cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Jump avoidance conditions for piecewise linear vibration isolator

Piecewise linear systems being highly non-linear, standard perturbation methods cannot produce an analytical expression for the frequency response. Hence, an adapted averaging method is employed to obtain an implicit function for frequency response of a bilinear system under steady state. This function is examined for jump-avoidance and a condition is derived which when met ensures that the undesirable phenomenon of ‘Jump’ does not occur and the system response is functional and unique.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The Interactive Workspaces project: experiences with ubiquitous computing rooms

The Interactive Workspaces project explores new possibilities for people working together in technology-rich spaces. The project focuses on augmenting a dedicated meeting space with large displays, wireless or multimodal devices, and seamless mobile appliance integration.
RAPID AND SENSITIVE DETECTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE USING A NESTED-PRIMER GENE AMPLIFICATION ASSAY

By using a set of four nested oligonucleotide primers, a two-step polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection and identification of Mycobacterium leprae that does not require the use of radioactivity labeled hybridization probes was developed. The nested-primer procedure amplified a 347-base-pair product from M. leprae genomic DNA. No amplification products were produced from DNAs of 19 other Mycobacterium species, 19 non-Mycobacterium species, mouse cells, or human cells. Minor amplification products were observed with three additional Mycobacterium species, i.e., "M. lufu", M. simiae, and M. smegmatis. These products were easily distinguished from the M. leprae product by size and restriction enzyme cleavage patterns. The assay could amplify the 347-base-pair product from samples containing as little as 3 fg of M. leprae genomic DNA--the amount of DNA in a single bacillus. The assay also amplified target sequences in crude lysates of M. leprae bacilli isolated from tissue biopsy specimens from infected animals and humans. The entire assay, from sample preparation to data analysis, can be completed in less than 8 h. Images
Energy-balanced multi-hop packet transmission in wireless sensor networks

This paper studies the problem of determining an energy-balanced schedule for packet transmission over a multi-hop communication path in wireless sensor networks. We consider an epoch-based scenario where the packet must be transmitted within a specified latency constraint. The goal is to balance the energy dissipation along the path with respect to a full exploration of the energy-latency tradeoffs. We propose both an off-line approximation algorithm and an on-line protocol. Experimental results show that by using our off-line algorithm, up to 90% energy saving ban be achieved with a 10-hop communication path with radius of each hop at 10 m, and 60% with radius of each hop at approximately 2.2 m. Two runtime scenarios are also shown to demonstrate the ability of the on-line protocol to adapt the modulation settings with respect to system variations in data packet size and latency constraint.
Demystifying the role of expert witness for clinical toxicologists

While medical science continues to be shaped and molded by politico-economic and regulatory pressures, clinical toxicologists should possess basic understanding of legal system and terminology to further the interests of professional standing and contribution to better public health. A basic knowledge of law will be advantageous to promote clinical toxicology in the political and public arena.
Clairvoyant: a comprehensive source-level debugger for wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor network (WSN) applications are notoriously difficult to develop and debug. This paper describes Clairvoyant which is a comprehensive source-level debugger for wireless, embedded networks. With Clairvoyant, a developer can wirelessly connect to a sensor network and execute standard debugging commands including break, step, watch, and backtrace, as well as new commands that are specially designed for debugging WSNs. Clairvoyant attempts to minimize its effect on the program being debugged in terms of network load, memory footprint, execution speed, clock consistency, and flash lifetime.
Traumatic brain injury and epilepsy: Underlying mechanisms leading to seizure

Post-traumatic epilepsy continues to be a major concern for those experiencing traumatic brain injury. Post-traumatic epilepsy accounts for 10-20% of epilepsy cases in the general population. While seizure prophylaxis can prevent early onset seizures, no available treatments effectively prevent late-onset seizure. Little is known about the progression of neural injury over time and how this injury progression contributes to late onset seizure development. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the epidemiology and risk factors for post-traumatic epilepsy and the current pharmacologic agents used for treatment. We highlight limitations with the current approach and offer suggestions for remedying the knowledge gap. Critical to this pursuit is the design of pre-clinical models to investigate important mechanistic factors responsible for post-traumatic epilepsy development. We discuss what the current models have provided in terms of understanding acute injury and what is needed to advance understanding regarding late onset seizure. New model designs will be used to investigate novel pathways linking acute injury to chronic changes within the brain. Important components of this transition are likely mediated by toll-like receptors, neuroinflammation, and tauopathy. In the final section, we highlight current experimental therapies that may prove promising in preventing and treating post-traumatic epilepsy. By increasing understanding about post-traumatic epilepsy and injury expansion over time, it will be possible to design better treatments with specific molecular targets to prevent late-onset seizure occurrence following traumatic brain injury.
SEASONAL AND YEARLY POPULATION DYNAMICS OF TWO EXOTIC HELMINTHS, CAMALLANUS COTTI (NEMATODA) AND BOTHRIOCEPHALUS ACHEILOGNATHI (CESTODA), PARASITIZING EXOTIC FISHES IN WAIANU STREAM, O'AHU, HAWAII

Exotic poeciliid fishes introduced into Hawaiian freshwaters are responsible for the introduction of several exotic parasites, of which the most important are Camallanus cotti and Bothriocephalus acheilognathi in terms of potential disease threat to native stream fishes. This roundworm and tapeworm are the most prevalent and abundant freshwater fish helminths in Hawaiian streams. This study examined the seasonal and yearly population structure of C. cotti and B. acheilognathi to determine if the tropical Hawaiian environment characterized by low climatic variability permits continuous opportunities for parasite transmission regardless of time of year. Camallanus cotti displayed seasonal differences in prevalence and mean abundance, whereas B. acheilognathi did not. Camallanus cotti prevalence and mean abundance were higher in the Hawaiian summer (47.7%, 0.79) than in winter (25.8%, 0.36). A seasonal relationship of C. cotti levels is likely explained by extensive rains associated with the Hawaiian winter season, which may act to decrease parasite transmission by flushing infected poeciliid hosts, intermediate copepod hosts, and possibly free-living infective worm stages downstream. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi displayed low prevalence and mean abundance in both summer (4.0%, 0.06) and winter (6.5%, 0.07), and it may be difficult to detect seasonal changes due to these low levels. Camallanus cotti prevalence and mean abundance remained relatively constant from the summer of 1995 to the summer of 1999, indicating that levels of this roundworm are stable in Waianu Stream. Whereas B. acheilognathi prevalence and mean abundance were low during the summer of 1995 and the summer of 1997, a dramatic peak in prevalence and mean abundance was observed in the summer of 1998 (41.2%, 1.06), with levels decreasing sharply in the summer of 1999 (4.4%, 0.07). It appears that B. acheilognathi also is present in stable populations at low levels, even though levels rose sharply during a single year.
Experience with Synchrotron Radiation Sources

The development of synchrotron radiation sources is discussed, emphasizing characteristics important for x-ray microscopy. Bending magnets, wigglers and undulators are considered as sources of radiation. Operating experience at the National Synchrotron Light Source on the VUV and XRAY storage rings is reviewed, with particular consideration given to achieved current and lifetime, transverse bunch dimensions, and orbit stability.
USE OF ABLATION TO DETERMINE THE CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENT IN TWO-PHASE FLOW

The fluid to particle convective heat transfer coefficient (h fp ) is an essential design parameter in the development of an aseptic processing system. The convective heat transfer coefficient was determined using a new method based on ablation heat transfer. The amount of solid lost (ablated) was shown to be directly proportional to the energy flux across the fluid-solid interface with the constant of proportionality being h fp . Change in mass of an ice sphere was used as an ablation probe to study h fp in straight, round conduit. Values of h fp ranged from 1, 369 to 2, 749 W/m 2 K over a Reynolds number range of 2, 766 to 17,081. Le coefficient de transfert de chaleur (h fp ) du fluide vers la particule est un parametre essentiel dans le developpement des procedes d'asepsie. Ce coefficient est determine par une nouvelle methode d'ablation. La quantite de solide perdu (ablate)est proportionnelle au flux d'energie a travers l'interface solide-liquide: la constante de proportionnalite etant h fp .
Prenatal stress effects on pig development and response to weaning.

Exposing a pregnant sow to stress has been shown to affect the resulting offspring. Our objective was to determine if rough handling of pregnant sows altered the physiology of her offspring and if these alterations were different from an experimentally induced model of prenatal stress. Sow treatments consisted of i.v. injections of ACTH (1 IU/kg of BW), exposure to rough handling for 10 min (Rough), or no treatment (Control) once a week during d 42 to 77 of gestation. To determine the plasma cortisol response to treatments, blood (5 mL) was collected from 30 sows after treatment administration. To conduct the prenatal stress study, a separate group of 56 sows was used in 1 of 4 replicates. At birth, production data were collected for each litter, including birth weight, number born, anogenital distance, and pig viability. At weaning, pigs were blocked by BW and sex, and placed in a nursery pen of 6 pigs, with 2 pigs from each treatment group. To assess the effect of treatments on cortisol, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), and hematological cell profiles, blood was collected every other day for 10 d after weaning. Application of treatments caused plasma cortisol concentrations to be greatest in ACTH sows compared with Control sows (P 0.40). The ratio of cortisol to CBG did not differ between treatments (P = 0.09). Hematological variables did not differ between treatments (P > 0.19). Pigs born to ACTH sows had a smaller anogenital distance compared with controls (P < 0.03), with pigs from Rough sows being intermediate. Our data indicate that swine exposed to prenatal stress (ACTH injection) can have alterations in sexual morphology without effects on growth or the immune cell populations measured in this study.
Why genetic modification of lignin leads to low-recalcitrance biomass

Genetic modification of plants via down-regulation of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase leads to incorporation of aldehyde groups in the lignin polymer. The resulting lignocellulosic biomass has increased bioethanol yield. However, a molecular-scale explanation of this finding is currently lacking. Here, we perform molecular dynamics simulation of the copolymer with hemicellulose of wild type and the genetically modified lignin, in aqueous solution. We find that the non-covalent association with hemicellulose of lignin containing aldehyde groups is reduced compared to the wild-type. This phase separation may increase the cell wall porosity in the mutant plants, thus explaining their easier deconstruction to biofuels. The thermodynamic origin of the reduced lignin-hemicellulose association is found to be a more favorable self-interaction energy and less favorable interaction with hemicellulose for the mutant lignin. Furthermore, reduced hydration water density fluctuations are found for the mutant lignin, implying a more hydrophobic lignin surface. The results provide a detailed description of how aldehyde incorporation makes lignin more hydrophobic and reduces its association with hemicellulose, thus suggesting that increased lignin hydrophobicity may be an optimal characteristic required for improved biofuel production.
Method of conjugate gradients for the numerical solution of large-body electromagnetic scattering problems

Over the past few decades, many techniques have been developed for the numerical solution of integral equations representing electromagnetic scattering problems. However, a majority of these techniques are limited to electrically small scatterers, i.e., below the resonance range. This is primarily because the amount of CPU computer time and storage requirements become prohibitive for large-body scatterers. Recent work indicates that a procedure based on the iterative conjugate-gradient method can be incorporated into conventional numerical methods in order to extend the range of application of the techniques to larger geometries. In this paper we discuss the conjugate-gradient method and illustrate several ways in which it can be applied to electromagnetic scattering problems. The discussion includes mention of the advantages of the method as compared with conventional approaches as well as some of its limitations. In many practical scattering problems of interest at optical wavelengths, the method can provide a convenient means of treating problems that are electrically more than an order of magnitude larger than those that can be handled by other techniques.
Reporting of Two or More Races in the 1999 American Community Survey

This study presents data on race, collected at selected sites throughout the country for the 1999 American Community Survey (ACS). In particular, the distribution of the population by race and Hispanic or Latino origin is examined, as are the reporting of multiple races, number of races, and major race combinations and the extent to which the race and Hispanic/Latino questions were not answered. Although the ACS sites were not intended to be a nationally representative sample, the study's results provide important insights into what might be learned from Census 2000.
Reperfusion-Induced Translocation of δPKC to Cardiac Mitochondria Prevents Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Reactivation

Cardiac ischemia and reperfusion are associated with loss in the activity of the mitochondrial enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). Pharmacological stimulation of PDH activity improves recovery in contractile function during reperfusion. Signaling mechanisms that control inhibition and reactivation of PDH during reperfusion were therefore investigated. Using an isolated rat heart model, we observed ischemia-induced PDH inhibition with only partial recovery evident on reperfusion. Translocation of the redox-sensitive delta-isoform of protein kinase C (PKC) to the mitochondria occurred during reperfusion. Inhibition of this process resulted in full recovery of PDH activity. Infusion of the deltaPKC activator H2O2 during normoxic perfusion, to mimic one aspect of cardiac reperfusion, resulted in loss in PDH activity that was largely attributable to translocation of deltaPKC to the mitochondria. Evidence indicates that reperfusion-induced translocation of deltaPKC is associated with phosphorylation of the alphaE1 subunit of PDH. A potential mechanism is provided by in vitro data demonstrating that deltaPKC specifically interacts with and phosphorylates pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK)2. Importantly, this results in activation of PDK2, an enzyme capable of phosphorylating and inhibiting PDH. Thus, translocation of deltaPKC to the mitochondria during reperfusion likely results in activation of PDK2 and phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of PDH.
Ionic self-assembled monolayer multilayer thin films

Molecularly-ordered thin-films comprised of nano-sized inorganic particles and ionic polymer molecules have been fabricated on single crystal silicon, quartz, and glass substrates by a novel molecular self-assembly process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that the formed cationic inorganic particles only adsorb on negatively charged and not on positively charged surfaces. Contact angle measurements demonstrate that the water contact angle oscillates regularly according to which ions form the outermost layer of the films. Thin-films ordered at the molecular level have been formed up to several hundred layers in thickness and characterized by UV/Vis spectroscopy. Incorporation of different inorganic nanoparticles and polymer molecules allows control over electromagnetic, mechanical, thermal and other properties.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Epileptogenic effect of hypoxia in the immature rodent brain

The response to cerebral hypoxia/ischemia may be different in the neonate compared to other age groups. An in vivo model was developed in the rat to determine whether there are age-dependent differences in the effects of hypoxia on electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. EEG recordings were obtained from Long Evans hooded rats deprived of oxygen at five ages: postnatal days 5 to 7, 10 to 12, 15 to 17, 25 to 27, and 50 to 60. Oxygen concentration was varied from 0, 2, 3, and 4% between animals. EEGs were recorded in all animals before, during, and at 1 hour after exposure to the hypoxic condition and at 1 to 7 days afterward in a subset of animals. All animals were deprived of oxygen until the onset of apnea and bradycardia to 20 to 40% of baseline heart rate values. Hypoxia resulted in isoelectric EEG significantly more frequently in the animals deprived of oxygen at postnatal days 25 to 27 and 50 to 60 than in the younger age groups. A highly significant effect was that the animals deprived at postnatal days 5 to 17 revealed a high incidence of epileptiform EEG activity during hypoxia. In contrast, the older animals exhibited only rare isolated EEG spikes before reaching an isoelectric EEG. The severity of hypoxia-induced epileptiform EEG changes was highest in the animals subjected to moderately hypoxic conditions (3% and 4% oxygen) at postnatal days 10 to 12. Furthermore, epileptiform changes persisted for hours to days following prolonged episodes of hypoxia in the younger animals. This study demonstrates a unique response of the immature brain to exhibit epileptiform activity during hypoxia.
How cultural transmission facilitates a long juvenile learning period

The evolution of the long, slow human life history is a major challenge to evolutionary biologists. A compelling theory states that our late age at maturity allows us to acquire the many skills needed to survive in the economically intensive human foraging niche. Cultural transmission may be a crucial part of this process, by exposing learners to a wealth of information and skills that they would otherwise not likely discover. I use mathematical models to show that whether cultural transmission allows a later age at maturity depends on the details of selection and population regulation. In particular, cultural transmission appears to readily allow a later age at maturity under density-dependent fertility, but may not under density-dependent mortality or density-independent population growth. I close with a discussion of possibilities for future theoretical and empirical research.
Decorin suppresses tumor cell-mediated angiogenesis.

The progressive growth of most neoplasms is dependent upon the establishment of new blood vessels, a process regulated by tumor-secreted factors and matrix proteins. We examined the in vitro and in vivo angiogenic ability of conditioned media obtained from fibrosarcoma, carcinoma, and osteosarcoma cells and their decorin-transfected counterparts. Human endothelial cells were investigated in vitro by evaluating three essential steps of angiogenesis: migration, attachment, and differentiation. On the whole, wild-type tumor cell-secretions enhanced endothelial cell attachment, migration, and differentiation, whereas their decorin-expressing forms inhibited these processes. Similarly, decorin-containing media suppressed endothelial cell sprouting in an ex vivo aortic ring assay. Since angiogenesis is an important component of tumor expansion, the growth rate of these cells as tumor xenografts was examined by implantation in nude mice. In vivo, the decorin-expressing tumor xenografts grew at markedly lower rates and showed a significant suppression of neovascularization. Immunohistochemical, Northern and Western blot analyses indicated that the decorin-expressing cells produced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at markedly reduced rates vis-a-vis their wild-type counterparts. Specificity of this process was confirmed by experiments where addition of recombinant decorin to the wild-type tumor cells caused 80-95% suppression of VEGF mRNA and protein. These results provide a novel mechanism of action for decorin, and indicate that decorin could adversely affect in vivo tumor growth by suppressing the endogenous tumor cell production of a powerful angiogenic stimulus.
547 UTILIZATION OF MEDICAL FACILITY SUPPORT BY EUROPEAN CHILDREN WITH BRAIN TUMORS AT BARRETSTOWN: A SUMMER THERAPEUTIC RECREATION CAMP.

Introduction Children with serious illnesses, including children with brain tumors (CBT), have better psychosocial outcomes than their peers when they are able to resume normal activities. The primary purpose of this study was to quantitatively define utilization of medical support by CBT at a 10-day Barretstown camp session. The secondary purpose was to qualitatively define the medical needs of CBT at camp. Materials and Methods The study population consisted of 163 CBT and 2,110 other children with cancer or hematologic disease attending Barretstown Gang Camp between 1998 and 2001. The visit frequency to the on-site medical facility (MedShed) was compared between the CBT and non-CBT group. Results The most frequent diagnosis among the 2,273 campers was acute lymphoblastic leukemia, followed by sarcoma. Of the 163 CBT, the most frequent diagnoses were medulloblastoma/PNET (63), brain tumor type not specified (26), low-grade glioma (15), craniopharyngioma (15), and astrocytoma (14). Mean age was 12 years old (range 7-17). 72% of CBT were not on active chemotherapy or hormone therapy. CBT had a mean of 2 MedShed visits, while non-CBT had a mean of 3 medShed visits (p Conclusions Our findings suggest that CBT can safely participate in a physically challenging, well-staffed summer camp program.
The Cuban Experiment: A 50+ Year Embargo as a Failed Means of Promoting Economic and Political Development

The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the past and present reasons for the US embargo against Cuba and to call into question its ability to effectively promote economic and political reformation in the future. Unintended consequences of the embargo impose high health and economic costs on average Cubans, while leaving the Castro regime unscathed. Canada and European countries have had substantial success engaging in trade with Cuba, as is evidenced by the growth of the tourism industry and subsequent growth of the economy in recent years. Cuba’s economic growth made possible by its trade with these countries directly preceded improvements in the economic and political institutions in the country. This suggests that institutional reform in Cuba is a product of free trade rather than a prerequisite.
Efficacy and safety of tumor necrosis factor antagonists in Crohn's disease: overview of randomized clinical studies.

Abstract The past decade has brought forth a series of novel biologic agents targeting tumor necrosis factor (TNF) for the treatment of Crohn's disease. The introduction of infliximab has paved the way for additional anti-TNF strategies that have the potential to build on that drug's efficacy and safety profile. However, the anti-TNF strategies might not have identical efficacy and safety profiles and might differ in dosing compared with therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Most recently, adalimumab has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and is undergoing evaluation in Crohn's disease, with promising initial results. This review discusses the results of controlled clinical trials of anti-TNF agents for Crohn's disease.
Chapter 3 – ASSEMBLY OF COLLOIDAL PARTICLES INTO NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS AND MICROSCOPIC DEVICES

This chapter describes the assembly of colloidal particles into nanostructured materials and microscopic devices. Significant and increasing scientific interest exists in ordered 2D and 3D structures assembled from colloidal particles. The chapter summarizes the principles used in the 2D and 3D assembly of crystalline colloids to compare various methods based on these principles, and to present some of the emerging applications of the assembled structures. The field of colloidal crystallization encompasses an enormous variety of systems. The assembly of colloidal crystals and more advanced particle structures is also likely to benefit from the new tools being developed for micromanipulation and micromachining. A whole new world of technological opportunities has been opened by the recent advanced in microfluidics. The assembly of organized and functional structures from colloidal particles is an exciting, strongly competitive research field where new ideas and experimental advances emerge daily, guaranteeing that practical applications will rapidly follow.
Radical Prostatectomy with Preservation of Sexual Function: Pathological Findings in the First 100 Cases

AbstractIn an effort to preserve sexual function, a nerve-sparing technique for radical retropubic prostatectomy has been used in 100 consecutive men with clinically localized prostatic cancer. Each gland was submitted for total histological examination in a way that permitted determination of the extent of the tumor and adequacy of surgical margins. Although 41 patients had established tumor in periprostatic tissue only 7 had positive surgical margins: all 7 had extensive extraprostatic involvement by tumor, while 5 had involvement of the seminal vesicles and none had surgical margins positive only at the site of the nerve-sparing modification. Sexual function was evaluated in 60 of the patients who were potent preoperatively and who have been followed for a minimum of 1 year: 84 per cent of the patients with an intact prostatic capsule were potent compared to 43 per cent with extensive involvement of periprostatic tissue and 33 per cent with involvement of the seminal vesicles or pelvic lymph nodes. Bas...
Effects of shoe type and shoe–pedal interface on the metabolic cost of bicycling

Cyclists, coaches, and equipment manufacturers claim that cycling-specific shoes coupled with clipless pedals are ‘more efficient’. However, scientific evidence supporting or refuting these claims is lacking. We measured the metabolic cost of cycling at sub-maximal power outputs and tested the null hypothesis that there would be no differences between three different shoe-pedal combinations. Eleven healthy subjects participated (six males, four females, age 24.9 ± 6.84 yr, mass 69.98 ± 9.37 kg). We compared: (1) Nike Free 3.0 running shoes with flat rubber pedals, (2) Nike Free 3.0 running shoes with classic aluminium quill pedals, toe clips, and straps, and (3) the cyclists' own rigid-soled, cleated cycling shoes with corresponding clipless pedals. With the three different shoe-pedal conditions in random order, subjects completed three sequential 5-min cycling trials (50, 100, and 150W all at 90RPM) on a custom pan-loaded cycle ergometer equipped with a standard Monark flywheel. Subjects remained seated ...
Loss of EGR-1 Accelerates BCR-ABL-Driven Leukemogenesis

Abstract 1671 Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is a disease resulting from the neoplastic transformation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) by the translocated tyrosine kinase BCR/ABL. The BCR-ABL protein product is a constitutively active tyrosine kinase, which promotes cell survival and proliferation by means of diverse intracellular signaling pathways, thereby being the culprit for malignant transformation. The early growth response (Egr)-1 gene, a member of the Egr family of genes encoding for zinc-finger transcription factors, has been shown to be an early response gene, to mediate cellular responses to growth factors and to be a stress response gene. Both growth factor stimulation and stress in most cells causes rapid induction of Egr-1 within minutes that leads to the activation of downstream growth pathways in normal cells. Egr-1 regulates the expression of multiple genes, either directly or indirectly, that impact on cell cycle arrest, survival and/or apoptosis, which can interface with BCR-ABL signaling. Included among these genes are p53, TGFbeta, PTEN, gadd45a, gadd45b, Foxo3a, p21, FasL, and Trail. There is a large body of evidence consistent with Egr-1 behaving as a tumor suppressor in hematopoietic cells, both in vivo & in vitro, in both humans & mice. This laboratory has shown that Egr-1 abrogates the block in M1 terminal differentiation imparted by either oncogenic c-Myc or E2F-1, suppressing their leukemia promoting function in nude mice. Since Egr-1 can be a tumor suppressor and its down-stream effectors cross-talk with BCR-ABL signaling it was asked if Egr-1 can act as a suppressor of BCR-ABL driven leukemogenesis. To assess the effect of Egr-1 on BCR-ABL driven leukemia, syngeneic wild type lethally irradiated mice were reconstituted with wild type or Egr-1 null myeloid progenitors transduced with a 210-kD BCR-ABL-expressing MSCV-retrovirus. It was observed that loss of Egr-1 accelerated the development of BCR-ABL driven leukemia in recipient mice. In vitro proliferation assays have shown enhanced proliferation capacity for BCR-ABL transduced Egr-1 null myeloid progenitors compared to wild type counterparts. In addition, flow cytometric analysis of Egr-1 null myeloid progenitors from bone marrow (BM) has shown a slightly smaller stem cell (Lineage- Sca+ and c-Kit+ [LSK]) population as compared to wild type progenitors from BM. Therefore, the accelerated induction of BCR/ABL-mediated leukemia using Egr-1 null progenitors cannot be accounted for by increased numbers of stem cells. Taken together, these results indicate that Egr-1 functions as a suppressor of BCR-ABL driven CML. Further elucidating the role of Egr-1 in the murine model of BCR-ABL driven leukemia and analysis of Egr-1 expression in human CML peripheral blood and BM could result in novel targets for diagnosis and prognosis, as well as for targeted therapeutics. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Calibrating a Surveillance Camera Network

In principal, human re-identification is essentially a cross-camera tracking problem. In other words, human re-identification systems are deployed in the environment that has a camera network, such as airports, public transportation stations, and office buildings. In this chapter, we are going to talk about the setup and calibration of a surveillance camera network.
Molecular sieve synthesis using metallocenes as structure directing agents

We have been exploring molecular sieve synthesis using metal complexes as templates. Our objectives were to affect the crystallization of new structures as well as prepare bifunctional catalysts via the encapsulation of metal complexes during synthesis. In this paper the results for the synthesis of SiO2, AlPO4 and SAPO molecular sieves in the presence of metallocenes will be presented. In particular, Cobalticinium ion, Cp2Co+, was found to be a template for Nonasil, AlPO4−5, AlPO4−16, SAPO−16 and CoAPO−16 which are known phases but require templates. The larger decamethyl derivative, CP*2Co+ has produced a novel high silica zeolite molecular sieve, UTD-1 as well as a new SAPO phase UTD-2 which appear to be large pore materials. In all cases, the metal complex is occluded intact and cannot be extracted. Aspects of the synthesis and characterization of these microporous materials are presented below.
Consonance and Dissonance of Harmonic Sounds

Just as a tree may crash silently (or noisily) to the ground, depending on the definition of sound, the terms “consonance” and “dissonance” have both a perceptual and a physical aspect. There is also a dichotomy between attitude and practice, between the way theorists talk about consonance and dissonance and the ways that performers and composers use consonances and dissonances in musical situations. This chapter explores five different historical notions of consonance and dissonance in an attempt to avoid confusion and to place sensory consonance in its historical perspective. Several different explanations for consonance are reviewed, and curves drawn by Helmholtz, Partch, and Plomp for harmonic timbres are explored.
Specific regions of the brain are capable of fructose metabolism

Abstract High fructose consumption in the Western diet correlates with disease states such as obesity and metabolic syndrome complications, including type II diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and non-alcoholic fatty acid liver disease. Liver and kidneys are responsible for metabolism of 40–60% of ingested fructose, while the physiological fate of the remaining fructose remains poorly understood. The primary metabolic pathway for fructose includes the fructose-transporting solute-like carrier transport proteins 2a (SLC2a or GLUT), including GLUT5 and GLUT9, ketohexokinase (KHK), and aldolase. Bioinformatic analysis of gene expression encoding these proteins (glut5, glut9, khk, and aldoC, respectively) identifies other organs capable of this fructose metabolism. This analysis predicts brain, lymphoreticular tissue, placenta, and reproductive tissues as possible additional organs for fructose metabolism. While expression of these genes is highest in liver, the brain is predicted to have expression levels of these genes similar to kidney. RNA in situ hybridization of coronal slices of adult mouse brains validate the in silico expression of glut5, glut9, khk, and aldoC, and show expression across many regions of the brain, with the most notable expression in the cerebellum, hippocampus, cortex, and olfactory bulb. Dissected samples of these brain regions show KHK and aldolase enzyme activity 5–10 times the concentration of that in liver. Furthermore, rates of fructose oxidation in these brain regions are 15–150 times that of liver slices, confirming the bioinformatics prediction and in situ hybridization data. This suggests that previously unappreciated regions across the brain can use fructose, in addition to glucose, for energy production.
Controls on methane occurrences in shallow aquifers overlying the Haynesville Shale gas field, East Texas.

Understanding the source of dissolved methane in drinking-water aquifers is critical for assessing potential contributions from hydraulic fracturing in shale plays. Shallow groundwater in the Texas portion of the Haynesville Shale area (13,000 km2 ) was sampled (70 samples) for methane and other dissolved light alkanes. Most samples were derived from the fresh water bearing Wilcox formations and show little methane except in a localized cluster of 12 water wells (17% of total) in a approximately 30 × 30 km2 area in Southern Panola County with dissolved methane concentrations less than 10 mg/L. This zone of elevated methane is spatially associated with the termination of an active fault system affecting the entire sedimentary section, including the Haynesville Shale at a depth more than 3.5 km, and with shallow lignite seams of Lower Wilcox age at a depth of 100 to 230 m. The lignite spatial extension overlaps with the cluster. Gas wetness and methane isotope compositions suggest a mixed microbial and thermogenic origin with contribution from lignite beds and from deep thermogenic reservoirs that produce condensate in most of the cluster area. The pathway for methane from the lignite and deeper reservoirs is then provided by the fault system.
Status Frustration among College Students: The Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Undergraduate Performance

ABSTRACTCohen’s status frustration theory explains that even though everyone is encouraged to achieve a high status in society, lower-class people have very small chances of successfully doing so. Students from a private college and a public community college were given questionnaires about socioeconomic statuses, college majors, career plans, grades, and participation in delinquent activities. Findings support specific components of Cohen’s theory. Minority and lower-class students participated in more deviant behaviors. Results also revealed significant differences in prestige of career goals between students of different social classes. Finally, there was a significant relationship between perceived opportunities and grade point averages.
Signal Transduction Inhibitors in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is caused by Bcr-Abl, a constitutively active tyrosine kinase that activates multiple signaling pathways and is central to disease pathogenesis. Efforts to develop small molecule Bcr-Abl inhibitors led to the discovery of imatinib, a 2-phenylaminopyrimidine that inhibits Bcr-Abl with high selectivity and has rapidly become standard therapy for CML. Responses in newly diagnosed chronic phase patients tend to be durable, but there is a high relapse rate in advanced disease, which is mostly due to point mutations in critical residues that interfere with drug binding, thereby reactivating Bcr-Abl. The fact that Bcr-Abl remains central to disease pathogenesis has stimulated a search for novel Abl kinase inhibitors with activity against mutant Bcr-Abl. Nilotinib, developed from an imatinib backbone, and dasatinib, a dual Abl/Src kinase inhibitor, are currently in phase I/II clinical trials of patients with imatinib-resistant CML, with very encouraging results. While Bcr-Abl is the most attractive target, there are multiple signal transduction pathways downstream that can be intercepted with specific inhibitors, such as blockers of farnesyl transferase and mTOR. Some of these compounds are in clinical trials of imatinib-resistant patients, but results are not yet available. Although imatinib is probably not capable of eradicating CML stem cells, for many patients this agent has turned a life-threatening disease into a chronic disorder that does not significantly affect quality of life.
Medical hypothesis: Light at night is a factor worth considering in critical care units

Exposure to light at night is not an innocuous consequence of modernization. There are compelling data linking long-term exposure to occupational and environmental light at night with serious health conditions, including heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. However, far less is known about the physiological and behavioral effects of acute exposure to light at night. Among healthy volunteers, acute night-time light exposure increases systolic blood pressure and inflammatory markers in the blood, and impairs glucose regulation. Whether critically ill patients in a hospital setting experience the same physiological shifts in response to evening light exposure is not known. This paper reviews the available data on light at night effects on health and wellbeing, and argues that the data are sufficiently compelling to warrant studies of how lighting in intensive care units may be influencing patient recovery.
Comparing Portals and Web Pages

A Web page (WP) is a document written in HTML or XHTML language and placed on the World Wide Web through a unique and rather permanent address called the uniform resource locator or URL. A Web page can be either a single page, or be combined with other Web pages, nested one inside the other. These multiple Web pages, once created by using frames (F), are increasingly being created through the use of cascading style sheets (CSS). These enhancements allow users to navigate content on other Web pages while remaining on the initial page. Web pages contain navigation links (NL) to other Web sites and are viewed through Web browsers. Web pages can also contain elements that can be seen (graphics and images) and cannot be seen (scripts, meta tags). A Web site (WS) is physically located on a Web server as a collection of Web pages stored in hierarchical folders. Users move from page to page through use of these navigation links, navigation bars, or hyper links (HL) to view additional pages. Even so, Web pages are relatively flat or static when compared to the more functional and complex portal. A portal (P), is a Web site that serves as a gateway to other resources (Internet or intranet). These resources provide the user with enhanced capabilities through the use of distributed means—computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and cell phones. Therefore, some would argue that the portal is nothing new, but yet another type of Web page. Others (Tatnall, 2005) argue that portals are more than Web pages. At the very least, portals are enhanced versions—powerful improvements—along the evolutionary development of the simple Web page. Portals have proliferated. Tatnall (2005) describes attempts to categorize them and provides a list of major types: (a) general portals, (b) vertical industry portals, (c) horizontal industry portals, (d) community portals, (e) enterprise information portals, (f) e-market place portals, (g) personal/mobile portals, (h) informational portals, and (i) specialized or niche portals. While some have proclaimed the death of the portal (Online Publishing News, 1999), others (White, 2003) write about portal metamorphosis, an evolving transformation of the simple Web page in response to user needs.
Mechanisms of Inhibition of Tumor Progression

Experimental and epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that carcinogenesis is a multistage process that can be divided into three major stages: initiation, promotion, and progression (22). Progression encompasses the changes by which a tumor evolves from a contained, differentiated lesion of uncoordinated growth into a rapidly growing, invasive lesion with potential to spread to other areas of the body. This change is also associated with conversion from an easily removed growth to one requiring extensive therapy with variable rates of recovery and, thus, constitutes a phase of cancer development of critical clinical relevance. Nonetheless, this stage of carcinogenesis has remained the least understood.
Cortical Plasticity and Learning: Mechanisms and Models

Cortical maps and the receptive fields of cortical neurons are not fixed but rather are dynamically modified by experience. The amount of cortical area devoted to a specific peripheral input, for example, can expand or contract depending on the use and behavioral relevance of the input. In addition, the receptive fields of cortical areas are plastic, and their tuning can reflect the characteristic of the sensory stimuli to which animals are exposed. These and other forms of cortical plasticity occur during both development and adulthood and are critical to many forms of learning. Experimental and theoretical studies have uncovered a number of general principles regarding the mechanisms underlying experience-dependent cortical plasticity. First, the spatiotemporal structure of the sensory inputs plays an instructive role in guiding cortical development and plasticity. Second, at the mechanistic level, two cellular and synaptic properties contribute to cortical plasticity: associative (Hebbian) synaptic plasticity and a competition mechanism in which different spatial patterns of inputs compete for control of a postsynaptic neuron.
Nurses' Experiences of Establishing Meaningful and Effective Relationships With American Indian Patients in the Cancer Care Setting.

IntroductionThe establishment of caring relationships with racial and ethnic minority populations is challenging for many cancer care nurses. Nurses serving American Indian (AI) patients frequently...
A Common Vision Realized: Holistic Educators’ and Utopian Visionaries’ Ideas Brought to Life

This article will explore the common educational vision of two distinct groups — holistic educators and American utopian authors of late-19th to mid/late-20th century — and then propose that this joint vision, along with its actualization in a variety of forms of alternative education (e.g. unschooling, democratic free schooling, Montessori and Waldorf schools, etc.) is positive evidence of a “self-organizing revolution” (Miller, 2008). This revolution is working to challenge dominant educational paradigms, and should serve as a source of hope for many who despair that more idealistic visions of education will never come to be in our country.
Guideline: Panel recommends maintaining SpO2 at no higher than 96% in most acutely ill hospitalized patients

Source Citation Siemieniuk RAC, Chu DK, Kim LH, et al. Oxygen therapy for acutely ill medical patients: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ. 2018;363:k4169. 30355567
A Method for Determining Impact Force for Single and Tri Axis Resonant Plate Shock Simulations

In the past year, resonant plate tests designed to excite all three axes simultaneously have become increasingly popular at Sandia National Labs. Historically, only one axis was tested at a time, but unintended off axis responses were generated. In order to control the off-axis motion so that off-axis responses were created which satisfy appropriate test specifications, the test setup has to be iteratively modified so that the coupling between axes was desired. The iterative modifications were done with modeling and simulation. To model the resonant plate test, an accurate forcing function must be specified. For resonant plate shock experiments, the input force of the projectile impacting the plate is prohibitively difficult to measure in situ. To improve on current simulation results, a method to use contact forces from an explicit simulation as an input load was implemented. This work covers an overview and background of three axes resonant plate shock tests, their design, their value in experiments, and the difficulties faced in simulating them. The work also covers a summary of contact force implementation in an explicit dynamics code and how it is used to evaluate an input force for a three axes resonant plate simulation. The results from the work show 3D finite element projectile and impact block interactions as well as simulation shock response data compared to experimental shock response data.