cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of diphtheria toxin via screening as a potent cell cycle and p53-independent cytotoxin for human prostate cancer therapeutics.

BACKGROUND Metastatic human prostate cancer requires novel therapeutic strategies in order to overcome its low proliferative rate and its resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. To identify potential cytotoxin gene products for use in experimental therapeutics such as in vivo gene therapy, an in vitro screen was designed. METHODS Eight recombinant cellular toxins were tested for activity against a spectrum of metastatic human prostate cancer cell phenotypes. Pseudomonas exotoxin A, ricin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), diphtheria toxin (DT), Crotalus durissus terrificus toxin, crotalus adamenteus toxin, Naja naja toxin, and Naja mocambique toxin were evaluated. Comparative survival distinguished the relative potencies of these cytotoxins for irreparable prostate cancer cell death. RESULTS Of the phospholipase A2 toxins, Crotalus durissus terrificus and Naja mocambique are active against the PSA secreting LNCaP cell line; however, the effect is reversible, and no other hormone refractory prostate cell line tested is sensitive. Screening identified toxin-specific differences: dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against all human prostate cancer cell lines tested was only identified for ricin and diphtheria toxin (DT) as highly potent. DT has an IC50 in the range of 20–00 pM by clonogenic survival and kills irreversibly by both apoptosis as well as nonapototic pathways. Acquisition of p53 mutant status conferred no reduction in sensitivity to DT cytotoxicity. Cell cycle arrest by aphidicolin did not protect human prostate cells from irreversible DT-induced cell death. TNF-α had modest cytostatic activity in the screen; however, the combination of TNF-α and DT resulted in marked acceleration of the time to prostate cancer cell death. CONCLUSIONS The rational screening of cytotoxins allows the identification of cell cycle-independent agents of variable potency against human prostate cancer. DT-mediated cell death is cell cycle independent, and p53 independent, making it particularly attractive for application to cytoreductive gene therapy, targeted monoclonal antibodies, and prodrug delivery of toxins applied to human prostate cancer therapeutics. Prostate 34:259–269, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Chordal bipartite, strongly chordal, and strongly chordal bipartite graphs

Robert E. Jamison characterized chordal graphs by the edge set of every k-cycle being the symmetric difference of k - 2 triangles. Strongly chordal (and chordal bipartite) graphs can be similarly characterized in terms of the distribution of triangles (respectively, quadrilaterals). These results motivate a definition of 'strongly chordal bipartite graphs', forming a class intermediate between bipartite interval graphs and chordal bipartite graphs.
Risk factors for previable premature rupture of membranes or advanced cervical dilation: A case control study

Objective The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for second trimester premature preterm rupture of membranes or advanced cervical dilation in a high-risk population. Study design A retrospective case control study was performed that compared women with premature preterm rupture of membranes or advanced cervical dilation to term control subjects. The cases included all singleton pregnancies between 14 and 24 weeks of gestation with premature preterm rupture of membranes or advanced cervical dilation between 1996 and 2000. The next 2 term deliveries were chosen as control subjects. The variables compared between cases and control subjects included pregnancy history, infectious and medical histories, cervical/uterine procedures, and habits. This study had institutional review board approval. Results There were 102 women with premature preterm rupture of membranes, 56 women with advanced cervical dilation, and 316 control subjects. The mean gestational ages for premature preterm rupture of membranes or advanced cervical dilation were 20 ± 2.6 and 19.9 ± 2.6 weeks. Tobacco use, history of or current cervical incompetence, previous second trimester delivery, previous termination at Chlamydia was most common in the term control subjects (19.6%). Conclusion In a high-risk population of inner city women, only pregnancy history and tobacco use distinguished women with second trimester premature preterm rupture of membranes or advanced cervical dilation from term control subjects. No infectious risk factors distinguished control women from women with premature preterm rupture of membranes. The only modifiable risk identified was tobacco use.
Moms Telling Tales: Maternal Identity Development in Conversations With Their Adolescents About the Personal Past

Past-event conversation between parents and children has traditionally focused on developmental processes in children. The present study aimed to examine how maternal identity processes might unfold in past-event conversations with adolescents. Sixty-three mother–adolescent pairs completed a conversation about personal past events. The authors examined the degree to which the mother reported personal meaning and vulnerability in recounting past events. Results showed that maternal age was positively correlated with expressed personal meaning, and child age was positively correlated with maternal vulnerability and reciprocity in disclosing vulnerability. The authors discuss the results in terms of the role that these conversations may play in maternal identity development.
Biological materials by design

In this topical review we discuss recent advances in the use of physical insight into the way biological materials function, to design novel engineered materials ‘from scratch’, or from the level of fundamental building blocks upwards and by using computational multiscale methods that link chemistry to material function. We present studies that connect advances in multiscale hierarchical material structuring with material synthesis and testing, review case studies of wood and other biological materials, and illustrate how engineered fiber composites and bulk materials are designed, modeled, and then synthesized and tested experimentally. The integration of experiment and simulation in multiscale design opens new avenues to explore the physics of materials from a fundamental perspective, and using complementary strengths from models and empirical techniques. Recent developments in this field illustrate a new paradigm by which complex material functionality is achieved through hierarchical structuring in spite of simple material constituents.
Drug reward and intake in lines of mice selectively bred for divergent exploration of a hole board apparatus

Individuals characterized as high-novelty seekers are more likely to abuse drugs than are low-novelty seekers, and it is possible that the biological substrates underlying novelty seeking and drug abuse are similar. We selectively bred replicate lines of mice from a B6D2 F3 hybrid stock for high exploratory behavior (HEB) or low exploratory behavior (LEB) as measured by the number of head dips on a hole board. To determine whether common genes might influence exploratory behavior and behaviors relevant to drug abuse, we tested HEB and LEB mice for conditioned place preference produced by ethanol and d-amphetamine and also examined oral methamphetamine intake. After four generations of selection, HEB and LEB mice did not differ in the magnitude of place preference for ethanol, but LEB mice showed a greater place preference for an amphetamine-paired location than did HEB mice. However, this difference did not replicate in mice tested from the fifth generation of selection. The selected lines also did not differ in sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effects of d-amphetamine that developed across the conditioning trials. Finally, HEB and LEB mice consumed equivalently low amounts of methamphetamine. These results suggest that common genes do not influence head dipping and several behaviors potentially relevant to drug abuse.
Kinking of a Crack out of an Interface: Role of In‐Plane Stress

A crack lying in the interface between two brittle elastic solids can advance either by continued growth in the interface or by kinking out of the interface into one of the adjoining materials. This competition can be assessed by comparing the ratio of the energy release rates for interface cracking and for kinking out of the interface to the ratio of interface toughness to substrate toughness. The stress parallel to the interface, σ0, influences the energy release rate of the kinked crack and can significantly alter the conditions for interface cracking over substrate cracking if sufficiently large. This paper provides the dependence of the energy release rate ratio on the in-plane stress. The nondimensional stress parameter which emerges is, σ0(a/E* Ti)1/2, where a is the initial length of the kink into the substrate, E* is a modulus quantity, and Ti is the fracture energy of the interface. An experimental observation of the cracking of reaction product layers in bonds between Ti(Ta) and Al2O3 is rationalized by the theory.
Research in a correctional setting: Constraints and biases

Abstract Researchers studying correctional institutions rarely have attempted to assess and conceptualize the special impact of the correctional setting on their research experience. Using a ‘research chronicle’ of a study of work programs in an Indian prison and some analytic categories based on Cohen and Taylor (1977), the present study found that research in correctional institutions faces specific problems of access and data acquisition. It is suggested that such research can be conceptualized in social exchange terms and that it can benefit from using techniques of reciprocity. More specifically, correctional research appears to call for team research, triangulation, and considerable investment in establishing rapport. Some examples of the applications of strategies are provided.
Why psychiatry and cultural anthropology still need each other.

(2001). Why Psychiatry and Cultural Anthropology Still Need Each Other. Psychiatry: Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 14-16.
Flexing into Motion: A Locomotion Mechanism for Soft Robots

Abstract Several recent designs of soft robots feature locomotion mechanisms that entail orchestrating changes to intrinsic curvature to enable the robot׳s limbs to either stick, adhere, or slip on the robot׳s workspace. The resulting locomotion mechanism has several features in common with peristaltic locomotion that can be found in the animal world. The purpose of the present paper is to examine the feasibility of, and design guidelines for, a locomotion mechanism that exploits the control of intrinsic curvature on a rough surface. With the help of a quasi-static analysis of a continuous model of a soft robot׳s limb, we show precisely how locomotion is induced and how the performance can be enhanced by controlling the curvature profile. Our work provides a framework for the theoretical analysis of the locomotion of the soft robot and the resulting analysis is also used to develop some design guidelines.
Effect of body mass index on outcome in pediatric heart transplant patients.

Background Obesity and cachexia are risk factors for adverse outcomes in adult transplant patients. However, little is known about the effects of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes in pediatric heart transplant patients. Methods Patients >2 years of age undergoing heart transplantation from 1985 to 2004 at our institution were included in this study. BMI was assessed at the time of transplant and at 1 year post-transplant. Long-term outcomes were assessed by weight group. Results The cohort included 105 patients with a mean age at transplant of 9.6 ± 5.3 years. The mean BMI percentile at the time of transplant was 39 ± 34, with 22 (21%) patients underweight ( n = 92), the mean BMI percentile increased to 57 ± 33 ( p p p = 0.03). Conclusions Weight gain was nearly universal post-transplant with only 4% of patients underweight at 1 year. In the small number of patients overweight at transplant, graft survival was similar to normal-weight patients. Conversely, being underweight at transplant was an independent predictor of decreased graft survival.
Global Telecommunications Security: Effects of Geomagnetic Disturbances

Global information and communication technologies permeate organizational structures, while questions of security pervade strategic plans of corporations worldwide. From the spectacular to the sublime, the effects of geomagnetic disturbances (i.e., electrical current produced by solar storms) can be as devastating to an organizationâ??s telecommunications systems as a hacker breaching a firewall. Using a dataset spanning 31 years (1978-2009) with 580,000 solar activity records, we investigate the effects and relationships of natural anomalies, specifically solar storms, on the security of corporate telecommunications. The ionosphere is a natural barrier around the earth to protect it from the sun and serve as a shield, but some electrical currents break this barrier causing significant telecommunications outages and security breaches within corporations. In this exploratory empirical study, we present the initial evidence that tracking geomagnetic disturbances can provide vital cautions for business continuity planning. The results of the study should help organizations with strategic planning efforts with respect to their overall security, especially as it relates to telecommunications.
The Challenges and Benefits of Asynchronous Learning Networks.

Abstract As the world has been ushered into an information age in which technology plays a major role, societal institutions have been affected on all levels. The educational institution has especially been impacted as educators, administrators, and policy makers have sought to make the most effective use of the tools of technology. One changing paradigm is the role of distance learning in education, and in particular, the evolution of asynchronous learning networks. The changing complexion of the college student population, from full-time students in their early twenties to that of more mature students who negotiate school responsibilities with those of jobs and families, justifies universities' transitioning to the asynchronous method of course delivery. Students reap the benefits in terms of convenience, but some question whether asynchronous computer-mediated learning is an effective replacement for face-to-face collaboration and if student learning is compromised with this mode of instruction. This p...
The Light Microscopy Module: An On-Orbit Multi-User Microscope Facility

The Light Microscopy Module (LMM) is planned as a remotely controllable on-orbit microscope subrack facility, allowing flexible scheduling and operation of fluids and biology experiments within the Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) on the International Space Station (ISS). The LMM will be the first integrated payload with the FIR to conduct four fluid physics experiments. A description of the LMM diagnostic capabilities, including video microscopy, interferometry, laser tweezers, confocal, and spectrophotometry, will be provided.
The structure of lamellar lyotropic liquid crystals from lecithin and alkanediols

Abstract Lamellar liquid crystals from lecithin and alkanediols were studied to determine the composition range of stability and geometrical dimensions using low-angle X-ray scattering. An estimation of the dislocation pattern was made from the optical pattern in polarized light. The ethylene glycol gave the widest range of stability for the lamellar structure, the range being reduced toward heptanediol, the longest member to give liquid crystals. The interlayer spacing was reduced with increasing chain length of the diol and the dislocation pattern remained identical.
Psychophysical measurement of spectral sensitivity and color vision in red-light-reared tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri).

Abstract The role of the spectral lighting environment on the post-natal development of spectral sensitivity and color vision was studied in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) that were born and reared to adulthood in cyclic red light. Normal tree shrews are dichromats, possessing short-wavelength-sensitive (SWS) and long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) cone receptors and a small population of rods. Red-lightrearing (RLR) produced differential stimulation of the cone types by effectively eliminating photic stimulation of the SWS cones, without depriving the LWS cones. Spectral sensitivity and color vision were measured behaviorally for RLR shrews and normal shrews under different ambient light levels. Spectral sensitivity functions were deutan-like, exhibiting maxima at ca 450 and 550 nm and a minimum at 510 nm. No significant differences in spectral sensitivity were observed between RLR and control animals. Furthermore, all animals demonstrated deutan-type dichromatic color vision evidenced by their ability to discriminate monochromatic lights from equally-bright achromatic lights except for a “neutral point” near 505 nm. These results demonstrate that a population of functional SWS cones survived the lack of post-natal photic stimulation. However, RLR shrews differed from controls in that they were poorer at making chromatic/achromatic discriminations. While no severe disorganization of color vision was evident, the poorer discrimination displayed by the RLR animals is likely the result of changes in post-receptoral visual mechanisms.
Synthesis and bioactivity of (±)-tetrahydrohaliclonacyclamine A

Abstract The total synthesis of tetrahydrohaliclonacyclamine A (5) is described. A key step involves the hydrogenation of an unsaturated bis-piperidine incorporated into a 17-membered macrocycle to provide the cis–syn–cis stereochemistry common to haliclonacyclamines A–D. The hydrogenation product is advanced to the title compound following a five-step reaction sequence. Tetrahydrohaliclonacyclamine A is shown to bind to a variety of ion channels/GPCRs and act as a muscarinic M1 antagonist.
Longitudinal Assessment of Callous/Impulsive Traits, Substance Abuse, and Symptoms of Depression in Adolescents

: Latent variable structural modeling was used to examine the associations among callous/impulsive personality traits, substance abuse, and symptoms of depression in a sample of 156 adjudicated male adolescents. Assessments were conducted at baseline and 6-month follow-up. The results highlight an unfolding of interrelationships among disturbances in personality, substance use, and mood over time.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Surface Morphology of Pendant Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Perfluorocyclobutyl Aryl Ether Copolymers

The synthesis and characterization of solution processable, semi-fluorinated perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) aryl ether polymers possessing covalently bound pendant polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) cages is reported. The synthesis of POSS aryl trifluorovinyl ether (TFVE) monomers was accomplished by the condensation of commercial monosilanolalkyl-POSS with a TFVE-functionalized chlorosilane. POSS TFVE monomers were elucidated by 1H, 19F, 13C, and 29Si NMR spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR analysis, and elemental (C, H, and F) combustion analysis. Bulk thermal copolymerization of POSS TFVE monomers afforded random and block PFCB aryl ether copolymers functionalized with various POSS loadings. Quantitative monomer conversion was monitored by 19F NMR, which produced copolymer number-average molecular weights (Mn) of (19.5−24.9) × 103 (in CHCl3 using polystyrene as standard) determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal properties of POSS PFCB aryl ether copolymers were evaluated by differential scan...
Sufficient conditions for strong ellipticity for a class of anisotropic materials

We provide sufficient conditions for strong ellipticity for a general class of anisotropic hyperelastic materials. This general class includes as a subclass transversely isotropic materials. Our sufficient conditions require that the first partial derivatives of the reduced-stored energy function satisfy some simple inequalities and that the second partial derivatives satisfy a convexity condition. We also characterize a restricted type of strong ellipticity for a subclass of transversely isotropic materials undergoing pure homogeneous deformations. We apply our results to a model of soft tissue from the biomechanics literature.
On the grouped selection and model complexity of the adaptive elastic net

Lasso proved to be an extremely successful technique for simultaneous estimation and variable selection. However lasso has two major drawbacks. First, it does not enforce any grouping effect and secondly in some situation lasso solutions are inconsistent for variable selection. To overcome this inconsistency adaptive lasso is proposed where adaptive weights are used for penalizing different coefficients. Recently a doubly regularized technique namely elastic net is proposed which encourages grouping effect i.e. either selection or omission of the correlated variables together. However elastic net is also inconsistent. In this paper we study adaptive elastic net which does not have this drawback. In this article we specially focus on the grouped selection property of adaptive elastic net along with its model selection complexity. We also shed some light on the bias-variance tradeoff of different regularization methods including adaptive elastic net. An efficient algorithm was proposed in the line of LARS-EN, which is then illustrated with simulated as well as real life data examples.
Flying blind: a challenge problem for SAR imaging withoutnavigational data

Developers have been increasingly successful at installing SAR systems on small UAVs. Within that domain, there is a continuous drive to make systems smaller and cheaper in order to minimize the value of assets placed at risk. We would therefore like to reduce the SAR system hardware to the minimal complement required to form a useful image. As inertial navigation/motion units can signicantly add to platform size, weight, and cost, developing data-adaptive approaches to form useful imagery with minimal navigational inputs is desirous. This paper outlines a challenge problem to focus research eorts towards that end.
61 Menses Suppression in an Adolescent with Vaginal Agenesis.

Background: Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Anomaly (MRKHA) exists within a spectrum ranging from the complete absence of all mullerian structures to the presence of a normal uterus but vaginal agenesis. Patients with this disorder have normal ovarian function and normal pubertal development, but primary amenorrhea. In girls with a uterus and an anatomic outflow obstruction, endometrial build up can lead to significantly increased pressure in the genital tract with retrograde flow of menstrual blood, resulting in an increased risk of endometriosis and abdominal pain. The optimal clinical management of such patients is unknown. Objective: We describe a case of MRKHA with a particularly severe initial presentation. Current treatment options for menses suppression in this setting are discussed. Results: The patient was a previously healthy 12 year old female who presented with an acute abdomen. Laparoscopy revealed hematosalpinx and absence of a vagina. The right fallopian tube was severely distended and removed. MRI and vaginoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of MRKHA. As the family opted to defer vaginoplasty until the patient was older, menses suppression was sought in order to prevent future episodes of severe abdominal pain and endometrial proliferation. Three potential therapeutic approaches were identified; GnRHa suppression, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate and combination estrogen/progesterone. However, minimal data on comparable safety and efficacy of these preparations for the purpose of suppressing menses in a healthy adolescent girl were found. Due to theoretical concerns regarding adverse effects on bone mineral density with the other two choices, the decision was made to initiate treatment with the estrogen-progesterone patch. However after several months on treatment, she was 12 hours late in changing her patch and presented to the emergency room with abdominal pain. Pelvic ultrasound showed uterine and pelvic blood. She was then changed to a 30μg estrogen with progesterone pill for improved continuous estrogen suppression of the endometrium. No further episodes of bleeding have been noted over the past 8 months. Conclusions: Complete suppression of menses in an otherwise normal child is an infrequent goal of clinical management. This case emphasizes the difficulty of choosing the ideal pharmacologic strategy and highlights the lack of long term therapeutic outcome data in similar patients. Prospective controlled studies are needed to investigate safety and efficacy of different therapeutic modalities for menses suppression in those who choose to delay surgical correction of a non-patent outflow tract.
Hemispheric disconnection syndrome persisting after anterior cerebral artery aneurysm rupture.

Hemispheric disconnection syndrome is a rarely reported sequela of aneurysm rupture. Serial neurobehavioral examinations of such a patient after clipping of a right pericallosal artery that had bled into a large portion of the corpus callosum disclosed defects in interhemispheric transfer of informa
Object shape perception in blind robot grasping using a wrist force/torque sensor

This paper investigates the modeling of 3D models through haptic exploration in blind scenes. Experimental setup consists of Mitsubishi arm, force/torque sensor and Phantom Omni. A Force/Torque sensor at the wrist of the 6-DOF manipulator is used to acquire data through touching objects in the environment. Robot Operating system (ROS) is implemented to connect the different components on real time. A mathematical model is presented for spherical fingertip to find out the contact location. And, it is experimented in order to proof the concept. Finally, a successful exploration procedure is proposed and applied to model a water bottle.
Mechanical shearing Taxus plant suspension cultures reduces aggregation without affecting cell health

A high degree of cellular aggregation within Taxus suspension cultures results in increased culture heterogeneity, as well as variable and reduced paclitaxel yields. Here, a method was developed to mechanically shear Taxus suspension cultures through manual pipetting of cells through a small aperture. In this manner, the mean aggregate diameter of a culture can be effectively reduced. The method was applied to cultures over multiple generations, showing that cell viability and growth were not affected by mechanical shearing. For the first two generations, mean aggregate size of the sheared populations was not statistically different from the unsheared controls, with each population having a mean aggregate diameter below 375 μm. As the unsheared population increased in mean aggregate diameter to ~475 μm and additional shear was employed to disaggregate cultures, significant differences in mean aggregate size between the sheared and unsheared cultures were observed. Throughout the experiment, the unsheared cultures had a range in mean aggregate size from 240-500 μm, whereas the sheared cultures had a range in mean aggregate size from 218-384 μm. This experiment demonstrates the promise of mechanical shearing for reducing culture heterogeneity by lowering the mean aggregate size distribution without affecting cell viability or growth.
Aortic regurgitation due to back-and-forth intimal flap movement detected by both multidetector computed tomography and transesophageal echocardiography.

A 46-year-old man with a history of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and chronic aortic dissection classified as DeBakey type IIIB was referred to our hospital with chest and back pain. The patient underwent 64-row multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), which revealed new-onset DeBakey type II aortic dissection. The intimal flap prolapsed into left ventricle in the diastolic phase of cardiac cycle and stuck to the right coronary cusp (RCC) of the aortic valve. He also underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to assess the relationship between the intimal flap and aortic valve in detail. The intimal flap overlaid the RCC and prolapsed into the left ventricle outflow tract in the diastolic phase. These images suggested that the circumferential intimal flap stuck to the aortic valve, resulting in severe aortic regurgitation. One day after the admission, the patient underwent replacement of ascending aorta with a prosthetic graft. Intraoperative observation exhibited the intimal flap inverted to the left ventricle. MDCT could detect the flat movement, as well as TEE, in addition to the extent of aortic dissection. .
Surface manifestation of internal tides in the deep ocean: observations from altimetry and island gauges

The sea-surface height signatures of internal tides in the deep ocean, amounting to a few centimeters or less, are studied using two complementary measurement types: satellite altimetry and island tide gauges. Altimetry can detect internal tides that maintain coherence with the astronomical forcing; island gauges can monitor temporal variability which, in some circumstances, is due to internal tides varying in response to changes in the oceanic medium. This latter mechanism is at work at Hilo and other stations on the northern coasts of the Hawaiian Islands. By detecting spatially coherent low-frequency internal-tide modulations, the tide gauges, along with inverted echo sounders at sea, suggest that the mean internal tide is also spatially coherent; satellite altimetry confirms this. At Hawaii and in many other places, Topex/Poseidon altimetry detects mean surface waves, spatially coherent and propagating great distances (> 1000 km) before decaying below background noise. When temporal variability is small, the altimetry (plus information on ocean density) sets useful constraints on energy fluxes into internal tides. At the Hawaiian Ridge, 15 GW of tidal power is being converted from barotropic to first-mode baroclinic motion. Examples elsewhere warn that a simplistic interpretation of the altimetry, without regard to variability, noise, or in situ information, may be highly misleading. With such uncertainties, extension of the Hawaiian results into a usefully realistic estimate of the global internal-tide energy balance appears premature at this time.
Effects of different semipermeable membranes on in vitro and in vivo performance of microdialysis probes.

: The in vitro and in vivo performance of three different semipermeable microdialysis membranes was compared: a proprietary polycarbonate-ether membrane made by Carnegie Medecin; cuprophan, a regenerated cellulose membrane; and polyacrylonitrile. When microdialysis probes were tested in a stirred in vitro solution, large and statistically significant differences among the three membranes in extraction of acid metabolites (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and homovanillic acid) and acetaminophen were found. Polyacrylonitrile had the highest extractions in vitro. In contrast, when microdialysis probes were implanted in vivo (in rat striatum), extraction of acid metabolites and acetaminophen did not differ significantly among the different membranes. These results are consistent with predictions made by a mathematical model of microdialysis and can be explained by the fact that in vitro the main factor limiting extraction is membrane resistance to diffusion, whereas tissue resistance to diffusion plays a more dominant role in vivo. These findings suggest that (aside from differences in surface area), the choice of semipermeable membrane will generally have little effect on in vivo microdialysis results. Furthermore, in vitro measurements of microdialysis probe extractions are not a reliable way of calibrating in vivo performance.
Comparison of MRC-5 and A-549 cells in conventional culture tubes and shell vial assays for the detection of varicella-zoster virus

Abstract A-549 and MRC-5 cells were compared for the detection of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) by conventional tube cell culture and by shell vial assay using fresh specimens. VZV was detected in 33 (32.4%) of 102 specimens by one or all of these methods. In conventional tube culture, seven (21.2%) of 33 were positive in MRC-5 cells and 24 (72.7%) of 33 were positive in A-549 cells, a threefold increase in sensitivity. In shell vial assay, 30 (90.9%) of 33 were positive in MRC-5 cells and 31 (93.9%) of 33 were positive in A-549 cells. The samples tested by A-549 shell vial assay had more positives showing plague formation. The two shell vial procedures gave the highest levels of sensitivity. A-549 cells provided a more sensitive method of detecting VZV in clinical specimens in both conventional tubes and shell vial assays than did MRC-5 cells.
Image Algebra Application to Image Measurement and Feature Extraction

It has been well established that the AFATL (Air Force Armament Technical Laboratory) Image Algebra is capable of expressing all image-to-image transformations [1,2] and that it is ideally suited for parallel image transformations {3,4]. In this paper we show how the algebra can also be applied to compactly express image-to-feature transforms including such sequential image-to-feature transforms as chain coding.
Security analysis of network protocols: logical and computational methods

Security analysis of network protocols is a rich scientific area with two different foundations, one based on logic and symbolic computation, and one based on computational complexity theory. The symbolic approach has led to formal logics and automated tools that have been used successfully in a number of case studies. The computational approach yields more insight into the strength and vulnerabilities of protocols, but it involves explicit reasoning about probability and computational complexity. Ideally, we would like to combine the advantages of both and develop a simple, automatable method that captures intuitive high-level reasoning principles, yet accurately reflects the subtleties of probabilistic polynomial-time computation. This talk will summarize some of the main lines of prior work and discuss ways to bridge the gap between symbolic and computational analysis. A significant portion of the talk will focus on a high-level protocol logic whose provable statements are correct when regarded as assertions about probabilistic polynomial-time protocol execution in the face of probabilistic polynomial-time attack.
Expression Cloning of an Immunodominant Family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigens Using Human Cd4+ T Cells

Development of a subunit vaccine for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is likely to be dependent on the identification of T cell antigens that induce strong proliferation and interferon gamma production from healthy purified protein derivative (PPD)(+) donors. We have developed a sensitive and rapid technique for screening an Mtb genomic library expressed in Escherichia coli using Mtb-specific CD4(+) T cells. Using this technique, we identified a family of highly related Mtb antigens. The gene of one family member encodes a 9.9-kD antigen, termed Mtb9.9A. Recombinant Mtb9.9A protein, expressed and purified from E. coli, elicited strong T cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from PPD(+) but not PPD(-) individuals. Southern blot analysis and examination of the Mtb genome sequence revealed a family of highly related genes. A T cell line from a PPD(+) donor that failed to react with recombinant Mtb9.9A recognized one of the other family members, Mtb9.9C. Synthetic peptides were used to map the T cell epitope recognized by this line, and revealed a single amino acid substitution in this region when compared with Mtb9.9A. The direct identification of antigens using T cells from immune donors will undoubtedly be critical for the development of vaccines to several intracellular pathogens.
A comparison of frequency domain design and l/sup 1/-optimal control

A frequency-domain design methodology is applied to a DC motor speed control system and the results are compared to those obtained using l/sup 1/-optimal control theory (see J. B. Pearson and B. Bamieh, (1990)). Both methods synthesize controllers that maximize the allowable size of an unknown-but-bounded disturbance while satisfying prespecified constraints on the control, the control rate, and the outputs. The frequency-domain design technique in general results in much lower-order compensators than those required by the l/sup 1/-optimal method for a given size of disturbance. Also, the design trade-offs regarding the bandwidth of the system, the size of the disturbance input, and the structural complexity of the controller transfer function become quite transparent. >
The Effects of Media on Pharmaceutically Relevant Transporters in the Human HT-29 Adenocarcinoma Cell Line: Does Culture Media Need to be Controlled?

ABSTRACT: The HT-29 cell line forms a confluent monolayer with tight junctions, but displays different phenotypes when cultured for 21 days in galactose-supplemented media (differentiated) versus glucose-supplemented media (dedifferentiated). This study is aimed at elucidating how media differences might affect selected drug transporter expression and peptide-based substrate transport toward reducing this variability. A vial of HT-29 cells was amplified and cultured over several passages in four different mediums (American Type Culture Collection recommended McCoy's 5A versus Dulbecco's modified Eagle's media containing glucose, galactose, or neither carbohydrate) with normal supplementation. Transporter mRNA expression was characterized at days 5 and 21 postseeding utilizing SABiosciences quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) drug transporter arrays. Transport studies using [H]histidine, [ 3 H]glycylsarcosine, [ 3 H]valacyclovir, and [ 3 H]carnosine were performed to assess the functional effects of oligopeptide transporter expression changes in HT-29 cells grown in each media. qRT-PCR arrays illustrated variable, media-dependent transporter expression between both the initial and differentiated time points. Permeability studies illustrated considerable media-dependent differences in both paracellular and transcellular substrate fluxes. The results demonstrate that these cells exhibit differing monolayer characteristics and genotypic/phenotypic profile properties when cultured under different media. The results suggest a need for standardization of culture methodologies for reducing inter- and intralaboratory variability.
A Functional Link between MT Neurons and Depth Perception Based on Motion Parallax

As an observer translates, objects lying at different distances from the observer have differential image motion on the retina (motion parallax). It is well established psychophysically that humans perceive depth rather precisely from motion parallax and that extraretinal signals may be used to correctly perceive the sign of depth (near vs far) when binocular and pictorial depth cues are absent or weak. However, the neural basis for this capacity remains poorly understood. We have shown previously that neurons in the macaque middle temporal (MT) area combine retinal image motion with smooth eye movement command signals to signal depth sign from motion parallax. However, those studies were performed in animals that were required simply to track a visual target, thus precluding direct comparisons between neural activity and behavior. Here, we examine the activity of MT neurons in rhesus monkeys that were trained to discriminate depth sign based on motion parallax, in the absence of binocular disparity and pictorial depth cues. We find that the most sensitive MT neurons approach behavioral sensitivity, whereas the average neuron is twofold to threefold less sensitive than the animal. We also find that MT responses are predictive of perceptual decisions (independent of the visual stimulus), consistent with a role for MT in providing sensory signals for this behavior. Our findings suggest that, in addition to its established roles in processing stereoscopic depth, area MT is well suited to contribute to perception of depth based on motion parallax.
Performance of a Discrete Spectral Peak Frequency Estimator for Doppler Wind Velocity Measurements

A frequency estimator formed from the peak of a discrete power spectrum is examined. Expressions to compute the performance of the estimator as a function of input signal bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio are developed and used to study the estimator's capability to measure signal mean frequencies for remote Doppler measurement of atmospheric winds. Performance comparisons with the widely used complex-covariance estimator, based on simulations, show that frequency estimates formed from the spectral peak tend to have larger variance, except in the case of narrow-band input signals where the estimate standard deviation approaches that of the complex-covariance estimator.
Rapid Extraction from and Direct Identification in Clinical Samples of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococci Using the PCR

Methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) are one of the most common causes of nosocomial infections and bacteremia. Standard bacterial identification and susceptibility testing frequently require as long as 72 h to report results, and there may be difficulty in rapidly and accurately identifying methicillin resistance. The use of the PCR is a rapid and simple process for the amplification of target DNA sequences, which can be used to identify and test bacteria for antimicrobial resistance. However, many sample preparation methods are unsuitable for PCR utilization in the clinical laboratory because they either are not cost-effective, take too long to perform, or do not provide a satisfactory DNA template for PCR. Our goal was to provide same-day results to facilitate rapid diagnosis and therapy. In this report, we describe a rapid method for extraction of bacterial DNA directly from blood culture bottles that gave quality DNA for PCR in as little as 20 min. We compared this extraction method to the standard QIAGEN method for turnaround time (TAT), cost, purity, and use of template in PCR. Specific identification of MRS was determined using intragenic primer sets for bacterial and Staphylococcus 16S rRNA and mecA gene sequences. The PCR primer sets were validated with 416 isolates of staphylococci, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (n = 106), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (n = 134), and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (n = 176). The total supply cost of our extraction method and PCR was $2.15 per sample with a result TAT of less than 4 h. The methods described herein represent a rapid and accurate DNA extraction and PCR-based identification system, which makes the system an ideal candidate for use under austere field conditions and one that may have utility in the clinical laboratory.
Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of 6061 Al Matrix Smart Composite Containing TiNi Shape Memory Fiber

6061 Al-matrix composite with TiNi shape memory fiber as reinforcement has been fabricated by vacuum hot pressing to investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties. The yield stress of this composite increases with increasing amount of prestrain, and it also depends on the volume fraction of fiber and heat treatment. The smartness of the composite is given due to the shape memory effect of the TiNi fiber which generates compressive residual stresses in the matrix material when heated after being prestrained. Microstructual observations have revealed that interfacial reactions occur between the matrix and fiber, creating two intermetallic layers. The flow strength of the composite at elevated temperatures is significantly higher than that of the matrix alloy without TiNi fiber.
ATTR: Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment

ATTR is the most common form of inherited systemic amyloidosis. The signs and symptoms of ATTR are often subtle and overlap with more common diseases, including AL. Treatment for ATTR is most effective early in the course of the disease, making timely diagnosis critical. Orthotopic liver transplantation is the only proven effective therapy. Recent reports have suggested that amyloid deposition may progress after liver transplantation in some cases. Emerging therapies designed to prevent circulating TTR from forming amyloid are currently being tested and hold promise for patients not eligible for solid organ transplant and for those with progressive symptoms after transplant.
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE MINERALOGY OF CARBONATE SEDIMENTS1

The mineralogy of carbonate sediments from Campeche Bank and Bermuda has been studied by use of X-ray diffraction techniques. The sediment mineralogy appears to be mainly controlled by the skeletal mineralogy and size of organisms living locally. Selective physical destruction and transport and selective solution of more soluble skeletal elements appear to exert an influence on sediment mineralogy. Reef and near-reef sediments contain the largest concentrations of high-magnesium calcite, largely due to the presence of coralline algae such as Lithothamnium. Lagoonal sediments contain the most aragonite, and also contain abundant fragments of the green algae, Halimeda. Shelf, slope, and deep-water carbonates are rich in low-magnesium calcite, probably due to the presence of planktonic Foraminifera and algae. The effects of non-biological processes on sediment mineralogy can be seen in the distribution of mineralogies among the different size fractions of the sediment. The most prominent feature of this is the regular increase in mineral stability—and associated decrease in mineral solubility—from the coarse to the fine fractions of sediments from a wide range of environments. It appears that in some areas the more soluble mineralogies are dissolved from the fine fractions of the sediments.
"Locating Transcendence in Japanese Minzoku Geinô: Yamabushi and Miko Kagura"

Dans la societe japonaise contemporaine, les arts populaires de la scene, minzoku geino, sont associes au matsuri, ou festival. Des membres de differentes communautes, ouvriers ou etudiants, repetent et jouent dans des types varies de minzoku geino en preparation pour des festivals locaux. Cependant, un regard sur l’histoire des minzoku geino nous revele qu’a l’origine leurs acteurs etaient des membres marginalises de la societe, qui utilisaient l’expression extatique pour presider a differents rites tels que des guerisons, des exorcismes ou des benedictions. De plus, les attitudes envers les specialistes de ces rites etaient souvent negatives : en fait, ces pratiques chamaniques furent prohibees durant la periode Meiji (1868-1912). En reponse a ces attitudes sociales, les acteurs extatiques du Japon premoderne ont negocie leurs pouvoirs d’expression de multiples facons pour pouvoir survivre. Cet article initie le lecteur a la typologie des minzoku geino impliquant des performances extatiques presentees par les yamabushi, hommes pratiquant l’eremitisme et l’acetisme et les miko, femmes chamanes que l’on associe generalement au culte shintoiste. De plus, cet article argumente et illustre la maniere dont la performance extatique s’est modifiee a travers l’histoire au point que de nos jours elle soit rarement realisee par des specialistes marginalises des rites. Les participants aux minzoku geino contemporains sont des membres bien acceptes de la societe. Qui plus est, ce sont a la fois les acteurs et le public des minzoku geino qui se trouvent soumis au pouvoir de transformation de l’expression extatique.