cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-speed optical links between Lawrence Livermore National Lab. and Univ. of California/Berkeley

The Advanced Telecommunications Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in collaboration with Pacific Bell, is developing an experimental high speed, four wavelength, protocol independent optical link for evaluating wide area networking interconnection schemes and the use of fiber amplifiers. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as a super-user, supercomputer, and super-application site, is anticipating the future bandwidth and protocol requirements necessary to connect to other such sites as well as to connect to remote sited control centers and experiments. In this paper we discuss our vision of the future of Wide Area Networking and describe the plans for the wavelength division multiplexed link between Livermore and the University of California at Berkeley.
Mortality and other outcomes after paediatric hospital admission on the weekend compared to weekday

Mortality is higher for adults admitted to hospital and for babies born on weekends compared to weekdays. This study compares in-hospital mortality and in children admitted to hospital on weekends and weekdays. Details for all acute medical admissions to hospitals in Scotland for children aged ≤16 years between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2013 were obtained. Death was linked to day of admission. There were 570,403 acute medical admissions and 334 children died, including 83 who died after an admission on Saturday or Sunday and 251 who died following admission between Monday and Friday. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for a child dying after admission on a weekend compared to weekday was 1.03 [95% CI 0.80 to 1.32]. The OR for a child admitted over the weekend requiring intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit (HDU) care was 1.24 [1.16 to 1.32], but the absolute number of admissions to HDU and ICU per day were similar on weekends and weekdays. We see no evidence of increased in-hospital paediatric mortality after admission on a weekend. The increased risk for admission to ITU or HDU with more serious illness over weekends is explained by fewer less serious admissions.
Heat of Melting of Small Clusters in the Model of the Potential with the Effective Well Depth

Within the framework of the cluster model using the Mie pair power-law interaction potential with the effective depth of the potential well, whose depth is determined by the number of particles in the cluster, an equation for the calculation of the heat of melting of cluster systems is obtained. The resulting mathematical expression does not contain empirical constants and shows that the ratio of the heat of melting of a cluster to the heat of melting of a macroscopic sample is a universal function of the number of particles in the cluster and mathematically described by the square of the hyperbolic tangent.
Development of a genetically encoded sensor for endogenous CaMKII activity

Ca2+-calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is an oligomeric enzyme that plays crucial roles in neuronal and cardiac signaling, as well as in fertilization and immunity. Here, we report the construction of a novel substrate based genetically encoded sensor for CaMKII activity, FRESCA (FRET-based Sensor for CaMKII Activity). Currently, there is one genetically encoded biosensor for CaMKII activity, Camui, which contains CaMKII. FRESCA allows us to measure all endogenous CaMKII variants, while Camui can track a single CaMKII variant. In mammals, CaMKII is expressed from 4 separate genes, which all undergo alternative splicing, leading to 30-40 CaMKII variants. Given the complexity of CaMKII expression in cells, using FRESCA to measure aggregate activity of expressed isoforms will allow us a fresh perspective on CaMKII activation. We show, using fluorescence live-cell imaging, that FRESCA response is concurrent with Ca2+ rises in both HEK293T cells and mouse eggs. In eggs, we stimulate oscillatory patterns of Ca2+ and observe the differential responses of FRESCA and Camui. Our results implicate an important role for the variable linker region in CaMKII, which may explain the varying responses of these two biosensors. It will be extremely informative to studies in neurons, cardiomyocytes and other CaMKII-containing cells to study the response of endogenous CaMKII using FRESCA.
Turning Products into Services and Services into Products: Contradictory Implications of Information Technology in the Service Economy

Ramiller, N. C., Davidson, E., Wagner, E. L., and Sawyer, S., 2008, in IFIP International Federation for Information Processing, Volume 267, Information Technology in the Service Economy: Challenges and Possibilities for the 21 Century, eds. Barrett, M., Davidson, E., Middleton, C., and DeGross, J. (Boston: Springer), pp. 343-348. 25 TURNING PRODUCTS INTO SERVICES AND SERVICES INTO PRODUCTS: Contradictory Implications of Information Technology in the Service Economy
Plant Gα Structure and Properties

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large family of eukaryotic membrane-spanning proteins that convert signals from the outside of a cell to an appropriate response inside the cell. GPCRs typically associate with a heterotrimeric Gαβγ protein. Activated receptors propagate signals by causing the Gα subunit of the heterotrimer to release GDP and to bind GTP. GTP binding causes a conformational change in the Gα protein that triggers heterotrimer dissociation and downstream signaling. In this way, the guanine nucleotide occupancy of the Gα subunit determines the protein structure and activity. Although most of the G protein paradigm has been established by studying animal G proteins, recent research has revealed diverse roles for G protein signaling in plants. The first part of the chapter (Section “Introduction: Structure-Function Relationships in G Protein Signaling” in Chapter “Plant Gα Structure and Properties”) reviews G protein signaling principles, with an emphasis on the information that has been gleaned from atomic structures. The second part (Section “Comparison of Plant Gα Proteins to Mammalian Gα Proteins” in Chapter, “Plant Gα Structure and Properties”) compares plant Gα proteins to animal Gα proteins with an emphasis on how structure confers function for these proteins. Although plant and animal Gα proteins share less than 40% identity, the key residues that confer G protein function are nearly invariant across all G protein families. The third part (Section “Properties of Plant Gα Proteins” in Chapter “Plant Gα Structure and Properties”) describes the physical properties of plant Gα proteins, including kinetic properties, localization, receptor coupling, and effector activation.
Thyroid Imaging Studies

This is the second in a series of Continuing Education articles related to functional/quantitative imaging techniques. After reading this article, the reader should be able to: 1) discuss the clinical applications of thyroid imaging; 2) understand the relationship of related thyroid tests; and 3) recognize the pitfalls and problems associated with this procedure.
Surface Pattern Comparability of Wind-Tunnel Simulations of the Thorney Island Dense Gas Dispersion Trials

In 1976 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) initiated a program of research on the atmospheric dispersion of heavy gases. The principal theme of the experimental part of the program was the study of the dispersion of fixed-volume clotcds. The clouds were initially placed at atmospheric pressure and temperature in a ground-level container which was then suddenly removed. The Heavy Gas Dispersion Trials (HGDT) project was the large-scale constituent of their program, and it was the subject of the report by McQuaid and Roebuck (1984).
Bacterial strategies for growth on aromatic compounds.

Abstract Although the biodegradation of aromatic compounds has been studied for over 40 years, there is still much to learn about the strategies bacteria employ for growth on novel substrates. Elucidation of these strategies is crucial for predicting the environmental fate of aromatic pollutants and will provide a framework for the development of engineered bacteria and degradation pathways. In this chapter, we provide an overview of studies that have advanced our knowledge of bacterial adaptation to aromatic compounds. We have divided these strategies into three broad categories: (1) recruitment of catabolic genes, (2) expression of “repair” or detoxification proteins, and (3) direct alteration of enzymatic properties. Specific examples from the literature are discussed, with an eye toward the molecular mechanisms that underlie each strategy.
Methodology and feasibility of a 3D printed assistive technology intervention

Three-dimensional (3D) printing now allows rehabilitation professionals to design and manufacture assistive technologies in a few hours. However, there is limited guidance for researchers and clinicians for implementing 3D printing assistive technology interventions and measuring their outcomes. The goal of this study was to develop a standardized 3D printing assistive technology intervention and a research methodology, using pillboxes as an example. Fourteen pillbox users engaged in a study comparing their use of an off-the-shelf pillbox to a customized 3D printed pillbox. Study outcomes were evaluated on feasibility (recruitment capability, study procedures and outcome measures, acceptability of the study procedures, the research team's ability to manage and implement the study, and the participant's preliminary response to intervention). Participant outcomes were measured on satisfaction with the device and medication adherence. Fourteen participants completed the study and received customized 3D printed pillboxes. The study design performed well on all aspects of feasibility except the research team's ability to manage and implement the study, as they experienced several technical issues. Notably, the participants reported improved device satisfaction and medication adherence with the 3D printed device with large effect sizes. The 3D printed assistive technology intervention is a replicable process that supports professionals in printing their own assistive technologies. Recommendations are made to further enhance feasibility of 3D printing assistive technology studies. Future research is warranted.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION3D printing is an increasingly feasible approach allowing for the design and manufacture of customized assistive technologyEvaluation for assistive technology that will be 3D printed should include information about the person's activities, routines, skills, abilities, and preferences. Evaluation of outcomes should include satisfaction with the device and a functional measure.3D printed assistive technology interventions should include the collaboration between the assistive technology professional and client. It should also include device training.Future 3D printing research studies should report pragmatic data including printing device, time to print, and number of errors.
TGF-β-dependent epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through Snail1 transcription factor

5358 Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), important for cell movement during morphogenesis, is reactivated during malignant progression to enable invasion and metastasis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) induces EMT and stimulates cell migration in a variety of cancer cell types, including mammary carcinomas. Whereas the Snail zinc-finger transcription factors directly repress genes, such as E-cadherin, down-regulated during EMT, the interaction between Snail1/2 and TGF-β is unclear. We show that TGF-β (200 pM) induces Snail1 transcription within 30 minutes by 9-fold and 5.5-fold in the mouse mammary epithelial cell lines, NMuMG and Ras-transformed EpH4 (EpRas), respectively. Snail1 induction is sustained above basal levels for up to 48 hours concomitant with phenotypic conversion of the epithelial cells to a notable mesenchymal/fibroblastic phenotype including a time-dependent consistent decrease in E-cadherin and the tight junction protein, ZO-1, and an increase in N-cadherin and vimentin, as observed by immunofluorescence. By contrast, TGF-β decreases transcription of the homologue member Snail2 by 0.75-fold by one hour with incremental increases over time that remained slightly below basal levels by 48 hours. TGF-β signal transduction directly activates Smad transcription factors. Smad binding elements (SBE) were detected in the Snail1 promoter region suggesting a direct role for TGF-β signaling via Smads in Snail1 induction. Accordingly, TGF-β did not affect Snail1 or Snail2 expression in the Smad4-defective human breast carcinoma cells MDA-MB-468, and inhibitors of the p38 MAPK, PI3K and MEK1/2 pathways partially blocked TGF-β-regulated transcription of both genes. Therefore, TGF-β induces EMT via Smad4 signaling and cross-talk with additional intracellular pathways. Finally, stable over-expression of Snail1 and Snail2 in NMuMG cells mimicked the TGF-β-induced effects consistent with EMT including cell invasion through matrigel coated transwell chambers, down-regulation of ZO-1 and E-cadherin and, up-regulation of vimentin, fibronectin and N-cadherin. However, knock-down of gene transcription with Snail1 siRNA, but not Snail2 siRNA, blocked these TGF-β-induced effects. Therefore, whereas both Snail1 and Snail2 induce EMT and related alterations in markers of EMT, only Snail1 appears to mediate TGF-β induction of the mesenchymal phenotype consistent with its role in metastasis. Further, since TGF-β is present in high concentrations in many cancers and, as blocking Snail1 expression is sufficient to protect NMuMG cells from undergoing EMT induced by TGF-β/Smad signaling, Snail1 may be a rational target to prevent [TGF-β-induced] metastatic disease.
Telemedicine in the Management of ADHD: Literature Review of Telemedicine in ADHD:

Objective: Telemedicine has been used successfully in several medical specialties with favorable patient outcomes, satisfaction, in a cost-effective manner. However, its use in the context of ADHD remains unclear. Our main aim was to investigate what is known about the use of telemedicine in ADHD. Method: We conducted a systematic search of the literature assessing telemedicine in ADHD in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Medline. Included were original articles published in English with the main aim to assess the use of telemedicine in ADHD. Results: Only 11 articles met our inclusion and exclusion criteria, coming from only three systematic trials of telemedicine in ADHD. The studies suggest that telemedicine is valued by its users, is well accepted, and is associated with improved outcomes. Conclusion: The limited research indicates that telemedicine has potential to expand the delivery of clinical services to patients with ADHD. More work is needed to further evaluate this finding.
Hidden Markov Models derived from Behavior Trees.

Behavior trees are rapidly attracting interest in robotics and human task-related motion tracking. However no algorithms currently exist to track or identify parameters of BTs under noisy observations. We report a new relationship between BTs, augmented with statistical information, and Hidden Markov Models. Exploiting this relationship will allow application of many algorithms for HMMs (and dynamic Bayesian networks) to data acquired from BT-based systems.
Diagnostic pitfalls and laboratory test interference after hydroxychloroquine intoxication: A case report

Abstract Hydroxychloroquine is a medication used to treat autoimmune conditions. Overdoses of hydroxychloroquine are uncommon, with most recommendations on monitoring drawing from experience with more common overdoses of the related drug chloroquine. We present a case of an adolescent with intentional overdose of approximately 12 g of hydroxychloroquine. The prominent clinical features were hypokalemia and widened QRS and QT intervals on the electrocardiogram. Therapy included epinephrine by intravenous drip and bicarbonate infusions along with supportive care and cardiac monitoring. The patient recovered without sequelae. Urine drug testing showed an absorbance alarm for one of the components of the institution drug of abuse screening panel, an oxycodone screen using an enzyme immunoassay. Analysis of two urine specimens collected during the hospitalization revealed hydroxychloroquine concentrations of greater than 500 mg/L (approximately 7.5 h after ingestion) and 130 mg/L (approximately 14 h after ingestion). Only the urine with greater than 500 mg/L hydroxychloroquine produced absorbance alarms on the drug of abuse testing. We separately analyzed the impact on 24 urine assays of varying concentrations of hydroxychloroquine spiked into de-identified pooled urine samples. For 6 of the assays (buprenorphine, cotinine, oxycodone, and tetrahydrocannabinol qualitative drug screens; microalbumin and urine myoglobin quantitative assays), hydroxychloroquine produced significant bias and/or instrument alarms. Overall, our study demonstrates that urine concentrations of hydroxychloroquine can reach very high concentrations (exceeding 500 mg/L) following overdose, with the potential to interfere with a range of urine assays including drug of abuse screening and microalbumin. Similar to previous reports, hydroxychloroquine overdose can produce hypokalemia and electrocardiographic abnormalities.
Integration and Evaluation of Spiral Theory based Cybersecurity Modules into core Computer Science and Engineering Courses

Cybersecurity education has been emphasized by several national organizations in the United States, including the National Academy of Engineering, which recognizes securing cyberspace as one of the 14 Engineering Grand Challenges. To prepare students for such challenges and to enhance cybersecurity education opportunities at our large research university, we implemented an NSF-funded cybersecurity education project. This project is a collaborative effort between faculty and graduate students in the Engineering Education, Computer Science (CS) and Computer Engineering (CPE) departments at a major US research university. In this effort, we integrated cybersecurity learning modules into multiple existing core CS and CPE courses following Jerome Bruner's spiral-theory model, which has previously been used to reformulate several academic curricula. In this paper, we present our cybersecurity curriculum initiative, describe the spiral-theory based process we developed to implement the curriculum and provide an in-depth description of four reusable cybersecurity learning modules that we developed. A core tenet of spiral theory holds to revisit topics as students advance through their curriculum. This work applies this approach to Cybersecurity education by carefully designing the learning objectives of the modules and its contents. For evaluating these learning modules we implemented pre and post-tests to assess students' technical knowledge, their perceptions towards the modules' learning objectives, and how it influenced their motivation to learn cybersecurity. Our findings are overwhelmingly positive and the students' feedback has helped us improve these learning modules. Since its inception, our initiative has educated more than $2\,000$ students and is currently being used to revise the affected courses' syllabi.
Profiling Vulnerabilities Threatening Dual Persona in Android Framework

Enterprises round the globe have been searching for a way to securely empower AndroidTM devices for work but have spurned away from the Android platform due to ongoing fragmentation and security concerns. Discrepant vulnerabilities have been reported in Android smartphones since Android Lollipop release. Smartphones can be easily hacked by installing a malicious application, visiting an infectious browser, receiving a crafted MMS, interplaying with plug-ins, certificate forging, checksum collisions, inter-process communication (IPC) abuse and much more. To highlight this issue a manual analysis of Android vulnerabilities is performed, by using data available in National Vulnerability Database NVD and Android Vulnerability website. This paper includes the vulnerabilities that risked the dual persona support in Android 5 and above, till Dec 2017. In our security threat analysis, we have identified a comprehensive list of Android vulnerabilities, vulnerable Android versions, manufacturers, and information regarding complete and partial patches released. So far, there is no published research work that systematically presents all the vulnerabilities and vulnerability assessment for dual persona feature of Android’s smartphone. The data provided in this paper will open ways to future research and present a better Android security model for dual persona.
Search and visualization of gene-drug-disease interactions for pharmacogenomics and precision medicine research using GeneDive

Abstract Background Understanding the relationships between genes, drugs, and disease states is at the core of pharmacogenomics. Two leading approaches for identifying these relationships in medical literature are: human expert led manual curation efforts, and modern data mining based automated approaches. The former generates small amounts of high-quality data, and the latter offers large volumes of mixed quality data. The algorithmically extracted relationships are often accompanied by supporting evidence, such as, confidence scores, source articles, and surrounding contexts (excerpts) from the articles, that can be used as data quality indicators. Tools that can leverage these quality indicators to help the user gain access to larger and high-quality data are needed. Approach We introduce GeneDive, a web application for pharmacogenomics researchers and precision medicine practitioners that makes gene, disease, and drug interactions data easily accessible and usable. GeneDive is designed to meet three key objectives: (1) provide functionality to manage information-overload problem and facilitate easy assimilation of supporting evidence, (2) support longitudinal and exploratory research investigations, and (3) offer integration of user-provided interactions data without requiring data sharing. Results GeneDive offers multiple search modalities, visualizations, and other features that guide the user efficiently to the information of their interest. To facilitate exploratory research, GeneDive makes the supporting evidence and context for each interaction readily available and allows the data quality threshold to be controlled by the user as per their risk tolerance level. The interactive search-visualization loop enables relationship discoveries between diseases, genes, and drugs that might not be explicitly described in literature but are emergent from the source medical corpus and deductive reasoning. The ability to utilize user’s data either in combination with the GeneDive native datasets or in isolation promotes richer data-driven exploration and discovery. These functionalities along with GeneDive’s applicability for precision medicine, bringing the knowledge contained in biomedical literature to bear on particular clinical situations and improving patient care, are illustrated through detailed use cases. Conclusion GeneDive is a comprehensive, broad-use biological interactions browser. The GeneDive application and information about its underlying system architecture are available at http://www.genedive.net . GeneDive Docker image is also available for download at this URL, allowing users to (1) import their own interaction data securely and privately; and (2) generate and test hypotheses across their own and other datasets.
Interest Rate Sensitivity as Motivation for Acquisitions: Evidence from Bank Holding Companies

We examine the role of interest rate sensitivity for bank acquisitions. We expect that the interest rate sensitivity of a bank impacts the likelihood that it is acquired as the fair value of fixed rate loans increases (decrease) when interest rates decrease (increase) while book values remain unchanged. We find that banks with greater fixed-rate loan portfolios are more likely to be acquired in decreasing rate environments as bank acquirers seek to acquire fixed-rate assets with higher rates than can be achieved through new loan originations. Further, this effect is stronger for targets that cannot fully benefit from their fixed-rate portfolio due to either poor operating performance or a weaker information environment. In further tests we find positive returns for acquirers at the time the fair values of the target are reported. This study sheds light on how bank acquisitions are impacted by interest rate sensitivity in low-rate environments.
Retrieval and purification of human β cells from stem cell-derived islet engrafted mice.

Summary Stem cell-derived beta cells (SC-β-cells) engrafted into mice serve as a pre-clinical model of diabetes. It is helpful to recover viable β cells following transplantation to perform tests on the graft. We developed a protocol to retrieve and purify a sufficient number of live β cells from mice following long-term human SC-β-cell engraftment. The protocol enables examination of SC-β-cells undergoing developmental and metabolic changes in vivo and may facilitate the understanding of metabolic demand on SC-β-cells.
At Work in the Iron Cage: The Prison as Gendered Organization

Acknowledgments 1 Engendering the Prison 2 Penology in America: Men's and Women's Prisons as Gendered Projects 3 From Turkey to Of?cer: Prison Work in Historical Perspective 4 Paths to Prison 5 Work with Inmates 6 The Rest of the Job: Coworkers, Supervisors, and Satisfaction 7 Conclusion Methodological Appendix Notes References Index About the Author
A therapeutic role for vitamin D on obesity-associated inflammation and weight-loss intervention

Vitamin D plays an essential role in the regulation of skeletal metabolism as well as calcium and phosphate homeostasis, while vitamin D receptor (VDR) regulates de novo lipid synthesis, thereby contributing to the development of obesity. Furthermore, obese individuals are at a greater risk for vitamin D deficiency which may increase the potential risk for chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. While acute exercise enhances the activation of inflammatory signaling pathways, chronic exercise training may attenuate elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine production, resulting in the improvement of cardiovascular and metabolic health in obese individuals. Supplementation with vitamin D coupled with exercise or mild caloric restriction has been shown to improve markers of fitness and inflammation as well as cholesterol. Therefore, this review primarily addresses the impact of vitamin D deficiency in obesity-related inflammatory imbalances and how exercise and weight-loss interventions may enhance the beneficial effects on vitamin D-mediated inflammation in obesity.
Augmenting travel cost models with contingent behavior data

This paper proposes contingent behavior survey questions as a valuable supplement to observed data in travel cost models of non-market demand for recreational resources. A set of observed and contingent behavior results for each survey respondent allows the researcher to control for individual heterogeneity by taking advantage of panel data methods when exploring the nature of respondent demands. The contingent scenarios also provide opportunities to (a) test for differences between observed and contingent preferences and/or (b) assess likely demands under conditionsbeyond the domain of observed variation in costs or resource attributes. Most importantly, contingent scenarios allow the researcher to imposeexogenously varying travel costs. Exogenous imposition of travel costs together with panel methods reduces the omitted variables bias that plagues observed-data travel cost models of recreational demand. Using a convenience sample of data for illustrative purposes, we show how to estimate the demand for recreational angling by combining observed and contingent behavior data. We begin with simple naive pooled Poisson models and progress to more theoretically appropriate fixed effects panel Poisson specifications.
Alternating Renewal Processes

This article introduces a continuous-time stochastic process, which is called an alternating renewal process, that alternates between two states such as “up” and “down.” We provide the limiting distribution of the process and demonstrate its use by two examples. Keywords: alternating renewal process; inspection paradox; key renewal theorem
An electrocardiographic study of high take-off of the R(R')-T segment in right precordial leads. Altered repolarization.

Abstract An abnormal electrocardiographic pattern of altered repolarization is described in eight cases. The common finding is an elevation of the R(R′)-T segment over the right side of the precordium, with varying shapes and with varying degrees of extension to the left. While some degree of delay in the excitation of the right ventricular free wall is frequently noted, this is not always the case. The abnormal findings are constant and they are associated with a normal morphologic and functional status of the heart. The abnormal electrocardiographic finding may be misinterpreted as evidence for acute myocardial injury.
The Incidence and Severity of Oral Mucositis among Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract Oral mucositis (OM) is a debilitating early adverse effect of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The intensity of the conditioning regimen correlates with the incidence and severity of OM, but no studies have analyzed this relationship among various conditioning regimens. We performed a systematic review on the incidence and outcomes of OM in allogeneic HSCT patients and analyzed this association. A comprehensive search of several databases (Ovid Medline In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Cochrane CRCT, Cochrane DSR, Scopus) from 1990 to 2014 for studies of OM in allogeneic HSCT patients was conducted. Professional societies' meeting abstracts were also searched. Grade of OM was analyzed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) or National Cancer Institutes (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events scales. Severe mucositis was defined as either grades 2 to 4 or grades 3 and 4, depending on the studies' definition of severity. Cohorts were analyzed based on regimen intensity; ie, reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) (including nonmyeloablative) and myeloablative (MA). Random effect (RE) and standard logistic models weighted by the number of patients in each cohort were used for comparisons. A total of 624 studies were generated from the search. Of the 395 patients in 8 eligible MA regimen studies, 73.2% experienced any OM, whereas in 245 patients in the 6 eligible RIC regimen studies, 86.5% experienced any OM (chi-square P
Biodegradable microspheres as a delivery system for rismorelin porcine, a porcine-growth-hormone-releasing-hormone

Biodegradable controlled release microspheres containing rismorelin porcine, a potent analog of growth-hormone-releasing-hormone (GHRH), and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) were prepared by a modified solvent evaporation technique. Release rates of rismorelin porcine were characterized in vitro by use of a cell perifusion system and evaluated in vivo in pigs. Rismorelin porcine is 4-methylhippuroyl (1) porcine GHRH (2-76)-OH, which is a potent analog of a natural porcine GHRH. Due to the high water solubility of rismorelin porcine, a modified solvent evaporation procedure was used to prepare poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres. The aqueous phase was modified by the inclusion of phosphate salts to prevent rismorelin porcine solubilization during microsphere formation. Rismorelin porcine loading levels evaluated were 5% w/w, 10% w/w, and 25% w/w. Rismorelin porcine loading level determined rate and total amount of peptide released from microspheres in vitro and in vivo. The biological efficacy of the rismorelin porcine microspheres was determined in finishing swine by urinary urea nitrogen (UUN) depression as well as by serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Depression of both UUN and BUN was noted upon subcutaneous administration of rismorelin porcine microspheres. The nature of the injection vehicle used to suspend the microspheres for injection influenced in vivo release of rismorelin porcine. Physical site of injection of microspheres did not influence release profile in swine. In vivo release of rismorelin porcine from microspheres ceased after nine to twelve days in all studies.
Neoplasm transplantation inhibition by uninvolved lymph tissue.

HETEROLOGOUS transplantation of human neoplasms into the cheek pouch of the syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) was first reported in 1951 (ref. 1). The uniqueness of the pouch as a site for transplantation results from the alymphatic structure and the very slow diffusion of large molecules out of the pouch area2. The large mass of loose connective tissue which comprises most of the pouch may be responsible for limiting the diffusion of transplantation antigens. Its selection as a favourable site for tumour transplantation has been based not only on its immunological responses, but also on its simplified structure, the ease with which transplants vascularize, the accuracy with which growth rates and regressions can be measured, and the fact that repeated eversion of the pouch for observation of transplants creates little or no trauma to host tissue or transplant.
An Empirical Analysis on Organizational Integration and Its Effect on the Internationalization of Exporting Firms in North Cyprus

The role of organizational integration within and between organizations and the impacts of integration on organizational growth and performance have been studied extensively in literature. As a building block of supply chain management, organizational integration has positive significant effect on the performance of the organization. Sharing information, gathering business intelligence and establishing collaboration among functional departments and between business partners are also expected to improve the internationalization process as well as the international performance of the organization. We propose and test a model of the relationship between organizational integration and international performance of the organization by using empirical data. Our model differs from past studies in that integration is viewed as four types; functional integration among departments, customer integration, supplier integration and distributor integration. It is aimed to discover the role of each type individually in this model, rather than classifying them as inter- and intra-organizational integration. Our findings show that organizational integration impacts both international commitment and export performance by promoting four measures of integration. These findings reveal the importance of organizational integration for exporting companies in promoting information and business intelligence sharing, and collaborating among functional departments and between business partners.
Reperfusion before global ischemic arrest improves the salvage of infarcting myocardium.

Abstract To study the effect of hypothermic global ischemic arrest on an evolving myocardial infarction and of perfusion of the ischemic zone or region at risk before global ischemia, 62 farm pigs underwent 15, 30, or 60 minutes of reversible coronary occlusion. Twenty-eight of these animals served as controls: reflow to the region at risk was established by removal of the coronary occluder without the addition of global ischemia. Another 26 animals had similar periods of coronary occlusion and then were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass; they underwent aortic cross-clamping and cardioplegia-induced global hypothermic arrest for 45 minutes. Eight additional pigs had two hours of reflow to the region at risk after removal of the occluder and before global ischemic arrest. When superimposed on regional ischemia, global ischemia resulted in a 6-fold increase in infarct size after 15 minutes of coronary occlusion ( p p These results clearly demonstrate that infarct extension occurring when global ischemia is superimposed on regional ischemia is greatest early in infarct evolution but that reflow to the region at risk before global ischemic arrest prevents the additional infarction. These data suggest that ischemic myocardium must be supplied with oxygen and metabolic substrate prior to global ischemic arrest to obtain maximum myocardial salvage with surgical revascularization.
Are dysfunctional beliefs about illness unique to hypochondriasis

Abstract Objective: There is evidence that individuals high in hypochondriasis overestimate the likelihood of ambiguous symptoms being indicative of serious illness. However, it is not known whether this tendency is unique to hypochondriasis or whether it can be attributed to high negative affectivity or other anxiety symptoms often found to be comorbid with hypochondriasis. Method: College students (N=133) completed measures of hypochondriasis, depression, anxiety, worry, avoidance and estimated the likelihood of various symptoms indicating catastrophic and minor illnesses. Results: Even after entering the other self-report variables, hypochondriasis was the only variable to predict estimates of the likelihood of serious illness. Conversely, being female, high levels of negative affect, agoraphobic avoidance when accompanied by others and higher estimates about the likelihood of symptoms leading to catastrophic illnesses best predicted hypochondriasis scores. Conclusion: Dysfunctional beliefs about illness appear to be unique to hypochondriasis and to uniquely contribute to the prediction of hypochondriasis.
Enzyme architecture: the activating oxydianion binding domain for orotidine 5'-monophophate decarboxylase.

Orotidine 5′-monophosphate decarboxylase catalyzes the decarboxylation of truncated substrate (1-β-d-erythrofuranosyl)orotic acid to form (1-β-d-erythrofuranosyl)uracil. This enzyme-catalyzed reaction is activated by tetrahedral oxydianions, which bind weakly to unliganded OMPDC and tightly to the enzyme-transition state complex, with the following intrinsic oxydianion binding energies (kcal/mol): SO32–, −8.3; HPO32–, −7.7; S2O32–, −4.6; SO42–, −4.5; HOPO32–, −3.0; HOAsO32–, no activation detected. We propose that the oxydianion and orotate binding domains of OMPDC perform complementary functions in catalysis of decarboxylation reactions: (1) The orotate binding domain carries out decarboxylation of the orotate ring. (2) The activating oxydianion binding domain has the cryptic function of utilizing binding interactions with tetrahedral inorganic oxydianions to drive an enzyme conformational change that results in the stabilization of transition states at the distant orotate domain.
Cerebellar Dysfunction in Hand-Schuller-Christian Disease

Diabetes insipidus and growth retardation are common manifestations of hypothalamic involvement in patients with Hand-Schuller-Christian disease (HSCD). Involvement of other areas of the central nervous system (CNS) has been reported infrequently. We have studied 13 patients with HSCD. Four of these patients exhibited signs of extrahypothalamic CNS disease, manifested primarily by impairment of cerebellar function. One patient showed bilateral dentate nuclear calcification, a radiologic sign not previously reported in this disease. Although histologic examination was not possible, the nature of the clinical and radiologic signs suggest that intracerebellar involvement in patients with HSCD is more common than previously appreciated.
FIELD AND CULTURE STUDIES ON GIGARTINA AGARDHII (RHODOPHYTA)1,2

Cultured carpospores from field-collected plants of Gigartina agardhii Selfchell & Gardner gave rise to either Petrocelis-like crustose plants, or basal discs with erect Gigartina-like blades. Made tips excised from field-collected female plants and cultured in the laboratory also showed two patterns of reproduction: procarpic papillae that only produced cystocarps in the presence of male plants with spermatid, or cystocarpic papillae that formed and released carpospores in the absence of male plants. The first pattern in each case above is evidence for a sexual life history and the second for an apomictic life history similar to that for G. papillata (C. Agardh) J. Agardh. The resorcinol lest for k-carrageenan was negative for Petrocelis-like plants and positive for foliose plants providing addition evidence that the former are haploid and the latter diploid as is characteristic for the Gigartinaceae. Crossing experiments between sexual male and female isolates of G. agardhii from several locations indicated that free interbreeding occurs. All crosses between G. agardhii and Gigartina-phase gametophytes cultured from tetraspores of Petrocelis middendorffii (Ruprecht) Kjellman were negative demonstrating that G. agardhii is reproductively isolated from G. papillata/P. middendorffii and represents a distinct species. The tetrasporophytic phase of G. agardhii in nature is still not known. The significance of reproductive isolation in Gigartina subgenus Mastocarpus is discussed. On the bosis of nomenclatural priority G. agardhii Setchell & Gardner 1933 is placed in synonymy under G. jardinii J. Agardh 1876.
orthodenticle is required for photoreceptor cell development in the Drosophila eye.

Drosophilaphotoreceptor cells (R cells) develop from the eye imaginal disc during the third instar larval stage and acquire their adult morphology during pupation. We show thatorthodenticle(otd), a homeobox gene, is required for R-cell morphogenesis during pupation.otdUV-insensitive(otduvi) is a hypomorphic allele ofotdthat only affects R-cell development. The R-cell rhabdomeres are disorganized inotduvi, and there is a disruption of proximal–distal development in the eye. Theotdgenomic structure was determined and resulted in the identification of a deletion in the third intron ofotduvi. Sequences encompassing this deletion are able to direct expression of thelacZreporter gene at all stages of the developing visual system, including the photosensitive cells of Bolwig's organ, the ocelli, and the adult eye. The third intron enhancer is the primary regulatory element controllingotdin the R cells and is not under the control of theglassgene.
Structure–Activity Studies of Barbiturates Using Pattern Recognition Techniques

Abstract The relationship between molecular structure and duration of depressant effect for barbiturates was investigated. A data set of 160 5,5′-disubstituted barbiturates with various acyclic substituents was coded using 17 numerical descriptors including fragments, substructures, environmental descriptors, and molecular connectivity indexes. All descriptors were derived directly from the connection tables of the barbiturates. Using an interactive error-correction feedback algorithm, linear discriminant functions were developed that could dichotomize the data set with respect to several thresholds separating longer from shorter acting compounds. Feature selection was used to focus on the relatively few structural descriptors sufficient to support linear separability. For three specific thresholds, nine, 11, and nine descriptors were sufficient. The importance of these descriptors and the utility of the technique are discussed. Predictive abilities of approximately 94% were obtained for known barbiturates of the same general molecular types.
From solid–vacuum to solid–gas and solid–liquid interfaces: In situ studies of structure and dynamics under relevant conditions

Abstract Surface science instrumentation usually requires working under high vacuum. But in many cases the surface reactivity and structure in real environments can be dramatically different from that measured in this pressure range, where traditional atomic scale studies have been carried out. In this paper we briefly describe some techniques that have been improved to work under high pressures of gases or with liquids. Examples of recent research studies on solid–liquid and solid–gas interfaces are shown. The possibility to work with these instruments under realistic conditions to obtain information in situ during reactions or processes can have a great impact in heterogeneous catalysis, fuel cells, photovoltaics, batteries, corrosion, biological systems and many other fields.
A Polymer MEMS 2-Axis Scanning Mirror Driven by Magnetic Force

Light scanning device has many applications and is causing a lot of interest. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is one example of its application in the field of biomedical imaging. With the trend of miniaturization of biomedical devices, miniaturized light scanning devices are desired for applications like compact OCT system [1].Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Reconfiguration for Modular Robots Using Kinodynamic Motion Planning

This paper presents computational and experimental evidence that it is possible to plan and execute dynamic motions that involve chain reconfiguration for modular reconfigurable robots in the presence of obstacles. At the heart of the approach is the use of a sampling-based motion planner that is tightly integrated with a physics-based dynamic simulator. To evaluate the method, the planner is used to compute motions for a chain robot constructed from CKbot modules to perform a reconfiguration, attaching more modules and continuing a dynamic motion while avoiding obstacles. These motions are then executed on hardware and compared with the ones predicted by the planner.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A mathematical model of tumor growth. II. effects of geometry and spatial nonuniformity on stability

Abstract A theoretical account of mitotic inhibition in one-, two-, and three-dimensional configurations is presented. Based on an earlier paper, the inhibitor production rate is taken to be nonuniform throughout the tissue, resulting in significant deviations from the prediction of uniform models. Geometry affects the stability of growth also. The analysis presented here represents a detailed study of the properties of highly nonuniform inhibition, from which information on intermediate inhibition models can be readily deduced. This information is used to compare such a model with experimental results in the third paper in this series.
Cone extremal solutions of multi-payoff games with cross-constrained strategy sets

A new solution class of T-nondominated efficient outcomes, extending to games with nontopological product strategy sets and multiple payoffs to players, is developed without point-to-set mappings or quasi-variational inequalities. Some essential properties are developed, and two illustrative examples provide comparison to existing notions with respect to Pareto efficiency and generalized Nash equilibria.
High Frequency of Virulence Factor Genes tdh, trh, and tlh in Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains Isolated from a Pristine Estuary

Virulence factor genes encoding the thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh) and the thermostable direct hemolysin-related hemolysin (trh) are strongly correlated with virulence of the emergent human pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The gene encoding the thermolabile hemolysin (tlh) is also considered a signature molecular marker for the species. These genes are typically reported in very low percentages (1 to 2%) of nonclinical strains. V. parahaemolyticus strains were isolated from various niches within a pristine estuary (North Inlet, SC) and were screened for these genes using both newly designed PCR primers and more commonly used primers. DNA sequences of tdh and trh were recovered from 48% and 8.3%, respectively, of these North Inlet strains. The recovery of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus strains in such high proportions from an estuarine ecosystem that is virtually free of anthropogenic influences indicates the potential for additional, perhaps environmental roles of the tdh and trh genes.