cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detecting vesico-ureteral reflux in asymptomatic siblings of children with reflux by direct radionuclide cystography.

The incidence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) among asymptomatic siblings of children with VUR is much higher than the estimated incidence in the general population. It might be expected that identifying them and keeping them under close observation and/or either surgical or conservative treatment, might reduce the risk of renal scarring. Fifty-three asymptomatic children, all under 6 years of age and all siblings of children with proven VUR, were studied with direct radionuclide voiding cystography (DRVC). There were 31 (58%) boys, and 22 (42%) girls. Nine children (17%) were younger than 1 year, 13 (25%) were between 1 and 2 years of age, while 31 (58%) were older than 2 years. VUR was detected in 22 (42%) of the 53 siblings. The incidence of VUR varied considerably according to the age, and sex of the child, the highest being in boys younger than 1 year. Most of the severe reflux was seen in children under 2 years of age. Out of 11 patients with VUR, grade 2 and 3, there were 10 younger than 2 years, whereas, only 2 of the 11 siblings with VUR, grade 1 were younger than 2 years of age. The mean age of children with VUR grades 2 and 3 was 19 months, compared to the mean age of 50 months for those with VUR grade 1. DRVC, a highly sensitive method, exposes the patient to much less radiation than X-ray voiding cystography. We believe that the benefit of detecting VUR in asymptomatic siblings with DRVC outweights the invasiveness of the procedure. The predictive value of positive family history alone in identifying VUR in our study was 42%. This appears high enough to justify the routine investigation of asymptomatic siblings of children with VUR using DRVC at an early age.
From the inside: scientists' own experience of good (and bad) management

One crucial yet relatively unexamined perspective on issues of concern to both organizations and nations, the creativity and productivity of scientific efforts, is the insider perspective. Insiders are privy to confidential information – in this study, first-hand observations of good and bad leadership – because of their position within the laboratory. The insider perspective can help answer such questions as: What are scientists' lived experiences of effective management? What have they observed as some of the impacts of ineffective management? What worries them in terms of their own capacity to lead and manage? This paper describes interim results of an ongoing, exploratory study of insiders in academia, government, and industry. For the past 5 years, more than 200 scientific researchers from Europe, Asia, and the US have been asked open-ended questions about (1) the best example of scientific leadership they have encountered; (2) the worst example; and (3) their most difficult problems leading scientific endeavours. Their responses to date have included unexpected and surprising results. Good leaders are most frequently described as caring and compassionate (in contrast to the expected description of technically competent). Bad leaders are most frequently described as (surprisingly) abusive. The other important (and ‘unintended’) finding is that gender inequity persists. These responses illuminate some of the challenges facing those who manage research and development (R&D), who study the management of R&D, and who are responsible for national policies regarding R&D.
Toward a comprehensive theory of language and gender

The search for explanatory coherence in language and gender research has fostered a variety of research methods and analyses; this article evaluates the contributions of the Communities of Practice approach, with its focus on the constructive practices of a group – especially mutual engagement of learning a jointly negotiated practice of gender. Rather than presupposing gender differences as a starting point, CofP emphasizes the learning and mutability in gendered linguistic displays across groups; CofP theory thus naturalizes intragroup variation, not marking it as deviant. However, while the CofP approach focuses much-needed attention on the social construction of gender as local and cross-culturally variable, gender research must be augmented by critical study of two other facets of gender: ideology and innateness, which are critical components of a more comprehensive theory of gender for language research. I would like to give thanks to Janet Holmes for organizing the original forum in which the paper developed, and for her very helpful comments; to Sally McConnell-Ginet and Penny Eckert for their sustained support, through their work, of me and others in the field; and to all three of them – plus Alice Freed, Miriam Meyerhoff, and Susan Ehrlich – for stimulating comments and discussion of these issues. Thanks also go to Mary Talbot and Craig Waddell for comments on an earlier draft. All errors remain my own responsibility.
Emulsified Sol-Gel Microspheres for Controlled Drug Delivery

Controlled release silica sol-gels are room temperature processed, porous, resorbable, and biocompatible materials. Many molecules including drugs, proteins, and growth factors can be released from sol-gels, and the quantity and duration of the release can vary widely. Processing parameters render these release properties exquisitely versatile [1]. The synthesis of controlled release sol-gels involves several steps: an acid-catalyzed hydrolysis to form a sol with the molecules included, followed by casting, aging, and drying. Additional steps such as grinding and sieving are required to produce sol-gel granules of a desirable size. In this study, we focus on the synthesis of controlled release sol-gel microspheres by using a novel process, which involves only two steps:sol formation followed by emulsification. Sol-gel microspheres containing either vancomycin (antibiotic) or bupivacaine (analgesic) were successfully synthesized via this synthesis route. Both drugs showed controlled, load-dependent and time-dependent release from the microspheres. The in vitro release properties of sol-gel microspheres were different from those of sol-gel granules produced by grinding and sieving. In comparison to a fast, short-term release from the granules, the release from the microspheres was slower and of longer duration. In addition, the degradation rate of microspheres was significantly slower than that of the granules. These data enable the use of sol-gel powders for controlled long-term release.
Aqueous degradation of polyimides

The effect of an aqueous environment on the tensile properties of Kapton polyimide film has been investigated. Immersion of specimens in distilled water at 25° to 100°C for time periods ranging from one hour to several hundred hours resulted in a decrease in the ultimate tensile strength of the polymer from 23 ksi to approximately 14 ksi, and a corresponding decrease in elongation to failure from 38% to approximately 5%. The kinetics of this decrease in mechanical properties are second order and yield an activation energy of approximately 15.6 kcal/mole. The reaction is slightly dependent on pH in the range 2.0 to 12.0, but is highly dependent on the pH in the range 0.4 to 2.0. The decrease in mechanical properties at pH 2.0 to 6.0 appears to be due to hydrolysis of either uncyclized amic acid linkages or diamide functional groups present in the polyimide, whereas that at pH below 2.0 is probably the result of hydrolysis of both imide and amide bonds. Prolonged reflux of the polyimide in water resulted in the extraction of a water-soluble, amide-containing material.
Would Tarzan believe in God? Conditions for the emergence of religious belief

Would someone raised without exposure to religious views nonetheless come to believe in the existence of God, an afterlife, and the intentional creation of humans and other animals? Many scholars would answer yes, proposing that universal cognitive biases generate religious ideas anew within each individual mind. Drawing on evidence from developmental psychology, we argue here that the answer is no: children lack spontaneous theistic views and the emergence of religion is crucially dependent on culture.
Slow Variability in the Equatorial West-Central Pacific in Relation to ENSO

Abstract Six years of upper-ocean velocity, temperature, and surface wind data collected in the west-central Pacific at 0°, 170°W reveal a slow ocean dynamical mode associated with the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Latent and sensible heat flux calculations using the basin-wide Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array data show a coincident, slow ocean–atmosphere thermodynamical mode. Beginning with the La Nina conditions in 1988 through the peak El Nino conditions in 1992 the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) speed decreased along with the surface zonal wind stress and the zonal pressure gradient. Simultaneous with these were increasing trends in the Richardson number above the EUC core and in sea surface temperature (SST). After peak warming was achieved, the variations in all of these quantities reversed in a movement toward their previous La Nina conditions. As this evolved within the ocean the sensible and latent heat fluxes increased with large values emanating eastward from the western Pacific. The...
Rural Food Insecurity in the United States as an Overlooked Site of Struggle in Health Communication

This article indicates the need for health communication scholars to attend to the growing national problem of rural food insecurity. A review of the health communication literature reveals that food insecurity and rural health overall are research issues that have been overlooked. Using the Culture-Centered Approach (Dutta, 2008), while simultaneously searching for community assets as well as problems, we explore aspects of rural residents' food environments, culture, and institutional structures that empower and constrain their communities. Twelve focus groups (n = 86), segmented by race/ethnicity, were conducted in rural central Texas. Results were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Our findings outline problems and personal obstacles described by participants, as well as creative solutions and coping mechanisms illustrative of individual agency and social capital inherent in their rural culture. We conclude by providing suggestions for future research that will aid health communication schola...
Selected Demographic Variables, School Music Participation, and Achievement Test Scores of Urban Middle School Students:

Nontransient 6th- and 8th-grade urban middle school students' achievement test scores were examined before (4th grade) and during (6th or 8th grade) enrollment in a performing ensemble. Ensemble participation (band, choir, none) and subject variables of socioeconomic status (SES) and home environment were considered. Fourth- and 6th-grade achievement tests consisted of Reading, Math, Citizenship and Science; 8th grade included Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts. Analyses indicated significant differences yet small effect sizes for main effects of SES and ensemble participation. Higher SES students scored significantly higher on all subtests except 4th-, 6th-, and 8th-grade reading. Sixth-grade band students scored significantly higher than choir students and nonparticipants on every subtest of 6th- and 4th-grade achievement tests. Eighth-grade band students scored significantly higher than nonparticipants on 4th-grade Reading and Math and every subtest of the 8th-grade achievement t...
Francisco Ignacio de Yraeta y Azcárate, almacenero de la ciudad de México, 1732-1797. Un ensayo de microhistoria

Yraeta arrived in New Spain in the mid-eighteenth century as a 12-year-old Guipuzcoan immigrant. After working for some time in Manila, he went back to Mexico City, where he married and worked with his father-in-law, a businessman with commercial relations in the Philippines. They later became partners and this spurred Yraeta's own commercial career, which strengthened during the second half of the eighteenth centruy, when New Spain ejoyed extraordinary circumstances: population growth, silver production and cmomercial realtions with Cadiz, Manila, Guatemala, Havanna, Caracas, Guayaquil and Lima. Yraeta was quialified, responsible, successful and deply Catholic, and found his way into the commercial oligarchy of the Spanish colony's capital. If he was the archetypical late-colonial Spanish bourgeois is yet to be seen-
Winter Distribution, Movements, and Annual Survival of Radiomarked Vancouver Canada Geese in Southeast Alaska

Abstract Management of Pacific Flyway Canada geese (Branta canadensis) requires information on winter distribution of different populations. Recoveries of tarsus bands from Vancouver Canada geese (B. canadensis fulva) marked in southeast Alaska, USA, ≥4 decades ago suggested that ≥83% of the population was non-migratory and that annual adult survival was high (S ˆ = 0.836). However, recovery distribution of tarsus bands was potentially biased due to geographic differences in harvest intensity in the Pacific Flyway. Also, winter distribution of Vancouver Canada geese could have shifted since the 1960s, as has occurred for some other populations of Canada geese. Because winter distribution and annual survival of this population had not recently been evaluated, we surgically implanted very high frequency radiotransmitters in 166 adult female Canada geese in southeast Alaska. We captured Vancouver Canada geese during molt at 2 sites where adults with goslings were present (breeding areas) and 2 sites where ...
Using temporal information in an automated classification of summer, marginal ice zone imagery

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is difficult to classify under summer melt conditions, even with the human eye. Backscatter instability causes the intensities of the first-year ice, multi-year ice, and open water classes to intermix, thus making an intensity-based classification invalid. The method presented in this paper supplements backscatter information from SAR data with wind and temporally-analyzed temperature records and regional statistics in order to achieve an automated ice/no-ice classification of summer imagery in the marginal ice zone (MIZ). Referring to a database of prior area statistics (ice percentages, ice types, temperatures), an expert system forms conclusions to guide a current classification of the same area. Using parameters set by the expert system, an algorithmic floe extraction procedure divides the image into two classes (one assumed to contain floes and the other assumed not to contain floes) and then subdivides those two classes into ice and water. Classification results are then compared to the expected values derived from temporal adjustments of prior ice percentages. Unacceptable differences are called to the attention of the user for further inspection and possible manual correction. The study area for testing is the Beaufort Sea, with data taken from the ERS-1 SAR. Results show that temporally-accumulated data can be used to provide a basis for an automated classification of MIZ imagery under summer melt conditions.
A3 Adenosine Receptors: Protective vs. Damaging Effects Identified Using Novel Agonists and Antagonists.

Investigation of the physiologic role of the A3 adenosine receptor has been facilitated by the availability of selective agonists and antagonists. Selective agonists include IB-MECA and the 2-chloro derivative Cl-IB-MECA. Selective antagonists have been identified and designed with the aid of molecular modeling among various nonpurine classes of heterocycles: flavonoids, 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives, triazoloquinazolines, isoquinolines, and a triazolonaphthyridine. The dihydropyridine 3-ethyl 5-benzyl 2-methyl-6-phenyl-4-phenylethynyl-1,4-(±)-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (MRS 1191) is 1,300-fold selective for human A3 (Ki of 31 nM) vs. A1/A2A adenosine receptors and also 28-fold A3 selective in rat tissue (Ki of 1.42 mM). 9-Chloro-2-(2-furyl)-5-phenylacetylamino[1,2,4]-triazolo[1,5-c]quinazoline (MRS 1220) is useful as an A3 selective antagonist only in human tissue, with a Ki value of 0.65 nM. The pyridine derivative 5-propyl 2-ethyl-4-propyl-3-(ethylsulfanylcarbonyl)-6-phenylpyridine-5-carboxylate (MRS 1523) is a selective antagonist of both rat and human A3 receptors, with Ki values of 113 and 19 nM, respectively. Paradoxical effects of A3 agonists in the brain, heart and other tissues indicate that acute activation of A3 receptors at greater than 10 mM concentrations acts as a lethal input to cells, whereas low, nanomolar concentrations of A3 receptor agonists protect against apoptosis or ischemic damage. Adenosine A3 receptor agonists, antagonists, or both, may be useful in treating inflammatory conditions.
The Use of Therapeutic Peptides to Target and to Kill Cancer Cells

Peptide therapeutics is a promising field for emerging anti-cancer agents. Benefits include the ease and rapid synthesis of peptides and capacity for modifications. An existing and vast knowledge base of protein structure and function can be exploited for novel peptide design. Current research focuses on developing peptides that can (1) serve as tumor targeting moieties and (2) permeabilize membranes with cytotoxic consequences. A survey of recent findings reveals significant trends. Amphiphilic peptides with clusters of hydrophobic and cationic residues are features of anti-microbial peptides that confer the ability to eradicate microbes and show considerable anti-cancer toxicity. Peptides that assemble and form pores can disrupt cell or organelle membranes and cause apoptotic or necrotic death. Cell permeable and tumor-homing peptides can carry biologically active cargo to tumors or tumor vasculature. The challenge lies in developing the clinical application of therapeutic peptides. Improving delivery to tumors, minimizing non-specific toxic effects and discerning pharmacokinetic properties are high among the needs to produce a powerful therapeutic peptide for cancer treatment.
Wetting and Active Dewetting Processes of Hierarchically Constructed Superhydrophobic Surfaces Fully Immersed in Water

When a superhydrophobic (SHPo) surface is fully submerged underwater, the surface becomes wet eventually and cannot recover the SHPo state naturally. In this paper, we fabricate hydrophobic microposts on a hydrophobic nanostructured substrate, i.e., hierarchically structured SHPo surfaces, and investigate their wetting and dewetting processes while immersed in water. All the micropost surfaces get wet, with the conditions of the water only affecting the speed of wetting. All the nanopost surfaces get wet over time after all the microposts on them are wetted. We demonstrate various active means (saturating air in water, bridging the surface to the outside air, and gas generation on the substrate) that can dewet the already wetted microposts as far as the substrate nanoposts remained nonwet. In particular, the SHPo surfaces with the recently developed electrolytic recovery mechanism are shown to maintain an SHPo state even under previously irreconcilable conditions, such as surface defects and high liquid pressure, indefinitely.
Applications of 31P NMR to Clinical Biochemistry

In summary, phosphorus NMR presents a well documented, continuous, and noninvasive assay of cell energy metabolism in a variety of body organs. In the form used here, it is appropriate to the study of vascular and genetic diseases of the skeletal tissues of adults and energy-related diseases of the body organs in neonates. Under these conditions, 31P NMR is not an expensive installation, has a small up-keep cost, and one which in our experience can be operated by a college graduate technician with ease. We foresee a significant and generalized application to tissue biochemistry in humans.
The south of Java earthquake of 1921 September 11: A negative search for a large interplate thrust event at the Java Trench

SUMMARY We present a detailed study of the earthquake of 1921 September 11, located between the two anomalous ‘tsunami earthquakes’ of 1994 and 2006 south of Java. Based on modern relocation techniques, a compilation of focal mechanism constraints from historical seismograms, a quantification of mantle surface waves, and a numerical simulation of its mediocre tsunami (only 10 cm at Cilacap), we conclude that the 1921 earthquake occurred at a depth of 30 km, as an intraplate earthquake in the outer rise, featuring a mostly strike-slip mechanism expressing tensional stress parallel to the direction of convergence, with a moment of 5 × 1027 dyn cm. Two other large historical earthquakes south of Java (in 1937 and 1943) are also shown to be intraplate shocks, so that the Java subduction zone lacks large interplate thrust events for the entire era of instrumental seismicity. However, this does not violate the extrapolation to large sources of the frequency-moment characteristics of modern digital data (1976–2011), thus leaving open the possibility that the Java trench might entertain occasional, if rare, mega-thrust events.
An analysis of relationship between food safety and pesticides usages of grape growers in Manisa province

This study was carried out in Manisa which has the largest vineyard areas and grape production of Turkey. In this research, awareness of environment and pesticide using attitudes of growers and effects on food safety of pesticides were investigated. Main data of the study was collected by survey from 117 grape growers which are settled in Manisa province where sultana production is very widespread. Applying Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), for reaching quality raisin and table grape target, conventional and environment friendly pesticides preference priorities were estimated. The AHP was applied to determine conventional and environment friendly pesticides usages of grape growers related to food safety. As a conclusion, it is understood that this target could be reached with 66.8% using environment friendly pesticides.
Three-dimensional selective growth of nanoparticles on a polymer microstructure

We demonstrate a new technique for selectively growing gold nanoparticles on a patterned three-dimensional (3D) polymer microstructure. The technique integrates 3D direct writing of heterogeneous microstructures with nanoparticle synthesis. A digital micromirror device is employed as a dynamic mask in the digital projection photopolymerization process to build the heterogeneous microstructure layer by layer. An amine-bearing polyelectrolyte, branched poly(ethylenimine), is selectively attached to the microstructure and acts as both a reducing and a protective agent in the nanoparticle synthesis. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are utilized to analyze the microstructure and the 3D selectivity of the nanoparticle growth.
Studying trailfinding algorithms for enhanced web search

Search engines return ranked lists of Web pages in response to queries. These pages are starting points for post-query navigation, but may be insufficient for search tasks involving multiple steps. Search trails mined from toolbar logs start with a query and contain pages visited by one user during post-query navigation. Implicit endorsements from many trails can enhance result ranking. Rather than using trails solely to improve ranking, it may also be worth providing trail information directly to users. In this paper, we quantify the benefit that users currently obtain from trail-following and compare different methods for finding the best trail for a given query and each top-ranked result. We compare the relevance, topic coverage, topic diversity, and utility of trails selected using different methods, and break out findings by factors such as query type and origin relevance. Our findings demonstrate value in trails, highlight interesting differences in the performance of trailfinding algorithms, and show we can find best-trails for a query that outperform the trails most users follow. Findings have implications for enhancing Web information seeking using trails.
Ring-opening of the γ-OH-PdG adduct promotes error-free bypass by the Sulfolobus solfataricus DNA polymerase Dpo4.

Acrolein, a mutagenic aldehyde, reacts with deoxyguanosine (dG) to form 3-(2'-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pento- furanosyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-hydroxypyrimido(1,2-a) purin- 10(3H)-one (γ-OH-PdG). When placed opposite deoxycyto- sine (dC) in DNA, γ-OH-PdG undergoes ring-opening to the N 2 -(3-oxopropyl)-dG. Ring-opening of the adduct has been hypothesized to facilitate nonmutagenic bypass, particularly by DNA polymerases of the Y family. This study examined the bypass of γ-OH-PdG by Sulfolobus solfataricus Dpo4, the prototypic Y-family DNA polymerase, using templates that contained the adduct in either the 5'-CXG-3' or the 5'-TXG-3' sequence context. Although γ-OH-PdG partially blocked Dpo4- catalyzed DNA synthesis, full primer extension was observed, and the majority of bypass products were error-free. Conversion of the adduct into an irreversibly ring-opened derivative prior to reaction facilitated bypass and further improved the fidelity. Structures of ternary Dpo4·DNA·dNTP complexes were determined with primers that either were positioned immediately upstream of the lesion (preinsertion complexes) or had a 3'-terminal dC opposite the lesion (postinsertion complexes); the incoming nucleotides, either dGTP or dATP, were complementary to the template 5'-neighbor nucleotide. In both postinsertion complexes, the adduct existed as ring-opened species, and the resulting base-pair featured Watson−Crick hydrogen bonding. The incoming nucleotide paired with the 5'-neighbor template, while the primer 3'-hydroxyl was positioned to facilitate extension. In contrast, γ-OH-PdG was in the ring-closed form in both preinsertion complexes, and the overall structure did not favor catalysis. These data provide insights into γ-OH-PdG chemistry during replication bypass by the Dpo4 DNA polymerase and may explain why γ-OH-PdG-induced mutations due to primer−template misalignment are uncommon.
Are Girls Really Becoming More Violent? A Critical Analysis

This article analyzes the current debate over whether girls' violence is increasing. An examination of the evidence and arguments reveals that public and professional concern over girls' violence is more reflective of cultural anxiety over changing social norms regarding race and gender than an actual increase in girls' violence. Thus, there is a need to expand the existing terms of this debate and challenge assumptions about the relationship between violence and masculinity. The author calls for greater involvement of social work education, practice, and research in the issues surrounding girls' violence.
Systolic and Diastolic Effects of Variable Atrioventricular Delay in Patients With Complete Heart Block and Normal Ventricular Function

This study was designed to demonstrate the effects of varying the atrioventricular delay (AVD) on ventricular diastolic filling dynamics and the resultant stroke volume in patients with complete heart block and normal cardiac function. We studied 7 patients with normal cardiac function in whom a dual chamber pacemaker had been implanted because of complete heart block. Doppler and M-mode echocardiography was performed at 70, 100, 140, 180, and 220 ms, AVD with the device in DDD mode at a rate of 80 beats/min. The effects of these variable intervals on the contribution of the E and A waveform to the diastolic filling, on the stroke volume, and on the systolic intervals were evaluated. Optimization of this interval, with a 19% increase in stroke volume was achieved in the group of patients at an AVD of 140 ms. When considered individually, the AVD associated with the largest stroke volume, was 100 ms in 2 patients and 140 ms in the remaining 5. At this individual optimal AVD the ventricular septal contraction occurred 31 ± 14 ms, before the end of the transmitral flow. The optimal AVD is, therefore, the one which synchronizes the ventricular and atrial systole so that the first ventricular septal contraction occurs after the peak of the A wave, just before the end of the transmitral flow. Because of the different functional cardiovascular status of the single patient, this parameter should be individualized; this can be clinically important as it may lead, in this patient population, to an improvement of the stroke volume up to 42%.
Dendrogeomorphic approach to estimating slope retreat, Maxey Flats, Kentucky

A dendrogeomorphic study of slope retreat was conducted at the Maxey Flats nuclear-waste disposal site in northeastern Kentucky. Tree roots exposed by surface lowering were used as an indicator of ground surface at the time of germination. The amount of lowering was measured and divided by tree-ring-determined tree age. Surface lowering and slope degradation rates were estimated for three slopes below waste-burial trenches and compared with data obtained from sediment troughs and erosion frames at the site. Mean rates of slope retreat ranged from 1.92 to 3.16 mm/yr. Sediment-trough results are two to three orders of magnitude less than dendrogeomorphic and erosion-frame estimates of slope degradation, which suggests that piping and solution-weathering processes may be important in slope degradation. Slope aspect and declivity may be important factors affecting retreat of slopes with a uniform lithology. Dendrogeomorphic techniques provide results comparable to those in the literature and offer a rapid method for estimating slope retreat that integrates slope processes over many years.
An adaptive detection algorithm with persymmetric covariance structure

By exploring the covariance structure information to reduce the uncertainty in adaptive processing, a persymmetric generalized likelihood ratio (PGLR) algorithm is presented, together with the closed-form expressions of its probabilities of detection and false alarm. The algorithm, which has a faster convergence rate and requires less computation, can significantly outperform the corresponding unstructured GLR, especially in a severely nonstationary/nonhomogeneous interference environment. It also possesses a constant false-alarm rate feature of practical importance. >
Wire-driven microarchitectural design space exploration

We propose an interconnect-driven framework that performs an efficient and effective design space exploration for deep submicron processor architecture design. At the heart of our framework, named AMPLE (adaptive microarchitectural planning engine), are wire delay-driven microarchitectural floorplanning and adaptive parameter tuning schemes that address interconnect issues with high exploration efficiency and accuracy. Our framework significantly outperforms the commonly used brute-force and simulated annealing methods in terms of exploration time efficiency as well as the performance and area quality for a large design space.
Randomized phase III trial of high-dose interleukin-2 versus subcutaneous interleukin-2 and interferon in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Purpose The Cytokine Working Group conducted a randomized phase III trial to determine the value of outpatient interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon alfa-2b (IFN) relative to high-dose (HD) IL-2 in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Patients and Methods Patients were stratified for bone and liver metastases, primary tumor in place, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1 and then randomly assigned to receive either IL-2 (5 MIU/m 2 subcutaneously every 8 hours for three doses on day 1, then daily 5 days/wk for 4 weeks) and IFN (5 MIU/m 2 subcutaneously three times per week for 4 weeks) every 6 weeks or HD IL-2 (600,000 U/kg/dose intravenously every 8 hours on days 1 through 5 and 15 to 19 [maximum 28 doses]) every 12 weeks.
Active FOXO1 Is a Key Determinant of Isoform-Specific Progesterone Receptor Transactivation and Senescence Programming

Progesterone promotes differentiation coupled to proliferation and prosurvival in the breast, but inhibits estrogen-driven growth in the reproductive tract and ovaries. Herein, it is demonstrated, using progesterone receptor (PR) isoform-specific ovarian cancer model systems, that PR-A and PR-B promote distinct gene expression profiles that differ from PR-driven genes in breast cancer cells. In ovarian cancer models, PR-A primarily regulates genes independently of progestin, while PR-B is the dominant ligand-dependent isoform. Notably, FOXO1 and the PR/FOXO1 target gene p21 (CDKN1A) are repressed by PR-A, but induced by PR-B. In the presence of progestin, PR-B, but not PR-A, robustly induced cellular senescence via FOXO1-dependent induction of p21 and p15 (CDKN2B). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays performed on PR isoform–specific cells demonstrated that while each isoform is recruited to the same PRE-containing region of the p21 promoter in response to progestin, only PR-B elicits active chromatin marks. Overexpression of constitutively active FOXO1 in PR-A–expressing cells conferred robust ligand-dependent upregulation of the PR-B target genes GZMA , IGFBP1 , and p21 , and induced cellular senescence. In the presence of endogenous active FOXO1, PR-A was phosphorylated on Ser294 and transactivated PR-B at PR-B target genes; these events were blocked by the FOXO1 inhibitor (AS1842856). PR isoform–specific regulation of the FOXO1/p21 axis recapitulated in human primary ovarian tumor explants treated with progestin; loss of progestin sensitivity correlated with high AKT activity. Implications: This study indicates FOXO1 as a critical component for progesterone signaling to promote cellular senescence and reveals a novel mechanism for transcription factor control of hormone sensitivity. Mol Cancer Res; 14(2); 141–62. ©2015 AACR . This article is featured in Highlights of This Issue, [p. 125][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/14/125?iss=2
Use of Bacteriophages in Combination with Competitive Exclusion to Reduce Salmonella from Infected Chickens

Abstract Salmonella-specific bacteriophages (BP) and competitive exclusion (CE) were used to reduce Salmonella colonization in experimentally infected chickens. A “cocktail” of distinct phage (i.e., phage showing different host ranges and inducing different types of plaques on Salmonella Typhimurium [ST] cultures) was developed. The killing activity of the selected BPs on ST cultures differed significantly, as determined in in vitro killing assays. BPs were administered orally to the chickens several days prior and after ST challenge but not simultaneously. BPs were readily isolated from the feces of the BP-treated chickens approximately 48 hr after administration. A CE product consisting of a defined culture of seven different microbial species was used either alone or in combination with BP treatment. CE was administered orally at hatch. Salmonella counts in intestine, ceca, and a pool of liver/spleen were evaluated in Salmonella-challenged chickens treated with BP or with BP and CE. In both trials 1 an...
Surface-Flux Regulation of the Coupling between Cumulus Convection and Baroclinic Waves

Abstract The authors examine the role of convection in the dynamics of eddy life cycles through numerical experiments using initial states that are baroclinically and conditionally unstable in midlatitudes. The location of wave-induced convection and its influence on the growing wave depends on how strongly the wave is coupled to the lower boundary through surface fluxes. For all three convective schemes used here (Emanuel, modified Grell, modified Kuo), convective destabilization is favored in the wave’s warm sector when there are no surface fluxes included in the simulation and in the cold sector when there are. Convection is also shallower when it occurs in the cold sector, though still precipitating. For simulations using Emanuel convection, the relatively shallow convection plays a central role in a water cycle wherein 1) evaporation gives moisture to the cold sector’s boundary layer, 2) convection pumps some of the moisture into the lower troposphere above the boundary layer, 3) the large-scale circ...
Effect of light scattering on optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy

The penetration depth of ballistic optical imaging technologies is limited by light scattering. To study the effect of scattering on optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM), we divided the signals in OR-PAM into two classes: one is from the target volume defined by the optical resolution cell (Class I); the other is from the rest of the acoustic resolution cell (Class II). We developed a way to simulate the point spread function (PSF) of our OR-PAM system considering both optical illumination and acoustic detection, then used the PSF to calculate the contributions of each class of signal to the total signal at different focal depths. Our simulation results showed that: 1) The Class II signal decays much more slowly than the Class I signal; 2) The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the PSF for the focal depth of 0.9 transport mean free path (TMFP) is not broadened much (~10%) compared with that for a clear medium; 3) Image contrast is degraded with increasing depth when there is a uniform absorption background.
Communities on Display: Museums and the Creation of the (Asian) American Citizen

The unveiling of the new Japanese American National Museum (JANM) marked the arrival of Japanese Americans as a social and economic force in Los Angeles. The new museum is impressive in both its size and $22 million price tag. It is located across the street from its earlier incarnation, a Buddhist temple converted into an exhibition space. The temple was not only the social center of the pre-WWII Little Tokyo; it was also one of the collection centers where Japanese American families were assigned to various concentration camps. The temple, which faces the museum's entrance, remains as a constant reminder of the museum's roots in the community as well as the "culture of pain" that marks Japanese American identity.
Protecting-Group-Free Access to a Three-Coordinate Nickel(0) Tris-isocyanide

Details are presented regarding a convenient synthesis of the nickel tris-isocyanide complex Ni(CNArDipp2)3 (ArDipp2 = 2,6-(2,6-[i-Pr]2C6H3)2C6H3). A previous synthesis of a Ni tris-isocyanide complex relied on a Tl(I) coordination-site protection strategy to discourage the formation of a tetrakis-isocyano complex. However, protecting-group-free access to Ni(CNArDipp2)3 is enabled by the encumbering m-terphenyl isocyanide CNArDipp2. Treatment of Ni(COD)2 with CNArDipp2 affords Ni(COD)(CNArDipp2)2, which is readily oxidized to NiI2(CNArDipp2)2 upon addition of I2. Reduction of NiI2(CNArDipp2)2 with Mg metal generates Ni(CNArDipp2)3 and does not require the addition of a third equivalent of CNArDipp2. Tris-isocyanide Ni(CNArDipp2)3 is active toward Lewis acid binding and oxidative addition reactions. Treatment of Ni(CNArDipp2)3 with TlOTf (OTf = [O3SCF3]−) generates the salt [TlNi(CNArDipp2)3]OTf, in which the Ni center functions as a Lewis base toward Tl. The Ni center in Ni(CNArDipp2)3 also oxidatively ad...
Becoming Self-Employed: The Case of Japanese Men:

From a dynamic, life course perspective, this study examines the determinants of nonfarm self-employment for Japanese men from around the 1930s to 1975. Using work histories in a national mobility ...
Saving Children, Controlling Families Punishment, Redistribution, and Child Protection

This study shows that state efforts at child protection are structured by the policy regimes in which they are enmeshed. Using administrative data on child protection, criminal justice, and social welfare interventions, I show that children are separated from their families and placed into foster care far more frequently in states with extensive and punitive criminal justice systems than in states with broad and generous welfare programs. However, large welfare bureaucracies interact with welfare program enrollment to create opportunities for the surveillance of families, suggesting that extensive and administratively complex welfare states engage in “soft” social control through the surveillance and regulation of family behavior. The article further shows that institutionalization, a particularly restrictive form of foster care placement, is least common in states with broad and generous welfare regimes and generally more common under punitive regimes. Taken together, these findings show that policy regi...
CalNag: Effortless multiuser calorie tracking

Self-tracking of food intake has been studied at length, but many challenges still remain. Current systems often require significant effort from users, and work that has tried to reduce it resulted in low accuracy or delays. Effort is a major barrier to long term use of self-tracking systems. We propose CalNag, a system that integrates a weighing scale, a barcode reader, and a cloud based service. Together, they allow users to track accurate calorie consumption when preparing food at home, requiring minimal effort for each interaction with the system. Through hand-geometry bio-identification, CalNag seamlessly works for multiple users. We have developed a working prototype and conducted a pilot user study. Our results suggest that CalNag's architecture is a promising solution to effectively promote long term self-tracking of diet.
When a Knowledge Base Is Not Enough: Question Answering over Knowledge Bases with External Text Data

One of the major challenges for automated question answering over Knowledge Bases (KBQA) is translating a natural language question to the Knowledge Base (KB) entities and predicates. Previous systems have used a limited amount of training data to learn a lexicon that is later used for question answering. This approach does not make use of other potentially relevant text data, outside the KB, which could supplement the available information. We introduce a new system, Text2KB, that enriches question answering over a knowledge base by using external text data. Specifically, we revisit different phases in the KBQA process and demonstrate that text resources improve question interpretation, candidate generation and ranking. Building on a state-of-the-art traditional KBQA system, Text2KB utilizes web search results, community question answering and general text document collection data, to detect question topic entities, map question phrases to KB predicates, and to enrich the features of the candidates derived from the KB. Text2KB significantly improves performance over the baseline KBQA method, as measured on a popular WebQuestions dataset. The results and insights developed in this work can guide future efforts on combining textual and structured KB data for question answering.
Developments and dilemmas in renal transplantation.

The number of patients waiting for a kidney transplant is about three times greater than the number of transplants performed each year. This article highlights current immunosuppression protocols and the newer immunosuppressive drugs under investigation in a number of multicenter trials. These hold out the promise of reducing the frequency of acute rejection and of prolonging graft survival. They are divided into three groups. The first, like cyclosporine, interferes with the action of interleukin 2. The second, like azathioprine, are anti metabolites; and the third, new monoclonal antibodies. The use of antibody-induction therapy is compared with standard regimens. There are risks related to prednisone withdrawal protocols and inadequate cyclosporine dosing that may lead to accelerated graft loss. Cardiovascular disease is a significant problem in older diabetic patients for whom coronary angiography is recommended. A defined set of risk factors is outlined that predicts which younger diabetic patients should have a cardiovascular evaluation. Chronic liver disease is a growing problem and rational strategies are emerging from studies of patients with biopsy-proven active hepatitis. The presence of hepatic inflammation is associated with progressive liver disease and patients must be made aware of this risk when seeking transplantation. A large number of studies of various prophylactic regimens are starting to provide data on the cost-effective reduction of cytomegalovirus disease in transplant recipients. It is recommended that patients receiving antibody therapy also receive preemptive gangciclovir. The issue of chronic allograft rejection is discussed briefly. The most important predictors of chronic allograft rejection are the frequency of acute rejection, inadequate immunosuppression, and infections. The surgical management of transplant-related complications is undergoing a quiet revolution and the new methods being used in this regard are highlighted.
An application of normative decision theory to the valuation of energy efficiency investments under uncertainty

Abstract Previous market analyses have projected a huge potential for reduction of building energy consumption through retrofits. Large-scale application of currently available technologies could save at least 20% of the total energy consumed by buildings in the next decade. It is expected that such savings will not be realized unless involved parties, and in particular the clients and investors, trust the predicted savings and can engage in a transparent contracting process. The authors argue that this requires a comprehensive and innovative investment valuation method. Conventional investment decisions in energy efficiency rely on deterministic analysis of net present value and internal rate of return, both of which suffer from two critical drawbacks. First, the assumption that decisions are made with certain, accurate information is unrealistic. The other drawback is that traditional investment valuation does not take the risk preferences of each decision maker into account, hence it does not recognize that a certain decision maker will weigh the risk of future loss more heavily than a potential gain, or vice versa. This paper aims to address these drawbacks by applying axiomatic utility theory as a normative basis for decision-making. We analyze optimal decisions involved in drawing up a performance contract that accounts for uncertainty and uses explicit risk preferences of the decision maker. How this can work in practice is demonstrated in a real-life case study. It is discussed how the proposed methodology manages uncertainty in energy saving predictions while incorporating a decision maker's risk preferences. Results show that the methodology results in a decision that will rationally maximize the decision maker's value. As energy performance becomes an important factor in awarding construction projects, the availability of risk-transparent information will increase the willingness of all parties to follow through with a contract and agree on the budget. Moreover, the downstream automation of the decision process that maximizes all decision makers' values will lead to a higher realization rate, thus benefitting the construction market as a whole.
Applying shared services to public sector property and facilities asset management

Within large organisations, public bodies or groups of either, shared services are commonly set-up for business functions such as Finance, HR and IT. Whilst they offer substantial benefits it is less common to find Asset Management delivered as a shared service. This paper takes the provision of public sector property and facilities asset management as a shared service as its topic, using a case study from Southwest One. The contribution that Shared Services can make to improved asset management is then discussed with reference to PAS 55:2008 [1]. (5 pages)