cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracellular vesicles: potential applications in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and epidemiology

Both normal and diseased cells continuously shed extracellular vesicles (EVs) into extracellular space, and the EVs carry molecular signatures and effectors of both health and disease. EVs reflect dynamic changes that are occurring in cells and tissue microenvironment in health and at a different stage of a disease. EVs are capable of altering the function of the recipient cells. Trafficking and reciprocal exchange of molecular information by EVs among different organs and cell types have been shown to contribute to horizontal cellular transformation, cellular reprogramming, functional alterations, and metastasis. EV contents may include tumor suppressors, phosphoproteins, proteases, growth factors, bioactive lipids, mutant oncoproteins, oncogenic transcripts, microRNAs, and DNA sequences. Therefore, the EVs present in biofluids offer unprecedented, remote, and non-invasive access to crucial molecular information about the health status of cells, including their driver mutations, classifiers, molecular subtypes, therapeutic targets, and biomarkers of drug resistance. In addition, EVs may offer a non-invasive means to assess cancer initiation, progression, risk, survival, and treatment outcomes. The goal of this review is to highlight the current status of information on the role of EVs in cancer, and to explore the utility of EVs for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and epidemiology.
Repeated habituation and overhabituation of the orienting response.

This investigation was designed to test (a) whether stimuli presented in the form of repeated blocks of habituation trials, as opposed to.1 single continuous series of stimuli, would produce a progressive decline. in amount of spontaneous recovery and trials to rehabituation of the skin conductance component of the orienting response; and (b) whether 30 or 50 post-habituation trials would produce a return of the orienting response which could be related In sensitization effects. Results showed that repeated habituations strengthened habituation as reflected in progressively decreasing spontaneous recovery across blocks, but not in speed of habituations. Further, neither 30 nor 50 post-habituation trials produced a return of the orienting response, although 30 such trials did result in increased skin conductance level. Discussion centers on whether habituation beyond asymptotic levels (‘below-zero’) within sessions was unambiguously obtained; relationships among stimulus intensity, frequency, and the return of the orienting response; and factors affecting measures of retention of habituation within sessions.
Sonography of the Pelvis in Patients with Primary Amenorrhea

Duplex/color Doppler sonography (US) is the imaging modality of choice for the evaluation of patients with primary amenorrhea. Careful correlation with clinical history, physical examination and laboratory findings significantly narrows the diagnostic possibilities thus allowing for a more precise diagnosis. This article discusses the wide gamut of etiologies of primary amenorrhea, the US appearance of pathologic processes that result in primary amenorrhea, and helps the reader understand when additional higher tech imaging is indicated.
A SIMPLE AND IMPROVED METHOD OF ISOLATION AND PURIFICATION FOR NATIVE OAT PHYTOCHROME

A simple procedure for the isolation and purification of 124 kDa phytochrome (phyA) form etiolated Avena seedlings has been developed employing ammonium sulfate back-extraction. After solubilization of the ammonium sulfate precipitate (250 g/L) an additional ammonium sulfate fractionation with 17 g per 100 mL rather than column chromatography was performed. After several steps of the "washing-out" procedure with 100 mM phosphate buffer, phytochrome was solubilized in 10 mM phosphate buffer. The resulting phytochrome had a specific absorbance ratio (SAR = A666/ A280) ranging from 0.60 to 0.85. These values are equivalent to those of phytochrome preparations after hydroxylapatite chromatography-ammonium sulfate back-extraction. The total isolation-purification time was 8 h and yield of the chromoprotein was 50% higher than the yield using conventional techniques. The phytochrome preparation, after application to a Toyopearl HW-65S gel filtration column, produced very pure 124 kDa phyA with a specific absorbance ratio greater than 1.00. The spectral characteristics are identical to those described for the best of the highly purified native chromoprotein preparations.
Determination of the Combustion Mechanisms of Aluminized Propellants.

Abstract : This research project is concerned with determining the mechanisms governing the formation and combustion of metal/agglomerate/metal oxide particles throughout the solid rocket motor, that is, propellant surface/near surface, motor cavity, and nozzle regions. Also of concern is the influence these particles have on propellant combustion characteristics and overall motor performance. This part year's efforts have been directed toward developing the experimental equipment and/or techniques required for determining particle size distributions at or near the propellant surface. The approach taken involves making use of a laboratory scale, servo-controlled strand window bomb in conjunction with both an imaging-type particle size analyzer and a high speed, pulse-it photographic technique. In this report, the servo-controlled strand window bomb is described following a brief review of past research efforts have employed similar propellant feed mechanisms. Next, the theory and operation of the particle size analyzer is detailed. Finally, the feasibility of employing high speed, pulse-lit photography in the study of metal particle/agglomerate combustion is discussed.
Ecological risks of shale oil and gas development to wildlife, aquatic resources and their habitats.

Technological advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have led to the exploration and exploitation of shale oil and gas both nationally and internationally. Extensive development of shale resources has occurred within the United States over the past decade, yet full build out is not expected to occur for years. Moreover, countries across the globe have large shale resources and are beginning to explore extraction of these resources. Extraction of shale resources is a multistep process that includes site identification, well pad and infrastructure development, well drilling, high-volume hydraulic fracturing and production; each with its own propensity to affect associated ecosystems. Some potential effects, for example from well pad, road and pipeline development, will likely be similar to other anthropogenic activities like conventional gas drilling, land clearing, exurban and agricultural development and surface mining (e.g., habitat fragmentation and sedimentation). Therefore, we can us...
Modeling methodology for a CMOS-MEMS electrostatic comb

A methodology for combined modeling of capacitance and force 9in a multi-layer electrostatic comb is demonstrated in this paper. Conformal mapping-based analytical methods are limited to 2D symmetric cross-sections and cannot account for charge concentration effects at corners. Vertex capacitance can be more than 30% of the total capacitance in a single-layer 2 micrometers thick comb with 10 micrometers overlap. Furthermore, analytical equations are strictly valid only for perfectly symmetrical finger positions. Fringing and corner effects are likely to be more significant in a multi- layered CMOS-MEMS comb because of the presence of more edges and vertices. Vertical curling of CMOS-MEMS comb fingers may also lead to reduced capacitance and vertical forces. Gyroscopes are particularly sensitive to such undesirable forces, which therefore, need to be well-quantified. In order to address the above issues, a hybrid approach of superposing linear regression models over a set of core analytical models is implemented. Design of experiments is used to obtain data for capacitance and force using a commercial 3D boundary-element solver. Since accurate force values require significantly higher mesh refinement than accurate capacitance, we use numerical derivatives of capacitance values to compute the forces. The model is formulated such that the capacitance and force models use the same regression coefficients. The comb model thus obtained, fits the numerical capacitance data to within +/- 3% and force to within +/- 10%. The model is experimentally verified by measuring capacitance change in a specially designed test structure. The capacitance model matches measurements to within 10%. The comb model is implemented in an Analog Hardware Description Language (ADHL) for use in behavioral simulation of manufacturing variations in a CMOS-MEMS gyroscope.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Williamson on knowledge and psychological explanation

According to many philosophers, psychological explanation can legitimately be given in terms of belief and desire, but not in terms of knowledge. To explain why someone does what they do (so the common wisdom holds) you can appeal to what they think or what they want, but not what they know. Timothy Williamson has recently argued against this view. Knowledge, Williamson insists, plays an essential role in ordinary psychological explanation. Williamson's argument works on two fronts. First, he argues against the claim that, unlike knowledge, belief is composite (representable as a conjunction of a narrow and a broad condition). Belief's failure to be composite, Williamson thinks, undermines the usual motivations for psychological explanation in terms of belief rather than knowledge. Unfortunately, we claim, the motivations Williamson argues against do not depend on the claim that belief is composite, so what he says leaves the case for a psychology of belief unscathed. Second, Williamson argues that knowledge can sometimes provide a better explanation of action than belief can. We argue that, in the cases considered, explanations that cite beliefs (but not knowledge) are no less successful than explanations that cite knowledge. Thus, we conclude that Williamson's arguments fail both coming and going: they fail to undermine a psychology of belief, and they fail to motivate a psychology of knowledge.
Product innovation, signaling, and endogenous regulatory delay

This paper examines the determinants of the timing of a monopolistic firm’s product innovation and regulatory approval, and proposes a signaling model with endogenous regulatory delay. Regulatory delay exerts a multiplier effect on total time to market, because when the firm expects the regulator to take longer to grant approval, the firm delays its product introduction. The firm can time its innovation to communicate its private information about the marginal cost of delay to the regulator. Successful signaling in the separating equilibrium leads the regulator to reduce regulatory delay. The implications of the model are consistent with data on innovation and regulatory delay in telecommunications markets in a few Midwest states in the US.
CO2-Catalyzed Acetal Formation in CO2-Expanded Methanol and Ethylene Glycol

Gas-expanded liquids are tunable media for reactions and separations. We report for the first time that CO2-expanded alcohols are catalytic media for cyclohexanone acetal formation. This process offers the opportunity to replace some environmentally harmful acid catalysts, as the CO2-based acid catalysts are self-neutralizing and result in no solid waste. We propose that the alkylcarbonic acids formed in situ from CO2 and alcohols are the acid catalysts and that the catalytic capacity can be tuned with CO2 pressure and temperature. The kinetics of cyclohexanone acetal formation in CO2-expanded methanol was investigated under various CO2 pressures over a temperature range of 25−50 °C without the addition of acid. Pseudo-first- and second-order rate constants were evaluated. These rate constants go through a maximum and the superficial activation energies go through a minimum between 10 and 40 bar of CO2.
A re-interpretation of the rate of tension redevelopment (k TR) in active muscle

A slackening to zero tension by large length release (~20 %) and a restretch of active muscle fibres cause a fall and a redevelopment in tension. According to the model of Brenner (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85(9):3265–3269, 1988), the rate constant of tension redevelopment (k TR) is the sum of attachment and detachment rate constants, hence is limited by the fast reaction. Here we propose a model in which, after restretch, cross-bridges cycle many times by stretching series elastic elements, hence k TR is limited by a slow reaction. To set up this model, we made an assumption that the stepping rate (v) decreases linearly with tension (F), which is consistent with the Fenn effect. The distance traveled by a cross-bridge stretches series elastic elements with stiffness σ. With these assumptions, we set up a first order differential equation, which results in an exponential time course with the rate constant k TR = ση 0 ν 0(1 − λ)/F 1, where λ = ν 1/ν 0, η = step size, the subscript 0 indicates unloaded condition, and the subscript 1 indicate isometric condition. We demonstrate that the ATP hydrolysis rate (=[myosin head]/ν 0) is proportionate to k TR as the ambient temperature is changed, and that the published data fit to this relationship well if λ = 0.28. We conclude that k TR is limited by the cross-bridge turnover rate; hence it represents the rate constant of the slowest reaction of the cross-bridge cycle, i.e. the ADP isomerization step before ADP is released.
The value and limitations of transgenic mouse models used in drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease: an update

Introduction: The exponential growth in the world's aged population has increased pressure on drug discovery efforts to identify innovative therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The long and uncertain clinical trial path utilized to test the potential efficacy of these novel agents is challenging. For these and other reasons, there has been an explosion in the generation and availability of transgenic mouse models that mimic some, but not all aspects of AD. The largely overwhelmingly positive results obtained when testing potential clinical agents in these same animal models have failed to translate into similar positive clinical outcomes. Areas covered: This review discusses the value and limitations associated with currently available transgenic mouse models of AD. Furthermore, the article proposes ways in which researchers can better characterize pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic endpoints to increase the success rate for novel therapies advancing into clinical development. Lastly, the author discu...
Comparison of transnasaly placed wireless pH capsule (BRAVO®) versus traditional 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring-a randomized trial

Purpose: The wireless pH capsule (BRAVO®) can be placed either during endoscopy or transnasaly. However, for open-access motility laboratories, the latter technique is more relevant. Our aim was to compare the feasibility and tolerability of transnasal placement of the wireless pH capsule versus the traditional pH probe.
Retiming control logic

A major problem associated with the application of retiming to control logic is the preservation of the initial (reset) state of a circuit, which is determined by the initial values of the registers in the circuits. For control logic, it is necessary to find an equivalent initial state for the retimed circuit since the preservation of this equivalence is imperative to maintain the circuit behavior.
Computing the distance from a point to a helix and solving Kepler's equation

Abstract Computing the distance from a point to a helix is logically equivalent to solving Kepler's equation for elliptic motions. The “eccentricity” reflects the relation between the relative positions of the point and the helix, and the ratio of the curvature to the torsion of the helix. In particular, the “eccentricity” may have any non-negative value, which may exceed 1. Nevertheless, numerical analysis confirms that Newton's and Halley's methods converge to the solution from initial values provided by established algorithms from celestial mechanics.
Time-Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Clusters

Time-resolved photoelectron-based techniques with femtosecond and attosecond resolution will be used to probe dynamics in clusters.
A Cost-Effective Modular Method in GNU Octave To Simulate Student-Unique Data and Evaluate Student Analysis

A cost-effective generalized pedagogic modular method was developed using GNU Octave to simulate experimental data unique to each student, perform computations on the data, and then evaluate each student’s work compared to the correct results.
Comparison of perioperative outcomes after combined thoracoscopic-laparoscopic esophagectomy and open Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy

Abstract Background Thoracoscopic-laparoscopic esophagectomy (TLE) has gained popularity in specialized centers. This study compares the perioperative outcomes of TLE and Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (ILE). Methods Forty-four consecutive TLEs were compared with 46 historical ILEs. Outcomes included surgical time and blood loss, hospital length of stay, 30-day mortality rate, and complications. Results TLE took longer to perform (543 vs 437 min; P P P = .19) and pulmonary complications (31% TLE vs 30% ILE; P = 1.0) occurred frequently in both groups, but TLE patients had fewer wound complications (4% TLE vs 17% ILE; P = .05). Conclusions Despite longer surgical times, TLE produced decreased intraoperative blood loss and wound complications. These findings suggest that with further technical refinement TLE may ameliorate the morbidity seen with ILE.
Twin mitochondrial sequence analysis

When applying genome-wide sequencing technologies to disease investigation, it is increasingly important to resolve sequence variation in regions of the genome that may have homologous sequences. The human mitochondrial genome challenges interpretation given the potential for heteroplasmy, somatic variation, and homologous nuclear mitochondrial sequences (numts). Identical twins share the same mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from early life, but whether the mitochondrial sequence remains similar is unclear. We compared an adult monozygotic twin pair using high-throughput sequencing and evaluated variants with primer extension and mitochondrial preenrichment. Thirty-seven variants were shared between the twin individuals, and the variants were verified on the original genomic DNA. These studies support highly identical genetic sequence in this case. Certain low-level variant calls were of high quality and homology to the mtDNA, and they were further evaluated. When we assessed calls in preenriched mtDNA templates, we found that these may represent numts, which can be differentiated from mtDNA variation. We conclude that twin identity extends to mtDNA, and it is critical to differentiate between numts and mtDNA in genome sequencing, particularly as significant heteroplasmy could influence genome interpretation. Further studies on mtDNA and numts will aid in understanding how variation occurs and persists.
The Effectiveness of Gun Control Laws: A Comment on the Work by Kwon, Scott, Safranski and Bae and Their Debate With Kovandzic

In the July, 1998 issue of "The American Journal of Economics and Sociology" Professor Tomislav V. Kovandzic strongly criticized the 1997 work on gun control by Kwon, Scott, Safranski and Bae, which appears in the same journal. A rejoinder by Kwon et al. refuted Kovnanzic's criticisms and the authors stand by their published results. The purpose of this comment is to reconsider some of the points raised by Kovandzic and to consider other issues not raised in the original exchange. The bottom line is that several of the criticisms by Kovandzic are valid and, in fact, other serious econometric problems may plague the original paper by Kwon et al.
Solder Joint Behavior in HCC/PWB Interconnections

The majority of effort to improve the reliability of surface mounted hermetic chip carrier to printed wiring board (HCC/PWB) interconneetions has been directed toward developing a PWB with a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matched to the ceramic chip carrier. This approach has been demonstrated as an effective means of reducing stress in the solder joints that occurs during thermal cycling and, therefore, has significantly improved the reliability of these systems. Honeywell's program in this area compared the reliability of chip carriers surface mounted to a standard FR-4 epoxy/glass PWB to those mounted on a FR-4 epoxy/glass PWB with a copper-clad lnvar core. Our results concur with those of others; that is, the use of a CTE matched core significantly improves the resistance of the solder joints to thermal fatigue. Close metallurgical examination, however, reveals that although the solder joints associated with the Cu-clad Invar core PWB do not fail by the mechanism typical for a thermal expansion mismatch (i.e., cracks originating in the high stress region of the solder), they do exhibit intergranular cracking and void formation within the solder structure. These defects appear to be caused at least in part by the thermal degradation of the solder. This indicates that solder joint composition and structure are also important to the reliability of HCC/PWB interconnects. The differences in the solder joint behavior in the thermally matched and mismatched systems are discussed.
Biogenetic-like syntheses of benzylstyrenes and neoflavanoids.

Im Zusammenhang mit dem Problem der Biosynthese der Flavone, Isoflavone und Neoflavone wurden die entsprechenden Benzylstyrole und Neoflavone synthetisiert.
Association between ethanol and sucrose intake in the laboratory mouse: exploration via congenic strains and conditioned taste aversion.

Background: A substantial body of literature indicates that intakes of sweet solutions and ethanol are positively correlated across inbred strains of rats and mice but there has been speculation that the correlation is fortuitous and there is no agreement on the underlying mechanism. Methods and Results: We assessed the correlation between intake of sucrose and ethanol in congenic mice created by backcrossing alleles favoring sucrose intake from the BXD RI-5 strain into DBA/2J. In addition, to probe more specifically the interrelationship between intake of the two solutions, we examined aversion generalization from sucrose to ethanol in C57BL/6J mice. Among the congenic mice, a statistically significant product-moment correlation of r = 0.36 (p < 0.02) was found between 6-hr intake of sucrose corrected for differences in baseline water intake and preference for 10% ethanol presented in a 96-hr 2-bottle test. Furthermore, C57BL/6J male mice conditioned to avoid a 0.2 M sucrose solution generalized their aversion to a 10% ethanol solution presented in the same 2-bottle test, drinking 42.1 ± 9.38% (mean ± SE) of their total fluid intake from the ethanol tube, compared with the control group mean of 69.86 ± 8.84%. Conclusions: The positive association between intake of sucrose and ethanol in congenic mice provides strong evidence that the previously demonstrated genetic correlation between intake of these solutions is not the result of fortuitous fixation of unrelated alleles and provides suggestive evidence that, at least in the B6/D2 lineage, the genetic association between intakes of the two solutions reflects close linkage or the pleiotropic effects of the same genes. The demonstration that a conditioned taste aversion to sucrose generalized to ethanol in the C57BL/6J inbred mouse strain is an extension of similar observations in outbred rats and specifically demonstrates that intake of the two solutions is controlled by some of the same physiologic or neurological processes and thus is consistent with the pleiotropic interpretation of the genetic correlation.
Neutral hydrogen in cometary comas.

The strong L alpha radiation observed recently in comets Tago-Sato-Kosaka and Bennett can be explained in terms of the resonant scattering of solar L alpha radiation on neutral hydrogen formed by the photodissociation of H2O which is vaporized from a nucleus having an ice core. A complete hydrodynamic description of an atmosphere composed of H2O and its daughter products OH, H and O coupled through frictional interaction as well as production and loss processes is given. Numerical results are computed in a typical case, and it is found that a temperature of about 3000 K for the cometary atmosphere provides the best fit with observation.
Cover Picture: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 15/2002

The cover picture shows the interior of a red-figure kylix (440–430 BC, British Museum London) which shows the brilliant exploits of Theseus, the Greek mythology hero. In the center, Theseus is shown defeating the infamous Minataur within the labyrinth. On the right, the hero raises his hand against Sciron, below whom the turtle is visible. Next clockwise, are shown the bull of Marathon, the punishment of Sinis, the slaying of the sow Phaea, the battle of Cercyon, and finally the punishment of Procrustes. The labors of Theseus are no different from the accomplishments of today's synthetic chemists working in total synthesis. One such endeavor, the total synthesis of the CP molecules with its challenges, twists and turns, and dead-ends, but also its rewards, is compared to the conquest of the Minotaur by Theseus in the Review by K. C. Nicolaou and P. S. Baran on p. 2678 ff.
Optimal rigid-body motions

Optimal rigid-body angular motions are investigated in the absence of direct control over one of the angular velocity components. A numerical survey of first-order necessary conditions for optimally reveals that, over a range of boundary conditions, there are, in general, several distinct extremal solutions. A classification in terms of subfamilies of extremal solutions is presented. Domains of existence of the extremal subfamilies are established. Locus of Darboux points are obtained, and global optimality of extremal solutions is observed in relation to Darboux points. Local optimality for the candidate minimizers is verified by investigating the second-order necessary conditions. TUDIES of optimal flight generally employ dynamic models based on point-mass equations of motion. Indeed, for many purposes these models must be further simplified, leading to energy models and the like. Recently there has been considerable interest in highly agile or supermaneuver able aircraft. Maneuvers of interest in these applications include rapid fuselage pointing and suggest the need to include rigidbody rotational dynamics in optimal flight studies. The usual flight mechanics wisdom is that the rigid-body rotations are "fast" compared with translational motions (short-period visa-vis phugoid frequencies). This suggests a singular perturbation scheme to divide and conquer these problems. However, some of the maneuvers discovered in simulator studies are delicately choreographed so that considerable care is needed in choice of coordinates and in time-scale selection. The key point is that careful analysis is needed to sort out various effects and to gain insight into these "supermaneuvers." The present study is motivated by the problem of angular velocity control for a supermaneuvera ble aircraft. In one scenario of interest, primarily the low-dynamic-pressure regime at high angles of attack, the usual aerodynamic control surfaces are ineffective for generating control moments. In such flight regimes, it is proposed that thrust-vectored propulsive controls be uspd as the primary source of control moments, which may be generated by deflecting vanes in the exhaust flowfield of a jet-powered aircraft. Owing to the location of engines, we anticipate that the rolling moment (in the body-fixed axes) that can be generated is going to be small in comparison to the pitching and the yawing moments. As an extreme case, we consider the case when the rolling moment is identically zero. Hence any rolling motion is controlled indirectly through the pitch and yaw motions. Thus we are motivated to study optimal rigid-body rotational maneuvers in the absence of rolling moments.
Online bioimpedance feedback for in vivo electroporated tissues

Electroporation in vivo is a biotechnology method that uses short-duration high intensity electric fields to enhance plasma membrane permeability in living cells in order to facilitate the uptake of drugs, DNA, genes and proteins into the cytoplasm. The degree of permeability is related to the tissue's bioimpedance; hence, accurate impedance evaluation throughout electroporation treatment is essential to 1) avoid over-treating tissues resulting in excessive cell death and 2) under-treating tissues resulting in poor permeability. Cell viability and membrane permeability is based on a number of factors, including: time elapsed after electroporation, electroporation pulse amplitude, tissue type, and so on; thus, efficient feedback protocols must minimize delays between treatment and impedance readings. Current methods of bioimpedance feedback are often cumbersome and impedance analysis devices can be expensive, bulky, and immobile. Emerging technologies facilitate economical methods, fast protocols, and portability to realize bioimpedance measurement and feedback online (i.e. realtime). Consequently, this research uses automation software, logic-biased protocols, an inexpensive commercially available impedance analyzer microchip, and a custom-built hexagonal electrode probe to measure dynamic bioimpedance changes. This work demonstrates how this novel system measures tissue bioimpedance instantly and efficiently before and after electroporation. Additionally this system allows for the comparison of electrode geometries as well as electric field' magnitudes and distributions. Follow up work will pursue the optimization of plasma membrane permeability for several tissue/cell types.
Bit-Interleaved Coded Multiple Beamforming with Imperfect CSIT

This paper addresses the performance of bit-interleaved coded multiple beamforming (BICMB) [1], [2] with imperfect knowledge of beamforming vectors. Most studies for limited-rate channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT) assume that the precoding matrix has an invariance property under an arbitrary unitary transform. In BICMB, this property does not hold. On the other hand, the optimum precoder and detector for BICMB are invariant under a diagonal unitary transform. In order to design a limited-rate CSIT system for BICMB, we propose a new distortion measure optimum under this invariance. Based on this new distortion measure, we introduce a new set of centroids and employ the generalized Lloyd algorithm for codebook design. We provide simulation results demonstrating the performance improvement achieved with the proposed distortion measure and the codebook design for various receivers with linear detectors.We show that although these receivers have the same performance for perfect CSIT, their performance varies under imperfect CSIT.
Detection of sialic acid in various Escherichia coli strains and in other species of bacteria.

IT was recently reported1 that an acidic aminopolysaccharide termed colominic acid was elaborated into the culture medium by the colocinogenic strain of Escherichia coli known as K235. This polysaccharide was afterwards shown to be composed of repeating units of N-acetylneuraminic acid or ovine sialic acid2. Since this was the first time that sialic acid substances had been found in other than mucopolysaccharides derived from mammalian sources a survey was made to ascertain whether these substances occurred in other Escherichia coli strains and in different species of bacteria. In addition, an attempt was made to correlate the pressure of sialic acid with other known properties of these bacteria.
Assessing Regional Hydrology and Water Quality Implications of Large-Scale Biofuel Feedstock Production in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

A recent U.S. Department of Energy study estimated that more than one billion tons of biofuel feedstock could be produced by 2030 in the United States from increased corn yield, and changes in agricultural and forest residue management and land uses. To understand the implications of such increased production on water resources and stream quality at regional and local scales, we have applied a watershed model for the Upper Mississippi River Basin, where most of the current and future crop/residue-based biofuel production is expected. The model simulates changes in water quality (soil erosion, nitrogen and phosphorus loadings in streams) and resources (soil-water content, evapotranspiration, and runoff) under projected biofuel production versus the 2006 baseline year and a business-as-usual scenario. The basin average results suggest that the projected feedstock production could change the rate of evapotranspiration in the UMRB by approximately +2%, soil-water content by about -2%, and discharge to streams by -5% from the baseline scenario. However, unlike the impacts on regional water availability, the projected feedstock production has a mixed effect on water quality, resulting in 12% and 45% increases in annual suspended sediment and total phosphorus loadings, respectively, but a 3% decrease in total nitrogen loading. These differences in water quantity and quality are statistically significant (p < 0.05). The basin responses are further analyzed at monthly time steps and finer spatial scales to evaluate underlying physical processes, which would be essential for future optimization of environmentally sustainable biofuel productions.
Pattern formation at the ocean surface: Sargassum distribution and the role of the eddy field

Positively buoyant organisms such as the macroalga Sargassum and the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium often form surface accumulations visible in satellite imagery that have lateral scale separation of tens of kilometers and cannot be explained by Langmuir circulation. Here we discuss the accumulation of floating materials in the ocean in presence of meso- and submesoscale activity. Using high-resolution simulations of the ocean mesoscale in both idealized (a 3-dimensional box where coherent eddies are forced by small-scale winds) and realistic domains (western Gulf of Mexico) where extensive concentrations of floating Sargassum have been recorded in satellite images, we show that the distribution of tracers at the ocean surface departs rapidly from that observed a few tens of meters below it. Such distribution does not resemble that observed for passive tracers in quasi-geostrophic turbulence. The strong divergence and convergence zones generated at the surface by ageostrophic processes in the submesoscale range are responsible for the creation of areas where the floating material accumulates. Floating particles are expelled from the core of mesoscale eddies and concentrate in convergence regions in patterns comparable to the ones observed through the satellite images. In light of those results, Sargassum and/or Trichodesmium may provide a useful proxy to track convergence/divergence processes resulting from ageostrophic processes at the ocean surface.
Rotational magnetic properties of Ni-Mn and Au-Fe spin-glass alloys.

Magnetization-vector measurements were performed on field-cooled polycrystalline disks of ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{75}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{25}$ and ${\mathrm{Au}}_{85}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{15}$ rotated in a stationary field H. For ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{75}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{25}$ at 4.2 and 10 K, it is found that the induced anisotropy, which rotates rigidly with the sample for all H, is predominantly unidirectional but with uniaxial and higher-order components that are not negligible. Moreover, the rotational magnetization Mp/${\mathrm{r}}_{\mathit{r}\mathit{o}\mathit{t}}$ is seen to be a unique function of the total effective field Hi/${\mathrm{r}}_{\mathit{e}\mathit{f}\mathit{f}}$ composed vectorially of H plus the anisotropy field ${\mathbf{H}}_{\mathit{K}}$, where M /${\mathrm{r}}_{\mathit{r}\mathit{o}\mathit{t}}$ extends from its saturation value down to zero at Hd/${\mathrm{r}}_{\mathit{e}\mathit{f}\mathit{f}}$=0. For ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{75}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{25}$ at higher temperatures, it is found that for H above a threshold value the direction of ${\mathbf{H}}_{\mathit{K}}$ changes relative to the rotating sample. This phenomenon is also observed in ${\mathrm{Au}}_{85}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{15}$ at 4.2 K, and the directional changes of ${\mathbf{H}}_{\mathit{K}}$ are seen to be a dissipative process, which is macroscopically frictional. Qualitative comparisons are made with the available theory.
Chinese among Others: Emigration in Modern Times Philip A. Kuhn

(2009). Chinese among Others: Emigration in Modern Times Philip A. Kuhn. Eurasian Geography and Economics: Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 608-612.
European Union: unification and convergence

As we embark on the tenth anniversary of the first introduction of the euro, it is befitting to take a step back and ask ourselves: have the economies achieved their economic goals set forth in the Maastricht Treaty and reaffirmed in the Treaties of Rome and Accession? Have they achieved economic convergence that was to be assured with the onset of the EU? This paper divides 30 European countries into 4 subgroups and assesses whether the groups have experienced a change in their overall and respective economic convergence rates. Per capita GDP, real-interest rate, lending interest rate, inflation rate, central government debt and deficit are analysed for evidence of convergence. The findings provide mixed results; rates of convergence vary by country and between the four subgroups. The study confirms that most countries have made progress towards convergence, however, convergence rates among and within subgroups are not in sync.
A systematic approach to develop and manage SRLGs for optical transport networks with multi-tier resources

This paper presents a generalized framework that characterizes multi-tier resource dependency and operators' diversity policies in transport networks. The framework enables the design of systematic approaches toward SRLG development for optical transport networks.
HEREGULIN DEGRADATION IN THE ABSENCE OF RAPID RECEPTOR-MEDIATED INTERNALIZATION

Heregulin receptors are unable to mediate the rapid internalization of bound ligand as demonstrated in cells transfected with chimeric or wild-type ErbB-2, -3, or -4 receptors (Baulidaet al.,1996,J. Biol. Chem.271, 5251–5257; Pinkas-Kramanskiet al.,1996,EMBO J.15, 2452–2467). This observation is now extended to include mammary carcinoma cell lines (SK-BR-3 and MDA-543) which express endogenous ErbB-2 and ErbB-3 receptors. Also, the fate of receptor-bound heregulin is examined. While receptor-bound heregulin is not rapidly internalized, the ligand is subject to a slow process of inactivation and degradation, which requires heregulin incubation at 37°C with cells that express heregulin receptors. The degradation of heregulin is blocked to a significant extent by chloroquine, an inhibitor of endosome fusion with lysosomes, indicating that heregulin is slowly internalized and degraded. However, this process is not sufficiently rapid to produce ligand-dependent down-regulation of heregulin receptors.
Micro Training—Over Easy?

Some people are trainers by choice, others by necessity, but nearly everyone teaches or trains most of their lives: parents teach, and sometimes learn from, children; adults train other adults; and various variations of that theme. As both a trainer and a trainee, I'd like to use this opportunity to sound off about something that has been bugging me for years—the phrase “easy to use.”
Radioenzymatic assay of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in plasma and urine

A rapid, sensitive assay for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors is described. Biological samples were diluted with methanol to precipitate endogenous ACE and centrifuged. Supernatants were further diluted with 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid buffer, pH 8. Diluted samples were incubated at 37 degrees C with the substrate [3H]hippurylglycylglycine and rabbit lung ACE for 45 min. Acid (1.0 N HCl) was then added, and the product, [3H]hippuric acid, was extracted into a water-immiscible scintillation cocktail. Drug standards were prepared in the biological matrix to correct for drug recovery. A computer program was used to convert radioactivity (dpm) to units of enzyme activity and then correlate enzyme activity with drug concentration. The ester prodrugs fosenopril and enalapril could be assayed down to 4 ng/ml in plasma after ester hydrolysis with NaOH. Drug disposition studies in rats, dogs, and monkeys have demonstrated that the method can be readily adapted to any ACE inhibitor and is suitable for determining drug bioavailability and pharmacokinetics.
Synergism by atropine of central stimulant properties of phenylpropanolamine

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine whether the known synergism of atropine toward the central excitatory effects of amphetamine would occur also with a weak CNS stimulant. Several doses of phenylpropanolamine ( dl -norephedrine, PPA) were tested alone and in combination with 0.4 mg/kg of atropine sulfate for effects on locomotor activity of rats. Significant synergism of the locomotor excitatory effect of PPA was found. PPA alone at 45–60 mg/kg produced amphetamine-like stereotyped behavior at an incidence of 60–80%, and the effect of PPA was not altered by atropine. However, atropine significantly synergized the lethality of 60 or 75 mg/kg doses of PPA in rats. Mice showed an “aggregation lethality” effect with PPA like that seen with amphetamine. This influence of aggregation on the LD50 of PPA was greatly magnified by pretreatment with atropine. It is suggested that a synergism of amphetamine-like effects of PPA which may occur with therapeutic combinations of PPA and anticholinergics could cause an increased liability for psychotoxic reactions.
Distribution and seasonal abundance of Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) parasitoids in Texas.

Parasitism in field populations of the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), from four different north central Texas locations was observed during 1986-1988. Three species of parasitoids attacked the spring generation of the Hessian fly, whereas the fall generations were rarely parasitized. Parasitic activity occurred primarily during the month of May. Parasitism levels ranged from 0 to 87.5% and were affected by time of year, host density, geographic location, and the number of years Hessian flies had been present in an area. Homoporus destructor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) was the most abundant parasitoid in Texas, followed by Eupelmus allynii (French) (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) and Trichomalopsis subapterus (Forbes) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
Alendronate Administration and Skeletal Response During Chronic Alcohol Intake in the Adolescent Male Rat

Alendronate is an aminobisphosphonate that inhibits bone resorption in osteoporotic humans and rats but does not induce osteomalacia. Several bisphosphonates, including alendronate, also have direct positive actions on osteoblasts, bone formation, and mineralization. We studied the effects of alendronate on skeletal development in adolescent male rats during chronic alcohol intake. Four groups of age- and weight-matched male Sprague-Dawley rats (35 days of age) were fed the Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 36% of calories as EtOH (E), the EtOH diet plus 60 mg/kg alendronate (EA) every other day intraperitoneally (ip), an isocaloric diet (I), or the isocaloric diet plus 60 mg/kg alendronate (IA) every other day ip. Body weight, femur length, serum levels of osteocalcin (OC), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), testosterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH); femur distal metaphyseal and middiaphyseal bone mineral density (BMD) and tibial metaphyseal gene expression for α-1-type I collagen (Col I), OC, and bone alkaline phosphatase (AP); and femur strength by four-point bending to failure were measured after 28 days of feeding and alendronate injections. Serum alcohol levels at death were 156 ± 13 mg/dl (E) and 203 ± 40 mg/dl (EA). Alendronate given to alcohol-fed rats increased metaphyseal BMD by more than 3-fold over rats fed alcohol alone. Alendronate given to isocaloric pair-fed rats increased metaphyseal BMD by more than 2.5-fold over rats fed the isocaloric diet alone. Cortical BMD was reduced by alcohol but was increased by alendronate. Alcohol consumption reduced serum IGF-1 levels, and alendronate increased IGF-1 levels in alcohol-fed rats. Serum OC, testosterone, and LH were unaffected by alcohol and alendronate. Quantitative dot blot hybridization using rat complementary DNA (cDNA) probes and normalization against 18S subunit ribosomal RNA (rRNA) levels revealed no changes in tibial metaphyseal gene expression for type I collagen, osteocalcin, or alkaline phosphatase. Alcohol significantly reduced the biomechanical properties of the femurs that were partially compensated by alendronate. Chronic alcohol consumption uncouples formation from ongoing resorption, and resorption is inhibited by alendronate. However, alendronate's positive effects on osteoblast-mediated mineralization during chronic alcohol consumption point to the potential use of bisphosphonates in the treatment of decreased bone formation secondary to alcohol-induced diminished osteoblast function.
Dynamics Of Axially Dispersed Reactors

Axially dispersed reactors with simultaneous convection, dispersion, and reaction might be used to approximate real reactors. While the steady-state solution to an axially dispersed reactor is well-described in the literature, its dynamic behavior is not often discussed. Studying this problem could provide insights into a class of industrial concentration transition problems, such as the product change in a glass melting furnace where one glass product is gradually replaced by another with a different composition. In this work, the dynamics in a tubular reactor with significant axial dispersion are explored following a state-space approach. The state-space models can be constructed either analytically or numerically. In the analytical approach, a continuous-time state-space model is derived from eigenfunction expansion followed by solving a Sturm−Liouville problem. In the numerical approach, a high-dimensional discrete-time state-space model is formulated by the discretization of the process PDE using the...
Spinning fluids in general relativity. II - Self-consistent formulation

Methods used earlier to derive the equations of motion for a spinning fluid in the Einstein-Cartan theory are specialized to the case of general relativity. The main idea is to include the spin as a thermodynamic variable in the theory.
Reisman Voted 2010 Computer Society President-Elect

In the recent Computer Society election, voters chose Sorel Reisman as 2010 president-elect and also elected new vice presidents and Board of Governors members.
CLIC-on-Health Update: Serving the Information Needs of Unaffiliated Health Professionals

In 2003, the CLIC-on-Health project launched a public web site for the greater Rochester, NY, region and began providing virtual and on-site training courses in health information literacy. The CLIC-on-Health web site links to reliable local and national health related web sites. This article is an update on the CLIC-on-Health project as first reported in this publication in 2006. In addition to upgrading technology to reach mobile users, CLIC-on-Health expanded its scope to include outreach to health professionals without access to licensed library databases through an affiliation with a college or hospital. This project expansion is discussed from inception to evaluation.