cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studying Galaxy Dynamics with IR Images

Detailed studies of stellar and gas dynamics has been carried out primarily in model galaxies which are not good approximations to the shapes of real galaxies (Athanassoula 1991). The high quality of recently available near-IR images of galaxies makes it possible to make realistic mass models of the matter that is traced by starlight. The gravitational potential derived from the mass model of a galaxy can be used to conduct stellar and gas dynamical studies in the galaxy, and the results can be compared to observed velocity fields and other observations of these galaxies. In this report we discuss how accurately the gravitational potential can be estimated based on an infrared image of the galaxy. We describe two uses of such an estimate of a gravitational potential: stellar orbits integrated in the barred galaxy NGC 4314 and an estimate of the gas inflow rate along the bar in NGC 7479.
Simple but useful algorithms for identifying noun phrase complements of embedded clauses in a partial parse

Two algorithms for identifying noun phrase complements of embedded clauses in a partial parse are presented. The candidate noun phrases play subject or object roles in (reduced) relative and infinitival clauses. The algorithms are tested on several sources and results are presented.
Effects of Counterface Roughness and Conformity on the Tribological Performance of Crosslinked and Non-crosslinked Medical-Grade Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene

The tribological behavior of crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was compared to that of non-crosslinked UHMWPE, used as control sample. A reciprocating pin-on-disk tribometer was used to determine the effects of countersurface roughness and conformity on wear mechanisms occurring during the initial stage of sliding. Pin samples of two different radii of curvature were slid against medical-grade Co-Cr alloy disks with surface roughness ranging from 0.005 to 0.04 μm in a lubricant of bovine serum. Normal loads were chosen to provide physiological contact stresses. The focus of this study was on the dependence of early wear mechanisms on surface roughness and conformity. Although a correlation between coefficient of friction data and dominant wear mechanisms was not observed, different wear mechanisms were found between control and crosslinked UHMWPE. The results of this study provide insight into the differences of the initial wear behavior of noncrosslinked and crosslinked UHMWPE used in total joint replacements.
Pharmacokinetics of vincristine sulfate in adult cancer patients

Vincristine concentration in serum from 1 min to 72 hr was measured by radioimmunoassay in 14 patients with cancers following i.v. bolus injection of vincristine sulfate at 0.45 to 1.30 mg/sq m. The pharmacokinetic data were analyzed by a nonlinear least-square regression program NONLIN. A three-compartmental open model fitted the raw data better than a two-compartmental model. The mean half-lives of the triphasic decay curves alpha, beta, and gamma were 1.9, 19.2, and 1359 min (22.6 hr), respectively. The apparent volume of the central compartment and the volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) per 1.73 sq m body surface area were 4.1 and 167.6 liters, respectively. The plasma clearance was 141.9 ml/min/1.73 sq m, and the area under the concentration X time curve from 0 to infinity (AUC0 infinity) for 2 mg vincristine was 21,689 nM.min. Linear regression analysis of the data gave evidence for increasing plasma clearance at higher doses of vincristine. In patients with higher platelet counts, lower AUC0 infinity values were obtained, suggesting a possible interaction of vincristine with blood platelets. Our results, a large Vdss, a long biological half-life, and a low rate-limiting rate constant from Compartment 3 to the central compartment (k31), indicate an avid tissue binding and a slow drug release from the body tissues which may account for drug-related neurotoxicity.
Regulatory Effect of Pyruvate on the Glucose Metabolism of Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum

Whole cells and cell-free extracts of Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum 3814 grown in media containing 0.5% glucose or 0.6% pyruvate were evaluated for their metabolic activities toward these compounds. Glucose-grown cells rapidly fermented glucose with the production of gases (CO(2) and H(2)), acids, and alcohol, but they did not ferment pyruvate well. Pyruvate-grown cells, on the other hand, readily fermented pyruvate, while fermenting glucose at a rate of one-half that of pyruvate. An analysis of the enzyme levels in the two cell culture conditions revealed that pyruvate-grown cells had lower levels of most of the glycolytic enzymes and increased levels of the hexose monophosphate pathway enzymes. Incorporation studies with the use of labeled glucose demonstrated that cells do have a control mechanism(s) whereby they can discriminate between a carbon (glucose) and an energy (pyruvate) source, selectively utilizing glucose in the synthetic pathway while obtaining energy from the phosphoroclastic degradation of pyruvate.
Cell Size Control in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: A Dissertation

The coordination between cell growth and division is a highly regulated process that is intimately linked to the cell cycle. Efforts to identify an independent mechanism that measures cell size have been unsuccessful. Instead, we propose that size control is an intrinsic function of the basic cell cycle machinery. My work shows that in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdc25 accumulates in a size dependent manner. This accumulation of Cdc25 occurs over a large range of cell sizes. Additionally, experiments with short pulses of cycloheximide have shown that Cdc25 is an inherently unstable protein that quickly returns to a size dependent equilibrium in the cell suggesting that Cdc25 concentration is dependent on size and not time. Thus, Cdc25 can act as a sizer for the cell. However, cells are still viable when Cdc25 is constitutively expressed suggesting that there is another sizer in the case that Cdc25 expression is compromised. Cdc13 is a likely candidate due to the similar characteristics to Cdc25 and the ability to activate Cdc2. Cdc13 accumulates during the cell cycle in a manner similar to Cdc25. I show that in the absence of Cdc2 tyrosine phosphorylation, the cell size is sensitive to Cdc13 activity showing that Cdc13 accumulation can determine when cells enter mitosis. These results suggest a two sizer model where Cdc25 is the main sizer with Cdc13 acting as a backup sizer in the event of Cdc25 expression is compromised. Additionally, in the absence of Cdc2 phosphorylation by the kinases Wee1 and Mik1, mitotic entry is regulated by the activity of Cdc2. In the absence of Cdc2 phosphorylation, this activity is regulated by binding of cyclins to Cdc2. Under these circumstances, the activity of Cdc13 can regulate mitotic entry provide further evidence that Cdc13 could be a sizer of the cell in the case where Cdc25 expression is compromised. The results I present in this dissertation provide the groundwork for understanding how cells regulate size and how this size regulation affects cell cycle control in S. pombe . The results show how the intrinsic cell cycle machinery can act as a sizer for the G2/M transition in S. pombe . Interestingly, this mitotic commitment pathway is well conserved suggesting a general solution for size control in eukaryotes at the G2/M transition. Understanding the mechanism of how protein concentration is regulated in a size dependent manner will give much needed insight into how cells control size. Elucidating the mechanism for size control will capitalize on decades of research and deepen our understanding of basic cell biology.
SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: PROTOTYPE OF IMMUNE COMPLEX NEPHRITIS IN MAN

Serological studies, immunofluorescence studies, and immunochemical assays of glomerular eluates indicate that several antigen-antibody systems may be involved in the pathogenesis of the tissue lesions of SLE. The NDNA-anti-NDNA system appears to be operative in most patients with active SLE. In addition, antibodies to SDNA are found with considerable frequency in SLE sera and glomerular eluates. It is not known if these antibodies fix to NDNA which has been denatured after deposition in glomeruli or if SDNA-anti-DNA complexes are deposited initially. NDNA antigen has been demonstrated in both serum and glomerular deposits, and SDNA determinants have also been found in glomerular deposits. In addition, there is evidence that rheumatoid factor contributes to the immune complex deposition in certain patients either by fixing to preformed immune complexes or as part of an independent gamma-globulin-anti-gamma-globulin system. It is anticipated that the definition of these immune systems, and the assessment of their relative toxicity will provide insight into underlying etiologic factors as well as provide a sound basis for therapy in this form of glomerulonephritis.
Trypanosoma gambiense: Cytopathologic changes in guinea pig hepatocytes

Abstract Cytopathological features of the hepatocytes from guinea pigs in the terminal stages of Gambian trypanosomiasis include glycogen depletion, liposis, vacuolization and condensation of the cytoplasmic ground substance or generalized cytolysis, and degenerative alterations of membrane systems. Noncytolyzed hepatocytes exhibited mitochondrial swelling with loss of cytochemically demonstrable cytochrome oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) activity, whorling and degranulation of ER cisternae, reduced numbers of microvilli and coated vesicles at the perisinusoidal cell surface, and an increase in size and number of autophagic lysosomes. The glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) activity of the tissue was 60–85% less than normal values, while acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) was twice that of uninfected controls. Kupffer cells in the livers of T. gambiense -infected animals were found to be hypertrophied and contained large lysosomes and phagocytic vacuoles enclosing engulfed trypanosomes and cellular detritus. Other hepatic cells (endothelial, muscle, intrahepatic bile duct and connective tissue elements) exhibited normal cytomorphologic features.
Maintaining disulfiram ingestion among outpatient alcoholics: a security-deposit contingency contracting procedure

Abstract Disulfiram is frequently prescribed to alcoholic patients as a deterrent to drinking. Although ingestion of ethanol by a disulfiram patient quickly results in an intense dysphonc reaction, the drug is not generally credited with significant value in alcoholism treatment (Mottin, 1973). It is suggested that most alcoholics simply stop taking the medication (Gerrein et al. , 1973). and review articles conclude that motivation for abstinence is the crucial variable involved in successful disulfiram treatment (Ditman, 1966: Mottin, 1973). Motivation may be a characteristic of environmental contingencies rather than of individuals. If so, environmental contingencies should permit one to design into a disulfiram treatment progrim the requisite motivation to achieve therapeutic success. Contingency management procedures supporting disulfiram ingestion reported to date (Liebson et al. , 1973: Haynes, 1973) have been of the sort to be imposed upon difficult populations rather than offered to general treatment applicants. Contingency contracting may represent a technique for supporting disulfiram ingestion appropriate to the broader general population of voluntary alcoholism treatment applicants. Contingency contract treatment (Homme, 1969; Stuart, 1971) is a procedure in which client and therapist mutually agree to establish an incentive for the client to achieve a behavioral goal. Contingency contracts can be viewed as a form of self-control therapy, and have been applied in a wide variety of problem areas, including school problems (Homme, 1969: Cantrell, et al. , 1969). delinquency (Stuart, 1971),weight control (Mann, 1972). smoking reduction (Elliott and Tighe, 1968: Winett, 1973), drug abuse (Boudin, 1972), and alcoholism (Miller, 1972). Frequently contingency contracting involves the client's posting of a financial security deposit to serve as his incentive for achieving the agreed-upon therapeutic goal (Tighe and Elliot, 1968). This security deposit can be earned back consequent upon achieving specific goals, or sacrificed consequent upon failure. Controlled studies by Mann (1972) and by Winett (1973) have demonstrated this security-deposit procedure to be effective in enhancing weight loss and smoking reduction, respectively. We report here on our experience with application of the security deposit contracting procedure to maintaining routine disulfiram ingestion among outpatients in an alcoholism treatment program.
Opioid agonists/antagonists in morphine-tolerant squirrel monkeys

Abstract The mu-opioid agonist morphine, the opioid antagonist naloxone and the isomers of the mixed action opioids, cyclazocine, n-allylnormetazocine, and pentazocine were examined in squirrel monkeys responding under a fixed-ratio 30 schedule of food presentation. Dose-effect curves for all drugs were obtained prior to, during, and following a chronic regimen in which monkeys received 6 mg/kg/day of morphine. When compared to the dose-effect curves obtained prior to the chronic regimen, the morphine dose-effect curve obtained during the chronic regimen was shifted to the right 0.5–1.0 log unit, whereas the naloxone dose-effect curve shifted over 3 log units to the left. No changes were observed between the prechronic and chronic dose-effect curves for (+)-cyclazocine, (+)-n-allylnormetazocine, and (+)- or (−)-pentazocine. The (−) isomers of n-allylnormetazocine and cyclazocine shifted 0.6–1.7 log units to the left. These results suggest that the (−) isomers of cyclazocine and n-allylnormetazocine have mu antagonist properties which are revealed during chronic morphine administration.
Policy Framework for Educational Research

A policy framework for analyzing educational research and development has been proposed. The framework consists of five primary elements focusing on the contexts in which educational R & D operates, its goals, its characteristics, its manpower, and its decision structures. These five primary elements interact to produce two secondary elements concerned with priorities and objectives, and strategies and tactics. The framework was applied to three current policy proposals in educational R & D including directed R & D programming in the U.S. Office of Education, the request for funds for experimental schools, and the proposed National Institute of Education. Rigorous application of the framework to major policy questions such as these three can help us examine issues before they arise. It can help prevent errors. Its application can provide greater assurance that primary, secondary, and tertiary consequences-those that arise from the interaction of the consequences we most directly perceive-will receive examination. This kind of consideration can help produce the desirable and intended effects and avoid the detrimental consequences of unanticipated impacts in unintended areas.
p21 Functions to Maintain Quiescence of p27-deficient Hepatocytes

Hepatocytes rarely proliferate in the healthy adult liver. We explored the roles of the cyclin kinase inhibitors p21 and p27 in maintaining hepatocyte quiescence. p27 is expressed throughout the wild-type liver, but the related protein p21 was not detected. However, p21 was detected in livers of p27-deficient mice. Increased p21 protein levels did not result from an increase in p21 mRNA expression, indicating that p21 expression is regulated post-transcriptionally. p21 protein levels increased in cultured primary hepatocytes treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 and cycloheximide, indicating that p21 expression is regulated at the level of protein stability in liver cells. Although increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 4, Cdk2, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen was detected in p27-deficient livers, increased hepatocyte proliferation was detected only in livers of mice deficient for both p21 and p27. In p27-deficient livers, p21 was found in complexes with Cdk2 and CdK4 and can compensate for the absence of p27. Our data indicate that cyclin kinase inhibitor activity is important for maintaining hepatocyte quiescence in the adult liver. Significant increases in p21 were detected in multiple tissues of mature p27-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice, suggesting that the ability of p21 to functionally substitute for p27 is not liver-specific.
Nasotracheal intubation in a child with treacher collins syndrome using the bullard intubating laryngoscope

Tracheal intubation may be difficult or impossible in children with Treacher Collins syndrome. Nasotracheal intubation may be required for appropriate repair of cleft palate in these patients. This report describes the use of the Bullard intubating laryngoscope to facilitate nasotracheal intubation in a child with severe mandibulofacial dysplasia.
Comprehension of past and future reference revisited

Abstract Sentences containing either past tense, future tense, before, or after were presented with sets of sequential pictures to 150 children from 3 to 7 years. Analysis of errors and correct answers led to the following conclusions: (a) Linguistic factors had a major influence on the results, (b) past and future are understood first as mutually exclusive domains, (c) understanding of linguistic reference to past and future increases gradually from 3 through 7 years, and (d) the ability to temporally decenter increases with age. In addition, before and after were better understood than past or future verb tense. This finding is discussed in terms of (a) the difficulty of establishing the limits of the present in relation to past and future, (b) the center picture serving as a reference point for sentences with before and after, and (c) the difference between understanding reference to three sequenced actions and understanding reference to the sequence of past, present, and future relations.
Recent Advances in Photonic Devices for RF/Wireless Communication Applications

This presentation gives an overview of the requirements of the photonic components in their insertion in applications such as CATV, antenna remoting and base station connections in wireless communication systems. While the driving force for their use is bandwidth, the eventual limiting factors would be cost and reliability. The presentation reviews the advances in the state-of-the-art photonics devices for analog links such as laser diodes, high power lasers, external modulators, semiconductor amplifiers, erbium doped fiber amplifier, and photodetectors. Comparisons will also be made regarding the direct modulation scheme versus the external modulation scheme. Research frontiers in external optical modulators will be described.
The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: An Ethnographic Perspective on an Occupational Culture

Abstract The basic question that motivates the present ethnographic exploration of The Taxonomy is this: What can we learn about the educational culture that produced this social artificat? As with any ethnographie investigation, this research is concerned with empirical questions about the document itself. What can we learn from its language? Its description and accounts of its affairs? The matter it calls to our attention and explains? The matter that it ignores and avoids? What is the taken for granted world of Tax-onomic Culture? This study is not a book review nor is it a debate about the logical, scientific or philosophical adequacy of the Tax-onomy. It is an attempt to look at a residual document of a familiar culture as we have learned to look at the songs, stories, and myths of far away peoples. Looking at ourselves ethnographically encourages an “objectivity,” a “neutrality” about beliefs and customs that is not our usual experience.
Meteorological applications of the Nimbus 4 Temperature-Humidity Infrared Radiometer, 6.7 micron channel data

Abstract Mid-tropospheric circulation features under essentially clear sky conditions have been noted in the data of the 6.7 μm channel of the Nimbus 4 Temperature-Humidity Infrared Radiometer (THIR) while at the same time these features were undetected by the 11.5 μm channel of the same instrument. The characteristic response of the 6.7 μm channel to atmospheric water vapor emission is primarily from the 250-mb (10.5 km) to 500-mb (5.5 km) levels with a peak contribution at 350 mb (8 km). Dry and moist patterns seen in the 6.7 μm data on 21 February 1971 have been integrated into a 400-mb moisture analysis over the United States. This analysis provided more detailed and timely information than was conventionally available about the advection of dry air aloft prior to development of the Mississippi Tornado of February 1971. The derivation of middle to upper atmosphere flow patterns from the Nimbus 4 THIR, 6.7 μm data under cloud-free conditions has a direct application on a global scale for the GARP and W...
Thermal fluctuations and phase equilibrium in microemulsions.

We construct a simple coarse-grained model and use it to study global phase behavior of ensembles of fluid membranes. This model is an improvement over previous phenomenological models of Talmon and Prager, de Gennes and co-workers, Widom, and more recently of Safran and co-workers. We show here that there is necessarily an entropic contribution, missing in all previous theories, to the coarse-grained free energy whose physical origin is the same as that of Helfrich's entropic repulsion stabilizing lamellar multimembrane phases. The inclusion of this steric entropy in the previous phenomenological studies is essential if they are to be used in the study of periodic phases in microemulsions and analogous surfactant systems. Thus the model enables us to obtain, in a unified way, phase diagrams containing both uniform and periodic phases in microemulsions and in binary systems of nonionic surfactant bilayers in a single solvent. Mean-field theory for this model yields rich phase diagrams containing dilute, random bicontinuous, lamellar, columnar, and an antiferromagnetic phase that may correspond to a droplet crystal or to a ``plumber's nightmare.'' The model depends on two phenomenological parameters related to strengths of steric entropy and softening of membrane rigidity. We discuss the sensitivity of phase diagrams (in particular the existence of the middle-phase microemulsion) to values of these parameters. We find that the existence of a realistic middle phase (with structural length scale much larger than the molecular length scale) crucially depends on the presence of steric entropy. The model reproduces the experimentally observed four-phase equilibria among uniform phases in microemulsions.
Role of the Arabidopsis DRM Methyltransferases in De Novo DNA Methylation and Gene Silencing

Summary Characterization of the drm Mutants To study the function of the DRM genes, we isolated Proper DNA methylation patterning requires the com- T-DNA insertion mutations in both DRM1 and DRM2 plementary processes of de novo methylation (the ini- (Figure 1B) and crossed these together to create drm1 tial methylation of unmethylated DNA sequences) and drm2 double homozygous plants. RT-PCR using primmaintenance methylation (the faithful replication of ers on either side of the T-DNA insertions detected expreexisting methylation). Arabidopsis has two types of pression of both DRM1 and DRM2 in wild-type plants methyltransferases with demonstrated maintenance but not in drm1 drm2 double mutants, confirming that activity: MET1, which maintains CpG methylation [1–3] the T-DNA insertions are likely to disrupt gene function and is homologous to mammalian DNMT1, and CHRO- (Figure 1C). drm1 drm2 double homozygotes showed a MOMETHYLASE 3 (CMT3), which maintains CpNpG (N morphology similar to the wild-type WS strain (Figures A, T, C, or G) methylation [3, 4] and is unique to the plant 1D and 1E), even after five generations of inbreeding. kingdom. Here we describe loss-of-function mutations Using the methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes in the Arabidopsis DOMAINS REARRANGED METHYL- HpaII and MspI, which are inhibited by either CpG and/ ASE (DRM) genes [5] and provide evidence that they or CpNpG methylation in their recognition sites, we did encode de novo methyltransferases. drm1 drm2 dou- not observe a detectable loss of methylation at the reble mutants retained preexisting CpG methylation at petitive centromeric repeat sequences (Figure 1F) [13], the endogenous FWA locus but blocked de novo CpG suggesting that the drm mutations do not affect maintemethylation that is normally associated with FWA nance methylation of these repeats. transgene silencing. Furthermore, drm1 drm2 double mutants blocked de novo CpNpG and asymmetric DRM2 Is Required for FWA Transgene Silencing methylation and gene silencing of the endogenous SU- To test whether the DRM loci affect de novo methylation PERMAN (SUP) gene, which is normally triggered by associated with transgene silencing, we used the FWA an inverted SUP repeat. However, drm1 drm2 double gene [14]. The promoter of FWA is normally methylated mutants did not show reactivation of previously estab- within two direct repeats, causing FWA expression to lished SUPERMAN epigenetic silenced alleles. Thus, be silenced. In epigenetic fwa mutants in which this drm mutants prevent the establishment but not the methylation has been lost, FWA expression is ectopimaintenance of gene silencing at FWA and SUP, sug- cally activated in vegetative tissue causing a dominant gesting that the DRMs encode the major de novo late flowering phenotype. These epigenetic fwa alleles
A distributed scheme for detection of information flows

Distributed detection of information flows spanning many nodes in a wireless sensor network is considered. In such a system, eavesdroppers are deployed near several nodes in the network. As data may be encrypted or padded, the eavesdroppers can only measure packet timestamps. Each eavesdropper, given a sequence of timestamps, must compress the information for transmission to a fusion center. Given the compressed data, the fusion center must decide whether the monitored nodes are part of an information flow. Information flows may be embedded with chaff noise, and packets may be perturbed by a random but bounded delay. A specific quantizer and algorithmic detection scheme are proposed. Performance is characterized by the maximum fraction of chaff that may be inserted in an information flow while still achieving vanishing error probabilities. A lower bound on the performance of the optimal system is derived. An upper bound on the performance of a system using the proposed quantizer is also found.
Immunoaffinity/Gas Chromatography/High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Method for the Detection of N2,3-Ethenoguanine

Etheno adducts are formed after exposure to a number of carcinogens, including vinyl chloride, as well as endogenously as a result of lipid peroxidation. A sensitive and selective assay for N(2), 3-ethenoguanine (epsilonGua) was developed using immunoaffinity (IA) columns made with polyclonal antibodies to epsilonGua followed by gas chromatography/electron capture negative chemical ionization/high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/ECNCI/HRMS) analysis of its pentafluorobenzyl derivative. These IA columns were specific for epsilonGua and did not bind guanine, deoxyguanosine, 1, N(6)-ethenoadenine, or 1,N(2)-ethenoguanine. The level of recovery of standards from the IA columns was 107 +/- 7% and throughout the entire method (using nucleoside enzymatic digestion) with or without DNA was 72 +/- 6%. Four different hydrolysis/digestion procedures were compared, nucleoside enzymatic (EZ), neutral thermal hydrolysis (NT), formic acid hydrolysis (FA), and HCl hydrolysis. All hydrolysis methods with subsequent IA chromatography produced linear standard curves with r(2) values of 0.999 or better. The level of epsilonGua in chloroethylene oxide-treated calf thymus DNA (CEO-ctDNA) was 38 +/- 2, 42 +/- 3, and 49 +/- 2 fmol of epsilonGua/microg of DNA using EZ, NT, and FA, respectively. These numbers remained consistent when the amount of DNA processed was doubled or tripled. These numbers were comparable to the previously published value of 55 +/- 8 fmol of epsilonGua/micrograms of DNA for the same DNA using HCl hydrolysis, cation exchange cleanup, and LC/MS analysis [Yen, T. Y., et al. (1996) J. Mass Spectrom. 31, 1271-1276]. Additionally, HCl hydrolysis of rat liver DNA from control and vinyl fluoride-exposed rats gave similar epsilonGua results when compared to those from enzymatic digestion using this method. This method gave a detection limit of 5 epsilonGua adducts/10(8) normal dGuo nucleosides in 150 micrograms of DNA using EZ and somewhat lower detection limits using NT and HCl hydrolysis. The method is more sensitive and selective than previously used methods for the quantitation of this adduct.
Rapid antigen assay for the diagnosis of pneumococcal bacteremia in children: A preliminary study

Abstract Study objective: We determine the sensitivity of a new Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen assay in children with S pneumoniae bacteremia and also determine the specificity of the assay in afebrile children without apparent pneumococcal infection. Methods: We enrolled 2 groups of children, 3 months to 5 years of age, presenting to an urban pediatric emergency department or hospital-based clinic between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2001. The study group included patients with S pneumoniae bacteremia. The control group included patients without fever or identified focal bacterial infection (other than a urinary tract infection). We excluded from the control group patients with a recent diagnosis (prior 4 weeks) of bacteremia, pneumonia, meningitis, acute otitis media, or other suspected S pneumoniae infection. Results: Ninety-six patients were enrolled: 24 children with S pneumoniae bacteremia and 72 afebrile control patients. The assay produced a positive result in 23 of 24 patients with pneumococcal bacteremia, yielding a sensitivity of 95.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 78.9% to 99.9%). The test result was negative in 67 of 72 afebrile patients without apparent pneumococcal infection, yielding a specificity in this population of 93.0% (95% CI 83.4% to 97.5%). Conclusion: This S pneumoniae assay demonstrated high sensitivity for the defined bacteremic population, as well as high specificity among afebrile children without apparent pneumococcal infection. Further study in febrile children at risk of pneumococcal bacteremia is needed before the value of the test in children at risk for invasive pneumococcal disease can be determined. [ Ann Emerg Med. 2002;40:399-404.]
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by dysregulation of the immune system. Impaired function of cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells is often seen, and T-cell malignancies represent most cases of lymphoma-associated HLH. HLH associated with B-cell lymphoma is rare. We describe a case of a 30-year-old man who presented with fever, splenomegaly, and hyperferritinemia. Bone marrow biopsy revealed T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma, a rare, aggressive B-cell malignancy. This case highlights the interplay between a pro-inflammatory cytokine microenvironment and tumor-mediated immune suppression, and addresses the importance of accurately diagnosing these entities for appropriate clinical management.
Fructose 1,6-diphosphate administration attenuates post-ischemic ventricular dysfunction.

Background Cardiomyocyte energy production during ischemia depends upon anaerobic glycolysis inefficiently yielding two ATP per glucose. Substrate augmentation with fructose 1,6-diphosphate (FDP) bypasses the ATP consuming steps of glucokinase and phosphofructokinase thus yielding four ATP per FDP. This study evaluated the impact of FDP administration on myocardial function after acute ischemia. Methods Male Wistar rats, 250–300g, underwent 30min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by 30min reperfusion. Immediately prior to both ischemia and reperfusion, animals received an intravenous bolus of FDP or saline control. After 30min reperfusion, myocardial function was evaluated with a left ventricular intracavitary pressure/volume conductance microcatheter. For bioenergetics studies, myocardium was isolated at 5min of ischemia and assayed for ATP levels. Results Compared to controls ( n =8), FDP animals ( n =8) demonstrated significantly improved maximal left ventricular pressure (100.5±5.4mmHg versus 69.1±1.9mmHg; p P /d t (5296±531mmHg/s versus 2940±175mmHg/s; p p 2 versus 44.4±4.6mW/μL 2 ; p n =5) compared to controls ( n =5) (535±156nmol/g ischemic tissue versus 160±9.0nmol/g ischemic tissue; p Conclusions The administration of the glycolytic intermediate, FDP, by intravenous injection, resulted in significantly improved myocardial function after ischemia and improved bioenergetics during ischemia.
A comparative evaluation of generic programming in Java and C

Generic programming has been defined as 'programming with concepts' where a concept refers to a family of abstractions. The criteria for generic programming include independence of collections from data types, independence of algorithms that operate on the collection, and the adaptability of the collections. This paper examines and evaluates the support for generic programming in the Java Development Kit (JDK) in comparison to C++'s Standard Template Library (STL). The evaluation will consider both the 'qualitative' factors as well as certain 'quantitative' factors (i.e. factors that can be measured). The qualitative factors that are considered include: 1. a comparison of the structure and APIs; 2. homogeneity versus heterogeneity; and 3. ease of use (including ease of converting to collection classes, ease of changing collection type, and ease of error handling).The quantitative factors include: 1. compiled size; 2. runtime memory usage; and 3. performance. The results of our evaluative comparisons based on the above factors and certain other criteria are presented at the end. Based on the results, we conclude that the support provided for generic programming in C++'s STL is superior to that provided by JDK.
Clonal integration in Ludwigia hexapetala under different light regimes

a b s t r a c t Physiological integration among ramets of invasive plant species may support their colonization and spread in novel aquatic environments where growth-limiting resources are spatially heterogeneous. Under contrasting light conditions, we investigated how clonal integration influences growth, biomass allocation and morphology of Ludwigia hexapetala, an emergent floating-leaved macrophyte that is highly invasive in a range of wetland habitat types. In aquatic mesocosms, stolons of offspring ramets were either connected or severed from parent plants, with the pairs exposed to homogenous or heteroge- neous combinations of sun or 85% shade. Morphological traits of all ramets were strongly influenced by light environment, and low light availability decreased plant growth, regardless of integration sta- tus. Allocation patterns varied with light regime; shaded plants increased allocation to leaf biomass while sun plants allocated more resources to belowground growth. Offspring ramets integrated with parents produced more biomass, suggesting a fitness advantage through integration. However, parent ramet performance declined with stoloniferous integration; integrated parents produced fewer ramets and allocated more resources to belowground biomass. For most response variables measured, there was no significant interactive effect between light treatment and integration, although parents growing in the shade attached to an offspring in the sun increased root mass ratio. The ability to establish and spread into new environments is a key trait of invasive plants, and physiological integration of resources may improve the establishment of juvenile ramets across variable light environments during early col- onization. Physiological integration in patchy light environments may contribute to the invasiveness of L. hexapetala. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Complement evasion by human pathogens

The human immune system has developed an elaborate network of cascades for dealing with microbial intruders. Owing to its ability to rapidly recognize and eliminate microorganisms, the complement system is an essential and efficient component of this machinery. However, many pathogenic organisms have found ways to escape the attack of complement through a range of different mechanisms. Recent discoveries in this field have provided important insights into these processes on a molecular level. These vital developments could augment our knowledge of the pathology and treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases.
CHANGES IN CELL FINE STRUCTURE DURING LENS REGENERATION IN XENOPUS LAEVIS

Changes at the level of cell fine structure have been studied during lens regeneration in the toad, Xenopus laevis, where cornea gives rise to the new lens. The transformation of these cells may be divided into three phases. (1) In the cornea, flattened cells become cuboidal and rough endoplasmic reticulum increases in amount. (2) In the new lens vesicle, cisternae of the rough ER break down into vesicles, smooth-walled vesicles and free ribosomes increase in number, and mitochondria can become enlarged and irregular, then centrally attenuated. Rudimentary cilia form. (3) As new lens fibers form, ribosomes become very numerous and low density fibrous elements and dense clumps appear in the cytoplasm. These phases are accompanied by marked nucleolar changes. The changes during the 3rd phase are similar to changes in the lens during normal development. The first two phases show an unexpected morphological complexity.
Concurrent Partnerships as a Driver of the HIV Epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Evidence is Limited

Little evidence supports the hypothesis that sexual behavior differs dramatically in Africa compared to the rest of the world nor that sexual behavior in Africa is different in countries with high versus low HIV prevalence. And it bears repeating that the most rigorous field studies on this topic did not find evidence for an association between concurrency and HIV prevalence in five diverse African cities or in 22 countries. Theoretical plausibility-provided by the mathematical models-does not provide sufficient evidence to conclude that what could happen is actually what has happened. Without strong data showing that people have more concurrent partnerships in Africa than elsewhere and that places with high levels of concurrency also have high levels of HIV we can only conclude that under certain conditions concurrency may be a significant driver of the HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. To definitively answer this question additional studies are needed. First improved methods for measuring sexual behavior and particularly partnership duration and overlap are needed. Without a common definition of concurrency it is futile to make valid comparisons across populations and between studies. Second better study designs must be used. Current data comes from cross-sectional and ecological studies only. Longitudinal studies that prospectively measure concurrency and incidence of HIV infection are needed to validly assess whether concurrency causes increased transmission of HIV. Once there is evidence that concurrency is a causal factor that increases the risk of HIV infection it will make sense to measure the effect of population-level concurrency on HIV epidemics. Whether concurrency is a significant driver of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is a question that has yet to be answered. Finally designing prevention interventions around concurrency without a better understanding of the intricacies of the relationship between concurrency and HIV transmission may well not produce the intended result of preventing new HIV infections. (excerpt)
Metformin: a potential therapeutic agent for recurrent colon cancer.

Accumulating evidence suggests that metformin, a biguanide class of anti-diabetic drugs, possesses anti-cancer properties. However, most of the studies to evaluate therapeutic efficacy of metformin have been on primary cancer. No information is available whether metformin could be effectively used for recurrent cancer, specifically colorectal cancer (CRC) that affects up to 50% of patients treated by conventional chemotherapies. Although the reasons for recurrence are not fully understood, it is thought to be due to re-emergence of chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem/stem-like cells (CSCs/CSLCs). Therefore, development of non-toxic treatment strategies targeting CSCs would be of significant therapeutic benefit. In the current investigation, we have examined the effectiveness of metformin, in combination with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FuOx), the mainstay of colon cancer therapeutics, on survival of chemo-resistant colon cancer cells that are highly enriched in CSCs/CSLCs. Our data show that metformin acts synergistically with FuOx to (a) induce cell death in chemo resistant (CR) HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cells, (b) inhibit colonospheres formation and (c) enhance colonospheres disintegration. In vitro cell culture studies have further demonstrated that the combinatorial treatment inhibits migration of CR colon cancer cells. These changes were associated with increased miRNA 145 and reduction in miRNA 21. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was also down-regulated indicating its pivotal role in regulating the growth of CR colon cancer cells. Data from SCID mice xenograft model of CR HCT-116 and CR HT-29 cells show that the combination of metformin and FuOX is highly effective in inhibiting the growth of colon tumors as evidenced by ∼50% inhibition in growth following 5 weeks of combination treatment, when compared with the vehicle treated controls. Our current data suggest that metformin together with conventional chemotherapy could be an effective treatment regimen for recurring colorectal cancer (CRC).
Calibration control of robot vertical assembly

Calibration methods that apply relative techniques to map robot inaccuracy increase robot flexibility by allowing for greater use and application of off-line path planning techniques. To successfully implement the off-line techniques described in this article, methods have been integrated for off-line tool control frame (TCF) calibration, data base integration, and on-line robot inaccuracy correction. The TCF calibration methods presented in this article successfully determine the TCF origin of the end-effectors and sensors attached to the robot distal link to within the robot repeatability. When the methods were applied to a SEIKO DTRAN RT-3000 robot, the TCP origins were statically predicted correct to within 0.025mm (0.001 in.). On-line methods determine robot inaccuracy by mapping robot configurations relative to operational parts or to spatial templates, in contrast to the contemporary global mapping approaches. For the Seiko robot the resulting inaccuracy distributions permit simple error correction equations to be applied, improving robot positioning accuracy to less than ±0.1 mm in locally large regions and to within the repeatability of the robot ±0.025 mm) in smaller regions. This represents an order-of-magnitude decrease in robot inaccuracy.
Cytoplasmic substitution inSolanum. I. Seed production, germination, and sterilities of reciprocal backcross generations

Genes ofSolanum tuberosum L. ssp.tuberosum were introduced into cytoplasm ofS. tuberosum ssp.andigena (Juz. & Buk.) Hawkes andS. phureja Juz. & Buk. to reduce cytoplasmic sterilities. Alleles that influenced berry set and seed content produced differences between reciprocal progenies. Their expressions were interpreted in terms of genes of the maternal and/or paternal parents. When the ssp.andigena genotype was introduced from the maternal parent if favoured high berry set and low seed number. Maternal ssp.tuberosum favoured lower berry set and higher seed number. The source ofS. phureja cytoplasm, aS. phureja×S. chacoense F1, used as maternal parent favoured lower berry and seed set. During successive backcrosses progeny expressions approached those of the recurrent ssp.tuberosum pollen parents. A low level of pollen sterility occurred in BC2 plants, unrelated to direction of cross or cytoplasmic factors. By BC4, seed set and fertility were as good as ssp.tuberosum, and recurrent backcrossing could be terminated without loss of seed production or fertility.
Carbonate Needles: Additional Organic Sources

Foraminifers, molluscs, corals, tunicates, and other organisms construct skeletal parts of elongate carbonate crystals. Observations of both artificial material and Holocene Bahamian sediment show that the crystals can be freed to the sediment as the skeleton disintegrates. The other organic sources must be considered when optical identifications of small carbonate particles are attempted.
Designing Localized Waves

In this paper we re-interpret a recently introduced method for obtaining non-separable, localized solutions of homogeneous partial differential equations. This re-interpretation is in the form of a geometrical consideration of the algebraic constraint that the Fourier transforms of such solutions must satisfy in the transform domain (phase space). With this approach we link two classes of localized, non-separable solutions of the homogeneous wave equation, and examine the transform domain characteristic that determines the space-time localization properties of these classes. This characterization allows us to design classes of solutions with better localization properties. In particular, we design and discuss the properties of several novel subluminal and superluminal solutions of the homogeneous wave equation. We also design families of non separable, localized, subluminal and superluminal solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation by using the same technique.
Study of Critical Fluctuations in BaTi O 3 by Neutron Scattering

Neutron scattering from BaTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ crystal has been investigated in the critical region (${T}_{c}=130\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}lTl270\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$) above the ferroelectric Curie temperature. In this temperature range, strong quasi-elastic scattering was observed. The temperature dependence of the quasi-elastic scattering indicates that it is associated with a critical polarization fluctuation in the crystal. An energy analysis of the cross section proves that the polarization fluctuation in BaTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ is of the relaxation type in this temperature region, with a relaxation time longer than 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ sec. This result is in marked contrast to the case of SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ and KTa${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. The neutron cross sections, observed as functions of temperature and wave number, can be interpreted equally well with either an overdamped phonon model or a tunneling-mode model. The strong anisotropy of the quasielastic scattering in reciprocal space indicates that the directions of strongest correlation of the fluctuation are along the (100) axes.