cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mexico: Walls or Doors?

This case is about the economy of Mexico as of 2018, and particularly the challenges it faces with respect to managing its currency and inflation, the renegotiation of NAFTA, and long-term growth. The case updates students on the current economic situation in Mexico, helps students weigh the economic pros and cons of protectionism via the classic tariff supply-and-demand diagram, and encourages students to apply to Mexico previous lessons on growth, stability, and stabilization. It is designed to be used in the latter half of a first-year MBA course on international economics as an application of earlier key concepts and models (e.g., the Solow growth model, open economy IS/LM model, and balance of payments). However, while the case presupposes some knowledge of macroeconomic data, it is written to be standalone and thus could also be employed in an advanced undergraduate or master's level course on international macroeconomics or finance. Excerpt UVA-GEM-0166 Rev. Feb. 14, 2019 Mexico: Walls or Doors? In August 2018, Agustin Carstens traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to speak at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Economic Policy Symposium, one of the world's leading annual forums on international macroeconomic policy. On December 1, 2017, Carstens had become the general manager of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the central bank for central banks, after leaving his position as governor of Mexico's central bank, the Banco de Mexico. Carstens was likely proud of his service to Mexico, having risen through the ranks of the bank as a young economist in the 1990s before becoming the country's minister of finance in 2006 and head of the central bank in 2010. The Mexican economy he had left was very different than the one in the 1990s, a period defined by skyrocketing inflation (Exhibit 1), staggering government bond yields (Exhibit2), and a crushing, deep recession (Exhibit 3) in the wake of capital outflows (Exhibit 4) and the December 1994 Mexican peso crisis. In contrast, much of the 2000s and 2010s had seemed almost ordinary: Carstens presided over moderate inflation (Exhibit 1) and stable real economic growth (Exhibit 3). However, as Carstens reflected on his eight months at his new job in Switzerland, he must have wondered if his country's economy was, like him, at a turning point. Inflation had risen to almost 7% in late 2017, a 17-year high (Exhibit1). The current account balance had been consistently negative, and the Mexican government had been running budget deficits for years (Exhibit 5). And while the Mexican economy was growing, it wasn't experiencing explosive BRIC-style growth despite lagging behind Brazil and Argentina in GDP per capita (Exhibit6). . . .
Mineralizing Pulmonary Elastosis in a Cat.

Summary Mineralizing pulmonary elastosis (MPE) is a rare and unique phenomenon that has been reported in humans, typically secondary to recurrent pulmonary haemorrhage. MPE has a complex histopathological appearance, often containing iron-calcium deposits that can be mistaken as fungal organisms or other inorganic material. This report documents the first case of MPE in an animal species. A 10-year-old female domestic cat with respiratory failure was submitted for necropsy. The lungs were consolidated with severe pulmonary haemosiderosis, and widely disseminated granulomas surrounded large aggregates of hyphae-like structures. The pulmonary vasculature and airway smooth muscle were partially mineralized and fragmented. Histochemical stains revealed that the fungus-like material stained strongly with Prussian blue and alizarin red but only sparingly with von Kossa and negative with Gomori's methenamine silver stain. These findings are similar to those of MPE in humans. As most veterinary pathologists may not be familiar with MPE, it is important to avoid possible misinterpretation by recognizing its distinct features and the ancillary testing that may be required.
Quinocofactors in Copper Amine Oxidases and Lysyl Oxidase

Although quinones have been recognized as electron transfer reagents in biology, they had not been considered as important redox cofactors. However, this view has changed over the past five years with the emergence of the field of quinoproteins (J.P. Klinman, D. Mu, 1994). The first quinone to be described was pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), which has been carefully documented to function as a dissociable cofactor in gram negative bacteria (cf. S.A. Salisbury et al., 1979). The PQQ-utilizing proteins are alcohol dehydrogenases, which are found in the periplasmic space of gram negative bacteria and often observed in greater quantities than the cofactor itself. This latter property has led to the observation that PQQ can function as a stimulant/vitamin when present in the growth medium of certain bacteria (M. Shimao et al., 1984; M. Ameyama et al., 1984).
Affinity: a concurrent programming system for multicomputers

Affinity is an experiment to explore a simple, convenient, and expressive programming model that provides adequate power for complex programming tasks while setting few constraints on potential concurrency. Although the programmer is required to formulate a computational problem explicitly into medium-sized pieces of data and code, most of the additional functions necessary for concurrent execution are implicit. The execution of the light-weight, reactive processes, called actions, implicitly induces atomicity and consistency of data modifications. The programmer accesses shared data structures in a shared-memory fashion, but without the need for explicit locking to manage the problems of concurrent access and mutual exclusion. Program control flow is distributed and implicit. The name given to the programming model, Affinity, has a definition, "causal connection or relationship," that is fitting to the way programs are structured and scheduled. Affinity consistency and coherence properties provide a tractable discipline for the dangerous power of a concurrent, shared-memory programming style. Existing programming complexity-management techniques such as object-oriented languages can be used in this multicomputer environment. Affinity programs can compute consistent and correct results despite staleness of data, and asynchrony and nondeterminism in execution of code. Program correctness is invariant under replication, or cloning, of actions. This aspect of the model yields a simple and robust mechanism for fault-tolerance. The practicality of the Affinity programming model has been demonstrated by an implementation on a second-generation multicomputer, the Ametek S/2010. The implementation is distributed, scalable, and relatively insensitive to network latency. Affinity has demonstrated reasonable efficiency and performance for computations with tens of processing nodes, hundreds of actions, and thousands of shared data structures.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity is important for progesterone-induced Xenopus oocyte maturation.

Abstract In somatic cells, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3 kinase) is a critical intermediary in growth factor-induced mitogenesis. We have examined the role of this enzyme in meiotic maturation of Xenopus laevis oocytes. PI3 kinase activity was present in immunoprecipitates of the p85 subunit of PI3 kinase from immature oocytes and markedly increased following progesterone stimulation. Injection of bacterially expressed protein corresponding to the C-terminal SH2 domain of p85 (SH2-C) inhibited progesterone-induced PI3 kinase activation and meiotic maturation. Injection of protein corresponding to the N-terminal SH2 domain or the SH3 domain of p85 did not inhibit PI3 kinase activation or maturation. SH2-C did not inhibit oocyte maturation induced by c-mos RNA injection. In addition, radiolabelled SH2-C was used to probe oocyte lysates, revealing that a novel 200-kDa protein bound to SH2-C. This protein may be an important mediator of progesterone-induced lipid metabolism in oocytes.
Degenerate four-wave mixing in an optically-pumped holographic vertical cavity surface emitting laser (HVCSEL)

We have designed a novel structure to enhance diffraction efficiencies by using optical gain. Low mirror reflectance (sqrt(R1R2) = 95%) gives a cavity resonance bandwidth of nearly 2 nm which allows hologram readout over a large area.
IN VITRO PASSIVE SENSITIZATION OF THE URETER AS A BASIS FOR THE STUDY OF NONINFECTIOUS URETERAL INFLAMMATION

AbstractPurpose: To develop an in vitro model of passive sensitization for the ureter for the study of noninfectious ureteral inflammation.Materials and Methods: Human ureteral tissues were obtained from excess segments of ureters from patients undergoing donor nephrectomy. Following excision, ureters were placed in physiologic salt solution (PSS) and passively sensitized by incubating with ragweed serum from allergic donor (1 ml. serum: 4 ml. PSS) for 20 hours at room temperature. Ureteral segments were incubated with PSS only and served as non-sensitized controls (n = 4). After sensitization, excess serum was removed by serial washing with PSS without serum. Ureteral strips were then suspended in vitro for determination of tissue contraction. Contractile responses and histamine release were measured. Tissues were then exposed to antigen.To investigate the role of inflammatory mediators in tissue contraction, 4 groups of 8 sensitized ureteral segments were incubated for 1 hour with the following substanc...
Pulsed Ohmic Heating–A Novel Technique for Minimization of Electrochemical Reactions During Processing

Minimization of electrochemical reactions during ohmic heating would be desirable. This study examines a pulsed ohmic heating technique to determine its effect on electrochemical reactions. Effects of pulse parameters, such as frequency, pulse width, and delay time were studied, in comparison with conventional (60 Hz, sine wave) ohmic heating using various electrode materials. Analyses of electrode corrosion, hydrogen gas generation, and pH change of the heating media were performed. The results suggest that pulsed ohmic heating is capable of significantly (P < 0.05) reducing the electrochemical reactions of stainless steel, titanium, and platinized-titanium electrodes, compared with conventional 60 Hz ohmic heating. The importance of allowing enough delay time for discharge of the electrical double layers after each pulse input is emphasized.
Photovoltaic technology: Markets, economics, and rural development

Abstract Photovoltaic (PV) electricity has been widely supported as a remote energy source for developing countries. In response, the production and shipment of PV modules in developed nations has steadily increased through the past decade, often marketed through the auspices of technology transfer and financed by international development aid. This paper investigates the motives, economics, and development implications of PVs in rural electrification, drawing on field research in the Dominican Republic. The implications of subsidizing a PV market rather than investing in further PV research and development are explored.
Low stress polycrystalline SiC thin films suitable for MEMS applications

This paper details the development of low residual stress and low stress gradient unintentionally doped polycrystalline SiC (poly-SiC) thin films. The films were deposited in a large-volume, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) furnace on 100 mm-diameter silicon (Si) wafers using dichlorosilane (SiH 2 Cl 2 ) and acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) as precursors. We found that the flow rate of SiH 2 Cl 2 could be used to control the residual film stress in the as-deposited films. Wafer curvature measurements for ∼2 μm-thick films indicated that tensile stress ranging from 4 to 55 MPa across a 25 wafer boat had been achieved. A variety of micromachined structures including lateral resonant structures, stress pointers and cantilevers were fabricated for characterization of the deposited SiC films. The average Young's modulus was found to be 403 GPa. Residual stress measurements were consistent with those obtained using a wafer curvature technique. Interferometric measurements of cantilever beams indicated stress gradients with an upper bound of 52 MPa/μm for ∼2 μm-thick films with tensile stress less than 55 MPa.
PGDB: a curated and integrated database of genes related to the prostate

The Prostate Gene Database (PGDB: http://www.ucsf.edu/pgdb) is a curated and integrated database of genes or genomic loci related to the human prostate and prostatic diseases. Currently, PGDB covers genes involved in a number of molecular and genetic events of the prostate including gene amplification, mutation, gross deletion, methylation, polymorphism, linkage and over-expression, as published in the literature. Genes that are specifically expressed in prostate, as evidenced by analysis of data from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE), are also included. There are a total of 165 unique entries in the database. Users can either browse or query the PGDB through a web interface. For each gene, in addition to basic gene information and rich cross-references to other databases, inclusive and relevant literature references are provided to support the inclusion of the gene in the database. Detailed expression data calculated from the UniGene and SAGEmap databases are also presented.
Nanomoulding with amorphous metals

Nanoimprinting promises low-cost fabrication of micro- and nano-devices by embossing features from a hard mould onto thermoplastic materials, typically polymers with low glass transition temperature. The success and proliferation of such methods critically rely on the manufacturing of robust and durable master moulds. Silicon-based moulds are brittle and have limited longevity. Metal moulds are stronger than semiconductors, but patterning of metals on the nanometre scale is limited by their finite grain size. Amorphous metals (metallic glasses) exhibit superior mechanical properties and are intrinsically free from grain size limitations. Here we demonstrate direct nanopatterning of metallic glasses by hot embossing, generating feature sizes as small as 13 nm. After subsequently crystallizing the as-formed metallic glass mould, we show that another amorphous sample of the same alloy can be formed on the crystallized mould. In addition, metallic glass replicas can also be used as moulds for polymers or other metallic glasses with lower softening temperatures. Using this 'spawning' process, we can massively replicate patterned surfaces through direct moulding without using conventional lithography. We anticipate that our findings will catalyse the development of micro- and nanoscale metallic glass applications that capitalize on the outstanding mechanical properties, microstructural homogeneity and isotropy, and ease of thermoplastic forming exhibited by these materials.
INHIBITION OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI BY PHENOLIC EXTRACTS OF SPROUTED PEAS (PISUM SATIVUM L.)

Infection by Helicobacter pylori is associated with gastric and duodenal ulcers. Conventional treatments to eradicate it have side-effects such as diarrhea and dizziness. The excessive use of antibiotics could also lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The use of plant phenolic phytochemicals can be an alternative because of their health benefits due to both antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity. The pea (Pisum sativum), the world's second most important pulse crop, produces phenolic phytochemicals with antimicrobial potential. Because the synthesis of phenolic compounds increases with stress, we investigated the anti-H. pylori effectiveness of extracts from pea sprouts, germinated in the dark condition following treatment with either distilled water or acetyl salicylic acid. The peas were germinated for 8 days and the sprouted samples were measured for total soluble phenolic content, antioxidant and guaiacol peroxidase activity. Subsequently, the sprout extracts were tested for anti-H. pylori activity using the agar diffusion method and the effective dose was determined based on phenolic content. The results showed that both acetyl salicylic acid-treated and untreated pea sprouts at days 5 and 8 had anti-H. pylori activity. The minimum volume for inhibition was 50 μL of extracts. The inhibitory effects were dose dependent. From this study, the potential to use natural phenolic phytochemicals from pea sprouts to control H. pylori was found to be promising. This provides a strategy and foundation to design legume phenolics as functional ingredients against H. pylori.
Class-D zero-voltage-switching inverter with only one shunt capacitor

A class-D zero-voltage-switching (also called soft-switching) inverter with only one capacitor in parallel with either transistor, along with an approximate analysis and experimental results, is introduced. The inverter offers both zero turn-on and zero turn-off switching losses, yielding high efficiency at high frequencies. In addition, soft switching reduces switching noise associated with the high-frequency ringing at the switching instants. The transistor voltage stresses are low, similar to those in conventional class-D and pulse-width-modulated inverters. This permits the use of low-on-resistance MOSFETs, reducing the conduction losses. A 50 W class-D inverter was built and tested. The theoretical and experimental results were in good agreement. The inverter combines, low transistor peak voltages and low conduction losses, as in PWM converters, with low switching losses and low noise as in single-ended resonant convertors.
Cellular recovery of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and thiol status after exposure to hydroperoxides.

Abstract The activity of the thiol-dependent enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD), in vertebrate cells, was modulated by a change in the intracellular thiol:disulfide redox status. Human lung carcinoma cells (A549) were incubated with 1–120 m m H2O2, 1–120 m m t-butyl hydroperoxide, 1–6 m m ethacrynic acid, or 0.1–10 m m N-ethylmaleimide for 5 min. Loss of reduced protein thiols, as measured by binding of the thiol reagent iodoacetic acid to GPD, and loss of GPD enzymatic activity occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Incubation of the cells, following oxidative treatment, in saline for 30 min or with 20 m m dithiothreitol (DTT) partially reversed both changes in GPD. The enzymatic recovery of GPD activity was observed either without addition of thiols to the medium or by incubation of a sonicated cell mixture with 2 m m cysteine, cystine, cysteamine, or glutathione (GSH); GSSG had no effect. Treatment of cells with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) to decrease cellular GSH by varying amounts caused a dose-related increase in sensitivity of GPD activity to inactivation by H2O2 and decreased cellular ability for subsequent recovery. GPD responded in a similar fashion with oxidative treatment of another lung carcinoma cell line (A427) as well as normal lung tissue from human and rat. These findings indicate that the cellular thiol redox status can be important in determining GPD enzymatic activity.
Food systems change and the environment: local and global connections.

Making changes to the way food is produced, distributed, and processed is one strategy for addressing global climate change. In this case study, we examine the “forming” stage of an emergent and locally-based coalition that is both participatory and focused on promoting food security by creating food systems change. Social network analysis is used to compare network density, centrality, and centralization among coalition partners before the formation of the coalition and at its one-year anniversary. Findings reveal that the coalition facilitated information seeking, assistance seeking, and collaborative efforts related to food security among a group of organizational stakeholders that were relatively disconnected pre-coalition. Results also illuminate tensions related to increased centralization of the network, coalition efficiency, and the goals of democratic decision-making. This study highlights the utility of social network analysis as a tool for evaluating the aims and trajectory of locally-based coalitions focused on global concerns.
High urinary sodium is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness in normotensive overweight and obese adults.

Background Increased dietary sodium has been reported to increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, perhaps through blood pressure (BP)-independent vascular remodeling. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is an accepted measure of structural vascular remodeling and a strong predictor of CVD. This study aimed to determine whether urinary sodium is positively associated with carotid IMT in normotensive overweight and obese adults. Methods We evaluated baseline data from 258 participants in the Slow Adverse Vascular Effects (SAVE) clinical trial. Urinary sodium was measured from one 24-h urine collection from each individual. Carotid IMT was measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. Participants were categorized into quartiles of urinary sodium. Results There was a significant positive trend with greater IMT associated with increasing urinary sodium quartile in univariate linear regression (P = 0.047). This trend was significant when adjusting for age, sex, race, and systolic BP (SBP) (P = 0.03) as well as in a fully adjusted model (P = 0.04). In pairwise comparisons, the highest urinary sodium quartile had a significantly greater mean IMT (0.62 mm) than the lowest urinary sodium quartile (0.59 mm) after adjustment for age, sex, race, and SBP (P = 0.04). This comparison lost significance after the addition of BMI. Conclusions In our community-based sample of normotensive overweight and obese adults, we observed a significant positive trend in carotid IMT with increasing quartile of urinary sodium. If the ongoing clinical trial confirms this relationship between sodium and carotid IMT, it would lend support to efforts to decrease sodium intake in overweight and obese individuals.
The role of reduced frequency of knowledge of results during constant practice.

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to further examine the effects of reduced knowledge of results (KR) frequency on the learning of motor skills during constant practice. In Experiment 1, participants in five KR conditions (100%KR, 50%KR-fade, 50%KR-reverse fade, 50%KR-alternative, and 50%KR-random) practiced a movement timing task. In Experiment 2, participants in two KR conditions (100%KR and 50%KR-fade) practiced a waveform reproduction task. The results of both experiments failed to indicate that reduced KR frequency was more effective in promoting learning than the 100% KR conditions. The present study adds to the increasing number of experiments that do not find a benefit of reduced KR frequency on learning in constant practice.
Do we see more than we can access

One of Block's conclusions, motivated by partial-report superiority experiments, is that there is phenomenally conscious information that is not cognitively accessible. We argue that this conclusion is not supported by the data.
Randomized, multicenter trial of inhaled nitric oxide and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in severe, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn

Abstract Background: Although inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) causes selective pulmonary vasodilation and improves oxygenation in newborn infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension, its effects are variable. We hypothesized (1) that the response to iNO therapy is dependent on the primary disease associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) and (2) that the combination of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) with iNO would be efficacious in patients for whom either therapy alone had failed. Methods: To determine the relative roles of iNO and HFOV in the treatment of severe PPHN, we enrolled 205 neonates in a randomized, multicenter clinical trial. Patients were stratified by predominant disease category: respiratory distress syndrome ( n = 70), meconium aspiration syndrome ( n = 58), idiopathic PPHN or pulmonary hypoplasia (excluding congenital diaphragmatic hernia) ("other": n = 43), and congenital diaphragmatic hernia ( n = 34); they were then randomly assigned to treatment with iNO and conventional ventilation or to HFOV without iNO. Treatment failure (partial pressure of arterial oxygen [Pa o 2 ] <60 mm Hg) resulted in crossover to the alternative treatment; treatment failure after crossover led to combination treatment with HFOV plus iNO. Treatment response with the assigned therapy was defined as sustained Pa o 2 of 60 mm Hg or greater. Results: Baseline oxygenation index and Pa o 2 were 48 ± 2 and 41 ± 1 mm Hg, respectively, during treatment with conventional ventilation. Ninety-eight patients were randomly assigned to initial treatment with HFOV, and 107 patients to iNO. Fifty-three patients (26%) recovered with the initially assigned therapy without crossover (30 with iNO [28%] and 23 with HFOV [23%]; p = 0.33). Within this group, survival was 100% and there were no differences in days of mechanical ventilation, air leak, or supplemental oxygen requirement at 28 days. Of patients whose initial treatment failed, crossover treatment with the alternate therapy was successful in 21% and 14% for iNO and HFOV, respectively ( p = not significant). Of 125 patients in whom both treatment strategies failed, 32% responded to combination treatment with HFOV plus iNO. Overall, 123 patients (60%) responded to either treatment alone or combination therapy. By disease category, response rates for HFOV plus iNO in the group with respiratory syndrome and the group with meconium aspiration syndrome were better than for HFOV alone or iNO with conventional ventilation ( p Conclusions: We conclude that treatment with HFOV plus iNO is often more successful than treatment with HFOV or iNO alone in severe PPHN. Differences in responses are partly related to the specific disease associated with PPHN. (J Pediatr 1997;131:55-62)
Light Onset and Termination as Reinforcers for Rats Living under Normal Light Conditions

The initial observations of the reinforcing effect of response-contingent light onset (Marx, Henderson, & Roberts, 1955; Kish, 1955) have been repeatedly confirmed by other workers. There has not been comparable agreement, however, concerning the effect of light cessation following response. Hurwitz (1956) and Barnes and Kish (1957) failed to find a reinforcing effect, while Roberts, Marx, and Collier (1958) reported a significant increase in response when light cessation was made contingent upon bar pressing. The light cessation contingency provides a test of the stimulus change interpretation of the reward effect of light, and thus is of considerable theoretical interest. If stimulus change is the rewarding aspect of light onset, light offset as a stimulus change should also be reinforcing. The present experiment provides a further test of the effect of cessation of dim light following bar pressing. METHOD Sabjects.-Ss were 28 female hooded rats, 100 to 200 days old, bred in the psychology department rat colony. They lived in the colony living quarters under a 12-hr., 12-hr. light-dark cycle from birth and were kept in these quarters between experimental sessions. Appurdtgs und procedare.-Ss were tested individually in a 1-ft. by 1-ft. by 1-ft. unpainted plywood test chamber with a milk glass ceiling and a 1%-in. diameter brass half-disc lever (requiring 30-gr. pressure) protruding from one wall. A light source in a hood over the test chamber produced an illumination level of .5 ml. when the circuit was closed; when it was open the chamber was dark. Lever depression activated an electric counter recording response frequency; during test sessions the lever also controlled the light circuit. If the prevailing light condition was "dark," S could turn the light on and keep it on as long as he held the bar down; if S was tested in the light, he could turn the light off and keep it off by holding the bar down. Release of the bar restored the prevailing light condition. An outline of the experiment is given in Table 1 which shows the light conditions present in the test chamber during the eight daily 15-min. experimental sessions. Both termination of light and light onset were used, and pretest light conditions were balanced for the two different contingencies; half
Long-term outcome of patients with depressed left ventricular function undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The NHLBI PTCA Registry.

BACKGROUNDCoronary revascularization with bypass has been shown to improve survival in patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction. In these patients, use of nonsurgical revascularization with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is increasing, although their long-term outcome has not been well delineated. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the outcome of angioplasty in patients with decreased left ventricular function and contrast it with the results in patients with normal left ventricular function.METHODS AND RESULTSIn the 1985-1986 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's PTCA Registry, of 1,802 patients undergoing PTCA, 244 patients (13.5%) had an ejection fraction of < or = 45% (mean, 39.6 +/- 6.8%). These patients had a higher incidence of prior infarction, a longer and worse history of manifestations of coronary disease, and more extensive coronary artery disease than patients with well-preserved function; 88% and 91%, respectively,...
Predictive Nomogram for the Durability of Pain Relief From Gamma Knife Radiation Surgery in the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Purpose To determine factors associated with the durability of stereotactic radiation surgery (SRS) for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Methods and Materials Between 1999 and 2008, 446 of 777 patients with TN underwent SRS and had evaluable follow-up in our electronic medical records and phone interview records. The median follow-up was 21.2 months. The Barrow Neurologic Institute (BNI) pain scale was used to determine pre- and post-SRS pain. Dose-volume anatomical measurements, Burchiel pain subtype, pain quality, prior procedures, and medication usage were included in this retrospective cohort to identify factors impacting the time to BNI 4-5 pain relapse by using Cox proportional hazard regression. An internet-based nomogram was constructed based on predictive factors of durable relief pre- and posttreatment at 6-month intervals. Results Rates of freedom from BNI 4-5 failure at 1, 3, and 5 years were 84.5%, 70.4%, and 46.9%, respectively. Pain relief was BNI 1-3 at 1, 3, and 5 years in 86.1%, 74.3%, and 51.3% of type 1 patients; 79.3%, 46.2%, and 29.3% of type 2 patients; and 62.7%, 50.2%, and 25% of atypical facial pain patients. BNI type 1 pain score was achieved at 1, 3, and 5 years in 62.9%, 43.5%, and 22.0% of patients with type 1 pain and in 47.5%, 25.2%, and 9.2% of type 2 patients, respectively. Only 13% of patients with atypical facial pain achieved BNI 1 response; 42% of patients developed post-Gamma Knife radiation surgery (GKRS) trigeminal dysfunction. Multivariate analysis revealed that post-SRS numbness (hazard ratio [HR], 0.47; P P =.02), and improved post-SRS BNI score at 6 months (HR, 0.009; P Conclusions The durability of SRS for TN depends on the presenting Burchiel pain type, the post-SRS BNI score, and the presence of post-SRS facial numbness. The durability of pain relief can be estimated pre- and posttreatment by using our nomogram for situations when the potential of relapse may guide the decision for initial intervention.
Survey of Orbit Element Sets

A SURVEY of orbit element sets was conducted as part of a research and technology development task [1] which sought to develop feedback control laws and prototype tools for computing feasible, low-thrust transfers in multibody environments, where at least two celestial bodies exert significant gravitational influence on the spacecraft. One approach considered in this research effort was to use two-body element sets and their associated variational equations with the multibody effects modeled as perturbations. The goal of the survey was to identify an orbit element set that is the most natural to use in developing feedback control laws. This survey identified 22 candidate orbit element sets plus variations defined in terms of Euler angles, Euler parameters, functions of classical elements, quaternions, set-III elements, fast or slow variables, or canonical variables. The list of candidates is provided in this paper, together with a brief description of their attributes.
The unwillingness‐to‐communicate scale: Development and validation

The construct of unwillingness to communicate represents a global predisposition to avoid communication, whether due to apprehension, alienation, low self‐esteem, introversion, or other causes. The lines of research supporting the existence of the construct are discussed. The program of research leading to the present form of the Unwillingness‐to‐Communicate Scale is reported, including results of two studies that have provided reliability and validity data. Based on factor analysis results, a 20‐item instrument with two factors, reward and approach‐avoidance, is recommended for research use.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor response in vulnerable and resilient genetic lines in the chick anxiety–depression model

Abstract Altered BDNF-mediated synaptogenesis is a major contributor to stress-vulnerability and depression. This study sought to determine patterns of hippocampal BDNF expression in stress-vulnerable and -resilient strains in the chick anxiety–depression model. Socially raised Black Australorp and Production Red strains were tested at 5–6 days post hatch under either 30, 60, 90, or 120 min of social separation stress; chicks tested with 2 social companions for 120 min served as controls. Distress vocalizations were recorded throughout the test session and latency to behavioral despair calculated. Following tests, bilateral hippocampal sections were harvested and analyzed via ELISA for BDNF levels. Black Australorps had shorter latencies to behavioral despair than Production Reds reflecting greater stress vulnerability. No differences were detected in BDNF levels between a No-Test and Social group within or between strains. The stress resilient Production Reds showed stable BDNF levels across the isolation test period whereas the vulnerable Black Australorps showed an increase in hippocampal BDNF levels that peaked at 90 min and declined thereafter. These findings fit well with the notion that strain-dependent stress-vulnerability reflects, in part, poor homeostatic mechanisms controlling synaptogenesis.
The Frequency Distribution of Thunderstorm Durations

Abstract The frequency distributions of thunderstorm durations were analyzed for 30 years at 36 stations in the United States in order to develop an appropriate summarizing statistic for durations. The incomplete gamma function provides a close fit to the observations for all stations and can be used to specify for any station the probability of encountering storms with any selected range of durations. Preliminary analyses of the spatial and seasonal distribution of the coefficients suggest that regional clusters occur, indicating the potential for the development of a nationwide thunderstorm duration climatology. Storms lasting 3 h or longer are infrequent but display a spatial pattern differing from that of short duration storms.
Interactions of germanium atoms with silica surfaces

Abstract GeH4 is thermally cracked over a hot filament depositing 0.7–15 ML Ge onto 2–7 nm SiO2/Si(1 0 0) at substrate temperatures of 300–970 K. Ge bonding changes are analyzed during annealing with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Ge, GeHx, GeO, and GeO2 desorption is monitored through temperature programmed desorption in the temperature range 300–1000 K. Low temperature desorption features are attributed to GeO and GeH4. No GeO2 desorption is observed, but GeO2 decomposition to Ge through high temperature pathways is seen above 750 K. Germanium oxidization results from Ge etching of the oxide substrate. With these results, explanations for the failure of conventional chemical vapor deposition to produce Ge nanocrystals on SiO2 surfaces are proposed.
A prospective, randomized, fellow eye comparison of WaveLight ® Allegretto Wave ® Eye-Q versus VISX CustomVue™ STAR S4 IR™ in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK): analysis of visual outcomes and higher order aberrations

Purpose To compare outcomes in visual acuity, refractive error, higher-order aberrations (HOAs), contrast sensitivity, and dry eye in patients undergoing laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using wavefront (WF) guided VISX CustomVue and WF optimized WaveLight Allegretto platforms.
Using The Concept Of Land To Ground The Teaching Of Management And The Natural Environment

This article explores how the concrete concept of land, its specific manifestation in place, and a land ethic can ground the teaching of management and the natural environment. Ten themes for a land construct are developed. Applications for using the concept of land in management education are described in detail.
The Effects of Dietary Zinc Deficiency on Voluntary Alcohol Drinking in Rats

The effects of dietary zinc deficiency on voluntary alcohol drinking in rats were examined in three separate experiments. Zinc-deficient rats showed a significantly greater voluntary alcohol intake as compared with the pair-fed controls. In the first experiment there were 14 male Sprague-Dawley rats with 7 controls and 7 who were begun on a zinc-deficient diet (below 2 ppm) at body weight 58-81 g. In the second experiment with 11 male Sprague-Dawley rats, the same diet was begun at 103-107 g. In the last experiment, 11 rats were begun at 120-199 g. Hair zinc measurements documented lower levels in the zinc-deficient rats after 6 weeks on the diet. The data indicate that a zinc-deficient state did increase voluntary alcohol intake in rats. In each experiment, the per cent alcohol consumed declined when a normal diet was given after the 6th week, and the difference was significant in experiments 1 and 3.
TLR9 engagement on CD4 T lymphocytes represses γ-radiation–induced apoptosis through activation of checkpoint kinase response elements

T cell–based therapies have much promise in cancer treatment. This approach may be enhanced if used in combination with radiotherapy provided that tumor-specific T cells can be protected against the effects of radiotherapy. Previously, we demonstrated that administration of TLR9 ligand into mice decreased activation- and serum deprivation–induced cell death in T cells. We hypothesized that TLR9 engagement on T lymphocytes decreased apoptosis after cellular stress. We show that TLR9 engagement on murine CD4 T cells reduces γ-radiation–induced apoptosis as judged by decreased annexin-V/PI staining, caspase-3 activation, and PARP cleavage. TLR9-stimulated cells show heightened accumulation at the G2 cell-cycle phase and increased DNA repair rates. Irradiated, TLR9-engaged cells showed higher levels of phosphorylated Chk1 and Chk2. While the levels of activated ATM in response to IR did not differ between TLR9-stimulated and unstimulated cells, inhibition of ATM/ATR and Chk1/Chk2 kinases abolished the radioprotective effects in TLR9-stimulated cells. In vivo, TLR9-stimulated cells displayed higher radio resistance than TLR9-stimulated MyD88–/– T cells and responded to antigenic stimulation after total body irradiation. These findings show, for the first time, that TLR9 engagement on CD4 T cells reduces IR-induced apoptosis by influencing cell-cycle checkpoint activity, potentially allowing for combinatorial immunotherapy and radiotherapy.
Second harmonic excitation spectroscopy of silver nanoparticle arrays.

Frequency-scanned excitation profiles of coherent second harmonic generation (SHG) were measured for silver nanoparticle arrays prepared by nanosphere lithography. The frequency of the fundamental beam did not coincide with the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the nanoparticles and was tuned so that the coherent second harmonic (SH) emission was in the region of the LSPR at 720−750 nm. The SH emission from the arrays was compared with a smooth silver film to identify an enhancement of SH emission efficiency that peaks near ∼650 nm for nanoparticles 50 nm in height. The polarization and orientation dependence of this enhancement suggests that it is related to a dipolar LSPR mode polarized normal to the plane of the substrate. Linear extinction spectra are dominated by in-plane dipoles and do not show this weak out-of-plane LSPR mode. The nanoparticle arrays are truncated tetrahedrons symmetrically oriented by nanosphere lithography to cancel SH from in-plane dipoles which allows observation of...
Convenient synthesis of a reactive ester homoenolate

Abstract Reaction between methyl 3-phenyl-3-trimethylsilylpropionate ( 8 ) and catalytic quantities of tetrabutylammonium triphenyldifluorosilicate (TBAT) effects desilylation to the corresponding homoenolate, which can be trapped by a variety of electrophiles. Rearrangement of the homoenolate to the more stable enolate was not observed. The reaction amounted to overall umpolung of methyl cinnamate, the α,β-unsaturated ester from which 8 was prepared.
All-fiber widely-tunable transmitter for remote sensing in short-wave infrared band

An all-fiber, tunable, short-wave infrared transmitter is demonstrated using efficient four-wave mixing in conventional L and O telecom bands. The source was subsequently used to detect trace levels of carbon dioxide in 2051-nm spectral region.
A Correlating Equation for Forced Convection From Gases and Liquids to a Circular Cylinder in Crossflow

A single comprehensive equation is developed for the rate of heat and mass transfer from a circular cylinder in crossflow, covering a complete range of Pr (or Sc) and the entire range of Re for which data are available. This expression is a lower bound (except possibly for RePr < 0.2); free-stream turbulence, end effects, channel blockage, free convection, etc., may increase the rate. In the complete absence of free convection, the theoretical expression of Nakai and Okazaki may be more accurate for RePr < 0.2. The correlating equation is based on theoretical results for the effect of Pr in the laminar boundary layer, and on both theoretical and experimental results for the effect of Re. The process of correlation reveals the need for theoretical results for the effect of Pr in the region of the wake. Additional experimental data for the effect of Pr at small Pe and for the effect of Re during the transition in the point of separation are also needed.
The Performance of Internet‐Based Business Models: Evidence from the Banking Industry*

The initial Internet bank startups tended to underperform branching bank startups. This suggested that Internet‐only business models were not economically viable for banks. However, firms that pioneer new business models may benefit substantially from experience as they grow older, and firms that use automated production technologies may benefit from scale effects as they grow larger. Econometric analysis of Internet‐only bank startups finds strong evidence of the latter, but not the former, effect. The results suggest that Internet‐only banking success depends on attaining sufficient scale and strong management practices.
Abstract 2503: Distinct radiosensitivities of human FancG-/- and FancD2-/- cell lines

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Background: Fanconi Anemia is an autosomal recessive disorder marked by a dysfunction of DNA repair, an increased sensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents, and some patients poorly tolerating ionizing irradiation. We determined the radiosensitivity of two Fanconi patient cell lines and we determined if the nitroxide radioprotector Tempo or a novel mitochondrial targeted nitroxide JP4-039 could alter their radiosensitivity. Materials and Methods: Fanconi patient derived fibroblastic cell lines, PD326 and PD20F, and their respective transgene restored cell lines FancG and FancD2 were irradiated to doses ranging from 0 to 8 Gy in the presence or absence of Tempo or JP4-039 (10 µm), plated, and colonies greater than 50 cells were counted eight days later. Results: The PD20F cell line was more radiosensitive compared to the restored FancD2 cell line (n = 1.6 + 0.2 and 10.7 + 3.1, respectively, p = 0.0423). In contrast the PD326 cell line was more radioresistant than its restored FancG cell line as seen by an increased shoulder on the survival curve (n = 8.1 + 1.4 and 2.2 + 0.3, respectively, p = 0.0174). JP4-039 but not Tempo increased radioresistance in the PD326 (n = 15.7 + 2.5, p = 0.0373), and FancG cell lines (10.2 + 2.1, p = 0.0151). Conclusions: The human Fanconi Anemia cell line PD326 is radioresistant when compared to its transgene restored FancG cell line, and this radioresistance is increased by treatment with the mitochondrial targeted nitroxide JP4-039. In contrast, PD20F is more radiosensitive when compared to its transgene restored FancD2 cell line. Testing the efficacy of JP4-039 and Tempo on mitigating the effects of mitomycin C treatment is being evaluated. Supported by 2U19A1068021-06 Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2503. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2503
Sum rules in the dynamics of quantum spin chains

An infinite set of sum rules is derived for the dynamics of one-dimensional quantum spin systems. They are employed to derive valuable information on the spectral-weight distribution in the $T=0$ dynamic structure factor ${S}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\mu}}(q, \ensuremath{\omega})$. Applications are presented for various special cases of the nearest-neighbor $\mathrm{XXZ}$ model, including cases with a discrete excitation spectrum and cases with a continuous spectrum. For the $S=\frac{1}{2}$ $\mathrm{XY}$-Heisenberg antiferromagnet, an analytic expression for ${S}_{\mathrm{zz}}(q, \ensuremath{\omega})$ is conjectured which satisfies the infinite set of sum rules. In the $\mathrm{XY}$ limit this expression is identical to the known exact result. A similar conjecture applied to the isotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet with arbitrary spin quantum number $S$ illustrates how the continuous spectrum of the quantum antiferromagnet collapses into a discrete branch of antiferromagnetic spin waves in the classical limit $S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$.
A Preliminary Study of Employees’ Views of Genetic Research: Perceived Harm, Risk, and Willingness to Participate

Background: Genetic innovation may bring benefits to workplaces, including the development of new genetic tests to help employers better protect workers’ health. Collecting employees’ genetic information may nevertheless have adverse consequences, including the potential for unintended secondary results or misuse of results. Thus, employees’ views regarding benefits and risks of participating in genetic testing for research purposes is important. Although the 2008 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) has reduced risks for negative repercussions of participating in genetic research, it has not eliminated risks completely; thus, exploring attitudes regarding these issues continues to be relevant. Methods: Sixty-three healthy working adults in a health sciences center and federal scientific research laboratory participated in a written survey and structured interview. This article analyzes aspects of workers’ views toward participation in genetic research and their likelihood of participation in ...