cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The three faces of paramyxovirus attachment proteins

Enveloped viruses encode membrane-associated glycoproteins that direct the initial stages of virus infection. These usually oligomeric structures bind virions to cell surface receptors and, subsequently, direct fusion of viral membranes with cellular membranes. These structures are also the primary targets of neutralizing antibody as well as potential targets for antiviral agents. In several systems, solving the structure of a virus surface glycoprotein has been enormously valuable to our understanding of virus entry and the mechanisms of entry inhibition. The recent report of the structure of a paramyxovirus attachment protein should clarify the mechanism of cell entry by these viruses.
How many people have lived on the earth

A simple formula is proposed for estimating the number of people who have ever lived. Using assumptions that seem reasonable, an estimate of 69 billion (1960) is obtained. The present world population is about 4 percent of this number.
Strain softening in an epoxy resin

Post-yield behaviour, particularly strain softening, has been studied here for an epoxy resin to examine the effects of postcuring and plasticization by water and a non-volatile diluent dibutylphtalate. The significance of necking was examined by conducting compression tests (at room temperature) as well as tensile tests. In the case of tensile tests, elevated temperatures were used in order to achieve yielding. The amount of strain softening was found to be reduced by postcuring or by the addition of a plasticizer. In the case of postcuring, little change in yield stress occurred, whereas, with plasticizers, a reduction in yield stress does occur.
Effect of pressure on the electrical resistivity of amorphous silicon

Measurements have been made of the effect of hydrostatic pressure to 10 kbar, at room ambient temperatures, on the electrical resistivity of hydrogenated and nonhydrogenated amorphous silicon. The two different materials behave quite differently under pressure. The logarithm of the resistivity of the nonhydrogenated Si decreases with increasing pressure, while that of the hydrogenated Si increases. Both change in a highly nonlinear manner, with a large quadratic pressure dependence. The sign of the change for hydrogenated Si is opposite to that expected from the pressure shift of the optical gap.
Laminin: An initiating role in retinoblastoma cell attachment and differentiation

The effect of laminin (LN) on the attachment and differentiation of a human retinoblastoma cell line (Y-79) was investigated. We found that 10 μg/ml LN in the serum-free culture medium for 3 to 4 d induces 20 to 30% of the cells to firmly attach to a plastic substratum. This effect seems to be complex because the short-term effect of LN is inhibition of cell attachment. The specificity of LN may be indicated because antilaminin antibody counteracted this effect. The attached cells form small processes immediately after attachment and continue to proliferate, forming small colonies. Treatment of these cells with 4 mM dibutyryl-cyclic AMP (db-cAMP) or 2 mM sodium butyrate starting on the 3rd or 4th d of culture results in extensive differentiation of all the attached cells. Db-cAMP provokes the formation of long ramifying neuritelike processes whereas butyrate induces the appearance of epithelial-like cells with a flat morphology. Thus, laminin seems to act in concert with other agents promoting attachment and potentiating differentiation.
Progression from normal glucose tolerance to type 2 diabetes in a young girl: longitudinal changes in insulin sensitivity and secretion assessed by the clamp technique and surrogate estimates.

: The pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) involves insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency in at-risk youth. We-report longitudinal changes in insulin sensitivity and secretion in a high-risk African-American youth with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome who progressed from normal glucose tolerance to impaired glucose tolerance to T2DM within 5 yr. This report demonstrates that in our patient: (i) insulin resistance was the pre-existing abnormality, but it was the marked decline in insulin secretion which led to T2DM and (ii) surrogate estimates of insulin sensitivity using fasting glucose and insulin concentrations were not reliable indices in reflecting the changes in in vivo insulin sensitivity in this case.
Interplanetary observational constraints on Alfvén wave acceleration of the solar wind

Spacecraft and interplanetary remote sensing observations of wave spectra are used to constrain the possible role of Alfven waves in the acceleration of high-speed streams in the solar wind. The observations suggest a method for extrapolating the wave energy flux near 1 AU back to the sun in a way that accounts for dissipation. Applying this method both for typical parameters and in the case of a well-studied high-speed stream leads to the conclusion that the Alfven waves observed in the solar wind were not sufficiently energetic near the sun to accelerate the streams.
Inhibition of pupation due to crowding in some tenebrionid beetles.

Pupation of mature larvae of several species of tenebrionid beetles is inhibited by crowding. The magnitude of the inhibition varies according to species. The primary factor causing this inhibition is the mechanical stimulation resulting from inter-larval contacts. Cannibalism of prepupae, pupae and teneral adults is discussed as the probable chief factor responsible for the evolution of the inhibitory effect of crowding.
Remote plasma-processing (RPP), medium range order, and precursor sites for dangling bond defects in “amorphous-Si(H)” alloys: Photovoltaic and thin film transistor devices

Abstract Remote plasma processing (RPP) provides pathways to the formation of photovoltaic (PV) and thin-film-transistor (TFT) devices that include buried interfaces. This is made possible by separate and independent control of (i) plasma excited O- and N-atom deposition precursors in a up-stream plasma chamber, combined with (ii) down-stream injection of Si- and Ge-atoms with control gas flow rates providing control of buried interface bonding at monolayer levels. Devices with intrinsic, B p-type and P n-type “a-Si(H)” & “a-Si,Ge(H)” layers require 10% bonded H in monolayer (Si H arrangements) and deposition and/or annealing at temperatures between 240 and 275 °C. Deposition from SiH4 with either PH3 or B2H6 dopant gasses provides spectrally reflecting films which can be annealed yielding fine-grain films for gate, or source and drain regions for TFTs or FETs.
Deformation and metamorphism on the east side of the Green Mountain massif in southern Vermont

An early deformation in the Jamaica, Vermont, area on the east side of the Green Mountain massif produced kilometre-scale, north-plunging F1 folds overturned to the west with an axial-planar foliation, S1. Motion on two major thrust faults juxtaposed three similar but distinctive cover-rock sequences after or late in F1 folding. Smaller-scale F2 folds deformed F1 fold limbs and the thrust faults and have an axial-planar crenulation cleavage, S2. In the structurally higher central and eastern cover-rock sequences, an early stage of garnet growth began late in S1 development or after it. A retrogression partially resorbed first-stage garnet and was followed by a second prograde stage of garnet growth late in (or after) S2 development. This metamorphic history resulted in distinctive textural unconformities and zoning anomalies in garnet. The western cover-rock sequence lacks evidence for a major retrogression. F1 folding and F2 folding approximately bracket both the motion on the thrust faults and the retrogression. The second prograde metamorphism and the younger deformation are Acadian. Tentative correlation of the first garnet growth stage with Ordovician metamorphism recognized in western New England and of motion on the thrust faults with Taconian synmetamorphic thrusts in the region suggests that these early thermal and tectonic events occurred in the Ordovician. The retrogression recorded in the central and eastern cover sequences furthermore may reflect thrusting of these rocks to a structurally higher, colder environment, followed by reburial and later prograde metamorphism.
Studies on finite amplitude waves in bounded water bodies

Abstract The problem treated here is the dynamics of a bay where water is driven through its opening periodically in time. The basic equations are expressed in the two horizontal coordinates and time and they are obtained by an integration of the Navier-Stokes equations in the vertical coordinate. The equations are nonlinear because of the convective terms in the acceleration. The problem of harbor dynamics provides a natural parameter as the ratio of mass of water entering the bay through the waves to the total mass of water in the bay. This small parameter multiplies the nonlinear terms and thus the problem is ideally suited for a perturbation analysis. The nonlinear terms are responsible for the generation of secondary flows and are particularly important near resonant frequences. The analysis further indicates the existence of a time independent flow analogous to acoustic streaming, known from solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. The question of vorticity is studied and is seen that: a constant dissipation coefficient precludes the generation of vorticity even for the nonlinear case: and that only a weak (second order) vorticity can exist in the case of a variable dissipation term expressed through the Chezy coefficient. The study suggests also a semi analytic-numerical scheme with savings of 0(102) for irregular geometries through the separation of the various order harmonics as opposed to the usual integration in time.
Identifying Potential Loan Defaulters in the Credit Union Environment: A Comparative Analysis of Statistical and Neural Network Models

AbstractA number of credit-scoring models, that attempt to accurately classify consumer loan applications as potentially “good” or “bad”, have been developed to aid traditional judgmental (intuitive) methods. This study explores the performance of different neural network models: backpropagation with adaptive learning, backpropagation with Levenberg-Marquardt approach, and Learning Vector Quantization to identify problem loans from among the applications the loan officer has initially screened. Field data from 12 case organizations (credit unions) was analyzed to evaluate the performance of these three neural network techniques against the logistics regression model. The neural network models’ performance is found to be significantly better in identifying potential "bad" loans.
In vivo Dopamine Efflux is Decreased in Striatum of both Fragment (R6/2) and Full-Length (YAC128) Transgenic Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is characterized by alterations within the corticostriatal circuitry. The striatum is innervated by a dense array of dopaminergic (DA) terminals and these DA synapses are critical to the proper execution of motor functions. As motor disturbances are prevalent in HD we examined DA neurotransmission in the striatum in transgenic (tg) murine models of HD. We used in vivo microdialysis to compare extracellular concentrations of striatal DA in both a fragment (R6/2) model, which displays a rapid and severe phenotype, and a full-length (YAC128) model that expresses a more progressive phenotype. Extracellular striatal DA concentrations were significantly reduced in R6/2 mice and decreased concomitantly with age-dependent increasing motor impairments on the rotarod task (7, 9, and 11 weeks). In a sample of 11-week-old R6/2 mice, we also measured tissue concentrations of striatal DA and found that total levels of DA were significantly depleted. However, the loss of total DA content (<50%) was insufficient to account for the full extent of DA depletion in the extracellular fluid (ECF) (~75%). We also observed a significant reduction in extracellular DA concentrations in the striatum of 7-month-old YAC128 mice. In a separate set of experiments, we applied d-amphetamine (AMPH) (10 μm) locally into the striatum to stimulate the release of intracellular DA into the ECF. The AMPH-induced increase in extracellular DA levels was significantly blunted in 9-week-old R6/2 mice. There also was a decrease in AMPH-stimulated DA efflux in 7-month-old YAC128 mice in comparison to WT controls, although the effect was milder. In the same cohort of 7-month-old YAC128 mice we observed a significant reduction in the total locomotor activity in response to systemic AMPH (2 mg/kg). Our data demonstrate that extracellular DA release is attenuated in both a fragment and full-length tg mouse model of HD and support the concept of DA involvement in aspects of the syndrome.
Bone density of the greater tuberosity is decreased in rotator cuff disease with and without full-thickness tears.

Background Despite the high prevalence of rotator cuff disease in the aging adult population, the basic mechanisms initiating the disease are not known. It is known that changes occur at both the bone and tendon after rotator cuff tears. However, no study has focused on early or "pretear" rotator cuff disease states. The purpose of this study was to compare the bone mineral density of the greater tuberosity in normal subjects with that in subjects with impingement syndrome and full-thickness rotator cuff tears. Materials and methods Digital anteroposterior shoulder radiographs were obtained for 3 sex- and age-matched study groups (men, 40-70 years old): normal asymptomatic shoulders (control), rotator cuff disease without full-thickness tears (impingement), and full-thickness rotator cuff tears (n = 39 per group). By use of imaging software, bone mineral densities were determined for the greater tuberosity, the greater tuberosity cortex, the greater tuberosity subcortex, and the cancellous region of the humeral head. Results The bone mineral density of the greater tuberosity was significantly higher for the normal control subjects compared with subjects with impingement or rotator cuff tears. No differences were found between the two groups of patients with known rotator cuff disease. The greater tuberosity cortex and greater tuberosity subcortex outcome measures were similar. Conclusion Bone mineral changes are present in the greater tuberosity of shoulders with rotator cuff disease both with and without full-thickness tears. The finding of focal diminished bone mineral density of the greater tuberosity in the absence of rotator cuff tears warrants further investigation.
Sheath-Flow Cuvette for High-Sensitivity Laser-Induced Fluorescence Detection in Capillary Electrophoresis

The sheath-flow cuvette is a key component in a high-sensitivity post-column laser-induced fluorescence detector for capillary electrophoresis. Most designs are based on commercial cuvettes originally manufactured for use in a flow cytometer. In these devices, a quartz flow chamber is held in a stainless-steel fixture that is difficult to machine and subjects the cuvette to a torque when sealed, which frequently leads to damage of the flow chamber. In this report we present a design for a cuvette that may easily be constructed. This design uses compression to hold and seal the quartz flow chamber without applying torque. The system produces detection limits (3σ) of 115 yoctomoles (70 copies) for FQ-labeled carbonic anhydrase.
Phylogeny of the lonchophyllini (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)

A combination of 1,140 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Platalina, Lionycteris, and several species of Lonchophylla (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) with 150 morphological, sex chromosome, and restriction site characters were used in an attempt to resolve relationships among the lonchophylline taxa. In addition, the monophyly of Lonchophylla was tested, particularly with respect to Platalina. The most parsimonious hypothesis of relationships using all available characters was (L. mordax ((L. chocoana (L. robusta, L. handleyi))(L. thomasi (Lionycteris, Platalina)))). Lonchophylla appears to be paraphyletic, but this arrangement is not well supported. Our analyses suggest that Platalina is not simply a large Lonchophylla, as had been suggested by previous morphological analyses. The low support values for basal relationships found in this study are probably caused by saturation in cytochrome b 3rd positions. Additionally, 2 alternative explanations are viable (if improbable): unsampled lonchophyllines are necessary to confidently resolve relationships at the base of the group, or the lack of resolution at the base of the lonchophylline phylogeny might be explained by rapid speciation following the separation from other glossophagines. Future work examining the phylogenetic relationships of lonchophylline bats should focus on describing new taxa, obtaining tissue samples from unsequenced representatives, and adding nuclear loci to this mitochondrial DNA data set.
Race, intersectionality, and method: : a reply to critics

It is a great honor to have such excellent commentary on my book, and I am happy to have the opportunity to discuss these issues with others who have done such important work on the topics. I will reply to the commentaries separately, beginning with the critique by Charles Mills (2013) and moving on to Karen Jones�s (2013).
Heavy-fermion, magnetic and superconducting behavior of (Ce, M)Cu2Si2; M = Y, La, Th

Abstract Ce1-xMxCu2Si2 with M = Y, La, and Th have been studied via lattice constants, DC and AC magnetic susceptibility and specific heat. Y doping leads to a monotomic depression of the electronic specific-heat coefficient γ, while La substitution causes an initial decrease of γ followed by an increase for x > 0.5. antiferromagnetic order occurs for M = Th and x ⩾0.1 and a more complex type behavior is observed for x = 0.9. Magnetism and superconductivity coexist between x = 0.1 and 0.3 in Th-doped samples.
When do Euclidean fields exist

We consider the question what must be added to the Wightman axioms so the corresponding Schwinger functions are the expectation values of Euclidean fields, in the case where the fields at fixed times exist and determine the field theory.
Recent French ethnobotanical research in Southeast Asia

The studies dealt with herein are all of later date than 1959. For the period prior to that year, reference may be made to my communication at the symposium on the research accomplished by the Instituts Fran.qais de Sciences Humaines in Asia, which took place in October, 1959 (Vidal 1960a), and to those of Nguyen Tran Huan (1960) and of Huard (1960). After that time, French research took a new direction, due in part to the creation of the Laboratoire d'Ethnobotanique at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris and also of an Ethno-Linguistic Research Center in Southeast Asia and the Indonesian area, within the scope of activities of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Publications appearing subsequently to this new trend in French ethnobotany in Southeast Asia concerned: (1) Laos, (2) Cambodia, (3) South Vietnam, (4) Bali and Timor. Other references are to be found in miscellaneous publications: (5), (6), (7). 1) In Laos, research was chiefly concerned with the useful plants in general (Vidal 1959, 1960c, 1961a, 1961b, 1962a, 1962c, 1963a, 1963c, 1963d, 1964b, 1968), and more specifically with medicinal plants (Sassady 1962, Vidal 1963b, Sasorith 1967), the vernacular names (Vidal 1962b), the native categories (Vidal 1964a, 1968), and the plants employed by minor ethnic groups (Lafont 1969, Vidal & Wall 1969, Vidal & Lemoine, 1970). Data on the useful plants of Laos come mainly from herbals, with vernacular names and the ethnobotanic references which accompany them, as well as from medical formulae for the treatment of diseases for which medicines of vegetable origin are chiefly prescribed. A dictionary of approximately 3000 names has been compiled,
One-Sided Edge Responses in Forest Birds Following Restoration Treatments

Abstract. We studied the effects of the edge between two forest types on the probability of occurrence of seven species of birds and found that four responded to the edge on only one side. Over 4 years, we measured the responses of forest birds to the edge between ponderosa pine forest undergoing restoration and neighboring untreated stands. Of the seven species analyzed, one occurred most frequently near the edge. Of the remaining six, none responded to the edge in the treated forest, but four responded in the untreated forest. Relatively few studies have examined abundance changes on both sides of an edge between distinct habitats that support similar bird communities, and predictive models of edge effects used for mapping animal responses to habitat change often assume that animal abundance will change on both sides of this sort of edge, declining near the edge in the habitat in which the species is most abundant and increasing near the edge in the habitat in which the species is less abundant. One-sid...
Communications: Isolation of Several Mycobacterium Species from Fish

Abstract Several species of marine fish caught in the wild and of freshwater ornamental fish were used in this study. Infected organs (liver, spleen, and kidney) were sampled for mycobacteria. Decontaminated tissue samples were plated onto selective media for mycobacterial recovery. After initial isolation, fluorescent and acid-fast staining techniques identified bacterial colonies to genus. Profiles of biochemical growth characteristics were used to further identify the isolates to species. Five species of Mycobacterium were identified: M. simiae, M. scrofulaceum, M. marinum, M. chelonae, and M. fortuitum. Of these, M. simiae and M. scrofulaceum have not been previously reported from fish. Tissue samples containing focal granulomatous lesions were prepared for electron microscopic examination.
WIYN Open Cluster Study. XI. WIYN* 3.5 meter Deep Photometry of M35 (NGC 2168)

We present deep BV I observations of the core of M35 and a nearby comparison field obtained at the WIYN 3.5m telescope under excellent seeing conditions. These observations probe to V > 26, and display the lower main sequence in BV and V I CMDs down to V = 23.3 and 24.6, respectively. At these faint magnitudes the background Galactic field stars are far more numerous than the cluster stars, yet by using a smoothing technique and CMD density distribution subtraction we are able to recover the cluster fiducial main sequence and luminosity function to V = 24.6. We find the location of the M35 main sequence in these CMDs to be consistent with earlier work on other open clusters, specifically NGC 188, NGC 2420, and NGC 2477. We compare these open cluster fiducial sequences to stellar models by Baraffe et al. (1998),
Administrative Law and Discursive Democracy: Toward a Comparative Perspective

This article argues that the recent history of the development of administrative law reveals the need for new mechanisms of legitimation. As administrative law seeks new ways to address its “democratic deficit,” there is an opportunity to adapt techniques of discursive democracy to the creation of regulatory policy within bureaucratic agencies. The dynamics of this process are discussed in both the U. S. and Italian administrative contexts.
Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: reforming health care by transforming health professionals' education.

Concerns about the quality and safety of health care delivery continue to mount, and the deficiencies cannot be addressed by any health profession alone.1 Despite numerous reports citing the need for team-based education in health professions schools,2 meaningful preparation for collaborative practi
Photoelectron peak intensities and atom/ion overlaps: An analysis of various approximations

Abstract Overlaps between initial-state- and final-state- passive electrons for photoelectron emission from all subshells of Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, and Mn 2+ have been calculated in various approximations. The validity of these approximations and their relationship to peak intensity analyses are discussed.
A Fast Karhunen-Loeve Transform for Digital Restoration of Images Degraded by White and Colored Noise

The Karhunen-Loeve (KL) transform is known to have certain properties which make it "optimal" for many "mean-square" signal processing applications [1]-[4]. Recently, it has been shown that a class of digital images may be represented by a set of boundary value stochastic difference equations in two dimensions [5]-[7]. If the boundary conditions of this class of images are fixed, then these equations lead to a fast KL transform algorithm. Here this fast KL transform is used for Wiener filtering of images degraded by white or colored noise. Comparisons with "Generalized Wiener Filtering" [1] and conventional Fourier domain filtering are made. It is shown that the two-dimensional Wiener filter is nonseparable so that two-dimensional generalized Wiener filtering is more elaborate than reported in [1]. It is also shown that certain fast KL filters give better signal-to-noise ratio than the conventional Fourier domain Wiener filter and enable determination of an easily computable performance bound. Recursive filtering equations for implementing the fast KL filter on two-dimensional images including both white and colored noise cases are given. These results show that recursive filtering algorithms for images are faster than the transform-domain algorithms and the one-step interpolator algorithm performs very close to the smoothing filter and can be implemented online by introducing a one-step delay.
Granulomatous Interstitial Nephritis and Uveitis Presenting as Salt-Losing Nephropathy

Salt-wasting nephropathy is a rare syndrome in which renal insufficiency is associated with extracellular volume depletion from marked natriuresis in the absence of adrenal insufficiency or diuretics. We report the clinical course of a 23-year-old woman with renal insufficiency, in association with orthostatic hypotension and salt wasting. A combination of daily infusion of saline, a high-salt diet and oral fludrocortisone did not compensate for her salt loses. Renal biopsy showed noncaseating granulomas and marked interstitial inflammation. Renal function and salt loss improved with prednisone therapy and 6 months after withdrawal of steroids, her renal function remains stable.
Characterization of stereochemical regulation in polypropylenes

The high-resolution proton magnetic resonance (PMR) spectra of very highly isotactic, very highly syndiotactic, and stereoblock polypropylenes in o-dichlorobenzene solutions have been examined. The effects of stereoregulation on proton shieldings and some of the complexities of the methylene proton resonances are discussed. Tactic placement contents were determined for several polymers by a method based on the methylene proton resonances. Tactic pair contents were determined for two stereoblock fractions by a method based on the methyl proton resonances. These results revealed much higher stereoblock characters than those determined previously for the same fractions from melting data. All of the PMR results were in very good accord with the results obtained on several polymers by infrared, x-ray diffraction, and differential thermal analysis. Two highly isotactic polypropylenes, having essentially the same molecular weights and molecular weight distributions and tactic placement contents differing by no more than the PMR experimental error in precision of ±2%, were shown to have significantly different modulus-temperature characteristics when identically drawn and annealed. Though such variations in moduli must stem from differences in orystal-lizabilities, and thus also in stereo regularities, present results do not permit a clear interpretation of the variations in moduli in terms of differences in tactic placement contents or stereoblock characters.
The Incidence of Endophthalmitis after Cataract Surgery among the U.S. Medicare Population Increased between 1994 and 2001

Objective To estimate the annual incidence rate of presumed endophthalmitis after cataract surgery, evaluate any changes in this rate over time, and examine demographic risk factors for endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. Design Population-based review of Medicare beneficiary claims data. Data Source Medicare 5% sample beneficiary data files for inpatient and outpatient claims from 1994 through 2001 were examined to identify all cataract surgeries and subsequent cases of presumed endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. Methods All cataract surgery and presumed endophthalmitis cases after cataract surgery were identified based on claims submitted. The annual rate of presumed endophthalmitis after cataract surgery was calculated, and demographic risk factors for endophthalmitis were examined using multivariate models. Main Outcome Measures Incidence rate of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery and prevalence of demographic risk factors for endophthalmitis over an 8-year period. Results One thousand twenty-six cases of presumed endophthalmitis occurred after 477 627 cataract surgeries, yielding an incidence rate of 2.15 per 1000 for this 8-year period. Rates of endophthalmitis adjusted for age, gender, and race were significantly higher in 1998 to 2001 than in earlier years (relative risk [RR], 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–1.60). Older age and black race also were associated with increased risk of endophthalmitis (RR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.19–2.81; age, ≥90 years, and RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.02–1.65, respectively). Conclusions Analysis of Medicare claims data suggests that the incidence of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery has been increasing, but does not provide an explanation for this occurrence. An increase in the incidence of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery is of concern, because cataract surgery is the most commonly performed operation in the United States, and the number of cataract surgeries performed annually will likely increase substantially over the coming decades due to the aging of the U.S. population.
Gynecological cancer incidence in a hospital population in Saudi Arabia: The effect of foreign immigration over two decades

Aim: To determine if the incidence of female genital malignancies changed with foreign immigration. Methods Retrospective analysis of histopathology records of women with primary genital tract cancers attending a referral gynecological hospital over two decades from 1985 to 2004. Incidence rates for the combined population of foreign migrants and Saudi nationals were compared to rates among Saudi nationals alone. Outcome measures were incidence rates and incidence rate ratios. Results: The incidence of cervical cancer for the combined migrant and local Saudi population was 48.4%, while for Saudi nationals alone it was 33.5% (incident rate ratio [IRR]= 1.44, 95% CI 1.17–1.88, P < 0.001). For vulvar cancer, the incidence was 1.2% versus 0.5% (IRR = 2.4, 95% CI 2.03–2.79, P < 0.001). Endometrial cancer rate was lower in the combined population than in Saudi nationals alone (11.7% vs 18.0%, IRR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.27–1.02, P < 0.04). There were no differences in incidence for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, uterine corpus sarcoma, ovarian, and vaginal cancer. Incidence rate ratios differed between decades for cervical cancer (1.1/1.9, 0.58, 95% CI 0.21–0.89, P < 0.001), vulvar cancer (4.2/1.8, 2.33, 95% CI 1.68–3.07, P < 0.001), gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (1.4/1.0, 1.4, 95% CI 1.09–2.13, P < 0.04), and uterine sarcoma (0.3/1.0, 0.03, 95% CI 0.012–0.041, P < 0.02). Conclusion: The incidence of cervical and vulvar cancer increased among women presenting with gynecological malignancies. For cervical and vulvar cancer, uterine corpus sarcoma, and gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, incidence varied over time.
p16(MTS-1/CDKN2/INK4a) in cancer progression.

Since its discovery as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6, the tumor suppressor p16 has continued to gain widespread importance in cancer. The high frequency of deletions of p16 in tumor cell lines first suggested an important role for p16 in carcinogenesis. This initial genetic evidence was subsequently strengthened by numerous studies documenting p16 inactivation in kindreds with familial melanoma. Moreover, a high frequency of p16 gene alterations was found in primary tumors, while recent studies have identified p16 promoter methylation as a major mechanism of tumor-suppressor-gene silencing. Additional insight into p16's role in cancer has come from the genetic analysis of precancerous lesions and various tissue culture models. It is now believed that loss of p16 is an early and often critical event in tumor progression. Consequently, p16 is a major tumor-suppressor gene whose frequent loss occurs early in many human cancers.
DNA from Maize with and without B Chromosomes: A Comparative Study

DNA preparations from 5B and 0B maize seedlings are indistinguishable in their buoyant density distribution in CsCl gradients. Their renaturation kinetics are identical at several stringency criteria. DNA competition studies fail to detect any component in 5B DNA redundant sequences which is lacking in 0B DNA. Homologous and heterologous duplexes formed between 5B and 0B DNA have virtually identical melting profiles. The DNA of B chromosomes is concluded to be very closely related to that of A chromosomes.
Landforms as extended composite phenotypes

Biotic influences on geomorphology (and vice-versa) are ubiquitous. This paper explores whether landforms may be extended (composite) phenotypes of biota, based on four criteria: process–form relationships between biota and landforms; evolutionary synchrony; selective pressure via ecosystem engineering and niche construction; and positive feedback benefitting the engineer organism(s). Coral reefs, peat bogs, biomantles, insect mounds, grassland soils, salt marshes, mangrove swamps, and some vegetation-dependent sand dune types clearly meet these criteria. Karst landforms, meandering rivers, and tree uprooting pit-mound systems meet the first three criteria, but positive feedback to engineer organisms has not been established. Research in biogeomorphology will surely identify other extended phenotypes. Implications are that biological evolution will continue to drive landscape metamorphosis, the appearance of new landform types, and presumably the disappearance of extended phenotypes associated with extinct species. Independently of extended phenotypes, tightly-coupled geomorphological–ecological interactions such as coevolution, and biogeomorphic forms of ecosystem engineering and niche construction are common. The toposphere, encompassing Earth's landforms, is partly a biotic construct. Some elements would be present in an abiotic world, but the toposphere would not exist in anything resembling its contemporary state without a biosphere. This raises important questions with respect to Earth system evolution. The bio, litho-, atmo-, hydro-, topo-, and pedospheres coevolve at the global scale. Major biotic events have driven revolutions in the other spheres, but the atmosphere and the global hydrological system seem to have been relatively steady-state at the global scale. The toposphere and pedosphere have not. This suggests that perhaps landforms and soils provide the major mechanisms or degrees of freedom by which Earth responds to biological evolution. Landforms and soils may thus be the ‘voice’ of the biosphere as it authors planetary change, even if clear biotic signatures are lacking. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SiGe HBT X-Band LNAs for Ultra-Low-Noise Cryogenic Receivers

We report results on the cryogenic operation of two different monolithic X-band silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor low noise amplifiers (LNAs) implemented in a commercially-available 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS platform. These SiGe LNAs exhibit a dramatic reduction in noise temperature with cooling, yielding of less than 21 K (0.3 dB noise figure) across X-band at a 15 K operating temperature. To the authors' knowledge, these SiGe LNAs exhibit the lowest broadband noise of any Si-based LNA reported to date.
Aquaporin Water Channels in Kidney

As a first year medical student, I attended nearly 200 lectures, but I have clear recollections of only two. On the first day that autumn, Albert Lehninger canceled his planned lecture and spoke to us of a recent paper that he said would revolutionize biomedical research—the discovery of reverse
UNCONVENTIONAL RUBBER NETWORKS: CIRCUMVENTING THE COMPROMISE BETWEEN STIFFNESS AND STRENGTH

ABSTRACT The failure properties of rubbery networks exhibit a maximum as a function of cross-link density or modulus. To avoid excess creep, elastomers are usually formulated such that their state of cure falls past this maximum, which means there is an inevitable compromise between modulus and failure properties (stiffness and strength). This review describes various approaches to circumventing the problem by the use of unconventional network structures. The obtainable improvements in mechanical properties can be substantial (e.g., threefold increases or greater in strength), although these methods entail additional processing steps or the use of blends and may affect the hysteresis of an elastomer; thus, their practical utility cannot be assessed a priori.
Impedance matching of a dual-frequency microstrip antenna with an air gap

A microstrip antenna has been proposed to operate at dual frequencies. The microstrip is a single layer patch with nonradiating edges closed with a conducting foil. Resonant frequencies are altered by varying the air gap under the patch. The separation of the resonant frequencies can be nearly zero and has no upper limit in principle. The input impedance is easily matched by shifting the air gap. The radiation patterns are not affected by modification for dual-frequency operation. >
Gamma knife radiosurgery for renal cell carcinoma brain metastases.

Object. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in achieving a partial or complete remission of so-called radioresistant metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to propose guidelines for optimal treatment Methods. During a 5-year period, 29 patients (19 male and 10 female) with 92 brain metastases from RCC underwent GKS. The median tumor volume was 4.7 cm3 (range 0.5–14.5 cm3). Fourteen patients (48%) also underwent whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) before GKS, and two patients (6.8%) after GKS. The mean GKS dose delivered to the 50% isodose at the tumor margin was 16.8 Gy (range 13–30 Gy). All cases were categorized according to the Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) classification for brain metastases. Univariate analysis was performed to determine significant prognostic factors and survival. The overall median survival was 7 months after GKS treatment. Age, sex, Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and controlled primary disease were not predic...
How Disturbance by Fossorial Mammals Alters N Cycling in a California Annual Grassland

Nitrogen limitation of many temperate plant communities makes the impacts of fossorial mammal activity on soil N dynamics an interesting and potentially important topic. We determined the effects of gopher mound building on soil N transformations by measuring gross rates of N mineralization and nitrification using short-term 15N pool dilution methods, net rates of mineralization and nitrification using longer-term buried-bag determinations, inorganic N pools, and soil physical characteristics in gopher-disturbed soil, bare soil, and intact vegetated soil in a California annual grassland during the spring growing season. Soil bulk densities were lower and temperatures were higher in gopher mound material. Neither gross nor net rates of N mineralization or nitrification were statistically distinguishable among gopher-disturbed, bare, and vegetated soils. However, larger pools of NH4 and NO3 were present in mound and bare soils than in vegetated soils, nitrification potential was higher in mound soils than i...
Study on the Effect of Proportion of Soya Flour and Corn Flour on Physicochemical Properties of Pork Nuggets

Pork nuggets are one of restructured meats. Adding soy flour and corn flour as alternatives to replace wheat flour can produce pork nuggets. Soy protein (globulin) could form gel-protein matrix, besides –protein-starch gel matrix. The formation of matrix increased Water Holding Capacity (WHC) and formed cohesive texture of the products. Combination of 4% soy flour and 6% corn flour is the best treatment to produce acceptable pork nuggets.
Fertile Usnea Longissima in the Oregon Coast Range

: Apothecia from Usnea longissima thalli collected in the Oregon Coast Range are described. Fertile U. longissima specimens have seldom been observed and rarely documented in the literature. A brief history of accounts in the literature is given, and possible reasons for the infrequent occurrence of apothecia are discussed. This is the first published account of fertile U. longissima specimens in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
Thermally Induced Gelation of Selected Comminuted Muscle Systems–Rheological Changes during Processing, Final Strengths and Microstructure

Sols were prepared from comminuted fish (surimi), beef, pork and turkey muscles. Continuous evaluation of changes in structural rigidity and energy damping during heating of the sols from 3° to 95°C was performed in a nondestructive, temperature-controlled Thermal Scanning Rigidity Monitor. Surimi presented major rigidity transitions at 40°. 48° and 65°C; beef at 43°. 56° and 69°C; pork at 44°, 53° and 69°C; and turkey at 50°, 53° and 79°C. All materials exhibited rapid decrease in energy damping (i.e. increase in elasticity) over a short temperature span. Failure testing of gels indicated differences in strength and deformability. SEM micrographs provided an insight into structural features of the gels.
The cache-and-forward network architecture for efficient mobile content delivery services in the future internet

This paper presents a novel "cache-and-forward" (CNF) protocol architecture for mobile content delivery services in the future Internet. The CNF architecture can be implemented as an overlay on top of the Internet Protocol (IP), or as a clean slate protocol for next-generation networks. CNF is based on the concept of store-and-forward routers with large storage, providing for opportunistic delivery to occasionally disconnected mobile users and for in-network caching of content. The proposed CNF protocol uses reliable hop-by-hop transfer of large data files between CNF routers in place of an end-to-end transport protocol like TCP. This approach makes it possible to serve mobile users with intermittent connectivity, while also mitigating self- interference problems which arise in multi-hop wireless scenarios. Hop-by-hop transport is similarly useful in wired networks where router storage can help to smooth out link congestion bottlenecks which arise in TCP/IP networks. A second key feature of the CNF protocol is the integration of address- based and content-based routing to support various content delivery modes that take advantage of in-network storage. An overview of the CNF architecture and major protocol components is given, and preliminary performance evaluation results are summarized to validate the main design principles.
On the quantum cohomology of the plane, old and new, and a K3 analogue

We describe a method for counting maps of curves of given genus (and variable moduli) to $\mathbb{P}^2$, essentially by splitting the $\mathbb{P}^2$ in half; then specialising to the case of genus 0 we show that the method of quantum cohomology may be viewed as the "mirror" of the former method where one splits the $\mathbb{P}^1$ rather than the $\mathbb{P}^2$; finally we indicate an analogue of the former method where $\mathbb{P}^2$ is replaced by a K3 quartic.
A Stress-Induced Granulosis Virus of Pieris rapae

When larvae of Pieris rapae were reared at 25°C on dehydrated diet (ca. 50% moisture), mortality due to granulosis virus increased from less than 10 to ca. 40%; it increased to ca. 62% when larvae were fed dehydrated diet and exposed to 4°C for 10 days. The virulence of the virus produced in stressed insects was equal to that of granulosis virus grown in laboratory cultures. Larvae stressed until they showed external symptoms of virus infection (confirmed by microscopic examination and bioassay) recovered to an apparent healthy condition when provided fresh diet.
Abstract SY04-02: Reaching escape velocity: Using lineage tracing to study EMT and dissemination in pancreatic cancer

Metastastic spread has been difficult to study because it involves a series of rare events that are difficult to observe in vivo. To capture such events, we have employed lineage tracing - a technique which allows cells to be tagged and tracked - and applied it to an autochthonous mouse model of pancreatic cancer. Using this approach, found that pancreas-derived cells entered the circulation at the PanIN-stage, prior to the presence of a histologically recognizable tumor. Moreover, invasive behavior was almost universally associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and bloodstream entry was associated with a “cancer stem cell” phenotype. These observations demonstrate that cellular dissemination in pancreatic cancer can occur at a very early stage of tumor progression. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr SY04-02. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-SY04-02
Mortality rates of patients with peripheral arterial disease are predicted by the respiratory activities of gastrocnemius mitochondrial complexes I and IV

Mortality rates of patients with peripheral arterial disease are predicted by the respiratory activities of gastrocnemius mitochondrial complexes I and IV Jonathan Robert Thompson, MD*, Stanley A Swanson, BS, Gleb Haynatzki, PhD, George P Casale, PhD, Jason M Johanning, MD, FACS, Evlampia Papoutsi, BS, Panagiotis Koutakis, MS, Dimitrios Miserlis, MD, Zhen Zhu, MD, Iraklis I Pipinos, MD, PhD, FACS University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
How I Treat Furuncles, Carbuncles and Impetigo

(1967). How I Treat Furuncles, Carbuncles and Impetigo. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 41, The Skin and Internal Disease, pp. A-127-A-129.
Study on the Establishment and Implementation of the Quality System Regulations for Medical Devices in China

The importance of quality system regulations (QSR) for the medical devices is outlined,the status and progress in the medical devices QSR in China and abroad are reviewed,and especially some views on the topics of Chinese QSR,for example,its legal entity,implementation body,its interactions with the administrative licensure and the third-party quality certification,are given in this paper.
High-frequency spectral scaling of a main shock/ aftershock sequence near the Norwegian coast

A high-frequency seismic element was recently added to the NORESS regional array in Norway. This system can monitor seismic signals at frequencies up to 50 Hz. In February 1986, the high-frequency seismic element recorded an mbLg 4.7 main shock and several aftershocks which occurred 420 km northwest of NORESS, off Norway's western coast. These events produced high-frequency signals which were well above the background noise at the station. P -wave spectra of these events scale in a manner consistent with the ω-square, constant-stress-drop source model. The data do not require any change in this scaling to magnitudes ( mbLg ) below 2, in contrast to previous reports that constant-stress-drop scaling breaks down at smaller magnitudes .