cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) Negatively Regulate Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Growth and Epithelial:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Signaling

Introduction The androgen receptor (AR) is the most highly expressed steroid receptor in breast cancer with 75-95% of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and 40-70% of ER-negative breast cancers expressing AR. Though historically breast cancers were treated with steroidal androgens, their use fell from favor because of their virilizing side effects and the emergence of tamoxifen. Nonsteroidal, tissue selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) may provide a novel targeted approach to exploit the therapeutic benefits of androgen therapy in breast cancer. Materials and methods Since MDA-MB-453 triple-negative breast cancer cells express mutated AR, PTEN, and p53, MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells stably expressing wildtype AR (MDA-MB-231-AR) were used to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-proliferative effects of SARMs. Microarray analysis and epithelial:mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) co-culture signaling studies were performed to understand the mechanisms of action. Results Dihydrotestosterone and SARMs, but not bicalutamide, inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231-AR. The SARMs reduced the MDA-MB-231-AR tumor growth and tumor weight by greater than 90%, compared to vehicle-treated tumors. SARM treatment inhibited the intratumoral expression of genes and pathways that promote breast cancer development through its actions on the AR. SARM treatment also inhibited the metastasis-promoting paracrine factors, IL6 and MMP13, and subsequent migration and invasion of epithelial:MSC co-cultures. Conclusion 1. AR stimulation inhibits paracrine factors that are important for MSC interactions and breast cancer invasion and metastasis. 2. SARMs may provide promise as novel targeted therapies to treat AR-positive triple-negative breast cancer.
Multistate Empirical Valence Bond Model for Proton Transport in Water

A multistate empirical valence bond (MS-EVB) model for describing proton transport in aqueous systems is presented. In this approach the electrostatic interaction of the solvent water molecules with an exchange charge distribution is explicitly included in the off-diagonal elements of the EVB Hamiltonian. The MS-EVB model is parametrized to reproduce geometrical and energetic quantities of selected H3O+·(H2O)N clusters. The obtained geometries, formation energies, and energy barriers are in excellent agreement with results from high-level ab initio calculations. It is furthermore applied in a classical molecular dynamics simulation of condensed-phase water with an excess proton in order to estimate the proton-transfer rate.
The Drosophila vesicular monoamine transporter reduces pesticide-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons

Dopamine is cytotoxic and may play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease. However, its interaction with environmental risk factors such as pesticides remains poorly understood. The vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) regulates intracellular dopamine content, and we have tested the neuroprotective effects of VMAT in vivo using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. We find that Drosophila VMAT (dVMAT) mutants contain fewer dopaminergic neurons than wild type, consistent with a developmental effect, and that dopaminergic cell loss in the mutant is exacerbated by the pesticides rotenone and paraquat. Overexpression of DVMAT protein does not increase the survival of animals exposed to rotenone, but blocks the loss of dopaminergic neurons caused by this pesticide. These results are the first to demonstrate an interaction between a VMAT and pesticides in vivo, and provide an important model to investigate the mechanisms by which pesticides and cellular DA may interact to kill dopaminergic cells.
Gene Repression by Coactivator Repulsion

We show that the IRF-2 oncoprotein represses virus-induced IFN-beta gene transcription via a novel mechanism. Virus infection induces recruitment of IRF-2 to some of the endogenous IFN-beta enhancers as part of the enhanceosome. Enhanceosomes bearing IRF-2 cannot activate transcription, due to the presence of a domain in IRF-2 that prevents enhanceosome-dependent recruitment of the CBP-Pol II holoenzyme complex. As a consequence, IRF-2 incorporation into enhanceosomes restricts the number of IFN-beta promoters directing transcription. Remarkably, deletion of the IRF-2 gene increases IFN-beta expression by expanding the number of cells capable of inducing IFN-beta gene transcription in response to virus infection.
BEHAVIOR RECORDER: software to record and analyze behavioral data using SAS and SYSTAT statistical software

This paper describes BEHAVIOR RECORDER, a BASIC computer program that records behavioral data when an observer presses keys on the keyboard of a portable or desktop PC computer. This program can record: (i) the sequence of habitat locations and positions visited by the subject; (ii) the time the subject remained within each location and position; and (iii) the occurrence time, duration, frequency, and sequence of its behaviors within each location and position. Data files created with BEHAVIOR RECORDER can be imported into either SAS or SYSTAT commercial statistical packages. The data can then be analyzed to obtain behavioral data summaries for each habitat location and position recorded in the data file. Behavioral summaries include the number of occurrences per animal of all behaviors, their time of first and last occurrence, and the mean, variance, range, standard error, and coefficient of variation of behavioral occurrence times and durations. BEHAVIOR RECORDER files can also be analyzed to obtain visitation statistics for visits to each habitat location and position. We first describe the recording features of BEHAVIOR RECORDER, and then provide examples of how to collect and analyze BEHAVIOR RECORDER files.
A rapid and sensitive proteolytic assay for human plasminogen and plasmin using radioiodinated α-casein

Abstract A rapid and sensitive proteolytic assay for plasminogen and plasmin is described using 125 I-labelled-α-casein as substrate. The assay displays a very high degree of linearity, precision and correlation with the standard caseinolytic assay and by proper choice of conditions, different components of the fibrinolytic enzyme system can be quantitated. Furthermore, the assay is particularly applicable to kinetic studies of plasmin-protease inhibitor interactions due to the short incubation times and sensitivity.
Deoxyribose 5-phosphate aldolase: an enzyme that peaks in the G2 phase of rat hepatoma cells.

Abstract The activity of deoxyribose 5-P aldolase (2-deoxy- d -ribose 5-phosphate acetaldehyde lyase, EC 4.1.2.4) increases three- to fourfold in cultures of rat hepatoma cells that have reached stationary growth and have stopped in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. We have shown that in cell cultures synchronized by three independent methods the enzyme activity peaks in late G2, followed by a rapid decline during mitosis. Two compounds, dibutyryl cAMP and isoproterenol, that appear to block these cells in G2, also cause a two- to fourfold increase in deoxyribose 5-P aldolase activity. It is suggested that this enzyme may play a role in lowering the pools of deoxyribonucleotides in the late G 2 M phase of the cell cycle.
Do endplate noise and spikes arise from normal motor endplates

The concept that the endplate noise and endplate spike components of motor endplate potentials represent normal endplate potentials seems to be flawed. The morphology of the normal miniature endplate potentials described in the physiology literature is different from the morphology of the noise-like component of endplate potentials. This noise-like component is identified as normal in current electromyographic literature. There is strong experimental evidence that one source of the endplate noise component is grossly increased release (up to three orders of magnitude) of acetylcholine from the nerve terminal of that neuromuscular junction. The spikes can be accounted for by release of additional acetylcholine in response to mechanical stimulation by the electromyographic needle. Other possibilities exist.
On the boundedness of solutions of an nth-order time-lag system

A boundedness criterion is established between the solutions of an nth-order nonlinear functional differential equation and an nth-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation.
Bone-targeted therapy for advanced androgen-independent carcinoma of the prostate: a randomised phase II trial.

Summary Background Prostate carcinoma is linked to osteoblasticmetastasis. We therefore investigated the value of bonetargetedconsolidation therapy in selected patients with advanced androgen-independent carcinoma of the prostate. Methods 103 patients received induction chemotherapy, consisting of ketoconazole and doxorubicin alternating withestramustine and vinblastine. After two or three cycles ofinduction chemotherapy, we randomly assigned 72patients who were clinically stable or responders to receivedoxorubicin with or without strontium-89 (Sr-89) every week for 6 weeks. Findings Overall 62 of the 103 (60%, 95% CI 50–70)patients had a 50% or greater reduction in serum prostatespecificantigen concentration that was maintained for at least 8 weeks, and 43 (42%, 32–52) had an 80% or greaterreduction. 49 (52%) patients with bone pain at registrationhad complete resolution of pain. After follow-up of 67patients until death, the estimated median survival for all103 patients was 17·5 months (range 0·5–37·7). For the36 patients randomly assigned to receive Sr-89 anddoxorubicin, the median survival time was 27·7 months(4·9–37·7), and for the 36 who received doxorubicin aloneit was 16·8 months (4·4–34·2) (p=0·0014). The hazardratio was 2·76 (95% CI 1·44–5·29). Interpretation Bone-targeted consolidation therapyconsisting of one dose of Sr-89 plus doxorubicin once aweek for 6 weeks, when given to patients with stable or responding advanced androgen-independent carcinoma of the prostate after induction chemotherapy, improved overall survival.
Development of Molecular Mechanics Torsion Parameters for α,β-Cyclopropyl α‘,β‘-Enones and Conformational Analysis of Bicyclo[m.1.0]alk-3-en-2-ones

Conformations of cyclopropyl methyl ketone have been studied using ab initio methods in an effort to quantify the effects of conjugative overlap between the cyclopropane ring and an adjacent ketone carbonyl. Results were comparable with previous experimental and theoretical studies. Cyclopropyl methyl ketone exhibits a global energy minimum in the s-cis conformer and a local energy minimum near the s-trans conformer. The potential energy curve obtained was used to derive torsion parameters which were employed in molecular mechanics studies of the conformations of the set of bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones having larger ring sizes from five- to 16-membered. Similar conformations for the cyclopropyl ketone substructure are observed for all the medium and large ring systems examined. Possible synthetic ramifications of local conformational anchoring by this functional group array are discussed.
Reduced sperm motility in the isthmus of the rabbit oviduct

SPERM transport through the female reproductive tract has been studied extensively in mammals1,2, but no systematic evaluation of the motility of spermatozoa at different levels of the tract after coitus has been reported. We describe a procedure for collecting oviducal spermatozoa and present observations on an unexpected reduction in the proportion of motile spermatozoa in the isthmus of the rabbit oviduct over the 12-h interval between mating and fertilisation.
Cross Cultural Adjustment A Test of the `Uncertainty Reduction Principle'

This research reports the results of a cross-sectional, correlational study of expatriate adjustment encompassing 181 United States' embassy employees working in Canada, Chile, and Mexico. The impa...
MALDI sample preparation: the ultra thin layer method.

This video demonstrates the preparation of an ultra-thin matrix/analyte layer for analyzing peptides and proteins by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) 1, 2. The ultra-thin layer method involves the production of a substrate layer of matrix crystals (alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid) on the sample plate, which serves as a seeding ground for subsequent crystallization of a matrix/analyte mixture. Advantages of the ultra-thin layer method over other sample deposition approaches (e.g. dried droplet) are that it provides (i) greater tolerance to impurities such as salts and detergents, (ii) better resolution, and (iii) higher spatial uniformity. This method is especially useful for the accurate mass determination of proteins. The protocol was initially developed and optimized for the analysis of membrane proteins and used to successfully analyze ion channels, metabolite transporters, and receptors, containing between 2 and 12 transmembrane domains 2. Since the original publication, it has also shown to be equally useful for the analysis of soluble proteins. Indeed, we have used it for a large number of proteins having a wide range of properties, including those with molecular masses as high as 380 kDa 3. It is currently our method of choice for the molecular mass analysis of all proteins. The described procedure consistently produces high-quality spectra, and it is sensitive, robust, and easy to implement.
Separation of neutral oligosaccharides by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract We have developed a method for separating reduced, neutral oligosaccharides by high-performance liquid chromatography on columns of MicroPak AX-5 (Varian Associates) with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:H 2 O. Individual glucose oligomers containing from 1 to 20 glucose moieties can be separated in a single 1-h analysis with a solvent program of decreasing acetonitrile concentration. We have applied this method to both the analysis and preparative isolation of glycoprotein-derived oligosaccharides obtained by enzymatic release with endoglycosidases or chemical release by hydrazinolysis. Introduction of 3 H by reduction with NaB 3 H 4 permits the detection of subnanomole quantities of oligosaccharides. This method offers previously unattainable rapidity and resolution for the analysis of oligosaccharides.
Cholesterol metabolism in copper deficient rats

Abstract The influence of copper deficiency on the appearance of newly synthesized cholesterol in the plasma lipids of rats was examined following 3H mevalonate injection. At 181 days copper deficient rats exhibited a highly significant increase in plasma cholesterol concentration. Copper deficiency was associated with a greatly enhanced appearance of 3H in newly synthesized cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in the plasma lipids. A concomitant decrease in 3H incorporation into liver lipids was also observed. The results suggest that copper deficiency markedly influences the clearance of hepatic cholesterol to the plasma pool, and a highly significant correlation was observed between plasma copper concentrations and 3H incorporation into plasma cholesterol. The results are discussed in terms of a possible role for copper in lipoprotein metabolism, bile acid metabolism, and the uptake of cholesterol by extra-hepatic tissues.
Gambling attitudes and participation: A midwestern survey

In the last few years there has been a tremendous expansion of legalized gambling in the midwest. Multiple forms of gambling are now easily accessible. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of gambling in a midwestern state and to assess differences in gambling attitudes and behavior between men and women, in various income groups, living in rural and urban areas. In addition, because of the rapid increase in gambling in this region, respondents were also asked their opinions about legalized gambling. Results indicated that gambling was pervasive in all segments of this midwestern sample; however, men spent more than women and urban residents wagered more than rural residents. The poor spent a greater proportion of their income on gambling than those with middle incomes. Both the gamblers, and many of the non-gamblers, would like to see more gambling opportunities in their communities as most view gambling as a benign recreational activity. One in every ten that gambled, however, did report family problems related to gambling.
The room temperature adsorption of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon monoxide on (11⦶|20) ruthenium: An ellipsometry-leed characterization

Abstract Experiments involving the room temperature adsorption of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon monoxide on a single crystal (1120) ruthenium surface were performed in ultra-high vacuum by monitoring the accumulation of adsorbates using ellipsometry while simultaneously observing the adsorbates' periodicity (or lack of it) with LEED. Measurements of relative carbon monoxide coverages were made using a temperature programmed desorption (flash desorption) method, and these results correlated well with coverages determined using ellipsometry.
The impact of the π-electron conjugation length on the three-photon absorption cross section of fluorene derivatives

The three-photon absorption cross sections of three different fluorene derivatives, with extended π-electron conjugation lengths was experimentally measured and compared with shorter π-electron conjugation length analogs. The effect of the conjugation length on the three-photon absorption cross section σ3′ of this family of molecules has been elucidated. It is demonstrated that σ3′ of the asymmetric compound D-π-π-π-A is 6.6 times larger than its shorter configuration D-π-A, while for the symmetric compounds D-π-π-π-D and A-π-π-π-A a two-fold enhancement was found relative to their shorter conjugation length analogs. Measurements of the three-photon excitation of these compounds in THF solution (10−3M) were accomplished with a tunable optical pulse generation pumped by a 25ps Nd-YAG laser.
Differentiation of inner ear stem cells to functional sensory neurons.

Inner ear stem cells can be isolated by neurosphere formation from the vestibular organs and the cochlea. The cells are pluripotent, with the potential to become hair cells and neurons, the cochlear cell types whose loss causes deafness. Here we describe the control of cell fate decisions that determine the phenotype adopted by these progenitors, and we determine whether differentiation to sensory neurons is preferred over other types of neurons. Differentiation of progenitor cells recapitulated developmental pathways of embryonic sensory neurons. Based on marker expression, retinoic acid increased the yield of neurons and the percentage of sensory neurons obtained and caused a sharp increase in Pax2, a key transcription factor of cranial placodes. Markers of embryonic auditory and other sensory neurons, GATA3, Brn3a, and islet1, could be detected after 3 days of differentiation of the cells, and markers of the sensory phenotype, peripherin, calretinin, TrkC, and TrkB were expressed after 10 days. The differentiated cells had tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium currents and fired action potentials, and recordings revealed functional AMPA type-glutamate receptors, further indicating that these cells had developed neuronal features. Neurons differentiated from these stem cells grew processes to hair cells in vitro. Development of functional activity in cells with the markers of sensory neurons suggested that the inner ear stem cells might have the capacity to replace cells lost due to neural degeneration. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 2008
Saturation and simple extensions of models of peano arithmetic

On caracterise parmi des modeles denombrables de PA ceux qui ont des extensions simples recursivement saturees: ce sont les modeles eleves. C'est ce concept de modele eleve que l'on etudie en details
Structure and development of the southern Moroccan continental shelf

Abstract The structure of the continental shelf off southern Morocco was studied by means of 2,100 km of seismic reflection profiles, magnetic and bathymetric surveys, and dredge samples. The research area lies off four geologic divisions adjacent to the coast: the Atlas Mountains; the Souss Trough; the Anti-Atlas Mountains; and the Aaiun Basin. The continental shelf, along with the western Atlas Mountains, the western Souss Trough, and the entire Aaiun Basin, has subsided along a normal fault-flexure system. This system runs along the shore at the Anti-Atlas Mountains, and cuts off this cratonic block from the shelf subsidence. The shelf is narrow and characterized by out-building off the Anti-Atlas range, whereas it is broader and characterized by upbuilding to the north and south. Deposition was essentially continuous at least from Early Cretaceous through Eocene time. Published work suggests that the last cycle of sedimentation began during Permian rifting. After Eocene time, most sediments carried to the shelf must have bypassed it and gone to construct the slope and rise or to the deep sea. Tertiary orogenies caused extensive folding of Mesozoic and early Tertiary deposits off the Atlas Mountains.
Antithrombotic therapy in 2014: Making headway in anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy.

Despite favourable results in pivotal clinical trials involving novel direct oral anticoagulants, vitamin K antagonists remain the most commonly prescribed anticoagulant. Newer oral anticoagulants are slated for a wide range of additional indications, and specific antidotes to neutralize associated bleeding complications are currently under development.
Discrete flow modeling: A general discrete time compartmental model

A general flow model is developed which is discrete both in time and space. The stirred-tank network model (continuous time compartmental model) is summarized and compared with the discrete flow model. Efficient methods for model fitting are given and demonstrated with numerical examples.
Force field of cyanogen from vibrational spectra of isotopic species

Abstract The Raman spectra of (12C14N)2, (13C14N)2, and (12C15N)2 in the vapor phase have been studied. From the isotope shifts of several levels the Fermi resonance constant, W01000-000200 = 41 cm−1, has been determined. The observed data, together with earlier infrared data, allow a determination of all the first order anharmonic corrections and thus of the fundamental harmonic frequencies. From these results, force constants and compliance constants of a general quadratic force field are calculated and discussed.
Savings and investment rates in Latin America: An error correction analysis

Using savings and investment rates from fifteen Latin and Central American countries, this study explores the possibility of a long-run relationship between saving and investment. The analysis consists of regressions unit root tests, and an error correction model developed by Jansen and Schulze (1996) and Jansen (1996). Of the 15 countries, there is evidence to substantiate capital mobility in 13 countries. For Chile and Uruguay, countries that have experienced considerable capital controls, evidence indicates the lack of capital mobility for these two countries.
Micro-heterogeneity metrics for diffusion in soft matter

Passive particle tracking of diffusive paths in soft matter, coupled with analysis of the path data, is firmly established as a fundamental methodology for characterization of both diffusive transport properties (the focus here) and linear viscoelasticity. For either focus, particle time series are typically analyzed by ensemble averaging over paths, a perfectly natural protocol for homogeneous materials or for applications where mean properties are sufficient. Many biological materials, however, are heterogeneous over length scales above the probe diameter, and the implications of heterogeneity for biologically relevant transport properties (e.g. diffusive passage times through a complex fluid layer) motivate this paper. Our goals are three-fold: first, to detect heterogeneity as reflected by the ensemble path data; second, to further decompose the ensemble of particle paths into statistically distinct clusters; and third, to fit the path data in each cluster to a model for the underlying stochastic process. After reviewing current best practices for detection and assessment of heterogeneity in diffusive processes, we introduce our strategy toward the first two goals with methods from the statistics and machine learning literature that have not found application thus far to passive particle tracking data. We apply an analysis based solely on the path data that detects heterogeneity and yields a decomposition of particle paths into statistically distinct clusters. After these two goals are achieved, one can then pursue model-fitting. We illustrate these heterogeneity metrics on diverse datasets: for numerically generated and experimental particle paths, with tunable and unknown heterogeneity, on numerical models for simple diffusion and anomalous sub-diffusion, and experimentally on sucrose, hyaluronic acid, agarose, and human lung culture mucus solutions.
Prolonged survival and decreased mucosal injury after low-dose enteral allopurinol prophylaxis in mesenteric ischemia.

Previous studies demonstrating protective effects of allopurinol in intestinal ischemia have evaluated intravenous allopurinol (presently unavailable for human use) or enteral allopurinol at supranormal doses and, therefore, have questionable clinical relevance. To address this problem, we evaluated the protective effects of clinically used doses of enteral allopurinol in rats with intestinal ischemia. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats (weighing 300 to 400 g) received enteral allopurinol (10 mg/kg) or water daily for 1 week. Rats were then subjected to superior mesenteric artery occlusion with interruption of collateral flow for 20 minutes to produce ischemic injury to the intestine. Segmental small bowel resections were performed in 10 control rats and 10 allopurinol-treated rats before and after reperfusion to identify histopathologic evidence of reperfusion injury. Mucosal injury was quantitated using a grading scale of 0 to 5 (5 being most severe). The remaining 20 rats (10 in each group) were observed for mortality (death within 7 days) after reperfusion. Mucosal injury after reperfusion was graded at 4.4 +/- 0.20 in controls versus 2.3 +/- 0.23 in the treated group (P less than .001). In addition, there was a significant increase in mucosal damage in the control group when postreperfusion specimens were compared with specimens taken before reperfusion (2.8 +/- 0.19 before and 4.4 +/- 0.20 after reperfusion, P less than .001). Injury score for the allopurinol-treated group did not significantly increase after reperfusion. Survival was 50% in the water-fed control group compared with 100% survival in allopurinol-treated rats (P = .016). We conclude that enteral allopurinol in the presently available form and dose is effective in reducing mesenteric reperfusion injury.
THE PARADIGM OF CAPITALISM UNDER A DEVELOPMENTAL STATE: DOES IT FIT CHINA AND INDIA?

In this paper, we explore the complexities in the relation between the state and capitalist development in China and India. In both countries some form of weak capitalism had developed for many decades long before liberation/independence. After the latter point China, of course, installed a socialist economy both in industry and (after mid-1950s) agriculture, and the private sector was minimal and operated in minute scale and under the shadows. India, for the first four decades after independence, had a much larger private sector, but many of the key and strategic industries were in the public sector, sometimes co-existing with the private sector in the same industry (e.g., steel) and in other cases not (e.g., power plant equipment or airlines). The Indian informal sector (including both farms and household enterprises outside agriculture), much larger than that in China, has been mostly private owned; even now, it employs nearly 94% of the labor force and contributes about 45% of non-farm output. But many of these tiny enterprises, while often family owned, cannot be quite described as capitalist business; if market prices are imputed for the inputs they use (like family labor) their business income is often negative and persistently so. Those — like Prestowitz (2005) — who envisage the phenomenon of “billions of new capitalists” in China and India and draw its momentous implications for the current global economy, do not realize that hundreds of millions of poor people in either country are currently scrounging a living from tiny family enterprises of extremely low productivity. They do not have the kind of access to credit, marketing, and infrastructure or the basic skills and education and risk-bearing capacity that can make a capitalist enterprise possible. They are there because the capitalist parts of the economy (under state or private auspices) cannot absorb them. In the last two decades the private corporate sector has thrived in India, even though in the formal sector state-owned companies still account for about 40% of the total sales. The informal sector, though still quite large, has developed output and supplier links with the formal sector, and the communication revolution has strengthened those links. But a recent study by Alfaro and Chari (2009) on Indian corporate data over 1988–2007 show that in spite of a great deal of new entry, particularly in the service sector, the dominance of The Singapore Economic Review, Vol. 55, No. 2 (2010) 243–251 © World Scientific Publishing Company DOI: 10.1142/S0217590810003699
Acoustic-to-seismic landmine detection using a continuously scanning laser Doppler vibrometer

A single beam laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) has been used in acoustic-to-seismic mode [Sabatier, J.M. and Xiang, N. IEEE Trans. Geoscience and Remote Sensing 39 , 2001, pp. 1146-1154; Xiang, N. and Sabatier, J.M., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 113 Mar 2003]. One of the major requirements is the operational scanning speed in the acoustic detection methods. To increase the operational speed, the LDV must move continuously along the ground. An initial effort has demonstrated the feasibility of continuously scanning the ground by controlling the mirrors in a scanning laser vibrometer [Valeau et al., Development of a time-frequency representation for acoustic detection of buried objects, J. Acoust. Soc. Am ., 2003 (submitted).]. A continuously scanning LDV on a stationary platform has been employed. This work will discuss systematic investigations using a continuously scanning LDV to obtain field data in Army test lanes.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Enhancing physical science instruction for gifted elementary school students: Developing teacher confidence and skills

Enhanced instruction in physical science remains a critical need for gifted elementary school students. Discussed are themes used in summer in‐service workshops to develop the skills and confidence elementary school teachers need to enhance such instruction. This includes confidence with hands‐on activities, letting children explore, focusing on process skills or with basic materials. It also means understanding connections to master science instruction.
Ornithine decarboxylase in Pneumocystis carinii and implications for therapy.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) can be treated with eflornithine (difluoromethylornithine, DFMO, Ornidyl), a competitive irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a key enzyme for polyamine biosynthesis. Because ODC has been reported to be absent from P. carinii, it has been assumed that eflornithine affects P. carinii only indirectly, by affecting host polyamine biosynthesis. If this is true, then improvements in the selectivity of antipolyamine therapy for PCP would be limited. Since the presence of ODC in P. carinii is an important issue, a new search for this enzyme was made. Not only were initial assays negative, but P. carinii extract reduced the background catalytic action of pyridoxal-59-phosphate, the coenzyme required by the enzyme. This suggested the presence of an inhibitor, which was further supported by the observation that a P. carinii extract could suppress a source of known ODC activity. The inhibitory activity could be removed by a desalting column or by dialysis, allowing detection of P. carinii ODC. Indirect evidence indicates that the inhibition is only apparent and is caused by unlabeled ornithine in the extract of P. carinii which interferes with the radiolabel-based assay system. P. carinii and host ODCs respond differently to changes in pH. P. carinii ODC is much less susceptible to inhibition by eflornithine than host ODC. The presence of ODC in P. carinii suggests that P. carinii ODC is the target of eflornithine and that P. carinii ODC may have sufficiently specific properties that inhibitors with improved selectivity against P. carinii ODC could be identified.
Chronic myeloid leukemia with p190BCR-ABL: prevalence, morphology, tyrosine kinase inhibitor response, and kinase domain mutation analysis

To the editor: The Ph1-positive chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) with breakpoint in the minor breakpoint cluster region (m-BCR) and sole expression of the e1a2 BCR-ABL fusion transcript encoding for p190BCR-ABL (ie, without concurrent expression of the e13a2/e14a2 transcript encoding for
Observations on the phenoloxidase system in the haemolymph of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae

Abstract Phenoloxidase in fresh haemolymph of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae showed no significant activity with dopa substrate (2,4-dihydroxy-phenylalanine), whereas that in acetone-powder extracts of the haemolymph did. It was also found that incubation of fresh haemolymph with acetone, certain alcohols, or with trypsin or α-chymotrypsin served to induce enzyme activity. The enzyme catalysed the oxidation of other diphenols besides dopa but not the monophenol tyrosine, even in the presence of a catalytic amount of dopa. Electrophoresis of fresh haemolymph showed three protein bands, while dialysed haemolymph showed only two protein bands and diminished phenoloxidase activity. Other experiments included the histochemical localization of phenoloxidase within the blood cells, analysis of the amino acid composition of the blood of normal and injured cockroaches, determination of the Michaelis constants for dopa, and determination of the effects of temperature and u.v. radiation on the phenoloxidase system. The significance of the results of the above experiments is discussed.
Incidence and Distribution of Viruses in Blackberry (Rubus sp.) in Alabama

A survey was conducted in 2007 to determine the incidence and distribution of viruses in commercial blackberry crops in Alabama. Symptomatic and asymptomatic plants in eight major blackberry producing counties were tested for Impatiens necrotic spot virus, Raspberry bushy dwarf virus, Tobacco ringspot virus, and Tomato ringspot virus using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seventy-nine percent of the blackberry samples were infected. Tomato ringspot virus was detected in 45% of the samples, followed by Impatiens necrotic spot virus (35%), Tobacco ringspot virus (31%), and Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (26%). Each virus was detected in each of the eight counties surveyed and in each of the 14 blackberry cultivars evaluated in this study. Seventy-eight percent of the asymptomatic blackberry samples tested positive for virus infection, an indication that symptom expression is not necessarily a reliable diagnostic method for virus infection of blackberries.
Matching of bubble chamber tracks using parameters to represent the tracks

Abstract Automatic measurement of bubble chamber tracks inevitably produces an irregular distribution of points for some tracks. Once the three projected views of an event have been measured, the tracks must be view correlated or matched. Sizable gaps in the point distribution can have an adverse effect on both view matching and spatial reconstruction. The circle is an accurate description of the projected view provided that a third order curve is superimposed to account for energy loss. Recording parameters that describe each track would allow generated points to be used. To test the feasibility of this method, a set of about 1500 events was processed. The results from generated points were compared with those using the measured points. The difference in momentum, azimuth, and dip was nearly an order of magnitude smaller than that resulting from two separate measurements.
Error rate drift caused by rubbing noise in ferrite read heads

Some combinations of DDS-3 tape drive and cassette experience a rapid increase in error rate, followed by a gradual spontaneous recovery, when a section of tape is repeatedly used. This behaviour is caused by a change in the level of rubbing noise resulting from changes to the surface of the read head. This paper describes an investigation into the nature of this noise, and in particular the effect of head-tape speed on its frequency spectrum. In some cases, standing-wave vibrations in the head structure are excited by periodic ripple features that form on the surface of the ferrite read heads.
Supporting gifted students’ acquisition of relevant knowledge for solving math problems

Studies conducted in cognitive laboratories as well as in other settings suggest ways to facilitate people's abilities to use relevant knowledge in problem‐solving and decision making. Such activities help students understand the nature of the problems that various concepts and procedures were designed to solve, and hence enable them to understand the functional significance of new information. This study presented gifted 4th grade students with “real life” problem‐solving content, via videodisc technology, and then asked them to make valid suggestions about how to solve problems posed. Results illustrated that when children are instructed in problem‐solving strategies and then presented story information, they are more successful in solving posed problems than children who did not receive training.
Manipulations in hydrogel chemistry control photoencapsulated chondrocyte behavior and their extracellular matrix production.

In engineering a cell-carrier to support cartilage growth, hydrogels provide a unique, largely aqueous envi- ronment for 3-dimensional chondrocyte culture that facili- tates nutrient transport yet provides an elastic framework dictating tissue shape and supporting external loads. Al- though the gel environment is often 90% water, we dem- onstrate that slight variations in hydrogel chemistry control gel degradation, evolving macroscopic properties, and ulti- mately the secretion and distribution of extracellular matrix molecules. Specifically, biodegradable poly(ethylene glycol)- co-poly(lactic acid) hydrogels were fabricated via photopo- lymerization. When chondrocytes were photoencapsulated in these gels, changes in the poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly- (lactic acid) repeat unit ratio from 19 to 7 increased total collagen synthesis 2.5-fold after 6 weeks in vitro. Furthermore, the ratio of collagen to glycosaminoglycans varied from glycosaminoglycan-rich, 0.33 0.13, to collag- en-rich, 4.58 1.21, depending on gel chemistry and in vitro versus in vivo culture environment. By tuning scaffold chem- istry, and subsequently, gel structure and degradation be- havior, we can better guide tissue evolution and develop- ment. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 1430 -1436, 2003
Survival trees with time-dependent covariates: Application to estimating changes in the incubation period of AIDS

Tree-structured methods for exploratory data analysis have previously been extended to right-censored survival data. We further extend these methods to allow for truncation and time-dependent covariates. We apply the new methods to a data set on incubation times of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), using calendar time as a time-dependent covariate. Contrary to expectation, we find that rates of progression to AIDS appear to be faster after August 1989 than before.
Postmodern criminology in relation to radical and conflict criminology

The literature on postmodern criminology suggests that there is some relationship between it and radical criminology. This relationship apparently is based in part on the ract that both are further related to conflict theory. However, conceptual analyses on these types of theories have not fully explicated whatever similarities and differences exist among them. This essay identifies six core theoretical assertions in conflict criminology and compares them to parallel assertions in radical and postmodern criminology. Such comparison is followed by a discussion on the relevance of conflict and radical theory as conceptual backdrops from which to comprehend postmodern inquiry.
Atomistic simulation of the influence of pre-existing stress on the interpretation of nanoindentation data

By using molecular dynamics simulations, we have accurately determined the true contact area during plastic indentation of materials under an applied in-plane stress. We found that the mean pressure calculated from the true contact area varied slightly with applied pre-stress with higher values in compression than in tension and that the modulus calculated from the true contact area is essentially independent of the press-stress level in the substrate. These findings are largely consistent with the findings of Tsui, Pharr, and Oliver. On the other hand, if the contact area is estimated from approximate formulae, the contact area is underestimated and shows a strong dependence on the pre-stress level. When it is used to determine mean pressure and modulus, the empirically determined area leads to large errors. Our simulations demonstrate that this phenomenon, first reported for macroscale hardness measurements dating back to 1932, also exists at the nanometer-scale contact areas, apparently scaling over 10 orders of magnitude in contact area, from ~mm2 to ~100 nm2.
The preference for switching to expression of the IgA isotype of antibody exhibited by B lymphocytes in Peyer's patches is likely due to intrinsic properties of their microenvironment.

The prompt switching to the expression of different non-IgM/IgD isotypes in PP and LN during acute, de novo GC reactions at the two types of sites suggests intrinsic differences in their microenvironments as the basis for isotype preference.
Optimal tax reform in the presence of adjustment costs

Abstract The optimal implementation of an efficiency-enhancing capital taxation reform is examined when the government is concerned about arbitrary reform-induced redistributions and investment causes firms to incur adjustment costs. Theoretical results indicate that immediate partial enactment of reform is optimal with concave adjustment costs, while with convex adjustment costs, the optimal reform implementation policy is either (i) immediate partial enactment with sufficiently low adjustment costs, (ii) phased-in partial enactment with intermediate adjustment costs, or (iii) postponed partial enactment with sufficiently high adjustment costs. Numerical results suggest that, relative to the optimal one-step implementation policy, little is gained by phasing-in reform.
Autologous TMJ Disk Replacement

The authors review disk replacement options, emphasizing autogenous materials—cartilage, dermis, fascia or muscle. Several techniques have been advocated for replacement of displaced or diseased temporomandibular joint disks. Techniques are reviewed and the author’s experience in managing this complex problem is presented.
Principle learning as a function of instruction on excluding irrelevant variables

The purpose of this study was to determine if instruction on excluding irrelevant variables enhanced learning the principle that explained why objects float and sink. The results of the study show that learning the correct principle without first learning to exclude the false principles is not as effective as learning to exclude the false principles and then learning the correct principle. The data also indicate that the presentation of the verbal principle in the program enhanced achievement on the concept criterion test.
Topology aggregation for combined additive and restrictive metrics

In a hierarchical network, nodes are aggregated to groups for the purpose of simplifying routing. Each group has a set of ingress-egress nodes, and routing information is conveyed to the outside world in the form of a transition matrix (or other equivalent form) that gives the cost of traversing the network between each ingress-egress node pair. In this paper, we present a transition matrix that has enough descriptive power to support service requirements that have both restrictive (bandwidth) and additive (delay) constraints. We present a solution in the form of a matrix whose elements are functions that map requested bandwidth to minimum delay. These functions describe the efficient frontier of the solution space, and we specify a generic procedure for calculating the efficient frontier for various delay functions. The complexity of this procedure is given for a set of well-known delay functions that are of practical importance.
On the performance of wide-area thin-client computing

While many application service providers have proposed using thin-client computing to deliver computational services over the Internet, little work has been done to evaluate the effectiveness of thin-client computing in a wide-area network. To assess the potential of thin-client computing in the context of future commodity high-bandwidth Internet access, we have used a novel, noninvasive slow-motion benchmarking technique to evaluate the performance of several popular thin-client computing platforms in delivering computational services cross-country over Internet2. Our results show that using thin-client computing in a wide-area network environment can deliver acceptable performance over Internet2, even when client and server are located thousands of miles apart on opposite ends of the country. However, performance varies widely among thin-client platforms and not all platforms are suitable for this environment. While many thin-client systems are touted as being bandwidth efficient, we show that network latency is often the key factor in limiting wide-area thin-client performance. Furthermore, we show that the same techniques used to improve bandwidth efficiency often result in worse overall performance in wide-area networks. We characterize and analyze the different design choices in the various thin-client platforms and explain which of these choices should be selected for supporting wide-area computing services.
Preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide adsorbed on Pd submonolayer films deposited on Pt(100)

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of palladium modified Pt(1 0 0) in perchloric acid solution has been studied by means of cyclic voltammetry, CO bulk oxidation and in-situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. FTIR spectra on Pd submonolayers reveal that at low potentials (about 0.4 V) Pd-bounded CO is oxidized preferentially, whereas at the same time the Pt–CO oxidation rate is rather slow.
Chemistry of dufour's gland secretions of Xylocopa virginica texana and Xylocopa micans (Hymenoptera:Anthophoridae)—A comparison and re-evaluation of previous work

Abstract 1. 1. The chemical constituents of Dufour's gland secretions of two sympatric Xylocopa species were determined by GC-MS. 2. 2. A total of 37 hydrocarbons and fatty acid esters were found, with X. micans Dufour's containing only hydrocarbons. 3. 3. The number and relative abundance of compounds in X. v. texana differed from previously reported results.