cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flexible working memory representation of the relationship between an object and its location as revealed by interactions with attention

Working memory (WM) selectively maintains a limited amount of currently relevant information in an active state to influence future perceptual processing, thought, and behavior. The representation of the information held in WM is unknown, particularly the degree of separation between the representation of an object’s identity and its location. The present experiments examined the flexibility of object and location WM representations by measuring reaction times on a visual discrimination task during the delay period of a WM recognition task for object identities, locations, or both. The results demonstrate that during WM delay periods, attention is biased toward information that matches the current contents of WM. Attention is not biased toward information that was present in the encoded memory sample but not relevant for the memory recognition test. This specificity of the interaction between WM and attention applies to both the identity and the location of the remembered stimulus and to the relationship between an object and its location. The results suggest that when this relationship is necessary for task performance, WM represents an object and its identity in an integrated manner. However, if this relationship is not task relevant, the object and location information are represented in WM separately.
International population policy

The author reviews the successes and failures of the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo Egypt in September 1994. He suggests that the conference missed the opportunity to focus on the seriousness of global population trends by allowing itself to be diverted to consideration of such topics as the empowerment of women and reproductive health concerns. "The good news from Cairo is the promise of a significant infusion of money into the field; however a third of that is slated for womens reproductive health and HIV/AIDS-prevention programs. The conference was a resounding success for the advocates of womens reproductive health but a disappointment to many concerned about population growth. And the two are not synonymous." (EXCERPT)
Three-Dimensional Beam-Columns

This chapter is concerned with the application of the perturbation method to the continuous problem of a three-dimensional beam. The reason for doing so is quite simple. It is now common to use the so-called beam-column equations to generate the element stiffness for plane frames. The question is then what should be done in the case of three-dimensional frames. This chapter suggests that if “beam-columns” are used in plane frames then “three-dimensional beam-columns” should be used in space frames. Just what is to be included in three-dimensional beam-columns is the subject of this chapter. The use of two-dimensional beam-columns has already been discussed above in Chapter 1 and Appendix 1. The derivation of the well-known beam-column equations using the methods of this section is discussed in Appendix 4.
Patient Selection for Therapy in Prostate Cancer

Abstract The two major challenges in prostate cancer today are biochemical failure and hormone-refractory disease. Biochemical failure, manifested by a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level following failure of local therapy, is the most common presentation of advanced prostate cancer. Hormonal therapy can produce dramatic but short-lived response rates in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, while chemotherapy possesses the ability to induce significant response rates in refractory disease. Clinicians agree that patients with symptomatic advanced prostate cancer should receive immediate androgen ablation therapy; however, there is debate regarding treatment for asymptomatic patients with advanced disease. While there is no clear evidence to support the widespread use of aggressive interventions such as hormonal therapy with or without chemotherapy in men with biochemical failure, there are a number of studies indicating that early hormonal therapy may prolong the time to disease progression and survival for some patients, with this benefit being more pronounced in men with less tumor burden. Numerous questions remain for patients with advanced prostate cancer regarding optimal therapy, and until these questions are answered, the use of early hormonal therapy with or without chemotherapy for the management of locally advanced and metastatic disease is warranted.
Moisture diffusion and hygrothermal aging in bismaleimide matrix carbon fiber composites-part I: uni-weave composites

Abstract Moisture diffusion and hygrothermal aging in uni-weave bismaleimide composites were systematically studied in this research. The moisture weight gain curves of the composites were compared with those of the neat resin in order to determine the interface effect on moisture absorption. Both the neat resin and composites display similar two-stage diffusion behavior, with the first and second stages being diffusion- and relaxation-controlled, respectively. When the diffusivities of the composites were compared to theoretical predications of an appropriate mathematical model, it is found that the fiber-matrix interface has little effect on the short term moisture diffusion. However, the long term absorption is suppressed in the composites. The rigid fiber–matrix interface seems to constrain long-range segmental motions of the matrix and in so doing reduce water absorption in the relaxation-controlled second stage. Although the fiber–matrix bonding is initially very strong, prolonged water absorption at elevated temperatures eventually damage the interface and causes interfacial cracking.
Employment pathways in a large cohort of adult cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND Employment and work-related disability were investigated in a cohort of adult cancer survivors who were working when they were diagnosed from 1997 to 1999 with a variety of cancers. Employment from the time of diagnosis through the early years of survivorship was studied, self-reported effects of cancer survival on disability and employment were quantified, and risk factors associated with cancer-related disability and withdrawal from employment were identified. METHODS One thousand four hundred thirty-three cancer survivors were interviewed by telephone from 1 year to nearly 5 years after diagnosis. They were asked retrospectively about employment from the time of diagnosis to follow-up and about work-related disability at follow-up. They also were asked whether disabilities or reasons for quitting work were cancer-related. Return to work and quitting work were projected over time in a life-table analysis. Risk factors were identified from logit analyses. RESULTS One of five survivors reported cancer-related disabilities at follow-up. Half of those with disabilities were working. A projected 13% of all survivors had quit working for cancer-related reasons within 4 years of diagnosis. More than half of survivors quit working after the first year, when three-quarters of those who stopped for treatment returned to work. Survivors of central nervous system, head and neck, and Stage IV blood and lymph malignancies had the highest adjusted risk of disability or quitting work. CONCLUSIONS Cancer survival sometimes has long-term effects on employment and the ability to work. Employment outcomes can be improved with innovations in treatment and with clinical and supportive services aimed at better management of symptoms, rehabilitation, and accommodation of disabilities. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Phase transitions in fatty acid monolayers containing a single double bond in the fatty acid tail

Abstract The effect on π-A isotherms of introducing a single double bond (trans) into the tail of a fatty acid has been studied. When the double bond is introduced at the 11 position the monolayer becomes liquid expanded. Moving the trans double bond to the 6 position (nearer the carboxyl head group) in the fatty acid tail yields monolayers that show a sharp discontinuity in the slope of the π-A isotherms. A careful study of the equilibrium state of the monolayer was made. It was found that above the equilibrium spreading pressure (πe) the film is unstable while below πe the film is stable. The surface pressure for the discontinuity in the π-A curve (πt) is compared with πe. When πt > πe the sharp discontinuity in the slope of the π-A curve disappears. Both solvent spread and crystal spread films were examined.
Investigation of the role of the rho-meson exchange in spin-isospin strength distribution effects in a finite nucleus

We present a unified study of the role of the rho-exchange interaction in spin-isospin strength distribution effects in a finite nuclear system. We study both the longitudinal (sigma-arrow-rightxqtau/sub lambda/, where q is the momentum transfer to the nucleus) and the transverse (sigma-arrow-right x qtau/sub lambda/) spin channels for a large range of momentum transfer (qapprox.0--600 MeV/c). We examine a number of effective rho-coupling schemes used in the literature. Using the finite-nucleus formalism of Toki and Weise, we examine in detail the response function in the presence of the rho-meson exchange term. The renormalization of matrix elements of spin-isospin sensitive probes is given for the J/sup P/ = 1/sup +/, T = 1 level of /sup 12/C. We analyze the results, gaining some insight into the nature of the longitudinal versus transverse channels and into approximations suggested in the past for handling finite-nucleus calculations. A comparison with local density approximation and infinite nuclear matter with a constant density results is presented for a variety of cases.
TU-G-103-09: Measurement of Planar Average Equilibrium Dose of CT

Purpose: The planar average equilibrium dose of CT is measured using the methodology suggested by AAPM report No. 111, and compared with the traditional weighted average estimate and the new proposed equal weighted average estimate. Methods: The study used a 320 slices Toshiba Aquilion ONE scanner, three CTDI body phantoms with total length of 46.5 cm (two of them are nested 3 piece CTDI phantoms with diameters of 10, 16, and 32 cm for each piece), a Radcal Accu‐Pro electrometer, and a Radcal 0.6 cc farmer chamber. In the helical mode (120 kVp, 200 mAs, nominal beam width 0.5×16 mm, pitch 0.938), we measured the cumulative dose DL(z=0) at the center of the phantoms and 12 clock position at radius of 4, 7, and 15 cm from the center, for scan length L=100, 200, 300, and 400 mm. The procedure was repeated for pitch setting of 0.641 and 1.438 and nominal beam width of 0.5×160 mm and 0.5×64 mm at L=400 mm. Results: The data obtained at four scan lengths were fit to estimate the equilibrium Dose (Deq) at radius of 0, 4, 7 and 15 cm from the phantom center. Three models (linear, quadratic, and exponential) were then used to fit DL(z=0) and Deq as a function of radius to phantom center for various scan length, pitch, and beam width combinations. We calculated the planar average cumulative (and equilibrium) dose using the above models and compared the results with the traditional weighted average estimate (Dcenter/3+2Dedge/3) and the new proposed equal weighted average estimate (Dcenter/2+Dedge/2). The planar average dose differs from the traditional weighted estimate within 2%, and equal weighted estimate within 10%. Conclusion: The traditional weighted average method provides a more accurate estimate to the CT planar average equilibrium dose than the proposed equal weighted average method.
Conceptual design for a deformable mirror for use with X-ray sources

High-energy beams of X-rays used in studies of molecular structure typically have imperfect wavefront quality. Improved point-spread functions can in principle be made by adjustment of a deformable mirror (DM) in the beam train. Conventional DMs are unsuitable because they are not intended for use at the necessary grazing incidence angles, and the optical surface is not sufficiently stable. We describe the conceptual design for a new DM that addresses the requirements of this application. Our design draws on successful strategies employed in the adaptive secondary mirrors at the MMT and LBT telescopes, including the use of voice-coil actuators with collocated capacitive position sensors.
Dopaminergic modulation of excitotoxicity in rat striatum: evidence from nigrostriatal lesions.

Considerable evidence indicates that dopamine may, under certain circumstances, play a role in the mediation of central nervous system tissue damage. Furthermore, recent studies suggest a synergistic role between the neurotoxic effects of excitatory amino acids and dopamine. To address this issue, rats received a unilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine or vehicle into the medial forebrain bundle. After recovery (18 days), both groups of animals received an ibotenic acid injection of the ipsilateral striatum. Seven days later the brains were removed and the size of the striatal lesion was assessed histologically and by means of receptor autoradiography. Regional analysis of profound D1 receptor loss was determined using [3H]SCH 23390, and extent of astrocytic proliferation was examined using autoradiography with the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligand [3H]R05-4864. Prior interruption of the nigrostriatal pathway (resulting in dopaminergic denervation of the ipsilateral striatum) partially protected this latter structure from subsequent injection of ibotenic acid (the extent of the lesion was reduced by 28%, P less than .05). The findings indicate that endogenous dopamine release may modulate (and intensify) the excitotoxic effects of ibotenic acid.
Assessment of Ecosystem Photosynthetic Parameters along Two California Climate Gradients

Improving coupled Earth system models of current and future climate requires robust observations that accurately provide parameters and observations for evaluation across spatial scales relevant for the model. Photosynthetic parameters Vc max and J max help to characterize the ability of vegetation to assimilate carbon, a required parameter in most land surface modules of climate models. Remote sensing, flux tower data, and field measurements were collected to develop a methodology to estimate the variability in these parameters across diverse landscapes in Southern California and the Sierras, regions experiencing prolonged drought which is expected to become more common in the future. Vc max maps were generated with NASA hyperspectral airborne AVIRIS imagery by scaling up leaf level measurements to the canopy and evaluated using flux tower data for nine sites across California. These maps illustrate the expected temporal and spatial changes in the parameter. However, Vc max estimated from inverse modeling of flux tower data did not fall in the range found in field measurements. The methods developed in this study expand the applicability of imaging spectroscopy in estimating ecosystem metabolism.
A RENEWAL THEOREM IN MULTIDIMENSIONAL TIME

summary Let Yl, Y2,… be i.i.d., positive, integer-valued random variables with means, μ. Let the sequences {Yij, j= 1,2,…}, i= 1,…, r be independent copies of {Y1, Y2,…}. For n={n1,…, nr.}, n1≥1, let Sn=Sn1k1=1= 1 …Snrkr=1 Yik1… Yrkr. We show that SNk=1S∞k1=1…S∞nr=1 P[[Sn= k] ˜ [μ-r N logr-1 (N)/(r-1)!] as N ∞.
Biomechanical evaluation of pedicle screws versus pedicle and laminar hooks in the thoracic spine.

Abstract Background context Pedicle screws have been shown to be superior to hooks in the lumbar spine, but few studies have addressed their use in the thoracic spine. Purpose The objective of this study was to biomechanically evaluate the pullout strength of pedicle screws in the thoracic spine and compare them to laminar hooks. Study desing/setting Twelve vertebrae (T1–T12) were harvested from each of five embalmed human cadavers (n=60). The age of the donors averaged 83+8.5 years. After bone mineral density had been measured in the vertebrae (mean=0.47 g/cm3), spines were disarticulated. Some pedicles were damaged during disarticulation or preparation for testing, so that 100 out of a possible 120 pullout tests were performed. Methods Each vertebra was secured using a custom-made jig, and a posteriorly directed force was applied to either the screw or the claw. Constructs were ramped to failure at 3 mm/min using a Mini Bionix II materials testing machine (MTS, Eden Prairie, MN). Results Pedicle claws had an average pullout strength of 577 N, whereas the pullout strength of pedicle screws averaged 309 N. Hooks installed using the claw method in the thoracic spine had an overwhelming advantage in pullout strength versus pedicle screws. Even in extremely osteoporotic bone, the claw withstood 88% greater pullout load. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that hooks should be considered when supplemental instrumentation is required in thoracic vertebrae, especially in osteoporotic bone.
IT doesn't matter

As information technology has grown in power and ubiquity, companies have come to view it as ever more critical to their success; their heavy spending on hardware and software clearly reflects that assumption. Chief executives routinely talk about information technology's strategic value, about how they can use IT to gain a competitive edge. But scarcity, not ubiquity, makes a business resource truly strategic--and allows companies to use it for a sustained competitive advantage. You only gain an edge over rivals by doing something that they can't. IT is the latest in a series of broadly adopted technologies--think of the railroad or the electric generator--that have reshaped industry over the past two centuries. For a brief time, as they were being built into the infrastructure of commerce, these technologies created powerful opportunities for forward-looking companies. But as their availability increased and their costs decreased, they became commodity inputs. From a strategic standpoint, they became invisible; they no longer mattered. that's exactly what's happening to IT, and the implications are profound. In this article, HBR's editor-at-large Nicholas Carr suggests that IT management should, frankly, become boring. It should focus on reducing risks, not increasing opportunities. For example, companies need to pay more attention to ensuring network and data security. Even more important, they need to manage IT costs more aggressively. IT may not help you gain a strategic advantage, but it could easily put you at a cost disadvantage. If, like many executives, you've begun to take a more defensive posture toward IT, spending more frugally and thinking more pragmatically, you're already on the right course. The challenge will be to maintain that discipline when the business cycle strengthens.
Distributed dynamic energy resource control

In a shipboard power system, all components of the system, including sources, loads and distribution have multiple commitments and responsibilities. These commitments include serving the energy needs of a local load, but also maintaining the efficiency and stability of the overall system. This paper proposes a differential game-theoretic approach that uses a component's objective and operating characteristics to plan an optimal state trajectory without the need for extensive communication or centralized control.
Requirements Engineering Visualization: A Survey on the State-of-the-Art

Requirements engineering visualization is a rapidly growing field of research; however, the specific characteristics of what makes for effective visualizations during a particular engineering phase have not yet been distinguished. Visualizations, when coupled with traditional practices, augment the ability of resulting requirements artifacts to reach a wide range of stakeholders and provide for a rapid and shared understanding of complex information. This paper represents a survey of the research papers presented during the REV workshops from 2006 to 2008 in order to ascertain how the research trends have evolved over the past few years. By examining approaches to requirements engineering visualization that have been proposed, in retrospect, we hope to show the areas of recent focus, as well as to discover those areas that may hold opportunities for further research with respect to the most commonly understood RE lifecycle phases and activities. In the process, we offer a preliminary classification scheme through which to categorize the various research efforts. Where none existed before, the resulted categorization enables a constructive discussion about the coverage of previous REV contributions from various perspectives, while discovering the gaps, and provides opportunities for further research with the understanding of the trends of applying visualization in requirements engineering research and practice.
Apraxia of Speech: Perceptual Analysis of Trisyllabic Word Productions Across Repeated Sampling Occasions

Purpose Early apraxia of speech (AOS) research has characterized errors as being variable, resulting in a number of different error types being produced on repeated productions of the same stimuli....
Elvis: situated speech and gesture understanding for a robotic chandelier

We describe a home lighting robot that uses directional spotlights to create complex lighting scenes. The robot senses its visual environment using a panoramic camera and attempts to maintain its target goal state by adjusting the positions and intensities of its lights. Users can communicate desired changes in the lighting environment through speech and gesture (e.g., "Make it brighter over there"). Information obtained from these two modalities are combined to form a goal, a desired change in the lighting of the scene. This goal is then incorporated into the system's target goal state. When the target goal state and the world are out of alignment, the system formulates a sensorimotor plan that acts on the world to return the system to homeostasis.
Populus euphratica APYRASE2 Enhances Cold Tolerance by Modulating Vesicular Trafficking and Extracellular ATP in Arabidopsis Plants

Apyrase and extracellular ATP play crucial roles in mediating plant growth and defense responses. In the cold-tolerant poplar, Populus euphratica, low temperatures up-regulate APYRASE2 (PeAPY2) expression in callus cells. We investigated the biochemical characteristics of PeAPY2 and its role in cold tolerance. We found that PeAPY2 predominantly localized to the plasma membrane, but punctate signals also appeared in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. PeAPY2 exhibited broad substrate specificity, but it most efficiently hydrolyzed purine nucleotides, particularly ATP. PeAPY2 preferred Mg2+ as a cofactor, and it was insensitive to various, specific ATPase inhibitors. When PeAPY2 was ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), cold tolerance was enhanced, based on root growth measurements and survival rates. Moreover, under cold stress, PeAPY2-transgenic plants maintained plasma membrane integrity and showed reduced cold-elicited electrolyte leakage compared with wild-type plants. These responses probably resulted from efficient plasma membrane repair via vesicular trafficking. Indeed, transgenic plants showed accelerated endocytosis and exocytosis during cold stress and recovery. We found that low doses of extracellular ATP accelerated vesicular trafficking, but high extracellular ATP inhibited trafficking and reduced cell viability. Cold stress caused significant increases in root medium extracellular ATP. However, under these conditions, PeAPY2-transgenic lines showed greater control of extracellular ATP levels than wild-type plants. We conclude that Arabidopsis plants that overexpressed PeAPY2 could increase membrane repair by accelerating vesicular trafficking and hydrolyzing extracellular ATP to avoid excessive, cold-elicited ATP accumulation in the root medium and, thus, reduced ATP-induced inhibition of vesicular trafficking.
HIGH RESOLUTION RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY OF GASES

Abstract The rotational structure of the ν3 Raman band of CH4 has been investigated at high resolution. An analysis of this complex band is presented which takes into account the fine structure of the levels involved. Because of the inherent advantages of the Raman spectrum, it has been possible to determine values of the constants of both the upper and the lower (ground) states, including (for the first time in a molecule of this type) the determination of the finestructure splittings of the levels of the ground state. The values of the ground-state constants are B0 = 5.2412 cm−1, D 0 J = 1.12 × 10 −4 cm −1 , DJτ = 0.30 × 10−4 cm−1. The internuclear distance is r 0 ( CH ) = 1.0939 7 A . For the present analysis, it was necessary to compute the relative intensities of the Raman lines of the fundamental bands of species F2 for tetrahedral XY4 molecules. A detailed account of these calculations is given as it way be useful for other computations of Raman line intensities.
A client-treatment matching protocol for therapeutic communities: first report

The present study is the first report on a client-treatment matching protocol (CMP) to guide admissions to residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment settings. Two cohorts, a field test sample (n = 318) and cross-validation (n = 407) sample were drawn from consecutive admissions to nine geographically distributed multisetting therapeutic communities (TCs). A passive matching design was employed. Clients received the CMP on admission, but agencies were "blind" to the CMP treatment recommendation (i.e., match) and assigned clients to treatment by the usual intake procedures. Bivariate and logistical regression analyses show that positive treatment dispositions (treatment completion or longer retention in treatment)) were significantly higher among the CMP-matched clients. The present findings provide the empirical basis for studies assessing the validity and utility of the CMP with controlled designs. Though limited to TC-oriented agencies, the present research supports the use of objective matching criteria to improve treatment.
In vivo imaging and tumor therapy with the sodium iodide symporter.

There has been great progress in the design of vectors for cancer gene therapy. However, it has been difficult to translate success in the laboratory into clinical practice. A major hurdle in understanding these failures has been the relative difficulty in monitoring repeatedly and non-invasively the biodistribution, gene expression and replication of these viral vector systems. With the advent of molecular imaging technology, this deficiency is being rapidly rectified. A number of reporter genes have been used to monitor gene expression. In this review, we discuss the role of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) as a reporter and therapeutic gene for cancer gene therapy when combined with various radioactive isotopes.
MDSS: Introducing the Concept in an Advanced Marketing Case Course

With the advances in information technology and de facto data bases, a. new concept in computer-aided decision making emphasizing the support of "semistructured, non-routine" decisions has emerged. This article describes how an information processing model of teaching can be used to introduce the marketing decision support system (MDSS) concept in an advanced marketing case course.
Growth factor regulation of membrane transport in human fibroblasts and its relationship to stimulation of DNA synthesis

Serum stimulation of serum-deprived or density-inhibited normal cells enhances the level of various nutrient and ionic transport systems. Certain of these systems have been implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation. However, the use of serum stimulation to activate quiescent cells leads to enhancement of numerous transport systems with little understanding of which component or components of serum are related to activation of which transport systems. In this study we attempt to identify the specific effect of three known growth promoting factors (insulin, dexamethasone and epidermal growth factor [EGF]) on the activation of four membrane transport systems (A-amino acids, L-amino acids, glucose and K+) in normal and SV40-transformed WI38 human fibroblasts. We have also evaluted the effect of these growth factors on the stimulation of DNA synthesis in growth factor deprived cells. Thus, we can correlate the effect on a given transport system with the relative mitogenic stimulation produced by the growth factor. We conclude (a) that a growth factor can effect a transport system differently in a normal versus transformed cell, (b) that a specific growth factor can effect multiple transport systems and, (c) with the exception of K+ transport, enhanced transport induced by a given growth factor does not necessarily correlate with the mitogenic potency of the growth factor. This latter point is of particular significance since the activation of K+ transport reflects, based on other studies, activation of the Na+ -H+ exchanger which has been implicated in cell-cycle activation.
Triple Ion Formation in Localized Organolithium Reagents

A variety of aggregation motifs dominate the structural chemistry of organolithium compounds. At least four distinct modes of dimerization exist: the common 4-center dimers,1 6-center dimers as in 2-lithio-2-methyldithiane,2 solvent-bridged dimers as in (LiBr)2‚(HMPA)3, and triple ions (lithium ate complexes) of type R-Li-R-//Li+.5,6a,7 The reactivity of these various dimers compared to monomers or higher aggregates is usually unknown. Triple ions possess an intriguing combination of features of both a dimer and a solvent-separated ion pair. Several lithium amides,8,9a â-keto10 and â-imino9b enolates, and a few other lithium reagents7b have been rigorously shown through crystal structures or NMR data to form triple ions. Delocalized, lithiocene-type sandwich structures are also known;6a,7a however, there is only a single report of a localized carbanion triple ion: a crystal structure was obtained of the triple ion of tris(trimethylsilyl)methyllithium.5 Here, we present NMR evidence that triple ions form in THF/HMPA solution4b for a variety of localized lithiated carbanions, such as aryllithiums and sulfurand silicon-substituted alkyllithiums.
Autoimmune manifestations of the wiskott-aldrich syndrome

Abstract Objective: To describe and review the autoimmune features and typicalmanifestations of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS). Design: Case series and review of the literature. Setting: Tertiary care medical center and pediatric referral center. Patients: The presentation, diagnosis, and management of two cases are reported. In addition to the typical features of WAS, the first patient had hemolytic anemia, arthritis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and colitis. The second patient had colitis and arthralgias. Detailed review of features and therapeutic options in WAS as exemplified by these two patients are presented. Both patients had bone marrow transplantation, the only definitive treatment for WAS. Conclusions: WAS has variable clinical and autoimmune manifestations. Diagnosismust be suspected in a boy with small, decreased number of platelets and autoimmune problems or infections. Bone marrow transplantation is the only successful mode of treatment for all aspects of WAS.
Localized delivery of paclitaxel in solid tumors from biodegradable chitin microparticle formulations

Paclitaxel (Taxol)-containing chitin and chitin-Pluronic F-108 microparticles were formulated as biodegradable systems for localized administration in solid tumors. The microparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and swelling studies in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Lysozyme-induced degradation and in vitro release of paclitaxel was examined in PBS at 37 degrees C. The percent change in tumor volume was used to assess efficacy of the Formulations after local administration in murine Lewis lung carcinoma model. FT-IR confirmed higher degree of acetylation in chitin microparticles from the starting chitosan sample and the SEM showed that the chitin-Pluronic F-108 microparticles were significantly more porous than chitin microparticles. Due to higher porosity, chitin-Pluronic microparticles were able to imbibe higher swelling medium and degraded much faster in the presence of lysozyme than chitin microparticles. After 48 h. 51% of incorporated paclitaxel was released from chitin-Pluronic microparticles as compared to 28% from chitin microparticles. In vivo studies in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice showed that the tumor volumes after 6 days using paclitaxel-loaded chitin and chitin-Pluronic F-108 microparticles was 458 and 307 mm3, respectively. In contrast, the tumor volume was 997 mm3 for the untreated control. The results of this study show that chitin and chitin-Pluronic F-108 microparticles are biodegradable drug delivery systems that can be useful for localized delivery of paclitaxel in solid tumors.
THE GENETICS OF FLOWER DEVELOPMENT: From Floral Induction to Ovule Morphogenesis

Flower development consists of several phases. The first step is the transition from vegetative to reproductive development, regulated by floral induction. Later steps include the initiation of individual flowers, the determination of organ identity, and organ-specific differentiation. One of the major discoveries of plant biology is that the genetic network controlling flower development is highly conserved in two distantly related dicots, Arabidopsis thaliana and Antirrhinum majus, and probably in other species as well. Classical genetics has identified a sizable number of genes regulating flower development, and many of these regulatory genes have been cloned. This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding of the genetic control of floral induction and determination of flower-meristem identity, with the focus on Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, recent work on ovule morphogenesis, a late process in flower development, is discussed.
The EU has Accepted IAS for Listed Companies: Will the U. S. Follow?

International financial reporting standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), have become respected by many countries and regulatory agencies. The European Union (EU) has determined for most publicly held companies that IFRS promulgated by IASB meet the standards for cross-boarder listing. This paper will present a brief history of the development of international accounting standards and discuss the factors that led to the EU’s acceptance of them. The paper will then consider the case of the U.S. By examining the changes in the accounting environment in the U.S. and specifically looking at the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), this paper will consider whether the U.S. will follow the EU and accept IFRS for cross-boarder listings.
Controllability analysis of the directed human protein interaction network identifies disease genes and drug targets

The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network is crucial for cellular information processing and decision-making. With suitable inputs, PPI networks drive the cells to diverse functional outcomes such as cell proliferation or cell death. Here, we characterize the structural controllability of a large directed human PPI network comprising 6,339 proteins and 34,813 interactions. This network allows us to classify proteins as “indispensable,” “neutral,” or “dispensable,” which correlates to increasing, no effect, or decreasing the number of driver nodes in the network upon removal of that protein. We find that 21% of the proteins in the PPI network are indispensable. Interestingly, these indispensable proteins are the primary targets of disease-causing mutations, human viruses, and drugs, suggesting that altering a network’s control property is critical for the transition between healthy and disease states. Furthermore, analyzing copy number alterations data from 1,547 cancer patients reveals that 56 genes that are frequently amplified or deleted in nine different cancers are indispensable. Among the 56 genes, 46 of them have not been previously associated with cancer. This suggests that controllability analysis is very useful in identifying novel disease genes and potential drug targets.
Optical Interference Enhances Nonlinear Spectroscopic Sensitivity: When Light Gives You Lemons, Model Lemonade.

Optical interference effects can be a nuisance in spectroscopy, especially in nonlinear experiments in which multiple incoming and outgoing beams are present. Vibrational sum frequency generation is particularly susceptible to interference effects because it is often applied to planar, layered materials, driving many of its practitioners to great lengths to avoid signal generation from multiple interfaces. In this perspective, we take a positive view of this metaphorical “lemon” and demonstrate how optical interference can be used as a tool to extract subtle changes in interfacial vibrational spectra. Specifically, we use small frequency shifts at a buried interface in an organic field-effect transistor to determine the fractional charge per molecule during device operation. The transfer matrix approach to nonlinear signal modeling is general and readily applied to complex layered samples that are increasingly popular in modern studies. More importantly, we show that a failure to consider interference eff...
Congestion Costs and Congestion Pricing

Pricing congested roads generally produces efficiency gains. Unless toll revenue is carefully distributed, however, road pricing would also make most drivers worse off, particularly those with low incomes. We analyze these potential income-distributional effects for the Twin Cities area by calculating network equilibria. Our analysis allows the demand for travel to be price-sensitive and drivers to differ in the valuations they place on time. Pricing all congested roads optimally would increase total travel costs by 18–42% depending on the elasticity of demand for travel. With unit-elastic demand, pricing would increase travel costs by 31% and 5% for, respectively, the lowest and highest income groups examined.
Green Recycling Networks

In this paper, we study how two important determinants of recycling costs, economies of scale and material-stream homogeneity, influence endogenous recycling coalition formation. On one hand, strong economies of scale make the coalitions typically larger, due to fixed-cost savings. On the other hand, large coalitions generate typically more heterogeneous material streams, which increases the variable recycling costs due to additional separation efforts. By enacting recent concepts such as Extended Producer Responsibility, which shifts the burden of proper disposal of used goods from the (local) governments to the producers that bring the goods to the market, legislators in many countries and states have fostered such coalition building. We study the efficiency of this strategy by analyzing a game-theoretical model in which producers compete in a horizontally differentiated primary market, but they may collaborate at the same time to organize proper disposal of the goods they bring to the market. We find structural differences in the coalitions that emerge endogenously, compared with both the coalitions that a government would select to maximize social welfare and coalitions that a (local) government would set up to minimize recycling costs of the equilibrium industry output in a setting in which producers ignore recycling costs. We conclude by discussing implications for social welfare of implementing taxes or subsidies.
Noncollinear Spins Provide a Self-Consistent Treatment of the Low-Spin State of a Biomimetic Oxomanganese Synthetic Trimer Inspired by the Oxygen Evolving Complex of Photosystem II

We employ noncollinear density functional theory to show that the low-spin state of Mn3 in a model of the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II avoids frustrated spin coupling by adopting a non...
Study on Synthesis of Octyl 2-Cyanoacrylate used as a host material of Medical Adhesive

Octyl 2-cyanoacrylate was synthesized by an improved synthetic way using octyl 2-cyanoacetate as raw material, which can be employed as a host material of medical adhesive. 71.2% of yield was obtained. It establishes a foundation for research of the improved property based on octyl 2-cyanoacrylate adhesive.
Long term follow-up of a phase II trial of multimodal therapy given in a “sandwich” method for stage III, IV, and recurrent endometrial cancer

Our objective was to determine if previously reported overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates are maintained long term following multimodal therapy for advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer and to assess the lymphedema rates associated with this therapy. Women with advanced-stage or recurrent endometrial cancer were recruited between 9/2004 and 6/2009 to our previously published Phase II trial. Patients received intravenous docetaxel (75 mg/m2) and carboplatin (AUC = 6) every 3 weeks for 3 cycles before and after radiation therapy. Patient outcomes were updated in July 2014. Data abstracted included presence of lymphedema, disease progression, and death. OS and PFS estimates at 5 years were calculated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Of the 41 patients enrolled, 10 (24 %) had stage IIIA and 21 (51 %) had stage IIIC disease; 32 (78 %) had endometrioid histology; and 35 (85 %) completed the protocol. With a median follow-up of 5 years, 15 of 41 patients have died. The Kaplan–Meier estimate and 95 % CI for OS at 5 years was 70 % (53–82 %). Excluding the two patients with recurrent disease at enrollment, 15 of 39 patients progressed or died during follow-up. The Kaplan–Meier estimate and 95 % CI for PFS at 5 years was 66 % (48–78 %). Fifteen patients (37 %) had medical record documentation of lymphedema following treatment. After additional follow-up, OS and PFS estimates remain high and in-field recurrences low following “sandwich” therapy. The “sandwich” method remains efficacious for women with stage III-IV or recurrent endometrial cancer.
Noninfectious Causes of Proptosis in Children

Proptosis in the pediatric population is alarming to the patients, their families, and treating physicians alike. Limited history, difficult examination, and the broad differential contribute to a challenging scenario. A thorough understanding of orbital diseases in the pediatric population is essential as proptosis can be associated with significant morbidity and even mortality in some cases. Appropriate medical history, full examination, diagnostic imaging/testing, and sometimes tissue biopsy are essential for determining the correct diagnosis and establishing appropriate management plan. This chapter provides an overview of noninfectious causes of proptosis in children.
Unusual Stabilities of the Pyruvate-Glycinate Mixed Complexes with Some Divalent Metal Ions

Transamination between oxo- and amino-acids is one of the enzymatic reactions that can be duplicated in metal ion model systems (1–4). The reactive intermediates appear to be “mixed” complexes in which it is thought the ligands are condensed as Schiff bases. Recently, ways of applying pH- titration techniques to these systems and analyzing the data using high speed computers have been proposed (5). This earlier study (5) which concerned the Ni(II)-pyruvate-glycinate system has been extended to an examination of the Ca(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II) systems at 25°. An attempt was also made to obtain the heats and entropies of formation of the Mn(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes from additional titrimetric data at 10 and 40°.
Sensitive Measurements of the Phonon Scattering and Transmission at a Silicon-Helium Interface

The transmission of phonons across interfaces has been of interest since Kapitza measured a thermal boundary resistance between solids and liquid helium[1]. Khalitnikov developed the acoustic mismatch model (AMM) to describe the transmission probability across interfaces[2]. No experiments to date have been able to test quantitatively the predictions of the AMM, because the predicted transmission rate for solids in contact with liquid helium is very small (generally less than 1%).
Digitized Spiral Drawing: A Possible Biomarker for Early Parkinson's Disease.

Author(s): San Luciano, Marta; Wang, Cuiling; Ortega, Roberto A; Yu, Qiping; Boschung, Sarah; Soto-Valencia, Jeannie; Bressman, Susan B; Lipton, Richard B; Pullman, Seth; Saunders-Pullman, Rachel | Abstract: IntroductionPre-clinical markers of Parkinson's Disease (PD) are needed, and to be relevant in pre-clinical disease, they should be quantifiably abnormal in early disease as well. Handwriting is impaired early in PD and can be evaluated using computerized analysis of drawn spirals, capturing kinematic, dynamic, and spatial abnormalities and calculating indices that quantify motor performance and disability. Digitized spiral drawing correlates with motor scores and may be more sensitive in detecting early changes than subjective ratings. However, whether changes in spiral drawing are abnormal compared with controls and whether changes are detected in early PD are unknown.Methods138 PD subjects (50 with early PD) and 150 controls drew spirals on a digitizing tablet, generating x, y, z (pressure) data-coordinates and time. Derived indices corresponded to overall spiral execution (severity), shape and kinematic irregularity (second order smoothness, first order zero-crossing), tightness, mean speed and variability of spiral width. Linear mixed effect adjusted models comparing these indices and cross-validation were performed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was applied to examine discriminative validity of combined indices.ResultsAll indices were significantly different between PD cases and controls, except for zero-crossing. A model using all indices had high discriminative validity (sensitivity = 0.86, specificity = 0.81). Discriminative validity was maintained in patients with early PD.ConclusionSpiral analysis accurately discriminates subjects with PD and early PD from controls supporting a role as a promising quantitative biomarker. Further assessment is needed to determine whether spiral changes are PD specific compared with other disorders and if present in pre-clinical PD.
High-frequency bulk acoustic resonant microbalances in liquid

In this paper, we present two types of high-frequency bulk acoustic resonant microbalances based on (1) film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) and (2) high-tone bulk acoustic resonator (HBAR). Both resonators are operating at about 900 MHz, hundred times higher than a typical quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Mass sensitivities of the FBAR and HBAR microbalances are measured to be 782.7 (50 times larger than that of QCM) and 9.3 cm2/g, respectively. The minimum detectable frequency changes for the FBAR and HBAR are measured to be about 2 and 0.1 kHz, respectively. Based on the mass sensitivities and minimum detectable frequency changes, the minimum detectable mass change for the FBAR and HBAR are estimated to be 4 ng/cm2 (comparable to that of QCM) and 10 ng/cm2, respectively
New and Noteworthy - Workplace Bullying: A Silent Epidemic

Although current books and news articles on workplace bullying are generally available, those dealing with bullying in a library setting are not as widespread. This New and Noteworthy column reviews recent library-specific materials on issues unique to workplace bullying and mobbing in libraries.