cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding the Interrelationships Between Botanical, Human, and Veterinary Epidemiology: The Ys and Rs of It All

Epidemiology is concerned with disease dynamics within host populations. The botanical (plant disease), human (medical), and veterinary fields of epidemiology all have a common lineage in that all three disciplines share ecology as a common parent, yet all three fields have also evolved from a practical need to better manage diseases in their respective host populations. The analysis of botanical, human, and veterinary epidemics shares six common steps: 1) Defining disease problems in quantitative terms (attainable production or attainable population health minus the current production or population health management level presently being achieved); 2) Quantifying state and rate variables of pathosystem components (pathosystem analysis) to determine the effect of host, pathogen, and vector populations on the rate of pathogen spread (r), and the source and strength of inoculum reservoirs (y0); 3) Identifying the most effective management strategy(ies) (i.e., reduce y0, r, and/or t) to achieve effective control; 4) Developing and then quantifying the impacts of specific and integrated management tactics on disease dynamics as a means to evaluate a proposed disease management strategy or strategies; 5) Integrating management tactics into management programs and reevaluating the epidemiologic impacts of whole disease management programs on pathosystem dynamics, and finally; 6) Assessing the economic and environmental risks versus the actual benefits achieved by implementing integrated disease management programs. Although the botanical, human, and veterinary fields of epidemiology share many common concepts, the terminology used to express these concepts within the different disciplines has evolved different dialects (operational definitions) as well as different approaches to solve epidemiologic questions. By improving communication among epidemiologists who work mostly within their own disciplines (botanical, medical, and veterinary branches of epidemiology), we can better understand not only our own pathosystems, but we can vastly improve our understanding of disease dynamics at the ecosystem and global scales as well.
On CP violation experiments using hadron colliders

Abstract We calculate the production of multiple B mesons in hadron collisions, B B B B final states result from multiple parton interactions, higher-order QCD processes, and from overlapping events in the detector. With imperfect detectors and partial phase space coverage such events are the origin of BB and B B events which confuse the signature of B- B mixing and CP violation.
Credibility and Drug Education: A Critique and Reformulation

The literature on the impact of source credibility on drug education is reviewed. It is argued that most of this research is rooted in an inaccurate and imprecise conceptualization of credibility. Contemporary communication theory is drawn upon to suggest that the concept is more complex and more fluid than previously though, with the factors comprising credibility varying with the source, topic, situation, and audience. The implications of such a reconceptualization for drug education are discussed.
Fractional mass values of large molecules

From the standpoint of relative molecular mass (RMM) determination by mass spectrometry, the average relative molecular masses of organic molecules in the range over 2000 daltons are significantly influenced both by the fractional masses of the constituent elements and by natural variations in isotopic abundance. Differences between monoisotopic RMM and relative atomic mass (RAM) based RMM tend characteristically to differ between major classes of biomolecules primarily because of molar carbon content, the difference between polypeptides and nucleic acids being about 4 daltons at Mr = 25 000. Considering terrestrial sources alone, variations in the isotopic abundance of carbon lead to differences of about 10–25 ppm in average molecular mass, which is significant with respect to present mass measurement capability in the region up to several thousand daltons. Comments are made concerning the calculation of average RMM values horn isotopic probability profiles versus those from RAMs.
How do Quasicrystals Grow

Using molecular simulations, we show that the aperiodic growth of quasicrystals is controlled by the ability of the growing quasicrystal nucleus to incorporate kinetically trapped atoms into the solid phase with minimal rearrangement. In the system under investigation, which forms a dodecagonal quasicrystal, we show that this process occurs through the assimilation of stable icosahedral clusters by the growing quasicrystal. Our results demonstrate how local atomic interactions give rise to the long-range aperiodicity of quasicrystals.
Mutation of gene-proximal regulatory elements disrupts human ɛ-, γ-, and β-globin expression in yeast artificial chromosome transgenic mice

The YAC transgene copy number in the lines chosen for final expression analysis was determined using a YAC end assay, employing a probe that would detect a common 1.6-kbp band as well as other characteristic fragments in each digest. For example, a head-to-head tandem integration was predicted from the map of pYAC4 to yield an additional fragment 4.52 kbp in size (Fig. 2A, lanes 3 and 6), whereas a head-to-tail tandem integration would result in the generation of a fragment of 5.36 kbp (Fig. 2A, lane 5); if the YAC end was embedded in mouse chromosomal DNA (as either a single copy transgene or as the flanking copy of a multi-YAC integration), the size of the fragment would be dependent on the next random PstI site encountered in the mouse genome. From these data, combined with the data obtained from standard Southern blots and comparison of internal fragment intensities, we estimate that the three ɛ-silencer deletion lines contain three, two, and two transgene copies (Fig. 2A, lanes 1–3), respectively, whereas the two β-globin enhancer deletion lines both harbor four tandemly integrated YAC copies (Fig. 2A, lanes 5 and 6). Furthermore, the analysis shows that, as previously stated, the wild-type YAC transgenic line HS4321b (26) is single copy (Fig. 2A, lane 4).
New Short Splice Variants of the Human Cardiac Cavβ2 Subunit REDEFINING THE MAJOR FUNCTIONAL MOTIFS IMPLEMENTED IN MODULATION OF THE Cav1.2 CHANNEL

Two new short splice variants of the Ca2+ channel β2 subunit were cloned from human heart poly(A)(+) mRNA. The 410-amino acid β2f subunit is encoded by exons 1A, 2A, 3, 4, 12, 13, and 14 of the human Cavβ2 gene and lacks the protein kinase A phosphorylation site, the β-interaction domain (De Waard, M., Pragnell, M., and Campbell, K. P. (1994) Neuron 13, 495–503), 40% of the β-SH3 domain, and 73% of the guanylate kinase domain of the putative membrane-associated guanylate kinases module (McGee, A. W., Nunziato, D. A., Maltez, J. M., Prehoda, K. E., Pitt, G. S., and Bredt, D. S. (2004) Neuron 42, 89–99), and helix α3 of the α1-subunit binding pocket (Van Petegem F., Clark, K. A., Chatelain, F. C., and Minor, D. L., Jr. (2004) Nature 429, 671–675). The β2g transcript has two potential initiation codons. With the second ATG codon, it generates the 164-amino acid β2Δg subunit encoded essentially by the distal part of exon 14, and thus β2Δg completely lacks any of the above motifs. Immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed stable association of β2f and β2Δg with the α1C subunit. The plasma membrane localization of β2f and β2Δg was substantially increased by co-expression of the α1C,77 and α2δ subunits. In COS1 cells, β2f and β2Δg increased plasma membrane targeting of the pore-forming α1C subunit and differentially facilitated (β2f > β2Δg) the voltage gating of otherwise silent Cav1.2 channels. We conclude that it is unlikely that the β-interaction domain, membrane-associated guanylate kinases module, and the α1-subunit binding pocket helix α3 are essential for the interaction of the α1C and β2 subunits and suggest that in addition to the α1-subunit binding pocket helices α5 and α8, a yet unresolved C-terminal β2 region plays a crucial role.
Discovery of novel inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase through virtual screening of experimental and theoretical ensembles.

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are potent anti-HIV chemotherapeutics. Although there are FDA-approved NNRTIs, challenges such as the development of resistance have limited their utility. Here, we describe the identification of novel NNRTIs through a combination of computational and experimental approaches. Based on the known plasticity of the NNRTI binding pocket (NNIBP), we adopted an ensemble-based virtual screening strategy: coupling receptor conformations from 10 X-ray crystal structures with 120 snapshots from a total of 480 ns of molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories. A screening library of 2864 National Cancer Institute (NCI) compounds was built and docked against the ensembles in a hierarchical fashion. Sixteen diverse compounds were tested for their ability to block HIV infection in human tissue cultures using a luciferase-based reporter assay. Three promising compounds were further characterized, using a HIV-1 RT-based polymerase assay, to determine the specific mechanism of inhibition. We found that 2 of the three compounds inhibited the polymerase activity of RT (with potency similar to the positive control, the FDA-approved drug nevirapine). Through a computational approach, we were able to discover two compounds which inhibit HIV replication and block the activity of RT, thus offering the potential for optimization into mature inhibitors.
Digital image analysis method for rapid measurement of rice degree of milling.

ABSTRACT A digital image analysis method was developed to quickly and accurately measure the degree of milling (DOM) of rice. The digital image analysis method was statistically compared to a chemical analysis method for evaluating DOM, which consisted of measuring the surface lipids concentration (SLC) of milled rice. The surface lipid area percentage (SLAP) obtained by the image analysis method and the SLC obtained by chemical analysis had a high coefficient of determination using a quadratic model (R2 = 0.9819) and using a logarithmic model (R2 = 0.9703). The quadratic model and the logarithmic model were validated using the test data set and it received high coefficients of determination (R2 = 0.9502 and R2 = 0.9459, respectively).
Vacuum stripping of butane from water in a packed column

Abstract When the freezing or hydrating of brine in a desalting process for producing fresh water is achieved by means of an extraneous refrigerating agent, whether it is an almost immiscible gas, such as butane, or a gas capable of forming hydrates, such as propane, CH 2 ClF or other halogenated hydrocarbons, the outgoing products of brine and fresh water contain various amounts of the dissolved refrigerant. In the secondary refrigerant freezing process, the butane content in the product streams prior to degassing can vary between 80–140 ppm, depending upon the operating conditions. The hydrating agents are much more soluble, and the range is roughly from 0.1 to 3% by weight. The purpose of this study was to obtain data on the vacuum stripping of butane from water, and to analyze and interpret these data by means of current models of mass transfer, thus providing a sound basis for design. Butane was stripped from water down to concentrations as low as 0.6 ppm and the mass transfer rate was found to be liquid-diffusion controlled. The coefficients did not disagree with the predictive correlations of others, but a straightforward comparison was not possible. No particular design problems are foreseen in the stripping of butane down to very low concentrations, although additional data to predict heights of liquid transfer units at conditions of very high liquid to gas flow ratios would be useful.
Cystolithotomy during robotic radical prostatectomy: Single-stage procedure for concomitant bladder stones

Asymptomatic concomitant vesical calculi are an occasional finding on routine radiologic staging and evaluation of patients with early prostate cancer. We report the first case of single-stage robotic cystolithotomy for multiple bladder stones in a 64-year-old man undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy, and discuss the approaches available for ensuring complete stone clearance in this unique setting. We show that concomitant bladder stone extraction during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy is feasible and does not add significantly to operative time. This technique avoids the need to undergo additional general anesthetic procedures with potential complications such as bleeding, urethral stricture formation, and bladder perforation, prior to the prostatectomy.
Weights determine stability of sensitivity-optimal controllers

Abstract It is shown that the weight determines the stability of the H ∞ -optimal controller for weighted sensitivity minimization problems for a large class of scalar plants and weights. Necessary and sufficient interpolation conditions on the weight are given in order for the optimal controller to be stable. An easily evaluated formula for the optimal controller is provided when the interpolation conditions are met. It is also shown that for many scalar plants it is possible to choose the weights for weighted mixed sensitivity minimization so that the optimal controller is stable and minimum-phase. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
The use of cell lines for the study of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

In this issue of Leukemia Research, Drexler and MacLeod raise questions about the origins of cell lines used in the study of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and suggest caution in the use of these cell lines as models of this disease [Drexler HG, Macleod RAF. Malignant hematopoietic cell lines: in vitro models for the studies of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Leuk Res 2008].
Cluster-based estimation for sufficient dimension reduction

Sufficient dimension reduction (SDR) approaches such as ordinary least squares (OLS), sliced inverse regression, sliced average variance estimation and principal Hessian directions all require a linearity condition on the marginal distribution of the predictors X. This can be a significant limitation in practice. In this article we propose the use of clustering on the predictor space with the goal of breaking the nonlinearity among the predictors. We then estimate the dimension reduction subspace by combining estimates from individual clusters. OLS is used as a demonstration of the cluster-based estimation approach. Simulations have shown that the proposed method effectively mitigates the effects of nonlinearity; it thus has the potential to widen the applicative scope of existing SDR techniques.
Effects of Fluid Shear Stress on Endothelial Cell Invasion Into Three-Dimensional Matrices

We have previously developed a cell culture model to study the effects of angiogenic factors, such as sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), on the invasion of endothelial cells into the underlying extracellular matrix. In addition to biochemical stimuli, vascular endothelial cells are subjected to fluid shear stress due to blood flow. The present study is aimed at determining the effects of fluid shear stress on endothelial cell invasion into collagen gels. A device was constructed to apply well-defined fluid shear stresses to confluent human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) seeded on collagen gels. Fluid shear stress induced significant increases in cell invasion with a maximal induction at ∼5 dyn/cm2. These results provide evidence that fluid shear stress is a significant stimulus for endothelial cell invasion and may play a role in regulating angiogenesis.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Semantic & syntactic context-aware text entry methods

Entering text using small devices has always been a serious problem for motor or visually impaired users. Except for their problem of word ambiguity, dictionary based predictive disambiguation (DBPD) text entry methods, such as T9", have been proved to be very efficient in terms of the number of required keystrokes. Thus, they are suitable for users with physical difficulties. Common DBPD methods only use word frequency to resolve such cases when ambiguous keystroke sequences are encountered. This paper proposes a new method, which also utilizes the semantic and syntactical contexts in the preceding texts to help disambiguate the user desired words, therefore further reduce the number of keystrokes needed from physically challenged users.
Selectivity bias and the determinants of SAT scores

Abstract The determinants of state-wide average SAT scores are estimated for 1982 in a regression analysis which corrects for the proportion of students taking the test. The selectivity correction has a large impact on the estimates of the effects of other variables. Little effect of schooling variables (teachers' salaries, teachers per pupil, other expenditures) is found in the selectivity-adjusted estimates, except that large schools seem to depress SAT scores and private schools enhance scores. State-wide high school graduation standards also do not explain SAT score variation. In contrast, several demographic variables are quite important, including family size, the college-educated fraction of the population, and female-headed households. We can explain some of the SAT score decline in the 1970s with these cross-section estimates, suggesting that the decline over time is not due to changing resources for schooling but, in part, to changing demographics. In particular, a large part of the recent SAT score decline was caused by the large families of the post-war baby boom.
A toxicologic review of quantum dots: toxicity depends on physicochemical and environmental factors.

As a growing applied science, nanotechnology has considerable global socioeconomic value, and the benefits afforded by nanoscale materials and processes are expected to have significant impacts on almost all industries and all areas of society. A diverse array of engineered nanoscale products and processes have emerged [e.g., carbon nanotubes, fullerene derivatives, and quantum dots (QDs)], with widespread applications in fields such as medicine, plastics, energy, electronics, and aerospace. With the nanotechnology economy estimated to be valued at $1 trillion by 2012, the prevalence of these materials in society will be increasing, as will the likelihood of exposures. Importantly, the vastness and novelty of the nanotechnology frontier leave many areas unexplored, or underexplored, such as the potential adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to novel nanomaterials. It is within this context that the need for understanding the potentially harmful side effects of these materials becomes clear. The reviewed literature suggests several key points: Not all QDs are alike; engineered QDs cannot be considered a uniform group of substances. QD absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity depend on multiple factors derived from both inherent physicochemical properties and environmental conditions; QD size, charge, concentration, outer coating bioactivity (capping material and functional groups), and oxidative, photolytic, and mechanical stability have each been implicated as determining factors in QD toxicity. Although they offer potentially invaluable societal benefits such as drug targeting and in vivo biomedical imaging, QDs may also pose risks to human health and the environment under certain conditions.
Change and Exchange of Rest Mass of Elementary Particles During Collisions

In a recent letter I suggested [1] that the possiblity of a change of rest mass of elementary particles caused by collisions should be investigated. In general the distribution of energy and of momentum among the various particles which are involved in a collision will be complicated if a change of rest mass is taken into account. In two limiting cases, however, the results may be stated in a simple manner. These two cases are (A) an exhange of the rest masses between two elementary particles, and (B) a change of the rest mass of one individual particle which passes, for instance, through the field of a nucleus.
Effects of pH and Surfactant Precipitation on Surface Tension and CMC Determination of Aqueous Sodium n-Alkyl Carboxylate Solutions

Aqueous solutions of sodium tetradecanoate (S14C) and sodium dodecanoate (S12C) were used to evaluate complicated precipitation phenomena and to monitor the effects of bulk pH adjustments on surface tension and critical micelle concentrations (CMC) determination from surface tension plots. Limited solubilities of pure sodium n-alkyl carboxylates in solution near the CMC have been reported previously many times. In this study, precipitation encountered with solutions prepared from vender-supplied S12C was eliminated through additional purification. As sodium alkyl carboxylates discussed in the literature are commonly used as received from the manufacture without additional purification, the wide range of reported CMC values as well as precipitation near the CMC for S12C are also likely due to impurities. However, complete solubility for S14C solution concentrations near the reported CMC values was not obtained through additional purification of purchased material. Hence, some CMC values reported in the literature for S14C should be reconsidered, as discontinuities in the slope of surface tension versus concentration plots are likely caused by the formation of a precipitate not micelle aggregation. In addition and in agreement with other studies, solution pH adjustments revealed a minimum surface tension for maximum solubility near the pK a value for S14C.
Depositional Environments, Conodont Biostratigraphy, and Porosity Diagenesis of Montoya Group (Upper Ordovician), Sacramento Mountains, South-Central Mexico: ABSTRACT

Intensely dolomitized and siliceous marine carbonates comprise Upper Ordovician strata in the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico. Pray subdivided these units into lower Montoya, upper Montoya, and Valmont formations. These strata are more appropriately designated the Montoya Group which includes 3 formations: Second Value, Aleman, and Cutter. The subrounded, medium to coarse-grained sandstone rests disconformably on the Lower Ordovician El Paso Formation. This thin sand (Cable Canyon Member of the Second Value Formation) represents a End_Page 457------------------------------ transgression following Middle Ordovician erosion. The transition into the overlying Upham Member of the Second Value is gradational, but can be locally abrupt. The massive, finely crystalline dolostone was originally coral (tabulate and rugose forms) and crinoidal wackestone-packstone. Fossils are poorly preserved by chalcedony replacement. The transition from the relatively shallow-marine sediments into the deeper water strata of the Aleman Formation occurs over several meters. The very finely crystalline, cherty dolostone hosts rynchonellid and dalmanellid brachiopods and bryozoan colonies. Ribbon cherts developed around clusters of fossils. The Aleman changes sharply into chert-free, thin to medium-bedded Cutter. The argillaceous dolomicrite is nonfossiliferous except for conodont , isolated brachiopods, and a Favosites-type coral horizon. Tidal channels, intraclasts, and cyclic bedding indicate peritidal deposition during Cutter deposition. Erosion preceded Fussleman (Silurian?) deposition. Conodont faunas represent shallower conditions than the Montoya faunas of Sweet, but compare favorably for correlation. Panderodus and Belodina faunas characterize the shallow-marine Second Value Formation; deeper water Plectodina and Phragmodus characterize the Aleman; and very shallow-water Rhipidognathus characterizes the Cutter. Ages for the Second Value, Aleman, and Cutter Formations are late Edenearly Maysville, Maysville-early Richmond, and middle-late Richmond, respectively. Dolomitization interrupted early silica replacement of shells, matrix, and sulfates. Mosaic dolomite and epitaxial rims on dolomite cement virtually destroyed all effective porosity. End_of_Article - Last_Page 458------------
Effect of Exogenous GM1 on Ethanol Sensitivity in Selectively Bred Mouse Lines

Ethanol sensitive long-sleep (LS) and ethanol resistant short-sleep (SS) mice are lines that have been genetically selected for differential central nervous system sensitivities to the hypnotic effect of ethanol. Because they were genetically selected only for differences in sensitivity to ethanol hypnosis, biochemical and physiological differences between them are likely related to their differential ethanol sensitivity. The synaptosomal and whole brain concentration of GM1 ganglioside was previously shown to differ significantly between the lines. Further, GM1 alters membrane responses to ethanol, including a differential effect on LS and SS synaptosomal membrane disordering. Therefore, GM1 was administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) with micro-osmotic pumps, to partially bypass the blood-brain barrier and to test its effect on CNS sensitivity to ethanol hypnosis in LS and SS mice. In the first experiment, 3 days' infusion of GM1 (20 micrograms/microliters, 24 microliters/day), saline control and treated LS and SS mice were tested for both regaining of the righting reflex and waking brain ethanol concentration. Incorporation of 3H-GM1 into brain membranes was verified by scintillation spectroscopy. GM1 did not alter ethanol sensitivity or brain ethanol concentration at time of waking in LS mice. Conversely, SS mice treated with GM1 were significantly more sensitive to ethanol hypnosis than saline controls as measured by the time to regain the righting reflex ("sleep time") and waking brain ethanol concentrations. In the second experiment, GM1-treated SS mice were again significantly more sensitive to ethanol hypnosis than saline controls. GM1 incorporation into the contralateral and ipsilateral cerebral hemispheres was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Micromorphological characteristics of a marine ferromanganese crust

Abstract Marine ferromanganese oxide crust fragments sampled from a massive equatorial Pacific Ocean crust deposit exhibit distinct micromorphological features and a microchemical distribution which have not been previous reported. Black, shiny upper layers of the crust display a prismoidal microstructure and a unique crystallite habit expressed by a mosaic-like design of hexagonal and pentagonal columns. This columnar arrangement, which has been previously reported on a scale of a few millimeters in other marine Fe-Mn deposits, extends vertically for several centimeters and is observed throughout the entire horizontal plane of growth of the crust, and is the largest scale of morphological regularity observed in marine Fe-Mn deposits to date. The polygonal columnar structures which constitute the crust are mainly composed of Mn, Fe, and Ti oxides. Aluminium- and Si-rich intercolumnar space (lamellae) surrounds individual columns and sharply defines each polyhedron. Additionally, the chemical composition of the crust fragments exhibits an unusual uniformity over several centimeters which, to our knowledge, has not been previously observed in marine Fe-Mn minerals.
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Analysis of Gene Expression in the Rat Uterus in Vivo: Estrogen-Induced Recruitment of Both Estrogen Receptor α and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 to the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Promoter

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of microvascular permeability and angiogenesis, processes essential for normal endometrial growth and implantation. Estrogen [17β-estradiol (E2)], via its receptor (ERα), rapidly stimulates VEGF expression in the uterus at the transcriptional level. The VEGF gene promoter, however, lacks a consensus estrogen response element (ERE), and attempts to identify the site through which E2 induces VEGF expression have yielded contradictory results. To address this question, we modified the chromatin immunoprecipitation method to identify transcription factors that interact with the VEGF promoter in the rat uterus in response to E2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that both Sp1 and Sp3 were associated with a proximal, GC-rich region of the promoter before E2 treatment. E2 induced an increase in Sp1 binding and the recruitment of ERα, and the coactivator p300 to this region. The association of ERα persisted, however, after VEGF mR...
Sequential Loop Closure in Design of a Robust Rotorcraft Flight Control System

Rotorcrafte ightcontrolsystemspresentmanysignie cantdesignchallenges.First,largevariationsintheresponse characteristics of rotorcraft result from the wide range of airspeeds of typical operation (hover to over 100 kn ). Second, theassumption ofvehiclerigidity often employed in the design of e xed-wing e ight controlsystems israrely justie ed in rotorcraftwhererotordegreesof freedom can havea signie cant impact on the system performance and stability. A methodology is proposed for the design of robust rotorcraft e ight control systems utilizing quantitative feedback theory (QFT). QFT is a technique that accounts for variability in the dynamic response of the controlled element in thedesign of robust control systems. It was developed to address a multiple-input/single-output (MISO) design problem,buttheextension ofthistechniquetoaddressmultiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO)systemswas employed to address the e ight control system (FCS) design of a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter. This was accomplished by constructing a set of MISO systems mathematically equivalent to the MIMO system. QFT was applied to each member of the set independently. Inherent conservatism in this design technique leads to limitations in its utility. A second approach utilizing the sequential closure of control loops proved an improved method for designing of robust MIMO FCSs. An analysis of the two FCS design methodologies is presented.
Physical Absorption of CO2 and Sulfur Gases from Coal Gasification: Simulation and Experimental Results

Abstract High partial pressures of CO2, H2S and certain other constituents produced in coal gasification tend to make the use of physical solvents in associated acid gas removal systems more attractive than the use of chemical solvents. In the research program described in this paper operating data obtained on a pilot plant system employing refrigerated methanol as a solvent will be presented. A mathematical model of the packed absorber used in the process was developed. Predictions of system performance for a feed gas consisting of CO2 and nitrogen compared favorably to experimental data obtained on the system. In addition, there was very good agreement between predicted and observed distributions of nine of the major components in a feed gas synthesized in a coal gasification reactor. The results show the validity of the modeling procedure and may be used in understanding the general characterists of packed absorbers and strippers.
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation accelerates chylomicron triglyceride clearance

Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) reduce postprandial triacylglycerol (TG) concentrations. This study was undertaken to determine whether this effect was due to reduced production or increased clearance of chylomicrons. Healthy subjects (n = 33) began with a 4-week, olive oil placebo (4 g/d) run-in period. After a 4-week wash-out period, subjects were randomized to supplementation with 4 g/d of ethyl esters of either safflower oil (SAF), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for 4 weeks. Results for EPA and DHA were similar, and therefore the data were combined into one omega-3 FA group. Omega-3 FA supplementation reduced the postprandial TG and apolipoprotein B (apo B)-48 and apoB-100 concentrations by 16% (P = 0.08), 28% (P < 0.001), and 24% (P < 0.01), respectively. Chylomicron TG half-lives in the fed state were reduced after omega-3 FA treatment (6.0 +/- 0.5 vs. 5.1 +/- 0.4 min; P < 0.05), but not after SAF (6.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 7.1 +/- 0.7 min). Omega-3 FA supplementation decreased chylomicron particle sizes (mean diameter; 293 +/- 44 vs. 175 +/- 25 nm; P < 0.01) and increased preheparin lipoprotein lipase (LPL; 0.6 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.9 +/- 0.1 micromol/h/ml; P < 0.05) activity during the fed state, but had no effect on postheparin LPL or hepatic lipase activities. The results suggest that omega-3 FA supplementation accelerates chylomicron TG clearance by increasing LPL activity, and that EPA and DHA are equally effective.
Production of volatile hydrocarbons by isolated hepatocytes: An in vitro model for lipid peroxidation studies☆

Abstract Increased production of pentane, ethane, ethylene, and thiobarbituric acidreactive substances were measured in hepatocytes treated with bromotrichloromethane (CCl3Br), carbon tetrachloride, and chloroform. Linear correlations between these indices of lipid peroxidation were found when CCl3Br-treated hepatocytes still had high viability. Of the halogenated hydrocarbons tested, CCl3Br was the most potent initiator of peroxidation and caused the greatest amount of cellular damage as measured by trypan blue dye exclusion and glutamate pyruvate transaminase released from the cells. Hepatocytes from livers of rats fed a semisynthetic vitamin E-supplemented diet were slightly more protected from peroxidation and cellular damage induced by CCl3Br treatment than were hepatocytes from rats fed a vitamin E-deficient diet. The usefulness of isolated hepatocytes as a model for lipid peroxidation was demonstrated.
Flow and heat transfer behavior in transitional boundary layers with streamwise acceleration

The effects of streamwise acceleration on a two-dimensional heated boundary layer undergoing natural laminar-turbulent transition were investigated with detailed measurements of momentum and thermal transport phenomena. Tests were conducted over a heated flat wall with zero pressure-gradient and three levels of streamwise acceleration: K {equivalent_to} ({nu}/{bar U}{sub {infinity}}{sup 2}) (d{bar U}{sub {infinity}}/dx) = 0.07, 0.16, and 0.25 {times} 10{sup {minus}6}. Free-stream turbulence intensities were maintained at approximately 0.5 percent for the baseline case and 0.4 percent for the accelerating cases. A miniature three-wire probe was used to measure mean velocity and temperature profiles, Reynolds stresses, and Reynolds heat fluxes. Transition onset and end were inferred from Stanton numbers and skin-friction coefficients. The results indicate that mild acceleration delays transition onset and increases transition length both in terms of distance, x, and Reynolds number based on x. Transition onset and length are relatively insensitive to acceleration in terms of momentum thickness Reynolds number. This is supported by the boundary layer thickness and integral parameters, which indicate that a favorable pressure gradient suppresses boundary layer growth and development in the transition region. Heat transfer rates and temperature profiles in the late-transition and early-turbulent regions lag behind the development of wall shear stressmore » and velocity profiles. This lag increases as K increases, indicating that the evolution of the heat transport is slower than that of the momentum transport. Comparison of the evolution of rms temperature fluctuations to the evolution of Reynolds normal stresses indicates a similar lag in the rms temperature fluctuations.« less
Minimization of Immunosuppression and Tolerance Induction in Reconstructive Transplantation

Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is an innovative reconstructive modality for patients sustaining complex injuries not amenable to conventional treatment. Advances in immunosuppression have made VCA a clinical reality and a valid reconstructive option for such patients. The requirement, however, for multi-drug high-dose immunosuppressive regimens with their numerous side effects has hindered widespread clinical application of VCA. There is thus a need for novel immunologic modalities to minimize or even obviate the need for immunosuppression (tolerance induction) while still preserving the allograft and preventing rejection. Recent advances in targeted immunotherapy and cell-based protocols were able to achieve tolerance in selected cases of solid organ transplantation. This paved the way for innovative immunomodulatory protocols now also applied to VCA that aim for minimal immunosuppression or for induction of donor-specific tolerance. These concepts and novel protocols will be discussed in this review.
Differentiation of parapoxviruses by application of orf virus-specific monoclonal antibodies against cell surface proteins.

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies were produced against orf virus-specified cell surface proteins in an attempt to develop reagents capable of differentiating between members of the Parapoxviridae. Two immunization protocols were used to induce an anti-orf response in BALB/c mice, one of which resulted in virus replication in the recipient. The monoclonal antibodies produced were tested for crossreactivity with bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPS) and milker's node virus (MNV) by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and immunoblotting. The results indicate that significant antigenic overlap exists between isolates of orf, MNV and BPS, even at the level of specificity provided by monoclonal antibodies. One monoclonal antibody reacted strongly in IFA with orf virus isolates, very weakly with MNV, and not at all with BPS. On immunoblots this same antibody recognized a 40–43 kDa protein in orf virus-infected cells, and also a 45–48 kDa protein in cells infected with MNV or BPS virus. The data suggest that it may be possible to define parapoxvirus strains on the basis of small variations in specific virus-directed cell surface proteins.
Transcriptional responses of cultured rat sympathetic neurons during BMP-7-induced dendritic growth.

Background Dendrites are the primary site of synapse formation in the vertebrate nervous system; however, relatively little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the initial formation of primary dendrites. Embryonic rat sympathetic neurons cultured under defined conditions extend a single functional axon, but fail to form dendrites. Addition of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) triggers these neurons to extend multiple dendrites without altering axonal growth or cell survival. We used this culture system to examine differential gene expression patterns in naive vs. BMP-treated sympathetic neurons in order to identify candidate genes involved in regulation of primary dendritogenesis.
Dislocation behavior in fatigue V: Breakdown of loop patches and formation of persistent slip bands and of dislocation cells

Abstract The loop patch and channel structure in fatigued cooper becomes unstable at a resolved sgear stress of about 30 MPa at room temperature and is replaced by persistent slip bands (PSBs). This instability depends little, if at all, on frequency of cycling and strain amplitude. It appears to be a function only of the dislocation density in the loop patches but includes a temperature dependence (i.e. the critical stress rises to about 70 MPa at 4 K) which suggests that cross-slip, defect dragging and/or “forest cutting” are involved. In view of the available evidence it is suggested that the discussed instability is due to secondary glide on systems intersecting the primary slip plane which, through moving primary edge dislocations normal to their slip planes, permits their mutual annihilation. It is envisaged that such secondary glide takes place on a small scale in a very large number of places in the loop patches once the critical dislocation density is reached. A semiquantitative analysis of the stresses involved in conjunction with micrographical evidence indicates that the intersecting glide occurs at least partly on cube planes. If this interpretation is correct, the removal of the primary loops leaves behind dislocations which are faulted but are fairly mobile and are liable to annihilate each other mutually to a large extent and to leave “debris” which is then swept into the dipolar walls in the PSBs, all in agreement with micrographical evidence. Cell formation in the PSBs is believed to result at stresses high enough to introduce secondary glide in the PSBs. Loop patches, consisting as they do of mobile dislocations, must be attracted to the surfaces on account of the (mild) dislocation surpluses at their boundaries with the channels and the image forces arising therefrom. Such image forces are virtually independent of the presence of thin surface films, but such surface films can inhibit the escape of the prismatic loops out of the metal. Correspondingly, loop patches will be either enriched or depleted at surfaces, to a depth comparable with the average loop patch diameter, depending on whether the surface films are or are not so thick as to bar the egress of the loops. One probable example of each case is discussed.
The Five Hundred Years' Argument

Argument and Change in World Politics: Ethics, Decolonization, and Humanitarian Intervention. By Neta C Crawford. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 466 pp., $85.00 cloth (ISBN 0-521-80244-X), $30.00 paper (ISBN 0-521-00279-6). The end of the Cold War witnessed an impressive growth in the study of the impact of norms on international and domestic politics. The subject matter of the new work typically involved issues that had previously been the provenance of normative philosophers and international lawyers. Issues connected to just war theory and international humanitarian law, such as inhumane weapons and military intervention, received considerable attention (Price 1997; Tannenwald 1999). The broad category of human rights (women's suffrage, antislavery movements, torture, democratization) also figured prominently (Nadelmann 1990; Ron 1997; Keck and Sikkink 1998; Kaufmann and Pape 1999; Risse, Ropp, and Sikkink 1999). The focus on such issues in the new scholarship often seemed driven by ethical concerns, but the methods for studying them were fairly conventional and empirical rather than normative. The main innovations came in the theoretical realm, as students of normative change found traditional realist and institutionalist approaches (usually linked under the rubric “rationalist” or “materialist”) lacking in explanatory power. Thus, much of the new work on norms developed constructivist theoretical frameworks and pitted them against rationalist accounts, sometimes finding that a combination of approaches worked best (Katzenstein 1996; Checkel 1997; Thomas 2001). In parallel with the mainly North American constructivist study of norms, a group of German scholars was drawing upon the work of political theorist Jurgen Habermas to produce valuable insights into the effect of “communicative action” on international politics. A number of intrepid bridge-builders have sought to integrate the Habermasian work on argument and persuasion with mainstream constructivist and rationalist approaches, often with promising results (Risse 2000; Checkel 2001; Schimmelfennig 2001). Now, with the publication of Neta Crawford's Argument and Change in World Politics , we have a work that makes a major theoretical advance in …
Immunoautoradiographic detection of epidermal growth factor receptors after electrophoretic transfer from gels to diazo-paper

Several groups have attempted to identify the EGF receptor by a variety of biochemical techniques. Das et al. [l] identified the EGF receptor on 3T3 cells as a radioactive band of M, = 190 000 by photoaffmity labeling with a ‘251-EGF probe; Hock et al. [2] identified the EGF receptor in human placenta as a doublet of 160 000 and 180 000 M, by covalent cross-linking to ‘251-labeled EGF. The EGF receptor on A-43 1 cells was identified [3] as a radioactive band of M, 175 000 by ‘direct labeling’, which is accomplished by incubation of cells with 1251-EGF. Cohen and coworkers [4] have partially purified the EGF receptor of A-43 1 cells by affinity chromatography and analyzed the denatured proteins of such preparations by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. They found numerous protein bands in the affinity-purified preparations and suggested that a major protein band of M, 150 000 is the receptor for EGF in A-431 cells. More recently, Hunter and Cooper [S] isolated the EGF receptor from 32P-labeled A-43 1 cells by immunoprecipitation with an antiserum raised against crude plasma membrane from A-431 cells. They have estimated the M, of the EGF receptor present in the immunoprecipitates from A-43 1 cells as 155 000. The interaction of EGF with its membrane receptor, present in both crude plasma membranes from A-431 cells and in affinity-purified prepara-
BIOLOGICAL ASSAY OF ADRENAL CORTICAL ACTIVITY

DESPITE THE WIDE USE OF ADRENAL cortical extracts, both clinically and experimentally, no quantitative method for determining their activity has been generally accepted. Of the various procedures advocated (1–5) many are too laborious or require the use of so many animals to avoid the normal biological variation as to preclude their general use. The majority of the advocated procedures which are satisfactory from a technical standpoint are based on non-specific reactions easily vitiated and hence entirely unreliable as standard methods of procedure. Thus, the fact that certain steroids derived from adrenal cortical extracts cause sodium retention in the adrenalectomised animal has suggested that this reaction might be used as a method of assay. However, the fact that many steroids having no adrenal cortical activity exert a similar sodium-retaining effect would preclude the use of this reaction as a method of assay.
My Cautionary Breast Cancer Tale

A narrative of my first months as a breast cancer patient offers insight into how a feminist meets a biomedical crisis. Instead of consulting other women and feminist texts, I initially immersed myself in scientific information-gathering, only realizing later that decision-making is best done with feminist resources as well as medical experts. The new cancer centers are staffed with enthusiastic young women professionals who practice an autonomy-celebrating feminism that resulted in consumeristic pressure towards body normalcy through unnecessary (cosmetic) surgeries. I resisted this pressure, but learned that sexist assumptions and prescriptions flourish in the cancer-industrial complex—be prepared!
New tricks for an old fox: Impact of TGFβ on the DNA damage response and genomic stability

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a well-known master regulator of cellular proliferation and is a critical factor in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. TGFβ is classically defined as a tumor suppressor that functions in the early stages of carcinogenesis, yet paradoxically it functions as a tumor promoter in established cancers. Less well studied is its role in maintaining genomic stability through its participation in the DNA damage response (DDR). Deletion of Tgfb1 in murine epithelium increases genomic instability (GIN) as measured by gene amplification, aneuploidy, and centrosome aberrations; likewise, GIN is increased by depleting the TGFβ ligand or inhibiting TGFβ pathway signaling in human epithelial cells. Subsequent studies demonstrated that TGFβ depletion compromises cell survival in response to radiation and impairs activation of the DDR because of severely reduced activity of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a serine/threonine protein kinase that is rapidly activated by DNA double-strand breaks. The SMAD transcription factors are intermediaries in the crosstalk between the TGFβ and ATM pathways in the DDR. Recent studies have shown that SMAD2 and SMAD7 participate in the DDR in a manner dependent on ATM or TGFβ receptor type I, respectively, in human fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Understanding the role of TGFβ in the DDR and suppressing GIN is important to understanding its seemingly paradoxical roles in tumorigenesis and thus has therapeutic implications for improving the response to DNA damage-inducing therapy.