cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synergy of karenitecin and mafosfamide in pediatric leukemia, medulloblastoma, and neuroblastoma cell lines.

Background A major barrier to treatment of leptomeningeal disease is the lack of proven combination chemotherapy regimens for intrathecal administration. The purpose of this study was to determine the cytotoxic effects of karenitecin and mafosfamide in vitro against leukemia, medulloblastoma, and neuroblastoma cell lines. Procedure A modified methyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to determine the sensitivity of the cells to karenitecin and mafosfamide. Cells were exposed to drug for 72 hr, after which the number of surviving cells was quantitated. For drug combination experiments, cells were exposed to medium alone (controls), single drugs alone (mafosfamide only, karenitecin only) or to different concentrations of the combination of the two drugs (karenitecin + mafosfamide), for a total of 36 concentration pairs per plate. The universal response surface approach (URSA) was used to analyze the cytotoxic effects of the combination of karenitecin and mafosfamide. Results The IC50s of karenitecin and mafosfamide for the various cell lines were similar. For both drugs nearly complete inhibition of cell growth was demonstrated at higher concentrations in all cell lines. In the neuroblastoma cell lines (SK-N-DZ; SK-N-SH) and the DAOY medulloblastoma cell line, the combination of karenitecin and mafosfamide were synergistic. In the D283 medulloblastoma and both the leukemia cell lines (JM1 and Molt-4), the drug interaction was additive. Antagonism was not seen in any cell line. Conclusions Karenitecin and mafosfamide are additive or synergistic in vitro against tumor types that disseminate to the leptomeninges. These results provide guidance for the choice of potential combination intrathecal regimens. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:757–760. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Assessment of NMDA receptor activation in vivo by Fos induction after challenge with the direct NMDA agonist (tetrazol-5-yl)glycine: effects of clozapine and haloperidol.

Induction of Fos protein by the potent and direct NMDA agonist (tetrazol-5-yl)glycine (TZG) was examined in mice. Effects of antipsychotic drugs were assessed on this in vivo index of NMDA receptor activation. TZG induced the expression of Fos in a neuroanatomically selective manner, with the hippocampal formation showing the most robust response. In mice genetically altered to express low levels of the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor, TZG-induced Fos was reduced markedly in comparison to the wild type controls. TZG-induced Fos was also blocked by the selective NMDA antagonist MK-801. Pretreatment of mice with clozapine (3 and 10 mg/kg) reduced TZG-induced Fos in the hippocampal formation but not in other brain regions. Haloperidol at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg did not antagonize TZG induced Fos in any region. Haloperidol at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg did attenuate the induction of Fos by TZG in the hippocampus but not in other brain regions. The relatively high dose (1 mg/kg) of haloperidol required to block effects of TZG suggests that this action may not be related to the D2 dopamine receptor-blocking properties, since maximal D2 receptor blockade was probably achieved by the 0.5 mg/kg dose of haloperidol. The antidepressant drug imipramine (10 or 20 mg/kg) did not antagonize TZG induced Fos in any brain region. The data suggest that clozapine can reduce excessive activation of NMDA receptors by TZG administration in vivo at doses relevant to the drugs’ actions in rodent models of antipsychotic activity. Whether or not this action of clozapine contributes to its therapeutic properties will require further study.
A theoretical comparison of buoyancy-driven and compaction-driven fluid flow in oceanic sedimentary basins

[1] Compaction-driven and buoyancy-driven fluid flow are the major driving forces in submarine basins; however, the impact of coupling these driving forces has yet to be fully evaluated. This is the first analysis to couple the transient interactions of compaction-driven and buoyancy-driven flow in oceanic sedimentary basins. We use finite element modeling to explore the effects of sediment compaction overlying a permeable oceanic crust layer where free convection occurs. Four numerical experiments examine the parameter space where each driving force dominates the flow field. In higher-permeability crust (k > 10−13 m2) buoyancy-driven flow dominates the fluid flow patterns in the basin, though compaction does cause minor alterations to fluid velocities and convection cell evolution. Compaction dominates the system when low permeability crust inhibits free convection (k < 10−15 m2) and can stimulate fluid flow in the oceanic crust by directing fluid from sediment pore spaces downward into the crust, possibly rejuvenating flow in older, lower-permeability submarine environments. In mixed-flow systems (k ∼ 10−15 to 10−13 m2) both forces are approximately equal in importance and both contribute to the development of flow patterns. Fluid from the sediment layer is expelled downward into the permeable crust, which modifies the fluid flowlines. Instead of convection cells, a flow-through pattern forms in which all fluid is transported laterally across the basin. This increase in lateral transport could have significant implications for geochemical mass transport in submarine environments. Though flow rates are relatively small (∼mm/yr), low-velocity fluid flow can be important in geochemical, mechanical, biological, and hydrogeologic systems.
Controlling the Proportion Defective from Classification Data

If a sample is drawn from a population of items, and each sample member is classified as either a defective or nondefective by some classification procedure in a manner such that the probabilities of errors of misclassification can be assessed (e.g. by a linear discriminant function); then a number of items classified as defectives is obtained. This number of classified defectives is shown to have a binomial distribution with parameter depending on the proportion of defectives in the parent population, and the probabilities of misclassification. From this result it follows that one can use well known techniques for making inferences concerning a binomial parameter to make inferences about the proportion of defectives in the parent population.
A Model Study of Heat Waves over North America: Meteorological Aspects and Projections for the Twenty-First Century

AbstractThe characteristics of summertime heat waves in North America are examined using reanalysis data and simulations by two general circulation models with horizontal resolution of 50 and 200 km. Several “key regions” with spatially coherent and high amplitude fluctuations in daily surface air temperature are identified. The typical synoptic features accompanying warm episodes in these regions are described. The averaged intensity, duration, and frequency of occurrence of the heat waves in various key regions, as simulated in the two models for twentieth-century climate, are in general agreement with the results based on reanalysis data.The impact of climate change on the heat wave characteristics in various key regions is assessed by contrasting model runs based on a scenario for the twenty-first century with those for the twentieth century. Both models indicate considerable increases in the duration and frequency of heat wave episodes, and in number of heat wave days per year, during the twenty-firs...
Participation of dopamine- and serotonin- receptors in the disaggregation of brain polysomes by L-dopa and L-5-HTP.

— It has previously been shown that the disaggregation of brain polysomes and suppression of brain protein synthesis observed in rats given the amino acids l-dopa or l-5-HTP is mediated by the decarboxylation products dopamine and serotonin. Present studies demonstrate that the poly-some disaggregation is caused by the interactions of the monoamines with specific receptor sites. Thus, dopa-induced disaggregation is blocked if rats are pretreated with haloperidol or pimozide (but not methysergide or cyproheptadine), while 5-HTP-induced disaggregation is blocked by methysergide or cyproheptadine (but not by haloperidol or pimozide). Pretreatment of rats with MK-486, a drug that inhibits dopa decarboxylase in blood vessels and peripheral tissues but not brain, does not block dopa-induced brain polysome disaggregation; hence this disaggregation depends on the interaction of dopamine with receptors in the brain parenchyma. Brain polysomes are not disaggregated in rats given intraperitoneal apomorphine (or intracisternal dopamine). The disaggregation caused by dopa is not reduced in animals pretreated with sufficient intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine to cause major damage to catecholaminergic nerve terminals.
Failure of nocturnal changes in growth hormone to alter carbohydrate tolerance the following morning

To determine whether the increases in growth hormone that occur during sleep alter carbohydrate tolerance the following morning, two groups of volunteers were studied on two occasions. In one group saline alone was injected and infused (i. e. no octreotide) on one occasion and on the other octreotide was injected at 23.00 hours to inhibit endogenous growth hormone secretion followed by saline infusion to create a state of relative nocturnal growth hormone deficiency. In the other group the octreotide injection was followed on one occasion by a constant growth hormone infusion designed to maintain growth hormone concentrations at “basal” levels throughout the night whereas on the other it was followed by a constant infusion plus two supplemental growth hormone infusions given at midnight and 02.30 hours to mimic the normal nocturnal rise in growth hormone. The next morning, subjects were fed a radiolabelled mixed meal. The differences in the nocturnal growth hormone concentrations had no effect on the glucose, insulin, C-peptide and glucagon concentrations following breakfast ingestion nor did they alter postprandial rates of glucose production, disappearance or substrate oxidation. Thus, the normal nocturnal rise in growth hormone does not appear to be an important regulator of carbohydrate tolerance the following morning. [Diabetologia (1998) 41: 1064–1072]
Characterization of the kinetic and thermodynamic landscape of RNA folding using a novel application of isothermal titration calorimetry

A novel isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) method was applied to investigate RNA helical packing driven by the GAAA tetraloop-receptor interaction in magnesium and potassium solutions. Both the kinetics and thermodynamics were obtained in individual ITC experiments, and analysis of the kinetic data over a range of temperatures provided Arrhenius activation energies (ΔH(‡)) and Eyring transition state entropies (ΔS(‡)). The resulting rich dataset reveals strongly contrasting kinetic and thermodynamic profiles for this RNA folding system when stabilized by potassium versus magnesium. In potassium, association is highly exothermic (ΔH(25°C) = -41.6 ± 1.2 kcal/mol in 150 mM KCl) and the transition state is enthalpically barrierless (ΔH(‡) = -0.6 ± 0.5). These parameters are significantly positively shifted in magnesium (ΔH(25°C) = -20.5 ± 2.1 kcal/mol, ΔH(‡) = 7.3 ± 2.2 kcal/mol in 0.5 mM MgCl(2)). Mixed salt solutions approximating physiological conditions exhibit an intermediate thermodynamic character. The cation-dependent thermodynamic landscape may reflect either a salt-dependent unbound receptor conformation, or alternatively and more generally, it may reflect a small per-cation enthalpic penalty associated with folding-coupled magnesium uptake.
Inelastic mean free paths for electrons at disordered interfaces

X-ray and ultraviolet photoemission results for ZnSe(100)-c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2) show that the variation in relative intensity of the Zn 3d surface and bulk components can be described for a wide range of kinetic energies using the ``universal'' inelastic mean free path. In contrast, the effective mean free path for low-energy photoelectrons is much less than expected when disordered interfaces are considered. These changes are associated with disorder at the interface and additional scattering for low-energy electrons. High-energy electrons are much less affected.
Identification of a Preinitiation Step in DNA Replication That Is Independent of Origin Recognition Complex and cdc6, but Dependent on cdk2

Before initiation of DNA replication, origin recognition complex (ORC) proteins, cdc6, and minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins bind to chromatin sequentially and form preinitiation complexes. Using Xenopus laevis egg extracts, we find that after the formation of these complexes and before initiation of DNA replication, cdc6 is rapidly removed from chromatin, possibly degraded by a cdk2-activated, ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway. If this displacement is inhibited, DNA replication fails to initiate. We also find that after assembly of MCM proteins into preinitiation complexes, removal of the ORC from DNA does not block the subsequent initiation of replication. Importantly, under conditions in which both ORC and cdc6 protein are absent from preinitiation complexes, DNA replication is still dependent on cdk2 activity. Therefore, the final steps in the process leading to initiation of DNA replication during S phase of the cell cycle are independent of ORC and cdc6 proteins, but dependent on cdk2 activity.
Saints and Strangers: New England in British North America – By Joseph A. Conforti

The author of this book provides an overview of New England history in the colonial period. He has synthesized a vast body of scholarly literature in a noble effort to be comprehensive and up‐to‐da...
Analysis of Ultrafast Laser Propagation in Biological Tissues With Embedded Tumors and Large Blood Vessels

Time-resolved optical imaging technique offers the promise for development of safe, noninvasive, and inexpensive clinical imaging modalities with diagnostic ability. However, the presence of mismatched refractive-index boundaries in a soft tissue will tremendously change light propagation path, which in turn, makes the optical image obscure if not indiscernible. In this article, a time-resolved Monte Carlo model, which takes into account the photon reflection/transmission behavior at the mismatched refractive-index boundaries, is developed to investigate transient light propagation in biological tissues with embedded tumors and blood vessels. The results show that the temporal reflection signal displays two peak values when refractive-index mismatched foreign objects, such as tumors or blood vessels, are embedded in the tissue. One peak is a direct result arising from the pulse nature of the incident laser light, and the other is due to the backscattering from the refractive-index mismatched boundaries. This suggests that the occurrence of the "second peak" be an indication for the location and size of tumors inside the tissue.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Corticosteroid-binding globulin in the rat: studies on the sex difference.

The activity of corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) was determined in sera of male and female rats by multiple equilibrium dialysis at 37 C with corticosterone-4-14C. A sex difference in CBG activity was first apparent at 30 days of age and reached a maximum level at 48 days when the female animals had approximately twice the binding activity of the males. Prepuberal and postpuberal gonadectomy did not alter the binding activity of female rats but increased that of male animals by 60-70%. Administration of estradiol did not change female CBG activity but resulted in a 50-70 % increase in male rats. Testosterone injection depressed CBG levels of the intact female by 30 % but did not alter the male value. Progesterone administration increased the binding activity of intact male and female animals. The injection of testosterone into previously gonadectomized male rats returned the CBG activity to that of sham-operated controls. The data suggested that testosterone suppresses CBG activity. An approximate ca...
The discovery of glueballs

Abstract Quantum Chromodynamics and other modern theories are based on local gauge invariance of SU(3)color. There are eight resultant gauge bosons with color called gluons which bind the quaks together into hadrons. However they self interact strongly at low energies and necessarily should form “glueballs” (multi-gluon resonant states). This paper describes the discovery of one or two glueballs by the BNL/CCNY collaboration in the OZI suppressed reaction π−p → φφn. The discovery conclusion is based merely on the correctness of modern Quantum Chromodynamics practice. This is a great triumph for Quantum Chromodynamics and other modern theories based on local gauge invariance of SU(3)color.
Spirituality and psychosocial factors in persons living with HIV

Spirituality and psychosocial factors in persons living with HIV Aim of the study. This pilot study was designed to examine the relationships among spirituality and psychosocial factors in a sample of 52 adult males living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease and to determine the most reliable spirituality measure for a proposed longitudinal study. Background. HIV disease is among the most devastating of illnesses, having multiple and profound effects upon all aspects of the biopsychosocial and spiritual being. Although research has suggested relationships among various psychosocial and spiritual factors, symptomatology and physical health, much more research is needed to document their potential influences on immune function, as well as health status, disease progression, and quality of life among persons with HIV disease. Methods. This descriptive correlational study explored the relationships of spirituality and psychosocial measures. Spirituality was measured in terms of spiritual perspective, well-being and health using three tools: the Spiritual Perspective Scale, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and the Spiritual Health Inventory. Five psychosocial instruments were used to measure aspects of stress and coping: the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, Dealing with Illness Scale, Social Provisions Scale, Impact of Events Scale, and Functional Assessment of HIV Infection Scale. The sample was recruited as part of an ongoing funded study. The procedures from the larger study were well-defined and followed in this pilot study. Correlational analyses were done to determine the relationship between spirituality and the psychosocial measures. Findings. The findings indicate that spirituality as measured by the existential well-being (EWB) subscale of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale was positively related to quality of life, social support, effective coping strategies and negatively related to perceived stress, uncertainty, psychological distress and emotional-focused coping. The other spirituality measures had less significant or non significant relationships with the psychological measures. Conclusions. The study findings support the inclusion of spirituality as a variable for consideration when examining the psychosocial factors and the quality of life of persons living with HIV disease. The spiritual measure that best captures these relationships is the EWB subscale of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale.
Use of Intrathecal Baclofen in a Child With Spastic Paraparesis Related to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: A Case Report

This case report describes a 2-year treatment course of a 6-year-old with spastic paraparesis due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalopathy. She continued to develop worsening musculoskeletal problems and a decline in mobility despite aggressive antispasticity interventions. In addition to meeting the usual clinical criteria for treatment with continuous intrathecal baclofen (ITB), she was believed to be an appropriate candidate for ITB because of adequate treatment of her HIV infection and associated overall low risk of mortality. For over 12 months, she has been successfully treated with ITB and has not developed any complications related to her HIV infection. To my knowledge, this is the first reported successful treatment of spasticity with ITB in a patient with stable HIV infection.
Maintenance of certification in interventional cardiology revisited.

In late October 2009, nearly 900 interventional cardiologists traded their coronary catheters for a keyboard and mouse to take the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam in Interventional Cardiology (IC) offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). Since the inception of the initial
Influence of population density on the incidence of a noninclusion virus disease of the citrus red mite in the laboratory

Abstract Laboratory experiments revealed that the manifestation of a noninclusion virus disease of the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), is influenced by population density. When the pathogen was applied by spraying, incidence of infection increased progressively with density in populations of 1, 5, 20, and 80 mites caged on lemon surface areas of 45 to 75 cm2. When single infected mites were introduced into these same population levels, there was a ten-fold increase over the sprays in transmission at the lowest level. Density remained a factor, however, since transmission at the 80-mite level was higher than at the 1- and 5-mite levels. Albino mites were selected at random from a colony recently sprayed with a virus suspension. Incidence of infection was higher in albinos caged individually with 80 healthy red mites than in those caged alone or with a single red mite. Mites sprayed in colonies on lemons, exposed for 2 hours, then transferred singly to cages developed a higher incidence of disease than when sprayed singly in cages. The red and albino strains were equally susceptible to the disease.
Auditory, Visual, and Auditory-Visual Perception of Vowels by Hearing-Impaired Children

The vowels/i I ae a У у /were presented through auditory, visual, and combined auditory-visual modalities to hearing-impaired children having good, intermediate, and poor auditory word-recognition s...
Existence and stability of standing hole solutions to complex Ginzburg-Landau equations

We consider the existence and stability of the hole, or dark soliton, solution to a Ginzburg-Landau perturbation of the defocusing nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLS), and to the nearly real complex Ginzburg-Landau equation (CGL). By using dynamical systems techniques, it is shown that the dark soliton can persist as either a regular perturbation or a singular perturbation of that which exists for the NLS. When considering the stability of the soliton, a major difficulty which must be overcome is that eigenvalues may bifurcate out of the continuous spectrum, i.e. an edge bifurcation may occur. Since the continuous spectrum for the NLS covers the imaginary axis, and since for the CGL it touches the origin, such a bifurcation may lead to an unstable wave. An additional important consideration is that an edge bifurcation can happen even if there are no eigenvalues embedded in the continuous spectrum. Building on and refining ideas first presented by Kapitula and Sandstede (1998 Physica D 124 58-103) and Kapitula (1999 SIAM J. Math. Anal. 30 273-97), we use the Evans function to show that when the wave persists as a regular perturbation, at most three eigenvalues will bifurcate out of the continuous spectrum. Furthermore, we precisely track these bifurcating eigenvalues, and thus are able to give conditions for which the perturbed wave will be stable. For the NLS the results are an improvement and refinement of previous work, while the results for the CGL are new. The techniques presented are very general and are therefore applicable to a much larger class of problems than those considered here.
Floral Host Plants of Adult Beetles in Central Illinois: An Historical Perspective

We tabulated plant species that served as floral hosts of adult beetles as reported by Charles Robertson in his 33-yr data set of flower-visiting insects of central Illinois. Robertson listed 153 species of beetles (28 families) that visited 141 species of plants (44 families), most of which were in the Asteraceae. The most common beetle species were the cantharid Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (De Geer), the chrysomelid Diabrotica undecimpunctata Mannerheim, and the scarab Trichiotinus piger (F.). Most of the beetle species (81%) were observed on five or fewer plant species. In general, non-native plant species were associated with fewer beetle species than were native plant species. Nevertheless, plant species that had the greatest diversity of beetle visitors were the non-native umbellifer Pastinaca sativa L. and the native rose Aruncus dioicus (Walter) Fernald variety vulgaris (Maxim). These findings may find application in guiding research on insect ecology and behavior, for selecting plant species in ornamental landscapes that will foster populations of native beetle species, and for identifying plant species that may be used in agricultural settings to improve pollination or biological control services.
Outreach Program in Electrical Engineering: Pre-College for Engineering Systems (PCES)

This paper presents the outcome of a summer precollege engineering enrichment program. The purpose of the summer outreach program is to promote and expose pre-college students to electrical engineering concepts and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) topics as well as hands on research projects. The summer program is typically a six-week summer outreach program that attracts U.S. high school students and international students from abroad. Sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Science Foundation (NSF), the summer program is generally offered to underrepresented high school students who have completed their junior year of high school and for seniors who plan to attend universities in the fall semester in the area of engineering. The program has demonstrated the potential to attract and graduate talented youth, including college students as mentors, who later enrolled in advanced degree programs at college and university levels. This Pre-College for Engineering Systems is a residential program coordinated by the Center for Energy Systems and Control (CESaC), within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Howard University. CESaC hopes that this summer program can serve as a national model for increasing the number of underrepresented groups in electrical engineering and system. Based on the objectives and subsequent outcomes, the program can serve as a national model for increasing the number of underrepresented groups in electrical computer engineering with an emphasis in power and energy specialization.
Identifying Alcoholism Vulnerability Alleles

Identification of vulnerability alleles is one starting point for elucidating the web of interactions leading to alcoholism so that treatment and prevention can be improved. Heritability studies indicate that vulnerability alleles exist. Two molecular approaches for identifying them, direct analysis of candidate genes and genetic linkage, are highlighted in this review. Methodological problems that have been partially addressed and limitations for the applicability of the genetic findings are discussed.
Orchestrating safe streaming computations with precise control

Streaming computing is a paradigm of distributed computing that features networked nodes connected by first-in-first-out data channels. Communication between nodes may include not only high-volume data tokens but also infrequent and unpredictable control messages carrying control information, such as data set boundaries, exceptions, or reconfiguration requests. In many applications, it is necessary to order delivery of control messages precisely relative to data tokens, which can be especially challenging when nodes can filter data tokens. Existing approaches, mainly data serialization protocols, do not exploit the low-volume nature of control messages and may not guarantee that synchronization of these messages with data will be free of deadlock. In this paper, we propose an efficient messaging system for adding precisely ordered control messages to streaming applications. We use a credit-based protocol to avoid the need to tag data tokens and control messages. For potential deadlocks caused by filtering behavior and global synchronization, we propose deadlock avoidance solutions and prove their correctness.
From van der Waals to metallic bonding: The growth of Be clusters.

Ab initio molecular-dynamics simulations were used to predict structures for beryllium clusters of two to twenty atoms. As a function of cluster size (N) the sp hybridization converges quickly to the bulk value by N=6. Clusters with Ng7 grow two dimensionally through a mechanism of prism addition and rhombus capping, beginning a growth pattern which quickly leads to an hcp lattice fragment. By N=15 the structure contains an element quantitatively similar to the primitive cell of the bulk. Despite strong directional bonding, the relative stability distribution obeys the predictions of the electronic shell model.
Ordinary differential equations in the complex domain via Topological TransversaIity

Abstract In this paper we examine via Topological Transversality ordinary differential equations in the complex domain. Although initial value problems in the complex domain have been studied widely, very little is known on intervals (domains) of existence of a solution. The results of this paper enable us to read off immediately from the differential equation an interval of existence, although it may not be maximal. Furthermore, we introduce boundary value problems in the complex domain and obtain existence theorems for such problems. Our analysis is based on the notions of an essential map and on a priori bounds on solutions.
Isolation and characterization of human multiple myeloma cell enriched populations

We developed a simple and rapid method to enrich tumor cells within bone marrow (BM) aspirates from patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Thirty patients with a median of 50% (8-85%) MM cells by morphology and 55% (6--85%) MM cells identified by CD38+CD45-cell surface phenotype were studied. BM mononuclear cells (BMMCs) were isolated by Ficoll Hypaque sedimentation and incubated with a cocktail of mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against CD3 (T cells); CD11b and CD14 (monocytes); CD33 (myeloid cells), CD45 and CD45RA (leucocyte common antigen); CD32 as well as glycophorin A. After the addition of anti-mouse Fc Ig-coated immunomagnetic beads, mAb-bound cells were removed in a magnetic field. The residual cell populations were enriched for MM cells, evidenced by >95% plasma cell morphology and >95% CD38+CD45RA-cell surface phenotype. Since this method requires only two short incubations, cell losses were minimal and the yield of MM cells was therefore high (>95%). Viability of the MM-cell enriched fractions was 99%, and these cells were functional in assays of proliferation, cell cycle analysis and immunoglobulin secretion. This immunomagnetic bead depletion method therefore permits the ready isolation of homogeneous populations of patient MM cells for use in both cellular and molecular studies.
A Simple theoretical model for calculating and parameterizing the ionospheric photoelectron flux

A method for calculating the ionospheric photoelectron flux is developed which uses the concept of average electron energy loss to simplify the calculation of the degraded electron spectrum. This method requires only a knowledge of the total inelastic electron impact cross sections and can be used for the calculation of all secondary ion and excited state production rates. The simple calculation reduces the computing time by a factor of 10 and considerably reduces storage requirements. It is found that the ionospheric photoelectron flux in the local equilibrium region is directly proportional to the attenuated solar EUV flux, which is a function only of the total neutral column density, and is independent of the neutral density composition. Thus, it is shown that electron impact cross section can be chosen so that this method may also be used to parameterize the measured ionospheric photoelectron fluxes.
Optimal control of flood diversion in watershed using nonlinear optimization

Abstract This study aims to develop a simulation-based optimization model applicable to mitigate hazardous floods in storm events in a watershed which consists of a complex channel network and irregular topography. A well-established model, CCHE1D, is used as the simulation model to predict water stages and discharges of unsteady flood flows in a channel network, in which irregular (i.e. non-rectangular and non-prismatic) cross-sections are taken into account. Based on the variational principle, the adjoint equations are derived from the nonlinear hydrodynamic equations of CCHE1D, which are to establish a unique relationship between flood control variables and hydrodynamic variables. The internal conditions at the confluence in channel network for solving the adjoint equations in a watershed are obtained. An implicit numerical scheme (i.e. Preissman’s scheme) is implemented for discretizing and solving the adjoint equations with the derived internal conditions and boundary conditions. The applicability of this integrated optimization model is demonstrated by searching for the optimal diversion hydrographs for withdrawing flood waters through a single floodgate and multiple floodgates into detention basins. Numerical optimization results show that this integrated model is efficient and robust. It is found that the single-floodgate control leads to an unfavorable speed-up in river flow which may create extra erosions in the channel bed; and multiple-floodgates diversion control diverts less flood waters, therefore can be a cost-effective control action. This simulation-based optimization model is capable of determining the optimal schedules of diversion discharge, optimal floodgate locations, minimum capacities of flood water detention basins in rivers and watersheds.
Combined antipyretictherapy: Another potential source of chronicacetaminophen toxicity

The Journal has recently published 2 articles and an editorial that discussed mortality from chronic acetaminophen toxicity in children.[1] [3] The Poison Center has recently encountered an innovative way in which a pediatricianis instructions can produce confusion and potentially lead to acetaminophen or ibuprofen intoxication. Six calls to our center from May 1, 1997, through February 20, 1998, alerted us that parents had been instructed by their pediatricians to administer acetaminophen for fever, and if the temperature had not responded in 2 hours, to administer ibuprofen. The parents called because they were confused about the instructions and times of administration of these 2 medications. Although none of these cases resulted in toxicity, we are concerned about the concept and the potential for drug intoxication and interactions. Similar instructions have been written on medication order sheets of children in the hospital.
Three-dimensional visual truth of the normal airway tree for use as a quantitative comparison to micro-CT reconstructions

Mouse models are important for pulmonary research to gain insight into structure and function in normal and diseased states, thereby extending knowledge of human disease conditions. The flexibility of human disease induction into mice, due to their similar genome, along with their short gestation cycle makes mouse models highly suitable as investigative tools. Advancements in non-invasive imaging technology, with the development of micro-computed tomography (μ-CT), have aided representation of disease states in these small pulmonary system models. The generation ofμCT 3D airway reconstructions has to date provided a means to examine structural changes associated with disease. The degree of accuracy ofμCT is uncertain. Consequently, the reliability of quantitative measurements is questionable. We have developed a method of sectioning and imaging the whole mouse lung using the Large Image Microscope Array (LIMA) as the gold standard for comparison. Fixed normal mouse lungs were embedded in agarose and 250μm sections of tissue were removed while the remaining tissue block was imaged with a stereomicroscope. A complete dataset of the mouse lung was acquired in this fashion. Following planar image registration, the airways were manually segmented using an in-house built software program PASS. Amira was then used render the 3D isosurface from the segmentations. The resulting 3D model of the normal mouse airway tree developed from pathology images was then quantitatively assessed and used as the standard to compare the accuracy of structural measurements obtained from μ-CT.
Preparation of submicron polypyrrole/poly(methyl methacrylate) coaxial fibers and conversion to polypyrrole tubes and carbon tubes.

In an effort to prepare electrically conductive nanofiber and nanotube materials, polypyrrole/poly(methyl methacrylate) coaxial fibers have been prepared using polymer fibers produced from an electrospinning process. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibers with an average diameter of 230 nm were initially fabricated by electrospinning as core materials. The PMMA fibers were subsequently coated as templates with a thin layer of polypyrrole (PPy) by in-situ deposition of the conducting polymer from aqueous solution. Hollow PPy tubes were produced by dissolution of the PMMA core from PPy/PMMA coaxial fibers. High-temperature (1000 °C) treatment under inert atmosphere converted PPy/PMMA coaxial fibers into carbon tubes by complete decomposition of PMMA fiber core and carbonization of the PPy wall. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the formation of the PPy/PMMA coaxial fibers, PPy tubes, and carbon tubes.
Role of human milk components in gastrointestinal development: Current knowledge and future NEEDS

Human milk (HM) is a complex physiological fluid with multifunctional roles within the gastrointestinal tract that facilitate the successful postnatal adaptation of the newborn by stimulating cellular growth and digestive maturation, the establishment of symbiotic microflora, and the development of gut-associated lymphoid tissues. An intricate mixture of bioactive proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates that is unique to milk supports these processes and provides important signals to the developing intestine. The complexity of HM composition and the potential interactions among milk components has hampered our understanding of how HM components affect gastrointestinal development. Furthermore, limited information exists about the fundamental mechanisms of postnatal intestinal growth of healthy infants, further hindering our ability to delineate the role of HM in regulating this process. In this paper, evidence for the role of HM components in early intestinal development is summarized, with a discussion of the limitations of existing data, and suggestions are made for future research that is needed to delineate the biology of HM, the physiology of postnatal intestinal development, and the complexity of potential interactions that occur between HM components and the developing neonate.
Penetration of nearby supernova dust in the inner solar system

Abstract We investigate the method by which nearby supernovae – within a few tens of pc of the solar system – can penetrate the solar system and deposit live radioactivities on earth. The radioactive isotopic signatures that could potentially leave an observable geological imprint are in the form of refractory metals; consequently, it is likely they would arrive in the form of supernova-produced dust grains. Such grains can penetrate into the solar system more easily than the bulk supernova plasma, which gets stalled and deflected near the solar system due to the solar wind plasma pressure. We therefore examine the motion of charged grains as they decouple from the supernova plasma and are influenced by the solar magnetic, radiation, and gravitational fields. We characterize the dust trajectories with analytical approximations which display the roles of grain size, initial velocity, and surface voltage. These results are verified with full numerical simulations for wide ranges of dust properties. We find that supernova dust grains traverse the inner solar system nearly undeflected, if the incoming grain velocity – which we take to be that of the incident supernova remnant – is comparable to the solar wind speeds and much larger than the escape velocity at 1 AU. Consequently, the dust penetration to 1 AU has essentially 100% transmission probability and the dust capture onto the earth should have a geometric cross section. Our results cast in a new light the terrestrial deposition of radioisotopes from nearby supernovae in the geological past. For explosions beyond ∼10 pc from earth, dust grains can still deliver supernova ejecta to earth, and thus the amount of supernova material deposited is set by the efficiency of dust condensation and survival in supernovae. Turning the problem around, we use observations of live 60Fe in both deep-ocean and lunar samples to infer a conservative lower bound iron condensation efficiency of Mdust,Fe/Mtot,Fe ≳ 4 × 10−4 for the supernova which apparently produced these species 2–3 Myr ago.
Student Teachers and Cooperating Teachers: An Ecological Relationship

Willis D. Copeland University of California Santa Barbara, California Student teachers' ability to use many skills they learn during their university training depends not only on the quality of the initial training they receive but on the environment in which they must practice use of those skills, their student teaching classrooms. This finding, a result of a series of research projects I have conducted with the Teacher Preparation Program of the University of California, Santa Barbara, suggests that teacher educators should not be concerned only with the ways in which they train their students in the use of technical skills. It suggests that they must also develop a clearer and more integrated understanding of the realities present in classrooms. The technical skills approach has for some years been a part of most teacher training programs across the country. N. L. Gage has defined technical skills as ". . . specific instructional techniques and procedures that a teacher may use in a classroom. They represent an analysis of the teaching process into relatively discrete components that can be used in different combinations in the continuous flow of the teacher's performance (Gage, 1968, p. 602)." Examples of these technical skills are "Establishing Set" in learners, using "Higher Order" and "Probing" questions, "Verbal and Non-verbal Redirection," enabling learners to achieve "Closure," and using appropriate "Wait Time" after asking a question or hearing a pupil's response. Typically, teacher education institutions have employed some sort of laboratory based training procedure such as microteaching to enable their students to achieve competence in the use of these technical skills. As developed at Stanford University during the mid-1960s, a typical microteaching session begins with the student teacher learning the characteristics of a particular technical skill. The trainee then watches or listens to a recording of an example of the skill in use in a teaching situation, plans and teaches a short five to eight minute lesson using the skill with a small group of pupils, receives videotaped feedback guided by a supervisor concerning appropriate use of the skill, replans and reteaches the lesson and continues the cycle of feedback/re-teach/feedback until the skill is mastered. The inclusion of experiences such as microteaching into teacher preparation programs was based on two assumptions. The first was that such training would increase the probability that the technical skills which were the targets of the training would be acquired rapidly and to a high degree of proficiency. There is currently a significant body of research that supports this assumption (Davis & Smoot, 1970; McDonald & Allen, Morse & Davis, Reed, Van-
Allozyme variation in Bidens discoidea (Compositae)

Allozyme variation between and within eight populations of the diploid annualBidens discoidea was investigated using gel electrophoresis. The species is relatively homogeneous morphologically in comparison with related species and is highly autogamous. Low levels of within-population variation occur at 16 gene loci, and single alleles are nearly fixed at each of seven loci polymorphic for the species. High levels of differentiation occur between populations, with a mean genetic identity of 0.865. The alleles at the polymorphic loci occur in different combinations in the populations with little apparent geographical pattern. Each population is probably composed of a single lineage of highly homozygous individuals with very limited gene flow between populations.
Phenological and population variation in iridoid glycosides of Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae)

Abstract Relatively little is known about the natural variation in the secondary plant chemistry, or the potential sources of this variation, in Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae) (Narrow-leafed plantain). To assess this chemical variation, P. lanceolata plants were collected monthly from five field populations located in Boulder County, Colorado, over the course of one growing season (July through October). There were significant effects of both population and time of harvest on the biomass and the iridoid glycoside content of the leaves and reproductive stalks of P. lanceolata plants. Although environmental differences between sites were not specifically quantified, two sources of variation, mechanical damage and elevation, appeared to be important sources of variation among these populations. To test the hypothesis that plants that had higher iridoid glycoside concentrations were smaller, i.e. that there was a cost to chemical defense in P. lanceolata , we tested for a negative correlation between biomass and iridoid glycosides. We found no correlation between the biomass and the iridoid glycoside content of the above-ground tissues of P. lanceolata , providing no indication of a cost.
Comparison of indoor/outdoor carbon content and time resolved PM concentrations for gas and biomass cooking fuels in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico

Abstract A case study designed to investigate indoor and outdoor air quality in naturally ventilated homes near the US-Mexico border was conducted in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico from 14–30 March 2009. To better understand resident’s actual exposure to various sizes of particulate matter ( PM) , we compare measured concentrations in homes using different household stove cooking fuels (gas versus biomass) and investigate the spatial distribution of outdoor PM . Data from two home locations, one with a gas stove and one with both biomass and gas stoves are evaluated. In each home, continuous PM concentrations were sampled over a range of particle sizes. Indoor and outdoor concentration measurements were facilitated using a valve switching system. PM 2.5 was also sampled on quartz filters located inside and outside of the two homes for carbon analysis. This paper will present a subset of the field data to compare time resolved indoor PM concentrations and carbon content for the two homes; specifically, comparing cooking versus non-cooking time periods. Results indicate that indoor elemental carbon concentrations are dominated by indoor sources during biomass burning, and outdoor sources at all other times. The data indicate that the influence of indoor sources on organic carbon concentrations increases during both gas and biomass stove use; this information is correlated to continuous indoor PM concentrations and home activities. The mean 24 h indoor PM 10 concentration was 408 μg m −3 for the gas stove home and 648 μg m −3 for the home with biomass and gas stoves, while the outdoor concentrations were 609 μg m −3 and 381 μg m −3 , respectively. The average 24 h PM 10 Indoor/Outdoor ratio was 0.71 for the gas stove home and 1.79 for the home with both gas and biomass stoves. These ratios should be interpreted with caution as they appear to underestimate the indoor source contribution due to high outdoor PM levels.