cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intra‐articular etanercept attenuates pain and hypoxia from TMJ loading in the rat

Mechanical overloading of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and biochemical changes, like inflammation and hypoxia, contribute to cartilage degeneration and pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA). Yet, how overloading contributes to early dysregulation of chondrocytes is not understood, limiting the development of diagnostics and treatments for TMJ OA. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF)-1α/2α in chondrocytes were evaluated at Days 8 and 15 in a rat TMJ pain model induced by jaw loading (1 h/day for 7 days) using immunohistochemistry and compared between cases that induce persistent (3.5 N), acute (2 N), or no (0 N) sensitivity. Hypoxia was measured on Day 8 by immunolabeling of the tracer EF5 and 18 F-EF5 PET imaging. To assess the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in painful TMJ loading, intra-articular etanercept was given before loading. Orofacial sensitivity was evaluated during and after loading. Facial grimace, TNF-α, HIF-2α, and hypoxia levels in the TMJ were measured after loading. HIF-2α was elevated (P = .03) after 3.5 N loading at Day 8, but HIF-1α was unchanged. EF5 uptake increased on Day 8 in the 3.5 N group (P < .048) by tissue assay and 18 F-EF5 PET. At Day 8, both HIF-2α (P = .01) and EF5 uptake (P = .005) were correlated with loading magnitude. Etanercept attenuated sensitivity (P < .01) and the facial grimace on Day 7 (P = .01). It also reduced (P < .01) HIF-2α and EF5 uptake on Day 8; but TNF-α levels were not different from controls at that time. Findings suggest that TMJ loading that induces persistent sensitivity upregulates the catabolic factor HIF-2α and reduces oxygen levels in the cartilage, which may be TNF-driven.
Impact of Engineered Carbon Nanodiamonds on the Collapse Mechanism of Model Lung Surfactant Monolayers at the Air-Water Interface

Understanding interactions between inhaled nanoparticles and lung surfactants (LS) present at the air-water interface in the lung, is critical to assessing the toxicity of these nanoparticles. Specifically, in this work, we assess the impact of engineered carbon nanoparticles (ECN) on the ability of healthy LS to undergo reversible collapse, which is essential for proper functioning of LS. Using a Langmuir trough, multiple compression-expansion cycles are performed to assess changes in the surface pressure vs. area isotherms with time and continuous cyclic compression-expansion. Further, theoretical analysis of the isotherms is used to calculate the ability of these lipid systems to retain material during monolayer collapse, due to interactions with ECNs. These results are complemented with fluorescence images of alterations in collapse mechanisms in these monolayer films. Four different model phospholipid systems, that mimic the major compositions of LS, are used in this study. Together, our results show that the ECN does not impact the mechanism of collapse. However, the ability to retain material at the interface during monolayer collapse, as well as re-incorporation of material after a compression-expansion cycle is altered to varying extent by ECNs and depends on the composition of the lipid mixtures.
Role of BET Inhibitors in Triple Negative Breast Cancers

Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins have evolved as key multifunctional super-regulators that control gene expression. These proteins have been shown to upregulate transcriptional machinery leading to over expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and carcinogenesis. Based on favorable preclinical evidence of BET inhibitors in various cancer models; currently, 26 clinical trials are underway in various stages of study on various hematological and solid organ cancers. Unfortunately, preliminary evidence for these clinical studies does not support the application of BET inhibitors as monotherapy in cancer treatment. Furthermore, the combinatorial efficiency of BET inhibitors with other chemo-and immunotherapeutic agents remain elusive. In this review, we will provide a concise summary of the molecular basis and preliminary clinical outcomes of BET inhibitors in cancer therapy, with special focus on triple negative breast cancer.
The racial fix and environmental state formation

Theories of the environmental state – treadmill of production and ecological modernization – have dominated discussion of the political economy of environmental change. While the former contends th...
Rhodium: Python Library for Many-Objective Robust Decision Making and Exploratory Modeling

Rhodium is an open source Python library for robust decision making (RDM), many-objective robust decision making (MORDM), and exploratory modeling. These decision-support frameworks enable the identification of robust strategies for the management of complex environmental systems, by evaluating the tradeoffs among candidate strategies, and characterizing their vulnerabilities. Robust strategies refer to management options that perform sufficiently well or acceptably under a range of potential system conditions, rather than optimally in a single, nominal state of the world. Exploratory modeling allows for the simulation of the system under an ensemble of states of the world, so as to discover the ones with consequential effects on the system [1]. Rhodium facilitates rapid application of the RDM and MORDM frameworks by providing a suite of optimization, visualization, scenario discovery, and sensitivity analysis functions. Rhodium is written in Python and can interface with models written in Python, C and C++, Fortran, R, and Excel. The source code is freely available at https://github.com/Project-Platypus/Rhodium. Funding statement: This work was partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (1639268). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Lysyl Oxidase (LOX): Functional Contributions to Signaling Pathways

Cu-dependent lysyl oxidase (LOX) plays a catalytic activity-related, primary role in the assembly of the extracellular matrix (ECM), a dynamic structural and regulatory framework which is essential for cell fate, differentiation and communication during development, tissue maintenance and repair. LOX, additionally, plays both activity-dependent and independent extracellular, intracellular and nuclear roles that fulfill significant functions in normal tissues, and contribute to vascular, cardiac, pulmonary, dermal, placenta, diaphragm, kidney and pelvic floor disorders. LOX activities have also been recognized in glioblastoma, diabetic neovascularization, osteogenic differentiation, bone matrix formation, ligament remodeling, polycystic ovary syndrome, fetal membrane rupture and tumor progression and metastasis. In an inflammatory context, LOX plays a role in diminishing pluripotent mesenchymal cell pools which are relevant to the pathology of diabetes, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Most of these conditions involve mechanisms with complex cell and tissue type-specific interactions of LOX with signaling pathways, not only as a regulatory target, but also as an active player, including LOX-mediated alterations of cell surface receptor functions and mutual regulatory activities within signaling loops. In this review, we aim to provide insight into the diverse ways in which LOX participates in signaling events, and explore the mechanistic details and functional significance of the regulatory and cross-regulatory interactions of LOX with the EGFR, PDGF, VEGF, TGF-β, mechano-transduction, inflammatory and steroid signaling pathways.
Performance Analyses of Information-Based Managed Lane Choice Decisions in a Connected Vehicle Environment:

Connected vehicle (CV) technology can connect, communicate, and share information between vehicles, infrastructure, and other traffic management systems. Recent research has examined and promoted C...
Comparison of perspectives and practices to mitigate financial toxicity between advance practice providers and attending oncologists.

82Background: Characterizing the oncology provider’s role in addressing the growing epidemic of financial toxicity faced by cancer patients is of increasing importance. Advance practice providers (...
Successful Treatment of Multiple Post-Operative Keratoacanthomas with Topical 5-Fluorouracil

Keratoacanthomas (KAs) are fast-growing tumors and can be difficult to distinguish from squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Most KAs are sporadic, but KAs may also arise following traumatic procedures. We report the case of a 94-year-old male who developed multiple KAs following surgical excision of an SCC on the right lower extremity. The patient declined additional procedures including biopsy, surgery, or intralesional therapy. He was started on 5% topical FU using a 2 week on, 2 week off regimen for 16 weeks with resolution of disease. No recurrence was noted at 13 months. Topical 5-FU is a conservative, non-invasive treatment for post-traumatic KAs that is particularly suitable in the elderly, in whom the risks and morbidity from surgical or other non-invasive approaches are worth considering.
Synthesis of the Art of Science and Innovative Technologies in Creative Apparel Design

Inspired by the interdisciplinary nature of optical art, this apparel design research mainly focused on using innovative technologies, laser cutting and digital printing, to apply the art of science to the expression of creative apparel design. The final result was a final collection called “Visual Games.” The three-step design process model developed by LaBat and Sokoloskwi (1999) was used as a framework for the design process and involved. The first step was problem definition and research, which was about solving the main questions for this research project. The second step was creative exploration, which aimed to involve concept development and experimentation in creating the collection. The final step was implementation, which involved optical motif creation, digital textile printing, and laser cutting. This design research represented innovative technologies that use laser cutting and digital printing techniques to manipulate surface designs that ideally portray the fantasy of optical art.
Between therapeutics and therapy: the continuum of therapeutic practice and the role of ethical blind spots in decision-making

Therapeutic working has long been considered a fundamental part of the educational psychologist’s (EPs) role. Yet, little attention has been given to the ethical ambiguity which exists between the ...
Race and Ethnicity

Introduce and define race and ethnicity Differentiate between prejudice and discrimination and identify their sources Provide a historical overview of racism Examine the connection between race/ethnicity and health outcomes Develop ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with individuals with various backgrounds
Writing a Lecture

Lecturing is one of the most important parts of being a psychologist. All of us have attended countless lectures and know what a difference it makes to listen to someone exciting versus someone dull. Sometimes, you may not have any choice in terms of the material you present. But there are 15 keys that everyone can follow to write better lectures. Here they are. 1. Do not read . Listening to a lecture that is read directly from the text is one of the more boring experiences known to humankind. Written language does not sound like oral language. If you ever read a transcription of a good talk, you will find it hard to comprehend. It should be! People just do not talk the way they read. When you hear a talk that is read word for word, the talk sounds unnatural. It is also boring to hear. Therefore, when you write a lecture, you are best off doing it in outline form, or in some other form that will enable you to talk the lecture rather than read it. 2. Start off exciting . Listeners often decide in the first minute or two whether they are going to continue to listen to a lecture or whether they are going to tune out. Starting with an exciting opening can therefore make the difference between capturing an audience and losing it from the start.
Design and expected performance of a variable-radii sinusoidal spiral x-ray spectrometer for the National Ignition Facility

A novel high-resolution x-ray spectrometer for point-like emission sources has been developed using a crystal shape having both a variable major and a variable minor radius of curvature. This variable-radii sinusoidal spiral spectrometer (VR-Spiral) allows three common spectrometer design goals to be achieved simultaneously: 1. reduction of aberrations and improved spectral (energy) resolution, 2. reduction of source size broadening, and 3. use of large crystals to improve total throughput. The VR-Spiral concept and its application to practical spectrometer design are described in detail. This concept is then used to design a spectrometer for an extreme extended x-ray absorption fine structure experiment at the National Ignition Facility looking at the Pb L3 absorption edge at 13.0352 keV. The expected performance of this VR-Spiral spectrometer, both in terms of energy resolution and spatial resolution, is evaluated through the use of a newly developed raytracing tool, xicsrt. Finally, the expected performance of the VR-Spiral concept is compared to that of spectrometers based on conventional toroidal and variable-radii toroidal crystal geometries showing a greatly improved energy resolution.
Evidence for two functionally distinct subpopulations of neurons within the rat striatum

Type I and Type II extracellular action potential waveforms were recorded from the rat striatum and studied with respect to their dependence on recording conditions, response to paired impulse stimulation of the corticostriatal pathway, and iontophoretic application of dopamine (DA). Results showed that the distinguishing characteristics of Type I and Type II waveforms are relatively independent of the degree of filtering, distance of the electrode tip from the target neuron, type of recording electrode, and firing rate of the neuron. Very low impedance electrodes, however, were found to mask the difference in spike shape. Electrical stimulation of cortical afferents results in excitation of both action potential waveforms, though the Type II class exhibits a significantly shorter latency than the Type I class. Paired impulse analyses revealed that both waveforms exhibit variation in the probability of discharge (facilitation or inhibition) to the second impulse of each impulse pair that are a function of the interimpulse interval. Most importantly, however, the probabilities of discharge of Type I and Type II neurons to the second impulse are inversely related, i.e., when one cell type exhibits facilitation, the other displays inhibition. These data demonstrate that Type I and Type II waveforms represent the activity of functionally different subpopulations of striatal neurons. Moreover, Type II neurons are found much more often than Type I cells, suggesting that the 2 cell classes may be represented with different frequencies within striatum. Finally, Type II neurons display at least a 5 times greater sensitivity to iontophoretically applied DA than Type I cells, suggesting that the 2 cell populations also are affected differentially by dopaminergic input from the substantia nigra.
Play and Imitation Skills in the Diagnosis of Autism in Young Children

Play behaviors and motor imitation skills of 91 children between the ages of 3 and 6 years were investigated to determine their utility in distinguishing autism from mental retardation and other communication disorders. The performance of 22 autistic children was compared with that of 15 mentally retarded, 15 hearing-impaired, 19 language-impaired, and 20 nonhandicapped children. Play behaviors were assessed using structured observations of free-play activities, and imitation skills were measured using a set of 12 individually administered tasks. The autistic group spent less total time interacting with toys and using toys appropriately, engaged in fewer functional play acts, and obtained lower imitation scores compared with all other groups. Discriminant function analysis revealed that the latter three variables discriminated the autistic children from the nonautistic handicapped children, with motor imitation emerging as the most important differentiating measure. These results suggest that measuring play and imitation skills may be useful in the clinical diagnosis of autism.
Tension Proof Loading for Southern Pine Beams

E-rating (measuring modulus of elasticity) and tension proof loading of lumber before laminating could improve stiffness characteristics and allowable design stresses for glued-laminated timber beams. Twenty-four large southern pine beams were fabricated from E-rated lumber — the high-E material located on the outside and low-E material in the core. Although average beam strength of southern pine equals Douglas fir, southern pine responds differently to tension proof loading than does Douglas fir. Southern pine may require higher proof loads (1.5 times beam F b ) than Douglas fir (1.3 times F b ) to eliminate brash pith-associated wood from the critical tension laminations. Since proof load breakage with southern pine was significantly less than with Douglas fir, a higher proof load stress for southern pine could be tolerated without causing excessive loss from breakage. Static beam modulus of elasticity is predictable from the E of the laminations with a correlation coefficient of 0.982.
Diagonal recurrent neural network for controller designs

A new neural network paradigm called diagonal recurrent neural network (DRNN) structure is presented, and is used to design a neural network controller, which includes both a neuroidentifier (DRNI) and a neurocontroller (DRNC). An unknown plant is identified by a neuroidentifier, which provides the sensitivity information of the plant to a neurocontroller. A generalized dynamical backpropagation algorithm (DBP) is developed to train both DRNC and DRNI. An approach to use an adaptive learning rate scheme based on the Lyapunov function is developed. The use of adaptive learning rates not only accelerates the learning speed but also guarantees the convergence of the neural network. >
Modeling and Stability of Segmented Reflector Telescopes a Decentralized Approach

The decentralization of a segmented reflector telescope based on a finite element model of its structure is considered. Control laws and stability conditions at the local level are presented. These conditions, and the properties of the interconnecting patterns are then utilized to obtain sufficient conditions for global stability.
A regression-based radar-mote system for people counting

People counting is key to a diverse set of sensing applications. In this paper, we design a mote-scale event-driven solution that uses a low-power pulsed radar to estimate the number of people within the ∼10m radial range of the radar. In contrast to extant solutions, most of which use computer vision, our solution is light-weight and private. It also better tolerates the presence of obstacles that partially or fully impair line of sight; this is achieved by accounting for “small” indirect radio reflections via joint time-frequency domain features. The counter itself is realized using Support Vector Regression; the regression map is learned from a medium sized dataset of 0–∼40 people in various indoor room settings. 10-fold cross validation of our counter yields a mean absolute error of 2.17 between the estimated count and the ground truth and a correlation coefficient of 0.97.We compare the performance of our solution with baseline counters.
Electronic archiving system analysis using mean value analysis, Jackson queuing models, and block-oriented network simulation

The accurate prediction of image throughput and delay is a critical issue in planning for and acquisition of any successful picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Bottlenecks or design flaws can render an expensive PACS implementation useless. This manuscript presents methods for predicting and measuring the end-to-end mean delay time (image generation to image display) of a PACS design with successively greater level of resolving power: (1) mean value analysis, (2) Jackson queuing models and (3) computer simulation using the block oriented network simulator (BONeS).© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An Aeroacoustic Study of a Leading EDGE Slat Configuration

Aeroacoustic evaluations of high-lift devices have been carried out in the Quiet Flow Facility of the NASA Langley Research Center. The present paper describes detailed flow and acoustic measurements that have been made in order to better understand the noise generated from airflow over a wing leading edge slat configuration, and to possibly predict and reduce this noise source. The acoustic database is obtained by a moveable Small Aperture Directional Array of microphones designed to electronically steer to different portions of models under study. The slat is shown to be a uniform distributed noise source. The data was processed such that spectra and directivity were determined with respect to a one-foot span of slat. The spectra are normalized in various fashions to demonstrate slat noise character. In order to equate portions of the spectra to different slat noise components, trailing edge noise predictions using measured slat boundary layer parameters as inputs are compared to the measured slat noise...
Using contingent valuation with undergraduate students to elicit a community's preferences for wind farm development

This article presents the results of a survey that elicited the value of the perceived net benefits associated with the implementation of a wind farm in a rural community in upstate New York. The survey was designed and administered by upper level undergraduate students enrolled in an environmental economics course at Saint Lawrence University. Results may give instructors interested in introducing more applied research in the classroom an idea of what to expect. The analysis of this project may also suggest policy implications for the implementation of wind farms.
Change we can believe in—of the conformational type

The Cantoblanco Workshop on the Initiation of Antigen Receptor Signaling took place between 20 and 22 October 2008, in Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain, and was organized by B. Alarcon, M. Davis & A. Weiss. ![][1] See Glossary for abbreviations used in this article In the back of our minds, we all know how antigen receptors trigger the activation of T‐ and B‐lymphocytes; it seems relatively well worked out. The binding of an antigen to the T‐cell receptor (TCR) and the B‐cell receptor (BCR) results in the phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic domains of these receptors, and off the cells go. Yet how exactly does that happen? For a group of researchers gathered in Madrid, Spain, in the autumn of 2008, that was the question. How does antigen binding to the ectodomains of the TCR and the BCR change the receptors so as to initiate intracellular signalling? Since the discovery of the TCR and the BCR, immunologists have learned a tremendous amount about the signalling cascades that are triggered by antigen binding and ultimately lead to T‐cell and B‐cell activation. However, the mechanisms that translate antigen binding into intracellular signalling remain among the real mysteries of adaptive immunity. How can that be if the mechanisms underlying the activation of a range of receptors—such as growth factor receptors—have been well worked out? In contrast to these conventional receptors, several unique characteristics of antigen receptors suggest that their inner workings are more complicated, including the enormous variability of their antigen‐binding domains and the need to learn to discriminate self from non‐self. How do the numerous unique interactions of antigens with the TCRs and BCRs expressed by each lymphocyte converge on a common change in the intracellular domains of the receptors that is sensitive to foreign antigens, but not self? To foster a discussion of antigen‐receptor activation, … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Faster, better, cheaper: An institutional view

Abstract The focus in solar system exploration has shifted to a “faster, better, cheaper” approach featuring focused, technically sophisticated, fast track missions. To implement this approach, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has modified its management practices and its developmental process and tools. This paper examines the challenges, responses, and early results of this new way of doing business. The focus of this evaluation is at the institutional rather than the project level; that is, how is JPL managing a suite of many small missions rather than a few big ones? Current JPL missions are designed to fixed cost targets that are an order of magnitude lower than their predecessors. They have focused scientific objectives, are usually pan of an ongoing program of related missions, and are being developed in about half the time previously allowed. They utilize new technology to reduce mass and improve performance. The Laboratory has responded to the challenges of the new approach with modern design and development practices and information technologies, which result in an interdependence and need for resource sharing at many levels —project to project, organization to organization, and nation to nation. The early results are encouraging. Eight missions developed under the new paradigm have been launched from 1997 to 1999, with a wide range of destinations and objectives. The program architecture concept has proven to be a robust one. While many implementation issues still need to be resolved, progress is being made and the resilience of the underlying architecture has been validated.
Neovascularization of the Optic Disc Associated with Obstruction of the Central Retinal Artery

Neovascularization of the optic disc (NVD) has, to the authors' knowledge, rarely been reported in association with acute obstruction of the central retinal artery (CRAO). The authors recently retrospectively reviewed 168 cases of CRAO. In this group, NVD developed in three patients soon after their CRAO, an occurrence rate of 1.8%. Rubeosis iridis also developed in two of these three patients. Although all three patients had either atherosclerotic carotid artery disease, diabetes mellitus, or both, in none of the cases was there clinical evidence implicating these diseases as the direct cause for the NVD. All three eyes received panretinal laser photocoagulation, with eventual resolution of the new vessels.
IL-10 confers protection from mast cell degranulation in a mouse model of allergic conjunctivitis.

Abstract IL-10 is a regulatory cytokine known to inhibit allergic and inflammatory events. Mast cells (MC) are effector cells which when stimulated release histamine, chemokines and cytokines that initiate the allergic inflammatory response. Recent studies have shown that IL-10 regulates MC function by affecting cytokine production and expression of FcɛR1 in in vitro assays. Using IL-10 knockout (IL10KO) mice, we examined the effect of its absence on MC susceptibility to degranulation by the basic secretagogue, Compound 48/80 (C48/80). C48/80 is a receptor mimetic that directly activates G proteins and stimulates vigorous MC degranulation. For these studies we stimulated conjunctival MC with C48/80 and found that conjunctival MC of IL10KO mice exhibit increased degranulation compared with wild type mice. Reconstitution of IL10KO mice by adding rIL-10 24 h prior to challenge with C48/80 conferred increased resistance of MC to the degranulatory effects of C48/80. The protective effect therefore appears to be due to the presence of IL-10. This is the first in vivo rodent study which reports a novel role of IL-10 in stabilizing mast cells from degranulation by a secretagogue, by as of yet an unknown mechanism.
The Impact of the Family Environment on the Ethnic Identity Development of Multiethnic College Students

In this qualitative study of 5 multiethnic college students, the findings indicate that family environment played a significant role in the participants' ability to develop secure ethnic identities. The participants who described their family members as supportive of their multiple ethnic backgrounds also felt confident about their ethnic identity, whereas the participants who described their family members as unsupportive of their multiple ethnic backgrounds maintained that they often felt insecure about their ethnic identity.
Nutritional Therapy for Rheumatic Diseases

Excerpt Physicians and patients have long been intrigued with the possibility that some foods or food-related products provoke rheumatic diseases whereas others alleviate symptoms of arthritis. If ...
Fertility Assessment by Continuous Breeding: Evaluation of Diethylstilbestrol and a Comparison of Results from Two Laboratories

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was selected as a positive control compound to study a new assay for reproductive toxicity testing. The assay, Fertility Assessment by Continuous Breeding, has been used at 2 different testing laboratories. This manuscript describes the results of 1 study and compares the reproducibility of the data from the 2 laboratories. CD-1 mice received a diet with DES at concentrations of 0, 1, 10, and 50 ppb (μg/kg) throughout the study. The treatment began 7 days before cohabitation, and then, for a 14-week period, the mice were housed as breeding pairs, and litters were weighed, sexed, and discarded to allow continuous matings. The males and females were separated at the end of 14 weeks, and the last litter was saved until weaning. The control pairs delivered an average of 4.75 litters per fertile pair, and 95% of the pairs had at least 1 litter. DES in feed at 50 ppb decreased fertility so that only 42% of the pairs were fertile, and the number of litters per fertile pair averaged only ...
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections in Families: The Role of Children with Infectious Mononucleosis

We performed a prospective evaluation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections in 78 families with a childhood index case of EBV-infectious mononucleosis (EBV-IM). During the acute index episode, adult family (household) contacts, compared with control adults, had a greater rate of oropharyngeal EBV excretion and high serum antibody responses, which suggested a recent antecedent reactivation of an old EBV infection. The increased prevalence of oropharyngeal EBV and acute serological responses found in sibling family contacts during the early surveillance period suggested that these contacts had experienced an increased rate of primary-type EBV infections shortly before or concurrent with the index case. Although nonimmune sibling contacts seroconverted at a slow rate, five of nine manifested IM with their eventual documented primary EBV infection. This study noted significant intrafamilial EBV activity surrounding an episode of childhood EBV-IM. Reactivation of an old EBV infection in adults may be an important source of virus for susceptible children within these families. Siblings of a childhood case of EBV-IM appear to be at increased risk for manifesting IM with their primary EBV infection.
Towards improving a similarity search approach

In this paper, we present continuous research on data analysis based on our previous work on similarity search problems. PanKNN [13] is a novel technique which explores the meaning of K nearest neighbors from a new perspective, redefines the distances between data points and a given query point Q, and efficiently and effectively selects data points which are closest to Q. It can be applied in various data mining fields. In this paper, we present our approach to improving the PanKNN algorithm using the Shrinking concept. Shrinking[15] is a data preprocessing technique which optimizes the inner structure of data inspired by the Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation[11] in the real world. This improved approach can assist to improve the performance of existing data analysis approaches.
Natural convection due to horizontal temperature and concentration gradients—2. Species interdiffusion, Soret and Dufour effects

Abstract This study examines the influence of species interdiffusion, Soret and Dufour effects on the natural convection heat and mass transfer in a cavity due to combined temperature and concentration gradients. Results from numerical computations indicate that species interdiffusion reduces the overall heat transfer, but increases the mass transfer through the cavity for h A / h B h A / h B > 1. Furthermore, contributions to the total mass flux through the cavity due to Soret diffusion can be as much as 10–15%. Similarly, energy transfer due to Dufour effects can be appreciable compared to heat conduction.
Resonance raman spectroscopy of arsanilazocarboxypeptidase A: Assignment of the vibrations of azotyrosyl-248

Chemical modification of the zinc metalloenzyme, carboxypeptidase A, with diazotized p-arsanilic acid labels the active-site tyrosyl-248 residue specifically, generating a visible chromophore, azotyrosine, that has been shown to be a sensitive, dynamic probe of the local environment of the active center. Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to study the vibrational modes of the azotyrosine probe at low concentrations (~5 × 10-5 M) selectively. The frequencies and intensities of the bands in the resonance Raman spectra vary characteristically with pH and define different species of azotyrosyl-248 in solution. In the present study, an extensive spectral analysis of a series of azophenol model compounds and several of their 15N and 2H derivatives has been carried out in order to assign the bands that differentiate between and characterize these species. The effect of factors such as proton ionization, tautomeric isomerization, azo cis-trans isomerization, out-of-plane twisting of the azo group, rotameric equilibria, and aggregation on the spectra of these azo compounds is analyzed in detail. Specific modes associated with vibrational motions of both the central CNNC azo group and the adjacent aromatic rings of azotyrosine have been identified. These assignments enable the observed resonance Raman spectra of the azoenzyme to be interpreted in terms of the molecular details of the environment of azotyrosine in the enzyme.
Effects of enrichment of phosphatidylcholine liposomes with cholesterol or α-tocopherol on the response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin

Abstract Studies were performed to determine the ability of α-tocopherol and cholesterol to influence the effect of phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes on the blastogenic response of bovine peripheral blood lymphocytes (BPBL) to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). BPBL were cultured with liposomes having a molar ratio of cholesterol to PC (C/P) ranging from 0 to 2.0, a molar ratio of α-tocopherol to PC (E/P) of 1.0 and a molar ratio of cholesterol + α-tocopherol to PC [ ( C + E ) P ] of 2.0 and 4.0. PC liposomes significantly suppressed BPBL blastogenic response to PHA. Cholesterol-rich (C/P ≥ 1.0) liposomes, α-tocopherol-rich (E/P = 1.0) liposomes and liposomes rich in cholesterol and α-tocopherol [ ( C + E ) P ≥ 2.0 ] were able to completely reverse PC liposome suppression of BPBL. There was no molar ratio [C/P, E/P or (C + E)/P] that was able to enhance the blastogenic response of BPBL above the response obtained with PHA alone. The results suggest that the augmentation of PC liposomes rich in cholesterol, α-tocopherol and cholesterol with a-tocopherol (C/P and E/P ≥ 1.0) was equally capable of restoring normal responses in BPBL but did not enhance or suppress the response to PHA.
Evolution experiments with an artificial ecosystem

Abstract The technique of ecosystem reconstruction provides a mechanism for examining assumptions about natural ecosystems and their evolution. A hierarchical computer program has been developed with genetic, organismic and population levels embedded in an ecosystem. The program consists of a population of cell-like organisms subject to a strict materials conservation law. The conservation law induces a competitive interaction among organisms. Organisms can also participate in co-operative interactions and are capable of executing representative biological strategies, such as genetic recombination and modulation of the expression of the genome. Preliminary experiments with the system show that the efficiency of individual organisms may be restricted, but with a concomitant increase in the utilization of the environment. The nature of the restrictions probably differs from those that occur in natural biology, due to specializing assumptions in the model, but the mechanism of their appearance may be a general ecosystem process.
Inhibition of prostate cancer metastatic colonization by ∼4.2 Mb of human chromosome 12

Our previous studies demonstrate that introduction of a ∼70 cM region (now estimated at 63.75 Mb by the Human Genome Project) of human chromosome 12 into the highly metastatic Dunning rat prostate cancer cell line AT6.1 results in >30-fold (≥90%) reduction in the number of overt metastases in spontaneous metastasis assays. We report the further localization and biological characterization of the metastasis-suppressor activity encoded by a reduced region of chromosome 12. To localize this metastasis-suppressor activity, a panel of AT6.1 microcell hybrids that retain varying portions of human chromosome 12 was constructed and subjected to sequence-tagged site (STS)-based PCR analysis and assessment of in vivo metastatic ability. Data from these complementary approaches localized the metastasis-suppressor activity to a ∼4.2 Mb portion of human chromosome 12q24.3 comprised of 3 separate regions. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblotting were used for differential expression analyses to identify which characterized genes, predicted gene sequences and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) within this region could be responsible for the observed metastasis suppression. Comprehensive in vivo studies showed that suppressed AT6.1-12 hybrids that retain the metastasis-suppressor region on 12q24.3 are capable of arriving at the secondary site, but are not able to persist there. Thus, unlike other metastasis-suppressor genes characterized to date, the metastasis-suppressor gene encoded by this region appears to utilize a different biologic mechanism to suppress the growth of overt metastases at the secondary site. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Low-energy supergravity: False vacua and vacuous predictions☆

The coupling of supersymmetric gauge theories to N = 1 supergravity leads to a description of physics at the TeV scale in terms of an effective theory in which global supersymmetry is broken by a constrained set of soft operators. In the minimal model of this type, we show that the renormalization group scaling of the Higgs mass-squared operator can induce breaking of the weak interaction gauge symmetry even if all quarks and leptons are lighter than 20 GeV. In this scenario, the vacuum is unstable against decay into a deeper vacuum which violates electromagnetic and color gauge symmetries. However, numerical computations reveal a range of parameters for which the lifetime of the false vacuum is longer than the age of the universe.
Encephalopathy with parkinsonian features in children following bone marrow transplantations and high-dose amphotericin B

Encephalopathy, leukoencephalopathy, and secondary parkinsonism occurred in 3 children with refractory leukemia undergoing allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) who were treated with high-dose amphotericin B for pulmonary aspergillosis or sinus aspergillosis that did not involve the nervous system. Treatment included high-dose cytosine arabinoside, cyclophosphamide, and total body irradiation prior to the BMT. The children developed a progressively worsening encephalopathy and parkinsonian features, characterized by resting tremor, cogwheel rigidity, and masklike facies. Neuroimaging studies showed cerebellar, cerebral, and basal ganglia atrophy, as well as frontal and temporal lobe white matter involvement. Two of the 3 patients recovered, although 1 has residual intellectual impairment. The third succumbed to non-central nervous system Epstein-Barr virus-lymphoproliferative disease and had autopsy-confirmed leukoenephalopathy.
Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node detection in women with vaginal cancer.

Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node detection have been applied to almost every solid tumor and sentinel node status have become part of the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging criteria in both breast cancer and malignant melanoma. As the presence of metastatic disease in lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor on survival in women with cervical cancer, the ability to reliably detect sentinel nodes might triage women to adjuvant radiotherapy without the need for full lymphadenectomies and their associated morbidity. To date, multiple international investigators have performed single institution investigations with promising results. Overall, 831 women have been undergoing lymphatic mapping and sentinel node detection as part of their cervical cancer therapy as reported in the literature. Combining results from all these studies, a sentinel node was identified in 90% of cases with an overall sensitivity of detecting metastatic disease of 92% with an 8% false negative rate. The overall negative predictive value was over 97%. There remain controversies in moving forward with accepting sentinel node biopsy as the standard in treating women cervical cancer including 1) determining an acceptable false-negative rate, 2) establishing the importance of micrometastatic disease or isolated tumor cells in sentinel nodes, and 3) discovering the minimum number of cases a surgeon needs to become proficient in mapping techniques. Large, multi-institutional studies in both Europe and the United States are nearing completion and their results should help guide the future direction for sentinel node technologies in the treatment of cervical cancer.
SOCIAL LEARNING AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: MODELLING EFFECTS ON CHILDREN'S UNDERSTANDING OF CONSERVATION

Cognitive limitations of social learning were studied in 120 children. On the basis of a pre-test of conservation of substance, children were described as conservers, partial conservers or nonconservers. Next, each child observed either a conserving, mixed or non-conserving model perform in a standard Piagetian conservation task via videotape. A post-test followed. Results indicated that the extent of post-modelling behaviour change was related to the child's initial developmental level. Children who observed a non-conserving model failed to regress in their understanding of conservation. These data suggest that positive effects of modelling are predictable according to initial cognitive level.
THE MOVIES AND SOCIAL OBSERVATION: READING BLUMER'S MOVIES AND CONDUCT

This article focuses on an early work of Herbert Blumer, Movies and Conduct, a study which reports the reactions of moviegoers to motion pictures. Contrasting Blumer's study with contemporary feminist film studies which are based on a psychoanalytically oriented semiotics, I argue that Blumer's contribution to sociology was an observational methodology of documentation and description, generally known as Symbolic Interactionism, which drew on a cinematographic sense of vision. At the same time, this methodology claimed a scientific objectivity for social observation by erasing from it any traces of the visual erotic which constituted both early cinema and the psychoanalytic interpretation of the subject. Thus, Blumer's methodology presents itself as “sexless.”
Covalent Conjugation of Antibodies to Biomolecular-Motor Driven Shuttles

Emerging diagnostic needs for the detection of wide arrays of biomarker molecules require the detection of ultralow concentrations of protein in small volumes of biological samples. In past work, a number of microfluidic devices have been developed in attempt to satisfy these needs. One technology incorporates a critical component of the cell's cytoskeletal system, kinesin and microtubules (MT), in engineered device structures to actively collect and concentrate functionalized microtubules into a small concentrator region. The biomolecular motor kinesin hydrolyzes ATP and converts this chemical energy into mechanical work by moving along microtubule filaments. Incorporating MTs coated with antibodies (Ab) into this concentrator device will allow for a large variety of analytes to be captured with high specificity and localized for detection. We use a heterobifunctional, 8.3A long crosslinker to covalently attach a reduced thiol group on the heavy chain of the antibody to a free succinimidyl ester on the outer surface of the microtubule. This conjugation method prevents undesired cross-linked products (MT-MT, Ab-Ab) and is applicable to monoclonal, polyclonal and F(ab)’2 antibodies, specifically anti-BSA and anti-TNFα. The motility of the functionalized microtubule complex was not significantly impaired as the gliding velocity of the functionalized microtubules driven by Kinesin-1 from Neurospora crassa decreased by about 25%, lowering the average velocity of the complex from 2.28 μm/s to 1.71 μm/s. Importantly, image analysis of fluorescent antigens attached to functionalized MTs show that microtubules are conjugated with >100 antibodies/μm of length. Based on these results, we conclude that the high density of antibodies on the microtubules along with the high binding affinity of antigen suggests that these molecular shuttles coupled with fluorescent detection can be incorporated into concentrator devices to detect ultralow concentrations of specific biomolecules.
Electrical muscle stimulation in combination with a reciprocating gait orthosis for ambulation by paraplegics.

Abstract Commercially available electrical muscle stimulators (EMS) provide functional electrical stimulation and are interfaced with reciprocating gait orthosis (RGO). The system which has been developed is described here as an EMS-RGO. Advantages of the system include: medically prescriptable subsystems available from manufacturers, and commercially recommended subsystems for applications such as gait training. The system itself employs four EMS units worn on a bell. It is controlled by remote switches and is interfaced to electrodes placed over the quadriceps, hamstring and gluteal muscle groups of each leg. Two EMS units (for quadriceps stimulation) function primarily for stand-up and sit-down. Two other EMS units (for stimulation of the hip extensors) function primarily for ambulation. Each EMS unit is powered by a nine volt alkaline transistor battery which provides about 36 stand-up's and sit-down's and approximately 3.1 km of walking before replacement is necessary. The system has been evaluated on a T-5 level paraplegic individual who sustained a motor complete lesion (Frankel Class B) of the spinal cord over seven years ago. It is emphasized that successful EMS-RGO walking exercise must be preceded by a physical conditioning programme of active physical therapy. New battery technology (such as lithium batteries) may improve the useful lifespan of the system, and new electrode technology (such as TTGs) may improve patient acceptance of the system.