cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Body mass index, mammographic density, and breast cancer risk by estrogen receptor subtype.

Obesity and elevated breast density are common risk factors for breast cancer, and their effects may vary by estrogen receptor (ER) subtype. However, their joint effects on ER subtype-specific risk are unknown. Understanding this relationship could enhance risk stratification for screening and prevention. Thus, we assessed the association between breast density and ER subtype according to body mass index (BMI) and menopausal status. We conducted a case-control study nested within two mammography screening cohorts, the Mayo Mammography Health Study and the San Francisco Bay Area Breast Cancer SPORE/San Francisco Mammography Registry. Our pooled analysis contained 1538 ER-positive and 285 ER-negative invasive breast cancer cases and 4720 controls matched on age, menopausal status at time of mammogram, and year of mammogram. Percent density was measured on digitized film mammograms using computer-assisted techniques. We used polytomous logistic regression to evaluate the association between percent density and ER subtype by BMI subgroup (normal/underweight, < 25 kg/m2 versus overweight/obese, ≥ 25 kg/m2). We used Wald chi-squared tests to assess for interactions between percent density and BMI. Our analysis was stratified by menopausal status and hormone therapy usage at the time of index mammogram. Percent density was associated with increased risk of overall breast cancer regardless of menopausal status or BMI. However, when analyzing breast cancer across ER subtype, we found a statistically significant (p = 0.008) interaction between percent density and BMI in premenopausal women only. Specifically, elevated percent density was associated with a higher risk of ER-negative than ER-positive cancer in overweight/obese premenopausal women [OR per standard deviation increment 2.17 (95% CI 1.50–3.16) vs 1.33 (95% CI 1.11–1.61) respectively, Pheterogeneity = 0.01]. In postmenopausal women, elevated percent density was associated with similar risk of ER-positive and ER-negative cancers, and no substantive differences were seen after accounting for BMI or hormone therapy usage. The combination of overweight/obesity and elevated breast density in premenopausal women is associated with a higher risk of ER-negative compared with ER-positive cancer. Eighteen percent of premenopausal women in the USA have elevated BMI and breast density and may benefit from lifestyle modifications involving weight loss and exercise.
Kerr-breather-soliton time crystals

We describe Kerr-breather-soliton time crystals in which a breathing excitation is subharmonically locked to the repetition frequency. Nonlinear modeling explores the behavior of soliton time crystals, and we will report on progress towards their observation. © 2019 The Author(s)
Importance of use of High-performance work system and effectiveness of employee’s role on organizational performance: A Review

Human Performance Work System is an important part of every organization. It not only manages the system practices for employees but is also dedicated towards employee effectiveness. There are some factors which might be effective towards organizational performance. For example, employee’s performance is the most important part of an organization’s success, relationship between employee and supervisor, sales growth, voluntary turnover, knowledge sharing behavior, employee attitude, and effect on top performers. This literature review reveals that all the factors mentioned above are helpful in contributing towards making organizational performance better except voluntary turnover.
Reconceptualization of emotion regulation: strategy use, flexibility, and emotionality

Previous research has identified associations between emotion regulation strategy use patterns and emotional and behavioral functioning outcomes. The current study examined the construct of ER by i...
Comparison of experimental and simulated critical heat flux tests with various cladding alloys: Sensitivity of iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) to heat transfer coefficients and material properties

Abstract In this work we analyze the differences between previous transient critical heat flux (CHF) experiments using iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl), Inconel 600, and stainless steel 316 (SS316) alloy test sections and best-estimate modeling results from widely-used nuclear engineering systems and subchannel analysis tools. FeCrAl is an Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) candidate cladding material. The thermal hydraulic performance and safety characteristics of FeCrAl are being evaluated to determine viability as a cladding material in Light Water Reactors (LWRs). In this study, the results of the CHF experiments conducted at atmospheric pressure and fixed inlet coolant temperature and mass flux are compared to models built in the fifth version of the Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP5-3D) and CTF, the modernized version of COBRA-TF developed by the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of LWRs (CASL). Results from RELAP5-3D and CTF showed differences from the experiments and from each other in predicting CHF. In the Inconel 600 case, both computational tools overpredicted CHF, which led to an underprediction in the tube outer surface temperature. In the SS316 and FeCrAl cases, CHF was underpredicted by the codes, leading to an overprediction of the tube outer surface temperature. To understand the discrepancies in CHF and post-CHF predictions, studies were performed using RELAP5-3D and RAVEN to determine the sensitivity of CHF and peak test section temperature, an analog to peak cladding temperature (PCT), to heat transfer coefficients, a CHF multiplier, and uncertainties in the thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity. We found that CHF depends most strongly on the CHF multiplier and thermophysical properties. A combination of these factors that produced the best match to the experiment based on CHF, PCT, and the total energy deposited into the tube was determined. The best match parameters were able to provide best-estimate predictions of the CHF and integral heat flux, but were still conservative when predicting the PCT. The best match set of parameters developed in this paper are intended only as a demonstration of an approach that could be applied in the future with a larger set of experiments to produce more accurate models of CHF and post-CHF behavior.
Did citizen petitions prolong the number of approval days of generic drugs

Abstract Objectives To compare the numbers of approval days of the generic drugs with and without citizen petitions. Methods Data from a previous study were obtained to create a data set containing Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) with and without citizen petitions, and their filing and approval dates. Descriptive analyses were conducted. An independent t-test was used to analyze the difference of the numbers of approval days of the generic drugs with and without citizen petitions. Results A total of 289 ANDAs of 81 drugs submitted between the first quarter of 2008 and the third quarter of 2014 were included. Citizen petitions were submitted for 184 (63.7%) ANDAs during this period. More than a third (36.3%) of all ANDAs had a single petition. Among the ANDAs with the citizen petition, the average number of petitions per ANDA was approximately two. The numbers of approval days of the ANDAs with and without citizen petitions were 1221.7 and 978.6 days, respectively, and they were statistically significantly different (p-value Conclusion The number of approval days of the generic drugs with citizen petitions was significantly higher than the number of approval days of the generic drugs without citizen petitions.
Investigation of a radial toolpath in single point incremental forming

Abstract Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a sheet material forming process recognized for its potential performance in low to medium volume production due to precluding the need for high-investment stamping dies. This process forms blanks instead through the use of local deformations, traditionally imposed utilizing a hemispherically-shaped tool. The dieless nature of this process makes it ideal at low volumes; however, several drawbacks of the process currently inhibit its widespread use in industry, including difficult-to-predict springback and poor surface finish. Another perceived drawback of SPIF is overall low formability. Conventional toolpaths form the blank through a series of successive passes in which the tool is generally constrained to the XY plane. Here a novel toolpath is proposed and tested experimentally and through simulation to determine its viability of improving formability. The toolpath investigated travels radially through the center of the workpiece, rather than along its periphery, in order to generate a more uniform thickness profile. A formability improvement of 21% was found utilizing this strategy.
Aortic Stiffness and Diastolic Dysfunction in Sprague Dawley Rats Consuming Short-Term Fructose Plus High Salt Diet

Introduction High fructose and salt consumption continues to be prevalent in western society. Existing studies show that a rat model reflecting a diet of fructose and salt consumed by the upper 20th percentile of the human population results in salt-sensitive hypertension mitigated by treatment with an antioxidant. We hypothesized that dietary fructose, rather than glucose, combined with high salt leads to aortic stiffening and decreased renal artery compliance. We also expect that daily supplementation with the antioxidant, 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (+T; Tempol), will ameliorate the increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and vascular changes. Methods Male Sprague Dawley rats were studied with either 20% fructose or 20% glucose in the drinking water and normal salt (0.4%) or high salt (4%) in the chow resulting in four dietary groups: fructose normal Fru+NS or high salt (Fru+HS) or glucose with normal (Glu+NS) or high salt (Glu+HS). Tempol (+T) was added to the drinking water in half of the rats in each group for 3 weeks. Results MAP was significantly elevated and the glucose:insulin ratio was depressed in the Fru+HS. Both parameters were normalized in Fru+HS+T. Plasma renin activity (PRA) and kidney tissue angiotensin II (Ang II) were not suppressed in the high salt groups. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), radial ascending strain, and distensibility coefficient of the ascending aorta were significantly decreased in Fru+HS rats and improved in the Fru+HS+T rats. No differences occurred in left ventricular systolic function, but the ratio of early (E) to late (A) transmitral filling velocities was decreased and renal resistive index (RRI) was higher in Fru+HS rats; antioxidant treatment did not change these indices. Discussion Thus, short-term consumption of high fructose plus high salt diet by rats results in modest hypertension, insulin resistance, diminished aortic and renal artery compliance, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Antioxidant treatment ameliorates the blood pressure, insulin resistance and aortic stiffness, but not renal artery stiffness and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.
High latitude sea surface temperatures derived from MODIS infrared measurements

Abstract Climate change is amplified in the Arctic region (north of 60°N) relative to elsewhere. By analyzing climate model simulations, it has been found that the largest factor in Arctic Amplification comes from enhanced temperature feedbacks, caused by the different vertical atmospheric warming profiles and a larger temperature change for longwave emission per unit of warming at high- compared to low-latitudes. Radiometers on polar-orbiting satellites offer the best mechanism to derive sea surface temperature (SST) in the Arctic, but given that the retrieval algorithms in the infrared (IR) are designed to compensate for the effects of the atmosphere, mainly water vapor (WV), IR satellite-derived SSTs have larger inaccuracies at high latitudes because the atmosphere can be very dry and cold. So, the motivation of this study is to improve the algorithms to obtain more accurate SSTs which can be used to research the feedback mechanisms. To undertake the study, the 5-year matchup database (MUDB) for MODIS (Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on Aqua has been analyzed to characterize the differences between collocated and simultaneous satellite retrieved skin SSTs (SSTskin) using the R2014 dataset and in situ buoy temperatures, and to identify the main causes of the discrepancies. According to the radiative transfer simulations, the sea surface emissivity is proven to be significant in satellite SSTskin retrievals at high latitudes due to the low atmospheric WV content, especially during winter. An Emissivity-introduced Brightness Temperature Difference (E∆BT) is developed to correct this emissivity effect in the algorithm. Furthermore, the reference temperature as a weighting factor for differences in brightness temperature (BT) measured in MODIS bands 31 and 32 has also been adjusted. The satellite SSTskin mean bias and standard deviation are reduced by 0.35 K and 0.085 K after the corrections. The approaches presented in this paper are capable to make more appropriate atmospheric corrections for MODIS SSTskin retrieval algorithm, leading to regional optimization of the SST retrievals. We report on the progress towards improving the satellite-derived SSTskin with the expectation that the near two-decadal time series of MODIS SSTskin fields will contribute to studying climate change in the Arctic.
Curriculum Making 2

This chapter, Curriculum Making 2, captures my first impressions of the Chinese context and my beginning knowing about those who teach and learn within that social, cultural, and historical milieu. After that, I hone in on details specific to Chinese teachers, students, subject matter, and milieu. Using the curriculum commonplace framework, I then share four exemplars that convey my observations and experiences in Chinese schools, and four exemplars, which communicate particular cultural understandings I came to know directly or indirectly in the midst. While not as deeply nuanced as the exemplars of the four American teachers I spotlighted in Chapter 1, the examples in this chapter reflect my heightening awareness of teaching and learning in China. This chapter ends with a summary of both Curriculum 1 and Curriculum 2, which segues readers to Chapter 3, Reciprocal Learning.
Models of Administrative Justice

Considerable scholarship over the past several decades has been devoted to exploring “models” of administrative justice. By “model” most authors seem to mean a particular administrative justice regime’s central characteristics such as its epistemological presuppositions, institutional structure, procedure commitments, and legitimating norms. This chapter explores that literature by describing alternative model-building efforts, critical commentary on existing models, and some applications of various models to illuminate and critique administrative justice practices in ongoing administrative systems.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Past 30-Day Cigarette and E-Cigarette Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority College Students

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) young adults report disproportionately higher rates of tobacco and nicotine product use. This study assessed the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in nicotine and tobacco product use among SGM young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 11,694 college students (ages 18-29 years) between 2017 and 2018 in California, Minnesota, and Texas. Results: For every additional ACE reported, the odds of cigarette, e-cigarette, and dual use increased for all students, with significantly higher past 30-day cigarette use among ACE-exposed SGM students. Conclusion: ACEs are an important contributing factor to tobacco-related disparities facing SGM groups.
Follow the Leader? The Impact of Leader Rapport Management on Social Loafing:

To prepare students for the workforce, instructors of business, technical, and professional communication must incorporate team projects in their curriculum. However, both instructors and students ...
Impedance Pneumography: Assessment of Dual-Frequency Calibration Approaches

Impedance pneumography (IP), a measure of the changes in the lung and thoracic bioimpedance, holds promise for non-invasive monitoring of pulmonary health. A key limitation of IP is the need for complex and frequent calibrations that require the subject to perform various maneuvers. In this work, we explore different calibration approaches to reduce the effects of inter-subject variability and postural changes on IP by utilizing a dual-frequency calibration approach. Dual-frequency IP was deployed for the first time in this work and its performance in estimating tidal volume (TV) was evaluated and compared to the conventional single frequency approaches. TV values obtained from a spirometer estimated with the subject- and posture-specific IP calibration approach are shown to correlate highly with the ground truth TV $(r > 0.9)$ in all postures, including supine, left/right lateral, and seated postures for both 5 kHz and 100 kHz IP signals. Eliminating posture specificity results in a correlation of $r > 0.8$ • With the globalized calibration approach that does not require any subject or posture-specific calibration, a correlation of $r=0.75$ was achieved with the dual-frequency approach, and this was higher than the corresponding correlation of around $r=0.68$ using any single frequency. This result has implications for the feasibility of dual-frequency IP for mitigating inter-subject variability and posture-specific calibrations.
Chemistry-Mediated Ostwald Ripening in Carbon-RichC/O Systems at Extreme Conditions

There is significant interest in establishing a capability for tailored synthesis of next-generation carbon-based nanomaterials due to their broad range of applications and high degree of tunability. High pressure (e.g. shockwave-driven) synthesis holds promise as an effective discovery method, but experimental challenges preclude elucidating the processes governing nanocarbon production from carbon-rich precursors that could otherwise guide efforts through the prohibitively expansive design space. Here we report findings from large scale atomistically-resolved simulations of carbon condensation from C/O mixtures subjected to extreme pressures and temperatures, made possible by machine-learned reactive interatomic potentials. We find that liquid nanocarbon formation follows classical growth kinetics driven by Ostwald ripening (i.e. growth of large clusters at the expense of shrinking small ones) and obeys dynamical scaling in a process mediated by carbon chemistry in the surrounding reactive fluid. The results provide direct insight into carbon condensation in a representative system and pave the way for its exploration in higher complexity organic materials. They also suggest that simulations using machine-learned interatomic potentials could eventually be employed as in-silico design tools for new nanomaterials.
Intron dynamics reveal principles of gene regulation during the maternal-to-zygotic transition

The maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) is a conserved embryonic process in animals where developmental control shifts from the maternal to zygotic genome. A key step in this transition is zygotic transcription, and deciphering the MZT requires classifying newly transcribed genes. However, due to current technological limitations, this starting point remains a challenge for studying many species. Here we present an alternative approach that characterizes transcriptome changes based solely on RNA-seq data. By combining intron-mapping reads and transcript-level quantification, we characterized transcriptome dynamics during the Drosophila melanogaster MZT. Our approach provides an accessible platform to investigate transcriptome dynamics that can be applied to the MZT in non-model organisms. In addition to classifying zygotically transcribed genes, our analysis revealed that over 300 genes express different maternal and zygotic transcript isoforms due to alternative splicing, polyadenylation, and promoter usage. The vast majority of these zygotic isoforms have the potential to be subject to different regulatory control, and over two-thirds encode different proteins. Thus, our analysis reveals an additional layer of regulation during the MZT, where new zygotic transcripts can generate additional proteome diversity.
Assessing the Environment and Outcomes of Four-Year Aviation Programs: Does Program Quality Make a Difference?

The higher education literature concerning academic program quality offers differing opinions as to which indicators should determine program quality (Cameron, 1987; Tan, 1992). Recently, greater attention has been focused upon the environment and the outcomes of higher education academic programs (Astin, 1991). The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent the highest quality U.S. four-year aviation programs follow current literature trends and emphasize environment and outcome indicators of quality. Students (N=447), faculty (N=167), and alumni (N=577) from high, medium, and low quality four-year aviation programs as determined in Lindseth’s (1996) study, were surveyed using the Educational Testing Service’s Program Self Assessment tool. The instrument measures perceptions of students, faculty, and alumni toward 16 composite characteristics or indicators of academic program quality. Results showed that except for the indicator internship experiences, the emphasis placed on environment and outcome indicators of academic program quality was not significantly different at the highest quality U.S. four-year aviation programs as compared to intermediate and low quality four-year aviation programs.
Pulmonary mechanics changes associated with cardiac surgery.

Publisher Summary In this chapter, investigation of flow–volume and pressure–volume changes associated with cardiac surgery leads to several important observations. The changes in dynamic compliance with sternotomy have not been readily predicted from consideration of “normal” static total respiratory pressure- volume curves. This has been because of the significant interacting effects of relative body weight and because of the effects of preexisting chronic obstructive lung disease on dynamic compliance. The effects of increasing body weight on compliance have been significantly ameliorated by chest opening. In addition, the presence of expiratory airflow obstruction has been compounded by increased body weight, resulting in significant gas trapping. However, the expiratory flow rate is reduced in association with the reduced peak and plateau airway pressures. Moreover, the presence of altered pulmonary mechanics associated with cardiopulmonary bypass has been effectively masked by these interacting body weight and preexisting lung disease variables. Bypass-induced compliance changes have been therefore apparent only after sternotomy closure. The characteristic flow-volume curve from a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient before sternotomy has showed significant flow limitation. The failure of exhalation to end before the next breath starts also suggests stacking or auto-PEEP. It is evident that gas trapping or auto-PEEP in patients with COPD that is improved with sternotomy becomes even worse after chest closure. These findings may be interpreted as evidence that anesthesia may be associated with dynamic airway compression or gas trapping, especially in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
ABSORPTION OF INGESTED VITAMIN A

Summary Duplicate oral vitamin A absorption tests, utilizing an oil preparation in 50 ostensibly healthy subjects, and a water-miscible preparation in 10 individuals, revealed a marked intra-, as well as inter-individual variation in plasma 4-hour vitamin A response. Ingestion of food during the test period generally enhanced the vitamin A absorption of 9 of these subjects, 5 of whom had shown a diminished reponse on duplicate control trials. The specific aliment administered seemed not important to this effect, although fat seemed usually to exhibit the greatest influence. In 1 subject, absorption was apparently reduced in the presence of nausea associated with unpalatable meals. Ten replicate absorption tests with each vitamin A preparation in a single subject showed marked variations in response, notably with the oil test substance. The unpredictable differences noted may reflect changes in gastric emptying time, although other mechanisms are probably also operative. Some clinical implications of these observations are indicated.
Optimal experimental design in econometrics: The time series problem

Abstract Experiments in economics are expensive in terms of dollars and time. This suggests that efficient design is crucial, and that there is a need for econometricians to extend design theory to handle peculiarities of economic experimentation. This paper concerns optimal experimental design for various time series models. Examples are presented illustrating the improvement in estimation accuracy that can be obtained.
Structural and Functional Diversity of Voltage-Activated Calcium Channels

Action potentials and neurotransmitters are the vehicle of information transfer in the nervous system. The diversity of this information is in part encoded by the quantitative contribution and properties of the ion channels underlying both the action potential and the events that follow. As such, voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels represent one class of these ion channels that have both a remarkable ubiquity and importance in a variety of cell types. At rest, there is normally a 10,000-fold concentration difference between intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Intracellular Ca2+ concentrations are normally in the 10–100 nM range, whereas outside cells, the Ca2+ concentration is about 1–2 mM. Elevations of the intracellular Ca2+ concentrations can occur not only as a result of the increase in activity of voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels, but also in response to the activation of ligand-gated ion channels (NMDA-sensitive glutamatergic receptors or nicotinic ACh receptors) or through the release of Ca2+ from intracellular pools (IP3-and/or ryanodine-sensitive). During increases in voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel activity, the cytosolic Ca2+ can reach concentrations up to 100 μM immediately beneath the plasma membrane. This rise in intracellular Ca2+ is generally not homogeneous but instead seems to be highly organized in space and time. The buffering activity of numerous cellular proteins, which bind Ca2+ tightly and rapidly, limits the spatial diffusion of transient cytosolic Ca2+ increases and keeps the overall Ca2+ concentration to a low free level. Several other mechanisms also ensure an effective buffering of free cytoplasmic Ca2+ in the cell. In the plasma membrane, the Ca2+-ATPase and the electrogenic Na+/Ca2+ exchanger can effectively extrude Ca2+ from the cell. Several intracellular Ca2+ stores (endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria) will also accumulate Ca2+ by activating a Ca2+-ATPase or a Ca2+/2H+ exchanger.
How Elementary Teachers Use What We Teach: The Impact Of PER At The K‐5 Level

This paper presents an investigation of how a professional development course based on the Physics and Everyday Thinking (PET) curriculum affected the teaching practices of five case study elementary teachers. The findings of this study show that each teacher transferred different content and pedagogical aspects of the course into their science teaching. The range of transfer is explained by considering how each teacher interacted with the learning context (the PET curriculum) and their initial ideas about teaching science.
Estimation of propagation speed during ventricular fibrillation from frequency-wavenumber power spectra

Propagation speed during ventricular fibrillation (VF) in pigs was estimated from the frequency-wavenumber power spectrum of epicardial mapping data. Data from a 22/spl times/23 array of epicardial electrodes were analyzed to obtain power as a function of wavenumber (spatial frequency). Temporal power spectra were found at each of 10 dominant wavenumbers. Wave speed (in units of mm/s) was estimated from a weighted average of temporal frequency (units of 1/s) divided by wavenumber magnitude (units of 1/mm). Speeds were estimated using data from simulations, sinus rhythm, and early VF. The effect of propranolol on conduction speed during VF was also investigated. The proposed method is useful for analyzing VF, when the existence of many incoherent wave fronts makes if difficult to measure wave speed. >
Ion channels and cell excitability

Summary form only given. Ion channels are protein pores (enzymes) that pass through the lipid bilayer and provide a high-dielectric, high-mobility pathway for the passage of ions. Biological channels are also allosteric; their mean conductance can be modified by the addition of free energy from a number of sources. This modulation generally occurs through changes in the probability of a channel being open rather than by changes in the open-channel conductance. Three primary inputs provide free energy for channel gating: the membrane electric field, the membrane tension, and ligand binding. Within a single cell, ion channels are coupled by the membrane potential, the entry of permeant ions, and other biochemical processes within the cell. Changes in ion flux can also affect cell volume which, in turn, can change cell volume and activate mechanosensory ion channels. Even in a single cell, the integrated activity of many types of channels, which are coupled by nonlinear processes, over a wide range of time scales and different space scales, often in nonhomogeneous patterns of density, can lead to remarkably complex behavior. >
Zingiberales (Gingers and Bananas)

The Zingiberales is a group of plants including gingers, bananas, heliconias and prayer plants. This group is made up of eight families distributed in tropical areas of Africa, the Americas, Asia and the South Pacific. Members are generally herbaceous, play an important ecological role in their native habitats, and are a source of foods, spices, medicines and ornamentals. Keywords: spice; fruit; medicinal; taxonomy; tropical
A beta turn in the cytoplasmic tail of the integrin alpha v subunit influences conformation and ligand binding of alpha v beta 3

Integrins undergo conformational alterations in response to extracellular or intracellular stimuli, suggesting that structural elements within their exo- and cytoplasmic domains cooperate during transmembrane signaling. In this report, we identify a beta turn in the cytoplasmic tail of the alpha v subunit that impacts the ligand binding and conformation of the alpha v beta 3 heterodimer. Cells expressing a mutant alpha v beta 3 heterodimer composed of a truncated alpha v subunit, alpha v1000, lacking 18 carboxyl-terminal amino acids exhibits wild-type receptor structure and function. However, a truncation mutant, alpha v995, lacking five additional residues (PPQEE), which define a beta turn, is deficient in vitronectin and fibrinogen adhesion. This alteration in adhesive function is associated with two detectable structural changes in the alpha v beta 3 heterodimer. First, the alpha v995 membrane-spanning light chain exhibits retarded electrophoretic mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Second, the alpha v995 beta 3 receptor shows an altered chymotryptic profile as measured by the loss of a 39-kDa proteolytic fragment from its ectodomain. These findings demonstrate that the ligand binding and structural properties of the intact alpha v beta 3 heterodimer can be influenced by a beta turn within the cytoplasmic tail of its alpha v subunit. The presence of homologous beta turns within other alpha subunit cytoplasmic tails suggests that this structural motif may play a role in regulating integrin-mediated bidirectional transmembrane signals.
Key factors in designing a manufacturing line to maximize tool utilization and minimize turnaround time

Today's semiconductor manufacturing facilities require very expensive tools, with the total investment necessary to equip a production line approaching a half-billion dollars. Therefore, it is imperative to understand those factors that help to determine the number of tools to be purchased, their characteristics, and how they should be arranged to attain the most effective utilization of these assets. This paper shows that the imposition of a turnaround-time (TAT) requirement on a tool set/manufacturing line introduces additional constraints on tool operating characteristics. Tool availability, the time a tool is off line, and the number of tools per process now become key factors that must be used to determine the effective capacity and achievable turnaround time of a tool set/manufacturing line. The results of this work show how tool design and installation characteristics can significantly improve line capacity and reduce TAT. Some fundamental elements of designing a manufacturing line are also discussed, such as when tools should be arranged in a 'farmed' mode (in close proximity because of process similarity and their independence from process flow) or a 'linear' mode, (with dissimilar tools/processes arranged in close proximity because of process-flow sequence). >
Measuring harmonic distortion and noise floor of an A/D convertor using spectral averaging

The author proposes the use of spectral averaging techniques to measure the harmonic distortions and the noise floor of an analog-to-digital (A/D) digitizing subsystem. The noise floor of an ideal 8-bit A/D convertor is derived in closed form. It is shown that this noise floor is a function of the A/D resolution, the record length, and the equivalent noise bandwidth of the window function used in the DFT (discrete Fourier transform) computation. Both experimental and simulation results are presented and it is shown that they are in good agreement with the theoretical results. >
Predicting tooth loss for older adults with special needs

Chen X, Hodges JS, Shuman SK, Gatewood LC, Xu J. Predicting tooth loss for older adults with special needs. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2010; 38: 235–243. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Objectives: Older Adults with Special Needs (OASN) have more oral health needs compared with healthy, independent elders. Currently, little is known about tooth loss, a key indicator of oral function loss, among OASN. Risk assessment is primarily based on clinical experience rather than scientific evidence, raising concerns for quality of care. The study’s objective was to develop an evidence-based model to quantitatively predict tooth loss for OASN. Methods: Four hundred ninety-one dentate older adults, including 235 from long-term care facilities, were retrospectively recruited. Subjects were treated and brought to a state of oral health before enrollment. Medical and dental assessments were abstracted from dental records and used to predict risk of tooth loss. Tooth loss events were recorded for subjects during follow-up. Multivariate negative-binomial regression was used, starting with 27 risk factors and removing variables using Akaike’s Information Criterion. Pearson’s correlation was then conducted to evaluate the overall fit of the final fitted model. Results: The final fitted model included eight predictors. Among them, age, number of decayed/broken teeth at arrival, anticholinergic burden of medications and physical mobility were associated with risk of tooth loss in OASN (P ≤ 0.05). Internal validation indicated satisfactory fit of the final fitted model. Conclusion: An evidence-based model with eight predictors was developed to quantitatively predict risk of tooth loss for OASN at the individual level.
Pediatric hospitalist comanagement of surgical patients: Structural, quality, and financial considerations

Comanagement of surgical patients is occurring more commonly among adult and pediatric patients. These systems of care can vary according to institution type, comanagement structure, and type of patient. Comanagement can impact quality, safety, and costs of care. We review these implications for pediatric surgical patients.
Why the Orders Belong in Studio

Abstract The Orders, the long-time emblematic centerpiece of architectural education, were banished from studio in the United States a half-century ago. They were exiled to the curriculum's sparse offerings in history when the Bauhaus system of education in architecture displaced the Beaux Arts system. The Orders stand for an entire system of design based on recognizable building components, proportionality, and coherence. Their presence would improve the formal qualities of designs across the entire spectrum from buildings addressing the increased interest in traditional qualities in buildings to those pushing forward the legacy of Modernism's founders, men who themselves knew the Orders well.
Impact of nutritional supplements and monosaccharides on growth, oxalate accumulation, and culture pH by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum D-E7 was studied to determine the impact of nutritional supplements and monosaccharides on growth, oxalate accumulation, and culture pH in broth media (initial pH c . 5). Cultures with 0.1% nutritional supplement (tryptone, yeast extract, or soytone) yielded minimal growth, 2–3 mM oxalate, and a final culture pH of 4.2–4.8. In contrast, cultures with 0.1% nutritional supplement and 25 mM glucose yielded significant growth, minimal oxalate (<1 mM), and a final culture pH of 2.8–3.7. Similar trends were observed when glucose in 0.1% soytone cultures was replaced with 25 mM d-mannose, l-arabinose, or d-xylose. With 1% soytone-25 mM glucose cultures, growth and oxalate accumulation (~21 mM) occurred with little change in initial pH. This was not the case with 1% soytone-250 mM glucose cultures; increased glucose levels resulted in a decrease in oxalate accumulation (~7 mM) and in final culture pH (3.4). Time-course studies with these cultures revealed that oxalate accumulation was suppressed during growth when the culture pH dropped to <4. Overall, these results indicate that (1) the decrease in external pH (i.e. acidification) was independent of oxalate accumulation and (2) acidification coupled to glucose-dependent growth regulated oxalate accumulation by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum .
A methodology to provide and use interchangeable services

Computing today requires the use of many software packages, but only a few packages are used on a daily basis. This infrequent usage pattern often does not justify purchasing full licenses and therefore motivates a need for a more flexible way to use and pay for the usage of software. This paper describes a design philosophy in which similar services provide the same interface to clients. Services based on this design are interchangeable, allow payment per use, handle payment conveniently, are platform independent, and frequently do not require local installation. Clients can therefore easily utilize resources based on application needs and services available at the time that the application is executing. An example implementation using this methodology is also discussed.
Inactivation of the human vitamin D receptor by caspase-3.

Calcitriol actions are mediated by the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a nuclear transcription factor of the steroid-retinoid-thyroid nuclear receptor gene superfamily. Calcitriol inhibits the growth of many cells including cancer cells by inducing cell cycle arrest. In some cancer cell lines, calcitriol also induces apoptosis. In the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line, induction of apoptosis and caspase-3/7 activities by staurosporine (STS) abolished [3H]1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 binding and VDR protein, suggesting that the VDR may be targeted for inactivation by caspases during apoptosis. A potential caspase-3 site (D195MMD198S) was identified in the human VDR ligand-binding domain. Mutations D195A, D198A, and S199A were generated in the putative capase-3 cleavage site. In transfected COS-7 cells, STS treatment resulted in the cleavage of the wild-type (WT) VDR and S199A mutant VDR but not the D195A or D198A mutants. In in vitro assays, the WT VDR and S199A mutant VDR were cleaved by caspase-3, although the D195A and D198A mutants were resistant to caspase-3. In vitro, the WT VDR was also cleaved by caspase-6 and caspase-7 and in extracts of STS-treated LNCaP cells. In STS-treated LNCaP cells and human skin fibroblasts, the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 protected the VDR caspase cleavage fragment from further degradation by the 26S proteasome. The rat VDR that does not contain the caspase-3 cleavage site was not cleaved in STS-treated COS-7 cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the human VDR is a target of caspase-3 and suggest that activation of caspase-3 may limit VDR activity.
Surface mount end-fire antenna package

A novel low-cost package concept is presented whereby an end-fire antenna module can be surface mounted such that it radiates in a direction normal to the backplane to which it mounts. The packaging method features the use of conducting castellations in the edge of the multilayer antenna module to form a very broad band transition. An example transition is described and measurements of a prototype presented. Applications to Vivaldi-type active antennas are presented.
Definition of the adult Chiari malformation: a brief historical overview

With the widespread use of newer neuroimaging techniques and modalities, significant tonsillar herniation is being diagnosed in more than 0.5% of patients, some of whom are asymptomatic. This puts the definition of the adult Chiari malformation to the test. The author provides a historical review of the evolution of the definition of the adult Chiari malformation in the neurosurgery, radiology, and pathology literature.
Cultivating “high-stakes” student culture research

Peers have a substantial impact on undergraduate learning and personal development. This article discusses five principles that can increase the utility of student culture research by blending outcome measures with qualitative research to determine the effects of peer group membership.
Usable secure mailing lists with untrusted servers

Mailing lists are a natural technology for supporting messaging in multi-party, cross-domain collaborative tasks. However, whenever sensitive information is exchanged on such lists, security becomes crucial. We have earlier developed a prototype secure mailing list solution called SELS (Secure Email List Services) based on proxy encryption techniques [20], which enables the transformation of cipher-text from one key to another without revealing the plain-text. Emails exchanged using SELS are ensured confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. This includes ensuring their confidentiality while in transit at the list server; a functionality that is uniquely supported by SELS through proxy re-encryption. In this work we describe our efforts in studying and enhancing the usability of the software system and our experiences in supporting a production environment that currently is used by more than 50 users in 11 organizations. As evidence of its deployability, SELS is compatible with common email clients including Outlook, Thunderbird, Mac Mail, Emacs, and Mutt. As evidence of its usability, the software is being used by several national and international incident response teams.
A Simplified Variation of Parameters Approach to Euler’s Equations

A normalized form of Euler's equations is rewritten in a variation of parameters approach using amplitudes and angular displacement as parameters. This new form is compact and yields a more accurate numerically integrated solution over longer simulation times than does a conventional integration of the Euler equations.
Comparison of Late-Season Diagnostic Tests for Predicting Nitrogen Status of Corn

We compared six late-season diagnostic tests for determining N adequacy in corn (Zea mays L.) in a 3-yr study in Pennsylvania. The six tests were: (i) the NO 3 - -N concentration of stalk sections at black layer; (ii) the NO 3 - -N concentration of stalk sections at the one-fourth milk line growth stage (MLGS), which allows corn grown for silage to be tested; (iii) the chlorophyll meter (CM) test at the one-fourth MLGS; (iv) the relative CM test (normalized values) at the one-fourth MLGS; (v) a visual test based on the number of green leaves below and including the ear leaf at the one-fourth MLGS; and (vi) a relative visual test (normalized values at the one-fourth MLGS). We found that with a critical level of 250 mg kg -1 NO 3 - -N the stalk NO 3 - test separated N-sufficient from N-deficient sites with approximately 93% accuracy when sampling was done at either the one-fourth MLGS or within several weeks after black-layer formation. It appears that the 250 mg kg -1 NO 3 - -N critical level can be used to accurately predict N adequacy for any sampling time between the one-fourth MLGS and a few weeks after black-layer formation. When drought-stressed fields were excluded or the CM readings normalized with a high-N reference plot in the field, the accuracy of the CM test at the one-fourth MLGS was approximately 92%. The visual test at the one-fourth MLGS was an accurate predictor of corn N status only when visual readings were normalized with a high-N reference plot. These results demonstrate that there are several late-season N tests that are suitable for making relatively accurate assessments of N sufficiency for corn silage and grain yields.
Eiution characteristics of fatty acid methyl esters on capillary columns

The elution characteristics of fatty acid methyl esters on support-coated and open tubular capillary columns were investigated using reference standards and natural mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters. Over an extended range of fatty acid methyl esters chain lengths (C-11–C-26), the plot of the log of the adjusted retention time, t′R, vs. number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain was not linear, as has been previously assumed by many investigators. With support-coated open tubular columns and with diethylene glycol succinate as the stationary phase, the relationship between the log of the retention time and carbon number was best approximated by a second-order equation: log (t′R)x=α+β(CNx)+γ(CNx)2 where α, β, and γ are the virial coefficients of the equation. In addition, for the longer fatty acid methyl esters, the plots all tended to converge. Hence, for data from capillary columns, especially over a wide range of carbon numbers, all tentative indications based upon linear log plots and parallel lines for different homologous series of fatty acid isomers should be viewed with caution. A method is presented for identifying peaks from capillary columns; it uses quadratic equations and three reference fatty acid methyl ester standards for each homologous series being studied.
EXOGENOUS STEROIDS AND GROWTH OF NEOSPONGIOCOCCUM SP. (CHLOROPHYTA)1

Of the various types of steroids found in nature, only sterols (steroids whose molecules possess an 8- to 10-carbon atom hydrocarbon side chain at position 17 of the perhydrocyclopentanophenanthrene ring) are known to be common constituents of algae. Little is known of the effects of steroids in the environment upon the growth and survival of algae. This paper investigates the growth of the green alga Neospongiococcum sp. in medium containing steroids. Bile acids are not inhibitory, even at a concentration of 100 ppm. Some sterols inhibit growth when present in the medium at a concentration of 100 ppm, but not at 10 ppm. Testosterone and β-estradiol, which have no carbon atom side chain at ring position 17, inhibit growth at a concentration of only 10 ppm. Steroids whose molecules possess a 2-carbon atom side chain at ring position 17 and a keto group at the α-carbon of this side chain, such as pregnenolone, inhibit growth at a concentration of as little as 1 ppm. Respiration is also inhibited by pregnenolone at this level.