cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthetic triterpenoids inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in human glioblastoma and neuroblastoma cells through inhibition of prosurvival Akt, NF-κB and Notch1 signaling

Glioblastomas are high-risk primary brain tumors that are generally unresponsive or only weakly responsive to the currently available antineoplastic agents. Thus novel therapeutic strategies and agents are urgently needed to treat these incurable cancers. Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid are naturally occurring triterpenoids that have been used in traditional Asian medicine as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. Recently, synthetic oleanolic acid triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) and its C-28 methyl ester (CDDO-Me) and C-28 imidazole (CDDO-Im) derivatives have been shown to exhibit potent antitumor activity against diverse types of tumor cell lines, including leukemia, multiple myeloma, osteosarcoma, breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer cell lines; however, the anticancer activity of these agents for brain tumors has not been reported. In the present study, we investigated the apoptosis-inducing activity of CDDOs in glioblastoma (U87MG, U251MG) and neuroblastoma (SK-N-MC) cell lines. Cell growth/viability (MTS) and cytotoxicity (LDH release) assays demonstrated that glioblastoma cell lines are least sensitive to CDDO, but are highly sensitive to CDDO-Me and CDDO-Im at concentrations of 2.5–10 μM. CDDO-Im and CDDO-Me were equipotenent in their growth inhibitory activity. The primary mode of tumor cell destruction was apoptosis as demonstrated by significant increase in the number of hypo-diploid (sub-G0) cells and annexin V-FITC binding. Induction of apoptosis was associated with the activation of procaspases-3, -8, and -9, mitochondrial depolarization and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Furthermore, CDDO-Me inhibited the levels of anti-apoptotic and prosurvival p-Akt, NF-κB (p65) and Notch1 signaling molecules. These studies provide rationale for clinical evaluation of these novel agents for the management of lethal brain neoplasms.
gp91phox-containing NAD(P)H oxidase mediates attenuation of nitric oxide-dependent control of myocardial oxygen consumption by ANG II.

We have previously reported that ANG II stimulation increased superoxide anion (O2−) through the activation of NAD(P)H oxidase and inhibited nitric oxide (NO)-dependent control of myocardial oxygen...
Thiol-based redox switches

Regulation of protein function through thiol-based redox switches plays an important role in the response and adaptation to local and global changes in the cellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Redox regulation is used by first responder proteins, such as ROS-specific transcriptional regulators, chaperones or metabolic enzymes to protect cells against mounting levels of oxidants, repair the damage and restore redox homeostasis. Redox regulation of phosphatases and kinases is used to control the activity of select eukaryotic signaling pathways, making reactive oxygen species important second messengers that regulate growth, development and differentiation. In this review we will compare different types of reversible protein thiol modifications, elaborate on their structural and functional consequences and discuss their role in oxidative stress response and ROS adaptation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Thiol-Based Redox Processes.
Studies of a myosin-cleaving protease from dystrophic hamster heart

Abstract A myosin-cleaving protease was purified to homogeneity from the cardiac myofibrils of dystrophic hamsters. The biochemical properties of the enzyme was studied with both [ 3 H] acetyl-casein and purified myosin as substrates. Steadily increasing levels of the enzyme correlated to the development of cardiomyopathy.
Balancing the Risks and Benefits of Dual Platelet Inhibition

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events commonly arise from atherosclerotic plaque rupture that produces platelet activation, thrombus formation, and reduction of blood flow to the brain or heart. The inhibition of platelets with aspirin is effective in the secondary prevention of acute coronary events.1 The addition of clopidogrel (i.e., dual antiplatelet therapy), a platelet P2Y12-receptor antagonist, produces even greater secondary prevention of coronary events in high-risk patients for up to 1 year.2 Second-generation P2Y12 inhibitors (i.e., prasugrel and ticagrelor) produce further reductions in the risk of ischemic events over the same time frame, albeit with more bleeding complications.3, . . .
Acute And Long-Term Bioeffects And Lamp Safety

Knowledge of both acute and chronic biological effects is currently used to evaluate lamp safety. In some cases, a quantitative basis for avoiding exposures greater than a certain value can be stated. In other cases, however, only a qualitative estimate of the hazard is available. In a discussion that uses mercury vapor lamps, tanning booths, and sodium vapor lamps as examples, the interplay between the two types of data leading to an evaluation of lamp safety is described.
Identification of Functional Platelet-Activating Factor Receptors on Human Keratinocytes

Platelet-activating factor (PAP) is a potent inflammatory mediator that has been shown to be produced by human keratinocytes and is thought to play a role in cutaneous inflammation, Immunofluorescence and radioligand binding studies were used to characterize PAP receptors (PAF-R) on human keratinocytes and the human epidermoid cell lines A-431 and HaCaT. Indirect immunofluorescence studies demonstrated anti-PAF-R staining of primary cultures of human keratinocytes, A-431 cells, and HaCaT cells, Primary cultures of human fibroblasts and the melanoma cell line SK-30 failed to show immunostaining above that seen with control antiserum. With indirect immunofluorescence studies of sections of normal human skin, a granular anti-PAF-R staining pattern was noted on the keratinocyte cell membranes. A-431 cells readily metabolized PAF by deacetylationreacylation at 37°C, but not at 4°C. Binding studies on crude membrane preparations of A-431 cells conducted at 4°C demonstrated specific binding that reached saturation by 120 min. Scatchard analysis of PAF binding data revealed a single class of high-affinity (K D = 6.3 ± 0.3 nM) PAP binding sites, The immunofluorescence and radioligand binding sites were shown to be functional PAF-Rs, as 10 pM to 1 μM PAF increased intracellular calcium in primary cultures of human keratinocytes, A-.431 cells, and HaCaT cells, whereas PAF treatment of primary cultures of human fibroblasts or the melanoma cell line SK-30 did not result in changes in the intracellular calcium concentration. The structurally dissimilar PAF-R antagonists CV-6209, Ro19-3704, and alprazolam all inhibited the PAF-induced calcium changes in A-431 cells, The CV-6209 inhibition was seen at doses that competed with the PAF binding to these cells. These studies provide the first evidence for the presence of a functional PAF-R expressed on human keratinocytes, suggesting that this lipid mediator may play an important role in normal keratinocytes or in inflammatory dermatology.
Recommendations on the GOES-R series from the GOES users' conferences

The first GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) Users' Conference, focusing on the GOES-R Series was held from May 22 through 24, 2001 in Boulder Colorado, with approximately 200 participants from government, the private sector, academia and the international community. GOES-R is planned to be launched in 2012. The conference was organized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with cooperation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the National Weather Association, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The goals of the conference were: (1) to inform GOES users of plans for the next generation capabilities; (2) to provide information on the potential applications; (3) to determine user needs for new products, data distribution, and data archiving; (4) to assess potential user and societal benefits of GOES capabilities; and (5) to develop methods to improve communication between the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) and the GOES user community. Sessions included: (1) planned and potential sensors for U.S. geostationary satellites; (2) user requirements, applications, and potential benefits from future GOES; (3) future international geostationary satellites; and (4) communications, ancillary services and training issues. The third day of the conference consisted of facilitated breakout sessions in which the user community provided input to ten questions on their future needs for products, services, data distribution, archiving, training and potential benefits of the next generation GOES to their operations and to society. A second GOES Users' Conference will be held in Boulder, Colorado from October 1 to 3, 2002. This paper will provide a summary of the recommendations provided by the first GOES Users' Conference and some expectations of topics to be covered at the second conference. A brief summary of a new requirements generation process that incorporates input from both conferences will also be provided.
Rethinking the Reference Collection: Exploring Benchmarks and E-Book Availability

Librarians in the Health Sciences Library System at the University of Pittsburgh explored the possibility of developing an electronic reference collection that would replace the print reference collection, thus providing access to these valuable materials to a widely dispersed user population. The librarians evaluated the print reference collection and standard collection development lists as potential benchmarks for the electronic collection, and they determined which books were available in electronic format. They decided that the low availability of electronic versions of titles in each benchmark group rendered the creation of an electronic reference collection using either benchmark impractical.
Low surface energy polymeric release coating for improved contact print lithography

Contact printing has been used for decades in many various lithography applications in the microelectronic industry. While vacuum contact printing processes offer sub-micron resolution and high throughput, they often suffer from some important drawbacks. One of the most common problems is degradation in both resolution and defect density which occurs when the same mask si used for multiple exposures without frequent mask cleans. This is largely due to the relatively high surface energy of both quartz and chrome and the tendency of most photoresists to adhere to these surfaces. As a result, when a mask and wafer are pressed into intimate contact, resist will tend to stick to the mask creating a defect on the wafer, effectively propagating defects to subsequent wafers. In this study, DuPont Teflon AF 1601S is used as a photomask coating and evaluated for its ability to act as a release agent and reduce defects while maintaining resolution for multiple exposures. Teflon AF is an amorphous, transparent, low surface energy, polymeric material that can be spin coated into a thin conformal film. Tests have shown that when using an uncoated mask in vacuum contact, resolution of 0.75 micrometers dense lines is severely degraded after less than 10 consecutive exposures. However, when the mask is coated, 0.75 micrometers dense lines were successfully resolved using vacuum contact for over 200 exposures without cleaning. In addition, it has been demonstrated that Teflon AF coatings impart to a mask a self-cleaning capability, since particles tend to stick to the photoresist rather than the mask. A coated mask, which was purposefully contaminated with particulates, resolved 0.75 micrometers dense lines on all but the first wafer of a series of 25 consecutive exposures. The patented mask releases layer process has successfully been demonstrated with a positive novolak resist. Additional data which describes the system chemistry, dilution and coating process, and film morphology are also presented.
ζ-Function method for infinite series

The ζ-function method is used to rearrange Dirichlet series of the form $$\sum\nolimits_m {( \pm )^m m^{ - s} g(x/m)}$$ into power series in x. This displays explicitly the analyticity in s of the series. Generalized ζ-functions of physical interest can be analysed by this method.
New composite tissue allograft model of vascularized bone marrow transplant: the iliac osteomyocutaneous flap.

Vascularized bone marrow transplant (VBMT) induces donor-specific chimerism in experimental models across the major histocompatibility barrier. An experimental model for immunotolerance studies should sustain a high antigenicity with low morbidity. Accordingly, we introduced an iliac bone osteomusculocutaneous (IBOMC) transplant model in rat. It consists of a large skin component and an abundant bone marrow cells (BMC) population. We tested this model with isograft transplantations between Lewis rats (RT1l) and with allograft transplantation between Lewis-Brown Norway (LBN RT1l + n) donors and Lewis (RT1l) recipients under low dose of cyclosporine A monotherapy. Immunologic responses were tested for donor cell engraftment and chimerism induction. All isografts survived indefinitely and allografts were viable at 200 days post-transplant under low dose of cyclosporine A. Microangiography of the graft revealed preservation of skin, muscle, and bone components. Histologic examination confirmed viability of all allograft components without signs of rejection. Long-term engraftment of donor-origin (RT1n) BMC was confirmed by donor-specific chimerism (1.2 %) in peripheral blood and bone marrow (1.65 %) compartments and by engraftment into lymphoid organs of recipients. The IBOMC transplant proved to be a reliable composite tissue allotransplantation (CTA) model. Moreover, because of its robust bone marrow component and large skin component, it is applicable to studies on immunologic responses in CTA.
13C NMR coupling constants in delocalized organo-alkali metal compounds. Models of polymerization systems

Abstract 2,5-Diphenyl-2,5-dipotassiohexane, 2-lithio-4,4-dimethyl-2-phenylpentane, and 1-lithio-2,5,5-trimethylhexene-2 have been prepared, all labelled with 13 C in the position adjacent to the alkali metal atom. The 13 C NMR spectra of these compounds have been measured and the 13 C C coupling constants found for the charged atom. The first two compounds have coupling constants consistent with an sp 2 hybridized C α , with relatively little effect of the charge on the coupling constant. The third compound, when dissolved in either THF or benzene, gave much smaller coupling constants, which are more difficult to interpret.
An Efficient Algorithm for Reconsiruction of SPECT Images in the Presence of Spatially Varying Attenuation

An algorithm is presented which permits the reconstruction of SPECT images in the presence of spatially varying attenuation. The algorithm considers the spatially variant attenuation as a perturbation of the constant attenuation case and computes a reconstructed image and a correction image to estimate the effects of this perturbation. The corrected image will be computed from these two images and is of comparable quality both visually and quantitatively to those simulated for zero or constant attenuation taken as standard reference images. In addition, the algorithm is time efficient, in that the time required is approximately 2.5 times that for a standard convolution-back projection algorithm.
Asymptotic Effectiveness-NTU Formulas for Multipass Plate Heat Exchangers

Journal of heat transfer proceedings published by ASME. Please see www.ASME.org for the complete proceedings.
Predicting the Job Performance of Store Detectives

In order to cost-effectively address billions in merchandise losses, retail loss prevention executives are searching for process improvement opportunities, including enhancing the selection of store-level protection employees. Some retail managers aim to improve the effectiveness of their store detective programs by improving detective pre- employment screening. This paper describes research into using a combination of personality traits, background data, and a measure of cognitive ability to predict job performance scores. A quantitative study of 201 US store detectives (using a job performance instrument in a concurrent validity design) developed three distinct selection models designed to help explain role-specific job performance variance. Three hypotheses regarding the relationship between biographical data, personality traits, cognitive ability and the three measures of job performance were tested, using multiple regression analysis. The three resulting selection models explained between 13 and 18 per cent of the variance in detective job performance measures, indicating that pre-employment or pre-promotion testing can enhance job performance.
Discontented America: The United States in the 1920s

It was a decade of great heroes like Babe Ruth and Charles Lindbergh, and of passive leaders like Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. The exuberant freedom of flappers drinking bathtub gin and dancing the Charleston did little to counter such powers of oppression as the rapidly rising Ku Klux Klan. Only the fictional wealth of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Jay Gatsby survived the stock market crash unscathed; by the end of the decade, the comic adventures of Charlie Chaplin's "little tramp" bore faint resemblance to the grim realities faced by countless destitute Americans. Too often, notes historian David Goldberg, the mythic allure of the "Roaring Twenties" has deafened our ears to the real voices of those who lived through the decade. In Discontented America, he integrates social and political history to provide a new take on the 1920s-an account deeply rooted in the perspectives of that time. Goldberg argues that this contentious and fascinating decade should be viewed now as it was viewed then, as a distinctive postwar period, during which many of the conflicts generated by World War I continued to reverberate throughout American society. As America sought to step back from the leadership role it had taken in the Great War, Goldberg explains, the nation faced internal battles over women's suffrage, prohibition of the sale of "intoxicating beverages," the specter of communism, and the declining power of labor unions. Large numbers of African Americans migrated from the southern states to the north in search of employment and a better life, and at the same time, there was another heavy wave of newcomers from overseas. These, Goldberg concludes, were the issues that preoccupied serious Americans, and their concern is reflected in the federal legislation of the period, from constitutional amendments providing for prohibition and women's suffrage to the National Origins Act, meant to curtail immigration from nonwestern European countries. "The 1920s involved a time of confronting (or sometimes, ignoring) profound social problems, fears, and anxieties that had nagged the national consciousness for decades. David Goldberg very properly calls it a time of discontent, and in this work he thoroughly probes much of the underside of life that pitted Americans of differing classes, ethnicity, and religion against one another...As Goldberg notes, the Great Depression exposed underlying fallacies and weaknesses in the economy and provided the occasion for the great political and social transformation of the twentieth century. The achievements of the 1920s are long behind us, but the lessons of unbridled capitalism, intolerance, and the clashes between traditionalism and modernism very much remain."-from the foreword by Stanley I. Kutler
Eucalyptus: Delivering a Private Cloud

In an interview conducted by Dejan Milojicic, EIC of Computing Now (www.computer.org/portal/web/computingnow), Rich Wolski, CTO of Eucalyptus Systems, gives an overview of the services and applications his company provides. The extended transcript of that conversation, along with the audio podcast, is available through Computing Now.
DDT mimicks estradiol stimulation of breast cancer cells to enter the cell cycle

Estrogens play a critical role in the etiology of found breast cancer. Estradiol promotes the growth of breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. Exogenous estrogens in both the environment and in the human diet increase the growth of breast cancer cells in vitro. A role for xenoestrogens in breast cancer etiology has been proposed but remains controversial. We examined the effects of the xenoestrogenic pesticide 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) on estrogen-receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 and T-47D human breast cancer cells as well as on ER-negative HS 578Bst breast cancer cells and rat liver cells. Estradiol and DDT were found to increase the growth of MCF-7 cells in the presence of insulin. The activity of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)2 increased in growth-arrested T-47D and MCF-7 cells treated with beta-estradiol or DDT. The steroidal antiestrogen ICI 182,780 prevented both growth and Cdk2 activation induced by estradiol or DDT. Increased phosphorylation of Cdk2 and the retinoblastoma protein (pRb1O5) was observed in ER-positive cells treated with DDT or estradiol. Cdk2 activity was not affected by DDT or estradiol in ER-negative HS 578Bst breast cancer cells or in rat liver epithelial cells. Cyclin D1 protein synthesis was increased by DDT and estradiol in MCF-7 cells. DDT and estradiol-induced ER-dependent transcriptional activation of estrogen response elements (EREs) in stably transfected MVLN cells, and ERE activation by low doses of DDT was increased by insulin. These findings suggest that DDT can stimulate breast cancer cells to enter into the cell cycle by directly affecting key regulatory elements. The relative potency of DDT in inducing cell-cycle progression appears to be only 100-300 times less than that of estradiol when measured in the presence of insulin. Therefore, the cancer risks associated with DDT exposure may be greater than first thought, especially when additional mitogenic stimuli are present.
A Study of the Association between Broodiness and Intensity

Abstract EARLY experimental research in poultry breeding conducted by workers in Maine indicated that little or no increase could be made in annual egg production by basing selection of breeding stock merely upon annual production records. Goodale (1918) was the first to show that annual egg production was based upon a number of characters. Hays (1924) gave modern methods of poultry breeding the start it needed by showing that the characters upon which high annual egg production depended, were definitely inherited. As a result of the research by Goodale, Hays, and others, poultry breeding to increase annual egg production has been based primarily upon five predominant characters. The characters are as follows: (1) Early sexual maturity, (2) High winter intensity, (3) No winter pause 8 days or longer, (4) Non-broodiness, (5) High persistency. Sanborn, Goodale, and White (1920) proved the broody instinct to be inherited, and this observation has been confirmed . . .
The role and determinants of concession sales in movie theaters: evidence from the Spanish exhibition industry.

The importance of concession sales in the movie exhibition industry is widely acknowledged among economists and other social scientists that have studied this industry in the past. Despite this recognition, the lack of appropriate data has constrained existing studies that document the role that concessions play in movie theaters. Using detailed weekly movie theater data on concession sales, box office revenues and transaction characteristics from a major exhibitor in Spain, we shed light on the relation between concession sales and the following factors (i) theater attendance, (ii) non-traditional channels of ticket distribution, (iii) audience composition, and (iv) theater and market specific factors.
A culture system for the study of pancreatic organogenesis

Methods of microdissection and culture are described for the establishment and short-term maintenance of cultures derived from early embryonic mouse pancreas. Varying culture conditions may be employed to study aspects of epithelio-mesenchymal interactions in the developing pancreas.
Long-term survival after pneumonectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer.

Objectiveto investigate long-term survival in patients who underwent pneumonectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.Methodswe retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive pneumonectomy cases from 1998 to 2009 at the University of Kentucky. We were able to obtain follow-up data on 99 of 100 patients.Resultsoverall 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival was 66%, 48%, and 32%, respectively. The 1-, 2-, and 5- survival for left pneumonectomy was 76%, 55%, and 40%, respectively, compared to 56%, 44%, and 22%, respectively, for right pneumonectomy. The median survival for left pneumonectomy was 2.4 years compared to 1.2 years for right pneumonectomy (p = 0.056). The 5-year survival for patients diagnosed with stage I disease was 34%, compared to 19% for stage II disease, and 38% for stage III disease. The 5-year survival for patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy was 31% compared to 39% for patients who received adjuvant therapy and 29% for patients who received surgery alone. Th...
Parallel implementation and performance optimization of the configuration-interaction method

The configuration-interaction (CI) method, long a popular approach to describe quantum many-body systems, is cast as a very large sparse matrix eigenpair problem with matrices whose dimension can exceed one billion. Such formulations place high demands on memory capacity and memory bandwidth --- two quantities at a premium today. In this paper, we describe an efficient, scalable implementation, BIGSTICK, which, by factorizing both the basis and the interaction into two levels, can reconstruct the nonzero matrix elements on the fly, reduce the memory requirements by one or two orders of magnitude, and enable researchers to trade reduced resources for increased computational time. We optimize BIGSTICK on two leading HPC platforms --- the Cray XC30 and the IBM Blue Gene/Q. Specifically, we not only develop an empirically-driven load balancing strategy that can evenly distribute the matrix-vector multiplication across 256K threads, we also developed techniques that improve the performance of the Lanczos reorthogonalization. Combined, these optimizations improved performance by 1.3-8× depending on platform and configuration.
The kinetics of cellular proliferation in normal and malignant tissues. V. Analysis of labeling indices and potential tissue doubling times in human tumor cell populations.

The metabolic activities of proliferating human tissues which concern nucleic acid synthesis and the cell cycle are being examined by high resolution autoradiography following the incorporation of labeled nucleic acid precursors. The relationships of the kinetics of cellular proliferation are investigated using a method whereby surgical biopsy specimens are labeled with nucleic acid precursors in vitro, but under conditions in which the incorporation of the label occurs only in the cells which were synthesizing DNA and RNA in the patient, thereby providing a pattern of labeling similar to that obtained by in vivo methods. The tissue turnover rates, potential doubling times, and the temporal patterns of DNA and RNA synthesis in relation to the cell cycle of proliferating cell populations are determined by appropriate techniques using 3H- and 14C-labeled thymidine and uridine. Quantitative information on cell population kinetics in normal, inflammatory, and neoplastic tissues of the larynx from over 160 patients is presented, and the experimental data are discussed in terms of relationships of cell cycle times, proliferative capacities, and growth rates of human cell populations in vivo.
Utilizing UV Mutagenesis to Breeding Strains with High Ability of Oil Shale Degradation

For the screening of degrading oil shale strains, oil shale bacteria collected from Fushun Western Open were diluted moderately, then mutated with UV mutagenesis techniques, and tested the degradation. For bacteria when the mutagenic time was 1920 seconds, the death rate was 97.92%, while the degradation rate is always at 0.66% or so. For fungi, when the mutagenic time was 1920 seconds, the death rate was 93.75%, while degradability and mutagenesis time showed a certain degree of correlation. The highest degradation rate was 1.24%, when the mutagenesis time was 240s. There were three culturable fungi strains isolated from the microbial, called CPC ZYK2, ZYK4 and ZYK7. By PCR amplification of rDNA ITS area and compareing the database, the homology of the dominant strain ZYK7 and Fusarium oxysporum (JF807394) of Genbank was 100%.
Clinical outcomes of three different crown systems with CAD/CAM technology

Statement of problem Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) generated restorations are gaining popularity. However, limited clinical evidence is available for single-unit posterior CAD/CAM restorations fabricated with established and newer crown materials. Purpose The purpose of this clinical study was to assess the restoration quality of and gingival response to CAD/CAM fabricated posterior single-tooth restorations with different processing technologies. Material and methods Twenty-two individuals in need of posterior complete coverage crowns were recruited under an institutional review board approved protocol. Teeth were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: metal ceramic, lithium disilicate, and monolithic zirconia. An unprepared or minimally restored tooth on the contralateral side was chosen as a control tooth for gingival measurements with each participant. Teeth were prepared and scanned intraorally by 1 of 3 experienced practitioners. A total of 32 restorations were digitally designed and fabricated with either milling technology or rapid-prototype printing and casting with conventional porcelain application. Restorations were evaluated with modified United States Public Health Service criteria for contour, marginal adaptation, occlusion, and shade. Gingival crevicular fluid volume and bleeding on probing were recorded preoperatively, at 1-month and 6-month postcementation visits. Polyvinyl siloxane impressions were made of the buccal margin of cemented restorations and evaluated with microcomputed tomography to assess marginal adaptation (horizontal discrepancy). The Mantel Haenszel row mean score was used to assess whether the crown systems differed with respect to the modified United States Public Health Service criteria. Linear mixed models were used to assess whether the average gingival volumes were affected by the explanatory variables (crown system, tooth status [treated vs control], or visit). A generalized estimating equation approach was used to assess whether bleeding on probing was affected by the explanatory variables. One-way ANOVA was used to assess marginal discrepancy values among the crown systems (α=.05 for all tests). Results Twelve metal ceramic, 10 lithium disilicate, and 10 zirconia restorations were fabricated for 22 participants. Zirconia restorations were significantly different from the other 2 crown systems (P P =.027), with zirconia crowns having the least amount of horizontal marginal discrepancy. Conclusions Given the small sample size and limitations of this study, CAD/CAM-generated restorations for posterior teeth made from different materials had acceptable clinical results.
Minimal-Volume Shadows of Cubes

Abstract We study the shape of minimal-volume shadows of a cube in a given subspace. First we prove an essentially known result that for every subspace L the set of minimal-volume shadows in L contains a parallelepiped. Our main result is that for some subspaces there exist minimal-volume shadows that are far from parallelepipeds with respect to the Banach–Mazur distance.
Alveolar Walls in Mitral Stenosis

Pathologic alterations of alveolar walls in 95 autopsied patients with mitral stenosis were not frequent. The most frequently encountered change was capillary dilatation, and in 83 per cent of the patients, even this change was slight or absent. Other alterations were focal and involved only small proportions of the area of tissue examined. A generalized increase in the thickness of basement membranes could not be demonstrated.
Phase II Trial of Gemcitabine plus Trastuzumab in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Previously Treated with Chemotherapy: Preliminary Results

Preliminary results of a phase II study of gemcitabine plus trastuzumab in previously treated (up to 3 previous regimens) metastatic breast cancer patients are presented. Patients had histologically confirmed metastatic breast cancer, with 2+ or 3+ tumor HER2 expression. Treatment consisted of gemcitabine 1200 mg/m2 over 30 minutes intravenously on days 1 and 8 every 21 days, and trastuzumab 4 mg/kg over 90 minutes, followed by 2 mg/kg infused over 30 minutes weekly. Treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. Preliminary results are available on the first 38 patients enrolled. Median patient age was 53 years, 53% had estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-positive disease, and HER2 staining was 2+ in 39% and 3+ in 61% of patients. There was a median of 3 previously administered (including adjuvant) chemotherapy regimens, and a median of 4.5 treatment cycles per patient has been administered so far. Twelve patients (32%) have had an objective partial response, with a median response duration of 8.6 months. Median time to disease progression is 6.7 months to date, with a median overall survival of 10.2 months. No unexpected toxicities or grade 4 nonhematologic toxicities have been observed; 2 patients developed grade 4 neutropenia and 1 patient had febrile neutropenia. Thus, gemcitabine/ trastuzumab resulted in an encouraging 32% response rate, given the heavily pretreated patient population. Tolerability was good overall, with no unexpected side effects observed.
Exploring Cross-layer techniques for Security: Challenges and Opportunities in Wireless Networks

In this paper, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of using cross-layer techniques for enhancing wireless network security. Cross-layer approach has gained considerable interest in performance optimization due to their design advantages. While the architectural modification introduced by the inter-layer interactions show promising results on overall network performance, there is also a growing concern on their limitations. Here, we investigate the impact of cross-layer techniques on security and network performance. An in depth understanding of the strength and weakness of cross-layer methods is necessary in designing robust architectures. To this end, we evaluate different cross-layer architectures and analyze their efficiency in intrusion detection systems.
Combining fossil and sunspot data: committee predictions

It is hypothesized that 680 million years ago solar magnetic storms producing ultraviolet and X-radiation affected the Earths ozone layer, which in turn influenced the variations in the silt deposition from glacial run-off. Preserved as fossils discovered in South Australia, the striation widths constitute clues to ancient solar activity. Utilizing this noisy data, the author has improved his ability to predict the modern sunspot series. In this paper, the author details how the prediction results were achieved through training on the fossil data and committee predictions with the sunspots. Through this exercise, the author has develop general methods for combining predictors and also time series that may be related but separated in time.
Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices

Part I. Introduction General Features of the Cardiovascular System Paul A. Iaizzo Part II. Anatomy Cardiac Development Brad J. Martinsen and Jamie L. Lohr Anatomy of the Thoracic Wall, Pulmonary Cavities, and Mediastinum Kenneth P. Roberts and Anthony J. Weinhaus Anatomy of the Human Heart Anthony J. Weinhaus and Kenneth P. Roberts Comparative Cardiac Anatomy Alexander J. Hill and Paul A. Iaizzo The Coronary System and Associated Medical Devices Ryan Lahm and Paul A. Iaizzo The Pericardium Edward Chinchoy, Michael R. Ujhelyi, Alexander J. Hill, Nicholas D. Skadsberg, and Paul A. Iaizzo Part III. Physiology and Assessment Cardiac Myocytes Vincent A. Barnett The Cardiac Conduction System Timothy G. Laske and Paul A. Iaizzo Autonomic Nervous System Kevin Fitzgerald, Robert F. Wilson, and Paul A. Iaizzo Cardiac and Vascular Receptors and Signal Transduction: Physiological and Pathophysiological Roles of Important Cardiac and Vascular Receptors Daniel C. Sigg Reversible and Irreversible Damage of the Myocardium: New Ischemic Syndromes, Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, and Cardioprotection James A. Coles, Jr., Daniel C. Sigg, and Paul A. Iaizzo The Effects of Anesthetic Agents on Cardiac Function Michael K. Loushin Blood Pressure, Heart Tones, and Diagnoses George Bojanov Basic ECG Theory, Recordings, and Interpretation Anthony Dupre, Sarah Vincent, and Paul A. Iaizzo Mechanical Aspects of Cardiac Performance Michael K. Loushin and Paul A. Iaizzo Energy Metabolism in the Normal and Diseased Heart Arthur H. L. From and Robert J. Bache Introduction to Echocardiography Jamie L. Lohr Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Michael Jerosch-Herold, Ravi Teja Seethamraju, and Carsten Rickers Part IV. Devices and Therapies Historical Perspective of Cardiovascular Devices and Techniques Dee M. McManus, Monica A. Mahre, and Paul A. Iaizzo Animal Models for Cardiac Research Robert P. Gallegos, Andrew L. Rivard, and Richard W. Bianco Cardiac Arrhythmias and Transcatheter Ablation Fei Lu, Scott Sakaguchi, and David G. Benditt Pacing and Defibrillation Timothy G. Laske, Anna M. Legreid, and Paul A. Iaizzo Biventricular Pacing for Congestive Heart Failure Fei Lu and Leslie W. Miller Cardiac Mapping Systems Nicholas D. Skadsberg, Timothy G. Laske, and Paul A. Iaizzo Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Cardioplegia J. Ernesto Molina. Heart Valve Disease, Robert P. Gallegos and R. Morton Bolman III Less-Invasive Cardiac Surgery Kenneth K. Liao Treatment of Cardiac Septal Defects: The Evolution of the Amplatzer(R) Family of Devices John L. Bass End-Stage Cardiomyopathy: Ventricular Assist Devices Soon J. Park Experimental Cell Transplantation for Myocardial Repair Joseph Lee, Atsushi Asakura, and Jianyi Zhang Genomics-Based Tools and Technology Jennifer L. Hall Emerging Cardiac Devices and Technologies Paul A. Iaizzo Index
Preliminary Experience With Epsilon Aminocaproic Acid for Treatment of Intractable Upper Tract Hematuria in Children With Hematological Disorders

Purpose: Gross, intractable hematuria is rare in children. Although the role of epsilon aminocaproic acid in the management of refractory hematuria is well established in the adult population, few data exist about its use in children for this indication. We present our initial experience with epsilon aminocaproic acid for the treatment of intractable hematuria after more conservative measures failed, and propose an algorithm for administration of epsilon aminocaproic acid in children.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the charts of all patients treated with epsilon aminocaproic acid for intractable gross hematuria at our institution during a period of 36 months. All patients underwent hematological evaluation and any underlying bleeding dyscrasias were addressed. All patients also underwent renal and bladder ultrasound, retrograde pyelogram and ureteroscopy. Demographic information, medical and surgical histories, and epsilon aminocaproic acid dosing and outcomes were recorded.Results: Three boys and 1 gi...
c-myc Intron Element-binding Proteins Are Required for 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Regulation of c-myc during HL-60 Cell Differentiation and the Involvement of HOXB4

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) suppresses c-myc expression during differentiation of HL-60 cells along the monocytic pathway by blocking transcriptional elongation at the first exon/intron border of the c-myc gene. In the present study, the physiological relevance of three putative regulatory protein binding sites found within a 280-base pair region in intron 1 of the c-myc gene was explored. HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells were transiently transfected with three different c-myc promoter constructs cloned upstream of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene. With the wild-type c-myc promoter construct (pMPCAT), which contains MIE1, MIE2, and MIE3 binding sites, 1,25-(OH)2D3 was able to decrease CAT activity by 45.4 +/- 7.9% (mean +/- S.E., n = 8). The ability of 1, 25-(OH)2D3 to inhibit CAT activity was significantly decreased to 18. 5 +/- 4.3% (59.3% reversal, p < 0.02) when examined with a MIE1 deletion construct (pMPCAT-MIE1). Moreover, 1,25-(OH)2D3 was completely ineffective at suppressing CAT activity in cells transfected with pMPCAT-287, a construct without MIE1, MIE2, and MIE3 binding sites (-6.5 +/- 10.9%, p < 0.002). MIE1- and MIE2-binding proteins induced by 1,25-(OH)2D3 had similar gel shift mobilities, while MIE3-binding proteins migrated differently. Furthermore, chelerythrine chloride, a selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, and a PKCbeta antisense oligonucleotide completely blocked the binding of nuclear proteins induced by 1,25-(OH)2D3 to MIE1, MIE2, and MIE3. A 1,25-(OH)2D3-inducible MIE1-binding protein was identified to be HOXB4. HOXB4 levels were significantly increased in response to 1,25-(OH)2D3. Taken together, these results indicate that HOXB4 is one of the nuclear phosphoproteins involved in c-myc transcription elongation block during HL-60 cell differentiation by 1,25-(OH)2D3.
Bipolar mania and capacity to consent: recommendations for investigators and IRBs.

In 1998 the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) released a report entitled Research Involving Persons with Mental Disorders That May Affect Decision-Making Capacity,1 The Commission expressed concern that certain mental disorders?including schizo phrenia, dementia, and mania?increased the likelihood that an individual would not have the decisional capaci ty to provide voluntary, informed consent to participate in research involving a mental disorder. The report noted that although there was a need for continued research to identify safe and effective treatments for mental disor ders, federal regulations governing research with humans were not sufficient to protect research participants in these types of studies. The Commission identified six areas of concern: 1) review bodies such as institutional review boards (IRBs); 2) research design; 3) protocol risk level; 4) informed consent and decisional capacity; 5) surrogate decision-making; and 6) education of and sup port for investigators and research participants. Although federal regulators have not issued new regu lations or guidance that reflect any of NBAC's 21 rec ommendations, the report increased awareness of the need for rigorous review of researchers' plans to protect individuals with mental disorders who participate in their studies. Indeed, the body of literature examining the decision-making capacity of individuals with mental disorders has grown substantially in the decade since NBAC issued its report, revealing that decisional capaci ty varies according to the type and severity of the mental disorder. Until recently, however, there has been a pauci ty of information about the decisional capacity of indi viduals with bipolar mania. The purpose of this article is to 1) provide a brief review of the research on decisional capacity related to mental disorders, particularly studies involving schizophrenia, depression, and dementia; 2) theorize about the unique aspects of mania that may affect research participation; 3) summarize our recent
Manufacturability and reliability study of ALX polymers for WLP applications

We present the results of study on the manufacturability and reliability of ALX211 polymer in wafer level packaging processes and structures. Previously, we studied the processing windows of ALX211 polymer, where process parameters were studied in lab conditions. The typical manufacturing environment differs from the laboratory environment in that delays between processing steps are typical and unavoidable. Determining the impact of these delays on the stability of the process is critical for determining how the material will perform in a manufacturing line. In this paper, we present new data on the impact of hold times between the main process sequences for the ALX211 process and show that the process is stable with hold times up to 24 hours between process steps. In addition, we present reliability results comparing the performance of polyimide, BCB, and ALX211 as evaluated in a bump-on-polymer test structure. Results of bump shear tests after process completion and after exposure to multiple reflow cycles are presented, as well as results of board level temperature cycling testing.
An Accelerator for Isotope Conversion - The Recycle Accelerator

The nature of charged particle - complex nuclei reaction cross sections suggests an isotope conversion accelerator in which a circulating beam kept at constant energy repeatedly traverses a thin target. Statistical deviations in target energy loss and emergent direction induce betatron and synchrotron oscillations. These limit the number of traversals before particle loss, but to useable values. However, the requirements of storage ring injection may reduce the advantage of this accelerator over conventional types.
Interactive versus Ipsative Measurement of Career Interest

Measurement of interests via the self-report type of inventory takes either of two forms—the interactive or “free-response” variety, or the ipsative or “forced-choice” variety. There are many differences between the two forms but little empirical evidence concerning the validity of one as compared to the other. This study is an investigation of the difference in concurrent validity between an interactive and an ipsative form of a short career preference inventory for college males, using several of the scales on the Strong Vocational Interest Blank as criteria. The results indicate that despite the theoretical and practical differences in the two forms, neither holds any substantial advantage in statistical validity.
Population Aging, Intracohort Aging, and Sociopolitical Attitudes:

Prevailing stereotypes of older people hold that their attitudes are inflexible or that aging tends to promote increasing conservatism in sociopolitical outlook. In spite of mounting scientific evi...
Genetic Order of the Galactose Structural Genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The galactose structural genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were ordered by determining the genotypes of mitotic and meiotic recombinants from crosses heterozygous for the three genes. The most probable order is centromere-gal7-gal10-gal1. Nonreciprocal recombination was more frequent than reciprocal exchange, and both mitotic and meiotic co-conversions involving mutant sites in all three genes were observed.