cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Ketone-Oxime Method for Developing Therapeutic On-Demand Cleavable Immunoconjugates

The use of antibody molecules in immunoassay, molecular targeting, or detection techniques encompasses a broad variety of applications affecting nearly every field of medical science. In cancer therapy, monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have been used as vehicles to deliver radionuclides, toxins, or drugs to the target cancer cells. New conjugation methods are most needed to conjugate a wide variety of targeting small molecules and peptidomimatic compounds. Here, we exploited a keto-oxime method for conjugation of protease susceptible linkers to an antibody. This modified method involves two steps: (i) introduction of methyl ketone linkers (referred to as linker moiety) to the primary amines present in the antibody and (ii) conjugation of ketone linkers to aminoxy functional group present in the conjugated moiety (referred to as functional moiety). We have optimized this conjugation method and shown that approximately 10 functional moieties can be conjugated to antibody. Conjugation was verified by MALDI-TOF MS and Western blot analysis. The acidic pH conditions used in this method did not change the immune reactivity of the Ab. In addition, in vitro protease susceptibility assay was performed to validate this method for prodrug release assay as well as to remove excess radioimmune conjugates from circulation. This orthogonal method is compatible with peptides containing a thiol, amino, or carboxyl groups in the conjugation moiety.
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome: diagnosis and management.

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (National Institutes of Health Category III [abacterial] prostatitis) is quite prevalent in the urologic outpatient setting. Evaluation to exclude serious urologic pathology and nonurologic causes must be undertaken. Treatment options include pharmacologic, behavioral, and surgical interventions. The author of this article advocates a multidisciplinary approach for the management of patients diagnosed with chronic pelvic pain.
A Deterministic Mathematical Model for Quantitative Estimation of Historical Exposure

A deterministic mathematical model has been developed for quantitative reconstruction of historical exposure. The model takes into account the causal variables actually responsible for changes in exposure and the interdependence between mean exposures in consecutive time periods. The effects of causal variables are described by step functions. In contrast, statistical modeling, a popular alternative strategy, often employs ad hoc exploratory variables, presumes independence among exposure levels, and invokes linearity or curvilinearity. Changes in exposure-modifying variables used in the deterministic model are identified from plant records. Available industrial hygiene sampling data are employed to estimate model parameters by the method of weighted least squares. The resulting general solution permits reconstruction of past exposure levels for the entire time period of interest, e.g., in a retrospective epidemiologic study. The method is illustrated by using formaldehyde exposure data from the coremakin...
A comprehensive analysis of a tubularized incised plate hypospadias repair

Abstract Objectives. To critically evaluate my experience using a modified tubularized incised plate (TIP) hypospadias repair. Methods. Sixty-four boys, 7 months to 11 years old (mean age 22.9 months), underwent a TIP urethroplasty by a single pediatric urologist for primary hypospadias. The hypospadias defects included 53 distal and 11 midshaft. The incision of the urethral plate was always deep and proximal but never extended the entire length of the plate. In 25 cases (39%), the incision was less than one half the length of the urethral plate. A two-layer urethroplasty was always obtained. A vascularized subcutaneous pedicle was always placed onto the urethroplasty. This pedicle was ventrally based in 56 of the repairs (87.5%). Postoperative urethral stents were not used in 52 boys (81.3%), including 7 with midshaft repairs. All children were scheduled for a postoperative evaluation at 1 month. A confidential phone survey was later conducted by someone other than the surgeon. The parents were asked if they were satisfied or dissatisfied with the direction and caliber of the urinary stream, chordee correction, and overall general appearance. Results. The clinical evaluation was performed in 54 boys (84.7%) not earlier than 1 month after the repair. The examination revealed a conical glans, slit meatus, circumferential mucosal collar, and a straight phallus in all cases. No cases of fistula, stricture, or dehiscence occurred. A follow-up phone survey 3 to 43 months (mean 21 months) postoperatively was obtained from the parents of 40 patients. Without exception, the parents were satisfied with the urinary stream, chordee correction, and overall appearance. Conclusions. Without incising the entire urethral plate and stenting the repair, a TIP urethroplasty can still be expected to provide excellent results when correcting distal and midshaft hypospadias. Parents were satisfied with the long-term cosmetic and functional results obtained with a TIP urethroplasty.
A minimum free energy reaction path for the E2 reaction between fluoro ethane and a fluoride ion

The prototype binuclear elimination (E2) reaction illustrates the mechanism of a large number of biochemical and industrial applied processes but has received surprisingly little attention in theoretical studies compared to, for example, the substitution (SN2) reaction. This is due to its concerted mechanism, which requires an independent description of the three bonds that are being formed or broken. In this work, we have taken the advantage of a new and promising methodology to efficiently sample intrinsically multidimensional free-energy surfaces. We locate the lowest free-energy reaction path in the 3D configurational space and use this finite-temperature intrinsic reaction coordinate in an umbrella sampling scheme to access the temperature contributions to high accuracy. The small increase of the barrier and the decrease of the overall endothermicity for the E2 reaction due to entropic contributions is non-trivial. Moreover, our strategy to efficiently handle multiple reaction coordinates could be a great benefit to many chemistry-related fields, such as enzyme catalysis, reactions in solution, and nucleation processes.
Epidemiology of nonsyndromic conotruncal heart defects in Texas, 1999-2004.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common structural birth defects, yet their etiology is poorly understood. As there is heterogeneity within the group of CHDs, epidemiologic studies often focus on subgroups, of conditions, such as conotruncal heart defects (CTDs). However, even within these subgroups there may be etiologic heterogeneity. The aim of the present study was to identify and compare maternal and infant characteristics associated with three CTDs: truncus arteriosus (TA), dextro-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA), and tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). METHODS: Data for cases with nonsyndromic TA (n = 78), d-TGA (n = 438), and TOF (n = 529) from the Texas Birth Defects Registry, 1999–2004, were used to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios, separately for each condition, using Poisson regression. Polytomous logistic regression was used to determine whether the observed associations were similar across the two largest case groups (d-TGA and TOF). RESULTS: In Texas, 1999–2004, the prevalence of nonsyndromic TA, d-TGA, and TOF was 0.35, 1.98, and 2.40 per 10,000 live births, respectively. There was evidence of a significant linear increase in the risk of each condition with advancing maternal age (p < 0.01). Significant associations were observed for TA and maternal residence on the Texas-Mexico border; d-TGA and infant sex, maternal race/ethnicity, history of previous live birth, and birth year; and TOF and maternal race/ethnicity and education. Further, the associations with some, but not all, of the study variables were significantly different for d-TGA and TOF. CONCLUSION: These findings add to our limited understanding of the epidemiology of CTDs. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Diagnosing substance abuse in psychiatric emergency service patients.

Substance abuse, which is prevalent among patients admitted to psychiatric emergency services, mimics and complicates other psychiatric disorders and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of most patients.
Functional Limitations and Special Health Care Needs of 10- to 14-Year-Old Children Weighing Less Than 750 Grams at Birth

Objective. To examine the health status, functioning, and special health care needs of children 10 to 14 years old weighing <750 g at birth. Methods. We compared outcomes of a regional cohort of 59 children born from 1982 through 1986 weighing <750 g at birth (mean: 665 g; gestational age: 26 weeks) to matched groups of 54 children weighing 750 to 1499 g at birth and 49 children born at term. Assessments of limitations in functioning, compensatory dependence and needs for services above routine, at a mean age of 11 years, were based on responses to maternal questionnaires. Rates of these outcomes were compared between groups using logistic regression analyses that controlled for gender and social risk. Results. Children weighing <750 g at birth had significantly higher rates of functional limitations, greater compensatory dependence, and need for services above routine than the other 2 groups. Compared with children born at term, the odds ratio for mental or emotional delay was 4.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-11.0), for restrictions in activity, 5.1 (CI: 1.6-16.3) and for blindness or difficulty seeing 3.9 (CI:1.3-11.4). With the exception of 3% of children who were severely impaired, the only compensatory aid that differentiated the children weighing <750 g at birth from the children born at term was the greater need for glasses (odds ratio [OR]: 2.8 [CI: 1.3-6.3]). Increased services above routine included special education (OR: 5.0 [CI: 2.1-11.7]), counseling (OR: 4.8 [CI: 1.0-23.1]) and special arrangements in school (OR: 9.5 [C.I. 2.1-43.6]). Conclusion. Parents and educators need to be informed of the potential for disability and special health care needs of children weighing <750 g at birth.
Automatic Selection of Routers for Placing Early Filters of Malicious Traffic

Botnets have become the top threat to Internet security. Botnets generate and transmit huge amounts of malicious traffic for various purposes. In this paper, we propose a dynamic programming based algorithm to calculate a set of appropriate routers for placing early filters of malicious traffic in the network in order to maximize the benefits of early malicious traffic filtering. Moreover, we discuss how to combine our early filtering approach and the QoS routing of traffic so that the bandwidth saved by early filtering of malicious traffic can be efficiently utilized by legitimate traffic.
Worldwide distribution of submarine mud volcanoes and associated gas hydrates

Abstract The list of known and inferred submarine mud volcanoes is presented in this paper. They occur worldwide on shelves, continental and insular slopes and in the abyssal parts of inland seas. Submarine mud volcanoes are distributed on the Earth more extensively than their subaerial analogs. The estimated total number of known and inferred deep-water mud volcanoes is 103–105. There are two key reasons for the formation of submarine mud volcanoes—high sedimentation rate and lateral tectonic compression. Submarine mud volcanoes form by two basic mechanisms: (1) formation on the top of a seafloor-piercing shale diapir; (2) formation due to the rise of fluidized sediments along faults. Fluid migration is critical to the formation of a mud volcano. Gas hydrates are often associated with deep-water mud volcanoes and have many common features from one accumulation to another. Gas hydrates form by conventional low-temperature hydrothermal process around the central part of a mud volcano and by metasomatic processes at its periphery. A preliminary global estimate of methane accumulated in gas hydrates associated with mud volcanoes is about 1010–1012 m3 at standard temperature and pressure.
Chemical preservation of whole broiler carcasses utilizing alkaline hydroxides.

Abstract The chemical preservation of whole broiler carcasses utilizing aqueous alkaline hydroxide solutions was examined as an alternative method of mortality management. Conversion of the preserved carcasses and solutions into an acceptable poultry by-product meal was examined. This research identified the basic parameters for effective preservative solutions that simultaneously hydrolyzed feathers and preserved the carcass. Euthanized, fully feathered, mature broilers were placed in potassium hydroxide (0.5 to 2.0 M) and sodium hydroxide (0.12 to 2.0 M) solutions for 5 and 10 d. Effectiveness was evaluated by visible feather degradation and carcass solubilization, odor production, inhibition of microbial growth, and solids content of the alkaline solutions. Sodium hydroxide at 1.9 and 2.0 M diffused throughout the carcass and produced adequate preservation without apparent putrefaction through 10 d. Aerobic bacteria were not recovered from sodium hydroxide solutions, carcass skin, or intestine samples at the 1.9 M concentration. Treatments of 2.0 M potassium hydroxide and a mixture of 1.5 M potassium hydroxide with 0.5 M sodium hydroxide produced the highest degree of carcass liquification at 10 d without visible putrefaction. Sodium hydroxide solution (2.0 M):carcass weight ratios ranging from 1:1 through 4:1 (wt:wt) were effective in preserving individual carcasses for more than 60 d without putrefaction.
Effects of red light camera enforcement on red light violations in Arlington County, Virginia

Abstract Objectives In June 2010, Arlington County, Virginia, installed red light cameras at four heavily traveled signalized intersections. Effects of camera enforcement on red light violations were examined. Methods Traffic was videotaped during the 1-month warning period and 1 month and 1 year after ticketing began at the four camera intersections, four non-camera “spillover” intersections in Arlington County (two on travel corridors with camera intersections, two on different corridors), and four non-camera “control” intersections in adjacent Fairfax County. Logistic regression models estimated changes in the likelihood of violations at camera and spillover intersections, relative to expected likelihood without cameras, based on changes at control intersections. Results At camera intersections, there were significant reductions 1 year after ticketing in odds of violations occurring at least 0.5 s (39%) and at least 1.5 s (86%) after lights turned red, relative to expected odds without cameras, and a marginally significant 48% reduction in violations occurring at least 1 s into red. At non-camera intersections on corridors with camera intersections, odds of violations occurring at least 0.5 s (14%), 1 s (25%), and 1.5 s (63%) into the red phase declined compared with expected odds, but not significantly. Odds of violations increased at the non-camera intersections located on other Arlington County travel corridors. Conclusions Consistent with prior research, red light violations at camera-enforced intersections declined significantly. Reductions were greater the longer after the light turned red, when violations are more likely to cause crashes. Spillover benefits were observed only for nearby intersections on travel corridors with cameras and were not always significant. Practical application This evaluation examined the first year of Arlington County's red light camera program, which was modest in scope and without ongoing publicity. A larger, more widely publicized program is likely needed to achieve community-wide effects.
Democracy, Public Expenditures, and the Poor: Understanding Political Incentives for Providing Public Services

The incentives of politicians to provide broad public goods and reduce poverty vary across countries. Even in democracies, politicians often have incentives to divert resources to political rents and private transfers that benefit a few citizens at the expense of many. These distortions can be traced to imperfections in political markets that are greater in some countries than in others. This article reviews the theory and evidence on the impact on political incentives of incomplete information for voters, the lack of credibility of political promises, and social polarization. The analysis has implications for policy and for reforms to improve public goods provision and reduce poverty.
A Multicolor Photometric Study of the Deeply Eclipsing Dwarf Nova EX Draconis

Multicolor (BVRI) light curves have been obtained for the 5.04 hr eclipsing dwarf nova EX Dra. The eclipse profiles have been analyzed with a parameter-fitting model that assumes four sources of luminosity: a white dwarf primary star, an assumed main-sequence secondary star, an accretion disk, and a bright spot at the intersection of the mass-transfer stream and the disk periphery. Model parameters include the temperatures of the white dwarf (T1) and the secondary star (T2), the radius (Rd) and temperature (Td) of the disk periphery, the disk power-law temperature exponent (α), and the bright-spot temperature (Ts). The large eclipse phase width (Δ = 0.109) constrains the orbital inclination i > 83° for plausible mass ratios q (=M2/M1) < 0.81. A matrix of model solutions was computed, covering an extensive range of plausible parameter values. The solution matrix was then explored to determine the optimum values for the fitting parameters and their associated errors. Specifically, the analysis reveals optimum values of T1 = 50,000 ± 20,000 K, Ts = 40,000 ± 10,000 K, Td = 6500 ± 1000 K, Rd/TL1 = 0.50 ± 0.05, α = 0.3 ± 0.2, and B–V = 0.15 ± 0.05 for the EX Dra system. A value of T2 = 3750(±150) K has been fixed in the analysis on the basis of the observed spectral type of the secondary star (M0-M2). An estimate of the absolute magnitude of the secondary star based on this spectral type [8.8 < MV(2) < 9.7] coupled with the observed brightness at mideclipse (V = 16.57 ± 0.05) and an estimated extinction AV = 0.45 ± 0.63 yields a distance to EX Dra of 240 ± 90 pc.
The role of 2'-hydroxyl groups in an RNA-protein interaction.

The role of the 2'-hydroxyl group in RNA--protein interaction has been investigated using MS2 coat protein and its hairpin RNA operator as a model system. Derivatives of the MS2 translational operator were prepared where individual riboses were replaced by deoxyribose and their binding affinities to MS2 coat protein were determined. Only 1 (U-5) out of 15 positions tested reduced protein affinity by 1.6 kcal/mol. A variety of other 2'-modifications were tested at this position to understand the role of this particular 2'-hydroxyl group. Normal binding of the U-NH2 variant and weaker binding of the U-O-methyl variant are consistent with the ability of these functional groups to provide a hydrogen bond donor. This is also supported by recent crystallographic data which indicate a possible interaction between the 2'-hydroxyl of U-5 and the carboxylate group of glutamate 63 [Valegard et al. (1994) Nature 371, 623-626]. Complementary experiments introducing riboses into a DNA hairpin confirm the putative protein contact, and also identify a requirement for riboses in the two upper base pairs of the hairpin. Several arguments suggest these riboses are required to maintain an A-form helix in this region of the binding site. A minimum requirement of four 2'-hydroxyl groups for wild-type coat protein binding has been determined, one of which is at the -5 position and other three in the upper stem in any combination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Catalytic activity and inhibition of carbonic anhydrase of rat tissues.

Abstract Carbonic anhydrase activity was studied in stomach and kidney homogenates, and isoenzymes were purified from erythrocytes and livers of male and female rats. Two liver isoenzymes of male and female rats and one erythrocyte isoenzyme had low CO 2 hydration activity. The enzymes of stomach and kidney, one isoenzyme of erythrocytes and one of female rat liver had high CO 2 hydration activity. The esterase activity toward p -nitrophenyl acetate paralleled the CO 2 hydration activity of all the isoenzymes. However, the esterase activity toward β-naphthyl acetate was either absent or did not show any correlation with the CO 2 hydration activity of isoenzymes. Male rat liver carbonic anhydrases were 1000 times less sensitive to sulfonamides than female rat liver carbonic anhydrases for the inhibition both of CO 2 hydration and esterase activity. Male rat liver carbonic anhydrases were as sensitive to inhibition by monovalent anions as were the female rat liver carbonic anhydrases. It is concluded that the active site of carbonic anhydrases from male rat liver is more hydrophilic than the active site of carbonic anhydrase from female rat liver or other tissues of the rat.
Performance evaluation under intoxicating atmospheres

A new behavioral model has been developed and used to assess the performance of mice during exposure to carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, or subambient levels of oxygen. The apparatus is a ventilated 150-ft series of glass tubes forming an S-shaped exposure system. Performance evaluation was obtained for two sublethal responses: distance traveled/time and incapacitation. Performance of normal mice (Type I) or mice previously fitted with a tracheal cannula (Type II) was very reproducible and similar. Concentration-response relationships were obtained showing the deterioration of performance with exposures to CO from 2500 ppm, HCl from 1095 ppm, and below 8.8% ambient O2 level. This model is likely to be sensitive to other asphyxiants and irritants. It includes both distance traveled and time of performance prior to incapacitation. Both are critical parameters to be included in escape hazard analysis in fire situations and possibly in other accidents involving chemical spills.
How Race Matters and Does Not Matter for White Women in Relationships with Black Men

SUMMARY Drawing on a qualitative research study, this article provides a beginning exploration for how race both matters and does not matter in white women's relationships with black men. As a means of protecting themselves and their families from pathologizing stereotypes about interracial couples, women make claims that race does not matter. At the same time, they describe ways that stereotypes impact their self identities and their couple interactions. Different situations and relationships create shifts in racial interpretations, and contact with extended family members can change racial meanings. The article offers suggestions for how to create a therapeutic space for discussing race without over-determining its significance.
Extending the Assimilation of Problematic Experiences Scale: Commentary on the special issue

The Assimilation of Problematic Experiences Scale (APES) describes a developmental sequence through which problematic experiences pass on their way to being assimilated in successful psychotherapy. This commentary suggests that the four studies reported in this special issue of Counselling Psychology Quarterly have extended the APES by applying it to new topics and by confronting the puzzle of irregular progression in what is hypothesized to be a fixed sequence of stages.
Stokes-Adams attacks with simultaneous auricular and ventricular standstill.

This is a report of a case of Stokes-Adams seizures in a patient with partial auriculoventricular block. Simultaneous auricular and ventricular standstill in about half the seizures of which we have electrocardiographic record, and complete relief after atropine, leads us to think the seizures were due to vagal effect.
Divalent ion handling in human kidney donors with increased blood pressure after uninephrectomy

Abstract In a prospective study of 21 normal human kidney donors, increases in blood pressure were found in seven of 12 males and in three of nine females within the first year after uninephrectomy. Donors with blood pressure increases were characterized by greater weight and body mass indexes. In addition, urinary phosphate excretion was positively correlated (r = 0.73, p
Prophylactic ondansetron is effective in the treatment of nausea and vomiting but not on pruritus after cesarean delivery with intrathecal sufentanil-morphine.

Abstract Study Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of ondansetron for prevention of pruritus, nausea and vomiting after cesarean delivery with intrathecal sufentanil-morphine. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Setting: Referral center, institutional practice. Patients: 100 nonbreastfeeding women undergoing elective cesarean delivery with sufentanil-morphine-bupivacaine anesthesia. Interventions: After the umbilical cord was clamped, patients in Group 1 received ondansetron 8 mg intravenously (IV) and patients in Group 2 received placebo. Measurements: Frequency and severity of postoperative (24-hour) pruritus, nausea and vomiting, surgical pain, and side effects related to ondansetron were recorded. Main Results: In the ondansetron group, 38 patients had pruritus (16 mild and 22 severe) and 9 patients had nausea and vomiting (5 mild and 4 severe). In the placebo group, 41 patients had pruritus (21 mild and 20 severe) and 29 patients had nausea and vomiting (9 mild and 15 severe). The frequency and severity of the nausea and vomiting episodes were significantly reduced in the ondansetron group. Pain scores were comparable between groups. No side effects related to ondansetron were reported. Conclusions: Prophylactic IV ondansetron 8 mg is safe and effective in reducing the frequency and the severity of nausea and vomiting, but not pruritus, following cesarean delivery with intrathecal sufentanil-morphine.
Primary idiopathic segmental infarction of the greater omentum

Abstract A report is given of two cases of primary idiopathic segmental infarction of the greater omentum, emphasizing clinical and pathological features. Each case, without a history of antecedent violence, presented an infarct of a localized, distal segment of the greater omentum not associated with omental torsion and characterized by an absence of any co-incident intraperitoneal pathological condition. An explanation is suggested with regard to the etiology of this condition.
Magnetoelastic Materials as Novel Bioactive Coatings to Improve Integration of Percutaneous Implants

Fibroblastic activity is an innate function of the host response. In the presence of many percutaneous biomedical implants, this activity becomes uncontrollable, resulting in significant fibrous overgrowth at the soft tissue-implant interface [1]. The aberrant cell growth associated with pathological fibrosis can lead to extensive remodeling and excessive synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, preventing proper integration [2]. Furthermore, these areas of irregular fibrotic activity can also serve as sites for opportunistic infection [3]. In brief, interfacial fibrosis is often responsible for the ultimate failure and increased risk of infection of percutaneous biomedical implants.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Geoid anomalies at fracture zones and thermal models for the oceanic lithosphere

Geoid anomalies derived from the Geosat altimeter data set have been used to model the change in the geoid height across four Pacific fracture zones. After accounting for geoid signals from the flexural response to differential subsidence and thermal bending stresses, we find that the estimates of geoid steps across the fracture zones are compatible with existing conductive models for the oceanic lithosphere. If flexure is not accounted for, the geoid steps will be underestimated by 30–40%. Departures from the predicted conductive trends may be explained by small-scale convection and uncertainties in the crustal ages.
THE EFFECTS OF SEVERAL VARIETIES OF STRESS ON THE CHOLESTEROL CONTENT OF THE ADRENAL GLANDS AND OF THE SERUM OF RATS1

THE CONCEPT of adrenal cortical stimulation as a consequence of non-specific stress was introduced by Selye (1937) as part of his ‘alarm reaction’ hypothesis. More recently, Sayers et al. (1944) have formulated a supplementary hypothesis relating the secretory rate of the adrenal cortex to the cholesterol content of the gland. This relationship was adduced from the finding that a single injection of purified adrenotrophic hormone into rats causes a significant decrease in the adrenal cholesterol concentration. The loss of cholesterol was interpreted as being due to an increased rate of conversion of this substance into the active cortical steroids as a consequence of the adrenal stimulation by the administered adrenotrophic hormone. To support their hypothesis, the Yale group (Sayers et al., 1944) have cited many reports in the literature which show that application of unusual stresses of many varieties cause a decrease in the ‘cholesterol’ concentration of the adrenal cortex.
Reduced p53 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis is associated with loss of radiation-induced apoptosis

Objective Patients with autoimmune disorders exhibit highly reproducible gene expression profiles in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells. This profile includes, at least in part, a collection of underexpressed genes that encode proteins that inhibit cell cycle progression and stimulate apoptosis. We aimed to determine whether this gene expression profile confers functional liability on lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Viability studies in response to a panel of proapoptotic stimuli revealed that T lymphocytes from patients with RA were resistant to gamma radiation–induced apoptosis, a process known to be dependent on p53. To assess p53 function in RA peripheral blood mononuclear cells, baseline levels of p53 protein and TP53 transcript were measured in patients with RA and controls. The cellular p53 response to gamma radiation was also assessed by immunoblotting. Results Lymphocytes from patients with RA had lower baseline levels of TP53 messenger RNA (mRNA) and p53 protein than did those from control subjects and were deficient in their ability to increase p53 after exposure to gamma radiation. A subgroup of patients with RA had a second biochemical defect characterized by expression of very low baseline levels of checkpoint kinase 2 mRNA and protein. Conclusion We conclude that defects in the expression of TP53 mRNA and, in a subgroup, defects in expression of CHK2 mRNA, lead to severe defects in apoptosis in patients with RA. We hypothesize that this liability may contribute to autoimmunity.
Phylogenetic relationships and geographic structure in pocket gophers in the genus Thomomys.

Abstract Phylogenetic relationships among pocket gophers were examined based on the complete sequence for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1140 base pairs). The tribe Geomyini ( Geomys, Orthogeomys, Cratogeomys, and Pappogeomys ) was well differentiated from the tribe Thomomyini ( Thomomys ), using the heteromyid genera Dipodomys and Perognathus as the outgroup. Within the genus Thomomys, the species in the subgenus Thomomys ( T. talpoides, T. monticola, and T. mazama ) differed from those in the subgenus Megascapheus ( T. bottae, T. townsendii, and T. umbrinus ) by an average of 19.3% uncorrected sequence divergence. Extensive sampling within one species, T. bottae, revealed strongly differentiated geographic units, with a maximum difference among localities of 15.7%. The geographic units within T. bottae coincided with geographic regions based on allozyme data in some areas, but not at all boundaries. The geographic units within currently recognized species in the bottae group (subgenus Megascapheus ) were not grouped together with a high level of confidence. The pattern suggests a rapid radiation of the bottae group, followed by geographic subdivision.
Preconception counseling and care in the setting of HIV: clinical characteristics and comorbidities.

Objective. To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV-infected individuals and HIV-affected couples who were referred for preconception counseling (PCC) at a large urban US-based HIV clinic. Methods. Electronic medical records were reviewed for HIV-infected individuals and HIV-affected couples. Medical, reproductive, surgical, psychosocial, and family history data were abstracted. Univariate analyses were done. Results. There were 8 single HIV-infected women and 100 HIV-affected couples who underwent PCC. HIV-infected women were older (mean age 35 years versus 32 years, P = 0.06), were more likely to smoke (23% versus 0%, P < 0.01), and had more medical comorbidities (57% versus 33%, P = 0.04) than HIV-uninfected women. The majority of couples were serodiscordant (77%), and of these couples, 32% had a detectable plasma viral load and 33% report inconsistent condom use. Conclusions. HIV-infected women have a number of medical and psychosocial issues, including those related to HIV that may increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and HIV perinatal and sexual transmission. PCC is an important intervention to optimize maternal management to improve perinatal outcomes and minimize transmission risks.
Narrowband Tracking Using a Markov Random Field Algorithm

We present an algorithm for formulating the narrowband (or target) tracking problem as a Markov Random Field (MRF) with discrete and continous-valued hidden state variables. We then derive a simplified algorithm to estimate the model state variables. An MRF exists whenever there is a collection of sites that statistically interact with their neighbors. In the narrowband tracking problem, we assume we have detected a number of "interesting sites" in a spectrogram. These "interesting sites" are regions where there appears to be straight-line motion of a narrowband signal, perhaps detected by the application of a radon transform. We apply a linear dynamical model, to explain the behaviour of the target. This is identical in formulation to a Kalman filter, with the exception that the state transition matrix is many-to-one (many neighbor sites to a single site). The method is generalizable to any tracking problem
Explaining abstinence rates following treatment for alcohol abuse: a quantitative synthesis of patient, research design and treatment effects.

We examined the relationships of treatment, patient and research design characteristics to treatment outcome (i.e. abstinence rates) in a sample of 150 treatment conditions drawn from 100 alcohol treatment outcome studies published between 1980 and 1992. Treatment characteristics were related to abstinence rates: more intensive treatments had higher abstinence rates than less intensive treatments, whereas treatments with an expressed goal other than abstinence had lower abstinence rates than treatments with an abstinence goal. When the public vs. private ownership status of the treatment facility was taken into account, the presence of behavioral elements in the treatment condition also was related to higher abstinence rates. Because of inconsistent reporting in primary studies, we assessed the effects of only one patient pre-treatment characteristic; treatment conditions with a higher proportion of socially stable patients had better outcomes. Research design characteristics were also related to abstinence rates. Treatment conditions with shorter follow-ups and treatments drawn from studies that did not use criteria to exclude more impaired subjects had better outcomes. We discuss possible reasons why our findings regarding the effects of treatment intensity and the use of exclusionary criteria differ from those in previous reviews.
The use of low-volume dosing in the eye irritation test

Abstract The Draize rabbit eye test was developed to provide a method for assessing the irritation potential of materials that might come in contact with human eyes. The method involves the instillation of 0.1 ml of a test liquid (100 mg solid) into the conjunctival sac of an animal's eye. A refinement of the Draize test is the low-volume eye test in which 0.01 ml of a substance is placed directly on the cornea of the eye. Studies indicate that the low-volume method provides a better correlation to human eye irritation experience for some substances. The Interagency Regulatory Alternatives Group (IRAG) proposes that the low-volume eye test can be used to substantiate the irritancy of suspect severe ocular irritants that have not been eliminated by various pre-eye test ‘screens’. A substance testing positive by the low-volume method can be classified as an irritant; one that tests negative will require further testing by the use of the 0.1-ml volume procedure. For all other definitive testing, the Draize test (0.1 ml) should be used. Results from a questionnaire distributed at the IRAG workshop showed that many workshop participants thought that the low-volume test should be used as an eye irritation screening procedure.
U.S. Navy Rolls-Royce Allison 501-K34 Operating Experience

The Rolls-Royce Allison (RRA) 501-K34 serves as the prime mover for the Ship Service Gas Turbine Generator sets (SSGTGs) of the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 Class ships. Navy experience with the 501-K34 began in 1988 with the testing of the first prototype. Experience to date includes over 700,000 fired hours on a growing fleet of engines. This paper explores that operating experience and discusses future plans to improve the engine’s operational availability while lowering life cycle costs.Copyright © 2000 by ASME
Determining the requirements for cooperative DNA binding by Swi5p and Pho2p (Grf10p/Bas2p) at the HO promoter.

SWI5 encodes a zinc finger DNA binding protein required for the transcription of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae HO gene, and PHO2 encodes a homeodomain DNA binding protein. In vitro biochemical studies using purified Swi5p and Pho2p proteins have demonstrated that Swi5p and Pho2p bind cooperatively to the HO promoter. In this report we investigate the regions of the Swi5p and Pho2p proteins required for cooperative DNA binding. The analysis of each protein gives a similar result: the zinc finger or homeodomain DNA binding domains are each sufficient for in vitro DNA binding, but additional regions of each protein are required for cooperative DNA binding. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted with promoters with altered spacing between the Pho2p and Swi5p binding sites. Mutations that increased the distance between the two binding sites had minimal effects on either in vitro cooperative DNA binding or in vivo upstream activating sequence activity. These observations suggest that the interaction domains of Swi5p and Pho2p are flexible and can tolerate an increase in distance between the two binding sites. The mechanism of the cooperative DNA binding by Swi5p and Pho2p is discussed.
A motif within a complex promoter from the oomycete Phytophthora infestans determines transcription during an intermediate stage of sporulation.

Sporulation in Phytophthora infestans is associated with a major remodeling of the transcriptome. To better understand promoter structure and how sporulation-specific expression is determined in this organism, the Pks1 gene was analyzed. Pks1 encodes a protein kinase that is induced at an intermediate stage of sporulation, prior to sporangium maturation. Major and minor transcription start sites mapped throughout the promoter, which contains many T-rich stretches and Inr-like elements. Within the T-rich region are several motifs which bound nuclear proteins in EMSA. Tests of modified promoters in transformants implicated a CCGTTG located 110-nt upstream of the transcription start point as a major regulator of sporulation-specific transcription. The motif also bound a sporulation-specific nuclear protein complex. A bioinformatics analysis indicated that the motif is highly over-represented within co-expressed promoters, in which it predominantly resides 100–300-nt upstream of transcription start sites. Other sequences, such as a CATTTGTT motif, also bound nuclear proteins but did not play an essential role in spore-specific expression.
Research on the Application of 20 Degrees Probe Pair in TOFD

The feasibility of the application of probes with refraction angle of 20 degrees is discussed, and application effects of the probe are verified by experimental testing. The result shows, for ultrasonic TOFD testing of small flaws in lower part of high-wall-thickness work-pieces, the probe pair with refraction angle of 20 degree is superior to 45 degrees.
Editorial: January 2008

Our journal has gone through a number of significant changes during the last twelve months. Sadly we learnt of the passing of one of our distinguished board members Prof. Hitoshi Ohtaki. In 2004 two special issues (June/July) were dedicated to honor his scientific career (Professor Yamaguchi was the originator of this tribute and also served as guest editor). We will miss his active participation in guiding the future of the Journal of Solution Chemistry.
Implementation issues and testing of a hybrid sliding isolation system

Structural control systems can effectively protect structures from dynamic loads. Passive control systems are widely accepted, but active and hybrid systems remain under development with a variety of implementation related issues yet to be resolved. The current research focuses on overcoming some of these problems. A hybrid sliding isolation system is considered. This nonlinear controller is ideal for examining many practical issues; moreover, results obtained with this system may be applied to a variety of active and hybrid controllers. New nonlinear control algorithms, which account for implementation imperfections, are developed and validated with realistic experimental models. The results show that the control system is able to significantly reduce the peak responses and the energy input, proving that many of the implementation issues may be overcome with well designed controllers and current technology.
iVAMS: Intelligent metamodel-integrated Verilog-AMS for circuit-accurate system-level mixed-signal design exploration

The gap between abstraction levels in analog design is a major obstacle for advancing analog and mixed-signal design automation. Intelligent surrogate models for low-level analog building blocks are needed to bridge behavioral and transistor-level simulations. With this objective, artificial neural network (ANN) metamodels are incorporated in Verilog-AMS to capture the highly nonlinear response of the analog block. Parameterized ANN Verilog-AMS behavioral metamodels are constructed for efficient system-level design exploration. The application of these intelligent metamodels to multi-objective analog block optimization is demonstrated. To the best of the authors' knowledge this is the first paper to integrate artificial neural network models in Verilog-AMS. To demonstrate the application of iVAMS, a biologically-inspired “firefly optimization algorithm” is applied to an OP-AMP design. The optimization process is sped up by 5580× due to the use of iVAMS with negligible loss in accuracy.
Hysteretic loss reduction in striated YBCO

Abstract Magnetization vs. applied field measurements ( M–H loops) were taken on short samples of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− δ (YBCO) thin films which were divided into narrow filaments. The YBCO was deposited using pulsed laser deposition onto single-crystal LaAlO 3 substrates, with a range of film thicknesses from 0.25 to 0.33 μm. Using a YAG laser, the thin films were patterned into linear striations by removing strips of the superconductor by laser ablation. The resulting striated filamentary structure serves to reduce the effective width of the YBCO films and hence the hysteresis loss in the superconducting samples. The magnetization measurements were taken over the temperature range of 4.2–77 K in applied fields of 0–17 kOe using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The measured hysteresis losses show a highly linear relationship between superconductor filament width and hysteresis loss as anticipated. However, the laser ablation process did result in the redeposition of YBCO along the edges of individual filaments. Degradation of T c and J c due to the ablation process is discussed.
Parallel Hashing

In sequential systems, hash tables yield almost constant time performance for single element accesses. However, in massively parallel systems, we need to consider a large number of parallel accesses. Consequently, the potential queueing delay as well as the communication overhead can alter the relative performance of hash algorithms. Thus, it is necessary to reevaluate the performance of conventional hash algorithms and investigate new algorithms that exploit the parallelism without suffering from excessive communication overheads or queueing delays. In this paper, we first study the performance of data parallel hash algorithms with conventional collision resolution strategies. For SIMD/SPMD hypercube systems, neither linear probing nor double hashing yields satisfactory performance. Thus, we develop a new collision resolution strategy, namely, hypercube hashing. Hypercube hashing combines the randomness provided in double hashing with the low communication cost inherited from linear probing to yield better performance. We also investigate efficient implementation of the chaining algorithm in data parallel systems and its performance. From the simulation results, hypercube hashing significantly outperforms the other open addressing strategies in all cases (under the assumption of random input key space). For high load factors, chaining performs better than hypercube hashing. However, with a low load factor, hypercube hashing significantly outperforms the chaining algorithm.
Effects of bridge construction on songbirds and small mammals at Blennerhassett Island, Ohio River, USA.

Construction of man-made objects such as roads and bridges may have impacts on wildlife depending on species or location. We investigated songbirds and small mammals along the Ohio River, WV, USA at a new bridge both before and after construction and at a bridge crossing that was present throughout the study. Comparisons were made at each site over three time periods (1985–1987 [Phase I] and 1998–2000 [Phase II] [pre-construction], 2007–2009 [Phase III] [post-construction]) and at three distances (0, 100, 300 m) from the bridge or proposed bridge location. Overall, 70 songbirds and 10 small mammals were detected during the study. Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and rock pigeons (Columba livia) showed high affinity for bridges (P 0.05). Species richness and diversity for songbirds and small mammals did not differ before and after bridge construction (P > 0.05). We found that most species sampled did not respond to the bridge crossing, and believe that the bridge is not causing any measurable negative density impacts to the species we investigated. The new bridge does provide habitat for exotic rock pigeons that are adjusted to man-made structures for nesting.
Effective interactions for self-energy. II. Application to electron and electron-hole liquids

Effective masses in an electron gas and an electron-hole liquid are calculated for different values of r/sub s/ and of the ratio M/sub h//M/sub e/ (in the case of the electron-hole liquid) using the self-energy expressions derived in the preceding paper (Ng and Singwi, Phys. Rev. B 34, 7738 (1986)). In the case of an electron gas, it is found that spin-fluctuation effects lead to an appreciable amount of mass enhancement for metallic r/sub s/ values, whereas in the case of an electron-hole liquid, both spin and density fluctuations are important in determining the quasiparticle properties.
OF TACTICS AND TRAUMAS

During the long 19th century, modernization progressed, peace prevailed, and many of the now-recognized classics of sociological theory were composed. For all their differences, the founding figure...