cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal degradation kinetics and surface pyrolysis of vinyl polymers

Atmosphere," Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Otdelenie Tekhnicheskikh Nauk, Mekhanika i Mashinostroenie, No. 4, 1965, pp. 36-40. 7 Benjamin, A. S., "The Effect of Albative Geometry Change on the Heating and Recession Characteristics of Sphere-Cones," AIAA Paper 66-992, Boston, Mass., 1966. 8 Cresci, R. J., MacKenzie, D. A., and Libby, P. A., "An Investigation of Laminar, Transitional, and Turbulent Heat Transfer on Blunt-Nosed Bodies in Hypersonic Flow," Journal of the Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 27, No. 6, June 1960, pp. 401-414. 9 Schlichting, H., Boundary Layer Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1955, pp. 447-449. 10 Dippree, D. F. and Sabersky, R. H., "Heat and Momentum Transfer in Smooth and Rough Tubes at Various Prandtl Numbers," International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 6, No. 5, May 1963, pp. 329-353. 11 Ames Research Staff, "Equations, Tables, and Charts for Compressible Flow," Rept. 1135, 1953, NACA. 12 Dunlap, R. and Kuethe, A. M., "Effects of Cooling on Boundary Layer Transition on a Hemisphere in Simulated Hypersonic Flow," Journal of the Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 29, No. 12, Dec. 1962, pp. 145^1461. 13 Fay, J. A. and Riddell, F. R., "Theory of Stagnation Point Heat Transfer in Dissociated Air," Journal of the Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 25, No. 2, Feb. 1958, pp. 73-85. 14 Sutton, G. W., "On the Stable Shape of a Slender Ablating Graphite Body," Journal of the Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 26, No. 10, Oct. 1959, pp. 681-682.
Reworking of ichthyoliths in eastern tropical Pacific sediments

Abstract Evaluation of the extent of reworking of ichthyoliths (microscopic skeletal debris of fishes) in Cenozoic sediments of the eastern tropical Pacific indicates that they are less easily put into suspension and transported than are some other solution-resistant microfossils, such as radiolarians. Consequently, they probably tend to be concentrated as lag deposits in some places. On the other hand, ichthyoliths are reworked sufficiently to permit their geographic distribution in relation to the crest of the East Pacific Rise to be used as an indication of their upper stratigraphic limits. In the course of this investigation new information has been accumulated on the stratigraphic ranges of some Tertiary ichthyoliths.
Investigation of the Antimony-Rich Part of the Ru-Sb System

The Sb-rich Ru-Sb phase diagram was investigated by means of differential thermal analysis, electronprobe microanalysis, metallography, and X-ray diffraction. The existence of two compounds as confirmed in the range 50 to 100 at% Sb: RuSb2 and RuSb. The melting (decomposition) temperature of these compounds is >1250 °C. RuSb2 forms a eutectic with antimony at ≈617 °C.
Production and Dispersal of Conidia of Leucostoma cinctum in Peach and Cherry Orchards Under Irrigation in Eastern Washington.

Grove, G. G., and Biggs, A. R. 2006. Production and dispersal of conidia of Leucostoma cinctum in peach and cherry orchards under irrigation in eastern Washington. Plant Dis. 90:587-591. The objectives of this study were to determine the seasonal production patterns of Leucostoma cinctum conidia in peach and cherry orchards and the effects of irrigation on dispersal of conidia. Conidia were trapped throughout the year and were present in highest numbers during spring and summer on both cherry and peach. The pathogen was dispersed 1.0 m by water drops that simulated irrigation drops that would impact cankers during over-the-canopy irrigation. Spore production and dispersal also resulted from the use of over-the-canopy and under-tree impact sprinklers. Although the two irrigation methods were not directly compared, the latter mode dispersed propagules of L. cinctum over horizontal distances of about 6 m, a distance sufficient to account for the movement of the pathogen between trees within and across orchard rows. It is concluded that disease management could be improved by alteration of horticultural and irrigation practices.
A cluster of constitutive mutations affecting the C-terminus of the Redox-sensitive SoxR transcriptional activator

Abstract Activation of Escherichia coli oxidative stress regulon genes (sodA, zwf, fumC, nfo, etc.) is mediated by a two-stage regulatory system: the redox-sensitive SoxR protein transcriptionally activates the soxS gene, whose product then stimulates transcription of the regulon genes. Previous experiments showed that limited 3' truncation of soxR gene causes constitutive soxRS expression. DNA sequence analysis of the soxR genes from the soxRS-constitutive strains isolated originally (Greenberg et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 6181-6185) revealed that three alleles encode amino acid substitutions or a chain termination clustered near the C-terminus of SoxR. Two other single-amino-acid substitutions in constitutive alleles mapped to the helix-turn-helix motif and to a region of unknown function in the center of the polypeptide, respectively. No constitutive mutation was found within the region encoding the cysteines of the SoxR FeS center, in the soxR or soxS promoters, or in the soxS structural gene. Since an in-frame deletion of just nine SoxR residues (136-144; full-length SoxR = 154 residues) gave rise to a powerful constitutive allele, it appears that a small segment of the SoxR C-terminus maintains the protein in the inactive state. Conservely, an intact C-terminus is evidently not required for gene activation by SoxR.
Isolation of Angiopoietin-1, a Ligand for the TIE2 Receptor, by Secretion-Trap Expression Cloning

TIE2 is a receptor-like tyrosine kinase expressed almost exclusively in endothelial cells and early hemopoietic cells and required for the normal development of vascular structures during embryogenesis. We report the identification of a secreted ligand for TIE2, termed Angiopoietin-1, using a novel expression cloning technique that involves intracellular trapping and detection of the ligand in COS cells. The structure of Angiopoietin-1 differs from that of known angiogenic factors or other ligands for receptor tyrosine kinases. Although Angiopoietin-1 binds and induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of TIE2, it does not directly promote the growth of cultured endothelial cells. However, its expression in close proximity with developing blood vessels implicates Angiopoietin-1 in endothelial developmental processes.
Friction-Induced Dynamics of Axially-Moving Media in Contact With an Actively-Positioned Surface

The dynamics of an axially-moving flexible medium are examined in the context of an application where the medium is partially supported by a frictional surface, that actively-orients itself relative to the direction of transport. The stability and motion of the medium are of interest in a magnetic tape data storage application where the orientation of a sensing surface is continuously altered in order to ‘follow’ the medium’s motion. Moving media that are in contact with such guiding surfaces experience friction excitations induced by the relative motion in addition to what is observed with a stationary guiding surface. Friction-induced bending moments, as well as tension fluctuation beyond the permissible limits for the flexible material can erode the potential benefits of such active positioning. This paper describes some of these dynamic phenomena using the simplified example of a planar guiding surface whose orientation is dynamically altered relative to the moving medium. A physical model for the friction-induced excitation of the moving medium is developed, and the dynamics are analyzed for their effect on critical design parameters such as the achievable bandwidth of the active control algorithm, as well as with respect to constraints on the geometry and positioning of the guiding surface.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Recommendations for research on the effects of organizational diversity on women

This paper discusses some of the possible effects of increasing organizational diversity on four areas of concern to women: 1) hiring discrimination; 2) appraisal, promotion, and advancement problems; 3) problems related to managing and leading; and 4) sexual harassment. Recommendations for research are offered for each of these areas.
Activity of Mitochondrial Preparations Obtained from Faris Sweet Lemon Fruit.

1. BLIGH, E. G. AND W. J. DYER. 1959. A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can. J. Biochem. Physiol. 37: 911-17. 2. CATLIN, P. B. 1963. Active cytoplasmic particulates from developing apricot fruits. Proc. Am.. Soc. Hort. Sci. 83: 217-25. 3. CHERRY, J. H. 1963. Nucleic acid, mitochondria, and enzyme changes in cotyledons of peanut seeds during germination. Plant Physiol. 38: 440-46. 4. COCKING, E. C. AND D. W. GREGORY. 1963. Organized protoplasmic units of the plant cell. I. Their occurrence, origin, and structure. J. Exptl. Botany 14: 504-11. 5. DEMPSEY, E. W. 1956. Mitochondrial changes in different physiological states. Ciba Found. Colloq. Aging, Vol. 2, Aging in Transient Tissues. J. A. Churchill Ltd., London. 6. ELLIOT, A. M. AND I. J. BAK. 1964. The fate of mitochondria during aging in Tetrah!yinema pyriforiniis. J. Cell Biol. 20: 113-29. 7. HANSON, J. B. 1963. The yield of mitochondrial material from maize roots. Physiol. Plantarum 16: 814-21. 8. HULME, A. C. 1963. The respiration climacteric in apple fruits. Proc. Royal Soc. (London) B. 158: 514-35. 9. MILLER, G. L. 1959. Protein determinations for large numbers of samples. Anal. Chem: 31: 964. 10. PECSOK, R. L. (ed.) 1959. Principles and Practice of Gas Chromatography. Chapman Hall Ltd., London. p 135-50. 1 1. PRASAD, R. ANrD R. J. ROMANI. 1963. Separation of intracellular components of fruits by density gradient centrifugation. A paper presented at the Western Section, AAAS, Stanford, California. 12. ROMANI, R. J. 1955. Intracellular metabolism of the avocado fruit. Ph. D. thesis. University of California, Los Angeles, California. 13. ROMANI, R. J. AND T. B. BIALE. 1957. Metabolic processes in cytoplasmic particles of the avocado fruit. IV. Ripening and the supernatant fraction. Plant Physiol. 32: 662-68. 14. ROMANI, R. J. AND J. G. VAN KooY. 1962. Effect of large doses of gamma radiation on the intracellular particles of fruit. Abstr. Second Intern. Cong. Rad. Res., Harrogate, England p 138. 15. STOFFEL, W., F. CHU, AND E. H. AHRENS. 1959. Analysis of long-chain fatty acids by gas-liquid chromatopraphy. Micromethod for preparation of methyl esters. Anal. Chem. 31: 307-08. 16. WEBSTER, G. C. 1959. Nitrogen Metabolism in Plants. Chapter 5. Row, Peterson and Companiy, Evanston, Illinois.
Polyfluorene with p-carborane in the backbone

Polyfluorene with p-carborane in the backbone was synthesized from the new monomer 1,12-bis(7-bromo-9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)-closo-1,12-dicarbodecaborane to give a high MW, soluble, blue-emitting material characterized by NMR, UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy.
Surface Damage on GaAs Induced by Reactive Ion Etching and Sputter Etching

surface damage induced by reactive ion etching (RIE) using various gases is compared with sputter etching using inert gases. Anisotropic etching of with minimal surface damage can be obtained with most of the RIE conditions used. Sputter etching using inert gases introduces substantial damage on the surface, and the degree of damage is inversely proportional to the ion mass. In addition, we have found that the damage induced by Ar sputter etching can be greatly reduced by the introduction of reactive gases during etching. Recovery of the diode characteristics is observed after removing 500A of the etched surface using wet chemical solution or by removing 200A of the etched surface using RIE in at 30V.
Two-dimensional separation of erythrocyte membrane proteins

Abstract The details of a two-dimensional separation procedure specially designed for the study of erythrocyte membranes are presented. In this highly reproducible method, the membrane proteins are dissolved in sodium dodecyl sulfate and separated first on the basis of charge by isoelectric focusing. The samples are loaded either at the cathode (CIF) or anode (AIF). The CIF samples gave better separation of the acidic proteins, while the AIF was better for the separation of the high molecular weight polypeptides of the erythrocyte. Over 90 discrete polypeptides could be detected with this method in the pH range of 5 to 8. Special attention was given to the higher molecular weight components. For example, six components could be detected within the 90,000 to 100,000 molecular weight range of protein 3, the major membrane protein. A component with the same or very nearly the same molecular weight as spectrin band 2 was detected. It is more basic than spectrin band 2, and both spectrin band 2 and the basic component are readily phosphorylated in the intact cell. However, the phosphorylation of band 2 is cAMP independent while the phosphorylation of the basic component is enhanced by cAMP. In contrast to spectrin, the basic component is not extracted from the membrane with 0.1 m m EDTA, although dilute NaOH will remove it from the membrane. The Ca 2+ -activated transferase of the erythrocyte cytoplasm will not crosslink this component. Calcium does, however, activate the conversion of this component to a lower molecular weight. This high molecular weight basic component has properties attributed to the component labeled 2.1 in Fairbanks' system of nomenclature.
Extended Logistic Regression Model for Studies with Interrupted Events, Seasonal Trend, and Serial Correlation

It is increasingly seen that educational, administrative, and policy interventions are being carried out to improve the quality of medication and health related outcomes. In this article, we extend the general logistic regression model to evaluate the proportion of certain events for studies with interrupted events, seasonal trend, and serial correlation. The general approach, the estimating procedure, and model selection are provided. A case study for our recent study on prescription of ampicillin is carried out to illustrate how the method is applied, and extensive simulations are performed to examine the performance of the proposed method.
Activity Patterns and Companion Preferences of Domestic Goat Kids

Abstract Domestic goat kids' companion preferences and daily activity patterns were investigated. Kids were more often associated with similarly aged animals (siblings and non-siblings) than with their mother or other adult females during their first 15 weeks following parturition. By the end of their second week following birth, kids formed cohesive peer groups that were observed during both active and rest periods. Association with mothers was restricted to regular but infrequent nursing bouts. Time spent lying decreased and time spent feeding and ruminating increased with age of young; time spent traveling and standing remained stable. Kids spent less than 50% of observation time in behavioral synchrony with their dams during the first month following birth. Subsequently, activities of kids gradually synchronized with those of their mothers. These patterns of social interaction resemble those described for other ungulate species characterized as having a “hider” type of mother-infant relationship. When compared to ungulates having a “follower” type of mother-infant relationship, goat infant behavior generally involves less early interaction with the mother and more social contact with other group members, especially peers.
Thermodynamic studies of MgO saturated EAF slag

AbstractFoamy slags are widely practiced in electric arc furnace (EAF) steel production, reducing energy consumption, improving yield, reducing furnace noise, and increasing refractory service life. Control of slag chemistry within a specific range is necessary to achieve maximum benefits from slag foaming. The 'optimum' slag during EAF steel production is MgO saturated, containing a suspension of magnesium wustite (MgO.FeO) particles. A thermodynamic program, FACTSAGE, was utilised to study a simplified steel slag system containing four slag oxides (MgO–CaO–FeO–SiO2), to predict the dual saturation level of CaO and MgO phases and to predict the MgO slag saturation level with variations in oxygen partial pressure, temperature and slag basicity. Results from thermodynamic calculations indicate that there are linear relationships among slag oxides and slag basicity which can be used to predict and control slag chemistry for foaming. Model data were compared with experimental data and models developed by oth...
Cubic phase gels as drug delivery systems

Lipids have been used extensively for drug delivery in various forms such as liposomes, and solid-matrices. The focus of this review is evaluation of liquid crystalline cubic phases, spontaneously formed when amphiphilic lipids are placed in aqueous environment, for drug delivery. Cubic phases have an interesting thermodynamically stable structure consisting of curved bicontinuous lipid bilayer in three dimensions, separating two congruent networks of water channels. The unique structure of cubic phase has been extensively studied using various spectroscopic techniques and their resemblance to biomembranes has prompted many scientists to study behavior of proteins in cubic phases. The ability of cubic phase to incorporate and control release of drugs of varying size and polar characteristics, and biodegradability of lipids make it an interesting drug delivery system for various routes of administration. Cubic phases have been shown to deliver small molecule drugs and large proteins by oral and parenteral routes in addition to local delivery in vaginal and periodontal cavity. A number of different proteins in cubic phase appear to retain their native conformation and bioactivity, and are protected from chemical and physical inactivation perhaps due to the reduced activity of water and biomembrane-like structure of cubic phase. Release of drugs from cubic phase typically show diffusion controlled release from a matrix as indicated by Higuchi's square root of time release kinetics. Incorporation of drug in cubic phase can cause phase transformation to lamellar or reversed hexagonal phase depending on the polarity and concentration of the drug, which may affect the release profile. Biodegradability, phase behavior, ability to deliver drugs of varying sizes and polarity and the ability to enhance the chemical and/or physical stability of incorporated drugs and proteins make the cubic phase gel an excellent candidate for use as a drug delivery matrix. However, shorter release duration and the extremely high viscosity may limit its use to specific applications such as periodontal, mucosal, vaginal and short acting oral and parenteral drug delivery.
Sustainable Desalination Process Simulation

Experimental and theoretical simulations of a novel sustainable desalination process have been carried out. The simulated process consists of pumping seawater through a solar heater before flashing it under vacuum in an elevated chamber. The vacuum is passively created and then maintained by the hydrostatic balance between pressure inside the elevated flash chamber and outdoor atmospheric pressure. The experimental simulations were carried out using a pilot unit built to depict the proposed desalination system. Theoretical simulations were performed using a detailed computer code employing fundamental physical and thermodynamic laws to describe the separation process, complimented by experimentally based correlations to estimate physical properties of the involved species and operational parameters of the proposed system setting it apart from previous empirical desalination models. Experimental and theoretical simulation results matched well with one another, validating the developed model. Feasibility of the proposed system rapidly increased with flash temperature due to increased fresh water production and improved heat recovery. In addition, the proposed desalination system is naturally sustainable by solar radiation and gravity, making it very energy efficient.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Using tritium and x-ray tubes as x-ray calibration sources for the AXAF CCD Imaging Spectrometer

Accurate quantum efficiency calibrations for CCDs require stable sources of known x-ray energies. Radioactive sources are the most stable although some stable commercial x-ray tubes are available. However, sealed, stable x-ray tubes include windows which filter low energy x-rays to which our CCDs are sensitive. Therefore we have developed a windowless radioactive source using the beta spectrum from tritium to fluoresce low-energy x-rays from low Z targets. The potential drawback of tritium outgassing is also investigated. This source is coupled with an additional system based on a stable commercial x-ray tube to produce higher energy x-rays. Together these sources form a system for comparative quantum efficiency measurements with two CCDs mounted on translation stages. We report on the physics and development of these x-ray sources.
Rapid quantification of sequence repeats to resolve the size, structure and contents of bacterial genomes

The numerous classes of repeats often impede the assembly of genome sequences from the short reads provided by new sequencing technologies. We demonstrate a simple and rapid means to ascertain the repeat structure and total size of a bacterial or archaeal genome without the need for assembly by directly analyzing the abundances of distinct k-mers among reads. The sensitivity of this procedure to resolve variation within a bacterial species is demonstrated: genome sizes and repeat structure of five environmental strains of E. coli from short Illumina reads were estimated by this method, and total genome sizes corresponded well with those obtained for the same strains by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. In addition, this approach was applied to read-sets for completed genomes and shown to be accurate over a wide range of microbial genome sizes. Application of these procedures, based solely on k-mer abundances in short read data sets, allows aspects of genome structure to be resolved that are not apparent from conventional short read assemblies. This knowledge of the repetitive content of genomes provides insights into genome evolution and diversity.
Classical model for angular momentum mixing of Rydberg states

A classical model for l mixing of Rydberg states in atomic collisions is described. The primary assumption of the model is that l changing occurs in a single hard-sphere collision between the Rydberg electron and the perturbing atom which is represented by the zero-energy scattering length L. Predictions of the model, which are in the form of cross sections as functions of principal quantum number n, are compared with data for l mixing of Na(nd) and Rb(nf) by rare-gas atoms. Agreement is, in most cases, quite good, comparable with that of other, more sophisticated, models. It is shown that, because the calculation must be carried out in the reference frame of the ion core, the energy deficit between low angular momentum states and the nearest hydrogenic manifold can be made up in a single collision between the Rydberg electron and the perturbing atom, an effect that is analogous to the gravitational slingshot effect used to alter the orbits of a spacecraft under the influence of the Sun's gravitational field. Comparison of data for l mixing by ground-state Rb atoms with model calculations in which L is treated as a free parameter leads to an estimate of 10 a.u. for the zero-energy scattering length of Rb.
Effect of dimensionality on the percolation threshold of overlapping nonspherical hyperparticles.

We study the effect of dimensionality on the percolation threshold ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$ of identical overlapping nonspherical convex hyperparticles in $d$-dimensional Euclidean space ${\mathbb{R}}^{d}$. This is done by formulating a scaling relation for ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$ that is based on a rigorous lower bound [Torquato, J. Chem. Phys. 136, 054106 (2012)] and a conjecture that hyperspheres provide the highest threshold, for any $d$, among all convex hyperparticle shapes (that are not a trivial affine transformation of a hypersphere). This scaling relation also exploits the recently discovered principle that low-dimensional continuum percolation behavior encodes high-dimensional information. We derive an explicit formula for the exclusion volume ${v}_{\text{ex}}$ of a hyperparticle of arbitrary shape in terms of its $d$-dimensional volume $v$, surface area $s$, and radius of mean curvature $\overline{R}$ (or, equivalently, mean width). These basic geometrical properties are computed for a wide variety of nonspherical hyperparticle shapes with random orientations across all dimensions, including, among other shapes, various polygons for $d=2$, Platonic solids, spherocylinders, parallepipeds, and zero-volume plates for $d=3$ and their appropriate generalizations for $d\ensuremath{\ge}4$. Using this information, we compute the lower bound and scaling relation for ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$ for this comprehensive set of continuum percolation models across dimensions. We demonstrate that the scaling relation provides accurate upper-bound estimates of the threshold ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$ across dimensions and becomes increasingly accurate as the space dimension increases.
Pulmonary Interstitial Fibrosis following Near-Drowning and Exposure to Short-term High Oxygen Concentrations

Following near-drowning in fresh water, a 19-year-old man experienced severe adult respiratory distress syndrome, necessitating ventilatory support with positive end-expiratory pressure and high oxygen concentrations. Post-extubation, his course was highlighted by persistent hypoxemia and interrupted by a lung abscess which responded promptly to antibiotics. Pulmonary function tests were consistent with severe restrictive disease and chest radiograph revealed persistent bilateral alveolar and interstitial infiltrates. An open lung biopsy on the 26th hospital day showed interstitial fibrosis. Over the ensuing two months, the chest radiograph and pulmonary function tests returned towards normal. We attribute the pulmonary fibrosis to incomplete resolution of the alveolar interstitial pathology secondary to the near-drowning and exposure to high oxygen mixtures.
Iron Overload: Prevalence and Impact on Health

Clinical manifestations attributable to the damaging effects of iron occur when the total body iron is 5-10 times higher than normal. In adults this degree of iron overload occurs in hereditary hemochromatosis, a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-linked autosomal recessive disorder, as well as in secondary iron-overload conditions.
Y-specific sequences and polymorphisms in rainbow trout and Chinook salmon

Improved methods for genetically sexing salmonids and for characterization of Y-chromosome homologies between species can contribute to understanding the evolution of sex chromosomes and sex-determining mechanisms. In this study we have explored 12.5 kb of Y-chromosome-specific sequence flanking the previously described OtY2 locus in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and 21 kb of homologous rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Y-chromosome-specific sequence. This is the first confirmed Y-specific sequence for rainbow trout. New Y-specific markers are described for Chinook salmon (OtY3) and rainbow trout (OmyY1), which are readily detected by PCR assays and are advantageous because they also produce autosomal control amplification products. Additionally, AFLP analysis of Chinook salmon yielded another potential Y-chromosome marker. These descriptions will facilitate genotypic sexing and should be useful for population studies of Y-chromosome polymorphisms and for future studies to characterize what appears to be a common sex-determining mechanism between these species.
On the relevance of general relativity with torsion at highest matter densities and in microphysics

General relativity with spin and torsion (U4-theory) is discussed. Conventional general relativity (GR) and U4-theory cannot be distinguished with the present experimental techniques. At high matter densities and in microphysics, however, U4-theory gives different answers. The former is interesting in connection with gravitational collapse and the singularity theorems, the latter with respect to the quantization of the gravitational field.
Transformation of rat thyroid follicular cells stably transfected with cholera toxin A1 fragment.

Activating mutations of the alpha subunit of the G protein G(s) (G(s)alpha) have been identified in thyroid adenomas and well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas. To examine the role of activating mutations of G(s)alpha in thyroid neoplasia, we transfected rat follicular thyroid (FRTL-5) cells with a transgene in which the cholera toxin A1 subunit (CTA1) is expressed under the control of the rat thyroglobulin gene promoter (TG). This transgene recapitulates effects of the activating mutation of G(s)alpha by its ability to ADP-ribosylate and thereby inhibit GTPase activity of endogenous G(s)alpha molecules. To assess the effect of G(s)alpha activation on cell growth, TGCTA1, or control, pM AM neotransfected FRTL-5 cells (10(4)-10(6)) were injected s.c. into nude mice. TGCTA1-transfected FRTL-5 cells grow in nude mice, whereas control cells do not. Tumor histology revealed increased mitotic activity, infiltration of skeletal muscle, perineural invasion, and plugging of lymphatic spaces. In addition, nude mice...
From HERA to the Tevatron: a scaling law in hard diffraction

Abstract Results on hard diffraction from CDF are reviewed and compared with predictions based on the diffractive structure of the proton measured in deep inelastic scattering at HERA. The predictions are generally larger than the measured rates by a factor of ∼ 6, suggesting a breakdown of conventional factorization. Correct predictions are obtained by scaling the rapidity gap probability distribution of the diffractive structure function to the total integrated gap probability. The scaling of the gap probability is traced back to the pomeron flux renormalization hypothesis, which was introduced to unitarize the soft diffraction amplitude.
Insights into the structural specificity of the cytotoxicity of 3-deoxyphosphatidylinositols.

d-3-Deoxyphosphatidylinositol (d-3-deoxy-PI) derivatives have cytotoxic activity against various human cancer cell lines. These phosphatidylinositols have a potentially wide array of targets in the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling network. To explore the specificity of these types of molecules, we have synthesized d-3-deoxydioctanoylphosphatidylinositol (d-3-deoxy-diC8PI), d-3,5-dideoxy-diC8PI, and d-3-deoxy-diC8PI-5-phosphate and their enantiomers, characterized their aggregate formation by novel high-resolution field cycling 31P NMR, and examined their susceptibility to phospholipase C (PLC), their effects on the catalytic activities of PI3K and PTEN against diC8PI and diC8PI-3-phosphate substrates, respectively, and their ability to induce the death of U937 human leukemic monocyte lymphoma cells. Of these molecules, only d-3-deoxy-diC8PI was able to promote cell death; it did so with a median inhibitory concentration of 40 µM, which is much less than the critical micelle concentration...
A two-dimensional programming language for data acquisition and control

This paper reports a two-dimensional programming language and a notation for the description of experiments. The work was developed with an IBM 1800 computer.
Rotation of microscopic objects in fiber optic trap

Due to easy integration with microfluidic devices, fiber optical trapping is finding increasing use to immobilize microscopic objects for physical and spectroscopic analysis of samples in solution. Though conventional microscope objective based laser spanners (based on transfer of spin or orbital angular momentum) are being employed for rotational manipulation of microscopic objects, the working distance inside microfluidic channel is limited in depth. Recently, we have demonstrated fiber optic tweezers for in-depth trapping of microscopic objects. Here, we demonstrate the development of a fiber optic spanner for rotation of microscopic objects. This single-mode fiber optics based method does not require special structure or optical properties of the sample to be rotated. Trapping and simultaneous rotation of microscopic objects around axis perpendicular to optic axis could be achieved. The rotation speed of the trapped object could be changed by adjusting the laser beam power coupled to the fiber optic trap. Since the fiber optic spanner could be easily integrated onto a microfluidic platform, the proposed configuration can find potential applications in lab-on-achip devices and tomographic imaging.
Vortices incident upon a leading edge: instantaneous pressure fields

A mixing-layer flow formed by merging of high- and low-speed streams leads to successive generation of vortices of the same sense that impinge upon a leading edge. Distortion of each incident vortex, secondary-vortex shedding, and 'sweeping’ of flow about the tip of the edge are related to the instantaneous pressure fields via simultaneous flow visualization and pressure measurement. The instantaneous pressure fields are interpreted as downstream travelling waves along the upper and lower surfaces of the edge; in turn, these wavelike pressure variations are linked to the visualized vortex patterns adjacent to each surface. Near the tip of the edge, where rapid flow distortion occurs, the pressure fields are non-wavelike; on the lower surface of the tip, negligible streamwise phase variations of fluctuating pressure are associated with secondary shedding there, while on the upper surface there is a phase jump. This jump can be as large as π when the incident vortex impinges directly upon, or passes just below, the tip of the edge. Downstream of this near-tip region, the wavelike pressure fields show short and long wavelengths on the lower and upper surfaces respectively. These wavelengths, in turn, differ substantially from the wavelength of the incident-vortex instability. Irrespective of the transverse location of the incident vortex with respect to the leading edge, maximum pressure amplitude always occurs at the tip of the edge; it takes on its largest value when the scale of secondary shedding from the tip of the edge is most pronounced. Moreover, the fact that the net force on the edge scales with tip-pressure amplitude underscores the crucial role of the local flow distortions in the tip region.
Induction of reactive oxygen species-mediated autophagy by a novel microtubule-modulating agent.

Autophagy is being increasingly implicated in both cell survival and death. However, the intricate relationships between drug-induced autophagy and apoptosis remain elusive. Here we demonstrate that a tubulin-binding noscapine analog, (R)-9-bromo-5-((S)-4,5-dimethoxy-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-1-yl)-4-methoxy-6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-[1,3]-di-oxolo[4,5-g]isoquinoline (Red-Br-nos), exerts a novel autophagic response followed by apoptotic cell death in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Red-Br-nos-induced autophagy was an early event detectable within 12 h that displayed a wide array of characteristic features including double membranous vacuoles with entrapped organelles, acidic vesicular organelles, and increased expression of LC3-II and beclin-1. Red-Br-nos-triggered release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and attenuation of ROS by tiron, a ROS scavenger, reduced the sub-G1 population suggesting ROS-dependent apoptosis. Abrogation of ROS also reduced autophagy indicating that ROS triggers autophagy. Pharmacological and genetic approaches to inhibit autophagy uncovered the protective role of Red-Br-nos-induced autophagy in PC-3 cells. Direct effects of the drug on mitochondria viz. disruption of normal cristae architecture and dissipation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential revealed a functional link between ROS generation, autophagy, and apoptosis induction. This is the first report to demonstrate the protective role of ROS-mediated autophagy and induction of caspase-independent ROS-dependent apoptosis in PC-3 cells by Red-Br-nos, a member of the noscapinoid family of microtubule-modulating anticancer agents.
Influenza Diagnosis and Treatment in Veterans With Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Evans CT, LaVela SL, Smith B, Miskevics S, Weaver FM, Goldstein B. Influenza diagnosis and treatment in veterans with spinal cord injury. Objective To assess influenza diagnosis and treatment behaviors and prescribing practices for antiviral medications among spinal cord injury (SCI) practitioners. Design Anonymous cross-sectional survey of practitioners and retrospective review of administrative diagnostic and prescription databases. Setting Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities. Participants One hundred practitioners participated (response rate, 65%). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Strategies for diagnosing and treating influenza and type of antivirals prescribed. Results Ninety-seven percent of practitioners reported using clinical symptoms to diagnose a patient with influenza. The most common treatments included symptom relievers (94%), followed by antivirals (21%). Antivirals reportedly used included amantadine (64%), rimantadine (36%), oseltamivir (32%), and zanamivir (11%). Twenty-one prescriptions for antivirals were identified during the influenza season and all were for amantadine. Conclusions Despite recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and high risks of respiratory complications after SCI, antiviral medications and diagnostic tests for influenza are seldom used in the treatment of influenza in this population. Research is needed to identify barriers to diagnosing and administering antivirals in people with SCI.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Reading Remediation Program in a Public School Setting

This article reports an evaluation of a reading remediation program delivered to 151 high-risk students in a public school setting. Implementation fidelity was assessed by the amount of time each child was exposed to the program. Despite receiving fewer than the recommended hours of instruction, analyses of standard achievement scores indicated significantly greater change than expected in reading comprehension, reading fluency, and word attack skills. Number of individual hours of instruction yielded the most conservative estimates of change across time. Findings are discussed within the context of conducting effectiveness evaluations of educational interventions and the need to monitor implementation fidelity at the individual level to best inform decision making and resource allocation.
Spatial infinity as a boundary of spacetime

A definition of asymptotic flatness at spatial infinity is given by imposing conditions at a time-like boundary of a completed 4-manifold. The resulting framework is similar to the Penrose description of asymptotic flatness at null infinity in that physics at spatial infinity is coded in smooth tensor fields on the boundary. it reproduces the standard results of the i0-framework with the advantage that it avoids the awkward differentiability conditions imposed at i0. The universal structure made available by the definition is examined and the structure of the associated asymptotic symmetry group is analysed. The tensor fields describing the leading order behaviour of the gravitational field at spatial infinity are then introduced and the field equations that they satisfy are derived. Finally, the expressions of the 4-momentum and the angular momentum are presented. The structure of the permissible isometry groups in asymptotically flat spacetimes is discussed in an appendix.
Awkward Talisman: War Memory, Reconciliation and Yasukuni

Yasukuni Shrine resonates with talismanic symbolism for both its critics and proponents and that is precisely why it is so controversial within Japan and between Japan and its neighbors. Controversy over Yasukuni is rooted in the broader historical debate about war memory, responsibility, and reconciliation. Competing narratives about this past send mixed signals to neighbors and prevent reconciliation. Despite Prime Minister Koizumi’s six visits, Yasukuni is an awkward talisman and many Japanese, including conservatives, oppose these visits. The Shrine’s image has been cast and no amount of artful repackaging will obscure its indelible links with Japan’s discredited Imperial ideology and the costs it exacted. The Yasukuni dilemma involves shifting the focal point of official war remembrance away from the Shrine to a secular war memorial where people and officials can pay respect to the war dead free from political agendas and historical baggage.
Identification and cDNA cloning of a novel RNA-binding protein that interacts with the cyclic nucleotide-responsive sequence in the Type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor mRNA.

Abstract Incubation of HTC rat hepatoma cells with 8-bromo-cAMP results in a 3-fold increase in the rate of degradation of type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) mRNA. We have reported previously that the 3′-most 134 nt of the PAI-1 mRNA is able to confer cyclic nucleotide regulation of message stability onto a heterologous transcript. R-EMSA and UV cross-linking experiments have shown that this 134 nt cyclic nucleotide-responsivesequence (CRS) binds HTC cell cytoplasmic proteins ranging in size from 38 to 76 kDa. Mutations in the A-rich region of the CRS both eliminate cyclic nucleotide regulation of mRNA decay and abolish RN-protein complex formation, suggesting that these RNA-binding proteins may be important regulators of mRNA stability. By sequential R-EMSA and SDS-PAGE we have purified a protein from HTC cell polysomes that binds to the PAI-1 CRS. N-terminal sequence analysis and a search of protein data bases revealed identity with two human sequences of unknown function. We have expressed one of these sequences in E. coli and confirmed that the recombinant protein interacts specifically with the PAI-1 CRS. Mutation of the A-rich portion of the PAI-1 CRS reduces binding by the recombinant PAI-1 RNA-binding protein. The amino acid sequence of this protein includes an RGG box and two arginine-rich regions, but does not include other recognizable RNA binding motifs. Detailed analyses of nucleic acid and protein data bases demonstrate that blocks of this sequence are highly conserved in a number of metazoans, including Arabidopsis,Drosophila, birds, and mammals. Thus, we have described a novel RNA-binding protein that identifies a family of proteins with a previously undefined sequence motif. Our results suggest that this protein, PAI-RBP1, may play a role in regulation of mRNA stability.
Hepatic Clearance, but Not Gut Availability, of Erythromycin Is Altered in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease

Nonrenal clearance of drugs can be significantly lower in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) than in those with normal renal function. Using erythromycin (ER) as a probe compound, we investigated whether this decrease in nonrenal clearance is due to reduced hepatic clearance (CL(H)) and/or gut metabolism. We also examined the potential effects of the uremic toxins 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furan propanoic acid (CMPF) and indoxyl sulfate (Indox) on ER disposition. Route-randomized, two-way crossover pharmacokinetic studies of ER were conducted in 12 ESRD patients and 12 healthy controls after oral (250 mg) and intravenous (125 mg) dosing with ER. In patients with ESRD, CL(H) decreased 31% relative to baseline values (0.35 +/- 0.14 l/h/kg vs. 0.51 +/- 0.13 l/h/kg, P = 0.01), with no change in steady-state volume of distribution. With oral dosing, the bioavailability of ER increased 36% in patients with ESRD, and this increase was not related to changes in gut availability. As expected, plasma levels of CMPF and Indox were significantly higher in the patients than in the healthy controls. However, no correlation was observed between CL(H) of ER and the levels of uremic toxins.
Hypoglycemia during rapid methadone dose escalation.

Objectives: To answer a question whether or not rapid methadone dose increase can be associated with onset of hypoglycemia. This hypothesis is based on the previously reported case reports of hypoglycemia with rapid methadone increase and our clinical experience of a number of cases when symptomatic hypoglycemia during rapid methadone escalation was initially mistaken for methadone overdose. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 59 consecutive opioid-tolerant patients with cancer who received methadone for pain while inpatients in a tertiary cancer center within 1 year was performed. In patients who also had hypoglycemia during the admission, blood glucose levels were analyzed in relationship to the time of methadone titration. Use of steroid, presence of fever, renal insufficiency, and periods of fasting were recorded. Results: Eleven patients (19 percent) had hypoglycemia while receiving methadone, of them two patients had at least two episodes of hypoglycemia. In the 11 cases of documented hypoglycemia, mean methadone dose was nearly doubled (92 percent increase) within 2 days before the onset of hypoglycemia. None of the other recorded factors correlated with glucose level in this group of patients. Conclusions: Present report is the first reported series of patients with hypoglycemic episodes associated with rapid methadone dose escalation. Based on our results, a patient who develops unexplained sweating, palpitations, or lethargy during methadone titration may benefit from blood glucose monitoring. Keywords: pain, methadone, titration, hypoglycemia DOI:10.5055/jom.2013.0144
Advances in mycobacterial genetics: new promises for old diseases.

Introduction: Mycobacterial infections and a mycobacterial vaccine Historically, members of the genus Mycobacterium have been some of the most important players in the drama of infectious disease and immunology of man.Mycobacterium leprae causes leprosy, a disease that dates back to biblical times and continues to afflict millions around the world today.M.leprae was discovered by G.A.HANSEN in 1873 and found to be the first bacteria associated with human disease.Despite this early discovery, this bacillus has yet to be cultivated on artificial media and can only be propagated in the laboratory in nine-banded armadillos or footpads of mice.Twenty years ago, tuberculosis was thought to be a disease that was no longer to be a menace in the world with the presence of a vaccine and the development of effective chemotherapies to control this infection.However, in the last five years the world has seen alarming resurgence of tuberculosis.The World Health Organization estimates that there are 8 million new cases of tuberculosis and 3 million deaths resulting from this dreaded illness every year.An increasing number of reports of infections with drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells makes this resurgence so much more frightening.Since the introduction of isoniazid in 1954,.the United States had thirty-two years of steady decline of the number of new cases of tuberculosis.This trend ended in 1986 and we have seen steady increases with a 5 % increase in 1989 alone.This increase is most likely a result of the epidemic of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), where M.tuberculosis infection appears to be one of the first signs of a loss of T cell function.AIDS patients also have a number of opportunistic infections, including infections by another mycobacterium, Mycobacterium avium.This bacterium rarely causes disease in immunocompetent individuals and yet is being found in greater than 40 of AIDS patients in the US.Infections caused by M.avium are difficult to treat as the bacterium appears to be refractory to existing chemotherapies.It is quite clear that all of these mycobacteria continue to be significant cause of morbidity and mortality in man.