cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Androgen receptor variant-driven prostate cancer II: advances in clinical investigation.

Approximately 10–30% of men with mCRPC will test positive for AR-V7 using one of two analytically and clinically validated circulating tumor cell (CTC)-based assays. These men have poor outcomes with approved AR-targeting therapies but may retain sensitivity to chemotherapy. Here, we discuss the clinical implications of testing and strategies that may benefit AR splice variant (AR-V)-positive men and discuss whether such variants are passengers or drivers of aggressive clinical behavior. We conducted a systemic review of the literature, covering updates since our 2016 review on androgen receptor variants in mCRPC, outcomes, and existing and novel approaches to therapy. We provide an expert opinion about management strategies for AR-V7-positive men and key unanswered research questions. AR-V7-positive men, defined by Epic nuclear protein detection or the modified AdnaTest mRNA detection in CTCs, identify a subset of men with mCRPC that have a low probability of response to AR-targeting therapy with short progression-free and overall survival in multivariable analyses. AR-variants do not exist in isolation, but rather in the context of a complex, heterogeneous, and evolving mCRPC genome and phenotype as well as patient-specific clinical heterogeneity, and multiple mechanisms of resistance likely exist in patients regardless of AR-V7 detection. Efforts to develop broader resistance assays are needed, and effective treatment strategies beyond taxanes are needed to address the causal driver role of AR-variants and to benefit patients with AR-V-expressing prostate cancer. CTC AR-V7 detection using the AdnaTest mRNA or Epic nuclear protein assays represents the first analytically and prospective clinically validated liquid biopsy assays that may inform treatment decisions in men with mCRPC, particularly after failure of first-line AR-therapy. The importance of AR-variants is likely to increase with the earlier use of AR-targeting strategies in other settings, and novel interventions for these men are needed.
Preparation and characterization of selenium nanoparticles decorated by Spirulina platensis polysaccharide.

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have attracted lots of attention recently owing to their excellent bioavailability and low toxicity. However, the stability of SeNPs needs to be improved. To enhance the stability of SeNPs, we used Spirulina platensis polysaccharides (SPs) as stabilizers to prepare SPs-SeNPs. The SPs-SeNPs were spherical, with a mean particle size of 73.42 ± 0.69 nm. The optimal preparation conditions for the SPs-SeNPs were a SPs concentration of 100 mg/L, ascorbic acid/sodium selenite concentration ratio of 3:1 and reaction time of 6 hr. The prepared SPs-SeNPs were stable for 75 d at 4°C. Furthermore, MTT assay showed that the median toxic concentration (TC50 ) of SPs-SeNPs was approximately 22,000 μg/L. In contrast, the TC50 value of selenite was approximately 400 μg/L, which confirmed that the cytotoxicity of SPs-SeNPs on RAW264.7 cells was significantly reduced compared with sodium selenite. In conclusion, SPs can improve the stability of SeNPs. The toxicity of SPs-SeNPs is lower than that of sodium selenite. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Spirulina platensis polysaccharides can improve the stability and reduce the toxicity of selenium nanoparticles. It can lay the foundation for the comprehensive utilization of S. platensis and the development and research of polysaccharide nano-selenium complexes.
Thickness dependence of superconductivity in ultrathin NbS2

We report a systematic study of thickness-dependent superconductivity and carrier transport properties in exfoliated layered 2H-NbS2. Hall-effect measurements reveal 2H-NbS2 is a p-type metal with hole mobility of 1–3 cm2 V−1 s−1. The superconducting transition temperature is found to decrease with thickness. However, we find that superconductivity is suppressed due to disorder resulting from the incorporation of atmospheric oxygen. Cross-section transmission electron microscope imaging reveals a chemical change of NbS2 in the ambient, resulting in the formation of amorphous oxide layers sandwiching crystalline layered NbS2. Though few-nm-thick 2H-NbS2 completely converts to amorphous oxide in the ambient, PMMA encapsulation prevents further chemical change and preserves superconductivity in thicker samples.
From Lab to Zoom: Adapting Training Study Methodologies to Remote Conditions

Training studies extend developmental research beyond single-session lab tasks by evaluating how particular experiences influence developmental changes over time. This methodology is highly interactive and typically requires experimenters to have easy, in-person access to large groups of children. When constraints were placed on in-person data collection due to the COVID-19 pandemic, administering this study format in the conventional manner became unfeasible. To implement this type of research under these new circumstances, we devised an alternative approach that enabled us to conduct a live, multi-session training study using a diverse array of activities through an online interface, a task necessitating creative problem solving, since most existing remote methodologies either rely on unsupervised methods or have been limited to single sessions and restricted to a limited number of tasks. The current paper describes the technological and practical adaptations implemented in our online training study of 118 4- and 5-year-old children from a geographically diverse sample. An experimenter interacted with the children once a week for 5 weeks over Zoom. The first and final sessions were dedicated to collecting baseline and post-test measures, while the intermediate 3 weeks were structured as a training designed to teach children specific spatial-cognitive and visuo-motor integration skills. The assessments and training contained image-filled spatial tasks that experimenters shared on their screen, a series of hands-on activities that children completed on their own device and on paper while following experimenters' on-screen demonstrations, and tasks requiring verbal indicators from the parent about their child's response. The remote nature of the study presented a unique set of benefits and limitations that has the potential to inform future virtual child research, as our study used remote behavioral methods to test spatial and visuo-motor integration skills that have typically only been assessed in lab settings. Results are discussed in relation to in-lab studies to establish the viability of testing these skills virtually. As our design entailed continual management of communication issues among researchers, parents, and child participants, strategies for streamlined researcher training, diverse online recruitment, and stimuli creation are also discussed.
The Turret-Runner-Penetrator Differential Game

A scenario is considered in which two cooperative Attackers aim to infiltrate a circular target guarded by a Turret. The engagement plays out in the two dimensional plane; the holonomic Attackers have the same speed and move with simple motion and the Turret is stationary, located at the target circle's center, and has a bounded turn rate. When the Turret's look angle is aligned with an Attacker, that Attacker is terminated. In this paper, we focus on a region of the state space wherein only one of the Attackers is able to reach the target circle - and even then, only with the help of its partner Attacker. The Runner distracts the Turret and ends up being terminated in order that the Penetrator can be guaranteed to hit the target circle. We formulate the Turret-Runner-Penetrator scenario as a differential game over the Value of the subsequent game of min max terminal angle which takes place between the Turret and Penetrator once the Runner has been terminated. The solution to the Game of Degree, including equilibrium Turret, Runner, and Penetrator strategies, as well as the Value function are given. In addition, the Game of Kind solution, which is the manifold of states in which the Penetrator will be terminated exactly on the target circle, is constructed numerically.
Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibromas

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a rare, benign sinonasal tumor that almost exclusively affects adolescent and young males, 14 to 25 years old. Its incidence has been cited to be 0.05 to 0.5% of all head and neck neoplasms, with reports suggesting that it is more common in India than the West. The site of origin is the posterolateral wall of the nasal cavity, in the region of the sphenopalatine foramen, near where the palatine bone, vomer, and pterygoid process of the sphenoid meet. The tumor grows in the submucosa of the nasopharyngeal roof and eventually can reach the nasal septum and posterior part of nasal space. It can erode and invade the sphenoid bone, and extend to the anterior and middle cranial fossae, the orbit, the optic chiasm, and the cavernous sinus. Intracranial extension is seen in about one of five cases, but the dura is usually not invaded. JNA does not invade the skull base by cellular infiltration like malignant lesions, but rather leads to bone resorption through relentless expansion. They can become very large, but the mean size is four centimeters.
Measurement of Water Potential with Pressure Chambers

The pressure chamber described by Scholander and colleagues is the most popular method used to measure water potential of plants. The method consists of increasing the pressure around a leafy shoot until sap from the xylem appears at the cut end of the shoot, which extends outside of the chamber and is exposed to atmospheric pressure. The pressure necessary to retain this condition represents the negative pressure existing in the intact stem. It is felt that the amount of pressure necessary to force water out of the leaf cells into the xylem is a function of the water potential of the leaf cells. For accurate measurements, one should compare measurements made with a thermocouple psychrometer with those made with a pressure chamber before assuming that the pressure chamber is giving valid measurements of water potential. Since the thermocouple–psychrometer method is based on sound physics using the Kelvin equation, measurements made with thermocouple psychrometers are the standard ones. But relatively few comparisons exist in the literature.
Cloning and characterization of ftsN, an essential cell division gene in Escherichia coli isolated as a multicopy suppressor of ftsA12(Ts).

Abstract A new cell division gene, ftsN, was identified in Escherichia coli as a multicopy suppressor of the ftsA12(Ts) mutation. Remarkably, multicopy ftsN suppressed ftsI23(Ts) and to a lesser extent ftsQ1(Ts); however, no suppression of the ftsZ84(Ts) mutation was observed. The suppression of ftsA12(Ts), ftsI23(Ts), and ftsQ1(Ts) suggests that FtsN may interact with these gene products during cell division. The ftsN gene was located at 88.5 min on the E. coli genetic map just downstream of the cytR gene. ftsN was essential for cell division, since expression of a conditional null allele led to filamentation and cell death. DNA sequence analysis of the ftsN gene revealed an open reading frame of 319 codons which would encode a protein of 35,725 Da. The predicted gene product had a hydrophobic sequence near its amino terminus similar to the noncleavable signal sequences found in several other Fts proteins. The presumed extracellular domain was unusual in that it was rich in glutamine residues. A 36-kDa protein that was localized to the membrane fraction was detected in minicells containing plasmids with the ftsN gene, confirming that FtsN was a membrane protein.
Stationary phase-specific mRNAs in Escherichia coli are polyadenylated.

Abstract Polyadenylation of Escherichia coli specific mRNAs has so far been studied primarily during the exponential phase of growth. As part of an investigation of the polyadenylation of E. coli mRNAs in different physiological contexts, we studied mRNA polyadenylation in stationary phase by preparing a cDNA library from stationary phase RNA using oligodeoxythymidylate primers and analyzing the nucleotide sequence of cDNA clones corresponding to the stationary phase-specific genes, rpoS, bolA, and dps. The sites of polyadenylation were found to be primarily in the 3′-untranslated region, either at the putative rho-independent transcription termination site ( dps ) or at several different sites upstream of the putative rho-independent terminator. A few examples of polyadenylation within the coding regions were also found, suggesting that nucleolytic degradation often preceded polyadenylation. In contrast to the poly(A) tracts characteristic of exponentially growing cells, many of the uncoded poly(A) tracts associated with stationary phase mRNA were interspersed with other nucleotide residues. The observation of post-transcriptional polyadenylation of specific stationary phase mRNAs in E. coli, some of which are transcribed by the RNA polymerase associated with σ s , demonstrates that mRNA polyadenylation is not confined to the exponential phase of growth.
Collaborative Metacomputing with IceT

The IceT metacomputing system is based on the principles of collaborative resource sharing, lightweight software frameworks, and efficient execution in heterogeneous environments. In this project, the traditional model for distributed computing environments has been extended to facilitate the controlled and secure exchange of hardware and software resources, and to support programming paradigms that achieve a balance between portability and efficiency. The current IceT system is Java-based, and presents a framework within which non-persistent collections of resources, users, and processes may interact to accomplish distributed problem solving. This paper describes the architecture and design principles of IceT, its operational model and support for the execution of distributed applications, and orthogonal subsystems that were developed to support the concept of cooperative metacomputing.
Down (but not Out) in the City

Taking a cue from T.S. Eliot's 'The Wasteland' this article considers the different attitudes to the Australian city, particularly Sydney, in the poetry of the 1920s. It argues that in the 1920s there was a shift from the gloomy view of the city of the late nineteenth century--evident in the work of Henry Lawson and Christopher Brennan--to an embrace of the modern aspects of Sydney, and expressed in light verse by Kenneth Slessor, Colin Wills and Ronald McCuaig.
Pacific Asian Business Programs in the United States

As Pacific Asia becomes increasingly important in the world economy, business programs are needed for preparing students who want to specialize in this region. This study develops a comprehensive listing of Pacific Asian business programs currently available in the U.S. It is found that the programs vary significantly in terms of length, structure and regional focus. Although there are a few programs of this kind available, the number may still be insufficient. The American business schools may need to do more in response to the Pacific challenge.
Comparison of human eosinophil and neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells under nonstatic conditions. Role of L-selectin.

To simulate adhesion that occurs under conditions of flow, we investigated the attachment of eosinophils to endothelium under rotational conditions. Tissue-culture plates containing monolayers of HUVEC were placed on a horizontal rotator (80 revolutions per minute (rpm)), and equal numbers of purified human eosinophils or neutrophils were added to separate wells at 4 degrees C. Binding of eosinophils and neutrophils to unstimulated endothelial cells was 15 +/- 3 and 31 +/- 11 cells/four high power fields (HPF), respectively. After preincubation of HUVEC with IL-1 beta (1 ng/ml, 4 h, 37 degrees C), adhesion increased to 56 +/- 4 and 290 +/- 26 cells/four HPF, respectively (p or = 6). Interestingly, one additional L-selectin Ab, LAM1-11, inhibited eosinophil but not neutrophil adhesion (51 +/- 2% vs 1 +/- 7% inhibition, respectively, n > or = 5). We conclude that eosinophils, like neutrophils, use L-selectin to bind to activated endothelial cells under conditions of flow, although mAb LAM1-11 can selectively inhibit eosinophil attachment to stimulated endothelial cells in vitro, suggesting different functional epitopes on L-selectin among eosinophils and neutrophils.
Simple and accurate single event charge collection macro modeling for circuit simulation

A simple macro-model to accurately simulate upset error on CMOS devices is presented. This macro-model can accurately simulate the typical behavior of single event effect (SEE) caused by ionizing radiation charge collection at N type and P type diffusions. The model is calibrated using 3-D mixed mode technology computer aided design (TCAD) device simulations and implemented as a SPICE circuit macro-model. The model uses a dependent current source with a Weibull distribution to model the current injection on circuit node. The model shows physical response and adjusting parameters allows high accuracy to the 3-D TCAD simulated response.
Multipurpose platform for control of 3-phase and 5-phase induction machines integrated with MATLAB/Simulink®

Computer aided design tools are nowadays important for a variety of engineering fields. One of the most used tool is MATLAB/Simulink®, which has a broad variety of libraries and is recognized by its reliability. This paper presents a toolbox library for simulation and prototyping of control techniques for three and five phase induction machines, developed in MATLAB/Simulink®and to be used with dSPACE®DS-1104 platform. The software tools and the hardware platform are both described and provide an integrated environment which allows the user to develop and evaluate control techniques for induction machines by means of pure simulation as well as executing them on an underlying hardware platform connected to the machine. The transition from simulation to a hardware platform are done transparently for the user using rapid prototyping tools.
A Configurable TLM of Wireless Sensor Networks for Fast Exploration of System Communication Performance

Transaction Level Modeling (TLM) is seen as an efficient Embedded System modeling technique to reduce the simulation time in large and complex designs. This is achieved by abstracting away pin- and cycle- accurate details from communication transactions, which reduces the number of events that need to be simulated.
Subthreshold swing characteristics of multilayer MoS 2 tunnel FET

Subthreshold swing (S) is the figure of merit that determines the behavior of a transistor in the subthreshold region. The performance of the metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect transistor (MOSFET) is fundamentally limited by the thermal voltage (kT/q), which leads to the theoretical minimum of S = 60mV/decade. We have recently proposed a multilayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) based tunnel transistor as a possible replacement of the conventional silicon MOSFET. MoS 2 is considered as the new super material for post-silicon technology. The proposed quantum mechanical band-to-band-tunneling (BTBT) mechanism based TFET with multilayer MoS 2 channel has the potential to achieve subthreshold swing below 60mV/decade. This paper provides a clear understanding of the subthreshold swing characteristics of the proposed device. In addition to explaining the underlying physics, this paper presents an analytical model of the subthreshold swing of the proposed device. The developed model reveals that the parameter S of the proposed TFET is independent of the thermal potential (kT/q), which means that the thermionic limitation of the conventional and emerging FETs will not affect the proposed device.
TH-AB-303-05: Fast, Deterministic Leaf-Fitting with Explicit Underdose/overdose Constraints for Real-Time MLC Tracking

Purpose: Real-time motion management via dynamic MLC tracking requires adaptive aperture reshaping and fast leaf-fitting while still attempting to preserve the dosimetric integrity of the treatment. Due to the finite width of MLC leaves, the reshaped aperture can only be approximated by leaf refitting. A previously proposed algorithm by Ruan (2011) successfully minimized the refitting error by utilizing explicit underdose/overdose constraints to find an optimal leaf configuration for a given aperture. In its current implementation, this algorithm is computationally- and therefore time-intensive, which is a concern for real-time MLC tracking. In this work, we propose a significantly faster version of this algorithm that takes advantage of the polygonal characteristics of plan-derived apertures. Methods: Two hundred distinct leaf configurations were extracted from two conformal and three sliding-window lung IMRT plans. Twenty predetermined affine transformations were applied to each aperture to generate 4000 test shapes. Both algorithms, our piecewise approach and Ruan (2011), were then applied to each shape using the same set of ten underdose/overdose coefficients. Performance statistics, including run time and memory consumption, were gathered during testing. The resulting leaf positions as well as the overall fitting cost of each algorithm were compared for each shape. Results: Our piecewise approach reduces runtime from an average of 113ms to 0.295ms per aperture. The original algorithm showed the most consistent performance with minimum and maximum runtimes of 83.6ms and 129ms, respectively, compared to 0.104ms and 0.848ms with our approach. In both cases, memory usage was negligible, averaging 312kb for Ruan (2011) and 130kb for our approach. Conclusion: Our piecewise leaf-fitting approach showed three orders of magnitude improvement in computation time compared to the original implementation. Such improvement has a direct impact on system latency (time between target motion and MLC response) and therefore on the geometric and dosimetric accuracy of MLC tracking. Funding for this work was provided by Elekta Limited.
Creative Conflict in African American Thought: Angel of Light and Darkness: Du Bois and the Meaning of Democracy

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois in his prime could be an intimidating figure with his supercilious bearing, impeccable attire, carefully trimmed goatee, pince-nez , Phi Beta Kappa key, silver-engraved walking stick, imported cigarettes, and taste for Rhein wines. So matter-of-factly did he refer to his “days of rollicking boyhood” in the hills of New England that he successfully distracted readers from the fact that he was born in poverty, under the shadow of scandal in a strait-laced New England town. Mary Silvina Burghardt Du Bois was a single black woman, and, at the time of his birth, already the mother of five-year-old Adelbert, the result of an affair, perhaps with a coachman named James Craig, or perhaps, as she claimed, with a first cousin. Willie, as no one except Mary Church Terrell called him in adulthood, was the issue of her tenuous marriage to the Haitian-born Alfred Du Bois, a possible bigamist who disappeared from the lives of both his wives, and from the life of Willie, before the boy was old enough to know him. No amount of writing on his early years is likely to obliterate the commonplace myth that Du Bois was a New England aristocrat, and this is unfortunate because the mythology that places him within a historical or geographical elite has led to egregious misinterpretations of his political philosophy. Du Bois's hostility to certain aspects of American democracy did not derive from aristocratic or upper-class bias, but from his fear of the racist majority.
Female-Specific Downregulation of Tissue Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils Drives Impaired Regulatory T Cell and Amplified Effector T Cell Responses in Autoimmune Dry Eye Disease

Immune-driven dry eye disease primarily affects women; the cause for this sex-specific prevalence is unknown. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) have distinct phenotypes that drive inflammation but also regulate lymphocytes and are the rate-limiting cell for generating anti-inflammatory lipoxin A4 (LXA4). Estrogen regulates the LXA4 circuit to induce delayed female-specific wound healing in the cornea. However, the role of PMNs in dry eye disease remains unexplored. We discovered an LXA4-producing tissue PMN population in the corneal limbus, lacrimal glands, and cervical lymph nodes of healthy male and female mice. These tissue PMNs, unlike inflammatory PMNs, expressed a highly amplified LXA4 circuit and were sex-specifically regulated during immune-driven dry eye disease. Desiccating stress in females, unlike in males, triggered a remarkable decrease in lymph node PMN and LXA4 formation that remained depressed during dry eye disease. Depressed lymph node PMN and LXA4 in females correlated with an increase in effector T cells (Th1 and Th17), a decrease in regulatory T cells (Treg), and increased dry eye pathogenesis. Ab depletion of tissue PMN abrogated LXA4 formation in lymph nodes, as well as caused a marked increase in Th1 and Th17 cells and a decrease in Tregs. To establish an immune-regulatory role for PMN-derived LXA4 in dry eye, females were treated with LXA4. LXA4 treatment markedly inhibited Th1 and Th17 and amplified Treg in draining lymph nodes, while reducing dry eye pathogenesis. These results identify female-specific regulation of LXA4-producing tissue PMN as a potential key factor in aberrant effector T cell activation and initiation of immune-driven dry eye disease.
Performance of a Reservoir Nasal Cannula (Oxymizer) During Sleep in Hypoxemic Patients With COPD

Study Objective: To determine whether a reservoir nasal cannula (RNC) (Oxymizer) provides an arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (SpO2) equivalent to that provided by the standard nasal cannula (SNC) during sleep in hypoxemic patients with COPD while reducing oxygen flow requirement and cost. Design: The study took place in a sleep laboratory for three nights, with the first night for acclimatization to the new sleeping environment. In a repeated-measures design, on the second and third nights, subjects used the SNC for one night and the RNC on another night. The order in which they received the two devices was counterbalanced. Subjects: The subjects were patients with COPD who had a stable PaO2 of 55 mm Hg or less or had a value of 56 to 59 mm Hg with evidence of cor pulmonale or polycythemia (or both) and an FEV1/FVC of less than 70 percent. Interventions: A pulse oximeter was used to measure SpO2. An arterial blood gas measurement was taken on each night while the patients with COPD were receiving oxygen therapy via the assigned device. An EEG machine was used to record measurements of electro-oculography, chin electromyography (EMG), anterior tibialis EMG and EEG. Measurements and main results: There was a statistically significant difference between mean SpO2 during sleep (RNC, 91 percent; SNC, 93 percent; F=7.89; p=0.01). Nocturnal SpO2 was less than 90 percent for 24.2 percent of the time with the RNC and for 17.5 percent of the time with the SNC (F = 5.41; p=0.03), but there was no significant difference in the amount of time that SpO2 was less than 85 percent. Compared to the SNC, in 4 of 26 patients with COPD, the RNC performed better; in 12 patients with COPD, the RNC performed the same, and in 10 patients with COPD the RNC performed worse during sleep. Sleep parameters were not significantly different between the two devices. Conclusions: The difference of 2 percent in mean SpO2 is within the range of SpO2 measurement error. Therefore, the two devices are equally effective when the sample is considered as a whole. Nighttime oximetry is necessary prior to prescription, since nighttime efficacy of the RNC cannot be predicted on the basis of daytime pulse oximetry.
Pollutant Removal from Coal-Ash Basin Effluent

: The drainage system for an ash basin serving a coal-fired power plant at the Savannah River Project, Aiken, South Carolina, has been studied for 15 months to determine abiotic and biotic characteristics and mechanisms of pollutant removal. Measurements made included temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, alkalinity, conductance, flow rate, sulfate, nitrate, and phosphate. In addition, neutron activation analysis was employed to determine concentrations of 40 chemical elements in water, benthos, bacterial, plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate samples collected at six sampling stations. Five-day toxicity tests were performed using organisms from within and from outside the system. Conductance, pH, alkalinity and sulfate concentration varied little throughout the system. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, and flow rate decreased at stations farther removed from the ash basin. Concentrations of most chemical elements measured were greatest in benthos (75 percent of total) and least in water (less than one percent of total), indicating that a major removal mechanism was sedimentation of suspended particulate matter. Eight elements (Br, Ca, C1, Cd, Na, Sb, Se, and Zn) were more highly concentrated in one or more biotic forms than in benthos. Among heavy metals only Cr was concentrated to a greater extent by plants than by animals. Midges were the greatest concentrators of Fe, Cu, Cr, Hg, Co, Sb, and As among all organisms. Plants concentrated only 15 percent of the total heavy metal concentration found in the benthos. Light, metals were more highly concentrated in animals than in plants, although all plants were found to possess 19 percent of the concentration present in the benthos and water. As and Sb were in low concentration within the system; however, on a percentage basis, these potentially toxic elements were relatively highly concentrated by a number of organisms. Active metals (Ca, Na, and K) and halogens (CI, Br, and I) were highly concentrated by most organisms. Active metals were more concentrated in crayfish and mosquito fish, Gambusia affinis, than in benthos, whereas most organisms had higher concentrations of halogens than were found in benthic sediments. Primary producers within the system were least efficient in concentration of all elements except Mn. Consumers (invertebrates and vertebrates) were found to possess highest concentrations of all other elements. Organisms found within the drainage system were observed to be able to survive a five-day toxicity test at any point within the system, whereas organisms not existing within the system were observed to vary in their resistance to the drainage system environment. The findings of this study demonstrate the necessity for the operation of entire food chains in pollutant removal and indicate potential means for increasing cycling efficiency by selective addition of resistant consumers to such a system.
The excluded ones: Males and females in small or very segregated occupations

Occupational segregation is now one of the most popular explanations for the persistent male‐female gap in labor market earnings. The fact that females are employed in a fewer number of occupations than males are is intended to “explain” why females’ earnings are lower than males’. Following Blau and Jusenius (1976), this paper argues that the simple fact of occupational segregation becomes a justification for male‐female inequality since it is just a description of consequences, not causes. A different view is that occupational segregation is a form of discrimination against females, one embedded in the organization of work. The situation at the extremes of occupational segregation supports the second view. In occupations where sex composition is so one‐sided that male‐female comparisons are impossible, the females earn substantially less than other females and males, and the males earn more than other males. Since these occupations are often excluded from analyses of inequality because of the lack of on...
Robot Task Planning and Trajectory Learning for Flexible Automation

A task planning method is presented to model and reproduce robot trajectories based on those captured from human demonstrations. In the framework of the Programming by Demonstration (PbD) approach, task planning algorithm is developed to determine the general type of trajectory pattern, its parameters, and its kinematic profile. The pattern is described independently of the shape of the surface on which it is demonstrated. Key pattern points are identified based on changes in direction and velocity, and are then reduced based on their proximity. The results of the analysis are provided are used inside a task planning algorithm, to produce robot trajectories based on the workpiece geometries. The trajectory is output in the form of robot native language code so that it can be readily downloaded on the robot.Copyright © 2012 by Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada
Demonstration of calcium-dependent chemotactic factor activatable esterase activity in human neutrophils: relationship with chemotaxis and chemotactic deactivation.

An increase in esterolytic activity, as measured by [3H] BAEE hydrolysis, was demonstrated in human neutrophil suspensions following incubation with three distinct chemotactic factors. The increased activity was demonstrated in intact cells as well as in cell lysates. The FMLP-enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of BAEE was found to be calcium dependent. Esterase activation by FMLP was maximal at 1.0 mM of added calcium. Similar dose-response curves for esterase activation, chemotaxis, and chemotactic deactivation were obtained with the chemotactic factor FMLP, suggesting that in human neutrophils all three functions utilize some of the same early molecular events following chemotactic factor binding to the neutrophil surface.
Effect of DNA fragment size on transformation frequencies in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and maize (Zea mays)

During eukaryotic cell transformation, the transforming DNA must enter the host cell, traverse the cytoplasm and enter the nucleus before becoming stably integrated into the genome. The limiting step for plant protoplast transformation may lie at the cell membrane, the nuclear membrane, or at the integration step. We show here that the size of the DNA fragment containing the selectable marker used to monitor transformation can directly affect the efficiency of stable transformation. In both tobacco and maize protoplasts, the smallest DNA fragments gave the highest stable transformation frequencies.
Including the environment in models for genetic segregation

Current models for linkage and segregation analysis do not allow for many of the different ways in which the environment may affect risk for a psychiatric disorder. A variety of mechanisms for the contribution of the environment and the correlation and interaction of environment effects with genetic differences are described. The approach to including these effects in models for segregation and linkage is outlined.
The finite deformation of rate-dependent polycrystals—II: A comparison of the self-consistent and Taylor methods

Abstract A self-consistence formulation presented in a previous paper (H arren , J. Mech. Phys. Solids39, 345, 1991) is implemented numerically. Aggregates composed of face centered cubic crystals which deform by rate sensitive crystallographic slip are considered. Self-consistent predictions of overall stress strain response and texture development are presented for polycrystals finitely deformed under plane strain compression and uniaxial tension. These predictions are compared to concomitant results obtained from the generalized Taylor model of A saro and N eedleman (Acta Metall. 33, 923, 1985). Discussions concerning the numerical implementation are also included.
Evaluation of Interferon Alpha2 (SCH 30500) in the Treatment of Condyloma Acuminatum

ABSTRACT A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the efficacy and safety of interferon-alpha2 in the treatment of condyloma acuminatum was conducted enrolling 114 patients. A single wart on each patient was injected with.01 ml 106 units interferon, 105 units interferon, or a placebo, three times weekly for three weeks and then followed for an additional nine weeks. Efficacy was evaluated by measuring change in size and overall change in disease status of the test wart relative to initial condition. In the high-dose treatment group, the mean percent improvement in lesion size was 70.9% at 12 weeks versus 22.5% and 16.7% for low-dose interferon and placebo, respectively (p >.05). Complete clearing of the treated wart occurred in 53% of the high-dose interferon group versus 10% and 14% of the low-dose interferon and placebo groups, respectively (p >.01). Adverse reactions were mild and limited in duration. Flu-like symptoms were present in 57% of high-dose, 29% of low-dose, a...
Tension Recovery in Permeabilized Rat Soleus Muscle Fibers after Rapid Shortening and Restretch

Permeabilized rat soleus muscle fibers were subjected to rapid shortening/restretch protocols (20% muscle length, 20 ms duration) in solutions with pCa values ranging from 6.5 to 4.5. Force redeveloped after each restretch but temporarily exceeded the steady-state isometric tension reaching a maximum value ∼2.5 s after relengthening. The relative size of the overshoot was <5% in pCa 6.5 and pCa 4.5 solutions but equaled 17% ± 4% at pCa 6.0 (approximately half-maximal Ca2+ activation). Muscle stiffness was estimated during pCa 6.0 activations by imposing length steps at different time intervals after repeated shortening/restretch perturbations. Relative stiffness and relative tension were correlated (p < 0.001) during recovery, suggesting that tension overshoots reflect a temporary increase in the number of attached cross-bridges. Rates of tension recovery (ktr) correlated (p < 0.001) with the relative residual force prevailing immediately after restretch. Force also recovered to the isometric value more quickly at 5.7 ≤ pCa ≤ 5.9 than at pCa 4.5 (ANOVA, p < 0.05). These results show that ktr measurements underestimate the rate of isometric force development during submaximal Ca2+ activations and suggest that the rate of tension recovery is limited primarily by the availability of actin binding sites.
Comparison of elemental concentrations in the wood of three tree species growing adjacent to an inactive chromium smelter.

Studies of plant tissues have been conducted to determine the degree and spatial extent of point source pollutants. Differences in accumulation rates among species have been used to identify plants which are good bioindicators of the status of specific elements in soils. A preponderance of these plant studies have used herbaceous plants or the leaves of woody plants. However, it is the woody tree bole which provides long-term storage of elements dispersed by anthropogenic sources of pollution. Recent research indicates that the growth rings of trees may provide a temporal history of heavy metal deposition in the environment. Additional information is needed about differences in the elemental concentration found in tree rings which may be related to species differences if tree rings are to be used to monitor metal deposition. Seventeen elements were measured in wood samples taken from three tree species growing approximately 1.2 km from an inactive chromium smelter. The species sampled were: baldcypress (Taxodium distichum L. Rich.), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), and Southern red oak (Quercus falcata L. Michx.).
MORPHOGENETICAL STUDIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCCESSIVE LEAVES IN ASTER, WITH RESPECT TO RELATIVE GROWTH, CELLULAR DIFFERENTIATION, AND AUXIN RELATIONSHIPS

IT IS the purpose of this paper to report an investigation of the development of both the rosette and cauline leaves in two inbred species of Aster and in reciprocal hybrids resulting from a cross between these species. Specifically an attempt was made to study the morphological processes by which the ultimate form of the leaf is attained in these plants, particular emphasis being placed on, cell numbers, orderly sequence of cell division, cellular differentiation, and relative growth rates in tlle leaf as a whole and in various reoions of the leaf. Along with these morphogenetical studies, the auxin output of these leaves, as measured bv auxin diffusions, has been determined and its distribution in relation to the pattern of growth in the leaves noted. An analysis of this pattern of growth is attempted in order to determine whether a differential regional distribution of auxin within the leaf might be correlated with differential growth of the leaf. Finally there is reported a study of the developmental pattern for the successive leaves in these plants. The question arises as to whether or not the relationships of length and breadth of leaf are constant throughout the entire life of the plant. This investigation points out that such relationships do change and indicates when and wliere they occur. An explanation of the biological factors underlying such changes, however, is not at all clear. MATERIALS AND METHODS. -Two species of Aster, A. novae-angliae L., A. multiflorus Ait.2 and their reciprocal hybrids were used in these investigations. The developmental studies w ere based on the cotyledons and the first twenty leaves of the seedlings. These were chosen because they afforded the opportunity of studying the relative growth rates of the rosette leaves and of those cauline leaves appearing with and subsequent to the initiation of stem elongation. Leaf studies were also made on the second year's growth as well, again both from the rosette and the elongating axis. The leaves of these plants were chosen becau'se the species had been inbred for two or more generations over a period of three years, during which time the writer has attempted to familiarize himself with their genetical trends, their comparative morphology, and
Extracting Refined Rules from Knowledge-Based Neural Networks

Neural networks, despite their empirically proven abilities, have been little used for the refinement of existing knowledge because this task requires a three-step process. First, knowledge must be inserted into a neural network. Second, the network must be refined. Third, the refined knowledge must be extracted from the network. We have previously described a method for the first step of this process. Standard neural learning techniques can accomplish the second step. In this article, we propose and empirically evaluate a method for the final, and possibly most difficult, step. Our method efficiently extracts symbolic rules from trained neural networks. The four major results of empirical tests of this method are that the extracted rules 1) closely reproduce the accuracy of the network from which they are extracteds 2) are superior to the rules produced by methods that directly refine symbolic ruless 3) are superior to those produced by previous techniques for extracting rules from trained neural networkss and 4) are “human comprehensible.” Thus, this method demonstrates that neural networks can be used to effectively refine symbolic knowledge. Moreover, the rule-extraction technique developed herein contributes to the understanding of how symbolic and connectionist approaches to artificial intelligence can be profitably integrated.
Dependence of nitrogen- and phosphorus-regulation of β-lactam antibiotic production byStreptomyces clavuligerus on aeration level

Interference with β-lactam production inStreptomyces clavuligerus by ammonium and phosphate ions, normally observed with optimum levels of aeration, was eliminated by restriction of the air supply. Under such a restriction, ammonium slightly stimulated and phosphate markedly stimulated β-lactam antibiotic production. These are rare examples of ‘regulation reversal’ by an environmental modification.
High-spectral-resolution attosecond absorption spectroscopy of autoionization in xenon

The decay of highly excited states of xenon after absorption of extreme ultraviolet light is directly tracked via attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy using a time-delayed near-infrared perturbing pulse. The lifetimes of the autoionizing 5$s$5${p}^{6}$6$p$ and 5$s$5${p}^{6}$7$p$ channels are determined to be (21.9 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1.3) fs and (48.4 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 5.0) fs, respectively. The observed values support lifetime estimates obtained by traditional linewidth measurements. The experiment additionally obtains the temporal evolution of the decay as a function of energy detuning from the resonance center, and a quantum mechanical formalism is introduced that correctly accounts for the observed energy dependence.
Pseudo Jahn–Teller versus Renner–Teller effects in the instability of linear molecules

Abstract It is shown that for linear molecules in degenerate states the Renner–Teller effect (RTE) is not the only (and not even the main) source of bending instability; the pseudo Jahn–Teller effect (PJTE) is most important in the bending. Numerical estimates demonstrate that π – σ interactions with a limited number of excited states does not solve the problem. For a Π term with two perturbations a general formula of combined RTE plus PJTE is derived which does not involve excited states explicitly. It shows that the PJTE lowers the curvature of the energy surface in the direction of bending and contributes also to its splitting. By means of ab initio calculations the contributions of the RTE and PJTE to the bending instability are estimated for HBF, HNN, HCO, BH 2 , NH 2 , and AlH 2 molecules. The PJTE influence is significantly larger than the RTE one. This result may be similarly important for nonlinear systems.
A Synthesis of Current Research On Marijuana.

This paper is a synthesis of the research which has been recently completed to ascertain the effects of the drug marijuana on human behavior. Since the isolation of the active component of marijuana (THC), studies have revealed various effects to the memory, specific physiological effects, and definite visual effects to individuals while under the influence of marijuana. Furthermore, it has been noted that the sociological aspects of the drug are of great importance to the study of this drug. It appears that these sociological aspects may stimulate an individual into the use of this drug. The state of euphoria is cited as one of the factors which stimulate the usage of marijuana. It appears that an individual cannot participate normally in expected societal roles while under the influence of marijuana.