cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Nonsense Consonant-Vowel-Consonant Word Test to Assess Auditory Processing.

BACKGROUND Dichotic listening (DL), or how the two ears work together as a team, is often used in the assessment of auditory processing disorders in both children and adults. Currently, the battery of dichotic tests includes stimuli containing words, digits, and nonsense consonant-vowel syllables. Single-syllable nonsense words are of particular use in assessing processing abilities because they can evaluate auditory processing without a listener's dependence on linguistic knowledge. Therefore, nonsense words may assess auditory processes independently of previous vocabulary knowledge. PURPOSE This study is designed to assess the clinical applicability and face validity of a nonsense word DL test in a young adult population. RESEARCH DESIGN This study included an experimental design to investigate the performance of young adult listeners on a Dichotic Nonsense Word (DNW) test spoken by a male and female speaker. The results were compared with one study that investigated young adult listener's performance on dichotic tests of English words. STUDY SAMPLE A total of 100 young adult participants were recruited from the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh to participate in the study. The participants ranged in age from 20 to 30, with an average age of 23, and all participants had normal hearing. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS DL performance was measured in all participants using the Dichotic Words Test (DWT) and the newly developed DNW test. Kolmogorov-Smirnoff tests of normality were used to assess distribution of right- and left-ear scores. Criterion cutoff scores were determined for the percent correct scores in the nondominant ear and dominant ear and for ear advantage. RESULTS Scores were significantly different between the two tests in the right ear, Z = -8.258, p < 0.001, and in the left ear, Z = -8.471, p < 0.001. Scores within each test were higher for the right ear than for the left ear, and scores for both ears were significantly lower on the DNW test than for the DWT. Ear advantage scores from the DNW test were significantly larger than those obtained from the DWT. The low and high 95% criterion cutoff ranges for the DNW test were considerably wider than the 95% criterion cutoff ranges for the DWT. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that the new DNW test may be a useful clinical tool within a test battery for evaluating auditory processing skills independent of vocabulary knowledge.
Review: Jerusalem 1000–1400: Every People under Heaven

Jerusalem 1000–1400: Every People under Heaven Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 26 September 2016–8 January 2017 The much-anticipated exhibition dedicated to medieval Jerusalem at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York surprised its visitors with an unusual approach: portraying “a singularly creative moment in a singularly complex city” during the four centuries in which Jerusalem was shared by and disputed over by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The challenge the curators, Barbara Drake Boehm and Melanie Holcomb, faced was to ignore academic and nationalistic divisions as they approached the history of Jerusalem as a whole while also taking into consideration the city's image among people who are not able to visit it in person. To achieve this goal, they opened the exhibition with a gallery devoted to trade, a shared interest among peoples of different faiths and origins in medieval Jerusalem. A selection of beautiful objects exemplifying the goods traded in medieval Jerusalem were displayed: ceramics and copper bowls, gold jewelry, furnishing and clothing textiles, books, paintings, and reliquaries. The original production sites of these objects—ranging from northern Europe to India and China—demonstrated both the extent of the commercial networks to which Jerusalem was connected and the geographically central role the city played in these networks. The second section of the exhibition explored how the influences of …
Microbial Decontamination of Beef and Sheep Carcasses by Steam, Hot Water Spray Washes, and a Steam-Vacuum Sanitizer.

Three separate studies were conducted to determine the effectiveness of various temperature water spray washes (Wt), wash and steam combinations (WtS), and vacuum and wash combinations (VWt) for reducing fecal bacteria on sheep and beef carcasses. Wt of 15.6, 54.4, and 82.2°C were administered to sheep carcasses contaminated with feces, using a hand-held spray nozzle. Initial carcass bacterial populations of approximately 2.5, 4, and 6 log CFU/cm2 were subjected to all wash combinations. W82.2 and W82.2S reduced 6 log CFU/cm2 bacterial populations as much as 4.0 log cycles. When carcasses were subjected to WtS and W82.2, the initial contamination levels (4 and 6 log CFU/cm2) had little effect on final bacterial levels (2.7 to 3.3 log CFU/cm2). However, uninoculated carcasses with initial bacterial populations of 2.5 log CFU/cm2 experienced a 1.5-log-cycle reduction when subjected to WtS and W82.2. It is possible that hydration of a carcass before and during interventions affords some protection to bacteria. The next study used a commercial carcass washer to apply a hot water (72°C), low pressure (20 psi) wash in combination with a high pressure (125 psi), warm water (30°C) wash (W72/30). Reductions on beef of 2.7, 3.3, and 3.4 log cycles for aerobic plate count (APC), coliforms, and E. coli populations, respectively, were observed. When a commercial steam-vacuum was used in conjunction with W72/30, reductions of 3.1, 4.2, and 4.3 log cycles for APC, coliforms, and E. coli populations, respectively, were achieved. Implementation of these interventions could reduce the amount of trimming needed on carcass-processing lines and would increase the microbial safety of beef carcasses.
Nebulization of single-chain tissue-type and single-chain urokinase plasminogen activator for treatment of inhalational smoke-induced acute lung injury

Single-chain tissue-type plasminogen activator (sctPA) and single-chain urokinase plasminogen activator (scuPA) have attracted interest as enzymes for the treatment of inhalational smoke-induced acute lung injury (ISALI). In this study, the pulmonary delivery of commercial human sctPA and lyophilized scuPA and their reconstituted solution forms were demonstrated using vibrating mesh nebulizers (Aeroneb® Pro (active) and EZ Breathe® (passive)). Both the Aeroneb® Pro and EZ Breathe® vibrating mesh nebulizers produced atomized droplets of protein solution of similar size of less than about 5 μm, which is appropriate for pulmonary delivery. Enzymatic activities of scuPA and of sctPA were determined after nebulization and both remained stable (88.0% and 93.9%). Additionally, the enzymatic activities of sctPA and tcuPA were not significantly affected by excipients, lyophilization or reconstitution conditions. The results of these studies support further development of inhaled formulations of fibrinolysins for delivery to the lungs following smoke-induced acute pulmonary injury.
Hexe: A Toolkit for Heterogeneous Memory Management

Heterogeneity in memory is becoming increasingly common in high-end computing. Several modern supercomputers, such as those based on the Intel Knights Landing or NVIDIA P100 GPU architectures, already showcase multiple memory domains that are directly accessible by user applications, including on-chip high-bandwidth memory and off-chip traditional DDR memory. The next generation of supercomputers is expected to take this architectural trend one step further by including NVRAM as an additional byte-addressable memory option. Despite these trends, allocating and managing such memory are still tedious tasks. In this paper, we present hexe, a highly flexible and portable memory allocation toolkit. Unlike other memory allocation tools such as malloc, memkind, and cudaMallocManaged, hexe presents a rich and portable memory allocation framework that allows applications to carefully and precisely manage their memory across the various memory subsystems available on the system. Together with a detailed description of the design and capabilities of hexe, we present several case studies where the flexible memory allocation in hexe allows applications to achieve superior performance compared with that of other memory allocation tools.
Study on Cause Analysis and Treatment Measures of Lining Cracking and Ballast Bed Freezing at Tunnel Portal in Seasonally-Frozen Regions

The purpose of this study is taking the ZEST tunnel of Xilin hot-Ulanhot Railway in Inner Mongolia province of China as an example to investigate the cause and treatment measures of lining cracking and ballast bed freezing at tunnel portal in seasonally-frozen regions. Field investigation method was used to investigate the characteristics of lining cracking and ballast bed freezing in winter. The results show that the longitudinal cracks in the side wall are symmetrical and located in the middle of the wall. The longitudinal cracks have obvious seasonal characteristics, which mainly occur in winter, and the width of cracking was alternatively varied and broadened year by year, of which the process proved to be irreversible. The number of cracks and the width and length of the cracks all have the trend of further development in the last year. Numerical calculation method was used to study the internal force change law of the lining structure of the ZEST tunnel under seasonal frost heaving force. The results show that the lining cracking is mainly caused by the frost heaving force load. Based on the above analysis results, the treatment measures for the frost heave cracking, ballast bed freezing and the leakage of water leakage during the spring thawing period are proposed, the remediation measure proposed is quite effective and the problems such as cracking, ballast bed freezing and water leaking of tunnel lining are completely solved.
"But doctor, I googled it!": The "three Rs" of managing patients in the age of information overload

Managing patient interactions in the age of the Internet can be particularly difficult due to the vast amount of information available. Dermatologists should be able to identify relevant patient concerns to adequately address them. We discuss the ethical issues involved in interacting with patients who use the Internet for medical knowledge, and we suggest a method, using the "three Rs" (reassure, redirect, refer), to conduct these interactions. Appropriate evaluation and categorization of patients with regard to their concerns and needs can help guide physicians on how to use the three Rs in managing patient care and expectations.
Time to Make a Change: Assessing LDL-C Accurately in the Era of Modern Pharmacotherapeutics and Precision Medicine

The Friedewald equation for estimation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was published in 1972 as an alternative to direct assessment by preparative ultracentrifugation. In this equation, very low-density lipoprotein is estimated by dividing triglycerides by a fixed factor (5 in mg/dL or 2.2 in mmol/L) and subtracting this term from non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C). This method was derived in fasting samples from a small cohort of patients with primarily genetic dyslipidemias followed at the NIH. The method served well as the global standard for LDL-C estimation for decades, but is not well suited to modern clinical practice because it tends to underestimate LDL-C at low LDL-C and high triglyceride levels. The concern is that underestimation could lead to undertreatment in high-risk patients. Derived from big data and now validated around the world, a novel LDL-C equation created at Johns Hopkins replaces the fixed factor seen in the classic equation with a patient-specific variable based on triglyceride and non-HDL-C levels. Given its superior accuracy in fasting and non-fasting populations alike, the novel equation is now the preferred method for LDL-C estimation and is being incorporated by leading clinical laboratories.
Who's In Control Of The Ark? A Study Of Internal Controls In Operating And Auditing A Small Preschool

ABSTRACT This instructional case encourages analytical thinking about internal controls in both the operations and audit of a small, not-for-profit organization. Students examine a control environm...
36. CHANGE IN RESIDENT KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF DAILY PROGRESS NOTES FOLLOWING AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION

Introduction Physicians enter residency with variable proficiency in note writing and knowledge of note purpose. Best practice guidelines give learners some direction, but may not provide adequate explanation about the importance and purposes of progress notes. Objective Test the efficacy of a workshop intervention on changing resident knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about progress notes. Methods An educational workshop was constructed by residents and faculty stakeholders based on review of the literature, institutional best practices, and a previously designed note assessment tool. Residents from a mid-sized pediatric residency program attended a workshop consisting of best practice didactics and small group work using the tool to assess example progress notes. Participants completed a 22-question online survey (Qualtrics) before and after the workshop to evaluate knowledge of progress note components and attitudes regarding note importance. Pre-post analysis was performed with Chi square testing for true/false questions and Mann-Whitney testing for Likert scale questions. Results Pediatric residents (n=26, 79% response rate) completed the pre-intervention online survey, and 23 (70%) completed the post-intervention survey. Accurate response rate improved in 15/20 of the true/false content questions, with a statistically significant improvement in five of them (p Discussion/Conclusion This study suggests that a workshop intervention is an effective method of educating pediatric residents on progress note best practices. Further studies should assess the impact of the intervention on sustained resident knowledge and beliefs about progress notes and subsequent note quality.
Flexible backhaul-aware DBS-aided HetNet with IBFD communications

Abstract Drone-mounted base-stations (DBSs) are promising complements and substitutes of the terrestrial base-stations. We investigate the problem of P lacement and c O mmunications in the D BS-aided heterogeneous network (POD) with tier-1 backhaul using free space optics communications and tier-2 backhaul utilizing in-band full-duplex communications to provide ubiquitous connections and high spectrum efficiency. The POD problem is shown to be NP-hard, and thus we simplify the POD problem by decomposing it into three sub-problems. Finally, we propose an approximation algorithm to solve the POD problem, and demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is superior to two baseline algorithms.
Communication-Aware Scheduling of Precedence-Constrained Tasks

Jobs in large-scale machine learning platforms are expressed using a computational graph of tasks with precedence constraints. To handle such precedence-constrained tasks that have machine-dependent communication demands in settings with heterogeneous service rates and communication times, we propose a new scheduling framework, Generalized Earliest Time First (GETF), that improves upon stateof- the-art results in the area. Specifically, we provide the first provable, worst-case approximation guarantee for the goal of minimizing the makespan of tasks with precedence constraints on related machines with machine-dependent communication times.
Electronic Properties of Cyano Ionic Liquids: a Valence Band Photoemission Study.

The valence band spectra of three cyano-ionic liquids based on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (Im2,1+) paired with thiocyanate (SCN-)), dicyanamide (N(CN)2-) and tricyanomethanide (C(CN)3-) have been ...
Very large optical tunability from strong correlations at room temperature

The next-generation technology poised to revolutionize our society is 3D displays, and tunable nanophotonics is the key. Tunability in optical devices has been achieved in the past by many techniques including electrical doping, chemical doping, mechanical actuation, and optical nonlinearity. However, they all present either fast and small or slow and large tuning response. An unconventional material that can exhibit a large tuning with MHz response is 1T-tantalum disulfide. We observed unity order refractive index change in the visible at room temperature with an in-plane DC bias, AC bias, and moderately intense white light illumination (2.5 Suns). The strong correlations in this material give rise to charge ordering even at room temperatures and result in the large tunability. Using this new optical material, we demonstrate tunable meta-devices operating in the visible.
The Role of Blockchains in Multi-Stakeholder Transactive Energy Systems

Power grids are undergoing major changes due to rapid growth in renewable energy and improvements in battery technology. Prompted by the increasing complexity of power systems, decentralized solutions are emerging that arrange local communities into transactive microgrids. This paper addresses the problem of implementing transactive energy mechanisms in a distributed setting, providing both privacy and safety. Specifically, we design and implement an automated auction and matching system that ensures safety (e.g., satisfaction of line capacity constraints), preserves privacy, and promotes local trade and market efficiency for transactive energy systems. This design problem is challenging because safety, market efficiency, and privacy are competing objectives. We implement our solution as a decentralized trading platform built on blockchain technology and smart contracts. To demonstrate the viability of our platform, we analyze the results of experiments with dozens of embedded devices and energy production and consumption profiles using an actual dataset from the transactive energy domain.
Denying Choice of Forum: An Interference by the Massachusetts Trial Court with Domestic Violence Victims’ Rights and Safety

Petitions for protection from abuse, often referred to as civil protection orders or restraining orders, are governed in Massachusetts by G.L. 209A. Massachusetts has been in the forefront of many civil protections for victims, including the provision of a timely, same day hearing and other accommodations that ease the burden on petitioners in need of an immediate remedy. The jurisdictional and venue provisions of chapter 209A permit a petitioner to file for protection in either the district, Boston municipal, superior or probate and family court departments of the Massachusetts Trial Court. The history of the jurisdiction and venue provisions of the statute reflects a thoughtful and effective process crafted by the Massachusetts legislature. The provisions permit a petitioner to file in the most geographically convenient court that is located within the petitioner’s county of residence. However, in May, 2009, the Norfolk Probate and Family Court became host to a pilot program implemented by the Massachusetts Trial Court. The pilot permits the probate and family court (“family court”) to initiate interdepartmental transfer of 209A petitions from the district courts to the family court, either upon motion of a party or sua sponte, when there are related matters pending between the parties in the family court.
Second-order decoupled energy-stable schemes for Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations

Abstract The Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes (CHNS) equations represent the fundamental building blocks of hydrodynamic phase-field models for multiphase fluid flow dynamics. Due to the coupling between the Navier-Stokes equation and the Cahn-Hilliard equation, the CHNS system is non-trivial to be solved numerically. Traditionally, a numerical extrapolation for the coupling terms is used. However, such brute-force extrapolation usually destroys the intrinsic thermodynamic structures of this CHNS system. This paper proposes a new strategy to reformulate the CHNS system into a constraint gradient flow formulation, where the reversible and irreversible structures are clearly revealed. This guides us to propose operator splitting schemes that have several advantageous properties. First of all, the proposed schemes lead to several decoupled systems in smaller sizes to be solved at each time marching step. This significantly reduces computational costs. Secondly, the proposed schemes still guarantee the thermodynamic laws of the CHNS system at the discrete level. In addition, unlike the recently populated IEQ or SAV approaches using auxiliary variables, our resulting energy laws are formulated in the original variables. This is a significant improvement, as the modified energy laws with auxiliary variables sometimes deviate from the original energy law. Our proposed framework lays a foundation for designing decoupled and energy stable numerical algorithms for hydrodynamic phase-field models. Furthermore, various numerical algorithms can be obtained given different splitting steps, making this framework rather general. The proposed numerical algorithms are implemented. Their second-order temporal and spatial accuracy are verified numerically. Some numerical examples and benchmark problems are calculated to verify the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.
Transformational adaptation in drylands

Global drylands comprise over 40% of the earth’s land surface, support millions of pastoralists and account for half of the world’s livestock. Climate change and socio-economic drivers are rapidly altering dryland social-ecological systems, with the potential to increase vulnerability. This article describes forces of change in drylands and the social changes observed in pastoralist dryland systems, with a focus on Africa. The observed changes point to changes in values, social/gender relations, livelihoods and institutions, all fundamental elements of transformational adaptation. The paper concludes with a discussion of transformational adaptation research and its implications for policy.
A rare case of transient ischemic attacks and acute ischemic stroke from left intracranial arteries encased in meningioma. (P1.021)

OBJECTIVE: To report a rare case of transient ischemic attacks (TIA) and acute infarct secondary to compression of intracranial artery by meningioma. BACKGROUND: Meningioma is the most common extra-axial brain tumor in adults. The commonly involved areas include the suprasellar, temporobasal, sphenoidal wing or petroclivial regions causing various neurologic symptoms. Ischemic stroke and TIAs due to compression of intracranial carotid and middle cerebral artery is rare. DESIGN/METHODS: A 68 year-old right-handed female admitted to the hospital for evaluation of intermittent episodes of right hand clumsiness, right facial numbness and slurred speech for two weeks. The episodes usually lasted for about 30 minutes. The episode happened once every day to every few days. Neurological examination showed right facial weakness and mild dysarthria without any extremity weakness. MRI showed gadolinium homogenous enhancing mass at left planum, sphenoid clinoid and supraclinoid with dural tail which encased and narrowed the left internal carotid artery (ICA). MRI also showed areas of restricted diffusion in the left MCA territory. CT angiogram showed severe left ICA and MCA stenosis due to encasement by the extra-axial mass. The patient opted for medical management and was asymptomatic at her follow up visit. CONCLUSIONS: Compression of the intracranial blood vessel is a rare complication of meningioma which can result in TIAs and ischemic stroke. Disclosure: Dr. Tantikittichaikul has nothing to disclose. Dr. Laengvejkal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Eldokla has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose.
CometCIEF: A web-based image enhancement facility to digitally enhance images of cometary comae

Abstract We present details of an online web facility for enhancing coma images of comets. This facility, the Cometary Coma Image Enhancement Facility (CometCIEF), allows a user to enhance FITS images using five advanced image enhancement techniques which were not previously available as an open source. The resultant enhanced image as well as intermediate images produced during the enhancement process can then be downloaded as FITS images. We provide additional documentation and source codes for the user to download at the Facility, available at http://www.psi.edu/research/cometimen .
Optimal Multiple Parsimony Alignment with Affine Gap Cost Using a Phylogenetic Tree

Many methods in bioinformatics rely on evolutionary relationships between protein, DNA, or RNA sequences. Alignment is a crucial first step in most analyses, since it yields information about which regions of the sequences are related to each other. Here, a new method for multiple parsimony alignment over a tree is presented. The novelty is that an affine gap cost is used rather than a simple linear gap cost. Affine gap costs have been used with great success for pairwise alignments and should prove useful in the multiple alignment scenario. The algorithmic challenge of using an affine gap cost in multiple alignment is the introduction of dependence between different columns in the alignment. The utility of the new method is illustrated by a number of protein sequences where increased alignment accuracy is obtained by using multiple sequences.
The Pastiche Prosecutor: A Speculative Introduction to Mr. District Attorney

There is just one small, long-out-of-print book devoted to the exploits of “Mr. District Attorney”: Mr. District Attorney on the Job (1941), the first chapter of which is printed below at pages 307-338. Nevertheless, to many Americans he is a familiar figure – the first great “ripped from the headlines” crime drama lawyer. If you were born before 1950, there is a good chance that as an impressionable youth you heard or saw Mr. District Attorney. His runs on radio (1939-53) and in comic books (1939-42, 1948-59) were long and successful; in the movies (1941-42, 1947) and on television (1951-52, 1954-55) less so. As a Founding Figure of lawyering in popular culture, Mr. District Attorney has been the subject of some study by modern scholars of law in society, and he will probably enjoy more attention in the future. One aspect of Mr. District Attorney that merits study is his provenance, because the source (or sources) of his character might shed light on the development of the fictional lawyer as action figure.
A meteorite from the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary

Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary sediments are now widely recognized to contain the record of a large asteroid or comet impact event1, probably at the site of the Chicxulub crater on the Yucatan peninsula2. After nearly two decades of intensive research, however, much remains unknown about the specific nature of the projectile and of the impact event itself. Here we describe a 2.5-mm fossil meteorite found in sediments retrieved from the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in the North Pacific Ocean that we infer may be a piece of the projectile responsible for the Chicxulub crater. Geochemical and petrographic analyses of this meteorite indicate that it probably came from a typical metal- and sulphide-rich carbonaceous chondrite rather than the porous aggregate type of interplanetary dust considered typical of cometary materials3. The fact that meteorite survival should be enhanced by impacts at low (asteroidal) velocities4 also implies that this meteorite had an asteroidal rather than a cometary origin.
Proposal for universality in the viscosity of metallic liquids

The range of magnitude of the liquid viscosity, η, as a function of temperature is one of the most impressive of any physical property, changing by approximately 17 orders of magnitude from its extrapolated value at infinite temperature (ηo) to that at the glass transition temperature, Tg. We present experimental measurements of containerlessly processed metallic liquids that suggest that log(η/ηo) as a function of TA/T is a potentially universal scaled curve. In stark contrast to previous approaches, the scaling requires only two fitting parameters, which are on average predictable. The temperature TA corresponds to the onset of cooperative motion and is strongly correlated with Tg, suggesting that the processes underlying the glass transition first appear in the high temperature liquid.
Pathology of Struma Ovarii: A Report of 96 Cases.

Thyroid tissue is a relatively frequent component of mature teratoma and can occur in 5–20 % of cases. Struma ovarii is defined as ovarian goiter which comprises either entirely or predominantly thyroid tissue (>50 %). This also includes cases of mature teratoma with less than 50 % thyroid tissue but harboring thyroid-associated malignancy. A total of 118 patients with mature teratoma containing thyroid tissue were identified at our institution (1989 to 2014). Ninety-six cases were diagnosed struma ovarii, including 10 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma, 1 case of highly differentiated follicular carcinoma of ovarian origin (HDFCO), 5 cases of strumal carcinoid, and 80 cases of struma ovarii (53 cases of thyroid-only struma ovarii). Six cases had diffuse adenomatous hyperplasia, and seven cases had focal adenomatous hyperplasia. There was no recurrence on follow-up except one of the papillary thyroid carcinomas. Concurrent primary ovarian lesions included: serous cystadenoma—3, mucinous cystadenoma—4, Brenner tumor—3, thecoma—2, ovarian fibroma—1, and focal hilus cell hyperplasia—4 cases. In this series, papillary thyroid carcinoma and strumal carcinoid were the most common well-differentiated neoplasm/malignancies arising in struma ovarii; these demonstrate a minimal or no aggressive clinical behavior.
General Revealed Preference Theory

We generalize the standard revealed preference exercise in economics, and prove a sufficient condition under which the revealed preference formulation of an economic theory has universal implications and when these implications can be recursively enumerated. We apply our theorem to two theories of group behavior: the theory of group preference and the theory of Nash equilibrium.
A robust method for the amplification of RNA in the sense orientation.

Small quantities of RNA (1–4 μg total RNA) available from biological samples frequently require a single round of amplification prior to analysis, but current amplification strategies have limitations that may restrict their usefulness in downstream genomic applications. The Eberwine amplification method has been extensively validated but is limited by its ability to produce only antisense RNA. Alternatives lack extensive validation and are often confounded by problems with bias or yield attributable to their greater biological and technical complexity. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a straightforward and robust protocol for amplification of RNA in the sense orientation. This protocol is based upon Eberwine's method but incorporates elements of more recent amplification techniques while avoiding their complexities. Our technique yields greater than 100-fold amplification, generates long transcript, and produces mRNA that is well suited for use with microarray applications. Microarrays performed with RNA amplified using this protocol demonstrate minimal amplification bias and high reproducibility. The protocol we describe here is readily adaptable for the production of sense or antisense, labeled or unlabeled RNA from intact or partially-degraded prokaryotic or eukaryotic total RNA. The method outperforms several commercial RNA amplification kits and can be used in conjunction with a variety of microarray platforms, such as cDNA arrays, oligonucleotide arrays, and Affymetrix GeneChip™ arrays.
3D‐Printed Artificial Microfish

Hydrogel microfish featuring biomimetic structures, locomotive capabilities, and functionalized nanoparticles are engineered using a rapid 3D printing platform: microscale continuous ­optical printing (μCOP). The 3D-printed ­microfish exhibit chemically powered and magnetically guided propulsion, as well as highly efficient detoxification capabilities that highlight the technical versatility of this platform for engineering advanced functional microswimmers for diverse biomedical applications.
A Evolução de um Pianismo Eclético: Gilberto Mendes e o Uso da Citação Musical

Este artigo analisa duas das principais pecas para piano do compositor santista: o 'Allegro' da Sonatina Mozartiana (1951) e Vento Noroeste (1982). A selecao de obras de fases tao distintas tem como principal meta distinguir procedimentos composicionais recorrentes - os quais sao responsaveis pela definicao de um estilo pessoal -, alem de tracar o amadurecimento na manipulacao de uma tecnica que distingue particularmente o compositor: a citacao musical. Em parte, as analises das referidas pecas foram previamente apresentadas em minha tese doutoral 'A Unique Brazilian Composer: A Study of the Music of Gilberto Mendes Through Selected Piano Pieces' (University of Arizona, 1998). Na conclusao deste artigo, proponho uma confrontacao inedita entre as duas obras, com o intuito de aprofundar a discussao sobre a evolucao tecnica e estetica do repertorio pianistico do Gilberto Mendes, inserindo-o no contexto mais amplo da sua criacao musical.
Expression and immunogenicity of oncofetal antigen-immature laminin receptor in human renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: The 32 to 44 kDa. oncofetal antigen-immature laminin receptor (OFA-iLR) is a multifunctional protein expressed by various tumors, including breast, lung, ovary and prostate carcinoma as well as lymphoma. OFA-iLR has been implicated in tumor invasiveness, metastasis and growth. Interferon-γ producing effector T cells and interleukin (IL)-10 producing suppressor T cells specific for OFA-iLR have been described.Materials and Methods: The 43515 IgG2a anti-OFA-iLR monoclonal antibody was used to detect OFA-iLR expression in human renal cell carcinoma tissue by flow cytometry and immunoblotting. Spontaneous or therapy induced immune responses against OFA-iLR were determined in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Proliferative and cytokine (interferon-γ and IL-10) responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with renal cell carcinoma against recombinant OFA-iLR were assessed.Results: Using flow cytometry OFA-iLR was detected in all 13 tumors tested. Immunoblotting revealed di...
Activation of Host Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases by Secreted Legionella pneumophila Effectors That Inhibit Host Protein Translation

Studies of innate immunity in metazoans have largely focused on detection of microbial molecules by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). A complementary mode of innate immune recognition, based on detection of pathogen-encoded activities, has long been recognized in plants, where it is termed effector-triggered immunity; however, little is known about the possibility of effector-triggered immunity in metazoans. Legionella pneumophila is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes Legionnaires' disease, an inflammatory pneumonia. We recently demonstrated that macrophages infected with L. pneumophila exhibit mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK) activation that is independent of known PRRs but dependent on a functional bacterial secretion system. Here, we show that five secreted L. pneumophila effectors are responsible for the activation of host MAP kinases. These five effectors inhibit host translation, and their activity is required for host MAPK activation. We demonstrate that MAPK activation by these effectors shapes the host transcriptional response to L. pneumophila. Furthermore, we find that uninfected macrophages treated with two different translation inhibitors exhibit activation of MAP kinases and upregulation of target genes, indicating that translation inhibition alone is sufficient to elicit this response in macrophages. MAP kinase pathways are crucial in many aspects of the immune response, including inflammation and cell motility. Our results demonstrate that this important host pathway can be activated in response to a pathogen-encoded activity, adding to an emerging body of evidence in support of this novel mode of innate immune detection in metazoans.
Environmental and Antigen Receptor-Derived Signals Support Sustained Surveillance of the Lungs by Pathogen-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes

Viral infections often gain access to the body of their host by exploiting areas of natural vulnerability, such as the semipermeable surfaces of mucosal tissues which are adapted for adsorption of nutrients and other diffusible molecules. Once the microbes have crossed the epithelial barrier, they can disperse to other tissues where eradication may not be possible. The best opportunity for successful immune intervention is immediately after infection while the pathogen is confined to a localized area of the body. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) which reside at the site where the infection begins can make an important contribution to immunity by reducing early dissemination of the infection. Because the lungs provide easy access points for many pathogens to enter the body, they require protection from many complementary mechanisms, including pathogen-specific cytotoxic T cells. In this study we show that an enduring response to pathogen-derived peptide antigens facilitates sustained surveillance of the lungs by pathogen-specific CTL during the recovery from influenza virus infection. Our studies show that these processed peptide antigens reinforce expression of two homing receptors (CD69 and CD103) which help recently activated virus-specific CTL colonize the lungs during a mild inflammatory response. We suggest that this requirement for prolonged antigen presentation to reinforce local CTL responses in the lungs explains why protective cellular immunity quickly declines following influenza virus infection and other viral infections that enter the body via mucosal tissues.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoenzyme S, a double ADP-ribosyltransferase, resembles vertebrate mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases.

Previous data indicated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoenzyme S (ExoS) ADP-ribosylated Ras at multiple sites. One site appeared to be Arg41, but the second site could not be localized. In this study, the sites of ADP-ribosylation of c-Ha-Ras by ExoS were directly determined. Under saturating conditions, ExoS ADP-ribosylated Ras to a stoichiometry of 2 mol of ADP-ribose incorporated per mol of Ras. Nucleotide occupancy did not influence the stoichiometry or velocity of ADP-ribosylation of Ras by ExoS. Edman degradation and mass spectrometry of V8 protease generated peptides of ADP-ribosylated Ras identified the sites of ADP-ribosylation to be Arg41 and Arg128. ExoS ADP-ribosylated the double mutant, RasR41K,R128K, to a stoichiometry of 1 mol of ADP-ribose incorporated per mol of Ras, which indicated that Ras possessed an alternative site of ADP-ribosylation. The alternative site of ADP-ribosylation on Ras was identified as Arg135, which was on the same α-helix as Arg128. Arg41 and Arg128 are located within two different secondary structure motifs, β-sheet and α-helix, respectively, and are spatially separated within the three-dimensional structure of Ras. The fact that ExoS could ADP-ribosylate a target protein at multiple sites, along with earlier observations that ExoS could ADP-ribosylate numerous target proteins, were properties that have been attributed to several vertebrate ADP-ribosyltransferases. This prompted a detailed alignment study which showed that the catalytic domain of ExoS possessed considerably more primary amino acid homology with the vertebrate mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases than the bacterial ADP-ribosyltransferases. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that ExoS may represent an evolutionary link between bacterial and vertebrate mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases.
A new approach to three- or four-layer channel routing

An approach to the three-layer or four-layer channel-routing problem is presented. A general technique that transforms a two-layer routing solution systematically into a three-layer routing solution is developed. The proposed router performs well in comparison with other three-layer channel routers proposed thus far. In particular, it provides a ten-track optimal solution for the famous Deutsch's difficult example, whereas other well-known three-layer channel routers required 11 or more tracks. The approach is extended to four-layer channel routing. Given any two-layer channel-routing solution without an unrestricted dogleg that uses w tracks, the router can obtain a four-layer routing solution using no more than w/2 tracks. A theoretical upper bound d/2+2 for arbitrary four-layer channel routing problems is also given. >
Subcritical crack growth of Ti-6Al-4V at room temperature under high stress-ratio loading

Ti-6Al-4V is a two phase {alpha}-{beta} titanium alloy commonly used for turbine fan and compressor components. The crack growth behavior of Ti-6Al-4V and the role played by various material, mechanical, and environmental factors has been thoroughly investigated. This alloy is also susceptible to crack growth under sustained loading in air (SLC), and both hydrogen assisted cracking and low temperature creep mechanisms have been used to explain this susceptibility. Very little information is available on high R-ratio fatigue crack growth of Ti-6Al-4V and the role played by SLC on the fatigue process. In order to gain better understanding of the cracking behavior of this alloy under ripple loading conditions, room temperature, high stress-ratio (R {ge} 0.9) fatigue and SLC experiments have been conducted on a Ti-6Al-4V plate forging material in the duplex-annealed (DA) condition. The results of this investigation,namely, fatigue crack growth rates (CGR) as a function of stress intensity; SLC data; and scanning electron microscopy of the fatigue and SLC fracture surfaces are reported below.
Capillary electrochromatography of peptides in a microfabricated system.

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography of tryptic peptides is shown in the capillary electrochromatography mode using microfabricated columns. Although selectivity is different, a mixture of tryptic peptides from ovalbumin appears to be as easily separated in the CEC as HPLC mode. The major difference between a separation in the microfabricated CEC column and conventional separations in the HPLC mode is that separations are more readily achieved in the isocratic mode in the lower surface area microfabricated CEC columns.
Formation of ACh receptor clusters induced by positively charged latex beads.

An early event in the formation of neuromuscular junctions in tissue cultures of neurones and muscle cells is an accumulation of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in the postsynaptic membrane1–5. As well as direct neuronal contact, AChR cluster formation can also be induced by certain soluble factors extracted or released from neurones6–8, by isolated basal lamina material9 or by a piece of degenerating nerve10. These experiments suggest that certain ‘trophic factors’ released by the neurones or the neuronal cell surface itself may cause the receptor clustering. On the other hand, stable AChR clusters are also present in pure muscle cultures without neuronal influence1,10–13, which indicates that an interaction between the muscle and an exogenous cue existing on the substrate or in the medium may be sufficient to trigger the mechanism for the clustering of AChRs in the muscle. Here we report the effect of charged latex beads on the formation of AChR clusters in cultured muscle cells. Our results clearly indicate that AChR clusters form specifically at the contacts with polylysine-coated beads. Furthermore, these beads suppressed clusters that formed in the non-contact area before the introduction of the beads.
A Bayesian analysis of the compression set and stress–strain behavior in a thermally aged silicone foam

Data obtained from an archived nine-year aging study on S5370 foam were used to develop compression set and stress–strain aging models. Compression set was characterized using a first order kinetic model and the stress–strain relationship was analyzed using a material model previously described by Rusch for flexible foams. The models were fitted to data from the aging study using Bayesian methods, which easily accommodate uncertainties in the test conditions and provide probability distributions of the model parameters. The parameter distributions were sampled using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm and incorporated to effect prediction intervals and compared to data obtained from independent studies for the purpose of validation. Compression set data from the short time study of Patel and Skinner are shown to predict significantly higher compression sets, which are attributed to additional crosslinking reactions and other phenomena that do not dominate the long term aging behavior. Using data from the nine-year study, the time period required to achieve a given compression set at 25 °C is increased by 20 years or more over the predictions of Patel and Skinner. The activation energy applicable near room temperature is similar to that reported by Patel and Skinner, which is consistent with numerous physical and catalyzed chemical mechanisms. Finally, load retention predictions from the stress–strain aging model agree with independent studies at test gaps that are larger than or equal to a zero gradient test gap limit.
Metropolitan Institutional Reform and the Rescaling of State Space in Contemporary Western Europe

Throughout western Europe, metropolitan governance is back on the agenda. Since the early 1990s, new forms of city-suburban cooperation, regional coordination, regionwide spatial planning and metropolitan institutional organization have been promoted in major city-regions. In contrast to the forms of metropolitan governance that prevailed during the Fordist-Keynesian period - which emphasized administrative modernization, interterritorial equalization and the efficient delivery of public services - the newest wave of metropolitan governance reform is focused upon economic priorities such as territorial competitiveness and attracting external capital investment in the context of geoeconomic and European integration. This article develops an interpretation of the new metropolitan governance in western Europe in two steps. First, I situate the new metropolitan governance in historical context by underscoring its qualitative differences from earlier waves of metropolitan institutional reform. Second, building...
An Examination of C−H Bond Activation by Cationic TpMe2Ir(III) Complexes

Synthesis and characterization of a set of iridium(III) compounds utilizing the sterically encumbering hydridotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate ligand (TpMe2) has been performed, and a comparison with the corresponding Cp* complexes is presented. TpMe2(PMe3)Ir(Me)OTf (7, OTf = O3SCF3) was synthesized and found to be unreactive toward a variety of C−H bonds, in contrast to the behavior of Cp*(PMe3)Ir(Me)OTf (1). We have rationalized this lack of reactivity in terms of an electronic effect rather than a steric effect imposed by the TpMe2 ligand. Metathesis of the triflate ligand with the BArf (BArf = B[3,5-C6H3(CF3)2]4) anion under a N2 atmosphere produces the dinitrogen complex [TpMe2(PMe3)Ir(N2)(Me)][BArf] (3-N2). Compound 3-N2 is indeed reactive toward dative ligands, H2, and hydrocarbons, activating the C−H bonds of benzene and aldehydes but not those of saturated hydrocarbons. A rationale for the difference in behavior between the Cp* and TpMe2 systems with respect to C−H activation is presented.