cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation of Oncotype DX Recurrence Score with Cyclin D1 and ErbB2.

Background: The Oncotype DX assay predicts the risk of recurrence in patients with stage I-II ER+, node negative breast cancer treated with tamoxifen. It is not understood if the Oncotype DX assay predicts the natural aggressiveness of an individual breast cancer or if it identifies a subtype of tamoxifen resistant breast cancer. In clinical practice, a high recurrence score (RS) on Oncotype DX is interpreted as a more aggressive tumor and is used to justify the use of chemotherapy. However, if the RS was actually predictive of tamoxifen resistance, patients may benefit from the use of an aromatase inhibitor, and chemotherapy may be unnecessary. Cyclin D1 and ErbB2 are two biomarkers shown to predict tamoxifen resistance.Cyclin D1 is overexpressed in approximately 35% of breast cancers. The Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group assessed expression of Cyclin D1 in patients taking tamoxifen within the ABCSG trial 05 and ABCSG trial 06. In both trials, Cyclin D1 overexpression correlated with a lower relapse free survival and overall survival compared to patients without Cyclin D1 overexpression.Erb2 is overexpressed in 15-30% of breast cancers. In the Gruppo Universitario Napoletano 1 trial, ER+ patients with early stage node negative breast cancer who overexpressed ErbB2 had no improvement in progression free survival and overall survival with 2 years of adjuvant tamoxifen therapy. Additional retrospective studies have supported initial reports of an association between overexpression of ErbB2 and tamoxifen resistance.Methods: 69 patients who had the Oncotype DX assay performed and had unstained pathology slides available were assessed for ErbB2 and Cyclin D1 expression. ErbB2 overexpression status was also obtained in another 74 patients who had the Oncotype DX assay performed. ErbB2 overexpression was determined from a review of medical records where ErbB2 was defined as being positive if immunohistochemical (IHC) staining intensity was 3+ with >90% of cells expressing ErbB2 or FISH revealed an amplification of >2.0. IHC analysis of Cyclin D1 was performed according to standard protocol and using commercially available antibodies. Scoring of slides for Cyclin D1 staining were performed by blinded pathologists who assessed both extent and intensity of nuclear staining for Cyclin D1.Results: The median Oncotype Dx RS within ErbB2+ patients was significantly higher than ErbB2- patients (36.5 vs. 18 p Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 3035.
Immunosuppressive and monooxygenase induction activities of polychlorinated diphenyl ether congeners in C57BL6N mice: Quantitative structure-activity relationships

Abstract The dose-response effects of several polychlorinated diphenyl ether (polyCDE) congeners on the inhibition of the splenic plaque-forming cell (PFC) response to sheep red blood cell antigen and the induction of hepatic microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activities were determined in male C57BL 6 mice. The immunotoxic potencies for the polyCDE congeners (ED50 values for the suppression of PFCs/spleen and PFCs/106 cells) followed the order 2,3,3′,4,4′,5-hexaCDE (0.5 and 2.2 μmol/kg)> 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentaCDE (8.8 and 5.1 μmol/kg) > 2,3′,4,4′,5-pentaCDE (21.8 and 14.2 μmol/kg) > 3,3′,4,4′-tetraCDE (50.6 and 28.7 μmol/kg) > 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexaCDE (81.2 and 56.5 μmol/kg) > 2,2′,4,5,5′-pentaCDE (258 and 228 μmol/kg) > 2,2′,4,4′,5,6′-hexaCDE (>400 μmol/kg for both responses). The potencies of the polyCDE congeners as inducers of hepatic microsomal AHH and EROD activities were similar to their immunotoxicities and only one compound, namely, 2,3′,4,4′,5,5′-hexaCDE, did not cause dose-response immunosuppressive effects in the mice. The structure-activity relationships for the polyCDEs exhibited both differences and similarities. For example, the coplanar 3,3′,4,4′-tetraCDE and 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentaCDE congeners were less immunotoxic than their monoortho 2,3′,4,4′,5-pentaCDE and 2,3,3′,4,4′,5-hexaCDE analogs, respectively, and similar results were also observed for their enzyme induction potencies. For the corresponding polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) congeners the coplanar compounds were significantly more active than their monoortho analogs. In addition, two diortho-substituted compounds, namely, 2,2′,4,5,5′-pentaCDE and 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexaCDE, were also immunotoxic at a dose of 400 μmol/kg whereas, their PCB analogs were inactive. These studies clearly demonstrate that for the polyCDE congeners, increasing ortho-chloro substitution is less effective in reducing the activity of these congeners compared to the well-recognized ortho effects reported for the PCBs. The differences in the structure-activity relationships between polyCDEs and PCBs are related to the ether bridge in the polyCDEs in which the resultant increased bond length beweeen the two phenyl rings thereby diminishes the effects of ortho substituents on the biochemical and toxic potencies of these compounds.
Role of Zinc in Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Aggregation

Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (hIAPP) is a highly amyloidogenic protein found in islet cells of patients with type II diabetes. Because hIAPP is highly toxic to beta-cells under certain conditions, it has been proposed that hIAPP is linked to the loss of beta-cells and insulin secretion in type II diabetics. One of the interesting questions surrounding this peptide is how the toxic and aggregation prone hIAPP peptide can be maintained in a safe state at the high concentrations that are found in the secretory granule where it is stored. We show here zinc, which is found at millimolar concentrations in the secretory granule, significantly inhibits hIAPP amyloid fibrillogenesis at concentrations similar to those found in the extracellular environment. Zinc has a dual effect on hIAPP fibrillogenesis: it increases the lag-time for fiber formation and decreases the rate of addition of hIAPP to existing fibers at lower concentrations, while having the opposite effect at higher concentrations. Experiments at an acidic pH which partially neutralizes the change in charge upon zinc binding show inhibition is largely due to an electrostatic effect at His18. High-resolution structures of hIAPP determined from NMR experiments confirm zinc binding to His18 and indicate zinc induces localized disruption of the secondary structure of IAPP in the vicinity of His18 of a putative helical intermediate of IAPP. The inhibition of the formation of aggregated and toxic forms of hIAPP by zinc provides a possible mechanism between the recent discovery of linkage between deleterious mutations in the SLC30A8 zinc transporter, which transports zinc into the secretory granule, and type II diabetes.
Measuring adolescent resilience: An examination of the cross-ethnic validity of the RS-14

Abstract Wagnild and Young's brief 14-item Resilience Scale (RS-14), derived from the widely used RS-25, offers potential for measuring adolescent resilience. However, there is minimal research on its psychometric strength with adolescent populations and no research on its applicability to early adolescents. This study assesses psychometric properties of the RS-14 with a large, ethnically diverse sample of early and middle adolescents. Principal component analysis finds a single factor structure. Cronbach's α for the aggregate sample was .91, ranging between .88 and .92 across racial/ethnic, gender, geographic, and age subgroups. Convergent validity is demonstrated with measures of both adolescent social self-efficacy and academic self-efficacy. Findings support the RS-14 as a useful instrument for assessing trait-like resilience in diverse early and middle adolescents. Brevity and ease of administration support its utility for resilience assessment in research and clinical settings.
Exoribonuclease and Endoribonuclease Activities of RNase BN/RNase Z both Function in Vivo

Escherichia coli RNase BN, a member of the RNase Z family of endoribonucleases, differs from other family members in that it also can act as an exoribonuclease in vitro. Here, we examine whether this activity of RNase BN also functions in vivo. Comparison of the x-ray structure of RNase BN with that of Bacillus subtilis RNase Z, which lacks exoribonuclease activity, revealed that RNase BN has a narrower and more rigid channel downstream of the catalytic site. We hypothesized that this difference in the putative RNA exit channel might be responsible for the acquisition of exoribonuclease activity by RNase BN. Accordingly, we generated several mutant RNase BN proteins in which residues within a loop in this channel were converted to the corresponding residues present in B. subtilis RNase Z, thus widening the channel and increasing its flexibility. The resulting mutant RNase BN proteins had reduced or were essentially devoid of exoribonuclease activity in vitro. Substitution of one mutant rbn gene (P142G) for wild type rbn in the E. coli chromosome revealed that the exoribonuclease activity of RNase BN is not required for maturation of phage T4 tRNA precursors, a known specific function of this RNase. On the other hand, removal of the exoribonuclease activity of RNase BN in a cell lacking other processing RNases leads to slower growth and affects maturation of multiple tRNA precursors. These findings help explain how RNase BN can act as both an exo- and an endoribonuclease and also demonstrate that its exoribonuclease activity is capable of functioning in vivo, thus widening the potential role of this enzyme in E. coli.
Probabilistic Estimates of Surface Coseismic Slip and Afterslip for Hayward Fault Earthquakes

We examine the partition of long‐term geologic slip on the Hayward fault into interseismic creep, coseismic slip, and afterslip. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we compute expected coseismic slip and afterslip at three alinement array sites for Hayward fault earthquakes with nominal moment magnitudes ranging from about 6.5 to 7.1. We consider how interseismic creep might affect the coseismic slip distribution as well as the variability in locations of large and small slip patches and the magnitude of an earthquake for a given rupture area. We calibrate the estimates to be consistent with the ratio of interseismic creep rate at the alinement array sites to the geologic slip rate for the Hayward fault. We find that the coseismic slip at the surface is expected to comprise only a small fraction of the long‐term geologic slip. The median values of coseismic slip are less than 0.2 m in nearly all cases as a result of the influence of interseismic creep and afterslip. However, afterslip makes a substantial contribution to the long‐term geologic slip and may be responsible for up to 0.5–1.5 m (median plus one standard deviation [S.D.]) of additional slip following an earthquake rupture. Thus, utility and transportation infrastructure could be severely impacted by afterslip in the hours and days following a large earthquake on the Hayward fault that generated little coseismic slip. Inherent spatial variability in earthquake slip combined with the uncertainty in how interseismic creep affects coseismic slip results in large uncertainties in these slip estimates.
Fathers and Asthma Care: Paternal Involvement, Beliefs, and Management Skills

Objective To compare asthma care roles of maternal and paternal caregivers, and examine associations between caregiver involvement and the outcomes of adherence, morbidity, and parental quality of life (QoL). Methods Mothers and fathers in 63 families of children, ages 5-9 years, with persistent asthma completed semistructured interviews and questionnaires. Adherence was measured via electronic monitoring. Paired t tests compared parental asthma care roles, and analysis of covariance, controlling for socioeconomic status, evaluated associations of asthma outcomes with caregiver involvement scores. Results Mothers had higher scores on measures of involvement, beliefs in medication necessity, and on four subscales of the Family Asthma Management System Scale interview (Asthma Knowledge, Relationship with Provider, Symptom Assessment, and Response to Symptoms). Maternal QoL was lowest when both maternal and paternal involvement was high. Paternal involvement was associated with increased morbidity. Conclusions There is room for enhancement of fathers' asthma care roles. Higher levels of paternal involvement may be driven by family need.
The impact of ablation of incompetent superficial and perforator veins on ulcer healing rates.

Objective We assessed the impact of endovenous ablation of incompetent superficial (great saphenous [GSV] and small saphenous [SSV]) and perforator (posterior tibial [PTPV]) veins on the healing rate of venous ulcers in patients who had failed conventional compression therapy. Methods Patients with CEAP 6 ulcers were treated with weekly compression in a dedicated wound care center. Ulcer size and depth were tracked prospectively. Those ulcers that showed no measurable improvement after >5 weeks of compression therapy underwent ablation of at least one incompetent vein. Results We performed 140 consecutive endovenous ablation procedures (74 superficial and 66 perforator) on 110 venous ulcers in 88 limbs. Ulcers had been present for 71 ± 6 months with an initial ulcer area of 23 ± 6 cm 2 . Following successful ablation, the healing rate for healed ulcers improved from + 1.0 ± .1 cm 2 /month to −4.4 ± .1 cm 2 /month ( P > .05). Ulcer healing rate for healed ulcers, based on the last vein ablated, was GSV=6.4 cm 2 /month, SSV=4.8 cm 2 /month, and PTPV=2.9 cm 2 /month. After a minimum observation period of 6 months (mean follow up, 12 ± 1.25 months), 76.3% of patients healed in 142 ± 14 days. Twelve patients with 26 ulcers did not heal: two patients died from unrelated illnesses, six patients are still actively healing, and four patients have been lost to follow up. Of the healed ulcers, four patients with six ulcers (7.1%) recurred; two have rehealed. Conclusion There is measurable and significant reduction in ulcer size and ultimate healing following ablation of incompetent superficial and perforator veins in patients who have failed conventional compression therapy.
Infrared thermal imaging without pixellation

Summary form only given. A large pixel-less thermal imager based on the epitaxial integration of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum-well infrared photodetector and a GaAs light-emitting diode is demonstrated. The device transforms a mid-infrared (9 /spl mu/m) scene at to a near-infrared (0.82 /spl mu/m) image.
Identification of a Putative Microvascular Oxygen Sensor

The vascular response to changes in oxygen levels in the blood and tissue is a highly adaptive physiological response that functions to match tissue oxygen supply to metabolic demand. Defining the cellular mechanisms that can sense physiologically relevant changes in Po2 and adjust vascular diameter are vital to our understanding of this process. A cytochrome P450 (P450) enzyme of the 4A family of ω-hydroxylases was localized in renal microvessels, renal cortex, and a striated muscle microvascular bed (cremaster) of the rat. In the presence of molecular oxygen, this P450 enzyme catalyzes formation of 20-HETE from arachidonic acid (AA). Prior studies have shown that 20-HETE potently contracts renal and cerebral arteries and arterioles. The present study demonstrates that 20-HETE constricts striated muscle arterioles as well. In both intact renal microvessels and enriched renal cortical microsomal enzyme preparations, the formation of 20-HETE was linearly dependent on Po2 between 20 and 140 mm Hg. Homogenat...
Pump-probe imaging of historical pigments used in paintings

A recently developed nonlinear optical pump-probe microscopy technique uses modulation transfer to sensitively extract excited-state dynamics of endogenous biological pigments, such as eumelanin and pheomelanin. In this work, we use this method to image and characterize several inorganic and organic pigments used in historical art. We show substantial differences in the near-IR pump-probe signatures from nominally similar pigments and suggest extensions to art restoration.
Properties of a one-parameter family of bivariate distributions with specified marginals

Using a family of functions first described by Frank (1979), a one-parameter family of bivariate distributions is constructed. This family has arbitrary marginals and contains the Frechet bounds as well as the member corresponding to independent random variables, Three nonparametric measures of correlation (Spearman's rho, Ken-dall's tau, and the medial correlation coefficient) are evaluated, and a simple transformation to generate random samples from an ar-bitrary member of the family is presented.
Prostatic transition zone biopsies in men with previous negative biopsies and persistently elevated serum prostate specific antigen values.

AbstractPurpose: In men with persistently elevated serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentrations and prostatic biopsies that show no cancer an important question is whether the PSA elevation is caused by undetected cancer in the transition zone of the prostate gland.Materials and Methods: To evaluate this issue further we examined 166 men age 50 years or older who participated in a PSA based screening trial for prostate cancer. All men had an initially elevated serum PSA concentration of 4.1 ng./ml. or greater. They had undergone 1 or 2 sets of negative peripheral zone biopsies of the prostate but elevated serum PSA concentrations persisted. They underwent repeat biopsy of the peripheral zone as well as 2 core biopsies from the right and 2 from the left transition zone region of the prostate.Results: Peripheral and transition zone biopsies revealed cancer in 3 of 19 cases (16 percent). Cancer was present in the peripheral zone only biopsy in 14 of 19 cases (74 percent). Two of 19 cancers (10 percen...
Electrochemical planarization of interconnect metallization

Studies of the electropolishing of copper are reviewed. Recent work intended to demonstrate the electrochemical planarization of the overburden in electroplated copper interconnect metallization is emphasized. Furthermore, two common reaction mechanisms invoked to explain the mass-transfer limitation required to achieve electropolishing are outlined and discussed within the context of anodic leveling, which has been more recently called electrochemical planarization. Finally, scaling arguments are used to demonstrate practical considerations for tool development and to speculate about uncertainties in anodic leveling theories.
Scanning Electron Microscopy Measurements of the Surface Roughness of Paper

A new approach to the measurement of x−y uniformity of the surface of a paper sheet is described. Scanning electron micrographs are taken of both the top and bottom surfaces of a paper sheet and image-analyzed. The images were converted to grayscale, and the standard deviation of the pixel brightness was called the “SEM roughness index” and calculated for each surface. Both commercial newsprint sheets and handsheets made with kraft, TMP, and recycled fibers were examined. Debonders and cationic polymers were added to some sheets. The addition of debonders increases the index on the top side of the sheet but decreases it on the bottom. This is caused by the movement of fines from the top to the bottom side. The addition of cationic polymers increases the SEM roughness index by increasing the degree of microfloc formation. Samples taken across a reel from a commercial paper machine tend to show a mirror image relationship between the top and bottom surfaces. The SEM roughness index is able to detect subtle ...
Keynes' theory of money and his attack on the classical model

This paper centers on Keynes' theory of money and his attack on the classical model. Keynes criticized the self-correcting model of the British orthodoxy along two separate lines. In the first, in which Keynes' theory of money was crucial, he took the institutional variables as given and examined the functional relationships. Keynes' burden was to undermine what he termed the "classical dichotomy," where money was a veil, playing no role in determining output and employment. Two key features of the orthodox model were loanable funds and quantity theories, and Keynes' theory of money emerged from the rejection of these theories. The key to his attack on the classical dichotomy was the speculative demand for money, which he presented as an indirect, unstable function of the interest rate. Hence, Keynes linked money demand to the interest rate. The interest rate was thus determined by monetary variables rather than real factors, contrary to British orthodox opinion. Keynes then demonstrated that intended investment and saving need not be equal at a full employment equilibrium.
Engineering, nutrient removal, and feedstock conversion evaluations of four corn stover harvest scenarios

Abstract Crop residue has been identified as a near-term source of biomass for renewable fuel, heat, power, chemicals and other bio-materials. A prototype one-pass harvest system was used to collect residue samples from a corn ( Zea mays L.) field near Ames, IA. Four harvest scenarios (low cut, high-cut top, high-cut bottom, and normal cut) were evaluated and are expressed as collected stover harvest indices (CSHI). High-cut top and high-cut bottom samples were obtained from the same plot in separate operations. Chemical composition, dilute acid pretreatment response, ethanol conversion yield and efficiency, and thermochemical conversion for each scenario were determined. Mean grain yield in this study (10.1 Mg ha −1 dry weight) was representative of the average yield (10.0 Mg ha −1 ) for the area (Story County, IA) and year (2005). The four harvest scenarios removed 6.7, 4.9, 1.7, and 5.1 Mg ha −1 of dry matter, respectively, or 0.60 for low cut, 0.66 for normal cut, and 0.61 for the total high-cut (top+bottom) scenarios when expressed as CSHI values. The macro-nutrient replacement value for the normal harvest scenario was $57.36 ha −1 or $11.27 Mg −1 . Harvesting stalk bottoms increased stover water content, risk of combine damage, estimated transportation costs, and left insufficient soil cover, while also producing a problematic feedstock. These preliminary results indicate harvesting stover (including the cobs) at a height of approximately 40 cm would be best for farmers and ethanol producers because of faster harvest speed and higher quality ethanol feedstock.
Error correcting network

Summary form only given. The authors propose a network that uses the simplest learning rules but exhibits a high storage capacity. This increase in storage capacity is achieved by introducing error correction on the output of traditional low-capacity networks. Experimental error-corrected recall indicated that the error-correcting network had the ability to recall very nearly all of the available information produced by a simple Hopfield-type network long after the Hopfield-type network had failed to recall any association by itself. >
Women, Gender and Religion in Premodern China: A Brief Introduction

This is an introduction to the eight essays included in this special two-issue volume of Nan Nu: Men, Women and Gender in China dedicated to the theme of women, gender and religion in premodern China. It is not intended as a comprehensive state-of-the-field overview. Rather, it seeks to address some of the issues and trends in this relatively under-represented area of scholarly research. It is for this reason that the discussion of the eight essays in this and the companion issue to follow is thematic rather than in order of appearance. The purpose is to show how these essays both provide, and illustrate the need for, a fuller understanding of the various ways in which Buddhist and Daoist religious practices and ideals in particular, were woven through the fabric of the lives of many women as well as men, not so much in opposition to, as in conjunction with, traditional Confucian norms.
Effects of packaging environments on free radicals in γ‐irradiated UHMWPE resin powder blend with vitamin E

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powder (GUR 1020) was blended with high concentration (20%) of vitamin E (α-Tocopherol (α-T)) for direct detection of α-T radicals in presence of PE radicals. Samples were γ-irradiated in sealed packages filled with N2, or in open air. Free radicals were measured in open air environment for 71 days using electron spin resonance (ESR) technique. When irradiated in air, both α-T and α-T-resin produced identical ESR signals characteristics of tochopheroxyl radicals (α-T-O•), suggesting that PE radicals are quenched by α-T. There was no indication of growth of oxygen-induced radicals (OIR) either. However, when α-T-resin was irradiated in N2, presence of both PE and α-T radicals were evident in the ESR spectra. And, OIR were produced by the same samples when they were subsequently exposed to air (for 71 days). Oxidation data recorded 85 days after postirradiation aging in air using Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, however, did not show any measurable difference between samples irradiated in N2 and air. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009
DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING THE BLACK/WHITE UNEMPLOYMENT DIFFERENTIAL: 1950–1980

Introduction The civilian unemployment rate for the United States in 1950 was 4.25 per cent and had risen to 6.65 per cent by 1980. Although this number provides an average unemployment rate for the civilian labour force, it conceals the fact that there are large differences in unemployment rates for various demographic subgroups within the labour force. For example, in 1950 the unemployment rate for whites was 3.07 per cent whereas the rate for blacks was 6.24 per cent. Similarly, by 1980 the unemployment rate for blacks was 9.82 per cent, compared with only 4.74 per cent for whites.
Glutathione S-transferases of rabbit lung macrophages.

Abstract The catalytic activities of glutathione S -transferases (GSTs), particularly the α-class isozymes, can provide protection against oxidative stress through GSH-mediated metabolism of reactive products of lipid peroxidation. Lipid peroxidation products from oxidative metabolism in alveolar macrophages play an important role in mediating and regulating inflammatory response and injury in the lung. The rabbit has been used as an important animal model for studies of the role of alveolar macrophages in pulmonary pathology. Although rabbit lung macrophages display GST activity, the isozyme-specific expression of GSTs and the catalytic properties of these isozymes has not previously been defined. In present studies, we have purified the GST isozymes of rabbit alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage and performed immunologic and kinetic characterization of the purified isozymes. Results of our studies indicate the presence of three α-class isozymes (pI 10.2, 9.3, and 6.0) and one μ-class isozyme (pI 7.2). N-terminal sequence analysis of the μ-class isozyme indicated that it was distinct from the two previously described μ-class isozymes of rabbit. Kinetic studies indicated that two cationic α-class GSTs (pI 10.2 and 9.3) contribute the large majority of selenium independent GSH-peroxidase activity toward dilinoleoyl phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide ( k cat / K m values of 83.4 and 31.9 s −1 · M −1 · 10 3 , respectively). A third α-class GST (pI 6.0) was shown to have highest catalytic activity toward conjugation of the 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) with GSH ( k cat / K m = 1900 s −1 · M −1 · 10 3 ). Structural and immunologic characterization of this GST isozyme indicated that it belongs to a subclass of the α-classGSTs selectively expressed in mesodermal origin cells that are exposed to high levels of oxidative stress and are characterized by high specific activity toward both lipid hydroperoxides and 4-HNE.
Nonlocality of zero-bias anomalies in the topologically trivial phase of Majorana wires

We show that the topologically trivial zero bias peak (ZBP) emerging in semiconductor Majorana wires due to soft confinement exhibits correlated splitting oscillations as a function of the applied Zeeman field, similar to the correlated splitting of the Majorana ZBP. Also, we find that the presence of a strong impurity can effectively cut the wire in two and destroy the correlated splitting in both the trivial and the Majorana regimes. We identify a strong nonlocal effect that operates only in the topologically trivial regime and demonstrate that the dependence of the ZBP on the confining gate potential at the opposite end in Majorana wires with two normal metal end contacts represents a powerful tool for discriminating between topologically trivial and nontrivial ZBPs.
A comment on ‘evolution in economic games’

Abstract ‘Evolution in Economic Games’ by Hansen and Samuelson (1988, this journal) motivates an evolutionary dynamical system for games and applies these dynamics to a number of games of economic importance. This comment points out that Hansen-Samuelson dynamics are mathematically identical to the replicator dynamics of biological evolutionary game theory. Some simple examples are provided to illustrate that these dynamics need not be ‘well behaved’.
High efficiency thin-film crystalline Si/Ge tandem solar cell

We propose and simulate a photovoltaic solar cell comprised of Si and Ge pn junctions in tandem. With an anti-reflection film at the front surface, we have shown that optimal solar cells favor a thin Si layer and a thick Ge layer with a thin tunnel hetero-diode placed in between. We predict efficiency ranging from 19% to 28% for AM1.5G solar irradiance concentrated from 1 ~ 1000 Suns for a cell with a total thickness ~100 μm.
American Fatherhood Types: The Good, the Bad, and the Uninterested

This paper presents four contemporary types of American manhood: (a) the new, involved father, (b) the good provider, (c) the deadbeat dad, and (d) the paternity-free man. These four types are compared, contrasted, and contextualized with related data from the classic Middletown studies of the 1920s and 1930s. The significance and implications of the trend toward paternity-free manhood are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.
REARING DIAPAUSE AND DIAPAUSE-FREE WESTERN SPRUCE BUDWORM (CHORISTONEURA OCCIDENTALIS) (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) ON AN ARTIFICIAL DIET

The western spruce budworm, Choiistoneura occidentalis Freeman, which normally passes through an obligate diapause in nature, was reared in the laboratory without diapause. The critical factor for preventing diapause appeared to be the physical environment presented to the first stage larvae. The response of C. occidentalis was flexible. The 2nd stage larvae could be made to diapause or forego diapause, depending on their rearing experience in the first stage. By eliminating diapause it was possible to rear about 7½ generations per year as against about 2¼ under normal diapause conditions. The diapause of the jack-pine budworm, C. pinus pinus Freeman, and C. lambertiana californica Powell, could be prevented by the same technique. The diapause of the spruce budworm, C. fumiferana (Clemens), could not be eliminated except after several generations of selection.
Comparative histochemistry of the gastric mucosa: A survey of the common laboratory animals and man

A comparative histological and histochemical study of the gastric mucosa was done with the frog, mouse, rat, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, cat, dog and man. Enzymatic histochemical studies were done to demonstrate acid phosphatase (PbS and azo-dye methods), thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPP-ase) and NADH2 tetrazolium reductase activity. Cytoplasmic organelles were stained in some cases by three of the above methods i.e. acid phosphatase (PbS) activity marked the lysosomes, TPP-ase activity marked the Golgi apparatus and NADH2 tetrazolium reductase activity marked the mitochondria. The acid phosphatase activity of the four major cell types was markedly different in the various species. The activity shown by both methods in individuals of a given species coincided well except in the rabbit and the dog. TPP-ase activity demonstrated the Golgi region in the surface cells of all species except the guinea pig and the frog. The Golgi zones of zymogen cells showed strong activity only in the cat, while the parietal cell Golgi was not demonstrated in any of the species. NADH2 tetrazolium reductase activity in the parietal cells was strong in all animals except the mouse and the rat where staining was faint. The relationship between the lysosomes and the Golgi apparatus, as demonstrated histochemically in the gastric cells of the nine species, is discussed. The functional significance of these different enzymatic patterns has yet to be determined.
Samizdat, tamizdat and beyond: transnational media during and after socialism

Coedited by Friederike Kind-Kovacs (Regensberg University) and Jessie Labov (Ohio State University), this volume participates in a larger re-evaluation of dissidence in general and samizdat in spec...
Making the transition to prepaid Medicare.

The Medicare system is facing a financial crisis, brought on by a combination of factors: 1) a financing system that relies on intergenerational transfers from workers to the elderly as its major source of revenue; 2) a payment scheme that traditionally has provided neither the demand nor the supply side of the market with strong incentives to hold down costs; and 3) the penchant of Congress to expand the coverage of the system over time, every time a worthy cause or group can be identified. The expansion of Medicare benefits began almost immediately after the passage of the legislation. In 1967, just one year after Medicare had passed, Congress increased the number of days of in-patient hospital care covered by the program. In 1972, payment for the services of interns and residents in podiatry training was added to the benefit package. Also, Medicare coverage was extended to disabled persons under age 65 who were eligible for benefits under Social Security or Railroad Retirement and to certain other individuals under age 65 suffering end-stage renal disease. Later, Medicare benefits were extended to state and local government employees not covered by Social Security, and then coverage was extended to spouses of workers who were not yet covered, but would be eligible to be covered. In 1980, unlimited home health visits were covered, as was the use of alcohol detoxification facilities. In 1985, Medicare provided payment for liver transplant services. 1 There is current political pressure to
The role of innate immune-stimulated epithelial apoptosis during gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases

The maintenance of mucosal barrier equilibrium in the intestine requires a delicate and dynamic balance between enterocyte loss by apoptosis and the generation of new cells by proliferation from stem cell precursors at the base of the intestinal crypts. When the balance shifts towards either excessive or insufficient apoptosis, a broad range of gastrointestinal diseases can manifest. Recent work from a variety of laboratories has provided evidence in support of a role for receptors of the innate immune system, including Toll-like receptors 2, 4, and 9 as well as the intracellular pathogen recognition receptor NOD2/CARD15, in the initiation of enterocyte apoptosis. The subsequent induction of enterocyte apoptosis in response to the activation of these innate immune receptors plays a key role in the development of various intestinal diseases, including necrotizing enterocolitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and intestinal cancer. This review will detail the regulatory pathways that govern enterocyte apoptosis, and will explore the role of the innate immune system in the induction of enterocyte apoptosis in gastrointestinal disease.
Planarians as a model system for in vitro teratogenesis studies.

Free-living flatworms such as planarians are inexpensive to culture, maintain, and use for toxicologic testing in the laboratory. A considerable number of basic studies by ourselves and others indicate that, in simplified miniature, they possess many features of biochemical and physiologic organization similar to higher animals such as mammals. These include a well-developed brain with a varied behavioral repertoire including complex maneuvers of prey capture and learning, with a number of the same neurotransmitters used in mammalian brain. They are sensitive to a variety of the same toxicants. Undifferentiated totipotent stem cells, i.e., “neoblasts,” which are capable of mitosis and differentiation into any of the various specialized cell types, permit regeneration of complete planarians from fragments. They also provide new cells to replace those lost in the normal cellular turn-over of nonregenerating planarians. Both regeneration of surgical fragments and aberrant remodeling of whole planarians model important features of embyrogenesis and are potentially useful for assaying teratogens. Results are described from studies in which various representative teratogenic toxicants were tested in these two different planarian paradigms. The potential of planarian cephalic regeneration for behavioral teratogenesis investigations is also indicated.
THE ROLE OF THE SPLEEN IN IRON METABOLISM AS ELUCIDATED BY CHANGES IN THE IRON BALANCE AFTER SPLENECTOMY.

We have estimated the iron balance in six dogs before and after splenectomy, in two intact dogs, and in five dogs before and after major operations other than splenectomy. In all the animals studied, considerable variation in iron balance was observed in the periods used (6 to 14 days). The intact controls had positive balances, the one followed for a year and a half having over 0.4 mg. per kilo per day, except when fasting or on an inadequate intake. The iron of urine, lost hair, dandruff, etc., which was not included in the determinations, would be far from sufficient to restore equilibrium. Of five animals subjected to major operations other than splenectomy, all of which in preoperative periods had positive balances varying between 0.423 mg. to 0.075 mg. per kilo per day, three showed a positive balance of from 0.989 mg. to 0.057 mg. and two showed negative balances of from 0.02 to 0.18 mg., the last two having anemia in the period of study while the others had none. Of the six splenectomized dogs, five showed a greater tendency to loss of iron after splenectomy ( i.e ., either a change from a positive to a negative balance or to an increasedly negative or lessened positive balance). This was not always apparent until some days after splenectomy and coincided approximately with the period of developing anemia. The removal of the spleen was usually found therefore to be transiently associated with increased excretion of iron. It is not possible to demonstrate, however, that the increased loss of iron is the cause of the anemia, and the matter awaits further investigation before the reason of its occurrence is made clear. An adequate iron intake in an intact animal was usually accompanied by a positive balance, though in splenectomized animals during the period of anemia it was frequently accompanied by a negative balance. Gain in weight in intact animals likewise was associated with a positive balance; but in the three instances in which gain of weight occurred during periods of anemia, after splenectomy or other operations, it was associated with a negative balance. Weight maintenance was also associated with a positive balance except in one instance of severe postsplenectomy anemia. Loss of weight was not sufficiently associated with a negative balance to make it seem a definite factor influencing the balance, per se , although about one-third of the periods of loss of weight were associated with negative balances.
Localization transition in incommensurate non-Hermitian systems.

A class of one-dimensional lattice models with an incommensurate complex potential $V(\ensuremath{\theta})=2[{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{r}\mathrm{cos}(\ensuremath{\theta})+i{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{i}\mathrm{sin}(\ensuremath{\theta})]$ is found to exhibit a localization transition at $|{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{r}|+|{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{i}|=1.$ This transition from extended to localized states manifests itself in the behavior of the complex eigenspectum. In the extended phase, states with real eigenenergies have a finite measure, and this measure goes to zero in the localized phase. Furthermore, all extended states exhibit real spectra provided $|{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{r}|g~|{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{i}|.$ Another interesting feature of the system is the fact that the imaginary part of the spectrum is sensitive to the boundary conditions only at the onset to localization.
Clapping Wing Nano Air Vehicle Using Piezoelectric T-Beam Actuators

Clapping wing air vehicles are inspired by the Weis-Fogh clap and fling mechanism used by certain insects, where opposing wings almost touch during part of the flap cycle, spawning vortex structures that increase thrust. Current vehicles cannot be scaled to Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) dimensions because they use electromagnetic motors, gears, and linkages that are difficult to fabricate and have poor efficiency at the sub-millimeter scale. This paper develops a novel NAV that uses piezoelectric T-beam actuators that are monolithically fabricated and exhibit unimorph behavior. A hinge and lever wing mechanism amplifies the small actuator displacements to produce large wing motions. A four wing, clapping NAV is designed, fabricated, and experimentally shown to provide a wing stroke angle of approximately 35° at 1 Hz.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Assessment of Navel Oranges, Clementine Tangerines, and Rutaceous Fruits as Hosts of Bactrocera cucurbitae and Bactrocera latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Export of Citrus spp. fruits may require risk mitigation measures if grown in areas with established tephritid fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations capable of infesting the fruits. The host status of Citrus spp. fruits is unclear for two tephritid fruit fly species whose geographic ranges have expanded in recent years: melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Cocquillett), and Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel). In no choice cage infestation studies, B. latifrons oviposited into intact and punctured Washington navel oranges (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osbeck) and Clementine tangerines (C. reticulata L. var. Clementine), but eggs rarely developed to the adult stage. B. cucurbitae readily infested intact and punctured tangerines, and to a lesser extent punctured oranges, but did not infest intact oranges. Limited cage infestation and only a single literature report of field Citrus spp. infestation suggest that risk mitigation of Citrus spp. for B. latifrons is not needed. Risk mitigation options of Citrus spp. for B. cucurbitae, including heat and cold treatments and systems approaches, are discussed.
Pharmacologic properties of voltage-sensitive sodium channels in chick muscle fibers developing in vitro☆

Abstract The alkaloids veratridine and batrachotoxin cause persistent activation of voltage-sensitive sodium channels in cultured chick muscle cells. The concentration dependence of activation follows a Langmuir isotherm with K 0.5 (veratridine) = 10 μM and K 0.5 (batrachotoxin) = 1.5 μM . Veratridine is a partial agonist in activating sodium channels while batrachotoxin is a full agonist. The polypeptides scorpion toxin and sea anemone toxin II enhance activation of sodium channels by veratridine and batrachotoxin, but do not cause persistent activation themselves. Scorpion toxin ( K 0.5 = 30 n M ) acts at lower concentration than sea anemone toxin ( K 0.5 = 70 n M ). The polypeptide toxins both reduce K 0.5 and increase the fraction of sodium channels activated by the partial agonist veratridine, whereas they reduce K 0.5 without effect on the fraction of sodium channels activated by batrachotoxin. These results are consistent with an allosteric model of toxin action in which the alkaloid toxins bind tightly to active states of sodium channels and shift an existing equilibrium in favor of the activated states while the polypeptide toxins reduce the energy required to cause persistent activation. The action of scorpion toxin is inhibited by depolarization in the range of −55 mV to 0 mV. Sodium channels activated by toxin treatment are inhibited by tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin ( K i = 6 n M ). A similar high affinity for tetrodotoxin was observed in newly formed myotubes as soon as toxin-activated sodium channels could be detected. Toxin-activated, tetrodotoxin-insensitive sodium channels were not detected. The pharmacologic properties of sodium channels in cultured chick muscle cells resemble those described in previous studies with neuroblastoma cells in all respects studied, except that scorpion toxin action requires higher concentrations and is more voltage dependent.
Viral etiology of juvenile- and adult-onset squamous papilloma of the larynx.

Abstract Juvenile- and adult-onset laryngeal papillomas were examined for the presence of a human papillomavirus (HPV) genome and capsid antigens. DNA was isolated from a portion of tissue removed for therapeutic purposes, and the presence of a papillomavirus genome was detected by Southern transfer analysis. The viral DNA found in the 12 juvenile-onset and the 8 adult-onset laryngeal papillomas examined was identified as HPV-6 on the basis of size, restriction endonuclease digestion patterns, and homology detected under stringent conditions. Restriction endonuclease analysis of the viral genomes revealed at least four different subtypes, designated HPV-6c through HPV-6f. The most common subtype, HPV-6c, was detected in over half of the papillomas studied, including both juvenile and adult types. The remaining tissue was fixed and processed for immunocytochemistry. The immunoperoxidase technique was used with an antiserum that reacts with capsid antigen(s) common to all HPV serotypes. HPV antigen was found in two of the juvenile-onset papillomas and two of the adult-onset papillomas. The antigen was localized to the nucleus and was distributed in the superficial layers of the epithelium. HPV capsid antigen had not previously been detected in cases of adult-onset papilloma, and the HPV genome in both juvenile- and adult-onset laryngeal papillomas had not been characterized. Despite the absence of detectable viral antigen in most of the specimens examined, the presence of the HPV genome provides strong evidence for the papillomavirus etiology of these tumors.
Photoaffinity labeling of serotonin-binding proteins

Abstract A photosensitive arylazide derivative of serotonin (nitroaryl-azidophenyl serotonin, NAP-serotonin) has been synthesized for use in studying the biochemical nature of serotonin binding sites. [3H]-NAP-serotonin possesses a similar ability to bind to the crude membranes of rat brains does [3H]-serotonin and therefore seems suitable for use as a photoaffinity labeling probe for serotonin binding sites. Upon irradiation with ultraviolet light, [3H]-NAP-serotonin covalently attaches to protein components of the brain homogenate. Several distinct radioactively labeled proteins have been separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electro-phoresis. Their apparent molecular weights were 80,000, 49,000, and 38,000 (±5%). When 1 μM of unlabeled serotonin or d-lysergic acid diethylamide (d-LSD) was added prior to photolysis, the incorporation of [3H]-NAP-serotonin into these proteins was inhibited significantly. No inhibitory effect was observed when dopamine was used. These observations suggest that the photoaffinity labeled proteins are specific for serotonin binding.