cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development Of A Rationale For Stimulation Design In The Devonian Shale

Natural gas productivity of E. Devonian shale wells depends on the density and extent of natural fractures within the formation, the organic content of the shale matrix, and the effective communication of the well bore with the natural fracture system. Stimulation techniques are normally required to develop this communication. A strategy for testing stimulation techniques currently is being developed. The strategy for a geologic region involves the selection of the best stimulation technique for specific geologic conditions. This selection is based on the thickness of the organic rich shale units within the formation (recognized as the source of gas) and the degree of fracture density (recognized as the reservoir) as controlled by various geologic elements. Analysis of fluid data shows that for regions of low fracture density, hydraulic fracturing is a slight improvement over borehole explosive stimulation treatments. Results from hydraulic fracturing may be further enhanced whenever retention time of the fracturing fluid in the formation is reduced. (24 refs.)
Modeling cellular systems and aging processes: I. Mathematics of cell system models — a review

A review of the literature on mathematical models of populations of cellular systems is presented. Continuous, discrete, and stochastic models are presented in a semihistorical manner as a prelude to answering the question of how to model an asynchronously dividing cellular system. This analysis is then broadened, in an attempt to broach the more general question of modeling the distribution of a set or collection of cell properties through an asynchronously dividing cellular system. Such properties might be cell motility, cell cycle length, time to mitosis, or number of epigenetic particles. It is shown that one fruitful approach to this modeling question is a coupled continuous-probabilistic model. The ramifications of this type of formalism are discussed.
CO2 as a volatile component of the mantle: The system Mg2SiO4SiO2H2OCO2

The system Mg2SiO4SiO2H2OCO2 has been studied at a pressure of 20 kbar as a model for the melting behavior of peridotite in the presence of two volatile components. In the presence of CO2 and H2O, the assemblage forsterite (Fo) + enstatite (En) begins to melt at a higher temperature than in the presence of H2O alone. The liquids are CO2- and H2O-charged, yet show no tendency toward carbonatite immiscibility. Partial melts are generated at temperatures greater than 1400°C when CO2H2O ratios are greater than 45 mole % CO2 and are silica-undersaturated in the CIPW norm, whereas partial melts produced at lower temperatures and H2O-rich conditions are silica-oversaturated. Liquids in the vapor-absent region of the join Fo-En-H2O which are in equilibrium with Fo + En also exhibit this normative change in character at 1400°C at 20 kbar. The chemical change therefore is not a result of changes in melt structure due to CO2 solution, even though up to about 7 wt.% CO2 dissolves in En melt at 20 kbar. Rather, CO2 raises the temperature of the peridotite solidus relative to the beginning of melting with H2O and reduces activity of H2O. Hydrous magmas produced in the mantle in general contain much less H2O than is needed to saturate the melt and hence do not evolve vapor as they rise, until shallow depths are reached. By contrast, magmas containing CO2 and H2O may evolve vapor in the mantle or lower crust. The principal cause is the relatively lower solubility of CO2 in silicate melts, which is less than that of H2O at high pressure and very much less at pressures less than 10 kbar. Vapor rich in CO2 dissolves less total silicate than H2O-vapor and has markedly lower solubility of silica but does dissolve alkalies. The relationship of silica-undersaturated liquid and CO2-rich vapor may explain some of the characteristics of kimberlite or of magmas associated with kimberlite.
Chiari I malformation and idiopathic growth hormone deficiency in siblings: report of three cases

The authors report a case of three brothers. Two of these siblings presented with congenital growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and Chiari I malformation (CIM). The third younger brother has been found not to have GHD or the CIM. Sparse cases of these two clinical occurrences have been reported. Further, the posterior cranial fossa (PF) has been determined to be altered in patients with CIM and GHD. Our current case reports strengthen the association between these two pathological entities and, to our knowledge, is the first description of both defects in siblings.
Category-Selective Background Connectivity in Ventral Visual Cortex

Ventral visual cortex contains specialized regions for particular object categories, but little is known about how these regions interact during object recognition. Here we examine how the face-selective fusiform gyrus (FG) and the scene-selective parahippocampal cortex (PHC) interact with each other and with the rest of the brain during different visual tasks. To assess these interactions, we developed a novel approach for identifying patterns of connectivity associated with specific task sets, independent of stimulus-evoked responses. We tested whether this “background connectivity” between the FG and PHC was modulated when subjects engaged in face and scene processing tasks. In contrast to what would be predicted from biased competition or intrinsic activity accounts, we found that the strength of FG–PHC background connectivity depended on which category was task relevant: connectivity increased when subjects attended to scenes (irrespective of whether a competing face was present) and decreased when subjects attended to faces (irrespective of competing scenes). We further discovered that posterior occipital cortex was correlated selectively with the FG during face tasks and the PHC during scene tasks. These results suggest that category specificity exists not only in which regions respond most strongly but also in how these and other regions interact.
The effects of oviposition-site deprivation on Anopheles gambiae reproduction

Background: The African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, depends on availability of suitable surface water for oviposition. Short and long dry spells occur throughout the year in many parts of its range that limit its access to oviposition sites. Although not well understood, oviposition-site deprivation has been found to rapidly reduce egg batch size and hatch rate of several mosquito species. We conducted laboratory experiments to assess these effects of oviposition-site deprivation on An. gambiae and to evaluate the role of nutrition and sperm viability as mediators of these effects. Methods: Anopheles gambiae adults (1–2 d old) from the G3 laboratory colony were assigned to the following treatment groups: oviposition-deprived (fed once and then deprived of oviposition site for 7 or 14 d), multiple-fed control (fed regularly once a week and allowed to lay eggs without delay), and age matched blood-deprived control (fed once, three days before water for oviposition was provided). Egg batch size and hatch rate were measured. In the second experiment two additional treatment groups were included: oviposition-deprived females that received either a second (supplemental) blood meal or virgin males (supplemental mating) 4 days prior to receiving water for oviposition. Results: An. gambiae was highly sensitive to oviposition-site deprivation. Egg batch size dropped sharply to 0–3.5 egg/female within 14 days, due to reduced oviposition rate rather than a reduced number of eggs/batch. Egg hatch rate also fell dramatically to 0-2% within 7 days. The frequency of brown eggs that fail to tan was elevated. A supplemental blood meal, but not ‘supplemental insemination,’ recovered the oviposition rate of females subjected to oviposition-site deprivation. Similarly, a supplemental blood meal, but not ‘supplemental insemination,’ partly recovered hatch rate, but this increase was marginally significant (P < 0.069). Conclusions: Even a short dry spell resulting in oviposition-site deprivation for several days may result in a dramatic decline of An. gambiae populations via reduced fecundity and fertility. However, females taking supplemental blood meals regain at least some reproductive success. If mosquitoes subjected to oviposition-site deprivation increase the frequency of blood feeding, malaria transmission may even increase during a short dry spell. The relevance of oviposition-site deprivation as a cue to alter the physiology of An. gambiae during the long dry season is not evident from these results because no reduction in hatch rate was evident in wild M-form An. gambiae collected in the dry season in the Sahel by previous studies.
Windows NT device driver design in a multi-link translator and display system

The future vision of communication systems suggests a global grid will be used to enable links among any battlefield participant to any other participant. In the meantime, there are many diverse data links that have grown over many years, consumed substantial investment of effort and funding, and are not amenable to wholesale modernization. Consequently, there is a need for a set of tools, to allow interconnected communications among the existing data links. The multi-link translator and display system (MTDS) offers this set of tools. The MTDS provides three basic capabilities: to receive and display tactical data link information, to translate between tactical data link message sets, and to route the data link information between various physical interfaces. The MTDS translates between tactical digital information link (TADIL) A, TADIL B and TADIL J. This paper first describes the MTDS and then presents its Windows NT device driver design. Five important issues are discussed: mapping memory addresses, connecting driver interrupt service routines to interrupts, setting byte alignment in data packing, claiming driver resources and transferring data on industry standard architecture bus.
Major Groove Substituents and Polymerase Recognition of a Class of Predominantly Hydrophobic Unnatural Base Pairs

Expansion of the genetic alphabet with an unnatural base pair is a long-standing goal of synthetic biology. We have developed a class of unnatural base pairs, formed between d5SICS and analogues of dMMO2, that are efficiently and selectively replicated by the Klenow Fragment (Kf) DNA polymerase. In an effort to further characterize and optimize replication, we report the synthesis of five new dMMO2 analogues bearing different substituents designed to be oriented into the developing major groove and an analysis of their insertion opposite d5SICS by Kf and Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase I (Taq). We also expand the analysis of the previously optimized pair, dNaM-d5SICS, to include replication by Taq. Finally, the efficiency and fidelity of PCR amplification of the base pairs by Taq or Deep Vent polymerases is examined. The resulting structure-activity relationship data suggest that the major determinants of efficient replication are the minimization of desolvation effects and the introduction of favorable hydrophobic packing, and that Taq is more sensitive than Kf to structural changes. In addition, we identify an analogue, dNMO1, that is a better partner for d5SICS than any of the previously identified dMMO2 analogues with the exception of dNaM. We also find that dNaM-d5SICS is replicated by both Kf and Taq with rates approaching those of a natural base pair.
Refractory immune thrombocytopenia successfully treated with high-dose vitamin D supplementation and hydroxychloroquine: two case reports

Introduction Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is thought to be characterized by an immune response against the host’s own platelets. If the thrombocytopenia is severe, patients are initially treated with high-dose steroids. Other more toxic second line treatments are considered if steroids fail. Here, we report the case of two patients in whom conventional treatment was unsuccessful but who responded to hydroxychloroquine and high-dose vitamin D replacement therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of successful treatment for immune thrombocytopenia with high-dose vitamin D and hydroxychloroquine.
“Taking a Nickel Out of the Cash Register”: Statutory Renegotiation of Military Contracts and the Politics of Profit Control in the United States during World War II

At 10:00 AM on September 24, 1943, James F. Lincoln, the sixty-year-old president and owner of the Lincoln Electric Company of Cleveland, Ohio, entered a meeting with U.S. Navy officials who wanted to discuss his company's recent earnings. A former Ohio State University football team captain and active supporter of the Republican Party, the outspoken Lincoln had already made it clear that he objected to the whole proceeding. One of the nation's leading suppliers of welding equipment, Lincoln's company had seen its sales boom since the beginning of World War II, as shipbuilders, aircraft producers, and other prime contractors demanded more welding machines and electrodes. Now, after a year of correspondence and preparations, the U.S. Navy had asked Lincoln to come to Washington to discuss how much of the company's 1942 profits were fair, and how much should be returned to the United States.
Uncompensated care and hospital conversions in Florida.

ABSTRACT: Hospital conversions to for-profit ownership have prompted concern about continuing access to care for the poor or uninsured. This DataWatch presents an analysis of the rate of uncompensated care provided by Florida hospitals before and after converting to for-profit ownership. Uncompensated care declined greatly in the converting public hospitals, which had a significant commitment to uncompensated care before conversion. Among converting nonprofit hospitals, uncompensated care levels were low before conversion and did not change following conversion. The study suggests that policymakers should assess the risk entailed in a conversion by considering the hospital's historic mission and its current role in the community.
Recreating the Arsenal of Venice: Using Experiential Activities to Teach the History of Management:

In works by Van Fleet and Wren and by Smith, a strong case is made for including a greater emphasis on the historical aspects of management in undergraduate introductory-level management courses. This article builds on these two works by providing specific experiential activities to assist instructors who wish to offer more depth to their classroom discussions on the history of management. Specifically, three exercises are provided that address key managerial concepts such as the assembly line, interchangeable parts, team building, the Hawthorne Effect, and the four functions of management. In addition, the first part of the article reiterates the importance of including more management history in an undergraduate principles course. Two appendices offer additional experiential activities and a brief timeline of management history milestones.
Infomaster: an information integration system

Infomaster is an information integration system that provides integrated access to multiple distributed heterogeneous information sources on the Internet, thus giving the illusion of a centralized, homogeneous information system. We say that Infomaster creates a virtual data warehouse. The core of Infomaster is a facilitator that dynamically determines an efficient way to answer the user's query using as few sources as necessary and harmonizes the heterogeneities among these sources. Infomaster handles both structural and content translation to resolve differences between multiple data sources and the multiple applications for the collected data. Infomaster connects to a variety of databases using wrappers, such as for Z39.50, SQL databases through ODBC, EDI transactions, and other World Wide Web (WWW) sources. There are several WWW user interfaces to Infomaster, including forms based and textual. Infomaster also includes a programmatic interface and it can download results in structured form onto a client computer. Infomaster has been in production use for integrating rental housing advertisements from several newspapers (since fall 1995), and for meeting room scheduling (since winter 1996). Infomaster is also being used to integrate heterogeneous electronic product catalogs.
Single-end Sizing of Yarn using a Slot Applicator:

A single-end sizing process was developed to eliminate the problems associated with the traditional sizing method. By keeping the yarns separated in slots in the single-end sizing apparatus and drying them individually, less damage to the yarns occurred. In this paper, the process and device developed for single-end sizing are described and the properties of single-end sized yarn are compared with unsized yarn and commercially sized yarn.
Rapid Functional Definition of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase Activity in Bacterial Cultures via Competitive Inhibition of Fluorescent Substrate Cleavage

The functional definition of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) activity is a clinical challenge. Here we report a rapid and convenient assay of β-lactamase activity through the competitive inhibition of fluorescent substrate hydrolysis that provides a read-out nearly 40× more rapidly than conventional techniques for functional definition. A panel of β-lactam antibiotics was used for competition against β-lactamase enzyme-activated photosensitizer (β-LEAP) yielding a competitive index (C(i)) in 30 min. Significant differences in the relative C(i) values of the panel of β-lactams were determined in vitro for Bacillus cereus penicillinase. Additionally, the relative C(i) values for whole bacterial cell suspensions of B. cereus 5/β were compared with the relative minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values and a correlation coefficient of 0.899 was determined. We further demonstrated the ability of β-LEAP to probe the capacity of ceftazidime to inhibit the enzyme activity of a panel of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The bacteria were assayed for susceptibility to ceftazidime and the relative MIC values were compared with the relative C(i) values for ceftazidime yielding a correlation coefficient of 0.984. This work demonstrates for the first time the whole cell assay of the competitive inhibition of β-lactamase enzyme activity and derivation of associated constants.
A Diverse Array of Cancer-Associated MTOR Mutations Are Hyperactivating and Can Predict Rapamycin Sensitivity

Genes encoding components of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling axis are frequently mutated in cancer, but few mutations have been characterized in MTOR, the gene for the mTOR kinase. Using publicly available tumor genome sequencing data, we generated a comprehensive catalog of mTOR pathway mutations in cancer, identifying 33 MTOR mutations that confer pathway hyperactivation. The mutations cluster in six distinct regions in the C-terminal half of mTOR and occur in multiple cancer types, with one cluster particularly prominent in kidney cancer. The activating mutations do not affect mTOR complex assembly, but a subset reduces binding to the mTOR inhibitor Deptor. mTORC1 signaling in cells expressing various activating mutations remains sensitive to pharmacological mTOR inhibition, but is partially resistant to nutrient deprivation. Lastly, cancer cell lines with hyperactivating MTOR mutations display heightened sensitivity to rapamycin both in culture and as in vivo xenografts, suggesting that such mutations confer mTOR pathway dependency.
Type 1-polarized dendritic cells loaded with autologous tumor are a potent immunogen against chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Induction of active tumor-specific immunity in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other hematologic malignancies is compromised by the deficit of endogenous dendritic cells (DCs). In attempt to develop improved vaccination strategies for patients with CLL and other tumors with poorly identified rejection antigens, we tested the ability of ex vivo-generated DCs to cross-present the antigens expressed by CLL cells and to induce CLL-specific, functional CTL responses. Monocyte-derived DCs from CLL patients were induced to mature using a "standard" cytokine cocktail (in IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and PGE2) or using an alpha-type 1-polarized DC (alphaDC1) cocktail (in IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid) and were loaded with gamma-irradiated, autologous CLL cells. alphaDC1 from CLL patients expressed substantially higher levels of multiple costimulatory molecules (CD83, CD86, CD80, CD11c, and CD40) than standard DCs (sDCs) and immature DCs, and their expression of CCR7 showed intermediate level. alphaDC1 secreted substantially higher (10-60 times) levels of IL-12p70 than sDCs. Although alphaDC1 and sDCs showed similar uptake of CLL cells, alphaDC1 induced much higher numbers (range, 2.4-38 times) of functional CD8+ T cells against CLL cells. The current demonstration that autologous tumor-loaded alphaDC1 are potent inducers of CLL-specific T cells helps to develop improved immunotherapies of CLL.
Socioeconomic Status and Perceptions of Personal Arrest Probabilities

This article examines the relationship between individual's perceptions of arrest probabilities and socioeconomic status. Although actual arrest probabilities are generally thought to vary inversely with socioeconomic status, no theories predict how this should translate into patterns in perceived sanction risks. Variables that would influence socioeconomic patterns in risk assessment are identified and related to estimates of arrest probabilities. Survey data from a three-state sample of adults show that lower-status respondents perceive higher arrest risks than do upper-status respondents. However, none of these differences can be explained by the theoretically relevant variables available in these data.
Richter Transformation of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Presenting as a Dural-Based Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Mass

Richter transformation is defined as a diffuse large cell lymphoma, occurring by transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We present a 64-year-old man with a history of CLL and a left parieto-occipital transtentorial extra-axial mass. The patient underwent CT and MR imaging, demonstrating a large dural-based mass with extracranial extension, which occluded the left transverse sinus. Biopsy of the mass proved a pathologic diagnosis of diffuse large cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, consistent with Richter transformation of CLL.
DNA Sequence Analysis of Regions Surrounding blaCMY-2 from Multiple Salmonella Plasmid Backbones

The emergence in the United States of resistance to expanded-spectrum cephalosporin (e.g., ceftriaxone) within the salmonellae has been associated primarily with three large (>100-kb) plasmids (designated types A, B, and C) and one 10.1-kb plasmid (type D) that carry the blaCMY-2 gene. In the present study, the distribution of these four known blaCMY-2-carrying plasmids among 35 ceftriaxone-resistant Salmonella isolates obtained from 1998 to 2001 was examined. Twenty-three of these isolates were Salmonella enterica serotype Newport, 10 were Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium, 1 was Salmonella enterica serotype Agona, and 1 was Salmonella enterica serotype Reading. All 23 serotype Newport isolates carried a type C plasmid, and 5, 4, and 1 serovar Typhimurium isolate carried type B, A, and C plasmids, respectively. Both the serotype Agona and serotype Reading isolates carried type A plasmids. None of the isolates carried a type D plasmid. Hybridization data suggested that plasmid types A and C were highly related replicons. DNA sequencing revealed that the region surrounding blaCMY-2 was highly conserved in all three plasmid types analyzed (types B, C, and D) and was related to a region surrounding blaCMY-5 from the Klebsiella oxytoca plasmid pTKH11. These findings are consistent with a model in which blaCMY-2 has been disseminated primarily through plasmid transfer, and not by mobilization of the gene itself, to multiple Salmonella chromosomal backbones.
Zinc-bound metallothioneins and immune plasticity: lessons from very old mice and humans

The capacity of the remodelling immune responses during stress (named immune plasticity) is fundamental to reach successful ageing. We herein report two pivotal experimental models in order to demonstrate the relevance of the immune plasticity in ageing and successful ageing. These two experimental models will be compared with the capacity in remodelling the immune response in human centenarians. With regard to experimental models, one model is represented by the circadian rhythms of immune responses, the other one is the immune responses during partial hepatectomy/liver regeneration (pHx). The latter is suggestive because it mimics the immunosenescence and chronic inflammation 48 h after partial hepatectomy in the young through the continuous production of IL-6, which is the main cause of immune plasticity lack in ageing. The constant production of IL-6 leads to abnormal increments of zinc-bound Metallothionein (MT), which is in turn unable in zinc release in ageing. As a consequence, low zinc ion bioavailability appears for thymic and extrathymic immune efficiency, in particular of liver NKT cells bearing TCR γδ. The remodelling during the circadian cycle and during pHx of zinc-bound MT confers the immune plasticity of liver NKT γδ cells and NK cells in young and very old mice, not in old mice. With regard to human centenarians and their capacity in remodelling the immune response with respect to elderly, these exceptional individuals display low zinc-bound MT associated with: a) satisfactory intracellular zinc ion availability, b) more capacity in zinc release by MT, c) less inflammation due to low gene expression of IL-6 receptor (gp130), d) increased levels of IFN-gamma and number of NKT cell bearing TCR γδ. Moreover, some polymorphisms for MT tested in PBMCs from human donors are related to successful ageing. In conclusion, zinc-bound MT homeostasis is fundamental to confer the immune plasticity that is a condition "sine qua non" to achieve healthy ageing and longevity.
RACK: a parser generator for AI languages

The RAND Compiler Kit (RACK), a parser generator for AI (artificial-intelligence) applications, is described. RACK parsers are unique in their ability to recognize non-LR(k) languages. RACK is implemented in C and is upwardly compatible with YACC. RACK generates parsers that interface with C or Lisp and includes features such as arbitrary look-ahead, multiple start symbols, a scanner generator, and a grammar interpreter. RACK has been fully implemented in under 20000 lines of C code. >
Activation of the 12-lipoxygenase and signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway during neointima formation in a model of the metabolic syndrome

Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. The obese Zucker rat (ZR) is a model of IR that shows markedly increased insulin and triglyceride concentrat...
A general framework for robust compressive sensing based nonlinear regression

In this paper, we present a general framework for robust nonlinear regression that leverages concepts from the field of compressive sensing to simultaneously detect outliers and determine optimally sparse representations of noisy data from arbitrary sets of basis functions. Our framework employs a two-component noise model and compressive sensing recovery techniques to exploit the inherent sparsity of outliers while (optionally) performing model order reduction over all predictive variables and basis functions. As such, our algorithm can de-emphasize the effect of predictive variables that become uncorrelated with the measurement data. This desirable property has various applications like real-time detection of faulty sensors and sensor jamming in wireless sensor networks. After developing our framework and making the connection to compressive sensing theory, we present simulations that demonstrate the superior performance of our framework with respect to classic robust regression techniques like least absolute value and iteratively reweighted least-squares.
Tissue and age-specificity of post-translational modifications of N-cadherin during chick embryo development.

Abstract Our previous studies indicated that regulation of N-cadherin expression differs spatially and temporally among tissues of the eye, possibly reflecting the distinct roles it has in the development and maintenance of eye tissues. To understand this regulation of N-cadherin expression and its function in different tissues during embryonic development, we investigated the posttranslational modifications of N-cadherin and its association with the cytoskeleton. We show that N-cadherin is a sulfated and phosphorylated protein. The phosphorylation of N-cadherin occurs in an age- and tissue-specific pattern during development in the neural retina, brain, lens and heart. The extent of sulfation of N-cadherin is also age-dependent, and both sulfated and unsulfated pools of N-cadherin exist in the same tissue as indicated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The degree of association of N-cadherin with the cytoskeleton differs from one tissue to another, as well as within a single tissue at different stages of development. A positive correlation was found between the extent, developmental timing, and tissue specificity of N-cadherin phosphorylation and the degree of N-cadherin association with the cytoskeleton. Our results suggest the existence of a microhetero-geneous population of N-cadherin molecules, within which posttranslational modification of N-cadherin may affect its association with the cytoskeleton and its expression and function during development.
Inhibition of fibrin monomer polymerization by lambda myeloma globulins.

Blood obtained from seven patients with lambda type myeloma proteins showed evidence of gelatinous bulky clots, impaired clot retraction, and circulating anticoagulant activity associated with interference of fibrin monomer polymerization. Five patients had γG 1 and two had γA 1 myeloma proteins. The pathologic plasmas and isolated myeloma proteins had anticoagulant activity that prolonged both thrombin and reptilase times, that was not absorbed by BaSO 4 or neutralized by protamine sulfate, and that resisted heating to 56°C for 10 min. Addition of excess calcium partially corrected the anticoagulant effect. The anticoagulant activity of the isolated whole myeloma proteins, the enzymatic fragments, and polypeptide chains was measured by a thrombin time assay and a spectophotometric system with fibrin monomer. Low concentrations of the isolated IgGL proteins inhibited fibrin polymerization. The IgAL proteins did not demonstrate this activity at low concentrations but were active at concentrations comparable to in vivo levels. F(ab9) 2 and Fab fragments produced from the IgG proteins by enzymatic digestion possessed full inhibitory activity of the native intact proteins. Fc fragments and isolated polypeptide chains did not display significant anticoagulant activity. The results suggest that the Fab sites of certain lambda myeloma proteins may bind to fibrin during clotting and fibrin polymerization.
Single photon detectors using superconductors for quantum information and communications

There is increasing interest in using superconducting optical photon detectors in a variety of applications in quantum information science and technology. I will describe our work on two types of superconducting detectors.
Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation, Second Edition

Overall, this book provides a comprehensive survey of the key topics and issues in the field of aural rehabilitation by various experts in the field. This book has 20 chapters that are divided into...
Evidence of Forbidden Reflections in the Diffuse Scattering of Hg0.80Cd0.20Te Single Crystals

The x-ray diffuse scattering pattern from a commercial bulk n-type Hg0.80Cd0.20Te single crystal was measured in absolute units. Anomalous dispersion techniques near the Hg LIII edge were used to determine theintensity due to Hg interactions. Diffuse x-ray superlattice reflections are reported that are forbidden by the zinc-blende structure. The systematic absences in these peaks eliminate the possibility that they are the result of a Cu3Au ordering scheme.
Surface markers and prognostic factors in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract We investigated the surface markers on lymphoblasts from 37 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Spontaneous rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes (E rosettes) identified T cells and the presence of surface immunoglobulin identified B cells. Eight patients had T-marker lymphoblasts; 28 had no markers (null lymphoblasts), and one patient had B-marker lymphoblasts. The eight patients with T-marker acute lymphoblastic leukemia had massive leukemic infiltration, frequently a mediastinal mass, and a poor prognosis. The T-marker lymphoblasts had a weak or negative periodic acidSchiff reaction and a very low antigenic stimulation to allogeneic lymphocytes. The association of T-marker lymphoblasts and some of the conventional poor-risk factors appears to be reliable in predicting a poor prognosis. (N Engl J Med 294:245–248, 1976)
Complexity Confronting State Judges and the Right to Vote

In response to Joshua A. Douglas, State Judges and the Right to Vote, 77 Ohio St. L.J. 1 (2016).
The Research and Application of Engine Control Module Assembles Fault Prevention

AS engine control module has a large number of varieties in SGMW,the existing way of checking specification is faultiness.According to the SGMW production status,this paper researched many new ways of checking specification and finally selects the best way.This paper explained the best way how to apply in plants in details,the new way of checking specification can make sure the consistency of engine control module assembly without delivering defects to the market,it helps reducing work in logistics system and offers reference for other various specification parts of vehicle.
Ancient Sino-Korean Sea Communication and Ship-Cultural Exchange

Regarding the ancient Sino Korean sea communication as a main theme, the propagation of the Chinese culture in Korean Peninsula and the influence of Chinese ancient shipbuilding technique upon Korea are described in the paper. Frequent sea trade resulted in the flourishing of Chinese and Korean harbors on the side of Yellow Sea.
Deformability measurements on individual sickle cells using a new system with pO2 and temperature control.

Although the rheologic behavior of sickle erythrocytes (SS cells) is highly dependent on oxygen tension (pO2) and temperature, very little data exist regarding the effects of deoxygenation and reoxygenation on the rheology of “individual” SS cells at body temperature. We have devised and assessed a new experiment system, in which micropipette aspiration can be performed on individual cells in a constant- temperature chamber that has ports for changing media with different pO2 (effected in 30 to 120 seconds) and sensing probes for monitoring pO2 and temperature. This system enabled us to simultaneously alter and monitor pO2 at 37 +/- 0.5 degrees C, and to monitor and study a single cell under microscopic observation. The static rigidity (E) and dynamic rigidity (eta) of individual SS cells were determined by repeated aspirations of the same cell under various pO2. With stepwise reductions in pO2, E and eta showed no significant changes before sickling, but once sickled, their values markedly increased by 10(2)- to 10(3)-fold concomitantly with morphologic alteration of the cell. Thus, the deformability of a single SS cell behaves in an “all or none” manner at a critical pO2, and earlier studies on the effect of deoxygenation on the rheology of SS cell suspensions probably reflect the overall behavior of SS cells with widely distributed critical pO2.
Intermittent erection in spinal canal stenosis.

Abstract A case of intermittent erection In a patient with spinal canal stenosis Is reported. The symptoms disappeared after lumbar laminectomy. The mechanism of erection remains speculative.
Automated coding of activity videos from an OCD study

Analysis of behavior using video is a promising approach for identifying risk markers for psychopathology that can be applied in a wide range of populations. Computer vision techniques are needed to automatically code behavior in order to reduce time and effort in these analyses. This paper discusses algorithms developed for the automatic analysis of video data from a study regarding the impact of environmental factors on youths with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Overhead videos of subjects washing hands were automatically annotated for activities such as rinsing, applying soap, and turning on/off the water faucet. These automated annotations were created by using a color-based background subtraction method to create a foreground probability score which is then used to determine if various labeled regions of interest (ROIs) are activated. These activation signals are then characterized and used to determine when different substeps of the handwashing procedure are performed. Automated annotations were validated by comparisons with hand-labeled ground truth.
Women’s Health in the 21 st Century

In this introductory chapter to the second edition of Women & Health we discuss what we mean by women’s health and our perspective on where the women’s health movement is today. We then present an overall picture of the state of women’s health using major health indicators as a guide and review some of the more prevalent diseases affecting women. In the final section we recommend where, in our view, research investigations and advances in clinical medicine are most needed now. The book chapters that follow this one explore the most pressing of these topics in more detail and are intended to stimulate new ideas about research worth pursuing and the methodological challenges that must be addressed as women’s health and health care enter a new era.
Understanding Promotion of Investment in Africa

How has the United States government promoted private investment in Sub-Saharan Africa? When were key institutions and policies created and why? The purpose of this chapter is to provide an analytically eclectic framework for understanding foreign economic policy toward Africa that incorporates the interaction between systemic and domestic factors and points to the historical use of particular ideas about US investment in Africa to frame the discourse over policymaking. This is an effort to explain why and when we see continuity and change in policies related to promoting private investment in Africa. Primarily a study of one aspect of the formation of US economic relations with Africa, it is also designed to shed light on three key concerns: neoliberalism and the role of the state in the economy, the changing role of the United States in the global economy, and implications of US policy for economic growth in Africa.
Early diagenesis and recrystallization of bone

Abstract One of the most challenging problems in paleobiology is determining how bone transforms from a living tissue into a fossil. The geologic record is replete with vertebrate fossils preserved from a range of depositional environments, including wetland systems. However, thermodynamic models suggest that bone (modeled as hydroxylapatite) is generally unstable in a range of varying geochemical conditions and should readily dissolve if it does not alter to a more thermodynamically stable phase, such as a fluorine-enriched apatite. Here, we assess diagenesis of alligator bone from fleshed, articulated skeletons buried in wetland soils and from de-fleshed bones in experimental mesocosms with and without microbial colonization. When microbial colonization of bone was inhibited, bioapatite recrystallization to a more stable apatite phase occurred after one month of burial. Ca-Fe-phosphate phases in bone developed after several months to years due to ion substitutions from the protonation of the hydroxyl ion. These rapid changes demonstrate a continuum of structural and bonding transformations to bone that have not been observed previously. When bones were directly in contact with sediment and microbial cells, rapid bioerosion and compositional alteration occurred after one week, but slowed after one month because biofilms reduced exposed surfaces and subsequent bioapatite lattice substitutions. Microbial contributions are likely essential in forming stable apatite phases during early diagenesis and for enabling bone preservation and fossilization.
STEM-03ATRACURIUM BESYLATE AND OTHER NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKING AGENTS PROMOTE ASTROGLIAL DIFFERENTIATION AND DEPLETE GLIOBLASTOMA STEM CELLS.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults, with a median survival of about one year. This poor prognosis is attributed primarily to therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence after surgical removal, with the root cause suggested to be found in glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). Using glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP-2) as reporters of astrocytic and neuronal differentiation, respectably; we isolated multiple clones from three independent patient-derived GSC neurosphere lines which express GFAP or MAP2 in a remarkably stable fashion. We next show that elevated expression of GFAP is associated with reduced clonogenicity in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Utilizing this in vitro cell-based differentiation reporter system we next screened the NIH clinical collection libraries for agents capable of inducing GSC astrocytic differentiation. We identified the non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocker, Atracurium Besylate, as a small molecule which effectively induces astroglial but not neuronal differentiation of GSC. Functionally, Atracurium Besylate treatment significantly inhibited the clonogenic capacity of several independent patient-derived GSC neurosphere lines, a phenomenon which was largely irreversible. Vecuronium, another non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocker, also induced GSC astrocytic differentiation suggesting that inhibition of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) may be the mechanism responsible for GSC astrocytic differentiation. To investigate the clinical importance of AChRs in gliomas, we examined clinical outcomes and found that glioma patients with tumors overexpressing CHRNA1 or CHRNA9 (encoding for the AChR-α1 or AChR-α9 subunits) exhibit significant shorter overall survival. Finally, we found that ex-vivo pre-treatment of GSCs with Atracurium Besylate significantly increased the survival of mice xenotransplanted with these cells, therefore suggesting that tumor initiating subpopulations have been reduced.
Ultra-wideband dual polarization arrays with collocated elements for high isolation simultaneous transmit and receive systems

In Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STAR) systems, antenna port isolation is important as it reduces coupling between transmit and receive chains. If the coupling is too high, the transmit signal can leak into the receive path and saturate the receiver. In this paper, we present a dual-polarized four-arm spiral array operating from 3 to 5 GHz for concurrent right hand and left hand circular polarizations for transmit and receive systems. To improve low frequency axial ratio and realized gain, each spiral arm is terminated with a single chip resistor. Simulations show that for a single element four-arm spiral, the port-to-port isolation is greater than 50 dB and the gain is approximately 5 dB over the entire 2 GHz bandwidth. Similarly, for a 3×3 finite array, port-to-port isolation remains at least 52 dB with a gain greater than 10 dB across most of the bandwidth.
A type I IFN-dependent DNA damage response regulates the genetic program and inflammasome activation in macrophages

Macrophages produce genotoxic agents, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, that kill invading pathogens. Here we show that these agents activate the DNA damage response (DDR) kinases ATM and DNA-PKcs through the generation of double stranded breaks (DSBs) in murine macrophage genomic DNA. In contrast to other cell types, initiation of this DDR depends on signaling from the type I interferon receptor. Once activated, ATM and DNA-PKcs regulate a genetic program with diverse immune functions and promote inflammasome activation and the production of IL-1β and IL-18. Indeed, following infection with Listeria monocytogenes, DNA-PKcs-deficient murine macrophages produce reduced levels of IL-18 and are unable to optimally stimulate IFN-γ production by NK cells. Thus, genomic DNA DSBs act as signaling intermediates in murine macrophages, regulating innate immune responses through the initiation of a type I IFN-dependent DDR.
Build Your Brand with Social Media: How to Get Started Using Twitter

Although most people are consumers of social media, few understand how to leverage it to build a brand—whether it is their own brand or a firm's brand. Just as Wal-Mart customers are not experts at marketing the retailer, consumers of social media are not yet skilled at utilizing it from a business-building perspective. This note is designed to help you think about social media from a brand manager's perspective; specifically, you will: (1) learn how to begin building your own social and professional brand; (2) understand the critical link between insight, strategy, and implementation; and (3) gain an appreciation for the difficulty associated with consistently behaving in concert with your desired brand. Excerpt UVA-M-0913 Aug. 26, 2016 Build Your Brand with Social Media: How to Get Started Using Twitter Although most people are consumers of social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat), few understand how to leverage it to build a brand—whether it is their own brand or a firm's brand. Just as Wal-Mart customers are not experts at marketing the retailer, consumers of social media are not yet skilled at utilizing it from a business-building perspective. This note is designed to help you think about social media from a brand manager's perspective; specifically, you will: (1) learn how to begin building your own social and professional brand; (2) understand the critical link between insight, strategy, and implementation; and (3) gain an appreciation for the difficulty associated with consistently behaving in concert with your desired brand (i.e., delivering your brand). The following is an approach to getting started using Twitter, one of the most popular social media platforms for business professionals. To make it easier practice building a brand, the content is focused on implementing your professional brand rather than a company's brand. Besides being the most important brand you will build over the course of your career, having a strong professional brand can benefit you in many ways: . . .
Differential Probing Response of Serpentine Leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess), on Cos Lettuce

Leaf mining damage by serpentine leafminers, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is a major problem of many leafy vegetables especially lettuce. A hierarchy of leaf probing prefere...