cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hexamethylmelamine in ovarian cancer after failure of cisplatin-based multiple-agent chemotherapy

A prospective study was initiated in 1979 to investigate the effect of hexamethylmelamine (HMM) as a second-line chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of advanced adenocarcinoma of the ovary after failure of cisplatin-based multiple-agent chemotherapy. Of 20 evaluable patients, there were 5 patients (25%) who had objective responses (4 complete and 1 partial). Four additional patients have remained without evidence of disease. Six of these 9 patients are still alive, disease free. There were significant differences (P less than 0.001) in both the progression-free interval and survival time for these 9 patients, 13.3 and 15.1 months, respectively, as compared to the 15 nonresponders, 0.8 and 5.8 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in survival between the 4 patients with stable disease and the 11 patients with progressive disease. Performance status less than 2 (P less than 0.05) and absence of clinically measurable disease at the time of entry into the study (P less than 0.05) were found to be significant variables with regard to determining outcome. Only 2 of 24 patients suffered severe enough side effects from the HMM to warrant its discontinuation. This study demonstrates that HMM at doses of 6-8 mg/kg/day for 21 out of every 28 days can induce a complete response and provide an extended disease-free interval and prolonged survival with tolerable side effects in a significant number of patients with ovarian cancer who have previously failed cisplatin-based multiple-agent chemotherapy.
A new type of boronic acid fluorescent reporter compound for sugar recognition

Abstract Fluorescent boronic acids that change fluorescent properties upon carbohydrate binding are very useful for the preparation of fluorescent sensors for sugars. Herein we report 5-quinolineboronic acid (5-QBA) that shows significant fluorescent property changes through a unique pKa-switching mechanism upon binding a diol in aqueous solution.
Analytical and Numerical Studies of a Differential Target Antenna Coupling Method for Sensing and Imaging Subsurface Targets

ABSTRACT In this paper, we develop the theoretical basis and carry out numerical studies on a new Differential Target Antenna Coupling (DTAC) method for imaging objects within the earth. The DTAC method uses a separate transmitter and a rotating receiver to collect the magnetic field data. The DTAC method uses at least two frequencies. One frequency is used as a reference signal to establish the null direction at that frequency, and then a different frequency is used to measure the change in the null at that new frequency. We can also use an arbitrary number of frequencies with just one reference frequency for wide-bandwidth measurements. By comparing the characteristics of the null magnetic fields at these two or more frequencies, this technique allows one to precisely determine the orientations of the measuring array from the measured data. This allows for the nulling out of the overwhelming effects of the layered earth, thereby allowing for the measurement of the much smaller target response. In this p...
The Fcγ receptor IIIA-158F allele is a major risk factor for the development of lupus nephritis among Caucasians but not non-Caucasians

Objective To determine whether inheritance of Fcγ receptor (FcγR) alleles conferring lower affinity for IgG binding increases the risk of developing lupus nephritis. Methods We compared the frequency of low-affinity alleles of two FcγR polymorphisms (FcγRIIA and FcγRIIIA) among 235 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and proven nephritis (nephritis patients) and among 352 SLE patients with no evidence of renal disease (non-nephritis control subjects). The ethnic distribution of patients in the study was 49% Caucasian, 20% Hispanic, 17% Asian/Pacific Islander, 12% African American, and 2% from other ethnic groups. All patients were genotyped for the FcγRIIA-131R/H and FcγRIIIA-158V/F polymorphisms. We used contingency table analysis to compare allele and genotype distributions for nephritis patients and non-nephritis control subjects, including ethnic-specific strata. Multivariate logistic regression analyses included sex and disease duration as covariates. Results Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated a striking association between the low-affinity FcγRIIIA-158F allele and FF genotype and the risk of nephritis among Caucasians, but not among non-Caucasians (multivariate odds ratio [OR] 2.6 for Caucasians with FF genotype), (P = 0.0017). This association was even stronger among Caucasians with severe nephritis (OR 4.4, P < 0.0001). In contrast, inheritance of the low-affinity FcγRIIA-131R allele (and RR genotype) was not associated with an increased risk of lupus nephritis among any of the ethnic groups examined. Conclusion The FcγRIIIA-158F allele is a major risk factor for the development of lupus nephritis among Caucasians, but not among non-Caucasians. These results suggest that ethnic variation is critical in defining the specific genetic factors underlying the pathogenesis of SLE, and they have important prognostic and therapeutic implications as well.
The Benefit Corporation and Corporate Social Responsibility.

In the wake of the most recent financial crisis, corporations have been criticized as being self-interested and unmindful of their relationship to society. Indeed, the blame is sometimes placed on the corporate legal form, which can exacerbate the tension between duties to shareholders and interests of stakeholders. In comparison, the Benefit Corporation (BC) is a new legal business entity that is obligated to pursue public benefit in addition to the responsibility to return profits to shareholders. It is legally a for-profit, socially obligated, corporate form of business, with all the traditional corporate characteristics combined with societal responsibilities. Considering the history and perception of shareholder primacy in United States law, it is argued that this new business structure is an ethical step toward empowering socially committed commercial entities. The contribution of this research is to provide a fundamental base of knowledge about the new legal form of business, the BC, upon which further study may rely. First, the legal history of the corporation is briefly reviewed in order to provide context to the relationship of the corporate form to society, including exploration of the premise that shareholder wealth maximization is its best and only purpose. Second, the BC is described in detail, and state statutes are compared. Third, the BC is placed within the context of corporate social responsibility. Finally, opportunities for future research are discussed.
Feldspar inclusions and the anomalous fading and enhancement of thermoluminescence in quartz grains

Abstract Both anomalous fading and enhancement in the thermoluminescence (TL) of coarse grain sedimentary quartz samples collected from diverse sites in Australia and the U.S.A. are reported. Feldspar inclusions within the quartz grains are found to be common in these samples and may be responsible for the fading and/or enhancement.
Intruder capturing game on a topological map assisted by information networks

Intruder capturing games on a topological map of a workspace with obstacles are investigated. Assuming that a searcher can access the position of any intruder utilizing information networks, we provide theoretical upper bounds for the minimum number of searchers required to capture all intruders on a Voronoi graph. Intruder capturing algorithms are proposed and demonstrated through an online computer game.
Tissue factor in thrombosis and hemorrhage

The research aims of our laboratory are to provide a realistic description of biologic processes involved in protection from hemorrhage and the evolution of thrombosis. To evaluate these processes, we use 4 models of coagulation ranging from 1) studies of blood exiting from microvascular wounds in humans through 2) minimally altered whole blood induced to clot by tissue factor (TF) to 3) reconstitution of the blood coagulation proteome with purified components and to 4) mathematical descriptions of the chemical processes and dynamics that occur. The integration of these 4 models permits comprehensive analyses of the blood coagulation system and predictions of its behavior under normal and pathologic conditions. Data accumulated thus far have led to advances in our understanding of 1) the processes occurring during the initiation and propagation phases of thrombin generation, 2) the roles for individual proteins involved in blood coagulation and its regulation, 3) defects in thrombin generation and clot formation in hemophilia, 4) actions and limitations of pharmacologic agents used to control hemorrhage, thrombosis, and chronic cardiovascular disease, and 5) the relationship between genotypic and phenotypic features of an individual's plasma proteome and his/her immediate and long-term thrombotic risk.
Invasion and metastasis.

The invasive character of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck represents a major challenge to the clinician since most often these tumors require extensive surgical resection impairing important physiological functions including speech and swallowing. Additionally, in many cases costly reconstructive surgery is required to repair the adverse cosmetic effects of the resective surgery. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the molecular mechanism(s) which underlie the local and regional spread of this disease. Since the ability of tumor cells to invade into surrounding structures requires hydrolytic action much effort has been spent on identifying the hydrolases involved in this process. Some of the enzymes which have been implicated in the spread of head and neck cancer include the urokinase-type plasminogen activator and several members of the collagenase family such as type I and IV collagenases and the stromelysins synthesized either by the tumor cells or in the surrounding fibroblasts. More recent studies have addressed the mechanism(s) by which these hydrolases are overexpressed in invasive cancer. In the tumor cells themselves, work has focused on defining the transcriptional requirements for enzyme synthesis and addressing how the appropriate transcription factors are activated by signal transduction pathways. In contrast, where the hydrolases (e.g. stromelysin-2 and stromelysin-3) are produced by the fibroblasts, current investigations are directed at identifying tumor-derived growth factors which lead to the inducible expression of the enzymes in the stromal cells. The ultimate goal of these studies is to develop novel therapeutic interventions which decrease the invasive capacity of head and neck cancer leading to longer survival times and enhanced quality of life for patients afflicted with this disease.
Phytosphingosine groups as quantitatively significant components of the sphingolipids of the mucosa of the small intestines of some mammalian species.

We found that the lipid bases of the small intestines of fasted rats differed from those of other tissues by the presence of a fraction that moved more slowly than C18-dihydrosphingosine on thin-layer (TL) chromatograms in the solvent mixture of Sambasivarao and McCluer (1963). Observations which will be described in this report leave little doubt that this fraction consists, at least predominantly, of C18-phytosphingosine. The occurrence of phytosphingosine in sphingolipids of some human tissues, e. g. of hair, and in the ceramide hexosides of kidney has been observed (Karlsson 1964, Michalec and Kolman 1966, Karlsson and Martensson 1968). Phytosphingosine was not found in the sphingomyelin fraction of human kidney.
Ion mixing in oxide-sapphire systems

Ion beam mixing of thin oxide films on sapphire substrates has been studied in order to examine any role of equilibrium thermodynamic parameters on the mixing process. Mixing experiments were performed with polycrystalline oxide films deposited on single crystalline {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates. According to the equilibrium phase diagrams, Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} is completely soluble in {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, while ZrO{sub 2} is insoluble. The couples were irradiated with Cr ions (160 and 340 keV) or Kr ions to fluences of 4 {times} 10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2} at temperatures between 20 and 900{degrees}C. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze samples before and after irradiation to determine the extent and nature of interface modifications. No long-range mixing was detected under any condition studied; the width of the {open_quotes}mixed{close_quotes} region in each case was consistent with recoil mixing. The absence of long-range mixing is rationalized in terms of the different ranges of oxygen ions and cations.
Parallel variation of mass transport and heterogeneous and homogeneous electron transfer rates in hybrid redox polyether molten salts

Metal complexes can be prepared as highly viscous (semisolid), room temperature molten salts by combining them with oligomeric polyether substituents. The fluidity and transport properties of these hybrid redox polyether melts can be systematically manipulated by changing the oligomeric chain lengths and by adding unattached oligomers as plasticizers. This paper describes the voltammetrically measured transport properties of several Co(II) polypyridine (2,2‘-bipyridine, phenanthroline) melts. The properties evaluated are the physical self-diffusion coefficient (DPHYS) of the cationic complex in its melt, the diffusivity of its counterion (DCION), the heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant (kHET) of the Co(III/II) oxidation at the electrode surface, and the rate constant (kEX) for homogeneous electron self-exchange between Co(II) and Co(I) in the mixed valent layer next to the electrode. These dynamics parameters change in parallel manners, over a large (>103) range of values, when the melt fluidity...
Lead strontium sulfide and lead calcium sulfide, two new alloy semiconductors

The pseudobinary alloy ${\mathrm{Pb}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{x}\mathrm{S}$ exists as a single phase at all compositions. With change in composition the optical absorption edge at 300 K changes continuously from 0.4 eV for PbS to 4.6 eV for SrS. For compositions with $x\ensuremath{\le}0.2$, $p$-type and $n$-type thin films have been prepared by doping with Tl or Ag and with Bi, respectively. Similar single-phase behavior and composition dependence of the energy gap are found with ${\mathrm{Pb}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{x}\mathrm{S}$.
Fear and safety learning differentially affect synapse size and dendritic translation in the lateral amygdala

Fear learning is associated with changes in synapse strength in the lateral amygdala (LA). To examine changes in LA dendritic spine structure with learning, we used serial electron microscopy to re-construct dendrites after either fear or safety conditioning. The spine apparatus, a smooth endoplasmic reticulum (sER) specialization found in very large spines, appeared more frequently after fear conditioning. Fear conditioning was associated with larger synapses on spines that did not contain a spine apparatus, whereas safety conditioning resulted in smaller synapses on these spines. Synapses on spines with a spine apparatus were smaller after safety conditioning but unchanged with fear conditioning, suggesting a ceiling effect. There were more polyribosomes and multivesicular bodies throughout the dendrites from fear conditioned rats, indicating increases in both protein synthesis and degradation. Polyribosomes were associated with the spine apparatus under both training conditions. We conclude that LA synapse size changes bidirectionally with learning and that the spine apparatus has a central role in regulating synapse size and local translation.
Marxist and American Sociological Conceptions of Alienation: Implications for Social Problems Theory

Analytic and normative properties of Marxist and American concepts of alienation are examined. The Marxist concept of alienation is dialectically related to economic structure and productive, self developing activities. A condition of alienation involves control over man and his development, as defined by a theory of human nature, by institutions and social processes of his own making. Marx's analysis of the dynamics of capitalism may be understood as an explanation of the social bases of alienation in capitalist societies. Control is viewed as objective by the observer employing a theory of human nature and is not necessarily identical to the consciousness of the actors. Explicit and implicit normative properties of the two conceptions are examined in terms of their analytic implications. Implications for social problems theory include the desirability of further analysis of the consciousness of actors and researchers as elements of social processes involved in social phenomena, the necessity of certain value judgments, the treatment of power and control, and attention to work as a social problem.
Study of the Water-Gas-Shift Reaction on Pd@CeO2/Al2O3 Core―Shell Catalysts

An alumina-supported, Pd@CeO2, core−shell catalyst having 1 wt % Pd and 9 wt % ceria was characterized for the water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction. Although the catalyst initially exhibited similar WGS rates to that of a conventional Pd/ceria catalyst at 623 K in 25 Torr each of CO and H2O, the Pd@CeO2 catalyst deactivated severely over the period of 1 h. The WGS activity of the Pd@CeO2 could be completely restored by mild oxidation, and oxygen-titration measurements showed that the ceria shell in the Pd@CeO2 catalyst was significantly reduced after being used for the WGS reaction. These observations are in sharp contrast to those found with a conventional Pd/ceria catalyst, for which the ceria remains almost fully oxidized under WGS conditions. CO adsorption measurements, using FTIR at room temperature and CO uptakes at 195 K, indicated that Pd in the oxidized Pd@CeO2 catalyst was accessible to CO, but adsorption was completely suppressed on the reduced catalyst. A model is presented to explain the results, w...
Enhanced in vivo bioluminescence imaging using liposomal luciferin delivery system

To provide a continuous and prolonged delivery of the substrate D-luciferin for bioluminescence imaging in vivo, luciferin was encapsulated into liposomes using either the pH gradient or acetate gradient method. Under optimum loading conditions, 0.17 mg luciferin was loaded per mg of lipid with 90-95% encapsulation efficiency, where active loading was 6 to 18-fold higher than that obtained with passive loading. Liposomal luciferin in a long-circulating formulation had good shelf stability, with 10% release over 3-month storage at 4 degrees C. Pharmacokinetic profiles of free and liposomal luciferin were then evaluated in transgenic mice expressing luciferase. In contrast to rapid in vivo clearance of free luciferin (t(1/2)=3.54 min), luciferin encapsulated into long-circulating liposomes showed a prolonged release over 24h. The first-order release rate constant of luciferin from long-circulating liposomes, as estimated from the best fit of the analytical model to the experimental data, was 0.01 h(-1). Insonation of luciferin-loaded temperature-sensitive liposomes directly injected into one tumor of Met1-luc tumor-bearing mice resulted in immediate emission of light. Systemic injection of luciferin-loaded long-circulating liposomes into Met1-luc tumor-bearing mice, followed by unilateral ultrasound-induced hyperthermia, produced a gradual increase in radiance over time, reaching a peak at 4-7 h post-ultrasound.
Ab Initio Electronic Structure Calculations on Chlorocarbene−Ethylene and Chlorocarbene−Benzene Complexes

Interaction energies for carbene−solvent complex formation have been computed at the MP2/6-311+G**//MP2/6-31G* level, including full counterpoise corrections. Our results indicate that chlorocarbenes do not form stable complexes with ethylene at ambient temperatures and react with tetramethylethylene to form cyclopropanes without an activation energy barrier. Chlorocarbenes and benzene form weakly interacting but thermally stable 1:1 and 1:2 π-type complexes. Two π-type complexes and a hydrogen-bonded ylidic structure were obtained for the 1:1 methylchlorocarbene−anisole system. The formation of carbene−solvent complexes might modulate carbenic reactivity in aromatic solvents.
Inscribing the Other, Inscribing the Self: Hindu-Muslim Identities in Pre-Colonial India

The nature of medieval Hindu-Muslim relations is an issue of great relevance in contemporary India. Prior to the 200 years of colonial subjection to the British that ended in 1947, large portions of the Indian subcontinent were under Muslim political control. An upsurge of Hindu nationalism over the past decade has led to demands that the state rectify past wrongs on behalf of India's majority religion.' In the nationalist view, Hindu beliefs were continually suppressed and its institutions repeatedly violated during the many centuries of Muslim rule from 1200 C.E. onward. The focal point of nationalist sentiment is the most visible symbol of Hinduism, its temples. As many as 60,000 Hindu temples are said to have been torn down by Muslim rulers, and mosques built on 3,000 of those temples' foundations. The most famous of these alleged former temple sites is at Ayodhya in North India, long considered the birthplace of the Hindu god Rama. The movement to liberate this sacred spot, supposedly defiled in the sixteenth century when the Babri Masjid mosque was erected on the ruins of a Rama temple, was one of the hottest political issues of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Tensions reached a peak in December 1992, when Hindu militants succeeded in demolishing the mosque.
Nonformaldehyde Durable Press Finishing of Cotton Fabrics by Combining Citric Acid with Polymers of Maleic Acid

In our previous research, we investigated the use of two polymers of maleic acid, i.e., the homopolymer (PMA) and the terpolymer (TPMA), for crosslinking cotton cellulose. We found that PMA and TPMA were less effective than 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) due to the low mobility of the anhydride intermediates to access the cellulosic hydroxyl during a curing process. We found that the hydroxyl of citric acid (CA) hinders its esterification with cotton cellulose, and so is less effective than 1,2,3-propanetricar boxylic acid as a crosslinking agent for cotton. We also found that CA esterifies the anhydride intermediate of PMA or TPMA on the cotton fabric formed under curing con ditions. In this research, we observed a synergistic effect by combining PMA or TPMA with CA as co-crosslinking agents for cotton fabrics. The combination of TPMA/CA is more effective than the PMA/CA combination for imparting wrinkle resistance to the finished cotton fabrics. Cottons finished with the TPMA/CA combination s...
Carrier Ethernet: A Reality Check

This paper provides a current assessment of Carrier Ethernet from a service provider perspective. It highlights the drivers and key attributes of Carrier Ethernet and discusses some remaining gaps and challenges.
Effects of Ultrasonic Treatments on Cellulose in Cellulosic Biofuel Manufacturing: A Literature Review

Cellulosic biofuels are one type of renewable energy, and have been proposed to replace traditional liquid transportation fuels. Cellulosic biomass is the feedstocks in cellulosic biofuel manufacturing. Cellulose accounts for approximately 30% of the total weight in cellulosic biomass. Glucose, one type of monosaccharide convertible to ethanol, can be obtained by hydrolyzing the polymeric structure of cellulose. Currently enzymatic methods are the most common for the hydrolysis of cellulose. However, the low efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis increases production cost and hinders the large-scale manufacturing of cellulosic biofuels. Ultrasonic treatments applied on cellulosic biomass were found to improve the efficiency of hydrolysis and subsequently increase the sugar yield of hydrolysis. To understand the effects of ultrasonics on cellulose, investigations have been conducted on the effects on cellulose characteristics caused by ultrasonic treatments during hydrolysis. This paper reviews the effects of ultrasonic treatments on cellulose during hydrolysis in terms of sugar yield and some characteristics of cellulose, such as accessibility, crystallinity, degree of polymerization, and morphological structure.© 2010 ASME
Effects of emotion on perceptual asymmetry: Interactions with personality

Perceptual asymmetry on a series of four specially constructed dichotic word tests was found to change as a function of the emotional quality of the words in the tests (P = 0.05). This was most pronounced in the case of positively valued words which produced an increase in asymmetry consistent with facilitated left-hemisphere function (P less than 0.004). Changes in asymmetry with emotion differed as a function of personality characteristics of the subjects, with repressors and high anxious subjects showing an increase with emotion while true low anxious subjects showed a decrease (P less than 0.02). Personality groups also differed in asymmetry on an emotionally neutral test (P less than 0.04) and in changes in asymmetry over time independent of emotion (P less than 0.001). These data suggest that emotion mediated activation of the left hemisphere may facilitate information processing within that hemisphere. Moreover, they indicate that dichotic listening tests may provide a non-invasive and inexpensive method for assessing emotion mediated changes in brain state that are clinically relevant.
Collapse Loads for a Cylinder Embedded in Trench in Cohesive Soil

This study investigates the relationship between the sediment resisting force and embedment depth for horizontal cylinders in a vertical trench. Plane-strain calculations of collapse loads are performed for a series of trench depths. Collapse load predictions are based on finite element predictions validated by upper and lower bound solutions from classical plasticity theory. This study extends work by previous investigators by considering variable soil shear strength profiles and embedment depths exceeding one cylinder radius. Curve fits are applied to the finite element predictions to develop simplified equations relating collapse load to trench depth. The predictions are relevant to a number of applications, including pipeline penetration, waste disposal, and mine detection.
Rules of the Road: The Traveling Films of Hiroshi Shimizu

A review of four films made on location by Hiroshi Shimizu from 1933–41 which considers the director9s fondness for the road and his stylistic openness in relation to his use of formal motifs evoking travel.
Modulation Bandwidth Enhancement Beyond 100 GHz in Strongly Injection-Locked Cascaded Semiconductor Ring Lasers

A novel scheme for modulation bandwidth enhancement is presented, involving a DBR master laser monolithically integrated with two cascaded strongly injection-locked whistle-geometry semiconductor microring lasers. Enhanced performance of the novel scheme is confirmed through numerical modeling.
A new perspective for evaluating innovative science programs

This paper outlines a stridently sociocultural perspective on educational program evaluation. This perspective emerged across successive attempts to evaluate science programs in a manner consistent with sociocultural views of knowing and learning, while still yielding conventional evidence of achievement. The perspective is characterized by (1) rigorous use of multiple-choice tests, performance assessments, and interpretive event-based analyses, (2) a dialectical approach to reconciling conflicting conclusions from different types of individual assessments, and between individual and event-oriented assessments, and (3) a pragmatic focus on the differences among various implementations of the innovation, with judicious, targeted use of comparison groups. Innovators facing the tension between contemporary views of knowing and learning and conventional views of accountability should find this perspective particularly useful. It is relevant for a broad range of evaluation contexts, including large-scale externally funded innovations as well as more informal practitioner-initiated studies, and should be useful in many content domains. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed87:539–563, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10087
Imagetool: image processing on the Sun workstation

This paper describes an environment that builds on UNIX for image processing on Sun workstations. It includes discussions on writing image analysis functions using a command line interface and on the manipulation of images from within an imaging program. It then describes the program imagetool, which displays images in a window environment and supplies a menu interface to the image-analysis functions, driven by the command line.
ACUTE MACULAR NEURORETINOPATHY: Long-Term Insights Revealed by Multimodal Imaging

Purpose:To report the structural and functional changes in acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) and their long-term evolution. Multimodal retinal imaging was acquired, including Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), infrared (IR) reflectance, and near IR autofluorescence (NIA).Methods:I
Effects of ambient temperature, humidity, and age on wing-beat frequency of Periplaneta species

Abstract Wing-beat frequency of 2-week-old male Periplaneta americana cockroaches was measured during tethered flight at ambient temperatures from 19 to 35°C and 50 and 95% r.h. Between 19 and 27°C the frequency increased at a nearly constant rate (0·6 Hz/deg at 50% r.h.; 0·7 Hz/deg at 95% r.h.), but the rate of increase decreased markedly between 27 and 35°C. This decline differed from results of past investigations of wing-beat frequency for this species. Wing-beat frequencies at 95% r.h. were significantly higher than those at 50% r.h. for ambient temperatures between 27 and 35°C. reductions in wing-beat frequency at high temperatures and differences in wing-beat frequency between 50 and 95% r.h. may reflect decreases in internal thoracic temperature resulting from cuticular water loss. P. americana females lack the capacity for sustained free flight, but were tested in tethered flight in the same manner as males. Wing-beating lasted only 3 to 8 sec compared to 5 to 6 min for males. However, wing-beat frequency did not differ significantly from males except at one temperature and humidity combination, 35°C and 95% r.h. Failure of females to sustain wing-beating may be due to the lack of available energy in the flight muscles. Wing-beat frequencies among 2-week-old P. australasiae, P. brunnea , and P. fuliginosa males in tethered flight at 19 to 35°C and 50% r.h. were similar to P. americana males. P. australasiae differed significantly from P. brunnea over the entire range of temperatures, but only minor differences occurred among the other species. As they matured, males of the four species showed similar changes in wing-beat frequency at 25°C, 50% r.h., and only small consistent differences between species occurred. Wing-beat frequency could not be determined 1 to 3 days after eclosion because no wing beating occurred. On days 4 to 6 the frequency was approximately the same for all species, 23 Hz. Frequency increased to approximately 26·5 Hz on day 7 and by day 14 reached a maximum level of 30 to 31 Hz which was maintained until the termination of the experiment on day 35.
Calculation of the small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering from nonrandom (regular) fractals.

The intensity of the small-angle x-ray or neutron scattering has been calculated for two nonrandom (regular) fractals: the Menger sponge and a related fractal, called the fractal jack (a form similar to the metal six-pointed object used in the American children's game). The scatterers are assumed to be systems of independently scattering, randomly oriented identical nonrandom fractals constructed from a material with uniform density. The scattered intensity I(q) can be expressed as a function of qa, where q=4\ensuremath{\pi}${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$sin(theta/2); \ensuremath{\lambda} is the scattered wavelength; theta is the scattering angle, and a is the edge of the cube which is the starting approximant to the fractal. The calculations show that I(q) is a monotonically decreasing function on which maxima and minima are superimposed. For large qa the monotonic decay is proportional to ${q}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}D}$, where D is the fractal dimension. The first maximum for qg0 is a single peak located at q=${q}_{1}$. Groups of maxima are found at q${=3}^{k}$${q}_{1}$, where k is a positive integer greater than 1. The number of maxima within a group becomes greater as k increases. Numerical calculations of I(q) provide no evidence that the maxima and minima are damped and die out as q becomes larger. Thus I(q) for the two nonrandom fractals does not appear to approach the simple power-law scattering proportional to ${q}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}D}$ which is characteristic of the small-angle scattering from random fractals. The techniques developed to calculate I(q) for the Menger sponge and the fractal jack can also be employed to find the small-angle scattering from other nonrandom (regular) fractals.
STABILITY OF INTERSECTING AIRCRAFT FLOWS UNDER DECENTRALIZED CONFLICT AVOIDANCE RULES

This paper considers the problem of intersecting aircraft flows under decentralized conflict avoidance rules. Using an Eulerian standpoint (aircraft flow through a fixed control volume), new air traffic control models and scenarios are defined that enable the study of long-term airspace stability problems. Considering a class of two intersecting aircraft flows, it is shown that airspace stability, defined both in terms of safety and performance is preserved under specific decentralized conflict resolution algorithms. A performance bound is derived and examples show that this bound is tight. A comparison is made with centralized approaches to conflict resolution.
A thermogravimetric analysis of Sr14−xCaxCu24Oy

Abstract A thermogravimetric analysis was conducted on the incommensurate structure of Sr 14− x Ca x Cu 24 O 41 (0≤ x ≤5). This compound is only stable at an oxygen partial pressure greater than 6 kPa at 1193 K. The substitution of Sr by Ca did not show any significant influence on the oxygen content and the decomposition oxygen partial pressure.
DNA and polylysine adsorption and multilayer construction onto cationic lipid-coated microbubbles.

We report on a novel application of the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technique to attach multiple layers of DNA and poly-l-lysine (PLL) onto preformed lipid-coated microbubbles to increase the DNA loading capacity. We first measured the effects of the cationic lipid fraction and salt concentration on the microbubble stability. Microbubble production and stability were robust up to a cationic lipid fraction of 40 mol % in 10 mM NaCl. DNA adsorption was heterogeneous over the microbubble shell and occurred primarily on the condensed phase domains. The amount of adsorbed DNA, and subsequently adsorbed PLL, increased linearly with the fraction of cationic lipid in the shell. DNA loading was further enhanced by the LbL assembly method to construct polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) of DNA and PLL. PEM buildup was demonstrated by experimental results from ζ potential analysis, fluorescence microscopy, UV spectroscopy, and flow cytometry. The PEMs exhibited two growth stages and were heterogeneously distributed...
How ice shelf morphology controls basal melting

[1] The response of ice shelf basal melting to climate is a function of ocean temperature, circulation, and mixing in the open ocean and the coupling of this external forcing to the sub–ice shelf circulation. Because slope strongly influences the properties of buoyancy-driven flow near the ice shelf base, ice shelf morphology plays a critical role in linking external, subsurface heat sources to the ice. In this paper, the slope-driven dynamic control of local and area-integrated melting rates is examined under a wide range of ocean temperatures and ice shelf shapes, with an emphasis on smaller, steeper ice shelves. A 3-D numerical ocean model is used to simulate the circulation underneath five idealized ice shelves, forced with subsurface ocean temperatures ranging from −2.0°C to 1.5°C. In the sub–ice shelf mixed layer, three spatially distinct dynamic regimes are present. Entrainment of heat occurs predominately under deeper sections of the ice shelf; local and area-integrated melting rates are most sensitive to changes in slope in this “initiation” region. Some entrained heat is advected upslope and used to melt ice in the “maintenance” region; however, flow convergence in the “outflow” region limits heat loss in flatter portions of the ice shelf. Heat flux to the ice exhibits (1) a spatially nonuniform, superlinear dependence on slope and (2) a shape- and temperature-dependent, internally controlled efficiency. Because the efficiency of heat flux through the mixed layer decreases with increasing ocean temperature, numerical simulations diverge from a simple quadratic scaling law.
Elastic interactions between dislocations in a finite body

Abstract The authors agree with Wilkens' results and with his new derivation showing that the average interaction energy between many dislocations distributed in an uncorrelated and quasi-uniform manner over the cross-section of a finite body is zero. This result implies that the interaction energy between just two dislocations in a finite body does not have a unique sign. To illustrate this point, the problem of two screw dislocationa parallel to the axis of a long circular cylinder has been solved explicitly. Contours for the interaction energies and the attractive or repulsive force are given. A discussion of distributions that are either non-random or non-quasi-uniform leads to the conclusion that the conventional value for the interaction energy involving only neighboring pairs may well be the most realistic.
Effects of dexamethasone on the differentiation of membrane structure in cultured astrocytes

Astrocytic processes investing vascular structures or forming the surface of mammalian brain have large numbers of orthogonally packed aggregates of intramembrane particles, termed "assemblies." Similar particle aggregates are expressed by astrocytes derived from neonatal rat forebrain in secondary culture, but they are much more uniformly distributed across the membranes of the cultured cells. Dexamethasone, a potent glucocorticoid, affects the differentiation of astrocyte membrane structure in two patterns, depending on the rate of proliferation in the culture. When confluent secondary cultures of astrocytes are exposed to 5 microM dexamethasone, the densities of assemblies increase, and in some cells approach the values present in the glial limitans in vivo. However, when rapidly proliferating astrocytes are exposed to dexamethasone during the first week of secondary culture, most of the astrocytes fail to express any assemblies. The rate of astrocyte proliferation is slowed, and a lower cell density is reached during the first 2 weeks of secondary culture in dexamethasone. The suppression of assemblies is transient: as the cultures approach confluence, the proportion of cells expressing assemblies increases to nearly control levels, and the density of assemblies increases to greater than control values in some astrocytes. Certain of the effects of dexamethasone on cultured astrocytes may have relevance for understanding the mechanism(s) of its action in treating cerebral edema.
Gestational Age-Dependant Expression of Interleukin -10 (IL-10) and Its Receptor in Human Placenta

Gestational Age-Dependant Expression of Interleukin -10 (IL-10) and Its Receptor in Human Placenta
Beauty and The Beast: Human–Animal Relationships as Revealed in Real Photo Postcards, 1905–1935

(2011). Beauty and The Beast: Human–Animal Relationships as Revealed in Real Photo Postcards, 1905–1935. Anthrozoos: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 101-103.
Decentralized Formation Tracking of Multi-vehicle Systems with Nonlinear Dynamics

The problem of formation tracking can be stated as multiple vehicles are required to follow spatial trajectories while keeping a desired inter-vehicle formation pattern in time. This paper considers vehicles with nonlinear dynamics and nonholonomic constraints and very general trajectories that can be generated by some reference vehicles. We specify formations using the vectors of relative positions of neighboring vehicles and use consensus-based controllers in the context of decentralized formation tracking control. The key idea is to combine consensus-based controllers with the cascaded approach to tracking control, resulting in a group of linearly coupled dynamical systems. We examine the stability properties of the closed loop system using cascaded systems theory and nonlinear synchronization theory. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the proposed method.
Comparison of methods incorporating quantitative covariates into affected sib pair linkage analysis.

For complex traits, it may be possible to increase the power to detect linkage if one takes advantage of covariate information. Several statistics have been proposed that incorporate quantitative covariate information into affected sib pair (ASP) linkage analysis. However, it is not clear how these statistics perform under different gene-environment (G × E) interactions. We compare representative statistics to each other on simulated data under three biologically-plausible G × E models. We also compared their performance with a model-free method and with quantitative trait locus (QTL) linkage approaches. The statistics considered here are: (1) mixture model; (2) general conditional-logistic model (LODPAL); (3) multinomial logistic regression models (MLRM); (4) extension of the maximum-likelihood-binomial approach (MLB); (5) ordered-subset analysis (OSA); and (6) logistic regression modeling (COVLINK). In all three G × E models, most of these six statistics perform better when using the covariate C1 associated with a G × E interaction effect than when using the environmental risk factor C2 or the random noise covariate C3. Compared with a model-free method without covariates (Sall), the mixture model performs the best when using C1, with the high-to-low OSA method also performing quite well. Generally, MLB is the least sensitive to covariate choice. However, most of these statistics do not provide better power than Sall. Thus, while inclusion of the “correct” covariate can lead to increased power, careful selection of appropriate covariates is vital for success. Genet. Epidemiol. 30:77–93, 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Shapiro-Wilk type goodness-of-fit test using a few order statistics

Abstract We develop a large sample goodness-of-fit test for continuous location-scale distributions with finite second moment. The test statistic is a ratio of a quadratic form involving only a few of the ordered observations and the usual sample variance. The proposed statistic is shown to have an asymptotic chi-square distribution under the null hypothesis. The performance of this test is compared specifically with the two tests developed earlier by Shapiro and Wilk (1965, 1972) for normality and exponentiality, respectively. This is accomplished through a power study.
Combination of the exact potential and multipole methods (EP/MM) for evaluation of intermolecular electrostatic interaction energies with pseudoatom representation of molecular electron densities

Abstract A new method (EP/MM) for calculation of intermolecular electrostatic interaction energies from pseudoatom expansions of molecular densities is presented. It combines numerical evaluation of the exact Coulomb integral for the short-range with the Buckingham-type multipole approximation for the long-range interatomic interactions. In first instance the method is combined with the pseudoatom representation of the atomic densities as derived from theoretical wavefunctions. The resulting electrostatic interaction energies of monomers in molecular dimers are in very good agreement with Morokuma–Ziegler decompositioning of triple-zeta DFT energies. The combination of EP/MM with densities from the theoretical databank of aspherical pseudoatoms provides more accurate results than the MMFF94 force-field at a moderate increase in computing time. EP/MM is also applicable to experimental electron densities.
The Correlation of Volumetric Tool Wear and Wear Rate of Machining Tools With the Material Removal Rate of Titanium Alloys

The objective of this paper is to assess the correlation of volumetric tool wear (VTW) and wear rate of carbide tools on the material removal rate (MRR) of titanium alloys. A previously developed methodology for assessing the worn tool material volume is utilized for quantifying the VTW of carbide tools when machining Ti-6Al-4V. To capture the tool substrate response, controlled milling experiments are conducted at suitable corner points of the feed-speed design space for constant stock material removal volumes. For each case, the tool material volumes worn away, as well as the corresponding volumetric wear profile evolution in terms of a set of geometric coefficients are quantified — these are then related to the MRR. Further, the volumetric wear rate and the M-ratio (volume of stock removed to VTW), which is a measure of the cutting tool efficiency, are related to the MRR — these provide a tool-centered optimal MRR in terms of profitability. This work not only elevates tool wear from a 1-D to 3-D concept, but helps in assessing machining economics from a stock material removal efficiency perspective as well.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Use of a cross-over design in testing short-term methylphenidate effects on avoidance conditioning.

90 albino rats, equally divided between the sexes, were divided into groups which received dosages of 4.5 mg/kg, 13.5 mg/kg of methylphenidate and equal volume of distilled water for a total of 8 days. After the initial training period a third of the subjects continued with the same administration while the remaining two-thirds of the animals received the other two dosage combinations. Short-term administration of methylphenidate (Ritalin) facilitated learning as measured by avoidance conditioning. The cross-over design presents advantages over other experimental designs in assessing a variety of possible drug effects. No relationship was obtained between dosage level and response acquisition. However, a linear dose-response relationship was obtained on activity level.
Mechanism of action of estrogens on insulin content of the rat's pancreas

Discussion and ConclusionsThe finding of an increase in pancreatic insulin produced by prolonged estrinization of normal rats has been confirmed. It appeared possible that this effect might be mediated by the pituitary which in such estrinized rats is greatly enlarged. A stimulation of production and secretion by the pituitary of greater than usual amounts of a'pancreatrophic hormone' might account for the observed facts. The pancreatropic potency of the pituitaries of such estrinized rats was therefore tested, in comparison with that of untreated animals. No pancreatrophic action was evident upon implantation of 9 pituitaries of control rats. ∥ The same number of pituitaries of treated rats caused a slight increase in pancreatic insulin content, which by itself, cannot be regarded as sufficient evidence for the increased pancreatrophic potency of the glands. The hypothesis that the effect of the estrogen is mediated by the pituitary is, however, supported by the outcome of the second experiment, i. e., t...