cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automethylation activities within the Mixed Lineage Leukemia-1 (MLL1) core complex reveal evidence supporting a "two-active site" model for multiple histone H3 lysine 4 methylation

The mixed lineage leukemia-1 (MLL1) core complex predominantly catalyzes mono- and dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4) and is frequently altered in aggressive acute leukemias. The molecular mechanisms that account for conversion of mono- to dimethyl H3K4 (H3K4me1,2) are not well understood. In this investigation, we report that the suppressor of variegation, enhancer of zeste, trithorax (SET) domains from human MLL1 and Drosophila Trithorax undergo robust intramolecular automethylation reactions at an evolutionarily conserved cysteine residue in the active site, which is inhibited by unmodified histone H3. The location of the automethylation in the SET-I subdomain indicates that the MLL1 SET domain possesses significantly more conformational plasticity in solution than suggested by its crystal structure. We also report that MLL1 methylates Ash2L in the absence of histone H3, but only when assembled within a complex with WDR5 and RbBP5, suggesting a restraint for the architectural arrangement of subunits within the complex. Using MLL1 and Ash2L automethylation reactions as probes for histone binding, we observed that both automethylation reactions are significantly inhibited by stoichiometric amounts of unmethylated histone H3, but not by histones previously mono-, di-, or trimethylated at H3K4. These results suggest that the H3K4me1 intermediate does not significantly bind to the MLL1 SET domain during the dimethylation reaction. Consistent with this hypothesis, we demonstrate that the MLL1 core complex assembled with a catalytically inactive SET domain variant preferentially catalyzes H3K4 dimethylation using the H3K4me1 substrate. Taken together, these results are consistent with a "two-active site" model for multiple H3K4 methylation by the MLL1 core complex.
Fabrication and dielectric property of ferroelectric PLZT films grown on metal foils

Abstract We have grown ferroelectric Pb0.92La0.08Zr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PLZT) films on platinized silicon and LaNiO3-buffered nickel substrates by chemical solution deposition using a sol–gel process based on acetic acid chemistry. The following measurements were obtained under zero-bias field: relative permittivity of ≈960 and dielectric loss of ≈0.04 on the PLZT film grown on Pt/Si substrates, and relative permittivity of ≈820 and dielectric loss of ≈0.06 on the PLZT film grown on LNO-buffered Ni substrates. In addition, a relative permittivity of 125 and dielectric loss of 0.02 were measured at room temperature under a high bias field of 1 × 106 V/cm on PLZT deposited on LNO-buffered nickel substrate. Furthermore, a steady-state leakage current density of ≈8.1 × 10−9 A/cm2 and mean breakdown field strength of 1.7 × 106 V/cm were measured at room temperature. Finally, remanent polarization (Pr) of ≈2.0 × 10−5 C/cm2, coercive electric field (Ec) of ≈3.4 × 104 V/cm, and energy density of ≈45 J/cm3 were determined from room-temperature hysteresis loop measurements on PLZT/LNO/Ni film-on-foil capacitors with 250-μm-diameter platinum top electrodes.
The Cat: Some Behaviors to Investigate.

(1988). The Cat: Some Behaviors to Investigate. Science Activities: Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 28-31.
Minor nutrients are critical for the improved growth of Corylus avellana shoot cultures

Many hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars fail to thrive in vitro on standard growth medium and the reasons for poor growth are not well understood. Our initial study of five C. avellana cultivars showed that changes in the mineral nutrients of Driver and Kuniyuki walnut (DKW) medium, including doubling the minor nutrients, produced improved growth and shoot quality. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of the individual minor mineral nutrients from DKW medium and if added nickel was required for optimal growth. Five factors were tested at 0.5 × to 4× DKW medium concentrations, [H3BO3, CuSO4·5H2O, MnSO4·H2O, Na2MoO4·2H2O and Zn(NO3)2·6H20], in a response surface design with 39 treatment combinations. Ni was not present in the DKW medium formulation so NiSO4·6H2O was varied from 0 to 6 µM. There were many significant interactions among the minor nutrients. Higher concentrations (4×) of B, Mo, and Zn increased overall shoot quality, length, and multiplication. Increased Mo improved some responses for each cultivar, and it interacted significantly with Cu and Zn. The addition of Ni greatly improved the shoot quality and length of ‘Sacajawea.’ Ni interactions were significant for the other cultivars as well, and altered the requirements for the other minor nutrients, but did not necessarily improve the overall shoot response. Improved growth and shoot quality for most cultivars required increased amounts of B, Mo, and Zn and less Mn and Cu. ‘Sacajawea’ required increased B, Cu, Zn, and Ni. All of the cultivars required minor nutrient formulations that differed greatly from DKW medium or other published minor nutrient formulations.
Planned postradiotherapy neck dissection in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Background Metastatic neck nodes in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck are most commonly managed by surgery, radiotherapy, or combined-modality therapy. For combined-modality cases, the sequencing of surgery and radiotherapy is generally guided by which modality is considered preferable for treatment of the primary tumor. A postradiotherapy neck dissection is often considered for those patients with >N1 disease in which the primary is treated with radiotherapy alone. Methods Between February 1991 and October 1995, 25 patients with node-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with planned unilateral (n = 22) or bilateral (n = 3) neck dissection following high-dose radiotherapy. The primary tumor sites included: tongue base (n = 11), tonsil (n = 6), nasopharynx (n = 3), pyriform sinus (n = 2), supraglottic larynx, (n = 1), soft palate (n = 1), and unknown head and neck primary (n = 1). The specific nodal stage breakdown of the 28 individual neck dissections (25 patients) was N1 (n = 1), N2A (n = 5), N2B (n = 15), N3 (n = 7). Results Nineteen of the 28 neck dissections (68%) demonstrated no evidence of residual carcinoma. Of the nine positive neck dissections, six revealed malignant cells in a single nodal echelon. The 1- and 2-year rate of neck control in all 25 patients was 100% and 93%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year disease-specific survival for all 25 patients was 83% and 60%, respectively. With a minimum follow-up of 2 years, 64% of the 25 patients remain alive with no evidence of disease or dead of non-cancer causes. Conclusion In this series of postradiotherapy neck dissections, two thirds of the dissections demonstrated no evidence of residual tumor (19/28, or 68%). However, there was not a direct correlation between pretreatment nodal size (neck staging), radiation dose delivered, and the likelihood of achieving a cancer-free neck dissection. Only one of 28 postradiotherapy neck dissections identified tumor outside of nodal stations II–IV. The predictable pattern of residual disease in pathologically positive cases suggests that a selective neck dissection encompassing levels II–IV may be appropriate in a majority of patients. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck20: 132–137, 1998.
Information flow control for stream processing in clouds

In the near future, clouds will provide situational monitoring services using streaming data. Examples of such services include health monitoring, stock market monitoring, shopping cart monitoring, and emergency control and threat management. Offering such services require securely processing data streams generated by multiple, possibly competing and/or complementing, organizations. Processing of data streams also should not cause any overt or covert leakage of information across organizations. We propose an information flow control model adapted from the Chinese Wall policy that can be used to protect against sensitive data disclosure. We propose architectures that are suitable for securely and efficiently processing streaming information belonging to different organizations. We discuss how performance can be further improved by sharing the processing of multiple queries. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach by implementing a prototype of our system and show the overhead incurred due to the information flow constraints.
The Value of Comparisons in Street Gang Research

This article calls for greater attention to the use of comparative studies in street gang research. Five examples of good but noncomparative studies are reviewed to make the case. Then, a number of...
Design of a Pulsatile Flow Facility to Evaluate Thrombogenic Potential of Implantable Cardiac Devices

Due to expensive nature of clinical trials, implantable cardiac devices should first be extensively characterized in vitro. Prosthetic heart valves (PHVs), an important class of these devices, have been shown to be associated with thromboembolic complications. Although various in vitro systems have been designed to quantify blood-cell damage and platelet activation caused by nonphysiological hemodynamic shear stresses in these PHVs, very few systems attempt to characterize both blood damage and fluid dynamics aspects of PHVs in the same test system. Various numerical modeling methodologies are also evolving to simulate the structural mechanics, fluid mechanics, and blood damage aspects of these devices. This article presents a completely hemocompatible small-volume test-platform that can be used for thrombogenicity studies and experimental fluid mechanics characterization. Using a programmable piston pump to drive freshly drawn human blood inside a cylindrical column, the presented system can simulate various physiological and pathophysiological conditions in testing PHVs. The system includes a modular device-mounting chamber, and in this presented case, a 23 mm St. Jude Medical (SJM) Regents® mechanical heart valve (MHV) in aortic position was used as the test device. The system was validated for its capability to quantify blood damage by measuring blood damage induced by the tester itself (using freshly drawn whole human blood). Blood damage levels were ascertained through clinically relevant assays on human blood while fluid dynamics were characterized using time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) using a blood-mimicking fluid. Blood damage induced by the tester itself, assessed through Thrombin-anti-Thrombin (TAT), Prothrombin factor 1.2 (PF1.2), and hemolysis (Drabkins assay), was within clinically accepted levels. The hydrodynamic performance of the tester showed consistent, repeatable physiological pressure and flow conditions. In addition, the system contains proximity sensors to accurately capture leaflet motion during the entire cardiac cycle. The PIV results showed skewing of the leakage jet, caused by the asymmetric closing of the two leaflets. All these results are critical to characterizing the blood damage and fluid dynamics characteristics of the SJM Regents® MHV, proving the utility of this tester as a precise system for assessing the hemodynamics and thrombogenicity for various PHVs.
BOUNDARY CONTROL OF VIBRATION AND NOISE IN DISTRIBUTED PARAMETER SYSTEMS: AN OVERVIEW

Abstract In this paper, we present a technical overview of the design and analysis of active boundary controllers for distributed parameter (vibration and noise) systems. This presentation is done in the context of Lyapunov control design and stability analysis tools, which are commonly applied to non-linear finite dimensional systems. The main purpose of this presentation is to shed more light on this powerful control design philosophy for distributed parameter systems. The Lyapunov-based boundary control framework will be illustrated through three example systems—the transverse vibrating string, the acoustic noise duct, and the flexible rotor—each with an increasing level of complexity. To complement the theoretical content of the paper, the experimental implementation of the flexible rotor controller is also presented.
Comparative toxicities of five insecticides to the earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris

Abstract Earth worms ( Lumbricus terrestris ) were exposed under laboratory conditions to aldrin, endrin, DDE, parathion and carbaryl in seven different concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 150 μg/g of bedding. Results showed that earthworms were able to tolerate doses of up to 14 μg/g of bedding.without significant mortalities. However, some behavioral and physical symptoms such as “withdrawal responses” and discoloration of the skin were noted in animals where non-lethal dosages were employed. Aldrin and endrin gave an LD 50 of approximately 45 μg/g, DDE gave an LD 50 of 46 μg/g, parathion showed an LD 50 of 34 μg/g and carbaryl which gave an LD 50 of 28 μg/g showed the most lethal effect of all insecticides tested.
A Textbook and Other Resources for Teaching Challenge-Based Biotransport

An important outcome of the VaNTH ERC for Bioengineering Education Technologies is direct evidence of the effectiveness of challenge-based learning. This is a form of active learning that is based on the principle that the most effective learning environment is not only knowledge-centered, but is also learner-centered, assessment-centered and community-centered. Challenges presented in such a learning environment are most effective when they are based on real life applications that are of interest to the learner, but require the learner to extend his/her knowledge base before the challenge can be solved. By design, some of the necessary knowledge is gained outside the classroom and some is gleaned by student activities conducted inside the classroom. An objection to the use of active learning raised by some instructors is that less material can be covered in the classroom than in a traditional lecture-based course. Although this is true, it is not true that less material can be covered in an active learning course than in a lecture-only course. Instead, concepts that are easy to grasp can be moved to out-of-class activities, allowing more in-class time for the more difficult concepts. We have developed resources that can assist instructors of biotransport to begin adopting the challenge-based approach.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH): episodic evolution of a "neutral" protein.

We investigated the evolution of xanthine dehydrogenase (Xdh) in 34 species from the three multicellular kingdoms, including one plant, two fungi, and three animal phyla, two classes of vertebrates, four orders of mammals, and two orders of insects. We adopted a model-based maximum-likelihood framework of inference. After accounting for among-site rate variation and heterogeneous nucleotide composition of the sequences using the discrete gamma distribution, and using nonhomogeneous nonstationary representations of the substitution process, the rate of amino acid replacement is 30.4 × 10−10/site/year when Drosophila species are compared but only ≈18 × 10−10/site/year when comparisons are made between mammal orders, between insect orders, or between different animal phyla and ≈11 × 10−10/site/year when comparisons are made between birds and mammals, between fungi, or between the three multicellular kingdoms. To account for these observations, the rate of amino acid replacement must have been eight or more times higher in some lineages and at some times than in others. Spastic evolution of Xdh appears to be related to the particularities of the genomes in which the locus is embedded.
A coasting cosmology

A Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology with energy density decreasing in expansion as 1/R-squared, where R is the Robertson-Walker scale factor, is studied. In such a model the universe expands with constant velocity; hence the term coasting cosmology. Observational consequences of such a model include the age of the universe, the luminosity distance-redshift relation (the Hubble diagram), the angular diameter distance-redshift relation, and the galaxy number count as a function of redshift. These observations are used to limit the parameters of the model. Among the interesting consequences of the model are the possibility of an ever-expanding closed universe, a model universe with multiple images at different redshifts of the same object, a universe with Omega - 1 not equal to 0 stable in expansion, and a closed universe with radius smaller than 1/H(0).
Gas Scintillation Drift Chambers with Wave Shifter Read-Out for Hard X-Ray Astronomy

A major improvement in hard X-ray and gamma ray astrophysics could be provided by high pressure xenon time projection chambers where gas scintillation is used both for the measurement of the time of interaction and for the detection of the extracted electrons. This allows three dimensional imaging of naturally complex events (photoelectric interaction with escape photon, Compton scatter, and pair production). We propose a novel read-out system based on wave shifter fibers which is well suited to the high pressures and large areas required of a hard X-ray telescope. We compute expected performances, outline potential problems and describe our experimental effort to solve these problems.
Cyclopentenone prostaglandins PGA2 and 15 -deoxy -Δ12,14 PGJ2 suppress activation of murine microglia and astrocytes : Implications for multiple sclerosis

The cyclopentenone prostaglandin (cPG) 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ(2) (15d-PGJ(2)) has been identified as a potent antiinflammatory agent that is able to inhibit the activation of macrophages and microglia. Additionally, 15d-PGJ(2) is able to ameliorate the clinical manifestations of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Many biological effects of 15d-PGJ(2) have been attributed to the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma). PGA(2), like 15d-PGJ(2), is a cPG. The aim of this study is to compare the relative effectiveness of these two cPGs in inhibiting the inflammatory response of mouse microglia and astrocytes, two cell types that upon activation may contribute to the pathology of EAE and MS. Purified primary mouse microglia and astrocytes were treated with either 15d-PGJ(2) or PGA(2) and then stimulated with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or a combination of interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. The results show that 15d-PGJ(2) and PGA(2) both potently inhibited the production of nitrite, as well as proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, from microglia and astrocytes. Generally, regulation of NO production was more sensitive to 15d-PGJ(2), however, cytokine and chemokine production was more sensitive to PGA(2) treatment. These results demonstrate for the first time that PGA(2) is a potent antiinflammatory mediator.
Evaluation of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee using T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging

Objective. To determine the accuracy of T2*-weighted three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging in the identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee. Design and patients. A retrospective evaluation of 80 patients who underwent both arthroscopic and MRI evaluation was performed. The 3D images were interpreted by one observer without knowledge of the surgical results. The medial and lateral femoral condyles, the medial and lateral tibial plateau, the patellar cartilage and trochlear groove were evaluated. MR cartilage images were considered positive if focal reduction of cartilage thickness was present (grade 3 chondromalacia) or if complete loss of cartilage was present (grade 4 chondromalacia). Comparison of the 3D MR results with the arthroscopic findings was performed. Results. Eighty patients were included in the study group. A total of 480 articular cartilage sites were evaluated with MRI and arthroscopy. Results of MR identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia, all sites combined, were: sensitivity 83%, specificity 97%, false negative rate 17%, false positive rate 3%, positive predictive value 87%, negative predictive value 95%, overall accuracy 93%. Conclusion. The results demonstrate that T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging can identify grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee.
Tissue-specific and dexamethasone-inducible expression of alkaline phosphatase from alternative promoters of the rat bone/liver/kidney/placenta gene.

Abstract The rat Bone/Liver/Kidney/Placenta Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) is transcribed from two alternative promoters spaced over 25 kb apart, resulting in two variant transcripts that are identical in their coding sequence. We investigated the steady-state levels of the two variant transcripts in various rat tissues and cell lines using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification for RNA phenotyping, RNase protection, and northern blot analysis. Our results demonstrate that ALP transcripts from the upstream promoter are preferentially expressed in calvariae, and are almost exclusively expressed in ROS17 2.8 osteogenic sarcoma cells. In contrast, the downstream promoter is preferentially expressed in kidney. Moreover, the increase in ALP activity and mRNA levels following dexamethasone treatment of ROS17 2.8 cells is correlated with an increase in the level of transcripts from the upstream promoter. Thus, the two alternative promoters of the rat BLKP ALP gene are involved in cell-specific and dexamethasone-inducible regulation of its expression.
Clinical experience with a new multiprogrammable dual chamber pacemaker.

We evaluated the clinical performance of a new dual chamber pacemaker, ELA Chorus(tm), in 35 patients. This device incorporates linear rate adaptive AV delay (AVDR), rate smoothing, fallback, impedance telemetry, pacemaker mediated tachycardia (PMT) recognition and reprogramming software, intracardiac electrogram displays, aufothreshold testing, diagnostic data, battery depletion curves, and laptop computer programming. Mean patient age was 68 years; 18 patients had AV block, six had sinus node dysfunction (one with AV block), nine had carotid sinus hypersensitivity (three with AV block), and two had vagally mediated syncope. At hospital discharge, programming was DDD with a mean low rate of 60 (50–70) beats/min, mean high rate of 126 (120–154) beats/mm; AVDR was ON in 21 patients, rate smoothing ON in six patients, fallback ON in six patients, and PMT reprogramming algorithm ON in 27 patients, Pacemaker follow-up involved 500 clinic visits over 14.3 months (1–36). Three patients developed atrial fibrillation, reprogrammed to DDI mode (two patients) or fallback (one patient). Fallback was used 617 times. PMT occurred 427 times in six patients; the PMT algorithm reprogrammed AV delay and postventricular atrial refractory period (PVARPJ automatically, a function unique to the Chorus(tm). Intracardiac electrograms and autothreshold testing improved follow-up efficiency. This new dual chamber pacemaker enhances programming flexibility and improves diagnostic accuracy at follow-up.
Response to Vera and Simon's Situated Action: A Symbolic Interpretation

Within the past 10 years, some new dialogues (or more accurately, multilogues) have opened up among researchers in psychology, anthropology, sociology, linguistics, philosophy, and computer science. Some of those who have participated in these discussions have done so from a position within the hybrid field of cognitive science: an enterprise dedicated to explicating those processes of perception and reasoning understood traditionally to go on inside the head. Others, like myself, have come to these discussions, instead, from fields dedicated to constructing accounts of relations among people, and between people and the historically and culturally constituted worlds that they inhabit together. The strategy of these latter investigations is to see what sense we can make of everyday activities if we view them as interactions between the acting person and those social and material circumstances in relation to which she or he acts. While assuming processes of perception and reasoning, the project for some of us has never claimed to be a cognitive one. Rather, we have found ourselves entering into discussion with colleagues in the cognitive sciences through force o f circumstance and through an interest in understanding what an alternative view of cognition, consistent with our own accounts, might be. I take it that the article by Vera and Simon (1993) is inspired by their sense of a need to respond to recent challenges from within cognitive science. In formulating their article as a response to these challenges, they have grouped together a diverse, often incommensurate set oi' positions under the label SA. Within my own field of anthropology, they choose to take up my arguments and those of my colleague, Jean Lave (1988). Whereas Lave and I have each been engaged in quite different enterprises, drawing on different developments in the social sceinces (she on cultural analyses informed by Critical Theory, I on ethnomethodology), we have certainly also been inspired by each other and have been engaged in a lively and enriching
A Mini-Invasive Approach to Severe Neurogenic Bladder as an Alternative to Diversion and Augmentation with Reimplantation in Selected Children

Purpose In the past years we demonstrated as combined endoscopic injection of botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) and dextranomer/hyaluronic acid (DHA) could be effective in the management of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NBD) not responding to clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) and anticholinergics. When patients or caregivers are unable to catheterize native urethra other options must be considered. We present our preliminary experience in the treatment of VUR and NBD in children, unabled to perform CIC, using a new combined mini-invasive approach. Material and Methods 3 patients with NBD and VUR enabled to perform CIC, aged from 5 to13 yrs (mean 8.5) were treated, after ethical and scientific committee approval, and written consent obtained. All patients presented severe urinary tract infections (UTI) and VUR was present in all renal units. VUR and NBD were evaluated with videourodynamics, pre and post-op. First suburetheral injection of DHA (0.5-1 ml/side) and bladder BTXA injections (10 IU/Kg, max 300 IU) were performed and then percutaneous cistostomy (Mic-Key gastrostomy) button was inserted according to original Subramaniam's technique, under endoscopic control. Results The mean operative time was 40 minutes.No complications were reported either intraoperative either at the follow-up (mean 5.5 months).UTI was solved in all, as well as VUR, but in one unit, where VUR decreased only (5° to 3°).All buttons are functioning and in situ. Buttons were changed every 3 months,and bladder drainage was found easy to perform in all.Urodynamics data (capacity, leak point pressure)improved in all. Conclusions Today the management of NBD is mainly conservative, but in selected cases surgery is required. However surgical procedure is not always related to an improvement of quality of life. For this reason button cistostomy endoscopic insertion associated to endoscopic treatment of VUR and NBD could be a valid alternative to derivation, augmentation and reimplantation in the short and medium- term period, in selected children.
Protection of sodium dodecyl sulfate-induced aggregation of concanavalin a by saccharide ligands

Concanavalin A is visibly aggregated by low concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate, maximum aggregation being obtained at pH 4.6. Other denaturants, such as urea, guanidine hydrochloride, Triton X-100, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, Tween 80, and Brij 35 are ineffective in promoting visible aggregation. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-induced aggregation of concanavalin A requires the presence of an intact, saccharide-ligand binding-site. Rapid and complete reversal of the detergent effect was achieved by use of saccharides which bind to the lectin. Such compounds as tryptophan and o-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside did not inhibit the aggregation of concanavalin A by sodium dodecyl sulfate, suggesting that the detergent does not bind the hydrophobic pocket on the surface of the protein. The results suggest that concanavalin A may have an additional, ligand-binding site which is metal-dependent and which can be modified by the addition of a saccharide ligand.
Therapeutic Options for Variant Renal Cancer: A True Orphan Disease

Variant or nonclear cell renal cell cancer is a rare disease constituting only ∼5% to 8% of the metastatic renal cell cancer population. Pathological criteria for the three main variant subtypes, papillary, chromophobe, and collecting duct, have been specified. Nonetheless, there may be subtypes within these variants, many poorly differentiated tumors cannot be reliably classified, and expertise in recognizing specific subtypes is not widespread. Expression analysis and other molecular techniques are beginning to clarify and standardize the pathological classification scheme. Because these classifications are relatively new and the number of patients with any one subtype is limited, little is known about appropriate therapies for patients with metastatic disease. Retrospective series strongly suggest that immunotherapy is not effective in any nonclear cell subtype. Case reports suggest that cytotoxic chemotherapy used for transitional cell cancers may be helpful in patients with collecting duct cancers. A central registry of patients with variant renal cell cancer should be created in which response to various therapies is recorded. Such a registry could provide support for a more formal multi-institutional study investigating a specific drug or regimen.
Exact tables of Spearman's footrule for N = 11(1)18 with estimate of convergence and errors for the normal approximation

Abstract Spearman's Footrule, D , is the sum of the absolute values of the differences between the ranks in two rankings of n objects. For the case of equally likely permutations, tables of the exact cumulative distribution function (c.d.f.) of D are given for 11 ⩽ n ⩽ 18. The maximum difference between the exact c.d.f. for D and the normal approximation is given as well as the maximum difference between the exact c.d.f. for D and the normal approximation with correction for continuity.
Freeze-dried hydrocarbon-utilizing yeasts for possible use in artificial seeding of oil spills

The possible use of freeze-dried cultures of 4 hydrocarbon-utilizing yeasts in artificial seeding of oil spills was evaluated. Life expectancy and rehydration were studied.
Effects of tertiary vs quaternary scopolamine on water and air drinking in rats

Nine thirsty rats were allowed to water-drink or air-drink for 1 h beginning 30 min after receiving injections of scopolamine hydrochloride, scopolamine methylnitrate, or physiological saline. Relative to performance under saline, both forms of scopolamine suppressed water and air drinking (p <.01). Scopolamine HCl suppressed water and air drinking more than did scopolamine methylnitrate (p <.05).
Hybrid tissue/enzyme biosensor for pectin

Abstract An amperometric biosensor for the determination of pectin was constructed by combining orange peel tissue as a pectinesterase source with a carbon paste alcohol electrode using alcohol oxidase. A slice of orange peel attached to the surface of the alcohol electrode deesterified pectin, the methanol generated by the reaction was monitored by the electrode. A linear response to pectin was observed in the concentration range of 0.1 to 0.9 g l −1 . No interference from other carbohydrates was observed.
Methods for physical separation and characterization of soil organic matter fractions

Turnover of soil organic matter (SOM) is coupled to the cycling of nutrients in soil through the activity of soil microorganisms. Biological availability of organic substrate in soil is related to the chemical quality of the organic material and to its degree of physical protection. SOM fractions can provide information on the turnover of organic matter (OM), provided the fractions can be related to functional or structural components in soil. Ultrasonication is commonly used to disrupt the soil structure prior to physical fractionation according to particle size, but may cause redistribution of OM among size fractions. The presence of mineral particles in size fractions can complicate estimations of OM turnover time within the fractions. Densiometric separation allows one to physically separate OM found within a specific size class from the heavier-density mineral particles. Nutrient contents and mineralization potential were determined for discrete size/density OM fractions isolated from within the macroaggregate structure of cultivated grassland soils. Eighteen percent of the total soil C and 25% of the total soil N in no-till soil was associated with fine-silt size particles having a density of 2.07-2.21 g/cm3 isolated from inside macroaggregates (enriched labile fraction or ELF). The amount of C and N sequestered in the ELF fraction decreased as the intensity of tillage increased. The specific rate of mineralization (mug net mineral N/mug total N in the fraction) for macroaggregate-derived ELF was not different for the three tillage treatments but was greater than for intact macroaggregates. The methods described here have improved our ability to quantitatively estimate SOM fractions, which in turn has increased our understanding of SOM dynamics in cultivated grassland systems.
Carcinoma of the vulva

Abstract Carcinoma of the vulva is best evaluated by a definite protocol investigating patient evaluation, therapy, and follow-up. The histologic type of the cancer, initial lesion size, and the presence or absence of regional lymph node metastasis proved to be important parameters in overall survival. The primary treatment is surgical and should be extensive enough to remove the lesion. Inoperable patients are those with bony metastasis or those with metastasis outside the pelvis. Survival in invasive cancer is 91.7% when the lesion is less than 3 cm in diameter and regional lymph nodes are negative. Overall survival is 65% in invasive lesions and 95% in intraepithelial cancer. Cosmetic and functional results are good. Lifetime follow-up is important with a continued search for second primary malignancy.
Microstructure and wear mechanisms in C/C composites

Abstract The micromechanisms of the failure and related wear processes in the two-dimensional (2D) randomly chopped and the three-dimensional (3D) non-woven carbon/carbon (C/C) composites with varying fiber type and matrix architecture have been studied by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy after the subscale brake dynamometer tests. The instrumented indentation technique (nanoindentation) was used to characterize the localized mechanical properties. The presented wear model incorporates the formation and propagation of the microcracks within the C/C composites with different matrices and fiber types. Intensive cracking occurred within the highly anisotropic pyrolitic carbon and less frequent cracking was detected in the medium textured carbons on layer/layer levels. The varying mechanical properties (modulus of elasticity) of carbon fiber do not have a significant effect on the micromechanisms of the crack formation and wear. The fracture tip deviates at the fiber/matrix interface in the 2D C/C composite. However, in the 3D C/C composite, the deviation of the advancing crack occurred dominantly within CVI carbon. The crack deflection along the columnar grain boundaries and the crack bridging was observed. Since the frequency of the crack deviation within CVI is very high, an increase in the fracture toughness was detected for 3D samples. As a result of the different wear mechanisms, different friction layers were formed on the friction surface of 2D and 3D samples. It is possible to optimize the frictional performance of the C/C composites by controlling the microstructure.
Apical membrane segregation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate influences parathyroid hormone 1 receptor compartmental signaling and localization via direct regulation of ezrin in LLC-PK1 cells

The parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R), a primary regulator of mineral ion homeostasis, is expressed on both the apical and basolateral membranes of kidney proximal tubules and in the LLC-PK1 kidney cell line. In LLC-PK1 cells, apical PTH1R subpopulations are far more effective at signaling via phospholipase (PLC) than basolateral counterparts, revealing the presence of compartmental signaling. Apical PTH1R localization is dependent upon direct interactions with ezrin, an actin-membrane cross-linking scaffold protein. Ezrin undergoes an activation process that is dependent upon phosphorylation and binding to phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), a lipid that is selectively concentrated to apical surfaces of polarized epithelia. Consistently, the intracellular probe for PIP2, GFP-PLCδ1-PH, localizes to the apical membranes of LLC-PK1 cells, directly overlapping ezrin and PTH1R expression. Activation of the apical PTH1R shifts the GFP-PLCδ1-PH probe from the apical membrane to the cytosol and basolateral membranes, reflecting domain-specific activation of PLC and hydrolysis of PIP2. This compartmental signaling is likely due to the polarized localization of PIP2, the substrate for PLC. PIP2 degradation using a membrane-directed phosphatase shifts ezrin localization to the cytosol and induces ezrin de-phosphorylation, processes consistent with inactivation. PIP2 degradation also shifts PTH1R expression from brush border microvilli to basolateral membranes and markedly blunts PTH-elicited activation of the MAPK pathway. Transient expression of ezrin in HEK293 cells shifts PTH1R expression from the plasma membrane to microvilli-like surface projections that also contain PIP2. As a result, ezrin enhances PTH mediated activation of the PLC pathway in this cell model with increasing total receptor surface expression. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the apical segregation of PIP2 to the apical domains not only promotes the activation of ezrin and the subsequent formation of the PTH1R containing scaffold, but also ensures the presence of ample substrate for propagating the PLC pathway.
Orientation Effects on Critical Heat Flux From Discrete, In-Line Heat Sources in a Flow Channel

The effects of flow orientation on critical flux (CHF) were investigated on a series of nine in-line simulated microelectronic chips in Fluorinert FC-72. The chips were subjected to coolant in upflow, downflow, or horizontal flow with the chips on the top or bottom walls of the channel with respect to gravity. Changes in angle of orientation affected CHF for velocities below 200 cm/s, with some chips reaching CHF at heat fluxes below the pool boiling and flooding-induced CHF values. Increased subcooling was found to dampen this adverse effect of orientation slighltly
Compressed Sensing Based Atomic Force Microscopy

The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a powerful tool that has had a tremendous impact on the understanding of systems with nanometer-scale features. Efforts in improving the temporal resolution of the instrument have recently yielded high-speed AFMs with frame rates of approximately 10 frames per second. These instruments, however, achieve such speeds through various trade offs and as a result have limited imaging modes and scan sizes. In addition, despite these advances, typical commercial instruments continue to have frame rates well below one frame per second.This work develops and implements a novel sensing matrix for the application of compressed sensing (CS) to image acquisition in AFM, with the goal of improving the temporal resolution of the instrument by reducing the amount of data that needs to be acquired to create a high-quality image. In traditional CS, each measurement is, by design, a linear combination of the elements of the signal under study. In AFM however, the physics of the sensing process require that each measurement contains information about only a single point. The CS measurement matrix used here takes this into account and allows the user to balance image acquisition time against image quality. The proposed method is demonstrated through simulation. These simulations show faithful recovery with a reduction in imaging on the order of a factor of ten. By accepting a reduction in image reconstruction quality, additional gains in imaging time, up to a factor of twenty, were achieved.
A note on tax competition, attachment to home, and underprovision of public goods

Abstract This paper analyzes efficiency in the provision of public goods when there is tax competition, but investors have attachment to home, i.e., a biased preference for investing in the region where they live. Investors are assumed to be heterogeneous in the costs to invest outside the home region. As a result, in comparison with the no attachment case, the capital outflow response to an increase in the tax rate is reduced because only investors facing small mobility costs will move capital out. In a symmetric equilibrium, tax rates are increased and the extent of the underprovision of public goods caused by tax competition is lessened.
Following an RF trail to its source

We consider the problem of drawing a mobile platform such as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to a radio frequency (RF) source surrounded by local scatterers. The UAV starts from a significant distance (e.g., kilometers) from the source, and uses received signal strength (RSS) measurements along its path to continue to adapt its trajectory. The fundamental bottleneck in using the RSS for this purpose is that large spatial variations in the the RSS due to multipath fading can swamp out the relatively smaller variations due to the change in the distance to the source. We characterize these variations using ray tracing, explicitly modeling the scattering environment around the source. We discover that the rate of spatial variations decreases as the direction of travel becomes more aligned with the line-of-sight (LoS) to the source. Thus, it is possible to get trapped in a very long fade which makes it difficult to gather information regarding distance to the source. We use these insights to devise a multiphase algorithm which first uses averages of RSS in multiple directions to estimate the “right” direction of travel towards the source, and then uses longer term averages to decide how long to proceed along the chosen direction. The distance traveled by the UAV to get to the source is, on average, about three times longer than the shortest path. While the proposed algorithm is inspired by the motion of bacteria in search of food, it has been significantly optimized to take into account the sensitivity of RSS to direction of travel.
Numerical integration of the Langevin equation: Monte Carlo simulation

Monte Carlo simulation techniques are derived for solving the ordinary Langevin equation of motion for a Brownian particle in the presence of an external force. These methods allow considerable freedom in selecting the size of the time step, which is restricted only by the rate of change in the external force. This approach is extended to the generalized Langevin equation which uses a memory function in the friction force term. General simulation techniques are derived which are independent of the form of the memory function. A special method requiring less storage space is presented for the case of the exponential memory function.
CASE STUDY: Giving beef calves a choice of pasture type influences behavior and performance

ABSTRACT A study was conducted to determine the performance and behavior of spring-born Angus crossbred steer calves during the backgrounding period when grazing endophyte-free tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbyshire = Festuca arundinacea Schreb.] or alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ssp. sativa) monoculture paddocks or when given a choice between the 2 forages grown as adjacent monocultures in paddocks of 50% tall fescue and 50% alfalfa (FA) by area. Steers were fitted with pedometers that recorded percentage of time spent standing, lying, or active and steps per day. These data were subsequently analyzed to estimate time spent grazing. Steers in the alfalfa spent more (P
Effect of biogeochemical redox processes on the fate and transport of As and U at an abandoned uranium mine site: an X-ray absorption spectroscopy study

Although As can occur in U ore at concentrations up to 10wt-%, the fate and transport of both U and As at U mine tailings have not been previously investigated at a watershed scale. The major objective of this study was to determine primary chemical and physical processes contributing to transport of both U and As to a down gradient watershed at an abandoned U mine site in South Dakota. Uranium is primarily transported by erosion at the site, based on decreasing concentrations in sediment with distance from the tailings. Sequential extractions and U X-ray absorption near-edge fine structure (XANES) fitting indicate that U is immobilised in a near-source sedimentation pond both by preventionofsedimenttransportandbyreductionofU VI toU IV .IncontrasttoU,subsequentreleaseofAstothewatershed takes place from the pond partially due to reductive dissolution of Fe oxy(hydr)oxides. However, As is immobilised by adsorption to clays and Fe oxy(hydr)oxides in oxic zones and by formation of As-sulfide mineral phases in anoxic zones down gradient, indicated by sequential extractions and As XANES fitting. This study indicates that As should be considered during restoration of uranium mine sites in order to prevent transport.
From words to corpora: recognizing translation

This paper presents a technique for discovering translationally equivalent texts. It is comprised of the application of a matching algorithm at two different levels of analysis and a well-founded similarity score. This approach can be applied to any multilingual corpus using any kind of translation lexicon; it is therefore adaptable to varying levels of multilingual resource availability. Experimental results are shown on two tasks: a search for matching thirty-word segments in a corpus where some segments are mutual translations, and classification of candidate pairs of web pages that may or may not be translations of each other. The latter results compare competitively with previous, document-structure-based approaches to the same problem.