cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential effects of nefazodone and cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy on insomnia associated with chronic forms of major depression.

Background: The antidepressant nefazodone and the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) were recently found to have significant, additive effects in a large multicenter study of chronic forms of major depression. As nefazodone-mediated blockade of serotonin-2 receptors may directly relieve insomnia associated with depression, we examined the more specific effects of CBASP and nefazodone, singly and in combination, on sleep disturbances. Method: A total of 597 chronically depressed outpatients (DSM-III-R criteria) with at least I insomnia symptom were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of treatment with nefazodone (mean final dose = 466 mg/day), CBASP (mean = 16.0 sessions), or the combination (mean dose = 460 mg/day plus a mean of 16.2 CBASP sessions). Continuous and categorical insomnia outcomes, derived from standard clinician-and self-rated assessments, were compared. Results: Patients receiving nefazodone (either alone or in combination with CBASP) obtained significantly more rapid and greater ultimate improvement in insomnia ratings when compared with those treated with CBASP alone. This difference was maximal by the fourth week of therapy and sustained thereafter. Combined treatment did not result in markedly better insomnia scores than treatment with nefazodone alone on most measures, although patients receiving both CBASP and nefazodone were significantly more likely (p <.001) to achieve ≥ 50% decrease in insomnia severity. Conclusion: Despite comparable antidepressant efficacy, monotherapy with nefazodone or CBASP resulted in markedly different effects on the magnitude and temporal course of insomnia symptoms associated with chronic forms of major depression. Patients receiving the combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy benefited from both the larger and more rapid improvements in insomnia associated with nefazodone therapy and the later-emerging effects of CBASP on the overall depressive syndrome.
Limitation of m.t.i. improvement factor due to oscillator instability

The clutter-cancellation limitation of an m.t.i. signal processor which is due to oscillator instability, has been analysed by modelling the oscillator as a narrowband random process. The analysis predicts that the clutter cancellation will almost independent of range. This contrasts with the results of other analyses that model the oscillator's nonsinusoidal behaviour as a frequency change between transmitted pulses. These predict a range-dependent clutter cancellation.
Spontaneously (genetic) hypertensive rats: naloxone-reversible and propranolol-reversible decrease in pain sensitivity.

Adult spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) are less sensitive to painful stimuli than their normotensive controls, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. This difference can be eliminated by the specific opiate antagonist, naloxone, and by the β-adrenergic blocking agent, propranol.
Functional testing and verification of array systems

Abstract The paper presents a new testing method applicable to VLSI arrays made up of microcomputers as processing elements. A system with single instruction multiple data (SIMD) processing is assumed. In this system, computing elements are connected by a regular interconnection network. A new fault model for the array is presented. Faults are defined at a functional level and allow a systematic test generation procedure to be derived. This procedure is independent of array implementation details and still retains a SIMD characterization. Testing is performed by sequences of instructions. Test sequences are defined by using two ordering criteria. The first criterion establishes the external observability and controllability of the instructions. The second criterion uses instruction cardinality as metric for evaluation of inspection complexity. Algorithms and procedures for a correct execution of functional testing are presented. An example of the application of the proposed technique to an existing parallel scheme made of complex microprocessors is described. The criteria for structuring the test procedure lead to an optimization of fault coverage and a reduction of ambiguity.
Selenomethionine does not affect PSA secretion independent of its effect on LNCaP cell growth

BACKGROUND Individuals supplemented with selenium have reduced incidence of prostate cancer. This study determines whether selenomethionine specifically affects the secretion of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in vitro. METHODS LNCaP cells were supplemented with selenomethionine for 7 days. PSA secretion was determined by ELISA. Cell proliferation was assessed by enumeration of trypan blue excluding cells. Colony formation was determined in soft agar. Cell cycle distribution was determined by FACS analysis of propidium iodide stained cells. RESULTS Selenomethionine at ≥ 70 μM inhibited LNCaP cell growth and colony formation. 0–100 μM selenomethionine did not affect the secretion of PSA by LNCaP cells in cell culture supernatants when normalized to the number of cells in culture. At supra-nutritional concentrations of selenomethionine, LNCaP cells had longer G0/G1 phase in agreement with the inhibitory effects on cell growth. CONCLUSIONS PSA secretion is not specifically inhibited by concentrations of selenomethionine corresponding to plasma selenium concentrations found in individuals supplemented with chemopreventive concentrations of selenized yeast. These data suggest that changes in serum PSA levels in individual patients during selenium supplementation is not an effect specific for PSA secretion, but rather may be a useful indicator for changes in disease progression in individual patients. Prostate 54: 315–321, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Parameter estimation in nonlinear algebraic models via global optimization

The estimation of parameters in semi-empirical nonlinear models through the error-in-variables method has been widely studied from a computational standpoint. This method involves the minimization of a quadratic objective function subject to the model equations being satisfied. Due to the nonlinear nature of these models, the resulting formulation is nonconvex in nature. The approaches to solve this problem presented so far in the literature, although computationally efficient, only offer convergence to a local solution of a model which may contain multiple minima. In this paper a global optimization approach based on a branch-and-bound framework will be presented to solve the error-in-variables formulation. Various estimation problems were solved and will be presented to illustrate the theoretical and computational aspects of the proposed method.
Evidence for the presence of a protein with ATP-ase and antigenic specificity in Paramecium aurelia, variety 4, stock 51.

Abstract A protein with adenosinetriphosphate activity has been isolated from P. aurelia , var 4, stock 51. This protein gives a precipitate with an antiserum prepared against serotype 51A.
Improved visualization of the internal mammary artery with a new retractor system

A new sternal retractor system was developed to improve exposure of the internal mammary artery and protect the lung. This retractor can be used for either single or bilateral dissection of the internal mammary artery. It has been used in more than 2,000 cases with excellent results.
An Auger Electron Spectroscopy Study of the Activation of Iron Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts: II. Carbon Monoxide Activation

Activation procedures can have a dramatic effect on the activity of iron-based catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis. CO conversion over a 100 Fe/3 Cu/0.2 K catalyst (parts by weight) can vary by nearly a factor of 3, depending on activation treatment. In contrast, a 100 Fe/5 Cu/4.2 K/25 SiO[sub 2] catalyst displays little dependence of F-T activity on activation treatment. An ultra-high vacuum surface analysis chamber coupled to an atmospheric reactor has been used to measure the surface composition of these catalysts following activation in carbon monoxide at 280[degrees]C, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and BET surface area measurements have been used to investigate catalyst morphology. CO activation of the 100 Fe/5 Cu/4.2 K/25 SiO[sub 2] catalyst at 280[degrees]C results in partial reduction of iron to a mixture of Fe[sub x]O and Fe[sub 3]O[sub 4], and an overall surface composition very similar to that obtained following hydrogen activation at 220 or 280[degrees]C, consistent with the invariance of F-T activity with activation treatment for this catalyst. Activation of the 100 Fe/3 Cu/0.2 K catalyst in CO at 280[degrees]C results in the formation of iron carbide particles, growth of graphitic carbon (C[sub g]) filaments, and formation of a thick, porous, C[sub g]more » layer covering the carbide particles. Differences in F-T activity between the hydrogen- and CO-activated 100 Fe/3 Cu/0.2 K catalyst are discussed in terms of surface composition and catalyst morphology. The difference in sensitivity of the two catalysts to activation conditions is related to differences in the extent of reduction of the catalysts. 45 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less
caREMOTE: The design of a cancer reporting and monitoring telemedicine system for domestic care

After receiving cancer treatment, patients often experience a decline of HRQoL (health-related quality of life). Physicians typically evaluate HRQoL during periodic clinical visits. However, out-patient reporting of vital signals between two visits could be used to interpret the decline of HRQoL. Considering that the vast majority of patients recovering from cancer are not in hospitals, it is often impractical for the care providers to collect these data. In this paper, we design and prototype caREMOTE, a cancer reporting and monitoring telemedicine system, which can be used in domestic cancer care. By extending a standard clinical trial informatics model, we build a prototype on cloud computing services that can be accessed by a mobile application. We aim to maximize the potential of caREMOTE to help medical practitioners efficiently monitor discharged patients' HRQoL and vital signals, and facilitate data reusability and system interoperability in future collaborative cancer research.
Fluctuations in nuclear dynamics From transport theory to dynamical simulation

Abstract Within the semiclassical Nordheim-type transport approach, we develop a method for treating arbitrary fluctuations in one-body dynamics, based on a direct simulation of the stochastic part of the collision integral. The method is illustrated for a uniform two-dimensional torus, for which the time evolution of the mean trajectory and the associated correlation function are calculated; the variance of the phase space occupancy follows closely the predictions of the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation and relaxes towards the appropriate quantum-statistical limit. The spontaneous breaking of the initial symmetries in phase-space makes it possible to employ the method to fluctuation-dominated physical processes, such as nuclear multifragmentation.
Oscillator Fin as a Novel Heat Transfer Augmentation Device for Gas Turbine Cooling Applications

A new concept for enhanced turbulent transport of heat in internal coolant passages of gas turbine blades is introduced. The new heat transfer augmentation component called “oscillator fin” is based on an unsteady flow system using the interaction of multiple unsteady jets and wakes generated downstream of a fluidic oscillator. Incompressible, unsteady and two dimensional solutions of Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations are obtained both for an oscillator fin and for an equivalent cylindrical pin fin and the results are compared. Preliminary results show that a significant increase in the turbulent kinetic energy level occur in the wake region of the oscillator fin with respect to the cylinder with similar level of aerodynamic penalty. The new concept does not require additional components or power to sustain its oscillations and its manufacturing is as easy as a conventional pin fin. The present study makes use of an unsteady numerical simulation of mass, momentum, turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate conservation equations for flow visualization downstream of the new oscillator fin and an equivalent cylinder. Relative enhancements of turbulent kinetic energy and comparisons of the total pressure field from transient simulations qualitatively suggest that the oscillator fin has excellent potential in enhancing local heat transfer in internal cooling passages without significant aerodynamic penalty.Copyright © 1998 by ASME
Radioimmunotherapy of lymphoma: Bexxar and Zevalin.

Radioimmunotherapy is a form of targeted radionuclide therapy that uses a monoclonal antibody to deliver localized radiation. It is most appropriate for treatment of multiple tumor sites that cannot be readily excised surgically or irradiated using external beam radiation or brachytherapy. At present, 2 products, Bexxar ( 131 I-tositumomab and unlabeled tositumomab, GlaxoSmithKline, Triangle Park, NC) and Zevalin ( 90 Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan and unlabeled rituximab, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA and Cell Therapeutics, Seattle, WA) are approved for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in certain clinical situations in the United States and Canada. Zevalin is available also in Europe, and there are plans to make both agents more widely available. The therapeutic dose to be used depends upon a number of patient-specific variables. Both regimen achieve a complete response or partial response in approximately 3 of 4 patients, with a duration of remission lasting many years in some cases. This article reviews the basis for dose selection, the nuclear medicine procedures involved, the results obtained to date, and issues related to patient and staff safety.
Concurrent validity of the Personality Assessment Inventory Alcohol Problems (ALC) Scale in a college student sample.

The concurrent validity of the Alcohol Problems scale (ALC) was investigated in a college student sample (N = 200). The relationships between the ALC and associated features of alcohol problems (e.g., consumption patterns, expectancies, maladaptive coping, and stress) were examined. The validity of the ALC for identifying clinically significant alcohol problems (assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) was also examined. The ALC was related to the associated features and was a valid indicator of alcohol problems. T scores of 80, 85, and 90 had superior hit rates for alcohol abuse; and scores of 80, 85, and 90 had superior hit rates for alcohol dependence.
Robot System to Search for Signs of Life on Mars

This describes a robot system that can be used to look for the tell-tale signs of life on Mars. Currently, NASA has satellites in orbit that can identify broad regions to explore in its search for life. NASA also has instruments that can examine samples of Martian soil to see if they contain any indications of biological activity. This leaves the problem of deciding specifically where to look for suitable samples in the large area around a landing site. This also describes a robot system that can rapidly search thousands of square meters around the landing position to find sources of biogenic gas samples that may harbor important clues in the search for extra-terrestrial life.
A Prospective Study of Disease Progression in Patients With Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis

The natural history of renal artery stenosis (RAS) has been difficult to document because serial arteriography is rarely justified. Duplex scanning is a noninvasive technique that is ideally suited for both screening and follow-up of RAS. In this approach, renal arteries are classified as normal, <60% stenosis, ≥60% stenosis, or occluded, and disease progression is defined as a change in the duplex classification. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of disease progression in atherosclerotic RAS by serial duplex scanning. At least one abnormal renal artery was identified in each of 76 patients being screened for RAS. Of the 152 renal arteries, 20 were excluded (14 prior interventions, 5 occlusions, 1 technically inadequate duplex scan), leaving 132 for the natural history follow-up protocol. The patient group included 36 men and 40 women, with a mean age of 67 years, who were followed for a mean of 32 months (maximum 55 months). The initial status of the 132 renal arteries was normal in 36, < 60% stenosis in 35, and ≥ 60% stenosis in 61. The cumulative incidence of progression from normal to ≥ 60% RAS was 0% at 1 year, 0% at 2 years, and 8% at 3 years. The cumulative incidence of progression from < 60% to ≥ 60% RAS was 30% at 1 year, 44% at 2 years, and 48% at 3 years. All 4 renal arteries that progressed to occlusion had ≥ 60% stenoses at the initial visit and for those arteries with a ≥ 60% stenosis, the cumulative incidence of progression to occlusion was 4% at 1 year, 4% at 2 years, and 7% at 3 years. Progression of RAS occurred at an average rate of 7% per year for all categories of baseline disease combined. Progression of atherosclerotic RAS is relatively common, particularly from < 60% to ≥ 60% stenosis. Am J Hypertens 1996;9:1055–1061
Leakage of Active Crater lake brine through the north flank at Rincón de la Vieja volcano, northwest Costa Rica, and implications for crater collapse

Abstract The Active Crater at Rincon de la Vieja volcano, Costa Rica, reaches an elevation of 1750 m and contains a warm, hyper-acidic crater lake that probably formed soon after the eruption of the Rio Blanco tephra deposit approximately 3500 years before present. The Active Crater is buttressed by volcanic ridges and older craters on all sides except the north, which dips steeply toward the Caribbean coastal plains. Acidic, above-ambient-temperature streams are found along the Active Crater's north flank at elevations between 800 and 1000 m. A geochemical survey of thermal and non-thermal waters at Rincon de la Vieja was done in 1989 to determine whether hyper-acidic fluids are leaking from the Active Crater through the north flank, affecting the composition of north-flank streams. Results of the water-chemistry survey reveal that three distinct thermal waters are found on the flanks of Rincon de la Vieja volcano: acid chloride–sulfate (ACS), acid sulfate (AS), and neutral chloride (NC) waters. The most extreme ACS water was collected from the crater lake that fills the Active Crater. Chemical analyses of the lake water reveal a hyper-acidic ( pH ∼0) chloride–sulfate brine with elevated concentrations of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, fluorine, and boron. The composition of the brine reflects the combined effects of magmatic degassing from a shallow magma body beneath the Active Crater, dissolution of andesitic volcanic rock, and evaporative concentration of dissolved constituents at above-ambient temperatures. Similar cation and anion enrichments are found in the above-ambient-temperature streams draining the north flank of the Active Crater. The pH of north-flank thermal waters range from 3.6 to 4.1 and chloride:sulfate ratios (1.2–1.4) that are a factor of two greater than that of the lake brine (0.60). The waters have an ACS composition that is quite different from the AS and NC thermal waters that occur along the southern flank of Rincon de la Vieja. The distribution of thermal water types at Rincon de la Vieja strongly indicates that formation of the north-flank ACS waters is not due to mixing of shallow, steam-heated AS water with deep-seated NC water. More likely, hyper-acidic brines formed in the Active Crater area are migrating through permeable zones in the volcanic strata that make up the Active Crater's north flank. Dissolution and shallow subsurface alteration of north-flank volcanoclastic material by interaction with acidic lake brine, particularly in the more permeable tephra units, could weaken the already oversteepened north flank of the Active Crater. Sector collapse of the Active Crater, with or without a volcanic eruption, represents a potential threat to human lives, property, and ecosystems at Rincon de la Vieja volcano.
Research issues involving hypertext in decision support systems

A review of DSS (decision support systems) research and applications frameworks in the literature reveals several areas where further research may be valuable in identifying the usefulness and appropriate role of hypertext in DSS. These issues involve user characteristics, decision and problem characteristics, situational and organizational factors, and technological factors. Some areas which appear to be worthy of further investigation include hypertext's support of the human brain's hemispheric specialization, its isomorphism with generalized problem solving paradigms such as the state-space approach, and extensions of the basic model whereby nodes become executable decision models. In addition, hypertext may be self-applied by DSS researchers as a vehicle to simulate and study various user interface techniques and as a process tracing laboratory. >
A product form representation of the inverse of a multicommodity cycle matrix

When solving multicommodity network flow problems with either a primal or a dual partitioning technique one must carry and update a working basis inverse whose size need never exceed the number of saturated arcs (i.e. arcs for which there is no excess capacity). Efficient procedures have appeared in the literature for updating this inverse if it is carried in explicit form. However, for real world multicommodity network flow problems, this inverse may become quite large. In addition, this matrix may be quite dense even though the working basis may be sparse. In an attempt to obtain a sparse representation of this inverse matrix and simplify the computational burden, we present a new data structure along with the updating formulae for storing and updating this matrix. This data structure is a generalization of the well-known product form procedure frequently used in mathematical programming codes.
New developments in the medical management of overactive bladder

Abstract Overactive bladder (OAB) is a clinical syndrome describing the symptom complex of urgency, with or without urgency incontinence and is usually associated with frequency and nocturia. Whilst the majority of women will benefit from initial management with conservative and behavioural intervention a significant number will require medical therapy. Antimuscarinics are currently the most widely prescribed drugs for OAB although very often persistence with medication is limited due to lack of efficacy or intolerable adverse effects. The review, whilst giving a brief overview of OAB syndrome, will focus on new developments in drug therapy for OAB. In addition to evaluating new drugs with different methods of action it will also specifically focus on alternative modalities of treatment and how they may benefit patients with this troublesome and distressing condition.
Earnings Guidance and Managerial Myopia

We examine whether firms that frequently issue quarterly earnings guidance behave myopically, where myopic behavior is defined as sacrificing long-term growth for the purpose of meeting short-term goals (Porter [1992]). We find that dedicated guiders invest significantly less in research and development (R&D) than occasional guiders. We also find that, in comparison to occasional guiders, dedicated guiders meet or beat analyst consensus more frequently. However, we find that dedicated guiders' long-term earnings growth rates are significantly lower than those of occasional guiders. Overall, our results are consistent with dedicated guiders engaging in myopic R&D investment behavior and meeting short-term earnings targets with possible adverse effects for long-term earnings growth.
Usefulness of T-axis deviation as an independent risk indicator for incident cardiac events in older men and women free from coronary heart disease (The Cardiovascular Health Study)

T-axis shift has been reported to be an indicator of increased mortality risk. We evaluated the association of spatial T-axis deviation with incident coronary heart disease (CHD) events in older men and women free from clinically overt CHD. Spatial T-axis deviation was measured from the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram of a subgroup of 4,173 subjects considered free of CHD at baseline in the Cardiovascular Health Study, a prospective cohort study of risk factors for CHD and stroke in older men and women. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of altered repolarization with the risk of incident CHD events. The prevalence of marked T-axis deviation (≥45°) was 12%. During the median follow-up of 7.4 years, there were 161 CHD deaths, 743 deaths from all causes, and 679 incident CHD events. Adjusting for demographic and clinical risk factors, including other electrocardiographic abnormalities, there was a nearly twofold excess risk of CHD death, and approximately a 50% excess risk of incident CHD and all-cause mortality for those with marked T-axis deviation. From other electrocardiographic abnormalities, only QT prolongation was associated with excess risk for incident CHD comparable to that for abnormal T-axis deviation. These results suggest that T-axis deviation is an easily quantified marker for subclinical disease and an independent indicator for the risk of incident CHD events in older men and women free of CHD.
ALKYLATION OF BENZENE USING BATCH AND CONTINUOUS FIXED-BED REACTORS

ABSTRACT Alkylation reactions of benzene with propylene using heterogeneous catalysts H+-β zeolite, MCM-22, and ZSM-5 were studied for their affinity for cumene production. This work focused on the gas-phase reaction using different crystalline catalysts at several temperatures and amounts of reactants using both batch and continuous fixed-bed reactors. The properties of baseline commercial H+-β catalysts versus versions modified with Ga, La, and Pt were studied. Quantitative analysis of product mixture was performed by gas chromatography. For the batch reactor, β-zeolite produced the highest cumene yield and selectivity of 72% and 92%, respectively, at 225°C. At this temperature, a benzene:propylene dilution of 7:1 molar ratio was the optimum. For the continuous system, cumene production is favored at lower space velocities, higher benzene-to-propylene ratio, and temperatures close to 225°C. Ga modification of the H+-β zeolite significantly enhanced cumene yield in the continuous fixed-bed reactor at 225...
Social psychology, terrorism, and identity: a preliminary re‐examination of theory, culture, self, and society

This article relies upon structural symbolic interactionism and five of its organizing concepts (i.e. symbols, the definition of the situation, roles, socialization and role-taking, and the self) to put forth a novel conceptual framework for understanding the terrorist identity. In order to demonstrate the practical utility of the framework, applications to various terrorist groups around the globe are incorporated into the analysis. Overall, both the theoretical and application work help reorient the academic and practitioner behavioral science communities to the importance of culture, self, and society when investigating one's membership in and identity through militant extremist organizations. Given the unique approach taken by this article, several provisional implications are delineated. In particular, future research on terrorism, strategies linked to counter-terrorism, legal and public policy reform, and the relevance of utilizing a sociologically animated social psychology in the assessment of other forms of criminal behavior are all very tentatively explored.
Extending the Representational State Transfer (REST) architectural style for decentralized systems

Because it takes time and trust to establish agreement, traditional consensus-based architectural styles cannot safely accommodate resources that change faster than it takes to transmit notification of that change, nor resources that must be shared across independent agencies. The alternative is decentralization: permitting independent agencies to make their own decisions. Our definition contrasts with that of distribution, in which several agents share control of a single decision. Ultimately, the physical limits of network latency and the social limits of independent agency call for solutions that can accommodate multiple values for the same variable. Our approach to this challenge is architectural: proposing constraints on the configuration of components and connectors to induce particular desired properties of the whole application. Specifically, we present, implement, and evaluate variations of the World Wide Web's Representational State Transfer (REST) architectural style that support distributed and decentralized systems.
THE CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSES TO THE ADDITION OF NITROUS OXIDE TO FLUROXENE IN MAN

SUMMARY The cardiovascular responses to the addition of 66 or 70 per cent nitrous oxide or nitrogen to steady-state fluroxene-oxygen anaesthesia, end-tidal concentration 5 or 9 per cent, was investigated in young healthy subjects. The reduction of oxygen concentration, on its own, increased heart rate and cardiac output and decreased systemic vascular resistance. Although these changes were noted only with 9 per cent fluroxene, nitrous oxide produced an alpha-adrenergic sympathomimetic response with 5 per cent fluroxene, but at 9 per cent a mixed alpha and beta response was obtained. Adding nitrous oxide and subtracting an equivalent amount of fluroxene produced a response similar to that seen when nitrous oxide was simply added to 5 per cent fluroxene. Comparing the response of nitrous oxide substituted for nitrogen eliminated some of the differences between the responses at light and deep levels. Since the response to adding nitrous oxide to fluroxene differed considerably from that seen with halothane or ether we can draw no conclusions concerning the circulatory action of nitrous oxide, and it would appear that we have observed an interaction between nitrous oxide and fluroxene.
Process Characterization of a Novel Cross‐Regulation System for Cloned Protein Production in Escherichia coli

A novel cross-regulation expression system has been shown previously to be very effective for regulated recombinant protein production. Earlier studies established that this system offers better control of basal expression and higher maximal induced expression than more traditional vectors. Using production of cloned chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) as a model system, several factors determining the performance of this system were examined. Specifically, the effects of varying induction times and inducer (IPTG) concentrations on cell growth and the rate of CAT production were examined. The CAT expression was maximally induced with at least 0.5 mM IPTG added at the midexponential growth phase. Specific CAT content (on a total protein basis) was correlated with the CAT mRNA level. CAT message levels were minimal preinduction and far above background postinduction, consistent with prior simulation results. Cessation of CAT accumulation as the culture entered the stationary phase coincided with a corresponding 10-fold decrease in the level of CAT mRNA which was likely caused by an increased mRNA degradation rate. Maintenance of significant CAT message levels with a concomitant 2-fold increase in CAT accumulation was achieved by extending cell growth in a fed-batch process.
Fire effluent component yields from room‐scale fire tests

Estimation of the time available for escape (ASET) in the event of a fire is a principal component in fire hazard or risk assessment. Valid data on the yields of toxic smoke components from bench-scale apparatus is essential to accurate ASET calculations. This paper presents a methodology for obtaining pre-flashover and post-flashover toxicant yields from room-scale fire tests. The data are to be used for comparison with bench-scale data for the same combustibles: a sofa, bookcases, and electric power cable. Each was burned in a room with a long adjacent corridor. The yields of CO2, CO, HCl, HCN, and soot were determined. Other toxicants (NO2, formaldehyde, and acrolein), whose concentrations were below the detection limits, were of limited importance relative to the detected toxicants. The uncertainty values were comparable to those estimated for calculations used to determine ASET and were sufficiently small to determine whether a bench-scale apparatus is producing results that are similar to the real-scale results here. The use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was useful for obtaining toxicant concentration data; however, its operation and interpretation are not routine. The losses of CO, HCN, and HCl along the corridor were dependent on the combustible. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proximate mechanisms of behavioural inflexibility: implications for the evolution of personality traits

Summary 1. Behaviour is often assumed to be the most flexible of traits, yet recent studies show a high repeatability of behaviour within individuals even across different functional contexts. Such consistent expression of behaviour may evolve either when selection favours its integration with less flexible components of the phenotype or when pleiotropic effects produce correlations between behaviours that have different optimal timing of expression. Examining the physiological mechanisms underlying correlated expression of behaviours provides powerful insight into the evolution of personalities by establishing the extent to which pleiotropic effects might limit the independent evolution of distinct behaviours. 2. Here, we investigated proximate mechanisms behind aggressive and non-aggressive personality types in western bluebirds, Sialia mexicana, to determine whether consistency in the expression of aggression is because of shared effects of plasma-circulating androgens on aggression and mating behaviour. 3. We found that androgen concentration was unrelated to variation in both intra- and interspecific aggression even though it was closely linked to variation in male mating behaviour. These results suggest that pleiotropic effects of circulating androgens are unlikely to cause consistent differences among individuals in aggression. 4. These findings suggest that decoupling of the activational effects of hormones on behaviour is an important step in the evolution of personality traits.
Retroperitoneal lymphoma with ribosome lamellae complexes, cytoplasmic projections and desmosome-like junctions: an ultrastructural study.

The ultrastructural finding of ribosome-lamellae complexes (RLC) in 15% of tumor cells in an unusual retroperitoneal lymphoma is reported. Tumor cells had numerous nuclear pockets, cytoplasmic projections, and, not infrequently, desmosomelike attachments. RLC were similar to those previously described in patients with hairy cell leukemia and less often in other leukemia types, with the basic configuration of a hollow cylinder. An intimate association with the rough endoplasmic reticulum was evident. A review of the literature disclosed only one other reported lymphoma with similar structures.
Comparative analysis of Tsc1 and Tsc2 single and double radial glial cell mutants

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with variable expressivity. Heterozygous mutations in either of two genes, TSC1 (hamartin) or TSC2 (tuberin), are responsible for most cases. Hamartin and tuberin form a heterodimer that functions as a major cellular inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase. Genotype-phenotype studies suggest that TSC2 mutations are associated with a more severe neurologic phenotype, although the biologic basis for the difference between TSC1- and TSC2-based disease is unclear. Here we performed a study to compare and contrast the brain phenotypes of Tsc1 and Tsc2 single and double mutants. Using Tsc1 and Tsc2 floxed alleles and a radial glial transgenic Cre driver (FVB-Tg(GFAP-cre)25Mes/J), we deleted Tsc1 and/or Tsc2 in radial glial progenitor cells. Single and double mutants had remarkably similar phenotypes: early postnatal mortality, brain overgrowth, laminar disruption, astrogliosis, a paucity of oligodendroglia, and myelination defects. Double Tsc1/Tsc2 mutants died earlier than single mutants, and single mutants showed differences in the location of heterotopias and the organization of the hippocampal stratum pyramidale. The differences were not due to differential mTORC1 activation or feedback inhibition on Akt. These data provide further genetic evidence for individual hamartin and tuberin functions that may explain some of the genotype-phenotype differences seen in the human disease.
An affinity-structure database of helix-turn-helix: DNA complexes with a universal coordinate system

Molecular interactions between proteins and DNA molecules underlie many cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation, chromosome replication, and nucleosome positioning. Computational analyses of protein-DNA interactions rely on experimental data characterizing known protein-DNA interactions structurally and biochemically. While many databases exist that contain either structural or biochemical data, few integrate these two data sources in a unified fashion. Such integration is becoming increasingly critical with the rapid growth of structural and biochemical data, and the emergence of algorithms that rely on the synthesis of multiple data types to derive computational models of molecular interactions. We have developed an integrated affinity-structure database in which the experimental and quantitative DNA binding affinities of helix-turn-helix proteins are mapped onto the crystal structures of the corresponding protein-DNA complexes. This database provides access to: (i) protein-DNA structures, (ii) quantitative summaries of protein-DNA binding affinities using position weight matrices, and (iii) raw experimental data of protein-DNA binding instances. Critically, this database establishes a correspondence between experimental structural data and quantitative binding affinity data at the single basepair level. Furthermore, we present a novel alignment algorithm that structurally aligns the protein-DNA complexes in the database and creates a unified residue-level coordinate system for comparing the physico-chemical environments at the interface between complexes. Using this unified coordinate system, we compute the statistics of atomic interactions at the protein-DNA interface of helix-turn-helix proteins. We provide an interactive website for visualization, querying, and analyzing this database, and a downloadable version to facilitate programmatic analysis. This database will facilitate the analysis of protein-DNA interactions and the development of programmatic computational methods that capitalize on integration of structural and biochemical datasets. The database can be accessed at http://ProteinDNA.hms.harvard.edu .
A Bumpy Recovery

Amid heightened global uncertainties, Russia is experiencing a bumpy recovery. Domestic demand is rising, but unemployment remains high, and credit and investment remain limited. The budget has benefited from higher oil prices, but fiscal consolidation remains important in the medium term. Crumbling infrastructure, especially in transport, could hamper the economy’s competitiveness and longer-term growth prospects. The debt crisis in Western Europe sharpens the downside risks to global recovery and oil prices. But the effects on Russia are likely to be blunted by its stronger fiscal and debt positions and by limited trade and financial links with the affected countries. Russia is likely to grow by 4.5 percent in 2010, followed by 4.8 percent in 2011, as domestic demand expands in line with gradual improvements in the labor and credit markets. Employment is expected to improve gradually, however, enabling some further reductions in poverty.
The Story of Grutter v. Bollinger: Affirmative Action Wins

Part of the Education Law Stories, this book chapter tells the story behind Grutter v. Bollinger. In the 1990s, public opinion and court opinions seemed to signal a death knell for affirmative action. Yet, reports of its death proved exaggerated. In Grutter v. Bollinger, the Supreme Court affirmed that diversity could be a legally legitimate rationale for affirmative action, and validated Michigan's approach to deciding who gets admitted to its law school. Further, state law prohibitions on race-based affirmative action have come to a standstill. This manuscript tells the story of why affirmative action survived - at least for now. The story takes us not just to why Barbara Grutter never attended law school, but also to the students who benefited from race-conscious admissions. On a larger scale, the story is one of diversity gathering public support, and the Supreme Court constitutionalizing that public acceptance and allowing voluntary integration. Yet, the story also raises the possibility that diversity's survival will prove transitory.
Near-Surface Modifications for Improved Crack Tolerant Behavior of High Strength Alloys: Trends and Prospects

Ostensibly the purpose of this paper is to examine the potential of surface modifications in improving the crack tolerant behavior of high strength alloys. The scientific complexity and broad technological importance of this general topic are well documented. Indeed, many of the papers presented at this conference bear directly or indirectly, on these subjects - e.g., hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion cracking; whereas the recent DC-10 tragic crash bears mute testimony to the timeliness of the subject.
Mobile CORBA

The rapid developments in Internet software technologies in wireless networks need platform and language neutral distributed object-oriented components to manage and use different mobile devices and to provide services on top of them. We evaluate the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) which is widely used middleware in the wireline network and present the performance results in different wireless systems. We found that message formats for communication between different object request brokers (ORB) as defined in the general inter-ORB protocol (GIOP) are optimized and further optimization will only result in reduced interoperability. We present a way of implementing and using CORBA in a wireless network and the results obtained. We present the use of the mobile IP at the network layer which takes care of mobility and handoff without requiring any change in the ORB. Thus we demonstrate a working implementation of mobile CORBA. We suggest a number of further improvements that should be incorporated in any implementation of CORBA to be used for wireless applications.
Impact of cold and cold-acid stress on poststress tolerance and virulence factor expression of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

The effect of extended cold or cold-acid storage of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on subsequent acid tolerance, freeze-thaw survival, heat tolerance, and virulence factor (Shiga toxin, intimin, and hemolysin) expression was determined. Three E. coli O157:H7 strains were stressed at 4 degrees C in TSB or pH 5.5 TSB for 4 weeks. The acid (TSB [pH 2.0] or simulated gastric fluid [pH 1.5]) tolerance, freeze-thaw (-20 degrees C to 21 degrees C) survival, and heat (56 degrees C) tolerance of stressed cells were compared with those of control cells. The beta-galactosidase activities of stressed and control cells containing a lacZ gene fusion in the stx2, eaeA, or hlyA gene were determined following stress in TSB or pH 5.5 TSB at 37 degrees C and in the exponential and stationary phases. Cold and cold-acid stresses decreased acid tolerance (P 0.05), although growth in acidic media (pH 5.5) enhanced eaeA and hlyA expression (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the prolonged storage of E. coli O157:H7 at 4 degrees C has substantial effects on freeze-thaw tolerance but does not affect subsequent virulence gene expression.
Risk Management for Sodium Fast Reactors.

Accident management is an important component to maintaining risk at acceptable levels for all complex systems, such as nuclear power plants. With the introduction of self - correcting, or inherently safe, reactor designs the focus has shifted from management by operators to allowing the syste m's design to manage the accident. While inherently and passively safe designs are laudable, extreme boundary conditions can interfere with the design attributes which facilitate inherent safety , thus resulting in unanticipated and undesirable end states. This report examines an inherently safe and small sodium fast reactor experiencing a beyond design basis seismic event with the intend of exploring two issues : (1) can human intervention either improve or worsen the potential end states and (2) can a Bayes ian Network be constructed to infer the state of the reactor to inform (1). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author s would like to acknowledge the U.S. Department of E nergy's Office of Nuclear Energy for funding this research through Work Package SR - 14SN100303 under the Advanced Reactor Concepts program. The authors also acknowledge the PRA teams at A rgonne N ational L aborator y , O ak R idge N ational L aborator y , and Imore » daho N ational L aborator y for their continue d contributions to the advanced reactor PRA mission area.« less
Biology of the Corn Earworm and Control with Insecticides and Virus in Washington

Corn earworm moths, Heliothis zea (Boddie), collected in a black-light trap equipped with an oven for killing the moths, increased from 2 per night in June to 10 in July, 50 in August, and more than 100 in September. Spray applications tested during 1962 to 1967 showed that Furadan® (2, 3-dihydro-2, 2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate), Gardona® (2-chloro-l-(2, 4, 5-trichlorophenyl) vinyl dimethyl phosphate), and Matacil® (4-(dimethyl-amino)- m -tolyl methylcarbamate), gave control equivalent to carbaryl. The Heliothis virus provided moderate control with some formulations, but observations indicate that infection with the virus occurs mainly when the larva eats the egg shell on hatching, so that more frequent applications would be needed to equal control with insecticides.
Evaluation of artemisinins for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

Investigate antileukemic activity of artemisinins, artesunate (ART), and dihydroartemisinin (DHA), in combination with cytarabine, a key component of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) chemotherapy using in vitro and in vivo models. Using ten human AML cell lines, we conducted a high-throughput screen to identify antimalarial agents with antileukemic activity. We evaluated effects of ART and DHA on cell viability, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, lysosomal integrity, and combination effects with cytarabine in cell lines and primary patient blasts. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies and efficacy of single-agent ART or combination with cytarabine were evaluated in three xenograft models. ART and DHA had the most potent activity in a panel of AML cell lines, with selectivity toward samples harboring MLL rearrangements and FLT3-ITD mutations. Combination of ART or DHA was synergistic with cytarabine. Single-dose ART (120 mg/kg) produced human equivalent exposures, but multiple dose daily administration required for in vivo efficacy was not tolerated. Combination treatment produced initial regression, but did not prolong survival in vivo. The pharmacology of artemisinins is problematic and should be considered in designing AML treatment strategies with currently available agents. Artemisinins with improved pharmacokinetic properties may offer therapeutic benefit in combination with conventional therapeutic strategies in AML.