cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Survival With Shorter Time to Radiation Therapy After Surgery for US Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance Shortening the time from surgery to the start of radiation (T S-RT ) is a consideration for physicians and patients. Although the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends radiation to start within 6 weeks, a survival benefit with this metric remains controversial. Objective To determine the association of delayed T S-RT with overall survival (OS) using a large cancer registry. Design, Setting, and Participants In this observational cohort study, 25 216 patients with nonmetastatic stages III to IV head and neck cancer were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Exposures Patients received definitive surgery followed by adjuvant radiation therapy, with an interval duration defined as T S-RT . Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival as a function of T S-RT and the effect of clinicopathologic risk factors and accelerated fractionation. Results We identified 25 216 patients with nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. There were 18 968 (75%) men and 6248 (25%) women and the mean (SD) age of the cohort was 59 (10.9) years. Of the 25 216 patients, 9765 (39%) had a 42-days or less T S-RT and 4735 (19%) had a 43- to 49-day T S-RT . Median OS was 10.5 years (95% CI, 10.0-11.1 years) for patients with a 42-days or less T S-RT , 8.2 years (95% CI, 7.4-8.6 years; absolute difference, −2.4 years, 95% CI, −1.5 to −3.2 years) for patients with a 43- to 49-day T S-RT , and 6.5 years (95% CI, 6.1-6.8 years; absolute difference, −4.1 years, 95% CI, −3.4 to −4.7 years) for those with a 50-days or more T S-RT . Multivariable analysis found that compared with a 42-days or less T S-RT , there was not a significant increase in mortality with a 43- to 49-day T S-RT (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.93-1.04), although there was for a T S-RT of 50 days or more (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.12). A significant interaction was identified between T S-RT and disease site. Subgroup effect modeling found that a delayed T S-RT of 7 days resulted in significantly worse OS for patients with tonsil tumors (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.05-1.43) though not other tumor subtypes. Accelerated fractionation of 5.2 fractions or more per week was associated with improved survival (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87-0.99) compared with standard fractionation. Conclusions and Relevance Delayed T S-RT of 50 days or more was associated with worse overall survival. The multidisciplinary care team should focus on shortening T S-RT to improve survival. Unavoidable delays may be an indication for accelerated fractionation or other dose intensification strategies.
Abstract 3552: Induction of store operated calcium entry (SOCE) suppresses glioblastoma growth by inhibiting the Hippo pathway transcriptional coactivators YAP/TAZ

Glioblastomas (GBM) are the most aggressive brain cancers without effective therapeutics. The Hippo pathway transcriptional coactivators YAP/TAZ were implicated as drivers in GBM progression and could be therapeutic targets. Here, we found in an unbiased screen of 1650 compounds that amlodipine is able to inhibit survival of GBM cells by suppressing YAP/TAZ activities. Instead of its known function as an L-type calcium channel blocker, we found that amlodipine is able to activate Ca2+ entry by enhancing store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Amlodipine as well as approaches that cause store depletion and activate SOCE trigger phosphorylation and activation of Lats1/2, which in turn phosphorylate YAP/TAZ and prevent their accumulation in the cell nucleus. Furthermore, we identified that protein kinase C (PKC) beta II is a major mediator of Ca2+-induced Lats1/2 activation. Ca2+ induces accumulation of PKC beta II in an actin cytoskeletal compartment. Such translocation depends on inverted formin-2 (INF2). Depletion of INF2 disrupts both PKC beta II translocation and Lats1/2 activation. Functionally, we found that elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ or PKC beta II expression inhibits YAP/TAZ-mediated gene transcription. In vivo PKC beta II expression inhibits GBM tumor growth and prolongs mouse survival through inhibition of YAP/TAZ in an orthotopic mouse xenograft model. Our studies indicate that Ca2+ is a crucial intracellular cue that regulates the Hippo pathway, and that triggering SOCE could be a strategy to target YAP/TAZ in GBM. Citation Format: Zhijun Liu. Induction of store operated calcium entry (SOCE) suppresses glioblastoma growth by inhibiting the Hippo pathway transcriptional coactivators YAP/TAZ [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3552.
A Policy Framework for Sustainable Real Estate in the European Union

This chapter summarizes the existing knowledge on sustainable real estate in Europe. It is designed as a literature and policy review and provides an overview of where the European Union (EU) and European countries stand regarding sustainable real estate in 2017. A first section reviews the EU regulations and policies that promoted minimum standards and common practices to boost the sustainable transition of the building stocks across Member States. A second section examines the diversity of European countries, their different approaches and uneven progress toward “smart-readiness”. Three challenges are identified: the difficult financing of building renovation, the necessity to alleviate energy poverty and the current transition toward connected buildings. Key national policies are sampled to illustrate the diversity of paths chosen by European countries.
Small molecule inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 enhances bone marrow progenitor cell function and angiogenesis in diabetic wounds

In diabetes, stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) expression and progenitor cell recruitment are reduced. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibits SDF-1 expression and progenitor cell recruitment. Here we examined the impact of the DPP-4 inhibitor, MK0626, on progenitor cell kinetics in the context of wound healing. Wildtype (WT) murine fibroblasts cultured under high-glucose to reproduce a diabetic microenvironment were exposed to MK0626, glipizide, or no treatment, and SDF-1 expression was measured with ELISA. Diabetic mice received MK0626, glipizide, or no treatment for 6 weeks and then were wounded. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify neovascularization and SDF-1 expression. Gene expression was measured at the RNA and protein level using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and ELISA, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to characterize bone marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cell (BM-MPC) population recruitment to wounds. BM-MPC gene expression was assayed using microfluidic single cell analysis. WT murine fibroblasts exposed to MK0626 demonstrated increased SDF-1 expression. MK0626 treatment significantly accelerated wound healing and increased wound vascularity, SDF-1 expression, and dermal thickness in diabetic wounds. MK0626 treatment increased the number of BM-MPCs present in bone marrow and in diabetic wounds. MK0626 had no effect on BM-MPC population dynamics. BM-MPCs harvested from MK0626-treated mice exhibited increased chemotaxis in response to SDF-1 when compared to diabetic controls. Treatment with a DPP-4 inhibitor significantly improved wound healing, angiogenesis, and endogenous progenitor cell recruitment in the setting of diabetes.
IMPACT OF SWITCHING YOUTH WITH DIABETES TO INSULIN DEGLUDEC IN CLINICAL PRACTICE.

ABSTRACT Objective: Many youth with diabetes struggle to meet glycemic targets. The new ultralong duration of action of insulin degludec (iDeg) holds potential to ameliorate missed doses of basal i...
Method for Estimating Vehicle-to-Vehicle Travel Time Variability Models at the Link and Network Levels of Freeways/Expressways through Censoring Mechanism:

A method was proposed to estimate vehicle-to-vehicle travel time variability (TTV) at the link and network levels of the entire freeway network. Standard deviation (SD) of travel time rate (TTR) wa...
Drug- and alcohol-related mortality risk after bariatric surgery: evidence from a 7-year prospective multicenter cohort study

Abstract Background It is unclear whether bariatric surgery affects the risk of drug- and alcohol-related mortality. Objectives To compare the observed drug- and alcohol-related mortality rate with age, sex, race, and year-adjusted rates from the general U.S. population. Setting The Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2, a prospective cohort study of 2458 adults who underwent bariatric surgery at 10 U.S. hospitals between April 2006 and April 2009. Methods Participants attended presurgery and annual postsurgery assessments for up to 7 years. Drug- and alcohol-related standardized mortality ratios (SMR) comparing the observed post-bariatric surgery mortality rate with the age, sex, race, and year-adjusted expected mortality rate from the general U.S. population, among the entire cohort, and among those who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Results Ten deaths related to drug or alcohol use (6 accidental overdose, 1 intentional overdose, 1 intent unknown overdose, and 2 alcoholic liver disease) occurred across 15,616 person-years of follow-up, all among participants who underwent RYGB (n = 1770). The observed mortality rate was significantly higher than expected for all drug- and alcohol-related causes overall (SMR = 2.10, 95% confidence interval=1.01–3.86, P = .03) and among participants who underwent RYGB (SMR = 2.90, 95% confidence interval=1.39–5.33, P = .003). The RYGB SMRs were significant for all overdoses (P = .002) and accidental overdoses (P = .01) and in the same direction but nonsignificant for intentional overdoses, intent unknown overdoses, and alcoholic liver disease (P for all ≥. 05). Conclusions Drug- and alcohol-related mortality is significantly higher than expected in the 7 years after bariatric surgery, specifically after RYGB.
Construction of All Multilayer Monolithic Rectilinear Steiner Minimum Trees on the 3D Hanan Grid for Monolithic 3D IC Routing

Monolithic three-dimensional~(3D) integration enables stacking multiple ultra-thin silicon tiers in a single package, thereby providing smaller footprint area, shorter wirelength, higher performance, and lower power consumption than conventional planar fabrication technologies. Physical design of monolithic 3D integrated circuits~(ICs) requires several design steps such as 3D placement, 3D clock-tree synthesis, 3D routing, and 3D optimization. Among the steps, 3D routing is very time-consuming due to numerous routing blockages. Thus, 3D routing is typically performed in two sub-steps, monolithic inter-layer via~(MIV) insertion and tier-by-tier routing. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to build a routing topology database that can be used to construct all multilayer monolithic rectilinear Steiner minimum trees on the 3D Hanan grid. The database will help 3D routers reduce the runtime of the MIV insertion step and improve the quality of the 3D routing.
Summary: Research Ethics and Human Subjects: A Reflexive Openness Approach

This is the summary of Qualitative Transparency Deliberations Final Report on Research Ethics and Human Subjects: A Reflexive Openness Approach, Working Group number I.2.
Jim Crow journey stories: African American driving as emotional labor

Automobile-based tourism during the USA Jim Crow era, while providing a mechanism for African Americans to circumvent institutionalized discrimination and segregation, was nonetheless fraught with ...
Using Monte Carlo Simulation to Predict Captive Insurance Solvency

The solvency of captive insurance is the key financial metric captive managers care about. We built a solvency prediction model for a captive insurance fund using Monte Carlo simulation with the fund's historical losses, current financial data and setups. This model can predict the solvency score of the current captive fund using the fund survival probability as a measurement of solvency. If the simulated future solvency ratios break the upper and lower bounds, we count it as an insolvent case; otherwise, it is counted a solvent (or survival) case. After large scale simulation, we can approximate the future survival probability, i.e. the solvency score, of the current captive fund. The predicted income statements, the balance sheets and financial ratios, will also be generated. We use a heat-map to visualize the solvency score at each retention level so that it can provide support to captive insurance managers to make their decisions. This model is implemented in Excel VBA macro and MATLAB.
Phosphocholine accumulation and PHOSPHO1 depletion promote adipose tissue thermogenesis

Phosphocholine phosphatase-1 (PHOSPHO1) is a phosphocholine phosphatase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphocholine (PC) to choline. Here we demonstrate that the PHOSPHO1 transcript is highly enriched in mature brown adipose tissue (BAT) and is further induced by cold and isoproterenol treatments of BAT and primary brown adipocytes. In defining the functional relevance of PHOPSPHO1 in BAT thermogenesis and energy metabolism, we show that PHOSPHO1 knockout mice are cold-tolerant, with higher expression of thermogenic genes in BAT, and are protected from high-fat diet-induced obesity and development of insulin resistance. Treatment of mice with the PHOSPHO1 substrate phosphocholine is sufficient to induce cold tolerance, thermogenic gene expression, and allied metabolic benefits. Our results reveal a role of PHOSPHO1 as a negative regulator of BAT thermogenesis, and inhibition of PHOSPHO1 or enhancement of phosphocholine represent innovative approaches to manage the metabolic syndrome.
Cold Agglutinin Disease

Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is an uncommon form of cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of elderly patients with unexplained chronic anemia presenting with or without cold-induced symptoms in the extremities, such as the fingers, ears, and nose. CAD is a complement-mediated process which leads to intravascular and extravascular hemolysis. A stepwise approach to laboratory testing can help confirm the diagnosis. Nearly all cold agglutinins are positive for the C3d direct antiglobulin test (DAT). A negative C3d DAT should prompt investigation of a possible warm AIHA. Ninety percent of cold agglutinins are of the IgM immunoglobulin class and should have a titer of 1:64 or higher at 4°C. Distinction from a warm AIHA is important, as therapy differs for the two entities. Corticosteroids are not effective at treating CAD and should not be used as therapy in these patients. Approximately 45-60% of patients with CAD respond to rituximab monotherapy. Combination therapy of rituximab and fludarabine has been shown to be effective in up to 76% of patients; however, patients experience more mild side effects with this treatment. New anti-complement drugs, such as eculizumab and sutimlimab, are currently in phase-3 trials to determine their efficacy and safety in patients with CAD.
Facilitating Success: Using Self-Regulated Learning and Servant Leadership in the College Classroom

Student-centered pedagogy shifts the power dynamics, function of content, role of the educator, responsibility for learning, and purpose of evaluation within the classroom. By redirecting student effort toward self -regulated learning activities within a learning management system (LMS), educators can focus on the application of material during in-person class meetings. Moving from a traditional role of lecturing to a more contemporary role of facilitating learning , educators are better equipped to embrace the philosophy of a servant leader and put student needs first through the utilization of self-regulated learning activities within an LMS. This reflective essay will focus on the application and benefit of self -regulated learning activities with a focus on the use of LMS-based activities and a flipped-classroom strategy utilized by two business communications faculty members. The discussion of classroom activities and online self-regulated learning activities will be backed up with research related to reports of student stress levels decreasing, connection to educators increasing, and student engagement levels increasing with the use of student-centered pedagogy and servant teaching practices in the college classroom.
Simplified kilogram traceability for high-power laser measurement using photon momentum radiometers

Photon momentum radiometers measure the force imparted by a reflected laser beam to determine the laser's optical power. This requires high-accuracy calibration of the force sensors using milligram and microgram mass artifacts. Calibrated test masses can therefore be used to provide traceability of these radiometers to the International System of Units, but low-noise calibration at these mass levels is difficult. Here, we present the improvement in calibration capability that we have gained from implementing a robotic mass delivery system. We quantify this in terms of the specific nuances of force measurements as implemented for laser power metrology.
Fatigability and Cardiorespiratory Impairments in Parkinson's Disease: Potential Non-Motor Barriers to Activity Performance

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative condition after Alzheimer's disease, affecting an estimated 160 per 100,000 people 65 years of age or older. Fatigue is a debilitating non-motor symptom frequently reported in PD, often manifesting prior to disease diagnosis, persisting over time, and negatively affecting quality of life. Fatigability, on the other hand, is distinct from fatigue and describes the magnitude or rate of change over time in the performance of activity (i.e., performance fatigability) and sensations regulating the integrity of the performer (i.e., perceived fatigability). While fatigability has been relatively understudied in PD as compared to fatigue, it has been hypothesized that the presence of elevated levels of fatigability in PD results from the interactions of homeostatic, psychological, and central factors. Evidence from exercise studies supports the premise that greater disturbances in metabolic homeostasis may underly elevated levels of fatigability in people with PD when engaging in physical activity. Cardiorespiratory impairments constraining oxygen delivery and utilization may contribute to the metabolic alterations and excessive fatigability experienced in individuals with PD. Cardiorespiratory fitness is often reduced in people with PD, likely due to the combined effects of biological aging and impairments specific to the disease. Decreases in oxygen delivery (e.g., reduced cardiac output and impaired blood pressure responses) and oxygen utilization (e.g., reduced skeletal muscle oxidative capacity) compromise skeletal muscle respiration, forcing increased reliance on anaerobic metabolism. Thus, the assessment of fatigability in people with PD may provide valuable information regarding the functional status of people with PD not obtained with measures of fatigue. Moreover, interventions that target cardiorespiratory fitness may improve fatigability, movement performance, and health outcomes in this patient population.
Testing Gender Differences in Victimization and Negative Emotions from a Developmental General Strain Theory Perspective

General strain theory (GST) argues that experiencing strain is related to criminal behavior through experiencing negative emotional states. Although differences in these negative emotional states have been highlighted as a key way to understand gender differences in crime, it still remains unclear how these negative emotions may operate differently by gender in the relationship between strain and offending. Drawing on a longitudinal sample of Korea n youth, this study uses cross-lagged dynamic panel modeling to estimate the effects of two forms of negative emotions on the relationship between victimization and delinquency for boys and girls. Results revealed that victimization was related to increased anger and depression and subsequent delinquency for both genders, and that the effects of victimization on delinquency were reduced when anger and depression were considered. We also found the gendered interactive effects of strain and negative affect on delinquent coping, which may be due to gendered socialization. Theoretical and policy implications were discussed.
Radiesse for Aesthetic Soft Tissue Augmentation

Introduction:Calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHa; also spelled “hydroxylapatite”) is the main mineral component of bone, calcified cartilage, and teeth. It has been used since the 1970s in many specialties, including orthopedics, urology, otolaryngology, maxillofacial surgery, and radiology, as a bioactive implant that promotes chemical attachment of the soft tissue to its surface. In 2001, Radiance FN (now Radiesse) was introduced as a CaHa-based product and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a radiographic tissue marker, for soft tissue vocal fold augmentation, and for implants in maxillofacial defects. Currently, it is also used outside the United States and off-label in the United States for facial soft tissue augmentation. Microspheres of CaHa are suspended in a mixture of water, glycerin, and carboxymethylcellulose gel that provides a scaffold for tissue infiltration. Once injected, the gel is degraded and the CaHa infiltrates the surrounding cells. CaHa is nonirritating, and the carr...
Abortion and the Meaning of Life

Abortion polarizes. Much like abolition, civil rights, and the prohibition of alcohol, abortion is an issue whose advocates see little in the way of nuances. People who care about the issue of abortion care intensely, and the abortion debate is marked by passionate heat and very little light.
Juristischer und Finanzwissenschaftlicher Ansatz

Eine Arbeit, die im Grenzbereich zwischen Rechts- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften angesiedelt ist und bestimmte Aspekte eines modernen Doppelbesteuerungsabkommens untersucht, sollte die darin sich manifestierenden (finanz-) wirtschaftlichen Interessen der Vertragsstaaten nicht auser acht lassen. Dies zum einen, um eine Auslegung der zum Teil immer komplizierteren (Sonder-) Regelungen zu erleichtern1, aber zum anderen auch, um die jeweiligen Regelungen daraufhin zu untersuchen, welche finanz- und wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Prinzipien und Ziele sie verfolgen.
Implementation of ultra-low-dose CBCT for routine 2D orthodontic diagnostic radiographs: Cephalometric landmark identification and image quality assessment

Since its adoption more than two decades ago in the field of dentistry, three-dimensional (3D) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has rapidly gained popularity as an imaging tool for three-dimensional visualization, diagnosis, and treatment simulation. The objective of this two-part study was to assess landmark identification, as well as the diagnostic value of images obtained using an ultra-low-dose reduced projection (sparse) views algorithm Adaptive-Steepest-Descent-Projection-Onto-Convex-Sets (ASD-POCS) applied to existing dental CBCT data. ASD-POCS was developed for CBCT studies, producing multiple CBCT data files with 12.5% (39), 25% (76), and 50% (150) of the original number of projection views (which is in direct proportion with the lowering of radiation dose). Assessment of 2D landmark identification derived from CBCT data at different projection views was conducted. Assessment of diagnostic quality was studied by evaluating radiographs of various projection views on a visual analog scale by different dental specialists. In conclusion, this study found no statistically significant differences in the quality of images at 25% (76) projection views as compared to 100% (300) projection views. The implementation on ASD-POCS algorithm by the CBCT manufacturers in the future may be beneficial for clinicians in reducing the amount of patient radiation exposure when obtaining routine orthodontic diagnostic radiographs.
Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase: Alternatively spliced variants and their expression in prostate cancer

1718 Background: Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR), a mitochondrial and peroxisomal enzyme essential in lipid metabolism, is over-expressed in prostate cancer. Two different AMACR transcripts (designated IA and IIA), were previously described (Cancer Res 63:3296-3301,2003) each derived from five exons, AMACR IA, the most abundant form, encodes a 382-amino acid protein (MW 42kDa, pI 6.07). AMACR IIA contains an alternative fifth exon that has extensive homology to the human fumarate hydratase (FH) and encodes a 288-amino acid protein (MW 32kDa, pI 9.6). However, due to a frame shift, the encoded IIA polypeptide differs from FH. Results and Conclusion: Here we report additional variants of AMACR IA and IIA cloned from human prostate tissue that lack exon 3. These transcripts are designated IB (MW 22 kDa, pI 10.31), and IIB (MW 31 kDa; pI 9.44). The IIB transcript reported here results from dual alternative splicing events (lack of third exon and use of an alternate fifth exon), and encodes a polypeptide homologous with a highly conserved region of FH. We also identified a shorter variant of IIA (IIAs, MW 28 kDa, pI 9.65), which lacks the 5′ half of the alternative fifth exon. The carboxy termini of all five gene products differ as a result of the alternative splicing events while the amino termini are the same. Using real-time PCR techniques, it was found that in prostate tumor tissue, both the A and B forms were over-expressed, suggesting co-regulation. The predominant IA form has an acidic pI and contains a peroxisomal targeting signal peptide, while the other four variants are basic proteins that lack the peroxisomal targeting signal peptide. All of the AMACR transcripts identified have been expressed as GST fusion proteins in E-coli and antibodies that specifically recognize these transcripts have been raised in rabbits. Immunohistochemistry done on prostate tissues using antibodies to these transcripts have shown a similar staining pattern as the main form of AMACR. These observations have implications for the cellular localization and function of these AMACR variants.
The Automotive Supply Chain: Global Trends and Asian Perspectives

The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the major trends taking place in the automotive industry across the world, with an emphasis on the Asian market. It is not a comprehensive report, but rather an informed view of the issues and a panorama of the behavior of the major players, both automakers and suppliers. In the final section, the paper presents some suggestions on how to measure firm competitiveness in this fast moving industry, focusing on automotive suppliers, particularly the smaller ones that make up most of the local autoparts industry in Asia.
Chemically induced mitotic synchrony in root apical meristems.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on chemically induced mitotic synchrony in root apical meristems. Synchronization of the mitotic cell cycle is achieved by selectively but reversibly blocking the process at a defined step for a period of time equal to or greater than the time required to complete one cycle. Individual cells arrive at the arrest point at different times during the treatment period, depending upon the stage of the cycle in which they happened to be when the blocking agent was administered. The agent is then removed, freeing cells to proceed through the cycle in synchrony. Samples are collected and analyzed at appropriate time points following removal of the blocking agent. These harvests will be enriched for cells passing through the stage of the cycle that occurs at that particular interval following the arrest point. Key control points of the eukaryotic cell cycle occur at the G1/S and G2/M transitions. The 5-AU procedure provides an unperturbed G2/M passage. However, 5-aminouracil (5-AU)-treated root tip meristems do not maintain synchrony long enough to pass through the G1/S transition in sufficient synchrony for biochemical analyses of this control point to be of value.
Resource-based industrialization in the developing countries: A survey

Abstract This survey at shed light on the potential contribution of industrialization based on resource processing to efficient growth, employment creation, greater equity and economic independence. The use of capital-intensive methods to reduce raw material costs appears to confer comparative advantage on countries with cheap capital. Lower transport costs due to substantial weight reduction in processing may counter this advantage for some stages of processing, but does not universally favor LDC exporters. Most major producers export sufficient quantities to achieve scale economies typical of resource processing, but economies of scale are a barrier in processing for the domestic market in all except the largest LDCs. External economies of industrialization are also thought to favor processing in the industrial countries, but potential linkages could stimulate some complementary investments in LDCs. Because resource-based industries are not impressive contributors to direct or indirect employment creation, they are likely to perpetuate the pattern of dualism and inequality present in typical resource-rich countries. Third-world exporters may be barred from entry into resource processing by the dominance of multinational firms in the metals and petroleum industries; by shipping conference freight rates that discriminate against processed commodities; and by importing country tariff structures that provide substantial effective protection against many LDC semi-processed exports. Processing of natural resources for export tends to continue the broad pattern of trade, financial and technical dependence of developing countries, although market dependence may decrease at some stage of processing. Home-oriented processing avoids market dependence, but cannot escape outside dependency on technology, management and finance.
Modeling of head related transfer functions for immersive audio using a state-space approach

Accurate localization of sound in 3-D space is based on variations in the spectrum of sound sources. These variations arise mainly from reflection and diffraction effects caused by the pinnae and are described through a set of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) that are unique for each azimuth and elevation angle. A virtual sound source can be rendered in the desired location by filtering with the corresponding HRTF for each ear. Previous work on HRTF modeling has mainly focused on methods that attempt to model each transfer function individually. These methods are generally computationally-complex and cannot be used for real-time spatial rendering of multiple moving sources. We provide an alternative approach, which uses a multiple-input single-output state-space system to create a combined model of the HRTFs for all directions. This method exploits the similarities among the different HRTFs to achieve a significant reduction in the model size with a minimum loss of accuracy.
The Thick Tubular Transmitting Antenna

The growing importance of electrically thick monopole antennas has suggested a re-examination of the model used in the derivation of the integral equation for the current in tubular antennas. It is shown that when such an antenna is driven from a coaxial line in the usual manner, which maintains a field along a narrow circumferential region on the outside surface of the tube (instead of along both the inner and outer surfaces), an additional term is required in the integral equation. This is negligible when the antenna is electrically thin, but of major importance when it is not. A quantitative comparison of conductances is provided over a wide range of thickness.
Treatment of Anxiety and Pain in Childhood Cancer Through Hypnosis

Data from consecutive referrals of 34 patients ranging in age from 4 to 19 years are summarized. Sixteen patients were referred for pain and anxiety in bone marrow aspirations and lumbar punctures, five patients for reduction of pain in short procedures such as intravenous injections and changing bandages, three for relief of continuous pain, and ten for ancillary symptoms such as anxiety. All patients were tested on the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale for Children. For young children aged four to six years, it is usually inappropriate to rely upon formal hypnotic procedures. They respond to a kind of protohypnosis where the fantasy is part of the external situation. Anxiety can be reduced by the use of relaxation and distraction; reduction in anxiety is minimally correlated with hypnotic responsiveness. Once anxiety is reduced, the patient is better able to experience hypnotic analgesia.
Acute postoperative hypertension: a review of therapeutic options.

PURPOSE: The pathophysiology and treatment of acute postoperative hypertension (APH) are discussed. SUMMARY: APH is a significant elevation in arterial blood pressure (BP) during the immediate postoperative period. The predominant underlying mechanism appears to be sympathetic activation. APH may lead to serious neurologic, cardiovascular, or surgical-site complications and often requires intervention and management. Postoperative hypertension lasts less than six hours in most patients. Reversible or treatable causes of hypertension, including pain, anxiety, hypothermia, and hypoxemia, should be considered and treated before the implementation of antihypertensive therapy. The ideal agent for treating APH is intravenously administered, is fast acting, and has a short duration of action, allowing the rapid and safe adjustment of therapy to achieve a targeted BP range. Sodium nitroprusside has long been considered the standard therapy and has many of the ideal characteristics. However, because of the need for invasive hemodynamic monitoring and concerns about toxicity in patients given sodium nitroprusside, several newer agents may be preferable in routine clinical practice. Labetalol, nicardipine, and nitroglycerin have been widely studied or used. Hydralazine, esmolol, fenoldopam, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, and clonidine may also be useful treatment options. CONCLUSION: When treatment of APH is necessary, therapy should be individualized for the patient. No one agent is preferred, but effective options include sodium nitroprusside, nitroglycerin, labetalol, and nicardipine.
Intestinal Absorption and Metabolism of Peroxidized Lipids

The intestine is unique among all fully differentiated organs in that it sits at the interface between the organism and its lumenal environment. In this regard, the intestine is a primary site of nutrient absorption and a critical defense barrier against dietary-derived mutagens, carcinogens, and oxidants. An important class of oxidants present in the human diet is lipid hydroperoxides, which are toxic products of oxidized polyunsaturated fats. Accumulation of peroxidized lipids in the gut lumen can contribute to impairment of mucosal metabolic pathways, enterocyte dysfunction independent of cell injury, and development of gut pathologies, such as cancer. Despite this recognition, and the implication of dietary peroxidized lipids in gut pathologies, we know little of the underlying mechanisms of the genesis of the disease processes or of the pathways of intestinal metabolism and lumenal disposition of dietary lipid hydroperoxides in vivo. This chapter summarizes our current understanding of the determinants of the intestinal absorption and metabolism of peroxidized lipids. In particular, we review the evidence supporting the pivotal role that GSH and NADPH play in the overall mucosal metabolism of toxic lipid hydroperoxides, and how reductant availability can be compromised under certain pathophysiological conditions, such as chronic hypoxia. The discussion is pertinent to understanding dietary lipid peroxides and GSH redox balance in intestinal physiology and pathophysiology and the significance of lumenal GSH in preserving the metabolic integrity of the intestinal epithelium.
Molecular modeling and computational analyses suggests that the Sinorhizobium meliloti periplasmic regulator protein ExoR adopts a superhelical fold and is controlled by a unique mechanism of proteolysis

The Sinorhizobium meliloti periplasmic ExoR protein and the ExoS/ChvI two-component system form a regulatory mechanism that directly controls the transformation of free-living to host-invading cells. In the absence of crystal structures, understanding the molecular mechanism of interaction between ExoR and the ExoS sensor, which is believed to drive the key regulatory step in the invasion process, remains a major challenge. In this study, we present a theoretical structural model of the active form of ExoR protein, ExoRm, generated using computational methods. Our model suggests that ExoR possesses a super-helical fold comprising 12 α-helices forming six Sel1-like repeats, including two that were unidentified in previous studies. This fold is highly conducive to mediating protein–protein interactions and this is corroborated by the identification of putative protein binding sites on the surface of the ExoRm protein. Our studies reveal two novel insights: (a) an extended conformation of the third Sel1-like repeat that might be important for ExoR regulatory function and (b) a buried proteolytic site that implies a unique proteolytic mechanism. This study provides new and interesting insights into the structure of S. meliloti ExoR, lays the groundwork for elaborating the molecular mechanism of ExoRm cleavage, ExoRm–ExoS interactions, and studies of ExoR homologs in other bacterial host interactions.
Rates of Acute Care Admissions for Frail Older People Living with Met Versus Unmet Activity of Daily Living Needs

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether older people who do not have help for their activity of daily living (ADL) disabilities are at higher risk for acute care admissions and whether entry into a program that provides for these needs decreases this risk. DESIGN: A longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Thirteen nationwide sites for the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). PACE provides comprehensive medical and long-term care to community-living older adults. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand nine hundred forty-three PACE enrollees with one or more ADL dependencies. MEASUREMENTS: Unmet needs were defined as the absence of paid or unpaid assistance for ADL disabilities before PACE enrollment. Hospital admissions in the 6 months before PACE enrollment and acute admissions in the first 6 weeks and the 7th through 12th weeks after enrollment were determined. RESULTS: Those who lived with unmet ADL needs before enrollment were more likely to have a hospital admission before PACE enrollment (odds ratio (OR)=1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.01–1.63) and an acute admission in the first 6 weeks after enrollment (OR=1.45, 95% CI=1.00–2.09) but not after 6 weeks of receiving PACE services (OR=0.86, 95% CI=0.53–1.40). CONCLUSION: Frail older people who live without needed help for their ADL disabilities have higher rates of admissions while they are living with unmet ADL needs but not after their needs are met. With state governments under increasing pressure to develop fiscally feasible solutions for caring for disabled older people, it is important that they be aware of the potential health consequences of older adults living without needed ADL assistance.
Religion and Society in Early Modern Italy--Old Questions, New Insights

FEW HISTORICAL COMMONPLACES possess such staying power-if not "canonical" status-in post-Risorgimento Italy as the notion of the "Counter Reformation" (la controriforma). Something repressive, iron-fisted, autocratic, and preferably foreign must have shut down the reasoned, progressive, humanist-inspired Italian Renaissance in the sixteenth century until individualism and nationalism finally combined to throw it off in the nineteenth-century process of unification. What better than to identify the culprit in a retrograde, insular, moralistic, absolute papal government following Spanish models for its predominant institutions and ideology? In so many ways, the explanation is perfect. But historians in the second half of the twentieth century have struggled mightily with the specific realities behind the commonplace, for only some of them reinforce that canonical concept. Some scholars argued that an easy distinction between humanistic Renaissance culture in the early sixteenth century and repressive Counter Reformation culture beginning in 1542 falsely ignored the common background and values of those who took part in both. They identified the common grounding as educational, confessional, and professional. Some of the main contributors from this group, such as Hubert Jedin, Pedro de Leturia, and Giuseppe Alberigo, wrote soon after the conclusion of World War II. In the process, they located massive historiographical issues behind what appeared to be an analysis of nothing but religious trends. Despite their focus on the mid-sixteenth century and beyond, these scholars were in some ways taking up the position of medievalists irritated by the principal theses argued in Jakob Burckhardt's Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy nearly one hundred years before (1860). Their rejection of the polar distinction between Renaissance and Counter Reformation, albeit a minority view, consistently retained
Gapping and frame semantics: a fresh look from a cognitive perspective

The topic of this paper is one of the pet subjects of trar~gformational s yn tax -gapp ing . Seve rn 'exa~ffple's belOw will show that gapping is actually affected 'by' a, combination of syntactic, semantic and pragmatic factors, thus being far from a purely syntactic phenomenon. By looking at some basic properties of gapping from the point of view of interpretation and cognitive pro,cessing, it is possible to arrive at a global principle tha t can provide an integrated approach for these Various intluences on. gapping. The principle proposed has the added advantage of being ndt just ian arbitrary formal rule but being motivated by eogni{ivh cOnsidei'ations. Thus, tile view taken he re is compat!ble with tire basic tenets o[ Cognitive' !,inguist,ics. '
Short-term adaptation of accommodation, accommodative vergence and disparity vergence facility

Previous studies have found that subjects can increase the velocity of accommodation using visual exercises such as pencil push ups, flippers, Brock strings and the like and myriad papers have shown improvement in accommodation facility (speed) and sufficiency (amplitude) using subjective tests following vision training but few have objectively measured accommodation before and after training in either normal subjects or in patients diagnosed with accommodative infacility (abnormally slow dynamics). Accommodation is driven either directly by blur or indirectly by way of neural crosslinks from the vergence system. Until now, no study has objectively measured both accommodation and accommodative-vergence before and after vision training and the role vergence might play in modifying the speed of accommodation. In the present study, accommodation and accommodative-vergence were measured with a Purkinje Eye Tracker/optometer before and after normal subjects trained in a flipper-like task in which the stimulus stepped between 0 and 2.5 diopters and back for over 200 cycles. Most subjects increased their speed of accommodation as well as their speed of accommodative vergence. Accommodative vergence led the accommodation response by approximately 77 ms before training and 100 ms after training and the vergence lead was most prominent in subjects with high accommodation and vergence velocities and the vergence leads tended to increase in conjunction with increases in accommodation velocity. We surmise that volitional vergence may help increase accommodation velocity by way of vergence-accommodation cross links.
Measurements of Equivalence Ratio Fluctuations in a Lean Premixed Prevaporized (LPP) Combustor and Its Correlation to Combustion Instability

Experimental evidence correlating equivalence ratio fluctuations with combustion instabilities and NOX emissions in a jet-A fueled lean premixed prevaporized (LPP) combustor utilizing a non-proprietary ‘generic’ fuel injector is presented. Real-time laser absorption measurements of equivalence ratio, together with dynamic combustor pressure, flame luminosity and fuel pressure were obtained at inlet air conditions up to 16.7 atm and 817 K. From this data, an extensive database of real-time variables was obtained for the purposes of providing validation data for future studies of LPP combustion modeling. In addition, time and frequency space analysis of the data revealed measurable levels of acoustic coupling between all variables. Equivalence ratio and dynamic pressure cross-correlations were found to predict the level of combustion instability. Furthermore, NOX production was found to follow the root-mean-square (RMS) flame luminosity and RMS combustor dynamic pressure. However, the unmixedness of the fuel-air mixture was not found to predict NOX production in this combustor. The generic LPP injector, although not optimized for low-emissions or combustion stability, provides some of the essential features of real injectors for the purposes of studying the relationship between fluctuations in equivalence ratios and combustion instability. In particular, the fuel premixer advection time was found to have a significant and direct impact on the level of combustion instability. The results of this work support the time-lag concept for avoiding combustion instability when designing injector/premixers in LPP combustors.© 2002 ASME
Tumor B7-H1 and B7-H3 expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Abstract Background Pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma has a poor prognosis, and new therapeutic targets are needed. The aberrant expression of the immunomodulatory proteins B7-H1 and B7-H3 by malignant cells may contribute to tumoral immune evasion. Data about the expression of these proteins by squamous cell carcinoma of the lung are limited. Materials and Methods Immunohistochemistry for B7-H1 and B7-H3 was performed on 214 resected pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma specimens. Results At the last follow-up, 171 of 214 (80%) of patients were deceased (median survival time, 3.76 years). Forty-two (19.6%) of 214 cases showed positivity with B7-H1, with a range of 5% to 60% of cells that stained positively. A total of 189 (88.3%) of 214 cases showed positivity with B7-H3, with a range of 5% to 80% of cells staining positively. By using multivariate analysis, no degree of B7-H1 or B7-H3 positivity was significantly associated with patient outcome. Conclusions Although B7-H1 and B7-H3 are not of independent prognostic value, they are commonly expressed on a subset of tumor cells in pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas. Known interaction of the B7-H proteins with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 may make them attractive candidate biomarkers for response to immunomodulatory therapeutics, eg, ipilimumab, and warrants further study.
Glycosylation of glycopeptides: a comparison of chemoenzymatic and chemical methods

Glycosylating complex molecules remains a major synthetic challenge, making it hard to explore carbohydrate diversity in biologically active glycosylated natural products and their derivatives. In this paper we compare the efficiency of chemical and enzymatic methods for glycosylation of glycopeptides related to vancomycin and describe the parameters that should be considered in designing synthetic approaches to glycosylated natural product derivatives.