cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asynchronous compressed beamformer for portable diagnostic ultrasound systems

State-of-the-art portable ultrasound imaging systems employ a small transducer array and a low carrier frequency to fit stringent constraints on power and form factor, and this tends to compromise the ultrasound imaging quality. In this paper, we present a low-complexity low-power asynchronous compressed beamformer (ACB) for portable diagnostic ultrasound. The proposed ACB integrates asynchronous sampling and compressive sensing (CS), and is capable of reducing data conversion power and handling a large data volume at the mixed-signal interface. A high-rate continuous-time ternary encoding (CT-TE) scheme eliminates the need for interpolation filters and coordinate rotation digital computer (CORDIC) units typically used in a conventional architecture. A split-projection least squares (SPLS) signal reconstruction algorithm is applied that replaces high-cost nonlinear signal recovery with a series of low-complexity and independent linear problems. Experiments with measured ultrasound data demonstrate the proposed ACB architecture, and the SPLS reconstruction algorithm achieves 9-fold data compression compared with Nyquist sampling.
Radiative, collisional and dissociative processes in triplet acetone

Abstract The emission following single-photon excitation of the first excited singlet state of acetone was studied. It is multi-exponential and extremely pressure sensitive. Vibrationally hot triplet molecules above the singlet origin decay significantly faster than those below. At 91.5 ± 0.5 kcal/mole above the ground state an acetone dissociation channel opens, reducing the hot triplet emission but not the singlet fluorescence.
Role of coordinated molecular alterations in the development of androgen-independent prostate cancer: an in vitro model that corroborates clinical observations.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of potential downstream targets of HER-2/neu, including the cell-cycle regulator p27, proliferation-associated protein Ki-67, apoptosis inhibitor Bcl-2, and signal-transduction molecule Akt (which is associated with cell survival), as the development of androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) in patients who are initially responsive to androgen-ablation therapy (AAT) is a significant clinical problem. PATIENTS AND METHODS Earlier studies showed that high levels of HER-2/neu tyrosine kinase receptor expression as assessed by immunohistochemistry were significantly associated with the development of AIPC, and we hypothesised that HER-2/neu overexpression provides an alternative proliferative stimulus upon androgen depletion. We established a unique clinical model system, comprising patients who received no AAT, or who had preoperative AAT, or those with advanced tumours resistant to AAT. To test our hypothesis in vitro, we stably transfected full-length HER-2/neu cDNA in androgen-responsive LNCaP cells and examined the effects of HER-2/neu overexpression on cell proliferation, apoptosis, androgen-receptor activation, and Akt phosphorylation upon androgen deprivation by using immunohistochemistry and Western blot technique. RESULTS p27 expression was initially induced on exposure to AAT, and significantly decreased in AIPC (P < 0.001). There was also a significant increase in the Ki-67 index in AIPC (P = 0.001). Elevated Bcl-2 expression was closely associated with AAT (P = 0.002), suggesting that Bcl-2 expression is induced on initial exposure to AAT. Further, Bcl-2 expression was highest in hormone-resistant cancers (P < 0.001). Using the HER-2/neu transfected cell-line model, we confirmed the mechanistic basis of the clinical observations which elucidate the pathway leading to HER-2/neu-mediated androgen independence. On androgen deprivation, the HER-2/neu transfected cells had higher proliferation rates, lower G1 arrest, inhibited p27 up-regulation, a lower apoptotic index, and higher Bcl-2, prostate-specific antigen and phosphorylated Akt expression than the mock-transfected LNCaP cells. CONCLUSION This study suggests that prostate cancer cells undergo a series of coordinated changes after exposure to AAT, which eventually result in the development of androgen independence. Further, in support of previous results, it appears that a major factor in this process is the induction of HER-2/neu overexpression, which occurs after initial exposure to AAT. HER-2/neu may contribute to the development of androgen independence through: (i) maintaining cell proliferation; (ii) inhibiting apoptosis; and/or (iii) inducing AR activation in a ligand-independent fashion. These effects may be mediated, at least in part, through activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.
Toward Better Soft Tissue Sarcoma Staging: Building on American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Systems Versions 6 and 7

Background Based on review of patient data in case conferences over time, we hypothesized that clinically relevant data are omitted in routine soft tissue sarcoma staging.
Context and performance in aversive-to-appetitive and appetitive-to-aversive transfer

Abstract Three experiments with rat subjects examined the effects of contextual stimuli on performance in Pavlovian aversive-to-appetitive and appetitive-to-aversive transfer. A 30-s tone conditioned stimulus (CS) was first paired with either a shock or food pellet unconditioned stimulus (US) in one phase and then paired with the other US in a subsequent phase. Aversive and appetitive conditioning were indexed by the observation of freezing and headjerking, respectively. In aversive-appetitive transfer (Experiment 1), a context switch following Phase 1 aversive conditioning reduced the retarded appetitive conditioning ordinarily observed in Phase 2. In addition, a return to the Phase 1 context after completion of Phase 2 caused renewed Phase 1 responding and decreased Phase 2 responding. In appetitive-aversive transfer (Experiments 2 and 3), a context switch following Phase 1 appetitive conditioning had no effect because neither positive nor negative transfer with Phase 2 aversive conditioning was observed in this situation. However, a return to the Phase 1 conditioning context after completion of Phase 2 caused renewed Phase 1 responding at 1- and 28-day retention intervals (Experiment 2). These results are consistent with a role for context as a retrieval cue for memories corresponding to different phases. This view is discussed along with more traditional associative perspectives on contextual control.
Reactions induced in 56Fe with 20–68 MeV He2+ ions

Abstract Excitation functions are presented for the 56 Fe (α, pn) 58 Co , 56 Fe (α, p2n) 57 Co , 56 Fe (α, p3n)- 56 Co , 56 Fe (α, p4n) 55 Co , 56 Fe (α, 3n) 57 Ni, and 56 Fe (α, 4n) 56 Ni reactions induced with 46–68 MeV helium ions on 99·5 per cent enriched 56Fe, and with 20–43 MeV helium ions on natural iron targets. These excitation functions are compared with the corresponding 59Co(p, xpyn) excitation functions (reported by Sharp, Diamond, and Wilkinson) over the same range of excitation energies. The two sets of corresponding excitation functions agree within experimental errors in shape and position, from the region of reaction threshold to the peaks of the excitation functions. The two sets of excitation functions also agree in absolute cross sections up to the peaks, with the possible exception of the excitation functions for the production of 57Co. At energies higher than those giving maximum yields, the proton induced reactions show a slower decrease in yields with increased energy than the corresponding helium ion induced reactions, consistent with a greater contribution from a Serber mechanism in the proton induced reactions. The absence of a displacement between the two sets of excitation functions in the threshold region is qualitatively discussed with respect to angular momentum considerations.
Diffraction efficiency gain, blazing, and apodizing of a symmetric square reflection grating in an étalon.

First-order diffraction efficiency of 50% into a single beam was obtained from a weak symmetric square metal diffraction grating operated in an etalon at the 632.8-nm He–Ne laser wavelength. Without the etalon the diffraction efficiency was just 2.7% in each of the two first-order beams. First-order diffraction efficiency gain as well as blazing and apodizing of the grating occur because of the resonant paraxial angular spectrum of the etalon.
A Selenium‐Substituted Low‐Bandgap Polymer with Versatile Photovoltaic Applications

IO N Organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices provide an opportunity to utilize the solar energy effi ciently while maintaining low cost. [ 1 ] To harvest a greater part of the solar spectrum, lowering the energy bandgap of the active material is a major task for materials scientists. The design and synthesis of low-bandgap (LBG) conjugated polymers for use as electron donor materials for bulk heterojuction (BHJ) polymer solar cell (PSC) applications have attracted remarkable attention during the last decade. [ 2 ] The reasons for pursuing LBG polymers include: 1) The Shockley-Quiesser equation indicates a bandgap of around 1.4 eV is ideal for a single junction solar cell device. [ 3 ]
Best practices for core facilities: Handling external customers

This article addresses the growing interest among U.S. scientific organizations and federal funding agencies in strengthening research partnerships between American universities and the private sector. It outlines how core facilities at universities can contribute to this partnership by offering services and access to high-end instrumentation to both nonprofit organizations and commercial organizations. We describe institutional policies (best practices) and procedures (terms and conditions) that are essential for facilitating and enabling such partnerships. In addition, we provide an overview of the relevant federal regulations that apply to external use of academic core facilities and offer a set of guidelines for handling them. We conclude by encouraging directors and managers of core facilities to work with the relevant organizational offices to promote and nurture such partnerships. If handled appropriately, we believe such partnerships can be a win-win situation for both organizations that will support research and bolster the American economy.
Functional dissection of Timekeeper (Tik) implicates opposite roles for CK2 and PP2A during Drosophila neurogenesis.

Repression by E(spl)M8 during inhibitory Notch (N) signaling (lateral inhibition) is regulated, in part, by protein kinase CK2, but the involvement of a phosphatase has been unclear. The studies we report here employ Tik, a unique dominant-negative (DN) mutation in the catalytic subunit of CK2, in a Gal4-UAS based assay for impaired lateral inhibition. Specifically, overexpression of Tik elicits ectopic bristles in N+ flies and suppresses the retinal defects of the gain-of-function allele Nspl. Functional dissection of the two substitutions in Tik (M161K and E165D), suggests that both mutations contribute to its DN effects. While the former replacement compromises CK2 activity by impairing ATP-binding, the latter affects a conserved motif implicated in binding the phosphatase PP2A. Accordingly, overexpression of microtubule star (mts), the PP2A catalytic subunit closely mimics the phenotypic effects of loss of CK2 functions in N+ or Nspl flies, and elicits notched wings, a characteristic of N mutations. Our findings suggest antagonistic roles for CK2 and PP2A during inhibitory N signaling.
Characterization of commercial sheet polarizer material

Sheet polarizers were invented by Land in the 1920s. The fabrication of the type of sheet polarizers we use today, i.e. H-sheet polarizers, was described in the basic H-sheet patent issued in 1948. Single polarizer transmittance, and parallel pair and crossed pair transmittance are typically quoted for these polarizers. In this paper we describe spectropolarimetric measurement results for a variety of commercial sheet polarizer and sheet retarder materials. The measurements cover the nominal spectral region for the polarization elements but also describe performance well beyond the advertised range. Mueller matrices for the elements were measured, and diattenuation and retardance for both polarizers and retarders are presented.
The Ascender System

The Ascender system acquires, extends, and refines 3D geometric site models from calibrated aerial imagery. To acquire a new site model, an automated building detector is run on one image to hypothesize potential building rooftops. Supporting evidence is located in other images via epipolar line segment matching in constrained search regions. The precise 3D shape and location of each building is then determined by multiimage triangulation under geometric constraints of 3D orthogonality, parallelness, colinearity, and coplanarity of lines and surfaces. Projective mapping of image intensity information onto these polyhedral building models results in a realistic site model that can be rendered using virtual “fly-through” graphics. As new images of the site become available, model extension and refinement procedures are performed to add previously unseen buildings and to improve the geometric accuracy of the existing 3D building models. In this way, the system gradually accumulates evidence over time to make the site model more complete and more accurate. An extensive performance evaluation of component algorithms and the full system has been carried out. Two-dimensional building detection accuracy, as well as accuracy of the three-dimensional building reconstruction, are presented for a representative data set.
Analysis of data from the 1994 International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters with a single computational protocol

Data from the 1994 International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters were processed with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geosciences Lab protocols and processing algorithms. The rootmean-square discrepancy between results obtained from individual groups and the NOAA processing is 2,3 μGal; the average discrepancy is 1,5 μGal. The sources of the discrepancies are probably (i) differences in the vertical gradients used for datum level transfers, (ii) inconsistencies between processing algorithms, and (iii) differences in data editing criteria.
The Other Struggle for Equal Schools: Mexican Americans during the Civil Rights Era

The Other Struggle for Equal Schools: Mexican Americans during the Civil Rights Era. Ruben Donate. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1997. 210 pp.
5.2.2 Examining Survivability of Systems of Systems

Previous research has identified design principles that enable survivability for systems, but it is unclear if these principles are appropriate and sufficient for systems of systems as well. This paper presents a preliminary examination of how some of the characteristic properties of systems of systems may enable or hinder survivability, based on existing design principles and a newly proposed taxonomy of disturbances. Two new design principles, defensive posture and adaptation, are introduced. The next phase of research will be to conduct empirical studies to validate the design principles against some of the characteristic properties of systems of systems, and test hypotheses about how survivability will be affected.
Agonist-induced association of tropomyosin with protein kinase Cα in colonic smooth muscle

Smooth muscle contraction regulated by myosin light chain phosphorylation is also regulated at the thin-filament level. Tropomyosin, a thin-filament regulatory protein, regulates contraction by mod...
A K-band subharmonic down-converter in a GaAs metamorphic HEMT process

In this paper, we present the first implementation of a K-band subharmonic down-converter fabricated in a 0.18-/spl mu/m GaAs Metamorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor (MHEMT) process. The low noise and high gain characteristics of the MHEMTs at K-band allow for the integration of a single-stage amplifier with a subharmonic mixer resulting in low-power broadband performance. The subharmonic mixer exhibits conversion loss of 13 dB and IIP3 of +8 dBm from 23 to 30 GHz. With the addition of the amplifier, the down-converter exhibits a conversion loss of 3 dB, noise figure of 5 dB, and IIP3 of -5 dBm from 26 to 30 GHz. The single-stage amplifier exhibits InP-like performance with gain of 11 dB, NF of 1.5 dB, and dc power consumption of 15 mW.
Models of Organizational Structure of Midwifery Practices Located in Institutions With Residency Programs

Four models of organizational structure for midwifery practices that are located in academic institutions with residency programs are described: parallel models, coexistence models, fully integrated models, and blended models. Examples of each of these models are presented along with advantages and disadvantages and overall effect on resident education.
Simulation of microwave brightness temperatures using a coupled land-surface-canopy-atmosphere model

A coupled land-surface hydrological model for water and an energy balance, canopy radiative transfer model to account for vegetation interaction and an atmospheric attenuation model for computing atmospheric contributions is used to simulate microwave brightness temperatures at 19 and 37 GHz frequencies. The sensitivity of the simulated brightness temperatures with respect to soil moisture and leaf area index is investigated. >
Real-time silicon implementation of V1 in hierarchical visual information processing

We present a real-time implementation of the V1 stage of the hierarchical model of object recognition in the primate visual cortex with 2400 simple cells and 80 complex cells. This emulation of the visual information processing in the primatepsilas visual cortex has the potential for ultra-fast object recognition that will outperform current, computer vision-based methods.
Do plant cues influence the oviposition behavior of Japanese beetles

A bioassay arena was developed to test the response of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), to various plant-derived factors that may influence the selection of oviposition sites. In choice experiments with natural and artificial plant cues, females preferred to lay eggs in ryegrass rather than in artificial resources. Artificial grass stems received more eggs on average than bare ground, indicating the role of vertical objects on the soil surface as oviposition cues. Popillia japonica females were able to discriminate between the quality and quantity of the artificial stems, as more eggs were laid in soil blocks that had larger diameter stems or a higher number of stems per soil block. Beetles were capable of evaluating plant characteristics on the soil surface and adjusted their investment accordingly; more eggs were laid in resources that were chosen more frequently. Observations of females in choice arenas revealed how surface cues influence digging behavior and the time spent under the soil surface. The number of digging events was not significantly different among the three treatments with surface cues (ryegrass, grass roots, and artificial grass), but beetles spent significantly more time in the soil under ryegrass than any of the other treatments. These findings suggest that oviposition by P. japonica is selective and is influenced by plant-derived cues evaluated before and after digging into the soil.
Input-output Invertibility and Sliding Mode Control for Close Formation Flying of Multiple UAVS

This paper treats the question of invertibility of input–output maps and the design of a robust control system for formation flying of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In close formation, the wing UAV motion is affected by the vortex of the adjacent lead aircraft. The forces produced by these vortices are complex functions of relative position coordinates of the UAVs. In this paper, these forces are treated as unknown functions. For trajectory tracking, invertibility of certain input–output maps in the wind axes system are examined. Interestingly, in the wind axes system, the system is not invertible, but in a simplified co-ordinate system obtained from the wind axes system for which the velocity roll is zero, inverse control of separation co-ordinates is possible. Variable structure control laws are derived for separation trajectory control of wing aircraft in the simplified wind co-ordinate system and for the flight control of the lead aircraft. Simulation results for two UAVs are presented which show precise separation trajectory control in spite of the presence of unknown vortex forces, while the lead aircraft maneuvers. Furthermore, these results confirm that when the wing aircraft is positioned properly in the vortex of the lead aircraft, there is a reduction in the required flight power. Published in 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relationship of Intracellular Calcium to Dependence on Nerve Growth Factor in Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons in Cell Culture

During development, neural crest-derived sensory neurons require nerve growth factor (NGF) for survival, but lose this dependency postnatally. Similarly, dissociated embryonic sensory neurons lose their NGF dependence during the first 3 weeks in cell culture. It has been hypothesized that, in sympathetic neurons, intracellular levels of calcium are related to trophic factor dependence. In vitro during the period in which embryonic-day-15 sensory neurons become independent of NGF, intracellular calcium concentrations progressively increased in parallel to the decline in NGF dependence. This elevation of intracellular calcium was directly related to the absolute age of the neurons, not to the length of time in culture. Without NGF, immature sensory, i.e., dependent, neurons survived in the presence of high extracellular potassium, a condition that produces elevated intracellular calcium. In another paradigm, measurements of intracellular calcium were determined in NGF-dependent neurons "committed to die" after NGF withdrawal. These measurements were determined prior to the time that extensive morphological changes, consistent with cell death, were noted by phase-contrast microscopy. No elevation in intracellular calcium was found in these dying neurons, but rather, a small decrease was observed prior to the disintegration of the neurons. These findings support the hypothesis that trophic factor dependence of neurons may be inversely related to levels of intracellular calcium.
Synthesis and properties of Mo5Si3 single crystals

Abstract The ultra-high temperature structural intermetallic Mo5Si3 has been studied for alloy processing, physical properties, and mechanical behavior. High purity single crystals of Mo5Si3 have been synthesized by both optical floating zone and Czochralski methods. Structural, thermal, and elastic properties of Mo5Si3 single crystals were measured by X-ray powder diffraction, thermal mechanical analysis, and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, respectively. Results show that the thermal expansion of Mo5Si3, a tetragonal structure with I4/mcm symmetry, is strongly anisotropic along the a and c directions with αc/αa=2.2. Single crystal elastic moduli of Mo5Si3 indicate that it has less elastic anisotropy and lower shear modulus than most transition metal disilicides. The impacts of these physical properties on alloy processing and mechanical behavior are discussed. Room temperature Vickers indentation tests on the (100) and (001) planes have been performed for different orientations of the indenter diagonal and the corresponding hardness, fracture toughness, and deformation behavior have been obtained as a function of the crystallography. Finally, the physical properties and mechanical behavior of Mo5Si3 are compared with those of other high temperature structural silicides, e.g. MoSi2.
Readiness for college engagement among students who have aged out of foster care

Abstract This study compares self-reported readiness to engage in college between a sample of 81 college freshmen who aged out of foster care prior to or while attending a large four-year public university and the national freshman population. Results indicate that students from foster care are significantly different from their non-foster-care peers in their readiness to engage in college. The results also show that foster youth are less well prepared academically upon entering college and this performance gap persists through the first semester of college. These findings are examined in the context of the current literature on foster youth. Limitations of the study and implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Optimizing the binary discriminant function in change detection applications

Binary discriminant functions are often used to identify changed area through time in remote sensing change detection studies. Traditionally, a single change-enhanced image has been used to optimize the binary discriminant function with a few (e.g., 5–10) discrete thresholds using a trialand-error method. Im et al. [Im, J., Rhee, J., Jensen, J. R., & Hodgson, M. E. (2007). An automated binary change detection model using a calibration approach. Remote Sensing of Environment, 106, 89–105] developed an automated calibration model for optimizing the binary discriminant function by autonomously testing thousands of thresholds. However, the automated model may be time-consuming especially when multiple change-enhanced images are used as inputs together since the model is based on an exhaustive search technique. This paper describes the development of a computationally efficient search technique for identifying optimum threshold(s) in a remote sensing spectral search space. The new algorithm is based on “systematic searching.” Two additional heuristic optimization algorithms (i.e., hill climbing, simulated annealing) were examined for comparison. A case study using QuickBird and IKONOS satellite imagery was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The proposed systematic search technique reduced the processing time required to identify the optimum binary discriminate function without decreasing accuracy. The other two optimizing search algorithms also reduced the processing time but failed to detect a global maxima for some spectral features. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Inhibition of Long-Chain Acyl Coenzyme A Synthetases During Fatty Acid Loading Induces Lipotoxicity in Macrophages

Objectives— Obesity is often associated with hypertriglyceridemia and elevated free fatty acids (FFAs), which are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Although impairment of cholesterol homeostasis is known to induce toxicity in macrophages, the consequence of altered fatty acid homeostasis is not clear. Methods and Results— Long-chain acyl CoA synthetases (ACSLs) play a critical role in fatty acid homeostasis by channeling fatty acids to diverse metabolic pools. We treated mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) with VLDL or FFAs in the presence of triacsin C, an inhibitor of the 3 ACSL isoforms present in macrophages. Treatment of macrophages with VLDL and triacsin C resulted in reduced TG accumulation but increased intracellular FFA levels, which induced lipotoxicity characterized by apoptosis. Treatment of MPMs with the saturated fatty acid stearic acid in the presence of triacsin C increased intracellular stearic acid and induced apoptosis. Stromal vascular cells collected from high-fat diet–fed mice displayed foam cell morphology and exhibited increased mRNA levels of macrophage markers and ACSL1. Importantly, all of these changes were associated with increased FFA level in AT. Conclusions— Inhibition of ACSLs during fatty acid loading results in apoptosis via accumulation of FFAs. Our data have implications in understanding the consequences of dysregulated fatty acid metabolism in macrophages.
Interpersonal schemata in child psychotherapy: a cognitive-interpersonal perspective.

Presents a cognitive-interpersonal framework for child psychotherapy derived from attachment theory. Interpersonal schema, conceptualized as expectations regarding others' probable responses to the self are posited as a key mediating mechanism linking past interpersonal experience with current social-emotional functioning, and as an important target for intervention. Three schema-based models of pathogenic process are examined: preemptive information-processing, schema-triggered affect, and schema-primed interpersonal and emotion-regulation strategies. Implications for assessment of and intervention with interpersonal schema are considered. Preventive, compensatory, and remedial intervention strategies are proposed.
Nursing small animal patients with diarrhoea

I think it's fairly safe to say nursing small animal patients with diarrhoea isn't favoured by many. However, the next time that familiar smells wafts your way, rather than just groaning and reaching for the rubber gloves, consider that diarrhoea can actually be a very varied and interesting condition
Effect of Tyrosine Mutations on the Kinase Activity and Transforming Potential of an Oncogenic Human Insulin-like Growth Factor I Receptor

The tyrosines in the cytoplasmic domain of an oncogenic human insulin-like growth factor I receptor (gag-IGFR) were systematically mutated to phenylalanines to investigate the role of those tyrosines in the enzymatic and biological function of the gag-IGFR. Our results indicate that tyrosines 1131, 1135, 1136, and 1221 are important for the receptor protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity. However, mutation of Tyr-1136 only slightly affects the kinase activity but dramatically reduces the transforming ability and overall substrate phosphorylation, in particular, annexin II, which is strongly phosphorylated by the gag-IGFR but not by the Phe-1136 mutant. Single mutation of either Tyr-943 or Tyr-950 resulted in significantly reduced phosphorylation of the receptor but not on its PTK activity or transforming ability. Tyr-950 together with its surrounding sequence is involved in mediating the interaction between the gag-IGFR and insulin receptor substrate 1. Our data also suggest that Tyr-1316 is involved in phosphorylation of phospholipase C-γ, which is, however, not important for cell transforming activity. Overall, our study has identified several tyrosine residues of IGFR important for its PTK activity and substrate interaction. The transforming potential of the gag-IGFR correlates well with its ability to phosphorylate overall cellular substrates and to activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase via insulin receptor substrate 1.
Our first First Nations physician

Bridging Two Peoples: Chief Peter E. Jones, 1843–1909. Allan Sherwin. Wilfrid Laurier University Press; 2012. Peter Edmund Jones graduated in 1866 as a physician from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He was the first status Native Canadian to graduate from a Canadian medical school.
Effects of processing on pesticides in foods

Chlorinated insecticides, since their introduction about 25 years ago, have been used so extensively that now they appear to be a permanent part of man’s environment. The length of time they will remain in the environment and find their way into biological systems is not known. As a result of this persistence they are translocated in water, soil, plants, and animals throughout the food chain until they reach man’s food supply. Marth (1965) summarized the information on pesticide residues in biological materials. From his paper one concludes that pesticide residues can be found wherever plant or animal life exists.
Additive genetic parameter estimates for heifer pregnancy and subsequent reproduction in Angus females.

A primary objective of this study was to determine whether the binary traits heifer pregnancy (HP) and subsequent rebreeding (SR) were heritable in an experimental population of Angus cattle. A second objective was to determine the nature of the additive genetic relationships among HP, SR, and stayability (S(5|1)) in the same population. Heifer pregnancy was defined as the observation of a heifer conceiving and remaining pregnant to palpation at 120 d, given exposure during the breeding season. Subsequent rebreeding was defined as the observation of a 2-yr-old conceiving and remaining pregnant to palpation at 105 d, given pregnancy as a yearling and exposure during the breeding season. Stayability was defined as the probability of a female having at least five calves, given she becomes a dam as a 2 yr old. Data were analyzed using a maximum a posteriori probit threshold model to predict breeding values on the liability scale and Method R procedures to estimate variance components in the determination of heritability (h 2 ). Additive genetic groups were used in determining the additive genetic relationships among these fertility traits. Additive genetic groups were formed on one trait's breeding values and used in the prediction of another trait's breeding values. Analyses yielded h 2 estimates that were out of the parameter space 8.5 and 46.3% for HP and SR, respectively, and 5.9% for the reestimation of S(5|1). The majority of point estimates outside the parameter space for SR converged toward 0, whereas those for HP and S(5|1) primarily converged toward 1. From the subsamples producing h 2 estimates within the parameter space, average h 2 for HP, SR, and S(5|1) were.21,.19, and.15, with standard deviations of.12,.14, and.08, respectively. The estimates of h 2 indicate that HP and S(5|1) were heritable and should respond favorably to selection; however, SR did not appear heritable due to the large number of subsamples producing h 2 estimates out of the parameter space. Fixed effect estimates for age of dam were significant for HP. From the analyses using additive genetic groups, the relationship among HP and S(5|1) appeared to be nonlinear. This potential nonlinear relationship seen between HP and S(5|1) indicates that selection for improved female fertility would be most effective by having predictions on both traits.
Thomas Alva Edison's “Treatise on National Economic Policy and Business”

Thomas Edison's achievements as an inventor-entrepreneur tend to overshadow the fact that his knowledge and interests extended well beyond the applied sciences. In 1891, a crucial and busy year of his life, Edison took time to set forth his views on one of the most important issues of the day, government regulation of business. Edison's notebook remained almost untouched for nearly one hundred years until Professor Rubin began a careful examination of its contents. His editing and annotation of the manuscript reveal the considerable depth of Edison's intellect and his capacity to probe economic issues in the same thorough manner with which he approached research problems in the laboratory.
Validation of the Welch Allyn ProBP 3400: a device for modern medical practice.

ObjectivesAs medical care evolves, automated sphygmomanometers must be able to provide accurate and timely blood pressure (BP) data to the healthcare provider. We evaluated the performance of a new hand-held, battery-operated device, the Welch Allyn ProBP 3400, to the AAMI SP 10 criteria. We also pe
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist administration in early human pregnancy is associated with normal outcomes.

Objective To evaluate the reproductive outcomes of early human gestations exposed to GnRH agonist (GnRH-a). Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist is commonly used as an adjunct to ovulation induction regimens, and sometimes early pregnancies are inadvertently exposed to the drug. There has been concern regarding possible teratogenic effects of GnRH-a on these gestations, but there is a paucity of data regarding human subjects. Design Identified pregnancies were followed for obstetric and fetal outcomes. Patients, Participants Over 4years 18 early pregnancies among 17 women were found to be exposed to GnRH-a. During the month of conception, daily injections were begun on menstrual day 22 after documenting an ovulatory P level on day 21. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist was discontinued from 10 to 24days later, immediately after pregnancy was recognized. Obstetric and fetal outcomes were ascertained by chart review and telephone follow-up with mothers. Results Five first trimester losses were observed in 18 hCG confirmed pregnancies for a loss rate of 28%. Thirteen pregnancies produced apparently normal babies. One normal fetus was lost at 20weeks' gestation because of cervical incompetence. Conclusion There does not appear to be an increased risk of birth defects or pregnancy wastage in human pregnancies exposed to daily low-dose GnRH-a therapy in the first weeks of gestation.
Human cytomegalovirus persists in cells treated with interferon

Human cytomegalovirus disappeared from cultures continuously exposed to interferon. When interferon was removed, high titers of virus reappeared. Cytomegalovirus was thus able to persist in potentially infectious form in cells protected by interferon.
Purchasing an affordable electronic health record.

This article will compare low-cost EMRs to high-cost EMRs and discuss whether practices can benefit as much as or more from a low-cost EMR.
Modular Ku/Ka-band actively calibrated antenna tile

This work attempts to leverage the very successful development of a beamforming architecture into a scalable solution suitable for multiple types of instrument platforms. This paper details the ongoing development of a modular dual-band active antenna tile, with the primary intended use in airborne and small platform space applications for radar remote sensing. A secondary objective is to develop the modular tile, such that it will be used as the basis for a building block required for a future spaceborne instrument, reducing instrument cost and mission risk. The actual development of such a spaceborne mission is likely +10 years out, so we are focusing current efforts on developing this technology to fill the science gap, while the community waits for the more global coverage of an orbiting instrument. An airborne instrument is an asset regardless of an orbital instrument, as evidenced by the success of UAVSAR.
Predictive Properties of the Asthma Control Test and Its Component Questions for Severe Asthma Exacerbations

Background Current US guidelines recommend the Asthma Control Test (ACT) for assessing disease control and selecting treatment. Objective The goal of this study was to prospectively assess the ACT and its component questions for their utility in predicting the risk of severe asthma exacerbations. Methods Individuals were participants in the Study of Asthma Phenotypes and Pharmacogenomic Interactions by Race-Ethnicity, and those included in the current analysis had the following characteristics: age 18 years or more, physician-diagnosed asthma, and longitudinal care received at a large health system in southeastern Michigan. Study participants underwent a baseline evaluation, which included answering the ACT. A severe asthma exacerbation was defined as one requiring oral steroids, an emergency department visit, or inpatient admission. Receiver-operator characteristic curves were used to measure and compare the predictive utility of the ACT and its component questions for severe asthma exacerbations. Results Of 1180 participants, 354 (30.0%) experienced a severe asthma exacerbation within 6 months of their baseline evaluation. When compared with the individual questions that composed the ACT, the composite score was significantly better at predicting severe exacerbations with 1 exception; the composite ACT score and the question assessing rescue medication use were not significantly different (P = .580). Pharmacy-based records of metered-dose inhaler short-acting beta-agonist use and asthma severity were also not significantly different from the composite ACT score. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that although the ACT is modestly predictive for exacerbations, the composite score may not be superior to assessing rescue medication use alone for predicting the risk of severe asthma exacerbations.
Assessing the trustworthiness of drivers

Drivers, especially third party drivers, could contain malicious code (e.g., logic bombs) or carefully designed-in vulnerabilities. Generally, it is extremely difficult for static analysis to identify these code and vulnerabilities. Without knowing the exact triggers that cause the execution/exploitation of these code/vulnerabilities, dynamic taint analysis cannot help either. In this paper, we propose a novel cross-brand comparison approach to assess the drivers in a honeypot or testing environment. Through hardware virtualization, we design and deploy diverse-drivers based replicas to compare the runtime behaviour of the drivers developed by different vendors. Whenever the malicious code is executed or vulnerability is exploited, our analysis can capture the evidence of malicious driver behaviour through comparison and difference telling. Evaluation shows that it can faithfully reveal various kernel integrity/confidentiality manipulation and resource starvation attacks launched by compromised drivers, thus to assess the trustworthiness of the evaluated drivers.
The Concepts of Health and Disease

Health and disease are cardinal concepts of the biomedical sciences and technologies. Though the models of health and disease may vary, these concepts play a defining role, indicating what should and what should not be the objects of medical concern. The concepts are ambiguous, operating both as explanatory and evaluatory notions. They describe states of affairs, factual conditions, while at the same time judging them to be good or bad. Health and disease are normative as well as descriptive. This dual role is core to their ambiguity and is the focus of this paper. In this paper I shall examine first the concept of health; second, the concept of disease; and third, I will draw some general conclusions concerning the interplay of evaluation and explanation in the concepts of health and disease.
A feasibility study of thermal stimulation in unconventional shale reservoirs

Abstract Shale oil production from plays such as the Bakken and Eagle Ford, driven by advances in horizontal well drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology, has helped improve US domestic oil production. However, due to the low permeability of shale oil reservoirs, primary depletion only produces 5–10% of the original oil in place and there is a huge potential for improved recovery. Chemical and gas huff-n-puff have been piloted with varying degrees of success, but no breakthrough recovery method has been discovered. This study examines improved oil recovery from shale reservoirs by thermal stimulation, consisting of primary depletion (early in a well's life), followed by conversion of the well to a heat injector to elevate reservoir temperature, and finally followed by a secondary depletion. The proposed method was tested using a compositional, thermal reservoir simulator (CMG STARS) and key parameters affecting recovery during thermal stimulation were investigated. This study found that 1000 days of thermal stimulation with a 700 °F heater has the potential to economically increase oil recovery from about 7% to more than 11.5%, with potential for even greater recovery if heat injection time and temperature are optimized. The study also found that thermal pressurization of oil is the primary mechanism for the improved recovery. Kerogen decomposition into oil and gas results in a significant increase of hydrocarbons in place but is only a minor contribution to the additional recovery because production is limited by a lack of flow capacity. Furthermore, a two-fold increase in permeability is observed as a result of kerogen decomposition, but its contribution to recovery is also minor because the heated region is not well connected with the fractured region. The heating scheme may be improved in the future to better connect the heated region with the fractured region.
Design and Characterization of a Novel, Reverse Prodrug Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) comprises a group of related lymphoproliferative disorders characterized by the presence of malignant lymphocytes in the skin. The most common variant is Mycosis Fungoides (MF), which affects approximately 500 patients per year in the United States. Though most patients with MF enjoy a normal life expectancy, they experience chronic morbidity due to the symptomatic and cosmetic manifestations of epidermotropism: erythematous patches, elevated plaques, alopecia, and cellulitis. Many patients will experience progressive disease with lymph node infiltration, tumor and a leukemic phase termed the Sezary Syndrome. The lack of a survival benefit offered by clinical trials of combination chemotherapy and radiation supports the current standard of initial topical therapy for most patients with CTCL. Topical or skin-directed approaches widely offered include: nitrogen mustards (meclorethamine or carmustine), corticosteroids, oral psoralen with UVA radiation, UVB phototherapy and electron beam irradiation. Recent, early phase clinical studies of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) have illustrated a remarkable activity among patients with advanced CTCL. The structural dissimilarity of these ligands supports an on-target antineoplastic effect. Unfortunately, the frequently severe side effects associated with the systemic delivery of these nonselective ligands may limit their downstream clinical utility in the majority of patients with this disease, even with topical administration. We therefore devised a chemical strategy to achieve high dose-intensity at the site of cutaneous disease following topical administration with limited systemic exposure. Suberohydroxamic acid phenyl ester (SHAPE) is a first-in-class reverse prodrug inhibitor of histone deacetylases. Between the aliphatic chain and aromatic capping element of this canonical HDACi, we positioned an ester bond so as to promote presystemic metabolism by serum esterases. Preclinical studies of this ligand demonstrate potent activity against nuclear and cytosolic HDAC proteins. Doses required to achieve maximal histone hyperacetylation in human cancer cell tissue culture are comparable to vorinostat (SAHA; Merck & Co., Rahway, NJ) and MS-275 (Berlex Pharmaceuticals, Montville, NJ). These studies support the stability of SHAPE in the intracellular environment amid cellular esterases. The rapid metabolism (t-½ less than 5 minutes) by serum esterases has been established biochemically using continuous spectrophotometry, and is mediated by both butyrylcholinesterase and paraoxonase. Tolerability and preliminary activity have recently been demonstrated in an IL-7 transgenic mouse model of CTCL supporting clinical development as a therapeutic strategy in humans. Application to premalignant, neoplastic and inflammatory conditions of the oropharynx is being explored. Further studies characterizing the impact of SHAPE on T-cell function are also ongoing, to assess utility in conditions such as psoriasis and cutaneous graft-versus-host disease.