cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Importance of p-Doping for Quantum Dot Laser on Silicon Performance

$p$ -type modulation doping of the quantum dot active region is known to improve high temperature and dynamic performance of quantum dot lasers. These improvements are critical to realizing commercially relevant quantum dot devices on silicon and are shown to enable continuous wave operation over 100°C, nearly complete insensitivity to optical feedback, and orders of magnitude improvement in device reliability relative to unintentionally doped active regions. Also described is a spectrally resolved analysis of the effect of p-modulation doping on the optical gain revealing anomalous behavior that explains the high characteristic temperatures commonly observed in literature for similar devices on native substrate.
Novel use of a Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments (CLIA)-certified Cyclin-Dependent Kinase N2C (CDKN2C) loss assay in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Abstract Background The cyclin-dependent-kinase inhibitor/retinoblastoma pathway has been implicated in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma tumorigenesis. Somatic CDKN2C loss has been associated with decreased overall survival in medullary thyroid carcinoma patients. We evaluated CDKN2C loss in a prospective clinical environment using a novel Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments–certified assay to confirm its association with aggressive disease and to interrogate response to targeted therapy. Methods Patients with advanced sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma underwent tumor genotyping for the purpose of management of targeted therapy and prognostication. Results Of patients with informative CDKN2C assay results, 30 (51.8%) were haploinsufficient/1N and 28 (48.3%) were 2N. Forty patients (69.0%) had a somatic RET mutation, and 36.9% had alterations of both genes. Thirty patients (51.7%) were treated with systemic therapy. Presence of genetic alterations in CDKN2C or RET did not predict treatment response. Patients with 1N CDKN2C loss had significantly shorter time-to-distant-metastasis than patients with normal copy number (P = .03). Conclusion This is the first evaluation in the clinical setting of CDKN2C haploinsufficiency in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Although a larger cohort and longer follow-up will be required, loss seems to be associated with more aggressive disease and may indicate patients that might receive benefit from treatment with a CDK inhibitor.
Psychometric evaluation of the revised child and family quality of life questionnaire (CFQL-2)

Abstract Background The revised Child and Family Quality of Life (CFQL-2) questionnaire was adapted from the original version to be shorter and more sensitive to changes in psychosocial quality of life (QoL) in families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or related neurodevelopmental conditions. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the CFQL-2. Methods Caregivers of 566 patients presenting to an ASD-specific diagnostic clinic completed the CFQL-2 and other behavioral measurements as part of a diagnostic evaluation. Psychometric properties, including factor structure, internal consistency reliability, reliability across the latent trait, relationships with other clinical measures, and ASD vs. non-ASD group differences were examined for the total score and each subscale. Test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change were evaluated in a separate sleep intervention trial. Results Results indicated that the CFQL-2 reliably measured eight independent QoL domains (Child, Family, Caregiver, Financial, Social Network, Partner Relationship, Coping, and QoL Change), with good-to-excellent reliability across score ranges, good test-retest reliability, and expected relationships with other measures. The change subscale was slightly, but not significantly, more sensitive to change than the total score. Externalizing behavior problems in the child had a strong negative association with several aspects of QoL. Conclusion The CFQL-2 is a brief, reliable scale that effectively measures psychosocial aspects of QoL and is sensitive to changes in QoL in families of children with ASD or related neurodevelopmental disorders. Child externalizing behavior is strongly associated with reductions in multiple aspects of child and family psychosocial QoL.
Generation of Xylose-inducible promoter tools for Pseudomonas species and their use in implicating a role for the Type II secretion system protein XcpQ in inhibition of corneal epithelial wound closure

Tunable control of gene expression is an invaluable tool for biological experiments. In this study, we describe a new xylose-inducible promoter system and evaluate it in both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. fluorescens. The Pxut promoter derived from the P. flurorescens xut operon was incorporated into a broad host-range pBBR1-based plasmid and compared to the Escherichia coli-derived PBAD promoter using gfpas a reporter. GFP-fluorescence from the Pxut promoter was inducible in both Pseudomonas species, but not in E. coli, which may facilitate cloning of toxic genes using E. coli to generate plasmids. The Pxut promoter was expressed at a lower inducer concentration than PBAD in P. fluorescens and higher GFP levels were achieved using Pxut. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that Pxut was more leaky than PBAD in the tested Pseudomonas species, but was expressed in a higher proportion of cells when induced. D-xylose did not support growth of P. aeruginosa or P. fluorescens as a sole carbon source and is less expensive than many other commonly used inducers which could facilitate large scale applications. The efficacy of this system aided in demonstrating a role for the P. aeruginosa type II secretion system gene from xcpQ in bacterial inhibition of corneal epithelial cell wound closure. This study introduces a new inducible promoter system for gene expression for use in Pseudomonas species.
Gene X environment: the cellular environment governs the transcriptional response to environmental chemicals.

An individual’s response to environmental exposures varies depending on their genotype, which has been termed the gene-environment interaction. The phenotype of cell exposed can also be a key determinant in the response to physiological cues, indicating that a cell-gene-environment interaction may exist. We investigated whether the cellular environment could alter the transcriptional response to environmental chemicals. Publicly available gene expression array data permitted a targeted comparison of the transcriptional response to a unique subclass of environmental chemicals that alter the activity of the estrogen receptor, xenoestrogens. Thirty xenoestrogens were included in the analysis, for which 426 human gene expression studies were identified. Comparisons were made for studies that met the predefined criteria for exposure length, concentration, and experimental replicates. The cellular response to the phytoestrogen genistein resulted in remarkably unique transcriptional profiles in breast, liver, and uterine cell-types. Analysis of gene regulatory networks and molecular pathways revealed that the cellular context mediated the activation or repression of functions important to cellular organization and survival, including opposing effects by genistein in breast vs. liver and uterine cell-types. When controlling for cell-type, xenoestrogens regulate unique gene networks and biological functions, despite belonging to the same class of environmental chemicals. Interestingly, the genetic sex of the cell-type also strongly influenced the transcriptional response to xenoestrogens in the liver, with only 22% of the genes significantly regulated by genistein common between male and female cells. Our results demonstrate that the transcriptional response to environmental chemicals depends on a variety of factors, including the cellular context, the genetic sex of a cell, and the individual chemical. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating the impact of exposure across cell-types, as the effect is responsive to the cellular environment. These comparative genetic results support the concept of a cell-gene-environment interaction.
Culture: Four Paradigmatic Views

Any explanation of culture is based on a worldview. The premise of this book is that any worldview can be associated with one of the four broad paradigms: functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. This chapter takes the case of culture and discusses it from the four different viewpoints. It emphasizes that the four views expressed are equally scientific and informative; they look at the phenomenon from their certain paradigmatic viewpoint, and together, they provide a more balanced and a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon under consideration. In this chapter, Sects. 1, 2, 3, and 4 present the four perspectives, and Sect. 5 concludes the chapter.
The neurointerventional paradox: ensuring patient safety without restricting technological innovation

As a result of the collaboration between scientists, physicians, the pharmaceutical and medical device industry, and overseeing regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases has advanced dramatically in recent decades. This partnership and process has helped to progress—and in some cases revolutionize—the neurointerventional (NI) care of those with devastating diseases such as complex or giant cerebral aneurysms and emergent large vessel occlusive acute ischemic stroke.1 Recent advances within our dynamic space is undeniably tied to medical device innovation. The cost for this progress in terms of time and capital is considerable. It comprises research and development at the front end, regulatory review and approval in the middle and manufacture and marketing at the tail end. This editorial comment is intended to briefly review the regulatory pathways and processes for NI device approval and monitoring that are overseen by the FDA, and also seeks to highlight the ever more apparent need for a more rigorous post-market device reporting system. The vital partnership between clinicians, industry and the FDA has been at the core of advances in healthcare, which in turn have directly benefited thousands of patients throughout the world. As in most endeavors, it is important to periodically review these regulatory and monitoring pathways as opportunities for process improvement are potentially available. The voluntary recall of Penumbra’s Jet7 reperfusion catheter with Xtra Flex technology (Penumbra, Alameda, California, USA) has provoked debate regarding the current post-market device monitoring systems in terms of patient safety and device effectiveness, a topic of historic interest in this journal.2–5 Several regulatory pathways exist to bring a medical device to market and they are largely defined by a risk-based approach.6 These pre-market approval processes are overseen by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health …
Public Value Promises and Outcome Reporting in Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy

U.S. federal research funding is generally justified by promises of public benefits, but the specific natures and distribution of such benefits often remain vague and ambiguous. Furthermore, the metrics by which outcomes are reported often do not necessarily or strongly imply the achievement of public benefits. These ambiguities and discontinuities make it difficult to assess the public outcomes of federal research programs. This study maps the terms in which the purposes and the outcomes of Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) -a relatively young and innovatively structured federal research agency-have been discussed and reported. I find that ARPA-E’s creation and funding have been justified with reference to a broad repertoire of economic, environmental, and national security values, but that the agency has been evaluated only through intermediate scientific and economic metrics and study of internal organizational structure. I suggest that these means of assessment elide ARPA-E’s lack of the financial scale, long time horizon, built-in customer, and radical vision which have been historically important to high-impact federal innovation, and I recommend the tracking of metrics more directly related to ARPA-E’s public value purposes as the agency grows older. This discussion illustrates the inadequacy of currently widespread metrics and conventional wisdom for the design and assessment of societally relevant research.
Visual acuity outcomes after cataract surgery in type 2 diabetes: the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study.

Aims To evaluate visual acuity (VA) outcomes of cataract surgery, and factors associated with good visual outcomes, among a population with diabetes. Methods Participants with type 2 diabetes enrolled in The Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study and ACCORD-eye substudy. 1136 eyes of 784 ACCORD participants receiving cataract surgery during follow-up (2001–2014) were included. Of these, 362 eyes had fundus photographs gradable for diabetic retinopathy. The main outcome measure was the achievement of postoperative VA of 20/40 or better. Results In the sample of 1136 eyes, 762 eyes (67.1%) achieved good visual outcome of 20/40 or better. Factors predictive of good visual outcome were higher level of educational attainment (college vs some high school, OR 2.35 (95% CI 1.44 to 3.82)), bilateral cataract surgery (OR 1.55 (1.14 to 2.10)) and preoperative VA (20/20 or better vs worse than 20/200, OR 10.59 (4.07 to 27.54)). Factors not significantly associated (p>0.05) included age, sex, race, smoking, diabetes duration, blood pressure, lipid levels and haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C). In the subsample of 362 eyes, absence of diabetic retinopathy was associated with good visual outcome (OR 1.73 (1.02 to 2.94)). Conclusion Among individuals with diabetes, two-thirds of eyes achieved good visual outcome after cataract surgery. Notable factors associated with visual outcome included preoperative VA and diabetic retinopathy, but not HbA1C, underscoring that while certain ocular measures may help evaluate visual potential, systemic parameters may not be as valuable. Sociodemographic factors might also be important considerations. Although the current visual prognosis after cataract surgery is usually favourable, certain factors still limit the visual potential in those with diabetes.
Media: Fox News, Racism, and White America in the Age of Trump

Kalemba Kizito looked critically at Fox and other news organizations. What Kizito reveals is that Fox News and its audience are distinct from the others. Its most popular programs are not news but commentaries by Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, which, by the way, do not make any claim to be accurate and fact-checked. A large segment of the Fox audience relies only on Fox for their news and commentary. All the other news networks, including MSNBC, reply extensively on multiple sources and fact-check their news and commentary. High proportions of non-Fox news audiences also use multiple sources for their news and commentary. Fox News operates in an information silo where its audience misses most domestic news and virtually all international news. Additionally, there is little distinction between news and commentary. The outcomes are predictable. For one, a significant proportion of White America, who constitute the Fox audience, has been led into a dangerous worldview where they believe that their freedoms and government have been taken from them.
Personal data concern, behavioral puzzle and uncertainty in the age of digital surveillance

Abstract Using U.S. national panel surveys conducted, this study organizes three-related analyses to examine puzzling responses to data concern. Each of three analyses shows that people have distinctive heuristic structures that are “hardwired” for quick judgements as they filter, interpret, and retain cues in their release of personal data. Analysis 1 examines a non-linear pattern of behavioral responses to varying intensity of concern. Analysis 2 investigates indirect relationships between concern and data surrender. Analysis 3 examines temporal incongruence as one’s protective action can be delayed over time. Findings across three analyses corroborate the insight that readily-accessible cognitive judgements help reduce the difficulty of estimating the likelihood of privacy gain and loss into a set of simple principles. This study concludes by cautiously warning the digital entrenchment of surveillance in that when a data consideration is reduced to a quick moment of choice, privacy can be over-released, surrendered over gratification, and eventually deferred to inaction.
Effects of Environmental Water Transfers on Stream Temperatures

Low streamflows and warm stream temperatures currently limit habitat and productivity of trout, including native Lahontan cutthroat trout in Nevada's Walker Basin. Environmental water transfers, which market water from willing sellers to instream uses, are evaluated to improve instream habitat. We use River Modelling System, an hourly, one-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model, to estimate current and potential environmental water transfer effects on stream temperatures. Model runs simulate a range of environmental water transfers, from 0.14 to 1.41 cms, at diversions and reservoirs for wet year 2011 and dry year 2012. Results indicate that critically warm stream temperatures generally coincide with low flows, and thermal refugia exist in East Walker River, a tributary of the Walker River. Environmental water transfers reduce maximum stream temperatures by up to 3 °C in dry years and are more effective in dry years than wet years. This research suggests that environmental water transfers can enhance instream habitat by improving water quality as well as increasing instream flow. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the well-posed solvability of the Dirichlet problem for a generalized mangeron equation with nonsmooth coefficients

For a fourth-order pseudoparabolic equation with nonsmooth coefficients, we consider the Dirichlet problem with nonclassical conditions that do not require matching conditions. We justify the equivalence of these conditions to classical boundary conditions for the case in which the solution of the problem is sought in an isotropic Sobolev space. The problem is solved by reduction to a system of Fredholm equations whose well-posed solvability is proved under nonsmooth conditions on the coefficients of the equation by the integral representation method.
Phosphatase-free Crystalline Micrococcal Nuclease

Abstract This report relates to the preceding paper by Taniuchi and Anfinsen. Micrococcal nuclease from the strain "Foggi" has been purified from a commercially available source (Worthington). The enzyme was crystallized from an ammonium sulfate solution. The over-all purification was approximately 500-fold with an over-all yield of about 16%. The enzyme is virtually devoid of acid and alkaline phosphatases.
The Texture of Loyalty

This paper examines whether and how reforms in corporate governance structures and practices in the United States may reshape conventional notions of the fiduciary duties owed by independent directors of public companies. The paper identifies two focal points for the evolution of directors' fiduciary duties. First, various reforms in corporate governance assign more specific responsibilities to directors, arguably reorienting directors' loyalty to due discharge of a specified function along with ongoing or residual duties of loyalty owed in more general terms to the corporation and its shareholders. The relationships among these specific duties and more general ones may be complex, as may be the consequences of increased emphasis on work to be done by directors as members of committees in contrast to the board as a whole. Second, reforms in corporate governance imply that a director's duty of loyalty to the corporation and its shareholders requires more than disinterest, narrowly defined. That is, a director's duty is one of fidelity to the interests of the corporation that imposes more than an obligation to refrain from participating in board decisions in which the director has a material financial interest. The paper prefaces discussion of evolution of directors' duties by addressing two more fundamental questions about contemporary corporate governance: what role precisely should be assigned to directors, distinct from a corporation's officers and its other senior executives? And what implications follow for the powers of shareholders? To the extent that directors can reasonably be expected to serve only a relatively formal or vestigial function, an expansion in shareholders' powers may be warranted. Overall, the paper is a study of interrelationships among legal and nonlegal mechanisms that shape expectations for directors' conduct. Although distinct, none operates in a vacuum. Formal structures, definitions, and requirements may shape how directors discharge their responsibilities by focusing directors' attention on their gravity and, by enabling independent directors to function more collegially, facilitating the development of institutions of corporate governance that function independently of senior management. Articulating the content of directors' responsibilities with greater specificity heightens expectations that these responsibilities will be fulfilled. In turn, higher expectations for directors' conduct may serve to legitimate directors' capacity, once elected, to exercise discretion independent of intervention from shareholders.
Employing lidar to detail vegetation canopy architecture for prediction of aeolian transport

[1] The diverse and fundamental effects that aeolian processes have on the biosphere and geosphere are commonly generated by horizontal sediment transport at the land surface. However, predicting horizontal sediment transport depends on vegetation architecture, which is difficult to quantify in a rapid but accurate manner. We demonstrate an approach to measure vegetation canopy architecture at high resolution using lidar along a gradient of dryland sites ranging from 2% to 73% woody plant canopy cover. Lidar-derived canopy height, distance (gaps) between vegetation elements (e.g., trunks, limbs, leaves), and the distribution of gaps scaled by vegetation height were correlated with canopy cover and highlight potentially improved horizontal dust flux estimation than with cover alone. Employing lidar to estimate detailed vegetation canopy architecture offers promise for improved predictions of horizontal sediment transport across heterogeneous plant assemblages.
Scandal on Stage: European Theater as Moral Trial

Preface 1. Introduction 2. Overtures 3. Scanning the surface 4. Sounding the depths 5. Diagnosing the present 6. Overcoming the past Bibliography Index.
Reactions at the 3' Terminus of Transfer Ribonucleic Acid VII. ANOMALOUS ADENOSINE MONOPHOSPHATE INCORPORATION CATALYZED BY RABBIT LIVER TRANSFER RIBONUCLEIC ACID NUCLEOTIDYLTRANSFERASE

Abstract The specificity and properties of anomalous AMP incorporation catalyzed by rabbit liver tRNA nucleotidyltransferase were studied. A single AMP residue could be added to the 3' terminus of a variety of RNA molecules, including rRNA and 5 S RNA. In addition, tRNA molecules containing 1 or 3 terminal CMP residues, tRNA-C and tRNA-C-C-C, were also active as acceptors. The rate of AMP incorporation into these anomalous substrates was considerably more rapid if the RNA acceptor contained a terminal CMP residue. Thus, the rate of AMP incorporation into tRNA-C-C was about 20-fold more rapid than into tRNA-C-A and tRNA-C-U. Nevertheless, at high levels of enzyme it was possible to convert almost completely the latter molecules to tRNA-C-A-A and tRNA-C-U-A. All the anomalous reactions were stimulated by the presence of Mn2+, as much as 10-fold in the case of 5 S RNA, whereas normal AMP incorporation was inhibited. Under optimal conditions, wheat germ 5 S RNA was as active a substrate as tRNA-C-C. Furthermore, the two RNA acceptors had similar apparent Km values. These results are discussed in terms of the recognition site on the RNA acceptors and the importance of the 3'-terminal residue. Evidence is also presented that the 3'-terminal moiety of wheat germ 5 S RNA is predominantly CMP. In addition, an improved method for determining the location of nucleotide residues incorporated into RNA is described.
Crystal Structures of Murine MHC Class I H-2 D b and K b Molecules in Complex with CTL Epitopes from Influenza A Virus: Implications for TCR Repertoire Selection and Immunodominance

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against influenza A virus in C57BL/6 mice are dominated by a small number of viral peptides among many that are capable of binding to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. The basis of this limited immune recognition is unknown. Here, we present X-ray structures of MHC class I molecules in complex with two immunodominant epitopes (PA224–233/Db and PB1703–711/Kb) and one non-immunogenic epitope (HA468–477/Db) of the influenza A virus. The immunodominant peptides are each characterized by a bulge at the C terminus, lifting P6 and P7 residues out of the MHC groove, presenting featured structural elements to T-cell receptors (TCRs). Immune recognition of PA224–233/Db will focus largely on the exposed P7 arginine residue. In contrast, the non-immunogenic HA468–477 peptide lacks prominent features in this C-terminal bulge. In the Kb-bound PB1703–711 epitope, the bulge results from a non-canonical binding motif, such that the mode of presentation of this peptide strongly resembles that of Db-bound peptides. Given that PA224–233/Db, PB1703–711/Kb and the previously defined NP366–374/Db epitopes dominate the primary response to influenza A virus in C57BL/6 mice, our findings indicate that residues of the C-terminal bulge are important in selection of the immunodominant CTL repertoire.
Current conservation, meson-exchange currents, and magnetic form factors of 3He and 3H

Abstract The effect of the requirement of current conservation for meson-exchange currents containing the πNN form factor is investigated for the magnetic form factors of 3 He and 3 H. The effect is substantial for the pionic current contribution but is small for the total contribution to the momentum transfer, Q ≲ 5 fm −1 .
Schedule-dependent synergistic action of tiazofurin and dipyridamole on hepatoma 3924A cells

Tiazofurin is an oncolytic nucleoside analog that has shown therapeutic activity in end-stage acute non-lymphocytic leukemia and in chronic granulocytic leukemia in blast crisis. Tiazofurin is anabolized to the active metabolite, TAD, which inhibits IMP dehydrogenase activity, leading to a reduction in guanylate pools and to the cessation of neoplastic cell proliferation. The drug exhibits potent cytostatic and cytotoxic activity against hepatoma 3924A cells in culture. In growth-inhibition and clonogenic assays, the 50% inhibitory concentration of tiazofurin was 3.8 and 4.2 μm, respectively. Dipyridamole, an inhibitor of nucleoside transport, curtails the salvage of nucleosides and bases for nucleotide biosynthesis. Dipyridamole exhibited cytotoxicity against hepatoma 3924A cells, with an LC50 of 24 μm and an IC50 of 29 μm being recorded. A combination of tiazofurin and dipyridamole provided synergistic cytotoxicity in hepatoma 3924A cells in culture. This synergistic activity was dependent on the order of addition of the drugs. Simultaneous addition of the two drugs produced antagonism, whereas preincubation of cells with tiazofurin or dipyridamole followed by addition of the second drug resulted in synergy. TAD concentrations were significantly higher (129% and 135%) in cells that had been pretreated with tiazofurin or dipyridamole before the addition of the second agent as compared with cells that had been treated simultaneously (113%). These studies indicate the importance of the order of the addition of drugs to obtain a synergistic response in combination chemotherapy and suggest the need for a careful selection of drug modulation in clinical trials of tiazofurin and dipyridamole.
Free Flight Store Simulation Using Beggar

Abstract : The complete numerical solution of the airflow around a store in extended free flight is of particular importance to the United States Air Force. Beggar is the primary Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) program used by the USAF to obtain solutions for store separations. However, Beggar's ability to simulate a store in free flight is limited because the store must fall through a static background mesh, eventually reaching a point where the solution will fail. The length of any free flight simulation is consequently limited by the height of the background mesh. Code modifications are made to Beggar to remove this requirement by pinning the store in the background mesh at its center of gravity. Rotations are accomplished within the background mesh, but translations are reflected as changes in the grid speeds of the background mesh. This allows the numerical simulation to continue indefinitely. Beggar's ability to model moving components (e.g. control surfaces) in multi-body problems is fully preserved. The modified code is applied to the MK-84 AIR model, which demonstrates that the solution of a pinned store using the modified code adequately matches the solution of a translating store using the unmodified code. In addition, extended free flight simulations are conducted in which the dynamic behavior and long term trajectory of the store are observed. The longest simulation lasts for 135 seconds of solution time. Testing of a generic store body with multiple moving fins results in good agreement between the unmodified and modified solution methods. The modified code reduces overall computational cost by 17% for simulations of similar length because of the smaller background mesh. The combination of indefinite runtime and control surface modeling will make Beggar a powerful tool for studying the non-linear dynamic behavior of stores in free flight.
PREPARATION OF 6-DEOXYAMYLOSE-6-SULFONIC ACID.

Abstract Amylose is tosylated under conditions which give derivatization almost exclusively at the primary position. Primary tosyloxy groups are displaced with thiocyanate ion. Reduction with lithium aluminum hydride gives 6-deoxy-6-mercaptoamylose. Products with degrees of substitution of 0.72 and 0.86 are prepared and are insoluble due to formation of disulfide crosslinks. These derivatives are oxidized at 0 ° with performic acid to yield 6-deoxyamylose-6-sulfonic acid. Under optimum conditions, over 90% of the available mercapto and disulfide groups are converted to sulfonic acid, leaving no other sulfur in the molecule. Preparation of the new monosaccharide sulfonic acid, 5-deoxy-5-sulfo- d -xylose, is also reported.
Quality of life measurement in bone marrow transplantation: development of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT) scale

We developed a 12-item bone marrow transplant subscale (BMTS) for the general Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) measure. The subscale combined with the FACT, (FACT-BMT) is a 47-item, valid and reliable measure of five dimensions of quality of life in bone marrow transplant patients. The three-step validation process involved the generation and selection of BMT-specific items and the testing of the overall measure. Items were selected from a list produced by seven oncology experts and 15 patients and were designed to assess content not represented in the general FACT items. A total of 182 patients completed the FACT-BMT at baseline, prior to BMT. An analysis measuring sensitivity to change was performed with 74 patients after transplantation and 60 patients over the three time-points of baseline, hospital discharge and 100 days. The FACT-BMT and all subscales were correlated, sensitivity to change was measured, and the internal consistency for each scale was calculated. Coefficients of reliability and validity ranged from 0.86 to 0.89 for the entire FACT-BMT and 0.54 to 0.63 for the BMTS. The BMTS was able to discriminate patients on the basis of performance status rating and also demonstrated sensitivity to change over time. The FACT-BMT has good psychometric properties for use in assessing quality of life in bone marrow transplant patients. The addition of the bone marrow transplant subscale to the general FACT measure makes it an excellent choice for use in BMT clinical trials.
Intracranial hemorrhage in congenital factor VII deficiency

However, to our knowledge, this has not been previously associated with cavernous sinus thrombosis. The majority of the sequelae of cavernous sinus thrombosis are due to cranial nerve damage with resultant ophthalmoplegia. In addition, ischemic changes secondary to carotid arteritis may result in blindness, hemiplegia, or hypopituitarism. 4 Although our patient did have a permanent hemiplegia from the stroke, her brainstem signs have abated, indicated that she had no permanent damage from her relative brainstem ischemia.
Energy transfer in ytterbium doped inorganic glasses

Abstract We present results of time-resolved fluorescence line narrowing experiments performed on ytterbium doped silicate glasses, and discuss the applicability of current energy transfer theory to the observed spectra.
Localization and trafficking of α2-adrenergic receptor subtypes in cells and tissues

The three alpha2-adrenergic receptor (alpha2AR) subtypes, all of which couple to multiple effectors via Gi/Go proteins, perform various functions, including the mediation of decreases in adenylyl cyclase activity, activation of receptor-mediated K+ channels, and inhibition of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. The alpha2ARs are polarized in many target cells, such as neurons in the peripheral and central nervous system and in intestinal and renal epithelia. Precise targeting and polarization of molecules are crucial for many physiological processes, and may confer a degree of specificity that, in the case of the adrenergic receptors, could represent a reasonable strategy by which catecholamines coordinate cellular function in a highly specific way. Receptors also redistribute in response to agonist occupancy by means of sequestration, endocytosis, recycling, or, alternatively, down-regulation (degradation). The focus of this review is to compare the similarities and differences among the three alpha2AR subtypes in terms of specificity, signaling, and trafficking. It is anticipated that a molecular understanding of receptor trafficking will lead to novel therapeutic strategies for diseases linked to aberrant adrenergic receptor function or localization.
A tutorial on partially observable Markov decision processes

Abstract The partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) model of environments was first explored in the engineering and operations research communities 40 years ago. More recently, the model has been embraced by researchers in artificial intelligence and machine learning, leading to a flurry of solution algorithms that can identify optimal or near-optimal behavior in many environments represented as POMDPs. The purpose of this article is to introduce the POMDP model to behavioral scientists who may wish to apply the framework to the problem of understanding normative behavior in experimental settings. The article includes concrete examples using a publicly-available POMDP solution package.
2009 Special Issue: Language and emotions: Emotional Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

An emotional version of Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that differences in language emotionalities influence differences among cultures no less than conceptual differences. Conceptual contents of languages and cultures to significant extent are determined by words and their semantic differences; these could be borrowed among languages and exchanged among cultures. Emotional differences, as suggested in the paper, are related to grammar and mostly cannot be borrowed. The paper considers conceptual and emotional mechanisms of language along with their role in the mind and cultural evolution. Language evolution from primordial undifferentiated animal cries is discussed: while conceptual contents increase, emotional reduced. Neural mechanisms of these processes are suggested as well as their mathematical models: the knowledge instinct, the dual model connecting language and cognition, neural modeling fields. Mathematical results are related to cognitive science, linguistics, and psychology. Experimental evidence and theoretical arguments are discussed. Dynamics of the hierarchy-heterarchy of human minds and cultures is formulated using mean-field approach and approximate equations are obtained. The knowledge instinct operating in the mind heterarchy leads to mechanisms of differentiation and synthesis determining ontological development and cultural evolution. These mathematical models identify three types of cultures: ''conceptual'' pragmatic cultures in which emotionality of language is reduced and differentiation overtakes synthesis resulting in fast evolution at the price of uncertainty of values, self doubts, and internal crises; ''traditional-emotional'' cultures where differentiation lags behind synthesis, resulting in cultural stability at the price of stagnation; and ''multi-cultural'' societies combining fast cultural evolution and stability. Unsolved problems and future theoretical and experimental directions are discussed.
The Economic Consequences of Accounting Fraud in Product Markets: Theory and a Case from the US Telecommunications Industry (WorldCom)

This paper studies the effects of accounting fraud on the product market. The model presented in this paper relies on the idea that a firm's financial statements and actions must be consistent with each other. If the firm is behaving fraudulently, insofar as its financial statements portray it as relatively efficient, the firm must act accordingly, i.e., increase its market share and/or reduce its prices. If the firm does not behave in keeping with its fraudulent financials, the market would be able to identify the fraud. As such, the manager will take actions and make pricing decisions which are not optimal. These actions can have a significant adverse effect on social welfare. This paper utilizes the WorldCom case to illustrate the implications of such fraudulent behavior and its economic significance in product markets.
A cross-cultural perspective on perceptions of paternalistic deficiencies in the United States: The myth of the derelict daddy

The image of the American father figure, as depicted by both the professional and the popular media, ranges from neutrality to one of a negative connotation: unavailable, aloof, inadequate, incompetent, fumbling. Empirical data from 18 cultures on adult-child proxemic interactions suggest that American fathers may be providing normative contact time and normative interaction with their children. The apparent inconsistency between the image and the behavior is examined. It is argued that the status-role complexes of “primary child caretaker” and of “soldier” are incompatible. Because males have been universally given the status of soldier, they cannot also be given the status of primary child caretaker. To prevent or reduce role conflict, the males are socialized to avoid internalizing the status of primary child caretaker. Once the symboling system is internalized, with the symbols of soldier and primary child caretaker discretely compartmentalized, then the actual behaviors can overlap considerably. The inconsistency of the image and the data is suggested to reflect a delicate societal charade which shields high levels of man-child interaction from social tampering.
Maximum permanents of matrices of zeros and ones

Abstract Let U (n, τ) be the set of all matrices of 0′s and 1′s of order n with exactly τ 0′s. We obtain an upper bound for the permanent of a matrix in U (n, τ). For 0⩽τ⩽2n and for n2 − 2n⩽τ⩽n2 − n we determine all matrices in U (n, τ) with maximum permanent.
Enhancement of small intestine function by gastrin.

Frequently, congenital or acquired small intestine (SI) abnormalities in infants lead to inadequate absorption. Gastrin has been suggested as a trophic hormone for SI epithelial cells. We chose to evaluate the effect of gastrin on the function and maturation of developing SI using a rat fetal intestine transplant model. Jejunoileal segments (7-8 cm) obtained from 19 to 20 days gestation fetal rats were implanted subcutaneously in syngeneic adult rats. Two weeks following transplantation the control group (N = 10) was continuously infused with saline and the study group (N = 9) was continuously infused with gastrin-17 (13.5 nM/kg/day) for 14 days. Following the infusion, intestinal maturation and function were evaluated by mucosal DNA concentration, disaccharidase activity, and absorption of [14C]galactose and [14C]glycine. Absorption (microM/cm2 SI) by the control and study groups for galactose was 1.10 +/- 0.18 vs 2.73 +/- 0.25, and for glycine was 1.68 +/- 0.23 vs 2.22 +/- 0.26, respectively. DNA concentration (microgram/mg SI) of the control and study groups was 410 +/- 43 vs 1031 +/- 158, respectively. Lactase and sucrase activity were similar in both groups. Although maltase (microM substrate hydrolyzed/min/g SI) was 13.5 +/- 2.7 for the gastrin group vs 7.9 +/- .9 for the control group, statistical significance was not achieved. Thus, gastrin produced a statistically significant increase in DNA concentration (cell mass) (P less than 0.01). More importantly, to our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that exogenously administered gastrin can increase absorption of carbohydrate (galactose; P less than 0.01) and protein (glycine; P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sensitivity to Surface Forcing and Boundary Layer Mixing in a Global Ocean Model: Annual-Mean Climatology

Abstract The effects of more realistic bulk forcing boundary conditions, a more physical subgrid-scale vertical mixing parameterization, and more accurate bottom topography are investigated in a coarse-resolution, global oceanic general circulation model. In contrast to forcing with prescribed fluxes, the bulk forcing utilizes the evolving model sea surface temperatures and monthly atmospheric fields based on reanalyses by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and on satellite data products. The vertical mixing in the oceanic boundary layer is governed by a nonlocal K-profile parameterization (KPP) and is matched to parameterizations of mixing in the interior. The KPP scheme is designed to represent well both convective and wind-driven entrainment. The near- equilibrium solutions are compared to a baseline experiment in which the surface tracers are strongly restored everywhere to climatology and the vertical mixing is conventional with constant coefficients, except where there is either conve...
The Transpacific Origin of Mesoamerican Civilization: A Preliminary Review of the Evidence and Its Theoretical Implications

Anthropologists generally assume that civilization developed independently in the eastern and western hemispheres. Review of the features that distinguish the Olmec culture of Mesoamerica from preceding village farming groups shows, however, that many are present in the earlier Shang civilization of China. If Olmec civilization originated from a transpacific stimulus, this has important implications both for reconstruction of New World cultural development and for formulation of a valid theory of the evolution of civilization.
Radiation protection of rat parenchymal hepatocytes with S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethylphosphorothioic acid

The ability to protect parenchymal hepatocytes from ionizing radiation damage with S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)-ethylphosphorothioic acid (WR-2721) was investigated. The clonogenic survival of irradiated hepatocytes was determined with an in vivo transplantation assay system. Injection of WR-2721 (400 mg/kg) immediately after irradiation was without protective effect. In contrast, an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of WR-2721 30 min prior to 60Co irradiation resulted in a significant protection of parenchymal hepatocytes. The mean lethal dose (Do) and extrapolation number (n) of the survival curve for unprotected hepatocytes as 2.9 Gy and 1.8, respectively. The Do and n values for hepatocytes protected with WR-2721 were 5.7 Gy and 1.8, respectively. Thus, WR-2721 at a concentration of 400 mg/kg acted as a dose modifying agent with a dose modifying factor of approximately 2.0. Decreasing the concentration of WR-2721 to 200 mg/kg did not significantly reduce the radioprotective effectiveness of the drug. However, at concentrations less than 200 mg/kg, the radioprotective effect decreased in a dose-response manner with a concentration of 150 mg/kg providing 50% of the maximum effect observed.
Detection of Hemodialysis Access Outlet Stenosis by Measuring Outlet Resistance

Stenosis of the outflow segment of hemodialysis access grafts frequently leads to thrombosis and loss of the access. Previous studies have shown that early detection and correction of the stenosis can prevent graft failure. The purpose of the present study was to compare four methods of detecting outflow segment stenosis: measurement of the pressure in the venous line during dialysis, measurement of the pressure in the distal portion of the access graft, measurement of the relative resistance of the outflow segment of the graft relative to the total resistance of the graft, and measurement of recirculation of venous dialysis blood into the dialysis arterial line. The graft pressure was determined by measuring the pressure in the dialysis venous line with the blood pump turned off. The relative resistance of the outflow segment was determined by dividing the graft blood flow-induced pressure decrease across this segment by the difference between mean systemic arterial and venous pressures. Sixty-eight chronic hemodialysis patients were followed prospectively for 11 months. Sixty-nine complications occurred in 31 accesses in 24 patients. Outlet obstruction was present in 21 of the 31 accesses. Relative graft resistance and recirculation rate measurement were found to be most useful in detecting hemodialysis access outlet obstruction.
Limonoid glucosides in calamondin seeds

Abstract Three new limonoid glucosides were isolated from seeds of calamondin ( Citrus reticulata var. austera x Fortunella sp.). They were the 17-β- d -glucopyranosides of calamin, methyl deacetylnomilinic acid and 6-keto-7β-deacetylnomilol. In addition, the 17-β- d -glucopyranosides of nomilinic acid and deacetylnomilinic acid were also isolated.
Rheology of dilute solutions of rod-like macromolecules

The rheological properties of dilute solutions of rod-like macromolecules are treated on the basis of a new model of macroparticle dynamics. Calculations are presented of the rigidity modulus, the shear viscosity, and the first and second normal stresses.