cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to pemetrexed chemotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma-bronchioloalveolar carcinoma insensitive to erlotinib.

Abstract Targeted therapy against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non–small-cell lung cancer has heralded an era of mutationally targeted inhibition of this receptor and its oncogenic signal transduction using the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) gefitinib and erlotinib. EGFR TKIs have helped facilitate the concept of “personalized” cancer therapy into a reality. A majority of unselected patients remain as nonresponders with primary resistance to EGFR TKIs. Initial responders to EGFR TKIs all invariably relapse later with resistant disease. The optimal alternative therapeutic approach after a failed therapeutic trial of treatment with EGFR TKI remains to be better defined. Herein, we report a case of a patient with recurrent metastatic lung adenocarcinoma-bronchioloalveolar carcinoma that showed primary insensitivity to erlotinib therapy who later demonstrated substantial durable response to single-agent pemetrexed. We also present discussion on the evolving paradigm of the use of erlotinib in lung cancer and the current status of determinants of sensitivity in pemetrexed chemotherapy.
Charge-remote fragmentation during FAB-CAD-B/E linked-scan mass spectrometry of aminoethyl-triphenylphosphonium derivatives of fatty acids

The carboxyl group of fatty acids is derivatized by aminoethyl triphenylphosphonium (AETPP) bromide. Fast atom bombardment (FAB) collision-activated dissociation (CAD) B/E linked-scan mass spectrometry of these fixed-charge derivatives shows typical charge-remote fragmentation (CRF). Locations of various structural modifications in fatty acids can be recognized easily from CAD spectra of the AETPP derivatives. Because the triphenylphosphonium group localizes positive charge in the molecule, and because a key requirement for CRF is a tightly localized charge site, these preionized molecules fragment under FAB-CAD conditions more effectively than other derivatives that involve ionic bonding with metal cations or protonation of basic sites. Thus, CAD of AETPP derivatives is likely to produce more structurally informative spectra and provide an opportunity to gain additional under-standing of the CRF process. The most profound difference between the AETPP derivatives and other cations in positive mode FAB-CAD-B/E-MS is reflected in the substantial improvement of detection limits for the AETPP derivatives over those for the metal cation adducts. For several fatty acids (C10-C22) tested, the detectability can be enhanced by one to two orders of magnitude when the analysis is performed on the AETPP derivative. In addition, for the analysis of fatty acid mixtures, the FAB mass spectrum of AETPP derivatives produces a relative intensity of the molecular ion peak for each component of the mixture that more closely represents its mole fraction than does that of metal ion adducts.
The outburst of V1647 orionis revealed by Spitzer

We present Spitzer Space Telescope observations of V1647 Ori, the outbursting source lighting McNeil's Nebula, taken near the optical peak of the outburst in early March 2004. The source is easily detected in all Spitzer imaging bands from 3.6 to 70 μm. The fluxes at all wavelengths are roughly a factor of 15 brighter than pre-outburst levels; we measure a bolometric luminosity of 44 L☉. We posit that this event is due to an increase in the accretion luminosity of the source. Simple models of an accretion disk plus a tenuous envelope can qualitatively explain the observed pre- and post-outburst spectral energy distributions. The accretion activity implied by our results indicates that the outburst may be intermediate between FUor- and EXor-type events. We also report the discovery of a previously unknown mid-infrared counterpart to the nearby Herbig-Haro object HH 22.
Advanced process control for implant toolset for logic and flash technologies

In recent technologies (both flash and logic) device performances are key parameters to ensure high product performances. For logic technologies transistor electrical length is closely correlated with product speed performance and, for flash technologies, the current of the high performance transistors are closely correlated with the array access time. This paper is related to an advanced process control that has been put in place on the implant toolset to properly control and optimize the electrical performance of these transistors. Specific Implant tool parameters, collected in real time from chamber tool sensors, have been correlated with electrical yield and product performance. The analysis has been carried on flash and logic devices.
Arsenic antagonizes the Hedgehog pathway by preventing ciliary accumulation and reducing stability of the Gli2 transcriptional effector

Aberrant Hedgehog (Hh) pathway activation has been implicated in cancers of diverse tissues and organs, and the tumor growth-inhibiting effects of pathway antagonists in animal models have stimulated efforts to develop pathway antagonists for human therapeutic purposes. These efforts have focused largely on cyclopamine derivatives or other compounds that mimic cyclopamine action in binding to and antagonizing Smoothened, a membrane transductory component. We report here that arsenicals, in contrast, antagonize the Hh pathway by targeting Gli transcriptional effectors; in the short term, arsenic blocks Hh-induced ciliary accumulation of Gli2, the primary activator of Hh-dependent transcription, and with prolonged incubation arsenic reduces steady-state levels of Gli2. Arsenicals active in Hh pathway antagonism include arsenic trioxide (ATO), a curative agent in clinical use for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL); in our studies, ATO inhibited growth of Hh pathway-driven medulloblastoma allografts derived from Ptch +/− p53 −/− mice within a range of serum levels comparable to those achieved in treatment of human APL. Arsenic thus could be tested rapidly as a therapeutic agent in malignant diseases associated with Hh pathway activation and could be particularly useful in such diseases that are inherently resistant or have acquired resistance to cyclopamine mimics.
A Combinatorial Problem Related to Interleaved Memory Systems

A combinatorial problem arising from the analysis of a model of interleaved memory systems is studied. The performance measure whose calculation defines this problem is based on the distribution of the number of modules in operation during a memory cycle, assuming saturated demand and an arbitrary but fixed number of modules.In general terms the problem is as follows. Suppose we have a Markov chain of n states numbered 0, 1, ···, n - 1. For each i assume that the one-step transition probability from state i to state (i + 1) mod n is given by the parameter a and from state i to any other state is b = (1 - a)/(n - 1). Given an initial state, the problem is to find the expected number of states through which the system passes before returning to a state previously entered. The principal result of the paper is a recursive procedure for computing this expected number of states. The complexity of the procedure is seen to be small enough to enable practical numerical studies of interleaved memory systems.
Theoretical and experimental study towards a nanogap dielectric biosensor

Theoretical and experimental studies of nanogap capacitors as potential label free biosensors are presented. The nanogap device is capable of detecting the existence of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotides (20-mer) in 100 nM aqueous solutions using a 20 nm gap of 1.2 pl in volume. While the dielectric properties of DNA solution have been widely investigated, early approaches are limited at low frequency by the parasitic noise due to the electrical double layer (EDL) impedance. Nanogap electrodes have the potential to serve as biomolecular junctions because their size (5-100 nm) minimizes electrode polarization effects regardless of frequency. In this paper, we modeled the effects of the EDL interaction between two parallel nanogap electrodes by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) equation for equilibrium state. When the gap size is smaller than the EDL thickness, the dependence of the nanogap capacitance on the ionic strength is insignificant. This is critical in using the capacitance change as an indicator of the existence of target molecules. The predicted capacitance of nanogaps filled with various ionic strength electrolytes was in quantitative agreement with the experimental measurements. The various concentrations of the target molecules in nanogap sensor were characterized. A capacitance change of a 20 nm x (10)1.5 microm x 4mm gap from 3.5 to 4.1 nF at 200 Hz was recorded between deionized water (DI) and 100 nM ssDNA solution (about 70,000 molecules inside the gap for equilibrium state).
Degenerative and axon outgrowth-altering effects of phencyclidine in human fetal cerebral cortical cells

Abstract Babies born to mothers abusing the psychotomimetic drug phencyclidine (PCP), often show profound deficits in CNS function. It is now reported that PCP can cause progressive degeneration and death in human fetal cerebral cortical neurons in culture and sublethal levels of PCP can inhibit axon outgrowth. In cerebral cortical cell cultures established from 14 week fetuses, exposure to 500 μM PCP resulted in a progressive degeneration of neurons over a 2–8 day period, characterized by early reversible vacuolation of the soma and later irreversible neurite fragmentation and cell death. A sublethal concentration of PCP (100 μM) suppressed axon outgrowth. The adverse effects of PCP on neurons were apparently not due to actions on N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors because: the neurons were not responsive to NMDA during the first 3 weeks in culture; concentrations of PCP that should block NMDA receptors maximally (1–50 μM) did not affect axon outgrowth or cell survival; and another NMDA receptor antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV) did not cause neurodegeneration or affect axon outgrowth. Exposure of cultures to the sigma receptor ligand, pentazocine (10 μM), did not significantly affect the survival of neurons and haloperidol did not reduce PCP-induced neurodegeneration, indicating that the effects of PCP were not mediated by sigma receptors. Degenerative effects, similar to those elicited by PCP, were observed in cortical neurons exposed to the K+ channel blockers, 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium, a finding consistent with the possibility that the degenerative actions of PCP were mediated by its known inhibitory effects on K+ channels. In support of the latter possibility, it was found that PCP caused a progressive elevation in intracellular levels of calcium during several days of exposure. In addition to affecting neurons, PCP and K+ channel blockers caused vacuolation and degeneration of astrocytes. Taken together with previous data, indicating that PCP can be concentrated and retained in the fetal CNS, the present data suggest that high levels of PCP can disrupt the normal development of neural circuitry in the human fetus, which would be expected to result in profound functional impairments.
The 1974 origins of VoIP

This paper brings light on the digital signal processing (DSP) roots of a modern concept, voice over IP (VoIP). An example is also provided in which developments in DSP - speech coding, in particular - had a profound impact on the early development of the ARPANET, the ancestor of the Internet. The author shows how packet speech, recently rediscovered and made popular as VoIP, was first successfully demonstrated in 1974 on the ARPANET and how the Internet protocol (IP) emerged largely as a result of that effort.
Effect of hydrogen peroxide and catalase on rat cerebellum nitric oxide synthase

The effect of H2O2 and catalase on isolated rat cerebellum nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity was determined by measuring the conversion of l-[3H]arginine to l-[3H]citrulline. H2O2 (1–5 mM) markedly increased NO synthase activity in the presence of endogenous catalase (72 ± 4 U/mL). This effect of H2O2 was further increased by exogenous catalase (200 U/mL). Exogenous catalase (0.1 to 1000 U/mL) by itself had no significant effect on NO synthase activity. Nitroblue tetrazolium chloride, an electron acceptor, inhibited NO synthase activity in a concentration-dependent manner. This study suggests that H2O2 is not directly involved in NO synthesis and that the H2O2/catalase stimulation of NO synthase activity may be due to the excess oxygen produced by the H2O2/catalase system.
The Puritan Religious Dilemma: The Ethical Dimensions of God's Sovereignty

Much American writing reflects an almost obsessive concern for exploring the interrelationship betweeen ethical and religious values. This preoccupation first emerges in the writings of the early American Puritans. Their covenant theology, as expressed by John Winthrop, describes a divinely established universal moral order which makes experience and God rationally and ethically comprehensible. However, from 1650 onward, Puritan writings frequently portray a wilderness experience that is no longer explicable in terms of this moral order. To many, the encounter with the wilderness abrogated the close correlation between the ethical and religious which the covenant theology affirms. As a consequence, there emerges in Puritan theological writings a quest for a symbol of God that makes the ethical and religious congruent, if not identical, realms. This preoccupation, although expressed in the idioms of the 1600's and early 1700's, gives Puritan theology a distinctively modern tone, since in many ways it anticipates the religious concerns which Soren Kierkegaard expresses in his notion of the "teleological suspension of the ethical." The Puritan quest in fact gives rise to a debate whether such a notion as God's teleological suspension of the ethical constitutes a valid religious explanation of human experience. The essential outlines of this debate are initially formulated in such writings as the Puritan jeremiads, Urian Oakes' sermon "The Sovereign Efficacy of Divine Providence," and Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Despite these Puritan origins, however, this debate does not terminate with the demise of Purtanism. Rather, it is continued in such later writings as J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur's Lettersfrom an American Farmer, Nathaniel William Taylor's sermon RICHARD FORRER is Assistant Professor of Religion at Texas Christian University and has published essays on the interrelationships between religion and literature, which include: "Oedipus at Colonus: A Crisis in the Greek Notion of Deity," Comparative Drama 8 (Winter 1974-75); and "Absalom, Absalom!: Story-Telling as a Mode of Self-Transcendence," to appear in the forthcoming Winter issue of The Southern Literary Journal:
‘Clean’ a-Si:H prepared in a UHV system

Abstract Hydrogenated amorphous Si(a-Si:H) prepared in conventional systems often contains a large amount of impurities, with O, C, and N levels as high as 0.1–1 at.%. In this paper we demonstrate that by addressing three issues related to impurities in the UHV plasma deposition system, which are contaminant impurities, cross contamination, and interfacial impurities, ‘clean’ material with a 2–4 orders-of-magnitude reduction in impurity levels can be obtained. Also sharp interfaces can be fabricated in this single-chamber reactor. The ‘clean’ a-Si:H is found to have very few defects but preliminary results indicate that the Staebler-Wronski effect is still present in the material. The UHV system provides a unique opportunity to assess the influence of impurity and to study properties intrinsic to a-Si:H.
Investigating firm's customer agility and firm performance: The importance of aligning sense and respond capabilities

Abstract In today's hypercompetitive environment, firms that are agile tend to be more successful. However, despite the widely accepted importance of agility, there is limited research on this construct. In this study we aim to conceptually define and operationalize firm's customer agility. We propose that agility comprises two distinct capabilities, sensing and responding, and we address the issue of alignment between these capabilities and its impact on performance. Using a dynamic capabilities framework, we formulate both matching and mediating perspectives on customer agility. Based on data collected from marketing managers, we tested hypotheses pertaining to the two methods of alignment. The results indicate significant support for the role of both forms of alignment on performance. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Structural basis for aconitase activity inactivation by butanedione and binding of substrates and inhibitors.

Abstract Aconitase (citrate(isocitrate)hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.3) prior to activation demonstrates a single binding site for substrates and inhibitors. On the basis of kinetic experiments, at pH 8.5 and 37° C, with monomeric butanedione in borate, this binding site was found to contain a single arginine residue. Dissociation constants at pH 8.5 and 37° C, determined from inhibitory effects on butanedione inactivation rates are: citrate, 0.74 mM; d -isocitrate, 0.33 mM: cis -aconitate, 0.52 mM; tricarballytate, 0.42 mM; trans -aconitate, 0.025 mM. Corresponding dissociation constants for the active enzyme are: tricarballylate, 0.39 mM; trans -aconitate, 0.14 mM. Active site Fe 2+ added to the enzyme on activation is therefore not required for binding. K m values are: citrate, 0.23 mM and cis -aconitate 0.012 mM. Binding to active enzyme is considered to be transition state binding.
Image degradation due to assembly and alignment errors in conical foil x‐ray telescopes

The technology to fabricate and assemble many concentric, nested conical foil x-ray telescopes for high-throughput, moderateresolution, spectroscopic applications promises to be a cost-effective alternative to the grinding and polishing of conventional grazing incidence Wolter Type I telescopes. The three fundamental mechanisms that degrade achievable resolution for any imaging system are diffraction, geometrical aberrations (due to residual design errors, surface figure errors, and alignment errors), and scattering due to residual optical surface irregularities. A detailed parametric analysis of the image degradation due to each of these mechanisms is presented, with particular emphasis on the assembly and alignment errors for these tightly nested conical foil x-ray telescopes. A detailed error budget tree is then developed from which assembly and alignment tolerances can be derived. This error budget tree allows systems engineering trade-offs between foil surface tolerances, assembly and alignment tolerances, and the intrinsic resolution due to diffraction and residual design errors (the conical approximation to the ideal paraboloidal and hyperboloidal surface figure). Although the Danish Space Research Institute’s XSPECT conical foil x-ray telescope design parameters were used in this study, the methodology developed is applicable to any nested array of grazing incidence x-ray telescopes.
A Morphological Study of Selected Synthetic Clays by Electron Microscopy

The morphology of synthetic montmorillonite and hectorite was studied using electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. Interstratified montmorillonite-mica particles may be identified in these specimens by electron microscopy and electron diffraction techniques. Magnesium-substituted samples were found to exhibit an increasing amount of curling with increasing magnesium content except for the end-member magnesium clay. Synthetic hectorite clays do not necessarily have the same morphology as natural hectorite clays. A study was made also of the morphology of a series of samples obtained from a study of kinetics of crystallization. Boehmite and montmorillonite were the basic components of the system. It was found that the montmorillonite clay particles curled around the boehmite which had been adsorbed on the basal surfaces on the montmorillonite.
Photodissociation of protonated β-diketones in the gas phase

The gas phase photodissociation spectra of four protonated β-diketones were obtained and compared with the absorption spectra of the corresponding ions in solution. Protonated 2,4-pentanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation process [C5H9O2]+ +hν [CH3CO]+ +C3H6O with a λmax at 276±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 286 nm. Protonated 2,4-hexanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation processes [C6H11O2]+ +hν [CH3CO]+ +C4H8O and [C6H11O2]+ +hν [C2H5CO]+ +C3H6O with a λmax at 279±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 288 nm. Protonated 3-methyl-2,4-pentanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation process [C6H11O2]+ +hν [CH3CO]+ +C4H8O with a λmax at 295±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 305 nm. Protonated 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation process [C5H6F3O2]+ +hν CF3H+[C4H5O2]+ with a λmax at 273±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 288 nm. The [CH3CO]+ and [C2H5CO]+ produced photochemically with the first three ions react to regenerate the protonated β-diketone leading to a photostationary state. Photodissociation of the protonated alkyl β-diketones is believed to occur from the protonated keto form, whereas photodissociation of protonated 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione is believed to occur from the protonated enol form. Mechanisms for the observed photodissociation processes are proposed and comparisons with results from related techniques are presented.
Patterns of Parasite Abundance and Distribution in Island Populations of Galápagos Endemic Birds

Parasite life-history characteristics, the environment, and host defenses determine variation in parasite population parameters across space and time. Parasite abundance and distribution have received little attention despite their pervasive effects on host populations and community dynamics. We used analyses of variance to estimate the variability of intensity, prevalence, and abundance of 4 species of lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) infecting Galapagos doves and Galapagos hawks and 1 haemosporidian parasite (Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) infecting the doves across island populations throughout their entire geographic ranges. Population parameters of parasites with direct life cycles varied less within than among parasite species, and intensity and abundance did not differ significantly across islands. Prevalence explained a proportion of the variance (34%), similar to infection intensity (33%) and parasite abundance (37%). We detected a strong parasite species-by-island interaction, suggesting that parasite population dynamics is independent among islands. Prevalence (up to 100%) and infection intensity (parasitemias up to 12.7%) of Haemoproteus sp. parasites varied little across island populations.
Regional Brain Enlargement in Autism: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

ABSTRACT Objective To determine whether increased brain volume in autism, suggested in previous studies, is the result of general or regional brain size differences and to study the effect of gender on brain size and pattern of enlargement. Method Total brain volume and cerebral cortical lobe volumes were examined in 35 autistic and 36 comparison subjects using magnetic resonance imaging and an automated method of brain volume measurement. Results: After controlling for height and nonverbal IQ, the authors detected a significant diagnosis x gender effect ( F = 7.4; p = .009) for total brain volume. A repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated that the pattern of enlargement (brain region x diagnosis) in autistic subjects differed from that in controls ( F = 4.88; p = .0004). Subsequent sex-specific analysis revealed significantly increased total brain volume in autistic males but not females. Analysis of lobe sizes showed significant enlargement in autistic subjects in temporal, parietal, and occipital, but not frontal lobes. Conclusions These results suggest that brain size is increased in autism and that differences are not generalized but appear to be the result of a pattern of enlargement with increases in the size of specific cortical lobes.
Addressing cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes: focus on primary care

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism associated with increased risk of macrovascular and microvascular complications. The primary focus of treating type 2 diabetes is glycemic control; simultaneous management of cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure, lipid profile and overweight/obesity, has been shown to improve outcomes. All patients with diabetes require individualized combination therapy including diet and exercise intervention to help prevent microvascular and macrovascular complications. Because primary care physicians in the United States provide the majority of care for patients with type 2 diabetes, this article discusses the management of cardiovascular risk with a specific focus on primary care. In addition, mechanisms by which existing and novel antidiabetes therapies may modulate the metabolic pathways and a review of the benefits of cardiovascular risk reduction using multifactorial, primary care-focused intervention strategies will be discussed. Finally, early- and late-stage disease management strategies are discussed.
Crystal Field Calculation of g Values and Zero-Field Splitting for High Spin Ferric Complexes of Rhombic Character

For high spin ferric ions in rhombic symmetry, we have used a crystal field model to relate term splittings of the 4 T 1, 2 T 2 and 4 T 2 excited states to zerofield split energies and g values of the 6 A 1 term. In this model five crystal field parameters were used, namely, one cubic parameter, two tetragonal parameters and second and fourth order rhombic parameters. In tetragonal symmetry with only three crystal field parameters, a simpler model including only the 4 T 1 and 2 T 2 excited states is adequate to relate term energies to g values and zero-field split energies. However, we have demonstrated the importance of the 4 T 2 state in rhombic crystalline fields. No higher lying terms other than 4 T 2 can influence the 4 T 1 term directly through the tetragonal or rhombic crystal field, Furthermore, we show that the fourth order rhombic crystal field parameter is a key parameter because the rhombic splitting of the dominant low lying 4 T 1 term of high spin ferric complexes depends to first order on the fourth order crystal field potential. We have performed a computer diagonalization of the spin-orbit, electrostatic and crystal field perturbation matrix, and calculated g values and zero-field splittings in seventeen high spin ferric mixed crystalline species of varying rhombicities and for metmyoglobin and cytochrome P-450. The high spin and spin-mixed regions are developed completely to yield the crystal field term energies, zero-field splittings and basis functions together with g values.
Adenovirus type 12 tumor antigen. II. Immunoprecipitation of protein kinase from infected and transformed cells by antisera to T antigen and some normal rat sera

Abstract Protein kinase was found to be precipitated from adenovirus type 12 (Ad12)-infected KB cells and Ad12-transformed hamster cells by sera of tumor-bearing hamsters and rats: Immunoprecipitates obtained with T antigen reactive sera catalyzed transfer of 32 P from [γ- 32 P]ATP to the γ-chain of IgG. Analogous products of control cells were without significant activity. Control hamster sera precipitated no protein kinase from infected and transformed cells. Some control rat sera (syngeneic with immune sera), however, were found to precipitate protein kinase from infected and transformed cells; particularly active in this respect were sera of female breeder rats. When partially purified, highly immunoreactive T antigen preparations from transformed cells were used as a source of enzymatic activity, protein kinase was detected only in precipitates obtained with immune sera.
Single mode operation of a continuous tunable dye laser

Abstract We describe a tunable dye laser operating continuously in the range 570 nm to 620 nm. With a single prism and an intracavity etalon, single mode operation is obtained with a short-term bandwidth of less than 4 × 10-5nm (35 MHz) and a long-term stability of better than 2 × 10-4nm (180 MHz). At the center of the tuning range the single-mode power is 40 mW when the dye laser is pumped by a 1.3 watt argon
Identification and quantification of skeletal myotube contraction and association in vitro by video microscopy

Skeletal muscle is the largest tissue in the body by weight and plays many roles in maintaining homeostasis and health. Ex vivo cell-based experimental systems used to study muscle cell contraction, and others based on incorporation of cells into sensitive force transducers or electrophysiology equipment, are time-consuming, invasive, and not universally available, slowing the pace of research. Video microscopy provides a noninvasive way to record the contractile behavior of skeletal muscle cells in vitro. We have developed a numerical procedure using image processing and pattern recognition algorithms, that makes it possible to quantify contractile behavior of multiple myotubes simultaneously, based on video data. We examined the ability of the program to identify movement using a simplified graphical model of myotube contraction and found that the program's success is dependent on the morphology and movement characteristics of the objects. However, the program performs optimally over the types of motions approximating those observed in culture and identifies contracting myotubes in sample videomicrographs of muscle cells in vitro. This program quantifies contractility on a population level, can be adapted for use in laboratories capable of digital video capture from a microscope, and may be coupled with other experimental techniques to supplement existing research tools.
Inhibition of lipid-linked saccharide synthesis: comparison of tunicamycin, streptovirudin, and antibiotic 24010.

Abstract The effect of two antibiotics, Streptovirudin and antibiotic 24010, on the formation of lipid-linked saccharides was studied in enzyme preparations from pig aorta. Both of these antibiotics were quite similar to tunicamycin in that they inhibited the formation of N-acetylglucosaminyl-pyrophosphoryl-dolichol but had no effect on synthesis of mannosyl-phosphoryl-dolichol. They also did not inhibit the addition of the second N-acetylglucosamine. In either the particulate or soluble enzyme, 50% inhibition of N-acetylglucosamine transfer was observed at 0.01–0.05 μg/ml. Inhibition was observed throughout a time course showing that the antibiotic blocked the synthesis of glycolipid. These antibiotics, as well as tunicamycin, also inhibited the incorporation of glucose into glucosyl-phosphoryl-dolichol and into lipid-linked oligosaccharides. But in these cases, 2–5 μg/ml of antibiotic was required for 50% inhibition.
Alteration in glucocorticoid binding site number during the cell cycle in HeLa cells.

GLUCOCORTICOID stimulation of alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in HeLa cells is believed to be mediated by steroid receptors1,2. When synchronised HeLa cells are exposed to glucocorticoids, an increase in AP activity is initiated during the synthesis phase of the cell cycle3. This ‘S-phase dependency’ suggests that the necessary components for cellular response to glucocorticoids are produced or altered during this time. Because the interaction of the steroid with its cytoplasmic receptor seems to be the first major intracellular event of the action of glucocorticoids, we have measured the glucocorticoid receptors present throughout the cell cycle in synchronised HeLa cells. We report here that although receptors are present throughout the cycle, the number per cell varies markedly within the cell cycle in both cytosols and whole cells.
Reflex bradycardia and nodal escape rhythm in pheochromocytoma.

Abstract Two patients are described in whom the presenting symptoms of pheochromocytoma were related to reflex sinus bradycardia and nodal escape rhythm. The mechanism underlying this arrhythmia is illustrated and discussed. Although rarely reported previously, the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma should be considered in patients with intermittent bradycardia and escape of lower pacemakers. If, in this circumstance, serial measurement of blood pressure reveals episodic hypertension during the arrhythmia, specific tests may establish a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.
Molecular species of acetylcholinesterase in denervated rat skeletal muscle

Abstract Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, E.C. 3.1.1.7) activity was investigated in homogenates of control and denervated rat extensor digitorum longus muscle. Denervation produced a large, rapid decrease in AChE activity. Calculated on a whole-muscle basis, this decrease was 18% at 2 days after denervation and 75% at 7 days. NaCl (1 m ), 0.5% Triton X-100 extracts of extensor digitorum longus muscle were subjected to velocity sedimentation in sucrose gradients. Three peaks of AChE activity were found with sedimentation coefficients of 3.9 S, 9.9 S, and 16.0 S. In control muscles, the distribution of AChE activity among the three peaks was 39, 39, and 14%, respectively. Two days after denervation, this distribution was greatly altered, but the sedimentation coefficients remained the same. Whereas the AChE activity associated with the 3.9 S and 16.0 S peaks was reduced, that of the 9.9 S peak was increased. The greatest quantitative loss in AChE activity was associated with the 3.9 S peak. Seven days after denervation, the AChE activity of each of the three forms was greatly reduced.
Cibacron Blue F3GA functionalized poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (PVA-co-PE) nanofibrous membranes as high efficient affinity adsorption materials

Abstract Poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (PVA-co-PE) nanofibrous membranes with surface incorporated Cibacron Blue F3GA (CB) were prepared for bio-separation and purification applications. PVA-co-PE nanofibers were fabricated via melt extrusion of an immiscible blend of PVA-co-PE polymer with cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) as a sacrificial matrix and subsequent removal of CAB. PVA-co-PE nanofiber dispersions were coated on a releasing surface to form nanofibrous membranes with fiber sizes ranging in 50–300 nm. Cibacron Blue F3GA (CB) was covalently immobilized onto the nanofiber surfaces and reached a maximum amount of 220 mg/g on the nanofibers. The CB attached PVA-co-PE nanofibrous membranes could adsorb large amount of bovine serum albumin (BSA) (105.5 mg/g nanofiber) at pH 5.0 while the non-specific BSA adsorption on the pristine PVA-co-PE nanofibrous membrane was negligible. The elution efficiency of BSA in 1 M NaSCN was 92.5%. After 10 adsorption–elution cycles, a slight decrease of BSA capture capacity on the membrane was observed. This work demonstrated the feasibility of using the CB functionalized PVA-co-PE nanofibrous membranes in bio-separation and purification applications.
‘Superstition’ and social policy

Glazer N. (1978) ‘Superstition’ and social policy, Reg. Studies 12, 619–628. Sociologists have become highly concerned with guiding public policy. With some exceptions, there is disillusionment as to this role. This failure of social science has three main causes: ignorance of how society works: the heterogeneity of many societies: and (most importantly) the insistence that traditional inequalities and differences must be eliminated. So long as radical and egalitarian individualism wins over traditional authority, social policy will not create more harmonious social relations.
Estimating the Economic Impact of Event Tourism: A Review of Issues and Methods

Abstract Tourism has become an important economic sector in many parts of the world, and many regions, states, and local areas have identified expenditures by visitors as a potential source of economic growth. Because visitor spending can contribute to the local economy, many communities seek to enhance tourism and visitor-oriented activities. As a result, estimates of the economic impact of event tourism are of interest to a wide variety of interested parties. Economic impact analyses of sports facilities and other entertainment events have come under increasing criticism in recent years. At the same time, visitors to sports events, festivals, and other visitor-oriented and event related activities can produce very substantial economic impacts for host communities. This article examines key considerations and issues that affect and are critical to reliable estimates of the economic impacts of events and event tourism.
Investigation of the cultivars of the basils (Ocimum)

plants. Taxonomically, this study is limited to six species: Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil), 0. sanctum L. (holy basil), 0. canum Sims., 0. citriodorum Vis. (lemon basil), 0. kilimandscharicum Guerke (camphor basil), and 0. suave Willd. Only two of these species have produced numerous cultivars: 0. basilicum and 0. sanctum and only those of 0. basilicum present complex confusion
Magnetoelectric Effect in Magnetostrictive/Polymer and Piezoelectric Composites

A 1200m V/cmOe magnetoelectric voltage coefficient was measured in a Terfenol-D/epoxy and PZT-5H[2-2] composite. The magnetoelectric effect is a result of a coupling between the magnetostrictive (Terfenol-D/epoxy) and piezoelectric (PZT-5H) layers. The coupling was achieved mechanically by bonding the piezoelectric layer in between two magnetostrictive layers. The maximum in magnetoelectric voltage coefficient was measured at a frequency of 8Hz and a bias magnetic field of 103kA/m. The magnetoelectric voltage coefficient was observed to be highly dependent upon the bias magnetic field.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Interfacial reaction between multicomponent lead-free solders and Ag, Cu, Ni, and Pd substrates

The interfacial reaction between two prototype multicomponent lead-free solders, Sn-3.4Ag-1Bi-0.7Cu-4In and Sn-3.4Ag-3Bi-0.7Cu-4In (mass%), and Ag, Cu, Ni, and Pd substrates are studied at 250°C and 150°C. The microstructural characterization of the solder bumps is carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray analysis. Ambient temperature, isotropic elastic properties (bulk, shear, and Young’s moduli and Poisson’s ratio) of these solders along with eutectic Sn-Ag, Sn-Bi, and Sn-Zn solders are measured. The isotropic elastic moduli of multicomponent solders are very similar to the eutectic Sn-Ag solder. The measured solubility of the base metal in liquid solders at 250°C agrees very well with the solubility limits reported in assessed Sn-X (X=Ag, Cu, Ni, Pd) phase diagrams. The measured contact angles were generally less than 15° on Cu and Pd substrates, while they were between 25° and 30° on Ag and Ni substrates. The observed intermediate phases in Ag/solder couples were Ag3Sn after reflow at 250°C and Ag3Sn and ζ (Ag-Sn) after solid-state aging at 150°C. In Cu/solder and Ni/solder couples, the interfacial phases were Cu6Sn5 and (Cu,Ni)6Sn5, respectively. In Pd/solder couples, only PdSn4 after 60-sec reflow, while both PdSn4 and PdSn3 after 300-sec reflow, were observed.
Supra-equilibrium conversion in palladium membrane reactors: Kinetic sensitivity and time dependence

Abstract Catalytic membrane reactors are of particular interest for reactions that are severely thermodynamically limited. A case study is developed comparing and contrasting cyclohexane dehydrogenation with isobutane dehydrogenation in a palladium membrane reactor. The former is an often chosen model dehydrogenation, while the latter is of high, current industrial interest. Based on the literature and modeling it is concluded that cyclohexane dehydrogenation accentuates the effect of the membrane on supra-equilibrium conversion. More favorable thermodynamics, stoichiometry and kinetics for cyclohexane versus isobutane dehydrogenation each contribute. To achieve similar levels of membrane-assisted conversion, the reactor volume required for isobutane dehydrogenation would need to be at least 750 times larger than that required for cyclohexane based upon published kinetics for commercial catalysts. Rate limitations at the catalyst rather than for hydrogen transport through the membrane tend to dominate. The hydrogen deficiency in the reaction zone resulting from the membrane transport also leads to enhanced rates of coke formation resulting in catalyst and membrane deactivation. This study points out that more effort needs to be expended on the development of new dehydrogenation catalysts with high activity per unit volume and high resistance to deactivation.
Spacecraft contamination: active cleaning and control

Critical surfaces on satellites operating int he low earth orbit can be contaminated by molecular species emanating from the spacecraft itself and from hypervelocity debris impacts. Consequently, on-board procedures are necessary to limit the contamination to levels below specified thicknesses in order to achieve the operational requirements of solar panels, thermal management materials, thermal radiators and optical systems. We demonstrate that our recently discovered phenomenon of the acceleration of the atomic oxygen erosion of organic molecular species by the simultaneous super-position of an electrostatic charge on the substrate, can be used to clean organic contaminants off critical surfaces in space.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Response of piles and pile groups to travelling SH‐waves

The response of single piles and pile groups under vertically and obliquely incident seismic waves is obtained using the hybrid boundary element (BEM) formulation. The piles are represented by compressible beam-column elements and the soil as a hysteretic viscoelastic half-space. A recently developed Green function corresponding to the dynamic Mindlin problem is implemented in the numerical formulation. Exact analytical solutions for the differential equations for the piles under distributed harmonic excitations are used. Treating the half-space as a three-dimensional elastic continuum, the interaction problem is formulated by satisfying equilibrium and displacement compatibility along the pile-soil interface. Solutions adopted for the seismic waves are obtained by direct integration of the differential equations in terms of amplitudes. Salient features of the seismic response are identified in several non-dimensional plots. Results of the analyses compare favourably with the limited data available in the literature.
Proximal humeral fracture fixation: a biomechanical comparison of two constructs

Background Different options exist for stabilizing proximal humeral fractures. This study compared the mechanical stability of 2 common proximal humeral fixation plates in bending and torsion. Methods Tests were conducted on 40 synthetic and 10 matched pairs of cadaveric humeri (evenly fixed with DePuy S3 proximal humeral plating system [DePuy Orthopaedics, Warsaw, IN, USA] and Synthes proximal humerus locking compression plate [Synthes, Paoli, PA, USA]). Half of the humeri were tested by cantilevered bending in flexion, extension, varus, and valgus for 100 cycles of ±5 mm of displacement at 1 mm/s before loading to failure in varus. The other half were tested in torsion for 100 cycles of ±8° of rotational displacement at 1°/s before loading to failure in external rotation. Results Peak cyclic loads for synthetic constructs were higher for DePuy plates than Synthes plates in varus and valgus ( P P > .40) or flexion ( P = .0675). Peak cyclic loads for cadaveric constructs showed a significant difference in extension and flexion (Synthes > DePuy, P Synthes, P P > .10). Bending stiffness during varus failure testing was higher for DePuy plates than Synthes plates ( P P P Conclusions The DePuy plate was stiffer than the Synthes plate with varus and valgus bending, as well as in torsion. The Synthes plate tended to be stiffer in flexion and extension.
Theoretical issues of biological intelligence: Information and structure: Statistical mechanics of mesoscales in neocortex and in command, control and communications (C3)

Most studies of neural and neural-like systems have focused on emergent collective properties of large numbers of microscopic units. When these details of microscopic interactions are coarse-grained, the utility of directly studying the aggregated mesoscopic scale of interactions becomes apparent, as has been demonstrated by a series of papers by the author: Detailed properties of neocortical phenomena, e.g., a derivation of the 7 +/- 2 rule of short-term memory, its stability and duration, and spatial-temporal properties of electroencephalographic (EEG) and magnetoencephalographic (MEG) phenomena can be explicitly calculated and shown to agree favorably with empirical evidence. This mesoscopic scale is important, not only to achieve pattern recognition or to test the analysis of the microscopic scale, but indeed it is to be respected as a potential source of command and control over the microscopic scale, in both the brain, e.g., as a pre-attentive filter and processor of patterned information, and in other large-scale systems, e.g., in Command, Control and Communications (C^3) systems.
Suppression of Prostate Epithelial Proliferation and Intraprostatic Progrowth Signaling in Transgenic Mice by a New Energy Restriction-Mimetic Agent

Cells undergoing malignant transformation often exhibit a shift in cellular metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. This glycolytic shift, called the Warburg effect, provides a mechanistic basis for targeting glycolysis to suppress carcinogenesis through the use of dietary caloric restriction and energy restriction-mimetic agents (ERMA). We recently reported the development of a novel class of ERMAs that exhibits high potency in eliciting starvation-associated cellular responses and epigenetic changes in cancer cells though glucose uptake inhibition. The lead ERMA in this class, OSU-CG5, decreases the production of ATP and NADH in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. In this study, we examined the effect of OSU-CG5 on the severity of preneoplastic lesions in male transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice. Daily oral treatment with OSU-CG5 at 100 mg/kg from 6 to 10 weeks of age resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the weight of urogenital tract and microdissected dorsal, lateral, and anterior prostatic lobes relative to vehicle controls. The suppressive effect of OSU-CG5 was evidenced by marked decreases in Ki67 immunostaining and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in the prostate. OSU-CG5 treatment was not associated with evidence of systemic toxicity. Microarray analysis indicated a central role for Akt, and Western blot analysis showed reduced phosphorylation and/or expression levels of Akt, Src, androgen receptor, and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in prostate lobes. These findings support further investigation of OSU-CG5 as a potential chemopreventive agent. Cancer Prev Res; 6(3); 232–41. ©2012 AACR.
A Note on Unrestricted Composition

I discuss a general limitative consequence of the unrestricted mereological composition thesis. The unrestricted composition thesis, which is roughly the assertion that every plurality of objects possesses a fusion or sum, is shown to be in conflict with general existence-conditions for certain categories of mereologically non-composite objects. The conclusion is that the unrestricted composition thesis, which is a maximizing principle about what aggregates exist, places sharp limits on what unaggregated items can exist.