cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia Regulates the Expression of Vascular Permeability Factor/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VPF/VEGF) and its Receptors in Human Skin

Tissue hypoxia is a characteristic feature of malignant tumors and healing wounds, conditions that are associated with angiogenesis and with increased expression of vascular permeability factor (VPF; also called vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF), a selective endothelial cell mitogen inducing microvascular hyperpermeability in vivo. We investigated the regulation of VPF/VEGF and its receptors by tissue hypoxia in normal human skin explants and in cultured skin cells in vitro. VPF/VEGF mRNA expression was dramatically upregulated in epidermal keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts, and dermal microvessels after 24 h of skin organ culture. Hypoxia also enhanced the expression of VPF/VEGF in cultured epidermal keratinocytes and dermal microvascular endothelial cells (predominantly VPF/VEGF121 and VPF/VEGF165) and in dermal fibroblasts (additional upregulation of VPF/VEGF189). The expression of the VPF/VEGF receptor Flt-1 was selectively induced on dermal microvessels in skin explant cultures and in dermal endothelial cell monolayer cultures under hypoxic conditions. In contrast, the KDR receptor was downregulated by hypoxia. These results suggest that hypoxia likely regulates cutaneous angiogenesis and microvascular permeability by two distinct mechanisms: (i) Induction of VPF/VEGF in epithelial and mesenchymal cells, including endothelial cells. (ii) Differential modulation of VPF/VEGF receptor expression by microvascular endothelial cells. These mechanisms may be of importance in the pathogenesis of healing wounds and some malignant tumors that are commonly characterized by hypoxia and overexpression of VPF/VEGF.
On the role of CD8 T cells in the control of persistent infections.

The control of pathogen density during infections is typically assumed to be the result of a combination of resource limitation (loss of target cells that the pathogen can infect), innate immunity, and specific immunity. The contributions of these factors have been considered in acute infections, which are characterized by having a short duration. What controls the pathogen during persistent infections is less clear, and is complicated by two factors. First, specific immune responses become exhausted if they are subject to chronic stimulation. Exhaustion has been best characterized for CD8 T cell responses, and occurs through a combination of cell death and loss of functionality of surviving cells. Second, new nonexhausted T cells can immigrate from the thymus during the infection, and may play a role in the control of the infection. In this article, we formulate a partial-differential-equation model to describe the interaction between these processes, and use this model to explore how thymic influx and exhaustion might affect the ability of CD8 T cell responses to control persistent infections. We find that although thymic influx can play a critical role in the maintenance of a limited CD8 T cell response during persistent infections, this response is not sufficiently large to play a significant role in controlling the infection. In doing so, our results highlight the importance of resource limitation and innate immunity in the control of persistent infections.
Stimulation of synaptosomal free radical production by fatty acids: Relation to esterification and to degree of unsaturation

The ability of three fatty acids and their respective ethyl esters, to promote generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), was compared in a preparation of rat brain synaptosomes. Arachidonic but not palmitic or linoleic acids promoted ROS generation. Ethyl esterification of each fatty acid significantly enhanced ROS production and also levels of lipid peroxidation. Pro-oxidant activity was enhanced by fatty acids, proportionally to their degree of unsaturation. Since ethanol consumption is known to lead to esterification of membrane lipids, this transformation may in part account for the ROS-promoting potential of alcohol.
Impact of air flight on games missed post concussion in NHL players

Background Concussions(mTBI) occur at variable reported rates of 1–4 per 100 player games in the NHL. Hypoxia exacerbates neuronal death following mild TBI in animals and Oxygen deprivation leads to greater mitochondrial dysfunction in concussed brains. This study will evaluate the impact of mild hypoxia associated with airline travel on duration of concussion symptoms in NHL players. Methods All NHL players with publicly reported concussions in 2010–11 through the 2012–13 (3) seasons were evaluated to determine the impact of air flight with pressurized cabins in the immediate 4–6 hour period following games in which the concussion occurred. This retrospective cohort study used publicly available post-game reports of concussion, next game played, and air distance traveled. Players with any associated injury were excluded. All available NHL and team reports were used to confirm travel night-of following an away game to either next stop of road trip (NHL) or home location and diagnosis of concussion and games missed. Only flights within 6 hours of end of game were included. Results 239 concussions occurred during the 3 study seasons of which 35 players were excluded for additional injuries or concussion lasted over the end of a season. 202/204 (99%) of NHL players with diagnosed concussions missed at least one game with a mean 9.2 games (SD +/- 9.6) missed. Those players that flew after suffering an mTBI missed 32.9% more games with: 10.5 (95% CI: 2.5–17.7) missed games and 26.5 days for those 99 NHL9ers (95% CI: 2.5–17.7) VS. 7.9 (95% CI: 0–16.5) games and 20.7 days for the 205 NHL9ers that did not fly; P Discussion This initial report of an increased rate of recovery in terms of nearly 1/3 more games missed, for professional athletes flying commercial airlines due to likely increased concussion penumbra and lack of brain rest following mTBI. Future studies should evaluate standard 48–72 hour post mTBI brain rest, without any air flight to abate the decreased oxygen tension suffered during pressurized cabin flight.
Simple carbon assimilation response functions from atmospheric CO2, and daily temperature and shortwave radiation

A global ‘CO2 fertilizer effect’ multiplier is often used in crop or ecosystem models because of its simplicity. However, this approach does not take into account the interaction between CO2, temperature and light on assimilation. This omission can lead to significant under- or overestimation of the magnitude of beneficial effects from elevated CO2, depending on environmental conditions. We use a mechanistic model of the biochemistry of photosynthesis to represent the response of net assimilation to different levels of CO2, temperature and radiation, on the daily time scale. Instantaneous assimilation rates for an idealized canopy model are integrated through diurnal cycles of environmental variables derived from historical climate data at three locations in North America. The calculated CO2 fertilizer effect is greatest at high light and warm temperatures. The results are summarized by assimilation response surfaces specified by the CO2 concentration, the canopy leaf area index, and by daily values of temperature and radiation available from climatic records. These summary functions are suitable for incorporation into crop or ecosystem models for predicting carbon assimilation or biomass production on a daily time step. An example application of the function reveals that for a relatively cool, high latitude location, the beneficial effects from a CO2 doubling would be negligible during the early spring, even assuming a + 4°C global warming scenario. In contrast, the beneficial effects from increasing CO2 at a relatively warm, lower latitude location are greatest in the spring, but decline in late summer because of excessively warm temperatures with a + 4°C global warming.
Hydrolyses of polyamic‐acid solutions

Etude par viscosimetrie de la vitesse d'hydrolyse en solution des polyamidoacides obtenus a partir des dianhydrides pyromellitique, 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylique benzophenonetetracarboxylique, des anhydrides perfluoroisopropylidene bis-phtalique et oxydiphtalique et de la 4,4'-oxydianiline et du 1,4-diaminobenzene. Les vitesses d'hydrolyse sont similaires pour tous les polymeres etudies
Replication linkage study for prostate cancer susceptibility genes

Background Since the publication of the first genome screen for prostate cancer (CaP) 5 years ago, over a dozen linkage studies have appeared. Most attention has been directed to chromosome 1, where two separate regions have been identified as harboring a prostate cancer susceptibility locus: HPC1 in the 1q24-25 interval and PCaP in the 1q42.2-43 interval. Linkage analysis of chromosome 16 has also provided evidence of harboring two loci predisposing to CaP. Methods We report on a replication linkage study of chromosomes 1 and 16 in 45 new and 4 expanded multiplex CaP families. Multipoint Z-scores were obtained for 30 highly polymorphic short-sequence tandem repeat markers spanning chromosome 1, and 22 markers spanning chromosome 16. Results The replication sample gave no evidence for a CaP susceptibility locus in the 1q24-25 interval and equivocal evidence for such a locus at 1q42.2-43. With respect to chromosome 16, positive Z-scores were obtained over a contiguous interval covering the entire p arm and the proximal half of the q arm. Conclusions The linkage analysis of our replication sample does not support the existence of HPC1, and the evidence for the existence of PCaP remains equivocal. Evidence of a susceptibility locus on 16p remains strong, but the evidence for a susceptibility locus on 16q is weakened.
Circumstances and Contributing Causes of Fall Deaths among Persons Aged 65 and Older: United States, 2010

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the increasing fall death rate among people aged 65 and older is due in part to temporal changes in recording the underlying cause of death. DESIGN: Analyses of multiple cause of death data using the online Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ON-line Data for Epidemiologic Research system, which uses the National Center for Health Statistics' Multiple Cause of Death data set. SETTING: United States, 1999 to 2010. PARTICIPANTS: People aged 65 and older with a fall listed on their death record as the underlying or a contributing cause of death. MEASUREMENTS: Circumstances and contributing causes off all deaths-records listing International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes W00 to W19 as the underlying cause of death-and underlying causes for records with falls as a contributing cause were examined. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess trends in the proportion of fall and fall-associated deaths to total deaths for 1999 to 2010. RESULTS: In 2010, there were 21,649 fall deaths and 5,402 fall-associated deaths among people aged 65 and older; 48.7% of fall deaths involved a head injury. Approximately half the fall death records included diseases of the circulatory system as contributing causes. From 1999 to 2010, there was a trend toward more-specific reporting of falls circumstances, although total deaths remained unchanged. The proportion of fall deaths to total deaths increased 114.3%, and that of fall-associated deaths to total deaths increased 43.1%. CONCLUSION: The reasons behind the increasing older adult fall death rate deserve further investigation. Possible contributing factors include changing trends in underlying chronic diseases and better reporting of falls as the underlying cause of death. Language: en
Active transforming growth factor-β1 activates the procollagen I promoter in patients with acute lung injury

Objective Fibroproliferation markers like procollagen I predict mortality in patients with acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We sought to determine whether bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with lung injury contained mediators that would activate procollagen I promoter and if this activation predicted important clinical outcomes.
A direct immunoassay for detecting diatoms in groundwater as an indicator of the direct influence of surface water

Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDISW) is of concern in communities where growing public demand on groundwater resources has resulted in increased withdrawals and hydraulic stress near surface water bodies. Under these conditions, contaminants such as methyl-tert butyl ether (MTBE) and biological materials have been detected in domestic wells. Other contaminants and pathogens associated with surface water are not routinely tested for in groundwater-supplied systems. To address the need for methods to easily identify potentially vulnerable supplies, a direct immunoassay for the quantitative detection of diatoms in raw water samples was developed as a measure of surface water influence on groundwater. Cell wall preparations from Nitzschia palea Kutzing, a freshwater diatom found throughout North America, were used to produce a polyclonal antibody that was applied in a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developed to detect the presence of N. palea cell wall components. The direct immunoassay allows detection at 500 cells L−1, a level similar to diatom concentrations observed in samples of groundwater collected near the test site. This investigation was the first attempt to utilize an ELISA as an indicator of surface water influence on groundwater. Further research is needed to develop more specific diatom-based monoclonal antibodies, determine cross-reactivity, and optimize sample processing and ELISA procedures for development of a standardized method.
Thermodynamic study of structural and superconducting transitions in a V 3 Si single crystal

Reported here is a direct comparison of the thermodynamic properties of the tetragonal and cubic phases of a single crystal V$sub 3$Si based on ac heat- capacity data obtained before and after arresting the structural transformation by copper cladding. Whereas the bulk superconducting temperatures are the same to within 0.1$sup 0$K, the entropy of the tetragonal phase at the transformation temperature ( approx. 20$sup 0$K) is greater than that of the cubic phase by approx. 240 +- 50 mJ/mole$sup 0$K.
Dominant, gain-of-function mutant produced by truncation of RPGR.

Purpose The retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) is essential in the maintenance of photoreceptor viability. Mutations in the X-linked RPGR gene have generally been assumed to be recessive. This study was undertaken to investigate whether certain mutant RPGR alleles may act dominantly. Methods An RPGR transgene representing the RPGR ORF15 variant was placed under a non-tissue-specific promoter and introduced into transgenic mice. The transgene was crossed into both a wild type (WT) and an RPGR null background. Its expression was analyzed by RT-PCR, immunoblot analysis, and immunofluorescence. Photoreceptor survival was assessed by electroretinography and histology. Results The RPGR transgene transcript underwent photoreceptor-specific, alternative splicing involving the purine-rich region of the ORF15 exon, generating a shortened mRNA and a premature stop codon. This truncation mutant caused more rapid photoreceptor degeneration than that in the RPGR null (knockout) mutant. The disease course was similar, whether the transgene was coexpressed with WT RPGR or expressed alone in the RPGR null background. Conclusions Certain truncated forms of RPGR can behave as a dominant, gain-of-function mutant. These data suggest that human RPGR mutations are not necessarily null and some may also act as dominant alleles, leading to a more severe phenotype than a null mutant.
Protection of TRPC7 cation channels from calcium inhibition by closely associated SERCA pumps

Numerous studies have demonstrated that members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily of channels are involved in regulated Ca2+ entry. Additionally, most Ca2+-permeable channels are themselves regulated by Ca2+, often in complex ways. In the current study, we have investigated the regulation of TRPC7, a channel known to be potentially activated by both store-operated mechanisms and non-store-operated mechanisms involving diacylglycerols. Surprisingly, we found that activation of TRPC7 channels by diacylglycerol was blocked by the SERCA pump inhibitor thapsigargin. The structurally related channel, TRPC3, was similarly inhibited. This effect depended on extracellular calcium and on the driving force for Ca2+ entry. The inhibition is not due to calcium entry through store-operated channels but rather results from calcium entry through TRPC7 channels themselves. The effect of thapsigargin was prevented by inhibition of calmodulin and was mimicked by pharmacological disruption of the actin cytoskeleton. Our results suggest the presence of a novel mechanism involving negative regulation of TRPC channels by calcium entering through the channels. Under physiological conditions, this negative feedback by calcium is attenuated by the presence of closely associated SERCA pumps.
Beitrag zur Kenntnis des normalen Kathodenfalls

Die vorstehende kurze Mitteilung berichtet uber die Ergebnisse einer ausgedehnten Untersuchung, die spater a. a. O. ausfuhrlich erscheinen soll. Es scheint zur Zeit nicht moglich zu sein, auch unter Anwendung aller Vorsichtsmasregeln reproduzierbareWerte fur den normalen Kathodenfall zu erhalten und hier wesentlich weiter zu kommen. R. Seeliger.
Optimal diffusion in a random environment

Abstract This paper presents several mathematical models that arose in the study of the reproduction of a spatially distributed population in a random environment. The problem is to determine what rate of offspring dispersal will yield optimal population growth. Both discrete and continuous models are presented and analyzed.
Status report on the tevatron lower temperature upgrade

Abstract A cryogenic upgrade has been completed for Fermilab's Tevatron acceleratorto lower the magnet temperature and increase the particle energy of the machine. Each satellite refrigerator uses a cold vapor compressor to pump on a subcooling dewar capable of lowering the magnet system's two-phase temperature to 3.56K. Larger wet expanders, subatmospheric modifications, and a new distributed control system were included in the design. A second Central Helium Liquefier with a 5400 liter/hour rated capacity was also brought on-line. Installation of the new lower temperature equipment and operating experiences during the Winter/Spring 1994 physics run including power tests are discussed.
1 FAMILIES OF ADOLESCENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: A DE, P GRAPHIC ANALYSIS

Previous epidemiologic data suggest there are demographic characteristics of families which place certain individuals at higher risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To define these features in an adolescent population, parents of 79 patients with IBD (44 with ulcerative colitis(UC) 35 with Crohn's disease (CD)) answered questionnaires about the family constellation, and socioeconomic and medical status. These patients of whom 66% were male and 5% were non-white, were compared with 64 age and sex matched controls. No positive correlation was apparent with the parents' educational level or socioeconomic status,residential location (urban vs. suburban),or with the age rank of the patient among his or her siblings. Family history of gastrointestinal disease other than IBD was similar in the two groups,as was the incidence of intestinal carcinoma.However 20% of patients with IBD had a relative(s) with either UC or CD,compared to only 3% of controls (p<.05). Of the 79 patients with IBD, 62% were Jewish, compared to a Jewish population of only 33% in the control group (p <.001).These data suggest that Jewish adolescents, and in particular those with relatives with IBD, are at higher risk for developing either UC or CD.There is no evidence that place of residence, parental education, socioeconomic status, family rank or familial occurrence of other forms of GI disease contribute to an increased risk of IBD.
Religion and behavior: An empirical analysis

Abstract This article uses multivariate analysis to empirically investigate the relationship between deviant behavior and Fundamentalist Christian membership. It is found that Fundamentalism has a significant effect on sexual morality (abortion, birth rates, marriages) but not on social deviance (divorce, murder, suicide).
Dependence of diffusive transport on morphology of crystalline polymers

Abstract The sorption and diffusion of low molecular weight penetrants proceeds almost exclusively through the amorphous component of the semicrystalline polymer solid. The diffusive transport properties and geometrical distribution of the amorphous component are substantially modified by mechanical and thermal treatment. Deformation of spherulitic material first loosens the structure and then transforms it into a densely packed fibrous structure with a great many taut tie molecules in the amorphous component. Annealing lets the crystals grow in thickness, removes crystal defects, sharpens the boundaries between crystalline and amorphous component, and relaxes the taut tie molecules. The resulting changes of transport properties cannot be described in a satisfactory manner by crystallinity and orientation but requite a detailed consideration of morphology. The elastic tensile deformation enhances sorption and diffusion by reducing the density of amorphous component. The high anisotropy of diffusion and th...
Recent advances in device processing and packaging of high-power pulsed GaAs double-drift IMPATT's at X-band

High-power multimesa GaAs hybrid double-drift IMPATT's have been developed for pulsed operation at X-band. The diodes are fabricated from GaAs material grown by a novel "infinite" solution liquid phase epitaxial process. The use of specialized rapid thermal processing and packaging techniques has enabled the fabrication of high-power IMPATT oscillators that have delivered peak output powers of over 40 W with 20-percent efficiency under pulsed RF operation at X-band frequencies. The diodes are constructed with an integral heat sink and bounded with a Au-Sn eutectic solder in a microwave package.
Future Needs in Hadronic Production Measurements

Interactions of energetic particles on target nuclei producing secondary particles are important for fundamental and related Physics research. Current simulation codes rely upon poorly measured results from the past. While current neutrino experiments, both atmospheric and accelerator based, rely upon MIPP and pion production measurements which are poorly known and dominate their errors. The goal for the future upgrade MIPP experiment is to dramatically improve these measurements. It is not only of interest to neutrino experiments, but also for designing hadronic calorimeters for the the International Linear Collider which must achieve unprecedented resolutions for reaching their stated physics goals.
Near-atomic resolution reconstructions using a mid-range electron microscope operated at 200 kV.

A new era has begun for single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) which can now compete with X-ray crystallography for determination of protein structures. The development of direct detectors constitutes a revolution that has led to a wave of near-atomic resolution cryoEM reconstructions. However, regardless of the sample studied, virtually all high-resolution reconstructions reported to date have been achieved using high-end microscopes. We demonstrate that the new generation of direct detectors coupled to a widely used mid-range electron microscope also enables obtaining cryoEM maps of sufficient quality for de novo modeling of protein structures of different sizes and symmetries. We provide an outline of the strategy used to achieve a 3.7 A resolution reconstruction of Nudaurelia capensis ω virus and a 4.2 A resolution reconstruction of the Thermoplasma acidophilum T20S proteasome.
Preliminary experience with adjunctive quetiapine in patients receiving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Treatment of depression and anxiety disorders with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has been shown by numerous studies to be generally effective. Less well understood is how clinically to address the residual anxiety symptoms a significant minority of such patients treated with SSRIs continue to experience. We assessed quetiapine as adjunctive therapy to SSRIs for patients with anxiety symptoms complicating a depressive or anxiety disorder. Patients receiving a stable dosage of an SSRI for at least 6 weeks who also had persistent anxiety symptoms (Hamilton Anxiety scale [HAM-A] ≥16), were enrolled in a 9-week, open-label, variable dose study. Changes in clinical status were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), HAM-A, and State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). Statistically and clinically significant reductions of ≥50% in the HAM-D and HAM-A occurred by the second week of treatment in 10 of the 11 patients. These improvements continued throughout the study along with a significant improvement on the SAI scale. The most frequent side effects reported were mild dry mouth, constipation, and transient drowsiness with dose escalation. The results provide evidence that quetiapine may be an effective adjunctive treatment for recalcitrant anxiety symptoms in individuals treated with SSRIs for either anxiety or depressive disorders. Given the open-label design of the trial, more rigorous studies are clearly indicated. Depression and Anxiety 19:121-126, 2004. © 200 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A positive definite polynomial Hessian that does not factor

The notion of sos-convexity has recently been proposed as a tractable sufficient condition for convexity of polynomials based on a sum of squares decomposition of the Hessian matrix. A multivariate polynomial p(x) = p(x 1 ,…,x n )is said to be sos-convex if its Hessian H(x) can be factored as H(x) = MT(x)M(x) with a possibly nonsquare polynomial matrix M(x). The problem of deciding sos-convexity of a polynomial can be reduced to the feasibility of a semidefinite program, which can be checked efficiently. Motivated by this computational tractability, it has been speculated whether every convex polynomial must necessarily be sos-convex. In this paper, we answer this question in the negative by presenting an explicit example of a trivariate homogeneous polynomial of degree eight that is convex but not sos-convex.
A conditionally immortalized cell line from murine proximal tubule

A conditionally immortalized cell line from murine proximal tubule. We have developed a conditionally immortalized murine cell line with proximal tubule characteristics ( ts MPT) and a background suitable for genetic manipulations. ts MPT was derived from the F 1 progeny of crosses between: [1] a transgenic mouse harboring a γ -interferon (IFN- γ )-inducible, temperature sensitive SV40 large T antigen gene ( ts A58) and [2] mice of the 129/SvEv strain, the background from which most embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived. Under permissive conditions (33°C and in the presence of IFN- γ ), ts MPT cells grow rapidly as monolayers with a doubling time of 23 hours; the large T antigen can be detected by immunocytochemistry and by Western blotting. When transferred to non-permissive conditions (39°C, without IFN- γ ), the cells undergo differentiation coinciding with the disappearance of the large T antigen. By electron microscopy, ts MPT cells are polarized and show microvilli at their apical surface. ts MPT cells express brush border enzymes γ -glutamyl transpeptidase and carbonic anhydrase IV. They possess Na + -dependent transport systems for P i , D-glucose and L-proline as well as an amiloride-insensitive Na + -H + exchanger. Intracellular cAMP generation is stimulated by parathyroid hormone but not by arginine vasopressin. Angiotensinogen mRNA and protein are present in ts MPT with markedly higher levels at non-permissive conditions. ts MPT cells should be a useful model for investigation of the functional features of the proximal tubule epithelium in relation to cellular differentiation.
Differential labeling of closely spaced biosensor electrodes via electrochemical lithography.

Electrochemical biosensors offer the promise of exceptional scalability and parallelizability. To achieve this promise, however, will require the development of new methods for the differential lab...
Heterotopic ossification: Pathophysiology, clinical features, and the role of radiotherapy for prophylaxis

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a benign condition of abnormal formation of bone in soft tissue. HO is frequently asymptomatic, though when it is more severe it typically manifests as decreased range of motion at a nearby joint. HO has been recognized to occur in three distinct contexts-trauma, neurologic injury, and genetic abnormalities. The etiology of HO is incompletely understood. A posited theory is that HO results from the presence of osteoprogenitor cells pathologically induced by an imbalance in local or systemic factors. Individuals at high risk for HO development frequently undergo prophylaxis to prevent HO formation. The two most commonly employed modalities for prophylaxis are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and radiation therapy. This review discusses HO pathophysiology, clinical features, and the role of radiotherapy for prophylaxis.
Design and Evolution of a Language Technologies Curriculum

The Language Technologies Institute (LTI) of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University is one of the largest programs of its kind. We present here the initial design and subsequent evolution of our MS and PhD programs in Language Technologies. The motivations for the design and evolution are also presented.
Developing a wintering waterfowl community baseline for environmental monitoring of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

In 2004, the Atlantic Ecology Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development began an annual winter waterfowl survey of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. Herein, we explore the survey data gathered from 2004 to 2011 in order to establish a benchmark understanding of our waterfowl communities and to establish a statistical framework for future environmental monitoring. The abundance and diversity of wintering waterfowl were relatively stable during the initial years of this survey, except in 2010 when there was a large spike in abundance and a reciprocal fall in diversity. There was no significant change in ranked abundance of most waterfowl species, with only Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) and Hooded Merganser ( Lophodytes cucllatus ) showing a slight yet significant upward trend during the course of our survey period. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to examine the community structure of wintering waterfowl. The results of the NMDS indicate that there is a spatial structure to the waterfowl communities of Narragansett Bay and this structure has remained relatively stable since the survey began. Our NMDS analysis helps to solidify what is known anecdotally about the bay’s waterfowl ecology, and provides a formalized benchmark for long-term monitoring of Narragansett Bay’s waterfowl communities. Birds, including waterfowl, are preferred bioindicators and we propose using our multivariate approach to monitor the future health of the bay. While this research focuses on a specific area of New England, these methods can be easily applied to novel areas of concern and provide a straightforward nonparametric approach to community-level monitoring. The methods provide a statistic test to examine potential drivers of community turnover and well-suited visualization tools.
Correlations for Mixed Convection Flows Across Horizontal Cylinders and Spheres

Mixed convection in air flow across horizontal cylinders and spheres has been studied both analytically and experimentally by many investigators, covering various ranges of Reynolds and Grashof numbers of practical interest. Nusselt number results have been presented either in graphic forms or in various equation forms that are generally not convenient for use. In this note, an attempt is made to summarize the analytical and experimental results of several representative studies for these two flow configurations in simple correlation equations that can be employed in heat transfer calculations. It is noted that similar correlation equations for cylinders and spheres have been proposed by Churchill for various Prandtl numbers, and a large scatter of experimental data is found along his correlation equations. The present correlation equations are for air flow and in some regions are more accurate in predicting measured results (an improvement of more than 10%) than those presented by Churchill.
An Rh1–GFP Fusion Protein Is in the Cytoplasmic Membrane of a White Mutant Strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The major Rhesus (Rh) protein of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Rh1, is homologous to Rh proteins of humans. It is an integral membrane protein involved in transport of carbon dioxide. To localize a fusion of intact Rh1 to the green fluorescent protein (GFP), we used as host a white (lts1) mutant strain of C. reinhardtii, which is blocked at the first step of carotenoid biosynthesis. The lts1 mutant strain accumulated normal amounts of Rh1 heterotrophically in the dark and Rh1-GFP was at the periphery of the cell co-localized with the cytoplasmic membrane dye FM4-64. Although Rh1 carries a potential chloroplast targeting sequence at its N-terminus, Rh1-GFP was clearly not associated with the chloroplast envelope membrane. Moreover, the N-terminal half of the protein was not imported into chloroplasts in vitro and N-terminal regions of Rh1 did not direct import of the small subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (SSU). Despite caveats to this interpretation, which we discuss, current evidence indicates that Rh1 is a cytoplasmic membrane protein and that Rh1-GFP is among the first cytoplasmic membrane protein fusions to be obtained in C. reinhardtii. Although lts1 (white) mutant strains cannot be used to localize proteins within sub-compartments of the chloroplast because they lack thylakoid membranes, they should nonetheless be valuable for localizing many GFP fusions in Chlamydomonas.
VisSearch: a collaborative Web searching environment

VisSearch is a collaborative Web searching environment intended for sharing Web search results among people with similar interests, such as college students taking the same course. It facilitates students' Web searches by visualizing various Web searching processes. It also collects the visualized Web search results and applies an association rule data mining algorithm to find meaningful patterns in the Web search queries and the resulting useful Web resources. The mined patterns are then used as recommendations in guiding other students as they search the Web on the same or similar topics. This paper describes the design and implementation of the VisSearch environment and its evaluation. The experimental results showed that students who used the VisSearch environment were able to better search the Web than students who used the conventional Web search engines and Web browsers by utilizing the visualized Web searching processes and the recommended information.
Improved yields of bovine blastocysts from in vitro-produced oocytes. II. Media and co-culture cells

Three experiments were conducted with 9,472 oocytes, aspirated from ovaries of slaughtered cows (7,318 cleaved zygotes), to compare some media and co-culture cells for in vitro maturation of oocytes and culture of embryos. The endpoint was development to expanded blastocysts at 9.0 d after exposure of matured oocytes to sperm. In the first experiment, oocytes were matured in TCM-199 and co-cultured in TCM-199 or Menezo's B2 (B2), with granulosa or buffalo rat liver (BRL) cells. The type of co-culture cell had no effect on the proportion of oocytes or cleaved zygotes that developed to expanded blastocysts, but 31% of cleaved zygotes developed to expanded blastocysts in B2 compared with 21% in TCM-199 (P<0.001), and embryos developed faster in B2. In the second experiment, oocytes were matured in TCM-199, Ham's F-10 (F-10), or B2, then all were co-cultured in B2 with BRL cells. The proportion of cleaved zygotes that developed to expanded blastocysts was 28%, 40%, and 8% after maturation in TCM-199, F-10, or B2, respectively (P<0.001). In the third experiment, presumptive zygotes were vortexed to remove cumulus at 15 hr after exposure to sperm and classified as having dense even cytoplasm or thin and/or uneven cytoplasm. Then zygotes were co-cultured with BRL or bovine oviduct epithelial (BOE) cells. There was little difference in the proportion of cleaved zygotes that developed to expanded blastocysts after co-culture with BRL (51%) or BOE cells (54%), but embryos developed somewhat faster with BOE than with BRL cells. Presumptive zygotes with even cytoplasm, compared to presumptive zygotes with uneven cytoplasm, had higher cleavage rates (85% vs 76%, P<0.001) and higher rates of development of cleaved zygotes to expanded blastocysts (59% vs 44%, P<0.001). In these experiments, the best combination for growing embryos in vitro was F-10 maturation medium, B2 embryo culture medium, and BOE cells for co-culture.
Patient appraisal of mandarin orange didanosine: implications for adherence and well-being.

Didanosine (Videx, ddI) has been shown to be an effective agent in the treatment of HIV disease. However, patients have had difficulties adhering to didanosine preparations due to taste aversion and/or associated nausea. The efficacy of didanosine may, therefore, be compromised. This is of concern to clinicians who seek to promote patient adherence to medication regimes and to foster the quality of patient wellbeing. In this study, focus groups were used to gather exploratory data about patient (n = 15) response to the new mandarin orange didanosine preparation. Data were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and systematically analyzed by the investigators using inductive techniques. Findings provide information regarding client evaluation of the new didanosine preparation and patterns of usage. Although clients generally find the mandarin orange preparation more tolerable, they describe engaging in numerous strategies aimed at attenuating what they experience as the inconvenience of taking the medication. Mental tricks, systematic restructuring of daily routines and environment, and dietary schemes were among the strategies devised by patients through trial and error to self-promote their adherence.
Understanding whistle-blowing: a set-theoretic approach

Abstract This paper introduces fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to the study of whistle-blowing and represents the first attempt to apply set-theoretic tools to this phenomenon. I submit 60 episodes drawn from 50 in-depth interviews with whistle-blowers and “inactive observers” to fsQCA analysis. The results point to two paths that can lead to a whistle-blowing outcome, as well as an important contextual factor that facilitates the decision to whistle-blow or remain an “inactive observer.” These discoveries suggest that no path-dependent course toward whistle-blowing or inactive observation exists, nor does an a priori profile of whistle-blowers whom organizations can attempt to screen out during recruitment.
PREMATURE RUPTURE OF THE MEMBRANES. NEONATAL CONSEQUENCES

Premature rupture of the membranes (PROM), membrane rupture before the onset of labor, occurs in 2% to 18% of pregnancies. The time from PROM to delivery (latency) is usually less than 48 hours in term pregnancy. Therefore, the risks of PROM at term are related to fetal distress, prolapsed cord, abruptio placenta, and rarely, infection. Preterm PROM (pPROM), PROM before 37 weeks' gestation, accounts for 20% to 40% of PROM, and the incidence is doubled in multiple gestations. The latency period in pPROM is inversely related to the gestational age thereby increasing the risks of oligohydramnios and infection in very premature infants and their mothers. Because pPROM is associated with 30% to 40% of premature births, pPROM is also responsible for the neonatal problems resulting from prematurity. This review examines the impact of PROM on the neonate including fetal distress, prematurity, infection, pulmonary hypoplasia, and restriction deformations.
LEVELS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AT HOSPITAL ADMISSION AND DISCHARGE: THE MILLON CLINICAL MULTIAXIAL INVENTORY AS A PROGNOSTIC MEASURE '

This study compares two pathological personality disorder scales and two severe clinical syndrome scales from the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory in relation to clinical change from admission to discharge on the major dimensions of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. For a sample of 52 inpatients, 17 with schizophrenia, 27 with major depression, and 8 with bipolar (manic) disorder, we investigated the prognostic utility of these Millon scales for identifying clinical improvement. Findings indicated that, while the Millon scales identified admission levels of psychopathology on three Brief Psychiatric Rating Scales, the Millon inventory predicted clinical improvement on only the brief rating of Thinking Disturbance. These findings are considered in light of prognosis as a clinical research question that is distinct from diagnostic discrimination and case identification.
Synthesis of lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) from phosphatidylethanolamine in bovine brain

Choline molecules are needed for the synthesis of acetylcholine and phospholipids in the mammalian brain. An enzymatic activity capable of forming lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) from the step-by-step methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine is identified in the bovine brain. This enzyme(s), phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.17), is localized in the synaptosomal fraction of bovine caudate nucleus, uses S-adenosylmethionine as the methyl donor (apparent Km = 20 micrometers), and has a Vmax of 50--60 pmol/mg protein X h (i.e. about 1% of that found in rat liver). The brain may be able to meet some of its choline requirements by de novo synthesis.
Surface Spin Disorder in Fe $_{3}$ O $_{4}$ Nanoparticles Probed by Electron Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Magnetometry

SQUID magnetometry and electron magnetic resonance (EMR) spectroscopy at 9.28 GHz were employed to probe magnetism and surface spin disorder in Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed magnetite particles with size sime8 nm. Magnetization (M) versus temperature studies yielded blocking temperature TBsime 170 K in H= 50 Oe. For T>TB, M scales approximately as H/T with mupsime5400 muB as the magnetic moment/particle. At 5 K, the magnitudes of hysteresis loop parameters viz. coercivity Hc sime 37 Oe and saturation magnetization Ms= 62 emu/g are considerably smaller than the reported values for larger 150 nm Fe3O4 particles. In EMR studies, a single symmetric line at gsime2.11 with linewidth DeltaH= 850Oe is observed at 300 K with the g-value and DeltaH increasing with decreasing T. These results are interpreted in terms of a disordered surface spin layer of 0.5 nm thickness
Predictome: a database of putative functional links between proteins

The current deluge of genomic sequences has spawned the creation of tools capable of making sense of the data. Computational and high-throughput experimental methods for generating links between proteins have recently been emerging. These methods effectively act as hypothesis machines, allowing researchers to screen large sets of data to detect interesting patterns that can then be studied in greater detail. Although the potential use of these putative links in predicting gene function has been demonstrated, a central repository for all such links for many genomes would maximize their usefulness. Here we present Predictome, a database of predicted links between the proteins of 44 genomes based on the implementation of three computational methods--chromosomal proximity, phylogenetic profiling and domain fusion--and large-scale experimental screenings of protein-protein interaction data. The combination of data from various predictive methods in one database allows for their comparison with each other, as well as visualization of their correlation with known pathway information. As a repository for such data, Predictome is an ongoing resource for the community, providing functional relationships among proteins as new genomic data emerges. Predictome is available at http://predictome.bu.edu.
Applied and computational harmonic analysis on graphs and networks

In recent years, the advent of new sensor technologies and social network infrastructure has provided huge opportunities and challenges for analyzing data recorded on such networks. In the case of data on regular lattices, computational harmonic analysis tools such as the Fourier and wavelet transforms have well-developed theories and proven track records of success. It is therefore quite important to extend such tools from the classical setting of regular lattices to the more general setting of graphs and networks. In this article, we first review basics of graph Laplacian matrices, whose eigenpairs are often interpreted as the frequencies and the Fourier basis vectors on a given graph. We point out, however, that such an interpretation is misleading unless the underlying graph is either an unweighted path or cycle. We then discuss our recent effort of constructing multiscale basis dictionaries on a graph, including the Hierarchical Graph Laplacian Eigenbasis Dictionary and the Generalized Haar-Walsh Wavelet Packet Dictionary, which are viewed as generalizations of the classical hierarchical block DCTs and the Haar-Walsh wavelet packets, respectively, to the graph setting. Finally, we demonstrate the usefulness of our dictionaries by using them to simultaneously segment and denoise 1-D noisy signals sampled on regular lattices, a problem where classical tools have difficulty.
Scaling laws of vascular trees: of form and function

The branching pattern and vascular geometry of biological tree structure are complex. Here we show that the design of all vascular trees for which there exist morphometric data in the literature (e...
The Implementation of a Statewide Bullying Prevention Program: Preliminary Findings From the Field and the Importance of Coalitions

Bullying in schools has become recognized as a significant public health problem. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) has been identified as an effective means to reduce bullying behavior in schools. The goal of this large population-based initiative was to reduce bullying by producing a quantifiable change in school climate using an established program and standardized measurement tool. Program participants over a 2-year period included 56,137 students and more than 2,400 teachers from 107 schools in 49 counties across Pennsylvania. An age cohorts design was used, and data from two equivalent age cohorts of students were compared at two or more points in time. After 1 to 2 years of program implementation, across cohorts, there were reductions in student self-reports of bullying others, and improvements in student perceptions of adults' responsiveness, and students' attitudes about bullying. This study is the largest bullying prevention initiative to date in the United States. This initiative reaffirms the efficacy of the OBPP, emphasizes the importance of an identified coalition, and highlights several positive outcomes. It is recommended that the OBPP be implemented through the establishment of community partnerships and coalitions as consistent with the public health model.