cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Familial Isolated Pituitary Adenomas: From Genetics to Therapy

According to autopsy and radiological data, pituitary adenomas (PAs) develop in approximately 15% to 20% of the population. The great majority of PAs arise sporadically and affect adults. Rarely they are diagnosed in children and adolescents. Approximately 5% of cases are thought to be familial. Inherited conditions associated with pituitary tumors include multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) and type 4 (MEN-4), (CNC) Carney Complex, and familial isolated PA (FIPA) syndrome. FIPA is an autosomal dominant condition, defined by the presence of two or more patients affected by PAs in the same kindred, and no other associated condition. Germline mutations of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein gene located on chromosome 11q13 have been reported in 15%-40% of FIPA cases. In the remaining cases, genetic defect are unidentified. This article focuses on FIPA clinical, pathological, genetic features, and therapeutic management.
Integrodifferential equations for the two-dimensional transition kernels of invariant imbedding

Invariant imbedding methods for two spatial dimensions are applied to derive a set of integrodifferential equations and related boundary conditions, in the kernels of transmission, left-turn, and right-turn transition operators for a two-dimensional particle transport theory problem. The operators describe the transition from incident to exiting physical states over rectangular regions. The set of equations is coupled only through the reflection kernel. This work is a continuation of and complements the earlier effort of the authors wherein an integrodifferential boundary-value problem for the reflection kernel is derived.
Weaving Processes-Effects of Non-Preemptive Priority and Operator Interference on Output

Warp yarns are depleted in the weaving process and must be replaced. Principles of queueing theory are applied to warp beam replacement.Looms may be serviced with new warp beams on a first-come-fir...
Surface roughness effects in molecular models of adsorption in heterogeneous porous solids

We present an investigation of the influence of surface roughness on the interior pore walls upon adsorption equilibrium in heterogeneous porous materials using molecular models of methane adsorbed in a microporous silica gel. The molecular models treat the adsorbent as a disordered matrix of particles. Three different models of the surfaces of the matrix particles are considered where (i) the adsorbent particles exhibit smooth surfaces, (ii) the particle surfaces have a single layer of interaction sites, and (iii) atomic details of the matrix particles are incorporated. The effects of surface roughness in these models are most appreciable on the isosteric heat at low density. The effect on the adsorption isotherm comes principally at higher pressure due to an increase in the effective void space produced by the surface roughness. A comparison with experimental data is also presented.
The minimum effective dose of glucagon in upper gastrointestinal radiography

The effect of small intravenous doses (0.025 and 0.05 mg) of glucagon was evaluated in 22 patients. All 12 patients given 0.05 mg demonstrated by hypotonicity of the stomach and duodenum at 1 min and beginning return of peristalsis at 2 1/2 min. Subsequently, 100 patients with radiographically normal upper gastrointestinal examinations who received 0.05 mg of glucagon intravenously were compared to 100 patients with normal examinations without it. Comparison was made to determine the effect of glucagon on gastric mucosal coating and distention of the stomach and duodenum. In all areas of the stomach, mucosal coating was significantly improved in the glucagon group. There was also increased distention of the distal antrum, duodenal bulb, and duodenal loop. No adverse effects were reported. Because of the short duration of action of glucagon, the examination needs to be coordinated and done rapidly. The routine use of a small dose of glucagon increased the performance time slightly with small additional cost but was compensated for by the increased diagnostic quality of the examination.
Monitoring therapy response with fluorescence imaging

We quantified fluorescence photobleaching of bifunctional agent (HPPH-CD) during PDT with fluorescence imaging. HPPH-CD exhibit preferential uptake in tumors compared to surrounding normal tissue and longer wavelength emitting CD allowed monitoring photobleaching in deep tumors.
Exploring Experienced Professionals’ Reflections on Computing Education

This exploratory qualitative study examines computing professional’s memories of their own formal and non-formal educational experiences, their reflections on how these have prepared them for their professional roles, and their recommendations for an “ideal” undergraduate degree program. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of experienced computing professionals. Ongoing on-the-job learning is a natural part of professionals’ work lives. Participants indicate that important elements in an undergraduate degree program include foundational computing topics, development of critical thinking and communications skills, and a strong emphasis on experiences similar to those encountered in a professional position, such as complex, realistic group projects. Specific programming languages and technologies should be used only as practice in solving problems and learning on one’s own.
Prototype testing for a new bioabsorbable Le Fort III distraction device: a pilot study.

Purpose The goal of the study was to design and test prototypes for a new, internal resorbable Le Fort III distractor in the minipig model. Materials and methods Le Fort III osteotomies were performed on 3 juvenile minipigs, followed by implantation of the bioabsorbable distractors. After a 5-day latency period, the distraction progressed at a rate of 1 mm/day in 2 equal increments for 12 days. This was followed by a 6-week consolidation phase. Cephalometric radiographs were taken postoperatively, on completion of distraction and after the consolidation phase, to evaluate the amount of distraction that was obtained. Necropsy was performed at the completion of each experiment. Results The first minipig was sacrificed at the end of the distraction period because of device failure. On necropsy, it was noted that the anterior footplate on either side had failed. The second minipig was sacrificed during the latency period because of severe pneumonia. On necropsy, it was noted that none of the footplates had failed but that the distraction barrels on either side had become dislodged from the anterior bioabsorbable footplates. The third minipig was sacrificed at the end of the distraction period because of device failure. On necropsy, it was noted that the posterior bioabsorbable footplates on either side were fractured across the posterior screw lines. Conclusions The bioabsorbable devices evaluated in this study could not withstand the forces generated during distraction osteogenesis in the minipig model. Experience with the prototypes may help in designing internal bioresorbable Le Fort III distraction devices.
Useful Properties of Exchange Rate Forecasts for Risk Management and Derivative Pricing

We examine three useful properties of the yen/dollar exchange-rate forecasts that are published in January and July in the Wall Street Journal. Those properties are the level of explanatory power, whether some forecasters are consistently better than others, and whether the dispersion of forecasts can predict the volatility of the exchange rates. The results show that the relative accuracy of the individual forecasts has not been random each period, and the evidence suggests that some forecasters are consistently better than others. The forecasts from the best forecasters explain about half of the variability in the semiannual exchange-rate series. Finally, the dispersion of all the forecasts each period, as measured by the standard deviation, has predictive power with respect to the daily volatility of the forecasts for the three months following the survey. This final property has implications for the pricing and use of currency options. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Rapid mixed lymphocyte culture test based on relative increase in protein synthesis.

WE have developed a mixed lymphocyte culture assay for matching prospective recipients of organ transplants to donor cadavers. Its rapidity, combined with the use of frozen cells from a recipient panel, could facilitate the sharing of cadaveric organs among transplantation centres.
Syntheses, structure and spectroscopic characterization of fac- and mer-Co(aepn)(CN)3 and of their 13CN analogues [aepn=N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine]

Abstract Both facial (1) and meridional (3) isomers of Co(aepn)(CN)3 [aepn=N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine] and their 13CN analogues (facial 2 and meridional 4) have been prepared by two different synthetic approaches. 1 crystallizes in a monoclinic space group, P21/c, and has one long and two short CN bonds. Meanwhile 3 crystallizes with a water of crystallization in the same space group (P21/n) and has one short and two long CN bonds. The 13C NMR spectrum of 4 shows three well-resolved resonances (δ=143.53, 142.14, 132.85) for the three mer cyanide carbon atoms. In contrast, 3 has a single broad resonance in the range of δ=120–140, suggesting the presence of a dynamic process that is thought to be a trigonal twist of the three fac cyanide groups. According to the analyses of IR and Raman spectra, the Co(CN)3 moiety of both isomers appears to have approximate Cs molecular symmetry resulting in three IR- and Raman-active ν(CN) modes. Individual assignments of the vibrational peaks in the ν(CN) region have been confirmed by Raman band polarization measurements and 13CN isotope shifts. The stretching and bending modes of the metal-cyano groups in the low-frequency region (
Low-Frequency Radio Transients in the Galactic Center

We report the detection of a new radio transient source, GCRT J1746-2757, located only 11 north of the Galactic center. Consistent with other radio transients toward the Galactic center, this source brightened and faded on a timescale of a few months. No X-ray counterpart was detected. This suggests that either there was only very faint X-ray emission, compared with highly Doppler boosted radio emission, or that GCRT J1746-2757 is a member of a class of radio transients with no associated X-ray emission. We also report new 0.33 GHz measurements of the radio counterpart to the X-ray transient source, XTE J1748-288, previously detected and monitored at higher radio frequencies. We show that the spectrum of XTE J1748-288 steepened considerably during a period of a few months after its peak. We also discuss the need for a more efficient means of finding additional radio transients.
Quantum critical phenomena

This paper proposes an approach to the study of critical phenomena in quantum-mechanical systems at zero or low temperatures, where classical free-energy functionals of the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson sort are not valid. The functional integral transformations first proposed by Stratonovich and Hubbard allow one to construct a quantum-mechanical generalization of the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson functional in which the order-parameter field depends on (imaginary) time as well as space. Since the time variable lies in the finite interval [$0,\ensuremath{-}i\ensuremath{\beta}$], where $\ensuremath{\beta}$ is the inverse temperature, the resulting description of a $d$-dimensional system shares some features with that of a ($d+1$)-dimensional classical system which has finite extent in one dimension. However, the analogy is not complete, in general, since time and space do not necessarily enter the generalized free-energy functional in the same way. The Wilson renormalization group is used here to investigate the critical behavior of several systems for which these generalized functionals can be constructed simply. Of these, the itinerant ferromagnet is studied in greater detail. The principal results of this investigation are (i) at zero temperature, in situations where the ordering is brought about by changing a coupling constant, the dimensionality which separates classical from nonclassical critical-exponent behavior is not 4, as is usually the case in classical statistics, but $4\ensuremath{-}z$ dimensions, where $z$ depends on the way the frequency enters the generalized free-energy functional. When it does so in the same way that the wave vector does, as happens in the case of interacting magnetic excitons, the effective dimensionality is simply increased by 1; $z=1$. It need not appear in this fashion, however, and in the examples of itinerant antiferromagnetism and clean and dirty itinerant ferromagnetism, one finds $z=2, 3, \mathrm{and} 4$, respectively. (ii) At finite temperatures, one finds that a classical statistical-mechanical description holds (and nonclassical exponents, for $dl4$) very close to the critical value of the coupling ${U}_{c}$, when $\frac{(U\ensuremath{-}{U}_{c})}{{U}_{c}}\ensuremath{\ll}{(\frac{T}{{U}_{c}})}^{\frac{2}{z}}$. $\frac{z}{2}$ is therefore the quantum-to-classical crossover exponent.
The First Twenty Years of the Will and the Ways: An Examination of Score Reliability Distribution on Snyder’s Dispositional Hope Scale

C. R. Snyder has established hope theory as an important contributor to positive psychology. As the empirical evidence continues to grow, hope researchers need to have confidence that their measures will produce reliable scores. This study presents a reliability generalization on both the internal consistency and test–retest reliability estimates from Snyder’s dispositional hope scale. While over 300 published works were found to have cited the target article 74 present internal consistency scores and 17 reported scores for test–retest reliability. The results of the reliability generalization suggest support for the score reliabilities produced by the dispositional hope scale. However, internal consistency was higher for studies using the eight-item response format (α = 0.82) compared to those using the four-item response format (α = 0.77). Additionally, the test–retest score reliability was high 0.80 with no statistically significant differences by response format. Findings also demonstrated that score reliability estimates were not significantly influenced by the coded sample characteristics.
Carbonates and Martian Climate

The case for global climate change on Mars is neither ambiguous nor arguable. Cold, dry, and dusty right now, the surface of Mars shows ancient fluvial valley networks, catastrophic flood channels, sediment-filled basins, and many other features that require stable liquid water at the planet's surface. Such observations from orbit ( 1 ) imply that ancient Mars was substantially warmer than it is today. The favored scenario to heat up a young Mars is greenhouse warming driven by a thick, primitive CO2-rich atmosphere of the kind thought common to all the terrestrial planets ( 2 ). Clearly, the greenhouse phase didn't last long for Mars. As a result, almost every model for martian climate history includes an appreciable drawdown of CO2 by precipitation of carbonates. However, only a small fraction of the carbonates predicted by this theory have been detected. On page 421 of this issue, Morris et al. ( 3 ) report the detection of ample carbonates dispersed within the subsurface, thereby strengthening arguments that CO2 played a major role in the early martian climate system.
Existence of Energy Minimizers as Stable Knotted Solitons in the Faddeev Model

In this paper, we study the existence of knot-like solitons realized as the energy-minimizing configurations in the Faddeev quantum field theory model. Topologically, these solitons are characterized by an Hopf invariant, Q, which is an integral class in the homotopy group π3(S 2 )= . We prove in the full space situation that there exists an infinite subset of such that for any m∈ , the Faddeev energy, E, has a minimizer among the topological class Q=m. Besides, we show that there always exists a least-positive-energy Faddeev soliton of non-zero Hopf invariant. In the bounded domain situation, we show that the existence of an energy minimizer holds for = . As a by-product, we obtain an important technical result which says that E and Q satisfy the sublinear inequality E≤C|Q|3/4, where C>0 is a universal constant. Such a fact explains why knotted (clustered soliton) configurations are preferred over widely separated unknotted (multisoliton) configurations when |Q| is sufficiently large.
Back to Central Tolerance

The establishment and maintenance of immunological tolerance entails both central and peripheral mechanisms. The latter have been highlighted in the past several years, mostly because of great interest in the activities of regulatory T cells. However, an important role for central tolerance mechanisms has been reemphasized by recent results on human autoimmune diseases, including APECED and type 1 diabetes.
Cuticular hydrocarbons from the bed bug Cimex lectularius L.

Pentane extracts of male and female bed bugs were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in an effort to identify cuticular hydrocarbons. Seventeen hydrocarbons accounting for nearly 99% of the compounds eluting in the cuticular hydrocarbon region were identified. The sample contained mostly n-alkanes of 24 to 34 carbons, with odd numbered components predominating. The second major type of hydrocarbon were the 2-methylalkanes.
Recognition of Salmonella Typhimurium by Immobilized Phage P22 Monolayers

Phages are promising alternatives to antibodies as the biorecognition element in a variety of biosensing applications. In this study, a monolayer of bacteriophage P22 whose tailspike proteins specifically recognize Salmonella serotypes was covalently bound to glass substrates through a bifunctional cross linker 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane. The specific binding of Salmonella typhimurium to the phage monolayer was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and atomic force microscopy. Escherichia coli and a Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes were also studied as control bacteria. The P22 particles show strong binding affinity to Salmonella typhimurium. In addition, the dried P22 monolayer maintained 50% binding capacity to Salmonella typhimurium after a one-week storage time. This is a promising method to prepare phage monolayer coatings on surface plasmon resonance and acoustic biosensor substrates in order to utilize the nascent phage display technology.
Effect of timolol on autonomic neural discharge associated with ouabain-induced arrhythmia.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the beta-blocking agent timolol on postganglionic cardiac and preganglionic splanchnic sympathetic and vagal neural discharge, ouabain-induced arrhythmia, heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure. Cats were anesthetized with alpha-chloralose, given atropine, and pretreated with timolol (5 mg/kg, i.v. infused at a rate of 0.5 mg/kg/min for 10 min). Bolus injections of ouabain (25 microgram/kg, i.v.) were given every 15 min until the animals died; the first injection was given 15 min after the end of the timolol infusion. When compared with cats (n = 13) receiving only ouabain, timolol (n = 11 cats) increased the time to ouabain-induced arrhythmia and death from 23 +/- 3 to 48 +/- 7 and 46 +/- 3 to 76 +/- 9 min, respectively (p less than 0.05). Both heat rate and mean arterial blood pressure had decreased from 137 +/- 4 to 104 +/- 6 beats/min and 133 +/- 6 to 103 +/- 7 mm Hg, respectively (P less than 0.05); ouabain did not reverse the decreases. Neural activity monitored from the vagus and from the postganglionic cardiac and preganglionic splanchnic sympathetic nerves was not significantly altered by the infusion of timolol. The administration of ouabain after timolol did not alter splanchnic nor vagal discharge. Most important was the observation that postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge exhibited both increases and decreases, i.e., a nonuniform neural discharge, at the time of ouabain-induced arrhythmia and that the ouabain-induced nonuniformity did not occur in the cats pretreated with timolol. Thus, the protective effect of timolol may be due, in part, to prevention of the nonuniform postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge and to the prevention of ouabain-induced increases in vagal discharge. The establishment of beta-blockade and a direct negative inotropic action may also have contributed to the antiarrhythmic action of timolol.
Surface Tension of Some Liquid Oxides and Their Temperature Coefficients

Surface-tension data are reported for liquid Al2 O3, B2 O3, GeO2, P2 O5, and SiO2. Abnormal positive temperature coefficients for B2 O3, GeO2, and SiO2 are shown to be due mainly to changes in the liquid structure (dissociation) with temperature.
Magnetic monopoles in neutron stars

Abstract The effects of monopole-antimonopole annihilation on a previously reported bound [1] on the product of the galactic flux of grand unified magnetic monopoles and the cross section for monopole catalyzed nucleon decay: ( F M /cm −2 s −1 sr −1 )( σ ΔB /10 −2 cm 2 ) ⩽ 10 −22 are examined for several models of neutron star interiors. For neutron stars with superconducting interiors or large internal magnetic fields this bound is unaltered. In the unlikely event that old neutron stars are not superconducting and have internal magnetic fields B int ⪡ 10 8 Gauss the effects of monopole-antimonopole annihilation relax the bound to ( F M /cm −2 s −1 sr −1 )( σ ΔB /10 −27 cm −2 ) 2 ⩽ 10 −18 . Magnetic monopoles may also have a significant effect on the structure of the interior magnetic field in neutron stars.
Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Stimulus-Dependent Gain Modulation in Primary Visual Cortex Neurons In Vivo

Gain modulation is a widespread neuronal phenomenon that modifies response amplitude without changing selectivity. Computational and in vitro studies have proposed cellular mechanisms of gain modulation based on the postsynaptic effects of background synaptic activation, but these mechanisms have not been studied in vivo. Here, we used intracellular recordings from cat primary visual cortex to measure neuronal gain while changing background synaptic activity with visual stimulation. We found that increases in the membrane fluctuations associated with increases in synaptic input do not obligatorily result in gain modulation in vivo. However, visual stimuli that evoked sustained changes in resting membrane potential, input resistance, and membrane fluctuations robustly modulated neuronal gain. The magnitude of gain modulation depended critically on the spatiotemporal properties of the visual stimulus. Gain modulation in vivo may thus be determined on a moment-to-moment basis by sensory context and the consequent dynamics of synaptic activation.
Calcium-Mediated Telomerase Activity in Ovarian Epithelial Cells

Though the potential of telomerase as an anti-cancer target is evident, information about regulation of telomerase remains fragmentary. In the present study, we examined the role of calcium, an essential cellular signaling molecule, in the regulation of telomerase. We found that calcium induced de novo telomerase activity in telomerase-negative ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cell lines but not in primary cultures of OSE. In addition, we showed that calcium elevated endogenous telomerase levels in a telomerase-positive ovarian cancer cell line. The use of calcium channel blockers or calcium chelators inhibited this calcium-mediated induction of telomerase activity. Furthermore, cadmium and chromium appeared to cause a moderate induction of telomerase activity while several other metal salts did not. Our data provide the first example of calcium-induced telomerase activity in human cell lines, provide a novel avenue for possible intervention of telomerase, and permit development of therapeutic agents for adjunctive chemotherapy.
Multispectral 1-D Photonic Crystal Photodetector

We demonstrate a novel photoconductor pixel, by using a photonic crystal structure incorporating photoconductive layers, which exploits resonant cavity enhancement to provide us with multispectral capability, high quantum efficiency, and dramatically suppressed shot noise
Test performance of positron emission tomography and computed tomography for mediastinal staging in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

Positron emission tomography with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose is more accurate than computed tomography for mediastinal staging. However, it is more sensitive but less specific when computed tomography s...
Direct calculation of the electron density via the milne equation

The closed formulas for reduced density matrices, derived in a previous paper, are used to find the electron density distributions in a Coulomb potential and in the Kr atom directly, without finding the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions first. These formulas give accurate results, including the shell structure (missing in the Thomas-Fermi model) through the whole r space, except in a very small region around the nucleus. An ad hoc method is introduced to yield a good density there. The advantages as well as shortcomings of using such a direct method in an SCF scheme of atomic structure calculations have been summarized.
The relation of heart rate and shortening fraction to echocardiographic indexes of left ventricular relaxation in normal subjects

To determine the relation of heart rate and systolic function to echocardiographically derived indexes of left ventricular relaxation, M-mode echocardiograms of the left ventricle and mitral valve with a simultaneous phono-cardiogram were recorded at rest from 28 normal men. The effects of altering the inotropic state and ventricular loading conditions were examined during isometric handgrip exercise and the Valsalva maneuver in a subset of IS men. The left ventricular endocardial echocardiograms were digitized to provide a display of left ventricular internal dimension and its first derivative (dD/dt). The time course of relaxation, defined as the interval from left ventricular minimal systolic dimension to the point when the rate of change of dimension (dD/dt) decreased to 50% of peak, was directly related to the RR interval (r = 0.64, p The slopes of the regression lines of relaxation time (RT) and electromechanical systole (QS2) on the RR interval were similar. Diastolic time decreased proportionately more than relaxation time as the RR interval decreased, so that the proportion of diastole occupied by the relaxation time varied with cycle length. Peak diastolic dD/dt, normalized for variations in end-diastolic dimensions ([dD/dt]/D), was directly related to left ventricular shortening fraction (r = 0.71 p It is concluded that the cardiac cycle length and shortening fraction are important variables associated with the time course and peak rate of cardiac muscle lengthening, respectively. Both must be included in any inter-group comparisons of diastolic function.
Meta-analysis of the impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) on cancer risk and overall survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC)

HPV is important in a subset of HNSCC. Our meta-analysis determined the clinical characteristics of HPV-related HNSCC. Pubmed search terms "HPV" and "HNSCC" were used to identify 34 studies since 1980. We obtained pooled adjusted odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) using random or fixed-effects model and compared OS depicted in forest plot. A total of 5681 patients were included. The prevalence of HPV+ tumors was 22%, with 86.7% of HPV16+ genotype. The OR for HNSCC in HPV16+ patients was 4.44 (95% CI = 2.87-6.02). HPV status was associated with p16 expression (adj OR = 3.00; 0.90-9.70), and HPV+ tumors were less likely to harbor p53 mutations (adj OR = 0.21; 0.04-0.38). The HR for death in HPV+ patients was 0.42 (0.27-0.57). HPV+ HNSCC also had a better response to therapy. HPV+ HNSCC are established as a separate biologic entity. Prospective trials are needed to establish the optimal therapy for HPV+ HNSCC.
''Acid-in-chain'' versus ''base-in-chain'' anionic polymer electrolytes for electrochemical devices

Abstract We extend an earlier study of high conducting polyanionic (single ion conducting) electrolytes, obtained by Lewis acid plasticization of polyanions in which the in-chain anions are Lewis base in character, to the inverse case in which the Lewis acid is incorporated in the chain. The Lewis acid groups in the chain are spaced by polyethylene oxide segments of variable length. Such “Acid-in-chain” polymers are then turned into polyanions by reaction with a Lewis base anion, leaving the counter cation free to conduct. Depending on the Lewis base strength of the added anion, this type of system can range from strictly polyanionic to weakly anion trapping in nature. Conductivities in the range of 10 −5 –10 −4 S/cm have been obtained. In the case of short interanionic spacers, high conductivities at T g have been observed, implying that the conducting modes are decoupled from the segmental modes and that the conductivity is therefore superionic glass-like in nature and presumably unicationic. Such polymers may serve alone as solid-state electrolytes, or as the polymer component for polymer-in-salt ionic rubber electrolytes.
Structure of the 70 S ribosome: implications for movement.

The ribosome is a complex molecular machine, with moving parts, many of which are structural elements of rRNA. We compared the X-ray crystal structures of three different functional states of the 30 S ribosomal subunit - two from crystal structures of the isolated 30 S subunit from the Ramakrishnan group and one from a complex of the 70 S ribosome. Even though all three structures are in what could be called the ‘ground state’ of the subunit, many conformational differences are found, distributed over the whole structure. A striking example is the undulating movement of the penultimate stem of 16S rRNA, which forms several intersubunit bridges with the 50 S subunit.
Brave Old Spaniards and Indolent Mexicans: J. Ross Browne, Harper's New Monthly Magazine, and the Social Construction of Off-Whiteness in the 1860s

The purpose of this article is to examine J. Ross Browne's construction of racial identity in the territories acquired by the United States after its war with Mexico in 1846–1848. The intent is to reveal the interaction between a journalist's social identity and his construction of the social reality of race relations by examining the most widely circulated works, personal trajectory, surrounding cultural influences, and private correspondence by Browne, one of the earliest Anglo journalists to chronicle American development of the Mexican Borderlands based on firsthand experience. The research method was cultural contrapuntal reading, which employs a combination of Marion Marzolf's content assessment and Edward Said's contrapuntal reading. Browne cast Spanish California elites as bringers of European progress and helpers to the Anglo American government and business leaders, Mexican peons as a cheap labor force for mining interests, and Spanish ladies and mixed-race temptresses as objects of desire.
Preparation of pH sensors by covalent linkage of dye molecules to the surface of polystyrene optical fibers

Functional Bromothymol Blue dyes containing amino groups in position 3 have been immobilized on the surface of chlorosulfonated polystyrene fibers and characterized by ESCA. Upon laser irradiation, a modified fiber has been used as an antenna fiber in a twisted pair of plastic optical fibers immersed in aqueous solutions having various pH. The light transmitted to the receiving fiber depends on pH values. This device can be used as a pH sensor.
The penrose transform and the topology of certain algebraic varieties

We study the multivaluedness of functions obtained via the Penrose transform. We show that the monodromy group of the Penrose transform of a meromorphic function with an irreducible pole variety is the full symmetric group.
Reaction of bromide with bromate in thin-film water.

Thin-film water is ubiquitous in nature, occurring on virtually all surfaces exposed to the ambient environment. In particular, alkali halide salts below their deliquescence point are expected to b...
Multiple Auto-Adapting Color Balancing for Large Number of Images

Abstract. This paper presents a powerful technology of color balance between images. It does not only work for small number of images but also work for unlimited large number of images. Multiple adaptive methods are used. To obtain color seamless mosaic dataset, local color is adjusted adaptively towards the target color. Local statistics of the source images are computed based on the so-called adaptive dodging window. The adaptive target colors are statistically computed according to multiple target models. The gamma function is derived from the adaptive target and the adaptive source local stats. It is applied to the source images to obtain the color balanced output images. Five target color surface models are proposed. They are color point (or single color), color grid, 1st, 2nd and 3rd 2D polynomials. Least Square Fitting is used to obtain the polynomial target color surfaces. Target color surfaces are automatically computed based on all source images or based on an external target image. Some special objects such as water and snow are filtered by percentage cut or a given mask. Excellent results are achieved. The performance is extremely fast to support on-the-fly color balancing for large number of images (possible of hundreds of thousands images). Detailed algorithm and formulae are described. Rich examples including big mosaic datasets (e.g., contains 36,006 images) are given. Excellent results and performance are presented. The results show that this technology can be successfully used in various imagery to obtain color seamless mosaic. This algorithm has been successfully using in ESRI ArcGis.
The Economics of Entropy: Reply to Stehle

I welcome the opportunity to respond to Mr. Stehle's comments. His remarks illustrate quite nicely the methodological blinders of neoclassi? cal theory as well as the intellectual arrogance of its adherents. In support of his argument that private institutions are less suscepti? ble to mismanagement than public ones, Stehle cites several empirical studies. [Crain and Zardkoohi, pp. 395-408; Davies, pp. 149-65] In fact, these studies are comparisons of publicly regulated versus publicly owned utilities and cannot be used to argue for the relative efficiency of the "market alternative." Most of the Chicago School comparisons of private versus public enterprises are in reality comparisons of publicly regulated versus publicly owned corporations. [De Alessi, pp. 645-53; Clarkson, pp. 263-384] Even in this restricted comparison many studies have yielded results favoring government ownership. [Meyer, pp. 391 99; Mann and Mikesell] Regarding resources in situ, Stehle remarks that "marginal costs of production determine only how much can be produced for a given level of demand." Stehle fails to see that this is exactly the problem. Among the "simplest of neoclassical propositions" is the notion of market fail? ure. The market cannot take into account information which it does not have. In the case of non-renewable resources the marginal cost is lower than the social optimum, so more than the socially optimum amount is extracted. Simply put, the market cannot see far enough ahead when it comes to exhaustible resources. Regarding this point, Stehle expresses a faith in the futures market that borders on the incredible. He asserts that "correct predictions that future generations will be willing to out-bid present generations, will generate profits for these speculators." A generation is usually taken to mean 20 years. Does Stehle really mean to say that the futures market correctly allocates resources 20, 40 or 60 years hence? This leads us to the central misconception in Stehle's remarks, a mis? conception that separates neoclassical analysis from non-standard approaches in general. This is the failure to appreciate the element of Knightian uncertainty. Stehle blithely asserts that "wealthier future generations will choose to spend more to lower the risks of exposure to
Contributions of Mixed Physics versus Perturbed Initial/Lateral Boundary Conditions to Ensemble-Based Precipitation Forecast Skill

Abstract An experiment is described that is designed to examine the contributions of model, initial condition (IC), and lateral boundary condition (LBC) errors to the spread and skill of precipitation forecasts from two regional eight-member 15-km grid-spacing Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) ensembles covering a 1575 km × 1800 km domain. It is widely recognized that a skillful ensemble [i.e., an ensemble with a probability distribution function (PDF) that generates forecast probabilities with high resolution and reliability] should account for both error sources. Previous work suggests that model errors make a larger contribution than IC and LBC errors to forecast uncertainty in the short range before synoptic-scale error growth becomes nonlinear. However, in a regional model with unperturbed LBCs, the infiltration of the lateral boundaries will negate increasing spread. To obtain a better understanding of the contributions to the forecast errors in precipitation and to examine the window of foreca...
S8-1 Pathophysiological changes in hyrogen sulfide homeostasis during diabetic complications

We have previously shown that H2S, as a reducing agent and an antioxidant molecule, exerts protective effects against hyperglycemic stress in the vascular endothelium. The mitochondrial enzyme 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST) is an important source of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in endothelial cells. We have recently demonstrated that 3-MST activity is inhibited by oxidative stress in vitro and speculated that this may have adverse effect on cellular homeostasis. Given the importance of H2S as a vasorelaxant, angiogenesis stimulator and positive bioenergetic factor, here we tested whether a dysfunction of the 3-MST/H2S system develops in hyperglycemia/diabetes and studied its contribution to the development of diabetes-associated vascular complications. 3-mercaptopyruvate (3-MP, the substrate of 3-MST) displayed many characteristics of a H2S donor. Intraperitoneal 3-MP (1 mg/kg) raised plasma H2S levels in rats. 3-MP induced angiogenesis in vitro (10–1000 μM; bEnd3 cells) and in vivo (0.3–1 mg/kg; matrigel assay in mice). 3-MP also facilitated wound healing in rats, induced the relaxation of dermal microvessels and increased the bioenergetic function of mitochondria. In vitro hyperglycemia or in vivo streptozotocin diabetes resulted in endothelial dysfunction mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired angiogenesis and reduced wound healing and was associated with a suppression of the vasodilatory, pro-angiogenic, wound-healing stimulating and bioenergetic effects of 3-MP. Systemic treatment with the lipoic acid restored the effect of 3-MP in diabetes, improving endothelial function, cellular bioenergetics and wound healing. We conclude that diabetes is associated with an impairment of the 3-MST/H2S pathway, and speculate that this may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications.
Effectiveness of a School-Based Substance Abuse Prevention Program

A grade five through eight substance abuse prevention program, later incorporated into the Michigan Model for Comprehensive School Health Education, was developed, implemented, and evaluated. Results focus on students who received seven lessons on alcohol in grade six, and eight lessons on tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine in grade seven taught by their regular classroom teachers (after a 6-hour training in the social pressures resistance skills curriculum). Students (N = 442) received either two years of the program or none, and completed individually-coded questionnaires. Repeated measures analysis of variance resulted in significant treatment by occasion interactions on the use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs, as well as on knowledge. At the end of grade seven, program students' rates of substance use had increased significantly less and knowledge of alcohol pressures, effects, and skills to resist had increased significantly more than those of comparison students.
The molecular chaperone Ssb from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a component of the ribosome–nascent chain complex

The 70 kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp70s) are a ubiquitous class of molecular chaperones. The Ssbs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are an abundant type of Hsp70 found associated with translating ribosomes. To understand better the function of Ssb in association with ribosomes, the Ssb-ribosome interaction was characterized. Incorporation of the aminoacyl-tRNA analog puromycin by translating ribosomes caused the release of Ssb concomitant with the release of nascent chains. In addition, Ssb could be cross-linked to nascent chains containing a modified lysine residue with a photoactivatable cross-linker. Together, these results suggest an interaction of Ssb with the nascent chain. The interaction of Ssb with the ribosome-nascent chain complex was stable, as demonstrated by resistance to treatment with high salt; however, Ssb interaction with the ribosome in the absence of nascent chain was salt sensitive. We propose that Ssb is a core component of the translating ribosome which interacts with both the nascent polypeptide chain and the ribosome. These interactions allow Ssb to function as a chaperone on the ribosome, preventing the misfolding of newly synthesized proteins.
Sojourn Times and Asymptotic Properties of the Scattering Matrix

and their inverses exist and are, therefore, unitary operators from H to H intertwing U and ^LZ0. the scattering operator is S=W (W~)", and it intertwines ^L£0 with itself. Now in the cases of interest for scattering theory HQ has a uniform continuous spectrum. This means there exists a Hilbert space K and an isomorphism of Hilbert spaces p:H-+L(R,K) such that p^lX^t) p~ is the operator "multiplication by e" for (7EE.R. Since S commutes with ^o? pSp~* commutes with multiplication by e for all t, and must then necessarily be of the form "multiplication by *S(0")" where S(fi^):IC—>K is for each ff^R a unitary operator. The subject of this talk will be the asymptotic behavior of 5((T) for large values of (T. Our purpose will be to examine this asymptotic behavior in special cases and attempt to discern some general pattern.
Phenotypic analysis of Arabidopsis mutants: Bacterial pathogens

The most commonly used bacterial pathogen of Arabidopsis is Pseudomonas syringae, pathovar tomato strain DC3000 or pathovar maculicola strain ES4326. Plants used for infection with P. syringae should be grown on a short-day light cycle, so that they develop large leaves. For consistent results, it is important that the plants are watered well and do not experience any abiotic stresses. The plants should be grown and tested in a temperature- and humidity-controlled growth chamber, because the extent of bacterial growth is highly dependent on both factors. Gene-for-gene resistance to P. syringae is usually accompanied by the hypersensitive response (HR), a form of localized cell death that occurs in response to pathogen challenge. P. syringae strains carrying one of the avirulence genes avrRpt2, avrRpm1, avrB, avrPphB, and avrRps4 trigger the HR in wild-type Columbia. Other ecotypes may lack one or more of the R genes needed for recognition of these avirulence genes. Bacterial growth can be monitored by grinding up infected tissue, plating serial dilutions on King's B medium, and counting colonies. This protocol describes methods for preparing bacterial cultures, inoculating plants, testing the HR, and assessing bacterial growth.
Collisional Activation of (14Pro+2H) 2+ Clusters: Chiral Dependence of Evaporation and Fission Processes

Ion mobility/mass spectrometry techniques are used to investigate the dissociation of the small proline cluster [14Pro+2H]2+ produced by electrospray ionization. While this cluster is known to prefer heterochiral compositions (i.e., mixed l- and d-compositions, J. Phys. Chem. A, submitted for publication), it is possible to produce homochiral forms by electrospraying solutions containing only l- or d-proline. Differences in the measured cross sections for [14Pro+2H]2+ produced from enantiomerically pure (100% l or 100% d) or racemic (50:50 l/d) solutions indicate that homochiral and heterochiral clusters have different structures. Upon low-energy collisional activation, both the heterochiral and homochiral doubly charged structures evaporate neutral proline monomers, resulting in the formation of [xPro+2H]2+ ions (where x = 9–13). At higher activation energies, there is evidence that these smaller clusters (primarily [10Pro+2H]2+) fission to produce [xPro+H]+ (where x = 1–6). Analysis of product ion inten...
Changing role of stem cell transplantation in follicular lymphoma

Patients with advanced follicular lymphoma (FL) have numerous treatment options, including observation, radiotherapy, single-agent or combination chemotherapy, mAbs, and radioimmunoconjugates. These therapies can extend progression-free survival but none can provide a cure. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) remains the only curable therapy for FL, with the field shifting more toward the use of reduced-intensity conditioning regimens because of the lower associated nonrelapse mortality compared with myeloablative regimens. However, GVHD and infection are still problematic in the allo-HSCT population. Autologous HSCT (auto-HSCT) confers high response rates and prolongs progression-free survival in relapsed patients who are chemosensitive, and an increasing amount of data suggest that auto-HSCT may be curative if offered to relapsed patients who are not heavily pretreated. Auto-HSCT has no role as consolidation therapy for patients in first remission based on the results from 3 large randomized trials. Novel conditioning regimens with radioimmunoconjugates have been used in both auto-HSCT and allo-HSCT regimens and results have shown efficacy even in chemorefractory patients. Therefore, with the exception of patients in first remission, the optimal timing for HSCT remains controversial. However, the outcomes seen after auto-HSCT and allo-HSCT continue to improve, and HSCT represents a treatment modality that should be considered in all FL patients, especially while their disease remains chemoresponsive.
Simultaneous occurrence of phase conjugation and pulse shortening in stimulated scattering in liquid crystal mesophases

We have observed for the first time simultaneous occurrence of phase conjugation and pulse shortening in stimulated back scattering of nanosecond laser pulses from thin film of smectic and nematic liquid crystals, and from thick samples of isotropic cholesterics. Aberration correction capability and high compression ratio are obtained.