cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organization of human T-cell receptor beta-chain genes: clusters of V beta genes are present on chromosomes 7 and 9.

Abstract To ascertain the extent and organization of the germ-line human T-cell receptor (TCR) beta-chain gene repertoire, beta-chain variable region (V beta) genes were mapped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, cosmid cloning, and in situ hybridization. Probes derived from the 24 known V beta families were mapped to a total of six Sfi I fragments in DNA samples from multiple individuals representing all possible haplotypes of TCR V- and C (constant)-region insertion/deletion-related polymorphisms. Four of the Sfi I fragments were linked to one another to develop an extended map of the TCR beta-chain gene complex previously localized to chromosome 7q35. The remaining two Sfi I fragments, containing 6 V beta genes, could not be linked to the TCR beta-chain gene complex. Using human-hamster somatic cell hybrids and in situ hybridization, these orphon genes were localized to chromosome 9p. Nucleotide sequences of the orphon V beta genes, derived from cosmid clones, were 93-97% identical to V beta genes in the TCR beta-chain gene complex. Open reading frames in three of the orphon V beta genes were intact as were the recombination signal sequences. As expected, based on their orphon status, none of the V beta genes of chromosome 9 was detected in transcripts containing C beta. These results indicate that the functional germ-line V beta repertoire in humans is substantially (10%) smaller than previously estimated.
Geographers in the Public Square: A Comparative Analysis of Op-Ed Productivity

This paper explores three questions. 1) How active are academics in the op-ed pages of American newspapers and how do geographers compare on this front? 2) Are there patterns that emerge among those geographers who have published commentaries in American newspapers in terms of their rank and gender? 3) Are there common themes or perspectives which emerge in the opinion pieces penned by geographers? These questions are answered by an analysis of newspaper op-eds published in the United States over the 2004–2008 period using the LexisNexis Academic database. Geography ranks sixth out of the seven disciplines measured in terms of the total number of op-eds published, yet fourth out of seven when the different sizes of disciplines are taken into account. Within geography, authors with the rank of full professor are the most likely to publish a commentary.
Clinical and Microbiological Characterization of Patients with Nonspecific Vaginosis Associated with Motile, Curved Anaerobic Rods

The vaginal secretions of 20 normal control subjects and 21 patients with motile, curved anaerobic rods were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, Chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Extensive histories and physical examinations of the patients and microscopic appearance and gas-liquid chromatography patterns of vaginal secretions were compared between the two groups. The patients who had motile rods in their vaginal secretions more frequently presented with a history of complaints about foul-smelling discharge (18 [86%] of 21); discharge noted during physical examination at their introitus (15 [71%] of 21); a vaginal pH greater than 4.5 (21 [100%] of 21); and a highly specific microscopic appearance of their secretions. The secretions were characterized by the absence of lactobacilli, the presence of highly motile, curved bacilli, and an increased number of background bacteria when compared with normal patients. Patients had more frequent anaerobic isolates than did controls (P less than .001), with increased numbers of Peptococcus, Peptostreptococcus, Propionibacterium, and Bacteroides species. All patients with motile bacteria in their secretions met the criteria of the syndrome of nonspecific vaginosis that has been previously described.
The mRNA expression of the human 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor and the c-myc protooncogene in cultured human keratinocytes.

The human vitamin D receptor mRNA expression in preconfluent human cultured keratinocytes was upregulated by treatment of these cells with 10−8 M 1,25(OH)2D3 for 24 hours. Additionally, human c-myc mRNA expression was decreased in a dose dependent manner by 1,25(OH)2D3 in both preconfluent and confluent cultured human keratinocytes.
Producing octave-wide combs and few-cycle pulses in the mid-IR: Frequency divide-and-conquer approach

More than one-octave-wide frequency combs are produced in the mid-infrared region of 2-6 microns via subharmonic optical parametric oscillation using ultrafast fiber lasers as a pump source. In time domain, sub-5-cycle mid-IR pulses were achieved.
Diversity and biogeography of neotropical bamboos (Poaceae: Bambusoideae)

The present paper analyses the distribution of bamboos in New World. For convenience, bamboos are divided into two broad groups, the woody bamboos and the herbaceous bamboos. These categories do not necessarily reflect phylogenetic relationships among bamboo groups. The Bambuseae includes all of the woody bamboos and is probably monophyletic, whereas the herbaceous bamboos are classified into eight tribes. In the New World (including underscribed taxa), 45-46 genera and approximately 515 species are represented; only two genera: Arundinaria and Streptogyna are not exclusively neotropical. The area of greatest endemism and diversity is the humid coastal forests of Bahia, Brazil. 22 genera have been found in this relatively small area, representing 48% of all New World genera. Five of the 22 genera are endemic to the Bahia coastal forests.
Investigation of a Multiple Input Converter for Grid Connected Thermoelectric-Photovoltaic Hybrid System

Hybrid thermoelectric and photovoltaic (TE/PV) systems more effectively convert solar energy into electrical energy by harvesting thermal energy from the heat dissipated from the photovoltaic technology that would otherwise be wasted. This allows a broader spectrum of the solar electromagnetic energy to be converted to electricity through the use of a thermoelectric module integrated with photovoltaic materials. There have not been previously developed circuits to simultaneously convert mixed-source TE/PV devices for electric utility grid interconnection. Challenges associated with grid interfaces include determining optimized configurations that to account for different or mixed TE/PV materials. A Cuk-Cuk multiple input converter is presented to accommodate power flow from multiple sources simultaneously or independently.
Cognition on the ground

Suggesting that much of social science is still wedded to the ‘dogma of the ghost in the machine,’ I discuss my ethnomethodological and conversation analytic approach to the assembly of cognitive objects. It is important to reverse the usual social psychological metalanguage of mind causing behavior, and see how practices in interaction operate to display cognitive states of participants. Two examples are given: one in regard to the assembly of gestalts, including social actions in talk, and the other concerning the production of responses as accountable phenomena in the survey interview. While advances are being made in brain imaging, the connections between the neurobiology of the mind and the practices embedded in human conduct are tenuous at best. For the social scientist, approaching cognition through practices puts ghosts and other ephemera in abeyance and allows for analysis of the detail exhibited in behavior when minds are purportedly at work.
English Language Proficiency and the Prediction of Academic Success

This article discusses the relationship between English language proficiency and academic success in universities and colleges in which English is the language of instruction. It points out some of the difficulties associated with determining this relationship and summarizes previous investigations of the issue. It is argued that while the research clearly shows that many factors other than English proficiency are important to academic success, there may be for each institution, or even for each program within an institution, a minimum level below which lack of sufficient proficiency in English contributes significantly to lack of academic success. Such a level can be determined by each institution individually, but until it is determined, a number of steps can be taken for establishing reasonable English language proficiency requirements. At many colleges and universities, ESL professionals are called upon by admissions officers for help in making admissions decisions for nonnative speakers of English. ESL professionals may be asked what cutoff scores should be used on standardized tests that have
The Construction of a New Émigré Self in 20th-Century Russian Paris in Short Stories by Nadezhda Teffi

My paper will address the construction of the emigre “self” and the question of subjectivity in the writing of Elsa Triolet (1896-1970), Irene Nemirovsky (1903–1942), and Nadezhda Teffi (1872-1952), Russian emigres. These writers faced a necessity to operate in a new cultural milieu, language barriers (switching from Russian to French), nostalgia, alienation, gender biases, and a need to create the new sense of the self. The article will show the importance of a new emigre network which the Russian emigres created, the rise of literary and artistic salons that sought to revive the glory of the Russian silver age, and the creation of the new emigre identity that whimsically integrated the experience of Passy, the memories and mythologies of the Old Regime in Russia, nostalgia over the Belle Epoque, and efforts to integrate some elements of modern Parisian lifestyle.
Contextual effects on learning and memory

Subjects were given a page of words containing either two or four words per line. A single word (target) on each line was to be learned. Results showed that directing attention to background words by allowing subjects to choose the target word enhanced the incidental learning of those background items and learning of the target items as well. Possible reasons for these observations were discussed.
Rectenna performance under a 200-W amplifier microwave

The concept of microwave driven smart material actuators is envisioned as the best option to alleviate the complexity associated with hard wired control circuitry for applications such as membrane actuators, insect-like flying objects, or micro-aero-vehicles. Accordingly, rectenna technology was adopted to convert power from microwave to DC and run actuator devices. Previous experimental results showed that 230 VDC output was obtained from a 6 x 6 rectenna array at a far-field exposure (1.8 meters away) with an x-band input power of 20 watts. This result showed the feasibility of using microwaves to power feed and control smart actuators. We have tested a 6 x 6 JPL array patch rectenna which was designed to generate theoretical voltages up to 540 volts. The test result indicated that the performance degradation of Shottky barrier diodes on the rectenna array caused the output voltage to drop. Thus, an estimation of output voltage was made to show the performance beyond the previous measurement by extrapolating and correlating the measured data with a 200 W TWT amplifier in a reverse process. The estimated peak output voltage was 515 volts. In this experiment, due to the degradation of the rectenna performance, we had to measure the output performance based on comparison of the previous result of the rectenna output of a 20W amplifier with the output from the 200 W amplifier. For the real applications, the degradation of Schottky diodes will be a critical issue to be resolved in the fabrication process.
A Traffic-Grooming Algorithm for Wavelength-Routed Optical Networks

We consider the problem of grooming in all-optical networks to maximize traffic. We present an integer-programming formulation while constraining the number of optical transceivers at each node, the link load, and the capacity of each lightpath. Based on the structural properties of the problem, we develop a heuristic based on a column-generation technique. The algorithm is easy to implement, requires a modest amount of CPU time, and provides high-quality solutions. To ascertain the quality of solutions obtained by our algorithm, we present an alternative formulation that allows us to develop an upper bound using a Lagrangian-relaxation technique. An extensive computational study is presented.
Pore size distributions of foams from chord distributions of random lines: Mathematical inversion and computer simulation

Abstract A method is developed to determine pore size distributions of solid foams from optical or electron micrographs of fracture surfaces. The pores are approximated by spheres, and the chord lengths of random lines drawn through the micrographs are measured. Two methods are developed for smoothing the experimental chord length distribution: one by Fourier analysis and the other by curve-fitting to a multimodal modified Gaussian distribution function. Since the chord length distribution function (CDF) is an integral transform of the sphere diameter distribution function (SDF), a mathematical procedure is derived for inverting the CDF to obtain the SDF. Computer simulation using delta-function, unimodal, and bimodal SDFs are used to verify that the method gives very good approximations of the actual SDF, even when the data base includes fewer than 300 chord lengths. The method is applicable also to determining SDFs for spherical and sphere-like particles, and lends itself readily to automation.
The Application of a Synthesis-by-Rule System to Singing

Much has been accomplished in the area of speech technology in order that machines can talk to people. Various stringing techniques such as phoneme, allophone and diphone have been demonstrated to give those machines virtually unlimited vocabularies. The subject to be covered in this paper is not a new speech construction technique, but how a construction technnque can be combined with a speech synthesizer to allow the machine to sing. The system which will be discussed uses linear predictive coding (LPC) as its synthesis method and allophiones as its constructoin technique. In this paper, each segment of the system will be discussed in some detail.
Switched-capacitor logarithmic DAC

An accurate, low-power, switched-capacitor (SC) digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) with exponential characteristics is presented. The design represents a significant improvement in performance and reduction in complexity over previously reported logarithmic DACs.
Effects on membrane capacitance of steroids with antagonist properties at GABAA receptors.

We investigated the electrophysiological signature of neuroactive steroid interactions with the plasma membrane. We found that charged, sulfated neuroactive steroids, those that exhibit noncompetitive antagonism of GABAA receptors, altered capacitive charge movement in response to voltage pulses in cells lacking GABA receptors. Uncharged steroids, some of which are potent enhancers of GABAA receptor activity, produced no alteration in membrane capacitance. We hypothesized that the charge movements might result from physical translocation of the charged steroid through the transmembrane voltage, as has been observed previously with several hydrophobic anions. However, the charge movements and relaxation time constants of capacitive currents did not exhibit the Boltzmann-type voltage dependence predicted by a single barrier model. Further, a fluorescently tagged analog of a sulfated neurosteroid altered membrane capacitance similar to the parent compound but produced no voltage-dependent fluorescence change, a result inconsistent with a strong change in the polar environment of the fluorophore during depolarization. These findings suggest that negatively charged sulfated steroids alter the plasma membrane capacitance without physical movement of the molecule through the electric field.
IONOSPHERIC BACKSCATTER OBSERVATIONS

Abstract Studies of the electron density, electron and ion temperatures in the F-region have been made by means of ground-based radar observations at the Millstone Radar Observatory. A 70-m parabolic antenna directed vertically and a 2.5-MW pulse radar operating at 440 Mc/s have been employed for these measurements which were conducted for periods of 30 hours at approximately weekly intervals throughout 1963. Examination of the echo power as a function of height leads to a profile of electron density with height, provided that the electron and ion temperatures are the same (Te = Ti). Additional measurements of the spectra of the signals corresponding to different heights permit the ratio T e T i to be determined and, where this is different from unity, the observed profile can then be corrected for the effect on the scattering introduced by the inequality in temperature. The paper presents results of observations in July 1963. It was found that the ratio T e T i achieved a maximum value ~2.2 at a height of about 300 km soon after dawn. There was little change in the height dependence in this ratio throughout the daylight hours. At night T e T i was close to unity, but there remained a small difference near 300 km. The ion temperature was found to increase with height at all times, but above 500 km this may be due in part to the presence of an unknown amount of He+ ions which considerably affects the interpretation of the signal spectra. The electron temperatures were largely independent of height above about 300 km.
Immersive Integration of Physical and Virtual Environments

We envision future work and play environments in which the user's computing interface is more closely integrated with the physical surroundings than today's conventional computer display screens and keyboards.We are working toward realizable versions of such environments, in which multiple video projectors and digital cameras enable every visible surface to be both measured in 3D and used for display. If the 3D surface positions were transmitted to a distant location, they may also enable distant collaborations to become more like working in adjacent offices connected by large windows. With collaborators at the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Advanced Network and Services, and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, we at Chapel Hill have been working to bring these ideas to reality. In one system, depth maps are calculated from streams of video images and the resulting 3D surface points are displayed to the user in head-tracked stereo. Among the applications we are pursuing for this tele-presence technology, is advanced training for trauma surgeons by immersive replay of recorded procedures. Other applications display onto physical objects, to allow more natural interaction with them ``painting'' a dollhouse, for example. More generally, we hope to demonstrate that the principal interface of a future computing environment need not be limited to a screen the size of one or two sheets of paper. Just as a useful physical environment is all around us, so too can the increasingly ubiquitous computing environment be all around us -integrated seamlessly with our physical surroundings.
A rotational rheometer for rheological studies with prescribed strain or stress history

A rheometer utilizing an eddy-current torque transducer and an air-bearing suspension is described. The rheometer is coupled with a computer-based data acquisition system and permits studies of shear deformation for several strain or stress histories. A sinusoidal stress history is used to determine the shear storage and loss compliances J′(ω) and J″(ω), respectively. Step stress histories are used to determine the shear creep compliance J(t) and the recoverable complaince R(t) or more complicated linear and nonlinear rheological responses related to these. Deformation at constant strain rate is used to determine the stress growth function or the steady-state viscosity. The rheometer may be used over the temperature range – 10–180°C, with torque from 1 to 106 dyn cm, and is adaptabel to use with a variety of sample geometrical shapes (e.g., cone and plate, parallel plate, etc.). Examples of measurements on on viscoelastic fluids and on gels below their yield strain are given.
Cosmetic Regulations of the United States, European Union, and Japan

AbstractGlobalization of the trade and manufacturing of consumer products, including drugs and cosmetics is becoming a common practice. therefore a review of the definitions, classifications and regulations of cosmetics in the three most dominating markets of the world; US, EU and Japan appear to be appropriate for the scope of this journal. According to US Food Drug and Cosmetics Act (FD&C) definitions, cosmetic products can not contain drugs or any substance that causes alterations of the structure and the function of the skin hair and nails. As a result, the regulations related to cosmetic manufacturing and sales are not as stringent as the ones that are related to drugs. the legal keyword in the production and sales of the cosmetic products is the intended use. If a cosmetic is claimed to cause any physical changes in the structure and the function of the skin, hair and nails, the degree and the nature of the changes that it causes should be substantiated. According to FD&C Regulations, presence of so...
A1-1: Linking Electronic Health Records across Institutions to Understand Why Women Seek Care at Multiple Sites for Breast Cancer

Background/Aims Research in a fragmented healthcare system can be challenging when one seeks to follow patients within a care episode. Breast cancer treatment can continue for months or years and a care trajectory may reflect many decisions. Women may seek evaluations or specialty care at more than one medical center, either through physician referrals or “shopping” behavior. Claims data can track where patients are seen, but lack clinical detail. This study aims to better understand treatment location decisions among women seen at more than one healthcare facility.
A channelized 2/sup nd/ IF/LO downconverter for the EOS Microwave Limb Sounder

The Earth Observing System (EOS) Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) is scheduled for launch in 2004 on the EOS Aura spacecraft. The design, assembly and test of the flight 2/sup nd/ Intermediate Frequency/Local Oscillator (2/sup nd/ IF/LO) subsystem for this instrument has been completed and is presented here. The 2/sup nd/ IF/LO subsystem consists of 5 separate microwave assemblies, 1 for each of the 5 millimeter wave radiometer front ends, providing a total of 33 separate IF channels. Some key requirements of the subsystem are as follows: provide frequency multiplexing of overlapping or closely spaced 1/sup st/ IF channels while maintaining low ripple in the passbands; generate 18 different 2/sup nd/ LO frequencies, in the range of 4-20 GHz, with low phase noise and a placement resolution of 400 KHz; downconvert the 1/sup st/ IF's to a common 2/sup nd/ IF frequency centered at 900 MHz; minimize cost and schedule by using common designs for the 5 different assemblies wherever possible.
A SECTIONING SEARCH APPROACH TO AGGREGATE PLANNING OF PRODUCTION AND WORK FORCE

The use of search and heuristic methods as a means of solving nonlinear aggregate planning models has been given considerable attention in recent years. A few of these methods have shown promising results. In this paper a sectioning search procedure is explored as an alternative means of solving nonlinear aggregate planning models. Application is made to two test cases, and the results are compared with those of other solution methods.
Power flow studies with HERMES-III, 300-ns pulse operation

Summary form only given. Recent experiments with HERMES III confirmed that the accelerator can operate very successfully in a 300-ns, 8-MV, 400-kA mode. This was accomplished by shorting the PFLs and pulse sharpening switches and transferring the output power from the gas switches directly to the voltage adder cavities. The observed voltage and current are consistent with the parapotential and pressure balance theories. Extensive numerical simulations with TWOQUICK were done to study the power flow in the voltage adder and the 4-m extension coaxial transmission line. Apparently even for these low operating voltages (8 MV), the adder becomes MITL in a relatively short time. The precursor pulse is small (/spl sim/35-kA peak) and /spl sim/40 ns duration. The MITL operation can be numerically simulated by assuming an electron emission threshold of /spl sim/100 kV/cm. Results of the experiments and numerical simulations as well as plans for future experimentation will be presented.
Structural sensitivity analysis in the synthesis of process control systems

Abstract A new approach to the synthesis of process control systems is formulated within the framework of internal model control (or inferential control, model reference scheme) whereby the fundamental limitations to perfect control which are inherent to the structure of a control system can be systematically analyzed. A structural sensitivity analysis and a screening strategy are developed to assess the control quality offered by different control systems. A key feature of the proposed analysis procedure is that it allows the designer to consider the realization of the internal model controller subject to structural constraints. Further, new plant invertibility conditions and various indicators to measure invertibility are derived and used throughout the synthesis. Finally a fluid catalytic cracker example is given to illustrate the power and the utility of the methodology.
Does personal social media usage affect efficiency and well-being?

Social media usage is proposed to be associated with negative effects.A two-part exploratory model of social media usage is proposed.Social media usage negatively affects task performance.Social media usage negatively affects happiness.Future research on negative effects should be explored. Personal social media usage is pervasive in both personal and professional lives. Practitioner articles and news stories have commented on the addicting and distracting nature of social media. Previous empirical research has established the negative effects of distractions on primary tasks. To date, little research has looked at the potentially distracting nature of social media and the negative effects that can arise from usage. This research addresses this gap by investigating the effects of personal social media usage on task performance. To extend this research, I also examined the effects that the personal social media usage has on individuals' technostress and happiness levels. I tested these effects by creating a classroom task environment and measuring subjects' usage of social media and their task performance. From this, it was found that higher amounts of personal social media usage led to lower performance on the task, as well as higher levels of technostress and lower happiness. These results are consistent across different levels of attentional control and multitasking computer self-efficacy. These results suggest that the personal usage of social media during professional (vs. personal or play) times can lead to negative consequences and is worthy of further study.
Synthesis, purification and stability in solution of dithiobiuret‐2,4‐ 35S

2,4-Dithiobiuret (dithioimidodicarbonic diamide) can be labelled with 35S by isotopic exchange with hydrogen sulfide- 35S in boiling 0.01N hydrochloric acid. The product obtained by crystallization from the reaction medium contains more than 93% of the radioactivity as 2,4-dithiobiuret and less than 3% as thiuret (3,5-diimino-1,2,4-dithiazoline). Up to 40% of the initial radioactivity can be recovered as solid products. Solutions containing dithiobiuret must be stored under refrigeration to prevent decomposition to thiuret, monothiobiuret, and other products. Solutions prepared in this way are stable for 8 days. Dithiobiuret may be separated from thiuret, monothiobiuret, biuret and unidentified decomposition products by thin-layer chromatography on silica gel.
The Physical Association of Multiple Molecular Chaperone Proteins with Mutant p53 Is Altered by Geldanamycin, an hsp90-Binding Agent

Wild-type p53 is a short-lived protein which turns over very rapidly via selective proteolysis in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Most p53 mutations, however, encode for protein products which display markedly increased intracellular levels and are associated with positive tumor-promoting activity. The mechanism by which mutation leads to impairment of ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation is unknown, but it has been noted that many transforming p53 mutants are found in stable physical association with molecular chaperones of the hsp70 class. To explore a possible role for aberrant chaperone interactions in mediating the altered function of mutant p53 and its intracellular accumulation, we examined the chaperone proteins which physically associate with a temperature-sensitive murine p53 mutant. In lysate prepared from A1-5 cells grown under mutant temperature conditions, hsp70 coprecipitated with p53Val135 as previously reported by others, but in addition, other well-recognized elements of the cellular chaperone machinery, including hsp90, cyclophilin 40, and p23, were detected. Under temperature conditions favoring wild-type p53 conformation, the coprecipitation of chaperone proteins with p53 was lost in conjunction with the restoration of its transcriptional activating activity. Chaperone interactions similar to those demonstrated in A1-5 cells under mutant conditions were also detected in human breast cancer cells expressing two different hot-spot mutations. To examine the effect of directly disrupting chaperone interactions with mutant p53, we made use of geldanamycin (GA), a selective hsp90-binding agent which has been shown to alter the chaperone associations regulating the function of unliganded steroid receptors. GA treatment of cells altered heteroprotein complex formation with several different mutant p53 species. It increased p53 turnover and resulted in nuclear translocation of the protein in A1-5 cells. GA did not, however, appear to restore wild-type transcriptional activating activity to mutant p53 proteins in either A1-5 cells or human breast cancer cell lines.
State and Local Resistance to the Patriot Act

Congress enacted the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act a little more than a month after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Designed to make it easier for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to track terrorists and prevent attacks, the statute was passed with much fanfare but not much careful deliberation. It has been the subject of intense debate ever since, including critics at the local and state level.
Equilibrium theory analysis of rectifying PSA for heavy component production

An isothermal equilibrium theory analysis, based on linear isotherms and a binary feed stream, was carried out to evaluate the feasibility of a rectifying PSA process for producing a pure heavy component at high recovery. Analytic expressions were derived to describe the performance of this process at the periodic state. The performance was also analyzed in terms of the different concentration and velocity profiles exhibited during various cycle steps that included the analysis of complex shock and simple wave interactions. Based on a parametric study, periodic behavior was established for a wide range of process conditions; and a design study with the PCB activated carbon-H 2 -CH 4 system at 25°C further demonstrated the feasibility of a rectifying PSA cycle for producing a 100% CH 4 stream from a dilute feed stream (y CH4 =0.01) with a respectable recovery (80%), and reasonable process conditions. It also demonstrated the potential usefulness of an actual rectifying PSA process for bulk gas separation and purification.
Scalable Carbon Nanotube Computational and Storage Circuits Immune to Metallic and Mispositioned Carbon Nanotubes

We present a new very large scale integration (VLSI)-compatible metallic carbon nanotube (CNT) removal technique called VLSI-compatible metallic CNT removal (VMR) that overcomes challenges of existing techniques by combining design and processing to create carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNFET) circuits immune to CNT imperfections such as metallic and mispositioned CNTs. Using VMR, we experimentally demonstrate combinational and sequential CNFET logic circuits such as half-adder sum generators and D-latches. These circuits form the fundamental building blocks of VLSI digital systems.
Genetic evidence that intratumoral t-cell proliferation and activation are associated with recurrence and survival in patients with resected colorectal liver metastases

Though immune responses correlate with prognosis in primary colorectal cancer, the role of tumor immunity in metastatic disease is less clear. We hypothesized that patient survival and tumor recurrence correlate with transcriptional evidence of lymphocyte proliferation/activation in resected colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). Microarray gene analysis was performed on liver tumor specimens from 96 patients who underwent resection for CRLM. A Cox proportional hazards model identified genes associated with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Conventional gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis ranked biologically relevant processes. Survival probabilities of prioritized processes were assessed. Protein expression was validated with immunohistochemistry in an independent set of patients. GO analysis identified and ranked unique biologic processes that correlated with survival. Genes that specifically functioned in the biologic process of "T-cell proliferation" were significant predictors of OS (P = 0.01), and both "T-cell proliferation" and "activation" were highly associated with RFS (P ≤ 0.01). Analysis of genes in these GO categories identified increased TNFSF14/LIGHT expression to be most associated with improved OS and RFS (P ≤ 0.0006). Immunohistochemistry of an independent validation set of CRLM confirmed that both increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and higher LIGHT expression on TILs were associated with improved OS and RFS. Differential expression of genes involved in T-cell proliferation/activation was associated with survival outcomes in a large number of surgical patients who underwent resection of CRLM. These biologic functions determined by GO analysis of the tumor microenvironment have identified specific immune-related genes that may be involved in an antitumor immune response.
Optimal Long-Term Supply Contracts with Asymmetric Demand Information

We consider a manufacturer selling to a retailer with private demand information arising dynamically over an innite time horizon. Under a backlogging model, we show that the manufacturer’s optimal dynamic long-term contract takes a simple form: in the rst period, based on her private demand forecast, the retailer selects a wholesale price and pays an associated upfront fee, and, from then on, the two parties stick to a simple wholesale price contract with the retailer’s chosen price. We also show the structure of the optimal long-term contract under lost sales combines wholesale prices with options that coordinate the supply chain.
SINGLE ENTRY TUNNELER (SET) FOR HEMODIALYSIS GRAFT PROCEDURES

This paper describes the design of the single entry tunneler (SET), devised to create a loop-shaped path in forearm subcutaneous tissue prior to placement of a vascular graft for hemodialysis access. Existing tunnelers are almost universally rigid and require high forces and multiple incisions to complete even the most simple path geometries. Furthermore, they are guided from the handle with limited tip-location feedback. This paper presents a three-stage tunneler design consisting of concentric nested tubes. The first stage is a straight stainless steel tube; the second is a smaller pre-curved nitinol tube and the third is a straight inner nitinol tube. By deploying the stages in this order, SET is able to produce an approximately180 ◦ looped path in tissue. A tip that is illuminated via a fiber optic cable provides visual feedback of the tip location. The SET outer diameter is limited to ensure that the pre-curved nitinol will not exceed its yield strain and not require an excessive force to be deployed from the straight outer stage. Therefore, a custom dilator was designed to increase the size of the tunnel to one suitable for the intended graft. A prototype of the SET tunneler and dilator system was manufactured. The device was shown to achieve the desired path in ballistics gel and was capable of at least 100 repeated-use cycles. By reducing the number of required incisions and improving ease of use during graft insertion procedures, the SET has the potential to greatly reduce the risk of infection and degree of unnecessary tissue trauma while increasing tunneling accuracy.
Focal Targeted Therapy Will Be a Future Treatment Modality for Early Stage Prostate Cancer

Abstract Context Focal targeted therapy of early stage prostate cancer (PCa) can ideally facilitate the concept of personalized medicine in contemporary surgical oncology. Objective To present indications and outcomes of subtotal glandular ablation. This treatment approach aims at the elimination of the cancer with preservation of uninvolved tissue in an attempt to maintain a patient's quality of life (QoL), including undisturbed erectile function as well as urinary and bowel control. Evidence acquisition In 2002, the idea of a "lumpectomy" using an organ-sparing approach for very localized PCa was proposed in parallel with organ-sparing breast cancer treatment in women. Since then, a few pilot clinical studies have demonstrated an acceptable short-term cancer control while minimizing the complication rate. At the same time, progress in PCa screening has led to a significant stage and tumor volume migration toward early stage disease. In the past few years, a collection of accumulated data has created a scientific background for further development of this concept toward a wider implementation into clinical practice. In this paper, we review all available literature from PubMed of the past 15 yr—from 1994 to 2008—including the terms localized prostate cancer, focal therapy, organ preservation, and morbidity. Evidence synthesis Several factors were identified that need to be taken into account to further develop an organ-sparing treatment approach for early stage localized PCa and turn this concept into clinical practice. First, novel thermoablative techniques such as third-generation cryosurgery, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), vascular photodynamic therapy and, electroporation can precisely target a tumor lesion within the prostate while maintaining the integrity of the surrounding tissues. Second, new ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and molecular imaging techniques may provide new means to detect small PCa lesions. Third, extended image-guided biopsy protocols using a transperineal rather than a transrectal approach can provide a more exact spatial distribution of PCa lesions within the prostate. Fourth, careful patient selection using an individualized approach is a prerequisite for optimal preoperative planning and a successful treatment outcome. Conclusions For patients with early stage localized PCa limited to one focus or lobe and who express a great desire not to jeopardize their QoL, targeted focal therapy will likely play a more significant role in the future as a tangible treatment option. Moreover, focal therapy may fill the gap between active surveillance for low-risk PCa and radical treatment for higher-risk forms.
Special Tests for Orthopedic Examination, ed 3

Konin JG, Wiksten DL, Isear JA Jr, Brader H. Thorofare, NJ 08086, Slack Inc, 2006, spiralbound, 400 pp, illus, ISBN: 1-55642-741-7, $38.95. This text, authored by both physical therapists and athletic trainers, is intended to provide a condensed guide for the examination of people with orthopedic injuries. In my opinion, this goal has been surpassed. Designed as a “pocket-style” manual, the 400 pages in this third edition push the definition of “pocket guide,” but make up for the additional size with an abundance of information. Designed for physical therapists, athletic trainers, physicians, physician assistants, and occupational therapists, this text covers a plenitude of orthopedic tests. Like other texts of this kind, the special tests in this book are organized into 12 sections according to the major spinal segments and peripheral joints. A total of 155 special tests are offered, ranging from as few as 3 for the temporomandibular joint and thoracic spine sections to as many as 34 for the shoulder. In addition to the joint-by-joint arrangement, an alphabetical index at the end of the text allows …
Philosophy and Phylogenetic Inference: A Comparison of Likelihood and Parsimony Methods in the Context of Karl Popper's Writings on Corroboration

Advocates of cladistic parsimony methods have invoked the philosophy of Karl Popper in an attempt to argue for the superiority of those methods over phylogenetic methods based on Ronald Fisher's statistical principle of likelihood. We argue that the concept of likelihood in general, and its application to problems of phylogenetic inference in particular, are highly compatible with Popper's philosophy. Examination of Popper's writings reveals that his concept of corroboration is, in fact, based on likelihood. Moreover, because probabilistic assumptions are necessary for calculating the probabilities that define Popper's corroboration, likelihood methods of phylogenetic inference--with their explicit probabilistic basis--are easily reconciled with his concept. In contrast, cladistic parsimony methods, at least as described by certain advocates of those methods, are less easily reconciled with Popper's concept of corroboration. If those methods are interpreted as lacking probabilistic assumptions, then they are incompatible with corroboration. Conversely, if parsimony methods are to be considered compatible with corroboration, then they must be interpreted as carrying implicit probabilistic assumptions. Thus, the non-probabilistic interpretation of cladistic parsimony favored by some advocates of those methods is contradicted by an attempt by the same authors to justify parsimony methods in terms of Popper's concept of corroboration. In addition to being compatible with Popperian corroboration, the likelihood approach to phylogenetic inference permits researchers to test the assumptions of their analytical methods (models) in a way that is consistent with Popper's ideas about the provisional nature of background knowledge.
Effects of the Menopause Transition on Body Fatness and Body Fat Distribution

Objective: The menopause transition increases cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk, partly because of the adverse effects of estrogen deficiency on the plasma lipid-lipoprotein profile and cardiovascular function. This increased cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk may also be partially mediated by increased body fat, increased intraabdominal adipose tissue accumulation, or both. The objective of this mini-review is to summarize studies that have investigated the relationships among the menopause transition, body fatness, and body fat distribution. Research Methods and Procedures: A review of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on menopause that examined body fatness and body fat distribution. Results: Cross-sectional reports show that the menopause transition is related to modest increases in body mass index or total fatness, although not all studies found significant effects. Increased central adiposity appears to be related to menopause, independent of advancing age, but these results are methodology dependent. An independent effect of menopause on central body fatness was noted by the use of techniques such as DEXA or computed tomography, whereas studies using circumference measures showed discrepant results. Longitudinal studies showed that the menopause transition accelerated the increase in central adiposity, although no studies quantified changes in intra-abdominal fat by imaging techniques. Discussion: Thus, additional longitudinal studies using more accurate measures of adiposity are needed to critically examine the effects of the menopause transition on total and central body fatness. Collectively, previous studies suggest that menopause is related to modest increase in total fatness and accelerated accumulation of central body fat that exceeds changes normally attributed to the aging process. These changes may increase the risk for cardiovascular and metabolic disease in aging women.
Food restriction, refeeding, and gastric fill fail to affect emesis in musk shrews

Nausea and emesis are common side effects of gastrointestinal disease. Reports indicate that ghrelin and endocannabinoids, agents that stimulate appetite, also reduce emesis evoked by chemotherapy treatment, which suggests that stimulation of feeding inhibits the emetic system. In the following study we conducted a more direct test of this hypothesis by determining the impact of manipulating the motivation to eat on emesis, using food restriction and refeeding. Emesis was induced in musk shrews, a commonly used animal model for emesis research, using the cancer chemotherapy agent cisplatin (20 mg/kg ip), nicotine (2 mg/kg sc), or motion (1 Hz, horizontal, 4-cm displacement), because these treatments are known to target separate emetic pathways: gut vagal afferents, area postrema, and vestibular pathways, respectively. Twenty-four hours of food restriction was sufficient to stimulate food intake, and 1 h of refeeding filled the stomach. The results indicate that food restriction, refeeding, and gastric fill had no significant effects on the amount of emesis produced by any of the emetic treatments tested here. This suggests that, although activation of the emetic system might have prominent effects on food intake, neural controls for feeding behavior do not significantly affect the neural pathways for emesis. These results may have implications for how we treat patients who experience a constellation of side effects, including nausea and emesis, since stimulating appetite may not necessarily inhibit emetic pathways.
Nurturing Empathy: An Oncologist Looks at Medicine and Himself

Empathy in medicine matters. A doctor reflects on his experience as a patient and the need for clinicians to re-engage with patients empathically while giving the best care possible. In addition, we must begin teaching our students and trainees medical humanities as early as we can, because empathy can be nurtured.
Spatial normalization of spine MR images for statistical correlation of lesions with clinical symptoms.

An image analysis method was developed for spatial normalization of spine magnetic resonance images. A deformable shape model of the spine is first constructed, and it is subsequently used by an automated algorithm to find a shape transformation that places patient data into a stereotactic space. Very good agreement with manual segmentations was observed. The main application of this method is in lesion-deficit analysis for determining associations between structural damage and clinical symptoms. © RSNA, 2002
A Novel Hardened Design of a CMOS Memory Cell at 32nm

This paper proposes a new design for hardening a CMOS memory cell at the nano feature size of 32nm. By separating the circuitry for the write and read operations, the static stability of the proposed cell configuration increases more than 4.4 times at typical process corner, respectively compared to previous designs. Simulation shows that by appropriately sizing the pull-down transistors, the proposed cell results in a 40% higher critical charge and 13% less delay than the conventional design. Simulation results are provided using the predictive technology file for 32nm feature size in CMOS to show that the proposed hardened memory cell is best suited when designing memories for both high performance and soft error tolerance.