cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the classification of polyhex hydrocarbons

A novel classification scheme for polyhex hydrocarbons is proposed. There has been considerable discussion about the classification of polyhex hydrocarbons at the Third International Mathematical Chemistry Conference held (March 5-9, 1989) in Galveston, Texas. Several classification schemes have been discussed, but not a single one was complete enough to embrace all possible cases. This prompted us to propose in the present note a novel classification of polyhex hydrocarbons. The present classification is based on the graph-theoretical and topological characteristics of polyhexes.
Effects of lead inclusion bodies on subcellular distribution of lead in rat kidney: The relationship to mitochondrial function

The effect of Pb pretreatment on the subcellular binding of a tracer dose of 203Pb was studied in kidneys of rats in which intranuclear and cytoplasmic inclusion bodies had been induced by a single ip injection of Pb acetate (50 mg Pb/kg) 6 days earlier. Results of subcellular fractionation studies in rats injected iv with 203Pb 24 hr prior to sacrifice demonstrated that 203Pb activity was about 1.5 times higher in kidney homogenates and mitochondrial fractions of control compared to Pb-pretreated rats. Cytosolic 203Pb activity in control rats was 5 times higher than that in Pb-pretreated rats. In contrast, Pb pretreatment increased the 203Pb binding capacity to the nuclear and inclusion body fractions by 7 and 20 times, respectively, compared with controls. Pb pretreatment decreased total mitochondrial 203Pb binding but resulted in a higher proportion of 203Pb bound to the inner membrane and matrix fractions relative to the controls. After in vitro incubation of control renal mitochondria with 203Pb the binding to inner and outer membranes and matrix fractions increased with increasing concentration of unlabeled lead added to the incubation. Deposits on the inner membrane of isolated mitochondria from Pb-pretreated rats were observed by isotonic ammonium molybdate negative staining and these mitochondria also showed decreased respiratory control ratios (RCRs). Succinate-mediated respiration rates and membrane binding of the fluorescent probe ethidium bromide were not affected by Pb pretreatment. These data indicate that lead influences its own subcellular distribution in the kidney following Pb pretreatment as shown by the increase of nuclear and inclusion body binding and increase of mitochondrial inner membrane and matrix binding of lead. The mitochondrial inner membrane shows a preferential affinity for lead following in vivo treatment which can be correlated with impairment of a specific inner membrane function (depressed RCRs). Lead exposure did not alter the activity of the mitochondrial membranes to undergo energy linked conformational changes.
Frozen in Time: Gender, Fan Culture, and a Young Widow's Icy Terrain

In the opening scenes of Douglas Sirk’s 1955 melodrama All That Heaven Allows (Hunter & Sirk, 1955), the precocious, college-aged daughter of the movie’s heroine describes the ancient Egyptian custom of ‘‘walling up the widow alive in the funeral chambers of her dead husband along with his other possessions, the theory being that she was a possession, too.’’ When she adds that ‘‘it doesn’t happen any more,’’ her widowed mother, played by Jane Wyman, asks wryly, ‘‘Doesn’t it?’’ As the film depicts, metaphorical walls still circumscribe the cultural and economic spaces inhabited by widows. This occurs in particularly telling ways for those whose late husbands, and/or the manner in which they died, are public and iconic. According to Bird (1992), supermarket tabloids sanitized the image of the late President John F. Kennedy after revelations of his marital infidelity, preferring to render him as the ‘‘heroic lover’’ while intimating that his widow, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, had driven him to it by being an insecure, overly demanding, pill-popping ‘‘bitch’’ (p. 187). A review in The New York Times reproduced popular myth when it suggested that artist‐musician Yoko Ono, widow of murdered exBeatle John Lennon, had ‘‘brainwashed’’ him into marrying her, thereby ‘‘destroying the most popular music group of the century’’ (Witchell, 1994, p. AE 1). Similarly, conspiracy theorist fans of Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain allege that his death, judged to be a suicide, was actually orchestrated by his widow, actor‐musician Courtney Love (Wallace & Halperin, 2004). The ‘‘Jersey Girls,’’ Kristen Breitweiser’s Family Steering Committee of September 11 widows, rallied to pressure the stonewalling George W. Bush administration to authorize a thorough, independent probe of the attacks (see Breitweiser, 2006). Their consequent political conversion was lambasted by the conservative punditry, most infamously by Ann Coulter (2006), who accused them of ‘‘enjoying their husbands’ deaths too much’’ and implied that said husbands would have divorced ‘‘these harpies’’ had they lived (pp. 103, 112). Less widely circulated but no less meaningful is the case of Russian figure skater Ekaterina ‘‘Katia’’ Gordeeva who, with partner and eventual husband Sergei Grinkov, dominated pairs competition throughout the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, winning Olympic Gold medals in both 1988 and 1994. Then, late in 1995, while the couple
A Traveled First Lady: Writings of Louisa Catherine Adams

In the world of first-lady lore, Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams bears the designation “only foreign first lady”, as she was born in England to an English mother and an American father. As former fi...
Definitive determination of zero-field splitting and exchange interactions in a Ni(II) dimer: investigation of [Ni2(en)4Cl2]Cl2 using magnetization and tunable-frequency high-field electron paramagnetic resonance.

Spin Hamiltonian parameters for a ferromagnetically coupled dinuclear Ni(II) complex [Ni2(en)4Cl2]Cl2: J = +9.66 cm-1, g = 2.242, DA = −4.78 cm-1, DAB = −0.64 cm-1 and zj = −0.402 cm-1 were reliably determined from a powder sample by simultaneously fitting them to magnetic data and tunable-frequency high-field EPR resonances. The importance of employing both techniques is underscored in view of the weak-exchange limit in this particular system. The parameters and the novel methodology developed in obtaining them will serve to better understand magnetic properties of more complicated transition metal clusters.
Optimal Design of Frames to Resist Buckling under Multiple Load Cases

This paper suggests an optimization-based design methodology for improving the strength and the overall stability characteristics of framed structures whose capacities are governed by limit-load behavior. Attention is focused on space-framed structures under static loads, and represents a natural extension of the basic ideas presented in the companion paper. The optimization objective function is taken here to be a linear combination of the critical buckling eigenvalues of the structure. A constant volume constraint with bounds on the design variables is used in conjunction with an optimality-criterion approach for search. The present approach avoids the need to know the eigenvector, which dominates the response as the structure passes a limit load. A novel approach to solving problems with multiple loading conditions is introduced wherein each eigenvalue in the objective is weighted in accordance with the participation of that mode in the loading. Several examples are given to demonstrate aspects of the behavior of the proposed design procedure.
Transmission through a Tapered Quartz Tube in the Laser Near Field

THE concentration of laser light by the use of tapered dielectric tubes and rods has been discussed by Vogel1. The purpose of this communication is to report the dependence of the transmission on the position of the tube in the laser near field. The laser near field pattern for circular apertures is a function of a2/λX, where a is the aperture radius, λ is the wave-length of the light (6328 A for the He-Ne laser used in this experiment), and X is the distance from the aperture2. In this case the laser beam was expanded, collimated, and passed through apertures with various known values of a. The quartz tube is shown in Fig. 1.
Differences in fish assemblages among habitats found in the lower Willamette River, Oregon: application of and problems with multivariate analysis

Abstract Fish species assemblages and physical habitat characteristics were compared among nine sampling areas between river kilometers 0 and 27 of the Willamette River, Oregon, using data from each of three years and for all three years combined. We used cluster analysis to group sampling areas according to similarities in catch of northern squawfish ( Ptychocheilus oregonensis ), black crappie ( Pomoxis nigromaculatus ), white crappie ( Pomoxis annularis ), largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieui ), and walleye ( Stizostedion vitreum vitreum ). We then used canonical analysis to determine whether species assemblages were related to differences in habitat among areas caused by waterfront development. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters of sampling areas based on similarities in fish species assemblages in 1988, 1990, and for 1988–1990 combined, and four clusters in 1989. Canonical analysis results varied among years. We used our results to discuss limitations of multivariate community analysis and identify factors that may affect such analysis.
The effect of resolving power on measurements of the absorption coefficient of electrons in gases

The absorption coefficient of electrons has been studied as a function of the resolving power of the experimental apparatus. An electron beam of 0.4 mm radius was used in a Mayer type of apparatus in which the opening at the end of the scattering chamber was of variable aperture. Values of the absorption coefficient were obtained in helium and in mercury vapor for 20, 40, 80 and 135 volt electrons over an angular aperture range of from 2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 11\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} as measured from the end of the electron gun. All curves showed a definite decrease in the absorption coefficient with increase in angular aperture. These curves were corrected for the positive ion current, from the efficiency of ionization data of Bleakney and Smith, to give curves for the total number of electrons collected as a function of the size of the opening. These showed also a definite decrease with increase in aperture, corresponding to a preference for scattered electrons to be deflected through small angles. In helium the curves were steeper the higher the electron velocity, indicating that this preference is more decided for fast electrons than for slower electrons. In mercury vapor the curves were more nearly alike. The results do not indicate as decided a preference for small angle scattering as is indicated by the angular distribution curves of Arnot in mercury vapor. This discrepancy is not explained.
Temperature-related kinetic differentiation of glucosephosphate isomerase alleloenzymes isolated from the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis.

Two glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI;D-glucose-6-phosphate ketolisomerase; EC 5.3.1.9) alleloenzymes from the blue mussel,Mytilus edulis, were purified to homogeneity. The steady-state kinetic properties of GPI1.00 and GPI.96, which exhibit latitudinal clines in frequency along the Atlantic coast of North America, were determined in both the glycolytic and the gluconeogenic reaction directions at physiological temperatures and pH levels. The two alleloenzymes are catalytically similar at low temperatures (5–10°C), while GPI1.00 diverges to become more efficient at higher physiological temperatures (15–25°C). This pattern of differentiation is consistent with the latitudinal distributions of the alleloenzymes and is due to the greater temperature sensitivities of GPI1.00 V max /K m values of the two alleloenzymes are virtually the same over the physiological range of temperatures. The observed pattern of catalytic differentiation is similar to that seen for interspecific GPI variants.
Dural arteriovenous fistula presenting with exophthalmos and seizures

Concomitant seizures and exophthalmos in the context of a temporal dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) has not been described before. Here, we report a 55-year-old-male who presented with an 8-month history of progressive painless exophthalmos of his left eye, conjunctival chemosis, reduced vision and new onset complex partial seizures. Cerebral angiography demonstrated Cognard Type IIa left cerebral dAVF fed by branches from the left occipital artery and an accessory meningeal artery, with drainage to the superior ophthalmic vein. Following surgical obliteration of dAVF feeding vessels, our patient had dramatic improvement in visual acuity, proptosis and chemosis along with cessation of clinical seizures.
Zeeman effect in dynamic Jahn-Teller impurities

Abstract Numerical computations show that Ham's reduction factor q varies between the narrow limits 0.484 q 1 2 , for strongly coupled E-states. This means that anisotropic parts of the g-factor and hyperfine splitting depend negligibly on warping of the adiabatic potential.
Abstract 4887: Automated imprint cytology evaluation for surgical margin determination

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Background: Breast conservation therapy (BCT) has been shown to have equal survival efficacy to total mastectomy and provides improved cosmesis. This has resulted in BCT being the preferred treatment of choice for localized tumors. BCT, however, results in about 25-50% of procedures with positive margin status which most likely require a second surgery to remove the remaining tumor mass. These second surgeries inhibit the healing process, reduce cosmesis and increase the risk of complications. Intra-operative determination of margin status has been previously demonstrated using imprint cytology (IC) of tumor margin faces with 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity, but this method requires an experienced cytopathologist and is prone to error if not done meticulously due to the difficulty of searching for cancer cells on large slides. Therefore the requirement for an automated imprint cytology analysis system is acute. Methods: Hematoxylin and eosine (H&E) stained imprint cytology specimens were scanned at 40X on an iScan Coreo Au (BioImagene, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA). Resultant digital images were used to train a linear discriminant algorithm to classify between cancer cells, white blood cells, and debris/junk particles. A unique combination of shape, color and local area descriptors was applied to allow for automated discrimination in a fast parallelized fashion to facilitate intra-operative use. The 16 specimen training set as determined by permanent section consisted of 5 positive, 3 close and 8 negative margins. The resulting classifier was then used on a separate testing set of 8 positive cases (46 IC specimens) as previously determined by permanent section (6 cases) or manual imprint cytology (2 cases) evaluation. Results: Automated evaluation of 46 IC specimens yielded 9 positive specimens in 4 cases. Of the 6 positive permanent section specimens, 2 were confirmed by automated analysis. 2 cases that were deemed negative by permanent section but positive by manual permanent section had 100% agreement. On aggregate, a 50% positive margin identification rate was observed. Conclusion: Automated margin analysis has an enhanced ability to reduce the number of second surgeries by identifying positive margins during the initial surgery. The ability to quickly determine margin status is necessary for intra-operative use and we believe that by taking advantage of the iScan Coreo Au slide scanner's ability to change magnification while scanning will provide us with the necessary analysis times. In the future we will integrate this advanced analysis system into an automated intra-operative evaluation tool. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4887. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4887
Self-broadened absorption linewidths for the krypton resonance transitions

The total absorption, AG, was measured as a function of absorbing gas pressure, P, for the 1S0–3P1 (1236 A) and 1S0–1P1 (1165 A) resonance transitions in Kr. For P=0.006–0.06 torr, self-broadening was negligible compared to the natural width. For P=0.06–0.75 torr, self-broadening contributed significantly to the linewidth, and the line shape was essentially symmetrical. For P = 1.0–7.0 torr, the. asymmetric Van der Waals broadening was apparent. The component of the linewidth due to self-broadening, ΓSB, was calculated from the measurements of AG, for P=0.06–0.75 torr, and was found to vary linearly with the number density of absorbers, N, as predicted by theory. The ratio, ΓSB/N, was found to be in reasonably good agreement with theoretical predictions.
Effective properties of siloxane containing imbedded metal helices as a chiral microwave-absorbing material

We have carried out microwave measurements, accompanied by a theoretical analysis, of the effective permittivity and permeability of a chiral composite microwave-absorbing material consisting of a siloxane matrix with imbedded metal-microhelices. Absorptivities and material constants of effective chiral materials (containing either helices or chiral-material inclusions) have recently been obtained in the form of a single resonance in the frequency variable. Our experiments are the first ones to show two resonances in one and the same measurement (first since the 1957-1960 studies of microwave optical activity by Tinoco et al., see e.g. J. Phys. Chem. 61, 1196), which leads to important advances in the physical interpretation of the origin of the resonance absorptivity: determination of the resonance order of a standing wave spanning the overall length of the helix in steps of half-wavelengths (thereby also obtaining the orders of the previously observed single resonances), and a quantitative theoretical prediction of the resonance values of the effective permittivity and permeability, based on a single-scattering model by Bohren and Huffman as adapted to helices, in good agreement with the measurements.
Cytokine mRNA expression in B cells from bovine leukemia virus-infected cattle with persistent lymphocytosis

Abstract We have characterized the expression of six cytokine mRNAs in highly purified B cells from bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-infected cows with persistent lymphocytosis. Selected cytokine mRNAs included those encoding tumor necrosis factor (TNF), lymphotoxin-α (LT-α), transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β 1 ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). Fresh B cells from cows with persistent lymphocytosis constitutively transcribed TNF, LT-α and TGF-β 1 mRNAs. Although IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 mRNAs were barely detectable in fresh B cells from cows with persistent lymphocytosis, transcripts encoding these cytokines were strongly and rapidly upregulated in B cells after cell culture. Results from this study provide the first evidence that B cells infected with BLV express specific cytokine mRNAs in vivo.
Production management, output volatility, and good luck

Abstract This paper models the scale of the technology shocks as a decision variable whose value is determined by the production manager. It is shown that smaller shocks enhance profit in several ways and thus the firm has an incentive to adopt more reliable production technologies. The adoption of these technologies may account for the “good luck” hypothesis in which the stabilization of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) since 1984 is attributed to smaller shocks. It differs from this hypothesis in two respects. First, the reduced volatility should be permanent. Second, the stabilization does not require smaller intrinsic shocks to the economy.
Blood gas monitoring using microflow colorimetry

Optical monitoring of blood gas concentrations is achieved using sub microliter quantities of a colorimetric indicator continuously perfused through microdialysis hollow fiber membranes in blood contact. The hollow fiber membranes, selected based on their permeabilities in blood, are silicone for both oxygen and carbon dioxide sensing, and cuproammonium rayon for pH sensing. A sweep fluid passed through the lumen of these fibers undergoes a diffusive equilibrium with the blood and then is continuously mixed with an indicator. A 450 nm gallium nitride LED is used to excite an oxygen-sensitive fluorophore, ruthenium tris-(2,2'-bipyridyl) II dichloride, which has a 620 nm emission peak that is analyzed with an orange coated photodetector. Gallium phosphide 555 nm LEDs are used to excite the 550 nm absorbance peak of phenol red for pH measurement and phenol red in a 35 mM bicarbonate buffer for CO2 measurement. Accurate measurement of small absorbance and fluorescence changes using small bore capillary tubes allows good resolution of biochemical concentrations. Continuous replenishment of the indicator by flow lends itself to a stable method of biochemical analysis that has potential for long term performance. In vitro buffer studies demonstrate a resolution of plus or minus 0.5 mmHg for pCO2, a plus or minus 1.5 mmHg for pO2, and a plus or minus 0.003 pH.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
External validation of the strategy choice model for addition

Abstract The study was designed to assess the external validity, both convergent and discriminant forms, of the strategy choice model proposed by Siegler and Shrager (1984, in C. Sophian, Ed., Origins of cognitive skills (pp. 229–293), Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum). Forty-two preschool/kindergarten children were administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) and the Arithmetic subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) and were videotaped as they solved 25 simple addition problems. Strategies, and their associated reaction times, used in problem solving were classified in accordance with the strategy choice model. A variable which represented adaptive strategy choices for solving addition problems was significantly correlated with the Arithmetic subtest of the WRAT and with the Arithmetic, Geometric Design, and Mazes subtests of the WPPSI. Component scores for a memory retrieval variable were significantly related to performance on both tests of arithmetic ability; the greater the facility of information retrieval from long-term memory the better the performance on the traditional measures. This pattern of correlations suggested strategy choices for solving addition problems were related to both the numerical and spatial ability domains, whereas the speed of executing the component process of fact retrieval was related only to arithmetic ability. In all, the study provided strong support for the convergent validity of the strategy choice model and modest support for its discriminant validity. Finally, the relationship between information-processing models and reference ability measures was discussed.
Some are Laughing; Some are Not—Why?:

Three studies explored the relative importance of various manipulations of the social environment on appreciation of humor in college males. The experimental situations included hostility-arousal, ...
Small-noise approximations to the solution of the Smoluchowski equation

We explore the connection between the two perturbation methods that have been suggested for solving Smoluchowski-like equations with weak noise. A slight modification of the first of these methods (the size expansion of van Kampen) makes it identical to the second (the method of running coordinates). We point out that a number of modifications to both methods are possible and should be explored. We illustrate the advantages of both of these methods as applied to three solvable examples.
Constrained optimization: a geodesic snake approach

In this paper, a deformable contour method is formulated and derived in a constrained optimization framework. The constraint is reflected in the resulting contour evolution equation. This constraint element can be used to characterize any interior property and/or structure including the added "balloon force" used in geodesic snake as a special case, which has the potential of having expanded applications to far more complex interior. An implementation of the method is applied to a MRI brain image and the results are favorable.
Extrusion of Soybean and Wheat Flour as Affected by Moisture Content

The effect of moisture content (MC) on texture and properties of extrudates with varied ratios of soybean flour (SF) and wheat flour (WF) was studied. A single-screw extruder was used at screw speed 200 rpm. MCs of blends were 16, 17 or 18%, w.b. The properties of extrudates depended on flow rate of the material during extrusion. The flow rate revealed a nonlinear dependence on the blend composition and the MC at the same volume of filling of the screw feeding section. The expansion ratio of WF or SF extrudates increased with lowering of the MC. Unexpectedly, the expansion ratio decreased with lower MC for the composite extrudates. Optimal extrudate properties at 16% (w.b.) MC corresponded to 80, 90 or 100% (d.b.) WF and 20, 10% or no SF, respectively. At 17 and 18% MC, optimal properties were found for products contain(no 80 or 90% WF and 20 or 10% SF, respectively.
Experimental hybridizations of Eriophyllum annuals (Asteraceae, Helenieae).

Seven of the eight annual species of Eriophyllum, a western North American genus, were studied in greenhouse and garden. Eriophyllum congdoniiand E. nubigenum proved to be self-compatible; E. ambiguum, E. multicaule, E. pringlei, and E. wallacei were self-incompatible; E. lanosum was not studied. All combinations of artificial hybridizations were attempted except E. congdonii 3 E. lanosum. Among the species with n 5 7, fertile hybrids came from E. congdonii 3 E. nubigenumand sterile hybrids from E. ambiguum var. ambiguum 3 E. pringlei, E. ambiguum var. paleaceum 3 E. congdonii, E. multicaule, E. nubigenum, and E. pringlei, as well as E. multicaule 3 E. congdonii and E. multicaule 3 E. pringlei. The other homoploid combinations failed, as did heteroploid combinations involving the annual species with n 5 7 and either E. wallacei (n 5 5) or E. lanosum (n 5 4). Sterile hybrids were generated
Nitrosating agents from the reaction between methyl oleate and dinitrogen trioxide: Identification and mutagenicity

Abstract Dinitrogen trioxide (N 2 O 3 ) was reacted with methyl oleate and the residual N 2 O 3 removed. The resulting products were capable of nitrosating 2,6-dimethylmorpholine above 80°C with a maximum yield of nitrosamine at 130°C. N -nitroso-2,6-dimethylmorpholine formation was first order in nitrosating agent. When the reaction products were added to ground uncured pork and fried, N -nitrosodimethylamine and N -nitrosopyrrolidine were formed in amounts similar to those formed in fried bacon. 2,3-Dimethyl-2-nitro-3-nitrosobutane also nitrosated amines in the presence of pork lipids. Individual products were separated by HPLC and identified by IR and MS as nitronitroso-, dinitro-, nitronitrate-, and nitro oxime additions to methyl oleate. The nitronitroso derivative, as previously predicted, occurred in the fraction with the greatest capacity to nitrosate the amine. The products of the reaction between oleic acid and N 2 O 3 were mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1535 without S-9 activation showing a 5·5- to 66-fold increase in revertants at doses of 90 to 200 μg/plate. These findings support, but do not prove, the theory that nitrite reacts with unsaturated lipids in bacon to form compounds which are responsible for nitrosamine formation during frying.
Trypsin-ligand binding free energy calculation with AMOEBA

The binding free energies of several benzamidine -like inhibitors to trypsin were examined using a polarizable molecular mechanics potential. All the computed binding free energies are in good agreement with the experimental data. From free energy decomposition, electrostatic interaction was indicated to be the driving force for the binding. MD simulations show that the ligands form hydrogen bonds with trypsin and water molecules nearby in a competitive fashion. While the binding free energy is independent of the ligand dipole moment, it shows a strong correlation with the ligand molecular polarizability.
Calcium-Dependent Regulation of NEMO Nuclear Export in Response to Genotoxic Stimuli

The mechanisms involved in activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB by genotoxic agents are not well understood. Previously, we provided evidence that a regulatory subunit of the IkappaB kinase (IKK) complex, NF-kappaB essential modulator (NEMO)/IKKgamma, is a component of a nuclear signal that is generated after DNA damage to mediate NF-kappaB activation. Here, we found that etoposide (VP16) and camptothecin induced increases in intracellular free calcium levels at 60 min after stimulation of CEM T leukemic cells. Inhibition of calcium increases by calcium chelators, BAPTA-AM and EGTA-AM, abrogated NF-kappaB activation by these agents in several cell types examined. Conversely, thapsigargin and ionomycin attenuated the BAPTA-AM effects and promoted NF-kappaB activation by the genotoxic stimuli. Analyses of nuclear NEMO levels in VP16-treated cells suggested that calcium was required for nuclear export of NEMO. Inhibition of the nuclear exporter CRM1 by leptomycin B did not interfere with NEMO nuclear export. Similarly, deficiency of a plausible calcium-dependent nuclear export receptor, calreticulin, failed to prevent NF-kappaB activation by VP16. However, temperature inactivation of the Ran guanine nucleotide exchange factor RCC1 in the tsBN2 cell line harboring a temperature-sensitive mutant of RCC1 blocked NF-kappaB activation induced by genotoxic stimuli. Overexpression of Ran in this cell model showed that DNA damage stimuli induced formation of a complex between Ran and NEMO, suggesting that RCC1 regulated NF-kappaB activation through the modulation of RanGTP. Indeed, evidence for VP16-inducible interaction between Ran-GTP and NEMO could be obtained by means of glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assays using GST fused to the Ran binding domain of RanBP2, which specifically interacts with the GTP-bound form of Ran. BAPTA-AM did not alter these interactions, suggesting that calcium is a necessary step beyond the formation of a Ran-GTP-NEMO complex in the nucleus. These results suggest that calcium has a unique role in genotoxic stress-induced NF-kappaB signaling by regulating nuclear export of NEMO subsequent to the formation of a nuclear export complex composed of Ran-GTP, NEMO, and presumably, an undefined nuclear export receptor.
Experimental ex vivo traumatic intrusion in the mandibular incisors of the farm pig, Sus scrofa

Background/Aim Traumatic intrusion of incisor teeth occurs frequently in young children, as well as in teens and adults; however, the biological mechanisms promoting negative sequelae or recovery are not well understood (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2009;107:493 and Vital Health Stat 11 2007;248:1). Modeling intrusive trauma and post-traumatic healing in an animal model offers the opportunity to define these biological mechanisms and to inform the design of treatments. The objective of this study was to investigate the pig, Sus scrofa, as a model for intrusive trauma, using an in vitro approach. Materials and Methods Mandibular segments from ex vivo farm pigs were bisected and primary central incisors were prepared to either receive axial traumatic loads or to serve as non-intruded controls. A class 2 lever modeled traumatic impact to the incisors. Damage to the periodontal support in intruded and control specimens (n = 10) was evaluated through compression testing and comparison of elastic moduli. Incisor displacement was measured on X-ray images taken before and after trauma, and following compressive tests. Results Lingual x-rays showed a mean postinjury displacement of the incisor root of 3.81 ± 1.87 mm. With compression testing, the root length embedded in bone increased in traumatized and non-traumatized teeth by 2.9 mm and 0.81 mm, respectively (P = 0.03). The intrusion group Young's modulus was significantly lower than the control group (4452 vs 7704 Mpa; P = 0.05). Conclusion In vitro modeling of traumatic intrusion resulted in damage to the periodontal support of central incisors and axial tooth displacement. Pig incisors offer an important model for further study of incisor trauma.
Induced junction (inversion layer) photodiode self-calibration.

The potential of a newly available oxide-n+-p inversion layer silicon photodiode as a radiometric standard is discussed. Data are presented relating the quantum efficiency of these diodes as a function of oxide and reverse bias. The theory of a simple absolute reflectometer/detector device is described and in situ reflectance corrections for one of the diodes are determined to establish its absolute response. Radiant power measured with this diode, at ten wavelengths between 295 and 1014 nm, was then compared with that measured by reference to electrical substitution radiometry.
Extracting geographic features from the Internet to automatically build detailed regional gazetteers

The utility of every imaginable application which incorporates a gazetteer hinges on the simple fact that the resulting system will only be as useful, complete, or accurate as the underlying gazetteer itself. A major issue confronting gazetteers utilized in systems today is that they are not complete and measures of their accuracy are largely unknown. In this paper we describe a methodology which addresses this problem by automatically generating highly complete and detailed regional gazetteers from Internet sources. We utilize information extraction and integration techniques to automatically obtain geographic features and associated footprints and feature types from freely and widely available online data which could be applied to create a gazetteer for nearly any area. We discuss the distinguishing characteristics of the generated gazetteer and extend previous work to define measures which can be used to assess the completeness and accuracy of gazetteers. Using these measures, the generated gazetteer is evaluated against the Alexandria Digital Library Gazetteer and the Los Angeles Comprehensive Bibliographic Database. Our results indicate that a gazetteer created by our methods will be at least as complete as any gazetteer currently available for certain feature classes, while falling short in others. We conclude by offering suggestions to address these shortcomings.
Conference report: building a biologic pacemaker

Although electronic pacemakers are an excellent therapy, their persistent shortcomings (need for monitoring and replacement, indwelling catheter electrodes in the heart, possibility of infection, lack of autonomic responsiveness, geometric limitations with respect to pediatric patients) are sufficient to warrant a search for better alternatives. The biologic pacemaker, which is a tissue that spontaneously or via engineering confers pacemaker properties to regions of the heart, is one such alternative. A variety of approaches have been taken in attempting to produce biologic pacemakers. These can be considered under 3 major headings: (1) the use of viral vectors to deliver genes to regions of the heart such that a pacemaker potential resulting in spontaneous impulse initiation evolves in the region of gene administration; (2) the use of embryonic stem cells grown along a cardiac lineage and manifesting the properties of sinus node cells; (3) the use of mesenchymal stem cells as platforms to carry pacemaker genes to the heart, relying on gap junctional coupling such that the stem cell and a coupled myocyte form a single functional unit to generate pacemaker function.
Geochemistry of shallow ground water in coastal plain environments in the southeastern United States: implications for aquifer susceptibility

Ground-water chemistry data from coastal plain environments have been examined to determine the geochemical conditions and processes that occur in these areas and assess their implications for aquifer susceptibility. Two distinct geochemical environments were studied to represent a range of conditions: an inner coastal plain setting having more well-drained soils and lower organic carbon (C) content and an outer coastal plain environment that has more poorly drained soils and high organic C content. Higher concentrations of most major ions and dissolved inorganic and organic C in the outer coastal plain setting indicate a greater degree of mineral dissolution and organic matter oxidation. Accordingly, outer coastal plain waters are more reducing than inner coastal plain waters. Low dissolved oxygen (O2) and nitrate (NO3−) concentrations and high iron (Fe) concentrations indicate that ferric iron (Fe (III)) is an important electron acceptor in this setting, while dissolved O2 is the most common terminal electron acceptor in the inner coastal plain setting. The presence of a wide range of redox conditions in the shallow aquifer system examined here underscores the importance of providing a detailed geochemical characterization of ground water when assessing the intrinsic susceptibility of coastal plain settings. The greater prevalence of aerobic conditions in the inner coastal plain setting makes this region more susceptible to contamination by constituents that are more stable under these conditions and is consistent with the significantly (p<0.05) higher concentrations of NO3− found in this setting. Herbicides and their transformation products were frequently detected (36% of wells sampled), however concentrations were typically low (<0.1 μg/L). Shallow water table depths often found in coastal plain settings may result in an increased risk of the detection of pesticides (e.g., alachlor) that degrade rapidly in the unsaturated zone.
DynAHeal: dynamic energy efficient task assignment for wireless healthcare systems

Energy consumption is a critical parameter in wireless healthcare systems which consist of battery operated devices such as sensors and local aggregators. The system battery lifetime depends on the allocation of processing, sensing, and communication tasks to devices of the system. In this paper, we optimize the battery life of a wireless healthcare system by efficiently assigning tasks to the available resources. There are several dynamically changing characteristics in the system, such as task parameters (processing complexity, arrival rate, and output data), each device's available battery capacity, varying wireless channel conditions, and network load. Our dynamic task assignment algorithm, "DynAHeal" adapts to such changing conditions, and improves the battery life. Our experiments show that the task assignment given by DynAHeal improves the overall system lifetime under varying dynamic conditions on an average 60% relative to sending all the data for processing to the base station, and 35% with respect to an optimal static design time assignment.
Electrocapillary piston motion and a prototype of phase-manipulating micromirror

In this paper, we study the piston motion of a mercury droplet that is confined in a metal-plated microhole. This droplet is actuated by the electrocapillary effect and large displacements of up to 210 /spl mu/m are achieved with very low voltages (/spl sim/2 V). We use a high-speed camera (10,000 frames/s) to capture the piston motion and we find the resonance frequency is /spl sim/50 Hz. The mercury droplet geometry in equilibrium state is analyzed based on Laplace equation and volume conservation. A mathematical model is developed; it predicts that the resonant frequency of mercury droplet is 150 Hz. A prototype of piston-motion micromirror is also demonstrated in the experiment, with a frequency of 400 Hz and amplitude of /spl sim/8 /spl mu/m at 2 V.
A Computer Simulation of Single Fiber Pull Out Process in a Composite

A stochastic approach, the Ising model combined with Monte Carlo simulation, is employed to study the process of a fiber debonding and being pulled out from a fiber reinforced composite. The complicated mechanisms involved can be realistically simulated more than ever with a simple algorithm that is applicable to such phenomena as partial debonding, fiber breaking and matrix yielding, all of which are difficult to deal with by existing methods. The important factors influencing the debonding and the pull out behavior can be represented by corresponding coefficients in an energy expression of the system. The results of parametric studies are in good qualitative agreement with the behavior of real systems, indicating the power and usefulness of this approach in the studies of many interfacial phenomena. Finally, application of this method to simulate the fiber peel process is also demonstrated.
Reproductive risk factors for epilepsy among ten‐year‐old children in metropolitan Atlanta

Summary. .The elements of a woman's reproductive history that may be associated with her risk of having a child who develops epilepsy have not been well described. To examine these possible associations, we used a multiple-source case ascertainment method to identify ten-year-old children with epilepsy who were living in the metropolitan Atlanta area in 1985-87; same-age control children were selected from public schools. To obtain reproductive history and other information, we interviewed 107 mothers of children with epilepsy and 408 mothers of control children. Twenty-nine children with a known intrauterine or postnatal aetiology were excluded from the analysis. We computed adjusted odds ratios for reproductive history characteristics, controlling for the race of the child, maternal education, census block group income, maternal pregnancy history and family history of a developmental disability. Our analyses indicated that mothers of children with epilepsy not only had more previous live births, but more previous adverse reproductive outcomes including spontaneous abortions, very low birthweight infants and infants with birth defects. The risk was especially strong for maternal history of a child with a birth defect. The specific types of birth defects reported in excess include central nervous system defects (specifically spina bifida) and Down's syndrome.
The Buddha in the Classroom Toward a Critical Spiritual Pedagogy

To teach with a moral lens, especially one centered in compassion and reinforced by an awareness of suffering, may require taking stands that challenge the dominant quantitative paradigm based on high-stakes testing and accountability. Yet what are the tools that would allow educators to renew their sense of compassion with themselves and their students? We draw on the diverse literatures of spirituality, social justice, and education. Following Thich Nhat Hanh and others, we find that Buddhist stories and parables are a useful tool in the contemporary United States for awakening or reinforcing compassion and mindfulness in teachers, students, and administrators so that they can address the joint challenges of “too much emptiness” and “too much fullness.”
Sectionalized PWM (S-PWM): A new multilevel modulation strategy

The paper presents a novel multilevel PWM strategy that employs a split section reference waveform with phase-shifted carriers to produce harmonically superior PWM signals. The multilevel PWM switching patterns provide a higher dynamic range than what has been reported in the literature. The key difference of this method is that it maintains a fixed modulation depth for each section. MatLab simulations have been carried out to compare the new method against SH-SPWM technique. The simulation results have been validated through an experimental prototype. The harmonic cancellation properties of the new modulation are under study.
Extended high temperature Al gettering for improvement and homogenization of minority carrier diffusion lengths in multicrystalline Si

Multicrystalline Si for photovoltaic applications is a very inhomogeneous material with localized regions of high dislocation density and large impurity and precipitate concentrations which limit solar cell efficiency by acting as carrier recombination sites. Due to slow dissolution of precipitates in multicrystalline Si, these regions cannot be improved by conventional P and Al gettering treatments for removal of metal impurities which give good results for single crystal Si. It is shown that an extended high temperature Al gettering treatment can improve minority carrier diffusion lengths in these low quality regions and homogenize the electrical properties of multicrystalline Si wafers.
Simplifying Substantial Economic Effect: Back-Ended Capital Shifts

Hausman believes the substantial economic effect regulations are too complicated, particularly where the economic agreement of the partners is complicated. One way of simplifying the regulations, he says, is to permit a so-called "back-ended capital shift." Such a capital shift would not only simplify the rules, it would also add certainty to the result of partnership allocations. Although there are drawbacks to this type of capital shift (such as where a tax-exempt entity is a partner), the regulations could be amended to prevent abuses.
Maternal mental health symptoms are positively related to emotional and restrained eating attitudes in a statewide sample of mothers participating in a supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and young children.

Postpartum, low-income mothers are at risk for mental health symptoms and obesity, and disordered eating attitudes may be associated with both mental health and obesity in this vulnerable population. The study objective is to determine whether higher levels of mental health symptoms are associated with increased odds of emotional and restrained eating attitudes in this sample of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants. Data on 711 mothers of infants <13 months from a statewide sample of Maryland WIC participants were collected via telephone survey. Maternal mental health symptoms were measured on continuous scales for depression (PRIME-MD), stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). Emotional and restrained eating attitudes were measured with questions adapted from the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used. Obesity [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30] was explored as a moderating variable. Mothers reporting higher levels of depression symptoms [odds ratio (OR) = 3.93, 95%CI: 2.71-5.69], anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.47-2.65), stress symptoms (OR = 2.09, 95%CI: 1.67-2.61) and high overall mental health symptomatology (OR = 3.51, 95%CI: 2.43-5.3) had increased odds of emotional eating attitudes. There were significant associations between symptoms of depression (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.12-2.25) and increased odds of restrained eating attitudes. Obesity did not moderate the association. Mothers with mental health symptoms are at risk for disordered eating attitudes, which may increase risk of poor diet. These findings underscore the need for greater focus on addressing maternal mental health status and eating attitudes in the postpartum period.