cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trabectedin (ET-743): evaluation of its use in advanced soft-tissue sarcoma

Trabectedin (ET-743; Yondelis) is a novel DNA-binding agent, originally derived from the marine tunicate, Ecteinascidia turbinata, and now produced synthetically. The efficacy of trabectedin in patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcoma has been demonstrated in three Phase II studies involving 189 previously treated patients. A pooled analysis of data from these studies showed that trabectedin induced tumor control (objective responses plus disease stabilization) in approximately 50% of patients; median overall survival was 10.3 months and progression-free survival at 6 months was 19.8%, with 29.3% of patients alive at 2 years. Responses were achieved in patients who were resistant to both doxorubicin and ifosfamide. Trabectedin is generally well tolerated, with adverse events being non cumulative, reversible and manageable. Unlike other commonly used cytotoxic agents, trabectedin is not associated with cardiotoxicity or neurotoxicity and alopecia is rare. Trabectedin is an interesting new anticancer agent that offers much promise for the treatment of advanced soft-tissue sarcoma.
Mars: Change in Axial Tilt Due to Climate?

The average tilt of Mars' equator with respect to its orbital plane may have increased significantly over the age of the solar system. Obliquity oscillations might have induced changes in the climate, which altered the mass distribution and hence the solar torque on the planet. Viscous deformation attributable to loading by the large polar caps expected at low obliquity may have induced secular changes in the axial tilt. Earth-like effective viscosities can account for virtually the entire present obliquity of 24.4 degrees. Thus the present average tilt of Mars may not be primordial.
Effects of thiocyanate, perchlorate and other anions on thyroidal iodine metabolism

Rat thyroid lobes were incubated with 131I- in graded concentrations of thiocyanate, perchlorate, nitrate, chlorate and fluoborate. All anions tested inhibited both concentration of inorganic iodide by the thyroid tissue and, in higher concentration, organic binding of that iodide which did enter the thyroid. Both inhibitory phenomena could be reversed by leaching lobes preincubated in effective concentrations of any of these anions. Perchlorate was most effective in inhibiting iodide concentration, while thiocyanate was the most potent inhibitor of organic binding. High concentrations of perchlorate and thiocyanate, the only 2 anions so tested, also inhibited both iodide concentration and organic binding of iodine in vivo. The patterns of inhibition of the various functions indicated that there are qualitative as well as quantitative differences between the various anions, particularly between thiocyanate and the others. (Endocrinology 79: 237,1966)
Computer simulation of tooth replacement with growth in lower tetrapods

ABSTRACT It is now recognized that, in a majority of lower (non-mammalian) vertebrates, tooth replacement is continuous and the order of succession along the tooth row exhibits a temporal pattern. This temporal pattern is here described in terms of the Zahnreihen model of Edmund, which expresses the relationship between relative tooth ages and tooth positions along the jaw in terms of “Z-spacings”. The Zahnreihen model neglects certain observed phenomena that can be presumed to have functional significance, such as the gradual replacement of small teeth with larger ones (growth). This is in the tradition of science; the mathematical representation of natural phenomena generally results in simplifications. However, failure to take growth into account in quantitative models of tooth replacement severely restricts our understanding of some functional implications of replacement. Preliminary graphical analysis of tooth “crowding” in hypothetical dentitions, together with observed species-specific variations i...
HEAO-B and -C engineering design and scientific objectives

The HEAO-B observatory will be launched in late 1978 for a one-year mission to analyze individual X-ray objects and extended sources in detail using a high precision X-ray telescope. The energy range of the telescope is 0.1 keV to 4 keV. Four interchangeable instruments are at the focal plane; a high resolution imaging instrument, an imaging proportional counter, a focal plane crystal spectrometer, and a solid state spectrometer. A monitor proportional counter will collect data independently of the telescope. The HEAO-C observatory is a scanning mission and will be launched in 1979 for six months operation. It will contain two cosmic ray experiments and a gamma ray spectrometer.
Right job, wrong tool: a commentary on designing clinical trials for Ebola virus disease.

We agree on the common goal of finding safe and effective treatments for Ebola virus disease (EVD) “using rigorous methods and simple but properly designed clinical trials” (World Health Organizati...
Volume density and distribution of mitochondria in harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) skeletal muscle

Recent studies have shown that harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) have an increased skeletal muscle mitochondrial volume density that may be an adaptation for maintaining aerobic metabolism during diving. However, these studies were based on single samples taken from locomotory muscles. In this study, we took multiple samples from a transverse section of the epaxial (primary locomotory) muscles and single samples from the m. pectoralis (secondary locomotory) muscle of five wild harbor seals. Average mitochondrial volume density of the epaxial muscles was 5.6%, which was 36.6% higher than predicted for a terrestrial mammal of similar mass, and most (82.1%) of the mitochondria were interfibrillar, unlike athletic terrestrial mammals. In the epaxial muscles, the total mitochondrial volume density was significantly greater in samples collected from the deep (6.0%) compared with superficial (5.0%) regions. Volume density of mitochondria in the pectoralis muscle was similar (5.2%) to that of the epaxial muscles. Taken together, these adaptations reduce the intracellular distance between mitochondria and oxymyoglobin and increase the mitochondrial diffusion surface area. This, in combination with elevated myoglobin concentrations, potentially increases the rate of oxygen diffusion into mitochondria and prevents diffusion limitation so that aerobic metabolism can be maintained under low oxygen partial pressure that develops during diving.
Decay of Injected Electron‐Hole Plasmas in p‐Type InSb

The decay of high‐density (4×1014−1012 cm−3) injected electron‐hole plasmas in pure p‐InSb (p0≈1014 cm−3) at 77 K is investigated in detail by means of a double‐pulse technique that determines the decay of the plasma conductivity. The decay curves show two distinct modes: a high‐density mode (>1013 cm−3) characterized by rapid decay and a low‐density mode (<1013 cm−3) of relatively slow decay. The high‐density mode is dominated by electrons and lasts for a period of time ranging from several hundred nanoseconds to only a few tens of nanoseconds depending on sample size. The effective time constants in the high‐density mode decrease as the plasma density is reduced. This is true whether the reduction is accomplished by letting decay proceed in time or by starting decay at a lower initial density. This trend is observed independent of sample cross section and surface conditions, factors that do affect, however, the magnitude of the time constants. An electron trapping mechanism in the sample bulk accounts f...
Crime and punishment in the soviet union and the united states: 1986–19901

A relatively recent development in the comparative criminology literature concerns cross‐national comparisons of criminal sentencing practices (e.g., Lynch, 1993). While there are now several studi...
Using Results on k Out of n System Reliability to Study and Characterize Tests.

For a specific achievement test item and a randomly selected examinee, let p be the probability of correctly determining whether the examinee knows the correct response. Various techniques have been proposed for estimating p. This paper describes and illustrates how results in the engineering literature on "k out of n system reliability" can be used to study and characterize tests based on the estimated values of p. In particular, we can empirically determine the minimum number of distractors required for multiple-choice tests. If we estimate p with an answer-until-correct scoring procedure, we can also determine the minimum number of examinees needed to be reasonably certain about whether y is less than or greater than some predetermined constant, where y = [UNKNOWN]pi and pi is the value of p for the ith item on an n-item test. In other words, we can determine whether the expected number of correct decisions on an n-item test is reasonably large.
Biocular image misalignment tolerance

Biocular helmet-mounted display (HMD) design flexibility and cost are directly related to image misalignment tolerance standards. Currently recommended tolerance levels are based on highly variable data from a number of studies. This paper presents progress of an ongoing study to evaluate optometric measures sensitive to misalignment in partial-overlap biocular optical systems like that proposed for the Comanche RAH-66 helicopter helmet integrated display sighting system (HIDSS). Horizontal divergent and relative vertical misalignments (offsets) of see-through biocular symbology viewed against a simulated daytime background were chosen for this study. Misalignments within and just beyond current tolerance recommendations were evaluated using pre, pre and post, and during measures of visual performance. Data were obtained from seven experimental and four control subjects. The diplopia responses from experimental and control subjects were essentially the same. However, accommodative facility showed a rate decrement following exposure to both types of misalignment. Horizontal heterophorias showed definite post-misalignment increases. Subject responses to questionnaires universally indicated increased adaptation to (ease with) visual tasks over the testing period.
LIPID abnormalities in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the types, mechanisms, clinical implications, and management of lipid abnormalities associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and its treatment. Methods Review of the relevant literature using MEDLINE data sources from 1985 to February 2008, endocrinology textbooks, and hand-searching of cross-references from original articles and reviews. Clinical trials, animal studies, in vitro studies, case reports, reviews, and guidelines of major medical associations were included. Results Advanced stages of HIV infection are characterized by low plasma levels of total cholesterol, highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated triglycerides. Antiretroviral agents can exert negative effects on lipids that vary substantially between different drug classes and between individual drugs within each class. Prospective studies suggest that the use of protease inhibitors may be associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction that is mediated in part by dyslipidemia. Target levels of plasma lipids and management of HIV–related dyslipidemia generally follow the same guidelines as in the general population. However, dyslipidemia in this setting is often difficult to control with a single lipid-lowering agent, and potentially serious drug interactions may exist between some statins, such as simvastatin, and protease inhibitors. Conclusions Plasma lipids should be measured in all patients infected with HIV before and 3 to 4 months after starting antiretroviral drugs. Statins are the initial drugs of choice in most patients. The concomitant use of statins and antiretroviral drugs should take into account various interactions between these agents. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14:492-500)
Su1432 Safety and Efficacy of Endoscopic Intraductal Pancreatic Lithotripsy Using the Freddy® Laser

procedures; range: 200-10000) than trainees (mean: 22.8; range: 5-60). In one of four cases, the mean time to cannulate the papilla was significantly lower for attendings [126.4 seconds (s) vs 377.8 s (P 0.01)]. For the other three cases, no difference was found in performance metrics between attendings and trainees. When the data was pooled between cases, the mean total procedure time and the time to cannulation for attendings (350.9 s and 162.5 s) was significantly lower than the respective times for trainees [687.7 s and 363.9 s (P 0.01)]. Participants rated the overall realism of the simulator as “moderately realistic”. The overall difficulty of the simulator was rated as “somewhat easier than real ERCP”. The trainees felt that the simulator “helped their ERCP skills”, but the attendings were “neutral” in their opinion. All participants agreed that requiring trainees to practice with the simulator could potentially reduce risk to patients. Participants were “neutral” regarding the utility of simulator training in assessing ERCP competency. Subjects commented that the most realistic aspects of the simulator were the movement of the endoscope and cannula. However, it was felt to be unrealistically difficult to reduce the endoscope in the second duodenum and to cannulate in a position close to the ampulla. Conclusion: The CAE EndoscopyVR ERCP simulator differentiated attending and trainee performance for certain metrics when data was pooled for all cases. Most participants felt that the simulator was moderately realistic, but easier than real ERCP. The simulator was felt to be a useful training tool, however, unlikely to be useful in assessing ERCP competency. Further study is warranted.
Why economic growth is slow

Abstract This paper presents a general theory of economic progress in the LDCs: that increase in productivity is slow because, even given knowledge of the productive techniques used in the industrialized countries, for techno-economic reasons economic growth can proceed only in stages and requires a high degree of innovational talent, which is scarce in any country. The stages are delineated. It is then suggested that the theory is still more general; that, with consideration of one added factor, it provides a general explanation of variations among countries in the pace of increase in productivity.
Cognitive Response to Poetry in 11 to 16 Year Olds

Abstract Response to poetry is often discussed in terms of ‘emotion’ or ‘feeling’. In this paper a method borrowed from Peel's work is applied to discover its cognitive dimension. I investigate to what extent, and in what ways, children grasp the meanings that might give rise to their feelings.
Acute intoxication due to methsuximide and diphenylhydantoin

Summary Data are reported to support the contentionthat intoxication with Celontin and Dilantin may be treated conservatively, and that exchange transfusion, dialysis, or diuresis are of little value compared to metabolic detoxification of the drug. Supportive therapy until the drug is detoxified is therefore of paramont importance. Determinations of plasma concentration,rate of renal excretion, and rate of metabolism are necessary to plan intelligently the use of dialysis procedures. These chemical data, presently unavailable in most books devoted to overdosage of drugs, should be provided to poison control centers.
Cholesterol inhibition of pentacyclic triterpenoid biosynthesis in Tetrahymena pyriformis.

SYNOPSIS. Tetrahymena pyriformis synthesizes tetrahymanol and “diplopterol” from acetate, mevalonate or squalene. The formation of these pentacyclic triterpenoid alcohols is inhibited by the addition of cholesterol to the culture fluid of the ciliates. Cholesterol also inhibits the biosynthesis of squalene from acetate or mevalonic acid. The synthesis of other terpene derivatives from acetate and mevalonate continues in the presence of cholesterol, thus suggesting that a major block occurs after “isoprene” formation and before squalene formation. Further, inhibition of squalene conversion to the pentacyclic alcohols by cholesterol has been established.
The role and goals of the state in urban development in Niger

Abstract The role and goal of the state in urban development policy in Niger are examined. It is revealed that while the state occasionally assumes the role of a fair-minded arbiter of change, it mostly functions as an entity in its own right, with interests it seeks to jealously guard. The state's policies and other actions in the urban development policy domain are thus seen as geared mainly towards accomplishing one objective or another of the state. This was true of the colonial period as it is today. The following were identified as specific goals constituting the object of urban development policies in colonial and post-colonial Niger: consolidation of state power, advertisement of Europe's grandeur, domination and control of the population, protection of the interests of preferred societal groups, reinforcement of the government's revenue-earning ability, and incorporation of Niger into the global capitalist system.
Planning home care services: which data do we need?

Summary In Italy, as is true throughout the developed world, care in the home is becoming central to the delivery of almost all health care services to much of the population, especially those who are elderly. Although there are many reasons why this is true, including the dramatic changes in the demographic characteristics of the population being served, financial considerations are surely the proximate and most visible cause. As Diagnostic Related Groupings (DRG) are introduced with a fixed payment for acute institutional care for a given condition, regardless of the duration of stay, hospitals will increasingly have an incentive to shorten the period of hospital care. This will necessitate the provision of much care, previously provided on an in-hospital basis, to be delivered in the home setting. These changes in the site of care will demand considerations about the education of all types of professionals but especially physicians who traditionally have had little direct involvement in care in the home. In addition, there will be a requirement for an expansion in health care research so that comparisons of services and sites can be carried out with an eye to determining the most cost-effective way to provide for care. Lastly, epidemiologic studies will be needed to address the risk factors of those chronic diseases so frequently a cause of functional impairment requiring home care services.
Assessing and Treating Aggression and Conduct Problems in Schools: Implications from the Coping Power Program.

Children with high levels of aggressive behavior and conduct problems create major management problems in school settings and interfere with the learning environment of their classmates and with their own academic achievement. A contextual social-cognitive model can provide a framework for understanding risk factors involved in the development and maintenance of aggression and conduct problems in children. The model also outlines important areas for intervention, including family factors, peer relationships, classroom and neighborhood factors, and children's social-cognitive functioning. Evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral intervention and prevention programs for aggression and conduct problems have been developed to address risk factors that occur within the family, the school setting, and children's social-cognitive processes. This article will review several evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral programs appropriate for children in preschool through late elementary school. We will also discuss how cognitive-behavioral programs can be disseminated to school staff, and we will present important considerations in the selection of intervention and prevention programs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Total syntheses of isodomoic acids G and H.

The total syntheses of marine natural products belonging to the kainoid family, isodomoic acids G and H, are described. The strategic connection involves a sequential silylcarbocyclization/silicon-based cross-coupling process. These total syntheses were achieved efficiently via a 12- and a 13-step, longest-linear sequence, respectively. The key transformations include a diastereoselective rhodium-catalyzed carbonylative silylcarbocyclization reaction of an (l)-vinylglycine-derived 1,6-enyne, a desilylative iodination reaction, as well as an alkenyl−alkenyl silicon-based cross-coupling reaction. The mechanistic insight garnered during the investigation of the iododesilylation reaction enabled stereocontrolled introduction of the iodine with either inversion or retention of double bond configuration. The invertive desilylative iodination leads to the total synthesis of isodomoic acid H, while its congener, isodomoic acid G, was obtained via a retentive iododesilylation.
Review: several pharmacologic therapies promote modest weight loss.

Li Z, Maglione M, Tu W, et al . Meta-analysis: pharmacologic treatment of obesity. Ann Intern Med 2005;142:532–46. [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Q How effective and safe are pharmacological therapies in the treatment of obesity? Clinical impact ratings GP/FP/Primary care ★★★★★☆☆ IM/Ambulatory care ★★★★★☆☆ Endocrine ★★★★★☆☆ ### ![Graphic][5] Data sources: Medline (to July 2003), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and existing systematic reviews. ### ![Graphic][6] Study selection and assessment: randomised controlled trials that evaluated pharmaceutical agents for weight loss in patients with body mass index ⩾27 kg/m2 and reported ⩾6 month weight outcomes. Study quality was assessed using the 5 point Jadad scale (5 = highest quality) and considered study design, method of random assignment, blinding, and withdrawal. ### ![Graphic][7] Outcomes: weight loss and side effects. The studies meeting inclusion criteria were 3 existing meta-analyses (39 RCTs) evaluating sibutramine, phentermine, and diethylpropion, and 47 RCTs that evaluated orlistat, bupropion, topiramate, and fluoxetine. All comparisons were with placebo, and most trials had a hypocaloric diet cointervention. Meta-analyses were done … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAnnals%2Bof%2BInternal%2BMedicine%26rft.stitle%253DANN%2BINTERN%2BMED%26rft.issn%253D0003-4819%26rft.aulast%253DLi%26rft.auinit1%253DZ.%26rft.volume%253D142%26rft.issue%253D7%26rft.spage%253D532%26rft.epage%253D546%26rft.atitle%253DMeta-Analysis%253A%2BPharmacologic%2BTreatment%2Bof%2BObesity%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.7326%252F0003-4819-142-7-200504050-00012%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F15809465%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.7326/0003-4819-142-7-200504050-00012&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=15809465&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F10%2F5%2F140.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000228167800007&link_type=ISI [5]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif [6]: /embed/inline-graphic-2.gif [7]: /embed/inline-graphic-3.gif
Early clinical experience with adalimumab in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with infliximab-treated and naive patients

Summary Background Adalimumab, at an induction dose of 160/80 mg followed by 40 mg every other week is approved for treatment of refractory Crohn's disease (CD) and for patients with loss of response to infliximab. Aim To evaluate the indications for adalimumab, the proportion of inflammatory bowel disease patients who require dose escalation and to identify whether this strategy is effective in inducing or maintaining remission. Methods Patients prescribed adalimumab for CD were identified and included for analysis, if they had follow-up of at least 6 weeks. Adalimumab dose was escalated if patients had return of symptoms prior to next dose. Clinical judgment was used to determine severity of disease. A second GI physician confirmed disease severity as determined by the first physician. Results A total of 48 out of 60 patients met inclusion criteria. Adalimumab was used to treat CD in 47/48 (98%) and ulcerative colitis in one (2%). Most patients had moderate 30/48 (63%) or severe 17/48 (35%) disease. Prior infliximab exposure was present in 42/48 (88%). Adalimumab dose escalation occurred in 14/48 (29%) within an average time of 2.2 months (s.d. 1.5 months). A majority of patients who required dose escalation, nine of 14 (64%) did not improve clinically. Steroids could be discontinued in three of 16 (18.8%). Clinical improvement was noted in 21/48 (43.8%) and one of 48 (2%) patients achieved clinical remission. Adverse drug reactions necessitated drug discontinuation in four of 48 (8%) of patients. Conclusions This retrospective review from a single academic medical centre suggests that a minority of patients, who cannot be maintained on 40 mg every other week, of adalimumab benefit from an increased dose. This suggests the need for a treatment with an alternative mode of action in anti-TNF failures.
The yeast genes, ARL1 and CCZ1, interact to control membrane traffic and ion homeostasis.

Abstract The yeast ARL1 gene, encoding a guanine-nucleotide binding protein of the Arf-like family, exhibits a synthetic genetic interaction with CCZ1. An arl1Δccz1Δ double mutant was viable but grew slowly, was more sensitive to caffeine, Ca2+, Zn2+, and hygromycin B than either single mutant, and had a more severe vacuolar protein sorting phenotype. Overexpression of ARL1 did not suppress ccz1Δ mutant phenotypes, nor did overexpression of CCZ1 suppress arl1Δ mutant phenotypes. We conclude that ARL1 and CCZ1 independently contribute to both ion homeostasis and protein sorting.
Mitigating Negative Externalities Affecting Access and Equity of Education in Low-Resource Countries: A Study Exploring Social Marketing as a Potential Strategy for Planning School Food Programs in Malawi.

School feeding programs enhance the efficiency of the education system by improving enrollment, reducing dropouts and increasing perseverance. They also have the potential to reach the poor, directly making them an effective social safety net. In many low-resource countries, school feeding programs are designed to protect children from the effects of hunger. Unfortunately, the continuity of such programs is threatened by over-reliance on external funding. Given the patterns of withdrawal of external support, countries that rely on donor funds to implement such programs need to develop plans that will move them from external to localized support. It is well documented that programs that involve community members are self-sustaining. Regrettably, even though community members are involved in school feeding programs in Malawi, their participation is restricted to food storage and preparation and doesn't include decision making. Thus the transition plan for Malawi has to deliberately involve community members and influence them to take ownership of the school feeding programs. This dissertation explored the use of Social Marketing, a strategy for influencing behavior change that applies traditional marketing techniques to persuade a target audience to adopt, adapt, maintain or reject a behavior for the benefit of individuals, groups, or society as a whole to plan school food programs in Malawian primary schools. Using focus groups and individual interview techniques, I carried out a qualitative study at a primary school in Malawi where the community has initiated a school feeding program with the aim of understanding the barriers and benefits of supporting such an initiative from the community members' perspective. The results show that the cost of producing food, particularly the use of chemical fertilizer, is the main barrier whilst ensuring that all children regardless of social-economic status have access to a meal at school is the drive behind this initiative. The Social Marketing campaign therefore focuses on promoting the use of eco-san toilets whose output is humanure in this school community so as to minimize the cost of producing food to ensure sustainability of this initiative.
A new approach to event-driven analog/digital simulation

SPECTRUM, an event-driven, mixed-signal, circuit simulation program, is discussed. By integrating high-level behavioral modeling and dynamic partitioning techniques, SPECTRUM is able to simulate complex digital/analog circuits accurately while taking maximal advantage of circuit latency. The current version of SPECTRUM uses a simple fixed-step integration algorithm. Multirate integration techniques are being evaluated. SPECTRUM has been used successfully in a large number of designs ranging from delta-sigma data acquisition systems complete with digital filters to high-resolution algorithmic analog-to-digital converters. In all complex, mixed-signal designs encountered to date, the algorithmic flexibility and the powerful behavioral modeling capability have been used to simulate the entire design. All simulated designs have been found to be fully functional in first-time silicon. >
Phonological similarity and mutual exclusivity: on-line recognition of atypical pronunciations in 3--5-year-olds.

Recent research has considered the phonological specificity of children’s word representations, but few studies have examined the flexibility of those representations. Tolerating acoustic–phonetic deviations has been viewed as a negative in terms of discriminating minimally different word forms, but may be a positive in an increasingly multicultural society where children encounter speakers with variable accents. To explore children’s on-line processing of accented speech, preschoolers heard atypically pronounced words (e. g. ‘fesh’, from fish) and selected pictures from a four-item display as eye movements were tracked. Children recognized similarity between typical and accented variants, selecting the fish overwhelmingly when hearing ‘fesh’ (Experiment 1), even when a novel-picture alternative was present (Experiment 2). However, eye movements indicated slowed on-line recognition of accented relative to typical variants. Novel-picture selections increased with feature distance from familiar forms, but were similarly sensitive to vowel, onset, and coda changes (Experiment 3). Implications for child accent processing and mutual exclusivity are discussed.
Evaluation of FDG PET in Patients with Cervical Cancer

UNLABELLED Although many human cancers can be imaged by 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and PET, there is little clinical experience with FDG PET in cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of FDG PET scans on patients with cervical cancer. METHODS FDG PET scans were performed on 21 patients with histologically proven uterine cervical cancer (17 newly diagnosed, 4 recurrence). After two levels of transmission scanning, approximately 370 MBq FDG were injected, and dynamic scans over 60 min were obtained at the level of suspected tumors, followed by static scans. Postvoid scans were also obtained in 11 patients to minimize FDG activity in the urinary bladder. FDG uptake was interpreted visually and classified into 4 grades (0 = normal, 1 = probably normal, 2 = probably abnormal and 3 = definitely abnormal). For a semiquantitative index of FDG uptake in tumors, the standardized uptake value (SUV) corrected by predicted lean body mass (SUL) was calculated and compared. The detectability of lymph node metastases by PET was compared with that by CT. RESULTS Of the 21 newly diagnosed or recurrent cancers, 16 (76%) were detected by FDG PET without use of postvoid imaging (i.e., interpreted as grade 2 or 3). The SULs of tumors ranged from 2.74-13.03, with a mean of 8.15 +/- 3.00 (SUV range 3.68-14.94, mean 10.31 +/- 3.19). There was no significant relationship between the SUL of cervical cancer and the clinical stage. Postvoid FDG PET images substantially reduced the tracer activity in the urinary bladder and improved the visualization of cervical cancers, with three additional cases detected using the postvoid images. In the 11 patients with postvoid imaging, all 11 cancers (100%) were detected. FDG PET detected lymph node metastases in 6 (86%) of 7 patients with known metastases, whereas CT was positive in 4 patients (57%), equivocal in 2 patients (29%) and negative in 1 patient (14%). All PET and CT scans were true-negative in the patients with no lymph node metastases (interpreted as grade 0 or 1 by PET, and as negative by CT). CONCLUSION These preliminary data demonstrate the feasibility of FDG PET imaging in patients with cervical cancer. FDG PET appears to be promising for detecting untreated or recurrent cervical cancers and lymph node metastases, although the excreted FDG in the urine remains problematic in some cases.
Status and Strategic Plans for Fluoridation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Perspective

This paper summarizes the current status of water fluoridation in the United States and discusses the strategic plan developed by the Division of Oral Health (DOH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to meet the Healthy People 2000 fluoridation objective. This objective proposes to: "Increase to a least 75 percent the proportion of people served by community water systems providing optimal levels of fluoride (baseline: 62% in 1989)." The CDC strategic plan defines the nature of the problem with attainment of this objective, sets CDC priorities, and establishes six major components for future action: (1) assessment, evaluation and surveillance; (2) consultation; (3) state and regional efforts; (4) professional education and involvement; (5) public education; and (6) quality assurance. Actions in each of the components of the plan to help in the attainment of priorities are detailed. Finally, the broader picture of the federal role in a national fluoride plan is discussed.
The Ethical Limitations of the Market

A distinctive feature of modern capitalist societies is the tendency of the market to take over the production, maintenance, and distribution of goods that were previously produced, maintained, and distributed by nonmarket means. Yet, there is a wide range of disagreement regarding the proper extent of the market in providing many goods. Labor has been treated as a commodity since the advent of capitalism, but not without significant and continuing challenges to this arrangement. Other goods whose production for and distribution on the market are currently the subject of dispute include sexual intercourse, human blood, and human body parts such as kidneys. How can we determine which goods are properly subjects of market transactions and which are not? The purpose of this article is to propose a theory of what makes economic goods differ from other kinds of goods, which can help to answer this question.
Error concealment for dual frame video coding with uneven quality

When losses occur in a transmission of compressed video, the decoder can attempt to conceal the loss by using spatial or temporal methods to estimate the missing macroblocks. We consider a multi-frame error concealment approach which exploits the uneven quality in the two reference frames to provide good concealment candidates. A binary decision tree is used to decide among various error concealment choices. The uneven quality of the reference frames provides an advantage for error concealment.
A Novel Biometric System for Identification and Verification of Haptic Users

Currently, almost all systems involve an identity authentication process before a user can access requested services such as online transactions, entrance to a secured vault, logging into a computer system, accessing laptops, secure access to buildings, etc. Therefore, authentication has become the core of any secure system, wherein most of the cases rely on identity recognition approaches. Biometric systems provide the solution to ensure that the rendered services are accessed only by a legitimate user and no one else. Biometric systems identify users based on behavioral or physiological characteristics. The advantages of such systems over traditional authentication methods, such as passwords and IDs, are well known; hence, biometric systems are gradually gaining ground in terms of usage. We investigate the issues related to the usage of haptics as a mechanism to extract behavioral features that define a biometric identifier system. In order to test this possibility, we design a haptic system in which position, velocity, force, and torque data from the instrument is continuously measured and stored as users perform a specific task. We analyze the information content of the haptic data generated directly from the instrument's interface. We then measure the physical attributes such as force and torque that provide the richest information content pertaining to a user's identity. Through a series of experimental work, we discover that haptic interfaces are more suited to verification mode rather than identification mode. Finally, we implement a biometric system based on haptics
Helium abundance enhancements in the solar wind

Evidence for a link between helium enhancements at 1 AU and transient coronal mass ejections is provided by the statistical analysis of 73 large helium abundance enhancement observations made by IMPs 6, 7 and 8 over 1972-1978. These events, in which helium abundance enhancement is greater than about 10%, are sporadic, sometimes clustered in time, occur approximately in phase with the solar cycle, and nearly 50% of them are associated with interplanetary shocks and/or geomagnetic activity sudden commencements. The plasma pattern associated with them is nevertheless independent of shock occurrence, and features high magnetic field strength, low alpha-proton velocity difference, and low proton temperature, suggesting that the enhancement is embedded in a closed, magnetically dominated structure that expands adiabatically. Evidence of an association between helium enhancement at 1 AU and type II and IV radio bursts in the corona is presented.
Action Speaks Louder Than Words: Young Children Differentially Weight Perceptual, Social, and Linguistic Cues to Learn Verbs

This paper explores how children use two possible solutions to the verb-mapping problem: attention to perceptually salient actions and attention to social and linguistic information (speaker cues). Twenty-two-month-olds attached a verb to one of two actions when perceptual cues (presence/absence of a result) coincided with speaker cues but not when these cues were placed into conflict (Experiment 1), and not when both possible referent actions were perceptually salient (Experiment 2). By 34 months, children were able to override perceptual cues to learn the name of an action that was not perceptually salient (Experiment 3). Results demonstrate an early reliance on perceptual information for verb mapping and an emerging tendency to weight speaker information more heavily over developmental time.
Statistical inference in wireless sensor and mobile networks

In recent years, wireless sensor networks have emerged as a cost effective alternative to traditional wired sensor systems. Compared to wired sensors, wireless sensors are relatively small in size, operated on batteries, communicate using wireless radios, and can last for years of operations. In the meantime, mobile networks have also gained many momentums. With the popularity of modern smart phones such as the Apple iPhone, we have witnessed a gold rush of mobile applications and services. The two emerging networks share many common features. Firstly, both networks consist of network nodes equipped with sensors that monitor the physical environment. Secondly, they both have short-range wireless communication (e.g., ZigBee, Bluetooth or WiFi). Finally, both network nodes operate on batteries, which requires power efficient programs in order to extend the length of operating time. In this dissertation, we focus on four important problems in wireless sensor and mobile networks: (a) data authentication, (b) faulty sensor detection, (c) indoor localization and tracking, and (d) prediction. We formulate them as spatial/temporal statistical inference problems and develop efficient centralized and decentralized solution methods. In the problem of data authentication, we aim at providing an energy efficient means for data authentication using spatial correlations. A centralized method is proposed and is suitable for a wide range of sensor network applications that emphasize data integrities, such as traffic monitoring and control. Compared to three competing methods, it reduces the average data error by up to 60% and reduces the security overhead by an order of one magnitude. In the problem of faulty sensor detection, we introduce a new method for detecting faulty sensor nodes without human or centralized interventions. The proposed method is based on the principles of probabilistic collective theory. The method consistently outperforms two competing methods with up to 50% higher detection accuracy. It is suitable for decentralized sensor networks operated in remote or harsh environments. In the problem of indoor localization and tracking, we propose a new method for simultaneously tracking a target and constructing an indoor logic map using smart phones. The method is designed based on temporal inference and particle filtering. Simulation results show the proposed method outperforms an existing method by approximately 9 times in tracking accuracy and constructs maps of 89% accuracy on average. It can be used for location based services like a restaurant finder and for internet map services. In the problem of prediction, we focus on the area of traffic sensor data prediction and present an analytical method to derive the spatial correlation model. We show that the analytical method acquires close estimation to the learned correlation model without the need for extensive training sensor deployment.
Assessment of Thermal Properties via Nanosecond Thermoreflectance Method

Nanosecond time-domain thermoreflectance (ns-TDTR) is an all optical method of determining independently a variety of thermal parameters of both homogeneous and layered materials. Despite its relative experimental simplicity, the sensitivity of the temperature decay (measured by the transient reflectivity signal) to the relevant thermal properties has yet to be fully characterized. In principle, it is possible to simultaneously extract multiple thermal parameters from a single measurement. In practice, however, changes to several of these parameters may result in experimentally indistinguishable variations to the transient reflectivity signal. In this work, we focus on investigating thermal properties of bulk material and the contact resistance between the thin-film coating that is needed for the ns-TDTR method and the bulk substrate. To extract multiple properties from one temperature decay trace, we divide the data into temporal sub-regions known to be influenced to different degrees by each individual ...
Manipulation of protein charge states through continuous flow-extractive desorption electrospray ionization: a new ambient ionization technique.

Manipulation of protein charge states in electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has implications for the study of intact proteins, protein−protein interactions, post-translational modif...
Abstract 252: Altered caspase-8 localization and decreased caspase-8 sumoylation in TRAIL-resistant normal human fibroblasts

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated cell death is currently being utilized in newly developed cancer therapies. The molecular basis of normal cell resistance to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis, and thus therapeutic index, remains largely unexplored. We previously investigated TRAIL sensitivity in normal fibroblasts (HFF, WI-38, MRC-5) and found that normal fibroblasts have decreased protein expression of initiator caspase-8 that is required for complete TRAIL signaling. We examined caspase-8 stability in cycloheximide treated normal fibroblasts and SW480 human colon cancer cells. Normal fibroblast caspase-8 stability was found to be similar to SW480 cells. Additionally, we investigated caspase-8 modulation in normal fibroblasts to uncover any drug treatments or modified growth conditions that result in increased caspase-8 protein expression and enhanced susceptibility to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Normal fibroblasts treated for 24, 48, and 72 hours with non-lethal doses of histone deacetylase inhibitor Trichostatin A or DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine had no change in caspase-8 protein expression. Our results suggest epigenetic silencing of caspase-8 is not responsible for TRAIL resistance in normal fibroblasts. However, normal fibroblasts serum starved with media containing 0.5% fetal calf serum for 48 hours, resulted in increased caspase-8 protein expression but not effector caspase-3 expression. Serum starved normal fibroblasts treated with TRAIL had increased caspase-3 activity and an increase in the percentage of sub-G1 positive cells compared to TRAIL treated cells in normal growth media. No increase in TRAIL-mediated apoptosis was observed in serum starved SW480 cells. Since previous studies have detected caspase-8 targets in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, we examined caspase-8 localization in normal fibroblasts. Little caspase-8 was found in nuclear extracts isolated from normal fibroblasts. Alternatively, SW480 caspase-8 expression was observed in both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions. Sumoylated caspase-8 (p75), previously found to be associated with caspase-8 nuclear localization, was noted in nuclear fractions in both normal fibroblasts and SW480 cells. Yet, like total caspase-8 expression, sumoylated caspase-8 expression was found to be decreased in normal fibroblasts compared to SW480 colon cancer cells. Thus, decreased nuclear caspase-8 may be a contributing factor in normal fibroblast resistance to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Our current studies are focused on further analysis of caspase-8 sumoylation/desumoylation as well as caspase-8 post-translational modifications that may suppress caspase activity and nuclear translocation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 252. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-252
Analysis of Internal Thermocouple Data in Carbon/Carbon Using Inverse Heat Conduction Methods

It is often impractical to instrument and measure thermal histories on the external surface of high speed vehicles. Temperature histories can instead be measured internally to the surface and used to solve the direct and inverse heat conduction problems to estimate thermal histories on the external surface. This paper considers solving the transient nonlinear one-dimensional heat conduction equation using internal temperature measurements assuming negligible inplane temperature gradients. The methodology is discussed for filtering noise from measured data and solving the direct and inverse heat conduction problems in high-temperature carbon/carbon materials. Experimental data from tests conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center are used to estimate surface temperature and heat flux histories and validate the methodology. In the tests, a carbon/carbon specimen was radiantly heated and internal temperatures were measured using thermocouple plugs. Accurate results were obtained when validating the direct and inverse methodologies for temperature. Errors ranged from -2% to 9% in the solution for the direct method and ranged from -5% to 9% in the solution for the inverse method. The heat flux results yielded higher errors compared to the temperature results.