cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression and glucocorticoid regulation of surfactant protein C in human fetal lung

The hydrophobic surfactant protein C (SP-C) is known to modulate the biophysical properties of surfactant phospholipid. Although SP-C mRNA has been demonstrated in human fetal lung, there is limited information regarding developmental expression and processing of proSP-C protein. Two epitope-specific human proSP-C antisera, anti-hCPROSP-C (His59-Ser72) and anti-hCTERMSP-C (Gly162-Gly175), were generated to complement previously produced anti-NPROSP-C (Met10-Gln23) for the study of proSP-C expression in human fetal lung. Western blotting and immunocytochemistry detected expression of proSP-C protein by 12-16 wk of gestation. ProSP-C immunoreactivity of preculture lung, limited to expression of proSP-C21 in airway epithelial cells, was markedly enhanced by culture of lung explants in dexamethasone. To examine synthesis of proSP-C, homogenates from explants were labeled with 35S-Met/Cys for 0.5-4 h. Immunoprecipitation with anti-NPROSP-C detected 35S-proSP-C21 by 30 min and, after 2 h of labeling, there was a 15-fold increase in 35S-proSP-C21 in dexamethasone-treated lungs versus controls. Synthesis of proSP-C21 was followed by the appearance of a 24-kD form and smaller processing intermediates including 6-10-kD forms. Posttranslational processing of proSP-C21 was not observed in control explants. SP-C(6-10) were not recognized by either anti-CPROSP-C or anti-hCTERMSP-C. These results indicate that low level expression of proSP-C protein first occurs in epithelial cells early in the second trimester and that expression can be enhanced by dexamethasone. Initial posttranslational processing of human proSP-C involves modification of proSP-C21 to SP-C24 and subsequent proteolysis of C-terminal propeptide domains. We speculate that absence of low Mr intermediates in unstimulated second trimester fetal lung tissue reflects developmental and glucocorticoid dependent regulation of proSP-C21 synthesis and posttranslational processing.
A structural change in Ca3Co4O9 associated with enhanced thermoelectric properties

Temperature dependent electrical resistivity, crystal structure and heat capacity measurements reveal a resistivity drop and electrical transport behavior change corresponding to a structural change near 400 K in Ca(3)Co(4)O(9). The lattice parameter c varies smoothly with increasing temperature while anomalies in a, b(1) and b(2) lattice parameters occur near 400 K. The Ca site in the Ca(2)CoO(3) block becomes distorted and a change in electrical transport behavior is found above 400 K. Resistivity and heat capacity measurements as a function of temperature under magnetic field combined with Co L-edge x-ray absorption spectra reveal only a weak spin contribution to this change. Reduced resistivity associated with the structural change enhances the thermoelectric properties at moderately high temperatures and points to the electrical transport behavior change as a mechanism for improved ZT in this thermoelectric oxide.
Prospective identification of tumorigenic breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in United States women, accounting for >40,000 deaths each year. These breast tumors are comprised of phenotypically diverse populations of breast cancer cells. Using a model in which human breast cancer cells were grown in immunocompromised mice, we found that only a minority of breast cancer cells had the ability to form new tumors. We were able to distinguish the tumorigenic (tumor initiating) from the nontumorigenic cancer cells based on cell surface marker expression. We prospectively identified and isolated the tumorigenic cells as CD44+CD24−/lowLineage− in eight of nine patients. As few as 100 cells with this phenotype were able to form tumors in mice, whereas tens of thousands of cells with alternate phenotypes failed to form tumors. The tumorigenic subpopulation could be serially passaged: each time cells within this population generated new tumors containing additional CD44+CD24−/lowLineage− tumorigenic cells as well as the phenotypically diverse mixed populations of nontumorigenic cells present in the initial tumor. The ability to prospectively identify tumorigenic cancer cells will facilitate the elucidation of pathways that regulate their growth and survival. Furthermore, because these cells drive tumor development, strategies designed to target this population may lead to more effective therapies.
Assume-guarantee cooperative satisfaction of multi-agent systems

This paper aims to investigate the task decomposition problem of multi-agent systems. Task decomposition among agents refers to a process to decompose a given global task into subtasks for individual agents. The decomposition is not arbitrary and should be done in such a way that the satisfaction of the sub-tasks by all agents individually would imply the accomplishment of the global task collectively. In this paper, it is assumed that agents are modeled by labeled transition systems, and the global specification is given as a subclass of Computation Tree Logic (CTL) formulas. It is also assumed that the global CTL specification is broadcasted to and known by all agents. Agents could be heterogeneous and have different capabilities. In order to obtain subtasks for each agent with a maximum potential for fault tolerance, our basic idea is to let each agent contribute to their maximum capabilities in the sense of satisfying a maximum number of sub-formulas of the global specification. The maximum satisfaction set is achieved through a modified CTL model checking algorithm. These maximum satisfiable sub-formulas can be used as the subtask for the corresponding agent. Furthermore, based on assume-guarantee reasoning, sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the satisfaction of the global CTL specification provided that each agent fullfill its own subtasks. A two-robot cooperative motion planning example is given to illustrate the results.
Treating Tobacco Dependence: State of the Science and New Directions

Despite almost two decades of intensive tobacco control efforts, nearly one quarter of Americans continue to smoke. The two United States Food and Drug Administration-approved medications used to treat tobacco dependence, bupropion and nicotine replacement therapy, are effective for only a fraction of smokers. Investigations of medications approved for affective disorders and other forms of substance abuse, such as fluoxetine and naltrexone, have yielded mixed results as tobacco dependence treatments. A particular challenge in tobacco dependence treatment is the development of effective approaches for smokers with unique needs, such as cancer patients and pregnant women. Despite new developments in these areas, significant gaps in knowledge and practice remain. Basic research in the neurobiologic and genetic basis of nicotine dependence offers promise for the development of novel and more effective treatment approaches. For example, emerging research in pharmacogenetics explores how genetic variation in drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug targets modifies response to pharmacotherapy. These discoveries could someday help practitioners to individualize the type, dosage, and duration of tobacco dependence treatment based on genotype, and maximize the efficacy.
Intramolecular complex formation and triplet energy transfer in polynorbornenes incorporating benzophenone

The photophysical properties of homopolymers (2) and block copolymers (3) prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization of norbornenes substituted with benzophenone, naphthalene, and phenanthrene groups (1) have been investigated. When benzophenone is attached to this polynorbornene backbone, its excited state behavior differs from that observed for monomeric benzophenone. A new intramolecular excited state complex can be observed in the transient absorption and emission measurements of the benzophenone-substituted homopolymer. In copolymers bearing benzophenone and naphthalene or phenanthrene substituent blocks, triplet energy transfer from the sensitizer (benzophenone) to the arene is observed. This energy transfer dominates over the intramolecular complexation that characterizes group interactions in the homopolymer. 41 refs., 14 figs., 7 tabs.
The thermopile wave meter

The thermopile or Mark V wave meter is designed to be a low cost, simple yet durable instrument which can be considered expendable upon Its installation in the ocean. Its electrical characteristics are such that the cable requirements are not rigorous. Its construction is simple. A synthetic rubber bellows is mounted on a plastic base which is in turn mounted on a brass cable connection. A thermopile is mounted inside the bellows with one group of junctions in contact with the air chamber of the bellows, and the reference junctions, insulated from the air chamber, in thermal contact with the surrounding sea water. Thus when a wave passes over the unit, the crest and trough produce a compression and expansion of the bellows with the corresponding temperature change in the gas due to the polytropic cycle. The temperature difference between the air chamber and the sea water causes an emf from the thermopile, which is transmitted to shore by means of a two-conductor submarine cable, and recorded on a commercial null recorder.
Compleximetric titration of aluminum and zirconium in siliceous materials after alkali fusion of samples

Abstract Rapid methods for the determination of zirconium and aluminum in siliceous materials are described. Samples are decomposed by sodium carbonate—sodium borate fusion and dissolved in perchloric acid. The zirconium is titrated directly with standard EDTA solution at 90–95 ° C in 1 M perchloric acid solution with xylenol orange as the indicator. Aluminum is then complexed by boiling with an excess of EDTA and the free EDTA is back-titrated potentiometrically with standard zinc solution. Interference of titanium in the aluminum determination is prevented by lactic acid masking. The methods have been applied successfully to a wide variety of glass-ceramics, refractories and NBS minerals.
High resolution infrared spectra of a carbon dioxide molecule solvated with helium atoms.

Infrared spectra of HeN–CO2 clusters with N up to about 20 have been studied in the region of the CO2 ν3 fundamental band (∼2350 cm−1) using a tunable diode laser spectrometer and pulsed supersonic jet source with cooled (>−150 °C) pinhole or slit nozzles and high backing pressures (<40 atm). Compared to previous studies of HeN–OCS and –N2O clusters, the higher symmetry of CO2 results in simpler spectra but less information content. Discrete rotation–vibration transitions have been assigned for N=3–17, and their analysis yields the variation of the vibrational band origin and B rotational constant over this size range. The band origin variation is similar to HeN–OCS, with an initial blueshift up to N=5, followed by a monotonic redshift, consistent with a model where the first five He atoms fill a ring around the equator of the molecule, forcing subsequent He atom density to locate closer to the ends. The B value initially drops as expected for a normal molecule, reaching a minimum for N=5. Its subsequent ...
Human sympathy-groups: cross-cultural data.

Data gathered in Egypt, Malaysia, Mexico, and South Africa (ns = 73, 27, 17, and 39) lend support to the highly speculative notion that human quantitative boundaries for sympathizing were perhaps established during humans' evolution into social beings.
Clinical Updates: A New Feature in JGIM.

This issue of the journal includes the first article in a new JGIM series: Clinical Updates. For years many of our readers have enjoyed the concise summaries of recent studies and guidelines relevant to the practice of general internal medicine presented at the annual national meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM). This year for the first time, we invited presenters of Clinical Updates at the national SGIM meeting to submit their reports as manuscripts for peer review and potential publication in JGIM. Most JGIM readers are already familiar with written reports of Clinical Updates in other journals such as Annals of Internal Medicine. Our intention in creating a Clinical Updates feature in JGIM is to provide similar, complementary reports on topics that may not appear in other journals. In this issue, Smetana and colleagues provide a summary of recent important studies in perioperative medicine. Their work illustrates well the purposes, methods, and format of Clinical Updates in JGIM. As we developed and refined specific criteria for publication, several features seemed essential. First, authors must have used a systematic, explicit method for locating studies for potential review. Systematic implies a well-defined topic and time frame from which studies were selected. Explicit means including enough information on the search methods so that, at least in principle, readers could reproduce the results. Second, articles should be selected for inclusion by topical relevance and methodological strength. Topical relevance implies immediate applicability to the practice of general internal medicine, rather than studies that are exploratory, of theoretical interest, or with only long-term implications for clinical practice. Methodological strength is related mainly to study design and sample size. In topical areas without well-done randomized trials, finding rigorous evidence can be challenging. We favor including well-done cohort and case-control studies with representative populations, and excluding case series and case reports. Finally, selected articles should be concisely summarized in a way useful to readers. This will usually include a brief statement of the clinical context of the study (for readers not steeped in that topic area); an evidence-based summary of its methods, main findings, and limitations; and a concluding statement providing evidence-based guidance on the clinical applications of the study results. Keeping up with the literature is a challenge for every practitioner. We hope that the JGIM Clinical Updates will provide readily accessible, concise, and clinically relevant summaries to improve patient care. As we continue to develop and refine Clinical Updates, we look forward to your feedback on how we are doing, and on ways to improve this new feature of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
A Model for Polymer Composite Wear Behavior Including Preferential Load Support and Surface Accumulation of Filler Particulates

A rule-of-mixtures model is developed for the time-dependent wear and friction behavior of polymer matrix materials containing particulate filler inclusions, based upon the specific wear rates of filler and matrix materials. The model accounts for the accumulation of wear-resistant filler particles within the near-surface region of the composite as sliding proceeds. Account is also made for preferential support of the normal load by filler particles at the sliding surface. Though particle/matrix interfacial shear stress and particle aspect ratio do affect initial transient behavior, wear rate, and friction are independent of preferential load support under steady-state conditions. The model indicates that steady-state composite wear rate can be most affected by the specific wear resistance of the filler particles, as well as the volume fraction filling of particles into the polymer matrix. Presented at the 50th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois May 14–19, 1995
Application method affects the distribution and efficacy of rhizobacteria suppressive of downy brome (Bromus tectorum)

Rhizobacteria that are capable of suppressing plant growth in a species-specific manner have potential as bioherbicides. Three bacterial strains, Pseudomonas putida strain FH160, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain FH131, and Enterobacter taylorae strain FH650, have been reported to suppress the growth of downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.). These strains were evaluated in the greenhouse using various application methods for the ability to colonize the rhizosphere and to inhibit downy brome emergence or biomass production. When the biocontrol strains were incorporated into the soil profile more consistent colonization of the downy brome rhizosphere by all three strains resulted relative to that achieved by either wheat seed or soil surface applications. Downy brome emergence was reduced when any of the bacterial strains were applied as a soil surface application or a wheat seed treatment. Wheat biomass production was not enhanced when plants were grown individually in soils treated with any of the three biocontrol strains. When wheat was interplanted with downy brome, increases in wheat biomass were obtained with certain bacterial treatments relative to untreated controls suggesting that these rhizobacteria diminish the competitive ability of downy brome. Application method affects the population size and distribution of the biocontrol strain in the soil profile and downy brome rhizosphere, and thus, has a marked influence on efficacy of rhizobacteria for weed control.
Near Ultraviolet Photostability of Liquid Crystal Mixtures

Abstract Liquid crystal material photostability was investigated for application in high intensity projectors operating with both near ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. Commercially available mixtures were studied in transparent test cells and their lifetimes were correlated with their chemical structures. Substantial improvements were observed in the photostability of hybrid field effect cells by using pure nematic mixtures whose major components had one or two cyclohexyl groups in place of phenyl groups. However. overriding the importance of these structural effects, polar impurities present in some of the nematic mixtures with cyclohexane groups caused a large decrease in photostability. Results were obtained by examining the photostability of eight different commercial liquid crystal mixtures, with highly positive dielectric anisotropy, whose components include a variety of structural types. Although the resistivity of each liquid crystal mixture decreased steadily with exposure, the reported end of...
Characterization of Cytochrome P450-Mediated Chlorimuron Ethyl Hydroxylation in Maize Microsomes

Abstract Microsomes prepared from etiolated 3.5-day-old, naphthalic anhydride (NA)-treatrd maize coleoptiles converted chlorimuron ethyl to its 5-hydroxypyrimidine metabolite. Activity was dependent upon the presence of a reduced pyridine nucleotide and was inhibited by nitrogen or CO. Inhibition by CO was partially reversed by light. 1-Aminobenzotriazole, piperonyl butoxide, tetcyclasis, and cytochrome c also inhibited activity. Chlorimuron ethyl hydroxylase activity was induced over 30-fold by NA pretreatment. A Lineweaver-Burk plot gave an apparent Km of 83 μM for chlorimuron ethyl and a Vmax of 151 pmol/mg microsomal protein/min. Addition of some other herbicides to in vitro assays inhibited chlorimuron ethyl metabolism to varying extents. The most effective inhibitors of chlorimuron ethyl metabolism were the phenylurea herbicides chlortoluron and linuron. Chlortoluron noncompetitively inhibited chlorimuron ethyl metabolism with an apparent Ki of 66 μM. In contrast, chlorimuron ethyl was a poor inhibitor of chlortoluron metabolism in the microsomal preparation, and at low concentrations caused stimulation of activity. These data demonstrate the occurrence of a cytochrome P450-mediated hydroxylation of chlorimuron ethyl in maize microsomal preparations. Inhibition of chlorimuron ethyl metabolism by chlortoluron and other herbicides may indicate that more than one herbicide can be metabolized by the same P450.
Total biomass and nutrients of 25-year-old loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.)

Abstract Total biomass and nutrient contents were determined for 14 plantation grown 25-year-old loblolly pines, in the eastern Texas Gulf Coastal Plain. The mean crown accounted for 13%, taproot 15% and the stem 78% of the total stand biomass. Nutrient contents for the stand at 25 years were: N, 257; P, 28; K, 155; Ca, 231 and Mg, 80 kg/ha. Both biomass estimates and nutrient contents were similar to the values obtained in other loblolly pine studies.
Strike-slip faulting terminates the Basin and Range province in Oregon

The pattern of faulting in southeastern Oregon is interpreted in terms of four major zones of right-lateral strike-slip faulting that separate blocks broken by normal faulting. The total amount of east-west extension is considered to decrease in the block north of each strike-slip fault zone. The right-lateral offset results from the decrease in extension. Extension essentially dies out across the northern two fault zones, which are thus considered the northern limit of the Basin and Range province. The greatest offset is apparently recorded on the next zone to the south by the displacement of the eastern edges of the Sierra Nevada and Idaho batholiths. The two southern zones offset the Pleistocene to Holocene trend of the High Cascades by 10 to 20 km in a right-lateral sense. The Brothers fault zone, one of the northern zones, is regarded as of special interest because both ends of the fault are interpreted to be exposed at the surface.
Genetic dissection of a neurodevelopmental pathway: Son of sevenless functions downstream of the sevenless and EGF receptor tyrosine kinases

We have isolated a dominant mutation in a gene called Son of sevenless (Sos) that is an allele-specific suppressor of the sevenless phenotype. This suppressor function is autonomously required in R7 and is sensitive to the dosage of the Sos and bride of sevenless genes. Loss-of-function alleles of Sos are recessive lethals, but in the eye Sos has a role in R cell development. Mutations in Sos also interact with the Ellipse allele of the Drosophila EGF receptor. We propose a model suggesting that the Sos product is downstream of sevenless and the EGF receptor, and that the dominant suppression results from the overexpression or increased activity of the gene product.
AlGaAs/GaAs pnp HBTs with high fmax and ft

AlGaAs/GaAs Pnp HBTs have the potential for high frequency performance approaching that of Npn HBTs. To achieve this performance, it is necessary to dope the base as heavily n-type as possible. This heavy base doping results in large degeneracy in the base, which reduces the heterobarrier to reverse injection of electrons from the base into the emitter. High A1 content in the emitter is desirable to maintain good injection efficiency. Incorporating a gradient in the base doping can introduce fields to sweep injected holes across the neutral base region, which reduces base transport time. DC and RF characteristics of Pnp HBTs with 40% and 75% Al in the emitter will be presented. ft of 17 GHz and fmax of 39 GHz has been achieved in 2 ?m x 11 ?m HBTs fabricated using a self-aligned ohmic contact process. Further improvement in performance should be possible.
Sangam — efficient cellular-WiFi group framework for file sharing service

Solutions to the cellular network bandwidth problem have been presented by the community such as usage of alternative wireless (e.g., 802.11 WiFi) network and peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing over a group of wireless devices. However, often the theoretical and simulation approaches for file sharing within multi-radio P2P groups hide the complexity of systems and networks in real scenarios such as heterogeneity of phones in a P2P group, issues with scheduling policies within a group of devices, group formation etc. In this paper, we present Sangam, an efficient cellular-WiFi group framework for file sharing where we address extensively system and network challenges in file sharing for real phone group scenarios. The Sangam framework accounts in its protocol, policy and algorithmic designs for (a) heterogeneity of phone group devices in terms of CPU and power levels, (b) different sizes and numbers of chunks in P2P part of the group-based content distribution, (c) hybrid scheduling policies for chunk dissemination within multi-radio wireless group environment, and (d) different group sizes. Sangam validation shows the impact and difference to simulations when considering real implementation of video file sharing within a cellular-WiFi group of Android phones.
The 2000 NPT review conference

(2000). The 2000 NPT review conference. The Nonproliferation Review: Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 146-161.
Central invariants and Frobenius–Schur indicators for semisimple quasi-Hopf algebras

Abstract In this paper, we obtain a canonical central element νH for each semi-simple quasi-Hopf algebra H over any field k and prove that νH is invariant under gauge transformations. We show that if k is algebraically closed of characteristic zero then for any irreducible representation of H which affords the character χ, χ(ν H ) takes only the values 0, 1 or −1, moreover if H is a Hopf algebra or a twisted quantum double of a finite group then χ(νH) is the corresponding Frobenius–Schur indicator. We also prove an analog of a theorem of Larson–Radford for split semi-simple quasi-Hopf algebras over any field k. Using this result, we establish the relationship between the antipode S, the values of χ(νH), and certain associated bilinear forms when the underlying field k is algebraically closed of characteristic zero.
Entropy Production Rates From Viscous Flow Calculations: Part II — Flow in a Rectangular Elbow

Entropy creation is studied in a three-dimensional turbulent flow in a rectangular elbow with 90 degrees of turning. In Part I, a method of evaluating entropy production rates in calculations of viscous flow was described. This method is used here to show where the calculated losses arise in the flow field.The flow develops strong passage vortices as large shear layers at the inlet develop a streamwise component of vorticity. The entropy production in the shear layers is compared with the entropy creation in the wall boundary layers. The influence of the three-dimensional flow on the distributions of entropy production in the bend is discussed.Copyright © 1983 by ASME
Unconventional Chemistry for Unconventional Natural Gas

Making most of our fuels and chemicals from fossil hydrocarbons is unsustainable. However, until costeffective renewable sources are developed, natural gas could provide a secure economical alternative to petroleum. Proven reserves of natural gas have doubled in the last decade (1), mainly from increases in “unconventional” gas found with shale (shale gas), coal (coal bed methane), and in low-permeability “tight” sandstones (tight gas) (see the first figure). Today, because it is not easy to convert methane into heavier molecules, natural gas (composed largely of methane) is mostly burned for heating and electrical power generation; a tiny fraction is used in vehicles. Cost-effective conversion of natural gas into higher-value chemical intermediates and liquid products could reduce our need for oil and help lower its shipping costs, which are higher than those of petroleum or coal on an energy-delivered basis. In addition, such processes might recover the large quantities of gas now flared or vented from fossil reservoirs (2).
Guided ordering: Clinician interactions with complex order-sets

Abstract Background Electronic order-sets increasingly ask clinicians to answer questions or follow algorithms. Cooperation with such requests has not been studied. Setting Internal Medicine service of an academic medical center. Objective We studied the accuracy of clinician responses to questions embedded in electronic admission and discharge order-sets. Embedded questions asked whether any of three “core” diagnoses was present; a response was required to submit orders. Endorsement of any diagnosis made available best-practice ordering screens for that diagnosis. Design Three reviewers examined 180 electronic records (8% of discharges), drawn equally (for each core diagnosis) from possible combinations of Yes/No responses on admission and discharge. In addition to noting responses, we identified whether the core diagnosis was coded, determined from notes whether the admitting clinician believed that diagnosis present, and sought clinical evidence of disease on admission. We also surveyed participating clinicians anonymously about practices in answering embedded questions. Measurements We measured occurrence of six admission and five discharge scenarios relating medical record evidence of disease to clinician responses about its presence. Results The commonest discordant pattern between response and evidence was a negative response to disease presence on admission despite both early clinical evidence and documentation. Survey of study clinicians found that 75% endorsed some intentional inaccuracy; the commonest reason given was that questions were sometimes irrelevant to the clinical situation at the point asked. Conclusion Through faults in order-set design, limitations of software, and/or because of an inherent tendency to resist directed behavior, clinicians may often ignore questions embedded in order-sets.
Characterization of the Acoustic Properties of Random Porous Media: Reticulated Vitreous Carbon and Aluminum Foam

Characterization of the Acoustic Properties of Random Porous Media: Reticulated Vitreous Carbon and Aluminum Foam Heui-Seol Roh Davidson Laboratory, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, U.S.A. (Received 21 March 2008) The acoustic properties of thermoacoustic stacks made from random porous media are experimentally investigated using a hybrid two-microphone impedance method and a lumped-element technique. A two-microphone impedance tube is used to measure the speci c acoustic impedance (SAI) of random porous reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) and aluminum foam. The lumpedelement technique is then used to determine the experimentally derived thermoviscous functions, which produce the propagation constant and the characteristic impedance. The measured acoustic properties of the stacks are compared to calculated results obtained by assuming parallel, capillary tubes. These comparisons verify that the hybrid impedance measurement can provide useful acoustic properties and that the parallel capillary-tube-based thermoacoustic theory is valuable in predicting the acoustic properties of random porous media. PACS numbers: 43.35.Ud, 43.28.Kt, 43.20.Mv
What is the role of therapeutic drug monitoring in antifungal therapy

Despite an expanding number of therapeutic options for treating invasive fungal infection (IFI), the mortality rate from these infections remains high. Many risk factors for poor outcome from IFI (eg, the compromised immune status of the host) are not modifiable by the treating clinician. Thus, elevated interest exists in any modifiable factor that might improve outcome. Many of the new antifungal agents have marked variability in drug concentration based on either inconsistent absorption or elimination, leading to very wide interpatient variability. Many agents also have a narrow therapeutic index, meaning a small range between drug levels too low to achieve the desired clinical benefit and high enough to produce unwanted or toxic effects. Therefore, therapeutic drug monitoring is useful to maximize efficacy while minimizing drug toxicity of some antifungal agents.
Breast Implants: Facts, Controversy, and Speculations for Future Research

The breast implant crisis has been widely publicized. Beyond its immediate problems for the patients, the crisis has also discredited the use of silicone rubber as one of the most widely used biomaterials. Silicone elastomer or gel, the primary material in mammary prostheses, may be exposed to the body's tissues via envelope rupture, gel bleed, or elastomer fragmentation. Local responses to silicone include granulomatous inflammation, capsular contraction, and infection, all in varying degrees depending on ill-defined factors, which may include patient condition, peri- and postoperative complications, and hereditary predisposition, as well as material properties such as surface texture. The theory that silicone breast implants cause immunological disorders has not been proven. However, further study is necessary because some patients report autoimmune-like disorders (human adjuvant disease) following implant placement. Like autoimmune disease, human adjuvant disease is characterized by abnormalities of th...
The Development and Content of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans represents a major milestone in public health efforts to address inactivity. These comprehensive federal physical activity guidelines affirm the strong scientific evidence for the health benefits of regular physical activity. The document contains key guidelines for children and adolescents, adults, older adults, women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, adults with disabilities, and people with chronic medical conditions. There are also key guidelines for injury prevention. The 2008 guidelines provide benchmarks for assessing the health burden of inactivity and inform the design of public health initiatives to promote physical activity in Americans. This article provides a brief review of the evolution of guidelines in the United States, the process for developing the guidelines, and the key recommendations of the guidelines.
Simultaneous stabilization and step tracking for MIMO systems with LTI controllers

It is shown that any number of MIMO plants that have no zeros in the region of instability can be simultaneously stabilized using low order linear, time-invariant integral-action controllers. These plants may be stable or unstable and may have poles anywhere in the complex plane. The common controller achieves asymptotic tracking of step-input references with zero steady-state error and has a low order transfer-function. Systematic synthesis methods are presented, and a parametrization of all simultaneously stabilizing controllers with integral-action is also provided.
Adaptive Distributed Estimation of Signal Power from One-Bit Quantized Data

We examine distributed estimation of the average power of a random signal in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Due to stringent bandwidth/power constraints, each sensor quantizes its observation into one bit of information and sends the quantized data to a fusion center, where the signal power is estimated. We firstly introduce two fixed quantization (FQ) schemes, with the first using a single threshold and the second employing a pair of symmetric thresholds. The maximum likelihood (ML) estimators associated with the two FQ schemes are developed, and their corresponding Cramer-Rao bounds (CRBs) are analyzed. We show that the FQ approach, especially the second one, can achieve an estimation performance close to that of a clairvoyant estimator using unquantized data if the optimum quantization threshold is available; however, the optimum threshold is dependent on the unknown signal power, and as the threshold deviates from its optimum value, the performance degrades rapidly. To cope with this difficulty, we propose a distributed adaptive quantization (AQ) approach by which the threshold is dynamically adjusted from one sensor to another in a way such that the threshold converges to the optimum threshold. Our analysis shows that the proposed AQ approach is asymptotically optimum, yielding an asymptotic CRB equivalent to that of the FQ approach with optimum threshold.
Analysis of signal probability in logic circuits using stochastic models

Analyzes the behavior of signal probabilities in logic circuits chosen from a statistically characterized population. The statistical parameters of the population are obtained from certain aggregate structural and logical characteristics of the circuit such as fanins, fanouts, and proportions of different types of gates. A circuit is first transformed into one consisting of only nand gates, inverters, and buffers. This transformation leads to a new classification of circuits, referred to as nor-type, or-type, nand-type and and-type, the particular type being determined by computing two parameters from the circuit specification. A functional relation between gate signal probabilities, primary input signal probabilities, and aggregate structural properties of a circuit is established. This allows the study of basic characteristics of signal probability and its limiting behavior when the number of levels increases. It is shown that the limiting behavior of signal probability depends on the fixed points of a function which is determined by the two parameters estimated from the circuit and the distribution of gate fanins. A recurrence relation also allows one to define a methodology for estimating the distribution of signal probabilities in different levels. The complexity of this technique is shown to be proportional to the number of levels in the circuit. Results of extensive experiments with ISCAS '85 benchmarks as well as other circuits are given. >
Disentangling the effect of education on emergency department utilization

Abstract Since Grossman’s seminal paper in 1972, there have been a number of studies concerning the effect of education on health and health care demand. Though several studies have distinguished between preventive and curative care, no study has investigated the effects of general education on the utilization of unnecessary emergency department use. We test whether general education reduces “potentially unnecessary” emergency department utilization and provide a measure of the resulting private benefits associated with increased education. Our results partially confirm our hypothesis regarding “potentially unnecessary” emergency department use. We find that moving from a high school to greater than high school education appears to reduce “potentially unnecessary” emergency department use, with the impact being greater among the insured. However, though reducing the education level from high school to less than high school increases “potentially unnecessary” emergency department use among the insured as predicted, it has the opposite impact on the uninsured.
Cyclic amp-induced cytolysis in S49 cells: selection of an unresponsive “deathless” mutant

Abstract Wild-type S49 lymphoma cells respond to cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cAMP) by inducing cAMP phosphodiesterase, halting growth in the G 1 phase of the cell cycle and subsequently dying. By using a counter selection procedure, we have isolated a new class of mutants of S49 cells termed "deathless" that are resistant to cytolysis, but otherwise respond like the wild-type cells to cAMP. Upon removal of the cyclic nucleotide, D − cells resume their normal growth. Unlike all other cAMP-resistant mutants of S49 cells isolated until now, the D − mutant has a functionally normal cAMP-dependent protein kinase and retains normal ability to induce phosphodiesterase and arrest cell growth in G 1 . It is probable that the altered gene product of the D − mutant is distal to protein kinase and in a biochemical pathway separate from that of cAMP induction of phosphodiesterase or growth arrest. The D − mutant may facilitate studies of the mechanism of cAMP-induced cytolysis and growth regulation in S49 cells.
Language Correction Using Probabilistic Grammars

Error correction of programming languages has been effected in a heuristic fashion; error correction in the information-theoretic sense is very precise. The missing link is provided through probabilistic grammars. This paper provides the theoretical foundation for the precise construction of an error correcting compiler. The concept of code distance is extended to account for syntax in language. Grammar modifications are demonstrated so that a probabilistic parsing algorithm corrects various kinds of linguistic errors using an ideal observer rule. A generalized error correcting algorithm is described.
Embryotoxicity of the pesticide mirex in vitro.

Mirex is a pesticide that is environmentally stable, accumulates in body tissues, and is embryo- and feto-toxic at high concentrations in vivo. This study is the first to evaluate the effects of mirex on organogenesis-stage embryos in vitro. Mouse embryos were exposed on gestation day 8.5 for 24 h in whole-embryo culture to mirex at 100, 200, or 400 μg/ml dissolved in xylene and compared with xylene-treated controls (1, 2, or 4 μl/ml, respectively) and untreated controls. Embryos were evaluated for malformations, somite number, total protein content, and visceral yolk sac circulation. Potential embryotoxic mechanisms were evaluated by using PCNA stain for cell proliferation and the TUNEL assay for apoptotic cell death. Mirex-exposed embryos demonstrated increased malformation rates and decreased total embryonic protein contents at ≥200 μg/ml mirex, and decreased somite numbers and VYS circulation at ≥100 μg/ml mirex, compared with xylene-treated controls. There was no difference in PCNA levels or TUNEL staining in mirex-treated embryos compared with xylene-treated controls or untreated controls. Thus, mirex is embryotoxic in vitro to early organogenesis stage mouse embryos at concentrations ≥100 μg/ml, but the effects do not appear to be mediated by changes in cell proliferation or apoptotic cell death. Teratogenesis Carcinog. Mutagen. 22:239-249, 2002.
Optimal design of passive gamma-ray spectrometers

Passive gamma-ray spectrometers composed of attenuation filters and integrating detector materials provide important advantages in terms of zero-power operation and ruggedness for long-term monitoring scenarios (e.g. national security or environmental remediation). However, the many design parameters, including attenuation filter material and thickness and number of pixels (filter/integrating material combinations), present a challenging optimization problem in designing spectrometers for different applications. In many of these applications, the goal is simply one of anomaly detection deciding that there is a gamma-ray source not normally found in the nuisance source populations of that particular measurement environment. A passive spectrometer design study approach using an anomaly detection metric is presented here, and is founded on "injecting" target sources of interest (e.g. 57Co, 133Ba, 137Cs) into a nuisance source population that represents the widely varying backgrounds typical of long-term monitoring scenarios. The design evaluation metric is quantified by the probability of detection given a required probability of false alarm. A genetic algorithm employs this metric to probe the large design space and identify superior spectrometer designs
Self Replicating Systems and Low Cost Manufacturing

Experimental[7] and theoretical[4,6, 8, 21,22] work both support the idea that we will be able to fabricate precise molecular structures (such as molecular logic elements) by positioning individual atoms and molecules. However, even the ability to make and interconnect a few atomically precise logic elements will have limited impact when we must make and interconnect at least trillions of logic elements to surpass projected future lithographic capabilities.
Kinetics of the Immune Response Profile in Guinea Pigs after Vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis BCG and Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The guinea pig model of tuberculosis is used extensively in assessing novel vaccines, since Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination effectively prolongs survival after low-dose aerosol infection with virulent M. tuberculosis. To better understand how BCG extends time to death after pulmonary infection with M. tuberculosis, we examined cytokine responses postvaccination and recruitment of activated T cells and cytokine response postinfection. At 10 weeks postvaccination, splenic gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) mRNA was significantly elevated compared to the levels at 5 weeks in ex vivo stimulation assays. At 15, 40, 60, and 120 days postinfection, T-cell activation (CD4+ CD62Llow and CD8+ CD62Llow) and mRNA expression of IFN-gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-10, IL-12, and eomesodermin were assessed. Our data show that at day 40, BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs had significantly increased levels of IFN-gamma mRNA expression but decreased TNF-alpha mRNA expression in their lungs compared to the levels in nonvaccinated animals. At day 120, a time when nonvaccinated guinea pigs succumbed to infection, low levels of IFN-gamma mRNA were observed even though there were increasing levels of IL-1, IL-12, and IL-10, and the numbers of activated T cells did not differ from those in BCG-vaccinated animals. BCG vaccination conferred the advantage of recruiting greater numbers of CD4+ CD62Llow T cells at day 40, although the numbers of CD8+ CD62Llow T cells were not elevated compared to the numbers in nonvaccinated animals. Our data suggest that day 40 postinfection may be a pivotal time point in determining vaccine efficacy and prolonged survival and that BCG promotes the capacity of T cells in the lungs to respond to infection.
Quantifying bias in a health survey: modeling total survey error in the national immunization survey.

Random-digit-dial telephone surveys are experiencing both declining response rates and increasing under-coverage due to the prevalence of households that substitute a wireless telephone for their residential landline telephone. These changes increase the potential for bias in survey estimates and heighten the need for survey researchers to evaluate the sources and magnitudes of potential bias. We apply a Monte Carlo simulation-based approach to assess bias in the NIS, a land-line telephone survey of 19–35 month-old children used to obtain national vaccination coverage estimates. We develop a model describing the survey stages at which component nonsampling error may be introduced due to nonresponse and under-coverage. We use that model and components of error estimated in special studies to quantify the extent to which noncoverage and nonresponse may bias the vaccination coverage estimates obtained from the NIS and present a distribution of the total survey error. Results indicated that the total error followed a normal distribution with mean of 1.72 per cent (95 per cent CI: 1.71, 1.74 per cent) and final adjusted survey weights corrected for this error. Although small, the largest contributor to error in terms of magnitude was nonresponse of immunization providers. The total error was most sensitive to declines in coverage due to cell phone only households. These results indicate that, while response rates and coverage may be declining, total survey error is quite small. Since response rates have historically been used to proxy for total survey error, the finding that these rates do not accurately reflect bias is important for evaluation of survey data. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of steroidogenesis on ascorbic acid content and uptake in isolated adrenal cells.

Isolated adrenal cell preparation was used to investigate the relationship between ascorbic acid and steroidogenesis by two methods: (1) in vivo incorporation of exogenous [1-14C]ascorbic acid into endogenous ascorbic acid of adrenal by intraperitoneal injection of labeled ascorbic acid into rats and studying the depletion of labeled ascorbic acid under a variety of experimental conditions; and (2) study of the uptake of [14C]ascorbic acid by IAC in response to steroidogenic stimuli and various steroids. These studies demonstrate that: 1. IAC preparation by the trypsin digestion method results in almost total depletion of ascorbic acid from adrenal cells, i.e., ascorbic acid content of the cell preparation was less than 1% of the original ascorbic acid in quartered adrenal gland. 2. In spite of such a severe depletion of ascorbic acid, steroidogenesis in response to ACTH and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dcAMP) is quite pronounced. 3. ACTH and dcAMP affect depletion of endogenously labeled ascorbic acid in IAC by a process that is both concentration- and time-dependent, but is independent of steroidogenic processes. 4. ACTH and dcAMP both inhibit the uptake of exogenous [1-14C]ascorbic acid, which is time-dependent but independent of the steroidogenic phenomenon. 5. The uptake of [14C]ascorbic acid by IAC is independent of extra-to-intracellular gradient of glucocorticoids or mineralocorticoids.