cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using the ATSDR Guidance Manual for the Assessment of Joint Toxic Action of Chemical Mixtures

The Guidance Manual for the Assessment of Joint Toxic Action of Chemical Mixtures (Mixtures Guidance Manual) is intended to assist environmental health scientists and toxicologists in determining whether exposure to chemical mixtures at hazardous waste sites may affect public health. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) approach is a semi-quantitative screening process. Step-by-step procedures for assessing noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic effects are outlined in flow charts. Exposure data and toxicological information on the mixture of concern are the preferred basis for an assessment. If suitable whole mixture studies are not available, a components-based approach is undertaken. The hazard index (HI) method is used to screen for noncancer health hazards from potential additivity of the components. Cancer risks for the components are summed to screen for health hazards from potential additivity of carcinogenic effects. A weight-of-evidence (WOE) method is used to evaluate the potential impact of interactions on noncancer and cancer health effects.
Impact of maternal imprisonment on children's probability of grade retention

Abstract This paper examines the effect of maternal imprisonment on children's probability of retention using propensity score matching. The sample consists of children attending Chicago Public Schools during years 1991 and 2004 between grade levels kindergarten and eighth grade. These children have mothers who either enter Illinois state prison or Cook county jail during an eight and an half year sampling period. The effect of maternal imprisonment is identified using a difference-in-difference strategy on a sample of children matched by different algorithms. I find that children whose mothers enter prison are less likely to experience grade retention than their matched counterparts at least in the immediate years following the mother's prison entry. These results are robust to different matching schemes as well as to different levels of maternal contact prior to the mother's incarceration.
Surrogate markers of pulmonary edema and severity of lung injury do not accurately reflect measured extravascular lung water

Determination of extravascular lung water (EVLW) by transpulmonary thermodilution predicts progression to acute lung injury (ALI). Early identification of patients at risk for developing ALI may impact clinical decision-making. Measurement of EVLW, however, is invasive, requiring central venous and arterial catheters. We asked whether less invasive clinical parameters and markers of severity of lung injury could be used to estimate lung water, obviating the need for the more invasive determination.
1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of azides with electron-deficient alkynes under mild condition in water

We report a simple synthetic protocol for the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azides with electron-deficient alkynes. Alkyne with at least one neighboring electron-withdrawing group proceeds with the cycloaddition successfully without any catalysts at room temperature in water. Under this simple condition, we evaluated a series of small molecule model reactions and then coupled an azido-DNA molecule with electron-deficient alkynes for the formation of [1,2,3]-triazole heterocycle, providing a potential method for introducing functional groups to DNA under biological conditions.
Purification and Recognition of Recombinant Mouse P2X1 Receptors Expressed in a Baculovirus System

Strategy, Management and Health Policy Venture Capital Enabling Technology Preclinical Research Preclinical Development Toxicology, Formulation Drug Delivery, Pharmacokinetics Clinical Development Phases I–III Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing Postmarketing Phase IV View it in a separate window The hexahistidine-tagged mouse P2X1 receptor (H-mP2X1R), an ATP-gated ion channel receptor, was expressed in a baculovirus system using the pAcHLT-B transfer vector containing a hexahistidine tag. Both widely used denaturing (8M urea) and nondenaturing (such as 1% Triton X-100) solubilization conditions were compared, resulting in about 30% of the P2X1 receptors being solubilized (S1). However, at pH 13 most of the H-mP2X1R from the initially insoluble pellet fraction was solubilized (S2) and remained in the soluble fraction (S3) after dialyzing against a nondenaturing buffer. H-mP2X1Rs were purified sequentially through cobalt and ATP affinity columns. Receptors purified from S3 had higher purity than those from S1 (i.e., ~90% vs. ~75%). Circular dichroism spectra indicated identical protein secondary structures of the receptors from both sources. Autoradiographic data showed that the purified receptors from S3 had higher affinity for 8-azido-ATP-γ-32P than the receptors from S1. The binding of 8-azido-ATP-γ-32P to H-mP2X1R was inhibited by ATP-γ-S, α,β-me-ATP, and PPADS, but not by a nucleoside analog (N6-methyl-2′-deoxy-adenosine). In the presence of 2 mM Ca2+ or Mg2+ the binding was increased, but not when using a partially purified receptor fraction, in which unidentified proteins bound 8-azido-ATP-γ-32P or were phosphorylated at 4°C in the presence of 2 mM Mg2+. These data suggest that the decrease in potency of ATP in the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+, as observed in functional studies, is not due to a direct effect of the cations on the binding of ATP to the receptor. Both cyanogen bromide and hydroxylamine cleavage further confirmed the peptide structure of the purified H-mP2X1R. Autoradiographic analysis of the cleavage products showed that 8-azido-ATP-γ-32P was crosslinked to the carboxyl side of the extracellular domain of the receptor.
Output Coupler for Bose-Einstein Condensed Atoms

We have demonstrated an output coupler for Bose condensed atoms in a magnetic trap. Short pulses of rf radiation were used to create Bose condensates in a superposition of trapped and untrapped hyperfine states. The fraction of out-coupled atoms was adjusted between 0% and 100% by varying the amplitude of the rf radiation. This configuration produces output pulses of coherent atoms and can be regarded as a pulsed ``atom laser.''
Computational investigation of the mechanism of addition of singlet carbenes to bicyclobutanes.

Singlet carbenes are known to react with bicyclobutanes to yield 1,4-diene products, as in the addition of dichlorocarbene to bicyclobutane to yield 1,1-dichloro-1,4-pentadiene. At least two mechan...
Rydberg atoms as sensitive magnetic probes

The multiphoton ionization of hydrogen in strong parallel microwave and static fields is a fundamental problem of great complexity which has been the subject of recent experimental and theoretical studies. We show that the superposition of an additional field, namely a static, relatively weak magnetic field, results in rapid oscillations of the ionization survival probability. These rapid oscillations can be used as a very sensitive method for measuring weak magnetic fields.
Demy Monde: the New-Wave Films of Jacques Demy

Traditionally, American film scholarship has framed discussion of the French New Wave chiefly around five filmmakers emerging in the 1950s, all erstwhile critics for Cahiers du Cinema: Francois Tru...
Business Strategies for Managing the Legal Risks of Social Media

The recent growth of social media has dramatically changed interactions between the personal, business, and legal spheres of society. Corporations now use social networks, blogs, and even virtual worlds for marketing, recruiting, customer service and brand management purposes. Moreover, through the establishment of corporate pages, companies can reap increased web exposure, traffic, and popularity, while acquiring valuable insight into consumer perceptions. Despite the multitude of tangible benefits provided by social media, organizations are now beginning to recognize the legal and business risks that accompany these opportunities. Legal scholars and practitioners are increasingly examining the effects of social media on organizational strategy, with particular attention being paid to social media’s involvement in the struggle between the negligent hiring theory and anti-discrimination laws. Although social media policies and employee training have been proposed as methodologies to address the legal costs associated with this conflict, these legal-centric approaches largely fail to examine the issue from a comprehensive strategy-oriented perspective. Accordingly, in this paper I will contribute to the academic literature by outlining how organizations can manage litigation costs derived from social media activities through the use of best practices and risk analysis.
Supporting successful asthma management in schools: The role of asthma care providers

Often, as clinicians seeing children and youth with asthma, we focus on the management and treatment of asthma with the home setting in mind, forgetting all of the additional settings that these individuals need to negotiate and navigate. For students with asthma, schools represent a very important setting for managing asthma, which can be either supportive or pose several barriers to successful asthma control. During the school year, students spend most of their waking hours in this setting, away from home and family. It is estimated that students with asthma miss about 2 to 3 more days of school than students without asthma and may be at risk for poor school performance, although the data vary depending on the population studied. 1-3 Asthma symptoms that do not warrant urgent medical attention or missed school can still interfere with the student’s ability to participate fully in academic or school-related activities through an inability to get a good night’s sleep, to concentrate during class, or to participate in vigorous play or activities. Over the years, society has placed increasing pressures on schools to prepare our next generation of productive adults capable of competing in a global environment. As a result, there is great emphasis on academics and testing, with health issues at times being a lesser priority. Schools want to provide healthy and supportive environments for all students to thrive and achieve their best, but they cannot do it without the support and commitment of physicians and other health professionals.
Distributed Equivalent-Circuit Models for Circular Dispersive Electrodes

Analytically solvable distributed equivalent-circuit models have been developed for circular electrosurgical dispersive electrodes which are either resistively or capacitively coupled to the body. Calculations based on these models show that for either electrode type it is possible to define a characteristic length, the magnitude of which governs the current distribution under the electrode. The well-known perimetrical burn problem occurs when the current transfer length is much smaller than the electrode radius: a problem which may arise with either capacitive or resistive electrodes. Design guidelines are given for the optimization of simple circular dispersive electrodes, and suggestions for further improvements are discussed.
Design of Active Transport Must Be Highly Intricate: A Possible Role of Myosin and Ena/VASP for G-Actin Transport in Filopodia

Recent modeling of filopodia—the actin-based cell organelles employed for sensing and motility—reveals that one of the key limiting factors of filopodial length is diffusional transport of G-actin monomers to the polymerizing barbed ends. We have explored the possibility of active transport of G-actin by myosin motors, which would be an expected biological response to overcome the limitation of a diffusion-based process. We found that in a straightforward implementation of active transport the increase in length was unimpressive, ≤30%, due to sequestering of G-actin by freely diffusing motors. However, artificially removing motor sequestration reactions led to approximately threefold increases in filopodial length, with the transport being mainly limited by the motors failing to detach from the filaments near the tip, clogging the cooperative conveyer belt dynamics. Making motors sterically transparent led to a qualitative change of the dynamics to a different regime of steady growth without a stationary length. Having identified sequestration and clogging as ubiquitous constraints to motor-driven transport, we devised and tested a speculative means to sidestep these limitations in filopodia by employing cross-linking and putative scaffolding roles of Ena/VASP proteins. We conclude that a naive design of molecular-motor-based active transport would almost always be inefficient—an intricately organized kinetic scheme, with finely tuned rate constants, is required to achieve high-flux transport.
Physics concepts of optical and radar reflectance signatures A summary review

Abstract Five generically different signature types are identified and found to be important in remote sensing: spectral, spatial, angular, temporal and polarization signatures. Emphasis is placed on the description of angular signatures and atmospheric effects in the optical regime. Major differences between optical and radar remote sensing systems are noted and their consequences evaluated. Relative advantages and disadvantages of the two concepts are developed and compared. We conclude that optical and radar remote sensing are highly complementary; their respective signatures are often governed by different interaction processes so that the radar and optically sensed data complement each other instead of being redundant.
A fast integral approach for drag force calculation due to oscillatory slip stokes flows

In this paper, we describe an efficient numerical method for modelling oscillatory incompressible slip Stokes flows in three dimensions. The efficiency is achieved by employing an integral approach combined with an accelerated boundary-element-method (BEM) solver. First the integral representations for slip flows with two different slip models are formulated. The resulting integral equations are then solved using the BEM combined with the precorrected-FFT accelerated technique. 3D numerical codes have been developed based on the method described above. These codes are then used to calculate the drag forces on oscillating objects immersed in an unbounded slip flow. Three objects are considered, namely a sphere, a pair of plates and a comb structure. The simulated drag forces on these objects obtained from the two slip models are compared. In the sphere case, the simulated results are also compared with the analytical solutions for both the steady-state case and the no-slip oscillatory case and are found to be in good agreement. In addition, qualitative comparison of the simulation results with the experimental results in the plate problem is also presented in this paper.
Enzymatic synthesis and function of folylpolyglutamates.

Derivatives of folic acid occur in nature predominantly as poly (γ-glutamyl) derivatives containing 2–8 glutamate residues. The data regarding the function of these derivatives, and their biosynthesis by eucaryotic and procaryotic folylpolyglutamate synthetases, is reviewed.
Compatibilizing Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Nylon-6 Blends with Nanoclay

Blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/nylon-6 (PVDF/N6) 30:70 were melt compounded with various organoclays directly or sequentially. The morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties of the blend nanocomposites were investigated. It was determined that the degree of compatibilization induced by the nanoclay particles was dependent on the location of the particles and the degree of clay dispersion. The blend nanocomposite with the best mechanical properties had good dispersion of particles throughout the matrix (N6) and at the PVDF/N6 interface. In this blend nanocomposite, the coalescence of PVDF domains was prevented, and the crystallization of the PVDF domains was suppressed, ultimately creating a blend nanocomposite that is stiffer, stronger, and tougher than the blend without nanoparticles.
A case study of mortgage refinancing discrimination : African American intergenerational wealth

A case study approach is taken to examine differences between African Americans and white Americans in their respective approval/denial rates for home mortgage refinancing. Data from a regional banking institution is used for the case analysis. These data indicate that African Americans are significantly more likely to be turned down for mortgage refinancing than their white American counterparts. We suggest that refinance discri-mination is one contributing factor to the continuing wealth or net worth gaps between blacks and whites. The inability to access the potential capital resident in one's home impedes the ability of African Americans to transmit advantage from one generation to the next.
Fracture Toughness of Human Solid Cancers

Human solid cancers typically are harder and firmer than surrounding normal tissue upon clinical palpation. This characteristic has been linked to the presence of abundant collagen in the tumor stroma, referred to as the desmoplastic reaction. Recent evidence indicates that tumor-associated desmoplastic stroma is critical to cancer’s growth and progression. However, how best to measure, interpret, and/or model the mechanical attributes of tumor microenvironment in vivo remain unclear. During routine sonographically-guided fine needle biopsy of solid tumors of the human thyroid gland, it was serendipitously observed by the lead author that the nature and strength of the haptic force feedback cues varied among tumors [See Movie:http://www.jbioleng.org/imedia/6538834542236038/supp1.mov]. Note the apparent ease with which the needle travels through a non-cancerous tumor. In contrast, a cancerous tumor offers substantial resistance to needle insertion and penetration. To further investigate this phenomenon and to assess the relationship between tumor hardness and cytological diagnosis, a clinical study was designed and implemented incorporating the principles of fracture mechanics with haptic modality. In this prospective study, 609 solid thyroid gland tumors were percutaneously probed using standard 25-gauge fine needles, their tissue toughness ranked on the basis of the nature and strength of the haptic force feedback cues, and subjected to standard fine needle biopsy. Ranked tumors were placed in one of two groups: Group 1 [N = 134]: tumors exhibiting penetration resistance with a distinctive force-feedback cue, as if cutting through an unripe pear; and Group 2 [N = 475]: tumors exhibiting no resistance, as if cutting through jelly. The results were dramatic: 64% of Group 1 tumors were cancerous while 95% of Group 2 tumors were noncancerous. This qualitative method, though subject to some operator bias, identifies a previously unreported in vivo approach for characterizing the fracture toughness of human solid tumors that can be correlated with malignancy. Our results when validated by quantitative measurement data are likely to provide a new framework for understanding the mechanical attributes of the tumor microenvironment. We anticipate our method to be a starting point for the development of a mechanical device that can quantify a tumor’s toughness in vivo using the principles of fracture mechanics. [Journal of Biological Engineering 2008;2:12 doi:10.1186/1754-1611-2-12]
NMR study of the adsorption of phosphomolybdates on alumina

Abstract The adsorption of pentamolybdodiphosphate, 12-molybdophosphate and dimeric 9-molybdophosphate on γ-alumina during incipient wetness impregnation was studied by molybdenum-95 and phosphorus-31 NMR. Pentamolybdodiphosphate decomposes to phosphate and molybdate (MoO2−4) upon contact with the alumina. The phosphate adsorbs preferentially, giving the catalyst a phosphorus-rich shell and a molybdenum-rich core. The decomposition of pentamolybdodiphosphate can be inhibited by the addition of excess phosphate. The 12-molybdophosphate and the dimeric 9-molybdophosphate adsorb on the alumina intact. Thus, a catalyst impregnated with these compounds has a uniform phosphorus-to-molybdenum ratio throughout.
Peer Reviewers 2007.

The editorial staff of Radiology Case Reports acknowledges the important contribution that our corps of peer reviewers has made to the quality and timeliness of the articles that we publish. We could not publish the journal without their enthusiasm and expertise.
Acute Kawasaki disease: not just for kids.

Kawasaki Disease is a small-to-medium-vessel vasculitis that preferentially affects children. Kawasaki Disease can occur in adults, but the presentation may differ from that observed in children. Typical findings in both adults and children include fever, conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, and skin erythema progressing to a desquamating rash on the palms and soles. Adults more frequently present with cervical adenopathy (93% of adults vs. 15% of children), hepatitis (65% vs. 10%), and arthralgia (61% vs. 24–38%). In contrast, adults are less frequently affected by meningitis (10% vs. 34%), thrombocytosis (55% vs. 100%), and coronary artery aneurysms (5% vs. 18–25%). We report a case of acute Kawasaki Disease in a 24-year-old man who presented with rash, fever, and arthritis. He was successfully treated with high-dose aspirin and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Our case highlights the importance of considering Kawasaki Disease in adults presenting with symptoms commonly encountered in a general medical practice.
Impact of renal function on morbidity and mortality after percutaneous aortocoronary saphenous vein graft intervention.

Abstract Background Percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and native coronary artery disease is often problematic, marred by increased morbidity and mortality rates and a high incidence of restenosis and revascularization. However, little is known about the effect of CRI in patients who have undergone prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery and then undergo saphenous vein graft (SVG) intervention. Methods We analyzed the inhospital and 1-year outcomes of 1265 consecutive patients with normal renal function and varying degrees of renal insufficiency who underwent percutaneous SVG intervention and divided them into 4 groups on the basis of the calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl): group 1, CrCl ≥70 mL per minute (n = 626); group 2, CrCl 50 to 69 mL per minute (n = 357); group 3, CrCl 30 to 49 mL per minute (n = 228); and group 4, CrCl Results Patients with lower CrCl more often were older, female, had diabetes mellitus, and had worse left ventricular function. Angiographic baseline characteristics were comparable among the 4 groups. Overall immediate procedural success was similar for all groups. Patients with a low CrCl had significantly higher inhospital overall and cardiac mortality rates ( P P Conclusions This study suggests that renal function is a primary determinate of short- and long-term survival in patients undergoing percutaneous SVG intervention and that there is a clear relationship between CrCl and cardiovascular outcome. (Am Heart J 2003;145:529-34.)
Ability of left ventricular stress-shortening relations, end-systolic stress/volume ratio and indirect indexes to detect severe contractile failure in ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

The ability of several proposed indirect and direct indexes of left ventricular LV) systolic performance and contractility to detect clinically important LV dysfunction was evaluated in 42 patients with refractory dilated cardiomyopathy studied with right-sided heart catheterization and M-mode echocardiography. Hemodynamic evaluation demonstrated elevated filling pressure (mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure 24 +/- 6 mm Hg) and depressed function (cardiac index 1.68 +/- 0.43 liters/min/m2). Echocardiographic LV end-diastolic dimension (7.3 +/- 1.0 cm), mass (182 +/- 60 gm/m2) and end-systolic stress (163 +/- 44 x 10(3) dynes/cm2) were increased whereas fractional shortening was depressed in all (mean 12 +/- 4%). During follow-up 88% of patients died at a median interval of 16 months after study. Indirect measurements of LV function (mitral E point-septal separation and the ratio of preejection period to LV ejection time) were abnormal in 100 and 88% of patients, respectively. Contractility was classified as depressed in 36 (86%) patients by the end-systolic stress volume index ratio and in 31 (74%) by the relation between fractional shortening and end-systolic stress. In contrast, the relation between end-systolic stress and velocity of circumferential shortening identified only 7 (17%) patients as having subnormal contractility and classified 9 (21%) as having supernormal contractility. Rate correction of velocity of circumferential shortening only modestly improved the ability of the relation to identify depressed contractility (abnormal in 16 patients or 38 percent).
Modeling unstable alcohol flooding of DNAPL-contaminated columns

Abstract Alcohol flooding, consisting of injection of a mixture of alcohol and water, is one source removal technology for dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) currently under investigation. An existing compositional multiphase flow simulator (UTCHEM) was adapted to accurately represent the equilibrium phase behavior of ternary and quaternary alcohol/DNAPL systems. Simulator predictions were compared to laboratory column experiments and the results are presented here. It was found that several experiments involved unstable displacements of the NAPL bank by the alcohol flood or of the alcohol flood by the following water flood. Unstable displacement led to additional mixing compared to ideal displacement. This mixing was approximated by a large dispersion in one-dimensional simulations and or by including permeability heterogeneities on a very small scale in three-dimensional simulations. Three-dimensional simulations provided the best match. Simulations of unstable displacements require either high-resolution grids, or need to consider the mixing of fluids in a different manner to capture the resulting effects on NAPL recovery.
Selective boosting of tumor subvolumes

Purpose and background: It is no longer considered mandatory to deliver a uniform dose to the tumor volume in radiotherapy. Non-uniform doses are unavoidable in brachytherapy and in stereotactic radiosurgery, with often good results. Deliberately non-uniform doses may increase tumor control probability (TCP) and enable steeper dose gradients outside the treated volume to be achieved. New methods of tumor imaging might show regions of specific activity or hypoxia which could be selectively targeted. This paper investigates by modeling the effect of boosting, by dose ratios up to 2, for a range of tumor subvolumes. Methods and Materials: A standard linear‐ quadratic algorithm was used to define the dose‐response curve for tumors of various volumes (numbers of clonogenic cells), radiosensitivity (SF 2), assumed slope (g50) and dose for 50% tumor control (TCD 50). Curves of tumor control probability (TCP) were constructed to show the increase of TCP, as a function of the ratio of boost dose to the TCD 50, above the baseline 50% TCP, for a set of different proportions of tumor volume boosted. Results: Calculated values of TCP increased rapidly with both boost dose ratio and with proportion of volume boosted. The increase in TCP reached a plateau after boost dose ratios of 1.2‐1.3, as has been noted before, except where very large proportions of tumor volume exceeding 90% were boosted. Quite large increases of TCP, to about 75%, could be achieved if the g50 slope was steep, and especially in small tumors (having fewer cells). Radiosensitivity was not an independent factor because radiosensitive tumors had a low TCD 50 and this was the baseline dose considered as unity. Conclusion: There were few situations where a boost dose ratio exceeding 1.3 appeared to be worthwhile or necessary. Significant increases of TCP, up from 50% to 75%, might therefore be achieved for a small increase in risk of necrosis, where a substantial proportion of tumor volume (60 ‐ 80%) could be boosted. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. Boosting, inhomogeneity, non-uniform doses, modeling, TCP, TCD50, GAMMA-50.
Nucleon to resonance form factor calculations

Calculations using the constituent quark model of electromagnetic and strong form factors for transitions between nucleons and their excited states are described. Electromagnetic form factors are calculated using a relativistic model based on light-cone dynamics, fit to proton and neutron elastic form factors. Strong form factors are calculated using a non-relativistic pair-creation model developed to describe excited baryon strong decay coupling constants.
Role of oxygen in oxidation of lipid and protein during ischemia/reperfusion in isolated perfused rat lung☆

Considerable evidence has accumulated that oxygen free radicals play a major role in ischemic injury, particularly when followed by reperfusion. Few reports have demonstrated the occurrence of oxidative damage during the ischemic period, itself. Our laboratory has demonstrated that events occurring during an ischemic period with adequate oxygen supply can mimic the "oxygen paradox," using lipid peroxidation as an index of oxidative stress and lung edema as an index of tissue injury. The present study compares lipid peroxidation and oxidation of soluble (100,000g supernatant) protein during ischemia and reperfusion in isolated rat lung model perfused with artificial medium and ventilated with varying alveolar oxygen tension. Protein oxidation was determined by a modified dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) method using Sephadex G-25 column chromatography to isolate the DNPH bound proteins. Global ischemia was produced by discontinuing perfusion while ventilation continued with gas mixtures containing 5% CO2 and a fixed oxygen concentration between 0 and 95%. After 1 h ischemia in the isolated rat lung ventilated with 20% oxygen, protein carbonyls and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased significantly compared with controls. These changes were more pronounced after 60 min of reperfusion with 95% oxygen in the ventilation gas. With 0% oxygen (95% nitrogen and 5% CO2) content of the ventilating gas during ischemia, TBARS and protein carbonyls remained at the control level. The wet/dry weight ratio showed changes parallel to the indices of tissue oxidation. The presence of 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways, in the perfusate had no effect on the generation of protein carbonyls although inhibition of lipid peroxidation was demonstrated. This implies that the oxidation of soluble protein is not mediated by the eicosanoid metabolic cascade. These data indicate that oxidative processes occur during ischemia and are dependent on the alveolar oxygen concentration. Oxidation of soluble protein can be used as an index of oxidative damage during lung ischemia and reperfusion.
Picosecond beam propagation for gas-loaded free electron lasers☆

Abstract A gas-loaded FEL requires electron beam propagation through pressures of ≅ 1 atm. Interaction with the resulting plasma can lead to beam pinching, beam expansion, or various plasma instabilities. Here we discuss calculations and an experiment which demonstrate that the 4 ps electron bunches of a linear accelerator are short enough to avoid major disruption from these effects while traversing 1 m of H2 at 1 atm.
Oral Communication Skills in Higher Education: Using a Performance-Based Evaluation Rubric to Assess Communication Skills

This study used The Competent Speaker, a rubric developed by the National Communication Association (S. P. Morreale, M. R. Moore, K. P. Taylor, D. Surges-Tatum, & R. Hulbert-Johnson, 1993), to evaluate student performance in general education public speaking courses as a case study of student skills and programmatic assessment. Results indicate that students taking the general education public speaking course are below satisfactory standards on five of the eight competencies defined by the National Communication Association and are above satisfactory standards on two of the eight competencies. Implications for this particular program, other communication departments, and communication across the curriculum in general education are discussed. We also offer suggestions for those in other disciplines or educational settings in the use of performance evaluation rubrics for assessing other student skills/knowledge and for training new teachers.
Long non-coding RNA and epigenetic gene regulation of KSHV.

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/human herpesvirus 8) is a γ-herpesvirus linked to Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and two lymphoproliferative disorders, primary effusion lymphoma (PEL or body-cavity B-lymphoma [BCBL]) and a subset of Multicentric Castleman’s Disease. During lytic growth, pervasive viral transcription generating a variety of transcripts with uncertain protein-coding potential has been described on a genome-wide scale in β- and γ-herpesviruses. One class of such RNAs is called long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). KSHV encodes a viral lncRNA known as polyadenylated nuclear RNA (PAN RNA), a copious early gene product. PAN RNA has been implicated in KSHV gene expression, replication, and immune modulation. PAN RNA expression is required for optimal expression of the entire KSHV lytic gene expression program. Latent KSHV episomes are coated with viral latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA). LANA rapidly dissociates from episomes during reactivation. Here we review recent studies suggesting that PAN RNA may function as a viral lncRNA, including a role in the facilitation of LANA-episomal dissociation during lytic replication.
Current-Voltage Characteristics of Ungated AlGaN/GaN Heterostructures

Results of a systematic study of the current vs. voltage characteristics of ungated AIGaN/GaN heterostructures grown on sapphire substrates are presented. It is experimentally observed that the saturation current nearly doubles as the source-to-drain channel lengths decrease from 11.8 to 1.7μm. The average electric field at which current saturation occurs is 10 to 30kV/cm, i.e. much less than the electron velocity saturation field. The experimental data is interpreted in the framework of a new model that takes into account the non-uniformity of the electron density in the channel, electron velocity saturation, and thermal effects. The temperature dependent electron transport characteristics of the model are based on Monte Carlo simulations of electron transport in GaN. It is shown that appreciable contact resistance, which leads to partial channel depletion near the source, and significant self-heating of the devices under high drain-to-source bias are the main reasons for the observed current saturation. The effective ambient temperature in the channel of the devices is calculated from a two-dimensional thermal model of heat dissipation through the sapphire substrate. Equilibrium channel carrier concentrations and low-field mobilities are determined from Hall effect data. The ungated structures are demonstrated to provide much useful materials and process characterization data for the development of AIGaN/GaN heterostructure field effect transistors.
Time varying radial basis functions

We introduce radial basis functions (RBFs) whose time-varying coefficients determine not only the amplitude and position of each RBF but also their shape. The intended use of these Time Varying-RBFs (TV-RBFs) is in the local-in-time representation of low-dimensional approximations of functions that arise in solving spatiotemporal evolution problems; in particular, for time-varying spatially localized solutions with a temporal translation component such as traveling waves, modulated pulses or soliton-like solutions of evolutionary differential equations. This paper is restricted to the one-dimensional spatial case. We also present an algorithm that places the Time Varying-RBFs (TV-RBFs) over spatiotemporal data that may come from experiments, from finely discretized PDE simulations, or even from multiscale, particle-based simulations. It first approximates the function at a single time instant (a temporal snapshot) as a sum of RBFs using a novel weighted minimization that causes each RBF to primarily approximate one of the localized parts of the function). It then extends that approximation to TV-RBFs over a sequence of snapshots of the function at different times. We conclude by discussing the potential uses of these TV-RBFs.
Abstract B41: Thymoquinone induces-cell cycle non-specific-cell death in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell through up-regulation of PTEN expression

Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most prevalent and lethal gynecological malignancies, and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in the United Stat. Like most malignancies, ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease characterized by multiple molecular alterations. These include loss of function of tumor suppressor genes, deregulation of Bcl-2 family proteins, inhibition of caspase activation, and activation of cellular survival signaling pathways, such as HER-2/neu and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase PI3K/Akt. Over years the use of natural compounds as anticancer agents acquired great importance. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main bioactive component of the volatile oil of the black seed ( Nigella sativa , Ranunclulaceae family). TQ has been used as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic medicines for more than 2,000 years. Previous studies reported that TQ exhibited inhibitory effects on cell proliferation of many types of cancer cell lines, including breast adenocarcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, etc. Here, we report that TQ greatly inhibited cell proliferation of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells (A2780/CP70) 24, 48 and 72 hours after treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. However, our flow cytometry data revealed that TQ is a cell cycle non-specific for CP70 cells. Our results also showed that TQ upregulated PTEN and p53 in CP70 cells while downregulated phospho-Akt in a dose-dependent manner. Current investigations are ongoing to fully understand the mechanism of action of TQ in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells.
A robust phase calibration algorithm for a dual-channel along-track interferometric FMCW SAR

A new robust phase calibration technique to estimate and correct the range-dependent phase differences between two receivers in an FMCW ATI SAR has been developed. Based on linear regression, this calibration scheme jointly estimates the phases for both SAR receivers and reproduces the range-dependent phase ripple seen in the ATI interfergrams. After applying the calibration results to the post-processing of SAR data, the phase ripple seen in the previous interferograms is significantly reduced (by about 10 dB). This work has relevance to implementing compact low-cost FMCW interferometric SAR systems for geophysical research measurements.
Pericardial cyst ten years after acute pericarditis.

A case of pericardial cyst development in the years after an episode of acute pericarditis is reported. The method of diagnosis allowed confirmation of the condition without thoracotomy. These aspects of the case are relevant to the genesis of pericardial cysts in general and establish that such cysts are not solely congenital. The use of ultrasound and subsequent contrast roentgenography are advocated as adequate means of diagnosis in this condition.
Community-Based Assessment of Human Astrovirus-Associated Gastroenteritis in Children of a Periurban Area in Mexico City by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction

Community-Based Assessment of Human Astrovirus-Associated Gastroenteritis in Children of a Periurban Area in Mexico City by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction
Autonomous Orbit Determination from Lunar Halo Orbits Using Crosslink Range

restricted, three-body problem, as long as one of the spacecraft is in an orbit at L1 or L2. In the two-body problem, only the relative orbits can be estimated using crosslinks, but when three-body dynamics dominate, it enables the estimation of both relative and absolute orbit states. To add realism in this study, navigation simulations were performed again, but this time the spacecraft trajectories were propagated in an inertial frame using the DE403 ephemeris for the planets. Also, a 50th degree and order lunar spherical harmonic gravity field, solar radiation pressure,andmaneuversweresimulated,withappropriatemodelingerrors.Fourdifferentlunarconstellationswere analyzed with applications to lunar navigation and communication relay. An extended Kalman filter was used to process the measurements. The results show that real-time, on-board position accuracies on the order of 100 m root sum square are possible for lunar libration point orbiters, and solutions on the order of 10 m root sum square are possible for lunar orbiters.
Constrained imaging: overcoming the limitations of the Fourier series

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is usually implemented as a Fourier transform-based technique. During data acquisition, spatially resolved information relating to spin density, relaxation rates, chemical shifts, and other parameters is phase and frequency encoded in the measured data. Image reconstruction is accomplished through the use of the Fourier series model, which can be evaluated efficiently using a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm. Theoretically, the Fourier series is capable of producing perfect images if the data space (often called k-space) is sufficiently covered. In practice, several problems arise with this model due to finite sampling. Specifically, finite sampling leads to a truncation or the Fourier series, which results in image blurring and ringing. Image blurring is attributed to a loss of spatial resolution. In fact, with the Fourier series model, the resulting image resolution is limited to roughly the reciprocal of the frequency interval over which the data are sampled. The ringing artifact is due to the well-known Gibbs phenomenon, which is more pronounced for images with sharp edges. In order to overcome these limitations associated with the direct application of the Fourier series model, many alternatives have been proposed in the past decade to incorporate a priori information into the imaging process. This article discusses the constrained imaging concept. Specifically, the authors review 3 model-based imaging techniques that the authors have developed in the past few years. An essential feature of these methods is that a parametric model in the form of a generalized series is superimposed on the underlying measured data or image.
Mesons in nuclei in the light-front mean field approximation and deep-inelastic scattering

A light-front treatment for the scalar and vector meson momentum distribution functions is developed using a model in which the nucleus is treated a static source of radius $R.$ The limit $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{R}\ensuremath{\infty}$ corresponds to infinite nuclear matter. In this limit, the scalar mesons are shown to carry a vanishing momentum fraction of the nuclear plus momentum ${k}^{+},$ but the vector mesons carry a significant fraction, all occuring at the experimentally inaccessible value of ${k}^{+}=0.$ This confirms earlier work. A study of the R dependence for sizes of real nuclei shows that a fraction of the scalar and vector mesons could be observable.
Methamphetamine-induced deficits of brain monoaminergic neuronal markers: distal axotomy or neuronal plasticity.

Abstract We examined the effects of methamphetamine (METH) on monoaminergic (i.e. dopamine and serotonin) axonal markers and glial cell activation in the rat brain. Our findings indicate that the loss of dopamine transporters (DAT), serotonin transporters (5-HTT), vesicular monoamine transporter type-2 (VMAT-2) and glial cell activation induced by METH in the striatum and in the central gray are consistent with a degenerative process. Our novel finding of METH effects on monoaminergic neurons in the central gray may have important implications on METH-induced hyperthermia. In other brain regions examined, DAT and 5-HTT deficits after METH administration were present in the absence of lasting changes in VMAT-2 levels or glial cell activation. Brain regions exhibiting protracted deficits in DAT and/or 5-HTT and VMAT-2 levels also expressed increased levels of [ 3 H]-R-PK11195 binding to peripheral benzodiazepine receptors, a quantitative marker of glial cell activation. Immunohistochemical assessment of microglia and astrocytes confirmed the PBR results. Microglia activation was more pronounced than astrocytosis in affected regions in most METH-exposed brains with the exception of a small number of rats that were most severely affected by METH based on loss of body weight. In these rats, both microglia and astrocytes were highly activated and expressed a distinct regional pattern suggestive of widespread brain injury. The reason for the pattern of glial cell activation in this group of rats is not currently known but it may be associated with METH-induced hyperthermia. In summary, our findings suggest two neurotoxic endpoints in the brain of METH-exposed animals. Brain regions exhibiting DAT and 5-HTT deficits that co-localize with decreased VMAT-2 levels and glial cell activation may represent monoaminergic terminal degeneration. However, the DAT and 5-HTT deficits in brain regions lacking a deficit in VMAT-2 and glial cell activation may reflect drug-induced modulation of these plasma membrane proteins.
The dynamics of the fusion of two nuclei

Abstract The prediction of the need for an extra push over the interaction barrier in order to make the heavier nuclei fuse is made the basis of a simple algebraic theory for the energy dependence of the fusion cross section. The predictions are compared with recent experiments. A graphical construction, designed to extract directly the three parameters of the theory, suggests about 33 for the effective fissility (Z2/A)eff [defined as 4Z 1 Z 2 /A 1 3 1 A case1 3 2 (A 1 3 1 + A 1 3 2 )] beyond which an extra push is needed, determines the initial rate of increase of the square root of the extra push (in MeV) as about one per unit excess of (Z2/A)eff over 33 and indicates an effective centrifugal repulsion opposing fusion (in cases when angular momentum is present) not very different from that expected for two spheres rolling on each other without sliding.
Comparative Effects on Dynamic Renal Potassium Excretion of ACE Inhibition versus Angiotensin Receptor Blockade in Hypertensive Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Both ACE inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) are renoprotective beyond their effects on blood pressure (BP), but their widespread use is limited by their tendency to provoke hyperkalemia. The comparative effects of ACEI and ARB on potassium handling have not been investigated. The objective of this study was to determine whether there are differences in dynamic renal potassium handling between ACEI and ARB in response to an oral potassium challenge. This was a randomized crossover study of candesartan versus lisinopril titrated to control BP followed by an inpatient study of renal potassium handling in 24 hypertensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus (DMII) and preserved renal function. Following an oral potassium challenge (0.75 mmol/kg), differences in hourly serum K (mmol/L), rate of urinary potassium excretion (UkV, micromol/min), and fractional excretion of potassium (FEK) were assessed by repeated-measures ANOVA. Hourly UkV(p = .45) and FEK (p = .19) were similar for candesartan and lisinopril, although FEK at 2 hours for candesartan tended to exceed that for lisinopril (.34 [.04] vs. .26 [.03]) and approached significance (p = .096). UkVfor candesartan at hour 2 was 177 (26) and 121 (21) for lisinopril and also approached significance (p = .10). Serial serum potassium did not differ (p = .70). No statistical differences were discovered in renal potassium handling between candesartan and lisinopril in patients with DMII and preserved renal function. Whether there are differences between the drug classes in renal impairment remains to be determined.