cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High‐Content Kinetic Calcium Imaging in Drug‐Sensitive and Drug‐Resistant Human Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract Intracellular calcium ( [ Ca 2 + ] i is involved in the regulation of a variety of biological functions in cancer cells, including growth inhibition, tumor invasiveness, and drug resistance. To gain insight into the possible role played by Ca2+ in the development of drug resistance in breast cancer, we performed a comparative high‐content analysis of the intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in drug‐sensitive human breast cancer MCF‐7 cells and five drug‐resistant, MCF‐7‐derived clonal cell lines. Fura‐2 single cell ratiometric fluorescence microscopy was used to monitor real‐time quantitative changes in cytosolic‐free Ca2+ concentration ( [ Ca 2 + ] i ) upon addition of phosphoinositol‐coupled receptor agonists. While the magnitude and the onset kinetics of the [ Ca 2 + ] i rise were similar in drug‐sensitive and drug‐resistant cell lines, the decay kinetics of the [ Ca 2 + ] i increase was found to be consistently slower in drug‐resistant than drug‐sensitive cells. Such a delay in reestablishing homeostatic [ Ca 2 + ] i persisted in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and was independent of the expression or function of specific drug efflux pumps associated with drug resistance. Moreover, intracellular Ca2+ pools releasable by phosphoinositol‐coupled receptor agonists or thapsigargin appeared to be differentially shared in drug‐sensitive and drug‐resistant cells. In light of the clinical relevance that drug resistance has in the treatment of cancer, the molecular and biochemical relationship between alterations in Ca2+ dynamics and drug resistance demands to be further investigated and tested in a wider array of cell types. Automated microscopy will help greatly in this pursuit by facilitating both sample imaging and data analysis, thus allowing high‐content as well as high‐throughput screening of large sample sets. A protocol for studying [ Ca 2 + ] i kinetics with a commercially available automated imaging platform is described.
Semantic Web, middleware vs. intelligent storage

Summary form only given. The rapid development of Internet, the fast dropping of storage cost and the great improvement of storage capacity have created an environment with enormous amount of data. How to get the data we want and how to manage these huge volumes of data become great challenges. The possible approaches under investigation include semantic Web and middleware. We are taking a different approach and believe that today's storage systems need to be fundamental changed. In this talk, we discuss the possible changes in storage systems and why these changes can create an environment that can allow us to locate the desired data and to manage the increasing amount of available data. We first present the intelligence to be included in future storage systems. With the intelligence, a new architecture of storage systems can be formed. The possible essential concepts to be parts of the future storage systems include active storage device, object-based storage device, autonomic storage, and application-aware storage. We argue the object-based storage device (OSD) concept is the most fundamental. We plan to show a number of challenging applications can be made easier with the support of OSD-enabled intelligent storage systems. We compare the disadvantages and advantages of semantic Web, middleware and intelligent storage.
Malignant Pericardial Effusion and Pericardial Tumor Involvement Secondary to Cervical Cancer

ABSTRACTBackground: Antemortem discovery of a malignant pericardial effusion secondary to cervical cancer is uncommon and management should focus on symptom control. Case: A patient was diagnosed with widely metastatic cervical cancer following a simple hysterectomy for presumed benign etiology. Sixteen months later, she was diagnosed with pericardial tumor involvement and a malignant pericardial effusion resulting in severe dyspnea. The patient underwent a pericardial window procedure that temporarily alleviated her symptoms. She again developed symptoms 2 weeks following the procedure and ultimately elected supportive care. Conclusion: Malignant pericardial effusion is a challenging clinical scenario. Although multiple treatment options exist, prognosis is poor and usually limited.
Effect of the partial molar volume of the solute in the stationary phase on retention in supercritical fluid chromatography

Abstract Retention in supercritical fluid chromatography is a dynamic mechanism, involving intermolecular interactions in the mobile and stationary phases. A simple thermodynamic model, describing solute retention, has been investigated on the basis of macroscopic thermodynamic variables of the solute partial molar volume in the stationary and mobile phases. Solute-solvent interactions in the mobile phase are dominant at lower pressures. Solute-stationary phase interactions have an important role in solute retention in capillary supercritical fluid chromatography. The interaction of the solute with the five different stationary phases reflects the polarizability differences between these phases, as shown by the partial molar volume of the solute in the stationary phase.
On-demand geo-referenced terrafly data miner

We present a comprehensive Internet data extraction tool adopted for the TerraFly Geographic Information System (GIS). TerraFly is a web-enabled system that allows users to virtually fly over remotely sensed data, including satellite imagery and aerial photography, using a standard Internet browser. The data extraction tool presented here is designed to augment the user's virtual flight experience with extensive data relevant to any given geographical point along the virtual flight path. The data presented to the user is retrieved from several server-side databases and is collected from the Internet data providers using our patented data extraction technology. Some data elements are presented to the user as overlays, some in popup windows, and some via hyper-linking to third-party web sites
Assessing racial/ethnic disparities in chemotherapy treatment among breast cancer patients in context of changing treatment guidelines.

Conflicting study results with regards to racial/ethnic disparities in chemotherapy use among breast cancer patients may be due to the different sample populations, treatment data sources, and treatment eligibility definitions used. This study examined chemotherapy disparity in the context of changing treatment guidelines and explored factors that may help explain treatment differences observed. The data come from a population-based study that included interview and medical record data (including state cancer registry) from non-Hispanic (nH) White, nH Black, and Hispanic breast cancer patients diagnosed in 2005–2008. Logistic regression using model-based standardization was used to estimate age-adjusted risk differences and multivariate analysis was conducted to identify explanatory factors of the differences. Per the 2005/2006 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, minority patients appeared more likely than nH White patients to receive a chemotherapy recommendation (0.87 vs 0.75, p = 0.003). When eligibility was determined per the 2007 guidelines, there was no disparity because under these guidelines, nH White patients were more likely than minority patients to have tumors that no longer required chemotherapy. There was evidence that chemotherapy advances for breast cancer patients are implemented in the clinical setting well ahead of NCCN guidelines. Finally, among eligible patients, chemotherapy recommendation was very high and virtually always accepted and received, with no disparities found at these points of clinical care. The findings suggest that an evaluation of guideline-adherent chemotherapy treatment patterns must carefully consider the definition of treatment eligibility, given ongoing changes in treatment guidelines and early uptake of new diagnostic tools and treatments.
The presidential election in The Gambia, October 2001

Abstract The 18 October 2001 presidential balloting in The Gambia was riddled with irregularities and problems, ranging from a truncated campaign period designed to favour the incumbent to instances of intimidation and violence against opposition political leaders and supporters. It seems clear that President Jammeh’s reelection was aided by padded voter rolls, illicit votes from non-Gambian members of Jammeh’s Jola ethnic group who crossed over from Senegal, and an Electoral Commission chairman who manipulated the rules. Together, these irregularities rendered the election fundamentally flawed.
Gas chromatography of the trimethylsilyl derivatives of arsenic, arsenious, and dimethylarsinic acids

Abstract The formation and chromatographic behavior of trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives or arsenic, arsenious and dimethylarsinic acids is reported. Evaluation of several silylation reagents and solvents revealed that most suitable derivatization took place using, N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide in dimethylformamide. The rate of formation and stability of the derivatives was investigated. Stationary phases including SE-30, OV-17, OV225, and OV-275 were tested for their ability to separate the derivatives. Columns of OV-225 coated on Gas-Chrom Q (100–120 mesh) were most effective in resolving the TMS-arsenicals from each other and from the TMS derivatives of CO 3 2− , SO 4 2− , and PO 4 2− . Detection limits were 0.1 ng of injected As(V) and dimethylarsinic acid, and 1 ng of injected As(III). Working curves were linear over three to five orders of magnitude. The identities of the derivatives were confirmed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry.
The effect of constrained processing on auditors’ judgments

Abstract This study examines whether constraining experienced auditors’ processing by having them process evidence in a pre-established sequence (an experimental control technique used in previous studies) prevents them from using their usual processing strategies and thereby affects their judgments. We compare the relative attention to evidence and judgments of experienced and inexperienced auditors in a constrained versus an unconstrained processing condition. Consistent with expectations, experienced auditors’ going-concern judgments differed from inexperienced auditors’ judgments only when processing was unconstrained. This difference in judgments was the result of differential attention to evidence. These results demonstrate that the failure to consider how experienced auditors process evidence can result in inadvertently adopting control techniques that limit the generalizability of experimental findings. Although our study used a going-concern task, our conclusions are likely to apply to a variety of ill-structured audit tasks that require a goal-oriented, directed evaluation of evidence.
Orthogonal Projection and Total Least Squares

When the overdetermined system of linear equations $$AX \approx B$$ (1) has no solution, compatibility may be restored by an orthogonal projection method to estimate the relationship between A and B, where we assume A ∈ ℜ m×n has numerical rank k and B ∈ ℜ m×n (m ≥ n + d). The least squares (LS) and total least squares (TLS) are two common orthogonal projection methods used to solve (1). The idea is to determine an orthogonal projection matrix P by some method M such that [A, B]=P[A, B], AX≈ B is compatible, and rank(A) = k. Denote by X m the minimum norm solution to AX≈ B by method M. Let (math) be an orthonormal matrix such that ∥[A, B]∥≈ small and [A, B]=0.
Criterion-related validity of self-report measures of female heterosocial functioning

Common measures of female heterosocial functioning, the Survey of Heterosocial Interactions for Females (SHI-F) and dating frequency questions, were validated against the criterion of “male liking,” i. e., how well men like a woman. The SHI-F was unrelated to the criterion and to the other measures of heterosocial activity. The dating frequency and satisfaction questions were moderately related to the criterion. It was concluded the self-reported ability to initiate contact with men (as measured by the SHI-F) may not be related to female heterosocial functioning. Self-reported dating frequency and satisfaction appear to be a valid measure of female heterosocial functioning.
Who Needs Philosophy in Physical Education

(2006). Who Needs Philosophy in Physical Education? Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 77, No. 8, pp. 28-30.
Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma contains strategies that dominate any evolutionary opponent

The two-player Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma game is a model for both sentient and evolutionary behaviors, especially including the emergence of cooperation. It is generally assumed that there exists no simple ultimatum strategy whereby one player can enforce a unilateral claim to an unfair share of rewards. Here, we show that such strategies unexpectedly do exist. In particular, a player X who is witting of these strategies can (i) deterministically set her opponent Y’s score, independently of his strategy or response, or (ii) enforce an extortionate linear relation between her and his scores. Against such a player, an evolutionary player’s best response is to accede to the extortion. Only a player with a theory of mind about his opponent can do better, in which case Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma is an Ultimatum Game.
Adaptive modeling of methane hydrates

We consider a computational model for the evolution of methane hydrates in subsurface. Methane hydrates, an ice-like compound abundant in subsea sediments and unstable in standard conditions, are an environmental hazard and simultaneously an energy source. Our multiphysics model includes multiphase multicomponent mass conservation equations and several variants of energy balance equation with or without latent heat. We present the technique of model adaptivity which helps to assess and control the two sources of the computational error: the discretization error and the modeling error. The nature and magnitude of the modeling error is strongly dependent on the application and smoothness of solutions.
Chemotherapy and radiation of Nb rat prostatic adenocarcinoma: Nb Pr-A.I.-1

The Nb rat prostatic adenocarcinoma model has been evaluated utilizing the autonomous tumor Nb Pr A.I.-1. Chemotherapeutic evaluation as well as radiation treatment of tumors was employed. Chemotherapy was evaluated in Nb rats as well as congenitally athymic (nude) mice. Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, and N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea were all significant (P < 0.01); however, the methotrexate-treated animals as well as animals receiving the low dose of adriamycin were not affected by these modalities. Similar results were observed in both Nb rats as well as nude mice in respect to the affect of chemotherapy. Also, this model has been used to evaluate the affect of irradiating the 2-mm3 wedges of tumor tissue with the following doses of radiation: 250, 500, 1000, and 1500 rad. Tumor growth retardation was observed in animals receiving greater than 1000 rad.
POAM III measurements of dehydration in the Antarctic and comparisons with the Arctic

[1] We present measurements of stratospheric water vapor taken at high northern and southern latitudes by the Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM) III instrument. The measurements show the seasonal variations in both hemispheres, including wintertime descent in the polar vortices and dehydration in the Antarctic. While POAM is unable to measure in regions with high aerosol extinction and can therefore not measure the temporary sequestration of water in ice clouds, POAM can measure the effects of such dehydration events if they result in the permanent removal of water vapor from an air parcel. A study of POAM “matches,” where the same parcel is observed more than once by the POAM instrument, shows significant permanent dehydration in the Antarctic for nearly all cases in which the parcel is either exposed to conditions where the mixing ratio either exceeds the saturation mixing ratio by >2 ppmv or experiences temperatures that remain below the saturation temperature for >2 days. These POAM matches suggest that parcels undergo several episodes of dehydration before their water vapor mixing ratio is reduced to the 1–2 ppmv level typically observed within the vortex in the Antarctic spring. Interannual differences in Antarctic vortex temperatures are shown to be qualitatively consistent with interannual differences in dehydration observed by POAM. Although analyses of parcels observed by POAM in the Arctic indicate that a few of these parcels experience conditions which generally cause permanent dehydration in the Antarctic, no significant permanent dehydration is observed in the POAM Arctic measurements.
The effectiveness of sampling methods in detecting copulatory behavior in Macaca arctoides.

The copulatory behavior of a social group of 18 stumptail macaques was observed for 171 hours over a period of 5 months. The occurrence of copulation and several quantitative measures of copulation were compared using sampling periods of 2 hours daily and continuous dawn-to-dusk observation. In this environment copulation was found to occur in brief bouts of relatively short duration. Copulation was detected on 34% of the days observed with 2 hr sampling and 100% of the days with DTD sampling. Thus, brief limited-time samples of behavior are not adequate for reliably detecting copulation in this species under social group-living conditions.
Automated potentiometric analysis with selective electrodes

Abstract An automated potentiometric analyzer based on a residual-chlorine electrode has been developed that can determine chlorine concentrations of a 4–75 ppb (±2 ppb, standard deviation 0.6–1.9 ppb). A microcomputer-controlled digital buret delivers a predetermined number of aliquots of standard, and the electrode measures the potential of the test solution after each addition. An arithmetic processing unit transforms the acquired potentiometric data to the Gran (antilog) domain; the microcomputer then calculates a set of equivalence-point estimates and, using an error function criterion, selects the best estimate. The instrument includes a digital buret, 8080 microcomputer, arithmetic processing unit, real-time clock, video display, and 16-character key pad; it uses a modified version of the computer language BASIC compiled and programmed into Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM). Although this system was designed to assay residual chlorine in water, the analyzer can also function as a digital pH (or millivolt) meter or, with minor software modifications, serve as a general-purpose instrument using any appropriate electrode system.
A101: The Impact of Sleep and Cytokine Levels on Pain Perception in JIA

Background/Purpose: Children with JIA experience more pain and disordered sleep than healthy children. JIA and poor sleep are associated with particular cytokine abnormalities, and the correlation between the two and how they relate to a patient's pain perception have not been studied. Elevation in TNF-a, IL-6, IL-17, and IFN-g have been found in the serum of children with JIA during active disease. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines are also increased during sleep loss. Indeed, blocking TNF-a has been shown in adults with RA to improve sleep the night after the first dose. We hypothesize that dysfunctional sleep enhances pain in our patients and may be associated with abnormal cytokine profiles. In this pilot study, we hope to identify a subgroup of children with JIA that could benefit from intervention in improving sleep patterns. Methods: We plan to enroll 60 patients with JIA. Sleep is assessed by the sleep self-report (SSR), the children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ), and actigraphy. Good concordance in measurements of sleep duration has been established between PSG and actigraphy. Patients wear an actigraphy watch and keep a daily sleep and pain diary for 14 days. Disease activity is assessed using ESR, sum of active joints, patient/parent and physician global assessment of disease activity. Serum cytokine testing will be performed by flow cytometry. Results: 31 patients are enrolled. We identified 7 children with disordered sleep using CSHQ/ SSR. These patients report having pain on most days, and they trend toward having elevated disease activity (increased physician and patient global assessments as well as number of active joints, ESR was non-contributory). To date, 9 of the 31 patients underwent actigraphy. Preliminary data does not indicate an association between disease activity and objective sleep dysfunction. There is not yet enough data to comment on the association of pain and disordered sleep in the absence of disease activity. Serum from 22 patients has been collected for cytokine studies. Conclusion: There is a trend toward an association of perceived poor sleep (as reported subjectively by SSR/CSHQ) with increased pain and disease activity in our patient population. Increased disease activity does not appear to be objectively related to disordered sleep using actigraphy, however. So far, actigraphy has been conducted on patients without subjective complaints of sleep dysfunction. We plan to collect more objective data (via actigraphy) on patients with subjective sleep complaints (with and without active disease) to better characterize the relationship of pain and sleep. When this has been accomplished, we plan to investigate cytokine profiles in these groups.
Stepped-care in obesity treatment: Matching treatment intensity to participant performance

This investigation examined the effectiveness of a self-help (SH), stepped-care (SC) weight loss program. Based on a failure to achieve pre-assigned weight loss goals, participants were eligible to be stepped-up from a SH program to two levels of treatment intensity (weight loss group [WLG]; individual counseling [IC]) beyond SH. The primary outcome was change in body weight. Fifty-three overweight/obese adults (BMI≥27 kg/m(2); mean BMI of 37.3, SD=6.6, 89% Caucasian, and 77% female) participated in an 18-week weight loss intervention. During several phases of the investigation, those stepped-up to more intensive treatment lost comparable weight to those who were not stepped-up. Nevertheless, by the end of treatment, individuals who remained in SH (M=8.6%) lost a significantly greater percentage of weight than individuals who received SH+IC (M=4.7%; p<.05) and individuals in SH+IC lost a significantly greater percentage of weight than individuals who received SH+WLG+IC (M=1.6%; p<.05). While some individuals benefited from being stepped-up to greater intensity treatment, other individuals experienced little benefit. The application of SC principles to the treatment of obesity needs further study.
Methanol synthesis over palladium supported on silica

Abstract Methanol synthesis activity of palladium supported on four types of silica (Davison 01, 03, 57, and 59) were evaluated at 16 atm and 255 °C in a Berty-type reactor. Turnover frequencies (TOF) were determined based on hydrogen chemisorption data. The TOF's for a particular type of silica increased with decreasing metal dispersion, but for equivalent dispersions the silicas had a marked effect, with TOF's following the sequence Pd SiO 2 (59)> Pd SiO 2 (57)> Pd SiO 2 (01,03). Preliminary results on unsupported Pd show that the activity was less than expected on the basis of particle size. Thus, the silica promotes the activity of the Pd, even though the supported metal particles are relatively large and the TOF increases with particle size. Chloride ions enhance activity by stabilizing higher dispersions and by increasing TOF's. Lithium ions effect extensive sintering of the silica support and promote activity by increasing the TOF. The latter increase may, in part, be the result of more efficient use of Pd surface which occurs via the exclusion of small pores. The more active Pd SiO 2 catalysts were found to be comparable in activity to a commercial methanol synthesis catalyst.
Acute and chronic nicotine effects on multiple-schedule behavior: oral and SC routes.

Abstract For rats responding on a 3 h FI 4 min FR 20 schedule of food reinforcement, presession SC nicotine doses (0.1–0.8 mg/kg) produced depression in all responding followed by stimulation of FI responding that was dependent upon both time and dose. With daily presession 0.8 mg/kg SC nicotine injections for 9 days, no tolerance to the depressive or stimulatory effects of nicotine occurred. When nicotine solutions were orally self-administered by presession exposure to 3 h of schedule-induced polydipsia, the subsequent FR responding was unaffected, but the degree of FI response stimulation and its duration occurred in a dose-related fashion (1.18–4.10 mg/kg). Prolonged daily sessions of oral nicotine self-administration provide a technique for investigating the effects of chronic exposure to nicotine. The postingestive effects of nicotine reveal stimulatory effects that last for at least 3 h.
Living mulch forage yield and botanical composition in a corn-soybean-forage rotation.

Managing forages as living mulches during row crop production requires suppressing the forages to produce economical crop yields. The objective of this research was to identify forage plants with varied growth habit, persistence, and yield potential to provide desirable ecosystem functions in a multifunctional cropping system. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum Bieb.), and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) were evaluated in sole seedings, binary mixtures, and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) were included in three-way mixtures in a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]-forage rotation. The forages functioned as cover crops in corn and soybean and were suppressed using a 25-cm glyphosate band over the row. In the forage year, treatments containing alfalfa produced the highest yields (7824 kg ha -1 average dry matter 2005-2007). Three-way mixtures provided greater weed suppression in the interrow than sole seedings or binary mixtures in 2 of 3 yr (80 vs. 127 weeds m -2 , 2005-2006 average). Kura clover provided greater weed suppression than alfalfa in the former row (108 vs. 186 weeds m -2 ). Reed canarygrass exhibited better stability in sward composition (20% in 2005 and 22% in 2007) than orchardgrass (58% in 2005 and 16% in 2007). Consequently, the best combination of species to use as living mulches to provide high forage yields and lower weed densities includes alfalfa, kura clover, and reed canarygrass. Seeding a nondormant alfalfa in the spring of the forage year will supplement yield and suppress weeds in the former crop row.
Negative Response Elements in Keratin Genes Mediate Transcriptional Repression and the Cross-talk among Nuclear Receptors

Very little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the findings that binding of nuclear receptors (NR) to some promoter elements leads to transcriptional activation, whereas binding to others leads to repression. Case in point is the group of epidermal keratin genes and their DNA sequences responsible for repression by NR. Keratin response elements (KREs) interact with receptors for retinoic acid, thyroid hormone, and glucocorticoids. KREs, by their structure and sequence, direct the binding of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone as homodimers and glucocorticoids as monomers. Such specific DNA-receptor interactions are crucial for the repression signal of transcription. In this paper we have analyzed the interactions between the KREs and NR that lead to such repression. We have found that KREs are promoter-independent. They not only provide a docking platform for the receptors, but also play a key role in directing the receptors to bind into particular configurations and coordinating the interactions among different receptors. Both an intact KRE and an intact receptor DNA-binding domain are necessary for the regulation to occur, which emphasizes the importance of interaction between the DNA and NR for proper signaling. Furthermore, KREs allow simultaneous binding of multiple receptors, thus providing fine-tuning of transcriptional regulation. The DNA/DNA-binding domain interactions in keratin promoters exemplify tissue and gene specificity of hormone action.
Use of force by law enforcement: an evaluation of safetyand injury.

BACKGROUND:: Little is known about the frequency and types of injuries sustained from law enforcement use of force (UOF). The purpose of this study was to examine injury patterns and subject conditions after law enforcement UOF under real-life conditions. METHODS:: A retrospective cohort design was used to examine every UOF by a single police department from January through December, 2006. Data were collected from law enforcement UOF forms as well as medical records and included conditions surrounding the UOF, medical histories, and data from emergency department (ED) evaluations and hospital admissions. RESULTS:: Of 888 individuals subjected to force during the study period, 86.9% were men and the average body mass index was 25.8. Ages ranged from 10 to 77 years; juveniles comprised 5.6%. Of the types of force used by police, 73.7% were blows with arms or legs; 15.9% were Taser, 4.6% were capsicum spray, 1.7% were K-9, 0.7% were impact weapons, and 0.2% were firearms. Of the 630 (70.9%) with medical records, 78.7% had a substance abuse or psychiatric history. ED evaluations occurred for 187 (21.1% of) incidents. When laboratory workup occurred, 75.5% had positive urine toxicology and 45.9% had positive ethanol levels. Admission occurred in 15.5% (29) of ED presentations (3.3% of all subjects); of these, 9 (31.0%) were for UOF-related injury. Two subjects in the study died: one as a result of firearm injury and one by suicide after UOF; both were declared dead on scene. DISCUSSION:: Significant injuries related to law enforcement UOF in one city were rare and the only deaths were related to firearm use. A large percentage of those subjected to UOF had diagnoses of substance abuse and/or psychiatric conditions, and most hospital admissions were for problems unrelated to the UOF. Language: en
Laser-induced acoustic detection of buried objects

ABSTRACT We have investigated the use of acoustic energy produced by a pulsed CO2 laser to detect objects underwater or buried in sand. The CO2 laser produced 1 50 mJ pulses ofduration 1 00 ns. The resulting acoustic pulses were detected with an audio microphonewith a response to 1 5 kHz or a PZT transducer with a resonant frequency at 28 kHz. With the laser incident on the surface ofa water-filled tank, acoustic echos were observed from the tank walls and from objects in the tank. For objects buried in sand,changes in the acoustic lineshape related to the presence of subsurface objects were observed. Analysis of the data to extractclear signatures ofthe mine are in progress.Keywords: laser-induced, acoustic, land mine detection, photoacoustic, optoacoustic 1. INTRODUCTION The large acoustic mismatch between granular soil and solid subsurface objects suggests that acoustic methods have considerablepromise for land mine detection. Sound velocities in sand or granular soil can be on the order of or less than the velocity in air(330 mIs)' while in metals or plastics characteristic ofland mine casing or fillers, sound velocities are typically greater than 2000rn/s. The velocity and/or density mismatch between soil and mine creates a large acoustic reflection from the mine.In common with other anomaly detection techniques, the challenge of acoustic detection is to distinguish the effect of a buriedmine from stones, roots, and other clutter in the ground. Two separate approaches to acoustic discrimination depend on theidentification ofacoustic resonances ofthe target object, or the resolution ofthe target shape. While mine-like objects may haveidentifiable acoustical resonances from a few kilohertz to hundreds ofkilohertz, these resonances are strongly damped when theobject is in soil. Target identification through shape resolution, on the other hand, requires multiple acoustic sources or receiversto correlate the received signal with the position or angle ofthe source. Coupling acoustic energy from the air into the soil ormatching of separate movable ground-contact transducers makes spatial resolution with acoustic transducers difficult.Optical methods for the detection or generation of sound have advantages for remote position-sensitive acoustic detection.Optical laser vibrometry is a commercially available tool for thedetection ofsound at a solid surface which has been applied for the
Product integration methods for Volterra integral equations of the first kind

The numerical solution of Volterra integral equations of the first kind can be accomplished if the integral is replaced by certain simple quadrature rules, such as the midpoint or the trapezoidal methods. When the kernel of the integral equation oscillates more rapidly than the solution one can use product integration techniques to increase the accuracy. Such an approach is investigated in this paper.
The LIN-2/LIN-7/LIN-10 Complex Mediates Basolateral Membrane Localization of the C. elegans EGF Receptor LET-23 in Vulval Epithelial Cells

In C. elegans, the LET-23 receptor tyrosine kinase is localized to the basolateral membranes of polarized vulval epithelial cells. lin-2, lin-7, and lin-10 are required for basolateral localization of LET-23, since LET-23 is mislocalized to the apical membrane in lin-2, lin-7, and lin-10 mutants. Yeast two-hybrid, in vitro binding, and in vivo coimmunoprecipitation experiments show that LIN-2, LIN-7, and LIN-10 form a protein complex. Furthermore, compensatory mutations in lin-7 and let-23 exhibit allele-specific suppression of apical mislocalization and signaling-defective phenotypes. These results present a mechanism for basolateral localization of LET-23 receptor tyrosine kinase by direct binding to the LIN-2/LIN-7/LIN-10 complex. Each of the binding interactions within this complex is conserved, suggesting that this complex may also mediate basolateral localization in mammals.
Access to care.

In the twenty years since the National Hospice Organization began, hospice has grown tremendously. However, it still only serves a small percentage of terminally ill patients. This is because access to hospice services is limited by various restrictions to care. These barriers to care include societal attitudes towards death, diversity issues, socioeconomic issues, and eligibility issues. In order to develop and serve more of the population, hospice agencies must be flexible, creative, and use ingenuity to bridge the gaps that occur for some terminally ill patients.
Entangled allegiances: Ottoman Greeks in Marseille and the shifting ethos of Greekness (c. 1790–c. 1820)

An attempt is made here to consider ‘the Greek experience of Ottoman rule’ beyond the frontiers of the Empire itself, by focusing on the resilience of the Ottoman aspect of collective identity among the Greeks in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Marseille. Beyond the classic questioning of political, social and cultural categories and labels, this article makes a plea for taking this resilience seriously, as part and parcel of a broader process of identity formation in a diaspora context. Making the case for a richer and more complex analysis of the phenomenon of ‘entangled identities’ among the Greeks in Marseille, some suggestions are made for what this claim might bring to the analysis of identity formation in the context of diaspora communities.
The effects of intraocular lidocaine on the corneal endothelium

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the direct effect of intraocular lidocaine hydrochloride (HCl) 1% on corneal endothelial cell function, ultrastructure, and viability using an in vitro perfusion specular microscope system. Design: Paired rabbit and human corneas were isolated and mounted in an in vitro specular microscope for endothelial perfusion evaluation. Corneas were perfused with a control solution (BSS Plus for humans, glutathione bicarbonate Ringer's [GBR] for rabbits) for a 1-hour stabilization period. After the stabilization period, one cornea of each matched pair was perfused with preservative-free lidocaine HCl 1% for 15 minutes followed by control solution for an additional 2 to 3 hours. The control cornea continued to receive either GBR or BSS Plus. Corneal thickness measurements were taken every 15 minutes throughout the perfusion period. Corneal swelling and deswelling rates were calculated by linear regression analysis. At the end of the experiment, corneas were fixed for scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In another group of corneas, the endothelial viability was assayed after direct perfusion with lidocaine HCl 1%. Results: Lidocaine HCl 1% caused endothelial cell edema, which reversed on removal of lidocaine from perfusion media. Corneal swelling and deswelling rates did not differ significantly between the lidocaine and control groups. Electron microscopy showed the effects of transient endothelial cell edema with an otherwise normal mosaic pattern and ultrastructure for both treatment groups. Endothelial cell viability was maintained after the direct lidocaine exposure and a 2-hour washout. Conclusions: Lidocaine HCl 1% causes a transient endothelial cell edema to the in vitro perfused endothelium of human and rabbit corneas. Proper attention should be given to the type of lidocaine injected intraocularly (i.e., concentration, vehicle, preservatives, pH, osmolarity). Although lidocaine HCl 1% appears to be safe to both human and rabbit endothelium during short-term in vitro exposure, further in vivo and in vitro studies are needed to determine long-term effects of intraocular lidocaine on the corneal endothelium.
Influence of a weak gravitational wave on a bound system of two point-masses

The problem of a weak gravitational wave impinging upon a nonrelativistic bound system of two point masses is considered. The geodesic equation for each mass is expanded in terms of two small parameters, v/c and dimensionless wave amplitude, in a manner similar to the post-Newtonian expansion; the geodesic equations are resolved into orbital and center-of-mass equations of motion. The effect of the wave on the orbit is determined by using Lagrange's planetary equations to calculate the time evolution of the orbital elements. The gauge properties of the solutions and, in particular, the gauge invariance of the secular effects are discussed.
Reproductive biology and gametophyte morphology of the Hawaiian fern genus Sadleria (Blechnaceae) relative to habitat diversity and propensity for colonization

Comparative ontogenetic studies were made of the gametophyte generation grown from spores taken from natural populations of the four species of Sadleria. Significant differences were found between species in the nature of the perispore, presence or absence of a terminal trichome on the one-dimensional filament, and the sequence of gametangia formation. Breeding tests were also conducted and sporophytes screened for recessive lethals. Three species were found to have intergametophytic mating systems and heterozygosity for sporophytic lethals. Of these, S. cyatheoides and S. souleyetiana have retained the capability for monogametophytic reproduction, whereas S. pallida has not. The fourth species, S. squarrosa, has a prolonged gametophyte generation intolerant of higher light intensities. Correlations between frequency in nature, habitat diversity, ability to colonize newly formed lava flows, reproductive biology and syndromes of the gametophyte generation are made.
P054: The impact of first trimester screening on trends in termination for chromosome abnormalities

Objective: To determine the impact of first trimester combined screening (FTS) (nuchal translucency and biochemistry) on the gestational age (GA) at diagnosis for fetal chromosome abnormalities (CA): Down Syndrome (DS), Trisomy 13 (T13), Trisomy 18 (T18), and Turner’s Syndrome (TS), and timing of pregnancy termination. Methods: The Mount Sinai Prenatal Diagnosis Unit database was reviewed to ascertain all referrals for genetic termination over a 3 year period, specifically the number of women carrying fetuses with DS, T13, T18, and TS. The data were examined in relation to the year of diagnosis, availability of FTS, and the GA at diagnosis and termination. Results: Of the 496 women referred for genetic termination over the study period, 172 (34.7%) had CA. Of those with CA, 108 (62.8%) had fetuses with DS, 16 (9.3%) with T13, 37 (21.5%) with T18, and 11 (6.4%) with TS. There was no difference in the number of terminations for CA between 2000 and 2002, however, there was a reduction in the mean GA at termination for all studied CA (Table 1). Table 1
A Directional Capacitive MEMS Microphone using Nano-Electrodeposits

We present an in-situ non-volatile tuning method for adjusting MEMS microphone sensitivity using integrated nano-electrodeposits to achieve high directionality in hearing aids. Using a DC bias at room temperature, nano-electrodeposits are electrochemically formed on a Ag-Ge-Se solid electrolyte film integrated with a microphone diaphragm. The in-situ growth mechanism generates mass/stress redistribution on the diaphragm, tuning microphone sensitivity to incoming acoustic sources. Acoustic measurements demonstrate the technique can achieve a tuning range of 1.67 dB (24%), corresponding to a 1.17-dB Directivity Index (DI) improvement, which is sufficient to enable acoustic directionality in high accuracy microphone arrays.
Pim1 promotes human prostate cancer cell tumorigenicity and c-MYC transcriptional activity

The serine/threonine kinase PIM1 has been implicated as an oncogene in various human cancers including lymphomas, gastric, colorectal and prostate carcinomas. In mouse models, Pim1 is known to cooperate with c-Myc to promote tumorigenicity. However, there has been limited analysis of the tumorigenic potential of Pim1 overexpression in benign and malignant human prostate cancer cells in vivo. We overexpressed Pim1 in three human prostate cell lines representing different disease stages including benign (RWPE1), androgen-dependent cancer (LNCaP) and androgen-independent cancer (DU145). We then analyzed in vitro and in vivo tumorigenicity as well as the effect of Pim1 overexpression on c-MYC transcriptional activity by reporter assays and gene expression profiling using an inducible MYC-ER system. To validate that Pim1 induces tumorigenicity and target gene expression by modulating c-MYC transcriptional activity, we inhibited c-MYC using a small molecule inhibitor (10058-F4) or RNA interference. Overexpression of Pim1 alone was not sufficient to convert the benign RWPE1 cell to malignancy although it enhanced their proliferation rates when grown as xenografts in vivo. However, Pim1 expression enhanced the in vitro and in vivo tumorigenic potentials of the human prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP and DU145. Reporter assays revealed increased c-MYC transcriptional activity in Pim1-expressing cells and mRNA expression profiling demonstrated that a large fraction of c-MYC target genes were also regulated by Pim1 expression. The c-MYC inhibitor 10058-F4 suppressed the tumorigenicity of Pim1-expressing prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, 10058-F4 treatment also led to a reduction of Pim1 protein but not mRNA. Knocking-down c-MYC using short hairpin RNA reversed the effects of Pim1 on Pim1/MYC target genes. Our results suggest an in vivo role of Pim1 in promoting prostate tumorigenesis although it displayed distinct oncogenic activities depending on the disease stage of the cell line. Pim1 promotes tumorigenicity at least in part by enhancing c-MYC transcriptional activity. We also made the novel discovery that treatment of cells with the c-MYC inhibitor 10058-F4 leads to a reduction in Pim1 protein levels.
Mitochondrial Ca2+ overload in primary cultures of rat renal cortical epithelial cells by cytotoxic concentrations of cyclosporine: a digitized fluorescence imaging study

Cyclosporine (CsA) has been reported to disrupt Ca2+ efflux from mitochondria, which suggests that CsA interference with Ca2+ homeostasis may be related to its nephrotoxicity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (1) to determine intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and mitochondrial free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]m) after primary cultures of rat renal cortical epithelial cells were exposed to cytotoxic concentrations of CsA; and (2) to explore the role of disruption of intracellular and mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis in CsA-induced cytotoxicity. [Ca2+]i in single kidney cells was examined by digitized fluorescence imaging (DFI) of the Ca2+ fluorescent probe, fura-2, and [Ca2+]m in single cells was observed by DFI of fura-2 entrapped in mitochondria after selective permeabilization of plasma membrane and other non-mitochondrial organelles by digitonin. Mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi) in single kidney cells was examined by rhodamine 123 (Rh-123) with DFI. Intracellular ATP in kidney cells was determined by a HPLC method. CsA resulted in an elevation in [Ca2+]i and [Ca2+]m, dissipation of delta psi and depletion of ATP in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The elevation of [Ca2+]i and [Ca2+]m and depletion of ATP preceded CsA-induced cytotoxicity in kidney cells as measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage. We conclude that CsA-induced alterations in mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis and a subsequent loss of energy supply may play a key role in CsA-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultures of rat renal cortical epithelial cells.
Economic impact of replacing CT with MR imaging for refractory epilepsy.

Purpose: To evaluate the economic costs of using computed tomography (CT) vs. magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the preoperative evaluation of refractory epilepsy patients. Methods: Preoperative CT and MR imaging findings from 117 patients who underwent surgery for medically refractory epilepsy during a 3.5-year period were reviewed. Cost savings were based on the paradigm that intracranial electroencephalogram monitoring (costing about $50,000) would have been necessary for preoperative localization of the epileptogenic zone in those patients without positive imaging findings. Savings attributed to replacing CT with MR were based on patients with positive MR and normal CT. A similar paradigm was used to calculate savings for replacing MR with CT. National savings were based solely on patients with neoplasms or vascular lesions because paradigms for other lesions vary considerable depending on institutional philosophy. Results: Replacing CT with MR imaging would have eliminated preoperative intracranial electrode procedures in 29 of 117 patients, with potential savings of $1,450,000 at our institution. In the 37 patients with neoplastic or vascular substrates, MR would have eliminated 10 invasive electrode procedures with estimated savings of $0.5 million institutionally and $3 to $4 million per year nationally. There were no cases to support replacing MR with CT. Conclusion: Replacing CT with MR decreases health costs associated with preoperative evaluation of intractable epilepsy requiring surgical amelioration.