cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Law School Rankings and The Impossibility of Anti-Racism

The U.S. News and World Report Law School Rankings invoke ideas about excellence and high achievement in the legal academy, but under the surface, they also operate as a catalyst for systemic racism. They do this by capitalizing on system justification, a palliative evolutionary mechanism that forces all members of society, from privileged high socioeconomic groups to the disenfranchised, to buttress the societal status quo pervasively and unconsciously. These responsive desires to keep the status quo invoked by the rankings are the same ones responsible for the perpetuation of the caste system in India, and every other division of human societies into dominant and disenfranchised groups. This system justification is not subject to introspection because it operates through powerful unconscious mechanisms. As a result, consciously antiracist people do not experience dissonance when making institutional decisions based on the rankings, even though those decisions perpetuate deeply rooted structural racism. The only schools enrolling black students at the same level as their representation in the general population are the schools U.S. News ranks so poorly that they are not even assigned a numerical ranking, listed only as Tier 2 schools. This is because the metrics used to evaluate success are themselves racist metrics which devalue blackness and overvalue whiteness and wealth. Undoing this cycle of perpetuating and reinforcing racism requires the reexamination of fundamental assumptions on which our society is based. Assumptions like America being a meritocratic society and that we live in a just world perpetuate systemic racism. Mechanisms that mitigate the impact of systemic racism in legal education and beyond exist, but while corporations are now widely adopting these mechanisms and decreasing racial inequity, legal education is unlikely to follow suit because real antiracism in legal education will reduce institutional profitability.
Evaluation of a new automated assay for the measurement of circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels in daily practice.

Abstract Background and objective 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] is the most important vitamin D metabolite in regulating calcium and phosphorus metabolism and bone resorption. It is measured in plasma for diagnosis and management of patients with disorders influencing vitamin D metabolism. The most common methods for 1,25(OH)2D quantification are competitive isotopic I125 immunoassays. The purpose of this work is to compare the IDS isotopic immunoassay (IDS RIA) and the nonisotopic iSYS immunoassay (IDS iSYS) for 1,25(OH)2D measurement in human serum and in control samples obtained from the Vitamin D External Quality Assessment Scheme (DEQAS). Methods 1,25(OH)2D concentrations in 180 serum samples (87 females and 93 males) and in 25 samples from the DEQAS were assayed using IDS RIA and IDS iSYS methods. Both assays were performed after delipidation and immunoextraction steps. Measurement range was 9.0–348.0 pmol/L and 15.6–504.0 pmol/L for IDS RIA and IDS iSYS assay, respectively. ‘Normal adult’ reference ranges of 1,25(OH)2D were 43–168 pmol/L for IDS RIA and 63–228 pmol/L for IDS iSYS. Results The equation of the Deming regression analysis demonstrated that IDS iSYS tended to give lower 1,25(OH)2D concentrations by a mean of 20% over the tested concentration range when compared to IDS RIA. Both assays would easily meet the DEQAS goal of 80% of survey samples within 30% of the All-Laboratory Trimmed Mean “ALTM”. Results of 1,25(OH)2D obtained using IDS iSYS in samples distributed by DEQAS were closely related to those by LC–MS/MS method. Conclusions The concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D measured by the IDS iSYS tended to be lower than those of IDS RIA in patients, but quite comparable to those of LC–MS/MS and ALTM in DEQAS samples.
Address of the Soul to the Body

Tell me fear if you know. Tell me how your uncles felt about October, how symbols are only omens that arrived too late, tell me something about apples, about La Rochefoucauld, tell us the difference between passion and desire and tell me about the woman you watch in the park who gives birth every day to a train running endlessly out of her, and those willing to travel, and the man who tells her her suffering will be endless until she realizes that seven is nothing more than the dream of an earlier number.
Induction of fetal hemoglobin production in subjects with sickle cell anemia by oral sodium phenylbutyrate

Intravenous arginine butyrate has been shown to increase fetal hemoglobin (HbF) in sickle cell and thalassemia patients. Recently, we observed that sodium 4-phenylbutyrate, a drug administered orally to treat urea cycle disorders, increases HbF production in nonanemic children and adults. We treated six subjects with sickle cell disease over a period of 14 to 179 days. All subjects received their initial therapy of 9 to 13 g/m2/day as 0.5-g tablets of sodium 4-phenylbutyrate as inpatients. All subjects showed a rapid increase in the percentage of F-reticulocytes (pretreatment, 1% to 20%; posttreatment, 10% to 44%). Four subjects were treated only 11 to 25 days as inpatients. Two of these four subjects failed to respond to the outpatient component because of their inability to maintain an intake of 30 to 40 tablets per day. One subject (C) developed a rash at day 10 and discontinued treatment at day 14. Another subject (B) was transfused for a painful crisis on day 25. Subject A, treated for 179 days, has an increased percentage of F cells, from 54% to 77%, and increased HbF levels, from 10.6% to 18%. Subject F, treated for 154 days, has an increased percentage of F cells, from 59% to 73%, and an increased percentage of HbF, from 10.4% to 16%. All subjects showed some increase in weight. Subject A developed mild transient ankle edema. Myelotoxicity was not seen in any treated patient. Oral administration of sodium 4-phenylbutyrate rapidly increases F-cell production in sickle cell disease.
Obesity--personal choice or public health issue?

The prevalence of obesity in the US is increasing at a rapid rate. The author of this Viewpoint asks whether the government should introduce public health policies to address the obesity epidemic and, if so, what are the justifications for such intervention in the personal lifestyle choices of the American public?
Technology and Plagiarism in the University: Brief Report of a Trial in Detecting Cheating

Author(s): Johnson, Diane; Patton, Rob; Michaels, George; Bimber, Bruce; Almeroth, Kevin | Abstract: College students exploit information technology to cheat on papers and assignments, but for the most part university faculty employ few technological techniques to detect cheating. This paper reports on a trial of software for the detection of cheating in a large undergraduate survey class. The paper discusses the decision to adopt electronic means for screening student papers, the techniques used, the outcome, strategic concerns regarding deterrence versus detection of cheating, and the results of a survey of student attitudes about the experience. The paper advances the thesis that easily-adopted techniques not only close a sophistication gap associated with computerized cheating, but can place faculty in a stronger position than they have ever enjoyed historically with regard to the deterrence and detection of some classes of plagiarism.
Reflections on surgical behaviour

Aim We herein describe the different aspects of surgical behaviour. How surgeons behave affects every aspect of a surgeon's life: in the operating room, at the patient bedside, in the classroom, in the laboratory and even in public as a role model and leader. Methods In the present review, the notion of patient safety has become intertwined with the concept of surgical behaviour. Any type of behaviour by a surgeon that interferes with patient care or the ability of others to provide patient care is deleterious and might have an adverse effect on patient safety. Results Disruptive behaviour has been defined as ‘personal conduct, whether verbal or physical, that negatively affects or that potentially may negatively affect patient care’. Bad behaviour does not change; what begins incorrectly, frequently only becomes worse with time. It is a disservice to students and trainees not to give them feedback; that is, correct such behaviour. Although recent changes in training appear to lessen the apprentice nature within surgery, it is still a profession whereby trainees largely learn by example. Conclusion We must always remember that we are being observed by others. Surgeons must never fail to provide the most positive role model.
Studies of fractionated HeLa cell metaphase chromosomes: II. Chromosomal distribution of sites for transfer RNA and 5 s RNA☆☆☆

Abstract DNA extracted from HeLa cell metaphase chromosomes fractionated on the basis of sedimentation velocity in glycerol-sucrose gradients has been tested for the capacity to hybridize with highly purified tRNA and 5 s RNA. The results obtained indicate that the sites for these two RNA classes, in contrast to those for the high molecular weight rRNA, are distributed among chromosomes of all size ranges.
Supporting WiFi and LTE co-existence

Motivated by the recent push to deploy LTE in unlicensed spectrum, this paper develops a novel system to enable co-existence between LTE and WiFi. Our approach leverages LTE and WiFi antennas already available on smartphones to let LTE and WiFi transmit together and successfully decode the interfered signals. Our system offers several distinct advantages over existing MIMO work: (i) it can decode all the interfering signals under cross technology interference even when the interfering signals have similar power and occupy similar frequency, (ii) it does not need clean reference signals from either WiFi or LTE transmission, (iii) it can decode interfering WiFi MIMO and LTE transmissions, and (iv) it has a simple yet effective carrier sense mechanism for WiFi to access the medium under interfering LTE signals while avoiding other WiFi transmissions. We use USRP implementation and experiments to show its effectiveness.
Analytical insights into two-stage serial line supply chain safety stock

Abstract Effective inventory management is one of the most significant challenges facing today׳s global supply chains. Businesses are observing significant profitability gain by optimizing their inventory. This paper optimizes safety stock inventory in a two-stage serial line supply chain, inspired by real-life Cisco supply chains, under guaranteed-service safety stock model assumptions. We analytically show that the optimal safety stock levels depend on the cost and leadtime parameters of the supply chain. Intuitively, it is only worthwhile to hold safety stock inventory at the upstream stage when cost at the upstream stage is relatively low or its leadtime is relatively long. We also show that total supply chain safety stock cost can be reduced when cost allocated at the upstream stage is reduced or leadtime at the upstream stage is increased.
Elastic Block Ciphers in Practice: Constructions and Modes of Encryption

We demonstrate the general applicability of the elastic block cipher method by constructing examples from existing block ciphers: AES, Camellia, MISTY1 and RC6. An elastic block cipher is a variable-length block cipher created from an existing fixed-length block cipher. The elastic version supports any block size between one and two times that of the original block size. We compare the performance of the elastic versions to that of the original versions and evaluate the elastic versions using statistical tests measuring the randomness of the ciphertext. The benefit, in terms of an increased rate of encryption, of using an elastic block cipher varies based on the specific block cipher and implementation. In most cases, there is an advantage to using an elastic block cipher to encrypt blocks that are a few bytes longer than the original block length. The statistical test results indicate no obvious flaws in the method for constructing elastic block ciphers. We also use our examples to demonstrate the concept of a generic key schedule for block ciphers. In addition, we present ideas for new modes of encryption using the elastic block cipher construction.
Age-associated arterial wall thickening is related to elevations in sympathetic activity in healthy humans

Arterial wall hypertrophy occurs with age in humans and is a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease risk. The responsible mechanism is unknown, but data from studies in experimental animals sug...
Effective low-power CMOS terminating circuit for coupled transmission lines

An effective low-power CMOS terminating circuit for coupled transmission lines is described. This CMOS terminating circuit substitutes for a terminating resistor at the receiving end of the line in order to provide substantial benefits in minimizing power dissipation, crosstalk, overshoot, and ringing. In notebook-type personal computers, it is important to minimize the power dissipation required for termination with improvement of crosstalk, overshoot, and ringing so as to extend battery life. Power dissipation is reduced to a quarter of that of shunt resistor termination and crosstalk is reduced to one half of that of series resistor termination. Furthermore, the CMOS terminating circuit can be effectively used as a damping resistor to eliminate ringing on a signal line which has a large inductance. >
High isolation MIC Ka band upconverter

A mixer is a critical element in almost every microwave communication system. The two most important parameters of an up-converter mixer are the LO to RF isolation and its P/sub -1/dB. In many cases the LO frequency is too close to or even overlapping the RF frequency. In that case the rejection of the LO signal by a filter is difficult or sometimes even impossible. The LO signal could possibly saturate the following power amplifiers and/or be too high at the antenna port. A high LO to RF isolation mixer can solve this problem. An up-converter with a high dynamic range or high 1 dB compression point can simplify the amplifier chain by reducing the number of stages. There are a few techniques one can use to design an up-converter with high LO to RF isolation. In order to develop a manufacturable product and to achieve enough margin over the temperature range, we considered developing a "power combined" up-converter mixer for 40 GHz range, which is simple, inexpensive, and provides both high LO to RF isolation and high P/sub -1/dB. We present a Ka band up-converter mixer with LO to RF isolation of better than 50 dB and 1 dB compression of 3 dBm at the RF port over a bandwidth of 2 GHz. The up-converter was implemented using thin film alumina technology 180/spl deg/ splitter.
Neutrophil-Induced Changes in the Biomechanical Properties of Endothelial Cells: Roles of ICAM-1 and Reactive Oxygen Species

This study evaluated the changes in the biomechanical properties of endothelial cells (ECs) induced by neutrophil adhesion and the roles of ICAM-1 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in modulating these changes. Neutrophil adherence to 24-h TNF-alpha-activated pulmonary microvascular ECs induced an increase in the apparent stiffness of ECs within 2 min, measured with magnetic twisting cytometry. An anti-ICAM-1 Ab blocked the EC stiffening response without inhibiting neutrophil adherence. Moreover, cross-linking ICAM-1 mimicked the stiffening response induced by neutrophils. The neutrophil-induced increase in the apparent stiffness of ECs was inhibited with 1% DMSO (a hydroxyl radical scavenger), allopurinol (a xanthine oxidase inhibitor), or deferoxamine (an iron chelator), suggesting that ROS may be involved in mediating the EC stiffening response. The cellular sources of ROS were determined by measuring the oxidation of dichlorofluorescein. Neutrophil adherence to TNF-alpha-activated ECs induced ROS production only in ECs, and not in neutrophils. This ROS production in ECs was completely prevented by the anti-ICAM-1 Ab and partially inhibited by allopurinol. These results suggest that ICAM-1-mediated signaling events during neutrophil adherence may activate xanthine oxidase, which in turn mediates the ROS production in ECs that leads to stiffening. ROS generated in ECs on neutrophil adherence appear to mediate cytoskeletal remodeling, which may modulate subsequent inflammatory responses.
The implications of contract teaching in India: A review

The attempt to rapidly increase access to primary education in developing countries like India over the past decade has created a need to commensurately increase the number of teachers in the syste...
Nonperturbative Faddeev-Popov formula and the infrared limit of QCD

We show that an exact nonperturbative quantization of continuum gauge theory is provided by the Faddeev-Popov formula in the Landau gauge, $\ensuremath{\delta}(\ensuremath{\partial}\ensuremath{\cdot}A)\mathrm{det}[\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\partial}\ensuremath{\cdot}D(A)]\mathrm{exp}[\ensuremath{-}{S}_{\mathrm{YM}}(A)],$ restricted to the region where the Faddeev-Popov operator is positive $\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\partial}\ensuremath{\cdot}D(A)g0$ (Gribov region). Although there are Gribov copies inside this region, they have no influence on expectation values. The starting point of the derivation is stochastic quantization which determines the Euclidean probability distribution $P(A)$ by a method that is free of the Gribov critique. In the Landau-gauge limit the support of $P(A)$ shrinks down to the Gribov region with Faddeev-Popov weight. The cutoff of the resulting functional integral on the boundary of the Gribov region does not change the form of the Dyson-Schwinger (DS) equations because $\mathrm{det}[\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\partial}\ensuremath{\cdot}D(A)]$ vanishes on the boundary, so there is no boundary contribution. However this cutoff does provide supplementary conditions that govern the choice of solution of the DS equations. In particular the ``horizon condition,'' though consistent with the perturbative renormalization group, puts QCD into a nonperturbative phase. The infrared asymptotic limit of the DS equations of QCD is obtained by neglecting the Yang-Mills action ${S}_{\mathrm{YM}}.$ We sketch the extension to a BRST-invariant formulation. In the infrared asymptotic limit, the BRST-invariant action becomes BRST exact, and defines a topological quantum field theory with an infinite mass gap. Confinement of quarks is discussed briefly.
SiGe HBT Power Amplifier design using 0.35 µm BiCMOS technology with through-silicon-via

This paper presents Silicon Germanium (SiGe) HBT Power Amplifier design challenges and performances using 0.35 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology with a novel low inductance through-silicon-via (TSV). The large signal load pull on SiGe HBT power cells were performed, and a two-stage power amplifier was designed and measured with tunable input, inter-stage and output matching networks. For a 480 um2 SiGe HBT power cell, the peak power-added efficiency (PAE) reaches 63% with 20 dBm P1dB and 71% with 21 dBm P1dB at 3.5 GHz and 2.5 GHz respectively. HBT power cell design optimization is discussed and the various ways of using TSV are explored. The two-stage PA's gain, P1dB, and PAE for both 3.5 GHz and 2.5 GHz are reported and the good model/hardware correlations have been demonstrated. The integrated design flow with Cadence/Agilent design tools for both chip and PCB was proven to work effectively.
A veteran's recovery and the use of poetry therapy

The use of poetry therapy by a social worker on an acute care psychiatric ward in a VA Medical Center is examined. A case example of a homeless, alcoholic male suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder is provided. The patient's poetry writing proved to be an effective and efficient therapeutic tool that facilitated the expression of intense feelings, opened communication between the patient and his family, and was a source of strength in maintaining sobriety. Examples of the patient's poems are included.
Tissue Diagnosis With Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A 42-year-old male presented for evaluation of palpitations and chest pain. Physical examination suggested mild mitral regurgitation. Initial echocardiography showed a large mass attached to the interatrial septum. He then underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for tissue characterization of the mass. Spin-echo imaging without (Figure, …
Arabic Medicine and Nephrology

During the Dark Ages following the fall of the Roman Empire, the Arabic world was instrumental in fostering the development of the sciences, including medicine. The quest for original manuscripts and
A discourse analysis of four discourse studies

Four research reports, each produced by authors from different disciplinary backgrounds, are analyzed to identify the similarities and differences in beliefs about the nature of discourse and how one acquires knowledge about it. The analysis focuses on three issues: (1) the way in which each study is justified as important; (b) the way methods are described and what, if any, methodological choices are made explicit; and (c) the function of citations. Each study is contrasted with the others to show how the choices authors make create identifiable research styles. Implications of these distinctive styles for cross‐disciplinary communication about discourse are considered. The perspectives represented include discourse processing, anthropological linguistics, conversational analysis, and communication.
Drosophila Mob Family Proteins Interact with the Related Tricornered (Trc) and Warts (Wts) Kinases

The function of Tricornered (Trc), the Drosophila Ndr (Nuclear Dbf2-related) serine/threonine protein kinase, is required for the normal morphogenesis of a variety of polarized outgrowths including epidermal hairs, bristles, arista laterals, and dendrites. In yeast the Trc homolog Cbk1 needs to bind Mob2 to activate the RAM pathway. In this report, we provide genetic and biochemical data that Drosophila Trc also interacts with and is activated by Drosophila Dmob proteins. In addition, Drosophila Mob proteins appear to interact with the related Warts/Lats kinase, which functions as a tumor suppressor in flies and mammals. Interestingly, the overgrowth tumor phenotype that results from mutations in Dmob1 (mats) was only seen in genetic mosaics and not when the entire animal was mutant. We conclude that unlike in yeast, in Drosophila individual Mob proteins interact with multiple kinases and that individual NDR family kinases interact with multiple Mob proteins. We further provide evidence that Mo25, the Drosophila homolog of the RAM pathway hym1 gene does not function along with Trc.
Multichannel e + +H calculations via the modified Faddeev equations

The modified Faddeev equations are used to calculate the complete multichannel K matrices within the energy gap between the $\mathrm{Ps}(n=1)$ and $\mathrm{Ps}(n=2)$ thresholds. We report here a number of partial cross sections in this energy range including hydrogen production cross sections in the Ps entrance channel. The angular momentum states calculated are S, P, D, and F states. The number of open channels ranges from two in the Ore gap to four and five above the $\mathrm{H}(n=2)$ threshold. Comparison with previous calculations is made whenever feasible. Agreement within a few percentages is observed for most cases.
A Study of Atrioventricular Conduction in Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter in Man Using His Bundle Recordings

Seven patients with atrial fibrillation and six patients with atrial flutter were studied using the technic of His bundle recordings. All 13 patients received digitalis. In atrial fibrillation each QRS complex (except for premature ventricular beats) was preceded by a single His bundle deflection. Complete block distal to the His bundle was not observed. Thus, the zone of concealment could be localized to the region proximal to the His bundle. The clinical findings were confirmed in three animal experiments. In atrial flutter the nonconducted P waves were also blocked proximal to the His bundle. In atrial fibrillation aberrant ventricular beats were distinguished from premature ventricular beats by the presence of a preceding His deflection in the former and its absence in the latter.
Measurement and data-processing approach for estimating the spatial statistics of turbulence-induced index of refraction fluctuations in the upper atmosphere.

We present a method of data reduction and analysis that has been developed for a novel experiment to measure the spatial statistics of atmospheric turbulence in the tropopause. We took measurements of temperature at 15 points on a hexagonal grid for altitudes from 12,000 to 18,000 m while suspended from a balloon performing a controlled descent. From the temperature data we estimate the index of refraction and study the spatial statistics of the turbulence-induced index of refraction fluctuations. We present and evaluate the performance of a processing approach to estimate the parameters of isotropic models for the spatial power spectrum of the turbulence. In addition to examining the parameters of the von Karman spectrum, we have allowed the so-called power law to be a parameter in the estimation algorithm. A maximum-likelihood-based approach is used to estimate the turbulence parameters from the measurements. Simulation results presented here show that, in the presence of the anticipated levels of measurement noise, this approach allows turbulence parameters to be estimated with good accuracy, with the exception of the inner scale.
Transfection and malaria.

The introduction of novel genes into mosquitoes and malaria parasites is now feasible, raising hopes for an effective attack on malaria.
Generalization of a muscle-reflex control model to 3D walking

The neural controller that generates human locomotion can currently not be measured directly, and researchers often resort to forward dynamic simulations of the human neuromuscular system to propose and test different controller architectures. However, most of these models are restricted to locomotion in the sagittal plane, which limits the ability to study and compare proposed neural controls for 3D-related motions. Here we generalize a previously identified reflex control model for sagittal plane walking to 3D locomotion. The generalization includes additional degrees of freedom at the hips in the lateral plane, their actuation and control by hip abductor and adductor muscles, and 3D compliant ground contact dynamics. The resulting 3D model of human locomotion generates normal walking while producing human-like ground reaction forces and moments, indicating that the proposed neural controller based on muscle reflexes generalizes well to 3D locomotion.
MODERNITY IN RELIGION: A RESPONSE TO CONSTANTIN FASOLT'S “HISTORY AND RELIGION IN THE MODERN AGE”

Contrary to Constantin Fasolt, I argue that it is no longer useful to think of religion as an anomaly in the modern age. Here is Fasolt's main argument: humankind suffers from a radical rift between the self and the world. The chief function of religion is to mitigate or cope with this fracture by means of dogmas and rituals that reconcile the self to the world. In the past, religion successfully fulfilled this job. But in modernity, it fails to, and it fails because religion is no longer plausible. Historical, confessional religions, then, are no longer doing what they are supposed to do; yet the need for religion is still very much with us. Fasolt's account would be a tragic tale, if not for his claim that there is a new religion for the modern age, a religion that fulfills the true reconciling function of religion. That new religion is the reading and writing of history. Indeed, for Fasolt, reading history is religiously redemptive, and writing history is a sacred act. The historian, it turns out, is the priest in modernity. In my response, I challenge both Fasolt's remedy (history as religiously redemptive) and its justification (the fall of historical religions). Indeed, I reject both his romantic view of past religion as the peaceful reconciler, as well as his pessimistic view of present religion as the maker of “enemies” among modern people. In the end, I argue that the way Fasolt employs his categories—“alienation,”“salvation,”“religion,”“history”— is too vague to do much useful work. They are significant categories and they deserve our attention. But in my view, the story Fasolt tells is both too grim (on human alienation) and too cheerful (on historian as modern savior).
Electron capture in H + +H 2

Electron capture in H/sup +/+H/sub 2/ collisions is studied at energies of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 keV in the reduced angular range tau or =1.5 keV deg. The reduced cross section, at 1.0 keV, for capture to excited states of H (with the H/sub 2/ /sup +/ in its ground state) is found to have a maximum at tau = 1 keV deg. The results are in agreement with a previously proposed model for ion-molecule charge exchange.
An Investigation on Natural Wastewater Treatment System and Re-Usability of Wastewater in Irrigation

ABSTRACT Disposal of wastewater from urban and rural areas can pose a serious threat to the environment if it is disposed of improperly. Thus, proper treatments and sanitary disposal of wastewater regulations should be put into practice. Most of the processes for wastewater treatment in developed countries are result of high technology and costs. For this reason, the development of relatively simple and low-cost treatment systems is particularly interesting. This study investigates natural wastewater treatment system and re-usability of wastewater in irrigation. Results indicated that irrigation water quality improved with natural treatment system and it minimized environmental pollution.
Progestin-Containing Contraceptives Alter Expression of Host Defense-Related Genes of the Endometrium and Cervix

Epidemiological studies indicate that progestin-containing contraceptives increase susceptibility to HIV, although the underlying mechanisms involving the upper female reproductive tract are undefined. To determine the effects of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on gene expression and physiology of human endometrial and cervical transformation zone (TZ), microarray analyses were performed on whole tissue biopsies. In endometrium, activated pathways included leukocyte chemotaxis, attachment, and inflammation in DMPA and LNG-IUS users, and individual genes included pattern recognition receptors, complement components, and other immune mediators. In cervical TZ, progestin treatment altered expression of tissue remodeling and viability but not immune function genes. Together, these results indicate that progestins influence expression of immune-related genes in endometrium relevant to local recruitment of HIV target cells with potential to increase susceptibility and underscore the importance of the upper reproductive tract when assessing the safety of contraceptive products.
PL/I program efficiency

All PL/I Programmers should be aware of and genuinely concerned about PL/I Program efficiency. This paper addresses the following question:"How do you write a PL/I program which the PL/I Complier will reduce to the smallest and fastest executing machine language module?" The real world payoffs of knowing how the PL/I Optizing Compiler handles different syntactical representations of similar semantic relationships with respect to code generation and storage allocation can increase program runtime efficiency by many orders of magnitude thus saving many hours of CPU time. Research gathered by the authors in this paper deals with several areas within the PL/I programming realm: logical switches, bit string manipulation, character string manipulation, and multiway branching. Time and money did not permit for an exhaustive study of other areas of PL/I coding, but the results of these four areas have been rewarding and in some instances very surprising.
Thermal stability of human DNA and chimpanzee DNA heteroduplexes

The base pairing fidelity of heteroduplexes formed from human DNA and chimpanzee DNA has been studied by the criterion of thermal stability to test the evolutionary conservation of repeated DNA base sequences.
The syndrome of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis with selective antibody deficiency.

Background Most patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) have a selective defect of cell-mediated immunity against Candida albicans (as demonstrated by cutaneous anergy and decreased lymphoproliferative responses to Candida antigen) and intact antibody responses. Many CMC patients also develop infections with other organisms, suggesting a more extensive immunologic defect. Objectives The aim of this study was to describe a patient with CMC and selective antibody deficiency and identify eight similar previously reported patients. Data Sources Relevant articles in the English language derived from searching the MEDLINE database were used. Results We describe an 18-year-old male patient who was identified with CMC as an infant and later developed immunoglobulin (Ig)G2, IgG4, and IgA deficiency at age 12 associated with poor antibody responses to vaccine antigens. We have identified eight other previously reported CMC patients with selective antibody deficiencies and bacterial infections. IgG2 deficiency was present in all nine patients, and was associated with IgG4 deficiency in 8 patients and IgA deficiency in 3 patients. Six patients had poor or absent antibody responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, and all nine patients developed severe recurrent lung infections. Conclusions We suggest that these cases represent a distinct phenotype of CMC and should be studied for common histocompatibility leukocyte antigen types and molecular defects.
The Mel1a Melatonin Receptor Is Coupled to Parallel Signal Transduction Pathways

The recent cloning of a family of high affinity melatonin receptors has provided us with a unique opportunity to define the signal transduction pathways used by these receptors. We have studied signaling through the human Mel1a receptor subtype by stable expression of receptor complementary DNA in NIH 3T3 cells. Our data indicate that the human Mel1a receptor is coupled to inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation by a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. Although melatonin alone is without effect on phosphoinositide hydrolysis, it potentiates the effects of PGF2 alpha stimulation on phospholipase C activation. Melatonin potentiates arachidonate release stimulated by PGF2 alpha and by ionomycin. The effects of melatonin on arachidonate release are sensitive to inhibition of protein kinase C. They are independent of the effects of melatonin on cAMP and do not appear to involve activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase. The effects of melatonin on both phosphoinositide hydrolysis and arachidonate release are sensitive to pertussis toxin treatment. Thus, we show that the melatonin signal is transduced by parallel pathways involving inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and potentiation of phospholipase activation.
Long-term risk of cholangitis in patients with metal stents for malignant biliary obstruction.

Background Patients with malignant biliary obstruction are commonly living longer than previously due to improved oncologic therapies, often exceeding expected times of self-expanding metal stent patency.
The Consequences of Chronic Pain

Questions from patients about analgesic pharmacotherapy and responses from authors are presented to help educate patients and make them more effective self-advocates. The topic addressed in this issue is untreated/undertreated chronic pain and the physical, emotional, and social consequences that can profoundly affect a patient's quality of life. Chronic pain is no longer considered a symptom; it is a disease entity itself. Anxiety and depression often coexist with chronic pain. Chronic pain is the enemy of happiness. Further, chronic pain can activate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to the fight-or-flight response.
The ethico-politics of homo-ness: Beckett's How It Is and Casement's Black Diaries

In recent years, Beckett studies has taken an ‘ethical turn’ as critics have given increased attention to the status of the Other and otherness in the writer's oeuvre. How It Is, a key text for these critics, was written as Beckett was reading the newly published Black Diaries of Roger Casement, a volume that contains homoerotic content long considered scandalous for the Irish republican icon and yet offers a remarkable vision of social relations structured around sameness or what Leo Bersani calls ‘homo-ness’. Reading Beckett's novel alongside Casement's diaries reveals the significance of How It Is for thinking an ethico-politics that depends neither on the ideological foundations of the nation-state nor on critical perspectives that emphasise the primacy of difference, but rather on a fundamental reorientation of sociality. In this regard, Beckett's anti-redemptive narrative may be considered a work of penetrating utopian writing, which nonetheless reminds us of the hazards of utopian thought.
Ionospheric reaction rates in the light of recent measurements in the ionosphere and the laboratory

Abstract An attempt is made to obtain a set of ion-molecule reaction rates and recombination coefficients consistent with recent mass spectrometric data obtained between 120 and 220 km. It is found that the daytime ionospheric data at 130 km are explicable in terms of the processes N 2 + + O → NO + + N at 5×10 −10 cm 3 / sec O + + N 2 → NO + + N at 4×10 −12 cm 3 / sec N 2 + + O 2 → O 2 + + N 2 at 2×10 −10 cm 3 / sec N 2 + + O → O + + N 2 at 6×10 −12 cm 3 / sec O + + O 2 → O 2 + + O at 4×10 −11 cm 3 / sec O 2 + + N 2 → NO + + NO −14 cm 3 / sec N + + O 2 → NO + + O at 5×10 −10 cm 3 / sec e+ NO + → N + O at 5.2×10 −7 cm 3 / sec e+ O 2 + → O + O at 1.2×10 −7 cm 3 / sec all in good agreement with the most recent laboratory data. To account for the ion densities at higher altitudes it is shown that many rates must have strong temperature dependences. In particular the O+ removal rates cannot increase with temperature and the N2+, O ion-atom interchange rate must decrease with increasing temperature. The recombination coefficient for NO+ decreases with electron temperature as Te−1.4+0.1 for O2+ as about Te−1 and for N2+ as about Te−0.2. To account for the nighttime ionosphere with the reaction rates implied by the daytime data is shown to require that there be weak sources of ionization above 180 km and below 140 km with rates of the order of 5–10 ion pairs/cm3. The data also indicate that O2+, NO charge exchange must be very rapid with a rate of the order of 5×10−10cm3/sec.
The Effects of Transtracheal Gas Delivery on Central Inspiratory Neuromuscular Drive

Previous studies have shown transtracheal delivery of low-flow oxygen (TTO) decreases inspired minute ventilation (Veinsp) and have postulated that this would result in a decrease in the work of breathing (WOB). We hypothesized that a fall in central inspiratory neuromuscular drive (CIND) with TTO would reflect a fall in WOB. We measured resting ventilatory parameters (RVP) and CIND by the mouth occlusion pressure technique (MOP) at different gas flow rates through the catheter in 21 subjects (13 men, 8 women; mean age, 60 +/- 10.6 years) with severe COPD with a mature intratracheal oxygen catheter (ITOC). We also constructed a lung/chest wall analog (LCA) to determine if flow through the catheter would alter pressure changes during inspiration. Inspiratory tidal volume (Vtinsp) and minute ventilation (Veinsp) decreased proportionally to the gas flow rate through the catheter. However, with increasing flow through the catheter, P0.1 increased in the LCA, presumably due to the Bernoulli effect. The lack of a similar change in the subject group suggests that CIND does, in fact, fall, and that possibly there is a decrease in WOB. This effect may be of benefit to patients with severe COPD.
An innovative approach to educating medical students about pharmaceutical promotion.

Prescription drugs comprise approximately 9% of the total cost of health care in the United States. The manner in which doctors obtain information about new and changing pharmaceuticals obviously has the potential to have a profound impact on health care costs, pharmaceutical companies' profits, and the quality of health care. Patterns learned in medical school undoubtedly influence physicians' future behaviors. The authors describe an educational program, in which university pharmacists portrayed pharmaceutical company representatives to model a promotional presentation, that they designed to generate critical thinking among third-year medical students regarding the influence of pharmaceutical representatives on the prescribing practices of physicians. The authors also provide information suggesting that the program increased the uncertainty many students felt about the accuracy and ethics of standard drug "detailing."
Ontogeny of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine and related indolealkylamine levels in neonatal rats

Abstract The present study deals with the measurement of the brain levels of the two potent hallucinogens N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltrytamine (OMB), the biogenic amine tryptamine (TA), and its condensation product 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (THBC) in rats of various ages. Using gas chromatography—mass spectrometry with isotope dilution, we detected DMT, OMB, and THBC in neonatal rats from birth. DMT levels remained low until days 12 and 17 at which time they increased significantly and then returned to the initial low levels for all subsequent ages. The levels of OMB were higher than those measured for DMT with the highest levels being observed at days 12 and 17, and also on day 31. However, the levels for OMB showed much more variation. Although elevated levels of DMT and OMB have been correlated with stress, there are no known functions for these compounds. TA levels remained below detection limits until day 19. THBC levels were observed to be highest on days 22 and 31. The role that THBC plays in mammalian tissues is not known.
Effect of metabolic fuel availability on fertility varies with reproductive state

A 48-h fast extends the estrous cycle of virgin rats and, when instituted on days 13 and 14 postpartum (pp), prolongs lactational infertility. We investigated the ability of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) alone or combined with mercaptoacetate (MA) to mimic these effects of fasting. In Experiment 1, we monitored estrous cyclicity in virgin rats receiving 800, 1200, or 1600 mg/kg/day of 2DG during metestrus and diestrus. In Experiment 2, we assessed the effects of 2DG (1600 mg/kg/day) given on days 13 and 14 pp, on the duration of lactational infertility. In Experiment 3, the combined effects of 2DG (1600, 2000, or 2400 mg/kg/day) and MA (180 mg/kg/day) on the length of lactational diestrus were evaluated. 2DG was sufficient to extend the estrous cycle of virgin rats, but neither 2DG alone nor given with MA prolonged the length of lactational diestrus. Results suggest that lactating rats are less sensitive than virgin rats to the effects of metabolic fuel inhibition on fertility. These data are discussed in relation to the hormonal state of the dam as well as in relation to the effects of these drugs on lactational performance.
The Murine Otp Homeobox Gene Plays an Essential Role in the Specification of Neuronal Cell Lineages in the Developing Hypothalamus

Hypothalamic nuclei, including the anterior periventricular (aPV), paraventricular (PVN), and supraoptic (SON) nuclei strongly express the homeobox gene Orthopedia (Otp) during embryogenesis. Targeted inactivation of Otp in the mouse results in the loss of these nuclei in the homozygous null neonates. The Otp null hypothalamus fails to secrete neuropeptides somatostatin, arginine vasopressin, oxytocin, corticotropin-releasing hormone, and thyrotropin-releasing hormone in an appropriate spatial and temporal fashion, and leads to the death of Otp null pups shortly after birth. Failure to produce these neuropeptide hormones is evident prior to E15.5, indicating a failure in terminal differentiation of the aPV/PVN/SON neurons. Absence of elevated apoptotic activity, but reduced cell proliferation together with the ectopic activation of Six3 expression in the presumptive PVN, indicates a critical role for Otp in terminal differentiation and maturation of these neuroendocrine cell lineages. Otp employs distinct regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of specific molecular markers in the developing hypothalamus. At early embryonic stages, expression of Sim2 is immediately downregulated as a result of the absence of Otp, indicating a potential role for Otp as an upstream regulator of Sim2. In contrast, the regulation of Brn4 which is also expressed in the SON and PVN is independent of Otp function. Hence no strong evidence links Otp and Brn4 in the same regulatory pathway. The involvement of Otp and Sim1 in specifying specific hypothalamic neurosecretory cell lineages is shown to operate via distinct signaling pathways that partially overlap with Brn2.
Plasmodium falciparum protein phosphatase type 1 functionally complements a glc7 mutant in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract We have identified a new homologue of protein phosphatase type 1 from Plasmodium falciparum , designated PfPP1, which shows 83–87% sequence identity with yeast and mammalian PP1s at the amino acid level. The PfPP1 sequence is strikingly different from all other P . falciparum Ser/Thr phosphatases cloned so far. The deduced 304 amino acid sequence revealed the signature sequence of Ser/Thr phosphatase LRGNHE, and two putative protein kinase C and five putative casein kinase II phosphorylation sites. Calyculin A, a potent inhibitor of Ser/Thr phosphatase 1 and 2A showed hyperphosphorylation of a 51 kDa protein among other parasite proteins. Okadaic acid on the other hand, was without any effect suggesting that PP1 activity might predominate over PP2A activity in intra-erythrocytic P . falciparum . Complementation studies showed that PfPP1 could rescue low glycogen phenotype of Saccharomyces cerevisiae glc7 (PP1 − ) mutant, strongly suggesting functional interaction of PfPP1 and yeast proteins involved in glycogen metabolism.
Mechanisms of Chemical Cooperative Carcinogenesis by Epidermal Langerhans Cells

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most prevalent invasive malignancy with metastatic potential. The epidermis is exposed to a variety of environmental DNA-damaging chemicals, principal among which are polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ubiquitous in the environment, tobacco smoke, and broiled meats. Langerhans cells (LCs) comprise a network of dendritic cells situated adjacent to basal, suprabasal, and follicular infundibular keratinocytes that when mutated can give rise to SCC, and LC-intact mice are markedly more susceptible than LC-deficient mice to chemical carcinogenesis provoked by initiation with the model PAH, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). LCs rapidly internalize and accumulate DMBA as numerous membrane-independent cytoplasmic foci. Repopulation of LC-deficient mice using fetal liver LC-precursors restores DMBA-induced tumor susceptibility. LC expression of p450 enzyme CYP1B1 is required for maximal rapid induction of DNA-damage within adjacent keratinocytes and their efficient neoplastic transformation; however, effects of tumor progression also attributable to the presence of LC were revealed as CYP1B1 independent. Thus, LCs make multifaceted contributions to cutaneous carcinogenesis, including via the handling and metabolism of chemical mutagens. Such findings suggest a cooperative carcinogenesis role for myeloid-derived cells resident within cancer susceptible epithelial tissues principally by influencing early events in malignant transformation.