cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of thyrotropin releasing hormone on U-50,488H-induced pharmacological responses in mice

The effect of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) administered either subcutaneously (s.c.) or intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) on the analgesic and hypothermic actions of U-50,488H, a highly selective kappa-opiate agonist, was determined in male Swiss Webster mice. Intraperitoneal administration of U-50,488H (8-32 mg/kg) produced a dose-dependent analgesia as assessed by the tail-flick test. Similarly, U-50,488H also produced a dose-dependent hypothermia in mice. TRH was administered s.c. 15 min or i.c.v. 5 min prior to U-50,488H injection. TRH (1,3 and 10 mg/kg, s.c.) dose-dependently attenuated the analgesic effect of U-50,488H (32 mg/kg), whereas TRH at these doses displayed almost complete blockade of the hypothermic effect of U-50,488H. Similarly, TRH (0.03, 0.3 and 1 microgram/mouse; i.c.v.) dose-dependently attenuated the analgesic and hypothermic actions of U-50,488H, indicating the central component in the action of TRH. TRH alone in doses used showed no change in either basal tail-flick latency or body temperature, demonstrating the lack of effect of this drug alone on pain and temperature responsiveness. Studies have shown that TRH does not modify morphine or beta-endorphin-induced analgesia in animals nor does it affect the binding of mu-opiate agonist or antagonist to brain membranes. Previous studies from this laboratory have indicated that kappa-opiates but not mu-opiates inhibit the binding of [3H][3-MeHis2]-TRH to brain membranes. The present studies clearly show that TRH modulates the pharmacological actions mediated by kappa-opiate agonists in mice. Thus, these studies provide further in vivo evidence for an acute interaction between TRH and kappa-opiates.
Infections by the yeast Kodomaea (Pichia) ohmeri: two cases and literature review.

A 14-year-old boy who was neutropenic following chemotherapy for leukemia developed fungemia caused by the yeast Kodomaea ohmeri (Pichia ohmeri). The infection was cured by catheter removal and the use of fluconazole. A 74-year-old man who had undergone surgeries for a subcutaneous tumor developed polymicrobic cellulitis involving Kodomaea ohmeri. Despite surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy, the patient died of complications. Including these 2 cases, there have been 10 Kodomaea ohmeri infections reported thus far, all occurring in patients with pre-existing conditions. There have been seven cases of fungemia and one case each of peritonitis, funguria, and cellulitis. The treatment employed varied depending on the site/source of infection. Seven patients recovered and three died. The microbiological data available suggest that Kodomaea ohmeri can be identified definitively by biochemical tests and is susceptible to amphotericin B and either susceptible to or dose dependently susceptible to itraconazole and fluconazole.
The Opus imperfectum in Matthaeum and the Fragmenta in Lucam

L'auteur de l'Opus imperfectum in Matthaeum fait allusion trois fois, dans deux parties differentes de son oeuvre, a un commentaire de Luc qu'il aurait compose auparavant, ce qui laisse deja supposer que cet auteur est unique. Or, nous disposons des fragments d'un commentaire de Luc, arien lui aussi et du debut du V s., dans le palimpseste de Bobbio. L'interpretation de Luc 1, 53 est semblable dans les deux commentaires. On trouve dans l'un et l'autre les memes mots rares, la meme maniere de traduire les mots hebreux, le meme jugement sur l'heresie de Photinus. Il pourrait donc bien s'agir du meme auteur. Par ailleurs, la modification subtile du texte scripturaire, dans l'Opus imperfectum, semble exclure qu'il s'agisse d'une traduction du grec.
Wind-tunnel and full-scale forces on rocket sleds.

Abstract : Vertical quasi-steady state forces on three dual rail rocket sleds, which were predicted using wind tunnel data, are compared with those measured on the Holloman Test Track. A description of the magnitude and character of the oscillatory forces is also presented. This is the first such comparison since the advent of rocket sled testing. Wind tunnel force tests on the three rocket sleds indicated that aerodynamic forces would be of sufficient magnitude to warrant consideration in structural design. The forces measured during the track tests indicated that the aerodynamic contribution was the dominant component to the vertical quasi-steady state force in the supersonic regime. The results of full-scale investigations showed implicitly that when the sleds experienced considerable aerodynamic forces, the wind tunnel data agreed fairly well with the forces measured on the rocket sled. The quasi-steady state vertical forces were predicted, using wind tunnel data, to within 3,000 pounds for loads between 12,000 and 32,000 pounds. (Author)
Use of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitors in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Objective Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors have emerged as a potent treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but not without significant risks. In chronic hepatitis B viral infection TNF-α is readily produced, and viral clearance is dependent on the amount bioavailable. Limited data suggest that TNF-α inhibitors may facilitate uncontrolled hepatitis B viral replication. The purpose of this article was to provide a detailed review of the role of TNF-α in controlling hepatitis B viral infection and the clinical impact blockade might have on viral control. Methods We describe a patient with chronic hepatitis B viral infection and RA treated with etanercept. We then review case reports, expert opinion, and manufacturer recommendations regarding hepatitis B viral infection, TNF-α, and TNF-α inhibitors. Results To date, 13 patients with chronic hepatitis B infection treated with TNF-α inhibitors have been reported: 11 with infliximab and 2 with etanercept. Some patients received antiviral therapy for hepatitis B (specifically lamivudine) before, during, or after TNF-α inhibitors were started. Clinically apparent reactivation of hepatitis B virus typically occurred 1 month after the 3rd dose of infliximab. Etanercept was not associated with a similar reactivation. The difference between infliximab and etanercept in viral reactivation may be linked to the pharmacologic difference of each medication. Conclusions TNF-α inhibitors in general should be used cautiously in chronic hepatitis B viral infection. But if necessary, when deciding which agent to use, the clinician should consider the mechanism by which the body clears TNF-α.
Grooving and off-center crack effects on applied-moment double-cantilever-beam tests

Calculations of fracture toughness (KIC) from the applied-moment double-cantilever-beam test have assumed negligible groove effects and crack propagation along the center of the specimen. A rigorous analysis is presented, and procedures for routine measurements are suggested to correct for both the presence of the groove and off-center cracking. For a typical specimen, neglect of these factors results in ≥10% error. The corrections introduced allow results to be obtained from miniaturized specimens.
Studies of antigen-antibody interaction on some specific solid adsorbents derived from cellulose.

Abstract Studies of the dissociation of complexes using specific insoluble complexing agents under specified conditions, can yield information concerning the nature of the specific interactions contributing to complex formation. For the case of the interaction of specific antibody with antigen conjugates, data is obtained concerning heterogeneity of apparent equilibrium constants and the influence of antigen and immunoadsorbent structure on protein interaction and antigen-antibody dissociation. Such information can be useful for predicting conditions for antiserum purification or antibody recovery. For the case of the cellulose adsorbents chosen, it was found that (1) the adsorbent may contribute strongly to the interaction of ionizable haptens with antibody, with a pH dependency typical of acid catalyzed reactions (2) immunoadsorbent properties can be modified through physical and chemical structural changes (3) the dissociation of antibody from the haptenic and protein immunoadsorbents showed no significant discontinuities in the acid range and (4) antibodies to those haptens chosen which do not ionize in the acid range, do not dissociate appreciably from the immunoadsorbent in the acid range but do at sufficiently high pH.
Knee deep in the nerve.

A 62-year-old man presented with a 3-week history of a progressive right vision loss. His right optic disk showed some mild elevation. Automated perimetry revealed a junctional scotoma. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed enlargment and enhancement of the right optic nerve, chiasm, and proximal optic tract. A chiasmal biopsy revealed a lesion consistent with malignant optic glioma of adulthood.
Assessment of prostate-specific antigen doubling time in prediction of prostate cancer on needle biopsy.

Objectives Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics have failed to predict for the presence of prostate cancer in screening populations in which many patients harbor subclinical disease. We hypothesized that the prebiopsy PSA doubling time (PSADT) and PSA velocity (PSAV) could predict for cancer detection in a referral population with a suspicion of prostate cancer. Methods Data were collected from 1699 consecutive veterans with a PSA level of 10 ng/mL or less who underwent prostate biopsy. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the following: age, race, family history, digital rectal examination findings, PSA, PSA density, PSADT, PSAV, prostate volume, and ultrasound lesions. Model building was accomplished with 70% of the data, and validation was done using the remaining 30%. These data were also analyzed using classification and regression tree analysis. Results Using logistic regression analysis (P Conclusions In contrast to its prognostic value after the diagnosis of prostate cancer has been established, PSA kinetics offer little to clinical decision making as predictors of cancer or high-grade cancer in men with a PSA level of 10 ng/mL or less.
The influence of action on visual search: behavioral response toward stimuli modifies the selection process

In five experiments, we investigated how simple actions (as assessed via a go/no-go task) influence visual search. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants responded (go) when a color name (cue) matched a colored shape (prime), and did not respond (no-go) when they mismatched. Participants then searched a visual array for a tilted line, either embedded within the prime (valid prime) or within a different shape of a different color (invalid prime). For go trials, but not for no-go trials, the validity of the prime influenced search behavior so that faster RTs were observed when the prime was valid as compared with when it was invalid. In Experiment 3, the go/no-go task was based on the shape of the prime. The color of the prime, but not the shape, was re-presented in the search array, and its validity produced a similar pattern as in Experiments 1–2. In Experiment 4, participants responded when the color name and prime mismatched. Reaction times indicated that attentional set had an influence on the validity differences in Experiments 1–3. In Experiment 5, the go/no-go task was based on whether a digit matched a digit appearing within the prime. Go trials produced similar validity effects as observed in Experiments 1–3.
Monte Carlo simulation of positive corona discharge in SF6

Abstract Gas-insulated systems are now a major component of power transmission and distribution systems all over the world. There has been considerable interest in non-thermal discharges over the past decade due to the increased number of industrial applications. Diverse applications demand a solid physical and chemical understanding of the operational principals of such discharges. This paper focuses on the most important and widely used variety of non-thermal discharges, the corona discharge. Positive corona in SF6 is studied for a point to plane electrode gap using Monte Carlo simulation technique. The initiation and development of successive avalanches are traced as function of time. The simulation provides a detailed structure of avalanches from which essential properties of corona discharge with regard to total field distribution, propagation of successive avalanches and ion distribution can be discerned.
Elemental chemistry of left and right sagittal otoliths in a marine fish Hippoglossus stenolepis displaying cranial asymmetry

The hypothesis was tested that the sagittae of age 2 year Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis are interchangeable, by analysing whole-otolith preparations for element-to-calcium ratios of 10 trace metals (7Li, 25Mg, 55Mn, 56Fe, 60Ni, 63Cu, 66Zn, 88Sr, 138Ba and 208Pb) and carbon and oxygen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ18O). After detrending for significant (α= 0·05) relationships between elemental concentration and otolith mass, significant (paired t-tests, P < 0·01) asymmetry was detected in δ13C and δ18O, and 88Sr:48Ca. Right (smaller) sagittae exhibited higher δ13C and δ18O, and lower 88Sr:48Ca, than left sagittae. Significant (α= 0·05) left–right differences were not detected in the remained trace metals. Given that sagittae are the same size at hatch and diverge as H. stenolepis age, the larger otolith is presumably biased towards later-accreted carbonate. Estuarine-reared flatfish probably exhibit more pronounced dissimilarities than observed here, given greater environmental variability in such habitats relative to coastal halibut nurseries, and the importance of salinity and temperature in regulating elemental uptake.
Hydrogen peroxide and lignification

The production of hydrogen peroxide in plant tissue is demonstrated quickly with a simple histochemical test. The test solution, 50 mM potassium iodide in a 4% (w/v) potato starch suspension, is applied to the cut surface of the tissue to be tested. Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes iodide ions to iodine; the iodine is complexed by the starch to form a blue-purple color. This test detects hydrogen peroxide production in cells undergoing lignification, i.e. tracheary elements and phloem fibers, and in some epidermal cells. In addition there is a rapid production of hydrogen peroxide in crushed cells. The test is negative under (i) anaerobic conditions and (ii) in the presence of catalase.
Staples compared with subcuticular suture for skin closure after cesarean delivery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE:To estimate whether staples or subcuticular suture closure is associated with a higher risk of wound complications when used for transverse skin incisions after cesarean delivery.DATA SOURCES:A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed through electronic database searches (MEDLINE
Multifunctional Hybrid Carbon Foams: Integrating Processing and Performance

Finite element models based on X-ray tomography of the carbon foam morphology are developed to characterize response of multifunctional carbon foams. These models incorporate ligament anisotropy as well as coating layers and provide comprehensive information for adapting processing and performance parameters. Illustrations at multiple scales are presented to explore the range of properties in coupled-field environments that are crucial for the emerging multifunctional devices. The results highlight the importance of anisotropy and the impact of common processing defects in tailoring properties. Specifically, coating coverage and quality interfaces are critical in delivering the desired thermoelectrical response.
NFRAD - Review of the New Nist Noise Measurement System

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has completed design and testing of a new noise measurement system. The new system is capable of measuring noise temperature at multiple frequencies about ten times faster than previous NIST systems. This system will also be used to measure the noise parameters of amplifiers. Required reflection coefficients used to calculate mismatch and asymmetry are no longer measured by a six-port reflectometer in each noise measurement. Instead, they are measured with a vector network analyzer and stored in lookup tables. We have tested radiometers in the frequency ranges 4-8 GHz, 8-12 GHz, and 12-18 GHz. The system tests will be discussed as well as measurements and uncertainty analysis.
Suspension and resuspension of dry soil indoors following track-in on footwear

Contamination of the indoor environment by tracked-in outdoor soil has the potential to pose a significant human health threat through exposure to hazardous soil constituents. The indoor distribution of (contaminated) soil following ingress is important when evaluating exposure risk. Here, the time evolution of size-resolved airborne particulate matter aerosolized as a result of mechanical (i.e., footfall or step-on) impacts on a floor surface with a layer of dry soil was investigated using laser particle counters. Suspended particle levels were recorded after step-on impacts that aerosolized soil particles at a single contact point by the action of a human tester who followed a pre-determined walking pattern. The experimental design presumed that the floor area immediately upon entrance indoors is the location of maximum deposition of outdoor soil transferred on footwear. The suspension of soil resulting from the first step-on floor contact and the subsequent resuspension of soil resulting from additional step-on events were quantified by various arrangements of four laser particle counters. Step-on impacts produced a transient increase in particle levels at various lateral distances and heights from the contact point. Also, with increasing distance and height from the step-on contact point, the level of suspended particles after successive step-on events decreased markedly. The results suggested that a lateral component of the dispersion process was more significant than a vertical one under these experimental conditions. A wall jet effect created by the impact of the footfalls on the floor surface was considered responsible for the apparent greater lateral dispersion of the soil particles.
Magnetic resonance measurement of blood flow in peripheral vessels after acute exercise

Abstract Velocity-encoded Cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure blood flow in the anterior tibial artery (AT), posterior tibial artery (PT), and popliteal artery of adult human subjects (mean age 29 yr) before and after 90 s of ankle dorsiflexion exercise. Before exercise, mean flow, peak systolic velocity, and end-diastolic velocity in AT were 8.1 ± 1.6 (SE, n = 6) ml/min, 26.9 ± 2.6 cm/s, and −0.6 ± 0.4 cm/s, respectively. After exercise, mean flow and peak systolic velocity in AT increased by 19-fold and 3-fold, respectively, and end-diastolic velocity increased to 8.7 ± 1.1 cm/s. Flow in popliteal artery above its bifurcation was similar to the sum of flows in AT and PT, both before and after exercise. Flow in AT declined exponentially after exercise with a mean half-time of 4 min. The results demonstrate the utility of MR phase-encoded flow-velocity measurements for physiological studies of peripheral vascular dynamics after exercise.
The Internationalism of Ernest Jones's Dialectical Prosody

This article is part of a cluster that draws material from the recent conference Metre Matters: New Approaches to Prosody, 1780–1914. It comprises an introduction by Jason David Hall and six articles presented at the conference, whose aim was to address renewed scholarly interest in versification and form across the long nineteenth century, as well as some of the methodologies underpinning it. The papers included in the cluster look both to the minutiae of Romantic and Victorian metres and to their cultural intertexts. The conference, hosted by the University of Exeter's Centre for Victorian Studies, was held 3–5 July 2008. The cluster is made up of the following articles: Jason David Hall, ‘Metre, History, Context: Introduction to the Metre Matters Cluster’. Emma Mason and Rhian Williams, ‘Reciprocal Scansion in Wordsworth's “There Was a Boy” ’. Ross Wilson, ‘Robert Browning's Compounds’. Margaret A. Loose, ‘The Internationalism of Ernest Jones's Dialectical Prosody’. Nancy Jiwon Cho, ‘Gender and Authority in British Women Hymn-Writers’ Use of Metre, 1760–1900’. Ashley Miller, ‘Involuntary Metrics and the Physiology of Memory’. Summer Star, ‘ “For the Inscape's Sake”: Sounding the Self in the Metres of Gerard Manley Hopkins’. *** The poems, essays and fiction of the Chartist Ernest Jones (1819–69) consistently demonstrate his notion that British labourers cannot attain social justice without a principled solidarity with the labourers of other countries. This essay examines some prosodic tensions in ‘A Song for May’ (1847), an unlikely example of his internationalism because its topic has nothing to do with it. However, the formal features of the poem – from its stanzaic organization to its metrical choices, its focus on the plight of individuals to its communal nature as a Chartist song – call for a dialectical negotiation of its public and private qualities that maps onto Jones's nuanced treatment of personal and collective identities in his internationalist writing. His emphasis on the individual's ability to define itself would seem to contradict his broader intention to foster a mass, class-based identity that seeks social justice through collective action. But it is precisely that power which permits one to choose one's loyalties and national identity, choices that might not coincide with the accidents of birth and ancestry, and which thus open the way for a border-crossing solidarity. A dialectical prosody illuminates Jones's poetics and could also cast light on the junction of poetry and politics in the writing of authors both within and beyond Chartism.
Differential Effects of Estrogens in Tissues: A Comparison of Estrogen Receptor in Rabbit Uterus and Vagina*

Reports of the preferential activity of some estrogens (e.g. estriol and ethynyl estradiol) in either uterus or vagina has prompted this study comparing the physicochemical characteristics of the cytoplasmic estrogen receptor (ER) in immature rabbit uterus and vagina in an effort to discover differences which might be exploited in developing tissue-selective estrogen Pharmaceuticals. We determined the ratio of association constants (RAC; where RAC = 100% for estradiol) for a number of competitors for ER in the rabbit uterus and vagina. Some of these compounds are reported by others to be selectively vaginotropic or uterotropic in mice. The ratio of the RAC of a competitor in the vagina to the RAC of a competitor in the uterus was close to 1 for most compounds tested, indicating that none of these compounds bound vaginal ER preferentially. In contrast, two compounds (ethynyl estradiol and ethynyl 8α-estradiol), which are reported to be preferentially uterotropic in mice, bound uterine ER more strongly than...
NMR and structural properties of CsAu and RbAu

Abstract NMR and X-ray diffraction studies of granular samples of the intermetallic compounds, CsAu and RbAu, are reported. Studies of X-ray line intensities indicate that the CsCl lattice structure is well ordered for both materials. For the semiconducting compound CsAu, excess Cs in the lattice is shown to be the primary source of conduction electrons. X-ray studies show an expansion of lattice constant with addition of excess Cs. Measurements of NMR line shapes, Knight shifts, and relaxation times for CsAu confirm that the excess Cs is atomically dispersed in the samples. NMR measurements show our RbAu samples to have a metallic nature. However, the metallic characteristics may well derive from excess Rb known to be present in the samples.
The correlation of plasma density distributions over 5000 km with solar illumination of the ionosphere: Solar cycle and zenith angle observations

Measurements from the Polar electric field instrument are used to infer the thermal electron density of the polar cap for invariant latitudes (ILAT) > 80° as function of solar zenith angle (SZA) over a solar cycle. Results for altitudes from 1.75 to 2.0 R E geocentric show an increase in the plasma density for daytime ionospheric measurements as the solar cycle activity increases. Densities are found to increase from ∼75 cm -3 at solar minimum by over a factor of 2 at solar maximum. The density measurements are also shown to increase with increasing solar F 10.7 flux for SZA 110°. These measurements are consistent with solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) control of plasma density at these altitudes over the polar cap. The influence of solar EUV on plasma density is shown to extend to altitudes up to 4.5 R E geocentric.
Immunostimulatory sequence oligodeoxynucleotide-based vaccination and immunomodulation: two unique but complementary strategies for the treatment of allergic diseases.

Abstract Despite a number of effective pharmaceutical options for the prevention and treatment of the pathophysiologic responses that occur in sensitized patients on allergen exposure, the termination of allergic hypersensitivities remains an elusive therapeutic goal. Traditional immunotherapy with allergen extracts is the only currently used intervention that has been shown to induce allergen tolerance, but it has a limited scope of efficacy. However, recent studies suggest that immunostimulatory sequence oligodeoxynucleotide (ISS-ODN) – based interventions might offer an alternative and potentially more effective means for extinguishing T H 2-biased hypersensitivities. Three basic ISS-ODN – based immunotherapeutic strategies have been studied to date. Immunization with allergen mixed with ISS- ODN, immunization with allergen – ISS- ODN conjugates, and immunomodulation with ISS- ODN alone all have proved efficacy in the attenuation of the allergic phenotype in mice. Preliminary results with allergen – ISS- ODN conjugate vaccines in allergic patients have also been encouraging. This article will provide our perspective on the application of ISS-ODN – based vaccination and immunomodulation to the treatment of atopic diseases and the immunologic basis for their antiallergic activities. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2002;110:706-12.)
Comparison of Changes in Blood Pressure Measurements and Antihypertensive Therapy in Older, Hypertensive, Ambulatory Care Patients Prescribed Celecoxib or Rofecoxib

Study Objective. To determine if changes in blood pressure and changes in class or dosing of antihypertensive drugs were significantly different in patients treated with celecoxib versus rofecoxib, two cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. Thirty-one ambulatory care practices that shared an electronic medical record. Patients. Nine hundred sixty men and women over age 55 years with stable hypertension. Intervention. Patients had to have at least a 30-day supply of celecoxib or rofecoxib (any dose) prescribed between July 1, 1999, and June 30, 2000. Measurements and Main Results. Patients were followed for 6 months, and logistic regression and survival models were used to compare outcomes between groups while adjusting for confounders. Baseline characteristics of 517 patients receiving celecoxib and 443 receiving rofecoxib were similar. No significant differences were observed, regardless of the COX-2 inhibitor prescribed, in the proportion of patients whose systolic blood pressure increased by 20 mm Hg, whose diastolic blood pressure increased by 15 mm Hg, or who were prescribed a new class of antihypertensive drug. Compared with patients taking celecoxib, those taking rofecoxib were significantly more likely (odds ratio 1.68, 95% confidence interval 1.09–2.60) to have had the dosage of their antihypertensive drug increased and also the dosage increased sooner (p<0.05). New-onset cardiac and renal comorbidity, number of physician visits, and changes in body weight and laboratory values were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion. No significant differences in blood pressure changes or in the proportion of patients who were prescribed a new class of antihypertensive drug were found between rofecoxib- and celecoxib-treated patients. However, significantly more rofecoxib-treated patients had the dosage of their existing antihypertensive drug increased compared with those receiving celecoxib.
NanoLuc Reporter for Dual Luciferase Imaging in Living Animals

Bioluminescence imaging is widely used for cell-based assays and animal imaging studies in biomedical research and drug development, capitalizing on the high signal to background of this technique. A relatively small number of luciferases are available for imaging studies, substantially limiting the ability to image multiple molecular and cellular events, as done commonly with fluorescence imaging. To advance dual reporter bioluminescence molecular imaging, we tested a recently developed, adenosine triphosphate–independent luciferase enzyme from Oplophorus gracilirostris (NanoLuc [NL]) as a reporter for animal imaging. We demonstrated that NL could be imaged in superficial and deep tissues in living mice, although the detection of NL in deep tissues was limited by emission of predominantly blue light by this enzyme. Changes in bioluminescence from NL over time could be used to quantify tumor growth, and secreted NL was detectable in small volumes of serum. We combined NL and firefly luciferase reporters to quantify two key steps in transforming growth factor β signaling in intact cells and living mice, establishing a novel dual luciferase imaging strategy for quantifying signal transduction and drug targeting. Our results establish NL as a new reporter for bioluminescence imaging studies in intact cells and living mice that will expand imaging of signal transduction in normal physiology, disease, and drug development.
Design of an efficient unification processor

A novel architecture is proposed for a unification processor based on a linear (parallel substitution) unification (LPSU) algorithm. The operations of parallel search and substitution are supported through associative techniques. The unification processor (UP) can be used as a coprocessor in a closely-coupled multiprocessing environment or as a processing resource in a distributed environment. >
HC-search: a learning framework for search-based structured prediction

Structured prediction is the problem of learning a function that maps structured inputs to structured outputs. Prototypical examples of structured prediction include part-of-speech tagging and semantic segmentation of images. Inspired by the recent successes of search-based structured prediction, we introduce a new framework for structured prediction called HC-Search. Given a structured input, the framework uses a search procedure guided by a learned heuristic H to uncover high quality candidate outputs and then employs a separate learned cost function C to select a final prediction among those outputs. The overall loss of this prediction architecture decomposes into the loss due to H not leading to high quality outputs, and the loss due to C not selecting the best among the generated outputs. Guided by this decomposition, we minimize the overall loss in a greedy stagewise manner by first training H to quickly uncover high quality outputs via imitation learning, and then training C to correctly rank the outputs generated via H according to their true losses. Importantly, this training procedure is sensitive to the particular loss function of interest and the time-bound allowed for predictions. Experiments on several benchmark domains show that our approach significantly outperforms several state-of-the-art methods.
A 1Gbps mixed-signal analog front end for a 60GHz wireless receiver

A low-power, mixed-signal, baseband analog front end for 60 GHz 1 Gb/s wireless communications has been implemented in a standard 90 nm CMOS process. The receiver is capable of operating under indoor multipath scenarios, resolving channels with up to 32 ns multipath delay spread. It uses mixed-signal equalization and carrier recovery in order to minimize the dynamic range requirements of the converter circuitry, resulting in a low power consumption of 55 mW.
Role of Renal Cortical Neovascularization in Experimental Hypercholesterolemia

Hypercholesterolemia induces renal inflammation and neovascularization, associated with renal endothelial dysfunction and injury. Neovascularization might conceivably represent a defense mechanism to sustain renal perfusion. Therefore, the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that preventing neovascularization using thalidomide, a potent anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic agent, would impair basal renal hemodynamics in experimental hypercholesterolemia. Single-kidney function and hemodynamic responses to endothelium-dependent challenge were assessed in pigs after 12 weeks of hypercholesterolemia, hypercholesterolemia chronically supplemented with thalidomide (4 mg/kg per day), and normal controls. Renal microvascular architecture was then studied ex vivo using 3D microcomputed tomography imaging and inflammation, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress explored in renal tissue. The density of larger microvessels (200 to 500 μm) was selectively decreased in hypercholesterolemia plus thalidomide and accompanied by a decreased fraction of angiogenic, integrin β 3 -positive microvessels (9.9%±0.9% versus 25.5%±1.7%; P
Medication-associated depression: a two and one-half year follow-up of a community sample.

A community sample of forty subjects (of a total of 5 0) were followed up an average of two and one-half years after a SADS/RDC diagnosis of depression. The group was composed of twenty-one subjects whose depressions were judged to be associated with a medical illness or medication use and nineteen without this association. There was no difference in outcome as measured by persistence or recurrence of depression when groups were defined by associated medical illness. There was a significant difference when groups were defined by association with medication use. Of the nine subjects whose depressions were associated with medication, six were still depressed at follow-up; all six had continued to use implicated “depressogenic” medications. The three who were not depressed at follow-up were no longer using the originally implicated medications. The use of depressogenic medication appears to influence the course and/or duration of depression and must be accounted for in epidemiological studies and clinical pr...
Effect of Nurse-Directed Diabetes Care in a Minority Population

OBJECTIVE—To determine whether diabetes care directed by nurses following detailed protocols and algorithms and supervised by a diabetologist results in meeting the evidence-based American Diabetes Association (ADA) process and outcome measures more often than care directed under usual care in a minority population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Studies were mainly conducted in two Los Angeles County clinics. In clinic A, nurse-directed diabetes care was provided to 252 patients (92% Hispanic and 2% African-American) referred by their primary care providers. These patients were hierarchically matched with 252 diabetic patients in clinic B (79% Hispanic and 19% African American). When nurse-directed care was abruptly discontinued in clinic A for administrative reasons, it was reestablished in clinic B. Those patients were randomly selected from a teaching clinic, and the outcomes in 114 patients who completed 1 year were compared with outcomes derived the year before receiving nurses’ care. The following process and outcome measures were assessed in the study: 1) number of visits, 2) diabetes education, 3) nutritional counseling, 4) HbA1c, 5) lipid profiles, 6) eye exams, 7) foot exams, 8) renal evaluations, and 9) ACE inhibitor therapy in appropriate patients. RESULTS—For patients under nurse-directed diabetes care in both clinics A and B, almost all process measures were carried out significantly more frequently than for the appropriate control patients. Under the care of nurses in clinic A, HbA1c levels fell 3.5% from 13.3 to 9.8% in the 120 patients who were followed for at least 6 months, as compared with a 1.5% fall from 12.3 to 10.8% under usual (physician-directed) care in clinic B. During the year before enrolling in nurse-directed care in clinic B, mean HbA1c levels decreased from 10.0 to 8.5%. At the end of a year under the nurses’ care, the values fell further to 7.1%. The median value fell from 8.3 to 6.6%. CONCLUSIONS—Specially trained nurses who follow detailed protocols and algorithms under the supervision of a diabetologist can markedly improve diabetes outcomes in a minority population. This approach could help blunt the increased morbidity and mortality noted in minority populations.
Battery capacity measurement and analysis using lithium coin cell battery

In this paper, we look at different battery capacity models that have been introduced in the literatures. These models describe the battery capacity utilization based on how the battery is discharged by the circuits that consume power. In an attempt to validate these models, we characterize a commercially available lithium coin cell battery through careful measurements of the current and the voltage output of the battery under different load profile applied by a micro sensor node. In the result, we show how the capacity of the battery is affected by the different load profile and provide analysis on whether the conventional battery models are applicable in the real world. One of the most significant finding of our work will show that DC/DC converter plays a significant role in determining the battery capacity, and that the true capacity of the battery may only be found by careful measurements.
Motion Control Experiments for Identification of Actuator Dynamics

Abstract Estimating a dynamic model of a servo actuator often has to be done on the basis of noisy closed-loop experiments in which feedback is controlling the servo actuator. The presence of feedback complicates the estimation procedure due to strong correlation of control signals with disturbances present on the servo system. This paper shows how information on the feedback controller can be used to equalize the effects of disturbances on the control signals and estimate low order models of the actuator dynamics. The approach uniquely relies on a fractional representation of the feedback controller and a coupled least squares optimization problem to estimate an actuator model. Motion control experiments of a servo actuator in a Linear Tape Open drive operating under feedback will be used to illustrate the effectiveness of the procedure and will show the possibility to estimate low order servo actuator models.
Molecular and phenotypic characterization of genotypic Candida albicans subgroups and comparison with Candida dubliniensis and Candida stellatoidea

There have been increased reports of the isolation of unusual genotypic groups of Candida albicans (groups C and D) based on a well-defined genotypic method; this method uses cellular DNA digested with the EcoRI enzyme and the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) generated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The aim of the present study was to use additional molecular tools to characterize these unusual strains and to compare them with authentic strains of C. dubliniensis, a recently delineated species, and type I C. stellatoidea. The RFLPs of PCR products generated from the intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) region did not differentiate among C. albicans genotypes A, B, and C and type I C. stellatoidea. However, this method did differentiate the C. albicans genotype D strains, which were identical to C. dubliniensis. The RFLPs generated by HaeIII digestion of the PCR products of the V3 region of the 25S rRNA gene (rDNA) could differentiate the same groups as RFLP analysis of the PCR amplicon of the ITS region. C. albicans genotype B isolates have been shown to have a transposable intron in the 25S rDNA, whereas genotype A isolates do not; C. dubliniensis strains also have an intron that is larger than that in genotype B C. albicans strains but that is in the same location. PCR designed to span this region resulted in a single product for C. albicans genotype A (450 bp), B (840 bp), type 1 C. stellatoidea (840 bp), and C. dubliniensis (1,080 bp), whereas the C. albicans genotype C isolates had two major products (450 and 840 bp). All C. albicans genotype D isolates gave a PCR product identical to that given by C. dubliniensis. These results indicate that those strains previously designated C. albicans genotype D are in fact C. dubliniensis, that no differences were found between type 1 C. stellatoidea and C. albicans genotype B strains, and that the C. albicans genotype C strains appear to have the transposable intron incompletely inserted throughout the ribosomal repeats in their genomes. The results of the antifungal susceptibility testing of 105 of these strains showed that, for fluconazole, strains of C. dubliniensis were significantly more susceptible than strains of each of the C. albicans genotypes (genotypes A, B, and C). The flucytosine susceptibility results indicated that strains of C. albicans genotype A were significantly less susceptible than either C. albicans genotype B or C. albicans genotype C strains. These results indicate that there is a correlation between the Candida groups and antifungal susceptibility.
Uranium-series evidence on diagenesis and hydrology in Pleistocene carbonates of Barbados, West Indies

Uranium-series isotope measurements were made by mass spectrometry on aragonite, dolomite and groundwater samples from Pleistocene coral-reef terraces on Barbados in order to evaluate the behavior of U—Th isotopes during water-rock interaction in carbonate systems. Well-preserved aragonitic corals from the Golden Grove terrace yield precise ^(230)Th ages of 219 ± 3 and 224 ± 6 ky, and have high and variable initial δ^(234)U relative to values for modern seawater. These high δ^(234)U values are common to Pleistocene carbonates from many localities and indicate that the U-series has not followed closed-system behavior since the time of deposition. Pervasively dolomitized samples from the Golden Grove terrace have significantly lower δ^(234)U than the unreplaced aragonite, and (^(230)Th/^(238)U)_(ACT) (activity ratios) in excess of values for secular equilibrium. Groundwaters sampled from 125–460 ky old portions of the Pleistocene carbonate aquifer have δ^(234)U values close to secular equilibrium, and low (^(230)Th/^(238)U)_(ACT) of less than 4 × 10^(−3). The pronounced differences in the U—Th isotope systematics between the aragonitic corals, dolomites and groundwaters reflect the enhanced mobility of U relative to Th during water-rock interaction. These results demonstrate that diagenesis can profoundly affect the U—Th isotopic composition of marine carbonates and therefore the accuracy of high-precision ^(230)Th ages determined on such samples. However, diagenesis involving fluids such as the present-day groundwaters on Barbados or those which formed the dolomites cannot account for the elevatedδ234U values of the corals. The mechanism by which apparently well-preserved corals become enriched in ^(234)U remains to be identified. Low δ^(234)U for the dolomites and the groundwaters records the transport of dissolved U from portions of the aquifer that are significantly older (e.g., > 10^6 yrs) than their present host carbonate rocks. The preservation of these distinct U-isotopic compositions during fluid migration through younger carbonates indicates that interaction between groundwaters and these carbonates, with accompanying ^(234)U enrichment in the waters from dissolution or alpha-recoil, has been extremely limited.
Multiple hepatocyte-enriched nuclear factors function in the regulation of transthyretin and alpha 1-antitrypsin genes.

Abstract Transthyretin (TTR) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) are expressed at high levels in the liver and also in at least one other cell type. We report here a detailed analysis of the proximal regulatory region of the TTR gene, which has uncovered two new DNA-binding factors that are present mainly (or only) in hepatocytes. One of these new factors, hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 (HNF-3), binds to two sites that are crucial in TTR expression as well as to two additional sites in the alpha 1-AT proximal enhancer region. The second new factor, HNF-4, binds to two sites in TTR that are required for gene activity. We had previously identified binding sites for another hepatocyte-enriched DNA-binding protein (C/EBP or a relative thereof), and additional promoter-proximal sites for that protein in both TTR and alpha 1-AT are also reported here. From these results it seems clear that cell-specific expression is not simply the result of a single cell-specific factor for each gene but the result of a combination of such factors. The variation and distribution of such factors among different cell types could be an important basis for the coordinate expression of the TTR and alpha 1-AT genes in the liver or the discordant transcriptional activation of these genes in a few other cell types. The identification of such cell-enriched factors is a necessary prelude to understanding the basis for cell specificity.
Rupture History of the 2011 M 9 Tohoku Japan Earthquake Determined from Strong-Motion and High-Rate GPS Recordings: Subevents Radiating Energy in Different Frequency Bands

Abstract Strong‐motion records from KiK‐net and K‐NET, along with 1 sample/s Global Positioning System (GPS) records from GEONET, were analyzed to determine the location, timing, and slip of subevents of the M 9 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Timing of arrivals on stations along the coast shows that the first subevent was located closer to the coast than subevent (2), which produced the largest slip. A waveform inversion of data from 0 to 0.2 Hz indicates that the first subevent primarily ruptured down‐dip and north of the hypocenter and had an M of 8.5. The areas of this subevent that generated the low ( 0.2 Hz) frequency energy are located in the same vicinity. The inversion result for the second subevent ( M 9.0) has large slip on the shallow part of the fault with peak slip of about 65 m above about 25 km depth. This slip generated the tsunami. The preferred inversion has initiation of subevent 2 on the shallow portion of the fault so that rupture proceeded down‐dip and mainly to the south. Subevent 2 started about 35 s after subevent 1, which allows for the possibility of dynamic triggering from subevent 1. The slip model predicts displacements comparable to those found from ocean‐bottom transducers near the epicenter. At frequencies that most affect tall buildings (0.1–0.5 Hz), there is a strong pulse (subevent 3) in the strong‐motion records that arrives after the near‐field ramp from subevent 2. High‐frequency subevent 3 was located down‐dip and south of the high‐slip portion of subevent 2 and was initiated as rupture from subevent 2 proceeded down‐dip. The compact pulse for subevent 3 is modeled with an M 8.0 source in a 75 by 30 km area that ruptured down‐dip and to the south with a high slip velocity, indicating high stress drop.
Techniques to Isolate Specific Human Metaphase Chromosomes

The physical and chemical nature of chromosomes and the adherence of contaminating cellular materials under isolation conditions are important factors to be considered in selection of a method for mass isolation of chromosomes. The application for which the chromosomes are to be used may ultimately determine the procedure chosen.