cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 4. Analgetics–Strong and Weak

Publisher Summary More and more drugs are becoming available for the treatment of pain that appear to have mechanisms differing, sometimes quite markedly, from those of the classical agents. Now strong analgesics that are devoid of morphine-like addiction potential and mild analgesics that are increasing in their pain relieving potency are available. Different modes of analgesic–receptor interactions are postulated depending on the type of series of agent. When parallel changes in activity are seen in a series of compounds with identical changes in the N-substituent, then this suggests similar binding modes. Nonparallel relationships would then be indicative of dissimilar interactions. It is demonstrated quantitatively in a series where the mode of binding is similar that a linear free-energy relationship exists. The receptor can be conceived as having a charged anionic site as a common pivot point around which the analgesic may be more or less tightly bound depending upon its structural and conformational characteristics. In the light of this, and long research, the analysis concerning the potent analgesic properties of a non-nitrogenous steroid is found to be even more surprising. This compound is reported to be 40 times more effective than morphine in a modification of the rat tail-flick method, when given by the intravenous route. In human, the compound, when administered intravenously, is stated to relieve postoperative and chronic cancer pain.
Rates of in vivo (arterial) and in vitro biocorrosion for pure magnesium.

The development of magnesium-based materials for bioabsorbable stents relies heavily on corrosion testing by immersion in pseudophysiological solutions, where magnesium degrades faster than it does in vivo. The quantitative difference in corrosion kinetics in vitro and in vivo is largely unknown, but, if determined, would help reduce dependence on animal models. In order to create a quantitative in vitro–in vivo correlation based on an accepted measure of corrosion (penetration rate), commercially pure magnesium wires were corroded in vivo in the abdominal aortas of rats for 5−32 days, and in vitro for up to 14 days using Dulbecco's modified eagle medium. Cross-sectioning, scanning electron microscopy, image analysis, a modified penetration rate tailored to degraded wires, and empirical modeling were used to analyze the corroded specimens. In vitro penetration rates were consistently higher than comparable in vivo rates by a factor of 1.2−1.9× (±0.2×). For a sample <20% corroded, an approximate in vitro–in vivo multiplier of 1.3 ± 0.2× was applied, whereas a multiplier of 1.8 ± 0.2× became appropriate when the magnesium specimen was 25−35% degraded. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 341–349, 2015.
BUENOS AIRES SYMPOSIUM ON RIGIDITY: RESPONSES

In this article the following criticisms of the essentialist conception of general term rigidity presented in the previous papers are considered and responded: (i) the identity of designation conception of rigidity can provide us with a better alternative account for general term rigidity (Orlando), and (ii) the essentialist conception fails to meet the condition of extensional adequacy, both because it (allegedly) over ‐and undergeneralizes (Zerbudis). Against (i), it is claimed that the proposed definition of general term rigidity cannot feature in lost rigidity arguments against description theories because it is circular, and then fails to do the primary work that rigidity is supposed to do, namely, distinguishing terms that are covered by a description theory from those that are not. As regards (ii), after insisting that the essentialist view need not be commited to the condition of extensional adequacy, both charges of over‐ and undergeneralization are addressed: while the argumentation aimed at showing that some examples (such as ‘paperweight’) are cases of overgeneralization is rejected, the cases of undergeneralization (of the likes of ‘frog’) are admitted to be still in need of a better explanation than the one given in Devitt (2005).
Job Scheduling for the BlueGene/L System

BlueGene/L is a massively parallel cellular architecture system with a toroidal interconnect. Cellular architectures with a toroidal interconnect are effective at producing highly scalable computing systems, but typically require job partitions to be both rectangular and contiguous. These restrictions introduce fragmentation issues that affect the utilization of the system and the wait time and slowdown of queued jobs.We propose to solve these problems for the BlueGene/L system through scheduling algorithms that augment a baseline first come first serve (FCFS) scheduler. Restricting ourselves to space-sharing techniques, which constitute a simpler solution to the requirements of cellular computing, we present simulation results for migration and backfilling techniques on BlueGene/L. These techniques are explored individually and jointly to determine their impact on the system. Our results demonstrate that migration can be effective for a pure FCFS scheduler but that backfilling produces even more benefits. We also show that migration can be combined with backfilling to produce more opportunities to better utilize a parallel machine.
Stephanie Ricker Schulte, Cached Decoding the Internet in Global Popular Culture

Schulte targets readers who are curious about how policy, popular culture, journalism, economics, and politics shaped the Internet. She uses a cultural studies, narrative approach to show the ways in which these factors influenced how the Internet is viewed. These perceptions, then, affected how the Internet evolved. This book is not a study about the impact of the technological capabilities of the Internet.
Blackness as Delinquency

This is one of the first law review article to analyze both the role of "blackness" in shaping the first juvenile court and the black community's response to the court's jurisprudence. This Article breaks new ground on two fronts. First, it considers the first juvenile court's treatment of black youth within the context of the heightened racial oppression immediately following the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. Second, this Article recovers the lost story of the black women's club movement's response to race issues within the juvenile court movement. In doing so, this Article reconsiders the history of the national black women's club movement within a new framework-that of black women as advocates for juvenile and criminal justice reform. Furthermore, a major issue that these child savers faced remains one that scholars of the juvenile court's early history have not fully explored: race.
Heat-flow In The Mesozoic And Cenozoic

The present-day heat flow from the Earth has commonly been used to estimate the abundance of heat-producing isotopes within the Earth. However, if heat flow has a variability on a short time scale (compared with the isotopic decay times), then the present-day heat flow must be seen as a much coarser measure of the Earth's heat-producing isotopic content. We report here the results of an investigation into the likely variation in terrestrial heat flow over the past 180 Myr.
Dynamic Evaluation of High- and Low-Creativity Drawings by Artist and Nonartist Raters

How does the quality of artworks change throughout the process of creation? To address this question, artists and nonartists rated the quality of in-progress stages of 20 emerging drawings: 10 whose final state had been rated by artists as highly creative and 10 whose final state had been rated as less creative. Artists associated quality with originality, but nonartists valued realism. Slopes of the quality trajectories of the emerging drawings, based on evaluations of both artists and nonartists, were reliably shallower for ultimately high-creativity final products than low-creativity final products. This suggests that less creative works evolve in a linear, incremental fashion, yet more creative works develop less predictably. No differences in the slopes were found when nonartists' choices of high- versus low-creativity drawings were compared. Thus, unlike artist raters, nonartists' choices of high- and low-creativity drawings do not seem to tap into any meaningful underlying characteristics of the ar...
The nT1 translocation separates vulval regulatory elements from the egl-18 and elt-6 GATA factor genes.

Abstract egl-18 and elt-6 are partially redundant, adjacent genes encoding GATA factors essential for viability, seam cell development, and vulval development in Caenorhabditis elegans. The nT1 reciprocal translocation causes a strong Vulvaless phenotype, and an nT1 breakpoint was previously mapped to the left arm of LGIV, where egl-18/elt-6 are located. Here we present evidence that the nT1 vulval phenotype is due to a disruption of egl-18/elt-6 function specifically in the vulva. egl-18 mutations do not complement nT1 for vulval defects, and the nT1 breakpoint on LGIV is located within ∼800 bp upstream of a potential transcriptional start site of egl-18. In addition, we have identified a ∼350-bp cis-regulatory region sufficient for vulval expression just upstream of the nT1 breakpoint. By examining the fusion state and division patterns of the cells in the developing vulva of nT1 mutants, we demonstrate that egl-18/elt-6 prevent fusion and promote cell proliferation at multiple steps of vulval development.
Comparison of data interpretation procedures for indirect tensile creep test for linear viscoelastic materials

ABSTRACT The current standard in the US to interpret the IDT test results (AASHTO T 322-03) is based on the procedure proposed by Roque et al. 1992. The alternative procedure (Zhang-Drescher-Newcomb, ZDN) was proposed by Zhang et al. 1997 and it utilizes elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle to determine volumetric and deviatoric parts of the creep compliance function. This paper compares both IDT interpretation procedures and proposes improvements to the ZDN method based on the correction factors found in AASHTO. The comparison is done in two ways: first, procedures are applied to the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) results and second all interpretation procedures are applied to the experimental results on two plastic reference materials. For verification, creep compliance for the reference materials is also determined from 3-point bending test. It was concluded that average creep compliance functions determined from the IDT and 3-point bending tests are virtually the same and improved ZDN procedur...
Abstract 2115: Interrogation of mechanisms that underlie augmented steroidogenesis in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA The conversion of adrenal androgens, such as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) drives castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) progression. No mutations or variations in those steroidogenic enzymes have been identified as responsible for the phenotype of increased intratumoral DHT synthesis in CRPC. By analyzing CRPC cell line models and clinical samples from patients with CRPC, we found that a gain-of-stability mutation in 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (3βHSD1, encoded by HSD3B1 gene) confers an increase in metabolic flux from DHEA to DHT in CRPC. The prolonged protein half-life of mutant 3βHSD1 results from resisting an association with the ubiquitin E3-ligase autocrine mobility factor receptor (AMFR). Genetic selection for mutant 3βHSD1 is evident from somatic mutation in human CRPC tumors, by loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the wild type copy in patients with heterozygous inheritance, and from acquisition of same somatic mutation in a mouse xenograft tumor model treated with abiraterone. Furthermore, we found the expression of AMFR is suppressed in a CRPC xenograft model expressing wild type 3βHSD1, suggesting a compensatory mechanism that augments steroidogenesis in CRPC progression. Our discovery of this 3βHSD1 gain-of-function mutation is the first example of a mutation identified in a component of steroidogenic machinery in CRPC, which strongly validates a new target for individualized cancer therapy in CPRC. Citation Format: Kai-Hsiung Chang, Nima Sharifi. Interrogation of mechanisms that underlie augmented steroidogenesis in castration-resistant prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2115. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2115
Noncoding RNAs in the regulation of DNA replication

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have crucial roles in epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional regulation. Recent studies have begun to reveal a role of ncRNAs in DNA replication. Here, we review the roles of ncRNAs in regulating different aspects of DNA replication in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. We speculate that ncRNAs might function to guide the origin recognition complex (ORC) to chromosomal DNA during replication initiation in higher eukaryotes.
Metabolism and the leukemic stem cell

Acute leukemias are clonal disorders of hematopoiesis wherein a leukemic stem cell (LSC) acquires mutations that confer the capacity for unlimited self-renewal, impaired hematopoietic differentiation, and enhanced proliferation to the leukemic clone. Many recent advances in understanding the biology of leukemia have come from studies defining specific genetic and epigenetic abnormalities in leukemic cells. Three recent articles, however, further our understanding of leukemia biology by elucidating specific abnormalities in metabolic pathways in leukemic hematopoiesis. These studies potentially converge on the concept that modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) abundance may influence the pathogenesis and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Resist parameter extraction with graphical user interface in X

A graphical user interface has been developed to run with PARMEX for automatically modeling acid-hardened chemically-amplified resist from dissolution measurement and SAMPLE prediction of material state changes during exposure and bake. This software called PIX-PARMEX (Program user Interface in X-PARMEX) allows the user to view the data while using mouse driven commands in interactively adapting data reduction and curve fitting. PIX-PARMEX has been developed using X windows and UNIX for use on engineering workstations. Standard models found in the literature for process simulation in programs such as SAMPLE and PROLITH are included. Examples are given for the KTI-895i resist with i-line exposure, and the acid-hardened resist, Shipley XP-8843 with deep-UV exposure.
Differences Between Observation and Sampling Error in Sparse Signal Reconstruction

The field of Compressed Sensing has shown that a relatively small number of random projections provide sufficient information to accurately reconstruct sparse signals. Inspired by applications in sensor networks in which each sensor is likely to observe a noisy version of a sparse signal and subsequently add sampling error through computation and communication, we investigate how the distortion differs depending on whether noise is introduced before sampling (observation error) or after sampling (sampling error). We analyze the optimal linear estimator (for known support) and an l1 constrained linear inverse (for unknown support). In both cases, observation noise is shown to be less detrimental than sampling noise and low sampling rates. We also provide sampling bounds for a non-stochastic l? bounded noise model.
Cloning and preliminary characterization of a 105 kDa protein with an N-terminal kinase-like domain

In the course of searching for proteins that interact with protein kinase B in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, we isolated a 105 kDa protein from 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Peptides sequenced from the protein were found to be present in several expressed sequence tags. A cDNA containing one of these expressed sequence tags was sequenced and appears to contain the entire coding region. Computer analysis revealed a potential protein kinase domain at the N-terminus; however, the first subdomain and several invariant residues characteristic of protein kinases are absent. An antibody was raised against a peptide from the 105 kDa protein. By immunoblotting, it was found that the protein was widely expressed in mouse tissues, and concentrated in the cytosol and low density microsome fractions of 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
Formation of sub-10 nm width InGaAs finFETs of 200 nm height by atomic layer epitaxy

As FETs are scaled, the dielectric and semiconductor channel thicknesses must be reduced to suppress short-channel effects. Even using fin field effect transistors (finFETs) and gate all around FETs (GAAFETs), [1],[2], whose electrostatic performance is excellent, at 4nm gate length the channel should be less than 2nm thick. To obtain high drive current per unit IC die area, the fin height should be many times the fin pitch, i.e. tens to hundreds of nm. Dry-etching a fin of few-nm width and > 100 nm height presents severe challenges in control of etch sidewall slope and in minimizing surface damage. Here we report an InGaAs finFET fabrication flow which form fins of sub-10nm width and 200 nm height. Fin width is controlled by atomic layer epitaxial (ALE) growth and by semiconductor selective crystallographic wet etching. We further demonstrate self-aligned source-drain regrowth in this process [3],[4]. This facilitates scaling of the source/drain pitch to small dimensions.
Deuteron Bombardment of C 14

Bombardment of ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ by deuterons produces three nuclear reactions, yielding neutrons, $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particles, and protons, and leads thereby to the formation of ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}$, ${\mathrm{B}}^{12}$, and a new radioactive isotope, ${\mathrm{C}}^{15}$. The half-life of this sixth isotope of carbon is 2.4 sec., and the end point of the $\ensuremath{\beta}$-ray spectrum lies at 8.8 Mev.
Cocycles, extensions of group actions, and bundle representations

Abstract Let Y be an ergodic Borel G space. Conditions are determined in order for an extension X of Y to be a skew product extension of Y . These conditions depend on the behavior of the unitary bundle representation of the G space Y induced by the extension and on the existence of extensions of the G space X with certain appropriate properties.
The VL2-Spoken Language Phonological Awareness (VL2-SLPA) Measure

Tests of phonological awareness have been developed for spoken languages that require spoken responses. For many deaf individuals, spoken measures of phonological awareness (PA) are not appropriate, as these deaf individuals do not use any spoken language or their oral language is rated as low on levels of aural comprehension. Given the need to have accessible measures of spoken language PA for deaf children, the VL2 Spoken Language Phonological Awareness Measure (VL2-SLPA) was developed. The VL2-SLPA can also determine if participants use a phonological code or an orthographic code to identify the two pictures that have the same first or last “sound”. The VL2-SLPA showed strong convergent validity to the Phoneme Detection Test, another measure developed for deaf individuals, which does not require a verbal response.
NIR-laser tissue welding in an in vivo guinea pig animal model

Near infrared laser tissue welding (LTW) is achieved by subjecting the closely approximated surgically incised tissues to a laser beam at a wavelength that is absorbed by water in the tissue. Full thickness welds are accomplished with optimum laser power and penetration depths appropriate for the thickness of welded tissues. No extrinsic cross-linking or bonding materials are used. The absorbed laser energy increases the entropy of collagen in the tissue. In LTW, tissue water temperatures transiently rises to approximately 60° C, causing partial denaturing of collagen and other structural proteins due to breaking of hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions and some interchain covalent bonds for a short duration of time. This is followed by cross linking of proteins on either side of weld line, with reformation of the above mentioned bonds as the tissue cools, resulting in the formation of water tight full thickness welds. In this study, a cw fiber laser emitting at 1455 nm, corresponding to absorption by a water vibrational overtone, is used for in vivo LTW of surgical incisions made in the skin of guinea pigs under general anesthesia. The tensile strength and healing rates of the welded incisions are compared to suturing of similar incisions. Laser parameters, including power, scanning rates, exposure area, and exposure duration, are optimized to reduce thermal damage while maintaining tensile strength.
Effect of particle deposition on the reduction of water flux in reverse osmosis.

Abstract The phenomenon of particle deposition from a liquid stream flowing inside a membrane duct was studied. The rate of particle deposition is determined by trajectory calculation. Deposition occurs if a particle trajectory intersects the membrane surface. The forces considered include the gravitational force, the drag force and the surface forces. The major contribution to particle deposition is due to radial flow. At low water flux, both Brownian and surface forces are important. Furthermore, with a repulsive double layer force, a barrier may be present near the membrane surface, which would limit particle deposition significantly. Comparison with experimental data on water flux reduction indicates that the analysis given in this work provides a useful framework which can be applied for the assessment of water flux reduction due to particle deposition.
Photometry of resolved galaxies. II: Sextans A

Luminosity functions and color-magnitude diagrams are given for 652 stars in the Sextans A dwarf irregular galaxy, and they are compared with other Local Group galaxies. The brightest red and blue stars presently determined are in agreement with those of Sandage and Carlson (1982), and a group of red stars is identified which may be analogous to the bright carbon star population recently found in the Magellanic Clouds. While the similarity of Sextans A's luminosity function with those of the LMC and the Milky Way is in keeping with a universal luminosity function, stellar mass function and birthrate resemble those of the SMC. Per unit gas mass, Sextans A has a birthrate almost identical to the SMC, suggesting that the mean age of stars in Sextans A is significantly less than of those in the Magellanic Clouds.
Superspace supergravity from the superstring

Abstract We study a classical superstring propagating in a “curved” (10,16)-dimensional superspace. In this formulation of the string, a local fermionic symmetry is needed to eliminate ghosts from the particle spectrum. By studying the constraint algebra, we show that any background field configuration consistent with this symmetry is equivalent to one which satisfies the full set of supergravity equations.
Use of Mechanical Ventilation by Patients With and Without Dementia, 2001 Through 2011

Increasing demand for US critical care resources, including beds, intensivists, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV),1,2 has placed substantial strain on the critical care system. Since 2000, elderly patients treated in the intensive care unit have received higher intensity care (and have experienced lower mortality rates) than historical cohorts.3 Yet certain populations of elderly patients exposed to intensive care experience substantial long-term adverse effects, including functional decline and excess mortality. Patients with dementia receiving IMV, for example, are at high risk for delirium, which confers a 3.2-fold increased risk of 6-month mortality.4 The increasing use of aggressive therapies suggests that demand for IMV in elderly populations will increase in the future, both among patients that are likely to benefit and among those with terminal illness. We examined temporal trends in IMV use by older patients with and without dementia and projected future use.
A Kuratowski theorem for nonorientable surfaces

Abstract Let Σ denote a surface. A graph G is irreducible for Σ provided that G does not embed in Σ, but any proper subgraph does so embed. Let I ( Σ ) denote the set of graphs without degree two vertices which are irreducible for Σ. Observe that a graph embeds in Σ if and only if it does not contain a subgraph homeomorphic to a member of I ( Σ ). For example, Kuratowski's theorem shows that I ( Σ ) = { K 3,3 , K 5 } when Σ is the sphere. In this paper we prove that the set I ( Σ ) is finite for each nonorientable surface, setting in part a conjecture of Erdos from the 1930s.
Diurnal and nocturnal strategies of the bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus (Pallas)

Summary Bushbuck density, activity cycles, and ranging patterns on the Mweya Peninsula have been determined by continuous observation of individually recognizable animals. Individuals were followed for periods of 2 to 12 h, and observations were continued at night with the aid of a Starlight Scope image intensifier. The density of this population of bushbuck is very high compared to those reported using more standard censusing techniques. Home range size is larger (15-3-35-2 ha) for adult and subadult males than for females and immatures. Sex ratios show a preponderance of adult females, as has been reported for other populations. Contrary to most published accounts, these bushbuck are no more active at night than during the day; rather, they exhibit cycles of activity with a periodicity of 2–5 h. A crepuscular peak of movement is, however, apparent. Examination of individual home ranges and of ranging patterns indicates that this crepuscular activity peak is connected with a complete disjunction of areas utilized at night and during the day. Bushbuck move out of thickets into patches of grassland at dusk, returning to thickets before dawn. Other differences between nocturnal and diurnal activity include an increase in the relative amount of grazing at night. Possible reasons for these phenomena, in particular the probable role of predation, are discussed.
Activation and inhibition of beef pancreas ribonuclease.

A spectrophotometric assay for ribonuclease is described. The method is sensitive to 0.005 γ of enzyme at pH 7·5 and to γ of enzyme at pH 5.0 The salt activation of RNase was systematically studied. The maximum effect was found at an ionic strength of 0.1 and was non-specific for nonovalent cations. Mg++ also activated RNase but to a lesser extent than Na+. Mg++ decreased the solubility of the products of the reaction. The slight inhibition of RNase due to p-chloromercuribenzoate was decreased in the presence of gelatin or EDTA and abolished by a mixture of the two. The presence of N-ethyl-maleimide, iodoacetamide or oxidized glutathione did not result in a decrease of RNase activity. The data indicate that sulfhydryl groups are not required for RNase activity. Treatment of chromatographic fraction A with oxidized or reduced glutathione did not alter the elution pattern of rbonuclease.
Bayesian Statistics Analysis for Spin Coupling Constant and Thermostability of Proteins

We present the use of Bayesian statistics to find the thermo stability and spin coupling constant of a protein. The spin-coupling constant provides high-level structure information about bond angles and rotation in a protein. Thermo stability is an important factor in protein efficacy. Modeling thermo stability permits finding the mutation temperature of a protein, which is crucial since it affects function. We have used Bayesian statistics (MCMC) to find the missing parameters for these two models. Our predictive models using the parameters found with this method show good results.
Health information technology: shall we wait for the evidence?

In this issue, Chaudhry and colleagues note that 25% of the health information technology efficacy literature is from 4 institutions, each of which has developed its own electronic health record (E...
Burns v. Received View

judgment, tacit and complex, weaves together judgments of morality, legality, credibility, probability, plausibility, and politics, and it expresses the jury's own sense of community identity. In Bums's description, the trial's emphasis on narrative arguments by the lawyers and its play of direct and cross-examination are uniquely designed to help the jury reach a good verdict, while in the Received View, the emphasis on lawyer arguments makes little sense for finding "facts." Hence, Bums concludes that the Received View is a thin and incomplete understanding of the trial that, at worst, leads to mindless efforts to reform or even abolish it. A more mindful and "thick" understanding of the trial demonstrates a much better fit between trial process and jury decision making. As a philosopher, my reaction is an unqualified BRAVO! Yes, our understanding and experience of law should be enriched by Wittgenstein, Arendt, Hegel, Taylor, Geertz, Heidegger, Gadamer, Habermas, Kant, Aristotle, etc. (The footnotes alone are exhilarating.) Yes, these philosophers generate not theories of law to which practice must conform, but a new lens through which to look at our practices more clearly and deeply. Yes, truth is practical and narrative all the way down, and there is no pre
The regulation of muscle protein turnover in diabetes.

Abstract Diabetes cannot be considered simply a disease of glucose dysregulation; it is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects nearly every biological process, including protein metabolism. Diabetes is associated with disturbances in muscle protein metabolism that results in decreased muscle mass and in some cases, loss in the activities of daily living, decreased productivity and diminished quality of life. Alteration in protein metabolism and its effect on muscle mass and function is one of the most challenging and least understood issues in the management of diabetes. Central among insulin action in muscle is suppression of protein degradation pathways and up-regulation of anabolic pathways. In type 1 diabetes, muscle wasting essentially results from insulin deficiency and this induces of genes involved in the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. On the other hand, the chief defect that leads to muscle atrophy in type 2 diabetes is decreased insulin responsiveness primarily in muscle. Decreased insulin responsiveness has been attributed to defects in the insulin signaling pathways secondary to inflammation (e.g., NF-κB activation and elevated levels of TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6), metabolic acidosis, increased circulating free fatty acids and glucotoxicity. Furthermore, emerging pathways, such as myostatin/activin A system are beginning to be uncovered. We conclude with a discussion of possible interventions to slow, mitigate or reverse muscle wasting associated with diabetes. This article is part of a Directed Issue entitled: Molecular basis of muscle wasting.
Work in progress - assessing the impact of penbased computing and collaboration-facilitating software in the classroom

Our project focuses on evaluating the impact of pen-based computing devices and collaboration-facilitating software in the engineering, science, and technical communication classrooms. The faculty members engaged in the project are implementing pen-based devices (both HP tablet PCs and Wacom pen slates) in their courses. In order to take full advantage of the technology, these instructors are also using DyKnow Vision software to encourage students to work together, to reduce students' time spent copying notes and problems on the whiteboard, and to encourage more efficient methods of studying for exams. The assessment component of the project includes both formative and summative methods deployed throughout the 2006-07 academic year.
Image Restoration Via Iterative Improvement Of The Wiener Filter

The Wiener filter has often been employed as a means for solving the signal/image restoration problem. Unfortunately, the information that is required as input for the realization of this filter is, in many practical situations, not available. In particular, when only one degraded, noisy observation of the signal is presented as data, the spectral density function for the signal to be recovered will generally not be known. A typical 'fix' to this dilemma has been to assume that the ratio of noise to signal spectral densities is constant with frequency. The value of this constant that makes the best reconstruction is then determined via trial-and-error by a human. In this paper we present an alternative to this over-simplified version of the Wiener filter (K-filter). Specifically, we demonstrate that an estimate of the signal spectral density can be made via an iterative procedure from the data. This results in reconstructions that are generally superior to any output that the simplified Wiener filter can provide. We show simulated results for the case of one-dimensional degradations of image data.
Information-theoretic bounds on sparsity recovery in the high-dimensional and noisy setting

The problem of recovering the sparsity pattern of a fixed but unknown vector beta* and Rp based on a set of n noisy observations arises in a variety of settings, including subset selection in regression, graphical model selection, signal denoising, compressive sensing, and constructive approximation. Of interest are conditions on the model dimension p, the sparsity index s (number of non-zero entries in beta*), and the number of observations n that are necessary and/or sufficient to ensure asymptotically perfect recovery of the sparsity pattern. This paper focuses on the information-theoretic limits of sparsity recovery: in particular, for a noisy linear observation model based on measurement vectors drawn from the standard Gaussian ensemble, we derive both a set of sufficient conditions for asymptotically perfect recovery using the optimal decoder, as well as a set of necessary conditions that any decoder must satisfy for perfect recovery. This analysis of optimal decoding limits complements our previous work on thresholds for the behavior of l1 -constrained quadratic programming for Gaussian measurement ensembles.
Congenital primary hydrothorax: effect of thoracoamniotic shunting on neonatal clinical outcome

Background. Spontaneous regression in the foetal period has been described for congenital hydrothorax. Hydrothorax may become larger and bilateral with hydrops and pulmonary hypoplasia. Prenatal thoracentesis and thoracoamniotic shunting of massive hydrothorax are indicated to decrease perinatal morbidity. In the neonatal period, persistent hydrothorax may require intensive care.Objective. To investigate neonatal outcome after thoracoamniotic shunting for congenital primary hydrothorax with hydrops/ polydramnios.Methods. Retrospective study on the postnatal management of a cohort of 28 congenital primary hydrothorax cases after thoracoamniotic shunting (January 2000–August 2005).Results. Congenital hydrotorax without major structural anomalies complicated by polidramnios and/or hydrops <34 weeks' gestation were the criteria accepted for thoracoamniotic shunting. There were neither pregnancy terminations nor utero deaths. Although 64% of cases were complicated by severe neonatal respiratory insufficiency, ...
Effect of strain on the stabilization of oxygen-enriched nanoclusters in Fe-based alloys

First-principles theory has been developed to understand the unique material state underlying the ultra stability of O-enriched (with Ti and Y solute additions) nanoclusters (NCs) observed in nanostructured Fe. We show that an essential condition for the formation of these 2--4 nm diameter NCs is the existence of their exceptionally stable interface, as manifested in a higher (i.e., more negative) O-binding energy on the interface (${E}_{S}$) than in the interior (${E}_{B}$) of the NCs. The difference between ${E}_{S}$ and ${E}_{B}$ is due to the effect of strain, originating from the solute-solute repulsion and the presence of O in the form of O-vacancy (O:V) pair. A Friedel-type oscillation pattern is found for the distance dependence of the solute-(O:V) and (O:V)-(O:V) interaction energies. The strain is also important in controlling the size of NCs, which are predicted to exist only within a narrow O concentration range.
Fast state estimation scheme for multidimensional dynamic systems

A new state estimation scheme is presented for multidimensional dynamic systems. The state vector is estimated, component-by-component, by the parallel use of the stack sequential decoding algorithms of information theory. A faster state estimation is accomplished with this scheme for longer time intervals with available memory. Simulation results, some of which are presented, have shown that the scheme produces better estimates than the Kalman estimates for some non-linear models with white gaussian observation and disturbance noise, while it produces estimates comparable with the Kalman estimates for linear models with white gaussian noise.
Accuracy of the Frensley inflow boundary condition for Wigner equations in simulating resonant tunneling diodes

In this paper, the accuracy of the Frensley inflow boundary condition of the Wigner equation is analyzed in computing the I-V characteristics of a resonant tunneling diode (RTD). It is found that the Frensley inflow boundary condition for incoming electrons holds only exactly infinite away from the active device region and its accuracy depends on the length of contacts included in the simulation. For this study, the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) with a Dirichlet to Neumann mapping boundary condition is used for comparison. The I-V characteristics of the RTD are found to agree between self-consistent NEGF and Wigner methods at low bias potentials with sufficiently large GaAs contact lengths. Finally, the relation between the negative differential conductance (NDC) of the RTD and the sizes of contact and buffer in the RTD is investigated using both methods.
A novel approach to delivering an SMP device using a Joule-heating catheter for the treatment of fusiform aneurysms

Cerebral fusiform aneurysms are characterized by the circumferential dilation of an arterial wall and exhibit weakened wall strength, making the aneurysms prone to rupture and hemorrhage. There are currently no viable clinical treatments for fusiform aneurysms. Current studies point to the utilization of a polyurethane-based shape memory polymer (SMP) device, which in clinical application would incorporate an expanding SMP stent coated with expanding foam for the occlusion of the non-necked aneurysms. The objective of this project is to develop a thermally conductive housing to ensure safe deployment and actuation of the SMP device via an intravenous, Joule-heating guide catheter. The catheter will deliver the SMP device to the site of the aneurysm while in its secondary, compressed conformation. Upon arrival, Joule heating of the SMP device will raise its temperature above the specified glass transition temperature (T g ), causing expansion and occlusion. The first prototype of the device will consist of a 3-D printed plastic stent coated in SMP foam. A specially designed testing apparatus will quantify results by mimicking the physiological conditions of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and brain tissue with respect to temperature and pressure. Prototype testing will include ensuring proper placement of stent and deviation from this location, successful actuation, and percent aneurysm occlusion by the foam.
Purification of a bovine liver S6 kinase.

A bovine liver protein serine kinase that catalyzes the multisite phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 has been purified to near homogeneity. The enzyme has an Mr of 67,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and an apparent molecular weight of 55,000 on glycerol gradient sedimentation. Its enzymic properties, substrate specificity, molecular size and chromatographic behaviour are similar to those of the principal growth factor — and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated S6 kinase of cultures cells.
RNA binding properties of the AU-rich element-binding recombinant Nup475/TIS11/tristetraprolin protein.

Regulation of messenger RNA stability by AU-rich elements is an important means of regulating genes induced by growth factors and cytokines. Nup475 (also known as tristetraprolin, or TIS11) is the prototype for a family of zinc-binding Cys3His motif proteins required for proper regulation of tumor necrosis factor mRNA stability in macrophages. We developed an Escherichia coli expression system to produce soluble Nup475 protein in quantity to study its RNA binding properties. Nup475 protein bound a tumor necrosis factor AU-rich element over a broad range of pH and salt concentrations by RNA gel shift. This binding was inhibited by excess zinc metal, providing a potential mechanism for previous reports of zinc stabilization of AU-rich element (ARE) containing messenger RNAs. Immobilized Nup475 protein was used to select its optimal binding site by RNA SELEX and revealed a strong preference for the extended sequence UUAUUUAUU, rather than a simple AUUUA motif. These findings were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis of the tumor necrosis factor ARE and RNA gel shifts on c-fos, interferon-γ, and interferon-β ARE fragments. A weaker binding activity toward adenine-rich sites, such as a poly(A) tail RNA fragment, can partially disrupt the Nup475-tumor necrosis factor AU-rich element complex.
The accuracy of intraoperative diagnoses based on examination of frozen sections. A prospective comparison with paraffin-embedded sections.

The accuracy of diagnoses based on examination of frozen sections was determined by comparing the results to those obtained by examination of tissues prepared using conventional methods (formalin fixation, paraffin-embedded tissue). One hundred ninety-four specimens were examined using the frozen section technique; 37 were examined to confirm a tentative diagnosis or to document lymph node metastasis and the remainder were examined to diagnose an unknown pathologic process. Of the 194 specimens examined, an accurate, specific diagnosis was obtained in 161 (83%); in 19 (10%), the pathologic process was correctly identified, but a specific diagnosis was not obtained; and in 2 (1%) the diagnosis was deferred. The remaining 12 (6%) were incorrectly diagnosed by the frozen section technique. When the number of specimens in which a specific diagnosis was obtained was combined with the number of specimens in which the pathologic process was correctly identified, the overall accuracy rate of the frozen section technique was 93%. There was no difference in the accuracy of the frozen section technique based on the reason for submission of the sample, source of tissue submitted, or the type of pathologic process (i.e., inflammatory or neoplastic). Of the 12 incorrect diagnoses, 4 (33%) were because of sampling errors and 8 (67%) were caused by interpretation errors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Plasma etching of aluminum copper tungsten on titanium nitride and titanium

A multistep plasma process based on chlorine and nitrogen chemistry was developed, characterized and optimized to anisotropically etch the metal stack consisting of a thin titanium nitride ARC, aluminum copper tungsten over titanium nitride and titanium, using LRC single wafer metal etcher. The new process must produce selectivities of metal-to- resist and metal-to-oxide under layer (TEOS) better than 3:1 and 8:1, respectively. With the help of design of experiment techniques, multivariable factorial experiments were conducted to determine the optimal processes for the bulk metal etch, barrier metal layer and overetch steps. It was found that the key to control of the metal profiles, CD linewidth and oxide loss is the metal etch selectivities to resist and oxide. Increasing the chamber pressure and chlorine chemistry improves the metal-to-resist selectivity for the bulk etch step. Reducing pressure and increasing chlorine and nitrogen help minimize the CD linewidth and oxide loss during an overetch etch step. In addition, it was found that the changes in other variables such as RF power and BCl3 produce no significant effects on selectivities of metal to photoresist and TEOS oxide.
A comparative study of parameterized and full thermal-convection models in the interpretation of heat flow from cratons and mobile belts

SUMMARY Heat flow from Archean cratons worldwide is typically lower than from younger mobile belts surrounding them. The contrast in heat flow between cratons and mobile belts has been attributed in previous studies to the greater thermal resistance of thicker lithosphere beneath the cratons which impedes the flow of mantle heat through the cratons and forces more mantle heat to escape through thinner mobile belt lithosphere. This interpretation is based on thermal models which employ a parameterized convection algorithm to calculate heat transfer in the sublithospheric mantle. We test this interpretation by comparing thermal models constructed using the parameterized convection scheme with models developed using an algorithm for full thermal convection. We show that thermal models constructed using the two different convection algorithms yield similar surface heat flow and thermal structure to moderate depths within the lithosphere. Therefore, we conclude that the interpretation of the heat-flow observations in terms of thicker lithosphere under Archean cratons than under mobile belts is robust in the sense that surface heat flow is not sensitive to the details of heat transfer within the convecting mantle and how deep mantle heat is delivered to the base of the lithosphere.
The Jesuits and the Holocaust

W hile much has been written about the Roman Catholic Church and the Holocaust in the past two decades since the publica tion of Rolf Hochhuth's The Deputy, little has been published about the role of priests and religious orders in the lands under the control of the Nazis. It is the object of this article, then, to focus on the Society of Jesus in the period from 1933 to 1945 to determine its contribution at the time of the Third Reich insofar as this relates to the Nazi persecutions.1 Generally, the attitude of the J esuits toward the Third Reich did not differ substantially from that of the papacy when Adolf Hitler ruled Germany, for there was a close relationship of the Society of Jesus to the papacy by tradition and to Pope Pius XI (1922-39) and Pope Pius XII (1939-58) by friendship.2 Yet, with respect to the Jews, the attitude of the papacy as well as that of the Jesuits was so restrictive that it is not surprising to find authors who are critical of the Jesuits when their major publication in Rome, Civilta Cattolica, was not entirely free from anti-Semitism. That this was not unique for them is evident from similar stands taken by other Jesuits in the 1930s before Pope Pius XI condemned anti-Semitism as irreconcilable with Christianity.3 If there was ambiguity in the position of the Jesuits regarding anti-Semitism, this disappeared before the outbreak of World War II. The inter vening years had shown how strongly the members of the Society of