cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Full chip hierarchical inverse lithography: a solution with perfect symmetry

In this paper we introduce an inverse lithography technology (ILT) solution that provides masks with perfect symmetry and minimal complexity. In this solution we divide the ILT problem into three steps and strictly maintain symmetry in each of these steps. First, we optimize an ideal grayscale mask. Second, we seed this ideal mask with polygons. Finally, we grow these seeds in a separate optimization flow. The final mask perfectly maintains the symmetry properties of the illumination source. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ILT solution that can be used on the original design hierarchy on a full chip scale.
Gene expression profiles that underlie biological events visualized by magnetic resonance spectra (MRS) of human prostate cancer: Choline kinase

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 932 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) is an imaging technique that is under evaluation as a tool for prostate cancer staging in patients with clinically organ confined disease. The metabolic changes characteristic of MRS spectra of malignant areas of the prostate gland include increased choline and decreased citrate. It has been proposed that the elevated choline peak reflects tumor-associated cell membrane synthesis, with increased de novo formation of phosphatidylcholine. However, little is known about the changes in gene expression that underlie the choline spectra observed in human prostate cancers. We have profiled the expression of choline kinase (the first and probably regulatory enzyme in the Kennedy pathway responsible for de novo synthesis of choline containing membrane lipids) using tissue prints collected from radical prostatectomy specimens containing Gleason grade 6 (3+3), Gleason grade 7 (3+4) and/or Gleason grade 7 (4+3) prostate cancers. The patterns of choline kinase expression were compared to that of hepsin, a recently identified prostate tumor marker that has been found to be selectively upregulated in high grade PIN and in primary human prostate cancers. Tissue prints were collected from tissue slices taken at multiple levels of each radical prostatectomy specimen, and the prints were profiled for mRNA expression of tumor markers and reference genes using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qrt-PCR). The tissue corresponding to the prints was processed for histopathological review using standard techniques (hematoxylin and eosin staining), and an experienced genitourinary pathologist assessed the distribution and grade of tumor (or tumors) in each specimen. Peaks of choline kinase mRNA expression co-localized with histologically evident prostate cancer within the gland. Interestingly, the ratio of choline kinase to hepsin mRNA increased sharply with tumor grade, with an approximately ten fold increase choline kinase/hepsin mRNA in Gleason grade 7 (4+3) as compared with Gleason grade 6 (3+3) prostate cancers. These findings suggest that the increased MRS choline peak characteristic of malignant areas of the prostate gland reflect clinically relevant changes in the biological characteristics of the tumor.
Collagen Meniscus Implantation in Athletically Active Patients

In cases where an injured meniscus cannot be repaired, innovative approaches such as the use of a resorbable collagen-based implant can provide an important surgical treatment option. The Menaflex™ implant, which is resorbed as the new meniscal tissue is formed, was designed for patients with either irreparable meniscal damage, or that have previously undergone partial meniscectomy following knee injury. Collagen meniscus implant use is superior to partial meniscectomy in preventing articular cartilage degeneration, helping patients return to both activities of daily living and sports without developing knee osteoarthrosis. Long-term studies beyond 6–8 years however are lacking, thereby the true efficacy of collagen meniscus implant use to protect against knee osteoarthritis remains unknown. Therefore, we continue to learn regarding patient selection for collagen meniscus implant use, how much should be used, to what level of sports they can safely return to, and when? Evidence regarding collagen meniscus implant use in the very young, the elderly, and women in general is quite limited. Three cases of athletically active patients who received a collagen meniscus implant are described.
Chapter 19 – Nitrogen Management by Producers: A Multiple Scale Perspective

This chapter deals with the multiple scale perspective, which discusses nitrogen management by producers. The chapter describes social factors of nitrogen management using the farmer as a focal point as a means to inform future research. It focuses on two critical questions associated with researching nitrogen management from the perspective of agricultural producers. First question is how does the concept of scale help direct a study of the social factors in farmers' nitrogen management decisions? And secondly, how does one analyze these salient social dimensions of nitrogen management? Social factors that influence farmers arise at multiple and overlapping scales in an agro-environmental hierarchy. Management, and therefore mismanagement, is a cross-scale phenomena, the resultant social process of many different actors and institutions, including, but not limited to farmers. The issue of studying linkages between the social and biophysical factors affecting nitrogen management points the need for a common area of analysis. Examining the role of disproportionality involves linking social to biophysical phenomena at different spatial and temporal scales. We present examples of spatial analysis that uses both social and biophysical data to describe disproportionality at various spatial scales. The chapter concludes by encouraging further research on nitrogen processes that involve both the social and biophysical sciences using common analytical techniques.
Chemistry challenges to enable a sustainable bioeconomy

A bioeconomy — that is, an economy in which fuels, chemicals and other products are sourced from biomass — can contribute to a sustainable and prosperous future. Realizing a bioeconomy will necessitate new methods for processing the complex structure of biomass to produce commodity chemicals. Many exciting opportunities are availing themselves to chemists brave enough to tackle this challenging problem.
Populus tremuloides seedling establishment: An underexplored vector for forest type conversion after multiple disturbances

Abstract Ecosystem resilience to climate change is contingent on post-disturbance plant regeneration. Sparse gymnosperm regeneration has been documented in subalpine forests following recent wildfires and compounded disturbances, both of which are increasing. In the US Intermountain West, this may cause a shift to non-forest in some areas, but other forests may demonstrate adaptive resilience through increased quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) dominance. However, this potential depends on ill-defined constraints of aspen sexual regeneration under current climate. We created an ensemble of species distribution models for aspen seedling distribution following severe wildfire to define constraints on establishment. We recorded P. tremuloides seedling locations across a post-fire, post-blowdown landscape. We used 3 algorithms (Mahalanobis Typicalities, Multilayer Perceptron Artificial Neural Network, and MaxEnt) to create spatial distribution models for aspen seedlings and to define constraints. Each model performed with high accuracy and was incorporated into an ensemble model, which performed with the highest overall accuracy of all the models. Populus tremuloides seedling distribution is constrained primarily by proximity to unburned aspen forest and annual temperature ranges, and secondarily by light availability, summer precipitation, and fire severity. Based on model predictions and validation data, P. tremuloides seedling regeneration is viable throughout 54% of the post-fire landscape, 97% of which was previously conifer-dominated. Aspen are less susceptible to many climatically-sensitive disturbances (e.g. fire, beetle outbreak, wind disturbance), thus, aspen expansion represents an important adaptation to climate change. Continued aspen expansion into post-disturbance landscapes through sexual reproduction at the level suggested by these results would represent an important adaptation to climate change and would confer adaptive forest resilience by maintaining forest cover, but would also alter future disturbance regimes, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.
On-chip high-voltage SPAD bias generation using a dual-mode, closed-loop charge pump

Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) are high sensitivity photon detectors used in time-resolved imaging and very low-light applications. Operation as an avalanche detector requires reverse bias beyond the breakdown voltage, which is typically much higher than supported voltages in a standard CMOS process. In order to realize a fully integrated photon detection system using SPAD devices, this high-voltage bias needs to be generated on chip. Generated voltages beyond the breakdown threshold of the process pose particular design challenges, especially for output sampling and closed-loop regulation. This paper presents design and architectural techniques used to implement a closed-loop DC-DC converter that can be fully integrated on-chip and produces a regulated output voltage exceeding 15 V. Particular design constraints imposed by high on-chip voltages are addressed, and presented simulation results are based on an implemented design in a standard 130 nm CMOS process. The charge pump generates an output voltage of 15 V in 2 μs from start, with a modeled SPAD load of 10 pF. Following an avalanche current pulse, the recovery transient time is <150 ns to settle within 140 mV of the desired output voltage.
Safety and Efficacy of Catheter-Directed Therapies as a Supplement to Surgical Decompression in Venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of endovascular therapy in the management of venous thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), with an emphasis on its role after surgical decompression. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This single-center retrospective review identified all patients who underwent conventional contrast-enhanced venography as a component of the imaging evaluation of clinically suspected venous TOS from January 2004 through September 2015. Eighty-one patients were identified, with a mean (± SD) age of 33 ± 12 years, of whom 59% (48/81) were women. After imaging confirmation of venous TOS, a standardized treatment protocol combining surgical and endovascular intervention was used for management. RESULTS. Of the 81 patients included in the study, 73 (90%) had angiographic evidence of venous TOS; 41 of these 73 patients (56%) underwent endovascular venous intervention (e.g., thrombolysis or angioplasty before surgical) decompression. A total of 67 patients (67/73; 92%) with venous TOS un...
Ultrafast carrier dynamics and optical pumping of lasing from Ar-plasma treated ZnO nanoribbons.

It is a well-known fact that ZnO has been one of the most studied wide bandgap II–VI materials by the scientific community specifically due to its potential for being used as exciton-related optical devices. Hence, realizing ways to increase the efficiency of these devices is important. We discuss a plasma treatment technique to enhance the near-band-edge (NBE) excitonic emission from ZnO based nanoribbons. We observed an enhancement of the NBE peak and simultaneous quenching of the visible emission peak resulting from the removal of surface traps on these ZnO nanoribbons. More importantly, we report here the associated ultrafast carrier dynamics resulting from this surface treatment. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy was performed using pump-probe differential transmission measurements shedding new light on these improved dynamics with faster relaxation times. The knowledge obtained is important for improving the application of ZnO based optoelectronic devices. We also observed how these improved carrier dynamics have a direct effect on the threshold and efficiency of random lasing from the material.
Bioprospecting of Extremophiles for Biotechnology Applications

This chapter aims to acquaint the readers with basic concepts about extremophiles, extremophilic bioprocesses, and their advantages over other chemical and biological systems. The chapter introduces the concept of extremophiles and extremophilic bioprocesses for wide range of biotechnological applications. Finally, the chapter addresses the applications of extremophiles in different sectors such as bioenergy, bioelectrochemical systems, bioremediation, and production of value-added products.
Regional Critical Infrastructure

This chapter opens the last, fourth, part of our book. In this part, we explore several cases where cyber resilience was addressed – from different perspectives – in application to complex systems or networks. We collected these cases to answer the question of a practically minded reader, “How do I approach assessing of enhancing resilience of a particular system I am interested in?” While these few cases cannot cover all possible classes of systems or networks, they serve as useful illustrative examples and could inform approaches to resilience in other classes of systems.
Stormwater Management Technology: Recent Developments and Experience

During the last 20 years, urban stormwater management has evolved from fast removal of runoff to comprehensive and cost-effective management approaches providing not only flood protection and drainage convenience, but also minimizing runoff impacts on the receiving waters. Modern storm-water management approaches, which are based on implementation of stormwater quantity and quality controls in various parts of urban catchments and their drainage systems, are reviewed. The presented stormwater controls can be used effectively in the innovative stormwater management which leads to savings on drainage infrastructures and a better protection of the environment.
Subclinical Varicocele: The Effectiveness of Varicocelectomy

To investigate the controversial concept that subclinical varicoceles are detrimental to spermatogenesis, we undertook a prospective study of the effectiveness of surgery in 56 infertile men with clinical and subclinical varicoceles. Our statistical approach specifies improvement as a change from individual baseline level. The over-all variability in sperm counts precluded the demonstration of significant changes in sperm density consequent to surgery. Improvement in sperm motility was seen in both groups, being slightly greater in the subclinical group. The changes were inversely related to baseline levels and increased with time from surgery. Therefore, it appears that the detection of subclinical varicoceles may be warranted in infertile men with abnormal semen parameters.
ENERGY CONVERSION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ORIGIN OF LIFE

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses energy conversion in the context of the origin of life. Electric discharges appear to be not only the most efficient method for amino acid synthesis but also yield a mixture of amino acids that qualitatively and quantitatively is the same as that found in the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite. Electric discharges would also have been important in synthesizing hydrogen cyanide, a central intermediate in prebiotic syntheses of amino acids and purines, and in synthesizing cyanoacetylene, which is a required intermediate for the prebiotic synthesis of pyrimidines. The ultraviolet light is also likely to have played a major role in prebiotic synthesis. The energy in the sun's spectrum that can be absorbed by the major constituents of the primitive atmosphere is not particularly large. However, trace constituents such as HLS and formaldehyde absorb at longer wavelengths where a great deal of energy is available. An example of using these longer wavelengths is the synthesis of amino acids from the hot hydrogen atoms produced on the photolysis of H2S, which break up the CH4, NH3, and H2O molecules even though these molecules do not absorb at these wavelengths.
Ch. R-2 Analysis of Biomass in Rock Cores Following Nutrient Stimulation

Abstract Chemical methods for the determination of biological macromolecules were investigated for use in quantitating the distribution of biomass within a rock core. Cores (3 × 1 inch) were coated with epoxy, brought to residual oil saturation and inoculated with oil reservoir brine. A carbohydrate-based medium was pumped into the core until the permeability reduction reached 95–99%, after which the core was cleaved into six equal transverse sections and crushed for analysis. The following methods were used to measure biomass: 1) bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay for protein; 2) the anthrone method for carbohydrate; 3) chromogenic Limulus test for lipopolysaccharide; and 4) the orcinol assay for RNA. Measurements of standards were linear in all four assays in the presence of rock, although the sensitivity was lowered by one-half in most cases. With these methods, measurable changes in the biomass profile were apparent when a change in medium composition took place, such as elimination of a specific nutrient from the growth medium. Slight alterations in the concentration or type of nutrient also resulted in altered profiles. These assays are useful for defining where biomass is located within a core and for comparing the amount of biomass generated by different treatments.
Phenology, Yield and Growth Pattern of Faba Bean Varieties

Faba bean seeds are generally large which limits its adoption as cover crop and/or dual-purpose cover crop/cash crop due to the high seed cost. The purpose of this study was to evaluate six faba bean varieties for their yield and yield components, using phenology, morphology and physiological growth pattern. Faba bean varieties included Early Violletto, Aquadulce, Delle Cascine, Windsor, Early White, and D’Aquadulce, which studied in 2015 and 2016. Aquadulce produced the highest grain yield followed by Delle Casine. These two varieties also produced the highest biomass, which potentially can provide more N to the succeeding crop. Aquadulce and Delle Cascine had the highest HI (40.1 and 41%, respectively) indicating an efficient distribution of assimilates to their seeds.. Delle Cascine produced the highest number of seeds plant−1 and seed weight, respectively. Plant height variation also revealed that varieties Early White was the shortest (40.6 cm) and the tallest (76.0 cm), respectively. Significant differences were observed in regard to the growing degree days required to reach flowering and pod formation stages. Aquadulce and Delle Cascine ranked early among the tested varieties, providing the opportunity for dual purpose and double cropping in short-season areas.
SAMPL6 host–guest challenge: binding free energies via a multistep approach

In this effort in the SAMPL6 host–guest binding challenge, a combination of molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical methods were used to blindly predict the host–guest binding free energies of a series of cucurbit[8]uril (CB8), octa-acid (OA), and tetramethyl octa-acid (TEMOA) hosts bound to various guest molecules in aqueous solution. Poses for host–guest systems were generated via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and clustering analyses. The binding free energies for the structures obtained via cluster analyses of MD trajectories were calculated using the MMPBSA method and density functional theory (DFT) with the inclusion of Grimme’s dispersion correction, an implicit solvation model to model the aqueous solution, and the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation (MMPBSA, RI-B3PW91-D3, and RI-B3PW91, respectively). Among these three methods tested, the results for OA and TEMOA systems showed MMPBSA and RI-B3PW91-D3 methods can be used to qualitatively rank binding energies of small molecules with an overbinding by 7 and 37 kcal/mol respectively, and RI-B3PW91 gave the poorest quality results, indicating the importance of dispersion correction for the binding free energy calculations. Due to the complexity of the CB8 systems, all of the methods tested show poor correlation with the experimental results. Other quantum mechanical approaches used for the calculation of binding free energies included DFT without the RI approximation, utilizing truncated basis sets to reduce the computational cost (memory, disk space, CPU time), and a corrected dielectric constant to account for ionic strength within the implicit solvation model.
Ethical Consideration in Orthopedic Research

Concern for the ethics of human subject research has existed since the earliest days of scientific discovery. Respect for a participant’s well-being and autonomy is of utmost importance. From this early understanding of patient autonomy, further principles emerged, and in the modern era, this was further accelerated and formalized, particularly after revelation of atrocities committed by Nazi “scientists.” This leads to documents like the Nuremberg Code, the Declaration of Helsinki, and the Belmont Report, the formation of institutional review boards, and legislation passed by multiple legislatures, all in order to help ensure researchers abide by guiding principles of ethics. Specific to orthopedic surgery, there has been rising concern for conflict of interest due to the role of industry funding. The goals of this chapter are the following: Understand the historical basis for the development of regulations and governing bodies reviewing human subject research. Identify and understand ethical principles that guide human subject research. Understand how to navigate the current regulatory environment for human subject research.
Partitioning of hydrogels in 3D-printed microchannels

Hydrogels allow for controlling the diffusion rate and amount of solute according to the hydrogel network and thus have found many applications in drug delivery, biomaterials, toxicology, and tissue engineering. This paper describes a 3D-printed microfluidic chip for the straightforward partitioning of hydrogel barriers between microchannels. We use a previously-reported 3-channel architecture whereby the middle channel is filled with a hydrogel – acting like a porous barrier for diffusive transport – and the two side channels act as sink and source; the middle channel communicates with the side channels via orthogonal, small capillary channels that are also responsible for partitioning the hydrogel during filling. Our 3D-printed microfluidic chip is simple to fabricate by stereolithography (SL), inexpensive, reproducible, and convenient, so it is more adequate for transport studies than a microchip fabricated by photolithographic procedures. The chip was fabricated in a resin made of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) (MW = 258) (PEG-DA-258). The SL process allowed us to print high aspect ratio (37 : 1) capillary channels (27 μm-width and 1 mm-height) and enable the trapping of liquid-phase hydrogels in the hydrogel barrier middle channel. We studied the permeability of hydrogel barriers made of PEG-DA (MW = 700) (PEG-DA-700, 10% polymer content by wt. in water) – as a model of photopolymerizable barriers – and agarose (MW = 120 000, 2% polymer content by wt. in water) – as a model of thermally-gelled barriers. We measured the diffusion of fluorescein, 10k-dextran-Alexa 680 and BSA-Texas Red through these barriers. Fluorescein diffusion was observed through both 10% PEG-DA-700 and 2% agarose barriers while 10k-dextran-Alexa 680 and BSA-Texas Red diffused appreciably only through the 2% agarose hydrogel barrier. Our microfluidic chip facilitates the tuning of such barriers simply by altering the hydrogel materials. The straightforward trapping of selective barriers in 3D-printed microchannels should find wide applicability in drug delivery, tissue engineering, cell separation, and organ-on-a-chip platforms.
State Estimation in Smart Distribution Systems with Deep Generative Adversary Networks

The problem of distribution system state estimation using smart meters and limited SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) measurement units is considered. To overcome the lack of measurements, a Bayesian state estimator using deep learning is proposed. The proposed method consists of two steps. First, a deep generative adversary network is trained to learn the distribution of net power injections at the loads. Then, a deep regression network is trained using the samples generated from the generative network to obtain minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) estimate of the system state. Our simulation results show the accuracy and the online computation cost of the proposed method are superior to the conventional methods.
Systematics and paleobiology of Chiromyoides (Mammalia, Plesiadapidae) from the upper Paleocene of western North America and western Europe

Relatively large new samples of the rare plesiadapid mammal Chiromyoides are reported from upper Paleocene rocks exposed along the eastern flank of the Rock Springs Uplift and the adjacent Washakie...
Rad-SpatialNet: A Frame-based Resource for Fine-Grained Spatial Relations in Radiology Reports.

This paper proposes a representation framework for encoding spatial language in radiology based on frame semantics. The framework is adopted from the existing SpatialNet representation in the general domain with the aim to generate more accurate representations of spatial language used by radiologists. We describe Rad-SpatialNet in detail along with illustrating the importance of incorporating domain knowledge in understanding the varied linguistic expressions involved in different radiological spatial relations. This work also constructs a corpus of 400 radiology reports of three examination types (chest X-rays, brain MRIs, and babygrams) annotated with fine-grained contextual information according to this schema. Spatial trigger expressions and elements corresponding to a spatial frame are annotated. We apply BERT-based models (BERT-Base and BERT- Large) to first extract the trigger terms (lexical units for a spatial frame) and then to identify the related frame elements. The results of BERT- Large are decent, with F1 of 77.89 for spatial trigger extraction and an overall F1 of 81.61 and 66.25 across all frame elements using gold and predicted spatial triggers respectively. This frame-based resource can be used to develop and evaluate more advanced natural language processing (NLP) methods for extracting fine-grained spatial information from radiology text in the future.
Seed germination of gynodioecious species: theoretical considerations and a comparison of females and hermaphrodites

Better seed germination of females than of hermaphrodites is not a major contributor to the greater geometric lifetime fitness that females require to be maintained in a gynodioecious population. Gynodioecy is a sexually dimorphic breeding system in which females (F, male sterile) and hermaphrodites (H) coexist in the same population. For plants with nuclear (biparental) inheritance of male sterility, theory predicts that except when the product of selfing rate (s) and inbreeding depression (δ) in H is high (sδ > 0.50), F must compensate (female advantage) for the loss of gene transmission via pollen production by producing more or higher-quality offspring than H to be maintained in the population. For species with cytoplasmic (maternal) inheritance of male sterility, the female requires only a small compensation in seed production or some other offspring fitness trait to persist. Reallocation to seeds of resources saved by loss of pollen production is expected to increase the quantity (number) and/or quality (mass, germinability) of seeds produced by F, thus compensating for the lack of pollen production. The primary aim of our study was to compare seed germination of F and H via a literature review. Based on theoretical considerations, we hypothesized that seeds of F should germinate better or equally as well as those of H. We found that of 235 case studies for 47 species Fgerm > Hgerm in 48.1%, Fgerm = Hgerm in 38.3% and Fgerm H in 29.0%, F = H in 63.6% and F Hgerm) Hseedsize) < (Fseedsize ≤ Hseedsize)], these results suggest that seed quality is not a major fitness component of female advantage.
The Retroauricular Incision as an Effective and Safe Alternative Incision for Decompressive Hemicraniectomy.

Background The reverse question mark (RQM) incision has been traditionally utilized to perform decompressive hemicraniectomies (DHC) to relieve refractory intracranial hypertension. Alternative incisions have been proposed in the literature but have not been compared directly. Objective To present the retroauricular (RA) incision as an alternative incision that we hypothesize will increase calvarium exposure to maximize the removal of the hemicranium and will decrease wound-related complications compared to the RQM incision. Methods This study is a retrospective review of all DHCs performed at our institution over a span of 34 mo, stratified based on the type of scalp incision. The surface areas of the cranial defects were calculated, normalizing to their respective skull diameters. For those patients surviving beyond 1 wk, complications were examined from both cohorts. Results A total of 63 patients in the RQM group and 43 patients in the RA group were included. The average surface area for the RA and RQM incisions was 117.0 and 107.8 cm2 (P = .0009), respectively. The ratio of average defect size to skull size for RA incision was 0.81 compared to 0.77 for the RQM group (P = .0163). Of those who survived beyond 1 wk, the absolute risk for surgical site complications was 14.0% and 8.3% for RQM and RA group (P = .5201), respectively. Conclusion The RA incision provides a safe and effective alternative incision to the traditional RQM incision used for DHC. This incision affords a potentially larger craniectomy while mitigating postoperative wound complications.
Fibronectin upregulates catalase gene expression in rabbit bronchial epithelial cells

We have previously shown that the binding of integrins with extracellular matrix component fibronectin (Fn) can improve the ability of bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) in resisting oxidant injury by up-regulating the activity of catalase and increasing the content of GSH. However, the molecular mechanism or its signaling pathway of this protection is still unclear. In order to examine the intracellular signaling mechanism activated by Fn-integrin binding reaction, the present study investigated the mRNA expression of catalase in primary cultured rabbit BECs using RT-PCR based on a cell-injury model made with ozone exposure. The product bands of target gene CAT were checked with Southern blot and oligonucleotide probe hybridization. The results showed that Fn (10μg/ml) promoted the catalase mRNA transcription (P 0.01). This effect was abolished either by protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein or calmodulin inhibitor W_7 (P0.01). These results indicate that the promotion of catalase activity induced by Fn-integrin reaction is partly due to the elevation of catalase mRNA transcription, and that its signalling are possibly relevant to tyrosine phosphorylation or calmodulin pathway.
Surgery for urogenital prolapse

Urogenital prolapse can have a significant impact on quality of life. As the population continues to age, the prevalence of urogenital prolapse is increasing, and the lifetime risk of requiring surgery for urogenital prolapse or incontinence is now approximately 11%. The majority of women presenting with symptomatic prolapse suffer from multiple defects of pelvic support and require comprehensive repair to relieve symptoms. An understanding of normal pelvic support structures provides the basis for the anatomic approach to repair. Many appropriate options exist for surgical correction of urogenital prolapse. Procedures to reestablish apical support include culdoplasty techniques, uterosacral ligament suspension, sacrospinous suspension and colpopexy. Repair of the anterior compartment can be achieved with colporrhaphy and paravaginal repair. Posterior compartment defects are repaired with colporrhaphy, site-specific rectovaginal repair and perineorrhaphy. Most often, surgical correction of urogenital prolapse can be performed vaginally, which avoids the risks associated with laparotomy. Laparoscopic approaches for apical support and paravaginal repair may reduce the risks associated with laparotomy, but long-term follow-up data are not yet available with these techniques. The use of graft reinforcement for anterior and posterior repairs may offer improved success rates, particularly in patients with recurrent prolapse. However, further outcome studies are needed and the risks associated with the use of mesh must be considered.
J M Keynes and E. Borel’s Initial Skipping of Part II of the A Treatise on Probability in His 1924 Review: What Changed Borel’s Mind 15 Years Later?

Emile Borel’s review of the A Treatise on Probability in 1924 is, in my opinion, quite above average. I would give it a grade of B/B+. Borel was also an intellectually honest researcher. Borel did not pretend to have read Parts II, III, IV, and V of Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability, as has been done repeatedly by psychologists, philosophers, historians, and economists, who have cited the A Treatise on Probability in their references when writing about Keynes’s logical theory of probability in his A Treatise on Probability. Borel apologizes to Keynes (and Bertrand Russell,who Borel knew had assisted Keynes in writing the A Treatise on Probability) for not reading Part II of Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability because he realized that, for Keynes, Part II was the most important part of the A Treatise on Probability. Borel was correct. It was the most important and intellectually powerful part of the book. It was the most important and intellectually powerful part of the book because Keynes presented for the second time in history a theoretical, technically advanced approach to imprecise probability. The first attempt in history was Boole’s original achievement in The Laws of Thought in 1854. Adam Smith had presented the first non technically advanced imprecise theory of probability in 1776 in the Wealth of Nations, which was opposed by Jeremy Bentham’s precise theory of probability that was used in his 1787 The Principles of Morals and Legislation. However, Borel bemoaned the fact that Maxwell, who was a graduate, just like Keynes himself, of Cambridge University, who had made contributions to physics using the limiting frequency interpretation of probability, which Borel thought that Keynes had given insufficient space and emphasis to in his book, had been overlooked by Keynes. This is correct with respect to Part I of the A Treatise on Probability. However,it is incorrect with respect to the totality of A Treatise on Probability because Keynes covered Maxwell on pp.172-174 of Chapter 16 in Part II. Maxwell is listed in the index to A Treatise on Probability on p.463. In Part V, in chapter 32, Keynes makes it clear that, if the only relevant evidence consists of statistical frequencies and there is no other relevant evidence, then the logical probability estimate of a probability is identical to the estimate made by the limiting frequency theory if the statistical frequency can be shown to be stable over time using the Lexis -Q test. Another important result of this paper is that it appears that no academic has read Part II of the A Treatise on Probability since 1921. Otherwise, it should already have become common knowledge that Keynes had covered Maxwell in chapter 16 of Part II of the A Treatise on Probability.
Reconstitution of the host holobiont in germ-free born male rats acutely increases bone growth and affects marrow cellular content.

Integration of microbiota in a host begins at birth and progresses during adolescence, forming a multidirectional system of physiologic interactions. Here, we present an instantaneous effect of natural, bacterial gut colonization on the acceleration of longitudinal and radial bone growth in germ-free born, 7-week-old male rats. Changes in bone mass and structure were analyzed after 10 days following the onset of colonization through cohousing with conventional rats and revealed unprecedented acceleration of bone accrual in cortical and trabecular compartments, increased bone tissue mineral density, improved proliferation and hypertrophy of growth plate chondrocytes, bone lengthening, and preferential deposition of periosteal bone in the tibia diaphysis. In addition, the number of small in size adipocytes increased, while the number of megakaryocytes decreased, in the bone marrow of conventionalized germ-free rats indicating that not only bone mass but also bone marrow environment is under control of gut microbiota signaling. The changes in bone status paralleled with a positive shift in microbiota composition toward short chain fatty acids (SCFA)-producing microbes and a considerable increase in cecal SCFA concentrations, specifically butyrate. Further, reconstitution of the host holobiont increased hepatic expression of IGF-1 and its circulating levels. Elevated serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and alkaline phosphatase pointed toward an active process of bone formation. The acute stimulatory effect on bone growth occurred independently of body mass increase. Overall, the presented model of conventionalized germ-free rats could be used to study microbiota-based therapeutics for combatting dysbiosis-related bone disorders.
Nutrition and nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Abstract Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), the most widely diagnosed cancer in the United States (US), is rising in incidence despite public health and educational campaigns that highlight the importance of sun avoidance. It is therefore important to establish other modifiable risk factors that may be contributing to this increase. There is a growing body of evidence in the literature suggesting certain nutrients may have protective and/or harmful effects on NMSC. We review the current literature on nutrition and its effect on NMSC with a focus on dietary fat, vitamin A, nicotinamide, folate, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, polyphenols, and selenium.
Eph-ephrin Signaling Affects Eye Lens Fiber Cell Intracellular Voltage and Membrane Conductance

The avascular eye lens generates its own microcirculation that is required for maintaining lifelong lens transparency. The microcirculation relies on sodium ion flux, an extensive network of gap junction plaques between lens fiber cells and transmembrane water channels. Disruption of connexin proteins, the building blocks of gap junctions, or aquaporins, which make up water and adhesion channels, lead to lens opacification or cataracts. Recent studies have revealed that disruption of Eph-ephrin signaling, in particular the receptor EphA2 and the ligand ephrin-A5, in humans and mice lead to congenital and age-related cataracts. We investigated whether changes in lens transparency in EphA2 or ephrin-A5 knockout (-/-) mice is related to changes in gap junction coupling and lens fluid and ion homeostasis. Immunostaining revealed changes in connexin 50 (Cx50) subcellular localization in EphA2-/- peripheral lens fibers and alteration in aquaporin 0 (Aqp0) staining patterns in ephrin-A5-/- and EphA2-/- inner mature fiber cells. Surprisingly, there was no obvious change in gap junction coupling in knockout lenses. However, there were changes in fiber cell membrane conductance and intracellular voltage in knockout lenses from 3-month-old mice. These knockout lenses displayed decreased conductance of mature fiber membranes and were hyperpolarized compared to control lenses. This is the first demonstration that the membrane conductance of lens fibers can be regulated. Together these data suggest that EphA2 may be needed for normal Cx50 localization to the cell membrane and that conductance of lens fiber cells requires normal Eph-ephrin signaling and water channel localization.
Can consumer law solve the problem of complexity in US consumer credit products

People like to know and understand the total cost of credit products they are considering. They also like to know and understand products’ terms and features. Given these preferences, issuers of credit should market products with transparent features and simple pricing. That is not the case. In fact, over the last few decades we have seen a plethora of complex terms in products such as mortgage loans, credit cards and prepaid debit cards. As credit products have become ever more complex, consumers have more choices and can select products that satisfy their particular needs and preferences. No longer are borrowers limited to a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage. If they know they will be moving in a few years, a three-year fixed-rate mortgage with a low interest rate that coverts to a 27-year adjustable-rate mortgage based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)2 might be the right product for them. However, for borrowers who do not understand the complexities of a ‘3-27’ mortgage loan, the low, initial interest rate could be a costly lure. Confusion is commonplace. In one study giving consumers a choice between two credit cards that varied only in terms of the annual fee and the interest rate, 40 per cent of the participants chose the more expensive card.3
Heteroepitaxy of Semiconductors: Theory, Growth, and Characterization

Introduction Properties of Semiconductors Introduction Crystallographic Properties Lattice Constants and Thermal Expansion Coefficients Elastic Properties Surface Free Energy Dislocations Planar Defects Problems References Heteroepitaxial Growth Introduction Vapor Phase Epitaxy (VPE) Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) Silicon, Germanium, and Si1-xGex Alloys Silicon Carbide III-Arsenides, III-Phosphides, and III-Antimonides III-Nitrides II-VI Semiconductors Conclusion Problems References Surface and Chemical Considerations in Heteroepitaxy Introduction Surface Reconstructions Nucleation Growth Modes Nucleation Layers Surfactants in Heteroepitaxy Quantum Dots and Self-Assembly Problems References Mismatched Heteroepitaxial Growth and Strain Relaxation Introduction Pseudomorphic Growth and the Critical Layer Thickness Dislocation Sources Interactions between Misfit Dislocations Lattice Relaxation Mechanisms Quantitative Models for Lattice Relaxation Lattice Relaxation on Vicinal Substrates: Crystallographic Tilting of Heteroepitaxial Layers Lattice Relaxation in Graded Layers Lattice Relaxation in Superlattices and Multilayer Structures Dislocation Coalescence, Annihilation, and Removal in Relaxed Heteroepitaxial Layers Thermal Strain Cracking in Thick Films Problems References Characterization of Heteroepitaxial Layers Introduction X-Ray Diffraction Electron Diffraction Microscopy Crystallographic Etching Techniques Photoluminescence Growth Rate and Layer Thickness Composition and Strain Determination of Critical Layer Thickness Crystal Orientation Defect Types and Densities Multilayered Structures and Superlattices Growth Mode Problems References Defect Engineering in Heteroepitaxial Layers Introduction Buffer Layer Approaches Reduced Area Growth Using Patterned Substrates Patterning and Annealing Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth (ELO) Pendeo-Epitaxy Nanoheteroepitaxy Planar Compliant Substrates Free-Standing Semiconductor Films Conclusion Problems References Appendix A: Bandgap Engineering Diagrams Appendix B: Lattice Constants and Coefficients of Thermal Expansion Appendix C: Elastic Constants Appendix D: Critical Layer Thickness Appendix E: Crystallographic Etches Appendix F: Tables for X-Ray Diffraction Index
American grant funding in environmental science

The workshop focused on American grant funding for foreign researchers in environmental science. It was divided into three sections: funding sources, agencies and programs and proposal development information. The National Science Foundation (NSF) will not allow a foreign institution to lead a project but does allow for extensive research partnerships. Some agencies however do allow foreign applicants to take the lead in a grant application. Both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have awarded grants directly to international institutions. Most programs will state in the grant guidelines whether foreign applications will be accepted. For foreign scientists, American grant collaboration can include being a coPrincipal Investigator, Consultant, or Grant Participant.
Ligation of the alpha2M signaling receptor with receptor-recognized forms of alpha2-macroglobulin initiates protein and DNA synthesis in macrophages. The effect of intracellular calcium.

Abstract We have previously reported that receptor-recognized forms of the proteinase inhibitor α2-macroglobulin (α2M*) bind to a distinct receptor (α2MSR), Kd∼50—100 pM, activating a signaling cascade, triggering tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cγ1, and raising cytosolic pH. We have now studied the effects of α2M* or a cloned and expressed receptor binding fragment (RBF) on protein and DNA synthesis by macrophages. A nearly linear increase in total protein and DNA synthesis was noted at ligand concentrations up to 100 pM; thereafter, synthesis plateaued. The increase (1.5–2-fold) in protein and DNA synthesis was similar to that observed with known growth factors such as epidermal growth factor and platelet derived growth factor. Mutants of RBF which bind well to α2MSR, also caused a similar increase in DNA synthesis. By contrast, mutant K1374R which binds poorly to α2MSR demonstrated much less of an effect on DNA synthesis. Chelation of intracellular Ca2+ drastically reduced protein and DNA synthesis induced by RBF or the human growth factors. These studies suggest that activation of native α2M, such as would occur during tissue injury, produces a molecule with properties which are similar to growth factors.
Acceleration of First and Higher Order Recurrences on Processors with Instruction Level Parallelism

This paper describes parallelization techniques for accelerating a broad class of recurrences on processors with instruction level parallelism. We introduce a new technique, called blocked back-substitution, which has lower operation count and higher performance than previous methods. The blocked back-substitution technique requires unrolling and non-symmetric optimization of innermost loop iterations. We present metrics to characterize the performance of software-pipelined loops and compare these metrics for a range of height reduction techniques and processor architectures.
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO: ROMANTIC DISSOLUTION, OFFENDING, AND SUBSTANCE USE DURING THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD†

Recent studies have directed attention to the nature of romantic involvement and its implications for offending over the life course. However, this body of research has overlooked a defining aspect of nonmarital romantic relationships: Most come to an end. By drawing on insights from general strain theory, the age-graded theory of informal social control, and research on delinquent peer exposure, we explore the impact of romantic dissolution on offending and substance use during late adolescence and emerging adulthood. Using data from the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we arrive at three general conclusions: 1) Experiencing a breakup is directly related to a range of antisocial outcomes; 2) the effect of a breakup is dependent on post-breakup relationship transitions; and 3) a breakup is associated with increases in offending and substance use among males and in substance use among females. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for the future of research on romantic involvement and crime over the life course.