cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New promise in combinatorial chemistry: synthesis, characterization, and screening of small-molecule libraries in solution

Abstract Background: The increasing interest in combinatorial chemistry as a tool for the development of therapeutics has led to many new methods of creating molecular libraries of potential lead compounds. Current methods have made it possible to develop libraries of several million compounds. As a result, the limiting factor in the screening of libraries has become the identification and characterization of active species. We have recently described a method for generating libraries of water-soluble compounds containing mixtures of 10 4 to 10 5 different small organic molecules by using generally applicable solution phase chemistry. We set out to develop new methods to characterize and decode these libraries. Results: Libraries were generated by condensing a multiacid-chloride core molecule with various amines, producing molecules with functional groups about a rigid backbone. Composition and complexity of the libraries was evaluated using electrospray mass spectrometry to analyze model libraries containing up to 55 different molecules. The number of peaks obtained in mass spectrometry is directly correlated with the complexity of the library, and we were therefore able to deduce which of the expected compounds had in fact been formed in the library, and which of the building blocks in the library were not efficiently used. An iterative selection procedure was developed using this information, which allowed the screening of libraries of up to 50,000 chemical species to produce a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme trypsin. Conclusions: Our strategy for the identification of active species should be broadly applicable to other methods of generating complex libraries of small molecules. The selection from the library of a compound with desired biological properties augurs well for the potential value of generating and screening complex mixtures of small molecules in solution.
Urothelial carcinoma in a child.

Resumen es: OBJETIVO: El carcinoma urotelial de vejiga ocurre raramente en las primeras 2 decadas de la vida. Presentamos el caso de un nino de 12 anos que presento ...
Review of the evidence that pH is a determinant of nicotine dosage from oral use of smokeless tobacco.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether manipulation of the pH of moist-snuff products by manufacturers could control the delivery of nicotine. DATA SOURCES: Medline database 1966-97 using the following subject headings and keywords: nicotine, absorption, mouth mucosa, skin, hydrogen-ion concentration, smokeless tobacco, biological transport, and membranes; computer database of the tobacco bibliography maintained by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health; bibliographies of pertinent journal articles, books, and governmental reports; personal communications with experts in nicotine pharmacology and addiction; and Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation documents in the Tobacco Control Archives of the University of California, San Francisco. STUDY SELECTION: Included all relevant animal studies, in-vitro studies, nicotine replacement therapy trials, and human observational studies. DATA SYNTHESIS: We found that the effects of pH on drug absorption have been well established in animal models for nicotine and many other acidic or basic compounds. Increased alkalinity promotes the absorption of nicotine and increases its physiological effects. Human studies, which are more limited, confirm these processes. For example, nicotine absorption is directly related to the pH when nicotine is delivered in either tobacco smoke or nicotine polacrilex gum. CONCLUSIONS: Although other factors could influence the rate of nicotine absorption from oral tobacco, manipulating tobacco pH appears to be the primary means by which the speed of nicotine absorption is determined in moist-snuff products.
Flexure-torsion behavior of sheat-deformable beams with applications to aircraft wing sections

The flexure-torsion behavior of a tip-loaded cantilever beam with an arbitrary cross-section is studied using Saint-Venant's semi-inverse method along with a power series solution for the out-of-plane flexure and torsion warping functions. The power series coefficients are determined by solving a set of variationally derived linear algebraic equations. For complex cross-sections, the calculated coefficients represent a 'best-fit approximation' to the exact warping function. The resulting warping functions are used to determine the cross-section properties including: the torsion constant, shear deformation coefficients, shear correction factors, and the shear center location. A new linear relation is developed for locating the shear center using the Saint-Venant flexure and torsion solutions, where the twist rate is zero about the line of shear centers (not the centroidal axis). Numerical results are presented for a triangular cross-section and different NACA airfoils.
The Landfall of Hurricane Hugo in the Carolinas: Surface Wind Distribution

Abstract Hurricane Hugo struck Charleston, South Carolina, on 22 September 1989 as the most intense hurricane to affect the United States since Camille in 1969. The northeastern eyewall, which contained the maximum winds measured by reconnaissance aircraft shortly before landfall, moved inland over a relatively unpopulated area and there were few fatalities. However, no observations were available to document the surface wind distribution in this part of the storm as it continued inland. To improve specification of surface winds in Hugo, empirically adjusted aircraft winds were combined with coastal, offshore, and inland surface observations and were input to the Ooyama objective analysis algorithm. The wind analysis at landfall was then compared with subsequent analyses at 3 and 6 h after landfall. Reconstruction of the surface wind field at landfall suggests that the maximum (∼13 min mean) surface wind at the coast was 50 m s−1 in the Bulls Bay region, ∼40 km northeast of Charleston. Surface roughness o...
Managing Conflict of Interest in Clinical Practice

Conflict of interest, even the appearance of potential conflict, has long been a concern for physicians and scientists. Conflict of interest arises when an activity is accompanied by a divergence between personal or institutional benefit when compared to the responsibilities to patients and to society; it arises in the context of research, purchasing, leadership, and investments. Conflict of interest is of concern because it compromises the trust of the patient and of society in the individual physician or the medical center.
Radiotracer experiments in the Mohawk River, New York, to study sewage path and dilution

Sewage from the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory near Schenectady, N. Y., was dosed with 4.53 curies of P/sup 32/ prior to discharge into the Mohawk River. Its pattern of diffusion was measured in the river with immersible GM-tubes and by sampling. The initial path of sewage was strongly influenced by dlfferences in density betveen sewage and river due to temperature. During warm months relatively cold sewage moved on the river bottom perpendicularly to river current. For at least the first 800 ft of travel the maximum sewage concentration decreased logarithmically with distance from outfall. The term 'half-distance' (here about 110 ft) is proposed to describe the concentration change. During cold months sewage rose to the river surface and at times was moved upstream by wind. However, when the river temperature was near freezing, the sewage first rose and then sank as the temperature of the sewageriver mixture approached 39 d F. (anth)
The explosive decomposition of azomethane

The explosive decomposition of azomethane was studied experimentally in an apparatus which permits the simultaneous, time-resolved measurement of pressure, local gas temperature at the center of the spherical reaction vessel, and local gas temperature near the vessel wall. This is done by photographing the oscilloscope traces of the amplified output of variable-reluctance pressure transducers and of the emf of fine (0.001 in.) coated thermocouples. The explosion-limit pressure could be bracketed closely and the pre-explosion pressure and temperature rise, the maximum stable temperature rise, the length of the induction period, and the course of the fast but nonexplosive decomposition were measured at temperatures from 605° to 714°K and for some mixtures with added H2, He, N2, and NO. At temperatures between 636° and 687°K, the records indicate a thermal explosion, i.e., the temperature at the center rises exponentially just before the onset of explosion, and a large maximum temperature rise of 40° to 45°C is measured for the slow reaction just below the limit. From the temperature dependence of the limit, the maximum temperature rise, and the temperature rise well below the limit as function of initial concentration, an activation energy of 32 kcal/mole was obtained, in marked disagreement with the literature value of 51 kcal/mole from the slow, isothermal decomposition. Below 636°K, the induction periods are longer, the maximum temperature rise decreases, and the onset of explosion is abrupt, indicating at least partial branched-chain character. An oversimplified mechanism is proposed which accounts for several but not all of the observed features.
Seismic Anisotropy For Polar Media And an Extended Thomsen Formulation For Longer Offsets

Crack-influence parameters of Sayers and Kachanov (1991) have been shown to be directly related to Thomsen’s (1986) weak-anisotropy parameters for seismic wave speeds. These results are applied to the problem of seismic propagation in reservoirs having polar (HTI) symmetry due to aligned vertical fractures. To take full advantage of these relationships, it is also helpful to obtain more accurate expressions for seismic wave speeds in polar media at longer offsets than those originally intended for Thomsen’s weak anisotropy formulation.
The origin of trachyte and pantellerite from Pantelleria, Italy: Insights from major element, trace element, and thermodynamic modelling

Abstract Trachyte and peralkaline rhyolite (pantellerite and comendite) frequently comprise the felsic end-member in bimodal suites in continental rift and oceanic island settings. In these settings, the relationship between the mafic (mildly alkaline, or transitional, basalt) and felsic lavas is ambiguous; major- and trace-element models and isotopic data are often consistent with an origin for felsic lavas from either fractional crystallization of transitional basalt or partial melting of alkali gabbro followed by fractional crystallization. In this paper, we present representative mineral analyses and whole-rock analyses from forty samples of a basalt–trachyte–pantellerite suite collected at Pantelleria, Italy, in the Strait of Sicily Rift Zone, and compare the results of major- and trace-element modelling with the results of thermodynamic (MELTS) modelling. From these results we conclude that metaluminous trachyte formed as a result of 70 to 75% low-pressure (0.1 GPa) fractional crystallization of an assemblage of plagioclase, clinopyroxene, olivine, magnetite, and apatite from a hydrous (1.0–1.5 wt.% H2O) transitional basalt magma at relative oxygen fugacities approximately one log unit below the fayalite–magnetite–quartz buffer (FMQ−1). The “Daly gap”–a lack of intermediate (~ 49–62 wt.% SiO2) volcanic rocks–at Pantelleria is concluded to be primarily the result of rapid differentiation through that interval. Relatively rapid crystallization at low pressure may have effected the partial degassing of water-saturated (~ 4 wt.% H2O) metaluminous trachyte magma. Some metaluminous trachyte lavas have positive Eu anomalies, high K/Rb ratios, high concentrations of Ba, and low concentrations of incompatible trace elements; these are interpreted to be the result of up to 40% accumulation of alkali feldspar. Comenditic trachyte, pantelleritic trachyte, and pantellerite formed after an additional 20 to 80% fractional crystallization of an assemblage dominated by alkali feldspar from metaluminous trachyte magma. The most evolved pantellerite lavas and tuffs are the result of a total of ~ 95% fractional crystallization of transitional basalt, with phenocrysts that equilibrated at low temperatures ( 4 wt.%) water contents.
Quantitative analysis of electrophoresis data: novel curve fitting methodology and its application to the determination of a protein—DNA binding constant

A computer program, GelExplorer, which uses a new methodology for obtaining quantitative information about electrophoresis has been developed. It provides a straightforward, easy-to-use graphical interface, and includes a number of features which offer significant advantages over existing methods for quantitative gel analysis. The method uses curve fitting with a nonlinear least-squares optimization to deconvolute overlapping bands. Unlike most curve fitting approaches, the data is treated in two dimensions, fitting all the data across the entire width of the lane. This allows for accurate determination of the intensities of individual, overlapping bands, and in particular allows imperfectly shaped bands to be accurately modeled. Experiments described in this paper demonstrate empirically that the Lorentzian lineshape reproduces the contours of an individual gel band and provides a better model than the Gaussian function for curve fitting of electrophoresis bands. Results from several fitting applications are presented and a discussion of the sources and magnitudes of uncertainties in the results is included. Finally, the method is applied to the quantitative analysis of a hydroxyl radical footprint titration experiment to obtain the free energy of binding of the lambda repressor protein to the OR1 operator DNA sequence.
Convection enhanced delivery for treating brain tumors and selected neurological disorders: symposium review

In 2003 the Cleveland Clinic Brain Tumor Institute sponsored a symposium to mark the progress being made in what was then a new approach to treating brain tumors—convection enhanced delivery (CED) [Vogelbaum MA (2005) J NeuroOncol 73(1):57–69]. A second symposium was held in February, 2006, to review new accomplishments and identify promising avenues of research in this evolving but still novel therapy. Among the general subjects covered by a host of international experts in their respective fields were advances in CED technology, new clinical applications of the technology, advances in CED-related imaging procedures, reviews of current or proposed trials, new drugs and the status of projects moving from lab to clinical practice. Specific subjects included the design of new catheters, the development of mathematic models for planning, novel therapeutics for CED treatment of stroke, spinal cord degenerative disease and epilepsy, liposome-based agents administered via CED, ultra-sound driven CED, monitoring the in vivo effects of intratumoral paclitaxel and other topics. Each speaker’s presentation has been abstracted along with relevant references.
Serum progesterone monitoring in post-molar surveillance.

Abstract Serial serum progesterone and β human chorionic gonadotropin (βhCG) levels were measured during surveillance of 24 women at risk for development of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) following evacuation of complete molar gestations. Six of the 24 patients developed post-molar GTN. The initial median progesterone level of 76 ng/ml in these six patients drawn at evacuation was significantly higher than the median of 18 ng/ml in those not developing GTN ( P = 0.026). Additionally, the serum progesterone decreased to 5 ng/ml for ⩾3 weeks of the surveillance period ( P
Mixed function oxidase inhibitors affect production of the off-flavor microbial metabolite geosmin☆

Abstract Geosmin (1,10- trans -dimethyl- trans -(9)-decalol) is produced by the filamentous bacteria Streptomyces tendae Ettlinger and imparts an intense muddy “off-flavor” which degrades the quality of drinking water and pond-raised fish. The effects of the cytochrome P 450 mixed-function oxidase inhibitors piperonyl butoxide [α-[2-(2-butoxyethyoxy)ethoxy]-4,5-(methylenedioxy)-2-propyltoluene], and MGK-264 [ N -octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide] on dry matter, pigment, and geosmin production were determined in S. tendae . Neither piperonyl butoxide nor MGK-264 affected dry matter production, but both compounds decreased pigment synthesis compared to untreated controls. Exposure to MGK-264 and piperonyl butoxide produced differing effects on geosmin production. Piperonyl butoxide (300 μ M ) induced approximately a 400% increase in geosmin levels, while MGK-264 (300 μ M ) reduced geosmin levels approximately 40% compared to untreated controls.
Genus distributions for two classes of graphs

Abstract The set of orientable imbeddings of a graph can be partitioned according to the genus of the imbedding surfaces. A genus-respecting breakdown of the number of orientable imbeddings is obtained for every graph in each of two infinite classes. It is proved that the genus distribution of any member of either class is strongly unimodal. These are the first two infinite classes of graphs for which such calculations have been achieved, except for a few classes, such as trees and cycles, whose members have all their cellular orientable imbeddings in the sphere.
An essay on software testing for quality assurance – Editor’s introduction

This volume resulted from a call for papers to “... explore the state of the art of software quality assurance, with particular emphasis on testing to measure quality.” It is my belief that software testing as a discipline is ripe for theoretical breakthroughs. Researchers are considering the right questions, and there are promising new approaches and exciting new results. It seems that new understanding of the testing process can lead to practical tools and techniques that revolutionize software development. I don’t believe that testing will become easier or cheapers rather, it will be more rational in the sense that expending effort will more dependably lead to better software. In this introductory essay I provide a personal view of testing, testing research, and their roles in software quality assurance.
Effect of monomeric sequence on transport properties of d -glucose and ascorbic acid in poly(VP- co -HEMA) hydrogels with various water contents: molecular dynamics simulation approach

We have used full-atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of both random and blocky sequence hydrogel networks of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (P(VP-co-HEMA)) with a composition of VP/HEMA = 37:13 to investigate the effect of the monomeric sequence and the water content on the transport properties of ascorbic acid and d-glucose at 310.15 K. The degrees of randomness of the monomer sequence for the random and the blocky copolymers were 1.170 and 0.104, respectively, and the degree of polymerization was fixed at 50. By analyzing the pair correlation functions, it was found that for both monomeric sequences, the guest molecules (i.e., ascorbic acid and d-glucose) have greater accessibility to the VP units than to the HEMA units due to the higher hydrophilicity of VP compared to HEMA units. While the monomeric sequence effect on the P(VP-co-HEMA) hydrogel is clearly observed with 20 wt. % water content, the effect is significantly reduced with 40 wt. % water content and disappears completely with 80 wt. % water content. This is because the hydrophilic guest molecules are more likely to be associated with water molecules than with the polymer network at the high water content. By analyzing the diffusion of the guest molecules and the inner-surface area, it is also found that the guest molecules are confined in the system at 20 wt. % water content, resulting in highly anomalous sub-diffusion. Therefore, at low water content, the diffusion of the guest molecules in the hydrogel is directly affected by the monomeric sequence through the interaction of guest molecules with the monomeric units, whereas such monomeric sequence effects are significantly reduced with increasing water content.
Prevalence and correlates of withdrawal-related insomnia among adults with alcohol dependence: results from a national survey.

Insomnia during acute alcohol withdrawal (AWD) as well as persisting insomnia during postacute withdrawal is associated with relapse. Rates of insomnia in clinical samples of alcohol-dependent patients range from 36% to 91%, but the prevalence of AWD-related insomnia in the general population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of insomnia as a symptom of acute AWD and its correlates in a general population of alcohol-dependent individuals. Data were analyzed from the 2001 to 2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, which sampled 43,093 adults. The prevalence of AWD-related insomnia among individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol dependence was 31.7%, which ranked fourth among the eight listed DSM-IV withdrawal symptoms. Among individuals who met lifetime criteria for both alcohol dependence and AWD, the prevalence of insomnia was approximately 50%. Lifetime diagnoses of major depression and drug use disorders were significant correlates of AWD-related insomnia in multivariate analyses. A less than 1-year duration of the heaviest drinking period as well as the onset of alcohol dependence between ages 18 and 27 were negatively associated with AWD-related insomnia. AWD-related insomnia is a common symptom among alcohol-dependent adults in the general population and is related to lifetime co-occurring diagnoses, age at onset of alcohol dependence, and duration of heaviest drinking period. Its prevalence in the general population provides a representative base rate against which to compare the widely varying rates reported in clinical populations. Because of its relatively frequent prevalence and association with relapse, assessment and treatment of AWD-related insomnia should be routinely considered in clinical settings. (Am J Addict 2010;19:238–244)
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PSYCHOLOGY TO THE STUDY OF DRINKING AND DRIVING

ALCOHOL DOES NOT PRODUCE UNIFORM EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR. RATHER PERSONALITY, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE INFLUENCE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE TO ALCOHOL. OTHER CHARACTERISTICS, SUCH AS AGE AND DRIVING EXPERIENCE, INFLUENCE THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON DRIVING. THE ASSUMPTION OF A LINEAR DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP, I.E. A CONSTANT CHANGE IN EFFECT FOR A CONSTANT CHANGE IN AMOUNT CONSUMED, IN NAIVE, MOREOVER, THE PHARAMACOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION THAT ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSANT IS TRUE ONLY AT A LIMITED RANGE OF BLOOD LEVELS THAT ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN THOSE PRODUCED BY COMMON SOCIAL USE. COMPLICATING THE DRINKING-DRIVING PROBLEM ARE THE UNKNOWN NUMBERS OF DRINKERS WHO ALSO USE OTHER DRUGS. CONCLUSIONS ABOUT DRUG INTERACTION (AS ADDITIVE OR SYNERGISTIC) CAN BE MADE ONLY WITH PRECISE KNOWLEDGE OF DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS OF EACH DRUG.
Undergraduate and Graduate Courses in Information Resources Management: Educational and Managerial Judgement about Appropriate Course Content

The young and emerging field of Information Resources Management (IRM) has evolved under the premise that information and its technologies are vital organizational resources, and deserve to be managed as skillfully as other factors of production such as capital, land and labor. This paper presents the result of a survey conducted to identify and report on the degree to which various topics in IRM are considered important for inclusion in IRM courses at the undergraduate (bachelor's) and graduate (master's) levels. Eighty-four information systems managers and sixty-three management information sys­ tems educators participated in the survey. Based on the analysis of the results of the survey, course-content schemata are proposed for IRM courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels of study.
Early numerical representations and the natural numbers: Is there really a complete disconnect?

The proposal of Rips et al. is motivated by discontinuity and input claims. The discontinuity claim is that no continuity exists between early (nonverbal) numerical representations and natural number. The input claim is that particular experiences (e.g., cardinality-related talk and object-based activities) do not aid in natural number construction. We discuss reasons to doubt both claims in their strongest forms.
Goodness of Model-Data Fit and Invariant Measurement

Maydeu-Olivares (this issue) presents a framework for evaluating the goodness of model-data fit for item response theory (IRT) models. As he correctly points out, overall goodness-of-fit evaluation...
NBTI induced performance degradation in logic and memory circuits: how effectively can we approach a reliability solution?

This paper evaluates the severity of negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) degradation in two major circuit applications: random logic and memory array. For improved lifetime stability, we propose/select an efficient reliability-aware circuit design methodologies. Simulation results obtained from 65nm PTM node shows that NBTI induced degradation in random logic is considerably lower than that of a single transistor. As a result, simple delay guard-banding can efficiently mitigate the impact of NBTI in random logic. On the other hand, NBTI degradation in memory shows much severe effect especially when combined with the impact of random process variation, NBTI can dramatically reduce the READ stability of memory cells. Hence, aggressive design techniques such as stand-by VDD scaling or adaptive body biasing (ABB) are required in memory application to minimize the impact of NBTI.
Plasma Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor After Treatment for Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations

Background and Purpose— The role of abnormal angiogenesis in the formation and progression of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is unclear. Previous studies have demonstrated increased local expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in AVM tissue and increased circulating levels of VEGF in AVM patients. We sought to further investigate the role of VEGF in AVM pathophysiology by examining changes in plasma VEGF levels in patients undergoing treatment for AVMs. Methods— Three serial blood samples were obtained from 13 AVM patients undergoing treatment: (1) before any treatment, (2) 24 hours postresection, and (3) 30 days postresection. Plasma VEGF concentrations were measured via commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For controls, blood samples were obtained from 29 lumbar laminectomy patients. Results— The mean plasma VEGF level in AVM patients at baseline was 36.08±13.02 pg/mL, significantly lower than that of the control group (80.52±14.02 pg/mL, P=0.02...
Global asymptotic stability of indirect field-oriented speed control of current-fed induction motors

In this short paper, we show that the indirect field-oriented controller for current-fed induction motors guarantees the global asymptotic stability of speed tracking error for time-varying speed and rotor flux references. The load torque is assumed to be constant but is unknown.
Putting mechanics into quantum mechanics

Nanoelectromechanical structures are starting to approach the ultimate quantum mechanical limits for detecting and exciting motion at the nanoscale. Nonclassical states of a mechanical resonator are also on the horizon.
Transport of Maternal [3H]Melatonin to Suckling Rats and the Fate of [3H]Melatonin in the Neonatal Rat

The question of whether maternal melatonin could be transported in milk to suckling rats was investigated because melatonin is probably not produced in these animals during the first 10 days of life. [3H]Melatonin was found to be rapidly transferred from the maternal circulation into lactating mammary tissue, and the stomach of each suckling rat was found to contain [3H]melatonin. To study the fate and tissue distribution of [3H]melatonin originating in the neonatal stomach, suckling rats were given [3H]melatonin by stomach tube; [3H]melatonin was recovered from plasma and seven tissues, including brain, 15 and 60 min later. The general tissue distribution of [3H]melatonin was similar to that found in adult rats. The major [3H]melatonin metabolites in the urine of suckling rats, as the adult rats, were the conjugates of 6-hydroxy-melatonin.
A cross-sectional study of the association between ventilation of gas stoves and chronic respiratory illness in U.S. children enrolled in NHANESIII

Gas stoves emit pollutants that are respiratory irritants. U.S. children under age 6 who live in homes where gas stoves are used for cooking or heating have an increased risk of asthma, wheeze and reduced lung function. Yet few studies have examined whether using ventilation when operating gas stoves is associated with a decrease in the prevalence of respiratory illnesses in this population. The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used to identify U.S. children aged 2–16 years with information on respiratory outcomes (asthma, wheeze, and bronchitis) who lived in homes where gas stoves were used in the previous 12 months and whose parents provided information on ventilation. Logistic regression models evaluated the association between prevalent respiratory outcomes and ventilation in homes that used gas stoves for cooking and/or heating. Linear regression models assessed the association between spirometry measurements and ventilation use in children aged 8–16 years. The adjusted odds of asthma (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.64; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.43, 0.97), wheeze (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.86), and bronchitis (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.95) were lower among children whose parents reported using ventilation compared to children whose parents reported not using ventilation when operating gas stoves. One-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and FEV1/FVC ratio was also higher in girls who lived in households that used gas stoves with ventilation compared to households that used gas stoves without ventilation. In homes that used gas stoves, children whose parents reported using ventilation when operating their stove had higher lung function and lower odds of asthma, wheeze, and bronchitis compared to homes that never used ventilation or did not have ventilation available after adjusting for other risk factors. Additional research on the efficacy of ventilation as an intervention for ameliorating respiratory symptoms in children with asthma is warranted.
The impact of suctioning RBCs from a simulated operative site on mechanical fragility and hemolysis.

Background Intraoperative cell salvage exerts shear stress upon RBCs, particularly as they are suctioned from the surgical field. Shear stress can result in overt hemolysis or it can cause sublethal injury to the suctioned RBCs. The mechanical fragility (MF) test uses shear stress to measure the extent of RBC sublethal injury. RBCs that have sustained sublethal injury are more susceptible to shear stress induced hemolysis. In this study we suctioned whole blood samples from an artificial surgical field to determine if pre-menopausal female RBCs would demonstrate greater resistance to hemolysis and less sublethal injury compared to that of males and post-menopausal females. Methods Ten CPD-preserved whole blood units from these 3 donor groups were obtained and samples suctioned at -150 mmHg from a simulated surgical field. The MF test was then performed and the % hemolysis calculated. In addition the MF test was serially performed on these whole blood units during the 21 days of storage. Results There were no differences in the extent of hemolysis or RBC shear stress resistance after suctioning between the 3 donor groups. During storage the pre-menopausal female RBCs demonstrated higher shear stress tolerance compared to the males or post-menopausal females at all of the time points. Conclusion Although during static storage pre-menopausal female RBCs in CPD-preserved whole blood demonstrated higher shear stress tolerance, this enhanced resistance was not observed after suctioning from a simulated surgical field.
Neural Reanimation Advances and New Technologies

Facial paralysis can have a profound effect on the patient from both an aesthetic and functional point of view. Just as there are numerous etiologies of facial paresis, there are as many therapeutic options and variations of these options. The purpose of this article was to review the most current surgical options for neural reanimation of a damaged facial nerve, including recent advances in nerve repair, conduit technology, and nerve transfers, as well as emerging technology in translational research with biomedical engineering and tissue engineering.
Benchmarks for ethically credible partnerships between industry and academic health centers: beyond disclosure of financial conflicts of interest.

Relationships between industry and university-based researchers have been commonplace for decades and have received notable attention concerning the conflicts of interest these relationships may harbor. While new efforts are being made to update conflict of interest policies and make industry relationships with academia more transparent, the development of broader institutional partnerships between industry and academic health centers challenges the efficacy of current policy to effectively manage these innovative partnerships. In this paper, we argue that existing strategies to reduce conflicts of interest are not sufficient to address the emerging models of industry-academic partnerships because they focus too narrowly on financial matters and are not comprehensive enough to mitigate all ethical risk. Moreover, conflict-of-interest strategies are not designed to promote best practices nor the scientific and social benefits of academic-industry collaboration. We propose a framework of principles and benchmarks for “ethically credible partnerships” between industry and academic health centers and describe how this framework may provide a practical and comprehensive approach for designing and evaluating such partnerships.
Acoustic-Phonetic Knowledge Representation: Implications from Spectrogram Reading Experiments

This paper presents a summary of several spectrogram reading experiments designed mainly to uncover the amount of phonetic information that is contained in the speech signal. The task involved identifying the phonetic contents of an utterance only from a visual examination of the spectrogram. The results generally support the notion that there is a great deal of phonetic information in the speech signal that can be extracted by the proper application of phonetic rules. From these results, it is argued that phonetic recognition in speech recognition systems can be improved substantially, and that improved phonetic recognition will lead to speech recognition systems of greatly increased complexity and sophistication.
13C NMR Characterization of Copolymers Of 2-Chlorobutadiene-1,3 and 2,3-Dichlorobutadiene-1,3

Abstract Due to the facile free-radical polymerization of 2-chlorobutadiene-1,3 (chloroprene, CB), most experimental studies and commercial polymer preparations involve free-radical-initiated emulsion systems. From the reactivity ratios published in the literature and the calculated propagation rate of CB at 40°C, its rate is about 10 times faster than that of butadiene. Uniquely, among all the vinyl and diene monomers known, 2,3-dichlorobutadiene-1,3 (DCB) is more reactive than CB. Modification of the properties of polyCB through copolymerization is often relatively difficult. The comonomer most frequently used with CB is DCB, even though many other dienes and vinyl monomers have been tested. Copolymerization of DCB with CB modifies the polymer properties, as judged by evidence from increased crystallization resistance and the retention of building tack. The effect of DCB on the properties of the copolymer of CB and DCB is markedly influenced by the amount of comonomer present. Since no detailed studies ...
Characteristics of Vegetation Used by Golden-Cheeked Warblers in Central Texas

Abstract Setophaga chrysoparia (Golden-cheeked Warbler; hereafter Warbler) breeds in oak—juniper woodland across central Texas. Our knowledge of Warbler-habitat associations remains limited to a small number of long-term study sites. However, ecological conditions within Warbler habitat may vary by geographic location. We estimated vegetation characteristics at 24 sites occupied by Warblers and at 80 Warbler nests and compared site and nest vegetation across natural regions. We found differences in vegetation volume at sites and nests across regions. We also found differences across regions in canopy height at sites, but no differences in canopy height at nests. Tree species richness and diversity and the proportion of Juniperus ashei (Ashe Juniper) used by Warblers at sites and nests varied across regions. Our study identifies geographic variation in Warbler habitat characteristics across the species' breeding range.
Effect of lunar phase on frequency of psychogenic nonepileptic events in the EMU.

Abstract Introduction Studies of the effect of a full moon on seizures have yielded mixed results, despite a continuing prevailing belief regarding the association of lunar phase with human behavior. The potential effect of a full moon on psychogenic nonepileptic events has not been as well studied, despite what anecdotal accounts from most epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) staff would suggest. Methods We obtained the dates and times of all events from patients diagnosed with psychogenic nonepileptic events discharged from our EMU over a two-year period. The events were then plotted on a 29.5-day lunar calendar. Events were also broken down into lunar quarters for statistical analysis. Results We found a statistically significant increase in psychogenic nonepileptic events during the new moon quarter in our EMU during our studied timeframe. Conclusion Our results are not concordant with the results of a similarly designed past study, raising the possibility that psychogenic nonepileptic events are not influenced by lunar phase.
Abstract 3435: Prostate cancer in WTC respondents

Background: Ten years following the 9/11/2001 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), an increased incidence of prostate cancer was reported in two separate cohorts of WTC rescue and recovery workers. Whether this increase is due to WTC-related exposures or increased surveillance is uncertain. Methods: Prostate cancer cases and Gleason scores diagnosed after 9/11 from 2002 to 2014 were obtained from the WTC Health Program (n = 180). Differences in proportions of Gleason scores 7+ (moderate to high-grade cancer) in WTC respondents and New York State were calculated based on the NYS Cancer Registry (NYSCR). An age-adjusted rate for Gleason scores of ≥7 was calculated using the indirect method based on NYSCR. Age- and race-matched prostate cancer non-WTC respondent controls (n = 253) were obtained from Mount Sinai Hospital. We evaluated the effects of WTC-respondent status, exposure level, age, race, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations, and clinical stage on Gleason scores using log-linear regression. WTC exposure was analyzed by four categorical levels and continuously using a relative rank of potential carcinogen-related post-9/11 exposures. Differences in mean numbers of PSA screening visits were assessed using Student9s t-test. Results: The age-adjusted rate for a Gleason score ≥7 was 1.15 for WTC respondents (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.94, 1.36) compared to the NYSCR. WTC respondents Conclusions: Young WTC respondents had higher Gleason scores than the NYSCR. Number of PSA screening visits did not significantly differ between WTC respondents and controls and PSA values of WTC respondents were lower than controls. Aggressive prostate cancer was not associated with WTC exposure levels. Considering the high grade of prostate cancer in younger men and the long latency for prostate cancer development, continued monitoring is needed to determine alternative causes of elevated prostate cancer in the WTC population. Citation Format: Dana Hashim, Paolo Boffetta, William Oh, Sylvain Wallenstein, Matthew Galsky, Emanuela Taioli. Prostate cancer in WTC respondents. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3435.
Tissue-Derived Matrices

Tissue-derived matrices are biomaterials generated from the extracellular matrix (ECM) of specific tissues. The ECM refers to the material in which cells of metazoan organisms are embedded. Its molecular structure is complex and involves approximately 300 proteins. The ECM serves structural functions that include tensile strength, elasticity, resisting compression, filling space, and providing hydration. In addition, the ECM also serves additional biological functions that include interaction with embedded cells and regulation of the activity of other extracellular molecules. These properties of the ECM make tissue-derived matrices promising substrates for use in tissue engineering and biomaterial design. Tissue-derived matrices can be isolated by decellularization using physical, chemical, and biological methods. Furthermore, whole organ matrices can be isolated by perfusion decellularization. Current clinically used tissue-derived matrices include pericardium-derived patches for vascular reconstruction and dermal-, liver-, and intestinal-derived biomeshes for a variety of tissue augmentation and reconstruction applications. Based on current preclinical work, tissue-derived matrices may be further functionalized by reseeding with specific cells that can fulfill additional biological functions. These functions may be generic, such as growth and self-repair, or organ-specific, such as gas exchange for bioengineered lungs or generation of pump function for bioengineered hearts.
Abstract 1318: Pancreatic cancer therapy using polyion micelles co-loaded with cyclopamine and paclitaxel

Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway is an important regulator during the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, and sustained activation of this pathway contributes to excessive deposition of tumor stroma and maintenance of tumor-initiating cells. Cyclopamine, a potent inhibitor of the SHH pathway, has shown promising antitumor efficacy. However, cyclopamine is insoluble in water and is highly toxic, and cyclopamine monotherapy did not effectively inhibit tumor growth in a range of preclinical pancreatic cancer models. We hypothesized that polyion complex polymeric micelles that simultaneously deliver cyclopamine and paclitaxel (M-CPA/PTX) would display greater efficacy against pancreatic tumor than micelles loaded with cyclopamine alone (M-CPA) or paclitaxel alone (M-PTX). We tested this hypothesis in cell cultures and in an orthotopic human pancreatic cancer Miapaca-2 xenograft model and a genetically engineered mouse model of pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC), the KPC model. Our results showed that M-CPA interrupted the SHH pathway by antagonizing the smoothened receptor, reduced expression of Gli-1 transcription factor, and inhibited proliferation of Miapaca-2 cells and stroma-producing human pancreatic stellate cells. In Miapaca-2 cells, M-CPA decreased the fraction of CD133+ cells (cancer stem cells) and decreased tumorsphere formation, whereas M-TXL increased the fraction of CD133+ cells and tumorsphere formation. M-CPA negated the stimulation of human pancreatic stellate cells by exogenous SHH ligands. In vivo, M-CPA/PTX reduced tumor cell proliferation, depleted tumor stroma, and increased tumor vasculature density, leading to effective inhibition of tumor growth in Miapaca-2 xenografts. In the KPC model, M-CPA/PTX significantly prolonged media survival of mice with PDAC compared to non-treatment control mice. In conclusion, M-CPA/PTX was an effective strategy to treat pancreatic cancer. (supported in part by the Viragh Family Foundation and the John S. Dunn Foundation) Citation Format: Jun Zhao, Chunhui Wu, Xiaoxia Wen, Junjie Li, Qian Huang, Ying Ma, Stephen Ullrich, Huamin Wang, Jason Fleming, Chun Li. Pancreatic cancer therapy using polyion micelles co-loaded with cyclopamine and paclitaxel. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1318.
Role of the T3/T-Cell Antigen Receptor Complex in T-Cell Activation

Interactions that occur at the interface of the plasma membranes of T cells and antigen-presenting cells (or target cells) initiate events that culminate in T-cell activation. Activation may be manifested by the production of lymphokines, appearance of new cell surface antigens (such as the IL-2 receptor) and, ultimately, in T-cell proliferation. The T-cell antigen receptor (Ti) plays a central role in this interaction and has two functions: First, it must subserve a cognitive function, recognizing antigen in the context of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Secondly, it must convert such a recognition event into a transmembrane signal which can initiate T-cell activation. This chapter will focus on this second role of Ti in initiating human T-cell activation.
Design principles for electrolytes and interfaces for stable lithium-metal batteries

The development of rechargeable batteries that use metallic lithium anodes faces challenges such as dendrite formation. Here the authors review recent advances in preventing the proliferation of dendrite and discuss design principles for electrolytes and interfaces in lithium-metal batteries.
Automated life cycle processing for complex medical imaging devices

Medical imaging systems from major modalities such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging or X-Ray Computed Tomography are complex devices subject to various types of maintenance. Medical device companies that develop these systems often monitor and maintain systems sold throughout their potentially decades-long design lives, recording a variety of maintenance operations that occur in practice. In order to interpret such massive repair record volumes collected over hundreds of distinct product lines, we present a data processing method developed for compiling maintenance histories of MRI and CT scanners. We then use the outputs of this program to compute a common non-parametric estimate, the mean cumulative function. Results are presented from active in vivo imaging product lines with identifying information omitted. Finally, key insights from the produced MCFs preface a discussion on the methods as well as future directions.
Hydromagnetic capillary instability of a liquid jet with an axial flow

The hydromagnetic capillary instability of a jet of inviscid, impressible fluid of infinite electrical conductivity and subjected to a uniform axial magnetic field is studied, taking into account an axial flow in the jet. The results show that while the axial flow promotes instability due to capillary effects and the axial-flow effects can be completely suppressed by a magnetic field of sufficient strength.