cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF ENDOTHELIN IN TROUT

The cardiovascular effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in trout were examined in unanesthetized fish, perfused tissues, and isolated vascular rings. In vivo, a bolus of 500 ng/kg body wt ET-1 transiently lowered arterial (postgill) blood pressure (BP) by nearly 30%; 1,500 ng/kg body wt produced a triphasic, pressor-depressor-pressor, response. Continuous infusion of 0.1, 1, 10, and 30 ng.kg-1.min-1 progressively lowered BP but did not affect heart rate (HR), urine flow, or electrolyte excretion. In the in situ perfused heart ET-1 (10(-11) to 10(-8) M) had no effect on HR or power output. ET-1 produced dose-dependent increases in vascular resistance in the perfused gill, renal-skeletal muscle, and splanchnic circulations, and increased tension, independent of endothelium, in vascular rings from celiacomesenteric (CA) and coronary arteries and anterior cardinal veins (CV). Ventral aortas were refractory to ET-1. In vitro, ET-1 effects were slow in onset and long lasting. External calcium was required for maximal ET-1 responses in gill and CA. ET-1 effects on CA but not CV were partially inhibited by calcium channel blockers, diltiazem, and D 600, and by the guanylate cyclase activators, atrial natriuretic factor, and sodium nitroprusside. [3H]water flux across the perfused gill was stimulated by ET-1 through what appeared to be a vascular-independent mechanism. These experiments show that the trout vasculature is exquisitely sensitive to ET-1, and they suggest that the physiological expression of this peptide has been highly conserved during the course of vertebrate evolution.
Rh isoimmunization: its incidence, timing, and relationship to fetal-maternal hemorrhage.

Abstract Eighty-four Rh-negative mothers, not previously immunized, were studied for the occurrence of anti-RH post partum and for detectable fetal-maternal hemorrhage at delivery. The incidence of Rh sensitization was 9.5 per cent. Fetal erythrocytes in the maternal circulation were associated with a 20 per cent incidence of Rh isoimmunization. In contrast, only 3.7 per cent of the women with no detectable fetal cells post partum developed anti-Rh. In all cases demonstrating anti-Rh, the antibody was detectable 3 months post partum. No characteristic mode of reactivity of these immune antibodies was apparent.
On the consistency of random serial dictatorship

The random serial dictatorship (RSD) can be generalized to indivisible object allocation problems allowing fractional endowments such that symmetry, ex-post efficiency and strategy-proofness are preserved. However, there exists a consistent extension of RSD if and only if the population is less than four. The inconsistency of the generalized RSD is a common feature of strategy-proof rules that satisfy minimal fairness and efficiency properties: symmetry, ex-post efficiency, consistency and strategy-proofness are not compatible.
Radioactive tracer methods

Abstract Radioactive tracers have been used for many years to measure corrosion and corrosive wear in industry. This chapter gives an overview of radioactive tracer technology principals, assumptions, use cases, and limitations.
Signs of Brain Tumors in Infants

The presenting symptoms and signs of intracranial tumors diagnosed before the age of 2 years in 21 children treated at the University Hospital of Wales are reported from the Department of Child Health, Cardiff, UK.
Submarine groundwater discharge driven nitrogen fluxes to Long Island Sound, NY: terrestrial vs. marine sources.

Abstract Bottom-waters in Smithtown Bay (Long Island Sound, NY) are subject to hypoxic conditions every summer despite limited nutrient inputs from waste-water and riverine sources, while modeling estimates of groundwater inputs are thought to be insignificant. Terrestrial and marine fluxes of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) were quantified to Smithtown Bay using mass balances of 222 Rn, 224 Ra, 226 Ra and 228 Ra during the spring and summer of 2014/2015, in order to track this seasonal transition period. Intertidal pore waters from a coastal bluff (terrestrial SGD) and from a barrier beach (marine SGD) displayed substantial differences in N concentrations and sources, traced using a multi-isotope approach ( 222 Rn, Ra, δ 15 N-NO 3 − , δ 18 O-NO 3 − ). NO 3 − in terrestrial SGD did not display any seasonality and was derived from residential septic systems and fertilizer. Marine SGD N concentrations varied month-to-month because of mixing between oxic seawater and hypoxic saline pore waters; N concentrations were greatest during the summer, when NO 3 − was derived from the remineralization of organic matter. Short-lived 222 Rn and 224 Ra SGD fluxes were used to determine remineralized N loads along tidal recirculation flow paths, while long-lived 228 Ra was used to trace inputs of anthropogenic N in terrestrial SGD. 228 Ra-derived terrestrial N load estimates were between 20 and 55% lower than 224 Ra-derived estimates (excluding spring 2014); 228 Ra may be a more appropriate tracer of terrestrial SGD N loads. Terrestrial SGD NO 3 − (derived from 228 Ra) to Smithtown Bay varied from (1.40–12.8) ∗ 10 6 mol N y −1 , with comparable marine SGD NO 3 − fluxes of (1.70–6.79) ∗ 10 6 mol N y −1 derived from 222 Rn and 224 Ra. Remineralized N loads were greater during the summer compared with spring, and these may be an important driver toward the onset of seasonal hypoxic conditions in Smithtown Bay and western Long Island Sound. Seawater recirculation through the coastal aquifer can rival the N load from terrestrial SGD from a heavily polluted aquifer.
‘I followed the flood’: a gender analysis of the moral and financial economies of forced migration

What would a gender analysis of refugee crises reveal if one expanded the focus beyond female refugees, and acts of physical violence? This paper draws on qualitative research conducted in Denmark, Greece, Jordan, and Turkey in July and August 2016 to spotlight the gendered kinship, hierarchies, networks, and transactions that affect refugees. The coping strategies of groups often overlooked in the gender conversation are examined throughout this study, including those of male refugees and those making crossings outside of the context of a family unit. The analysis is theoretically situated at the intersection of critical humanitarianism and the politics of vulnerability, and rooted in debates about the feminisation of refugees and corresponding protection agendas. A key contribution of this work is the ethnographic tracing of how refugees embody these politics along their journeys. In closing, the paper sketches out some implications of the findings for humanitarian practice and identifies avenues for further research.
Radio Variations of β Persei and β Lyrae

WE have reported1 recently the detection of radio emission from the eclipsing binary stars β Persei (Algol) and β Lyrae. No variation of the signal from β Lyrae was detected during the first observations, but the radiation of β Persei was clearly variable with flux densities up to 0.019 f.u. at 8,085 MHz. This communication describes further observations of these stars with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory interferometer between January 11 and February 16, 1972, on simultaneous frequencies of 2,695 and 8,085 MHz at element spacings of 900, 1,800 and 2,700 m. During this period β Persei behaved in a manner spectacularly different from that observed previously1: its flux density at 8,085 MHz varied between 0.01 and 0.34 f.u. with a typical time scale of a few hours. The β Lyrae system faded to a level below the detection limit of the instrument, thereby proving that it is also a variable radio source.
Recognition Requirements for the Positive Selection of the T Cell Repertoire: A Role of Self-Peptides and Major Histocompatibility Complex Pockets

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of self-peptide and major histocompatibility complex pockets in recognition requirements for positive selection of T cells. T cells recognize fragments of foreign antigen in association with self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded molecules. In the thymus, the same MHC molecules shape the T-cell repertoire by positive and negative selection. The interaction between the αβ T-cell receptor (TCR) of immature thymocytes and the MHC molecule expressed by thymic cortical epithelium is necessary for subsequent maturation of the thymocyte. Only cells expressing receptors that interact with sufficient affinity with the MHC-encoded molecules expressed on thymus epithelial cells are positively selected and go on to mature and seed the peripheral lymphoid organs. The structure of a class I MHC molecule reveals a likely peptide-binding groove composed of a floor of antiparallel β strands and walls of two long α helices. During MHC-restricted recognition of foreign peptide, the T-cell receptor makes contact with the outer face of the α helices and the peptide lying between them.
Density, Viscosity, Speed of Sound, Bulk Modulus, Surface Tension, and Flash Point of Binary Mixtures of n-Hexylbenzene (1) or n-Butylbenzene (1) in 2,2,4,6,6-Pentamethylheptane (2) or 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-Heptamethylnonane (2) at 0.1 MPa

This work reports physical property measurements of binary mixtures of n-hexylbenzene (1) and n-butylbenzene (1) in 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane (2) and 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (2) at temperatures within the range 253.15–333.15 K. Mixture densities, speeds of sound, and calculated bulk moduli increased with increasing aromatic compound concentration. Excess molar volumes were positive for 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane mixtures, negative for hexylbenzene/2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane mixtures, and close to zero for butylbenzene/2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane mixtures at 293.15 K. Excess speeds of sound were positive for all mixtures at 298.15 K, except for n-butylbenzene/2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane mixtures, which were close to zero. These results show that compressibility as well as volume change is important for excess speeds of sound. Kinematic viscosities decreased as the aromatic concentration increased at 293.15 K, except for hexylbenzene (x1) in 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane, where increas...
Impact of prior diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy on outcomes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is consistently preceded by monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), smoldering myeloma (SMM), or solitary plasmacytoma (SPC). There is a lack of data regarding impact of these pre-existing monoclonal gammopathies (MGs) on MM outcomes. Patients with prior diagnosis of MGUS, SMM, or PC from 1973 to 2015 (cases) were identified from our institution’s database and compared to those without a known MG (controls). The primary outcome of interest was overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis was performed to ascertain factors impacting all-cause mortality. We identified 774 patients with a prior diagnosis of MGUS, SMM or SPC (cases) and a control population (1:2) matched for the year of diagnosis (n = 1548). After a median follow-up of 81 months, the cases showed a longer median OS than the controls (71 months vs. 56 months). The improved OS was limited to those with a known prior diagnosis of SMM (80 months) and SPC (95 months), compared to MGUS (60 months). Multivariable analysis revealed that MM patients with known prior MG had less overall mortality than those without, and this was limited to prior SMM/SPC group (HR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.50–0.93), as compared to the MGUS group (HR 0.83, 95% CI: 0.66–1.05).
Endometrial Gene Expression for HHV-6

Viral infections have been considered as possible environmental factors in human infertility. Two studies have confirmed the association of HHV-6 expression of endometrial cells and infertility providing a compelling suggestion of a role of HHV-6 in the etiology of infertility. This chapter describes HHV-6, discusses the association of HHV-6 and infertility, and reviews methods of detection of HHV-6 expression within the uterus.
Estimating Cost-Effectiveness of Confirmatory Oral Food Challenges in the Diagnosis of Children With Food Allergy:

Introduction. Food allergies affect 8% of the pediatric population in the United States with an estimated annual cost of US$25 billion. The low specificity of some of the main food allergy tests us...
Neural networks for in situ detection of glioma infiltration using optical coherence tomography

In brain cancer surgery, maximal tumor resection improves overall survival and quality of life survival in low-grade and high-grade glioma. Different technologies such as intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography have made major contributions; however, these technologies do not provide quantitative, real-time and three-dimensional continuous guidance. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive, label-free, real-time, high-resolution imaging modality that has been explored for glioma infiltration detection. Here we report a novel Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) method for automated, real-time, in situ detection of glioma-infiltrated tumor margins. Near 500 volumetric OCT samples were intraoperatively obtained from resected brain tissue specimens of 21 patients with glioma tumors of different stages and labeled as either non-cancerous or glioma-infiltrated based on histopathology evaluation (gold standard). Labeled OCT images from 12 patients were used as training dataset to develop the artificial neural network. Unlabeled OCT images from the other 9 patients were used as a validation dataset to quantify the method detection performance. The CAD system achieved excellent levels of both sensitivity and specificity (~90%) for detecting glioma-infiltrated tissue with high spatial resolution (~16 μm laterally). Previous methods for OCT-based detection of glioma-infiltrated brain tissue rely on underlying optical properties such as attenuation coefficient from the OCT signal requiring sacrificing spatial resolution and cumbersome calibration procedures. By overcoming these major challenges, our novel ANN-assisted CAD system will enable implementing practical OCT-guided surgical tools for continuous, real-time and accurate intra-operative detection of glioma-infiltrated brain tissue, facilitating maximal glioma resection and superior surgical outcomes for glioma patients.
Evaluating the Marvell ThunderX2 Server Processor for HPC Workloads

The high performance computing industry is undergoing a period of substantial change. Not least because of fabrication and lithographic challenges in the manufacturing of next-generation processors. As such challenges mount, the industry is looking to generate higher performance from additional functionality in the micro-architecture space as well as a greater emphasis on efficiency in the design of networkon-chip resources and memory subsystems. Such variation in design opens opportunities for new entrants in the data center and server markets where varying compute-to-memory ratios can present end users with more efficient node designs for particular workloads. In this paper we compare the recently released Marvell ThunderX2 Arm processor - arguably the first high-performance computing capable Arm design available in the marketplace. We perform a set of micro-benchmarking and mini-application evaluation on the ThunderX2 comparing it with Intel’s Haswell and Skylake Xeon server parts commonly used in contemporary HPC designs. Our findings show that no one processor performs the best across all benchmarks, but that the ThunderX2 excels in areas demanding high memory bandwidth due to the provisioning of more memory channels in its design. We conclude that the ThunderX2 is a serious contender in the HPC server segment and has the potential to offer supercomputing sites with a viable high-performance alternative to existing designs from established industry players.
Indirect Fick and Thermodilution Cardiac Output Measurements Have Significant Variance Compared to Direct Fick in LVAD Patients

Purpose Direct Fick is the gold standard for measuring cardiac output (CO). Due to direct Fick complexity, indirect Fick (iFICK) and Thermodilution (TD) are most commonly used to assess CO during right heart catheterization (RHC). However, a small previous study found a 45% discordance in CO estimations when comparing TD with iFick in LVAD patients. This study aimed to compare TD and iFick estimations to direct Fick in order to compare which common method was most accurate. Methods We included 16 LVAD patients referred for clinically indicated RHC. Concomitant with obtaining mixed venous oxygen saturation, resting oxygen consumption was obtained via the MGC diagnostics calorimeter system. Three common formulae were used to calculate iFick for comparison - Lafarge, Dehmer, and Bergstra. Thermodilution was measured in triplicate and averaged with removal of outliers. Correlation between each method and direct Fick was assessed with linear regression. Bias between each method and direct Fick was compared using Bland-Altman Plot analysis. Greater than 25% percent error was used a priori as clinically unacceptable. Results Moderate correlation was present between all methods and direct Fick (TD: R=0.45; Lafarge: R=0.61; Dehmer: R=0.51; Bergstra: R=0.4). However, while absolute bias was lowest between TD and direct Fick (+14.5 ± 30%), all methods tended to overestimate CO compared to direct Fick and had poor overall agreement (Figure). By any method, more than 30% of measurements carried significant discrepancy (>25%) compared to direct Fick. Conclusion Though TD CO carried the least bias, both it and all methods of iFick calculation tend to overestimate CO and have poor agreement when compared to the direct Fick method. These imprecise CO measurements could lead to poor clinical decisions in VAD patients and misjudgment of transplant candidacy due to inaccurate calculation of pulmonary vascular resistance. Where possible, direct Fick should be used to measure CO in LVAD patients.
Deep Learning on Graphs

Deep learning on graphs has become one of the hottest topics in machine learning. The book consists of four parts to best accommodate our readers with diverse backgrounds and purposes of reading. Part 1 introduces basic concepts of graphs and deep learning; Part 2 discusses the most established methods from the basic to advanced settings; Part 3 presents the most typical applications including natural language processing, computer vision, data mining, biochemistry and healthcare; and Part 4 describes advances of methods and applications that tend to be important and promising for future research. The book is self-contained, making it accessible to a broader range of readers including (1) senior undergraduate and graduate students; (2) practitioners and project managers who want to adopt graph neural networks into their products and platforms; and (3) researchers without a computer science background who want to use graph neural networks to advance their disciplines.
Moving physics forward

In The Disordered Cosmos, physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein balances on a knife9s edge, inspiring both awe at the elegant laws governing our Universe and fury at the field that has discovered them at great social cost. Readers will discover the fantastical realm of dark matter, quantum field theory, and curved spacetimes that modern physics has revealed, while also confronting uncomfortable truths about the social dynamics that have led to these discoveries.
Maritime Boundary Disputes Between Indonesia and Malaysia in the Area of Ambalat Block: Some Optional Scenarios for Peaceful Settlement

Maritime boundary issues have become a constraint in the relations between Indonesia and its neighboring countries, including Malaysia. One of the pending issues regarding the overlapping maritime boundary which is not yet to be resolved is the Ambalat area. The primary purpose of this research is to suggest possible senarios to resolve the maritime delimitation dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia around Ambalt peacefully under international law. This article is prepared to explore all available ways for the peaceful settlement on Ambalat issue. The author will examine the diplomatic channel, ASEAN Way dispute settlement mechanism, adjudication process (litigation and arbitration), and dispute settlement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. He will also epropose other innovative approach, such like Joint Development Zone. The result of such examination can be used as considerations for the way forward.
Convergence Almost Surely and in Probability

In this lesson we look at some theorems on convergence of sequences of numerical (extended real) valued functions. All will be used at some point later particularly in the lessons on integration. We keep a fixed [ΩSP].
Scintillation and the Surveyor

Before the scientific measurement of any errors in geodetic engineering, (which are caused by the atmospheric phenomenon of scintillation) can be improved, a thorough investigation of the causes of existing errors in the present methods must be made in an attempt to separate the errors and attribute them to their individual origins. An investigation of atmospheric scintillation and the conventional methods of measuring the phenomenon provides a background for a clear understanding and insight into the nature of the errors incorporated into geodetic and surveying measurements by atmospheric scintillation when conventional techniques are utilized. Such a study will lead to the conclusion that alterations in the present techniques are needed to eliminate or minimize the effects.
Chapter 16. Immunotherapy of Cancer

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the various aspects of immunotherapy of cancer. The existence of an immunological response by a host to his tumor has been documented. Deficiencies in one or more components of this response may either predate and be a prerequisite for development of the tumor or be a consequence of progression of the tumor. Vaccines consisting of whole autogenous or allogeneic cells or membrane fractions from tumors have been used in animals to induce resistance to subsequent tumor challenge, and in man, to improve the immune response to an established tumor. The role of macrophages in tumor rejection is actively investigated. Certain compounds that exhibit antitumor activity have been shown to act via the macrophage, probably through macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity. Statolon, a double stranded RNA mycophage from Penicillium stoloniferum, induces interferon in DBA/2 mice and suppresses established Friend virus leukemia (FV). Suppression of FV erythroleukemia is dependent upon the immunostimulatory effects of statolon, a property not shared by other interferon inducers, such as Newcastle disease virus and poly I:poly C that has no leukemosuppressive effects.
A Review of Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science

The really good textbooks on criminalistics may be counted on the fingers on any typical one-handed person; this text would have to be included in that group. The text attempts, and achieves, a presentation of the major areas of physical evidence as well as a brief history of forensic science and defines the scope of the criminalistics enterprise.
Erwinia species: an emerging human pathogen.

Thirty-eight isolates of the genus Erwinia, ordinarily considered a plant pathogen, were obtained during the course of a year from a variety of human clinical sources including blood, bone marrow, spinal fluid and pleura. Identification characteristics included microscopic morphology of short, motile, Gram-negative rods with round ends, yellow colonial pigmentation, presence of colonial spindle-shaped biconvex bodies, aggregation of organisms in elongated spheroidal masses (“symplasmata”), fermentative capability, and lack of lysine and ornithine decarboxylase and arginine dihydrolase activity. Recovered strains proved universally susceptible to gentamicin and neomycin, and were generally resistant to ampicillin, cephalothin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. They were variably susceptible to chloramphenicol and colistin sulfate. Repeated isolation in pure culture from systemic sites, concomitant clinical symptomatology, demonstration of specific agglutinins in an infected patient against his own Erwinia isolate, responses in a number of patients to therapy with antibiotics to which the isolates proved susceptible in vitro, and experimental pathogenicity in mice all provide evidence for the pathogenic significance of Erwinia species for humans.
Complexity and Adaptation in Community Information Systems: Implications for Design

Recently we have developed a framework for analyzing systems that are complex and adaptive. These properties are characteristic of community information systems. This paper sets out an abbreviated version of our framework. We then apply it to the case of community information systems, with special emphasis on extracting implications for design.
High-temperature nuclear reactors as an energy source for hydrogen production

Application of current high-temperature reactor technology to hydrogen production is reviewed. The requirements and problems of matching a thermochemical hydrogen production cycle to a nuclear heat source are discussed. Possibilities for extending the temperature of reactors upward are outlined. The major engineering problem is identified as the development of a high-temperature process heat exchanger separating the nuclear heat source from the chemical process.
DNA Replication in Bacteria

Publisher Summary The chapter describes the many physical, biochemical, and genetic requirements for cellular DNA replication. The chapter also discusses the DNA replication in bacteria, emphasizing work done with Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, the two most widely used organisms. In general, the complexity of DNA replication is expected to increase with phylogenetic order, with bacteriophage DNA replication being less complex than mammalian chromosome synthesis. Consequently, more is known about phage DNA replication than bacterial or eukaryotic chromosome synthesis. Difficulties have arisen because of two characteristics of replication. First, because replication has a stringent but structurally delicate dependency on the cell membrane, and on many replication proteins, an adequate reconstruction of the complete replication complex has never been achieved. In addition, many replication proteins are still unidentified. A second characteristic is that the process of chromosome replication is interrelated with other poorly understood processes, such as cell division and recombination. Knowledge of some of these complex relationships may be important in understanding the DNA replication process itself.
Male fertility study on N,N‐dimethylacetamide administered by the inhalation route to sprague‐dawley rats

Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were exposed to N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAC) and mated to untreated virgin females. Mean analytical exposure concentrations were 40, 116, and 386 ppm, respectively. A control group was exposed to air containing no DMAC. A total of 69 d of exposure to DMAC at these levels produced treatment‐related effects of increased liver weights and liver/body weight ratios in the high‐ and medium‐exposure groups of male rats. Reproductive data indicated no treatment‐related effects on copulation efficiency or efficiency in effecting pregnancy, and there were no detectable treatment‐related effects on preimplantation loss, postimplantation loss, embryotoxicity, or fetotoxicity in litters of females mated to males exposed to DMAC at the levels used in this study. The significance of these findings is discussed.
Protease specificity determination by using cellular libraries of peptide substrates (CLiPS)

We report a general combinatorial approach to identify optimal substrates of a given protease by using quantitative kinetic screening of cellular libraries of peptide substrates (CLiPS). A whole-cell protease activity assay was developed by displaying fluorescent reporter substrates on the surface of Escherichia coli as N-terminal fusions. This approach enabled generation of substrate libraries of arbitrary amino acid composition and length that are self-renewing. Substrate hydrolysis by a target protease was measured quantitatively via changes in whole-cell fluorescence by using FACS. FACS enabled efficient screening to identify optimal substrates for a given protease and characterize their cleavage kinetics. The utility of CLiPS was demonstrated by determining the substrate specificity of two unrelated proteases, caspase-3 and enteropeptidase (or enterokinase). CLiPS unambiguously identified the caspase-3 consensus cleavage sequence DXVDG. Enteropeptidase was unexpectedly promiscuous, but exhibited a preference for substrates with the motif D/ERM, which were cleaved substantially faster than the canonical DDDDK recognition sequence, widely used for protein purification. CLiPS provides a straightforward and versatile approach to determine protease specificity and discover optimal substrates on the basis of cleavage kinetics.
Split-course accelerated radiation therapy combined with carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil for palliation of metastatic or unresectable carcinoma of the esophagus.

Background. Patients with metastatic or unresectable carcinoma of the esophagus have poor survival, but often require palliation of dysphagia. Methods. Twenty-seven patients with unresectable carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with carboplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and split-course accelerated radiation therapy. Seventy-four percent of patients had adenocarcinoma, and 26% had squamous cell carcinoma. Results. The regimen was well tolerated; 25% of the patients had disease improvement after completing therapy, although the majority of these patients had all of their disease within the radiation field. Ninety-three percent (13/14) of the patients who experienced disease progression during therapy progressed in areas treated with chemotherapy alone. Median survival was 6 months. Fifty-nine percent of the 17 patients who presented with dysphagia achieved durable relief of that symptom. Conclusions. Carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil have low activity in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer. However, in combination with radiation therapy, this regimen is tolerable when the primary goal is palliation of dysphagia near the end of life. Future studies should focus on identifying more active regimens with response and survival as endpoints. Cancer 1995;75:435-9.
Phosphorylation Mutants of JC Virus Agnoprotein Are Unable To Sustain the Viral Infection Cycle

Many eukaryotic and viral regulatory proteins are known to undergo posttranslational modifications including phosphorylation, which plays a critical role in many aspects of cell function. Previous studies from our and other laboratories indicated that the JC virus (JCV) late regulatory protein, agnoprotein, plays an important role in the JCV life cycle. Agnoprotein contains several potential phosphorylation sites, including Ser7, Ser11, and Thr21, which are potential targets for the serine/threonine-specific protein kinase C (PKC). In this study, we investigated the functional significance of these phosphorylation sites for the activity of agnoprotein. In vitro and in vivo kinase assays demonstrated that agnoprotein is a target for phosphorylation by PKC. In addition, each of the PKC phosphorylation sites was mutated to Ala singly and in combination, and the effects of these mutations on the JCV life cycle were analyzed. Although the expression of each mutant agnoprotein was detectable during the infection cycle, virus containing each of these mutations failed to propagate. These results contrast with those obtained with an agnoprotein start codon point (Pt) mutant where agnoprotein expression was completely inhibited. The Pt mutant was viable but replicates less efficiently than the wild type (WT). Moreover, conservative substitutions at PKC phosphorylation sites (Ser7, Ser11, and Thr21 to Asp) resulted in a viable virus, which further demonstrate the importance of these sites on agnoprotein function. Further analysis of the mutants by viral release assay and electron microscopy studies revealed that viral particles were efficiently released from infected cells and morphologically indistinguishable from those of WT but were deficient in DNA content. This may account for the defective propagation of the mutants. These results imply that phosphorylated forms of agnoprotein may have essential functions in the viral life cycle and serve as potential targets for therapeutic interventions to limit JCV propagation and JCV-induced diseases.
Runtime Mechanisms for Efficient Dynamic Multithreading

High performance on distributed memory machines for programming models with dynamic thread creation and multithreading requires efficient thread management and communication. Traditional multithreading runtimes, consisting of few general-purpose, bundled mechanisms that assume minimal compiler and hardware support, are suitable for computations involving coarse-grained threads but provide low efficiency in the presence of small granularity threads and irregular communication behavior. We describe two mechanisms of the Illinois Concert runtime system which address this shortcoming. The first,hybrid stack-heap execution,exploits close coupling with the compiler to dynamically form coarse-grained execution units; threads are lazily created as required by runtime situations. The second,pull messaging,exploits hardware support to implement a distributed message queue with receiver-initiated data transfer, delivering robust performance across a wide range of dynamic communication characteristics. We measure their performance impact based on a Cray T3D implementation of the Concert system. Individually, the mechanisms increase absolute execution efficiency by up to 50%. Together, they increase the feasible space of efficient computations, enabling compute granularities an order of magnitude smaller. Performance results for two large irregular applications demonstrate that expressing programs using dynamic multithreading need not compromise on performance.
Full wave theory and controlled optical experiments for enhanced scattering and depolarization by random rough surfaces

Abstract Controlled laboratory experiments afford an indispensable tool in the validation of the numerous theories on electromagnetic scattering and depolarization. In a recent article in Optics Communications [61 (1987) 91], a group at Imperial College reported some very stimulating observations on enhanced backscatter from rough surfaces with large mean square slopes. A second order iterative solution based on the rigorous full wave approximation indicates that contrary to the suggestions made by the researchers at Imperial College (based on their consideration of many other theories), the observed enhanced backscatter can be attributed to single scatter rather than multiple scatter.
Nutritional factors in the prevention of gastrointestinal cancer

Esophageal cancer is uncommon in the United States. It is estimated that esophageal cancers will account for only 4% of all GI cancers diagnosed in 1988, and <l% of all cancers.7 However, esophageal cancers account for 7% of the deaths associated with GI cancers, an indication of the difficulty of early diagnosis and effective treatment. The incidence of esophageal cancer is rising in males, particularly in the black population.7 There is also a trend toward a higher incidence in black women, though not as striking as in men. The epidemiological pattern of esophageal cancer reveals that there are geographic areas associated with a high incidence. In the United States, those identified areas are Washington DC and Puerto Rico.* Attempts are being made to identify the factors that promote the carcinogenic process or increase the risk of esophageal cancer. Chronic irritation has been identified as a potential factor. Sources of irritation include alcohol, tobacco, hot drinks, and contaminant silica fibers in foods.’ Since vitamin A has been linked with the ability to repair irritated epithelial tissues and its deficiency has been associated with epithelial cancers, vitamin A levels have been investigated in esophageal cancer patients. lo Studies have demonstrated that dietary vitamin A intake and serum vitamin A levels are lower than normal in patients with esophageal cancer. ‘l,‘* The association of epithelial change, micronutrient level, and esophageal cancer growth in animals has led to the examination of trace mineral levels13; zinc deficiencies have been identified in hair and tissue samples of esophageal cancer patients.” Another set of factors that may influence the incidence of esophageal cancer is the frequent ingestion of mutagens and carcinogens. Intake of nitroso compounds and pickled food has been of particular interest.14 Since vitamin C has the capacity to alter nitroso compound metabolism, vitamin C levels have been studied in this population as we11.14 Irritation related to alcohol consumption is a major factor associated with esophageal cancer risk in this country. Tunys” reported that alcohol and tobacco use may act synergistically; however, one investigation found that smoking did not add to the risk of cancer formation in a small sample of American blacks when the amount of alcohol ingested was held constant. l6
Inhibitors of sterol synthesis: synthesis and spectral properties of derivatives of 3β-hydroxy-25,26,26,26,27,27,27-heptafluoro-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one fluorinated at carbon 7 or carbon 9 and their effects on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in cultured mammalian cells

Abstract As part of a program to prepare Δ 8(14) -15-ketosterols that cannot readily be metabolized to cholesterol or side-chain oxygenated species, we have prepared 3β-hydroxy-7α-fluoro-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (VII) and the 9α-hydroxy (IV), 9α-fluoro (VI) and 7α-fluoro (VIII) derivatives of 3β-hydroxy-25,26,26,26,27,27,27-heptafluoro-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (II). Sterol IV was prepared by oxidation of the Δ 8,14 dienol ethyl ether of the 3β-acetate of II with m -chloroperbenzoic acid, followed by mild alkaline hydrolysis of the 3β-acetate derivative of IV. Treatment of IV with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine gave VI. The 7α-fluoro-15-ketosterols VII and VIII were synthesized by treating the 3β,15-bis-trimethylsilyl Δ 7,14 -dienol ether derivative of the appropriate Δ 8(14) -15-ketosterol with N -fluoropyridinium triflate, followed by hydrolysis of residual trimethylsilyl ethers and purification by high-performance liquid chromatography. The combined results of 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts, 1 H- 1 H coupling constants, 1 H- 19 F long-range coupling constants and molecular modeling indicated that a 7α-fluoro, 9α-fluoro or 9α-hydroxy substituent has negligible effect on the conformation of the 15-ketosterols. 1 H and 13 C-NMR data are also given for Δ 6,8(14) - and δ 8(14),9(11) -15-ketosterols, synthetic byproducts that could not be detected readily in samples of the fluoro-15-ketosterols by chromatographic methods. Mass spectra of VI and of previously reported 9α-fluoro and 9 α -hydroxy- Δ 8(14) -15-ketosterols showed abundant M-62 or M-60 ions that appear to correspond to loss of ketene and HF or H 2 O. The 9α-hydroxy-F 7 -15-ketosterol IV, the 7α-fluoro-15-ketosterol VII and the 7α-fluoro-F 7 -15-ketosterol VIII were of equivalent potency to the parent 3β-hydroxy-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (I) in lowering the levels of 3- hydrox-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in CHO-K1 cells. The 9α-fluoro-F 7 -15-ketosterol VI showed high potency but appeared to be slightly less active than I.
The automation design based on graphs for the symmetrical routing in integrated circuit

Channel routing is a key problem in the area of VLSI layout. Finding a minimum width solution of channel routing was proved to be NP-hard by Szymanski. In this paper, we come to a conclusion that the minimum parallel clique cover of $CCG$ is equivalent to the optimal solution of 2-layer manhattan channel routing where vertical constrains are noncyclic and extra empty columns and doglegs are not allowed. We also gave a new heuristic algorithm based on the conclusion to solve the problem of 2-layer manhattan channel routing.
Rayleigh scattering cross-section measurements of nitrogen, argon, oxygen and air

Abstract Knowledge about Rayleigh scattering cross sections is relevant to predictions about radiative transfer in the atmosphere, and needed to calibrate the reflectivity of mirrors that are used in high-finesse optical cavities to measure atmospheric trace gases and aerosols. In this work we have measured the absolute Rayleigh scattering cross-section of nitrogen at 405.8 and 532.2 nm using cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS). Further, multi-spectral measurements of the scattering cross-sections of argon, oxygen and air are presented relative to that of nitrogen from 350 to 660 nm using Broadband Cavity Enhanced Spectroscopy (BBCES). The reported measurements agree with refractive index based theory within 0.2±0.4%, and have an absolute accuracy of better than 1.3%. Our measurements expand the spectral range over which Rayleigh scattering cross section measurements of argon, oxygen and air are available at near-ultraviolet wavelengths. The expressions used to represent the Rayleigh scattering cross-section in the literature are evaluated to assess how uncertainties affect quantities measured by cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopic (CEAS) techniques. We conclude that Rayleigh scattering cross sections calculated from theory provide accurate data within very low error bounds, and are suited well to calibrate CEAS measurements of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols.
Production of high-order micromachined silicon echelles on optically flat substrates

Infrared spectrometers using silicon immersion gratings and prisms can have substantial performance advantages over conventional instruments. The immersion gratings and grisms share a common geometry: prism-shaped pieces of silicon with blazed grooves along one side. The grooves can either be machined directly into substrates or the grooves can be machined into thin wafers which are then bonded to flat-surfaced prisms. Chemical micromachining currently is the best method of ruling grooves directly into silicon surfaces. The tolerances for near-IR diffraction gratings make direct machining of the grooves onto one surface of a bulky, prism-shaped substrate very difficult. We encountered a number of issues that we had to resolve when we tried to etch precisely positioned grooves into massive pieces of silicon: silicon substrate purity, lithography mask alignment, photoresist thickness uniformity, temperature control, wet etching vs. reactive-ion etching. We have successfully manufactured 7 line / mm gratings on 15 mm thick substrates. We performed optical tests with these gratings used as front-surface devices to determine efficiency and diffraction limited performance. Our echelle gratings have 70\% efficiency in 365th-368th order at 632.8 nm. Testing shows that the grating preserves a diffraction-limited point-spread function making them good dispersing elements for applications requiring high spectral resolving power.
Configuration of automatic exposure control on mammography units for computed radiography to match patient dose of screen film systems

Computed radiography (CR) is considered a drop-in addition or replacement for traditional screen-film (SF) systems in digital mammography. Unlike other technologies, CR has the advantage of being compatible with existing mammography units. One of the challenges, however, is to properly configure the automatic exposure control (AEC) on existing mammography units for CR use. Unlike analogue systems, the capture and display of digital CR images is decoupled. The function of AEC is changed from ensuring proper and consistent optical density of the captured image on film to balancing image quality with patient dose needed for CR. One of the preferences when acquiring CR images under AEC is to use the same patient dose as SF systems. The challenge is whether the existing AEC design and calibration process-most of them proprietary from the X-ray systems manufacturers and tailored specifically for SF response properties-can be adapted for CR cassettes, in order to compensate for their response and attenuation differences. This paper describes the methods for configuring the AEC of three different mammography units models to match the patient dose used for CR with those that are used for a KODAK MIN-R 2000 SF System. Based on phantom test results, these methods provide the dose level under AEC for the CR systems to match with the dose of SF systems. These methods can be used in clinical environments that require the acquisition of CR images under AEC at the same dose levels as those used for SF systems.
Phorbol Ester and Epidermal Growth Factor Enhance the Expression of Two Inducible Prostaglandin H Synthase Genes in Rat Tracheal Epithelial Cells

Abstract Previous studies from our laboratory suggested that phorbol 12-myrisate 13-acetate (TPA) stimulates prostglandin E2 (PGE2) production by inducing de novo synthesis of prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) in a rat tracheal cell line. We report here an extension of this work to further elucidate the mechanisms by which TPA (and epidermal growth factor) stimulates PGE2 production. We used the rat tracheal cell line EGV6, which has a lower basal level of PGE2 production and responds to TPA and EGF stimulation with a much greater increase in PGE2 synthesis than the previously used cell line. Incubation of EGV6 cultures with TPA or EGF resulted in a time- and dose-dependent increase in PGE2 synthesis up to 40-fold and 6-fold, respectively. Serum also stimulated PGE2 synthesis, while bombesin, retinoic acid, and bacterial lipopolysaccharide did not. PHS protein levels in microsomal preparations from the cells were estimated by Western analysis. Antibodies raised against murine PHS-2 cross reacted with the EGV-6 PHS while several antibody preparations that react with PHS-1 from ram or mouse reacted poorly with the cellular preparation. TPA treatment increased the de novo synthesis of PHS-2 while dexamethasone treatment reduced the response to TPA. Northern blot analysis of mRNA from EGV6 cultures using a ram PHS cDNA revealed a 2.8- and a 4.5- to 4.9-kb (designated 4.9 kb) transcript. Treatment with TPA or EGF increased the expression of both transcripts and this effect was further enhanced by cyclohexamide. To further define the PHS mRNA species of EGV6 cells, two well-characterized murine PHS cDNA probes were used. The constitutive murine PHS cDNA probe hybridized only with the 2.8-kb transcript, and the inducible murine PHS cDNA hybridized only withthe 4.9-kb transcript. The rates of induction as well as degradation of the 4.9-kb PHS mUNA were much more rapid than those of the 2.8-kb mRNA species. Dexamethasone partially inhibited the induction of both PHS transcripts by TPA. Southern analysis of genomic EGV6 DNA indicated the presence of two distinct PHS genes in these cells. Taken together these findings indicate that two PHS genes are expressed in rat tracheal epithelial cells. In contrast to the PHS genes expressed in murine (and chicken) fibroblasts in which only the gene coding for the larger mRNA species is transcriptionally regulated, in the rat tracheal cells both genes are positively regulated by TPA and EGF and downregulated by glucocorticoids.
Closed-form transient response of distributed damped systems, Part II: Energy formulation for constrained and combined systems

The transient response analysis presented in Part I is generalized for distributed damped systems which are viscoelastically constrained or combined with lumped parameter systems. An energy formulation is introduced to regain symmetry for the spatial differential operators, which is destroyed in the original equations of motion by the constraints, and the coupling of distributed and lumped elements. As a result, closed-form solution is systematically obtained in eigenfunction series.
Note on the magnetic rotation spectrum of CS2

Abstract The doublets observed in the magnetic rotation spectrum of CS 2 are discussed. It is shown that they may be quantitatively described in terms of known properties of the molecule and Serber's theory of magnetic rotation spectra.