cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid pharmacokinetics of depsipeptide (FR901228) in nonhuman primates

Acetylation of histones by histone acetyl transferases (HATs) leads to transcriptional activation, while histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity leads to transcriptional repression. Abnormalities of histone acetylation are associated with the malignant phenotype. Depsipeptide (FR901228) inhibits HDAC and has shown anticancer activity in preclinical models. We studied the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pharmacokinetics of depsipeptide in a nonhuman primate model that is highly predictive of human CSF penetration. Depsipeptide was administered intravenously at a dose of 10 mg/m2 over 4 h to three different animals. Serial blood samples were obtained from all animals and serial CSF samples were obtained from two animals. Plasma and CSF concentrations of depsipeptide were measured using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Concentration-versus-time data were modeled using model-independent and model-dependent methods. The peak plasma concentration (median±SD) was 245±50 nM and occurred within the first 2 h of the infusion. The terminal half-life was 205±315 min, the AUC extrapolated to infinity was 50±15 μM·min, and the total body clearance was 350±65 ml/min/m2. In the two animals that had CSF sampling performed, the CSF peak concentration was 3.6 nM in one animal and 2.3 nM in the other, and the CSF half-lives were 250 and 325 min. The CSF penetration of depsipeptide (AUCCSF:AUCplasma) was 2% in each animal. Observed changes included anorexia, fatigue, elevation of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) enzyme levels (muscle fraction), and transient early leukopenia. All animals recovered without sequelae. Although the CSF exposure to depsipeptide after intravenous administration was only 2%, CSF concentrations approached the IC50 of depsipeptide in vitro for some tumors. Systemic administration of this agent may be useful for the treatment of leptomeningeal tumors.
Gene expression analysis of human otosclerotic stapedial footplates

Otosclerosis is a complex disease that results in a common form of conductive hearing loss due to impaired mobility of the stapes. Stapedial motion becomes compromised secondary to invasion of otosclerotic foci into the stapedio-vestibular joint. Although environmental factors and genetic causes have been implicated in this process, the pathogenesis of otosclerosis remains poorly understood. To identify molecular contributors to otosclerosis we completed a microarray study of otosclerotic stapedial footplates. Stapes footplate samples from otosclerosis and control patients were used in the analysis. One-hundred-and-ten genes were found to be differentially expressed in otosclerosis samples. Ontological analysis of differentially expressed genes in otosclerosis provides evidence for the involvement of a number of pathways in the disease process that include interleukin signaling, inflammation and signal transduction, suggesting that aberrant regulation of these pathways leads to abnormal bone remodeling. Functional analyses of genes from this study will enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease.
N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-diarylurea anion radicals: an intramolecular reductive elimination.

The one-electron reduction of tertiary N,N‘-dimethyl-N,N‘-diarylureas (aryl = phenyl, β-naphthyl, α-naphthyl), in HMPA, results in anion radicals that undergo novel intramolecular reductive elimination reactions leading to the formation of the anion radicals of the corresponding biaryls. These results are due to face to face π−π stacking interactions involving the two aromatic rings in the urea systems. The overlapping pπ orbitals on the ipso carbons of opposing aryl groups evolve into a σ bond leading to the formation of the biaryl anion radical. In the case of the N,N‘-dimethyl-N,N‘-di-2-pyrenylurea system, there is a node in the LUMO of the number 2 carbon, and the parent anion radical remains intact.
A limitation of the continuous spectrophotometric assay for the measurement of myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase activity

Abstract Myo -inositol-1-phosphate synthase (MIPS) catalyzes the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to myo -inositol-1-phosphate. The reaction catalyzed by MIPS is the first step in the biosynthesis of inositol and inositol-containing molecules that serve important roles in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Consequently, MIPS is a target for the development of therapeutic agents for the treatment of infectious diseases and bipolar disorder. We recently reported a continuous spectrophotometric method for measuring MIPS activity using a coupled assay that allows the rapid characterization of MIPS in a multiwell plate format. Here we validate the continuous assay as a high-throughput alternative for measuring MIPS activity and report on one limitation of this assay—the inability to examine the effect of divalent metal ions (at high concentrations) on MIPS activity. In addition, we demonstrate that the activity of MIPS from Arabidopsis thaliana is moderately enhanced by the addition Mg 2+ and is not enhanced by other divalent metal ions (Zn 2+ and Mn 2+ ), consistent with what has been observed for other eukaryotic MIPS enzymes. Our findings suggest that the continuous assay is better suited for characterizing eukaryotic MIPS enzymes that require monovalent cations as cofactors than for characterizing bacterial or archeal MIPS enzymes that require divalent metal ions as cofactors.
The Scientific Reconstruction of the Social Studies Curriculum

(1934). The Scientific Reconstruction of the Social Studies Curriculum. The Social Studies: Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 107-111.
Diagnosing Types of Color Deficiency by Means of Pseudo-Isochromatic Tests

One hundred and twenty men (86 color-normal and 34 color-deficient) were tested with 5 pseudo-isochromatic tests of color vision: the American Optical Company, Ishihara, Meyrowitz, Bostrom, and Bostrom-Kugelberg tests. Each of the men was also examined with a Bausch and Lomb visual spectrophotometer to determine his limit of visibility in the long wave-length (red) end of the spectrum. Twelve of the color deficient subjects had reduced sensitivity to long wave-length radiation, 19 had normal sensitivity to long wave-length radiation, and 3 subjects could not be assigned to either group with certainty.Diagnostic plates in three of the tests, the Bostrom, Meyrowitz, and Ishihara, were evaluated in terms of their ability to differentiate the two kinds of color deficient individuals. The Bostrom plates were found to be worthless for this purpose, the Meyrowitz plates somewhat better, and the Ishihara plates best. None of the plates in the other two tests was found to be diagnostic.
Soil nitrogen mineralization in plantations of Juglans nigra interplanted with actinorhizal Elaeagnus umbellata or Alnus glutinosa

Nitrogen mineralization rates were estimated in 19-year-old interplantings of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) with dinitrogen fixing autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) or black alder (Alnus glutinosa L. Gaertn.) and in pure walnut plantings at two locations in Illinois USA. N mineralization rates were measured repeatedly over a one year period usingin situ incubations of soil cores in oxygen-permeable polyethylene bags at 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil depths, and also by burying mixed-bed ion-exchange resin in soil. Mineralization rates were highest in summer and in plots containing actinorhizal Elaeagnus and Alnus in contrast with pure walnut plots. Elaeagnus plots at one location yielded 236 kg of mineral N ha−1 yr−1 in the upper 20 cm of soil, a value higher than previously reported for temperate decidous forest soils in North America. The highest mean plot values for N mineralization in soil at a location were 185 kg ha−1 yr−1 for Alnus interplantings and 90 kg ha−1 yr−1 for pure walnut plots. Plots which had high N mineralization rates also had the largest walnut trees. Despite low pH (4.1 and 6.5) and low extractable P concentrations (1.4 and 0.7 mg kg−1 dry mass) at the two locations, nitrification occurred in all plots throughout the growing season. NO 3 − −N was the major form of mineralized N in soil in the actinorhizal interplantings, with NH 4 + −N being the major form of mineral N in control plots. Walnut size was highly correlated with soil nitrogen mineralization, particularly soil NO 3 − −N production in a plot.
Transplantation of Nonhematopoietic Adult Bone Marrow Stem/Progenitor Cells Isolated by p75 Nerve Growth Factor Receptor Into the Penis Rescues Erectile Function in a Rat Model of Cavernous Nerve Injury

Purpose: Radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer frequently results in erectile dysfunction and decreased quality of life. We investigated the effects of transplanting nonhematopoietic adult bone marrow stem/progenitor cells (multipotent stromal cells) into the corpus cavernosum in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury.Materials and Methods: Multipotent stromal cells were isolated from the bone marrow of transgenic green fluorescent protein rats by plastic adherence (rat multipotent stromal cells) or magnetic activated cell sorting using antibodies against p75 low affinity nerve growth factor receptor (p75 derived multipotent stromal cells). Bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley® rats. Immediately after injury 8 rats each were injected intracavernously with phosphate buffered saline (vehicle control), fibroblasts (cell control), rat multipotent stromal cells (cell treatment) or p75 derived multipotent stromal cells (cell treatment). Another 8 rat...
Cassini UVIS observations of Europa's oxygen atmosphere and torus

Abstract Observations of the Europa environment using the Cassini UltraViolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) show the presence of an extended atomic oxygen atmosphere in addition to the bound molecular oxygen atmosphere first detected by Hubble Space Telescope in 1994 [D.T. Hall, D.F. Strobel, P.D. Feldman, M.A. McGrath, H.A. Weaver, 1995, Detection of an oxygen atmosphere on Jupiter's moon Europa, Nature 373, 677–679]. The atomic oxygen measurement provides a direct constraint on the sputtering and loss of Europa's water ice surface and the interaction of Europa's atmosphere with Jupiter's magnetosphere. We derive a loss rate for O 2 based on the emission rate of the OI 1356 A multiplet. UVIS detected substantial variability in the oxygen emission from Europa's oxygen atmosphere that we attribute to the viewing geometry. B.H. Mauk, D.G. Mitchell, S.M. Krimigis, E.C. Roelof, C.P. Paranicas [2003, Energetic neutral atoms from a trans-Europa gas torus at Jupiter, Nature 421, 920–922] inferred the presence of a torus of neutral gas at Europa's orbit based on Cassini's energetic neutral atom (ENA) image of the Jupiter system acquired with the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI), with the most likely torus constituents being hydrogen and oxygen species sputtered from Europa. Cassini UVIS data rule out O and O 2 as the possible torus species reported by Mauk et al. however, unless the torus density is so low that it is undetectable by UVIS (less than 8 atoms / cm 3 ). The UVIS observations indicate the presence of atomic hydrogen and possibly other species, but a full analysis is deferred to a following paper. The hydrogen in the present observations shows a local-time asymmetry and complex spatial distribution.
Perception of wet vocal quality in identifying penetration/aspiration during swallowing.

Purpose In the present study, the authors investigated the association between wet vocal quality (WVQ) and prandial material in the larynx during phonation. The presence of such material is indicat...
USING AB INITIO MO CALCULATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE PHOTODISSOCIATION DYNAMICS OF CH2CCH2 AND CH2C2

Potential energy surfaces (PES) of the ground and excited states of allene C3H4 and vinylidenecarbene C3H2 have been studied by ab initio CCSD(T) and MRCI methods. The three lowest singlet excited states of allene, 1A2, 1B1, and 1E, are calculated to have the vertical excitation energies of 6.10, 6.55, and 6.94 eV, respectively. Three local minima are found on the excited S1 surface, 2b (1Ag, D2h), 5 (1A‘‘, Cs), and 10 (1B2, C2v‘), and their adiabatic excitation energies are 3.02, 3.05, and 4.70 eV, respectively. The PES of the ground and excited states are shown to cross when the geometry of allene changes by twisting the CH2 groups and bending the CCC angle or along the pathway that leads to H2 detachment. For vinylidenecarbene the lowest singlet excited states are 1A2 and 1B1 with the respective vertical excitation energies of 1.88 and 2.44 eV and the adiabatic excitation energies of 1.77 and 2.05 eV. The endothermicity of the C3H4 → C3H2 + H2 reaction is predicted to be ∼83 kcal/mol with the barrier o...
Structures of dominance relations

Dominance relations and theirstructures have been studied in the context of animal sociology (Rapoport, 1949a, b; Landau, 1951a, b), and occur in many other theoretical models of the social and biological sciences. When Rapoport and Landau wrote, there was no method known for determining the number of dominance structures which could be defined on a set ofn elements, forn>4. The answer to this question can be important in certain further investigations of the structural properties of dominance. Using a general method developed elsewhere (Davis, 1953), this paper derives a formula to answer the question for anyn, and gives an application of the method to treat a case not previously analyzed.
Impaired antibody responses to a pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in remission

Eight patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who have been in complete clinical remission for a mean of 23.3 months were evaluated for their antibody responses to a pneumococcal vaccine. The results were correlated with lymphocyte subpopulations, serum immunoglobulin levels, andin vitro mitogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin and pokeweed mitogen. Two patients with normal antibody responses had immunoglobulin levels and mitogenesis within the range of controls. Impaired antibody responses in the remaining six patients were correlated either with marked depressed mitogenesis to phytohemagglutinin or with low levels of IgA. Impaired humoral immune responses seem to persist in these patients even after several months of sustained clinical remission.
Kirsten murine sarcoma virus transformed cell lines and a spontaneously transformed rat cell‐line produce transforming factors

We have examined culture fluids from a variety of Kirsten murine sarcoma virus (KiMSV) transformed rat and mouse cells for the presence of factors which induce normal Rat-1 cells to assume the transformed phenotype. All KiMSV transformants produced transforming factor (TF). Revertants of KiMSV transformed rat or mouse cells failed to relase TF as did normal rat or mouse cells. Cells transformed by a temperature sensitive mutant of KiMSV produced TF at the permissive temperature but not at the nonpermissive temperature. Further, cells from a spontaneous transformant of Rat-1 cells also produced TF. TF is a small polypeptide which competes for the epidermal growth factor receptor. Its effect upon normal cells is reversible and requires de novo RNA and protein synthesis. Cells treated with TF lose the actin fibers observed in normal fibroblasts, assume a transformed cell morphology, become anchorage independent for growth, grow in low concentrations of serum, grow to a high cell density, and have an increased rate of hexose uptake.
Reserpine and Breast Cancer: A Community-Based Longitudinal Study of 2,000 Hypertensive Women

To supplement several case-control studies questioning whether use of reserpine is associated with occurrence of breast cancer, we conducted a longitudinal study of nearly 2,000 hypertensive women residing in Rochester, Minn. Exposure to antihypertensive agents and subsequent incidence of breast cancer were ascertained. Expected numbers of cases, derived from local population data and from the Connecticut Tumor Registry, were compared with the numbers of cases observed in exposure groups of interest. No evidence was found of any association of reserpine use, thiazide use, or untreated hypertension with subsequent occurrence of breast cancer in these hypertensive women. In addition, several issues were investigated that warrant consideration in evaluating reports published to date, especially before conclusions are drawn as to the questionable contention that reserpine has caused breast cancer in women. ( JAMA 243:2304-2310, 1980)
Neocortex Network Activation and Deactivation States Controlled by the Thalamus

Neocortex network activity varies from a desynchronized or activated state typical of arousal to a synchronized or deactivated state typical of quiescence. Such changes are usually attributed to the effects of neuromodulators released in the neocortex by nonspecific activating systems originating in basal forebrain and brain stem reticular formation. As a result, the only role attributed to thalamocortical cells projecting to primary sensory areas, such as barrel cortex, is to transmit sensory information. However, thalamocortical cells can undergo significant changes in spontaneous tonic firing as a function of state, although the role of such variations is unknown. Here we show that the tonic firing level of thalamocortical cells, produced by cholinergic and noradrenergic stimulation of the somatosensory thalamus in urethane-anesthetized rats, controls neocortex activation and deactivation. Thus in addition to its well-known role in the relay of sensory information, the thalamus can control the state of neocortex activation, which may complement the established roles in this regard of basal forebrain and brain stem nuclei. Because of the topographical organization of primary thalamocortical pathways, this mechanism provides a means by which area-specific neocortical activation can occur, which may be useful for modality-specific sensory processing or selective attention.
Aluminum Σ3 grain boundary sliding enhanced by vacancy diffusion

Abstract Grain boundary sliding is an important deformation mechanism for elevated temperature forming processes. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the effect of vacancies in the grain boundary vicinity on the sliding of Al bi-crystals at 750 K. The threshold stress for grain boundary sliding was computed for a variety of grain boundaries with different structures and energies. These structures included one symmetrical tilt grain boundary and five asymmetrical tilt grain boundaries. Without vacancies, low energy Σ3 grain boundaries exhibited significantly less sliding than other high energy grain boundaries. The addition of vacancies to Σ3 grain boundaries decreased the threshold stress for grain boundary sliding by increasing the grain boundary diffusivity. A higher concentration of vacancies enhanced this effect. The influence of vacancies on grain boundary diffusivity and grain boundary sliding was negligible for high energy grain boundaries, due to the already high atom mobility in these boundaries.
Reduced Water Availability Influences the Dynamics, Development, and Ultrastructural Properties of Pseudomonas putida Biofilms

Pseudomonas putida strain mt-2 unsaturated biofilm formation proceeds through three distinct developmental phases, culminating in the formation of a microcolony. The form and severity of reduced water availability alter cell morphology, which influences microcolony size and ultrastructure. The dehydration (matric stress) treatments resulted in biofilms comprised of smaller cells, but they were taller and more porous and had a thicker extracellular polysaccharide layer at the air interface. In the solute stress treatments, cell filamentation occurred more frequently in the presence of high concentrations of ionic (but not nonionic) solutes, and these filamented cells drastically altered the biofilm architecture.
Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Suppresses Serum Deprivation-induced Death of A549 Cells through Differential Effects on c-Jun and JNK Activities

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, a pleiotropic cytokine involved in regulating growth and differentiation, can exert both pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic effects depending on the cell type or circumstances. We observed that TGF-beta1 blocked apoptosis resulting from serum withdrawal in A549 human lung carcinoma cells. This was associated with suppression of JNK activation that occurs concomitant with the onset of apoptosis in the absence of TGF-beta1, suggesting that JNK plays an active role in the death process and that TGF-beta1 exerts its protective influence by altering JNK activity. Overexpression of a dominant negative mutant form of SEK1, an upstream activator of JNK, likewise suppressed JNK activation and inhibited apoptosis. Investigation of early events following TGF-beta1 treatment revealed an early induction and phosphorylation of c-Jun that was absent in cells subjected to serum withdrawal alone. That TGF-beta1-induced expression of c-Jun is important for survival was supported by the finding that overexpression of non-phosphosphorylatable dominant negative mutant c-Jun, c-Jun(S73A), attenuated the protective influence of TGF-beta1. Our findings suggest that JNK activation is a late but essential event in serum deprivation-induced apoptosis in A549 cells. TGF-beta1 prevents apoptosis, in part, through the early induction and phosphorylation of c-Jun, which in turn results in attenuated JNK activation.
LIN28B-mediated expression of fetal hemoglobin and production of fetal-like erythrocytes from adult human erythroblasts ex vivo

Reactivation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) holds therapeutic potential for sickle cell disease and β-thalassemias. In human erythroid cells and hematopoietic organs, LIN28B and its targeted let-7 microRNA family, demonstrate regulated expression during the fetal-to-adult developmental transition. To explore the effects of LIN28B in human erythroid cell development, lentiviral transduction was used to knockdown LIN28B expression in erythroblasts cultured from human umbilical cord CD34+ cells. The subsequent reduction in LIN28B expression caused increased expression of let-7 and significantly reduced HbF expression. Conversely, LIN28B overexpression in cultured adult erythroblasts reduced the expression of let-7 and significantly increased HbF expression. Cellular maturation was maintained including enucleation. LIN28B expression in adult erythroblasts increased the expression of γ-globin, and the HbF content of the cells rose to levels >30% of their hemoglobin. Expression of carbonic anhydrase I, glucosaminyl (N-acetyl) transferase 2, and miR-96 (three additional genes marking the transition from fetal-to-adult erythropoiesis) were reduced by LIN28B expression. The transcription factor BCL11A, a well-characterized repressor of γ-globin expression, was significantly down-regulated. Independent of LIN28B, experimental suppression of let-7 also reduced BCL11A expression and significantly increased HbF expression. LIN28B expression regulates HbF levels and causes adult human erythroblasts to differentiate with a more fetal-like phenotype.
Primary mucosal malignant melanoma of the head and neck.

Introduction The relative rarity of mucosal melanomas of the head and neck (MMHN) has made analysis of treatment approaches difficult. Advances in diagnostic techniques and treatment interventions have had obvious impact on outcomes in cutaneous melanoma, but the effects on outcome in MMHN remain undefined. This study aims to assess the outcome and identify clinical and histologic prognostic indicators in a recent cohort of patients with MMHN treated at a single institution. Methods The clinical records of 59 patients with the diagnosis of MMHN treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) between 1978 and 1998 were retrospectively reviewed. Pathologic material on each of these patients was prospectively reviewed by at least two pathologists (MP, KB, or AH) for confirmation of diagnosis and assessment of histologic variables. Survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Clinical (patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment) and histologic data (tumor thickness, melanosis, melanoma in situ, vascular invasion, and multifocality) were analyzed for impact on outcome by both univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Thirty-five patients (59%) had sinonasal tumors (SNMM), whereas 24 (41%) had oral (ORMM) tumors. Forty-seven patients (79.6%) were staged as stage I, 8 (13.6%) as stage II, and 4 (6.8%) were classified as stage III. Regional lymphatic metastases at presentation were more frequent in ORMM compared with SNMM (25% vs 6%, p = .05). Surgery was used in all patients. Adjuvant radiation therapy was used more frequently in the SNMM group compared with the ORMM group (40% vs 17%, p = .04). The rates of local failure for ORMM and SNMM were 51% and 50%, nodal failure rates were 42% and 20%, and distant failure rates were 67% and 40%, respectively (p = NS). With a median follow-up of 20 months, the 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 44% (40% for ORMM vs 47% for SNMM, p = NS). Significant prognostic factors for disease-specific survival on univariate analysis included advanced clinical stage at presentation, tumor thickness greater than 5 mm, presence of vascular invasion, and development of nodal and distant metastases. On multivariate analysis, however, regional nodal failure lost significance. Conclusions Clinical stage at presentation, tumor thickness greater than 5 mm, vascular invasion on histologic studies, and development of distant failure are the only independent predictors of outcome in MMHN. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 247–257, 2002; DOI 10.1002/hed.10019
Prognostic significance of the number of bone scan abnormalities at the time of initial bone metastatic recurrence in breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND To gain insight into the factors that contribute to the more favorable prognosis associated with recurrence limited to bone in patients with breast carcinoma, the authors analyzed the number of sites of initial involvement identified on radionuclide bone scans in relation to long term outcome. METHODS Records of 641 patients with clinical Stage I–III breast carcinoma that originally was diagnosed in 1974–1985 were reviewed. During follow-up, 295 patients (46%) experienced distant recurrence, including 116 with bone as the sole initial site of metastatic disease. Radionuclide bone scans identified the initial site(s) of recurrence in 113 of these latter 116 patients, and these studies were categorized by the number of skeletal lesions subsequently confirmed as metastases (1, 2, or ≥ 3). Survival from time of recurrence and time of original diagnosis was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier methods, and factors associated with recurrence and mortality were examined using logistic and Cox regression. RESULTS Median survival from time of recurrence was 35 months in the patients with bone-only metastases, compared with 11–26 months for all other sites of visceral recurrence exclusive of bone. Number of positive lymph nodes and estrogen receptor status were the only predictive variables for recurrence. Median survival from time of recurrence and time of original diagnosis for the 3 bone scan categories was: 1 lesion (n = 47), 53 and 86 months; 2 lesions (n = 22), 38 and 68 months; and ≥ 3 lesions (n = 44), 22 and 58 months (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.005 for 1 and 2 lesions vs. ≥ 3). In the “bone-only” group, the number of scan lesions was the strongest predictor of length of survival. CONCLUSIONS Patients with breast carcinoma who experience a recurrence in bone at only one or two sites initially have a survival advantage over those with more extensive (≥ 3 sites) skeletal metastases and those with metastatic disease involving other visceral organs. Cancer 2001;91:17–24. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
Uncommon mediastinal tumors. Report of two parathyroid adenomas, one nonfunctional parathyroid carcinoma and one "bronchial-type-adenoma".

SUMMARY We have reviewed three uncommon types of mediastinal tumor: two parathyroid adenomas, one functional and the other nonfunctional; one nonfunctional parathyroid carcinoma, and one extrapulmonary "bronchial-type-adenoma." The knowledge that as many as 20 per cent of parathyroid adenomas may be located within the thorax must be re-emphasized, for in patients with hyperparathyroidism and negative exploration of the neck, it behooves the surgeon to investigate the possibility of the tumor being in an aberrant location. Furthermore, the fact that these tumors may be found in the posterior mediastinum will mitigate against fruitless operations in those situations where the neoplasm is found neither in the neck, nor in the anterior mediastinum. The diagnosis of carcinoma of the parathyroid gland will depend on the specific criteria that are acceptable to the given observer such as mitotic activity and the topographic location of the tumor. The exclusion of other primary sites, particularly the thyroid gland, will aid in the identification of parathyroid carcinoma in the rare instance when they fail to demonstrate endocrine activity. In those cases whose lymph node biopsies have revealed tumor of the bronchial adenoma type, and x-rays and bronchoscopy have failed to reveal an intrapulmonary lesion, it will be of assistance to consider the rare possibility that the primary tumor may be a "bronchial-type-adenoma" located within the mediastinum.
Energy Demand Projections in the 21st Century for Coastal California

Previous studies conducted by Lebassi et al. (2010) and Sequera et al. (2011) have showed a strong correlation between summer temperature and electricity demand per capita trends for the past four decades for California. Decreasing summer temperature trends in low elevation coastal California sites between 1970–2010 resulted in decreasing electricity demand for the same locations. On the other hand, increasing temperature trends in high-elevation and inland California sites for the same period showed increasing electricity demand during summers. As a consequence of an increased gradient of the concurrent sea breeze potential for the same period, the authors suggested that this increased in sea breeze was responsible for the observed coastal cooling, attributing the seabreeze increase to a counter effect of global warming. The authors also reported increasing temperatures during winter throughout California for the same period, resulting in decreasing natural gas consumption. This work extends this analysis by determining spatial and temporal trends in residential electricity and natural gas consumption using 1990 to 2009 data from the California Energy Commission. Results show yearly electricity consumption per person is lower for coastal counties than inland counties. In contrast, yearly natural gas consumption per capita is decreasing for both coastal and inland counties. Additional work includes the examination of future summer axysymmetric warming and winter homogenous warming as well as their implications on energy demands into the 21st century. Results from 16 downscaled Global Circulation Models for 2 green-house gas emissions scenarios are used to forecast future average temperatures. These projections are correlated with electricity consumption during the summer and natural gas consumption during the winter. Statistical analysis of these results is provided in order to quantify uncertainty on these forecasts.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Orbit nonproper actions on Lorentz manifolds

If a topological group G acts on a topological space X, then we say that the action is orbit nonproper provided that, for some \( x \in X \), the orbit map \( g \mapsto gx : G \to X \) is nonproper. We consider the problem of classifying the connected, simply connected real Lie groups G such that G admits a locally faithful, orbit nonproper action on a connected Lorentz manifold. In this paper, we describe three collections of groups such that G admits such an action iff G is in one of the three collections. In an earlier paper, we effectively described the first collection. In yet another paper, we describe effectively those groups in the second collection which are not contained in the union of the first and third. Finally, in another paper, we describe effectively the third collection.
Resonance Raman spectroscopy of a chlorophyll-porphyrin heterodimer : excitation profile in the 400-450-nm region

Photophysical studies carried out previously on a chlorophyll-porphyrin heterodimer consisting of a zinc methyl pyrochlorophyllide a that is directly bonded at its 3-position to the 5-position of a zinc 2,8,12,18-tetraethyl-3,7,13,17-tetramethyl-15-(p-tolyl)porphyrin have shown that the chlorophyll and porphyrin interact within the excited singlet manifold. Steric hindrance between adjacent substituents rigidly positions the π systems of both macrocycles perpendicular to one another. A similar orientation occurs between the primary donor and accessory bacteriochlorophyll in the photosynthetic reaction center. To better understand the relationship between the structure and the electronic states of the chlorophyll-porphyrin heterodimer, we have carried out a series of resonance Raman measurements in the Soret band region of the chlorophyll-porphyrin heterodimer
Activation of platelet-rich plasma using thrombin receptor agonist peptide

Purpose This study proposes an alternative preparation method of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Specifically, we compare the use of thrombin receptor agonist peptide-6 (TRAP) and bovine thrombin as a clotting agent in the preparation of PRP. Materials and methods PRP was prepared by centrifugation and clotted with thrombin or TRAP. In vitro clotting times were monitored as a function of TRAP concentration, and clot retraction was determined by measuring clot diameter over time. Following the optimization of TRAP concentration, experiments were repeated with the addition of several commercially available bone substitutes. The release of PRP-relevant growth factors as a function of PRP preparation was also determined. Results The most rapid polymerization of PRP takes place with the addition of thrombin, followed by TRAP/Allogro (Ceramed, Lakewood, CO), TRAP/BioGlass (Mo-Sci, Rolla, MN), TRAP/BioOss (Osteohealth, Shirley, NY), and TRAP alone. Thrombin caused considerable clot retraction (43%), whereas TRAP alone resulted in only 15% retraction. TRAP/Allogro, TRAP/BioOss, and TRAP/BioGlass all exhibited minimal retraction (8%). Conclusions The use of TRAP to activate clot formation in the preparation of PRP may be a safe alternative to bovine thrombin. It results in an excellent working time and significantly less clot retraction than the currently available methods of PRP production.
Fundraising as an ethical act

Discussions of ethics often take a narrow and negative approach. The young profession of fundraising should heed the ancient and rich tradition of philosophical and religious ethics.
Influence of three dietary sources of choline on liver lipids in rats fed animal or plant protein1

Abstract The interrelationships among choline source (choline chloride, CC, egg lecithin, EL, and soybean lecithin, SL), choline level (0, 0.1 and 0.2% added to the diet) and protein source (lactalbumin, LA, and soy flour, SF) were studied. Male weanling rats were fed purified 10% protein diets adequate in all other vitamins and minerals for 4 weeks. For both protein sources, the addition of each choline source to the diet caused a significant reduction in liver total lipid, triglycerides and cholesterol (P
AlloDerm performance in the setting of prosthetic breast surgery, infection, and irradiation.

Background:The performance of AlloDerm (LifeCell Corp., Branchburg, N.J.) in the setting of prosthetic breast reconstruction, infection, and radiation therapy has not been well documented. The purpose of this study was to review the author's experience with AlloDerm-assisted prosthetic breast surger
Thou shall say “Thou shall not”

Can we say "Thou shall not kill except in special circumstances CI" by saying "Thou shall kill except in special circumstances C2"? In the question it is intended that somehow the C2 circumstances exempt one from the obligation to kill just when they should not kill.* The negative answer is instructive in at least two ways. It shows the value o f deontic logic because deontic logic perspicuously displays the difference between the two commandments. It also shows that "Thou shall not do A" is a better way of commanding forbearance from an undesirable activity A. My argument depends upon some assumptions and notation. Assume that the CI circumstances could be given by a finite disjunction. Thus C1 may be: "if you do it in self-defense or do it in war or do it as a legal duty." There is no assumption, though, that we know what the disjunction is; we may need much more experience to know that. But, really, it is not unreasonable to assume that there are only finitely many kinds of excuse for performance of any wrong act. LetClx say "x is a C1 circumstance." Assume that the C2 circumstances could be given by negating the finite disjunction giving CI. Thus C2 would be given by a conjunction containing as its only conjuncts the negation of each disjunct in C/. Thus C2 may be: "if you do not do it in self-defense and do not do it in war and do not do it as a legal duty." With this reading for C2, "Thou shall kill except in special circumstances C2" becomes C below. C) Thou shall kill except if you do not do it in self-defense and do not do it in war and do not do it as a legal duty. According to commandment C, a man who kills his wife to save the cost of a divorce had no obligation to kill. But a man who killed in
The Effect of Fiber Alignment and Heparin Coating on Cell Infiltration into Nanofibrous PLLA Scaffolds

Biodegradable nanofibers simulate the fibril structure of natural extracellular matrix, and provide a cell-friendly microenvironment for tissue regeneration. However, the effects of nanofiber organization and immobilized biochemical factors on cell infiltration into three-dimensional scaffolds are not well understood. For example, cell infiltration into an electrospun nanofibrous matrix is often limited due to relatively small pore size between the fibers. Here we showed that biophysical and biochemical modification of nanofibrous scaffolds facilitated endothelial cell infiltration in three-dimensional scaffolds in vitro and in vivo. Aligned nanofibers significantly enhanced cell infiltration into the nanofibrous matrices in vitro. In a full-thickness dermal wound model, the nanofiber scaffolds enhanced epidermal skin cell migration across the wound when compared to a control group without scaffold. Aligned nanofibers promoted the infiltration of endothelial cells into the scaffolds. Furthermore, heparin-coated nanofibers also increased cell infiltration significantly. These results shed light on the importance of biophysical and biochemical properties of nanofibers in the regulation of cell infiltration into three-dimensional scaffolds and tissue remodeling.
Prolonged Learning and Split-Brain Cats

A definite relation is shown between interhemispheric transfer and speed of learning. Split-brain cats were trained in a variety of discriminations, and the success or failure of interhemispheric transfer was evaluated with regard to rate of learning. When interhemispheric transfer succeeds, learning time is normal; when interhemispheric transfer fails, learning time is prolonged, becoming at least twice that of normal. Retention is also poor in those animals that exhibit prolonged learning. A normal learning curve appears to be the product of interaction between both cerebral hemispheres during learning.
Cyclin A/CDK2 Regulates V(D)J Recombination by Coordinating RAG-2 Accumulation and DNA Repair

Accumulation of the V(D)J recombinase protein RAG-2 is restricted to G0/G1 cells by phosphorylation-mediated degradation at the G1-S boundary. Here cyclin A/CDK2 is shown to oppose RAG-2 accumulation; conversely, RAG-2 is induced by p27Kip1 and related CDK inhibitors. Coinduction of RAG-2 and G1 delay by p27Kip1 is accompanied by strong stimulation of V(D)J recombination. Unexpectedly, induction of RAG-2 accumulation in the absence of G1 delay has no effect on recombination frequency. p27Kip1 may stimulate V(D)J recombination by coordinating accumulation of RAG-2 with prolongation of G1, when nonhomologous end joining is preferentially active. Consistent with this, enforced expression of RAG-2 throughout cell cycle is associated with accumulation of aberrant recombination products reminiscent of those formed in the absence of nonhomologous end joining.
A cross-cultural replication of an interactive model of anxiety sensitivity relevant to suicide

Recent findings indicate a relationship between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and suicide in a variety of populations in the United States. However, the link between AS and suicide has not been evaluated in other cultures. Suicide rates in Russia are among the highest worldwide making it an excellent choice to evaluate the cross-cultural robustness of these findings. The current investigation sought to replicate and extend the investigation of AS subfactors (i.e., cognitive, physical, and their interaction) in relation to suicidality in a sample of Russian adults. Participants were 390 adults recruited from Moscow using a geographic sampling method. Findings from the current study indicate that the interaction of AS cognitive concerns and AS physical concerns are associated with elevated rates of suicidality and previous suicide attempt, above and beyond negative affectivity and hazardous alcohol use. Clinicians may benefit from implementing AS reduction strategies with individuals who endorse elevated suicide risk as well as elevated AS cognitive concerns and low AS physical concerns.
Origin of the Absorption Maxima of the Photoactive Yellow Protein Resolved via Ab Initio Multiconfigurational Methods

We discuss the role of the protein in controlling the absorption spectra of photoactive yellow protein (PYP), the archetype xanthopsin photoreceptor, using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods based on ab initio multireference perturbation theory, combined with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. It is shown that in order to get results in agreement with the experimental data, it is necessary to use a model that allows for a proper relaxation of the whole system and treats the states involved in the electronic spectrum in a balanced way, avoiding biased results due to the effect of nonrepresentative electrostatic interactions on the chromophore.
USE OF CORE™ IN THE SYSTEM ENGINEERING OF AN ANALOG ASIC

This paper describes the Systems Engineering process utilized to design and document a high speed, mixed signal, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), using CORE™ as a requirements traceability and design tool. The paper describes the problem, the design process used and the ways that CORE™ facilitated the process. It shows how CORE™ aided in causing complete design definition through an iterative process and generating the final design documentation.
Physiology and Musical Instruments

This talk on human factors in the performance of wind instruments was presented at the annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Cleveland, Ohio, held on November 19–21, 1968.
Assessing the potential of new emerging markets. Should the BRICS and Western markets be the sole focus for business opportunities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate opportunities available for firms in markets that have until now been overlooked. Evidence is provided on the internationalisation of new markets and the potential available both at present and in the longer term.Design/methodology/approach – Theories of internationalisation are examined.Findings – The data show positive growth in the markets examined. The data also draw on positive demographics and consider the financial position of the respective countries. The data also draw on where improvements need to be made particularly regarding politics and infrastructure.Originality/value – The paper illustrates the limitations of Western markets at present and provides useful analysis of the factors that need consideration for success in alternative markets.
Lot sizing when yields increase during the production run

We investigate the problem of determining lot sizes for multiple items when the expected percentage of acceptable output increases with the duration of the production run, usually due to adjustments made during the early part of the production run. Such problems arise in metal stamping, textile finishing processes, and a variety of other industries. The goal is to minimize the total cost of production, inventory holding costs, and setup costs (where applicable). We develop a heuristic procedure based on a Lagrangian relaxation that differs from relaxations used in earlier studies. We use various properties of the objective function to guide the adjustment of the initial solution from the relaxation toward feasibility. Computational results indicate that, on the average, the heuristic produces solutions within 4.9% of the lower bound obtained from the Lagrangian relaxation.
Depth perception based on fusion of stereo images

In this paper, we present an edge-based stereo vision algorithm that treats the stereo correspondence problem as a resolution problem rather than a searching problem as in earlier work. The stereopsis is obtained through `fusion' rather than `point-to-point' matching. Rayleigh criterion for resolution diffraction pattern is applied in the fusion process, and the disparity information of the entire image is obtained in one convolution operation. The computation burden is largely reduced. This algorithm uses cross-looking cameras model so that the fixation point can be used as a reference point to register the two images. The edge filter used is developed according to the schematic model of cortical simple cells in the human visual system. During the fusion process, an additional procedure imitating the `optic decussation' in human visual processing is performed so as to minimize the ambiguity due to surface occlusion.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Improving the performance of a neural-machine interface for prosthetic legs using adaptive pattern classifiers

Pattern classification has been used for design of neural-machine interface (NMI) that identifies user intent. Our previous NMI based on electromyographic (EMG) signals and intrinsic mechanical feedback has shown great promise for neural control of artificial legs. In order to make this NMI practical, however, it is desired that classification algorithms can adapt to EMG pattern variations over time, caused by various physical and physiological changes. This study aimed to develop an adaptive pattern recognition framework in the NMI to improve the robustness of NMI performance over time. Two adaptive algorithms, i.e. entropy-based adaptation and Learning From Testing Data (LIFT) adaptation, were presented and compared to the NMI with non-adaptive classifiers. Support vector machine (SVM) was selected as the basic classifier. Gradual change of EMG signals was simulated over time on EMG data collected from four transfemoral (TF) amputees. The preliminary results showed that the NMI with adaptive classifiers produced more consistent performance over time than the classifier without adaptation. The results of this preliminary study indicate the potential of using adaptive classifiers to improve the NMI reliability for neural control of powered prosthetic legs.