cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring Administrative Capacity and Local Governance in the Peruvian Waste Sector: Implications for Complex Service Delivery in the Global South:

Municipalities in the Global South confront significant implementation challenges for the delivery of services, especially as service complexity increases. Waste management, which includes services...
Gallium Arsenide Photonic Integrated Circuit Platform for 1030 nm Applications

An active-passive integration platform on GaAs is demonstrated with Fabry Perot lasers exhibiting up to 240 mW total output power, 98.8% injection efficiency, and 3.44 cm-1 active loss for operation near 1030 nm.
The Contentious History of the International Bill of Human Rights

Today, the idea of human rights enjoys near-universal support; yet, there is deep disagreement about what human rights actually are - their true source of origin, how to study them, and how best to address their deficits. In this sweeping historical exploration, Christopher N. J. Roberts traces these contemporary conflicts back to their moments of inception and shows how more than a half century ago a series of contradictions worked their way into the International Bill of Human Rights, the foundation of the modern system of human rights. By viewing human rights as representations of human relations that emerge from struggle, this book charts a new path into the subject of human rights and offers a novel theory and methodology for rigorous empirical study.
Matter unification in warped supersymmetric SO(10)

We construct models of warped unification with a bulk SO(10) gauge symmetry and boundary conditions that preserve the SU(4)_C x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R Pati-Salam gauge group (422). In the dual 4D description, these models are 422 gauge theories in which the apparent unification of gauge couplings in the minimal supersymmetric standard model is explained as a consequence of strong coupling in the ultraviolet. The weakness of the gauge couplings at low energies is ensured in this 4D picture by asymptotically non-free contributions from the conformal sector, which are universal due to an approximate SO(10) global symmetry. The 422 gauge symmetry is broken to the standard model group by a simple set of Higgs fields. An advantage of this setup relative to SU(5) models of warped unification is that matter is automatically required to fill out representations of 422, providing an elegant understanding of the quantum numbers of the standard-model quarks and leptons. The models also naturally incorporate the see-saw mechanism for neutrino masses and bottom-tau unification. Finally, they predict a rich spectrum of exotic particles near the TeV scale, including states with different quantum numbers than those that appear in SU(5) models.
Neurobiology of Psychopathy

1 Conceptualization and Assessment of Psychopathy 2 Empirical Evidence That Psychopathy Is Not Unitary 3 Two-Process Theory of Psychopathy 4 Refining the Measurement of Trait Fear and Externalizing Constructs 5 Physiological Response Indicators of Trait Fear and Externalizing 6 Summary Keywords: psychopathy; antisocial personality; externalizing; emotion; fear; disinhibition; personality; startle; event-related potentials; error-related negativity; ERN; P300; time-frequency analysis
Creating Print-ready Tables in Stata:

This article describes the new Stata command xml_tab, which outputs the results of estimation commands and Stata matrices directly into tables in XML format. The XML files can be opened with Micros...
Decadal prediction of Colorado River streamflow anomalies using ocean-atmosphere teleconnections

[1] The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) time series are used to forecast a decade ahead streamflow anomalies in the upper Colorado River at Lee's Ferry. In the instrumental record, we obtain unusually high decadal forecast skill that is statistically significant at the 95% confidence level, suggesting strong ocean-atmosphere-land teleconnection. In order to test whether such teleconnection existed in the past, we compare the retrospective forecast skill to the skills obtained using the available ocean-atmosphere teleconnection and streamflow reconstructions derived from tree rings. We find much lower skill in the reconstructed record. Using frequency analysis, we show that the streamflow and sea surface temperature oscillations in the instrumental records all have dominant low frequency periodicities (>35 years) that explain much of the total variance. However, such dominant periodicities do not appear in the power spectra of the reconstructed records of AMO, PDO and streamflow. Given that these dominant low periodicities are likely responsible for the high prediction skill in the instrumental record, it remains uncertain whether reliable decadal streamflow predictions in the upper Colorado River basin will be possible in the years ahead.
Seismic Coda Waves: A Stochastic Process in Earth’s Lithosphere

Seismic coda waves are a natural wonder. Because they are formed by scattered waves from numerous heterogeneities in the lithosphere, nature does the averaging over a large volume of the earth and leads to beautiful simplicity such as the separability of seismic source, propagation path and recording site effects. In this review, we shall focus on the decay rate of coda amplitudes, called coda Q −1, and present its significance as a geophysical parameter characterizing regional structures and earthquake processes in the lithosphere.
Optimal condition of boundary flex control for the systems governed by Boussinesq equation with the press boundary condition and mixed boundary condition

In this paper, the boundary flex control problem of non stationary equation governing the coupled mass and heat flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in a generalized Boussinesq approximation by assuming that viscosity and heat conductivity are dependent on temperature has been studied. The boundary condition for velocity of fluid is non -standard boundary condition: specifically the case where dynamical pressure is given on some part of the boundary and the boundary condition for temperature of fluid is mixed boundary condition has been considered. The optimal condition has been derived. Then, Pontryagin's maximum principle in the special case has been derived.
Minimal-access surgery for congenital heart defects.

Improved results with lower operative mortality and morbidity for corrective surgery for many congenital cardiac defects has stimulated a renewed interest in the use of surgical approaches other than a full midline sternotomy. In an effort to decrease pain and discomfort, shorten the recovery period, and improve the cosmetic result, several alternative approaches have been proposed and implemented, with varying results. Anterior thoracotomy in the inframammary area has been the most widely used incision and is most applicable to females patients past puberty, in whom the extent of breast tissue can be assessed more accurately. Complications with this approach including phrenic nerve injury and breast and chest wall deformities have been reported, although most reports describe satisfactory cosmetic results. We have used a midline approach limiting the incision over the xyphoid process either without a sternal incision (infants) or with division of the lower segment (patients younger than 3 to 4 years) with cephalad retraction to expose the heart and great vessels. From May 1996 to June 1997, 54 children had repair of a secundum-type atrial septal defect using a transxyphoid or ministernotomy approach. In 29, arterial cannulation was performed through the ascending aorta, and in 25 via the femoral artery. There were no instances in which conversion to full sternotomy was required, and complete repair with comparable ischemic and bypass time to full sternotomy was achieved in all patients. We have also used the same technique for repair of other congenital cardiac lesions, including ventricular septal defect and partial or complete atrioventricular canal defects, and in selected infants with tetralogy of Fallot. With this approach, cardioplegia for myocardial protection and left ventricular venting to prevent distention and to remove air from the heart can be used routinely. The adaptability of this technique to various cardiac defects and the ability to extend the incision if necessary make it an attractive alternative to other approaches for minimal-access cardiac surgery for congenital defects.
Acute phase response in exercise. II. Associations between vitamin E, cytokines, and muscle proteolysis

Cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) mediate a variety of host responses to trauma and infection, including skeletal muscle proteolysis. This investigation assesses the influence of damaging eccentric exercise on in vitro production and plasma concentrations of cytokines and their relationship to muscle protein breakdown. In a double-blind placebo-controlled protocol, 21 male subjects took vitamin E supplements (800 IU/day) for 48 days, then ran downhill on an inclined treadmill. Twenty-four hours after this single session of eccentric exercise, endotoxin-induced secretion of IL-1 beta was augmented 154% (P less than 0.01) in cells obtained from the placebo subjects, but no significant exercise-related changes were observed in cells from the vitamin E-supplemented subjects. TNF-alpha secretion was also significantly increased 24 h after exercise, but the response was not inhibited by vitamin E. In contrast, IL-6 secretion did not change after exercise, but dietary vitamin E supplementation significantly reduced IL-6 secretion throughout the 12-day period of observation (P = 0.023). Urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion correlated with mononuclear cell secretion of both IL-1 beta (P less than 0.05) and prostaglandin E2 (P less than 0.05), supporting the concept that these mononuclear cell products contribute to the regulation of muscle proteolysis.
Large channel confluences influence geomorphic heterogeneity of a southeastern United States river

[1] Detection of biological patterns in structurally complex rivers is difficult but essential in the management of imperiled species. On the basis of the network dynamics hypothesis (NDH), we predicted that tributaries exert a strong influence on main stem morphology, mediated by tributary sediment inputs. We predicted that the likelihood that a tributary will affect main stem geomorphology depends on the ratio of the tributary basin area to the main stem basin area (TBA:MBA). Although the results of this study do not indicate that TBA:MBA is a useful predictor of the presence of shallow alluvium-dominated confluences (i.e., shoals) in the Etowah River, in Georgia, alluvial shoals were closer to tributary mouths than were other shoal types, indicating an association with tributaries. Shoals near large tributary confluences also contained a larger proportion of gravel and cobble bed sediments and were wider than adjacent, downstream shoals. These confluence-associated shoals may be ecologically different in that aquatic macrophyte occurrence is higher in wide shoals with coarse sediments, and several state and federally listed darters (Percidae) are associated with shoals and these aquatic macrophytes. Recognizing confluence-associated shoals as unique shoal types may aid researchers in understanding the distribution patterns of these aquatic organisms.
Primary intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the jaw: Reappraisal of The MD Anderson Cancer Center experience.

Background Mucoepidermoid carcinoma arises from major or minor salivary glands, making up 10% of salivary gland tumors. Intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinomas are rare, and make up only 2% to 3% of all mucoepidermoid carcinomas. The t(11;19) and its CRTC1-MAML2 fusion gene transcript have been identified in mucoepidermoid carcinoma and are associated with a subset of mucoepidermoid carcinomas. The extent to which the transcript influences disease features and patient survival is unclear. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of records for clinical features, surgical interventions, and prognoses. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) used to assess the t(11;19) fusion gene in intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Results Twenty-five patients with intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma treated between 1998 and 2013 were identified. The t(11;19) fusion gene transcript CRTC1-MAML2 manifested in 9 intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinomas, whereas is was not detected in another 9 intraosseous carcinomas. Although the incidence of this fusion in mucoepidermoid carcinoma varies, it is generally accepted that more than 50% of this entity manifest the CRTC1-MAML2. Conclusion Intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma diagnosis should be based on clinical and pathologic manifestations and complete resection is the first choice for patient treatment. The need for neck dissection and adjuvant treatment are debatable. Radiotherapy may improve prognosis and may be recommended in the postoperative period. Primary intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma can manifest the fusion transcript in a subset of tumors. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015
The perturbation energy: A missing key to understand the "nobleness" of bulk gold.

The nobleness of gold surfaces has been appreciated since long before the beginning of recorded history. Yet, the origin of this phenomenon remains open because the so far existing explanations either incorrectly imply that silver should be the noblest metal or would fail to predict the dissolution of Au in aqua regia. Here, based on our analyses of oxygen adsorption, we advance that bulk gold’s unique resistance to oxidation is traced to the large energy cost associated with the perturbation its surfaces undergo upon adsorption of highly electronegative species. This fact is related to the almost totally filled d-band of Au and relativistic effects, but does not imply that the strength of the adsorbate-Au bond is weak. The magnitude of the structural and charge-density perturbation energy upon adsorption of atomic oxygen—which is largest for Au—is assessed from first-principles calculations and confirmed via a multiple regression analysis of the binding energy of oxygen on metal surfaces.
Removing spatial outliers in PS applications

In this paper we study the problem of sensor data verification in Participatory Sensing (PS) systems using an air quality/pollution monitoring application as a validation example. Data verification, in the context of PS, consists of the process of removing spatial outliers to properly reconstruct the variables of interest. We propose a hybrid neighborhood-aware algorithm for outlier detection that considers the uneven spatial density of the users, the number of malicious users, the level of conspiracy, and the lack of accuracy and malfunctioning sensors. The algorithm utilizes the Delaunay triangulation and Gaussian Mixture Models to build neighborhoods based on the spatial and non-spatial attributes of each location. Our experimental results show that our hybrid algorithm performs as good as the best estimator while considerably reducing the execution time.
Vitrification as an approach to cryopreservation.

Recent developments have opened the possibilty that the problems of freezing and thawing organs might eventually be overcome by an alternative approach to organ cryopreservation, namely, vitrification. Here we will review some of the principles of vitrification, describe the current state of the art, consider how a practical vitrification scheme might work, and conclude by noting how the principles of vitrification relate to and illuminate the principles and practices of freezing.
Metrics and Epilepsy & Behavior

Metricsmatter, especially as a way to track the progress of a journal in pursuing its objectives. The 15th anniversary of Epilepsy & Behavior is an opportune time to look at some of these metrics over the years, examine current journal performance, and make a few points that include the following: 1) E&B as a growing source for publication in the field as reflected in the number of submissions per year, 2) the international nature of E&B reflected in the countries of origin of published papers, 3) E&B's impact factor (IF), and 4) utilization and readership trends as reflected by the number of downloads of E&B articles over the years.
The gray scale appearance of the normal pregnancy from 4 to 16 weeks of gestation.

Since the advent of gray scale, more detail is available on sonograms and the products of conception are more readily seen. The gestational sac can be seen at about the fifth week of gestation and the fetal parts can be recognized around the seventh week of gestation. The gestational sac, fetal parts, and the placenta can be foollowed all the way through pregnancy without any “blind periods”. In the first three months of pregnancy, gestational age can be determined by measuring the size of the gestational sac in centimeters and adding 2 to that number. From then on the head and chest measurements can be used for a more accurate determination of gestational age.
The prevalence of calcified carotid atheromas on the panoramic radiographs of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

Abstract Objective Individuals with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) often die from heart failure without a transplant. Of those who do receive a transplant, a significant number suffer a perioperative stroke, although the cause is often in doubt. Our study attempts to determine whether the prevalence of calcified carotid artery atheromas, a known cause of stroke, is greater on the panoramic radiographs of individuals with DCM than it is among controls. Study design Twenty-seven persons [mean age 62.3 years] enrolled in the UCLA Cardiac Transplantation Program were provided a panoramic radiograph. An age-matched, atherogenic risk-matched cohort of 54 patients free of DCM served as controls. The radiographs of patients in each group were examined for the presence of calcified carotid atheromas. Results Nine of the 27 patients with DCM had calcified atheromas, whereas only 2 of the 54 patients in the control group had such lesions. This difference was statistically significant ( P Conclusions Panoramic radiographs may be helpful in identifying some DCM patients with occult carotid artery atherosclerosis who may be at risk for a subsequent stroke.
The Three Rs of Transcription: Recruit, Retain, and Recycle

The dynamic protein interactions required for transcription are functionally important yet poorly understood; in this issue of Molecular Cell, Zobeck et al. (2010) resolve the sequential recruitment and selective recycling of transcription factors at an actively transcribing locus in Drosophila.
Localized climatic responses during the 11 July 1991 eclipse: Phoenix AZ

Measurements taken from a variety of land use environments in and around the Phoenix AZ metropolitan area were compared to determine the effects of various land use characteristics on the thermal response to a reduction of 68% in solar radiation during the solar eclipse of 11 July 1991. The results include: (a) The magnitude of the change in ambient air temperature during the eclipse is related to land use. Heavily asphalted military sites and irrigated golf courses recorded small decreases in temperature while natural desert terrain experienced the largest decreases. Variations in thermal response are more closely related to the albedo of the specific land type than to other factors such as thermal admittance but this high correlation is probably an artifact of the combination of other variables such as moisture. (b) Due to the complex mix of land uses and timing of eclipse, marked wind speed changes associated with the eclipse do not appear to be linked directly to land use changes, and, (c) Temperature minima at residential/commercial stations occurred in general, before the minima at stations in agricultural/golf terrains. Because typical albedo differences are not significant between these two land uses, land use characteristics other than albedo are most likely controlling the timing of the temperature minima. Opportunities to empirically examine concepts previously testable only through numerical modeling such as solar reduction experiments should continue to be exploited.
Reconstruction of the (110) surface of III–V semiconductor compounds☆

Abstract We have used ab initio quantum chemical methods to determine the structure of the clean (110) surface of the nine III–V compounds with III = B, Al or Ga, and V = N, P or As. The theoretical results for small clusters give geometries in good agreement with the experimental geometry for GaAs (the only case for which an experimental structure is available), supporting the use of such clusters in studying the reconstruction of the other systems. We find in all cases that the reconstruction of these (110) surfaces is determined by local valence hybridization forces on the surface atoms. To show the effects of these valence forces we have also carried out extensive calculations on the trihydrides of the above-mentioned elements, for which we have calculated bond distances, bond angles, and the variation of the total energy with bond angle, leading to inversion barriers for the trihydrides of column V elements.
Body Size and Breast Cancer Risk in Black Women and White Women The Carolina Breast Cancer Study

The relation between body size and breast cancer risk was investigated in a population-based, case-control study of Black women (350 cases, 353 controls) and White women (523 cases, 471 controls) from North Carolina, aged 20-74 years in 1993-1996. Logistic regression analyses compared tertiles of each body size variable, adjusting for age and breast cancer risk factors (results shown for highest relative to lowest tertile). Among premenopausal women, body mass index (kg/m 2 ) was inversely associated with breast cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 0.46, 95% confidence interval (Cl): 0.26, 0.80) for Whites but not for Blacks. There was essentially no association among postmenopausal women. Higher waist/hip ratio, adjusted for body mass index, increased risk for all women. Odds ratios for Black and White premenopausal women were 2.50 (95% Cl: 1.10, 5.67) and 2.44 (95% Cl: 1.17, 5.09), respectively; odds ratios for Black and White postmenopausal women were 1.62 (95% Cl: 0.70, 3.79) and 1.64 (95% Cl: 0.88, 3.07), respectively. Findings for body mass index differed among Black women when stratified by age (<50 years) (OR = 0.50, 95% Cl: 0.25, 1.01) instead of menopausal status. Thus, the associations of breast cancer with body mass index and waist/hip ratio among Black women are similar to those documented for Whites, despite different body size profiles on average.
Perceived Control and Learned Helplessness among Mentally Retarded and Nonretarded Children: A Developmental Analysis.

Learned helplessness is produced by successive failures and by feedback attributing failure to uncontrollable causes. Retarded children appear to encounter both causal factors frequently and may thus be susceptible to helplessness. To test this possibility, children of low, average, and high IQ at three mental age levels were administered a response-initiation measure, a puzzle-repetition measure of perseverance after failure, and a questionnaire designed to gauge attributions for failure. Teachers also rated the children on a helplessness scale. Helplessness, as measured by the two questionnaires, declined with MA. On the three helplessness measures derived from the children themselves, there was an IQ x MA interaction: The low-IQ group showed more helplessness relative to nonretarded children at the upper MA level than to nonretarded children at the two lower levels. The results, although qualified in some respects, are consistent with the view that helplessness can be learned over time by children who repeatedly fail to effect the outcomes that they desire and who learn to attribute failure to factors beyond their control. Learned helplessness is the perception that one cannot control the outcomes that he or she experiences. This perception constitutes a general conceptual definition of learned helplessness; however, empirical research has linked helplessness to observable cognitive and behavioral effects, a number of which have come to be used by at least some investigators as operational definitions of the construct. These effects include (a) attributions of failure to stable, uncontrollable factors (Abramson, Seligman, & Teasdale, 1978; Diener & Dweck, 1978;
A Simultaneous Search Problem

We introduce a new search problem motivated by computational metrology. The problem is as follows: we would like to locate two unknown numbers x,y ∈ [0,1] with as little uncertainty as possible, using some given number k of probes. Each probe is specified by a real number r∈ [0,1] . After a probe at r , we are told whether x≤ r or x \geq r , and whether y≤ r or y\geq r . We derive the optimal strategy and prove that the asymptotic behavior of the total uncertainty after k probes is 13/7 2 -(k+1)/2 for odd k and 13/10 2 -k/2 for even k .
Rhetoric Retold: Regendering the Tradition from Antiquity Through the Renaissance by Cheryl Glenn

(1999). Rhetoric Retold: Regendering the Tradition from Antiquity Through the Renaissance by Cheryl Glenn. Women's Studies in Communication: Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 241-245.
Observation of a Bathymetrically Trapped Current Ring

Abstract Examination of hydrographic data obtained over a large submarine canyon revealed a cell with a core of high salinity water nestled in the outer (deeper) reaches of the canyon. Bemuse of the T-S distribution within the cell and the current that parallels the continental slope adjacent to the canyon, we suggest that the cell is similar to the current rings which have been observed elsewhere.
Stimulation and inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by distinct 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors.

Abstract 5-Hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) stimulates basal adenylyl cyclase activity in membranes from guinea pig or rat hippocampi, but 5-HT inhibits forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in these same membranes. The opposing effects of 5-HT on adenylyl cyclase activity indicate that distinct 5-HT receptors, positively and negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase, are present in these membranes. Stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity is mediated by two distinct 5-HT receptors. The receptor with lower affinity for 5-HT, designated as R l , is apparently homologous with a 5-HT receptor present in rat collicular membranes, but it is not homologous with the stimulatory receptor characterized in neuroblastoma hybrid cell (NCB-20) membranes. The receptor with higher affinity for 5-HT is homologous with the 5-HT 1A binding site. The magnitude of stimulation by 5-HT 1A receptors is variable with respect to stimulation by R l and is sometimes completely absent. Inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity, in membranes from either rat or guinea pig hippocampus or rat cortex, is a functional correlate of the 5-HT 1A binding site. This inhibitory response was used to determine the pharmacological characteristics of drugs that reportedly have high affinity for 5-HT 1A binding sites, such as 1-[2-(4-aminophenyl)ethyl]-4-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazine (PAPP) and (−)pindolol. PAPP inhibited adenylyl cyclase activity in guinea pig hippocampal membranes with an ec 50 value of 27 ± 3 nM. (−)Pindolol was a partial agonist in inhibiting adenylyl cyclase activity in guinea pig and rat hippocampal membranes. Because of the low intrinsic activity of (−)pindolol, it was tested as an antagonist of the inhibition produced by 5-HT 1A receptor agonists in rat hippocampal membranes. The K b of (−)pindolol was 40 nM as measured by a Schild plot. (−)Propranolol was a simple competitive antagonist at the rat hippocampal receptor with a K b value of 550 nM. In summary, guinea pig and rat hippocampal membranes possess two distinct populations of 5-HT receptors, a 5-HT receptor that mediates inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity and is pharmacologically homologous with the 5-HT 1A binding site, and a stimulatory receptor that appears to be homologous with the 5-HT receptor first characterized in infant rat collicular membranes.
Progesterone involvement in breast development and tumorigenesis: as revealed by progesterone receptor knockout and knockin mouse models

In light of recent clinical trials, the debate concerning the risks and benefits of progestin-based postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has reached a renewed level of urgency. Irrespective of the position taken, the consensus is that more basic research needs to be performed to address progesterone's fundamental role in mammary development and tumorigenesis. Towards this end, the progesterone receptor knockout (PRKO) mouse demonstrated that progesterone is essential for pregnancy-associated mammary gland ductal side-branching and alveologenesis and that these morphological changes are dependent on progesterone-induced mammary epithelial proliferation. Importantly, the PRKO mouse showed that the progesterone-proliferative signal significantly contributes to mammary tumor susceptibility in an established mammary tumor model. Insight into the cellular mechanism(s) by which progesterone affects mammary morphogenesis has been disclosed by a new PR-LacZ knockin mouse, which revealed that PR's spatial expression pattern undergoes precise choreographed distributional changes that precede key stages in postnatal mammary development. In the case of early pregnancy, the segregation of cells undergoing progesterone-induced proliferation from those that express PR implicates a paracrine mode of action for progesterone-induced mammary epithelial proliferation, whereas the preparturient decline of PR expression underscores the need to remove this signal for full functional differentiation of this tissue. Our findings support the proposal that the mammary gland's normal response to the progesterone-signal is dependent upon specific spatial organizational patterns of PR expression and that derailment in these cellular processes may contribute to abnormal mammary development, including cancer. This review concludes by emphasizing the need to identify the downstream molecular targets that mediate progesterone's effects in this tissue. Identification of such targets will not only enhance our mechanistic understanding of progesterone's role in mammary development and cancer, but may also facilitate the formulation of new design strategies in breast cancer diagnosis and/or treatment.
Effect of the strain-rate sensitivity of the flow stress on the stretch formability of sheet metals

Abstract An expression is derived relating the limiting strain in stretch forming to the material parameters strain-hardening exponent n = dlnδ/dlnϵ and strain-rate sensitivity exponent m = ϱlnδ/ϱln ϵ dot . Limiting strains measured in uniaxial tension and in a modified Olson cup test for various metals are in reasonable accord with the derived expression and correlate with the cup height at failure. The reason for the better stretch formability of steel compared to aluminum for the same value of n can be explained in terms of this expression. Further, the results suggest that the formability of a metal may be estimated from a uniaxial-tension test of a gridded specimen.
A new host record forTachinaephagus zealandicus [Hym.: Encyrtidae]

Tachinaephagus zealandicus Ashmead was reared from puparia ofProtocalliphora n. sp. [Dip.], representing a new host record for this parasitoid. The habitat ofProtocalliphora is qualitatively different than those of all previously recorded hosts for this parasitoid.T. zealandicus has been imported from Australia and New Zealand and this record strengthens the belief that it has become established in California.
Marital quality and congruent drinking.

Objective: This research considered whether changes in marital quality over the early years of marriage were related to patterns of alcohol use among three groups of couples: congruent nondrinkers, congruent drinkers who usually drank with their spouses and congruent drinkers who usually drank apart from their spouses. Method: Newlywed couples (N = 418) were assessed for marital satisfaction and drinking behaviors and then were reassessed at their first and second anniversaries. Cross-sectional analyses compared couples at each assessment and multilevel modeling assessed changes in marital satisfaction over time. Results: At each assessment, husbands and wives who usually drank with their partners reported greater levels of marital satisfaction. Over time, marital satisfaction declined for both husbands and wives. When we assessed changes in marital quality based on the three groups, husbands in each group experienced similar declines in marital quality. Among wives, however, the rate of decline was not t...
Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity: the effect of pigmentation and inhibitory agents

Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (cisplatin), a divalent platinum compound and potent cell-cycle nonspecific chemotherapeutic agent, produces a dose-limiting, permanent, high-frequency sensori-neural hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy, and a dose-related cumulative renal insufficiency with tubular necrosis and interstitial nephritis. The potential for dose-limiting and permanent cochlear (neuro) toxicity remains despite present methods of hypertonic saline, prehydration, and mannitol diuresis prior to drug administration. The exact mechanism(s) of ototoxicity and/or nephrotoxicity are still unknown. Continued aggressive high-dose cisplatin chemotherapy necessitates the investigation of ways to decrease the dose-limiting side effects that inhibit the administration of cisplatin at therapeutic and tumoricidal doses. This multifaceted project investigates two categories of potential inhibitors of cisplatin toxicity that, when coadministered with a known tumoricidal and ototoxic dose of cisplatin, will decrease or inhibit the ototoxicity: 1. phosphonic acid antibiotics (fosfomycin; 1,2 epoxypropylphosphonic acid); 2. nonglucocorticoid 21-aminosteroids, which are free oxygen radical scavengers (LAZAROIDS: U74006F and U78517F). This project also investigates the role of pigmentation as a variable affecting the evaluation of platinum-induced ototoxicity in the guinea pig animal model. Identification of an optimal animal model for future cisplatin toxicity research should be based on previously established species-specific differences in total drug dose, systemic toxicity, and morphological and functional evidence of cochlear toxicity, as affected by differences in pigmentation and drug tolerance. Cytocochleography, brainstem auditory evoked response (BSER), scanning and transmission electron microscopy of organ of Corti and the stria vascularis, double-blind light microscopy of renal, small intestine, and peripheral nerve tissue, and gamma-emission analysis of 195Mplatinum localization in inner ear neuroepithelium and the stria vascularis are used in the global evaluation of the ototoxic effects of cisplatin in both the adult albino and pigmented guinea pig.
Utilizing map pattern classification and surface weather typing to relate climate to the Air Quality Index in Cleveland, Ohio

Abstract Employing both map pattern classification and weather typing, this study examines the role of climate in impacting air quality in Cleveland, Ohio from 1998 to 2007. This research creates a large-scale map pattern-classification of 500 mb geopotential heights that characterizes the broad scale flow of the atmosphere and the Spatial Synoptic Classification (SSC), which typifies the weather situation at the surface, where pollutants ultimately interact with the population. Surface weather types are found to have a greater impact on the Air Quality Index (AQI) than typical circulation patterns. Warm (cool) weather types and circulation patterns with a ridge (trough) consistently relate to poor (better) air quality in Cleveland. When weather types and circulation patterns are considered in tandem, these relationships are reinforced. Circulation patterns appear to have considerable influence on air quality in conjunction with moderate surface weather types, with impacts differing by the primary pollutant considered. Spike days of high AQIs (days with an AQI of at least 100) show similar results.
Applying Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) Criteria to Predict Oral Absorption of Drugs in Dogs: Challenges and Pitfalls

The Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) has been a prognostic tool for assessing the potential effects of formulation on the human drug oral bioavailability. When used in conjunction with in vitro dissolution tests, the BCS can support the prediction of in vivo product performance and the development of mechanistic models that support formulation assessments through the generation of “what if” scenarios. To date, the applicability of existing human BCS criteria has not been evaluated in dogs, thereby limiting its use in canine drug development. Therefore, we examined 50 drugs for which absolute bioavailability (F) was available both in dogs and humans. The drugs were also evaluated for any potential association between solubility (calculated from the dose number, Do) or lipophilicity (LogP) and F in dogs. In humans, solubility is determined in 250 mL of fluid. However, the appropriate volume for classifying drug solubility in dogs has not been established. In this analysis, the estimated volume of a water flush administered to fasted dogs (6 mL) and a volume of 250 mL scaled to a Beagle dog (35 mL) were examined. In addition, in humans, a Do value greater than 1.0 is used to define a compound as highly soluble and a LogP value greater than 1.72 as high permeability. These same criteria were applied for defining highly soluble and highly permeable in dogs. Whether using 35 or 6 mL to determine Do, the canine solubility classification remained unchanged for all but seven compounds. There were no clear associations between a drug’s F in dogs and humans or between the canine value of F and either its human BCS classification, its LogP value, or the canine Do estimate. There was a tendency for those drugs with canine values of F equal to or greater than 80% to have LogP values equal to or greater than 1.0. Exceptions to this observation tended to be those compounds known to be absorbed via mechanisms other than passive diffusion (e.g., via transporters or paracellular transporters). Although there are limitations to the approach used in this study, the results of our assessment strongly suggest that the human BCS classification system requires substantial modification before it can be reliably applied to dogs.
The Role of the Tracheae and Musculature during Pathfinding of Drosophila Embryonic Sensory Axons

Developing sensory axons were studied in Drosophila embryos which carried a mutation in the trachealess and/or the twist gene. In these embryos, the tracheae and/or somatic muscles, which represent part of the substrate on which sensory axons normally grow, are absent. The results demonstrate that in each of these three mutant backgrounds, the majority of sensory nerves form normally. This indicates that neither the tracheae nor the somatic musculature is absolutely required for pathfinding of the embryonic sensory axons. On the other hand, the incidence of misrouted axons is significantly increased, most strongly in the trh, twi double mutant. Furthermore, axonal elongation is considerably slowed down, and sensory neurons which fail to send out an axon are frequent. We take our results to indicate that peripheral axons in the Drosophila embryo may be guided by multiple cues which, acting together, ensure the high fidelity of axonal pathways observed in normal development. The removal of one of these cues by itself does not necessarily lead to the total disability of axons to reach their target, although it enhances the frequency of error in pathfinding.
Shear-transformation-zone theory of deformation in metallic glasses

Abstract The shear-transformation-zone (STZ) theory of plasticity in amorphous solids, when extended to include two-state dynamics of the zones and an effective disorder temperature, provides an accurate account of large-scale deformation in metallic glasses. Some of the main features of this theory are summarized and its use is illustrated in a simulation that shows nascent shear bands.
Electron transfer in collisions between dipole-bound anions and attaching targets

Abstract Electron transfer in collisions between dipole-bound CH 3 CN − and C 2 H 3 CN − negative ions and the attaching targets SF 6 and CCl 4 is examined using a Penning ion trap. The data suggest that although it is reasonable to picture the initial electron capture in terms of a free-electron model, the reaction rate constants are somewhat smaller than indicated by this simple model. This results because the negative ions are rather compact and the reaction rate is limited by their geometrical size, i.e., by the ‘hard-sphere’ collision cross-section.
Metrifonate treatment of the cognitive deficits of Alzheimer's disease

The efficacy and safety of metrifonate, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, was evaluated clinically in patients diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer9s disease (AD). This was a prospective, 30-week, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel group, dose-finding study, which included a 2-week screening period, a 12-week treatment period, and follow-up visits at 8 and 16 weeks post-treatment. Patients received placebo or metrifonate once daily. Metrifonate-treated patients received a loading dose of 0.5 mg/kg(25 to 45 mg), 0.9 mg/kg (45 to 80 mg), or 2.0 mg/kg (100 to 180 mg) for 2 weeks, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.2 mg/kg (10 to 20 mg), 0.3 mg/kg(15 to 25 mg), or 0.65 mg/kg (30 to 60 mg) for 10 weeks. Four hundred eighty patients were enrolled. Percentages of patients completing double-blind treatment were 96% in the placebo group and 89 to 94% in the metrifonate group. Metrifonate significantly improved cognitive ability, as assessed by the Alzheimer9s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), and enhanced global function, as assessed the Clinicians9s Interview-Based Impression of Change with Caregiver Input (CIBIC-Plus). At 3 months, in the intent-to-treat patients, the treatment difference for the change in ADAS-Cog score in favor of metrifonate was 2.94 points (95% CI, 1.61 to 4.27; p = 0.0001). These patients also exhibited a 0.35-point improvement on the CIBIC-Plus relative to the placebo patients (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.54; p = 0.0007). Patients receiving lower drug doses had scores intermediate to those of the placebo and the 0.65 mg/kg metrifonate groups on both performance scales. The drug was well tolerated; side effects were predominantly gastrointestinal in nature, and no hepatic toxicity was observed. Therefore, in this study, metrifonate safely improved the cognitive deficits and benefited the global function of AD patients.
An analytical study of relay neuron's reliability: Dependence on input and model parameters

Relay neurons are widely found in our nervous system, including the Thalamus, spinal cord and lateral geniculate body. They receive a modulating input (background activity) and a reference input. The modulating input modulates relay of the reference input. This modulation is critical for correct functioning of relay neurons, but is poorly understood. In this paper, we use a biophysical-based model and systems theoretic tools to calculate how well a single relay neuron relays a reference input signal as a function of the neuron's electro physiological properties (i.e. model parameters), the modulating signal, and the reference signal parameters. Our analysis is more rigorous than previous related works and is generalizable to all relay cells in the body. Our analytical expression matches relay performance obtained in simulation and suggest that increasing the frequency of a sinusoidal modulating input or decreasing its DC offset increases the relay cell reliability.
Binding of iron and inhibition of iron-dependent oxidative cell injury by the 'calcium chelator' 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA)

Abstract Abstract. A role for increases in intracellular calcium (Ca 2+ ) has been suggested in the pathophysiology of various forms of oxidant-mediated cell injury. In recent studies, we found that iron bound to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa siderophore, pyochelin, augments oxidant-mediated endothelial cell injury by catalyzing the formation of hydroxyl radical (HO • ). To investigate the role of Ca 2+ in this process, the effects of two Ca 2+ chelating agents, Fura-2 and 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane N , N , N ′, N ′-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA), were assessed. BAPTA, but not Fura-2, was protective against H 2 O 2 /ferripyochelin-mediated injury. Subsequent data suggested that chelation of iron rather than Ca 2+ by BAPTA was most likely responsible. Spectrophotometry demonstrated that both ferrous (Fe 2+ ) and ferric (Fe 3+ ) iron formed a complex with BAPTA. The affinity of BAPTA for the metals was Fe 3+ > Ca 2+ > Fe 2+ . BAPTA was found to decrease markedly iron-catalyzed production of HO • and/or ferryl species when analyzed by spin trapping. Although our results do not definitively prove that BAPTA protects endothelial cells from ferripyochelin-associated damage by chelating iron, these data indicate that caution must be exercised in utilizing protective effects of intracellular “Ca 2+ chelating agents” as evidence for a role of alterations in cellular Ca 2+ levels in experimental conditions in which iron-mediated oxidant production is also occurring.
Maturational changes in ovine pulmonary metabolism of platelet-activating factor: implications for postnatal adaptation.

Abstract We recently reported that PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-Ah) mRNA level and PAF-Ah activity in lamb lungs are up-regulated in the immediate newborn period, thereby facilitating the fall in postnatal PAF levels as well as a fall in pulmonary vascular resistance (B. O. Ibe, F. C. Sardar, and J. U. Raj, Mol Genet Metab 69:46–55, 2000). We have studied hypoxia effects on PAF synthesis and PAF-Ah activity in fetal lamb pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (FPASMC) and endothelial cells (FPAEC). We also studied PAF synthesis by platelets, and PAF-Ah activity in plasma of perinatal lambs at different ages. PAF synthesis (means ± SEM, pmol/10 6 cells) by SMC in baseline was 168 ± 27 and increased 3-fold on stimulation with A23187. Hypoxia augmented A23187-stimulated PAF synthesis by 30%. In FPAEC, baseline synthesis was 0.54 ± 0.062 and increased 3-fold to 1.72 ± .34. Hypoxia had no effect on PAF synthesis by EC. FPASMC produced over 300-fold more PAF than FPAEC. PAF synthesis by platelets was 47.02 ± 7.1, 63.4 ± 6.6, 71.5 ± 9.9, and 62.2 ± 5.2 for fetal, and newborn lambs in vivo so as to facilitate postnatal adaptation of the pulmonary and systemic circulations.