cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BIG RENIN: A POSSIBLE PROHORMONE IN KIDNEY AND PLASMA OF A PATIENT WITH WILMS' TUMOR1

ABSTRACT The renin activity of plasma from a patient with Wilms' tumor increased markedly after exposure to pH 3.3. When measured by gel filtration, the molecular weight of the renin present both in plasma and tumor extract of this patient was 60,000; in contrast, the molecular weight of normal plasma and kidney renin did not exceed 43,000. Acid activation did not significantly alter the molecular weight of the big renin from Wilms' tumor. Antibodies prepared against normal human renin showed cross-reactivity with big renin. Both normal and big renin showed identical changes in activity over pH range from 4 to 8. Thus, the big renin secreted by the Wilms' tumor may be a prohormone form of normal plasma renin.
Rapamycin-induced tumor vasculature remodeling in rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts increases the effectiveness of adjuvant ionizing radiation

Abstract Purpose Rapamycin inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor expression. Vascular endothelial growth factor is a tumor-elaborated protein that stimulates neovascularization. This inhibition can cause transient "normalization" of the generally dysfunctional tumor vasculature, resulting in improved tumor perfusion and oxygenation. We hypothesized that this may potentiate the antitumor effects of adjuvant ionizing radiation. Methods Mice bearing orthotopic Rh30 alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas were treated with rapamycin (5 mg/kg intraperitoneally daily ×5). Tumors were then evaluated for changes in intratumoral oxygenation, perfusion, vessel permeability, and microvessel density. Additional tumor-bearing mice were treated with 5 doses of rapamycin, irradiation (4 Gy), or 5 doses of rapamycin with irradiation administered on the first or sixth day of rapamycin treatment. Results Although tumor vessel permeability changed only minimally, microvessel density decreased (3153 ± 932 vs 20,477 ± 3717.9 pixels per high-power field), whereas intratumoral oxygenation increased significantly (0.0385 ± 0.0141 vs 0.0043 ± 0.0023 mm Hg/mm 3 ) after 5 doses of rapamycin. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound demonstrated a significantly increased rate of change of signal intensity after 5 days of rapamycin, suggesting improved intratumoral perfusion. Tumor volume 14 days after treatment was smallest in mice treated with the combination of rapamycin given before irradiation. Conclusion Combination therapy with rapamycin given before irradiation to normalize the tumor vasculature, thereby improving tumor oxygenation, increased the sensitivity of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts to adjuvant irradiation.
Media Clubs: Social Class and the Shared Interpretations of Media Texts

This study explores the discursive practices of media clubs—groups of friends who gather for the purpose of consuming, interpreting, and talking about media messages. Using participant observation, qualitative interviewing, and critical discourse analysis, this study explores media interpretation and explicates the ways in which the microinteractions of friends and the macrostructures of society are mutually constituted in everyday discourse. Five interpretive strategies are identified in the discourse of media clubs: (a) privileging personal experience, (b) negotiating similarity and agreement, (c) establishing moral stances, (d) maintaining the status quo, and (e) arguing aesthetic value. These strategies serve to solidify interpersonal relationships, which, in turn, constitute social hierarchies and structures, stabilizing social membership.
Gorbachev and Southeast Asia

In this volume, one of a series edited by Michael Leifer of the London School of Economics, the authors examine Soviet foreign policy toward South-East Asia in the context of the perestroika-era transformations in the Soviet Union. The rigidly compartmentalized decision-making structure of the Soviet Union before Gorbachev made it possible to analyze foreign policy decisions in isolation from the aims and values of domestic politics. Perestroika changed all that. Long-suppressed political activity re-emerged to break down the barriers between foreign policy and domestic politics. The book looks at the actual developments in South-East Asia, including the growth of international trade in the region, the weakening of the Soviet alliance with Vietnam and the real effort to overcome old hostilities with growth areas such as Brunei and Singapore. The resolution of the Cambodian problem, regionalism in South-East Asia and the South China Sea episode are also covered. Buszynski's real theme, however, is the complete adjustment of Soviet foreign policy-making under Gorbachev, with the Asia-Pacific region as a convenient example.
Potential Benefits of Soy Protein in Managing Patients with Hypercholesterolemia

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently added foods containing soy protein to the list of foods—including those with low saturated fat, low cholesterol, and high fiber—that can carry a health claim for decreasing the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD). This ruling is based on an assumption of a total dietary soy protein intake of 25 g per day; any food bearing the claim must contain at least 6.25 g of soy protein per serving. The FDA concluded that the scientific evidence supporting the claim for soy protein and CHD was consistent but not universal. Overall, benefits of soy include reductions in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but not decreased triglycerides or increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The FDA further stated that the evidence associating the effect of soy protein with constituent isoflavones (weakly estrogenic and antiestrogenic compounds naturally present in soybeans) was not sufficient to support a health claim. Foods can bear a health claim regarding soy protein and CHD only if they are low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It is important for patients to understand that the addition of foods containing soy protein to the diet, rather than substituting these foods for others, may result in increased caloric intake. In that case, the expected outcome regarding blood lipid and lipoprotein levels may not result.
Quantum creation of topological defects during inflation.

Circular loops of string and spherical domain-wall bubbles of radius equal to the horizon can spontaneously nucleate in de Sitter space. These objects are expanded by the subsequent inflation, and by the end of the inflationary era they have a spectrum of sizes extending well beyond the present Hubble length. Monopole-antimonopole pairs with an initial separation equal to the horizon can also be produced. The cosmological implications of these effects are briefly discussed.
Cinacalcet as adjunctive therapy for hereditary 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-resistant rickets.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism from inadequate calcium absorption in the gut, is the underlying pathophysiology for rachitic changes in hereditary vitamin D–resistant rickets (HVDRR). We describe a novel use of Cinacalcet to treat a child with HVDRR in whom conventional modes of therapy had to be discontinued. Cinacalcet therapy with high-dose oral calcium effectively normalized the metabolic abnormalities and bone condition. The relative ease of administration of the calcimimetic as a once- or twice-daily oral preparation, compared with traditional intravenous calcium administration, should encourage its move to the frontline of treatment of the disorder. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Development of Conformal PDMS and Parylene Coatings for Microelectronics and MEMS Packaging

There is a growing demand in the development of small-scale devices in microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Packaging and reliability of such devices are of great concern as they introduce a number of unique packaging issues that are distinct and different from typical electronic packaging applications. In addition, the packaging or encapsulation materials are often exposed to harsh environments, for which their performance is drastically degraded. Importantly, such devices become lighter and smaller, precluding the use of conventional packaging materials and schemes. Given that, surface protective coatings can provide an innovative solution for some of the aforementioned issues. Polymers have indeed shown such a potential for use either as a standalone coating, or an intermediate layer for the subsequent harder, stiffer coatings. In this study, we explore processes and properties of the three coating systems: i) PDMS, ii) Parylene (para-xylylene), iii) Parylene/PDMS. In particular, parylene coating on PDMS is a focus of this study. The parylene coating having much higher mechanical properties than PDMS provided a way to enhance the surface properties of this PDMS. Proper surface modification of PDMS via oxygen plasma seemed to be essential to generate desirable microstructures of parylene coating. Mechanical properties of such coatings are systematically examined via a nanoindenter. The dynamic nanoindentation is also employed to assess viscoelastic properties, as well as depth-dependent mechanical properties. While characterizing the films using the nanoindentation, the substrate effect influenced the indentation data. In addition, extensive surface characterizations are carried out using atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and optical microscopy.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Frailty Score on Admission Predicts Outcomes in Elderly Burn Injury

With longer life expectancy, the number of burn injuries in the elderly continues to increase. Prediction of outcomes for the elderly is complicated by preinjury physical fitness and comorbid illness. The authors hypothesize that admission frailty assessment would be predictive of outcomes in the elderly burn population. Our primary aim was to determine if higher frailty scores were associated with higher risk of mortality for elderly burn patients. The secondary aims were to assess if higher frailty scores were associated with increased length of stay, increased needs for mechanical ventilation and poor discharge disposition. A 2-year retrospective chart review was performed of all admitted acute burn patients 65 years or older. Data collected included: age, gender, %TBSA of burn injury, presence of inhalation injury, in hospital mortality, hospital length of stay, ventilator days, ICU length of stay, surgical procedures, insurance status, and discharge disposition. Frailty scores were assessed from admission data and calculated using the Canadian Study of Health and Aging clinical frailty scale. A total of 89 patients met entry criteria. Mean age was 75.3 ± 8.1 years and consisted of 62 men and 27 women. Mean %TBSA was 9.6 ± 9.1% and mean frailty score (FS) was 4.5 ± 1.2. Eighty patients survived to discharge and nine died. Nonsurvivors had significantly higher FS compared to survivors (5.2 ± 1.2 vs 4.4 ± 1.2). FS were also significantly higher in patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) (5.34 ± 0.9) compared to those who were discharged home (4.1 ± 1.2) or to physical rehabilitation facilities (4 ± 1.5). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that age (B = 0.04) and discharge to SNF (B = 1.2) are independently associated with higher FS. However, survivors were independently associated with a significantly lower FS (B = -1.3). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed high admission FS independently increased the risk of discharge to SNF (odds ratio of 2.5 [1.3-4.8, 95% confidence interval]) and increased the risk of mortality (odds ratio of 1.67 [1.01-2.7, 95% confidence interval]). Frailty scores on admission allow for a more complete assessment of elderly patients and can be used to establish benchmark models for burn injury outcomes. In addition FS can be used as a research tool to improve outcomes for elderly burn injured patients. Language: en
Method of delivering constant nitric oxide concentrations during full and partial ventilatory support.

Objective. The objective of our study was to evaluate the precision and safety of administering nitric oxide (NO) during full and partial ventilatory support.Methods. NO was administered either using a microprocessor-controlled servo ventilator, substituting an NO-N2 mixture for the ventilator's usual air supply or by adding an NO-N2 mixture with a constant flow at the proximal end of the tracheal tube. NO, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrous and nitric acid (HNOx) was quantified selectively with a sequential, selective, hollow tube preconcentration and chemiluminescence analysis in a respiratory system model during various modes of full and partial ventilatory support.Results. The servo valve system of the ventilator provided accurate NO concentrations during full and partial ventilatory support. Interaction of spontaneous and mechanical ventilation during partial ventilatory support resulted in irregular inspiratory flow patterns and a difference of 3.6% to 44.1% between the desired and measured inspiratory NO concentrations when NO was administered at a constant flow to the proximal end of the tracheal tube. NO2 was not detected. Small amounts of 0.6 to 0.8 ppm HNOx were detected when 80 ppm NO was administered in a humid gas mixture of 37°C in the presence of 90% oxygen.Conclusions. NO can be administered accurately without formation of NO2 during full and partial ventilatory support with the electronically controlled valve system of the ventilator. Formation of HNOx is a potential problem at high NO and O2 concentrations in the presence of moisture.
Survey of obstetrician-gynecologists in the United States about toxoplasmosis: 2012 Update

Purpose Toxoplasmosis, caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, can have serious impacts on fetal development in the setting of acute maternal primary infection. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) sought to determine current knowledge, practices, opinions, and educational preferences regarding T. gondii infection in pregnancy among ACOG members practicing prenatal care.
Superficial granulomatous pyoderma: A localized vegetative form of pyoderma gangrenosum

Twenty-five patients had superficial ulcerative and vegetative pyoderma with granulomatous histologic findings. Healing occurred without systemic corticosteroid therapy in all but three patients. All patients had clinical pyoderma gangrenosum. In five patients the lesion occurred after surgery of the skin. Histopathologic study of 40 biopsy specimens showed focal neutrophilic abscesses of the papillary dermis, often with peripheral palisading histiocytes and foreign-body giant cells. Pseudoepitheliomatous, vegetative hyperplasia and sinus tract formation were observed frequently. All patient had massive areas of plasmacytosis, and 13 had eosinophils. Granulation tissue, hemorrhage, and fibrosis were additional features in some areas. Foreign material in the lesions was considered unimportant, except in one patient with a starch granuloma. Therapy with local corticosteroids, minocycline, tetracycline, or sulfa drugs resulted in healing in 15 patients. We believe that we have identified a localized, limited form of chronic superficial pyoderma gangrenosum with verrucous and ulcerative lesions and a granulomatous histologic appearance that represents a unique pattern of this disease in some patients.
Low temperature exponential and linear free decay of third sound resonances

Abstract Low temperature free decays of third sound resonances show weak exponential attenuation at low amplitudes. A variety of behaviors has been observed at high amplitudes including stronger exponential decays and occasional linear decays. The flow velocities characteristic of the onset of these non linear effects are typically 1cm/s. Pinned vortices appear to play a major role in the damping.
Automatic generation and inference of interface properties from program source code

Our research proposes a novel framework to automatically infer system-specific interface properties from program source code using static model-checking traces.
Chinese atmospheric pollution measured from space

In recent decades, China's struggles with air pollution have become a public health issue. Beijing is one of the most polluted places in the world, and air pollution levels were particularly bad in January 2013: Visibility was down to 100 meters, and rates of respiratory illness soared. In the region, air pollution is often worse in the winter.
Riddled basins and other practical problems in coupled synchronized chaotic circuits

We investigate a number of phenomena which occur in synchronization in coupled or driven chaotic systems and which can cause difficulties in attaining synchronized states. We present direct experimental and numerical evidence for riddled basins of attraction, bursting phenomena, short wavelength bifurcations and size desynchronization effects. We show that typical Lyapunov stability exponents are not the optimal guide in designing such systems.
Expert variability provides perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of citizen-driven intertidal monitoring program

Citizen scientist programs are a means to efficiently conduct large-scale surveys of ecosystems or managed species, provided that concerns over the quality and use of data generated by nonexperts can be addressed. This study presents actions taken in a citizen science program to assure data quality and demonstrates the validity of citizen-generated data. In this case the accuracy of data collected by secondary school students as citizens in a program that quantitatively sampled benthic rocky intertidal communities at 13 sites on Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Hawai'i island during the years 2004-2007 was evaluated. In 2007, two independent research teams collected data simultaneously with students at five sites on eight sampling dates. Comparisons of Shannon diversity and Bray-Curtis similarity values computed and simulated from student and researcher collected data revealed that nonexpert students accurately collect community-level data within the range of the variation that occurs between researchers. Students were, however, likely to misidentify cryptic and rare species. These findings have direct implications for the conservation goals of the monitoring program as the assessment reveals that students are likely to misidentify early alien introductions but are able to monitor the abundances of native and introduced species once they become established. The validity assessment designed for this investigation is unique in that it directly compares consistent errors made by citizens in data collection to expert variability to identify usage limitations and can be a guide for future studies that involve the efforts of trained volunteers.
Does dietary salt increase the risk for progression of kidney disease

Due to the inconsistent observations and suboptimal quality of the study designs, there is insufficient clinical evidence to suggest that increased salt intake may adversely modify the rate of progression of kidney disease. However, there is experimental evidence to suggest a link between increased salt exposure and kidney tissue injury. Further clinical trials are needed to evaluate the relationship between dietary salt and risk for progression of chronic kidney disease.
Transformation from non-small-cell lung cancer to small-cell lung cancer: molecular drivers and cells of origin

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The two broad histological subtypes of lung cancer are small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), which is the cause of 15% of cases, and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 85% of cases and includes adenocarcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma, and large-cell carcinoma. Although NSCLC and SCLC are commonly thought to be different diseases owing to their distinct biology and genomic abnormalities, the idea that these malignant disorders might share common cells of origin has been gaining support. This idea has been supported by the unexpected findings that a subset of NSCLCs with mutated EGFR return as SCLC when resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors develops. Additionally, other case reports have described the coexistence of NSCLC and SCLC, further challenging the commonly accepted view of their distinct lineages. Here, we summarise the published clinical observations and biology underlying tumours with combined SCLC and NSCLC histology and cancers that transform from adenocarcinoma to SCLC. We also discuss pre-clinical studies pointing to common potential cells of origin, and speculate how the distinct paths of differentiation are determined by the genomics of each disease.
Managing analysis context

Modern intelligence analysis often involves a complex, iterative, highly branched sequence of information gathering and processing steps. Analysts can benefit greatly from Mind Snaps, semantic bookmarks that would allow them to return to a particular point in the analysis and recreate the complete context they had at that time. This paper addresses some basic issues related to creating and maintaining Mind Snaps. One issue is how frequently we need to take a Mind Snap. Our experiment shows that 10 to 30 analyst events offer 85 percent to 95 percent precision in the ability to distinguish analysts working on different tasks. This translates into an interval for taking Mind Snaps that should be between five to 15 minutes. Another important issue the paper addresses is how to separate actions into multiple micro-contexts in an environment where the analyst often concurrently engages in multiple tasks. The key to this issue is the ability to detect the change in contexts, i.e., context switch. We have developed an algorithm for separating context based on user modeling. Our experiment uses this algorithm to demonstrate the feasibility of capturing and disentangling the analytic micro-contexts. In particular, our results show that context switches can be successfully detected using as few as 10 analysis log event (ALE) windows. Better detection is achieved with larger windows. At a widow size of 30 ALE, we achieved a precision of 73 percent and a recall of 70 percent.
Coupling binary masking and robust ASR

We present a novel framework for performing speech separation and robust automatic speech recognition (ASR) in a unified fashion. Separation is performed by estimating the ideal binary mask (IBM), which identifies speech dominant and noise dominant units in a time-frequency (T-F) representation of the noisy signal. ASR is performed on extracted cepstral features after binary masking. Previous systems perform these steps in a sequential fashion - separation followed by recognition. The proposed framework, which we call bidirectional speech decoding (BSD), unifies these two stages. It does this by using multiple IBM estimators each of which is designed specifically for a back-end acoustic phonetic unit (BPU) of the recognizer. The standard ASR decoder is modified to use these IBM estimators to obtain BPU-specific cepstra during likelihood calculation. On the Aurora-4 robust ASR task, the proposed framework obtains a relative improvement of 17% in word error rate over the noisy baseline. It also obtains significant improvements in the quality of the estimated IBM.
Organic aerosol growth by acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions of octanal in a flow reactor

Abstract Octanal was chosen as a model carbonyl compound to study aerosol growth by the heterogeneous acid-catalyzed reactions. The heterogeneous reactions of octanal in the presence/absence of acidified seed aerosols were conducted in a 2 m flow reactor (2.5 cm ID) under darkness in the presence of background seed aerosols. To facilitate hemiacetal/acetal formation via the acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reaction of octanal, 1-nonanol was also co-injected with inorganic seed aerosols into the flow reactor system. The aerosol population was measured from a series of sampling ports down the flow reactor as a function of distance using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). These results were used to predict the apparent rate constants for heterogeneous reactions of octanal, optimizing experimentally observed aerosol growth from condensation and heterogeneous reactions. The aldehyde heterogeneous reactions were accelerated in the presence of an acid catalyst (H 2 SO 4 ), and led to higher aerosol yields, than when H 2 SO 4 was not present in the seed aerosol. Our results showed that the log of the organic aerosol yield is inversely related to humidity in the presence of an acid-catalyst ( R 2 =0.98). When aerosols were not catalyzed with an acid, aerosol growth %yields were neither sensitive nor linear with %RH ( R 2 =0.18). These results may be explained by the fact that acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions of aldehydes are significantly accelerated as the acidity increases. The SMPS was also operated in two different aerosol-sampling flow rates to characterize particle off-gassing while particles were inside the SMPS. The off-gassing of organic compounds from the particle phase was smaller with an acid catalyst than without an acid catalyst. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) was employed to demonstrate the direct transformation of chemical functional groups by acid-catalyzing the reactions of octanal with 1-nonanol as a thin liquid layer on a zinc selenide (ZnSe) FTIR disk. It was concluded that carbonyls, which are produced by atmospheric photochemical oxidation reactions, can significantly contribute to secondary organic aerosol formation through acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions.
Between the retinotectal projection and directed movement: topography of a sensorimotor interface.

This article reviews some recent findings on the character of the neuronal organization lying between the optic tectum and motor pattern-generating circuitry in the case of orienting behaviors. It foc
Human Nature, Psychological Technology, and the Control of Population Growth

An overview to this special issue on population control is presented. An examination of the psychological validity of the long-term goals of family planning and population control reveals that ambivalence lies at the heart of the definition of the rewards and costs of different population goals. The next section summarizes articles that advocate the value of variety and attempt to show how average family size can be achieved with maximum individual choice. The psychologist can contribute to such policies through defining the variability in individual motivation. The next section summarizes papers that illustrate the peculiar nature of the fertility process as b oth a symptom and a cause of social change as well as its long-range importance in individual lives. The next two sections review articles on the actual techniques and limitations of population control. The primary definition made is the difference between cognitive and behavorial theories-whether attitudes or behavior comes first. Thus one author insists that attitude change has been undersold as a policy means; and another analyst points to the failure of information campaigns. Nontheless the most developed area in psychology that is pertinent to population control is the implementation of the use of birth control methods. The wider issues of policy such as the questions of coercion versus voluntarism or the parameters of human adaptability are selectively neglected in current research acitivites.
Submillisecond Conformational Changes in Proteins Resolved by Photothermal Beam Deflection

Photothermal beam deflection together with photo-acoustic calorimetry and thermal grating belongs to the family of photothermal methods that monitor the time-profile volume and enthalpy changes of light induced conformational changes in proteins on microsecond to millisecond time-scales that are not accessible using traditional stop-flow instruments. In addition, since overall changes in volume and/or enthalpy are probed, these techniques can be applied to proteins and other biomacromolecules that lack a fluorophore and or a chromophore label. To monitor dynamics and energetics of structural changes associated with Ca2+ binding to calcium transducers, such neuronal calcium sensors, a caged calcium compound, DM-nitrophen, is employed to photo-trigger a fast (τ < 20 μsec) increase in free calcium concentration and the associated volume and enthalpy changes are probed using photothermal beam deflection technique.
Geometry and mechanics of DNA superhelicity.

This paper analyzes the elastic equilibrium conformations of duplex DNA constrained by the constancy of its molecular linking number, Lk. The DNA is regarded as having the mechanical properties of a homogeneous, linearly elastic substance with symmetric cross section. Integral representations of the writhing number Wr and of Lk are developed, in terms of which the equilibria are given as solutions to an isoperimetric problem. It is shown that the Euler angles defining equilibrium conformations must obey equations identical to those governing unconstrained equilibria. A scaling law is developed stating that molecules supercoiled the same amount ΔLk will have geometrically similar elastic equilibria regardless of their length. Thus, comparisons among molecules of properties related to their large-scale tertiary structure should be referred to differences in ΔLk rather than to their superhelix densities. Specific conditions on the elastic equilibrium conformations are developed that are necessary for ring closure. The equilibrium superhelical conformations accessible to closed-ring molecules are shown to approximate toroidal helices. Questions relating to the stability and nonuniqueness of equilibria are treated briefly. A comparison is made between these toroidal conformations and interwound configurations, which are shown to be stable, although they are not equilibria in the present sense. It is suggested that entropic factors are responsible for favouring the toroidal conformation in solution.
Chemiluminescent Measurement of Parts-Per-Billion Levels of Nickel Carbonyl in Air

Abstract We have demonstrated the chemiluminescent detection of Ni(CO)4 in air using a reaction with O2/O3 and purified CO. The detection limit on our prototype detector is 0.01 ppb, with linear response into the ppm range. Decay of Ni(CO)4 in air has been studied in the ppb range and is approximately first order with a half life of about 30 minutes.
Latent learning in hippocampal-lesioned rats.

Abstract The ability of rats with lesions of the anterior hippocampus to demonstrate latent learning of a spatial maze was examined in a Hebb-Williams maze apparatus. Significant latent learning in both hippocampal-lesioned and control rats with unrewarded preexposure to the maze pattern was found on the initial trials. Unlike the control rats, however, the hippocampal-lesioned rats showed little further error reduction across the remaining test trials. The results are discussed in terms of O'Keefe and Nadel's model of the mammalian hippocampus as a “cognitive map.”
Low levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D are associated with elevated parathyroid hormone in healthy adolescent females.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D)] and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in adolescent females residing in a northern climate. Concern regarding vitamin D status in this population is due to limited sunlight exposure in northern latitudes, decreased outdoor recreational activities, as well as decreased conversion in black girls from increased skin pigmentation. In this cross-sectional analysis, serum samples were assayed for 25(OH)D using competitive protein binding (CPB) assay and PTH with immuno-radiometric (RIA) procedures. Four hundred postmenarcheal females (12–18 years) residing in northeastern Ohio were recruited. Subjects were excluded if they had a history of bone, kidney, or liver disease, or used medications that affect bone. The primary goal was to determine serum 25(OH)D concentrations in relation to circulating PTH levels in a population of adolescent girls. The Spearman correlation test was used to compare PTH and 25(OH)D. Fit multiple split models were run to determine change in slope of the regression line when 25(OH)D and PTH were plotted. Analysis of variance was determined using modeled means with differences by race and season in the final model. Unadjusted mean serum 25(OH)D and PTH levels were 55.0±30.4 nmol/l and 39.4±20.6 ng/l, respectively. Blacks had lower 25(OH)D and higher PTH compared with non-blacks (P<0.0001), especially during the winter months. Decreasing 25(OH)D was inversely correlated with PTH (r=−0.314) (P<0.0001), and at concentrations of 25(OH)D ≤90 nmol/l, an increase in PTH was observed. Adolescents are at risk for decreased serum 25(OH)D concentrations, especially black girls. We found that the widely used cutoff for vitamin D deficiency is associated with increasing PTH levels and is below the inflection point for a change in the slope of the regression line. Our results support the need for further research to establish optimal vitamin D status in adolescent girls.
SU‐GG‐T‐199: Quality Assurace for Large Field IMRT Using EPID Images

Purpose:Quality assurance of Large Field IMRT (LFIMRT) treatments present a unique problem for users of portal dosimetry because LFIMRT calculations are not currently supported in the portal dosimetry calculation module. However, EPIDimages of LFIMRT delivery can be acquired in the normal manner used for portal dosimetry. This study reports a technique for the dosimetric analysis of LFIMRT delivery using integrated EPIDimages and IMRTanalysis software. Method and Materials: LFIMRT plans are calculated using the ECLIPSE treatment planning system from Varian Medical Systems. Treatments are delivered and images are acquired using a Varian Trilogy linear accelerator and an as 1000 imager. For comparison with the acquired EPIDimages we use the AAA algorithm in Eclipse to calculate dose in a plane at dmax in a water phantom simulating the imager geometry. A single scaling factor is applied to the Dicom image to allow conversion to absolute dose. The calculated and measured images are then analyzed using the RIT113 IMRTanalysis software. Results:Analysis of a 7 field Head and Neck plan was performed utilizing the gamma analysis with 3%/3mm criteria and a dose threshold of 10%. Gamma passing rates ranged from 98.6% to 99.7% with an average passing rate of 99.3% .Conclusion:Quality assurance of LFIMRT delivery can be performed with integrated EPIDimages and standard IMRTanalysis software utilizing dose calculations at dmax in a water phantom with excellent results.
Organization for Social Action: Some Consequences Of Competition for Control*

BLAU and Scott (1962:ix) have written that "Modem man is man in organizations." For them and other students of society the most distinguishing feature of contemporary life is the dominant role played by large organizations.' This dominance is what Presthus (1962:59) refers to as the "organizational society," and is dated from the 1930's. The implications of such dominance are elaborated further by Etzioni (1964:1) who notes that most people in modem societies are born, educated, work, and practice religion and politics within large organizational frameworks. To this list can be added (and emphasized here) the suggestion that particularly since the 1930's, and extended further during the past decade, agitation for social change of an ameliorative nature has become more frequently manifest in the form of complex organizations (See King, 1956). Problematical to the process of "organizing" (for any purpose) is the nature of the control system, i.e. the means by which authority is defined and distributed to guarantee behavioral conformity to rules in order to achieve organizational goals. Further, competition for control is a well-known organizational feature. Competition has been shown to emanate from structural differentiation (Maiolo et al., 1968), formal vs. informal networks (Roethlisberger and Dickson, 1964; Roy, 1952; Coch and French, 1958; Miller and Form, 1964), and from increasing professionalism in organizations (Blau and Scott, 1962:66-71; Glaser, 1964). Regardless of the source and form of competition, and whether it be in an organization in transition or a relatively stable unit, two things remain clear. First, among the consequences are organizational shifts in means and tactics, the generation of protracted tensions and cleavages and, perhaps most important, differential patterns of success in achieving the organizational goals themselves. Second, from the standpoint of official organizational policy, which is embodied in the well-known Chart, only one control system, or system of authority, is considered to be legitimate. This feature has seemed to remain universal despite the fact that some participants in a given organization may be well aware of, and consider justifiable, the exercise by others of broader limits of control than are formally defined. Smith's (1958) classic treatment of the role of physicians in a hospital is a case in point. This undimensional and monolithic theme of organizational authority is rooted, of course, in Weber's work (Gerth and Mills, 1958:196-198) which has taken as central the notion that one center of formal power exists and is located
Growth and electrical characterization of high-aspect-ratio carbon nanotube arrays

Abstract The remarkable properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) make them attractive for microelectronic applications, especially for interconnects and nanoscale devices. In this paper, we describe a microelectronics compatible process for growing high-aspect-ratio CNT arrays with application to vertical electrical interconnects. A lift-off process was used to pattern catalyst (Al2O3/Fe) islands to diameters of 13 or 20 μm. After patterning, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was involved to deposit highly aligned CNT arrays using ethylene as the carbon source, and argon and hydrogen as carrier gases. The as-grow CNTs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results demonstrated that the CNTs have high purity, and form densely-aligned arrays with controllable array size and height. Two-probe electrical measurements of the CNT arrays indicate a resistivity of ∼0.01 Ω cm, suggesting possible use of these CNTs as interconnect materials.
Prenatal Auditory Imprinting in Chickens

A batch of eggs was exposed to a patterned sound continuously from day 12 to day 18 of incubation, while a control group was hatched in the quiet. In a postnatal test all chicks tended to creep toward a stationary sound source, but the experimental group showed a preference for the sound heard during incubation. In a second test the experimental chicks followed a moving model longer when it emitted the familiar sound than when it emitted a novel sound or no sound at all.
The Relationship of Local Control to Distant Metastasis in Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

AbstractPurpose: We examined the relationship of local failure to distant metastasis in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer.Materials and Methods: This retrospective review included 240 patients treated with radical cystectomy with or without multiagent chemotherapy at our institution between 1984 and 1990 for clinical stage T2 to T4 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The distribution of patients by clinical stage was 89 T2, 77 T3a, 51 T3b and 23 T4. Median followup was 55 months.Results: The actuarial 5-year local control, freedom from distant metastasis and overall survival rates were 80 percent, 68 percent and 52 percent, respectively. There was a profoundly significant relationship between local failure and distant metastasis with distant metastasis in 56 percent of those with local failure. The actuarial 5-year freedom from distant metastasis rate for those with local control was 77 percent compared to 29 percent for those with local failure (p less than 0.0001, log rank test). This...
Multonic Markov word models for large vocabulary continuous speech recognition

A new class of hidden Markov models is proposed for the acoustic representation of words in an automatic speech recognition system. The models, built from combinations of acoustically based sub-word units called fenones, are derived automatically from one or more sample utterances of a word. Because they are more flexible than previously reported fenone-based word models, they lead to an improved capability of modeling variations in pronunciation. They are therefore particularly useful in the recognition of continuous speech. In addition, their construction is relatively simple, because it can be done using the well-known forward-backward algorithm for parameter estimation of hidden Markov models. Appropriate reestimation formulas are derived for this purpose. Experimental results obtained on a 5000-word vocabulary natural language continuous speech recognition task are presented to illustrate the enhanced power of discrimination of the new models. >
Selective emitters using photonic crystals for thermophotovoltaic energy conversion

Photonic crystals use a periodic modulation of the refractive index to alter the photonic density of states. The photonic density of states is an important parameter in many phenomena involving radiation-matter interactions - including thermal emission of radiation. Hence, a photonic crystal can be used to engineer the emissivity of an emitter for thermophotovoltaic generators to match the spectral response of the TPV cell. The use of photonic crystals in TPV is described. A three-dimensional photonic crystal in tungsten is realized that exhibits an exceptionally large photonic bandgap and attenuation factor. The photonic crystal is shown to have promise for radiant energy conversion applications like TPV energy conversion.
Two-Year Mineral Survey Reveals Deficiencies and Imbalances in Tennessee Tall Fescue

Symptoms of mineral deficiencies and imbalances have been observed in Tennessee (TN) cattle. This has led to concerns about the mineral content of TN forages. A 2-yr survey was conducted to characterize the mineral levels of TN tall fescue forage systems and their ability to meet beef cattle requirements. Since tall fescue is the dominant forage used for pasture and hay production in TN, Extension agents across the state were asked to collect one or two tall fescue samples in the spring and fall. These samples were collected during the first 10 d of May (spring) and again in August and September (fall) of 2001 and 2002. Samples were sent to a commercial laboratory for analysis. The MIXED procedure of SAS was used with differences determined at P<0.05, and the FREQ procedure of SAS was used to classify the mineral concentrations. Magnesium was lower (P<0.01) and potassium was higher (P<0.01) in spring than in fall. Sulfur, in both years and seasons, was at least marginally antagonistic to Copper (Cu). Sulfur was higher (P<0.01) in fall than in spring. Copper levels were below the NRC requirement for beef cattle in both seasons and years. Fall Cu was lower (P<0.01) than spring. Zinc was marginally deficient in both years and seasons with lower concentrations (P<0.01) in spring than in fall. Selenium (0.065 ppm) was in the deficient range. These data indicate that the forage mineral imbalances could be contributing to the problems related to TN calves and possibly lower immune function.
Necessity of inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate receptor 1 and μ-calpain in NO-induced osteoclast motility

In skeletal remodeling, osteoclasts degrade bone, detach and move to new locations. Mechanical stretch and estrogen regulate osteoclast motility via nitric oxide (NO). We have found previously that NO stimulates guanylyl cyclase, activating the cGMP-dependent protein kinase 1 (PKG1), reversibly terminating osteoclast matrix degradation and attachment, and initiating motility. The PKG1 substrate vasodilator-stimulated protein (VASP), a membrane-attachment-related protein found in complexes with the integrin alphavbeta3 in adherent osteoclasts, was also required for motility. Here, we studied downstream mechanisms by which the NO-dependent pathway mediates osteoclast relocation. We found that NO-stimulated motility is dependent on activation of the Ca(2+)-activated proteinase mu-calpain. RNA interference (RNAi) showed that NO-dependent activation of mu-calpain also requires PKG1 and VASP. Inhibition of Src kinases, which are involved in the regulation of adhesion complexes, also abolished NO-stimulated calpain activity. Pharmacological inhibition and RNAi showed that calpain activation in this process is mediated by the inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate receptor 1 [Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R1] Ca(2+) channel. We conclude that NO-induced motility in osteoclasts requires regulated Ca(2+) release, which activates mu-calpain. This occurs via the Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R1.
Live Imaging of Host-Parasite Interactions in a Zebrafish Infection Model Reveals Cryptococcal Determinants of Virulence and Central Nervous System Invasion

ABSTRACT The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is capable of infecting a broad range of hosts, from invertebrates like amoebas and nematodes to standard vertebrate models such as mice and rabbits. Here we have taken advantage of a zebrafish model to investigate host-pathogen interactions of Cryptococcus with the zebrafish innate immune system, which shares a highly conserved framework with that of mammals. Through live-imaging observations and genetic knockdown, we establish that macrophages are the primary immune cells responsible for responding to and containing acute cryptococcal infections. By interrogating survival and cryptococcal burden following infection with a panel of Cryptococcus mutants, we find that virulence factors initially identified as important in causing disease in mice are also necessary for pathogenesis in zebrafish larvae. Live imaging of the cranial blood vessels of infected larvae reveals that C. neoformans is able to penetrate the zebrafish brain following intravenous infection. By studying a C. neoformans FNX1 gene mutant, we find that blood-brain barrier invasion is dependent on a known cryptococcal invasion-promoting pathway previously identified in a murine model of central nervous system invasion. The zebrafish-C. neoformans platform provides a visually and genetically accessible vertebrate model system for cryptococcal pathogenesis with many of the advantages of small invertebrates. This model is well suited for higher-throughput screening of mutants, mechanistic dissection of cryptococcal pathogenesis in live animals, and use in the evaluation of therapeutic agents. IMPORTANCE Cryptococcus neoformans is an important opportunistic pathogen that is estimated to be responsible for more than 600,000 deaths worldwide annually. Existing mammalian models of cryptococcal pathogenesis are costly, and the analysis of important pathogenic processes such as meningitis is laborious and remains a challenge to visualize. Conversely, although invertebrate models of cryptococcal infection allow high-throughput assays, they fail to replicate the anatomical complexity found in vertebrates and, specifically, cryptococcal stages of disease. Here we have utilized larval zebrafish as a platform that overcomes many of these limitations. We demonstrate that the pathogenesis of C. neoformans infection in zebrafish involves factors identical to those in mammalian and invertebrate infections. We then utilize the live-imaging capacity of zebrafish larvae to follow the progression of cryptococcal infection in real time and establish a relevant model of the critical central nervous system infection phase of disease in a nonmammalian model.