cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated sorting of mixed mode environment's data.

Transportation of sensitive flight hardware requires information about the expected transportation environment as well as the actual transportation environment during the part's movement--typically vibration with superimposed intermittent shocks. Each data type has different sampling, processing, and specification requirements. Analyzing shock data requires high sampling rates and leads to large file sizes. A barrier to analyzing data has been the vast quantity of information acquired. Previous approaches have focused either on manually separating data or on selectively recording extreme data. The use of an automated approach allows for quickly verifying vibration and shock levels while retaining the robustness of the underlying data set. Further, the automated approach allows the environments engineer to select criteria for shock/vibration sorting, which removes the subjectivity associated with visual differentiation. This automated technique evaluated several vehicles over four different road conditions in the same time that one data set could have been processed using visual discrimination. Automated processing of satellite shipment vibration and shock data is made thoroughly and objectively vs. traditional shock and tilt indicators. The automated technique could also be useful in processing large amounts of on-orbit data for changes in vibration signature.
The NASA robotic conjunction assessment process: Overview and operational experiences

Orbital debris poses a significant threat to spacecraft health and safety. Recent events such as China's anti-satellite test and the Breeze-M rocket explosion have led to an even greater awareness and concern in the satellite community. Therefore, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has established requirements that routine conjunction assessment screening shall be performed for all maneuverable spacecraft having perigees less than 2000 km or within 200 km of geosynchronous altitude. NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has developed an operational collision risk assessment process to protect NASA s high-value unmanned (robotic) assets that has been in use since January 2005. This paper provides an overview of the NASA robotic conjunction assessment process, including descriptions of the new tools developed to analyze close approach data and of the risk mitigation strategies employed. In addition, statistical data describing the number of conjunctions experienced are presented. A debris avoidance maneuver performed by Aura in June of 2008 is described in detail to illustrate the process.
Pharmacologic studies of anticancer drugs with the human tumor stem cell assay

To optimize the human tumor stem cell assay (HTSCA) for clinical and research purposes we have carried out in vitro pharmacology studies. Useful observations were made in four areas. (1) Drug assay design: The predictive accuracy of the HTSCA depends on the in vitro testing of drug concentrations of less than 10% of those which are pharmacologically achievable with standard in vivo drug doses. The use of unrealistically high in vitro concentrations can accurately predict clinical drug resistance, but is likely to yield high false-positive rates of clinical response prediction. (2) Drug scheduling: For certain schedule-dependent drugs, as well as those with a prolonged plasma half-life and those used according to a repeated daily schedule, prolonged in vitro exposure (rather than 1 h) may be needed to provide an adequate in vitro design. For an accurate prediction of sensitivity of tumor colony-forming units (TCFUs) to continuous drug contact in the agar, concentrations should be in the range of 1/300 that used for the standard 1-h exposure prior to plating. (3) Drug combinations: In preliminary studies of combination chemotherapy in vitro we commonly observed at least additive effects with low doses of cis-platinum plus either vinblastine or adriamycin. (4) Drug bioactivation: Rat liver microsomes or S-9 fraction were used to activate cyclophosphamide for in vitro effect, and satisfactory dose-response curves were observed for the inhibition of TCFUs. Such pharmacologic studies will be required for a wide variety of standard and new agents and will probably become a regular aspect of investigation of new anticancer drugs.
Abstract 2114: Trypanosoma brucei: A model to evaluate joint contribution of BRCA2 and PARP in DNA damage repair

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL The DNA repair protein BRCA2, initially discovered as a tumor suppressor for familial breast cancer cases, is now found to play critical role in the biology of many eukaryotes. The extracellular protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei significantly relies on its BRCA2 protein for stress management as well as surviving from host humoral immunity during its mammalian stage of its complex digenetic life cycle. An interesting aspect of BRCA2 deficiency in cancer cells is that these cells are ultra-sensitive to the inhibitors of the chromatin modifying enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In the absence of PARP, spontaneous single-strand breaks collapse replication forks and trigger homologous recombination for repair. Thus, PARP activity is essential in homologous recombination-deficient BRCA2-mutant cancer cells. BRCA2 and PARP are not only expressed in the mammalian cells but also present in high levels in many other eukaryotic cells including the parasitic protozoan T. brucei. To evaluate the universality of the importance of these two proteins in the management of DNA damage, we determined the effect of PARP inhibitors such as 3-AB, Veliparib, PF-01367338, Olaparib and Iniparib in BRCA2 knocked down T. brucei cells treated with the DNA damaging agent cisplatin. Our in vitro data strongly suggest that a combination of a BRCA2 inhibitor (e.g. BRCA2 BRC peptide), a PARP inhibitor and a DNA damaging agent (e.g. cisplatin) will be a chemical regimen for the management of trypanosomiasis and similar protozoan infections. Supported by NIH grants 2SC1GM081146-05 to MC, 1U54RR026140-01 to SM and NIH grants R01AI042327, R21AI076757 to GC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2114. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2114
Pharmacodynamics and dosing of aminoglycosides

Aminoglycosides are concentration-dependent killing agents whose pharmacodynamic predictors of efficacy are the area-under-the-curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio and the peak to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio. Prospective studies have shown that these agents can be given once-daily or less frequently in most clinical settings, with equal efficacy and possible reduced toxicity. Dosages for different clinical settings have been studied and methods are available to monitor once-daily dosing.
Self-assembly of beta-sheets into nanostructures by poly(alanine) segments incorporated in multiblock copolymers inspired by spider silk.

Selective replacement of the amorphous peptide domain of a spider silk with poly(ethylene glycol) gave N. clavipes silk-inspired polymers having similar solid-state structures and very good mechanical properties. The tendency of poly(alanine) having appropriate chain length to form β-sheets and the facility with which the β-sheets self-assemble have been retained in the polymers. Solid-state 13C NMR, solid-state FTIR, X-ray diffraction, and AFM studies showed that the polymers formed predominantly antiparallel β-sheets that self-assembled into discrete nanostructures. The longer the peptide segment was, the greater was the tendency to self-assemble into antiparallel β-sheet aggregates. AFM revealed that the morphology of the polymers was a microphase-separated architecture that contained irregularly shaped 100−200 nm poly(alanine) nanodomains interspersed within the PEG phase. The results suggest that the poly(alanine) domain influences the solid-state properties of spider silk through β-sheet self-assemb...
Orthostatic hypotension due to quinidine and propranolol

Orthostatic hypotension developed in a 65-year-old man during treatment with quinidine and propranolol. Quinidine reduced standing blood pressure, attenuated the Valsalva response, and increased plasma norepinephrine concentrations, suggesting the presence of nonselective alpha-adrenergic blockade. The addition of propranolol inhibited the compensatory tachycardia and produced symptomatic orthostatic hypotension. Physicians should be alerted to the possibility of orthostatic hypotension when the alpha blocking effects of quinidine are combined with a beta blocking agent such as propranolol.
Chromosomal marker exchange in the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius: physiological and cellular aspects

Summary: Exchange and recombination of chromosomal markers is an intrinsic genetic property of the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius that has not been thoroughly characterized. To clarify the mechanism and experimental usefulness of this process, the frequency of S. acidocaldarius prototrophs produced from mixtures of two pyrimidine auxotrophs under a variety of conditions was determined. The apparent efficiency of genetic exchange was essentially independent of the density of cells deposited on the surface of solid media. Furthermore, recombinant formation could initiate in liquid suspensions, as indicated by high recombinant frequencies resulting from mixtures plated at low cell densities, and the formation of recombinants at equal or higher frequencies in liquid suspensions that were never plated. Apparent initiation of genetic exchange in liquid at 22 °C was not prevented by DNase, prior digestion of parental cells with protease from Streptomyces griseus, or any other non-lethal chemical agent tested. The results support prior indications that chromosomal marker exchange in S. acidocaldarius proceeds via conjugation, and further indicate that this conjugation can initiate quickly in dilute liquid suspension. The mating system of S. acidocaldarius thus appears physiologically distinct from that of Haloferax volcanii but perhaps similar to conjugational transfer of Sulfolobus plasmid pNOB8. The frequency of recombinants formed in these assays (10-4-10-5 per c.f.u.) greatly exceeds the number of spontaneous forward mutational events per generation for biosynthetic genes in S. acidocaldarius. This suggests that chromosomal exchange has the potential to influence the genetic dynamics of natural Sulfolobus populations.
Model Simulation of Impacts of Transient Surface Wetness on Summer Rainfall in the United States Midwest during Drought and Flood Years

Abstract Surface moisture availability has been hypothesized by various investigators to provide additional negative (positive) feedback on rainfall during summer drought (flood) conditions in the Midwest. In this note, we report on a preliminary numerical modeling effort in which the impact of transient changes in surface wetness an summer rainfall events in the midwestern United States during two recent drought and flood years is assessed. It was found that during the drought of 1988, hypothetical temporary extreme moistening of the surface resulted in large relative increases in simulated rainfall, often by as much as a factor of 2. However, from an agricultural perspective these large relative changes in rainfall might not necessarily have translated into meaningful increases since the original absolute rainfall amounts were quite small. In the flood year of 1993, an assumed transient drying of the surface resulted in relative decreases in simulated rainfall by as much as 30%–40%. This relative decrea...
Psychiatric Mental Health Evidence-Based Practice:

This article is the first in a new column focusing on evidence-based practice (EBP) in psychiatric mental health nursing. The EBP movement was strongly influenced by a British epidemiologist, Dr. Cochrane, who advocated care based on randomized clinical controlled trials in the late 1900s. Although the majority of the EBP movement is directed toward developing clinical guidelines, the critical element focuses on the therapeutic relationship and clinical judgment associated with providing care. This column will address a clinical problem, define PICO questions, report knowledge base searches, and present existing evidence. Recommendations will be offered for potential interventions and suggestions for evaluating clinical outcomes. Nurses can no longer view clinical studies as academic exercises discarded on graduation and not applied to the clinical setting. Conscientiously applying what is known about treatments and interventions of ethical, if not legal, value is consistent with the professional definition of care. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2008; 14(2), 107-111. DOI: 10.1177/1078390308315798.
Carboranes and baskets from reaction of B4H10 with allene.

The reaction of the boron hydride B4H10 with allene was studied at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d)//MP2/6-31G(d) level. The mechanism is surprisingly complex with 44 transition states and several branching points located. The four carboranes and one basket that have been observed experimentally are all connected by pathways that have very similar free energies of activation. In addition, two new structures, a basket (2,4-(CH2CH2CH2)B4H8, 5a) and a “classical” structure (1,4-(Me2C)bisdiborane, 7), which might be obtained from the B4H10 + C3H4 reaction under the right conditions (hot/cold, quenched, etc.) have been identified. The first branch point in the reaction is the competition between H2 elimination from B4H10 (ΔG(298 K) = 32.2 kcal/mol) and the hydroboration of allene by B4H10 (ΔG(298 K) = 31.3 kcal/mol). The next branch point in the hydroboration mechanism controls the formation of 2,4-(MeCHCH2)B4H8 (1) (ΔG(298 K) = 31.5 kcal/mol) and arachno-1,2/arachno-1,3-Me2-1-CB4H7 (8 and 8a) (ΔG(298 K) = 34.3 kcal/mol...
Ethanol attenuation of morphine dependence: comparison to dizocilpine.

Recent studies indicate that morphine dependence, assessed as the severity of naloxone-precipitated opiate withdrawal in rats, is attenuated by dizocilpine, a non-competitive, excitatory amino acid antagonist. Because ethanol is a putative excitatory amino acid antagonist, the present study compared the effects of co-administration of ethanol to that of dizocilpine on morphine dependence. Rats were administered morphine (10 mg/kg) twice daily for 9 days. One group received ethanol (1 g/kg) co-administration, another received dizocilpine (0.05 mg/kg) co-administration, and a third served as vehicle controls. On day 10, all rats received naloxone (4 mg/kg) injections and ratings of several classic signs of opiate withdrawal were made. Both ethanol-and dizocilpine-treated rats showed significantly less severe precipitated opiate withdrawal overall, with the ethanol group showing reduced ratings of some specific signs. These results demonstrate that ethanol, like dizocilpine, attenuates the development of morphine dependence. The results are consistent with the action of ethanol at glutamate receptors.
Cyclin A-dependent Phosphorylation of the ETS-related Protein, MEF, Restricts Its Activity to the G1 Phase of the Cell Cycle

MEF, a recently identified member of the E74 family of ETS-related transcription factors, is a strong transcriptional activator of cytokine gene expression. Using a green fluorescent protein gene reporter plasmid regulated by an MEF-responsive promoter, we determined that the transcriptional activity of MEF is largely restricted to the G1 phase of the cell cycle. MEF-dependent transcription was suppressed by the expression of cyclin A but not by cyclin D or cyclin E. This effect was due to the kinase activity generated by cyclin A expression, as co-expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 or p27, or a dominant negative form of CDK2 (DNK2), abrogated the reduction of MEF transcriptional activity by cyclin A. Cyclin A-CDK2 phosphorylated MEF protein in vitromore efficiently than cyclin D-CDK4 or cyclin E-CDK2, and phosphorylation of MEF by cyclin A-CDK2 reduced its ability to bind DNA. We determined one site of phosphorylation by cyclin A-CDK2 at the C terminus of MEF, using mass-spectrometry; mutation of three serine or threonine residues in this region significantly reduced phosphorylation of MEF by cyclin A and reduced cyclin A-mediated suppression of its transactivating activity. These amino acid substitutions also reduced the restriction of MEF activity to G1. Phosphorylation of MEF by the cyclin A-CDK2 complex controls its transcriptional activity during the cell cycle, establishing a novel link between the ETS family of proteins and the cell cycle machinery.
An Evaluation of Simulated Flow and Experimental Study Through an Axial Fan

A comprehensive three-dimensional CFD approach and experimental study is developed for a 6-ft diameter commercial axial fan with rotational speed up to 1014 rpm. The use of sophisticated CFD software has made it possible to simulate fluid flow in complex moving geometries found in rotating machinery such as fans, pumps compressors, etc. In this paper, FLUENT is used to study an axial fan performance. Simulations are performed for steady state conditions using an implicitly rotating reference frame for the blades. Experimental studies are also conducted to visualize the flow on fan blade surface by using tuft method. The pressure and velocity distribution in front of the fan and the uncertainty dynamic pressure field measurement are also carried out. Comparisons between CFD simulation results and experimental measurement are found to be reasonable.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Hierarchy of Bone Microdamage at Multiple Length Scales

Microdamage formation is a critical determinant of bone fracture and the nature and type of damage formed in bone depends on the interaction of its extracellular matrix (ECM) with the applied loading. More importantly, because bone is a hierarchical composite with multiple length scales linked to each other, the nature and type of damage in bone could also be hierarchical. In this review article, based on new unpublished data and a reanalysis of literature reports on in vivo and in vitro observations of microdamage, three length scales including mineralized collagen fibrils, lamellar and osteonal levels have been identified as the key contributors to microdamage hierarchy and energy dissipation in bone. Inherent hierarchy in bone’s ECM therefore has specific microstructural features and energy dissipation mechanisms at different length scales that allow the bone to effectively resist the different components of the applied physiological loading. Furthermore, because human bones experience multiaxial cyclic loading and its ECM is subjected to variation with aging and disease, additional emphasis is placed on investigating how the nature of applied loading and the quality of ECM affect the hierarchy of microdamage formation with age.
Treatment of a resistant port-wine stain with a new variable pulse-duration pulsed-dye laser

Summary Background and objectives Because of the heterogeneity in port-wine stains, a number of them prove resistant to treatment with the pulsed-dye laser (PDL). A new variable pulse-duration PDL improves a refractory port-wine stain. Study design/materials and methods A 26-year-old man with a congenital port-wine stain underwent eight treatments with the 1.5-ms pulse-duration PDL resulting in minimal improvement. A single treatment was then administered with the 3-ms pulse-duration PDL. Results Initial results of treatment with the 3-ms pulse-duration PDL on this patient's port-wine stain show dramatic clearance in areas previously treated with significantly higher fluences, an identical spot size, but with a pulse duration half as long. Conclusion Vessel heterogeneity may require changing pulse durations once a port-wine stain or a portion of a port-wine stain becomes refractory to given pulse-duration.
Correction of error in reduced sidelobe synthesis due to mutual coupling

Standard Chebyshev and Taylor reduced sidelobe synthesis techniques ignore mutual coupling, and so can lead to pattern errors where the resulting array pattern departs significantly from the desired pattern. Two methods for correcting this error are described and examples of their application to eight-element dipole arrays are presented. One approach uses characteristic modes, while the other method employs a simpler array mode and point matching. The techniques can also be applied to synthesis of nonuniform arrays.
Properties of electrotonic junctions between embryonic cells of Fundulus.

Abstract Cells isolated from blastulae of the teleost Fundulus can be reaggregated in pairs in physiological salt solution. The cell pairs usually become electrically coupled. Unlike many coupled cells of adult tissues, injected fluorescein does not pass between these cells in detectable amounts, although it can enter the cells when externally applied. Glutaraldehyde fixation rapidly and greatly increases coupling resistance, but causes only moderate increases in cell resistance exclusive of the coupling pathway; thus fixation decouples cells. Electrical measurements demonstrate that fixation does not disrupt zonulae occludentes in blastulae or gastrulae. Electron microscopy reveals that the appositional region between reaggregated cell pairs is penetrated by La(OH) 3 applied with the fixative. There are also extensive regions of close apposition between the cell membranes. The combined data indicate that these embryonic cells are coupled by way of specialized, electrotonic junctions rather than a region of extracellular space between them that is walled off by a zonula occludens. A morphological substrate for these junctions is provided by the close appositions seen electron microscopically. The relatively restrictive permeability of the electrotonic junctions between embryonic cells may allow small ions to function as intercellular signaling molecules while restricting movement of larger molecules involved in intracellular controls.
Subject-controlled performance feedback and learning of a closed motor skill

Research on knowledge of results and knowledge of performance has been directed toward identification of the optimal schedule for administering feedback. The purpose of this investigation was to assess whether a schedule based on performance feedback controlled by the learner would be a more effective means of delivering feedback than any predetermined or random schedule. Participants were randomly assigned to one of five conditions: (a) control group receiving no performance feedback, (b) 50% relative performance feedback, (c) summary performance feedback, (d) subject-controlled performance feedback, and (e) yoked control group. Data were collected during an acquisition phase (four blocks of 10 trials) and a retention phase (two block of 10 trials) in which subjects performed an underhand ball toss. Repeated-measures analyses indicated significant main effects for the absolute error (AE). Participants in the subject-controlled performance feedback condition performed significantly better on both retention trials than the other groups. Analysis suggests that a feedback schedule which is controlled by the learner may be a more effective means of delivering augmented feedback than other schedules which have been examined.
The WTO’s Environmental Progress

The linkage between trade and the environment stands out as an important challenge in global economic governance. Over the past decade, the WTO devoted considerable attention to this issue and included it on the agenda of the Doha Round. In parallel, the jurisprudence on trade and the environment has experienced significant advances. This study provides an overview of the main institutional changes at the WTO and of the developments in the jurisprudence most relevant to the interaction between the environment and trade. Specifically, this study focuses on General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article XX and takes note of many positive (and a few negative) features of the key Appellate Body decisions.
The intrinsic linewidth of the 4f levels in gold as determined by photoemission

Abstract High resolution photoemission experiments have been performed using synchrotron radiation at two different photo energies, 8000 eV and 160 eV, on the 4f doublet of Au giving an inherent linewidth of less than 0.3 eV in good agreement with McGuire's estimate of 0.23 eV.
Not craft, not couture, not ‘home sewing’: teaching creative patternmaking to the iPod generation

Students in apparel programmes today are denizens of a world of computers, social media, and popular culture manifestations such as Project Runway. They have a different focus and different expectations and skills than students from previous generations. Current textbooks and teaching methods for apparel patternmaking were developed by and for these previous generations, and are rooted in the era of home economics. As educators we need to rethink how we introduce students to creative technical apparel design. The methods discussed here were developed over the last 30 years and evolved based on frequent student feedback. Teaching methods that resonate best with current students emphasise the conceptual, visual, and practical; they focus on the creative process and individual development. Exercises are important, but only to introduce basic concepts. Assignments quickly shift to individual creative projects. Technology skills are increasingly important, but the teacher's role is to guide and assess the lear...
Contested Memories of Place: Representations of Salinas’ Chinatown

This paper explores contested memories of place in the historical recovery and community revitalization of Salinas, California's old Chinatown. For over a century, Chinatown has been home to Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, and Mexicans. Today, it is occupied by the homeless, drug dealers, and addicts. Chinatown is variously remembered as the site of the best Chinese food in town, a place of gambling and prostitution, and "home." Oral histories reveal multiple and contested significations of place: from intensely nostalgic recollections that mythify the past to distanced accounts that reveal little attachment to place. Narratives shed light on the tensions involved in cultural recovery and negotiating spatial claims across ethnic and cultural groups, generations, and social classes. Accounts also reveal how the restoration of lost community history can generate new coalitional practice.
The Effects of Guided Discovery and Individualized Instructional Packages on Initial Learning, Transfer, and Retention in Second-Year Algebra.

It is generally recognized that one of the major pedagogical goals of mathematics instruction should be the active participation of pupils in the learning process. To this end, various mathematics educators (e.g., Beberman, 1958; Davis, 1960) have urged that it is possible to present the fundamental structure of the discipline in such a way that students can discover much of it for themselves. Though considerable research has been conducted to assess the effectiveness of discovery teaching and learning in mathematics, the results of these studies suggest that the effectiveness of this approach is still an open question (Begle, 1969). Although the modern curricula have been widely adopted, the corresponding teaching procedures have met with minimal acceptance (Dessart & Frandsen, 1973). Indeed, in reaction to the continued use of traditional teaching methods, which often tend to inhibit active learning on the part of students, it is becoming increasingly popular to attempt to individualize instruction through the use of various forms of learning or activity packages (cf. Weisgerber, 1971). Although there is no dearth of theoretical discussion concerning individualized modes of instruction, empirical data-primarily at the elementary level-are just beginning to accumulate that give some information concerning differences in mathematical achievement between individualized and conventional programs (Duker, 1972; Riedesel & Burns, 1973), and such data are far from conclusive. Conspicuously lacking are empirical investigations of the effect of individualized instruction on the transfer and retention of mathematical concepts and generalizations. It was the purpose of this study to examine the relative efficacy of three modes of instruction for promoting initial learning, vertical transfer, lateral transfer, and retention. The modes of instruction included guided discovery
The effects of perceptions of risk, environmental uncertainty, and growth aspirations on new venture creation success

This study extends Xu and Reuf (Strateg Organ 2:331–355, 2004) by exploring the strategic and non-strategic risk-taking propensity perceptions of nascent entrepreneurs as it relates to the subsequent likelihood of venture formation success. In addition, the moderating influences of perceptions of environmental uncertainty and venture growth aspirations are also examined. Findings from an analysis of data from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) I indicate that an entrepreneur’s risk-taking propensity has no relationship to the likelihood of successfully starting a business. Perceptions of environmental uncertainty and venture growth aspirations were positively related to non-strategic risk-taking propensity, yet none of these variables (strategic and non-strategic risk-taking propensity, environmental uncertainty and growth aspirations) had a significant effect on venture creation success. We suggest that risk-taking propensity, as measured in this study, does not play a significant role in differentiating between nascent entrepreneurs or others, or between those that are successful or unsuccessful at starting businesses.
A phase II trial of high-dose bromodeoxyuridine with accelerated fractionation radiotherapy followed by procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine for glioblastoma multiforme.

Abstract Purpose: To conduct a Phase II study to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of high-dose 5'-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and accelerated radiotherapy followed by procarbazine, lomustine (CCNU), and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Methods and Materials: Between 1994 and 1996, 88 patients were enrolled to receive 1.9 Gy of radiation three times a day for two 5-day cycles separated by 2 weeks; each 5-day cycle was preceded by a continuous 96-hour infusion of BrdU at a dose of 2.1 g/m 2 /day. After radiotherapy, patients received PCV chemotherapy. Results: Median survival for all 88 patients was 50 weeks. Seventy (79.5%) received one or more courses of PCV; their median survival was 57 weeks. Covariates predictive of improved survival were gross total versus subtotal resection or biopsy ( p = 0.0048) and radiation dose ≥ 56 Gy ( p = 0.019). While receiving BrdU, 47 patients (53%) suffered grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia or leukopenia; 22 patients (25%) suffered grade 3 or 4 dermatologic toxicity. Conclusion: Survival was not extended in patients with glioblastoma or gliosarcoma who received BrdU at the dose and administration schedule used in this study. The BrdU dose used in this study resulted in substantial myelosuppressive and dermatologic toxicity.
Ionic asymmetry and solvent excluded volume effects on spherical electric double layers: A density functional approach

In this article, we present a classical density functional theory for electrical double layers of spherical macroions that extends the capabilities of conventional approaches by accounting for electrostatic ion correlations, size asymmetry, and excluded volume effects. The approach is based on a recent approximation introduced by Hansen-Goos and Roth for the hard sphere excess free energy of inhomogeneous fluids [J. Chem. Phys. 124, 154506 (2006); Hansen-Goos and Roth, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 18, 8413 (2006)]. It accounts for the proper and efficient description of the effects of ionic asymmetry and solvent excluded volume, especially at high ion concentrations and size asymmetry ratios including those observed in experimental studies. Additionally, we utilize a leading functional Taylor expansion approximation of the ion density profiles. In addition, we use the mean spherical approximation for multi-component charged hard sphere fluids to account for the electrostatic ion correlation effects. These approximations are implemented in our theoretical formulation into a suitable decomposition of the excess free energy which plays a key role in capturing the complex interplay between charge correlations and excluded volume effects. We perform Monte Carlo simulations in various scenarios to validate the proposed approach, obtaining a good compromise between accuracy and computational cost. We use the proposed computational approach to study the effects of ion size, ion size asymmetry, and solvent excluded volume on the ion profiles, integrated charge, mean electrostatic potential, and ionic coordination number around spherical macroions in various electrolyte mixtures. Our results show that both solvent hard sphere diameter and density play a dominant role in the distribution of ions around spherical macroions, mainly for experimental water molarity and size values where the counterion distribution is characterized by a tight binding to the macroion, similar to that predicted by the Stern model.
An Automated Flow Microfluorometer and Cell Sorter Incorporating Nuclear Electronics

A computer-automated flow microfluorometer and cell sorter is under development for the Medical Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory. The device will be capable of analyzing and sorting samples of biological cells based on measurements of laser-induced fluorescence and cell volume. The system incorporates the laser optics and droplet generation mechanics of a standard Becton-Dickinson FACS II cell sorter. The capabilities of the FACS II device are being upgraded, chiefly in the areas of data display and recording and, to a lesser extent, on-line data analysis.
A review of the Geomydoecus texanus complex (Mallophaga: Trichodectidae) from Geomys and Pappogeomys (Rodentia: Geomyidae).

Geomydoecus texanus is redescribed and illustrated, with the nominate subspecies restricted to material from Geomys personatus . Five new species and subspecies of Geomydoecus are described: G. texanus tropicalis from Geomys tropicalis; G. ustulati ustulati from 5 subspecies of Pappogeomys castanops (type-host: P. c. ustulatus); G. u. clarkii from 2 subspecies of P. castanops (type-host: P. c. clarkii); G. tamaulipensis from P. c. tamauliPensis; G. subnubili from 9 subspecies of P. castanops (type-host: P. c. subnubilus ). Distinctions between these taxa are shown using qualitative and quantitative characters, and principal components analysis of quantitative characters. A key is given for identifying these 6 taxa.
CHARACTERIZATION OF TWO PROTEIN-BINDING SITES IN THE SECOND INTRON OF THE MOUSE K-ras GENE

A tandem repeat region in the second intron of the K-ras gene has been reported to be a possible regulatory site for transcription [You et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1992; 89: 5804–5808; Chen et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1994; 91: 1589–1593; Chen et al. Carcinogenesis. 1994; 15: 2031–2035]. In this study, a second protein-binding site was identified and characterized. It lies downstream (nucleotides 463 to 509) of the tandem repeat region. A T→C base variation at nucleotide 494 was found in all KS strains (which have K-ras alleles identical to those of the susceptible A/J strain) and all Kistrains (which have K-ras alleles identical to those of the intermediate CBA/J strain). DNase I footprint analysis indicated a protein binding site within the downstream repeated region in the second intron of the K-ras gene. Gel mobility-shift studies showed differential protein-binding patterns between the Krstrains (which have K-ras alleles identical to those of the resistant C3H/HeJ strain) and the Ks or Ki strai...
Gold thickness dependence of SPR-based hetero-core structured optical fiber sensor

Abstract Sensing performances of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) hetero-core fiber sensor has been presented based on SPR excitation by controlling the thickness of gold metal coating ranging from 20 to 70 nm. Experimental results have demonstrated an attractive feature in their metal thickness dependences, showing the sensing capability in the uses both of the spectral and of the amplitude mode operations. Sensing resolutions have been achieved to be in the range of 7.40 × 10 −4 to 3.64 × 10 −5 RIU for 1.333–1.398 RIU range of tested glycerin solutions for the spectral operation with a spectral resolution of 0.5 nm, and in the range of 4.80 × 10 −4 to 9.31 × 10 −5 RIU for 1.333–1.384 RIU for the amplitude operation with a given wavelength of 667 nm. A practical sensing scheme has been successfully operated based on the amplitude mode using a single LED emitting 667 nm, showing the real time-based, remote sensing capability in measuring refractive indices of liquids.
Nonlinear equivalent circuits for membranes.

The problem of obtaining Helmholtz equivalents for nonlinear resistive one-ports is considered. Two fundamentally different classes of equivalent are described, one local and the other global. For each, necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the existence and uniqueness of either the Thevenin equivalent or the Norton equivalent or both. These concepts are illustrated (i) by proving that a cell whose channels and pumps are monotone in the membrane potential will, in the absence of net state changes in these ionophores, possess a unique stable resting potential and (ii) by demonstrating that it is in principle impossible to assign unique equivalent circuits to such ionophores.
CC chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) is a marker for memory T cells that arrest on activated human dermal microvascular endothelium under shear stress

We asked whether CCR6, which is found on 50% of memory, but not naive, T cells is associated with the ability of memory T cells (mTC) to arrest on TNF-? activated endothelial cells under flow conditions. CCR6-, CCR6+, and total mTC were fractionated by magnetic-bead selection using CCR6 and CD45RA mAbs. TNF-? stimulation of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC) induced the mRNA for LARC/MIP-3? (the chemokine ligand for CCR6) by 200-fold as measured by real-time, quantitative RT-PCR. LARC, when coated on plastic plates, induced firm arrest of CLA+ mTC in a parallel plate flow chamber under physiologic shear stress (1.5 dynes/cm2). Similarly, mTC arrested on monolayers of activated HDMEC, which was inhibited 50-60% by pertussis toxin (PTX) pretreatment of mTC. Strikingly, depletion of the CCR6+ mTC caused >75% (n=3, p<0.01) of the loss of adhesion seen with PTX treatment of mTC. CCR6- mTC had similar levels of ?2 and ?4 integrins compared with CCR6+ mTC and arrested on SDF-1-, but not LARC-, coated plates. Thus, LARC, which is upregulated by activated HDMEC, induced arrest of CLA+ mTC in vitro. Depletion of CCR6+ mTC led to almost as much loss of adhesion on activated HDMEC as PTX-treatment of total mTC, suggesting a possible role for CCR6 and LARC in the arrest of mTC on inflamed skin endothelium.
CACOGRAPHY IN THE MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISORDERS

Mothers of children with learning disorders completed questionnaires concerning the histories and currant problems of their children. All the children had average or above average IQ's, but below average academic achievement. Compared with a control group matched for years of education, the mothers of children with learning disorders made significantly more spelling errors per 100 words. The differences in number of spelling errors between learning disorder and control groups was greater for mothers with twelve or less years of education than for mothers with more than twelve years of education.
High-average-power diode-pumped solid-state laser illuminators for HEL beam control

Active track and beacon illuminator lasers, which are critical components of most high energy laser beam control systems, have benefited significantly over the past decade from technology advancements that have enabled more than an order of magnitude growth in average output power while maintaining excellent beam quality. An overview of how high energy laser system illuminator requirements are developed, along with a short history and current status of diode-pumped solid-state laser illuminator technology development in the United States, will be provided.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Multiframe distortion tolerant correlation filtering for video sequences

Distortion-tolerant correlation filter methods have been applied to many video-based automatic target recognition (ATR) applications, but in a single-frame architecture. In this paper we introduce an efficient framework for combining information from multiple correlation outputs in a probabilistic way. Our framework is capable of handling scenes with an unknown number of targets at unknown positions. The main algorithm in our framework uses a probabilistic mapping of the correlation outputs and takes advantage of a position-independent target motion model in order to efficiently compute posterior target location probabilities. An important feature of the framework is the ability to incorporate any existing correlation filter design, thus facilitating the construction of a distortion-tolerant multi-frame ATR. In our simulations, we incorporate the minimum average correlation energy Mellin radial harmonic (MACE-MRH) correlation filter design, which allows the user to specify the desired scale response of the filter. We test our algorithm on real and synthesized infrared (IR) video sequences that exhibit various degrees of target scale distortion. Our simulation results show that the multi-frame algorithm significantly improves the recognition performance of a MACE-MRH filter while requiring only a marginal increase in computation. We also show that, for an equivalent amount of added computation, using larger filter banks instead of multi-frame information is unable to provide a comparable performance increase.© (2006) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases: Legacy of the First Two Decades

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and their cellular signaling pathways play important roles in normal development and homeostasis. Aberrations in their activation or signaling leads to many pathologies, especially cancers, motivating the development of a variety of drugs that block RTK signaling that have been successfully applied for the treatment of many cancers. As the current field of RTKs and their signaling pathways are covered by a very large amount of literature, spread over half a century, I am focusing the scope of this review on seminal discoveries made before tyrosine phosphorylation was discovered, and on the early days of research into RTKs and their cellular signaling pathways. I review the history of the early days of research in the field of RTKs. I emphasize key early findings, which provided conceptual frameworks for addressing the questions of how RTKs are activated and how they regulate intracellular signaling pathways.
High-voltage, electric field-driven micro/nanofabrication for polymeric drug delivery systems

One of the major challenges in drug delivery is to provide an appropriate dosage of therapeutic agents at the right time to the right location. The therapeutic agents include small molecules, macromolecules, nanoparticles, and cells, whose sizes range from less than 0.5 nm to 20 mum. Major noninvasive routes of administration include oral, pulmonary, and transdermal drug delivery. Transport barriers associated with these drug delivery routes prevent the delivery of appropriate dosage of therapeutic agents to the right location. Size is one of the determining factors for drug delivery systems. Polymeric microstructured or nanostructured systems show a great potential to stabilize therapeutic agents and overcome transport barriers by controlling the size and surface properties. A high-voltage electric field can be imposed on a polymer liquid to form microcapsules, to produce nanoparticles through electrospray or electrostatic assembly and to fabricate nanofibers through electrospinning. The addition of an electric field results in charging the components of the system and the resulting electrostatic interactions. Because electrostatic forces become meaningful at the nanoscale, electrostatic technologies attractmuch attention in microfabrication or nanofabrication [1]. There are several recent review articles available for microencapsulation [2], [3], electrospray [4], and electrospinning [5]-[9]. However, very few have investigated connections among all these processes. The major objectives of this article are to discuss mechanisms behind these electrostatic processes and explore connections among these techniques that can lead to the design and fabrication of specific drug delivery systems using an electrostatic generator.
Comparison of three generations of ActiGraph™ activity monitors in children and adolescents

In this study, we evaluated agreement among three generations of ActiGraph™ accelerometers in children and adolescents. Twenty-nine participants (mean age = 14.2 ± 3.0 years) completed two laboratory-based activity sessions, each lasting 60 min. During each session, participants concurrently wore three different models of the ActiGraph™ accelerometers (GT1M, GT3X, GT3X+). Agreement among the three models for vertical axis counts, vector magnitude counts, and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise (MVPA) was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots. The intraclass correlation coefficient for total vertical axis counts, total vector magnitude counts, and estimated MVPA was 0.994 (95% CI = 0.989-0.996), 0.981 (95% CI = 0.969-0.989), and 0.996 (95% CI = 0.989-0.998), respectively. Inter-monitor differences for total vertical axis and vector magnitude counts ranged from 0.3% to 1.5%, while inter-monitor differences for estimated MVPA were equal to or close to zero. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that there is strong agreement between the GT1M, GT3X, and GT3X+ activity monitors, thus making it acceptable for researchers and practitioners to use different ActiGraph™ models within a given study.
Baroclinic Equilibration and the Maintenance of the Momentum Balance.Part II: 3D Results

In this two-paper series the equilibration of a baroclinic jet is described, emphasizing the redistribution of momentum and the effects that this redistribution has on the steering level and the potential vorticity (PV) structure of the basic state. In Part I of this series the equilibration of the 2D problem is discussed, using as a model the barotropic point jet. In that problem, the zonal mean momentum is redistributed along the single direction: there is a westerly acceleration at the jet vertex and compensating easterly acceleration in the interior. Part II of this series describes the equilibration of the 3D problem. In this problem, momentum is not simply redistributed vertically, but there is also a horizontal redistribution of momentum. It is shown that this makes the dynamics very different from the 2D simulations described in Part I, and in particular that the geometrical constraints introduced there no longer apply. The results of this work give insight into why 3D effects are important to the baroclinic equilibration, and point to friction as a possible mechanism limiting thermal homogenization at the surface in the extratropical troposphere.
Facilitating Pedagogical Practices through a Large-Scale Tablet PC Deployment

The Virginia Tech College of Engineering has begun to explore the use of Tablet PCs in engineering and computer science courses. Using a multifaceted, collaborative approach, the faculty developed an implementation process that includes computer acquisition, faculty training, infrastructure modifications, and multiple evaluations and assessments demonstrating positive initial results.