cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viability and migratory effects of IGF-1R inhibitor, PQ401, on triple negative breast cancer cells

Breast cancer currently has a relatively high survival rate, in part due to the prevalence of effective hormone therapies. However, one breast cancer subtype - triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) - has no targeted therapies available. Furthermore, even subtypes of breast cancer with effective therapies available see dramatic decreases in survival rate upon metastasis. IGFR is an upstream activator of the many different cellular growth and migration pathways, and previously studied inhibitors of IGF-1R have shown efficacy in breast cancer. In this study, we tested PQ401, an IGF-1R inhibitor, in MDA-MB-231 cells to determine the compound's effects on cell viability and migration potential. We determined that the EC50 of PQ401 in MDA-MB-231 cells was 1.95 µM, and that treating cells with 2.5 µM PQ401 significantly decreased cellular motility. This study demonstrates that PQ401 not only decreases cell viability, but also migration in a TNBC cell line.
Robust stability of trait-like vulnerability or resilience to common types of sleep deprivation in a large sample of adults.

Study objectives Sleep loss produces large individual differences in neurobehavioral responses, with marked vulnerability or resilience among individuals. Such differences are stable with repeated exposures to acute total sleep deprivation (TSD) or chronic sleep restriction (SR) within short (weeks) and long (years) intervals. Whether trait-like responses are observed to commonly experienced types of sleep loss and across various demographically defined groups remains unknown. Methods Eighty-three adults completed two baseline nights (10 h-12 h time-in-bed, TIB) followed by five 4 h TIB SR nights or 36 h TSD. Participants then received four 12-h TIB recovery nights followed by five SR nights or 36 h TSD, in counterbalanced order to the first sleep loss sequence. Neurobehavioral tests were completed every 2 h during wakefulness. Results Participants who displayed neurobehavioral vulnerability to TSD displayed vulnerability to SR, evidenced by substantial to near perfect intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs; 78%-91% across measures). Sex, race, age, body mass index (BMI), season, and sleep loss order did not impact ICCs significantly. Individuals exhibited significant consistency of responses within, but not between, performance and self-reported domains. Conclusions Using the largest, most diverse sample to date, we demonstrate for the first time the remarkable stability of phenotypic neurobehavioral responses to commonly experienced sleep loss types, across demographic variables and different performance and self-reported measures. Since sex, race, age, BMI, and season did not affect ICCs, these variables are not useful for determining stability of responses to sleep loss, underscoring the criticality of biological predictors. Our findings inform mathematical models and are relevant for the general population and military and health professions.
A Cell Penetrating Peptide from Type I Interferon Protects the Retina in a Mouse Model of Autoimmune Uveitis

Abstract Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in rodents recapitulates many features of the disease in humans and has served as a useful tool for the development of therapeutics. A peptide from C-terminus of interferon α1, conjugated to palmitoyl-lysine for cell penetration, denoted as IFNα–C, was tested for its anti-inflammatory properties in ARPE-19 cells, followed by testing in a mouse model of EAU. Treatment with IFNα–C and evaluation by RT-qPCR showed the induction of anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokine. Inflammatory markers induced by treatment with TNFα were suppressed when IFNα–C was simultaneously present. TNF-α mediated induction of NF-kB and signaling by IL-17A were attenuated by IFNα–C. Differentiated ARPE-19 cells were treated with TNFα in the presence or absence IFNα–C and analyzed by immmunhistochemistry. IFNα–C protected against the disruption integrity of tight junction proteins. Similarly, loss of transepithelial resistance caused by TNFα was prevented by IFNα–C. B10.RIII mice were immunized with a peptide from interphotoreceptor binding protein (IRBP) and treated by gavage with IFNα–C. Development of uveitis was monitored by histology, fundoscopy, SD-OCT, and ERG. Treatment with IFNα–C prevented uveitis in mice immunized with the IRBP peptide. Splenocytes isolated from mice with ongoing EAU exhibited antigenspecific T cell proliferation that was inhibited in the presence of IFNα–C. IFNα–C peptide exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and protects mice against damage to retinal structure and function suggesting that it has therapeutic potential for the treatment of autoimmune uveitis.
Flipped Library Instruction and Scholarly Resources: A Citation Analysis

While flipping the classroom has become more common in information literacy instruction, few studies have examined this method with fully online students. This study investigates whether flipped in...
Single Cuff versus Double Cuff Tenckhoff Catheter

No significant differences in catheter survival were noted between single cuff catheters and double cuff catheters in patients undergoing intermittent peritoneal dialysis. With continuous peritonea...
Conversational analysis of consciousness during seizures.

Abstract Objective The objectives of the study were to 1) investigate how patients with epilepsy describe the subjective, conscious experience of having a seizure and 2) determine whether certain themes and descriptions correspond to specific types of epilepsy. Methods We interviewed thirteen patients with electroencephalographically confirmed epilepsy about their subjective experience of having a seizure and used conversational analysis (CA) to analyze the language they used to describe this experience. Results Seven patients had focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures (FBTCS), 7 had focal impaired awareness seizures (FIAS), 1 had focal aware seizures (FAS), and one had generalized onset tonic–clonic (GTC) seizures. Three had multiple types of seizures. Focal seizure origin was frontal in 2 patients, right hemisphere in 1, parieto-occipital in 1, and temporal in 8. Focal to bilateral tonic–clonic and GTC seizures were most frequently associated with descriptions of a total loss of consciousness (n = 8), whereas FIAS were most frequently associated with a perceived loss of consciousness but able to describe some aspects of being unconscious (n = 5). Temporal seizures most frequently accompanied reports of memory loss/impairment (n = 4). Ten patients provided specific descriptions of the transition between the interictal and ictal state or auras. Descriptions consciousness and unconsciousness ranged significantly, resembling a continuum rather than corresponding to distinct levels. Conclusion The subjective experience of consciousness for patients with epilepsy may differ by seizure type and origin. These may reflect different involvement of brain regions involved in producing consciousness and arousal. Conversational analysis and narrative approaches can significantly aid clinicians in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy.
Budesonide Prophylaxis Reduces Engraftment Syndrome (ES) after Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (autoHCT) in Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Introduction: ES after autoHCT encompasses a continuum of peri-engraftment complications characterized by non-infectious fever, rash, diarrhea, and capillary leak features. ES is an increasingly recognized complication after autoHCT in MM, with the varying incidence reported, based on the diagnostic criteria used. ES is typically mild and self-limited in most patients, while a subset can develop severe complications. In this study, we explored whether the use of budesonide prophylaxis reduces ES rates in MM patients undergoing autoHCT. Methods: All patients who underwent autoHCT for MM from 12/2017 to 11/2019 were included after IRB approval at our institution. Beginning on 12/15/2018, as a quality improvement institutional initiative to reduce ES, budesonide 3 mg orally three times a day was initiated at day +5 post autoHCT and continued until the time of discharge. In patients developing ES, systemic steroids were started, and budesonide was discontinued. The efficacy of the intervention was compared with patients who did not receive prophylaxis prior to the study period. ES was defined according to the previously published criteria [T R Spitzer BMT 50, 469-475(2015)]. Patient demographics, disease, and treatment outcomes between the 2 groups were compared using Mann-Whitney and Chi-squared tests when appropriate. The primary outcome was the ES rates between the 2 groups. Multiple logistic regression was used to model ES rates with other predictors, including budesonide prophylaxis as the main effect. Length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission were the secondary endpoints. Results: Table 1 shows the patient-, disease- and treatment characteristics between no prophylaxis (N=148) and prophylaxis (N=109) groups. The two groups were well matched overall except for induction therapy and Karnofsky performance status (KPS). The rates of ES were significantly higher in the no prophylaxis group vs. prophylaxis group [69 (75%) vs. 23 (25%); p On adjusted analysis, budesonide prophylaxis was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing ES compared to no prophylaxis groups [Odds ratio, OR 0.30 (95%CI: 0.17-0.53); p Conclusion: Our study concludes that the use of budesonide prophylaxis significantly reduces the risk of ES in MM patients undergoing autoHCT. Future large-scale randomized studies are needed to confirm these findings in patients undergoing autoHCT for MM and other diseases. Download : Download high-res image (841KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Dhakal: Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board; Sanofi: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Other: AdvIsory Board, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.
Tax Policy and Trade Liberalization : An Application to Mexico

We construct a dynamic general equilibrium model of an open economy and use it to examine issues of trade liberalization in Mexico. In particular, we consider the fiscal implications of quotas and tariffs and, accordingly, their removal. We show that, in the short run, there may be negative revenue effects from tariff liberalization, so that it may be necessary to raise domestic taxes to compensate for the tariff reduction. We also show that these results are highly sensitive to behavioral shifts in exports. Since such shifts are quite likely given the nature of the trade reform currently being undertaken, it is important that we qualify our results accordingly.
Tobacco Litigation, E-Cigarettes, and the Cigarette Endgame

Among his many contributions to the field of public health law, Professor Richard Daynard is perhaps best known for (a) advancing the idea that affirmative litigation, particularly against the tobacco industry, can serve as an effective public health tool, (b) introducing the discussion of an “endgame,” in which the commercial sale of cigarettes—the most deadly form of tobacco use—is phased out. This article unites these two topics and analyzes the potential for affirmative litigation to hasten the end of commercial cigarette sales. In recent years, the major tobacco companies have suggested that they support moving towards a “smoke-free world,” with non-combustible nicotine products such as e-cigarettes gradually replacing more harmful cigarette smoking. Though this rhetoric is deeply cynical—these same companies continue to spend heavily to promote their cigarette brands—it may nonetheless create a window of opportunity for litigants. Past litigation against tobacco companies has foundered on the absence of a “reasonable alternative design” for cigarettes. Today, the tobacco companies’ own statements can be used to show the availability of such alternatives. More importantly, now-public documents from the tobacco industry’s archives help establish the case for treating e-cigarettes as a “reasonable alternative design” for cigarettes. These documents show that the major tobacco companies developed the essential components of e-cigarette technology decades ago, but they chose not to commercialize these products because they feared they would prove to be viable alternatives to cigarettes. This article reviews how the introduction of e-cigarettes may reinvigorate products liability litigation against the manufacturers of conventional cigarettes. Building on the work of Professor Daynard, it also considers how these lawsuits, even if ultimately unsuccessful in court, might nonetheless benefit public health by pressuring the tobacco industry to live up to its public statements and by catalyzing legislative efforts to phase out the sale of cigarettes.
'Ask Me No Questions,' the Struggle for Disclosure of Cultural and Genetic Resource Utilization in Design Law

New issues relating to the intersection of design protection and cultural and genetic resource utilization are arising from the confluence of an increased interest in design protection, the sustained allure of exotic cultural expressions, and novel uses of biological and genetic resources in crafting the appearance of articles protected by industrial design rights. As awareness of the many ways in which cultural and genetic resource use and misappropriation can occur is evolving, some developing countries have begun exploring the appropriateness of—and in some cases even instituting—a requirement that a designer disclose the origin of traditional cultural expressions, traditional knowledge, and biological or genetic resources used in creating a design in an industrial design application. This development has become a focal point in the negotiation of a draft Design Law Treaty (DLT) in the World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications. The DLT is expected to make it easier to obtain design protection globally by limiting domestic design registration requirements. Currently, a controversy exists over an African Group proposal to allow policy space in the draft DLT for countries to be able to require design applicants to disclose the origin of traditional cultural expressions, traditional knowledge, and biological or genetic resources used in creating protectable designs. The African Group proposal is optional—not mandatory—for countries to adopt. At a minimum, parties to the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization’s Swakopmund Protocol will need such policy space to comply with obligations embedded in that agreement. The need for domestic and international policy coherence and mutual supportiveness in relation to cultural and genetic resource protection issues is also likely to lead additional countries to desire such flexibility in the future as technology expands the ways these resources can be used and monetized in industrial design regimes. This Article focuses on that controversy. It highlights possible justifications countries may have for desiring the flexibility to impose disclosure requirements on design protection applicants and explores broader ramifications of the dispute for policy coherence and mutual supportiveness goals in relation to protecting cultural and genetic resources.
Cannibalism's lingering imprint on the matter power spectrum

The early universe may have contained internally thermalized dark sectors that were decoupled from the Standard Model. In such scenarios, the relic dark thermal bath, composed of the lightest particle in the dark sector, can give rise to an epoch of early matter domination prior to Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, which has a potentially observable impact on the smallest dark matter structures. This lightest dark particle can easily and generically have number-changing self-interactions that give rise to "cannibal'' behavior. We consider cosmologies where an initially sub-dominant cannibal species comes to temporarily drive the expansion of the universe, and we provide a simple map between the particle properties of the cannibal species and the key features of the enhanced dark matter perturbation growth in such cosmologies. We further demonstrate that cannibal self-interactions can determine the small-scale cutoff in the matter power spectrum even when the cannibal self-interactions freeze out prior to cannibal domination.
Feasibility of Administering Human Pancreatic Cancer Chemotherapy in Spontaneous Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Model

Background: Both modified FOLFIRINOX (mFFX) and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy regimens have been shown to improve clinical outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer, and are often used interchangeably as the standard of care. Preclinical studies often do not use these regimens, since administering these multiagent approaches can be difficult. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of administering these two chemotherapy regimens in spontaneous pancreatic tumors using KPC mice with the ultimate goal of advancing preclinical studies. Methods: KPC mice were created by breeding KrasLSL-G12D/+ to Trp53fl/fl;Ptf1αCre/+, resulting in KrasLSL-G12D/+;p53fl/+;Ptf1αCre/+ mice. At 14 weeks of age, mice were palpated for spontaneous tumor growth that was verified using ultrasounds. Mice with tumors under 15 mm in diameter were used. The mice were assigned to one of seven treatment regimens: 1 cycle of mFOLFIRINOX (FFX X1), 2 cycles of mFOLFIRINOX (FFX X2), 1 cycle of mFOLFIRINOX with 40Gy SBRT (FFX SBRT), 1 cycle of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (GEM/AB X1), 2 cycles of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (GEM/AB X2), 2 cycles of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel with 40Gy SBRT (GEM/AB SBRT), or no chemotherapy treatment (control). Results: In total, 92 mice were included. The median OS in the FFX X2 group was slightly longer that the median OS in the FFX X1 group (15 days vs 11 days, P=0.003). Mice in the GEM/AB X2 group had longer OS when compared to mice in the GEM/AB X1 group (33.5 vs 13 days, P=0.001). Mice treated with chemotherapy survived longer than untreated control animals (median OS: 6.5 days, P <0.001). Moreover, in mice treated with chemotherapy, mice that received 2 cycles of GEM/AB X2 had the longest survival, while the FFX X1 group had the poorest OS (P <0.001). Lastly, chemotherapy followed by consolidative SBRT trended towards increased local control and survival. Conclusions: We demonstrate the utility and feasibility of clinically relevant mFOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer.
SNAP, campus food insecurity, and the politics of deservingness.

Many low-income college students are barred from food assistance for no reason other than the fact that they are pursuing a college education. Based on 22 interviews that capture the experiences of food insecure college students as they attempt to navigate SNAP, this study shows how low enrollment in the program and food insecurity are the predictable outcomes of policy decisions intended to restrict access to both free public higher education and public assistance in the 1980’s and 1990’s and were shaped by the racialized politics of deservingness. By documenting the barriers students encounter attempting to access food assistance, this study shows how these policies play out in the lives of students at the City University of New York (CUNY) today. Ultimately, the politics of deservingness create significant direct and indirect barriers to SNAP enrollment for students and limit policy makers’ and advocates’ attempts to expand SNAP and address food insecurity on college campuses.
Applications of partial filling micellar electrokinetic chromatography: from electrospray mass spectrometry to fluorescence polarization immunodetection

The potential interference of surfactants used in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with on-line detection methods has limited the application of MEKC. We present a solution for eliminating the elution of surfactant used in MEKC into detectors. In comparison to conventional MEKC our separation method involves filling the capillary with a small plug of surfactant. We have coined this separation mode as partial filling micellar electrokinetic chromatography (PF-MEKC). The capillary in PF-MEKC is filled with electrophoresis buffer, followed by an introduction of micellar solution, and finally the sample injection. In PF-MEKC analytes first migrate into the micellar plug where the separation occurs, and then into the electrophoresis buffer which is free of surfactants, while the micellar plug remains in the capillary. Therefore, the elution of the analytes into a given detector occurs in the electrophoresis buffer. As a result, PF-MEKC provides a solution for coupling MEKC separation technique on-line to various detectors. Before the application of PF-MEKC can be realized, it is important to investigate the overall mechanism and the effects PF-MEKC on analyte separation efficiency and resolution. The first paper in this work presents a theoretical model for predicting the separation behavior of triazine herbicides in PF-MEKC. The comparison between conventional and PF-MEKC in terms of separation eflHciency and resolution of the triazines herbicides are presented and
Building and Maintaining Internet Information Services

This study addressed the problem of Internet information services having to meet the increasing information demands of users in the dynamic Internet environment. The purpose of this research was to use K-12 digital reference services as a starting point to better understand the process of building and maintaining Internet information services. This study had three specific objectives: (1) to build and apply a conceptual framework based on complexity research, literature and the researcher's experience; (2) to use this conceptual framework to empirically describe how organizations, specifically K-12 digital reference services, build and maintain services in the dynamic Internet environment; and (3) to seek commonalties across these descriptions. In order to accomplish these objectives the following research questions were asked: 1. What are exemplary K-12 digital reference services' detectors (i.e. inputs) for Internet agent types, internal inputs and influences external to both the Internet and the organization? 2. What are exemplary K-12 digital reference services' rules for processing the input from detectors and, through resources, build and maintain effectors (i.e. services)? 3. What are exemplary K-12 digital reference services' effectors (i.e. outputs) used to meet users' information needs? This study used qualitative methods (elite interviews and document analysis) to elicit descriptions of six exemplary K-12 digital reference services. These descriptions were then compared across organizations to find commonalties.
Phase analysis of diffracted beams using multiplexed Fourier transform lenses

The output from diffraction gratings is formed using a Fourier transform lens. Because optical detectors are sensitive to intensity, information about the phase of the diffracted beams is lost. The relative phase shift between different diffracted orders can be measured using a multiplexed lens consisting of two offset lenses This lens forms two separate copies of the diffraction pattern. If a diffracted order from one copy overlaps a different order from the second copy, the resulting interference allows analysis of the relative phase between the different diffracted orders. Experimental results are presented using multiplexed lenses written onto a magneto-optic spatial light modulator.
Periodic orbit spectra of simple atoms

We discuss the correspondence and interplay between classical and quantum dynamics in simple atoms within the framework of the periodic-orbit (PO) expansion of quantum spectra. The semiclassical expression for the spectral density (Gutzwiller’s trace formula) can be viewed as a Fourier expansion in terms of classical (quasi) periodic orbits. Inverse Fourier transform of the full quantum spectral density therefore not only gives the PO spectrum in the semiclassical limit, but may also provide a tool to characterize the quantum spectrum. We study the scaled energy Fourier transform spectrum of the hydrogen atom as the prototype example of a regular, highly degenerate system and doubly excited resonances of helium exemplifying simple atomic systems that display soft chaos. Fundamental classical periodic orbits can be identified which form the basic building blocks of the quantum spectrum. This provides a tool for analyzing and interpreting electron correlation effects in atoms. We analyze the mechanism for the suppression of chaos due to the presence of Rydberg series in systems with long-range Coulomb interaction and discuss signatures of Ericson fluctuations in highly excited atoms close to the double ionization threshold.
Extreme Dependence Across East Asian Financial Markets: Evidence in Equity and Currency Markets

Using unconditional and conditional copulas, this paper investigates pairwise extreme dependence across financial markets by directly modeling the tail dependence behavior. We use a dataset consisting of daily stock index returns and foreign exchange rate returns of five East Asian countries (Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan). The returns data span from 7/3/1997 to 6/4/2010. GARCH-type models are employed to filter the univariate returns using maximum likelihood method (MLE). Then we use copulas to model the extreme bivariate dependence between the stock index returns and between the exchange rate returns for the countries under investigation. For these two large financial markets, the degree of dependency is found to be quite different. Empirically, we find significant asymmetric tail dependence in equity markets, with a large lower tail dependence coefficient than upper tail dependence coefficient, implying that international diversification is limited since the equity pairs tend to crash together when diversification is most needed. Mixed results are found for currency co-movements. Co-movements in the currency markets are much weaker, in several cases, with larger upper tail coefficients. This study has important implications in portfolio selection and risk management strategies in international diversification.
Genetic Regulation of Development in Sorghum bicolor (IX. The ma3R Allele Disrupts Diurnal Control of Gibberellin Biosynthesis).

The diurnal regulation of gibberellin (GA) concentrations in Sorghum bicolor was studied in a mutant lacking a light-stable 123-kD phytochrome (ma3Rma3R), wild-type (ma3ma3,Ma3Ma3), and heterozygous (ma3ma3R) cultivars. GAs were determined in shoots of 14-d-old plants by gas chromatography-selected ion-monitoring-mass spectrometry. GA12 levels fluctuated rhythmically in Ma3Ma3, ma3ma3, and ,ma3Rma3R; Peak levels occured 3 to 9 h after lights-on. In some experiments, GA53 levels followed a similar pattern. There was no rhythmicity in levels of GA19 and GA8 in any genotype. In ma3ma3 and Ma3Ma3, GA20 levels increased at lights-on, peaked in the afternoon, and decreased to minimum levels in darkness. In ma3Rma3R, peak GA20 levels occured at lights-on, 9 h earlier than in the wild-type genotypes. The pattern for GA1 levels closely followed GA20 levels in all cultivars. One copy of ma3 restored near wild-type regulation of GA20 levels. GA rhythms persisted in 25-d-old ma3ma3 plants. Since absence of the 123-kD phytochrome disrupted diurnal regulation of the GA19 -> GA20 step, the ma3Rma3R genotype may be viewed as being phase shifted in the rhythmic levels of GA20 and GA1 rather than as simply overproducing them.
Letter from the authors of "Improved Growth in Young Children with Severe Chronic Renal Insufficiency Who Use Specified Nutritional Therapy," which appeared on pages 2418-2426 of the November 2001 issue of JASN.

[Regarding the homemade sodium solutions][1] that we provided in the appendix to our article ([1][2]), use of these solutions began at our institution over 10 y ago after a pharmacy error resulted in an adverse event in a young child. It is estimated that medication errors occur in 6 of 100 orders
The future of tyrosine kinase inhibitors: Single agent or combination?

The past 3 years have delivered positive phase 3 trial results for sorafenib, sunitinib, temsirolimus, and bevacizumab in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The benefit of these therapies has been best defined as either first-line therapy or following cytokine therapy in patients with clear cell RCC. In light of the differences in the molecular targets of each agent, there is reason to believe that sequential single-agent therapy or regimens combining these agents could extend the benefits observed in the reported randomized trials. However, to date, few data have been reported supporting either strategy. A careful consideration of the specific mechanism of action of each agent provides a basis for considering the optimal therapeutic strategies for incorporating each of these agents into the management of metastatic RCC.
30 years of CPO-conferences

Abstract The CPO-conference series was started in 1980, i.e. 30 years ago. Its main purpose had been to advance the understanding of the motion of charged particles in electromagnetic fields, wherein a very important issue has always been to bring scientists together who work in the fields of mass spectrometry, electron microscopy and accelerator designs. There were important advances in all these fields and at least a portion of these advances had been triggered by the CPO-conferences.
Epsilon Stereo Pairs.

Human stereo vision works by fusing a pair of perspective images with a purely horizontal parallax. Recent developments suggest that very few varieties of multiperspective stereo pairs exist. In this paper, we introduce a new stereo model, which we call epsilon stereo pairs, for fusing a broader class of multiperspective images. An epsilon stereo pair consists of two images with a slight vertical parallax. We show many multiperspective camera pairs that do not satisfy the stereo constraint can still form epsilon stereo pairs. We then introduce a new ray-space warping algorithm to minimize stereo inconsistencies in an epsilon pair using multiperspective collineations. This makes epsilon stereo model a promising tool for synthesizing close-to-stereo fusions from many non-stereo pairs.
The effect of heterologous anti-lymphocyte serum on mouse hemopoietic stem cells.

The present study has demonstrated that rabbit anti-mouse lymphocyte serum (RAMLS) has the capability of destroying bone marrow cells and suppressing hemopoietic stem cell function. The in vitro incubation of bone marrow suspensions with RAMLS caused extensive cell lysis with an apparent preferential destruction of lymphoid, erythroid, and blastoid elements. Using the spleen colony assay, the number of functional hemopoietic stem cells was found to be markedly reduced in bone marrow populations exposed to RAMLS in vitro. Further, this loss of stem cell function could be produced by exposing marrow suspensions to small concentrations of antiserum which did not produce detectable cytotoxic effects on the general marrow population. A similar effect of RAMLS upon hemopoietic stem cells was found in vivo. The intravenous injection of RAMLS into lethally irradiated mice immediately after the infusion of isogeneic marrow cells reduced the number of spleen colonies formed, indicating that the antiserum could exhibit a deleterious effect upon stem cells in the bloodstream of the intact animal. Normal animals treated with daily subcutaneous injections of RAMLS for 3 wk had a significantly reduced marrow content of functional hemopoietic stem cells, suggesting that RAMLS can affect stem cells located in situ in the bone marrow. The experiments indicate that RAMLS possesses potential marrow toxicity.
Synthesis of 2-D linear phase digital filters

The synthesis of two-dimensional (2-D) linear-phase digital filters is studied in terms of approximation of 2-D transfer functions. A convergence result is established for the approximation of nonrational 2-D transfer functions under a certain mild frequency domain condition. It is shown that the synthesis of 2-D linear-phase FIR (finite impulse response) digital filters can be transformed into an equivalent approximation for which the convergence condition is satisfied. A 2-D linear-phase IIR (infinite impulse response) digital filter is then synthesized based on an FIR model. Several examples are given to illustrate the synthesis technique. >
MDM2 — master regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor protein

MDM2 is an oncogene that mainly functions to modulate p53 tumor suppressor activity. In normal cells the MDM2 protein binds to the p53 protein and maintains p53 at low levels by increasing its susceptibility to proteolysis by the 26S proteosome. Immediately after the application of cellular stress, the ability of MDM2 to bind to p53 is blocked or altered in a fashion that prevents MDM2-mediated degradation. As a result, p53 levels rise, causing cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. In this review, we present evidence for the existence of three highly conserved regions (CRs) shared by MDM2 proteins and MDMX proteins of different species. These highly conserved regions encompass residues 42-94 (CR1), 301-329 (CR2), and 444-483 (CR3) on human MDM2. These three domains are respectively important for binding p53, for binding the retinoblastoma protein, and for transferring ubiquitin to p53. This review discusses the major milestones uncovered in MDM2 research during the past 12 years and potential uses of this knowledge in the fight against cancer.
Differences in fluidity between bilayer halves of tumour cell plasma membranes

SURFACE membranes of both normal and transformed cells appear to have an asymmetric distribution of phospholipids across the bilayer1–6. The potential role of this distribution in platelet aggregation and in pathological conditions such as sickle cell anaemia and cell transformation has been investigated7–9. However, neither the structural nor functional significance of this asymmetrical distribution is understood at present. As the lipid composition of the two sides of the plasma membrane bilayer is different it seems possible that the ‘fluidity’ or other physicochemical properties are also different. It has been shown that the neutral zwitterionic lipids (phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin) are located primarily in the outer monolayer while the anionic zwitterionic lipids (phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol) are located primarily in the inner or cytoplasmic monolayer. In model systems the former lipids are usually more fluid while the latter lipids are more rigid10. Thus, a fluidity gradient could exist across the bilayer of biological membranes. Such a gradient and alterations of it may have important consequences in vectorial processes such as small molecule transport, receptor mobility, hormone receptor interactions and the activity of membrane-bound enzymes. However, as mammalian cells can compensate or homeoviscously adapt and because biological membranes are complex mixtures of cholesterol and phospholipids with different fatty acyl chain length or unsaturation, direct experimental measurement is necessary to determine if such vertical asymmetry of ‘fluidity’ exists across the plasma membrane bilayer of mammalian cells11–16. I report here use of a fluorescent probe molecule, β-parinaric acid, used in conjunction with the amino labelling reagent 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TENS) to investigate this asymmetry. The data obtained are consistent with the conclusion that the inner monolayer of the plasma membrane is less fluid than the outer monolayer.
Scandals rock mutual funds: Time to jump ship?

Wealth management guru Harold Evensky is often quoted by the financial and business press. The wealthy and powerful seek out his investment advice. So what is he telling his exclusive clients about the latest mutual fund scandals? How should you protect yourself? © 2003 Evensky, Brown & Katz.
Analysis of Aminophylline in Thigh Cream Formulations by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract Aminophylline is a 2:1 mixture of theophylline and ethylenediamine which is widely used as a bronchorelaxant for the treatment of asthma. More recently, it has been claimed that formulations of aminophylline in topical creams are useful for the reduction of lower body fat. As part of a study of the efficacy of such formulations, we have developed a chromatographic method for the analysis of aminophylline in cream preparations. The method involves dissolving the creams in an acetone-water solvent, derivatizing the aminophylline components with dansyl chloride and analyzing the resulting mixtures by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Because other components of the creams are separated from the aminophylline components during the HPLC analysis, no extractions of aminophylline from the creams are required. However, vigorous stirring of the reaction mixture during the dansylation is required to ensure that all of the aminophylline components are derivatized. Several commerc...
Carrier detection in cystic fibrosis

We evaluated four methods purported to distinguish between individuals homozygous or heterozygous for cystic fibrosis (CF) and normal controls: (1) detection of a protein in the serum by isoelectric focusing at pH 8.5, (2) detection of a lectinlike factor in the serum by hemagglutination, (3) isolation of CF-lectin from the serum by affinity chromatography, and (4) measurement of MUGB-reactive proteases in the plasma. The results were disappointing. The detection of CF protein by isoelectric focusing was unreliable; it could be identified in only 46% of heterozygotes and 66% of homozygotes, with a false positive rate of 17%. Detection of a lectinlike factor by hemagglutination was also found to be unreliable and irreproducible. The lectin isolated by affinity chromatography was not specific for the CF gene. No significant differences were found in the MUGB titers of the three populations tested. However, low titers (MU
Risk of complications of sclerotherapy for venous malformations

Purpose To assess risk of complications of sclerotherapy for venous malformations in children and young adults. Materials and Methods The medical records and procedural details for patients with venous malformations who were treated with sclerotherapy by one interventionalist were reviewed. The size, location and type of sclerosing agents used were noted. The incidence, type and risk factors for complications were documented. Complications were categorized according to the Society of Interventional Radiology classification system for complications by outcome. Results 122 patients (age: 2 months-34 years) underwent 314 procedures. Sodium tetradecyl sulfate 3% (STS) was used in 279 procedures (89%); of those STS was combined with other agents (dehydrated ethanol and nBCA glue) in 92 procedures (33%). STS volume use ranged from 0.2 ml to 20 ml. Ethanol was used in 87 procedures (27%), 80 of these (92%) were in combination with other agents with a volume range of 0.5 to 26 ml. Glue was used in 56 procedures (18%), 54 (97%) of which were combined with other agents with a total volume of 0.1-6 ml. Minor complications occurred in 23 procedures (7%) including blistering/ ulceration of involved skin (n=8), basilic vein thrombosis treated with simple thrombectomy (n=1), mild urethral bleeding from urine catheter (n=1) and transient hemoglobinuria. There were no major complications or nerve injury. Conclusion Sclerotherapy for venous malformations is a safe procedure even with the use of combinations of agents without major complications. Minor complications, such as blistering are expected with cutaneous involvement and heal without sequelae.
Influenza vaccine: issues and opportunities.

Influenza is the most important acute upper respiratory infection that removes people from work and obliges them to seek medical care. It affects all age groups from the youngest through the old. It can produce repeated infections throughout life, is highly communicable, and is responsible for annual community epidemics of varying severity. In addition to its acute respiratory presentation, influenza also is a systemic infection that predisposes particularly to pulmonary and cardiac complications. Therein lies its capacity to kill. The deaths accompanying seasonal influenza epidemics are designated "excess mortality" for two reasons. First, during the epidemic the number of deaths in the population exceeds the demographer's statistical expectation of mortality during that period. Second, after the epidemic, there is little or no compensatory reduction in mortality below the expected rate. Thus, influenza does not cause an earlier death only among those who might have been expected to die in the near future; most of the deaths produced by influenza would not have happened had the flu not run through the community. Thus, these deaths represent a genuine "excess" mortality. Influenza is paradoxical. Despite its dire capacities, most influenza infections are self-limited. Influenza can resemble numerous other acute winter respiratory infections, all casually referred to as the flu. As a consequence, its potential severity often goes unappreciated by the lay populace and even some physicians. This lack of awareness of its potential to produce serious disease is a barrier to implementing a successful vaccination program. Although admittedly still imperfect, influenza prevention is effective. Annual vaccination remains the mainstay of prevention. The limitations of influenza vaccination are well known; among others, there must be a good antigenic match between the dominant circulating wild virus and the viral product in the vaccine, and there is a yearly race by the manufacturers to have sufficient quantities of vaccine available at the appropriate time. Furthermore, patients need a better understanding that influenza vaccine cannot prevent every winter respiratory infection. Indeed, even physicians often need reminding that the principal function of the vaccine is the prevention of the most severe complications of influenza: pneumonia, hospitalization, and death. In addition, among young healthy persons, the vaccine has been effective in preventing infections entirely and reducing sick days from work and the need for medical care. In this article, we address some of the issues commonly raised about influenza and its prevention, and review developments that have enhanced the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of this unwelcome annual viral onslaught. 56
Multichannel mesh networks: challenges and protocols

Supporting high throughput is an important challenge in multihop mesh networks. Popular wireless LAN standards, such as IEEE 802.11, provision for multiple channels. In this article, we consider the use of multiple wireless channels to improve network throughput. Commercially available wireless network interfaces can typically operate over only one channel at a time. Due to cost and complexity constraints, the total number of interfaces at each host is expected to be smaller than the total channels available in the network. Under this scenario, several challenges need to be addressed before all the available channels can be fully utilized. In this article, we highlight the main challenges, and present two link-layer protocols for utilizing multiple channels. We also present a new abstraction layer that simplifies the implementation of new multichannel protocols in existing operating systems. This article demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing multiple channels, even if each host has fewer interfaces than the number of available channels
The reduced genome of the Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) encodes two iron acquisition systems essential for optimal growth and virulence.

Bacterial pathogens require multiple iron-specific acquisition systems for survival within the iron-limiting environment of the host. Francisella tularensis is a virulent intracellular pathogen that can replicate in multiple cell-types. To study the interrelationship of iron acquisition capability and virulence potential of this organism, we generated single and double deletion mutants within the ferrous iron (feo) and ferric-siderophore (fsl) uptake systems of the live vaccine strain (LVS). The Feo system was disrupted by a partial deletion of the feoB gene (ΔfeoB′), which led to a growth defect on iron-limited modified Muller Hinton agar plates. 55Fe uptake assays verified that the ΔfeoB′ mutant had lost the capacity for ferrous iron uptake but was still competent for 55Fe-siderophore-mediated ferric iron acquisition. Neither the ΔfeoB′ nor the siderophore-deficient ΔfslA mutant was defective for replication within J774A.1 murine macrophage-like cells, thus demonstrating the ability of LVS to survive using either ferrous or ferric sources of intracellular iron. A LVS ΔfslA ΔfeoB′ mutant defective for both ferrous iron uptake and siderophore production was isolated in the presence of exogenous F. tularensis siderophore. In contrast to the single deletion mutants, the ΔfslA ΔfeoB′ mutant was unable to replicate within J774A.1 cells and was attenuated in virulence following intraperitoneal infection of C57BL/6 mice. These studies demonstrate that the siderophore and feoB-mediated ferrous uptake systems are the only significant iron acquisition systems in LVS and that they operate independently. While one system can compensate for loss of the other, both are required for optimal growth and virulence.
Massively parallel molecular dynamics simulation of gas permeation across porous silica membranes

Abstract In this work, we simulate the pressure-driven gas permeation of gases in porous silica models using a dual control volume grand canonical molecular dynamics (DCV-GCMD) technique. This technique allows spatial variation of chemical potential and hence an accurate simulation of this steady-state process. The molecular sieving nature of microporous zeolites and amorphous silica made by sol–gel methods are discussed and compared. One mesoporous and one microporous membrane model are tested with Lennard-Jones gases corresponding to He, H 2 , Ar, and CH 4 . The mesoporous membrane model clearly follows a Knudsen diffusion mechanism, while the microporous model, having a hard-sphere cut-off pore diameter of ∼3.4 A, demonstrates molecular sieving of CH 4 ( σ =3.8 A), but anomalous behavior for Ar ( σ =3.4 A).
Ming Princes and Daoist Ritual

This essay explores the relationship between the patronage of Ming princes and local Daoism, focusing on ritual. While the role of Ming princes in local religion is an under-appreciated subject, this essay demonstrates that their support is crucial to our understanding of Daoism during that period. The efforts of princes made local Daoist ritual visible. In fact, they occupied an important role in propagating Daoism as an element of cultural and religious identity. Moreover, by different approaches to Daoist ritual, the Ming princes represented the various religious and social needs of lay patrons in the local community. Cet article explore la relation entre le patronage des princes Ming et le taoisme local, en s'attachant plus particulierement au rituel. Alors qu'on tend a sous-estimer le role des princes Ming dans le domaine des religions locales, l'article montre que prendre en compte leur soutien est decisif pour notre comprehension du taoisme pendant cette periode. Les efforts des princes ont rendu visible les rituels taoistes au niveau local. Ils ont en fait joue un role important dans la propagation du taoisme comme element d'identite culturelle et religieuse. En outre, par leurs approches differentes du rituel taoiste les princes Ming etaient representatifs de la variete des demandes religieuses et sociales des laiques au sein de la communaute locale.