cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Situ Mechanical Analysis of Genetic Modification and Aging on Soft, Bilayered Drosophila Myocardium

Drosophila melanogaster is a genetically malleable organism with a short life span, making it a tractable system in which to study mechanical effects of genetic perturbation and aging on tissues, such as impaired heart function. However, Drosophila heart tube studies can be hampered by its bilayered structure: a ventral muscle layer covers the contractile cardiomyocytes. We have refined an atomic force microscopy-based analysis to measure individual mechanical components of soft composite materials. The technique was verified using bilayered polydimethylsiloxane. Its biological utility was further demonstrated by its ability to resolve stiffness changes due to cardiac-specific RNA interference to reduce cardiomyocyte myofibrillar assembly or due to aging in Drosophila myocardial layers. Female yellow-white (yw) flies experience decreased diastolic diameter with age (>20%) while cardiomyocytes stiffened more than two-fold with age (1.8± 0.1 vs. 3.8 ± 0.3 kPa in 1 and 5 week old flies, respectively) at cell-cell junctions. Cardiac-specific RNA-interference against myosin heavy chain severely impaired contraction and reduced stiffness after 1 week (1.0± 0.1 vs. 1.8 ± 0.1 kPa) without altering ventral muscle stiffness. This method provides a platform to assess the mechanics of soft biological composite systems and for the first time permits direct measurement of how genetic perturbations, aging, and disease can impact cardiac function in situ.
β-(1→4)-Galactosyltransferase activity in native and engineered insect cells measured with time-resolved europium fluorescence

To evaluate the ability of insect cells to produce complex-type N-glycans, beta-(1 --> 4)-galactosyltransferase (beta4GalT) activity in several insect cell lines was analyzed. For this purpose, we developed a simple and highly sensitive assay for beta-(1 --> 4)-galactosyltransferase (beta4GalT) activity, which is based on time-resolved fluorometry of europium. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) modified with GlcNAc (GlcNAc(44)-BSA) was used as the acceptor. GlcNAc(44)-BSA was coated on a 96-well microplate, and after incubation with the enzyme sample in the presence of UDP-Gal, Eu-labeled RCA(120) (Ricinus communis aggutin I), was added. RCA(120) binds to the Galbeta(1 --> 4)GlcNAc structure in the product, and the bound Eu-RCA(120) was measured by the fluorescence of europium. When bovine beta4Gal-T-I was used as a standard reference enzyme, a linear relationship between enzyme activity and fluorescent signal was obtained over the range of 0-1000 microUnits (IU). Using this system, we were able to measure a low but significant level of beta4GalT activity in Trichoplusia ni cells ('High Five'). In contrast, no endogenous beta4GalT activity was detected in a Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) cell line. However, Sf-9 cells stably transfected with the bovine beta4GalT-I gene and 'High Five' cells infected with a baculovirus containing the same gene produced activity levels that were comparable to or greater than those found in Chinese hamster ovary cells. We also showed that the beta4GalT activity level observed in the baculovirus-infected T. ni cells under the control of immediate early promoter was highly dependent on the post-infection time, suggesting that galactosylation level may also be variable during the infection period.
Precision energy determinations of gamma transitions from 56Co decay

Abstract The energies of 16 γ-rays from 56 Co decay were determined with a Ge(Li) Compton suppression spectrometer. The mixed source technique was used with γ-ray energy standards provided by 110m Ag, 124 Sb, 182 Ta, and 144 Ce β-decay. The main motive for these measurements was to obtain more precise energies for transitions with energies in the 2500–3500 keV range. A least-squares adjustment was made to the present and previous γ-ray energy measurements, resulting in a set of recommended γ-ray calibration lines.
Towards the development of a conceptual distance metric for the UMLS

The objective of this work is to investigate the feasibility of conceptual similarity metrics in the framework of the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). We have investigated an approach based on the minimum number of parent links between concepts, and evaluated its performance relative to human expert estimates on three sets of concepts for three terminologies within the UMLS (i.e., MeSH, ICD9CM, and SNOMED). The resulting quantitative metric enables computer-based applications that use decision thresholds and approximate matching criteria. The proposed conceptual matching supports problem solving and inferencing (using high-level, generic concepts) based on readily available data (typically represented as low-level, specific concepts). Through the identification of semantically similar concepts, conceptual matching also enables reasoning in the absence of exact, or even approximate, lexical matching. Finally, conceptual matching is relevant for terminology development and maintenance, machine learning research, decision support system development, and data mining research in biomedical informatics and other fields.
Adverse reactions and interactions with theophylline

Despite the trend towards newer therapeutic agents, theophylline continues to play a major role in the treatment of reversible airway obstruction. Clinical use of the drug is complicated by a relatively narrow therapeutic range and a large pharmacokinetic variability between patients. Generally, however, theophylline toxicity is foreseeable and preventable. Most cases can be attributed to either inadvertent or intentional overdosing of the drug. Age, disease state and drug interactions are other factors which may contribute to its toxicity. Nausea, bdvomiting and tachycardia are common signs of mild theophylline toxicity; seizures, ventricular arrhythmias and hypotension are life-threatening manifestations of severe toxicity which may respond poorly to standard therapy. Although serum theophylline concentration correlates with toxicity in a general fashion, life-threatening adverse reactions are not readily predictable from the drug concentration alone. Treatment of theophylline toxicity primarily involves supportive care along with gastric lavage and administration of activated charcoal to facilitate drug removal. The early use of haemoperfusion may be life-saving in cases of severe toxicity.
Flash photolysis of flavins. II. Quenching of the photoreactions.

— Quenching of the degradative photobleaching of FMN in anaerobic aqueous solution, and of the flavin-sensitized photo-oxidation of EDTA, alcohols, glycols, and glycerol, has been examined using flash techniques. The quenching can be produced by addition of KI, by successive flashes, and by increasing the flavin concentration (self-quenching). It is concluded that the lowest triplet is the photoreactive species in all systems, that the successive flash effect is due to triplet quenching by a reaction product, and that the concentration quenching may be due to either triplet-triplet annihilation or to reaction between a ground-state flavin and a flavin triplet.
Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of proteins: the separation of hemoglobin chain variants.

Abstract The potential of reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography for the separation of closely related proteins has been investigated. Using an octadecasilyl silica stationary phase and a propanol/pyridine formate solvent system normal α- and β-chains of human hemoglobin have been separated from several of their respective mutant chains which differ by single amino acid residues only. The results suggest that reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography is a powerful tool for the separation of medium-sized proteins with minimal structural difference.
Structural alterations in deoxyribonucleic acid on chemical ethylation.

Abstract Ethylation of DNA by diethyl sulfate gave 7-ethylguanine as the major product. Dimethyl sulfate was much more reactive than diethyl sulfate in forming 7-alkylguanine. The hydrodynamic properties of DNA did not change as a direct consequence of ethylation. On incubation at 37 °C, the viscosity of ethylated DNA decreased at a rate similar to that of methylated DNA. The rate of depurination of 7-ethylguanine from ethylated DNA was the same as that of 7-methylguanine from methylated DNA. These results demonstrate that ethyl groups have identical effects as methyl groups on the secondary structure and stability of DNA.
Development of the NBS 10Be/9Be isotopic standard reference material

Abstract The National Bureau of Standards (NBS), in conjunction with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) community, is in the process of developing a 10 Be/ 9 Be isotopic solution Standard Reference Material (SRM). The starting 10 Be/ 9 Be solution was provided by the ORNL after Secondary Ionization Mass Spectrometric characterization for isotopic concentration. The radioactivity purity of the ORNL Master solution was confirmed by gamma-ray spectrometry, then diluted at NBS with solutions made from zone-refined single-crystal beryllium metal and sub-boiling double-distilled hydrochloric acid. Four serial dilutions were necessary to achieve a final 10 Be/ 9 Be isotopic composition of approximately 3 × 10 −11 . The accuracy of the dilutions was confirmed by liquid scintillation and AMS measurements. The isotopic composition of the ORNL Master solution was also confirmed at NBS by Resonant lonization Mass Spectrometry. The isotopic composition of the final solution is being confirmed at the present time through international laboratory AMS measurements.
Radiation-induced cavitation process in a metastable superheated liquid I. Initial and pre-bubble formation stages

Abstract The cavitation phenomenon in a superheated liquid following the irradiation of the medium by a flux of neutrons is studied from a macroscopic viewpoint. This is, essentially, the bubble chamber problem. The interaction between the neutron flux with the material medium is modeled here as a sudden deposition of energy along a straight line in a medium which may undergo phase transition. Mathematically the problem consists of solving the nonlinear fluid dynamic equations governing the motion of a viscous, heat-conducting, compressible fluid subjected to the singular initial condition of a sudden energy deposition along an infinite line. Time evolution of the resulting “thermal spike” and cylindrical shock wave produced is followed by numerical computations. A scaling transformation is used to resolve the initial development of the singularity. The leading term in the solution at the initial stage is in agreement with the solution which may be inferred by dimensional reasoning and obtained by the similarity method. Subsequent development of the flow field is first followed by the implicit donor-cell finite difference method and then by Miller's moving finite element method, to account for the multiple propagating steep gradients developed in the course of time. The necessity of using a combination of numerical and analytical techniques to solve such a complex problem is discussed. Part I of this paper is concerned with the development of the flow field leading to the incipient formation of an “embryonic” bubble. Part II discusses the growth of this “embryonic” bubble leading to cavitation or to its eventual collapse.
Morphological changes in the young, adult and aging rat cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and diencephalon

This study was designed to serve as a standard for experiments studying effects of behavior or other variables on the anatomy of the rat brain. The depth of the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, and the diencephalon were measured, as well as the width of the diencephalon, in male, Long-Evans rats in the following age groups: 6, 10, 14, 20, 26, 41, 55, 77, 90, 108, 185, 300, 400, and 650 days. In general, the depth of all the forebrain structures increases to 26 days of age at which time the cerebral cortex decreases while the hippocampus and diencephalon continue to increase until 650 days of age. A search for hemispheric dominance in the rat showed the right cerebral cortex to be thicker than the left in all age groups in 92 out of 98 areas measured. The body weights and endocrine organ weights were recorded.
Cloning and developmental expression of the chick type II and type III TGFβ receptors

To address the role of peptide growth factors in chick organogenesis, we have focused on TGF beta 2 and have cloned the chick Type II and Type III TGF beta receptors. The chick Type II receptor is a serine/threonine kinase with a ligand binding profile identical to the human receptor and a divergent N-terminus when compared to the mammalian receptors. The chick Type III receptor is a beta-glycan that demonstrates a binding profile identical to the rat receptor and contains a single transmembrane spanning domain and short cytoplasmic tail that are highly conserved when compared to the mammalian receptors. Both the Type II and Type III TGF beta receptors are coexpressed during chick embryogenesis in the developing heart, lung, and eye, and are developmentally upregulated in parallel in the heart and lung. Levels of both receptor proteins and mRNAs also increase in cardiocytes cultured from different developmental stages, in agreement with the increase in Type II and Type III receptor mRNA levels observed in the developing heart. Although exhibiting different temporal or spatial profiles from the receptors, TGF beta 2 is also expressed in the developing heart, lung, and eye. These findings are consistent with recent data indicating that co-expression of both the Type II and Type III TGF beta receptors is required for high affinity binding of TGF beta 2 by the Type II receptor and suggest that TGF beta 2 and the Type II and Type III TGF beta receptors participate in heart, lung, and eye development.
Rayleigh scattering from an argon plasma jet at atmospheric pressure

Abstract Rayleigh scattering of the 5145 A line of an argon ion laser is reported for a d.c. argon plasma jet operating at 1 atm. The measured signal intensity is used to obtain the kinetic temperature distribution of the plasma gas and this distribution is compared with the spectroscopic LTE temperatures determined from the 4300 and 7272 A argon I lines. The results show that over a wide range of power levels, LTE is not satisfied except for the very central region of the plasma. In all other parts of the jet, the upper states of the argon atoms in the plasma are overpopulated.
Factors influencing differential growth of rat mammary tumor fragments and cells transplanted in gland-free and gland-containing mammary fat pads☆

Transplants from eight primary tumors induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene were placed into gland-free and gland-containing inguinal mammary fat pads of syngeneic female hosts. Samples were transplanted as 1 mm3 fragments or as cell suspensions of enzymatically dissociated tumors averaging 1.5 X 10(5) cells/ml. Similar differential growth patterns resulted from both types of transplants. In samples from two of eight tumors fragments produced more tumors than did dissociated transplants, regardless of fat pad condition. In one case dissociated transplants gave rise to more tumors than did fragments. Samples from two of eight tumors produced no differences in tumor growth from fragments and dissociated transplants. Samples from the remaining two showed low transplantability. Overall, no significant differences in tumor growth could be attributed to transplant treatment or fat pad condition. Gland-containing fat pads inhibited ductal outgrowth following transplantation while gland-free fat pads favored it. From the data, the greater the lability of the primary tumor, the greater the influence of the host microenvironment on the outgrowth potential of the tumor.
Historical perspectives of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery: Adrian V. S. Lambert (1872-1952).

FIGURE 1. Adrian Van Sinderen Lambert. Adrian Van Sinderen Lambert (Figure 1), the 22nd president of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), was born in New York City on June 30, 1872, the ninth child of Dr and Mrs EdwardWilberforce Lambert. He attended a small private school in New York City and then, like his father and 2 of his older siblings (Samuel Waldron and Alexander), enrolled in Yale University. In addition to the typical premedical curriculum, he also broadened his education to include French, German, and 3 years of Greek. During his junior year, he was ‘‘tapped’’ and inducted into the Skull and Bones secret society, an honor reserved for a select few regarded as campus leaders. Lambert graduated in 1893 and matriculated at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S), following in the footsteps of his father, brothers, and uncle Alfred. He graduated in 1896 and spent a year in a medical internship at New York Hospital. In 1897, he stayed on as a surgical intern, but his internship was interrupted by a freakish accident—his right eye was splashed during a procedure. This led to the development of gonorrheal ophthalmia, which eventually required the enucleation of his eye and resulted in his leaving the residency program. Heading to Europe, Lambert went to Berlin, Vienna, and Munich to study pathology. He had not given up the thought of being a surgeon, so he learned to adapt to the use of a single eye by cuttingmeat in a butcher shop as well as performing autopsies and anatomic prosections. Thus, when he returned to New York City at the turn of the century, he was a master anatomist and was able to obtain a position as an assistant demonstrator in anatomy at P&S. His interest in anatomy and pathology was a lifelong pursuit, and he made contributions in the neurosciences, helping to identify some of the cerebral pathways in primates and demonstrating the communication of the cerebral ventricles in wax casts made from cadaveric brains. In 1904, Lambert became an assistant surgeon in the outpatient service at Bellevue Hospital, and the following year he became an instructor in surgery at P&S. Although he maintained his academic affiliation with P&S (eventually
Estimating Diffusion Parameters from Polarized Spherical-Gradient Illumination

The proposed method acquires subsurface-scattering parameters of heterogeneous translucent materials. It directly obtains dense per-surface-point scattering parameters from observations under cross-polarized spherical-gradient illumination of curved surfaces. This method does not require explicit fitting of observed scattering profiles. A variety of heterogeneous translucent objects illustrate its validity.
Recent Literature Shows Accelerated Growth in Hypermedia Tools: An Annotated Bibliography.

Since publication of an earlier hypertext/hyper‐media bibliography in Library Hi Tech Bibliography, two trends have experienced accelerated growth. The first is the explosion of hypermedia and hypermedia tools in both quantity and quality. Movies, pictures, and sound are now commonly linked with hypertext in ever‐more complex presentations. This trend will continue as costs begin to decrease.
Link Prediction: Fair and Effective Evaluation

Link prediction is a popular area for publication. Papers appear in virtually every conference on data mining or network science with new methods. We argue that the practical performance potential of these methods is generally unknown because of challenges endemic to evaluation in many link prediction contexts. We demonstrate that current methods of evaluation are inadequate and can lead to woefully errant conclusions about practical performance potential. We argue for the use of precision-recall threshold curves and associated areas in lieu of receiver operating characteristic curves due to the extreme imbalance of the link prediction classification problem. We provide empirical examples of how current methods lead to questionable conclusions, how the fallacy of these conclusions is illuminated by methods we propose, and suggest a fair and consistent framework for link prediction evaluation for longitudinal and non-longitudinal network data sets.
Muscular dystrophy in infancy. Report of 2 cases in siblings with diaphragmatic weakness.

Summary The case are presented of two siblings who died of respiratory failure associated with dystrophic changes in the diaphragm, and, in one case, also in the pectoral muscle. The changes were those of a primary myopathy, and not essentially different from those seen in more typical cases of progressive muscular dystrophy. Difficulties in histologic diagnosis are mentioned and the value of biopsy of the muscle stressed.
Occipital cortico-pyramidal projection in hypothyroid rats

Abstract It is well established that the progressive disappearance of a transient occipitospinal projection in neonatal rats involves the selective elimination of axonal collaterals. We studied whether the development of the occipitospinal pathway was affected by hypothyroidism induced by treatment with the goitrogen 6n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) beginning prenatally. Using both anterograde (biocytin and Dil) and retrograde (horseradish peroxidase and Fast Blue) tracing techniques in adult hypothyroid rats, we found that many cells with projections into the pyramidal tract are present in regions of visual cortex that are devoid of such cells in normal adult rats. Our results suggest that hypothyroidism induced by PTU treatment leads to the maintenance of occipitospinal projections that are normally transient.
Determination of the electron's atomic mass and the proton/electron mass ratio via Penning trap mass spectroscopy

Accuracy of the electron's atomic mass has been improved tenfold by comparing cyclotron frequencies of electrons and single ${\mathrm{C}}^{6+}$ ions alternately confined to the same uniform magnetic field in a Penning trap. Cyclotron resonances are observed via frequency shifts in the particle's continuously monitored harmonic motion parallel to the field. Field instability and relativity cause, respectively, the leading statistical and systematic errors. Combining the electron's atomic mass ${M}_{e}=0.0005485799111(12)$ u with the proton's yields the mass ratio $\frac{{m}_{p}}{{m}_{e}}=1836.1526665(40)$.
Recovery and stimulation of copepod bioluminescence

Abstract The depletion of bioluminescence that occurs during net collection and handling, and its subsequent recovery, was investigated in three species of oceanic calanoid copepods, Pleuromamma xiphias (Giesbrecht), Lucicutia flavicornis (Claus), and Gaussia princeps (T. Scott). Only 14–38% of total bioluminescence was present l h after collection. Recovery of light emission occurred at an exponential rate which did not vary with species. Full recovery of bioluminescence occurred within 1 day, and was due to increases in both the quantum emission of individual flashes and the number of flashes contributing to the response. Total bioluminescence was related to species size, as was the time to full recovery. Once fully recovered, P. xiphias produced three types of flashes in response to mechanical stimulation. These flash types differed in response kinetics and quantum emission. The rate of mechanical stimulation affected the rate at which flashes were produced and not the total amount of bioluminescence. Therefore, stimulus strength and duration will influence the nature of the bioluminescent response.
On the pitot tube in superfluid helium

Abstract Recently Meservey has noted that operation of a pitot tube is inconsistent with irrotational flow. Experimental data obtained several years ago are presented showing that under some condotions both superfluid and normal fluid contribute to the Bernoulli pressure drop.
The politics of sustainable development opposition: State legislative efforts to stop the United Nation’s Agenda 21 in the United States

The Tea Party exploded on the US political scene with President Barack Obama’s election and scholarly research focuses on its role in national issues. However, Tea Party and property rights advocates, among others, also fiercely oppose sustainability city planning issues, recently having legislation introduced in 26 US states to stop such practices. They perceive planning as directly connected to the United Nation’s 1992 document, Agenda 21: the Rio Declaration on Development and Environment. The counter-narrative suggests the UN seeks to restrict individual property rights and American sovereignty. Meanwhile, Agenda 21-related planning is favourably considered and practiced worldwide. Through a mixed-methods approach using quantitative and case-based research, we track the opposition’s emergence through the introduction and sometimes adoption of state legislation. We draw conclusions and implications for research and practice using a theoretical framework routed in scholarship from planning, geography, p...
Suppression of an ilvA Mutation in Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis W23 mutant strain MCB326 was temperature sensitive and inhibited by valine. Valine inhibition of growth was specifically reversed by leucine or α-keto-isocaproate. Either leucine or isoleucine overcame the temperature sensitivity. Formation of several isoleucine and valine biosynthetic enzymes was altered in the mutant. MCB326 contained a lesion in the structural gene specifying threonine deaminase and a second mutation which suppressed the isoleucine auxotrophy.
Passwords are Dead: Alternative Authentication Methods

The idea of protecting information has been around for many centuries. Modern computers use a system of authentication to protect the machine from unauthorized access. One of the greatest challenges today is that the average user has about 40 personal and professional accounts that rely on user names and passwords for authentication. These logins are rarely unique, hardly ever changed, oftentimes simplistic, and rely on insecure "security questions" fallback options because they are regularly forgotten and reset [1]. The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of data breaches of major corporations and government agencies and that number only continues to grow. These significant breaches make it now more important than ever to find some new ways to access private data. In order for us to stay safe and secure online, we must look at emerging technologies to conceptualize the future of login authentication. From biometrics to sound-based passwords to electronic tattoos and ingestible pills, the future holds numerous ways for us to interact with our machines in a safer and more efficient manner than ever before.
The association between parental personal/marital adjustment and parent-child interactions in a clinic sample

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine the relative and additive effects of two variables, depression and marital adjustment, on three aspects of the relationship of mothers and their clinic-referred children: parent behavior, child behavior and parent perceptions of child adjustment. Mother-child pairs were assigned to one of four groups based on their scores on the Marital Adjustment Test (MAT) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI): high MAT, high BDI; high MAT, low BDI: low MAT, high BDI; and low MAT, low BDI, Parent and child behavior was coded during home observations and parents completed a questionnaire concerning their perceptions of the child's adjustment. The results indicated that marital satisfaction was related to child and parent behavior, whereas depression was related to the perceptual measure. The two factors did not interact upon any of the dependent variables. The importance of the findings and the implications for parent training are discussed.
Photosensitization of tissue culture cells and its effect on viral plaque formation.

SummaryDegenerative changes occur in agar-overlaid tissue culture cells which have been exposed to light in the presence of neutral red. Temporary modification of the ability to form poliovirus plaques may occur in such cells when exposure to light is insufficient to produce discernible changes in the cell sheet.
Hard-to.Manage Preschool Boys: Externalizing Behavior, Social Competence, and Family Context at Two-Year Followup

Boys, identified as hard to manage in preschool, were followed up 2 years after initial assessment. Mothers, fathers, and teachers continued to rate hard-to-manage boys as having more problems with attention and impulse control, and as more oppositional, than comparison boys who had been problem-free at intake; problem boys also were rated as less socially competent by all three informants. Differences in severity were apparent as a function of initial referral source. Boys identified as showing significant problems by at least two informants (28% of the problem boys) were especially low in social competence and their mothers reported more symptoms of depression and parenting stress. Family adversity, lower IQ, and severity of symptoms at intake discriminated boys with continuing problems from those with less serious difficulties at followup. Control boys with potentially emerging problems were characterized by more family problems than the remaining control boys. Implications for the development of problems in young children are discussed.
Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration of Clinically Negative Lymph Nodes Versus Sentinel Node Mapping in Patients at High Risk for Axillary Metastasis

Sonographically directed fine-needle aspiration is a less invasive and less costly alternative to sentinel node (SN) mapping in breast cancer patients at high risk for metastatic disease but with clinically negative axillae. Radiographic, cytological, and histological diagnostic data on breast primary tumors from 114 consecutive SN candidates were prospectively assessed for clinicopathologic variables associated with an increased incidence of axillary metastases. Patients in whom these variables were identified underwent sonographic examination of their axillae followed by fine-needle aspiration when abnormal nodes were detected. SN mapping was performed in patients with normal axillary sonogram results or negative cytological results. Patients with positive cytological results proceeded to complete axillary dissection. Final axillary histological outcomes from patients not meeting the high-risk criteria were recorded. Additionally, a cost analysis was performed in which the costs of ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the axilla were compared with those of SN mapping. According to our selection criteria, a third of the patients with clinically negative axillae (37 of 114; 32%) were considered at high risk for axillary metastases. Fifty-nine percent of these patients (22 of 37) had metastatic disease on final histological analysis. Forty percent (15 of 37) of high-risk patients were spared SN mapping, with a reduction in health care costs of 20% in this patient population. Eighty-seven percent of patients not meeting high-risk criteria were SN negative. This study suggests that in patients at increased risk for axillary metastases, the use of sonographic evaluation of the axilla in combination with fine-needle aspiration is not only clinically justified, but also cost-effective.
Effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on quality of life in patients with COPD: the use of SF-36 summary scores as outcomes measures.

Purpose Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an accepted therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), improving both exercise capacity and quality of life (QOL). Generic measures of QOL have been criticized as being insensitive to detecting the improvement in QOL after PR in contrast to disease-specific instruments. The authors looked at the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36-item questionnaire (SF-36), a generic QOL measure, to detect changes in QOL in COPD patients after completion of PR. Methods Patients with COPD who participated in a PR program completed the QOL questionnaire before and after completion of PR. Exercise tolerance was assessed by the 6-minute walking test. Quality of life was assessed by the SF-36; the authors calculated its eight dimensions as well as mental (MCS) and physical (PCS) component summary scores. Results The patients realized a significant improvement in exercise tolerance; 6-minute walking test distance increased from 470 +/- 104 m (mean +/- standard deviation) to 536 +/- 133 m (P = 0.0006) after PR. Quality of life also improved in nearly all dimensions and in both summary scores; PCS improved from 26.1 +/- 8.0 before PR to 30.5 +/- 9.0 after PR (P = 0.008) and MCS improved from 27.9 +/- 7.0 before PR to 34.1 +/- 5.0 after PR (P = 0.0002). Conclusion The SF-36 and its summary scores are sensitive instruments to detect improvement in QOL in COPD patients after PR.
Laminar Flow Forced Convection Heat Transfer Behavior of a Phase Change Material Fluid in Microchannels

In this paper, a PCM fluid is compared with pure water as heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer behavior of phase change material fluid (PCM) under laminar flow conditions in circular and rectangular microchannels was studied numerically. As part of the numerical study, an effective specific heat technique was used to model the phase change process. Heat transfer results for smooth circular and rectangular microchannels with PCM fluid were obtained under hydrodynamically and thermally fully developed conditions. A PCM fluid in microchannels with different aspect ratios was found to exhibit unique thermal behavior which could be beneficial in electronic cooling applications. As a part of boundary conditions, the flow was assumed to be hydrodynamically fully developed at the inlet and thermally developing inside the microchannel. Heat transfer characteristics of PCM slurry flow in microchannels of various aspect ratios have been studied under three types of wall boundary conditions including constant axial heat flux with constant peripheral temperature (H1), constant heat flux with variable peripheral temperature (H2), and constant wall temperature (T) boundary condition. Effects of phase change on the heat transfer were determined using a specific heat model, which includes the effect of latent heat of fusion of the phase change material. The fully developed Nusselt number was found to be higher for H1 than for H2 and T boundary conditions for all the geometries.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Phase formation sequence and domain structure: A low-energy-electron-microscopy study of the Si(111)-(√3 × √3 )Ag surface

Changes in nucleation and phase formation sequence with temperature may strongly affect the morphology of the final phase. The Si(111)-(\ensuremath{\surd}3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} \ensuremath{\surd}3 )Ag structure develops directly from the clean (7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}7) structure at lower temperatures (500--700 K). Preferred nucleation at step edges and (7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}7) domain boundaries reduces the effective dimensionality of the substrate and explains anomalies in domain size scaling observed by Zuo and Wendelken. An intermediate three-domain (3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1) structure precedes the \ensuremath{\surd}3 structure at higher temperatures, leading to a complete change in \ensuremath{\surd}3 nucleation and growth, as well as final domain size distribution and total Ag coverage.
Wear in cylinder liners

Abstract Over the years, investigators have extensively studied various aspects of wear in cylinder liners but a survey of the literature has revealed little information on the subject of high wear rates found in the upper portion of the liners. In order to provide a better understanding of the subject, an attempt is made in this paper to assess the primary factors responsible for the high wear rates. It is observed that, although several factors can operate at the same time in influencing the wear process, in general wear is controlled by adhesion with contributions later on from corrosive and abrasive processes. The metallurgy of the liner also plays an important role in determining wear rates.
The class II MHC protein HLA-DR1 in complex with an endogenous peptide: implications for the structural basis of the specificity of peptide binding.

Abstract Background: Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins are cell surface glycoproteins that bind peptides and present them to T cells as part of the mechanism for detecting and responding to foreign material in the body. The peptide-binding activity exhibits allele-specific preferences for particular sidechains at some positions, although the structural basis of these preferences is not understood in detail. We have determined the 2.45 A crystal structure of the human class II MHC protein HLA-DR1 in complex with the tight binding endogenous peptide A2(103–117) in order to discover peptide–MHC interactions that are important in determining the binding motif and to investigate conformational constraints on the bound peptide. Results: The bound peptide adopts a polyproline II-like conformation and places several sidechains within pockets in the binding site. Bound water molecules mediate MHC–peptide contacts at several sites. A tryptophan residue from the β 2 ‘lower' domain of HLA-DR1 was found to project into a pocket underneath the peptide-binding domain and may be important in modulating interdomain interactions in MHC proteins. Conclusions: The peptide-binding motif of HLA-DR1 includes an aromatic residue at position +1, an arginine residue at position +2, and a small residue at position +6 (where the numbering refers to the normal MHC class II convention); these preferences can be understood in light of interactions observed in the peptide–MHC complex. Comparison of the structure with that of another MHC–peptide complex shows that completely different peptide sequences bind in essentially the same conformation and are accommodated with only minimal rearrangement of HLA-DR1 residues. Small conformational differences that are observed appear to be important in interactions with other proteins.
Developing an Automated Database for Monitoring Ultrasound- and Computed Tomography-Guided Procedure Complications and Diagnostic Yield

Monitoring complications and diagnostic yield for image-guided procedures is an important component of maintaining high quality patient care promoted by professional societies in radiology and accreditation organizations such as the American College of Radiology (ACR) and Joint Commission. These outcome metrics can be used as part of a comprehensive quality assurance/quality improvement program to reduce variation in clinical practice, provide opportunities to engage in practice quality improvement, and contribute to developing national benchmarks and standards. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and successful implementation of an automated web-based software application to monitor procedural outcomes for US- and CT-guided procedures in an academic radiology department. The open source tools PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and MySQL were used to extract relevant procedural information from the Radiology Information System (RIS), auto-populate the procedure log database, and develop a user interface that generates real-time reports of complication rates and diagnostic yield by site and by operator. Utilizing structured radiology report templates resulted in significantly improved accuracy of information auto-populated from radiology reports, as well as greater compliance with manual data entry. An automated web-based procedure log database is an effective tool to reliably track complication rates and diagnostic yield for US- and CT-guided procedures performed in a radiology department.
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare pulmonary infection complicated by cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis in a woman with anorexia nervosa

A 53-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of anorexia nervosa developed a bilateral lower extremity rash comprised of palpable red to violaceous, sub-centimeter papular lesions that increased in quantity rapidly. She also noted a 2-month history of non-productive cough. Imaging modalities revealed a thin-walled cavitary lesion in the right lung apex and scattered nodular opacities. Acid fast bacilli (AFB) were found in sputum and subsequently identified by culture as Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI). Punch biopsies of her skin lesions yielded a histological diagnosis of small-to-medium vessel vasculitis. Stains and cultures for organisms were negative. Her skin lesions resolved quickly after the initiation of antimicrobial therapy for MAI. Hypersensitivity vasculitis associated with an atypical mycobacterial infection is unusual. The postulated underlying mechanism is the deposit of immune complexes and not the bacillus itself. While cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis (CLV) due to MAI is certainly a rare entity, it should be entertained in patients with vasculitic skin lesions and a concomitant pulmonary disease.
Vector space methods of photometric analysis: applications to O stars and interstellar reddening

A multivariate vector-space formulation of photometry is developed which accounts for error propagation. An analysis of uvby and H-beta photometry of O stars is presented, with attention given to observational errors, reddening, general uvby photometry, early stars, and models of O stars. The number of observable parameters in O-star continua is investigated, the way these quantities compare with model-atmosphere predictions is considered, and an interstellar reddening law is derived. It is suggested that photospheric expansion affects the formation of the continuum in at least some O stars.
Spectroscopic photoacoustic microscopy using a photonic crystal fiber supercontinuum source.

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) provides high resolution images with excellent image contrast based on optical absorption. The compact size and high repetition rate of pulsed microchip lasers make them attractive sources for PAM. However, their fixed wavelength output precludes their use in spectroscopic PAM. We are developing a tunable optical source based on a microchip laser that is suitable for spectroscopic PAM. Pulses from a 6.6 kHz repetition rate Q-switched Nd:YAG microchip laser are sent through a photonic crystal fiber with a zero dispersion wavelength at 1040 nm. The highly nonlinear optical propagation produces a supercontinuum spectrum spanning 500 – 1300 nm. A tunable band pass filter selects the desired wavelength band from the supercontinuum. Our PAM system employs optical focusing and a 25 MHz spherically focused detection transducer. En-face imaging experiments were performed at seven different wavelengths from 575 to 875 nm. A simple discriminant analysis of the multiwavelength photoacoustic data produces images that clearly distinguish the different absorbing regions of ink phantoms. These results suggest the potential of this compact tunable source for spectroscopic photoacoustic microscopy.
Phenology of vertebrate removal ofMyoporum accuminatum fruits in a Queensland forest

Fruit removal rates ofMyoporum acuminatum in a Queensland population were correlated with size of the ripe fruit crop throughout the season, but only sporadically correlated with nutritive contents of the fruits. Removal rates, as a proportion of crop size, varied synchronously among individuals and did not differ consistently among individuals with differing fruit traits. The principal avian consumer wasMeliphaga lewinii.
MicroRNAs as therapeutic targets in chemoresistance

Despite substantial progress in understanding the cancer signaling network, effective therapies remain scarce due to insufficient disruption of oncogenic pathways, drug resistance and drug-induced toxicity. New and more creative approaches are therefore required for the treatment of cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by sequence-selective targeting of mRNAs, leading to a translational repression or mRNA degradation. Experimental evidence demonstrates that dysregulation of specific miRNAs leads to drug resistance in different cancers and correction of these miRNAs using miRNA mimics or antagomiRs can normalize the gene regulatory network and signaling pathways and sensitize cancerous cells to chemotherapy. Therefore, miRNA-based gene therapy provides an attractive anti-tumor approach for integrated cancer therapy. Here, we will discuss the involvement of microRNAs in chemotherapy resistance and focus on recent advancements in the development and delivery of miRNA-based cancer therapeutics.
The composition and diagenesis of interstitial solutions—II. Fluxes and diagenesis at the water-sediment interface in the high latitude North and South Atlantic

Studies of the major element composition of in situ sampled pore waters are reported for the North Atlantic and Southern Ocean between Africa and Antarctica. The pattern of diagenetic modification of pore water composition is similar throughout the entire Atlantic. Enrichment of Na+, Ca2+ and alkalinity and depletion of Mg2+ and K+ are nearly universal. Only siliceous oozes consistently provide very limited evidence of cation diagenesis. The changes observed and the calculated fluxes across the seawater-sediment interface are much the same as those reported previously for other areas of the Atlantic and Caribbean. Fluxes of the major cations across the interface continue to be indicated as a major factor in the geochemical cycling of these elements, particularly Na+, Mg2+ and K+. Diagenetic modelling indicates that aerobic oxidation of organic matter and consequent dissolution of CaCO3 is a dominant reaction throughout the North Atlantic. The data indicate that O2 oxidation to at least 30 cm is prevalent at nearly all stations. Dissolution of CaCO3 in response to the introduction of metabolic CO2 can lead to significant post-depositional modification of the sediments. The modelling also indicates a 1:1 stoichiometric relationship between Na+ release and Mg2+ uptake by sedimentary components. Although dissolved silica concentrations in biogenic siliceous sediments are among the highest yet reported (>700μM), calculations demonstrate that solubility control cannot be through equilibria with the mineral sepiolite. Further, the influence of cation-silicate surface phases, generally, upon solubility is contraindicated by Si(OH)4-Mg2+-H+ relationships. Evaluation of the influence of fluid advection on pore water profiles indicates that at the stations studied in the North Atlantic, it is small. A more general consideration of the potential contribution of fluid advection to shaping interstitial water profiles demonstrates that advection can be a dominant factor. In such circumstances, serious misinterpretation of the nature of diagenetic reactions may result from a lack of knowledge and consideration of fluid advection.
Computer simulation of phase separation in a quenched binary alloy

Abstract We report results of computer simulations of the process of phase segregation in a model binary alloy system following quenching. Comparison is made with predictions of the classical Cahn-Hilliard theory as well as with more recent theories by Langer and others. Among the conclusions drawn is that, for the model system studied, there is no region in the phase diagram in which there is an exponential growth of density fluctuations with long wavelength. This is in disagreement with the linearized classical theory which predicts exponential growth inside the spinodal region. Indeed, doubt is cast on the possibility of making, for these systems, a sharp operational distinction between a spinodal and a metastable region inside the coexistence curve.