cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characteristics Relating to Ovarian Cancer Risk: Collaborative Analysis of Seven U.S. Case-Control Studies. Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Black Women

Data on ovarian cancer from 12 U.S. case-controlled studies were combined to highlight the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in black women relative to white women to see if reproductive factors such as pregnancy and oral contraception can account for the lower incidence of ovarian cancer in Blacks. The incidence of ovarian cancer was 10.3/100000 black women and 15.4/100000 white women in 1988. 110 black women with diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer between 1971 and 1986 were compared to 251 black population controls and 114 black hospital controls. Reproductive factors were compared in 246 black and 438 white population controls as well. Results were derived by conditional logistic regression adjusted for birth year. There was a lower risk of ovarian cancer in blacks with parity of 4 or higher (odds ratio 0.53) with breast feeding 6 months or longer (O.R. 0.62). More blacks (48%) than whites (27%) had 4 or more term pregnancies. Blacks were slightly more likely to breast feed for 6 months and whites were slightly more likely to have used oral contraceptives. Black women had lower risks of ovarian cancer if they had hysterectomy or used postmenopausal replacement estrogens but higher risks if they had natural menopause. As expected longer duration of ovulation increased risk of ovarian cancer (O.R. 1.6). This study found that the risk estimates for reproductive factors were similar for blacks and whites and that the prevalence of these factors cannot explain the lower incidence of ovarian cancer in U.S. black women.
The Teton – Wind River domain: a 2.68–2.67 Ga active margin in the western Wyoming Province

The Archean rocks in western Wyoming, including the Teton Range, the northern Wind River Range, and the western Owl Creek Mountains, preserve a record of a 2.68–2.67 Ga orogenic belt that has many of the hallmarks of modern plate tectonics. A 2683 Ma tholeiitic dike swarm is undeformed and unmetamorphosed in the western Owl Creek Mountains. In the Wind River Range, these dikes have been deformed and metamorphosed during thrusting along the west- to southwest-directed Mount Helen structural belt, which was active at the time that the 2.67 Ga Bridger batholith was emplaced. In the northern Teton Range, the Moose Basin gneiss, which contains relict granulitefacies assemblages, appears to have been thrust upon the amphibolite-grade layered gneiss. The syntectonic Webb Canyon orthogneiss was intruded into the thrust at or before 2673 Ma. We interpret these relations, along with isotopic data indicating that the layered gneiss in the Teton Range consists of juvenile components, to indicate that the western Wyoming Province was the site of active margin tectonics at 2.68–2.67 Ga. This involved a magmatic arc in the present Wind River Range and back-arc spreading in the Owl Creek Mountains. The immature, juvenile layered gneiss in the Teton Range probably represents an accretionary prism or fore-arc basin onto which high-pressure rocks containing a mature sedimentary sequence were thrust at 2.67 Ga. Although it may be questioned as to when modern-style plate tectonics began in other cratons, it was certainly operating in the Wyoming Province by 2.67 Ga.
Regional ground-water flow modeling of the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands, Minnesota

Abstract Three-dimensional ground-water modeling experiments were done to test the hypothesis that regional ground-water flow is an important component of the water budget in the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands of northern Minnesota. Previous data collected from the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands suggest that regional ground-water flow discharges to these peatlands, maintaining saturation, controlling the peat pore-water chemistry, and driving ecological change. To test this hypothesis, steady-state MODFLOW models were constructed that encompassed an area of 10,160 km 2 . Data used in this modeling project included surface-water and water-table elevations measured across the study area, digital elevation data, and well logs from scientific test wells and domestic water wells drilled in the study area. Numerical simulations indicate that the Itasca Moraine, located to the south of the peatland, acts as a recharge area for regional ground-water flow. Ground water recharged at the Itasca Moraine did not discharge to the Red Lake Peatlands, but rather was intercepted by the Red Lakes or adjacent rivers. Simulations suggest that ground-water flow within the peatlands consists of local-flow systems with streamlines that are less than 10 km long and that ground water from distant recharge areas does not play a prominent role in the hydrology of these peatlands. Ground-water flow reversals previously observed in the Red Lake Peatlands are either the result of interactions between local and intermediate-scale flow systems or the transient release of water stored in glacial sediments when the water-table is lowered.
Cytokines: IL-20 — a new effector in skin inflammation

The newly discovered cytokine interleukin-20 (IL-20) is structurally related to IL-10, yet it appears to be an autocrine factor for keratinocytes that regulates their participation in inflammation.
PRAXIS: Brent’s algorithm for function minimization

Implementations of Brent’s (1973) PRincipal AXIS (PRAXIS) algorithm in the widely used C and PASCAL programming languages are presented. The algorithm minimizes a multivariate function without using derivatives. An example computer program that calculates a maximum likelihood estimate of the parameters of a psychometric function illustrates the use of the routine. Another algorithm, Localmin, also due to Brent (1973), efficiently finds the minimum of a univariate function. An example program uses this algorithm to estimate the polychoric correlation coefficient from a pxq table of observed frequencies.
Structural analysis by electric circuit analogies

Abstract Electric circuits may be constructed which obey the same laws as structures under load. Measurements on the circuits will then give the stresses, deflections, etc., of the corresponding structures. Circuits are given for determinate and indeterminate pin-connected and rigidly-connected structures in the static and the dynamic state. Experimental work is reported on relatively simple typical cases to show the apparatus and methods of measurement which are applicable, and the precision obtainable.
Structural and NMR characterization of Sm(III), Eu(III), and Yb(III) complexes of an amide based polydentate ligand exhibiting paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer abilities.

Complexes of Sm(III), Eu(III), and Yb(III) with a new polydentate ether ligand with amide arms were synthesized. Solid state X-ray structures of the complexes reveal all three complexes crystallize in monoclinic unit cells. The mononuclear complexes have nine coordinate tricapped trigonal prismatic geometries with coordination of all four amide carbonyl oxygen and all three of the backbone ether oxygen atoms. The molecules possess a pseudo C2 symmetry axis. The complexes were characterized by solution and solid state emission spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy. Solution state behavior of the complexes was further explored using NMR. The 1H NMR spectra show 16 peaks suggesting the complexes are slow in exchanging on the NMR time scale and that the C2 symmetry axis is maintained. The NMR spectra were assigned using 1H, 13C, COSY, and HMQC experiments. The Eu(III) complex was tested for the recently explored Magnetic Resonance Imaging phenomenon called paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (PARACE...
Receptors for Interleukin (IL)-4 Do Not Associate with the Common γChain, and IL-4 Induces the Phosphorylation of JAK2 Tyrosine Kinase in Human Colon Carcinoma Cells

We have previously reported on the expression of interleukin-4 receptors (IL-4R) on many human epithelial cancer cells; however, the binding characteristics, structure, function, and signal transduction through the IL-4R in cancer cells is not known. IL-4 binding characteristics were determined in human colon carcinoma cell lines by a 125I-IL-4 binding assay, which demonstrated that the HT-29 and WiDr colon cancer cell lines expressed high affinity IL-4R (Kd = 200 pM). Cross-linking experiments revealed a major band of 140 kDa and a broad band at 70 kDa. While the common gamma chain of IL-2R is associated with IL-4R in immune cells and is similar in size to the 70-kDa protein, this chain was not expressed in these colon cancer cells. Interestingly, IL-13, which has many functions similar to IL-4, inhibited 125I-IL-4 binding to both the 140- and 70-kDa molecules. Next, we investigated the mechanism of IL-4-induced signal transduction in colon cancer cells. After stimulation with IL-4, a 170-kDa band was primarily phosphorylated within 1 min of exposure and was identified as insulin receptor substrate-1. In addition, by immunoprecipitation assay, three other phosphorylated bands were identified as JAK1, JAK2, and Tyk2 tyrosine kinases. The phosphorylation of JAK1 and JAK2 was induced by IL-4 stimulation; however, Tyk2 was constitutively phosphorylated, and IL-4 treatment further augmented this phosphorylation. The kinetics and in vitro kinase assays demonstrated that JAK1, JAK2, and Tyk2 were phosphorylated within minutes and that JAK1 and JAK2 were activated after IL-4 exposure. Contrary to observations in immune cells. JAK3 mRNA was neither detected in colon cancer cells nor did IL-4 treatment cause phosphorylation of JAK3. These data indicate that in colon carcinoma cells JAK1, JAK2, Tyk2, and insulin receptor substrate-1 are phosphorylated after IL-4 stimulation. In addition, as is the case in lymphoid cells, IL-4 activated and phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription (IL-4-STAT or STAT-6) protein in both colon cancer cell lines. These results indicate that the IL-4R complex is composed of different subunits in different tissues and shares a component with the IL-13R complex. In addition, we demonstrate for the first time that like its family members (e.g. IL-3 and GM-CSF), IL-4 can phosphorylate and activate JAK-2 kinase.
Tubacin Kills Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Burkitt Lymphoma Cells by Inducing Reactive Oxygen Species and EBV Lymphoblastoid Cells by Inducing Apoptosis

Tubacin is a small molecule inhibitor of histone deacetylase 6 and blocks aggresome activity. We found that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cells were generally killed by lower doses of tubacin than EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cells (LCLs) or EBV-negative BL cells. Tubacin induced apoptosis of LCLs, which was inhibited by pretreatment with a pancaspase inhibitor but not by butylated hydroxyanisole, which inhibits reactive oxygen species. In contrast, tubacin killed EBV-positive BL cells in a caspase-3-independent pathway that involved reactive oxygen species and was blocked by butylated hydroxyanisole. Previously, we showed that bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, induces apoptosis of EBV LCLs and that LCLs are killed by lower doses of bortezomib than EBV-positive BL cells. Here we found that the combination of bortezomib and tubacin acted in synergy to kill EBV-positive BL cells and LCLs. Tubacin or the combination of bortezomib and tubacin did not induce EBV lytic replication. These findings suggest that the combination of a proteasome inhibitor and an HDAC6 inhibitor may represent a useful strategy for the treatment of certain EBV-associated B cell lymphomas.
Demographic consequences of inflorescence-feeding insects for Liatris cylindracea, an iteroparous perennial

While floral herbivores and predispersal seed predators often reduce plant reproductive output, their role in limiting plant fitness and population growth is less clear, especially for iteroparous perennial plant species. In this study we experimentally excluded floral herbivores and predispersal seed predators (insecticide spray versus water control) over a 2-year period to examine the effect of inflorescence-feeding insects on levels of seed production, seedling emergence, and juvenile establishment for Liatris cylindracea, an iteroparous perennial plant. In addition, we collected detailed demographic data on all life stage transitions for an additional set of individuals in the same population over 4 years. We used the experimental and demographic data to construct stochastic individual-based simulations to evaluate the overall effect of inflorescence-feeding insects on adult recruitment per maternal plant (a fitness component) and population growth rate. The insect exclusion experiments showed that damage due to insects decreased seed production, seedling emergence, and juvenile establishment for both years' experiments. These results indicate that recruitment was seed-limited through juvenile establishment, and that inflorescence-feeding insects influenced the degree of seed limitation. Results of the individual-based simulation models, which included individual demographic and temporal stochasticity, showed that inflorescence-feeding insects negatively affected the number of adult offspring per maternal plant recruited into the population and population growth rate for both years' experiments. Taken together, the results of the experimental exclusions and the individual-based models indicate that inflorescence-feeding insects can influence population growth rate, and have the potential to act as a selective force for the evolution of traits in this plant species.
The p-coumaryl CoA ligase of potato tubers

Abstract The demonstration of activity of p-coumaryl CoA ligase in extracts of aged potato disks proved difficult owing to the presence of extremely high levels of apyrase which caused rapid hydrolysis of ATP, a co-factor for ligase activity. This problem was largely overcome by including an inhibitor of apyrase, sodium fluoride in the ligase assay and by initiation of the reaction with ATP. A method for the separation of apyrase and p-coumaryl CoA ligase by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose is described. p-Coumaryl CoA ligase was not detectable in freshly prepared disks of potato tubers. However on ageing in the light a large increase in the activity of this enzyme occurs, The enzyme of aged potato disks shows high activity with p-coumaric, ferulic, caffeic and with m- and p-methoxycinnamic acids. However the affinity of the enzyme for the methoxy derivatives is much lower than for cinnamic acids bearing free hydroxyl groups.
Spectral characteristics of nonstationary random processes—response of a simple oscillator

Abstract A nongeometric approach for defining spectral characteristics of evolutionary (nonstationary) processes is applied to the transient stochastic response of a simple oscillator with modulated white noise excitation. The first three nonstationary spectral characteristics of the response are considered. Although the nongeometric spectral characteristics can generally be defined as integrals of the one-sided evolutionary auto- and cross-spectra of the nonstationary process and its derivatives, the study exploits their time-domain definitions as the variances and the covariance of the response and an “auxiliary” process. The approach is applied to three particular excitation functions which have simple analytical forms. Each of these functions has been frequently studied in the past, and/or has potential for use in modeling a variety of practical engineering problems. Approximate expressions for the first three spectral characteristics of the response are developed by neglecting small oscillatory terms. Based on these expressions, approximations are derived for the central frequency and the bandwidth factor of the response.
Use of a microcomputer to improve sample handling on an automated ICP

Abstract A distributed processing system comprised of a microcomputer for inductively coupled plasma (ICP) data acquisition and autosampler control, a microcomputer for data handling, and a mainframe computer for data reduction is described. This system increases the utilization of existing hardware and software for the analysis of samples, enforces quality control, and reduces the operator workload. Software to provide additional data processing services to the research user of the ICP has been developed. The necessity for manual transcription of ICP data by the user into a data file in the mainframe computer is eliminated, resulting in a savings of labor and a reduction of errors.
Overlapping start-time bands in implicit tour scheduling

Many organizations face personnel scheduling decisions under conditions of variable demand for service across a seven-day planning horizon. These organizations must assign employees to daily shifts that efficiently satisfy the demand for labor, yet allow adequate time for rest between subsequent shifts of an employee's weekly tour schedule. To meet these diverse objectives, managers may permit shifts to begin and end in any planning period of the day, but place bands on shift-start times to which individuals may be assigned on each day of their tour schedule. We present a compact integer programming model that implicitly represents start-time band scheduling flexibility. We demonstrate the new model by applying it to requirements for toll collectors on the Illinois Tollway. Problems requiring up to two million variables using a general set covering formulation were represented using the new implicit programming model and often solved to optimality in just a few minutes on a Pentium-based microcomputer. The results indicate that start-time bands can provide an important improvement in scheduling efficiency when compared to the exclusive use of schedules that require workers to begin work on the same hour of the day on each day of their tour.
Ultrastructural characterization of human herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi's sarcoma‐ associated herpesvirus) in Kaposi's sarcoma lesions: electron microscopy permits distinction from cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has been shown by molecular techniques to be associated with infection with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8/KSHV), but specific ultrastructural characterization of the virus has been impaired by the frequent presence in these lesions of other herpesviruses, particularly cytomegalovirus (CMV). Since the ultrastructural appearance of HHV8/KSHV has been studied in the cell line KS-1 uninfected with other viruses including CMV, it was possible to undertake a comparative study of CMV and HHV8/KSHV in KS lesions. HHV8/KSHV was sparsely present and lytic infection was restricted to endothelial cells. The following specific ultrastructural features allowed distinction between HHV8/KSHV and CMV: the viral particles were more delicate and less numerous in cases of HHV8/KSHV infection; the viral tegument was more electron-dense in CMV than in HHV8/KSHV; dense bodies characteristic of CMV were absent in HHV/KSHV; complete CMV viral particles were more variable in size and generally larger (150-200 nm) than HHV8/KSHV (120-150 nm); and finally, the viral envelope was more pleomorphic in CMV than in KSHV/HHV8. Similarities between CMV and HHV8/KSHV included the basic structure of the nucleocapsids and the presence of capsids lacking central DNA cores (so-called non-infectious enveloped particles). These observations show that electron microscopy can be used to identify HHV8/KSHV and confirm the relationship between HHV8/KSHV and KS.
Location of Tethered Head of Kinesin-1 When Bound to a Microtubule

A dimer of kinesin-1 motor domains (heads), each with a bound ADP, looses only one of its 2 ADP molecules on binding to a microtubule (MT). The first equivalent of one kinesin dimer per two tubulin heterodimers (one head per tubulin heterodimer) binds tightly (K1), but additional kinesin binding can occur at higher kinesin concentration (K2). Whether the heads are arranged as in L1,2 or D1,2 is controversial. These cases can be distinguished by two additional criteria as indicated in the figure. One is that binding of a second outer layer of kinesin on going from L1 to L2 should not result in additional release of ADP, whereas additional ADP will be released on going from D1 to D2. Initial experiments indicate that no additional ADP is released and this favors states L1 and L2. These conformations can also be distinguished by oxygen isotopic methods because kinesin in L2 should continue to catalyze rapid medium Pi=water exchange, while conformation D2 should not catalyze this exchange reaction because none of the ADP containing heads are in contact with the MT.Supported by NSF grant MCB-0615549.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus necrotizing pneumonia in a healthy neonate

The number of cases of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) pneumonia has increased since the late 1990s, with skin and soft tissue infections predominant among neonates. Herein, we present a rare case of CA-MRSA necrotizing pneumonia with empyema following respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in a healthy neonate. Despite prompt vancomycin treatment, the disease worsened and finally we had to perform pneumonectomy. This case highlights the possibility of emerging CA-MRSA-related invasive disease among neonates.
Chlorotoxin labeled magnetic nanovectors for targeted gene delivery to glioma.

Glioma accounts for 80% of brain tumors and currently remains one of the most lethal forms of cancers. Gene therapy could potentially improve the dismal prognosis of patients with glioma, but this treatment modality has not yet reached the bedside from the laboratory due to the lack of safe and effective gene delivery vehicles. In this study we investigate targeted gene delivery to C6 glioma cells in a xenograft mouse model using chlorotoxin (CTX) labeled nanoparticles. The developed nanovector consists of an iron oxide nanoparticle core, coated with a copolymer of chitosan, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polyethylenimine (PEI). Green fluorescent protein (GFP) encoding DNA was bound to these nanoparticles, and CTX was then attached using a short PEG linker. Nanoparticles without CTX were also prepared as a control. Mice bearing C6 xenograft tumors were injected intravenously with the DNA-bound nanoparticles. Nanoparticle accumulation in the tumor site was monitored using magnetic resonance imaging and ana...
Notes on Administration and Philosophy

Administration and philosophy are seen as having to do with human behavior. Philosophy, in its concern for interpretation of human behavior, provides a useful method in hemeneutics. Praxiology, as the study of goal‐oriented practice, lends itself to the study of administrative behavior. The two areas of analytic study provide a nexus between administration and philosophy. Human experience is seen as having two components, the one objective (signness) and the other subjective (symbolic). The symbolic aspect is an integral part of culture and provides the basis for social control through ideology which constitutes a patterned symbolic belief‐value system. The continuing creation of a symbolic representation of “reality” may be seen as social creation of text. Interpretation of that text is the task of hermeneutic method. Since goals are, by their very nature, primarily symbolic, praxiology needs to focus upon the role of symbolism in administrative behavior, particularly as it relates to organizational legitimacy and compliance. Issues that cut across the two fields included the nature of man, the nature of freedom and necessity, and the nature of the good society.
Ultrahigh energy neutrino interactions

Abstract Ultrahigh energy neutrinos are valuable probes of physics beyond the Standard Model. Neutrinos of the highest energies are emitted by point sources in the sky. We review briefly the predictions of the Standard Model concerning neutrino interactions. We further argue that a number of preon models designed to overcome some difficulties of the Standard Model leads to a blurring of the distinction between leptons and quarks. As a consequence, at sufficiently high energies neutrinos acquire “anomalous” interactions. While this phenomenon can probably explain the observed muon excess in extensive air showers (EAS), it can be also tested by studying the absorption of the primaries on the cosmic microwave background. We discuss some observations to be performed in the search of such “new physics” beyond the Standard Model.
Stochastic modelling of harmonics due to existing and prospective harmonic sources

Abstract Power system harmonics result from the non-linear operating characteristics of specific devices and loads on the system. This paper presents a statistical technique of modelling existing harmonics and an analytical method of modelling harmonics due to a prospective source. Also presented is a method of deriving a composite model of a particular harmonic due to both existing and future harmonic sources.
The relationship between El Niño Southern Oscillations and cereal production in Sahel

The effect of drought on crop yield and water resources has been an important socio-economic concern in the Sahel region of Africa. The most severe droughts in the Sahel region occurred during the strong El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. There is thus increased need to understand the stochastic relationship between such physical mechanism like ENSO and crop yield. In this paper, such a relationship is investigated using a wavelet approach. Our result shows that a statistically significant relationship exists between ENSO and cereal production in the region. In particular, El Nino events are devastation to millet yield with little or no impact on maize and sorghum production. This can be attributed to the lower length of growing period for maize and sorghum compared to millet. On the other hand La Nina events favor cereal production and mirrored sorghum yield during the La Nina years of 1973–1976. The potential value of ENSO-based rainfall forecast and socio-economic impact on local population in...
Cyclomaltooligosaccharide binding and solubilization of hydroxyfatty acid matrices in aqueous solution: calorimetric titration and 13C NMR investigations of molecular recognition

Abstract Cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins, CDs) increase cutinase activity with both naturally occurring and synthetic cuticular substrates. Little is known about the interactions of CDs with cutin or cutin-like substrates such as 16-hydroxypalmitate (16-OH-P). We report herein investigations into the thermochemistry of β-CD, hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD) or α-CD interactions with palmitic acid (P), 16-OH-P and polyesters (synthetic cutin) derived therefrom under conditions coincident with maximal cutinase activity (pH 9, glycine/NaOH buffer) at 25 °C using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The thermodynamic parameters for HP-β-CD lipid inclusion complex formation and subsequent solubilization, which were studied in heterogeneous phase suspensions, displayed enthalpy–entropy compensation typical of processes driven by solvation phenomena (α=T∂ΔS/ΔH=1.03, TΔS 0 =17.72 kJ mol −1 ; for 130 literature [α- and β-CD] values: α=0.92, TΔS 0 =15.11 kJ mol −1 ). In the 16-OH-P (Na+) experiments ΔH and ΔS ( ΔH=42±8 kJ mol −1 , ΔS=206±24 J mol −1 K −1 ) values were large relative to those reported elsewhere for diverse CD guest complexes (ΔH=−50 to 0 kJ mol−1, ΔS=−170 to 30 J mol−1 K−1) since ΔH resulted from the combined processes of binding and solubilization. 13C NMR and ITC experiments indicated that HP-β-CD lipid complexes had a 1:1 stoichiometry. A constant background lipid concentration-dependent endothermic process (ΔH*) also observed using both P and 16-OH-P substrates (ΔH* ∼4.8±0.5 kJ mol−1) as HP-β-CD was titrated into the heterogeneous lipid slurry. At a lower pH (6, 100 mM Na+ phosphate buffer) neither a soluble HP-β-CD 16-OH-P complex was formed nor background ΔH* observed. At pH 9 no substantial binding was evident when synthetic cutin ( ΔQ=−240±61 μ J , ΔQ control =−231±31 μ J ) was used as a substrate; a similar result was obtained using β-CD. Titrations using α-CD did, however, display a weak interaction ( K=119±53 M −1 , ΔH=1.1±0.9 kJ mol −1 , ΔS= 43.4±3.7 J mol −1 K −1 ) with the synthetic cuticular matrix. Thus, either CDs do not bind to the insoluble cutin matrix or they do but with a small ΔH. The fact that HP-β-CD binds the synthetic cutin monomer and weak binding was observed in the α-CD synthetic cutin system tends to argue for the latter interpretation.
A stochastic evolution based register allocation using multiport memories

In data path synthesis, intermediate outputs of functional blocks are stored in registers. Allocation of physical resources (register files) to registers is done by the designer. In some high level synthesis systems (CMU-DA), memory ports are allocated to registers with disjoint access times. In this paper, we present a stochastic evolution based approach to register allocation using multiport memories. In this approach allocation of registers to multiport memories proceeds in a way as to minimize the interconnection between memory ports and the functional units, while placing constraints on access time requirements of registers. This approach could be used in design space exploration to determine how many read/write ports per bank would best suit the application. We have implemented the algorithm and tested in on standard benchmarks. The approach yields good results. >
Heterogeneity of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell Responses to Cytomegalovirus in HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Men Who Have Sex With Men

Increasing evidence suggests that chronic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection significantly impacts T-cell immunity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and aging [1–3]. Most of this evidence consists of analysis of T cells specific to epitopes derived from pp65 (encoded by region UL83 in the CMV genome) and immediate early antigen 1 (IE-1; encoded by region UL123). CD8+ T cells directed against these antigens are clonally expanded, as measured through class I tetramers or pentamers in individuals expressing HLA-A2 [2–5], and expansion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells responsive to these antigens has also been demonstrated by intracellular cytokine staining [6, 7]. In fact, CMV-specific T cells can occupy a very large proportion (up to 30% in some cases) of the circulating T-cell pool in HIV-seronegative persons [8, 9]. However, because human CMV is a large virus with a 230-kb genome and >213 open reading frames (ORFs), it may have a large number of T-cell epitopes, and its overall effect on T-cell immunity is unlikely to be reflected by immune reactivity to just pp65 and IE-1. Indeed, Sylwester et al, in a comprehensive analysis of CMV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in healthy adults aged 19–55 years, found responses to approximately 150 CMV ORFs [9]. In that study, to accurately predict the total CD8+ T-cell response to CMV, measurement of reactivity to 15 specific ORFs was required; for CD4+ T cells this number was 6, including 2 ORFs that overlapped with those for the CD8+ T-cell response, giving a total of 19. CMV infection is common in people infected with HIV, leading to expansion of CMV-specific T cells in the context of already impaired immunity. For example, Naeger et al reported that, compared with HIV-negative persons, HIV-infected individuals, even those receiving long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy, had significantly higher proportions of CD8+ T cells and, to a lesser extent, CD4+ T cells responding to UL83 and UL123 peptide pools [7]. On the basis of these data, we hypothesized that T-cell responses to pp65 and IE-1 would underestimate the overall T-cell reactivity to CMV in CMV-HIV–coinfected people. Addressing this hypothesis is important for a more accurate understanding of overall T-cell immunity against CMV among HIV-infected and HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM), for the design of CMV-based vaccine vectors and for studies relating the immune response against CMV to the aging process, as well as other clinical outcomes. Therefore, we investigated, in both HIV-infected and HIV-negative MSM, the relationship between T-cell responses to UL83 and UL123 peptide pools and those to the remaining 17 CMV ORF peptide pools (Supplementary Table 1 [9]) that accurately predicted the total anti-CMV CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in the study by Sylwester et al described above.
Food Policy in the United States: An Introduction

This book offers a broad introduction to food policies in the United States. Real-world controversies and debates motivate the book’s attention to economic principles, policy analysis, nutrition science and contemporary data sources. It assumes that the reader's concern is not just the economic interests of farmers, but also includes nutrition, sustainable agriculture, the environment and food security. The book’s goal is to make US food policy more comprehensible to those inside and outside the agri-food sector whose interests and aspirations have been ignored. The chapters cover US agriculture, food production and the environment, international agricultural trade, food and beverage manufacturing, food retail and restaurants, food safety, dietary guidance, food labeling, advertising and federal food assistance programs for the poor. The author is an agricultural economist with many years of experience in the non-profit advocacy sector, the US Department of Agriculture and as a professor at Tufts University. The author's well-known blog on US food policy provides a forum for discussion and debate of the issues set out in the book.
Integration of renewable energy in electrical engineering curriculum

With the rapidly growing interests in renewable energies and smart grids, universities need to integrate these areas in their curricula. The University of Washington has established a sustainable energy track that allows the students to study renewable systems in addition to relevant topic such as power electronics and grid operation. This paper summarizes this track and highlights the main topics in renewable energy.
Moving Toward Trustworthy Systems: R&D Essentials

Under the game-change metaphor, strategies developed to address hard problems will potentially lead to breakthroughs in many different interrelated cybersecurity areas. For software assurance, a game change should focus on improving resiliency and hardening new technologies that implement moving-target defenses and tailored trustworthy spaces.
FILM CONDENSATION OF SATURATED AND SUPERHEATED VAPORS ALONG ISOTHERMAL VERTICAL SURFACES IN MIXED CONVECTION

An analysis for condensation from an isothermal vertical flat plate in mixed convection is reported. The entire mixed convection regime is divided into two regions. One region covers the forced-convection-dominated regime, and the other covers the free-convection-dominated regime. The governing system of equations is first transformed into a dimensionless form by the nonsimilar transformation, separately for each regime, and then solved using the local nonsimilarity method along with a finite difference scheme. Two nonsimilarity parameters are introduced. The parameter {xi}{sub f} = Gr{sub x}/Re{sub x}{sup 2} characterizes the effect of buoyancy force on forced convection, while the parameter {xi}{sub n} = Re{sub x}/Gr{sub x}{sup 1/2} characterizes the effect of forced flow on free convection. Numerical results for pure steam and refrigerant R-134a are presented for both saturated and superheated cases. It is found that the buoyancy force significantly increases the wall shear stress and condensate mass flux. To a lesser degree, the buoyancy force also increases the wall heat flux. Superheating is found to have an insignificant effect on wall heat flux for a pure vapor.
Surveillance of survivors: Follow-up after risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in BRCA 1/2 mutation carriers

Abstract Objectives To characterize the post-operative care of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who undergo risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO). Methods BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers from our Cancer Risk Program who elected RRSO were sent questionnaires regarding their post-surgical surveillance and treatment for menopause symptoms, primary peritoneal cancer and bone loss. Results In 51 mutation carriers who were surveyed a median of 6years after RRSO, 24 (47%) received dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) testing, yearly CA-125 serum testing and yearly pelvic examination. Three women received none of these examinations in follow-up. Respondents reported an average of 3.5 menopausal symptoms (range 0–9). The mean number of menopausal symptoms reported by respondents using HRT was 2.8, compared to 3.9 symptoms reported by women not using HRT (p=0.06). Six of 10 (60%) subjects who reported no history of DXA bone scan, and 10 of 15 (67%) subjects who reported no post-surgical CA-125 serum monitoring noted that their physicians "did not recommend" testing. Two out of six symptomatic women who were younger than 50 (33%) who had no other contraindication to the use of HRT reported their non-use was because their care providers "advised against" HRT use. Conclusion We believe that the lack of post-RRSO health care guidelines has resulted in inconsistent care for this cohort of patients. We proposed that national guidelines be developed to standardize care with the goal of optimizing long term survival in this unique cohort of young cancer previvors.
Towards Statistically Strong Source Anonymity for Sensor Networks

For sensor networks deployed to monitor and report real events, event source anonymity is an attractive and critical security property, which unfortunately is also very difficult and expensive to achieve. This is not only because adversaries may attack against sensor source privacy through traffic analysis, but also because sensor networks are very limited in resources. As such, a practical tradeoff between security and performance is desirable. In this paper, for the first time we propose the notion of statistically strong source anonymity, under a challenging attack model where a global attacker is able to monitor the traffic in the entire network. We propose a scheme called FitProbRate, which realizes statistically strong source anonymity for sensor networks. We also demonstrate the robustness of our scheme under various statistical tests that might be employed by the attacker to detect real events. Our analysis and simulation results show that our scheme, besides providing source anonymity, can significantly reduce real event reporting latency compared to two baseline schemes.
A Closer Look at 804: A Summary of Considerations for DoD Program Managers

Abstract : This report examines Section 804 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2010 and related guidance documents through the lens of the Department of Defense (DoD) Information Technology (IT) Program Manager. The information in this report is intended to help the program manager to begin to reason about building expertise, changing internal processes, and leveraging new toolsets to adapt to the new IT acquisition process.
Phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus by bovine mammary gland macrophages and intracellular protection from antibiotic action in vitro and in vivo

Macrophages isolated from the involuted bovine mammary gland were cultured in vitro. Phagocytosis of opsonized Staphylococcus aureus occurred rapidly, but intracellular killing of bacteria was slow. Many intracellular staphylococci survived for up to 4 d exposure to extracellular cloxacillin and emerged from within the macrophages to multiply extracellularly when the antibiotic was inactivated. Rifampicin was significantly more efficient than cloxacillin in killing intracellular S. aureus after 18 h incubation, but it too failed to sterilize the cultures within 3 d. Staphylococci, which had remained viable within macrophages during 20 h incubation with extracellular cloxacillin, showed an increased sensitivity to dilute lysostaphin on subsequent exposure. A 3 d course of intramammary therapy with cloxacillin, commencing simultaneously with an infecting inoculum of approximately 10(8) colony forming units (c.f.u.) S. aureus, apparently eliminated the infection from one quarter of the udders of each of three lactating cows, but bacteria were re-isolated from two cows after a delay of several days. However, when other quarters of the same cows were infected with approximately 10(8) c.f.u. S. aureus which had been phagocytosed by autologous mammary macrophages, similar simultaneous antibiotic therapy failed to affect these infections. The in vitro and in vivo findings indicate the significance of intracellular survival of S. aureus as a factor contributing to failure of antibiotic therapy.
5-HT(1A) receptor antagonism reverses and prevents fluoxetine-induced sexual dysfunction in rats.

Sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressant treatment continues to be a major compliance issue for antidepressant therapies. 5-HT1A antagonists have been suggested as beneficial adjunctive treatment in respect of antidepressant efficacy; however, the effects of 5-HT1A antagonism on antidepressant-induced side-effects has not been fully examined. The present study was conducted to evaluate the ability of acute or chronic treatment with 5-HT1A antagonists to alter chronic fluoxetine-induced impairments in sexual function. Chronic 14-d treatment with fluoxetine resulted in a marked reduction in the number of non-contact penile erections in sexually experienced male rats, relative to vehicle-treated controls. Acute administration of the 5-HT1A antagonist WAY-101405 resulted in a complete reversal of chronic fluoxetine-induced deficits on non-contact penile erections at doses that did not significantly alter baselines. Chronic co-administration of the 5-HT1A antagonists WAY-100635 or WAY-101405 with fluoxetine prevented fluoxetine-induced deficits in non-contact penile erections in sexually experienced male rats. Moreover, withdrawal of WAY-100635 from co-treatment with chonic fluoxetine, resulted in a time-dependent reinstatement of chronic fluoxetine-induced deficits in non-contact penile erections. Additionally, chronic administration of SSA-426, a molecule with dual activity as both a SSRI and 5-HT1A antagonist, did not produce deficits in non-contact penile erections at doses demonstrated to have antidepressant-like activity in the olfactory bulbectomy model. Taken together, these data suggest that 5-HT1A antagonist treatment may have utility for the management of SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.
Stable Move Algorithm (SMA) for BW allocation in wireless mobile WiMAX networks 802.16e

Current wireless 4G networks as WiMAX (802.16 d and e) must guarantee quality-of-service (QoS) for fixed and mobile subscribers(SS's). Due to the unpredictable nature of the mobile users in 802.16e, it's challenging to maintain fairness and high bandwidth utilization concurrently while ensuring that QoS requirements are maintained for the different connections. As a user's location changes, so does his consumption of network resources. In this paper we are proposing the Stable-Move Algorithm (SMA) in which a fairness factor is adopted between different WiMAX cell regions. A scheme that will guarantee a fixed and stable connection rate regardless of the location of the mobile SS in the cell is proposed, in which a tradeoff between fairness, high bandwidth allocation and stable connection is maintained. Simulation results showed that our proposed scheme reduced the variance in the SS's connection delay when compared to other bandwidth allocation algorithms (BWA's), while at the same time providing fairness between SSs located in the different regions of the cell.
GaAs/(GaAl)As heterojunction bipolar transistors using a self-aligned substitutional emitter process

This paper describes the first self-aligned heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) process which includes ion implantation to reduce the base resistance. With this substitutional emitter technique, the base implant and the emitter contact patterns are defined with the same mask. Arbitrary contact materials can be used allowing optimization of the contact resistances. Transistors with emitter width down to 1.5 µm have been fabricated. Nonthreshold logic (NTL) ring oscillators made with these transistors had propagation delay times down to 27.2 ps. This is the lowest reported to date for bipolar transistors.
Absolute rate constants for reactions of free radicals in the high‐temperature photolysis of formamide vapor. Part I. Carbamyl radicals

The photolysis of formamide vapor at 2062 A has been studied in a flow system with results essentially similar to those obtained previously under static conditions and higher conversions. The rotating-sector technique has been applied to the radical-chain decomposition of formamide under conditions (305°C, 11.5 torr) such that decomposition of the carbamyl (NH2CO) radical was rate controlling, so that [NH2CO] ≫ [NH2]. A rate constant of (3.1 ± 1.0) × 1010(M·sec)−1 was obtained for bimolecular chain termination by carbamyl radicals. A concurrent first-order radical loss, probably at the surface, was taken into account by the treatment described by Shepp. Both oxamide and HNCO were tentatively identified as termination products, suggesting the occurrence of both combination and disproportionation, but quantitative estimates of the relative rates were not possible. From the rate constant for chain termination, and relative rate constants obtained previously, Arrhenius parameters A∞ = (5.9 ± 2.0) × 1012 sec−1 and A0 = (1.04 ± 0.35) × 1014 (M·sec)−1 were estimated for the unimolecular decomposition of carbamyl radicals in the high and low pressure limits.
Lay Theory of Race Affects and Moderates Asian Americans' Responses Toward American Culture

People may hold different understandings of race that might affect how they respond to the culture of groups deemed to be racially distinct. The present research tests how this process is moderated by the minority individual's lay theory of race. An essentialist lay theory of race (i.e., that race reflects deep-seated, inalterable essence and is indicative of traits and ability) would orient racial minorities to rigidly adhere to their ethnic culture, whereas a social constructionist lay theory of race (i.e., that race is socially constructed, malleable, and arbitrary) would orient racial minorities to identify and cognitively assimilate toward the majority culture. To test these predictions, the authors conducted 4 studies with Asian American participants. The first 2 studies examine the effect of one's lay theory of race on perceived racial differences and identification with American culture. The last 2 studies tested the moderating effect of lay theory of race on identification and assimilation toward the majority American culture after this culture had been primed. The results generally supported the prediction that the social constructionist theory was associated with more perceived similarity between Asians and Americans and more consistent identification and assimilation toward American culture, compared with the essentialist theory.
White Matter Correlates of Cognitive Capacity Studied With Diffusion Tensor Imaging: Implications for Cognitive Reserve

Cognitive reserve (CR) is a theoretical concept used to explain and study individual differences in cognitive symptom expression in neurological disease. In the absence of neurologic injury or demands on processing, compensatory and protective factors may be considered to represent cognitive capacity (CC), rather than cognitive reserve, per se. We studied the white matter structural correlates of CC in 51 young, healthy participants. White matter structural correlates were obtained from fractional anisotropy (FA) measures using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). CC was represented by intelligence, reading ability, and years of education, commonly used measures for studying CR. CC was positively correlated with FA in the right posterior inferior longitudinal fasciculus. We observed gender differences in FA (males > females) and tested for gender differences in FA correlates of CC. However, the interaction between gender and CC for areas of FA was not significant. Our data indicate that in the healthy young brain, greater CC correlates with higher FA values in a focal area that does not significantly differ by gender.