cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine-Tuning Acquisition Reform's Favorite Procurement Vehicle, the Indefinite Delivery Contract

This article provides an assessment of the effectiveness of the efforts to improve efficiency and commercialize government procurement, seven years after the passage of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act. The reforms that abolished inflexible rules and empowered a reduced acquisition workforce have been criticized as allowing agencies to obscure the transparency of traditionally rule-bound federal procurement, using sole source methods and bundling to limit competition. This Article asserts the problems associated with indefinite delivery contracting can be alleviated if more attention is devoted to accountability and enhancing contracting officer participation on the acquisition team.
Oxidative Stress and Growth Factor-Mediated Signal Transduction

Reversible enzymatic phosphorylation of protein tyrosine residues is considered to be an important mechanism of cellular regulation. Such processes have been associated with the control of cellular proliferation, differentiation and transformation. Enhanced protein tyrosine phosphorylation is essential to the stimulation of cell proliferation by peptide growth factors. Growth factors bind to their specific receptors which contain protein tyrosine kinase activity and initiate a cascade of events which include receptor autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues and tyrosine phosphorylation of other proteins of the signal transduction pathway. Dephosphorylation of tyrosine residues on tyrosine phosphorylated proteins occurs by the action of protein tyrosine phosphatases. Oxidative stress may also play a role in growth factor-mediated signal transduction as evidenced by its effect on cellular growth. We have recently demonstrated that diamide or ascorbic acid has inhibitory effects on protein tyrosine phosphatases in intact murine fibroblasts transfected with the human EGF-receptor. This inhibition can be prevented by EGF, which implies that an interactional link exists between protein tyrosine phosphatase and protein tyrosine kinase activities in the signal transduction pathway of cell growth induced by EGF when cells are exposed to redox agents.
Mafet Thrust 3: A Revolutionary Program for Solid-State Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Power

The United States is embarking on a period of great opportunity in the field of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) created by two phenomena of historical significance. The first was the large U.S. Investment in MMIC technology driven largely by the military need for small, lightweight, and conformable electronically steered active antennas (i.e., phased arrays). Much of this investment was made through the DARPA MIMIC (Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Monolithic Integrated Circuit) and MAFET (Microwave and Analog Front-End Technology) Programs. It has created a design and manufacturing base in MMICs and MMIC-based assemblies and modules that spans across the industrial, military, and academic circles.
Some Challenges in Planning Educational Programs for Generation R

Eighty years ago, T. S. Elliot asked: Where is the wisdom lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge lost in information?
Other Engagements, Reports, and Accounting Services

A common characteristic of these non-assurance services is that the professional accountant’s services are designed to provide technical skills, education, observations, experiences, and knowledge to subject matter for the direct use and benefit of the client. The services considered necessary are generally determined by agreement between the client and the practitioner, and the outcome of the work is not designed to provide any level of assurance to parties outside the client or responsible party.
A Skill-Based Programming System for Robotic Furniture Assembly

Ready-to-assemble furniture is a popular trend for today’s furniture companies such as IKEA due to its relative lower price and easier delivery to customers than assembled furniture. However, assembling furniture from an instruction manual by customers themselves is a tedious task. With the advance in robotics in recent years, having a robot to perform the furniture assembly is a viable idea but the cost of robotic furniture assembly is a barrier, as the overhead of using artificial intelligence techniques such as deep learning can be prohibitive. This paper presents a robotic system with a library of assembly skills that are acquired by machine learning and can be reused for different furniture sets. By applying these skills, the robot can be programmed to automatically perform the assembly task. We describe how to design a robotic task programming system that supports composition of skills and how to specify a complex assembly task to be completed by the robot with its skill set.
Blasphemy and Apostasy 'Laws' in the Muslim World: A Critical Analysis

This chapter reviews the laws of apostasy and blasphemy in the Muslim world, by looking particularly at Pakistani and Malaysian cases. It strongly argues that the death penalty in the laws of apostasy and blasphemy is untenable in the modern period. The chapter demonstrates that these laws conflict with a variety of foundational teachings of Islam and with the current ethos of human rights, in particular the freedom to choose one's religion and the freedom to express oneself.
A Case Study of Airmass Transformation and Cloud Formation at Summit, Greenland

AbstractThis study investigates cloud formation and transitions in cloud types at Summit, Greenland, during 16–22 September 2010, when a warm, moist air mass was advected to Greenland from lower la...
Children, conflict, and the detention of ‘child soldiers’ in Canada and the United States: How framing contests shape policies

abstractThe detention of child soldiers is an example of an intractable policy controversy. In their advocacy of governance responses, policy-relevant actors adopt reductionist frames either of ‘vi...
HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Implementation Cascade Among Health Care Professionals in the United States: Implications from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Although pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been approved for primary HIV prevention for individuals aged 18 years or older since 2012, PrEP utilization has been suboptimal. To understand trends i...
Carbon ion radiation therapy in breast cancer: a new frontier

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, with many efforts aimed at reducing acute and late toxicity given the generally favorable clinical outcomes with the current standard of care. Carbon ion radiation therapy is an emerging technique that may reduce dose to adjacent organs at risk while allowing dose escalation to the target. Given the efficacy of the standard treatments for breast cancer, there have been few prospective studies to date investigating carbon ion radiation therapy in breast cancer. PubMed/Medline, Ebsco, Cochrane, and Scopus were systematically reviewed using the search terms “carbon ion” and “breast” in November 2019. Out of the 76 articles screened, 26 articles were included. This comprehensive review describes the physical and biological properties of carbon ion radiation therapy, with an emphasis on how these properties can be applied in the setting of breast cancer. Studies investigating the role of carbon ion radiation therapy in early stage breast cancers are reviewed. Additionally, the use of carbon ion radiation therapy in locally advanced disease, recurrent disease, and radiation-induced angiosarcoma are discussed. Although the data is limited, the early clinical results are promising. Further clinical trials are needed, especially in the setting of locally advanced and recurrent disease, to fully define the potential role of carbon ion radiation therapy in the treatment of breast cancer.
Environment in Relation to Parasite, Mosquitoes and Affected People

Understanding the environmental contribution to malaria’s distribution and intensity it is necessary to know how environment impacts on malaria parasite, vector and the corresponding number of affected people. This chapter discusses environmental features important for an appropriate development of vector and parasite and an intensity of malaria transfer to people. Generally, both mosquitoes and plasmodium need a warm and moist weather for excessive development. The environment in this cycle is represented by two parameters: long-term (multi-year) climate (principally moisture and temperature) and short-term (inside one year) moisture and thermal conditions. Climate-based malaria distribution and int4ensity have been well studied and described. However, the climate does not explain why one-year malaria affects a large number of people and the other year affects much less. Such a situation is controlled by weather. Moist and warm weather creates more malaria cases, while drought suppresses vector activity and malaria transmission. Many investigations across tropical regions used weather data to predict malaria area, intensity and the number of affected people. Unfortunately, the weather station network, which provides moisture and thermal data is too sparse, especially in tropical zones, to be used effectively. Available weather stations, controlled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), provide weather information in malaria endemic rea (if to assume that stations are equally distributed) for each 3000–36,000 km2 area. Therefore, we focus on operational satellite measurements, providing moisture and thermal conditions at the level of vegetation, which is the place of vector and parasite habitat. In addition, successful satellite application to malaria monitoring was achieved following development and application of new, theoretically grounded Vegetation Health (VH) method and VH products through estimation of moisture and thermal conditions of vegetation cover.
The effect of fundamental curves on geometric orifice and coaptation areas of polymeric heart valves

Abstract Valvular diseases, such as aortic stenosis, are considered a common condition in the US. In severe cases, either mechanical or prosthetic heart valves are employed to replace the diseased native valve. The prosthetic heart valve has been a focal point for researchers to gain a better understanding of the mechanics, which will lead to improved longevity. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the effect of fundamental curves on the geometric orifice area and the coaptation area by implementing a two-level Taguchi Orthogonal Array (OA) design (Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique) and the interaction plots to investigate the individual contributions. The leaflet geometry was represented with the attachment curve, the free edge, and the belly curve. A total of three varying control coordinates were used to form different leaflet surfaces. With two different biocompatible polymers, 16 finite element models were prepared. Each model was subjected to time-varying transvalvular pressure. The results showed that the control coordinate for the belly curve has the highest impact on the coaptation area of the valve models with higher average 100% modulus. The geometric orifice area was affected by both control points of the attachment curve and the belly curve. A similar effect was also observed for the valve models with lower average 100% modulus.
The potential role of Bi-specific antibodies in acute myeloid leukemia.

Abstract Bispecific antibodies consist of antigen recognition sites from two or more antibodies redirecting effector immune cell against target on tumor cells. Rapidly evolving medical technologies enabled engineering and development of recombinant protein products, and this, combined with interest from the pharmaceutical industry, further advanced the bispecific antibody research. Over 50 different types of bispecific antibody constructs are now being manufactured and explored in ongoing or future clinical trials. In this review, we will summarize the available data for bispecific antibodies developed and being investigated for the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
Fertility Preservation Decision-Making Communication between Young Adult Cancer Patients and Their Romantic Partners: An Application of the DECIDE Typology.

Infertility risk and fertility preservation (FP) are often salient quality-of-life concerns for young adults (YAs; i.e., 18–39 years old) who have experienced a cancer diagnosis. However, we know l...
Land, Water, Mathematics, and Relationships: What Does Creating Decolonizing and Indigenous Curricula Ask of Us?

Indigenous epistemologies view a person as a whole, interconnected to land, in relationship to others. Knowledge is subjective and collective. However, hegemonic western knowledge created dualism t...
Associations between family resilience and health outcomes among kinship caregivers and their children

Abstract The health and mental health of kinship caregivers and their children have been the foci of substantial research and intervention over the last four decades. While evidence suggests the challenging circumstances surrounding kinship care may be linked with suppressed health outcomes, we have yet to examine how family resilience, defined as the transactional, intrafamilial processes that promote a family’s ability to weather and grow through adversity, might shape multigenerational health and mental health outcomes in kinship families. Using data from the 2017–2019 National Survey of Children’s Health, the current study examines associations between family resilience and health outcomes among kinship caregivers and their children. Weighted multiple linear regression analyses revealed family resilience was positively associated with global ratings of caregiver health, caregiver mental health, and child health. Family resilience was also negatively associated with parenting stress. Weighted logistic regression analyses revealed family resilience was associated with decreased odds of children having behavioral problems but was not associated with the odds of children having an internalizing disorder. Findings suggest kinship families that regularly engage in mutual support and problem solving may be better positioned to promote multigenerational health and mental health outcomes.
Temperature Cycling Enables Efficient 13C SABRE-SHEATH Hyperpolarization and Imaging of [1-13C]Pyruvate

Current metabolic imaging in humans is dominated by positron emission tomography (PET) methods. An emerging non-ionizing alternative for molecular imaging is hyperpolarized MRI. In particular, imaging of hyperpolarized 13C-pyruvate is a leading candidate because pyruvate is innocuous and has a central role in metabolism. However, simi-lar to PET, hyperpolarized MRI with dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is complex, costly and requires complex in-frastructure. In contrast, signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) is a fast, cheap, and scalable hyperpo-larization technique. In particular, SABRE in SHield Enables Alignment Transfer to Heteronuclei (SABRE-SHEATH) transfers polarization from parahydrogen to 13C in pyruvate, however, to date, SABRE-SHEATH of 13C-pyruvate was limited in polarization levels relative to DNP (1.7% with SABRE-SHEATH vs. ~60% with DNP). Here we introduce a temperature cycling method for SABRE-SHEATH that enables >10% polarization on [1-13C]pyruvate, sufficient for successful in vivo experiments. First, at lower temperatures, ~20% polarization is accumulated on SABRE-catalyst bound pyruvate, which is subsequently released into free pyruvate in solution at elevated temperatures. We take ad-vantage of the achieved polarization to demonstrate first 13C pyruvate images with a cryogen-free MRI system operat-ed at 1 T. This illustrates that inexpensive hyperpolarization methods can be combined with low-cost MRI systems to obtain a broadly available, yet highly sensitive metabolic imaging platform.
Maternal immunization with Group B Streptococcus six-valent polysaccharide conjugate vaccine supported by lack of toxicity in rat and rabbit fertility and developmental toxicity studies.

A maternal Group B Streptococcus (GBS) six-valent polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (GBS6) is being developed to protect neonates and infants up to 3 months of age through passive transfer of antibodies from the mother to the infant. Fertility and developmental toxicity studies were conducted in female Sprague Dawley rats and New Zealand White rabbits with GBS6 (20 μg capsular polysaccharide/serotype formulated with or without AlPO4 , the highest clinical dose). Females were administered the full human dose of the GBS6 formulation intramuscularly twice prior to mating and twice during gestation, to ensure that high antibody levels were maintained throughout gestation and lactation. Approximately, half of the rats and rabbits were evaluated at the end of gestation, and the remainder were evaluated at the end of lactation. Maternal blood for GBS6 serology, to measure antibody titers to the GBS6 antigens, was collected prior to the first dose, prior to mating, and at each necropsy. Blood for serology was also collected from offspring at the end of gestation and lactation. In both species, there was no evidence of vaccine-related effects on fertility, embryo-fetal development, or postnatal development of the offspring, supporting regulatory guidance that single-species evaluation would have been sufficient. Functional serum antibodies to all six serotypes in the vaccine were confirmed in maternal animals and functional serum antibodies to one or more of the six serotypes was also confirmed in some rat offspring and most of the rabbit offspring. The results of these studies supported the safety of GBS6 vaccine administration to pregnant women.
A Deep Learning Proteomic Scale Approach for Drug Design

Computational approaches have accelerated novel therapeutic discovery in recent decades. The Computational Analysis of Novel Drug Opportunities (CANDO) platform for shotgun multi-target therapeutic discovery, repurposing, and design aims to improve their efficacy and safety by employing a holistic approach by computing interaction signatures between every drug/compound and a large library of non-redundant protein structures corresponding to the human proteome fold space. These signatures are compared and analyzed to determine if a given drug/compound is efficacious and safe for a given indication/disease. In this study, we used a deep learning based autoencoder to first reduce the dimensionality of CANDO computed drug-proteome interaction signatures. We then employed a reduced conditional variational autoencoder to generate novel drug-like compounds when given a target encoded "objective" signature. Using this model, we designed compounds to recreate the interaction signatures for twenty approved and experimental drugs and showed that 16/20 designed compounds are predicted to be significantly (p-value[≤] .05) more behaviorally similar relative to all corresponding controls, and 20/20 are predicted to be more behaviorally similar relative to a random control. We further observed that redesigns of objectives developed via rational drug design perform significantly better than those derived from natural sources (p-value[≤] .05), suggesting that the model has learned an abstraction of rational drug design. We also show that designed compounds are structurally diverse and synthetically feasible when compared to their respective objective drugs despite consistently high predicted behavioral similarity. Finally, we generated new designs that enhance thirteen drugs/compounds associated with non-small cell lung cancer and anti-aging properties using their predicted proteomic interaction signatures. This work represents a significant step forward in automating holistic therapeutic design with machine learning, and subsequently offers a reduction in the time needed to generate novel, effective, and safe drug leads for any indication.
INCORPORATION OF M-PROTEIN OF INFLUENZA VIRUS INTO LIPOSOMES. FURTHER CHARACTERIZATION OF LIPOSOMAL STRUCTURES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the incorporation of M-protein of influenza virus into liposomes. M-protein purified from influenza virus readily incorporates into the lipid bilayer in artificial liposomal systems. This chapter discusses an experiment in which electron microscopic characterization was undertaken to provide further elucidation of the liposomal structures formed in the presence of M-protein. In the experiment, M-protein was purified by SDS gel chromatography employing unused swine influenza virus vaccine. Liposomes from the low density fraction did not resemble control vesicles but were visualized as hollow vesicular structures surrounded by one or a few lamellae. Although one must be guarded in drawing conclusions about the membrane-interacting properties of M-protein in the intact virion as compared with those of M-protein isolated following SDS gel chromatography, additional work attests to the native character of the M-protein as observed from its imnunologic properties. M-protein isolated from the swine influenza vaccine source has been shown to be both immunogenic and immunoreactive. The low density hollow vesicles from the M-protein gradients provide interesting structures for further study of interactions of the M-protein with hemagglutinin and/or neuraminidase. Understanding of how these antigens interact with the lipid bilayer should facilitate the design of vaccines in the optimal form for antigen presentation to induce the most protective host–immune response.
A high ankle brachial index is associated with greater left ventricular mass MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Objectives This study sought to determine the association of high ankle brachial index (ABI) measurements with left ventricular (LV) mass, and to compare its strength with that of low ABI with LV mass. Background Arterial stiffness leads to LV mass through nonatherosclerotic pathways in mice. In humans, a high ABI indicates stiff peripheral arteries and is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. Whether high ABI is associated with LV mass in humans and whether this might reflect consequences of arterial stiffness, atherosclerosis, or both is unknown. Methods Among 4,972 MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) participants without clinical CVD, we used linear regression to evaluate the association of low ( 1.40 or incompressible) ABI with LV mass by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Intermediate ABIs served as the reference category. To determine the effect of subclinical atherosclerosis, models were adjusted for common and internal carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and natural log-transformed coronary artery calcification. Results Compared with subjects with intermediate ABI, LV mass was higher with either low (2.70 g/m2higher, 95% confidence interval: 0.65 to 4.75) or high ABI (6.84 g/m2higher, 95% confidence interval: 3.2 to 10.47) after adjustment for traditional CVD risk factors, kidney function, and C-reactive protein. However, further adjustment for cIMT and CAC substantially attenuated the association of low ABI with LV mass index (1.24 g/m2higher, 95% confidence interval: −0.84 to 3.33), whereas the association of high ABI was minimally altered (6.01 g/m2higher, 95% confidence interval: 2.36 to 9.67). Conclusions High ABI is associated with greater LV mass; an association that is not attenuated with adjustment for subclinical atherosclerosis in nonperipheral arterial beds. High ABI might lead to greater LV mass through nonatherosclerotic pathways.
Comparison of Myoglobins from Harbor Seal, Porpoise, and Sperm Whale VII. MECHANISM AND CATALYSIS FOR ADDITION OF CYANIDE TO MYOGLOBINS

Abstract The pH rate profile for uncatalyzed formation of a complex between cyanide and sperm whale ferrimyoglobin at 25° and total ionic strength 0.11 has been established over the pH range 5 to 11 utilizing an integrated reversible second order rate equation of general applicability. The profile may be interpreted as reflecting three important routes for complex formation: (a) addition of cyanide ion to an unprotonated myoglobin, (b) addition of hydrocyanic acid to the unprotonated myoglobin (or the kinetically indistinguishable addition of cyanide ion to a protonated myoglobin), and (c) addition of hydrocyanic acid to the protonated myoglobin. Complex formation is strongly subject to catalysis by certain buffers: catalysis is most evident at intermediate values of pH and becomes negligible below pH 6 and above pH 10. Effective buffers include phosphate, glycine, and cyanide itself. Other buffers with forms capable of simultaneously accepting 2 protons through hydrogen bonding are also effective. Addition of cyanide to ferrimyoglobins from pilot whale, porpoise, and harbor seal is also subject to buffer catalysis. Guanidination of sperm whale ferrimyoglobin and carboxymethylation in the crystalline state have only small effects on the reactivity of the protein toward cyanide or on the sensitivity of this reaction to buffer catalysis. Carboxymethylation in solution, in contrast, markedly reduces reactivity toward cyanide. The hypothesis is developed that the buffer-binding site may lie between arginine-45 and histidine-64. A reasonable mechanism for the buffer catalysis is proposed.
Vibrational studies of 1-propanethiol on Mo(110): Spectroscopic evidence for low temperature thiolate formation

Abstract The reactions of 1-propanethiol on Mo(110) have been studied using temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. Temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy demonstrates that 1-propanethiol decomposes on Mo(110), forming gaseous propane at 280 K, propene at 345 K, and dihydrogen at 360 and 545 K. Vibrational spectroscopy suggests that the key intermediate leading to propane and propene is a surface propyl thiolate, formed on adsorption at 120 K by scission of the SH bond. Competitive with hydrocarbon evolution is the formation of a surface hydrocarbon fragment of unknown stoichiometry, detected by the presence of a CH stretch, v ( C  H ), at 2950 cm −1 . The hydrocarbon fragment decomposes at ∼ 525 K to gaseous dihydrogen and surface carbon.
Rapid Effects of a Subcalorigenic Dose of l-Thyroxine on Mitochondria

Abstract 2,4-Dinitrophenol raised the basal metabolic rate of O2 consumption less in some hypothyroid rats (group A) than in others (group B) which responded like normal rats. A single, subcalorigenic dose of l-thyroxine, 5.2 ng per g, partly restored this response in basal metabolic rate in 3 hours in rats of group A. The function of their liver mitochondria differed according to the previous responses in vivo of the rats to dinitrophenol, and according to the degree of calorigenesis induced in vivo by dinitrophenol in rats pretreated 3 hours with l-thyroxine. The hormone acted rapidly in vivo on liver mitochondria to regulate their reactivity to dinitrophenol and their respiratory control.
Calculated collision-induced absorption spectrum for He-Ar.

He-Ar translational absorption spectrum calculation including nonlinear collision trajectories and dipole moment function form
Object detection and recognition via stochastic model-based image segmentation

Summary form only given. A stochastic model-based image segmentation technique that utilizes the tone descriptor for object detection and recognition has been developed. The image regions are characterized by region-dependent constant mean (average-gray level) and variance (variation of gray level), and the distribution of the regions is modeled by a stochastic model. For a nondiffracting computed tomography (CT) image it has been proved that (1) at the pixel level, the pixel images are the asymptotic normal random variables, (2) at the class level, the regions are a normal random field, and (3) at the picture level, the observed image is a finite normal mixture. >
Vitamins C and E Prolong Time to Arterial Thrombosis in Rats

To examine the modulation of arterial thrombosis by vitamins C and E, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed nonpurified diet, or diet mixed with vitamin C [100 mg/(kg body weight d)], vitamin E [100 mg/(kg. d)] or both vitamins C and E [each 100 mg/(kg. d)], for a period of 9-19 d (mean 15 d). An occlusive aortic thrombus was created by application of a Whatman filter soaked in 1 mol/L FeCl 3 . Both vitamins C and E and their combination decreased platelet aggregation and delayed time to occlusive thrombus formation (P < 0.05 vs. control). Vitamins C and E decreased arterial superoxide generation (P < 0.05 vs. control). Interestingly, vitamin E also increased endogenous superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and protein expression in aortic tissues (P < 0.05 vs. control). The combination of vitamins C and E was not superior to each vitamin alone with regard to effect on time to thrombus formation, but it was more potent with regard to platelet inhibition. The increase in endogenous antioxidant activity by vitamin E is an intriguing observation. This study shows that the antioxidant vitamins C and E have important effects on platelet aggregation, SOD activity, superoxide generation and thrombus formation.
In vitro and in vivo photosensitizing capabilities of 5-ALA versus photofrin in vascular endothelial cells.

Background and Objective The objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for complicated hemangiomas. The photosensitizing activities of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and Photofrin® were evaluated in vitro with human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (MEC) and in vivo with the chicken cox comb. Study Design/Materials and Methods The in vitro absorption and photosensitizing activities of 5-ALA and Photofrin® were examined in a MEC culture system. The percentages of MEC killed by different drug concentrations at a wavelength of 630 nm were measured by either live/dead or lactate dehydrogenase-released assays. Similarly, the in vivo biological activities of 5-ALA and Photofrin® exposed to different total light dosages at 630 nm were studied by determining the amount of necrosis produced in chicken combs. Results MEC incubated with 5-ALA at a concentration of 35 μg/ml and exposed to laser light at 630 nm at a power density of 100 mW/cm2 showed a 50% cell kill. MEC incubated with Photofrin® at a concentration of 3.5 μg/ml and exposed to laser light at 630 nm at a power density of 100 mW/cm2 showed a 50% cell kill. Chicken combs that received 200 mg/kg of 5-ALA exposed to laser light at 630 nm at a power density of 100 mW/cm2 had an injury depth of 362.5 ± 27.6 μm at histologic examination. Combs exposed to a power density of 100 or 120 mW/cm2 showed injury depths of 732.5 ± 29.1 and 792.5 ± 36.0 μm, respectively. Chicken combs that received 2.5 mg/kg of Photofrin® exposed to laser light at 630 nm at a power density of 80 mW/cm2 had an injury depth of 535.6 ± 22.3 μm at histologic examination. Combs exposed to a power density of 100 or 120 mW/cm2 showed injury depths of 795.8 ± 32.5 and 805.2 ± 49.1 μm, respectively. Conclusion Both 5-ALA and Photofrin® have the capability to destroy MEC in vitro and vasculature in vivo. However, Photofrin® achieved a higher degree of cell kill and tissue destruction at lower drug concentrations and at lower power densities. Lasers Surg. Med. 24:178–186, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Potential and time constant effects in the fast ramp voltage clamp

Abstract A computer analysis of the fast ramp voltage clamp has been made for the peak- inward sodium current of the squid giant axon. Potential or time changes at which the peak sodium current occurs have been correlated with either potential shifts in the dependence of the HodgkinHuxley parameters or to an amplitude change of the time constants of these parameters.
Nasal obstruction and facial growth: The strength of evidence for clinical assumptions

The orthodontic relevance of nasorespiratory obstruction and its effect on facial growth continues to be debated after almost a century of controversy. The continuing interest in nasal obstruction is fueled by strong convictions, weak evidence, and the prevailing uncertainty of cause and effect relationships that exist. The essence of any debate is to provide opposing evidence from which a majority vote is obtained. Political issues may be appropriately resolved by such means as a majority vote. Scientific issues, however, can only be resolved by data and appropriately structured hypotheses put to the test. One of the problems in debating nasorespiratory obstruction and facial growth is the inability to provide unequivocal answers to such issues as: How much nasal obstruction is clinically significant? At what age is the onset critical and for how long does it have to exist before an effect on facial growth can be expected? To provide unequivocal answers, clinical studies need to be designed to identify and quantify the degree of nasorespiratory obstruction and compare individuals for any clinically relevant differences. The purpose of this article is to review the available evidence. If both data and untested popular beliefs are subjected to the same rigorous criteria, indications for the orthodontic management of patients with nasorespiratory obstruction may gain a more rational approach to treatment recommendations.
Directed Thinking and Readiness to Change Self‐Beneficial Behaviors: Are You Ready for Some Studying?

Previous research has suggested that intentions to engage in studying and other self-beneficial activities might be promoted more by thinking about actions one could take than by thinking about reasons for doing so. The present experiments assessed whether the relative efficacy of actions vs. reasons might depend on individuals' readiness to change. Consistent with previous findings on the processes of change most relevant in different stages, the benefits of self-generated actions were more pronounced for participants who were in the later stages of change. This “matching-to-stage” relationship occurred in 2 experiments that differed in stage measurement, how thinking was directed, and which outcomes were measured. The results have both practical and theoretical implications for attempts to change self-beneficial behaviors.
Genetic Characterization and Real-Time PCR Detection of Burkholderia glumae, a Newly Emerging Bacterial Pathogen of Rice in the United States

Panicle blight of rice (Oryza sativa), caused by the bacterium Burkholderia glumae, is one of the most important new diseases in rice production areas of the southern United States. In this study, pathogenic strains were isolated from diseased panicles in Arkansas rice fields and examined using the Biolog GN microplate system, whole cell fatty acid methyl ester analysis (FAME), rep-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genomic DNA fingerprinting, and 16S-23S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis. The B. glumae isolates from Arkansas can be divided into two major groups, but their genetic diversity was relatively low as revealed by 16S-23S rDNA ITS sequence analysis. Since no practical method existed, up to now, for testing the presence of B. glumae in rice seeds, we have developed in this study a real-time PCR method that is effective in detecting and identifying the pathogen in seed lots and in whole plants. The specific PCR primers were designed based on the 16S-23S rDNA ITS sequence of several representative isolates from Arkansas and Japan. This method is highly sensitive, rapid, and reliable, and has great potential for analyzing large numbers of samples without the need for DNA extraction or agarose gel electrophoresis. Although vertical resistance has not been observed among tested rice cultivars, LM-1 and Drew exhibited considerable resistance to B. glumae infection based on disease lesion size and the bacterial growth in planta.
Assessment of Self-Report Measures for Predicting Population Prevalence of Periodontitis

Background: Self-report measures have been used successfully for the surveillance of chronic diseases in adult populations. This pilot study assessed the use of self-report oral health measures for predicting the population prevalence of periodontitis in United States adults. Methods: Data were collected from 456 subjects participating in a 2007 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each subject answered eight predetermined oral health self-report questions obtained from in-person interviews and were given a full-mouth periodontal examination using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey protocol. The predictiveness of measures from these self-report questions was assessed by multivariable logistic regression modeling measuring receiver operating characteristic (ROC) statistics, sensitivity, and specificity. Results: Multivariable modeling incorporating self-report measures on gum disease, loose teeth, and tooth appearance alone were most useful in predicting the prevalence of severe periodontitis and improved with the addition of demographic and risk factor variables, yielding an ROC value of 0.93, sensitivity of 54.6%, and specificity of 98% at the observed 4.8% prevalence of disease. Scaling and root planing treatments, loose teeth, and the use of mouthwash, combined with demographic and risk factor covariates, were moderately useful in predicting total periodontitis. Conclusions: Multivariable modeling of specific self-report oral health measures is promising for predicting the population prevalence of severe periodontitis, confirming earlier assessments from a national survey. These results justify further assessments of self-report oral health measures for use in the surveillance of periodontitis in the adult United States population.
Interplay of three-dimensional profile change and CD variation in 193-nm advanced binary photomasks

In this study, the relationship between the depth profile of features and critical dimension (CD) deviation on MoSi binary photomasks is comprehensively investigated using 3D atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM) and aerial image metrology system (AIMS). Detailed profile description based on various surface analysis techniques, was performed to reconstruct the profile at various stages of the mask fabrication process. It is found that profile change and sidewall byproduct formation are strongly correlated with the etching environment, wet cleaning, and post-treatment. These process-induced profile changes subsequently lead to wafer CD change which can be verified by deviation in AIMS and CDSEM measurements. Visualization of these 3D profile and morphology change clearly reveals that etching gas control forms an outer layer, to enhance etch selectivity, film strength, and immunity to the mask cleaning process. Our finding provides a direction for optimizing advanced photomask materials and processing.
Assessing the Cold War in Latin America: Much Heat but Some Light

Hal Brands: Latin America's Cold War (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2010). Stephen G. Rabe: The Killing Zone: The United States Wages Cold War in Latin America (New York: Oxford Universi...
Abstract 289: Hydrogen bond surrogate (HBS) helices as orthosteric regulator of hypoxia inducible transcription

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric transcriptional activator which plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and therefore is an important therapeutic target. Transcriptional activation of HIF-1 is known to involve the interaction between cysteine-histidine rich region1 (CH1) of a coactivator protein p300 or Creb Binding Protein (CBP) and C-terminal activation domain (C-TAD) of its α-subunit (HIF-1α C-TAD). Based on the hydrogen bond surrogate (HBS) approach, we have rationally designed stabilized alpha helix that can disrupt the binding interface between C-TAD domain of HIF-1α and CH1 domain of p300/CBP. We have shown by fluorescence polarization that such stabilized alpha helix mimetics can directly bind to the CH1 domain of p300 and also can disrupt the HIF-1α/p300 complex. HBS helix mimetics are also shown to selectively downregulate the hypoxia inducible genes in cell culture. Thus, orthosteric inhibition of the HIF-1 transcriptional complex by rationally designed helix mimetics offers a novel approach to downregulate the expression of key hypoxia inducible genes responsible for tumor progression. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 289. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-289
Mobile Imaginaries, Portable Signs: Global Consumption and Representations of Slum Life

Abstract This essay explores how iconic representations of slum life are produced for transnational consumption in Europe. The focus is on the manner in which the logics of spectacle and entertainment have come to organize images of urban poverty. The use of slums as global entertainment spectacle requires that core images be detached from social life to produce a repertoire of free-floating emblems and signs that can be variously deployed, assembled, appropriated and discarded, depending on shifting cultural desires in a capitalist commodity market. The research suggests that a limited register of signs is recycled by artists, photographers, urban critics and private entrepreneurs, some of whom have built faux-shantytowns as theme parks in global cities such as Zurich, London and Berlin. The ‘bare life’ of these informal cities is branded for consumer publics that can afford to refashion their social identities by physical or symbolic contact with the portable icons of poverty.
Curing of highly reactive polyester resin under pressure: Kinetic studies by differential scanning calorimetry

The curing characteristics of polyester under pressure affect the processing and molded properties of reinforced polyester molding compounds. In this paper, the kinetics of curing of polyester under pressure were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Based on the results thus obtained, the author discusses the effects of reactive diluent, pressure, low-profile agent, filler, and thickening on the curing of polyester.
The importance of simulation techniques in ITS research and analysis

Traffic congestion has historically been regarded as a problem confined to major metropolitan areas. Over the years, the traffic problems that existed in densely developed urban areas began creeping into the suburbs as the work force migrated away from the traditional center city work pattern. Modem business operates at a feverish pace and is more mobile in nature, automobile technology advances have allowed more people to drive, and the commuting public has caused traffic congestion problems to appear even in small towns. Simply adding pavement to mitigate the traffic problems is neither adequate nor feasible. The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) initiative was invoked by congress in 1991 to advance our traffic control systems by fostering development of Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS). These technologies are designed to help move the motoring public more efficiently over the existing transportation system. Computer simulation has proved to be a vital adjunct to traditional traffic engineering analysis methods in hlly understanding the dynamics of traffic movement and control operations,. These simulation tools are critical in the development and evaluation of these new ideas, algorithms, and traffic control systems. This paper presents three case studies illustrating the importance and positive impacts of
Occult ventral hernia defects: a common finding during laparoscopic ventral hernia repair

Abstract Background In many incidences, laparoscopic exploration reveals occult ventral hernia defects that were not detected on physical examination. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of occult ventral hernia defects detected during laparoscopy. Methods Prospectively collected data on 146 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic ventral hernia repair were reviewed. The numbers of ventral defects found on preoperative physical examination were compared with those found during the laparoscopic procedure. Results Out of 146 laparoscopic ventral hernia repair patients, 70 patients (48%) were found to have occult defects that were not detected on preoperative abdominal examination. Among all the possible variables, only the type of hernia was found to have a significant difference. Conclusion Almost half of the patients with a ventral hernia have clinically occult hernia defects that can be recognized laparoscopically. This indicates the importance of careful inspection of the anterior abdominal wall during the surgical procedure.
Stages I-III Follicular Lymphoma: Role of CT of the Abdomen and Pelvis in Follow-up Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficiency of axial computed tomography (CT) in detecting relapses of stage I, II, or III follicular lymphoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 328 patients with previously untreated stage I, II, or III follicular lymphoma were treated between 1978 and 1994. Two hundred fifty-seven patients achieved complete response; 78 who relapsed form the basis of this study. Fifteen patients had stage I; 28, stage II; and 35, stage III disease. Fifteen patients underwent radiation therapy; 12, chemotherapy; and 51, radiation and chemotherapy. Medical records were reviewed to analyze the yield of abdominal and pelvic CT in detecting recurrence relative to the yield of standard clinical, hematologic, and imaging studies. A positive study was defined as one that led to or was abnormal at the diagnosis of recurrence. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 101 months. Eleven relapses were detected only at abdominal, pelvic, or both abdominal and pelvic CT. CONCLUSION: Fourteen percent (11 of 78) of th...