cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advising Underprepared Transfer Students: Integrating English Assessment and Academic Advising.

Academic advisors make important contributions to preventing the academic difficulties of underprepared transfer students through active cooperation with the English composition program. Joint efforts to get students evaluated and placed at the appropriate level of English composition instruction can encourage reading, writing, and critical thinking competencies that enhance students' performance in their other academic courses.
The occurrence and nature of precipitating antibodies in anti-DNA sera.

Abstract The binding technique of Farr and counterimmunoelectrophoresis were compared as methods for measuring the occurrence of anti-DNA antibodies. Ninety-one anti-nuclear antibody positive sera were examined. Twenty-nine were positive by binding and counterimmunoelectrophoresis, 18 were positive by binding alone, 15 were positive by counterimmunoelectrophoresis alone, and 29 were negative in both test systems. No consistent differences in quantity of antibody, inhibition with native or single-strand DNA or DNA digest, average equilibrium constants, or antigen content could be demonstrated between sera with high and with low precipitin titers to DNA. It is suggested that one explanation for large amounts of precipitating antibody to DNA is the presence of antibodies in a patient's serum directed against multiple antigenic determinants on the DNA molecule; this results in a functional multivalency for the DNA and enhanced ability to engage in lattice formation and precipitation.
A general Dirac delta function method for calculating the vibration response of plates to loads along arbitrarily curved lines

Abstract A general Dirac delta function description of line loads along arbitrarily curved lines is developed. It is used to solve several example problems that illustrate dynamic (or static) line loading: (a) along a line parallel to a co-ordinate axis, (b) along the diagonal, (c) along any straight line, (d) along an arbitrarily curved line. It is argued that this approach results in simpler integrals than the traditional approach in which the load is first visualized to be distributed over a strip of finite width, and, after solution of this problem, the width is made to approach zero. In some cases, it is the only feasible approach, if a closed form solution is desired.
Verbal learning in patients with temporal lobe lesions

Eight Ss with surgically induced left temporal-lobe lesions (LTL), and 8 Ss with the same lesion in the right nondominant temporal lobe (RTL) were compared in their performance on free recall and serial-learning verbal tasks. The Ss were matched in their total WAIS I.Q. None of the Ss were “aphasic” LTL Ss consistently recall fewer words than RTL Ss. LTL Ss also retained on successive recall trials proportionately fewer words in recall than did RTL Ss. LTL Ss correctly anticipated significantly fewer words throughout the course of serial learning than did RTL Ss. These results were consistent for both random and sets of associatively related words. Results are discussed in terms of the retention of previously learned words and the asymmetry of brain function in processing language.
Impact of Liquid Jets at Velocities Approaching Liquid Sound Speed

Experiments were performed to obtain information concerning the action of high velocity liquid jets impacting at velocities that erode the target surface (1000–4000 fps, 305–1200 mps). Nozzle pressure, impact force and target temperature data were obtained using a quasisteady flow system at pressures up to 146,000 psi (1007 MN/m2 ). Under no-flow conditions, the system was used to determine liquid compressibility for a diester synthetic hydraulic fluid. The jet flow data are compared to results from a calculational model for quasisteady flow.
Exploring Challenges of Information Dynamics Using an Animock

In this paper, we describe the use of an animated prototyping technique to elicit feedback on the usefulness of a set of modular design concepts for dealing with information dynamics in inferential analysis under data overload conditions. The design concepts were comprised of innovative solutions that utilized technology to assist in inferential analysis. The findings generally support the “promisingness” of the design directions for addressing information dynamics challenges in inferential analysis under data overload. Elicited feedback provides insight on how the concepts might prove useful to intelligence analysts in the field. Analysts recommended significant modifications that would be difficult to change post-implementation of software, suggesting that the animock technique was useful for exploring how design concepts could address challenging issues where no current software support exists.
A Phase II trial of bryostatin-1 for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma have a poor prognosis and no standard therapy is available. The authors performed a Phase II trial of the novel agent bryostatin-1 in this patient population. METHODS In all, 30 patients with measurable, previously untreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma were studied. Patients had excellent physiologic reserve and preserved performance status. Bryostatin-1 (25 μg/m2) was given in the PET (polyethyleneglycol, ethanol, and Tween 80) formulation as a 30-minute intravenous infusion on Days 1, 8, and 15 of each 28-day cycle. In general, treatment was continued until disease progression. RESULTS Two patients had significant objective responses, although methodologic problems made interpretation difficult. The median time to progression for all patients was 2.1 months; the median overall survival was 13.1 months. The treatment was generally well tolerated. Myalgia was the most common adverse event. One patient died while on study. This was a sudden death for a patient receiving a 15th cycle of therapy. Aside from this patient (for whom the correlation of study drug to death was not clear), no Grade 4 nonhematologic toxicity was encountered in more than 150 treatment courses delivered. CONCLUSIONS There is minimal, if any, clinically relevant single-agent activity of bryostatin-1 at this dose and schedule for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Cancer 2000;89:615–8. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
On the strong closure of the simultaneous similarity orbit of a pair of finite rank operators

In this paper, we give a necessary condition for membership in the strong closure of the simultaneous similarity orbit of a pair of finite rank operators.
Dependence of the H 2 -H 2 Interaction on the Monomer Bond Lengths: Steps Toward an Accurate ab initio Estimate

We compute the vibrational coupling between two H2 molecules from ab initio quantum chemical calculations of the H2-H2 potential carried out at the full configuration interaction level of theory using the atom-centered aug-cc-pVTZ basis set for hydrogen. We compare the full configuration interaction results with those obtained using two variants of coupled cluster theory and find that a fully iterative treatment of connected triples may be required to estimate the H2-H2 vibrational coupling accurately using coupled cluster theory.
Age and the cell cycle of the mouse colonic epithelium

The colonic progenitor population has been investigated in four age groups of male Swiss albino mice utilizing tritium thymidine and autoradiography. The duration of the progenitor cell cycle and its component phases as well as the DNA synthetic index were determined for each age group following sequential sacrifice of the experimental animals. Analysis of the kinetics of metaphase labeling revealed that the mean duration of the cell cycle lengthens with age, whereas S (about 7.8 hours), G2 and M remain relatively constant. Estimates of the cell cycle from the ratio of the S-phase duration to the DNA synthetic index also demonstrate an increase with age, although the values derived from this method do not agree with those based on metaphase labeling. Determination of the DNA synthetic index disclosed a decrease in the percentage of labeled cells with increasing age. Thus, the prolongation of the mean duration of the cell cycle apparently results from an increase in the G1-phase.
Adaptations to Windowlessness A Study of the Use of Visual Decor in Windowed and Windowless Offices

This research examines the use of visual material to decorate windowed and windowless offices. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) Occupants of windowless offices should put up more visual materials than do occupants of windowed offices to compensate for the stimulus deprivation; (2) visual materials in windowless offices should consist of more "surrogate views" (e.g., landscapes and cityscapes) than the visual materials in windowed offices where real views are present; and (3) visual decor in windowless offices should be dominated by materials with a nature content. A detailed content analysis of wall decor used in 75 offices on the University of Washington campus was conducted. Results show that occupants of windowless space used twice as many (195 versus 82) visual materials to decorate their offices. Further, materials in windowless offices were dominated by nature themes as predicted in hypothesis 3. Although windowless occupants did not use significantly more "surrogate views" overall than did occupan...
Keeping government out of my medicare and in her uterus: The paradox of small government conservatism

Many vulnerable U.S. citizens hate big government and vote against their own economic interests. Explanations for why this is so must take into account the often simultaneous desires of these citizens for small government in the economic domain and more muscular government intervention in the moral or cultural domain. One explanation for what appears to be a contradiction in the ideology of purportedly small-state conservatives is that Christian conservative elites prime the emotions and identifications associated with different orientations toward economic and moral issues.
Stellar and Jovian vortices

The characteristics of 'Jovian' vortices (the large vortices observed in the atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune) are summarized, and the existence of similar structures in the atmospheres of stars is considered theoretically. The problem of vortex maintenance is addressed, including potential vorticity, numerical simulations of Jovian vortices, and cyclones and anticyclones; the Great Red Spot of Jupiter is described on the basis of Voyager data; the evidence for convective generation of vertical vorticity in the sun is examined; the possibly vortical nature of the large spots of RS CVn stars is discussed; and models of spots on rapidly rotating hot stars are surveyed.
Transition metals in organic synthesis : Highlights for the year 2004

A review with 1479 references to transition metal catalyzed or mediated reactions and functional group preparations.
Serum low-density lipoprotein levels correlate with survival in advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancers.

Objective Recent data suggest patients with epithelial ovarian cancers on statin therapy have improved survival. We have hypothesized that statins influence ovarian cancer outcome through alteration of lipoprotein profiles, and sought to determine correlations between lipoprotein levels and survival in women with advanced stage disease.
Detection of early colorectal cancer development in the azoxymethane rat carcinogenesis model with Fourier domain low coherence interferometry

Fourier domain low coherence interferometry (fLCI) is an emerging optical technique used to quantitatively assess cell nuclear morphology in tissue as a means of detecting early cancer development. In this work, we use the azoxymethane rat carcinogenesis model, a well characterized and established model for colon cancer research, to demonstrate the ability of fLCI to distinguish between normal and preneoplastic ex-vivo colon tissue. The results show highly statistically significant differences between the measured cell nuclear diameters of normal and azoxymethane-treated tissues, thus providing strong evidence that fLCI may be a powerful tool for non-invasive, quantitative detection of early changes associated with colorectal cancer development.
Environmental enteropathy: critical implications of a poorly understood condition

Environmental enteropathy (also called tropical enteropathy) is a subclinical condition caused by constant fecal–oral contamination and resulting in blunting of intestinal villi and intestinal inflammation. Although these histological changes were discovered decades ago, the clinical impact of environmental enteropathy is just starting to be recognized. The failure of nutritional interventions and oral vaccines in the developing world may be attributed to environmental enteropathy, as the intestinal absorptive and immunologic functions are significantly deranged. Here we review the existing literature and examine potential mechanisms of pathogenesis for this poorly understood condition.
Partial left ventriculectomy for dilated cardiomyopathy: Is this an alternative to transplantation?

Abstract Objective: To determine the late effectiveness of partial left ventriculectomy and risk factors for failure. Methods: Between May 1996 and December 1998, partial left ventriculectomy and concomitant mitral valve surgery were performed in 62 patients (95% transplant candidates) with a mean age of 54 years (range 17-72 years). All patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III (38%) or IV (62%) because of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (59 patients) or ischemic, valvular, or familial cardiomyopathy (1 patient each). Outcomes considered for multivariable analysis included implantation of left ventricular assist device, return to class IV heart failure, relisting for transplantation, and death. Results: Partial left ventriculectomy reduced the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter immediately preoperatively to immediately postoperatively (from 8.4 ± 1.1 cm to 5.92 ± 0.8 cm; P =.01), reduced the left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (from 133 ± 48.6 mL to 64.1 ± 26 mL; P P Conclusions: Early and late failures preclude the widespread use of partial left ventriculectomy. However, in view of its sometimes beneficial effect, use in situations that do not allow for transplantation or as a biologic bridge to transplantation may be appropriate. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;121:879-93)
Performance of Variable Selection Methods in Regression Using Variations of the Bayesian Information Criterion

The Bayesian information criterion (BIC) is widely used for variable selection. We focus on the regression setting for which variations of the BIC have been proposed. A version that includes the Fisher Information matrix of the predictor variables performed best in one published study. In this article, we extend the evaluation, introduce a performance measure involving how closely posterior probabilities are approximated, and conclude that the version that includes the Fisher Information often favors regression models having more predictors, depending on the scale and correlation structure of the predictor matrix. In the image analysis application that we describe, we therefore prefer the standard BIC approximation because of its relative simplicity and competitive performance at approximating the true posterior probabilities.
Repertoire of rat MBP-reactive T cells: DNA sequencing analysis further demonstrates the clonal heterogeneity of rat T cells reactive against encephalitogenic epitopes.

Abstract Reports of the expression of very similar TCR structures by disparate rodent encephalitogenic T cells reactive with regions of MBP have aroused much interest for both theoretical and practical reasons. To ascertain the extent to which structural requirements of epitope recognition constrain TCR expression by MBP-reactive T cells, we set out to estimate the size of the overall repertoire of TCR β-chain Vβ-Dβ-Jβ (VDJ) assemblies in T cells of Lewis rats specific for MBP(68-88) as well as those specific for MBP(87-99). We previously reported that such T cells can express a diversity of Vβ genes as revealed by PCR analysis. In this study, we have used direct sequencing of PCR products amplified from encephalitogenic T-cell clones and pauciclonal T-cell lines to demonstrate that VDJ structures of the rat T cells specific for either residues 68 to 88 or 87 to 99 of MBP are highly heterogeneous. Our results showed that (1) no pattern is evident in the utilization of germline J gene segments by individual T-cell clones; from a total of over 100 successfully sequenced clones displaying in-frame rearrangements, all the Jβ segments have been demonstrated. (2) Even among the T-cell clones which share the Vβ expression, Jβ is variable. (3) Due to joining variations between the Vβ, Dβ, and Jβ gene segments, no two of the T-cell clones examined share entire VDJ structures. Our study is the first report of nucleotide and amino acid sequences of TCR β-chains from rat encephalitogenic T cells expressing Vβ genes other than Vβ8.2. It demonstrates that the TCR repertoire of the MBP-reactive as well as encephalitogenic T cells is heterogeneous, even though a certain T-cell subset frequently dominated by the mechanism needs to be clarified.
Clinical and Pathological Features of Hereditary Prostate Cancer

AbstractPurpose: We determined whether the clinical and pathological features of hereditary prostate cancer differ from those of sporadic prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: We compared the clinical and pathological features of radical prostatectomy specimens from 50 men with and 50 without a family history of prostate cancer who were matched for age and date of surgery.Results: Median serum prostate specific antigen concentration was not significantly different in the 2 groups. Mean Gleason score plus or minus standard deviation in the 50 men with sporadic prostate cancer was 6.2 plus/minus 1 compared to 5.6 plus/minus 0.9 in those with hereditary disease (p = 0.008). Of the 50 hereditary and 50 sporadic prostate cancers 35 (70 percent) and 33 (66 percent), respectively, were pathologically organ confined (p = 0.69). Median percentage of carcinoma within the gland (determined morphometrically) in men with hereditary disease was 11.4 plus/minus 8.3 compared to 10.9 plus/minus 8.9 for those with sporadi...
Previous pulmonary disease and lung cancer: A case-control study

Abstract Among more than 17,000 men examined medically and anthropometrically at Harvard University between 1880 and 1920, 130 had died of lung cancer by 1 January 1966. Each lung cancer decedent was matched with the next man of the same age to be examined. Mean age at examination was 19.9 yr. Of the controls, 87 had died and 43 were still alive on 1 January 1966. The lung cancer decedents and the controls did not differ in the number or nature of prior pulmonary diseases reported during their medical examination at Harvard. Among the controls, significantly more of those without early pulmonary disease were still alive than of those with early pulmonary disease.
Enhancing cell migration in collagen gels by modulating collagen adhesivity

The organized movement of cells is critical during tissue morphogenesis and wound healing. While different tissue cells use distinct mechanisms for migration, the underlying biophysical balance of adhesive and tractional forces for effective migration is similar. The extracellular matrix provides the structural framework through which a cell can migrate. In particular, collagen is an abundant and ubiquitous ECM protein that supports cell migration. The excellent biocompatibility and physiological relevance of collagen have made it a primary material for tissue engineered regenerative therapies and in vitro studies with tissue equivalents.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Measurement Error in Human Capital and the Black-White Wage Gap

Proxy variables are frequently used in economics to control for unavailable variables in a linear regression setting. For example, AFQT scores have been used to control for human capital accumulati...
Structural equation modelling in lighting research: An application to residential acceptance of new fluorescent lighting:

The present study serves as a vehicle to introduce structural equation models into the field of lighting research. Structural equation models are representations of relationships among variables. T...
A prospective randomized comparison of spinal versus local anesthesia with propofol infusion for knee arthroscopy.

Purpose: Knee arthroscopy is the most common orthopaedic procedure performed in the United States, and there are few randomized studies comparing local anesthesia, in conjunction with propofol, with regional anesthesia for knee arthroscopy. The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that patients receiving local anesthesia combined with propofol infusion (LAP) will recover from anesthesia faster and experience less postoperative headache and back pain compared with spinal anesthesia (SA). Type of Study: Randomized trial. Methods: A randomized trial was used to compare SA and LAP in adults undergoing knee arthroscopy. A simple randomization scheme in sealed envelopes was used. An independent observer collected data the day of surgery and contacted patients by telephone on the first postoperative day to inquire about back pain or headaches, and to have them rate their anesthesia (excellent, good, fair, or poor). Results: Eighteen patients (average age, 53 years) received LAP and 14 received SA. Baseline assessment of the 2 groups was similar. The mean time spent in the postoperative anesthesia care unit (PACU) was 2.8 hours for the LAP group and 4.0 hours for the SA group ( P P = .004). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups with respect to headache ( P = .5) or overall patient satisfaction ( P = .3). The amount of time required to administer anesthesia was similar between the 2 groups ( P = .2). The number of patients requiring additional sedation intraoperatively was higher in the LAP group compared with the SA group, 9 of 18 and 1 of 14, respectively ( P = .02). Conclusions: Although subjects receiving LAP were more likely to require additional sedation intraoperatively compared with the SA group, LAP was associated with significantly less time to home readiness as measured by time in the PACU. Level of Evidence: Level I.
A novel series of 2-pyridyl-containing compounds as lysophosphatidic acid receptor antagonists: development of a nonhydrolyzable LPA3 receptor-selective antagonist.

Abstract A recently reported dual LPA1/LPA3 receptor antagonist (1) has been modified so as to modulate the basicity, sterics, and dipole moment of the 2-pyridyl moiety. Additionally, the implications of installing nonhydrolyzable phosphate head group isosteres with regard to antagonist potency and selectivity at LPA receptors is described. This study has resulted in the development of the first nonhydrolyzable and presumably phosphatase-resistant LPA3-selective antagonist reported to date.
A new peak current mode control scheme for half-bridge DC-DC converters

Peak current mode control cannot be directly applied to half-bridge DC-DC converters due to imbalanced capacitor voltage. In the paper, a control scheme is proposed to balance capacitor voltages in a half-bridge DC-DC converter. The principle of operation is analyzed. The implementation of control circuitry is simple and easy to integrate. The proposed scheme is verified by experimental results.
The FHY3 and FAR1 genes encode transposase-related proteins involved in regulation of gene expression by the phytochrome A-signaling pathway.

Summary The Arabidopsis mutants far1 and fhy3 display a phenotype of reduced inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, which is specific to far-red light and therefore specific to the phytochrome A (phyA)-signaling pathway. We report that the proteins encoded by the FAR1 and FHY3 genes are both related to the transposases of type II MuDR family transposons. We demonstrate that the FAR1 protein is capable of activating transcription in Arabidopsis, indicating that it may define a type of transcriptional regulator. Using microarray expression analysis, we show that of 293 mRNAs twofold induced in wild-type Col-0 plants by continuous far-red light, 85% show reduced responsiveness in the fhy3 mutant. Notable alterations were observed in the responses of genes encoding certain transcription factors, proteins involved in cell wall extension, and proteins related to redox balance control. We also found genes, including some involved in transcriptional control, which showed altered transcriptional behavior in the dark-grown mutant plants. Taken together, our data suggest that FAR1 and FHY3 may function 'permissively' outside the signal transduction pathway of light- regulated development, yet be required for the expression of transcriptional regulatory components. An alternative possibility is that their role includes both light-signal transduction and transcriptional regulation of other genes not responsive to light. We propose that FAR1 and FHY3 control the expression of their target genes by a mechanism that has evolved directly from the way that an ancestral, MuDRA-like trans- posase bound to the TIRs of mobile elements.
Reduced wall compliance suppresses Akt-dependent apoptosis protection stimulated by pulse perfusion.

Reduced arterial compliance and increased pulse pressure are common and major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Here, we reveal a novel mechanism whereby loss of wall distensibility blunts endothelial cell protection to oxidant stress-induced apoptosis. Bovine aortic endothelial cells cultured in compliant or stiff silastic tubes were pulse perfused by arterial pressure/flow waveforms generated by a servo-pump. Pulse perfusion induced time-dependent Akt activation peaking 6-fold after 2 hours in compliant tubes and a similar time course but half the magnitude in stiff tubes. This was accompanied by quantitatively similar disparities in phosphoinositide-3 kinase activation and in Akt-stimulated suppressors of apoptosis: glycogen synthase kinase-3, forkhead, and Bad. Cells perfused in compliant tubes had twice the protection against H2O2-stimulated apoptosis than those in stiffer tubes. This protection was lost by pretreatment with an Akt inhibitor and restored in cells transfected with myristoylated Akt yet perfused in stiff tubes. Shear and stretch Akt signaling coupled to different upstream pathways as inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGF2R) or disruption of caveolae blocked steady and pulse flow-mediated activation, yet did not suppress phosphorylated Akt induced by pulse perfusion in compliant tubes (concomitant stretch). Unlike Akt, reactive oxygen species, activated nuclear factor B, and suppression of H2O2-stimulated c-Jun-N-terminal kinase activity were similar in pulse-perfused compliant and stiff tubes. Thus, cyclic endothelial cell stretch by pulse perfusion enhances Akt-dependent antiapoptosis above that induced by steady or phasic shear stress and, unlike the latter, signals via a VEGF2R/caveolae-independent pathway. Enhancing this stretch pathway may prove useful for improving endothelial function in stiff arteries. (Circ Res. 2005;97:587-595.)
Coordination in a Crisis: Domestic Constraints and EU Efforts to Address the 2008 Financial Crisis

This article explores possible theories of international economic policy coordination, and then proceeds to test these theories through a qualitative analysis of four EU member states – Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands – and their preferences and experiences during the financial market crisis period of Fall/Winter 2008–2009. Both institutional and basic realist theories for coordination preferences are evaluated for explanatory power against the case of the 2008 financial crisis and are found lacking. Instead, this analysis finds that a comparative foreign policy theory of political constraints – institutional design, political polarization, and leader time horizons – emerges as the best fit for explaining the divergence in foreign policies among these EU member states.
Cross-lingual information extraction system evaluation

In this paper, we discuss the performance of cross-lingual information extraction systems employing an automatic pattern acquisition module. This module, which creates extraction patterns starting from a user's narrative task description, allows rapid customization to new extraction tasks. We compare two approaches: (1) acquiring patterns in the source language, performing source language extraction, and then translating the resulting templates to the target language, and (2) translating the texts and performing pattern discovery and extraction in the target language. We demonstrate an average of 8--10% more recall using the first approach. We discuss some of the problems with machine translation and their effect on pattern discovery which lead to this difference in performance.
Syntax error analysis as a problem solving technique

Traditional problem solving in technical courses involves a problem statement followed by extracting a given and required from the verbiage. A detailed solution then follows. This is not the only form of problem students will encounter in industry. Often the industrial problem has a solution but an error is present in the result. Debugging the solution then becomes a new problem requiring a different set of skills and techniques. To expose students to this type of problem, a syntax error analysis concept is proposed. The concept involves giving the students a problem statement along with an erroneous solution. Students are required to analyze the problem and determine where errors occur in the analysis. A preliminary trial using this type of problem has been conducted and student feedback obtained. The results will be used to further develop and improve this type of learning experience.
The antioxidant/electrophile response element motif.

Cells exposed to oxidative stress or electrophilic xenobiotics respond by transcriptionally up-regulating a battery of genes that contain a cis-acting element in their promoter region known as the antioxidant/electrophile response element (ARE). Mutational analysis of the promoter regions of ARE-containing genes led to the creation of two different models for the ARE; a core ARE (cARE: RTGACnnnGC) and an extended ARE (eARE: TMAnnRTGAYnnnGCAwwww). Using bioinformatic software we have aligned the promoter regions of several ARE-containing genes to produce two position-specific probability matrices that independently describe the cARE and eARE. These matrices can also be used to quantitatively assess putative AREs
The bay area transportation study

This paper describes a study program for developing in the San Francisco Bay Area a coordinated transportation plan which will include all transportation components operating as a system. The Bay Area Rapid Transit District, now under construction, is one component; others include the agencies for Bay crossings, the major airports and sea terminals, and the various highway and road departments responsible for motor vehicle transportation. The Bay Area itself is in several stages of development. The older central section, including the city of San Francisco, has its set of problems. The southern area, including San Jose, is in a stage of very rapid growth involving hundreds of thousands of people and many new traffic generators. The northern section is virtually undeveloped and needs better access to permit growth. The problem of systematizing transportation is complex, involving a variety of needs and a variety of modes to be coordinated during planning and in operation. Evaluation of cost factors is no longer limited to the transportation facilities themselves, and it is recognized that there are new forces that demand high aesthetic standards to protect the natural beauty of the area and high environmental standards to protect air and water. The economic forces are considerable and have had much to do with the present pattern of transportation development. The author discusses the financial resources of the area in relation to system requirements and political feasibility, and presents his views of other factors that influence transportation needs.
Trends in HPV vaccine initiation among adolescent females in North Carolina, 2008-2010

Background: To better target future immunization efforts, we assessed trends and disparities in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine initiation among female adolescents in North Carolina over 3 years. Methods: We analyzed data from a stratified random sample of 1,427 parents who, between 2008 and 2010, completed two linked telephone surveys: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program surveys. Weighted analyses examined HPV vaccine initiation for girls ages 11 to 17 years. Results: HPV vaccine initiation increased modestly over time (2008, 34%; 2009, 41%; 2010, 44%). This upward trend was present within 11 subpopulations of girls, including those who lived in rural areas, were of minority (non-black/non-white) race, or had not recently received a preventive check-up. Looking at differences between groups, HPV vaccine initiation was less common among girls who attended private versus public school, were younger, or lacked a recent check-up. However, the latter difference narrowed over time. The low level of initiation among girls without recent check-ups increased substantially (from 11% to 41%), whereas initiation among girls with recent visits improved little (from 39% to 44%, P interaction = 0.007). Conclusions: Although HPV vaccine initiation improved among several groups typically at higher risk for cervical cancer, the lack of progress among girls with recent check-ups suggests that missed opportunities for administration have hampered broader improvements. Impact: Achieving widespread coverage of HPV vaccine will require redoubled efforts to vaccinate adolescents during routine care. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(11); 1913–22. ©2012 AACR .
Minkowski’s Conjecture, Well-Rounded Lattices and Topological Dimension

Let A C SLn(R) be the diagonal subgroup, and identify SLn(R)/SLn(Z) with the space of unimodular lattices in Rn. In this paper we show that the closure of any bounded orbit A.LcSLn(R)/SLn(Z) meets the set of well-rounded lattices. This assertion implies Minkowski's conjecture for n = 6 and yields bounds for the density of algebraic integers in totally real sextic fields. The proof is based on the theory of topological dimension, as reflected in the combinatorics of open covers of Rn and Tn.
PENTAMIDINE : A REVIEW

With the advent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the therapeutic importance of pentamidine isethionate has increased greatly. This review summarizes the pharmacology, clinical experience in the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and toxicity of pentamidine. Data are conflicting as to whether pentamidine is more or less effective than trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SX) for the treatment of P carinii pneumonia in individuals with AIDS, but due to its toxicity and expense, it is considered as second-line therapy for P carinii pneumonia by many authorities. Hypoglycemia has been encountered in up to 27%, and nephrotoxicity in 25%, of treatment courses with pentamidine. In an attempt to circumvent the toxicities associated with parenteral administration, aerosolized delivery has been evaluated for both therapy and prevention of P carinii pneumonia. Aerosolized pentamidine, on the basis of early clinical results, convenience, and low toxicity, is being used extensively to prevent P carinii pneumonia in individuals at high risk. Relapses occur, however, and pneumothorax may be more common in those using this form of prophylaxis. Aerosolized pentamidine should not be used as sole therapy for acute P carinii pneumonia.
Sales and operations planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the usage of interactive marketing tools in the area of sales and operations planning (S&OP) to further collaboration among supply chain partners. Emergent challenges and research directions are proposed. Design/methodology/approach – Using extant literature from S&OP, supply chain management and interactive marketing, the authors integrate those to show the value of using interactive marketing tools to further integration across the supply chain of important S&OP processes. Findings – S&OP utilizes sophisticated software to integrate various business processes beyond B2C and into B2B relationships. Research limitations/implications – Uncertainty exists as to the measurement of the performance of a supply chain, or the network or system of companies, is not developed enough to deal with that issue. However, this is addressed in the research questions section. Practical implications – The practical implications for the use of integrative marketing tools to ...
Cam Cap Models for Lunar Soil: A First Look

The shearing behavior of a Lunar soil can be described by a Cam yield envelope with best-fitting parameters of friction angle (for critical state, constant-volume shearing) of 40° and critical pressure (compactional strength) of 0.22 MPa. At lower confining pressure, shearing at angles of friction > 40° is dilational, whereas shearing at confining pressures greater than about 0.1 MPa produces compactional flow with negative dilation angles. Lunar soils have large shear strength, due to irregularly shaped particles, and small compactional strength, due to small particle strengths. More accurate determination of the yield envelopes requires laboratory testing of Lunar soils and measurement of the volumetric strains.
Effects of proton radiation dose, dose rate and dose fractionation on hematopoietic cells in mice

Abstract The present study evaluated the acute effects of radiation dose, dose rate and fractionation as well as the energy of protons in hematopoietic cells of irradiated mice. The mice were irradiated with a single dose of 51.24 MeV protons at a dose of 2 Gy and a dose rate of 0.05–0.07 Gy/min or 1 GeV protons at doses of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 Gy delivered in a single dose at dose rates of 0.05 or 0.5 Gy/min or in five daily dose fractions at a dose rate of 0.05 Gy/min. Sham-irradiated animals were used as controls. The results demonstrate a dose-dependent loss of white blood cells (WBCs) and lymphocytes by up to 61% and 72%, respectively, in mice irradiated with protons at doses up to 2 Gy. The results also demonstrate that the dose rate, fractionation pattern and energy of the proton radiation did not have significant effects on WBC and lymphocyte counts in the irradiated animals. These results suggest that the acute effects of proton radiation on WBC and lymphocyte counts are determined mainly ...
Derald Wing Sue: From All of the Places We’ve Been:

The personal and professional accomplishments of one of psychology’s most accomplished and prolific scholars are profiled in this article. Dr. Derald Wing Sue is a familiar name to many who traverse the landscape of multicultural counseling and Asian American psychology issues. Yet this article affords the reader a rare glimpse into the mindset of a contemporary figure considered by many to be a cultural icon. In chronicling a career spanning four decades, this article highlights both the challenges and opportunities Dr. Sue has managed in both the personal and professional domains of his life. Also revealed are the complexities of his psychological development as a person of Chinese American descent and how his identity crystallization serves as a conceptual template for his academic instruction, therapeutic practice, and research endeavors. The article also serves as a tribute to Dr. Sue, as voiced from the perspective of students, friends, and colleagues alike.
Continuous aperture phased MIMO: Basic theory and applications

Given the proliferation of wireless communication devices, the need for increased power and bandwidth efficiency in emerging technologies is getting ever more pronounced. Two technological trends offer new opportunities for addressing these challenges: mm-wave systems (60–100GHz) that afford large bandwidths, and multi-antenna (MIMO) transceivers that exploit the spatial dimension. In particular, there has been significant recent interest in mm-wave communication systems for high-rate (1–100 Gb/s) communication over line-of-sight (LoS) channels. Two competing designs dominate the state-of-the-art: i) traditional systems that employ continuous aperture “dish” antennas and offer high power efficiency but no spatial multiplexing gain, and ii) MIMO systems that use discrete antenna arrays for a higher multiplexing gain but suffer from power efficiency. In this paper, we propose a new communication architecture - continuous aperture phased MIMO - that combines the advantages of both designs and promises very significant capacity gains, and commensurate gains in power and bandwidth efficiency, compared to the state-of-the-art. CAP-MIMO is based on a hybrid analog-digital transceiver architecture that employs a novel antenna array structure - a high-resolution discrete lens array - to enable a continuous aperture phased-MIMO operation. We present the basic theory behind CAP-MIMO and the potential capacity/power gains afforded by it. We also highlight potential applications of CAP-MIMO in mm-wave communications.
Silicon on replacement insulator (SRI) floating body cell (FBC) memory

A 15-nm node floating body cell (FBC) memory was demonstrated utilizing silicon on replacement insulator (SRI) technology on bulk substrate. Highly selective SiGe etch and nano-scale anchors enabled the fabrication of silicon on thin replacement oxide of 12 nm. The memory characteristics show a memory signal of 7 µA and disturb retention time of 20 ms for a 51-nm gate length and 77-nm width device. This is the best FBC memory performance reported on bulk substrate.
Polymerase chain reaction amplification of bacterial 16s rRNA genes in prostate biopsies from men without chronic prostatitis.

Objectives. A previously reported study using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis indicated the presence of DNA from a variety of prokaryotic microorganisms in 77% of transperineal prostate biopsies from patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis. Because that study did not include a control group, we investigated whether microbial DNA could also be found in transperineal prostate biopsies obtained from men who did not have a history of prostatitis. Methods. Transperineal biopsies of both lobes of the prostate were obtained under ultrasound guidance from 9 patients with localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate. DNA was extracted from the prostatic tissue and two-round amplification performed using nested primers from a highly conserved region of the bacterial 16s rRNA gene. Amplified DNA was purified and sequenced, and sequences obtained were compared to bacterial rRNA genes recorded in GenBank. Results. Eleven of 18 biopsy specimens from 8 of 9 patients were positive for bacterial DNA by PCR. Sequence data indicated a predominant organism in 8 of 11 specimens, with greater than 95% homology to DNA from several different genera of bacteria, including Escherichia and Bacteroides. All 9 control samples from the instruments before biopsy were negative. Conclusions. The presence of bacterial 16s rRNA genes in prostatic tissue is not specific for chronic prostatitis and occurred in most of our patients with localized prostate cancer. Whether the presence of such bacteria is related to the development of prostatic diseases such as prostatitis or prostatic cancer will require carefully controlled trials, including appropriate control groups examined identically.
Response to Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone: An Objective Criterion for the Adequacy of Thyrotropin Suppression Therapy

Most serum thyrotropin (TSH) assays do not adequately discriminate between normal values and absent TSH. We therefore evaluated the TSH response to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) as a criterion for the adequacy of TSH suppression therapy. Twenty-six outpatients with various thyroid disorders (cancer, 10; nodules, 9; miscellaneous, 4; hypothyroidism after 131I therapy for Graves' disease, 3) were studied. Using the frequent sampling technique (samples every 20 min) in two normal volunteers and one untreated patient who was TRH-responsive, we first confirmed the observation that TSH secretion occurred episodically throughout the 24-h period. In contrast, serum TSH was undetectable (<0.6 /μU/ml) throughout the 24-h period in 5 patients on TSH suppression therapy who were TRH-unresponsive and one who had a minimal response to TRH. Thus, TRH-unresponsive patients did not secrete measurable amounts of TSH throughout the 24-h period. To suppress TSH secretion, all patients were treated with L-thyroxine (T4)...
Automating the generation of lexical patterns for processing free text in clinical documents

Objective Many tasks in natural language processing utilize lexical pattern-matching techniques, including information extraction (IE), negation identification, and syntactic parsing. However, it is generally difficult to derive patterns that achieve acceptable levels of recall while also remaining highly precise. Materials and Methods We present a multiple sequence alignment (MSA)-based technique that automatically generates patterns, thereby leveraging language usage to determine the context of words that influence a given target. MSAs capture the commonalities among word sequences and are able to reveal areas of linguistic stability and variation. In this way, MSAs provide a systemic approach to generating lexical patterns that are generalizable, which will both increase recall levels and maintain high levels of precision. Results The MSA-generated patterns exhibited consistent F1-, F.5-, and F2- scores compared to two baseline techniques for IE across four different tasks. Both baseline techniques performed well for some tasks and less well for others, but MSA was found to consistently perform at a high level for all four tasks. Discussion The performance of MSA on the four extraction tasks indicates the method’s versatility. The results show that the MSA-based patterns are able to handle the extraction of individual data elements as well as relations between two concepts without the need for large amounts of manual intervention. Conclusion We presented an MSA-based framework for generating lexical patterns that showed consistently high levels of both performance and recall over four different extraction tasks when compared to baseline methods.
Environmental change, development and vectorborne disease: Malaysia’s experience with filariasis, scrub typhus and dengue

During Malaysia’s rapid economic development into becoming a middle income country in the past several decades, environmental changes resulted in altered land use patterns because of agricultural practices such as large scale rice, rubber and oil palm cultivation. The impact of environmental changes brought about by rice and rubber cultivation affected the breeding habitats of mosquito vectors which in turn affected the prevalence of two strains of lymphatic filariasis in different ways. With scrub typhus, the development of oil palm plantations affected the ecology of mite and rodent populations which resulted in very high incidence of the disease in affected populations. Malaysia’s relentless urbanization has resulted in increased incidence of dengue, as peridomestic mosquito vectors increasingly colonize urban habitats. This article discusses how ecological factors determine the way lymphatic filariasis, scrub typhus and dengue were spread in Malaysia. The nation’s experience with environmental changes due to rapid development provides lessons for other developing countries in control programs and public health policy.