cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tensor representation of finite groups

Abstract A cubic array of 0's and 1's, a 3-dimensional analog of the 2-dimensional array of 0's and 1's defined by a permutation matrix, can be employed to represent a finite group. The elements of this array equal the components of a certain third order tensor, and some of the standard group representation results may be interpreted as diagonalization assertions about this tensor and a similar one defined for group classes. Employing the tensor terminology introduced, a proof that the degrees of the irreducible representations of a finite group divide the group order is given which is somewhat different from the usual proofs.
Impact of mismatch repair deficiency on genomic stability in the maternal germline and during early embryonic development

The effects of lack of the mismatch repair protein PMS2 on germline and maternal-effect mutations were studied in transgenic mice that allow mutant cells to be visualized in situ. Tg(betaA-G11PLAP) mice are transgenic for the G11 allele of a human placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) gene driven by a human beta-actin promoter. The G11 allele of the PLAP gene does not produce enzyme due to a frameshift induced by a mononucleotide repeat containing 11 G:C basepairs. Loss of one G:C basepair restores enzyme production. When the G11 PLAP allele was passed through the germline of female mice lacking PMS2, approximately 25% of the offspring that inherited the transgene exhibited the phenotype expected for germline mutation. The mice transmitted the germline-mutation phenotype normally and their offspring exhibited PLAP enzyme activity in at least 30% of the cells in each tissue examined. By contrast, only 1 of 32 mice that inherited the G11 PLAP transgene from a wild-type male crossed to a Pms2-/- female exhibited a high number of PLAP+ cells. Compared to germline revertants, approximately one half to one quarter as many cells were PLAP+, suggesting that a mutation occurred in one cell of an embryo containing two to four cells. These data suggest that the paternally derived Pms2 gene provided normal levels of PMS2 protein to embryos by the time they reached the eight-cell stage, but that smaller embryos formed from PMS2-deficient eggs lacked PMS2 function.
Statistical anomaly detection via httpd data analysis

The use of statistical anomaly detection for the purpose of computer intrusion detection is introduced, and a data analytic approach to the problem is illustrated. A preliminary study of the http daemon is used to demonstrate some of the more elementary yet informative investigations that can be carried out. We describe a sequence of findings of regularities in processes that the daemon creates, and in the system calls that comprise these processes that seem potentially useful in constructing an intrusion detection system based on traces of the daemon. General tools for studying the process traces are described.
Excretion of Na+,K+,Cl-, and HCO3- in the saliva of the rhesus monkey.

SummaryThe excretion of sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate in the parotid and submaxillary saliva was studied in five young adult monkeys (M. mulatta). After stimulation of the glands with pilocarpine (1.0-1.5 mg) injected intravenously, saliva was collected at progressively decreasing flow rates until the flow of saliva stopped. The glands were dissected and weighed, and flow rates were expressed as μ/min/g wet gland tissue. The concentrations of ions were related to flow rate. Sodium and bicarbonate concentrations were low at low flow rates and increased to a plateau with increasing flow rates. Potassium and chloride concentrations were high at low flow rates and gradually decreased with increasing flow rates. These patterns of excretion of ions were similar to those observed in man, suggesting that the rhesus monkey, an animal phylogenetically closely related to man, is suitable for experimental studies of salivary gland function.
A use theory of meaning

How should we go about identifying the particular non-semantic property of a given word that is responsible for its meaning? And what sort of property will that turn out to be?1 The use theory, as I want to develop it (UTM), offers answers to these questions. It begins with the observation that the meaning of a word is a common factor in the explanations of its various occurrences and proceeds to argue, on that basis, that each word means what it does in virtue of the acceptance conditions of certain specified sentences containing it. For the sake of concreteness (and to a very first approximation) here are some examples of the sort of meaning-constitution claims that may issue from UTM:
Basic cation fractions of contrasting Pennsylvania soils

Abstract Basic cation fractions, total, exchangeable and nonexchangeable of five Pennsylvania soils were measured by chemical dissolution or extraction. Although the soils differed in the magnitude of the fractions due to differences in previous management history, texture and mineralogy, the patterns for the fractions of each cation were: Ca ‐ total > exchangeable > nonexchangeable, Mg ‐ total > non‐exchangeable > exchangeable and K ‐ total > nonexchangeable ≥ exchangeable. For the cations relative to each other the‐ patterns were: total ‐ K > Mg > Ca, nonexchangeable ‐ Mg > Ca > K and exchangeable ‐Ca > Mg > K. Acid soluble cations (boiling 1 N HC1, 1:3.5 soil to solution ratio) generally increased through four hours of boiling. Comparisons of the quantities of exchangeable cations calculated to be in a soil surface to the potential quantities taken up by alfalfa or corn grain emphasize the importance of resupply mechanisms and/or contributions from the subsoil for K and Mg, especially when alfalfa is g...
Protein Refolding Assisted by Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas

Herein we report a new strategy for protein refolding by taking advantage of the unique surface and pore characteristics of ethylene-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO), which can effectively entrap unfolded proteins and assist refolding by controlled release into the refolding buffer. Hen egg white lysozyme was used as a model protein to demonstrate the new method of protein refolding. Through loading of denatured proteins inside uniform mesoporous channels tailored to accommodate individual protein, protein aggregation was minimized, and the folding rate was increased. Poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG)-triggered continuous release of entrapped denatured lysozyme allowed high-yield refolding with high cumulative protein concentrations. The new method enhances the oxidative refolding of lysozyme (e.g., over 80% refolding yield at about 0.6 mg/mL).
Neutral and ionic metal methyl bond energies: zinc

Zinc methyl and zinc methyl ion are two competing products studied in the ion beam reactions of Zn/sup +/ with a series of alkanes. While ion beam techniques have long been used to provide bond dissociation energies for ionic transition metal species, including MCH/sub 3//sup +/, this study is one of the first to test the reliability of the technique. In addition, improved instrumentation makes possible the determination of both ionic and neutral bond energies. We determine D/sup 0/(Zn/sup +/-CH/sub 3/) = 3.06 +- 0.14 eV (70.6 +- 3.2 kcal/mol) and D/sup 0/(Zn-CH/sub 3/) = 0.84 +- 0.14 eV (19.4 +- 3.2 kcal/mol), both in excellent agreement with the available literature. Coupled with literature thermochemistry, this latter value implies that D/sup 0/(CH/sub 3/Zn-CH/sub 3/) = 69.5 +- 3.2 kcal/mol. General features of the reaction cross sections and branching ratios are discussed in terms of a simple qualitative molecular orbital picture.
The candidate tumour suppressor protein ING4 regulates brain tumour growth and angiogenesis

Gliomas are the most common primary tumours of the central nervous system, with nearly 15,000 diagnosed annually in the United States and a lethality approaching 80% within the first year of glioblastoma diagnosis. The marked induction of angiogenesis in glioblastomas suggests that it is a necessary part of malignant progression; however, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of brain tumour growth and angiogenesis remain unresolved. Here we report that a candidate tumour suppressor gene, ING4, is involved in regulating brain tumour growth and angiogenesis. Expression of ING4 is significantly reduced in gliomas as compared with normal human brain tissue, and the extent of reduction correlates with the progression from lower to higher grades of tumours. In mice, xenografts of human glioblastoma U87MG, which has decreased expression of ING4, grow significantly faster and have higher vascular volume fractions than control tumours. We show that ING4 physically interacts with p65 (RelA) subunit of nuclear factor NF-kappaB, and that ING4 regulates brain tumour angiogenesis through transcriptional repression of NF-kappaB-responsive genes. These results indicate that ING4 has an important role in brain tumour pathogenesis.
Techniques and Sequences in Mediation Strategies: A Proposed Model for Research

Most studies of mediation strategy focus on the “how” and “what” of the process, but fail to take into consideration when particular techniques are used. To improve our understanding of mediation strategies in general, the authors of this article propose a new methodological approach that includes an analysis of the particular techniques that are used as well as the order of their use.
An improved approximation for the renewal function and its integral with an application in two-echelon inventory management

Abstract A simple but effective approximation is proposed to compute the renewal function, M ( t ) , and its integral. The asymptotic approximation of the renewal function and its integral, which are widely used in decision makings involving a renewal process, may not perform well when t is not large enough. To overcome the inaccuracy of the asymptotic approximation, we propose a modified approximation that computes the renewal function and its integral based on the probability distribution function of inter-renewal time when the distribution function is known or based on its mean and standard deviation when the distribution function is unknown. The proposed approximation provides closed form expressions, which are important in decision makings, for the renewal function and its integral for the entire range of t rather than numerically computes them for given values of t . Extensive numerical experiments on commonly used distributions are conducted and demonstrate better performance of the proposed approximations compared to the asymptotic approximation. The new approximations are further applied to a case study of a two-echelon inventory system and result in better solutions compared to the reported results based on the asymptotic approximation.
The properties of an enzyme system degrading endogenous phospholipids of Tetrahymena pyriformis.

SYNOPSIS. Tetrahymena pyriformis contains a potent system of lipolytic enzymes which is activated by disruption of the cells. The extent to which endogenous lipids of the homogenate are degraded depends upon the age of the culture and the strain of T. pyriformis used. In their most active form, the enzymes can hydrolyze nearly 60% of the endogenous phospholipids within one hour at room temperature. The products of this reaction are probably responsible for the frequently reported instability of Tetrahymena enzyme systems in vitro. The use of inhibitors and the careful choice of culture conditions can reduce lipid degradation to a negligible level.
Host Location and Utilization by Selected Parasitoids of Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae): Implications for Augmentative Biological Control

We examined the host-finding capabilities of 5 species of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring parasitoids from 9 geographical localities, and related these capabilities to each population's effectiveness as biological control agents. Responses from olfactometry studies varied significantly among parasitoid populations. Encarsia pergandiella Howard (California) and 3 populations of Eretmocerus mundus Mercet (M92027, M92014, and M93005) responded positively to odors emitted from whitefly-infested foliage, whereas populations of Encarsia formosa Gahan (M93017 and M92030), Eretmocerus staufferi (Rose & Zolnerwich) (M94002), Eretmocerus tejanus (Rose & Zolnerwich) (M94003), and E. mundus (M92019) did not. None of the populations differentiated between odors emitted from poinsettia versus cotton. E. pergandiella located whitefly-infested plants the quickest, followed in decreasing order by E. mundus (M920l4), E. formosa (M92030), E. tejanus, and E. mundus (M92019 and M92027). Once within a patch of whitefly, parasitoid functional responses varied significantly among populations and between host plants. Although host feeding, parasitism, and total whitefly killed by each parasitoid population tended to be greater on poinsettia than on cotton, there was no concordance in performance ranks among the 9 parasitoid populations, 3 performance traits, and 2 host plants. The percentage of parasitoids successfully developing to adults was greatest for Encarsia sp. populations compared with Eretmocerus spp. populations independent of host plant. Results from the host habitat and host location studies suggested that E. mundus (M920l4) should be relatively effective in suppressing B. argentifolii populations, whereas E. mundus (M92019) should be relatively ineffective. Population level studies conducted in cage enclosures verified these predictions. Releases of E. mundus M92019 significantly reduced whitefly population levels below whitefly population levels observed in the no-release cages. Moreover, releases of E. mundus M92014 significantly reduced whitefly population levels below whitefly densities observed in the E. mundus M92019 release treatments.
Develop a solution for protecting and securing enterprise networks from malicious attacks

In the world of computer and network security, there are myriad ways to launch an attack, which, from the perspective of a network, can usually be defined as "traffic that has huge malicious intent." Firewall acts as one of the measure in order to secure the device from incoming unauthorized data. There are infinite number of computer attacks that no firewall can prevent, such as those executed locally on the machine by a malicious user. From the network's perspective, there are numerous types of attack. All the attacks that degrade the effectiveness of data can be grouped into two types: brute force and precision. The Firewall that belongs to Juniper has the capability to protect against both types of attack. Denial of Service (DoS) attacks are one of the most well-known network security threats under brute force attacks, which is largely due to the high-profile way in which they can affect networks. Over the years, some of the largest, most respected Internet sites have been effectively taken offline by Denial of Service (DOS) attacks. A DoS attack typically has a singular focus, namely, to cause the services running on a particular host or network to become unavailable. Some DoS attacks exploit vulnerabilities in an operating system and cause it to crash, such as the infamous Win nuke attack. Others submerge a network or device with traffic so that there are no more resources to handle legitimate traffic. Precision attacks typically involve multiple phases and often involves a bit more thought than brute force attacks, all the way from reconnaissance to machine ownership. Before a precision attack is launched, information about the victim needs to be gathered. This information gathering typically takes the form of various types of scans to determine available hosts, networks, and ports. The hosts available on a network can be determined by ping sweeps. The available ports on a machine can be located by port scans. Screens cover a wide variety of attack traffic as they are configured on a per-zone basis. Depending on the type of screen being configured, there may be additional settings beyond simply blocking the traffic. Attack prevention is also a native function of any firewall. Juniper Firewall handles traffic on a per-flow basis. We can use flows or sessions as a way to determine whether traffic attempting to traverse the firewall is legitimate. We control the state-checking components resident in Juniper Firewall by configuring "flow" settings. These settings allow you to configure state checking for various conditions on the device. You can use flow settings to protect against TCP hijacking, and to generally ensure that the fire-wall is performing full state processing when desired. We take a case study of attack on a network and perform study of the detection of the malicious packets on a Net screen Firewall. A new solution for securing enterprise networks will be developed here.
The impact of a wife's budgetary and romantic attitudes towards luxury goods on their self-purchases and purchases made for them by their husbands

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between a wife's attitudes toward personal luxury goods (i.e., luxury products and services used by her only) and the amount she and her husband spend on such goods for her. Concepts of intrapersonal conflict theory are used to develop a set of hypotheses regarding these relationships. Using diary panel data of diamond jewelry acquisitions for a panel of wives, we model the amount husbands spend on diamond jewelry for their wives, and the amount wives spend on diamond jewelry for themselves, as a function of two latent attitudes of the wives as revealed in the data, specifically romantic attitudes and budgetary attitudes about diamond jewelry. Our results demonstrate the importance of marketers to consider wives' attitudes about personal luxury goods as a means to increase the total expenditures by both spouses on such products.
IBM altocumulus: a cross-cloud middleware and platform

Cloud computing has become the new face of computing and promises to offer virtually unlimited, cheap, readily available, "utility type" computing resources. Many vendors have entered this market with different offerings ranging from infrastructure-as-a-service such as Amazon, to fully functional platform services such as Google App Engine. However, as a result of this heterogeneity, deploying applications to a cloud and managing them needs to be done using vendor specific methods. This "lock in" is seen as a major hurdle in adopting cloud technologies to the enterprise. IBM Altocumulus, the cloud middleware platform from IBM Almaden Services Research, aims to solve this very issue of managing applications across multiple clouds. It provides a uniform, service oriented interface to deploy and manage applications in various clouds and also provides facilities to migrate instances across clouds using repeatable best practice patterns. In this demonstration we will present the latest version of the IBM Altocumulus platform and also reveal some of the latest additions on scaling and the ability to perform map-reduce type computations.
In situ three point bending device for measurements of vibrational response of ceramics under stress by microRaman spectroscopy

An in-situ three point bending device was designed to study the vibrational response of ZrB2+SiC and LaCoO3 ceramics under loading. The developed device was calibrated using four different materials, Al, La0·8Sr0·2Ga0·8Mg0·2O3, La0·8Ca0·2CoO3, and B4C, with prior known properties and the measured stress-strain deformation curves were in excellent agreement with the results published in the literature. The piezo-spectroscopic coefficients of LO and TO SiC Raman bands have been established for ZrB2+10wt%SiC ceramic composite. Several eight hour constant 66 MPa load experiments were performed to estimate if a tensile load would have an effect on vibrational properties of LaCoO3 perovskite.
Anthrax Lethal and Edema Toxins Fail to Directly Impair Human Platelet Function

Hemorrhage is a prominent clinical manifestation of systemic anthrax. Therefore, we have examined the effects of anthrax lethal and edema toxins on human platelets. We find that anthrax lethal toxin fails to cleave its target, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, and anthrax edema toxin fails to increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Surface expression of toxin receptors tumor endothelial marker 8 and capillary morphogenesis gene 2, as well as coreceptor low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6), are markedly reduced, preventing toxin binding to platelets. Our studies suggest that the hemorrhagic clinical manifestations of systemic anthrax are unlikely to be caused by the direct binding and entry of anthrax toxins into human platelets.
Audio-Based Self-Organizing Authentication for Pervasive Computing: A Cyber-Physical Approach

Pervasive computing is fast becoming a reality with rapid advance in computing and networking technologies. It has the characteristics of scalability, invisibility, and the absence of the fixed infrastructure. Thus, existing security solutions do not fit this new computing environment. In many pervasive applications, devices collaborate with others within a particular area (such as a room or a building) and thus such applications need authentication for security. In this paper, we propose a new authentication technique which allows devices to authenticate each other when they are within the same audio region. The main advantage of our scheme is that there is no need of the pre-shared secret, the pre-existing trust relationship and human involvement. This paper takes a cyber-physical approach and generates features from the environmental sound. The idea is that this feature is used to verify the legitimacy of devices. We present the audio-based self-organizing authentication scheme and experimental results showing the achievement of requirements. We also analyze the computation cost, energy cost and security.
The Impact of Private versus Public Consumption on Variety-Seeking Behavior

Three experiments demonstrate that people incorporate more variety into their consumption decisions when their behavior is subject to public scrutiny. Studies 1 and 2 indicate that consumers expect others to evaluate their decision more favorably if they choose variety and that this sometimes leads individuals to incorporate more variety into their public than private decisions. Results of study 2 confirm predictions that a relevant individual difference variable (self-monitoring) moderates the effects of expected evaluation on variety seeking. The final study demonstrates that pressure to choose variety in public is eliminated when a social cue signals the appropriateness of consuming one's favorites.
Genome-wide association to body mass index and waist circumference: the Framingham Heart Study 100K project

Background Obesity is related to multiple cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors as well as CVD and has a strong familial component. We tested for association between SNPs on the Affymetrix 100K SNP GeneChip and measures of adiposity in the Framingham Heart Study.
Inverse problem in optical diffusion tomography. II. Role of boundary conditions.

We consider the inverse problem of reconstructing the absorption and diffusion coefficients of an inhomogeneous highly scattering medium probed by diffuse light. The role of boundary conditions in the derivation of Fourier–Laplace inversion formulas is considered. Boundary conditions of a general mixed type are discussed, with purely absorbing and purely reflecting boundaries obtained as limiting cases. Four different geometries are considered with boundary conditions imposed on a single plane and on two parallel planes and on a cylindrical and on a spherical surface.
The Effect of Progesterone on Egg Formation in Sixteen-Week Old Pullets

ABSTRACT PROGESTERONE, a steroid hormone found in the blood of hens and roosters but not in capons (Fraps et al., 1949), has been shown to affect the ovary differently, depending on dosage, interval of treatment and method of administration. Shaffner (1955) reported that hens injected with progesterone ceased egg production immediately after treatment and showed signs of heavy molt from ten to fourteen days later. He indicated that most of the birds had resumed egg production eight weeks following the treatment. Egg weight and body weight were not influenced by the treatments. Different methods of administering progesterone to yearling hens were compared by Adams (1955) who found that whether fed, implanted, or injected, progesterone caused a decrease in egg production and an increase in the rate of primary wing feather molt. Estrogen primed rabbits need 200 mg. of progesterone orally to equal uterine proliferation of rabbits injected subcutaneously with 0.25 to . . .
The Unipolar Illusion Revisited: The Coming End of the United States' Unipolar Moment

The conventional wisdom among U.S. grand strategists is that U.S. hegemony is exceptional—that the United States need not worry about other states engaging in counterhegemonic balancing against it....
A Rapid, Extensive, and Transient Transcriptional Response to Estrogen Signaling in Breast Cancer Cells

We report the immediate effects of estrogen signaling on the transcriptome of breast cancer cells using global run-on and sequencing (GRO-seq). The data were analyzed using a new bioinformatic approach that allowed us to identify transcripts directly from the GRO-seq data. We found that estrogen signaling directly regulates a strikingly large fraction of the transcriptome in a rapid, robust, and unexpectedly transient manner. In addition to protein-coding genes, estrogen regulates the distribution and activity of all three RNA polymerases and virtually every class of noncoding RNA that has been described to date. We also identified a large number of previously undetected estrogen-regulated intergenic transcripts, many of which are found proximal to estrogen receptor binding sites. Collectively, our results provide the most comprehensive measurement of the primary and immediate estrogen effects to date and a resource for understanding rapid signal-dependent transcription in other systems.
Type 2 diabetes: an overview.

Type 2 diabetes is a heterogeneous disorder. Clinical expression of the disorder requires both genetic and environmental factors. One theory concerning its etiology is that it is the result of the evolution of a thrifty genotype that had survival benefits in the past but is detrimental in the current environment. An opposing theory is that it represents an adult metabolic response to fetal malnutrition. Hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes results from absolute or relative insulin deficiency. Most often relative insulin deficiency is attributable to an inability to adequately compensate for insulin resistance. Insulin resistance may be caused by a variety of genetic or metabolic factors. The most common etiological factor in insulin resistance is central obesity. Insulin resistance is associated with a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that include glucose intolerance, hypertension, a unique dyslipidemia, a procoagulant state, and an increase in macrovascular disease. Clinical intervention studies have demonstrated that reduction in the chronic microvascular and macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes requires treatment of hyperglycemia to achieve hemoglobin A1c <7.0%, blood pressure ≤130/80 mmHg, and plasma LDL-cholesterol ≤2.6 mmol/L (≤100 mg/dL). Oral antihyperglycemic agents increase endogenous insulin secretion, decrease insulin resistance, or lower postprandial plasma glucose rise by delaying absorption of complex carbohydrates. Long-term glycemic control in type 2 diabetes requires progressive, stepwise, combination treatment with oral agents and eventually combination treatment with oral agents and insulin.
Ammonium oxidation coupled to dissimilatory reduction of iron under anaerobic conditions in wetland soils

Abstract In exploring the dynamics of iron and nitrogen cycling in sediments from riparian forests we have observed a redox reaction that has not been previously described. During incubations of soil slurries under strictly anaerobic conditions, we repeatedly measured an unexpected production of both nitrite ( NO 2 − ) and ferrous iron [Fe(II)]. Using this indirect evidence we hypothesize that, under anaerobic conditions, there is a biological process that uses ferric iron [Fe(III)] as an electron acceptor while oxidizing ammonium ( NH 4 + ) to NO 2 − for energy production. This NH 4 + oxidation under iron reducing anaerobic conditions is thermodynamically feasible and is potentially a critical component of the N cycle in saturated sediments.
Risk Analysis and Management of Dam Safety

SUMMARY The current safety criteria for a high hazard dam focus on protecting the dam during a large flood. While protecting the dam does help to protect downstream people and property, the two objectives are not the same. Instead, the criteria should focus on lowering property damage (including damage to the dam) and preventing flood deaths. High hazard dams must survive a design flood in the current safety criteria. However, experts don't agree on the size of the peak flow that meets this criteria. Statistical hydrologists have proposed an alternative to using professional judgment to specify the design flood. Unfortunately, peak flow distributions cannot be estimated with confidence for extreme floods given available data. A major safety goal is to prevent deaths from floods. Preventing deaths is a major reason for constructing the spillway to handle extreme floods so that the dam doesn't fail due to overtopping. However, even if the dam doesn't fail, the spilled floods could cause many deaths. A better approach is to warn people to get them out of harm's way if a flood is coming. Retrofitting existing dams that could pass a “probable maximum flood” (PMF) when built is almost never a good use of funds. Instead, funds would be spent better by focusing on preventing damage from small floods, lowering the damage from medium-sized floods, and warning people in the event of a flood that could pose risks to life.
Randomized Phase III Study of Docetaxel Compared With Paclitaxel in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Purpose This randomized, controlled, multicenter, open-label, phase III study compared docetaxel versus paclitaxel in patients with advanced breast cancer that had progressed after an anthracycline-containing chemotherapy regimen. Patients and Methods Patients (n = 449) were randomly assigned to receive either docetaxel 100 mg/m2 (n = 225) or paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 (n = 224) on day 1, every 21 days until tumor progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. Results In the intent-to-treat population, both the median overall survival (OS, 15.4 v 12.7 months; hazard ratio [HR], 1.41; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.73; P = .03) and the median time to progression (TTP, 5.7 months v 3.6 months; HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.33 to 2.02; P < .0001) for docetaxel were significantly longer than for paclitaxel, and the overall response rate (ORR, 32% v 25%; P = .10) was higher for docetaxel. These results were confirmed by multivariate analyses. The incidence of treatment-related hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities was g...
The 3DIS: an extensible object-oriented information management environment

The 3-Dimensional Information Space (3DIS) is an extensible object-oriented framework for information management. It is specifically oriented toward supporting the database requirements for data-intensive information system applications in which (1) information objects of various levels of abstraction and modalities must be accommodated, (2) descriptive and structural information (metadata) is rich and dynamic, and (3) users who are not database experts must be able to design, manipulate, and evolve databases. In response to these needs, the 3DIS provides an approach in which data and the descriptive information about data are handled uniformly in an extensible framework. The 3DIS provides a simple, geometric, and formal representation of data which forms a basis for understanding, defining, and manipulating databases. Several prototype implementations based upon the 3DIS have been designed and implemented and are in experimental use.
CESARO KERNELS ON CLASSICAL GROUPS

We study the Cesaro operator A"£ * /((/ ) on the classical group G and give a necessary and sufficient condition on the index a = ct(G) for which the operator A"£ * f(U) is convergent to f(U) for any continuous function / as N —> oo. The result in this paper solves a question posed by Gong in the book Harmonic analysis on classical groups.
Negative colposcopic biopsy after positive human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA testing: false-positive HPV results or false-negative histologic findings?

We studied histologic examination-related factors contributing to false-negative colposcopic biopsy results. Patients positive for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA with negative cervical histologic findings were identified between January 2002 and December 2003. Three additional HE 4% had focal HPV infection or mild dysplasia. When deeper levels were examined, 31% had clinically significant lesions: HPV infection or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1, 19%; CIN 2/3, 8%; and dysplasia, not otherwise specified, 3%. Of the remaining patients, follow-up revealed squamous abnormalities in 25%. About 5% of patients with positive HPV DNA results had a negative follow-up biopsy result. "False-negative" biopsies accounted for one third of cases. Additional levels should be obtained for discrepant results. Close follow-up is crucial when the initial biopsy result is negative because a small number of patients will have squamous abnormalities in subsequent studies.
Spectroscopic Analysis of Ultraviolet Lamps for Disinfection of Air in Hospitals

In order to have feasibility study of ultraviolet lamps for air disinfection in hospitals, a number of lamps were studied spectroscopically. It was required to understand if these lamps really emitted 253.7 nm. Was the radiation intense enough to disinfect the surrounding air in the hospital? And to know about the percent transmission of the UV rays through the glass of the lamps. The intensity and UV dose were calculated at various distances in air from the lamps. While putting 1-min exposure time in the reciprocity law, the intensity/distance and dose/distance graphs were drawn for various lamps. From the trend line of the graph the distance at which the lamp emitted 10 μW/cm2 was calculated. In this study the 1-min exposure time was considered, using the Riley’s designed upper room air disinfection data for 90% kill rate. In the light of the results these lamps were considered fit to be installed either in the air ducts or in the upper room at certain distances for air disinfection, and suggestions were given for the improvement of the system proposed.
Developmental Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Amygdala Kindled Kittens: An update

In 1990, we published the first report of amygdala kindling in kittens and the first description of a spontaneous seizure model in immature animals.3 We found that spontaneous epilepsy was more likely to occur after amygdala kindling in preadolescents than in adults and that the post-kindling onset was most rapid in the youngest animals. This update is intended to fill some gaps in the initial report on the ontogeny of temporal lobe epilepsy.4
Factors influencing brain and tissue levels of tryptamine: species, drugs and lesions.

— With a modification of the spectrophotofluorometric (SPF) method of HESS & UDENFRIEND (1959) (J. Pharmac. exp. Ther.127, 175-177), brain tryptamine levels in the rat (20.9 ng/g) and guinea-pig (20.7 ng/g) were found to be less than those in the dog (32.1 ng/g) and cat (52.2 ng/g). Regional distribution studies in the dog and cat showed that tryptamine was present in all major brain regions with highest concentrations in the spinal cord. Blood levels of tryptamine in the guinea-pig, dog and cat (6-7 ng/ml) were lower than brain levels. Pargyline significantly increased brain tryptamine in both the dog and cat; whereas, isocarboxazid (after 4 h) increased brain tryptamine levels in the dog but decreased brain levels in the cat. Reserpine (0.5-1.0 mg/kg per day for 1-4 days) did not significantly decrease brain, spinal cord or blood tryptamine levels in the dog. Spinal cord transection did not decrease tryptamine levels below the lesion in the chronic spinal dog.
Mechanisms of caspase-1 activation by P2X7 receptor-mediated K+ release.

The mechanisms underlying caspase-1 activation and IL-1β processing during inflammatory activation of monocytes and macrophages are not well defined. Here, we describe an in vitro proteolytic proce...
A time-series study of particulate matter export in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre based on 234Th : 238U disequilibrium

Depth profiles oftotal 234 Th (dissolved+particulate) were collected at Station ALOHA (22145N, 158100W) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre during 9 cruises from April 1999 to March 2000. Samples were collected and processed by a new 2 L technique that enables more detailed depth resolution then previous 234 Th studies. Significant zones ofparticle export ( 234 Th deficiency) and particle remineralization ( 234 Th excess) were measured both temporally and with depth. 234 Th derived particulate carbon (PC) and nitrogen (PN) fluxes were determined with steady-state and non-steady-state models and PC/ 234 Th and PN/ 234 Th ratios measured with both in situ pumps and free-drifting particle interceptor traps deployed at 150 m. 234 Th based export estimates of4.0 72.3 mmol C m � 2 d � 1 and 0.5370.19 mmol N m � 2 d � 1 , were approximately 60% higher than those measured in PIT style sediment traps from the same time period, 2.470.2 mmol C m � 2 d � 1 and 0.3270.08 mmol N m � 2 d � 1 . Most ofthis difference is attributable to two large export events that occurred during October and December 1999, when traps undercollected for 234 Th by a factor of 2 to 4. 234 Th export (ThE) ratios based on 234 Th derived PC flux/ 14 C based primary production ranged from 4% to 22% (average=8.8%). Our results confirm the recent estimates of C export by Emerson et al. (Nature 389 (1997) 951) and Sonnerup et al. (Deep-Sea Research I 46 (1999) 777) and indicate that C export from the oligotrophic ocean must be considered when discussing C sequestration in global climate change. r 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Hormonal induction of ovulation in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca L.) using human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and mammalian GnRH analogue

The aim of the present study was to study spawning stimulation in artificial reproduction of females pikeperch (Sander lucioperca L.) using “Chorulon” containing the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and compare with “Supergestran” containing a mammalian GnRH ([D-Ala6]GnRHProNhet) analogue. The females were divided into eleven experimental groups and injected with hCG at 250, 500, 750, and 1 000 IU kg−1 body weight (BW) and mGnRHa at 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 25, and 50 μg kg−1 BW. In all treatments, a single intramuscular injection of hormone was performed. Control group was injected with 0.9 % NaCl, 0.9 cm3 kg−1 BW. The average percentages of ovulating females were 88.5 ± 12.3 and 80.8 ± 10.9 % in hCG- and mGnRHa-treated groups, respectively. The average diameter of eggs was 0.95 ± 0.06 and 0.98 ± 0.06 mm in hCG- and mGnRHa-treated groups, respectively. Neither ovulation rate nor diameter of egg was statistically differed among hormonally treated groups. Statistical difference was observed only in hatching rate, where the average were 73.6 ± 14.4 and 50.6 ± 17.7 % in hCG and mGnRHa-treated groups, respectively. Among hormonally treated groups, the best results were observed in groups treated with hCG at 500 and 750 IU kg−1 and in groups treated with mGnRHa at 25 μg kg−1. No ovulation was observed in the control group. This study indicated successful ovulation in pikeperch using a single intramuscular injection of hCG or mGnRHa analogue.
Stereo augmentation of simulation results on a projection wall by combining two basic ARVIKA systems

The article describes the potential for cost-reduction by using augmented reality (AR) in the automotive industry. AR allows for the evaluation of computer-generated simulations with physically crashed cars. The augmented simulation results are displayed on a projection wall in stereo by simply combining two basic ARVIKA systems.
Auger analysis of a fiber/matrix interface in a ceramic matrix composite

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) depth profiling was used to characterize the fiber/matrix interface of an SiC fiber, reaction bonded Si3N4 matrix composite. Depth profiles of the as received double coated fiber revealed concentration oscillations which disappeared after annealing the fiber in the environment used to fabricate the composite. After the composite was fractured, the Auger depth profiles showed that failure occurred in neither the Beta-SiC fiber body nor in the Si3N4 matrix but, concurrently, at the fiber coating/matrix interface and within the fiber coating itself.
Simultaneous Lateral Interbody Fusion and Posterior Percutaneous Instrumentation: Early Experience and Technical Considerations

Lumbar fusion surgery involving lateral lumbar interbody graft insertion with posterior instrumentation is traditionally performed in two stages requiring repositioning. We describe a novel technique to complete the circumferential procedure simultaneously without patient repositioning. Twenty patients diagnosed with worsening back pain with/without radiculopathy who failed exhaustive conservative management were retrospectively reviewed. Ten patients with both procedures simultaneously from a single lateral approach and 10 control patients with lateral lumbar interbody fusion followed by repositioning and posterior percutaneous instrumentation were analyzed. Pars fractures, mobile grade 2 spondylolisthesis, and severe one-level degenerative disk disease were matched between the two groups. In the simultaneous group, avoiding repositioning leads to lower mean operative times: 130 minutes (versus control 190 minutes; p = 0.009) and lower intraoperative blood loss: 108 mL (versus 93 mL; NS). Nonrepositioned patients were hospitalized for an average of 4.1 days (versus 3.8 days; NS). There was one complication in the control group requiring screw revision. Lateral interbody fusion and percutaneous posterior instrumentation are both readily accomplished in a single lateral decubitus position. In select patients with adequately sized pedicles, performing simultaneous procedures decreases operative time over sequential repositioning. Patient outcomes were excellent in the simultaneous group and comparable to procedures done sequentially.
Perirhinal Cortex mGlu5 Receptor Activation Reduces Relapse to Methamphetamine Seeking by Restoring Novelty Salience

Rats that have self-administered methamphetamine (meth) under long access, but not short access, conditions do not recognize novel objects. The perirhinal cortex is critical for novelty detection, and perirhinal metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors (mGlu5) are downregulated after long-access meth. The novel positive allosteric modulator (PAM) 1-(4-(2,4-difluorophenyl) piperazin-1-yl)-2-((4-fluorobenzyl)oxy)-ethanone, or DPFE, demonstrates improved solubility compared with other mGlu5 PAMs, thus allowing brain-site-specific pharmacological studies. Infusion of DPFE into perirhinal cortex restored novel object recognition in long-access meth rats. To investigate the impact of these cognitive enhancing effects on relapse, we tested the effects of DPFE infusions into perirhinal cortex on meth-seeking under two different test conditions. In the standard cue relapse test, perirhinal DPFE infusions did not alter meth-seeking in the presence of meth cues. However, in a novel cue relapse test, wherein animals were allowed to allocate responding between a novel cue and meth-conditioned cue, perirhinal DPFE infusions shifted the pattern of responding in long-access rats toward a profile resembling short-access rats, which respond equally for novel and meth cues. Perirhinal mGlu5 are thus a promising pharmacological target for the restoration of cognitive function in meth addicts. Targeting these receptors may also reduce relapse, particularly in situations where novel stimuli compete with conditioned stimuli for control over meth seeking.
The Implications of Increased Body Size in the Song Sparrows of the California Islands

We investigated morphological divergence between mainland and California Island populations of the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). Body size in small terrestrial vertebrates has been hypothesized to be larger in island forms than in their mainland relatives. Previously, we established that although bill size in island populations was similar to that in mainland populations with similar climate, bill-size dimorphism averaged much greater on the islands. In this paper, we compare various measures of structural body size and body mass between the California Islands and the mainland. We found that average body mass is over 10% higher in island Song Sparrows than in comparable mainland populations. However, a lack of commensurate structural body size suggests that body condition might be better in island Song Sparrows. This higher size-corrected mass may be explained by the dominance hypothesis, greater food availability and/or reduced competition, or adaptive mass regulation in the face of reduced predation pressure on adults. Both greater sexual bill dimorphism and greater body mass suggest reduced competition for food for the island Song Sparrow: a possibility that invites further investigation.
Uncertainty in Spatial Trajectories

This chapter presents a systematic overview of the various issues and solutions related to the notion of uncertainty in the settings of moving objects trajectories. The sources of uncertainty in this context are plentiful: from the mere fact that the positioning devices are inherently imprecise, to the pragmatic aspect that, although the objects are moving continuously, location-based servers can only be updated in discrete times. Hence come the problems related to modelling and representing the uncertainty in Moving Objects Databases (MOD) and, as a consequence, problems of efficient algorithms for processing various spatio-temporal queries of interest. Given the ever-presence of uncertainty since the dawn of philosophy through modern day nano-level science, after a brief introduction, we present a historic overview of the role of uncertainty in parts of the evolution of the human thought in general, and Computer Science (CS) and databases in particular, which are relevant to this chapter. The focus of this chapter, however, will be on the impact that capturing the uncertainty in the syntax of the popular spatio-temporal queries has on their semantics and processing algorithms. We also consider the impact of different models in different settings – e.g., free motion; road-network constrained motion – and discuss the main issues related to exploiting such semantic dimension( s) for efficient query processing.
Toward room-temperature superfluidity of exciton polaritons in an optical microcavity with an embedded MoS_2 monolayer

By considering driven diffusive dynamics of exciton polaritons in an optical microcavity with an embedded molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) monolayer, we determine an experimentally relevant range of parameters at which room-temperature superfluidity can be observed. It is shown that the superfluid transitions occur in a trapped polariton gas at a laser pumping power of P>600 mW and a trapping potential strength of k>50 eV/cm2. We also propose a simple analytic model that provides a useful estimate for the polariton gas density, which enables one to determine the conditions for the observation of room-temperature polariton superfluidity.
Dual Citizenship: A European Norm?

Since the mid-1970s, when it became clear that some three million of the eleven million foreigners recruited to work in Germany from 1955 to 1973 would not be returning home as expected, German dem...