cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase Separation Can Increase Enzyme Activity by Concentration and Molecular Organization

Abstract Biomolecular condensates concentrate macromolecules into discrete cellular foci without an encapsulating membrane. Condensates are often presumed to increase enzymatic reaction rates through increased concentrations of enzymes and substrates (mass action), although this idea has not been widely tested and other mechanisms of modulation are possible. Here we describe a synthetic system where the SUMOylation enzyme cascade is recruited into engineered condensates generated by liquid-liquid phase separation of multidomain scaffolding proteins. SUMOylation rates can be increased up to 36-fold in these droplets compared to the surrounding bulk, depending on substrate KM. This dependency produces substantial specificity among different substrates. Analyses of reactions above and below the phase separation threshold lead to a quantitative model in which reactions in condensates are accelerated by mass action and by changes in substrate KM, likely due to scaffold-induced molecular organization. Thus, condensates can modulate reaction rates both by concentrating molecules and by physically organizing them.
Oxidation of Ammonia with Molecular Complexes

Oxidation of ammonia by molecular complexes is a burgeon-ing area of research, with critical scientific challenges that must be addressed. A fundamental understanding of individu-al reactions steps is needed, particularly for cleavage of N-H bonds and formation of N-N bonds. This perspective evaluates the challenges of designing molecular catalysts for oxidation of ammonia, and highlights recent key contributions to realiz-ing the goals of viable energy storage and retrieval based on the N-H bonds of ammonia in a carbon-free energy cycle.
Generalized Proximal Methods for Pose Graph Optimization.

In this paper, we generalize proximal methods that were originally designed for convex optimization on normed vector space to non-convex pose graph optimization (PGO) on special Euclidean groups, and show that our proposed generalized proximal methods for PGO converge to first-order critical points. Furthermore, we propose methods that significantly accelerate the rates of convergence almost without loss of any theoretical guarantees. In addition, our proposed methods can be easily distributed and parallelized with no compromise of efficiency. The efficacy of this work is validated through implementation on simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and distributed 3D sensor network localization, which indicate that our proposed methods are a lot faster than existing techniques to converge to sufficient accuracy for practical use.
Anion exchange induced formation of kesterite copper zinc tin sulphide–copper zinc tin selenide nanoheterostructures

We report the colloidal synthesis of quaternary kesterite CZTS-CZTSe heterostructures via anion exchange reactions on a kesterite CZTS template. The crystal phase selectivity during the synthesis (kesterite vs. wurtzite) is due to the initial nucleation of cubic Cu9S5 seeds, followed by incorporation of Zn and Sn. Upon injection of Se-precursor, which triggered simultaneous anion exchange and overgrowth of the pristine CZTS template, sandwich CZTS-CZTSe (core-tip) nanoheterostructures were obtained. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and optical band gap measurement results suggest a change of intrinsic electronic structure of CZTS by Se-treatment. Our study not only provides insight into mechanisms of formation of kesterite CZTS nanocrystals (NCs) and subsequent anion exchange reactions, but also opens doors to access novel CZTSSe nanostructures for potential applications.
Prolonged Prehospital Time Is a Risk Factor for Pneumonia in Trauma (the PRE-TRIP Study): A Retrospective Analysis of the United States National Trauma Data Bank.

Background Although multiple risk factors for development of pneumonia in patients with trauma sustained in a motor vehicle accident have been studied, the effect of prehospital time on pneumonia incidence post-trauma is unknown. Research Question Is prolonged prehospital time an independent risk factor for pneumonia? Study Design and Methods We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected clinical data from 806,012 motor vehicle accident trauma incidents from the roughly 750 trauma hospitals contributing data to the National Trauma Data Bank between 2010 and 2016. Results Prehospital time was independently associated with development of pneumonia post-motor vehicle trauma (P Interpretation Increased prehospital time is an independent risk factor for development of pneumonia and increased mortality in patients with trauma caused by a motor vehicle accident. Although prehospital time is often not modifiable, its recognition as a pneumonia risk factor is important, because prolonged prehospital time may need to be considered in subsequent decision-making.
Active Disturbance Rejection Control of Doubly-Fed Induction Generators Driven by Wind Turbines

This paper proposes a robust active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) scheme to improve the low voltage ride through (LVRT) of a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) for wind turbine applications. There are two main parts of the DFIG control system: controlling the rotor side converter (RSC) and controlling the grid side converter (GSC). This digest replaces the proportional-integral (PI) controllers conventionally used in DFIG control with ADRC-based robust controllers. Each ADRC contains an extended state observer (ESO) for disturbance estimation, a simple proportional controller, and a proportional compensator which compensates the output of the proportional controller with the ESO-estimated disturbance to generate the final output of the ADRC scheme. The RSC inner current loop PI controllers are replaced with ADRCs in this paper. The simulations are conducted on a PSCAD/EMTDC switching level model of a 3.6 MW DFIG wind turbine connected to a power grid to verify the LVRT enhancement using the proposed ADRC method.
Fact/Value Holism, Feminist Philosophy, and Nazi Cancer Research

Fact/value holism has become commonplace in philosophy of science, especially in feminist literature. However, that facts are bearers of empirical content, while values are not, remains a firmly-held distinction. I support a more thorough-going holism: both facts and values can function as empirical claims, related in a seamless, semantic web. I address a counterexample from Kourany (2010) where facts and values seem importantly discontinuous, namely, the simultaneous support by the Nazis of scientifically sound cancer research and morally unsound political policies. I conclude that even by the criteria available at the time, Nazi cancer research was empirically weak, and the weaknesses in their research are continuous with their moral failures in just the ways predicted by the holism I support.
Michigan and Ontario Legislators: Perspectives on the Federal System

In analysing the American and Canadian federal systems it is possible to stress the trends common to both systems or, alternately, to emphasize the differences that distinguish the Canadian from the American experience with federal institutions. Both political systems have persisted with recognizable federal features even while substantial nationalizing developments have occurred in the economies and cultures of the two nations. One leading authority characterizes the kind of federalism that results as "co-operative" in contrast to the older "classical" variety.' Others, while noting common trends, stress the greater degree of resistance to centralization found in Canada by use of such labels as "pluralistic federalism,"2 "double-image federalism,"3 and "perpheralized federalism."4 While briefs can be made for affixing one or another label to a system, it seems more useful at this stage to study some of the array of differences between the Canadian and American federal systems. One way to get a rough measure of differences and similarities is to pose a set of questions on federalism to comparable groups of Canadians and Americans. These questions can be designed to determine the respective orientations to their federal systems and their opinions on various provincial (state)-federal problems. In this study the questions were put to members of the Ontario Legislative Assembly and the Michigan Senate. The decision to interview legislators in both countries was heavily influenced by the theory that members of leadership groups might be the key to an understanding of the changing loyalties more generally.experienced as federal systems undergo nationalizing and centralizing trends. William H. Riker argues that the most fundamental feature of the maintenance of the federal system "is the popular sentiment of loyalty to (different levels of) government, which sentiment serves as a channel for development for centralizing or peripheralizing institutions."5 T. A. Corry, althoui;h arv;uing in a different context, asks for
TRB3: A tribbles Homolog That Inhibits Akt/PKB Activation by Insulin in Liver

Insulin resistance is a major hallmark in the development of type II diabetes, which is characterized by the failure of insulin to promote glucose uptake in muscle and to suppress glucose production in liver. The serine-threonine kinase Akt (PKB) is a principal target of insulin signaling that inhibits hepatic glucose output when glucose is available from food. Here we show that TRB3, a mammalian homolog of Drosophila tribbles, functions as a negative modulator of Akt. TRB3 expression is induced in liver under fasting conditions, and TRB3 disrupts insulin signaling by binding directly to Akt and blocking activation of the kinase. Amounts of TRB3 RNA and protein were increased in livers of db/db diabetic mice compared with those in wild-type mice. Hepatic overexpression of TRB3 in amounts comparable to those in db/db mice promoted hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance. Our results suggest that, by interfering with Akt activation, TRB3 contributes to insulin resistance in individuals with susceptibility to type II diabetes.
X-ray Spectroscopy of High n Transitions of He- and Ne-like Ions in Alcator C-Mod Plasmas

The Rydberg series (1s 2 -1snp) up to n = 14 of helium-like argon (Z=18) has been observed from Alcator C-Mod plasmas using a high resolution X-ray spectrometer array. High n satellites to these lines of the form 1s 2 2s-1s2snp and 1s 2 2p-1s2pnp with 3 ≤ n ≤ 12 have been recorded. X-ray spectra of 2l-nl' transitions with 3 < n ≤ 18 in molybdenum (Z=42) and 3 < n < 12 in krypton (Z=36) and niobium (Z=41) from charge states around neon-like have also been measured. Numerous examples of the configuration interaction, which alters the line intensities in some transitions of neon-like ions with nearly degenerate upper levels, have been observed. Accurate wavelengths of all of these transitions (±.5 mA) have been determined by comparison to neighboring reference lines from H- and He-like charge states. Line identifications have been made by comparison to ab initio atomic structure calculations, using a fully relativistic, parametric potential code. Measured line intensities have been compared with collisional-radiative modeling that includes the contributions from dielectronic recombination and inner-shell excitation rates, with good agreement.
Practice patterns for the evaluation and treatment of eosinophilic oesophagitis.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 1373–1382 Summary Background Although consensus guidelines for eosinophilic oesophagitis have been published, it remains unclear whether gastroenterologists follow these recommendations. Aim To assess academic and community practice patterns for the evaluation and treatment of eosinophilic oesophagitis and to compare these practices with current guidelines. Methods This was a prospective study of academic and community gastroenterologists using a self-administered online survey. Results A total of 60% (34 of 57) of academic and 29% (38 of 133) of community gastroenterologists completed the survey. Only 24% of academic and 3% of community gastroenterologists follow consensus guidelines to diagnose eosinophilic oesophagitis (P = 0.007). A proton pump inhibitor trial or negative pH study prior to diagnosis was required by just 25% of all gastroenterologists. A majority (60%) do not use the recommended threshold of 15 eosinophils per high powered field to diagnosis eosinophilic oesophagitis. Half (51%) mistakenly require a positive endoscopic finding. For first-line treatment, about half of the gastroenterologists surveyed treat with a swallowed topical steroid (53% academic, 56% community; P = N.S.), consistent with the guidelines. Conclusions There is variability in practice patterns for both diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic oesophagitis. Ongoing education and research concerning diagnosis and treatment are needed.
Sectionalism, Slavery and the Threat of War in Josiah Quincy Jr.’s 1773 Southern Journal

ON 8 February 1773, Josiah Quincy Jr. (1744-75), a twenty eight-year-old Boston lawyer suffering from tuberculosis, set sail for Charleston, South Carolina. For the sake of his health, he was eager to escape the harsh New England winter, but he would not be idle during his southern journey. A mem ber of the Boston Committee of Correspondence, Quincy would explore means of improving communication among like minded patriots. He would also take his measure of sectional differences and gauge the degree to which the colonies had suf ficient shared interests and mutual trust to respond with one voice to the mounting crisis with England. The delicacy of his task and the demand upon his diplomatic skills were obvious on
Relationship of serum immunoglobulin and IgG subclass levels to race, ethnicity and behavioral characteristics in HIV infection.

BACKGROUND To determine whether demographic and behavioral factors affect immunoglobulin regulation in HIV infection, we studied injection drug users, women, and minority ethnic and racial groups with and without HIV infection. MATERIAL/METHODS A prospective cross-sectional study of ambulatory persons with or at risk for HIV infection was conducted. We enrolled 48 injection drug users (IDUs) and 43 non-IDUs seropositive for HIV and 22 seronegative at-risk individuals in the Bronx, New York City. Sixteen HIV-seronegative, non-IDUs controls were also studied. Total serum immunoglobulin levels, IgG subclasses and lymphocyte phenotypes were measured. RESULTS Serum IgG, IgA, IgG(1) and IgG(3) were increased in all stages of HIV infection controlling for injection drug use, gender, race and age (p0.05). Serum IgM levels were significantly decreased in HIV seropositives compared to HIV seronegatives (p<0.02). Two patterns of serum immunoglobulin level elevation were found in HIV infection: 1) IgG, IgG(1) and IgG(3) levels were elevated in early and advanced HIV infection; 2) IgA, IgG(2) and IgG(4) levels were elevated only in advanced HIV infection. IgG levels were increased in Blacks compared to Caucasians with HIV infection (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS Serum IgG, IgG(1) and IgG(3) levels are increased in early HIV infection, while serum IgA, IgG(2), and IgG(3) levels are increased only in advanced HIV infection. In contrast, serum IgM levels are decreased in HIV infection. HIV-seropositive Blacks have higher serum IgG levels than HIV-seropositive Caucasians. Further studies are necessary to determine the mechanism(s) underlying the different patterns of immunoglobulin elevation in HIV infection.
Rickettsiae and Borrelia burgdorferi in ixodid ticks.

Nymphs and adults of hard-bodied ticks were collected in Connecticut and tested by direct and indirect immunofluorescence staining methods for rickettsiae and Borrelia burgdorferi. Of the 609 Ixodes dammini ticks examined, 59 (9.7%) harbored rickettsialike microorganisms in hemocytes (blood cells). These bacteria reacted with fluorescein-conjugated antiserum to Ehrlichia canis, the etiologic agent of with fluorescein-conjugated antiserum to Ehrlichia canis, the etiologic agent of canine ehrlichiosis. Prevalence of infection ranged from 6.8 to 12.7% for males and females, respectively. Although the specific identities of the hemocytic rickettsialike organisms are unknown, they share antigens with ehrlichiae. Electron microscopy revealed rickettsiae in ovarian tissues of I. dammini that also had infected hemocytes. Rickettsialike organisms were also observed in the hemocytes of 5 (6.9%) of 73 Dermacentor variabilis ticks. In analyses for B. burgdorferi, 146 (23.7%) of 617 I. dammini ticks harbored these spirochetes in midguts. Hemocytic rickettsialike microorganisms coexisted with B. burgdorferi in 36 (6.7%) of the 537 nymphs and adults of I. dammini examined. I. dammini, with its broad host range, has the potential to acquire multiple microorganisms. Images
Design of High Hardness, Tough Steels for Energy-Related Applications

The need for improved wear and abrasion resistant steels for components in advanced fossil energy conversion systems is described. Desirable combinations of mechanical properties for these components are enumerated. A critical component, coal feeders, in coal gasification plants requires adequate room temperature toughness and high strength at both room and moderately elevated temperatures. Through modification of both composition and heat treatment, it has been shown that commercial secondary hardening matrix steels are promising candidates for this application. It is further shown that improvements can be achieved by the synthesis of new secondary hardening steels. A key feature of the design of these steels is the suppression, by composition control, of solid-state tempering reactions that (in commercial secondary hardening steels) lead to inadequate toughness. In other components for advanced coal technology, hot strength is not required but hardness and impact strength are. Modified medium-alloy, ultra-high-strength steels are described with combinations of strength and toughness achievable only in the high-alloy (and expensive) maraging steels.
China during the Great Depression: Market, State, and the World Economy, 1929–1937 – By Tomoko Shiroyama

Since the forced opening of China in 1842, the commercial contacts between China and the outside world became increasingly frequent. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Chinese economy had al...
Multiple Myosin Motors and Mechanoelectrical Transduction by Hair Cells

Hair cells are exquisitely specialized mechanoreceptors, responding only to specific frequencies of sound or to distinct head movements (reviewed in Hudspeth, 1989, 1992). A hair cell carries out mechanoelectrical transduction with its mechanically sensitive hair bundle, a beveled collection of stereocilia and one solitary kinocilium. Although the kinocilium is a true cilium, with the familiar 9 + 2 arrangement of microtubule doublets, stereocilia are actin-based. Stereocilia contain several hundred cross-linked actin filaments, so they are quite rigid. A stereocilium pivots at its flexible basal insertion point, where only a few dozen actin filaments penetrate the cell. Deflection of the bundle causes adjacent stereocilia to slide along each other, stretching elastic gating springs that tug open transduction channels located at the top of the bundle. Hair cells adapt to sustained stimuli: for example, hair cells in the bullfrog’s sacculus can detect transient vertical accelerations of less than lop5 g, despite a constant 1 g stimulus from gravity (Koyama et al., 1982). Gatingspring tension, and hence channel open probability, is controlled by adaptation motors, which likely contain myosin molecules (reviewed in Hudspeth and Gillespie, 1994; Gillespie, 1995). During an excitatory stimulus, when gating-spring tension is high, Ca2+ entering through open transduction channels triggers the adaptation motors to slip down the cytoskeleton and reduce tension (Fig. 1). By contrast, during inhibitory bundle
The grammar of paradise: on the generation of Mughul gardens

The conventions used to design Mughul gardens are characterized. These conventions are represented by a parametric shape grammar.
Presents of Mind

Theater improvisation (improv) is an art form that, when adapted for psychotherapy, offers unique advantages to couples therapists, both as clinical technique and as a tool for personal growth. Improv techniques induce playfulness, fantasy, spontaneity, and close cooperation between partners which can enrich therapy by providing useful alternatives to purely verbal discourse. A case study is offered demonstrating the use of one simple improvisation exercise, Presents, in working with a conflictual couple.
VIEWPOINT: COMPARING LIBRARIAN AND TEACHER SALARIES IS VALID

Some would have us believe that tieing librarians' salaries to teachers' salaries does not help librarians (see Betty Turock's editorial in The Bottom Line 1/1). She contends that since both professions are gender‐typed, with salary standards influenced not only by market forces but by the culturally determined patterns of unequal compensation found in occupations where women predominate, we would be better off forgetting teachers' salaries as benchmarks in our salary negotiations.
Parasitic conduction current in the passivation ledge of AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

Abstract Passivating the extrinsic base surfaces of AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors with a thin AlGaAs emitter ledge is widely utilized to reduce the extrinsic base surface recombination current. The effect on current gain of this ledge being only partially depleted is analyzed. This analysis examines the ledge parasitic conduction current as a function of device geometry. Results indicate that even with an undepleted portion of the ledge as thin as 50 A, the elimination of base contact recombination current requires a passivation ledge length 6 times longer than from devices with a fully-depleted passivation ledge. The effect of a base quasi-electric field on the current gain as a function of passivation ledge distance is also discussed. This theoretical analysis is compared with published experimental work.
On the accuracy of instantaneous gas exchange rates, energy expenditure and respiratory quotient calculations obtained from indirect whole room calorimetry.

This paper analyzes the accuracy of metabolic rate calculations performed in the whole room indirect calorimeter using the molar balance equations. The equations are treated from the point of view of cause–effect relationship where the gaseous exchange rates representing the unknown causes need to be inferred from a known, noisy effect—gaseous concentrations. Two methods of such inference are analyzed. The first method is based on the previously published regularized deconvolution of the molar balance equation and the second one, proposed in this paper, relies on regularized differentiation of gaseous concentrations. It is found that both methods produce similar results for the absolute values of metabolic variables and their accuracy. The uncertainty for O2 consumption rate is found to be 7% and for CO2 production-–3.2%. The uncertainties in gaseous exchange rates do not depend on the absolute values of O2 consumption and CO2 production. In contrast, the absolute uncertainty in respiratory quotient is a function of the gaseous exchange rates and varies from 9.4% during the night to 2.3% during moderate exercise. The uncertainty in energy expenditure was found to be 5.9% and independent of the level of gaseous exchange. For both methods, closed form analytical formulas for confidence intervals are provided allowing quantification of uncertainty for four major metabolic variables in real world studies.
PERSONALITY AND PUPIL CONTROL BEHAVIOUR

Pupil control behaviour is conceptualized as a continuum ranging from “custodialism”, which views students as irresponsible and undisciplined needing strictness and punishment to “Humanism”, which emphasizes a democratic atmosphere in which students are capable of self‐discipline and are treated accordingly. The theoretical framework relates dogmatism, pupil control ideology and pupil control behaviour. The general hypothesis is that closed‐mindedness will be positively related to custodialism in pupil control ideology, which in turn manifests itself in custodial pupil control behaviour. The prediction was supported. The results of the investigation indicate that dogmatism and pupil control behaviour are related; but more importantly, that the association is not direct. The analysis suggests that dogmatism operates through ideology to structure behaviour.
In vivo renal angiotensin converting enzyme activity decreases in glycerol-induced acute renal failure

In vivo renal angiotensin converting enzyme activity decreases in glycerol-induced acute renal failure. We previously demonstrated that intrarenal angiotensin II generation during glycerol-induced acute renal failure was attenuated, which may have resulted from the inability of intrarenal converting enzyme to convert renal angiotensin I to angiotensin II. In order to test this hypothesis in vivo, we determined the ability of the kidney to convert angiotensin I to angiotensin II by measuring the decrease in renal cortical blood flow (RCBF) in response to exogenous angiotensin I administration. Changes in RCBF were monitored by laser-Doppler velocimetry. Three groups of rats were studied: Group I, controls (N = 7); 24 hours prior to study Group II animals were injected with 50% glycerol, 8 ml/kg i.m. (N = 4); and Group III rats were injected with mercuric chloride, 3 mg/kg s.c. (N = 5). All experimental animals had a three- to sixfold rise in serum creatinine. Mean glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of the left and right kidney in control rats was 0.7 and 0.7ml/min, respectively. Twenty-four hours after glycerol, GFR was 0.2ml/min in the left kidney and 0.2ml/min in the right kidney. In HgCi 2 treated rats GFR was 0.1ml/min in the left kidney and 0.1ml/min in the right kidney. Each of the following maneuvers elicited a similar rise in blood pressure in Groups I through III. Specifically, when first angiotensin I (4 µg/kg/min) was infused for three minutes; second, when 10 minutes later angiotensin I (5 µg) was directly applied on the left kidney; and third, when angiotensin II (5 µg) was topically administered. The subsequent administration of enalap-rilat (10 µg) onto the surface of the kidney attenuated the blood pressure rise in response to angiotensin I but not to angiotensin II administration, confirming that this method indeed assessed renal angiotensin converting enzyme activity. In rats with acute renal failure, the corresponding angiotensin I, that is, angiotensin II-induced fall in RCBF, as measured by laser-Doppler velocimetry, was significantly diminished. On the other hand, the RCBF response to angiotensin II (topical) was preserved in glycerol treated and decreased in HgCl 2 treated animals. These data demonstrate therefore that the topical administration of AI in both models of ARF elicited a similar but decreased (when compared to controls) RCBF response. The responsible mechanism for these observations was a fall in renal converting enzyme activity in glycerol treated rats and a reduced sensitivity to angiotensin II in HgC 2 treated rats. Whether these newly described mechanisms contribute to the fall in GFR in these models of ARF is unknown.
Thyroid Hormones Influence Starvation-Induced Hepatic Protein Loss in the Rat: Possible Role of Thyroid Hormones in the Generation of Labile Protein

The possibility that the starvation-induced fall in serum T3 serves to minimize protein catabolism prompted us to investigate the general relationship between thyroid hormone status and hepatic protein loss in starved rats. During 5 days of starvation, euthyroid (Eu) rats lost 426 ± 13 mg/100 g BW (mean ± SEM), representing 54% of the initial hepatic protein. In contrast, thyroidectomized rats lost only 111 ± 3 mg/100 g BW, representing 22% of the total. Concomitant experiments indicated that these results could not be attributed to differences in age or weight of the animals. Moreover, studies of food restriction in Eu animals suggested that these findings were not a direct effect of diminished food consumption in hypothyroid animals. When graded doses of T3 (100, 150, and 300 ng/100 g BW) were administered to thyroidectomized rats, progressive increases in starvation-induced protein loss to 180 ± 22, 232 ± 18, and 308 ± 9 mg/100 g BW, respectively, were observed. On the contrary, pretreatment of Eu rats...
Urinary nonesterified cholesterol excretion in adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

The present investigation attempted to determine the value of urinary non-esterified cholesterol (UNEC) as an early biochemical test for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. UNEC levels were determined in patients with each stage of adenocarcinoma of the prostate prior to any diagnostic manipulation or therapy, and were compared to UNEC levels in men of similar age without clinical evidence of adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Results were correlated with patient levels of serum and bone marrow acid phosphatase. Fifty-three percent of all patients with untreated adenocarcinoma of the prostrate had significantly elevated UNEC levels as compared to 10% elevated levels in the control group without adenocarcinoma of the prostate. In particular 54% of patients with either stage I or stage II adenocarcinoma of the prostate demonstrated elevated UNEC levels while serum acid phosphatase levels were normal in all stage I and stage II patients. Two patients with seminoma and one patient with renal cell carcinoma also demonstrated elevated UNEC levels supporting previous reports that UNEC may be elevated in a number of malignancies. UNEC elevations appeared to be independent of clinical stage or tumor grade and may be related to localized biochemical activity of certain tumor cells. The statistically significant number of UNEC elevations in all stages of adenocarcinoma of the prostate suggested that this determination may ultimately be of value as an additional test for the detection of this malignancy.
Pharmacokinetic modeling of 4,4'‐methylenedianiline released from reused polyurethane dialyzer potting materials

4, 4'-Methylenedianiline (MDA) is a hydrolysis degradation product that can be released from polyurethanes commonly used in medical device applications. MDA is mutagenic and carcinogenic in animals. In humans, it is hepatotoxic, a known contact and respiratory allergen, and a suspected carcinogen. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed to estimate the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of MDA in patients exposed to MDA leached from the potting materials of hemodialyzers. A worst-case reuse situation and a single use case were investigated. The PBPK model included five tissue compartments: liver, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, slowly perfused tissues, and richly perfused tissues. Physiological and chemical parameters of a healthy individual used in the model were obtained from the literature. The model was calibrated using previously published kinetic studies of IV administered doses of (14) C-MDA to rats. The model was validated using independent data published for MDA-exposed workers. The PBPK results indicated that dialysis patients who are exposed to MDA released from dialyzers (new or reused) could accumulate low levels of MDA and metabolites (total MDA) over time.
Combined ultrasound and optical tomography imaging

We introduce a novel imaging technique that combines the complementary features of ultrasound and near infrared diffusive light imaging. It may have potential for improved breast cancer detection and specificity. The combined technology is achieved experimentally by mounting an ultrasound array together with multiple laser diode sources and multiple optical detectors on a hand held scan probe. We demonstrate the technique in tissue phantoms wherein both acoustic and optical sensors image the volume underneath the probe. Co-registration of acoustic and optical images is achieved with an accuracy of 0.42 cm (std 0.28cm) which is the image pixel size of our prototype.
The significance of calcaneal spurs in rheumatic diseases.

Aspects radiologiques des epines calcaneennes inflammatoires et non inflammatoires rencontrees dans plusieurs pathologies (syndrome de Reiter, arthrose, hyperostose squelettique idiopathique diffuse). La signification clinique est discutee
Behavior of Electron Wave Functions near the Atomic Nucleus and Normalization Screening Theory in the Atomic Photoeffect

The behavior of electron wave functions near but outside the atomic nucleus is discussed. It is shown that point-Coulomb shapes persist to quite large distances ($r\ensuremath{\cong}5{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{e}$, where ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{e}$ is the Compton electronic wavelength) for bound states and also for energy-shifted continuum states. The screening effects on continuum-state normalizations cancel the screening effects on the kinematic factor $\mathrm{pE}$ in cross sections. These results are used to examine the normalization screening theory in atomic photoeffect, which is characterized by distances both small on an atomic scale and large compared to the size of the nucleus. It is argued that this theory, which describes screening effects simply as a change in normalization, can be good to 1% for photon energies more than 10 keV above the $K$-shell threshold in Al, 30 keV in Cu, 60 keV in Sn, 150 keV in Pb, and 200 keV in U. This agrees well in order of magnitude with exact numerical calculations.
Fluorescent-tip optical fiber probe for quantitative light dosimetry in light scattering media and in tissue

A new fiber optic detector to measure optical radiant energy fluence rates in tissue has been developed by incorporating a fluorescent dye into the rounded tip of a polymethylmethacrylate cylindrical extension on a quartz optical fiber. Model probes were built to test the concept. Nile Blue A free base was used as the fluorescent dye with the absorption maximum blue-shifted to 495 nm, giving an emission maximum at 580 nm. Fluorescence (>570 nm) was monitored using a photodiode. The response was linear with modest fluence rates in the I mW/cm to 700 mW/cm range. The angular response of the probe was investigated using a 3 mm diameter scaled-up model. The influence of dye concentration, geometrical shape and distance between fluorescence tip and fiber were evaluated. A 3 mm long rounded tip, separated by 7 mm from the distal end ofthe fiber, was isotropic in angular response to within 1 0% between OO and 1 50° ofthe forward direction.
Calculation of polymer elastic moduli using semiempirical methods

Extensional elastic moduli have been calculated for several organic high polymers based on the modified neglect of diatomic overlap (MNDO) Hamiltonian. Standard semiempirical methods, by application of the Born–von Karman boundary conditions, can be used to calculate heats of formation of polymer chain sections, or computational unit cells, called clusters. Unit cell heats of formation at elongated translation vectors, combined with experimental or estimated densities, allow for the calculation of elastic moduli. Two potential sources of error were identified: (a) finite geometry optimization can result in pseudorandom errors in the calculated heat of formation, and (b) anharmonic distortion can become significant at large strains. Errors due to both causes can typically be minimized if strains between 3 and 10% are selected. As expected, the calculated moduli, although higher than those observed experimentally, agree with longitudinal values for perfectly oriented systems.
Forecasting income shares: are mean-reversion assumptions appropriate?

The article examines some statistical evidence that supports the view that US labour and capital shares of income return to some long-run historical values. We estimate the long-run share values and the length of time it takes to converge to them. We account for the interdependence of the shares by using a vector error–correction model, and this specification is tested against a VAR alternative using Johansen's method to characterize the properties of the cointegrating vector. We find support for the idea that labour and capital shares have historically been mean reverting, in spite of the fairly restrictive assumptions implied when invoking the Cobb–Douglas production function as the rationale. The cumulative impulse response functions indicate that for capital and labour shares, the time required to revert back to long run levels is in the order of thirty quarters.
From crisis prone to crisis prepared: a framework for crisis management

Executive Overview For the first time in history, human-induced crises have the potential to rival natural disasters in both scope and magnitude. The financial costs of some crises have exceeded one billion dollars; the devastation wrought by these crises has included loss of hundreds of human lives as well as immeasurable damage to future generations and to the environment. For instance, major crises such as Chernobyl and Exxon Valdez, as well as the oil spills and fires during the Gulf war, affected large regions of the globe. Previously, such effects could only have been wrought by natural disasters. This article seeks to explain how organizations may actually contribute to their own crises, as well as what can be done to avert human-induced disasters, and to manage those that still occur. A framework is provided for executives interested in improving their organizations' crisis preparedness. First, we consider how to determine those crises for which a company should prepare. Next, the phases of a cris...
Structure activity relationship studies with hypothalamic peptide hormones III. Effect of melanotropin-release inhibiting factor and analogs on tolerance to morphine in the rat.

The effects of several analogs of melanotropin-release inhibiting factor (MIF, Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2) on the development of tolerance to the hyperthermic, hypothermic and cataleptic actions of morphine were investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The analogs that were examined included, Pro-Gly-Gly-NH2 (I), Pro-Val-Gly-NH2 (II), Pro-Leu-β-Ala-NH2, (III), Pro-Leu-Gly-NHCH3 (IV), Pro-Leu-NH2 (V) and cyclo (Pro-Gly) (VI). Subcutaneous implantation of four morphine pellets (each containing 75 mg of morphine free base) during a 3-day period was used to develop tolerance to the pharmacological effects of morphine. Concurrent daily subcutaneous administration of any of the above peptides (I through VI) at a 10 μ mol/kg dose did not modify the development of tolerance to morphine-induced hyperthermia, hypothermia or catalepsy. The development of tolerance to morphine was, however, inhibited by equivalent doses of MIF. Treatment with these peptides did not alter the distribution of morphine in brain and plasma. It is concluded that the structural requirements for the inhibitory effect of MIF on the development of tolerance to morphine are very strict and that the following modifications in the structure of MIF result in the loss of activity (a) substitution of Gly or Val in place of Leu (b) replacement of Gly-NH2 with Gly-NHCH3 or β-Ala-NH2 (c) removal of Gly, and (d) removal of Leu followed by cyclization of Pro-Gly.
A decade of development

In this paper we present a history of the idea of Open Educational Resources, overview the current state of the Open Educational Resources movement, report on critical issues facing the field in the immediate future, and present two new projects to watch in 2009.
Optimal adaptive randomized designs for clinical trials

Optimal decision-analytic designs are deterministic. Such designs are appropriately criticized in the context of clinical trials because they are subject to assignment bias. On the other hand, balanced randomized designs may assign an excessive number of patients to a treatment arm that is performing relatively poorly. We propose a compromise between these two extremes, one that achieves some of the good characteristics of both. We introduce a constrained optimal adaptive design for a fully sequential randomized clinical trial with k arms and n patients. An r-design is one for which, at each allocation, each arm has probability at least r of being chosen, 0 ≤ r ≥ 1/k. An optimal design among all r-designs is called r-optimal. An r 1 -design is also an r 2 -design if r 1 ≥ r 2 . A design without constraint is the special case r = 0 and a balanced randomized design is the special case r = 1/k. The optimization criterion is to maximize the expected overall utility in a Bayesian decision-analytic approach, where utility is the sum over the utilities for individual patients over a 'patient horizon' N. We prove analytically that there exists an r-optimal design such that each patient is assigned to a particular one of the arms with probability 1 - (k - 1)r, and to the remaining arms with probability r. We also show that the balanced design is asymptotically r-optimal for any given r, 0 ≤ r < 1/k, as N/n → oo. This implies that every r-optimal design is asymptotically optimal without constraint. Numerical computations using backward induction for k = 2 arms show that, in general, this asymptotic optimality feature for r-optimal designs can be accomplished with moderate trial size n if the patient horizon N is large relative to n. We also show that, in a trial with an r-optimal design, r < 1/2, fewer patients are assigned to an inferior arm than when following a balanced design, even for r-optimal designs having the same statistical power as a balanced design. We discuss extensions to various clinical trial settings.
Bio-inspired mammalian hair-fabricated microfluidics

Abstract The development of a simple approach for the generation of microstructures could expand opportunities in both fundamental studies and practical applications. Mammalian hair is a filamentous biomaterial which is mechanically strong, flexible, abundant, and easily harvested. Here, we demonstrate for the first time a simple generation of microfluidic channels from mammalian hairs. Our results show that hairs with different widths result in the generation of microfluidic channels with different widths. Furthermore, with different textures of hairs, the shape of microfluidic channels can be varied. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of this microfluidic channel for bioassays and microwire synthesis. We anticipate that these results could open exciting opportunities for investigating a variety of biological materials to fabricate micro/nano-structures and devices for fundamental studies, as well as applications ranging from biological analysis to materials synthesis.
Next Generation Spray Cooling: High Heat Flux Management in Compact Spaces

For many years, spray cooling has been known as a promising technology for the removal of high heat fluxes. However, that promise has yet to be fully realized. This work presents a current understanding of the mechanisms of spray cooling and its limitations. To address these limitations, a novel spray nozzle array is described that allows for scalable, high-performance cooling. However, fluid management remains a challenging concern that may limit the application of this technology.
Enhanced restoration of striatal dopamine concentrations by combined GM1 ganglioside and neurotrophic factor treatments

Abstract Intraperitoneal injection of GM1 ganglioside or intracerebroventricular infusion of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) or epidermal growth factor (EGF) partially restored dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels in the striatum of young MPTP-treated mice. Combined treatments of GM1 ganglioside with FGF-2 or EGF produced a greater restoration of striatal dopamine levels than treatments with GM1 or either of the neurotrophic factors alone. GM1 treatment, but not trophic factor treatments, caused significant sparing of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons. These results confirm previous findings that GM1 provides trophic support for damaged dopamine neurons and suggests that GM1, FGF-2, and EGF may also enhance dopaminergic function in residual neurons. The results also suggest that a potentially fruitful approach to treating degenerative disorders of the dopamine system may be the use of combined trophic factor therapies.
An algebraic solution for a 2-D partial differential energy equation with a Robin boundary condition generated from the simpler solution for a Dirichlet boundary condition

Abstract Parallel theoretical and numerical analyses have been conducted for the predic tion of the mean bulk temperatures of hot fluids flowing inside circular tubes. Heat exchange between an internal forced flow and an external, normal forced flow of a cold fluid occurs through the tube wall. The formal mathematical formulation of this physical problem is expressed in terms of a 2-D, partial differential equation of parabolic type with a Robin boundary condition at the tube wall. The aim of the paper is to critically examine the thermal response of the internal flows implementing two different mathematical models: a 2-D differential-based model and a 1-D lumped model. The key element for the latter is that streamwise-mean, internal Nusselt numbers and circumferential-mean, external Nusselt numbers are taken from standard correlations equations based on a Dirichlet boundary condition at the tube wall. The combination of these Nusselt numbers leads to the calculation of a mean, equivalent Nusselt number, which serves to regulate the thermal interaction between the two perpendicular, unmixed fluid streams, one hot and the other cold. The computed results consistently demonstrate that the 1-D lumped model, associated with hand calculations of an algebraic expression, provides accurate estimates of the mean bulk temperature distribution when compared with the exact ones computed with the mathematical 2-D distributed model and a personal computer.
Common sense and the goodness of truth

Abstract I discuss the role played by ordinary or everyday experience in the origin of philosophy. I begin with a discussion of the disappearance of production from the tripartite Aristotelian division of the arts and sciences, and indicate how production reappears as the assimilation of both theory and practice. If knowing is making, then there is no distinction between philosophy and poetry. In particular, the everyday or pre‐theoretical world loses its status as the original source and subject‐matter of philosophy It becomes an artifact, and in the age of science, an artifact of the “folk‐world.” The result is the deterioration of human nature, and science is deprived of its human significance. The first step back to clarity is to show that words like “reason” and “good,” the core of moral competence, are identical at their root with phronesisor the rationality of common sense.
Using inspections to investigate program correctness

An approach to inspections is proposed that would emphasize the search for correctness. It would hold up to scrutiny to not only what is on the page, but also the thought behind the representation. Inspectors would investigate how the program developed, looking for evidence of disciplined methods in its construction, adequate consideration of the error domain, and the program's ability to withstand years of use and inevitable change. An example inspection is given that uses a program developed according to IBM's design methods. The inspection presents the arguments as a series of questions that the inspectors would ask the author and themselves. >
Homological domino effects and the first Finitistic Dimension Conjecture.

Counterexamples to the first Finitistic Dimension Conjecture are constructed. In fact, for any fieldk and any integerm≧2, there exist finite dimensionalk-algebras Λ such that the little finitistic dimension of Λ ism, while the big finitistic dimension ism+1. Our examples are monomial relation algebras; within this class of algebras the big and little finitistic dimensions cannot differ by more than 1. The analysis of the examples is based on a sharp picture of arbitrary second syzygies over monomial relation algebras.