cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Family Survival Project for Brain-Damaged Adults and Their Families

Historically public social policy in the United States, probably not unlike its development in other countries, has demanded the identification and recognition of a separate group of persons with a specific common problem before any social action is ever considered. We never seem to think very far ahead in anticipation of inequalities and problems nor do we plan for the total population. Thus only after a specific problem is properly labeled, publicized and has a catalyst to keep it publicized, does society begin to take note.
Quantitative studies on viral interference in suspended L cells: V. Persistence of protection in growing cultures

Abstract The persistence of interference was studied in exponentially growing cultures of suspended L cells after limited exposure to UV-irradiated Newcastle disease virus (NDVUV) or to interferon. Periodic challenge with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) disclosed that the duration of protection was largely independent of the size of the interfering dose provided the latter was above a given threshold concentration. Susceptibility of the cultures to viral infection was regained by a stepwise process. Cells were noted first which had the ability to synthesize viral protein but no infectious virus; then cells appeared in rapidly increasing numbers which produced infectious virus in reduced quantities. Full infectibility of NDVUV-treated cultures was not recovered until about 10 cell divisions had occurred whereas the effect of interferon was lost somewhat sooner. Protection against influenza A virus (PR8 strain) and VSV diminished simultaneously. On exposure to optimal concentrations of NDVUV or interferon, total resistance against viral challenge was transmitted to at least 8–16 descendant cells, in the absence of detectable levels of intra- or extracellular interferon.
Small and Large Time Scale Analysis of a Network Traffic Model

Empirical studies of the internet and WAN traffic data have observed multifractal behavior at time scales below a few hundred milliseconds. There have been some attempts to model this phenomenon, but there is no model to connect the small time scale behavior with behavior observed at large time scales of bigger than a few hundred milliseconds. There have been separate analyses of models for high speed data transmissions, which show that appropriate approximations to large time scale behavior of cumulative traffic are either fractional Brownian motion or stable Levy motion, depending on the input rates assumed. This paper tries to bridge this gap and develops and analyzes a model offering an explanation of both the small and large time scale behavior of a network traffic model based on the infinite source Poisson model. Previous studies of this model have usually assumed that transmission rates are constant and deterministic. We consider a nonconstant, multifractal, random transmission rate at the user level which results in cumulative traffic exhibiting multifractal behavior on small time scales and self-similar behavior on large time scales.
Accessing care for U.S./Mexico border populations living with HIV/AIDS: The role of HRSA’s HIV/AIDS bureau and the special projects of national significance

Abstract The Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) provides health-care to underserved areas in the U.S. and addresses disparities in health-care among U.S. populations. HRSA's Ryan White CARE Act provides HIV care and supportive services for persons with HIV and AIDS in the U.S. and its territories. Five projects were funded as Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) from 2001–2005, to improve care and access to HIV services along the U.S.-Mexican Border. These projects developed culturally appropriate and innovative outreach strategies, expanded counseling and testing in border communities, assured continuity of care through intensive case management services and increased clinical capacity through provider training.
Atomistic simulations of self-assembled monolayers that contain azobenzene

Self-assembled monolayers containing azobenzene groups covalently incorporated into some of the chains are of particular interest because of the photoisomerizable character of the azobenzene unit. A potentially interesting system is one where the terminal groups in the chains that contain azobenzene are different from the other terminal groups. The configurational states of the azobenzene are then expected to control the relative protrusion of the terminal groups and alter the mole fraction of these groups present on the free surface, which directly influences the properties of the monolayer. Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed for mixed systems of a hydrocarbon chain containing azobenzene surrounded by pure hydrocarbon chains on a planar silica substrate. With a surface area assigned roughly three times larger than the usual area for a pure hydrocarbon chain, the azobenzene-containing chain exhibits an observable chain length difference between the trans and the cis configurations. Also th...
Mach Number Effects on Jet Noise Sources and Radiation to Shallow Angles

LL jets have noise generation due to turbulent mixing; suchmixingleadstotheproductionofReynoldsstresses,thesourceterm within the Lighthill acoustic analogy [1]. In addition to thissource,ajetthatpossessescoherent,large-scalestructuresthattravelwith velocities exceeding the local speed of sound will emit Machwave radiation, a highly efﬁcient noise production mechanism. Theamplitudeofjetnoisescaleswiththejetareaandtheexitvelocitytoanangle-dependentpowern.Thereisdisagreement,however,inthevalueofn.Basedondimensionalanalysis,Lighthill[1]foundntobe8. In anextensive examination of jet noise scaling, Viswanathan [2]observed that n 9:8 for the measurement location (30 deg) andambient to total temperature ratio of unity examined in this work.Venkatesh et al. [3] presented an extensive set of subsonic jet noisemeasurements that show the region of maximum noise generationcoincides withthecollapseoftheuniform, irrotationaljetcore.Thistechnical note examines the impact of Mach number on themechanism of jet noise generation, the scaling of jet noise, and theregion of maximum noise generation. It does this throughexamination of the time and frequency domain properties of theshallow angle jet noise from Mach 0.9, and ideally expandedMach 1.3 and 2.0 jets.A recent set of experiments showed that a Mach 1.3 jet possesseslarge amplitude acoustic peaks within the time-domain data andthesepeakscouldbeusedtorelatethegenerationoffarﬁeldradiatedsound to the evolution of the mixing layer [4–7]. These acousticpeaks are examined in this technical note to characterize the noisegeneration mechanism and source region of the three jets. For allMachnumbersstudied,thelargeamplitudeacousticpeaksoriginatefrom an ellipsoid-shaped region that is centered past the end of thepotentialcoreandthenoisesourceregionnarrowsinthecross-streamwith increasing Mach numbers. Unlike at Mach 0.9 and 1.3, theMach2.0acousticpeakshavetemporalasymmetry,whichisrelatedtothechangeinnoisegenerationmechanismfromturbulencemixingto Mach wave emission.
Example applications of the MISR INteractive eXplorer (MINX) software tool to wildfire smoke plume analyses

The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard Terra acquires imagery at 275-m resolution at nine angles ranging from 0° to 70° off-nadir. This multi-angle capability facilitates the stereoscopic retrieval of smoke heights associated with near-source plumes. A new visualization and analysis program called MISR INteractive eXplorer (MINX) takes advantage of wind-direction information inherent in smoke plumes from active fires to determine plume heights and wind speeds at higher resolution and with greater accuracy than provided by the standard, operational MISR product. Among the software tool's many features are several designed for in-depth study of plumes, including animations of the nine MISR camera images that provide a visual 3-D perspective, and interactive digitization of plumes in order to automatically retrieve heights and winds. Aerosol properties from MISR, and fire power based on infrared brightness temperatures from MODIS (also on Terra) are archived along with the retrieved height and wind data. MINX retrievals have sufficient spatial detail to provide valuable input to studies of plume dynamics as well as large-scale climatological studies. Current efforts are focusing on fires in North America, but application to other areas of the world is also envisioned. Case study examples will be presented to illustrate MINX capabilities.
Inhibition of experimental lactational mammary gland growth in the rat with exogenous estrogen and progesterone.

To determine if the combination of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy inhibits only the secretory capacity of the mammary gland or if it also inhibits the mitotic activity associated with lactogenesis 113 virgin female Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized and injected daily for 20 days with 2 mcg of 17beta-estradiol-3 benzoate and 6 mg of progesterone (EP). Then in 4 groups daily injections were given of either cortisol (C) prolactin (L) growth hormone (G) or a combination of all 3 hormones for 3 days following the last injection of EP. In another series of 4 groups the injections of EP were continued along with the above 3 hormones. The structural and functional status of the mammary glands were estimated by measurement of DNA RNA and nitrogen content. Details of methods used are given. Only the group treated with C showed the maximum lactational activity with significant elevations in DNA RNA and nitrogen content of the mammary glands. When EP was given along with C G and L all hormonally induced increases in DNA RNA and nitrogen were inhibited. Results were thought to indicate that in the rat levels of EP during normal pregnancy hold milk secretion in abeyance until parturition and also block the particular type of mitotic growth phase associated with early lactation.
Germ Cell Genes and Cancer

Cancer cells and germ cells share several characteristics. For instance, both have the ability to rapidly proliferate, typically do not lose the ability to divide as they age (lack senescence), and exist in undifferentiated states. Although some genes involved in cancer may initiate disease simply by activating the cell division cycle, others may spur tumors by activating early developmental pathways associated with programming for multipotency (the ability to differentiate into different cell types). On page 1824 of this issue, Janic et al. ( 1 ) show that in fruit flies a number of genes typically involved in early programming of germline cells are also involved in the formation of one type of malignant brain tumor. They also show that inactivating these germ cell genes—some of which have related genes shown to be abnormally expressed in certain human cancers—can suppress tumor growth, suggesting new avenues for therapy.
Cadherin cell adhesion molecules in vertebrate neural development

Abstract Cellular interactions play a crucial role in the development of the vertebrate nervous system. The molecular analysis of cell adhesion has revealed a family of cell adhesion molecules, the cadherins, that mediate homophilic cell-cell interactions in a calcium-dependent manner. Some of the molecular mechanisms underlying cadherin-mediated cell adhesion have been determined. Recently, several new cadherins were identified in the vertebrate nervous system. The expression patterns of the neural cadherins and initial functional studies suggest that these molecules may play a role in various aspects of neural development. The multiplicity of cadherin subclasses on neural cells and the modulation of their function through associated molecules may specify the multiple adhesive interactions of neural cells during embryonic development.
Quality Attributes and Retention of Selected B-Vitamins of Canned Faba Bean as Affected by Soaking Treatments

Solutions of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and sodium bicarbonate were used to soak faba beans before canning. Soaking in ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid solutions only caused a slightly lighter bean color. Soaking in bicarbonate solutions increased both the drained weight and the softness of the cooked beans, and it also made the bean color darker. The profiles of loss of both thiamin and riboflavin during the canning process were determined. Riboflavin was lost primarily during retorting while thiamin was lost in several processes including heat pretreatment and soaking. Mechanism of loss for the two vitamins was mainly leaching; very little thermal destruction was observed. None of the soaking treatments affected the retention of these vitamins.
Intrinsically Disordered Protein: A Thermodynamic Perspective

Protein intrinsic disorder is commonly viewed as a binary attribute. This paradigm has been exploited for development and interpretation of prediction algorithms, which often classify positions as either “structured” or “disordered” based on sequence information. This work proposes a different perspective, based on the free energy difference between the disordered and structured thermodynamic states of the protein. Although requiring the assumption that intrinsically disordered protein is simply destabilized structured protein, several puzzling aspects of disorder can be subsequently rationalized. Most important of these is the fundamental insight that a small stability difference results in a large change in population of conformational states, meaning that only a few kcal/mol of energy (obtainable from ligand binding or pH change) could transform a disordered protein to a structured one. Thus, intrinsically disordered proteins may actually be energetically “poised to respond” to facilitate biological function. Several lines of computational evidence, generated using the eScape algorithm, support such a view. First, residues experimentally annotated as disordered exhibited distributions of lower predicted stability than structured residues. Second, the relative magnitudes of the average stability differences were small and thus consistent with possible population shifts between “structured” and “disordered” upon stability perturbation. Third, these stability differences were significantly correlated with disorder propensity, side chain volume, and experimental hydrophobicity scales. Finally, the thermodynamic information was used to train moderately effective support vector machine predictors of disorder. Although these novel predictors would benefit from technical refinement, their initial effectiveness suggests that progress in identification and classification of intrinsic disorder could be achieved by viewing disorder as part of a free energy continuum. In this new framework, the binary description would be replaced by a physical picture: a context-dependent estimate of conformational population.
Linear constitutive model of ionic polymer bender transducers

A linear constitutive model for ionic polymer benders is developed to model sensing and actuation properties of ionic polymer transducers. The model is based on a set of linear coupled equations that relate stress, strain, applied field, and electric displacement. The constitutive equations are integrated to obtain an impedance model that is a function of transducer geometry and three material parameters. The material parameters are the electric permittivity, elastic modulus, and electromechanical coupling coefficient. Experiments are performed to determine the three material parameters from measured data on cantilever transducers. Experiments demonstrate that the strain coefficient of an ionic polymer transducer is on the order of 20,000 to 30,000 pm/V. Ionic polymers have very low coupling coefficient due to the large compliance and excessively high permittivity and the low speed of sound (≈ 250 to 300 m/s) limits the actuation bandwidth of any device constructed from the material. Furthermore, ionic polymers exhibit dielectric relaxation at higher frequencies and the coupling coefficient exhibits a sharp decrease below approximately 0.1 Hz. These characteristics limit the low frequency actuation capability of the material.
Fast-learning VIEWNET architectures for recognizing three-dimensional objects from multiple two-dimensional views

Abstract The recognition of three-dimensional (3-D) objects from sequences of their two-dimensional (2-D) views is modeled by a family of self-organizing neural architectures, called VIEWNET, that use View Information Encoded With NETworks. VIEWNET incorporates a preprocessor that generates a compressed but 2-D invariant representation of an image, a supervised incremental learning system that classifies the preprocessed representations into 2-D view categories whose outputs are combined into 3-D invariant object categories, and a working memory that makes a 3-D object prediction by accumulating evidence from 3-D object category nodes as multiple 2-D views are experienced. The simplest VIEWNET achieves high recognition scores without the need to explicitly code the temporal order of 2-D views in working memory. Working memories are also discussed that save memory resources by implicitly coding temporal order in terms of the relative activity of 2-D view category nodes, rather than as explicit 2-D view transitions. Variants of the VIEWNET architecture may be used for scene understanding by using a preprocessor and classier that can determine both what objects are in a scene and where they are located. The present VIEWNET preprocessor includes the CORT-X 2 filter, which discounts the illuminant, regularizes and completes figural boundaries, and suppresses image noise. This boundary segmentation is rendered invariant under 2-D translation, rotation, and dilation by use of a log polar transform. The invariant spectra undergo Gaussian coarse coding to further reduce noise and 3-D foreshortening effects, and to increase generalization. These compressed codes are input into the classifier, a supervised learning system based on the fuzzy ARTMAP algorithm. Fuzzy ARTMAP learns 2-D view categories that are invariant under 2-D image translation, rotation, and dilation as well as 3-D image transformations that do not cause a predictive error. Evidence from sequences of 2-D view categories converges at 3-D object nodes that generate a response invariant under changes of 2-D view. These 3-D object nodes input to a working memory that accumulates evidence over time to improve object recognition. In the simplest working memory, each occurrence (nonoccurrence) of a 2-D view category increases (decreases) the corresponding node's activity in working memory. The maximally active node is used to predict the 3-D object. Recognition is studied with noisy and clean images using slow and fast learning. Slow learning at thefuzzy ARTMAP mapfield is adapted to learn the conditional probability of the 3-D object given the selected 2-D view category. VIEWNET is demonstrated on an MIT Lincoln Laboratory database of 128 × 128 2-D views of aircraft with and without additive noise. A recognition rate of up to 90% is achieved with one 2-D view and of up to 98.5% correct with three 2-D views. The properties of 2-D view and 3-D object category nodes are compared with those of cells in monkey inferotemporal cortex.
Coordinated mechanics of feeding, swimming, and eye movements in Tautoga onitis , and implications for the evolution of trophic strategies in fishes

Fish feeding behavior results from successful coordination of the fins, jaws, and sensory systems, and the organization of this behavior may affect the fish’s foraging abilities and trophic ecology. Using quantitative kinematic methods, movements of the jaws, fins and eyes of Tautoga onitis (Teleostei: Labridae) were analyzed during feeding events. Tautog feeding events consisted of three phases: approach, strike, and recovery, each defined by a combination of kinematic events. The approach was characterized by changes in fin movements and in body position, with the eyes directed forward at the food item. The strike began with the onset of jaw opening and protrusion, then cranial elevation, with the eyes no longer looking at the food item. The end of the strike and the beginning of the recovery involved a braking maneuver with the pectoral fins; the fish turns and swims away from the original food location item after prey capture. The coordination performance variables of tautog were quantitatively compared to published data from closely related cheiline wrasses and parrotfishes, which represent different feeding ecologies within a monophyletic assemblage. Fishes feeding on molluscs and benthic invertebrates (Cheilinus fasciatus and Tautoga onitis) represented an intermediate coordination condition, with herbivores (the parrotfishes, Scarus quoyi and Sparisoma radians) at one extreme, and fishes feeding on elusive prey (Epibulus insidiator and Oxycheilinus digrammus) at the other extreme. The analysis suggests that the biomechanical demands of coordination for feeding on benthic invertebrates may represent a generalized, and perhaps ancestral behavior in the wrasses, whereas more specialized trophic niches have evolved divergent, more specialized demands. Examining the movement and coordination of the jaws, fins, and eyes during fish feeding provides a detailed mechanistic basis for behavior, and comparison of coordination patterns during feeding among different taxa can measure how these trophic strategies differ. Understanding the evolution of feeding ecologies in these demersal fishes may have implications for understanding their role within their shallow water reef community.
Combustion Ignition Delay in Engines with Unconventional Piston Motions

Ignition delay is an important parameter in determining diesel engine performance and efficiency and has a profound effect on the ability of an engine to start in cold conditions. With declining fuel quality and increasing interest in unusual fuels, this topic must be addressed for future engine designs. A literature survey has revealed that models of the type proposed by Wolfer are preferred. This model has been used to show that the piston motion in an engine can have a significant effect on ignition delay and cold-start performance. In particular, it was readily demonstrated that a sinusoidal motion (as imported by a Stiller-Smith mechanism) and an inverted slider-crank motion both offered superior performance to a conventional slider-crank motion.
Digital computer studies of respiratory control

One of the major shortcomings of models of the respiratory control system to date has been the lack of experimental verification of the validity of the models, primarily because of the lack of or inadequacy of such experimental information in the literature. For this reason, we set out to obtain experimental data for a variety of situations to be used by ourselves and by others for developing and verifying the validity of models of the respiratory control system. In one of these experimental studies the input to the system was considered to be the inspired carbon dioxide concentration and the outputs to be alveolar Pco2, tidal volume, respiratory frequency and minute ventilation. Some of the results of this study will be presented in the following paragraphs. In addition, a brief example of the use of such data in developing a model of ventilatory control will be presented.
Neutral currents and stellar cooling

Abstract If weak neutral currents couple with the strengths suggested by recent experiments, then stellar cooling via neutrino pair emission from thermally excited nuclear states may be significant in white dwarfs with central temperature ≲10 8° K. At higher temperatures, other neutrino cooling processes are more important. In the sun, the decay of thermally excited 57 Fe nuclei may produce a moderately large, but probably unobservable, low-energy flux of ν μ , g n μ , ν e , and g n e neutrinos.
Theophylline: is it obsolete for asthma?

Theophylline, despite its potential for causing gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system side effects, is still the major drug used to control symptoms of moderate asthma in children. Selection of patients who will benefit most from this treatment is based on asthma frequency, severity, and triggers; the cost and side effects of theophylline; the likelihood of compilance; and the wishes of both patient and parent. Theophylline's pharmacodynamics, metabolism, and proposed mechanisms of action are discussed, as are the use of specific preparations and possible side effects. Although theophylline can be used in the acute care setting, its major use is in daily continuous prophylaxis against events triggered by either allergic or nonallergic factors. In addition to dosage and titration, aspects of monitoring, compliance, and weaning are discussed.
Oxytocin release and uterine activation during parturition iin rabbits.

Plasma oxytocin was measured by a specific RIA in blood of pregnant and parturient rabbits obtained through an indwelling cardiac catheter. Uterine activity was continuously recorded by means of indwelling intrauterine balloons. Plasma oxytocin concentrations were low throughout gestation (mean ± SE, 16.1 ± 2.0 pg/ml), with no rise toward term. During parturition, a significant increase in plasma oxytocin was observed in all but 3 of 21 rabbits studied. Plasma oxytocin rose rapidly and reached high levels within minutes of the beginning of labor contractions. The mean concentration was 193 ± 55 pg/ ml (SE) 30–60 sec before the expulsive phase. The highest oxytocin concentrations were usually observed at the delivery of the first fetus (mean, 258 ± 89 pg/ml); this was followed by a rapid decline. Baseline levels were reached in 20–60 min. Uterine activity during parturition was well correlated with plasma oxytocin; an abrupt increase was observed a few minutes (5.1 ± 1.2 min) before the expulsion of the yo...
Macular Ischemia as a Cause of Decreased Vision in a Patient With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Purpose To report macular ischemia as a cause of decreased vision in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Methods A 50-year-old man with AIDS who had previously diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus retinopathy and peripheral cytomegalovirus retinitis was initially examined with decreased vision in both eyes. He underwent complete systemic and ocular evaluation, fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography. Result Fluorescein angiography disclosed irregular enlargement of the foveal avascular zone in both eyes. Conclusions Macular ischemia may cause decreased vision in patients with AIDS and can be detected by fluorescein angiography.
IC-P2-093: Differential FDDNP-PET patterns identify subgroups of middle-aged and older adults

Background: We explored whether positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-(1-{6-[(2-[F-18]fluoroethyl)(methyl) amino]-2-naphthyl} ethylidene)malononitrile (FDDNP), a molecule that binds to plaques and tangles in vitro, might identify homogeneous subgroups of persons according to FDDNP signal in middle-aged and older persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or normal cognition. Methods: Sixty-one older adults (MCI, N 34; normal cognition (NC, N 27) received FDDNP-PET scans and cognitive testing. MCI patients included amnestic, (N 13); multiple domains impaired (N 16); and non-amnestic (N 5) subtypes. Logan parametric images were produced using cerebellum as a reference region, and relative distribution volumes were obtained for regions of interest (ROIs) known to accumulate plaques and tangles in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Cluster analysis was performed to identify subgroups of subjects according to FDDNP signal distribution. Results: The analysis identified three FDDNP signal clusters: high signal in all (temporal, parietal, frontal and posterior cingulate) ROIs (high global cluster, HG); low signal in all ROIs (low global cluster, LG); high frontal and parietal signal with intermediate temporal and posterior cingulate signal (HF/PA). Most MCI subjects were in the HG and HF/PA clusters, but MCI subtypes were not differentiated according to cluster membership. Most cognitively normal subjects were in LG. On cognitive tests, the HG and HF/PA clusters performed significantly worse than LG; but did not significantly differ from each other. Repeat cognitive evaluations (over a average of 3.2 years) were available for 16 subjects (8 MCI; 8 CN). Half from each group declined, and the two subjects with MCI who developed dementia were from HF/PA. Conclusions: These initial analyses suggest that the HG FDDNP signal pattern may represent high AD risk. The FDDNP signal pattern of HF/PA was not characteristic of AD, but initial findings suggest HF/PA is a high dementia risk group. The HF/PA cluster may represent a combination of etiologies, variants, or severities related to underlying amyloid or tau. Longitudinal follow-up continues, and will determine the association of these subgroups with outcome.
Malignant epithelial cells in primary human lung carcinomas coexpress in vivo platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and PDGF receptor mRNAs and their protein products.

Abstract Lung cancer represents one of the major human carcinomas with the highest degree of mortality. Epidemiologic studies have linked this disease to "chronic injury," largely induced by cigarette smoking. In the present studies, we demonstrate the in vivo expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and PDGF receptor (PDGF-R) beta mRNAs and their respective protein products in malignant epithelial cells of primary human lung carcinomas. In contrast, nonmalignant epithelial cells in control, normal lung tissue specimen did not express PDGF and PDGF-R mRNAs and did not produce their respective protein products. Epithelial cells in lung specimen from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis expressed only PDGF mRNA but not PDGF-R beta mRNA. These findings of the inappropriate coexpression of a potent mitogen, PDGF, and its receptor in lung cancer epithelial cells suggest the presence of a powerful in vivo mechanism contributing to the self-stimulation and unregulated growth of lung cancer tumor cells.
Identification of an intrinsic determinant critical for maspin subcellular localization and function.

Maspin, a multifaceted tumor suppressor, belongs to the serine protease inhibitor superfamily, but only inhibits serine protease-like enzymes such as histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). Maspin is specifically expressed in epithelial cells and it is differentially regulated during tumor progression. A new emerging consensus suggests that a shift in maspin subcellular localization from the nucleus to the cytoplasm stratifies with poor cancer prognosis. In the current study, we employed a rational mutagenesis approach and showed that maspin reactive center loop (RCL) and its neighboring sequence are critical for maspin stability. Further, when expressed in multiple tumor cell lines, single point mutation of Aspartate346 (D346) to Glutamate (E346), maspinD346E, was predominantly nuclear, whereas wild type maspin (maspinWT) was both cytoplasmic and nuclear. Evidence from cellular fractionation followed by immunological and proteomic protein identification, combined with the evidence from fluorescent imaging of endogenous proteins, fluorescent protein fusion constructs, as well as bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) showed that the increased nuclear enrichment of maspinD346E was, at least in part, due to its increased affinity to HDAC1. MaspinD346E was also more potent than maspinWT as an HDAC inhibitor. Taken together, our evidence demonstrates that D346 is a critical cis-element in maspin sequence that determines the molecular context and subcellular localization of maspin. A mechanistic model derived from our evidence suggests a new window of opportunity for the development of maspin-based biologically competent HDAC inhibitors for cancer treatment.
Power comparisons of single‐sample winsorized T, trimmed T and student's T

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of Winsorized t which was proposed to be used as one alternative to the student's t statistic when the parent population is non-normal. The criterion we use is the power of the test. Comparative performance of the Winsorized t, trimmed t, and Studen$tCs t for normal populations and for Studen$tCs t distribution with 8, 4, and 2 degrees of freedom was investigated. $LCobjectif de cette $eAtude est $dC$eavaluer $lcefficacit$ea de la statistique t “winsorisge” qui a $eAt$eA propos$eAe en remplacement de la statistique t de Student quand la population $dCorigine n'est pas normale. On utilise comme crit$eGre la puissance du test. $LCefficacit$eA compar$eAe des statistiques t “winsorisee”, t tronqu$eAe et t de Student est $eAtudi$eAe pour des populations normales et pour la distribution t de Student avec 8, 4 et 2 degr$eAs de libert$eA.
Design of an Eye Limiting Resolution Visual System Using Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Equipment

A feasibility study was conducted to determine if a flight simulator with an eye-limiting resolution out-the-window (OTW) visual system could be built using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology and used to evaluate the visual performance of Air Force pilots in an operations context. Results of this study demonstrate that an eye limiting OTW visual system can be built using COTS technology. Further, a series of operationally-based tasks linked to clinical vision tests can be used within the synthetic environment to demonstrate a correlation and quantify the level of correlation between vision and operational aviation performance.
Induction of serine racemase by inflammatory stimuli is dependent on AP-1.

Abstract: Serine racemase (SRace) is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of L-serine to pyruvate or D-serine, an endogenous agonist for NMDA receptors. Our previous studies showed that inflammatory stimuli such as Aβ could elevate steady-state mRNA levels for SRace, perhaps leading to inappropriate glutamatergic stimulation under conditions of inflammation. We report here that a proinflammatory stimulus (lipopolysaccharide) elevated the activity of the human SRace promoter, as indicated by expression of a luciferase reporter system transfected into a microglial cell line. This effect corresponded to an elevation of SRace protein levels in microglia, as well. By contrast, dexamethasone inhibited the SRace promoter activity and led to an apparent suppression of SRace steady-state mRNA levels. A potential binding site for NFκB was explored, but this sequence played no significant role in SRace promoter activation. Instead, large deletions and site-directed mutagenesis indicated that a DNA element between −1382 and −1373 (relative to the start of translation) was responsible for the activation of the promoter by lipopolysaccharide. This region fits the consensus for an activator protein-1 binding site. Lipopolysaccharide induced an activity capable of binding this DNA element in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Supershifts with antibodies against c-Fos and JunB identified these as the responsible proteins. An inhibitor of Jun N-terminal kinase blocked SRace promoter activation, further implicating activator protein-1. These data indicate that proinflammatory stimuli utilize a signal transduction pathway culminating in activator protein-1 activation to induce expression of serine racemase.
The minimum and heavily ionizing components of particle showers

Abstract Significant differences have been observed between the high voltage response of DO uranium/liquid argon calorimeter modules to electrons or pions and the response of 106 Ru β test cells. This suggests an influence from heavily ionizing particles in electromagnetic and hadronic cascades. The differences have been exploited to infer the contribution of miminum and heavily ionizing components to the showers. The heavy component appears to be greater for pions than for electrons.
One-particle, j-j coefficients of fractional parentage in theisospin representation for n≤5 in the j=7/2 shell

Values for the one-particle, j-j coefficients of fractional parentage have been calculated for a portion of the j=7/2 shell. These coefficients join states which contain less than 5 particles and which are eigenfunctions of seniority, isospin, and total spin.
Severe ototoxicity following carboplatin-containing conditioning regimen for autologous marrow transplantation for neuroblastoma

Children with neuroblastoma receiving high-dose carboplatin as part of their conditioning regimen for autologous marrow transplantation have a high incidence of speech frequency hearing loss. We evaluated hearing loss in 11 children with advanced stage neuroblastoma who underwent autologous marrow transplantation, following a conditioning regimen containing high-dose carboplatin (2g/m2, total dose). Audiometric evaluations were obtained at diagnosis, prior to and following transplant. Exposure to other known ototoxins also was assessed. All patients sustained worsening of hearing following high-dose carboplatin. Nine of the 11 children (82%) had evidence of speech frequency hearing loss post transplant for which hearing aids were recommended (grades 3-4). Three of the nine children had speech frequency loss prior to transplant which progressed following transplant. The entire group was heavily pre-treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy pre-BMT and had extensive exposure to other ototoxins, including aminoglycoside antibiotics, diuretics, and noise exposure - all of which could have exacerbated the effects of carboplatin. High-dose carboplatin is ototoxic, particularly in patients who have been primed with previous platinum therapy or other ototoxic agents. We conclude that further efforts are needed to monitor and minimize this complication. In cases where hearing loss is inevitable due to cumulative ototoxic exposures, families need to be adequately prepared for the tradeoffs of potentially curable therapy.
Perforation of terminal ileal appendage of J-pelvic ileal reservoir

If, during restorative proctocolectomy, the most distal segment of the terminal ileum is not incorporated into the reservoir during J-pouch construction, it will remain as an appendage and may twist upon itself and obstruct. Two cases in which this resulted in significant complications are described.
Adult Genitourinary Sarcoma: The 25-Year Memorial Sloan-Kettering Experience

Purpose: Urological sarcomas are rare. We describe a continued single institutional experience during 25 years.Materials and Methods: The records from July 1977 to July 2003 were reviewed of all patients at our institution with sarcoma arising in the urinary tract or male genital system who were 16 years or older at diagnosis.Results: The primary tumor site in 131 patients was the bladder in 20, the kidney in 26, paratesticular in 57, the prostate in 21 and other in 7. Median followup was 4.0 years. The most common histological subtypes were leiomyosarcoma in 29% of cases and liposarcoma in 26%. Median tumor size was 7 cm and 78% of lesions were high grade. Of the patients 28 (21%) presented with metastatic disease and their median survival was 1.4 years compared to 10.7 years in patients without metastatic disease (p <0.0001). Disease specific survival was 56% and 42% at 5 and 10 years, respectively and median survival was 7.6 years. On univariate analysis unfavorable prognostic variables for disease spe...
Altering the DNA-binding Specificity of the Yeast Matα2 Homeodomain Protein

Homeodomain proteins are a highly conserved class of DNA-binding proteins that are found in virtually every eukaryotic organism. The conserved mechanism that these proteins use to bind DNA suggests that there may be at least a partial DNA recognition code for this class of proteins. To test this idea, we have investigated the sequence-specific requirements for DNA binding and repression by the yeast α2 homeodomain protein in association with its cofactors, Mcm1 and Mata1. We have determined the contribution for each residue in the α2 homeodomain that contacts the DNA in the co-crystal structures of the protein. We have also engineered mutants in the α2 homeodomain to alter the DNA-binding specificity of the protein. Although we were unable to change the specificity of α2 by making substitutions at residues 47, 54, and 55, we were able to alter the DNA-binding specificity by making substitutions at residue 50 in the homeodomain. Since other homeodomain proteins show similar changes in specificity with substitutions at residue 50, this suggests that there is at least a partial DNA recognition code at this position.
Beta cell desensitization to glucose induced by hyperglycemia is augmented by increased calcium.

Abstract Chronic hyperglycemia has been shown to induce a decrease in β cell sensitivity to a subsequent glucose challenge. Calcium is a necessary cofactor in the insulin secretory process and glucose elevates cytoplasmic levels. This study was designed to study whether chronic exposure to different extracellular calcium and glucose concentrations would affect the islets' subsequent response to regulatory stimuli. Islets were isolated and cultured in TC 199 plus 10% β calf serum, glucose (5.5 or 27.5 mM) and calcium (0.5, 2.5 or 4.0 mM) for 48 h. Following culture, the islets were harvested and incubated a second time in the presence of glucose and/or arginine, theophylline, and trifluoperazine (TFP). Some islets were used for insulin content, protein synthesis studies and/or CO2 production from labelled glucose. Islets cultured in a normal glucose environment with low or normal calcium concentration maintained the capacity to respond to a subsequent glucose or arginine challenge. However, islets cultured in a high glucose or high calcium medium failed to respond to a second glucose or arginine stimulus. Theophylline stimulated insulin secretion from both glucose-sensitive and non-sensitive islets, while trifluoperazine inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in previously sensitive islets and increased insulin secretion in previously non-sensitive islets. The different culture conditions did not alter insulin content, protein synthesis or glucose conversion to labelled CO2. We conclude that chronic exposure to high glucose decreases β cell responsiveness to glucose and amino acids. Increased extracellular calcium augmented this response. However, the β cell remained sensitive to theophylline-induced insulin secretion, while TFP paradoxically incrased insulin secretion in the glucose-insensitive β cells. Protein synthesis and glucose oxidation were not affected by culture conditions. Thus we suggest that the glucose-induced desensitization of the β cells may be due to alterations in the calcium-dependent release mechanism.
Laser damage in dielectric films: What we know and what we don't

Damage mechanisms in thin films are reviewed from femtosecond pulse to CW laser illumination. Special emphasis is given to the role of native and laser induced defects, recent successes and the need for better diagnostic tools.
Automatically Extracting Form Labels

We describe a machine-learning-based approach for extracting attribute labels from Web form interfaces. Having these labels is a requirement for several techniques that attempt to retrieve and integrate data that reside in online databases and that are hidden behind form interfaces, including schema matching and clustering, and hidden-Web crawlers. Whereas previous approaches to this problem have relied on heuristics and manually specified extraction rules, our technique makes use of learning classifiers to identify form labels. Our preliminary experiments show this approach is promising and has high accuracy.
The Bengal Submarine Fan, Northeastern Indian ocean

Bengal Submarine Fan, with or without its eastern lobe, the Nicobar Fan, is the largest submarine fan known. Most of its sediment has been supplied by the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, probably since the Early Eocene. The “Swatch-of-No-Ground” submarine canyon connects to only one active fan valley system at a time, without apprent bifurcation over its 2500-km length. The upper fan is comprised of a complex of huge channel-levee wedges of abandoned and buried older systems. A reduction of channel size and morphology occurs at the top of the middle, fan, where meandering and sheet flow become more important.
Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver

Inflammatory pseudotumors (plasma cell granulomas) are localized lesions consisting of a fibrous stroma, chronic inflammatory infiltrate with a predominance of plasma cells, and an absence of anaplasia, which can mimic malignant disease by their gross appearance. Reported in many sites, they are most frequently described in the lung. Twelve cases involving the liver and biliary tract have previously been reported. Here, a 77-year-old man who presented with fever and malaise was found to have a lesion in the left lobe of the liver, which, on exploration, was found to be an inflammatory pseudotumor. This patient, and each of those previously reported, has recovered uneventfully. Because of the benign course of this lesion, hepatectomy should be considered only in those instances in which the mass effect of the lesion is producing symptoms or in those cases in which a firm histologic diagnosis cannot be made preoperatively or by frozen section intraoperatively.
Affinity chromatography of soluble galactosyltransferases using an easily synthesized N-acetylglucosamine-agarose bead.

Agarose derivatized withp-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-β-d-glucosamine was used for affinity chromatography for soluble galactosyltransferase from various sources. Moreover, this adsorbant acts as an acceptor for galactose when incubated with prepurified galactosyltransferase.
The Physiology of eating disorders

This article summarizes current understanding of the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa. Evidence is reviewed of alterations in hypothalamic-pitui-tary-thyroid mechanisms, catecholamine metabolism, and endogenous opioid activity. It is concluded that once weight loss and starvation occur, the usual mechanisms for release and inhibition of various regulators of eating behavior change, and a new set of regulating mechanisms is instituted. Thus, despite an increased body of knowledge, understanding of the origins of anorexia nervosa still eludes us.
Fungal degradation of wood lignins; geochemical perspectives from CuO-derived phenolic dimers and monomers

The elemental compositions and yields of CuO-derived phenol dimers and monomers from woods degraded by different fungi under laboratory and natural conditions were compared to those from undegraded controls. In laboratory experiments, white-rot fungi caused pronounced mass losses, lowered the organic carbon content of the remnant woods, and decreased the absolute carbon-normalized yields of the major classes of lignin phenol dimers and monomers. White-rot decay induced large losses of some CuO reaction products, such as (β,1-diketone and α,l-monoketone dimers and syringyl monomers, and increased the absolute yields of individual acidic reaction products, such as dehydrodivanillic acid, vanillic acid, and 2-syringylsyringic acid. In contrast, the brown-rot fungus, Fomitopsis pinicola, was less efficient in decaying lignin, inducing lower absolute lignin phenol losses and, in some cases, increasing the organic carbon content of remnant woods. Several lignin constituents, mainly carboxyvanillyl monomers and α,2-methyl and α,5-monoketone dimers, were produced during brown-rot degradation. Similar diagenetic trends were also apparent in the five woods collected from the field, suggesting the differences between white- and brown-rot decay are still apparent after more extensive degradation in natural environments. The lignin compositions from a selected set of previously analyzed sedimentary mixtures were generally consistent with the diagenetic trends observed in both laboratory and field samples. In some cases, however, geochemical parameters such as elevated dimer/monomer and carboxyvanillyl/ vanillyl monomer ratios clearly distinguished certain sedimentary lignins. In these samples, other processes, such as extensive fungal decay, bacterial degradation, or a nonwoody vascular plant origin, could be important factors affecting lignin compositions.