cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the 3 A׳s of cystectomy access to care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Abstract Despite a known survival benefit, gross underutilization of radical cystectomy in the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) continues. The leading hypothesis for these low utilization rates is access to care, with barriers that can be classified into 3 categories: acceptability, availability, and affordability. Acceptability is highlighted by patient miseducation, fears, and cultural beliefs, which can lead to poor treatment decisions and emphasizes the need for decision-making research for MIBC. Availability is defined by structural barriers such as facility type and physician access. Understanding and improving differences in treatment among community vs. academic centers may improve access to cystectomy among patients who are treated locally. Affordability is marked by both direct (e.g., hospital) and indirect (e.g., travel) costs, with insurance type and travel distance notably affecting cystectomy receipt. Understanding the interplay of the “3 A׳s” that comprise cystectomy access to care is needed before we can successfully increase utilization of cystectomy in the vulnerable MIBC population.
Modulation of SOCS protein expression influences the interferon responsiveness of human melanoma cells

Endogenously produced interferons can regulate the growth of melanoma cells and are administered exogenously as therapeutic agents to patients with advanced cancer. We investigated the role of negative regulators of interferon signaling known as suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) in mediating interferon-resistance in human melanoma cells. Basal and interferon-alpha (IFN-α) or interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-induced expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 proteins was evaluated by immunoblot analysis in a panel of n = 10 metastatic human melanoma cell lines, in human embryonic melanocytes (HEM), and radial or vertical growth phase melanoma cells. Over-expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 proteins in melanoma cells was achieved using the PINCO retroviral vector, while siRNA were used to inhibit SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression. Tyr701-phosphorylated STAT1 (P-STAT1) was measured by intracellular flow cytometry and IFN-stimulated gene expression was measured by Real Time PCR. SOCS1 and SOCS3 proteins were expressed at basal levels in melanocytes and in all melanoma cell lines examined. Expression of the SOCS1 and SOCS3 proteins was also enhanced following stimulation of a subset of cell lines with IFN-α or IFN-γ. Over-expression of SOCS proteins in melanoma cell lines led to significant inhibition of Tyr701-phosphorylated STAT1 (P-STAT1) and gene expression following stimulation with IFN-α (IFIT2, OAS-1, ISG-15) or IFN-γ (IRF1). Conversely, siRNA inhibition of SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression in melanoma cells enhanced their responsiveness to interferon stimulation. These data demonstrate that SOCS proteins are expressed in human melanoma cell lines and their modulation can influence the responsiveness of melanoma cells to IFN-α and IFN-γ.
Limiting Similarity in Mechanistic and Spatial Models of Plant Competition in Heterogeneous Environments

We study two kinds of mechanistic and spatial models of plant competition in heterogeneous environments. First, we study lottery models in which the outcome of competition among juveniles for vacant space is determined by one of several underlying mechanistic submodels. Environmental heterogeneity that affects the outcome of competition is present in all of these models and may be spatial, temporal, biotic in origin, abiotic in origin, or any mixture of these. The principal result is that the models predict coexistence if the plant species are sufficiently dissimilar-if they sufficiently partition the spatial, temporal, biotic, or abiotic environmental heterogeneity. Second, we study a complex forest-simulation model of competition among individuals for light and a nutrient. Whereas the nonspatial version of this model predicts that a single species will outcompete all others, the spatial version predicts that coexistence is possible. We show that the results for the analytically tractable models appear t...
Species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) Attracted to Defensive Compounds of Cyanogenic Millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida)

Abstract. Two new Costa Rican species of Megaselia Rondani (Megaselia mithridatesi new species and Megaselia toxicobibitor new species) that are attracted to polydesmidan (Diplopoda) defensive compound secretions are described. The strikingly colored Megaselia schildi Borgmeier appears to be closely related to these species, and new records of its association with polydesmidan millipedes are given. These three species represent the only examples of Phoridae outside of the millipedeparasitoid genus Myriophora Brown that are attracted to millipede defensive compounds. The natural history and behavior of these species are discussed.
The Development of British Defence Policy: Blair, Brown and Beyond. By David Brown, ed. (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2010)

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the USF Libraries at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Strategic Security by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact scholarcommons@usf.edu. Recommended Citation Roche, Edward M.. "The Development of British Defence Policy: Blair, Brown and Beyond. By David Brown, ed. (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2010)." Journal of Strategic Security 4, no. 4 (2011): 191-194. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.4.4.9
Characterization of echovirus types 7, 12, and 29 hemagglutinins for human and monkey erythrocytes.

SummaryEnterovirus field and prototype strains were tested for agglutination using human and African Green Monkey erythrocytes. Only ECHOvirus types 7, 12, and 29 agglutinated monkey erythrocytes; the titers were similar to those obtained with human erythrocytes. Passage of these ECHOviruses in human diploid fibroblast cells caused a reduction in hemagglutination titers of some of the strains. Human and monkey erythrocytes after prior adsorption and elution still retained their receptors for ECHOvirus hemagglutinins. Treatment of ECHOvirus 29 hemagglutinin with trypsin removed combining sites for receptors on monkey erythrocytes but not those on human erythrocytes. No differences in ECHOvirus types 7 and 12 hemagglutinins for human erythrocytes or monkey erythrocytes were detected by chemical treatment of these viruses.
Urinary excretion of estrone glucosiduronate, 1713-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate, and estriol-16a-6lucosiduronate. significance of proportionate differences during the menstrual cycle

The urinary excretion of estrone glucosiduronate, 17 beta-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate, and estriol-16 alpha-glucosiduronate in men and throughout the menstrual cycle in women was measured by specific radioimmunoassay. In 9 men the mean +/- SE excretion of these conjugates was 15.9 +/- 1.4, 2.7 +/- 0.3, and 3.2 +/- 0.2 microgram/24 h respectively. In 15 women studied in the midfollicular phase (day 8) of the menstrual cycle, the excretion was 19.4 +/- 1.7, 2.9 +/- 0.2, and 5.4 +/- 1.3 micrograms/24 h. Excretion of each conjugate was significantly (P less than 0.01) elevated in the midluteal phase (day 22) to 41.9 +/- 3.9, 6.3 +/- 0.8, and 12.2 +/- 1.5 micrograms/24 h respectively (n = 14). The mean excretion of estriol-16 alpha-glucosiduronate was greater than that of 17 beta-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate in the luteal phase (P less than 0.05) but not in the follicular phase or in men (P greater than 0.05). The excretion of each of these specific conjugates measured throughout the menstrual cycle in 7 women was characterized by a sharp midcycle peak and a lower, broader luteal phase peak. The ratios of estriol-16 alpha-glucosiduronate to 17 beta-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate, estrone glucosiduronate to 17 beta-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate, and estriol-16 alpha-glucosiduronate to estrone glucosiduronate throughout the menstrual cycle were analyzed. When the mean ratio during the follicular phase was set at 1, a significant increase (P less than 0.01) occurred in the mean luteal phase ratio in each case: 1.00 +/- 0.03 to 1.66 +/- 0.09, 1.00 +/- 0.04 to 1.30 +/- 0.04, and 1.00 +/- 0.03 to 1.24 +/- 0.04 (mean +/- SE) respectively. The marked alteration in the proportions of these urinary estrogen conjugates may be due to altered metabolism of 17 beta-estradiol, but it more likely reflects a change in the pattern of estrogen secretion or production between the two phases of the menstrual cycle.
Photoionization of barium clouds via the 3D metastable levels

The photoionization of optically thin barium clouds is analyzed and shown to occur primarily by a two-step process involving the 3D metastable term as the intermediate state. The equilibrium populations of the 1D and 3D metastable levels are calculated and found to differ significantly from the values now in the literature. These populations are combined with newly available photoionization data to calculate the resulting photoionization rate in the upper atmosphere.
Budgetary control and demographics in employee performance evaluation

Abstract This study examined employee performance data and found that evidence exists which supports the linkage between worker efficiency and a set of demographic factors. One may generalize from these results that budgetary control and planning could be enhanced by including an evaluation of potential employee's projected performance levels using demographic factors in the employee selection and evaluation process. These demographic factors are identified and an employment decision model is presented to improve the potential employment decision.
Effects of urbanization on the occurrence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis: do urban environments provide refuge from the amphibian chytrid fungus?

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a widespread pathogenic fungus that is known to cause the disease, chytridiomycosis, which can be lethal to many amphibians. We compared occurrence rates on spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) in urban and forested breeding sites in eastern Texas, USA. All study sites were at approximately the same latitude and altitude, and samples were collected at the same time of year to isolate differences in Bd infection rates between habitat types. We found significant differences (p < 0.001) in the occurrence of Bd between habitats; with dramatically lower rates of occurrence at urban sites (19.5 %), compared to forested sites (62.9 %). The exact reason for the observed differences in the occurrence of Bd is not known, however, we suspect that warmer temperatures or lower population densities and lower species richness at urban sites all could play a role in our results. Our findings suggest that urban environments may provide a refuge for some amphibians from the pathogen.
Patterns of Communication Between Gay and Lesbian Patients and Their Health Care Providers

ABSTRACT Objectives: To determine whether gay men and lesbians disclose their sexual orientation, and other sensitive behaviors to their primary care physicians; whether they have a chance of finding a gay friendly physician; and what factors are involved. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was administered to 66 gay men and 28 lesbians at a gay and lesbian community center. Results: Less than half of participants felt their health insurance plan gave them a choice of finding a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) doctor. Those who did were more likely to be older, male, and to feel more comfortable discussing sex. Men were more likely to disclose their sexual orientation to their health care provider (HCP), to feel very comfortable discussing sex, to have a male doctor, to have a choice of finding a LGB provider through their insurance plan, and to think their provider is LGB. Those who disclosed their sexual orientation to their providers were more likely to be white males with male doctors, who felt their...
‘The fish caught the mn’: Celebrating food and place

In a small town in the Thumb of Michigan “the fish caught the man”. The town is Bay Port, Michigan, once an important commercial fishing port from which fish was shipped all over the Midwest. The man was Henry Engelhard. Communities develop attachments with their local food and not uncommonly use it as a focal point to attract visitors. In the 1970s the Chamber of Commerce wanted to make Bay Port a tourist destination, and rather than using the proposed idea of an Alpine Village theme as the attraction, Henry suggested using the town's local resource: fish. The resulting development of the Fish Sandwich Festival, the connection of food to place, the relevance to the fish sandwich to the community and its meaning and significance to Henry's family provide a case study of the invention of a foodways tradition, the institutionalization of tourism, and heritage politics.
Detection of glutamate in the human brain at 3 T using optimized constant time point resolved spectroscopy

A CT-PRESS sequence was implemented on a 3-T MR scanner and optimized for the detection of the C4 resonance of glutamate. By simulating the sequence using the full density matrix it was found that 121 chemical shift encoding steps in t1 with an increment Δt1 = 1.6 ms were sufficient to separate the glutamate C4 resonance. The simulations also showed that the highest signal-to-noise ratio was achieved at an average echo time of 131 ms. When using an eightfold undersampling scheme in f1 in order to reduce the minimum total measurement time, the average echo time was 139 ms with 17 encoding steps (Δt1 = 12.8 ms). The sequence was tested on phantoms containing solutions of various brain metabolites and on healthy human volunteers. Besides resolving glutamate, other resonances detected in vivo comprised N-acetyl aspartate, total creatine, choline containing compounds, and myo-inositol. However, glutamine resonances could not be resolved due to severe signal overlap from glutamate and N-acetyl aspartate. Magn Reson Med 54:439–442, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Laser-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxical Growth Of GaAs On Si (100)

We have grown GaAs on Si (100) substrates misoriented 4° from the [110] direction using a KrF pulsed excimer laser-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy. In this work, we report the systematic study of 2000 A GaAs films grown on Si using a two step growth sequence. Raman scattering, Rayleigh scattering, near band edge photoluminescence, cross-sectional TEM microscopy, in situ RHEED, and optical surface roughness profiles are used to characterize the differences between laser irradiated and non-irradiated areas of the samples. We find a reduction of defects, an enhancement of photoluminescence intensity, and no evidence for laser-induced melting for power levels of up to 25 MW/cm2. Photoluminescence linewidths at 4.5K are comparable to widths observed for 1 micrometer thick GaAs films grown on Si.© (1988) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Positron emission tomography imaging of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. Positron emission tomography (PET), a non-invasive, sensitive, and quantitative imaging technique, can facilitate personalized management of PCa patients. There are two critical needs for PET imaging of PCa, early detection of primary lesions and accurate imaging of PCa bone metastasis, the predominant cause of death in PCa. Because the most widely used PET tracer in the clinic, 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-2-d-glucose (18F-FDG), does not meet these needs, a wide variety of PET tracers have been developed for PCa imaging that span an enormous size range from small molecules to intact antibodies. In this review, we will first summarize small-molecule-based PET tracers for PCa imaging, which measure certain biological events, such as cell membrane metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, and receptor expression. Next, we will discuss radiolabeled amino acid derivatives (e.g. methionine, leucine, tryptophan, and cysteine analogs), which are primarily based on the increased amino acid transport of PCa cells. Peptide-based tracers for PET imaging of PCa, mostly based on the bombesin peptide and its derivatives which bind to the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor, will then be presented in detail. We will also cover radiolabeled antibodies and antibody fragments (e.g. diabodies and minibodies) for PET imaging of PCa, targeting integrin αvβ3, EphA2, the epidermal growth factor receptor, or the prostate stem cell antigen. Lastly, we will identify future directions for the development of novel PET tracers for PCa imaging, which may eventually lead to personalized management of PCa patients.
Vasopressin Gene Expression in Rats with Experimental Cirrhosis

Impaired ability to excrete a water load occurs in a substantial number of patients with advanced cirrhosis and in animals with experimental cirrhosis. The nonosmotic stimulation of arginine vasopressin release from the pituitary has been implicated as an important factor in the abnormal water excretion in patients and animals with cirrhosis. In this study, arginine vasopressin hypothalamic gene expression was studied in cirrhotic rats. Cirrhosis was induced by a combination of phenobarbital treatment in drinking water and weekly intragastric administration of carbon tetrachloride for 13 to 15 wk. Severe cirrhosis was confirmed by morphological analysis and the presence of ascites. Plasma arginine vasopressin was also significantly higher in rats with cirrhosis (control = 1.77 +/- 0.16 and cirrhotic rats = 4.14 +/- 0.62 pg/ml, n = 9, p < 0.002). Hypothalamic arginine vasopressin messenger RNA was also significantly higher in cirrhotic rats (control = 762.1 +/- 132.3 and cirrhotic rats = 1,834.2 +/- 271.9 pg/hypothalamus, n = 9, p < 0.005). Pituitary arginine vasopressin content was significantly lowered in cirrhotic rats (control = 3.69 +/- 0.98 and cirrhotic rats = 1.57 +/- 0.09 micrograms/pituitary, n = 9, p < 0.05). No difference was seen in hypothalamic arginine vasopressin content between the two groups (control = 4.64 +/- 0.34 and cirrhotic rats = 4.23 +/- 0.33 ng/hypothalamus, n = 9, NS). Oxytocin messenger RNA in the hypothalamus was also not significantly different between the two groups (control = 8.61 +/- 0.68 and cirrhotic rats = 9.33 +/- 0.65 unit of density, n = 9, NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fourier transform coherent Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Results of a new technique of time-domain spectroscopy are reported. The technique, Fourier transform coherent Raman spectroscopy (FTCRS), is demonstrated in application to pure rotational Raman transitions in molecular oxygen.
Factors involved in the responses of male german cockroaches to synthetic sex pheromone

The precopulatory response of male German cockroaches,Blattella germanica, to synthetic contact sex pheromone (compound A) and analoge I increases with concentration, is greatest during the dark phase of the photocycle, and is enhanced by isolation of males from females of this species.
Measuring the Spatial Arrangement of Nmj-Nachr ion Channel Proteins in the Cell Membrane

Although there have been substantial advances in the ability to resolve membrane protein structure using x-ray crystallography, relatively few techniques exist that are capable of probing the structure of proteins in their native environment of the cell membrane. Here we describe the application of Single Molecule High Resolution Imaging with Photobleaching (SHRImP) to probe the size of plasma membrane proteins in fixed mammalian cells (Gordon, PNAS, 1994). We use the quantal photobleaching to two fluorescent dyes to measure the distance separating the two bungarotoxin binding sites of the neuromuscular junction type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (NMJ nAChRs). We measure a separation of 9.5±1 nm using CF633 dye which is in good agreement with the crystal structure of the protein. The crystal structure of the receptor indicates there is an 8-10 nm separation of bound bungarotoxins, depending on the exact position of the dyes on the toxin protein. As a control, we also measure the distance between two dyes on 51-mer double-stranded DNA oligos labeled with CF633 dye. Furthermore, we present a fully automated analysis that employs a hidden Markov model combined with the Bayesian information criterion to detect single-molecule photobleaching steps. Our results on the NMJ-nAChR protein demonstrate the ability of this technique to probe the geometry of ion channel proteins in the cell membrane.
Hemodynamic Determinants of Echocardiographically‐Derived Indices of Left Ventricular Filling

Noninvasive techniques have made it easy to detect abnormalities in the pattern of left ventricular diastolic filling. Abnormalities in diastolic filling patterns have been identified in a wide variety of cardiac disorders and are sensitive, early indicators of myocardial disease. However, changes in noninvasive indices of left ventricular diastolic filling are caused not only by pathological processes but also by several physiological determinants. The purpose of this review is to describe the measurements used to quantitate diastolic function, define the physiological and pathological determinants of these measurements, and discuss the use of these measurements in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease.
Novel algebras for advanced analytics in Julia

A linear algebraic approach to graph algorithms that exploits the sparse adjacency matrix representation of graphs can provide a variety of benefits. These benefits include syntactic simplicity, easier implementation, and higher performance. One way to employ linear algebra techniques for graph algorithms is to use a broader definition of matrix and vector multiplication. We demonstrate through the use of the Julia language system how easy it is to explore semirings using linear algebraic methodologies.
Evaluation of energetic and dynamic coupling networks in a PDZ domain protein.

Abstract A number of computational and experimental studies have identified intramolecular communication “pathways” or “networks” important for transmitting allostery. Here, we have used mutagenesis and NMR relaxation methods to investigate the scope and nature of the communication networks found in the second post-synaptic density-95/discs large/zonula occludens-1 (PDZ) domain of the human protein tyrosine phosphatase 1E protein (hPTP1E) (PDZ2). It was found that most mutations do not have a significant energetic contribution to peptide ligand binding. Three mutants that showed significant changes in binding also displayed context-dependent dynamic effects. Both a mutation at a partially exposed site (H71Y) and a buried core position (I35V) had a limited response in side-chain 2H-based dynamics when compared to wild-type PDZ2. In contrast, a change at a second core position (I20F) that had previously been shown to be part of an energetic and dynamic network, resulted in extensive changes in side-chain dynamics. This response is reminiscent to that seen previously upon peptide ligand binding. These results shed light on the nature of the PDZ2 dynamic network and suggest that position 20 in PDZ2 acts as a “hub” that is energetically and dynamically critical for transmitting changes in dynamics throughout the PDZ domain.
One Nation Under Law: America's Early National Struggles to Separate Church and State – Mark Douglas McGarvie

Given the debate that is currently taking place in the United States over the role of religion in public life, this is a very timely book. At the outset, the author states clearly and forcefully th...
Stereotyping and Negro-Jewish Stereotypes

Student respondents were asked to sort statements of a generally misanthropic nature into one of four categories indicating that the statement was in their opinion primarily applicable to Negroes, to Jews, to both, or to neither. A distinctive, mutually exclusive, and highly consensual pattern of Negro and Jewish stereotypes emerges. While the content and assignment of stereotypes is selective, the generality of stereotyping is displayed in the willingness of respondents to stereotype and the association between the number of different stereotypes endorsed. The data thus provide evidence for both the generality of stereotyping and the specificity of stereotype assignment. R acial and ethnic stereotypes, as a cognitive dimension of prejudice, have captured and sustained the interest of social scientists since the introduction of the term "stereotype" by Walter Lippmann in 1922 and the pioneer study of racial and ethnic stereotypes by Katz and Braly in 1933. Despite this sustained study, the substantive statements that may be drawn from the literature of stereotype research are highly limited, and many perplexing questions remain. The term stereotype, typically employed in the research literature without formal definition, refers generally to a set of categorical beliefs or propositions about members of real or;putatiye groups. The holders of such beliefs are frequently construed to be rigid in their adherence, and the beliefs themseJves are often construed as emnotionally colored and fallacious or exaggerated. To the social psychologist, stereotypes, as the language of prejudice, are thought to provide a vocabulary of motives both for individual and concerted action of prejudiced persons. They signal the socially approved and accessible targets for the release of hostility and aggression, and they provide the rationalizations for prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory behavior. In providing a common language of discourse for prejudiced persons, stereotypes function as any special language to reinforce the beliefs of its users, and to furnish the basis for the development and maintenance of solidarity among the prej-
Biobehavioral profiles of arousal and social motivation in autism spectrum disorders.

Background Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are impaired in social communication and interaction with peers, which may reflect diminished social motivation. Many children with ASD show enhanced stress when playing with other children. This study investigated social and stress profiles of children with ASD during play. Methods We utilized a peer interaction paradigm in a natural playground setting with 66 unmedicated, prepubertal, children aged 8–12 years [38 with ASD, 28 with typical development (TD)]. Salivary cortisol was collected before and after a 20-min playground interaction that was divided into periods of free and solicited play facilitated by a confederate child. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, mixed effects models, and Spearman correlations to assess the between-group differences in social and stress functioning, identify stress responders, and explore associations between variables, respectively. Results There were no differences between the groups during unsolicited free play; however, during solicited play by the confederate, significant differences emerged such that children with ASD engaged in fewer verbal interactions and more self-play than the TD group. Regarding physiological arousal, children with ASD as a group showed relatively higher cortisol in response to social play; however, there was a broad range of responses. Moreover, those with the highest cortisol levels engaged in less social communication. Conclusions The social interaction of children with ASD can be facilitated by peer solicitation; however, it may be accompanied by increased stress. The children with ASD that have the highest level of cortisol show less social motivation; yet, it is unclear if it reflects an underlying state of heightened arousal or enhanced reactivity to social engagement, or both.
A multimodal interface for the immediate transcription of radiology dictation

We present the design and implementation of an integrated multimodal interface that delivers instant turnaround on transcribing a radiology dictation. This instant turnaround time virtually eliminates a hospital's liability with respect to improper transcriptions of oral dictations and all but eliminates the need for transcribers. The multimodal interface seamlessly integrates three modes of input - speech, handwriting, and written gestures to provide an easy-to-use system for the radiologist.
Low loss air-gap spiral inductors for MMICs using glass microbump bonding technique

Air-gap spiral inductor structures have been fabricated and itegrated with semiconductor substrates using glass microbump bonding (GMBB) techniques. Spiral inductors using air-gap structures have the advantages of low losses, and low parasitic capacitance compared to conventional inductors on doped silicon semiconductor substrate. Stacked air-gap spiral inductors on GaAs substrates using GMBB techniques also can reduce the inductor area. Because the glass microbump bonding techniques are simple, this bonding technique provides an alternative integration approach for monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). Experimental results of air-gap spiral inductor on both silicon and GaAs substrates are presented in this paper.
Metabolic Prosthesis for Oxygenation of Ischemic Tissue

This communication discloses new ideas and preliminary results on the development of a metabolic prosthesis for local oxygenation of ischemic tissue under physiologically neutral conditions. We report for the first time selective electrolysis of physiological saline by repetitively pulsed, charge-limited electrolysis for the production of oxygen and suppression of free chlorine. Using 800-mu A amplitude current pulses and < 200 mus pulse duration, we demonstrate prompt oxygen production and delayed chlorine production at the surface of a fused 0.85-mm diameter spherical platinum electrode. The data, interpreted in terms of the ionic structure of the electric double layer, suggest a strategy for in situ production of metabolic oxygen via a new class of ldquosmartrdquo prosthetic implants for ischemic disease such as diabetic retinopathy. We also present data indicating that collateral pH drift, if any, can be held constant using a feedback-controlled three-electrode electrolysis system that chooses an anode and cathode pair based on pH data provided by a local sensor.
Effects of temperature on interactions of physiological and behavioural capacities of larval California grunion: Adaptations to the planktonic environment

The relationship between temperature-specific (11.3–27.1°C) rates of yolk utilization and temperature preference of California grunion, Leuresthes tenuis (Ayres), have been compared. Yolk-sac larvae experienced difficulty metabolizing protein at and above 25°C, and below 15°C they encountered problems with fat metabolism. These temperatures limited the range for normal embryonic development. The oil globule persisted longer than the yolk and may provide buoyancy to the anterior end as well as energy. Thermoregulatory precision increased with number of days post-hatching. Yolk-sac larvae preferred ≈ 25°C; this temperature minimized duration of the yolk-sac stage but was outside the range for maximum growth efficiency (18–23°C). Following yolk resorption, non-feeding larvae preferred 18°C, which conserved energy but still maximized growth efficiency. Until at least 69 days post-hatching, larvae past the yolk-sac stage selected temperatures that maximized growth efficiency. Physiological and behavioural results indicate that larvae selected cooler temperatures when not feeding. This has been discussed and related to an apparent general adaptive behaviour to maximize bioenergetic efficiency.
Unified analysis of energy detection of unknown signals over generalized fading channels

Reliable spectrum sensing is the very task upon which the entire operation of cognitive radio rests. Blind sensing of spectral-holes using a radiometer (energy detectors) is one of the solutions that have been proposed for enabling opportunistic spectrum access. This article revisits the problem of energy detection of an unknown deterministic signal over a myriad of fading environments. Specifically, a new approach (based on the canonical series representations of the generalized Marcum Q-function of real order in conjunction with the derivatives of the moment generating function of signal-to-noise ratio) is proposed to analyze the performance of maximal-ratio combining (MRC) and square-law combining (SLC) energy detectors with independent but non-identically distributed (i.n.d) fading statistics, including Rice and mixed-fading channels. Our analytical framework is also capable of treating the Nakagami-m channels with non-integer fading severity indices as well as halfodd integer values for the time-bandwidth product u. Many of these cases were either intractable with the classical probability density function/contour integral approaches, or that heretofore had resisted simple/computationally efficient solutions. Selected numerical results are also provided for the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of MRC and SLC diversity energy detectors over Rice and Nakagami-m channels.
Intermolecular Interactions between Retroviral Gag Proteins in the Nucleus

The retroviral Gag polyprotein directs virus particle assembly, resulting in the release of virions from the plasma membranes of infected cells. The earliest steps in assembly, those immediately following Gag synthesis, are very poorly understood. For Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), Gag proteins are synthesized in the cytoplasm and then undergo transient nuclear trafficking before returning to the cytoplasm for transport to the plasma membrane. Thus, RSV provides a useful model to study the initial steps in assembly because the early and later stages are spatially separated by the nuclear envelope. We previously described mutants of RSV Gag that are defective in nuclear export, thereby isolating these "trapped" Gag proteins at an early assembly step. Using the nuclear export mutants, we asked whether Gag protein-protein interactions occur within the nucleus. Complementation experiments revealed that the wild-type Gag protein could partially rescue export-defective Gag mutants into virus-like particles (VLPs). Additionally, the export mutants had a trans-dominant negative effect on wild-type Gag, interfering with its release into VLPs. Confocal imaging of wild-type and mutant Gag proteins bearing different fluorescent tags suggested that complementation between Gag proteins occurred in the nucleus. Additional evidence for nuclear Gag-Gag interactions was obtained using fluorescence resonance energy transfer, and we found that the formation of intranuclear Gag complexes was dependent on the NC domain. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation allowed the direct visualization of intranuclear Gag-Gag dimers. Together, these experimental results strongly suggest that RSV Gag proteins are capable of interacting within the nucleus.
Root‐knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) in Hungary1

During a routine survey which was conducted in three successive years, 1990–1992, in southeastern Hungary, it was found that Meloidogyne spp. are common on a wide host range in fields, glasshouses and polythene tunnels, especially in sandy soil between the Danube and Tisza rivers. Meloidogyne incognita, M. incognita acrita and M. arenaria were recorded to be the most important in glasshouses (at Hodmezovasarhely, Csongrad, Mindszent, Fabiansebestyen, Kistelek, Balastya, Szatymaz, Bordany, Morahalom, Szeged, Apatfalva and Szegvar); M. hapla was found to be the most important species in the field (at Hodmezovasarhely, Mako, Szeged, Szatymaz, Szentes, Domaszek, Morahalom, Asotthalom, Bordany, Ules, Zsombo, Balastya, Kistelek, Csanytelek, Forraskut and Ruzsa). M. thamesi was detected in certain cultivated plants and weed hosts (at Kistelek, Balastya, Ruzsa, and Gyula). Besides the cultivated plants, 41 weed plants, belonging to 34 genera in 22 families, were also found to be hosts for root-knot nematodes in fields and glasshouses. Meloidogyne naasi was found for the first time in Hungary on some grass hosts.
Direct Phosphorylation and Activation of a Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase by a Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase in Rice

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a pivotal point of convergence for many signaling pathways in eukaryotes. In the classical MAPK cascade, a signal is transmitted via sequential phosphorylation and activation of MAPK kinase kinase, MAPK kinase (MKK), and MAPK. The activation of MAPK is dependent on dual phosphorylation of a TXY motif by an MKK, which is considered the sole kinase to phosphorylate and activate MAPK. Here, we report a novel regulatory mechanism of MAPK phosphorylation and activation besides the canonical MAPK cascade. A rice (Oryza sativa) calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK), CPK18, was identified as an upstream kinase of MAPK (MPK5) in vitro and in vivo. Curiously, CPK18 was shown to phosphorylate and activate MPK5 without affecting the phosphorylation of its TXY motif. Instead, CPK18 was found to predominantly phosphorylate two Thr residues (Thr-14 and Thr-32) that are widely conserved in MAPKs from land plants. Further analyses reveal that the newly identified CPK18-MPK5 pathway represses defense gene expression and negatively regulates rice blast resistance. Our results suggest that land plants have evolved an MKK-independent phosphorylation pathway that directly connects calcium signaling to the MAPK machinery.
Hybrid Polymer–Nanocrystal Materials for Photovoltaic Applications

Hybrid polymer–nanocrystal photovoltaic (PV) cells have received much attention during the past decade as promising low-cost solar energy harvesting devices, and showed significant progress with power conversion efficiency reaching 5 % recently. This review starts from the introduction of hybrid materials to their application in electronic devices, with particular focus on bulk-heterojunction hybrid polymer–nanocrystal PV devices. The synthesis, surface chemistry, and electronic properties of colloidal inorganic nanocrystals are described. The recent development of hybrid PV devices will be discussed from the perspective of tailoring both inorganic nanocrystals and conjugated polymers, controlling polymer–nanocrystal hybrid morphology, engineering polymer–nanocrystal interface, and optimizing device architecture. Finally, future directions for further advancing hybrid PV technology to potential commercialization are also discussed.
Spectral decomposition of variability in synchronization and continuation tapping: Comparisons between auditory and visual pacing and feedback conditions

Spectral analysis was applied to study the variability in human rhythmic synchronization to a visual, auditory or combined auditory-visual metronome of about 2 Hz, as well as the variability in continuation tapping at the same rate with or without visual or auditory feedback. In synchronization, variability was larger in the visual condition than in the auditory and combined conditions, but only below frequencies of about 0.3 Hz. Thus, there seem to be at least two sources of variability in synchronization, one being modality-independent and limited to intervals shorter than 3 s, and the other being modality-dependent and evident as slow "drift", especially in the visual task. In continuation tapping, variability did not depend reliably on the presence or modality of feedback. However, spectral analysis revealed a change in the temporal structure of variability around 0.08 Hz (a period of about 12 s or 24 taps), which roughly agrees with earlier findings reported in the literature.
Factoring the Environmental Kuznets Curve: Evidence from Automotive Lead Emissions

Abstract This article describes the relationship between automotive lead emissions and national income for 48 countries over 20 years. It draws three principal conclusions. First, lead emissions can be shown to follow an inverse- U or an “environmental Kuznets curve” with respect to income. Second, the peak of this curve is sensitive to both the functional form estimated and the time period considered. Third, automotive lead pollution is the product of two separate factors, lead per gallon of gasoline (pollution intensity) and gasoline consumption (polluting activity), and the declining portion of the curve depends critically on reducing gasoline lead content, not gasoline use.
Empirical formula for static field ionization rates of atoms and molecules by lasers in the barrier-suppression regime

We propose an empirical formula for the static field ionization rates of atoms and molecules by extending the well-known analytical tunnelling ionization rates to the barrier-suppression regime. The validity of this formula is checked against ionization rates calculated from solving the Schrodinger equation for a number of atoms and ions. The empirical formula retains the simplicity of the original tunnelling ionization rate expression but can be used to calculate the ionization rates of atoms and molecules by lasers at high intensities.
Clarification of two phase locking in concurrent transaction processing

The authors propose a formal definition of the two-phase locking class derived from the semantic description of the two-phase locking protocol, and prove that this definition is equivalent to that given by C.H. Papadimitriou (1979). They present: (1) a precise definition of the two phase locking; (2) a clarification of the occurrence and the order of all events such as lock points, unlock points, read operations, and write operations of conflicting transactions; and (3) by relaxing some conditions in the given definition, the derivation of a new class called restricted-non-two-phase locking (RN2PL), which is a superset of the class two-phase locking (2PL) but a subset of the class D-serializable (DSR) given by Papadimitriou. >
Protective responses in the ischemic myocardium

Acute coronary syndromes and heart failure arising as a consequence of ischemic injury to the myocardium account for a large proportion of all hospital admissions and of all causes of death in industrialized nations. Medical and surgical management of these conditions consumes enormous resources each year, but current therapeutic measures fall far short of reducing death and disability from ischemic heart disease to acceptable levels. Several recently successful advances in therapy of acute coronary syndromes are based on limiting the extent of myocardial damage that ensues following occlusion of a major coronary artery by rapid restoration of blood flow. However, many patients are not suitable candidates for thrombolytic drugs or revascularization procedures, and these approaches often are applied too late to prevent irreversible damage to the myocardium. A greater understanding of the mechanisms of ischemic injury, and of endogenous defense mechanisms, could foster additional improvements in clinical care.
Necessity of intellectualization of development in xxi century

In the last decade of the last century leading companies of each business domain were focused on intellectual capital. To their mind, it was intellectual capital to be the foundation to success in the issue of creating innovative production. At the same time, point of view about intellectual capital is being essentially transformed and it consists not only of human resources but also immaterial valuables. Besides, the fact, that in the new millennium intellectual capital is considered to be basic factor for success and leading companies consider it to be successfully working element, they are yet unable to manage this element.
Lap Splice Bond Tests in Self Consolidating Concrete

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has not yet achieved widespread use in the United States. Some questions remain regarding design and construction issues which could have an effect on the performance and integrity of SCC structures. This paper examines the bond between mild steel reinforcement and SCC. It presents the results obtained from bond response tests performed on beam splice specimens cast with SCC. The bond stress distribution along the length of the reinforcing bars was measured with the aid of strain gauges placed along the length of the bar. Comparisons were made with results from beams cast with ordinary concrete with similar compressive strength to that of the SCC. The results were evaluated with emphasis on the equations for development length of reinforcing bars as specified by the American Concrete Institute Building Code (ACI 318). A theoretical model for predicting splice strength was also evaluated. On average the bond strengths achieved in the SCC beams were found to be 22% higher than those in the equivalent ordinary concrete beams. This could be as a result of more homogeneity in SCC and less material defects from segregation and bleeding.
Security Interests in Fixtures

This article outlines the rules established by the Uniform Commercial Code for financing fixtures. It is divided into five parts: Part one describes the present Code provisions on security interests in fixtures; part two notes the key objections to these provisions; part three explains the new revisions to Article 9; part four evaluates the new rules against the objections to the old provisions; part five describes the Arizona modifications to the language of the official text of the Code.
Iterative Subspace Screening for Rapid Sparse Estimation of Brain Tissue Microstructural Properties

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging DMRI is a powerful imaging modality due to its unique ability to extract microstructural information by utilizing restricted diffusion to probe compartments that are much smaller than the voxel size. Quite commonly, a mixture of models is fitted to the data to infer microstructural properties based on the estimated parameters. The fitting process is often non-linear and computationally very intensive. Recent work by Daduccii¾?eti¾?al. has shown that speed improvement of several orders of magnitude can be achieved by linearizing and recasting the fitting problem as a linear system, involving the estimation of the volume fractions associated with a set of diffusion basis functions that span the signal space. However, to ensure coverage of the signal space, sufficiently dense sampling of the parameter space is needed. This can be problematic because the number of basis functions increases exponentially with the number of parameters, causing computational intractability. We propose in this paper a method called iterative subspace screening ISS for tackling this ultrahigh dimensional problem. ISS requires only solving the problem in a medium-size subspace with a dimension that is much smaller than the original space spanned by all diffusion basis functions but is larger than the expected cardinality of the support of the solution. The solution obtained for this subspace is used to screen the basis functions to identify a new subspace that is pertinent to the target problem. These steps are performed iteratively to seek both the solution subspace and the solution itself. We apply ISS to the estimation of the fiber orientation distribution function ODF and demonstrate that it improves estimation robustness and accuracy.
Tourette Syndrome: Bridging the Gap between Genetics and Biology

Tourette syndrome is a childhood neuropsychiatric disorder, which presents with disruptive motor and vocal tics. The disease also has a high comorbidity with obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which may further increase the distress experienced by patients. Current treatments act with varying efficacies in alleviating symptoms, as the underlying biology of the disease is not fully understood to provide precise therapeutic targets. Moreover, the genetic complexity of the disorder presents a substantial challenge to the identification of genetic alterations that contribute to the Tourette's phenotype. Nevertheless, genetic studies have suggested involvement of dopaminergic, serotonergic, glutamatergic, and histaminergic pathways in the pathophysiology of at least some cases. In addition, genetic overlaps with other neuropsychiatric disorders may point toward a shared biology. The findings that are emerging from genetic studies will allow researchers to piece together the underlying components of the disease, in the hopes that a deeper understanding of Tourette's can lead to improved treatments for those affected by it.