cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generation of human monoclonal antibodies by transformation of lymphoblastoid B cells with ras oncogene

Human monoclonal antibodies (hu-mAbs) of predetermined specificity and isotype are potentially important for a variety of applications, including therapy and diagnosis. Their efficient generation, however, is still hampered by technical difficulties. Even the most established approaches to the generation of hu-mAbs, i.e., B cell immortalization by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and/or fusion with appropriate myeloma cell lines, are characterized by a relatively low efficiency. It has been shown that expression of activated Ha- or N-ras oncogenes causes the malignant transformation and plasmacytoid differentiation of EBV-immortalized lymphoblastoid cell (LC) lines, suggesting that activated ras oncogenes can convert LC lines into effective hu-mAb producers. We have used retroviral vector-mediated gene transfer to introduce an activated Ha-ras (v-ras) oncogene into four distinct LC lines producing hu-mAbs of different classes (IgM and IgG) and specificities (to human insulin, human thyroglobulin and rabies virus glycoprotein). The cloning efficiency and antibody secretion of these ras-transformed LC (ras-LC) lines were compared with those of the hybrid LC (hyb-LC) lines generated by fusing the same parental LC lines with the Ig non-secretor F3B6 human-mouse hybrid cells. ras-LC lines were comparable to their hybrid counterparts in either parameter tested. This, together with the relatively higher efficiency of the method, suggests that ras transformation may constitute a valid alternative to the currently available technologies for hu-mAbs production from LC lines.
Introduction to Image Algebra Ada

Image Algebra Ada (IAA) is a superset of the Ada programming language designed to support use of the Air Force Armament Laboratory's image algebra in the development of computer vision application programs. The IAA language differs from other computer vision languages is several respects. It is machine independent, and an IAA translator has been implemented in the military standard Ada language. Its image operands and operations can be used to program a range of both low- and high-level vision algorithms. This paper provides an overview of the image algebra constructs supported in IAA and describes the embodiment of these constructs in the IAA extension of Ada. Examples showing the use of IAA for a range of computer vision tasks are given. The design of IAA as a superset of Ada and the implementation of the initial translator in Ada represent critical choices. The authors discuss the reasoning behind these choices as well as the benefits and drawbacks associated with them. Implementation strategies associated with the use of Ada as an implementation language for IAA are also discussed. While one can look on IAA as a program design language (PDL) for specifying Ada programs, it is useful to consider IAA as a separate language superset of Ada. This admits the possibility of directly translating IAA for implementation on special purpose architectures. This paper explores strategies for porting IAA to various architectures and notes the critical language and implementation features for porting to different architectures.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Moduli dependent spectra of heterotic compactifications

Abstract Explicit methods are presented for computing the cohomology of stable, holomorphic vector bundles on elliptically fibered Calabi–Yau threefolds. The complete particle spectrum of the low-energy, four-dimensional theory is specified by the dimensions of specific cohomology groups. The spectrum is shown to depend on the choice of vector bundle moduli, jumping up from a generic minimal result to attain many higher values on subspaces of co-dimension one or higher in the moduli space. An explicit example is presented within the context of a heterotic vacuum corresponding to an SU ( 5 ) GUT in four dimensions.
The Utilization of Contingent Work, Knowledge Creation, and Competitive Advantage

Contingent work is an increasingly integral part of the world of work, affecting firms' abilities to accumulate knowledge, create value, and establish competitive advantage. Although its growing use reflects a belief that firms can reduce cost structures and increase strategic flexibility, we suggest that in certain contexts, such as dynamic environments, contingent work can be a means of accumulating and creating valuable knowledge. We also discuss implications for other forms of permeable organizational boundaries.
New porous titanium–niobium oxide for photocatalytic degradation of bromocresol green dye in aqueous solution

Graphical abstract: The photocatalytic activity of different porous titanium–niobium oxides was evaluated toward degradation of bromocresol green (BG) under UV light. A better catalytic activity was observed for all samples at lower pH. Catalysts have a stronger ability for degradation of BG in acid media than in alkaline media. - Highlights: • Different highly structured titanium–niobium oxides have been prepared using improved methods of synthesis. • Photo-degradation of bromocresol green dye (BG) with nanostructure titanium–niobium oxide catalysts was carried out under UV light. • The photo-catalytic activity of all catalysts was higher in lower pH. • Titanium–niobium oxide catalysts are considerably stable and reusable. - Abstract: In this study, high surface area semiconductors, non porous and porous titanium–niobium oxides derived from KTiNbO{sub 5} were synthesized, characterized and developed for their utility as photocatalysts for decontamination with sunlight. These materials were then used in the photocatalytic degradation of bromocresol green dye (BG) in aqueous solution using UV light and their catalytic activities were evaluated at various pHs. For all catalysts, the photocatalytic degradation of BG was most efficient in acidic solutions. Results show that the new porous oxides have large porous and high surface areas and high catalytic activity. A topotacticmore » dehydration treatment greatly improves catalyst performance at various pHs. Stability and long term activity of porous materials (topo and non-topo) in photocatalysis reactions was also tested. These results suggest that the new materials can be used to efficiently purify contaminated water.« less
Multivariate analysis of fMRI data by oriented partial least squares

Partial least squares (PLS) has been used in multivariate analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data as a way of incorporating information about the underlying experimental paradigm. In comparison, principal component analysis (PCA) extracts structure merely by summarizing variance and with no assurance that individual component structures are directly interpretable or that they represent salient and useful features. Oriented partial least squares (OrPLS) is a new PLS-like analysis paradigm in which extracted components can be oriented away from undesirable noise or confounds in the data and toward a desired targeted structure reflecting the fMRI experiment.
Preparation and characterization of hollow microcapsules for use as ultrasound contrast agents

A laboratory-scale method of producing micron-sized hollow microscapsules from a biodegradable polymer such as 50/50 poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), for use as a diagnostic ultrasound contrast agent, was developed. The technique involved microencapsulation of a volatile solid core material, and subsequent sublimation of the core to leave a hollow microsphere. A core material, such as ammonium carbonate, was ground to a suitable size distribution and encapsulated by a modified solvent evaporation or coacervation technique. This study investigated process parameters to produce diagnostically viable microscapsules by these two en-capsulation methods, such as polymer molecular weight (from 10,000 to 50,000), initial polymer concentration, agitation method, and stabilizer type. Polymer solution viscosity, polydispersity, and agitation rates significantly controlled the mean size of the microcapsules. Stabilizers were essential in solvent evaporation, but corrupted the morphology of spheres made by coacervation. Zeta potential values of microsphere dispersions revealed differences in surface characteristics between both encapsulation methods. Incubation of microcapsules with serum improved their dispersion in aqueous media. Preliminary in vivo ultrasound studies with the New Zealand white rabbit model, using color Doppler, showed that the microcapsules gave significant contrast in the right kidney.
MUSE therapy: preliminary clinical observations.

Abstract Objectives Intracavernosal injection of vasodilating agents has been a mainstay in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Recently, a transurethral delivery system (MUSE) for alprostadil (prostaglandin E1) was introduced as an alternative form of pharmacotherapy. Methods One hundred consecutive patients with erectile dysfunction were treated with MUSE in doses ranging from 125 to 1000 μg and their erections were observed in the clinical setting. All patients had previous intracavernosal injections of combination pharmacotherapy (papavarine, Regitine, and/or prostaglandin E1). Results Of these 100 patients that used MUSE, only 7% had well-sustained, rigid erections while 30% had full erections but with partial rigidity. The remaining 63% of patients did not achieve erections that they thought were adequate for penetration. Penile and/or perineal pain occurred in 24% of patients, 3% had a syncopal episode, and 3% experienced urethral bleeding. One patient had priapism that required drainage. Using intracavernosal injections, 49% had sustained rigid erections, 40% had full erections with partial rigidity, and 11 % did not have a response satisfactory for penetration. Conclusions These data suggest that intracavernosal injections appear to be more effective than MUSE in achieving a rigid erection in men with erectile dysfunction.
Polarized-proton-proton scattering at 90 degrees in the c.m. system.

We show that (1) the spin-triplet amplitude of antiparallel proton scattering vanishes at the center-of-mass angle theta = ..pi../2, and (2)= the ratio dsigma(up-arrowup-arrow)/dsigma(up-arrowarrow-down) reaches 4 at theta = ..pi../2, provided that the average of the spin-triplet amplitudes and the spin-singlet amplitude become equal.
Two-Port PCM Architecture for Network Processing

Asymmetry in read/write access latencies, which leads to issues of blocking writes and low throughput performance, is a common challenge impeding the integration of emerging nonvolatile memory technologies into high-performance computing systems. Approaches based on multiporting and virtually pipelined architectures, which have been studied in static random access memory (SRAM)/dynamic random access memory (DRAM)/hybrid-SRAM/DRAM memory systems for high throughput performance, provide an attractive means to overcome these challenges through innovations spanning the memory cell to architecture levels. This paper describes a virtually pipelined memory architecture built on a two-port phase change memory (PCM) substrate for high-performance networking applications. The proposed two-port PCM cell significantly reduces the probability of bank conflicts due to blocking writes. We comprehensively evaluate the two-port cell design in terms of programming current, voltage pumping for access transistors, and area overhead. We also propose a two-port PCM bank design to provide the large bandwidth and bank parallelism critical for high-performance networking applications. Furthermore, the virtually pipelined architecture is implemented at the memory controller level, eliminating the extra delay of read requests due to the asymmetrical access latency through separate reservation tables for read and write requests. We analyze the performance of this architecture using queuing theory and statistical information obtained by processing packet traces using PacketBench, and show that the proposed innovations can reduce the expected read (write) delay by 12– $40\times $ (up to 14%) over conventional single-port PCM for 110%–170% additional area.
Leukotrienes C4 and D4 As Potent Mitogens for Cultured Human Neonatal Melanocytes

Abstract Arachidonic acid and its metabolites (eicosanoids) are membrane-derived inflammatory mediators with a diverse set of biologic properties affecting numerous cells and organ systems, including the skin. They have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin disease and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. We have studied the ability of arachidonic acid, prostaglandin D 2 , prostaglandin E 2 , leukotriene B 4 , leukotriene C 4 , leukotriene D 4 , and leukotriene E 4 to enhance the growth of cultured human melanocytes. Of these compounds, only leukotriene C 4 and leukotriene D 4 were capable of stimulating melanocyte proliferation. In addition, cultured melanocytes metabolized leukotriene C 4 to leukotriene E 4 with greater than 60% conversion in less than three hours. Melanocytes grown on suboptimal media (doubling time 12–20 days) respond in a dose-dependent fashion to leukotriene C 4 , with a significant difference from control noted at 28 days with a concentration of LTC 4 of 30 nM and a doubling time of 5 –8 days. We feel that leukotriene C 4 and D 4 could play an important role in post-inflammatory melanocyte hyperplasia.
General relativistic simulations of slowly and differentially rotating magnetized neutron stars

We present long-term ($\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{4}M$) axisymmetric simulations of differentially rotating, magnetized neutron stars in the slow-rotation, weak magnetic field limit using a perturbative metric evolution technique. Although this approach yields results comparable to those obtained via nonperturbative (BSSN) evolution techniques, simulations performed with the perturbative metric solver require about $1/4$ the computational resources at a given resolution. This computational efficiency enables us to observe and analyze the effects of magnetic braking and the magnetorotational instability (MRI) at very high resolution. Our simulations demonstrate that (1) MRI is not observed unless the fastest-growing mode wavelength is resolved by $\ensuremath{\gtrsim}10$ gridpoints; (2) as resolution is improved, the MRI growth rate converges, but due to the small-scale turbulent nature of MRI, the maximum growth amplitude increases, but does not exhibit convergence, even at the highest resolution; and (3) independent of resolution, magnetic braking drives the star toward uniform rotation as energy is sapped from differential rotation by winding magnetic fields.
A relationship between interface trap density and transconductance in 6HSiC enhancement mode field-effect transistors

Abstract An explicit analytical expression relating the interface trap densities and transconductance is derived for enhancement mode field effect transistors without any simplifying assumptions regarding the energy distribution of traps. Using this relationship, the interface trap densities were calculated from the experimental transconductance data and compared with experimental data and that provided in the current literature. Interface states are important material surface characteristics that may significantly affect the device behavior. Our expression provides a simple and convenient method to reliably estimate interface trap densities from the readily available transconductance data provided in the pertinent literature.
New critical current-flux boundary of a superconducting microladder

The critical current which can be injected into a microladder at small magnetic flux was calculated for a square network. For small flux values the lowest current-mode supports shielding currents analogous to those of the Meissner state of a bulk superconductor. The temperature of the phase boundary at which the critical current becomes zero is a function of a critical magnetic flux φc1, which is smaller than the second order phase transition boundary φc2. Between φc1, and φc2 only shielding currents exist for small ladder dimensions. Hence, magnetic measurements will render a different phase transition boundary than resistive measurements.
Transmitter for calibrating extinction ratio measurements of optical receivers

We describe a transmitter being developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology for calibrating extinction ratio measurements of optical receivers. Preliminary measurement results are presented, and major uncertainty components are discussed.
Facial Emotion Perception in Schizophrenia: A Meta-analytic Review

Objectives: A considerable body of literature has reported on emotion perception deficits and the relevance to clinical symptoms and social functioning in schizophrenia. Studies published between 1970–2007 were examined regarding emotion perception abilities between patient and control groups and potential methodological, demographic, and clinical moderators. Data Sources and Review: Eighty-six studies were identified through a computerized literature search of the MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and PubMed databases. A quality of reporting of meta-analysis standard was followed in the extraction of relevant studies and data. Data on emotion perception, methodology, demographic and clinical characteristics, and antipsychotic medication status were compiled and analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis Version 2.0 (Borenstein M, Hedges L, Higgins J and Rothstein H. Comprehensive Meta-analysis. 2. Englewood, NJ: Biostat; 2005). Results: The meta-analysis revealed a large deficit in emotion perception in schizophrenia, irrespective of task type, and several factors that moderated the observed impairment. Illness-related factors included current hospitalization and—in part—clinical symptoms and antipsychotic treatment. Demographic factors included patient age and gender in controls but not race. Conclusion: Emotion perception impairment in schizophrenia represents a robust finding in schizophrenia that appears to be moderated by certain clinical and demographic factors. Future directions for research on emotion perception are discussed.
Equation of state from detonation velocity measurements

Abstract Analysis is presented to show that a complete equation of state can be obtained from the measured Chapman-Jouguet detonation velocity presented as a function of initial density and energy. Derivations are given in detail, and several examples are discussed.
Integrating technology in National Grid USA'S distribution substations

National Grid USA's electricity delivery network includes approximately 12,000 miles of transmission lines, 72,000 miles of distribution lines, and more than 1,200 substations across New England and New York. It serves 3.2 million customers with a service territory running from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Erie. This paper describes the philosophy and evolution of a standard substation design that integrates the technologies associated with protection and control. The design has reduced the number of components and therefore the amount of space needed for the control house. The overall cost of the secondary systems has been reduced while dramatically increasing their functionality. The architecture of the substation will be described, along with the features that allow the gathering and display of information from within the substation for operations. It also provides selective information remotely for system control and engineering, providing faster diagnostic and hence faster response time to power system disturbances. The paper will conclude by showing how the modular approach taken allows parts of the design to be taken and used directly in smaller applications, where an entire substation is not being built. Conversely key elements of the design are now being used in larger transmission stations, in order to provide more comprehensive local display of information and diagnostics and accelerate the engineering and design time for major transmission stations.
Transmission of pseudo-curly top virus in Florida by a treehopper.

Abstract A treehopper, Micrutalis sp., has been shown to be a vector of the virus causing pseudo-curly top. This is believed to be the first report of this family of insects (Membracidae) transmitting a virus disease. Pseudo-curly top of tomato has been found to occur throughout south Florida. Nightshade, Solanum gracile (Link), is a weed host of the virus and of the vector.
Adult surgical experience with Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

Background Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) results from mutations in receptors for the cytokine transforming growth factor-β leading to aggressive aortic pathology sometimes accompanied by specific phenotypic features including bifid uvula, hypertelorism, cleft palate, and generalized arterial tortuosity. We reviewed our adult surgical experience with LDS in order to validate current recommendations regarding management of this newly described disease. Methods All adult (≥ 18 years old) patients with LDS undergoing surgical treatment at a single referral institution from September 1999 to May 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Results Eleven adult LDS patients were identified by clinical criteria and genotyping. Seven (64%) experienced acute type A dissection at some point in their lives. All eventually required aortic root replacement, and 73% required multiple vascular surgical interventions. Over a mean follow-up of 65 ± 49 months, 2.8 cardiovascular procedures per patient were performed. In patients with type A dissection, a mean of 3.4 operations were performed versus 1.8 operations for patients without dissection. Total aortic replacement was required in 5 patients (45%) and 2 (18%) required neurosurgical intervention for cerebrovascular pathology. There was 1 late death from infectious complications, and no deaths from vascular catastrophe. Conclusions These results confirm the aggressive nature of LDS aortic pathology. However, the improved survival compared with earlier LDS reports suggest that aggressive treatment strategies may alter outcomes and improve the natural history of this syndrome.
Public Attitudes Toward Mental Illness: A Review of the Literature

Iri conjunction with the rise of social psychiatry as an increasingly accepted ideologic and strategic base, there has developed widespread interest in public attitudes toward mental illness. Knowledge of such attitudes is not only germane to those concerned with the origins and maintenance of disturbed behavior, but critically important to workers involved in primary prevention programs, early intervention, and community treatment of psychiatric patients. Both administrators and clinicians benefit from acquaintance with public attitudes toward the presence of psychiatric facilities and patients in their neighborhoods. Psychiatric rehabilitation is facilitated when mental health professionals recognize the social realities that their patients encounter in their daily living. In short, it is becoming generally recognized that mental patients, and those who deal with them, exist in the larger framework of society and that it is imperative, in both planning and carrying out treatment programs, to be aware of the attitudes toward mental illness and treatment that prevail in this larger framework. Despite longstanding awareness of the discrepancies between what people say and what they do, the link between attitude and behavior has been deemed sufficiently meaningful to warrant extensive research regarding public attitudes toward mental illness. Since the late 1940's, when the first studies were designed, there has emerged a substantial body of research concerning the delineation of attitudes held by the public, characteristics of disturbed behavior that influence such attitudes, characteristics of respondents that are themselves associated with variations in attitude, and the relationship between attitudes and behavior.
Design of a CMOS Integrated Controller with Variable Switching Frequency for High Current Low Voltage DC-DC Converters

In this paper, novel control architecture with variable switching frequency is introduced. The symmetric architecture provides advantages in practical design, especially for the integrated circuits. The methodology of controller circuit implementation is discussed with comparison of voltage-mode and current-mode analog design approaches. The designed controller takes advantages of both design approaches to achieve optimal performance. Some key circuits in the controller are presented. Fully differential circuits are utilized to effectively improve system performance. The control and circuits were verified by designing a two-channel interleaved controller with CMOS technology.
Evaluation of Safety and Feasibility of Percutaneous Balloon Pericardiotomy in Hemodynamically Significant Pericardial Effusion (Review of 10-Years Experience in Single Center).

Background Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy (PBP) has been successful in managing large pericardial effusions, particularly in patients with malignant conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate safety and feasibility of this procedure (PBP) in patients who had recurrent life threatening pericardial effusion at West Virginia University Hospital (WVUH). Methods This is retrospective review of consecutive series of pericardial windows by PBP. This report entails our experience of 36 procedures performed from November 2002 to November 2012 by PBP. Results Thirty-six percutaneous balloon pericardiotomies were performed (20 males and 16 females) with a mean age of 58 ± 15 years. Lung cancer (50%) was the most common diagnosis with small cell type (29%) being most frequent. Other causes of pericardial effusion requiring PBP procedure included breast cancer (13.2%) and gastrointestinal cancer (15.7). Five patients had previously required pericardiocentesis in the past, and 31 patients had PBP as the first treatment for the pericardial effusion. There were no acute complications. The procedures were successful and well tolerated. Technical success of procedure was 100%. The 30-day survival was 81 percent and there were no infectious complications during follow-up. Conclusion Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy is safe and effective technique for the management of patients with severe recurrent life threatening pericardial effusion. (J Interven Cardiol 2015;28:409–414)
Costs of Potential Complications of Care for Major Surgery Patients

We examined computerized hospital discharge abstract data from 372,680 major surgery patients admitted to 404 California acute care hospitals in 1988 to identify potential complications of care. At least one potential in-hospital complication occurred for 10.8% of patients. Patients with complications were older and more likely to die in-hospital (9.4% compared to 1.0%, P < 0.0001). On average, patients with complications had longer stays (13.5 versus 5.4 days, p < 0.0001) and higher total charges ($30,896 versus $9,239, p < 0.0001). After adjusting for demographic, clinical, and hospital factors, patients with potential complications averaged $16,023 higher total hospital charges than uncomplicated patients. Complications were associated with 96.6% (95% confidence interval = 95.2%, 98.0%) higher hospital charges after adjusting for these factors. Across all patients, complications were related to over $647 million in additional total hospital charges for these major surgery patients.
Hydrates in binary sulfuric acid‐water vapor: Comparison of CIMS measurements with the Liquid‐Drop Model

We report calculations of the distribution of sulfuric acid-water hydrates under atmospheric conditions using the liquid-drop hydrate model. The model-computed total acid concentrations (free acid plus hydrated acid) are compared with chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) measurements of total sulfuric acid vapor over solutions of varying concentration [Marti et al, 1997] Results from this first direct comparison with experimental measurement suggest that the liquid-drop model overestimates the extent of hydrate formation. We explore the consequences of this overestimation on binary sulfuric acid-water nucleation rates, and on higher-order multi-component nucleation rates involving these and additional trace species in the atmosphere. In particular, it is found that over-estimation of hydrate formation by the model can result in substantial underprediction of sulfuric acid-water nucleation rates.
On the stabilization of diamond relative to graphite by surfaces

Bond counting, and calculations of entropy, bond, and bond angle strain have been used to evaluate the relative stability of diamond and graphite on various substrates for conditions that normally stabilize the graphite structure in bulk. Pseudomorphic and many metallic substrates that bond to carbon when clean are found to stabilize the diamond phase; others stabilize the graphite phase. If the relative thermodynamic stability governs the kinetics of growth under film deposition conditions, then an interesting prediction of the present research is that growth of diamond on {100} surfaces should proceed by formation of surface monolayers that alternately have graphite and diamond bonding configurations, and with the graphite monolayer converting to a diamond configuration when it becomes subsurface. The latter mode of growth should not occur in an atomic hydrogen atmosphere, nor should it occur on {111} surfaces.
Cerebellar Ataxia and Central Nervous System Whipple Disease

Background Whipple disease (WD) is an infectious disease, which may affect the central nervous system. Central nervous system symptoms are eventually present in as many as 43% of the cases. To our knowledge, cerebellar ataxia in WD has never been formally studied in any large series. Objective To determine the prevalence of cerebellar ataxia in central nervous system WD. Results Between January 1974 and December 2003, we identified 11 patients who met criteria for definite central nervous system WD, the second largest series to date. Surprisingly, while oculomasticatory myorrhythmia was recorded in only 1 patient (9%), cerebellar ataxia had been documented in 5 cases (45%). Conclusion Our data suggest that cerebellar ataxia should be considered a more common feature of central nervous system WD.
Impact of Moisture and Fluorocarbon Passivation on the Current Collapse of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

In this letter, ambient moisture has been identified as a previously unrecognized cause of current collapse in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors. Unpassivated devices exposed to dry air or protected with a hydrophobic passivation, such as vapor-deposited fluorocarbon, showed negligible current collapse under 250-ns pulsed measurements. A mechanism based on the ionization and deionization of the water molecules at the device surface has been proposed to explain this behavior. The use of a hydrophobic passivation to prevent dc-to-RF dispersion works even when it is not directly in contact with the semiconductor surface, which allows the engineering of multistack passivation layers to eliminate current collapse while minimizing parasitic capacitance.
Umbilical cord blood: biology and transplantation

Umbilical cord blood transplantation is becoming an acceptable alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for patients with malignant diseases. Cord blood differs from bone marrow and peripheral blood progenitors in its immune tolerance and kinetics of engraftment. In this article, we will review the biology of cord blood stem cells and clinical studies of cord blood transplants in pediatric and adult populations. We will also discuss potential uses of cord blood stem cells in regenerative medicine and novel methods for ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells. As we learn more about cord blood transplants, there is the potential to overcome the limitations of cord blood transplants so that they can become more widely available.
Institutions and development: what a difference geography and time make!

Ha-Joon Chang, in his article ‘Institutions and Economic Development: Theory, Policy, and History’, provides a description and critique of the mainstream view of institutions and development. It applies well to Latin America in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the effort to introduce these Anglo-American institutional structures (Global Standard Institutions; GSIs) in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in uneven and unstable economic performance, not development. As a result, the relationship among institutions, development and economic policy in Latin America today has generally moved far beyond this ‘mainstream’. The institutions to insure macro stability have generally been preserved, and some countries do follow GSI prescriptions. However in most countries, especially in South America, the effort to find the right mix of institutions for development has moved far beyond this mainstream. The result has been innovative initiatives to address more fundamental development issues such as inequality, property rights and international economic institutions. This process is likely to continue, facilitated by the currently robust democratic political systems that grew out of the earlier turmoil.
Operator estimates and elliptic regularity

In order to make use of the symbol smoothing of §1.3, we need operator estimates on p(x, D) when p(x, ξ) ∈CsS 1, δ m . We give a number of such results in §2.1, most of them following from work of Bourdaud [BG]. The main result, Theorem 2.1.A, treats the case δ = 1. This will be very useful for the treatment of paradifferential operators in Chapter 3.
Facing Mental Landscapes: Self-Reflections in the Mirror of Nature

This curious book, by the editor’s own account a long-term interdisciplinary project close to his heart, unites fifteen contributions from art historians, literary scholars, philosophers and schola...
Analysing frequency and temporal reliability of children’s morphosyntactic production in spontaneous language samples of varying lengths

Spontaneous language samples are a useful tool in studying the nature of morphosyntactic production in both clinical and academic settings. However, little work has been done on typical frequency o...
Tunable visible light emission of self-assembled rhomboidal metallacycles.

Supramolecular coordination complexes (SCCs) have been proposed for applications necessitating photon emitting properties; however, two critical characteristics, facile tunability and high emission quantum yields, have yet to be demonstrated on SCC platforms. Herein, a series of functionalized D2h [D2A2] rhomboids (D = 2,6-bis(4-ethynylpyridine)aniline-based ligands; A = 2,9-bis[trans-Pt(PEt3)2NO3]phenanthrene) is described with emission wavelengths spanning the visible region (λmax = 476–581 nm). Tuning was achieved by simple functional group modifications para to the aniline amine on the donor building block. Steady-state absorption and emission profiles were obtained for each system and are discussed. When the Hammett σpara constants for the functional groups para to the aniline amine were plotted versus the wavenumber (cm–1) for the λmax of the emission profile, a linear relationship was observed. By utilizing this relationship, the emission wavelength of a given rhomboid can be predetermined on the b...
Identifying predictors of high sodium excretion in patients with heart failure: A mixed effect analysis of longitudinal data

BACKGROUND A low-sodium diet is a core component of heart failure self-care but patients have difficulty following the diet. AIM The aim of this study was to identify predictors of higher than recommended sodium excretion among patients with heart failure. METHODS The World Health Organization Five Dimensions of Adherence model was used to guide analysis of existing data collected from a prospective, longitudinal study of 280 community-dwelling adults with previously or currently symptomatic heart failure. Sodium excretion was measured objectively using 24-hour urine sodium measured at three time points over six months. A mixed effect logistic model identified predictors of higher than recommended sodium excretion. RESULTS The adjusted odds of higher sodium excretion were 2.90, (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15-4.25, p<0.001) for patients who were obese; 2.80 (95% CI: 1.33-5.89, p=0.007) for patients with diabetes; and 2.22 (95% CI: 1.09-4.53, p=0.028) for patients who were cognitively intact. CONCLUSION Three factors were associated with excess sodium excretion and two factors, obesity and diabetes, are modifiable by changing dietary food patterns.
Giant Magnetoresistance and Oscillatory Interlayer Exchange Coupling in Copper Based Multilayers

Giant magnetoresistance values exceeding 65% at room temperature are reported in antiferromagnetically coupled Co/Cu multilayers grown on Fe buffer layers using magnetron sputter deposition. For such samples the saturation fields exceed 10 kOe. However by taking advantage of the rapid decrease of the Co interlayer magnetic exchange coupling with increasing Cu spacer layer thickness, large magnetoresistance values exceeding 35% can be obtained at room temperature for saturation fields of just a few hundred oersted.
Network security via biometric recognition of patterns of gene expression

Molecular biology provides the ability to implement forms of information and network security completely outside the bounds of legacy security protocols and algorithms. This paper addresses an approach which instantiates the power of gene expression for security. Molecular biology provides a rich source of gene expression and regulation mechanisms, which can be adopted to use in the information and electronic communication domains. Conventional security protocols are becoming increasingly vulnerable due to more intensive, highly capable attacks on the underlying mathematics of cryptography. Security protocols are being undermined by social engineering and substandard implementations by IT organizations. Molecular biology can provide countermeasures to these weak points with the current security approaches. Future advances in instruments for analyzing assays will also enable this protocol to advance from one of cryptographic algorithms to an integrated system of cryptographic algorithms and real-time expression and assay of gene expression products.
Study on synthesis and characterization of cyclocarbonate

Using epoxy resin E-44 as the raw material a novel cyclocarbonate was synthesized by converting the epoxy groups into the five-membered cyclocarbonate groups in presence of catalysts at high temperature and under high pressure.The structure of cyclocarbonate was confirmed by IR spectra,1 H NMR,element analysis and GPC.The effects of catalysts,reaction temperature,pressure and reaction time on the fractional conversion of the epoxy groups and the appearance of the products were in detail discussed.The results showed that when the reaction temperature ahd time are 100℃ and 5h,respectively,the carbon dioxide pressure is 1.5MPa and the TBAB ahd KBr are used as the catalysts,the yield can be reached over 95% and the products have a good appearance.
TRACE: A Dynamic Model of Trust for People-Driven Service Engagements

Trust is an important element of achieving secure collaboration that deals with human judgment and decision making. We consider trust as it arises in and influences people-driven service engagements. Existing approaches for estimating trust between people suffer from two important limitations. One, they consider only commitment as the primary means of estimating trust and omit additional significant factors, especially risk and emotions. Two, they typically estimate trust based either on fixed parameter models that require manual setting of parameters or based on Hidden Markov Models (HMM), which assume conditional independence and are thus ill-suited to capturing complex relationships between trust, risk, commitments, and emotions.
The Codman Competition: Rewarding Excellence in Performance Measurement, 1997–2006

Article-at-a-Glance Background Since 1997 the Ernest Amory Codman Award, the only health care award that recognizes excellence in performance measurement, has honored organizations and individuals for their use of process and outcomes measures to improve organization performance and quality of care. Individual Award Winners The individual Codman award winners have advanced measurement of systems performance, health outcomes, and customer satisfaction. Organization Award Winners Forty-two organizations have been selected as winners. The work for which these organizations were recognized was categorized as improvements in direct patient care services, improved effectiveness of care through better teamwork, interdisciplinary planning, improvement of administrative processes, and improved quality of care in large regions or health care systems. Case studies from four organizations that have won the Codman award each represents a lesson or theme that may be instructive for other health care organizations—(1) the need for catalysts or agents of change, (2) evidence-based clinical pathways are essential for delivering optimal care to patients in large organizations, (3) quality assessment and improvement methods from other industries can be successfully applied to health care, (4) as health care is increasingly delivered by large networks and systems, quality takes on regional and even national relevance. Conclusion The scope of Codman's endeavors is reflected in the array of quality improvement projects selected as Codman award winners.
Abdominal Pain in the Geriatric Patient

With an aging population, emergency department clinicians can expect an increase in geriatric patients presenting with abdominal pain. Compared with younger patients, this patient population is less likely to present with classic symptoms, physical examination findings, and laboratory values of abdominal disease. However, the morbidity and mortality associated with elderly patients presenting with abdominal pathologic conditions are significant. For this reason, the clinician must be familiar with some subtle and not so subtle differences when caring for the geriatric patient with abdominal pain to ensure timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
The external gate of the human and Drosophila serotonin transporters requires a basic/acidic amino acid pair for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) translocation and the induction of substrate efflux

The substituted amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), is a widely used drug of abuse that induces non-exocytotic release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine through their cognate transporters as well as blocking the reuptake of neurotransmitter by the same transporters. The resulting dramatic increase in volume transmission and signal duration of neurotransmitters leads to psychotropic, stimulant, and entactogenic effects. The mechanism by which amphetamines drive reverse transport of the monoamines remains largely enigmatic, however, promising outcomes for the therapeutic utility of MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder and the long-time use of the dopaminergic and noradrenergic-directed amphetamines in treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy increases the importance of understanding this phenomenon. Previously, we identified functional differences between the human and Drosophila melanogaster serotonin transporters (hSERT and dSERT, respectively) revealing that MDMA is an effective substrate for hSERT but not dSERT even though serotonin is a potent substrate for both transporters. Chimeric dSERT/hSERT transporters revealed that the molecular components necessary for recognition of MDMA as a substrate was linked to regions of the protein flanking transmembrane domains (TM) V through IX. Here, we performed species-scanning mutagenesis of hSERT, dSERT and C. elegans SERT (ceSERT) along with biochemical and electrophysiological analysis and identified a single amino acid in TM10 (Glu394, hSERT; Asn484, dSERT, Asp517, ceSERT) that is primarily responsible for the differences in MDMA recognition. Our findings reveal that an acidic residue is necessary at this position for MDMA recognition as a substrate and serotonin releaser.
Irrigation requirements for seed production of five Lomatium species in a semiarid environment.

Seeds of native plants are needed for rangeland restoration in the Intermountain West. Many of these plants are rarely cultivated and relatively little is known about the cultural practices required for their seed production. Irrigation trials were conducted for five perennial Lomatium species over multiple years. Lomatium species grown at the Oregon State University Malheur Experiment Station, Ontario, OR received 0, 100, or 200mmof irrigation per year. Seed yield responses to irrigation were evaluated by linear and quadratic regression. In general, seed yields from the three species grown for 10 years responded linearly or quadratically to irrigation. To improve the accuracy of estimated irrigation water requirements, regressions were also run on seed yield responses to irrigation plus precipitation during the previous spring; spring and winter; and spring, winter, and fall. Over multiple years, Lomatium dissectum (Nutt.) Mathias & Constance and L. triternatum (Pursh) J.M. Coult. & Rose seed yields were best estimated by a quadratic response to irrigation plus spring precipitation with highest yields at 243 and 255 mm, respectively. Lomatium grayi (J.M. Coult. & Rose) J.M. Coult. & Rose seed yields were best estimated by a quadratic response to irrigation plus precipitation during the fall, winter, and spring with highest yields at 358 mm. Two of the Lomatium species were grown for the last 6 years. The seed yields of L. nudicaule (Pursh) J.M. Coult. & Rose did not respond to irrigation. Seed yields of Lomatium suksdorfii (S. Watson) J.M. Coult. & Rose responded linearly to irrigation in 2015.
A Macrocyclic Agouti-Related Protein/[Nle4,DPhe7]α-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone Chimeric Scaffold Produces Subnanomolar Melanocortin Receptor Ligands

The melanocortin system consists of five receptor subtypes, endogenous agonists, and naturally occurring antagonists. These receptors and ligands have been implicated in numerous biological pathways including processes linked to obesity and food intake. Herein, a truncation structure–activity relationship study of chimeric agouti-related protein (AGRP)/[Nle4,DPhe7]α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (NDP-MSH) ligands is reported. The tetrapeptide His-DPhe-Arg-Trp or tripeptide DPhe-Arg-Trp replaced the Arg-Phe-Phe sequence in the AGRP active loop derivative c[Pro-Arg-Phe-Phe-Xxx-Ala-Phe-DPro], where Xxx was the native Asn of AGRP or a diaminopropionic (Dap) acid residue previously shown to increase antagonist potency at the mMC4R. The Phe, Ala, and Dap/Asn residues were successively removed to generate a 14-member library that was assayed for agonist activity at the mouse MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R. Two compounds possessed nanomolar agonist potency at the mMC4R, c[Pro-His-DPhe-Arg-Trp-Asn-Ala-Phe-DPro] and c...