cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling mediates interleukin-6 protection against p53-induced apoptosis in M1 myeloid leukemic cells

M1 myeloid leukemic cells were used to dissect the molecular mechanisms of myeloid cell survival and apoptosis. A salient feature of M1 cells is that they respond to the physiological survival factor interleukin-6 (IL-6), yet lack the tumor suppressor gene p53. Functional wild-type activation of temperature-sensitive p53 protein (p53 val) at permissive temperature in M1-t-p53 cells results in rapid apoptosis, which is blocked by IL-6. How p53 induces M1 apoptosis and how IL-6 protects against p53-induced apoptosis are not fully understood. Here it is shown that p53-mediated apoptosis of M1 cells involves rapid activation of the proapoptotic Fas/CD95 death pathway, which activates caspases 8 and 10. Functional p53 also targets the mitochondria, causing upregulation of proapoptotic Bax, downregulation of prosurvival Bcl-2 and activation of caspase 9. IL-6 was found to protect against p53-induced apoptosis via activation of the PI3K/Akt survival pathway, which in turn counters both the Fas/CD95 and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways and activates the prosurvival transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB). Taken together, this work supports a novel model for leukemic progression where cells that acquire the ability to produce an autocrine survival factor, such as IL-6, can bypass normal p53 surveillance function by targeting Akt, which in turn can exert effects on the regulators of apoptosis, such as the Fas/CD95 pathway, the mitochondria and NF-κB.
Clinical decision support for integrated cyber-physical systems: a mixed methods approach

We describe the design and implementation of a clinical decision support system for assessing risk of cerebral vasospasm in patients who have been treated for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. We illustrate the need for such clinical decision support systems in the intensive care environment, and propose a three pronged approach to constructing them, which we believe presents a balanced approach to patient modeling. We illustrate the data collection process, choice and development of models, system architecture, and methodology for user interface design. We close with a description of future work, a proposed evaluation mechanism, and a description of the demo to be presented.
Antifoundationalism: Can believers teach?

(1994). Antifoundationalism: Can believers teach? Rhetoric Review: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 150-163.
The influence of qualitative and quantitative radiation on reproduction and spore germination of four Phytophthora species.

The influence of visible and near-visible radiation on the reproduction and spore germination of Phytophthora capsici, P. cinnamomi, P. megasperma var. sojae and several isolates of P. palmivora, was investigated utilizing a synthetic medium and a 12 h light/12 h dark cycle. In general, near-UV radiation (8 to 100 uW cm-2), significantly enhanced asexual sporulation in P. capsici and P. palmivora. Phytophthora cinnamomi and P. megasperma var. sojae, when exposed to light, failed to produce sporangia. Differentiation of zoospores from sporangia produced under specific regions of the visible and near-visible spectrum differed among isolates. Significantly fewer sporangia produced under near-UV radiation differentiated and released zoospores. Oospore production was significantly higher in the far-red wavelengths at 8 ,W cm-'. At 100 /,W cm-2, oospore production was less than that obtained in darkness. Germination of oospores appeared to be independent of the quality and quantity of radiation received during gametogenesis.
Toward Localized In Vivo Biomarker Concentration Measurements

We know a great deal about the biochemistry of cells because they can be isolated and studied. The biochemistry of the much more complex in vivo environment is more difficult to study because the only ways to quantitate concentrations is to sacrifice the animal or biopsy the tissue. Either method disrupts the environment profoundly and neither method allows longitudinal studies on the same individual. Methods of measuring chemical concentrations in vivo are very valuable alternatives to sacrificing groups of animals. We are developing microscopic magnetic nanoparticle (mNP) probes to measure the concentration of a selected molecule in vivo . The mNPs are targeted to bind the selected molecule and the resulting reduction in rotational freedom can be quantified remotely using magnetic spectroscopy. The mNPs must be contained in micrometer sized porous shells to keep them from migrating and to protect them from clearance by the immune system. There are two key issues in the development of the probes. First, we demonstrate the ability to measure concentrations in the porous walled alginate probes both in phosphate buffered saline and in blood, which is an excellent surrogate for the complex and challenging in vivo environment. Second, sensitivity is critical because it allows microscopic probes to measure very small concentrations very far away. We report sensitivity measurements on recently introduced technology that has allowed us to improve the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude, a factor of 200 so far.
Tandem repeat of C/EBP binding sites mediates PPARγ2 gene transcription in glucocorticoid‐induced adipocyte differentiation

Bone marrow stromal stem cells differentiate into many different types of cells including osteoblasts and adipocytes. Long-term glucocorticoid treatment decreases osteoblastic activity but increases adipocytes. We investigated the mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced PPARgamma2 transcription. Treatment of human bone marrow stromal cells with dexamethasone induced the differentiation of these cells into adipocytes as measured by oil-red O staining, and Northern blot analysis showed that dexamethasone strongly induced PPARgamma2 mRNA expression in cells cultured in adipocyte induction medium. Moreover, the mRNA of C/EBPdelta, an adipocyte-promoting transcription factor, was also induced by dexamethasone in the presence of induction medium. Gel mobility shift assays using purified GST-C/EBPdelta fusion protein showed that C/EBPdelta specifically binds to a 40-base pair DNA element from PPARgamma2 promoter, which was found to contain a tandem repeat of C/EBP binding sites. Transfection studies in mouse mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cells showed that it is the tandem repeat of the C/EBP binding site in PPARgamma2 promoter region that regulates dexamethasone-mediated PPARgamma2 gene activation. We conclude that glucocorticoid-induced adipogenesis from bone marrow stromal cells is mediated through a reaction cascade in which dexamethasone transcriptionally activates C/EBPdelta; C/EBPdelta then binds to PPARgamma2 promoter and transactivates PPARgamma2 gene expression. This activated master regulator, in turn, initiates the adipocyte differentiation.
Evidence for percutaneous absorption of isotretinoin from the photo-isomerization of topical tretinoin

Abstract Tretinoin (0.1% Retin-A cream) was topically applied to human cadaver skin in vitro using Franz diffusion chambers. The photo-isomerization of tretinoin and retinoic acid percutaneous absorption in the absence of metabolic activity were assessed with and without ambient light exposure to the skin. Using HPLC, UV, and GC/MSD, a retinoid exhibiting identical chromatographic and spectral characteristics of isotretinoin was observed in the samples from the skin exposed to light, but was virtually absent in the skin samples maintained in the dark. From a single topical application of tretinoin, isotretinoin was as abundent as tretinoin in the chamber receiver solution, dermis, epidermis, and on the skin surface at 24 h after topical application. The data suggest the possibility that isotretinoin may have an important role in the pharmacology of topically applied tretinoin.
Literacy project development resources

Literacy is a global problem that concerns librarians and educators. This article provides resources for individuals who want to develop literacy projects. It comprises many descriptions of literacy organizations, grant sources, and book aid groups, both global and local. Many resources are available for literacy project developers. Those in this article will stimulate project developer’s thinking and planning regardless of country.
Delineating a Recharge Area for a Spring Using Numerical Modeling, Monte Carlo Techniques, and Geochemical Investigation

Recharge areas of spring systems can be hard to identify, but they can be critically important for protection of a spring resource. A recharge area for a spring complex in southern Wisconsin was delineated using a variety of complementary techniques. A telescopic mesh refinement (TMR) model was constructed from an existing regional-scale ground water flow model. This TMR model was formally optimized using parameter estimation techniques; the optimized "best fit" to measured heads and fluxes was obtained by using a horizontal hydraulic conductivity 200% larger than the original regional model for the upper bedrock aquifer and 80% smaller for the lower bedrock aquifer. The uncertainty in hydraulic conductivity was formally considered using a stochastic Monte Carlo approach. Two-hundred model runs used uniformly distributed, randomly sampled, horizontal hydraulic conductivity values within the range given by the TMR optimized values and the previously constructed regional model. A probability distribution of particles captured by the spring, or a "probabilistic capture zone," was calculated from the realistic Monte Carlo results (136 runs of 200). In addition to portions of the local surface watershed, the capture zone encompassed areas outside of the watershed--demonstrating that the ground watershed and surface watershed do not coincide. Analysis of water collected from the site identified relatively large contrasts in chemistry, even for springs within 15 m of one another. The differences showed a distinct gradation from Ordovician-carbonate-dominated water in western spring vents to Cambrian-sandstone-influenced water in eastern spring vents. The difference in chemistry was attributed to distinctive bedrock geology as demonstrated by overlaying the capture zone derived from numerical modeling over a bedrock geology map for the area. This finding gives additional confidence to the capture zone calculated by modeling.
The overexpression catalase reduces NO-mediated inhibition of endothelial NO synthase

Summary Previously, we have demonstrated that increased superoxide generation plays a role in the nitric oxide (NO)-mediated inhibition of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in endothelial cells (ECs) and that the overexpression of SOD1 could reduce the inhibitory effect of NO. However, SOD1 overexpression did not completely abolish the inhibition of eNOS by NO, indicating the presence of other inhibitory mechanisms. Because superoxide can be dismutated into hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), in this study we determined whether exposure of ECs to NO resulted in increased generation of H2O2 and the potential role of H2O2 in eNOS inhibition. Our results indicated that H2O2 levels were increased in response to NO. Using adenoviral-mediated infection, we demonstrated that catalase overexpression both increased basal eNOS activity in the absence of NO and provided a significant protective effect on eNOS activity in the presence of NO. This protective effect was associated with a significant decrease in H2O2 levels in the presence of NO. In conclusion, our results indicate that increased levels of H 2O2 may be involved in the inhibition of eNOS by NO and that the scavenging of H2O2 may be useful to prevent eNOS inhibition during treatments that involve inhaled NO or NO donors. IUBMB Life, 54: 261‐265, 2002
Complex problems in penetrating neck trauma.

Penetrating injuries of the neck are considered difficult to assess and manage. This small body area contains a dense concentration of vital vascular, aerodigestive, and nervous system structures. Many of these structures are not accessible to physical examination, and the surgical exposure of some of them is a technical challenge. The initial aggressive operative management of earlier years has been largely replaced by a selective conservative approach, but a major controversy still exists. The role of physical examination and various diagnostic procedures in the initial assessment of penetrating neck injury has become the theme of hundreds of publications. The surgical techniques for the management of specific injuries are still much debated and need resolution. This article discusses some of the complex problems related to the initial evaluation of penetrating neck injuries, offers guidelines in the management of specific difficult injuries, and highlights the controversial areas where more research is still needed.
Quantitative profile of free amino acids in various areas of cerebral cortex in normal guinea pigs

Abstract Fourteen free amino acids were identified in the cerebral cortex of normal guinea pigs. Alanine, aspartic acid, glycine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamine, glutamic acid, and serine were quantitated. Concentrations range from 8 to 35 mg per gm of fresh tissue, except for glutamic acid averaging about 120 mg per gm of fresh tissue. The study suggests a difference in aspartic acid and glycine concentrations between frontal and occipital cortex of left hemisphere.
Testing the ‘Party Matters' Thesis: Explaining Progress Towards Kyoto Protocol Targets

There is growing interest in whether and how parties matter. We add to this discussion by exploring the ways in which parties matter for policy outcomes. To do this, we look at the European Union (EU) member states' progress towards the greenhouse gas emissions targets set for them by the Kyoto Protocol and the EU's Burden Sharing Agreement. We find that governments that are more pro-environment and less ideologically divided make better progress towards their targets. We also demonstrate that green party representation in government predicts convergence. This article contributes to research examining the ways in which parties matter as well as the growing literature on coalition politics and veto players.
Understanding, building and using ontologies

Abstract I defend here the thesis of the independence between domain knowledge and problem-solving knowledge, arguing against the dominance of the so-called ‘‘interaction problem’’ mentioned in a recent paper by Van Heijst, Schreiber and Wielinga to dispute the feasibility of a single domain ontology shared by a number of different applications. The main point is that reusability across multiple tasks or methods can and should be systematically pursued even when modelling knowledge related to a single task or method. Under this view, I discuss how the principles of formal ontology and ontological engineering can be used in the practice of knowledge engineering, focusing in particular on the interplay between general ontologies, method ontologies and application ontologies, and on the role of ontologies in the knowledge engineering process. I will then stress the role of domain analysis, often absent in current methodologies for the development of knowledge-based systems.
Model dimensionality selection in bilinear transformation for feature space MLLR rapid speaker adaptation

Bilinear models based feature space Maximum Likelihood Linear Regression (FMLLR) speaker adaptation have showed good performance especially when the amount of adaptation data is limited. However, the model dimensionality selection is very critical to the performance of bilinear models and need more work to find the optimal selection method. In this paper, we present an empirical study on this issue and suggest using a piecewise log-linear function to describe the relationship between the relatively optimal dimensionality parameter and the variant amount of data. This relationship can be used to efficiently select the bilinear model dimensionality in FMLLR speaker adaptation with the variant amount of data for each test speaker to improve recognition performance on the English voice control dataset.
Subthreshold Characteristics of High-performance Inversion-type Enhancement-mode InGaAs NMOSFETs with ALD A1 2 O 3 as Gate Dielectric

In this paper, high-performance inversion-type E-mode In0.53Ga0.47As and In0.65Ga0.35As MOSFETs with ALD Al2O3 as gate dielectric is demonstrated and systematically studied their subthreshold or weak inversion characteristics. Much more works are needed to make this novel device structure a competitive technology for ultimate CMOS at 22 nm node or beyond. The work is supported by National Science Foundation and SRC FCRP MSD Center.
DNA-Reactive Carcinogens: Mode of Action and Human Cancer Hazard

It has been known for decades that mutagenicity plays an important role in the activity of most carcinogens. This mutagenicity can result from direct damage to DNA through a chemical being DNA reactive or from indirect effects, such as through the production of oxygen radicals that then react with DNA. This article presents a set of key events whereby DNA reactivity initiates the process of carcinogenicity that leads to the subsequent mutation induction and enhanced cell proliferation that ultimately results in tumor development. This set of key events for DNA-reactive chemicals was applied to two case studies (aflatoxin B1 and dichloromethane) with the aim of assessing the utility of the Human Relevance Framework (HRF) for this class of chemicals. The conclusions were that the HRF was a viable approach for the use of mechanistic data for DNA-reactive chemicals obtained from both laboratory animals and human cells in vivo and in vitro for predicting human carcinogenicity. In the case of aflatoxin B1, the HRF could be used to predict that carcinogenicity in humans was a likely outcome. In contrast, the HRF predicted that the human carcinogenic potential of dichloromethane was at best less likely than in rodents; this conclusion was supported by the available epidemiological data.
Four-quadrant control of a switched reluctance motor for a highly dynamic actuator load

A four-quadrant controller for switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives with optimal turn-on and turn-off angles for each operating quadrant is presented in this paper. The firing angles are chosen to maximize the average torque produced by the motor, which requires the optimization of the area of the energy conversion loop. The four-quadrant SR controller developed with the chosen optimization criterion gives fast motoring response as well as fast braking response. The underlying contribution of this paper is the development and solution of an optimal control problem to provide the best control strategies. The paper also provides the specific guideline to switch the firing angle position when the motor operation changes from one quadrant to another. The developed four-quadrant controller has been applied to control the linear displacement of a highly dynamic actuator load.
Liarozole inhibits transforming growth factor-β3--mediated extracellular matrix formation in human three-dimensional leiomyoma cultures.

Objective To investigate the impact of liarozole on transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) expression, TGF-β3 controlled profibrotic cytokines, and extracellular matrix formation in a three-dimensional (3D) leiomyoma model system. Design Molecular and immunohistochemical analysis in a cell line evaluated in a three-dimensional culture. Setting Laboratory study. Patient(s) None. Intervention(s) Treatment of leiomyoma and myometrial cells with liarozole and TGF-β3 in a three-dimensional culture system. Main Outcome Measure(s) Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting to assess fold gene and protein expression of TGF-β3 and TGF-β3 regulated fibrotic cytokines: collagen 1A1 (COL1A1), fibronectin, and versican before and after treatment with liarozole, and confirmatory immunohistochemical stains of treated three-dimensional cultures. Result(s) Both TGF-β3 gene and protein expression were elevated in leiomyoma cells compared with myometrium in two-dimensional and 3D cultures. Treatment with liarozole decreased TGF-β3 gene and protein expression. Extracellular matrix components versican, COL1A1, and fibronectin were also decreased by liarozole treatment in 3D cultures. Treatment of 3D cultures with TGF-β3 increased gene expression and protein production of COL1A1, fibronectin, and versican. Conclusion(s) Liarozole decreased TGF-β3 and TGF-β3–mediated extracellular matrix expression in a 3D uterine leiomyoma culture system.
Sensitivity to Marital Difficulties.

How much attention do males andfemales pay to positive and negative information about their marriages as afunction of their belief that the marriage is either in trouble or basically satisfactory? In an analog experiment, videotapes of six couples talking about problems in their marriages were presented to 121 participants. Participants were asked to put themselves in the place of either the husband or the wife and to assume that the marriage was either in trouble or generally fine. They then responded to 10 generalizations or events by rating the amount of attention the assigned spouse would give to each piece of information. Female participants attended more than male participants to negative events only when the marriage was believed to be in trouble. Those assuming the wife 's role were generally more likely than those assuming the husband ' role to attend to negative information.
Tropical ice core records: evidence for asynchronous glaciation on Milankovitch timescales†

Over the last 28 years ice core records have been systematically recovered from ten high-elevation ice fields, nine of which are located in the low latitudes. Each core has provided new information about the regional climate and environmental change, and together their records challenge existing paradigms about the Earth's climate system. When viewed collectively, these ice core histories provide compelling evidence that the growth (glaciation) and decay (deglaciation) of large ice fields in the lower latitudes are often asynchronous, both between the hemispheres and with high latitude glaciation that occurs on Milankovitch timescales. Although stable isotopic records suggest that global-scale cooling occurred during the Last Glacial Stage (LGS), we contend that precipitation is the primary driver of glaciation in the low latitudes. This is consistent with the time-transgressive nature of precession-driven changes in insolation (and hence precipitation) such that glaciers advance/retreat in the tropics north of the equator while glaciers retreat/advance in the tropics south of the equator. Thus, the coeval inter-hemispheric retreat of glaciers in the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century is atypical. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive blind equalization and tracking of fading channels using antenna arrays

An adaptive blind equalisation and tracking technique is developed in this paper that provides robustness against frequency offset and the time-varying Doppler spread. Without requiring training signals, the proposed approach combines the blind sequence estimation method and an estimate-maximization (EM) approach for the adaptive joint estimation of information sequence and frequency offset. Using antenna arrays, the proposed scheme exploits important spatial diversity. It also has a structure that is attractive for adaptive implementation. >
Reduction of dimethylsulfoxide to dimethylsulfide by marine phytoplankton

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is an abundant but poorly understood methylated sulfur compound in the marine environment. One potentially significant loss pathway for DMSO is through its biological reduction to dimethylsulfide (DMS), which has been documented in a number of organisms, most notably bacteria. Here we present the first detailed study of DMSO reduction by several marine phytoplankton in axenic cultures. Reduction of DMSO was observed in four algal classes, with in vivo reduction rates ranging from 0.006 to 1.5 mmol [L cell volume]21 s21 at 1.0 mmol L21 DMSO. Corresponding turnover times for measured intracellular DMSO pools varied from hours to days. Michaelis–Menton kinetic parameters were estimated for Isochrysis galbana, Thalassiosira pseudonana, and Amphidinium carterae. The half-saturation constant (Km) and maximal rate (Vmax) for DMSO reduction ranged between 0.96 and 2.7 mmol [L cell volume]21 and 17–118 nmol [L cell volume]21 s21, respectively. Our results suggest that DMSO reduction is a universal activity in marine phytoplankton, even in algae with no detectable dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). Although reduction of DMSO by marine eukaryotes may not contribute significantly to removal of DMSO from the dissolved phase, this reduction is likely to be a major source of DMS in species lacking detectable DMSP lyase activity. The ability of marine phytoplankton to reduce DMSO to DMS should allow algae to cycle these compounds as part of an antioxidant system.
Poetry, Music and Fremdartigkeit in Robert Schumann's Hans Christian Andersen Songs, op. 40

On 1 October 1842, Robert Schumann sent Hans Christian Andersen a copy of his recently published Funf Lieder op. 40, a song collection consisting of settings of four poems by Andersen as well as an anonymous ‘Neugriechisch’ poem, all translated into German by Adelbert von Chamisso. Although Clara Schumann had become acquainted with the poet earlier that year during a concert tour that took her through Copenhagen, Robert had yet to meet him, and the letter included with op. 40 was the first time that he addressed Andersen directly.
iNextCube: information network-enhanced text cube

Nowadays, most business, administration, and/or scientific databases contain both structured attributes and text attributes. We call a database that consists of both multidimensional structured data and narrative text data as multidimensional text database. Searching, OLAP, and mining such databases pose many research challenges. To enhance the power of data analysis, interesting entities and relationships can be extracted from such databases to derive heterogeneous information networks, which in turn will substantially increase the power and flexibility of data exploration in such databases. Based on our previous studies on TextCube [1], TopicCube [2], and information network analysis, such as RankClus [3] and NetClus [4], we construct iNextCube, an information-Network-enhanced textCube. In this demo, we show the power of iNextCube in the search and analysis of two multidimensional text databases: (i) a DBLP-based CS bibliographic database, and (ii) an online news database.
The Continual Significance of Skin Color: An Exploratory Study of Latinos in the Northeast

Previous studies have shown that skin color matters for Latinos' life chances. Most of these studies have focused on Latinos in the Southwest, specifically Mexican and Chi - cano males. Using the 1994 Boston Social Survey Data, this study examines the effects of skin color for Latinos in the Northeast, specifically Puerto Rican and Dominican men and women. This exploratory study suggests that having dark skin negatively affects wages for men; however, this was not the case for females in the sample. Differences in physical appearance, most notably skin color, hair texture and color, body size and shape, and facial features, have marked racial and ethnic differences and differentially affect the life chances of individuals within different groups. Historically, White colonialists have used skin color as a marker of status. Whiteness was considered superior to the dark-skinned indigenous population of Latin America and to the African slaves they brought with them (Murguia & Telles, 1996). Existing research on phenotype differences among minority groups in the United States, specifically African Americans and Latinos, has shown that in general, lighter skinned or more European featured (i.e. thin lips, aquiline nose, blue eyes, blond and straighter hair) individuals do better than darker skinned individuals of the same group. According to some studies, light-complexioned African Ameri- cans are perceived as more attractive and fare better economically and educa- tionally than their dark-skinned counterparts (Hughes & Hertel, 1990; Keith & Herring, 1991; Russell, Wilson, & Hall, 1992). Although the Latino popula- tion in the United States is made up of groups of many different national ori- gins, much of the research examining phenotype for Latinos has focused on Mexican and Chicano men in the Southwest. Because Chicanos are primarily a mix of Indian and European ancestry, they vary in skin tones from very light
Developmental commitment in a bacterium.

Summary We investigated developmental commitment during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis . Sporulation is initiated by nutrient limitation and involves division of the developing cell into two progeny, the forespore and the mother cell, with different fates. Differentiation becomes irreversible following division when neither the forespore nor the mother cell can resume growth when provided with nutrients. We show that commitment is governed by the transcription factors σ F and σ E , which are activated in the forespore and the mother cell, respectively. We further show that commitment involves spoIIQ , which is under the control of σ F , and spoIIP , which is under the control of both σ F and σ E . In the presence of nutrients, the forespore can exhibit rodlike, longitudinal growth when SpoIIQ and SpoIIP are absent, whereas the mother cell can do so when SpoIIP alone is absent. Thus, developmental commitment of this single-celled organism, like that of the cells of complex, multicellular organisms, ensures that differentiation is maintained despite changes in the extracellular milieu.
Accurate Experimental Values for the Free Energies of Hydration of H + , OH - , and H3O +

Accurate experimental values for the free energies of hydration, or the free energies of solvation, of the H+, OH-, and H3O+ ions are of fundamental importance. By use of the most accurate value fo...
A universal test and maintenance controller for modules and boards

The design of a versatile module test and maintenance controller (MMC) is presented. Driven by structures test programs, an MMC is able to test every chip in a module or PCB via a test bus. More than one test bus can be controlled by an MMC, and can support several bus architectures and many modes of testing. The differences between MMCs on different modules are the test programs that they execute, the number of test buses they control, and the expansion units they use. A simple yet novel circuit, called a test channel, is used in an MMC. The MMC processor can control a test channel by reading/writing its internal registers. Once initialized by the MMC processor, a test channel can carry out most of the testing of a chip. Thus the processor need not deal with detailed test-bus control sequences since they are generated by the test channel. This strategy greatly simplifies the development of test programs. The proposed MMC can be implemented as a single-chip ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) or by off-the-shelf components. Some of its self-test features are presented. >
Synthesizing optimal family of linear systolic arrays for matrix computations

A method is proposed for designing a family of linear systolic arrays for matrix-oriented problems for which two-dimensional arrays have been designed. The design exhibits a tradeoff between local storage, s, and number of processing elements, n. The arrays are linear, with each processor having storage O(s),1 >
A nonlinear multigrid for imaging electrical conductivity and permittivity at low frequency

We propose a nonlinear multigrid approach for imaging the electrical conductivity and permittivity of a body Ω, given partial, usually noisy knowledge of the Neumann-to-Dirichlet map at the boundary. The algorithm is a nested iteration, where the image is constructed on a sequence of grids in Ω, starting from the coarsest grid and advancing towards the finest one. We show various numerical examples that demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the algorithm and prove local convergence.
Thermal protection from Cold Water Immersion in a Spacecraft Launch Entry and Abort Suit

A new spacecraft Launch, Entry and Abort (LEA) suit is being designed for NASA Exploration Programs. The LEA suit will provide thermal protection for the crew in nominal and contingency scenarios. An emergency that requires the crew to exit the vehicle and enter cold ocean waters has been identified as a desired design condition. This paper presents thermal analysis of a suited crew member with varying degrees of undergarment insulation. Thermal properties for the LEA suit were estimated from a survey of literature on clothing thermal performance with a focus on immersion dry suits. Analysis of a suited crew member was performed using the Wissler Human Thermal Model. The benefits and potential impacts of designing a suit with varying degrees of cold water immersion capability are discussed.
Modular, compact HV-capacitor charger

We are reporting on a new compact high power capacitor charger with modular topology for rep. rated High Power Microwave generators and other Pulsed Power Applications. The charger is capable of using a number of synchronized H-Bridge inverters feeding into a common transformer. The common transformer uses litz wire windings [1] and a nano-crystalline core to reduce losses and AC impedance. The H-Bridge inverter modules are individually controlled using peak current mode control which assures proper current sharing and protects the H-Bridge modules from overload while achieving the maximum current handling capacity. To assure stability of the current loops for peak current mode control, slope compensation [2] is used. Major advancements over previous designs [4] are the ability to use multiple H-Bridge inverters with proper synchronization, improved efficiency through advanced transformer design and improved current mode control.
B cell reductive therapy with rituximab in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

The approach to treating autoimmune disorders is currently undergoing a significant change in focus. As therapies are developed that are more precise in targeting the pathogenesis for these diseases, patients experience significantly fewer side effects. At the same time, as more precise therapies are discovered, the etiologies of these diseases become further elucidated. It is now widely accepted that B-lymphocytes play a significant role in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases, the extent of which continues to be the focus of ongoing research. Rheumatoid arthritis is one such disease process that has been the focus of various B-lymphocyte-directed therapeutic trials. In this paper we review the current research available on rituximab as treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. This review details results from four main studies, as well as others, which used rituximab in at least one of the arms in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The results are promising and will likely lead to longer term studies as well as a potential focus on B cell subsets.
QMC Assessments of Weak-interaction Described by DFT within various XC approximations / Effects of Carbon Nanotube Oxidation on Molecular Interactions

This paper first presents the fixed-node diffusion and reptation quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) assessment of density functional theory (DFT) description of weak molecular interactions within several exchange-correlation (XC) approximations. The case of Benzene-molecule complex was studied with a number of small molecules. We found that the binding energy for the set of complexes depend significantly on XC approximation employed although its trend appears rather consistent. Analysis of the reduced density gradient revealed that the binding energy trend among different XC approximation is highly correlated with the exchange enhancement factor behaviors at large reduced density gradients. Our findings point to the importance of accurate exchange energy functional in describing the weak interactions, in addition to the more obvious correlation part in DFT description. We then present DFT investigation on molecular interaction of NO3 toward a single-wall carbon nanotube (CNT). We aim to explain the atomistic processes that are responsible for the recently observed CNT conductance changes in the redox process. We found that molecular physisorption and chemisorption to be energetically stable states, and the chemisorbed configuration becomes less endothermic with an increased oxidation state of the CNT. Our results also show that the dissociative incorporation of the molecule can become highly favored energetically in the process. This chemical state may play an important role of the occasionally-observed CNT conductance irreversibility in the experiment.
Ectopic Liver A Unique Prenatally Diagnosed Solid Umbilical Cord Mass

Solid umbilical cord masses are rare incidental findings during obstetric sonographic examinations. Most prenatally diagnosed lesions represent angiomyxomas (hemangiomas), hematomas, or teratomas. 1 We describe a solid umbilical cord mass subsequently shown to be a urachal cyst containing ectopic liver.
Six new host records for Mesocestoides sp. tetrathyridia (Cestoidea: Cyclophyllidea) from amphibians and reptiles of Arkansas, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT: Forty-two individual amphibians and 37 reptiles from Arkansas, U.S.A., were examined for tetrathyridia of the cyclophyllidean cestode genus, Mesocestoides. The following herpetofauna were found to be infected with encapsulated or free tetrathyridia of this tapeworm, 1 of 25 (4%) spotted salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum; 1 of 17 (6%) western slimy salamanders, Plethodon albagula; 1 of 21 (5%) 5-lined skinks, Plestiodon fasciatus; 1 of 5 (20%) black racers, Coluber constrictor priapus; 1 of 10 (10%), western rat snakes, Pantherophis obsoletus; and 1 of 1 (100%) eastern garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis. We report 6 new host records for Mesocestoides sp., including the fifth and sixth report of this parasite from caudate amphibians of the world. This is also only the second time this tapeworm has been reported from snakes of the genus Thamnophis.
Characterizations of folded student’s t distribution

A probability distribution can be characterized through various methods. In this paper, we have established some new characterizations of folded Student’s t distribution by truncated first moment, order statistics and upper record values. It is hoped that the results will be quite useful in the fields of probability, statistics, and other applied sciences.
The Reproduction of Objective Knowledge: Common Sense Reasoning in Medical Decision Making

Modern society is said to epitomize the production of objective knowledge. Considerable time is devoted to the production as well as the reproduction of objective knowledge in public and private sectors of nation-states. We seldom recognize that the reproductive process is not only very time consuming, but also gives knowledge a central role in the way modern societies sustain themselves. Knowing contributes to the creation, maintenance, and change in status systems and the acquisition and use of authority and power. Sociologists are only beginning to examine the socially organized processes which lead to the reproduction of objective knowledge.
Meaningless Acquittals, Meaningful Convictions: Do We Reliably Acquit the Innocent?

Does our system of criminal adjudication reliably acquit the innocent? The traditional answer to this question is that we have done "all that is practicable" to assure than an innocent is not convicted. If the wrong person is convicted, it is because of a human failing which cannot be avoided (e.g., fallible or venal witnesses) or for aberrational, non-systemic reasons. This paper challenges the traditional view. It examines the very limited data which bear on the topic -- with particular emphasis on a recent NIJ Report dealing with prisoners exonerated through DNA testing -- as well as the legal doctrines which purport to assure that the errors we commit favor the innocent, not the guilty. Our commitment to a party-driven adjudicatory process coupled with our indifference to the disparity of resources between the parties necessarily results in adjudications based upon incomplete information. This disparity does not trouble us, however, because of the virtually universal assumption that all those charged and brought to trial are guilty. We tolerate an incomplete presentation by the state due to a lack of zeal in pursuing all leads or to the conscious withholding of relevant information (as long as it is not materially exculpatory in the constitutional sense,) or both, because we know that the guilty defendant is withholding the most valuable possible information -- his own testimony. Indeed, we seem to prefer that the defendant to withhold information; should he not do so it is appropriate to increase his punishment for having had the temerity to commit perjury in open court. These rules may achieve rough justice in a world where pre-trial processes assure that only the guilty are charged and brought to trial, but they do not provide a very congenial environment for the falsely accused who knows nothing of the crime. A falsely accused innocent gains little comfort from constitutionally based rules regulating police conduct. Our error preference rules do not balance the scale since there is no reason to believe that factfinders will be particularly adept at sorting the innocent from the guilty if the prosecutor has done her job appropriately and accurately determined that sufficient evidence exists against the accused to support a verdict of guilty. Solving the problem is a good deal harder than describing it since the repeat participants in the process -- prosecutors, judges, defense counsel, police and defendants -- may well prefer the freedom of action and erratic outcomes of a party-driven system to a more hierarchical approach centering upon the goal of accurate fact determination. Nonetheless, we could begin addressing the problem by acknowledging the dramatic difference between our rhetorical commitment to the protection of the falsely accused innocent and the reality of our indifference to the problem.
Impedance spectroscopy to monitor fracture healing

An estimated 7.9 million fracture injuries occur each year in the United States, of which a substantial fraction result in delayed or non-union. Current methods of monitoring fracture healing include taking x-rays and making clinical observations. However, x-ray confirmation of bone healing typically lags behind biologic healing, and physician assessment of healing is fraught with subjectivity. No standardized methods exist to assess the extent of healing that has taken place in a fracture. Without such knowledge, interventions to aid healing and prevent fracture non-union are often delayed, leading to increased morbidity and suffering to patients. We are developing an objective measurement tool that utilizes electrical impedance spectroscopy to distinguish between the various types of tissue present during the different stages of fracture healing. Preliminary measurements of cadaveric tissues reveal adequate spread in impedance measurements and differences in frequency response among different tissue types. Electrodes implanted in a simulated fracture created in an ex vivo cadaver model yield promising results for our system's ability to differentiate between the stages of fracture healing.
Enhanced Hydrolytic Stability of Self-Assembling Alkylated Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks

The stability and bulk properties of two-dimensional boronate ester-linked covalent organic frameworks (COFs) were investigated upon exposure to aqueous environments. Enhanced stability was observed for frameworks with alkylation in the pores of the COF compared to nonalkylated, bare-pore frameworks. COF-18A and COF-5 were analyzed as “bare-pore” COFs, while COF-16A (methyl), COF-14A (ethyl), and COF-11A (propyl) were evaluated as “alkylated-pore” materials. Upon submersion in aqueous media, the porosity of alkylated COFs decreased ∼25%, while the nonalkylated COFs were almost completely hydrolyzed, virtually losing all porosity. Similar trends were observed for the degree of crystallinity for these materials, with ∼40% decrease for alkylated COFs and 95% decrease for nonalkylated COFs. SEM was used to probe the particle size and morphology for these hydrolyzed materials. Stability tests, using absorbance spectroscopy and 1H NMR, monitored the release of monomers as the COF degraded. While nonalkylated CO...
From subjects to relations: Bioethics and the articulation of postcolonial politics in the Cambodia Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis trial.

Controversies about global clinical trials, particularly HIV trials, tend to be framed in terms of ethics. In this article, I explore debates about ethics in the Cambodia Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis trial, which was designed to test the safety and efficacy of tenofovir as a prevention for HIV infection. Bringing together studies of public participation in science with studies of bioethics, I show how activists around the Cambodian Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis trial circulated and provoked debates about standards of research ethics, as opposed to research methodology. This postcolonial bioethics was configured through the circulation of and debate about ethics guidelines, and historically and culturally specific relations of vulnerability and responsibility between foreigners and Cambodians and between Cambodian leaders and Cambodian subjects. I argue that this shift in the object of ethical concern, from the experimental human subject to the relation between subjects and researchers, illustrates how a postcoloni...
Laboratory Life Cycle of Ixodes woodi (Acari: Ixodidae)

A 24-mo study of the laboratory life cycle of the tick Ixodes woodi Bishopp was conducted. No other such study of any species in the subgenus Ixodiopsis Filippova has been reported. Three generations of I. woodi were examined. Larvae and nymphs fed for an average of 4 d; approximately 8-9 d were required for females to engorge. Females laid approximately 900 eggs that required an average of 37.33 d to hatch.