cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface properties of the Pettit wind streak on Mars: Implications for sediment transport

Satellite imagery of the Pettit streak on Amazonis Planitia are discussed in terms of the details of wind streaks and their associated sediments. Increasingly more detailed blow-ups of the available imagery demonstrate that the Pettit streak holds both a Type I bright streak (at the crater rim) and a Type II dark streak beginning at the dark patch within the crater. The lowest albedos measured, 0.20-0.22, are associated with the highest thermal inertia, indicative of grain diameters similar to medium sand, i.e., ranging from 250-350 microns. The brightest portions of the streak have albedos over 0.26 and a low thermal inertia, in the range 3-4, which implies the presence of fine-grained sand, diameters from 50-100 microns. The particle grains are less than 50 microns diameter in the surrounding plains, which have an approximately uniform albedo (0.27) and a thermal inertia of 2.5, characteristics typical of silt or clay. Current streak models describe the dark streak well, but do not account for the bright streak, which may be optically thick patches of very fine dust.
Atypical demyelinating lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis

We describe an atypical MRI appearance of multiple sclerosis (MS). Lesions characterized on T2-weighted images by a well-defined rim of increased signal intensity and a concentric region of higher signal intensity were seen in 6 of 132 patients with MS. On T1-weighted images these lesions were evident as regions of low signal intensity, often with a rim of contrast enhancement or increased signal intensity. These appearances tended to be shown by new, evolving lesions.
CAN COST EFFECTIVENESS OF GROWTH HORMONE BE IMPROVED

Top of pageAbstract We report the growth velocities of all growth hormone-deficient, pre-pubertal patients treated since onset of therapy with a daily dose of recombinant hGH in our clinic. As illustrated in the table below, our patients attained adequate growth velocities while treated with approximately 60% of the dose most widely used. The study population consisted of 20 pre-pubertal patients, 9 of whom had “organic” and 11 of whom had idiopaihic etiologies of their growth hormone deficiency. Average age at onset of treatment was 6.6 years. Average bone age maturation during treatment was 1.2 years for each year of chronological age. The growth velocities in the second and third year of treatment did not decline from those of the first year. Of note, Ranke and Guilbaud (Acta Paedtr. Scand [Suppl] 379: 109-115, 1991) have found that high first year doses of hGH have a negative influence on second year growth. Since both cost and metabolic side effects increase with the magnitude of the hGH dose, current recommended dosages may need to be reviewed.
Chemoradiotherapy-Induced Upregulation of PD-1 Antagonizes Immunity to HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer

While viral antigens in HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer (HPVOPC) are attractive targets for immunotherapy, the effects of existing standard-of-care therapies on immune responses to HPV are poorly understood. We serially sampled blood from stage III-IV OPC patients undergoing concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with or without induction chemotherapy. Circulating immunocytes including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, regulatory T cells (Treg), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) were profiled by flow cytometry. Antigen-specific T cell responses were measured in response to HPV16 E6 and E7 peptide pools. The role of PD-1 signaling in treatment-related immunosuppression was functionally defined by performing HPV-specific T cell assays in the presence of blocking antibody. While HPV-specific T cell responses were present in 13/18 patients prior to treatment, 10/13 patients lost these responses within 3 months after CRT. CRT decreased circulating T cells and markedly elevated MDSC. PD-1 expression on CD4+ T cells increased by nearly 2.5-fold after CRT, and ex-vivo culture with PD-1 blocking antibody enhanced HPV-specific T cell responses in 8/18 samples tested. CRT suppresses circulating immune responses in HPVOPC patients by unfavorably altering effector:suppressor immunocyte ratios and upregulating PD-1 expression on CD4+ T cells. These data strongly support testing of PD-1-blocking agents in combination with standard-of-care CRT for HPVOPC.
Blocking GABAC receptors increases light responsiveness of retinal ganglion cells in a rat model of retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract Previous studies in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa indicate that the GABAergic system in the retina may be overactive. GABA is known to act on GABA C receptors present on the axon terminals of bipolar cells to inhibit the release of excitatory neurotransmitter from these cells. The present study examined the effects of a GABA C receptor antagonist on the light-evoked responses of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a rat model of retinitis pigmentosa. Extracellular recordings were made from RGCs in retinas isolated from P23H transgenic rats and non-dystrophic Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. Spike activity of RGCs was measured in response to brief flashes of light over a range of light intensities. Intensity–response curves were evaluated prior to and during bath application of the GABA C receptor antagonist TPMPA. I found that TPMPA consistently increased the sensitivity of P23H rat RGCs to light flashes. For ON-center RGCs ( n = 21), the average increase in light sensitivity was 0.63 log unit. For OFF-center RGCs ( n = 6), the average increase was 0.38 log unit. TPMPA increased the maximum peak response of ON-center RGCs by 22% and OFF-center RGCs by 11%. However, the increase in maximum peak response of OFF-center RGCs was not statistically significant. TPMPA had no significant effect on the dynamic operating range of either ON-center or OFF-center RGCs. Nine ON-center SD rat RGCs were also tested. In contrast to what was observed for P23H rat RGCs, TPMPA decreased the sensitivity of these RGCs to light flashes, on average by 0.20 log unit. In conclusion, GABA C receptors may be novel targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at increasing light responsiveness in patients with retinitis pigmentosa or other diseases involving degeneration of photoreceptors.
Group-Induced Polarization in Simulated Juries:

Group-induced shift effects observed on other response dimensions were extended to a simulated jury setting. Subjects first responded to eight hypothetical traffic cases which varied in the implication of guilt (high or low), then discussed half of these cases (two high guilt and two low guilt) in small groups, and finally responded again to all eight cases. As predicted, the simulated jury deliberations polarized the mean judgment of discussed cases. After discussing low guilt cases, subjects were, on the average, more extreme in their judgments of innocence and more lenient in recommended punishment, and after discussing high guilt cases shifted toward harsher judgments of guilt and punishment. These effects were not observed for cases which were not discussed.
Cyclotron resonance in P-doped InSb quantum wells

Abstract A combined experimental and theoretical study of cyclotron resonance was conducted on a two-dimensional hole system in an InSb quantum well, which was 9 nm thick and compressively strained by ∼0.65%. An effective mass of 0.065 m o and a g -factor | g ∗ | ≈ 23 were deduced from cyclotron resonance features at magnetic fields of 2.5 T and 6 T, respectively, when the InSb quantum well had a hole density of 3.5×1011 cm−2. At higher magnetic fields, separate cyclotron resonances are observed for different spin-conserving transitions. The magnetic field dependences of the effective mass and g -factor for holes are well explained by an 8-band Pidgeon-Brown model generalized to include the effects of the confinement potential and pseudomorphic strain.
Picosecond Electronic Relaxation in CdS/HgS/CdS Quantum Dot Quantum Well Semiconductor Nanoparticles

Subpicosecond photoexcitation of CdS/HgS/CdS quantum dot quantum well nanoparticles at wavelengths shorter than their interband absorption (390 nm) leads to a photobleach spectrum at longer wavelengths (440−740 nm). The photobleach spectrum changes and its maximum red-shifts with delay time. These results are explained by the rapid quenching of the initially formed laser-excited excitons by two types of energy acceptors (traps); one is proposed to be due to CdS molecules at the CdS/HgS interface, and the other trap is that present in the CdS/HgS/CdS well. The results of the excitation at longer wavelengths as well as the formation and decay of the bleach spectrum at different wavelengths support this description.
Congestion, Concentration and Behavior: Research in the Study of Urban Population Density

This paper first reviews the descriptions and structural explanations for variations in urban population densities in the United States over several decades. The research reviewed focuses on shifts in the technology and economics of travel as being the major influences on urban density distributions. These variables appear to be somewhat less adequate as explanations of the process in recent decades. After reviewing these findings and suggesting several research questions, we attempt to assess the evidence relating variations in population density to several other aspects of human behavior. A review of the research relating high population densities to various "social pathologies" indicates that little of the variance in rates of these pathologies can be attributed to density independently of other social structural variables. Some important consequences of population density have been reported, however, and possible research directions are outlined.
Properties and performance of novel high-resolution/high-permeability ion-exchange media for protein chromatography.

Abstract There is continued interest in the development of stationary phases for protein chromatography that can provide high resolution at elevated flow rates of the mobile phase. When using porous particles, resolution and dynamic binding capacity decline rapidly as the flow rate is increased. Monolithic columns have been developed to overcome these limitations. However, there are difficulties in manufacturing homogeneous larger scale monoliths. In this paper we investigate the morphology and performance characteristics of columns based on new ion exchangers obtained by mechanically disrupting continuous beds of acrylamido-based polymeric media. Near colloidal suspensions of loose particles obtained with this procedure can be flow-packed in ordinary chromatography columns resulting in beds of unexpectedly high hydraulic permeability. Columns up to 2.2 cm in diameter were studied with both Q and S functionalized media. The hydraulic permeability and interparticle porosity of these columns were rather high. The permeabilities of the S and Q media were 1.5 × 10 −13 and 2.4 × 10 −13 m 2 , respectively, while the corresponding porosities were 60 and 70%. These porosity values are similar to those of monoliths, suggesting that these particles assemble under flow to give high-porosity bridged structures. The structure of these packed beds was further characterized by embedding small packed columns in resins and obtaining sections for microscopic observation. The sections reveal the presence of small aggregates of non-porous 1–3 μm particles, surrounded by flow channels several micrometers in size. The height equivalent to a theoretical plate under isocratic and gradient elution conditions and the dynamic binding capacity were determined for several proteins and were found to be virtually independent of flow.
Hatching in Three Species of Neuroptera

This paper deals with the process of hatching in three species of Neuroptera, viz., Chauliodes pectinicornis Linn, Micromus posticus Walker, and Chrysopa oculata Say. The observations were made with special reference to the egg bursters. This account is therefore a brief description of the appearance of the eggs at hatching, the process of hatching and a description of the special structure enabling the embryo to leave the shell. This structure in the three species mentioned is of the same general type, but there are important differences. The general process of hatching in each case, as well as the appearance of the eggs at hatching, are very similar.
Changes in interspike interval during propagation: Quantitative description

The intervals between nerve impulses can change substantially during propagation because of conduction velocity aftereffects of previous impulse activity. Effects of such changes on interval histograms and on statistical parameters of spike trains were evaluated for Poisson spike trains and for trains generated by a clock with added random delays. The distribution of short intervals was significantly changed during propagation for these spike trains. Substantial changes in serial correlation coefficients were found in trains with certain initial interval distributions. The relevance of these effects to neural coding is discussed.
Mean shift: a robust approach toward feature space analysis

A general non-parametric technique is proposed for the analysis of a complex multimodal feature space and to delineate arbitrarily shaped clusters in it. The basic computational module of the technique is an old pattern recognition procedure: the mean shift. For discrete data, we prove the convergence of a recursive mean shift procedure to the nearest stationary point of the underlying density function and, thus, its utility in detecting the modes of the density. The relation of the mean shift procedure to the Nadaraya-Watson estimator from kernel regression and the robust M-estimators; of location is also established. Algorithms for two low-level vision tasks discontinuity-preserving smoothing and image segmentation - are described as applications. In these algorithms, the only user-set parameter is the resolution of the analysis, and either gray-level or color images are accepted as input. Extensive experimental results illustrate their excellent performance.
DNS of Particle-Turbulence Interaction

The effect of a freestream isotropic turbulence on the drag of a particle and its wake structure is studied through direct numerical simulations. We present here six different cases where the particle diameter is varied from 1.5 to 10 times the Kolmogorov scale, and the particle Reynolds number from about 50 to 600. The DNS results show that turbulence has no substantial effect on the time-averaged mean drag which can be reasonably well predicted by standard drag correlations, such as the Schiller-Neumann law. The accuracy of prediction of the instantaneous drag however decreases with increasing particle size. The inclusion of the added-mass force may worsen the prediction, while the Basset history force is observed to be very small. The mean wake in a turbulent flow shows a shortened wakelength compared to the uniform flow result at the same Reynolds number. The instantaneous wake structures for the different cases are studied and the salient features are presented. For the smallest particle, the wake is simply oscillating without any shedding. For the particle of intermediate size, freestream turbulence creates unsteady wake, and Λ-shaped vortices are formed. For the largest particle, the wake is characterized by strong unsteady shedding but unlike in a uniform flow the vortices do not maintain their structural integrity and they quickly dissipate downstream.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Effects of atmospheric boundary layer mixing representations on vertical distribution of passive and reactive tracers

A one-dimensional chemistry-boundary layer model was used to study the effects of differing representations of atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) processes on simulated concentrations of passive and chemically reactive tracers. Two local- and two nonlocal-closure ABL schemes were used to perform numerical simulations during convective conditions in the ABL. Observational data from the First International Statellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment (FIFE) were used to provide initial meteorological conditions while representative chemical concentrations and surface and elevated emission rates were used to provide initial chemical conditions and chemical sources to the one-dimensional model. Two sets of numerical simulations were performed using the four ABL schemes. The first set simulated bottom-to-top mixing characteristics, and the second set simulated top-to-bottom mixing characteristics. Model simulations were performed for 12h starting from 0700LT 11 July 1987. Our analysis indicate that the simulated concentrations of both passive and reactive chemical species were sensitive to the type of ABL scheme used to represent turbulent mixing processes. Characteristic features associated with each scheme (e.g., growth and intensity of mixing in the ABL) contributed to the differences among the simulated species concentrations. For some of the chemical species these differences were large, particularly in the surface layer and in the interfacial layers of the ABL. In turn, differences caused by the differing mixing representations resulted in different chemical production/destruction rates. As a consequence, the simulated species concentrations differed among the simulations. We also found that chemical species concentrations were more sensitive to the type of ABL scheme in the bottom-to-top mixing simulations than in the top-to-bottom simulations.
Stereochemistry of the lithium aluminum deuteride reduction of the thiirane ring

Abstract Inversion of configuration has been demonstrated for the opening of the thiirane ring using lithium aluminum deuteride. This is based on a comparison of the optical activity of butane-2- d obtained from 2,3-dimethylthiirane with that from reductive displacement of other functional groups.
Bereaved older adults who seek early professional help

The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the characteristics of older bereaved spouses who sought early professional help related to their grief. Among a sample of 339 bereaved older adults, aged 50 years or older, 39 (11.5%) reported that they had obtained some form of professional help. The most commonly reported source of help sought was from clergy followed by that provided by the health-care system and community groups. Those who sought help reported higher depression, lower coping ability, and poorer perceived health as well as slightly lower self-esteem and instrumental and resource-identification skills. With a few exceptions, the particular source of help sought was not statistically related to many of the indicators examined.
The cubic Fermat equation and complex multiplication on the Deuring normal form

The arithmetic on elliptic curves in Deuring normal form is shown to be related to solutions of the Fermat equation 27X3+27Y3=X3Y3. This arithmetic is used to give conditions for the existence of multipliers μ on supersingular elliptic curves in characteristic p for which μ2=−3p. Together with an explicit factorization of a certain class equation, these conditions imply that the number of irreducible binomial quadratic factors (mod p) of the Legendre polynomial P(p−e)/3(x) of degree (p−e)/3 is a simple linear function of the class number of the quadratic field \(\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3p})\).
The AppLeS Parameter Sweep Template: User-Level Middleware for the Grid

The Computational Grid is a promising platform for the efficient execution of parameter sweep applications over large parameter spaces. To achieve performance on the Grid, such applications must be scheduled so that shared data files are strategically placed to maximize reuse, and so that the application execution can adapt to the deliverable performance potential of target heterogeneous, distributed and shared resources. Parameter sweep applications are an important class of applications and would greatly benefit from the development of Grid middleware that embeds a scheduler for performance and targets Grid resources transparently. In this paper we describe a user-level Grid middleware project, the AppLeS Parameter Sweep Template (APST), that uses application-level scheduling techniques [1] and various Grid technologies to allow the efficient deployment of parameter sweep applications over the Grid. We discuss several possible scheduling algorithms and detail our software design. We then describe our current implementation of APST using systems like Globus [2], NetSolve [3] and the Network Weather Service [4], and present experimental results.
The Role of Donor Bone Marrow Infusions in Withdrawal of Immunosuppression in Adult Liver Allotransplantation

We investigated the role of donor bone marrow cell (DBMC) infusions in immunosuppression withdrawal in adult liver transplantation. Patients enrolled were at least 3 years post-transplantation, with stable graft function. Forty-five (study group: G1) received DBMC, and 59 (control group: G2) did not. Immunosuppression was reduced by one third upon enrollment, by another third the second year of the study and was completely withdrawn the third year. Patient and graft survival were similar between the two groups. Although rejection episodes were significantly less in G1 the first 2 years of the study (35% vs. 57%, p = 0.016), there was no significant difference overall (74% vs. 81%, p = 0.14). Until February 2004, 20 patients, 10 in each group, were immunosuppression free for 1–3 years. Approximately 20% of long-term survivors of liver transplantation can successfully discontinue their immunosuppression. DBMC infusions, do not increase this likelihood.
Diffuse Reflectance FT-IR For The Study Of Catalyst Treatment And Performance

The study of catalysis involving metals supported on high area metal oxides presents several problems. Many of the surface techniques, including all of the electron spectroscopies, cannot be used under conditions approaching that of a reaction since they require high vacuum conditions. Infrared spectrometry has found wide application in catalyt studies, but the strong absorption and scattering by the support has sometimes made measurements difficult. Diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (DR/FT-IR) offers advantages over various transmission measurements due to its surface sensitivity and the more natural environment of the catalyst sample. The adsorption of carbon monoxide on alumina-supported rhodium catalysts has been studied extensively by a number of investigators. The infrared spectral features are found to be quite sensitive to such parameters as metal loading, treatment conditions, precursor material, and measurement conditions. Although the system is by no means well characterized at this point, the assignments of three different adsorbed species are now well accepted by most authors1,2,3. (These species are Species I, a gem dicarbonyl with bands at 2096-2101 and 2022-2032 cm-1; Species II, a linearly bonded CO on one rhodium atom, 2042-2076 cm-1; Species III, a bridge bonded CO between two Rh atoms, 1845-1900 cm-1).
Nonrandomized Comparison of Primary Chemotherapy and Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Clinical Stage IIA and IIB Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Testicular Cancer

PURPOSE Patients with clinical stage (CS) IIA and IIB nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) with adenopathy more than 2 cm, multiple masses, elevated serum tumor markers, or disease outside the primary landing zone have increasingly been recommended to receive primary chemotherapy over time at our institution. The impact of these selection factors on the outcome of patients managed primarily by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) or chemotherapy was examined. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1989 and 2002, 252 patients with CS IIA and IIB NSGCT were referred to our institution for initial management, of whom 136 underwent RPLND and 116 received chemotherapy and postchemotherapy RPLND. Patient information was obtained from a prospective RPLND database. Results Proportionately more patients received chemotherapy over time (22% in 1989 to 1993 v 68% in 1999 to 2002), and the relapse-free survival (RFS) subsequently improved from 84% (1989 to 1998) to 98% (1999 to 2002; P = .004) without increasing the proportion who received any chemotherapy (70% v 79%; P = .16). By increasingly selecting patients with adverse features for primary chemotherapy, the RFS after RPLND improved from 78% to 100% (P = .019), but rates of pathologic stage II and retroperitoneal teratoma were unaffected. Retroperitoneal histology and RFS did not change over time for chemotherapy patients. Primary chemotherapy was associated with improved RFS compared with RPLND (98% v 79%; P < .001), but disease-specific survival did not differ significantly (100% v 98%; P = .3). CONCLUSION Patient selection factors have significantly improved the outcome of patients with CS IIA and IIB NSGCT without substantially increasing the proportion of patients exposed to chemotherapy.
Curvature scale space based affine-invariant trajectory retrieval

In this paper, we outline a novel technique for robust indexing and retrieval of video object trajectories. Our approach is based on using spatiotemporal curvature to represent the trajectories. Dominant inflection points from the curvature are extracted at multiple levels of scale simultaneously revealing structure at varying levels of details. These inflection points, the maxima of curvature scale space (CSS), are then used for indexing and retrieval. Experiments on a database containing trajectories of high jumps and of her motions show the affine-invariant nature of our approach.
Effects of heavy nitrogen doping in III–V semiconductors – How well does the conventional wisdom holdfor the dilute nitrogen “III–V‐N alloys”?

Although heavily N doped III-V semiconductors are frequently referred to as dilute nitrogen III-V-nitride alloys in general, it is important to realize that there are some subtle but important differences among them. In the indirect gap semiconductor GaP, since even a single N impurity can have a bound state, as far as the absorption near the band gap is concerned, it is difficult to describe GaP:N as an alloy. The N induced bound states (a hierarchy of impurity complexes) can in fact give rise to rather strong absorption below the indirect band gap, which effectively reduced the energy of the absorption edge, but the position of the absorption edge cannot be defined in a conventional way. In the direct gap semiconductor GaAs, a single N impurity does not form a bound state but instead has a resonant state above the conduction band edge. In this aspect, GaAs:N is similar to the situation in a conventional alloy, say, GaAs:P, except that the perturbation of N to the host is much stronger than that of P. However, because in reality N incorporation is typically in a random manner and a cluster as small as one N pair can generate bound states, the permissible region for GaAs:N to behave as a regular alloy is in fact rather limited, i.e., only when the N concentration is low enough so that the N pair and cluster states do not significantly interact with the host. In this study, a precise tracking of the evolution of the host and N induced impurity states will be offered for the two prototype systems, GaAs:N and GaP:N, with x varying from as low as ∼10 -5 to ∼10 -2 . Such a study gives valuable insight to the underlying physics of the material evolution, sets up a bench-mark for testing the theoretical modeling of this type of system, and serves to enhance our understanding of the behavior of isoelectronic impurities in semiconductors in general. The dissimilarity between GaP:N and GaAs:N indicates that seeking a unified model for all the isoelectronic doping systems is unrealistic. Our study also indicates that for strongly perturbed systems like GaP:N and GaAs:N, certain materials properties could be less well defined or not uniquely defined, as compared to those in other conventional semiconductor alloys.
Regulation of Breast Cancer-induced Bone Lesions by β-Catenin Protein Signaling *

Breast cancer patients have an extremely high rate of bone metastases. Morphological analyses of the bones in most of the patients have revealed the mixed bone lesions, comprising both osteolytic and osteoblastic elements. β-Catenin plays a key role in both embryonic skeletogenesis and postnatal bone regeneration. Although this pathway is also involved in many bone malignancy, such as osteosarcoma and prostate cancer-induced bone metastases, its regulation of breast cancer bone metastases remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that the β-catenin signaling pathway has a significant impact on the bone lesion phenotype. In this study, we established a novel mouse model of mixed bone lesions using intratibial injection of TM40D-MB cells, a breast cancer cell line that is highly metastatic to bone. We found that both upstream and downstream molecules of the β-catenin pathway are up-regulated in TM40D-MB cells compared with non-bone metastatic TM40D cells. TM40D-MB cells also have a higher T cell factor (TCF) reporter activity than TM40D cells. Inactivation of β-catenin in TM40D-MB cells through expression of a dominant negative TCF4 not only increases osteoclast differentiation in a tumor-bone co-culture system and enhances osteolytic bone destruction in mice, but also inhibits osteoblast differentiation. Surprisingly, although tumor cells overexpressing β-catenin did induce a slight increase of osteoblast differentiation in vitro, these cells display a minimal effect on osteoblastic bone formation in mice. These data collectively demonstrate that β-catenin acts as an important determinant in mixed bone lesions, especially in controlling osteoblastic effect within tumor-harboring bone environment.
Cellular immune responses in asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and effects of vaccination with recombinant envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1.

Effects of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) recombinant envelope glycoprotein vaccines on cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses were assessed in HIV-1-infected patients. Asymptomatic, antiretroviral-treatment-naive, HIV-1-infected patients with CD4+ T-cell counts greater than 400/μl received multiple intramuscular injections of HIV-1 IIIB recombinant envelope glycoprotein (rgp160) vaccine or HIV-1 MN recombinant envelope glycoprotein (rgp120) vaccine (eight patients, referred to as the HIV-1 vaccinees) or placebo or hepatitis B vaccine (three patients, referred to as the controls). Lymphocyte proliferation in response to HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins, both homologous and heterologous to the HIV-1 immunogens, was absent prior to study treatment in all patients but increased significantly during the vaccination series and after the final vaccination in HIV-1 vaccinees (P < 0.05) and remained absent in control patients. In flow cytometric analyses of intracellular cytokines, T-cell receptor stimulation with an anti-CD3 antibody induced gamma interferon (IFN-γ) expression by activated CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes at greater frequencies than did stimulation with recombinant envelope glycoprotein and p24 of HIV-1 (P < 0.05). Mean frequencies of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein-stimulated, activated intracellularIFN-γ-producing CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and of interleukin-2-producing CD4+ lymphocytes did not increase after vaccination, but cytokine-producing cells were detectable in some patients. Comparing pre- to post-HIV-1 vaccination time points, changes in frequencies of activated, IFN-γ-producing CD4+ cells correlated inversely with changes in lymphocyte proliferation in response to recombinant envelope glycoprotein in HIV-1 vaccinees (P < 0.05). Increased CMI responses to HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein measured by lymphocyte proliferation were associated with HIV-1 recombinant envelope glycoprotein vaccines.
The effect of particle wear debris on NFκB activation and pro‐inflammatory cytokine release in differentiated THP‐1 cells

Orthopedic wear debris has been thought to be an important factor associated with osteolysis and loosening of total joint arthroplasties. Previous in vitro studies have reported that particles of wear debris induce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory mediators from macrophages and other cells. Several recent investigations, however, have suggested that the wear particles themselves may not be primarily responsible for the inflammatory cellular responses, but that the observed cytokine release in vitro may be caused by endotoxin adsorbed to commercially available particle preparations. The intracellular pathways involved in macrophage signal transduction also are poorly understood. The purposes of this study are to use isolated orthopedic wear debris particles to evaluate pro-inflammatory cytokine release and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) activation from macrophages. Cells from human monocyte/macrophage cell line (THP-1) were differentiated and incubated with particles of debris that had been isolated from a failed human total hip arthroplasty. The titanium-alloy particles did not evoke release of TNF-α or IL-1β whereas lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS-treated debris particles induced both TNF-α and IL-1β. LPS-treated particles, but not particles alone, stimulated NFκB activation. Our results suggest that at the concentrations tested in this study, endotoxin-free wear debris particles may not themselves initiate inflammatory cellular responses in differentiated THP-1 cells. It is unclear whether adsorbed endotoxin is clinically associated with osteolysis and/or loosening in total joint arthroplasties, but several factors, including adsorbed endotoxin, need to be investigated to explore the cellular responses responsible for osteolysis and/or loosening. © 2001 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 59: 507–515, 2002
CAF-Mediated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 1 Transcriptional Inhibition Is Distinct from α-Defensin-1 HIV Inhibition

CD8(+) T lymphocytes can inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication by secreting a soluble factor(s) known as CD8(+) T-lymphocyte antiviral factor (CAF). One site of CAF action is inhibition of HIV-1 RNA transcription, particularly at the step of long terminal repeat (LTR)-driven gene expression. The inhibitory effect of CAF on HIV-1 LTR activation is mediated through STAT1 activation. A recent study reports that alpha-defensins 1 to 3 account for CAF activity against HIV-1. Here, we address whether alpha-defensins, particularly alpha-defensin-1, contribute to CAF-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 transcription. Both recombinant alpha-defensin-1 and CAF derived from herpesvirus saimiri (HVS)-transformed CD8(+) cells inhibited HIV-1 infection and gene expression. For both factors, the inhibition of HIV-1 infection did not occur at the level of viral entry. Pretreatment of cells with alpha-defensin-1 followed by a washing out prior to infection blocked infection by HIV-1, indicating that direct inactivation of virions was not required for its inhibitory effect. In contrast to CAF, alpha-defensin-1 did not inhibit phorbol myristate acetate- or Tat-mediated HIV-1 LTR activation in a transient transfection system, nor did it activate STAT1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Furthermore, alpha-defensins 1 to 3 were below the level of detection in a panel of HVS-transformed CD8(+) cells with potent HIV-1 inhibitory activity and a neutralizing antibody against alpha-defensins 1 to 3 did not reverse the inhibitory effect of CAF on HIV-1 gene expression in infected cells and on HIV-1 LTR activation in transfected cells. Taken together, our results suggest that alpha-defensin-1 inhibits HIV-1 infection following viral entry but that alpha-defensins 1 to 3 are not responsible for the HIV-1 transcriptional inhibition by CAF.
Rover science autonomy: probabilistic planning for science-aware exploration doctoral consortium thesis summary

Future Mars rovers will have the ability to autonomously navigate for distances of kilometers. In one sol a traverse may take a rover into unexplored areas beyond its local horizon. The rover can explore these areas more effectively if it is able to detect and react to science opportunities on its own, what we call science autonomy. We are studying science autonomy in two ways: first, by implementing a simple science autonomy system, In a rover in the field, and second, by developing probabilistic planning technology that can enable more principled autonomous decision-making in future systems.
Interactive Mechanisms for Teaching Dermatology to Medical Students

Objectives To develop interactive teaching mechanisms for an "Introduction to Dermatology" course for medical students and to compare the effectiveness and impact of these mechanisms on learning. Design Survey and before-after trial. Setting Medical school. Participants Second-year medical students (approximately 200 per year). Main Outcome Measures The teaching mechanisms were evaluated through responses to questionnaire-based course evaluations (survey). The impact of the CD-ROM program was assessed by performance in Kodachrome slide–based multiple choice examinations (before-after trial). Results Overall the course was highly rated and among its components, the live-patient sessions, the CD-ROM program, and the poster exhibit were rated most effective. There was no difference in the examination performance of students who took the course before and after inclusion of the CD-ROM program. High-scoring students attended a significantly greater number of lectures in comparison with low-scoring students. Conclusions The 3 teaching mechanisms judged by students to be most effective were also the most visual and interactive, suggesting that these attributes are critical to learning dermatology. On the other hand, addition of the CD-ROM program failed to produce differential improvement in short-term cognitive skills.
Bone-supported arch bars are associated with comparable outcomes to Erich arch bars in the treatment of mandibular fractures with intermaxillary fixation.

Purpose Titanium arch bars that are directly fixated to the maxilla and mandible with self-drilling locking screws combine features of Erich arch bars and bone-supported devices and present an alternative method of intermaxillary fixation (IMF) that possesses potential advantages over existing techniques. The objective of this study was to compare IMF using this device with Erich arch bars secured with circum-dental wires. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed of patients who were surgically treated for mandibular fractures from 2012 through 2013. The primary predictor variable was fixation technique, which was IMF using Erich arch bars secured with circum-dental wires (group I) or titanium arch bars fixated with maxillary and mandibular screws (group II). The outcome variables were complication rates, time necessary for device application and removal, glove perforation rate, and cost. Statistical analysis was performed with InStat (GraphPad, Inc, La Jolla, CA) using the Fisher, χ 2 , or Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. Results Twenty-five consecutive cases in group I and in group II were reviewed. There were 43 male patients (86%) and 7 female patients (14%) with a mean age of 28.4 years. Mean follow-up was 2.0 months. Overall complication rates for groups I and II were similar (16.0% vs 12.0%, respectively; P = 1.00). In group II, there were 3 instances of delayed wound healing at the sites of gingivobuccal incisions attributed to the close proximity of the arch bar eyelets. The time necessary for device application was faster in group II than in group I (42 vs 62 minutes, respectively; P = .02). Conclusions Bone-supported arch bars may be a comparable alternative to Erich arch bars secured with circum-dental wires for IMF. Careful planning of transoral incisions in relation to locking screw eyelets may help minimize wound complications.
A Linear Time Synchronization Algorithm for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

Large propagation delay and node movement are considered to be two significant attributes that differentiate an underwater wireless sensor network (UWSN) from a ground wireless sensor network (WSN). Considering the effects of both propagation delay and movement, we propose a time synchronization algorithm suitable for a UWSN. An underwater node can move out of and into another node's range frequently. With the proposed algorithm, no time synchronization is necessary if the time stamps of the received data packets are within the tolerance. In this fashion, the network underwater does not need to perform global time synchronizations periodically, which reduces the time used to synchronize clocks among sensor nodes. The simulation results show the time cost for synchronization is linear to the data packets exchanged.
Diode laser transmitter for water vapor DIAL measurements

The design and performance of two diode laser based transmitters for differential absorption LIDAR (DIAL) are presented. The first laser transmitter uses a tunable external cavity diode laser (ECDL) in the Littman-Metcalf cavity configuration to injection seed a flared amplifier. Water vapor absorption measurements are demonstrated with this laser transmitter operating in a continuous wave mode. The second diode based laser transmitter uses an ECDL in the Littrow cavity configuration and angle-angle semiconductor optical amplifiers to produce amplified laser pulses. Both designs are easily adaptable to wavelengths in the visible to the near infrared spectral region.
The Environmental Effects of Adopting IPM Techniques: The Case of Peach Producers

The impact of adopting integrated pest management (IPM) techniques is examined for peach producers in eight states accounting for most of the U.S. production. The method accounts for self-selectivity, simultaneity, and the pesticide demand equations are theoretically consistent with a restricted-profit function. Biological pest management techniques tend to reduce pesticide use and pesticide toxicity substantially, while pesticide-efficiency techniques (using scouting and economic thresholds) have an increasing effect on pesticide use and toxicity, and cultural techniques have an insignificant effect on pesticide use and toxicity.
Chorion Patterning: A Window into Gene Regulation and Drosophila Species’ Relatedness

Changes in gene regulation are associated with the evolution of morphologies. However, the specific sequence information controlling gene expression is largely unknown and discovery is time and labor consuming. We use the intricate patterning of follicle cells to probe species’ relatedness in the absence of sequence information. We focus on one of the major families of genes that pattern the Drosophila eggshell, the Chorion protein (Cp). Systematically screening for the spatiotemporal patterning of all nine Cp genes in three species (Drosophila melanogaster, D. nebulosa, and D. willistoni), we found that most genes are expressed dynamically during mid and late stages of oogenesis. Applying an annotation code, we transformed the data into binary matrices that capture the complexity of gene expression. Gene patterning is sufficient to predict species’ relatedness, consistent with their phylogeny. Surprisingly, we found that expression domains of most genes are different among species, suggesting that Cp regulation is rapidly evolving. In addition, we found a morphological novelty along the dorsalmost side of the eggshell, the dorsal ridge. Our matrix analysis placed the dorsal ridge domain in a cluster of epidermal growth factor receptor associated domains, which was validated through genetic and chemical perturbations. Expression domains are regulated cooperatively or independently by signaling pathways, supporting that complex patterns are combinatorially assembled from simple domains.
The Effect of IFRS on Cross-Border Acquisitions

We examine whether the 2005 mandatory adoption of IFRS is followed by an increase in cross-border acquisitions into the adopting countries and whether the association is driven by IFRS per se or by concurrent enforcement changes. Using the exogeneity of a firm’s listing status to identify the effect of IFRS, we document a significant increase in cross-border acquisitions of listed targets from the adopting countries. We find no evidence that the IFRS effect is driven by those countries that apparently bundled the IFRS adoption with enforcement changes. The evidence also suggests that the IFRS effect is likely due to the fact that many different countries use a common reporting system, as opposed to improvement in reporting quality at individual firms. In particular, we find that the increase in investment flow into the IFRS adopting countries comes mainly from other adopting countries and is significantly stronger when the increase in reporting uniformity associated with IFRS is higher. We also find no evidence that firms that voluntarily adopted IFRS prior to the mandatory adoption were more likely to become cross-border acquisition targets.
A biosensor for detecting changes in cognitive processing based on nonlinear systems analysis

A new type of biosensor, based on hippocampal slices cultured on multielectrode arrays, and using nonlinear systems analysis for the detection and classification of agents interfering with cognitive function is described. A new method for calculating first and second order kernel was applied for impulse input-spike output datasets and results are presented to show the reliability of the estimations of this parameter. We further decomposed second order kernels as a sum of nine exponentially decaying Laguerre base functions. The data indicate that the method also reliably estimates these nine parameters. Thus, the state of the system can now be described with a set of ten parameters (first order kernel plus nine coefficients of Laguerre base functions) that can be used for detection and classification purposes.
Computation and performance trade-offs in motion estimation algorithms

Real-time video/visual communication applications require trade-offs in terms of processing speed, visual image quality and power consumption. Motion estimation is one of the tasks in video coding that requires significant amount of computation. Block matching motion estimation algorithms such as the three-step search and the diamond search algorithms are being used in video coding schemes as alternatives to full search algorithms. Fast motion estimation algorithms reduce the computational complexity, at the expense of reduced performance. Special purpose fast processors can be employed as an alternative to meet the computational demand. However, the processing speed comes at the expense of higher power consumption. This paper investigates motion estimation algorithms and presents the computational, and performance trade-offs involved in choosing a motion estimation algorithm for video coding applications. Fast motion estimation algorithms often assume monotonic error surface in order to speed up the algorithm. The argument against this assumption is that the search might be trapped in local minima and may result in a noisy motion field. Prediction methods have been suggested in the literature as a solution to avoid these local minima and noisy motion field. The paper also investigates the effects of the monotonic error surface assumption as well as the appropriate choice of initial motion vectors that results in better performance of the motion estimation algorithms.