cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of Baculovirus Very Late Promoters by Interaction with Very Late Factor 1

Very late factor 1 (VLF-1) of Autographa californica multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) activates the transcription of two genes, polyhedrin (polh) and p10, during the final, occlusion-specific phase of infection. Using transient expression assays responsive to VLF-1, we identified linker scan mutations in the polh and p10 promoters which abolished or weakened the ability of the promoters to respond to stimulation by VLF-1. These mutations were located between the transcriptional and translational initiation sites, a region previously shown to be essential for the burst of expression during the very late phase. Addition of partially purified, epitope-tagged VLF-1 to DNA encompassing this "burst sequence" resulted in a shift in the gel electrophoretic mobility of the DNA, indicating that VLF-1 forms a complex with DNA. Addition of an antibody specific for the epitope tag of VLF-1 decreased the mobility of the DNA further, confirming the presence of VLF-1 in the complex. DNase I footprint assays revealed that VLF-1 partially purified from either insect cells or bacterial cells interacted with the burst sequences of both the polh and p10 very-late promoters. Linker scan mutations within the burst sequences severely impaired interaction between VLF-1 and the promoters. We propose that VLF-1 transactivates the polh and p10 promoters by interacting with the burst sequences.
The Role of Formal Theory in Social Work Research: Formalizing Family Systems Theory

Formal theories are critical to accumulating knowledge through scientific research to advance the discipline and practice. The use of formal theory in social work research is currently absent. Family Systems Theory (FST) is commonly used in social work; however, it currently lacks the criteria to be considered a formal theory. We use FST to demonstrate the formalization process and its potential effect on social work research and practice. Currently, FST is being used as a perspective, to develop theories and models used in marriage and family therapy, and to develop assessment tools. We identify the components of a formal theory while presenting a formal version of FST. Directions for future research are suggested including the benefits of using formal theory to direct scientific research and guide the development of evidence-based practice.
Erosion and reworking of Pacific sediments near the Eocene‐Oligocene boundary

[1] The Eocene-Oligocene (E/O) boundary interval marks one of the largest and most rapid changes in climate during the last 50 Myr. Because of a very shallow calcium carbonate compensation depth in the Eocene, as well as the reworking of sediments and hiatuses in the boundary zone, it has also been one of the most difficult stratigraphic boundaries to study in deep water marine sections, especially in the Pacific Ocean. Recently, three drill sites have recovered complete sections of the E/O boundary interval in the tropical Pacific. A detailed study of these sections shows a series of pulses of reworked older radiolarians in the upper Eocene and lowermost Oligocene. The two largest pulses are coincident with the two sharp steps in carbon and oxygen isotope values that bracket the E/O boundary. Several smaller peaks in reworked material precede these two maxima. It is proposed that immixing of the older radiolarian species results from erosion and redeposition, possibly linked to pulses of new bottom water formation and the formation of a deep pycnocline.
Nutrient utilization traits of phytoplankton

This paper presents a compilation of nutrient utilization traits of marine and freshwater phytoplankton. The literature was comprehensively searched for culture experiments using nitrate, ammonium, or phosphate as the limiting nutrient. The following traits were extracted: the response of growth to nutrient supply (maximum growth rate under unlimited nutrient supply and the nutrient concentration at which growth is half-saturated); the response of internal nutrient content to nutrient supply (the minimum subsistence quota at which growth ceases and the maximum nutrient quota under unlimited nutrient supply); and nutrient uptake kinetics for nutrient-limited cells (maximum uptake rate and the nutrient concentration at which uptake is half-saturated). The resulting data set includes 1319 measurements on 129 species from 138 publications. Potential uses of these data include studies of community structure and trait evolution, parameterization of ecosystem models, and biofuel development.
Facilitating energy savings with programmable thermostats: evaluation and guidelines for the thermostat user interface

Thermostats control heating and cooling in homes – representing a major part of domestic energy use – yet, poor ergonomics of these devices has thwarted efforts to reduce energy consumption. Theoretically, programmable thermostats can reduce energy by 5–15%, but in practice little to no savings compared to manual thermostats are found. Several studies have found that programmable thermostats are not installed properly, are generally misunderstood and have poor usability. After conducting a usability study of programmable thermostats, we reviewed several guidelines from ergonomics, general device usability, computer–human interfaces and building control sources. We analysed the characteristics of thermostats that enabled or hindered successfully completing tasks and in a timely manner. Subjects had higher success rates with thermostat displays with positive examples of guidelines, such as visibility of possible actions, consistency and standards, and feedback. We suggested other guidelines that seemed miss...
Problems with persistence

A fundamental question in reasoning about change is, what information does a reasoning agent infer about later times from earlier times? I will argue that reasoning about change by an agent is to be modeled in terms of the persistence of the agent's beliefs over time rather than the persistence of truth and that such persistence is explained by pragmatic factors about how agents acquire information from other agents rather than by general principles of persistence about states of the world. AI accounts of persistence have focused on ‘closed world’ examples of change, in which the agent believes that the truth of a proposition is unaltered so long as he or she has no evidence that it has been changed. AI principles of persistence seem plausible in a closed world where one assumes the agent knows everything that is happening. If one drops the assumption of omniscience, however, the analysis of persistence is implausible. To get a good account of persistence and reasoning about change, I argue we should examine ‘open world’ examples of change, in which the agent is ignorant of some of the changes occurring in the world. In open world examples of change, persistence must be formulated, I argue, as a pragmatic principle about the persistence of beliefs. After elaborating my criticisms of current accounts of persistence, I examine how such pragmatic principles fare with the notorious examples of reasoning about action that have collectively characterized the so-called frame problem.
RNA modularity for synthetic biology

RNA molecules are highly modular components that can be used in a variety of contexts for building new metabolic, regulatory and genetic circuits in cells. The majority of synthetic RNA systems to date predominately rely on two-dimensional modularity. However, a better understanding and integration of three-dimensional RNA modularity at structural and functional levels is critical to the development of more complex, functional bio-systems and molecular machines for synthetic biology applications.
YIELD AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF POULTRY MARINATED PRE AND POSTRIGOR

The effect of time of cut-up and needle injection of phosphate marinades into poultry was evaluated. Poultry were collected after the chiller, cut and needle injected immediately with phosphate containing marinade or needle injected after 5 h. Whole birds were aged 5 h before cut-up and needle injection as a control. The percentage weight gain and the percentage net weight increase was less for poultry which was cut or needle injected without aging, but varied depending on marinade composition. Cook yield was not affected by time of cut-up or needle injection of marinade. No differences in tenderness and juiciness between treatments were detected by untrained or trained panelists (p < 0.05).
The future of public and nonprofit strategic planning in the United States

Strategic planning is now a ubiquitous practice in U.S. governments and nonprofit organizations. The practice has become widespread for many reasons, but the chief one is the evidence that strategic planning typically “works,” and often works extremely well. Improvements in strategic planning practice are likely to come as it is seen and researched in its full richness as a practice, or set of practices. Several predictions are offered about the future of strategic planning practice and research. Guest editors’ note: In 1942, the University of Chicago Press published a book edited by Leonard D. White titled The Future of Government in the United States. Each chapter in the book presents predictions concerning the future of U.S. public administration. In this article, John M. Bryson examines John Vieg’s predictions on the future of government planning published in that book, comments on whether Vieg’s predictions were correct, and then looks to the future to examine public administration in 2020.
Optical pacing of the adult rabbit heart

Optical pacing has been demonstrated to be a viable alternative to electrical pacing in embryonic hearts. In this study, the feasibility of optically pacing an adult rabbit heart was explored. Hearts from adult New Zealand White rabbits (n = 9) were excised, cannulated and perfused on a modified Langendorff apparatus. Pulsed laser light (λ = 1851 nm) was directed to either the left or right atrium through a multimode optical fiber. An ECG signal from the left ventricle and a trigger pulse from the laser were recorded simultaneously to determine when capture was achieved. Successful optical pacing was demonstrated by obtaining pacing capture, stopping, then recapturing as well as by varying the pacing frequency. Stimulation thresholds measured at various pulse durations suggested that longer pulses (8 ms) had a lower energy capture threshold. To determine whether optical pacing caused damage, two hearts were perfused with 30 µM of propidium iodide and analyzed histologically. A small number of cells near the stimulation site had compromised cell membranes, which probably limited the time duration over which pacing was maintained. Here, short-term optical pacing (few minutes duration) is demonstrated in the adult rabbit heart for the first time. Future studies will be directed to optimize optical pacing parameters to decrease stimulation thresholds and may enable longer-term pacing.
Correlation between skeletal muscle free fatty acid extraction and vascular decompensation during hemorrhagic hypotension

The objective of this study was to determine whether or not a relationship exists between free fatty acid (FFA) extraction by skeletal muscle and onset of irreversible shock. Hind limb skeletal muscle vasculature of anesthetized dogs was surgically isolated from cutaneous tissue and subjected to a modified Wigger's hemorrhage shock protocol which was divided into five stages (I−V). Since the first signs of irreversibility began in Stage II, this stage of hypovolemic hypotension was subdivided into IIa, IIb and IIc. Arterial and venous blood samples were taken during each stage for subsequent blood gas and FFA analysis. The data indicated that the onset of severe tissue ischemia and metabolic acidosis occurs concurrently with increased uptake of FFA and skeletal muscle vasodilation (decomposition). A possible physiological explanation for these observations could be related to an increased synthesis and release of PGE1. This agent has been shown by others to inhibit adrenergic neurotransmitter release causing loss of vascular tone.
Texture evolution and anisotropy in the thermo-mechanical response of UFG Ti processed via equal channel angular pressing

Abstract The texture evolution and thermo-mechanical response of grade 1 titanium after equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at different strain rates and temperatures were measured. As-received Ti was processed via ECAP at 275 °C for up to four passes using route B C . The uniform microstructure from the as-received condition, goes from long, coarse bands with some grains relatively undeformed after a single pass to mostly uniform fine and ultrafine grains after four passes. The texture of the as-received Ti was of a typical cold-rolled plate. The basal plane normal direction stayed perpendicular to, and rotated about, the longitudinal direction of the billet during all numbers of passes. The mechanical response of UFG Ti, subjected to four passes, was determined at −196, 22 and 375 °C, and at strain rates from 10 −4 to 2000 s −1 in the different loading directions. It was found that the yield strength and flow stress were different in all three loading directions, at all strain rates and testing temperatures. Macroscopic shear band failure was observed in the samples subjected to dynamic loading, and the onset was dependent on the loading direction and testing temperature. Finally, the anisotropy shows up in the yield strength between tension and compression loading, where it is greater in tension.
Free-Stream Turbulence Effects on Local Heat Transfer from a Sphere

Experiments involving both heat-transfer and turbulence-field measurements were performed to determine the influence of free-stream turbulence on the local heat transfer from a sphere situated in a forced-convection airflow. The research was facilitated by a miniature heat-flux sensor which could be positioned at any circumferential location on the equator of the sphere. Turbulence grids were employed to generate free-stream turbulence with intensities of up to 9.4 percent. The Reynolds-number range of the experiments was from 20,000 to 62,000. The results indicate that the local heat flux in the forward region of the sphere is uninfluenced by free-stream turbulence levels of up to about 5 percent. For higher turbulence levels, the heat-flux increases with the turbulence intensity, the greatest heat-flux augmentation found here being about 15 percent. Furthermore, at the higher turbulence intensities, there appears to be a departure from the half-power Reynolds-number dependence of the stagnation-point Nusselt number. Turbulent separation occurred at Reynolds numbers of 42,000 and 62,000 for a turbulence level of 9.4 percent, these values being well below the transition Reynolds number of 2 × 105 for a sphere situated in a low-turbulence flow.
Infrared spectra and rheological properties of asphalt cement containing waste engine oil residues

This paper presents a study in which the engineering properties of asphalt binder containing waste engine oil residues were evaluated through laboratory performance testing. The infrared spectra and rheological properties of asphalt binder were evaluated with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). Asphalt binder specimens containing different concentrations of waste engine oil were fabricated with two types of binder, PG64-22 and PG76-22, and were blended with two types of laboratory aged binders to simulate the inclusion of reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP). The results from this laboratory study indicated that the inclusion of waste engine oil up to 5% significantly altered the infrared spectra and rheological properties of asphalt binder, which may lead to the improvement of low temperature performance, but would also compromise many other performance indices, such as rut resistance at high temperature, certain aspects of fatigue resistance and elastic recovery of the binder.
Recent steps toward a reconstructive endovascular solution for the orphaned, complex-neck aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this article are to summarize recent developments and concerns in endovascular aneurysm therapy leading to the adjunctive use of endoluminal devices, to review the published literature on stent-supported coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms, and to describe our experience with this technique in a limited subgroup of problematic complex aneurysms over a medium-term follow-up period. METHODS: Between January 2003 and June 2004, 28 individuals among 157 patients with cerebral aneurysms we evaluated were identified as harboring aneurysms with exceptionally broad necks. Out of these 28 patients, 16 were treated with a combination of stents and detachable coils, preserving the parent artery. Recorded data included patient demographics, the clinical presentation, aneurysm location and characteristics, procedural details, and clinical and angiographic outcome. RESULTS: Over an 18-month period, 16 patients with large cerebral aneurysms additionally characterized by neck sizes between 7 and 14 mm were treated, using combined coil embolization of the aneurysm with stent reconstruction of the aneurysm neck. Thirteen out of the 16 aneurysms were occluded at angiographic reevaluation between 11 and 24 months (mean angiographic follow-up, 17.5 mo). There were no treatment-related deaths or clinically evident neurological complications. Thirteen patients experienced excellent clinical outcomes, with good outcomes in two patients and a poor visual outcome in one patient (mean clinical follow-up, 29 mo). A single technical complication occurred, involving transient nonocclusive stent-associated thrombus, which was treated uneventfully with abciximab. CONCLUSION: Stent-supported coil embolization of large, complex-neck cerebral aneurysms seems to provide superior medium-term anatomic reconstruction of the parent artery compared with historic series of aneurysms treated exclusively with endosaccular coils. In the near future, increasingly sophisticated endoluminal devices offering higher coverage of the neck defect will likely enable more definitive endovascular treatment of complex cerebral aneurysms and further expand our ability to manipulate the vascular biology of the parent artery.
Unusual relationship between magnetism and superconductivity in FeTe(0.5)Se(0.5).

We use neutron scattering to study magnetic excitations in crystals near the ideal superconducting composition of ${\mathrm{FeTe}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{Se}}_{0.5}$. Two types of excitations are found, a resonance at (0.5,0.5,0) and incommensurate fluctuations on either side of this position. We show that the two sets of magnetic excitations behave differently with doping, with the resonance being fixed in position while the incommensurate excitations move as the doping is changed. These unusual results show that a common behavior of the low energy magnetic excitations is not necessary for pairing in these materials.
Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the most common cause of cardiovascular hospital admission; 1 in 4 patients with heart failure is readmitted within 30 days of being discharged, and ADHF consumes 1% to 2% of the total health care resources. The most effective approach for preventing heart failure hospitalizations is a combination of improvement in management of patients while they are in the hospital and comprehensive post hospitalization care. Decreasing the length of hospitalization can increase readmission rate, so optimization of inpatient and outpatient care is essential.
Essential Oil Composition of Three Italian Species of Ephedra

Abstract The chemical compositions of the essential oils of the aerial parts of Ephedra distachya, E. fragilis, and E. major from Italy were investigated by GC and GC/MS. The main constituents found in the oil of E. distachya were ethyl benzoate (46.9%), benzaldehyde (8.0%), and cis-calamenene (3.6%). In the oil of E. fragilis, (E)-phytol (10.1%), pentacosane (5.2%), 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (5.3%), cis-thujopsene (3.5%), and α-terpineol (3.0%) were the major components. The oil of E. major contained eugenol (4.3%), α-terpineol (3.7%) and methyl linoleate (3.5%) as main compnents.
In vitro effects of homologous prolactins on testosterone production by testes of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

The tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, produces two prolactins designated tPRL177 and tPRL188 to indicate the number of amino acid residues in each. The direct in vitro actions of tPRL177 and tPRL188 on basal and ovine luteinizing hormone (LH)-induced testosterone production in minced testes of courting and noncourting (bachelor) tilapia were examined. Courting males were housed with females and were used as soon as they built a spawning pit; noncourting males were housed with other males and were used when they appeared female-like in coloration. The in vitro culture system consisted of two phases. In phase 1 (0-10 hr), testicular tissue was incubated without (control) or with the tPRLs--both alone and together and in doses ranging from 0.5 to 32 microM. In phase 2 (10-16 hr), the culture medium was replaced with medium containing 6.25 microM (0.25 micrograms/ml) ovine LH. Testosterone production during both phases was determined by radioimmunoassay of the medium. The tPRLs stimulated testosterone production during phase 1 in courting males (by 25%) but not in noncourting males. Exposure to either or both tPRLs in phase 1 enhanced the response of testicular tissue from courting males to ovine LH (by 10%) and inhibited the response of minced testes taken from noncourting males (by 12%). This is the first evidence to demonstrate direct gonadal activity of homologous PRL in a teleost.
Primitive partial words

Primitive words, or strings over a finite alphabet that cannot be written as a power of another string, play an important role in formal language theory, coding theory, and combinatorics on words to name a few. In this paper, we extend some fundamental results about primitive words to primitive partial words. Partial words are strings that may have a number of ''do not know'' symbols.
Polynomial complete scheduling problems

We show that the problem of finding an optimal schedule for a set of jobs is polynomial complete even in the following two restricted cases.(1) All jobs require one time unit.(2) All jobs require one or two time units, and there are only two processors.As a consequence, the general preemptive scheduling problem is also polynomial complete.These results are tantamount to showing that the scheduling problems mentioned are intractable.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for liver metastases: A clinical review

Abstract For over half a century, conventionally fractionated whole-liver radiation has been used for the palliation of diffuse, symptomatic liver metastases. More recently, interest has grown in identifying subsets of patients with a limited disease burden where focal ablation of metastases may improve disease control and prolong survival. Although promising outcomes have been reached following resection of liver metastases, most patients are not resection candidates. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a modern technique for the delivery of ablative, high-dose external beam radiation with subcentimeter accuracy. SBRT is supported by a large body of prospective clinical trials and has emerged as a highly effective, safe, and non-invasive therapy for hepatic metastases. The following review examines the evolution of hepatic radiation, focusing on the emergence of SBRT and its associated outcomes and clinical considerations.
Colgate university's ITS study groups: in-house personal and professional development

Internal Study Groups at Colgate University have increased staff members' technical knowledge, encouraged additional study on selected topics, and resulted in achievement of industry certifications, and contributions to the successful completion of degree programs. The resources required to achieve this degree of success are low, and the rewards are high.
Induction of fruiting in two aggregateless mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract Five general groups of morphogenetically aberrant mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum were isolated. Each group of mutants was characterized either by the absence of any fruiting structures or by the formation of abnormal fructifications. Among these developmental mutants were two aggregateless isolates, Agg−-1 and Agg−-2, that could be induced to form normal sorocarps under certain conditions. Sorocarps of the normal D. discoideum type were formed when growing myxamoebae from either of these mutants were allowed to come in contact with myxamoebae of the other mutants, wild-type D. discoideum, D. purpureum, or D. mucoroides. No sorocarps were formed when myxamoebae of Agg−-1 and Agg−-2 were paired. These two aggregateless mutants, while incapable of aggregating or fruiting when cultivated singly with Escherichia coli B/r on a glucose-salts medium, formed normal fruiting structures after being freed of what appeared to be a product of bacterial growth. The spores produced by Agg−-1 and Agg−-2 myxamoebae again gave rise to aggregateless clones of the original parental types.
Status and performance of the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph

The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) is a new instrument for the Hubble Space Telescope that will be installed during servicing mission 4, currently scheduled for May, 2005. The primary science objectives of the mission are the study of the origins of large scale structure in the universe, the formation, and evolution of galaxies, the origin of stellar and planetary systems and the cold interstellar medium. As such, COS has been designed for the highest possible sensitivity on point sources, while maintaining moderate (λ/Δλ = 20,000) spectral resolution. COS has recently (summer 2003) completed an initial calibration. Performance is essentially as predicted. Detailed results from that calibration are presented in Wilkinson, et al, this volume.
Moderate kidney disease inhibits atherosclerosis regression

Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) accelerates cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms that explain this independent, excess risk associated with CKD have not been fully elucidated. Objectives We propose that impaired regression of atherosclerosis in renal disease represents a novel risk factor for the heightened morbidity and mortality and resistance to treatment observed in patients with CKD. Methods and results Using a transplant model to study atherosclerosis regression, we transplanted atheromatous aortic segments generated in Apolipoprotein E knock-out (ApoE −/− ) mice, into either control or moderately uremic, normolipidemic, wild-type mice. In non-uremic mice, lesions regressed 55%, whereas lesions in uremic mice increased in size by 17% ( p 2 vs. 12,600μm 2 , p Conclusion Moderate kidney disease inhibits regression of atherosclerosis in a mouse transplant model. This inhibition may be a result of impaired CCR7 signaling.
Erythroid-specific human factor IX delivery from in vivo selected hematopoietic stem cells following nonmyeloablative conditioning in hemophilia B mice.

We have developed a lentiviral vector system for human factor IX (hFIX) gene transfer in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that provides erythroid cell–derived systemic protein delivery following nonmyeloablative conditioning and in vivo methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) drug selection. After bone marrow transplantation under moderate Busulfan conditioning, the initial hFIX expression in the chimeras was minimally detectable. However, the hFIX levels rose sharply following in vivo MGMT-drug selection and eventually reached a level that is considered curative in hemophilia B therapy (>500 ng/ml). The rise of hFIX levels was proportional to the increase in vector copy (VC) number in peripheral blood cells. High levels of hFIX expression were maintained in serially engrafted mice chimeras for 18 months. Importantly, high-level hFIX expression by erythroid cells did not result in anemia or adversely affect red blood cell counts. The prospect of combining reduced intensity conditioning, a presumably lowered risk of insertional mutagenesis due to low VC number requirement and erythroid-restricted transgene expression, as well as long-term protein expression at high level, strongly supports the potential applicability of adult stem cell–based gene therapy in nonlethal blood or metabolic disorders, as demonstrated here for hemophilia.
Primary and Secondary Prevention of Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: The SPORE Trials of Lung Cancer Prevention

The aims of chemoprevention in lung cancer are to prevent the appearance of disease (primary prevention) and to stop or reverse the progression of premalignant lesions (secondary prevention). Until recently, there was little hope that these goals could be attained. However, the results achieved with tamoxifen in the prevention of breast cancer, and the emergence of new therapies specifically targeted to molecules involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer have set the stage for investigation of these agents for chemoprevention of lung cancer. Two of these new molecular targeted agents are gefitinib, an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase activity, and tipifarnib (R115777, Zarnestra ), an inhibitor of the farnesyltransferase enzyme, which is required for the proper localization and function of the ras oncogene. Tumor responses and disease stabilization have been achieved with both agents in clinical trials. In the Iressa Dose Evaluation in Advanced Lung Cancer (IDEAL)-1 and IDEAL-2 phase II trials, gefitinib was demonstrated to be effective for disease control in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. The SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) Trials of Lung Cancer Prevention (STOP) are 2 parallel studies that will investigate the potential effectiveness of gefitinib and tipifarnib in preventing the appearance and progression of premalignant lesions in former or current smokers with a history of smoking-related cancer. These trials should provide information not only about the potential role of gefitinib and tipifarnib in lung cancer chemoprevention, but also about the molecular changes that underlie tumorigenesis and that may serve as markers of disease progression. The STOP trial objectives are to evaluate the effect of gefitinib and tipifarnib on histologic and biologic parameters in patients with evidence of sputum atypia, to evaluate various parameters as potential predictors of the effectiveness of these agents, and to evaluate the tolerability of these agents over a 6-month course of treatment. Histologic response, defined as prevention of appearance or progression of premalignant lesions, is the primary endpoint of these trials. New targeted molecular therapies such as gefitinib and tipifarnib may offer the opportunity to make chemoprevention a viable treatment modality in lung cancer as well as in other human solid tumors.
Advanced grid stiffened fiber reinforced plastic tube encased concrete cylinders

In this study, a new confinement device - an advanced grid stiffened (AGS) composite tube, which was made of a lattice of interlaced fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) ribs that was wrapped by a FRP skin - was used to encase concrete cylinders. Two types of cylinders were prepared. One was a circular cylinder and the other was a square cylinder. For the circular cylinders, a uniaxial compression test was conducted; for the square cylinders, both uniaxial compression test and four-point bending test were conducted. A finite element analysis was implemented by considering the concrete within the cell or bay area as a Winkler foundation. The test results showed that the AGS tube confined concrete cylinders displayed a considerable positive or constructive composite action due to the mechanical interlocking. The AGS tube provided an 'active' confinement to the concrete core. The elastic range, the specific axial strength, and the specific axial strain of the circular AGS cylinders, and the specific bending strength and deflection of the square AGS beams were higher than those encased by solid FRP tubes, solid steel tubes, or steel grid tubes. The square AGS tubes were not as effective as the circular AGS tubes in confining concrete. The finite element analysis showed that increasing the thickness and stiffness of the rib would be effective in further increasing the load carrying capacity of the circular AGS tube encased concrete cylinders.
Incorporation of amino acids into protein in a cell-free system from Bacillus cereus.

The characteristics of protein synthesis in cell-free extracts of Bacillus cereus strain T are described. Cell-free extracts prepared from logarithmic cells are stable and retain their incorporating activity at least for one month in liquid N2. Amino acid incorporation is dependent on ATP, ribosomes, supernatant, and a critical concentration of magnesium. Amino acid mixtures, sRNA, GTP, and spermidine stimulate amino acid incorporation. Ribonuclease (EC 2.7.7.16), puromycin, and chloramphenicol but not deoxyribonuclease (EC 3.1.4.5) inhibit amino acid incorporation. Phenylalanine incorporation when stimulated by polyuridylic acid (poly-U) shows greater dependence on the added sRNA than does basal phenylalanine incorporation.
The effects of alcohol on coagulation in trauma patients: interpreting thrombelastography with caution.

BACKGROUND: The effects of alcohol on coagulation after trauma remain unclear. In vitro studies show that alcohol may decrease clot strength and inhibit fibrinolysis. Observational data indicate that alcohol leads to altered thromboelastography (TEG) parameters indicative of impaired clot formation. Clinical studies have been inconclusive to date. METHODS: Longitudinal plasma samples were prospectively collected from 415 critically injured trauma patients at a single Level 1 trauma center and were matched with demographic and outcome data. Citrated kaolin TEG and standard coagulation measures were performed in parallel. Univariate and group comparisons were performed by alcohol status, with subsequent linear and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 264 patients (63.6%) had detectable blood alcohol levels (EtOH, >10 mg/dL). These patients were primarily male (87% vs. 79%), were bluntly injured (77% vs. 59%), and had lower median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (9.5 vs. 14, all p 1.3) and was not predictive of transfusion requirements or early or late mortality. CONCLUSION: Patients with elevated EtOH present with impaired clot formation as assayed by TEG, but this does not correlate with standard measures of coagulopathy or with outcome. Reliance on TEG for determining coagulopathy in intoxicated trauma patients may lead to a misperceived hypocoagulable state and inappropriate transfusion. TEG appears to be affected by EtOH in a previously unreported way, warranting further investigation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and epidemiologic, level III. Language: en
Transfer Principles for Reasoning About Concurrent Programs

Abstract In previous work we have developed a transition trace semantic framework, suitable for shared-memory parallel programs and asynchronously communicating processes, and abstract enough to support compositional reasoning about safety and liveness properties. We now use this framework to formalize and generalize some techniques used in the literature to facilitate such reasoning. We identify a sequential-to-parallel transfer theorem which, when applicable, allows us to replace a piece of a parallel program with another code fragment which is sequentially equivalent, with the guarantee that the safety and liveness properties of the overall program are unaffected. Two code fragments are said to be sequentially equivalent if they satisfy the same partial and total correctness properties. We also specify both coarse-grained and fine-grained version of trace semantics, assuming different degrees of atomicity, and we provide a coarse-to-fine-grained transfer theorem which, when applicable, allows replacement of a code fragment by another fragment which is coarsely equivalent, with the guarantee that the safety and liveness properties of the overall program are unaffected even if we assume fine-grained atomicity. Both of these results permit the use of a simpler, more abstract semantics, together with a notion of semantic equivalence which is easier to establish, to facilitate reasoning about the behavior of a parallel system which would normally require the use of a more sophisticated semantic model.
IN VIVO INTESTINAL ABSORPTION OF VALINE IN GROWTH RETARDED INFANT RATS

Absorption of amino acids by the small intestine seems to be more efficient during infancy than later in life. Growth retardation during infancy could adversely effect the efficiency of intestinal absorption of amino acid. We determined the rate of absorption of valine (val.) in segments of the jejunum and ileum of 2, 3 and 4 week old normal control(c) and growth retarded(GR) rats. Growth retardation was induced by raising rats with mothers fed a protein deficient diet and fed the protein deficient diet post weaning. Rate of absorption of val. was assessed during in situ perfusion of the segments with a solution containing per liter: 5 mmole L-val., tracer l4C-L-val., 148 mmole NaCl and 20 mg Phenol Red. Jejunal absorption of val. (μmoles/g dry wt/hr) was greater in GR (Mean±SE at 2, 3 and 4 weeks: 955±133, 604±71, 377±45) than in C rats (591±43, 330±19, 143±27) at all 3 ages (p<0.05). Ileal absorption of val. was greater in GR (709±42, 395±23, 669172) than in C rats (570±89, 406±25, 259±7) only at 4 weeks. These findings suggested that in the GR infant rats the absorption of val. was increased above normal rather than suppressed. The enhancement was mainly in the jejunum and persisted during the suckling and early post weaning period.
Tomographic Microwave Imaging With Incorporated Prior Spatial Information

We have implemented a soft prior regularization technique for microwave tomographic imaging that exploits spatial prior information from alternative imaging modalities. We have previously demonstrated in both simulation and phantom experiments that this approach is capable of improved property recovery compared with our conventional Tikhonov regularized method. An important concern with this type of integration is that the spatial information could be implemented in such a way as to overly influence or even bias the final results. For this reason, we have performed a rigorous quantitative analysis of this approach using both simulation and phantom experiments to investigate the sensitivity to inaccurate or even false spatial information. The majority of cases tested here involved simple targets to easily assess problems when the prior shapes are incorrect with respect to size and location or even when there is an extra target that does not exist in the actual imaging situation. In addition, we have also performed a simulated experiment utilizing anthropomorphic breast structural information to explore the capabilities in more challenging situations. The results are encouraging and demonstrate that the soft prior regularization can be a powerful tool, especially where the goal is specificity instead of sensitivity.
An educational intervention in the surgical intensive care unit to improve ethical decisions

Background. The objective of this study was to determine whether an educational intervention on medical ethics offered during a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) rotation could effect meaningful change in a tertiary SICU. Methods. A case-based education program was presented weekly to the surgical residents during their SICU rotation. Cases for study were designed to deal with specific ethical issues common to the SICU. Cases were studied with the residents in a group facilitated by a SICU attending physician and a nursing director. The effect of the course was monitored by case review and by the length of stay (LOS) assessment for patients who died in the SICU during 1990, the base year through 1993. Results. Discussions of an ethical nature occurred more regularly and earlier during these 4 years as determined by case reviews. For patients who died after being in the SICU a minimum of more than 30 days, a marked decrease occurred in the SICU LOS from 27.8 ± 3.7 days in 1990 to 15.7 ± 2.4 days in 1993 (p < 0.05). The number of deaths per year and the average acuity measured by the diagnosis-related group score were similar during the 4 years. The LOS in the hospital for dying patients from non-SICU services remained similar during the same time frame. These changes resulted in the dying patients using 1003 SICU days in 1993, down from the 2028 days used in 1990 (p < 0.05). Conclusions. We conclude that through offering a clinical ethics program during the SICU portion of the residency training, residents increased knowledge and skill in addressing and integrating practical ethical issues into their surgical resident practice. In addition, patient care directly improved with an associated reduced SICU LOS and reduced cost. (SURGERY 1995 ;118 :294-9.)
The validity of the associated symptom criteria for DSM‐IV generalized anxiety disorder

In light of the poor reliability and discriminant validity of the DSM-III-R criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), extensive modifications were implemented in the development of the DSM-IV criteria. This study compares the discriminant validity of the DSM-III-R and DSM-IV criteria for GAD using data from a study of the familial aggregation of anxiety disorders and alcoholism. Based on information from a semi-structured diagnostic interview, both the DSM-III-R and DSM-IV associated symptom criteria were applied to characterize directly interviewed spouses and relatives of probands. The criterion-related and discriminant validity of the DSM-IV revised criteria were assessed according to the following clinical criteria: lifetime and concurrent comorbidity with depressive disorder and lifetime comorbidity with panic disorder. Subjects who met the DSM-IV associated symptom with and without comorbid depression were then compared on rates of treatment, psychotropic medication use, impairment, age at onset and presence of a psychosocial stressor at onset. No differences were found in the discriminant validity of the DSM-III-R versus DSM-IV definitions of GAD. It is postulated that the lack of difference in validity between the two diagnostic systems is due to the low prevalence of autonomic hyperactivity symptoms associated with GAD. Implications for the nosology of GAD and its relationship with other anxiety disorders are discussed. Copyright © 1999 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
A relationship between excess volumes and enthalpies

Abstract A relationship between excess volumes and enthalpies is presented which could be useful in the application of excess volume data to thermodynamic solution modelling. The treatment was derived for systems which have solid phases which are nearly pure in one component; it predicts that composition derivatives of partial molar excess volumes and enthalpies are proportional to each other by the ratio of the heat of fusion to the volume change on fusion of the non-dilute species. The method has been used to estimate excess enthalpies from excess volume data for a wide variety of systems at 25°C. It gives qualitatively correct results when literature values of Δ h 0 f /Δυ 0 f are used, and more accurate results with effective Clapeyron ratios (Δ h /Δυ) EFF . The relationship can also explain sign differences between excess volumes and enthalpies as well as asymmetric and S-shaped curves.
Properties of Ag-Cu-Pd Dispersed Phase Amalgams: Microstructures

A 62% Ag-28% Cu-10% Pd lathe-cut alloy was successfully blended with conventional lathe-cut and spherical amalgam alloy. The resulting alloy showed little γ2 after one wk at 37°C and a phase structure resembling commercial amalgam. In addition, the Cu 3Pd phase present in the dispersant appears to participate in the amalgam reaction and, as a result, Pd may be found in the reaction zone around the dispersants in γ1 and/or Cu6Sn5 phases.
Circumnuclear Star Formation in the Early-Type Resonance Ring Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1326

We present multiband WFPC2 images of the nuclear ring of NGC 1326, an early-type southern barred spiral in the nearby Fornax galaxy cluster. The ring is a typical example of a 1 kpc–sized star-forming ring located in the region of the inner Lindblad resonances with the weak primary bar. The images reveal nearly 1000 point sources in and around the ring. Those sources brighter than MV = -9 are probably massive young clusters, while the fainter sources may include a mix of extremely luminous stars and fainter clusters. From an analysis of reddening-free parameters and two-color plots, we find evidence for a spread in ages of ring clusters, from less than 5 Myr to at least 200 Myr. The older clusters still lie within the nuclear ring, with no evidence of migration of the ring being found over this time period. The luminosity function reveals no clusters having an (uncorrected) absolute magnitude MV brighter than -11, and even after correction for extinction the most luminous cluster identified has only M = -12.6. The ring seems to lack the "super–star clusters" (SSCs) seen in starburst systems and in other nuclear rings, and the analysis suggests that SSCs are not a universal property of these rings. Complex dust structure is found inside the ring, south of the nucleus, and extinction is especially severe on the west side of the ring. An Hα image reveals hundreds of H II regions and emission complexes in the nuclear ring, but there is little correlation between these H II regions and the observed continuum sources, most likely owing to reddening and age differences in the ring.
Micro-laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: An Alternative to Single-Port Surgery

Recent advances in minimally invasive surgery aimed at diminishing incision size have led to the development of single-port surgery (SPS). SPS has an increased level of complexity and requires a higher level of surgical skill compared to traditional laparoscopy. We explored micro-laparoscopy as an alternative to routine laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The study is a retrospective review of consecutive elective laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed by a single surgeon at a community teaching hospital over 24 months. All surgeries were performed using a 5-mm trocar for the umbilical port and 3-mm trocars for other ports in standard configuration. Seventy-nine cholecystectomies were performed by micro-laparoscopy during the 24-month period. Three cases required upgrade in trocar size for technical reasons, resulting in a completion rate of 96%. Intraoperative cholangiography was performed in 70 cases (89%). There were no conversions to open surgery. There were no intra- or postoperative complications, and all patients were discharged on the day of surgery. Micro-laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe, feasible, and represents an alternative to other minimally invasive techniques. Future developments in surgical technology will allow the use of even smaller instruments, diminishing the surgical “footprint” even further and contributing to better cosmesis and decreased postoperative pain in cholecystectomy patients.
A multiphase 113Cd NMR investigation of metalloporphyrin reorientation in cadmium-substituted myoglobin

113Cd NMR spectroscopy in both the solution and solid state has been used to investigate the role of the metal ion and the proximal histidine on metalloporphyrin reorientation in myoglobin. Heme disorder has been known to exist for many years but understanding its mechanism has proved difficult due to the short-lived nature of the minor porphyrin isomer in native myoglobin. Cadmium-substituted myoglobin can be generated in one form which contains different insertion isomers or in another form which contains predominantly only one of these species. This allows for direct investigation of heme disorder in metal-substituted myoglobin.