cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Copper deficient rat heart can compensate for doxorubicin-induced oxidant stress.

The hypothesis that copper (Cu) alters drug metabolizing enzymes and functions as an antioxidant nutrient in doxorubicin cardiotoxicity was tested. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed Cu adequate (+Cu; 5 mg Cu/kg of diet), marginally Cu deficient (MCu; 1.2 mg Cu/kg of diet), or severely Cu deficient (−Cu; 0.5 mg Cu/kg of diet) diets for 6 wk. Doxorubicin (1, 2, or 4 mg/kg body wt) or saline were administered intraperitoneally 1 time/wk for 4 wk. Compared to control hearts, Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase activity was decreased by 9% in MCu rats and by 21–40% in−Cu rats. Glutathione peroxidase activity was elevated 5–15% in−Cu rats. Doxorubicin administration increased heart Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase activity in+Cu and−Cu rats 18 h after the last of 4 injections, but not 18 h after 1 injection. There was no synergism between doxorubicin and Cu deficiency on lipid peroxidation, plasma creatine phosphokinase, cardiac hypertrophy, electrocardiographic abnormalities, or morphological changes. Heart glutathione S-transferase activity was decreased by Cu deficiency, and like Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase activity, returned to normal in−Cu rats given doxorubicin. Thus, the Cu deficient rat heart may be able to compensate for doxorubicin-induced oxidant stress by increasing the activity of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase.
KTP laser selective vaporization of the prostate in the management of urinary retention due to BPH

High-powered photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) is a relatively new addition in the armamentarium against bladder outlet obstruction due to BPH. With BPH, the prostate undergoes stromal and epithelial hyperplasia, particularly in the transitional zone, mediated by dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This periurethral enlargement can compress the prostatic urethra leading to bladder outlet obstruction and eventually urinary retention. Treatment of uncomplicated symptomatic BPH has evolved from the standard transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to multiple medical therapies and the putative minimally invasive surgical procedures. These include microwave ablation, needle ablation, balloon dilation, stents, as well as fluid based thermo-therapy, ultrasound therapy and cryotherapy. Different forms of lasers have been applied to treat BPH with variable short and long term benefits of urinary symptoms. However, the controversy remains about each laser regarding its technical applicability and efficacy.
Augmentation of antibody responses by retinoic acid and costimulatory molecules

Antibody production is crucial for a successful vaccine response. Beyond the ability of vitamin A (VA) and its active metabolite, all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) to restore growth in VA-deficient animals, supplementation with VA and/or treatment with RA can augment antibody responses in both VA-deficient and VA-adequate animals. RA alone, and in combination with stimuli that are ligands for the Toll-like receptor family, can augment the adaptive immune response leading to a heightened primary antibody response, and a stronger recall response upon restimulation. Mechanisms may include regulation of cell populations, type 1/type 2 cytokines, and B cell-related transcription factors, leading to accelerated B cell maturation.
An Ecological Understanding of Kinship Foster Care in the United States

We review empirical studies on kinship foster care in the United States. We conceptualize kinship foster care within the context of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) most recent ecological systems theory. Because there are multiple levels of influences on the developmental outcomes of children placed in kinship foster home, understanding the interrelations between the individual (child) and his or her surrounding environments (e.g., biological families, social-support network) is important. We argue that Bronfenbrenner’s most recent ecological systems theory is an appropriate theoretical framework for policy and practice implications in addressing complex issues surrounding kinship foster care system in the United States. This review integrates the empirical findings collectively on the factors associated with kinship foster care within and between five systems levels of the ecological systems theory: micro- (caregiver-child relationship, attachment, and kinship family environment), meso- (biological families), exo- (social-support network outside the family), macro- (race/ethnicity and policies), and chrono- (welfare reform) systems levels. Theories that are relevant to the ecological factors (e.g., attachment theory) are also discussed. Finally, we draw policy and practice implications from the ecological systems analysis.
An examination of dieting behaviors among adults: Links with depression

Abstract In the current study, we examined predictors of healthy and unhealthy dieting behaviors with the aim of examining whether or not weight control strategies are associated with depression. Men and women (N = 198; M = 24.80 years; 51% women) were recruited from a university campus and its surrounding community in the northeastern US. Participants' height and weight were measured, and they completed a survey on health behaviors and attitudes. Results indicated that women and men with high BMIs were more likely to engage in both healthy and unhealthy dieting behaviors than those with low BMIs. Additionally, women with higher levels of depressive symptoms utilized fewer healthy dieting behaviors and more unhealthy dieting behaviors. Depression was not linked to healthy or unhealthy dieting behaviors in men. These findings are discussed in terms of the potential reciprocal relationship between women's unhealthy weight control strategies and depression.
Control of nonelectrolyte permeability in red cells.

Abstract Ploretin is shown to alter the permeability coefficients, θ, of both hydrophilic and lipophilic solutes in human red cells membranes. At a phloretin concentration of 0.25 mM, the hydrophilic solute, urea, has an θ = 0.34 control whereas the lipophilic solute, 2,3-butanediol, has an θ = 2.1 control. Thus, phloretin, to which the membrane is impermeable, affects both hydrophilic and lipophilic permeation pathways. Our results are consistent with the view that phloretin interacts with a membrane protein to cause allosteric actions in which the conformational change effective in the aqueous path also controls lipid permeation.
Economic inequality in Nepal: Patterns and changes during the late 1990s and early 2000s

Nepal has undergone enormous economic and political changes during the past two decades. Data suggest that these were accompanied by large and increasing economic inequality after the mid 1990s with income from house rental, employment, businesses and remittances as well as the stock of wealth in real estate and businesses constituting the leading sources. Considerable disparities existed by castes/ethnicities and spatial distinctions with upper caste Hindus and Newars and urban areas consolidating their command of resources. The deep-seated socio-cultural practices and changing political landscape appear to greatly affect the gulf between those with and without access to power. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neutronic evaluation of a PWR with fully ceramic microencapsulated fuel. Part I: Lattice benchmarking, cycle length, and reactivity coefficients

Abstract The fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel concept is based on the tri-isotropic (TRISO) carbon coated fuel particles. These particles were developed and demonstrated for use in high temperature gas reactors. It has been proposed to use these particles in light water reactors to provide potential operational and safety benefits. The reference fuel in this case assumes TRISO-like particles with a ∼20%-enriched uranium-nitride kernel embedded in a silicon carbide (SiC) matrix. The fuel particles are contained in a “compact” which is then inserted into a cladding. The fuel assembly features the same dimensions as a standard 17 × 17 Westinghouse fuel assembly. FCM fuel requires fission products to traverse several barriers in the proposed fuel design before reaching the cladding. FCM fuel may also reduce fuel-cladding interaction and fuel pellet swelling while enabling higher fuel burn-up. This study is a neutronic evaluation of the use of FCM fuel in an advanced pressurized water reactor (PWR). On the lattice level, the SERPENT Monte Carlo and TRITON deterministic tools were used, while the whole core simulation was based on the three-dimensional PARCS nodal code. This paper presents the results of the lattice-level neutronic study of doubly heterogeneous FCM fuel. Strong agreement was found between the SERPENT and TRITON codes in terms of k-infinity as a function of burn-up, actinide build-up, and “pin” powers. The impact of several simplifying geometric assumptions was considered, such as the use of a square particle lattice within the FCM fuel pins. It was determined that the linear reactivity model does not provide a good estimate of the fuel cycle length, due primarily to non-linear reactivity behavior at high burn-up (>800 effective full power days). To determine cycle length, higher order reactivity models were applied to the lattice results. The calculated cycle lengths are slightly reduced versus a reference uranium oxide case. Finally, the assembly-level reactivity coefficients were calculated as a function of burn-up. The fuel and moderator temperature coefficients were negative for FCM fuel, but reduced in magnitude by approximately 50% versus a reference uranium oxide case.
Circulating Soluble Fas and Fas Ligand Levels Are Elevated in Children with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

There is an urgent need to develop alternatives to liver biopsy in children to diagnose nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the aggressive form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Increased hepatocyte apoptosis plays a central role in the development of NASH. To evaluate the plasma levels of two markers of apoptosis, soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), in children with NAFLD and assess their utility as biomarkers of disease severity. Children with biopsy-proven NAFLD were included, and blood samples were collected. Patients were divided into NASH and “not NASH.” We measured plasma sFas and sFasL using specific ELISA immunoassays. One hundred and seventeen children with NAFLD were recruited. Average age was 12.2 ± 2.9 years, 67 % were male, and 58 % had NASH. Patients with NASH had significantly higher levels of sFas and sFasL than patients in the “not NASH” group (686.0 ± 186.5 pg/mL versus 594.2 ± 244.9, p = 0.023 for sFas and 324.9 ± 146.5 pg/mL versus 221.4 ± 134.0, p < 0.001 for sFasL). sFasL was found to have higher accuracy for predicting the presence of NASH on liver biopsy with an AUC (95 % CI) of 0.714 (0.618, 0.810). A prediction model, the NASH apoptosis score, was generated consisting of plasma sFasL, age, ferritin, transferrin, and triglyceride levels. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.78 (95 % CI 0.0.69, 0.87). Markers of the extrinsic pathway of hepatocyte apoptosis are elevated in children with NASH. sFasL and the NASH apoptosis score are potential novel biomarkers for NASH.
Studies on multicomponent solids mixing and mixtures Part III. Mixing indices

Abstract The literature on the assessment of the quality of solids mixtures is scarce, especially for multicomponent mixtures. Four approaches to assess the homogeneity of a multicomponent solids mixture have been proposed in this study. The mixing indices proposed are estimated on the basis of the 1. pseudo-binary mixture concept 2. pooled variance of the whole system 3. determinant of the sample covariance matrix, or 4. absolute deviations from the population means. The use of various mixing indices for multi-component mixtures has been shown through a ternary mixture.
Development of Quantum Dot-Mediated Fluorescence Thermometry for Thermal Therapies

As thermal therapies are frequently employed for management of tumors in various organs, there are growing demands for reliable and accurate intraoperative monitoring techniques of the thermal lesion. However, current monitoring techniques have limited accuracy, accessibility and are not capable of monitoring the thermal lesion in real-time during the procedure. In the present study, quantum dot-mediated fluorescence thermometry was developed and its performance was characterized to demonstrate the feasibility of spatiotemporal monitoring of thermal lesions. First, the temperature dependency of two different types of CdTe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were characterized in a temperature range relevant to hyperthermic therapies, and a temperature-intensity relationship was established for each QD. The spatial and temporal resolutions of the system were characterized by exposing QDs to a pre-determined spatial temperature gradient, and by monitoring the spatiotemporal temperature during gold nanoshell-mediated heating. The results demonstrated that QD-mediated thermometry is capable of measuring spatiotemporally varying temperature fields relevant for hyperthermic thermal therapies. Its implication for intraoperative image-guidance of thermal therapy was also discussed.
Lateral positioning error and the explicit one way operators of wavefield extrapolation

SUMMARY Using a general description of one-way extrapolation, the cost of most one-way operators is demonstrated to be proportional to the cost of the fast Fourier transform, and imaging error is demonstrated to be related to error in phase. To provide a more physical basis for analysis, phase error is related to error in lateral position resulting in a simple and inexpensive way to compare operators. Based on this analysis, operator plans for the Marmousi model and the EAGE/SEG Salt model are devised so that optimal use of the available operators during migration can be made for a fixed cost.
Towards Efficient Execution of MPI Applications on the Grid: Porting and Optimization Issues

The message passing interface (MPI) is a standard used by many parallel scientific applications. It offers the advantage of a smoother migration path for porting applications from high performance computing systems to the Grid. In this paper Grid-enabled tools and libraries for developing MPI applications are presented. The first is MARMOT, a tool that checks the adherence of an application to the MPI standard. The second is PACX-MPI, an implementation of the MPI standard optimized for Grid environments. Besides the efficient development of the program, an optimal execution is of paramount importance for most scientific applications. We therefore discuss not only performance on the level of the MPI library, but also several application specific optimizations, e.g., for a sparse, parallel equation solver and an RNA folding code, like latency hiding, prefetching, caching and topology-aware algorithms.
Abbreviated cyclosporine AUCs on Neoral--the search continues!

Cyclosporine is a powerful immunosuppressant with a narrow therapeutic window and considerable inter- and intrapatient variability. The pre-dose trough concentration (Cmin) is commonly used for therapeutic drug monitoring. With the new microemulsion (Neoral), intrapatient variability was reduced. However, the usefulness of Neoral Cmin was questioned. Firstly, because of the improved and more-rapid absorption, accidental intake before blood sampling has a greater impact on Cmin than with classic cyclosporine. Secondly, Cmin may be low despite high drug exposure, due to rapid clearance in children. A full pharmacokinetic (PK) profile with determination of the area under the curve (AUC) is expensive and cumbersome, and therefore a search for an abbreviated AUC began. Here, we present a retrospective analysis of 84 PK profiles from 78 pediatric renal transplant recipients. By analysis of rejection episodes and toxicity, we estimated a target AUC above 5,000 ng×h/ml in the early post-transplant period and 3,900 ng×h/ml beyond 100 days. The abbreviated AUC using the 2- and 6-h concentrations (C2 and C6) and a simple estimate derived from the 3-h concentration (C3) were equally well correlated with the AUC. From our data, we recommend a target C3 at approximately 800 ng/ml early after transplantation and 450–550 ng/ml beyond 100 days.
Comparison of Rat and Chicken Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Factors*

Rat and chicken luteinizing hormone- releasing factors (LRF) were partially purified and their behavior on chromatographic columns was compared. Extracts of hypothalami were purified by ultrafiltration and chromatography on Sephadex G-25 and CM-Sephadex C-25. Columns were monitored by optical density (254 mμ) and vasopressor assay. LRF activity was evaluated by release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from rat adenohypophyses in vitro, and LH was assayed by radioimmunoassay. The elution patterns of rat and chicken LRF were not distinguishable on Sephadex (Rfs 1.89–2.09), but were clearly different on the ion-exchange column. Whereas chicken LRF repeatedly emerged from 1 × 7 cm CM-Sephadex columns at tubes 10–20, rat LRF emerged from identical columns at tubes 31–40. When rat and chicken LRF fractions from Sephadex were mixed, then run on CM-Sephadex there were two distinct and separate areas of LRF activity at tubes 13–22 and 30–43. It appears that rat and chicken LRF are chemically distinct compounds although...
Barrett's Esophagus: Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention

Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the most common type of esophageal cancer seen in the United States and Western Europe. Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a well-known risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma and is believed to be found in 6% to 12% of patients undergoing endoscopy for gastroesophageal reflux disease and in more than 1% of all patients undergoing endoscopy. This article focuses on the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of BE.
Evaluating stream predicates over dynamic fields

Technological advances have created an unprecedented availability of inexpensive sensors able to stream environmental data in real-time. However, we still seek appropriate data management technology capable of handling this onslaught of sampling in previously unavailable spatial and temporal density. Data stream engines (DSEs) are state of the art data management tools that have update throughput rates of up to 500k tuples/s. In previous work we have shown that DSEs can be extended to generate smooth representations of continuous spatio-temporal fields sampled by up to 250K sensors on-the-fly in near real-time, creating a new representation every second. In this paper we investigate a spatio-temporal stream operator framework that can efficiently execute predicate operators over such spatio-temporal fields. Typical predicates are e.g. "find all sub-areas in a field that are below or above a certain threshold value". We present the requirements, the approach taken, and our results along with a performance evaluation.
Cytokine Antibody Arrays: A Promising Tool to Identify Molecular Targets for Drug Discovery

Cytokines play important roles in normal cell functions and changes in cytokines have been implicated in many diseases. Recent efforts have focused on developing cytokine antibody arrays. These arrays allow investigators to simultaneously detect multiple cytokines in qualitative and quantitative ways. Cytokine antibody array systems feature high sensitivity, specificity and throughput. This novel technology opens up an expanding spectrum of applications in drug discovery, including target discovery, target validation, screening for lead compounds, compound optimization and clinical trials.
Probabilistic model for steel–concrete bond behavior in bridge columns affected by alkali silica reactions

Abstract Past research has shown that in concrete bridges, cements with high alkali content combined with reactive siliceous aggregates can result in alkali silica reaction (ASR) in the presence of sufficient moisture. There is a concern that ASR may form at the steel–concrete interface and weaken the bond behavior in RC columns. This could result in a reduction of the structural capacity of columns and overall bridge reliability. Therefore, to accurately assess the column and bridge reliability over the service life of the structure, it is important to account for the possible effects of ASR on the steel–concrete bond behavior in the lap-splice region. This paper develops a probabilistic model of the steel–concrete bond behavior that considers the effects of ASR. The proposed model is formulated starting from a currently available bond–slip model suggested by CEB-FIP. Unknown parameters in the bond–slip model and their statistics are assessed through a Bayesian approach using available data from the load testing of eight large-scale bridge column specimens constructed to study the effect of ASR on the bond behavior in the lap-splice region. The experimental data do not directly show the bond behavior, but are in terms of the force–displacement response of the full specimens. Therefore, to assess the parameters in the bond–slip model, a finite element model is constructed to obtain the force–displacement responses as a function of the parameters in the bond–slip model. The results show that the bond stiffness and strength tend to increase for the specimens exhibiting moderate ASR deterioration, but decrease as ASR deterioration reaches a certain level.
Dynamics-based motion deblurring for a biologically-inspired camera positioning mechanism

This paper presents a new dynamics-based method for image processing in coordination with rapid ocular movement. A camera positioning mechanism with piezoelectric cellular actuators will be employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach. There are a number of mechanisms for automatic camera positioning, but few have much in common with the human ocular positioning system. When a rapid point-to-point motion is created in a camera positioner, like human saccadic motion, the image sensor receives blurry images. Existing image techniques rely solely on obtained images, or use external sensors to estimate a blur kernel, or point spread function (PSF), for motion deblurring. Inspired by recent oculomotor studies, this paper proposes a method for estimating PSFs directly from the system dynamics of a camera positioning mechanism without motion sensors. The proposed method has been evaluated by using a single degree-of-freedom camera orientation system. Results are compared with conventional methods in terms of speed and accuracy.
Electroactive silica nanoparticles for biological labeling

A novel electrochemical immuno-biosensor based on poly(guanine)-functionalized silica nanoparticle labels and mediator-generated catalytic reaction was described. The functionalized silica NPs conjugates were characterized by atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemistry. This immunobiosensor is very sensitive and the limit of detection was found to be down to 0.2 ng/ml (4 pM), which was attributed to signal amplification by poly[G] functionalized silica NPs and guanine catalytic oxidation. Attractive feature of this approach is feasible to develop a cheap, sensitive and portable device for multiplexed diagnoses of different proteins. This method is simple, selective and reproducible for trace protein analysis and can be extended to study protein/protein, peptide/protein, and DNA/ protein interactions.
RF System-on-Package (SOP) Development for Compact Low Cost Wireless Front-End Systems

This paper presents the development of RF System-on-Package (SOP) architectures for compact and low cost wireless radio front-end systems. A novel 3D integration approach for SOP-based solutions for wireless communication applications is proposed and utilized for the implementation of a C band Wireless LAN (WLAN) RF front-end module by means of stacking LTCC substrates using μBGA technology. LTCC designs of high-performance multilayer embedded bandpass filters and novel stacked cavity-backed patch antennas are also reported. In addition, the fabrication of very high Q-factor inductors and embedded filter in organic substrates demonstrate the satisfactory performance of multilayer organic packages. The well known full-wave numerical techniques of FDTD and MRTD are used for the modeling of adjacent lines crosstalk, of the Q-factor of embedded passives and for the accurate simulation of MEMS structures.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Identification of related gene/protein names based on an HMM of name variations

Gene and protein names follow few, if any, true naming conventions and are subject to great variation in different occurrences of the same name. This gives rise to two important problems in natural language processing. First, can one locate the names of genes or proteins in free text, and second, can one determine when two names denote the same gene or protein? The first of these problems is a special case of the problem of named entity recognition, while the second is a special case of the problem of automatic term recognition (ATR). We study the second problem, that of gene or protein name variation. Here we describe a system which, given a query gene or protein name, identifies related gene or protein names in a large list. The system is based on a dynamic programming algorithm for sequence alignment in which the mutation matrix is allowed to vary under the control of a fully trainable hidden Markov model.
Synchrophasor-Based Auxiliary Controller to Enhance the Voltage Stability of a Distribution System With High Renewable Energy Penetration

Wind energy is highly location-dependent. Many desirable wind resources in North America are located in rural areas without direct access to the transmission grid. By connecting megawatt-scale wind turbines to the distribution system, the cost of building transmission facilities can be avoided and wind power supplied to consumers can be greatly increased; however, integrating megawatt-scale wind turbines on distribution feeders will impact the distribution feeder stability, especially voltage stability. Distributed wind turbine generators (WTGs) have the capability to aid in grid stability if equipped with appropriate controllers, but few investigations are focusing on this. This paper investigates the potential of using real-time measurements from distribution phasor measurement units for a new WTG control algorithm to stabilize the voltage deviation of a distribution feeder. This paper proposes a novel auxiliary coordinated-control approach based on a support vector machine (SVM) predictor and a multiple-input and multiple-output model predictive control on linear time-invariant and linear time-variant systems. The voltage condition of the distribution system is predicted by the SVM classifier using synchrophasor measurement data. The controllers equipped on WTGs are triggered by the prediction results. The IEEE 13-bus distribution system with WTGs is used to validate and evaluate the proposed auxiliary control approach.
Birds of an ethnic feather? Ethnic identity homophily among college-age friends.

Abstract This study assessed the degree to which pairs of friends report similar levels of ethnic identity. College-age friends ( n = 107 pairs; N = 214 overall) completed measures of ethnic identity exploration and commitment, identity synthesis, relationship closeness, and frequency of talking to friends and family about ethnicity-related issues. Participants were ethnically-diverse and constituted three types of dyads: both ethnic minorities ( n = 51), both White ( n = 24), or mixed ethnic minority and White ( n = 32). Overall, friends reported similar levels of ethnic identity exploration and commitment. The ethnic composition of the pair moderated similarity, with ethnic minority pairs showing greater similarity than the White and mixed pairs. Frequency of ethnicity-related discussions with friends and family, but not relationship closeness, mediated the observed similarity for ethnic minority pairs. These findings suggest a level of ethnic identity homophily between ethnic minority friends that can be explained by interactional mechanisms.
Nonlinear optical response of cofacial phthalocyanine dimers and trimers

The effects of intermacrocycle interactions on the second hyperpolarizabilities 〈γ(−ω;ω,−ω,ω)〉 of cofacial phthalocyanine dimers and trimers are studied. A theoretical analysis is presented based on the Frenkel exciton model for a chain of three level molecules. Using a simplified analysis in the static and near-resonant regimes we identify two mechanisms which lead to enhancements in the dimer or trimer value of 〈γ(−ω;ω,−ω,ω)〉 over that of the monomer. The first mechanism is a disruption of the balance between type I and type II terms in the sum over states expression for the second hyperpolarizability tensor γkjih(−ω;ω,−ω,ω), caused by weak intermacrocycle interactions. The second is a near-resonance enhancement of the type II terms due to an intermacrocycle interaction induced shift in the monomer derived two-photon allowed states towards twice the laser photon energy. This analysis is in good agreement with recent degenerate four wave mixing experiments [SPIE Proc. 2527, 61 (1995)] which showed a strong enhancement of 〈γ(−ω;ω,−ω,ω)〉 for SiPcO oligomers as a function of the number of macrocycles. Our calculations suggest that the first mechanism is responsible for the 25-fold monomer to dimer enhancement measured in this system, and that the additional 4-fold enhancement found in going from the dimer to the trimer is primarily the result of the second mechanism.
NOAA Satellite programs in support of a global change program

Abstract Although designed primarily for weather observations, NOAA's operational polar satellites have the potential to provide considerable information on global change. The weather/climate products routinely produced from these satellites and relevant to global change are discussed. They include: ocean surface temperatures, snow cover area for Europe and Eurasia, Arctic and Antarctic sea ice area, global vegetation index, narrow-band estimates of the Earth's radiation budget, atmospheric ozone, and stratospheric temperatures. Global and hemispheric time series of these variables as determined from satellites are presented. Algorithms for new products--aerosol optical depth, surface radiation budget, land surface temperature, cloud amounts and heights, precipitation, and cloud liquid water--are being developed. NOAA's plans for the NOAA K,L,M satellite series and the Polar Platform are discussed.
Lead Slowing-Down Spectrometry Analysis of Data from Measurements on Nuclear Fuel

Improved nondestructive assay of isotopic masses in used nuclear fuel would be valuable for nuclear safeguards operations associated with the transport, storage, and reprocessing of used nuclear fu...
An effective theory for baryons in the CFL phase

Abstract We study the effective field theory for fermions in the color-flavor locked (CFL) phase of high density QCD. The effective theory contains a flavor nonet of baryons interacting with a nonet of pseudoscalar Goldstone bosons as well as a singlet scalar Goldstone boson. The theory is similar to chiral perturbation theory in the one-baryon sector. We explain how to incorporate quark mass terms and study the spectrum as a function of the strange quark mass. Without meson condensation gapless baryon modes appears if the strange quark mass exceeds a critical value m s 2 / ( 2 p F ) = Δ , where p F is the Fermi momentum and Δ is the gap in the chiral limit. We show that kaon condensation leads to a rearrangement of the baryon spectrum and shifts the critical strange quark mass for the appearance of a gapless mode to higher values.
TU‐E‐I‐611‐04: Bone Marrow and Bone Endosteum Dosimetry Methods Comparison for External Photons

Purpose: To compare and verify different bone endosteum and bone marrow photondosimetry methods through the use of a high‐resolution micro CT‐based radiation transport model. Method and Materials: Two different Monte Carlodosimetry algorithms for bone endosteum and bone marrow were compared to a high‐resolution microCT image‐based radiation transport model developed in our laboratory. Bone marrow dosimetry methods are (1) the dose response function method by Eckerman (DRF), and (2) the mass energy absorption coefficient ratio method (MEAC). Bone endosteum dosimetry methods include (1) DRF method and (2) homogeneous bone dose approximation (HGB). Each method was compared to results obtained from the microCT‐based paired‐image radiation transport (PIRT) model. Two ex‐vivo bone samples of a 66‐year male (lumbar vertebrae and cranium) were chosen for the comparison because of their distinctively different microstructures. Simple mono‐energetic parallel photon beams were simulated from 0.01 to 4.0 MeV. Results: For the bone marrow dose, the DRF method shows good agreement with PIRT result in the lumbar vertebra, but showed over estimates of bone marrow dose in the cranium, while the MEAC method shows good agreement with PIRT in both bone sites. For the bone endosteum dose, the DRF method shows closer results to the PIRT model at lower energies, but shows significant over‐ estimates of endosteum dose in higher photon energies. This can be explained by the fact the Eckerman model assumes that secondary electrons are followed through an infinite expanse of trabecular spongiosa, with no loss of energy to the bone cortex at high energy. Conclusion: For the bone marrow dose assessment, the MEAC method seems to be the best choice among the methods considered, while for the bone endosteum dose, the HGB method shows better agreement with PIRT than is seen with the DRF method, especially at higher photon energies.
Negatively charged tangential flow ultrafiltration membranes for whey protein concentration

Abstract This work examines the use of wide-pore negatively charged ultrafiltration membranes for whey protein concentration. The hypothesis is that by placing a negative charge on the surface of an ultrafiltration membrane, negatively charged proteins are rejected by electrostatic repulsion and not simply sized based sieving. This allows using wide-pore membranes that have a higher flux without suffering a loss in protein recovery. It was found that negatively charged 100 kDa ultrafiltration membranes had the same protein recovery as 10 kDa unmodified membranes used in the dairy industry, but offered a flux that was at least two-fold higher. The new membranes were used for a 40-fold concentration of whey with subsequent diafiltration to mimic the industrial process for making whey protein concentrate. Mass balance models of concentration and diafiltration were developed and each agreed well with the experimental results. The experimental methods and mathematical models developed in this work can be used to design, simulate and optimize different process flow sheets, and explore the effect of various operating conditions on the membrane processing of whey.
Alkyl-thiol Langmuir films on the surface of liquid mercury.

The coverage dependent phase behavior of monolayers of alkyl thiols (CH3(CH2)n-1SH, denoted as CnSH) on mercury was studied for chain lengths 9 ≤ n ≤ 22, using surface tensiometry and surface-specific X-ray scattering methods. At low coverage, a disordered single layer of surface-parallel molecules is found for all n. At high coverage, a monolayer of standing-up molecules is formed, exhibiting well-ordered phases, the structure of which is n- and coverage-dependent. The molecular chains pack in a centered rectangular unit cell, with an ∼27° tilt from the surface normal toward nearest neighbors. The strong sulfur−mercury bond induces a noncentered unit cell for the headgroups, incorporating one mercury atom per two thiol molecules. The small but significant differences in structure of these films on gold and on mercury are discussed and assigned to the different structure of the subphase: long-range-ordered crystal for gold and short-range-ordered liquid for mercury.
Reciprocal control of the conformational state of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium channel protein by polarization and depolarization in the transverse tubule

We attached the conformational probe methylcoumarin acetate (MCA) specifically to the junctional foot protein (JFP) moiety of triads, and monitored conformational changes in the JFP during polarization and depolarization of the T-tubule moiety. The MCA fluorescence decreased upon T-tubule polarization, and the fluorescence changes were blocked by preventing T-tubule polarization or by a nimodipine block of the T-tubule-to-sarcoplasmic reticulum communication. Depolarization of the T-tubule reversed the MCA fluorescence decrease which had been produced by T-tubule polarization. These results suggest that the conformational and functional states of the JFP are regulated by T-tubule polarization and depolarization in a reciprocal fashion.
The metatranscriptome of a deep-sea hydrothermal plume is dominated by water column methanotrophs and lithotrophs.

Microorganisms mediate geochemical processes in deep-sea hydrothermal vent plumes, which are a conduit for transfer of elements and energy from the subsurface to the oceans. Despite this important microbial influence on marine geochemistry, the ecology and activity of microbial communities in hydrothermal plumes is largely unexplored. Here, we use a coordinated metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approach to compare microbial communities in Guaymas Basin hydrothermal plumes to background waters above the plume and in the adjacent Carmen Basin. Despite marked increases in plume total RNA concentrations (3–4 times) and microbially mediated manganese oxidation rates (15–125 times), plume and background metatranscriptomes were dominated by the same groups of methanotrophs and chemolithoautotrophs. Abundant community members of Guaymas Basin seafloor environments (hydrothermal sediments and chimneys) were not prevalent in the plume metatranscriptome. De novo metagenomic assembly was used to reconstruct genomes of abundant populations, including Marine Group I archaea, Methylococcaceae, SAR324 Deltaproteobacteria and SUP05 Gammaproteobacteria. Mapping transcripts to these genomes revealed abundant expression of genes involved in the chemolithotrophic oxidation of ammonia (amo), methane (pmo) and sulfur (sox). Whereas amo and pmo gene transcripts were abundant in both plume and background, transcripts of sox genes for sulfur oxidation from SUP05 groups displayed a 10–20-fold increase in plumes. We conclude that the biogeochemistry of Guaymas Basin hydrothermal plumes is mediated by microorganisms that are derived from seawater rather than from seafloor hydrothermal environments such as chimneys or sediments, and that hydrothermal inputs serve as important electron donors for primary production in the deep Gulf of California.
The induction of thromboxane synthetase as an expression of renal pathology

Abstract Arachidonic acid metabolism by intact perfused kidneys or by microsomes prepared from normal rabbit kidneys primarily results in the formation of prostaglandin (PG)E 2 . Unilateral ureter obstruction or partial occlusion of the renal vein of rabbits leads to the release of a rabbit aorta contracting substance when such isolated perfused kidneys are stimulated with vasoactive peptides (e.g. angiotensin II and bradykinin). Homogenates of those perfused surgically modified kidneys exhibit the enzymatic conversion of either arachidonic acid or PGH 2 into thromboxane B 2 . Radioimmunoassay of the renal venous effluent from the perfused ureter or renal vein obstructed kidneys demonstrated the simultaneous presence of PGE 2 , thromboxane A 2 , and prostacyclin in extraordinary amounts following peptide stimulation. On the other hand, the contralateral control kidney released low levels of PGE 2 and only trace amounts of thromboxane and PGI 2 when stimulated. Thus, in renal pathological states, arachidonate metabolism results in the simultaneous synthesis of a number of biologically active substances and their interplay must play an intimate role in the ultimate response of this tissue.
Adjuvant radiation of stage III thymoma: is it necessary?

Background The criteria for administration of adjuvant radiation therapy after thymoma resection remains controversial, and it is unclear whether patients with Masaoka stage III thymoma benefit from adjuvant radiation. The goal of this report was to determine whether or not this group benefits from radiation therapy in disease-specific survival and disease-free survival. Methods Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital were retrospectively reviewed from 1972 to 2004. One hundred and seventy-nine patients underwent resection for thymoma, of which 45 had stage III disease. Results Forty-five stage III patients underwent resection and in 36 it was complete. Thirty-eight stage III patients received radiation therapy. Baseline prognostic factors between radiated and nonradiated groups were similar. The addition of adjuvant radiotherapy did not alter local or distant recurrence rates in patients with stage III thymoma. Disease-specific survival at 10 years in stage III patients who did not receive radiation was 75% (95% confidence interval, 32% to 100%) and in patients who did receive radiation therapy it was 79% (95% confidence interval, 64% to 94%) (p = 0.21). The most common site of relapse was the pleura. Conclusions Most patients who have stage III thymoma undergo complete resection. Some patients enjoy prolonged disease-free survival without adjuvant radiation after resection of stage III thymoma. Radiation does not seem to prevent pleural recurrences when given after resection of stage III thymomas. The use of routine adjuvant radiation after a complete resection of stage III thymoma needs to be re-addressed. There may be a role for the use of chemotherapy to reduce pleural recurrences.
Blood diamonds: international policy options for conflict resolution

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of four policy options for the international community to help resolve conflicts involving black diamonds: foreign aid, a tax arms exports, a tax on blood diamond and a tax on diamond exports in general from the war zones.Design/methodology/approach – A trade‐theoretic model of two open economies which are in conflict with each other was constructed. War efforts, which involve the use of soldiers and arms, are determined endogenously. The purpose of war is the capture of land containing a natural resource like diamond, but the costs are that lives are lost and production sacrificed. The capture of mining land helps to reinforce the war by using profits from the sale of the natural resource to purchase arms.Findings – The paper identifies the role of the “protective” nature of arms, and of income effects of the policy instruments, on the results. For example, foreign aid is found, unambiguously, to increase war when the entire profit from the sa...
A phase II trial testing the thermal dose parameter CEM43° T90 as a predictor of response in soft tissue sarcomas treated with pre-operative thermoradiotherapy

We prospectively evaluated whether delivering a thermal dose of ≥ 10 cumulative equivalent minutes at 43°C to > 90% of the tumour sites monitored (CEM43°T90) would produce a pathologic complete response (pCR) in ≥ 75% of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas treated pre-operatively with thermoradiotherapy. The impact of thermal dose on local failure (LF), distant metastasis (DM), and toxicity was also assessed. Thirty-five patients ≥ 18 years old with grade 2 or 3 soft tissue sarcomas accessible for invasive thermometry were enrolled on the protocol. All patients received megavoltage external beam radiotherapy (RT) in daily fractions of 1.8-2.0 Gy, five times a week, to a median total dose of 50 Gy and an initial hyperthermia treatment (HT) of 1 h duration utilizing the BSD 2000 with Sigma 60 or MAPA applicators at frequencies of 60-140 MHz. Further HT was given for patients with CEM43°T90 > 0.5 after initial HT (`heatable' patients), twice a week to a maximum of 10 HT or CEM43°T90 > 100. Of the 35 patients ent...
UCSOA: User-Centric Service-Oriented Architecture

This paper introduces a new user-centric service-oriented architecture (UCSOA) that allows end users to compose applications. UCSOA is an extension of consumer-centric service-oriented architecture (CCSOA), which is an extension of conventional SOA. The conventional SOA is producer-centric because service providers publish their services and service consumers must search available services to compose their applications. CCSOA is different as it allows consumers publish their needs including workflows and services, and let producers to produce services to meet the requirements. Based on CCSOA, UCSOA provides support for end users. An application builder is an engineer who has both domain and programming knowledge, while an end user has little knowledge on programming and thus UCSOA needs to allow nontechnical persons to compose their applications. This paper presents the concepts, architecture, enabling techniques, and illustrative examples
On matric variate-T distribution

In this paper matric variate-t distribution has been studied. A factorization of the density is obtained in terms of the product of independent multivariate t- and F-densities. Further, the distributions of TAT1 and ATB, for given non-singular matrices A and B, are derived.
The influence of Tb substitution on the magnetic properties of nanocomposite Pr/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B//spl alpha/-Fe magnets

Tb-doped (Pr,Tb)/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/Be//spl alpha/-Fe nanocomposite ribbons have been synthesized by melt-spinning Pr/sub 8-x/Tb/sub x/Fe/sub 86/B/sub 6/ alloys at low speeds. The effects of Tb substitution and rapid annealing on the magnetic properties of the composites were investigated. With a small addition of Tb, the Curie temperature of hard phase increases slightly, the saturation magnetization decreases but the coercivity increases due to a higher anisotropy field and a refinement of grain size, leading to an enhancement in the energy product. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a finer and more homogeneous (Pr,Tb)/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B//spl alpha/-Fe microstructure with an average grain size in the range from 20 to 40 nm. The best results are obtained with a room temperature coercivity of 6.6 kOe, M/sub r/=118 emu/g, and (BH)/sub m/=15.2 MGOe in Pr/sub 7/Tb/sub 1/Fe/sub 86/B/sub 6/ sample annealed at 800/spl deg/C for 1 minute.
Subcellular distribution and properties of aldehyde dehydrogenase from 2-acetylaminofluorine-induced rat hepatomas

The subcellular distribution and properties of four aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzymes (I-IV) identified in 2-acetylaminofluorene-induced rat hepatomas and three aldehyde dehydrogenases (I-III) identified in normal rat liver are compared. In normal liver, mitochondria (50%) and microsomal fraction (27%) possess the majority of the aldehyde dehydrogenase, with cytosol possessing little, if any, activity. Isoenzymes I-III can be identified in both fractions and differ from each other on the basis of substrate and coenzyme specificity, substrate K(m), inhibition by disulfiram and anti-(hepatoma aldehyde dehydrogenase) sera, and/or isoelectric point. Hepatomas possess considerable cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (20%), in addition to mitochondrial (23%) and microsomal (35%) activity. Although isoenzymes I-III are present in tumour mitochondrial and microsomal fractions, little isoenzyme I or II is found in cytosol. Of hepatoma cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, 50% is a hepatoma-specific isoenzyme (IV), differing in several properties from isoenzymes I-III; the remainder of the tumour cytosolic activity is due to isoenzyme III (48%). The data indicate that the tumour-specific aldehyde dehydrogenase phenotype is explainable by qualitative and quantitative changes involving primarily cytosolic and microsomal aldehyde dehydrogenase. The qualitative change requires the derepression of a gene for an aldehyde dehydrogenase expressed in normal liver only after exposure to potentially harmful xenobiotics. The quantitative change involves both an increase in activity and a change in subcellular location of a basal normal-liver aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzyme.