cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4674: Receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) regulates ß-catenin function and chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC β-catenin is a key downstream effector in the Wnt signaling pathway. It is implicated in two major biological processes in vertebrates: early embryonic development and tumorigenesis. The receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell membrane receptors, is encoded within the MHC Class III Region. It interacts with various ligands including high mobility group protein 1 [HMGB1], certain S100 protein family members, and advanced glycation endproducts and is involved in cancer, inflammation, diabetes and Alzheimer disease. To evaluate whether treatment with RAGE short hairpin RNA (shRNA) increases chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancers involves β-catenin signaling, we first examined the expression level of β-catenin and its target genes. In normal states, β-catenin and its target genes cyclinD1, c-myc, and Nr-CAM but not L1CAM were decreased when RAGE was depleted in the murine Panc02 cell line by western blot and immunofluorescence analysis. Importantly, RAGE deletion enhanced the suppressive effects of chemotherapy on the expression of β-catenin and its target genes. To evaluate the effects of β-catenin on chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells, we used cells in which the expression of RAGE and/or β-catenin was suppressed by shRNA. Knockdown of β-catenin increased chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells and these effects were enhanced when both β-catenin and RAGE were knocked down. Notably, knockdown of β-catenin had no effect on the commitment of cells to enhanced autophagic flux when assessed by evaluation of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) punctae formation. However, knockdown of β-catenin did significantly increase apoptosis when assayed by increased activity of caspase 3 and cleavage of caspase3. Taken together, these results suggest that RAGE regulates β-catenin transcription function and chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4674.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy: A sympathetically mediated pain syndrome or not?

Because of the controversy concerning the manner in which the sympathetic nervous system is involved in reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), its name was changed to one having no mechanistic connotations. This article reviews the relevant literature in support of not only the taxonomical changes to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) but also provides evidence of sympathetic dysfunction demonstrated in animal models of neuropathic pain.
Constraint chaining: on energy-efficient continuous monitoring in sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks have created new opportunities for data collection in a variety of scenarios, such as environmental and industrial, where we expect data to be temporally and spatially correlated. Researchers may want to continuously collect all sensor data from the network for later analysis. Suppression, both temporal and spatial, provides opportunities for reducing the energy cost of sensor data collection. We demonstrate how both types can be combined for maximal benefit. We frame the problem as one of monitoring node and edge constraints. A monitored node triggers a report if its value changes. A monitored edge triggers a report if the difference between its nodes' values changes. The set of reports collected at the base station is used to derive all node values. We fully exploit the potential of this global inference in our algorithm, CONCH, short for constraint chaining. Constraint chaining builds a network of constraints that are maintained locally, but allow a global view of values to be maintained with minimal cost. Network failure complicates the use of suppression, since either causes an absence of reports. We add enhancements to CONCH to build in redundant constraints and provide a method to interpret the resulting reports in case of uncertainty. Using simulation we experimentally evaluate CONCH's effectiveness against competing schemes in a number of interesting scenarios.
Value of QT Dispersion in the Interpretation of Exercise Stress Test in Women

Background Exercise testing in women is associated with a high incidence of false-positive ECG changes and should be combined with an imaging study. The QT dispersion (QTD), recorded as the difference between maximum and minimum QT intervals on a 12-lead ECG, is sensitive to myocardial ischemia and may improve the accuracy of exercise testing in women. Methods and Results Exercise ECGs were analyzed in 64 women who had undergone exercise ECG and coronary angiography for clinical indications: 20 patients with normal exercise stress test and nonsignificant (≤50% diameter narrowing of a major epicardial coronary artery) coronary artery disease (CAD) on angiography (true-negative; TN group), 20 patients with positive exercise stress tests (≥1 mm ST-segment depression or reversible perfusion defects) and significant CAD (true-positive; TP group), and 24 patients with positive exercise stress tests but no significant CAD (false-positive; FP group). The exercise QTD was 45±15 ms in TN, 80±23 ms in TP (P<.0001 ve...
Intertidal invertebrate and algal communities on the rocky shores of the bay of morbihan kerguelen south indian ocean

. Both the emergent surfaces and tide pools of the rocky intertidal shores of the Bay of Morbihan, Kerguelen are depauperate in number of macroinvertebrate and macroalgal species. Diversity (H') was high and similar for macroinvertebrates in tide pools from the high to low intertidal and on the emergent surface exposed at extreme low-tide when calculated in terms of numbers of individuals. H' was lower when calculated in terms of energy and twice as high for the tide pool in the high intertidal than the lower tide-pools and the emergent surface. H' for macroalgae was 0 in the highest tide-pool and highest in the lower tide-pools. The density/species-rank curves for the macroinvertebrates and the macroalgae are logarithmic but vary in linearity. Algal biomass was 37 % of the macroinvertebrate biomass on the emergent surface at the extreme low-tide, but 106% in the highest tide-pool. Twenty-three months after denudation of the tide pools, the ratios of total densities of the macroinvertebrates (ind m-2) to the original densities were 48 % for the pool in the high intertidal, 25 % for the middle tide-pool, and 4 % for the pool in the low intertidal. The diversity indexes for the macroinvertebrates were similar to the original ones. Recolonization at Kerguelen is slow and shows an intertidal gradient. The composition of the rocky intertidal community at Kerguelen results from the rigorous physical environment and the small number and functional types of species. In the absence of major predators on macroinvertebrates and of herbivores on macroalgae, interaction among the species present seems to be competitive in nature.
Clinical Evaluation of a Rapid Diagnostic Screen (Uriscreen) for Bacteriuria in Children

ABSTRACTPurpose: We assessed clinical use of the URISCREEN* *Bard, Covington, Georgia. test for detecting significant bacteriuria in children and compared it to standard quantitative culture.Materials and Methods: URISCREEN detects catalase in urine samples, reflecting the presence of at least 50,000 colony-forming units per ml. or 10 somatic cells per high power field. Catheterized urine specimens from 200 consecutive children scheduled to undergo urodynamic evaluation were tested by URISCREEN and quantitative culture methods. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were determined.Results: Of these specimens there were 22 false-positive and 16 false-negative URISCREEN results. Sensitivity was 65.2%, specificity 85.7%, positive predictive value 57.7%, negative predictive value 89.2% and overall accuracy 81%.Conclusions: URISCREEN is a rapid screen for bacteriuria. However, the high false-negative rate limits clinical use in the pediatric urological patient for whom...
Viscometry of human blood for shear rates of 0-100,000 sec-1.

THE viscometry of human blood has been represented by a number of empirical equations. Their usefulness has been limited to relatively narrow ranges of shear rate. Among the equations suggested, Casson's equation has been used for calculating the shear strength of blood and for describing its viscometry at shear rates below 5 sec−1 (refs. 1 and 4) (equation 1): where τ is shear stress, γ is shear rate, K is Casson viscosity, C is shear strength of suspension.
Effects of Fruit Storage and Processing on Clarity, Proteins, and Stability of Granny Smith Apple Juice

Granny Smith apples were processed into juices and concentrates from fruits which had been stored at 1°C for three months (short-term, ST) and nine months (long-term, LT). Total soluble proteins decreased with storage time of fruits. Juices processed from ST fruits were more resistant to haze formation (heat stability test) than those processed from LT fruits. For juices processed from ST apples, haze formation was related to proteins in the MW range of 21,000 to 31,000 daltons. For juices processed from LT apples, haze formation was not only related to proteins but also to other components in the juices. Fining was recommended to prevent haze and sediment formation.
Correlation patterns and cross-talk noise in volume holographic optical correlators

We analyze the correlation pattern and the cross-talk noise of optical correlators, using multiplexed volume holograms as matched filters. Our results show that sidelobes of the correlation patterns are suppressed in such an optical system; therefore the signal-to-noise ratio in pattern recognition is significantly higher than that in a planar holographic correlator system. We consider both angle- and wavelength-multiplexed holograms and compare the results for various thicknesses of volume holographic media. Our results show that the degree of sidelobe suppression depends on the thickness of the holographic medium and the angle between the object beam and the reference beam during recording. When the correlation patterns obtained with the transmission holograms in angle multiplexing are compared with the reflection holograms in wavelength multiplexing, it is seen that the sidelobes decrease much faster with the increase of thickness with angle multiplexing than with wavelength multiplexing. In addition, we demonstrate the effect of sidelobe suppression, and our experimental result is in good qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions.
Organizational Differences in Rates of Learning: Evidence from the Adoption of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

This paper examines learning curves in the health care setting to determine whether organizations achieve performance improvements from cumulative experience at different rates. Although extensive research has shown that cumulative experience leads to performance improvement across numerous contexts, the question of how much of this improvement is due to mere experience and how much is due to collective learning processes has received little attention. We argue that organizational learning processes may allow some organizations to benefit more than others from equivalent levels of experience. We thus propose that learning curves can vary across organizations engaged in the same "learning task," due to organizational learning effects. To investigate this proposition, we investigate cardiac surgery departments implementing a new technology for minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Data on operative procedure times from a sample of 660 patients who underwent the new operation at 16 different institutions are analyzed. The results confirm that cumulative experience is a significant predictor of learning, and further reveal that the slope of the learning curve varies significantly across organizations. Theoretical and practical implications of the work are discussed.
Convergent evolution with combinatorial peptides

Abstract Once the sequence of a genome is in hand, understanding the function of its encoded proteins becomes a task of paramount importance. Much like the biochemists who first outlined different biochemical pathways, many genomic scientists are engaged in determining which proteins interact with which proteins, thereby establishing a protein interaction network. While these interactions have evolved in regard to their specificity, affinity and cellular function over billions of years, it is possible in the laboratory to isolate peptides from combinatorial libraries that bind to the same proteins with similar specificity, affinity and primary structures, which resemble those of the natural interacting proteins. We have termed this phenomenon ‘convergent evolution’. In this review, we highlight various examples of convergent evolution that have been uncovered in experiments dissecting protein–protein interactions with combinatorial peptides. Thus, a fruitful approach for mapping protein–protein interactions is to isolate peptide ligands to a target protein and identify candidate interacting proteins in a sequenced genome by computer analysis.
MMPI profile predictors for successful and expired open heart surgery patients.

A total of 31 patients (17 females, 14 males) who were scheduled for open heart surgery were administered an MMPI within 1 week prior to surgery. Of the 31 patients, 20 (13 females, 7 males) survived and 11 (4 females and 7 males) did not survive the operation. MMPI scale T-score comparisons were made within sex between survivors and nonsurvivors. Surviving and expired males did not differ on any MMPI scales, while expired females had much higher average scale 1 and 3 elevations than did their surviving counterparts (p less than .05). Subsequent comparisons of expired and surviving female patients with 1-3 profiles revealed that females with 1-3 profiles who expired had a higher average L scale T-score and a lower average scale 6 T-score (p less than .05). Cutting scores established to divide 1-3 female profiles into success and expired groups yielded two results: (1) an L scale T-score of 50 or above identified 100% of the expired females while it generated 40% false positives and no false negatives; and (2) a scale 6 T-score of 57 and below identified 100% of the expired females while it generated no false negatives and no false positives. These results are consistent with previous research and may be used to predict mortality for prospective female open heart surgery patients with implications for psychotherapeutic assistance prior to surgery to increase prospects for success.
Enzymatic Studies of Bruised Poultry Tissuea

SUMMARY Acid phosphatase activity increased and alkaline phosphatase activity decreased in experimentally inflicted poultry bruises. The activities of both enzymes were influenced by such factors as age of bruise, severity of muscular injury, and previous bruise history. Activity of acid phosphatase in bruised areas was maximum 4–6 days post-contusion, being 2–3 times that in normal muscle. Alkaline phosphatase activity often approached 50% that of the control level on the first and second days after trauma. Under ordinary assay conditions, appreciable acid phosphatase was found to be bound in lysosomes whereas no bound activity was demonstrable in normal tissue. When normal muscle was incubated with 1% trypsin prior to homogenation, however, some bound acid phosphatase activity was detected.
Optically Tandem Solar Cells

Limiting factors for solar cells include poor conversion efficiency for short wavelength solar radiation and transparency to near infrared light. This presentation describes “optically tandem cells” that convert solar radiation to optimal wavelengths.
Demand Systems from Cross-Section Data: An Application to Indonesia

Expanding on earlier demand studies on Indonesia, this study attempts to produce a complete set of food demand parameters on an experimental basis. Two demand systems – the almost ideal demand system and multinomial linear logit model – are estimated using a single cross-section survey. The estimates are used to highlight urban food demand structure, to show their utility for policy analysis, and to evaluate the empirical performance of the two demand systems. In addition, the estimates are positioned relative to other studies in selected Asian countries. Faisant suite a de precedentes etudes sur la demande appliquees a ľIndonesie, cette etude tente de produire sur une base experimentale un ensemble complet de parametres lies a la demande alimentaire. Deux systemes de demande sont estimes en utilisant les donnees ďune enquete croisee simple. Ce sont le “almost ideal demand system” et le modele “logit” lineaire multinomial. Les estimations sont utilisees pour essayer de comprendre la structure de la demande alimentaire urbaine et pour evaluer la performance des deux systemes de demande. Ľimportance des ces estimations quant a ľanalyse de politique est aussi indiquee. Ďautre part, ces estimations sont comparees a celles ďautres etudes faites dans certains pays asiatiques.
Effect of Prestressing Wire Indentation Type on the Development Length and Flexural Capacity of Pretensioned Concrete Crossties

Load tests were conducted on pretensioned concrete prisms cast with 13 different 5.32-mm-diameter prestressing wire types that are used in the manufacture of pretensioned concrete railroad ties worldwide. The tests were specifically designed to evaluate the development length and bonding performance of these different reinforcements. The prestressing wires were denoted “WA” through “WM” and indentation types included smooth, spiral, chevron, diamond, and 2-dot and 4-dot. Four wires were embedded into each concrete prism, which had a 3.5″ (88.9 mm) × 3.5″ (88.9 mm) square cross section. The wires were initially tensioned to 7000 pounds (31.14 KN) and gradually de-tensioned when the concrete compressive strength reached 4500 psi (31.03 Mpa). A consistent concrete mixture with type III cement, water-cement ratio of 0.32 and a 6-in. slump was used for all prisms.Prisms were tested in 3-point-bending at different spans to obtain estimations of the development length of each type of reinforcement. Two identical 69-in.-long (175.26 cm) prisms were load tested, at both ends, for each reinforcement type evaluated. First prisms were tested at 20-in. (50.8 cm) from one end and 13-in. (33.02 cm) from the other end, whereas the second prisms were loaded at 16.5-in. (41.9 cm) from one end and 9.5-in. (24.13 cm) from the other end. Thus, a total of 52 load tests (13 wire types × 4 tests each) were conducted in this study.During each test, a concentrate load with the rate of 300 lb/min (1334 N/min) was applied at mid-span until failure occurred, and values of load, mid-span deflection, and wire end-slip were continuously monitored and recorded. Plots of load-vs-deflection were then compared for prisms with each wire type and span, and the maximum sustained moment was also calculated for each test. The load tests revealed that there is a very large difference in the development length of the different wire types currently used in the manufacture of pretensioned concrete railroad ties. The results imply that there would also likely be large differences in the reserve capacity (beyond first cracking) for pretensioned concrete crossties fabricated with these different reinforcements.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Oxidation and reduction behavior of pure indium

Fundamental knowledge on the oxidation behavior of pure indium, commonly used as a low-temperature, fluxless soldering material in micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices, is of importance as it influences the solder joint reliability. A thermodynamic model of the oxidation and reduction behavior of indium is developed by constructing an Ellingham diagram, and by using H2(g) reactions. Partial pressure (p) of H2O was shown to be the critical parameter in creating a reducing environment in the applicable solder reflow temperature range. Verification of the thermodynamic models was then carried out through heating and melting of indium in controlled glove box environments by adjusting p(H2)/p(H2O). The nanometer scale thickness of the oxide layer grown on indium was measured by a spectroscopic ellipsometer. The growth mechanism for oxidation in air below 220 °C follows Uhlig’s logarithmic law where electron transport is the rate-controlling mechanism, implying that there is an incubation period for the onset of initial oxidation. Its activation energy was found to be 0.65 eV.
The Mechanism of Long-Distance Radical Cation Transport in Duplex DNA: Ion-Gated Hopping of Polaron-Like Distortions

The irradiation of an anthraquinone derivative that is covalently attached to duplex DNA injects a radical cation into the bases of the DNA. This radical cation can migrate hundreds of Angstroms before it is trapped at GG steps by reaction with water. These damaged guanines result in DNA strand scissions when they are treated with piperidine. Investigation of several such DNA constructs reveals that the efficiency of radical cation migration is strongly dependent on the sequence of bases in the DNA. This observation led to the formulation of the phonon-assisted polaron hopping model for the mechanism of radical cation migration. In this model, DNA and its ionic and solvent environment are assumed to undergo motions on the timescale of the radical cation hopping. These motions lead to a distortion of the local environment around the radical cation that causes it to gain stability (the polaron). Thermal motions of the DNA and its environment (phonons) cause the radical cation to migrate adiabatically from one polaronic site to another.
Evidence Suggestive of Activation of the Intrinsic Pathway of Blood Coagulation After Injection of Factor Xa/Phospholipid Into Rabbits

The present study was carried out to extend an earlier observation from this laboratory that mean plasma factor X levels fell by about 15% after the injection into rabbits of a formed factor Xa/phospholipid complex that caused only minimal intravascular coagulation. We have now injected rabbits with formulations of factor Xa/phospholipid that caused considerable intravascular coagulation, as documented by substantial falls in fibrinogen, factor V, and factor VIII and a fall in plasma prothrombin activity of about 15% to 20% of the initial level. Mean plasma factor X activity fell by about 30% of the initial level. Factors participating in the intrinsic coagulation pathway--XII, XI, and IX--all fell by about 50% after injection of a complex made with 16.3 pmol factor Xa and 80 nmol phospholipid per 1 kg body wt and by about 35% after injection of a complex made with 32.6 pmol factor Xa and 40 nmol phospholipid per 1 kg body wt. In contrast, total plasma factor VII activity did not change, and specific plasma factor VIIa levels, which were lower than those measured in human plasma, did not rise after injection of factor Xa/phospholipid. The data are compatible with the hypothesis that factor Xa/phospholipid-induced generation of thrombin in vivo leads to factor XII-dependent activation of the intrinsic pathway of coagulation that results in significant activation of factor X. Further testing of this hypothesis appears warranted.
Molecular genetics of age-related macular degeneration: current status.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a multifactorial human disorder, is the most common cause of acquired visual impairment in people over the age 60. It is estimated to affect millions of individuals worldwide. Prevalence increases with age; among persons 75 years and older, mild, or early forms occur in nearly 30% and advanced forms in about 7% of the population. AMD has been associated both with environmental and genetic factors. However, the clinical heterogeneity, late age at onset, and complex etiology have confounded genetic studies of the disorder. Methods applicable to the study of single-gene and some complex disorders (i.e., linkage analysis, sib-pair analysis, transmission disequilibrium test, etc.) have had limited utility in elucidating the genetic components of the complex AMD trait. Recently, substantial progress has been made in determining the genetic basis of monogenic eye disorders. On a monthly basis mutations are identified in new genes responsible for some form of retinal degeneration. Most, if not all, of these genes become candidates for potential involvement in multi factorial disorders especially if the phenotypes of the early-onset Mendelian diseases they cause resemble later onset complex traits. Unfortunately, to date mutational analyses of the candidate genes in AMD patients to date have not yielded the highly anticipated information: statistically significant association of sequence variants with AMD. Whether this is due to the unsuccessful selection of the right candidate genes for the analysis, or the methods employed, or both, has to be elucidated. This review summarizes current knowledge of genetic research aimed at delineating the molecular genetic basis of age-related macular degeneration. Moreover, it attempts to offer some approaches for the future studies directed towards understanding the genetic components of this complex disorder.
Re-reading Calvin and Disability

As a contributor to Disability in the Christian Tradition: A Reader, this author reflects on challenges and possibilities of historical review as it relates to disability. Noting that our understandings of disability have changed, that historical figures rarely talked about disability in uncomplicated ways, and that any historical reconstruction is always partial, she argues that it is still crucial to explore and interrogate the resources of the past. Reflection on history gives us a space to ask new questions, an opening to observe things differently, a prompt for conversation, a place to examine our assumptions, and the possibility of new visions.
An Extracytoplasmic Function Sigma Factor Controls β-Lactamase Gene Expression in Bacillus anthracis and Other Bacillus cereus Group Species

The susceptibility of most Bacillus anthracis strains to beta-lactam antibiotics is intriguing considering that the closely related species Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis typically produce beta-lactamases and the B. anthracis genome harbors two beta-lactamase genes, bla1 and bla2. We show that beta-lactamase activity associated with B. anthracis is affected by two genes, sigP (BA2502) and rsiP (BA2503), predicted to encode an extracytoplasmic function sigma factor and an anti-sigma factor, respectively. Deletion of the sigP-rsiP locus abolished beta-lactamase activity in a naturally occurring penicillin-resistant strain and had no effect on beta-lactamase activity in a prototypical penicillin-susceptible strain. Complementation with sigP and rsiP from the penicillin-resistant strain, but not with sigP and rsiP from the penicillin-susceptible strain, conferred constitutive beta-lactamase activity in both mutants. These results are attributed to a nucleotide deletion near the 5' end of rsiP in the penicillin-resistant strain that is predicted to result in a nonfunctional protein. B. cereus and B. thuringiensis sigP and rsiP homologues are required for inducible penicillin resistance in these species. Expression of the B. cereus or B. thuringiensis sigP and rsiP genes in a B. anthracis sigP-rsiP-null mutant confers inducible production of beta-lactamase activity, suggesting that while B. anthracis contains the genes necessary for sensing beta-lactam antibiotics, the B. anthracis sigP and rsiP gene products are not sufficient for bla induction.
Statistical significance testing was not meant for weak corroborations of weaker theories

Chow sets his version of statistical significance testing in an impoverished context of “theory corroboration” that explicitly excludes well-posed theories admitting of strong support by precise empirical evidence. He demonstrates no scientific usefulness for the problematic procedure he recommends instead. The important role played by significance testing in today's behavioral and brain sciences is wholly inconsistent with the rhetoric he would enforce.
Microstructure Evolution in ZrC Irradiated with Kr ions

The gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR) is one of six concepts for the Generation-IV nuclear energy system. The fuel for the GFR requires both a high heavy metal loading and the ability to withstand temperatures up to 1600°C during a loss of coolant accident. ZrC is among the few potential refractory ceramic materials with necessary properties to be considered as matrix materials for a dispersed carbide fuel. The radiation response of ZrC to high dose and temperature is a critical research need. This work investigated the microstructure of ZrC irradiated with 1 MeV Kr ions to doses of 10 and 30 dpa at 27°C and 10 and 70 dpa at 800°C with a damage rate approximately 3.0 × 10−3 dpa/s. No radiation-induced amorphization was found. A lattice expansion of approximately 7 % was observed for ZrC irradiated to 70 dpa at 800°C.
The burden of double roles: Korean wives in the USA

(1988). The burden of double roles: Korean wives in the USA. Ethnic and Racial Studies: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 151-167.
Surgical adjuvant immunotherapy for colorectal cancer

One hundred forty-four Wistar-Furth rats in 12 therapeutic groups have been studied in a long-term comparison of the effectiveness of nonspecific immunotherapy with MER (methanol extraction residue) vs active-specific immunotherapy with neuraminidase-modified tumor cells. Six months after surgical adjuvant immunotherapy a 100% improvement in survival was achieved with MER immunotherapy compared to untreated control animals. In addition, the use of MER enhanced the value of active-specific immunotherapy where both modalities were combined in sequence. The predicted value of MER-BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) for the immunotherapy of solid tumors was borne out by these results suggesting that present ongoing clinical trials of MER as adjuvant therapy for large bowel cancer should prove to be successful if properly controlled. The pattern of survival in these experiments suggests that surgical adjuvant immunotherapy is cytostatic rather than cytocidal, and implies the need for long-term, repeated immunizations.
Related protein-protein interaction modules present drastically different surface topographies despite a conserved helical platform.

Abstract The subcellular localization of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) occurs through interaction with A-Kinase Anchoring Proteins (AKAPs). AKAPs bind to the PKA regulatory subunit dimer of both type Iα and type IIα (RIα and RIIα). RIα and RIIα display characteristic localization within different cell types, which is maintained by interaction of AKAPs with the N-terminal dimerization and docking domain (D/D) of the respective regulatory subunit. Previously, we reported the solution structure of RIIa D/D module, both free and bound to AKAPs. We have now solved the solution structure of the dimerization and docking domain of the type Iα regulatory dimer subunit (RIα D/D). RIα D/D is a compact docking module, with unusual interchain disulfide bonds that help maintain the AKAP interaction surface. In contrast to the shallow hydrophobic groove for AKAP binding across the surface of the RIIα D/D dimeric interface, the RIα D/D module presents a deep cleft for proposed AKAP binding. RIα and RIIα D/D interaction modules present drastically differing dimeric topographies, despite a conserved X-type four-helix bundle structure.
From Postmodernism to Milk Cartons: Junk Art sculptures and Pre- service Teachers' Philosophies of Schooling

This essay focuses of an arts-informed inquiry performed by sixteen pre-service teachers who created sculptures to explore their teaching philosophies. Through this creative process changes occurred in their assumptions and expectations about what is of value in teaching and relationships between themselves, their students, and the community. The ideas of philosopher Michel Serres are used to analyze the themes that emerged from this creative process. Specifically, I examine the relationships between three of Serres' key themes: 1) prepositions, 2) spaces "in-between", and 3) noise, and how aesthetic forms of expression such as creating sculptures open alternative pathways for pre-service teachers to imagine or re-envision transformative pedagogies.
Changes in Soil Carbon and Nitrogen after Contrasting Land-use Transitions in Northeastern Costa Rica

Northeastern Costa Rica is a mosaic of primary and secondary forests, tree plantations, pastures, and cash crops. Many studies have quantified the effects of one type of land-use transition (for example, deforestation or reforestation) on soil properties such as organic carbon (C) storage, but few have compared different land-use transitions simultaneously. We can best understand the effects of land-use change on regional and global ecosystem processes by considering all of the land-use transitions that occur in a landscape. In this study, I examined the changes in total soil C and nitrogen (N) pools (to 0.3 m) that have accompanied different land-use transitions in a 140,000-ha region in northeastern Costa Rica. I paired sites that had similar topography and soils but differed in recent land-use history. The following land-use transitions were represented: 12 conversions of primary forests to banana plantations, 15 conversions of pastures to cash crops, and four conversions of pastures to Vochysia guatemalensis tree plantations. The conversion of forests to bananas decreased soil C concentrations and inventories (Mg C ha−1) in the surface soil by 37% and 16.5%, respectively. The conversion of pastures to cash crops reduced soil C concentrations and inventories to the same extent that forest-to-banana cropping did. Furthermore, young Vochysia plantations do not appear to increase soil C storage, at least over the 1st decade. When data from all land-use transitions were pooled, the difference in root biomass and leaf litter pools between land-use pairs explained 50% of the differences in soil C concentrations and 36% of the differences in soil C inventories. Thus, reduced productivity or C inputs to the soil is one mechanism that could explain the losses in soil C pools with land-use change. In this landscape, losses of soil C due to cultivation are rapid, whereas re- accumulation rates are slow. Total soil N pools (0–10 cm) were also reduced after the conversion of forests to banana plantations or the conversion of pastures to crops, despite fertilization of the cropped soils. This suggests that the added N fertilizer is not retained but instead is exported via produce, N gas emissions, and hydrologic processes.
Diagnostic monitoring strategies in heart failure management.

Heart failure affects 5 million Americans and is associated with a tremendous economic burden, leading to 26.7 billion dollars in health care expenditures each year (American Heart Association, American Stroke Association. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2004 update. Available at http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1072969766940HSStats2004Update.pdf. Accessed May 4, 2006). Half of these expenditures (nearly $14 billion) are for costly hospital admissions for acute decompensated heart failure. Despite the ubiquity and frequency of acute decompensated heart failure, we have few available techniques to anticipate and correct decompensation. With the advent of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator for the prevention of sudden cardiac death and biventricular pacing for dyssynchrony in heart failure (HF) refractory to medical treatment, indications for implantable devices are expanding in the HF population. Therefore, device-based diagnostic monitoring strategies have the potential to identify patients at risk for decompensation and decrease costly health care uses. The purpose of this review will be to highlight the evidence for diagnostic monitoring in HF, with special emphasis on device-based diagnostic monitoring.
Polypharmazie in der Behandlung der Schizophrenie

Die Frage, ob eine Polypharmazie in der Behandlung der Schizophrenie Vorteile gegenuber einer Monotherapie hat, ist nach wie vor ungeklart. Die klinische Praxis zeigt jedoch, dass entgegen plausibler Empfehlungen, Einzelsubstanzen optimal einzusetzen, uberaus haufig Kombinationstherapien durchgefuhrt werden (Freudenreich und Goff 2002, Chakos et al. 2006, Faries et al. 2005, Ganguly et al. 2004, Kane 2004). Als eine mogliche Ursache gilt die therapieresistenz, die trotz der Einfuhrung moderner, so genannter atypischer Antipsychotika in bis zu 30% der Falle festzustellen ist (Naber 2000).
Ratcheting of Pressurized Piping Subjected to Seismic Loading

The ABAQUS finite element code was used to model a pressurized pipe and subjected to cyclic bending loads to investigate ratcheting. A 1-in. schedule 40 pipe was loaded with a slow (static) cyclic load. The pipe internal pressure was varied from 0 to 6000 psi. In this paper, two types of materials were considered: an elastic perfectly plastic and a bilinear elastic-plastic material. Two types of finite elements of the ABAQUS program were compared to analytical solutions to evaluate the element accuracy in the plastic regime. Depending upon loading conditions and specified material properties, three different responses were observed from the finite element analyses: cyclic plasticity, ratcheting of the hoop strain, or shakedown. These analytical results are compared to some experimental measurements.
Lateral MIS tunnel transistor

A new device structure called the Lateral MIS Tunnel Transistor (LMISTT) is proposed, and its basic features and characteristics are presented. In this device, effects related to the lateral conduction in MIS tunnel structures are implemented. The device is featured by very simple processing, and shows promise in a variety of applications, including very large scale integration high speed IC's.
Searching for interpretable rules for disease mutations: a simulated annealing bump hunting strategy

Understanding how amino acid substitutions affect protein functions is critical for the study of proteins and their implications in diseases. Although methods have been developed for predicting potential effects of amino acid substitutions using sequence, three-dimensional structural, and evolutionary properties of proteins, the applications are limited by the complication of the features and the availability of protein structural information. Another limitation is that the prediction results are hard to be interpreted with physicochemical principles and biological knowledge. To overcome these limitations, we proposed a novel feature set using physicochemical properties of amino acids, evolutionary profiles of proteins, and protein sequence information. We applied the support vector machine and the random forest with the feature set to experimental amino acid substitutions occurring in the E. coli lac repressor and the bacteriophage T4 lysozyme, as well as to annotated amino acid substitutions occurring in a wide range of human proteins. The results showed that the proposed feature set was superior to the existing ones. To explore physicochemical principles behind amino acid substitutions, we designed a simulated annealing bump hunting strategy to automatically extract interpretable rules for amino acid substitutions. We applied the strategy to annotated human amino acid substitutions and successfully extracted several rules which were either consistent with current biological knowledge or providing new insights for the understanding of amino acid substitutions. When applied to unclassified data, these rules could cover a large portion of samples, and most of the covered samples showed good agreement with predictions made by either the support vector machine or the random forest. The prediction methods using the proposed feature set can achieve larger AUC (the area under the ROC curve), smaller BER (the balanced error rate), and larger MCC (the Matthews' correlation coefficient) than those using the published feature sets, suggesting that our feature set is superior to the existing ones. The rules extracted by the simulated annealing bump hunting strategy have comparable coverage and accuracy but much better interpretability as those extracted by the patient rule induction method (PRIM), revealing that the strategy is more effective in inducing interpretable rules.
Liesegang bodies in a solid renal mass: misdiagnosis as parasitic ova.

An 81-year-old man without significant medical history presented with vague abdominal discomfort several months in duration. Abdominal computerized tomography showed a simple cyst of the right kidney and a 3 cm. solid mass arising from the upper pole of the left kidney (fig. 1). All laboratory studies were unremarkable and the patient was otherwise in good health. He subsequently underwent left partial nephrectomy for the solid renal mass. Histopathological examination of the mass was initially thought to reveal ova of Ascaris lumbricoides but the patient denied any travel to endemic areas except for a day in the Yucatan nearly 30 years before the onset of symptoms. Because of the problematic nature of the pathological diagnosis, the slides were referred for a second opinion. Histological examination of the specimen revealed fragments of organizing hemorrhage associated with a fibrous cyst wall. Within the hemorrhagic cyst contents numerous concentrically laminated acellular spherical bodies of different morphological sizes and shapes were identified. They were nonpolarizable and demonstrated amorphous cores with fine radial striations characteristic of Liesegang bodies (fig. 2). No internal features suggestive of parasitic organisms could be identified.
Mechanisms of disease: Oncogene addiction--a rationale for molecular targeting in cancer therapy

There has been considerable progress in the systemic treatment of cancer because of the rapid development and clinical application of molecular targeted agents. Although patients with a particular type and stage of cancer are often treated as a single group, more-specific therapy is being considered, as subsets of these patients who are more likely to benefit from treatment with particular agents are being identified. We previously introduced the concept of 'oncogene addiction' to explain how some cancers that contain multiple genetic, epigenetic, and chromosomal abnormalities are dependent on or 'addicted' to one or a few genes for both maintenance of the malignant phenotype and cell survival. Thus, reversal of only one or a few of these abnormalities can inhibit cancer cell growth and in some cases translate to improved survival rates. This review summarizes current experimental and clinical evidence for the concept of oncogene addiction and describes molecular mechanisms that may explain this phenomenon. In addition, we discuss how high-throughput screening methods, including gene-expression profiling and proteomics, and emerging methods for analyzing complex cellular networks can be used to identify the state of oncogene addiction, i.e. the 'Achilles' heel,' in specific cancers. Finally, we discuss the use of molecular targeted agents in combination with other anticancer agents as a strategy to optimize therapy and prevent disease recurrence.
Characteristics of lossless resonant dipoles close to earth

Characteristics of lossless resonant dipoles close to earth are discussed relative to their characteristics in free space. Calculated results are compared to experimental results obtained with half-wave dipoles over a conductively screened earth.
What we know about what we have never heard before: Beyond phonetics: Reply to Peperkamp

Berent, Steriade, Lennertz, and Vaknin (2007) [Berent, I., Steriade, D., Lennertz, T., & Vaknin, V. (2007). What we know about what we have never heard: evidence from perceptual illusions. Cognition, 104, 591‐630] demonstrate that English speakers’ perception of onsets that are unattested in their language mirrors their typological markedness. We suggest that these findings might reflect the presence of universal grammatical constraints, a proposal challenged by Peperkamp’s commentary. Our reply exposes mischaracterizations of our claims and presents additional empirical arguments in their support. ! 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
An Alternative Approach: The Unfolding Model of Voluntary Employee Turnover

The model of employee turnover described in this paper applies constructs and concepts from decision making, statistics, and social psychology to facilitate understanding and to redirect theory development and empirical research. The process of employee turnover is modeled by four distinctive decision paths; each decision path involves distinctive foci, psychological processes, and external events. Further, five specific contributions of the model are suggested, and recommendations for empirical testing and future research are offered.
The Political Economy Of FDA Drug Review: Processing, Politics, And Lessons For Policy

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug review bears a structural similarity to many decisions made by other regulatory agencies: high uncertainty, low reversibility, avoidance of observable error, and high political stakes that induce lobbying by interested parties. This paper explores the policy lessons to be learned from viewing FDA drug review as a politically shaped exercise in information processing. I argue that the incentives facing regulators induce limits on the degree to which drug review can be accelerated, that the same incentives could render privatization initiatives problematic, and that political pressures could play a useful role in identifying priority drugs.
PET and SPECT dual-tracer imaging: correction of 511keV photon’s down-scatter effect on SPECT

This work was part of the feasibility study of performing simultaneous PET and SPECT imaging with a microPET scanner. SPECT data were acquired with slit-slat collimation by inserting a slit-slat collimator into microPET's detector ring but were contaminated by 511 keV photons' down- scattered events from PET tracer. In this study, contribution of down-scattered events in Tc-99m energy window (135-145 keV) was characterized through Monte Carlo simulation and measurements. With relative ratio of Tc-99m and F-18 activity being 1:1, ratio of recorded events from Tc-99m and F-18 source was 1:18.31. Nevertheless, simulation results revealed that the majority of down-scattering effects occurred in the detector crystals and thus were less object dependent. We investigated two subtraction-based compensation methods. The first method used an auxiliary energy window (AEW) and the second method employed extra shielding measurement (ESM) to acquire down- scatter- only data. Simulated and experimental studies showed improved image quality after applying the correction methods. With the activity ratio of SPECT tracer to PET tracer being 5:1, good SPECT images were obtained after correction, which were comparable to those from pure SPECT imaging.
A thread-based interface for collective communication on ATM networks

This paper presents the results of an investigation of collective communication operations for distributed computing across asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks. Several collective operations have been implemented and studied on a three-switch ATM network testbed at Michigan State University. The methods use virtual topologies constructed from ATM virtual channels. A particular type of virtual topology is described that efficiently implements several collective operations through the use of hardware-supported ATM multicast channels. Performance measurements are presented that illustrate how a thread-based software design can take advantage of such underlying hardware features.