cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Storing and using objects in a relational database

In today's heterogeneous development environments, application programmers have the responsibility to segment their application data and to store those data in different types of stores. That means relational data will be stored in RDBMSs (relational database management systems), C++ objects in OODBMSs (object-oriented database management systems), SOM (System Object Model) objects in OMG (Object Management Group) persistent stores, and OpenDoc™ or OLE™ (Object Linking and Embedding) compound documents in document files. In addition, application programmers must deal with multiple server systems with different query languages as well as large amounts of heterogeneous data. This paper describes SMRC (shared memory-resident cache), an RDBMS extender that provides the ability to store objects created in external type systems like C++ or SOM in a relational database, coresident with existing relational or other heterogeneous data. Using SMRC, applications can store and retrieve objects via SQL (structured query language), and invoke methods on the objects, without requiring any modifications to the original object definitions. Furthermore, the stored objects fully participate in all the characteristic features of the underlying relational database, e.g., transactions, backup, and authorization. SMRC is implemented on top of IBM's DB2® Common Server for AIX® relational database system and heavily exploits the DB2 user-defined types (UDTs), user-defined functions (UDFs), and large objects (LOBs) technology. In this paper, the C++ type system is used as a sample external type system to exemplify the SMRC approach, i.e., storing C++ objects in relational databases. Similar efforts are required for SOM or OLE objects.
Maize, food self-sufficiency and policy in East and Southern Africa

Abstract In recent years maize has become a major food staple in the East and Southern African region. National average yields of maize remain low and yield gains are generally below population growth rates. Agricultural policy (particularly maize pricing, marketing and trade) is examined and it is noted that, despite an objective of maize self-sufficiency, many countries in the region continue to face erratic supplies. Finally, a brief look is taken at the technologies available for maize, and at those groups of smallholders who are unable to meet their annual household food requirements.
Lenalidomide: A New Agent for Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Lenalidomide is a potent, novel thalidomide analog that has demonstrated promising clinical activity in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM). It is a lead immunomodulatory drug currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and thromboembolic events are common adverse effects associated with lenalidomide therapy in patients with MM. Careful monitoring of those known serious adverse effects is essential to prevent life-threatening complications. This article discusses lenalidomide's mechanisms of action, clinical trial results, and the management of common adverse effects in patients with MM.
Orbital Angular Momentum Joint Spectrum Analysis for Efficient Object Recognition

Object recognition exploiting the two-dimensional orbital angular momentum joint spectrum using pairs of correlated photons is presented. The detection of rotational symmetries demonstrates a sparse sensing technique relevant to remote sensing and biological applications.
The reduction of SIRT1 in livers of old mice leads to impaired body homeostasis and to inhibition of liver proliferation.

Age declines liver functions, leading to the development of age-associated diseases. A member of the sirtuins family, SIRT1, is involved in the control of glucose homeostasis and fat metabolism. Because aging livers have alterations in glucose and fat metabolism, we examined a possible role of SIRT1 in these alterations. We found that aged livers have a reduced expression of SIRT1 and have lost proper control of the regulation of SIRT1 after partial hepatectomy (PH). Down-regulation of SIRT1 in the liver of old mice is mediated by CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein/histone deacetylase 1 (C/EBPβ-HDAC1) complexes, which bind to and repress the SIRT1 promoter. In the livers of young mice, SIRT1 is activated after PH and supports high levels of glucose and triglycerides during liver regeneration. In old mice, however, C/EBPβ-HDAC1–mediated repression of the SIRT1 promoter blocks activation of SIRT1, leading to low levels of glucose and triglycerides during liver regeneration. Down-regulation of SIRT1 in the livers of young mice resulted in alterations similar to those observed in the livers of old mice, whereas the normalization of SIRT1 in the livers of old mice corrects the levels of glucose and triglycerides after PH. The normalization of SIRT1 in old mice also improves liver regeneration via the elimination of the C/EBPα-Brm complex. These studies showed a critical role of the reduction of SIRT1 in age-associated liver dysfunctions and provide a potential tool for the correction of liver functions in old patients after surgical resections. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;)
Reduction in blood pressure associated with high polyunsaturated fat diets that reduce blood cholesterol in man.

Abstract Ten male and 11 female subjects in the 40–60 age group were fed a 25% fat-calorie diet (Period I) with a P/S ratio of 1. The diet consisted of foods commonly eaten in the U.S.A. and was fed for 40 days, followed by a second 40-day feeding period of 35% fat calories (Period II) with a P/S ratio of 1. A significant decrease in systolic pressure for males and females was observed at the end of the 25% fat-calorie period. The lowered levels of systolic pressure were maintained throughout the 35% fat-calorie period. The diastolic pressure also decreased significantly during Period I; it showed a slight increase, however, during Period II. Plasma cholesterol was also significantly decreased during the first phase of the study and remained lowered during the second phase. Beta cholesterol response paralleled that of total cholesterol, while alpha cholesterol response paralleled that of percentage alpha lipoprotein lipid. Plasma lipoproteins reflected the changes in diet; percentage of pre-beta lipoprotein lipid rose during Period I, while percentage of alpha lipoprotein lipid fell. These results were reversed during Period II. No significant changes in percentage of beta lipoprotein lipid were observed. Blood urea nitrogen was significantly decreased during Period I, followed by a rise after Period II. Blood glucose tended to fall during Period II but rose above prestudy levels after the study. No significant changes were observed in body weights or plasma triglycerides. These results suggest that dietary fat may be one more important factor in elevated blood pressure in otherwise healthy subjects, and its influence should be investigated further in a larger controlled trial with both normo- and hypertensive subjects.
‘The Coloniser Who Refuses’: Co-Resistance and the Paradoxical Reality of Israeli Solidarity Activists

In the period following the Second Intifada, many Israeli and Palestinian peace activists began to despair of traditional coexistence efforts, turning instead to joint nonviolent political activism...
Laser ionization mass spectrometry measurements of arsenic sticking and incorporation during GaAs(1 0 0) homoepitaxy

Abstract The fluxes of Ga, As4 and As2 desorbed or scattered from a GaAs(1 0 0) surface are monitored with laser single-photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SPI-TOFMS) during homoepitaxy of GaAs(1 0 0) with incident As4 and Ga molecular beams. When the Ga flux is opened to the surface under a constant incident arsenic flux, the observed decrease in the scattered As4 and As2 mass signals are a measure of the arsenic incorporation into the growing GaAs layers. Simultaneous reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) oscillations measured during epitaxy are used to quantify the arsenic and gallium fluxes. The sticking probability for As4 molecules on the GaAs surface is measured over a range of As4 and Ga incident fluxes and for the substrate temperature range 600–900 K. At substrate temperatures and under flux conditions in which RHEED specular beam intensity oscillations are observed during epitaxy, the maximum sticking probability for As4 exceeds the often-quoted value of 0.5, with values observed greater than 0.8. At higher substrate temperatures and under flux conditions in which Ga islands are present on the GaAs surface, the maximum sticking probability of As4 is 0.5. The sticking probability of As4 on the GaAs surface decreases with increasing surface temperature.
Attitudes toward Women Among Female College Students

Female college students' attitudes toward women were investigated to determine the effects of housing, class status, and general field of study, and to provide standardization and reliability data for the AWS scale. Spence and Helmreich's Attitudes Toward Women Scale was administered to a large sample of female college students in a coed, moderately sized, private, Eastern secular college. Results indicated that seniors tend to hold more liberal attitudes toward women than underclasswomen and students in Business and Education tend to hold more conservative attitudes toward women. Interaction effects were observed and reported. Type of housing was not related to attitudes toward women. The split-half reliability technique revealed a strong internal reliability of .92 for the AWS.
Quadrupole-octupole coupled states in 114 Cd

The properties of negative-parity states in the 2.5 MeV region in {sup 112}Cd have been investigated with the (n,n{sup {prime}}{gamma}) reaction. For many of these levels, lifetimes have been measured, and B(E1) and B(E2) values for their decays have been determined. Several transitions exhibit enhanced B(E2) values for decay to the 3{sub 1}{sup {minus}} octupole state, indicative of quadrupole-octupole coupled (2{sup +}{circle_times}3{sup {minus}}) states. The B(E1) values observed are typically in the range of 1{endash}5{times}10{sup {minus}4} Weisskopf units (W.u.), irrespective of the final state. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Matching Therapists' Predicates: An in Vivo Test of Effectiveness

The theory of neurolinguistic programming predicts that a therapist's matching of a client's primary representational system, as expressed in the client's predicates, should result in increased therapist's rapport and social influence. This hypothesis was tested in an actual interview situation. Six relatively inexperienced therapists, two each in predicate matching, predicate mismatching, and predicate no-matching conditions, conducted a 30-min. interview with nine undergraduate student volunteers each, for a total of 54 subjects. After the appropriate interview condition was completed, subjects rated ther therapists on the Counselor Rating Form and the Counseling Evaluation Inventory. No significant differences among the three conditions on any of the measures were found. Results are compared with those of previous research on assessment and primary representational matching in analogue situations.
Distribution and evolution of multiple-step phosphorelay in prokaryotes: lateral domain recruitment involved in the formation of hybrid-type histidine kinases.

Although most two-component signal transduction systems use a simple phosphotransfer pathway from one histidine kinase (HK) to one response regulator (RR), a multiple-step phosphorelay involving a phosphotransfer scheme of His–Asp–His–Asp was also discovered. Central to this multiple-step-type signal transduction pathway are a hybrid-type HK, containing both an HK domain and an RR receiver domain in a single protein, and a histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPT) that can exist either as a domain in hybrid-type HKs or as a separate protein. Although multiple-step phosphorelay systems are predominant in eukaryotes, it has been previously suggested that they are less common in prokaryotes. In this study, it was found that putative hybrid-type HKs were present in 56 of 156 complete prokaryotic genomes, indicating that multiple-step phosphorelay systems are more common in prokaryotes than previously appreciated. Large expansions of hybrid-type HKs were observed in 26 prokaryotic species, including photosynthetic cyanobacteria such as Nostoc sp. PCC 7120, and several pathogenic bacteria such as Coxiella burnetii. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that there was no common ancestor for hybrid-type HKs, and their origin and expansion was achieved by lateral recruitment of a receiver domain into an HK molecule and then duplication as one unit. Lateral recruitment of additional sensory domains such as PAS was also evident. HPT domains or proteins were identified in 32 of the genomes with hybrid-type HKs; however, no significant gene expansion was observed for HPTs even in a genome with a large number of hybrid-type HKs. In addition, fewer HPTs than hybrid-type HKs were identified in all prokaryotic genomes.
A NEGLECTED ISSUE IN CAPITAL RATIONING—THE ASSET DEMAND FOR MONEY

IN AN IMPORTANT ARTICLE some ten years ago, Professors Lorie and Savage studied three problems in the analysis of capital budgeting decisions.' On the basis of their research, they concluded that the present value approach was superior to the internal rate of return (or solving rate of return) method of evaluating investment projects. Our general objective in this paper will be to consider how well the present value rule performs under conditions of uncertainty. Specifically, we will show that under conditions of uncertainty, where different investors perceive the future differently, the present value approach is not a completely general analysis because: 1) the choice of assets before the investor is incomplete even within the analytical framework of a simple model; and 2) certain forms of investment returns are ignored in the analysis. Both of these shortcomings seem to suggest that a comparison of terminal wealth positions at the end of the investment horizon from alternative investment strategies is a more fruitful way of evaluating investment policy under conditions of uncertainty than the present value approach.
State of Women in Civil Engineering in the United States and the Role of ASCE

AbstractThe need for civil engineers is growing rapidly. Highly complex, global problems require a diverse pool of engineers with a variety of skills, views, and leadership styles. Although the job market for civil engineers is predicted to grow substantially over the next decade, women currently comprise a small percentage of the civil engineering workforce and the percentage of women graduating from undergraduate civil engineering programs across the US has stagnated. In this paper, recent data are presented to provide a current, overall picture of the national presence of women in civil engineering. The data showed that, overall, ASCE membership is reflective of the national percentages of women in B.S. civil engineering (CE) programs and in CE practice. However, ASCE senior membership, including the rank of Fellow, has very few women and is not reflective of the percentage of women in the society. Recommendations are provided for the role of ASCE as a champion in the effort to increase the percentage ...
Teaching and Learning: Student Perceptions of Course Delivery Methods

The purpose of the study is to investigate student perceptions of course content based on online, traditional and blended course delivery methods. Students enrolled in the courses were exposed to various delivery methods. Survey questions addressed contact between students and instructor, active learning, instructor feedback, time on task, communication of expectations, and ability to address diverse learning styles. Results from the survey indicate that delivery methods play a key role in student learning. To increase student productivity and performance instructors need to incorporate a variety of techniques. These techniques of good teaching and learning stem from student perceptions and the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.
Comparison of Analytical Techniques for Purity Evaluation of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

We compare popular analytical techniques, including scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Raman and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, for the evaluation of the purity of bulk quantities of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Despite their importance as imaging techniques, SEM and TEM are not capable of quantitatively evaluating the purity of typical inhomogeneous bulk SWNT samples because the image frame visualizes less than 1 pg of SWNT material; furthermore, there is no published algorithm to convert such images into numerical data. The TGA technique is capable of measuring the amount of metal catalyst in an SWNT sample, but does not provide an unambiguous separation between the content of SWNTs and carbonaceous impurities. We discuss the utilization of solution-phase near-infrared spectroscopy and solution-phase Raman spectroscopy to quantitatively compare arbitrary samples of bulk SWNT materials of different purities. The primary goal of...
PI3King on MYCN to Improve Neuroblastoma Therapeutics

MYCN is an oncogenic driver of childhood neuroblastoma, a frequently lethal pediatric tumor. In a recent paper in Science Translational Medicine, Chanthery and colleagues demonstrate that PI3K inhibition leads to the dual therapeutic benefits of enhanced MYCN degradation and loss of a paracrine angiogenic signal mediated by MYCN.
1048 FEVER IN A HEMODIALYSIS PATIENT

Prolonged unexplained fever is a continuing problem in chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis (HD) and poses a diagnostic problem. These patients have an increase in susceptibility to various infections, caused by usual pathogens, as well as by opportunistic organisms. We report a 10-year-old patient with chronic renal failure on HD, who developed prolonged unexplained fever secondary to pseudomembranous colitis associated with clostridium difficile toxin in the stools. She was admitted for HD and treated with tobramycin and cefazolin for fever, pneumonia and atelectasis of left lung for 3 weeks. Fever recurred 3 weeks after antibiotic therapy (AT) and persisted for 6 more weeks. She also developed bloody diarrhea 4 weeks after AT. Blood, stool, urine and sputum cultures for virus, fungus, and bacteria were negative. Stool, however, was positive for clostridium difficile toxin (CDT) (>1:1000). She became afebrile 2 days after oral vancomycin therapy (VT). Diarrhea and fever recurred when VT was discontinued but normalized after restarting VT therapy. Clostridium difficile infection should be considered in prolonged unexplained fever in HD patients.
An analysis of locomotor behaviour of goldfish (Carassius auratus).

Summary The movements of individually observed naive goldfish, 25 to 30 cm long, in a novel ‘open field’ consisting of a tank measuring 5·0 × 5·0 × 0·5 m in constant environmental conditions, were continuously monitored during periods from 11 to 69 hr. The size, direction, and sequence of turns, length of steps, and velocities were computed, and their relationships analysed by a computer and data-processing system on line. Locomotor patterns were plotted and the effects of time (decrease in novelty content) assessed in the light of available data on these parameters in other species. It was concluded that spontaneous alternation may be related to orientation but not to exploratory behaviour.
Integrating privacy studies into teacher education curricula

Abstract Privacy studies may be seen by some teacher educators as being ‘anti-technology’ in their character, with the potential to dim the enthusiasm of future teachers for new technological initiatives. However, privacy is taking on new significance in an age of the Internet and advanced information technologies, as the examples and sources outlined in this article demonstrate. Privacy issues have a strong influence on various pressing international political and economic concerns, and thus add important dimensions to curricula. Some technological developments (such as encryption) also provide hands-on dimensions to privacy topics that are likely to whet the interests of many students. Teacher educators can work to introduce privacy notions to future teachers in ways that will enhance both their information technology studies and their understanding of other curricular areas (including citizenship, business, and social studies). As described in this article, privacy exercises, scenarios, and hands-on la...
Estrogen and extracellular matrix influence human gingival fibroblast proliferation and protein production.

Background: A paucity of information exists concerning how estrogen affects cellular function in the gingiva of women. In this study, the behavior of human gingival fibroblasts was examined in the presence of a potent estrogen, estradiol. Methods: Quiescent, premenopausal gingival fibroblasts were incubated in the presence and absence of estradiol (1 nM) and/or raloxifene (100 nM). Cell number was determined and cell cycle analyzed using a flow cytometer. Collagen and non-collagen production in cell cultures grown on various extracellular matrices were determined using a radioactive microassay which measures collagenase-digestible and collagenase-resistant radiolabeled proteins. To ascertain if the gingiva contained specific estrogen-sensitive cell populations, a fluorescence-activated cell sorter was used to detect, sort, and enrich fibroblast populations responsive to estrogen. Results: Cellular proliferation and the number of cells entering the S-phase of the cell cycle were significantly increased in mass cultures of fibroblasts stimulated by estradiol. Raloxifene did not antagonize the action of estradiol on cell proliferation. In regard to protein production, estradiol significantly reduced collagen production on plastic and collagen IV matrices; whereas non-collagen protein production on plastic and collagen I matrices was significantly reduced. Cell sorting of mass fibroblast populations revealed that, on average, 45% of the cells from the resident population selectively accumulated the estrogen probe. These sorted and estrogen-sensitive enriched cell populations proliferated in the presence of 1 nM estradiol, whereas the sorted, estrogen-deficient enriched fibroblast populations did not proliferate when incubated with 1 nM estradiol. Conclusions: These data indicate that estradiol can induce cellular proliferation while depressing protein production in cultures of human, premenopausal gingival fibroblasts. This cellular proliferation appears to be the result of a specific population of cells within the parent culture that responds to physiologic concentrations of estradiol. J Periodontol 2005;76:1391-1397.
Sovereignty and Revolution in the Iberian Atlantic

Jeremy Adelman, Sovereignty and Revolution in the Iberian Atlantic (2006), x + 489 (Princeton University Press, Princeton, $39.95). Since the wide diffusion some years ago in studies of modern nati...
DAF-16-dependent and independent expression targets of DAF-2 insulin receptor-like pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans include FKBPs

The daf-2 insulin-like receptor pathway regulates development and life-span in Caenorhabditis elegans. Reduced DAF-2 signaling leads to changes in downstream targets via the daf-16 gene, a fork-head transcription factor which is regulated by DAF-2, and results in extended life-span. Here, we describe the first identification of genes whose expression is controlled by the DAF-2 signaling cascade. dao-1, dao-2, dao-3, dao-4, dao-8 and dao-9 are down-regulated in daf-2 mutant adults compared to wild-type adults, whereas dao-5, dao-6 and dao-7 are up-regulated. The latter genes are negatively regulated by DAF-2 signaling and positively regulated by DAF-16. Positive regulation by DAF-2 on dao-1, dao-4 and dao-8 was mediated by DAF-16, whereas daf-16 mediates only part of DAF-2 signaling for dao-2 and dao-9. Regulation by DAF-2 is most likely DAF-16 independent for dao-3 and hsp-90. RNA levels of dao-5 and dao-6 showed elevated expression in daf-2 adults, as well as being strongly expressed in dauer larvae. In contrast, hsp-90 transcript levels are low in daf-2 mutant adults though they are enriched in dauer larvae, indicating overlapping but not identical mechanisms of efficient life maintenance in stress-resistant dauer larvae and long-lived daf-2 mutant adults. dao-1, dao-8 and dao-9 are homologs of the FK506 binding proteins that interact with the mammalian insulin pathway. dao-3 encodes a putative methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase. DAO-5 shows 33 % identity with human nucleolar phosphoprotein P130. dao-7 is similar to the mammalian ZFP36 protein. Distinct regulatory patterns of dao genes implicate their diverse positions within the signaling network of DAF-2 pathway, and suggest they have unique contributions to development, metabolism and longevity.
Nitration of manganese superoxide dismutase during ocular inflammation.

Reactive nitrogen species, in particular, peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) have been proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). Tyrosine nitration by ONOO(-) has been shown in other model systems to inhibit the activity of the superoxide anion quenching enyzme, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), perhaps contributing to progression of disease. In this study, it is confirmed through immunoanalysis that nitrated proteins are produced during EIU, and furthermore, that MnSOD is a target of nitration during the inflammatory response. In addition, through microsequencing analyses, nitrated albumin--apparent in both control and EIU eyes--was identified. Positive immunostaining of nitrated proteins was seen in the ciliary epithelium, inflammatory cells, and protein exudate of eyes from rats injected with endotoxin. Incubation of nitrotyrosine immunoprecipitates from the iris and ciliary body (ICB) with a polyclonal antibody against MnSOD revealed that nitrated MnSOD was present only in the ICB of EIU rats. When the total activity of the enzyme was examined, it was observed that despite the presence of nitrated MnSOD, activity was increased relative to control. Analysis of MnSOD mRNA and protein from the ICB of both groups demonstrated an increase in mRNA expression and consequently a three- to five-fold increase in MnSOD protein in EIU rats as compared to control rats. Further examination of MnSOD protein expression through immunohistochemistry noted enhanced immunostaining in the ciliary epithelium of eyes of EIU rats. Additional investigation of a 70 kDa band apparent in nitrotyrosine immunoprecipitates from the ICB of control and EIU rats revealed that the plasma protein albumin is nitrated as well. This protein is present as a result of the breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier during inflammation. In summary, two endogenous nitration targets, albumin and MnSOD, were identified. Nitrated MnSOD appears to be specifically targeted to the ICB during inflammation, underscoring the importance of the interface in EIU. Furthermore, the expression and activity of the enzyme is increased in the ICB during EIU, perhaps regulating reactive nitrogen species produced within the cells. This study implicates ONOO(-) in the pathogenesis of EIU and imparts the putative role MnSOD plays in disease resolution.
Classification of landmine-like metal targets using wideband electromagnetic induction

In their previous work, the authors have shown that the detectability of landmines can be improved dramatically by the careful application of signal detection theory to time-domain electromagnetic induction (EMI) data using a purely statistical approach. In this paper, classification of various metallic land-mine-like targets via signal detection theory is investigated using a prototype wideband frequency-domain EMI sensor. An algorithm that incorporates both a theoretical model of the response of such a sensor and the uncertainties regarding the target/sensor orientation is developed. This allows the algorithms to be trained without an extensive data collection. The performance of this approach is evaluated using both simulated and experimental data. The results show that this approach affords substantial classification performance gains over a standard approach, which utilizes the signature obtained when the sensor is centered over the target and located at the mean expected target/sensor distance, and thus ignores the uncertainties inherent in the problem. On the average, a 60% improvement is obtained.
Acquired cutaneous adherence in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer receiving ketoconazole and doxorubicin: Medication-induced sticky skin

Abstract Background: The phenomenon of sticky skin has been reported in patients with psoriasis who are receiving retinoids. Objective: We describe therapy-induced sticky skin in eight patients receiving ketoconazole and doxorubicin for androgen-independent prostate cancer. Methods: Patients were treated with oral daily ketoconazole (400 mg every 8 hours) and intravenous doxorubicin weekly (20 mg/m 2 continuously for 24 hours). Thirty-nine patients were entered into the study; retrospective information regarding sticky skin was obtainable from 28 patients or their spouses. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) values were compared in patients with and without therapy-induced sticky skin. Results: Eight patients (29%) described sticky skin. Six of these patients (75%) had a PSA response. Of the 20 patients without sticky skin a PSA response occurred in 12 (60%). Conclusion: Sticky skin occurred in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer who were simultaneously receiving ketoconazole and doxorubicin. To our knowledge this unique skin manifestation of acquired cutaneous adherence has not been previously described in association with chemotherapeutic or antifungal agents. The pathogenesis of acquired cutaneous adherence in these patients might relate to therapy-induced elevation of endogenous retinoids. The similar PSA response rate in patients with or without sticky skin suggests that retinoids may not play an essential role in the mechanism of antitumor activity of ketoconazole and doxorubicin.
Celestial Referenced Attitude Determination of Galileo Spacecraft

An entirely autonomous attitude determination algorithm has been developed for the dual-spin Galileo spacecraft in its mission to Jupiter. A batch mode process is established which identifies three stars within the scanner's field-of-view based on the criteria of intensity and geometry. This is followed by a continuous star acquisition procedure which provides star transit times and a spacecraft spin rate estimate. A least-squares estimator then sequentially determines the spacecraft's attitude from successive star crossings by minimizing an error derived using the necessary condition of star and scanner slit normal orthogonality. Simulation results are presented, showing successful star identification and attitude convergence in the presence of nutation and star transit time uncertainty.
Identification of the N-linked glycosylation sites of vitamin K-dependent carboxylase and effect of glycosylation on carboxylase function

The vitamin K-dependent carboxylase is an integral membrane protein which is required for the post-translational modification of a variety of vitamin K-dependent proteins. Previous studies have suggested carboxylase is a glycoprotein with N-linked glycosylation sites. In this study, we identify the N-glycosylation sites of carboxylase by mass spectrometric peptide mapping analyses combined with site-directed mutagenesis. Our mass spectrometric results show that the N-linked glycosylation in carboxylase occurs at positions N459, N550, N605, and N627. Eliminating these glycosylation sites by changing asparagine to glutamine caused the mutant carboxylase to migrate faster on SDS-PAGE gels, adding further evidence that these sites are glycosylated. In addition, the mutation studies identified N525, a site that cannot be recovered by mass spectroscopy analysis, as a glycosylation site. Furthermore, the potential glycosylation site at N570 is glycosylated only if all five natural glycosylation sites are simultaneously mutated. Removal of the oligosaccharides by glycosidase from wild-type carboxylase or by elimination of the functional glycosylation sites by site-directed mutagenesis did not affect either the carboxylation or epoxidation activity when the small FLEEL pentapeptide was used as a substrate, suggesting that N-linked glycosylation is not required for the enzymatic function of carboxylase. In contrast, when site N570 and the five natural glycosylation sites were mutated simultaneously, the resulting carboxylase protein was degraded. Our results suggest that N-linked glycosylation is not essential for carboxylase enzymatic activity but is important for protein folding and stability.
Retention of conditioned inhibition in a bar-press suppression paradigm

Abstract In three experiments, the retention of conditioned inhibition in rats was examined over long intervals. Retention deficits of conditioned inhibition were found at 21 days, although conditioned excitation was relatively stable over time. This loss of conditioned inhibition was demonstrated using both the summation and the retardation of learning techniques in a bar-press suppression paradigm. Furthermore, retention differences were found between within-groups and between-groups generalization tests of conditioned inhibition, using the summation procedure. These differences were interpreted within a retrieval-oriented model of memory.
Potential Inhibition of Acid Formation in Pyritic Environments Using Calcium Sulfite Byproduct

Pyrite (FeS2) oxidation in coal mine spoils and coal refuse produces copious amounts of acid that can cause severe environmental damage. Prevention of acid formation by calcium sulfite (CaSO3), a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) byproduct of the scrubbing reaction used to remove sulfur dioxide from flue gases when coal is burned, was studied. First-order rate constants of CaSO3 oxidation by O2 ranged from approximately 0.0164 min-1 (initial pH 8.0, 25 °C, 21% O2) to 0.3807 min-1 (initial pH 5.0, 15 °C, 21% O2). Overall, the rate constants dramatically increased when the initial pH decreased from 6.5 to 5.0, the temperature increased from 5 to 15 °C, and the O2 content in air increased from 0.2% to 21%. When 6.4 g of CaSO3 or 10 g of CaSO3-containing FGD byproduct were mixed with 50 g of coal refuse in small columns (2.5 × 13 cm), the total acidity in the leachate water collected during 27 weeks was reduced by 45% and 64%, respectively, as compared to the untreated control. Mixing CaSO3 with coal mine spoil ...
An empirical model of product design and pricing strategy

Abstract Using the ‘hedonic’ approach as a point of departure, this paper develops an empirical model for analyzing product design and pricing strategies. The model focuses on a multi-product firm in a differentiated product market. It identifies criteria for optimal design and pricing for the firm's several products, given the firm's production costs, the prices and designs of competing products and given consumer tastes. The model is demonstrated with a real world application to the microcomputer industry.
Design methodology for programmable video signal processors

This paper presents a design methodology for a high- performance, programmable video signal processor (VSP). The proposed design methodology explores both technology-driven hardware tradeoffs and application-driven architectural tradeoffs for optimizing cost and performance within a class of processor architectures. In particular, this methodology allows concurrent consideration of these competing factors at different levels of design sophistication, ranging from early design exploration towards full processor simulation. We present the results of this methodology for an aggressive very-long-instruction-word (VLIW) video signal processor design and discuss its utility for other programmable signal processor designs.
DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF C-JUN AND JUND IN END-STAGE HUMAN CARDIOMYOPATHY

The proto-oncogenes c-jun and junD are closely related transcriptional factors with opposing actions on cell growth and division. Expression of c-jun rapidly increases as cells enter the cell cycle. Levels of c-jun are also increased in the early stages of experimental cardiac hypertrophy and failure but expression decreases with time. In contrast, junD accumulates in quiescent cells. Expression in end-stage cardiomyopathy has not been studied. Steady-state levels of c-jun and junD mRNA were determined in failing human myocardium (obtained at the time of cardiac transplantation) and in control myocardium from patients who died of noncardiac causes. Relative expression was normalized for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase expression. Levels of junD were almost four-fold depressed in myocardium from myopathic hearts (2.1 +/- 0.27, x +/- SE; n = 20) vs. the controls (7.7 +/- 1.1; n = 3). Levels of c-jun were similar in both myopathic and control hearts. Relative expression of beta-myosin heavy chain was the same in both myopathic and control hearts. Levels of junD were still found to be depressed in the myopathic hearts after normalization for myosin heavy chain gene expression. We conclude that c-jun and junD are differentially regulated in end-stage human cardiomyopathy with expression of junD being decreased while relative levels of c-jun mRNA remain unchanged. Further studies are needed to determine the role of junD down-regulation in the development and/or maintenance of the abnormalities present in end-stage heart disease.
Endocrine Disruptor Regulation of MicroRNA Expression in Breast Carcinoma Cells

Background Several environmental agents termed “endocrine disrupting compounds” or EDCs have been reported to bind and activate the estrogen receptor-α (ER). The EDCs DDT and BPA are ubiquitously present in the environment, and DDT and BPA levels in human blood and adipose tissue are detectable in most if not all women and men. ER-mediated biological responses can be regulated at numerous levels, including expression of coding RNAs (mRNAs) and more recently non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Of the ncRNAs, microRNAs have emerged as a target of estrogen signaling. Given the important implications of EDC-regulated ER function, we sought to define the effects of BPA and DDT on microRNA regulation and expression levels in estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cells.
Direct inhibition of collagen production in vitro by diabetic rat serum

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is associated with a generalized defect in connective tissue metabolism, including decreased growth, poor wound healing, and osteopenia. To determine the role of circulating factors in the etiology of these defects, we studied the effects of diabetic rat serum (DRS) on collagen, the major protein component of connective tissues. After preincubation of costal cartilage from hypophysectomized rats with experimental serum for 20 hours, [3H] proline was added for final four hours of incubation. Collagen and noncollagen protein were quantitated using purified bacterial collagenase. Compared to incubation of tissue in buffer without added serum, collagen production in cartilage incubated with 2% DRS was decreased by 23% (P 5000). These studies demonstrate that there is a high molecular weight factor(s) in diabetic rat serum that inhibits collagen greater than noncollagen protein production in tissue from nondiabetic animals, and thus may contribute to long-term complications in diabetes through induction of altered connective tissue metabolism.
The interface as discourse: The production of norms through web design

This article elaborates a theoretical case for considering new media as productive power, viewing web interfaces as both reflecting and reinforcing social logics. It then details an analytic method for websites – discursive interface analysis – which examines functionalities, menu options, and page layouts for the structures at work within them. The piece concludes with a short, illustrative examination of several official media company websites, articulating the productive constraints of their interfaces and the norms that they construct. Ultimately, the essay offers a tool for the new media research kit to improve our understanding of how norms for technologies and their users are produced and with what implications.
The development of a model to predict the effects of worker and task factors on foot placements in manual material handling tasks

Accurate prediction of foot placements in relation to hand locations during manual materials handling tasks is critical for prospective biomechanical analysis. To address this need, the effects of lifting task conditions and anthropometric variables on foot placements were studied in a laboratory experiment. In total, 20 men and women performed two-handed object transfers that required them to walk to a shelf, lift an object from the shelf at waist height and carry the object to a variety of locations. Five different changes in the direction of progression following the object pickup were used, ranging from 45° to 180° relative to the approach direction. Object weights of 1.0 kg, 4.5 kg, 13.6 kg were used. Whole-body motions were recorded using a 3-D optical retro-reflective marker-based camera system. A new parametric system for describing foot placements, the Quantitative Transition Classification System, was developed to facilitate the parameterisation of foot placement data. Foot placements chosen by ...
Sliding charge-density waves as rough growth fronts

Using high-resolution x-ray scattering techniques, we have measured the transverse static structure factor of the sliding charge-density wave (CDW) in NbSe{sub 3}. For temperatures between 70 and 120 K and for applied currents up to 40 times the threshold current for sliding, the scattering peak for the sliding CDW is significantly broader than that for the pinned CDW, indicating that the sliding state is less correlated than the pinned state. Using scaling analysis, we show that the CDW phase roughness exponent {alpha} rises from 0.60{+-}0.01 in the pinned state to 0.80{+-}0.01 in the sliding state, indicating that the phase fronts of the sliding CDW are significantly rougher than those of the pinned CDW. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
The Scar That Binds: American Culture and the Vietnam War

In The Scar That Binds, Keith Beattie examines the central metaphors of the Vietnam War and their manifestations in American culture and life. Blending history and cultural criticism in a lucid style, this provocative book discusses an ideology of unity that has emerged through widespread rhetorical and cultural references to the war. A critique of this ideology reveals three dominant themes structured in a range of texts: the "wound," "the voice" of the Vietnam veteran, and "home." The analysis of each theme draws on a range of sources, including film, memoir, poetry, written and oral history, journalism, and political speeches.
Comment on " Convergence Proof of Discrete-Panel Wing Loading Theories"

maximum tangential (swirl) velocities in the flow. Based on their own study of mass injection and the results of other researchers, Mason and Marchman2 concluded that the introduction of turbulence into the vortex by virtually any means is the dominant factor in tangential velocity reduction and the spreading of the core. The present research seems to substantiate this conclusion. These results show that vortex dissipation effects similar to those produced by mass injection can be realized without either bleeding power from the engines or using auxiliary power. In fact, using the spinning blade concept, the vortex dissipator may actually be used to produce power. Of course, such results are never free and the effects of these modifications on the wing aerodynamic characteristics as well as the vortex must be studied. The present study seems to indicate that such modifications can significantly reduce the vortex Lazard to trailing aircraft without the use of auxiliary or other power and with few, if any, detrimental effects on the wing aerodynamics.
Comparative size and properties of the sigma subunits of ribonucleic acid polymerase from Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.

Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase transcribes phage Oe DNA more actively than phage T4 DNA, while Escherichia coli RNA polymerase is equally active with both templates. This paper investigates the role of sigma in determining this difference in template specificity by in vitro complementation of B. subtilis core polymerase and E. coli core polymerase with both the homologous and the heterologous sigma subunits. Each core polymerase retained its characteristic template specificity in the presence of either sigma subunit. To determine whether the smaller size of B. subtilis sigma (55,000 daltons) compared to that of E. coli sigma (86 to 95,000 daltons) is due to in vitro proteolysis, RNA polymerase was purified from a mixture of E. coli and B. subtilis separately labeled with different radioisotopes. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of the purified polymerases demonstrated that the two sigma subunits retained their characteristic molecular weights when purified from the mixture.
Scattering and attenuation properties of Emiliania huxleyi cells and their detached coccoliths

Measurements of the spectral scattering and attenuation properties of coccolithophores (Emiliania huxleyi; clone 88E) and their associated coccoliths were made for three growth phases a< well as for acidified cultures. These measurements allow a clean separation and determination of the optical effects of the various components. The beam attenuation cross sections (m2 particle-l) were found to be 8.4E-12, 2.6E-10, and 4.9E-11 for coccoliths, plated cells, and naked cells, respectively, at 440 nm. The spectral dependence of these factors followed a power law dependence, with a wavelength exponent of - 1.9, 0.42, and -0.52 for the coccoliths, plated cells, and naked cells. The volume scattering functions for all appeared similar; however, the backscattering cross sections (m2 particle-') at 456 nm were 1.4E-13, 6.7E-12, and 9.9E-13, respectively. The wavelength dependence of this param- eter also followed a power law and was - 1.4, - 1.2, and - 1 .O. Overall, these results show that optical properties of a coccolithophore bloom are sensitive to the coccolith : cell ratio and can vary between and within blooms. The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (Lohm.) Hay and Moler, strain 88E, is a ubiquitous species in the worlds' oceans, common in both bloom and nonbloom conditions (Green and Leadbeater 1994). It has a major effect on carbon flux in the oceanic system and, through effects on the optical properties of the water column, on remote sensing. E. huxleyi produces calcite coccoliths that cover the cell, increasing its effective index of refraction and changing its scattering prop- erties. It can also release these coccoliths, adding free coc- coliths to the water column and, when growing more, con- tinue to release these until the optical effects of free coccoliths in the water column become significant. Finally, as with other phytoplankton, the cells themselves, quite apart from coccoliths, will add to the water column attenuation and scattering. To determine the relative optical effect of free coccoliths and plated or naked cells, these optical properties must be determined separately in some manner. In field ex- periments, optical effects of calcite coccoliths have been iso- lated by bubbling with CO, or by adding acid (Kilpatrick et al. 1994). However, in this process both coccoliths attached to cells and detached in the medium are dissolved, and thus separating the effects of attached and detached coccoliths is
Measurement of co- and cross-polarized Raman spectra in silica fiber for small detunings

We report measurement of co- and cross-polarized Raman spectra of standard dispersion-shifted fiber for detunings down to 0.17 THz (5.7 cm/sup -1/) on both Stokes and anti-Stokes sides by using a photon-counting technique.