cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viscosities of aqueous solutions of potassium cellulose sulfate in the presence of other electrolytes

Viscosities of potassium cellulose sulfate solution were measured in the presence of KCl, HCl, BaCl2, and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. The reduced viscosity of an aqueous solution of potassium cellulose sulfate was shown to follow the general formula proposed by Fuoss and Strauss for the polyelectrolyte solutions: where A, B, and D are constants determined by experiments and c is concentration of the polyelectrolyte. In this article, a derivation of an empirical viscosity equation for the mixture of potassium cellulose sulfate and added electrolyte was shown. The empirical equation thus obtained for the mixture appears to express the viscosity behavior in the presence of low concentration of added electrolyte. The equation consists of two factors and has the following general form: where A, B, D, a, b, ψ, and ϕ are all experimental constants. The first factor concerns the viscosity behavior of the aqueous solution of the polyelectrolyte in the absence of added electrolyte, and the second factor is the correction caused by the addition of electrolyte. The first factor increases while the second decreases upon dilution. As the results of the competitive tendencies, the existence of the maximum reduced viscosity at certain concentration of the polyelectrolyte can be explained. The physical picture corresponding to the first and the second factors respectively is not absolutely clear, but it is suggested that there exist two opposing tendencies that affect the viscometric behavior of a polyelectrolyte solution. One of these, that tends to increase the viscosity, is the increase in molecular dimensions upon dilution or upon decreasing the ionic strength. The second, that causes a decrease in viscosity, is attributable to the decrease in intermolecular interaction with dilution.
Development of Bragg diffraction imaging for medical use

Experience gained in developing a real-time acoustical imaging system using Bragg diffraction is presented. Particular emphasis has been placed on medical applications. We have studied the difficulties in assembling a system capable of producing high-quality images. Engineering data on the optical mounting and on the design of the transducer along with representative images are presented and discussed.
The range of taste quality of sodium salts.

Abstract Thirteen sodium salts as well as sucrose (sweet), citric acid, (sour), and quinine HCl (bitter) standards were arranged in a three-dimensional space by the multidimensional scaling procedure, ALSCAL. The arrangements for salts equated in perceived intensity to 0.15 M NaCl, as well as salts presented at 0.2 M Na + , regardless of perceived intensities, revealed that the anion contributes significantly to the overall taste quality of sodium salts. The arrangements were quite stable over the 12 subjects tested. In addition, the anion can reduce the salty aspects of the sensation of sodium salts. The taste range of sodium salts equated for temperature, texture, and viscosity extends beyond the closed system defined by the four so-called primary tastes: salty, sweet, sour, and bitter.
Polylogarithmic independence fools AC0 circuits

We prove that poly-sized AC0 circuits cannot distinguish a polylogarithmically independent distribution from the uniform one. This settles the 1990 conjecture by Linial and Nisan [1990]. The only prior progress on the problem was by Bazzi [2007], who showed that O(log2n)-independent distributions fool poly-size DNF formulas. [Razborov 2008] has later given a much simpler proof for Bazzi's theorem.
Views of US researchers about informed consent in international collaborative research

Informed consent poses challenges in all settings. Challenges may be particularly great in international collaborative research, where cultural perspectives may differ, and where education levels and language may be barriers to participant understanding. We conducted a written survey and focus groups with US health researchers doing research in developing countries, asking about informed consent and other ethical issues in their research. We present here both qualitative and quantitative data relevant to informed consent. Qualitative data revealed that researchers' experiences and beliefs about informed consent fell into three paradigms: regulatory, community, and individual. The regulatory paradigm refers to researchers' views and practices relating to informed consent requirements of institutional review boards and other oversight bodies. The community paradigm refers to researchers' approach to the content and methodology of informed consent in the context of long-term relationships between research teams and study communities. Researchers emphasized the importance of these relationships for creating and maintaining communication fundamental to the informed consent process. Finally, the individual paradigm refers to researchers' views about individual participants' understanding and decision-making process regarding research. Researchers described community-level influences on participants' decision-making, but stressed the need for individual comprehension and voluntary participation. While these paradigms are distinct, they also are intertwined. Quantitative data supported the existence of these three paradigms in respondents' characterization of informed consent. Researchers frequently stated that legal language on the consent forms was meaningless (52%). Forty-four percent of researchers had consulted with community leaders, and 23% believed the consent process focuses too much on the individual, rather than on family or community. Most researchers (82%) reported that the consent process was an important means of educating participants about the study. Fifty-four percent of researchers believed participants did not understand placebos. Further research is needed to understand how culture and relationships affect research participation, and to provide information and dialogue among researchers, oversight bodies and community representatives about appropriate ways to approach informed consent in international research.
A simple and effective histogram equalization approach to image enhancement

Abstract Image enhancement is one of the most important issues in low-level image processing. Mainly, enhancement methods can be classified into two classes: global and local methods. In this paper, the multi-peak generalized histogram equalization (multi-peak GHE) is proposed. In this method, the global histogram equalization is improved by using multi-peak histogram equalization combined with local information. In our experiments, different local information is employed. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can enhance the images effectively.
ACTH-related peptide containing neurons within the medulla oblongata of the rat.

Abstract Neurons containing antigenic determinants of 16 Kdalton fragment, ACTH, γ-LPH, and β-endorphin have been identified in the nucleus tractus solitarius and lateral reticular formation of the rat brainstem. Immunoreactive fibers extend longitudinally in dorsal and ventral midline tracts throughout the length of the brainstem, and are also concentrated in lateral reticular regions known to contain catecholamine nuclei. ACTH-containing neurons could participate with brainstem catecholamine cell groups in controlling visceral function.
Amino acid uptake systems in lizard and chick brain cells

The uptake of seven amino acids, α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), cyclo-leucine (cyclo-Leu), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine (Gly), glutamic acid (Glu), lysine (Lys), and taurine (Tau), representatives of different amino acid transport systems, was studied in slices of brain from Tokay lizards and White Leghorn chicks. In descending order, the rate of the initial uptake of the amino acids in both species was Glu>Gly>GABA>Cyclo-Leu>AIB>Lys>Tau. The substrate specificities and the differences in sodium and temperature dependence of the uptake of the amino acids indicate the presence of several distinct amino acid transport systems, some sodium-dependent and some sodium-independent. The structural specificity of amino acid transport classes in the brain of these species is similar to that in other vertebrate brain preparations.
Impact of Medical Malpractice Environment on Surgical Quality and Outcomes

Received July 23, 2013; Revised August 30, 2013; Accepted 2013. From the Surgical Outcomes andQuality Improvement Cen of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwes and Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Minami, Chung, H and the Center for Healthcare Studies, Feinberg Schoo Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Correspondence address: Karl Y Bilimoria, MD, MS, Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center, Departm Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University Memorial Hospital, 676 St Clair St, Arkes Pavilion Suite IL 60611. email: k-bilimoria@northwestern.edu
Perspectives on layout and topology design

This note investigates the role of problem formulation in avoiding conputal difficulties. The proposed notion is applied to trusses with stress constraints and to an alternative general approach to topology design.
CYANOBACTERIAL ASSEMBLAGES IN PERMANENT ICE COVERS ON ANTARCTIC LAKES: DISTRIBUTION, GROWTH RATE, AND TEMPERATURE RESPONSE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The proliferation of microalgae in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica is intricately linked to the seasonal cycle involving the freezing and melting of water. Anecdotal observations and preliminary sampling have found cyanobacterial cells in ice covers on lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, and several of these ice covers are known to undergo seasonal freeze–thaw cycles. Therefore, we sought to determine the distribution and abundance of cyanobacterial assemblages in several permanent ice covers throughout the McMurdo Dry Valleys and to determine their rates of growth and their photosynthetic physiologies upon encountering liquid water. We found that the majority of the permanent ice covers contained cyanobacterial assemblages in close association with sedimentary material. Cyanobacterial biomass was conspicuously absent in sediment-free ice covers, suggesting that the seasonal interaction between the sediments, ice, and solar radiation present the necessary liquid water environment for cyanobacterial growth. All assemblages exhibited extremely low rates of photosynthesis when first exposed to liquid water. Despite the low rates of photosynthesis, a large proportion (41%) of the photosynthate was incorporated into protein, indicating that the cells were undergoing efficient net cellular growth. The short-term response (24 h) of photosynthesis to a range of temperatures showed optimum rates occurring at temperatures >15° C, which is similar to those of psychrotrophic cyanobacteria isolates from soil and stream habitats, which we believe provides the inoculum for the in- ice habitats.
Diplomats in Track Suits: the Role of Sports in the Foreign Policy of the German Democratic Republic

In a relatively short period of time the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) has become a formidable power in international sport competition. Because East Ger many was not able to obtain diplomatic recognition by means of regular channels, it decided to make its presence known via the accomplishments of its athletes. The se quence of events which East Germany followed to acquire athletic status and subsequent diplomatic recognition are described.
Effective Selection of Piezoceramic Actuators for an Experimental Flexible Wing

The effectiveness of individual or subsets of piezoceramic actuators are investigated in terms of their contributions to the joint controllability and observability for a e xed set of sensors. The method used is based on the decomposition of the Hankel singular values in terms of individual sensor and actuator combinations for e exible structures. The degree of participation of the individual structural modes in the e utter control problem is used to weigh the actuator selection metric in the feedback loop. Simulation results based on H2 and H1 control law designs indicate that closed loop performance can be improved signie cantly and the performance improvement is independent of the particular type of control law.
Surgical techniques for pulmonary metastasectomy.

Abstract The surgical approaches to pulmonary metastasectomy have evolved during the past 20 years. Important principles include the complete resection of all gross disease, the use of parenchyma-sparing resections, and the simultaneous resection of bilateral metastases wherever technically feasible. Video-assisted thoracic surgery resection has become popular, but is still not standard because it can lead to an incomplete resection. Stapled and precision electrocautery wedge resections remain the most common techniques for parenchymal resection. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Pulmonary disease in alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Excerpt The current acceleration of technologic advances in medicine presents physicians and society with repeated challenges. For physicians, the challenge is how best to apply the new technology;...
Asp537 and Asp812 in Bacteriophage T7 RNA Polymerase as Metal Ion-Binding Sites Studied by EPR, Flow-Dialysis, and Transcription†

Asp537 and Asp812 are essential in the catalytic mechanism of T7 RNA polymerase. The mutants D537N and D812N have no detectable activity whereas the mutants D537E and D812E have significantly reduced activity relative to the wild-type. The hypothesis that these two amino acids act as metal-binding ligands has been tested using EPR with Mn2+ as the metal ion. Mn2+ is able to substitute for Mg2+ in transcription by T7 RNAP on templates containing the T7 promoter. Mg2+ and Mn2+ compete for binding sites, with the former having lower affinity. Mn2+ binding to the wild-type enzyme and the mutants D537N, D812N, D537E, D812E, and Y649F was measured over the concentration range of 25 microM to 1.5 mM. The data were analyzed by nonlinear least-squares fits to the binding isotherms, and the analysis gave approximately two Mn(2+)-binding sites in all cases and a Kd for the wild-type of approximately 340 microM. The Kd value for the mutant Y639F, in which Asp537 and Asp 812 are not mutated, is comparable to the value for the wild-type. Mn2+ binding to the double mutants, D537N/D812N and D537E/D812E, appears to be nonspecific. The Kd values of the Asp-->Asn mutants are only 2-5 times larger than the value for the wild-type, in contrast to the drastic diminution of enzymatic activity in the mutants. The geometry of metal binding to these Asp residues may be crucial in determining the catalytic competence. Mn2+ binding to the wild-type enzyme in the presence of nucleotides, measured by flow dialysis, is characterized by two Mn(2+)-binding sites with a Kd value of ca. 150 microM. The similarity in values of Kd with and without nucleotide suggests that nucleotides do not have a drastic effect on Mn2+ binding. Our results indicate that monodentate carboxylate oxygens of both conserved Asp residues bridge the two metal ions.
Family Background, Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy, and Students’ Career and Life Success Expectations

This study examined the relationship of family background on students’ academic self-efficacy and the impact of students’ self-efficacy on their career and life success expectations. The study used the national dataset of the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Based on a path model, results demonstrated that family background predicted academic self-efficacy positively and students’ career and life success expectations negatively. However, with the mediating influence of academic self-efficacy, family background positively influenced students’ career and life success expectations. School counselors should consider interventions to enhance interactions between parents and students and seek to develop positive perceptions about students’ capabilities and futures. In addition, school counselors need to be knowledgeable about curricula, enrichment classes, summer opportunities, various educational options, and students’ academic and career aspirations for providing better guidance.
Excision of trocar sites reduces tumor implantation in an animal model.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of excising abdominal trocar wound sites after pneumoperitoneum on the rate of trocar site tumor implantation in a hamster model. This would help determine whether tumor cells seed trocar sites during or after pneumoperitoneum. METHODS: A total of 0.5 ml of GW-39 human colon cancer cell suspension at 2.5 percent v/v (8×105 cells) was injected into the abdomens of 77 hamsters through a midline incision. Animals were subjected to ten minutes of pneumoperitoneum, after placement of four abdominal trocars, and then randomly assigned to undergo either simple suture closure or 4-mm radius trocar wound site excision at the end of the procedure. Gross and microscopic tumor implants were documented seven weeks later. RESULTS: There were three and four deaths in simple suture closure and wound site excision groups, respectively. Of the remaining 35 hamsters in each group, tumor cells implanted at 89 and 78 percent of trocar sites, respectively (P<0.03). There was no significant difference between the two groups in tumor implantation at midline laparotomy sites. Wound site excision also resulted in fewer palpable tumors (44vs. 61 percent;P<0.01) and a lower tumor implantation rate (49vs. 74 percent;P<0.05) at all four concurrent sites compared with simple suture closure. CONCLUSIONS: Excision of laparoscopic abdominal trocar wound sites can significantly, but not completely, reduce tumor implantation rate compared with simple wound closure.
Wide and scalable field-of-view Talbot-grid-based fluorescence microscopy

Here we report a low-cost and simple wide field-of-view (FOV) on-chip fluorescence-imaging platform, termed fluorescence Talbot microscopy (FTM), which utilizes the Talbot self-imaging effect to enable efficient fluorescence imaging over a large and directly scalable FOV. The FTM prototype has a resolution of 1.2 μm and an FOV of 3.9 mm × 3.5 mm. We demonstrate the imaging capability of FTM on fluorescently labeled breast cancer cells (SK-BR-3) and human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK) cells expressing green fluorescent protein.
The Results of Valve Replacement for Mitral Valve Prolapse

Between January, 1975, and December, 1982, 33 patients underwent mitral valve replacement for mitral valve prolapse secondary to myxomatous degeneration. The majority were in the seventh decade of life (median age, 62 years), and all were seen with symptoms of mitral regurgitation. Echocardiography was more accurate in making the diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse more often (75%) than angiography (66%). Thirty-eight percent of the patients who underwent cineangiography had concomitant coronary artery disease and had coronary artery bypass grafting as well as mitral valve replacement. There was 1 operative death, an operative mortality of 3%. There were 6 late deaths, a late mortality of 18%. Of the 26 long-term survivors, 23 (88%) were in New York Heart Association Functional Class I and 3 (12%) were in Class II. The average length of follow-up was 33.25 months, and the 5-year actuarial survival was 76%. There was only one incident of thromboembolism (3%). Short-term and long-term survival were not related to the severity of mitral regurgitation but to the status of the left ventricle and the overall condition of the patient. These data suggest that older patients with severe mitral regurgitation secondary to mitral valve prolapse can undergo valve replacement with low operative mortality and gratifying long-term results.
Analysis and use of MAGSAT satellite magnetic data for interpretation of crustal structure and character in the U.S. midcontinent

Abstract Magnetic anomaly data, acquired by NASA's MAGSAT satellite, have been processed, analyzed, and interpreted in terms of causative crustal sources (major structures, tectonic development, geologic provinces, crustal composition and magnetic properties) in the central U.S. midcontinent. An optimum data set was developed by cleaning, correcting, and editing, and then reduced to a 1° × 1° latitude/longitude grid at a common altitude of 400 km, then wavelength filtered and reduced to the magnetic pole. The resulting satellite anomalies have a magnitude range up to ±15 nT in the region. The relationship between these long-wavelength anomalies and crustal sources is investigated. A magnetic high over Kentucky/Tennessee is associated with more mafic and thicker lower crust, and a high over Texas/Oklahoma and trending northeast through Missouri may be due to a geologic province and anomalously-magnetic lower crust. A magnetic low over the Mississippi Embayment/aulacogen can be explained by crustal thinning and less-magnetic crust, and one over Georgia by less-magnetic lower crust. The magnetic anomaly gradient pattern generally follows and reflects the southern ancient rifted continental margin of the North American craton, and there is a lack of apparent magnetic expression of the Central North American Rift system (Midcontinent Geophysical Anomaly).
The characterization and incidence of pale, soft, exudative turkey meat in a commercial plant

Pale, soft, exudative (PSE) turkey meat is a growing problem for industry and has been associated with rapid postmortem pH decline and loss of protein functionality, similar to PSE pork. This study was designed to estimate the incidence of PSE meat in a commercial plant and use response surface methodology to characterize the relationship between pH, lightness (L* value), and water-holding capacity (WHC). One hundred thirty-four turkey breast fillets were selected from the processing line so that 67 had normal color (lightness), and the other 67 were more pale than normal. Fillets were analyzed at time of deboning (1.5 h postmortem) and at 24 h postmortem for color (L* value), pH, drip loss, expressible moisture, and temperature. Additionally, L* values were measured on 2,995 turkey breasts from the processing line to determine the commercial incidence of PSE meat based on color. The pale fillets had significantly lower pH, greater L* value, and less WHC but equal temperature when compared with the fillets with normal color. The L* value and pH were correlated with WHC as measured by expressible moisture, but L* value seems to have more predictive value. By using the L* value range (>53) from the pale-selected fillets as an indication of paleness, approximately 40% of the 2,995 fillets would exhibit poor WHC. These results suggest that PSE meat can represent a significant portion of commercially processed turkey breast meat and that the L* value measurement could be used to sort turkey meat so that PSE type meat could be used in specialized formulations.
Macroscopic Limits of Microscopic Models

Many physical systems are comprised of several discrete elements, the equations of motion of each element being known. If the system has a large number of degrees of freedom, it may be possible to treat it as a continuous system. In this event, one might wish to derive the equations of motion of the continuous (macroscopic) system by taking a suitable limit of the equations governing the discrete (microscopic) system. The classical example of this involves a row of particles with each particle connected to its nearest neighbor by a linear spring, its continuum counterpart being a linearly elastic bar; see Figure 1. In a typical undergraduate engineering subject on, say Dynamics, the transition from a discrete system to a continuous system is usually carried out through a formal Taylor expansion of the terms of the discrete model about some reference conguration. The aim of this paper is to draw attention to the fact that a macroscopic model derived in this way should be examined critically in order to conrm that it provides a faithful representation of the underlying microscopic model. We use a specic (striking) example to make this point. In this example, a simple solution of the discrete model can be stable or unstable depending on the state of the system. However the corresponding solution of the continuous system is always unstable! We go on to show how the dispersion relations of the two models can be used to identify the source of the discrepancy and to suggest how one might modify the continuous model.
High levels of acetaldehyde in nonalcoholic liver injury after threonine or ethanol administration

Acetaldehyde, a product of ethanol oxidation which forms adducts with proteins, has been incriminated in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver injury. High serum antibody titers against acetaldehyde-protein adducts have been found not only in alcoholics but also in patients with nonalcoholic liver disease, suggesting a contribution of acetaldehyde derived from sources other than exogenous ethanol. To investigate the effect of liver injury on the removal and the production of acetaldehyde, we produced fibrosis and cirrhosis (by chronic administration of carbon tetrachloride) and fatty liver (with very small doses of dimethylnitrosamine) in rats. Endogenous blood acetaldehyde levels increased by 38% in rats with severe liver injury (p < 0.005), but not significantly in rats with fatty liver. However, an i.v. load of threonine (a physiological source of acetaldehyde), in amounts equivalent to the daily intake of this amino acid, increased blood and hepatic acetaldehyde levels in the rats with both types of liver injury more than in controls. Threonine dehydrogenase and dehydratase activities, involved in the major pathways for threonine degradation in mitochondria and cytosol, respectively, were markedly decreased in rats with liver injury with a resulting increase in hepatic threonine concentration. Moreover, the threonine aldolase activity, which splits threonine into glycine and acetaldehyde, remained unaffected or even slightly increased. Liver injury was also associated with impaired mitochondrial functions, including a 10 to 23% decrease in acetaldehyde oxidation (depending upon the severity of the lesions). As a consequence, administration of ethanol (an exogenous source of acetaldehyde) resulted in striking elevations in the levels of acetaldehyde in carbon tetrachloride-treated rats. Thus, liver injury promotes the accumulation of acetaldehyde from either physiological sources or from ethanol by decreasing acetaldehyde oxidation and by enhancing its production from threonine.
A correction to the nanoindentation technique for ultrashallow indenting depths

A correction to the nanoindentation technique taking into account the elastic recovery at extremely shallow contact depths was proposed. Using a high-sensitivity nanoindentation system with a sharp indenting tip, the magnitude of the elastic recovery could be obtained directly from very low-force load–unload curves, which was then used to correct the contact area used for hardness measurements. Nanoindentation experiments were performed on a standard fused quartz sample and, compared to standard nanoindentation techniques, the proposed method was found to be more accurate at ultrashallow indenting depths of <3 nm.
An African American Constructs and Confronts the Social Construction of Race in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Curry's article takes readers on an ethnographic journey in post-apartheid South Africa, where she discusses the complex nature of race and its social construction. Using case studies of other African Americans who traveled to South Africa from the 1930s to the early twenty-first century, Curry grapples with the complex issue of race and identity. She concludes that race involves more than complexion, for it also encompasses linguistic ability, geography, cultural traits, body language, and nationality. These identity markers, Curry observes, played an immense role in her “social transformation” from an African American to a South African Coloured.
Improved results for route planning in stochastic transportation

In the bus network problem, the goal is to generate a plan for getting from point X to point Y within a city using buses in the smallest expected time. Because bus arrival times are not determined by a fixed schedule but instead may be random, the problem requires more than standard shortest path techniques. In recent work, Datar and Ranade provide algorithms in the case where bus arrivals are assumed to be independent and exponentially distributed.We offer solutions to two important generalizations of the problem, answering open questions posed by Datar and Ranade. First, we provide a polynomial time algorithm for a much wider class of arrival distributions, namely those with increasing failure rate. This class includes not only exponential distributions but also uniform, normal, and gamma distributions. Second, in the case where bus arrival times are independent and geometric discrete random variables, we provide an algorithm for transportation networks of buses and trains, where trains run according to a fixed schedule.
A surface-based integral-equation formulation for coupled electromagnetic and circuit simulation

A surface-based integral-equation formulation for coupled electromagnetic and circuit simulation is presented. The approach is sufficiently general to model arbitrarily shaped structures and high-frequency skin effects. The formulation is implemented in both an equivalent circuit form for spice compatibility, and in a more general form as a coupled-matrix system outside spice. The overall approach can be interpreted as either a modified surface-only partial element equivalent circuit approach, or as a circuit-coupled version of the surface-based method of moments. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 34: 103–106, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10386
A library of monoclonal antibodies to nuclear proteins from Drosophila melanogaster embryos: Characterization by a cultured cell assay☆

Abstract To study the structure and function of the cell nucleus, a library of 170 monoclonal antibodies was produced to nuclear antigens from 3–6 h old Drosophila embryos. In preparation for immunization, nuclei were separated, at neutral pH and in the presence of polyamines, into two fractions containing either urea-soluble non-histone nuclear proteins or histones plus small quantities of non-histone proteins complexed to DNA. The antibodies were characterized in a rapid, indirect immunofluorescent assay employing cultured Drosophila cells (Schneider's line 2). Low backgrounds and high specific fluorescence were achieved in this assay by purifying the rhodamine-labelied second antibody on a polystyrene resin and washing the cells with optimal concentrations of detergents. The assay categorized antigens according to their cellular locations: in nuclei, in nuclei plus cytoplasm, or primarily in cytoplasm. A subset of nuclear antigens reacted specifically with the nuclear envelope. In addition, some antibodies were characterized by their reactions with polytene chromosomes. The cultured cell assay provides a new, efficient method for expanding this antibody library. The monoclonal antibodies in the library now provide highly specific tools for investigating structural nuclear proteins and proteins that may be regulatory during embryonic development.
The effects of starvation on the respiration and major nutrient stores of thais lamellosa

Abstract 1. 1. The metabolism of the carnivorous intertidal prosobranch Thais lamellosa is “lipid oriented”. 2. 2. There was no significant difference in the utilization of nutrient stores between male and female snails. 3. 3. The oxygen consumption of Thais lamellosa remains constant or increase during 53 days of starvation.
Determination of vanadium by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Abstract Methods for the determination of vanadium, in the range 0.5–100 mg/l, by atomic absorption spectroscopy in an oxy-acetylene as well as in a nitrous oxideacetylene flame are presented. For use with oxy-acetylene flames, vanadium is extracted as vanadium cupferrate into a mixture of methyl isobutyl ketone and oleic acid (78:22, v/v) and the organic phase is aspirated to the flame. The sensitivity is 0.7 mg/l of vanadium in the organic phase. For nitrous oxide-acetylene flames, an aqueous solution of vanadium is aspirated directly. The sensitivity is further improved by the use of methyl isobutyl ketone, the addition of Al 3+ and diethylene glycol diethyl ether. Many potential interferences were examined and methods to overcome those found are given.
Prescription psychotropic medication use among the U.S. adult population: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994.

Abstract Objective We estimated prescription psychotropic medication use among US adults. Methods We examined household interview data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994) for persons 17 years and older ( n = 20,050). Study design and setting An estimated 10 million adults (5.5%) reported psychotropic medication use during a 1-month period. The use of anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics (ASH) was most common (3.2%), followed by antidepressants (2.3%), antipsychotics (0.7%), and antimanics (0.1%). Psychotropic medication use was more prevalent among women than men ( P P P P Conclusion Many adults use psychotropic medications on a monthly basis. ASH users comprised the largest proportion of psychotropic medication users. Patterns of use varied by several socio-demographic factors.
1142 AMNIOTIC FLUID INFECTIONS, HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA & BRAIN DAMAGE

The study analyzed acute amniotic fluid infections as a possible cause of brain damage using data from a prospective study of 53,518 pregnancies in which the offspring were followed to eight years of age. Acute inflammation of the subchorionic plate of the placenta, a marker for amniotic fluid infections was associated with increasing neurotoxicity as serum bilirubin levels rose in the neonatal period. The frequency of the retardation increased as the chorionitis became more severe. Significant neurologic abnormalities began at peak neonatal bilirubin levels of 13-16 mg/dl in the infected and at 17 mg/dl in the noninfected. 24 different medical, social and demographic factors that can affect psychomotor development were found not responsible for the impairment associated with the chorionitis and hyperbilirubinemia. The proportion of cases who were infected increased as neonatal bilirubin levels increased so the brain damage may have been due either to the infections or an interaction of the infections with hyperbilirubinemia.
Abstract 2885: Urokinase plasminogen activator system targeted delivery of arsenic trioxide loaded nanobins as a novel ovarian cancer therapeutic

That the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) system is constitutively expressed in primary and metastatic ovarian cancer regardless of grade or stage, while it is only weakly expressed in normal tissues, identifies it as a possible therapeutic target. Taking advantage of the tumor-specific expression of uPAR, a nanoscale liposome (nanobin, NB) was coupled with an antibody (ATN 291) against the uPAR ligand, uPA, to facilitate receptor-mediated, targeted drug delivery. The nanobin was loaded with arsenic trioxide (As 2 O 3, in short As), since our previous results had demonstrated effective tumor uptake and induction of tumor cell apoptosis using As loaded nanobins in an orthotropic model of human triple negative breast cancer. We hypothesized that the ATN 291-conjugated nanobin (NB-uPA Ab) would allow specific cellular internalization and increase the therapeutic index of As in ovarian cancer cells. Using flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, we measured the cellular uptake of NB(Calcein)-uPA antibody (Ab) in HeyA8, ovarian cancer cells. The data showed a dose-dependent pattern of internalization with maximum internalization at 24 hours. Furthermore, NB-uPA Ab showed elevated cellular uptake when compared to non-targeted NB. More importantly, delivery of the targeted nanobins is uPA/uPAR dependent. High doses of ATN-291 or scuPA inhibited the cellular binding of NB-uPA Ab to HeyA8 cells. Moreover, down-regulation of uPAR expression via RNA interference in ovarian cancer cells inhibited the cellular uptake of the NB-uPA Ab. The cell viability of HeyA8 cells was significantly reduced following treatment of both non-targeted NB(As) and NB(As)-uPA Ab when compared to empty NB treatment as determined by a cytotoxicity assay. However, the cytotoxicity of NB(As)-uPA Ab is 2.1-fold more potent than the non-targeted NB(As). Taken together, these data indicate that the uPA Ab conjugated nanobins improved drug delivery and enhanced the anti-cancer effects of As, demonstrating the utility of targeting the uPA/uPAR system in ovarian cancer chemotherapeutics. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2885. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2885
A multicenter phase II trial of single-agent cetuximab in advanced esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in a significant proportion of esophageal and gastric carcinomas. Although previous studies have examined tyrosine kinase inhibitors of EGFR, there remains limited data regarding the role of EGFR-directed monoclonal antibody therapy in these malignancies. We carried out a multi-institutional phase II study of cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody against EGFR, in patients with unresectable or metastatic esophageal or gastric adenocarcinoma. Patients and Methods: Thirty-five patients with previously treated metastatic esophageal or gastric adenocarcinoma were treated with weekly cetuximab, at an initial dose of 400 mg/m2 followed by weekly infusions at 250 mg/m2. Patients were followed for toxicity, treatment response, and survival. Results: Treatment with cetuximab was well tolerated; no patients were taken off study due to drug-related adverse events. One (3%) partial treatment response was noted. Two (6%) patients had stable disease after 2 months of treatment. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 1.6 and 3.1 months, respectively. Conclusion: Although well tolerated, cetuximab administered as a single agent had minimal clinical activity in patients with metastatic esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma. Ongoing studies of EGFR inhibitors in combination with other agents may define a role for these agents in the treatment of esophageal and gastric cancer.
A highly-efficient 7-watt 16 GHz monolithic pseudomorphic HEMT amplifier

High-power monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers using pseudomorphic AlGaAs/InGaAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were demonstrated at Ku-band. A record continuous-wave (CW) output power of 7 W with 4.5-dB gain and 30.8% power-added efficiency was achieved with a single-stage, 0.25 mu m*12-mm amplifier at 16.3 GHz. At 5-W output, the power-added efficiency was 35% with 6-dB power gain. The demonstrated performance makes pseudomorphic HEMTs highly suitable for multiwatt MMIC amplifier implementations at X- and Ku-band frequencies for advanced microwave system applications. >
Comparing methods of quantifying diplopia.

Purpose Quantification of diplopia is important for describing severity of strabismus, measuring change over time, and reporting surgical outcomes. The cervical range of motion (CROM) method has been proposed as a simple, inexpensive alternative to the Goldmann perimeter for quantifying diplopia. The purpose of this study was to compare these 2 techniques and describe advantages and disadvantages. Design Cohort study. Participants Seventy-six consecutive patients with binocular diplopia associated with any type of strabismus. Methods Patients underwent diplopia assessment with the CROM method and Goldmann perimeter; diplopia was scored between 0 and 100 based on previously published scoring systems. Where CROM and Goldmann results were disparate by >20 points, the medical record was reviewed independently by 2 clinicians to determine the most likely reason for the discrepancy. Main Outcome Measures (1) Measure of agreement between diplopia scores using the CROM and Goldmann methods using the κ test and (2) the reasons for any disagreement between tests of >20 points. Results Overall agreement between the 2 tests was good (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.50–0.77). In 49 (64%) of 76 tests, the CROM and Goldmann results were within 20 points. Of the 27 (36%) showing a more than 20-point discrepancy, 17 were worse using the Goldmann technique and 10 were worse using the CROM technique. The most frequent reason for worse diplopia using the Goldmann technique was poorer ability to fuse or suppress in the Goldmann apparatus compared with the real-world targets used in free space for the CROM method. Worse diplopia using the CROM method most often was the result of the deviation being present for distance only. In some cases, differences were the result of the greater weighting of primary position using the current scoring system for the CROM method. Conclusions In most cases, the CROM and Goldmann methods provide equivalent measures of diplopia severity. However, the Goldmann method seems to overestimate diplopia in patients with fragile fusion or tenuous suppression and seems to underestimate diplopia in deviations present for distance only. The CROM method may be more representative of diplopia severity as experienced in everyday life.
GABAergic System Gene Expression Predicts Clinical Outcome in Patients With Neuroblastoma

Purpose Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common childhood malignancy characterized by heterogeneous clinical behavior. The purpose of this study was to identify potential NB biomarkers that may improve outcome prediction. Patients and Methods The suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique was used to identify the genes differentially expressed between NB and control tissue. RNA isolated from 235 primary NB tumor samples obtained from the Children's Cancer Group was evaluated for expression of the candidate markers using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (Taqman assays). The association between the mRNA expression levels in the identified candidate genes and clinical outcome was evaluated. Results SSH analysis identified differential expression of members of the GABAergic gene family in NB. Lower levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor–associated protein (GABARAP) gene expression predict decreased survival among all patients. GABAA δ receptor subunit gene expression w...
Medical management of fecal incontinence

Diarrhea and constipation are known risk factors for fecal incontinence. This report reviews how to diagnose and medically treat patients with chronic diarrhea, chronic constipation with overflow incontinence, and incontinence resulting from rectal mucosal prolapse secondary to hemorrhoids. Antidiarrheal agents (including loperamide, diphenoxylate, and difenoxin) and the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline improve continence in patients with diarrhea-associated incontinence. Other antidiarrheal agents are under investigation. The mechanism is believed to be decreased intestinal motility and stool frequency resulting in more formed stools. Increases in anal canal resting pressure may also contribute to improvement in continence. Adverse effects are constipation from excessive use. In addition to antidiarrheal drugs, fiber supplements may improve incontinence associated with diarrhea. Transient, benign cases of constipation usually respond to increasing fluid intake and dietary fiber, improving mobility, or eliminating the concurrent use of constipating drugs. For mild to moderate constipation, bulking agents, laxatives, and stool softeners are used cautiously so as not to excessively loosen stools and exacerbate anal incontinence. Laxatives have been shown to improve continence, possibly through the mechanism of eliminating fecal impaction. Prolapsing hemorrhoids may partially obstruct defecation and cause soilage from the passage of fecal material, mucus, or blood. With endoscopic banding, a ligator is attached to an endoscope and a tight band is placed around the enlarged vein, causing the hemorrhoid to thrombose.
Adjoint Methods for Adjusting Three-Dimensional Atmosphere and Surface Properties to Fit Multi-Angle Multi-Pixel Polarimetric Measurements

This paper derives an efficient procedure for using the three-dimensional (3D) vector radiative transfer equation (VRTE) to adjust atmosphere and surface properties and improve their fit with multi-angle/multi-pixel radiometric and polarimetric measurements of scattered sunlight. The proposed adjoint method uses the 3D VRTE to compute the measurement misfit function and the adjoint 3D VRTE to compute its gradient with respect to all unknown parameters. In the remote sensing problems of interest, the scalar-valued misfit function quantifies agreement with data as a function of atmosphere and surface properties, and its gradient guides the search through this parameter space. Remote sensing of the atmosphere and surface in a three-dimensional region may require thousands of unknown parameters and millions of data points. Many approaches would require calls to the 3D VRTE solver in proportion to the number of unknown parameters or measurements. To avoid this issue of scale, we focus on computing the gradient of the misfit function as an alternative to the Jacobian of the measurement operator. The resulting adjoint method provides a way to adjust 3D atmosphere and surface properties with only two calls to the 3D VRTE solver for each spectral channel, regardless of the number of retrieval parameters, measurement view angles or pixels. This gives a procedure for adjusting atmosphere and surface parameters that will scale to the large problems of 3D remote sensing. For certain types of multi-angle/multi-pixel polarimetric measurements, this encourages the development of a new class of three-dimensional retrieval algorithms with more flexible parametrizations of spatial heterogeneity, less reliance on data screening procedures, and improved coverage in terms of the resolved physical processes in the Earth׳s atmosphere.
A topology preserving level set method for geometric deformable models

Active contour and surface models, also known as deformable models, are powerful image segmentation techniques. Geometric deformable models implemented using level set methods have advantages over parametric models due to their intrinsic behavior, parameterization independence, and ease of implementation. However, a long claimed advantage of geometric deformable models-the ability to automatically handle topology changes-turns out to be a liability in applications where the object to be segmented has a known topology that must be preserved. We present a new class of geometric deformable models designed using a novel topology-preserving level set method, which achieves topology preservation by applying the simple point concept from digital topology. These new models maintain the other advantages of standard geometric deformable models including subpixel accuracy and production of nonintersecting curves or surfaces. Moreover, since the topology-preserving constraint is enforced efficiently through local computations, the resulting algorithm incurs only nominal computational overhead over standard geometric deformable models. Several experiments on simulated and real data are provided to demonstrate the performance of this new deformable model algorithm.