cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcripts of unknown function in eukaryotic cells: Lessons forgotten and re-learned.

SY02-01 The current status of the functional annotations associated with the human genome is in an unfinished state. The majority of current genome annotations are heavily protein coding gene centric. This focus on protein coding genes intrinsically influences current perceptions of how the genome is structured and regulated. This view of the genome also has an underlying supposition that transcripts with very little coding potential are not biologically important. However, recent experiments analyzing the sites of transcription across large sections of the human genome have led to the conclusion that the current human genome annotations can not account for the amounts of empirically detected transcription. (Kapranov, et al. 2002, 2005); Rinn, et al., 2003, Kampa, et al., 2004, Martone, et al., 2003, Cawley et al., 2004Bertone, et al., 2004, Cheng, et. al, 2005). Most of the detected unannotated transcription is composed of RNAs with very little coding capacity (
CXCL10 produced by DC1 plays a pivotal role in inducing long-lasting type-1 CTLs that mediate an effective anti-brain tumor immune response

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 261 We have previously demonstrated that type-1 CTLs efficiently traffic to the central nervous system (CNS) tumor site, and mediate anti-tumor responses in a CXCL10-dependent manner. We have developed a novel protocol to generate mouse bone marrow (BM)-derived DCs capable of inducing type-1 CTLs, which express a type-1 chemokine receptor CXCR3 and IFN-γ at high levels. C57BL/6 mouse-derived BM cells were cultured in the presence of GM-CSF for 6 days, and then further matured with IL-4, IFN-γ and a TLR3 ligand, poly-ICLC for 24 hours. These DCs (DC1) exhibited phenotype of mature DCs, and produced high levels of IL-12p70, IL-15, and CXCL10. C57BL/6 mice received subcutaneous immunizations with DC1 loaded with synthetic peptides encoding mouse GL261 glioma-derived CTL epitopes. These mice mounted higher levels of antigen-specific type-1 CTLs compared to mice immunized with standard DCs. Furthermore, DC1 treatment of mice bearing CNS GL261 glioma resulted in prolonged survival, associated with enhanced tumor-infiltration and systemic persistence of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Systemic administration of anti-CXCL10 mAb abrogated induction of CTLs as well as the therapeutic response in glioma-bearing mice. Taken together, these findings point to significant roles of a type-1 chemokine CXCL10 in DC1-based cancer immunotherapy.
Analysis of electric stress distribution due to load current in solid dielectric cables

An analytic model is developed to estimate quantitatively the effect of the load current as the source of electrical stress in solid dielectric cable. The wave equation for the conductor is solved by dividing the conductor into an infinite number of infinitesimally thin cylindrical shells to account for the distribution of current density within the conductor. The induced electric field as a result of loading power cables is investigated at different operating and testing conditions. It is demonstrated that this method can be useful in calculating the actual stress in cables for heavy current applications and accelerating testing (ageing) at higher frequencies. The model has been successful in explaining the role of the pertinent cable parameters, and also in understanding the influence of the various factors on the electric field distribution in the insulation layer. >
Total Solar and Spectral Irradiance Variations from Near-UV to Infrared

Total solar and UV irradiances have been measured from various space platforms for more than two decades. These measurements established conclusively that solar irradiance changes on a wide range of time scales: from minutes to the 11 years solar cycle. The first results on the spectral distribution of total irradiance variations have been provided by the SunPhotometers on the SOHO/VIRGO experiment at 402, 500, and 862 nm, showing that spectral irradiance at these particular wavelengths changes in a fashion similar to total irradiance with amplitudes being higher at the shorter wavelengths.
The High School Coach

(1986). The High School Coach. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 28-32.
Nicholas K. Menzies: Our Forest, Your Ecosystem, Their Timber: Communities, Conservation, and the State in Community-Based Forest Management

This is a well-written, thoughtful synthesis of what can be learned from recent experiences in which communities work together with the state and other organizations to manage forests. The book came into my hands just as I was to start teaching a graduate seminar on Community Forest Management. I regularly co-teach this course with a forestry colleague, Karen Kainer, for a diverse audience of students from both biological and social sciences. As we reviewed new materials that had emerged since we last taught the class a year ago, this authoritative volume was a very welcome addition to the bibliography. For those who do not teach courses on Community Forest Management, this may seem a rather narrow focus, but our course, like Menzies' book, uses the topic to address the complex interface between biodiversity conservation, economic development, and the livelihoods of rural communities. In his history of the emergence of “community forest management” Menzies incorporates attention to globalization and privatization; deforestation; social movement resistance; cross-scale alliances; negotiations with the state; gender and social equity; social capital; capacity building; governance and empowerment; differences in interests, approaches and expectations of community forest management; and the indeterminacy of the future of statesanctioned community forest management. As Menzies notes in his introduction, communities own 11% of the officially-recorded world's forests, 22% in developing countries. “Community-based Forest Management” (CBFM) has become important on the agenda of conservation and development. The book focuses on communities that are collaborating with state agencies as forest management systems, rather than on indigenous or local management systems devised and implemented by the communities themselves—although the Brazil case study community would fit the latter description, having little or no state support. Why this focus on state-sponsored management? The author's main interest is precisely on the newer policy regimes in “political forests” (taken from Peluso and Vendergeest 2001) where state control over forested land is giving way to the inclusion of “user communities” in efforts to link environmental protection, human rights, social justice, and local interest in improved livelihoods (p. 11). In these community forest management initiatives, community organizations must adapt to rapidly changing conditions, and must learn to negotiate with governments, civil society organizations and commercial interests. In this sense, Menzies defines community forest management institutions as a “forum for negotiation to identify overlapping interests (122).” The book pursues three lines of inquiry (14):
Web-Mediated Resource Distribution for a Library Web Site

The authors discuss and demonstate how Delicious can be used in the context of libraries. The article includes how-to steps for generating library-specific subject guides.
Papilloma of the gall bladder.

The introduction of improved radiographic techniques and media has made it possible to increase the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis in the treatment of gall bladder disease. One of the least frequently encountered diseases of the gall bladder is papilloma. This report is intended to review this phase of biliary disease and attempt to clarify some of the problems of papilloma. We will report three cases of our own. Papilloma of the gall bladder occurs as a very rare entity, although there is a wide variation as to the rate of its occurrence. Kirklin I has reported an incidence of 8.5 per cent in more than 17,000 cholecystectomies during the period 1924 to 1931. Kerr and Leuduim,2 on the other hand, reported in 1936 that but 21 proved cases had been found in the medical literature. Our own group of three proved cases was found in 292 consecutive cholecystectomies. This represents an incidence of about 1 per cent. One reason for the apparent disagreement regarding incidence can be found in the variation in what will be accepted pathologically as a true papilloma. RingeP stated that, "true papillomas of the gall bladder are a framework of vascular connective tissues covered by a single layer of columnar epithelium. The tumor may be sessile or pedunculated measuring from 1 to 5 mm. in diameter. Occasionally clear cells containing refractile neutral fat or cholesterol are found in the connective core." It was the opinion of MacCarty,4 reporting the largest series from The Mayo Clinic, that the difference between a papil­ lomatous gall bladder and a strawberry gall bladder was a matter of degree. This opinion was disputed by others who think that the collection of cho­ lesterol in a gall bladder vi~lus resulting in the formation of a papillomatous growth does not represent a true tumor and cannot be classified as such. The term cholesterol polyp has also been used but should be discarded since it does not represent a true new growth. The old term, "cholecystitis glandularis proliferans," is a more accurate description of the underlying cause of this latter condition. It is apparent that the term papilloma cannot be applied to any excrescence of the gall bladder wall per se but must be reserved for those not only meeting the histologic criteria but fitting into the gross pattern as well. In other words, small gall bladder tumors presenting as a part of the inflam­ matory process should probably not be included with those lesions which occur as isolated new growths.
Defining Promiscuous MHC Class II Helper T-Cell Epitopes for the HER2/neu Tumor Antigen

It is accepted that both helper and CTLs play a critical role in immune antitumor responses. Thus, the design of effective immune-based therapies for cancer relies in the identification of relevant tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) capable of eliciting strong helper and cytotoxic T-cell responses against tumor cells. The product of the HER2/neu oncogene is considered as a prototype TAA, because it is found overexpressed in a large variety of malignancies, whereas normal cells only produce low levels of this product. Several cytotoxic T-cell epitopes for HER2/neu have been identified that enable the design of peptide-based therapeutic vaccines for tumors expressing this TAA. Nevertheless, it is expected that inclusion of peptide epitopes capable of eliciting HER2/neu-specific T helper responses into these vaccines may enhance their effectiveness in the clinic. We describe here a strategy to identify helper T-cell epitopes for HER2/neu that focuses on peptides predicted to bind to numerous histocompatibility alleles (promiscuous epitopes), which would encourage their use in therapeutic vaccines for the general cancer patient population. Following this approach, we successfully identified several peptides that elicited T helper (CD4+) proliferative responses to peptides derived from HER2/neu. Most of the T-cell responses appeared to reflect a low affinity for antigen, which could be the result of immune tolerance because HER2/neu is expressed in low levels in normal cells and possibly including lymphocytes and monocytes. Interestingly, one of these peptides, HER2(883), was recognized by T cells in the context of either HLA-DR1, HLA-DR4, HLA-DR52, and HLA-DR53, indicating a high degree of histocompatibility promiscuity. Furthermore, T cells that reacted with peptide HER2(883) could also recognize antigen-presenting cells that process HER2/neu recombinant protein. These results may be relevant for the design of more effective therapeutic vaccines for tumors expressing the HER2/neu oncogene product.
Toward a malaria haplotype map.

Three new studies provide a genome-wide snapshot of genetic variation in Plasmodium falciparum, the most pathogenic of the parasites causing human malaria. These studies pave the way for mapping of genes underlying important parasite traits such as drug resistance and pathogenesis as well as for evolutionary analysis of selection in a parasite genome.
An extensive simplex method for mapping global feasibility

Understanding the global feasibility of engineering decision-making problems is fundamental to the synthesis of rational engineering decisions. An Extensive Simplex Method is presented to solve the global feasibility for a linear decision model relating multiple decision variables to multiple performance measures, and constrained by corresponding limits. The developed algorithm effectively traverses all extreme points in the feasible space and establishes the graph structure reflecting the active constraints and their connectivity. The algorithm demarcates basic and nonbasic variables at each extreme point, which is exploited to traverse the active constraints and merge the degenerate extreme points. Finally, a random model generator is presented with the capability to control the matrix sparseness and the model degeneracy for an arbitrary number of decision variables and performance measures. The results indicate that all these model properties are significant factors which affect the total number of ext...
The electron-cyclotron maser instability as a source of plasma radiation

The generation of continuum bursts from the sun at dm and m wavelengths (in particular, type IV bursts) via the electron-cyclotron-maser instability is examined. The maser instability can be driven by an electron distribution with either a loss-cone anisotropy or a peak at large pitch angles. For omega(p)/Omega(e) much greater than 1, the maser emission is produced by electrons interacting through a harmonic (cyclotron) resonance and is electrostatic, being in the upper hybrid mode at frequencies approximately equal to omega(p). Coalescence processes are required to convert the electrostatic waves into transverse radiation which can escape from the source region. Whether the resultant spectrum is nearly a smooth continuum or has a zebra-stripe pattern (both of which occur in type IV bursts) depends on the form of the electron distribution, inhomogeneities in the density and magnetic field, and whether the maser reaches saturation. For at least the case of some type IV dm bursts with fine structure, comparison with observations seems to indicate that the electrons producing the emission are more likely to have a loss-cone distribution, and that the maser instability is not at saturation.
Psychometric Study of a Brief Screen for PTSD:Assessing the Impact of Multiple Traumatic Events:

Most measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are limited in that they focus on a single traumatic event and cannot be used to assess symptoms in persons who report no traumatic events. The utility of the brief PTSD measures that do not key to a single trauma is limited by lengthiness and high reading levels. The Screen for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (SPTSS) is a brief, self-report screening instrument for PTSD symptoms that overcomes these limitations by assessing PTSD symptoms using a low reading level and without keying them to a specific traumatic event. In a sample of 136 psychiatric inpatients, the SPTSS showed good internal consistency, a high sensitivity rate, and a moderate specificity rate. The concurrent and construct validity of the SPTSS were supported by strong correlations with symptom and trauma experience measures and by comparisons of SPTSS scores of groups with different trauma histories.
THE IDENTITY OF “ISRAEL”

Abstract As the Religious Right has increased its political influence on U.S. foreign policy, the issue of Israel's identity has become a key focus. Christians often disagreeas to whether or not ethnic Jews remain the chosen people of God, because of Jesus Christ's New Testament covenant. Some believe in dispensationalism, while others subscribe to Reformed theology. Jews have a critical voice in the conversation about which group can claim to be God's chosen people. It is important to remember that God has promised all people His love and protection, a reality that should inform strained Jewish-Christian and intra-Christian relations over modern Middle East politics.
Aluminum speciation and equilibria in aqueous solution: III. Potentiometric determination of the first hydrolysis constant of aluminum(III) in sodium chloride solutions to 125°C

Abstract The first molal hydrolysis quotient of aluminum(III) was measured potentiometrically from 25 to 125°C at 25° intervals at ionic strengths of 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 and 5 mol · kg−1 with sodium chloride as the supporting electrolyte. The experimental method involved using a hydrogen-electrode concentration cell modified to compensate for any intrinsic potential offset between the two electrodes. The initial concentration of Al3+ was varied to test for the presence of multinuclear aluminum species while being kept to a maximum of 10−3 mol · kg−1 to minimize their occurrence. Similarly, the maximum degree of hydrolysis of Al3+ reached in each titration was ca. 30%, after which polymerization and/or precipitation became apparent. The equilibrium quotients obtained in this study and selected values from the literature were fitted by an empirical equation incorporating a linear dependence of log K1,1 on the reciprocal temperature (Kelvins) over the range 10–200°C and three ionic-strength-dependent parameters. Comparisons are made between the results of this study and the literature values.
Coulometric titration of antimony with electrogenerated iodine

Abstract A method is described for the coulometric titration of tripositive antimony with electrogenerated iodine, in a buffered solution of pH 8. The end-point can be detected either amperometrically, potontiometrically, or (less precisely) visually with starch indicator. Quantities of antimony between 0.06 and 10 mg are titratable with an average error of 0.001 to 0.01 mg.
The influence of the adrenal glands upon acute spinal cord injury.

Abstract The contribution of the adrenal glands to the pressor and nerve tissue necrotic responses that follow acute paralyzing spinal cord injury was determined in cats by total adrenal gland removal. The study suggests that either epinephrine or endogenous steroids may exert posttraumatic protective influences on the cord since after adrenalectomy, both the systematic pressor response and local hemorrhagic necrosis are significantly increased.
X-ray scattering from polymer nematic liquid crystals

Abstract X-ray scattering from main chain polymer nematics is discussed from the point of view of its use in studying the ordering and fluctuations of the polymer chains that make up the nematic phase. An example of data from poly-γ-benzyl glutamate is given, with a discussion of the important features of the data, in terms of the current understanding of the nature of nematic ordering in main chain polymer systems. This includes analyses of the angular distribution function for the polymer segments, long wavelength fluctuations dictated by elastic phenomena, the effects of finite chain lengths, and effects due to the short range interactions and packing of the chains.
Workflow modeling in critical care: Piecing together your own puzzle

The intensive care unit (ICU) is an instance of a very dynamic health care setting where critically ill patients are being managed. To provide good care, an extensive and coordinated communication amongst the role players, use of numerous information systems and operation of devices for monitoring and treatment purposes are required. The purpose of this research is to study error evolution and management within this environment. The focus is on representing the workflow of critical care environment, which emphasizes the importance such a representation may play in strategizing the management of medical errors. We used ethnographic observation and interview data to build individual pieces of the workflow, dependent on the individual and the activity concerned. Key personnel were intensively followed during their respective patient care activities and the related actions. All interactions were recorded for analysis. These clinicians and nurses were interviewed to complement the observation data and to delineate their individual workflows. These pieces of the ICU workflow were used to develop a generalize-able cognitive model to represent the intricate workflow applicable to other health care settings. The proposed model can be used to identify and characterize medical errors and for error prediction in practice.
Altering the medical record.

Litigation directed toward a physician is for most of us a fact of life. A personally delivered subpoena is a harrowing experience which may cause a physician to act foolishly. Driven by panic and anxiety, physicians too frequently alter the medical record of the plaintiff patient, only to subsequently pay dearly for their impropriety. It is amazing how often physicians decompensate toward deceit in an attempt to bolster their own defense. Many successful medical malpractice attorneys claim that altered records are found in approximately 50% of the cases they investigate and prosecute (anonymous, personal communication, 1989). As I have done part-time medical/legal consulting for both plaintiffs and defendants over a number of years, my experience leads me to believe that this figure is accurate. There are two common scenarios involving alteration of an existing medical record by the defendant doctor that repeat themselves quite often and should be discussed. The first involves a delayed alteration of the record. This can be done correctly or incorrectly:
Where the Guns Come From: The Gun Industry and Gun Commerce

Under federal law, it is illegal for youth under age 18 to purchase rifles or shotguns, and for those under age 21 to purchase handguns. However, fatality and injury statistics clearly show that guns are finding their way into young people's hands. Many of these youth obtain guns through illegal gun markets. This article focuses on how guns in the United States are manufactured, marketed, and sold. The article shows how the legal and illegal gun markets are intimately connected and make guns easily accessible to youth. Although the domestic gun manufacturing industry is relatively small and has experienced declining sales in recent years, it has significant political clout and a large market for its products, and has engaged in aggressive marketing to youth. Lax oversight of licensed firearms dealers, combined with little or no regulation of private sales between gun owners, mean that guns can quickly moved from the legal gun market into the illegal market, where they can be acquired by young people. Certain guns, especially inexpensive, poorly made small handguns, are particularly attractive to criminals and youth. The author observes that several policy innovations--including increased regulation of licensed firearms dealers, intensified screening of prospective buyers, regulation of private sales, gun licensing and registration, and bans on some types of weapons--hold promise for decreasing the flow of guns into the hands of youth.
Controlled Delivery of Basal Insulin from Phase-Sensitive Polymeric Systems After Subcutaneous Administration: In Vitro Release, Stability, Biocompatibility, In Vivo Absorption, and Bioactivity of Insulin

The purpose of this study was to investigate the phase-sensitive delivery systems (D,L-polylactide in triacetin) for controlled delivery of insulin at basal level. The effect of varying concentration of zinc, polymer, and insulin on the in vitro release of insulin was evaluated. Stability of released insulin was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, circular dichroism, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. In Vivo insulin absorption and bioactivity were studied in diabetic rats. In vitro and In Vivo biocompatibility of delivery systems were evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and skin histology, respectively. Extended release profiles of insulin for 2, 4, and 8 weeks from delivery systems containing 20%, 30%, and 40% (w/v) polymer concentration was observed. A ratio of 1:5 insulin hexamer to zinc was shown to be optimum. Physical and chemical stability of released insulin was greatly conserved. In Vivo studies demonstrated controlled release of insulin with reduction in blood glucose for approximately 1 month. In vitro and In Vivo studies demonstrated that the delivery system was biocompatible and controlled the delivery of insulin for longer durations after single subcutaneous injection.
A probabilistic lower bound on the independence number of graphs

Abstract Caro (1979) and Wei (1981) established a bound on the size of an independent set of a graph as a function of its degrees. In case the degrees of each vertex's neighbors are also known, we establish a lower bound which is tighter for most graphs.
Valuation implications of regulatory climate for utilities facing future environmental costs

Abstract This study analyzes the interrelation between the quality of the rate-regulatory process (regulatory climate) and the firm's exposure to future environmental liabilities using a sample of U.S. electric utilities during a period of elevated environmental exposure. We conjecture that investors value these future costs through a lens that incorporates the quality of the firm's regulatory climate. Our results indicate investors discount share price by 8 to 10% for 85% of the sample's investor-owned utilities, dependent upon regulatory quality. In addition to raising an explicit disclosure issue, these valuation results, more importantly, raise societal implications for an industry that will be most heavily impacted by any future regulatory restrictions of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The structures of ambrosin and damsin

Es wird gezeigt, dass die vonAbu-Shady undSoine isolierten Sesquiterpenlaktone «Ambrosin» und «Damsin» vermutlich Gemische von isomeren Substanzen darstellen. Die Interpretation bereits bekannter Tatsachen uber die beiden Naturstoffe und der Vergleich mit verwandten Produkten ermoglicht die Aufstellung provisorischer Strukturformeln.
AB Initio study of the ground state anions of LiF, NaF, BeO and MgO

Abstract We report the results of ab initio calculations on LiF, NaF, BeO, MgO and their anions. Our vertical electron affinities of BeO and LiF are 2.10 and 0.31 eV, respectively. Our BeO electron affinity is 0.33 eV larger and our LiF electron affinity 0.11 eV smaller than the corresponding values of Jordan et al. We also predict stable anions of NaF and MgO, the calculated vertical electron affinities being 0.42 and 2.64 eV, respectively. The variation with bond length of the dipole moments and the Koopmans' theorem and Hartree-Fock estimates of the electron affinities is studied.
Impact of Emotional Intelligence and Other Factors on Perception of Ethical Behavior of Peers

This study investigates factors impacting perceptions of ethical conduct of peers of 293 students in four US universities. Self-reported ethical behavior and recognition of emotions in others (a dimension of emotional intelligence) impacted perception of ethical behavior of peers. None of the other dimensions of emotional intelligence were significant. Age, Race, Sex, GPA, or type of major (business versus nonbusiness) did not impact perception of ethical behavior of peers. Implications of the results of the study for business schools and industry professionals are discussed.
Physical Characteristics of Striped Skunks in Northern Minnesota

Etude des differences de poids, de mensurations corporelle et crânienne, de pelage en fonction de: sexe, âge, saison pour des Mephitis mephitis du nord-est du Comte d'Itasca
Directed graph as a model for unit testing

Unit testing is recognized as an important part of software development. There are several frameworks to facilitate unit testing. All these frameworks provide support for executing various functions in the unit under test. Our analysis of customer found defects indicated that most of the unit test escapes were a result of execution of sequences of API's. None of the frameworks we looked provided explicit support for execution of API sequences. We designed and implemented a unit testing framework where we provided direct support for specification of API sequences. Each unit test is specified as a directed graph. Each edge corresponds to execution of an API and nodes are used for validation. The framework generates various paths through the graph. Various traversal policies like random, all nodes/edges, every adjacent edge pair etc. are supported. We rewrote unit tests for four features using the new framework. Each unit under test is about 2000 lines of code. Directed graph model helped uncover about 6 new bugs/feature. Automatic path generation has helped explore various API sequences that are very difficult to test manually. Code coverage increased on the average by about 6%. The framework is in production use and is able to uncover various API sequence bugs that are not easily uncovered by traditional unit testing tools. After initial training, engineers are eager to model their tests as directed graphs.
Vertical structure of accretion disks: A simplified analytical model

A simplified model of the vertical structure of accretion disks is derived. Analytical expressions for the temperature and density structure, which represent a generalization of the gray model long known in the theory of classical stellar atmospheres, are presented. The formalism naturally explains similarities and differences between the structure of a disk and a stellar atmosphere. In particular, the influence of viscous dissipation and external irradiation of the disk by the central star, as well as of the finite optical thickness of the disk, may be easily accounted for and explained by the present model.
Maintenance treatment and psychobiologic correlates of endogenous subtypes.

Abstract Although the endogenous subtype in depression has long been thought to have prognostic significance, to date no long-term maintenance treatment trial has examined the relative risk of recurrence in patients meeting criteria for this subtype. Following our analysis of the primary hypotheses regarding the relationship between treatment assignment and outcome [Frank et al. (1990) Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 47, 1093–1099], we now examine psychobiologic and maintenance treatment correlates for these recurrent unipolar patients grouped according to melancholic, endogenous but not melancholic, and non-endogenous subtype at index presentation. No differences were observed among the three groups in overall survival time; however, in the 52 patients who received psychotherapy without active medication during the maintenance phase, length of survival was inversely related to endogeneity. Interestingly, no differences were found among the three groups in EEG sleep parameters when studied either at baseline or following recovery.
Transdermal Fentanyl Administration in Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Pain Crisis

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the dose-concentration relationship and clinical effect of transdermal fentanyl (TF) in patients with sickle cell pain crisis (SCPC). Patients and Methods: Ten patients aged 9-16 years were studied. Patients initially received a TF dose of 25 (n = 7) or 50 (n = 3) μg/h if morphine use was >2.5 mg/h. Supplemental morphine usage via patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), sedation status, pain status, respiratory rate, pulse rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure were monitored. Results: The average TF dose was 0.77 ± 0.37 μg/kg/h on day 1 and 1.17 ± 0.46 μg/kg/h on day 2. Fentanyl concentrations measured at 24 and 48 h were 0.60 ± 0.31 and 1.18 ± 0.44 ng/ml, respectively. A significant relationship existed between TF dose and fentanyl concentration (r 2 = 0.56, p < 0.01). There was no difference in any of the clinical monitoring parameters between day 1 and day 2. However, 7 of 10 patients reported subjective improvement in pain control over that achieved with PCA alone. No adverse effects were noted. Conclusions: Improved understanding of the dose-effect relationship for TF in children and adolescents is necessary before adequate pain control can be achieved with this delivery system.
A novel low-cost high-throughput probe card scanner analyzer for characterization of magnetic tunnel junctions

The advancement of the technology of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) greatly hinges on the optimization of the magnetic materials, fabrication process, and annealing conditions which involve characterization of a large number of samples. As such, it is of paramount importance to have a rapid-turnaround characterization method since the characterization process can take even longer time than the fabrication. Conventionally, micropositioners and probe tips are manually operated to perform 4-point electrical measurement on each individual device which is a time-consuming, low-throughput process. A commercial automatic probe card analyzer can provide high turnaround; however, it is expensive and involves much cost and labor to install and maintain the equipment. In view of this, we have developed a novel low-cost, home-made, high-throughput probe card analyzer system for characterization of MTJs. It can perform fast 4-probe electrical measurements including current vs voltage, magnetoresistance, and bias dependence measurements with a high turnaround of about 500 devices per hour. The design and construction of the system is discussed in detail in this paper.
Restricted coloring using saliency-based image segmentation

DeCarlo and Santella [DeCarlo and Santella 2002] describe a method of stylization of photographs that creates pictures composed of large regions of color that vary in detail based on saliency measured by an eye tracker. They apply Mean Shift segmentation at multiple scales and assign each segmented region to a parent region at a coarser scale, based on area of overlap and distance in color space. This creates a segmentation tree which can then be pruned based on saliency to leave out detail in less salient regions. However, a region and its parent do not always overlap exactly, and coarse regions need to be smoothed because they are extracted from smaller scales.
Homogeneous-heterogeneous oxidation reactions over platinum and inert surfaces

Abstract The coupled homogeneous-heterogeneous oxidation of premixed hydrogen/air mixtures over platinum and inert surfaces is modeled in a stagnation-point flow reactor using detailed surface kinetics, gas-phase kinetics, and transport phenomena. Ignitions and extinctions are determined using numerical bifurcation theory, and simulation results are compared with experimental data. It is shown that the homogeneous ignition is inhibited by catalytic formation of H 2 O and can be affected by multicomponent transport phenomena. In addition, adsorption of hydrogen atoms to the surface can also influence homogeneous ignition. Cleaner combustion with low concentrations of unburned fuel and NO x species is achieved when Pt is used compared to inert surfaces. It is shown that these low concentrations of fuel near the surface are caused by synergetic gas-phase and surface chemistry effects.
Mapping the Bimolecular Interface of the Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)−PTH1 Receptor Complex: Spatial Proximity between Lys27 (of the Hormone Principal Binding Domain) and Leu261 (of the First Extracellular Loop) of the Human PTH1 Receptor†

In an effort to characterize the bimolecular interface between parathyroid hormone (PTH) and its human receptor PTH1-Rc (hPTH1-Rc), we previously identified two contact sites in the receptor: one for position 1 and another for position 13 (located at the ends of the principal activation domain) in PTH(1−34). The present study reports a third, novel “contact site” between hPTH1-Rc and Lys27 of PTH(1−34). Lys27 is located in the principal binding domain of the hormone (residues 25−34). The photoreactive PTH(1−34) analogue K27 contains a benzophenone (BP) moiety on Lys27. The analogue binds to stably transfected HEK 293/C-21 cells (which express a high level of recombinant hPTH1-Rc) and stimulates adenylyl cyclase activity with a potency similar to PTH(1−34). In addition, 125I-K27 cross-links effectively and specifically to the hPTH1-Rc. Enzymatic (Glu-C and Lys-C) and chemical (CNBr and BNPS-skatole) digestions of the photoconjugate between 125I-K27 and hPTH1-Rc were performed. In addition, photoconjugates...
Management of locally advanced and disseminated breast cancer—chemotherapy

Breast cancer is one of the most responsive of the common solid tumors when systemic therapy is indicated in the treatment of locally advanced or disseminated cancer. Many single agents have been useful in inducing remission in mammary carcinoma, but in recent years various drug combinations have been developed that appear more effective than individual drugs and in some instances with reduced toxicity levels. Adriamycin is the most interesting of the newer drugs and is the most effective single agent. Polychemotherapy of breast cancer was tried years ago, but remained for Cooper to arouse professional interest in multiple-drug therapy. Many modifications of this original five-drug regimens have been tried. One of the most widely used combinations is the CMF program, which includes cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil. The program that we have come to regard as our standard program in controlled clinical trials (CFP) employs cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and prednisone. Toxicity with this program has been clinically acceptable, and in multiple comparative trials we have found no combination with greater therapeutic efficacy.
Quantum lattice gas approach for the Maxwell equations

We show that a quantum lattice gas approach can provide a viable means for numerically solving the classical Maxwell equations. By casting the Maxwell equations in Dirac form, the propagator may be discretized, and we describe how the accuracy relative to the time step may be systematically increased. The quantum lattice gas form of the discretization is suitable for implementation on hybrid classical-quantum computers. We discuss a number of extensions, including application to inhomogeneous media.
A comparative study of dissolved organic carbon transport and stabilization in California forest and grassland soils

For soil carbon to be effectively sequestered beyond a timescale of a few decades, this carbon must become incorporated into passive reservoirs or greater depths, yet the actual mechanisms by which this occurs is at best poorly known. In this study, we quantified the magnitude of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leaching and subsequent retention in soils of a coniferous forest and a coastal prairie ecosystem. Despite small annual losses of DOC relative to respiratory losses, DOC leaching plays a significant role in transporting C from surface horizons and stabilizing it within the mineral soil. We found that DOC movement into the mineral soil constitutes 22% of the annual C inputs below 40 cm in a coniferous forest, whereas only 2% of the C inputs below 20 cm in a prairie soil could be accounted for by this process. In line with these C input estimates, we calculated advective transport velocities of 1.05 and 0.45 mm year−1 for the forested and prairie sites, respectively. Radiocarbon measurements of field-collected DOC interpreted with a basic transport-turnover model indicated that DOC which was transported and subsequently absorbed had a mean residence time of 90–150 years. Given these residence times, the process of DOC movement and retention is responsible for 20% of the total mineral soil C stock to 1 m in the forest soil and 9% in the prairie soil. These results provide quantitative data confirming differences in C cycles in forests and grasslands, and suggest the need for incorporating a better mechanistic understanding of soil C transport, storage and turnover processes into both local and regional C cycle models.
Flow rate and humidification effects on a PEM fuel cell performance and operation

A new algorithm is presented to integrate component balances along polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) channels to obtain three-dimensional results from a detailed two-dimensional finite element model. The analysis studies the cell performance at various hydrogen flow rates, air flow rates and humidification levels. This analysis shows that hydrogen and air flow rates and their relative humidity are critical to current density, membrane dry-out, and electrode flooding. Uniform current densities along the channels are known to be critical for thermal management and fuel cell life. This approach, of integrating a detailed two-dimensional across-the-channel model, is a promising method for fuel cell design due to its low computational cost compared to three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics models, its applicability to a wide range of fuel cell designs, and its ease of extending to fuel cell stack models.
Fluorinated polycarbonates for gas separation applications

Abstract Gas sorption and transport properties of two aromatic polycarbonates with hexafluoroisopropylidene moieties have been characterized for a variety of gases at 35°C at pressures up to 60 atm. These materials have structural features that hinder interchain packing and intrachain rotational mobility. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurements of the average segmental spacings in a series of polycarbonates, including the fluorinated materials, reflect the hindrance to packing caused by the systematic variation in structure within the series. Hindrance to intrachain rotational mobility is apparent from the higher glass transition temperatures and from the sub-Tg transition behaviors of the substituted materials. These fluorinated polycarbonates exhibit a very significant increase in permeability relative to conventional bisphenol-A polycarbonate without a significant loss in permselectivity. The permeability of the higher flux fluorinated material is over 200 barrers for helium and over 100 barrers for CO2, representing an increase of a factor of fifteen relative to standard polycarbonate. The higher permeabilities and permselectivities of the rigid substituted polycarbonates occur due to both solubility and diffusivity factors.
Purification and characterization of antimicrobial peptides from the skin of the North American green frog Rana clamitans.

Abstract Ten peptides with differential growth-inhibitory activity against the Gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus , the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli , and the yeast Candida albicans were isolated from an extract of the skin of a North American frog, the green frog Rana clamitans . Ranatuerin-1C (SMLSVLKNLGKVGLGLVACKINKQC), ranalexin-1Ca (FLGGLMKAFPALICAVTKKC), ranalexin-1Cb (FLGGLMKAFPAIICAVTKKC), ranatuerin-2Ca (GLFLDTLKGAAKDVAGKLLEGLKCKIAGC KP), and ranatuerin-2Cb (GLFLDTLKGLAGKLLQGLKCIKAGCKP), are members of three previously characterized families of antimicrobial peptides, first identified in the North American bullfrog Rana catesbeiana . In addition, five structurally related peptides (temporin-1Ca, -1Cb, -1Cc, -1Cd, and -1Ce), comprising 13 amino acid residues and containing a C-terminally α-amidated residue, belong to the temporin family first identified in the European common frog Rana temporaria . Peptides belonging to the brevinin-1, brevinin-2, esculentin-1, and esculentin-2 families, previously isolated from the skins of Asian and European Ranid frogs, were not identified in the extract. The data support the hypothesis that the distribution and amino acid sequences of the skin antimicrobial peptides are valuable tools in the identification and classification of Ranid frogs.
Time-critical search

We study time-critical search, where users have urgent information needs in the context of an acute problem. As examples, users may need to know how to stem a severe bleed, help a baby who is choking on a foreign object, or respond to an epileptic seizure. While time-critical situations and actions have been studied in the realm of decision-support systems, little has been done with time-critical search and retrieval, and little direct support is offered by search systems. Critical challenges with time-critical search include accurately inferring when users have urgent needs and providing relevant information that can be understood and acted upon quickly. We leverage surveys and search log data from a large mobile search provider to (a) characterize the use of search engines for time-critical situations, and (b) develop predictive models to accurately predict urgent information needs, given a query and a diverse set of features spanning topical, temporal, behavioral, and geospatial attributes. The methods and findings highlight opportunities for extending search and retrieval to consider the urgency of queries.
Differences in Metal Concentration by Particle Size in House Dust and Soil

The majority of particles that adhere to hands are <63 μm in diameter yet risk assessments for soil remediation are typically based on soil samples sieved to <250 μm. The objective of our study was to determine if there is a significant difference in metal concentration by particle size in both house dust and soil. We obtained indoor dust and yard soil samples from 10 houses in Tucson, Arizona. All samples were sieved to <63 μm and 63 to <150 μm and analyzed for 30 elements viaICP-MS following nitric acid digestion. We conducted t-tests of the log-transformed data to assess for significant differences that were adjusted with a Bonferroni correction to account for multiple comparisons. In house dust, significant differences in concentration were observed for Be, Al, and Mo between particles sizes, with a higher concentration observed in the smaller particle sizes. Significant differences were also determined for Mg, Ca, Cr, Co, Cu, Ge, Zr, Ag, Ba, and Pb concentration in yard soil samples, with the higher concentration observed in the smaller particles size for each element. The results of this exploratory study indicate that current risk assessment practices for soil remediation may under estimate non-dietary ingestion exposure. This is of particular concern for young children who are more vulnerable to this exposure route due to their high hand mouthing frequencies. Additional studies with a greater number of samples and wider geographic distribution with different climates and soil types should be completed to determine the most relevant sampling practices for risk assessment.
Search for Phobos and Deimos gas/dust tori using in situ observations from Mars Global Surveyor MAG/ER

Abstract More than 490 elliptical aerobraking and science phasing orbits made by Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) in 1997 and 1998 provide unprecedented coverage of the solar wind in the vicinity of the orbits of the martian moons Phobos and Deimos. We have performed a comprehensive survey of magnetic field perturbations in the solar wind to search for possible signatures of solar wind interaction with dust or gas escaping from the moons. A total of 1246 solar wind disturbance events were identified and their distribution was examined relative to Phobos, the Phobos orbit, and the Deimos orbit. We find that the spatial distribution of solar wind perturbations does not increase near or downstream of Phobos, Phobos’ orbit, or Deimos’ orbit, which would have been expected if there is significant outgassing or dust escape from the martian moons. Of the 1246 magnetic field perturbation events found in the MGS data set, 11 events were found within 2000 km of the Phobos orbit, while three events were found within 2000 km of the Deimos orbit. These events were analyzed in detail and found to likely have other causes than outgassing/dust escape from the martian moons. Thus we conclude that the amount of gas/dust escaping the martian moons is not significant enough to induce detectable magnetic field perturbations in the solar wind. In essence we have not found any clear evidence in the MGS magnetic field data for outgassing or dust escape from the martian moons.