cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
C/NOFS: a demonstration system to forecast equatorial ionospheric scintillation that adversely affects navigation, communication, and surveillance systems

The purpose of the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) is to detect and forecast ionospheric irregularities that adversely impact communication, navigation and surveillance systems. The C/NOFS consists of ground sites that monitor the radio link to geosynchronous and GPS spacecraft, a fully-instrumented monitoring satellite scheduled for launch in 2005 and a central data collection facility that creates scintillation warnings in near real-time. The C/NOFS spacecraft will be launched into a low inclination (13°), elliptical (~ 375 x 710 km) orbit. Sensors on the C/NOFS spacecraft measure the ambient ionosphere near the equator and detect density fluctuations which cause scintillation. Ionospheric irregularities often occur after sunset within ±20° of the magnetic equator. These irregularities can be fairly benign, causing a small amount of radio scintillation and perturbing only UHF/VHF communications, or they can be very severe, causing L-band scintillation that interfere with the functioning of GPS receivers. In these severe cases, the ionospheric irregularities can extend beyond 1000 km altitude. One of the challenges of this project is to go beyond detecting irregularities and to predict scintillation-producing irregularities up to 8 hours into the future and estimating changes in the climatology 24 hours or more into the future.
Time-Resolved Stereo PIV Measurements of Flow Fields Inside a Rotating Cavity

This paper describes the experimental and numerical results of flow fields inside a rotor-stator rotating cavity. The rotational speeds and the axial throughflow are varied as experimental conditions. In the experiment, 3-components velocity vectors on the r–θ and r–z sections are obtained by a stereo dynamic PIV system to understand complex flow fields in detail such as flow structure and unsteadiness. A large eddy simulation (LES) is also carried out to confirm the analytical capability for the rotating cavity and to complement the understanding of the flow field. From the results, axisymmetric steady flow fields are observed under high Rossby number conditions, while several vortices are captured in the cavity in the r – θ section under low Rossby number conditions. The visualization results with seeding tracers for PIV show the flow structure of flow fields. LES can predict the flow field of the experimental result and the behavior of vortices which are varied as to the change of Ro conditions.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Contribution to the probabilistic theory of neural nets: IV. Various models for inhibition

Input-output formulas are derived for a neuron upon which converge single axones of two other neurons, which are subjected to a Poisson shower, where a number of different assumptions are made concerning the mechanism of inhibition.
Molecular evidence of iron limitation and availability in the global diazotroph Trichodesmium

The activity of the N2-fixing cyanobacterial genus Trichodesmium is critical to the global nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycles. Although iron (Fe) has been shown to be an important element limiting the growth and N2 fixation of Trichodesmium, there have been no specific data demonstrating the in situ affect of Fe on Trichodesmium. We surveyed Trichodesmium populations from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans for Fe limitation using a novel quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR (qRT-PCR) method monitoring the expression of an Fe limitation-induced gene, isiB. Here we report the first molecular evidence of in situ Fe limitation of Trichodesmium N2 fixation, which was evident in samples from the Pacific Ocean, whereas limitation appeared minimal to nonexistent in Atlantic Ocean samples. As our method is Trichodesmium clade specific, we were also able to determine that representatives from the Trichodesmium tenue clade were the most biologically active group of Trichodesmium in the majority of our samples, which speaks to their dominance in open ocean regimes. Furthermore, comparisons of our field expression and chemical data with laboratory studies suggest that the majority of dissolved Fe in the open ocean is available to Trichodesmium colonies regardless of Fe complexation.
PAY PROCEDURES AND VOLUNTARY TURNOVER: DOES PROCEDURAL JUSTICE MATTER?

Using a stratified sample of 506 occupationally heterogenous employees of a large County government in the United States, this study assessed the extent to which the perceived fairness of pay procedures are related to voluntary turnover. Controlling for the effects of demographic characteristics and distributive justice, the perceived fairness of procedures for pay determination, performance appraisal and appeals were related to voluntary turnover. Over-all, the results indicate that pay procedures are valued for their utility in predicting future pay decisions by the organization. The perceived fairness of pay-related procedures were also better predictors of which individuals will remain employed with the organization than of the individuals who will leave the organization.
Teaching homosexual literature as a "subversive" act.

If taught in a way that exposes students extensively and closely to its texts, homosexual literature can "subvert" the long-standing cultural notion that homosexuality is and should remain "unspeakable" and "untouchable." The author's working methods and materials in his gay and lesbian literature courses at the New School for Social Research, where he has been teaching the subject since 1979, are organized according to those principles. His courses also have a secondary "subversiveness" in the present academic climate, in implicity dissenting from the dominant "new-inventionist" trend in gay studies now.
The 7C Approach to Conceptualizing Administration: Executive Leadership in the 21st Century

The field of administration of organizations is huge. There are about 1.1 million 501©3 organizations in 2011 (Independent Sector). Each has a CEO, and other top administrators. Let's assume an ave...
Strain compensation in lattice mismatched short-period superlattices

Abstract The electronic properties of [001] (AlAs) n –(AlSb) n short-period strained-layer-superlattices (SPSLS) lattice matched to InP, for n ⩽ 4, have been calculated with a first-principles self-consistent pseudopotential method. The layer dependence of the inter\-planar relaxations, direct and indirect band gaps, and spin–orbit and valence band strain splittings are studied. Evolution of the superlattice states from the bulk constituents is discussed in terms of wavefunction mixing and band repulsion due to zone-folding. The band structures of the SPSLSs are compared with a disordered alloy of AlAs 0.5 Sb 0.5 represented by the special quasirandom structure. We find that continuum models of the total valence band splitting (strain and spin–orbit) do not accurately represent the electronic structure of lattice mismatched SPSLS, due to strong mixing of the heavy- and light-hole states across the interface.
A constrained EM algorithm for univariate normal mixtures

The EM algorithm is widely used to calculate maximum-likelihood estimates corresponding to a mixture of normal distributions. The algorithm is altered using simple constraints which increase robustness against poor initial guesses while maintaining a low work requirement per iteration. The modified algorithm is described and the results of some numerical tests are given.
Dynamic scaling in dendritic growth

Abstract We use simple scaling analysis to examine the fundamental relations in dendritic growth between dynamic parameters such as dendrite tip radius and growth velocity, and the dimensionless net heat flux through the dendrite surface (Peclet number). The resulting relations are then expanded in powers of the Peclet number. It is demonstrated that for a small Peclet number, a two term expansion is sufficient to fit the entire range of data in supercooling of Glicksman's recent microgravity experiment [M.E. Glicksman, M.B. Koss and E.A. Winsa, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73 (1994) 573; M.E. Glicksman, M.B. Koss, L.T. Bushnell, J.C. LaCombe and E.A. Winsa, ISIJ Int. 35 (1995) 1216; MRS Fall Meeting, Symp. P, Boston, MA, 1995, in press]. We also show that conventional theories using a single parameter are not supported from basic scaling arguments, nor do they correspond to experimental observations.
Neurally Mediated Hypotension and Autonomic Dysfunction Measured by Heart Rate Variability in Children with the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome † 144

Recent investigations strongly suggest a role for neurally mediated hypotension (NMH) in the symptomatology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in adults. Our previous work indicate that autonomic activity measured by heart rate variability (HRV) is abnormal in children with syncope (S) due to NMH during head-up tilt testing (HUT). Therefore, we performed measurements of HRV at HUT in 13 patients aged 11-18 y with CFS defined by CDC guidelines and compared results to 29 S patients. After 30 min supine, patients were tilted to 80° for 30 min or until syncope occurred. Time domain indices included standard deviation (SDNN), root mean square successive differences (RMSSD), percent exceeding 50msec (pNN50). An autoregressive model was used to calculate power spectra. Low frequency power (LFP,.04-.15Hz), high frequency power (HFP,.15-.40Hz), and total power (TP,.01-.40Hz) were compared. HRV data were obtained supine before tilt (baseline), and 5-10 min after HUT. Ten CFS patients fainted (CFS+), and 3 did not (CFS-). HRV indices were not different at baseline for CFS- vs CFS+: SDNN was 52±10 vs 62±7ms, RMSSD was 44±11 vs 51±7ms, pNN50 was 17±7 vs 25±4%, respectively. LFP, HFP, and TP were 442±143, 448±275, and 1287±461ms2 in CFS- vs 589±51, 398±86, and 1686±262 in CFS+. However, these data were strikingly decreased compared to S patients, - 17 fainted during HUT (S+) 12 did not (S-) - in which HRV indices were normal and much higher for S- compared to S+: SDNN was 123±17 vs 78±6ms, RMSSD was 127±23 vs 64±6 ms, pNN50 was 51±6 vs 31±4%, LFP, was 834±133 vs 3433±840, HFP was 3433±840 vs 834±133 and TP was 7062±1500 vs 2855±420 ms. With tilt, SDNN, RMSSD and pNN50 and spectral indices decreased in all groups. We conclude: 1. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is associated with neurally mediated syncope; 2. All indices of HRV are markedly depressed in CFS patients whether or not syncope is induced during HUT and even when compared with already abnormally low HRV in syncopal patients without CFS. These data suggest severe autonomic impairment in all patients with the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Influences of wildland-urban interface and wildland hiking areas on experiential recreation outcomes and environmental setting preferences.

Little is known about the beneficial outcomes (e.g., experiential benefits sought and achieved, place meanings) and environmental setting preferences across varying recreation areas. The purpose of this study is to better understand differences in the experiential recreation outcomes and setting preferences of Florida National Scenic Trail hikers by segmenting and comparing two groups based on the type of natural area they hiked: wildland–urban interface (WUI) visitors and wildland visitors, somewhat equivalent to the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) construct. This study utilized physical development density criteria (i.e., percent natural vegetation coverage, housing density per acre) obtained from a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database for the recreation setting classification. The wildland visitor group had stronger preferences for achievement and environmental exploration benefits and for more natural settings, while mental and physical health/wellness and in-group social bonding benefits were equally important for both groups. Ecological integrity was ascribed more strongly by the wildland group, and WUI visitors more strongly identified with the community identity construct. These results verify most ROS precepts and show that varying ROS type settings provide experiential outcome opportunities consistent with ROS parameters, though some refinements for WUI settings were identified.
Influence of enzymic activities on substrate oxidations in normal and diabetic rat liver and in mammary gland homogenate fractions.

Abstract Activities of TPN-dependent enzymes that oxidize glucose 6-phosphate (glucose-6-phosphate and gluconic acid 6-phosphate dehydrogenases), isocitrate (isocitrate dehydrogenase) and malate (malic enzyme) were determined in particle-free supernatant fractions prepared from normal and diabetic rat liver homogenates and from lactating and nonlactating rat mammary-gland homogenates. These activities were compared with actual oxidations of their respective substrate under conditions where TPN availability was limited. 1. 1. The decrease in activities of glucose 6-phosphate-oxidizing enzymes in diabetic rat livers was not associated with a reduction in the rate of oxidation of glucose 6-phosphate. Thus, reoxidation of TPNH limits the oxidation of glucose 6-phosphate 2. 2. The inhibitory effect of citrate on oxidation of glucose 6-phosphate and malate in livers of normal and diabetic rats is principally due to high activities of isocitrate dehydrogenase. The inhibitory effect of glucose 6-phosphate on oxidation of citrate and malate by lactating gland fractions is due mainly to high activities of glucose 6-phosphate-oxidizing enzymes. 3. 3. Malic enzyme activity in diabetic liver was one-fourth that of normal liver. 4. 4. Weaning decreased activities of glucose 6-phosphate-oxidizing and malic enzymes in mammary gland preparations. 5. 5. Further evidence is presented for conversion of DPN to TPN in the presence of ATP in rat liver and lactating mammary gland fractions.
Professional development in statistics, technology, and cognitively demanding tasks: classroom implementation and obstacles

Attending professional development programmes can support teachers in applying new strategies for teaching mathematics and statistics. This study investigated (a) the extent to which the participants in a professional development programme subsequently used the techniques they had learned when teaching mathematics and statistics and (b) the obstacles they encountered in enacting cognitively demanding instructional tasks in their classrooms. The programme created an intellectual learning community among the participants and helped them gain confidence as teachers of statistics, and the students of participating teachers became actively engaged in deep mathematical thinking. The participants indicated, however, that time, availability of resources and students� prior achievement critically affected the implementation of cognitively demanding instructional activities.
Patterns of association in the human metaphase complement: Ring analysis and estimation of associativity of specific chromosome regions

The pattern of metaphase chromosome association in the human complement was studied by two methods of statistical analysis of interchromosomal distances. Those methods included ring analysis in which a characteristic position of the centromere of each chromosome relative to the center of a two-dimensional representation of a metaphase complement was defined, and estimation of the capacity for associativity of each of three regions of each chromosome: the centromere (c) and the ends of each arm (p,q).
Screening Young Children’s Risk for Mental Health Problems: A Review of Four Measures

Accurate identification of young children at risk for mental health problems is a key step in establishing early childhood preventive intervention programs. Without psychometrically valid identific...
RURALIZING THE CITY: THE GREAT MIGRATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL REHABILITATION IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

This article examines the discursive and material presence of the “rural” in the “urban,” relating it to the historical and contemporary production of African American culture and identity. By using the case of the Great Migration, it discusses how African Americans negotiated and shaped their urban surroundings and formed individual and collective identities by drawing on their rural, southern histories. It then suggests the relevance of these broad historical processes to contemporary analyses and interventions in the urban environment of Baltimore, Maryland. This article challenges assumptions that obscure the agency of urban residents in the formation of identity and the establishment of community. It demonstrates ways in which the historical movement from rural South to urban North was accompanied by a range of cultural resources that have been adapted, discarded, or reconstructed.
Kinetics and mechanism of the liquid-phase oxidation of 1,2-dicyclohexylethane

1. A study was made of the liquid-phase oxidation of dicyclohexylethane with oxygen at 110–140°, and from the experimental data the activation energy of the initial stage of reaction was calculated (29-30 kcal/mole). 2. A scheme is proposed for a radical-chain mechanism for the reactions; it explains all the main experimental results obtained in the liquid-phase oxidation of dicyclohexylethane. 3. The first stage of the oxidation of dicyclohexylethane is attack by oxygen on the tertiary carbon atom of one cyclohexane ring with subsequent opening of this ring and formation of a cyclohexyl-substituted keto carboxylic acid.
Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV): A Human Trial

After operative coronary revascularization, 14 consenting adults received conventional positive pressure ventilation (PPV). When they were hemodynamically stable, data were collected during PPV and then during airway pressure release ventilation (APRV). During APRV, airway pressure (Paw) was reduced periodically at the lowest frequency which produced normal PaCO2. As anesthesia resolved, the rate of APRV breaths was decreased until patients breathed only with CPAP. During PPV and APRV, pHa, PaO/FIO2, and hemodynamic variables were similar. All patients were weaned from APRV without complication. Optimal ventilator design for patients with acute lung injury would provide CPAP as a primary intervention and secondarily would augment alveolar ventilation. The APRV supported oxygenation and ventilation in patients with mild acute lung injury, yet with much lower peak airway pressure than produced by PPV. (Chest 1988; 94:779-81)
Local bifurcations in the motion of spinning discs

Abstract The nonlinear equations of motion governing the dynamics of a spinning disc are examined. The flexible disc is assumed to be clamped near the center, free at the outer edge, and rotates with a time-varying spin rate. A 2-DOF system of ordinary differential equations is obtained which governs the dynamic variation of the amplitudes of the traveling waves associated with the dominant mode of the transverse motion. The equations are averaged using the method of averaging, and the corresponding local dynamics is examined in paper. In this paper, stability boundaries are obtained, along with the existence of single- and mixed-mode equilibrium solutions. The local bifurcation behavior associated with codimension-one and -two bifurcation varieties are examined using conventional techniques as well as ideas of symmetry analysis.
Family history and body mass index predict perceived risks of diabetes and heart attack among community-dwelling Caucasian, Filipino, Korean, and Latino Americans--DiLH Survey.

d i a b e t e s r e s e a r c h a n d c l i n i c a l p r a c t i c e 1 0 9 ( 2 0 1 5 ) 1 5 7 - 1 6 3 a b s t r a c t Aim: The purpose of the study was to explore the perceived risk for diabetes and heart attack and associated health status of Caucasian, Filipino, Korean, and Latino Americans without diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 904 urban adults (mean age 44.3 � 16.1 years; 64.3% female) in English, Spanish or Korean between August and Decem- ber 2013. Results: Perceived risk for developing diabetes was indicated by 46.5% (n = 421), and 14.3% (n = 129) perceived themselves to be at risk for having a heart attack in their lifetime. Significant predictors of pessimistic diabetes risk perceptions: Filipino (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.04-2.86) and Korean (AOR = 2.4; 1.33-4.48) ethnicity, family history of diabetes (AOR = 1.4; 1.00-1.84), female gender (AOR = 1.4; 1.04-1.96), high cholesterol (AOR= 1.6; 1.09-2.37) and higher body mass index (BMI) (AOR = 1.1; 1.08-1.15). Predictors of pessi- mistic heart attack risk perceptions were family history of an early heart attack (AOR = 2.9; 1.69-5.02), high blood pressure (AOR = 2.4; 1.45-3.84), and higher BMI (AOR = 1.1; 1.04-1.12) after controlling for socio-demographic factors. Older age, physical inactivity, smoking, and low HDL levels were not associated with risk perceptions. Conclusion: Multiple risk factors were predictive of greater perceived diabetes risk, whereas, only family history of heart attack, high blood pressure and increases in BMI significantly contributed to perceived risk of heart attack among ethnically diverse at risk middle-aged adults. It is important that healthcare providers address the discordance between an individual's risk perceptions and the presence of actual risk factors.
“Ethnic” family business or just family business? Human resource practices in the ethnic family firm

Abstract The presence of family influence and family social capital may factor into a family firm's relatively slow process in formalizing human resource practices when compared to a non-family firm. Family social capital and family influence also play a strong role in the development of the ethnic entrepreneur and the growing ethnic family firm. This conceptual paper explores the development of formal HRM practices in ethnic versus non-ethnic family firms, contrasting a family influence/family social capital approach to formalization of HRM practices with the institutionalization of HRM practices that occurs in many small and growing firms. First, we summarize the literature on ethnic entrepreneurs and family firms with a specific focus on firms owned and operated by Hispanics in the United States. We then offer propositions for future research regarding formal high-performance HRM practices in ethnic family firms, advance a research design to test the proposed relationships and discuss how these relationships might compare in U.S. Hispanic and non-Hispanic family firms.
FOSSILIZED SECOND LANGUAGE GRAMMARS, Florencia Franceschina

FOSSILIZED SECOND LANGUAGE GRAMMARS. Florencia Franceschina. Amsterdam: Benjamins, 2005. Pp. xxiv + 288. $138.00 cloth.This monograph by Franceschina presents an empirical study of what is known as Orwell's problem: a learnability problem manifested as lack of learning in spite of exposure to abundant and unambiguous positive input evidence. The study is premised on three main assumptions: (a) Universal Grammar (UG) operates normally in all types of natural language acquisition, (b) first language (L1)-selected parameterized functional features (PFFs) are available in the acquisition of languages other than the L1, and (c) there is a critical period for the acquisition of PFFs. Following Hawkins and Chan's (1997) failed functional features hypothesis (FFFH), Franceschina hypothesizes that in adult SLA, nativelike knowledge of PFFs will be restricted to the subset instantiated in the L1. Using gender marking in second language (L2) Spanish as a test case, the study addresses the following questions: (a) Can adult learners acquire nativelike knowledge of grammatical gender in the L2? (b) In adult L2 learners, is the possibility of nativelike attainment in the area of grammatical gender determined by the learner's L1? (c) What might prevent near-natives from reaching the same endstate knowledge as L1 speakers? Two experimental groups of adult near-natives with contrasting L1s (+gen vs. −gen) relative to the target language and a control group of native speakers were formed and subsequently subjected to six experimental tasks that tapped into comprehension, production, and metalinguistic judgments. The data from each test task separately underwent quantitative analyses, and the results consistently pointed to an advantage for the +gen group and, conversely, a disadvantage for the −gen group, thereby confirming the FFFH and, hence, Franceschina's own hypothesis.
DYNAMICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LARGE CONVECTIVE CLOUDS AND ENVIRONMENT WITH VERTICAL SHEAR

Abstract The physics of convective clouds depends not only upon thermodynamic processes but also upon the interactions with the environmental wind field. When vertical shear is present, a hydrodynamic (nonhydrostatic) pressure field is induced by relative motions near the boundaries of a large convective system which does not move with the ambient winds. This tends to make the cloud tilt away from the vertical, but at the same time vertical gradients of hydrodynamic pressure aid the formation of new convection. Expressions are derived for the accelerations concerned. Quantitative estimates based upon experimental analogies show that vertical accelerations due to the induced pressure field may be of the same order as those associated with ordinary buoyancy forces. These account for the self-propagating nature of squall-line-type thunderstorms and their ability to continue at night when thunderstorms in stagnant air masses tend to die out. The hypothesis accounts for the observed movements of this type of r...
II. After Short Gestation and Gestation Complicated by Hypertension with Special Reference to the “Small‐for‐Dates” Syndrome

Summary In cases of hypertensive disorder there is an increase of urea in the cord vein plasma. The increase seems to be secondary to an occasional increase in the maternal plasma. In cases of hypertensive disorder during pregnancy associated with intrauterine growth retardation of the foetus the ratio between the cord vein plasma levels and the mother's cubital vein plasma levels of essential amino acids is lower than under normal conditions. The low ratios of valine, isoleucine and leucine levels are shown to be due to higher maternal plasma levels at delivery than in normal pregnancies. It is suggested that the findings have some bearing on the growth retardation of the foetus, being the consequence of a diminished supply of essential amino acids to the foetus. The differences from what is found in normal term pregnancies are not due to a shortening of the gestational period, since there is in the foetus, in a gestational period down to 33 weeks, only still higher plasma levels of taurine and lysine. To demonstrate that the material is representative as regards hypertension and the “small-for-dates” syndrome a survey has been made of the weight and length at birth in cases of hypertensive disorder during pregnancy.
Destiny of earthward streaming plasma in the plasmasheet boundary layer

The dynamics of the earth's magnetotail have been investigated, and it has become clear that the plasmasheet boundary layer field lines map into the Region I Field-Aligned Currents (FAC) of the auroral zone. It is pointed out that the role of earthward streaming ions in the plasmasheet boundary layer may be of fundamental importance in the understanding of magnetotail dynamics, auroral zone physics, and especially for ionospheric-magnetospheric interactions. The present paper has the objective to evaluate propagation characteristics for the earthward streaming ions observed in the plasmasheet boundary layer. An investigation is conducted of the propagation characteristics of protons in the plasmasheet boundary layer using independent single particle dynamics, and conclusions are discussed. The density of earthward streaming ions found in the plasmasheet boundary layer should include the ring current as well as the auroral zone precipitaiton and inner plasmasheet regions of the magnetosphere.
Identifying Phytoliths Produced by the Inflorescence Bracts of Three Species of Wheat (Triticum monococcumL.,T. dicocconSchrank., andT. aestivumL.) Using Computer-Assisted Image and Statistical Analyses

Abstract Phytoliths produced by the inflorescence bracts from three species of wheat, Triticum monococcum L., T. dicoccon Schrank., and T. aestivum L., were analysed using computer-assisted image and statistical analyses with the intent to develop taxonomic tools to distinguish among the taxa. A classification key and discriminant functions based on significant differences among the morphometry means of the silica cell and dendriform phytoliths produced by each species were created and tested. The classification key and the discriminant functions proved to be reliable tools for distinguishing among phytoliths produced in the inflorescence bracts of the three wheats considered.
An overview of the current status of social phobia

Abstract Social phobia is a common and debilitating anxiety disorder that is associated with serious impairment in social and vocational functioning and increased risk of comorbid psychopathology. The disorder typically begins in adolescence and left untreated follows a chronic, unremitting course. Although little is currently known about the etiology of the condition, dramatic developments have been made in the assessment and treatment of social phobia over the past decade. Various medications and forms of behavior therapy have been shown to be effective, although many patients do not respond fully to treatment. The current status of social phobia and directions for future research are discussed.
RAS Mutations Predict Radiologic and Pathologic Response in Patients Treated with Chemotherapy Before Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases

RAS mutations have been reported to be a potential prognostic factor in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM). However, the impact of RAS mutations on response to chemotherapy remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between RAS mutations and response to preoperative chemotherapy and their impact on survival in patients undergoing curative resection of CLM. RAS mutational status was assessed and its relation to morphologic response and pathologic response was investigated in 184 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Predictors of survival were assessed. The prognostic impact of RAS mutational status was then analyzed using two different multivariate models, including either radiologic morphologic response (model 1) or pathologic response (model 2). Optimal morphologic response and major pathologic response were more common in patients with wild-type RAS (32.9 and 58.9 %, respectively) than in patients with RAS mutations (10.5 and 36.8 %; P = 0.006 and 0.015, respectively). Multivariate analysis confirmed that wild-type RAS was a strong predictor of optimal morphologic response [odds ratio (OR), 4.38; 95 % CI 1.45–13.15] and major pathologic response (OR, 2.61; 95 % CI 1.17–5.80). RAS mutations were independently correlated with both overall survival and recurrence free-survival (hazard ratios, 3.57 and 2.30, respectively, in model 1, and 3.19 and 2.09, respectively, in model 2). Subanalysis revealed that RAS mutational status clearly stratified survival in patients with inadequate response to preoperative chemotherapy. RAS mutational status can be used to complement the current prognostic indicators for patients undergoing curative resection of CLM after preoperative modern chemotherapy.
Determination of the accessibility of NH groups of Kevlar 49 fibres by photoacoustic FTi.r. spectroscopy

Fourier transform infra-red (FTi.r.) photoacoustic spectroscopy in combination with deuterium exchange was used to determine the accessibility of the NH groups of Kevlar 49 fibres. The spectra were corrected for the dependence of the photoacoustic signal on the frequency and the integrated intensities of the NH and ND stretching bands were used to calculate the fraction of accessible NH groups. Exposure of the deuterated fibres to saturated water vapour showed a residual ND stretching absorption, in agreement with the improved molecular packing expected after heat-treatment at high temperature.
New Variational Principle for Decaying States

The Hamiltonian of a system containing decaying states is subjected to a nonunitary similarity transformation which introduces the wave functions of these decaying states as well as those of the "antidecaying" dual states explicitly into the representation. The dependence of the Green's-function pole on these wave functions is used to formulate a variational principle for their determination, yielding a non-Hermitian, nonlinear wave equation including self-energy contributions. Explicit solutions are given in a simple example.
DIFFUSIONAL RELEASE OF WATER-SOLUBLE BIOACTIVE AGENTS FROM ETHYLENE-VINYL ACETATE COPOLYMERS

A model is presented for the diffusional release of theophylline and albumin from ethylene-vinyl acetate based polymeric systems with dynamically changing porosity. The model may be used to predict values of tortuosity of certain types of controlled drug delivery polymeric systems if drug dissolution limitations are negligible. The values of the tortuosity factor calculated indicate that small constrictions between large pores play an important role in the solute release behavior from these samples.
Quadratic isocurvature cross-correlation, Ward identity, and dark matter

Sources of isocurvature perturbations and large non-Gaussianities include field degrees of freedom whose vacuum expectation values are smaller than the expansion rate of inflation. The inhomogeneities in the energy density of such fields are quadratic in the fields to leading order in the inhomogeneity expansion. Although it is often assumed that such isocurvature perturbations and inflaton-driven curvature perturbations are uncorrelated, this is not obvious from a direct computational point of view due to the form of the minimal gravitational interactions. We thus compute the irreducible gravitational contributions to the quadratic isocurvature-curvature cross-correlation. We find a small but nondecaying cross-correlation, which in principle serves as a measurable prediction of this large class of isocurvature perturbations. We apply our cross-correlation result to two dark matter isocurvature perturbation scenarios: QCD axions and wimpzillas. On the technical side, we utilize a gravitational Ward identity in a novel manner to demonstrate the gauge invariance of the computation. Furthermore, the detailed computation is interpreted in terms of a soft-$\ensuremath{\zeta}$ theorem and a gravitational Ward identity. Finally, we also identify explicitly all the counterterms that are necessary for renormalizing the isocurvature perturbation composite operator in inflationary cosmological backgrounds.
Limbic muscarinic cholinergic and benzodiazepine receptor changes with chronic intravenous morphine and self-administration

Muscarinic cholinergic and benzodiazepine receptor affinities and densities were evaluated in membranes from seven brain regions of rats intravenously self-administering morphine and in littermates receiving yoked-morphine or yoked vehicle infusions to identify neuronal systems potentially involved in mediating opiate reinforcement processes. Passive morphine infusion resulted in increases in muscarinic cholinergic receptor densities in the pyriform cortex and in decreases in the cingulate cortex while benzodiazepine receptor densities were decreased in both the hippocampal formation and entorhinal-subicular cortex compared to littermates receiving passive infusions of vehicle. Morphine self-administration resulted in decreased muscarinic cholinergic receptor densities in the frontal and entorhinal-subicular cortices and increases in the amygdaloid complex compared to littermates receiving yoked passive drug. These data are in agreement with acetylcholine turnover rate measurements in these animals and support the proposed role of cholinergic innervations of the frontal and entorhinal-subicular cortices and amygdaloid complex in opiate reinforcement processes.
Molecular diagnosis of Campylobacter jejuni infection in cases of focal active colitis

Campylobacter jejuni (CJ) is the most commonly isolated stool pathogen in the United States. Biopsy findings are typically those of focal active colitis (FAC), a nonspecific pattern usually indicating infection or adverse drug effect that is characterized by focal cryptitis and preservation of crypt architecture. We developed a molecular test for CJ that can be performed on routinely processed gastrointestinal biopsy specimens, and assessed what percentage of patients with biopsy findings of FAC have molecular evidence of CJ infection. One hundred and ten colon biopsies diagnosed as FAC were retrieved from three institutions. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed following DNA extraction; primers were designed to target a 286-bp fragment of the mapA gene that is specific to CJ. Pure genomic DNA derived from cultures served as the positive control; reagent blanks and 50 normal colon specimens served as negative controls. Nineteen percent (21/110) of the FAC biopsies were positive for CJ DNA by PCR analysis. Fourteen CJ-positive patients presented with diarrhea, 3 presented with gastrointestinal bleeding, and 3 had incidental FAC found on screening colonoscopy. Ten patients had abnormal colonoscopic findings, including erythema (4), ulcers (4), colitis (1), and hemorrhage (1). As CJ is an enteric pathogen that is not present in the gut as a commensal organism, the presence of CJ DNA suggests current or recent previous infection in these patients. CJ infection should be considered in patients with diarrhea and colon biopsies showing FAC. Furthermore, PCR analysis performed on fixed, routinely processed colon biopsies is an excellent diagnostic method for detection of this organism.
Painful Praise: Exploring the Public Proclamation of the Hymns of Revelation

In light of the present infatuation with praise music and prosperity preaching within some sectors of the church, this article attempts to complicate simplistic notions of praise and correct faulty...
Validating Self-Nomination in Gang Research: Assessing Differences in Gang Embeddedness Across Non-, Current, and Former Gang Members

The study of gang members is closely linked to the self-nomination method. It is timely to revisit the criterion validity of self-nomination, as recent theoretical and empirical advancements in gang disengagement necessitate further differentiating current from former gang members. This study assessed differences in gang embeddedness—a construct that taps individual immersion within deviant social networks—across three groups: current gang members, former gang members, and those individuals who have never joined a gang. Data gathered in 2011 from a high-risk sample of 621 individuals in five cities were used to assess the validity of the self-nomination method. Standardized differences in a mixed graded response model of gang embeddedness were evaluated across the three statuses of gang membership. Self-nomination was strongly related to embeddedness in gangs, even after controlling for demographic, theoretical, and gang-related factors. The strongest predictor of gang embeddedness was self-nomination as a current or a former gang member, although current gang members maintained levels of gang embeddedness about one standard deviation greater than former gang members. Self-nomination was also the primary determinant of gang embeddedness for males, females, whites, blacks, and Hispanics. The results of this study provide strong evidence in support of the use of self-nomination to differentiate between non-gang and gang members as well as current and former gang members, adding to a body of research demonstrating that self-nomination is a valid measure of gang membership.
Stacks in a two-level store

Abstract The total number of stack pushing operations that occur for each stack size in the set of all stack histories when compiling or evaluating an expression of size n is calculated. The expected fraction of operations that use the slow store when implementing a stack in a two-level store is then obtained. Two different paging strategies are then examined, and the fraction of stack pushing operations that are paging operations is obtained for both cases. The results are an application of the techniques of P. Flajolet, J. Francon, and J. Vuillemin for analyzing data structures that are subjected to sequences of operations.
Reconstitution of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation cascades in bacteria. Efficient synthesis of active protein kinases

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways include a three-kinase cascade terminating in a MAP kinase family member. The middle kinase in the cascade is a MAP/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase or MEK family member and is highly specific for its MAP kinase target. The first kinase in the cascade, a MEK kinase (MEKK), is characterized by its ability to activate one or more MEK family members. A two-plasmid bacterial expression system was employed to express active forms of the following MEK and MAP kinase family members: ERK1, ERK2, α-SAPK, and p38 and their upstream activators, MEK1, −2, −3, and −4. In each kinase module, the upstream activator, a constitutively active mutant of MEK1 or MEKK1, was expressed from a low copy plasmid, while one or two downstream effector kinases were expressed from a high copy plasmid with different antibiotic resistance genes and origins of replication. Consistent with their high activity, ERK1 and ERK2 were doubly phosphorylated on Tyr and Thr, were recognized by an antibody specific to the doubly phosphorylated forms, and were inactivated by either phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A or phosphotyrosine phosphatase type 1. Likewise, activated p38 and α-stress-activated protein kinase could also be inactivated by either phosphatase, and α-stress-activated protein kinase was recognized by an antibody specific to the doubly phosphorylated forms. These three purified, active MAP kinases have specific activities in the range of 0.6-2.3 μmol/min/mg. Coexpression of protein kinases with their substrates in bacteria is of great value in the preparation of numerous phosphoproteins, heretofore not possible in procaryotic expression systems.
Barite in Ceramic Whitewares

An investigation was made of the thermal behavior of natural barite (barium sulfate) and of its effect as a major constituent in whiteware bodies. The maturing characteristics and fired properties of twenty-five barite bodies were compared with those of two conventional semi-vitreous bodies. Barite bodies were found to be particularly promising for the production of semi-vitreous and nonvitreous ware. They exhibited maturing ranges three to eleven times greater than the maturing ranges of conventional semi-vitreous bodies and relatively uniform properties when fired over wide temperature ranges. It appears that an essentially new field of unusual ceramic whitewares has been discovered.
The consequences of opponent rectification: the effect of surround size and luminance on color appearance.

Abstract Smith and Pokorny (Vision Res. 36 (1996) 3087.) described conditions under which chromatic contrast induction can reveal a hiatus, a region of chromaticity space which appears neither reddish nor greenish when presented in a chromatic equiluminant surround. The current study investigated the effect of varying the size and the luminance of the inducing surround. The color appearance of test stimuli in chromatic surrounds was assessed by asymmetric color matching to a comparison display. Equiluminant (12 cd/m2), 1° square stimuli were generated on a CRT display and presented haploscopically. Ten test fields varied in their L-cone excitation along a constant S-cone line. The chromatic surrounds were of either high (red) or low (green) L-cone excitation on a constant S-cone line. In Experiment 1, surrounds were 1.1°, 1.5°, 2.0°, or 3.0° square (surround widths of 3′, 15′, 30′, 1°). In Experiment 2, the test and comparison surrounds were at higher (16.7 cd/m2) or lower (8.3 cd/m2) retinal illuminance than the test field. Contrast induction reached an asymptote for surround widths of 30′ or larger. The amount of induction decreased for the surround widths of 15′ and 3′. The hiatus was present for the larger surrounds and decreased as surround size decreased. The use of a higher or lower surround luminance did not affect the magnitude of induction or the size of the hiatus.
Drought Response and Recovery Characteristics of St. Augustinegrass Cultivars

As water resources become restricted for use on amenity turfgrass systems, the inability for consumers to delineate incremental drought stress relating to plant health can result in the misuse of water resources during drought conditions. Seven cultivars of St. Augustinegrass (SA) [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze] and two root zone depths were evaluated for drought response and recovery during consecutive 60-d drought and 60-d recovery periods over 2 yr. Using digital image analysis, drought response and recovery were quantifi ed as the number of days to decrease or increase to 50% green ground cover, respectively. Both study years provided unique conditions for investigating drought response as the mean time to reach 50% green ground cover differed by 24 d between the 2 yr of study. Some SA cultivars lost 50% green ground cover in 23 d while other cultivars lasted the entire 60 d drought period without losing 50% green ground cover. Floratam provided the most consistent drought response and recovery compared to other SA cultivars. Once water was no longer limited, cultivars demonstrated up to a 52 d difference in attaining 50% green ground cover. Results could signifi cantly impact home consumer irrigation behaviors and infl uence consumer expectations of turfgrass following drought conditions.
Thalamocortical Connections of Functional Zones in Posterior Parietal Cortex and Frontal Cortex Motor Regions in New World Monkeys

Posterior parietal cortex (PPC) links primate visual and motor systems and is central to visually guided action. Relating the anatomical connections of PPC to its neurophysiological functions may elucidate the organization of the parietal–frontal network. In owl and squirrel monkeys, long-duration electrical stimulation distinguished several functional zones within the PPC and motor/premotor cortex (M1/PM). Multijoint forelimb movements reminiscent of reach, defense, and grasp behaviors characterized each functional zone. In PPC, functional zones were organized parallel to the lateral sulcus. Thalamocortical connections of PPC and M1/PM zones were investigated with retrograde tracers. After several days of tracer transport, brains were processed, and labeled cells in thalamic nuclei were plotted. All PPC zones received dense inputs from the lateral posterior nucleus and the anterior pulvinar. PPC zones received additional projections from ventral lateral (VL) divisions of motor thalamus, which were also the primary source of input to M1/PM. Projections to PPC from rostral motor thalamus were sparse. Dense projections from ventral posterior (VP) nucleus of somatosensory thalamus distinguished the rostrolateral grasp zone from the other PPC zones. PPC connections with VL and VP provide links to cerebellar nuclei and the somatosensory system, respectively, that may integrate PPC functions with M1/PM.
Characterization of a Ferroelectric Plasma Source Operated at Atmospheric Pressure

Summary form given only. Proof-of-concept experiments on the ferroelectric atmospheric plasma source (FEAPS) have shown plasma produced at atmospheric pressure in both argon and air. The FEAPS has two electrodes on opposing surfaces of a ferroelectric ceramic disc. The design of FEAPS is based on a ferroelectric plasma thruster (FEPT) being developed for microspacecraft propulsion. RF voltage is applied between the electrodes and plasma forms on the surface of the ferroelectric, in an aperture of the grounded electrode. Several studies of ferroelectric sources indicate multiple mechanisms are involved in plasma production including piezoelectric resonance effects, triple- point enhancement, and ferroelectric polarization reversal. Over the operating frequency spectrum, characterization experiments were performed to find the breakdown voltage and power consumption at breakdown, composition of the discharge, electron and nitrogen rotational temperatures and plasma density.