cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved Atomic Norm Based Time-Varying Multipath Channel Estimation

In this paper, improved channel gain delay estimation strategies are investigated when practical pulse shapes with finite block length and transmission bandwidth are employed. Pilot-aided channel estimation with an augmented atomic norm based approach is proposed to promote the low rank structure of the time-varying narrowband leaked channel. All the channel parameters, i.e. , delays, Doppler shifts, and channel gains are recovered. Design choices which ensure unique estimates of channel parameters for rectangular, Gaussian, and root-raised-cosine pulse shapes are examined in the noiseless case, respectively. Furthermore, a perturbation analysis is conducted to measure the impact of noise and further design choices for parameters are proposed to mitigate the effects of noise. Finally, numerical results verify the theoretical analysis and show performance improvements over the previously proposed method.
Measurements of Hemoglobin Concentration and Oxygen Saturation Profiles in Arterioles using Intravital Videomicroscopy and Image Analysis

Oxygen is transported from the blood to the parenchymal cells by passive diffusion across the walls of microvessels. August Krogh (1918/1919) maintained that most, if not all, of the diffused oxygen passed across the walls of the capillaries. This view was modified with the report of Duling and Berne (1970) that significant decreases in PO2 occurred in vessels of the arteriolar network. These findings were later confirmed with systematic measurements of geometric, hemodynamic and oxygenation variables in four consecutive orders of arterioles of the hamster retractor muscle by Kuo and Pittman (1988, 1990) and Swain and Pittman (1989). These studies were designed to provide estimates of diffusive oxygen flow based on the difference between convective oxygen flows at upstream and downstream sites in unbranched segments of arterioles. Results of a detailed analysis of oxygen mass balance for these arterioles indicated that the observed rate of oxygen diffusion from arterioles was about an order of magnitude higher than expected from standard theoretical considerations (Popel et al., 1990). The possibility that the oxygen permeability of the tissue was much higher than values obtained under in vitro conditions was considered, but this potential explanation could only account for about a factor of two of the discrepancy (Bentley et al., 1993).
Irregular cardiac rhythm with wide QRS complexes

The patient is an 80-year-old woman with a history of aortic valve replacement, chronic kidney disease, and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 35%. The cardiac rhythm is atrial fibrillation, which in her is permanent. A VVI pacemaker senses and captures normally (Figure). The pacemaker lead is in the right ventricle, and consequently pacer-initiated QRS complexes (the first QRS in the limb leads and the third and fourth QRSs in the precordial leads) resemble left bundle branch block. The other seven QRSs are the result of conduction down the atrioventricular node and His bundle and show left bundle branch block.
Change in Visual Acuity Associated with Cataract Surgery: The Beaver Dam Eye Study

Purpose: Cataract is the most common age-related eye disease in most countries worldwide. However, unlike many age-related eye diseases, therapy, in the form of cataract surgery, is successful in restoring at least some function in the vast majority of patients. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the change in vision related to specific kinds of cataract and cataract surgery in a population-based study in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Methods: The data are derived from the Beaver Dam Eye Study, a populationbased incidence study of age-related eye disease. Participants were seen for their baseline evaluation (n = 4926) between March 1, 1988, and September 14, 1990, and for a follow-up examination (n = 3684) an average of 4.8 years later. All examinations, interviews, lens photography, and grading were performed using standard protocols. The age range was 43 to 84 years at the census preceding the baseline examination. Results: For those with no cataract at baseline and without cataract surgery at follow-up, there was an average decline of 0.5 letters (on a logMAR scale) in the right eye by the follow-up examination. In persons with any cataract at baseline and without cataract surgery at follow-up, there was a decrease of four letters. When cataract surgery was done in the interval, it was associated with a significant ( P Conclusion: Cataract surgery in this population was associated with a significant improvement in visual acuity. It is appropriate to evaluate visual acuity, cataract, and visual needs in planning for eye care in aging populations.
NF-κB in Aging and Disease

Stochastic damage to cellular macromolecules and organelles is thought to be a driving force behind aging and associated degenerative changes. However, stress response pathways activated by this damage may also contribute to aging. The IKK/NF-κB signaling pathway has been proposed to be one of the key mediators of aging. It is activated by genotoxic, oxidative, and inflammatory stresses and regulates expression of cytokines, growth factors, and genes that regulate apoptosis, cell cycle progression, cell senescence, and inflammation. Transcriptional activity of NF-κB is increased in a variety of tissues with aging and is associated with numerous age-related degenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, diabetes and osteoporosis. In mouse models, inhibition of NF-κB leads to delayed onset of age-related symptoms and pathologies. In addition, NF-κB activation is linked with many of the known lifespan regulators including insulin/IGF-1, FOXO, SIRT, mTOR, and DNA damage. Thus NF-κB represents a possible therapeutic target for extending mammalian healthspan.
Children's Folklore: A Handbook

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2008 Pages: 172 Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN: 978-0-313-34189-2 (hard cover). Prices: $55.00 USD(hard cover).
Cortical microtubules in sweet clover columella cells developed in microgravity

Electron micrographs of columella cells from sweet clover seedlings grown and fixed in microgravity revealed longitudinal and cross sectioned cortical microtubules. This is the first report demonstrating the presence and stability of this network in plants in microgravity.
Epigenetics for anthropologists: An introduction to methods.

The study of epigenetics, or chemical modifications to the genome that may alter gene expression, is a growing area of interest for social scientists. Anthropologists and human biologists are interested in epigenetics specifically, as it provides a potential link between the environment and the genome, as well as a new layer of complexity for the study of human biological variation. In pace with the rapid increase in interest in epigenetic research, the range of methods has greatly expanded over the past decade. The primary objective of this article is to provide an overview of the current methods for assaying DNA methylation, the most commonly studied epigenetic modification. We will address considerations for all steps required to plan and conduct an analysis of DNA methylation, from appropriate sample collection, to the most commonly used methods for laboratory analyses of locus-specific and genome-wide approaches, and recommendations for statistical analyses. Key challenges in the study of DNA methylation are also discussed, including tissue specificity, the stability of measures, timing of sample collection, statistical considerations, batch effects, and challenges related to analysis and interpretation of data. Our hope is that this review serves as a primer for anthropologists and human biologists interested in incorporating epigenetic data into their research programs. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:295–303, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of eight outer continental shelf drilling muds on the calcification rate and free amino acid pool of the coral Acropora cervicornis.

During most offshore drilling operations, drilling muds are routinely discharged into surrounding waters. Because corals are relatively sensitive to many environmental perturbations and can be adversely affected by offshore drilling operations, the effects of drilling muds on corals have received considerable attention. Because drilling muds are discharged intermittently, only periodic exposures of short duration should impact nearby coral reefs. To fully assess the impact of a drilling mud discharge on corals requires an assessment of the capacity for corals to recover from short-term exposure. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative toxicity of a number of muds that were slated for marine disposal for the coral Acropora cervicornis after a 48-hr recovery period. Calcification rate and free amino acid pool were investigated.
Melanocortin interventions in cachexia: how soon from bench to bedside?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Cachexia is a condition of anorexia and wasting that accompanies many diseases including cancer, heart failure, and renal failure. One key center that is probably involved in the propagation of symptoms of cachexia is the melanocortin system in the hypothalamus and brainstem. This review focuses on cachexia treatment interventions that act via melanocortin antagonism, by direct or indirect means. RECENT FINDINGS Recent reports include a description of the physiology of the melanocortin system and its responsiveness to inflammatory cytokines. Regarding treatment potential, multiple reports describe the effectiveness of small molecule antagonists of the melanocortin-4 receptor in animal models of cachexia. These melanocortin antagonists, given by peripheral injection, improve food intake and lean body mass retention in the setting of cancer and renal failure. Additional reports provide evidence of melanocortin antagonism following treatment of cachexia using ghrelin and eicosonoic acid. SUMMARY Cachexia is a serious condition that accompanies various disease states and currently does not have effective treatments. The melanocortin system may play a direct role in producing symptoms of cachexia, making antagonism of this system a logical objective for ameliorating these symptoms. Thus far, however, no data on human application have been published.
A comparison of silver- and copper-charged polypropylene feed spacers for biofouling control

Implementation of nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) processes in treating traditional water sources can provide a steady-state level of removal that eliminates the need for regeneration of ion exchange resins or granular activated carbon. Moreover, RO can help meet future potable water demands through desalination of seawater and brackish waters. The productivity of membrane filtration is severely lowered by fouling, which is caused by the accumulation of foreign substances on the surface and/or within pores of membranes. Microbial fouling, or biofouling, is the growth of microorganisms on the membrane surface and on the feed spacer as present between the envelopes. The fouling of membranes has demanded and continues to demand considerable attention from industry and research communities. Many of these applications use membranes in a spiral wound configuration that contains a feed spacer. The goal of this project was to develop low-biofouling polypropylene (PP) spacers through the functionalization of PP by a spacer arm with metal chelating ligands charged with biocidal metal ions, investigate the use of this metal-charged polypropylene (PP) feed spacers that target biofouling control, and to use some traditional and one novel techniques to autopsy the membranes after filtration to gain a better understanding of the biofouling mechanism and how the modified spacers are affecting it. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Perception of Facial Expressions in Three Different Cultures

Sixty abstract facial expressions generated by the use of four eyebrow types, three eye types and five mouth types were rated on 40 emotion-name scales. These scales were constructed for each of three national groups, American, Japanese and Turkish, within their respective languages. By factor analysis three cross-cultural bi-polar dimensions which accounted for 72-4 per cent of the total variance were found and labelled Pleasantness, Irritation, and Non-Receptivity. Analysis of the components of the faces representing the two poles of each dimension revealed considerable similarity between the three language groups, but also some differences
A RISK ADJUSTED APPROACH TO ROBUST SIMULTANEOUS FAULT DETECTION AND ISOLATION

Abstract In this paper we address the problem of detecting and isolating faults from noisy input/output measurements of a MIMO uncertain-system, subject to structured dynamic uncertainty. The main result of the paper shows that this problem can be solved in a computationally efficient way by using a combination of sampling and LMI optimization tools. These results are illustrated using a simplified model of a flight control system.
Thomas Satterwhite Noble's Mulattos: From Barefoot Madonna to Maggie the Ripper

With emancipation a fait accompli by 1865, one might ask why Kentucky-born Thomas Satterwhite Noble (1835–1907), former Confederate soldier, son of a border state slaveholder, began painting slaves then. Noble had known the “peculiar institution” at first hand, albeit from a privileged position within the master class. As a result, his choice to embark upon a career as a painter using historical incidents from slavery makes for an interesting study. Were the paintings a way of atoning for his Confederate culpability, a rebel pounding his sword into a paintbrush to appease the conquering North? Or was he capitalizing on his unique geographic perspective as a scion of slave-trafficking Frankfort, Kentucky, soon to head a prestigious art school in Cincinnati, the city where so many runaways first tasted freedom? Between 1865 and 1869 Noble exhibited in northern cities a total of eight paintings with African American subjects. Two of these, The Last Sale of Slaves in St. Louis (1865, repainted ca. 1870) and Margaret Garner (1867), featured mixed-race women, or mulattos, as they had come to be called. From a young female up for auction, to the famous fugitive Margaret Garner, his portrayals show a transformation taking place within perceptions of biracial women in post-emancipation America. Opinions about mulattos surfaced in a range of theoretical discussions, from the scientific to the political, as strategists North and South envisioned evolving social policy.
Electrophysiological monitoring during selective dorsal rhizotomy, and spasticity and GMFM performance

The relation between abnormal electrophysiological responses to intraoperative stimulation during selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) and the degree of spasticity and motor dysfunction was explored in 92 children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) who underwent SDR at a single center. The proportion of abnormally responding rootlets was compared with the degree of spasticity measured with the modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and with the spasticity measurement system (SMS) at discrete segmental levels. Motor impairment measured with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) was also compared with the proportion of abnormally responding dorsal rootlets. A consistent relation between the proportion of abnormally responding rootlets and the degree of spasticity and gross motor abnormality at the corresponding muscles could not be demonstrated. There was also no consistent association between the proportion of rootlets ablated during SDR and the change in spasticity measured with the MAS and SMS, or to the change in motor function as measured with the GMFM. These data suggest that the intraoperative monitoring technique most commonly used for SDR is unlikely to identify accurately those neural elements which contribute to spasticity in children with CP.
Quality in the early field experiences: A product of grade level and cooperating teachers training

Abstract Data collected for the study indicate that grade level and the supervisory training status of the cooperating teacher affect the quality of the early field experiences. Field experience students likely to have the most active, sequential, systematically evaluated experience were those placed in elementary settings with trained cooperating teachers. The authors discuss planning considerations for teacher educators suggested by this differentiation of quality by grade level and supervisory training.
Using inhibitors of metalloproteinases to treat arthritis. Easier said than done

Collagenase and stromelysin have a premier role in the irreversible degradation of the extracellular matrix seen in rheumatic disease. It is therefore no surprise that considerable attention has been devoted to developing strategies to reduce their levels in diseased joints. Most efforts have focused on inhibiting the activity of the enzymes, either by increasing the concentration of natural inhibitors such as the TIMPs or by introducing into the joint synthetic compounds that will complex with the enzymes and inactivate them. There have also been studies directed at inhibiting enzyme synthesis. These preclinical studies have been carried out in cell-free and/or cell culture systems and in animal models. Despite promising preclinical data, there have been no stunning successes in the clinical arena. The reasons for this are several. In part, they are rooted in the technical difficulties associated with designing inhibitors of enzyme activity that are of high affinity, and then delivering them to the affected joints while still maintaining specificity and efficacy. The complicated structure of the proteoglycan and collagen that comprise articular cartilage, along with the biochemistry of inflamed synovial tissue, only compound the difficulties. In addition to these technical problems, the lack of fundamental knowledge about the biochemistry and molecular biology of the enzymes has handicapped our efforts. We are just resolving the crystal structure of the metalloproteinases (108) and beginning to understand the mechanisms controlling gene expression (67, 68, 70-72). These advances represent significant achievements in metalloproteinase enzymology and biology and should form the scientific basis for a new generation of effective therapies. For example, knowledge of the active site as derived from the crystal structure of the enzymes may facilitate the development of tightly-binding specific inhibitors which function well in vivo. Similarly, based on our current understanding of mechanisms controlling the regulation of both the TIMP genes and the MMP genes, we are beginning to elucidate how to turn these genes on or off, and hopefully, to modulate disease accordingly. Indeed, although some studies are still at a preclinical level, these possible approaches are becoming a reality (109). Arthritic diseases in general, and rheumatoid arthritis in particular, represent a complicated multifaceted set of clinical disorders. The clinical symptoms and pathologic features result from a cascade of biologic pathways that involve acute and chronic inflammation, the immune response, and metalloproteinase biochemistry.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Decentralized planning for the Ganga basin: Decomposition by river basins

The use of the decomposition principle in analysing large and complex systems is demonstrated through its application to the Greater Ganga Basin. The decomposition principle consists of three models (i) the consistency model, (ii) the sub-problem model and (iii) the master problem model. The consistency model tries to identify a feasible solution and sends this information to all the sub-basins. In the sub-problem model each sub-basin optimises the water use according to local conditions subject to meeting the mandatory releases in the Ganga and/or energy targets. After gathering information from the two models the master problem model adjusts the water release requirements and energy targets according to shadow prices. The iterative process is carried out between the sub-problem model and the master problem model to obtain the best solution. The difficulties in getting convergence in the iterative process and the drawbacks of this approach are also highlighted.
Heat transfer in a viscoelastic fluid over a stretching sheet

Abstract An analysis is carried out to study the heat transfer characteristics in a viscoelastic fluid over a stretching sheet with frictional heating and internal heat generation or absorption. Two cases are studied, namely (i) the sheet with prescribed surface temperature (PST case) and (ii) the sheet with prescribed wall heat flux (PHF case). The solutions for the temperature, the heat transfer characteristics and their asymptotic limits for large and small Prandtl numbers are obtained in terms of Kummer's and parabolic cylinder functions. For large Prandtl numbers, a boundary layer width of √ 1 Pr is noticed in both PST and PHF cases. Furthermore, it is shown that there is no boundary layer type of solution for small Prandtl number.
High-affinity transport and phosphorylation of 2-deoxy-D-glucose in synaptosomes.

2-Deoxy-d-glucose (2 DG) entered synaptosomes (from rat brain) by a high-affinity, Na+-independent glucose transport system with a Km, of 0.24 mM. 3-O-methyl-glucose, D-glucose, and phloretin were competitive inhibitors of 2-DG transport with Ki's of 7 mM, 64 μM, and 0·75 μM, respectively. Insulin was without effect. 2-DG uptake was also saturable at high substrate concentrations with an apparent low affinity Km, of 75 mM, where the Kl, for glucose was 17.5 mM. We are not certain whether the rate-limiting step for the low-affinity uptake system is attributable to transport or phosphorylation. However, the high-affinity glucose transport system probably is a special property of neuronal cell membranes and could be useful in helping to distinguish separated neurons from glial cells.
Best constants in Chebyshev inequalities with various applications

In this article we describe some ways to significantly improve the Markov-Gauss-Camp-Meidell inequalities and provide specific applications. We also describe how the improved bounds are extendable to the multivariate case. Applications include explicit finite sample construction of confidence intervals for a population mean, upper bounds on a tail probability P(X>k) by using the density at k, approximation of P-values, simple bounds on the Riemann Zeta function, on the series , improvement of Minkowski moment inequalities, and construction of simple bounds on the tail probabilities of asymptotically Poisson random variables. We also describe how a game theoretic argument shows that our improved bounds always approximate tail probabilities to any specified degree of accuracy.
Regional mitotic activity in the precardiac mesoderm and differentiating heart tube in the chick embryo.

Abstract A series of chick embryos ranging from the primitive streak stage to the 22-somite stage were treated with Colcemid for 2.5 hours. By micro-dissection, the heart-forming mesoderm on each side was divided into a rostrocaudal series of seven fragments. A squash preparation was made from each fragment, and the percentage of cells trapped in metaphase was determined. During stages 5–10, waves of mitotic activity travel through the heart-forming mesoderm from its rostral to its caudal end, at a rate of progression similar to that of somite formation. In the ventricular mesoderm, mitotic activity falls dramatically during stages 8–10 to near zero values, and remains low through stages 10 + –12. It rises again suddenly at stage 12 + –13. It is suggested that this temporary mitotic arrest results from a G 1 block in the mitotic cycle. In the atrial mesoderm, mitotic activity also decreased during stages 10–11. However, this reduction was only to about one-third of the previous level, and was not followed by a postdepressional increase. The major decline in mitotic activity precedes by a few hours the stages at which striated myofibrils have been observed in the heart mesoderm by others. At no stage was any consistent lateral asymmetry in cell multiplication rates observed, either regionally or between the right and left sides as a whole. It is concluded that d-looping and asymmetry of the heart tube must result from mechanisms other than differential lateral mitotic activity. A hypothesis of heart asymmetry is suggested, based mainly upon the assumption that an increase in cellular adhesiveness accompanies differentiation of the heart-forming mesoderm, and upon evidence for an earlier onset of differentiation on the right side.
AcqWeb: book-buying in the age of the Internet

Profiles the development of Acqweb (an Internet gathering place for Librarians and other professionals interested in acquisitions and collection development). Outlines the structure of the site and discusses the tools which it possesses. Briefly covers design issues and looks at future possibilities.
Significance of hemodynamic changes in four cardiac chambers of guinea pigs infected with Pichinde virus

Abstract Strain 13 guinea pigs infected with Pichinde virus have been commonly used as an animal model for studying pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment of human Lassa fever. During Pichinde virus infection of these animals, severe cardiac dysfunction and pulmonary edema develop, despite dehydration. The main purpose of this study was to develop techniques for measuring hemodynamic changes of four cardiac chambers and selected cardiovascular functions of control and Pichinde virus-infected strain 13 guinea pigs. Experiments were conducted on postinoculation days 7 and 11 in anesthetized, open-chest and mechanically ventilated guinea pigs. In virus-infected guinea pigs, arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, heart rate and left ventricular contractility decreased, while the total peripheral resistance and left atrial mean pressure increased significantly ( P
Parallel dynamic load balancing strategies for adaptive irregular applications

Abstract Dynamic unstructured mesh adaptation is a powerful technique for solving computational problems with evolving physical features; however, an efficient parallel implementation is rather difficult because of the load imbalance that mesh adaptation creates. To address this problem, we have developed two dynamic load balancing strategies for parallel adaptive irregular applications. The first, called PLUM, is an architecture-independent framework particularly geared toward adaptive numerical computations and requires that all data be globally redistributed after each adaptation to achieve load balance. The second is a more general-purpose topology-independent load balancer that utilizes symmetric broadcast networks (SBN) as the underlying communication pattern, with a goal to providing a global view of system loads across processors. Results indicate that both PLUM and the SBN-based approach have their relative merits, and that they achieve excellent load balance at the cost of minimal extra overhead.
Using Parsimony to Guide Maximum Likelihood Searches

The performance of maximum likelihood searches can be boosted by using the most parsimonious tree as a starting point for the search. The time spent in performing the parsimony search to find this starting tree is insignificant compared to the time spent in the maximum likelihood search, leading to an overall gain in search time. These parsimony boosted maximum likelihood searches lead to topologies with scores statistically similar to the unboosted searches, but in less time.
Recursive digital filters which are free from subharmonics

In recursive digital filters, quantization of signals can result in instabilities such as limit cycles and subharmonics. the aim of this paper is to analyse these instabilities in periodically excited recursive digital filters and to present methods to suppress the unwanted phenomena. A new type of digital filter structure is introduced which is free from subharmonics for discrete-time periodic input signals with a given period N. Using the theory of cyclotomic polynomials, this structure is extended to suppress subharmonics for input signals which are periodic with a divisor of N. A general principle is described to convert a stable, autonomous state space digital filter into one which is free from subharmonics under any periodic excitation with a given period N.
Seismic Performance and Aging: A Correlation Study

The effects of time/temperature and operational cycling aging mechanisms on seismic performance of safety-related equipment was investigated. The approach was to perform seismic tests on identical samples of electrical and electronic safety-related components which had been preconditioned. The sample sets contained components which were unaged, thermally aged, cyclically aged and thermally/cyclically aged. Both the aging and seismic stresses applied to the components were purposely more severe than typically required for qualification. The results of this program demonstrate the adequacy of the selection process to determine age sensitivity and provide the technical justification for exemption from aging prior to seismic testing for those components which demonstrated no correlation between aging and seismic performance.
The family-relatedness of work decisions: A framework and agenda for theory and research☆

Due to global trends such as the increased labor force participation of women, the growing presence of dual-earner couples and single parents in the labor force, and changing values regarding the importance of life balance, individuals' work decisions are being increasingly influenced by family considerations. However, the “family-relatedness” of work decisions, or the extent to which family situations are considered in these decisions, has not been systematically examined. We propose a framework to examine the family-relatedness of work decisions and a broad agenda for future theory and research to test and extend the framework.
Predators and parasites of temporary row crop pests: agents of irreplaceable mortality or scavengers acting prior to other mortality factors?

A study was conducted with the cabbage looper,Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), to determine: 1) whether naturally occurring entomophagous arthropods impart irreplaceable mortality to the cabbage looper in celery, and 2) whether entomophagous arthropods are present to impart such mortality toT. ni eggs and 1st instar larvae when the crop is sensitive to the pest. Predator evaluation involved 1) insecticidal + cage exclusion, 2) insecticidal exclusion alone, 3) D-vac removal of predators, and 4) sticky barrier exclusion. In all the exclusion regimes survival of eggs and larvae was higher than in the unexcluded control. Analysis of life table data was consistent with the hypothesis that some mortality of eggs due to parasitism byTrichogramma and of medium-larvae by other hymenopterous parasites was not replaceable by other mortality factors. The time of appearance of the first marketable petiole was correlated with both the height of the tallest petiole and the number of petioles on the plant. Peak densities ofTrichogramma and important predators occurred before the first marketable petiole appeared and declined to low levels as harvest approached.
Prospective study of growth and development in older girls and risk of benign breast disease in young women

Multiple lines of evidence point to the period in life prior to a woman’s first pregnancy, when mammary gland cells are undergoing rapid proliferation, as a critical time for carcinogenic exposures that may increase her lifetime risk of breast cancer.1 Human studies indicated that childhood and adolescent exposures can be more critical than exposures from adulthood in the development of breast cancer.2–4 Several suggested that more rapid childhood height growth may be a factor in the development of cancer, and especially breast cancer in women.5–7 In particular, our own work has linked more rapid peak height growth, earlier menarche, being thinner at ages 5 and 10 years, and being taller in adulthood to elevated risk for breast cancer.5 Benign breast disease (BBD) is well established as a risk factor for breast cancer.8 The investigation of adolescent exposures and BBD may provide insight into the etiology of breast cancer and possible avenues for prevention. We recently reported a strong association between adolescent consumption of alcoholic beverages and risk of BBD in young women.9 Alcohol consumption by adult women is one of few preventable factors known to increase breast cancer risk.10 Using data from a prospective cohort of children initiated when they were 9–15 years old, with follow-up data available to age 27, we investigated whether several growth, pubertal and developmental factors that occur during older childhood and adolescence are associated with BBD in young women. We focus on factors that we previously showed, in retrospective analyses, to be associated with risk of breast cancer.5
Aberrant nuclear expression of AP-1 and NFkB in lymphocytes of women stressed by the experience of breast biopsy.

We have investigated the expression of AP-1 and NFkappaB in peripheral blood lymphocytes of women scheduled for breast biopsy. Samples were collected when women were informed of the need for biopsy (prebiopsy, T1, 5-7 days prior to the actual biopsy) and 7-10 days after they learned the result of their biopsy (postbiopsy, T2). At the time of blood collection, psychological stress was evaluated using Speilberger's State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Women scheduled to undergo breast biopsy reported significant increases in anxiety (STAI) and mood disturbance (POMS). Gel shift mobility assays showed that mitogen stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes of these women were less capable of the nuclear expression of AP-1 or NFkappaB at T1. Similar assessments, 7-10 days after the women learned of the results of their breast biopsy, showed these same women to have a marked reduction in anxiety and mood disturbance and an increased nuclear translocation of AP-1 and NFkappaB. These results show a significant decrease in nuclear AP-1 and NFkappaB expression during the period of emotional distress prior to biopsy with a return of nuclear transcription activity to normal levels when distress was relieved. Several studies have correlated increased psychological stress with decreased immune function. The results of this study suggest that psychological stress may mediate immunosuppression by altering the expression of the transcription factors, AP-1 and NFkappaB.
The contributing role of the intestinal microbiota in stressor-induced increases in susceptibility to enteric infection and systemic immunomodulation

The body is colonized by highly complex and genetically diverse communities of microbes, the majority of which reside within the intestines in largely stable but dynamically interactive climax communities. These microbes, referred to as the microbiota, have many functions that enhance the health of the host, and it is now recognized that the microbiota influence both mucosal and systemic immunity. The studies outlined in this review demonstrate that the microbiota are also involved in stressor-induced immunomodulation. Exposure to different types of stressors, including both physical and psychological stressors, changes the composition of the intestinal microbiota. The altered profile increases susceptibility to an enteric pathogen, i.e., Citrobacter rodentium, upon oral challenge, but is also associated with stressor-induced increases in innate immune activity. Studies using germfree mice, as well as antibiotic-treated mice, provide further evidence that the microbiota contribute to stressor-induced immunomodulation; stressor-induced increases in splenic macrophage microbicidal activity fail to occur in mice with no, or reduced, intestinal microbiota. While the mechanisms by which microbiota can impact mucosal immunity have been studied, how the microbiota impact systemic immune responses is not clear. A mechanism is proposed in which stressor-induced degranulation of mucosal mast cells increases the permeability of the intestines. This increased permeability would allow intact bacteria and/or bacterial products (like peptidoglycan) to translocate from the lumen of the intestines to the interior of the body, where they directly, or indirectly, prime the innate immune system for enhanced reactivity to antigenic stimulation.
Cocaine Self-Administration in Ovariectomized Rats is Predicted by Response to Novelty, Attenuated by 17-β Estradiol, and Associated With Abnormal Vaginal Cytology

Abstract GRIMM, J. W. AND R. E. SEE. Cocaine self-administration in ovariectomized rats is predicted by response to novelty, attenuated by 17- β estradiol, and associated with abnormal vaginal cytology. PHYSIOL BEHAV 61 (5) 755–761, 1997.—Parameters of cocaine self-administration behavior and vaginal cytological changes were assessed in ovariectomized rats during and after chronic self-administration. Response to novelty as measured by locomotor activity was found to correlate with cocaine self-administration on both fixed ratio (FR) and progressive ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement. Chronic 17- β estradiol (E 2 ) replacement did not affect cocaine self-administration on FR or PR schedules of reinforcement. Acute E 2 administration decreased cocaine self-administration on a PR schedule of reinforcement on the day of and on the two days following hormone treatment. Finally, the proliferation of vaginal epithelia following acute E 2 was potentiated in rats both during cocaine self-administration and 30 days into withdrawal when compared with non-drug-exposed animals. These results identify response to novelty as a behavioral index predictive of cocaine self-administration liability in female rats and additionally provide evidence of psychostimulant-hormonal interactions highly relevant to female behavior and physiology.
Highly Ionized Interstellar Atoms--Heated, Cooled, or Mixed?

Recent observations with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, combined with Copernicus results, make possible a comparison between C+3 and O+5 interstellar column densities in both the halo and the disk of our Galaxy. The ratio N(C+3)/N(O+5) for six lines of sight in the disk is about an order of magnitude less than for five corresponding values in the halo. In the disk, the values of this ratio are in good general agreement with a variety of different models for conductive heating at an interface between hot and cool gas. As a working hypothesis we assume that this process is the dominant one for producing the observed highly ionized species in the disk. The much larger ratios for the halo lie between the ranges predicted by two different idealized models?radiative cooling of hot infalling gas and turbulent mixing of hot gas with the cool clouds past which it flows. Since both these processes should occur when hot gas flows past H I clouds in the halo, we assume tentatively that these two processes may be jointly responsible for much of the observed high ionization of halo atoms.
Intravascular photoacoustic imaging of lipid in atherosclerotic plaques in the presence of luminal blood

Intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging can characterize atherosclerotic plaque composition on the basis of the optical absorption contrast between different tissue types. Given the high optical absorption of lipid at 1720 nm wavelength, an atherosclerotic rabbit aorta was imaged at this wavelength ex vivo using an integrated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and IVPA imaging catheter in the presence of luminal blood. Strong optical absorption of lipid combined with low background signal from other tissues provides a high-contrast, depth-resolved IVPA image of lipid. The ability to image lipid at a single wavelength without removing luminal blood suggests that in vivo detection of lipid in atherosclerotic plaques using combined IVUS/IVPA imaging is possible.
AT-36PANOBINOSTAT IN COMBINATION WITH BEVACIZUMAB FOR RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA AND ANAPLASTIC GLIOMA

Bevacizumab is frequently used to treat recurrent high-grade gliomas, but responses are generally not durable. Panobinostat is a histone deacetylase inhibitor with anti-neoplastic and anti-angiogenic effects in glioma models and may work synergistically with bevacizumab. We conducted a multicenter phase II trial of panobinostat in combination with bevacizumab. Two cohorts were enrolled: one with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) as the primary study and one with recurrent anaplastic glioma (AG) as the exploratory study. Patients received oral panobinostat 30 mg 3 x per week, every other week, in combination with bevacizumab 10 mg/kg every other week. The primary endpoint was PFS6 in the GBM cohort and the study was powered to discriminate between a 35% and 55% PFS6 rate (85% power at an alpha level of 0.07). At planned interim analysis, 13 of the first 21 patients accrued to the GBM cohort had progressed within 6 months of initiating study treatment. The GBM cohort did not meet criteria for continued accrual and was closed early. In the GBM cohort, PFS6 rate was 30.4%, median PFS 5 months, median OS 9 months. Accrual in the AG cohort continued to completion and a total of 15 patients were enrolled. In the AG cohort, PFS6 rate was 46.7%, median PFS 7 months, median OS 17 months. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicities in the GBM arm were hypophosphatemia (12.5%), thrombocytopenia (12.5%), lymphopenia (8.3%), neutropenia (8.3%), and ALT elevation (8.3%). In the AG arm, the most common toxicities were thrombocytopenia (20.0%) and hypophosphatemia (13.3%). Although reasonably well-tolerated, this phase II study of panobinostat and bevacizumab in recurrent GBM did not meet criteria for continued accrual and the GBM cohort of the study was closed. In the recurrent AG cohort, the PFS6 rate was similar to historical controls. Updated data will be presented.
Preparation of new ω-aldehydroalkyl 1-thio-d-glycopyranosides, and their coupling to bovine serum albumin by reductive alkylation

Abstract Synthesis of two ω-aldehydoalkyl 1-thioglycosides of d -glucopyranose and of d -galactopyranose is described. 3-Oxopropyl and 2-oxoethyl 1-thioglycosides were prepared by treating a tetra-O-acetyl-1-thioaldose with either acrolein or 2-bromoacetaldehyde, followed by O-deacetylation under mild conditions. These ω-aldehydoalkyl 1-thioglycosides were successfully attached to bovine serum albumin (BSA) by reductive alkylation as described previously. With the 3-oxopropyl 1-thioglycosides, much higher levels of sugar attachment (e.g., ∼80 mol of sugar per mol of BSA) were attained than hitherto possible with any sugar derivative tested.
The TATA Element and Its Context Affect the Cooperative Interaction of TATA-binding Protein with the TFIIB-related Factor, TFIIIB70

Abstract We have conducted a quantitative thermodynamic study of the effects of the TATA element and TATA-flanking sequences on the assembly of complexes containing TATA-binding protein (TBP) and the TFIIB-related factor, TFIIIB70. TBP binds to the sequence TATAAAAG in the context of the yeast U6 gene (yU6 hybrid TATA) or the adenovirus major late promoter (AdMLP) with different affinities demonstrating that the sequence context of a TATA element contributes to TBP binding. We also determined the cooperative free energies of formation of TBP·TFIIIB70·DNA complexes on the yU6 TATA element, the yU6 hybrid TATA element and a nonconsensus TATA element. The yU6 hybrid TATA displayed a moderate, less than 5-fold, increase in TBP affinity similar to the 3-fold increase observed for the AdMLP. In contrast, the nonconsensus and yU6 TATAs increased the affinity of TBP for DNA 12- and 17-fold, respectively. Since the TBP-TFIIIB70 cooperativity is greater on lower affinity TATA boxes and most polymerase III genes contain low affinity “TATA boxes,” we conclude that the cooperative binding of TFIIIB70 and TBP to DNA represents an important driving force in the assembly of polymerase III-specific transcription complexes. An effect of the sequences surrounding the TATA box was also observed on TBP-TFIIIB70 cooperativity. The mechanistic implications of the thermodynamic linkage between DNA sequence and binding cooperativity are discussed.
Botulinum A neurotoxin for axillary hyperhidrosis. No sweat Botox.

background.Axillary hyperhidrosis causes considerable emotional stress and is associated with extraordinary costs and limitations in clothing. Existing topical and surgical therapies are either ineffective or associated with unacceptable morbidity and sequelae. Botulinum A neurotoxin (Botox) has bee
Pigeons Are Sensitive to the Spatial Organization of Complex Visual Stimuli

Two experiments investigated the role of spatial organization in the discrimination and generalization of complex visual stimuli by pigeons. In Experiment 1. after pigeons had been trained to discriminate line drawings of four objects, they were tested with novel pictures in which the same component parts of the objects were spatially rearranged. The spatially scrambled pictures led to a dramatic drop in recognition accuracy, but responding remained above chance. In Experiment 2, pigeons reached a high level of discriminative performance when required to choose among four different spatial arrangements of the same object parts. These results confirm Cerella's (1980) conclusion that pigeons discriminate the component parts of complex visual stimuli, but. unless it is assumed that the scrambling deleted or created emergent features, the results disconfirm his conclusion that spatial organization plays no role in pigeons' picture perception.
Effect of nitrogen mustard of hyaluronate

Abstract The effect in vitro of nitrogen mustard (HN2) treatment on physical parameters of partially purified hyaluronate from human umbilical cords and of synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis was studied. Intrinsic viscosities, gel filtration elution patterns (Sepharose 2B) and acrylamide gel disk electrophoresis runs on HN2-treated (1 mg/ml HN2, 0.9% saline, 8 hr at 37°) and control hyaluronate were obtained. The intrinsic viscosity was reduced by 10 to 50 per per and a typical gel filtration elution pattern showed retardation by about 10 per cent after HN2 treatment. No gross difference in disk electrophoretic pattern was noted. Similar intrinsic viscosity changes were observed after HN2 treatment of rheumatoid synovial fluids.
Control of aspartokinase during development of Bacillus licheniformis

Extracts prepared from late exponential phase Bacillus licheniformis cells contain an aspartokinase (ATP:l-aspartate 4-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.2.4) activity that is 4-fold greater than that from early exponential phase cells. This increase occurs in cells grown on several different media. After growth has ceased, the specific activity decreases at a rate much greater than would be expected by turnover. The enzyme activity is subject to feedback inhibition by l-lysine and l-aspartic-β-semialdehyde. l-Threonine has no effect on the activity when added alone but produces a concerted inhibition with l-lysine. The asparticβ-semialdehyde effect may be an example of sequetial control.
Liquid Core Optical Fibers in Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectra of samples contained in hollow quartz fibers are compared quantitatively to conventional Raman spectra using identical laser, spectrometer, detector, and scan speed. We find the fiber signal to be enhanced by a factor of 250/m of fiber, in good agreement with calculations based on geometrical optics. A fiber spectrum of 2 mol% trans-stilbene in benzene is good enough to allow essentially perfect solvent subtraction.