cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water disposal minimization of a screw press in the tissue manufacturing process

Dewatering is a major process in a wide range of manufacturing industries. One of the most commonly used technologies for dewatering is the screw press. The optimized setting of the screw press increases the amount of recycled water for further production. Additionally, it reduces waste disposal costs by lowering the weight of discharged sludge. In this paper, we used the design of experiments to determine the parameters that affect the dryness of the final waste. Our study showed the significant parameters were the pump speed, the screw rotation speed, and the properties of inflowing sludge. Using the significant factors, a regression model was developed to predict the dryness of the final waste. Then, the regression model was used as the objective function of an optimization model to find the optimal settings of the screw press that maximizes the dryness of sludge. The optimum setting of the screw press increased the dryness of sludge by 2.3%, saving 387 metric tons of water annually. The financial effects of improving the dryness of the sludge leaving the screw press were calculated showing a reduction in disposal costs and reduction in water usage costs because the water extracted from the sludge is recycled. Further investigations showed that the amounts and types of chemicals used to pretreatment the inflowing sludge to the head box can affect the dryness of the sludge leaving the screw press.
Aristotle’s Political Economy: Three Waves of Interpretation

Aristotle’s thoughts on economic matters are included in his inquiry into the nature of politics. They are certainly ancillary to his thoughts on the education requisite for excellence. Yet this ranking should not cause one to overlook Aristotle’s contributions to the field of normative political economy. To appreciate these contributions, it is helpful to look to the scholarship on Aristotle’s political economy. In this essay such an inquiry is approached through categorizing the scholarship into three stages or waves of interpretation: 1) ‘Aristotle’s Economic Thought’ (Karl Polanyi and M.I. Finely), 2) ‘Aristotle’s “Political” Economy’, (William James Booth, Abram Shulsky, Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr.), and 3) ‘Aristotle on the Best Possible Political Economy’ (Michael D. Chan, Victor Davis Hanson, and Judith Swanson). The overall goal of this essay is to provide an account of the stages by which it might be useful to think through Aristotle’s political economy.
Non-linear Finite Strain Consolidation of Soft Marine Sediments

This paper presents an analytical procedure for hindcasting the genesis of a soft marine sediment which is consolidating under its own weight. The procedure is based upon the use of non-linear finite strain consolidation. This theory is reviewed. A formulation is developed which permits the computation of the progress of consolidation during the accumulation of a sediment column. A numerical procedure for solving the governing equation by the method of lines is outlined. The procedure is applied to the development of the geotechnical stratigraphy of Mississippi delta sediments. It is shown that an accurate calculation can be made of the present state of effective stresses and pore-water pressures. It is further shown that an accurate assessment of the present void ratio profile can be obtained.
A Spatial Theoretic Approach to Environmental Politics

A new conflict has emerged among the serious conflicts in the world. The War of the Environment will be one of the global struggles of the 21st Century. This international clash of interests is over the control of material resources and their use. All societies and states, democratic and otherwise, will be drawn into an unstable period of coalition formation where agreements will be made and then dissolve. Stability will eventually emerge when a balance is achieved between the conflicting ideological positions about policies on environmental issues.
Ultra-broadband quantum cascade laser, tunable over 760 cm −1 , with balanced gain

A heterogeneous quantum cascade laser, consisting of multiple stacks of discrete wavelength quantum cascade stages, emitting in 5.9-10.9 µm, wavelength range is reported. The broadband characteristics are demonstrated with a distributed-feedback laser array, emitting at fixed frequencies at room temperature, covering an emission range of ~760 cm(-1), which is ~59% relative to the center frequency. By appropriate choice of a strained AlInAs/GaInAs material system, quantum cascade stage design and spatial arrangement of stages, the distributed-feedback array has been engineered to exhibit a flat threshold current density across the demonstrated range.
A Philosophical Solution to the Problem of Socrates

Socrates’ purposes, in his philosophical conversations with others, remain a puzzle. We review eleven distinct interpretive options, many of which stretch back more than a hundred years, finding all of them untenable. We then propose an original, twelfth interpretation as the most faithful and charitable alternative. Our discussion takes as its focus Plato’s dialogue Laches as a representative of the aporetic dialogues.
Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens: Increasingly Important Pathogens in Drinking Water

Opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens are responsible for a significant number of infections whose origin has been traced to drinking water. These opportunistic pathogens represent an emerging water borne disease problem with a major economic cost of at least $1 billion annually. The common features of this group of waterborne pathogens include: disinfectant-resistance, pipe surface adherence and biofilm formation, growth in amoebae, growth on low organic concentrations, and growth at low oxygen levels. Their emergence is due to the fact that conditions resulting from drinking water treatment select for them. As such, there is a need for novel approaches to reduce exposure to these pathogens. In addition to much-needed research, controls to reduce numbers and human exposure can be instituted independently by utilities and homeowners and hospital- and building-operators.
Developing a guide for Flanking sound transmission in wood framed construction

A subset for airborne sources and horizontal transmission, applied to wood-framed constructions, with the wall and floor assemblies, is presented. The estimates of the apparent sound isolation are obtained by summing the energy transmitted directly through the separating wall or floor assembly with the flanking paths involving wall. Most of the sound is transmitted via the floors and other paths such as ceiling or the abutting side walls. The gypsum board ceiling is generally mounted on resilient channels, which reduces flanking transmission through the path significant to them. Flanking through an abutting side wall transmits less sound, which could also limit overall performance provided the separating wall and the floor are improved. This experimental characterization of the direct and flanking sound transmission paths in wood-framed construction can lead to a manageable set of path transmission terms.
DBA/2J and DBA/2Ha lymphocytes differ in their ability to induce graft-vs-host disease.

Graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) is a common occurrence after bone marrow transplantation despite the use of MHC-matched donors and recipients. This indicates that non-MHC loci play an important role in the regulation and development of GVHD. Non-MHC loci have been shown to regulate GVHD in a murine model where acute GVHD results from i.v. injection of C57BL/6J spleen cells into B6D2F1/J [C57BL/6J X DBA/2J)F1) recipients while chronic GVHD results from injection of DBA/2J spleen cells. In contrast to the hyperproduction of Ig and auto-antibodies that is characteristic of the chronic GVHD that occurs after injection of DBA/2J cells, injection of DBA/2Ha cells was found to induce CTL and suppressor cells characteristic of the acute GVHD that results from injection of C57BL/6 cells into B6D2F1/J recipients. Genetic analysis indicated that one autosomal locus is responsible for the different GVHD responses of DBA/2J and DBA/2Ha cells and that the DBA/2Ha allele is dominant. Further studies indicate that the different responses by DBA/2J and DBA/2Ha cells is not due to functional differences between the two sets of cells but by a radiosensitive B6D2F1 recipient immune response which discriminates between the DBA/2J and DBA/2Ha spleen cells.
A trapezoidal printed monopole antenna with bell-shaped cut with 5.0-6.0GHz band rejection

In this paper, a novel printed ultra-wideband (UWB) microstrip line-fed monopole antenna is introduced. The proposed antenna is composed of a trapezoidal microstrip patch with two elliptical-shaped cuts from the radiating patch forming a bell-shaped cut. The designed antenna operates over impedance bandwidth 2.9–14GHz. It exhibits an omni-directional radiation patterns with good gain flatness over the frequency range of interest. By embedding a simple narrow U-shaped slot in the radiating microstrip patch, a notch in the frequency band of 5.0-6.0GHz is obtained. The U-shaped slot has a length of about half wavelength of the desired notched frequency. To tune the notch, only two parameters are used. The proposed antenna performance is suitable for UWB applications avoiding the interference of the existing wireless systems.
Interlaboratory comparison of the early life-stage toxicity test using sheepshead minnows (cyprinodon variegatus)

The interlaboratory precision of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) early life-stage toxicity test with the sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) was investigated at five contract and two EPA laboratories using endosulfan and pentachlorobenzene. Each laboratory conducted two tests with each chemical. Tests began with 24-hour-old embryos continued through embryonic development, hatching and growth of fish to the juvenile stage and were terminated after 28 days. Effects on survival of embryos, survival of hatched fish and weight of surviving fish were quantified. Rules were developed for judging acceptability of test results and for selecting the upper and lower chronic values. Using these rules, 19 of the 28 tests (68 percent) were judged acceptable.
The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium

The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium. Joseph L. Graves. Jr. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2001. 272 pp.
OSMOTIC REGULATION IN THE GREEN TOAD (BUFO VIRIDIS)

1. The osmotic and ionic regulatory abilities of adults of a freshwater population of the green toad ( Bufo viridis ) have been studied. These toads tolerated environmental salinities as high as 19% at temperatures near 25° C. Two individuals of another population of this species tolerated salinities as high as 23% 2. Changes in body weight of toads transferred to different environmental salinities indicate that the skin of this form is permeable to water. Rapid return to control levels of body weight indicate that drinking of external medium may be an important part of the initial adjustment to high salinities. 3. Above salinities of about 8% plasma Δ rises with increasing environmental Δ. Marked hypertonicity of the plasma is maintained in low salinities, but isotonicity with the medium is approached in higher salinities. Increases in plasma concentration above freshwater levels are due primarily to increased NaCl concentration (about 84%), partly to increased concentrations of urea (5-10%) and other osmotically active substances. 4. Urinary Δ is much lower than plasma Δ in dilute media, but becomes identical with plasma Δ above salinities of about 15%. Increases in urine concentration above freshwater levels are also due primarily to NaCl increase (74%). Considerable quantities of salt are lost via the urine. The kidneys seem to lose much of their ability to regulate urinary salt concentrations in high-salinity media. 5. Measurements of electrical potential and short-circuit current indicate that active uptake of inorganic ions by the skin continues in concentrated media, but at reduced rates. 6. Changes in muscle water, Na and K contents indicate the occurrence of some redistribution of water and salts between various body-fluid compartments as part of the salinity adaptation process. 7. In preference experiments, B. viridis chooses the land over any aquatic environment. Among aquatic environments it prefers those with salinities below 8%. 8. When combined with some earlier data by other workers who studied other populations of B. viridis , the present data indicate great uniformity of ionic and osmotic regulatory abilities among populations of this species. The marked differences between salinity tolerances of different populations are indicated to be due to differences in tissue tolerance of high body-fluid salinities.
Addition of metallo enolates to chiral 1-acylpyridinium salts: total synthesis of (+)-cannabisativine.

A novel route to the first asymmetric synthesis of (+)-cannabisativine (1) is described. The total synthesis of 1 was accomplished with a high degree of regio- and stereoselectivity in 19 steps and 9% overall yield.
Ethylene-diamine-tetra(methylene-phosphonic) Acid

SINCE the publication by Schwarzenbach et al.1 of the relatively high degree of calcium binding by N-methylene-phosphonic-imino-diacetic acid, it seems that the phosphonate group may be quite as effective as the carboxylate group in chelating agents. An attempt to prepare ethylene-diamine-tetra-methylene-phosphonic acid (EDPA) was therefore indicated because of its similarity to ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA). Although the preparation of this and similar compounds has been reported by Bersworth2, the present communication gives quantitative information of the affinity of the ethylene-diamine-tetra-methylene-phosphonic acid anion for hydrogen ions and metal ions.
Probe alignment and design issues of microelectromechanical system based optical coherence tomography endoscopic imaging

Endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging has been demonstrated using microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology by several research groups. The focus of this work is to study how the OCT imaging performance is affected by the radius of curvature of MEMS mirrors as well as the optical alignment accuracy inside small imaging probes. The goal of this study is to provide guidance for assembly tolerance and design optimization of OCT endoscopic probes. Gaussian beam propagation is used for theoretical analysis which is confirmed by optical simulation and verified experimentally with a time-domain OCT system as well. It has been found that the OCT imaging is very sensitive to the distance from the fiber end to the gradient-index (GRIN) lens, which needs to be controlled within 0.1 mm to achieve working distance (WD) longer than 3.5 mm and lateral resolution around 25 μm. The impact on image quality of the MEMS mirror is negligible if the radius of curvature of the mirror surface is greater than 200 mm. In addition, we studied the astigmatism introduced by cylindrical plastic tubing; the maximum astigmatism ratio is 1.1 when the WD is around 2.5 mm.
Phenformin suppresses calcium responses to glutamate and protects hippocampal neurons against excitotoxicity.

Phenformin is a biguanide compound that can modulate glucose metabolism and promote weight loss and is therefore used to treat patients with type-2 diabetes. While phenformin may indirectly affect neurons by changing peripheral energy metabolism, the possibility that it directly affects neurons has not been examined. We now report that phenformin suppresses responses of hippocampal neurons to glutamate and decreases their vulnerability to excitotoxicity. Pretreatment of embryonic rat hippocampal cell cultures with phenformin protected neurons against glutamate-induced death, which was correlated with reduced calcium responses to glutamate. Immunoblot analyses showed that levels of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) subunits NR1 and NR2A were significantly decreased in neurons exposed to phenformin, whereas levels of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 were unchanged. Whole-cell patch clamp analyses revealed that NMDA-induced currents were decreased, and AMPA-induced currents were unchanged in neurons pretreated with phenformin. Our data demonstrate that phenformin can protect neurons against excitotoxicity by differentially modulating levels of NMDA receptor subunits in a manner that decreases glutamate-induced calcium influx. These findings show that phenformin can modulate neuronal responses to glutamate, and suggest possible use of phenformin and related compounds in the prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative conditions.
Network thermodynamic simulation of biological systems: An overview

Abstract Network Thermodynamics is a formalism which uses the concepts of network theory to solve problems generated by thermodynamic and/or kinetic descriptions of systems (generally by simulation, for complex, highly organized, dynamic systems). It is particularly useful in Biology due to the organizational complexity in living systems. Network thermodynamic simulation now utilizes pre-existing circuit simulation programs, such as NET2, SPICE2, and ASTEC. This provides a cheap and efficient way to achieve simulations on a digital computer which previously were best done by analog or hybrid computation due to the complexity of the systems being simulated (1). A variety of non-linear, dynamic physiological systems has been successfully simulated including coupled flows through epithelial membranes, reaction diffusion systems (including those with multiple steady states), whole body pharmacokinetics and the cellular pharmacokinetics of anticancer agents, kidney and general microcirculation, active transport of calcium in the sarcoplasmic reticulum in muscle, and others. In the future, the principles of network simulation are to be incorporated into a network simulation package written in biological language and with a parameter estimation capability. In the mean time, network simulation by means of circuit simulation programs has become widely used by ordinary biomedical researchers because it allows them to design and modify their own models without the aid of computer or mathematical modeling experts. It is anticipated that the analysis of experiments in biomedical research ranging from the most fundamental to the highly clinical will become more quantitative and less descriptive as the network approach is made known on a wider scale. At the level of fundamentals, new insight into basic thermodynamic concepts is being obtained by looking at both classical and nonequilibrium thermodynamics from the perspective of network theory (2)-(7). Among these new results are the proof of Onsager Reciprocity through Tellegen's Theorem, and the use of networks to generate Legendre transforms and other classical results (2).
Commitment to Employer and Union: Effects of Membership Status

The article discusses the loyalty of employees to their employers and to labor unions. According to the author, prior research into this matter fails to consider whether or not union membership is ...
Stuck on the TRAIL of osteoclast differentiation

Comment on Zauli et al, page [2044][1] Zauli et al are the first to report that the TNF family member TRAIL can inhibit osteoclastogenesis, thus suggesting a greater potential role for TRAIL in the treatment of osteolytic cancers. Bone remodeling is an essential process for healthy maintenance
Epidemiology of Knee Injuries Among Boys and Girls in US High School Athletics

BackgroundThe knee joint is the second most commonly injured body site and the leading cause of high school sports-related surgeries. Knee injuries are among the most economically costly sports injuries and may require subsequent surgery or extensive and expensive rehabilitation.PurposeTo report the incidence, risk, and severity of high school knee injuries across sports, genders, and type of exposure.Study DesignDescriptive epidemiology study.MethodsDuring the 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 school years, 100 US high schools were randomly selected for a nationally representative sample. Certified athletic trainers tracked injuries using an online injury surveillance system, High School RIO™, in 9 high school sports.ResultsThere were 1383 knee injuries reported during 3 551 131 athlete exposures for a rate of 3.89 knee injuries per 10 000 athlete exposures. Although boys had a higher overall rate of knee injury (rate ratio, 1.38; confidence interval, 1.22–1.55), girls were twice as likely to sustain knee injuries...
Structure of potassium cyanide at low temperature and high pressure determined by neutron diffraction.

Neutron time-of-flight powder-diffraction spectra have been obtained in potassium cyanide (KCN) at temperatures between 25 and 200 K and at pressures between 35 and 366 MPa. These data sample five different phases of KCN. In phase [ital C], which exists at 366 MPa and below 170 K, the structure is determined to be paraelectric with the monoclinic space-group symmetry [ital C]2/[ital c]. This is in disagreement with a previous study, which determined the structure to be ferroelectric with space-group symmetry [ital Cc]. In phase [ital D], which exists at 366 MPa and below 120 K, the structure is determined to be paraelectric with the monoclinic space-group symmetry [ital C]2/[ital m]. The cyanide ions lie in mirror planes. In both phases [ital C] and [ital D], the cyanide ions are ordered with respect to the direction of their bonds but disordered with respect to interchange of C and N. Also in these phases, line broadening due to an inhomogeneous shear strain was observed. A mathematical treatment of this phenomenon is given.
Statistical analyses of nuclear waste level measurements to estimate retained gas volumes

The Hanford site is home to 177 large, underground nuclear waste storage tanks. Numerous safety and environmental concerns around these tanks and their contents. One such concern is the propensity for the waste in these tanks to generate and retain flammable gases. The surface level of the waste in these tanks is routinely monitored to assess whether the tanks are leaking. For some of the tanks, the waste surface level measurements synchronously fluctuated with atmospheric pressure changes. The current best explanation for these synchronous fluctuations is that the waste contains gas-phase material that changes volume in response to the atmospheric pressure changes. This paper describes: (1) The exploratory data analysis that led to the discovery of the phenomena; (2) A physical mode based on the ideal gas law that explains the phenomena. Additionally, the model allows one to obtain estimates of the retained gas volume in the tank waste; (3) A statistical procedure for detecting retained gas based on the physical model and tank surface level measurements; and (4) A Kalman filter model for analyzing the dynamics of retained gas. It's also shown how the filter can be used to detect abrupt changes in the system.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Julius Rex: Nyerere through the eyes of his critics, 1953–2013

This article examines political critics of Tanzania's first president, Julius K. Nyerere. While his detractors varied greatly in both ideological and sociological terms, the three major groups studied here shared a sharp intellectual frustration with Nyerere's effective utilization of humility as a political weapon to control debate, court international support, and silence opposition. Foreign critics, primarily European writers, were divided principally by their social proximity to Nyerere – older white “decolonizers” lamented their friend's embrace of authoritarian tactics to achieve utopian ends, while younger writers instead saw a distant and unworldly figure best understood in abstract philosophical terms. The most vocal Tanzanian critics, by contrast, were united by the heavy-handed actions they and their families had endured at the hands of the Tanzanian state, which in turn produced sharply personalized criticisms.
Towards operational monitoring of a northern wetland using geomatics-based techniques

Abstract This paper presents a geomatics-based approach for the operational monitoring of spatio-temporal changes in a northern wetland. It demonstrates how valuable, and otherwise unattainable, spatially distributed and timely baseline data can be obtained using basic remote sensing techniques. It further shows how these data can be combined to retrieve information pertaining to the hydro-ecological relationships in the wetland. The study was conducted in the Peace–Athabasca Delta (PAD), which is a large wetland complex in northeastern Alberta, Canada. Combinations of Radarsat Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical satellite images (Landsat or SPOT multispectral) were used to generate a time-series of flood maps for the six-year period, 1996 to 2001. These maps clearly depict the extent of the 1996 and 1997 overland floods and the subsequent water level draw down. A flood duration map that shows how long each image cell was inundated was generated by combining the series of flood maps. The flood duration map highlights regions where the duration of flooding appears to be highest or lowest. Such maps are invaluable for any ecological change detection protocols that may be developed for this region. The general vegetation patterns were also mapped using multi-temporal SPOT-4 images from the summer season (May and August) of 2001 to an accuracy of 86%. By comparing the vegetation and flood duration maps, the relationship between vegetation patterns and duration of flooding could be examined. Results indicated that basins inundated for longer periods (3–5 years) were dominated by relatively more productive graminoid (grass-like) vegetation, whereas, areas flooded for less than two years were characterised by less productive shrub vegetation. Airborne scanning LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data from the summer (June) of 2000 were also used to generate a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of selected non-flooded areas. LiDAR DEM accuracy was satisfactory (Root Mean Square Error of 0.24 m) and it proved to be sufficiently detailed to detect the subtle topographic patterns in this relatively flat region. Comparison of the vegetation map to the DEM demonstrated that the shrubs were located in areas that were, on average, between 0.5 m (in south) and 0.73 m (in north) higher than the graminoid covered regions. Notwithstanding other parameters that influence the distribution of vegetation, these results indicate that flood duration and elevation are two important factors. The usefulness of these spatial databases recommends the timely generation of flood and vegetation maps in the continued monitoring of the changes and relationships in this delta.
Uniqueness of the Displacement Field in Classical Linear Elastostatics

In this paper, we discuss the uniqueness of equilibrium displacement fields in classical linear elasticity theory. The conventional argument found in many texts and monographs is rendered mathematically explicit. Extensions to non-standard classes of boundary data are discussed.
The Algol System XX Cephei

We present new five-color photometric and spectroscopic observations of the Algol system XX Cephei (V = 9.13, P = 2.3 days). This system is known to have a variable period. From analysis of both the period variations and the light curve we found no support for apsidal motion. However, there is a possible light-time effect. The period changes could also be episodic. Our spectroscopic analysis yielded a classification of A4. We found no evidence of features attributable to the cooler component or of active mass transfer. Our photometric solution, using the Wilson-Devinney modeling program, showed the system to be an Algol configuration with a mass ratio of 0.17. We determined the masses and radii, in solar units, to be M1 = 1.92, M2 = 0.33, R1 = 2.07, and R2 = 2.32, and the temperatures to be T1 = 8500 K and T2 = 4555 K. From the parallax given in the Hipparcos catalog, neglecting reddening, absolute magnitudes of MV = 1.73 and 4.43 were determined for the primary and secondary components, respectively.
Research issues in mining multiple data streams

There exist emerging applications of data streams that have mining requirements. Although single data stream mining has been extensively studied, little research has been done for mining multiple data streams (MDS), which are more complex than single data streams and involved in many real-world applications. This paper discusses the characteristics of MDS, proposes a formal definition for them, analyzes MDS application in terms of mining requirements, and identifies research issues for MDS mining.
Treatment of the patient with adenocarcinoma of unknown origin.

One hundred sixty-two patients with adenocarcinoma of undertermined origin were treated with 213 chemotherapeutic regimens, primarily 5-FU by intensive course. Objective response was obtained with 12% of these regimens and was maintained by a median time of 3.5 months and a mean of 9 months. Regimens producing a response rate of 15% or greater included 5-FU alone, 5-FU in combination with BCNU, and mitomycin C. Those patients achieving objective response had a significantly longer survival period than those failing to respond. Necropsy examinations revealed the greatest proportion of patients presenting with adenocarcinoma of unknown origin to have their primary neoplasms in the pancreas.
The in vivo pattern of firefly luciferase expression in transgenic plants.

Expression of the firefly luciferase gene in transgenic plants produces light emission patterns when the plants are supplied with luciferin. We explored whether inin vivo pattern of light emission truly reveals the pattern of luciferase gene expression or whether it reflects other parameters such as the availability of the substrate, luciferin, or the tissue-specific distribution of organelles in which luciferase was localized. The tissue-specific distribution of luciferase activity and thein vivo pattern of light were examined when the luciferase gene was driven by different promoters and when luciferase was redirected from the peroxisome, where it is normally targeted, to the chloroplast compartment. It was found that the distribution of luciferase activity closely correlated with the tissue-specific pattern of luciferase mRNA. However, thein vivo light pattern appeared to reflect not only tissue-specific distribution of luciferase activity, but also the pattern of luciferin uptake.
Prodrug/drug sensitivity gene therapy: Current status

The prodrug strategy has its own particular real and theoretic obstacles. Clinical strategies and research efforts have tried to approach these problems. The bystander effect, whereby nontransduced cells are affected by simple proximity to those that have received the novel gene, has enabled many prodrug systems to be more efficient than anticipated. Several prodrug gene therapy systems have been developed, including the HSVtk/GCV and CD/5-FC systems. Preclinical work serves as the foundation for clinical trials examining the use of prodrug gene therapy systems. At least 21 prodrug gene therapy trials have been approved for patient enrollment in the United States and Europe. Recent work has demonstrated the success of prodrug gene therapy, which might lead to combination therapies using vector transfer of both prodrug/suicide as well as immune-enhancing genes to tumors.
AIDS and Malignant Mesothelioma—Is There a Connection?

A 35-year-old male homosexual, a former intravenous drug abuser, was found to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive in 1984. He developed AIDS in 1987 and began treatment with zidovudine in 1989. One year later he developed left apical pleural blebs, a pneumothorax and an exudative pleural effusion. A malignant mesothelioma developed at the pleural blebs in the left apex. He was treated with adriamycin but rapid progression of the malignancy occurred and he died three months later. At autopsy, a malignant mesothelioma, causing respiratory failure and death, was found. The patient had no exposure to asbestos and asbestosis was not present at autopsy. We postulate that the development of malignant mesothelioma was probably related to HIV immune suppression or HIV and/or cytomegalovirus or zidovudine and is a complication of AIDS similar to the development of other malignant neoplasms in patients with AIDS.
Definitive radiotherapy following prostatectomy: Results and complications

Abstract Thirty-four patients with carcinoma of the prostate treated by prostatectomy received postoperative external beam radiation. Sixteen patients were treated within 4 months of radical prostatectomy (group 1),12 patients were treated for prostate carcinoma following initial enucleative prostatectomy for benign hypertrophy (group 2) and 6 patients were treated for palpable local recurrence 4 to 10 years following radical prostatectomy (group 3). The indications for postoperative radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy included extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, peri-prostatic soft tissue involvement, positive margins or palpable local recurrence. Eighty-five percent of the patients received whole pelvic radiation. All patients then had a 2-week treatment rest followed by a reduced portal to the prostate bed to a dose of 6500 cGy. The local control rate after radiotherapy was 100% with a median follow-up of 4 years. The 5-year actuarial survival and disease-free survival rates for all patients were 82 and 72%, respectively. In group 1, the 5-year actuarial survival and disease-free survival rates were 100 and 91%, respectively. In group 2, these rates were 77 and 64%. Three of the six patients in group 3 died within 30 months of radiotherapy. Fourteen patients (41%) had mild to moderate treatment related symptoms including seven patients (21%) with lower extremity or genital edema, five patients (15%) with urinary stress incontinence, two patients (6%) with urethral stricture and three patients (9%) with proctitis. Six of eight patients who were potent prior to radiation retained potency thereafter. No severe complications occurred. We conclude that external beam radiation therapy administered after prostatectomy resulted in an acceptable therapeutic ratio with 100% local regional control, and an acceptable complication rate (41%).
Soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) Provokes PMN Elastase Release

Elevated levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 have been shown predictive of post-injury multiple organ failure. We hypothesized that sICAM-1 augments distant organ injury via its affect on the PMN and ; thus, have examined neutrophil elastase and superoxide production in response to sICAM-1. To obtain soluble ICAM-1, Chinese Hamster Ovarian (CHO) cells were transfected with human ICAM-1 (cDNA vector CD1.8), lysed and centrifuged at 150,000g for 1 hr ; supernatant was passed over an ICAM-1 affinity gradient, eluted with 0.1 mM glycine.HCl, and concentrated using an Amicon Spin-X filter. PMNs were incubated for 1 hr with sICAM-1 at 37°C. Quiescent and PMA-activated PMNs served as negative and positive controls respectively. Elastase activity was measured by the cleavage of methoxy-succinyl-alalyl-alalyl-prolylvalyl-p-nitroanilide. Superoxide production was determined by superoxide dismutase inhibitive ferricytochrome C reduction over a 5-60 min incubation. PMN incubation with sICAM-1 provoked marked increase in elastase release 10.43 ± 2.90 (10 -6 U/hr) compared to control 1.64 ± 0.57, and was equivalent to PMA-activated PMN elastase release 11.60 ± 1.50 (10 -6 U/hr). In contrast, sICAM-1 alone did not promote spontaneous PMN superoxide production beyond buffer treated PMNs (0.25 ± 0.09 nmole/2.5 x 10 5 PMN/min). In sum, sICAM-1 stimulates PMN elastase release in vitro. Clinically, this may represent a mechanism by which sICAM-1 participates in the genesis of postinjury multiple organ failure.
Exogenously added polyamines recover browning tissues into normal callus cultures and improve plant regeneration in pine

Polyamines are known to influence a variety of growth and developmental processes in higher plants. Tissue browning seriously reduces in vitro plant regeneration in pine species by decreasing the levels of antioxidant enzymes and polyamines in tissue cultures. In the present investigation, the effect of exogenously added polyamines on recovering browning tissues into normal callus cultures and on improving plant regeneration was examined in Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.). Among the polyamines administered, 1.5 mM putrescine (Put), 1.5 mM spermidine (Spd), or 1.5 mM spermine (Spm) alone resulted in a 19.55%, 18.92%, and 1.45%, respectively, recovering of browning tissues into normal callus cultures in 5 weeks. A combination of Put with Spd or Spm did not result in an increase of recovering rate, compared to the Put or Spd alone. Exogenously added 1.5 mM Put, 1.5 mM Spd, 1.5 mM Put + 1.5 mM Spd, or 1.5 mM Put + 1.5 mM Spm recovers browning tissues into normal callus cultures by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and by decreasing lipid peroxidation. Exogenously added 1.5 mM Put, 1.5 mM Spd, 1.5 mM Put + 1.5 mM Spd, or 1.5 mM Put + 1.5 mM Spm significantly improve the growth rate of callus cultures, shoot formation, and rooting adventitious shoots. These results demonstrated that exogenously added polyamines recover browning tissues into normal callus cultures by decreasing oxidative damage and improving plant regeneration by acting as plant growth substances.
Effect of uterine artery ligation on ovulation in the rat

Female rats were divided into six groups: (1) control, (2) one uterine artery (a.) ligated near the utero-tubal (U-T) junction, (3) one uterine a. ligated at the level of the cervix, (4) both uterine aa. ligated separately at the U-T junction, (5) both uterine aa. ligated separately at the cervix and (6) both uterine aa. tied with one ligature at the cervix. Segmental aa. were disrupted in all experimental groups except group 6. Animals were allowed to recover for ten days and killed the first metestrus thereafter. Number of eggs ovulated was determined by flushing the oviduct with saline solution and counting the ova. Control rats ovulated 5.0 ± 0.4 eggs per ovary. Groups 2 and 3 had an increase in the number of eggs shed from the ovary on the non-ligated side. In contrast, a decrease in the number of ova shed occurred on the ligated side. When both aa. were ligated separately (groups 4 and 5), irrespective of location, a decrease in the number of eggs shed by both ovaries was evident. No effect was found when only one ligature was placed near the cervix (group 6). The data demonstrate that blood supply to the ovary via the uterine artery is essential for the full complement of eggs to be shed.
Mechanism of Benefit of Negative Inotropes in Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Background —Drugs with negative inotropic effect are widely used to decrease obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, the mechanism of therapeutic benefit has not been studied. Methods and Results —We used M-mode, two-dimensional, and pulsed Doppler echocardiography to study 11 patients with obstructive HCM before and after medical elimination of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. We measured 148 digitized pulsed Doppler tracings recorded in the left ventricular cavity 2.5 cm apical of the mitral valve. Successful treatment slowed average acceleration of left ventricular ejection by 34% ( P =.001). Mean time to peak velocity in the left ventricle was prolonged 31% ( P =.001). Mean time to an ejection velocity of 60 cm/s was prolonged 91% ( P =.001). Before treatment, left ventricular ejection velocity peaked in the first half of systole; after successful treatment, it peaked in the second half ( P =.001). In contrast, after treatment, we found no change in peak left ventricular ejection velocity. We also found no change in the distance between the mitral coaptation point and the septum, as measured in two planes, indicating no treatment-induced alteration of this anatomic relationship. Conclusions —Medical treatment eliminates mitral-septal contact and obstruction by decreasing left ventricular ejection acceleration. By slowing acceleration, treatment reduces the hydrodynamic force on the protruding mitral leaflet and delays mitral-septal contact. This, in turn, results in a lower final pressure gradient.
A task migration algorithm for heterogeneous distributed computing systems

Abstract Most load balancing schemes are based on the assumption that all processors in a distributed computing system (DCS) have similar processing power and workload. However, as technology continues to advance, networks have become more likely to contain processors of different capabilities and configurations. The proposed load balancing method is based on the coterie , a tool first used in mutual exclusion and vote assignment. This paper describes how the unique properties of coteries allow the underlying protocol to be tailored to the capabilities of the individual nodes in a connected network. In general, each processor communicates with only a subset of the other processors in the network, keeping message traffic relatively low. The coterie allows these subsets to be constructed according to a more thoughtful method – one that is designed to better meet the needs of networks of varying characteristics. It is also shown that the proposed method will always perform task migration whenever possible i.e., if at least one lightly loaded processor and at least one heavily loaded processor exist in the network, task migration will occur. Further, an extension of our algorithm to provide fault tolerance is given: when a processor fails, the network can continue to function with a modified system configuration.
Mechanism of alkoxy groups substitution by Grignard reagents on aromatic rings and experimental verification of theoretical predictions of anomalous reactions

The mechanism of direct displacement of alkoxy groups in vinylogous and aromatic esters by Grignard reagents, a reaction that is not observed with expectedly better tosyloxy leaving groups, is elucidated computationally. The mechanism of this reaction has been determined to proceed through the inner-sphere attack of nucleophilic alkyl groups from magnesium to the reacting carbons via a metalaoxetane transition state. The formation of a strong magnesium chelate with the reacting alkoxy and carbonyl groups dictates the observed reactivity and selectivity. The influence of ester, ketone, and aldehyde substituents was investigated. In some cases, the calculations predicted the formation of products different than those previously reported; these predictions were then verified experimentally. The importance of studying the actual system, and not simplified models as computational systems, is demonstrated.
Ribosomal inhibitory proteins from plants inhibit HIV-1 replication in acutely infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from seronegative donors were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin and then infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Using this experimental system, the antiviral activity of two translation inhibitory proteins (pokeweed antiviral protein, PAP-S, and Luffa ribosomal inhibitory protein, LRIP-I) isolated from plants and a recombinant form of ricin A chain were studied. Previously, it had been shown that toxin polypeptides linked to monoclonal antibodies could inhibit HIV-infected cells. In the present study, the free, unconjugated, proteins were found to inhibit HIV replication at doses in which they were nontoxic to uninfected peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Among the inhibitory proteins, PAP-S and recombinant ricin A chain markedly reduced the reverse transcriptase activity and the expression of p24 core protein in infected cultures. Dose response studies indicate that the anti-HIV activity of PAP-S was comparable to AZT. The other ribosome inhibitory protei...
Neurotoxicity with nitrofurantoin: A case report†

Summary A young child with questionable renalstatus who had been treated for 124 days with nitrofuratoin at higher dosages than planned developed severe peripheral neuropathy (largely motor). This was manifested in profound distal weakness. After terminating the medication, a complete neurologic recovery was noted in approximately 8 weeks.
Gas-Phase Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of Berry Pseudorotation of SF4. Comparison of Experimental and Calculated Kinetic Parameters and Falloff Kinetics

Temperature-dependent Berry pseudorotation rate constants of SF4 gas at ca. 7.9 atm, determined from analysis of exchange-broadened 19F NMR spectra, are consistent with E∞ = 11.9(0.2) kcal mol-1, A...
OMVPE growth of GaAs using dimethylarsine

Abstract The use of AsH 3 and PH 3 sources in organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) has been a constant concern due to their extreme toxicity. Great effort has been made in recent years to replace these sources with either elemental or organometallic compound sources. This paper describes growth of GaAs using dimethylarsine (DMAs) and trimethylgallium (TMGa) in an atmospheric pressure OMVPE reactor. Three principal parameters, the growth temperature, V/III ratio, and growth rate, have been varied to investigate the resultant changes in the properties of the epitaxial layers. The as-grown GaAs epilayers are p-type with carrier concentrations dependent upon the growth rate. For a TMGa partial pressure of 2.3 × 10 −4 atm, a hole concentration as high as 10 17 cm −3 is obtained. As the TMGa partial pressure is decreased to 2.3 × 10 −5 atm, the hole concentration decreases correspondingly to 10 16 cm −3 . It can be further reduced to the low 10 15 cm −3 range at a TMGa partial pressure of 1.2 × 10 −5 atm. Low temperature photoluminescence measurements and the temperature dependence of the hole concentration indicate that he acceptor impurity is carbon residing on the As sublattice. Intentional Te doping to produce n-type epilayers results in electron mobilities as high as 5000 cm 2 /V · s at room temperature. These results suggest that the single H in DMAs contributes too little to the recombination of CH 3 radicals from both the TMGa and DMAs decomposition to avoid carbon contamination.
Parents talking in the present tense about their dead child

(2000). Parents talking in the present tense about their dead child. Bereavement Care: Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 35-38.