cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuous Realization Methods and their Applications

Realization process, in a sense, means any deducible procedure that we use to rationalize and solve problems. In mathematics, especially for existence questions, a realization process often appears in the form of an iterative procedure or a differential equation. For years researchers have taken great effort to describe, analyze, and modify realization processes. Nowadays the success is especially evident in discrete numerical algorithms. On the other hand, the use of differential equations to issues in computational mathematics has been found recently to afford fundamental insights into the structure and behavior of existing discrete methods and, sometimes, to suggest new and improved numerical methods.
Design Flow of Wireless Body Sensor Network for Human Activity Classification using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Neural Network

The design aspects of a wireless body sensor network (WBSN) consider a variety of parameters to improve the network and algorithm but the placement choice often remains unjustified by the researcher. A common application of the WBSN is for the motion-capture of a limb or human, but sensor placement differs, making each algorithm very specific to a singular movement. In this paper, we explore the system architecture and design flow of an enhanced human activity classification algorithm using long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network. A WBSN system is designed and implemented to collect information for training the LSTM sequential model. The sensors are placed on waist, ankles and wrists to observe the relevance, pertinence and accuracy improvement on increasing the number of sensor nodes and positioning of the sensors. Result shows that with the presented system and algorithm, we can precisely characterize human positions and behaviors. This WBSN system can be further extended to understand different motions and different sensor positions, and further expanded to include other sensors.
Healthcare Ethics and Professionalism in Social Media

Social media has become an important tool to facilitate global communication. Platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter have fundamentally altered the landscape by which individuals and organizations interact with one another. Social media affords individuals access to online medical information, facilitates communication amongst patients and clinicians, and allows photos and videos to be shared among patients and healthcare professionals. However, ethical dilemmas, ranging from maintaining patient privacy to disclosing conflicts of interest, arise from the expanded influence afforded to providers via social media and the lack of guidelines for its use in the professional context. This chapter explores ethical uses of social media for engaging patients, educating the public, and marketing dermatology practices.
Thionation of Aminophthalimide Hindered Carbonyl Groups and Application to the Synthesis of 3,6′-Dithionated Pomalidomides

Herein, we present a new one-pot procedure for the 3,6′-dithionation of pomalidomide derivatives in which the key 3-position sulfur atom is preferentially installed at the desired (but sterically congested) carbonyl of the aminophthalimide system and with regiochemistry distinct from Lawesson’s Reagent thionation methods. When heated in 1,4-dioxane with P4S10–pyridine complex, pomalidomides are smoothly and reproducibly converted into their 3,6′-dithionated analogues in roughly 30% isolated yield and at various scales. While detrimental to the desired 3,6′-type outcome when employing Lawesson’s Reagent, we hypothesize that the pomalidomide aniline group instead facilitates P4S10-type thionation at the otherwise hindered 3-position carbonyl, contributing to the selectivity observed. When paired with classical methods of thionation, this approach offers an interesting and appealing addition to the synthetic toolbox, permitting facile late-stage access to complementary thionated pomalidomides in direct single-flask procedures.
Thermal Transport Study on Nanoslot-Patterned Thin Films

Nanoporous thin films have been extensively studied for their potential applications such as thermoelectrics and thermal management. Different from the popular cylindrical through-film pores, a novel nanoslot pattern design is investigated in this work to achieve better performance in thermal insulation, in-plane thermal anisotropy, and thermoelectrics. In this nanoslot pattern, rectangular pores, or "nanoslots", are patterned in periodic rows with a narrow neck width between adjacent nanoslots within the same row. Such a narrow neck is the geometric constriction for the phonon transport, resulting in a largely reduced lattice thermal conductivity along the direction perpendicular to the nanoslot rows. In addition, the adjacent rows of nanoslots can also be arranged in an offset manner to further reduce the in-plane thermal conductivity along the same direction, eventually achieving a very high in-plane thermal conductivity anisotropy. Along another line, although the thermal transport is severely suppressed by the nanoslot pattern, the bulk-like electron transport can be largely intact due to the much shorter electron mean free paths compared with the neck width. As a result, the thermoelectric performance can be improved. In this work, frequency-dependent phonon Monte Carlo simulations are utilized to investigate the in-plane thermal conductivity anisotropy of the nanoslot patterns with a maximum room-temperature anisotropy of 37.5 among investigated patterns. Analytical models are also derived to easily predict thermal conductivity and thermoelectric performances. With a neck width reduced to 5 nm, the computed thermoelectric figure of merit can be improved to 0.58 at 1100 K. Potential applications of such nanoslot patterns, such as thermal insulations are heat guides, will also be discussed.
Reduction of Space Charge Distortion in Retarding Field Energy Analyzers

The modelling, measurement, and control of ion flux energy distributions are of growing in terest for the fabrication of complex structures in microelectronics manufacturing processes. Retarding field energy analyzers (RFEA 's) enable the direct measure of these energy distributions, and can be used to measure the ion flux spectrum incident on these structures in order to elucidate the flux contribution to critical process parameters for material deposition and pattern etching.
Language, Memory, and Identity in the Middle East: The Case for Lebanon

Introduction: Language, Memory, and Identity in the Middle East The Case for Lebanon Chapter One: Arabism and its Rivals Chapter Two: Swarming Memories, Clashing Identities The Case for Lebanon Chapter Three: Lebanon's Myths and Legends Chapter Four: Said Akl The Architect of the Spirit of the Nation Chapter Five: Particularism as Template Chapter Six: Linguistic Lebanonism Chapter Seven: Towards a Lebanese Alphabet, Towards a New Middle East Conclusion
Prisoner's Dilemma

The prisoner's dilemma is defined in applications are considered. Keywords: game theory; equilibrium; imperfect information
A Catalog of Candidate Superclusters and Voids

Most of our impressions of the large-scale structure in the Universe have come from recent magnitude limited, redshift surveys of relatively nearby volumes of space (e.g. Davis et al. 1981; Gregory and Thompson 1978). These surveys have been important in identifying the existence and measuring the sizes of superclusters and voids. However, one must sample much larger volumes to truly map out the three dimensional structure of matter and to differentiate between competing models of cluster formation. To do this with the traditional approach of measuring redshifts for galaxies down to say 17m or 18m over the entire sky would require absurdly large amounts of telescope time. However, one might be able to effectively sample structures in a larger volume if a tracer of supercluster structure could be identified and its distance measured. Such a tracer may be the Abell clusters. A number of nearby superclusters (e.g. Coma/A1367, Hercules) are in fact composed of rich cluster knots bridged by low density chains of galaxies.
Some of the Problems and Difficulties Encountered in the Early Years of Cosmic-Ray Research

The history of cosmic rays is a history of failures and difficulties as well as successes. This is true of all fields of research but seems to be especially true in the case of cosmic rays. This arises partly from the difficulty of detecting the radiation in the first place but also from the wholly unexpected nature of the many phenomena encountered. Almost everyone in the game made mistakes. These involved errors not only in the taking of the data because of unknown influences at work but also in the interpretation of even the good data.
Activation of stimulus-secretion coupling in pancreatic beta-cells by specific products of glucose metabolism. Evidence for privileged signaling by glycolysis.

The energy requirements of most cells supplied with glucose are fulfilled by glycolytic and oxidative metabolism, yielding ATP. In pancreatic β-cells, a rise in cytosolic ATP is also a critical signaling event, coupling closure of ATP-sensitive K+ channels (KATP) to insulin secretion via depolarization-driven increases in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]j). We report that glycolytic but not Krebs cycle metabolism of glucose is critically involved in this signaling process. While inhibitors of glycolysis suppressed glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, blockers of pyruvate transport or Krebs cycle enzymes were without effect. While pyruvate was metabolized in islets to the same extent as glucose, it produced no stimulation of insulin secretion and did not block KATP. A membrane-permeant analog, methyl pyruvate, however, produced a block of KATP, a sustained rise in [Ca2+]j, and an increase in insulin secretion 6-fold the magnitude of that induced by glucose. These results indicate that ATP derived from mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism does not substantially contribute to the regulation of KATP responses to a glucose challenge, supporting the notion of subcompartmentation of ATP within the β-cell. Supranormal stimulation of the Krebs cycle by methyl pyruvate can, however, overwhelm intracellular partitioning of ATP and thereby drive insulin secretion.
Massive hepatomegaly with jaundice as a main presenting feature of cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a recessively inherited disease caused by mutations of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Patients classically present with evidence of pulmonary disease, malabsorption secondary to pancreatic insufficiency and high sweet chloride concentration. CF has can also be associated with a veriable phenotype which remains a diagnostic challenge. We report a case of a 2 year old girl with CF who initially presented with massive hepatomegaly and jaundice and was firstly suspected of a liver tumor. There was no personal or family history suggestive for CF. The diagnosis of CF liver disease was made after the results of the liver biopsy, sweat test analysis and confirmed with the existence of pathogenic mutation in the CFTR gene. Hepatomegaly and steatosis are known complications of CF but very uncommon as presenting features that lead to the diagnosis of CF. This report emphasizes the difficulty and importance of diagnosing cystic fibrosis in unusual patients.
LASER VELOCIMETRY SEED PARTICLES WITHIN COMPRESSIBLE, VORTICAL FLOWS

The ability of seed particles to penetrate and accurately track vortices is of critical importance to the analysis of laser velocimetry (LV) measurements within these flow structures. In applying a particle equation of motion to vortical flowfields which extend into the supersonic, compressible regime, two approaches are considered. First, an ideal, potential vortex is developed for a compressible flowfield. As an aid to the design and analysis of vortical flowfield surveys over a wide range of independent parameters, this model is used to plot the time and position at which any particle starting at rest within a vortex will begin to track the flow velocity within 3% error. As a specific application, the potential vortex is then used to estimate the dynamic bias of LV measurements taken within a vortex shed from a 75-deg delta wing at 20 deg angle of attack in a Mach 1.9 supersonic flow. The second approach uses a computationally derived Navier-Stokes flowfield solution in place of the potential vortex model. The computational flowfield method predicts that accurate LV measurements within the delta wing flowfield require seed particles no larger than 0.1-0.2 /tm in diameter, and defines the unseeded inner vortex core region. Both approaches show an increase in velocity bias which is nearly proportional to particle diameter, stressing the need for a monodisperse seed of known size to resolve particle bias in complex flows.
Alterations in cerebrospinal fluid proteins in a presymptomatic primary glioma model.

Background: Understanding the early relationship between brain tumor cells and their environment could lead to more sensitive biomarkers and new therapeutic strategies. We have been using a rodent model of neurocarcinogenesis in which all animals develop brain tumors by six months of age to establish two early landmarks in glioma development: the appearance of a nestin + cell at thirty days of age and the appearance of cellular hyperplasia between 60 and 120 days of age. We now report an assessment of the CSF proteome to determine the changes in protein composition that occur during this period. Materials and Methods: Nestin + cell clusters and microtumors were assessed in 63 ethylnitrosourea-exposed rats on 30, 60, and 90 days of age. CSF was obtained from the cisterna magna from 101 exposed and control rats at 30, 60, and 90 days and then analyzed using mass spectrometry. Differentially expressed peaks were isolated and identified. Results: Nestin + cells were noted in all ethylnitrosourea-exposed rats assessed pathologically. Small microtumors were noted in 0%, 18%, and 67% of 30-, 60-, and 90-day old rats, respectively (p,0.05, Chi square). False Discovery Rate analysis of peak intensities showed that the number of true discoveries with p,0.05 increased markedly with increasing age. Isolation and identification of highly differentially detected proteins at 90 days of age revealed increases in albumin and a fragment of a1 macroglobulin and alterations in glutathionylated transthyretin. Conclusions: The presence of increased albumin, fragments of cerebrospinal fluid proteins, and glutathione breakdown in temporal association with the development of cellular hyperplasia, suggests that, similar to many other systemic cancers, inflammation and oxidative stress is playing an important early role in the host’s response to brain tumor development and may be involved in affecting the early growth of brain tumor.
Chicken Skeletal Muscle Ryanodine Receptor Isoforms: Ion Channel Properties.

To define the roles of the alpha- and beta-ryanodine receptor (RyR) (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel) isoforms expressed in chicken skeletal muscles, we investigated the ion channel properties of these proteins in lipid bilayers. alpha- and beta RyRs embody Ca2+ channels with similar conductances (792, 453, and 118 pS for K+, Cs+ and Ca2+) and selectivities (PCa2+/PK+ = 7.4), but the two channels have different gating properties. alpha RyR channels switch between two gating modes, which differ in the extent they are activated by Ca2+ and ATP, and inactivated by Ca2+. Either mode can be assumed in a spontaneous and stable manner. In a low activity mode, alpha RyR channels exhibit brief openings (tau o=0.14 ms) and are minimally activated by Ca2+ in the absence of ATP. In a high activity mode, openings are longer (tau o1–3 = 0.17, 0.51, and 1.27 ms), and the channels are activated by Ca2+ in the absence of ATP and are in general less sensitive to the inactivating effects of Ca2+. beta RyR channel openings are longer (tau 01–3 = 0.34, 1.56, and 3.31 ms) than those of alpha RyR channels in either mode. beta RyR channels are activated to a greater relative extent by Ca2+ than ATP and are inactivated by millimolar Ca2+ in the absence, but not the presence, of ATP. Both alpha- and beta RyR channels are activated by caffeine, inhibited by Mg2+ and ruthenium red, inactivated by voltage (cytoplasmic side positive), and modified to a long-lived substate by ryanodine, but only alpha RyR channels are activated by perchlorate anions. The differences in gating and responses to channel modifiers may give the alpha- and beta RyRs distinct roles in muscle activation.
The Oligomeric Stromal Proteome of Arabidopsis thaliana Chloroplasts

This study presents an analysis of the stromal proteome in its oligomeric state extracted from highly purified chloroplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana. 241 proteins (88% with predicted cTP), mostly assembled in oligomeric complexes, were identified by mass spectrometry with emphasis on distinguishing between paralogues. This is critical because different paralogues in a gene family often have different subcellular localizations and/or different expression patterns and functions. The native protein masses were determined for all identified proteins. Comparison with the few well characterized stromal complexes from A. thaliana confirmed the accuracy of the native mass determination, and by extension, the usefulness of the native mass data for future in-depth protein interaction studies. Resolved protein interactions are discussed and compared with an extensive collection of native mass data of orthologues in other plants and bacteria. Relative protein expression levels were estimated from spot intensities and also provided estimates of relative concentrations of individual proteins. No such quantification has been reported so far. Surprisingly proteins dedicated to chloroplast protein synthesis, biogenesis, and fate represented nearly 10% of the total stroma protein mass. Oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, glycolysis, and Calvin cycle represented together about 75%, nitrogen assimilation represented 5–7%, and all other pathways such as biosynthesis of e.g. fatty acids, amino acids, nucleotides, tetrapyrroles, and vitamins B1 and B2 each represented less than 1% of total protein mass. Several proteins with diverse functions outside primary carbon metabolism, such as the isomerase ROC4, lipoxygenase 2 involved in jasmonic acid biosynthesis, and a carbonic anhydrase (CA1), were surprisingly abundant in the range of 0.75–1.5% of the total stromal mass. Native images with associated information are available via the Plastid Proteome Database.
Activation of P2X7-mediated apoptosis Inhibits DMBA/TPA-induced formation of skin papillomas and cancer in mice

The study tested the hypothesis that apoptosis can prevent and control growth of neoplastic cells. Previous studies in-vitro have shown that the pro-apoptotic P2X7 receptor regulates growth of epithelial cells. The specific objective of the present study was to understand to what degree the P2X7 system controls development and growth of skin cancer in vivo, and what cellular and molecular mechanisms are involved in the P2X7 action. Skin neoplasias in mice (papillomas, followed by squamous spindle-cell carcinomas) were induced by local application of DMBA/TPA. Experiments in-vitro utilized cultured epidermal keratinocytes generated from wild-type or from P2X7-null mice. Assays involved protein immunostaining and Western blots; mRNA real-time qPCR; and apoptosis (evaluated in situ by TUNEL and quantified in cultured keratinocytes as solubilized DNA or by ELISA). Changes in cytosolic calcium or in ethidium bromide influx (P2X7 pore formation) were determined by confocal laser microscopy. (a) Co-application on the skin of the P2X7 specific agonist BzATP inhibited formation of DMBA/TPA-induced skin papillomas and carcinomas. At the completion of study (week 28) the proportion of living animals with cancers in the DMBA/TPA group was 100% compared to 43% in the DMBA/TPA+BzATP group. (b) In the normal skin BzATP affected mainly P2X7-receptor – expressing proliferating keratinocytes, where it augmented apoptosis without evoking inflammatory changes. (c) In BzATP-treated mice the degree of apoptosis was lesser in cancer than in normal or papilloma keratinocytes. (d) Levels of P2X7 receptor, protein and mRNA were 4–5 fold lower in cancer tissues than in normal mouse tissues. (e) In cultured mouse keratinocytes BzATP induced apoptosis, formation of pores in the plasma membrane, and facilitated prolonged calcium influx. (f) The BzATP-induced apoptosis, pore-formation and augmented calcium influx had similar dose-dependence for BzATP. (g) Pore formation and the augmented calcium influx were depended on the expression of the P2X7 receptor, while the BzATP-induced apoptosis depended on calcium influx. (h) The BzATP-induced apoptosis could be blocked by co-treatment with inhibitors of caspase-9 and caspase-3, but not of caspase-8. (a) P2X7-dependent apoptosis is an important mechanism that controls the development and progression of epidermal neoplasia in the mouse. (b) The P2X7-dependent apoptosis is mediated by calcium influx via P2X7 pores, and involves the caspase-9 (mitochondrial) pathway. (c) The diminished pro-apoptotic effect of BzATP in mouse cancer keratinocytes is possibly the result of low expression of the P2X7 receptor. (d) Activation of P2X7-dependent apoptosis, e.g. with BzATP could be a novel chemotherapeutic growth-preventive modality for papillomas and epithelial cancers in vivo.
Genetic Toxicology and Risk Assessment of Complex Environmental Mixtures

(1996). Genetic Toxicology and Risk Assessment of Complex Environmental Mixtures. Drug and Chemical Toxicology: Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 187-219.
Reovirus protein σ1 translated in vitro, as well as truncated derivatives of it that lack up to two-thirds of its C-terminal portion, exists as two major tetrameric molecular species that differ in electrophoretic mobility

Reovirus protein sigma 1 is the cell attachment protein that modulates tissue tropism and the nature of the antiviral immune response. This protein is present in reovirus particles in the form of 12 tetramers that are associated with the projections or spikes. We have analyzed a series of deletion mutants of protein sigma 1 in order to localize its oligomerization domain and found that progressive deletion from the C-terminus fails to affect ability to oligomerize, even when the deletion extends into the N-terminal heptapeptide repeat region. It was also found that native tetrameric protein sigma 1 synthesized in vitro, as well as its truncated derivatives, exists in two forms that differ in electrophoretic mobility. Possible reasons for this are discussed.
More Denjoy minimal sets for area preserving diffeomorphisms

For an area preserving, monotone twist diffeomorphism and an irrational number ω, we prove that if there is no invariant circle of angular rotation number ω, then there are uncountably many Denjoy minimal sets of angular rotation number ω. For each pair of positive integersn andR we prove that the space (with the vague topology) of Denjoy minimal sets of angular rotation number ω and intrinsic rotation number (ω+R)/n (mod. 1) contains a disk of dimensionn−1.
Abstract 2323:Interferon regulatory factor-4is transcriptionally regulated by NF-κB in peripheral T-cell lymphomas

Interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF4) is a tightly-regulated transcription factor involved in growth and differentiation of normal lymphocytes. IRF4 is expressed in multiple lymphoid malignancies and its expression drives tumor growth. Thus, characterization of the molecular events regulating IRF4 levels is key to design any targeting strategy. Here, we define a novel regulatory mechanism controlling IRF4 expression in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with poor overall survival rates and high levels of this transcription factor. In normal T cells, IRF4 was induced upon external activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin, an effect reversed by the PKC inhibitor, enzastaurin. Unlike normal T cells, PTCL cells constitutively expressed IRF4 in the absence of external stimulation, and this expression was resistant to enzastaurin. To identify regulators of IRF4 expression in PTCL, we performed a pharmacological screen using inhibitors that targeted PKC-associated pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinases, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and NF-κB. Of the inhibitors tested, only the proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, showed a decrease in IRF4 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. To confirm this result we used a more specific NF-κB inhibitor blocking IκB kinase, BMS-345541. This inhibitor dramatically reduced IRF4 expression by 95.6% (P Citation Format: Rebecca L. Boddicker, N. Sertac Kip, Luciana L. Almada, Julie C. Porcher, Deanna M. Grote, Stephen M. Ansell, Martin E. Fernandez-Zapico, Andrew L. Feldman. Interferon regulatory factor-4 is transcriptionally regulated by NF-κB in peripheral T-cell lymphomas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2323. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2323
Gröbner bases and polyhedral geometry of reducible and cyclic models

This article studies the polyhedral structure and combinatorics of polytopes that arise from hierarchical models in statistics, and shows how to construct Grobner bases of toric ideals associated to a subset of such models. We study the polytopes for Cyclic models, and we give a complete polyhedral description of these polytopes in the binary cyclic case. Further, we show how to build Grobner bases of a reducible model from the Grobner bases of its pieces. This result also gives a different proof that decomposable models have quadratic Grobner bases. Finally, we present the solution of a problem posed by Vlach (Discrete Appl. Math. 13 (1986) 61-78) concerning the dimension of fibers coming from models corresponding to the boundary of a simplex.
Persistent cancer in postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph-node dissection: outcome analysis

Surgery following chemotherapy for treatment of metastatic testis cancer is reserved for partial remissions with localized tumors considered resectable. After primary chemotherapy, about 90% will have teratoma or necrosis and only 10% will have cancer. The concept of two cycles of post operative chemotherapy in this small group with cancer is supported by a 70% long term cure rate. A more difficult group of patients are those who have had not only primary but also salvage chemotherapy for refractory tumor. About 55% of these patients undergoing post (salvage) chemotherapy RPLND surgery have persistent cancer in the resected specimen. There is no data to support the routine use of repeat salvage chemotherapy post operatively. Of 91 patients presenting for surgery post salvage chemotherapy, 53 were considered completely resected and 36 incompletely resected. Of the 53 realistic candidates for cure with complete resections, 25 were given post operative repeat salvage chemotherapy and 28 received none. 9 (36%) receiving more chemotherapy remained NED and 12 (43%) receiving none remained NED. 12 in each group died of disease. Therefore, there is no data to support routine repeat salvage chemotherapy in patients considered completely resected who had already received salvage chemotherapy pre-operatively. Rather the outcome in this cohort depends more on the completeness of its resectability.
Communication Techniques for Space Exploration

This article was first given in a symposium at the California Institute of Technology on ``Realities of Space Exploration,'' showing as graphically as possible that space communication is practical, that the extrapolation of the state of the art is straight-forward, and that the real limitations are those of: 1) external noise, 2) handling an extreme volume of data, 3) certain relativistic effects (more distant future), 4) time, and 5) economics and money. These limitations, at present, indicate frequencies between 500 and 5000 mc, automatic data handling, an awareness that communications outside the solar system is presently impossible, an appreciation that time scales of many years are expected in development and flight times, and a surprising conclusion that space exploration will probably pay for itself.
Micromechanics of granular media Part II: Overall tangential moduli and localization model for periodic assemblies of circular disks

Abstract In a previous paper, a mathematical model that captures the effects of microstructure on the macromechanical response of granular materials was presented. The overall response of the particle assembly derives the response of a macroscopic point using the conventional hypothesis in cmputational plasticity, i.e. a given overall displacement gradient determines the overall stress response. Numerical simulations with uniform as well as non-uniform assemblies of two-dimension circular disks capture, at least qualitatively, such mechanical responses as structural anisotropy, pressure dependency and strain-softening effects due to microstructural changes. The present paper attempts to re-analyze the problem from an opposite point of view, i.e. the overall imposed stresses determine the overall strain response. This formulation allows the model to capture naturally the volume-change characteristics of granular materials such as compaction as well as dilation, since the strains now result from the analysis rather than act as a prescribed force that drives the problem. The new formulation also requires the derivation of the so-called overall algorithmic tangential moduli from the consistent linearization of the elasto-plastic constitutive equation. The task becomes complicated because the linearization permeates down to the microstructural level, thus necessitating the extraction of the so-called algorithmic concentration tensor. To circumvent this difficulty, we approximate the algorithmic tensor of overall moduli with a secant approximation that retains the essential properties of the exact description. We then use this approximation to solve the inverse problem as well as perform some stability analyses that could be useful in predicting the onset of localized deformation in granular materials.
Representative Reporters? Examining Journalists' Ideology in Context

Objective. We investigate the ideological orientations of U.S. statehouse journalists, asking whether reporters hold similar political ideologies to their audiences, and under what conditions reporter ideology diverges from audience ideology. Methods. We use an original survey of statehouse journalists, and employ both traditional OLS regressions and a heteroskedastic regression. Results. We find that reporters tend to reflect the political leanings of their audiences. Considering reporters in the context of the states they serve, we find that journalists who are racially and economically dissimilar from their constituents have less representative political predispositions than journalists who have characteristics similar to their readers. Conclusions. In the case of statehouse reporters, descriptive representation leads to substantive representation. News media are the primary sources citizens use to gather information about politics. Media messages affect how people think about politics and order their political priorities. Whether their effect lays with the issues they prime, the way they frame issues, or the agendas they help set, the news media are of great concern to social scientists and other political observers. Consequently, the ideological orientation of the people who write and present the news has become a contentious subject. Allegations of media bias and charges that reporters lean to one side of the political spectrum or another also have currency because political elites have an interest in portraying news actors as biased in order to gain political coverage more favorable to their own interests (Alterman, 2003). To many observers, the main evidence that the media are ‘‘biased’’ lies in the fact that news organizations are staffed with more liberal reporters than conservative reporters (Lichter, Rothman, and Lichter, 1986). Although this
Counting dementia: There is no one "best" way.

Abstract The growing societal and individual burden of dementia means that counting the cases of dementia is critical. There are several approaches and methods that can be used to identify dementia cases. The ascertainment can range from very detailed characterization of the individual (deep) to a brief standardized assessment (wide) that emphasizes individual functioning. The choice of going deep or wide depends on the goal of the ascertainment. These goals are discussed, as well as the emerging issues that may change the way dementia cases are classified.
Delayed firing of giant axons in the American cockroach

Abstract Giant interneurons in the abdominal nerve cord of the American cockroach can give two kinds of response to single pre-synaptic shock stimuli: a conventional post-synaptic response with a short delay, and a delayed response consisting of one or a patterned group of impulses beginning after a delay of at least 10 msec. This delayed response originates within the last abdominal ganglion, but is independent of the cercal nerve to giant fibre synapses. Apparently, it is generated by an additional neural element which also is activated by the cercal nerves and which in turn excites the giant fibres.
A prototype implementation of the Ada binding to POSIX

The IEEE P1003.5 Working Group is developing a standard Ada Binding to POSIX Operating System services. This paper describes the basic approach and some of the techniques used in developing a prototype implementation of this POSIX Ada Binding. The primary goal of the prototype is to provide a “proof of concept” implementation of the Ada binding on top of an existing C binding to POSIX, and to provide a basis for trial use of the Ada binding. In particular, the paper demonstrates a set of techniques for interfacing to existing C software, and discusses issues in building an Ada binding on top of an existing C binding.
N-Nitrosobenzylmethylamine Hydroxylation and Coumarin 7-Hydroxylation: Catalysis by Rat Esophageal Microsomes and Cytochrome P450 2A3 and 2A6 Enzymes

N-Nitrosobenzylmethylamine (NBzMA) is a potent and selective esophageal carcinogen in the rat and may be a causative agent for human esophageal cancer. This nitrosamine, like most, must be metabolically activated to exert its carcinogenic potential. NBzMA may be metabolized by P450-catalyzed methyl or methylene hydroxylation; the latter is believed to be the activation pathway. The sensitivity of the esophagus to NBzMA-induced tumorigenesis is believed to be due, at least in part, to the presence of efficient P450 catalysts in this tissue. However, while it was reported almost 20 years ago that the rat esophagus catalyzes the methylene hydroxylation of NBzMA, the P450 that catalyzes this reaction has yet to be identified. We report here that human P450 2A6 and the closely related extrahepatic rat enzyme P450 2A3 both efficiently catalyze NBzMA methylene hydroxylation, characterized as benzaldehyde formation. The catalytic efficiency of P450 2A3 in this reaction was 3-fold greater than that of P450 2A6, 7.6 (K(m) = 0.63 +/- 0.18 microM and the V(max) = 4.8 nmol min(-)(1) nmol of P450(-)(1)) versus 2.3 (K(m) = 6.7 +/- 2.9 microM and the V(max) = 15.7 nmol min(-)(1) nmol of P450(-)(1)), respectively. Both enzymes catalyzed methylene hydroxylation at least 4-fold more efficiently than methyl hydroxylation. In addition, P450 2A6, but not P450 2A3, catalyzed benzyl ring hydroxylation, generating N-(p-hydroxybenzyl)methylamine. The identity of this metabolite was confirmed by synthesis of a standard and LC/MS and LC/MS/MS analysis. P450 2A6 is an efficient coumarin 7-hydroxylase, and we report here that P450 2A3 is an equally good catalyst of this reaction (K(m) = 1. 7 +/- 0.41 microM and V(max) = 1.7 +/- 0.08 nmol min(-)(1) nmol of P450(-)(1)). Rat esophageal microsomes (REM), like P450 2A3, were efficient catalysts of NBzMA methylene hydroxylation. However, in contrast to P450 2A3, the major product of this reaction was the product of benzaldehyde oxidation, benzoic acid. Antibody to the closely related mouse P450, 2A5, did not inhibit REM-catalyzed NBzMA metabolism, and most importantly, REM did not catalyze the 7-hydroxylation of coumarin. Therefore, P450 2A3 does not appear to be the P450 in the rat esophagus responsible for catalyzing the methylene hydroxylation of NBzMA.
Sa1440 Presence of Metal Stent in Porcine Bile Duct Attenuates the Effect of Radiofrequency Ablation: Results of a Pilot Study

Sa1440 Presence of Metal Stent in Porcine Bile Duct Attenuates the Effect of Radiofrequency Ablation: Results of a Pilot Study Won Jae Yoon*, Ebubekir S. Daglilar, Mari Mino-Kenudson, William R. Brugge Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA Background: Endoscopically applied biliary radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with unresectable malignant biliary stenosis has shown promising results. RFA may re-establish patency of occluded metal biliary stents. We have shown that application of RFA at 10 W for 90 seconds in the porcine bile duct results in transmural tissue ablation. However, there is little data on RFA in the bile duct containing a metal stent. Aims: The aims of this study were to determine the feasibility and performance characteristics of biliary RFA in the stented porcine bile duct. Methods: Four farm pigs weighing 40-50 kg were used for this study. Under general anesthesia and a laparotomy, a duodenotomy was performed. After identification of the bile duct opening, a 10-mm X 6-cm uncovered metal biliary stent (Zilver® stent, Cook Medical, Winston-Salem, NC) was deployed in 3 pigs; the stent was not deployed in 1 pig, serving as a control. The biliary bipolar RFA catheter (HabibTM EndoHPB catheter, EMcision Ltd., London, UK) was introduced through the stent lumen or the bile duct lumen. In the stented bile duct, RFA was applied at 10 W for 90 seconds, with a range of voltages among pigs (66 V [n 1], 132 V [n 1], and 190 V [n 1]). In the control bile duct (n 1), RFA was applied at 10 W and 190 V for 90 seconds. After the RFA, the pigs were euthanized and necropsied. The bile duct was examined for histological changes. Results: The retrograde insertion of the biliary RFA catheter through the metal stent or the bile duct orifice was easily achieved. Grossly, the ablated area was distributed only along the area adjacent to the electrodes of the RFA probe. In the unstented bile duct, RFA resulted in transmural ablation of the bile duct wall (Figure 1A). However, in the stented bile duct, the depth of ablation was reduced compared to the unstented bile duct. In detail, at 66 V (Figure 1B) and 132 V (Figure 1C), the ablation was limited to the superficial mucosa with no effect on the glands. At 190 V (Figure 1D), the ablation of the superficial mucosa including the superficial glands was noted. Conclusions: Biliary RFA through a metal stent seems technically feasible. However, at 10 W, biliary RFA was markedly attenuated by the presence of a metal stent. A greater power is probably needed to achieve deep ablation.
Drosophila Ack targets its substrate, the sorting nexin DSH3PX1, to a protein complex involved in axonal guidance

Dock, the Drosophila orthologue of Nck, is an adaptor protein that is known to function in axonal guidance paradigms in the fly including proper development of neuronal connections in photoreceptor cells and axonal tracking in Bolwig's organ. To develop a better understanding of axonal guidance at the molecular level, we purified proteins in a complex with the SH2 domain of Dock from fly Schneider 2 cells. A protein designated p145 was identified and shown to be a tyrosine kinase with sequence similarity to mammalian Cdc-42-associated tyrosine kinases. We demonstrate that Drosophila Ack (DAck) can be co-immunoprecipitated with Dock and DSH3PX1 from fly cell extracts. The domains responsible for the in vitro interaction between Drosophila Ack and Dock were identified, and direct protein-protein interactions between complex members were established. We conclude that DSH3PX1 is a substrate for DAck in vivo and in vitro and define one of the major in vitro sites of DSH3PX1 phosphorylation to be Tyr-56. Tyr-56 is located within the SH3 domain of DSH3PX1, placing it in an important position for regulating the binding of proline-rich targets. We demonstrate that Tyr-56 phosphorylation by DAck diminishes the DSH3PX1 SH3 domain interaction with the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein while enabling DSH3PX1 to associate with Dock. Furthermore, when Tyr-56 is mutated to aspartate or glutamate, the binding to Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein is abrogated. These results suggest that the phosphorylation of DSH3PX1 by DAck targets this sorting nexin to a protein complex that includes Dock, an adaptor protein important for axonal guidance.
Verification of a reflectance model for mature corn with applications to corn blight detection

Abstract A new model for calculating the directional spectral reflectance of vegetative canopies was verified for the case of mature corn by field reflectance measurements on two different mature corn fields at each of two viewing angles and over the visible and near infrared spectral bands. The application of the model to hypothetical conditions indicates that moderately severe Southern Corn Leaf Blight should be marginally detectable by aerial photography under certain special circumstances and that for more severe blight, the blight condition should be distinguishable from moisture stress. The application of the model to hypothetical fields of young corn indicates that the blight condition should be easily detected under a wide range of circumstances.
Maternal hyperglycemia in pregnant rats: Its effect on growth and carbohydrate metabolism in the offspring

Abstract Mild hyperglycemia during the last half of pregnancy was achieved by administration of streptozotocin to pregnant rats on the fifth day of gestation. Citrate buffer (vehicle for streptozotocin) was administered to control rats also on the fifth day of gestation. The pups born to the streptozotocin-treated mothers had higher birth weight, pancreatic insulin content, plasma insulin, and C-peptide concentrations compared with pups born to control mothers. The plasma glucose concentrations of the pups were similar between the two groups. The pups who were identified as macrosomic (birth weight > 1.7 SD than the mean of the control pups) maintained an accelerated postnatal growth through the first 10 weeks of age in female rats and in the first 3, and at 5 and 6 weeks of age for the male rats. The accelerated growth in the female rats was associated with higher perirenal-ovarian and salpingeal fat weight at 6 weeks. At 10 weeks of age, higher plasma insulin and glucose concentrations were observed following oral glucose challenge in both male and female macrosomic rats than in the control rats. At 12 weeks of age, only the female macrosomic rats showed abnormal glucose response due to peripheral insulin resistance. In the male rats at 12 weeks of age, a higher plasma insulin concentration in the macrosomic group was associated with a normal plasma glucose response to oral glucose challenge. We conclude that mild maternal hyperglycemia in rats resulted in fetal hyperinsulinemia and accelerated fetal growth. The macrosomic newborn, particularly the females, demonstrated persistence of accelerated postnatal growth with abnormal glucose tolerance probably as a result of peripheral insulin resistance.
Short-term hypoxic hypobaria transiently decreases internal ethylene levels and increases sensitivity of tomato fruit to subsequent 1-methylcyclopropene treatments

Abstract Brief treatment of ripening tomato fruit with ethylene transiently negates or reduces sensitivity to subsequent treatments with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), indicating that internal ethylene levels can modulate responses to 1-MCP. The present study further tested this model by applying 1-MCP to tomato fruit following treatments that transiently decreased internal ethylene concentration (IEC). The hypothesis was that decreases in IEC would result in enhanced sensitivity to the ethylene antagonist. Breaker and pink ‘Florida 47’ tomato fruit were subjected to hypoxic hypobaria (HH) (1.7 kPa O2, 8 kPa) for 6 h, followed by treatment at ambient pressure with aqueous 1-MCP at a sub-saturating dose (0.93 mmol m−3, 50 μg L−1) and exposure duration (1 min). Immediately following HH, breaker fruit had a 76% lower IEC and enhanced sensitivity to 1-MCP compared with fruit not receiving HH. Increased sensitivity to 1-MCP was evident in further suppression of fruit firmness and hue angle declines, and delayed peak ethylene production. Within 3 h of removal of fruit from HH, IEC had returned to pre-HH values and responses to 1-MCP were comparable with those of fruit receiving 1-MCP without prior HH. Decreased IEC and increased sensitivity to 1-MCP in response to HH were also observed for fruit at more advanced ripening. We addressed whether increased sensitivity to 1-MCP following exposure to HH was a response to reduced pO2. Breaker and pink fruit were exposed to hypoxic (4.5 kPa O2) or normoxic (21.3 kPa O2) hypobaria (21.3 kPa) for 6 h prior to treatment with 0.93 mmol m−3 aqueous 1-MCP. Immediately following HH, IEC was reduced about 61 and 49% in breaker and pink fruit, respectively, accompanied by increased sensitivity to 1-MCP. By contrast, IEC and responsiveness to 1-MCP were unaffected in fruit following exposure to normoxic hypobaria (NH). The results indicate that enhanced sensitivity to 1-MCP following HH is a result of low pO2-mediated reductions in IEC. The data are consistent with the model that IEC at the time of 1-MCP treatment can modulate response intensity and explain the divergent responsiveness of different climacteric fruits to 1-MCP applied after ripening initiation.
Clinical evaluation of a syringe-loaded gun

Abstract The jet gun used in this study is effective in administering a topical anesthetic as a prelude to infiltration anesthesia in the middle and anterior superior alveolar nerve site areas. The recommended time between administration of topical anesthetic by means of the jet gun and the syringe injection should be 2 minutes or longer. Problems of sterilization, acceptance by the patient, and flexibility of the instrument are distinct disadvantages.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in human immunodeficiency (HIV)‐seropositive males

Two male patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) were found to have antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In one patient, platelet-associated antibody levels were measured serially and were found to be initially elevated, but the levels decreased with initiation of successful therapy. The simultaneous occurrence of these two conditions in two of three patients admitted for TTP within the previous 2 years at this institution suggests an association between the two diseases. The precise nature of this association remains speculative inasmuch as the pathogenesis of TTP remains uncertain.
Have Housing Prices Risen Faster in Portland Than Elsewhere

Abstract The Portland, OR, region has had a strong urban growth boundary (UGB) since 1979, so observers have focused on the relationship between its UGB and home prices, which rose sharply there during the 1990s. Many concluded that UGBs force home prices upward. But detailed analyses of home price movements from 1980 to 2000 show that prices did not rise nearly as fast in Portland as in many other regions in the 1980s, that home prices rose faster in Portland only from 1990 to 1994 or 1996, and that home prices in several other regions without UGBs were also rising rapidly. Multiple regression analyses of 85 large metropolitan areas showed that a dummy variable measuring the effect of Portland's UGB had statistically significant effects on home prices only in the first half of the decade. So it is erroneous to conclude from Portland's experience that UGBs inevitably cause home prices to rise faster.