cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resolution of symptoms in idiopathic thalamic pain syndrome after implantation of a cervical and thoracic percutaneous spinal cord stimulator.

Background: Thalamic pain syndrome is classically described as chronic pain after an infarct of the thalamus. It leads to a decrease in the quality of life, especially for patients with inadequate treatment. Supportive imaging, such as a thalamic lesion or infarct, is widely accepted as necessary to diagnose this condition. Case Description: In this case report, we describe the case of a patient who developed allodynia and hyperesthesia with a hemibody distribution characteristic of thalamic pain syndrome, despite having no clear inciting event or identifiable thalamic lesion. This patient was successfully treated with cervical and thoracic spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Conclusion: We suggest that this patient may have presented with a non-lesional thalamic pain syndrome, supported by the classic hemibody allodynia and hyperesthesia and the response to SCS. Further, we demonstrate that SCS was an effective method to control this central pain disorder.
The efficacy of omalizumab treatment in chronic spontaneous urticaria is associated with basophil phenotypes.

Background The mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and improvement with omalizumab are incompletely understood. Objectives This study sought to examine whether the rate of clinical remission is concordant with baseline basophil features or the rate of change of IgE-dependent functions of basophils and/or plasmacytoid dendritic cells during omalizumab therapy. Methods Adults (n = 18) with refractory CSU were treated with omalizumab 300 mg monthly for 90 days. Subjects recorded daily urticaria activity scores, and clinical assessments with blood sampling occurred at baseline and on days 1, 3, 6, 10, 20, 30, 60, and 90 following omalizumab. At baseline, subjects were categorized by basophil functional phenotypes, determined by in vitro histamine release (HR) responses to anti-IgE antibody, as CSU-responder (CSU-R) or CSU-non-responder (CSU-NR), as well as basopenic (B) or nonbasopenic (NB). Results CSU-R/NB subjects demonstrated the most rapid and complete symptom improvement. By day 6, CSU-R/NB and CSU-NR/NB had increased anti-IgE–mediated basophil HR relative to baseline, and these shifts did not correlate with symptom improvement. In contrast, CSU-NR/B basophil HR did not change during therapy. The kinetics of the decrease in surface IgE/FceRI was similar in all 3 phenotypic groups and independent of the timing of the clinical response. Likewise, plasmacytoid dendritic cells' surface IgE/FceRI decline and TLR9-induced IFN-α responses did not reflect clinical change. Conclusions Changes in basophil IgE-based HR, surface IgE, or FceRI bear no relationship to the kinetics in the change in clinical symptoms. Baseline basophil count and basophil functional phenotype, as determined by HR, may be predictive of responsiveness to omalizumab.
Begging for Crime? The Effect of State Laws Restricting Access to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families on Unsuccessful Completion of Parole:

Transitioning from prison to the community can pose significant hardships as returning individuals seek to support themselves while searching for work and housing. Temporary Assistance for Needy Fa...
Corporate environmental responsibility motivated by loss aversion

As societal concerns over environmental protection increase, firms begin to face increasing legal obligations to engage in corporate environmental responsibility (CER). Interestingly, however, some...
Molten-Salt Reactor Program Semiannual Progress Report for Period Ending July 31, 1964

Report issued by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory discussing semiannual progress made by the Molten-Salt Reactor Program. Progress of operations, construction, engineering analysis, and development is presented. This report includes tables, illustrations, and photographs.
The Effect of Uncertain Covariance on a Chi-Square Integrity Monitor

This paper presents a method for overbounding integrity risk for chi-square monitors, which detect anomalies by analyzing the two-norm of a vector of input signals. Aircraft navigation examples of chi-square monitors include many Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) algorithms as well as fault-specific detection algorithms in space-based and ground-based augmentation systems for GNSS (e.g., signal deformation monitoring and ionosphere gradient monitoring). Simple inflation of the noise model for the input-data vector does not always ensure conservative bounding, particularly for unfavorable fault cases. To ensure integrity in such fault cases, this paper introduces a conservative modeling approach for replacing a generalized chi-square distribution with a conventional chi-square distribution. This conservative model relies on bracketing the range of variation of the input-data covariance matrix between an upper and a lower bound. Copyright © 2013 Institute of Navigation.
Dynamic simulation of interactive robotic environment

A dynamic simulation package, which can accurately model the interactions between robots and their environment, has been developed. This package creates a virtual environment where various controllers and workcells may be tested. The simulator is divided in two parts: local objects that compute their own dynamic equations of motion, and a global coordinator that resolves interactive forces between objects. This simulator builds upon previous work on dynamic simulation of simple rigid bodies and extends it to correctly model and efficiently compute the dynamics of multi-link robots. >
Hyaluronidase for treatment of intravenous extravasations: Implementation of an evidence‐based guideline in a pediatric population

Purpose To describe the implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based guideline, Hyaluronidase for Treatment of IV Extravasations, in a pediatric population. Conclusions Evidence of hyaluronidase efficacy suggests that timely administration will decrease the severity of tissue damage caused by extravasations, and result in cost savings. Implementation of this guideline increased user knowledge, incident reporting, and initiation of treatment, and decreased the average time to treatment administration. Practice Implications Implementation strategies facilitate integration and sustained use of evidence-based treatments in clinical practice. Processes that promote evidence-based treatment are expected to improve outcomes and are therefore an important component of evaluation.
Design of an Inspection Class Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) have become ever more common in ocean science, military, and industrial applications. In particular, AUVs are becoming a significant option for undersea search and survey. Bottom following, tight turning radius, stability, and elimination of tow cables make AUVs appealing in this role. Recent commercial success has proven that AUVs can be competitive survey platforms. While AUVs that perform surveys have become more common and capable, there are few designed for close inspection tasks. These missions call for an AUV that can move slowly, on the order of 10-15 cm/sec, maneuver equally well in all three dimensions, and maintain a very stable orientation over the seafloor, usually for imaging and production of photo mosaics. The range and endurance requirements of an inspection class AUV are expected to be small compared to an AUV designed to survey large areas. The MIT AUV Lab is actively investigating the design of a new type of underwater vehicle, known as an Inspection Class AUV, for missions such as marine archaeology and fisheries habitat studies. Two new designs have been created, both of which are radical evolutions of existing Odyssey class vehicles. One design takes the proven subcomponents of the Odyssey II, namely the pressure spheres, sensors and actuators, and transfers them to an entirely new mechanical framework. The other design capitalizes on the modular nature of the Odyssey III vehicles and adds new modules that allow an Odyssey III to perform inspection tasks. This paper discusses the details of these new designs, their anticipated performance specifications and lessons learned from deployment of conventional Odyssey vehicles for inspections tasks.
Coronary artery disease in a large renal transplant population: implications for management.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) accounts for approximately one-half of the sizable mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease who have undergone transplantation. The study was a retrospective review of 1460 patients who underwent renal transplantation at the Mount Sinai Medical Center from January 1, 2000 to October 31, 2009. Noninvasive stress testing was performed in 848 patients (88.1%) with 278 patients (32.8%) having abnormal results. Cardiac catheterization was performed in 357 patients (37.1%) and of these, 212 patients had obstructive disease (59.4%). At 5 years posttransplant, there was no statistically significant difference between those with nonobstructive CAD and those who required percutaneous or surgical interventions (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.243; CI 95%, 0.513–3.010; p = 0.630). Those with medically managed obstructive CAD had significantly higher rates of death at the 5-year period when compared to those who received percutaneous intervention (aHR, 3.792; CI 95%, 1.320–10.895; p = 0.013) or those who received coronary artery bypass grafting (aHR, 6.691; CI 95%, 1.200–37.323). Because noninvasive imaging is poorly predictive of coronary disease in this high-risk population, an anatomic diagnosis is recommended. Revascularization may result in improved long-term outcomes.
Domestic military intelligence activities

Whether the threat to national security, and particularly to the American homeland, is greater today than it was three decades ago is, of course, impossible to gauge. But the threat to civil liberties from expanded domestic use of military intelligence is surely greater now than it was then, given advances in technology. The purpose of this chapter is to describe briefly the expanding role of military intelligence in homeland security, to indicate relevant laws and regulations, to point out some possible threats to civil liberties, and to determine, finally, whether America has learned anything in this regard from the lessons of the Church Committee.
Nuclear and extended infrared emission in paired and isolated galaxies.

The empirical connection between gravitational and collisional interactions among galaxies and enhanced activity has been well-documented. However, the physical mechanisms which are responsible for triggering the various forms of activity have not been determined. The author presents the preliminary results of a study of the nuclear and integrated infrared properties of galaxies chosen from the Catalog of Isolated Pairs of Galaxies in the Northern Hemisphere (Karachentsev 1972; hereafter CPG) and the Catalog of Isolated Galaxies (Karachentseva 1973; hereafter KI). Observations of these large, unbiased samples of paired and isolated galaxies are analyzed with the hope of identifying which aspects of galaxy encounters are most closely coupled to the presence of activity.
Critical sedimentation and viscosity studies on crystalline bovine plasma albumin.

Abstract Ultracentrifugal and viscosity studies have been carried out on crystalline bovine plasma albumin at various temperatures using 0.2 M NaCl as solvent. Ultracentrifugal studies on crystalline bovine plasma albumin dissolved in 0.2 M NaCl have been carried out using three different speeds. There would appear to be a progressive increase in the value of the sedimentation constant at zero concentration with increase in temperature. The differences in the intercepts are statistically significant for a difference of ten degrees in temperature. This fact would indicate the failure of the correction formula when the temperature is ten degrees from 20 °C. There is a progressively small decrease in sedimentation constant at zero concentration with an increase in the speed of rotation. Volume intrinsic viscosity was calculated, and from it, by use of the Simha and Perrin equations and the sedimentation constant, assuming the molecule to be a prolate ellipsoid, the molecular weight was found to be 64,500. The diameter and length were found to be 31.22 A. and 152.67 A., respectively. This agrees with values determined by other methods.
Self-calibration of a polyaniline nanowire-based chemiresistive pH sensor

This paper reports on a new method to measure the pH of the solution with repeatability and low hysteresis using a polyaniline nanowire-based chemiresistive sensor. Polyaniline's natural tendency to irreversibly lose its conductivity, especially when frequently exposed in solutions with pH greater than 4, has prevented its advancement as a reusable pH sensor. In the presented method, the polyaniline is electrochemically reduced prior to each measurement in order to reset the doping level of the polymer. Then, the potential of the polyaniline is linearly scanned, from a fully reducing (V"R) to a partially oxidizing (V"0) potential, and the resulting current waveforms are used to determine the pH. Here, we demonstrate that by comparing the current values at V"0, the solution pH in the range 1-3 can be determined, and by comparing the peak values of the current responses from the two consecutive voltage sweep cycles, the pH of the solutions in the range 4-6 can be distinguished. Experimental results show that the proposed technique gives repeatable pH measurements even as the polyaniline nanowires undergo conductivity degradation.
Geochemistry of Kauai volcanics and a mixing model for the origin of Hawaiian alkali basalts

A comprehensive model is developed to explain the major, trace element and strontium and neodymium isotopic characteristics of alkali basalts from Hawaii. The model is similar to that of Chen and Frey (1983) in that it requires mixing of a small melt fraction of MORB-source material with another component to generate the alkalic suite of a particular Hawaiian volcano. It differs from the Chen and Frey model in that the other end-member must be different from primitive mantle if it is to be consistent with both trace element and isotopic data. Alkali basalts and tholeiites from Kauai analyzed in this study show a nearly complete transition in Sr and Nd isotopes. There is a relatively well-constrained array on a Nd-Sr isotope correlation plot that can be explained by two-component mixing of Kauai tholeiite magma and a small amount of melt of East Pacific Rise source rock. After corrections are made for fractional crystallization (involving primarily clinopyroxene and olivine), the Sr and Ba concentrations of Kauai lavas plot along mixing curves defined by the above sources, providing positive tests of the mixing hypothesis. Implications of this model are: (1) the main source of Hawaiian shield-building tholeiites is a mixture of subducted crust, primitive mantle and depleted asthenosphere that has been homogenized prior to melting, (2) early alkalic volcanism (as at Loihi seamount) will be characterized by greater isotopic heterogeneity than will late-stage alkali basalt production, and (3) there are two fundamentally distinct types of alkalic lavas erupted towards the end of magmatism at a given Hawaiian volcano. One represents smaller degrees of melting of the same source that generated shield-building tholeiites (Kohala-type); the other derives from the mixed source discussed in this paper (Haleakala-, Kauai-type).
Enhanced Two-Stage Reactive Polymer Network Forming Systems.

Abstract In this study, we develop thiol/acrylate two-stage reactive network forming polymer systems that exhibit two distinct and orthogonal stages of curing. Using a thiol-acrylate system with excess acrylate functional groups, a first stage polymer network is formed via a 1 to 1 stoichiometric thiol-acrylate Michael addition reaction (stage 1). At a later point in time, the excess acrylate functional groups are homopolymerized via a photoinitiated free radical polymerization to form a second stage polymer network (stage 2). By varying the monomers within the system as well as the stoichiometery of the thiol to acrylate functional groups, we demonstrate the ability of the two-stage polymer network forming systems to encompass a wide range of properties at the end of both the stage 1 and stage 2 polymerizations. Using urethane di- and hexa-acrylates within the formulations led to two-stage reactive polymeric systems with stage 1 T g s that ranged from −12 to 30° C. The systems were then photocured, upon which the T g of the systems increases by up to 90°C while also achieving a nearly 20 fold modulus increase.
Utilizing multidimensional loop parallelism on large scale parallel processor systems

Program parallelism and processor allocation issues for parallel processor systems are discussed. Optimal processor assignment algorithms are presented for simple and complex nested parallel loops. These processor assignment schemes can be used by the compiler to perform static processor allocation to multiply nested parallel loops. Speedup measurements for EISPACK and IEEE DSP subroutines that result from the optimal assignment of processors to parallel loops are also presented. These measurements indicate that optimal processor assignments result in almost linear speedups on parallel processor machines with a few tens of processes and significantly high speedups for machines with hundreds or thousands of processors. >
Endoscopic ultrasonography compared with computed tomography with ERCP in patients with obstructive jaundice or small peri-pancreatic mass

Pre-operative assessment of a potentially resectable peri-pancreatic mass by computed tomography (CT) is widely used, but often of limited value for lesions less than 5 cm. ERCP is frequently used to evaluate those patients with associated obstructive jaundice. To determine the clinical effectiveness of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), patients with pancreatobiliary lesions of less than 5 cm with or without obstructive jaundice were evaluated. CT scan, ERCP, and EUS were performed on 60 patients with a peri-pancreatic mass and/or obstructive jaundice. The results of the examinations were compared with respect to detection of an abnormality, diagnosis, and prediction of resectability. ERCP and EUS were the most sensitive and specific in detecting an abnormality of the pancreatobiliary system. The accuracy of EUS compared with the accuracy of the combination of CT scan with ERCP was significantly higher for the evaluation of the specific type and extent of pancreatobiliary disease (73% vs. 30%, p
Partially affine invariant training using dense transform matrices

The concept of equivalent networks is reviewed as a method for testing algorithms for affine invariance. Partial affine invariance is defined and introduced to first order training through the development of linear transforms of the hidden layer's net function vector. The resulting two-step training algorithm has convergence properties that are comparable to Levenberg-Marquardt, but with fewer multiplies per iteration.
The Durability of Relaxation Training in Pediatric Headache Management

The long-term effects of relaxation training for pediatric headache disorders was determined for all four original participants from a multiple baseline across subjects design. Long-term follow-up data were collected at a mean of 81 months post-treatment.All participants reported some increases in headache activity from 12-month to long-term follow-up, but at relatively low levels compared with baseline. Headache-free days were 51% to 86% fewer. Headache severity was 81% to 94% better, and headache duration was 75% to 94% better than baseline levels. Medication used was limited to over-the-counter analgesics on an as-needed basis for all subjects.Three subjects (75%) stated that they would recommend relaxation training to other individuals experiencing headaches. The results of this study support the conclusion that relaxation training is an effective longterm treatment for migraine, tension, and mixed headache disorders originating in childhood or adolescence.
Critical evaluation of biomechanical stability of craniovertebral junction realignment based on an experimental study.

I e P osterior fixation techniques of atlantoaxial joints have greatly advanced since C1 lateral mass–C2 pedicle screw fixation was introduced by Goel and Harms (2, 3, 4). Daniel et al. eported an excellent experimental study on biomechanical stability f posterior-alone fixation technique following three kinds of cranioertebral realignment using flesh human cadavers. The study roved reliable biomechanical stability on flexion-extension, lateral ending, and axial rotation loading in stand-alone spacers in the tlantoaxial joint, combined with C1 lateral mass screw–C2 pedicle crew fixation and again combined with midline wiring construct.
S07-02 - Maternal perinatal depression: impact on infant emotion regulation and later toddler behavior problems

Introduction Pre-and Post-natal maternal stress and/or psychopathology can have negative effects on infant temperament and later toddler behavior (Buitelaar, Huizink, Mulder, Robles de Medina, & Visser, 2003; Gutteling et al., 2005; Whitaker, Orzol, & Kahn, 2006). Infant temperamental difficulties, such as shyness or emotional lability, have been associated with later behaviors problems as children develop (Olson, Bates, Sandy, & Lanthier, 2000; Olson, Bates, Sandy, & Schilling, 2002). In particular, infant emotionality and emotional reactivity has been suggested as an early precursor to externalizing problems in children (Crockenberg, 2005). Objectives/aims The goal of this research study is to explore the links and potential pathways between maternal perinatal depression and adverse infant and toddler behavior problems. Methods The present study utilizes data from a high-risk community sample and explores the links between maternal stress and depression during pregnancy and postpartum predicting to their infants’ emotion regulation problems at 7 months of age. On a smaller subset we further explore the associations between early emotion regulation problems and subsequent development of pre-school behavior problems. Results We found that both maternal postpartum depression and problematic bonding uniquely predict problematic infant temperament at 7-months, and that in turn, infant emotion regulation problems were predictive of higher scores of toddler behavior problems 12 months later. Conclusions Our preliminary data confirms that infant emotionality (in the context of maternal psychopathology and problematic bonding) may be an early precursor to the development of later toddler behavior problems.
Electrophysiological alterations in subthalamic neurons after unilateral dopamine depletion in the rat.

The present study examined the effects of unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) on electrophysiological properties of subthalamic neurons (STN) in adult rats. Most neurons displayed regular spontaneous tonic firing patterns in both control and lesioned animals; however, the percentage of neurons with spontaneous burst firing at hyperpolarized membrane potentials was increased significantly in lesioned animals compared with controls (45% vs. 14% respectively). In the presence of bicuculline, a γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor antagonist, electrical stimulation of the internal capsule produced monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in almost all recorded neurons. DA (50 μM) increased the amplitude and/or duration of the EPSPs in neurons from both groups, whereas the DA D1 receptor agonist SKF 81297 (10 μM) produced a significant increase in amplitude and/or duration of EPSPs in neurons from the lesioned group only. This latter increase was blocked by pretreatment with the DA D1 antagonist SCH 23390 (10 μM). These data suggest that unilateral degeneration of DA neurons in the SNc changes firing properties and enhances electrophysiological responsiveness of STN neurons to activation of DA D1 receptors. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Autosomal recessive gingival hyperplasia and dental anomalies caused by a 29-base pair duplication in the FAM20A gene.

Autosomal recessive gingival hyperplasia and dental anomalies caused by a 29-base pair duplication in the FAM20A gene
Molecular dynamics study of gating in the mechanosensitive channel of small conductance MscS

Mechanosensitive channels are a class of ubiquitous membrane proteins gated by mechanical strain in the cellular membrane. MscS, the mechanosensitive channel of small conductance, is found in the inner membrane of Escherichia coli and its crystallographic structure in an open form has been recently solved. By means of molecular dynamics simulations we studied the stability of the channel conformation suggested by crystallography in a fully solvated lipid (POPC) bilayer, the combined system encompassing 224,340 atoms. When restraining the backbone of the protein, the channel remained in the open form and the simulation revealed intermittent permeation of water molecules through the channel. Abolishing the restraints under constant pressure conditions led to spontaneous closure of the transmembrane channel, whereas abolishing the restraints when surface tension (20 dyn/cm) was applied led to channel widening. The large balloon-shaped cytoplasmic domain of MscS exhibited spontaneous diffusion of ions through its side openings. Interaction between the transmembrane domain and the cytoplasmic domain of MscS was observed and involved formation of salt bridges between residues Asp62 and Arg128; this interaction may be essential for the gating of MscS. K+ and Cl− ions showed distinctively different distributions in and around the channel.
One-dimensional CO island formation in the coadsorption of H2 and CO on the steps of Pt(112)

Abstract The interaction of coadsorbed CO and H 2 on the steps of Pt(112) [Pt(S)[3(111)×(001)]] was examined by digital electron-stimulated desorption ion angular distribution (ESDIAD), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). On the clean surface, CO and H 2 both adsorb preferentially on step sites at low coverages; CO at stop sites on the step edge and H 2 , as atoms, in the step 4-fold sites. For pure CO adsorption, an ordered (2× n ) structure of step CO is observed at 0.19 ML (atop step sites half filled), and at least two CO structural transformations occur as the step sites fill further. These structural transformations, due to COCO repulsions, involve the production of tilted CO species whose tilt directions are related to the local CO coverage in one-dimensional chains of CO on the step edges. The structural transformations described above for pure CO layers on the step edges can also be produced by coadsorption of hydrogen on the (2× n ) step CO structure. The CO structural transformations in the coadsorbed system are driven by H adsorption, due to the formation of immiscible one-dimensional CO and H islands at the steps. Similar results are observed for low coverages of CO adsorbed on the H atom saturated surface.
Effects of Prohibition in Arkansas Counties

Previous research has implied that alcohol availability affects the frequency of alcohol-related crashes. This study uses multiple regression analysis to examine the influence of county-level alcohol control policies on drug- and alcohol-related arrest rates and related incidents in Arkansas. The research controls for such other county level variables that might affect alcohol related crashes as the number of law enforcement officers, median income, and population density. Findings suggest that prohibition policies do not play a systematic and significant role in reducing arrests and accidents. Further, the number of police officers per 1,000 residents is a more potent determinant of both adult and juvenile alcohol and drug arrest rates. Controlling access to alcohol may even have counterintuitive effects on behavior.
Distinguishing mangrove species with laboratory measurements of hyperspectral leaf reflectance

As a first step in developing classification procedures for remotely acquired hyperspectral mapping of mangrove canopies, we conducted a laboratory study of mangrove leaf spectral reflectance at a study site on the Caribbean coast of Panama, where the mangrove forest canopy is dominated by Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, and Rhizophora mangle. Using a high-resolution spectrometer, we measured the reflectance of leaves collected from replicate trees of three mangrove species growing in productive and physiologically stressful habitats. The reflectance data were analysed in the following ways. First, a one-way ANOVA was performed to identify bands that exhibited significant differences (P value<0.01) in the mean reflectance across tree species. The selected bands then formed the basis for a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) that classified the three types of mangrove leaves. The contribution of each narrow band to the classification was assessed by the absolute value of standardised coefficients associated with each discriminant function. Finally, to investigate the capability of hyperspectral data to diagnose the stress condition across the three mangrove species, four narrow band ratios (R 695/R 420, R 605/R 760, R 695/R 760, and R 710/R 760 where R 695 represents reflectance at wavelength of 695nm, and so on) were calculated and compared between stressed and non-stressed tree leaves using ANOVA. Results indicate a good discrimination was achieved with an average kappa value of 0.9. Wavebands at 780, 790, 800, 1480, 1530, and 1550 nm were identified as the most useful bands for mangrove species classification. At least one of the four reflectance ratio indices proved useful in detecting stress associated with any of the three mangrove species. Overall, hyperspectral data appear to have great potential for discriminating mangrove canopies of differing species composition and for detecting stress in mangrove vegetation.
Design, synthesis, and evaluation of dioxane-based antiviral agents targeted against the sindbis virus capsid protein

Dioxane-based antiviral agents targeted to the hydrophobic binding pocket of Sindbis virus capsid protein were designed by computer graphics molecular modeling and synthesized. Virus production using SIN-IRES-Luc and capsid assembly were monitored to evaluate antiviral activity. A compound with a three-carbon linker chain connecting two dioxane moieties inhibited virus production by 50% at a concentration of 40 microM, while (R)-hydroxymethyldioxane inhibited virus production by 50% at a concentration of 1 microM. Both compounds were not cytotoxic in uninfected BHK cells at concentrations of 1mM.
A 45-nm SOI CMOS Integrate-and-Dump Optical Sampling Receiver

An integrate-and-dump receiver based on an active feedback integrator is demonstrated in a 45-nm SOI CMOS process. The integrate-and-dump receiver provides matched filtering for non-return-to-zero, return-to-zero, and pulse amplitude modulation digital modulation formats, resulting in high SINAD as well as inherent anti-aliasing/low-pass filtering for a 2 GS/s high linearity/high-dynamic-range optical sampling receiver. The measured SINAD is greater than 28 dBc with a sinusoidal input up to 1 GHz; the SNR is greater than 29 dBc. The 2-GS/s integrate-and-dump receiver consumes less than 100 mW. The chip area is 0.980×0.762 mm2 including the pads.
Measurement of the radiance temperature (at 655 nm) of melting graphite near its triple point by a pulse-heating technique

Measurements of the radiance temperature of graphite at 655 nm have been performed in the vicinity of its triple point by means of a rapid pulse-heating technique. The method is based on resistively heating the specimen in a pressurized gas environment from room temperature to its melting point in less than 20 ms by passing an electrical current pulse through it and simultaneously measuring the radiance temperature of the specimen surface every 120 μs by means of a high-speed pyrometer. Results of experiments performed on two different grades of POCO graphite (AXM-5Q1 and DFP-1) at gas pressures of 14 and 20 MPa are in good agreement and yield a value of 4330±50 K for the radiance (or brightness) temperature (at 655 nm) of melting graphite near its triple point (triple-point pressure, ∼ 10 MPa). An estimate of the true (blackbody) temperature at the triple point is made on the basis of this result and literature data on the normal spectral emittance of graphite.
Pathogen-Sensing, Regulatory T Cells, and Responsiveness-Tuning Collectively Regulate Foreign- and Self-Antigen Mediated T-Cell Responses

The concept that induction of T-cell-dependent immune responses requires both T-cell recognition of an epitope and recognition by the innate immune system of pathogen-associated molecular patterns needs to be extended to include the contribution of regulatory T cells and of responsiveness-tuning. Here we develop the hypothesis that both pathogen sensing and regulatory T cells act on antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) to determine whether the DCs will be competent to activate T cells with cognate receptors. Tregs that recognize self-peptide/major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) on the DC in question will serve to inactivate that DC, whereas sensing of pathogens or innate "danger" signals by the DC will oppose the action of the Tregs. The responsiveness of the T-cell compartment is further controlled by activation-threshold tuning in which responsiveness is adjusted to the strength of recurrent stimulation of T cells by self-peptide/MHCs in the periphery. Thus, a robust T-cell response depends on T-cell recognition of a peptide/MHC presented by a competent DC, competence depending on interactions with Tregs and the degree of innate stimulation through pathogen sensing, and on a combined TCR and accessory-signaling strength of stimulation that exceeds the activation threshold of the T cells, determined by its responsiveness tuning.
Conserved cysteines in the sialyltransferase sialylmotifs form an essential disulfide bond.

The sialyltransferase gene family is comprised of 16 cloned enzymes. All members contain two conserved protein domains, termed the S- and L-sialylmotifs, that participate in substrate binding. Of only six invariant amino acids, two are cysteines, with one found in each sialylmotif. Although the recombinant soluble form of ST6Gal I has six cysteines, quantitative analysis indicated the presence of only one disulfide linkage, and thiol reducing agents dithiothreitol and β-mercaptoethanol inactivated the enzyme. Analysis of site-directed mutants showed that alanine or serine mutants of invariant Cys181 or Cys332 exhibit no detectable activity, either by direct assay or by staining of the transfected cells with Sambucus nigra agglutinin, which recognizes the product NeuAcα2,6Galβ1,4GlcNAc on glycoproteins. In contrast, alanine mutations of charged residues adjacent to either cysteine showed little or no effect on enzyme activity. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that although the wild type sialyltransferase is properly localized in the Golgi apparatus, the inactive cysteine mutants are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. The results suggest that the invariant cysteine residues in the L- and S-sialylmotifs participate in the formation of an intradisulfide linkage that is essential for proper conformation and activity of ST6Gal I.
Extraction of arsenic from soil digests with dithiocarbamates for ICP‐AES analysis

Abstract Arsenic (III) in soil digests can be quantitatively extracted with pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate into chloroform at pH 1. The organic bound arsenic in chloroform can be back‐extracted into a 25% nitric acid solution for instrumental analysis. For total arsenic determination, arsenic (V) in soil digests must be reduced to arsenic (III) by sodium thiosulfate prior to the extraction. The proposed extraction eliminates matrix interferences so that reliable data of arsenic in soil digests can be obtained using ICP‐AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Atomic Emission Spectroscopy). The accuracy of the method has been tested by analyzing arsenic in two different standard reference materials.
Cloning and analysis of the promoter activity of the human prostatic acid phosphatase gene.

Abstract Human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) has been proposed to be a prostate-epithelium differentiation antigen and its expression can be regulated by androgen. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism at the molecular level is not completely understood. In this communication, we demonstrated the tissue-specific expression of PAP in the normal prostate epithelium. Furthermore, results of nuclear run-on experiments indicated that androgen could regulate the transcriptional rate of the PAP gene. This mode of regulation was modulated by cell density. To investigate the transcriptional regulation, we cloned and characterized a 1.4- kilobase (kb) fragment of DNA that flanks the 5′ region of the PAP gene from LNCaP human prostate carcinoma cells. The results demonstrated that this 1.4-kb DNA fragment can drive a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene expression in LNCaP cells. Also, the promoter activity was inversely correlated with the growth of those cells.
Molecular Modeling of the Antitumor Agents Azinomycins A and B: Force-Field Parametrization and DNA Cross-Linking-Based Filtering

We describe a molecular modeling study on the DNA cross-linking agents azinomycins A and B. Analysis of five force fields and development of a new set of parameters were performed using ab initio c...
Differential metabolism of benzo[α]pyrene in vitro by human placental tissues exposed to active maternal cigarette smoke

OBJECTIVES: Generation of different metabolites and DNA-adduct(s) of metabolites of benzo[α]pyrene (B[α]P) in vitro by placental tissues (microsomes) of mothers who actively smoked cigarettes (tobacco) and those who did not smoke were analyzed to determine the variability in metabolism of the B[α]P substrate among individual placental samples. METHODS: Overall B[α]P metabolism was assayed by alkaline aqueous extraction of metabolites, and reactive metabolites by DNA adducts of B[α]P-metabolites produced by salmon sperm DNA added to the incubation mixtures of the substrate and microsomes of exposed- and unexposed-placentas to maternal cigarette smoke. Array of B[α]P-metabolites produced by the same incubations were identified by high pressure liquid chromatography of the aqueous extracts. RESULTS: Subsets of smoke-exposed placentas assessed by cluster analysis had augmented metabolic activity, others did not respond to smoke exposure. CYP1A1 expression in trophoblast cells analyzed by immunohistochemistry did not correlate with smoke exposure. The DNA-adducts generated was variable, regardless of verbally reported levels of maternal exposure. The amounts of different B[α]P-metabolites produced by individual samples matched for similar levels of exposure during pregnancy by self-reported smoking (1 pack/day) were also not comparable. Metabolism of B[α]P into different metabolites, and production of toxic DNA adducts from metabolites in vitro by human placenta were variable and unrelated to the extent of smoke exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic characteristic of human placenta for xenobiotic exposure substrates is based on the expression and function of diverse enzymes, and such metabolism exhibited inter-individual variation for toxic metabolite production or detoxification of the substrates in response to maternal smoke exposure. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 80:49–56, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Picture Book Power: Connecting Children's Literature and Mathematics

There once lived a wolf who loved to eat more than anything else in the world. As soon as he finished one meal, he began to think of the next. One day the wolf got a terrible craving for chicken stew. (Kasza, 16-996, n.p.) The author's experiences in using children's literature to engage her students in mathematics are described in this article. Using the book The Wolf's Chicken Stew, the author's class participated in an interactive read-aloud, graphed favorite foods from the story, and finally followed a recipe to bake chocolate chip cookies. Reasons for making the literature/math connection with students are explored. Additional pieces of children's literature, both those with and without specific math content, are presented and examples of possible mathematics learning experiences are described. Steps teachers might take in helping children make literature/math connections are offered. They include choosing appropriate pieces of children's literature for read-alouds, helping students actively make mathematics connections to those books, and providing authentic hands-on exploration of literature/math connections.
Efficient Spare Allocation for Reconfigurable Arrays

Yield degradation from physical failures in large memories and processor arrays is of significant concern to semiconductor manufacturers. One method of increasing the yield for iterated arrays of memory cells or processing elements is to incorporate spare rows and columns in the die or wafer. These spare rows and columns can then be programmed into the array. The authors discuss the use of CAD approaches to reconfigure such arrays. The complexity of optimal reconfiguration is shown to be NP-complete. The authors present two algorithms for spare allocation that are based on graph-theoretic analysis. The first uses a branch-and-bound approach with early screening based on bipartite graph matching. The second is an efficient polynomial time-approximation algorithm. In contrast to existing greedy and exhaustive search algorithms, these algorithms provide highly efficient and flexible reconfiguration analysis.
GaAs Microdisks Cavities for Second-Harmonic Generation

We experimentally investigate quasi-phasematched, second-harmonic generation (SHG) in GaAs microdisks. We predict 0.1% conversion efficiency using 1 mW pump through doubly resonant SHG.
THIOBARBITURIC ACID VALUES OF FRESH BEEF ROASTS COOKED WITH VARIOUS FOODSERVICE OVEN METHODS

Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values of eight types of subprimal cuts were examined across a wide range of foodservice cooking methods and external fat thickness levels to evaluate factors affecting the accumulation of TBA-reactive substances (a measure of oxidative rancidity) in foodservice beef. Fat trim level did not affect TBA values in cooked roasts. Postmortem storage time did not change ribeye or gooseneck TBA values (P > 0.05), the only roast-types to which that postmortem-treatment was applied. Lower internal temperature endpoints resulted in higher TBA values (P < 0.05). A slow cooking rate slightly increased (P < 0.05) TBA values in shoulder clods, ribeye rolls, top rounds, and gooseneck rounds. Longer post-cooking holding periods (either 3 or 8 h at 54.5C) generally resulted in higher TBA values (P < 0.05), while roasts held for 1 h had lower values. However, all mean TBA values were below. 6.
Hemodynamic considerations regarding the mechanism and prevention of aortic dissection.

Abstract We describe the hemodynamic principles that we postulate are responsible for the development of aortic dissection. Two types are differentiated: the "hypertensive" and the "Marfan" types. The former is characterized by moderate aortic dilatation and considerable blood pressure elevation, the latter by considerable aortic dilatation only. The role of wall stress in the development of the intimal tear and the propagation of the process of dissection are discussed. We recommend that patients who are at high risk for developing aortic dissection—those with Marfan's syndrome and dilated aortas—should undergo aortoplasty and wall reinforcement as a simple, safe, and effective way to prevent aortic dissection.
Identifying Control and Management Plane Poison Message Failure by K-Nearest Neighbor Method

Poison message failure is a mechanism that has been responsible for large-scale failures in both telecommunications and IP networks. The poison message failure can propagate in the network and cause unstable network. In this paper, we apply machine learning, data mining technique in network fault management area. We use k-nearest neighbor method to identify the poison message failure. Also we integrate the k-nearest neighbor method with message filtering approach. We also propose a "probabilistic" k-nearest neighbor method that outputs a probability distribution (rather than the identity) of the poison message. Through extensive simulations, we show that k-nearest neighbor method is very effective in identifying the responsible message type.
Lumbar spinal fusion. Surgical rates, costs, and complications.

Study design Literature review. Objectives To assess the frequency of lumbar fusion procedures in the United States; changes in the incidence of fusion in the past 12 years; variations in fusion procedure rates among geographic regions of the nation and between the United States and other countries; costs of lumbar fusion; and rates of infrequent outcomes, which are best estimated from administrative data, including complications and deaths. Summary of background data Several recent analyses have shown that lumbar spine fusion procedures are done more frequently and are associated with increased costs and rates of complications. Methods Qualitative review of the literature on frequency, costs, and complications of lumbar fusion. Results and conclusions The rates of lumbar fusion procedures are increasing rapidly, particularly for lumbar spinal stenosis in older patients. Fusion rates appear to vary markedly among individual surgeons, among small and large geographic regions in the nation, and between the United States and England. These variations are considerably more dramatic than variations in rates of lumbar discectomy. Fusion for spinal stenosis with spondylolisthesis is, as expected, associated with higher costs and complication rates than is decompressive surgery for this indication without fusion. Fusion rates are increasing rapidly and show dramatic geographic variations, suggesting differences in opinion within the surgical community regarding the appropriate indications for lumbar fusion. Studies are needed to determine whether the frequency, costs, and complications of lumbar fusion are justified by clinical benefits.
End users’ trust in data repositories: definition and influences on trust development

While repositories’ efforts to build trustworthy digital repositories (TDRs) led to the establishment of ISO standards, much less research has been done regarding the user’s side, despite calls for an understanding of users’ trust of TDRs. In order to learn about users’ perspectives on trust in digital repositories, the present study investigated users’ definitions of trust and factors that influence users’ trust development, particularly addressing the users of three data repositories in the United States. A total of 19 participants were interviewed in this study. The results of this study indicate that users’ definition of trust is largely based on a lack of deception, when it comes down to the specific context of data repositories. Regarding factors influencing the development of users’ trust in repositories, organizational attributes, user communities (recommendations and frequent use), past experiences, repository processes (documentation, data cleaning, and quality checking), and users’ perception of the repository roles were identified.