cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-Time QoS Optimization for Vehicular Edge Computing With Off-Grid Roadside Units

To sustainably provide low-latency communication and edge computing for connected vehicles, a promising solution is using Solar-powered Roadside Units (SRSUs), which consist of small cell base stations and Mobile Edge Computing servers. However, due to the intermittent nature of solar power, SRSUs may suffer from a high risk of power deficiency, which will lead to severe disruption of vehicular edge computing applications. In this paper, we aim to address this challenge of Quality of Service (QoS) loss (i.e., edge computing service outage for vehicle users (VUs)). We formulate a QoS optimization problem for VUs and solve it in two phases: an offline solar energy scheduling phase, and an online user association and SRSU resource allocation phase. We simulate our proposed technique in a dense SRSU network environment with real-world urban vehicular traffic data and solar generation profile. The simulation results show that our proposed approach can significantly reduce QoS loss of vehicular edge computing applications using SRSUs, compared to existing techniques. Further, the results are beneficial to service providers and city planners to identify adequate SRSU configurations for expected solar energy generation and edge computing service demands.
Historical Cognition and the Taxonomy of Sources: Behind the 1953 Coup in Iran: Thugs, Turncoats, Soldiers, and Spooks, Ali Rahnema, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015, ISBN 978-1-107-42975-8 (pbk), 384 pp.

The contours of the coup of August 1953 are well known, but, in the light of recently released documentary evidence, most notably the volume published in June 2017 containing many CIA documents, ou...
Chronic Pb2+ exposure causes theta-band hypersynchrony disrupting sensory motor gating and exacerbating absence seizures

Chronic lead (Pb2+) exposure from childhood contributes to an array of cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions including impaired attention and intellectual ability, learning and memory deficits, and delinquency. It is also an environmental risk factor for adult psychopathologies, most notably schizophrenia and epilepsy. Pb2+ is a potent N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist and exposure during early life elicits a cascade of cellular neurotoxic effects that alter the developmental trajectory leading to a loss of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons in hippocampus and altered synaptic transmission. Little is known, however, about the impact of chronic Pb2+ exposure on hippocampal network dynamics which serve as a link between cellular-molecular effects and cognitive-behavioral consequences of Pb2+ neurotoxicity. Here, we tested the effects of chronic Pb2+ exposure on the hippocampal local field potential (LFP) of freely-behaving rats. Pb2+ exposure caused striking theta rhythmic hypersynchrony and heightened behavioral modulation of theta during locomotor behavior. Pb2+ exposure also markedly exacerbated absence seizures appearing in the LFP as spike-wave discharges with a theta-band fundamental frequency and strong theta-harmonic synchronization. Mechanisms of theta rhythmogenesis have been implicated in impairments of prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex (PPI), so we tested the effect of Pb2+ exposure on PPI in male and female rats at different developmental timepoints. We found that adult males (PN50 and 120), but neither females nor juvenile males showed reduced PPI independent of changes in the startle reflex. This pattern recapitulates sex- and age-dependencies of PPI disruption in schizophrenic patients. Overall, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that Pb2+ is an environmental risk factor for psychopathology in adulthood, especially those symptoms related to cognitive and sensory-motor gating processes that depend on rhythmic coordination of network activity in the hippocampus.
Allergen Immunotherapy Extract Shortages and Their Effects on Clinical Care: A Work Group Report of the AAAAI Immunotherapy, Allergen Standardization and Allergy Diagnostics Committee.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only disease-modifying therapy indicated for treatment of allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and Hymenoptera hypersensitivity. Manufacturing of the extracts used in AIT involve multistep complex processes as well as regulatory oversight. Furthermore, some source materials are vulnerable to unexpected events of nature. Given these circumstances, allergen extract supply can be disrupted with a potential to adversely impact patient care. A group of members from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) Immunotherapy, Allergy Standardization and Allergy Diagnostic Committee formed a workgroup to assess the frequency and effects of allergen extract shortages and associated factors. This workgroup developed a survey that was distributed to a random 20% of the AAAAI membership. In addition, the group also performed a review of the scientific literature on allergen extract supply and shortage. Based on the findings of the survey study and literature review, the workgroup reports frequency and extent of shortages, potential ways to improve communication with suppliers, and need for further guidance in patient care during times of shortage.
Toxicity and toxicokinetics of fenvalerate in fish

The influence of the commercial emulsifier on the acute toxicity and uptake of fenvalerate [(R,S)Tx-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl(R,S)-2-(4chlorophenyl)-3-methylbutyrate], a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, by fathead minnows (Plmephales promelas) was examined. Flow-through acute toxicity testing with measured concentrations of technical-grade fenvalerate and a 30% active ingredient emulsifiable concentrate (EC) of the insecticide was conducted. Steady-state LC^^ values were reached by 72 and 120 to 168 h, respectively, in tests with technical-grade and EC formu­ lations of this insecticide. Initially, technical-grade fenvalerate was more toxic; the 96-h LC^gS for technical-grade fenvalerate and the EC were 0.69 and 0.99 yg/L, respectively. By 168 h, an LC^^ of 0.75 yg/L was determined for the EC, indicating that the incipient lethalities of the two formulations were similar. Fenvalerate concentration factors and residue levels in fish showed no significant differences between formulations. Residue levels associated with mortality decreased slightly with increasing fenvalerate water concentrations and ranged (mean) from approximately 1,000 to 1,500 ng/g. Levels in fish that survived testing Increased with Increasing exposure concentrations and ranged from about 600 to 900 ng/g. Concentration factors of 187 to 1,860 were calculated, with a mean of 1,670, as determined from fish that survived testing. The time required to accumulate residues was greater with the EC and contributed to a significantly slower uptake rate. Slower fenvalerate uptake in the
The Grid: Beyond the Hype

Grid technologies and infrastructure support the integration of services and resources within and among enterprises, and thus allow new approaches to problem solving and interaction within distributed, multi-organizational collaborations. First developed and applied within eScience, Grid tools are now increasingly being applied in commercial settings as well. In this talk I discuss the current state and planned future directions for one particular collection of Grid technologies, namely the open source Globus Toolkit. I examine, in turn, the underlying requirements that motivate its design; the components that it provides for security, resource access, resource discovery, data management, and other purposes; the protocol and interface standards that underlie its design and implementation; the ecosystem of complementary tools, deployments, and applications that build on and/or complement these components; and the nature of the most urgent challenges that must be overcome to expand its utility and breadth of application.
Logic of knowledge and belief in the design of a distributed integrity kernel

Work on a language called ISL (Integrity Specification Language), which is intended to be used for the specification of integrity kernels in distributed databases, is reported. ISL is based on a form of interval temporal logic and provides a framework for a logic of knowledge and belief about data integrity. ISL is a design tool for integrity kernels in a distributed environment where the dynamic evaluation of data integrity based upon partial knowledge and informed judgment is required. The Clark and Wilson integrity model (1987) designed to prevent fraudulent and erroneous data modification is subsumed. An integrity system which includes extensions to the concept and functionality of a transaction manager as defined in the SDD-1 is given. A partial syntax for the ISL language is given. A temporal interval interpretation in the semantics of the 'unless' operator is introduced. This operator provides a basis for the logic of knowledge and belief applied to data integrity. >
Using VHDL for modeling and design of processing units

The use of VHSIC hardware description language (VHDL) for the design and implementation of a CPU structure is presented. The CPU is described at the behavioral level. This design phase is followed by the actual design of the CPU. For this purpose, a more detailed description of hardware is developed at the dataflow level, and includes register and bus structure details of the hardware. Simulation verifies the register transfer level implementation of the hardware. The next phase is the actual wiring of the hardware. Behavioral and dataflow description styles of an 8-b processing system are illustrated. A simple peripheral device for this CPU is shown. >
NONMUSCLE TROPOMYOSIN-4 REQUIRES COEXPRESSION WITH OTHER LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT ISOFORMS FOR BINDING TO THIN FILAMENTS IN CARDIOMYOCYTES

Vertebrate tropomyosins (TMs) are expressed from four genes, and at least 18 distinct isoforms are generated via a complex pattern of alternative RNA splicing and alternative promoters. The functional significance of this isoform diversity is largely unknown and it remains to be determined whether specific isoforms are required for assembly and integration into distinct actin-containing structures. The ability of nonmuscle (TM-1, -2, -3, -4, -5(NM1), -5a or -5b) and striated muscle (skeletal muscle (a)-TM) isoforms to incorporate into actin filaments of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCs) was studied using expression plasmids containing TM-fusions with GFP (green fluorescent protein) as well as with VSV- or HA-epitope tags. All isoforms, except of fibroblast TM-4, were able to incorporate into the I-band of NRCs. When TM-4 was co-transfected with other low molecular weight (LMW) isoforms of TM (TM-5, TM-5a and TM-5b), it was able to incorporate into sarcomeres of NRCs. This result was not obtained when TM-4 was co-transfected with high molecular weight (HMW) TMs (TM-1, TM-2 or skeletal muscle (a)-TM). These data demonstrate that the ability of TM-4 to bind to actin filaments can be specifically influenced by its interaction with other LMW TM isoforms. In addition, cells that incorporated the muscle or nonmuscle GFP-TMs into their sarcomeres continued to beat and exhibited sarcomeric contraction. These studies provide the first in vivo demonstration of synergistic effects between TM isoforms for binding to actin filaments. These results have important implications in understanding actin filament dynamics in nonmuscle cell systems, especially during development and in transformed cells, where alterations in the ratio of different LMW isoforms might lead to changes in their interactions with actin filaments. Furthermore, these studies demonstrate that GFP-TM can be used to study thin-filament dynamics in muscle cells and actin filament dynamics in nonmuscle cells.
[125I/127I/131I]Iodorhodamine: synthesis, cellular localization, and biodistribution in athymic mice bearing human tumor xenografts and comparison with [99mTc]hexakis(2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile).

The synthesis of halogenated rhodamine (Rh) derivatives was carried out by controlling the stoichiometry of the halogenating agents, bromine and iodine monochloride. In the no-carrier-added synthesis of radioiodinated rhodamine 123, direct labeling of rhodamine 123 (Rh 123) with Na 125 I/Na 131 I required the presence of the oxidant peracetic acid. 125 I/ 131 I-Rh 123 was synthesized in modest yields (40-45%). HPLC purification separated Rh 123 from its monoand diiodo derivatives. Monohalogenation of Rh 123 did not alter the compound's ability to permeate viable cells and localize in mitochondria. 125 I/ 131 I-Rh 123 was stable in serum in vitro but rapidly metabolized after intravenous injection into mice. Consequently, scintigraphy and biodistribution data reveal poor targeting of subcutaneously growing human tumor xenografts. The results are compared to those obtained following the administration of [ 99m Tc]hexakis(2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile) which also did not image human tumor xenografts in nude mice.
A Prospective Psychiatric Follow-up of Children with Speech/Language Disorders

Abstract This paper reports on follow-up psychiatric, linguistic, and educational evaluations of 300 communication impaired children who had been initially evaluated approximately 5 years previously when they presented at a speech and language clinic. The aim of the study was to determine what changes occurred in the children and to isolate factors associated with these changes. Despite improvements in some areas, significant increases in prevalence were found at follow-up for disorders of language usage and processing, psychiatric disorders, and developmental disorders. The development of psychiatric disorder at follow-up was associated with particular linguistic diagnoses as well as learning disorders and psychosocial stress.
Unintended bias, clinical trial results, and the heparin post hoc crossover fallacy.

Objective To describe the unintended pitfalls in the interpretation of postrandomization events in clinical trials. Design Analysis of patients enrolled in clinical trials for new sepsis interventions with postrandomization exposure to heparin. Patients Retrospective review of patients enrolled in large phase III sepsis trials after treatment with experimental anticoagulant therapies. Interventions Nonrandomized exposure to heparin therapy administered for a variety of clinical indications after enrollment in large phase III sepsis trials. Results The effect of heparin on overall survival in septic patients in trials that randomized patients into treatment assignments other than heparin is difficult to quantitatively analyze because of unintended selection bias and allocation bias. Both forms of bias overestimate the potential therapeutic value of heparin. This post hoc analysis of the data is functionally a crossover study in which only surviving patients can cross over in one direction (toward the heparin treatment arm). Conclusion Great caution should be exercised in the post hoc interpretation of the potential efficacy of nonrandomized treatments such as heparin therapy derived from phase III clinical data of other drugs for sepsis. The therapeutic value of heparin as a treatment modality in severe sepsis can best be determined in a formal, randomized, prospective clinical trial. This will obviate the unavoidable selection bias and allocation bias intrinsic to postrandomization events in clinical trials with a high early mortality rate such as severe sepsis and septic shock.
Palestine and Sovereign Violence

Sacks’s essay offers a reading of Sigmund Freud’s Moses and Monotheism to argue that it offers a critique of sovereign violence. Taking as a point of departure the hermeneutic and interpretive violence occasioned in Israel’s “Operation Pillars of Defense” in November 2012, and the statement offered by Israeli Minister Eli Yishai that “the goal of the operation is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages. Only then will Israel be calm for forty years,” this article considers that violence in relation to the older European, philological legacies it receives and imparts. By considering and drawing upon the readings of Freud’s Moses and Monotheism pursued by Edward W. Said, Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, Michel de Certeau, Judith Butler, and others, Sacks argues that Freud’s text both repeats and teaches us to place in question the categories that operate and render legible acts of sovereign violence in the institution of the colonial state.
LEVELS OF TRANS GEOMETRICAL ISOMERS OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS IN SOME UNHYDROGENATED U. S. VEGETABLE OILS

. Concentrations of trans isomers of 18:2w6 and 18:3w3 were measured in soybean and canola oils purchased in the U. S. Fatty acid methyl esters were prepared by BF3 catalyzed transesterification and separated using gas chromatography with Omegawax and CPSil88 capillary columns. Fatty acids were identified by comparing retention times with standards and with isomers of 18:2w6 and 18:3w3 in elaidinized linseed oil. Isomers identified included 18:2ct, 18:2tc, 18:3tct+ctt, 18:3cct, 18:3ctc, and 18:3tcc. The degree of isomerizations of 18:2w6 and 18:3w3 ranged from 0.3% to 3.3% and 6.6% to 37.1%, respectively. The trans contents were between 0.56% and 4.2% of the total fatty acids. Consumers will obtain isomerized essential fatty acids from vegetable oils currently marketed in the U. S.
Introduction of New Concepts and Problem Solving in Engineering Dynamics

A survey of a large number of well-known textbooks for an undergraduate dynamics class showed that often new concepts are introduced without a clear connection to previously discussed material. For example, the concepts of work done by a force, linear momentum, angular momentum, and power are often introduced without a clear direct connection to Newton’s law. Similarly, in rigid body dynamics, important concepts such as the center of mass and the moments of inertia of the body are often introduced with little or no background. This article shows how all the important concepts in dynamics flow directly and logically from Newton’s laws. This is done through simple direct derivations. Connections are made clear by concept maps that help students understand how these different concepts are related. In addition to introducing new concepts and deriving some of the basic equations, a dynamics class should also introduce students to problem solving help them develop a systematic approach. This article describes a five step approach that is recommended for both high context and low context problems. In that context we stress that problem solving is a process that involves the application of known concepts and mathematics.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Why Aging T Cells Fail: Implications for Vaccination

The decline in CD4+ T cell function with aging contributes to reduced vaccine efficacy. In this commentary, we discuss the factors leading to age-related changes in T cell function and propose how they may be overcome to enhance vaccine efficacy for the elderly.
Transfusion-Related Acute Gut Injury: Feeding, Flora, Flow, and Barrier Defense

TRAGI (transfusion-related acute gut injury) is an acronym we proposed to characterize a severe neonatal gastrointestinal reaction temporally related to a transfusion of packed blood red cells (PRBCs) for anemia in very low birth weights. The following are in support of a causative relationship: (1) the timing of necrotizing enterocolitis after a PRBC transfusion not being random, (2) traditional risk factors for necrotizing enterocolitis are often absent, (3) significant anemia appears to be a universal finding, (4) the age of donor blood is often slightly older than controls, (5) TRAGI is not postnatal age dependent, and (6) TRAGI does not show a centering at 31 weeks' postconceptual age as does nontransfusion-related NEC. Although TRAGI is linked to the timing of PRBC transfusions, we propose a novel hypothesis that the convergence at 31 weeks' postconceptual age for classic NEC approximates the age of presentation of other oxygen delivery and neovascularization syndromes (eg, retinopathy of prematurity), suggesting its etiologic link to a generalized systemic maturational mechanism or another common developmental theme. This report will begin by reviewing the history of the clinical presentation and discovery of TRAGI and will then analyze various pathophysiologic mechanisms that may account for the phenomenon when clinicians render therapies. We will end by a call to action for randomized clinical trials to test various etiologic theories.
Thought Structure, Belief Content, and Possession Conditions

According to Peacocke, concepts are individuated by their possession conditions, which are specified in terms of conditions in which certain propositions containing those concepts are believed. In support, Peacocke tries to explain what it is for a thought to have a structure and what it is for a belief to have a propositional content. I show that the possession condition theory cannot answer such fundamental questions. Peacocke’s theory founders because concepts are metaphysically fundamental. They individuate the propositions and thoughts containing them, which in turn individuate the propositional attitudes that are relations to those propositions or thoughts.
Fault Monitoring of Wind Turbine Generator Brushes: A Data-Mining Approach

Components of wind turbines are subjected to asymmetric loads caused by variable wind conditions. Carbon brushes are critical components of the wind turbine generator. Adequately maintaining and detecting abnormalities in the carbon brushes early is essential for proper turbine performance. In this paper, data-mining algorithms are applied for early prediction of carbon brush faults. Predicting generator brush faults early enables timely maintenance or replacement of brushes. The results discussed in this paper are based on analyzing generator brush faults that occurred on 27 wind turbines. The datasets used to analyze faults were collected from the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems installed at the wind turbines. Twenty-four data-mining models are constructed to predict faults up to 12 h before the actual fault occurs. To increase the prediction accuracy of the models discussed, a data balancing approach is used. Four data-mining algorithms were studied to evaluate the quality of the models for predicting generator brush faults. Among the selected data-mining algorithms, the boosting tree algorithm provided the best prediction results. Research limitations attributed to the available datasets are discussed. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4005624]
Effects of Anatomical Frame Definitions on Repeatability of Knee Joint Translation Measurement During Walking

Human body movement analysis using stereophotogrammetry has been widely applied in understanding the normal function and pathological conditions of human knee joint. To reconstruct the 3-dimensional (3D) position and orientation of bones from markers placed on body surface, the spatial relationship between anatomical frames and skin marker clusters needs to be identified [1]. Since the determination of anatomical landmark (AL) locations in general lacks accuracy and precision, anatomical frames defined based on ALs are subject to uncertainty. This is a major issue in human movement analysis and its effects on knee rotation kinematics determination have been studied [1]. However, few studies have investigated the effects of uncertainty of anatomical definition on translation measurement of knee join. Although knee translations are secondary motions with only small magnitudes, they are regarded with great clinical significance. On the other hand, translation measurement is more sensitive to definitions of origin positions in addition to axis directions of the anatomical frames. In this work, we studied the effects of three different anatomical frame definitions (neutral standing, prediction method and functional method) on knee joint translation measurement during level walking. The repeatability of translation measurement among three sessions was compared among the three anatomical definition methods.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A frequency domain method for optimal periodic control

We consider the problem of optimal periodic input design for Single Input Single Output (SISO) systems with possibly nonquadratic and nonconvex performance objectives. Such problems arise naturally in energy efficiency and energy conversion applications. We develop a frequency domain method that is particularly suited for distributed systems, in that the underlying transfer functions are not required to be rational. In particular, the computational complexity of the method depends on the order of the polynomial (nonquadratic) nonlinearities in the performance objective as well as the number of required harmonics, but is independent of the underlying system dimension. Our method utilizes recently developed Polynomial Homotopy Continuation (PHC) algorithms for efficient solution of the harmonic balance multinomial equations representing first order optimality conditions.
Extracellular Matrix Proteins are Necessary for Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation and May Guide Stem Cell Fate

While in vitro differentiation protocols often rely exclusively on soluble growth factors to direct mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) fate, the ESC niche contains both soluble factors and fibrillar extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including fibronectin (FN). Moreover, some of the soluble factors used to guide differentiation (e.g. Activin A) are known to increase the expression of ECM proteins, though the functional importance of this change is not well understood. We examined whether ECM proteins were necessary for promoting and directing mESC differentiation. mESCs, grown as embryoid bodies under differentiating conditions in the absence of FN, maintained expression of the pluripotency marker, Nanog. The embryoid bodies also showed a spatiotemporal correlation between expression of FN and GATA4, a marker for differentiation. When differentiated on a gelatin substrate, mESCs create a fibrillar ECM containing fibronectin and laminin components, while the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a maintainer of mESC pluripotency, inhibits the production of this fibrillar matrix. Ongoing work is investigating how the composition of this cell-derived ECM changes when soluble growth factors are used to guide ESC fate and whether these changes are necessary to efficiently direct differentiation. Together these data imply that FN is necessary for mESC differentiation and that the extracellular matrix may be an important director of stem cell fate.
Glucocorticoid enhancement of memory storage involves noradrenergic activation in the basolateral amygdala

Evidence indicates that the modulatory effects of the adrenergic stress hormone epinephrine as well as several other neuromodulatory systems on memory storage are mediated by activation of β-adrenergic mechanisms in the amygdala. In view of our recent findings indicating that the amygdala is involved in mediating the effects of glucocorticoids on memory storage, the present study examined whether the glucocorticoid-induced effects on memory storage depend on β-adrenergic activation within the amygdala. Microinfusions (0.5 μg in 0.2 μl) of either propranolol (a nonspecific β-adrenergic antagonist), atenolol (a β1-adrenergic antagonist), or zinterol (a β2-adrenergic antagonist) administered bilaterally into the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) of male Sprague–Dawley rats 10 min before training blocked the enhancing effect of posttraining systemic injections of dexamethasone (0.3 mg/kg) on 48-h memory for inhibitory avoidance training. Infusions of these β-adrenergic antagonists into the central nucleus of the amygdala did not block the dexamethasone-induced memory enhancement. Furthermore, atenolol (0.5 μg) blocked the memory-enhancing effects of the specific glucocorticoid receptor (GR or type II) agonist RU 28362 infused concurrently into the BLA immediately posttraining. These results strongly suggest that β-adrenergic activation is an essential step in mediating glucocorticoid effects on memory storage and that the BLA is a locus of interaction for these two systems.
Exercise and diastolic function after myocardial infarction.

ABSTRACTLIBONATI, J. R. Exercise and Diastolic Function after Myocardial Infarction. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 35, No. 9, pp. 1471–1476, 2003. Myocardial infarction (MI) of the anterior wall leads to left ventricular (LV) remodeling and alterations in LV diastolic function.PurposeThe purpose of
Multiple fine-needle biopsies using a coaxial technique: Efficacy and a comparison of three methods

Compare the success of three coaxial fineneedle biopsy techniques in obtaining multiple cytologic specimens of high quality. For each of three different biopsy needle and technique combinations (aspiration: 22-gauge Chiba; capillary: 22-gauge Chiba; 22-gauge Autovac aspiration biopsy gun), 30 sites (15 liver, 15 kidney) were selected for coaxial fine-needle biopsy in cadaveric liver and kidneys. For each coaxial technique, three sequential biopsies were performed through an 18-gauge coaxial needle at each of multiple sites. The quality of the resultant 270 specimens was graded by a blinded cytopathologist using a previously published grading scheme. Using the coaxial technique, there was no significant dropoff in the cytologic specimen quality among the first, second, and third biopsies at a specific site, regardless of the order of the techniques/needles used. This was true for organs, the overall data, and for the individual five grading criteria. There was, however, a significant difference among the biopsy techniques themselves. Though there was no difference in the quality of cytopathologic specimen obtained with the Autovac aspiration gun and the aspiration technique with a 22-gauge Chiba needle, both were statistically better than the nonaspiration, capillary technique utilizing a 22-gauge needle (p = 0.0001). The use of a coaxial technique with a fineneedle, 22-gauge biopsy offers unique advantages in obtaining a nearly unlimited amount of high-quality material for cytopathologic analysis. In this study, no dropoff was found in specimen quality with subsequent biopsies.
Green tea metabolite EGCG protects membranes against oxidative damage in vitro.

Green tea polyphenols like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have been proposed as a cancer chemopreventative. Several studies have shown that EGCG can act as an antioxidant by trapping proxyl radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation. The main propose of this study is to investigate the antioxidant capacity of EGCG using erythrocyte membrane-bound ATPases as a model. The effects of EGCG on t-butylhydroperoxide-induced lipid peroxidation and the activity of membrane-bound ATPases in human erythrocyte membranes were studied. The extent of oxidative damage in membranes was assessed by measuring lipid peroxidation, (TBARS, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formation) and the activity of ATPases (Na+/K+, Ca2+, and CaM-activated Ca2+ pump ATPases). EGCG blocked t-BHP induced lipid peroxidation in erythrocyte membranes, significantly (0.45 ± 0.02 vs 0.20 ± 0.01; t-BHP vs t-BHP + EGCG respectively, μm/L TBARS) (p < 0.05). EGCG also protected ATPases against t-BHP induced damage; for Na/K ATPase (2.4 ± 0.2 vs 1.6 ± 0.1 vs 2.44 ± 0.2, nmol Pi/min/mg protein, control vs t-BHP vs t-BHP and EGCG respectively), for Ca ATPase (5.8 ± 0.4 vs 3.9 ± 0.3 vs 5.6 ± 0.34, nmol Pi/min/mg protein, control vs t-BHP vs t-BHP and EGCG respectively) and for CaM-Ca ATPase (14.7 ± 0.7 vs 7.3 ± 0.4 vs 11.6 ± 0.55, nmol Pi/min/mg protein, control vs t-BHP vs t-BHP and EGCG respectively) (p < 0.05). In conclusion our results indicate that EGCG is a powerful antioxidant that is capable protecting erythrocyte membrane-bound ATPases against oxidative stress.
Geophysical assessment of submarine slide northeast of Wilmington canyon

Abstract As part of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program to understand bottom and nearbottom processes on the continental margin, the continental slope seaward of the coast of Delaware, just east of the Baltimore Canyon Trough, and northeast of Wilmington Canyon was studied in detail. With a suite of geophysical data, a 7.5 × 13.0‐km portion of the continental slope was surveyed and found to be composed of a large submarine slide, approximately 11 km 3 in volume. The slide varies from 50 to 300 m in thickness and is believed to be composed of Pleistocene Age sediments. The internal structure of the continental slope can be seen on the seismic reflection profiles, as well as the readily identifiable continuous slip surface. Pliocene to Cretaceous horizons comprise the continental margin with Pliocene to Eocene horizons truncated at the slip surface. Sediment failure occurred on the slope between the late Tertriary erosion surface, which shaped the continental margin, and the ove...
Encouraging Talk in Chinese Classrooms

This article describes a classroom activity used by a secondary school teacher in the People's Republic of China to encourage students to talk and actively participate in class. The activity is analyzed in terms of the way in which it responds to three orientations of Chinese culture: the inclination to compete, the enthusiasm for debate, and the tendency to use representatives to speak on behalf of the group.
Some properties of Cu-Au alloy surfaces

The purpose of this article is to review some recent studies of the electronic structure in the vicinity of the low-index surfaces of Cu-Au ordered alloys. The work described in this article involved a combination of first-principles calculations, using the self-consistent-field linear muffin-tin orbital method within the atomic sphere approximation (SCF-LMTO-ASA) and a supercell geometry in which the vacuum space above the surface is treated as “empty” spheres, and angle-resolved photoemission measurements. A range of surface-related phenomena were investigated; however, the author limits this article to studies of the (100) surfaces of Cu and Cu3Au and the (100) and (001) surfaces of equiatomic CuAuI. The focus is particularly on the occurrence and properties of surface states and surface core level shifts and their dependence on termination. The author shows that photoemission measurements provide a very sensitive probe of such subtle behavior.
Plant Tissue Cultures from a Hormone Point of View.

A botanist, Haberlandt,(1) first pointed out the possibilities of the culture of isolated tissues. He suggested that not only could the potentialities of individual cells be determined, but that also some insight might be gained as to the reciprocal influences of tissues upon one another, that is, as to "correlation."
Ab initio study of low-energy electron collisions with tetrafluoroethene C 2 F 4

We report the results of variational calculations of elastic electron scattering by tetrafluoroethene (C{sub 2}F{sub 4}) with incident electron energies ranging from 0.5 to 20 eV, using the complex Kohn method and effective core potentials. These are the first fully ab initio calculations to reproduce experimental angular differential cross sections at energies below 10 eV. Low-energy electron scattering by C{sub 2}F{sub 4} is sensitive to the inclusion of electronic correlation and target-distortion effects. We therefore present results that describe the dynamic polarization of the target by the incident electron. The calculated cross sections are compared with recent experimental measurements.
Uses and efficient evaluation of half-line source potentials and their derivatives

In this paper three different methods are examined to evaluate the potential due to a half-line source. They are compared in terms of accuracy and computational cost in order to find the best scheme for each region of space.
Equilibrium segregation to terraces and steps

Abstract A method based on empirical interatomic potentials has been developed to calculate energies of segregation to low index (001) surfaces as well as to [110] and [100] steps on a (001) surface in simple (AB) binary alloys. The Baskes and Melius potentials have been used to model the A-A and B-B atomic interactions and a procedure has been outlined to derive an A-B interaction from the pure metal potentials. This approach has been used to compute the energy of segregation of gold, in an infinitely dilute nickel-gold alloy, to both terraces and steps. The results obtained are consistent with previous measurements of the anisotropy of surface segregation in that alloy.
Cellular specificity and regional distribution of amyloid β protein precursor alternative transcripts are unaltered in Alzheimer hippocampal formation

Studies comparing the expression of the amyloid beta protein precursor (APP) gene in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and control individuals have resulted in contradictory findings indicative of selective reductions and relative increases of APP alternative transcripts in AD brain. It has been suggested that changes in APP expression in relation to AD neuropathology may represent highly specific and localized events involving only select populations of cells in particular brain regions. For example, reported AD-related alterations in ratios of APP alternative transcripts could be attributed to changes in expression of APP in specific neuronal subpopulations, and/or reactive astrocytes and/or microglia. To address this question, we have employed in situ hybridization using biotinylated oligonucleotide probes designed to localize specific APP mRNA transcripts in the hippocampal formation of AD patients and age-matched controls since this method allows a clear distinction of the classes of neurons and glia containing a particular message.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Divalent cation and ionic strength effects on Vinca alkaloid-induced tubulin self-association.

We present here a systematic study of ionic strength and divalent cation effects on Vinca alkaloid-induced tubulin spiral formation. We used sedimentation velocity experiments and quantitative fitting of weight-average sedimentation coefficients versus free drug concentrations to obtain thermodynamic parameters under various solution conditions. The addition of 50–150 mM NaCl to our standard buffer (10 mM piperazine-N,N'-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid), 1 mM Mg, 50 microM GDP or GTP, pH 6.9) enhances overall vinblastine- or vincristine-induced tubulin self-association. As demonstrated in previous studies, GDP enhances overall self-association more than GTP, although in the presence of salt, GDP enhancement is reduced. For example, in 150 mM NaCl, GDP enhancement is 0.24 kcal/mol for vinblastine and 0.36 kcal/mol for vincristine versus an average enhancement of 0.87 (+/- 0.34) kcal/mol for the same drugs in the absence of salt. Wyman linkage analysis of experiments with vinblastine or vincristine over a range of NaCl concentrations showed a twofold increase in the change in NaCl bound to drug-induced spirals in the presence of GTP compared to GDP. These data indicate that GDP enhancement of Vinca alkaloid-induced tubulin self-association is due in part to electrostatic inhibition in the GTP state. In the absence of NaCl, we found that vinblastine and 1 mM Mn2+ or Ca2+ causes immediate condensation of tubulin. The predominant aggregates observed by electron microscopy are large sheets. This effect was not found with 1 mM Mg2+. At 100 microM cation concentrations (Mn2+, Mg2+, or Ca2+), GDP enhances vinblastine-induced spiral formation by 0.55 (+/- 0.26) kcal/mol. This effect is found only in K2, the association of liganded heterodimers at the ends of growing spirals. There is no GDP enhancement of K1, the binding of drug to heterodimer, although K1 is dependent upon the divalent cation concentration. NaCl diminishes tubulin condensation, probably by inhibiting lateral association, and allows an investigation of higher divalent cation concentrations. In the presence of 150 mM NaCl plus 1 mM divalent cations (Mn2+, Mg2+, or Ca2+) GDP enhances vinblastine-induced spiral formation by 0.35 (+/- 0.21) kcal/mol. Relaxation times determined by stopped-flow light scattering experiments in the presence of 150 mM NaCl and vincristine are severalfold longer than those in the presence of vinblastine, consistent with a mechanism involving the redistribution of longer polymers. Unlike previous results in the absence of NaCl, relaxation times in the presence of NaCl are only weekly protein concentration dependent, suggesting the absence of annealing or an additional rate-limiting step in the mechanism.
A Modified Marple-Type Cascade Impactor for Assessing Aerosol Particle Size Distributions in Workplaces

Knowledge of the particle size distributions for workplace aerosols is invaluable in the assessment of aerosol-related health effects. Cascade impactors have been widely used for obtaining such information, including a small number that have been developed as personal samplers of the type that can be used for the assessment of the exposures of individual workers. Common limitations for most samplers of this type have been that (a) the aspiration efficiency has not been well defined (leading to biases in particle size distribution measurement), and (b) the range of particle size has been constrained by particle bounce in impactors for particle sizes beyond about 20 μ m. This article describes a modification of the Marple personal cascade impactor that addresses these limitations. The sampler has a new entry whose aspiration efficiency is known and a new top stage that employs porous plastic foam filtration media and significantly extends the particle size range of the instrument. The new instrument is refe...
Signed Digraphs and the Growing Demand for Energy

Many problems of society, including those relating to energy use, air pollution and solid-waste disposal, seem amenable to formulation using the techniques of the rapidly growing field of graph the...
Monte Carlo calculations of AAPM Task Group Report No. 43 dosimetry parameters for the 125I I-Seed AgX100 source model

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the dosimetric parameters of the AgX100, a new 125 I brachytherapy seed model, using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations according to the protocol specified by the updated American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group No. 43 Report (TG-43U1) and compare these parameters with those of the established brachytherapy 125 I seed models 6711 and I25.S06. Methods and Materials Independent verification of the new seed geometry was performed using high-resolution digital radiography and scanning electron microscopy. MCNPX v.2.5 MC simulations of the AgX100 seed were performed to derive its TG-43U1 parameters, the dose rate constant, the radial dose function, and the two- and one-dimensional anisotropy functions in liquid water. A dosimetric error propagation analysis was also performed to include uncertainty because of seed manufacturing tolerances and physics parameters. Results The MC-calculated dose rate constant for the AgX100 seed was 0.943 cGy·h −1 ·U −1 ± 2.6% ( k = 1) based on the air kerma strength for a simulated point detector. Tabulated results of the radial dose function for line and point source approximations and the two-dimensional anisotropy function are also reported. Conclusions The MC-predicted dose distribution of the AgX100 seed was found to be comparable with that of the model 6711 seed but much different from the dose distribution of the model I25.S06 seeds. However, at shallow distances, there were some dosimetric differences between the AgX100 and 6711 seed, which warrant separate TG-43U1 parameters for use in clinical treatment planning systems.
Strategies in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia.

Abstract The current treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia is far from satisfactory despite some recent advances. This review focuses an current strategies designed to improve treatment outcome. With advances in molecular biology, the definition of a complete remission should be redefined as a molecular remission where any abnormal gene rearrangement has disappeared or a clonal remission with morphologic characteristics of a complete remission, but with detectable genetics or molecular abnormalities. Abnormal gene rearrangements permit the detection of minimal residual disease, the significance of which remains to be determined. New drug development remains an important area of research and several new drugs are active in acute myelogenous leukemia. These include etoposide, idarubicin, mitoxantrone and carboplatin. Various combinations are undergoing clinical trials. Prognostic factors which predict for outcome include phenotyping, cytokinetics, cytokinetics, drug resistance and age. Proto-oncogene expression as a predictor of response is under investigation. Postinduction therapy remains controversial and approaches have included allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, autologous hone marrow transplantation with or without purging, intensive consolidation and maintenance programs. The superiority of one approach over the other has not been firmly established. Differentiating agents such as all- trans retinoic acid, and growth factors, the latter for supportive care, or recruitment of leukemic cells into the cycle are being investigated. Understanding the mechanisms of drug resistance should lead to the development of new approaches. Thus, with knowledge generated in many areas, the future should bring increasing success in treating AML.
Strong-strong beam-beam simulation using a green function approach

In this paper we present a news approach, based on a shifted Green function, to evaluate the electromagnetic field in a simulation of colliding beams. Unlike a conventional particle-mesh code, we use a method in which the computational mesh covers only the largest of the two colliding beams. This allows us to study long-range parasitic collisions accurately and efficiently. We have implemented this algorithm in a new parallel strong-strong beam-beam simulation code. As an application, we present a study of a beam sweeping scheme for the LBNL luminosity monitor of the Large Hadron Collider.
Robust Design for Multiscale and Multidisciplinary Applications

The intent in robust design is to improve the quality of products and processes by reducing their sensitivity to variations, thereby reducing the effects of variability without removing its sources. Robust design is especially useful for integrating information from designers working at multiple length and time scales. Inevitably this involves the integration of uncertain information. This uncertainty is derived from many sources and robust design may be classified based on these sources-uncertainty in noise or environmental and other noise factors (type I); uncertainty in design variables or control factors (type II); and uncertainty introduce by modeling methods (type III). Each of these types of uncertainty can be mitigated by robust design. Of particular interest are the challenges associated with the design of multidisciplinary and multiscale systems; these challenges and opportunities are examined in the context of materials design.
Pituitary tumors and pregnancy

Pituitary adenomas may cause problems during pregnancy because of oversecretion of hormones and hypopituitarism. Hyperprolactinemia and Cushing’s syndrome may need to be controlled to allow conception. Maternal morbidity and fetal mortality and morbidity may be affected by the hormone oversecretion in Cushing’s disease, acromegaly, and TSH-secreting adenomas. Treatment of hyperprolactinemia and acromegaly during pregnancy is not necessary but resection of ACTH-secreting adenomas during pregnancy and medical treatment of hyperthyroidism are warranted. Reinstitution of dopamine agonists may be indicated in the 30% of macroprolactinomas that enlarge symptomatically during pregnancy. In hypopituitary patients, thyroid hormone levels should be increased empirically each trimester but no increase in steroid hormones is needed except during additional stress and labor. Lymphocytic hypophysitis may cause mass effects and hypopituitarism, both of which may need treatment. Sheehan’s syndrome has both acute and chronic forms which need appropriate evaluation and treatment.