cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthetic Lethal Interactions of RECQ Helicases

DNA helicases have risen to the forefront as genome caretakers. Their prominent roles in chromosomal stability are demonstrated by the linkage of mutations in helicase genes to hereditary disorders with defects in DNA repair, the replication stress response, and/or transcriptional activation. Conversely, accumulating evidence suggests that DNA helicases in cancer cells have a network of pathway interactions such that codeficiency of some helicases and their genetically interacting proteins results in synthetic lethality (SL). Such genetic interactions may potentially be exploited for cancer therapies. We discuss the roles of RECQ DNA helicases in cancer, emphasizing some of the more recent developments in SL.
Design and Development of 220kV SF6 Gas Insulated GIS Actual Testing Platform

To simulate the performance parameters of SF6 gas insulated AC GIS equipment under normal and failure condition in the laboratory environment, and the development trend of characteristic parameters such as partial discharge and SF6 gas decomposition can be monitored periodically and quantitatively, the 220kV SF6 gas insulated GIS type test platform is designed and developed. The test platform is in accordance with GIS specifications used in substation, including gas insulated circuit breaker and other typical GIS equipment. The external voltage is realized by the series resonant circuit. The paper starts from the design of the GIS bus and the solid insulation structure, and the three-dimensional E-field distribution characteristics of the solid insulator are simulated and analyzed. The hardware installation of the partial discharge measurement and SF6 gas decomposition monitoring on GIS model test platform are discussed. Through design and development of 220kV SF6 gas insulated GIS type-test platform, the feasibility of the structure design of GIS bus and the solid insulation are verified, it provides theoretical and practical basis for the operation and maintenance of SF6 gas insulated GIS equipment.
Blackouts in Retransmission Consent Negotiations: Empirical Analysis of Factors Predicting Their Frequency and Duration

This paper examines the factors predicting the frequency and duration of local broadcast television blackouts by Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs), as a consequence of breakdowns in retransmission consent negotiations. Using a database of 372 retransmission agreements executed between 2011-2018, the paper uses a binomial logistic regression to identify the factors predicting blackouts, and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression for the duration. It finds the broadcasters’ network affiliations, the number of cable subscribers affected by a retransmission agreement, and a time trend to be the most significant predictors.
NGSS-based teacher professional development to implement engineering practices in STEM instruction

With widespread adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in the USA (US), research is needed on how secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers conceptualize the integration of engineering knowledge and practices in traditional STEM classrooms. The present study explored the affective impacts of participation in an engineering education workshop for secondary STEM teachers as part of a 200-h professional development program. The workshop focused on the implementation of electrical engineering and biotechnology principles and design practices in disciplinary instruction, as well as training teachers to differentiate among engineering fields and advise on career pathways. The conceptual framework for the workshop design was based upon elements of the interconnected model of professional growth to identify influences contributing to engineering pedagogical self-efficacy and career awareness. The overarching research questions addressed how professional development in engineering education affected secondary STEM teachers’ beliefs about the value of using engineering design to support learning, their self-efficacy regarding teaching engineering in their courses, perceived obstacles to effective STEM integration, and their confidence advising students about engineering post-secondary study and careers. The convergent parallel mixed methods design involved factor analysis, comparisons of means, and phenomenology with elements of grounded theory. The survey sample included 60 STEM teachers in the treatment group and 28 teachers in the control group. Six science teachers participated in interviews before and after the engineering workshops. Findings indicated that participating teachers significantly improved their confidence in engineering pedagogy, as well as their knowledge of engineering careers and precollege preparation for post-secondary engineering. Teachers expressed their views of engineering as a potentially powerful tool in developing students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills, particularly when integrating the practices of science and engineering with the instruction of disciplinary content. The results from this study demonstrate that a university-based professional development workshop series, developed by engineering and science education faculty, is an effective first-step intervention to improve the engineering knowledge and skills of secondary STEM educators, ultimately facilitating NGSS adoption in classroom instruction. Educating teachers on engineering career pathways is another innovation for the promotion of more diverse participation in engineering fields.
Impact of Oil Price Shocks on Output, Inflation and the Real Exchange Rate: Evidence From Selected ASEAN Countries

This article analyses the impact of oil price shocks on real output, inflation and the real exchange rate in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia (ASEAN-5) using a Structural VAR model. The cointegration tests indicate that the macroeconomic variables of these countries are cointegrated and share common trends in the long run. The impulse response functions reveal that oil price fluctuations do not impact the ASEAN-5 economies in the long run and much of its effect is absorbed within five to six quarters. The variance decomposition results further assert that with a few exceptions oil price shocks do not explain a significant variation in any of the variables under consideration. We also identify a very unique pattern of response to oil price fluctuations between Malaysia and Singapore and between the Philippines and Thailand. The pairs exhibit a high degree of similarity in their responses; they do not share any commonalities across the group.
AGENOR DE ROURE E A CRÔNICA DOS ACONTECIMENTOS HISTÓRICOS DA FORMAÇÃO CONSTITUCIONAL DO BRASIL

Em 1914 o politico Agenor de Roure publicou um estudo de historia constitucional sobre a extincao, por ordem de D. Pedro, da Assembleia Nacional Constituinte e Legislativa de 1823. O autor defendeu que o fantasma do medo fora a causa principal da ordem do Imperador, ainda que nao conseguisse exatamente explicitar do que se tratava esse medo imaginario. Ao analisar esse livro esquecido, o artigo retoma um ponto importante na historia constitucional brasileira, a respeito das origens de nossa primeira Constituicao.
The Cost of Dissolving the WTO: The Role of Global Value Chains

As trade agreements face renewed pressure, we show that the rise of global value chains has multiplied the value of trade agreements to unprecedented levels. We cast our argument using a non-parametric neoclassical trade model that accommodates global input-output networks and nests a wide class of quantitative trade models as a special case. To guide our analysis, we derive analytic formulas for optimal non-cooperative trade taxes in this general framework. These formulas predict the extent of trade restriction if global trade agreements were to dissolve. Mapping these formulas to data, we quantify the value of trade agreements for various countries. We find that the disintegration of existing trade agreements will erase 30% of the overall gains from trade, which amounts to a $2.7 trillion loss in global GDP. Around 41% of this value is driven by the agreements’ facilitation of global value chains.
Distributed Aperture Radar Tomographic Sensors (DARTS) to Map Surface Topography and Vegetation Structure

Distributed Aperture Radar Tomographic Sensors (DARTS) is a mission concept being studied at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology to enable global and repeated imaging of surface topography and three-dimensional vegetation structure using single-pass tomographic SAR technique. The observing system consists of a distributed formation of multiple small synthetic aperture radar platforms deployed in space with variable distances to achieve look angle diversity and sensitivity to the vertical distribution of vegetation components. Our goal is to identify the optimal system configuration starting from documented community needs and mature the critical technologies that lead to a viable implementation of DARTS. Here, we provide an overview of DARTS and describe our approach for designing and demonstrating single-pass SAR tomographic systems as part of an on-going funded NASA Instrument Incubator Program effort.
The association of lung cancer with pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) shares several pathogenetic similarities to other fibrotic lung diseases. Patients with IPF are considered to have a higher risk of concomitant lung cancer (LC) as a result of similar risk factors which include older age, smoking, and male sex. Patients with IPF have a poor prognosis with a median survival time ranging from 2–5 years [1]. It is not yet known if LC is a significant contributor to deaths in those with IPF. To address this question, we evaluated the association between LC and IPF compared to all non-IPF decedents in the U.S. from 2004–2018. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Jeganathan has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Cleland has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Sathananthan has nothing to disclose.
Sing Without Shame: Oral traditions in Indo-Portuguese Creole verse

This study of literary themes, linguistic practice and cultural traditions analyzes the oral traditions of Indo-Portugese creole verse, as a synthesis from European, African and Asian sources. This musical, dramatic and textual syncretism defines tradition within the group and maintains the identity of the creole community. References are primarily to Indian and Sri Lankan materials collected in the late nineteenth century and to data in the H. Nevill collection, an extensive manuscript of Sri Lankan Creole texts from the 1870s or 1880s, housed in the British Museum. The importance of these texts is linguistic, anthropological and sociological. They are persistent in their ability to give definition to creole culture, surviving in South Asia from the seventeenth century to the present.
A distributed algorithm to implement n-party rendezvous

The concept of n-party rendezvous has been proposed to implement synchronous communication among an arbitrary number of concurrent, asynchronous processes. The problem of implementing n-party rendezvous captures two central issues in the design of distributed systems: exclusion and synchronization. This paper describes a simple, distributed algorithm, referred to as the event manager algorithm, to implement n-party rendezvous. It also compares the performance of this algorithm with an existing algorithm for this problem.
On the power spectrum density and parameter choice of multicarrier UWB communications

Recently, ultra wideband (UWB) communications have received increasing interest due to the high data rate achievable in a short distance. UWB communications can have strong interference mitigation capability. A multicarrier ultra wideband (MC-UWB) system has been introduced in (A.H. Tewfik, et al., (2002)) and (E. Saberinia, et al., (2002)). In the MC-UWB communication systems, multiple symbols are transmitted over different carriers simultaneously. The same symbol is retransmitted over different frequency bands by utilizing frequency hopping (FH) techniques. Frequency hopping and multicarrier technologies smooth the average power spectrum density of the system. In this paper, the expression of the power spectrum density of the MC-UWB system is derived. The radiated emission power for UWB communication systems is limited by the spectrum mask specified by wireless communication authorities, such as the federal communications commission (FCC) in United States. Different parameters in the MC-UWB system will have different effects on the power spectrum density and the maximal achievable data rate. The analysis of impact of parameters in the system on the power spectrum density will help the system designer select proper parameter set to fit in emission power regulation and the required data rate in practical UWB systems. Some examples of parameter selection are also given to illustrate the impact of different parameters in the system on the power spectrum density.
Cellular immunity in the mouse: II. Correlation of in vivo and in vitro phenomena

Abstract A series of in vitro assays for lymphoid responsiveness to antigen (PPD) and allogeneic cells are described using the mouse model. The state of in vivo responsiveness measured by delayed hypersensitivity to PPD and allograft survival are compared to the in vitro assays of antigen-mediated lymphocyte proliferation (AMR), mixed lymphocyte proliferation (MLC), macrophage inhibition factor (MIF) activity release, and macrophage aggregation factor (MAF) activity release. These specific in vitro phenomena correlated only grossly in degree with the actual state of delayed hypersensitivity or allograft survival when measured statically. There was, however, a definite temporal relationship displayed during development of the phenomena. In vivo sensitization resulted in transient augmentation of in vitro response and the apparent development of immunologic memory. Antigen-mediated proliferation and augmentation of the MLC following sensitization were more transient than MIF activity release, perhaps indicating that different cell populations are responsible for the two types of in vitro events. The results also suggest that the ability to produce MIF activity is a prerequisite for in vivo responsiveness. The mixed lymphocyte response produced a substance(s) in the supernatant fluid which, when injected in vivo , resulted in a typical delayed hypersensitivity response. This supernatant also possessed MIF activity.
Stemming a Rising Tide: Why the Clean Air Act following Massachusetts v. EPA Provides a Sensible Vehicle through Which to Regulate Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Imagine ocean levels rising because of global ice melt. Imagine the next ice age beginning due to the increase in carbon dioxide levels. Imagine global plant life dying as a result of rising global temperatures. Imagine a fundamental shift in marine life as a direct consequence of the acidification of the world’s waters. Finally, imagine increased greenhouse gases causing no impact on the world’s biospheres at all. Scientists have predicted all of these possible results, and there is very little agreement in the scientific community as to what the end result of man’s dependence on fossil fuels will eventually be. So what should humanity do in the face of this uncertainty? Should it sit idly by in the hopes that the world will recover on its own? Or should humanity foster technological innovation through incentivization that may help avert any of these possible crises? This author believes that the very uncertainty as to the effects of a changing atmospheric composition should be the motivation needed to finally address man’s addiction to carbon-laden fossil fuels. But in order to do that, society must face several difficult choices. If we choose to address these problems, luckily, the current regulatory framework of the United States provides a good starting point through which we can reach a comprehensive solution and stem the tide of rising carbon dioxide emissions.
Chapter 2 Diverse Mechanisms of Endogenous Nucleobase Deamination in DNA and RNA

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the nucleobase deamination in light of recent technical advances in analytical methods to quantify nucleobase deamination products, as well as several recent observations on the stability of these DNA lesions and the diverse mechanisms of their formation. It covers the numerous established and potential mechanisms by which nucleobase deamination products can arise in or enter DNA and RNA. Among all the types of DNA damage, nucleobase deamination appears to have the most abundant and diverse mechanisms of formation, including nitrosative deamination at sites of inflammation, simple hydrolysis, the actions of several deaminase enzymes on DNA and RNA and defects in purine and pyrimidine metabolism. This level of complexity suggests that nucleobase deamination products could act as biomarkers of several facets of cellular pathophysiology, while their involvement in carcinogenesis and other disease processes could involve both direct mutagenesis and, via the nucleotide pools, disruption of cell signaling, cycling or other facets of cell physiology.
Taxonomy, paleobiology, and adaptations of the “robust” australopithecines

Abstract Further work needs to be done … These six words represent the cardinal scientific cliche. As a fundamentally historical science, paleoanthropology is ultimately dependent on fossils and their context for sustaining its viability as a realm of inquiry. In addition to the universal recognition of the need for a continuous stream of new fossils, the contributors to this singular volume have recast the debate on hominid evolutionary relationships. We must now accept the existence of far greater taxonomic diversity in the evolutionary history of Plio-Pleistocene hominids. This includes Homo. The robust australopithecines must be considered a crucial source of information in reconstructing hominid evolutionary relationships. Concepts that are now debated as theoretical abstractions such as homoplasy, paraphyletic trends, and discrete divergence events are possibly more likely to be resolved by careful study of this radiation of hominids than any other. As a result of this volume, robust australopithecines must be viewed as they really were: an evolving, perhaps very rapidly evolving, species complex that defies typological constraints. It is also clear that if paleoanthropology is to progress it must strengthen its links with the earth and planetary sciences. The chemistry of pelagic foraminifera should be considered as basic in paleoanthropology as Cope-Osbornian dental terminology. Finally, if we are willing to develop paradigms intended to structure our perceptions of hominid evolutionary history, we must not be afraid to apply them objectively to the evidence and reject them as necessary. White is right when he avers that myth creation is the progeny of data-poor science. This may not necessarily be the liability he makes it out to be, but we must admit that excessive speculation has been the bete noire of paleoanthropology for much of its history. More fossils will be and must be recovered, but it requires the commitment of the entire paleoanthropological community to ensure that field projects are mounted and sustained, and that the data, both fossil and contextual, be made accessible to all.
Using Microcomputer Simulatiion to Teach Classroom Management Skills to Preservice Teachers

Recent advances in microcomputer technology have made it possible to simulate realistic classroom situations, thereby allowing preservice teachers to learn and practice a wide variety of fundamenta...
Common Precursor for Rauscher Leukemia Virus gp69/71, p15(E), and p12(E)

Rauscher murine leukemia virus glycoprotein gp69/71 and non-glycosylated p15(E) are synthesized by way of a 90,000-dalton precursor glycoprotein, termed Pr2a+b. Peptide mapping experiments showed that Pr2a+b contains all the tyrosine-containing tryptic peptides of gp69/71. Two additional tyrosine-containing tryptic peptides in Pr2a+b that are not detected in gp69/71 are found in p15(E). Thus, gp69/71 and p15(E) peptide sequences account for all the tyrosine tryptic peptides of Pr2a+b. The gene order of the two proteins was determined by pulse-labeling infected cells in the presence and absence of pactamycin at concentrations of the inhibitor that prevent initiation of translation, but not elongation. The gene order was found to be: (2)HN-gp69/71-p15(E)-COOH. A newly identified major viral protein, termed p12(E), migrates in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels in the "p12" region. It is related to p15(E) as determined by tryptic mapping experiments. p15(E) and p12(E) are not phosphorylated, and both can be separated from phosphoprotein p12 by guanidine hydrochloride-agarose chromatography. p12(E) and p15(E) elute in the void volume fraction, whereas phosphoprotein p12 elutes between p15 and p10. The two p12 proteins can also be separated from each other by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis involving isoelectric focusing in the first dimension and sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis in the second dimension.
A die-off of large ungulates following a Stomoxys biting fly out-break in lowland forest, northern Republic of Congo

Understanding the role of natural die-offs or severe population declines is of significant importance to the management and conservation of large mammal populations. A die-off of bongo and other large ungulates occurred following a Stomoxys biting fly out-break in the lowland forest of the northern Republic of Congo in April‐May 1997. Direct observations, remote camera surveys and monitoring within forest clearings indicated that the Stomoxys outbreak contributed to significant mortality in the bongo population and affected local distribution. Mortality was higher in adult males than in females. Male biased Stomoxys related mortality was also observed in sitatunga. Understanding of the causes and impact of such die-offs on bongo and other species are important to conservation and management planning in
Dyspnea ratings for prescribing exercise intensity in patients with COPD.

Study objective We tested the hypothesis that patients with COPD can use dyspnea ratings obtained from a prior graded exercise test as a target to reliably produce specific exercise intensities. Design Four visits over a 7-week period. Setting Pulmonary function and cardiorespiratory exercise laboratory at a university hospital. Patients Fifteen symptomatic patients with stable COPD. Age was 68±7 (mean±SD) years. FEV 1 was 1.12±0.22 L (45±8% predicted). Interventions At each visit, patients estimated the heaviness of weights to evaluate their magnitude estimation of a nonrespiratory task; after pulmonary function testing was completed, patients were tested on the cycle ergometer. At estimation trial 1 (day 0), patients estimated the intensity of dyspnea using the 0 to 10 category-ratio scale during an incremental exercise test. Estimation trial 2 (day 5 to 7) was the same as the previous trial. At production trials 1 (day 10 to 14) and 2 (day 40 to 44), patients were instructed to produce specific intensities of dyspnea (ie, dyspnea targets) at 50% and at anaerobic threshold (AT) or 80% of peak oxygen consumption (V02) as calculated from results at estimation trial 2. Measurements and results Lung function was stable at all visits. Dyspnea ratings were 1.8 ±0.9 (range, 1 to 3) at 50% of peak V0 2 and 5.5 ± 1.5 (range, 4 to 8) at AT/80% of peak V0 2 (17.0±3.4 mL/ kg/min) at estimation trial 2. The individual percent changes in V0 2 at the lower dyspnea target were 12 ±19% and 11 ±19% for production trials 1 and 2, respectively, compared with estimation trial 2. At the higher dyspnea target, the corresponding individual percent changes in V0 2 were −4 ±9% and −7±11%, respectively. For all 15 patients, there were borderline statistical differences for the V0 2 values at the lower (p=0.04 and p=0.07) and at the higher (p=0.04 for each production trial) dyspnea targets for production trials 1 and 2 compared with estimation trial 2. Two patients showed 50% or greater variability in the calculated exponent for magnitude estimation of weights. In a subgroup analysis of the 13 patients with reproducible magnitude estimation of the heaviness of weights, there were no significant differences in V0 2 for the two production trials compared with estimation trial 2 at both exercise intensities. Conclusions Dyspnea ratings obtained from an incremental exercise test can be used as a target for patients with COPD to regulate/monitor the intensity of exercise training. The ability of patients with COPD to achieve a desired V0 2 based on an individual dyspnea target was generally more accurate at the higher exercise level (AT/80% of peak V0 2 ) compared with the lower intensity (50% of peak V0 2 ). Acceptable accuracy was maintained over a 5-week time period.
Using photoactivated periodate to decompose TOC from hydrolysates of chemical warfare agents

Abstract Photoactivated periodate was investigated for the disposal of hydrolysates of chemical warfare agents (HCWAs) when hydrolysis is used as the first step in disposal of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). The kinetics and mechanisms of total organic carbon (TOC) loss by photoactivated periodate oxidation of the HCWAs, thiodiglycol (TDG), 3,3-dithiopropanol (TDP), and 1,4-thioxane (TX), were investigated at pH 3, 7, and 10. At pH 3, TDG had the fastest rate of TOC loss followed by TDP and TX. Less TOC loss at pH 7 compared to pH 3 was attributed to ozone decomposition reactions and OH quenching by mineralization products (e.g., bicarbonate) at pH 7. At pH 10, compared to pH 7, TX had more TOC loss, but TDG and TDP exhibited similar TOC loss as pH 7 conditions. In all experiments, TOC loss ceased when periodate was depleted. Solution conditions such as pH, initial ratio of periodate to HCWA, nitrogen purging, and consecutive additions of periodate were investigated to explore the role of reactive species in TOC loss and to determine optimal periodate mineralization conditions for HCWAs. In all cases consecutive additions of periodate provided the most TOC loss but the conditions for the most efficient use of periodate was different for each HCWA.
Influence of flooring conditions on lower leg volume following prolonged standing

Abstract Many manufacturing and service occupations require prolonged periods of standing. Employees in these occupations frequently complain of standing fatigue. Modifying the flooring is a common ergonomic intervention to ameliorate the complaints associated with prolonged standing. This study examined the effects of different flooring conditions on standing fatigue in the workplace. The study measured changes in lower leg volume over an 8-h shift for three ergonomic interventions: wood block floor, anti- fatigue mat, and shoe insoles. For a group of assembly line workers, pre-shift and post-shift lower leg volume was measured for the three different flooring conditions. A Latin square design was used. Varying the flooring conditions did not result in a statistically significant change in lower leg volume between pre-shift and post-shift measurements. An increase in leg volume was noted following each of the 3 interventions for all subjects. These findings suggest that common product interventions such as in-soles and floor mats alone may have little effect on controlling leg edema for industrial workers exposed to standing for 8-h shifts. Relevance to industry Pain and fatigue have been associated with prolonged standing of employees in industry. The effectiveness of interventions such as mats, in-soles and shoes to reduce discomfort has yet to be clarified.
The effects of temperature, season, and nitric oxide on clearance rates in isolated gills of the heterodont clams Mercenaria mercenaria and Arctica islandica

Abstract Clearance of colloidal graphite (ml/min g dry weight) was measured in isolated gills treated with 10−5 M 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) in the shallow water eurythermal clam Mercenaria mercenaria and the deeper water stenothermal clam Arctica islandica acclimated to 3 temperatures during the summer and winter. In Mercenaria there were no statistical differences in clearance rates in gills acclimated to 5, 10, and 22 °C during the summer and winter; thus the gills showed perfect temperature compensation (Q10 = 1). Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis with L-NAME significantly reduced clearance rates at all three temperatures during the winter but had no effect during the summer. Examination of gills treated with L-NAME and 5HT revealed that the lateral cilia beat at a significantly lower rate than gills treated with 5HT. In Arctica there was no temperature compensation – except at 5 and 10 °C during the winter – as evidenced by Q10s of 4.0 (winter) and 4.5 (summer) for the temperature range of 0 to 10 °C. In addition, L-NAME had no effect upon clearance during either season. There were no significant differences in the activity of the lateral and frontal cilia, but the interfilament space and the diameters of the water tubes were greater in gills acclimated to 5 °C in comparison to 10 °C during the summer. Arctica gills clear at significantly higher rates than do those of Mercenaria. Examination of gills of both species at 10 °C revealed that the activities of the lateral and frontal cilia are significantly greater in Mercenaria in comparison to Arctica. In contrast the lateral cilia were longer and the interfilament space was larger in Arctica in comparison to Mercenaria.
Artificial Neural Network Military Impulse Noise Classifier

Civilian noise complaints and damage claims have created the need for stations to monitor the production of military impulse noise. However, these stations suffer from numerous false positive detections (due to wind noise) of impulse events and often miss many events of interest. There is also interest in identifying specific noise sources, such different types of ordinance or different types of aircraft. To improve the accuracy of military impulse noise monitoring and make and initial effort to specifically classify noise source, an algorithm based upon an artificial neural network with inputs of conventional and custom acoustic metrics was proposed. To train and evaluate the noise classifier approximately 1,000 waveforms were field collected (110 military aircraft noise, 330 military impulse noise, and 560 non-impulse noise). The final noise classifier used kurtosis and crest factor and the custom metrics spectral slope and weighted square error as inputs. The classifier was able to achieve 99.7% accuracy on the training data set and 99.4% accuracy on the validation data set.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Predicted deposition of diesel particles in young humans

This study utilized a mathematical model to predict the deposition patterns of inhaled diesel automobile exhaust particles in the respiratory tracts of young humans. A particle model was proposed to describe the physical characteristics and dynamic behavior of diesel particles, and this model was incorporated into the derivation of mathematical expressions for the airway deposition efficiency. An anatomical lung model for humans from birth to adulthood was formulated mathematically from available physiologic data and morphometric measurements. The growing lung model, together with the corresponding ventilation conditions, were then used to calculate the deposition of diesel particles in the lungs at any age up to maturity. We found that the deposition of diesel particles in young humans exhibited distribution patterns similar to those of adults. With the exception of alveolar deposition in very young children (below the age of 2 years), the predicted regional deposition fractions were always higher than in adults. For an equal duration of exposure, the surface minute dose in unciliated airways was predicted to change profoundly with age. The maximum calculated dose, which occurred at the age of 2 years, was approximately twice the adult value.
Role of apolipoproteins in cellular cholesterol efflux.

Abstract The effects of serum apolipoproteins, particle size and concentration on the effectiveness of phosphatidylcholine (PC)-containing acceptor particles in causing release of cholesterol from cells growing in culture have been investigated. The acceptor particles were prepared by detergent-dialysis procedures and were either egg PC small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) or discoidal complexes of egg PC with apoproteins from human high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Gel filtration chromatography was employed to isolate particles of defined composition and size. The half-times (t 1 2 ) for the unidirectional efflux of cholesterol from cells prelabeled with [3H]cholesterol were measured as a function of acceptor PC concentration in the extracellular medium. HDL apolipoprotein-egg PC discoidal complexes at 100 μg PC/ml gave the following (t 1 2 ) values when incubated with rat Fu5AH hepatoma, human HepG2 hepatoma, human GM3468 skin fibroblast, L-cell and mouse J774 macrophage-tumor cells: 11 ± 2, 22 ± 5, 84 ± 18, 17 ± 2 and 32± 6 h, respectively. Equivalent experiments using purified apolipoprotein A-I or the total apolipoprotein C fraction to form the egg PC complexes showed that the (t 1 2 ) values for the hepatoma cells were unaltered. However, with the fibroblasts, L-cells and J774 macrophages, the apolipoprotein C complexes gave significantly longer (t 1 2 ) than complexes of egg PC with either apolipoprotein A-I or HDL apolipoprotein which gave the same (t 1 2 ) . An analysis based on the theory of fast coagulation of colloid particles to describe collisions between desorbed cholesterol molecules and acceptor particles predicts that the dependence of (t 1 2 ) for cholesterol efflux from a given cell to different acceptors should be normalized when the extracellular level of acceptors is expressed in terms of the product of the radius of the particle times the number concentration of acceptor particles. The decrease in (t 1 2 ) for cholesterol efflux from fibroblasts when the egg PC acceptor was changed from an SUV to an apolipoprotein HDL discoidal complex is consistent with the above concepts. The primary effect of the apolipoproteins in promoting cellular cholesterol efflux seems to be the solubilization of PC so that the PC is present in the extracellular medium as many small particles.
Physiologic and pharmacologic considerations for hypothermia therapy in neonates

With mounting evidence that hypothermia is neuroprotective in newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), an increasing number of centers are offering this therapy. Hypothermia is associated with a wide range of physiologic changes affecting every organ system, and awareness of these effects is essential for optimum patient management. Lowering the core temperature also alters pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of medications commonly used in asphyxiated neonates, necessitating close attention to drug efficacy and side effects. Rewarming introduces additional risks and challenges as the hypothermia-associated physiologic and pharmacologic changes are reversed. In this review we provide an organ system-based assessment of physiologic changes associated with hypothermia. We also summarize evidence from randomized controlled trials showing lack of serious adverse effects of moderate hypothermia therapy in term and near-term newborns with moderate-to-severe HIE. Finally, we review the effects of hypothermia on drug metabolism and clearance based on studies in animal models and human adults, and limited data from neonates.
D-myo-inositol-l-phosphate, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of inositol in the mammal

Previous communications have reported an enzyme system in homogenate of rat testis ( Eisenberg and Bolden, 1963 ) which catalyzes the cyclization of the glucose chain to myo-inositol ( Eisenberg, Bolden and Loewus, 1964 ). A study of this reaction in yeast ( Chen and Charalampous, 1965 ) has shown that glucose-6-P and myo-inositol-1-P are intermediates in the cyclization. Since myo-inositol-1-P can exist in enantiomeric forms it was of interest in proposing a mechanism of cyclization to determine which optical isomer is involved. Although the L configuration has been observed repeatedly among the inositol phosphates derived from phosphoinositides from many natural sources ( Rapport and Norton, 1962 ), the D isomer has been known only synthetically ( Ballou and Pizer, 1959 ). Evidence that the intermediate in the formation of inositol in the rat is D-myo-inositol-1-P is presented in this paper.
Recovery and Recurrence Following Treatment for Adolescent Major Depression

Context Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adolescents is common and impairing. Efficacious treatments have been developed, but little is known about longer term outcomes, including recurrence.
Recurrence Phenomena in Quantum Dynamics

It is proved that under any time-periodic Hamiltonian, a nonresonant, bounded quantum system will reassemble itself infinitely often in the course of time. To illustrate these results computer experiments are performed on both a pulsed quantum rotor and an electron in the field of periodic electromagnetic pulses.
Discrete-time transfer matrix modeling of flexible robots under feedback control

This paper presents results from using the discrete-time transfer matrix method (DT-TMM) to model flexible robots under feedback control. The DT-TMM is powerful, but not very well known. DT-TMM analysis is very computationally efficient because the dimensions of the transfer matrices remain small regardless of the number of elements in the model. The system transfer matrix for the flexible robot in this paper is 5x5. Further, the DT-TMM can model feedback without using a reduced-order model. While the DT-TMM approach has been verified in the literature by comparing its results to those from other simulation approaches, little if any results have been presented comparing DT-TMM simulations to experiments. This paper compares DT-TMM simulations to experimental results for a single-flexible link robot (SFLR) under four different control cases.
Nd: YAG laser irradiation in combination with contact tissue cooling for creation of subsurface thermal lesions

This study investigates deep laser coagulation of tissue in combination with contact cooling of the tissue surface for potential use in noninvasive urology procedures. A laser probe was designed, built, and tested for combination Nd:YAG laser irradiation and sapphire contact cooling of liver and skin tissue samples, ex vivo. Gross and histologic examination was used to quantify thermal lesion dimensions. Liver lesions measured 5.5 ± 0.3 mm in diameter, while preserving the tissue surface to a depth of 2.1 ± 0.2 mm (n = 5). Skin lesions measured 4.3 ± 0.9 mm in diameter, while preserving the skin surface to a depth of 1.1 ± 0.2 mm (n = 6). There were no statistical differences in lesion diameter and layer of preserved tissue between contact (sapphire) cooling and prior non-contact (cryogen spray) cooling results for a given tissue type (p > 0.05). Noninvasive laser procedures targeting tissue structures for thermal coagulation within a few millimeters of the tissue surface are feasible and may expand the use of combined laser/cooling techniques for applications in urology. In vivo animal studies are currently in development to optimize the laser and cooling parameters for potential clinical applications.
Multi-execution: multicore caching for data-similar executions

While microprocessor designers turn to multicore architectures to sustain performance expectations, the dramatic increase in parallelism of such architectures will put substantial demands on off-chip bandwidth and make the memory wall more significant than ever. This paper demonstrates that one profitable application of multicore processors is the execution of many similar instantiations of the same program. We identify that this model of execution is used in several practical scenarios and term it as "multi-execution." Often, each such instance utilizes very similar data. In conventional cache hierarchies, each instance would cache its own data independently. We propose the Mergeable cache architecture that detects data similarities and merges cache blocks, resulting in substantial savings in cache storage requirements. This leads to reductions in off-chip memory accesses and overall power usage, and increases in application performance. We present cycle-accurate simulation results of 8 benchmarks (6 from SPEC2000) to demonstrate that our technique provides a scalable solution and leads to significant speedups due to reductions in main memory accesses. For 8 cores running 8 similar executions of the same application and sharing an exclusive 4-MB, 8-way L2 cache, the Mergeable cache shows a speedup in execution by 2.5x on average (ranging from 0.93x to 6.92x), while posing an overhead of only 4.28% on cache area and 5.21% on power when it is used.
Serum lactate in febrile neutropenia: What can it tell us?

Commentary to:Elevation in serum lactate at the time of Febrile Neutropenia (FN) in hemodynamically-stable patients with Hematologic Malignancies (HM) is associated with the development of septic shock within 48 hoursAnthony R. Mato, Selina M. Luger, Daniel F. Heitjan, Mark E. Mikkelson, Erin Olson, Chaitra Ujjani, Samantha Jacobs, Andrea N. Miltiades, Payal Shah, Stephen J. Schuster, Martin Carroll, Ann Duskin Chauffe and Barry D. Fuchs
Use of the periodate oxidation coupling method for the detection of antibody and antibody-producing cells specific for staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid

Abstract The periodate oxidation and chromium chloride coupling methods were compared for their ability to sensitize indicator erythrocytes with staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA) for the detection of specific antibody. Erythrocytes, sensitized with periodiate-activated lipoteichoic acid, were found to be superior for use in both passive immune hemagglutination and hemolysis tests as well as in the technique of localized hemolysis-in-gel for the detection of specific antibody and antibody-producing cells against LTA.
Tabulation and evaluation of recent field experiments using the DD-136 strain of Neoaplectana carpocapsae Weiser: a review.

Abstract A tabulation and discussion of trials utilizing the nematode, Neoaplectana carposapsae Weiser, against insect pests in the field are presented. Only those references not included in an earlier review article ( Poinar, 1971 ) are considered here. Moisture limits the immediate usefulness of these nematodes and this factor should be taken into consideration for field trials. The neoaplectanid species, N. carpocapsae , seems best adapated for living on or just beneath the soil surface but can also parasitize deeper soil insects and even enter plant tissue to locate successfully potential hosts. In conclusion, it can be stated that neoaplectanid nematodes can play an important role in the control of insect pest populations and may be most successful in a program of integrated control.
INFLUENCE OF OXIDIZING AND REDUCING AGENTS ON SELENIUM GLASS COLORS1

The effects of oxidizing and reducing agents on the colors produced in selenium glasses are discussed.
An investigation of fatigue crack growth in a cast lamellar Ti48Al2Cr2Nb alloy

The results of a study of fatigue crack growth in a lamellar gamma titanium aluminide alloy are presented in this paper. Differences in the fatigue crack growth behavior at 25, 450 and 700°C are shown to be associated with the combined effects of different fracture modes/crack-tip deformation mechanisms and oxide-induced crack closure under cyclic loading. Crack-tip deformation was found to occur by conventional slip at 25°C. At 450 and 700°C, however, crack-tip deformation occurs via a duplex mode of slip and micro-twinning within lamellae. A higher fatigue threshold at 700°C is attributed partly to the effects of oxide-induced crack closure.
Prenatal maternal diet affects asthma risk in offspring.

More and more, it seems that our traditional view of asthma as a complex disease that is mediated by a genetic predisposition and childhood or later environmental exposures needs updating. At this point, a mounting body of literature has established that prenatal exposures can influence the risk for developing asthma (1). This link has been most firmly documented in epidemiological studies of prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke and subsequent wheeze. For example, in a large prospective Danish cohort study of over 11,000 children, maternal smoking at the 36th week of gestation was associated with transient wheezing in children before age 3 years (2). In a Stockholm cohort of over 4,000 newborns, maternal smoking during but not following pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of recurrent wheezing in offspring up to age two years (3). In mouse models, exposure during pregnancy to an air pollutant aerosol (residual oil fly ash) led to a greater susceptibility to an asthma-like phenotype in the offspring mice (4).
Precast slabs using recyclable packaging as flooring support elements

Abstract In this study, the substitution of ceramic components by recyclable PET bottles, aluminum cans and Tetra Pak cartons, used as an in fill material for semi-precast slabs, was investigated experimentally. The slabs were produced in full scale, with mean measurements of 1 m (width) × 3 m (length). The compressive strength and elastic modulus of the concrete were determined. The slabs were characterized according to their density and flexural strength. Economic viability analysis was also performed. The flexural strength of the reference slab was 31 kN, while the strengths of slabs using reusable packaging were 36–38 kN. A 20% reduction in mean density is another important advantage, because it reduces the weight for the manufacture, transportation and the total weight of the structure, thus reducing the cost of the structural design while facilitating the construction process. The direct costs of the materials required to manufacture the slabs were equivalent. Comparisons between the prototype slabs with different flooring support components indicate that these are feasible concerning both their fabrication and their structural performance.
Effect of Santoquin on humoral immune function in mice: lack of interference with selenium utilization.

Effect of Santoquin on humoral immune function in mice: lack of interference with selenium utilization
Synthesis and structural studies of the simplest bismuth(III) oxo-salicylate complex: [Bi4(μ3-O)2(HO-2-C6H4CO2)8]·2Solv (Solv = MeCN or MeNO2)

Reaction of BiPh3 with salicylic acid (HO-2-C6H4CO2H, H2Sal) at room temperature in wet acetonitrile or nitromethane leads to the facile formation of an oxo cluster compound with formula [Bi4(μ3-O)2(HSal)8] solvated by either MeCN and MeNO2 (1·2MeCN or 1·2MeNO2). This simple procedure affords a convenient, high yield (>80%) synthesis of a single bismuth oxo cluster. Both adducts exhibit a nearly planar Bi4(μ3-O)2 core. The solvent ligands are situated in the same coordination sites in both but at long Bi–N and Bi–O distances. The ease of preparation as a pure compound makes this an ideal starting material for study of bismuth oxo-salicylate chemistry.