cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some aspects of the desoxyribonuclease activities of animal tissues.

It has been found that many animal tissues contain "acid" desoxyribonucleases with pH optima near 5.2. A chemical method for the determination of this activity is described. The pancreatic desoxyribonuclease crystallized by Kunitz and shown to have a neutral pH optimum occurs in the pancreas together with the "acid" enzyme, but only the "neutral" enzyme occurs in the pancreatic juice. The ratio of "neutral" to "acid" DNAase activities in the pancreas is greater than 200, but in all other tissues examined there is no appreciable concentration of the neutral enzyme. It is concluded that neutral DNAase, like trypsin or lipase, has a digestive function. Some problems in the activation of the secretory enzyme in neutral pancreatic extracts are described. This activation can be interpreted in terms of a specific inhibitor or an inactive form of the enzyme. A comparison of the "acid" DNAase activities of different organs of the calf, horse, chicken, mouse, and rat indicates a possible connection between the DNAase concentration of a tissue and its capacity for proliferation or regeneration. However, the comparative DNAase activities of fetal and adult tissues do not support the view that DNAase function is limited to some simple role in the mechanics of cell division. Studies on the incorporation of glycine-N15 into the desoxypentose nucleic acids of avian red cells, and mouse liver, pancreas, and kidney show that the N15 uptake into the DNA of the chromosome is most rapid in tissues with high DNAase concentrations. No N15 incorporation is observed in the DNA of avian red cells, which have negligible concentrations of the enzyme. The analyses of tissues and nuclei isolated in non-aqueous media show that the bulk of the enzyme occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell, and that nuclear concentrations vary from tissue to tissue. A theory relating the DNAase activity of the cell to its over-all desoxypentose nucleotide metabolism is discussed. No evidence has been found for the presence of inhibitors of the "acid" DNAase in animal tissues.
Regulation of Activated CD4+ T Cells by NK Cells via the Qa-1–NKG2A Inhibitory Pathway

Summary The ability of natural-killer cells to regulate adaptive immunity is not well understood. Here we define an interaction between the class Ib major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule Qa-1–Qdm on activated T cells responsible for adaptive immunity and CD94–NKG2A inhibitory receptors expressed by natural-killer cells by using Qa-1-deficient and Qa-1 knockin mice containing a point mutation that selectively abolishes Qa-1–Qdm binding to CD94–NKG2A receptors. The Qa-1–NKG2A interaction protected activated CD4 + T cells from lysis by a subset of NKG2A + NK cells and was essential for T cell expansion and development of immunologic memory. Antibody-dependent blockade of this Qa-1–NKG2A interaction resulted in potent NK-dependent elimination of activated autoreactive T cells and amelioration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. These findings extend the functional reach of the NK system to include regulation of adaptive T cell responses and suggest a new clinical strategy for elimination of antigen-activated T cells in the context of autoimmune disease and transplantation.
Systematic Assignment of the Configuration of Flexible Natural Products by Spectroscopic and Computational Methods: The Bistramide C Analysis

[reaction: see text] The combination of NMR NOE, chemical shift, and J-coupling measurements with molar rotation and circular dichroism (CD) determinations, including RI-DFT BP86/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations, reduced a candidate pool of 1024 possible stereoisomers of (+)-bistramide C to a single absolute configuration assignment for the 10 stereogenic carbons of the marine natural product.
A Note on Skewness and Internal Consistency Reliability Estimates

TOWNER (6) has presented data concerned with the functioning of various single-trial reliability estimates under less-than-perfect conditions, i. e., where item difficulty distributions are non-normal. His results suggested that the practical considera tions of computational ease were of greater signif icance than the more logical theoretical assump tions. Towner's study was limited to a compari son of eight estimating techniques under four deviant-distribution conditions. Two of the tech
Factors influencing pine engraver (Ips pini Say) colonization of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex. Laws.) slash in Northern Arizona

Abstract Thinning projects have increased in recent years to reduce standing fuels and fire hazard within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and to improve general forest conditions through forest health restoration treatments. As a consequence, large volumes of thinning slash have been generated, increasing the potential for growth of bark beetle (Ips spp.) populations. Because slash can initiate outbreaks in standing trees, a critical examination of slash management guidelines is needed to minimize bark beetle impacts associated with thinning treatments. Specifically, we examined effects of season of slash cutting, sunlight intensity (stand density) and log size on pine engraver (Ips pini Say) reproduction in North-central Arizona, USA. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl ex. Laws.) trees were felled and cut to 16 sizes (diameters of 10, 15, 20, and 25 cm and lengths of 15, 30, 45, and 60 cm) in October, January, April and July, for 2 years. The 16 logs of differing size were placed in groups in overstory stand densities of 5, 14, and 27.5 m2/ha (representing high, partial, and low sunlight levels). Response variables included attack density, emergence density, and beetle population growth rate. Log length had a positive relationship with both attack and emergence density. Log diameter had a significant effect on attack and emergence density, with a preference shown for intermediate diameter bolts. During a year with above average winter precipitation, cutting date and the interaction of cutting date and light level had significant effects on attack density. Fewer beetles attacked both bolts that had been exposed for longer periods of time and logs exposed to high sunlight levels. Cutting date, and the interaction of cutting date and light level, influenced emergence density, but light level alone did not. Emergence density was lowest in spring-cut logs in both years. Cutting date also had an effect on beetle population growth rate, with fall-cut logs having the highest population growth, while light level had no effect. Extended time-since-cutting (e.g. fall cutting), high light levels and small log diameter did not consistently cause reductions in beetle attack and reproductive performance as was hypothesized. Implications of these results for slash management guidelines are discussed.
Hydrogen bonding of modified bases involving Watson‐Crick sites: Crystal structure and conformation of Benzyl 6‐aminopurine‐7‐carboxylate

Crystals of benzyl 6-aminopurine-7-carboxylate (C13H11N5O2) are monoclinic, space group C2/c, Z = 8, with a = 25.448 (9), b = 6.052 (1), c = 16.975 (6)A, β = 112.05 (5)°, M = 269.27, Dm= 1.49, Dx= 1.48 g/cm3. The structure was determined from three-dimensional diffractometric data by the multisolution technique and refined to a final reliability factor of 0.068. The molecule is planar with an intramolecular hydrogen bond from one of the amino hydrogens, Ha(N6) to the keto oxygen O(10) of the acyl group. The molecules are hydrogen bonded across the center of inversion by a pair of intermolecular hydrogen bonds using the Watson-Crick sites. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Rheumatic disorders and functional disability with aromatase inhibitor therapy.

Abstract Background Aromatase inhibitor therapy is often effective for breast cancer, yet it can be accompanied by musculoskeletal pain and stiffness. This prevalence assessment aimed to characterize a rheumatologist's view of frequency and clinical features, including associated disability, within a breast cancer clinic panel of 77 patients. Patients and Methods The "aromatase inhibitor arthralgia" frequency was estimated at 50%, including both those with new and worsened discomfort. Substantial functional disability was associated, whether measured by individual functional disability (frequencies ranging from 39% to 61%) or composite score of 7 functional disability areas (median score 5 compared with median 0 in the comparison group; P = .00003). Results The frequency of clinical hand osteoarthritis appeared somewhat increased in the aromatase inhibitor arthralgia group (28% vs. 14%; not statistically significant). Yet the distribution of aromatase inhibitor—related symptoms and functional disabilities appeared to parallel those joint regions commonly affected by osteoarthritis. Using clinical criteria to assess 5 common rheumatic disorders (hand osteoarthritis, trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, Raynaud's phenomenon, and sicca syndrome), the aromatase inhibitor arthralgia group tended to have more common rheumatic disorders ( P Conclusion Aromatase inhibitor therapy for postmenopausal breast cancer might be associated with common musculoskeletal symptoms and with substantial functional disability and should prompt patient education. In view of the potential relevance of estrogen deprivation to osteoarthritis onset and severity, future studies of natural history should include systematic assessment of osteoarthritis frequency and severity.
Aptamer functionalized microcantilever sensors for cocaine detection.

A cocaine-specific aptamer was used as a receptor molecule in a microcantilever-based surface stress sensor for detection of cocaine molecules. An interferometric technique that relies on measuring differential displacement between two microcantilevers (a sensing/reference pair) was utilized to measure the cocaine/aptamer binding induced surface stress changes. Sensing experiments were performed for different concentrations of cocaine from 25 to 500 μM in order to determine the sensor response as a function of cocaine concentration. In the lower concentration range from 25 to 100 μM, surface stress values increased proportionally to coverage of aptamer/cocaine complexes from 11 to 26 mN/m. However, as the cocaine concentration was increased beyond 100 μM, the surface stress values demonstrated a weaker dependence on the affinity complex surface coverage. On the basis of a sensitivity of 3 mN/m for the surface stress measurement, the lowest detectable threshold for the cocaine concentration is estimated to...
Shakespeare, Psychoanalysis and Creativity: Commentary on Paper by Lauren Levine

This discussion speaks to the creative dimension in the clinical encounter described by Levine in her paper. In particular, it addresses the creativity necessary to move beyond impasses in the treatment. The positive and negative associations to enactments are discussed as well as the creative possibilities offered in dreamwork and the analytic relationship.
Imaging the pain of low back pain: Functional magnetic resonance imaging in combination with monitoring subjective pain perception allows the study of clinical pain states

Most brain imaging studies of pain are done using a two-state subtraction design (state-related design). More recently event-related functional magnetic reasonance imaging (fMRI) has also been used for studying pain. Both designs severely limit the application of the technology to clinical pain states. Recently we demonstrated that monitoring time fluctuations of perceived pain could be used with fMRI to identify brain regions involved in conscious, subjective perception of pain. Here we extend the methodology to demonstrate that the same approach can be used to study clinical pain states. Subjects are equipped with a finger-spanning device to continuously rate and log their perceived pain during fMRI data collection. These ratings are convolved with a canonical hemodynamic response function to generate predictor waveforms with which related brain activity can be identified. Chronic low back pain patients and a normal volunteer were used. In one series of fMRI scans the patient simply lies in the scanner and indicates spontaneous fluctuations of the subjective pain. In other fMRI scans, a straight-leg raising procedure is performed to exacerbate the back pain. In the normal volunteer, fMRI scans were done during painful and non-painful straight-leg raisings. The results indicate the feasibility of differentiating between different pain states. We argue that the approach can be generalized to identify brain circuitry underlying diverse clinical pain conditions.
Topographic Depressions on the High Plains of Western Kansas

The High Plains physiographic province in western Kansas is dotted with shallow depressions preserved mostly in loosely consolidated Tertiary and Quaternary sediments. These topographic lows, best observed when they are wet, can be the result of solution, infiltration, animal activity, eolian action, or meteorite impact. Also, because of alteration of the topographic feature after formation, it is virtually impossible to tell the origin of these features from their size and shape and many may not be recognizable at all.
Evaluation of the Parent-implemented Communication Strategies (PiCS) project using the Multiattribute Utility (MAU) approach

We conducted a multiattribute utility (MAU) evaluation to assess the Parent-Implemented Communication Strategies (PiCS) project which was funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). In the PiCS project parents of young children with developmental disabilities are trained and coached in their homes on naturalistic and visual teaching strategies to enhance their children’s social-pragmatic communication skills. This report focuses on the evaluation process, the application of the MAU approach to evaluate the PiCS project, the results of the evaluation, and a discussion of the benefits and concerns related to the use of the MAU approach to conduct a comprehensive evaluation.
The Effect of a Parenting Education Program on the Use of Preventive Pediatric Health Care Services Among Low-Income, Minority Mothers: A Randomized, Controlled Study

Objective. To determine if a community-based intervention program focusing on parenting education will have an impact on preventive health care utilization behaviors among low-income, minority mothers in Washington, DC. Design. The experimental design was a randomized, controlled study in which 286 mother-infant dyads were assigned to either the standard social services (control) group or to the intervention group. Women and their newborn infants were recruited during the immediate postpartum period in 4 Washington, DC, hospital sites from April 1995 to April 1997. The year-long multicomponent intervention included home visits and hospital-based group sessions in addition to the standard social services available at the hospital sites. A total of 286 postpartum women with inadequate prenatal care were assigned randomly to the control or the intervention group. Women and their infants were followed for 1 full year. Outcome measures included usage of preventive health care services including well care infant visits and adherence to immunization schedules during the first year of the infant’s life. Results. Infants in the intervention group initiated well care at an earlier age than controls (by 6 weeks, 62.5% vs 50% had received their first well infant visit). Infants in the intervention group had more frequent well visits (by 12 months of age, 3.5 vs 2.7 visits). Multivariate analyses showed infants in the intervention group to be more likely to complete their scheduled immunizations (by 9 months, odds ratio = 2.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.09–4.53). Those in the intervention group with more frequent contacts (30+ visits) with study personnel were most likely to have followed age-appropriate immunization schedules when compared with controls (at 9 months odds ratio = 3.63, 95% confidence interval: 1.58–8.33). Conclusions. It is possible to influence health care usage patterns of high-risk minority populations through public health interventions that are global in their perspective. Focusing on parental knowledge and beliefs regarding health-related issues and life skills in a self-efficacy model is associated with improved usage of infant health care resources.
Day surgery for children

Abstract Many children are now admitted to day units for routine surgery. The key factor driving the change from in-patient care is financial, but there are other advantages and disadvantages (Figure 1). High-quality care requires careful planning and organization. More than a decade ago, a group of nurses, paediatricians, an anaesthetist and members of the National Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital published a document listing 12 quality standards for children admitted as day cases; it remains a practical guide for services today (Figure 2).
On the Korteweg-de Vries equation

Existence, uniqueness, and continuous dependence on the initial data are proved for the local (in time) solution of the (generalized) Korteweg-de Vries equation on the real line, with the initial function ϕ in the Sobolev space of order s>3/2 and the solution u(t) staying in the same space, s=∞ being included For the proper KdV equation, existence of global solutions follows if s≥2. The proof is based on the theory of abstract quasilinear evolution equations developed elsewhere.
Critical naturalism and the philosophy of psychology

Abstract This essay addresses two issues: What are the basic conceptual differences between cognitivist and behaviorist approaches to scientific psychology? What is the significance of these differences for assessments of the relative merits of behaviorist and cognitivist research programs and the conceptions of human epistemic capacities and activities that these research programs suggest? Distinctions between mentalistic, mechanistic, and selectionistic forms of explanation are proposed. It is argued that classical cognitivism accepts and various forms of behaviorism reject mentalistic explanation, that mentalistic explanation is teleological, and that mechanistic and selectionistic explanations are efficient causal and not teleological. As a consequence, the classical cognitivist endorsement of mentalism can be associated with the scientific failures of teleological modes of thought such as animism and vitalism, and behaviorist endorsement of mechanistic and selectionistic explanation can be associated with the scientific successes of the modern natural scientific search for efficient causes. The implications of these arguments for naturalistic, pluralistic, but non-relativistic conceptions of epistemological assessment and epistemic progress are discussed.
Distributive and directional behavior of lantibiotic synthetases revealed by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry.

The lantibiotic synthetases LctM and HalM2 are bifunctional enzymes that catalyze both the dehydration of serine and threonine residues and the Michael-type additions of cysteine residues to the resulting dehydroamino acids in their substrate peptides. Using Fourier transform mass spectrometry to analyze these activities in vitro, the dehydration is shown to take place by a distributive mechanism, with build-up of intermediates observed in electrospray mass spectra. The cyclization activity of HalM2 was monitored through alkylation of free cysteines in intermediates, providing access to the regioselectivity of lanthionine ring formation using high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. HalM2 is shown to catalyze the cyclization process in a largely N- to C-terminal directional fashion, forming a total of four lanthionine rings in its HalA2 substrate. These studies advance a model for lantibiotic production where substrate binding via an N-terminal leader results in dehydration and cyclization on similar tim...
SEARCH FOR EXTENDED CONFORMAL ALGEBRA

We search for the extended conformal algebra with two spin-s (s: integer) and one spin-1 generators. This search is inspired by the existence of chiral algebra in the Gaussian model for rational radius. For odd s, the conformal properties of the three-point functions imply that a general fusion rule can be reduced to those of the Gaussian model. For arbitrary even s, these conditions are weaker. In particular, for s=2 we show that the chiral algebra of the Gaussian model is the unique extended conformal algebra with the value of the central charge fixed to be c=1. It is also shown that the conformal generator is necessarily a bilinear of the spin-1 generator just as the Gaussian model. We conjecture that this remains true for arbitrary value of s.
BACKWARD VISUAL MASKING WITH HOMOGENEOUS AND PATTERNED STIMULI: COMPARISON OF RETARDED AND NONRETARDED SUBJECTS

10 mentally retarded and 10 age-matched nonretarded (normal) Ss were tested under two conditions of backward visual masking: with a homogeneous masking flash and with a pattern masking flash. The results showed that retardates had higher thresholds (impaired detection of the test flash) than nonretardates under both masking conditions, but especially with the pattern masking flash. These results are interpreted in light of published reports that masking with a homogeneous flash occurs peripherally, while masking with a pattern flash occurs centrally. Hence, the inferior performance of retardates under conditions of pattern masking implies primarily central perceptual deficits. In addition, evidence is presented that such deficits may be related to the actual degree of intellectual ability.
The Political Resistance of the Calvinists in France and the Low Countries

It seems to me that much can be learned by comparative studies of the histories of the several European countries, and that this is particularly true of their political histories during the sixteenth century. A stimulating start in this direction was made by H. G. Koenigsberger in an article in The Journal of Modern History, titled “The Organization of Revolutionary Parties in France and the Netherlands during the Sixteenth Century.” I would like to propose a further exploration of some of the interesting leads presented by Mr. Koenigsberger. For the present, however, I shall avoid attempting to survey the whole field he opens up for us. I shall limit myself to a study of the revolutionary Calvinist parties, and devote most of my attention to the period of their formation.
Skill-Building Exercises and Generalizing Psychological Concepts to Daily Life

In an introductory course, students took a quiz on each set of 2 chapters, then prepared short, skill-building assignments that focused on application of the material to daily life. To test the effects of the assignments, for 1 of the 2-week segments students participated in 1 of 3 experimental conditions: quiz only, skill-building assignment only, or a combination of the 2. Eight weeks later the students' ability to apply the concepts to daily life was tested. Those who carried out the skill-building exercises performed much better at applying concepts.
Aberrant left internal mammary artery off an aberrant vertebral artery.

We present an image of a 65-year-old female with chest pain and cough who underwent a CT of the chest to rule out a pulmonary embolus. While reviewing the images, incidentally noted was an aberrant left vertebral artery arising directly …
The Estimation of Nanogram Levels of Fluoride in Fractions of a Milligram of Tooth Enamel by Means of Liver Esterase

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUALE ESTIMATION DE NIVELLOS NANOGRAPHIC DE FLUORURO IN FRACTIONES DE UN MILLIGRAMMA DE ADAMANTE DENTAL EFFECTUATE PER MEDIO DE ESTERASE HEPATIC.—Le specimens esseva incubate in le presentia de esterase hepatic e de butyrato ethylic como substrato, e le activitate enzymatic esseva determinate per titration a alcali del acido butyric formate. Le effecto de phosphato de calcium super le activitate enzymatic esseva investigate per le addition de ille sal al controlo (sin fluoruro) e al standards a un nivello equivalente a illo in le incognito ubi illo habeva essite determinate per un analyse de phosphoro. Post correction per referentia al blanco, le activitates enzymatic in le incognito e in le standards esseva convertite in procentages del activitate in le controlo. Le nivello de fluoruro in le incognito esseva alora determinate ab un graphico le qual relationava le procentages del hydrolyse de controlo monstrate per le standard con le logarithmos de lor nivellos de fluoruro.
Ratiometric Molecular Microscopy: Towards Real-Time Quantitative Delineation of Brain Tumor Margins

An achromatic version of a micro-mirror-scanned surgical dual-axis confocal microscope has been developed for ratiometric quantification of biomarker expression as revealed by the topical application of fluorescent contrast agents.
Rate control : Is local better?

The control of ventricular rate plays an important role in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation, decreasing symptoms and improving cardiac function, exercise capacity, and quality of life.1–3 Oral or intravenous agents are routinely administered to achieve adequate control of the ventricular rate by modulating atrioventricular nodal function. The systemic effects of calcium channel antagonists and β-adrenergic receptor antagonists on blood pressure and other adverse effects, however, may limit use of these agents in some patients. In other patients, it may be difficult to achieve adequate rate control with the use of pharmacological agents. Article p 2383 In their article in this issue of Circulation , Sigg et al4 describe the novel approach of delivering pharmacological agents via a luminal catheter secured to the region of the atrioventricular node. Using a steerable electrophysiological catheter, they locate the His bundle potential and the coronary sinus ostium and display these positions in 2 orthogonal planes. The luminal catheter is screwed into the myocardium, and third-degree atrioventricular block resulting from the injection of a 1-mg dose of acetylcholine is used to confirm the proper positioning of the luminal catheter. The authors demonstrate that varying degrees of atrioventricular nodal blockade may be achieved by continuous infusion of acetylcholine at rates between 10 and 200 μg/min. In comparison, the intravenous injection of 1 mg acetylcholine did not cause atrioventricular block in any animal, demonstrating that a significant part of the effect of the direct luminal infusion was local. The authors provide histological evidence that the luminal catheter was positioned within or near the edge of the triangle of Koch, confirming the accuracy of the positioning method. In addition, no significant histological …
Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly

This original and provocative book looks at an important constitutional freedom that today is largely forgotten: the right of assembly. While this right lay at the heart of some of the most important social movements in American history-abolitionism, women's suffrage, the labor and civil rights movements-courts now prefer to speak about the freedoms of association and speech. But the right of "expressive association" undermines protections for groups whose purposes are demonstrable not by speech or expression but through ways of being. John D. Inazu demonstrates that the forgetting of assembly and the embrace of association lose sight of important dimensions of our constitutional tradition.
An integrated-circuit switched-capacitor model and implementation of the heart

We present a CMOS chip that implements a simple analog electronic circuit model of the heart. The chip may be useful in low-power body sensor networks that use analysis-by-synthesis techniques to estimate cardiovascular parameters. It may also be useful as a tutorial aid in understanding the heart. We also describe how our electronic model of the heart can be used with heart signal processors in a feedback heart locked loop (HLL) -analogous to a phase locked loop- for estimating cardiovascular parameters robustly.
Work Hardening and Work Conditioning Interventions: Do They Affect Disability?

The purpose of this article is to review the research on the effectiveness of work hardening and work conditioning programs. Twelve studies of work hardening and work conditioning programs in the United States and abroad were reviewed. One study produced convincing evidence in a randomized study that a work conditioning program was useful in producing a higher percentage of return to work and an earlier return to work in a group of patients off work for at least 2 months. Another study demonstrated that a work hardening program increased the rate of return to work by 52% in patients off work for greater than 4 months. Most of the other studies reviewed suggested positive results, but more carefully documented, randomized, and controlled studies are needed to support the efficacy of these programs and to determine the optimum and most cost-effective work hardening and work conditioning interventions.
Mechanisms of Spatial Transition to Turbulence for a Boundary-Layer

The fundamental breakdown to turbulence known as the K-mechanism of transition has been simulated under controlled conditions. The important characteristic features of the K-mechanism, namely peak-valley formation, significant spanwise modulation of the velocity, shear layer lift-up, and appearance of spikes have been observed. A possible explanation of the characteristic traits of this K-mechanism has been given using wave-resonance theory. Due to resonance, initially largeamplitude harmonics of a plane 2D wave are generated, and with increasing streamwise distance the harmonics of all the higher spanwise wavenumbers appear gradually and amplify in a deterministic manner. Up to the location of spike formation the amplitudes of the spanwise modes increases, reaching their highest levels just after the appearance of the spikes, while slightly dropping off further downstream.
A PARALLEL ALGORITHM FOR MINIMUM DUAL-COVER WITH APPLICATION TO CMOS LAYOUT

In a pair of planar graphs (G, Gd), with Gd being the dual graph of G, a sequence of distinct edges is a dual-Euler trail if it is a trail both in G and in Gd. A set of disjoint dual-Euler trails that simultaneously cover G and Gd is called a dual-cover. We present an O(log n) time and O(n) processors algorithm, in PRAM model, based on the graph separator theory, for obtaining a minimum cardinality dual-cover in a pair of series-parallel graphs (G, Gd), where n is the total number of edges. We employ the proposed algorithm to obtain a minimum-area VLSI layout of CMOS functional cells. Our algorithm, when implemented in a serial environment performs better than previous algorithms and produces more compact layouts.
Concise Review: Engineering the Fusion of Cytokines for the Modulation of Immune Cellular Responses in Cancer and Autoimmune Disorders

As our understanding of the basic precepts of immunobiology continue to advance at a rapid pace, translating such discoveries into meaningful therapies for patients has proved challenging. This is especially apparent in the use of cytokine-based immunotherapies for cancer. Unanticipated and serious side effects, as well as low objective response rates seen in clinical trials, have dealt setbacks to the field. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and common γ-chain (γ-c) interleukins are cytokines that have been used as stand-alone immunotherapies with moderate success. Our group has found that the fusion of GM-CSF to members of γ-c interleukins results in the generation of novel proteins with unique signaling properties and unheralded biological effects. These fusion proteins, termed GIFT (GM-CSF interleukin fusion transgenes) fusokines, are the result of combining GM-CSF and a γ-c interleukin into a single, bifunctional polypeptide. In our experience, GIFT fusokines often confer immune cells with a gain of function that cannot be explained by the mere sum of their constituent moieties. They act as bispecific ligands, coupling activated GM-CSF and interleukin receptors together to drive unique downstream signaling events. The synergy that arises from these fusions has shown great promise in its ability to modulate the immune response and overcome maladaptive biological processes that underlie diseases such as cancer and autoimmune conditions. In this review, we discuss the ways in which the GIFT fusokines are able to alter the immune response, particularly in disease states, with a special emphasis on how these novel molecules may be translated into effective therapies in the clinical setting.
The Challenge of Scalable and Distributed Fusion of Disparate Sources of Information

A key enabler for Network Centric Warfare (NCW) is a sensor network that can collect and fuse vast amounts of disparate and complementary information from sensors that are geographically dispersed throughout the battlespace. This information will lead to better situation awareness so that commanders will be able to act faster and more effectively. However, these benefits are possible only if the sensor data can be fused and synthesized for distribution to the right user in the right form at the right time within the constraints of available bandwidth. In this paper we consider the problem of developing Level 1 data fusion algorithms for disparate fusion in NCW. These algorithms must be capable of operating in a fully distributed (or decentralized) manner; must be able to scale to extremely large numbers of entities; and must be able to combine many disparate types of data. To meet these needs we propose a framework that consists of three main components: an attribute-based state representation that treats an entity state as a collection of attributes, new methods or interpretations of uncertainty, and robust algorithms for distributed data fusion. We illustrate the discussion in the context of maritime domain awareness, mobile adhoc networks, and multispectral image fusion.
À la recherche des années perdues, or, my life is more interesting than formerly thought

La Jolla, California, 25 February 2009The Guest Editors, Professors Martin Ostoja-Starzewski and Vitali Nesterenko, have asked me to provide abiographicalsketch,andIwouldliketoprefaceitwithwarmestthankstothemfororganizingthisspecialissueofActaMechanicaandasymposiumwhichprecededit,heldatthe2008meetingoftheSocietyofEngineeringScience (SES) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.While I had envisaged a ﬁttingly brief CV with highlights of my professional career, my colleague VitaliNesterenko suggested I simply “start writing” without too much thought as to the outcome. I fear I haveexceeded anything he could have imagined, and, at the risk of conjuring up Huxley’s [6] unkind image ofProust in his bathtub, I ask the reader to indulge me in my recollection of various minutiae of my career. Tome, these represent small but significant perturbations on this sometimes unstable trajectory we call life.I begin with a tribute to my early mentors, especially Helen Hudgens Goddard, who was my elementary-school teacher in grades one through three and who also happened to be my mother. From a large, happy butﬁnancially impoverished family, Helen managed against all odds to obtain a college education, subsequentlydevoting 35 years to elementary-school teaching in the Elvira School District of Johnson County, Illinois.Being somewhat special in her own family, “Miss Helen” pushed me and several generations of other pupilsto develop potentials that were frequently smaller than she may have imagined. Secondly, I should expressdeep appreciation to Toby Hightower, my high school science teacher, for introducing me to the wonders ofphysics and chemistry, despite my numerous teenage foibles and distractions. It was a special treat to haveToby join in the festivities surrounding the SES symposium, where he made a most memorable contributionto a perhaps richly deserved “roasting”.
Accessing MEDLINE/PubMed with Handheld Devices: Developments and New Search Portals

We report on two new portals for searching MEDLINE/PubMed with handheld devices, PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) and a WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) browser interface. Early user evaluation and user feedback will be discussed. We also include an updated report of user evaluation of established search tools for handheld devices included in the first release.
Integrating multiple learning components through Markov logic

This paper addresses the question of how statistical learning algorithms can be integrated into a larger AI system both from a practical engineering perspective and from the perspective of correct representation, learning, and reasoning. Our goal is to create an integrated intelligent system that can combine observed facts, hand-written rules, learned rules, and learned classifiers to perform joint learning and reasoning. Our solution, which has been implemented in the CALO system, integrates multiple learning components with a Markov Logic inference engine, so that the components can benefit from each other's predictions. We introduce two designs of the learning and reasoning layer in CALO: the MPE Architecture and the Marginal Probability Architecture. The architectures, interfaces, and algorithms employed in our two designs are described, followed by experimental evaluations of the performance of the two designs. We show that by integrating multiple learning components through Markov Logic, the performance of the system can be improved and that the Marginal Probability Architecture performs better than the MPE Architecture.
Applications of Differential-Display Reverse Transcription-PCR to Molecular Pathogenesis and Medical Mycology

The host-fungus interaction is characterized by changes in gene expression in both host and pathogen. Differential-display reverse transcription PCR (DDRT-PCR) is a PCR-based method that allows extensive analysis of gene expression among several cell populations. Several limitations and drawbacks to this procedure have now been addressed, including the large number of false-positive results and the difficulty in confirming differential expression. Modifications that simplify the reaction time, allow the use of minute quantities of RNA, or address unusual species- or gene-specific sequences have been reported. DDRT-PCR has been used to address biological questions in mammalian systems, including cell differentiation, cell activation, cell stress, and identification of drug targets. In microbial pathogenesis and plant pathogenesis, DDRT-PCR has allowed the identification of virulence factors, genes involved in cell death, and signaling genes. In Candida albicans, DDRT-PCR studies identified TIF-2, which may play a role in the upregulation of phospholipases, and the stress-related genes, CIP1 and CIP2. In Histoplasma capsulatum and C. albicans, genes involved in the host-pathogen interaction, including a member of the 100-kDa family in Histoplasma and an ALS and 14-3-3 gene in Candida, were potentially identified by DDRT-PCR. Although very few reports have been published in medical mycology, studies in mammalian, nonfungal microbial, and plant pathogen systems are easily applied to basic questions in fungal pathogenesis and antifungal therapeutics.
IS SELF-OBJECTIFICATION RELATED TO INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS? AN EXAMINATION OF POTENTIAL MEDIATING PATHWAYS TO DISORDERED EATING ATTITUDES

Although there has been considerable empirical support for Objectification Theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), findings have been mixed regarding self-objectification's relationship to interocept...
Masking timing errors on speed-paths in logic circuits

There is a growing concern about timing errors resulting from design marginalities and the effects of circuit aging on speed-paths in logic circuits. This paper presents a low overhead solution for masking timing errors on speed-paths in logic circuits. Error masking at the outputs of a logic circuit is achieved by synthesis of a non-intrusive error-masking circuit that has at least 20% timing slack over the original logic circuit. The error-masking circuit can also be used to collect runtime information when the speed-paths are exercised to (i) predict the onset of wearout and (ii) assist in in-system silicon debug. Simulation results for several benchmark circuits and modules from the OpenSPARC T1 processor are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed solution. 100% masking of timing errors on all speed-paths within 10% of the critical path delay is achieved for all circuits with an average area (power) overhead of 16% (18%).
Characterization of the major metalloprotease isolated from the venom of the northern pacific rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis oreganus.

Rattlesnake venoms typically contain several different metalloproteases, some of which are hemorrhagic toxins. Metalloproteases contribute significantly to the often severe necrotic changes in tissues following envenomation, and these prominent components are important to the predigestive role of venoms. Venom of the northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis oreganus) contains at least five distinct metalloproteases, and the dominant protease (trivial name, CVO protease V) has been isolated and characterized as being a single polypeptide chain acidic protein with a molecular mass of 61 kDa and a pH optimum of approximately 9.0. It catalyzes the hydrolysis of several protein substrates, including casein, and is inhibited by metal chelators such as EDTA, EGTA and 1,10-phenanthroline but not by serine protease inhibitors such as PMSF. Calcium is present at a molar ratio of approximately 1:1, but, unlike other described venom metalloproteases, this protease does not appear to contain zinc. Caseinolytic activity is not significantly inhibited by citrate (at pH 9.0) at levels up to 2.0 mM; at 100 mM citrate (at pH 9.0) more than 65% of activity is retained. It is partially inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of ATP, but higher amounts (micromolar) do not result in further inhibition of activity. The protease shows fibrinolytic and fibrinogenolytic activity, but is only weakly hemorrhagic in rats. When stored in solution for long periods it undergoes autolytic degradation. This protease or a homolog appears to be present in venoms from several rattlesnake species but is not present in venoms from juvenile C.v. oreganus. The presence of this component in venoms from adult Pacific rattlesnakes is responsible for the age-related increase in metalloprotease activity of the crude venom.
Within-Species Flagellin Polymorphism in Xanthomonas campestris pv campestris and Its Impact on Elicitation of Arabidopsis FLAGELLIN SENSING2–Dependent Defenses

Bacterial flagellins have been portrayed as a relatively invariant pathogen-associated molecular pattern. We have found within-species, within-pathovar variation for defense-eliciting activity of flagellins among Xanthomonas campestris pv campestris (Xcc) strains. Arabidopsis thaliana FLAGELLIN SENSING2 (FLS2), a transmembrane leucine-rich repeat kinase, confers flagellin responsiveness. The flg22 region was the only Xcc flagellin region responsible for detectable elicitation of Arabidopsis defense responses. A Val-43/Asp polymorphism determined the eliciting/noneliciting nature of Xcc flagellins (structural gene fliC). Arabidopsis detected flagellins carrying Asp-43 or Asn-43 but not Val-43 or Ala-43, and it responded minimally for Glu-43. Wild-type Xcc strains carrying nonrecognized flagellin were more virulent than those carrying a recognized flagellin when infiltrated into Arabidopsis leaf mesophyll, but this correlation was misleading. Isogenic Xcc fliC gene replacement strains expressing eliciting or noneliciting flagellins grew similarly, both in leaf mesophyll and in hydathode/vascular colonization assays. The plant FLS2 genotype also had no detectable effect on disease outcome when previously untreated plants were infected by Xcc. However, resistance against Xcc was enhanced if FLS2-dependent responses were elicited 1 d before Xcc infection. Prior immunization was not required for FLS2-dependent restriction of Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato. We conclude that plant immune systems do not uniformly detect all flagellins of a particular pathogen species and that Xcc can evade Arabidopsis FLS2-mediated defenses unless the FLS2 system has been activated by previous infections.
Monitor Technology: Chris Kerns

A series of events have lead to a confrontation between Chris Kerns, manager of Engineering and Shannon Allen, one of Kerns's direct reports. Before Kerns will discuss future possibilities, Allen must "apologize for the past, relieve concerns about truthfulness, and affirm commitment." This case must be used with its companion case "Monitor Technology: Shannon Allen," UVA-QA-0570.
A prospective study of the effects of once weekly bortezomib on markers of bone metabolism in patients with multiple myeloma (MM)

7548 Background: Increased osteoclast activity in MM leads to bone resorption, osteoporosis and osteolytic bone lesions. Urinary excretion of N-telopeptide (NTX), a marker of bone resorption, decre...
A Metal−Organic Framework Containing Cationic Inorganic Layers: Pb2F2[C2H4(SO3)2]

We have discovered a metal−organic framework containing cationic inorganic layers. The metal fluoride−organodisulfonate structure, Pb2F2[C2H4(SO3)2], was synthesized hydrothermally. The lead fluoride cationic layers are covalently connected by 1,2-ethanedisulfonate chains oriented perpendicular to the layers. The material is thermally stable to ca. 325 °C, above which the material collapses to phase-pure α-PbF2. This material is a rare example of the use of organosulfonates as organic linker and the first metal−organic framework to contain lead fluoride connectivity. The existence of extended cationic inorganic moieties embedded within a metal−organic framework material further diversifies the possible structure types of this rapidly growing class of materials.
Runway assessment via remote sensing

Airport pavements are constructed to provide adequate support for the loads and traffic volume imposed by aircrafts. One aspect of pavement evaluation is the pavement condition which is determined by the types and extent of distresses. These include cracking, rutting, weathering, and others that may affect pavement surface roughness and the potential for FOD (Foreign Object Debris). Pavement evaluations are necessary to assess the ability to safely operate aircraft on an airfield. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential use of microwave remote sensing to assess the pavement surface roughness. Radar backscatter responds to surface roughness as well as dielectric constant. The resulting changes in backscatter can convey information about the degree of cracking and surface roughness of the runway. In this study, we develop a relation between the Terrain Ruggedness Index (TRI) of the runway and radar backscatter magnitudes. Radar data from the TerraSAR-X satellite is used, along with airborne LiDAR data (30 cm spacing). Modest linear correlation was found between the vertical co-polarization channel of the radar data and TRI values computed in 5 by 5 pixel windows from the LiDAR elevation data. Over four different test areas on the runway, the coefficients of determination ranged from 0.12 to 0.46.
Hume's argument that causes must precede their effects

contention upon which I based (7) is as follows. Let S1 abbreviate the sentence "Any thief robs from all and only those who do not rob from themselves" and S2 the sentence "There are thieves." A speaker can know that what he asserts by uttering "I believe Si and I believe I believe S2" is true. This is because the speaker could make an honest assertion by producing the conjunction of Si and S2. But the speaker could not make an honest assertion by producing the conjunction of a sentence and its negation. In the former case the speaker would show he failed to see that an explicit contradiction, the conjunction of a sentence and its negation, was entailed by his sentence; but this would not be enough to show that he did not know what his sentence meant. In the latter case the speaker's utterance would be an explicit contradiction; the speaker's failure to recognize this fact would show that he did not know what his sentence meant. It seems a truism that a speaker can honestly assert that ~p by uttering a sentence which means that ~p only if that speaker knows what that sentence means.