cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4277: Inhibition of autophagy (Plac8) prevents malignant transformation of cadmium induced prostate carcinogenesis

Introduction: Cadmium (Cd) exposure is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (CaP). Previously we reported that Cd induces Plac8 expression may be responsible for defective autophagy which facilitates the transformation of prostate epithelial cells. The goal of this study is to decipher the molecular signaling responsible for defective autophagy by plac8 and whether inhibition of plac8 facilitates pro-apoptotic machinery in chronically exposed -Cd in prostate epithelial cells. Methods: Overexpression or silencing Plac8 in chronically exposed Cd in RWPE-1 cells or cadmium, transformed prostate epithelial (CTPE) cells were subjected to cell viability, apoptosis, autophagy functional studies, Western blot and in vivo analyses. For statistical analysis, data were analyzed using Student’s‘t’ test with a p-value less than 0.05 considered significant. Results: Our results suggest that during cellular transformation, Cd exposure induced Plac8 expression, which caused defective-autophagy that resulted in the proliferation of damaged cells. Inhibition of Plac8 resulted in suppression of pro-survival machinery and concomitantly induced severe endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress that resulted in caspase-mediated cell death in Cd-exposed cells. More specifically, inhibition of Plac8 by shRNA resulted in induction of ER stress markers (PREK/ATF4) which facilitate caspase-mediated cell death in Cd- transformed prostate epithelial cells. Activation of NFKB is one of the downstream events of Plac8 that transcriptionally regulates NFKB activation in Cd-transformed cells. We identified, Plac8 binding sites in NFKB promoter. Hence inhibition of plac8 resulted in the complete shutdown of NFKB mediated pro-survival signaling in Cd-transformed prostate epithelial cells. While analyzing autophagy signaling network, we found induction of Atg family proteins, however, in the absence of Plac8, the induction of autophagy fails to protect the Cd-transformed cells. Similar results were observed in plac8 silenced cd-transformed cells in xenotransplanted mice, where Cd-transformed cells induced aggressive tumors, and Plac8 knockdown significantly inhibited the tumor growth. While ATF4, PLac8, NFKB were not expressed in normal human prostate tissues, their expression was significantly increased in BPH followed by CaP specimens; normal prostate Conclusions: These results suggest that Plac8 may be an essential component in the Cd-induced transformation of normal prostate epithelial cells to a cancerous state. Citation Format: Venkatesh Kolluru, Ashish Tyagi, Balaji Chandrasekaran, Murali K. Ankem, Chendil Damodaran. Inhibition of autophagy (Plac8) prevents malignant transformation of cadmium induced prostate carcinogenesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4277.
Cold places: movement, knowledge, and time

Popular perceptions of the Arctic often conceal the very things that make that place what it is. A land imagined as dark, stark, and covered in ice actually vibrates with life. Drawing on interdisciplinary research on the history, ecology, and culture of the North American Arctic, this article highlights three characteristics of places everywhere that are more visible in cold regions of the planet: movement, knowledge, and time. In turn, when scholars learn to track these characteristics in other places, we open new possibilities for the study of people and the environment.
Mothers without Their Children. Editors: Charlotte Beyer and Andrea Lea Robertson. (Bradford: Demeter Press, 2019. pp. 284. $34.95)

Is a mother a mother without her children? As a follow-up, how do we as a society conceive of the mother without her child that is without the very being who “unequivocally define[s] a mother as a mother” (11)? These provocative questions regarding the figure of the mother without her child frame the collection Mothers without Their Children, edited by Charlotte Beyer and Andrea Lea Robertson, and published by Demeter Press. The resounding response of contributors to these overarching questions is yes, and it is complicated. Both Beyer and Robertson, editors as well as writer/theorists, admit to a fascination with the figure of the mother without her children across historical times, and representationally. They write in the introduction to the collection that with the exception of motherhood scholars Rosie Jackson, whose work considers mothers who leave or live without their children, and Elaine Tuttle Hansen, whose 1997 Mothers without Their Children, from whom editors borrow their title, explores literary representations of mothers without their children; theirs is the only work to do so from a feminist intersectional, transnational, and multimodal perspective. Mothers without Their Children is a compelling and thoroughgoing read. Accessible to academic and lay audiences alike, the collection is by turns scholarly and literary, and will undoubtedly draw the attention and critical engagement of motherhood scholars, both nationally and internationally.
Molecular detection of Rickettsia infection in field-collected bed bugs

Abstract While bed bugs are now one of the most prevalent human-associated, blood-feeding pests in the urban world, few studies of their association with human pathogens have been conducted since their resurgence. Here, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to screen samples of field-collected bed bugs (Cimex spp.) for the presence of Rickettsia bacteria and we describe the first detection of an uncharacterized Rickettsia in Cimex lectularius in nature. Rickettsia was detected in 5/39 (12.8%) of the bed bug samples tested. In particular, three pools from the United States and two individual insects from the United Kingdom were positive for Rickettsia DNA. Sequencing and analysis of a fragment of the citrate synthase gene (gltA) from positive samples from each country revealed that the Rickettsia detected in both is identical and is closely related to a Rickettsia previously detected in the rat flea Nosopsyllus laeviceps. Additional experiments indicated that the Rickettsia localizes to multiple tissues in the bed bug and reaches high titers. Attempts were made to infect mammalian cells in culture but these efforts were inconclusive. Our findings suggest that Rickettsia are secondary endosymbionts of bed bugs and have potential implications for both bed bug control and public health. However, further investigation is required to determine the pathogenicity of this Rickettsia, its transmission mechanisms, and its contributions to bed bug physiology.
The $2.6 Billion Pill — Methodologic and Policy Considerations

An industry-supported center claims that it costs companies $2.6 billion to develop a new drug. But we need a broader-based and more transparent reckoning of research-and-development costs to inform discussions about fostering innovation and paying for medications.
Abstract IA02: The Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative

Each year over 4,000 children with cancer in the US lack adequate treatment options for their disease, underscoring the urgent need for new therapeutic targets and new therapies. Cancer genomic investigations focusing on the identification of recurrent DNA changes in tumors that could be targeted by therapies have been disappointing in the majority of pediatric cancers, as these diseases have lower rates of somatic mutation compared to adult cancers. To address this challenge, the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute launched the Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative, an innovative program that identifies novel therapeutic targets for difficult-to-treat pediatric cancers through leveraging the power of large, shared tumor RNA-sequencing datasets. Treehouse partners with pediatric cancer hospitals, including Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and British Columbia Children’s Hospital, to investigate whether the comparative RNA-seq approach is feasible and useful when applied to patients prospectively. A preliminary analysis of 126 patients from four hospitals showed that comparative RNA-seq analysis can identify druggable targets for over 74.3% of difficult-to-treat pediatric cancer patients, while state-of-the-art DNA analysis finds potential therapeutic options for only 45.9% of patients. Current work focuses on determining the clinical utility of the Treehouse approach. Citation Format: David Haussler. The Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advancing Precision Medicine Drug Development: Incorporation of Real-World Data and Other Novel Strategies; Jan 9-12, 2020; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_1):Abstract nr IA02.
A National Survey of Companion Animal Owners’ Self-Reported Methods of Coping Following Euthanasia

(1) Background: The human-animal bond is often regarded as a special relationship in which owners benefit from unconditional love and perceived understanding from their companion animal. Thus, end-of-life decisions such as euthanasia may inflict significant emotional impact upon the companion animal owner and result in a complicated grief response. The purpose of this study was to examine the methods American companion animal owners utilize to cope with loss following companion animal euthanasia. (2) Methods: A total of 340 companion animal owners with experience euthanizing a companion animal completed an online survey asking how they found comfort after the loss of their companion animal. (3) Results: A total of 74.7% noted that they mourned privately, 58.2% sought social support, 32.1% adopted a new companion animal, 12.4% relied on faith or prayer and 0.9% participated in a support group. (4) Conclusions: Grief associated with companion animal loss is important. As a majority of clients that euthanized their companion animal mourn privately, the veterinary community must work towards identifying and providing appropriate, accessible social resources for bereaved companion animal owners to utilize, if desired.
NEW CRITERIA FOR AIR CONDITIONING BELT DRIVE DESIGN

Belt drives are simple and efficient and are widely used, but they are often a source of vibration and noise. Usually, in the case of the automobile engine accessory drive system, especially air conditioning drive, considerable development time is spent on reducing this noise and vibration to an acceptable level. Herein, an analytical method is presented which allows the designer to approach this objective in the initial design stages. It is shown that a number of variables such as torque characteristics, belt span, belt material and construction contribute to the objectionable noise.
Forensic Psychiatry, Substance Use and Mental Illness

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the relationship between substance abuse and addiction, and competence to stand trial and affirmative defenses. Psychoactive substances (substances) are chemicals that affect the way an individual feels, thinks, behaves, and functions on an interpersonal and social level. Alcohol, illicit drugs, and certain prescribed drugs can produce acute intoxication or withdrawal, and lead to substance abuse or addiction (dependence). An affirmative defense is a plea to justify that an act was at least legally permissible, such as self-defense, or an excuse that admits the act was wrong but argues that the defendant should not be blamed for it in such situations as duress, insanity, automatism, entrapment, or necessity. In general, the law across the United States to date has prohibited the use of insanity defenses by addict defendants facing serious criminal charges. This stance is, however, at odds with the prevailing view of the medical and mental health community in the United States, which has largely recognized that addiction is, in fact, a mental illness. Competency to stand trial is probably the most common evaluation done by psychiatrists for the court system. The Supreme Court defines competency to stand trial as the ability of a defendant to have a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings against him or her, and to assist and consult with an attorney with a reasonable degree of rational understanding.
Peroxisomal Translocation of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Protects against Ischemic Stroke Injury

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) contributes to cardiovascular disease, including stroke, although the exact mechanism remains unclear. While primarily a cytosolic enzyme, sEH can translocate into peroxisomes. The relevance of this for stroke injury is not understood. We tested the hypothesis that sEH-mediated injury is tied to the cytoplasmic localization. We found that a human sEH variant possessing increased affinity to peroxisomes reduced stroke injury in sEH-null mice, whereas infarcts were significantly larger when peroxisomal translocation of sEH was disrupted. We conclude that sEH contributes to stroke injury only when localized in the cytoplasm, while peroxisomal sEH may be protective.
Catalytic reactions of peroxides

Abstract Cuprous acetate complexes are stable in acetonitrile-acetic acid solutions, and procedures for simple preparations of these solutions are described. Cuprous compounds are useful for the direct initiation of copper-catalyzed decompositions of peroxides at the low temperatures often required to obviate competing ionic rearrangements. Thus, these cuprous solutions can be effectively employed at 0° and lower temperatures to catalyze the homolytic chain decomposition of diacyl peroxides and alkyl hydroperoxides. The copper-catalyzed reactions of peresters with alkenes and other substrates can also be initiated at room temperature simply by stirring with a mixture of copper powder and cupric acetate in acetonitrile-acetic acid solutions. The stoichiometries, rates and kinetic chain lengths of these reactions are delineated with regard to a common mechanism which generally prevails in copper catalysis of peroxide reactions.
Three dimensional polymer MEMS with functionalized carbon nanotubes and modified organic electronics

Polymer based MEMS is rapidly gaining momentum due to their potential for conformability and other special characteristics not available with silicon microsystems. The polymer based nano- and micro-devices are flexible, chemically and biologically compatible, available in many varieties, and can be fabricated in truly 3-D shapes. The conceived devices thus are cheap and disposable. However, in order to conceive fully functional microsystems, necessary electronics have to be integrated. A modified organic thin film TFT is used for such integration. Although the existing technology of organic TFTs can not rival the well-established silicon semiconductor technology, especially in terms of speed, they are still useful in displays, disposable devices, and sensors. Although organic TFT and polymeric MEMS have several common features that make them compatible with each other, to the best of our knowledge, no serious attempt has been made thus far for combining these technologies. This paper is aimed at bridging this gap. Examples of potential microsensors and systems, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes derived from polymer with functionalised carbon nanotubes are presented. A sensor-in-shoe demonstration will be performed at the Conference. Many issues and challenges in the design and development of polymer-based sensors with organic electronics are also addressed.
Langley Research Center Resources and Needs for Manned Space Operations Simulation

This paper describes current simulation research activities carried out at the Langley Research Center in the areas of remotely controlled operations, task performance, and analytical operations, along with early simulators developed at the center. Special attention is given to the center's current space simulation capabilities which are applicable to manned space operation studies, including the Advanced Concepts Simulator (ACS) and a computer-generated imagery (CGI). The ACS was designed to represent an aircraft cockpit for flight operations in the 1990s but will be also suitable for simulating a variety of astronaut work station applications. The CGI, scheduled for delivery in 1989, will be able to provide out-the-window scenes representative of many operational tasks from rendezvous and docking/berthing to control of telerobotic devices.
Contextualizing Homelessness: Critical Theory, Homelessness, and Federal Policy Addressing the Homeless. Edited by Ken Kyle

Ken Kyle appears to have a strong personal interest in homelessness and social policy to address homelessness in the United States. His book commences with a poem purchased from a homeless man in T...
An Experimental Cognitive Robot

The Experimental Cognitive Robot version 1 (XCR-1) is a simple three-wheel platform for implementation experiments with the “Haikonen cognitive architecture”. This platform is non-digital and non-programmable; it is not based on any microprocessor. It is not based on pre-programmed algorithms or any kind of programs. Instead, it is based on associative neuron groups in a widely cross-connected architecture where information is carried by spatial and temporal patterns of neural signals. No common code for these signal patterns is used or is necessary. The Haikonen cognitive architecture is a multi-modal perceptive system that utilizes so called perception/response feedback loops for each sensory modality. These modalities are associatively cross-connected. Therefore any experiment with the architecture would have to include multiple sensory modalities so that the cross-connection effects could be demonstrated. Accordingly the robot XCR-1 has sensory modalities for vision, sound, touch, shock (“pain”) and “pleasure”. The robot is able to move with two wheel motors and it also has a gripper mechanism, which can grab suitable-sized objects. In addition to the motor responses the robot has audible “self-talk”, a verbal report, which reflects the robot's “mental perception” of the on-going situation. Presently no associative neuron chips are available. Therefore, in order to minimize the required hardware, the modalities are realized in the most minimal way. However, the realizations are sufficient for the demonstration of many essential issues.
Tissue localization of Drosophila melanogaster insulin receptor transcripts during development.

Abstract The Drosophila melanogaster insulin receptor (Drosophila insulin receptor homolog [dIRH]) is similar to its mammalian counterpart in deduced amino acid sequence, subunit structure, and ligand-stimulated protein tyrosine kinase activity. The function of this receptor in D. melanogaster is not yet known. However, a role in development is suggested by the observations that levels of insulin-stimulated kinase activity and expression of dIRH mRNA are maximal during Drosophila midembryogenesis. In this study, a 2.9-kilobase (kb) cDNA clone corresponding to both the dIRH tyrosine kinase domain and some of the 3' untranslated sequence was used to determine the tissue distribution of dIRH mRNA during development. Two principal mRNAs of 11 and 8.6 kb hybridized with the dIRH cDNA in Northern (RNA) blot analysis. The abundance of the 8.6-kb mRNA increased transiently in early embryos, whereas the 11-kb species was most abundant during midembryogenesis. A similar pattern of expression was previously determined by Northern analysis, using a dIRH genomic clone (L. Petruzzelli, R. Herrera, R. Arenas-Garcia, R. Fernandez, M. J. Birnbaum, and O. M. Rosen, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:4710-4714, 1986). In situ hybridization revealed dIRH transcripts in the ovaries of adult flies, in which the transcripts appeared to be synthesized by nurse cells for eventual storage as maternal RNA in the mature oocyte. Throughout embryogenesis, dIRH transcripts were ubiquitously expressed, although after midembryogenesis, higher levels were detected in the developing nervous system. Nervous system expression remained elevated throughout the larval stages and persisted in the adult, in which the cortex of the brain and ganglion cells were among the most prominently labeled tissues. In larvae, the imaginal disk cells exhibited comparatively high levels of dIRH mRNA expression. The broad distribution of dIRH mRNA in embryos and imaginal disks is compatible with a role for dIRH in anabolic processes required for cell growth. The apparently elevated expression of dIRH mRNA in nervous tissue during mid- and late embryogenesis coincides with a period of active neurite outgrowth and suggests that dIRH may be involved in this process.
On monitoring transparent optical networks

Fault identification and localization problems in optical networks have become crucial. Due to network transparency and high data rates, optical networks are vulnerable to sophisticated attacks on the physical infrastructure, and hence require adequate fault monitoring in order to accurately identify and locate network failures. In transparent optical networks, faults may propagate to various parts of the network from the origin, and multiple alarms can be generated for a single failure. In order to reduce the number of redundant alarms, simplify fault localization, as well as lower financial investment in network monitoring equipment, fault monitor placement should be optimized for a given network. In this paper, we formulate a problem on the optimal placement of network monitoring devices and propose a solution approach. We provide a brief summary of available physical-layer monitoring devices, and present a scheme for optimal monitor placement.
Stellar Photometry with an Automated Measuring Machine

The combination of wide field high quality telescopes, fine grain emulsions and fast automated measuring machines offers an unrivalled opportunity for progress in statistical astronomy. This review illustrates, with examples, the many steps which are necessary to realise this potential.
High angle annular dark field imaging of stacking faults

Abstract High angle annular dark field imaging has been extensively applied to high resolution imaging of crystalline materials. Dislocations have also been imaged using the high angle dark field detector, even when the lattice has not been directly resolved. Diffraction contrast, as employed in transmission electron microscopy analysis of defects, is a possible mechanism for dislocation contrast. Stacking faults should also show diffraction contrast and a Bloch wave theory is developed for the high angle dark field image. The results are compared with an experiment which shows, in agreement with the theory, that the strongest contrast is found when the fault is close to the surface and the objective aperture is small.
Tyrosine depletion lowers in vivo DOPA synthesis in ventral hippocampus

In vivo dopamine synthesis in the medial prefrontal cortex of the rat is sensitive to the availability of tyrosine. Whether other limbic cortical dopamine terminal regions are similarly tyrosine-dependent is not known. In this study we examined the effects of tyrosine depletion on dopamine synthesis and catecholamine levels in the ventral hippocampus. A tyrosine- and phenylalanine-free neutral amino acid mixture was used to lower brain tyrosine levels in rats undergoing in vivo microdialysis. In one group, NSD-1015 was included in perfusate to permit measurement of DOPA levels. In a second group, NSD-1015 was not included in perfusate so that catecholamine levels could be assayed. Tyrosine depletion significantly lowered DOPA levels in the NSD-1015 treated group and lowered DOPAC but not dopamine or noradrenaline levels in the group not exposed to NSD-1015. We conclude that while catecholamine synthesis in the ventral hippocampus declines when tyrosine availability is lowered, under basal conditions, compensatory mechanisms are able to maintain stable extracellular catecholamine levels.
Effects of Field-Dependency on Weight Comparisons

20 field-independent and 20 field-dependent Ss were selected on the basis of performance on the Rod-and-frame Test and were asked to estimate a comparison weight in the context of two different original weights. Visual cues were controlled. 10 Ss in each group estimated a heavier weight which was paired on 2 consecutive trials with 1 of 2 lighter weights and the remaining Ss estimated a lighter weight in the context of two heavier weights. The difference in estimates of the same comparison weights served as an indication of contextual influence. The field-dependent Ss, estimating lighter weights, were influenced by context to a significantly greater extent than the other groups. The field-dependency dimension may affect performance on a variety of different perceptual tasks.
Non-Debye stress relaxation in green silica gel

Non-Debye stress relaxation phenomenon in green silica gels is reported. For the wet gel samples in the study, the values of the fractional exponent, α , of the non-Debye (the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watt (KWW)) relaxation behavior are 0.35–0.6. The effects of the aging process on this type of relaxation behavior are discussed. In terms of the Klafter-Blumen-Zumofen (KBZ) microscopic dynamics, the KWW relaxation behavior arises from the random fractal (geometric, temporal, and/or energetic) characteristics of the gels. For the wet gels, the fractal time exponents, γ , are 0.52–0.82.
Matter and consciousness: A contemporary introduction to the philosophy of mind by Paul M. Churchland. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A. 1988, 184 pages

The Mind's New Science: A History of the Cognitive Revolution by Howard Gardner. Basic Books, New York, U.S.A., 1985, Epilogue, 1987, 430 pages, and Mind Design: Philosophy, Psychology, Artificial Intelligence by John Haugeland, ed. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A., 1981, 368 pages, Fifth Printing 1987.
Mapping from a Different Direction: Mandala as Sacred Spatial Visualization

Spatial visualization serves as a key cartographic device for relaying representative information about that part of space portrayed, creating an ordered presentation of patterns that instruct the observer. This research explores the function of a mandala as a cognitive graphic of sacred space. The purpose of the comparison is to expand notions underlying assumptions of cartographic portrayal, space, and contestation affecting both cartography and religious geography. Opposing schools of thought in cartography dispute the role of maps as based on observable phenomena or maps as mental terrain. Exploration of the mandala as an instrument in Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies, as representative of sacred maps, illustrates its function in an expanded category of emancipatory and culturally contested space, broadening the power of cartographic depiction and contextualizing its creation. Visualization is foremost an act of cognition, a human ability to develop mental representations that allow geographers to identify patterns and to create or impose order... Concrete visual representations …make spatial contexts … visible so as to engage the most powerful human information-processing abilities, those associated with vision. —MacEachren et al., 1992 Every map is a cultural construction that geographers, scientists, and artists alike create to make and convey meaning. —Bender et al., 2004
Prioritising health care in complex emergencies.

Stabilization of the health of refugees and internally displaced persons is the primary objective of emergency relief. Prominent causes of morbidity and mortality have been identified; but prioritizing the emergency health problems has always been problematic in areas experiencing refugee crises. Although measles is listed by Medecins Sans Frontieres as the second most urgent priority the worlds emphasis is on the eradication of poliomyelitis which is not an important cause of morbidity or mortality. It is noted that reproductive health issues have received increased attention. On the other hand infant mortality rates have also increased. Without a systematic approach in addressing priorities the situation would get worse. Carefully targeted appropriately designed applied research is recommended to be helpful in finding solutions.
Family Members’ Support for GLBT Issues: The Role of Family Adaptability and Cohesion

Families high in cohesion and adaptability are often able to function better than families low in cohesion and adaptability. This study hypothesized that heterosexual family members who report their family adaptability and/or cohesion to be high rather than low would have more contact with their GLBT family member, report more GLBT friends, family members, and GLBT acquaintances, as well as have more favorable attitudes toward and greater knowledge of GLBT issues. This study explored family environment (adaptability and cohesion as assessed by FACES III) of 136 family members of GLBT individuals and knowledge and attitudes (assessed by the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale for Heterosexuals; GLB-KASH). Participants reporting high adaptability in their families reported having more contact with the GLBT family member and more GLBT acquaintances than participants reporting low adaptability in their families. Participants from more cohesive families reported more GLBT friends and famil...
Adolescent psychological well-being and parental control of the personal.

The psychological consequences of parental control over adolescents' issues of privacy and personal choice are explored with youth from varying cultural backgrounds.
Neurosurgery in the elderly: Brain tumors and subdural hematomas

Primary malignant brain tumors present a formidable challenge to surgeons, patients, and families. Although the prognosis in elderly patients approaches only 6 months, aggressive resection and adjuvant treatment may be indicated in a select group of patients who have preserved functional status. Subdural hematomas in the geriatric population usually are chronic. Patients often benefit from evacuation but their advanced age and significant comorbidities often increase perioperative morbidity and mortality. Minimally invasive evacuation, possibly under local anesthesia, often is indicated as an initial treatment.
A Novel Mechanism of Resistance to Penicillin-Gentamicin Synergism in Streptococcus faecalis

A patient with enterococcal endocarditis, who relapsed after repeated courses of apparently adequate treatment with ampicillin plus gentamicin, was subsequently cured with ampicillin-tobramycin therapy. The organisms isolated from this patient were strains of Streptococcus faecalis that were resistant to penicillin (or ampicillin)-gentamicin synergism but not to penicillin (or ampicillin)-tobramycin synergism. The mechanism of resistance in these strains appears to be related to a specific defect in the intracellular uptake of gentamicin (but not tobramycin) in the presence of penicillin.
Nonlethal assay system of β-glucuronidase activity in transgenic tobacco roots

Previously, assay conditions for the GUS enzyme have required lethal and/or destructive conditions which do not allow for the continued observation of living plants. The replacement of sodium phosphate buffer with potassium phosphate buffer and the removal of potassium ferrocyanide and EDTA resulted in an assay for the GUS enzyme that is both nondestructive and nonlethal to tobacco plants and therefore allows observations of tobacco roots through time.
Surface morphology of the {010} faces of potassium hydrogen phthalate crystals

Abstract A detailed surface microtopographic study with the aid of highly sensitive differential interference and phase contrast microscopy has been carried out for the {010} faces of potassium hydrogen phthalate single crystals. Two types of growth hillocks could be identified: (i) macroscopic hillocks, emitting steps of considerable height (100–2500 A) from their centres, and (ii) shallow hillocks, being sources of growth steps of 14 A, which corresponds to one unit lattice translation. From a relationship between hillock centres and dislocation etchpits, the macroscopic hillocks were identified as a group of cooperating spirals, whereas the shallow hillocks are single spirals originating from single dislocations of unit height. Several properties of both spiral types are described, among which a relation between inclusion strings and the occurence of some of the macroscopic hillocks, the phenomenon of bunching of lower steps to higher steps, the formation of liquid inclusions via macrostep overhangs and the equivalence in advancement rates of steps of different heights.
Clusters containing carbene ligands. 12. The synthesis and transformations of Os 3 (CO) 11 [C(Et)NMe 2 ], the first simple carbene derivative of Os 3 (CO) 12

The carbonylation of Os2(CO)10[μ-CH2N(Me)C(Et)](μ-H),1 at 110°C/1300 psi has yielded the carbene complex Os3(CO)11[C(Et)NMe2],2, the first simple carbene derivative of Os3(CO)12, in 68% yield. Compound2 was characterized by a single crystal structure analysis which showed the position of a dimethylaminocarbene ligand in an equatorial coordination site. Compound2 is decarbonylated at 97°C to reform1 in 59% yield. Compound1 can be decarbonylated further at 125°C to yield the new compound Os3(CO)9 [μ3-η2-C(H)N(Me)C(Et)](μ-H)2,3 in 94% yield. Compound3 was characterized by a crystal structure analysis and was shown to possess a triply bridging C(H)N(Me)C(Et) ligand containing two carbene centers. Compounds1 and2 can be regenerated from3 by carbonylation with CO at 110°C/800 psi. The facile activation of the N-methyl CH bonds of the carbene ligand of2 is produced by the metal atoms adjacent to the carbene coordination site, and may be a characteristic feature of the chemistry of carbene ligands in clusters. For2: space group=P $$\bar 1$$ ,a=11.407(2) A,b=12.332(2) A,c=8.602(1) A, α=103.92(1), β=110.56(1)°, γ=82.57(1),Z=2, 2627 reflections,R=0.031; for3: space group=C2/c,a=17.160(3) A,b=8.947(2) A,c=27.034(6) A, β=97.82(1)°,Z=8, 2044 reflections,R=0.038.
Titanium alloys for biomedical applications

Abstract Titanium alloys, because of their excellent mechanical, physical and biological performance, are finding ever-increasing application in biomedical devices. This paper provides an overview of titanium alloy use for medical devices, their current status, future opportunities and obstacles for expanded application. The article is divided into three main sections, the first discussing recent efforts focused on commercial purity titanium. This is followed by considering effects of chemistry, grain size and α/β morphologies on mechanical properties of α + β alloys. Finally, the third section reviews the status of metastable β alloys specifically designed for biomedical applications emphasizing their aging behavior and its effects on mechanical properties.
Continuing Assessment of Teacher Reactions to a Standards-Based Teacher Evaluation System

Building on our evaluation of a field test (Milanowski & Heneman, 2001), the present study provides a description and evaluation of the first two years of district-wide implementation of a standards-based teacher evaluation system in the Cincinnati public schools. We describe the new system and changes that were made to it as a result of the pilot study. We then focus on two substantive research issues—the inter-rater agreement of classroom observations and teacher reactions to the new system. We found that carefully selected and trained peer evaluators provided ratings that showed moderate to high agreement with ratings by administrators. Teachers' specific reactions to the new system on several dimensions were found to be mostly neutral. Teachers' overall reactions to the new system, however, were less favorable. Based on these results and other research we make several suggestions for how to effectively design and implement a standards-based teacher evaluation system.
Human cells lack the inducible tolerance to arsenite seen in hamster cells.

Abstract Chinese hamster V79 cells and their arsenite-resistant variants were found to have an arsenite- and antimonite-inducible tolerance mechanism which protects against the subsequent cytotoxic effects of arsenite, arsenate and antimonite. Inducible tolerance requires de novo mRNA and protein synthesis, and is independent of the heat shock response. In contrast, we report that the arsenite hypersensitive variant line As S27D lacks the inducible tolerance response. Numerous attempts were made to detect an inducible tolerance response to arsenite in a variety of human cells. An assay based on Neutral red uptake was used in order to study inducible tolerance in cells with poor clonability. Neither normal diploid cells nor human tumor cells of different origins were found to elicit an inducible tolerance response to arsenite. This finding may help to explain why rodents do not develop tumors after exposure to arsenite, while humans do. In addition, all human cell lines tested were much more sensitive to arsenite compared to Chinese hamster cells. Human keratinocytes were especially sensitive. In general, human cells resemble arsenic hypersensitive Chinese hamster As R27D cells, which have lost a protective mechanism found in wild-type Chinese hamster cells.
VTAC: Virtual terrain assisted impact assessment for cyber attacks

Overwhelming intrusion alerts have made timely response to network security breaches a difficult task. Correlating alerts to produce a higher level view of intrusion state of a network, thus, becomes an essential element in network defense. This work proposes to analyze correlated or grouped alerts and determine their 'impact' to services and users of the network. A network is modeled as 'virtual terrain' where cyber attacks maneuver. Overlaying correlated attack tracks on virtual terrain exhibits the vulnerabilities exploited by each track and the relationships between them and different network entities. The proposed impact assessment algorithm utilizes the graph-based virtual terrain model and combines assessments of damages caused by the attacks. The combined impact scores allow to identify severely damaged network services and affected users. Several scenarios are examined to demonstrate the uses of the proposed Virtual Terrain Assisted Impact Assessment for Cyber Attacks (VTAC).
Expression of a squamous cell marker, the spr1 gene, is posttranscriptionally down-regulated by retinol in airway epithelium.

Vitamin A (retinol) is required for the normal mucociliary differentiation of respiratory epithelium. A depletion of vitamin A promotes squamous cell metaplasia. To understand how vitamin A suppresses squamous cell differentiation, the expression of a squamous cell differentiation marker, the small proline-rich protein gene (spr1), was studied in cultured monkey tracheobronchial epithelial (TBE) cells. The expression of the spr1 gene was inhibited about 40 fold by retinol. The mRNA levels of the spr1 gene started to decline within 6 h of retinol treatment and reached a minimum level after 7 days. The inhibition by retinol was concentration dependent and did not require concurrent protein synthesis. The inhibition of the spr1 mRNA by retinol was not due to a decrease in the transcription rate of its gene but due to a decrease in its stability, as determined by nuclear run-on assays and mRNA half-life measurement, respectively. This result was further supported by a DNA transfection study using a chimeric construct containing the spr1 promoter region and the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene. The CAT activity in transfected cells was not inhibited by retinol. These results suggest that spr1 gene expression is posttranscriptionally down-regulated by retinol. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An experimental investigation of resonant heat transfer enhancement in grooved channels

Abstract Experiments on hydrodynamic resonance and its effect on heat transfer in laminar flows through ducts with periodically spaced transverse grooves cut into one wall are presented. Oscillatory perturbation of the flow rate at the frequency of the most unstable linear modes results in a resonant response with associated mixing and significant heat transfer enhancement. Measurements confirm previous calculations demonstrating that a 20% flow rate oscillation at the optimal frequency more than doubles the convective heat transfer coefficient. The experimental frequency band for significant enhancement is, however, broader than the numerically predicted one.
Aerosol size distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban and over-water atmospheres

Aerosol mass size distributions of 41 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured during 20 different 12-h periods in urban Chicago and over Lake Michigan during July 1994 and January 1995. Geometric mean aerodynamic equivalent diameters (GMDs) range from 0.72 to 2.39 μm for particulate matter and from 0.33 to 9.85 μm for individual PAHs. GMDs of the less volatile PAHs are larger in the urban atmosphere than over the water during the summer. Geometric standard deviations of the particle size distributions, however, are larger at the urban location for many PAHs, indicating a broader mass size distributions. GMDs of unsubstituted PAHs (except perylene) are well correlated with their log subcooled liquid vapor pressures ( , Pa), following the form: GMD = mg log + bg . Values for mg and bg range from 0.03 to 0.88 and from 0.83 to 8.80, respectively. Higher molecular weight PAHs are sorbed to the finest sized aerosols, but more volatile PAHs are associated with larger particles. The slope (mg) and ...
Generalizations of the k-factor theorem

In this paper, we give a more general sufficient condition for a degree sequence to be realizable by a graph (without multiple edges and loops) containing a subgraph of specified degree sequence . When sequences and are both realizable by graphs, it was shown earlier that the condition k @? k"i @? k + 1 for all i and some k >= 0 is sufficient for the existence of a -graph containing a -subgraph. We now show that for k > 1 it is enough to assume, for example, that k @? k"i @? k + 1 holds for all i except possibly i = i"0, i"1, where k"i"0 > 0 and k"i"1 > k + 1.
A Grid of Non-LTE Model Atmospheres for White Dwarfs in Cataclysmic Variables

We have calculated a grid of non-LTE (NLTE) line-blanketed model atmospheres for white dwarfs in cataclysmic variable (CV) systems using our stellar atmosphere code PHOENIX. The grid covers the temperature range 20,000-500,000 K for solar abundances and 10-2 and 10-4 solar metal abundance. The effective temperature resolution is 10,000 K in the range 20,000-200,000 K and is 20,000 K in the range 200,000-500,000 K. The models include a large number of NLTE levels for light metals such as CNO and heavy metals such as Ni and Fe. The necessity of using self-consistent NLTE line-blanketed model atmospheres for the analysis of white dwarfs is well known and reaffirmed here. We discuss the importance of metal opacity, especially metals heavier than Ca, in the atmospheres of CV primaries. We also compare our grid to previously published models and discuss the general improvements offered by our models. In addition, a specific model from our grid is compared to a Hubble Space Telescope observation of U Gem and predictions for Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) observations are made.
Large area event counting detectors with high spatial and temporal resolution

Novel large area microchannel plates (MCPs) constructed using micro-capillary arrays functionalized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) have been successfully demonstrated in large format detectors (10 cm and 20 cm) with cross delay line and cross strip readouts. Borosilicate micro-capillary substrates allow robust MCPs to be made in sizes to 20 cm, the intrinsic background rates are low ( 7 C cm−2 extracted charge. We have constructed a number of detectors with these novel MCPs, including a 10 × 10 cm cross strip readout device and 20 × 20 cm delay line readout sensors. The cross strip detector has very high spatial resolution (the 20 μm MCP pores can be resolved, thus obtaining ~ 5k × 5k resolution elements), good time resolution ( 5 million counts/s at 20% dead time), while operating at relatively low gain ( ~ 106). The 20 × 20 cm delay line detectors have achieved spatial resolutions of ~ 50 μm and event rates of several MHz, with good gain and background uniformity and 20% quantum efficiency and good uniformity for large area (20 cm) bialkali photocathodes.
Roles for Epigallocatechin Gallate in Cardiovascular Disease and Obesity: An Introduction

After water, tea from Camellia sinensis is the most consumed beverage worldwide. Tea is rich in catechin flavonoids that possess an array of bioactivity including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, apoptotic, and probiotic mechanisms of action that may contribute to some of the putative health benefits associated with tea intake. A substantial body of evidence indicates that tea and its principal catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) may contribute to a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent studies suggest EGCG may also have a positive impact on glucose tolerance and thermogenesis with implications for an effect on the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, respectively. This introduction to a symposium on EGCG’s role in cardiovascular disease and obesity presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition provides a background on tea and tea flavonoids and their possible relationship to health promotion and disease prevention.
Numerical Simulation for Three Dimensional Elastic-Plastic Contact with Hardening Behavior

An elastic-plastic contact (EPC) solution and code is developed using a modified semi-analytical method. The indentation tests with different hardening behavior are simulated by using the developed EPC code. The distributions of contact pressure, residual stress and plastic strain are obtained and compared with the results of the finite element method models without hardening. Some techniques, such as fast Fourier transform and fast convergence method, are used to increase the computation speed.
Lifetime-based sensing in highly scattering media

Fluorescence lifetime-based sensing is now recognized as a valuable methodology in clinical and analytical chemistry. For clinical chemistry, or for non-invasive sensing through skin, it is often necessary to obtain quantitative information in highly scattering media. Lifetime-based sensing can be used to obtain quantitative measurements in turbid media. We describe frequency-domain lifetime measurements in intralipid suspension, and present a reliable technique which allows phase-modulation lifetime measurements of fluorophores dispersed within or localized within intralipid. Lifetimes can be measured using an intensity decay law which accounts for the time delays and pulse-broadening effects of multiple light scattering events occurring in the intralipid. Alternatively, the phase and modulation measurements can be performed relative to a reference fluorophore of known lifetime. This approach provided reliable lifetime data for a pH-sensitive fluorophore contained within a microcuvette 4 mm under the surface of an intralipid suspension.