cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The TIA1 RNA-Binding Protein Family Regulates EIF2AK2-Mediated Stress Response and Cell Cycle Progression

TIA1 and TIAL1 encode a family of U-rich element mRNA-binding proteins ubiquitously expressed and conserved in metazoans. Using PAR-CLIP, we determined that both proteins bind target sites with identical specificity in 3' UTRs and introns proximal to 5' as well as 3' splice sites. Double knockout (DKO) of TIA1 and TIAL1 increased target mRNA abundance proportional to the number of binding sites and also caused accumulation of aberrantly spliced mRNAs, most of which are subject to nonsense-mediated decay. Loss of PRKRA by mis-splicing triggered the activation of the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated protein kinase EIF2AK2/PKR and stress granule formation. Ectopic expression of PRKRA cDNA or knockout of EIF2AK2 in DKO cells rescued this phenotype. Perturbation of maturation and/or stability of additional targets further compromised cell cycle progression. Our study reveals the essential contributions of the TIA1 protein family to the fidelity of mRNA maturation, translation, and RNA-stress-sensing pathways in human cells.
Gait Biomechanics in Anterior Cruciate Ligament-reconstructed Knees at Different Time Frames Postsurgery

ABSTRACTPurposeTo examine knee and hip biomechanics during walking and jogging in groups of ACLR patients at early, mid, and late time frames postsurgery and healthy controls.MethodsParticipants included individuals with a history of primary, unilateral ACLR, stratified into early (1.4 ± 0.4 yr post
MULTIPLE ACTIVATION PATHWAYS OF 7,12-DIMETHYLBENZ[α]ANTHRACENE

All ring and methyl carbons of the potent carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene are metabolized by the rat liver microsomal enzyme systems to form various phenolic, hydroxymethyl, formyl, dihydrodiol, and carboxylic acid derivatives. Four trans-3,4-dihydrodiol metabolites are potential proximate carcinogens capable of forming four different trans-3,4-dihydrodiol 1,2-epoxides.
Managing Uncertainty in Illness Explanation: An Application of Problematic Integration Theory

Case One. The parents of a newborn observe that their daughter’s pupils are different sizes. A pediatric opthamologist diagnoses her condition as Horner’s syndrome. Although the syndrome has no effects of its own, it may be symptomatic of a brain stem tumor, lung cancer, or a traumatic head injury. The physician recommends a CAT scan to explore these possibilities. The parents carefully investigate the desirability of this test. In the process, they learn that they mustwith-hold food from their child for 9 hours and take a small risk that complications from anesthetizing her will result in death. They also learn that there is little chance that the problems a CAT scan might reveal will be treatable. Ultimately, they decide to refuse the test and the opportunity to fully understand the cause of their child’s condition.
Sex Disparities in Authorship Order of Cardiology Scientific Publications.

Background: Despite advances in the representation of women in medical training, women continue to be underrepresented in cardiology, academic medicine, and more specifically, in senior positions w...
Non-Covalent Complexes between DNA-Binding Drugs and Double-Stranded Oligodeoxynucleotides: A Study by ESI Ion-Trap Mass Spectrometry

We developed an assay that utilizes electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to determine rapidly the noncovalent binding of drugs with oligodeoxynucleotides and to assess their relative affinities and stoichiometries. The method uses a set of self-complementary oligodeoxynucleotides that differ in length (6-mer to 12-mer), motif (GC-rich or AT-rich), and sequence, and these were annealed to form duplexes. To the oligodeoxynucleotides are bound a group of drugs (distamycin, Hoechst 33258, Hoechst 33342, berenil and actinomycin D abbreviated as D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5, respectively) that are classic minor-groove binders and intercalators. A second group (porphyrin H2TMpyP-4, metalloporphyrin CuTMpyP-4, FeTMpyP-4 and MnTMpyP-4 and [Ru(II)12S4dppz]Cl2 abbreviated as D6, D7, D8, D9, and D10) binds via mixed modes (i.e., groove binders and intercalators). The results confirm the binding stoichiometry and show preferred binding of minor-groove binders (distamycin, Hoechst 33258, Hoechst 33342, and bere...
“Inter Alia: Aliens and AI”

Author(s): Raley, Rita; Samolsky, Russell | Abstract: Contemporary anxiety concerning our efforts to communicate with aliens might be understood in terms of the exponential advances in neural network research (so-termed “Artificial Intelligence”) and the probability that the aliens we encounter are more likely to be alien AIs than organic beings. The premise of our paper is that the disquieting sense that AI possesses, or is possessed of, an external intelligence, one that operates autonomously, unpredictably, and, in our deepest fears, mutinously, is projectively displaced onto extra-planetary aliens. Our paper offers an analysis of Trevor Paglen’s satellite work, The Last Pictures, as well as Eduardo Kac’s Inner Telescope and Lagoogleglyph series. We conclude with a speculative imagining of an AI-archaeologist encountering in the distant future the orbital ring of dead satellites, one of which contains Paglen’s curated image archive.
Outcomes of art therapy and coloring for professional and informal caregivers of patients in a radiation oncology unit: A mixed methods pilot study.

Abstract Purpose Caring for cancer patients can be highly stressful for both family caregivers and oncology professionals. These high levels of stress can lead to poorer patient outcomes and increased risk of health problems for the caregivers themselves. Art therapy may help these caregivers as art-making can be a relaxing and enjoyable form of self-expression and art therapists can support individuals in expressing and processing challenging emotions. Research on art-making or art therapy with caregivers of cancer patients has shown some positive results, but its interpretation is limited by the use of multifaceted interventions. Method In this mixed-methods study we compared two brief arts-based approaches for both professional and informal caregivers: single sessions of coloring or open-studio art therapy, with a 45-minute session each. Assessments imcluded self-reports of affect, stress, self-efficacy, anxiety, burnout arnd creative agency alongside salivary biomarkers before and after the session. Open-ended questions, field notes and observations formed the qualitative part of the study. Results Thirty-four professional (n=25) and informal (n=9) caregivers participated. Participants in both conditions showed increases in positive affect, creative agency, and self-efficacy and decreases in negative affect, anxiety, perceived stress, and burnout. Participants in both conditions expressed enjoyment, relaxation, appreciation of time away from stressors, creative problem solving, a sense of flow, and personal and existential insight. The two approaches also elicited distinct experiences with participants reporting that they found improved focus in coloring and appreciated the support and freedom of expression in open studio art therapy. Conclusions These findings suggest that even brief art-making interventions can be beneficial for stressed caregivers of cancer patients. As experience with art-making increased the impact, repeated sessions may be even more useful. We recommend that oncology units have dedicated studio spaces with therapeutic support and different forms of art-making available to meet individual caregiver needs.
Hidden risks in toys: A systematic review of pediatric toy contact dermatitis

Toys are a reflection of the compounds used frequently in manufacturing. Allergic contact dermatitis to potties, metal toys, and children's jewelry is well known, however, there is a broad range of skin risks in toys. With the objective to identify and publicize the associated risk of contact dermatitis in children's toys, we have searched the PubMed database from creation to September 9, 2019. Studies were eligible if they reported a new case of contact dermatitis secondary to interaction with a toy in patients from birth to 18 years of age. A toy was defined as something children interact with for entertainment during leisure time. In this review of the PubMed database we filtered by age and language which may have prevented us from detecting cases in adults that could be extrapolated to children. In addition, several articles were excluded based on title alone. A total of 1312 articles were identified and reviewed manually for inclusion criteria. Review of the articles found 25 original articles for consideration. Several toys were found to be associated with contact dermatitis. These included electronics, toy cars, costume jewelry, bicycles, sqwish balls, slime, Play-Doh, and plasticine. Electronics such as video game controllers, cellphones, iPads, and computers were implicated. In conclusion, there is still an unmet need for observation of this segment of industry for labeling of contents and ongoing surveillance.
Privacy as Civil Right

As the first U.S.-born Hispanic senator, Senator Dennis Chavez of New Mexico left a rich legacy of advocacy for civil rights and civil liberties. In this lecture, the fourth U.S. Senator Dennis Chavez Endowed Lecture on Law and Civil Rights, I explore an idea at the intersection of those two bodies of law: the right to privacy. In 2020, the hallmark of surveillance is its ubiquity; “everyone is watched.” Unfortunately, this discourse erases the fact that, across American history, the burdens of government surveillance have fallen overwhelmingly on the shoulders of immigrants, heretics, people of color, the poor, and anyone else considered “other.” Inspired by the legacy of “El Senador,” I trace that history from the English Puritans we now know as Pilgrims to the immigrant children detained at the southern U.S. border. I go on to argue that if we acknowledge the “color of surveillance,” we must reckon with its consequence. If surveillance is a tool used to threaten the vulnerable, we must understand privacy not just as a civil liberty, but also a civil right: A shield that allows the unpopular and persecuted to survive and thrive.
The effects of reflection on seventh grade social studies student learning and perception

Educators manage student readiness for learning by applying models of instruction. The most common model used, however, is imprecise about cognitive operations. One way educators address this issue...
Making Muslims illegible: recoupling as an obstacle to religious enumeration in Germany

Literature on categorization often invokes historical legacies to explain why states adhere to statistical categories that inadequately capture their population, and especially minority groups. The failure of the 2011 German census to produce reliable numbers on the country’s largest religious minority, Muslims, could be viewed as a case in point. However, this ignores the fact that in the late 1980s officials successfully counted Muslims. This article traces how officials changed their approach to Muslim enumeration over the course of designing the 2011 census. Drawing on internal ministerial documents and interviews, I show that the reversal of statistical visibility was the result of a recoupling process. Through this process, old state-religion laws that officials had previously ignored now became rigorously applied to the census. An extra-statistical debate on religious education triggered this recoupling by reviving narrow, legal categories of religion and alerting church representatives and legal experts to imprecise census terms. Using the German case and other empirical examples, I describe a more uneven influence of historical legacies than commonly suggested by research on categorization. Rather than viewing legacies as having a stable, or even growing, influence on categorization, I argue that they only take effect when they become politicized and enforced by powerful actors. I call for a more nuanced analysis of the role historical factors play in determining trajectories of census categorization, especially those that are invoked to explain the reluctance of European states to collect ethno-cultural data.
A nuclease- and bisulfite-based strategy captures strand-specific R-loops genome-wide

R-loops are three-stranded nucleic acid structures with essential roles in many nuclear processes. However, their unchecked accumulation is associated with genome instability and is observed in neurodevelopmental diseases and cancers. Genome-wide profiling of R-loops in normal and diseased cells can help identify locations of pathogenic R-loops and advance efforts to attenuate them. We present an antibody-independent R-loop detection strategy, BisMapR, that combines nuclease-based R-loop isolation with non-denaturing bisulfite chemistry to produce genome-wide profiles that retain strand information. BisMapR achieves greater resolution and is faster than existing strand-specific R-loop profiling strategies. In mouse embryonic stem cells, we apply BisMapR to find that gene promoters form R-loops in both directions and uncover a subset of active enhancers that, despite being bidirectionally transcribed, form R-loops exclusively on one strand. BisMapR reveals a previously unnoticed feature of active enhancers and provides a tool to systematically examine their mechanisms in gene expression.
Effect of γ-radiation on magneto-thermoelectric properties of the extruded samples of Bi85Sb15〈Te〉 solid solution

Extruded samples of Bi85Sb15 solid solutions doped with 0.0005 at.% Te were obtained and the electrical conductivity (σ), thermoelectric power (Seebeck) (α), Hall (Rh) and thermal conductivity (χ) ...
The Impact of Corticosteroids on Secondary Infection and Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients.

Background:Corticosteroids are part of the treatment guidelines for COVID-19 and have been shown to improve mortality. However, the impact corticosteroids have on the development of secondary infec...
Sub-Cluster Identification through Semi-Supervised Optimization of Rare-cell Silhouettes (SCISSORS) in Single-Cell Sequencing

Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enabled the molecular profiling of thousands to millions of cells simultaneously in biologically heterogenous samples. Currently, common practice in scRNA-seq is to determine cell type labels through unsupervised clustering and the examination of cluster-specific genes. However, even small differences in analysis and parameter choice can greatly alter clustering solutions and thus impose great influence on which cell types are identified. Existing methods largely focus on determining the optimal number of robust clusters, which is not favorable for identifying cells of extremely low abundance due to their subtle contributions towards overall patterns of gene expression. Here we present a carefully designed framework, SCISSORS, which accurately profiles subclusters within major cluster(s) for the identification of rare cell types in scRNA-seq data. SCISSORS employs silhouette scoring for the estimation of heterogeneity of clusters and reveals rare cells in heterogenous clusters by implementing a multi-step, semi-supervised reclustering process. Additionally, SCISSORS provides a method for the identification of marker genes of rare cells, which may be used for further study. SCISSORS is wrapped around the popular Seurat R package and can be easily integrated into existing Seurat pipelines. SCISSORS, including source code and vignettes for two example datasets, is freely available at https://github.com/jrleary/SCISSORS.
Abstract 2523: Endogenous Angiogenesis Inhibitors Prevent Adaptive Capillary Growth in Hypertrophying Myocardium

Objective : In pressure-overload hypertrophy, lack of adaptive capillary growth impairs myocardial perfusion and substrate delivery contributing to progression to failure. A variety of factors influence the process of myocardial vascularization, including the balance of pro-angiogenic growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiogenesis inhibitors. Angiogenesis is an invasive process that requires proteolysis of extracellular matrix, carried out by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) with MMP-9 being one representative. At the same time, MMP-9 can process plasminogen to generate the angiogenesis inhibitor angiosta-tin. We sought to determine whether angiostatin levles are elevated in hypertrophying myocardium at the onset of failure and whether its release is regulated by MMP-9 leading to lack of adaptive capillary growth. Methods : Newborn rabbits underwent aortic banding. At 7wks, LV tissue from banded (n=5–7) and age-matched animals (n=3–6) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry with FITC-labeled lectin for capillary density, and immunoblotting (expressed as arbitrary densitometry units) for VEGF, angiostatin and MMP-9 on immunopre-cipitated samples identifying the inactive and active forms. Data are expressed as mean±SEM. P Results : see Table; *p Conclusions : These results indicate that lack of angiogenesis in the hypertrophying myocardium in response to pressure overload is not a result of reduced production of pro-angiogenic growth factors (VEGF). Instead, enhanced levels of angiogenesis inhibitors (angiostatin) play a critical role in this process. Future therapeutic approaches to prevent heart failure in pressure-overload hypertrophy should focus not only on enhancing pro-angiogenic proteins but also on suppressing angiogenesis inhibitors.
Post-Revolution Egypt The Roy Adaptation Model in Community

The 2011 Arab Spring swept across the Middle East creating profound instability in Egypt, a country already challenged with poverty and internal pressures. To respond to this crisis, Catholic Relief Services led a community-based program called "Egypt Works" that included community improvement projects and psychosocial support. Following implementation, program outcomes were analyzed using the middle-range theory of adaptation to situational life events, based on the Roy adaptation model. The comprehensive, community-based approach facilitated adaptation, serving as a model for applying theory in post-crisis environments.
Determination of polar motion and earth rotation from laser tracking of satellites

Laser tracking of the Lageos spacecraft has been used to derive the position of the Earth’s pole of rotation at 5-day intervals during October, November and December 1976. The estimated precision of the results is 0.01 to 0.02 arcseconds in both x and y components, although the formal uncertainty is an order of magnitude better, and there is general agreement with the Bureau International de l’Heure smoothed pole path to about 0.02 arcseconds. Present orbit determination capability of Lageos is limited to about 25 cm rms fit to data over periods of 5 days and about 50 cm over 50 days. The present major sources of error in the perturbations of Lageos are Earth and ocean tides followed by the Earth’s gravity field, and solar and Earth reflected radiation pressure. Ultimate accuracy for polar motion and Earth rotation from Lageos after improved modeling of the perturbing forces appears to be of order ± 5 cm for polar motion over a period of about 1 day and about ± 0.2 to ± 0.3 milliseconds in U.T. for periods up to 2 or 3 months.
Fiscal Federalism and Petroleum Resources in Iraq

With over 95% of Iraq’s government budget received from oil revenues, an agreeable inter-governmental framework for managing petroleum resources and for distributing revenues is aptly regarded as the lynchpin of federalism. Iraq has great potential to develop a fiscal framework, consistent with sound principles and best practices, that will distribute revenues equitably and efficiently, decentralize resource management where appropriate, and bind the country together as a stable federation. As in most resource-rich countries, Iraq’s petroleum deposits are unevenly spread and deposits differ in productive capacity, cost of extraction and processing, and quality of crude. Moreover, Iraq’s petroleum infrastructure requires extensive repair and reinvestment in order to maximize its production potential. Furthermore, large areas of Iraq remain unexplored, particularly Iraqi Kurdistan and the Western Desert, and preliminary assessments point to large potential reserves.
Measuring Beliefs About Adolescent Personality and Behavior

A measure that assesses individuals' expectations and stereotypes concerning adolescents was developed. Initially, 123 adult respondents answered open-ended questions about the personality and behavior of typical and observed adolescents. Based on their responses, a close-ended scale was developed where respondents rate the degree to which 65 traits and behaviors are characteristic of typical adolescents. Refinement and testing of this scale was done with a sample of 361 college students and 112 parents of young adolescents; the final number of items after such refinement was 44. The subscales demonstrated adequate internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and construct validity. The multifaceted nature of the measure and absence of stereotypical language, along with its flexibility for obtaining comparable information on other age groups provide advantages over the small number of previously used measures.
The design of efficient ground software tools

This paper describes the role of human-computer interaction (HCI) design in the development and deployment of mission systems. We make the argument that more broad application of HCI methods and practice will be necessary to complete the ambitious objectives of future missions. In particular, the introduction of increased autonomy, reduction of ops personnel, increasingly tactical nature of surface operations, and more distributed mission ground operations present unique challenges that must be met with sound HCI-driven solutions. We describe a case study from where solid underlying technology was hindered by lack of attention to HCI issues, and describe how this is being remedied moving forward. Future missions will require planning processes to be much more efficient (orders of magnitude) than what was achieved for the Mars Exploration Rovers mission (2003). The case study focuses on the critical shift from the MAPGEN software used for tactical activity planning on MER to SPIFe, now base-lined for the Phoenix 2007 and MSL 2009 missions. MAPGEN added automated planning functionality (Europa) to the APGEN manual planning tool. SPIFe provides a next generation interface designed specifically to take advantage of an automated planner. The design of SPIFe is based on hundreds of hours of observation and operations experience on MER. This paper examines how key HCI lessons learned are being fed forward into this new set of planning tools, SPIFe and Europa 2.
Decreased receptor activation with age. Can it be explained by desensitization

In the three endocrine/neuroendocrine systems discussed, there are demonstrable declines in post-maturational responsiveness. Parathyroid hormone stimulation of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D production declines with age in the kidney as does calcium absorption in the intestine. Chronotropic and inotropic responsiveness to beta-adrenergic agonists decreases with age in the myocardium, and performance on passive avoidance tasks related to memory dysfunction declines with age in rodents. In each case there is a corresponding decrease in receptor activation with age. Parathyroid hormone receptors are less able to activate adenylate cyclase in older rat kidneys; beta-adrenergic receptors have reduced density in some tissues, demonstrate reduced agonist affinity (are uncoupled), and are less able to activate adenylate cyclase in most tissues with age; and muscarinic receptors demonstrate mixed agonist affinity (are uncoupled) with age in rat hippocampal cells. This reduction in receptor activation can be attributed to desensitization to increased agonist concentrations. Parathyroid hormone receptor activation is restored by parathyroidectomy, beta-adrenergic agonists no longer desensitize in older animals, and muscarinic receptors from senescent rats pharmacologically mimic desensitized receptors. However, desensitization of receptor activation cannot fully account for the reduced hormonal responsiveness in any of these systems. Parathyroidectomy does not restore 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D production or intestinal calcium absorption. There are age-related post receptor deficits in beta-adrenergic pathway that are not mediated by changes in serum catecholamines. In conclusion, there are significant changes in receptor and post-receptor biochemistry with age. The overall decreases in hormonal responsiveness are not due to a single biochemical defect in the system and are probably multiple in nature.
Toward step-by-step synthesis of stable gaits for underactuated compliant legged robots

Many control policies developed for legged robots are based on control of an underlying, simplified version of the dynamics of the robot. A good example is the Linear Inverted Pendulum Model (LIPM) which has become the standard control template for ZMP-based rigid robots. For compliant robots, this reduced order model is naturally the Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP), which has proven to have many interesting traits that are potentially useful for control of full order robots. The methods proposed so far for this purpose are mainly focused on either matching the dynamics of the robot to those of SLIP, or following a SLIP-produced trajectory. These methods can be problematic, especially for underactuated systems. In the present work, we explore an opposite approach, by starting from SLIP and step-by-step constructing toward the full order robot. The goal is to detect and capture the essential stabilizing variables in the reduced order model that can potentially maintain their stabilizing effect in the full order robot, as well. Our initial investigations show that the proposed method provides excellent potentials for synthesizing stable gaits for underactuated compliant robots by use of a much simpler and more robust approach compared to the ones previously presented in the literature.
Optimal power allocation over fading channels with stringent delay constraints

We study the optimal power allocation scheme for i.i.d. block-fading channels with a strict transmission delay constraint. In particular, we consider the maximization of the total throughput within a finite interval under a short-term average power constraint. When all the channel gains are known a priori, we demonstrate the mapping between the delay-constrained channel and the corresponding parallel channel for which both the single-user and multi-user channel results are well-known. The maximization problem becomes more complicated when only causal channel side information (CSI) is available. We show that under this assumption, constant power transmission is optimal in the limit of high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We also examine the optimal power policy and show that a simple linear power control scheme has near optimal performance. We next consider a two-user broadcast channel with a stringent delay constraint and causal feedback. We solve the optimal power control problem for this channel via dynamic programming. We discuss the solutions in the limit of both low and high SNR. Numerical results show the optimal scheme is approximately piecewise linear for general SNRs.
The effect of receiver collisions in multi-channel optical networks

The authors present analytical and simulation results on receiver collisions for two different random access protocols as applied to slotted-multichannel networks. When there are multiple data channels in the slotted system with time-disjoint control and data slots, more than one packet may be destined to the same receiver in the same slot. When the destination is equipped with only one receiver, it can receive only one packet, ignoring all others. This causes receiver collision of the first type and reduces the corresponding throughput on the data channels. When there is contention on the channels as well as to the destinations, it is found through simulations that the slot-to-slot correlation is reduced very much and, for all practical purposes, an independence assumption can be a very good approximation in these slotted multichannel networks. >
A survey of oil agglomeration in wet fine coal processing

Abstract Fine coal is a major cause of poor recovery, excessive moisture levels and high waste disposal costs in the coal-cleaning industry. Oil agglomeration is increasingly being investigated and used to capture and upgrade these fugitive fines to useful product coal. This article reviews the essential features of this fine coal preparation technique, including a classification and review of the extensive literature from the past decade on the subject.
Relativistic description of (p,n) reactions to the isobaric analog state

Lorentz vector and scalar, isovector and isoscalar proton-nucleus optical potentials are obtained from invariant nucleon-nucleon amplitudes using a relativistic impulse approximation. Cross sections, analyzing powers, and spin rotation functions for $^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$(p,p) and the $^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$(p,n)$^{90}\mathrm{Nb}$ (isobaric analog state) reaction at 160 and 500 MeV are calculated using a relativistic generalization of the Lane equations. These predictions are compared to nonrelativistic impulse approximation results and to experimental data at 160 MeV.
Comparison data for Seasat altimetry in the western North Atlantic

The radar altimeter flown on Seasat in 1978 collected approximately 1,000 orbits of high quality data (5-8 precision). In the western North Atlantic these data were combined with a detailed gravimetric geoid in an attempt to produce profiles of dynamic topography. In order to provide a basis for evaluation of these profiles, available oceanographic observations in the Gulf Stream/Sargasso Sea region have been compiled into a series of biweekly maps. The data include XBT's, satellite infrared imagery, and selected trajectories of surface drifters and sub-surface SOFAR floats. The maps document the known locations of the Gulf Stream, cyclonic and anticyclonic rings, and mid-ocean eddies during the period July to October 1978.
Alpha-particle diamagnetic drift effects on tokamak ballooning stability

The diamagnetic drift frequency impact on the ballooning stability of INTOR-like tokamaks that contain a Maxwellian energetic ion species is investigated. The energetic ion diamagnetic drift frequency contribution enhances the critical beta (βC) imposed by ballooning modes with toroidal mode numbers n ≥ 7 by a factor of 1.2 to 1.3 above the corresponding limits obtained when the plasma consists of only thermal species.
Design and Implementation of Motion Controllers for Atomic Force Microscopy Based Nanomanipulation Systems

Abstract Nanomanipulation with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is one of the fundamental tools for nano-manufacturing. The motion control of the nanomanipulation system requires accurate feedback from the piezoelectric actuator and high frequency response from the control system. Since normal AFM control system for scanning motion is not suitable for controller of arbitrary motion, we therefore modified the hardware configuration to meet the demand of nanomanipulation control. By identifying the necessary parameters using system identification methods, we built up a new dynamic model for the modified configuration. Based on the new model and configuration, we designed and implemented a control scheme as motion controller for AFM nanomanipulation operation. The aims are to analyze various factors in the control of the AFM based nanomanipulation system. By integrating the original AFM controller with the external Linux real-time controller, we achieved a stable system with high frequency response. Several problems have been addressed based on the new control scheme, such as high frequency response, robust feedback control and non-linearity, etc. Finally this Multiple Input Single Output (MISO) system is validated by real-time nanomanipulation task. It is proved to be an effective and efficient tool for the controlling of the nanobiomanipulation operation by cutting the intercellular junction of human keratinocytes.
Respiratory rate detection using a wearable electromagnetic generator

Wearable health and fitness monitoring systems are a promising new way of collecting physiological data without inconveniencing patients. Human energy harvesting may be used to power wearable sensors. In this paper, we explore this zero-net energy biosensor concept through sensing and harvesting of respiratory effort. An off the shelf servo motor operation in reverse was used to successfully obtain respiratory rate, while also demonstrating significant harvested power. These are the first reported respiratory rate sensing results using electromagnetic generators.
Mechanical properties of ductile Fe3Al-based plates

Iron aluminides based on the ordered Fe[sub 3]Al composition have good oxidation resistance and excellent sulfidation resistance. Furthermore, they offer advantages over stainless steels, including lower density and reduced consumption of strategic elements including chromium. In the past, the major drawbacks to the use of these materials in structural applications have been low room-temperature (RT) ductility (<5%) and a rapid drop in strength at temperatures above 600[degree]C. Recently, by a combination of thermomechanical processing and heat treatment, the RT ductility has been increased into the range of 15 to 20%, and the high-temperature tensile and creep strengths have been increased by the addition of 1% Nb. While there is a growing data base on the properties of sheet material, little data exist on the mechanical properties of plate products, and no fatigue data are openly available. In this paper, the tensile, creep, and fatigue properties of ductile Fe[sub 3]Al plate in two thicknesses are investigated and, when possible, compared to sheet properties. In addition, the results of Charpy-impact toughness tests are reported for one plate. The alloy investigated is designated FA-129, which is an ordered Fe[sub 3]Al alloy with a composition tailored for high-temperature strength. The results show differences inmore » tensile and creep properties for plate and sheet products. The results of high-cycle fatigue tests show that cyclic loading at stresses below the yield strength does not include fatigue failure at temperatures of 25 and 454[degree]C and that there is an effect of plate thickness at 600[degree]C.« less
Engineering the ground- and excited-state absorption spectra of broadband reverse saturable absorbers

We exploit the strong spin-orbit coupling in iridium to modify the linear absorption spectrum of a novel iridium(III) complex so as to broaden the spectral region over which it exhibits reverse saturable absorption. We discuss the design of the new chromophore, present its ground-state absorption spectrum, and report values of its singlet excited-state lifetime and singlet and triplet excited-state absorption cross sections, determined from femtosecond transient difference absorption measurements and nanosecond and picosecond open-aperture Z scans.
Attenuating the effects of different levels of processing: The role of cue position and cue/word interval

Within a list of words presented under incidental learning instructions, there were processing cues that signaled either semantic (pleasantness rating) or structural (syllable counting) processing of the words. Cue position (before or after the words) and cue/word interval (.5 sec or 2 sec) were varied orthogonally between subjects. Free recall was higher for words given semantic judgments than for those given structural processing except when the processing cues followed the words by 2 sec. The results indicate that if given the opportunity subjects may process the words in more than one way. Thereby, the difference in recall between “deep” and “shallow” processed words is attenuated.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma overexpression and knockdown: impact on human B cell lymphoma proliferation and survival.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a multifunctional transcription factor that regulates adipogenesis, immunity and inflammation. Our laboratory previously demonstrated that PPARγ ligands induce apoptosis in malignant B cells. While malignant B lineage cells such as B cell lymphoma express PPARγ, its physiological function remains unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that silencing PPARγ expression by RNAi in human Burkitt’s type B lymphoma cells increased basal and mitogen-induced proliferation and survival, which was accompanied by enhanced NF-κB activity and increased expression of Bcl-2. These cells also had increased survival upon exposure to PPARγ ligands and exhibited a less differentiated phenotype. In contrast, PPARγ overexpression in B lymphoma cells inhibited cell growth and decreased their proliferative response to mitogenic stimuli. These cells were also more sensitive to PPARγ-ligand induced growth arrest and displayed a more differentiated phenotype. Collectively, these findings support a regulatory role for PPARγ in the proliferation, survival and differentiation of malignant B cells. These findings further suggest the potential of PPARγ as a therapeutic target for B cell malignancy.
Sexual victimization and sexual behavior in children: a review of recent literature

Empirical research pertaining to sexual behavior in sexually abused children, including record reviews, parent ratings, psychological assessment, self-report, and behavioral observation is reviewed and discussed. Sexual behavior is reported significantly more often in sexually abused children than nonabused children. However, the consistency of this finding varies with the research method.
What is the appropriate extent of lateral neck dissection in the treatment of metastatic well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma?

Diagnosis is the basis not only for the management of clinical disorders but also for defining their occurrence in the community and identifying targets for prevention. More broadly, diagnostic terms are part of the language with which we communicate our data, our ideas and our conclusions to colleagues worldwide. In the mental health and substance use disorders fields, diagnoses are made predominantly on the basis of the definitions of these disorders in two major international diagnostic and classification systems. These are the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). These two international systems are undergoing revision at present, with projected publication dates of 2012 and 2014, respectively. This fact is of significance to those working in the area of substance use disorders, whether they be clinicians, epidemiologists, researchers or policy advisers. The present review focuses on papers published during 2005 and 2006 on the issues of diagnosis, with a particular focus on a series of papers published as part of theDSM-V research agenda-setting process [1–20].
The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin in combination with ambrisentan in healthy volunteers

WHAT IS ALRADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • Warfarin anticoagulation therapy is commonly administered to patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to reduce the risk of thrombosis and embolism. • Ambrisentan is an orally active, propanoic acid-based endothelin receptor antagonist that is likely to be co-administered with warfarin to PAH patients. • Concomitant therapies that induce or inhibit warfarin metabolism may alter the systemic exposure of warfarin and significantly alter clotting time, as measured by prothrombin time and International Normalized Ratio, thereby requiring substantial adjustments to warfarin dose. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • This study was undertaken in healthy subjects to identify any potential drug interactions between ambrisentan and warfarin. • Multiple doses of ambrisentan had no clinically relevant effects on the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of warfarin; conversely, a single dose of warfarin had no clinically relevant effects on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of ambrisentan. • Therefore, co-administration of ambrisentan with warfarin should not require adjustment of the therapeutically effective dosing regimen for either drug. AIMS Ambrisentan is an oral, propanoic acid-based endothelin receptor antagonist often co-administered with warfarin to patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for ambrisentan to affect warfarin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. METHODS In this open-label cross-over study, 22 healthy subjects received a single dose of racemic warfarin 25 mg alone and after 8 days of ambrisentan 10 mg once daily. Assessments included exposure (AUC0–last) and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) for R- and S-warfarin, and International Normalized Ratio maximum observed value (INRmax) and area under the curve (INRAUC(0–last)). The effects of warfarin on ambrisentan steady-state pharmacokinetics and the safety of ambrisentan/warfarin co-administration were assessed. Data are presented as geometric mean ratios. RESULTS Ambrisentan had no significant effects on the AUC0–last of R-warfarin [104.7; 90% confidence interval (CI) 101.7, 107.7) or S-warfarin (101.6; 90% CI 98.4, 105.0). Similarly, ambrisentan had no significant effects on the Cmax of R-warfarin (91.6; 90% CI 86.2, 97.4) or S-warfarin (89.9; 90% CI 84.8, 95.3). Consistent with these observations, little pharmacodynamic change was observed for INRmax (85.3; 90% CI 82.4, 88.2) or INRAUC(0–last) (93.0; 90% CI 90.8, 95.3). In addition, co-administration of warfarin did not alter ambrisentan steady-state pharmacokinetics. Adverse events were infrequent, and there were no bleeding adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Multiple doses of ambrisentan had no clinically relevant effects on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single dose of warfarin. Therefore, significant dose adjustments of either drug are unlikely to be required with co-administration.
Novel backside structure with improved energy resolution

ABSTRACT We have experimentally shown that heavily doped p+ layer at the silicon - silicon dioxide interface leads to chargelosses in the signal electron clouds due to surface recombination and results in degraded energy resolution of the response of backside illuminated AXAF CCDs to low energy X-rays. The size of secondary ionization cloud generatedby an incident X-ray photon can be much larger than that predicted from higher energy electron range-energy relationsbecause of the long range of low energy nearly thermalized electrons. As a result, charge can be lost to recombination at the back surface even for photons interacting thousands of angstroms from the back surface. We propose a newbackside illuminated structure which should be able to achieve the same level of energy resolution as the frontside illuminated CCD, while having high quantum efficiency at low energies. It shrinks the area of the heavily doped silicon to less than 2% of the pixel area, thus dramatically reducing recombination losses. If this design is combined withfully depleted silicon structures, it promises a highly efficient X-ray sensor with a good energy resolution throughoutthe 0.1 -
Diethylcarbamazine inhibits endothelial and microfilarial prostanoid metabolism in vitro.

Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) rapidly lowers the number of microfilariae in the peripheral circulation. The mechanism of action is unknown, but may involve alterations of arachidonic acid metabolism in vascular tissues. We studied the effects of DEC on arachidonic acid metabolism by bovine pulmonary arterial endothelium monolayers, human platelets andBrugia malayi microfilariae. DEC at a concentration of 2.5 μM, a level achieved in vivo, rapidly decreased prostacyclin, prostaglandin E2 and throm☐ane B2 release from endothelial monolayers by 78% (P<0.001), 57% (P=0.05), and 75% (P<0.05), respectively. High-pressure liquid chromatography of extracts of endothelial monolayers incubated with DEC showed similar inhibition of these cyclooxygenase pathway products, but exposure to the drug did not result in formation of new eicosanoids. DEC did not inhibit endothelial phospholipase A2-dependent release of arachidonate from membrane stores, whereas prostaglandin H2 synthase activity (cyclooxygenase, EC 1.14.99.1) was reduced to a degree similar to that effected by acetylsalicylic acid. Microfilarial but not platelet synthesis of cyclooxygenase products was also reduced by DEC. These data suggest that the mechanism by which DEC lowers the level of microfilariae in the circulation may in part involve its effects on host endothelial and parasite eicosanoid production.
Modeling non-convex configuration space using linear complementarity problems

In this paper, we proposed a new physical simulation method that can model non-convex configuration space. The new method employs a novel contact model that take into account geometry information of objects. It can also be shown that it reduces the work for collision detection routines.
Single Neuron Analysis by Capillary Electrophoresis with Fluorescence Spectroscopy

A technique to identify and quantitate simultaneously more than 30 compounds in individual neurons is described. The method uses nanoliter volume sampling, capillary electrophoresis separation, and wavelength-resolved native fluorescence detection. Limits of detection (LODs) range from the low attomole to the femtomole range, with 5-hydroxytryptamine (or serotonin [5-HT]) LODs being approximately 20 attomoles. Although the cellular sample matrix is chemically complex, the combination of electrophoretic migration time and fluorescence spectral information allows positive identification of aromatic monoamines, aromatic amino acids and peptides containing them, flavins, adenosine- and guanosine-nucleotide analogs, and other fluorescent compounds. Individual identified neurons from Aplysia californica and Pleurobranchaea californica are used to demonstrate the applicability and figures of merit of this technique.
Utilization of gas oil by a yeast culture

A mixed yeast culture (Culture 4) was grown on representative gas oil samples as well as paraffin wax. Culture 4 was found to utilize n-paraffinic hydrocarbons almost quantitatively from most gas oil fractions; significant alteration of other hydrocarbon components was not detected. Generation times of 4.0–9.0hr. were typical during the exponential growth phase in fermentations with various gas oil fractions. Cell yields were 70–90% based on n-paraffin utilization. The culture appeared to exhibit maximum efficiency of n-alkane removal in the C19 to C24 range. The cells recovered from the fermentations contained 8.8–9.3% nitrogen. Paraffin wax also served as a suitable carbon source when dissolved in 2,6,10,14-tertramethylpentadecane (pristane). However, substrate utilization appeared to be incomplete.
Pancreatic Cancer: Pathobiology, Treatment Options, and Drug Delivery

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA. The high mortality rate is partly due to lack of effective treatments. This review summarizes the pathobiology and current treatment options for pancreatic cancer. Moreover, the review discusses the opportunities of developing novel therapies for pancreatic cancer provided by the progress in understanding the genetic mutations, tumor microenvironment, cancer stem cells, and drug delivery.
New frequency multipliers for millimeter- and submillimeter-wavelength coherent array receiver applications

State-of-the art frequency multipliers, particularly those that operate in the submillimeter wave band, suffer from several limiting factors that make them impractical for modern array applications. In this paper we review the unique requirements placed upon frequency multipliers by array systems, report on the progress of our multiplier development effort, and outline our future development goals toward a suite of multipliers for the NRAO Millimeter Array.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.