cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature dependence of microhardness and yield stress in rapidly solidified TiAl alloys

Summary The temperature dependence of stress in TiAl has been studied in materials processed via rapid solidification. Both the microhardness and tensile tests showed monotonically decreasing stress with increasing temperatures in alloys ranging from 46 to 60 Al. The result agrees with that of Lipsitt et al., but contrasts with that of Kawabata et al., who reported a positive temperature dependence in TiAl single crystals. Subtle material differences in phase, microstructure, and interstitial content are suggested as possible causes for the discrepancy in results.
Important Inflammatory and Reactive Lesions of the Breast

Some inflammatory and reactive lesions of the breast present problems clinically but are treated without resort to biopsy. In others, biopsy is required to make the correct diagnosis and to distinguish the process from malignancy. Still others represent incidental microscopic findings that may create diagnostic problems. This article reviews a number of inflammatory and reactive conditions that are likely to be encountered in routine surgical pathology practice, as well as those that have been recently described.
Lower Mississippi River tributaries: contributions to the collective science concerning the “Father of Waters”

Abstract The geological and geomorphic information preserved in the tributary valleys of the lower Mississippi River (LMR) contributes to our understanding of the lower valley's Quaternary geological history. Prominent Pleistocene terraces are preserved in the tributary valleys. Fisk first formulated his four terraces framework on the Red River. Caution needs to be followed in projecting the Red River terraces across the entire Lower Mississippi Valley (LMV). The tributary system cannot be assumed to operate in a synchronized fashion in response to changes in climate and base level. To compare the collective contribution of the tributaries of the LMR, the streams are described in terms of. (1) their characteristics, (2) geomorphic development, (3) process and response of the tributaries to and from the LMR, and (4) engineering investigations and implications. The characteristics of the tributaries are a direct function of their drainage basin size and geology. The tributary system drains portions of six physiographic provinces. Synoptically, the tributaries can be viewed as two groups: the eastern and western tributaries. All of the eastern tributaries are intra-regional, i.e., they drain only one physiographic province, the Coastal Plain, and therefore, have a restricted sediment source. Generally, the eastern tributaries are more numerous and shorter than the western tributaries. The longer western tributaries drain outside the Coastal Plain. The extra-regional nature of the western tributaries adds to the variability of discharge and sediment types. The sediment record of the tributaries reflects response to the trunk Mississippi. During glacial outwash flushes, many of the tributaries were alluvially drowned, producing alluvial cones expressed as flattened longitudinal profiles. More recently, a number of tributaries in the state of Mississippi have experienced episodes of accelerated channel erosion. The effects of navigation and flood control modification of the Mississippi River on the tributaries have not been fully studied. Therefore, fluvial geomorphic research in the tributaries is essential to understanding ways to mitigate the adverse effects of river engineering, thereby designing engineering works in balance with the alluvial architecture and processes of the stream system.
Parametric Modelling of Internal Combustion Engine Systems for Design Optimization

In this paper, the development of a general approach is presented, aimed at the parametric design modelling of internal combustion engine systems. This approach allows optimization procedures to be applied which yield optimum characteristics of the engine in terms of single- or multi-performance criteria and under specific requirements of speed and power.
Tumor regression and other prognosticators in advanced head and neck cancers: a sequel to the RTOG methotrexate study.

The randomized Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Methotrexate trial in advanced squamous cancers of the head and neck has reported no control or survival benefits when the chemotherapy adjuvant was administered to patients just prior to definitive irradiation. The required data collection and outcome reporting among 146 patients bearing oral cavity primaries and 354 patients with oropharyngeal cancers has allowed a multi-variate approach seeking answers to many unresolved questions. As anticipated, the ability to control these squamous cancers is largely a function of size (T & N stage) with a superior clearance among T3-4 primaries of the oropharynx (66%) contrasted to identically staged oral cavity tumors (48%). Adjusted median survival is more than doubled to 26.6 months or 19.8 months among oral cavity and oropharynx patients respectively, when compared to the 8 month median survival when neither primary nor cervical nodes are controlled. Lymph node deposits also impact upon survival, especially among oropharynx patients where the 17.6 month adjusted median survival among N0 patients declines to 11.0 months when the primaries are associated with N3 nodes. Surprisingly, the ability to control nodel deposits of all sizes (N1, N2, or N3) is superior among oropharynx patients when compared with identical oral cavity metastases (e.g. 71.4% adjusted clearance in N3 oropharyngeal deposits versus 46.1% in N3 nodes secondary to oral cavity primaries). Adjustments for maldistribution of advanced N-stages in association with T-4 primary stage eliminated an apparent T-stage effect upon nodal clearance within both anatomic regions. Finally, the association of T and N-stage upon distant metastases was investigated, with the surprising conclusion that neither initial T nor N-stage exerts any apparent influence on the observed 10-12% occurrence. The interrelationship of these various prognostic variables is explored using the Cox and logistic models.
Channel Access Scheme for MIMO-Enabled Ad Hoc Networks with Adaptive Diversity/Multiplexing Gains

Transmission power control (TPC) is used in wireless networks to improve channel reuse and/or reduce energy consumption. It has been often applied to single-input single-output (SISO) systems, where each node is equipped with a single antenna. Multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems can improve the throughput or the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by providing multiplexing or diversity gains, respectively. In this paper, we incorporate a power-controlled MAC protocol for a wireless network with two antennas per node. Our protocol, coined CMAC, combines different types of MIMO gains, allowing for dynamic switching between diversity and multiplexing modes so as to maximize a utility function that depends on both energy consumption and throughput. CMAC adapts the "antenna mode," the transmission power, and the modulation order on a per-packet basis. By "antenna mode" we mean one of five possible transmit/receive antenna configurations: 1 × 1 (SISO), 2 × 1 (MISO-D), 1 × 2 (SIMO-D), 2 × 2 (MIMO-D), and 2 × 2 (MIMO-M). The second, third, and fourth configurations offer a diversity gain, whereas the last configuration offers a multiplexing gain. By using control packets to bound the transmission power of potentially interfering terminals, CMAC allows for multiple interference-limited transmissions to take place in the vicinity of a receiving terminal. We study via simulations the performance of CMAC in ad hoc topologies. Our results indicate that relative to non-adaptive protocols, CMAC achieves a significant improvement in both the overall energy consumption and the throughput.
Path planning for the deployment of tensegrity structures

Tensegrity structures consist of tendons (in tension) and bars (in compression). Tendons are strong, light, and foldable, so tensegrity structures have the potential to be light but strong and deployable. Pulleys, NiTi wire, or other actuators to selectively tighten some strings on a tensegrity structure can be used to control its shape. This article describes the problem of asymmetric reconfiguration of tensegrity structures and poses one method of finding the open loop control law for tendon lengths to accomplish the desired geometric reconfiguration. In addition, a practical hardware experiment displays the readiness and feasibility of the method to accomplish shape control of the structure.
The Ecological Genetics of Homoploid Hybrid Speciation

Our understanding of homoploid hybrid speciation has advanced substantially since this mechanism of species formation was codified 50 years ago. Early theory and research focused almost exclusively on the importance of chromosomal rearrangements, but it later became evident that natural selection, specifically ecological selection, might play a major role as well. In light of this recent shift, we present an evaluation of ecology's role in homoploid hybrid speciation, with an emphasis on the genetics underlying ecological components of the speciation process. We briefly review new theoretical developments related to the ecology of homoploid hybrid speciation; propose a set of explicit, testable questions that must be answered to verify the role of ecological selection in homoploid hybrid speciation; discuss published work with reference to these questions; and also report new data supporting the importance of ecological selection in the origin of the homoploid hybrid sunflower species Helianthus deserticola. Overall, theory and empirical evidence gathered to date suggest that ecological selection is a major factor promoting homoploid hybrid speciation, with the strongest evidence coming from genetic studies.
It Takes Two: Sensitive Caregiving Across Contexts and Children's Social, Emotional, and Academic Outcomes

Research Findings: Using longitudinal survey data from the Welfare, Children, and Families Study: A Three-City Study (n = 135), this study examines how congruence in maternal and child care provider sensitivities contributes to young children's social, emotional, and academic outcomes among low-income minority families. Congruence groups were created based on levels of high and low maternal and child care provider sensitivity. Children with high maternal sensitivity and low child care provider sensitivity had lower scores on measures of social competence and applied problems compared to children with high maternal and child care provider sensitivity. Children with low maternal sensitivity but high child care provider sensitivity displayed higher emotional competence than children with low maternal and child care sensitivity, implying an important protective benefit of child care. Practice or Policy: Current state and federal policy climates, including recently awarded Early Learning Challenge grants focus...
Object databases as generalizations of relational databases

Abstract One attractive approach to object databases is to see them as potentially an evolutionary development from relational databases. This paper concentrates on substantiating the technical basis for this claim, and illustrates it in some detail with an upwards-compatible extension of ANSI SQL2 for conventional objects. This could serve as a foundation for the development of higher-level facilities for more complex objects.
High Strain Rate Response of Angle-Ply Glass/Epoxy Laminates

The effects of strain rate on the mechanical behavior of Scotchply Type 1002 glass/epoxy angle-ply laminates is investigated. High strain rate tests (approximately 103 sec−1) using a direct tension...
A macrodescriptor perspective of ecological attributes for the Bering and Barents Seas

Abstract The eastern Bering Sea (EBS) and Barents Sea (BS) are both high-latitude, subarctic ecosystems that share many similar biophysical and trophic characteristics, and support valuable commercial fisheries. In this paper we compare system-level characteristics that make the Bering and Barents Sea ecosystems unique. We use Ecopath models and systems ecology macrodescriptor metrics applied to the two marine ecosystems to identify key areas of differences and similarities. Metrics calculated include number of species, number of interactions or trophic links, connectivity of the system, number of interactions per species, a measure of directed connectance, and an assessment of overall web interaction strength. In addition, number of basal species, number of top predators, total number of intermediate species, number of cannibals, number of cycles, number of omnivores, number of predators for a prey item, number of prey items for a predator, predator to prey ratio, and other indices were enumerated. Calculated food-web metrics for the eastern Bering and Barents Seas are compared between systems as well as with other similar metrics from published sources. We attempt to relate these observations to the questions of the uniqueness of marine food webs, implications for system stability, how climate impacts the physical environment, how the physical environment affects the structure of fish communities in each sea, and how changes in the physical environment affect the production of fish and the ability of the Bering and Barents Seas to support stable fisheries and productive ecosystems. Results show that the average number of trophic steps from primary producers to predators is shorter in the EBS. In the EBS, trophic pathways are shorter and more linear, there are more benthic species (flatfish and crabs) and there are both pelagic and benthic food webs. The BS is mainly a pelagic ecosystem. More production flows to the detritus pool in the BS most likely due to its deeper average depth (EBS: 50 m, BS: 200 m deep). The EBS is more efficient at converting primary production into upper trophic level biomass since there are fewer trophic steps and primary production fuels both the pelagic and benthic food webs. Commercial fish species biomass is greater in the EBS (7.6 mt) compared with BS (3.8 mt). Many alternate pathways exist in the BS, thus there are no single critical species creating bottlenecks. Results suggest that the BS may be more stable than the EBS.
The electrochemical behaviour of sprayed aluminium coatings on mild steel—I. Immersed foils and panels

Abstract Foils and panels prepared by spraying aluminium of commercial (99·5%) and super purity (99·9%) on plastic or mild steel were exposed to N/1000 NaCl solutions of various pH. Both metals are more reactive in the sprayed state than in the massive form, but potential behaviour and distribution of attack depend on purity and pH. Internal stresses within the sprayed coat are only partly responsible for the reactivity of the coating. Coatings of thickness greater than 6 mil give physical protection to basis steel, electrochemical and pore plugging reactions becoming important as thickness decreases.
The Use of Exploratory Factor Analysis and Principal Components Analysis in Communication Research

Exploratory factor analysis is a popular statistical technique used in communication research. Although exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and principal components analysis (PCA) are different techniques, PCA is often employed incorrectly to reveal latent constructs (i.e., factors) of observed variables, which is the purpose of EFA. PCA is more appropriate for reducing measured variables into a smaller set of variables (i.e., components) by keeping as much variance as possible out of the total variance in the measured variables. Furthermore, the popular use of varimax rotation raises some concerns about the relationships among the factors that researchers claim to discover. This paper discusses the distinct purposes of PCA and EFA, using two data sets as examples to highlight the differences in results between these procedures, and also reviews the use of each technique in three major communication journals: Communication Monographs, Human Communication Research, and Communication Research.
Wiki-tecture: The DRAPE Artist Residence and Gallery

Architecture’s efforts to respond to the digital paradigm have focused primarily on the exploitation of new tools to produce new forms. However, work based on static, immutable form has become increasingly irrelevant to an evolving digital age culture. Instead, architecture needs to observe the ways that digital technology has changed cultural practices and values to produce a new approach to architecture that is more culturally relevant than one whose value depends upon its formal novelty. The DRAPE Artist Residence and Gallery offers an example of just such an architecture based on the model of an editable wiki.
Rural High School Students' Perceptions of the Basic Values and Educational Philosophies of Significant Secondary School Role Models

This research investigated rural high school students' perceptions of two major secondary school role models' (teachers and popular peers) solutions to five ontological and axiological problem spheres. The Values Orientation Questionnaire (VOQ), an operationalization of F. Kluckhohn's theory of intra-cultural value variation, was completed each of three times during three months: initially for the self and then according to the way the respondent felt the models would respond. Achievement, an index of successful school encounters, was entered as the between-persons factor in a multivariate-model repeated-measures ANCOVA. Generally, the students believe that teachers and popular peers endorse that set of values that forms the foundation of progressive counseling and educational philosophies and practices and is, to a large extent, our middle-class system. Students perceive teachers as overendorsing (relative to self) those ontological choices that form the valuational basis of authoritarian counseling and educational theories. These seemingly contradictory teachers' attributions are discussed in terms of the teachers' roles and of institutional demands that often force teachers to model behaviors that neither they nor society deems desirable.
Suing as an expression of somatization

We suggest that some litigation may be an expression of somatization in which primarily psychological processes are expressed through legal activity rather than through bodily oriented, functional symptoms.
Upper Mississippi Valley district ore fluid model: the role of organic complexes

Abstract Ligands responsible for zinc and lead mobility in solutions forming Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits have not yet been identified and this deficiency precludes formulation of detailed geochemical models of the genesis of MVT deposits. A suitable ligand must be identified that is capable of complexing a minimum of 10 ppm of zinc and of lead. Nevertheless, many constraints on the geochemical environment during formation of the Upper Mississippi Valley (UMV) district in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, have been identified. Ore characteristics, such as sphalerite color-banding, require that deposition occur in a reducing environment at near-equilibrium conditions. Conditions for the ore-transporting fluid are T = 125 ± 25°C, pH = neutral ± 1, log a O 2 = −55 to −43, and total dissolved reduced sulfur about 0.001 to 0.01 m . Models for MVT ore formation fall into three classes, labeled herein as the sulfur addition, sulfate reduction, and reduced sulfur models. Comparison of these three models for MVT ore formation with geochemical constraints on the ore-forming fluids of the Upper Mississippi Valley district leads to the conclusion that the reduced sulfur model applies best to this district. Experiments were carried out to test the chemical compatibility of a variety of organic ligands with the geochemical constraints of the reduced sulfur model. Solubility tests were conducted in sealed quartz tubes with a series of short-chain mono- and dicarboxylic acids at 125°C, pH 6.1 (near neutral), total dissolved reduced sulfur = 0.002 m , and ligand concentrations of 0.1 or 0.05 m . Formic, acetic, propionic, n-butyric, iso-butyric, n-valeric, oxalic, malonic, succinic, methyl-succinic, glutaric, and adipic acids were tested, in addition to six thiocarboxylic acids (thiolactic, 3-mercaptopropionic, mercaptosuccinic, 3,3′-thiodipropionic, thioglycolic, and thiodiglycolic acids). Results show that the monocarboxylic acids and the thiocarboxylic acids are weak ligands for zinc and cannot play a role in MVT deposit genesis. Several dicarboxylic acids are moderately strong complexing ligands. Oxalic acid produced solutions with more than 13.6 to 22.0 ppm Zn dissolved under experimental conditions. Average values for formation constants for 1:1 Zn(II) organic complexes ( I = 0 m ) at 125°C were determined for malonic acid (log β 1 = 8.30); succinic acid (log β 1 = 9.05); glutaric acid (log β 1 = 10.70); methyl-succinic acid (log β 1 = 10.85); and adipic acid (log β 1 = 10.67). For zinic oxalate, the average values of log β 1 ( I = 0 m ) = 11.95 ± 0.40 at 125°C. Oxalate, although a strong ligand for Zn(II), is precluded from contributing to MVT formation because it readily precipitates as calcium oxalate in the presence of calcium ion. In general, none of the short-chain mono- or dicarboxylic acids nor the thiols tested form zinc complexes strong enough to contribute to MVT deposit genesis. Other longer-chain and thiocarboxylic acids as well as humic and fulvic acids remain to be investigated as transporting agents in forming these deposits.
Blue-Green Algae: Why They Become Dominant

The injection of carbon dioxide and the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus to a lake population dominated by blue-green algae results in a rapid shift to dominance by green algae. The basis for the change and its implications are discussed.
Development of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in a patient with Graves’ disease independent of anti-thyroid drug therapy

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) in patients with Graves’ disease (GD) is linked with the use of anti-thyroid drugs (ATDs). We report the co-occurrence of AAV and GD in a patient that was independent of ATD therapy. A 38-year-old white male presented with systemic symptoms, palpitations, tremors, purpuric skin lesions, and digital pain. Physical examination and biological tests confirmed GD. He quickly developed multiple digital gangrenes and testicular pain/mass. Skin and testicular biopsies showed granulomatous vasculitis of the small- and medium-sized vessels, while his serum contained anti-proteinase-3 antibody.
The æecerbot charm and its Christian user

The Old English aecerbot charm, whichs is preserved in London, British Library, Cotton Caligula A. vii, in a hand of the first half of the eleventh century, has always attracted a good deal of attention, since it is one of the few surviving texts which unquestionably reflect the influence of Anglo-Saxon paganism – pagan religion, not merely pagan magic, if one can make the distinction. Our knowledge of Anglo-Saxon paganism is so limited, particularly in comparison with the rich corpus of myth and heroic legend preserved in Old Norse-Icelandic, that inevitably scholars give close attention to any text which reveals something of it. So far as the aecerbot charm is concerned, this has meant a preoccupation with distinguishing between pagan elements and Christian accretions. For instance, in Stopford Brooke's translation of lines 30–42 quoted by Storms in his edition, ‘old’ pagan parts of the prayer are printed in italics and ‘new’ Christian ones in roman print. Storms doubts the possibility of drawing a hard and fast line in all cases, but his quite lengthy commentary on the charm as a whole shares the same fundamental concern.
A Statistical Analysis of Count Normalization Methods Used in Positron-Emission Tomography

As part of the Positron-Emission Tomography (PET) [1] reconstruction process, annihilation counts are normalized for photon absorption, detector efficiency and detector-pair duty-cycle. Several normalization methods of time-of-flight and conventional systems are analyzed mathematically for count bias and variance. The results of the study have some implications on hardware and software complexity and on image noise and distortion.
Combined physical and chemical immobilization of glucose oxidase in alginate microspheres improves stability of encapsulation and activity.

Chemical sensors utilizing immobilized enzymes and proteins are important for monitoring chemical processes and biological systems. In this study, calcium-cross-linked alginate hydrogel microspheres were fabricated as enzyme carriers by an emulsification technique. Glucose oxidase (GOx) was encapsulated in alginate microspheres using three different methods: physical entrapment (emulsion), chemical conjugation (conjugation), and a combination of physical entrapment and chemical conjugation (emulsion−conjugation). Nano-organized coatings were applied on alginate/GOx microspheres using the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique in order to stabilize the hydrogel/enzyme system under biological environment. The encapsulation of GOx and formation of nanofilm coating on alginate microspheres were verified with FTIR spectral analysis, ζ-potential analysis, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. To compare both the immobilization properties of enzyme encapsulation techniques and the influence of nanofilms with ...
Interactions Between Non‐Stoichiometric Stresses and Defect Transport in a Tubular Electrolyte

It is well known that gadolinium doped ceria (10 GDC) undergoes significant compositional expansion when exposed to low oxygen partial pressures. When constrained, such expansion results in mechanical stresses in the ionic solid. Although significant work has been done in evaluating the magnitudes of this expansion, interactions between stresses induced as a result of chemical expansion and transport of point defects in a solid electrolyte have not received much attention. In this work, the formulation developed by Swaminathan et al. in ref. [1] for coupling transport and mechanical stresses in an ionic solid is used to numerically study the effects of transport–stress interaction in a tubular solid electrolyte made of 10 GDC. The results obtained in this study indicate a strong interaction between transport and stresses, showing a significant variation in the electrochemical performance of the electrolyte under varying conditions of stress–transport interaction. The solutions obtained in this study reduce to the well-known results in the literature when chemical expansion is not considered, thereby partially validating our results.
Ursachen der Variationen bei den Phänotypen der Mukoviszidose

Die Mukoviszidose (cystische Fibrose, CF) wird durch eine Storung des CFTR (Cystische Fibrose Transmembran Regulator)-Gens hervorgerufen. Bei der CF handelt es sich um eine stark va
Depressive disorders: distinctions in children.

ABSTRACT Objective The present study examined the distinctions between major depression without dysthymia, dysthymia without major depression, and double depression in child psychiatry inpatients. Method Sixty-two child inpatients, with current diagnoses of major depression and/or dysthymia, and their mothers were interviewed with the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Epidemiologic Version and the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents. Results Results suggest that the relationship between the three disorders is complex and varies according to the informant and the domain under examination. Externalizing disorders were present more often in the dysthymic group compared to the major depression and double depression groups. On the other hand, the major depression and double depression groups reported higher rates of depressive symptoms. Regarding social functioning, children with major depression appeared least impaired. Child report was found to be more sensitive to distinguishing between depressive syndromes, and parents reported the most depressive symptomatology. Conclusion It appears that the presence of major depression plays an important role in the expression of depressive symptomatology and comorbidity, whereas chronicity seems to be the determining factor in social functioning.
Complex formation of rubidium and caesium cations with crown ethers in acetonitrile: a 133Cs competitive NMR study

Abstract Caesium-133 NMR measurements were used to study the complexation of rubidium and caesium cations by 13 different crown ethers in acetonitrile. The 133Cs chemical shift data indicated that the caesium cation forms both 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 (crown ether/Cs+) complexes with 18C6, DC21C7 and DC24C8 ligands. All other complexes were of the 1 : 1 stoichiometry. In general, Rb+ complexes are more stable than the corresponding Cs+ complexes. Formation constants of the 18C6 ligand series show the following trends. For Rb+: 1,4DT18C6
Dilemma: how to make use of a CARISMA-tic profile?

This editorial refers to ‘Risk markers of late high-degree atrioventricular block in patients with left ventricular dysfunction after an acute myocardial infarction: a CARISMA substudy’ by U.J.O. Gang et al. , on page 1471. The CARISMA (Cardiac Arrhythmias and Risk Stratification after Acute Myocardial Infarction) study was published in 2010 and is an interesting and provocative observational data set.1 CARISMA reported the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias as recorded by an implantable loop recorder (ILR) in 297 patients with ejection fraction (EF) ≤40% following an acute myocardial infarction (MI). A variety of bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias were recorded by the ILR in 137 patients (46%) during the convalescent non-acute phase of MI; 86% of arrhythmic events were asymptomatic. Perhaps most surprising was the 10% incidence of high-degree atrioventricular block (HAVB), which was the most powerful predictor of cardiac death (hazard ratio, 6.75; 95% confidence interval 2.55–17.84; P < 0.001) during a median 2 years of follow-up. On top of this finding was the fact that several patients in this high-risk subgroup ultimately succumbed despite placement of a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD). The aim of the study by Gang et al. 2 in this issue of the Journal was to assess the predictive value for the development of HAVB in CARISMA by risk markers derived …
Mechanism of action of immunomodulatory agents in multiple myeloma.

Immunomodulatory agents (IMiD’s) have become an important drug category in the treatment of multiple myeloma. The agents have a complex mechanism of action that influence the microenvironment in the bone marrow. The microenvironment is an essential promotor of disease progression and therefore important in targeting the disease. The article reviews mechanism of action and essential pathways of IMiD’s that are important in disease treatment.
The Regional Distribution of N‐Acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) and Peptidase Activity Against NAAG in the Rat Nervous System

: N-Acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), a prevalent peptide in the vertebrate nervous system, may be hydrolyzed by extracellular peptidase activity to produce glutamate and N-acetylaspartate. Hydrolysis can be viewed as both inactivating the peptide after synaptic release and increasing synaptic levels of ambient glutamate. To test the hypothesis that NAAG and the peptidase activity that hydrolyzes it coexist as a unique, two-stage system of chemical neurotransmission, 50 discrete regions of the rat CNS were microdissected for assay. In each microregion, the concentration of NAAG was determined by radioimmunoassay and the peptidase activity was assayed using tritiated peptide as substrate. The NAAG concentration ranged from 2.4 nmol/mg of soluble protein in median eminence to 64 in thoracic spinal cord. Peptidase activity against NAAG ranged from 54 pmol of glutamate produced per milligram of membrane protein per minute in median eminence to 148 in superior colliculus. A linear relationship was observed between NAAG peptidase and NAAG concentration in 46 of the 50 areas, with a slope of 2.26 and a correlation coefficient of 0.45. These data support the hypothesis that hydrolysis of NAAG to glutamate and N-acetylaspartate is a consistent aspect of the physiology and metabolism of this peptide after synaptic release. The ratio of peptide concentration to peptidase activity was >0.3 in the following four areas: ventrolateral medulla and reticular formation where the peptide is concentrated in axons of passage, thoracic spinal cord, where NAAG is concentrated in ascending sensory tracts as well as motoneuron cell bodies, and ventroposterior thalamic nucleus.
Gastrin stimulates receptor-mediated proliferation of human esophageal adenocarcinoma cells

The prevalence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in the setting of Barrett's metaplasia continues to increase in Western nations at a rate greater than any other cancer. The trophic properties of gastrin have been documented in gastric, pancreatic and colon cancer cell lines, suggesting a potential role for this regulatory peptide in the growth of these malignancies. The aims of these studies were to identify and characterize the presence of functional cholecystokinin type-2 (gastrin) receptors on the membranes of human esophageal adenocarcinoma cells. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) demonstrated the presence of cholecystokinin type-2 receptor transcripts in human esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines. Competitive binding assays revealed specific binding of gastrin in SEG-1 cells (IC50 of 2.4 x 10(-8) M). This finding was confirmed by laser scanning confocal microscopy through internalization of rhodamine green labeled gastrin heptapeptide in SEG-1 cells. Gastrin caused a dose-dependent increase in proliferation of SEG-1 cells when compared to controls. This effect was abolished by co-incubation with L365,260, a CCK-2-specific receptor antagonist. Gastrin-induced phosphorylation of the p44 and p42 mitogen-activated protein kinases was demonstrated by Western blot analysis. In conclusion, the studied human esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines possess cholecystokinin type-2 (gastrin) receptors. Receptors bind gastrin, resulting in increased proliferation in SEG-1 cells.
THE ALKALINE TRANSITION OF BU-CONTAINING DNA AND ITS BEARING ON THE REPLICATION OF DNA.

The melting at alkaline pH of hybrid DNA from E. coli , labeled with 5-bromouracil in one subunit, has been studied to ascertain whether the two subunits of the hybrid DNA are double helices or single polynucleotide chains. It was known from earlier work that incorporation of 5-bromouracil strikingly lowers the pH of the alkaline transition from helix to random coil. Melting was followed by the increase in buoyant density, measured at the ambient pH. It was possible to resolve and at the same time to measure the degree of melting in the three species, light, heavy and hybrid DNA. The hybrid was found to melt in the manner expected for a DNA in which the subunits are single strands rather than double helices of the Watson-Crick type. Incorporation of 5-bromouracil markedly broadens the pH transition, because of the large difference in p K a ′ between 5-bromouracil and guanine or thymine, and one can observe directly the intermediate states in denaturation of 5-bromouracil-containing DNA by density gradient analysis at the ambient pH.
Electrophysiology of phosphodiesterase inhibitors

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors appear to uniformly enhance atrioventricular node conduction, although milrinone seems to have the least effect. Except for digoxin, this effect on atrioventricular node conduction is similar to that noted with other inotropic agents. Other electrophysiologic effects vary among patients, with enoximone being more theophylline-like in response. Because none of these drugs do not have an adverse effect on His-Purkinje conduction, they are safe to use in patients with intraventricular conduction disturbances. Significant proarrhythmia is uncommon, but can occur. The mechanisms causing these electrophysiologic changes are not well defined, but the changes may occur because of increased concentrations of cytosol cyclic adenosine monophosphate secondary to phosphodiesterase inhibition, increased cytosol calcium levels secondary to increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or reflex adrenergic stimulation secondary to the peripheral vasodilating effects of these drugs.
Education for expanding horizons in electric power

To recall the undergraduate education of the writer's generation is to see evidence that engineering education was based on the belief that the engineering curriculum of that period would serve him throughout most of his professional lifetime. Many of the professors teaching at that time had a firm idea of what their students needed to know in order to engage in careers in the professional world. This seemed appropriate, for these professors had in no small degree conceived most of the world of electrical technology of about that era. It looked sophisticated and enduring. They accepted the principle of a curriculum largely based on contemporary practice, and assumed that the engineering profession would merely build the mechanisms of society, often to a conventional pattern, and keep them running. This doctrine stemmed from the assumption that technology would not change appreciably during an engineer's professional career.
Processing and tensile properties of hydroxyapatite-whisker-reinforced polyetheretherketone

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) was reinforced with 0-50 vol% hydroxyapatite (HA) whiskers using a novel powder processing and compression molding technique which enabled uniform mixing at high whisker content. Texture analysis showed that viscous flow during compression molding produced a preferred orientation of whiskers along the specimen tensile axis. Consequently, the elastic modulus or ultimate tensile strength of HA-whisker-reinforced PEEK was able to be tailored to mimic human cortical bone. PEEK reinforced with 40 and 50 vol% HA whiskers exhibited elastic moduli of 17 and 23 GPa, respectively. Elastic constants were measured using ultrasonic wave propagation and revealed an orthotropic anisotropy also similar to that measured in human cortical bone. PEEK reinforced with 10 and 20 vol% HA whiskers exhibited an ultimate tensile strength of 90 and 75 MPa, respectively. Tensile specimen fracture surfaces showed evidence of brittle failure in both reinforced and un-reinforced PEEK. Whisker pullout was observed with PEEK adhered to HA whiskers, suggesting a relatively strong interface between the PEEK matrix and HA whisker reinforcements.
Recent Developments in Holography

It is now more than five years since the great increase in holo-graphic activity began. As we take an overview of the current state of holography, two observations become evident. First, the level of activity has continued unabated- -certainly no diminution of activity is noticeable. Possibly the number of papers on holography this year will be higher than ever before. The second observation, perhaps not entirely compatable with the first, is that commercial applications for holography are yet rather limited.© (1969) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mixture models and the probabilistic structure of depth cues

Monocular cues to depth derive their informativeness from a combination of perspective projection and prior constraints on the way scenes in the world are structured. For many cues, the appropriate priors are best described as mixture models, each of which characterizes a different category of objects, surfaces, or scenes. This paper provides a Bayesian analysis of the resulting model selection problem, showing how the mixed structure of priors creates the potential for non-linear, cooperative interactions between cues and how the information provided by a single cue can effectively determine the appropriate constraint to apply to a given image. The analysis also leads to a number of psychophysically testable predictions. We test these predictions by applying the framework to the problem of perceiving planar surface orientation from texture. A number of psychophysical experiments are described that show that the visual system is biased to interpret textures as isotropic, but that when sufficient image data is available, the system effectively turns off the isotropy constraint and interprets texture information using only a homogeneity assumption. Human performance is qualitatively similar to an optimal estimator that assumes a mixed prior on surface textures--some proportion being isotropic and homogeneous and some proportion being anisotropic and homogeneous.
Parent-child interactions in relation to critical and emotionally overinvolved expressed emotion (EE): is EE a proxy for behavior?

Expressed emotion measures, encompassing dimensions of criticism (CRIT), and emotional overinvolvement (EOI) are increasingly being used to assess the parent–child relationship in child clinical populations, despite the lack of studies assessing their validity. We examined the correspondence between CRIT, EOI, and parent–child interactions as observed by neutral coders in a sample of 252 clinic-referred children and adolescents, ages 7–17 years. We found support for the validity of the CRIT code, with high critical parents showing more antagonism, negativity, disgust, harshness, and less responsiveness, compared to parents who scored in the low or borderline ranges. In contrast, none of the observed behaviors were found to correspond with parental EOI, suggesting either that this construct lacks validity with juvenile samples or that behaviors that correspond to EOI are difficult to observe. We conclude that high parental CRIT can be used as an index of problematic parent–child interactions.
Diabetic Foot Ulcerations: Biomechanics, Charcot Foot, and Total Contact Cast

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States; approximately 6% of the US population has been diagnosed with diabetes. Fifteen percent of all people with diabetes will develop a foot ulceration, and 14% to 20% of them will require an amputation. During the past 25 years, much has been learned and written about lower extremity complications associated with diabetes. The single most significant discovery relative to diabetic foot ulceration is the role of peripheral sensory neuropathy. Once the correlation between the absence of sensation and foot breakdown was made, treatment algorithms began to develop. For the first time, the concept of biomechanics and the role of weight-bearing stress were considered when applying different treatments to the patient with a diabetic foot ulcer. Wound classification systems developed to aid the physician in treating what had been a very frustrating group of patients; those with diabetic foot ulcerations. From that, a myriad of treatments developed. In fact, the technology of wound management became a billion dollar business and, to this day, continues to present the clinician with unending options to effectively manage and heal wounds on the diabetic lower extremity.
Characterization of a Novel Extremely Alkalophilic Bacterium

Summary: A new alkalophilic bacterium, isolated from a natural spring of high pH is characterized. It is a Gram-positive, non-sporulating, motile rod requiring aerobic and alkaline conditions for growth. The characteristics of this organism resemble those of the coryneform group of bacteria; however, there are no accepted genera within this group with which this organism can be closely matched. Therefore, a new genus may be warranted.
Induction of Cyclooxygenase-2 Gene in Pancreatic β-Cells by 12-Lipoxygenase Pathway Product 12-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene and 12-lipoxygenase (12-LO) gene are preferentially expressed over other types of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase in pancreatic β-cells. Inhibition of either COX-2 or 12-LO can prevent cytokine-induced pancreatic β-cell dysfunction as defined by inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. As cellular stress induces both genes and their respective end products in pancreatic β-cells, we evaluated the role of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) on COX-2 gene expression, protein expression, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. We demonstrate that 12-HETE significantly increases COX-2 gene expression and consequent product formation, whereas a closely related lipid, 15-HETE, does not. In addition, IL-1β-stimulated prostaglandin E2 production is completely inhibited by a preferential lipoxygenase inhibitor cinnaminyl-3,4-dihydroxy-α-cyanocinnamate. We then evaluated IL-1β-induced PGE2 production in islets purified from control C57BL/6 mice and 12-LO knockout mice lack...
On the Concept of Biological Race and Its Applicability to Humans

Biological research on race has often been seen as motivated by or lending credence to underlying racist attitudes; in part for this reason, recently philosophers and biologists have gone through great pains to essentially deny the existence of biological human races. We argue that human races, in the biological sense of local populations adapted to particular environments, do in fact exist; such races are best understood through the common ecological concept of ecotypes. However, human ecotypic races do not in general correspond with ‘folk’ racial categories, largely because many similar ecotypes have multiple independent origins. Consequently, while human natural races exist, they have little or nothing in common with ‘folk’ races.
Rate limiting interfacial hole transfer in Sb2S3 solid-state solar cells

Transfer of photogenerated holes from the absorber species to the p-type hole conductor is fundamental to the performance of solid-state sensitized solar cells. In this study, we comprehensively investigate hole diffusion in the Sb2S3 absorber and hole transfer across the Sb2S3–CuSCN interface in the TiO2–Sb2S3–CuSCN system using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, carrier diffusion modeling, and photovoltaic performance studies. Transfer of photogenerated holes from Sb2S3 to CuSCN is found to be dependent on Sb2S3 film thickness, a trend attributed to diffusion in the Sb2S3 absorber. However, modeling reveals that this process is not adequately described by diffusion limitations alone as has been assumed in similar systems. Therefore, both diffusion and transfer across the Sb2S3–CuSCN interface are taken into account to describe the hole transfer dynamics. Modeling of diffusion and interfacial hole transfer effects reveal that interfacial hole transfer, not diffusion, is the predominant factor dictating the magnitude of the hole transfer rate, especially in thin (<20 nm) Sb2S3 films. Lastly, the implications of these results are further explored by photovoltaic measurements using planar TiO2–Sb2S3–CuSCN solar cells to elucidate the role of hole transfer in photovoltaic performance.