cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunoreactivity correlates with ALK gene rearrangement and transcriptional up-regulation in non–small cell lung carcinomas

Recently, the fusion gene EML4-ALK was identified in non-small cell lung carcinoma, which could be a potential therapeutic target. We investigated the prevalence of anaplastic lymphoma kinase protein expression in these tumors by immunohistochemistry and correlated the results with data from ALK molecular studies. Gene expression profiling was performed on 35 adenocarcinomas to identify cases with ALK gene up-regulation, which was correlated with protein overexpression by immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemistry was also performed on an independent cohort consisting of 150 adenocarcinomas and 150 squamous cell carcinomas to evaluate the utility of anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunostaining as a screening tool. Florescence in situ hybridization for the ALK locus and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for EML4-ALK were performed on tumors positive for anaplastic lymphoma kinase by immunohistochemistry. Transcriptional up-regulation of ALK was identified in 2 (6%) of 35 adenocarcinomas by gene expression profiling. These 2 cases were positive for anaplastic lymphoma kinase by immunohistochemistry, whereas the remaining 33 cases were completely negative. In the independent cohort, anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunostaining was positive in 1 of 150 squamous cell carcinomas and in 3 of 150 adenocarcinomas. The 6 cases positive for anaplastic lymphoma kinase by immunohistochemistry showed evidence of ALK locus rearrangement by florescence in situ hybridization but were negative for EGFR and KRAS mutation. The presence of EML4-ALK fusion transcript was confirmed in 2 cases by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunoreactivity in non-small cell lung carcinomas was associated with transcriptional up-regulation, ALK locus rearrangement, and the presence of EML4-ALK fusion transcript. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase immunohistochemistry may have utility as a screening tool or as a surrogate marker for the molecular techniques to detect the EML4-ALK fusion gene in these tumors.
State-variable design methods may produce unstable feedback controllers

Abstract The transfer function representation of controllers designed by modern state-variable design methods is considered. It is shown that procedures currently being used to design state feedback control laws and state observers (state filters) do not guarantee that the overall controller will be stable. In this paper, additional criteria which do guarantee stable controllers are derived for a general class of second- and third-order systems. A numerical example is presented.
An Anxious Pursuit: Agricultural Innovation and Modernity in the Lower South, 1730-1815

In An Anxious Pursuit , Joyce Chaplin examines the impact of the Enlightenment ideas of progress on the lives and minds of American planters in the colonial Lower South. She focuses particularly on the influence of Scottish notions of progress, tracing the extent to which planters in South Carolina, Georgia, and British East Florida perceived themselves as a modern, improving people. She reads developments in agricultural practice as indices of planters' desire for progress, and she demonstrates the central role played by slavery in their pursuit of modern life. By linking behavior and ideas, Chaplin has produced a work of cultural history that unites intellectual, social, and economic history. Using public records as well as planters' and farmers' private papers, Chaplin examines innovations in rice, indigo, and cotton cultivation as a window through which to see planters' pursuit of a modern future. She demonstrates that planters actively sought to improve their society and economy even as they suffered a pervasive anxiety about the corrupting impact of progress and commerce. The basis for their accomplishments and the root of their anxieties, according the Chaplin, were the same: race-based chattel slavery. Slaves provied the labor necessary to attain planters' vision of the modern, but the institution ultimately limited the Lower South's ability to compete in the contemporary world. Indeed, whites continued to wonder whether their innovations, some of them defied by slaves, truly improved the region. Chaplin argues that these apprehensions prefigured the antimodern stance of the antebellum period, but she contends that they were as much a reflection of the doubt inherent in theories of progress as an outright rejection of those ideas.
Differential expression of A2a, A1-adenosine and D2-dopamine receptor genes in rat peripheral arterial chemoreceptors during postnatal development

Abstract The sensitivity of peripheral arterial chemoreceptors in the carotid body to hypoxia increases with postnatal maturation. Carotid sinus nerve activity is augmented by adenosine binding to A2a-adenosine receptors and attenuated by dopamine binding to D2-dopamine receptors. In this study, we used in situ hybridization histochemistry to determine the change in the levels of mRNA expression for A2a and A1-adenosine receptors and D2-dopamine receptors in the rat carotid body. We also investigated the cellular distribution and possible colocalization of these receptor mRNAs and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNAs during the first 2 weeks of postnatal development. By using immunohistocytochemistry, we detected A2a-adenosine receptor protein in the carotid body and petrosal ganglion. We found that A2a-adenosine receptor mRNA and protein are expressed in the carotid body in animals at 0, 3, 6 and 14 postnatal days. The level of A2a-adenosine receptor mRNA expression significantly decreased by 14 postnatal days (P
Reaction kinetics of Powder River Basin coal gasification in carbon dioxide using a modified drop tube reactor

Abstract Carbon dioxide gasification and coal pyrolysis rates were measured in a modified drop tube fixed bed reactor, accompanied with a rapid response, real-time gas analysis system. Rapid heating and fast pyrolysis of the coal sample are intended to approximate the injection of ambient temperature coal into a fluidized bed gasifier. Experiments were done from 833 °C to 975 °C and from 1 atm to 12 atm in a 4:1 mixture of CO 2 and argon with coal particles ranging between 250 μm and 850 μm. Reaction rates and carbon conversions were calculated based on the CO signal from a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The random pore model closely fits the experimental results and fitting parameters are listed. Results from the effects of temperature and pressure, pyrolysis conditions, and characteristics of chars (surface area measurements, scanning electron microscope images) are presented.
Regional targeting of bisantrene by directed intravascular precipitation

Targeting of anticancer drugs to specific organs by directed intravascular precipitation was studied in calves using 9-10 anthracenedicarboxyaldehyde bis [(4,5-dihydro-lH-imidazol-2-yl) hydrazone] dihydrochloride (Bisantrene), a clinically active anticancer drug with limited solubility at physiological pH. Rapid injection of Bisantrene in solution at pH 4.5 into the internal iliac artery resulted in concentrations of drug in the urinary bladder wall supplied by the artery that were more than 1000 times those in the same tissue following injection of the same dose of drug IV, the route of administration used clinically. Localization of the orange fluorescent drug to the ipsilateral bladder wall was easily seen. Fluorescence microscopy revealed deposits of drug along the walls of the arteriolar and capillary bed supplied by the artery into which it had been injected. Concentrations of drug in the systemic circulation and in tissues not supplied by the internal iliac artery used for drug injection were lower after intraarterial (IA) drug administration than after IV administration. Pathological studies of the tissues of calves sacrificed at intervals up to four weeks following rapid injection into the internal iliac artery of the same doses of Bisantrene used IV in cancer patients did not reveal evidence of extensive cytotoxicity to the infused organs.
Electroreflectance at a semiconductor-electrolyte interface: Infrared measurements☆

Abstract Measurements of electroreflectance at a semi-conductor electorlyte interface in the infrared region to about 0.6 eV are reported.
Theory of far-infrared absorption in superconducting composites

A simple model is described for the frequency-dependent conductivity of normal-superconducting composites. The superconducting component is characterized by the Mattis-Bardeen conductivity, and the composite conductivity is determined via the effective-medium approximation. Near the percolation threshold ${p}_{c}$ there is strong absorption below twice the superconducting gap. Scaling arguments indicate that our results have validity beyond mean-field theory. The model is in qualitative agreement with recent experiments on granular NbN films.
Laser Assisted Etching For Microelectronic Applications

There are four general types of laser-assisted processes which have been employed for dry etching organics, semiconductors, and metals used in microelectronics [1]. The first is laser ablation or laser-induced evaporation, which is physical rather than chemical in nature [2-7]. The second type of process uses the laser to heat the material surface, thereby increasing the rate of a thermally activated chemical reaction [8-10]. The third is gas-phase photochemical etching in which the laser is used to generate the reactive gas-phase species responsible for etching a semiconductor or metal [11-16]. The fourth type is surface photochemical etching in which the laser is used to create the photogenerated carriers responsible for etching; highly selective etching can be achieved by capitalizing on the surface electronic properties which influence carrier generation or subsequent behavior [17-20]. These four laser-assisted dry etching methods will be reviewed, with special emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of the three chemical processes for etching semiconductor materials.
Strategic insights into the critical success factors online for-profit educational providers: case study

The last decade has seen a dramatic growth of online educational service providers (OESPs) and a major paradigm shift from the traditional mode of instruction. Within a knowledge-based information-intensive society, or education, the internet has allowed for accessibility to convenient and affordable educational opportunities for self-improvement. Chief about these OESPs is the University of Phoenix (UOP), which older, part-time students seeking the skills vital to success in this information-intensive environment. This creation of virtual learning communities has redefined the strategic success factors that managers must operate in. The Apollo Group, Inc., established in 1976, provides higher education to a non-traditional student population through its four subsidiaries: UOP, Institute for Professional Development, The College for Financial Planning Institutes, and Western International University. As its largest subsidiary, UOP accounts for roughly 85% of the Apollo Group's revenues. This case study documents and creates a forum for discussion on the critical success factors via a traditional financial and strategic analysis of the OESP-based industry.
Stressed Out: Endogenous Aldehydes Damage Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Despite a well-defined role for the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway in mediating DNA repair, the mechanisms underlying the bone marrow failure in FA patients are poorly defined. Recently in Nature, Garaycoechea et al. (2012), identify aldehyde-mediated genotoxicity of hematopoietic stem cells as a cause for bone marrow failure.
AN INTRODUCTION TO SARBANES-OXLEY AND ITS IMPACT ON SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

The purpose of this manuscript is to provide readers with an overview of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, its origins, important sections, and its impact on Supply Chain Management. Study results generally contradict the negative affects that this important piece of legislation has reportedly had. The authors provide recommendations to supply chain managers and offer suggestions for future research. Finally, this manuscript seeks to educate readers on Sarbanes-Oxley in order help them better understand how this important Act has impacted the business community.
Thermal decomposition of the benzyl radical to fulvenallene (C7H6) + H.

We show that the benzyl radical decomposes to the C7H6 fragment fulvenallene (+H), by first principles/RRKM study. Calculations using G3X heats of formation and B3LYP/6-31G(2df,p) structural and vibrational parameters reveal that the reaction proceeds predominantly via a cyclopentenyl-allene radical intermediate, with an overall activation enthalpy of ca. 85 kcal mol−1. Elementary rate constants are evaluated using Eckart tunneling corrections, with variational transition state theory for barrierless C−H bond dissociation in the cyclopentenyl-allene radical. Apparent rate constants are obtained as a function of temperature and pressure from a time-dependent RRKM study of the multichannel multiwell reaction mechanism. At atmospheric pressure we calculate the decomposition rate constant to be k [s−1] = 5.93 × 1035T−6.099 exp(−49 180/T); this is in good agreement with experiment, supporting the assertion that fulvenallene is the C7H6 product of benzyl decomposition. The benzyl heat of formation is evaluated ...
[13C]-Specific labeling of 8-2' linked (-)-cis-blechnic, (-)-trans-blechnic and (-)-brainic acids in the fern Blechnum spicant

In vivo administration experiments using stable (13C) and radio (14C) labeled precursors established that the optically active 8-2' linked lignans, (-)-cis-blechnic, (-)-trans-blechnic and (-)-trans-brainic acids, were directly derived from L-phenylalanine, cinnamate, and p-coumarate but not either from tyrosine or acetate. The radiochemical time course data suggest that the initial coupling product is (-)-cis-blechnic acid, which is then apparently converted into both (-)-trans-blechnic and (-)-trans-brainic acids in vivo. These findings provide additional evidence for vascular plant proteins engendering distinct but specific phenolic radical-radical coupling modes, i.e., for full control over phenylpropanoid coupling in vivo, whether stereoselective or regiospecific.
Study on the neurotoxic effects of low-level lead exposure in rats.

Objective: To investigate effects of developmental lead exposure on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in different brain regions and on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rats. On the basis of these observations, we explored possible mechanisms by which lead, exposure leads to impaired learning and memorizing abilities in children. Methods: A series of rat animal models exposed to low levels of lead during the developing period was established (drinking water containing 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.075% lead acetate). NOS activities in the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum and the brain stem were determined with fluorescence measurement and levels of mRNA expression of the NMDA receptor 2A (NR2A) subunit and NMDA receptor 2B (NR2B) subunit in the rat hippocampus were measured with Retro-translation (RT-PCR). Results: There were no differences in the body weight of rat pups between any of the groups at any given time (P>0.05). The blood lead level of Pb-exposed rat pups showed a systematic pattern of change: at 14 d of age, it was lower than that at 7 d of age, then rising to the peak level at 21 d and finally falling to lower levels at 28 d. The hippocampal NOS activities of lead-exposed groups were all lower than that of the control group on the 21 st and 28th day (P<0.01). NOS activities in the cerebellum of lead-exposed groups were all lower than that of the control group on the 21st, and 28th day (P<0.001) and the NOS activity of the 0.025% group was significantly lower than that of the 0.05% groups on the 28th day (P<0.05). NOS activity in the cerebral cortex of the 0.075% group was significantly lower than that of the control, 0.025% and 0.05% groups on the four day spans (P<0.001). There was no significant difference of NOS activity in the brain stem between any lead-exposed group and the control group on the four day spans. In the 0.05% and the 0.075% groups the level of NR2A mRNA expression was higher than that in the control group at 7 d and 14 d of age (P<0.05). In the 0.025% group, the level of NR2A was found to be higher than that in the control group at 7 d of age only (P<0.05). No significant differences were found for the levels of NR2B mRNA expression between any of the groups at any given time. Conclusions: NOS activity in the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum are inhibited by lead exposure. The degree of the inhibitory effect depends on the time span of exposure and the lead concentration. Developmental low-level lead exposure was found to raise the level of NR2A mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rats. Developmental low-level lead exposure does not affect the level of NR2B mRNA expression in the hippocampus.
“Key Interactions” as Agency and Empowerment: Providing a Sense of the Possible to Marginalized, Mexican-Descent Students

This article discusses how key interactions between community members, teachers, and Latino counselors and advisers were integral in providing support, knowledge, and agency to marginalized, Mexican-descent students in their 1st year of college. Findings show that particular types of discourse and narrative exchanged between integral adult figures and the students helped to create a common point of cultural and personal understanding that fueled further efforts and motivation on the part of the students.
Synthesis and evaluation of new iRGD peptide analogs for tumor optical imaging

Recently, a disulfide-based cyclic RGD peptide called iRGD, that is, c(CRGDKGPDC), has been reported to interact with both integrin and neuropilin-1 receptors for cellular and deep tissue penetration to improve the imaging sensitivity and therapeutic efficacy. In this study, two new near-infrared fluorescent iRGD conjugates, that is, Ac-Cys(IRDye®800CW)-iRGD (1), and its dual labeling analog DOTA-Cys(IRDye®800CW)-iRGD (2) were synthesized via the specific mercapto-maleimide reaction for tumor imaging. Both 1 and 2 showed significant tumor localization in optical imaging of MDA-MB-435 tumor-bearing mice. The potential of such iRGD compounds in tumor-targeted imaging and drug delivery deserves further exploration.
TeraNet: a multi-gigabits per second ATM network

Abstract TeraNet is an experimental network being built at the Center for Telecommunications Research, Columbia University. The network is part of the ACORN (Advanced Communications Organization for Research Network) project. The purpose of ACORN is to investigate innovative optical network architectures which offer user access at data rates as high as one Gigabit per second (Gbit/s). The design principles of TeraNet incorporate three main concepts: a transmission medium that contains multiple channels; a system architecture that employs a multihop approach to routing packets; and a traffic control architecture that supports multiple traffic classes. The network contains a set of network interface units (NIU) that are interconnected with passive optics. Each NIU is a two-by-two switch with an additional user access port. Each of the six NIU ports (three input and three output) can handle data rates up to one Gbit/s. The NIU buffers and the bandwidth of the output links are shared by four traffic classes according to the ATS concept of resource allocation. The packet format and routing procedure are compatible with the emerging ATM standard.
American chestnut sprout survival with biological control of the chestnut-blight fungus population

The American chestnut trees in Connecticut were reduced to understory shrubs by an imported fungus that causes lethal cankers. Chestnut blight disease was first reported in the United States in 1904, and in Connecticut in 1907. Hypovirulence is a virus disease of the fungus that reduces its virulence enough to allow the defense systems of the trees to restrict the fungus to the outer bark. Blight cankers on chestnut sprouts in a 1.4 ha wood-lot in central Connecticut were treated with hypovirulent strains from 1982 through 1986. Stem diameters were measured periodically. Stem size distribution has stayed consistently higher than in a comparable forest area with no treatment.
Infrared Atmospheric Pressure MALDI Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry of Frozen Samples Using a Peltier-Cooled Sample Stage

Infrared atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization on an ion trap mass spectrometer is used to analyze frozen samples generated using a Peltier-cooled sample stage. This allows for the analysis of samples in water without the addition of matrix, in near-native conditions, and with minimal loss of water due to evaporation. Analysis of frozen samples is extended to study peptides, carbohydrates, and glycolipids.
An algorithm for handling corners in the boundary element method: Application to conduction-convection equations

Accurate and efficient determination of temperatures and fluxes along with their design sensitivities in conduction-convection problems involving geometric or generalized corners is the primary objective of this paper. A boundary element method (BEM) approach is used for this purpose, and the design sensitivities are obtained through direct differentiation of the governing integral equations. Conforming elements are used, and corners are treated through constraint equations. Several numerical results are presented, and a few of them are compared with existing analytical results to establish the validity of this approach.
Comparison of prostate volume measured by transrectal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging: is transrectal ultrasound suitable to determine which patients should undergo active surveillance?

Abstract Objectives To compare prostate volume obtained by transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and endorectal MRI (eMRI) to assess the reliability of TRUS in determining prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density. Materials and methods Data for 2,410 patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer (CaP) and treated with radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) at the University of Pennsylvania Health System between 1991 and 2005 was reviewed. Of these patients, 756 had both a preoperative TRUS and eMRI of the prostate performed. Prostate size was estimated using the prolate ellipsoid formula (height × width × length × π/6); maximal height or antero-posterior (A-P) diameter was determined using a midsagittal view for TRUS and an axial view for eMRI. Pearson's correlation, linear regression, and paired t-test were performed to compare prostate volumes estimated via both imaging modalities. Results Average prostate size measured with TRUS and eMRI correlated significantly with one another (R = 0.801; P 30–60, and >60 ml), significant correlation (0.318, 0.564, 0.650) and difference between volumes (−2.1, 4.0, 5.1 ml; P Conclusions Prostate volume estimations with TRUS and eMRI are highly correlated. It is therefore, reasonable to conclude that in the hands of an experienced sonographer, TRUS is not only an efficient and economical examination, but also an accurate and reproducible modality to estimate prostate size.
Reactive block copolymer scaffolds

Block copolymers with sequences of differential reactivity were synthesized, and the step-wise and selective derivatization to form a new block copolymer was demonstrated.
Crystal receptor models in medicinal chemistry: Application to the generation of highly potent potassium channel openers

Abstract The cavity produced by removing one molecule of the potassium channel opener (PCO) cromakalim from its crystal lattice, contains shape and electrostatic information that has been exploited as a tool in drug design.
N-cadherin in osteolineage cells is not required for maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells.

There is evidence suggesting that N-cadherin expression on osteoblast lineage cells regulates hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function and quiescence. To test this hypothesis, we conditionally deleted N-cadherin (Cdh2) in osteoblasts using Cdh2flox/flox Osx-Cre mice. N-cadherin expression was efficiently ablated in osteoblast lineage cells as assessed by mRNA expression and immunostaining of bone sections. Basal hematopoiesis is normal in these mice. In particular, HSC number, cell cycle status, long-term repopulating activity, and self-renewal capacity were normal. Moreover, engraftment of wild-type cells into N-cadherin–deleted recipients was normal. Finally, these mice responded normally to G-CSF, a stimulus that mobilizes HSCs by inducing alterations to the stromal micro-environment. In conclusion, N-cadherin expression in osteoblast lineage cells is dispensable for HSC maintenance in mice.
Associations between self-reported quality of care and county characteristics are largely similar in rural and urban settings.

Context The content and spectrum of rural health care services are different from those in urban areas. The extent to which health care consumers' perceptions of the quality of these services vary across settings and the association of these perceptions with features of rural and urban settings are unclear. Objective To determine whether perceptual differences of quality exist and contrast rural/urban associations between contextual characteristics and perceived quality of health care. Methods Multilevel, cross-sectional analysis of a state-representative sample of 33 786 adults, stratified by rural/urban status linked with county-level data describing contextual features (eg, health care, economics, and social capital). The dependent variable was respondents' perceived quality of health care received in the past year. Weighted multilevel random intercept models examined the independent association of contextual characteristics with perceived quality. Results Overall perceived quality did not differ between rural and urban settings. Similarly, the pattern of associations between perceived quality and contextual characteristics was generally comparable between settings. A notable difference was an association between higher quality with an increasing proportion of hospitals offering more than 25 services in urban areas (beta = .763; P Conclusions Despite rural/urban differences in contextual characteristics with potential influence on health care delivery, overall consumer perception of health care quality was similar in both settings. This suggests that health care managers may be adopting setting-specific strategies to enhance consumer satisfaction despite contextual differences.
CASSINI CIRS OBSERVATIONS OF A ROLL-OFF IN SATURN RING SPECTRA AT SUBMILLIMETER WAVELENGTHS

The Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) spatially resolved Saturn’s main rings in the far-infrared, measuring the spectrum from 20 to 400 wavenumbers (cm−1) (tens of microns to submillimeter wavelengths). We find a spectral roll-off below 50 cm−1 (200 μm) for each of the A, B and C rings. From these data we derive temperatures and emissivities for each ring. Mie calculations of individual water ice particles show a natural variation in the optical properties of the rings similar to the roll-off we observe in our data. A simple radiative transfer model placing a distribution of water ice particles randomly in a layer provides a good fit to the data and illustrates one possible interpretation of the results. This is most likely only part of the explanation for the roll-off effect as the impact of shape, surface, and composition variations have been left for future analysis.
Distance bounds on quantum dynamics

We derive rigorous upper bounds on the distance between quantum states in an open-system setting in terms of the operator norm between Hamiltonians describing their evolution. We illustrate our results with an example taken from protection against decoherence using dynamical decoupling.
Electrochemical synthesis and corrosion behavior of poly(N-ethyl aniline) coatings on Al-2024 alloy

Poly(N-ethyl aniline) coating was electrodeposited onto Al-2024 by using cyclic voltammetry. The coating was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The corrosion resistance of the film was evaluated by dc polarization studies. These coatings were formed in aqueous solution of oxalic acid. The concentration of monomer and oxalic acid were kept constant at 0.1 and 0.3 M, respectively. The formation of the polymer coating was monitored by cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroscopy. Preliminary dc polarization results show that poly(N-ethyl aniline) has a corrosion rate of about 0.004 mmpy, which is significantly lower (about one order of magnitude) than that for the non-coated Al-2024.
Derivation of a standard set of geometric constraints for parametric modeling and data exchange

This paper describes the derivation of a consistent and comprehensive set of geometrical constraints for shape definition in CAD. Such a set is needed to enable compatibility in parametric data exchange and to promote both standard capabilities and predictable solutions from constraint solving software kernels. The paper looks at the mathematical basis for constraints present in the literature and elaborates about all types of constraints that can be described by the same mathematical basis. Exhaustive combinations of distance and angle constraints, on one point or all points of curves and surfaces, as well as transformations and mappings that are required in mechanical design are included in the proposed taxonomy and representation. Consistency is promoted by distinguishing necessary constraint types from redundant constraint types. Comprehensiveness is promoted by including all constraint types from the literature that are within the scope and considering combinatorial variations of them.
Synthesis of 3-O-acyl esters of serine and threonine

Abstract The 3- O -acyl derivatives of serine and threonine have been prepared by reacting oleoyl chloride and palmitoyl chloride with N - t -butoxycarbonyl (N-T-BOC) serine and N - t -BOC threonine. The t -BOC group was removed by treatment with 4 N HCl in dioxane. The products were identified by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and chromatographic properties. The O -acyl serines and O -acyl threonines were converted to their methyl esters by treatment with boron trifluoride in methanol and were converted to their dinitrophyl derivatives by treatment with dinitrofluorobenzen (DNFB). The yield of the dinitrophenyl derivatives was very high but the yield of methyl esters was low due mainly to methanolysis and loss of the fatty acyl group. The O -acyl serines and O -acyld threonines prepared will provide standards for researchers who are interested in identifying fatty acids esterified to serine and threonine hydroxyl groups in membrane proteins.
Behavioral tests for preclinical intervention assessment.

Select functional outcome tests commonly used for evaluating sensorimotor and cognitive capacity in rodents with focal intracerebral ischemic or hemorrhagic injury are described, along with upgrades and issues of concern for translational research. An emphasis is placed on careful quantitative and qualitative assessment of acute and long-term behavioral deficits, and on avoidance of frequent pitfalls. Methods for detecting different degrees of injury and treatment-related improvements are included. Determining the true potential of an intervention requires a set of behavioral analyses that can monitor compensatory learning. In a number of preclinical outcome tests, animals can develop remarkably effective “tricks” that are difficult to detect but frequently lead to dramatic improvements in performance, particularly with repeated practice. However, some interventions may facilitate learning without promoting brain repair, but these may not translate into a meaningful level of benefit in the clinic. Additionally, it is important to determine whether there are any preinjury functional asymmetries in order to accurately assess damage-related changes in behavior. This is illustrated by the fact that some animals have chronic endogenous asymmetries and that others, albeit infrequently, can sustain a spontaneous cerebral stroke, without any experimental induction, that can lead to chronic deficits as reflected by behavioral, imaging, and histological analyses. Finally, a useful new modification of the water maze that involves moving the platform from trial to trial within the target quadrant is reviewed, and its advantages over the standard version are discussed.
Interleukin-2 induces increased platelet-endothelium interactions: a potential mechanism of toxicity.

Abstract Cancer immunotherapy with interleukin-2 (IL-2) is limited by side effects that may cause organ dysfunction. The role of platelets in the generation of IL-2-induced organ dysfunction has not been studied, although various studies have shown that IL-2 therapy activates both platelets and the vascular endothelium. We hypothesized that IL-2 therapy may enhance the thrombogenic response to inflammatory stimuli through increased platelet-endothelial interactions and that these effects could lead to the development of organ dysfunction. C57B1/6 mice were treated with IL-2 intraperitoneally for 2 hours (short term) or 2 to 5 days (long term) and prepared for in vivo microscopy of the ear microcirculation. Mice were injected intra-arterially with fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated to bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA). Blue light activation of the FITC-BSA in ear arterioles induced thrombus formation. The time to initial thrombus formation was measured as an index of thrombogenicity. Platelet function was analyzed by aggregometry and platelet expression of IL-2 receptors, and the adhesion molecule lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) was analyzed by flow cytometry. Organ dysfunction was evaluated by serum markers. The administration of both short-term and longterm IL-2 reduced the time to initial thrombus formation as compared with controls. In vitro platelet aggregometry revealed no acute alterations in platelet function; however, long-term IL-2 treatment resulted in decreased disaggregation rates. There were no platelet IL-2 receptors present, and the expression of the adhesion molecule LFA-1 was not altered by IL-2. Increased thrombogenicity occurred before the generation of organ dysfunction. These data suggest that increased platelet adherence induced by IL-2 is caused by effects on the endothelium that could result in microvascular thrombus formation and contribute to organ dysfunction.
Measles Virus Infection in Rhesus Macaques: Altered Immune Responses and Comparison of the Virulence of Six Different Virus Strains

Measles remains a major cause of childhood mortality, with questions about virus virulence and pathogenesis still requiring answers. Rhesus macaques were infected with 5 different culture-adapted strains of measles virus, including 2 from patients with progressive vaccine-induced disease, and a sixth nonculture-adapted strain, Bilthoven. All caused infection detectable by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and induction of antibody. Chicago-1 and Bilthoven induced viremias detectable by leukocyte cocultivation. Bilthoven induced Koplik's spots, conjunctivitis, and rash. Lymphopenia and depressed interleukin (IL)-2 production were followed by monocytosis and eosinophilia. All monkeys, including 41 involved in a primate facility outbreak, showed suppressed responses to phytohemagglutinin. As the rash resolved production of IL-2, IL-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-6, and IL-5 mRNA increased. Monkeys are useful for studies of measles immunopathogenesis, but virus strains must be carefully chosen. Increased virulence of vaccine strains isolated from immunocompromised infants with fatal infections was not evident.
Indications for Dual Antiplatelet Therapy with Aspirin and Clopidogrel: Evidence-Based Recommendations for Use

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature assessing dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel and subsequently provide evidence-based recommendations for appropriate indications and length of therapy.DATA SYNTHESIS:An English-language MEDLINE search (1950–December 2007) was conducted using the search terms antiplatelet, aspirin, thienopyridine, and clopidogrel to identify articles assessing dual antiplatelet therapy. Evaluation of references from identified trials for possible inclusion was also conducted.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:All studies that assessed treatment with the combination of aspirin and clopidogrel for any indication were included.DATA SYNTHESIS:Aspirin and clopidogrel have complementary mechanisms of action to inhibit platelet function. Indications that have been studied include coronary artery disease (CAD), atherosclerotic ischemic stroke, and atrial fibrillation. This combination has been beneficial in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with or without percutane...
The Localized Corrosion Resistance and Mechanical Properties of Alloy 22 Waste Package Outer Containers

The proposed waste packages for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste at the potential repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, consist of an outer container and inner container. The outer container is made of alloy 22, a corrosion-resistant Ni-Cr-Mo-W alloy, while the inner container is made of type 316 nuclear-grade stainless steel. Fabrication processes such as welding and postweld heat treatments can induce changes to the microstructure of alloy 22. Such microstructural changes can reduce ductility and impact strength and promote localized corrosion. Environmental conditions within the emplacement drifts, such as composition of solutions contacting the waste packages, can also affect localized corrosion susceptibility. In this study, the effects of fabrication processes on impact strength, fracture toughness, and crevice-corrosion resistance of alloy 22 were investigated.
Auricular fibrillation; hemodynamic studies before and after conversion with quinidine.

Abstract In recent years, there has been a revival of interest concerning the desirability of converting long-standing auricular fibrillation to regular sinus rhythm.1,2 The use of quinidine to restore sinus rhythm in chronic fibrillation in association with severe heart disease has been considered to be contraindicated, 3 especially in those patients whose ventricular rate has been kept slow by adequate digitalization.4 The danger of embolism upon restoration of regular rhythm and the fear of cardiac arrest have been prime factors in perpetuating this opinion. However, little attention has been paid to the hemodynamic alterations that follow the change from auricular fibrillation to sinus rhythm, and a comprehensive perusal of available literature prior to 1950 revealed no systematic study of these hemodynamic changes by the method of right heart catheterization. The present study was undertaken in an effort to determine the influence of this arrhythmia upon cardiovascular mechanics as determined by the method of right heart catheterization, using a modification of the dye injection technique.
Automatic agent and data mining for e-commerce

One of the major problems of managing information systems for e-Commerce or m-Commerce is to estimate the memory utilization for its set of servers, among others. In particular, along with system security and fault tolerance, memory management is perhaps the most frequently observed challenge that the IS/IT manager faces on a daily basis. A framework for building an automated intelligent agent for memory management under the client-server architecture is suggested in this paper. Further, possible applications of the framework in terms of data mining are suggested.
Pessimistic explanatory style and response to illness

Previous studies have shown that a pessimistic explanatory style is a risk factor for illness, but the factors linking explanatory style and illness are unknown. One's characteristic response to poor health may mediate this relationship. Perhaps pessimistic individuals act helplessly in the face of their symptoms, thereby exacerbating disease. In the present study, we investigated this possibility by asking 96 young adults to complete measures of explanatory style, habitual response to illness, and ways of coping during their most recent episode of illness. Subjects who explain bad events pessimistically (with internal, stable, and global causes) reported more frequent illnesses during the past year and rated their overall health more poorly than those who habitually favor external, unstable, and specific explanations. When ill, the pessimistic subjects were less likely than their optimistic counterparts to take active steps to combat their illness. Our results suggest that one pathway leading from pessimistic explanatory style to poor health is mundane: passivity in the face of disease.
Micro-masters of glioblastoma biology and therapy: increasingly recognized roles for microRNAs

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs encoded in eukaryotic genomes that have been found to play critical roles in most biological processes, including cancer. This is true for glioblastoma, the most common and lethal primary brain tumor, for which microRNAs have been shown to strongly influence cell viability, stem cell characteristics, invasiveness, angiogenesis, metabolism, and immune evasion. Developing microRNAs as prognostic markers or as therapeutic agents is showing increasing promise and has potential to reach the clinic in the next several years. This succinct review summarizes current progress and future directions in this exciting and steadily expanding field.
Induction of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM-1) in airway epithelial cells by 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3

The airway epithelium plays a role in host defense through the binding of innate immune receptors, which leads to the activation of inflammatory mediators, including antimicrobial peptides. The active form of vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D3, induces the expression of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in both myeloid cells and airway epithelial cells (AEC). Here, we demonstrate that mRNA encoding triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM)-1 was induced up to 12-fold by 1,25(OH)2D3 in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells and in well-differentiated cultures of six airway epithelial cell lines from patients with cystic fibrosis and healthy individuals. TREM-2 and DAP12 were also expressed in airway cultures, but not induced by vitamin D. Induction occurs through a vitamin D response element identified in its proximal promoter region, and was regulated by PU.1 expressed in the AEC. Activation of TREM-1 by a cross-linking antibody led to an induction of both human β-defensin-2 and TNF-α mRNA, demonstr...
Variability in microsatellite DNA markers in gynogenetic and backcross progenies obtained from ornamental (koi) carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) × goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) hybrid females

Inheritance and segregation at five microsatellite loci were studied in diploid gynogenetic and triploid backcross progenies obtained from koi × goldfish hybrid females, which produce diploid eggs. Gynogenetic and backcross progenies were obtained from three individual hybrid females by inseminating eggs with genetically inactivated and intact sperm of parental species respectively; no shock treatments were applied to the early embryos. Complete absence of paternally specific alleles at all investigated microsatellite loci has proven successful genetic inactivation of spermatozoa by irradiation and confirmed gynogenetic origin of progenies. Genotypic segregations at microsatellite loci showed almost complete homogeneity of gynogenetic progenies and their identity to female parents. These results correspond with previous cytogenetic data on the occurrence of premeiotic endomitosis in hybrid females producing diploid eggs. Fish from triploid backcross progenies had genotypes resulting from combination of entire diploid female genome and haploid genome from male.
Latitudinal Trends in Organic Carbon Accumulation in Temperate Freshwater Peatlands

The 30-year rate of organic carbon (C) accumulation, based on cesium- 137 ( 137 Cs), was measured in 15 freshwater peatlands across a latitudinal gradient from southern Florida (26°N) to northern Minnesota (47°N) to identify relation- ships between climate (temperature) and C accumulation. Organic C accumulation was inversely related to mean annual air temperature (MAAT, °C) in acidic peatlands (pH 5) (r 2 = 0.41, p ≤ 0.17). A regression model that incorporated both temperature and precipitation (rain factor, f = mean annual precipitation in cm/MAAT) was no more effective in predicting organic C accumulation than one with temperature alone (r 2 = 0.57 for acidic peatlands, r 2 = 0.36 for circumneutral peatlands). Across all sites, circumneutral peatlands sequestered less C (49 ± 11 g m �2 year �1 ) than acidic peatlands (88 ± 20 g m �2 year �1 ) regardless of temperature. Our findings suggest that, like terrestrial ecosystems, organic C accumulation in freshwater peatlands is linked to climate through the effects of temperature. Local factors such as pH, hydroperiod and nutrient enrichment also should be considered when assessing the potential of freshwater wetlands to sequester C.
Troubleshooting is a learning process

Several tools have been built to try to understand the debugging process and to try to help students learn to troubleshoot. Two tools based on expert systems allow students to be guided and evaluated in their debugging procedures. The first comprises an expert system, a logic simulator, and a verifier, connected to the circuit under test. The second is a full simulation of a photoboard circuit and logic probe together with the supportive software to guide and monitor the student through the debugging process. A model of the learning process itself is being built to test the hypothesis that, in learning to debug, a series of cases is experienced and that after a small number of similar occurrences rules will be formed that will enable the debugging process to take place much more rapidly. >
STUDY OF FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NUCLEAR POWER STATION UNIT 4 SPENT-FUEL POOL

A study on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station spent-fuel pool (SFP) at Unit 4 (SFP4) is presented in this paper. We discuss the design characteristics of SFP4 and its decay heat load in detail and provide a model that we developed to estimate the SFP evaporation rate based on the SFP temperature. The SFP level of SFP4 following the March 11, 2011, accident is predicted based on the fundamental conservation laws of mass and energy. Our predicted SFP level and temperatures are in good agreement with measured data and are consistent with Tokyo Electric Power Company evaluation results.