cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a human myeloid leukemia cell line highly resistant to taxol

Taxol-resistant sublines of HL-60 myeloid leukemia cells (HL-60/TAX100 and HL-60/TAX1000) have been isolated in vitro by subculturing in progressively higher concentrations of taxol. HL-60/TAX100 and HL-60/TAX1000 cells are capable of continuous growth in the presence of 0.1 microM and 1.0 microM taxol, respectively, and the IC50 (50% growth inhibitory dose) values for taxol for the two sublines are 0.34 and 2.44 microM as compared to 3.1 nM for the parent HL-60 cells. HL-60/TAX100 and HL-60/TAX1000 cells display a variable degree of cross-resistance to taxotere, vincristine and doxorubicin, but are sensitive to the antimetabolite Ara-C. Both HL-60/TAX100 and HL-60/TAX1000 cells over-express MDR-1 m-RNA and the membrane efflux multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (PGP), as determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence labeling with anti-PGP antibodies. Consequently, exposure of the taxol-resistant cells to [3H]taxol or daunomycin results in the accumulation of significantly lower levels of the two drugs. Co-treatment with cyclosporine (0.5 microgram/ml) or verapamil (10 microM) partially overcomes taxol resistance in HL-60/TAX1000 cells. Following treatment with clinically relevant concentration of taxol (1.0 microM for 24 h), HL-60 but not HL-60/TAX1000 cells display intracellular microtubular bundling, markedly enhanced accumulation of the cells in G2/M phase of cell-cycle and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation associated with apoptosis which is independent of bcl-2 gene expression. These taxol-resistant myeloid leukemia cells may serve as in vitro experimental models for examinating strategies which may have potential applicability for overcoming taxol resistance.
Color Patterns in Ammonoids

A color pattern in an ammonoid was first reported and illustrated by d’Orbigny in 1842 (p. 185, Pl. 45, Fig. 4). He recognized that the pattern preserved on the shell of a specimen of Asteroceras stellare (at that time known as Ammonites stellaris) from the Lower Jurassic was a remnant of a biologically produced color pattern emplaced by the animal when it was alive. Furthermore, he recognized that these kinds of patterns were observable only on well-preserved specimens. These brief observations laid the groundwork for the now generally recognized conclusions that color patterns are scarce on ammonoids and that they have paleobiological significance. Since d’Orbigny’s time, there have been periodic reports of ammonoid color patterns (see Table I), and some workers have attempted to integrate this information into a greater understanding of the biology of ammonoids.
On the Mechanism of Epoxidation and Hydroxylation Catalyzed by Iron Porphyrins. Evidence for Non-Intersecting Reaction Pathways

The oxygenation of cyclohexene to cyclohexene oxide and cyclohexen-3-ol by (O)FeIV TMP+(X) (1) at various temperatures was compared with the iodosylbenzene mediated reaction catalyzed by chloro-5,10,15,20-tetramesitylporphyrinatoiron(III) [FeIII(TMP)Cl]. The product ratios were found to depend on the axial ligand X in 1 and on the temperature in an unusual way. The results demonstrate that at least one reaction intermediate must be produced and further, that while the epoxidation proceeds via the formation of a complex between 1 and the olefin, the hydroxylation reaction proceeds by a non-intersecting reaction pathway not involving this complex.
Treatment for proximal pole scaphoid nonunion with capsular-based vascularized distal radius graft.

We retrospectively reviewed the results of 89 patients with proximal pole scaphoid nonunion, 58 with avascular necrosis, treated with a capsular-based vascularized distal radius graft. Seventy-one male and eighteen female patients with symptomatic nonunion at the proximal pole of the scaphoid were included in this study. No patient had a humpback deformity. In all patients, the vascularized bone graft was harvested from the dorsum of the distal radius and was attached to a capsular flap of the dorsal wrist capsule. After fixation of the scaphoid with a small cannulated screw, the graft was inserted press-fit into the scaphoid trough in the nonunion site. Supplementary fixation of the graft with a microsuture anchor into the scaphoid was used in 66 patients. At a mean time of 12.3 weeks (range 6–24) after surgery, solid union was achieved in 76 of 89 patients (49 of 58 with avascular necrosis). Eleven patients had persistent nonunion and two fibrous union as determined by CT scan. Sixty-six of the patients with solid bone union were completely pain free, and ten complained of slight pain with strenuous activities. No donor site morbidity was observed. The capsular-based vascularized bone graft from the distal radius is a reliable alternative technique for scaphoid nonunions. It is a simple and expedient harvesting technique without the need for a microsurgical anastomoses. The supplemental fixation with a microsuture anchor eliminates the risk of graft displacement.
Heat transfer and hydrodynamics of air assisted free water jet impingement at low nozzle-to-surface distances

Abstract In this study, heat transfer and hydrodynamics of air-assisted free water jet impinging a flat plate surface are experimentally investigated. The effects of the nozzle-to-surface distance (H/d = 0.02–0.51) and volumetric quality (β = 0.3–0.8) on the stagnation Nusselt number, stagnation pressure, and hydraulic jump diameter are considered. The results show that the normalized stagnation Nusselt number and hydraulic jump diameter drastically increase with decreasing the nozzle-to-surface distance, since the stagnation pressure increases due to the jet deflection effect. Based on the experimental results, new correlations for the stagnation Nusselt number and pressure are developed as a function of the nozzle-to-surface distance.
Computational model of shoe wear progression: Comparison with experimental results

Abstract Worn shoes increase the risk of slip-and-fall accidents. Few research efforts have attempted to predict the progression of shoe wear. This study presents a computational modeling framework that simulates wear progression in footwear outsoles based on finite element analysis and Archard's equation for wear. The results of the computational model were qualitatively and quantitatively compared with experimental results from shoes subjected to an accelerated wear protocol. Key variables of interest were the order in which individual tread blocks were worn and the size of the worn region. The order in which shoe treads became completely worn were strongly correlated between the model and experiment (rs > 0.74, p
Preliminary Efforts to Define, Assess, and Improve Students’ Ability to Make “Connections” as Part of Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset

Work in progress (research-to-practice). The entrepreneurial mindset, as articulated by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network or KEEN, rests on a foundation of three “C”s - Curiosity, Connections, and Creating value. In prior work, we developed an approach to assess students’ situational curiosity in response to class activities. We discovered that the creation of real artifacts excited student curiosity and explored the extent to which open-ended problem solving did as well. We have also proposed rubric-based assessments of student designs as a measure of value-creation. The second of the three “C”s, connections, has presented assessment challenges to this point.In this work, we discuss our literature review and search for valid and reliable instruments and subscales for connections. We propose a “2I” model where connections is defined as the ability to “integrate” knowledge to provide “insights”. We also propose an in-class activity similar to a brainstorming exercise already in use in many design-based courses. We have developed a rubric for assessing results of this exercise that can be used to both assess participants’ facility with forming connections and as the basis for a conversation with students about how to make more meaningful connections. Further, faculty can use this activity to stimulate students’ idea generation about course topics. We have tested this approach in two settings, and find initial results promising. We continue to seek feedback from the community as we work to turn this into a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of connections through the “2I” model.
Backstepping in Infinite Dimension for a Class of Parabolic Distributed Parameter Systems

In this paper a family of stabilizing boundary feedback control laws for a class of linear parabolic PDEs motivated by engineering applications is presented. The design procedure presented here can handle systems with an arbitrary finite number of open-loop unstable eigenvalues and is not restricted to a particular type of boundary actuation. Stabilization is achieved through the design of coordinate transformations that have the form of recursive relationships. The fundamental difficulty of such transformations is that the recursion has an infinite number of iterations. The problem of feedback gains growing unbounded as the grid becomes infinitely fine is resolved by a proper choice of the target system to which the original system is transformed. We show how to design coordinate transformations such that they are sufficiently regular (not continuous but L∞). We then establish closed-loop stability, regularity of control, and regularity of solutions of the PDE. The result is accompanied by a simulation study for a linearization of a tubular chemical reactor around an unstable steady state.
Cross-Validation of CSU-Chivo Radar and GPM During Relampago

This paper describes the deployment and features of CSU-CHIVO radar during the RELAMPAGO campaign in Argentina. Intercomparison with GPM-DPR is done using Volume Matching. Vertical profile analysis of storms is also shown and a list of GPM overpasses and summary of the tallest storms during the campaign are also included. The results show that CHIVO agree well with GPM in terms of reflectivity and microphysical structure of clouds and show the value of CHIVO for ground validation.
Recent Advances in the Theory of Higher Level Projective Sets

An outline is given of certain aspects of the current theory of higher level projective sets, especially concentrating on the structure theory of II^1_3 sets, from determinacy hypotheses. Some of the key open problems in this area are also discussed.
Introduction to the special issue on telepsychotherapy in the age of COVID-19

Delivery of psychotherapy has rapidly changed as a function of physical distancing recommendations by the World Health Organization that aim to slow transmission of COVID-19 during a global pandemic. A consequent need for rapid infusion of psychological science into care delivered via telepsychotherapy has emerged. As an international journal with global reach, the Journal of Psychotherapy Integration (JPI) has responded to this need with an expanded special issue devoted entirely to the topic of telepsychotherapy in the age of COVID-19. This issue brings together empirical findings, substantial grant-funded projects, national-level task forces, and/or international collaborations to inform the response of psychotherapists as they seek to provide high-quality care under new and uniquely challenging circumstances. Within this editorial, the body of work reflected across this special issue is viewed through a lens of psychotherapy integration and within the context of internationalization. Readers are also directed to a recent collection of JPI articles that focuses on transformations to the person of the psychotherapist in response to significant, life-altering experiences. Finally, JPI's resolve to continue addressing emergent pandemic-induced issues is affirmed with a new call for articles aimed at infusing high-quality scholarship to inform psychotherapy with those facing economic insecurity or deep poverty.
Crystallographic anisotropy of nonequilibrium solute capture

Abstract We demonstrate large, crystallographic anisotropy in nonequilibrium solute capture. Under identical conditions, differently oriented grains of a Ni-30Cr (wt.%) alloy were oxidized at 600°C for 60 s. For a Ni(Cr) (100) oriented grain, a solute captured rock salt oxide formed with a cube-cube epitaxial orientation. In contrast, for a Ni(Cr) (111) oriented grain, a solute captured corundum oxide formed with the (0001) basal plane parallel to (111). There are clear indications from the morphologies that are present – islands growing outwards for rock salt and islands growing inwards for corundum – that the oxide growth is dominated by kinetics, not thermodynamic factors. Since the interfacial conditions for nonequilibrium solute capture differ for cases where the metal/oxide boundary is moving (the (111) case) and where it is not (the (100) case), these results indicate that crystallographic anisotropy will have substantial effects which cannot be ignored in oxidation or corrosion.
Extant commitment, risk, and UN peacekeeping authorization

Do aspects of current UN peacekeeping operations affect the willingness of that body to authorize new operations? Our theoretical arguments center on the capacity and costs of the organization – sp...
Post-High School Daily Living Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Objective Daily living skills (DLS) are a predictor of positive outcomes in youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet little is known about trajectories of DLS in adults with ASD. This study investigated the impact of high school exit on participants’ trajectories of daily living skills age equivalent (DLS-AE) scores from ages 2 to 26 and the relationship between DLS-AE trajectories and employment and education outcomes. Method Participants were 98 adults with ASD drawn from an ongoing longitudinal study. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were administered 8 times from ages 2 to 26. Employment and education data were compiled from parent report demographic forms. Results DLS-AE trajectories modestly increased with age before exiting school, at which point DLS-AE trajectories plateaued, then declined. A significant (p Conclusion These findings provide evidence that DLS decline in adults with ASD, specifically after school exit, and highlight the importance of DLS in normative adult outcomes. Future work should examine the trajectories of DLS in middle and later adulthood and consider intervention targets for bolstering DLS following school exit.
Transverse mode control of VCSELs using 3D-printed micro-optics

We have fabricated 3D printed micro-optics to feedback light into an 850-nm VCSEL with reduced top-mirror reflectivity and control its transverse modes. Our goal is to create a single-frequency VCSEL with output power on the order of 10 mW for use in atomic and quantum physics. Feedback of 50% can reduce threshold current 5-fold and preferentially select the fundamental transverse mode. We will compare theory and experiment for micro-optic length scales near 100 microns, yielding Gaussian mode diameters near 10 microns.
Anisotropic particle synthesis and characterization for lithium-ion battery electrode materials via precursor precipitate growth inhibitor

Abstract To achieve higher power and energy density batteries, electrodes are often designed towards increased current densities and thicknesses. Under such conditions, electrode microstructure can become an important factor. Electrode microstructure is dependent on many factors, but one factor that can facilitate anisotropic microstructures is having anisotropic lithium-ion battery active material particles. Thus, robust methods to produce active materials with anisotropic particle morphologies are desirable. This manuscript will describe the use of an inhibitor to direct anisotropic morphologies of lithium-ion battery precursor particles. This anisotropic secondary platelet morphology was retained after conversion to final active material particles. The synthesis method should be generally applicable to producing a variety of transition metal oxide compositions with anisotropic morphologies, however, the inhibitor can have significant impacts on the rate of precipitation of the transition metals during precursor synthesis. Three exemplar materials will be described towards targeted synthesis of anisotropic cathode particles.
Marriage, Gender, and Desire in Early Enlightenment German Comedy

J. C. Gottsched, who reformed early Enlightenment German theater, claimed for comedy the ability to transform morality. The new literary comedies of the 1740s, among the other moral goals that they pursued, propagated a new sentimental discourse promoting marriage based on love while devaluing its traditional socioeconomic foundations. Yet in comedies by well-known dramatists of the period such as Gottsched, Gellert, J. E. Schlegel, Lessing, and Quistorp, alternative gender roles and sexual behaviors call the primacy of marriage into question: there are women who refuse to be integrated into marriage, episodes of cross-dressing that foreground the culturally constructed aspects of gender roles, instances of male same-sex desire, and allusions to female same-sex desire. Edward T. Potter examines this marital discourse in close readings of these authors' plays, uncovering the ambiguity of eighteenth-century comedy's stance on marriage and highlighting its resistance to the emerging discourse of the sentimental marriage. In addition to excavating the connections between the texts and norms regarding gender roles and sexual behavior, Potter also examines how these comedies self-reflexively perform their own reception in plays-within-plays that reflect upon early Enlightenment comedy, poetics, and pedagogical aesthetics and thereby comment on the efficacy of theater as a means of propagating such norms. Edward T. Potter is Associate Professor of German at Mississippi State University.
G protein-coupled estrogen receptor in GtoPdb v.2021.3

The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor [25]) was identified following observations of estrogen-evoked cyclic AMP signalling in breast cancer cells [2], which mirrored the differential expression of an orphan 7-transmembrane receptor GPR30 [6]. There are observations of both cell-surface and intracellular expression of the GPER receptor [28, 33]. Selective agonist/ antagonists for GPER have been characterized [25]. Antagonists of the nuclear estrogen receptor, such as fulvestrant [11], tamoxifen [28, 33] and raloxifene [24], as well as the flavonoid 'phytoestrogens' genistein and quercetin [17], are agonists of GPER. A complete review of GPER pharmacology has been published [25]. The roles of GPER in physiological systems throughout the body (cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, immune, reproductive) and in cancer have also been reviewed [25, 26, 19, 16, 9]. The GPER-selective agonist G-1 is currently in Phase I/II clinical trials for cancer (NCT04130516).
Indian sex life: sexuality and the colonial origins of modern social thought: by Durba Mitra, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2020, 304 pp. Price:$29.95 / £25.00 (Paperback). ISBN: 9780691196350

Durba Mitra’s first monograph, Indian Sex Life: Sexuality and the Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought, is a concept history above all else. Although it certainly reanimates and restores a han...
Representing space in cognition: interrelations of behaviour, language, and formal models, edited by Thora Tenbrink, Jan Wiener, and Christophe Claramunt, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2013, xv + 308 pp., $135.00/£70.00 hard cover, ISBN 978-0-19-967991-1

This interesting edited collection of chapters is titled Representing space in cognition, but the subtitle is key: Interrelations of behaviour, language, and formal models. The book stems from a wo...
Conditional Probative Value: Neoclassicism without Myth

The concept of conditional relevance is an essential aspect of the classical model of evidentiary law. Some of the great scholars of evidence have endorsed and shaped it.' Under Federal Rule of Evidence 104(b) it plays a crucial role in the division of responsibility between judge and jury,2 as well as in the application of the personal knowledge3 and authentication4 requirements. And the Supreme Court has applied it with great force.5 In recent years, though, the concept has come under attack from several notable scholars. The late Vaughn Ball led the assault, calling the concept a "myth."6 Peter Tillers, finding Ball's analysis to have some merit7 but not to be entirely satisfying, concludes that "[a]s a device for the regulation of fact-finding chores by the jury," the doctrine of conditional relevance "seems particularly invidious since it is so susceptible of witting or unwitting manipulation by judges who are distrustful of juries."8 Dale Nance has found Ball's criticisms convincing as applied to the hypotheticals and cases by which conditional relevance is usually explained; what "residual
Natural Disturbance Shapes Benthic Intertidal Macroinvertebrate Communities of High Latitude River Deltas

Unlike lower latitude coastlines, the estuarine nearshore zones of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea are icebound and frozen up to 9 months annually. This annual freezing event represents a dramatic physical disturbance to fauna living within intertidal sediments. The main objectives of this study were to describe the benthic communities of Beaufort Sea deltas, including temporal changes and trophic structure. Understanding benthic invertebrate communities provided a baseline for concurrent research on shorebird foraging ecology at these sites. We found that despite continuous year-to-year episodes of annual freezing, these estuarine deltas are populated by a range of invertebrates that represent both marine and freshwater assemblages. Freshwater organisms like Diptera and Oligochaeta not only survive this extreme event, but a marine invasion of infaunal organisms such as Amphipoda and Polychaeta rapidly recolonizes the delta mudflats following ice ablation. These delta sediments of sand, silt, and clay are fine in structure compared to sediments of other Beaufort Sea coastal intertidal habitats. The relatively depauperate invertebrate community that ultimately develops is composed of marine and freshwater benthic invertebrates. The composition of the infauna also reflects two strategies that make life on Beaufort Sea deltas possible: a migration of marine organisms from deeper lagoons to the intertidal and freshwater biota that survive the 9-month ice-covered period in frozen sediments. Stable isotopic analyses reveal that both infaunal assemblages assimilate marine and terrestrial sources of organic carbon. These results provide some of the first quantitative information on the infaunal food resources of shallow arctic estuarine systems and the long-term persistence of these invertebrate assemblages. Our data help explain the presence of large numbers of shorebirds in these habitats during the brief summer open-water period and their trophic importance to migrating waterfowl and nearshore populations of estuarine fishes that are the basis of subsistence lifestyles by native inhabitants of the Beaufort Sea coast.
Integrating stiction diagnosis and stiction compensation in process control valves

Limit cycles caused due to valve non-linearity such as stiction can be eliminated with proper valve maintenance. Since valve maintenance is usually scheduled during production stops and with production stops scheduled typically once every six months to three years, the loss of product quality and energy loss during this intermediate period can be quite high. Stiction compensation algorithms can mitigate this problem to a large extent. In this paper, an optimization based approach for stiction compensation much in the sprit of predictive control strategies is proposed.
Characterization of residual β cell function in long‐standing type 1 diabetes

Background Some patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes (T1D) maintain detectable levels of C-peptide. The quantitative and qualitative aspects of insulin secretion in these subjects have not been assessed, but may shed light on the basis for maintained β cell function. Our objective was to characterize insulin secretion in subjects with varying duration of T1D. Methods Data from mixed-meal tolerance tests were collected in this cross-sectional study. We screened 58 subjects with T1D 2 years, 20 of whom had previously participated in trials of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. Data from 38 historical non-diabetic controls were utilized. Insulin secretory rates were calculated from C-peptide levels from mixed-meal tolerance tests. Patterns and rates of insulin secretion were characterized along with relationships between insulin secretion and clinical parameters. Results C-peptide was detected in 68% of subjects with T1D duration >2 years. Insulin secretion was negatively correlated with HgbA1c and insulin use. A decline in total insulin secretion was seen with increasing disease duration (p < 0.0001). More subjects with long duration of T1D had a delayed time to peak secretion compared with those with new onset T1D or non-diabetic subjects. Insulin and glucagon secretory responses appeared unrelated. Conclusions Meal-stimulated insulin secretory responses are seen in those with long-standing T1D and detectable C-peptide. Delayed insulin secretory responses are more common in individuals with longer disease duration. Residual insulin secretory responses are associated with improved clinical parameters. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new α-conotoxin which targets α3β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

We have isolated a 16-amino acid peptide from the venom of the marine snail Conus magus which potently blocks nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) composed of α3β2 subunits. This peptide, named α-conotoxin MII, was identified by electrophysiologically screening venom fractions against cloned nicotinic receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The peptide's structure, which has been confirmed by mass spectrometry and total chemical synthesis, differs significantly from those of all previously isolated α-conotoxins. Disulfide bridging, however, is conserved. The toxin blocks the response to acetylcholine in oocytes expressing α3β2 nAChRs with an IC50 of 0.5 nM and is 2-4 orders of magnitude less potent on other nAChR subunit combinations. We have recently reported the isolation and characterization of α-conotoxin ImI, which selectively targets homomeric α7 neuronal nAChRs. Yet other α-conotoxins selectively block the muscle subtype of nAChR. Thus, it is increasingly apparent that α-conotoxins represent a significant resource for ligands with which to probe structure-function relationships of various nAChR subtypes.
SDC: a distributed clustering protocol for peer-to-peer networks

Network clustering can facilitate data discovery and peer-lookup in peer-to-peer systems. In this paper, we design a distributed network clustering protocol, called SCM-based Distributed Clustering (SDC), for peer-to-peer networks. In this protocol, clustering is dynamically adjusted based on Scaled Coverage Measure (SCM), a practical clustering accuracy measure. By exchanging messages with neighbors, peers can dynamically join or leave a cluster so that the clustering accuracy of the whole network is improved. SDC is a fully distributed protocol which requires only neighbor information, and it can handle node dynamics locally with very small message overhead while keeping good quality of clustering. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that SDC can discover good quality clusters very efficiently.
Steroid hormone regulation of ribosomal RNA in rat hypothalamus: early detection using in situ hybridization and precursor-product ribosomal DNA probes.

In the female rat, behavioral and endocrine aspects of reproduction are controlled, in part, by the action of the steroid hormone estradiol on several regions of the brain, including the ventrolateral portion of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VL-VMN) and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC). Quantitative assessment of the effects of estradiol on the regulation of ribosomal RNA in rat hypothalamus was accomplished in this study by tandem in situ hybridization experiments with 2 ribosomal DNA probes specific to the initial transcript (precursor) or mature, stable (product) rRNA. This novel approach allowed the regulation of RNA processing by steroid hormones to be analyzed in the individual neuron, a particularly important concern in heterogeneous tissue such as the brain. Estradiol was administered subcutaneously to ovariectomized rats for 15 min, 30 min, or 2 hr, or a discontinuous schedule of 2 hr on/7 hr off/2 hr on. Levels of precursor and product rRNA were measured in VL-VMN and ARC neurons using a computerized image- analysis system. Significant increases in the levels of precursor rRNA were observed only in the VL-VMN as early as 30 min after hormone exposure, with a doubling in the amount of precursor rRNA occurring at 2 hr. No changes in product rRNA were observed in either brain region at these early times. These data, in conjunction with our previous findings of increases in product rRNA after longer hormone exposure times, lead us to conclude that rRNA gene transcription is activated in rat hypothalamic neurons within 30 min.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Percutaneous Approach to Irreversible Electroporation of the Pancreas: Miami Protocol

Despite advances in the treatment of unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer, outcomes remain poor. Irreversible electroporation is a nonthermal ablative modality whose role in the management of locally advanced pancreatic cancer is being studied. This review highlights patient selection, preparation, and follow-up as well as discusses the techniques to achieve safe and effective tumor ablation in this challenging location.
Kininogenase activity of prostate-derived human glandular kallikrein (hK2) purified from seminal fluid.

Prostate-specific human glandular kallikrein (hK2) is an active enzyme in human seminal fluid. It is one of three serine proteases in the human kallikrein gene family, which includes hK1 (tissue kallikrein) and hK3 (prostate-specific antigen [PSA]). In order to examine kininogenase activity (i.e., production of kinin by these enzymes), we tested for bradykinin and/or Lys-bradykinin release upon incubation of hK2 and for other kallikreins with high-molecular weight kininogen (HMWK), which contains the nonapeptide bradykinin. Kinins are important regulatory peptides (especially for vascular permeability), and they may have a role in enhancing sperm motility. High-molecular weight kininogen is the substrate for plasma kallikrein (PK-a potent kinin-generating enzyme circulating in blood, not of the same gene family) and for hK1. Glandular kallikrein and protein-C inhibitor (PCI)-hK2 complex, a serpin protease inhibitor that binds hK2, were purified to homogeneity by affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. About one-half of the hK2 is found in complex with PCI. The kallikrein enzymes were incubated with HMWK, and the resulting cleavage products were analyzed for kinin activity using enzyme immunoassay, high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, and in vitro bioassay. Our results show that hK2 cleaves HMWK to produce bradykinin, not Lys-bradykinin (like hK1 ), and the resultant heavy (56-kDa) and light (42-kDa) chains of HMWK show similar electrophoretic mobility to those cleaved by PK. Prostate-specific antigen (hK3) had no kinin-generating activity. We also identified three other intemal cleavage sites for hK2 in HMWK (Arg 427 , Arg 437 , and Arg 457 ) that yielded two peptides, one of which is identical to a PK-cleaved peptide. Glandular kallikrein is about 500-fold less active than is PK or tissue kallikrein, but it may play a physiologically important role in bradykinin release in seminal fluid.
An Efficient Route to Macromonomers via ATRP and Click Chemistry

The combination of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and click chemistry was employed to prepare well-defined ω-(meth)acryloyl macromonomers in an efficient manner. Poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PBA), polystyrene (PS), and PS-b-PBA were prepared by ATRP and subsequently derivatized to contain azido end groups. The reaction of the azido-terminated polymers with alkyne-containing acrylate and methacrylate monomers resulted in near-quantitative chain end functionalization. Macromonomers of various molecular weights [PBA: Mn = 2.2−6.4 × 103 g/mol (DPn = 16−49); PS: Mn = 3.2−5.9 × 103 g/mol (DPn = 29−55)] and architectures were prepared by this method. The end group transformations required to incorporate the polymerizable functionality were accomplished either as a stepwise series of discrete reactions or as an in situ process, wherein azidation was immediately followed by azide−alkyne coupling in situ. In both cases, the degree of end group functionalization generally exceeded 90%. To demonstrate polym...
Isospin-violating quark distributions in the nucleon

Abstract The quark distributions in the nucleon which measure isospin breaking are estimated in quark models and then evolved to experimental energies. The difference d p ( x ) − u n ( x ) is roughly (2–3)% of d p ( x ). Surprisingly, u n ( x ) − d n ( x ) is only half as large. These distributions produce an error of 0.002 in the value of sin 2 θ w extracted from neutrino scattering unless they are taken into account.
Possible two-electron excitations in C3+ following 1 MeV/u collisions with atomic targets; Z=2, 10, 18 and 36

Auger electrons emitted from Li-like Carbon projectiles excited during I MeV/u collisions with atomic targets (Z = 2, 10, 18 and 36) have been measured. As a function of the target Z, we observe the yieldsof singly and doubly excited autoionizing configurations (Al) of C[sup 3+] excited during the collision that decay to the (1s[sup 2]([sup 1]S) + e[sub c][ell][sub c])[sup 2]L ground state. The investigation focuses on Auger electrons emitted with energies between 220 and 260 eV in the projectile reference frame. In addition to the singly excited (1s2s2[ell])[sup 2]L AI configurations expected from projectile 1s electron excitation, doubly excited states to the (1s(2p[sup 2])[sup 1]D)[sup 2]D and (1s(2p[sup 2])[sup 1]S)[sup 2]S are also observed with increasing intensities in going from He to the higher Z targets. If the [sup 2]D and the [sup 2]S peaks are the result of two-electron excitations, it may be possible to investigate this aspect of the collision using some of the recent approaches taken in studying the excitations of the two electrons in He targets.
A method to estimate the acceleration factor for subassemblies

A method is given for estimating the equivalent acceleration factor for a subassembly, from component data. The method puts no restriction on the type of component-life-distribution nor type of stress test, provided an acceleration factor is known for the components. Examples are given for an electronic circuit. >
Regularization theory and neural networks architectures

We had previously shown that regularization principles lead to approximation schemes that are equivalent to networks with one layer of hidden units, called regularization networks . In particular, standard smoothness functionals lead to a subclass of regularization networks, the well known radial basis functions approximation schemes. This paper shows that regularization networks encompass a much broader range of approximation schemes, including many of the popular general additive models and some of the neural networks. In particular, we introduce new classes of smoothness functionals that lead to different classes of basis functions. Additive splines as well as some tensor product splines can be obtained from appropriate classes of smoothness functionals. Furthermore, the same generalization that extends radial basis functions (RBF) to hyper basis functions (HBF) also leads from additive models to ridge approximation models, containing as special cases Breiman's hinge functions, some forms of projection pursuit regression, and several types of neural networks. We propose to use the term generalized regularization networks for this broad class of approximation schemes that follow from an extension of regularization. In the probabilistic interpretation of regularization, the different classes of basis functions correspond to different classes of prior probabilities on the approximating function spaces, and therefore to different types of smoothness assumptions. In summary, different multilayer networks with one hidden layer, which we collectively call generalized regularization networks, correspond to different classes of priors and associated smoothness functionals in a classical regularization principle. Three broad classes are (1) radial basis functions that can be generalized to hyper basis functions, (2) some tensor product splines, and (3) additive splines that can be generalized to schemes of the type of ridge approximation, hinge functions, and several perceptron-like neural networks with one hidden layer.
Cost effectiveness of Mohs micrographic surgery

Chren's study provides further evidence that for primary facial nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), recurrence rates with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) are modestly better than those for excision surgery. In 20 years, use of MMS has grown ∼10-fold and its cost now exceeds two billion dollars annually. Clinical experience and available data suggest that the skill of the treating physician is at least as important a determinant of outcome as the choice of MMS or excision. As patients and referring physicians increasingly share in the cost of more expensive procedures, evidence-based guidelines that establish the clinical circumstances in which the additional benefits of MMS outweigh its higher cost are needed, still lacking, and unlikely to become available.
Structurally colored thin films of Ca2+-cross-linked alginate.

Alginate, or alginic acid, is an unbranched binary copolymer of (1→4)-linked β-d-mannuronic acid and α-l-guluronic acid. Alginate readily forms binding interactions with a variety of divalent metal ions, such as calcium. This binding has been used to cross-link bulk alginates for a wide variety of applications, particularly in areas of tissue engineering, medical devices, and wound-healing dressings. A new method is identified here for producing Ca2+-cross-linked thin films of sodium alginate, using an aerosolized spray of CaCl2 solution. These thin films exhibit structural color that varies with film thickness. It is demonstrated that this structural color is highly reproducible and can also be tuned to produce a wide range of colored films. The noted ability of alginates to bind metal ions is used in combination with the structural coloration afforded by the thin film structure as a basis for color-based optical sensing of metal ions in aqueous solutions. Changes in film thickness, refractive index, and...
Conformation of Poly(ethylene oxide) in Polymer−Surfactant Aggregates

The influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the conformation of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in water is studied using viscosity measurements and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The behav...
Tissue-specific expression of Fgfr2b and Fgfr2c isoforms, Fgf10 and Fgf9 in the developing chick mandible

Experimental evidence has demonstrated the importance of FGF signalling in morphogenesis of the mandibular processes. FGFs transmit their signals through four tyrosine kinase transmembrane receptors (FGFRs). Alternative splicing in FGFRs including FGFR2 generates different isoforms that exhibit different ligand-specificities, exclusive tissue distributions and specific biological functions. Despite extensive information regarding the isoform-specific patterns of expression Fgfr2c and Fgfr2b during morphogenesis of many organs, a comparative analysis of these specific isoforms in the chick mandible has not been reported. To better understand the function of FGFR2 in mandibular morphogenesis, we have analysed the expression Fgfr2b, Fgfr2c and their putative ligands Fgf10 and Fgf9, in the developing chick mandibular processes by in situ hybridisation and RT-PCR. Our observations show that Fgfr2b was primarily expressed in the mandibular epithelium while Fgfr2c was expressed in the mandibular mesenchyme including Meckel's cartilage. Fgf9 and Fgf10 were expressed in a variety of craniofacial regions including the mandibular epithelium and mesenchyme respectively. The temporal and spatial distributions of Fgfr2b, Fgfr2c, Fgf10 and Fgf9 in the developing mandible reported in this study make them attractive candidates for involvement in epithelial-mesenchymal signalling interactions that are known to be necessary for proper mandibular outgrowth and morphogenesis.
FLICE-inhibitory protein expression during macrophage differentiation confers resistance to fas-mediated apoptosis.

Macrophages differentiated from circulating peripheral blood monocytes are essential for host immune responses and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis. In contrast to monocytes, macrophages are resistant to Fas-induced cell death by an unknown mechanism. FLICE (Fas-associated death domain–like interleukin 1β–converting enzyme)–inhibitory protein (Flip), a naturally occurring caspase-inhibitory protein that lacks the critical cysteine domain necessary for catalytic activity, is a negative regulator of Fas-induced apoptosis. Here, we show that monocyte differentiation into macrophages was associated with upregulation of Flip and a decrease in Fas-mediated apoptosis. Overexpression of Flip protected monocytes from Fas-mediated apoptosis, whereas acute Flip inhibition in macrophages induced apoptosis. Addition of an antagonistic Fas ligand antibody to Flip antisense–treated macrophages rescued cultures from apoptosis, demonstrating that endogenous Flip blocked Fas-induced cell death. Thus, the expression of Flip in macrophages conferred resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis, which may contribute to the development of inflammatory disease.
The use of self-motion cues and landmarks by Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) during a small-scale search task

Past research has indicated that the Clark's nutcracker encodes information about landmarks into memory to return to a hidden goal during small-scale navigation tasks. However, the ability to navigate using self-motion cues has been largely unexplored in avian species, including the nutcracker. In the current study, we trained four birds to move from a position near the perimeter of a 12-sided arena into a square enclosure where a hidden goal was located. Both self-motion cues and landmarks were available to locate the goal during training. The nutcrackers were able to locate the goal accurately using only self-motion cues when landmarks near the goal were removed during testing in Experiment 1. However, the results from Experiment 2 indicated that nutcrackers weighed local landmarks more heavily than self-motion cues when both sets of cues were placed in conflict.
A cross section code for diatom-spherical particle inelastic scattering

Abstract A new code to calculate differential and integral cross sections for inelastic scattering is described. The system is a spherically symmetric particle scattering from a Σ-state diatomic molecule. Space-fixed, total angular momentum, transition matrices are required as input. At least two methods are provided for computing each cross section. Results for Ne + HD are presented at 31.5 meV total energy. Timing information shows that, when a large number of total angular momenta are required for convergence, only one method is practical for computing the cross sections.
4-Oxalocrotonate tautomerase: pH dependence of catalysis and pKa values of active site residues.

The pH-rate profiles for the kinetic parameters of 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT) have been measured using 2-hydroxy-2,4-hexadiendioate (2a) and 2-hydroxy-2,4-pentadienoate (2b) as substrates. The pH dependences of log (kcat/Km) and of log kcat for the slow, nonsticky substrate 2b, which lacks a 6-carboxyl group, were bell-shaped with limiting slopes of unity on both sides of the pH optimum. For 2b, pKa values of 6.2 ± 0.3 and 9.0 ± 0.3 for the free enzyme (pKE) and 7.7 ± 0.3 and 8.5 ± 0.3 for the ES complex (pKES) were obtained. The pKE of 6.2 ± 0.3 for 2b represents a true pKa for a basic group on the enzyme and is most likely Pro-1 on the basis of inhibition studies with the substrate-based affinity label 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) [Stivers et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 803−813]. Accordingly, 15N NMR titration of the uniformly 15N-labeled enzyme showed that the pKa of the amino group of Pro-1 is 6.4 ± 0.2, in reasonable agreement with those found by the effect of pH on kcat/Km for 2b (6.2 ± 0.3) and ...
Islet xenotransplantation: what is the optimal age of the islet-source pig?

Background The need for pig islet xenotransplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes is compelling; however, the ideal age at which islets should be isolated from the donor pig remains uncertain. Pig islet transplantation in primates, as a valuable pre-clinical model, has been explored using adult, neonatal, fetal pig islets, and also pancreatic primordia from pig embryos as beta cell donors. Neonatal pig islets have some advantages over adult and fetal islets, but the optimal age within the first month of life at which neonatal islets should be isolated and transplanted is as yet unclear. Methods In an attempt to answer this question, we carried out a literature search, but limited the search primarily to evidence in the clinically-relevant pig-to-non-human primate model. Results We identified surprisingly few studies in this model directed to this topic. Even in pig-to-rodent models, there were few definitive data. Conclusion From the few data available to us, we conclude that pancreatectomy and islet isolation from neonatal pigs may have advantages over adult pigs and that isolation during the first week of life may have minor advantages over later weeks.
Photodynamic Therapy in the Management of Early Superficial Squamous Cell Carcinoma as an Alternative to Surgical Resection

Photodynamic therapy has been used since 1980 at our institution for the management of cancer of the tracheobronchial tree. We identified 13 patients (14 cancers) who were thought to be surgical candidates but who elected to have photodynamic therapy. Thirteen cancers (93 percent) had a complete response to hematoporphyrin-derivative phototherapy. Ten cancers (71 percent) showed a complete response after single treatment, and three (21 percent) required a second course of therapy to achieve a complete response. Ten (77 percent) of 13 cancers have shown no local recurrence. Three patients with persistent cancer underwent surgical resection and were found not to have nodal involvement. We concluded that photodynamic therapy is an alternative to surgical resection in the management of early superficial squamous cell carcinoma.
Novel Copolymers of Styrene. 9. Methyl and Methoxy Ring-Substituted 2-Cyano-3-phenyl 2-propenamides

Novel electrophilic trisubstituted ethylene monomers, methyl and methoxy ring- substituted 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenamides, RPhCH=C(CN)CONH2, where R is 2,3-dimethyl, 2,4-dimethyl, 2,5-dimethyl, 2-(3-methoxyphenoxy), 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy), 3-(4-methoxyphenoxy), 4-(4-methylphenoxy), 2,3-methylenedioxy were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by potassium hydroxide catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and cyanoacetamide, and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR. Novel copolymers of the ethylenes and styrene were prepared at equimolar monomer feed composition by solution copolymerization in the presence of a radical initiator, ABCN at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. High Tg of the copolymers in comparison with that of polystyrene indicates a substantial decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer du...