cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hammerhead ribozymes mediated down-regulation of rat metallothionein mrnas expression

Ribozymes (Rzs) are small RNA molecules with endoribonuclease activity that can inhibit gene expression by cleaving a particular mRNA in a highly sequence-specific fashion. Two hammerhead ribozymes (Rz1–2 and Rz4–9) targeted against the 3’-coding regions of rat metallothionein-I (MT) and -II RNAs were generated. The ribozymes mediated RNA cleavage in the presence of Mg2+ at a broad temperature range (25 °C to 50°C) in vitro. Rz1–2 and Rz4–9 ribozymes are specific for rat MT-I and MT-II messages, respectively, while no in vitro cleavage activities were observed for two mutated RNA molecules, Rz2–6 and Rz3–3, derived from Rzl–2 and Rz4–9, respectively. Using primer extension assay, we confirmed the cutting sites on the MT messages were as predicted. The catalytic efficiencies of Rzl–2 on MT-I RNA cleavage was 678 M-1s-1 and of Rz4–9 on MT-II RNA was 372 M-1s-1. A tandem ribozyme construct (Rzl–2/Rz4–9) driven by a strong promoter (CMV) was generated and used to transfect a rat ventral prostate epithelial cell line, NbE-1. Several stable transfectants were selected. In the selected clones, Rz–2 and Rz–3, both MT-I and -II message were reduced to non-detectable levels. Importantly, these clones were shown to exhibit increased susceptibility to cadmium cytotoxicity. These findings therefore provide strong evidence in support of a role played by MT in protecting prostatic epithelial cells against cadmium toxicity.
Learning when to Auction and when to Bid

The market based approach is widely used to solve the problem of multirobot coordination. In this approach, communication and computation costs are key issues, but have not been carefully addressed by the different architectures in the literature. In this paper, we present a method to reduce these costs, by adding the capability to learn whether a task is worth offering up for auction and also whether it is worth bidding for the task, based on previous experience about successful and unsuccessful bids. We show that the method significantly decreases communication and computation costs, while maintaining good overall performance of the team.
Comparison of trap-loss collision spectra for 85Rb and 87Rb.

We present measurements of excited-state trap-loss collisions of optically trapped [sup 85]Rb and [sup 87]Rb atoms as a function of the frequency of the light used to excite the colliding atom pairs. For detunings outside the excited-state hyperfine structure, the trap-loss rates are found to be the same for the two isotopes. For detunings inside the excited-state hyperfine structure, [sup 87]Rb collisions occur at a substantially lower rate than those of [sup 85]Rb. The spectra make it clear that the long-range dynamics of the collisions are strongly modified by the excited-state hyperfine structure, and that the dynamics are different for the two isotopes.
Design of Poly(lactic- co -glycolic Acid) (PLGA) Nanoparticles for Vaginal Co-Delivery of Griffithsin and Dapivirine and Their Synergistic Effect for HIV Prophylaxis.

Long-acting topical products for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) that combine antiretrovirals (ARVs) inhibiting initial stages of infection are highly promising for prevention of HIV sexual transmission. We fabricated core-shell poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles, loaded with two potent ARVs, griffithsin (GRFT) and dapivirine (DPV), having different physicochemical properties and specifically targeting the fusion and reverse transcription steps of HIV replication, as a potential long-acting microbicide product. The nanoparticles were evaluated for particle size and zeta potential, drug release, cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and in vitro bioactivity. PLGA nanoparticles, with diameter around 180–200 nm, successfully encapsulated GRFT (45% of initially added) and DPV (70%). Both drugs showed a biphasic release with initial burst phase followed by a sustained release phase. GRFT and DPV nanoparticles were non-toxic and maintained bioactivity (IC50 values of 0.5 nM and 4.7 nM, respectively) in a cell-based assay. The combination of drugs in both unformulated and encapsulated in nanoparticles showed strong synergistic drug activity at 1:1 ratio of IC50 values. This is the first study to co-deliver a protein (GRFT) and a hydrophobic small molecule (DPV) in PLGA nanoparticles as microbicides. Our findings demonstrate that the combination of GRFT and DPV in nanoparticles is highly potent and possess properties critical to the design of a sustained release microbicide.
Complement Seals a Virus to Block Infection.

In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Bottermann et al. (2019) reveal that complement component C4 inhibits adenovirus by inactivating the virus capsid through mechanisms requiring antibody engagement, but not late-acting complement pathways. This antiviral function likely broadly impacts non-enveloped viruses and may help illuminate the process of virus disassembly.
In situ, fluorescence lifetime-based measurements of cell membrane micromechanics

ABSTRACT Microscopic in situ measurements of the mechanical properties of lipid bilayers were derived from the mean and variance of the fluorescence lifetime distributions of 1’-dioctadecyl-3,3,3’3’-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI). In this method, DiI, incorporated into membranes, acts as a membrane-targeted molecular rotor whose fluorescence lifetime is sensitive to local lipid viscosity. A new model was developed in which changes in area per lipid were derived from the first and second moments of a stretched exponential distribution of fluorescence lifetimes of DiI, which were subsequently used to compute mean area per lipid and its variance, quantities directly related to bilayer compressibility and bending moduli. This method enabled molecular scale assays of surface micromechanics of membrane-bound entities, such as nanoliposomes and human red blood cells. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICNACE Despite the progress in cell deformability studies, and in understanding mechanical properties of purified lipid bilayers, there has not, to date, been a method to measure the mechanics of the lipid bilayer in cells in situ. The current manuscript describes such a method. Using a fluorescent molecular rotor, DiI, embedded in the membrane, along with time resolved fluorescence, we directly measure area per lipid, and its temporal and spatial variance, properties directly related to bilayer mechanical moduli. Such a method will allow investigators to start exploring the relationship between lipid bilayer mechanics and cellular health and disease.
Research on Operational Optimization Technology of Regional Integrated Energy System Considering Operating Cost and Reliability

To solve the problem of operation optimization for regional integrated energy system, a kind of operation optimization method considering operating cost and reliability is proposed. Firstly, the difference between multi-objective integrated energy system and traditional dispatching is analyzed. A multi-objective operation optimization framework of integrated energy system is introduced. Secondly, the output characteristics of the main integrated energy system equipment are analyzed. Thirdly, the objective function with the lower operating cost and the higher reliability is established. Then, taking into account the system constraints of electricity, heating and cooling, the multi-objective running optimization model is solved by linear programming method. Finally, an integrated energy system scene with distributed generation and energy storage equipment is constructed. The Pareto solution set of the scene is searched. Meanwhile, the different operating modes of CCHP are compared. The results show that the proposed model can meet the requirements and provide a unified optimization solution for integrated energy system.
Advancing to precision medicine through big data and artificial intelligence

Abstract According to the Precision Medicine Initiative, a long-term research measure involving the National Institutes of Health and other centers, precision medicine is defined as “an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person.” By contributing to the prevention and treatment of disease and improved health, big data and artificial intelligence play critical roles in precision medicine. The idea of harnessing all available data and techniques can be traced to the Huangdi Neijing, a book about ancient Chinese medicine practices. Currently, we have the tools to collect vast amounts of genomics data along with state-of-the-art data analytics for interpretation. With the availability of new resources and techniques, we are advancing our understanding of genomics and medicine with increasing precision.
New Models of Strategic Customers in the Age of Omnichannel Retailing

In the omnichannel era, consumers optimize their shopping experience by exhaustively considering all possible alternatives across both online and offline channels. In this chapter, we present new approaches to model consumer behavior in the omnichannel environment. We start by reviewing traditional models of strategic consumer behavior and then apply them to omnichannel initiatives in the retail industry. These omnichannel strategies help mitigate two key problems in retail: stockouts and product misfit. We hope that our models can inspire future research in the emerging area of omnichannel retailing.
Geriatric Inmates: Policy and Practice.

This article examines policies and programs associated with geriatric inmates. The increasing number of inmates over the age of 50 has raised questions on how corrections departments will address t...
Effect of temperature on gelation and cross-linking of gelatin methacryloyl for biomedical applications

Hydrogels with or without chemical cross-linking have been studied and used for biomedical applications, such as tissue repair, surgical sealants, and three dimensional biofabrication. These materials often undergo a physical sol–gel or gel–sol transition between room and body temperatures and can also be chemically cross-linked at these temperatures to give dimensional stability. However, few studies have clearly shown the effect of heating/cooling rates on such transitions. Moreover, only a little is known about the effect of cross-linking temperature or the state on the modulus after cross-linking. We have established rheological methods to study these effects, an approach to determine transition temperatures, and a method to prevent sample drying during measurements. All the rheological measurements were performed minimizing the normal stress build-up to compensate for the shrinking and expansion due to temperature and phase changes. We chemically modified gelatin to give gelatin methacryloyl and determined the degree of methacryloylation by proton nuclear magnetic resonance. Using the gelatin methacryloyl as an example, we have found that the gel state or lower temperature can give more rigid gelatin-based polymers by cross-linking under visible light than the sol state or higher temperature. These methods and results can guide researchers to perform appropriate studies on material design and map applications, such as the optimal operating temperature of hydrogels for biomedical applications. We have also found that gelation temperatures strongly depend on the cooling rate, while solation temperatures are independent of the heating rate.
Plant community recovery following Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) removal: testing for a soil legacy effect

Restoration of plant communities can be hindered by the legacy of previously established invaders, despite their physical removal from the community. Current evidence, mainly built on short‐term greenhouse experiments, suggests that Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) invasion not only suppresses native plant species, but also alters soil conditions in host communities. As a result, L. cuneata may create a soil legacy that impedes plant community restoration. We examined the response of a Kansas grassland following L. cuneata removal to determine if historical L. cuneata abundance affected (1) plant community composition and (2) the establishment of additional native species. To address these questions, L. cuneata seeds were sown into 300 plots at a wide range of densities under different combinations of simulated disturbance and soil fertilization. After a three‐year establishment period, L. cuneata was removed from the community, and 13 native forb species were sown into all plots. Over 4 years, we found little evidence for a soil legacy effect that influenced community response post‐removal. Although there was a detectable relationship between community composition and L. cuneata, the variation explained by this relationship was very low. Similarly, the establishment of sown native species was unrelated to the historical abundance of L. cuneata. These results indicate that, regardless of initial density, L. cuneata does not impede plant community recovery in this system if effectively controlled within the first 3 years of invasion, and legacy effects inferred from greenhouse experiments may not translate to impacts on the plant community in the field.
Two equalities expressing the determinant of a matrix in terms of expectations over matrix-vector products

We introduce two equations expressing the inverse determinant of a full rank matrix $\mathbf{A} \in \mathbb{R}^{n \times n}$ in terms of expectations over matrix-vector products. The first relationship is $|\mathrm{det} (\mathbf{A})|^{-1} = \mathbb{E}_{\mathbf{s} \sim \mathcal{S}^{n-1}}\bigl[\, \Vert \mathbf{As}\Vert^{-n} \bigr]$, where expectations are over vectors drawn uniformly on the surface of an $n$-dimensional radius one hypersphere. The second relationship is $|\mathrm{det}(\mathbf{A})|^{-1} = \mathbb{E}_{\mathbf{x} \sim q}[\,p(\mathbf{Ax}) /\, q(\mathbf{x})]$, where $p$ and $q$ are smooth distributions, and $q$ has full support.
Calidad de Vida: a systematic review of quality of life in Latino cancer survivors in the USA.

Cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanics/Latinos. Thus, understanding health-related quality of life (HRQOL) needs among this diverse racial/ethnic group is critical. Using Ferrell’s multidimensional framework for measuring QOL, we synthesized evidence on HRQOL needs among Hispanic/Latino cancer survivors. We searched MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, for English language articles published between 1995 and January 2020, reporting HRQOL among Hispanic/Latino cancer survivors in the USA. Of the 648 articles reviewed, 176 met inclusion criteria, with 100 of these studies focusing exclusively on breast cancer patients and no studies examining end-of-life HRQOL issues. Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Hispanics/Latinos reported lower HRQOL and a higher symptom burden across multiple HRQOL domains. Over 80% of studies examining racial/ethnic differences in psychological well-being (n = 45) reported worse outcomes among Hispanics/Latinos compared with other racial/ethnic groups. Hispanic/Latino cancer survivors were also more likely to report suboptimal physical well-being in 60% of studies assessing racial/ethnic differences (n = 27), and Hispanics/Latinos also reported lower social well-being relative to non-Hispanics/Latinos in 78% of studies reporting these outcomes (n = 32). In contrast, reports of spiritual well-being and spirituality-based coping were higher among Hispanics/Latinos cancer survivors in 50% of studies examining racial/ethnic differences (n = 15). Findings from this review point to the need for more systematic and tailored interventions to address HRQOL needs among this growing cancer survivor population. Future HRQOL research on Hispanics/Latinos should evaluate variations in HRQOL needs across cancer types and Hispanic/Latino subgroups and assess HRQOL needs during metastatic and end-of-life disease phases.
Phase transformation induced mechanochromism in a platinum salt: a tale of two polymorphs.

Red crystals of [Pt(tpy)Cl]NO3·HNO3 show mechanochromic behaviour turning yellow when pressure is applied. The electronic character and spectroscopic signature of the red and yellow polymorphs change as a result of slipping of the molecular stacking planes in the solid state. The slippage alters the PtPt intermolecular distances from a linear stacked motif with <3.5 A separations in the red polymorph to a less stacked motif of alternating short intradimer and long interdimer interactions in the yellow polymorph.
The Potential Contribution of Caveolin 1 to HIV Latent Infection

Combinatorial antiretroviral therapy (cART) suppresses HIV replication to undetectable levels and has been effective in prolonging the lives of HIV infected individuals. However, cART is not capable of eradicating HIV from infected individuals mainly due to HIV's persistence in small reservoirs of latently infected resting cells. Latent infection occurs when the HIV-1 provirus becomes transcriptionally inactive and several mechanisms that contribute to the silencing of HIV transcription have been described. Despite these advances, latent infection remains a major hurdle to cure HIV infected individuals. Therefore, there is a need for more understanding of novel mechanisms that are associated with latent infection to purge HIV from infected individuals thoroughly. Caveolin 1(Cav-1) is a multifaceted functional protein expressed in many cell types. The expression of Cav-1 in lymphocytes has been controversial. Recent evidence, however, convincingly established the expression of Cav-1 in lymphocytes. In lieu of this finding, the current review examines the potential role of Cav-1 in HIV latent infection and provides a perspective that helps uncover new insights to understand HIV latent infection.
ObfusX: Routing Obfuscation with Explanatory Analysis of a Machine Learning Attack

This is the first work that incorporates recent advancements in "explainability" of machine learning (ML) to build a routing obfuscator called ObfusX. We adopt a recent metric---the SHAP value---which explains to what extent each layout feature can reveal each unknown connection for a recent ML-based split manufacturing attack model. The unique benefits of SHAP-based analysis include the ability to identify the best candidates for obfuscation, together with the dominant layout features which make them vulnerable. As a result, ObfusX can achieve better hit rate (97% lower) while perturbing significantly fewer nets when obfuscating using a via perturbation scheme, compared to prior work. When imposing the same wirelength limit using a wire lifting scheme, ObfusX performs significantly better in performance metrics (e.g., 2.4 times more reduction on average in percentage of netlist recovery).
Optimizing the response for Arctic mass rescue events

Abstract We propose and study a model that optimizes the response to a mass rescue event in Arctic Alaska. The model contains dynamic logistics decisions for a large-scale maritime evacuation with the objectives of minimizing the impact of the event on the evacuees and the average evacuation time. Our proposed optimization model considers two interacting networks - the network that moves evacuees from the location of the event out of the Arctic (e.g., a large city in Alaska such as Anchorage) and the logistics network that moves relief materials to evacuees during the operations. We model the concept of deprivation costs by incorporating priority levels capturing the severeness of evacuees’ current medical situation and the period indicating the amount of time an evacuee has not received key relief resources. Our model is capable of understanding the best possible response given the current locations of response resources and is used to assess the effectiveness of an intuitive heuristic that mimics emergency response decision-making.
Chromatin structure analysis enables detection of DNA insertions into the mammalian nuclear genome

Abstract Background Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have numerous biomedical, agricultural and environmental applications. Development of accurate methods for the detection of GMOs is a prerequisite for the identification and control of authorized and unauthorized release of these engineered organisms into the environment and into the food chain. Current detection methods are unable to detect uncharacterized GMOs, since either the DNA sequence of the transgene or the amino acid sequence of the protein must be known for DNA-based or immunological-based detection, respectively. Methods Here we describe the application of an epigenetics-based approach for the detection of mammalian GMOs via analysis of chromatin structural changes occurring in the host nucleus upon the insertion of foreign or endogenous DNA. Results Immunological methods combined with DNA next generation sequencing enabled direct interrogation of chromatin structure and identification of insertions of various size foreign (human or viral) DNA sequences, DNA sequences often used as genome modification tools (e.g. viral sequences, transposon elements), or endogenous DNA sequences into the nuclear genome of a model animal organism. Conclusions The results provide a proof-of-concept that epigenetic approaches can be used to detect the insertion of endogenous and exogenous sequences into the genome of higher organisms where the method of genetic modification, the sequence of inserted DNA, and the exact genomic insertion site(s) are unknown. General significance Measurement of chromatin dynamics as a sensor for detection of genomic manipulation and, more broadly, organism exposure to environmental or other factors affecting the epigenomic landscape are discussed.
Quaternary Bismide Alloy ByGa1-yAs1-xBix Lattice Matched to GaAs

Abstract We report on the lattice matched quaternary alloy, B y Ga 1 − y As 1 − x Bi x grown by molecular beam epitaxy at conditions conducive to bismuth incorporation. Incorporating a smaller atom (boron) along with the larger atom (bismuth) allows for a reduction of the epi-layer strain and lattice matching to GaAs for compositions of Bi : B ≃ 1.3 : 1 . The addition of boron flux does not significantly affect the bismuth incorporation and no change in the band gap energy is observed with increasing boron content. However, excess, non-substitutional boron is incorporated which leads to an increase in hole density, as well as an increase in the density of shallow in-gap states as observed by the loss of localization of photo-excited excitons.
Uncertainty reduction in Doppler shift model using measurements from micromachined accelerometers

This paper is concerned with assessing the impact of some MEMS technology on the accuracy of emitter location estimates based on frequency measurements made by a single platform. The main contribution of the paper is the derivation of an estimation error bound that quantifies the minimum accuracy improvement affordable by a particular sensor fusion scheme.
Unleashing the intranet

Intranets are an increasingly important part of corporate information networks — but in a move to the full service intranet, where the whole business can be operated from its confines, there are many obstacles. As organisations now realise the basics of an intranet service, BT is tasked with providing a ‘total‘ solution to both new innovative products and legacy applications alike. This paper describes the technologies underlying intranets and looks at the possible effects of emerging technologies such as network computing and the supporting infrastructure for collaboration.
Change Blind Information Display for Ubiquitous Computing Environments

Occupants of future computing environments with ubiquitous display devices may feel inundated with changing digital information. One solution is to create a reasoning module that accepts requests to display information from multiple applications and controls how the information is presented to minimize visual disruptions to users. Such a system might use information about what activity is occurring in the space to exploit a powerful phenomenon of the human visual system: change blindness.
The Market for Contracts

Legal scholars have focused much attention on the incorporation puzzle-why major firms so heavily favor Delaware as their chartering state. The choice of Delaware incorporation is effectively a decision to select Delaware law to control issues of corporate governance and (less reliably) to select Delaware courts to adjudicate disputes. In this sense the incorporation decision is similar to any contract in which parties select a governing law or designate a forum. This paper considers whether theories about Delaware corporate law apply to the broader market for commercial contracts. After describing how the preconditions for such a market were established during the last half of the Twentieth Century (through the increased enforceability of choice-of-law and forum selection clauses), the paper looks at empirical evidence about major commercial contracts. Although Delaware dominates the market for incorporations, New York is the leading supplier of law and forum in commercial contracts. The paper explores several explanations for New York's popularity. * * * * Corporate charters are contracts. 2 Unusual contracts, to be sure: they last a long time, are not negotiated at arm's length, are difficult to renegotiate, 3 include specialized mandatory terms, 4 and involve repeated transfers of rights (as shareholders buy and sell)
Interleukin-12: basic principles and clinical applications.

The most important advance in the last 10 years in our understanding of how to direct the immune response by vaccination or immunotherapy has been the description and subsequent refinement of the T helper type 1/2 (Th 1/2) paradigm. (Mosmann and Coffman 1989). This paradigm has provided the framework necessary to formulate basic questions related to defining the cues pathogens provide that shape the immune response. A major advance in this area came with the discovery of interleukin-12 (IL-12) (Kobayashi et al. 1989; Stern et al. 1990) and the subsequent demonstration that IL-12 promotes the development of Th 1 cells in vitro (Hsieh et al. 1993; Manetti et al. 1993). Thus, in naive T cell populations exposure to antigen in the presence of IL-12 for several days, followed by restimulation with antigen alone, led to the development of interferon (IFN)-γ producing T cells. Moreover, it was found that one could link together IL-12, the innate immune response, pathogens, and Th 1 cell development. This was done by showing that bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes, induced Th l cell development and that this occurred by stimulation of macrophages to produce IL-12 (D’Andrea et al. 1992; Hsieh et al. 1993). This observation has led to the description of a common pathway leading from the innate immune response to adaptive immunity, in which intracellular pathogens stimulate macrophages to produce IL-12, which promotes the development of Th 1 cells from a naive cell population. This pathway can now be exploited to develop approaches for the design of new immunotherapies and vaccines.
Friend or foe? How an invertebrate distinguishes self from non-self in a natural histocompatibility interaction. (TRAN3P.912)

The existence of sophisticated self/non-self systems is not limited to vertebrates. Several colonial marine invertebrates have evolved systems that distinguish between conspecifics via cell-cell contact. This phenomenon, known as allorecognition, occurs when colonies encounter each other as they grow across their substrate. Compatible colonies fuse or co-exist, while incompatible colonies reject and often aggressively compete for space. In all taxa studied to date, allorecognition phenotypes are determined by highly polymorphic loci, which ensure that colonies are only compatible with themselves or close kin. How allorecognition molecules achieve this specificity remains unknown. Allorecognition in Hydractinia is controlled by at least two genes, alr1 and alr2, which encode highly polymorphic transmembrane proteins similar to immunoglobulin superfamily molecules. Colonies with matching alleles at alr1 and alr2 fuse, while colonies with no matching alleles reject. Using in vitro assays with recombinant proteins, we demonstrate that alr1 alleles bind to themselves but not to other alr1 alleles. We suggest that, in vivo, compatibility between colonies is also determined by allele-specific homophilic binding of alr proteins. Since fusion is rare in nature and single populations contain hundreds of unique alr alleles, the Hydractinia allorecognition system appears to be based on a biophysical mechanism with unprecedented allelic diversity and specificity.
Observations on pituitary-adrenal response to epinephrine; (eosinophil depression test).

The eosinophil depression test used as a test for normally functioning anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and adrenal gland cortex in response to stress is consistent and valid in infants and children. The pituitary-adrenal stress mechanism as judged by the eosinophil depression test appears to be well developed in the full term infant at birth. Newborn term infants showed normal responses. Premature infants with few exceptions failed to show a normal response to the test, indicating an immaturity in their resistance to stress as mediated by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and adrenal cortex. Older infants and children responded normally in 12 of 14 cases. Of the two exceptions, one was a child with eczema who had an intense eosinophilia and the other a child with diabetes insipidus. Many clinicians have long held the belief that adrenal cortical hormones should be given to premature infants who do not respond to routine care or who are subjected to infection, operation or other conditions of unusual stress. There is a need for further study of the therapeutic value of adrenal cortical hormones in premature infants with inadequacy of resistance to stress.
Automated Testing of Milk

A tour guide conducting a group through a modern dairy laboratory in the future could well say: "I appreciate this opportuni ty to take you on a tour through our laboratory. You will note that it little resembles the labs you and I worked in 20 yr ago. Reagent bottles are scarce, pipets are few, and agar media containers are gathering dust on storage shelves. Instruments have built in microprocessors that store operating parameters, control instrument operation, instruct the operator, compute and report results, and command appropriate changes in plant operations. Our lab is interfaced int imately with field work, administration, payment programs, and plant operations in a manner not considered possible a few years ago." Although our hypothetical guide might not bother to explain it, the magic begins at the farm, where sensitive detectors are built into the milking machinery. Computers interconnect the built-in instruments that measure animal health, temperature, milk produced each milking, and accurately identify each animal. The farm computer automatically is called daily by the laboratory 's computer, and important data are transferred. By the year 2000 an automatic sampler on the back of the tank truck probably will draw the sample from the farm bulk tank and deliver it into a test cell before any product can be transferred. The test cell will be f i t ted with several devices which allow the sample to be evaluated for temperature, antibiotics, added water, somatic cells, and bacterial content. The device even may detect preservative. A green light on the tester will indicate the sample meets specifications. The pump and valve mechanism will be activated to allow transfer of the milk to the truck or pipeline. An amber light would indicate a quality problem. Transfer
Diagnostic Systems and Their Use

Diagnosis is an essential tool of the mental health counselor. According to Hinkle (1994b, p. 174), “At the foundation of effective mental health care is the establishment of a valid psychodiagnosis.” The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (1995, p. 36) states, “Counselors take special care to provide proper diagnosis of mental disorders.” The message in these statements is supported by practice. In a nationwide survey of certified clinical mental health counselors (Mead, Hohenshil, & Singh, 1997, p. 394), 91% indicated that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is their “most frequently used professional reference.” Most of those surveyed viewed themselves as skilled in the use of the DSM and believed they were usually able to make an accurate diagnosis.
Nodulating Competitiveness of a Nonmotile Tn7 Mutant of Bradyrhizobium japonicum in Nonsterile Soil.

A nonmotile mutant of Bradyrhizobium japonicum serogroup 127 was generated by Tn7 mutagenesis and matched with the wild type against a common competitor in studies of soybean nodulation in nonsterile soil. The Tn7 mutant was very similar to the wild type in growth rate in culture, soybean lectin-binding ability, flagellar morphology, and nodulating capability, but it had a longer lag phase. Competing strains were distributed uniformly in soil in various ratios and at different population densities prior to planting. Mutant and wild type were equally prevalent in the seedling rhizosphere at about the time of nodule initiation, suggesting that motility conferred no advantage in rhizosphere colonization. Nodulation success of the Tn7 mutant was lower than that of the wild type under all test conditions. Differences were greatest at low soil populations of competitors and much less pronounced at initial populations of 107 g−1. The longer lag phase of the Tn7 mutant may have contributed to its decreased competitiveness, especially at the higher inoculation levels. The antibiotic and motility markers were stable, and the rifampin resistance derived from the parent did not affect adversely the competitiveness of the Tn7 mutant. We found motility to be of limited importance to the competitiveness of a strain in normal nonsterile soil, where the significance, if any, of this ability may be in migration at the immediate root surface in soils sparsely populated with rhizobial symbionts.
Non-invasive imaging of atherosclerotic plaque macrophage in a rabbit model with F-18 FDG PET: a histopathological correlation

Coronary atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications are the major cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the industrialized world. Thrombosis on disrupted atherosclerotic plaques plays a key role in the onset of acute coronary syndromes. Macrophages density is one of the most critical compositions of plaque in both plaque vulnerability and thrombogenicity upon rupture. It has been shown that macrophages have a high uptake of 18F-FDG (FDG). We studied the correlation of FDG uptake with histopathological macrophage accumulation in atherosclerotic plaques in a rabbit model. Atherosclerosis was induced in rabbits (n = 6) by a combination of atherogenic diet and balloon denudation of the aorta. PET imaging was performed at baseline and 2 months after atherogenic diet and coregistered with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Normal (n = 3) rabbits served as controls. FDG uptake by the thoracic aorta was expressed as concentration (μCi/ml) and the ratio of aortic uptake-to-blood radioactivity. FDG uptake and RAM-11 antibody positive areas were analyzed in descending aorta. Atherosclerotic aortas showed significantly higher uptake of FDG than normal aortas. The correlation of aortic FDG uptake with macrophage areas assessed by histopathology was statistically significant although it was not high (r = 0.48, p < 0.0001). When uptake was expressed as the ratio of aortic uptake-to-blood activity, it correlated better (r = 0.80, p < 0.0001) with the macrophage areas, due to the correction for residual blood FDG activity. PET FDG activity correlated with macrophage content within aortic atherosclerosis. This imaging approach might serve as a useful non-invasive imaging technique and potentially permit monitoring of relative changes in inflammation within the atherosclerotic lesion.
Bilateral Laparoscopic Transperitoneal Nephrectomy With Early Peritoneal Dialysis in an Infant With the Nephrotic Syndrome

We report a case of the nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type managed with bilateral transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy. The entire procedure was performed using 3 midline trocars, and the kidneys were removed via a small Pfannenstiel incision. Peritoneal dialysis started 36 hours later was effective and uneventful. CASE REPORT A 6-month-old 6.1 kg female with the nephrotic syndrome presented for surgical management. Indications for bilateral nephrectomy included anasarca, middle cerebral artery thrombosis at birth and multiple septic episodes. The infant was placed in the supine position, and a Foley catheter and orogastric tube were placed after induction of anesthesia. An empty 1 l intravenous fluid bag attached to an inflation bulb was placed under each flank, and the patient was taped in position. A 5 mm short cannula with an expandable sleeve was brought through the supraumbilical fold and into the peritoneal cavity under direct vision as described previously. Accessory 5 mm trocars were placed halfway between the xiphoid process and the umbilicus, and just above the dome of the bladder in the midline. After the table was rolled toward the right side the left bag was inflated to produce a flank position. Left nephrectomy was performed using endoscopic clips on the vessels. To complete the bilateral nephrectomy the table was rolled to the right side and the left bag was deflated while the right bag was inflated. After right nephrectomy the enlarged kidneys (135 gm, expected—65 gm) were removed through a low Pfannenstiel incision with the patient supine. A pediatric Tenckhoff peritoneal dialysis catheter was placed using laparoscopic assistance before closure. Peritoneal dialysis was initiated 36 hours postoperatively without any adverse sequelae, and the child is demonstrating adequate growth, neurological recovery and absence of infection, as well as no further thrombotic episodes 9 months after surgery. DISCUSSION
CHILDHOOD THYROID CARCINOMA: PATHOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS AND THEIR THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS*

DURING the past five years, 79 new patients with carcinoma of the thyroid gland have been seen at the University of Iowa Hospitals. The mean age was 46.7 years; the median, 48 years. Eight or 10.1 per cent were less than 15 years of age. In Table 1 the number of patients in each decade has been indicated. These data agree with the findings of others (1) and serve to point out that this lesion has an age incidence quite different from that of other malignant neoplasms. A considerable difference of opinion exists with regard to the proper treatment of patients with carcinoma of the thyroid in all age groups. The slow progression of the lesion with late metastases, seen in all histologic types except the undifferentiated ones, and the lack of histologic uniformity in any one patient are perhaps the two most important factors leading to these differences of opinion.
Failure of breast cancer cells in long-term culture to aromatize androstenedione.

The ability of breast cancer cells in long-term tissue culture to aromatize androstenedione to estrone and estradiol was examined. (3H) androstenedione (1.1 × 10−7M) was incubated with 9 cell lines of human breast cancer and one line derived froa a dimethylbenz(a)anthracene induced rat mammary tumor. No conversion to estrone or estradiol was detected. The findings are discussed in light of previous studies showing aromatization of androgens in breast cancer tissues.
Stratifying differences on ictal/interictal subtraction SPECT images

Summary: Purpose: Subtraction of interictal from ictal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) yields numerous foci that encompass a range of pixel values scattered in the brain. This preliminary study evaluated the significance of this range of values. Methods: Subtraction images were obtained by registering, normalizing, and subtracting interictal from ictal SPECT for 13 patients. Pixel values of the resulting foci were divided into two groups: group I with 75–100% and group II with 50–75% of the maximal pixel value. Locations of these foci were determined, and concordance with surgical outcomes and scalp and invasive EEG findings was evaluated. Results: In 10 of 13 cases, group I foci showed good concordance with ictal scalp EEG. In addition, group I foci corresponded well to invasive EEG findings in nine of 10 cases. Group I foci had bilateral distributions in seven of 13 cases. In 10 of 13 cases, group I foci corresponded well to regions of surgical resection. Of these 10 patients, nine showed good concordance with scalp EEG, eight showed good invasive EEG concordance, and eight were seizure free after resection. Conversely, group II foci had good concordance with ictal scalp EEG in only five of 13 cases, and invasive EEG findings, in only five of 10 cases. Group II foci had bilateral distributions in 10 of 13 cases. All 10 cases underwent unilateral surgical resections, and all had good surgical outcomes. In six of 13 cases, group II foci showed concordance with surgical sites. Of these six foci, four had poor concordance with scalp EEG, one had poor concordance with invasive EEG, and five had good surgical outcomes. Sensitivity and specificity for seizure localization of Group I foci were 40% and 88% respectively while sensitivity and specificity of Group II foci were 20% and 79% respectively. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that foci with 75–100% of maximal pixel values show good concordance with seizure foci, whereas foci of 50–75% may not. Therefore stratifying ictal/interictal differences may improve the specificity and localizing value of subtraction SPECT.
Admissible variable-selection procedures when fitting regression models by least squares for prediction

Given data with a single dependent variable arising from a normal linear regression model, a variable-selection procedure completely specifies a least squares fit by choosing the subset of the independent variables to include in the model. For loss equal to squared error of prediction, we prove that all variable-selection procedures are admissible for choosing among least-squares fits of the regression model.
Aging and Estrogen Status: A Possible Endothelium-Dependent Vascular Coupling Mechanism in Bone Remodeling

Bone loss with aging and menopause may be linked to vascular endothelial dysfunction. The purpose of the study was to determine whether putative modifications in endothelium-dependent vasodilation of the principal nutrient artery (PNA) of the femur are associated with changes in trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) with altered estrogen status in young (6 mon) and old (24 mon) female Fischer-344 rats. Animals were divided into 6 groups: 1) young intact, 2) old intact, 3) young ovariectomized (OVX), 4) old OVX, 5) young OVX plus estrogen replacement (OVX+E2), and 6) old OVX+E2. PNA endothelium-dependent vasodilation was assessed in vitro using acetylcholine. Trabecular bone volume of the distal femoral metaphysis was determined by microCT. In young rats, vasodilation was diminished by OVX and restored with estrogen replacement (intact, 8267; OVX, 6169; OVX+E2, 9064%), which corresponded with similar modifications in BV/TV (intact, 28.761.6; OVX, 16.360.9; OVX+E2, 25.761.4%). In old animals, vasodilation was unaffected by OVX but enhanced with estrogen replacement (intact, 5568; OVX, 5967; OVX+E2, 9264%). Likewise, modifications in BV/TV followed the same pattern (intact, 33.161.6; OVX, 34.463.7; OVX+E2, 42.462.1%). Furthermore, in old animals with low endogenous estrogen (i.e., intact and old OVX), vasodilation was correlated with BV/TV (R 2 =0.630; P,0.001). These data demonstrate parallel effects of estrogen on vascular endothelial function and BV/TV, and provide for a possible coupling mechanism linking endothelium-dependent vasodilation to bone remodeling.
THE PHYSICAL MEANING OF THE EXPONENTS IN EXPRESSIONS FOR THE HEAT OR MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS

Conventional dimensional analysis makes use of single length and time scales. Here a different kind of dimensional analysis is suggested in which both macro and micro-lengths and times are employed. On this basis, the exponent of the Reynolds number in the expression for the Sherwood number acquires some physical meaning, since it is shown to be related to the participation exponents of the macro-scales in the mass transfer coefficient. The meaning given by this relation to the exponent allows one to place bounds on its value.
Research in the Service of Poor and Ethnic/Racial Minority Children: Fomenting Change in Models of Scholarship

High rates of childhoodpovertyandrapid, significant increases in the ethnic minority population in the United States make it essential that thefield of child development markedly increase its production of knowledge useful in the development, delivery, and maintenance of programs that address the needs of poor and ethnic minority children, families, and communities. Developmental contextualism, with its emphasis on (a) diversity and context, (b) synthesizing research with policy and program design, delivery, and evaluation, and (c) collaboration among researchers and the communities where research and programs are being conducted, is especially promising as a model of scholarship that fosters progress toward this goal. The production of knowledge useful in meeting the needs of poor and ethnic minority children will also be promoted by more research funding; increases in the number of ethnic minority graduate students andfaculty; and ethnic, racial, and social class diversification of undergraduate and graduate curricula. Research training must include attention to the processes by which research is made culturally sensitive and to ethical issues that may arise in research and intervention with poor and ethnic minority children and parents.
Complex equiangular tight frames

A complex equiangular tight frame (ETF) is a tight frame consisting of N unit vectors in C d whose absolute inner products are identical. One may view complex ETFs as a natural geometric generalization of an orthonormal basis. Numerical evidence suggests that these objects do not arise for most pairs ( d , N). The goal of this paper is to develop conditions on ( d , N) under which complex ETFs can exist. In particular, this work concentrates on the class of harmonic ETFs, in which the components of the frame vectors are roots of unity. In this case, it is possible to leverage field theory to obtain stringent restrictions on the possible values for ( d , N).
Communicating Stigma: The Pro-Ana Paradox

This study explores the personal experience of pro-ana bloggers, members of an online community for people with eating disorders. Using Erving Goffman's work on stigma, this study explores the motivations, benefits, and drawbacks of blogging about a stigmatized mental illness, as taken from the bloggers' own perceptive. We conducted 33 interviews with bloggers from seven different countries via phone, Skype, and e-mail. Participants were motivated to blog because they found social support, a way to cope with a stigmatized illness, and means of self-expression. Participants described blogging as a cathartic experience and perceived the social support they received from other members of the pro-ana community as a benefit. The fear that the eating disorder will be revealed if the blog is exposed and the concern that the blog encourages disordered eating were the perceived negative consequences of maintaining such a blog. Thus, blogging about anorexia serves to both alleviate and trigger anxiety about living ...