cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes for Surgery in Large Cell Lung Neuroendocrine Cancer

Abstract Introduction There are limited small, single-institution observational studies examining the role of surgery in large cell neuroendocrine cancer (LCNEC). We investigated the outcomes of surgery for stage I to IIIA LCNEC by using the National Cancer Database. Methods Patients with stage I to IIIA LCNEC were identified in the National Cancer Database (2004–2015) and grouped by treatment: definitive chemoradiation versus surgery. Overall survival, by stage, was the primary outcome. Outcomes of surgical patients were also compared with those of patients with SCLC or other non–small cell histotypes. Results A total of 6092 patients met the criteria: 96%, 94%, 75%, and 62% of patients received an operation for stage I, II, IIIA, and cN2 disease, respectively. Complete resection was achieved in at least 85% of patients. The 5-year survival rates for patients undergoing an operation for stage I and II LCNEC were 50% and 45%, respectively. Surgical patients with stage IIIA and N2 disease had 36% and 32% 5-year survival rates, respectively. When compared with stereotactic body radiation in stage I disease and chemoradiation in patients with stage II to IIIA disease, surgery was associated with a survival benefit. Patients with LCNEC who underwent an operation generally experienced worse survival by stage than did those with adenocarcinoma but experienced improved survival compared with patients with SCLC. Perioperative chemotherapy was associated with improved survival for pathologic stage II to IIIA disease. Conclusions Surgery is associated with reasonable outcomes for stage I to IIA LCNEC, although survival is generally worse than for adenocarcinoma. Surgery should be offered to medically fit patients with both early and locally advanced LCNEC, with guideline-concordant induction or adjuvant therapy.
Multicomponent exercise programmes among very elderly hospitalised patients can be safe and effective in reversing functional decline

Commentary on: Martinez-Velilla N, Casas-Herrero A, Zambom-Ferraresi F, et al . Effect of exercise intervention on functional decline in very elderly patients during acute hospitalization: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Inter Med 2019;179:28–36. Functional decline is prevalent among older patients who have been hospitalised. During an acute hospitalisation, there may be significant functional decline with non-disabling (and disabling) conditions causing new disability.1 Decline often persists after discharge and at …
Broadband Near-Zero Dispersion with Multiple Mode Couplings

We present a thin silicon nitride waveguide array that achieves a broadband near-zero dispersion profile at near-infrared (1350–1800 nm). Multiple mode couplings are introduced at four different wavelengths by coupling different orders of modes.
Radial Force Reduction in SRMs using Partial Teeth Insertion on Stator and Rotor Poles

Switched reluctance machines (SRMs) are getting increased attention in electric and hybrid electric vehicle applications due to their robust construction, comparable efficiency to other types of synchronous machines, low cost, and high-temperature operation. However, the main drawbacks of SRMs are vibration and acoustic noise. In this paper, a new stator and rotor pole shaping is proposed to reduce the radial force and its harmonics which are key factors for the generation of acoustic noise and vibration in SRMs. The proposed pole shaping is compared with the conventional and curved poles in terms of their torque per ampere, and the radial performance through finite element simulations.
Social Capital and Individual Ethics: Evidence from Financial Advisers Misconduct

We show that social capital has a strong mitigating effect on financial adviser misconduct in the United States. Moreover, advisers who have committed misconduct are also more likely to relocate to counties with a relatively lower level of social capital than that of his previously residing county. These findings provide support for both the deterrence and displacement effects of social capital on financial adviser misconduct, and are robust to tests that address potential endogeneity concerns. Our results shed new light on social capital as an informal governing and monitoring mechanism against individual unethical behavior.
Evaluating the Impact of Surveillance Follow-Up Intervals in Patients Following Resection of Primary Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma of the Retroperitoneum.

Resection of recurrent retroperitoneal well-differentiated liposarcoma (RP-WDLPS) is unlikely to result in cure. Thus, most clinicians delay surgery after recurrence until symptom intolerance or increasing rate of disease progression. The aim of this study was to determine whether longer surveillance intervals in this population would impact outcomes or delay treatment in those who recur. A retrospective review of patients with primary RP-WDLPS who underwent resection between April 1996 and April 2017 and surveillance at MDACC (n = 91) was performed. Median age at diagnosis of primary RP-WDLPS was 61 years; median tumor size was 30 cm. Complete resection was achieved in 85 (93.4%) patients. Among patients who underwent complete resection, recurrence occurred in 53 (60.2%) with median time to recurrence of 27.0 months. Thirty-six (69.6%) of these patients underwent resection of recurrent disease at a median 40.2 months from primary tumor resection. Surveillance imaging at 4-month (vs 3-month) intervals would not have impacted recurrence management in 84 (95.5%) patients; imaging at 6-month (vs 3-month) intervals would not have impacted management of recurrence in 80 (90.9%). Recurrence was common, often occurring beyond the early postoperative period following primary RP-WDLPS resection. More frequent surveillance imaging (q3–4 vs q6 months) in the first 2 years following primary RP-WDLPS resection may not significantly impact timing of surgery or systemic therapy for recurrence. If longer surveillance intervals were shown to be safe with equivalent outcomes in prospective studies, the resulting change in practice could lead to decreased anxiety and cost for patients and healthcare systems.
IFN-Independent STING Signaling: Friend or Foe?

Summary In this issue, Wu et al. demonstrate the importance of the neglected interferon (IFN)-independent STING signaling axis in mice. They find that although this axis is important for antiviral HSV-1 resistance, it has a pro-cancer role by promoting T cell death.
Assessing Conservation Value and Restoration Priorities in an Agroecological Landscape

The integration of agricultural and natural ecological systems is increasingly viewed as an essential step toward achieving conservation goals, from local to global scales. For this study, we assessed the ecological conditions and conservation value of upland habitats on six Wisconsin potato farms participating in an ecolabel program that requires the implementation of ecological management plans on non-crop lands. Our objective was to determine how natural and restorable-to-natural elements of the landscape related to adjacent intensively managed agricultural fields, in order to prioritize restoration targets and activities. We compared the plant species richness, floristic quality, and vegetation structure between three dominant upland habitats: woodlands, pine plantations, and weedy fields. We recorded 205 native plant species across all sites (approximately 25% of the regional native flora), indicating that habitat patches surrounding agricultural lands can offer substantial conservation value. Woodlands had the highest average conservation value (mean of 43.8 native species per site) and weedy fields the lowest (mean of 6.3 native species per site). Habitat edges were characterized by a higher frequency of both exotic and prairie–savanna indicator species, representing a unique assemblage of species warranting special consideration for conservation and restoration. We recommend that restoration efforts on this and similar agroecological systems prioritize woodland edges and weedy corners, where prescribed fire, native plant seeding, and invasive species removal could produce significant conservation gains while reducing agricultural weed colonization of cultivated fields.
Organisational support improves adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines

Commentary on : Houghton C, Meskell P, Delaney H, et al . Barriers and facilitators to healthcare workers’ adherence with infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines for respiratory infectious diseases: a rapid qualitative evidence synthesis (Review) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 4. Art. No: CD013582. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013582. COVID-19 is a respiratory pathogen estimated to be 30–60 times more lethal than typical annual influenza. The current outbreak is globally distributed and has been characterised as a pandemic by the WHO since March 2020. Rigorous infection control practices are essential to reducing transmission rates.1 This review focused on factors which …
Confinement of Magnetic Fields Below the Solar Convection Zone

Confining the primordial dipole magnetic field below the convection zone affords the possibility of a serendipitous solution that fits many of the observed qualities of the solar interior rotation profile. Gough and McIntyre [6] pointed this out and derived a laminar balanced model that operates on the slow Eddington-Sweet timescale for this purpose. An interesting question is, what is the role of turbulence? Does the presence of turbulence help or hinder? In the spirit of Michael Thompson’s love of tachocline dynamics, we survey some recent work on these issues.
Antisense-Induced Downregulation of Clock Genes in the Shell Region of the Nucleus Accumbens Reduces Binge Drinking in Mice.

Introductions Binge drinking is a deadly pattern of alcohol consumption. Evidence suggests that genetic variation in clock genes is strongly associated with alcohol misuse; however, the neuroanatomical basis for such a relationship is unknown. The shell region of the nucleus accumbens (NAcSh) is well known to play a role in binge drinking. Hence, we examined whether clock genes in the NAcSh regulate binge drinking. Methods To address this question, 2 experiments were performed on male C57BL/6J mice. In the first experiment, mice exposed to alcohol or sucrose under the 4-day drinking-in-the-dark (DID) paradigm were euthanized at 2 different time points on day 4 [7 hours after light (pre-binge drinking) or dark (post-binge drinking) onset]. The brains were processed for RT-PCR to examine the expression of circadian clock genes (Clock, Per1, and Per2) in the NAcSh and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In the second experiment, mice were exposed to alcohol, sucrose, or water as described above. On day 4, 1 hour prior to the onset of alcohol exposure, mice were bilaterally infused with either a mixture of circadian clock gene antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (AS-ODNs; antisense group) or nonsense/random ODNs (R-ODNs; control group) through surgically implanted cannulas above the NAcSh. Alcohol/sucrose/water consumption was measured for 4 hours. Blood alcohol concentration was measured to confirm binge drinking. Microinfusion sites were histologically verified using cresyl violet staining. Results As compared to sucrose, mice euthanized post-binge drinking (not pre-binge drinking) on day 4 displayed a greater expression of circadian genes in the NAcSh but not in the SCN. Knockdown of clock genes in the NAcSh caused a significantly lower volume of alcohol to be consumed on day 4 than in the control treatment. No differences were found in sucrose or water consumption. Conclusions Our results suggest that clock genes in the NAcSh play a crucial role in binge drinking.
Enhanced charge separation in TiO2/nanocarbon hybrid photocatalysts through coupling with short carbon nanotubes

The interfacial contact between TiO2 and graphitic carbon in a hybrid composite plays a critical role in electron transfer behavior, and in turn, its photocatalytic efficiency. Herein, we report a new approach for improving the interfacial contact and delaying charge carrier recombination in the hybrid by wrapping short single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on TiO2 particles (100 nm) via a hydration-condensation technique. Short SWCNTs with an average length of 125 ± 90 nm were obtained from an ultrasonication-assisted cutting process of pristine SWCNTs (1–3 μm in length). In comparison to conventional TiO2–SWCNT composites synthesized from long SWCNTs (1.2 ± 0.7 μm), TiO2 wrapped with short SWCNTs showed longer lifetimes of photogenerated electrons and holes, as well as a superior photocatalytic activity in the gas-phase degradation of acetaldehyde. In addition, upon comparison with a TiO2–nanographene “quasi-core–shell” structure, TiO2-short SWCNT structures offer better electron-capturing efficiency and slightly higher photocatalytic performance, revealing the impact of the dimensions of graphitic structures on the interfacial transfer of electrons and light penetration to TiO2. The engineering of the TiO2–SWCNT structure is expected to benefit photocatalytic degradation of other volatile organic compounds, and provide alternative pathways to further improve the efficiency of other carbon-based photocatalysts.
Clinical actionability of measurable residual disease (MRD) assessment in the management of patients with hematologic malignancies: a case-based monograph

New treatments for hematologic malignancies have led to outcomes that are outpacing the ability of traditional measures of response to accurately capture a patient's depth of response and risk of relapse. Assessment of measurable residual disease (MRD) offers a high-sensitivity evaluation for remaining disease present in a patient. MRD is not a surrogate marker for the detection of cancer cells, but rather a direct measure of them. MRD has quickly become an important measurement of response in patients with multiple myeloma and acute lymphocytic leukemia. Retrospective and prospective studies indicate that MRD-negative patients have better outcomes, particularly progression-free and overall survival, compared with patients who are MRD-positive. Two methods have emerged as the primary strategies for assessing MRD: next-generation sequencing (NGS) and next-generation flow (NGF). Both methods measure detectable disease in the bone marrow. The clonoSEQ® Assay, which uses NGS technology, is cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for the detection and monitoring of MRD in bone marrow samples from patients with multiple myeloma or B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This monograph discusses the supporting research and clinical use of MRD assessment among patients with multiple myeloma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Achieving molecular weight distribution shape control and broad dispersities using RAFT polymerizations

Reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerizations are one of the most versatile and powerful polymerization techniques for the synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures. While RAFT polymerizations often give polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs), commodity plastics often have broad MWDs to give targeted properties and processability. Thus, new methods to precisely control both MWD breadth and shape are essential for fine-tuning polymer properties for next generation materials. Herein, we report a simple method for controlling polymer MWD features in thermally activated radical RAFT and redox activated cationic RAFT polymerizations by means of metered additions of chain transfer agents.
On Quantum Phenomena in Human Society

Referring observations of human behavior and human society as quantum phenomena often draws ridicules and passionate objections, such as assertion that those weird quantum phenomena could only be observed in the atomic-level microscopic world. This paper details reasons why these objections are misguided. This paper proves that most observations in human society are certainly quantum phenomena through a detailed analysis. We conclude that because social science and humanities are simply subfields of quantum physics, natural science, social science, and humanities can be unified in a coherent framework.
Descriptive Analysis of Components of Emergency Medicine Residency Program Websites

Author(s): Pollock, Jordan R.; Weyand, Jeffery A.; Reyes, Amy B.; Senemar, Shiva; Swenson, Aunika L.; Lindor, Rachel A.; Homme, James L. | Abstract: Introduction: Most emergency medicine (EM) applicants use the internet as a source of information when evaluating residency programs. Previous studies have analyzed the components of residency program websites; however, there is a paucity of information regarding EM program websites. The purpose of our study was to analyze information on EM residency program websites. Methods: In April–May 2020, we evaluated 249 United States EM residency program websites for presence or absence of 38 items relevant to EM applicants. Descriptive statistics were performed, including means and standard deviations. Results: Of the 249 EM websites evaluated, the websites contained a mean of 20 of 38 items (53%). Only 16 programs (6%) contained at least three-quarters of the items of interest, and no programs contained all 38 items. The general categories with the least amount of items were social media use (9%), research (46%), and lifestyle (49%), compared to the other general categories such as application process (58%), resident information (63%), general program information (67%), and facility information (69%). The items provided by programs most often included program description (98%), blocks and rotations (91%), and faculty listing (88%). The items provided least often included housing/neighborhood information (17%) and social media links (19%).n Conclusion: Our comprehensive review of EM residency websites in the US revealed the absence of many variables on most programs’ websites. Use of this information to enhance accessibility of desired information stands to benefit both applicants and programs in the increasingly competitive specialty of EM.
Lessons learned from FeSb2O4 on stereoactive lone pairs as a design principle for anion insertion

Summary Fluoride-ion batteries are an attractive energy storage concept analogous to lithium-ion batteries but feature an inverted paradigm where anions are the principal charge carriers. Insertion hosts that can reversibly insert fluoride ions at room temperature are exceedingly sparse. Here, we report that topochemical insertion of fluoride ions in FeSb2O4 involves Fe2+/Fe3+ redox but is mediated by multi-center synergies between iron and antimony centers. Separation of the redox center from the p-block coordination site alleviates structural strain by enabling compensatory contraction and expansion of FeO6 and SbO3 polyhedra, respectively. p-block electron lone pairs play a critical role in weakening anion-lattice interactions, enabling reversible fluoride-ion diffusion across microns. The results illuminate the key principle that interactions traceable to stereoactive lone pairs can be used to mediate anion-lattice interactions and suggest that anion insertion hosts can be designed by pairing redox-active transition metals with p-block cations bearing stereochemically active electron lone pairs.
A Fugitive Sea

A FUGITIVE SEA By Marian Brunn Smith, MFA A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MFA at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2007 Major Director: Richard Roth Chair of Painting and Printmaking I make images that are fragmented like ominous dreams. Described with sensuous marks of paint, they demand intimacy but reveal vulnerability as they threaten to break apart before the eyes. This thesis examines my journey over the past two years at VCU and describes my artistic beliefs and visions.
Grammatical Gender Is Not Always Syntactic

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that the explanation regarding grammatical gender is not always syntactic. The gender is recognized as existing in a language when there are families of nouns that have similar agreement patterns. In many cases the commonality among the nouns in such families is one of biological gender, that is, it is semantically based. Undoubtedly, the term “gender” was assigned to such noun groups because the sharing of gender is the prototypical basis for having a shared agreement pattern. However, gender is not the only feature around which noun families may form. Gender presents little problem theoretically if there is always a transparent basis for a noun's category membership. Because of the penchant for many languages to assign gender category membership arbitrarily, there is a phenomenon that is well known to anyone who speaks or has studied any of the European languages. The marking of pronouns for gender is semantic, rather than syntactic, because the choice of pronoun gender agrees with an object in the environment, which is not necessarily expressed in a sentence, although it is presupposed by speaker and listener.
CDS in Unit Disk Graph

A unit disk is a disk with diameter one. Denote by disk r (o) the disk with center o and radius r. A graph G = (V, E) is called a unit disk graph if it can be embedded into the Euclidean plane such that an edge between two nodes u and v exists if and only if disk0. 5(u) ∩ disk0. 5(v)≠∅, that is, their Euclidean distance d(u, v) ≤ 1. The unit disk graph is a mathematical model for wireless sensor networks when all sensors have the same communication radius.
FKBP46, a novel Sf9 insect cell nuclear immunophilin that forms a protein-kinase complex.

Recently, we identified a 59-kDa nuclear phosphoprotein that is associated with a recombinant mouse FKBP-52 (Alnemri, E. S., Fernandes-Alnemri, T., Nelki, D. S., Dudley, K., DuBois, G. C., and Litwack, G. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 6839-6843). Here we describe the cloning, overexpression, and characterization of this protein from Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells (Sf9 cells). The cloned cDNA codes for an acidic protein of 412 amino acids with distinct structural domains. Starting with the N terminus, the first 218 amino acids contain two highly acidic domains separated by a short basic domain. Following the second large acidic domain is another basic domain of 87 amino acids with significant sequence and structural homology to HMG1 and HMG2 DNA binding proteins. The two basic domains contain several nuclear targeting signals. The last 108 C-terminal amino acids contain a binding domain for immunosuppressive drugs FK506 and rapamycin, which makes this protein a new member of the immunophilin family. We provide evidence that the new immunophilin (FKBP46) is a DNA binding protein that can bind immunosuppressive drug FK506 and possesses peptidylprolyl isomerase activity. FKBP46 is localized in the nucleus and is associated with a nuclear kinase that specifically phosphorylates it in the presence of Mg2+ and ATP. Upon subsequent sequence analysis of the mouse FKBP52 cDNA used in our previous study, it was observed that a spermatid nuclear transition protein 2 (TP2) sequence is fused in frame with the C terminus of the recombinant FKBP52 probably as a result of a cloning artifact. We demonstrate that the FKBP46 does not form a complex with the FKBP52 but rather with the highly basic nuclear protein TP2. Our data suggest that interaction of FKBP46 with TP2 is mediated by the N-terminal acidic domains of FKBP46. This implies that the acidic domains of FKBP46 are involved in protein-protein interaction between nuclear FKBP46 and other basic chromatin proteins.
Pierre Loiseau : l'épilepsie sous l'angle de la forme et du fond

Auteur(s) :, Anne Berg* Northen Illinois University, De Kalb, IL 60115 L’epilepsie represente un ensemble complexe de troubles dont la comprehension a ete influencee par les croyances tenaces et les prejuges concernant la nature meme de la maladie (Temkin, 1994). C’est dans ce contexte historique que les premieres institutions medicales specialisees comme l’hopital Bicetre et l’hopital de la Salpetriere a Paris se sont consacrees a la prise en charge des epileptiques. [...]
The Wall, the Window and the Alcove: Visualizing Privacy

This papers is an investigation of metaphors and images of walls, most recently made of fire and of code. By extension, the interruption or disruption of the wall, whether as light-giving window or shelter-providing alcove give conceptual form and shape to the theoretical/historical cluster of concepts that support notions of security and autonomy have become indispensable to explorations of the value of privacy and private life. In presenting a series of imaginary spaces where private and public spheres were thought to converge and/or collide, I hope to show that transparency as a political value defended by liberal democracies functions on the basis of a powerful visual and fundamentally spatial metaphor: the window. Privacy is penetrated and protected on the other hand by the architectural construction of an alcove. Cultural relativism does not allow us to avoid the legal, political and social problems that individuals and lawmakers are confronting nations, societies and individuals in the wake of data gathering technologies (Humphreys 2011). The window and the alcove are simple, even primitive elements of built environments, but they are figures for porosity and protection upon which we might be able to construct analogical and theoretical relationships between different times and different cultures.
Physical Storage Organizations for Time-Dependent Multimedia Data

Multimedia computing requires support for heterogeneous data types with differing storage, communication and delivery requirements. Continuous media data types such as audio and video impose delivery requirements that are not satisfied by conventional physical storage organizations. In this paper we describe a physical organization for multimedia data based on the need to support the delivery of multiple playout sessions from a single rotating-disk storage device. Our model relates disk characteristics to the different media recording and playback rates and derives their storage pattern. This storage organization guarantees that as long as a multimedia delivery process is running, starvation will never occur. Furthermore, we derive bandwidth and buffer constraints for disk access and present an approach to minimize latencies for non-continuous media media stored on the same device. The analysis and numerical results indicate the feasibility of using conventional rotating magnetic disk storage devices to support multiple sessions for on-demand video applications.
Dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate has a potent antifibrotic effect in scleroderma fibroblasts via normalization of phosphatase and tensin homolog levels.

Objective Previous studies have revealed a phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)–dependent interaction between the sphingolipid agonist dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate (dhS1P) and the transforming growth factor β/Smad3 signaling pathway. This study was undertaken to examine responses of systemic sclerosis (SSc) fibroblasts to sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and dhS1P and to gain further insight into the regulation of the S1P/dhS1P/PTEN pathway in SSc fibrosis. Methods Fibroblast cultures were established from skin biopsy samples obtained from patients with SSc and matched healthy controls. Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to measure protein and messenger RNA levels, respectively. PTEN protein was examined in skin biopsy samples by immunohistochemistry. Results PTEN protein levels were low in SSc fibroblasts and correlated with elevated levels of collagen and phospho-Smad3 and reduced levels of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1). Treatment with dhS1P restored PTEN levels and normalized collagen and MMP-1 expression, as well as Smad3 phosphorylation status in SSc fibroblasts. S1P was strongly profibrotic in SSc and control fibroblasts. Distribution of S1P receptor isoforms was altered in SSc fibroblasts, which had reduced levels of S1P receptor 1 and S1P receptor 2 and elevated levels of S1P receptor 3. Only depletion of S1P receptor 1 abrogated the effects of dhS1P and S1P in control dermal fibroblasts. In contrast, depletion of either S1P receptor 1 or S1P receptor 2 prevented the effects of S1P and dhS1P in SSc fibroblasts. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that PTEN deficiency is a critical determinant of the profibrotic phenotype of SSc fibroblasts. The antifibrotic effect of dhS1P is mediated through normalization of PTEN expression, suggesting that dhS1P or its derivatives may be effective as therapeutic antifibrotic agents. The distribution and function of S1P receptors differ in SSc and healthy fibroblasts, suggesting that alteration in the sphingolipid signaling pathway may contribute to SSc fibrosis.
Finite Element Analyses of Retaining Wall Behavior

A means is developed for simulation of realistic behavior of the interface between a backfill soil and a retaining wall in finite element analyses. The interface behavior is shown from a series of laboratory tests to be dependent upon normal and shear stresses on the interface. An analytical formulation is derived to fit the observed relationships and utilized to govern the behavior of a one-dimensional element which serves as the interface between two dimensional soil and retaining wall elements in finite element analyses. Analyses are presented of a typical retaining wall-backfill system with varying modes of wall behavior and degrees of wall roughness. Earth presure distributions before the ultimate conditions are reached are shown to be nonlinear. Ultimate conditions and general behavior of the system are shown to be in agreement with classical theory and previously observed behavior. An additional analysis is presented in which the exact construction sequence of a retaining-wall backfill system is simulated.
Studies on mitochondrial structural protein. 3. Physical characterization of the structural proteins of beef heart and beef liver mitochondria.

Abstract The several species of purified structural proteins isolated from beef heart and beef liver mitochondria have been shown to have similar solubility properties, similar composition of amino acids, similar peptide maps after tryptic digestion, and similar if not identical molecular weights, and to contain either aspartate or alanine as N -terminal amino acid. These similarities and identities provide the experimental foundation for considering the various species of structural protein as members of a general class of noncatalytic proteins, all of which represent the predominant protein species (some 50%, of the total protein) in the detachable sectors of membrane repeating units.
Rapid Diagnosis of Mumps Virus Infections by Immunofluorescence Methods

Mumps and its complications, particularly meningoencephalitis, is an important disease problem, and more rapid diagnostic methods are desirable. A study was made of immunofluorescence methods for the early detection of mumps virus isolated in cell cultures, or adsorbed directly from clinical specimens onto guinea pig erythrocytes. A specific diagnosis could be made in hours to 2 or 3 days utilizing immunofluorescence methods, in contrast to about 6 days by standard methods. Details of the direct immunofluorescence methods are presented, to encourage wider application in clinical virology laboratories.
Suppression of the antiferroelectric phase during polarization cycling of an induced ferroelectric phase

The ceramic Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.57Sn0.43)0.92Ti0.08]0.98O3 can exist in either an antiferroelectric or a ferroelectric phase at room temperature, depending on the thermal and electrical history. The antiferroelectric phase can be partially recovered from the induced ferroelectric phase when the applied field reverses polarity. Therefore, polarization cycling of the ferroelectric phase in the ceramic under bipolar fields at room temperature is accompanied with repeated phase transitions. In this letter, the stability of the recovered antiferroelectric phase upon electrical cycling of the ceramic is investigated. Ex-situ X-ray diffraction reveals that bipolar cycling suppresses the antiferroelectric phase; this is indirectly supported by piezoelectric coefficient d33 measurements. It is speculated that the accumulated charged point defects during polarization cycling stabilize the polar ferroelectric phase. The findings presented are important to the fundamental studies of electric fatigue and field-induced p...
The emergence and diffusion of DNA microarray technology

The network model of innovation widely adopted among researchers in the economics of science and technology posits relatively porous boundaries between firms and academic research programs and a bi-directional flow of inventions, personnel, and tacit knowledge between sites of university and industry innovation. Moreover, the model suggests that these bi-directional flows should be considered as mutual stimulation of research and invention in both industry and academe, operating as a positive feedback loop. One side of this bi-directional flow – namely; the flow of inventions into industry through the licensing of university-based technologies – has been well studied; but the reverse phenomenon of the stimulation of university research through the absorption of new directions emanating from industry has yet to be investigated in much detail. We discuss the role of federal funding of academic research in the microarray field, and the multiple pathways through which federally supported development of commercial microarray technologies have transformed core academic research fields. Our study confirms the picture put forward by several scholars that the open character of networked economies is what makes them truly innovative. In an open system innovations emerge from the network. The emergence and diffusion of microarray technologies we have traced here provides an excellent example of an open system of innovation in action. Whether they originated in a startup company environment that operated like a think-tank, such as Affymax, the research labs of a large firm, such as Agilent, or within a research university, the inventors we have followed drew heavily on knowledge resources from all parts of the network in bringing microarray platforms to light. Federal funding for high-tech startups and new industrial development was important at several phases in the early history of microarrays, and federal funding of academic researchers using microarrays was fundamental to transforming the research agendas of several fields within academe. The typical story told about the role of federal funding emphasizes the spillovers from federally funded academic research to industry. Our study shows that the knowledge spillovers worked both ways, with federal funding of non-university research providing the impetus for reshaping the research agendas of several academic fields.
To Identify or Not to Identify: A Theoretical Model of Receiver Responses to Anonymous Communication

Although anonymity has been studied for well over a century, scholarship on anonymous communication has been fragmented and the role of message receivers, in particular, warrants greater attention. A theoretical model is developed here explaining receiver responses to anonymous communication. The context of the communication, degree to which the source is perceived to be anonymous, receiver’s desire to identify the source, and potential ability to determine the source’s identity are posited to influence receiver attempts at identifying (or further anonymizing) the source as well as perceptions of the source, message, and medium. The study concludes by identifying instances where anonymity may be particularly beneficial or problematic for message receivers and offering directions for future research.
Receiver design for shot noise limited MIMO FSO/UV communication systems

In this paper we develop receiver design techniques for shot noise limited multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, specifically 2×2 MIMO non-line-of-sight (NLOS) free space optical (FSO) or ultraviolet (UV) communication systems, to illustrate the spatial multiplexing advantage of using a MIMO technique. The receivers considered are the zero forcing receiver, the minimum mean square error (MMSE) receiver, the maximum likelihood receiver (ML) for nondispersive channels, and the maximum-likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) receiver and the maximum-a-posteriori (MAP) one shot receiver for dispersive channels. Performance expressions are derived for a 2×2 MIMO UV NLOS systems. The results indicate that the throughput can be significantly increased using a multibeam approach.
Nuclear demagnetization cryostat at University of Florida Microkelvin laboratory

Two nuclear-demagnetization cryostats, each containing 173 mol of copper coolant in a 8 T magnetic field and based on an Oxford Instruments model 1000 dilution refrigerator, have been under development at the University of Florida Microkelvin Laboratory for studies of nuclear magnetic ordering in metals and in solid3He, properties of superfluid3He at T≈0, and mesoscopic systems, and for development of primary thermometers based on population differences in nuclear quadrupole systems. The performance of the first cryostat is analyzed with emphasis on improvements to be made.
Asthmatic risk factors and bronchial reactivity in non-diagnosed asthmatic adults

Specific respiratory signs and symptoms are thought to occur prior to diagnoses of asthma as part of the natural history. These signs and symptoms include: high IgE, a history of wheezing symptoms, and/or excessive declines in lung function. The first two are thought to distinguish asthma from other airway obstructive diseases (AOD). To predict subsequent AOD, twelve years of follow-up (1972–84) data from the Tucson longitudinal epidemiological study of AOD in a community population were evaluated on 687 subjects aged 19–70 years on entry. To determine the likelihood that non-asthmatics that have these specific risk factors would have marked or intermediate bronchial reactivity to methacholine, an experimental study was performed. This was done in 1984–85 in a robust, efficient post-hoc stratified sample of male subjects ages 30–55 from the population followed from 1972. They were subsequently followed through 1991. Persistent symptoms best predicted final pulmonary function and new diagnosed AOD in subjects in the population. Previously diagnosed AOD also predicted lower pulmonary function. The experimental results indicate that predisposition to reactivity appears likely without the presence of diagnosed asthma. Further, the experimental subjects with high risk had increased symptomatology and decreased lung function when tested at follow-up; not all of the reactivity was explained by these factors. An attempt to predict reactivity by physician evaluation and special questionnaire was not fruitful. In addition, wheeze per se often disappeared without later evidence of asthma (or AOD) diagnosis, questioning some international tendencies to label all wheeze as asthma. Thus, high IgE significantly predicted bronchial responsiveness, but high IgE and symptoms are neither necessary nor sufficient. Also, both preclinical and clinical asthma predict eventual low lung function.
Impact of Managed Care on Scholarly Activity and Patient Care: Case Study of 12 Academic Radiology and Radiation Oncology Departments

Six departments of radiology and six departments of radiation oncology from areas with low, medium, or high managed care penetration were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to address the impact of managed care on research and scholarly activity. Information, when available, was taken from fiscal years 1993 and 1998. Questionnaires were followed by site visits to the 12 departments. The study showed that departments with medium to high managed care penetration reported more dissatisfaction in their ability to remain active in their education and research goals. Results indicated that for the period surveyed, the departments needed to increase clinical time to make up for decreasing patient care revenues. In turn, this has reduced the time and money devoted to scholarly activities. Information from this study will be used to develop a trends database for all U.S. radiology and radiation oncology departments. This, together with a more comprehensive study by the RSNA, will assist in measuring the current and potential long-term impact of managed care and other system changes on the practice of radiology and radiation oncology.
Vascular anatomy of the anteriorly based pericranial flap.

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the vascular supply of the anteriorly based frontal pericranial flap to determine whether separating the pericranium from the galea above the orbital rim would devascularize the pericranial flap. Methods The arteries supplying and the veins draining the frontal pericranial flap were examined in 17 adult cadavers using x3 to x30 magnification. The arteries were examined on 25 sides and the veins on 16 sides. Results The main trunk and superficial branches of the supraorbital and supratrochlear arteries, which course in the galea-frontalis muscle layer, give rise to the deep branches that supply the pericranium. These pericranial branches may arise in the orbit or at the level of or above the orbital rim. Pericranial arteries that arose above the level of the orbital rim and would be divided in separating the galea and pericranium were found in 28% of the sides examined. Pericranial veins that coursed above the orbital rim and would be divided in separating the galea-frontalis muscle layer from the pericranial layer were found in 43.8% of the sides examined. Conclusion In preparing a pericranial flap based anteriorly on the supraorbital rim, the separation of the galea-frontalis muscle layer from the pericranium layer should not extend into the 10 mm above the supraorbital rim if the arterial and venous pedicle of the pericranial flap is to be preserved.
Influence of Metabolic Inhibitors on the Capacity of Spleen Cells to Form Hemolytic Plaques and Rosettes

SummaryTreatment of normal peritoneal exudate cells with antisheep red blood cell antibodies passively immunized some of the cells (presumably macrophages), i.e., conferred on them the capacity to form hemolytic plaques and rosettes. Preincubation with puromycin inhibited plaque and rosette formation by immune spleen cells of actively immunized animals but not by passively immunized peritoneal exucate cells. Puromycin inhibited protein synthesis in both cell populations equally strongly. Sodium fluoride depressed plaque formation by immune spleen cells of actively immunized animals, but not by passively immunized cells. Sodium fluoride treatment had no effect on rosette formation by either actively or passively immunized cells.
Finite element simulation of selective superplastic forming of friction stir processed 7075 Al alloy

Abstract For many superplastically formed components, only some regions undergo superplastic deformation. In these cases, instead of choosing expensive starting sheet material with superplastic properties, a low-cost, conventional material can be chosen and friction stir processing (FSP) can be performed in the selected regions to impart superplastic properties locally. This is called “selective superplastic forming” [R.S. Mishra, M.W. Mahoney, US Patent 6,712,916, 2002]. In this study, finite element simulation of superplastic forming of a bowl shape component with inhomogeneous properties has been conducted. We chose commercial 7075 Al alloy as the starting material and FSP was used to generate fine grains in some regions. The pressure schedule, the overall forming time and the final thickness distribution in the formed component were calculated. This simulation demonstrates the design possibilities with this new concept.
Positive solutions to singular third-order boundary value problems on purely discrete time scales

over a finite discrete intervalft0; t1;:::; tn; tnC1; tnC2g. We prove the existence of a positive solution by means of the lower and upper solutions method and the Brouwer fixed point theorem in conjunction with perturbation methods to approximate regular problems.
ON THE RELATIVE CONSTANCY OF THE SOLAR WIND MASS FLUX AT 1 AU

Employing solar wind measurements from the Advanced Composition Explorer and Ulysses, photospheric magnetic data, and conservation laws along open field lines, we confirm that the energy and mass flux densities at the Sun increase roughly linearly with the footpoint field strength, B 0. This empirical result has a number of important physical implications. First, it supports the assumption that the magnetic field is the source of the heating in coronal holes. Second, because B 0 may vary by over 2 orders of magnitude, depending on how close the footpoint is located to active regions, the heating rate in coronal holes varies over a very wide range, with active-region holes being characterized by much stronger heating and much larger mass fluxes at low heights than the large, weak-field polar holes. Third, the variation of the mass flux density at 1 AU remains very modest because the mass flux density at the Sun and the net flux-tube expansion both increase almost linearly with B 0, so that the two effects offset each other.
Renormalization-group approach to the lattice massive Schwinger model

Using Migdal-type recursion relations, the long-distance Coulomb force is found to be screened in the massive Schwinger model on a lattice. (AIP)
Qualitative effects of thoracic resistivity variations on the interpretation of electrocardiograms: the low resistance surface layer.

A lthough the torso is often assumed in electrocardiographic studies to be homogeneous, it is not. In a previous paper’ we have considered the resistivity changes which produce the most drastic modification of surface electrocardiograms (ECG’s). These are those variations which occur in and around the heart itself, i.e., the differences in conductivity between heart muscle, blood, and lung, as well as the lower resistivity of heart muscle in the direction of its fibers compared to that in a transverse direction. In this article, we discuss what we consider to be the second most important resistivity change, namely, that occurring in the vicinity of the surface electrodes. This is due to the relatively low resistance surface layer formed by the muscles girdling the thorax. As in our first paper, we use elementary models, and neglect the perturbing effects of other resistivity changes, e.g., the ribs, spine, sternum, liver, blood, blood vessels, pleural membranes, etc.
Testicular epidermoid cysts in prepubertal children : Case report and review of the world literature

Epidermoid cysts of the testes are rare, benign lesions that account for approximately 1% of all testicular tumors. They present most often between the second and fourth decade of life, and have been reported in prepubertal children rarely. The authors report the clinical and sonographic findings in a 4 1/2-year-old child with a testicular epidermoid cyst, and they analyze the 22 prepubertal cases found in the world literature. As described below, the clinical and sonographic features of this tumor are not specific for an epidermoid cyst and do not preclude a teratomatous or malignant neoplasm. This case adds to the varied sonographic appearance of prepubertal testicular epidermoid cysts. The lack of either unique clinical or sonographic features would suggest that extreme caution be used if local excision is considered for a patient with presumed epidermoid cyst of the testicle.
Commentary on ‘Tonsillectomy or adeno‐tonsillectomy versus non‐surgical treatment for chronic/recurrent acute tonsillitis’

This is a commentary of a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Burton MJ, Glasziou PP. Tonsillectomy or adeno-tonsillectomy versus non-surgical treatment for chronic/recurrent acute tonsillitis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001802. DOI:10.1002/14 651 858.CD001802.pub2. Copyright © 2009 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Cochrane Collaboration