cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of residual mass requiring surgical resection after chemotherapy of stage III testicular cancer A prospective study

Abstract In a prospective study, 63 patients with histopathologically proved Stage III nonseminomatous testicular cancer (NSTC) were analyzed to predict the need for surgical resection of residual masses after cis-platinum-based chemotherapy. Of these 63 patients, 23 (37%) had residual masses after cis-platinum-based chemotherapy requiring surgical resection. Of the 23 patients undergoing surgical resections for their residual masses, 18 patients (78 %) had matured teratoma, 3 (13 %) had fibrosis with necrosis, and 2 (9 %) had residual tumors. Twenty of the 23 (91 %) patients with residual disease had either teratomatous elements in primary tumor or bulky metastatic disease at the time of initial chemotherapy. Two patients had incomplete resection of the metastatic disease containing teratoma and required additional resection of recurrent growing matured teratomas. We conclude that teratomatous elements in primary tumor having also bulky metastatic disease are strong predictors of residual disease after initial chemotherapy requiring surgery (21 of 23 or 91 %).
Color and power Doppler sonography of liver hemangiomas: a dream unfulfilled?

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether color Doppler or power Doppler sonography can aid in the diagnosis of hepatic cavernous hemangiomas. Methods We imaged 25 hepatic cavernous hemangiomas in 17 patients with gray-scale, color Doppler, and power Doppler sonography. Five malignant lesions were also imaged in the same manner for reference. Hemangiomas had been previously diagnosed by biopsy in 8 patients (15 lesions) and by CT, MRI, and/or tagged red blood cell scanning in 9 patients (10 lesions). Results Of the 25 hemangiomas, color or power Doppler imaging showed no internal blood flow in 23. Of these 23 lesions, 11 showed a peripheral flow pattern believed to represent flow in displaced blood vessels. This pattern was better visualized with power Doppler imaging in 3 lesions and equally well visualized with color and power Doppler imaging in 8 lesions. Two hemangiomas that had unusual central fibrosis with large vessels in 1 patient showed diffusely increased blood flow on power Doppler study. All 5 malignant lesions showed flow in peripheral vessels, and 1 showed internal vascularity as well. Conclusions Neither color nor power Doppler imaging improved the capability of sonography for making a specific diagnosis of benign hepatic cavernous hemangioma. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 28:159–165, 2000.
The Arabidopsis thaliana ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE8 Locus Encodes a Novel Protein Mediating Abscisic Acid and Sugar Responses Essential for Growth

Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates many aspects of plant growth and development, yet many ABA response mutants present only subtle phenotypic defects, especially in the absence of stress. By contrast, the ABA-insensitive8 (abi8) mutant, isolated on the basis of ABA-resistant germination, also displays severely stunted growth, defective stomatal regulation, altered ABA-responsive gene expression, delayed flowering, and male sterility. The stunted growth of the mutant is not rescued by gibberellin, brassinosteroid, or indoleacetic acid application and is not attributable to excessive ethylene response, but supplementing the medium with Glc improves viability and root growth. In addition to exhibiting Glc-dependent growth, reflecting decreased expression of sugar-mobilizing enzymes, abi8 mutants are resistant to Glc levels that induce developmental arrest of wild-type seedlings. Studies of genetic interactions demonstrate that ABA hypersensitivity conferred by the ABA-hypersensitive1 mutation or overexpression of ABI3 or ABI5 does not suppress the dwarfing and Glc dependence caused by abi8 but partially suppresses ABA-resistant germination. By contrast, the ABA-resistant germination of abi8 is epistatic to the hypersensitivity caused by ethylene-insensitive2 (ein2) and ein3 mutations, yet ABI8 appears to act in a distinct Glc response pathway from these EIN loci. ABI8 encodes a protein with no domains of known function but belongs to a small plant-specific protein family. Database searches indicate that it is allelic to two dwarf mutants, elongation defective1 and kobito1, previously shown to disrupt cell elongation, cellulose synthesis, vascular differentiation, and root meristem maintenance. The cell wall defects appear to be a secondary effect of the mutations because Glc treatment restores root growth and vascular differentiation but not cell elongation. Although the ABI8 transcript accumulates in all tested plant organs in both wild-type and ABA response mutants, an ABI8-β-glucuronidase fusion protein is localized primarily to the elongation zone of roots, suggesting substantial post-transcriptional regulation of ABI8 accumulation. This localization pattern is sufficient to complement the mutation, indicating that ABI8 acts either at very low concentrations or over long distances within the plant body.
Modified State Equations to Represent Changes in RC-Nullor Networks

Abstract Linear active networks are modeled as RC-Nullor networks. This makes available nodal analysis. The state equations of an RC-Nullor network are related to the node equations. This relationship is used to show how the state equations of an RC-Nullor network should be modified when the network is changed, e.g. by connecting a resistor between two nodes of the network. This is of interest because the network poles can be obtained from the state equations of the network, hence changes can be found in the network poles due to changes in the network.
Arm structure in normal spiral galaxies, 1: Multivariate data for 492 galaxies

Multivariate data have been collected as part of an effort to develop a new classification system for spiral galaxies, one which is not necessarily based on subjective morphological properties. A sample of 492 moderately bright northern Sa and Sc spirals was chosen for future statistical analysis. New observations were made at 20 and 21 cm; the latter data are described in detail here. Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) fluxes were obtained from archival data. Finally, new estimates of arm pattern radomness and of local environmental harshness were compiled for most sample objects.
Design criteria for block copolymer-based metallodielectric photonic materials

Preferential sequestering of surface modified metal/semiconductor nanocrystals within microphase separated block copolymer domains holds the promise for engineering large-scale polymer based photonic materials. This contribution reviews block copolymers as a material platform for photonic crystal engineering as well as the prospects of metallodielectric photonic materials based on metal nanocrystal/block copolymer composites. The effect of metal nanocrystal additives on the optical properties of the composite is found to be determined by: (1) changes in the optical properties of individual nanocrystals due to the spatial confinement of the free electrons by the crystal boundary and (2) by collective effects resulting from the local particle environment that is imposed by the morphology of the nanocrystals within the polymer domains. The particle core size, the polymer domain spacing as well as the particle surface chemistry are shown to determine three distinct morphological types in particle/block copolymer composites. A detailed comparison between morphological studies and theoretical predictions will be presented that aim to better understand and control morphologies of structured cluster matter in order to tailor optical and mechanical properties of new photonic materials.
Resource Letter EM-1: Electromagnetic Momentum

This Resource Letter surveys the literature on momentum in electromagnetic fields, including the general theory, the relation between electromagnetic momentum and vector potential, “hidden” momentum, the 4/3 problem for electromagnetic mass, and the Abraham–Minkowski controversy regarding the field momentum in polarizable and magnetizable media.
Effect of Dimethylacetamide and 2-Pyrrolidone on the Iontophoretic Permeability of LHRH Through Porcine Skin

AbstractThe effect of penetration enhancer (PE) and iontophoresis on the in vitro permeability of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) through porcine epidermis 3was investigated. The permeability coefficient of LHRH increased (p < 0.05) through PE (e.g., dimethylacetamide [DMAC] and 2-pyrrolidone [2–P])-treated epidermis. Iontophoresis further increased the permeability of LHRH (p < 0.05) through the PE-pretreated epidermis in comparison to the control (without PEtreated epidermis). This shows that iontophoresis can synergize with PEs such as DMAC and 2-P to provide an additional driving force to maintain and control the target flux of LHRH.
The art of non-photographic imaging

As computer graphics continues to progress towards photo-realism, one branch of computer graphics has begun to consider non-photorealistic rendering 1,2 as a dedicated research domain. Digital imaging has long been tied to photography, both digital and analog, and has long been focused on achieving, maintaining, demonstrating or characterizing photographic quality. There has generally been limited effort in the area of non-photographic imaging. This paper proposes that art or the artistic process can be used to inspire additional directions in imaging. More specifically, a number of examples, both personal and from established artists, will be used to demonstrate a range of non-photographic imaging techniques. The discussion broadly covers experimental imaging processes, use of text, multiple image constructions and algorithmic cartooning.
A Comparison of Growth and Sucrose Metabolism in Sugarcane Germplasm from Louisiana and Hawaii

Sugarcane (Saccharum sp. hybrids) genotypes bred in Hawaii are selected for maximum tonnage in a 2-yr production cycle and contain S. robustum germplasm. Genotypes bred in Louisiana are selected for high early sucrose yield after a 9-mo growing season, and contain S. spontaneum germplasm. We compared growth, sugar concentration, and enzymes of sucrose metabolism in four internodes of four Hawaii (HI) and two Louisiana (LA) genotypes during grand growth and ripening. On average, Sucrose concentrations were higher in LA than HI genotypes, especially at ripening. Fresh weight activities of soluble acid invertase (SAI) and neutral invertase (NI) were not different among genotypes at either growth stage. Signifi cant differences in activities of sucrose synthase (SuSy), sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), and cell wall acid invertase (CWIN) among genotypes were not consistent between types. Sucrose concentration, total sugar concentration, and sucrose:total sugar ratio in the internodes were negatively correlated with water content, SAI activity, and NI activity, and positively correlated with the difference between SPS and SAI activity. These correlations seem to be a function of internode maturity. The consistent differences in sucrose content between LA and HI genotypes indicate the Louisiana and Hawaii breeding programs have produced very different genotypes, but these differences cannot be explained by differences in enzyme activities.
"Clicking" polymer brushes with thiol-yne chemistry: indoors and out.

Thiol-yne click chemistry is demonstrated as a modular platform for rapid and practical fabrication of highly functional, multicomponent surfaces under ambient conditions. The principle is illustrated using a postmodification strategy in which poly(propargyl methacrylate) brushes were generated via surface-initiated photopolymerization and sequentially functionalized using the radical-mediated thiol-yne reaction. Brush surfaces expressing a three-dimensional configuration of “yne” functionalities were modified with high efficiency and short reaction times using a library of commercially available thiols, including functional thiols that demonstrate applicability for pH responsive surfaces and for bioconjugation. Sequential thiol-yne reactions in conjunction with simple UV photolithography were also applied to afford micropatterned, multicomponent surfaces. The practicality of the platform was further demonstrated by carrying out thiol-yne surface reactions in sunlight, suggesting the possibility of large ...
Sedimentology of Upper Cretaceous Coffee Sands in North-Central Mississippi: ABSTRACT

The Upper Cretaceous Coffee Group within the Desha basin of Mississippi is composed of two major lithologies, a light to dark marlstone and a series of white, fine to medium-grained siltstones and sandstones. The two source areas for the sands are the Sharkey platform to the south and the southern Appalachians. The presence of hydrocarbons has been described at the outcrop and in subsurface cuttings and cores. Depositional environments in the shallow shelf consist of lagoons, barrier island bars, offshore bars, and surge channel deposits. Southwest regional dip of approximately 40 ft/mi (8 m/km) is reflected on all Upper Cretaceous horizons. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1221------------
Ärgerberatung in Organisationen — systemische und strukturationstheoretische Implikationen

Vor dem Hintergrund einer strukturationstheoretischen Perspektive auf Arger in Organisationen werden unter Bezugnahme auf den systemischen Ansatz praxeologische Implikationen fur Berater aufgezeigt. Das Ziel dieses Aufsatzes ist, theoretische Uberlegungen fur die konkrete Beratungspraxis nutzbar zu machen. In einem ersten Schritt geht es um die zentrale Frage: Wozu benotigen Berater uberhaupt eine Theorie? Der Schwerpunkt des Aufsatzes beschaftigt sich mit den Chancen und Grenzen eines Argertrainings, das dem systemischen Ansatz verpflichtet ist und die Strukturationstheorie als Orientierungshilfe nutzt. Abschliesend wird eine Diagnose- und Interventionsmethode vorgestellt, die neue Hinsichten auf Argerepisoden ermoglichen soll.
Inositol Pyrophosphate Pyrotechnics

Physiologic roles of highly phosphorylated inositol phosphates, including those containing pyrophosphate groups, have been the focus of much recent interest. In the April 6, 2007 issue of Science, two papers (Lee et al., 2007; Mulugu et al., 2007) demonstrate the occurrence of a novel inositol pyrophosphate molecule in yeast and elucidate its role in phosphate homeostasis.
Ischemic Preconditioning Improves Preservation With Crystalloid Cardioplegia

Abstract Ischemic preconditioning has not been investigated in a clinically relevant model of hypothermic multidose cardioplegia arrest. Using isolated rabbit hearts perfused on a Langendorff apparatus, ischemic preconditioning was investigated as an adjunct to crystalloid cardioplegia during a 2.5-hour ischemic period at 15 °C. After baseline functional data were obtained, ischemic preconditioning was induced with either 1 minute or 5 minutes of normothermic ischemia, followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion before the arrest period. Control hearts underwent no ischemic preconditioning. The control hearts exhibited a decrement in both the peak developed pressure and diastolic function, as measured by the slope of the diastolic pressure-volume relationship, of from 107 ± 2 to 68 ± 7 mm Hg ( p p p p
Endoscopic Management of Biliary Complications After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.

After orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), biliary duct complications can occur in as many as 10% to 35% of patients. In the early medical and surgical literature, surgical therapy was the primary mode of management of biliary tract complications and was the eventual course of operative intervention in up to 70% of cases. However, with recent advances in therapeutic biliary endoscopy, the current endoscopic and transplantation literature suggests that endoscopic management with techniques such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with endoscopic sphincterotomy, biliary stenting, and stone removal techniques can be successfully applied for the majority of post-OLT biliary complications. The most common biliary complications after OLT include biliary strictures (anastomotic and nonanastomotic); bile duct leaks, common bile duct stones, and biliary casts; sphincter of Oddi/ampullary muscle dysfunction/spasm; and disease recurrence (eg, primary sclerosing cholangitis). Predisposing factors for biliary complications after OLT include hepatic artery thrombosis, impaired perfusion of the biliary tree, portal vein thrombosis, and preservation or harvesting injuries, which can increase the incidence of complications as much as 40%. Use of immunosuppressive agents such as cyclosporine can lead to cholesterol/bile stasis and stone formation. Outside of endoscopic therapy , there is little medical or dietary management that can be applied for post-OLT biliary complications. Ursodiol (ursodeoxycholic acid) has often been used as a neoadjuvant to ERCP therapy in the setting of common bile duct stones/casts, and low-fat diets may be recommended in this setting, but no large, randomized trials have advocated medical or conservative management alone.
Saturation effects in the fluence dependence of the infrared photodissociation of CH3OHF

Abstract The fluence dependence of collisionless infrared multiphoton photodissociation of CH 3 OHF − has been studied. Saturation of the photodissociation yield with increasing fluence is observed. We find that the ion population consists of at least two components which photodissociate at different rates and infer that the quasi-continuum has some resonant absorption character.
A neglected note showing Gauss at work

Abstract A neglected entry in Gauss' Tagebuch records a conjecture on cyclotomic norms followed by a sketch of a disproof. It illustrates how he originally thought about that topic, and it also allows us to reconstruct an example of the day-to-day work that lay behind his great publications.
Abscess formation in desmoid tumors of Gardner's syndrome and percutaneous drainage: a report of three cases

Purpose To describe abscess formation complications in desmoid tumors of patients with Gardner's syndrome and percutaneous drainage.
Cloud computing and SaaS as new computing platforms

To become an industry platform, vendors must open their infrastructure technology to other product companies.
The electronic chemical potential of selected elements

Abstract The electronic chemical potential (μ) has been evaluated for selected elements in the temperature range of 1500–4000 K. Evaluation is performed treating the electrons as a collection of fermions requiring the use of Fermi-Dirac statistics, rather than the more familiar Boltzmann distribution.
Frontal Networks Associated With Command Following After Hemorrhagic Stroke

Background and Purpose—Level of consciousness is frequently assessed by command-following ability in the clinical setting. However, it is unclear what brain circuits are needed to follow commands. We sought to determine what networks differentiate command following from noncommand following patients after hemorrhagic stroke. Methods—Structural MRI, resting-state functional MRI, and electroencephalography were performed on 25 awake and unresponsive patients with acute intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Structural injury was assessed via volumetric T1-weighted MRI analysis. Functional connectivity differences were analyzed against a template of standard resting-state networks. The default mode network (DMN) and the task-positive network were investigated using seed-based functional connectivity. Networks were interrogated by pairwise coherence of electroencephalograph leads in regions of interest defined by functional MRI. Results—Functional imaging of unresponsive patients identified significant di...
Hemichorea in a patient with JAK2V617F blood cells.

To the editor: Chorea has been reported in patients with polycythemia vera (PV). JAK2V617F is a molecular marker used for the diagnosis of PV.[1][1],[2][2] Occasionally, patients have insufficient clinical criteria to establish a diagnosis of PV or only possess some disease features without having
Characterization of the Aggregates of N-Alkyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium Bromide Surfactants in Aqueous Solution

We have characterized a new class of surfactant molecules using fluorescence spectroscopic and light-scattering techniques. Our results suggest that this homologous series of N-alkyl-N-methlypyrrolidinium bromide (CnMPB) surfactants with n = 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 represents a bridge between the well-characterized alkyltrimethylammonium bromide (CnTAB) and dialkyldimethylammonium bromide (di-CnDAB) surfactant series. For the smaller members of the CnMPB series with n = 10, 12, and 14, our results are consistent with the formation of spherical micelles as the surfactant concentration is increased. With increasing alkyl chain length, we observe that the critical micelle concentration decreases and the aggregation number increases, typical of single-tail surfactants. For C16MPB, the formation of micelles at dilute concentrations (0.10 mM) is likely, followed by the coexistence of micelles and small unilamellar vesicles at higher concentrations up to 0.82 mM where only vesicles are present. For C18MPB, our da...
Packing Density of Composite Powder Mixtures

A model of particle packing in binary composite systems is developed. The effects of both inclusion surfaces and touching inclusions on the packing density are taken into account. To implement the model, a statistical approach is used to determine the number of inclusion contacts as a function of inclusion content. The statistical approach indicates that the average number of inclusion contacts is a linear function of the inclusion volume fraction, a result which agrees very well with independent computer simulations. The model suggests that the packing efficiency, defined by the ratio of the packing density to the ideal packing density (as originally derived by Furnas), is governed by the inclusion volume fraction (fi) and the particle to inclusion size ratio (r). Good agreement is obtained between the theory and experimental literature data.
Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α in calves experimentally infected with Pasteurella haemolytica Al

The purpose of this study was to document the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) in serum of calves experimentally infected intratracheally with Pasteurella haemolytica A1 and to determine if elevated TNF levels correlate with development of pneumonic pasteurellosis in the bovine. Serum samples were collected at sequential time periods from 0 h to 72 h post inoculation with P. haemolytica. TNF levels in those sera were measured by a cytotoxicity assay utilizing the TNF-sensitive WEHI 164 mouse fibrosarcoma cell line. Serum TNF levels in infected cattle began to rise at 2 h post inoculation, peaked at approximately 8 h, and decreased to near control levels by 72 h. There was extreme variability in serum TNF among the inoculated animals with levels varying from 120 pg ml-1 to 5000 pg ml-1 at 8 h post inoculation. These levels did not correspond with the degree of lung involvement. All inoculated calves developed lesions of pneumonic pasteurellosis characterized by fibrinous pleuritis with necrotizing, hemorrhagic pneumonia. These results suggest that TNF is probably a significant inflammatory mediator involved in the pathogenesis of bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis.
Adolescent Psychological Development, Parenting Styles, and Pediatric Decision Making

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child risks harm to adolescents insofar as it encourages not only poor decision making by adolescents but also parenting styles that will have an adverse impact on the development of mature decision-making capacities in them. The empirical psychological and neurophysiological data weigh against augmenting and expression of the rights of children. Indeed, the data suggest grounds for expanding parental authority, not limiting its scope. At the very least, any adequate appreciation of the moral claims regarding the authority of parents with respect to the decision-making capacity of adolescents needs to be set within an understanding of the psychological and neurophysiological facts regarding the development of adolescent decision-making capacity.
Comparison of KAI and ISP instruments for determining style of creativity of IS professionals

The literature on assessing and encouraging creativity in IS organizations has grown substantially in the last few years. However, large empirical analyses of behavioral creativity data are still quite limited. This study applied the two major scales used for measuring the cognitive styles associated with creative behavior in social science, Kirton's KAI (1976) and Miller's ISP (1986). Data is assessed from a sample of IS professionals who completed both of these self-report pencil and paper survey instruments. Data analysis reveals that while there are some significant differences detected between IS professionals and other business professionals, the findings are consistent with the underlying theory of both scales and previous studies in the field. >
A novel member of the thyroid/steroid hormone receptor family is encoded by the opposite strand of the rat c-erbA alpha transcriptional unit.

Abstract A cDNA encoding a novel member of the thyroid/steroid hormone receptor superfamily, called Rev-ErbA alpha, has been isolated from a rat GH3 cell library. Rev-ErbA alpha is an approximately 56-kilodalton protein most similar in structure to the thyroid hormone receptor (c-erbA) and the retinoic acid receptor, but it does not bind either thyroid hormone or retinoic acid. The mRNA encoding Rev-ErbA alpha is present in many tissues and is particularly abundant in skeletal muscle and brown fat. A genomic DNA fragment containing the entire Rev-ErbA alpha cDNA sequence was isolated and characterized. Remarkably, this DNA fragment also contained a portion of the c-erbA alpha gene. r-erbA alpha-1 and r-erbA alpha-2 are alternative splice products of the c-erbA alpha gene and are members of the receptor superfamily. The genes encoding Rev-ErbA alpha and r-erbA alpha-2 overlap, with their coding strands oriented opposite one another. A 269-base-pair segment of the bidirectionally transcribed region is exonic in both the Rev-ErbA alpha and r-erbA alpha-2 genes, resulting in complementary mRNAs. Thus, through alternative splicing and opposite-strand transcription, a single genomic locus codes for three different members of the thyroid/steroid hormone receptor superfamily. Potential implications of this unusual genomic arrangement are discussed.
Structural response of a recycled thermoplastic lumber bridge under civilian and military loads

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) executed a load test and verification simulation on a novel thermoplastic composite bridge, T-8518, located on Tuckers Road in Camp Mac...
Does frank diabetes in first-degree relatives of a pregnant woman affect the likelihood of her developing gestational diabetes mellitus or nongestational diabetes?

Objective We sought to examine the associations between patterns of family histories of diabetes and a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (hGDM). Study Design Parous women participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (n = 4566) were classified as having hGDM only, diagnosed diabetes, or neither. Family history of diabetes was categorized as: maternal only, paternal only, biparental, and sibling only. The covariate-adjusted prevalence and odds of having hGDM were estimated. Results Compared to women without a family history of diabetes, women with a maternal (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–7.3), paternal (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.1–10.2), or sibling (OR, 7.1; 95% CI, 1.6–30.9) history of diabetes had greater odds of hGDM, after adjustment for age and race/ethnicity. Conclusion Women with a sibling history of diabetes were more likely to have hGDM than women with other family history patterns.
Feedback control of an overdetermined storage system

Although it is already known how to apply feedforward control to an overdetermined system (2), feedback control is more difficult because overdeterminancy involves more measured variables than controllers. Feedback control is possible for a system of production units separated by storage tanks holding intermediate products and perturbed by random external upsets (1). Two types of feedback control are studied: local control in which each manipulated variable is controlled by the levels in the two tanks immediately adjacent, and central control in which all the levels simultaneously affect each manipulated variable. The behavior of these systems for three-action linear controllers is described. Proportional local control is shown to have a structure similar to those of the unrefluxed countercurrent separation processes of the chemical industry. Such systems are therefore inherently stable. Central control, although requiring a more complicated equipment arrangement, actually has a simpler dynamic behavior because it cancels out interactions between controllers.
Polarization of cell growth in yeast. I. Establishment and maintenance of polarity states

The ability to polarize is a fundamental property of cells. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has proven to be a fertile ground for dissecting the molecular mechanisms that regulate cell polarity during growth. Here we discuss the signaling pathways that regulate polarity. In the second installment of this two-part commentary, which appears in the next issue of Journal of Cell Science, we discuss how the actin cytoskeleton responds to these signals and guides the polarity of essentially all events in the yeast cell cycle. During the cell cycle, yeast cells assume alternative states of polarized growth, which range from tightly focused apical growth to non-focused isotropic growth. RhoGTPases, and in particular Cdc42p, are essential to guiding this polarity. The distribution of Cdc42p at the cell cortex establishes cell polarity. Cyclin-dependent protein kinase, Ras, and heterotrimeric G proteins all modulate yeast cell polarity in part by altering the distribution of Cdc42p. In turn, Cdc42p generates feedback signals to these molecules in order to establish stable polarity states and coordinate cytoskeletal organization with the cell cycle. Given that many of these signaling pathways are present in both fungi and animals, they are probably ancient and conserved mechanisms for regulating polarity.
Mechanically Tunable Hollow Silica Ultrathin Nanoshells for Ultrasound Contrast Agents

Perfluoropentane (PFP) gas filled biodegradable iron-doped silica nanoshells have been demonstrated as long-lived ultrasound contrast agents. Nanoshells are synthesized by a sol-gel process with tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) and iron ethoxide. Substituting a fraction of the TMOS with R-substituted trialkoxysilanes produces ultrathin nanoshells with varying shell thicknesses and morphologies composed of fused nanoflakes. The ultrathin nanoshells had continuous ultrasound Doppler imaging lifetimes exceeding 3 hours, were twice as bright using contrast specific imaging, and had decreased pressure thresholds compared to control nanoshells synthesized with just TMOS. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the R-group substituted trialkoxysilanes could reduce the mechanically critical nanoshell layer to 1.4 nm. These ultrathin nanoshells have the mechanical behavior of weakly linked nanoflakes but the chemical stability of silica. The synthesis can be adapted for general fabrication of three-dimensional nanostructures composed of nanoflakes, which have thicknesses from 1.4-3.8 nm and diameters from 2-23 nm.
Relation of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy to Microalbuminuria and C-Reactive Protein in Children and Adolescents with Essential Hypertension

Microalbuminuria (MA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are predictors of increased risk for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Whether the strength of association between CRP and LVH is comparable to that of MA in hypertensive children is unknown. CRP and MA were measured in 64 children and adolescents with essential hypertension (HTN). In the entire population, CRP and MA showed positive relations with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.30, p = 0.04 and r = 0.32, p = 0.04, respectively), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.63, p = 0.03 and r = 0.58, p = 0.03, respectively), and LVH (r = 0.86, p < 0.001 and r = 0.81, p < 0.001, respectively). Patients with LVH (n = 23) had significantly higher BMI (p = 0.32), increased SBP (p = 0.031), and higher levels of CRP (p < 0.001) and MA (p < 0.001) compared with those without LVH. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that CRP (r = 2.11, p < 0.001), MA (r = 1.94, p < 0.003), BMI (r = 0.53, p = 0.02), and SBP (r = 0.48, p = 0.04) were significantly associated with LVH. By analysis of covariance, CRP and MA were significantly different between patients who had LVH and those without LVH after adjustment for age, gender, BMI, SBP, SBP index, and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001 for the two markers). In conclusion, the strength of association between LVH and CRP is comparable to that of MA in children and adolescents with essential HTN.
Ring Edge Waves and the Masses of Nearby Satellites

Moons embedded in gaps within Saturn’s main rings generate waves on the gap edges due to their gravitational disturbances. These edge waves can serve as diagnostics for the masses and, in some cases, orbital characteristics of the embedded moons. Although N-body simulations of the edges are far better in inferring masses from edge morphology, the long run-times of this technique often make it impractical. In this paper, we describe a faster approach to narrow the range of masses to explore with N-body simulations, to explore the multidimensional parameter space of edge/moon interactions, and to guide the planning of spacecraft observations. Using numerical, test-particle models and neglecting particle–particle interactions, we demonstrate that the simple analytic theory of the edge waves applies well to Pan in the Encke Gap but breaks down for smaller moons/ gaps like Daphnis in the Keeler Gap. Fitting an analytic model to our simulation results allows us to suggest an improved relationship between moon-mass and edge wave amplitude. Numerical methods also grant freedom to explore a wider range of moon and ring orbits than the circular, coplanar case considered by analytic theory. We examine how pre-encounter inclinations and eccentricities affect the properties of the edge waves. In the case where the moon or ring-edge particle orbits initially have eccentric radial variations that are large compared to the gap width, there is considerable variation in edge wave amplitude depending on the orbital phase of the encounter. Inclined moons also affect the edge wave amplitude, potentially significantly, as well as generate vertical waves on the gap-edges. Recent Cassini images acquired as Saturn approaches equinox and the Sun’s elevation on the ringplane is extremely low have revealed long shadows associated with the Keeler gap edge waves created by the embedded moon Daphnis. We interpret these as being cast by ∼1 km high vertical structure in the waves created by Daphnis’ out-of-plane perturbations on the ring particles.
Synthesis of locking controllers based on extended net condition event systems

In this paper we present an algorithm for controller synthesis for forbidden state problems. We use the approach of previous work but we use an extended model form. In this extended model form based on net condition/event systems the user can connect the signals between the modules with logical operations (AND, OR, NOT). So the modeling is easier and the models are more compact. On the other hand the algorithm for the controller synthesis is more complicated.
Gain-Framed Messages Do Not Motivate Sun Protection: A Meta-Analytic Review of Randomized Trials Comparing Gain-Framed and Loss-Framed Appeals for Promoting Skin Cancer Prevention

Persuading people to undertake actions to prevent skin cancer is an important public health challenge. A number of studies have compared the effectiveness of gain-framed and loss-framed appeals in this domain, often expecting gain-framed appeals to be more persuasive. A meta-analytic review (k = 33, N = 4,168), however, finds no significant difference in the persuasiveness of gain- and loss-framed appeals for encouraging skin cancer prevention. This conclusion is unaffected by differences in the specific protective action advocated or by differences in the kind of outcomes invoked. But the results offer an intimation that men might be more susceptible to framing variations in this domain—with loss-framed appeals potentially having a persuasive advantage.
Phylogenetic systematics and character evolution in the angiosperm family Haloragaceae

The poorly known Haloragaceae R. Br. (Saxifragales) are highly diverse in habit (small trees to submerged aquatics) and labile in floral merosity (2–4), both uncommon among the core eudicots. This family has a cosmopolitan distribution, but taxonomic diversity is concentrated in Australia. An explicit phylogenetic approach has not previously been utilized to examine relationships or character evolution in this family. We used molecular evidence from nrDNA ITS and cpDNA trnK and matK regions under both Bayesian and parsimony analyses to address phylogenetic relationships. Combined molecular analyses defined a monophyletic Haloragaceae with the woody genera (Haloragodendron, Glischrocaryon) sister to the rest. Relationships among many genera were well resolved, with genera as currently delimited generally well supported, although there were notable exceptions; a new genus (Trihaloragis) is recognized, and the aquatic genus Meionectes is again distinct from Haloragis. Three new species combinations are also recognized. There are multiple (two or three) origins of the submerged aquatic habit in the family and potentially an intermediate reversal to the terrestrial habit, neither previously demonstrated in a core eudicot family using an explicit phylogenetic hypothesis. Ancestral character analyses suggest two origins of trimerous flowers and multiple reductions to dimerous flowers throughout Haloragaceae. Haloragaceae are a cosmopolitan family currently with eight genera and about 120 species (Table 1). They are extremely diverse in habit, ranging from small trees to submerged aquatics. Four genera (Glischrocaryon, Gonocarpus, Haloragis, Haloragodendron) are primarily terrestrial, whereas four (Laurembergia, Meziella, Myriophyllum, Proserpinaca) are aquatic/semiaquatic. The habitats of these taxa range from arid deserts to freshwater lakes exceeding 10 m in depth. Haloragaceae also are highly labile in floral merosity (2–4), uncommon among core eudicots. The center of diversity for the family is Australia, where four endemic genera and ’70% of
Shark: fast data analysis using coarse-grained distributed memory

Shark is a research data analysis system built on a novel coarse-grained distributed shared-memory abstraction. Shark marries query processing with deep data analysis, providing a unified system for easy data manipulation using SQL and pushing sophisticated analysis closer to data. It scales to thousands of nodes in a fault-tolerant manner. Shark can answer queries 40X faster than Apache Hive and run machine learning programs 25X faster than MapReduce programs in Apache Hadoop on large datasets.
Specific Induction of Local Antitumor Effector Cells Mediated in Vivo by the Circulating Lymphocyte Pool

Wistar rats are specifically resistant to the growth of the chemical carcinogen induced syngeneic tumors, Mc7 and Mc107 sarcoma, after being immunized with s.c. implants of irradiated tumor tissue. The central lymph of such immunized rats contains cells able to systemically transfer resistance against tumor growth to normal or irradiated recipient rats. The thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL) from tumor immune donors are not directly cytotoxic against tumor targets. However recipients of i.v. infused immune TDL develop cytotoxic activity in the peritoneal cavity when challenged with the immunizing tumor at that site. Although the induction of maximum cytotoxicity is tumor specific, peritoneal lavage cells are cytotoxic against both Mc7 and Mc107 tumor targets in the 51Cr release assay. Inhibition of cytotoxicity in the assay by addition of unlabeled Mc7 or Mc107 sarcoma cells to labeled tumor targets suggests that there is both specific and nonspecific activity in these peritoneal lavage cells. Resistance to in vivo tumor growth in adoptively immunized recipients of TDL challenged with both Mc7 and Mc107 is specific for the immunizing tumor. However growth of a mixture of Mc7 and Mc107 sarcoma cells is inhibited in recipients of immune TDL. The results support the notion that mediator lymphocytes circulate in tumor immunized rats in a noncytotoxic state, specifically recognize tumor cells at a challenge site, and mediate induction of effector cells locally. These effectors are at least in part nonspecific in their cytotoxic activity.
Examining the Overall and Offense-Specific Criminal Career Lengths of a Sample of Serious Offenders

Building on several recent papers that have brought the study of criminal career lengths back to the attention of criminologists, this study used a sample of serious offenders to examine the length of their official criminal career. This study not only examined overall career length, but it also examined the career length for five categories of offenses (serious, violent, serious violent, property, and drug), the residual career length as a function of age, and the correlates of the average career length. The data used consist of a random sample of 1,957 offenders released from the California Youth Authority in 1981-1982 who were followed into their 30s. The results of the study are interpreted in terms of their implications for theory, public policy, and future research needs.
Fold growth and transposition in metasedimentary rocks of the southeastern Adirondacks: Summary

INTRODUCTION Most of the estimates of the pressure and temperature for Adirondack metamorphism fall in the range of 650 to 800 °C and 7 to 9 kbar (Whitney and McLelland, 1973; Essene and others, 1977; Boone, 1978; Valley and Bohlen, 1979; Whitney and others, 1979), suggesting an elevated geothermal gradient comparable to oceanic gradients (Mercier and Carter, 1975), and burial to as much as 25 km during the orogenesis that occurred about 1,000 m.y. ago. The structural style of the southern Highlands has recently been elucidated by McLelland (1977) and McLelland and Isachsen (1979), who emphasized the existence of complexly refolded nappe structures perhaps 70 km in amplitude. Insofar as these structures are outlined in supracrustal rock types, they furnish an important sample of structures evolved, if not also initiated, during the process of abnormal continental crustal thickening. The most recent mapping in the extreme southeastern Adirondacks is that of Walton (1955), Berry (1965), and Hills (1965). In outlining the basic distribution of rock types, these workers recognized meta-igneous (plutonic) and meta-supracrustal rock assemblages. These supracrustal rocks are similar to those in the southern Highlands, containing metasediments such as pelites, quartzites, and calcareous rocks, and probably volcanic or at least near surface igneous rocks. For convenience, we will refer to them collectively as metasedimentary rocks. These previous workers in the southeast collected little detailed information on minor structures and consequently based their interpretations on outcrop patterns. Unfortunately, post-Grenville faulting along the Camplain Valley fault system has affected the outcrop patterns. Subsequent roadbuilding, notably along U.S. Highway 22, has created useful outcrops with well-exposed minor structures. We have used the microfabrics of some of the tectonites from these new exposures to infer some of the structural history of the metasedimentary rocks. In combining our information with the most salient points of their mapping, some constraints on kinematic modeling emerge that may have more widespread application in the Adirondack Highlands.
Characterization of Shape Memory Alloys Using Artificial Neural Networks

Shape memory alloys have in recent years been shown to be an attractive lightweight alternative to traditional actuators due to their unique ability to recover high levels of plastic strain. Practical implementation of shape memory alloys, however, is often complicated by their hysteretic, non-linear, thermo-mechanical behavior. Existing constitutive models, although largely accurate in predicting this hysteretic behavior, require thorough characterization of the material. The current characterization procedure requires an extensive experimentation process in which many parameters must be carefully identied. This paper develops a novel method in which an Articial Neural Network is trained to identify transformation temperatures of a given shape memory alloy specimen using strain-temperature coordinates as inputs. The Hartl-Lagoudas model was implemented to generate temperature-strain plots for a number of theoretical shape memory alloys. This data was used to train an Articial Neural Network, which was in turn used to identify parameters for a number of randomly generated theoretical shape memory alloys. Results presented in the paper show that a comparison of the transformation temperatures predicted by the Articial Neural Network with the known target transformation temperatures found that the Articial Neural Network was able to identify both transformation temperatures and stress inuence coecients with satisfactory accuracy.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA gyrase genes

We have identified a clone from a lambda EMBL3 library containing a 19kb insert of Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA which includes the genes that encode both subunits of DNA gyrase. The gyrB gene and the 5' end of the gyrA gene have been subcloned into M13. The gyrB gene is 1953bp in length and overlaps the gyrA gene by a single base. The nucleotide sequence of these subclones has significant homology to previously reported gyrase genes. In terms of the size of the gyrB gene and its proximity to the gyrA gene, M. pneumoniae is more similar to Bacillus subtilis than to Escherichia coli.
Substrate-Induced Changes in the Dynamics of Rhodopsin Kinase (G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 1)

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) instigate the desensitization of activated GPCRs via phosphorylation that promotes interaction with arrestins, thereby preventing the interaction of GPCRs with heterotrimeric G proteins. A current proposed model of GRK1 activation involves the binding of activated rhodopsin (Rho*) to the N-terminal region of GRK1. Perhaps concomitantly, this N-terminal region also stabilizes a closed, active conformation of the kinase domain. To further probe this model, we mapped changes in the backbone flexibility of GRK1 as it binds to its two substrates, adenosine triphosphate (Mg(2+)·ATP) and Rho*. We found that the conformational flexibility of GRK1 was reduced in the presence of either Mg(2+)·ATP or Rho*, with Mg(2+)·ATP having the greatest effect. In a truncated form of GRK1 lacking the N-terminal region (ΔN-GRK1), peptides that directly interact with ATP were not as dramatically stabilized by adding Mg(2+)·ATP, and dynamics were greater in the interface between the large lobe of the kinase domain and the regulator of the G protein signaling homology domain. In the presence of Mg(2+)·ATP, the influence of Rho* versus Rho on GRK1 dynamics was negligible.
A phase II study of the combination of rituximab and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor as treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Rituximab monotherapy has been associated with lower response rates in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) when compared to other CD20 positive lymphoproliferative disorders, such as follicular lymp...