cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Free will is a viable, verifiable assumption: A reply to Garrett and Viney

Les auteurs repondent aux critiques qui leur ont ete faites a propos de leur theorie sur le libre arbitre de l'etre humain et de leurs propos sur les conceptions differentes qui opposent justice et sciences sociales
A model of regulatory agency behavior

Regulatory agencies in the U.S. economy make decisions distributing and redistributing very large sums of income and wealth, and we are concerned here with such decisions. The analysis is limited to the rate-of-return on rate-base regulation of firms which provide utility services under conditions of controlled entry. These firms are engaged in such activities as the transportation and distribution (but not production) of natural gas, the provision of central station electricity, and the provision of centrally switched communications. Specific external constraints on regulatory commissions with respect to choice of results, within the range presented in the adversary proceedings, are few and ineffective. There is little threat of immediate repudiation of a decision properly taken. This regulatory discretion arises from several sources. First, there is the difficulty of knowing exactly what effect will flow from any one decision. Second, the decision follows the exercise of judgment and expertise, and in no unambiguous way flows from the facts. There is no objective standard on which to question almost any decision reached, for all cases are in some sense unique and
THE EXAGGERATED “DIABETOGENIC STATE” OF PREGNANCY: EXOGENOUS PLACENTAL LACTOGEN (PL) ACCELERATES FETAL GROWTH IN THE RAT

As pregnancy progresses, “diabetogenic” factors develop in the mother which enhance metabolic fuel availability to the fetus. PL is one of these. The effect of increasing PL upon maternal and fetal metabolism is unknown. We implanted osmotic minipumps loaded with human PL (providing 75 ug PL/24 hr). This doubled PL cone. By day 18, PL fetuses were significantly heavier (2.58±.04 v 2.15±.07g, p<.01) and had larger placentas (.816±.02 v .578± .03g, p<.001) than controls (C). This resulted in part from enhanced maternal fuel availability since fetal plasma glucose (50.8±3.8 v 33.2±4.3 mg/dl, p<.001) and insulin (126,8±19.6 v 79.2±7.1 uU/ml) were elevated while fetal/maternal glucose ratios did not differ between PL and C. Of note, from day 18 to term, the liver/body ratio was significantly diminished in PL. On these days, plasma cone, of glucose, insulin, and glucagon did not differ between PL and C fetuses. At birth, PL pups were heavier than C (5.62±.04 v 5.37±.06, p<.001) and demonstrated the normal surge in plasma glucose (68.2±4.6→95.7±10.3 mg/dl) and decrease in insulin (97.2±18.0→27.3±17.5 uU/ml). Plasma glucagon cone was normal. Exogenous PL enhances fuel availability to the fetus and accelerates growth. While this may be mediated by insulin, a growth stimulating hormone, the relatively limited hepatic growth in PL suggests mechanisms other than insulin for growth stimulation.
Enhancement of surface and biological magnetic resonance using laser-polarized noble gases

Laser-polarized noble gas nuclei such as 3He or 129Xe are spin systems far from thermal equilibrium. Their enhanced nuclear spin polarization results in a corresponding sensitivity gain in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Recent developments in the application of laser-polarized noble gases are summarized in the present article, especially with respect to surface and biological magnetic resonance. Optical pumping and spin exchange, basic processes for the production of laser-polarized noble gases, are described. The enhancement of surface NMR using laser-polarized 129Xe under continuous flow and magic angle spinning conditions is demonstrated. Spin polarization transfer from laser-polarized 129Xe nuclei to other nuclei is described. Laser-polarized noble gases are of increasing importance in biological magnetic resonance; their use in clinical magnetic resonance imaging is of special interest. Applications of laser-polarized 129Xe in solution NMR spectroscopy are also discussed, especially with respect to systems of biological relevance. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson 11: 313–335, 1999
Management of the critically poisoned patient

Clinicians are often challenged to manage critically ill poison patients. The clinical effects encountered in poisoned patients are dependent on numerous variables, such as the dose, the length of exposure time, and the pre-existing health of the patient. The goal of this article is to introduce the basic concepts for evaluation of poisoned patients and review the appropriate management of such patients based on the currently available literature. An unsystematic review of the medical literature was performed and articles pertaining to human poisoning were obtained. The literature selected was based on the preference and clinical expertise of authors. If a poisoning is recognized early and appropriate testing and supportive care is initiated rapidly, the majority of patient outcomes will be good. Judicious use of antidotes should be practiced and clinicians should clearly understand the indications and contraindications of antidotes prior to administration.
The effect of compounds altering the cAMP level on reversing the 2-cell block induced by hypoxanthine in mouse embryos in vitro.

Abstract The possibility of reversing the hypoxanthine induced 2-cell block in mouse embryos when cultured in conditions supplemented with compounds that increase (FSH, hMG, IBMX, hCG) or inhibit (GnRH-analogue) cAMP was assessed. When embryos were cultured in Ham's F-10 without hypoxanthine supplemented with each of the above compounds, no inhibition of blastocyst development was observed. Embryos were then cultured in Ham's F-10 with hypoxanthine supplemented again with each compound. For the addition of GnRH-analogue or FSH, the rate of blastocyst formation was comparable with that of the control medium with hypoxanthine alone. Instead, the addition of IBMX or hMG reversed the induced block. There was no reversible effect for the addition of 2 μg/ml hCG while the latter was observed with higher doses. The results from GnRH-analogue and IBMX addition show that, contrary to what was found for oocytes, stimulation of cAMP reverses the hypoxanthine-induced block in mouse embryos. FSH and hCG also had effects opposite to those observed for oocytes. It is unknown why hMG (FSH + LH) reverses the block. A lower cAMP degradation rate resulting in a higher cAMP level is a possible explanation. Our results provide further evidence that cleavage arrest by hypoxanthine has a different mechanism than the hypoxanthine-induced arrest of meiosis.
Effects of orientational degrees of freedom in closed-loop solubility phase diagrams

Abstract It is shown, within a lattice-gas model calculation, how fluctuating orientational degrees of freedom are responsible for closed-loop phase diagrams observed in many binary liquid mixtures. Quantitative agreement with experiment is obtained, and qualitative features, such as the shape of the closed-loops, are related to molecular properties of the liquids in the mixture.
Radiotherapy for prostatic cancer: patient selection and the impact of local control.

Abstract Objective. To analyze the long-term results of external beam radiation therapy in patients under the age of sixty treated with early-stage prostate cancer. A comparison is also made between patients with early-stage, node-negative disease and those with locally advanced node-negative prostate cancer. Methods. In this retrospective study, 54 patients who were treated with external beam radiation, when under the age of sixty with Stanford stage T1 a and T1 b (equivalent to urologic stage B 1 ), are compared to 75 patients with similar staged disease who were sixty to seventy years old at time of treatment. In addition, 17 men who underwent open lymph node dissection with Stanford stage T1 a and T1 b NOW (equivalent to urologic stage B 1 , pathologic node negative) were compared to 30 patients with Stanford stage T3NOMO (equivalent to urologic stage C, pathologic node negative) prostatic carcinoma. Results. Patients under the age of sixty with clinically staged early prostate cancer exhibited a similar rate of local and metastatic control when compared to men treated when sixty to seventy years of age. Overall survival was not different than the expected survival in both groups. In patients with laparotomy-proven node-negative prostate cancer, those with locally advanced tumors had a poorer rate of local control, disease-specific survival, freedom from relapse, and survival when compared to patients with early-stage disease. Conclusions. These results suggest that men under sixty years old are candidates for radiotherapy, and these results are comparable to those attained with prostatectomy. Treatment approaches for controlling bulky local disease in patients without lymph node metastases have a potential to improve local control that may have an impact on survival.
Drum Drying of Tropical Sweetpotatoes

A process for the manufacture of instant drum dried flakes from the tropical sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) grown in South Florida and the Caribbean area was evaluated. The effects of sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid and sodium metabisulfite added to the puree before drum drying for control of nonenzymatic (after-cooking) darkening of the flakes were determined. Sodium acid pyrophosphate and citric acid prevented discoloration of the reconstituted flakes. Alpha-amylase treatment resulted in improved puree drying characteristics and in increased bulk density and water soluble solids of the dry flakes.
Development effort of the airborne lidar simulator for the lidar surface topography (LIST) mission

In this paper we will discuss our development effort of an airborne instrument as a pathfinder for the LIdar Surface Technology (LIST) mission. This paper will discuss the system approach, enabling technologies, instrument concept, final assembly and the preparation for flight with this new multi-beam non-scanning, swath mapping laser altimeter system.
A Primer on Topological Persistence

The idea of topological persistence is to look at homological features that persist along a nested sequence of topo-logical spaces. As a typical example, we may take the sequence of sublevel sets of a function. The combinatorial characterization of persistence in terms of pairs of critical values and fast algorithms computing these pairs make this idea practical and useful in dealing with the pervasive phenomenon of noise in geometric and visual data. This talk will 1. recall the relatively short history of persistence and some of its older roots; 2. introduce the concept intuitively while pointing out where algebra is needed to solidify the more difficult steps; 3. discuss a few applications to give a feeling of the potential of the method in dealing with noise and scale. Besides the initial concept, the talk will touch upon recent extensions and their motivation.
Increased phospholipase C activity in neoplastic thyroid membrane

The phospholipase C (PLC)-protein kinase C (PKC) signal transduction pathway appears to be important for cellular growth of many normal and neoplastic tissues. Because alterations in the thyroid-st...
Life cycle optimization for sustainable design and operations of hydrocarbon biorefinery via fast pyrolysis, hydrotreating and hydrocracking

Abstract This paper addresses the optimal design and operation of hydrocarbon biorefinery via fast pyrolysis, hydrotreating and hydrocracking of hybrid poplar feedstock under economic and environmental criteria. The hydrocarbon biorefinery encompasses fast pyrolysis for crude bio-oil production, upgrading of the bio-oil through hydrotreating, separation and hydrocracking of long chained hydrocarbons into gasoline and diesel range products, and steam reforming for hydrogen production. We propose a bi-criteria nonlinear programming (NLP) model that seeks to maximize the economic performance measured by the net present value (NPV) and to minimize the environmental impacts. The environmental objective is measured with the global warming potential (GWP) metric according to the life cycle assessment procedures, which covers gate-to-gate environmental impacts of the hydrocarbon biorefinery. The multiobjective NLP model simultaneously determines the production capacity, size of each process units, operational conditions, the flow rates of species and streams at each stage of the process, hydrocarbon biofuel yields, and consumption rate of feedstock, steam, electricity, and natural gas. The bi-criteria NLP model is solved with the ɛ -constraint method, and the resulting Pareto-optimal curve reveals the trade-off between the economic and environmental dimensions of the sustainable hydrocarbon biorefinery. The optimization results reveal that the unit production cost of the hydrocarbon biofuels is $2.31 per gallon of gasoline equivalent (GGE) for the maximum NPV solution and $3.67/GGE for the minimum GWP design. The corresponding greenhouse emission is 8.07 kgCO 2-eq /GGE.
Convenient, Large-Scale Asymmetric Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure trans-Cinnamylglycine and -α-Alanine

Asymmetric syntheses of (S)-trans-cinnamylglycine and (S)-α-trans-cinnamyl-α-alanine via reactions of cinnamyl halides (Cl, Br) with Ni(II)-complexes of the chiral Schiff base of glycine or alanine with (S)-o-[N-(N-benzylprolyl)amino]benzophenone were developed. Inexpensive and readily available reagents and solvents were used, including an easily recyclable chiral auxiliary. The simplicity of the experimental procedures and the high stereochemical outcome make this method synthetically attractive for preparing the target amino acids on multi-gram scales.
Full QCD on an 83 × 2 lattice

Abstract The most recent work done on the Columbia 16-node machine is a calculation of the thermodynamics of high mass ( ma = 2.0 … ∞) Kogut Susskind fermions on an 8 3 ×2 lattice. We observe the disappearance of any evidence for a first order phase transition as the mass is decreased below ma = 4.0.
Comparisons between inner-city and private school adolescents' perceptions of health problems

A youth health survey was administered to 247 students in an inner-city ghetto high school and 404 students in a private boarding school. Significant differences between the two socioeconomic groups were found for responses about health information, health concerns and problems, and health status and service utilization. Sex-related issues were of greater concern to the private school youth and they desired more help with depression-sadness and birth control. Inner-city youth had more health worries and indicated a desire for more help with physical problems such as toothaches, headaches, and stomachaches, and social problems such as racial discrimination and parent relations. From a list of 22 health problems, the inner-city youth ranked dental problems, acne, and health worries highest while the private school youth ranked depression-sadness, tiredness, and acne highest. Regardless of social class, most adolescents perceived large gaps in their health education. One implication of our data is that the specific self-reported needs and concerns of adolescents should be considered in planning health services and education programs.
BIOFILM FORMATION ON METAL SURFACES IN ANTARCTIC WATERS

Foils of titanium and copper/nickel were exposed to Antarctic marine waters for periods of 15 min to 4 h during the Austral summer 1986. Some foils were exposed to subsurface water while others were inserted through the air/water interface prior to subsurface exposure. Pyrolysis/mass spectrometry was used to fingerprint surface bound organics. Attached bacteria were examined with epifluorescent and scanning electron microscopy. During the first 2 h copper/nickel accumulated significantly more pyrolysable organics than titanium. Differences in the surface bound organics on the two materials were not significant after 4 h. Throughout the exposure period higher numbers of bacteria were found attached to the titanium foils. Titanium foils that passed through the air/water interface prior to exposure showed a temporary increase in both pyrolysable organics and attached bacteria compared to identical foils exposed to subsurface waters. No significant increase in either parameter was observed on copper/nickel. O...
Detection of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and fetal fibronectin in the lower genital tract during pregnancy: Relation to outcome

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and fetal fibronectin could be identified in the lower genital tract during pregnancy and whether their occurrence was associated with preterm delivery. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was undertaken of 111 pregnant women in which cervicovaginal swabs were obtained at RESULTS: In patients undergoing evaluation for preterm labor the presence of tumor necrosis factor-α or fetal fibronectin was associated with an increased prevalence of preterm delivery. Women with tumor necrosis factor-α had a 6.19 greater risk ( p p CONCLUSION: Localized inflammatory responses may lead to microscopic disruption in the amniotic membranes, leading to leakage of fibronectin. In patients being evaluated for preterm labor, the presence of tumor necrosis factor-α or fetal fibronectin in the lower genital tract is predictive of subsequent preterm delivery.
Planar vs non-planar structure of gaseous catechol in the S0 state: an ab initio study

Abstract The structure of neutral gaseous catechol in its electronic ground state is investigated by means of ab initio molecular orbital theory calculations at the HF, MP2, and QCISD levels of theory, and with basis sets ranging from 6-31G(d) to 6-311++G(3d,3p). It is found that while the HF level consistently yields a planar geometry as the minimum energy structure for catechol regardless of the basis set employed, the MP2 level with the vast majority of basis set employed in this study finds the planar structure to be a saddle point of first and even second order. For these basis sets, the MP2 minimum energy structure of catechol has the free O–H bond, the one not involved in intramolecular hydrogen bonding, rotated out of the plane of the aromatic ring by as much as 24°. The electronic energy difference between the planar and non-planar structure is small, and becomes negligible with the largest basis sets used. The results obtained at the even higher level of theory QCISD with three different basis sets mirror those obtained at the MP2 level.
The Lidcombe Program demonstrates positive results for German preschoolers who stutter1

Is the Lidcombe Program an effective treatment for German preschoolers who stutter when compared with natural recovery? 1 Abstracted from: Lattermann, C., Euler, H. A., & Neumann, K. (2008). A rand...
Controlling Mammalian Cell Spreading and Cytoskeletal Arrangement with Conveniently Fabricated Continuous Wavy Features on Poly(dimethylsiloxane)

This paper reports a simple and versatile technique for generating structures on the surfaces of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), approximately sinusoidal waves with periods between 0.1 and 10 μm, and the use of these structures to study cell contact guidance.1 The features are generated by stretching PDMS slabs mechanically, oxidizing them in an oxygen plasma, and allowing them to relax. These surface features are similar to photolithographically fabricated grooves that have traditionally been used to investigate cell contact guidance, although their edges are rounded rather than angular. Bovine capillary endothelial cells align and elongate on these features. The morphology and cytoskeletal structure of the aligned cells are similar to those of cells described in previous studies of contact guidance on surfaces with other types of topography. These observations and comparisons indicate that sharp edges in the features defining the grooves are not essential in eliciting contact guidance. This technique pro...
A Kinesin Driven Microfluidic Concentrator Device for Ultrasensitive Detection of Analyte

The discovery of a vast array of biomarkers has spurred the demand for diagnostic assays with lower detection limits for early disease detection. Microfluidics makes it possible to work with small sample volumes and has played a significant role in creating more sensitive diagnostic tools. Our goal is to adapt our previous biomolecular motor (kinesin) based concentrator (NanoLett.8:1041) and integrate antibody-functionalized microtubules into the device. Transforming this device into an immunoassay platform allows a variety of proteins or biomarkers to be actively captured and concentrated for detection. We believe this concentrator can improve typical ELISA assays by integrating two key features. First, concentrating the analyte-carrying microtubules into a small 625μm2 concentrator region increases the signal to noise ratio allowing for more sensitive fluorescence measurements. Second, by ensuring that the binding capacity of these functionalized microtubules is high, we allow for a large number of antibodies and antigen to be concentrated. To achieve these goals we have developed a protocol to covalently link a high density of monoclonal, polyclonal or f(Ab)'2 antibodies onto microtubules without significantly affecting the motility of the complex. Motility is critical for the device since the microtubules with captured and fluorescently-labeled analyte are rapidly transported by kinesin into the concentrator region. The intensity of the resulting fluorescent signal in the concentrator region directly corresponds to the concentration of analyte in the initial sample. Our results show that the fluorescence intensity of individual anti-BSA coated microtubules allows the detection of sub-picomolar concentrations of TMR-BSA by integrating the fluorescence signals along microtubules. In conclusion, our data suggest that integrating functionalized microtubules and raising the signal to noise ratio by concentration in this device improves the detection limits of a typical ELISA assay while significantly reducing the assay time.
Kinetic analysis of a protein tyrosine kinase reaction transition state in the forward and reverse directions

Protein tyrosine kinases catalyze the transfer of the γ-phosphoryl group from ATP to tyrosine residues in proteins and are important enzymes in cell signal transduction. We have investigated the catalytic phosphoryl transfer transition state of a protein tyrosine kinase reaction catalyzed by Csk by analyzing a series of fluorotyrosine-containing peptide substrates. It was established for five such fluorotyrosine-containing peptide substrates that there is good agreement between the tyrosine analogue phenol pKa and the ionizable group responsible for the basic limb of a pH rate profile analysis. This indicates that the substrate tyrosine phenol must be neutral to be enzymatically active. Taken together with previous data indicating a small βnucleophile coefficient (0−0.1), these results strongly support a dissociative transition state for phosphoryl transfer. In addition, the βleaving group coefficient was measured for the reverse protein tyrosine kinase reaction and shown to be −0.3. This value is in good...
THE IMPACT OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION ON A NORTH FLORIDA WATERSHED1

A 20 month study of some effects of highway construction on water quality was conducted during construction of Interstate 10 at Tallahassee, Florida. Highway construction resulted in significant increases in turbidity, suspended solids, total phosphorus, and dissolved silicon in downstream waters despite use of recommended procedures for erosion control. Highway construction did not result in significant increases in dissolved phosphorus or nitrogen.
Resonant Optical Energy Transfer in Ruby

Measurements are reported of resonant nonradiative energy transfer in the ${R}_{1}$ line of ruby at 5 K using a fast Stark shifting technique. The transfer rate for 0.8% ruby is found to be slow, \ensuremath{\sim} 1 ${\mathrm{msec}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, contrary to the much more rapid rates proposed earlier by several workers but in fair agreement with the results of Heber. Implications of the results for the occurrence of an Anderson transition in ruby are discussed.
Effect of Photoperiod on Body Weight and Reproductive Performance of Ringneck Pheasants

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the effects of exposing ringneck pheasants to different photoperiodson their body weights and reproductive performance. Ringneck pheasants were obtained from commercial sources for the first experiment and from the Pennsylvania Game Commission for the second. Birds were exposed to different periods of nonstimulatory light (8 hr of constant light and 16 hr of darkness daily) before they received 16 hr of light and 8 hr of darkness daily (stimulatory light). Data on body weight, feed consumption, semen volume, fertility, and egg production were obtained. The results indicated that ringneck pheasants grow faster when exposed to a period of nonstimulatory light. It was concluded that, if pheasant hens are to be raised under confinement and receive stimulatory light at 27 weeks of age, they should be exposed prior to that time to at least 6 weeks of nonstimulatory light.
Self-Assembled Monolayers of Eicosanethiol on Palladium and Their Use in Microcontact Printing

We investigate self-assembled monolayers on polycrystalline Pd composed of eicosanethiol (ECT). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals a composition and structure of the ECT monolayer on Pd similar to those on Au: the sulfurs are close to the Pd and underneath the alkyl chains. Monolayers formed from a 0.4 mM solution of ECT in ethanol are 2.8 nm thick and have advancing and receding contact angles with water of ∼115° and ∼90°, respectively. They are 0.3 nm thicker than those on Au and have a surprisingly low receding contact angle. Monolayers of ECT microcontact printed onto 100-nm-thick evaporated Pd films confer good protection of the Pd in a ferrichloride wet etch. It is therefore possible to create Pd patterns with high contrast and with lateral dimensions smaller than 200 nm. The Pd patterns can initiate electroless deposition of NiB, NiP, or Cu but are difficult to use as a mask for etching a less noble metal such as Cu due to the formation of a galvanic cell during etching. Instead, this galvan...
Role of interferon-stimulated responsive element-like element in interleukin-8 promoter in Helicobacter pylori infection.

Abstract Background & Aims: Gastric mucosal interleukin (IL)-8 levels are related to the presence of both the cag pathogenicity island (PAI) and OipA. We investigated the regions of the IL-8 promoter and the upstream signaling involved in IL-8 gene transcription. Methods: We cocultured parental Helicobacter pylori and isogenic oipA, hopZ, or cagE gene knockout mutants with gastric cancer cells. The regulatory sites in the IL-8 promoter were examined by luciferase reporter gene assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and immunoblot analyses. Phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1) levels in the antral gastric mucosa were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Maximal H. pylori -induced IL-8 gene transcription required the presence of the interferon-stimulated responsive element (ISRE)-like element, nuclear factor (NF)-κB and activator protein (AP)-1 binding sites. In vitro studies showed that OipA and the cag PAI were involved in inducing interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1 to bind and activate the ISRE-like element and that the cag PAI, but not OipA, was involved in activating AP-1 and NF-κB. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that OipA, but not the cag PAI, was involved in STAT1 phosphorylation, as upstream signaling of IRF-1. Conclusions: OipA and the cag PAI are both necessary for full activation of the IL-8 promoter but act via different pathways that diverge upstream of IRF-1 where only OipA is involved in the STAT1-IRF1-ISRE pathway. The mucosal inflammatory response to H. pylori infection is complex and involves different pathways converging on the IL-8 promoter.
The rural non-farm sector: issues and evidence from developing countries

Abstract The rural non-farm sector has traditionally been viewed as a low-productivity sector which produces low quality goods. It is often expected to wither away as a country develops. Recent years have seen a shift away from this position towards recognition that the rural non-farm sector can, and often does, contribute to economic growth, rural employment, poverty reduction, and a more spatially balanced population distribution. This paper reviews the literature on the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of this more recent perspective, focussing on the experience in developing countries. The paper documents the size and heterogeneity of the sector, pointing to evidence that in many countries the sector is expanding rather than declining. The issues associated with measuring the sector’s economic contribution are discussed, followed by empirical assessments for several countries and regions. The distributional impact of non-farm earnings is examined and it is found that a pro-poor impact, while by no means inevitable, can be considerable. The sector’s trajectory over time, in different settings, is reviewed and the scope for, and experience of, various policy interventions is discussed.
PROSTATIC PARAGANGLIOMA: 5-YEAR FOLLOWUP

A 17-year-old man complaining of perineal pain during defecation and urination for 6 months was found to have an indurated left prostatic lobe on digital rectal examination. The urinary level of vanillylmandelic acid was 3 times higher than normal, and serum levels of dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine were elevated. Endorectal ultrasound identified a 3 cm. heterogeneous mass involving the entire left aspect of the prostate and biopsy of the mass revealed paraganglioma with no feature that could exclude or confirm malignancy. Pelvic lymph node dissection and radical retropubic prostatectomy were performed after 3 weeks of a-adrenergic blocker phenoxybenzamine to prevent intraoperative complications due to catecholamine release. The 48 gm. radical prostatectomy specimen showed a well circumscribed tumor involving the left side and extending from the apex to the base (fig. 1). Microscopic examination revealed an infiltrative neoplasm composed of cells with abundant, granular cytoplasm and rounded nuclei with minor pleomorphism arranged in well demarcated nests (fig. 2). Focally a more infiltrative pattern, multiple microscopic tumor satellite foci and prominent perineural invasion were present. Mitoses were uncommon. Extraprostatic extension of the tumor as well as involvement of the margin of resection was documented. Examination of multiple regional lymph nodes revealed 3 left iliac nodes with metastatic tumor. The patient underwent a course of adjuvant chemotherapy with vincristine, cyclophosphamide and cisplatin. At 5-year followup evaluation was negative for any recurrent disease.
Feasibility of noncontact intracardiac ultrasound ablation and imaging catheter for treatment of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects 1% of the population and results in a cost of $2.8 billion from hospitalizations alone. Treatments that electrically isolate portions of the atria are clinically effective in curing AF. However, such minimally invasive catheter treatments face difficulties in mechanically positioning the catheter tip and visualizing the anatomy of the region. We propose a noncontact, intracardiac transducer that can ablate tissue and provide rudimentary imaging to guide therapy. Our design consists of a high-power, 20 mm by 2 mm, 128-element, transducer array placed on the side of 7-French catheter. The transducer will be used in imaging mode to locate the atrial wall; then, by focusing at that location, a lesion can be formed. Imaging of previously formed lesions could potentially guide placement of subsequent lesions. Successive rotations of the catheter will potentially enable a contiguous circular lesion to be created around the pulmonary vein. The challenge of intracardiac-sized transducers is achieving high intensities (300-5000 W/cm2) needed to raise the temperature of the tissue above 43degC. In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of an intracardiac-sized transducer for treatment of atrial fibrillation. In simulations and proof-of-concept experiments, we show a 37degC temperature rise in the lesion location and demonstrate the possibility of lesion imaging
Gamma minimax robustness of bayes rules

Bayes rules are shown to be robust in multiple decision problems in the sense that they retain an optimality property, r-minimaxity, when the original distributions are replaced by families of e-contaminated versions of themselves and the prioris replaced by a family of priors on these -contaminations. Thus, the Bayes rule is robust against inaccurately specifiedparameter spaces and, hence, inaccurately specified priors. Bounds are obtained on the amount of contamination which can be present with the Bayes rule remaining ρ-minimax.
On Color-, Infrared-, and Multimodal-Stereo Approaches to Pedestrian Detection

This paper presents an analysis of color-, infrared-, and multimodal-stereo approaches to pedestrian detection. We design a four-camera experimental testbed consisting of two color and two infrared cameras for capturing and analyzing various configuration permutations for pedestrian detection. We incorporate this four-camera system in a test vehicle and conduct comparative experiments of stereo-based approaches to obstacle detection using unimodal color and infrared imageries. A detailed analysis of the color and infrared features used to classify detected obstacles into pedestrian regions is used to motivate the development of a multimodal solution to pedestrian detection. We propose a multimodal trifocal framework consisting of a stereo pair of color cameras coupled with an infrared camera. We use this framework to combine multimodal-image features for pedestrian detection and to demonstrate that the detection performance is significantly higher when color, disparity, and infrared features are used together. This result motivates experiments and discussion toward achieving multimodal-feature combination using a single color and a single infrared camera arranged in a cross-spectral stereo pair. We demonstrate an approach to registering multiple objects across modalities and provide an experimental analysis that highlights issues and challenges of pursuing the cross-spectral approach to multimodal and multiperspective pedestrian analysis.
Abuse of Women with Disabilities State of the Science

Women with disabilities experience abuse at similar or higher rates than women in the general population. In addition to experiencing emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, women with disabilities may also experience disability-specific forms of abuse for prolonged periods of time and from multiple perpetrators. To promote awareness of this serious problem, this article offers a brief overview of the general domestic violence literature and a critical review of existing research regarding the abuse of women with disabilities. Following these reviews, we offer an overview of practical implications and existing resources in this important area.
Feedback stabilization of discrete-time systems via the generalized Hermite-Biehler theorem

Considers the problem of characterizing all the constant gains that stabilize a given linear time-invariant discrete-time plant. First, two generalized versions of the discrete-time Hermite-Biehler theorem are derived and shown to be useful in providing a solution to this problem. A complete analytical characterization of all stabilizing feedback gains is provided as a closed form solution under the condition that the plant has no zeros on the unit circle. Unlike classical techniques such as the Jury criterion, Nyquist criterion, or root locus, the result presented here provides an analytical solution to the constant gain stabilization problem, which has computational advantages.
No unique mitochondrial translation products in respiratory chain-linked NADH dehydrogenase

Abstract Antibody prepared against beef heart mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase immunoprecipitated 26 polypeptides from detergent solubilized beef heart mitochondria. All 26 polypeptides co-migrated with those present in the dehydrogenase antigen when resolved side by side on sodium dodecyl sulfateurea polyacrylamide gels. From mixed rat liver-[ 35 S]methionine pulsed hepatoma mitochondria the antibody immunoprecipitated 24 stained liver polypeptides and 19 radio-labelled hepatoma polypeptides. The translation of three of the labelled polypeptides was resistent to inhibition by cycloheximide, indicating these are translated on mitochondrial ribosomes. These same polypeptides, however, wre previously identified as cytochrome c oxidase subunits; and, apparently, non-specifically co-precipitate with dehydrogenase associated polypeptides. We conclude that there are no mitochondrially translated polypeptides specifically associated with NADH dehydrogenase.
The “Discrete Trials” of Applied Behavior Analysis for Children with Autism Outcome-Related Factors in the Case Law

This study provides an analysis of case law concerning applied behavior analysis (ABA) for students with autism to determine outcome-related factors. The authors classified the 68 pertinent hearing/ review officer and court decisions published in EHLR (Education for Handicapped Law Report) and IDELR (Individuals with Disabilities Education Law Report) into 2 groups representing the central issues of contention between parents and districts—program selection (e.g., instructional approach) and program implementation (e.g., its location, duration, or frequency). For both groups, the outcomes, in terms of who won, did not favor either parents or districts. The three factors predominantly associated with wins by either party for both groups of decisions were testimony of witnesses, documentation of progress, and Individualized Education Program elements.
Investigation of leading edge formation at the interface of amnioserosa and dorsal ectoderm in the Drosophila embryo

The leading edge (LE) is a single row of cells in the Drosophila embryonic epidermis that marks the boundary between two fields of cells: the amnioserosa and the dorsal ectoderm. LE cells play a crucial role in the morphogenetic process of dorsal closure and eventually form the dorsal midline of the embryo. Mutations that block LE differentiation result in a failure of dorsal closure and embryonic lethality. How LE cells are specified remains unclear. To explore whether LE cells are specified in response to early dorsoventral patterning information or whether they arise secondarily, we have altered the extent of amnioserosa and dorsal ectoderm genetically, and assayed LE cell fate. We did not observe an expansion of LE fate in dorsalized or ventralized mutants. Furthermore, we observed that the LE fate arises as a single row of cells, wherever amnioserosa tissue and dorsal epidermis are physically juxtaposed. Taken together our data indicate that LE formation is a secondary consequence of early zygotic dorsal patterning signals. In particular, proper LE specification requires the function of genes such as ushaped and hindsight, which are direct transcriptional targets of the early Decapentaplegic/Screw patterning gradient, to establish a competency zone from which LE arises. We propose that subsequent inductive signaling between amnioserosa and dorsal ectoderm restricts the formation of LE to a single row of cells. SUMMARY
Moss and Soil Substrates Interact with Moisture Level to Influence Germination by Three Wetland Tree Species

To assess germination success in different microsites of a forested wetland environment, seeds of three common western New York wetland tree species, Acer x freemanii, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Ulmus americana, were sown into flats in the greenhouse with three substrates (mosses Hypnum imponens or Thuidium delicatulum or bare soil) and three hydrological conditions (wet, moist, or dry) in a factorial design. For the three species both treatment regimes and the interaction were highly significant, except for Acer, in which the substrate regime was not significant. Fraxinus germination had the highest tolerance for wet conditions and lowest for dry conditions followed by Acer and then Ulmus. Significant interactions showed that the effect of hydrological regime on germination is influenced by substrate type. Moss decreased germination under drier conditions and increased germination under wet conditions by lifting the seeds away from the soil and creating drier conditions than on bare soil. It is also possible that interspecific competition for moisture played a role in decreasing germination under dry conditions. By influencing the regeneration niche for three major tree species of swamps in the northeastern United States, the bryophyte layer plays an important role in determining community composition.
Dentin matrix protein 1 initiates hydroxyapatite formation in vitro.

Bone and dentin formation are interesting examples of matrix-mediated mineralization. However, factors and mechanisms regulating this process are poorly understood. Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is an acidic extracellular matrix protein found in dentin and bone, and based on its amino acid composition it could be postulated to play an important role in mineralization. Our present study examines the ability of recombinant DMP1 to initiate apatite formation in vitro. A 45 Ca-binding assay demonstrated that recombinant DMP1 (rDMP1) possesses calcium-binding ability under physiological conditions. The in vitro nucleation experiments when conducted with rDMP1-coated glass plates demonstrated hydroxyapatite nucleation, while amorphous mineral was deposited on blank or BSA-coated surface. This mineral deposition was found to be 10-fold higher on rDMP1-coated glass surface when compared with the control glass plates. These findings suggest that DMP1 could be considered as a nucleator for apatite deposition in vitro.
Differentiation of Three Phenotypically Similar Blattella spp.: Analysis with Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism of Mitochondrial DNA

Differentiation of Blattella asahinai Mizukubo, Blattella vaga Hebard, and Blattella germanica (L.) was investigated using polymerase chain reaction—restriction fragment length poly- morphism (PCR-RFLP). DNA fragments corresponding to mitochondrial CO1, CO1/TL2 (small and large fragments), and ITS2 regions were amplified using PCR. The universal primers used for amplifying mitochondrial CO1 and CO1/TL2 (small and large fragments) were CO1-J-1718/CO1- N-2191, CO1-J-2441/TL2-N-3014, and CO1-J-1751/TL2-N-3014. Amplification was observed with all primer combinations, but diagnostic patterns were found only with AluI digested amplicons of CO1 and CO1/TL2 (large fragments) regions. Both inter/intraspecific polymorphism was observed for the 517 bp CO1 region between German (A, B) and Asian (A, B, C) cockroach populations. Polymorphic form B of the Asian cockroach (374 and 179 bp fragments) was nearly identical to the field cockroach (370 and 178 bp fragments). The CO1 amplicon (517 bp) differentiated German and field cockroaches but not Asian and field cockroaches. The CO1/TL2 amplicons (1275 bp) digested with AluI clearly differentiated all three species. The Asian cockroach had a distinct 540 bp fragment, whereas the field cockroach had a 403 bp fragment and the German cockroach lacked both fragments. Intraspecific polymorphs for CO1/TL2 amplicons (1275 bp) were observed with the German cockroach only. Portions of the CO1 and TL2 genes were sequenced, revealing 76% identity among German, Asian, and field cockroaches. Sequence data also revealed that German and Asian cockroaches were more closely related to each other than to the field cockroach.
The Uses of Relaxation and Mental Imagery to Enhance Athletic Performance

Physical training has long been the foundation for insuring optimal physical performance. Until recently, little attention has been given to mental training. Now, many authorities in the United States and in Eastern Bloc countries feel that unless the powers of the mind are used, the athlete may realize less than half of his/her potential. The difference in performance between two athletes, equally well gifted and trained, usually lies in mental factors.
Experimental study of the dynamics and structure of self-sustaining premixed cool flames using a counterflow burner

Abstract Self-sustaining premixed cool flames are successfully stabilized in a dimethyl ether/oxygen counterflow burner through ozone addition, creating a new platform for the quantitative measurement of cool flame extinction limits, ignition limits, and structure as well as the validation of low-temperature chemical kinetic models. First, results show that stable premixed cool flames can exist over a broad region of equivalence ratios and strain rates, which allows for the ignition and extinction limits of both cool flames and hot flames to be measured at a variety of conditions. It is seen that at low fuel concentrations the cool flame extinction limit surpasses the hot flame extinction limit, providing experimental validation to previous numerical predictions. Furthermore, the experiments demonstrate that the cool flame speed's dependence on equivalence ratio is far weaker than that of near-limit hot flames. It is also found that a hysteresis exists between cool flames and hot flames near the hot flame extinction limit at low fuel concentrations. The examination of cool flame structure through planar laser-induced fluorescence reveals that the CH2O profile of the premixed cool flame is much thicker than its hot flame counterpart at the same fuel concentration, confirming the importance of CH2O as an important cool flame product. Numerical calculations based on a detailed chemical kinetic model are able to capture these various trends and show good qualitative agreement with the experimental results. The present experiments provide a new method to study premixed cool flames in a laboratory setting and to advance the fundamental understanding of low-temperature chemistry and near-limit flame dynamics.
Strain effects of nuclear explosions in Nevada

abstract The University of Nevada9s three-component quartz-rod strain meter installation at Round Mountain, Nevada (38°42.1′N, 117°04.6′W) has recorded a number of underground nuclear explosions at the Nevada Test Site, beginning with the megaton-sized JORUM event September 16 1969. Both that explosion and the larger HANDLEY event on March 26 1970 produced static strain offsets of a few parts in 10 9 at Round Mountain. These offsets did not decay within the first few hours after the explosions. In both cases, the strain offsets were in the sense of ground extension radial to the shot point, which is inconsistent with the assumption of a pure compressive source of strain. The strain-change ellipse for the HANDLEY event was found to have a major strain axis of 11 × 10 −9 extensional, oriented N 34°W, and a minor axis of 7.4 × 10 −9 compressional. A single-component strain meter at Mina, Nevada, (38°26.3′N, 118°9.3′W) was operated for the HANDLEY event, and recorded a strain offset of 2.6 × 10 −9 in the direction N 74°E. Strain offsets at the time of the largest collapse events following HANDLEY were observed at Round Mountain. These offsets had the same sense on each component as those following the explosion itself. This is interpreted as support for the hypothesis that the strain changes are tectonic in origin, and the explosion initiates the strain release. Small offsets were observed for three smaller explosions out of a total of 13 studied. The relationship between body-wave magnitude m b and maximum dynamic strains at Round Mountain may be described empirically by the equation Log S = − 13.4 + 1.10 m b . Because of its high sensitivity and stability, the Round Mountain strain meter is capable of obtaining useful measurements of dynamic and static strain effects of intermediate- to large-sized explosions, at distances ranging from 160 to 200 km.