cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring skill-based career transitions for entry-level hospitality and tourism workers

Abstract This research note explores the prospect of cross-industry, skill-based career transitions for workers in entry-level hospitality and tourism positions. The note reports on the lack of hospitality and tourism literature currently discussing career transitions and uses the Occupational Information Network (ONet) database to develop SWAT (skill, work activity, ability, technology skill) profiles for two entry-level hospitality/tourism positions. The profiles are used to identify areas where skills overlap with different entry-level positions from other industries, such as information technology, business/finance, healthcare, and education. The findings reveal that (1) the number of hospitality and tourism research studies that critically consider career transitions and barriers are limited, (2) the skill profiles of entry-level hospitality and tourism positions overlap with different entry-level jobs from other industries, and (3) hospitality and tourism workers should enhance their technology skills to increase their employability. Lastly, theoretical and practical implications are provided.
Patterns of Recurrence After Adjuvant Vaginal Cuff Brachytherapy and Chemotherapy in Early-Stage Uterine Serous Carcinoma.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Adjuvant vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VB) and chemotherapy are commonly utilized in women with early-stage uterine serous carcinoma (USC). We sought to characterize predictors of survival endpoints and recurrence patterns in this rare population who received similar adjuvant treatments. MATERIALS/METHODS We queried our prospectively maintained database for patients with 2009 FIGO stages I-II USC who underwent adequate surgical staging at our institution and received adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel along with VB. We excluded women with synchronous malignancies. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate analyses (MVA) were performed to identify statistically significant predictors of survival endpoints. Variables with P < 0.1 on UVA were included in a MVA and any variable with P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS We identified 77 women who met our inclusion criteria who underwent surgical staging between 1991 and 2018. The median follow-up time was 36 months (range 6-125). The median age was 66 years. Of the cohort, 70% were FIGO stage IA, 17% were stage IB, and 13% were stage II. The median number of dissected lymph nodes was 22. There were 10 women (13%) diagnosed with a recurrence with a median time to recurrence of 12.0 months. The main site of initial recurrence was distant in seven patients (70%). For the entire cohort, 5-year OS, DSS, and RFS were 83% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.68-0.91), 92% (95% CI 0.78-0.97), and 83% (95% CI 0.71-0.91), respectively. The sole independent predictor of 5-year DSS was the presence of positive peritoneal cytology (Hazard Ratio 0.03, 95% CI 0.00-0.72, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION Although 5-year survival outcomes were promising in this cohort, this study suggests that the predominant pattern of relapse in early-stage USC treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and VB is distant, calling for the optimization of systemic therapy. Positive peritoneal cytology is an independent predictor of worse DSS. Multi-institutional pooled analyses are warranted to confirm our study results. AUTHOR DISCLOSURE A.E. Cook: None. A.I. Ghanem: None. M. Hijaz: None. C. Burmeister: None. M.A. Elshaikh: None.
Thermal Physics: Concepts and Practice

Thermodynamics has benefited from nearly 100 years of parallel development with quantum mechanics. As a result, thermal physics has been considerably enriched in concepts, technique and purpose, and now has a dominant role in the developments of physics, chemistry and biology. This unique book explores the meaning and application of these developments using quantum theory as the starting point. The book links thermal physics and quantum mechanics in a natural way. Concepts are combined with interesting examples, and entire chapters are dedicated to applying the principles to familiar, practical and unusual situations. Together with end-of-chapter exercises, this book gives advanced undergraduate and graduate students a modern perception and appreciation for this remarkable subject.
Designing Patient-Centered mHealth Technology Intervention to Reduce Hospital Readmission for Heart-Failure Patients

In the US, approximately 5.8 million people suffer from Congestive Heart Failure (CHF). It is the most frequent cause for hospital readmissions such that 21.2% of Medicare patients diagnosed with CHF were readmitted to hospital within 30 days of discharge. Tele-monitoring daily self-management regimens may reduce hospital readmission. My Heart is a telehealth system, which we have designed for CHF patients to bridge the current gap in the Congestive Heart Failure care continuum when the patient moves to the home environment. The system uses wireless health devices and a mobile application to collect patients' data, moreover, it sends messages to patients to encourage self-care as per Fogg's behavior model. On the clinician's end, we designed a rule-based expert system and a dashboard to process and display patients' vitals, symptoms, and health risk. My Heart is currently being used at Loma Linda University (LLU) Medical Center and we report here our initial findings.
Economic Assessment of Hazelnut Production and the Importance of Supply Management Approaches in Turkey

Turkey is the world’s leading producer accounting for about 70% of world hazelnut supply. Hazelnut production is the single most important economic activity (monoculture) and income resource of rural households in the Black Sea Region. Hazelnut sector is supporting since 1962. However, due to inappropriate policies a stock problem has arisen in the sector. The Government has intervened to over production problem with various regulatory measures since 1989. However, results of supply response model showed that legal regulations have not any significant effect on reducing over production. Annual rate of increase of hazelnut production was calculated as 4.48%. And long term supply elasticity was found as 0.09 by Nerlove Model. The inelastic supply restricts the interventions on market by support price mechanism. However, high support prices and purchase guarantee keep farmers in hazelnut farming and encourage them to expand their production area. Monoculture is the most destructive factor which reduces all supply management initiatives. Government is both trying to keep farmers income at a certain level by high support prices, and also trying to apply supply control measures. This situation leads an intervention dilemma and creates a vicious cycle in hazelnut sector. Due to importance of Turkey in World hazelnut trade, it is necessary to solve over production problem in order to stabilize domestic and world prices. This research showed that the most effective way to supply control is to differentiate hazelnut farmer’s income sources in order to encourage them to reduce their production area.
The promise of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: current evidence and future directions

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most disabling diseases worldwide and is becoming a significant public health threat. Current treatments for MDD primarily consist of monoamine-targeting agents and have limited efficacy. However, the glutamate neurotransmitter system has recently come into focus as a promising alternative for novel antidepressant treatments. We review the current data on the glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine, which has been shown in clinical trials to act as a rapid antidepressant in MDD. We also examine ketamine efficacy on dimensions of psychopathology, including anhedonia, cognition, and suicidality, consistent with the NIMH Research Domain Criteria initiative. Other aspects of ketamine reviewed in this paper include safety and efficacy, different administration methods, and the risks of misuse of ketamine outside of medical settings. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of glutamatergic agents other than ketamine currently being tested as novel antidepressants.
Diagonal recurrent neural network based control using adaptive learning rates

A method of choosing learning rates adaptively in controlling a dynamic system using diagonal recurrent neural networks is presented. The architecture of DRNN is a modified model of the fully connected recurrent neural network with one hidden layer. The hidden layer is comprised of self-recurrent neurons, each feeding its output only into itself and not to other neurons in the hidden layer. An unknown plant is identified by a diagonal recurrent neuroidentifier (DRNI), and provides the sensitivity information of the plant to a diagonal recurrent neurocontroller (DRNC). A dynamic backpropagation algorithm (DBP) is used to train both DRNC and DRNI. The DRNN captures the dynamic nature of a system, and, since it is not fully connected, training is much faster than for the case of a fully connected recurrent neural network. For faster learning, the use of an adaptive learning rate that guarantees convergence is developed. The proposed approach is applied to numerical problems. Simulation results are included. >
Finite-temperature coupled-cluster, many-body perturbation, and restricted and unrestricted Hartree–Fock study on one-dimensional solids: Luttinger liquids, Peierls transitions, and spin- and charge-density waves

One-dimensional (1D) solids exhibit a number of striking electronic structures including charge-density wave (CDW) and spin-density wave (SDW). Also, the Peierls theorem states that at zero temperature, a 1D system predicted by simple band theory to be a metal will spontaneously dimerize and open a finite fundamental bandgap, while at higher temperatures, it will assume the equidistant geometry with zero bandgap (a Peierls transition). We computationally study these unique electronic structures and transition in polyyne and all-trans polyacetylene using finite-temperature generalizations of ab initio spin-unrestricted Hartree–Fock (UHF) and spin-restricted coupled-cluster doubles (CCD) theories, extending upon previous work [He et al., J. Chem. Phys. 140, 024702 (2014)] that is based on spin-restricted Hartree–Fock (RHF) and second-order many-body perturbation (MP2) theories. Unlike RHF, UHF can predict SDW as well as CDW and metallic states, and unlike MP2, CCD does not diverge even if the underlying RHF reference wave function is metallic. UHF predicts a gapped SDW state with no dimerization at low temperatures, which gradually becomes metallic as the temperature is raised. CCD, meanwhile, confirms that electron correlation lowers the Peierls transition temperature. Furthermore, we show that the results from all theories for both polymers are subject to a unified interpretation in terms of the UHF solutions to the Hubbard–Peierls model using different values of the electron-electron interaction strength, U/t, in its Hamiltonian. The CCD wave function is shown to encompass the form of the exact solution of the Tomonaga–Luttinger model and is thus expected to describe accurately the electronic structure of Luttinger liquids.
Collective Detection and Direct Positioning Using Multiple GNSS Satellites

: This paper describes and demonstrates an assisted GPS technique, termed “Collective Detection,” for combining satellite correlograms to enable rapid acquisition and direct positioning. Correctly combining correlation values from multiple satellites reduces the required C/N0 such that satellite signals, which cannot be acquired individually, can contribute constructively to a position solution. The acquisition search is performed in a position/clock space that directly yields the navigation solution. Results from a hardware simulator and live experiments are presented. The simulations compare combinations of 11 satellites and four satellites at C/N0 levels of 40 and 20 dB-Hz. The outdoor experiments show horizontal position accuracies on the order of 50 m in open sky conditions and in a narrow courtyard environment using one millisecond of data. Collective detection and positioning is shown to be a promising approach for positioning in weak signal environments.
Ethical psychotherapy and psychotherapy as ethics: A response to Perrez

Critique du texte de Perrez: sa these refleterait une vue positiviste de la psychotherapie. Analyse de cette vision positiviste et discussion de ses differents aspects. La conception positiviste de la psychotherapie etant qu'activite instrumentale conduit a une distorsion importante de ces conceptions sur l'etre humain, qui est avant tout un agent moral autonome
Mobilyzer: An Open Platform for Controllable Mobile Network Measurements

Mobile Internet availability, performance and reliability have remained stubbornly opaque since the rise of cellular data access. Conducting network measurements can give us insight into user-perceived network conditions, but doing so requires careful consideration of device state and efficient use of scarce resources. Existing approaches address these concerns in ad-hoc ways. In this work we propose Mobilyzer, a platform for conducting mobile network measurement experiments in a principled manner. Our system is designed around three key principles: network measurements from mobile devices require tightly controlled access to the network interface to provide isolation; these measurements can be performed efficiently using a global view of available device resources and experiments; and distributing the platform as a library to existing apps provides the incentives and low barrier to adoption necessary for large-scale deployments. We describe our current design and implementation, and illustrate how it provides measurement isolation for applications, efficiently manages measurement experiments and enables a new class of experiments for the mobile environment.
Synthesis and Evaluation of New Dicarboxylic Acid Functional Trithiocarbonates: RAFT Synthesis of Telechelic Poly(n-butyl acrylate)s

We report herein the synthesis of three new diacid functional trithiocarbonates (TTCs) in which the substitution pattern about the TTC functionality is varied and compare their effectiveness alongside examples of previously reported trithiocarbonates as mediating agents in the RAFT polymerization of n-butyl acrylate. For direct comparative purposes we show that at an initial TTC concentration:initial AIBN concentration ([TTC]0:[AIBN]0) of 20 2-(2-carboxyethylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl)propionic acid (TTC5) and 2-(2-carboxyethylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl)-2-methylpropionic acid (TTC6) perform as well as 3-benzylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanylpropionic acid (TTC3) with respect to kinetics and molecular weight control. In contrast, 2-(1-carboxy-1-methylethylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl)-2-methylpropionic acid (TTC1)-mediated homopolymerization deviates from “ideal” behavior due, we speculate, to steric crowding of the central TTC core. Additionally, 3-(2-carboxyethylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl)propionic ac...
Analysis of diffusion in metals based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics

A general form of the first Fick law for diffusion in single-phase metallic alloys is obtained by the methods of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Because the vacancies are treated as an independent component, the reactions for the creation of vacancies are considered. The electrons are also treated as a component, and therefore an internally generated electric field appears in the generalized equation, in addition to the usual externally applied electric field. Similarly, two types of temperature gradient are considered; consequently, even in nominally “isothermal” diffusion a gradient in temperature may exist. The power of an analysis based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics is shown by the fact that the resulting equations have produced solutions to three previously unresolved problems.
Characterization of defects in n-type 4H-SiC after high-energy N ion implantation by RBS-channeling and Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Implantation with 1 MeV N ions was performed at room temperature in n-type 4H-SiC (0 0 0 1) at four implantation fluences (or doses in dpa (displacements per atom) at the damage peak) of 1.5 × 1013 (0.0034), 7.8 × 1013 (0.018), 1.5 × 1014 (0.034), and 7.8 × 1014 (0.178) ions/cm2, respectively. The evolution of disorder was studied using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in channeling mode (RBS-C), Raman spectroscopy, and optical transmission. The disorder in the Si sub-lattice was found to be less than 10% for the dpa of 0.0034 and 0.0178 and increased to 40% and 60% for the dpa of 0.034 and 0.178 respectively. The normalized Raman intensity In, shows disorder of 41%, 69%, 77% and 100% for the dpa of 0.0034, 0.0178, 0.034 and 0.178, respectively. In this paper, the characterization of the defects produced due to the nitrogen implantation in 4H-SiC are presented and the results are discussed.
A survey of physician use of treatment methods for functional enuresis

We report a survey of treatment methods used by primary care physicians in Worcester, Massachusetts in the treatment of functional enuresis. The results suggest a predominance in the use of psychobehavioral over pharmacologic treatment methods and are in contrast to previous studies. Ninety-one percent of physicians reported recommending the use of rewards to control enuresis. Eighty percent of physicians reported using the "bell-and-pad" conditioning method for treatment of functional nocturnal enuresis, contrasted with 5% of physicians reported in previous studies. Fifty-two percent of physicians reported using medication for treatment of functional nocturnal enuresis, despite substantial evidence of its dubious efficacy.
Gaming in the Game of Love: Effects of Video Games on Conflict in Couples.

The current study assessed how playing video games can influence conflict and aggression in relationships. A sample of 1,333 heterosexual couples reported their video game playing habits, conflict regarding the media, and physical and relational aggression (both self and partner directed). Results showed that for men (but not women), time spent playing video games was associated with increased conflict over the amount of time spent using media, as well as the content of those media. Conflict over the media, in turn, was associated with increased physical and relational aggression in the relationship. Thus, conflict over the media offers one explanation for why video game play may increase aggression in romantic relationships.
Seedling emergence and survival of Warea carteri (Brassicaceae), an endangered annual herb of the Florida Scrub

Seedling emergence and survival to flowering are critical processes in the life history of annual plants. We eval- uated the importance of year and habitat on seedling emergence and the effects of year, habitat, timing of seedling emer- gence, and seedling density on survival of Warea carteri Small, an annual mustard endemic to Florida scrub. We tagged 1329 seedlings in 78 permanent 0.25 m 2 quadrats in two habitats (scrub and disturbed) between 1999 and 2002 and fol- lowed seedlings monthly. Most (>80%) seedling emergence occurred between September and December. Emergence peaked 2 months earlier and was more variable in disturbed sites than in scrub. Seedling survival among years ranged from 3.5% to 12.0%. Seedling density varied from 1 to 75 per 0.25 m 2 quadrat, with an overall median of 6.0. Survival was not density dependent. Median age at flowering ranged from 11.7 to 15.2 months, with late season recruits most likely to sur- vive to flowering. Warea carteri recruits like a winter annual but flowers like a summer annual. Its delayed germination and a 12-15 month life span contribute to population cycling. Complete reproductive failure in unfavorable years, high seed pro- duction in favorable years, low rates of seed germination, and a persistent seed bank are consistent with predictions for an an- nual species in a variable habitat.
Modification by temperature of conduction and ganglionic transmission in the gastropod nervous system.

The pedal ganglia of the terrestrial gastropod Ariolimax contain junctions between nerve fibers which are shown to be preferential points of fatigue and which exhibit facilitation (summation) of preganglionic impulses to produce a postganglionic spike. These characteristics in conjunction with others previously reported (reversible susceptibility to nicotine, convergence of preganglionic impulses, and inhibition of transmission through setting up a refractory state in the postganglionic fiber) are considered sufficient to indicate synaptic transmission in the pedal ganglia. The mean conduction velocity of the fastest fibers in the pedal nerves is 0.52 meter per second for preganglionic and 0.50 meter per second for postganglionic fibers at 7.56°C. The conduction rates at 21.76°C. are respectively 0.80 meter per second and 0.83 meter per second. The mean ganglionic delay is 0.033 second at 7.56°C. and 0.019 second at 21.76°C. The mean Q10's for conduction velocity are thus 1.37 for preganglionic and 1.42 for postganglionic fibers. The mean Q10 for ganglionic delay is 1.49. If the assumption is made that the Q10 for ganglionic delay is that of a limiting reaction, this figure then represents a value below which the Q10 for synaptic delay is statistically improbable.
High-voltage galvanic stimulation on wound healing in guinea pigs: Longer-term effects

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of high-voltage stimulation (HVS) on wound tensile strength properties and wound closure (histology). Eighteen mature guinea pigs with full-thickness incisions were treated with HVS for 45 minutes daily for 2 weeks; 9 animals were studied after the 14 days of treatment and the remaining 9 were studied 2 weeks later. Five animals (10 wounds) served as controls at each time period. After 2 or 4 weeks, treated and untreated skin was harvested, tested to failure, and prepared for histological examination. Two-week—treated and control wounds had comparable values for peak force to failure, elongation, and energy absorbed to failure. Epithelialization was more advanced in treated animals at 14 days ( p p = .068) toward stronger wounds in 4-week—treated animals (maximum load to failure), but no differences were observed between controls and treated groups for elongation or energy absorbed to failure. Dermal healing appeared to be more advanced in treated animals at 30 days. Although peak force to failure was almost 500g higher for treated guinea pigs after 2 weeks of treatment and more than 700g higher than controls after 4 weeks, mean data were highly variable, so the hypothesis that HVS augments wound strength could not be accepted. It is difficult, however, not to assign clinical significance to the findings.
Tumor Cell Invasion of Basement Membrane in Vitro is Regulated by Amino Acids

Because most cancer deaths result from disseminated disease, understanding the regulation of tumor invasion and metastasis is a central theme in tumor cell biology. Interactions between extracellular matrices (ECM) and cellular microenvironment play a crucial role in this process. We have tested selected amino acids and polyamines for their ability to regulate RL95-2 cell invasion through both intact human amniotic basement membrane and a novel human ECM (Amgel). Three major systems for neutral amino acid transport, systems L, A, and ASC, are operational in these neoplastic cells. Amino acids entering the cell via transport system A or N, i.e., (methyl amino)-isobutyrate (MeAIB) or Asn, markedly enhanced invasiveness of these human adenocarcinoma cells as measured by a standard 72-hr amnion or Amgel invasion assay. Addition of 2-amino-2-norborane carboxylic acid (BCH; 1 mM), a model substrate of the L transport system, caused a significant decrease in invasive activity when tested in the Amgel assay. Interestingly, Val lowers steady-state levels of MeAIB uptake and blocks the increase in cell invasion elicited by MeAIB. At the same time, these amino acids do not influence cell proliferation activity. Neither the charged amino acid Lys or Asp (not transported by A/N/L systems) nor the polyamines putrescine, spermidine, or spermine modulate invasiveness under similar experimental conditions. Moreover, the observed time-dependent stimulation of system A activity (cellular influx of MeAIB) by substrate depletion is prevented by the addition of actinomycin D (5 microM) or cycloheximide (100 microM), suggesting the involvement of de novo RNA and protein synthesis events in these processes. MeAIB treatment of tumor cells selectively increased the activities of key invasion-associated type IV collagenases/gelatinases. These results indicate that in the absence of defined regulators (growth factors or hormones), certain amino acids may contribute to the epigenetic control of human tumor cell invasion and, by extension, metastasis. We propose that amino acids, acting via specific signaling pathways, modulate phenotypic cell behavior by modulating the levels of key regulatory enzymatic proteins.
Effects of Herbicide on the Invasive Biennial Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) and Initial Responses of Native Plants in a Southwestern Ohio Forest

Restoration often includes control of invasive plants, but little is known about how native plant communities respond to this control. The biennial Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara and Grande (garlic mustard) is one of the most prevalent invasive plants in forests of eastern North America. We investigated the effects of the herbicide Round-up (glyphosate) on Alliaria and the response of the forest floor plant community to the herbicide and the subsequent decline of Alliaria .I n an old-growth Acer–Fagus stand and a second-growth Liriodendron-dominated stand in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve, Ohio, United States, we spot applied Round-up in November 2000 and 2001 in 25 1 · 1–m plots and maintained 25 control plots. Herbicide decreased Alliaria density in both stands and reduced the density of other species in leaf during treatment (mostly exotic winter annuals) in the old-growth stand. Treatment did not affect the initial density of the Alliaria cohort that germinated in the spring of 2001, but decreased the 2002 cohort. Community differences were found in the old-growth stand after Alliaria reduction, specifically greater cover of spring ephemerals in the herbicide treatment. In the second-growth stand, herbicide treatment increased reproduction of the late-summer perennial, Phryma leptostachya. These results indicate that glyphosate reduces Alliaria without negatively impacting native species and that some native species respond positively to a single-year reduction in this invasive biennial.
Active Optical Isolator Using Adiabatic Wavelength Conversion in Microcavities

We present an integrated optical isolator based on adiabatic wavelength conversion in microcavities. The isolator uses a time-division sampling method to ensure complete isolation of optical pulses with an extinction of 24 dB.
Effects of Zeolite Structures, Exchanged Cations, and Bimetallic Formulations on the Selective Hydrogenation of Acetylene Over Zeolite-Supported Catalysts

Supported PdAg bimetallic catalysts were evaluated for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene in the presence of ethylene. The effects of different zeolite structures and cations were investigated using flow reactor studies, with K+-β-zeolite supported PdAg showing the lowest activity but highest selectivity comparing to the γ-Al2O3 support and other alkaline metal exchanged β-zeolite supports. The K+ promoter effect on γ-Al2O3 was also tested, which showed that adding K+ to γ-Al2O3 increased activity and selectivity. Bimetallic catalysts consisting of Pd and a Group IB metal were also compared. It was found that the PdAg bimetallic catalyst had similar activity but better selectivity comparing to PdCu, while the PdAu catalyst showed the highest activity but lowest selectivity.
A 1 ppm/°C bandgap voltage reference with new second-order Taylor curvature compensation

The industry's most accurate 2.5V bandgap voltage reference is presented with true 16-bit performance: 1 ppm/C temperature coefficient, 100 µV initial accuracy, 1 µV/V line regulation and 15 µV/mA load regulation. This unique accuracy has been achieved by controlling every important parameter with a dedicated feedback loop, using unconditionally stable single-stage amplifiers. A two-temperature trimming procedure, used on packaged parts at the final test, allows to set the reference value at normal temperature and to remove the first-order temperature drift without the need to store a package ID number. Vbe curvature compensation is implemented with a new, enhanced second-order Taylor approximation. The combination of the mentioned techniques results in a unique implementation of a bandgap reference suitable for any system-on-chip design because it is small in chip area, easily manufacturable, and easy to use, and at the same time shows best in class accuracy.
Lessons from yeast for clathrin-mediated endocytosis

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is the major pathway for internalization of membrane proteins from the cell surface. Half a century of studies have uncovered tremendous insights into how a clathrin-coated vesicle is formed. More recently, the advent of live-cell imaging has provided a dynamic view of this process. As CME is highly conserved from yeast to humans, budding yeast provides an evolutionary template for this process and has been a valuable system for dissecting the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this review we trace the formation of a clathrin-coated vesicle from initiation to uncoating, focusing on key findings from the yeast system.
Drug absorption in gastrointestinal disease and surgery. Clinical pharmacokinetic and therapeutic implications.

Drug absorption from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the impact of GI surgery and disease on drug absorption are discussed. Recommendations are made to manage problems of drug malabsorption. Absorption from the GI tract is a first-order process described by its rate and extent.
A combination optical method of lateral shearing interferometry and caustics

A novel experimental technique is presented that combines the optical method of caustics and the full-field lateral shearing interferometer of coherent gradient sensing (CGS) in one setup. Collimated light transmitted through a deformed specimen is separated into two legs. One is processed by the lateral shearing interferometer and is recombined with the other on a single image plane. By adjusting the optical path length of each leg, a combination lateral shearing interferogram/caustic image is generated. When this technique is applied to a fracture specimen, information about the stress intensity factor can be obtained from the caustic and the CGS interference fringes for exactly the same deformation field. This allows for a direct comparison between the two methods when investigating phenomena such asK-dominance, three-dimensional deformation and so on. In this paper, the technique is presented in detail, and its feasibility is tested by application to mode I and mixed-mode crack tip deformation fields.
High nuclearity metal clusters: Miniature bulk of unusual structures and properties?

Recent developments in cluster synthesis have produced many high nuclearity metal clusters of discretesize andshape approaching that of small particles. Some of these clusters have metal arrangements resemblingfragments of metallic lattices and thus may be considered as aminiature bulk. Some are related to the quasicrystalline phase. Yet others have little or no structural features in common with that of the bulk. These metal clusters of definitivesize andshape provide an opportunity for the study of the evolution of band structure fromatomic tomolecular to thebulk. The focus of this review is on the unusual structures and properties of well-defined high nuclearity metal clusters and their possible relations or variant to the bulk state. Specifically, interesting electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of metal clusters in the quantum-size regime are described. Structural systematics of high nuclearity metal clusters, ranging from thecluster-of-clusters to thelayer-by-layer growth sequence, are discussed. It is hoped that further studies of the structures and properties of large metal cluster compounds of discretesize andshape will shed light on how, when, and why metallic or other bulk behavior begins and ends.
Protein Kinase C-ε Promotes Survival of Lung Cancer Cells by Suppressing Apoptosis through Dysregulation of the Mitochondrial Caspase Pathway

The serine/threonine protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in the regulation of drug resistance and cell survival in many types of cancer cells. However, the one or more precise mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we have identified and determined the mechanism by which PKC-e, a novel PKC isoform, modulates drug resistance in lung cancer cells. Western blot analysis demonstrates that expression of PKC-e, but not other PKC isoforms, is associated with the chemo-resistant phenotype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Northern blotting and nuclear run-on transcription analysis further reveals that the failure of expression of PKC-e in the chemo-sensitive phenotype of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells results from transcriptional inactivation of the gene. Importantly, forced expression of PKC-e in NCI-H82 human SCLC cells confers a significant resistance to the chemotherapeutic drugs, etoposide and doxorubicin. Resistance is characterized by a significant reduction in apoptosis in PKC-e-expressing cells. Treatment of NCI-H82 cells with etoposide induces a series of time-dependent events, including the release of cytochromec from the mitochondria to the cytosol, activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). All of these events are blocked by PKC-e expression. Furthermore, caspase-specific inhibitors, z-VAD-fmk and z-DEVD-fmk, significantly attenuate the accumulation of sub-G1population and block the PARP cleavage in response to etoposide. These results suggest that PKC-e prevents cells from undergoing apoptosis through inhibition of the mitochondrial-dependent caspase activation, thereby leading to cell survival. Finally, down-regulation of PKC-e expression by the antisense cDNA in NSCLC cells results in increased sensitivity to etoposide. Taken together, our findings suggest an important role for PKC-e in regulating survival of lung cancer cells.
A key role for corticotropin-releasing factor in alcohol dependence

Recent data indicate that alcohol dependence induces long-term neuroadaptations that recruit a negative emotional state. This leads to excessive alcohol ingestion motivated by relief of negative emotionality. A key mechanism in this transition to negative reinforcement is a recruitment of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling within the amygdala. Long term upregulation of CRF 1 receptors is observed in the amygdala following a history of dependence, and CRF antagonists selectively block emotionality, excessive alcohol drinking and stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking in post-dependent animals. Innate upregulation of CRF 1 receptor expression mimics the post-dependent phenotype, both with regard to emotional responses and ethanol self-administration. Therefore, the CRF system is emerging as a key element of the neuroadaptive changes driving alcoholism and as a major target for its treatment.
Synthesis, biochemical activity and behavioral effects of a series of 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidines as novel ligands for M1 receptors

Abstract A series of novel tetrahydropyrimidines was synthesized and examined for M 1 muscarinic receptor activity. 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydro-5-methoxycarbonyl-pyrimidine hydrobromide ( 1a ; CDD-0034-C) displayed a high affinity for muscarinic receptors in rat brain and stimulated PI metabolism in rat hippocampus. Compound 1a ameliorated memory deficits associated with lesions of the septohippocampal cholinergic system in rats.
Fas‐Fas Ligand System‐Induced Apoptosis in Human Placenta and Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

PROBLEM: The low frequency of maternal immune responses to paternally inherited fetal antigens raises the following question: What regulates the immunobiology of pregnancy? Data suggest that this state is the result of peripheral immune-tolerance, an active process of immune-regulation in which activated T cells undergo apoptosis. We studied Fas ligand (FasL) expression and apoptosis in normal and pathologic placentas to find out whether the Fas-FasL-induced apoptosis takes place during implantation. METHOD OF STUDY: FasL expression in paraffin sections was detected using specific antibodies and confirmed with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of total RNA from frozen placentas. Apoptosis was detected using the terminal deoxy (d)-UTP nick end-labeling assay. RESULTS: FasL was found in the normal placenta and in gestational trophoblastic disease. Apoptotic leukocytes were localized to the maternal-fetal interface corresponding in localization with the distribution of FasL. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that FasL expression in the placenta is a mechanism responsible for the development of maternal immune tolerance specific for paternal alloantigens and operates in pathologic states characterized by trophoblastic invasion/proliferation.
Temporal Repolarization Lability in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Caused by β-Myosin Heavy-Chain Gene Mutations

Background—Certain genetic mutations associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) carry an increased risk of sudden death. QT variability identifies patients at a high risk for sudden death from ventricular arrhythmias. We tested whether patients with HCM caused by β-myosin heavy-chain (β-MHC) gene mutations exhibit labile ventricular repolarization using beat-to-beat QT variability analysis. Methods and Results—We measured the QT variability index and heart rate–QT interval coherence from Holter monitor recordings in 36 patients with HCM caused by known β-MHC gene mutations and in 26 age- and sex-matched controls. There were 7 distinct β-MHC gene mutations in these 36 patients; 9 patients had HCM caused by the malignant Arg403Gln mutation and 8 patients had HCM caused by the more benign Leu908Val mutation. The QT variability index was higher in HCM patients than in controls (−1.24±0.17 versus −1.58±0.38, P<0.01), and the greatest abnormality was detected in patients with the Arg403Gln mutation (−0.9...
Design analysis of doped-silicon surface plasmon resonance immunosensors in mid-infrared range

This paper reports the design analysis of a microfabricatable mid-infrared (mid-IR) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor platform. The proposed platform has periodic heavily doped profiles implanted into intrinsic silicon and a thin gold layer deposited on top, making a physically flat grating SPR coupler. A rigorous coupled-wave analysis was conducted to prove the design feasibility, characterize the sensor's performance, and determine geometric parameters of the heavily doped profiles. Finite element analysis (FEA) was also employed to compute the electromagnetic field distributions at the plasmon resonance. Obtained results reveal that the proposed structure can excite the SPR on the normal incidence of mid-IR light, resulting in a large probing depth that will facilitate the study of larger analytes. Furthermore, the whole structure can be microfabricated with well-established batch protocols, providing tunability in the SPR excitation wavelength for specific biosensing needs with a low manufacturing cost. When the SPR sensor is to be used in a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy platform, its detection sensitivity and limit of detection are estimated to be 3022 nm/RIU and ~70 pg/mm(2), respectively, at a sample layer thickness of 100 nm. The design analysis performed in the present study will allow the fabrication of a tunable, disposable mid-IR SPR sensor that combines advantages of conventional prism and metallic grating SPR sensors.
Topological gravity with minimal matter

Abstract Topological minimal matter, obtained by twisting the minimal N = 2 superconformal field theory, is coupled to two-dimensional topological gravity. The free field formulation of the coupled system allows explicit representations of BRST charge, physical operators and their correlation functions. The contact terms of the physical operators may be evaluated by extending the argument used in a recent solution of topological gravity without matter. The consitency of the contact terms in correlation functions implies recursion relations which coincide with the Virasoro constraints derived from the multi-matrix models. Topological gravity with minimal matter thus provides the field theoretic description for the multi-matrix models of two-dimensional quantum gravity.
Optimization of functional programs by grammar thinning

We describe a new technique for optimizing first-order functional programs. Programs are represented as graph grammars, and optimization proceeds by counterexample: when a graph generated by the grammar is found to contain an unnecessary computation, the optimizer attempts to reformulates the grammar so that it never again generates any graph that contains that counterexample. This kind of program reformulation corresponds to an interesting problem on context-free grammars. Our reformulation technique is derived from an (approximate) solution to this CFG problem. An optimizer called Thinner is the proof of concept for this technique. Thinner is a fully automatic, source-to-source optimizer for a Lisp-like language of purely functional, first-order programs. Thinner rediscovers a wide variety of common compiler optimizations. It also finds other more exotic transformations, including the well-known Fibonacci reformulation and the Knuth-Morris-Pratt optimization.
Synthesis and Solution Conformation of Cyclo[RGDRGD]: A Cyclic Peptide with Selectivity for the αVβ3 Receptor

Three peptides, cyclo[RGDRGD], cyclo[RGDRGd] (d = d-Asp), and the linear sequence RGDRGD, were prepared via solid phase syntheses. These were tested in binding assays based upon the αIIb/β3-fibrinogen and the αVβ3-vitronectin interactions and found to be selective for the αVβ3 integrin. The αVβ3-vitronectin is important in bone regeneration, hence the compounds were also tested in an osteoclast regeneration assay; all three compounds, cyclo[RGDRGD], cyclo[RGDRGd], and RGDRGD, showed modest activities. Molecular modeling, NMR, and CD studies were undertaken to elucidate the conformational preferences of cyclo[RGDRGD] in aqueous solutions. Results from these studies strongly suggest that the molecule tends to adopt a type I β-turn conformation with a relatively short distance between the Asp and Arg side chains. These observations are in harmony with the first correlations made between αVβ3 selectivity and solution conformation for a peptide ligand (Pfaff, M.; et al. J. Biol. Chem. 1994, 269, 20233).
Does Osteoporosis Classification Using Heel BMD Agree Across Manufacturers

The lack of standardization in bone mineral density (BMD) measurements is known. Several studies have been carried out to cross-calibrate the axial dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) devices. Recently, a number of peripheral DXA (pDXA) densitometers have been introduced. In this study we evaluated the agreement between two heel DXA devices on BMD and T-scores. A total of 99 females aged 21–78 years (ca. 16 per decade) had their non-dominant heel BMD measured using the PIXI (Lunar Inc.) and the Apollo (Norland Medical) pDXA scanners. The mean BMD values were 0.492 and 0.607 g/cm2 and the mean T-scores using manufacturers’ specified reference data were −0.07 and −0.25 for the PIXI and Apollo, respectively. Both the BMD and T-score intermachine relationships were highly correlated but showed significant nonidentity slopes and non-zero offsets. The diagnostic comparison on T-scores resulted in 86% agreement between the instruments (weighted kappa score of 0.550). Normalizing the reference peaks and SDs using this study’s young adult population BMD results removed the systematic T-score disagreement. We found that PIXI and Apollo are highly correlated. Differences in BMD values are mainly due to different region of interest (ROI) definitions and additional T-score disagreement reflects the difference in normative databases.
Analysis of linear approaches to quantitative stable isotope methodology in mass spectrometry

A general equation is derived which is applicable to all problems of ion overlap between a stable isotope internal standard and a sample to be measured. The approach is then extended to solve the problem of ion overlap between three components. The equations are general in terms of all possible isotopic contributions. Utilization of the principle of fixed ion ratios within an ion cluster allows the algebraic solution of the problem such that the final equations are linear in form. It appears that linear regression can be used to calculate the coefficients of the linear equations without loss of accuracy or precision and with a significant reduction in the time and computation needs necessary for the analysis. This approach is compared and contrasted to those developed by other workers.
Using simulation in health manpower planning

This paper discusses the development of a health manpower planning model for the primary health care system of Indiana. The model developed was a GASP IV based simulation model. In the course of this research, several other issues were found to be as important as model building. These included data acquisition, analysis, and management, definition of system performance measures and the development of a team effort including physicians and systems analysts. Moreover, strengths and weaknesses of using a simulation approach in the analysis of the health manpower system became apparent as the research progressed.
A dog in the fight

Holly Hughes’ “A Dog in the Fight” is a queer and feminist literary performance that models a feminist politics of performance that stands as alternative to performances of power that come from the officially anointed space of politics. In this piece, Hughes meditates on the queer relationship between US Presidents and their faithful companions, their dogs. Refusing to jump through the “ceiling” to get into the White House, Hughes offers critique of power from her own couch, recounting her hopes and disappointments in the young Obama administration, while forcing a hated former leader (George W. Bush) from the White House into her performance space as she offers up both a critique of his politics and admits to an uncomfortable affiliation with his love of dogs. What emerges from this performance is a critical call to continue an engagement with struggles for social justice from the fecund and powerful places that exist outside of the authorized institutions of politics, no matter what women and men take u...
PERINATAL OUTCOMES AFTER FETAL DIAGNOSIS OF EBSTEIN ANOMALY OR TRICUSPID VALVE DYSPLASIA IN THE CURRENT ERA: A MULTI-CENTER STUDY

Ebstein anomaly and tricuspid valve dysplasia (EA/TVD) are rare congenital tricuspid valve malformations associated with high perinatal mortality. The literature to date consists of small, single center case series often spanning several decades. We performed a multi-center study to assess perinatal