cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase Estimators with Predetection Feedback for Optical Communication

Causal, minimum mean-square error (MMSE) estimators of a Gauss-Markov process observed through a conditional Poisson process whose rate parameter is a linear function of the estimation error are presented. Although the conditional estimation performance is data dependent, precomputable upper bounds on the average estimation performance are obtained. Approximate expressions are also presented for the Cramer-Rao lower bound, and it is shown that the estimator performance achieves that bound with equality when the estimator is operating considerably "above threshold." The estimator structure is applied to the problem of phase-tracking receivers for optical communication. Two receiver structures that use predetector phase feedback are considered: one uses local reference fields to allow the detector to observe phase error (homodyne/heterodyne), while the other is a novel direct detection receiver that depends explicitly on the closed-loop nature of the phase estimator. It is concluded that a large local oscillator amplitude is desirable to improve the phase-tracking performance in the homodyne/heterodyne case, and that as few as 4/8 detected signal photons per phase coherence time are required to keep the estimator above threshold. The direct detection scheme achieves the same performance as the homodyne system only in the limit of no dark current-background noise counts, and in general may require considerably more signal photons to keep the estimator "locked."
Distribution of zooplankton in the Northeast Water Polynya during summer 1992

Abstract The distribution and abundances of zooplankton in the Northeast Water (NEW) Polynya during the summer of 1992 have been determined from samples collected with Bongo (this study) and MOCNESS (earlier analysis) plankton net tows. The initial hypothesis was that the troughts of the Greenland Shelf in the region of the NEW polynya would be conduits for the infusion of zooplankton species of Arctic and North Atlantic origin on to the shelf. Analysis of MOCNESS tows indicated instead that advection of zooplankton onto the shelf in the polynya region was limited, resulting in low abundances of the large herbivores in the polynya. The distribution of zooplankton determined from the 43 Bongo tows reported here strengthen this finding. Low abundances of the large herbivorous copepods and of other primarily herbivorous zooplankton taxa were observed throughout the ice-free region, in contrast to higher abundances observed further to the east in Westwind Trough or in the south in Belgica Trough. Cluster analysis was used to identify groups of co-occurring zooplankton taxa and groups of stations with similar relative compositions of zooplankton taxa. The community composition of the Belgica Trough was distinctly different from that observed in northern regions, with high abundances of open ocean copepods ( Calanus finmarchicus and C. hyperboreus ). Two types of communities were identified in the northern regions: one typical of the eastern basin (Westwind Trough) and one typical of the western basin (Norske Trough) of the northern trough. The relationship between the different zooplankton communities and the water mass characteristics was not conclusive; however, it did appear that zooplankton populations had been advected in the upper water column into the Westwind Trough from north of the study area. The low abundances of herbivorous taxa in the ice free region supported previous estimates that meso-macro zooplankton may not be significant consumers of primary production in the polynya.
Preliminary observations of the flow and fracture of copper-titanium alloy single crystals containing coherent precipitates

Abstract 1. 1. Copper-Titanium alloy single crystals containing 1 wt.% Titanium oriented for single slip were tested in tension. The aged crystals containing coherent precipitates exhibited distinct yield points (probably geometrical in origin) and deformed extensively by single slip on the primary slip system. 2. 2. Profuse secondary slip commenced abruptly in the vicinity of the symmetry boundary resulting in intense localized flow and plastic instability. 3. 3. Twinning was observed to occur in the necked region following the onset of coarse secondary slip. 4. 4. Final separation occurred by a ductile fracture mode with the geometry of the fracture surface varying with particle size and strength.
AES study of nickel carburization: Electron beam-induced effects

Abstract A preliminary study of the CO/CO2 carburization of (111) Ni at 217°C and 1 × 10−6 Torr total pressure by Auger electron spectroscopy was undertaken. It was found that electron beam (∼20 μA, ∼2500 μA/cm2, 3 kV) induced effects were significant for CO and CO2 adsorbed on the nickel surface; these effects could be factored out by using delayed beam techniques. The electron-induced reactions were similar in both cases and plots of normalized carbon peak height versus time could be characterized by the equation C = A(1- e − t τ ) were τCO = 32.0 min , ACO = 206.2, τCO2 = 39.8 min, ACO2 = 176.2. Observed oxygen peaks were smaller than expected. The evidence of several researchers suggests electron beam induced dissociation of CO and CO2 followed by electron beam induced desorption of the resulting oxygen. Reactant gas interaction with the electron gun cathode was significant with resulting beam movements causing scatter in AES peak height measurements.
Sets, Logic, and Categories

The rich multiplicity of Mathematical objects and the proofs of theorems about them can be set out formally with absolute precision on a remarkably parsimonious base. Thus almost all the objects of Mathematics can be described as sets: A natural number is a set of sets (a cardinal), a rational number is a set of pairs (an equivalence class), a real number is a set of rationals (a Dedekind cut), and a function is a set of ordered pairs (a table of values). Similarly the theorems of Mathematics can all be written as formulas in a very parsimonious formal language which uses only set-membership, the basic connectives of logic (or, not, there exists) and the needed primitive terms of each subject (thus “point” and “line” for incidence geometry). Finally, most of the proofs of Mathematical theorems can be stated with absolute rigor as a sequence of inferences, each an instance of a finite number of basic schemes of inference.
Calcium phosphate cements to control bleeding in osteoporotic sternums.

Purpose A new method to control bleeding from fragile, severely osteoporotic sternums in patients undergoing open heart surgery. Description From January 2006 and January 2007, we used orthopedic calcium phosphate cement in 11 patients to control sternal table bleeding. Each patient had greater than 35% of their sternal table surface missing and had associated bleeding after open heart surgery. The cement was packed into the deficient sternal table surface at the conclusion of surgery, just prior to closure. Evaluation All patients had immediate cessation of bleeding from their sternums, despite large superficial sternal deficits, after the cement was applied. All patients made uneventful recoveries and none required exploration for bleeding after surgery. There were no instances of superficial or deep sternal wound infections. At follow-up all sternums were well healed and firm. Seven patients had computed tomographic scans performed at 6 months revealing excellent complete sternal healing. Conclusions Calcium phosphate cement can be used safely to control bleeding in patients with osteoporotic sternums and seems to be safe to use in the sternum.
Increasing elementary school teachers' awareness of gender inequity in student computer usage

This study was designed to increase gender equity awareness in elementary school teachers with respect to student computer and technology usage. Using professional development methods with a group of teachers, the writer attempted to help them become more aware of gender bias in technology instruction. An analysis of the data revealed that teachers who were exposed to gender equity professional development training sessions were more likely to exhibit gender equitable teaching behaviors than they did prior to the sessions. The data also indicated that teachers provided more equitable assistance to their classroom students after being presented with gender equity interventions.
Spectral Properties of Non-Stationary Systems of Linear Stochastic Difference Equations

Abstract A method is proposed to eliminate trends from a sample from a non-stationary system of linear stochastic difference equations. The auto-covariance matrix and the spectral density matrix of the detrended component of the sample are derived. The latter matrix turns out to have the same form as the spectral density matrix for a stationary system when expressed in terms of the roots of the system. Since the parameters of the system are assumed known throughout the paper, the problem of statistical inference does not arise.
Safe and protected execution for the Morph/AMRM reconfigurable processor

Technology scaling of CMOS processes brings relatively faster transistors (gates) and slower interconnects (wires), making viable the addition of reconfigurability to increase performance. In the Morph/AMRM system we are exploring the addition of reconfigurable logic, deeply integrated with the processor core, employing the reconfigurability to manage the cache, datapath, and pipeline resources more effectively. However, integration of reconfigurable logic introduces significant protection and safety challenges for microprocess execution. We analyze the protection structures in a state of the art microprocessor core (R10000), identifying the few critical logic blocks and demonstrating that the majority of the logic in the processor core can be safely reconfigured. Subsequently, we propose a protection architecture for the Morph/AMRM reconfigurable processor which enable nearly the full range of power of reconfigurability in the processor core while requiring only a small number of fixed logic features which to ensure safe, protected multiprocess execution.
Computational tool for large-scale GPIomic analysis

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored proteins are involved in many biological processes and are of medical importance. The identification and analysis of the entire collection of free and protein linked GPIs within an organism (i.e., GPIomics) requires highly sensitive instruments. At present, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS or MSn) is the most efficient laboratory technique for these tasks. As a typical LC-MS/MS experiment produces hundreds of thousands of spectra, the data analysis creates a major bottleneck in high-throughput GPIomic projects. Yet, no computational tool for characterizing the chemical structures of GPI is available to date. We propose a library-search algorithm to identify GPIs by matching fragment peaks in the spectra with molecular masses derived from a collection of theoretical GPI structures constructed based on properties of all currently known GPIs. The algorithm involves matching the mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio of the parent ions and fragments obtained from the observed spectra to those of the theoretical structures in the library. A theoretically possible GPI structure is assessed by a scoring scheme that incorporates its fitness values for individual observed spectra as well as its frequency of being considered as a good fit. The algorithm has been tested on a set of experimentally confirmed GPIs for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The final list of 4686 predicted GPI candidates contains 76 out of the 78 known structures in the test set. Over 70% of the known structures have fitness values among the top 647. This computational tool is expected to quicken the discovery and characterization of GPI molecules, increasing the number of experimentally confirmed GPI structures. This will, in turn, help us further develop the algorithm to reduce the number of false positives.
Temperature Sequence of Eggs from Oviposition Through Distribution: Transportation—Part 3

The Egg Safety Action Plan released in 1999 raised many questions concerning egg temperature used in the risk assessment model. Therefore, a national study by researchers in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas was initiated to determine the internal and external temperature sequence of eggs from oviposition through distribution. Researchers gathered data from commercial egg production, processing, and distribution facilities. The experimental design was a mixed model with random effects for season and a fixed effect for duration of the transport period (long or short haul). It was determined that processors used refrigerated transport trucks (REFER) as short-term storage (STS) in both the winter and summer. Therefore, this summary of data obtained from REFER also examines the impact of their use as STS. Egg temperature data were recorded for specific loads of eggs during transport to point of resale or distribution to retailers. To standardize data comparisons between loads, they were segregated between long and short hauls. The summer egg temperatures were higher in the STS and during delivery. Egg temperature was not significantly reduced during the STS phase. Egg temperature decreases were less (P < 0.0001) during short delivery hauls 0.6 degrees C than during long hauls 7.8 degrees C. There was a significant season x delivery interaction (P < 0.05) for the change in the temperature differences between the egg and ambient temperature indicated as the cooling potential. This indicated that the ambient temperature during long winter deliveries had the potential to increase egg temperature. The REFER used as STS did not appreciably reduce internal egg temperature. These data suggest that the season of year affects the temperature of eggs during transport. Eggs are appreciably cooled on the truck, during the delivery phase, which was contrary to the original supposition that egg temperatures would remain static during refrigerated transport. These data indicate that refrigerated transport should be a component in future assessments of egg safety.
Engineering in the modern world: A freshman course in engineering

The authors describe a course designed for engineering undergraduates in their first year that also enrolls a significant number of liberal arts students. The course explains the great engineering events that have transformed American life over the last two centuries: the steamboat and the textile mill, the railroad, the telegraph, and the steel industry, the rise of the electrical, oil, automobile, and aircraft industries, the restructuring of regions such as Metropolitan New York, the Tennessee Valley, and the Colorado River, and finally the growth of information technologies in the last half century. Typically about 70 students enroll in the course and the small classes have about 12 students each. The students do a series of calculations in civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and aeronautical engineering that do not require calculus. They write a 3000-word term paper on an engineering object or system, and they take a final examination on the lectures, readings, and calculations. The course has been given five times, and it receives high student ratings. >
An Investigation of the Existence of Electrically Located Acupuncture Points

This communications presents the results of a search for low electrical impedance in the areas of acupuncture points. The method involved placing a search grid on areas of the skin and measuring the impedance in random order using several replications. The data does not support the location of acupuncture points by electrical impedance. In addition, it shows that the stratum corneum layer of the epidermis contributes to most of the impedance and that it is easily broken, resulting in dramatically lowered skdn impedance. This leads to the conclusion that probing in the immediate area of charted acupuncture points can destroy the integrity of the stratum corneum layer, resulting in the lowered impedance sought for.
Morphologic and clinical significance of multifocal prostate cancers in radical prostatectomy specimens

Objectives. To examine the histologic details of small, independent cancers compared with the largest (index) tumor and their impact on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure in 486 men treated only by radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). Methods. The tumor volume and percentage of Gleason grade 4/5 carcinoma were recorded in 3-mm step sections. Univariate statistics were calculated for the largest, total (largest plus smaller cancers), and smaller tumor volumes, number of independent foci, patient age, and follow-up. Cox hazards model determined the relative importance of all variables in relation to failure. Results. The mean index tumor volume was 4.16 cm3; smaller cancer volumes averaged 0.63 cm3. The index cancer volume was gaussian in distribution; smaller tumor volumes were highly skewed toward 234 carcinomas less than 0.5 cm3. Only 17% of all cases had one carcinoma. The Cox model showed similar hazard rates of PSA failure for both the index (3.43) and the total cancer (3.74) volumes. The hazard rate for the presence of any Gleason grade 4/5 carcinoma was 6.5. As the numbers of smaller tumors increased, the PSA cure rates improved. Conclusions. The PSA failure rates (hazard ratios) were similar for the index tumor and the index plus smaller cancers, confirming that predictive estimates only need to measure the largest carcinoma. The greater the number of lesser cancers, the smaller the size of the index cancer. The extraordinary multiplicity of these small independent cancers in 3-mm step sections may explain the poor correlation between six or more biopsies with the index cancer in radical prostatectomy specimens.
A Story to Tell

Telling stories is not a strong suit of mine. I often find myself blurting out the ending in a scramble to recapture my waning audience.
Appearance of neurons in the developing chick gut.

The enteric nervous system is formed from neural crest-derived cells. These cells enter the gut, migrate, proliferate, and ultimately differentiate into neurons and glia. We have used a human anti-neuronal autoantibody (ANNA-1), which recognizes neuron-specific RNA-binding proteins of the Hu family as an early marker of neuronal phenotype, to study the appearance of enteric neurons in the developing chicken gut. Immunoreactive cells appear first in the gizzard primordium at E3.5 and are found at progressively more caudal locations in the gut as development proceeds. Nascent neurons are present at the yolk stalk at E4.5, at the ileocecal junction at E6.5, and within the rectum at E7.5–8.5. Neurons appear slightly later in the esophagus. Aggregates of cells resembling developing ganglia were first observed at E6.5 in the distal esophagus and at E8.5 in the proximal esophagus. A small number of cells appeared in the vagus nerve trunks at E4.5 and that number increased at E7.5–8.5. Immunoreactive cells were also found in the sympatho-aortic plexus between the mesonephri and in the dorsal mesentery. These cells appeared to coalesce and form the ganglionated Nerve of Remak which contained positive cells at E3.5. This Nerve extended to the yolk stalk at E4.5 and to duodendum at E6.5. We conclude that the appearance of nascent neurons occurs first in the gizzard and proceeds more rapidly in a distal than proximal direction along the gut. Furthermore, cells that appear to be nascent neurons are found in the vagus and in the dorsal mesentery. © 1995 wiley-Liss, Inc.
Improving writeback efficiency with decoupled last-write prediction

In modern DDRx memory systems, memory write requests compete with read requests for available memory resources, significantly increasing the average read request service time. Caches are used to mitigate long memory read latency that limits system performance. Dirty blocks in the last-level cache (LLC) that will not be written again before they are evicted will eventually be written back to memory. We refer to these blocks as last-write blocks. In this paper, we propose an LLC writeback technique that improves DRAM efficiency by scheduling predicted last-write blocks early. We propose a low overhead last-write predictor for the LLC. The predicted last-write blocks are made available to the memory controller for scheduling. This technique effectively re-distributes the memory requests and expands writes scheduling opportunities, allowing writes to be serviced efficiently by DRAM. The technique is flexible enough to be applied to any LLC replacement policy. Our evaluation with multi-programmed workloads shows that the technique significantly improves performance by 6.5%-11.4% on average over the traditional writeback technique in an eight-core processor with various DRAM configurations running memory intensive benchmarks.
Counting on the GAM pyramid

The importance of counting in the understanding of images has been underestimated. Problem — distinguishing a man from a dog. A quick solution — count the legs. If the answer is “two”, it’s a man. Other examples easily come to mind: a hand has five fingers, a pair of scissors has two holes, a teacup has one handle, a bowl none, and the small letter “i” consists of two connected areas.
Static and Dynamic Magnetic Properties of Composite Au-Fe $_{3}$ O $_4$ Nanoparticles

Fe3O4 (9 nm) grown epitaxially on one or several facets of a seed Au particle (8 nm) leads to two distinct composite nanoparticle structures dubbed "dumbbell-" and "flower-like." These particles exhibit novel magnetic behavior such as large magnetic anisotropy compared to the single component Fe3O4. We have studied the static and dynamic magnetic properties using temperature and field-dependent dc magnetization and RF transverse susceptibility. While the magnetic properties of dumbbell-like particles are relatively conventional, field-cooled M-H loops of flower-shaped particles as well as the transverse susceptibility show large shifts along the field axis indicative of exchange bias
Normalizing: adolescent experiences living with type 1 diabetes.

PurposeThe purpose of this research study was to gain a greater understanding of adolescents’ experiences living with diabetes and build a theoretical paradigm to inform interventional design.Metho...
Sarcolemmal organization in skeletal muscle lacking desmin: evidence for cytokeratins associated with the membrane skeleton at costameres.

The sarcolemma of fast-twitch muscle is organized into “costameres,” structures that are oriented transversely, over the Z and M lines of nearby myofibrils, and longitudinally, to form a rectilinea...
Induction of Endocannabinoid Levels in Juvenile Rat Brain Following Developmental Chlorpyrifos Exposure

The endogenous cannabinoids 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA) play vital roles during nervous system development. The degradation of 2-AG and AEA is mediated by monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), respectively. These enzymes are inhibited following developmental chlorpyrifos (CPF) exposure. To investigate whether this inhibition is persistent or whether accumulation of endocannabinoids in the brain occurs, 10-day-old rat pups were orally exposed daily for 7 days to either corn oil or increasing dosages of CPF (1, 2.5, or 5mg/kg), and forebrains were collected at 4, 12, 24, and 48h following the last administration. All dosages inhibited cholinesterase (ChE), FAAH, and MAGL, and elevated AEA and 2-AG levels with the greatest effect occurring at 12h with ChE, FAAH, AEA, and 2-AG and at 4h with MAGL. With the high dosage, return to control levels occurred with 2-AG (48h) only. With the medium dosage, return to control levels occurred with MAGL, 2-AG, and AEA (48h) but not with ChE or FAAH. With the low dosage, return to control levels occurred with MAGL (12h), ChE and 2-AG (24h), and AEA (48h) but not with FAAH. With the lowest dosage, peak inhibition of FAAH (52%) is greater than that of ChE (24%) and that level of FAAH inhibition is sufficient to induce a persistent pattern of elevated AEA. It is possible that this pattern of elevation could alter the appropriate development of neuronal brain circuits.
Restoration of Wnt-7a Expression Reverses Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cellular Transformation through Frizzled-9-mediated Growth Inhibition and Promotion of Cell Differentiation

The Wnt signaling pathway is critical in normal development, and mutation of specific components is frequently observed in carcinomas of diverse origins. However, the potential involvement of this pathway in lung tumorigenesis has not been established. In this study, analysis of multiple Wnt mRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and primary lung tumors revealed markedly decreased Wnt-7a expression compared with normal short-term bronchial epithelial cell lines and normal uninvolved lung tissue. Wnt-7a transfection in NSCLC cell lines reversed cellular transformation, decreased anchorage-independent growth, and induced epithelial differentiation as demonstrated by soft agar and three-dimensional cell culture assays in a subset of the NSCLC cell lines. The action of Wnt-7a correlated with expression of the specific Wnt receptor Frizzled-9 (Fzd-9), and transfection of Fzd-9 into a Wnt-7a-insensitive NSCLC cell line established Wnt-7a sensitivity. Moreover, Wnt-7a was present in Fzd-9 immunoprecipitates, indicating a direct interaction of Wnt-7a and Fzd-9. In NSCLC cells, Wnt-7a and Fzd-9 induced both cadherin and Sprouty-4 expression and stimulated the JNK pathway, but not β-catenin/T cell factor activity. In addition, transfection of gain-of-function JNK strongly inhibited anchorage-independent growth. Thus, this study demonstrates that Wnt-7a and Fzd-9 signaling through activation of the JNK pathway induces cadherin proteins and the receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor Sprouty-4 and represents a novel tumor suppressor pathway in lung cancer that is required for maintenance of epithelial differentiation and inhibition of transformed cell growth in a subset of human NSCLCs.
Rethinking Erdemovi'C: Beyond the Clash of Laws

This article discusses the defence of duress under international criminal law in the context of the seminal case of Prosecutor v. Drazen Erdemovi'c. By and large, common law countries do not recognise duress as a defence to crimes involving murder. In contrast, there is no such blanket prohibition in civil law countries. The author will argue that on this particular issue, the common law view of duress is more effective in achieving the goals of international humanitarian law, and should be followed.
Description of two new species of Dermacentor Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae) from Oriental Asia

Dermacentor tamokensis n. sp. and Dermacentor pseudocompactus n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae) are described based on adults ex wild boar and vegetation from China, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam and males ex wild boar from Nepal, respectively. Adults of D. tamokensis n. sp. are similar to those of D. taiwanensis Sugimoto, 1935 and D. atrosignatus Neumann, 1906 but can be distinguished by the colour pattern of the conscutum and scutum, the size and density of punctations on the pseudoscutum and scutum, the width of the cornua, and the shape of female genital structures. Males of D. pseudocompactus n. sp. are most similar to those of D. compactus Neumann, 1901 but can be distinguished by the colour pattern, sculpture and punctations of the conscutum, and the shape and length of the coxal spurs.
The New Turn in Church-State Relations in Poland

The events in Poland in the years 1980-81 have a polyvalent significance not only for the Polish nation but for the whole com munist block and for relations between East and West. It does not matter how long "the Polish experiment" in democracy will last nor to what extent this new form of "socialism with a human face" will be successful. What is historically important is that the Poles have been able to organize a new "alliance" between workers and peasants and have been joined by members of the intelligentsia. The Poles have done this not in order to fight communism, but, on the contrary, to combat the Soviet bureaucratic distortion of socialism. This essay explores one aspect of the Polish phenomenon, viz., the relationship between church and state and the evolution of an unu sual and unprecedented cooperation between the two centers of political-administrative and spiritual authority. Since August 1980, the Roman Catholic Church has not only played an active role in bringing about new changes in a peaceful way, but it has struggled to preserve the basic elements of existing law and order and national sovereignty in the face of "communist encirclement." There can be little doubt that without the direct involvement of the Polish Catholic church and lacking the help of the Vatican's experienced diplomacy, the democratic forces in Poland would find it impossible to navigate the rough seas of the contemporary political storm which affects so significantly the vital interests of the Soviet Union. The special relationship which exists between the Polish Com munist government and the Church hierarchy did not emerge sud denly. It was prepared by a slow and careful series of developments.
The Genus Berkleasmium

In a previous paper (4) the genus Berkleasmium was reestablished for certain sporodochial Deuteromycetes that had been immixed in Sporidesmium sensu Saccardo. The completion of an extensive examination of available material of the species ascribed to Sporidesmiuml has evinced a total of ten species that are considered to belong properly in Berkleasmnium. The following key to these species is intended to provide a comprehensive description of each species, and the ensuing section provides the formal taxonomy and additional notes. On the line immediately below each specific entry is a formula in brackets that sets forth the key steps that encompass the description of the species, so that for any given species the description may be read through with ease. The species have been listed alphabetically. Finally, since the conidia were often stained or bleached to show better certain characters, and since this intention was often furthered in the photographic reproduction, the caution is extended that the degree of darkness apparent in the figures is not a true index of the degree of pigmentation.
Abstract 87: SULF2 methylation is a prognostic biomarker for lung cancer survival and increases sensitivity to camptothecin analogues via expression of ISG15

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) serve as co-receptors for numerous signaling molecules including growth factors and cytokines. The sulfation pattern on the heparan sulfate (HS) motif is central to the interaction between HSPGs and the myriads of molecules including interferon (INF). SULF2 encodes for HS 6-O-endosulfatase enzyme that removes the 6-O-sulfate moieties from HS and regulates the specificity of this interaction. Increased expression of SULF2 promotes angiogenic and oncogenic signaling. In hepatocellular carcinoma higher expression of SULF2 is associated with worse prognosis after resection. Conversely, we recently reported that methylation-mediated SULF2 silencing is associated better survival of resected lung cancer patients. Here we show that SULF2 methylation is also a favorable survival marker in unresectable lung cancer. Furthermore, epigenetic silencing of SULF2 suppresses cell migration and induces the expression of multiple INF-inducible genes. Knocking down 80% of SULF2 expression in Calu-3 cells using siRNA resulted in 7-fold increase in the expression of INF-inducible regulator of ubiquitination, ISG15. Similarly, lung cancer cell lines with methylated SULF2 (SULF2M) on average express 60-fold higher ISG15 than cell lines with unmethylated SULF2 (SULF2U). ISG15 is a key marker for increased sensitivity of cancer cells to topoisomerase-1 inhibitors such as camptothecin and topotecan. In vitro treatment of lung cancer cell lines with camptothecin revealed a 65-fold higher sensitivity in cell lines with SULF2M and ISG15 high (ISG15H) phenotype compared to SULF2U and ISG15 low (ISG15L) cell lines. In nude mice, 10mg/kg/week topotecan treatment dramatically arrested the growth of SULF2M and ISG15H lung cancer xenografts but had no effect on SULF2U and ISG15L xenografts. Heterogeneity for ISG15 expression was also seen in primary tumors. One third of primary lung tumors have ISG15H phenotype with an average of 5-fold higher expression than the remaining 2/3 rd tumors in which the ISG15 level is comparable to normal lung. Taken together these results indicate SULF2 methylation is not only a favorable prognostic marker for lung cancer, but through its association with increased expression of ISG15 could indicate a higher sensitivity to topoisomerase-1 inhibitors. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 87. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-87
Cocoon Construction by Bathyplectes curculionis and Attack by Secondary Parasites

Cocoons of B. curculionis (Thomson) are composed of a loosely woven outer layer, a tight middle layer, and a thin, transparent inner lining. Middle-cocoon filaments which offer some protection to the naked larva were in place about 1 hour after emergence from the host. Nondiapausing larvae required 24–30 hours to complete their cocoons, whereas diapausing larvae required 32–42 hours. Sceptrothelys grandiclava (Walker) is a gregarious secondary parasite that attacks B. curculionis cocoons only after the innermost layer is formed. Mesoehorus agilis Cresson is an indirect secondary parasite that oviposits in larvae of the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), after they have been exposed to female B. curculionis.
On the Choice of a Maximal Cluster in the Cluster Variational Method

An explanation of the occurrence of unphysical solutions in the cluster variational method is given. A simple algorithm for the construction of an optimal maximal cluster, i.e., a cluster that guarantees correct results for any set of interatomic interactions, is suggested. Examples of optimal maximal clusters for various two- and three-dimensional lattices are presented.
Stereoselective formation and hydration of 12-methylbenz[a]anthracene 5,6-epoxide enantiomers by rat liver microsomal enzymes

The K-region trans-5,6-dihydrodiols formed in the metabolism of 12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (12-MBA) by liver microsomal preparations from untreated, phenobarbital-treated and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated male Sprague-Dawley rats were found by chiral stationary-phase h.p.l.c. (c.s.p.-h.p.l.c.) analyses to contain (5S,6S)/(5R,6R) enantiomer ratios of 93:7, 88:12 and 97:3 respectively. The absolute stereochemistry of a 12-MBA trans-5,6-dihydrodiol enantiomer was elucidated by the exciton-chirality c.d. method. The 5,6-epoxides formed in the metabolism of 12-MBA by liver microsomal preparations from untreated, phenobarbital-treated and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated male Sprague-Dawley rats in the presence of the epoxide hydrolase inhibitor 3,3,3-trichloropropylene 1,2-oxide were isolated from a mixture of metabolites by normal-phase h.p.l.c., and their (5S,6R)/(5R,6S) enantiomer ratios were found by c.s.p.-h.p.l.c. analyses to be 73:27, 78:22 and 99:1 respectively. The absolute configurations of 12-MBA 5,6-epoxide enantiomers, resolved by c.s.p.-h.p.l.c., were determined via high-resolution (500 MHz) proton-n.m.r. and c.d. spectral analyses of the two isomeric methoxylation products derived from each of the 12-MBA 5,6-epoxide enantiomers. Enantiomeric pairs of the two methoxylation products were resolved by c.s.p.-h.p.l.c. The results indicate that enantiomeric 5S,6R-epoxide and 5S,6S-dihydrodiol were the major enantiomers preferentially formed in the metabolism at the K-region 5,6-double bond of 12-MBA by all three rat liver microsomal preparations. Optically pure 12-MBA 5S,6R-epoxide was hydrated predominantly at the C(6) position (R centre) to form 12-MBA trans-5,6-dihydrodiol with a (5S,6S)/(5R,6R) enantiomer ratio of 97:3. However, optically pure 12-MBA 5R,6S-epoxide was hydrated nearly equally at both C(5) and C(6) positions to form 12-MBA trans-5,6-dihydrodiol with a (5S,6S)/(5R,6R) enantiomer ratio of 57:43.
Pentagastrin infusion-glycine instillation as a measure of acid absorption in the human stomach: comparison to an instilled acid load

We have measured acid absorption in the human stomach by two methods: (1) the instillation of an organic buffer, glycine, during maximal steady state stimulation to measure that acid which might have been reabsorbed by the stomach, by subtracting from the maximal acid output the acid output without glycine instillation; (2) the absorption of acid after the instillation of isotonic HC1. Previous attempts to use glycine instillation with single histamine injections have failed because glycine stimulates release of gastrin from the antrum with an augmentation of maximal secretion produced by histamine alone. The use of pentagastrin infusion under steady state maximal acid output has obviated this difficulty. Canine experiments, with separated antrum, validated this, indicating no increase in acid secretion from the corpus during pentagastrin infusion and glycine instillation into the antrum. Both pentagastrin infusion-glycine instillation and acid instillation studies were compared in 5 patients with gastric ulcer (GU), 4 patients with duodenal ulcer (DU), and 1 patient with gastric cancer. In addition, acid instillation studies alone were performed on 10 control subjects, 2 additional GU patients, 4 DU patients, and 1 gastric cancer patient. Gastric acid absorption in patients with GU in glycine-pentagastrin experiments was 16.9 ± 2.6 (sem) mEq per hr and for acid instillation 18.4 ± 2.0 (sem) mEq per hr. These values do not differ significantly from each other and are higher than control values. Healing of 2 patients with GU did not affect previous levels of acid absorption. For DU, acid absorption was estimated at 4.1 mEq per hr by glycine and 5.4 ± 0.6 (sem) mEq per hr by acid instillation. Gastric cancer patients behaved similarly to control subjects for both methods. By using two different techniques, similar results, namely the increased permeability of the stomach to endogenous and exogenous H+ ion in GU and diminished permeability in DU, have been observed. These observations confirm the magnitude of H+ absorption determined by acid instillation studies, and may indicate differences in size and barrier function of the antrum in GU as compared with DU.
Consumer Information Programs and Regulatory Reform: The Case of Informing People About Drugs

This study compared the attitudes of laypeople and health professionals toward the FDA’s proposed rule requiring written information to be dispersed with prescription drugs. Although laypeople were in favor of such information, health professionals were opposed. Under regulatory reform of the Reagan administration, the FDA rule was rejected, due to the costs for compliance. Apparently the "right to know" argument for consumer information disclosure programs has been replaced with the question "how much will it cost?"
Vitamin D levels and perinatal depressive symptoms in women at risk: a secondary analysis of the mothers, omega-3, and mental health study

Vitamin D insufficiency may be associated with depressive symptoms in non-pregnant adults. We performed this study to evaluate whether low maternal vitamin D levels are associated with depressive symptoms in pregnancy. This study was a secondary analysis of a randomized trial designed to assess whether prenatal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation would prevent depressive symptoms. Pregnant women from Michigan who were at risk for depression based on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Score or history of depression were enrolled. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview at 12–20 weeks, 26–28 weeks, 34–36 weeks, and 6–8 weeks postpartum. Vitamin D levels were measured at 12–20 weeks (N = 117) and 34–36 weeks (N = 112). Complete datasets were available on 105 subjects. Using regression analyses, we evaluated the relationship between vitamin D levels with BDI scores as well as with MINI diagnoses of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Our primary outcome measure was the association of maternal vitamin D levels with BDI scores during early and late pregnancy and postpartum. We found that vitamin D levels at 12–20 weeks were inversely associated with BDI scores both at 12—20 and at 34–36 weeks’ gestation (P < 0.05, both). For every one unit increase in vitamin D in early pregnancy, the average decrease in the mean BDI score was .14 units. Vitamin D levels were not associated with diagnoses of major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. In women at risk for depression, early pregnancy low vitamin D levels are associated with higher depressive symptom scores in early and late pregnancy. Future investigations should study whether vitamin D supplementation in early pregnancy may prevent perinatal depressive symptoms. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ Registration Number: NCT00711971
Outcomes of trauma admission for falls: influence of race and age on inhospital and post-discharge mortality.

Abstract Background Racial disparities in trauma outcomes occur, but disparities in fall mortality are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine inhospital and 1-year fall mortality among patients discharged from an urban trauma center. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of fall patients in our trauma registry (1997 to 2008) linked to the National Death Index to determine postdischarge mortality. Statistical analysis included chi-square tests, multivariable logistic regression, and Cox proportional hazards models. Results There were 7,541 fall admissions. There was no clinically significant difference in inhospital mortality between blacks and whites with age stratification. One year after discharge, blacks younger than 65 years were more likely to die of disease (hazard ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 1.62). Conclusions Although rates of inhospital mortality are similar, blacks younger than 65 years have a higher risk of dying after discharge due to disease when stratified by age highlighting the need for continued medical follow-up and prevention efforts.
Scaphoid Nonunion: Surgical Fixation with Vascularized Bone Graft–Free Medial Femoral Condyle Graft

There are many challenges in the successful operative treatment of scaphoid nonunions with foreshortening (“humpback” deformity), carpal collapse, and avascular necrosis (AVN). Scaphoid collapse can be effectively managed with a volar, interposition, structural bone graft. Restoration of scaphoid length also aids in reestablishing carpal height and correcting static carpal instability, such as dorsal intercalated segmental instability (DISI). In the setting of AVN, vascularized bone grafting (VBG) serves to transplant viable osteocytes with delivery of a robust supply of blood. The vascularized free medial femoral condyle (MFC) corticocancellous VBG is a valid surgical option for the treatment of these complicated scaphoid nonunions.
“Distinct but Not Separate”: Historical Research in the Study of Jesus and Christian Faith

“Distinct but not separate” is a venerable formula whose origins go back to the Council of Chalcedon's confession of 451 that Jesus' humanity and divinity are each distinct realities, yet at the same time united in the one person of the Savior himself. Jesus' singular personhood (= “not separate”) protected the New Testament insight that God really united himself with all humans in their historical and earthly condition through the deeds and words of Jesus himself. God's utterly personal oneness with Jesus was the way in which God became adoptively one with the whole human family and world. But this could only be a true union between God and humans if neither was swallowed up in the other, or reduced to the other. Union (we might say communion as well) presupposes oneness and difference. And so Chalcedon speaks of Jesus' divinity and humanity as remaining distinct. By our adoption in grace through Jesus (Rm 8:14–17) we ourselves are not pantheistically swallowed up in God, but retain our distinctiveness as humans as well.
A linear transport-based embedding method for analyzing biomedical images

A fundamental difficulty facing those who wish to extract quantitative information from biomedical images is finding a manner with which to compare two morphological examplars (e.g. cells or sub cellular structures). We present a new approach for finding a linear embedding for a set of images that is isometric to a transportation-based metric. The approach is capable of quantifying both shapes as well as textures, is generative, and facilitates the use of geometric data processing techniques such as LDA and PCA.
Failure of G-CSF Mobilization of Hematopoietic Stem Cells To Prevent or Reverse STZ-Induced Hyperglycemia in Mice.

Background. A series of recent studies implies that circulating bone marrow (BM)-derived cells may contribute to both endo- and exogenous regeneration of non-hematopoietic tissue, at least partly through transdifferentiation into differentiated non-hematopoietic cells. We and others have observed donor-derived pancreatic islet cells after BM-transplantation (BMT) to otherwise healthy mice. The above results suggest that BM cells may be useful for the therapeutic regeneration of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells in diabetes mellitus (DM). The regenerative properties of BM-derived cells appear to be enhanced in models that include pancreatic islet injury. Therefore, we are exploring the capability of the BM-mobilizing cytokine granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) to influence regeneration in streptocotocin (STZ)-induced DM. Methods. Female C57BL/6 mice, 8–10 weeks old, underwent lethal irradiation (11 Gy) followed one day later by BMT (tail vein-injection of 5 million male unfractionated, nucleated BM cells, transgenic for the enhanced green fluorescent protein [EGFP+]). Two months after BMT, the mice were allocated to four experimental protocols (n=10 per group). All experimental animals were treated with STZ (200 mg/kg i.p.) on day 5, to induce DM. Group A received human G-CSF (Amgen, CA) pre- and post-STZ administration (200 μg/kg, i.p., in four daily doses; days 1-4 for pre- and days 22-25 for posttreatment). Group B received human G-CSF only before STZ administration, while Group C received G-CSF only after STZ administration. Group D served as diabetic controls. Group E (n=6) underwent BMT but received no G-CSF or STZ treatment. Blood glucose (Glc) was measured using test strips and a blood glucose meter (Accu-Chek R , Roche, IN). Individual mice from each group were sacrificed on day 31, and organs removed for histological studies. Results. In all experimental groups, 60% of the mice became manifestly diabetic (Glc > 350 mg/dL). The majority of the other mice remained clearly non-diabetic (Glc Failure of G-CSF mobilization to influence STZ-induced hyperglycemia Conclusion. G-CSF administration failed to either prevent or treat the STZ-induced hyperglycemia in this experimental model of DM, implying that the mobilization of BM cells did not promote physiologically significant regeneration of pancreatic islets within the time-frame studied. This failure may imply that BM-based regeneration therapy for DM has serious limitations, or, alternatively, that more favorable timing and dosing of G-CSF may be needed to improve the results. Ongoing work, including the histological examination of these mice, will reveal whether partial, but clinically insufficient, regeneration was indeed induced, which will guide future studies.
A Preliminary Report on Piracetam in Sickle Cell Anemia: A Double-Blind Crossover Clinical Trial and Effects on Erythrocyte Survival

ABSTRACT Nine subjects with sickle cell disease were treated with Piracetam in the dosage of 80mg/kg p.o. divided into four doses per day for a period of 5 months and with placebo for a similar per...