cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of cosmetic outcome following MammoSite breast brachytherapy: a single-institution experience of 100 patients with two years of follow-up.

Purpose: To identify the factors that predict for excellent cosmesis in patients who receive MammoSite breast brachytherapy (MBT). Methods and Materials: One hundred patients with Stage 0, I, or II adenocarcinoma of the breast underwent adjuvant therapy using MBT. A dose of 34 Gy, delivered in 10 fractions twice daily, was prescribed to 1-cm depth using 192 Ir high-dose-rate brachytherapy. Patients were assessed for acute toxicity on the day of therapy completion, 4 weeks after therapy, and at least every 3 months by radiation, surgical, and/or medical oncologists. All available data were reviewed for documentation of cosmesis and rated using the Harvard Scale. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 6 months (median = 24 months). Results: Of 100 patients treated, 90 had adequate data and follow-up. Cosmesis was excellent in 62 (68.9%), good in 19 (21.1%), fair in 8 (8.9%), and poor in 1 (1.1%) patient. Using stepwise logistic regression, the factors that predicted for excellent cosmesis were as follows: the absence vs. presence of infection ( p = 0.017), and the absence vs. presence of acute skin toxicity ( p = 0.026). There was a statistically significant association between acute skin toxicity (present vs. absent) and balloon-to-skin distance ( 8 mm, p = 0.001). Factors that did not predict for cosmesis were age, balloon placement technique, balloon volume, catheter days in situ , subcutaneous toxicity, and chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Conclusions: The acute and late-term toxicity profiles of MBT have been acceptable. Cosmetic outcome is improved by proper patient selection and infection prevention.
Bone health in patients with brain tumors.

Abstract Background Several factors, including the use of antiepileptic drugs, glucocorticoids, anticoagulants, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hemiplegia-associated osteopenia, render patients with brain tumor susceptible to bone disease. Methods The authors review the pathophysiology of these factors and their impact upon bone integrity. Results Steps that can be taken to minimize or eliminate bone morbidity including measurement of bone mineral density at treatment onset, adequate calcium intake, vitamins D and K supplementation, adequate sunlight exposure, weight-bearing exercises, fall prevention, avoidance of antiepileptic drugs linked to osteopenia, and judicious use and choice of glucocorticoids and anticoagulants are suggested. Conclusions Medical management of osteoporosis related to brain tumor treatment with bisphosphonates, teriparitide, and calcitonin is beneficial, as is kyphoplasty for symptomatic vertebral compression fractures.
Dopaminergic Regulation of Galanin Gene Expression in the Rat Anterior Pituitary Gland

Estrogen dramatically increases galanin mRNA and peptide levels in the rat anterior pituitary gland. We recently reported that galanin secretion in vitro from estrogen-exposed anterior pituitary cells is regulated by hypothalamic factors; dopamine and somatostatin inhibit galanin secretion, and thyrotrophin-releasing hormone stimulates galanin release. To determine whether galanin is regulated by a dopaminergic mechanism in vivo, we used ovariectomized Fischer 344 rats treated with 17s-estradiol-containing or empty Silastic capsules. Rats were also administered bromocriptine, a dopamine receptor agonist, haloperidol, a dopamine receptor antagonist, or placebo for 2 weeks. Galanin peptide levels were measured in the anterior pituitary, neurointermediate lobe, medial basal hypothalamus, and plasma by radioimmunoassay. Plasma and pituitary prolactin levels were also determined. Bromocriptine decreased gaianin peptide levels in the anterior pituitary gland of ovariectomized rats by 30%, but had no effect on galanin in the neurointermediate lobe or medial basal hypothalamus. In contrast, haloperidol had no effect on galanin in the anterior pituitary or medial basal hypothalamus of ovariectomized rats, but decreased galanin peptide levels in the neurointermediate lobe. In the anterior pituitary gland of estrogen-treated rats, bromocriptine increased and haloperidol decreased both galanin and prolactin levels. Galanin mRNA levels were quantified in the anterior pituitary gland by solution hybridization. Bromocriptine increased galanin mRNA levels 3-fold in the anterior pituitary, whereas haloperidol had no effect. Galanin mRNA levels in the anterior pituitary were elevated 10-fold by estrogen. Bromocriptine reduced galanin mRNA levels in the pituitary by 50% in estrogen-treated rats, where again haloperidol had no effect. Estrogen increased plasma galanin levels 4-fold compared to ovariectomized rats and this effect was reduced 60% by bromocriptine and increased 20% by haloperidol. We conclude 1) galanin synthesis and release from the estrogen-exposed anterior pituitary gland is inhibited by a dopaminergic mechanism in vivo, 2) dopamine regulates galanin gene expression in the ovariectomized rat, 3) the changes in galanin peptide levels in the anterior pituitary of rats treated with estrogen and dopamine receptor ligands are primarily due to alterations in peptide secretion, and 4) galanin release from the neurointermediate lobe may also be regulated by a dopaminergic mechanism in vivo. These data, in conjunction with previous studies, provide evidence for the co-regulation of galanin and prolactin in estrogen-treated rats, and further discriminate between the regulation of galanin in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
Knowledge structure and problem solving in physics

This article presents a prescriptive analysis of the kinds of knowledge and procedures leading to effective human problem solving in a quantitative science such as physics. The knowledge about such a science, explicated in the case of mechanics, specifies special descriptive concepts and relations described at various levels of abstractness, is organized hierarchically, and is accompanied by explicit guidelines specifying when and how this knowledge is to be applied. General problem‐solving procedures, to be used in conjunction with such domain‐specific knowledge, specify how initially to describe and analyze any problem so as to facilitate its subsequent solution; how to search for a solution by methods of constraint satisfaction used together with heuristic methods for decomposing problems and exploring decisions; and how to assess whether the resulting solution is correct and reasonably optimal. The preceding model of effective human problem solving is compared with some relevant observations and with ...
Postprandial augmentation of absorption of water and electrolytes in jejunum is neurally modulated: implications for segmental small bowel transplantation.

Postprandial augmentation of absorption of water and electrolytes is believed to occur in the jejunum. Neural mechanisms of control, however, have not been studied in the in situ jejunum or in the transplanted bowel. The aim of this study was to determine if postprandial augmentation of absorption occurs in the in situ jejunum and to evaluate neural mechanisms controlling postprandial jejunal absorption. Based on our previous work, we hypothesized that postprandial augmentation of absorption does not occur in the jejunum in situ and that extrinsic denervation of the jejunum is associated with decreased postprandial absorption. Absorption was studied in an 80 cm, in situ jejunal segment in six dogs by using an isosmolar electrolyte solution alone, or with 80 mmol/L glucose before and after jejunal transection to disrupt intrinsic neural continuity of the study segment with the remaining gut. Net absorptive fluxes of water and electrolytes were measured in the fasted state and after a 400-kcal meal. Another six dogs were studied 3 weeks after our validated model of extrinsic denervation of jejunoileum; identical fasting and postprandial absorptive states were evaluated. Postprandial augmentation of absorption of water and electrolytes did occur in the jejunum (P<0.03) both in the absence and in the presence of intraluminal glucose. After intrinsic neural transection or extrinsic denervation, no postprandial augmentation of absorption occurred, with or without glucose. Postprandial augmentation of absorption of water and electrolytes occurs in the in situ jejunum. Disrupting intrinsic neural continuity or extrinsic denervation (as after intestinal transplantation) abolishes postprandial augmentation.
Notochord-derived Shh concentrates in close association with the apically positioned basal body in neural target cells and forms a dynamic gradient during neural patterning

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) ligand secreted by the notochord induces distinct ventral cell identities in the adjacent neural tube by a concentration-dependent mechanism. To study this process, we genetically engineered mice that produce bioactive, fluorescently labeled Shh from the endogenous locus. We show that Shh ligand concentrates in close association with the apically positioned basal body of neural target cells, forming a dynamic, punctate gradient in the ventral neural tube. Both ligand lipidation and target field response influence the gradient profile, but not the ability of Shh to concentrate around the basal body. Further, subcellular analysis suggests that Shh from the notochord might traffic into the neural target field by means of an apical-to-basal-oriented microtubule scaffold. This study, in which we directly observe, measure, localize and modify notochord-derived Shh ligand in the context of neural patterning, provides several new insights into mechanisms of Shh morphogen action.
Lymphatics in Intestinal Absorption of Vitamin B12 and Iron.

SummaryTransport of radio-iron and radio-B12 from the intestinal wall to the blood was studied in 2 dogs with cannulated thoracic ducts. Most of both substances was directly transferred into the blood without going via the lymph. Since large molecules are generally absorbed via lymph, this indicates that the large B12-intrinsic factor is split in the intestinal wall prior to transfer.
Gustatory discrimination between meridic diets by the bug, Lygus hesperus

Abstract The results of preference tests conducted in choice chambers indicated that Lygus hesperus failed to discriminate between foodstuffs having different concentrations of sucrose, lipids, vitamins, or salts. Bugs responded preferentially to higher concentrations of amino acids.provided the test diets differed by at least 1·2 per cent of total amino acids. The bugs failed to discriminate if the total concentration of glutamine plus glutamic acid exceeded 2 per cent, even when the two diets differed in total amino acid concentration by more than 1·2 per cent. From these studies, it was concluded that amino acids were the primary feeding stimulants of the diets tested, whereas sucrose, salts, or lipids had no feeding stimulant properties.
Dynamic differential thermal analysis of the glass transition interval

Dynamic differential thermal analysis (DDTA) will be described and its application to the study of the glass transition interval of polystyrene will be discussed. The mode of operation involves reproducible cooling from the molten state through the glass transition interval and subsequent heating, both at reproducible linear rates of temperature change. Data on the temperature of half-freezing on cooling and on the temperature of the peak and (or) minimum in the heat capacity have been collected and will be compared with theoretical expressions derived on the basis of the hole theory of liquids. From the half-freezing temperature on cooling; which is taken to be a mean fictive temperature, properties of a mean hole are calculated for polystyrene. (Mean molar hole volume = 21.9 cm.3, energy 1600 cal., activation energy 157,600 cal.; relaxation time at the fictive temperature 5.5 min,) DDTA will be shown to be applicable to the determination of the second freezing-in process of polystyrene which occurs over a range of 230 to 350°K. and is thought to involve the librational motion of the phenyl rings.
Use of the 70‐Degree Diamond Burr in the Management of Complicated Frontal Sinus Disease

Objectives/Hypothesis: Management of frontal sinus disease may require drill-out of bone in the frontal recess for access, ventilation, and drainage of the sinus cavity; removal of osteitic foci; or resection of neoplastic tissue. Technological advances, particularly burrs with angles of 70 degrees and stereotactic navigational imaging, offer new opportunities to provide access and minimize trauma. The preliminary study evaluates the safety and efficacy of such minimally invasive approaches. Study Design: Retrospective review. Methods: The authors describe the use of a 70-degree diamond burr in a series of 10 patients with complicated frontal sinus disease who underwent endoscopic frontal sinusotomy under stereotactic imaging guidance. Results: The diagnoses consisted of frontal sinus mucocele (n = 4), chronic frontal sinusitis (n = 1), Pott's puffy tumor after frontoethmoid fracture (n = 1), and recurrent inverting papilloma (n = 4). Partial septectomy was required in 6 of 10 patients. No complications were attributable to the drill-out procedure, despite a pre-existing fronto-ethmoid bony dehiscence in 6 of 10 patients. One patient had a CSF leak during removal of tumor from the skull base. One patient required revision frontal sinusotomy 10 months after the initial procedure, and another required further surgery for residual inverting papilloma on the medial orbital wall. All frontal sinusotomies were patent at last follow-up (mean period, 9.3 mo). Conclusion: Extended endoscopic frontal sinusotomy may be necessary in the management of complicated frontal sinus inflammatory disease and inverting papilloma. The 70-degree diamond burr is a safe and effective tool for access to the frontal recess. Complication rates appear to be similar to those for other extended frontal sinusotomy approaches.
Tables of event sequences for sequential analyses of data in psychological experiments containing two-class events

Tables of sequences of two-class events are presented for use in programming psychological experiments in which behavior on trial n may be a function of the events of trials n − 1, n − 2, and/or n − 3. Various factors related to schedule generation are discussed, i.e., restrictions on trial-block length which accompany sequential balance, interrelationships of trial blocks in the multiblock experiment, relationships between run length and r-tuple occurrences, and alternation behavior. Following a consideration of various methods of schedule generation for the two-class experiment, it was concluded that no method can result in schedules that possess all properties considered desirable in psychological experiments. However, the present sequences allow for sequential balance and analysis, and thus should prove useful in producing schedules in some contexts that are standard with regard to sequential influences.
Maturational and Seasonal Molts in The Golden Mouse, Ochrotomys Nuttalli

The adult pelage of the golden mouse ( Ochrotomys nuttalli ) is attained by a single maturational molt. Data on the post-juvenile molt were obtained from 96 young golden mice. This molt began on the ventral surface and spread dorsally, meeting in the dorsal midline. It then proceeded anteriorly and posteriorly. The average age at which male golden mice began molting was 36 days, whereas that of females was 38 days. The average duration of molt for the sexes was 29 days and 25 days, respectively. Golden mice undergo two seasonal molts—spring and fall. Data were obtained from 36 mice. The winter pelage was generally much darker than the summer pelage. Both spring and fall molts were more irregular than the post-juvenile molt, and the spring molt tended to be more irregular than the fall molt. Young golden mice born after 1 October and 8 April appeared to combine the post-juvenile and seasonal molt. Hair replacement was more irregular than during the normal post-juvenile molt.
Peroxynitrite like Pan

See also article by Borbely et al. [9] (pages 225–233) in this issue. Peroxynitrite is a reactive nitrogen species (RNS) generated by the rapid, diffusionally controlled reaction of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide [1]. Its formation has been implicated in many pathophysiological conditions such as ischemia–reperfusion, sepsis, and congestive heart failure (CHF). Nitrotyrosine formation has been claimed as a “footprint” for peroxynitrite presence and induced damage. This alteration is due to covalent protein modification derived from the addition of a nitro (–NO2) group onto one of the equivalents on the carbons of the aromatic rings of tyrosine residues (NO2Tyr) [2]. Nitrotyrosine production is not only indicative of oxidative/nitrosative stress, but is also a process whereby many proteins might be post-translationally modified. Protein function, catalytic activity, and protein–protein interactions can be altered by nitration [3], particularly those proteins rich in tyrosine residues. In vitro studies have provided the majority of data supporting tyrosine nitration in the heart, whereas in vivo or ex vivo evidence is less clear. In isolated hearts, the amount of nitrated proteins correlates with the reduction in cardiac pump function [4]. Moreover, in the whole heart, exogenous peroxynitrite appears to reduce myofibrillar in vitro Ca2+ responsiveness in a cGMP-protein kinase-dependent manner [5] and affects the ability of the heart to utilize ATP [6]. Accordingly, the in vitro nitration of the 40-kDa myofibrillar isoform of creatine kinase is likely one major contributor to the altered ATP-to-mechanical work conversion, at least in some CHF models [7]. In vivo, nitrotyrosine production … *835 Ross Bldg, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Tel.: +1 1 410 955 4813; fax: +1 1 410 502 2558. Email address: npaoloc1{at}jhmi.edu
Efficiency and Effectiveness of Heat Exchanger Series

The concept of heat exchanger efficiency is extended to the heat exchanger networks. General expressions that can be used for determining the overall efficiency and effectiveness of heat exchangers connected in series regardless of the heat exchanger type have been presented. A simple, accurate, approximate algebraic expression is provided for determining the efficiency of the heat exchanger. The approach presented is far more general compared to the traditional approaches, providing the designer the flexibility to select the efficiency of the individual heat exchangers, the overall system efficiency, the number of heat exchangers, as well as the type of heat exchanger to select, by utilizing a single equation. An expression is derived for determining the minimum number of shells, as a convenient alternative for the traditional methods currently in use.
Linear Stability of Sharp and Diffuse Interfaces Under Shear

We show that diffuse interfaces in shear flow are prone to instabilities that are of the same origin and character as the Yih-instability (for sharp interfaces between immiscible fluids). We also show that the development of these “Yih-like” instabilities towards “Yih” is monotonic, and that the agreement with Yih becomes quantitative as the limits of zero thickness and no-diffusion are approached.
Is It Who You Know? Entrepreneurs and Bankers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

This article examines the trust-producing mechanisms investors and financiers used in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to determine where to invest their money in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The coffee boom that began in the 1880s spurred bursts of new domestic business development that transformed Sao Paulo into Brazil's industrial leader. Using shareholder and director data from an array of business sectors, this article demonstrates that early development (1856-1905) of the institutions that provided business finance was accompanied by highly personal relationships between financier and entrepreneur. By the early twentieth century (1906-1920), rapid economic growth and business diversification rendered these personal connections inadequate and hence less important to business finance. Investors and directors concentrated their energies and their money, abandoning the practice of forming broad connections in general—and connections to a bank in particular—and turned to the stock market instead. By providing an alternative to personal forms of trust production, the rise of impersonal intermediation promoted the significantly broadened market for corporate business formation that underwrote Sao Paulo's economic transformation.
Cutting Plane Training for Linear Support Vector Machines

Support Vector Machines (SVMs) have been shown to achieve high performance on classification tasks across many domains, and a great deal of work has been dedicated to developing computationally efficient training algorithms for linear SVMs. One approach [1] approximately minimizes risk through use of cutting planes, and is improved by [2], [3]. We build upon this work, presenting a modification to the algorithm developed by Franc and Sonnenburg [2]. We demonstrate empirically that our changes can reduce cutting plane training time by up to 40 percent, and discuss how changes in data sets and parameter settings affect the effectiveness of our method.
Dual-stokes cars system for simulataneous measurement of temperature and multiple species in turbulent flames

A dual-Stokes coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) instrument has been used to make simultaneous time- and space-resolved measurements of temperature and the mass fractions of N2, CO, O2, and CO2. Calculation of the mixture fraction, ζ, a conserved scalar, is possible for each data point, making the technique useful in turbulent combustion environments. The viability of this instrumental approach has been demonstrated by calibrations in laminar CO/N2 flat flames of many different stoichiometries. Maximum single-shots rms values due to instrument fluctuations are attained in near stoichiometric mixtures and are ±45 K for temperature, ±0.042 for YN2 and YCO2, ±0.015 for YO2 and YCO, and ±0.036 for mixture fraction. Measurements have been made using this instrument in turbulent nonpremixed jet flames of CO/N2 with small amounts of H2. These measurements demonstrated that for turbulent systems, limitations are imposed on the CARS technique due to insufficient dynamic range and image persistence problems with the intensified photodiode array (IPDA) detector. These limitations are minimized with proper experimental parameters and data correction methods.
The role of social support and integration for understanding socioeconomic disparities in self-rated health and hypertension

This paper examines socioeconomic (socioeconomic status, SES) disparities in self-rated health and hypertension among 29,816 US adults aged 25 and older using data from the 2001 wave of the National Health Interview Survey. Our purpose is to examine how influential measures of social support and social integration are for each health outcome, and whether support and integration operate by mediating, or buffering, the effects of SES on health. Multivariate regression models show no significant influence of emotional support, but do indicate that many aspects of social integration are directly associated with self-rated health and hypertension, although these measures do not mediate the relationship between SES and health. However, interaction tests show substantial evidence that measures of social integration buffer some of the negative effects of low SES, particularly the negative influence of not working on self-rated health. In addition, findings indicate potential evidence of help-seeking behavior among adults who did not finish high school or who report financial barriers to medical care. Overall, our findings suggest that social programs designed to foster social integration (e.g., free or low-cost bus fare to promote visits with friends and family) may improve health among persons with low levels of education, who are not working, or who have problems accessing medical care because of financial problems.
Impression stress relaxation of Sn3.5Ag eutectic alloy

The reliability of microelectronic interconnections depends on hot deformation of solders. In this work, we studied the localized stress relaxation of Sn3.5Ag eutectic alloy using the impression testing in the temperature range of 393–488 K. By incorporating the effect of internal stress in the analysis, we obtained the strain rate-stress exponent of 6.59. The activation energy for the stress relaxation is in the range from 38.6 to 43.8 kJ/mol, which compares well with the estimated activation energy of dislocation pipe diffusion, 46 kJ/mol, in pure tin. This suggests that a single mechanism of dislocation climb limited by dislocation pipe diffusion might be the controlling mechanism for the localized stress relaxation of the Sn3.5Ag eutectic alloy.
Analysis of means in marketing research

Analysis of variance, often the method of choice in evaluating the outcomes of marketing tests, can be significantly enhanced in its decision-support value. For this purpose one may apply more recently developed supplementary approaches: (1) Evaluation of main effects and interactions with Decision-Line (DL) criteria; (2) graphic multi-comparative analysis contrasted against the DL's; and (3) estimation of net component of variance for factor and interaction effects. An illustrative case history serves to highlight the more comprehensive overview and better understanding of experiment outcomes thus achieved.
Implementation of prognostic methodologies to cryogenic propellant loading testbed

Prognostics methodologies determine the health state of a system and predict the end of life and remaining useful life. This information enables operators to take maintenance-related decisions, thus effectively streamlining operational and mission-level activities. Prognostics testbeds help in the prototyping, development, and maturation of prognostic technologies. In this work, we present a prognostics testbed for pneumatic valves. Pneumatic valves are critical components in many industrial processes, and the testbed will be used to showcase how remaining life prediction works in the context of cryogenic refueling operations. The testbed allows for the injection of time-varying leaks with specified damage progression profiles in order to emulate common valve faults. In addition, the testbed contains a battery used to power some components, allowing the study of the effects of battery degradation on the operation of the valves. Prognostic algorithms will utilize sensor data collected from the different transducers in order to estimate component health and make life predictions, based on mathematical models describing the underlying physics of component degradation and employing a Bayesian filtering algorithm for state-parameter estimation from which life predictions are made.
Ca2+ bound to the high affinity divalent cation-binding site of actin enhances actophorin-induced depolymerization of muscle F-actin but inhibits actophorin-induced depolymerization of Acanthamoeba F-actin.

The cation tightly bound to actin, Mg2+ or Ca2+, affects the ability of actophorin to accelerate depolymerization of filaments and bind to monomers of actin prepared from rabbit skeletal muscle and Acanthamoeba castellanii. Actophorin interacted similarly with muscle and Acanthamoeba Mg2+-F-actin but depolymerized muscle Mg2+-F-actin more efficiently. Muscle Ca2+-F-actin depolymerized about 5 times more rapidly than Mg2+-F-actin in the presence of actophorin but Acanthamoeba Ca2+-F-actin was highly resistant to actophorin. Muscle actin subunits dissociated more rapidly than Acanthamoeba actin subunits from copolymers of muscle and Acanthamoeba Ca2+-actin upon addition of actophorin although Acanthamoeba actin dissociated much more rapidly from copolymers than from its homopolymer. The Kd of the 1:1 complex between actophorin and monomeric actin was somewhat lower for muscle Mg2+-ATP-G-actin than for both Acanthamoeba Mg2+-ATP-G-actin and muscle Ca2+-ATP-G-actin. The data for the interactions of actophorin with Acanthamoeba Ca2+-ATP-G-actin or muscle and amoeba Mg2+-and Ca2+-ADP-G-actin were incompatible with the formation of 1:1 actin:actophorin complexes and, thus, Kd values could not be calculated. While it may not be surprising that actophorin would interact differently with Mg2+-and Ca2+-actin, it is unexpected that the nature of the tightly bound cation would have such dramatically opposite effects on the ability of actophorin to depolymerize muscle and Acanthamoeba F-actin. Differential severing by actophorin, with Acanthamoeba Ca2+-actin being almost totally resistant, is sufficient to explain the results but other possibilities cannot be ruled out.
A comparison of the crack tip damage zone for fracture of Hexcel F185 neat resin and T6T145/F185 composite

Hexcel F185 neat resin and T6T145/F185 graphite fiber-reinforced composite were subjected to Mode I loading in the compact tension (CT) geometry (fibers parallel to the crack) and the energy per unit area of crack extension, JIC, determined to be 8100 and 1600 J/m2 respectively. In-situ fracture studies using scanning electron microscopy on a CT-type specimen of F185 showed extensive microcracking in a damage zone ahead of the crack tip, which was similar to the microcracking observed in the whitened area ahead of the crack tip in the macroscopic CT specimens. A simple calculation using a rule of mixtures approach suggests that the diminished size of the damage zone and the presence of rigid fibers in the damage zone in the composite are not a sufficient explanation for the significantly lower delamination toughness of the composite compared to the neat resin. From this it may be inferred that the strain to failure locally in the damage zone ahead of the crack in the composite may also be lower than that which can be tolerated in the neat resin. Evidence for this idea comes from the observation that microcrack coalescence seems to occur preferentially at the fiber/resin interface.
A Novel Embryogenetic Mechanism for Currarino’s Triad: Inadequate Dorsoventral Separation of the Caudal Eminence from Hindgut Endoderm

Currarino's triad is a congenital malformation involving the combination of anorectal stenosis, a presacral mass (most often a teratoma or ventral menigocele) and an anterior sacral bony defect (scimitar sacrum). Current theories regarding its embryogenesis are difficult to reconcile with our current understanding of caudal neuraxial and hindgut development. Caudal neuraxial structures develop from the caudal eminence (or tail bud), which normally separates from the hindgut endoderm concurrent with ingrowth of the posterior notochord during late gastrulation. We describe the first reported association of Currarino's triad with a caudal split cord malformation. It has previously been proposed that split cord malformations and related 'complex dysraphic malformations' involving abnormalities of one or more of the three primary germ layers arise through disordered midline axial integration during gastrulation. The presence of a split cord malformation in a patient with Currarino's triad suggests that the two disorders share a common embryogenetic pathway. We propose that the malformations of Currarino's triad arise through a failure of dorsoventral separation of the caudal eminence from the hindgut endoderm during late gastrulation.
Anisotropy of electromagnetically induced left-handedness in atomic three-level media based upon bianisotropic polarizabilities and tensor character

A three-level atomic system, configured as either a gaseous medium or a solid state material, with a driving field establishing a Rabi frequency of control, is tested by a probe field. The medium has bianisotropic microscopic polarizability and magnetizability, from which the permittivity and permeability tensors are derived. Non-isotropy and polarization dependence for left-handedness (negative index of refraction) is demonstrated through examination of tensor components in the detuning frequency spectrum. These results have important implications for use in optical or electronic devices.
The effects of Beet mild yellowing virus and Beet chlorosis virus on the yield of UK field-grown sugar beet in 1997, 1999 and 2000

Summary The separate effects of the aphid-transmitted poleroviruses; Beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV) and Beet chlorosis virus (BChV), on the yield of field-grown sugar beet were studied following different inoculation dates from May to July in 1997,1999 and 2000. Each sugar beet plant within the appropriate plots was infected with virus using at least 10 wingless viruliferous Myzus persicae per plant. In all 3 years, overall yield losses caused by BMYV were negatively correlated with time of infection with early season (May) inoculations causing 18–27% losses in sugar yield but late season losses only 4–15%. BChV decreased the sugar yield and sugar content of beet following early season inoculations, although the effects on sugar yield were more variable (range 8–24%) and the virus appeared to be less damaging compared to BMYV. However, inoculations with BChV in July of each year caused greater root and sugar losses than inoculations with BMYV at that time. Both poleroviruses increased the sodium content of the roots early in the season, although neither virus had an effect on potassium levels at any stage.
An artificial neural network approach to multiphase continua constitutive modeling

Constitutive equations describe intrinsic relationships among sets of material system parameters. This study utilizes artificial neural networks in place of a traditional micromechanical approach to calculate the global (macroscopic) elastic properties of composite materials given the local (microscopic) properties and local geometry. This approach is shown to be more computationally efficient than conventional numerical micromechanical approaches. An eight sub-celled representative volume element is used for the local geometry. Multi target artificial neural networks (MTANNs) and single target artificial neural networks are studied for applicability in predicting the global properties. The best performing MTANN achieves a precision of 9%. The single target artificial neural networks (STANNs) perform best and predicts the global properties within a target error of 5.3%. The computation time is 1.8 s for all six STANNs to predict six global properties for 19,683 different microstructures.
Solution structures of UBA domains reveal a conserved hydrophobic surface for protein-protein interactions.

Abstract UBA domains are a commonly occurring sequence motif of ∼45 amino acid residues that are found in diverse proteins involved in the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway, DNA excision-repair, and cell signaling via protein kinases. The human homologue of yeast Rad23A (HHR23A) is one example of a nucleotide excision-repair protein that contains both an internal and a C-terminal UBA domain. The solution structure of HHR23A UBA(2) showed that the domain forms a compact three-helix bundle. We report the structure of the internal UBA(1) domain of HHR23A. Comparison of the structures of UBA(1) and UBA(2) reveals that both form very similar folds and have a conserved large hydrophobic surface patch. The structural similarity between UBA(1) and UBA(2), in spite of their low level of sequence conservation, leads us to conclude that the structural variability of UBA domains in general is likely to be rather small. On the basis of the structural similarities as well as analysis of sequence conservation, we predict that this hydrophobic surface patch is a common protein-interacting surface present in diverse UBA domains. Furthermore, accumulating evidence that ubiquitin binds to UBA domains leads us to the prediction that the hydrophobic surface patch of UBA domains interacts with the hydrophobic surface on the five-stranded β-sheet of ubiquitin. Detailed comparison of the structures of the two UBA domains, combined with previous mutagenesis studies, indicates that the binding site of HIV-1 Vpr on UBA(2) does not completely overlap the ubiquitin binding site.
1760 BRONCHIAL REACTIVITY IN PREMATURE INFANTS WITH BPD

Bronchodilators generally are not considered useful in infants, presumably because of poor airway smooth muscle development. On the other hand, bronchial reactivity has been suspected in infants with chronic lung disease such as BPD. We investigated to see when such a reactivity develops postnatally in patients who are mechanically ventilated in the neonatal ICU. In 22 prematurely born infants (BW: 1118 ± 350(SD)gm; GA:27.7 ± 2.4 wk; PNA: 46.5 ± 30.7 days) with RDS/BPD, maximum expiratory flowvolume curves by forced deflation (DFVC; Pediatr Res 11:220,1977) were obtained on 63 separate occasions. At each testing DFVC were examined in 3 conditions: baseline (BL), after saline nebulization (NSS) as a placebo, and after 10 minutes of 0.25% isoetharine nebulization (bronchodilator BD). At BL all infants showed decreased maximum expiratory flow at low lung volumes (Vmax25), indicating lower airway obstruction. Forced vital capacity (FVC) was also decreased (29.3 ± 12.8 ml/kg). Following NSS and lung inflation 12% of infants showed an increase (>20%) in FVC, indicating recruitment of airspaces. After BD 79% showed an increase (>20% of NSS) in Vmax25. The mean response in Vmax25 at the same lung volume from TLC was 320 ± 249% of NSS (maximum: 1270%) (p< .001), indicating marked bronchodilation. The youngest responder was a 17-day-old and the most premature who responded was 28 weeks PCA. Thus the course of a majority of premature infants with chronic ventilatory failure is complicated by marked bronchial hyperreactivity. (Supported in part by grants: NIH HL25810; ALA of PA).
Determining optimal points of membership with dependent variables

Consider sets X and Y each with associated membership functions. Further suppose that there is a map f : X! Y. A membership may be induced onY from the membership ofX calculated using the extension principle, and the two memberships onY may be combined to give an overall membership. The point with the highest membership in X can be determined directly or by back mapping the value with the highest membership in Y .T hese two Manuscript prepared for submission to Fuzzy Sets and Systems
Kinetic characterization of ebselen, chelerythrine and apomorphine as glutaminase inhibitors

Glutaminase catalyzes the hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate and plays a central role in the proliferation of neoplastic cells via glutaminolysis, as well as in the generation of excitotoxic glutamate in central nervous system disorders such as HIV-associated dementia (HAD) and multiple sclerosis. Both glutaminase siRNA and glutaminase inhibition have been shown to be effective in in vitro models of cancer and HAD, suggesting a potential role for small molecule glutaminase inhibitors. However, there are no potent, selective inhibitors of glutaminase currently available. The two prototypical glutaminase inhibitors, BPTES and DON, are either insoluble or non-specific. In a search for more drug-like glutaminase inhibitors, we conducted a screen of 1280 in vivo active drugs (Library of Pharmacologically Active Compounds (LOPAC1280)) and identified ebselen, chelerythrine and (R)-apomorphine. The newly identified inhibitors exhibited 10 to 1500-fold greater affinities than DON and BPTES and over 100-fold increased efficiency of inhibition. Although non-selective, it is noteworthy that the affinity of ebselen for glutaminase is more potent than any other activity yet described. It is possible that the previously reported biological activity seen with these compounds is due, in part, to glutaminase inhibition. Ebselen, chelerythrine and apomorphine complement the armamentarium of compounds to explore the role of glutaminase in disease.
Studying Steady Shear Flow Characteristics of Entangled Polymer Solutions with Parallel Mechanical Superposition

We probe the nature of steady shear flow of entangled polymer solutions by superimposing either small amplitude oscillatory shear or small step strain and analyzing the resultant mechanic responses. Our results show that (a) polymer dynamics (in terms of stress relaxation) are accelerated relative to the quiescent dynamics in direct proportion to the underlying shear rate and (b) the steady shear is a viscous state where chains are displaced past one another on a time scale of the reciprocal rate, consistent with the idea of convective constraint release.
Finite temperature quantum entanglement

Some of our previous research showed some interesting results regarding the effect of non-zero temperature on a specified quantum computation. For example, our analysis revealed that more Grover iterations are required to amplify the amplitude of the solution in a quantum search problem when the system is found at some finite temperature. We want to further study the effects of temperature on quantum entanglement using a finite temperature field theoretical description. Such a framework could prove to be useful for the understanding of computational dynamics inside a quantum computer. Other issues that we will address in our discussion include analytical descriptions of the effects of the temperature in the Von Newman entropy and others as a measure of entanglement.
A study of compressibility effects on dynamic stall of rapidly pitching airfoils

Results of recent experimental studies into the effect of compressibility on dynamic stall of oscillating airfoils are reviewed. Stroboscopic schlieren images of the strongly unsteady flow field are presented, showing the development of the dynamic stall vortex, and its progression down the airfoil. The effect of varying free-stream Mach number and frequency of oscillation of the airfoil are demonstrated, and examples of local supersonic flow are presented, including the presence of a shock near the leading edge of the airfoil.
Spectroscopic studies of cyanobacterial phycobilisomes lacking core polypeptides.

Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 ( Agmenellum quadruplicatum PR6) genes encoding two highly conserved phycobilisome core polypeptides, a small linker polypeptide (L C 8 , apcC ) and the allophycocyanin-B α-subunit (α APB , apcD ), respectively, were interrupted by insertion of restriction fragments carrying the neomycin phosphotransferase gene of Tn5. The interrupted genes were used to transform Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 to kanamycin resistance. The apcC − mutant assembled phycobilisomes lacking the L C 8 polypeptide and the apcD − mutant assembled phycobilisomes lacking α APB . No other differences between the compositions of the mutant and wild-type phycobilisomes were detected. The apcC − strain grew about 25% more slowly than the wild-type, and its phycobilisomes dissociated more rapidly in 0.33 M Na/K−PO 4 (pH 8.0) or in 0.75 M Na/K−PO 4 at pH 8.0, at 40°C, than did those of the wild-type. The phycobilisomes of this mutant were indistinguishable from those of the wild-type with respect to absorption and circular dichroism spectra, as well as time-resolved fluorescence emission. Steady-state emission spectra indicate a small decrease in long wavelength (680 nm) emission from the apcC − phycobilisomes and a complementary increase in shorter wavelength (665 nm) emission, relative to wild-type phycobilisomes. Strain apcD − phycobilisomes appear to be functionally indistinguishable from those of the wild-type, in spite of the absence of the two α APB subunits which bear terminal acceptor bilins. The only spectroscopic difference was seen in the steady-state fluorescence emission, for which the emission of the mutant was about 15% higher than that of the wild-type and was slightly blue-shifted. A phenotype has yet to be found for the apcD − mutation.
Recognition of Nascent RNA by the Human La Antigen: Conserved and Divergent Features of Structure and Function

La is a conserved RNA-binding phosphoprotein that interacts with a large variety of ligands. The most ubiquitous function of La is association with newly synthesized RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcripts via their common UUU-OH 39 termini and stabilization of these against exonucleolytic digestion. Accumulating evidence also indicates an activity for La in internal ribosome entry site-mediated translation in mammalian cells and in the metabolism of a subset of 39-processed snRNA intermediates that end in uridylates but are synthesized by Pol II. The most highly conserved region of La resides in the N-terminal domain (NTD), and this appears to mediate highaffinity UUU-OH recognition. As critically reviewed here by comparison to a consensus core RNA recognition motif (RRM) structure, the NTD can be modeled into a pair of tandem RRMs. In addition to the conserved NTD, human La (hLa) protein contains a C-terminal domain (CTD) that harbors a third RRM and a potential Walker A motif that appears to recognize the 59-ppp ends of nascent RNAs. The resulting bipartite mode of RNA binding can account for previously unexplained observations and may underlie a unifying principle of La function. While a role for hLa in transcription remains controversial, its presence in a Pol III holoenzyme suggests a role reminiscent of the CTD of Pol II, as an integrator of transcriptional and posttranscriptional activities that include 59- and 39-RNA metabolism. Evidence that the 59-end-RNA recognition activity of hLa can be modulated by phosphorylation provides mechanistic insight into the signal transduction
Slow Atomic Motion in Zr-Ti-Cu-Ni-Be Metallic Glasses Studied by NMR

Nuclear magnetic resonance is used for the first time to detect slow atomic motion in metallic glasses, specifically, Be motion in Zr-Ti-Cu-Ni-Be bulk metallic glasses. The observations are not consistent with the vacancy-assisted and interstitial diffusion mechanisms and favor the spread-out free volume fluctuation mechanism for Be diffusion. Comparison with the results of Be diffusion measured by elastic backscattering the NMR results also indicates that the energy barriers for short- and long-range Be motion are the same.
The ultrastructural morphology of the subthalamic-nigral axon terminals intracellularly labeled with horseradish peroxidase

The labeled axons of neurons intracellularly injected with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the rat subthalamic nucleus (STH) were studied with electron microscopy. The main axons and the efferent daughter branches were all myelinated. The morphology of the intrinsic axon terminals within STH was obscured by the dark HRP reaction products, but the labeled efferent STH terminals in the substantia nigra (SN) were revealed to contain small oval vesicles and formed asymmetrical synapses with dendrites of SN neurons.
Jupiter's radiation belts

A model for the production and loss of energetic electrons in Jupiter's radiation belt is presented. It is postulated that the electrons originate in the solar wind and are diffused in toward the planet by perturbations which violate the particles' third adiabatic invariant. At large distances, magnetic perturbations, electric fields associated with magnetospheric convection, or interchange instabilities driven by thermal plasma gradients may drive the diffusion. Inside about 10 Jupiter radii, the diffusion is probably driven by electric fields associated with the upper atmosphere dynamo which is driven by neutral winds in the ionosphere. The diurnal component of the dynamo wind fields produces a dawn-dusk asymmetry in the decimetric radiation from the electrons in the belts, and the lack of obvious measured asymmetries in the decimetric radiation measurements provides estimates of upper limits for these Jovian ionospheric neutral winds.