron content for cellular uptake studies of these agents, we found that of the five compounds tested BOPP (25 μM) exposure resulted in the greatest boron uptake averaging 305 ng B/10 6 cells. BSSB (500 μM) was second averaging 93 ng B/10 6 cells, BSH (500 μM) third averaging 62 ng B/10 6 cells, VCDP (25 μM) fourth averaging 58 ng B/10 6 cells, and BPA (500 μM) fifth averaging 7.4 ng B/10 6 cells. Data on the distribution of boron in the nuclei, mitochondria, lysosomes, microsomes, and cytosomes of 9L cells are also presented.
Manifold guided composite of Markov random fields for image modeling

We present a new generative image model, integrating techniques arising from two different domains: manifold modeling and Markov random fields. First, we develop a probabilistic model with a mixture of hyperplanes to approximate the manifold of orientable image patches, and demonstrate that it is more effective than the field of experts in expressing local texture patterns. Next, we develop a construction that yields an MRF for coherent image generation, given a configuration of local patch models, and thereby establish a prior distribution over an MRF space. Taking advantage of the model structure, we derive a variational inference algorithm, and apply it to low-level vision. In contrast to previous methods that rely on a single MRF, the method infers an approximate posterior distribution of MRFs, and recovers the underlying images by combining the predictions in a Bayesian fashion. Experiments quantitatively demonstrate superior performance as compared to state-of-the-art methods on image denoising and inpainting.
ROUSSEAU'S GENERAL WILL: A CONDORCETIAN PERSPECTIVE

general will: (1) there is a common good; (2) citizens are not always accurate in their judgments about what is in the common good; and (3) when citizens strive to identify the common good and vote in accordance with their perceptions of it, the vote of the Assembly of the People can be taken to be the most reliable means for ascertaining the common good. We then show that Condorcet's (1785) model of collective judgment shares these assumptions with Rousseau and that understanding the implications of Condorcet's (1785) "jury theorem" enables us to clarify many of the most obscure aspects of Rousseau's treatment of the general will, including his discussion of the debilitating effects of factions and his confidence in the ability of the Assembly of the People to discern the general will by means of voting.
EPSP synthase inhibitor design I. Conformations of enzyme bound shikimate-3-phosphate and 5-enolpyruvoylshikimate-3-phosphate using TRNOE

Abstract The conformations of S3P, 1 and EPSP, 2 bound to E. Coli EPSP synthase have been determined using two dimensional transfer NOE (2D TRNOE) measurements. Both S3P and EPSP bound to the enzyme retain the half-chair conformation with the phosphate group in an axial position similar to “free” S3P in solution. 4 This cis enol proton of bound EPSP is in close proximity to H 4 on the ring. The conformations of S3P, 1 and EPSP, 2 bound to E . Coli EPSP synthase have been determined using 2d transfer NOE experiments.
Descemet stripping with automated endothelial keratoplasty: A comparative study of outcome in patients with preexisting glaucoma.

Purpose To compare postoperative complications after Descemet stripping with automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) in patients with and without glaucoma.
Nuclear isoforms of fibroblast growth factor 2 are novel inducers of hypophosphatemia via modulation of FGF23 and KLOTHO.

FGF2 transgenic mice were developed in which type I collagen regulatory sequences drive the nuclear high molecular weight FGF2 isoforms in osteoblasts (TgHMW). The phenotype of TgHMW mice included dwarfism, decreased bone mineral density (BMD), osteomalacia, and decreased serum phosphate (Pi). When TgHMW mice were fed a high Pi diet, BMD was increased, and dwarfism was partially reversed. The TgHMW phenotype was similar to mice overexpressing FGF23. Serum FGF23 was increased in TgHMW mice. Fgf23 mRNA in bones and fibroblast growth factor receptors 1c and 3c and Klotho mRNAs in kidneys were increased in TgHMW mice, whereas the renal Na+/Pi co-transporter Npt2a mRNA was decreased. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses of TgHMW kidneys showed increased KLOTHO and decreased NPT2a protein. The results suggest that overexpression of HMW FGF2 increases FGF23/FGFR/KLOTHO signaling to down-regulate NPT2a, causing Pi wasting, osteomalacia, and decreased BMD. We assessed whether HMW FGF2 expression was altered in the Hyp mouse, a mouse homolog of the human disease X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia. Fgf2 mRNA was increased in bones, and Western blots showed increased FGF2 protein in nuclear fractions from osteoblasts of Hyp mice. In addition, immunohistochemistry demonstrated co-localization of FGF23 and HMW FGF2 protein in osteoblasts and osteocytes from Hyp mice. This study reveals a novel mechanism of regulation of the FGF23-Pi homeostatic axis.
Replaceability of the pH 5 enzymes fraction of rat liver by the amino acid incorporation factor of Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract It was found using a liver microsome system from normal rats that the in vitro incorporation of glycine or alanine into microsomal protein could be brought about by the addition of either pH 5 enzymes, (or a fraction of it) or Gale 's incorporation factor. The activity of pH 5 enzymes and incorporation factor appeared to be mutually replaceable.
Skin —SH Levels of Mice

DURING the examination of changes in the soluble sulphydryl content of mouse skin produced by application of polycyclic hydrocarbons it was noted that the result from a sample (pool of two animals) taken from a larger group occasionally differed significantly from the mean —SH for the larger group. The possibility existed that those animals the skin —SH of which differed from the mean were of different age or had skin with hair in more than one stage of growth. Consequently, untreated mouse skin from mice of varying age, sex, strains, and stage of hair cycle were used to investigate factors determining soluble sulphydryl content of mouse skin.
Abstract 1402: Regulation of Id2 In the proliferation of glioma-initiating neural progenitor cells

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA There are more than 14,000 new cases of malignant high grade glioma diagnosed each year in the US, and although surgical resection, radiation, and cytotoxic therapies are available, these current treatment methods are not curative. Inhibitor of DNA Binding 2 (Id2), a helix-loop-helix (HLH) protein, functions as a dominant negative inhibitor of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors and is highly expressed in glioma. Recent data from our laboratory defines a critical role for Id2 in the pathogenesis of a subset of glioma known as proneural glioma. Id2 protein function has been characterized in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) where it acts to suppress differentiation and enhance cell cycle progression. These are two key characteristics that are shared with glioma-derived stem cells. We have identified three phosphorylation sites on Id2 in proliferating NPCs using mass spectrometry, and prepared altered Id2 molecules that cannot be phosphorylated at each of these sites. Id2-/- NPCs expressing WT and phosphorylation-site-ablated Id2 have been prepared to examine the role of Id2 phosphorylation in mediating its interactions with binding partners and in modulating the rate of proteasome-dependent degradation. We found an increased level of Id2 in NPCs expressing a mutant form of Id2 that cannot by phosphorylated when compared with NPCs expressing WT Id2. Moreover, the level of WT Id2 protein decreases when NPCs exit the cell cycle; however, unphosphorylated Id2 resists this degradation and exhibits a longer half-life. Stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) experiments revealed that unphosphorylated Id2 molecules bind significantly less than WT Id2 to several anaphase promoting complex (APC) subunits. These findings suggested a possible mechanism for phosphorylation-dependent proteasome-mediated degradation of Id2 in NPCs. Understanding the effect of Id2 phosphorylation in modulating steady state levels of this important protein will inform future studies designed to identify pathways of interest in the transformation of NPCs and the malignant progression of NPC-initiated glioma. This work was supported in part by the Theodora B. Betz Foundation. Citation Format: Jaclyn Sullivan, Matthew Havrda, Brenton Paolella, Arminja Kettenbach, Scott Gerber, Mark A. Israel. Regulation of Id2 In the proliferation of glioma-initiating neural progenitor cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1402. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1402
Pressure-volume characteristics of plastic bags.

Abstract Concern has been expressed about the pressure build-up within the plastic bags used for handling and storing gases. In this experiment, a large plastic bag was supported in three different positions, and the pressure within the bag and the volume of air contained in the bag were accurately measured as the bag was filled. The pressure within the bag remains close enough to atmospheric that corrections would be negligible for engineering calculations until the bag becomes extremely taut. The position of the bag does cause a change in the pressure-volume characteristics. The pressure within the bag shows good agreement with that which can be calculated when the weight of the plastic material used for construction of the bag is known.
The Constellation-X Observatory

The Constellation-X Observatory is currently planned as NASA's next major X-ray observatory to be launched towards the end of the next decade. The driving science goals for the mission are to: 1) Trace the evolution of Black Holes with cosmic time and determine their contribution to the energy output of the Universe; 2) Observe matter spiraling into Black Holes to test the predictions of General Relativity; 3) Use galaxy clusters to trace the locations of Dark Matter and follow the formation of structure as a function of distance; 4) Search for the missing baryonic matter; 5) Directly observe the dynamics of Cosmic Feedback to test models for galaxy formation; 6) Observe the creation and dispersion of the elements in supernovae; and 7) Precisely constrain the equation of state of neutron stars. To achieve these science goals requires high resolution (R > 1250) X-ray spectroscopy with 100 times the throughput of the Chandra and XMM- Newton. The Constellation-X Observatory will achieve this requirement with a combination of four large X-ray telescopes on a single satellite operating in the 0.25 to 10 keV range. These telescopes will feed X-ray micro-calorimeter arrays and grating spectrometers. A hard X-ray telescope system will provide coverage up to at least 40 keV. We describe the mission science drivers and the mission implementation approach.
First Report of Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus Isolated from Lettuce.

In recent years a disease causing dieback and necrosis of Romaine and leaf lettuce has become increasingly important in California and incidence is becoming more widespread. This disease has been primarily found in areas where soil has been dredged from a river or in flooded land. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) isolates have been isolated from roots and leaves of symptomatic lettuce. The particles are isometric with a diameter of 30 nm. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) profiles are identical to the tomato and Prunus isolates of TBSV. However, spurs are formed in agar double diffusion tests when antisera to the tomato and Prunus isolates were used. A similar dieback disease of lettuce was observed in several counties of California during the mid-1980s. Symptoms of this disease are very similar to those described for the “brown blight” disease of lettuce reported in the 1920s (1), including severe stunting of plants and extensive chlorosis, mottling, and necrosis of older leaves. Plants infected early in their ...
Phase development in a U-7 wt.% Mo vs. Al-7 wt.% Ge diffusion couple

Abstract Fuel development for the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program has demonstrated that U–Mo alloys in contact with Al develop interaction regions with phases that have poor irradiation behavior. The addition of Si to the Al has been considered with positive results. In this study, compositional modification is considered by replacing Si with Ge to determine the effect on the phase development in the system. The microstructural and phase development of a diffusion couple of U–7 wt.% Mo in contact with Al–7 wt.% Ge was examined by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The interdiffusion zone developed a microstructure that included the cubic-UGe3 phase and amorphous phases. The UGe3 phase was observed with and without Mo and Al solid solution developing a (U,Mo)(Al,Ge)3 phase.
Mutagenic activity of Ho Shao Wu (Polygonum multiflorum Thunb).

Forty samples of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb were tested by the Ames Salmonella/Microsome assay. The results revealed that the herb is not mutagenic.
Numerical simulations of altocumulus using a cloud resolving model and a mixed layer model

This paper describes the progress toward developing a parameterization of thin mid-level stratiform (altocumulus, Ac) clouds suitable for use in global climate models. 2D cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations indicate that moist conservative variables in Ac layers are approximately well-mixed. This suggests that Ac layers may be parameterized using an elevated mixed-layer model (MLM). Therefore, an elevated MLM for Ac was developed and tested. The Ac MLM uses a method for determining the entrainment rate at the mixed layer top that is used in many MLMs of the stratocumulus-topped boundary layer (STBL). At the mixed layer base, the Ac MLM detrains at a rate that maintains a constant ratio of buoyant consumption of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in the subcloud layer to buoyant production in the cloud layer. To test the Ac MLM, results from it were compared to those from a CRM for a thin Ac layer and a thick Ac layer. The comparisons were good for the cloud top, cloud base, and mixed layer base heights, and fair for the liquid water path (LWP).
Comparison of 2D versus 3D mammography with screening cases: an observer study

Breast cancer is the most common type of non-skin cancer in women. 2D mammography is a screening tool to aid in the early detection of breast cancer, but has diagnostic limitations of overlapping tissues, especially in dense breasts. 3D mammography has the potential to improve detection outcomes by increasing specificity, and a new 3D screening tool with a 3D display for mammography aims to improve performance and efficiency as compared to 2D mammography. An observer study using human studies collected from was performed to compare traditional 2D mammography with this new 3D mammography technique. A prior study using a mammography phantom revealed no difference in calcification detection, but improved mass detection in 2D as compared to 3D. There was a significant decrease in reading time for masses, calcifications, and normals in 3D compared to 2D, however, as well as more favorable confidence levels in reading normal cases. Data for this current study is currently being obtained, and a full report should be available in the next few weeks.
Editor-in-Chief’s Introduction

As we commence Volume 12, our twelfth year of International Journal of Computers for Mathematical Learning, I am pleased to launch a new column, entitled Computational Diversions, edited by Michael Eisenberg. This column will expand the interactive aspects of the journal by enabling readers both to send in solutions to the column’s puzzles as well as challenging our readers by sending in your own puzzles for publication. This is an exciting new development for IJCML and I look forward to many challenging and entertaining diversions. Best Uri Wilensky Editor-in-Chief
Induction and Maintenance of Ethanol Self‐Administration in Cynomolgus Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis): Long‐Term Characterization of Sex and Individual Differences

Background: Investigations of oral ethanol self-administration in nonhuman primates have revealed important parallels with human alcohol use and abuse, yet many fundamental questions concerning the individual risk to, and the biological basis of, excessive ethanol consumption remain unanswered. Moreover, many conditions of access to ethanol in nonhuman primate research are largely unexplored. This set of experiments extends within- and across-session exposure to ethanol to more fully characterize individual differences in oral ethanol self-administration. Methods: Eight male and eight female adult cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were exposed to daily oral ethanol self-administration sessions for approximately 9 months. During the first 3 months, a fixed-time (FT) schedule of food delivery was used to induce the consumption of an allotted dose of ethanol in 16-hr sessions. Subsequently, the FT schedule was suspended, and ethanol was available ad libitum for 6 months in 16- or 22-hr sessions. Results: Cynomolgus monkeys varied greatly in their propensity to self-administer ethanol, with sex and individual differences apparent within 10 days of ethanol exposure. Over the last 3 months of ethanol access, individual average ethanol intakes ranged from 0.6 to 4.0 g/kg/day, resulting in blood ethanol concentrations from 5 to 235 mg/dl. Males drank approximately 1.5-fold more than females. In addition, heavy-, moderate-, and light-drinking phenotypes were identified by using daily ethanol intake and the percentage of daily calories obtained from ethanol as criteria. Conclusions: Cynomolgus monkeys displayed a wide intersubject range of oral ethanol self-administration with a procedure that used a uniform and prolonged induction that restricted early exposure to ethanol and subsequently allowed unlimited access to ethanol. There were sex and stable individual differences in the propensity of monkeys to consume ethanol, indicating that this species will be important in characterizing risk factors associated with heavy-drinking phenotypes.
Who Cares? Teaching and Learning Care in Dance.

Abstract What does it means to be a caring dance teacher? The essay reviews the rise of care in education and examines the concept of care as a moral orientation in personal and educational encounters so that connections to dance education are revealed, defnitions are arrived at, and important related issues are identifed. The essay describes three propositions for creating and sustaining climates of care and trust in our classrooms, studios, and communities of dance.
The Calcium-Sensing Receptor Regulates Plasma Membrane Calcium Adenosine Triphosphatase Isoform 2 Activity in Mammary Epithelial Cells: A Mechanism for Calcium-Regulated Calcium Transport into Milk

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) regulates transepithelial calcium transport into milk by mammary epithelial cells. Using a genome-wide screening strategy, we identified the plasma membrane calcium ATPase isoform 2 (PMCA2) as a potential downstream target of the CaR. We show that PMCA2 expression in the mouse mammary gland increases during lactation and that PMCA2 is localized solely to the apical plasma membrane of mammary epithelial cells. In milk from deafwaddler mice, which have mutations in the gene encoding PMCA2, calcium concentrations were reduced, confirming its importance in calcium transport into milk. Furthermore, in cultured primary and EpH4 mouse mammary epithelial cells, CaR stimulation up-regulated calcium-dependent ATPase activity in plasma membrane preparations. By small interfering RNA-mediated gene knockdown of PMCA2, we show that PMCA2 accounts for the preponderance of calcium-ATPase activity. We also show that reduction of CaR expression with small interfering RNA eliminates the ability of extracellular calcium to elicit an increase in calcium-dependent ATPase activity in EpH4 cell membranes. These results demonstrate that activation of the CaR increases PMCA2 activity in mouse mammary epithelial cells, providing a mechanism for the regulation of transepithelial calcium transport by calcium in the lactating mouse mammary gland.
Myocardial oxygen consumption in left ventricular hypertrophy and its relation to left ventricular mechanics

Abstract Alterations in left ventricular (LV) mechanics have significant effects on myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO22) as a result of changing LV pressure and dimensions. However, the effects of load alteration on MVO22 in the setting of LV hypertrophy and LV dysfunction have not been well characterized. Therefore, we examined changes in LV mechanics and MVO22 in 32 patients with varying degrees of LV hypertrophy and LV dysfunction before and after pharmacologic alteration of load. With phenylephrine or nitroglycerin-induced load alteration, changes in peak systolic meridional stress, mean systolic stress and the area of a stress-dimension loop all correlated modestly with changes in MVO22 (r = 0.66, 0.62, 0.63, respectively). However, changes in the time integral of LV ejection stress, or shortening load, were significantly correlated with changes in MVO22 (r = 0.88, p We conclude that physiologic alterations in mechanical load in normal persons as well as patients with LV hypertrophy are reflected in significant changes in the time integral of LV ejection stress. These changes in shortening load, mediated by changing LV pressure and dimension, are significantly related to changes in MVO22.
The Future of Quality Measurement and Management in a Transforming Health Care System

A MIDDLE-AGED MAN came to see me recently complaining of stomach pain and low-grade fever. He was tender in his left lower quadrant. I thought he had diverticulitis. As he was dressing, he said, almost to himself, "I forgot to do the test where you push on a part of the stomach where it doesn't hurt and see if that makes it hurt where you are having pain." He was referring to the physical examination for rebound tenderness, which he had. "How did you know about rebound tenderness?" I asked. "I found out about it on the Web," he said. "I looked up 'abdominal pain' and then 'left lower quadrant pain.' I decided I might have diverticulitis. Then I went to some medical school's Web site and they had a section for the physical exam." I told him I wanted him to see a surgeon, and the choice would be
Providing modifiability and robustness in the science and software for atmospheric retrievals

This paper introduces Strategy software that is developed for performing atmospheric retrievals for the atmospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) data processing system.
Temperature-dependent far-infrared reflectance of La-Sr-Cu-O and La-Ca-Cu-O: Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer electrodynamics but uncertain energy gap.

The available far-infrared data for polycrystalline La-Sr-Cu-O and La-Ca-Cu-O show a reflectance edge with energy near 2.5${k}_{B}$${T}_{c}$. This edge has been variously interpreted as the onset of absorption due to an energy gap, and as a low-frequency plasma edge caused by strong far-infrared resonances. Our measured temperature dependence of the reflectance edge closely fits the temperature dependence of the order parameter in a mean-field theory, and hence is consistent with the energy-gap hypothesis. In this paper, we construct a model dielectric function for ${\mathrm{La}}_{1.85}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{0.15}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$ which is consistent with mean-field theory and the hypothesis of a plasma edge. We find that the temperature dependence of the plasma frequency in this model also closely fits the measured temperature dependence of the reflectance edge. Furthermore, both hypotheses accurately predict the experimentally observed temperature dependence of the absorption at frequencies much less than the reflectance edge. This observation has significant implications for the construction of fast low-loss superconducting devices. We conclude that the electrodynamics of the superconducting transition in ${\mathrm{La}}_{1.85}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{0.15}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$ are well described by a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer-like mean-field theory. However, given the identical predictions of the energy-gap and plasma-edge hypotheses, it is premature to deduce a precise value for the magnitude of the energy gap from the infrared data.
Competition: Most Artistic Tomography-based Image

Each image submitted for the competition is presented briefly. Images derived from tomography data and from the studies presented in Developments in X-ray Tomography VII are eligible. The sole criterion for the contest is artistic impression. One image per presentation (oral or poster) will be accepted in the format of a powerpoint slide. No animations allowed. Information on the image (title, authors and their affiliations) should follow on a second slide. Each image will be posted at the poster session and again in an oral session; winners will be announced during the oral sessions on the day following the second presentation.
Design and Testing of a Plastic Bubble-Film Covered Shallow Solar Pond

A shallow solar pond was designed from inexpensive plastic materials and tested during the summer months. The bag containing the water consisted of a black polyethylene bottom (1.5 mil) covered with a clear polyvinylchloride top (4 mil) and a layer of polyethylene bubble-film on the top of the PVC bag. The bubble-film material is of the type commonly used for protection of breakable goods during shipment. The bubble-film material provided an inexpensive and effective upper glazing for the bag assembly. The bag was insulated from bottom losses by placing it on a 2.22-cm (0.875-in.)thick layer of polystyrene foam. Tests were performed during May, June, and July 1980. These tests were performed by batch-filling the bag in the morning with a measured quantity of water and measuring the temperature rise of the water during the day. Measurement of water quantity, initial temperature, final temperature, and total incident radiation allowed for calculation of a daily efficiency for the pond. Tests were made for water depths of 5.2 and 10.2 cm (2.05 and 4 in.). Maximum daily efficiencies of up to 63 percent were recorded during the testing. Daily efficiency was determined by dividing the total daily heat collection of the pond bymore » the total radiation incident on the pond for the day. Maximum water temperature of 67/sup 0/C (152/sup 0/F) was reached during the testing program. Temperature rise in the pond assembly was typically on the order of 33-39/sup 0/C (60-70/sup 0/F) during clear days.« less
Wheel load transfer in high-speed unmanned vehicles

A low-cost unmanned vehicle design is presented as a tool to explore autonomous high-speed performance. The vehicle is based on a 1/10 scale radio control model four-wheel-drive truck. The transfer of vertical loads from wheel-to-wheel is proposed as a parameter to control drifting. A means of estimating wheel loading from suspension displacement is presented.
Commuting family of block Jacobi matrices

Abstract The block Jacobi matrices considered in this paper are a family of block tridiagonal matrices, which are natural extensions of a singular Jacobi matrix in the sense that they are associated with orthogonal polynomials in several variables. We present the basic properties of these matrices.
Compositional Effects and Hydrothermal Reorganization of Mesoporous Silicates Synthesized in Surfactant Solutions

Surfactant aggregates play a key role in aqueous condensation polymerization reactions of silicate species to form mesoporous siliceous solids. The effects of surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, CTAC) concentration and silicate/surfactant ratio on the synthesis of mesoporous silicates were studied. The subsequent hydrothermal reorganization of the surfactant−silicate mesophases during drying was also investigated. At low CTAC concentration (<10 wt %) and low Si/CTAC molar ratio (<2.6), the CTAC micellar aggregates and bound silicate counterions have sufficient mobility to form hexagonal arrangements through the intermicellar silicate condensation. At higher CTAC concentration and higher Si/CTAC ratio, the hexagonal arrangement is considerably hindered due to the increased contour length of the micelles and the reduced intermicellar distance, resulting in cross-linking of micelles that disrupts formation of hexagonal pore structures. During drying, hydrothermal reorganizations of lamellar silicate...
Synthesis of imidazo[1,5,4-de]quinoxalin-9-ones, benzimidazole analogues of pyrroloiminoquinone marine natural products.

The imidazoquinoxalinones 1 and 2 are benzimidazole analogues of indole-based marine natural products called makaluvamins. The stabilized cation 1 and the zwitterion 2 were prepared in ∼9 steps from readily available starting materials. Compound 1 is more cytostatic and cytotoxic than 2 and also shows activity in the hollow fiber assay. Unlike the indole-based natural products, 1 and 2 are not potent topoisomerase II inhibitors. Their pattern of cytotoxic and cyostatic activity could be related to inhibition of protein tyrosine kinases.
Supply chain analytics

Abstract In this article, I describe the application of advanced analytics techniques to supply chain management. The applications are categorized in terms of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics and along the supply chain operations reference (SCOR) model domains plan, source, make, deliver, and return. Descriptive analytics applications center on the use of data from global positioning systems (GPSs), radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, and data-visualization tools to provide managers with real-time information regarding location and quantities of goods in the supply chain. Predictive analytics centers on demand forecasting at strategic, tactical, and operational levels, all of which drive the planning process in supply chains in terms of network design, capacity planning, production planning, and inventory management. Finally, prescriptive analytics focuses on the use of mathematical optimization and simulation techniques to provide decision-support tools built upon descriptive and predictive analytics models.
Modeling and simulation of transmission system shield wires under unbalanced conditions

Abstract The purpose of this investigation is to calculate the ground return current under steady-state or transient conditions, given the phase currents in the conductors of two unbalanced three-phase parallel circuits. Thus, the shield wires can be modeled to carry appropriate current depending upon the currents in the three phase conductors. For example, when a fault occurs on a phase conductor, the currents that start flowing in the phase conductors may become unbalanced. Under such conditions, the currents that are coupled into the shield wires will be more important. This investigation can help a transmission system line designer to identify the appropriate shield wires under different transmission system scenarios. A computer package that evaluates the shield wire currents under unbalanced conditions when the transmission lines are randomly spaced is developed.
Hepatic chemoprotective enzyme responses to 2-substituted selenazolidine-4(R)-carboxylic acids.

In epidemiology and human supple- mentation studies, as well as many animal models, selenium has shown antitumorigenic activity. The mechanism of action, however, has not been satis- factorily resolved. Selenium supplementation affects many enzymes in addition to those where selenocys- teine is an essential component. Such enzymes in- clude cytoprotective detoxifying enzymes, and the reg- ulation of these enzymes by a set of 2-substituted selenazolidine-4(R)-carboxylic acids (SCAs) has been investigated. Following seven consecutive daily doses of these prodrugs of L-selenocysteine, changes in hep- atic enzyme activities and/or mRNA levels of glu- tathione transferase (GST), microsomal epoxide hydro- lase (mEH), NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase (NQO), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), glutathione per- oxidase (GPx), and thioredoxin reductase (TR) have been observed. Among the enzymes examined, UGTs and GPx were found to be the least affected. Among the compounds, 2-oxoSCA produced the most changes and 2-phenylSCA produced the least, none. For no two compounds was the pattern of changes identical, and for a single compound, few changes were reproduced in common by the two routes of administration investi- gated. In general, more changes were elicited following intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration than with the in- tragastric (i.g.) route. This dominance was typified by 2-butylSCA and 2-cyclohexylSCA where enzyme ac- tivity elevations (TR and mEH with both, NQO with 2-butylSCA) were seen only with the i.p. route. With 2-oxoSCA, however, GST, TR, and NQO activities were found to be elevated independent of route. Only with GST (both routes) and TR (i.p. route), elevations in mR- NAs accompanied the 2-oxoSCA elicited elevations of activities at the time of sacrifice. For some enzymes, most notably mEH with compounds administered i.p., elevations in mRNAs were not manifest as increased enzyme activity. Thus, although constituting a closely related series of compounds, each 2-substituted SCA