cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How to End Illegal Immigration

Since President Trump has taken office, it is clearer than ever that there are two ways to end “illegal immigration.” The first route — started by President Obama and ratcheted up by President Trump with relentless cruelty — is an actual effort to deport millions and exclude millions more. The second is to legalize those without status who have been, are, and will continue to contribute to America’s families, communities, and future. This essay argues that the latter choice, restoring the paths to legalization that once were part of our nation’s laws, is the only realistic way forward to restore common sense to immigration law. This choice will stop excessive, wasteful, and expensive enforcement measures and invest in people who are making current and future contributions to families, work places, and communities. Developing legal solutions, however, will not come until it is recognized how the term “illegal immigration” originated in popular culture and influenced immigration law with distortions over who merits protection and who does not. Part I then examines the operation of existing immigration law, surveys the origins and misuse of the term “illegal immigrant,” and offers that the term “pre-legal immigrant” is the more accurate descriptor of how people are given legal status. Once the false presumption of criminality in the term “illegal immigrant” is exposed, Part II ends with a call to restore needed paths to legalization, which benefit immigrant communities, the citizen family members and employers who rely on their contributions, and the U.S. economy as a whole. Once presumptions are replaced with facts, paths to common sense reform are found for both the short- and long-term.
Analysis of Contact Stability and Contact Safety of a Robotic Intravascular Cardiac Catheter under Blood Flow Disturbances

This paper studies the contact stability and contact safety of a robotic intravascular cardiac catheter under blood flow disturbances while in contact with tissue surface. A probabilistic blood flow disturbance model, where the blood flow drag forces on the catheter body are approximated using a quasi-static model, is introduced. Using this blood flow disturbance model, probabilistic contact stability and contact safety metrics, employing a sample based representation of the blood flow velocity distribution, are proposed. Finally, the contact stability and contact safety of a MRI-actuated robotic catheter are analyzed using these models in a specific example scenario under left pulmonary inferior vein (LIV) blood flow disturbances.
Modeling Challenge Data to Quantify Endogenous Lactate Production

With the intention of isolating the susceptibility of modeling methodology to influence our investigation of the infusion data, we used three kinetic approaches to our models: a simple approach, a unit approach, and a novel approach. The simple approach used exclusively built-in modeling features of the software in terms of units of the infusion dilution (mmol/L), as well as in terms of the precision of switching the infusion on and off. The unit approach used the same switching mechanism as the simple approach, but the units were modeled in those of the infusion (e.g., mmol/kg). Thirdly with the novel approach, we used an automated approach to controlling the infusion, in the sense that as the modeling mechanism sensed the slowdown of the infusion, it was gradually turned off. The units of the analysis for the novel approach were exactly the same as those deployed in the unit approach. Our objective here was to see if common pharmacokinetic parameters were seriously impacted by the particular modeling method.
Kindergarten in a Large Urban District

Using data from 82 classroom observations conducted in a large urban school district, we explore how kindergartners spend their time in general and across schools serving children from lower and hi...
Mention Detection: Heuristics for the OntoNotes annotations

Our submission was a reduced version of the system described in Haghighi and Klein (2010), with extensions to improve mention detection to suit the OntoNotes annotation scheme. Including exact matching mention detection in this shared task added a new and challenging dimension to the problem, particularly for our system, which previously used a very permissive detection method. We improved this aspect of the system by adding filters based on the annotation scheme for OntoNotes and analysis of system behavior on the development set. These changes led to improvements in coreference F-score of 10.06, 5.71, 6.78, 6.63 and 3.09 on the MUC, B3, Ceaf-e, Ceaf-m and Blanc, metrics, respectively, and a final task score of 47.10.
Regulation of Autotrophic and Heterotrophic Carbon Dioxide Fixation in Hydrogenomonas facilis

Autotrophic and heterotrophic carbon dioxide fixation regulation in Hydrogenomonas, discussing two Calvin cycle enzymes
The Legality and Constitutionality of the President's Authority to Initiate an Invasion of Iraq

The Committee on International Security Affairs of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York (the Committee) has considered the legal and constitutional aspects of the President's authority to order an invasion of Iraq without Congressional approval, focusing on the scenario of a large-scale invasion proposed by the Bush Administration for the purpose of regime change, without either a prior attack by Iraq on the United States, an imminent threat of such an attack or evidence that Iraq aided in the perpetration of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Our examination of the Constitution leads us to conclude that an invasion of this nature would constitute a war within the contemplation of the Founders and would thus require prior Congressional authorization. We believe that such an invasion solely on the President's orders would deny Congress its Constitutionally-granted powers and could be justified only by an excessively expansive notion of Presidential authority, one unsupported by the plain text of the U.S. Constitution. This report addresses the issue of the legality of a Presidentially-initiated, large-scale invasion of Iraq in three steps: (1) An examination of the Administration's stated rationale for undertaking a large-scale invasion of Iraq; (2) An analysis of the U.S. Constitution and other relevant law underpinning the respective authority of the Congress and the President to initiate such an invasion; and (3) The conclusion of the Committee, based upon the foregoing analysis, that such an invasion of Iraq requires prior Congressional authorization.
Esterification of Hindered Alcohols: tert‐Butyl p‐Toluate

Esterification of hindered alcohols: tert-butyl p-toluate reactant: 5.42 g. (0.0351 mole) of p-toluoyl chloride product: tert-butyl p-toluate product: tert-butyl phenylacetate product: triethylcarbinol ester of p-toluic acid product: 2,2-diphenylethanol ester of benzoic acid product: C6H5CH2CO2C(CH3)3 product: C6H5CO2CH2CH(C6H5)2 product: C6H5CO2C(CH3)3 product: C6H5CO2CCH3(C2H5)2 product: C6H5CO2C(C2H5)3 product: C6H5CO2CH2(t-C4H9) product: (CH3)3CCO2C(CH3)3 product: (CH3)3CCO2C(C2H5) product: (i-C3H7)2CHCO2C(C2H5)3 product: C6H5CHCHCO2C(CH3)3 product: (tC4H9)CH2CO2C(C2H5)3 product: C6H5CH2CH2CO2C(CH3)3 product: (tC4H9)2CHCO2C(C2H5)3 Keywords: esterification, unsubstituted monobasic acids; tert-butyl alcohol; diethyl ether; lithium tert-butoxide, preparation of; p-toluoyl chloride, preparation of
Regulation of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Gene Expression by Transsynaptic Mechanisms and Cell-Cell Contact

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the regulation of TH expression by stimuli that activate transsynaptic mechanisms and by cell-cell contact. The chapter discusses the evidence supporting the hypothesis that these stimuli activate TH gene transcription rate and summarize some of the available information concerning the mechanisms responsible for this transcriptional regulation. Studies from numerous laboratories showed that this transsynaptic induction of TH required 2–4 hr of prolonged stress, occurred slowly over 12–24 hr, was because of an increase in TH protein and TH mRNA, and was mediated by nicotinic cholinergic receptors. More recently, the laboratory used nuclear run-on assays to test whether these transsynaptic increases in TH expression were because of initial increases in TH gene transcription rate. During development of the autonomic nervous system, neuroblasts migrate from the neural crest to the sites of primitive sympathetic ganglia, where they aggregate and TH expression is first observed. Many environmental cues are thought to participate in this initial expression of TH and in maintaining its basal expression; one of these cues is increased cell–cell contact. Transsynaptic regulation of the TH gene is mediated by both cholinergic and noncholinergic receptors; hence, multiple signaling pathways also regulate the gene. Three major second messengers have been implicated in this response: cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), diacylglycerol, and calcium. Each of these second messengers stimulates TH gene transcription rate and induces TH mRNA and TH protein in cultured cells. The participating transcription factors and the precise molecular steps in the signaling pathways remain to be elucidated.
Excess Gate Current Due to Hot Electrons in GaAs-Gate FETs

We report on the first observations of hot electron effects in the gate current of GaAs-gate FET’s. We have made and tested a variety of these FET’s using MBE-grown material with 60nm and 35nm thick Al.4Ga.6As gate insulator layers. In measurements at 300K and 77K these devices show drain-voltage-dependent gate current substantially exceeding that which would be expected on the basis of simple vertical transport measurements. We attribute this current to the real-space transfer of hot electrons from the channel of the device into the (Al,Ga)As/GaAs barrier, from which they are collected into the gate.
Customer future profitability assessment: a data-driven segmentation function approach

One of the important tasks in customer relationship management is to find out the future profitability of individual and/or groups of customers. Data mining-based approaches only provide coarse-grained customer segmentation. It is also hard to obtain a high-precision structure model purely by using regression methods. This paper proposes a data-driven segmentation function that provides a precise regression model on top of the segmentation from a data mining approach. For a new customer, a structure model constructed from profit contribution data of current customers is adopted to assess the profitability. For an existing customer, external information such as stock value performance is taken into the regression model as well as historical trend prediction on the profit contribution. In addition, this paper shows how the proposed approach works and how it improves the customer profitability analysis through experiments on the sample data.
Circuits and microarchitecture for gigahertz VLSI designs

IBM founded the Austin Research Laboratory to investigate high-performance microprocessor-based systems. Initial efforts have focused on design for high frequency. This resulted in the completion prototype for a 64-bit PowerPC processor core early in 1997. The prototype is expected to run at 800 MHz in 0.25 micron CMOS technology. We discuss clocking strategy, circuit design, microarchitecture, methodology, and the testing strategy needed to achieve this frequency.
Trait Anger, Employee Work Behaviors, and the Moderating Role of Problem Focused-Coping

This study aims to analyze the moderating role of problem-focused coping style in the relationship between trait anger and employees’ withdrawal and taking-charge behaviors. Our sample included 254 employees from two middle-sized organizations, i.e. a medical facility and a financial company, in Northern California. To reduce the common-source and desirability biases, the data regarding taking-charge behaviors were collected from the employees’ supervisors. Our results showed that employees with higher level of trait anger were more likely to engage in taking-charge behaviors, such as identifying and pursuing work-related problems. In addition, trait anger instigated withdrawal behaviors if the employees reported lower levels of problem-focused coping. In contrast, when employees were higher on problem-focused coping, their trait anger was not significantly related to withdrawal behaviors. These results suggest that, when employees take on a more problem-focused approach to manage their stress at work, their trait anger could work for the benefit of these employees and their organization by driving them to identify and solve work-related problems. Our study revealed that trait anger, in itself, is not necessarily a functional or dysfunctional employee characteristic and delineated the moderating role of problem-focused coping style in the relationship between trait anger and work behaviors.
Tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of Bruton tyrosine kinase upon Fc epsilon RI cross-linking.

Abstract Tyrosine phosphorylation of several cellular proteins is one of the earliest signaling events induced by cross-linking of the high-affinity receptor for immunoglobulin E (Fc epsilon RI) on mast cells or basophils. Tyrosine kinases activated during this process include the Src family kinases, Lyn, c-Yes, and c-Src, and members of another subfamily, Syk and PTK72 (identical or highly related to Syk). Recently, some of us described two novel tyrosine kinases, Emb and Emt, whose expression was limited to subsets of hematopoietic cells, including mast cells. Emb turned out to be identical to Btk, a gene product defective in human X-linked agammaglobulinemia and in X-linked immunodeficient (xid) mice. Here we report that Fc epsilon RI cross-linking induced rapid phosphorylation on tyrosine, serine, and threonine residues and activation of Btk in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. A small fraction of Btk translocated from the cytosol to the membrane compartment following receptor cross-linking. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Btk was not induced by either a Ca2+ ionophore (A23187), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, or a combination of the two reagents. Co-immunoprecipitation between Btk and receptor subunit beta or gamma was not detected. The data collectively suggest that Btk is not associated with Fc epsilon but that its activation takes place prior to protein kinase C activation and plays a novel role in the Fc epsilon RI signaling pathway.
Trigonocephaly in rabbits with familial interfrontal suture synostosis: The multiple effects of premature single‐suture fusion

Previous studies from our laboratory have characterized the craniofacial morphology and growth patterns of an inbred strain of rabbits with autosomal dominant coronal suture synostosis. A number of rabbit perinates from this colony have been collected sporadically over a 5-year period with premature interfrontal suture synostosis. The present study describes the very early onset of craniofacial dysmorphology of these rabbits and compares them to similar-aged normal control rabbits. A total of 40 perinatal New Zealand White rabbits were used in the present study. Twenty-one comprised the sample with interfrontal suture synostosis and ranged in age from 27 to 38 days postconception (term = 31 days) with a mean age of 33.53 days (+/-2.84 days). Nineteen rabbits served as age-matched, normal controls (mean age = 33.05 days +/-2.79 days). Lateral and dorsoventral radiographs were collected from each rabbit. The radiographs were traced, computer digitized, and 12 craniofacial measurements, angles, and indices were obtained. Mean measures were compared using an unpaired Student's t-test. All synostosed rabbits were stillborn or died shortly after birth. Grossly, these rabbits exhibited extreme frontal bossing, trigonocephaly with sagittal keeling, and midfacial shortening. No somatic anomalies were noted. Radiographically, rabbits with interfrontal suture synostosis had significantly (P < 0.05) narrower bifrontal widths, shorter cranial vault lengths, kyphotic cranial base angles, and different cranial vault indices (shapes) compared to controls. Results reveal severe and early pathological and compensatory cranial vault changes associated with premature interfrontal suture synostosis in this rabbit model. The 100% mortality rate noted in this condition may be related to the inheritance of a lethal genetic mutation or to neural compression from reduced intracranial volume. Results are discussed in light of current pathogenic hypotheses for human infants with premature metopic suture synostosis.
Comparison of the mechanism and effectiveness of position and velocity feedback in active constrained-layer damping treatments

In active constrained layer (ACL) damping treatments there are two distinct physical mechanisms that contribute to the damping of resonant oscillations -- increased passive damping due to increased shear in the viscoelastic material (VEM) layer, and damping due to transmission of active forces to the host structure. The present study demonstrates that the first mechanism is dominant when proportional feedback is used while the second mechanism is dominant when derivative feedback is used. In the case of proportional feedback, the shear in the VEM increases considerably so that the passive damping is significantly larger than that obtained for zero-voltage (PCL case), but the active action is actually slightly detrimental. In the case of derivative feedback, the shear strain levels in the VEM are virtually unchanged, and all of the damping augmentation is due to the active action. While previous studies have suggested that a high VEM shear modulus would enhance the active damping augmentation due to improved transmissibility of active forces from the piezoelectric layer to the host structure, voltage (or electric field) limits on the piezoelectric layer were never directly considered. In the present study it is concluded that for high VEM shear modulus the low inherent damping results in large resonant response amplitudes. In such a case, the allowable control gains (so as not to exceed the piezoelectric voltage limits) would be reduced, and the damping increases predicted previously (without considering the voltage limits) are no longer available. The present results indicate that when voltage limits are considered, the maximum damping augmentation is available in the VEM shear modulus range that provides optimal passive damping, since these allow the largest control gains.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optimal voting turnouts

There is an extensive and far-ranging literature concerned with positive aspects of election turnouts, dealing with such questions as the number of people who vote, the composition of the voting population, whether it is narrowly 'rational' for those who vote to do so, and so on. l The normative properties of election turnouts and alternative institutional arrangements for influencing them have, by contrast, been largely neglected. A notable exception to this neglect is Gordon Tultock's recent sequence of papers, and G~/rtner's associated comments on optimal poll taxes [Tullock, 1975, 1976 and 1977; see also G//rtner, 1976 and 1977]. Tutlock's general conclusion is that turnouts should be restricted below the levels that would obtain if elections were financed out of general revenue, and hence that some poll tax is required. The arguments which Tullock uses to support this conclusion are two fold. First, the voting process itself is costly in terms of the provision of polling booths, ballot papers, vote-counting machines, scrutineers and so on-and presumably, having greater numbers from the enfranchised population exercising their voting rights will increase this cost. At the optimal turnout, the net benefits from an extra individual's exercise of his vote must exactly offset the incremental processing cost. Second, Tullock argues, since any individual's political "power," defined as the probability that his vote will be decisive, decreases with
Perceptual differences between patients with chronic low back pain and healthy volunteers using magnitude matching and clinically relevant stimuli

Perceptual differences between patients with chronic pain and control subjects have been shown for experimental pain stimuli as well as nonpainful stimuli. The present study investigated the perceptual differences between patients with chronic pain and control subjects using clinically relevant stimuli requiring pain and nonpain related judgments. Magnitude matching was used to compare 16 patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) with 16 control subjects in their perception of pain and heaviness during exercise on a lumbar exercise apparatus. The patients with CLBP discriminated levels of clinically relevant stimuli better than normals based on pain ratings, but were equal in discriminability when making heaviness ratings. The patients with CLBP also underestimated the heaviness of weights lifted with their lower backs, which may represent a generalization of an under-reporting style to relevant but nonpainful judgments.
“Serfs,” Civics, and Social Action: Islamic Identity and Grassroots Activism during Eritrea’s Tigre Emancipation Movement, 1941–1946

This article examines the growth of political activism within various Tigre-speaking communities across Eritrea during the early and mid-1940s. Using previously overlooked archival as well as oral sources, it explores how some tigre “serfs” became increasingly proactive in challenging their subordinate position against local landlords, even as communities experienced a haphazard transition from Italian to temporary British colonial rule. Refusing to comply with the traditional payment of customary dues and taxes to local landlords, disenfranchised tigre across Eritrea’s Western Province pressed their claims for economic and even political independence. In the process, some tigre leaders also demonstrated the complex and often problematic nature of Islamic “identity” as the emancipation movement expanded. Activists’ overall success also depended upon their ability to articulate a broad, Islamicinspired understanding of the need to rectify social and economic injustice, even though such actions challenged the existing religious institutions and authorities in the region, particularly the leadership within the dominant Khatmiyya Sufi order. Ultimately, the surge in antifeudal activism helped enrich the emerging public discourse across the colony, which fused ideas of political independence with the need to ensure the collective security of the region’s various Muslim communities, including those residing beyond the country’s Tigre-speaking areas.
Etiologies and predictors of diagnosis in nonresponsive celiac disease.

Background & Aims: Nonresponsive celiac disease (NRCD) is a common problem affecting from 7% to 30% of celiac patients. Because NRCD comprises varied and potentially morbid entities, efficient and cost-effective patient care requires knowledge of the specific causes of this disorder. The aim of this study was to determine the common etiologies of NRCD in a tertiary referral center. Methods: All cases of biopsy examination–proven celiac disease (CD) seen at our institution over the preceding 5 years were included in this study. NRCD was defined as a failure to respond to at least 6 months of treatment with a gluten-free diet or the re-emergence of symptoms or laboratory abnormalities typical of CD while still on treatment with a gluten-free diet. Results: A total of 113 patients with NRCD meeting the earlier-described criteria were seen from a total of 603 patients with CD (19%), however, among patients for whom we provided primary specialist care the incidence of NRCD was 10% ( P P P Conclusions: NRCD is a common phenomenon affecting 10%–19% of celiac patients. A limited number of etiologies account for the majority of cases. Clinical factors may be used to guide evaluation.
On the relation between entropy and the average complexity of trajectories in dynamical systems

If (X,T) is a measure-preserving system, \( \alpha \) a nontrivial partition of X into two sets and f a positive increasing function defined on the positive real numbers, then the limit inferior of the sequence \( \{2H(\alpha_{0}^{n-1})/f(n)\}_{n=1}^{\infty} \) is greater than or equal to the limit inferior of the sequence of quotients of the average complexity of trajectories of length n generated by \( \alpha_{0}^{n-1} \) and nf(log2(n))/log2(n). A similar statement also holds for the limit superior.
Effects of the NMDA receptor antagonist memantine on the expression and development of acute opiate dependence as assessed by withdrawal-potentiated startle and hyperalgesia

While the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor has been strongly implicated in chronic opiate dependence, relatively few studies have examined the effects of NMDA receptor antagonists on withdrawal from acute opiate exposure. The current study examined the effects of memantine, a well-tolerated NMDA receptor antagonist, on acute opiate dependence as assessed by elevations in rodent startle responding (i.e., “withdrawal-potentiated startle”) and increased pain sensitivity (i.e., hyperalgesia). Administration of memantine either attenuated (5 mg/kg) or blocked (10 mg/kg) the expression of withdrawal-potentiated startle during naloxone (2.5 mg/kg)-precipitated withdrawal from a single dose of morphine sulfate (10 mg/kg). Pre-treatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist also inhibited the exacerbation of withdrawal-potentiated startle across repeated acute opiate exposures. Memantine blocked the expression of acute dependence, but was less effective in inhibiting its escalation, when hyperalgesia was used as a measure of withdrawal. These doses of memantine did not affect startle responding or nociception in otherwise drug-free animals. Data from additional control groups indicated that the effects of memantine on the expression of withdrawal were not influenced by nonspecific interactions between the NMDA antagonist and either morphine or naloxone. These findings suggest that the NMDA receptor may play a key role in the earliest stages of opiate dependence and provide further evidence that memantine may be useful for the treatment of opiate withdrawal.
Stability of Iowa mutant and wild type Aβ-peptide aggregates

Recent experiments indicate a connection between the structure of amyloid aggregates and their cytotoxicity as related to neurodegenerative diseases. Of particular interest is the Iowa Mutant, which causes early-onset of Alzheimer's disease. While wild-type Amyloid β-peptides form only parallel beta-sheet aggregates, the mutant also forms meta-stable antiparallel beta sheets. Since these structural variations may cause the difference in the pathological effects of the two Aβ-peptides, we have studied in silico the relative stability of the wild type and Iowa mutant in both parallel and antiparallel forms. We compare regular molecular dynamics simulations with such where the viscosity of the samples is reduced, which, we show, leads to higher sampling efficiency. By analyzing and comparing these four sets of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we probe the role of the various factors that could lead to the structural differences. Our analysis indicates that the parallel forms of both wild type and Iowa mutant aggregates are stable, while the antiparallel aggregates are meta-stable for the Iowa mutant and not stable for the wild type. The differences result from the direct alignment of hydrophobic interactions in the in-register parallel oligomers, making them more stable than the antiparallel aggregates. The slightly higher thermodynamic stability of the Iowa mutant fibril-like oligomers in its parallel organization over that in antiparallel form is supported by previous experimental measurements showing slow inter-conversion of antiparallel aggregates into parallel ones. Knowledge of the mechanism that selects between parallel and antiparallel conformations and determines their relative stability may open new avenues for the development of therapies targeting familial forms of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
L364718, a new CCK antagonist, inhibits biological actions of CCK in conscious dogs

The effects of L364718, a new CCK receptor antagonist, on CCK-8 stimulated pancreatic secretion and PP release were examined in three conscious dogs with pancreatic fistulas. L364718 (20 nmol/kg) caused a potent inhibition of CCK-8 stimulated pancreatic protein, amylase and trypsin secretion but not of volume and bicarbonate secretion. Release of PP by CCK was also significantly suppressed by L364718. The degree of inhibition by L364718 was dependent upon the amount of CCK-8 infused. This study demonstrates that L364718 acts as a potent antagonist of CCK's action on pancreatic enzyme secretion and PP release in dogs and suggests that this agent might be a useful tool for studying the physiological role of CCK in conscious animals.
Studies on a circulating anticoagulant inhibiting factor XI in a patient with congenital deficiency and carcinoma of the prostate

An inhibitor of plasma thromboplastin antecedent (PTA, factor XI), measured in coagulant and radioimmunoassays, was detected in a 60-year-old man with carcinoma of the prostate who had no evidence of a bleeding tendency. Family studies indicated that the patient was either a homozygote or a heterozygote for hereditary factor XI deficiency. In contrast to earlier described patients with factor XI deficiency in whom inhibitors were detected, the patient was unaware of having been transfused with blood or blood products at any time before the discovery of the inhibitor. The inhibitor of factor XI in the patient's plasma appeared to be predominantly in the IgG4 fraction and to be directed at a locus on the factor XI molecule other than the active site; it did not block the amidolytic properties of activated factor XI (XIa). Rather, it appeared to block adsorption of factor XI to negatively charged surfaces. The inhibitor interfered with measurement of other components of the intrinsic pathway of thrombin formation, perhaps explaining the low titres of other coagulation factors of the intrinsic system reported in patients with strong inhibitors directed against factor XI.
Characterizing fluorescent imaging properties of antibodies conjugated to IRDye800CW for use in imaging of head and neck cancer

Introduction: Proteins conjugated to the near infrared (NIR) moieties for detection of head and neck cancers are being translated to the clinic. However, little is known about the fluorescent properties of IRDye800CW after conjugation to antibodies. We investigated factors that may alter the real-time observed fluorescence of antibody conjugated dye and the rate of fluorescent signal loss. Methods: Signal loss was examined using three FDA approved monoclonal antibodies conjugated to IRDye800CW (LICOR) over a period of 15 days. Temperature effects on fluorescence were examined for conjugated dye in both solution and a mouse tumor model. Samples were cooled to -20°C then warmed to predetermined temperatures up to 60°C with imaging performed using the PEARL Impulse (LI-COR) and LUNA (Novadaq) systems. Results: Short term fluorescent signal loss (< 1 hour) was linear, while long term loss (15 days) was exponential with significant increases in rate observed with light exposure and increased temperatures. Cooling of tumor tissue at -20°C was shown to significantly increase tumor fluorescence on both imaging modalities when compared to room temperature (p=0.008, p=0.019). Concurrently the ratio of tumor to background fluorescent signal (TBR) increased with decreasing temperature with statistically significant increases seen at -20°C and 4°C (p=0.0015, p=0.03). Conclusions: TBR is increased with decreasing sample temperature, suggesting that the clinical exam of fluorescently labeled tissues may be improved at cooler temperatures. Our results indicate that both the rate of signal loss and the change in fluorescence with temperature observed for IRDye800CW are independent of the conjugating antibody.
Use of GeH4 and GeF4 in a-Si photovoltaic cell manufacture: Hazard assessment and management options

Abstract Efficiencies of a-Si photovoltaic cells may be improved by producing multijunction cells using a-(Si, Ge) alloys. Feedstock gases used for this process include GeH 4 and GeF 4 . Significant health and safety hazards to workers and the public may result from their use. Exposure to concentrations of GeH 4 on the order of parts per million can produce a range of physiological symptoms; exposure to higher concentrations can be fatal. Analyses indicate that release of a two-week inventory of GeH 4 would result in dangerous concentrations to a distance of about 0.4 km. GeH 4 is also highly flammable and explosive at elevated temperatures. The effects of an explosion, however, would be localized to within a radius of about 50 m, and the individuals affected would primarily be workers and emergency services personnel. GeF 4 reacts readily with moisture in the air to form HF fumes which are corrosive to tissue and are highly toxic. Accidental release of a two-week inventory of GeF 4 would travel almost 1 km before dispersing to “safe” levels. Estimates of routine emissions for both gases show that under most operating conditions no emission controls are required to meet existing air quality standards. Hazard management options aimed at preventing gas releases and minimizing their consequences are presented.
Study of the Normal Human Kidney and Kidney Cancer with Monoclonal Antibodies

The ability to establish immortal tissue culture lines of human renal cancer as well as short-term lines of autologous normal kidney epithelium offers a unique system to probe the differences between a neoplastic cell and its normal counterpart. Monoclonal antibodies have been prepared against cell surface differentiation antigens of normal and neoplastic human kidney. The detected antigens have been biochemically characterized, and the molecular phenotypes of these cells is being unraveled. Differences in gene expression are becoming apparent between the normal and neoplastic kidney cell. Preliminary results indicate that these differences appear to have clinical significance.
Multi-dimensional population balance model development and validation for a twin screw granulation process

In this study, a novel multi-component population balance model (PBM) for the twin-screw granulation (TSG) process was developed, taking into account the rate processes of aggregation, breakage, liquid addition, and consolidation. Interactions between multiple solid components (e.g. active pharmaceutical ingredient and excipient) and the amount of liquid were accounted for in quantifying the aggregation and breakage rates. Experimental data was obtained for the TSG process, whereby the effect of initial particle size distribution and liquid-to-solid ratios on key granule properties was studied. The data was used to estimate adjustable parameters in the proposed mechanistic kernels and to validate the calibrated process model as a predictive tool. The simulation results showed a good agreement with experimental data.
Dose-related stimulation of platelet cyclic adenosine monophosphate by prostacyclin in thrombotic stroke.

Platelet hyperaggregability is commonly thrombotic stroke (l-5). Evidence of platelet ability related to transient ischemic attacks and increased platelet factor 4, B-thromboglobulin observed in patients with activation and hyperaggregcerebral infarction includes levels, shortened platelet survival time, adhesion of radiolabeled platelets to atherosclerotic carotid arteries, increased synthesis of malondialdehyde and thromboxane and accumulation of platelet aggregates. These data suggest a relationship between platelet activation and thrombotic stroke but have not convincingly established that a cause and effect relationship exists. The difficulty lies in part in a lack of understanding of the mechanisms by which platelet hyperaggregability occurs. In the present study, we proposed to test the hypothesis that a defective platelet responsiveness to prostacyclin may represent an important platelet inherent abnormality which attributes to increased platelet activity and thrombotic tendency.
Queering Citizenship, Queering Middle East Studies

Critical citizenship studies have argued that researchers should not take the myth of the universal unmarked citizen to heart, but rather focus on the distance between the ideal of citizenship and its everyday embodied practices and on what the citizen and the state do rather than on the state's narration of itself. As Partha Chatterjee writes in his critique of Benedict Anderson, to endorse “unbound serialities” such as the universal and anonymous citizen is to imagine that nationalism and state practices can function without governmentality. In fact, the state's job is to organize and regulate the shared life of its structurally and practically unequal citizens and residents. Normative political theory of citizenship elides the ways that governmentality and biopower produce each citizen (as well as groups of citizens) as a particular derivation from the norm. It is with each iteration of these technologies that the state comes into view as a bounded entity.
MEASURING AGREEMENT WHEN TWO OBSERVERS CLASSIFY PEOPLE INTO CATEGORIES NOT DEFINED IN ADVANCE

Basic to many psychological investigations is the question of agreement between observers who independently categorize people. Several recent studies have proposed measures of agreement when a set of nominal scale categories has been predefined and imposed on two observers. This study, in contrast, develops a measure of agreement for settings where observers independently define their own categories. Thus it is possible for observers to delineate different numbers of categories, with different names. Computational formulae for the mean and variance of the proposed measure of agreement are given; further, a statistic with a large-sample normal distribution is suggested for testing the null hypothesis of random agreement. A computer-based comparison of the large-sample approximation with the exact distribution of the test statistic shows a generally good fit, even for moderate sample sizes. Finally, a worked example involving two psychologists' classifications of children illustrates the computations.
Change of external auditory canal pH in acute otitis externa.

OBJECTIVES We investigated (1) the correlation between the degree of acute otitis externa (AOE) and a change of pH and (2) the recovery of pH after acidification compared to an antibiotic otic solution in AOE. A change of pH in the external auditory canal (EAC) is very important for the pathogenesis of otitis externa. Therefore, not only an antibiotic otic solution, but also acidification, is known to be a good treatment for AOE. However, pH has only been investigated in chronic otitis externa, and not in AOE. METHODS This was a prospective randomized control study. Forty adult patients (56 ears) with AOE and 40 normal control subjects (80 ears) participated in this study. The severity of disease was graded as mild, moderate, or severe. The pH of each EAC was then measured. The patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups: one for vinegar irrigation and the other for topical antibiotics. The pH of the diseased ears was measured at 1 and 2 weeks after the treatment. RESULTS The mean (+/-SD) pH for the normal control subjects was 5.4 +/- 0.48, and the EAC lost its acidity proportionately to the degree of disease (p < 0.05). For both the vinegar irrigation and topical antibiotic groups, the acidity was restored dramatically (p < 0.05) at 1 and 2 weeks for the moderate and severe grades of otitis, but not for the mild grade. There was no difference in recovery between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS The EAC lost its acidity proportionately to the degree of disease in AOE. Vinegar irrigation and topical antibiotics were equally effective for restoration of pH.
Controlling cohesive particle mixing and segregation.

We observe experimentally that particle systems that would otherwise mix can be made to segregate and vice versa simply by adding moisture. Using a newly developed theoretical approach, we generate phase diagrams that exhibit both mixed and segregated phases and show how the location of phase boundaries may be manipulated via modifying the mechanical and surface properties of the particles. These results have implications for industrial mixing/separation processes as well as novel particle production methods (e.g., engineered agglomerates with precisely prescribed compositions).
Desvenlafaxine in major depressive disorder: An evidence-based review of its place in therapy

Introduction Desvenlafaxine, the active metabolite of venlafaxine, is a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) recently approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder. It is one of only three medications in this class available in the United States. Aims The objective of this article is to review the published evidence for the safety and efficacy of desvenlafaxine, and to compare it to other antidepressants to delineate its role in the treatment of depression. Evidence review At the recommended dose of 50 mg per day the rate of response and remission was similar to other SNRIs, as was the adverse effect profile. The rate of discontinuation was no greater than placebo, and a discontinuation syndrome was not observed at this dose. Higher doses were not associated with greater efficacy, but they did lead to more side effects, and the use of a taper prior to discontinuation. The most common side effects reported were insomnia, somnolence, dizziness, and nausea. Some subjects experienced clinically significant blood pressure elevation. Place in therapy Like duloxetine, desvenlafaxine inhibits the reuptake of both norepinephrine and serotonin at the starting dose. Dual reuptake inhibitors have been shown to have small but statistically significantly greater rates of response and remission compared to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and they have also shown early promise in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Desvenlafaxine may prove to be a valuable treatment option by expanding the limited number of available dual reuptake inhibitors.
The phonon spectra of the superionic conductor KBiF4 (a CaF2 Analogue)

Abstract Theoretical calculations of the phonon infrared and Raman response in simple superionic conductors such as AgI, CuI, and CaF2 types are based on two fundamental assumptions. First, most of the response can be understood in terms of a breakdown of the selection rules due to disorder (lack of translational symmetry) and second, harmonic lattice dynamics can be used with a good degree of accuracy. This is tested here experimentally in the superionic conductor K1−xBi1+xF4+2x which has the CaF2 structure (x=0.0 is analogous to 2CaF2). By varying x we increase the disorder (via F-ion interstitials and vacancies) and measure broad temperature independent reduced Raman and infrared responses. The broad response is dependent on x in a manner consistent with the first assumption and the lack of temperature dependence is consistent with the second assumption. In order to understand the transverse optic vibrational frequencies (ωTO) we have found that plots of ωTO2vs. μ-1 (reduced mass) are very helpful. The linearity of such plots, for example, for tetrahedrally bonded AgI, CuI, CuBr, CuCl (formal charge Z=1) and the difference of such results for similar materials but with formal charges of 2, 3, and 4 is surprising and not as yet understood. Other conclusions are discussed at the end of the paper.
Long-Term Variability of Climate

In this research note, the authors address the following general question: In a nonlinear dynamical system (such as the climate system), can a known short-periodic variation lead to significant long-term variability It is known for chaos studies (e.g., Lorenz 1991) that any perturbations in chaotic dynamic systems can lead to a red-noise spectrum; however, whether a significant long-term variability can be induced is unknown. To perform this study, an idealized nonlinear model developed by Lorenz (1984, 1990) is used. The model and the results are presented in sections 2 and 3, respectively. Finally, the implications of this research to the understanding of the natural variability of the climate system due to internal dynamics will be discussed in section 4. 14 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.
Granular cold-water-soluble starches prepared at atmospheric pressure

Granular cold-water-soluble (GCWS) starches were prepared by heating a starch slurry in a mixture of water-polyhydric alcohol (PHA) at atmospheric pressure. Exchanging the liquids with ethanol followed by drying produced GCWS starch. The method was applied to cereal, tuber, root and legume starches and many of their cross-linked and substituted forms to yield products with cold-water solubilities ranging from 70 to 95%. The success of the method depended mainly on the type of starch, PHA, the temperature and the proportions of starch, water and PHA. Aqueous propan-1,2-diol was the medium of choice for converting native and modified starches, although aqueous ethylene glycol, glycerol and any of the four positional isomers of butandiol were also useful. Aqueous butandiol was effective for hydroxypropylated starches and aqueous glycerol for potato starch. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that heating starch in mixtures of water-PHA (starch/water/PHA = 1·0/1·5/4·5, w/w/w) gave a single gelatinization endotherm that occurred at higher temperature and over a narrower range than the endotherm observed in water alone (starch/water = 1/1·5, w/w). The increase in gelatinization temperature effected by the PHAs correlated negatively with their effect on the swelling and dissolving of amylose in a 1:3 (w/w) mixture of water-PHA.
Immunodeficiency and depletion of thymic dependent lymphocytes in host versus graft disease.

SummaryHost Versus Graft (HVG) syndrome is a fatal disease complex induced in parental strain mice by perinatal inoculations of F1 hybrid spleen cells, and manifested by platelet deficiency, intestinal hemorrhage, massively enlarged lymph nodes and spleen, thymic atrophy and renal disease. In this study, severe depression in splenic hemolytic plaque forming cell responses was observed in 25 day old RFM/(T6 × RFM) F1 mice. Histopathological surveys of the spleens revealed that depletion of lymphocytes in the thymic dependent areas of the white pulp accompanied an acute inflammatory reaction. Germinal centers and their accompanying lymphocytes, thought to be of bone marrow origin, were spared. Certain immunological and morphological similarities suggested that Graft Versus Host and Host Versus Graft diseases may have in common an induced deficiency of thymic derived (T) cells.I thank Fr. G. Brede for plaque assays and Mr. J. Adams, for histological preparations. Supported in part by NIH grant AI-10, 136 and...