cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production of staphylococcal enterotoxin A in Blue, Brick, Mozzarella, and Swiss cheeses.

Abstract Staphylococcal enterotoxin A production in Blue, Brick, Mozzarella, and Swiss cheeses from milk inoculated with different initial Staphylococcus aureus populations was evaluated. Depending on the type of lactic starter and the strain of S. aureus , enterotoxin was detected under certain conditions in Brick and Swiss cheeses. It was not demonstrated even with higher S. aureus populations (5×10 7 /g) and a complete starter failure in Blue cheese. Minimal S. aureus population associated with presence of detectable enterotoxin was influenced by the environmental conditions in cheese.
Strategies for Elevating the Public and Professional Regard of the Ed.D.

A nationwide strategy for improving Ed.D. programs is needed to overcome two important dilemmas that are typical in schools of education: low academic status for Ed.D. programs and an overreliance on tuition as a source of revenue. Other major hindrances are the lack of agreement about research-based standards, a weak alignment with other elements of educational reform, and fuzzy accreditation standards. The authors then discuss two broad strategies for reversing the downward spiral in educational leadership programs: a compact among elite schools of education to improve their Ed.D. programs and a National Academy of Educational Leadership. For both strategies, the authors explore lessons from a range of analogies drawn frome experience both in the United States and internationally.
Generating single microwave photons in a circuit

Microwaves have widespread use in classical communication technologies, from long-distance broadcasts to short-distance signals within a computer chip. Like all forms of light, microwaves, even those guided by the wires of an integrated circuit, consist of discrete photons. To enable quantum communication between distant parts of a quantum computer, the signals must also be quantum, consisting of single photons, for example. However, conventional sources can generate only classical light, not single photons. One way to realize a single-photon source is to collect the fluorescence of a single atom. Early experiments measured the quantum nature of continuous radiation, and further advances allowed triggered sources of photons on demand. To allow efficient photon collection, emitters are typically placed inside optical or microwave cavities, but these sources are difficult to employ for quantum communication on wires within an integrated circuit. Here we demonstrate an on-chip, on-demand single-photon source, where the microwave photons are injected into a wire with high efficiency and spectral purity. This is accomplished in a circuit quantum electrodynamics architecture, with a microwave transmission line cavity that enhances the spontaneous emission of a single superconducting qubit. When the qubit spontaneously emits, the generated photon acts as a flying qubit, transmitting the quantum information across a chip. We perform tomography of both the qubit and the emitted photons, clearly showing that both the quantum phase and amplitude are transferred during the emission. Both the average power and voltage of the photon source are characterized to verify performance of the system. This single-photon source is an important addition to a rapidly growing toolbox for quantum optics on a chip.
Neurologic injury in cardiac surgical patients with a history of stroke.

Background. Controversy still exists as to whether patients with previous stroke are at increased risk for neurologic complications after heart operations. Methods. We performed a prospective analysis of 1,000 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac operations requiring cardiopulmonary bypass, without hypothermic circulatory arrest. Of the 1,000 patients, 71 had previously documented stroke (study group); 2 control patients with no history of stroke were selected for each of these patients (control group, n=142). There were no significant differences between the study and control patients with respect to established risk factors for neurologic complications. Results. Compared with controls, study patients took longer to awaken (12.6 ± 10.9 versus 3.5 ± 2.1 hours; p p p p p p p Conclusion. This analysis identifies a group of patients at high risk for neurologic sequelae and confirms the vulnerability of the previously injured brain to cardiopulmonary bypass, as evidenced by reappearance or exacerbation of focal deficits in such patients.
A Three-Dimensional in Silico Pharmacophore Model for Inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum Cyclin-Dependent Kinases and Discovery of Different Classes of Novel Pfmrk Specific Inhibitors†

The cell division cycle is regulated by a family of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) that are functionally conserved among many eukaryotic species. The characterization of plasmodial CDKs has identified them as a leading antimalarial drug target in our laboratory. We have developed a three-dimensional QSAR pharmacophore model for inhibition of a Plasmodium falciparum CDK, known as Pfmrk, from a set of fifteen structurally diverse kinase inhibitors with a wide range of activity. The model was found to contain two hydrogen bond acceptor functions and two hydrophobic sites including one aromatic-ring hydrophobic site. Although the model was not developed from X-ray structural analysis of the known CDK2 structure, it is consistent with the structure-functional requirements for binding of the CDK inhibitors in the ATP binding pocket. Using the model as a template, a search of the in-house three-dimensional multiconformer database resulted in the discovery of sixteen potent Pfmrk inhibitors. The predicted inhibitory activities of some of these Pfmrk inhibitors from the molecular model agree exceptionally well with the experimental inhibitory values from the in vitro CDK assay.
Right to know ...need to learn: warning---consumption of uncontrolled information is injurious to your health

Managers and professional staff voice two complaints with high frequency when i visit with them. The first---"I'm snowed...overloaded with information. Look at this desk, look at my calendar. Too many meetings, too many interviews, too many reports and printouts. I'm inundated with information." The second---"I don't feel I'm a part of this outfit any more. They don't communicate with me. The organization is cold and impersonal. I don't know what's going on, don't feel I have a stake in the organization, don't believe it cares about me. I'm alienated ... or getting that way."
Designing rapid onset selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. 2: structure-activity relationships of substituted (aryl)benzylamines.

Abstract A series of substituted benzylamines 2–48 were prepared as part of a strategy to identify structurally differentiated and synthetically more accessible selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, relative to clinical candidate 1. In particular, 44 and 48; demonstrated low nanomolar potency and good selectivity, in a structurally simplified template and, in vivo, very low Vdu, significantly lower than l, and a more rapid Tmax, consistent with our clinical objectives.
In Vitro Flow Testing of Glaucoma Drainage Devices

Objective: The study was intended to determine methods that could evaluate in vitro the flow characteristics of glaucoma drainage devices. Design: Two test methods were used: (1) a gravity-driven flow test and (2) a syringepump-driven flow test. Eighteen devices, both valved and nonvalved, from 4 manufacturers were evaluated for their hydrodynamic resistance and the pressure at which the flow becomes 0. Outcome: Results show a wide variation in device performance, indicating a strong need for enhanced quality control procedures in the device manufacturing process. Conclusion: A gravity-driven flow test provides a reasonably quick test of both resistance and closing pressure, which might be useful as a manufacturing line test. The syringe-driven flow test requires more time but provides additional insight into device performance, and, therefore, might be useful as a design validation test.
Biocompatible Prussian blue nanoparticles: Preparation, stability, cytotoxicity, and potential use as an MRI contrast agent

Abstract A simple synthetic procedure for preparing biocompatible superparamagnetic Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles is reported. The stability, cytotoxicity and ability for PB nanoparticles to penetrate cells are investigated. The potential of using PB nanoparticles as the T1-weighted MRI contrast agent is demonstrated.
How can PRAMS Survey Response Rates be Improved Among American Indian Mothers? Data from 10 States

Objectives To examine the low response rates to the Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey for American Indian (AI) mothers by comparing characteristics of AI participants, AI non-participants, non-Hispanic White (NHW) participants, and NHW non-participants. Methods We analyzed 2000–2002 data from states whose population was at least 5% AI or Alaska Native (AN) (n = 10). Mothers who returned a questionnaire (regardless of completion) or who spoke by telephone with PRAMS personnel were defined as contacts. Mothers who completed a PRAMS questionnaire were defined as respondents. We described overall and state-specific maternal characteristics from birth certificates for both those who were contacted and those not contacted and computed contact and response rates. Results Contact rates varied by state, ranging from 49% to 92% for AI and AN mothers and 82–93% for NHW mothers. However, once contacted, most mothers completed a questionnaire (85–99%). Both AI and NHW mothers were less likely to be contacted if they were <29 years of age, unmarried, multiparous and had ≤12 years of education. Conclusions Recognized predictors of response to PRAMS surveys were similar for AI and NHW mothers. Although contact rates among AI mothers were low when compared to whites, both AI and NHW mothers who were successfully contacted had high participation rates. Ultimately, evidence from states with high response rates for AI suggests that successful efforts will require experience and may be state-specific. In addition, increased state and tribal collaboration may facilitate improved PRAMS contact and response rates among AI.
The localization of vasotocin and neurophysin neurons in the diencephalon of the pigeon, Columba livia.

Vasotocin (VT)- and neurophysin (NP)-synthesizing neurons were demonstrated by immunocytochemistry in the diencephalon of the pigeon, Columba livia. Three diencephalic regions contain VT-NP cells: (1) periventricular preoptic area and hypothalamus, including nucleus periventricularis magnocellularis (PVM); (2) lateral preoptic area and hypothalamus; and (3) dorsal diencephalon. The immunoreactive cells in each of these three regions were divided into groups based on cytology and topography. No differences were found in the location of VT and NP cell groups. The periventricular region contains three continuous cell groups (P1–P3) extending from the posteroventral preoptic area to the anterodorsal hypothalamus and PVM. The lateral region has two cell groups composed of medium- to large-sized cells associated with the quintofrontal tract (L1) or with the optic tract (L2), while a third group (L3) lies between these two cell groups. Two accessory cell groups reside in the dorsolateral hypothalamus; L4 contains scattered cells of varied size, whereas L5 has small- to medium-sized cells clumped together. The dorsal diencephalic cell groups are found in the following locations: (1) lateral and dorsal to the lateral forebrain bundle (DD1); (2) in the area ventral to the dorsomedial anterior thalamic nucleus and dorsolateral to PVM (DD2); and (3) at the dorsolateral border of nucleus rotundus (DD3). To avoid potentially inaccurate mammalian homologies, the cell group nomenclature denotes topographic position. Nevertheless, the presence of VT-NP cells in PVM and projections to the brainstem and spinal cord suggest a homology between PVM and some of the parvocellular subnuclei of the mammalian paraventricular nucleus.
Changes in markers of vascular injury in response to transient hyperhomocysteinemia.

The purpose of this study was to test whether transient increases in homocysteine would promote changes in markers of endothelial injury, cellular fibronectin (cFN), and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1). Homocysteine, cFN, and sVCAM-1 concentrations increased significantly in response to a methionine load by 6 hours in human subjects. However, no correlation was observed between homocysteine and cFN or sVCAM-1. To directly test whether homocysteine can injure endothelial cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were incubated with increasing concentrations of homocysteine, plasma, or serum from hyperhomocysteinemic mice or from the methionine-loaded test subjects. cFN release was increased from endothelial cells cultured with plasma (but not serum) of hyperhomocysteinemic transgenic mice or from methionine-loaded human subjects. These data suggest that very high homocysteine concentrations can promote endothelial injury; however, this effect is likely mediated by secondary effects that include a factor(s) present in plasma that affects endothelial cells.
An alternative surgical technique for the management of afferent limb stricture in Kock pouch continent urinary diversion

Stenosis of the afferent limb has recently been recognized as a rare cause of upper urinary tract obstruction in patients with a Kock pouch continent urinary diversion. Usually, it can be managed by endoscopic balloon dilation but occasionally open surgical reconstruction is required. We describe an alternative simpler surgical technique that was used in a patient who presented with anuria due to afferent limb stenosis 13 years after the construction of a Kock pouch continent urinary diversion.
Inhibition of Programmable Demand Pacemaker by Pacemaker-Induced Myopotentials

Pacemaker-induced myopotentials caused inhibition of a demand pacemaker in two cases in which the unipolar partially encapsulated pacemaker flipped over in its pocket and directly stimulated the muscles of the chest wall. This pacemaker-induced muscular stimulation, possibly combined with afterpotential sensing or T-wave sensing (or both), caused the rate of the demand pacemaker to fall when the output of the programmable pacemaker was set to deliver high energy charges. By programming the unit to deliver a lower charge (shorter width of pulse), the rate rose appropriately to the programmed rate. Likewise, manual rotation of the unipolar pacemaker into proper orientation with the active uninsulated surface directed towards the skin also solved the problem temporarily.
Plasmonic terahertz detectors for biodetection

A report is presented on the biodetection capabilities of plasmonic terahertz detectors. Large changes in the terahertz response of plasmonic detectors loaded with solutions of globulin-free bovine serum albumin, arginine and heparin were measured for concentrations that did affect the device transfer characteristics. The consistent change of the response characteristics with specimen type and concentration can be used to identify and quantify biological and chemical substances. The device structure makes it suitable for use as a building block of a biochip with integrated processing capabilities.
Cooperative Dimerization of a Heterocyclic Diamidine Determines Sequence-Specific DNA Recognition†

In the course of a program aimed at discovering novel DNA-targeted antiparasitic drugs, the phenylfuran-benzimidazole unfused aromatic dication DB293 was identified as the first diamidine capable of forming stacked dimers in the DNA minor groove of GC-containing sequences. Its preferred binding sequence encompasses the tetranucleotide 5'-ATGA.5'-TCAT to which DB293 binds tightly with a strong positive cooperativity. Here we have investigated the influence of the DNA sequence on drug binding using two complementary technical approaches: surface plasmon resonance and DNase I footprinting. The central dinucleotide of the primary ATGA motif was systematically varied to represent all of the eight possible combinations (AXGA and ATYA, where X or Y = A, T, G, or C). Binding affinities for each site were precisely measured by SPR, and the extent of cooperative drug binding was also determined. The sequence recognition process was found to be extremely dependent on the nature of the central dinucleotide pair. Modification of the central TG step decreases binding affinity by a factor varying from 2 to over 500 depending on the base substitution. However, the diminished binding affinity does not affect the unique binding mode. In nearly all cases, the SPR titrations revealed a positive cooperativity in complex formation which reflects the ease of the dication to form stacked dimeric motifs in the DNA minor groove. DNase I footprinting served to identify additional binding sites for DB293 in the context of long DNA sequences offering a large variety of randomly distributed or specifically designed sites. The ATGA motif provided the best receptor for the drug, but lower affinity sequences were also identified. The design of two DNA fragments composed of various targeted tetranucleotide binding sites separated by an "insulator" (nonbinding) sequence allowed us to delineate further the influence of DNA sequence on drug binding and to identify a novel high-affinity site: 5'-ACAA.5'-TTGT. Collectively, the SPR and footprinting results show that the consensus sequence 5'-(A/T)-TG-(A/T) represents the optimal site for cooperative dimerization of the heterocyclic diamidine DB293.
Mouse Hepa 1c1c7 hepatoma cells produce complement component c3; 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin fails to modulate this capacity

Previous studies from this labortory have shown that 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) decreased complement component C3 levels in female B6C3F1 mouse serum following in vivo acute or subchronic exposure (White et al., 1986). Since TCDD is a hepatotoxic compound and more than 90% of serum C3 is produced by the liver, studies were undertaken using mouse Hepa 1c1c7 (Hepa 1) hepatoma cell line to determine if TCDD acts directly on hepatocytes to inhibit C3 production. The C3‐producing capacity of Hepa 1 cells was first examined. When confluent Hepa 1 cell monolayers were cultured in 24‐well plates with serum‐free medium, a detectable amount of C3 (14.1 ± 0.8 ng/ml) was secreted as early as 1 h after culture and reached a plateau at 12 h (68.3 ± 4.9 ng/ml). Furthermore, the sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PACE) analysis demonstrated that the molecular weight of C3 in culture supernatant corresponded to that present in mouse serum. Human recombinant IL‐1β (hrlL‐1β), a kn...
One more topological equivalent of CH

Abstract It is noted that CH is equivalent to the assumption that every dense pseudocompact subspace of 2 c contains a dense Lindelof subspace.
It's effective and somewhat deceptive: The Competitive/Problem‐Solving style

We know that a combination of personality and circumstantial factors affects how people handle a negotiation. Now, Charles B. Craver, of Washington, D.C., explains how the iconic Cooperative/Problem Solving style has been giving way to a new definition of high effectiveness: negotiators who are ready to solve problems, but also are competitive.
The Effect of 3-Month Ingestion of Ginkgo biloba Extract (EGb 761) on Pancreatic β-Cell Function in Response to Glucose Loading in Individuals with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

In the first report (Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2000; 40:647-654), it was shown that ingestion of 120 mg of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) daily for 3 months by normal glucose-tolerant individuals caused a significant increase in pancreatic beta-cell insulin and C-peptide response, measured as the area under the curve (AUC0-->120) during a 2-hour standard (75 g) oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This follow-up study was designed to determine the effect of the same Ginkgo biloba treatment on glucose-stimulated pancreatic beta-cell function in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) subjects. In diet-controlled subjects (fasting plasma glucose [FPG], 117 +/- 16 mg/dl; fasting plasma insulin [FPI], 29 +/- 8 microU/ml; n = 6), ingestion of Ginkgo biloba produced no significant effect on the insulin AUC0-->120 (193 +/- 53 vs. 182 +/- 58 microU/ml/h, before and after ingesting Ginkgo biloba, respectively). In hyperinsulinemic NIDDM subjects taking oral hypoglycemic medications (n = 6) (FPG 143 +/- 48 mg/dl; FPI 46 +/- 13 microU/ml), ingestion of Ginkgo biloba caused blunted plasma insulin levels from 30 to 120 minutes during the OGTT, leading to a reduction of the insulin AUC0-->120 (199 +/- 33 vs. 147 +/- 58 microU/ml/h, before and after Ginkgo biloba, respectively). The C-peptide levels increased, and so the AUC0-->120 did not parallel the insulin AUC0-->120, creating a dissimilar insulin/C-peptide ratio indicative of an enhanced hepatic extraction of insulin relative to C-peptide. Thus, in pancreatic beta-cells that are already maximally stimulated, ingestion of Ginkgo biloba may cause a reduction in plasma insulin levels. Only in NIDDM subjects with pancreatic exhaustion (FPG 152 +/- 46 mg/dl; FPI 16 +/- 8 microU/ml; n = 8), who also took oral hypoglycemic agents, did Ginkgo biloba ingestion significantly increase pancreatic beta-cell function in response to glucose loading (insulin AUC0-->120 increased from 51 +/- 29 to 98 +/- 20 microU/ml/h, p 120 increase from 7.2 +/- 2.8 to 13.7 +/- 6.8 (p < 0.0001). Whether this increase is due to "resuscitation" of previously exhausted islets or increased activity of only the remaining functional islets is unclear. However, not even in this group did increased pancreatic beta-cell activity cause a reduction of blood glucose during the OGTT. It is concluded that ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract by an NIDDM subject may increase the hepatic metabolic clearance rate of not only insulin but also the hypoglycemic agents. The result is reduced insulin-mediated glucose metabolism and elevated blood glucose.
Research on the Prediction of Static Contact Angle in Circular Capillary Tubes

New discovery was found by the capillary experiments with circular glass tubes and partial-wetting liquids that the partial liquid volume under moon surface could be expressed by equivalent height function H(r). Contact angle models suggested in this work, evaluated by Eq. 5, was eventually given by the concept of equivalent height, and so-determined models presented a much higher accuracy on prediction of contact angle compared to Jurin formula.
TEACHERS OF DISTURBED PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: AN ANALYSIS OF TEACHING STYLES

Observations of two experienced teachers of disturbed children suggest the possibility of developing a coding system for differentiating between teaching styles. This paper presents pilot efforts, and poses questions about philosophies of teaching in therapeutic nursery schools which may help to refine training methods in this relatively new field.
Microtubular structure in myxomycete plasmodia.

Further study of the ultrastructure of the protoplasmodium of Clastoderma debaryanum and the phaneroplasmodium of Physarum melleum has confirmed that fibrils with a granular appearance, fibils with a linear substructure, and microtubules can be demonstrated after appropriate fixation. A large (6.5 × 2.2 μ ) body with microtubules radiating from it in all directions seen in the plasmodium of P. melleum forms the basis for a suggestion that microtubules may originate from aggregated material in a stepwise process of development.
Permeability of iron sulfide (FeS)-based materials for groundwater remediation

Iron sulfide (FeS) has been extensively assessed as a reactive medium to remove both metals and halogenated organics from groundwater. However, to address its suitability as a material for permeable reactive barriers (PRBs), its propensity for solids and gas production, which result in reduced permeability, must be evaluated. The reduction in permeability for sands coated with FeS (as mackinawite), under the anoxic conditions often encountered at contaminated groundwater sites, was examined through column experiments and geochemical modeling under conditions of high calcium and nitrate, which have been previously shown to cause significant permeability reduction in zero-valent iron (ZVI) systems. The column experiments showed negligible production of both solids and gases. The geochemical modeling predicted a maximum reduction in permeability of 1% due to solids and about 30% due to gas formation under conditions for which a complete loss of permeability was predicted for ZVI systems. This difference in permeability reduction is driven by the differences in thermodynamic stability of ZVI and FeS in aqueous solutions. The results suggest that geochemical conditions that result in high permeability losses for ZVI systems will likely not be problematic for FeS-based reactive materials.
An obligate brood parasite trapped in the intraspecific arms race of its hosts

Reciprocal selection pressures often lead to close and adaptive matching of traits in coevolved species. A failure of one species to match the evolutionary trajectories of another is often attributed to evolutionary lags1,2 or to differing selection pressures across a geographic mosaic3,4. Here we show that mismatches in adaptation of interacting species—an obligate brood parasitic duck and each of its two main hosts—are best explained by the evolutionary dynamics within the host species. Rejection of the brood parasite's eggs was common by both hosts, despite a lack of detectable cost of parasitism to the hosts. Egg rejection markedly reduced parasite fitness, but egg mimicry experiments revealed no phenotypic natural selection for more mimetic parasitic eggs. These paradoxical results were resolved by the discovery of intraspecific brood parasitism and conspecific egg rejection within the hosts themselves. The apparent arms race between species seems instead to be an incidental by-product of within-species conflict, with little recourse for evolutionary response by the parasite.
Failure of fluosol to influence the incidence of cerebral infarction or mortality in gerbils subjected to temporary carotid occlusion

Abstract Three hundred two gerbils were subjected to 2, 4, or 6 hours of temporary occlusion of the right common carotid artery. The animals were divided into four groups. The first two groups were given an infusion of Fluosol DA 20% (20 ml/kg) before arterial occlusion. One of these groups was kept in an environment of 100% oxygen during the time of occlusion and the other group was kept in room air. The two other groups of animals did not receive Fluosol. One of these groups was kept in 100% oxygen and the other group in room air during the time of arterial occlusion. The surviving animals were sacrificed 7 days later, and their brains were examined grossly and microscopically for evidence of cerebral infarction. There was a lesser incidence of early hemiparesis in the two groups treated with Fluosol, as well as in the untreated group that was kept in 100% oxygen. However, the incidence of infarction and the mortality were not significantly different in any of the groups.
High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of phosphorothioate analogues of oligodeoxynucleotides in biological fluids.

Phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (S-ODNs) have potential as anti-viral agents and are being investigated for the chemotherapy of AIDS. A high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the analysis, in urine and plasma, of a 28-unit deoxycytidine homopolymer (S-dC28) and a 28-unit S-ODN “antisense” to the rev gene of the human immunodeficiency virus. This method employs ion-pairing HPLC with a polymeric column. Tetrabutylammonium is used as the ion-pairing agent in a mobile phase of acetonitrile in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer. Analysis of the S-ODNs is relatively rapid (20 min) and sensitive (20 nm) and is accomplished by a gradient elution (22.5–30.0% acetonitrile) followed by ultraviolet (266 or 272 nm) absorption detection. This method is likely applicable, with appropriate modifications, to all S-ODNs of similar molecular weight regardless of sequence. The S-ODNs bind very strongly to plasma proteins but are readily prepared for analysis by a phenol extraction procedure. In a preliminary pharmacokinetic study in mice with S-dC28, very rapid elimination of the oligomer from plasma was observed (half-time, 11.6 min). Estimates for the apparent volume of distribution and total body clearance were 3 ml and 0.2 ml/min, respectively. It appears that the majority of the oligomer is eliminated by renal clearance (glomerular filtration), a property likely shared by all S-ODNs of similar molecular mass.
Cumulative self-phase modulation in planar nematics driven by 532-nm nanosecond laser pulses

In response to 6-10-ns laser irradiation of nematic liquid- crystal layers, unusual approximately 0.5 - ten second build-up time, high-contrast, far-field, concentric elliptical diffraction rings in a 532-nm, linearly polarized, Gaussian beams, are observed at 2 - 10-Hz pulse- repetition rate, a phenomenon strongly dependent on the orientation of the nematic molecules, under experimental conditions excluding ordinary orientational spatial self- phase modulation, for a geometry in which incident laser- light polarization is parallel to the nematic director and propagation direction perpendicular to the planar-nematic cell. Once formed, each set of rings may, upon further irradiation, exist for up to several minutes. The number of these rings varies systematically with laser intensity (between 1 - 2 and (up to) 20 rings). Cells of nematic 5CB (or its mixture with 7 CB) with 30, 50, 105, or 125-micrometers thickness and laser-beam diameters (at 1/e2 level) of approximately 35 - 50 and 160-micrometers are used. The threshold of the nonlinearity is modified either by changing the laser repetition rate or by adding a two-photon absorbing chromophore. For CW laser irradiation of twice higher power density than the average power density in the pulsed mode the effect disappears.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optimized restoration of combined ac/dc shipboard power systems including distributed generation and islanding techniques

Abstract Reconfiguration involves changing the status (OFF/ON) of switches, and reconfiguration for restoration involves changing the switch status to maximize the supply to loads that are left unsupplied after fault removal. Shipboard Power Systems (SPS) need automated reconfiguration for restoration schemes to restore vital loads quickly and efficiently in order to improve fight-through and survivability capabilities. The restoration in this paper is achieved using optimization with multiple objectives—maximizing the restored load and giving priority to vital loads. A restoration scheme for SPS with an integrated power system (IPS) and distributed generation (DG) involving islanding has been developed. This formulation includes a hybrid power system that has both ac and dc parts. The restoration formulation in this paper also considers the unbalanced nature of SPS operation with mutual coupling.
Racial disparities in the development of breast cancer metastases among older women: a multilevel study.

BACKGROUND: Distant metastases are the most common and lethal type of breast cancer relapse. The authors examined whether older African American breast cancer survivors were more likely to develop metastases compared with older white women. They also examined the extent to which 6 pathways explained racial disparities in the development of metastases. METHODS: The authors used 1992-1999 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data with 1991-1999 Medicare data. They used Medicare's International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes to identify metastases of respiratory and digestive systems, brain, bone, or other unspecified sites. The 6 pathways consisted of patient characteristics, tumor characteristics, type of treatment received, access to medical care, surveillance mammography use, and area-level characteristics (poverty rate and percentage African American) and were obtained from the SEER or Medicare data. RESULTS: Of the 35,937 women, 10.5% developed metastases. In univariate analysis, African American women were 1.61 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54-1.83) more likely to develop metastasis than white women. In multivariate analysis, tumor grade, stage at diagnosis, and census-tract percentage African American explained why African American women were more likely to develop metastases than white women (hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.68-1.03). CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to reduce late-stage breast cancer among African Americans also may reduce racial disparities in subsequent increased risk of developing metastasis. African Americans diagnosed with high-grade breast cancer could be targeted to reduce their risk of metastasis. Future studies should identify specific reasons why the racial distribution in census tracts was associated with racial disparities in the risk of breast cancer metastases. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Abstract 4595: RPL18A as putative target of rigosertib

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Rigosertib (ON 01910.Na) is clinical stage anti-mitotic cancer inhibitor that causes spindle abnormalities in neoplastic cells. Rigosertib inhibits PI3K and PLK1 signaling pathways, down regulates cyclin D1 expression and induces apoptosis. Previously we reported rigosertib led to hyperphosphorylation of RanGAP1•SUMO1, regulator of RanGTP/RanGDP cycle, and hypothesized phosphatase inhibition [Cancer Res 2011; 71; 4968-76]. Using biotin-conjugated rigosertib and avidin-conjugated agarose beads, we sought rigosertib molecular target from HeLa cell lysates by pull-down assay. Long-linker 1910-biotin showed an IC50 for cytotoxicity similar to unmodified rigosertib and efficient avidin binding. Asynchronously grown HeLa cell lysates were incubated with designated ligands and avidin beads. Bound lysate proteins were recovered from beads, resolved on SDS-PAGE and stained. Specific protein band of ∼20 kDa was detected only with long-linker 1910-biotin. Identification of proteins from the gel was performed by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Four ribosomal proteins possessed Mascot score above cut-off level with RPL18A, score of 367, and other proteins scored 153 or less. Specific dose-dependent binding of long-linker 1910-biotin to RPL18A was confirmed by Western blot analysis in replicate pull-down experiments using HeLa or MOLT-3 cell lysates. Recombinant RPL18A possessed specific reactivity to 1910-biotin in the pull-down assay. Knock-down of RPL18A with siRNA causes apoptosis in cancer cell lines [Sudo et al, Genomics 2010; 95; 210-6; and our data]. We propose that nucleocytoplasmic transport of RPL18A is impaired when hyperphosphorylated RanGAP1•SUMO1 fails to provide RanGTP/GDP gradient for nuclear pore complex. Importin-9 (IPO-9) is a major nucleocytoplasmic transporter for RPL18A. Among other cargos of IPO-9 are HSP27 (important anti-apoptotic player), scaffold subunit A of PP2A (major mitotic phosphatase), core histones and ribosomal proteins. Considering the essential role of nucleocytoplasmic transport in general and probable consequences of impeded transport of HSP27, PP2A and/or core histones, that actually match those observed with rigosertib, we hypothesize that binding with RPL18A in the presence of hyperphosphorylated RanGAP1•SUMO1 interferes with normal function of IPO-9, resulting in a variety of malfunctions and apoptosis observed in rigosertib treated cancer cells. Citation Format: Irina Oussenko, Saikrishna Divakar, M. V. Ramana Reddy, James F. Holland, E. Premkumar Reddy, Takao Ohnuma. RPL18A as putative target of rigosertib. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4595. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4595
Extraction of chloride by di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid from rare earth chloride solutions☆

Abstract The extraction of chloride by di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HG, where was studied as a function of acidity, metallic ion concentration, and solvent G = [C4H9·CH(C2H5)CH2]2PO4−) concentration in order to understand the chemistry of the extraction process. The chloride concentration was determined by titration with mercuric nitrate using diphenylcarbazone as an indicator. It was possible to correlate the data successfully by assuming that a compound with the stoichiometry 3HCl·4HG was formed. When rare earth ions coexisted, the chloride concentration in the organic phase was maximum when the metallic ion concentration in the aqueous phase was 0·1M. Three extraction reactions were assumed to be taking place: (a) HCl was extracted as 3HCl·4HG, (b) formation of complexes of the type MnCl(HG2)3n−1 formed (M = rare earth ions), and (c) formation of M(HG2)3 complexes. The HCl extracted was volatilized by bubbling dry air through the organic phase for 1 hr at 25° and at 100°C.
Laser Scanning Thermal Probe: A Novel Approach to NDE

Infrared (IR) thermography and, more recently, thermosonics have proven to be viable means of qualitative nondestructive evaluation (NDE). However, structural defects such as cracks observed through thermosonics can only be identified as “hot spots” indicating a general location of a defect without an accurate depiction of the dimensions or shape of the defect. This paper introduces a new technique dubbed Laser Scanning Thermal Probe, LSTP, which combines thermography with the use of heat application in strategic locations to observe the spatial heat flow patterns. LSTP provides the ability to record heat propagation across a defect area with temperature discontinuities forming due to differences in defect thermal diffusivity, thus providing information which can be used to characterize the defect such as crack length.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
The novel calcium antagonist Ro 40-5967 limits myocardial infarct size in the dog

Objective: The aim was to compare the infarct limiting effect of Ro 40-5967 (Ro40), a new calcium antagonist with little negative inotropic activity, with that of verapamil and with ischaemic preconditioning, a potent endogenous cardioprotective mechanism. Methods: Dogs (n = 53) of either sex were subjected to 60 min of coronary occlusion followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Drug treated dogs received either verapamil (1.0 mg·kg−1) or Ro40 (3.0 mg·kg−1) intravenously for 100 min starting 15 min prior to the occlusion. Control dogs received a saline infusion. Ischaemic preconditioning consisted of four 5 min cycles of ischaemia alternating with four 5 min cycles of reperfusion. After 3 h of reflow, hearts were excised and infarct size was measured using tripheyltetrazolium chloride macrochemistry and expressed as percent of the ischaemic area at risk (AAR). To control for variation in infarct size due to variation in collateral blood flow, infarct size among groups was compared using ANCOVA, in which infarct size and collateral blood flow, measured at 30 min of occlusion, were dependent and independent variables, respectively. Results: Transmural collateral blood flow and AAR were not significantly different between any of the groups. Mean infarct size (adjusted by ancova for slight differences in collateral blood flow among groups) in control dogs (n=13) was 25.9(SEM 3.2)% of the AAR. Both verapamil (n= 11) and Ro40 (n = 9) limited infarct size [14.2(3.2)% AAR and 16.7(2.9)% AAR, respectively; both p<0.05]. Preconditioning (n = 17) also significantly limited infarct size [8.1(1.8)%; p<0.01]. Conclusions: The new calcium antagonist, Ro 40-5967, was as effective as verapamil in limiting infarct size after 60 min of regional ischaemia followed by 3 h of reperfusion, although neither calcium antagonist was as effective as ischaemic preconditioning. Cardiovascular Research 1994; 28 :1526-1532
What is the space of camera response functions

Many vision applications require precise measurement of scene radiance. The function relating scene radiance to image brightness is called the camera response. We analyze the properties that all camera responses share. This allows us to find the constraints that any response function must satisfy. These constraints determine the theoretical space of all possible camera responses. We have collected a diverse database of real-world camera response functions (DoRF). Using this database we show that real-world responses occupy a small part of the theoretical space of all possible responses. We combine the constraints from our theoretical space with the data from DoRF to create a low-parameter Empirical Model of Response (EMoR). This response model allows us to accurately interpolate the complete response function of a camera from a small number of measurements obtained using a standard chart. We also show that the model can be used to accurately estimate the camera response from images of an arbitrary scene taken using different exposures. The DoRF database and the EMoR model can be downloaded at http://www.cs.columbia.edu/CAVE.
Using CBM to Identify Advanced Learners in the General Education Classroom

Identification of gifted and talented students presents a conceptual and practical challenge for educators. On the one hand, giftedness can be represented by potential, a difficult trait to measure...
John F. Kennedy: World Leader – By Stephen G. Rabe

The author of this book is a leading scholar of U.S.‐Latin American relations during the Cold War and has made an excellent addition to Potomac Books' already admirable series, Issues in the Histor...
Joint Base Station Placement and Fault-Tolerant Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks

Fault tolerance techniques have been widely used in wireless sensor networks. Base station placement to maximize the network lifetime has also been well studied. However, limited research has been done on the joint base station placement and fault-tolerant routing problem. To fill this void, we study this problem and present a fully polynomial time approximation scheme in this paper. Our scheme can compute a (1 - Ɛ)- approximation with a running time bounded by a polynomial in 1/Ɛ and the input size of the instance. Despite our solution is presented for the model where the base station can be placed anywhere, however it can be easily extended to cases where forbidden areas are present or candidate locations for the base station are given. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first theoretical result on this problem.
Enhanced independent component analysis and its application to content based face image retrieval

This paper describes an enhanced independent component analysis (EICA) method and its application to content based face image retrieval. EICA, whose enhanced retrieval performance is achieved by means of generalization analysis, operates in a reduced principal component analysis (PCA) space. The dimensionality of the PCA space is determined by balancing two competing criteria: the representation criterion for adequate data representation and the magnitude criterion for enhanced retrieval performance. The feasibility of the new EICA method has been successfully tested for content-based face image retrieval using 1,107 frontal face images from the FERET database. The images are acquired from 369 subjects under variable illumination, facial expression, and time (duplicated images). Experimental results show that the independent component analysis (ICA) method has poor generalization performance while the EICA method has enhanced generalization performance; the EICA method has better performance than the popular face recognition methods, such as the Eigenfaces method and the Fisherfaces method.
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccines

Pneumococcal infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality in children throughout the world. For this reason and because of the increasingly frequent isolation of multiply resistant pneumococci of the serotypes most often causing infection in childhood, prophylactic immunization offers the best prospect of reducing the incidence of such infections in the future. Studies of the immune system of humans have shown that immunologic maturation continues throughout the first decade of life and that responsiveness to some purified bacterial polysaccharides may be delayed until several years after birth. Vaccines of such capsular polysaccharides conjugated chemically to protein have been found to be immunogenic at an earlier age and to stimulate the development of IgM and IgG antibodies and of "immunologic memory." Current investigations suggest that administration of polyvalent vaccines of polysaccharide-protein conjugates in infancy followed by the administration of vaccines of purified polysaccharides after the age of 10 years offers the prospect of reducing significantly the incidence of pneumococcal infections.
Seismic Hazard vs. Seismic Risk

The world is full of uncertainties, ranging from climate change, financial markets, natural disasters, terror attacks, and personal health to the measurements of the most fundamental elements of all: time and space. Dealing with uncertainty is a given in life, and any decision is always made under a certain degree of uncertainty. Risk is one of the most important concepts for dealing with uncertainty in decision making. Another important concept associated with risk is hazard. Hazard is a natural or man-made phenomenon that has the potential to cause harm ( i.e. , social or economic consequences). Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods, for example, are natural hazards, whereas car crashes, chemical spills, train derailments, and terror attacks are man-made hazards. Risk, on the other hand, is the probability of harm if someone or something is exposed to a hazard. Similarly, seismic hazard and seismic risk are fundamentally different. Seismic hazard is a natural phenomenon such as ground shaking, fault rupture, or soil liquefaction that is generated by an earthquake, whereas seismic risk is the probability that humans will incur loss or damage to their built environment if they are exposed to a seismic hazard. In other words, seismic risk is an interaction between seismic hazard and vulnerability (humans or their built environment). In general, seismic risk can …
Measuring and modeling fault density for CO2 storage plume-fault encounter probability estimation

Emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil-fueled power generation stations contributes to global climate change. Capture of CO2 from such stationary sources and storage within the pores of geologic strata (geologic carbon storage) is one approach to mitigating anthropogenic climate change. The large storage volume needed for this approach to be effective requires injection into pore space saturated with saline water in reservoir strata overlain by cap rocks. One of the main concerns regarding storage in such rocks is leakage via faults. Such leakage requires, first, that the CO2 plume encounter a fault and, second, that the properties of the fault allow CO2 to flow upward. Considering only the first step of encounter, fault population statistics suggest an approach to calculate the probability of a plume encountering a fault, particularly in the early site-selection stage when site-specific characterization data may be lacking. The resulting fault encounter probability approach is applied to a case study in the southern part of the San Joaquin Basin, California. The CO2 plume from a previously planned injection was calculated to have a 4.1% chance of encountering a fully seal offsetting fault and a 9% chance of encountering a fault with a throw half the seal thickness. Subsequently available information indicated the presence of a half-seal offsetting fault at a location 2.8 km (1.7 mi) northeast of the injection site. The encounter probability for a plume large enough to encounter a fault with this throw at this distance from the injection site is 25%, providing a single before and after test of the encounter probability estimation method.