cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract P2-16-11: Impact of adjuvant trastuzumab (T) with chemotherapy on breast cancer specific and cardiac outcomes in older women with small, node-negative HER2-positive breast cancer

Introduction: For women with high risk early breast cancer that overexpresses HER2, the role of adjuvant T with chemotherapy is well established. Although the benefits of this approach in women with small, node negative tumors are less well defined, we previously published a retrospective sequential cohort study that suggested that T with chemotherapy is active in this setting. However there are few data about the safety and efficacy of adjuvant T in older women with small, node negative HER2+ breast cancer. Thus, this we conducted a retrospective study of breast cancer specific and cardiac outcomes for this subset. Methods: From our previously reported dataset, we identified women > 60y with <2 cm, node-negative HER2+ breast cancer. We identified a “no-T” cohort of 32 women diagnosed Jan ‘02 - May ‘05 and a “T” cohort of 39 patients diagnosed May ‘05 - Dec ‘08. Electronic medical records were reviewed to examine risk factors and incidence of cardiotoxicity as well as patient outcomes including distant disease-free survival (DDFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Women in the two cohorts had similar baseline characteristics including cardiac risk factors (Table 1). There were no cardiac events in the no-T group. In the T group, 3 patients discontinued T due to a cardiac event: 1 with asymptomatic decline in ejection fraction (EF), 1 with atrial fibrillation and dyspnea, and 1 with symptomatic EF decline associated with myocardial infarct and valvular disease. Patients in both cohorts had excellent disease control at a median follow up of 9y and 6y for the no-T and T cohorts respectively. The 3y DDFS numerically favors the T cohort, the confidence intervals are broad and overlapping (Table 1). There were no detectable differences in OS between groups. In our previous report (not selected for age), DDFS at 3yrs was 95% (90-99) and 100% in the no-T (N = 106) and T (N = 155) cohorts respectively. Conclusion: In this small retrospective study, older women with small, node negative HER2+ breast cancers had excellent disease control and a low risk of cardiotoxicity. The possible benefits of T in this setting are consistent with prior reports uncontrolled for age. View this table: Table 1 Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P2-16-11.
Social Interactions of High School Students With Mental Retardation and Their General Education Peers

The informal social interaction behavior that is typical of a high school lunchroom in which general and special education students are physically included was described. Using systematic observation and social comparison methods, we compared the performance of two groups of students (12 general education students and 12 students with mental retardation). Both similarities and differences were found in the interactions of students with mental retardation and their general education peers with respect to social behaviors, conversational topics, and context within which interactions occurred. However, despite being in proximity, students with mental retardation rarely interacted with any of approximately 500 general education students present in the lunchroom. Implications are discussed for increasing social interaction among high school students.
Coupled inviscid-viscous solution method for bounded domains: Application to data-center thermal management

Abstract Computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer (CFD/HT) models have been employed as the dominant technique for the design and optimization of both new and existing data-centers. Inviscid modeling has shown great speed advantages over the full Navier–Stokes CFD/HT models (over 20 times faster), but is incapable of capturing the physics in the viscous regions of the domain. A coupled inviscid-viscous solution method (CIVSM) for bounded domains has been developed in order to increase both the solution speed and accuracy of CFD/HT models. The methodology consists of an iterative solution technique that divides the full domain into multiple regions consisting of at least one set of viscous, inviscid, and interface regions. The full steady, Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations with turbulence modeling are used to solve the viscous domain, while the inviscid domain is solved using the Euler equations. By combining the increased speed of the inviscid solver in the inviscid regions, along with the viscous solver’s ability to capture the turbulent flow physics in the viscous regions, a faster and potentially more accurate solution can be obtained for bounded domains that contain large inviscid regions, such as data-centers.
Costly Procedures: Divergent Effects of Legalization in the GATT/WTO Dispute Settlement Procedures

Increasing legalization of international institutions has divergent effects on member countries. Whereas legalization decreases uncertainty and increases convergence of countries’ expectations on international outcomes, it imposes costs on countries by increasing the complexity and difficulty of procedures for them to utilize. Countries with the administrative capacity to follow elaborate procedures reap the benefits of increased legalization. For countries without such capacity—primarily developing countries—the potential benefits are offset by their difficulty in following the procedures. I examine this argument against the institutional changes in dispute settlement procedures that occurred in the transition from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Compared to the GATT era, developed countries—ones with greater capacity—are much more likely to utilize dispute settlement in the WTO than developing countries. Gains from the institutional changes in dispute settlement procedures have accrued to benefit mostly developed member countries in the WTO.
Formation of nearly monodisperse In2O3 nanodots and oriented-attached nanoflowers: hydrolysis and alcoholysis vs pyrolysis.

Single crystalline and nearly monodisperse In2O3 nanocrystals with both dot and flower shapes were synthesized in a simple reaction system. This system used indium carboxylates as the precursors with or without alcohol as the activating reagents in a hydrocarbon solvent under elevated temperatures. Limited ligand protection (LLP) led to three-dimensional (3D) oriented attachment of nanodots, resulting in 3D nanoflowers. When the system had sufficient ligand protection for the nanocrystals, nanodots were found to be the stable products. The diameters of nearly monodisperse nanodots and nanoflowers were varied in a range from ∼5 to ∼15 nm and ∼15 to ∼60 nm, respectively. The simple reaction system made it possible to have a systematic study of the reaction mechanisms along with the growth kinetics of nanocrystals. Hydrolysis and alcoholysis were identified as the major paths for this system, as opposed to pyrolysis. Both nearly monodispersed nanodots and nanoflowers can be made through either of the reactio...
The fractionation experiment: reducing heterogeneity to investigate age-specific mortality in Drosophila

Abstract Age-specific mortality rates decelerate at older ages in both genetically homogenous and heterogeneous populations of Drosophila . One explanation proposed for deceleration is population heterogeneity. This hypothesis suggests that a population consists of sub-populations that differ in mortality characteristics and that the deceleration is the result of selective survival of stronger individuals. Here we describe an experiment that fractionates populations into several sub-populations without changing the physiological characteristics of the post-fractionated populations. Through a careful process of selection of Drosophila eggs, larvae, pupae and adults, we attempt to reduce as much as possible the degree of pre-adult, environmentally induced heterogeneity among individuals of a genetically identical cohort. We then ask whether such cohorts, when compared to non-fractionated populations, exhibit a lesser degree of mortality deceleration at advanced ages. From a total of 106 fractionated and control populations, consisting of 51 331 individuals, 101 populations (93% of the fractionated populations and 100% of the control populations) exhibit a significant amount of mortality deceleration late in life. These observations suggest that environmental heterogeneity accrued during larval development is not a major factor contributing to mortality deceleration at older ages.
Reentrant melting in solid films with quenched random impurities

Crystalline films with a quenched distribution of impurities are studied. These materials are stable only over a finite band of temperatures. At sufficiently low temperatures, thermally excited dislocation pairs are broken apart by the random impurity potential. The hexatic phase which results can persist down to $T=0$. For large impurity concentrations, the solid phase is destroyed entirely. These conclusions are consistent with recent studies of vibrating binary ball-bearing arrays, and could be tested experimentally in a variety of other systems with quenched disorder.
Constitutive Expression of Multiple Growth Factor Genes by Melanoma Cells but Not Normal Melanocytes

In a panel of metastatic melanoma cell lines we found steady-state mRNA transcripts for multiple growth factors including basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A, PDGF-B, transforming growth factor (TGF)- beta 1, TGF- alpha, melanoma growth-stimulating activity (MGSA), interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, and IL-1 beta but not insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 or IGF-2. Expression of growth factor genes was constitutive because prior to RNA extraction melanoma cells were maintained in a chemically defined culture medium free of exogenous growth factors. Each of four cell lines had an individual pattern of expression of either two, four, five, or seven growth factors; however, all cell lines shared expression of the bFGF gene. Two strains of normal melanocytes expressed TGF- beta 1 but not bFGF, PDGF, TGF- alpha , or MGSA mRNA at detectable levels. We tested growth-modulatory effects of the growth factors most frequently expressed by melanoma cells (bFGF, TGF- alpha, TGF- beta, PDGF). None of these stimulated melanoma cell growth consistently, whereas exogenous, acid-activated TGF- beta inhibited melanoma growth at concentrations greater than 10 ng/ml, suggesting that bioactive TGF- beta may represent a physiologic growth inhibitor. Neither neutralizing antisera to PDGF or TGF- alpha nor a monoclonal antibody to the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-receptor inhibited melanoma cell growth. Our results indicate that multiple growth factors are expressed simultaneously and constitutively by melanoma cells but not normal melanocytes in culture. Expression of bFGF is a common feature underscoring the significance of bFGF as an autocrine factor for melanoma cells as described earlier. Secreted PDGF and TGF- alpha are apparently not involved in or not essential for autocrine growth stimulation of melanoma cells.
Conformational Requirements of Acetylcholine Analogues and Local Anaesthetics

ATTEMPTS have been made to view the roles of acetylcholine and of cholinergic agonists as triggering permeability changes in excitable membranes through attachment to acetylcholine receptor biopolymers1,2. Similarly, it has been proposed that local anaesthetics might block nerve conduction through attachment to axonal acetylcholine receptors3,4. These considerations raise a number of questions. Are certain specific conformations essential for molecules related to acetylcholine either to “trigger” or to “block” depolarization of excitable membranes ? Are the conformations of such molecules identical in the crystal and in solution ? What are the rotational barriers to conformational alteration of such molecules ?
Dislocation dynamics simulations of dislocation interactions and stresses in thin films

Abstract The dislocation interactions that stop threading dislocations (threads) during relaxation at increasing applied strains in single-crystal thin films are investigated using large-scale three-dimensional dislocation dynamics simulations. Threads were observed to stop via interactions with both threads and misfit dislocations (misfits). Both types of interactions were shown to depend on stress inhomogeneity. Low-stress regions enabled threads to stop in weak thread–misfit interactions even at high average film stresses. Threads were also concentrated in low-stress regions, which facilitated their interaction with other threads. Threads accumulated in thread–thread interactions, and stopped only temporarily in thread–misfit interactions. The mean free path for dislocation motion is shown to be accurately predicted from details of the inhomogeneous stress state arising from the applied strain and the misfit structure. These behaviors are analyzed to present a more complete picture of film strength, strain hardening and relaxation.
Hydroxyurea inhibition of greening, macromolecule synthesis and cell division in Euglena gracilis

Abstract Hydroxyurea inhibits chlorophyll synthesis and cell division in heat-bleached or dark-grown Euglena gracilis . 50 % inhibition of chlorophyll synthesis occurs at 0.02–0.035 M hydroxyurea. Euglena multiplies with a normal generation time and can at least partly recover the ability to green following removal of hydroxyurea. The syntheses of chlorophyll, DNA, RNA and protein are inhibited by hydroxyurea, that of chlorophyll being the most sensitive, followed in order by DNA, RNA and protein.
The effect of dietary vitamin A on NO2 exposure on the hamster lung.

Abstract The effect of dietary vitamin A and NO2 exposure on the hamster lung was evaluated by histopathology, electron microscopy, and thymidine uptake studies. Hamsters were maintained on deficient (0 μg), adequate (100 μg), and high (200 μg) dose levels of vitamin A while being exposed repeatedly to 10 ppm of NO2 for 5 hours once a week over an 8-week period. Hamsters of the deficient group exhibited clinical and morphologic changes characteristic of vitamin A deficiency. Animals maintained on adequate and high dose levels of vitamin A were not affected by vitamin A deficiency. Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the epithelial cells of the terminal bronchiolar alveolar region of lungs of adequately and highly dosed animals were greater than those observed in the deficient animals, when NO2 exposure was given. However, the extent of the lesions observed in all three groups was less than that seen in normal hamsters given a single, 5-hour NO2 exposure. Ultrastructural changes observed in vitamin A-deficient hamsters exposed to NO2 were hypertrophy and hyperplasia of bronchiolar epithelial cells, diffuse loss of cilia, membrane damage, and mitochondrial damage manifested by calcium deposition. Tritiated thymidine uptake studies of lungs of animals exposed repeatedly revealed a rather erratic cell renewal pattern following NO2 exposure in comparison to the group of animals exposed singly.
Is psychotherapy an effective treatment for melancholia and other severe depressive states

The treatment of severe depression with psychotherapy, alone, is controversial. In this paper, we review the historical, conceptual, and empirical contexts of this controversy. In addition to work by others, we review recent work from our institute which has examined the psychobiological substrates of response to treatment in depressive subtypes. We examine the traditional categories that describe severe depressions. The features and psychobiological correlates of melancholia are discussed, as is the relationship between melancholia and aging. Research on treatment of melancholia and other severe depressive states with psychotherapies such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is reviewed in detail. We conclude that although some melancholic patients are responsive to IPT or CBT, there is not yet compelling evidence that melancholic patients respond to psychotherapy as well as they do to medications. The potentially mediating effects of hypercortisolism, alterations of sleep neurophysiology, and disturbances of information processing and regional cerebral metabolism represent fertile grounds for future investigation. We discuss the practical implications of the literature reviewed.
Healthcare expenditures and patient satisfaction: cost and quality from the consumer's perspective in the US.

ABSTRACTBackground: Both cost and quality of healthcare are major concerns in the United States. Using patient satisfaction as a quality indicator, we seek to identify the relationship between heal...
Three Acyltransferases and Nitrogen-responsive Regulator Are Implicated in Nitrogen Starvation-induced Triacylglycerol Accumulation in Chlamydomonas

Algae have recently gained attention as a potential source for biodiesel; however, much is still unknown about the biological triggers that cause the production of triacylglycerols. We used RNA-Seq as a tool for discovering genes responsible for triacylglycerol (TAG) production in Chlamydomonas and for the regulatory components that activate the pathway. Three genes encoding acyltransferases, DGAT1, DGTT1, and PDAT1, are induced by nitrogen starvation and are likely to have a role in TAG accumulation based on their patterns of expression. DGAT1 and DGTT1 also show increased mRNA abundance in other TAG-accumulating conditions (minus sulfur, minus phosphorus, minus zinc, and minus iron). Insertional mutants, pdat1-1 and pdat1-2, accumulate 25% less TAG compared with the parent strain, CC-4425, which demonstrates the relevance of the trans-acylation pathway in Chlamydomonas. The biochemical functions of DGTT1 and PDAT1 were validated by rescue of oleic acid sensitivity and restoration of TAG accumulation in a yeast strain lacking all acyltransferase activity. Time course analyses suggest than a SQUAMOSA promoter-binding protein domain transcription factor, whose mRNA increases precede that of lipid biosynthesis genes like DGAT1, is a candidate regulator of the nitrogen deficiency responses. An insertional mutant, nrr1-1, accumulates only 50% of the TAG compared with the parental strain in nitrogen-starvation conditions and is unaffected by other nutrient stresses, suggesting the specificity of this regulator for nitrogen-deprivation conditions.
Molecular dynamics of the local anesthetic tetracaine in phospholipid vesicles.

Abstract Upon introduction into phosphatidylcholine vesicles, the 13C magnetic resonance peaks of the aromatic resonances of tetracaine are broadened while the T 1 relaxation times show little change. Addition of tetracaine to vesicles containing 30% cholesterol produces a similar broadening in the 13C NMR spectrum of tetracaine. Nuclear magnetic resonance parameters of phosphatidylcholine in vesicles which are unchanged by the addition of equimolar tetracaine include 13C T 1 relaxation time and 31P linewidth, T 1 relaxation time, and nuclear Overhauser effect enhancement. These results are interpreted as indicating a hydrophobic interaction between hydrocarbon portions of the anesthetic and phospholipid bilayer. The rotational correlation time of tetracaine about its long axis in the vesicles has been calculated from the 13C NMR spin lattice relaxation times to be about 10−10.3 s and is unchanged by incorporation into the phospholipid bilayer. The positively charged ammonium group of tetracaine interacts with the negatively charged phosphate group of the vesicle lipids. Using shift reagents and 31P NMR, tetracaine has been shown to displace cations from the bilayer surface, and does not undergo fast flip-flop across the vesicle bilayer.
The effect of an overheard ethnic slur on evaluations of the target: How to spread a social disease.

Abstract An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of an ethnic slur on evaluations of a targeted minority group member by those who overheard the slur. White subjects plus four confederates participated in a study ostensibly concerned with debating skills. Two of the confederates, one of whom was black, were always picked to engage in a debate which the others were to evaluate. The black debator either won or lost the debate. After the debate, one confederate-evaluator criticized the black in a manner that either did or did not involve an ethnic slur; in a control condition, no such comment was made. Based on the notion that ethnic slurs activate negative schemata regarding members of the targeted minority group, it was predicted that when the black debator lost the debate, the ethnic slur would lead to lower evaluations of his skill. This hypothesis was supported. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings were discussed.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Meets Borromean Rings

Directed graphs with an odd number of vertices n, where each vertex has both (n − 1)/2 incoming and outgoing edges, have a rich structure. We were lead to their study by both the Borromean rings and the game rockpaper-scissors. An interesting interplay between groups, graphs, topological links, and matrices reveals the structure of these objects, and for larger values of n, extensive computation produces some surprises. Perhaps most surprising is how few of the larger graphs have any symmetry and those with symmetry possess very little. In the final section, we dramatically sped up the computation by first computing a “profile” for each graph.
Laser wavelength stabilization with a passive interferometer.

A control system has been devised for stabilizing the output wavelength of a laser by reference to an external passive optical element. This element, consisting of two spherical mirrors, forms an off-axis resonator that, when broadly illuminated by a laser beam, functions as a wavelength-sensitive discriminator. The stabilization control loop is closed by using a signal from this discriminator to tune the laser by moving one of its mirrors with a piezoelectric transducer. The error signal is proportional to changes in wavelength of the incident laser beam and is derived from the discriminator without deliberate frequency or amplitude modulation of the laser The optical arrangement does not return any light in the direction of the source and thus avoids wavelength pulling due to spurious reflections. Two independent helium–neon lasers operating at 6328 A were stabilized against a common reference interferometer using this system. Their relative stability was studied by heterodyning the two outputs and analyzing the beat spectrum. Each feedback loop had a gain of 60 dB at dc falling off to 46 dB at 200 c/s and to 20 dB at 2 kc/sec. The resulting wavelength stability was about Δλ/λ = 2 × 10−10. The residual instability was mainly owing to room noise occurring at frequencies above the response of the feedback loops.
IMF lending programs: Participation and impact

Abstract Participation in IMF programs has been an option that more and more developing countries have exercised in recent years. In this paper a detailed analysis of such participation over the period 1976–1986 provides a number of insights into the motivations for and the macroeconomic effects of such participation. Participation is driven by a combination of past performance, present external influences and sluggish adjustment of developing countries. The ability to predict which countries will participate in the IMF program is quite good, with nearly 90 percent of variation in such choices accounted for by the explanatory variables employed. Increased participation has as contemporaneous effects a reduction in economic growth and domestic investment and an improvement in the current account. Lagged effects of increased participation on economic growth and domestic investment are positive, and in most estimates quantitatively greater than the contemporaneous effects. There is also evidence of significantly lower public investment, an increased budget surplus and real depreciation of the exchange rate with increased participation. Results for domestic credit creation and government current expenditure, although they have a sign consistent with more austere policy, cannot be shown to be significantly different from those not participating.
A Timing Optimization Method Based on Clock Skew Scheduling and Partitioning in a Parallel Computing Environment

This paper describes the implementation of a heuristic method to perform non-zero clock skew scheduling of digital VLSI circuits in a parallel computing environment. In the proposed method, circuit partitions that have low number of timing paths between partitions are formed. Clock skew scheduling is applied independently to each partition-sequentially or in parallel on a computing cluster-and results are iteratively merged. The scalability of the proposed method is superior compared to conventional non-zero clock skew scheduling techniques due to the reduction of analyzed circuit sizes (partition sizes) at each iteration step and the potential to parallelize the analyses of these partitions. It is demonstrated that after only the first iteration step of the proposed method, feasible clock schedules for 65% of the ISCAS'89 benchmark circuits are computed. For these circuits, average speedups of 2.1X and 2.6X are observed for sequential and parallel application of clock skew scheduling to partitions, respectively.
Direct adrenergic innervation of a teleost melanophore.

The possibility of sympathetic innervation to melanophores in fish was investigated using a catecholamine histochemical fluorescence method. Catecholamine-containing fibers were observed to be in close anatomic proximity to the conjunctival and dermal melanophores of the cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus). It is suggested that the catecholamines released from these adrenergic fibers are capable of causing aggregation of pigment with blanching of skin color.
Reperfusion injury to skeletal muscle affects primarily type II muscle fibers.

Introduction. The injury caused by reperfusion of ischemic skeletal muscle is mediated by the membrane attack complex of complement (C) [1]. This C activation results from local classical pathway activation after deposition of IgM in injured muscle, an event analogous to C deposition in the mucosa of the gut during reperfusion [2]. Our past analysis has indicated that the injury is not uniform even within a single microscopic section. This study was performed to elucidate the exact site of IgM and C deposition on muscle injured by ischemia and reperfusion. Materials and methods. C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to 2ho ftourniquet-induced hindlimb ischemia followed by reperfusion for 0 – 6 h. Three muscle groups (vastus, gastrocnemius, and soleus) of varying fastmyosin content were compared for muscle fiber damage and C deposition. Adjacent paraffin-embedded cross-sections were immunostained to correlate C3 deposition with muscle fiber type as defined by monoclonal antibodies. Results. Muscle injury after ischemia and reperfusion is not uniform and not all fibers in the same microscopic field are affected. Damaged fibers are also those to which IgM and C bind. Immunostaining for slow-twitch (Type 1) or fast-twitch (Type 2) fibers reveals that injury and C3 deposition is confined to Type 2 fibers with lower myosin content. A correlation of Type 2 fiber content and degree of muscle injury showed that the predominantly fast-twitch vastus muscle had the greatest number of damaged fibers per 10 field (28.2 12.4) when compared to the mixed fiber-type gastrocnemius muscle (20.5 5.3) and the mixed, but slow-twitch enriched soleus muscle (17.3 11.8). Conclusion. Complement activation and skeletal muscle reperfusion injury occurs predominantly on Type 2 fibers with low myosin content. This suggests that attempts to control the post-reperfusion inflammation will likely produce substantial muscle recovery. Furthermore, the basis of IgM deposition and complement activation may be revealed in the comparison of the two muscle fiber types. © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All
Structure and magnetic properties of PrCo/sub 5/-based permanent magnets

Sintered PrCo/sub 5/-based permanent magnets with energy products up to 25 MGOe and H/sub ci/>15 kOe were produced using single alloy compositions. The structural changes occurring at different stages of magnet fabrication, from the starting alloy to the finished magnet, were investigated systematically and correlated with the observed magnetic properties. Depending on the sintering temperature used, two different sintering mechanisms were found to be operative in this system. The optimal microstructures conducive to obtaining good permanent magnet properties were identified. >
The Impact of Service Learning on Democratic and Civic Values.

Throughout the twentieth century, American scholars and political pundits have argued that the survival of democratic political institutions and an ethic of concern for the welfare of others in the political community depended on ensuring all citizens received a high-quality civic education. Despite repeated efforts to act on this concern, empirical evidence suggests that a substantial number of Americans continue to be ignorant of how best to express their political demands, lack essential factual knowledge about political institutions and policies, and fail to acquire more information about politics and policy (Barber and Battistoni 1993, 235; Battistoni 1985).Recently, service learning has been put forward as a means for increasing students' limited knowledge about democratic politics and general sense of civic responsibility. Service learning is a form of experiential education that combines structured opportunities for learning academic skills, reflection on the normative dimensions of civic life, and experiential activity that addresses community needs or assists individuals, families, and communities in need (Eyler and Giles 1999, 3-5; Gray et al. 1999, 4-5, 7-8; Jacoby 1996, 5-10). Many proponents of service learning argue that it provides experiences that can change students' frame of reference for or perspective on people and their problems; leads students to see links between theory and practice; teaches students social problem-solving techniques, interpersonal skills, and critical thinking; provides students with education in citizenship; engages the school as well as the student in democratic governance; and involves schools “sympathetically and productively” with the communities they serve (Eyler and Giles 1999, 7-19, 23-163; Gray et al. 1999, 1-2).
Pixel-level data fusion: from algorithm to chip

Pixel level image processing algorithms have to work with noisy sensor data to extract spatial features. This often required the use of operators which amplify high frequency noise. One method of dealing with this problem is to perform image smoothing prior to any use of spatial differentiation. Such spatial smoothing results in the spread of object characteristics beyond the object boundaries. Identification of discontinuities and explicit use of these as boundaries for smoothing has been proposed as a technique to overcome this problem. This approach has been used to perform cooperative computations between multiple descriptions of the scene, e.g., fusion of edge and motion field for a given scene. This approach is extended to multisensor systems. The discontinuities detected in the output of one sensor are used to define regions of smoothing for a second sensor. For example, the depth discontinuities present in laser radar can be used to define smoothing boundaries for infrared focal plane arrays. The authors have recently developed a CMOS chip (28 X 36) which performs this task in real time. This chip consists of a resistive network and elements that can be switched ON or OFF, by loading a suitable bit pattern. The bit pattern for the control of switches can be generated from the discontinuities found in the output of sensor #1. The output of sensor #2 is applied to the resistive network for data smoothing. If all the switches are held in conducting state, this chip performs the usual data smoothing. However, if switches along object boundaries are turned OFF, a region for bounded smoothing is created. In this chip, information from a third sensor data (e.g., intensity data from laser radar) can be incorporated in the form of a map of 'confidence in data.' The results obtained with this chip using synthetic data and other potential applications of this chip are described.
Sir Arthur Newsholme and State Medicine, 1885—1935: The Local Government Board and the nation's health policy

THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE L.G.B. John Burns offered Arthur Newsholme the position of Medical Officer of the Local Government Board on January 11, 1908, and Newsholme arranged to take up his duties in Whitehall on February 4, one day after testifying before the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws. He became the Board's sixth Medical Officer in a line stretching back to Sir John Simon. In making this move, Newsholme went to the nation's central health and social welfare authority, to a bureau with important responsibilities in areas where major social reforms were presently under political consideration. The appointment was a great opportunity for a reformminded Medical Officer. However, its organization, tradition, and leadership made the L.G.B. a very unlikely engine of reform. Writing in 1936, R.C.K. Ensor sounded the tone which historians have followed for two generations in describing the L.G.B. Set up to guard against extravagance in the granting of poor relief, it had imbued its officials with the idea that Whitehall's sole duty towards local authorities was to prevent them from doing what they ought not. But at this time what the local authorities … really needed from the centre was positive stimulus, enlightened guidance, and constructive advice based on research… It is difficult to over-estimate what the country lost through having its local authorities down to 1914 placed under a central department constantly on the alert to hinder them and rarely, if ever, to help.
STATE URBAN POLICY: “New” Federalism In Virginia, New Jersey and Florida

The recent rediscovery of federalism has left the nation's governors with expanded responsibility and limited federal support. In return, they were promised greater fiscal flexibility, a real partnership in program design, and protection from unfunded mandates. However, states seem unwilling to offer the same guarantees to their cities that they sought from the federal government, even as they expand city responsibilities and limit state aid. This paper explores the extent to which Virginia, New Jersey and Florida have provided the fiscal flexibility and partnership, except in the area of economic development, but the diminished fiscal capacity of some distressed communities relative to their suburban counterparts render them unable to benefit from such efforts.
Emergence of the Ehrlichioses as Human Health Problems

Ehrlichiae are small, gram-negative, obligately intracellular bacteria that reside within a phagosome. The first human ehrlichial infection was recognized in the United States in 1987. It was later shown to be caused by a new species, Ehrlichia chaffeensis. In 1994, an ehrlichial pathogen within neutrophils that is closely related to the known veterinary pathogens E. equi and E. phagocytophila was found to infect humans. Molecular methods were required to detect, characterize, and identify these fastidious and uncultivated bacteria. Subsequently, E. chaffeensis infection was documented in more than 400 patients in 30 states, Europe, and Africa. Likewise, approximately 170 cases of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis have been diagnosed, most since 1994, predominantly in the upper midwestern and northeastern states, but also in northern California. The disease caused by ehrlichiae is generally undifferentiated but is often associated with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated serum hepatic transaminase levels in tick-exposed patients. Infection ranges from subclinical to fatal; tetracycline appears to be an effective therapy. The emergence of these two newly recognized tickborne infections as threats to human health is probably due to increased clinical cognizance, but as in other emerging tickborne infections, it is likely that the rapid increase in identified cases signals a true emergence of disease associated with a changing vector-host ecology.
Analysis of thin film piezoelectric microaccelerometer using analytical and finite element modeling

Microaccelerometers using piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films have attracted much interest due to their simple structure and potentially high sensitivity. In this paper, we present a theoretical model for a microaccelerometer with four suspended flexural PZT-on-silicon beams and a central proof mass configuration. The model takes into account the effect of device geometry and elastic properties of the piezoelectric film, and agrees well with the results obtained by the finite element analysis. This study shows that the accelerometer sensitivity decreases with increases in the beam width, in the thickness of the bilayer beams, and in the elastic modulus of the mechanical microstructure. Increases in the beam length increase sensitivity. For a fixed beam thickness, a maximum sensitivity exists for appropriate PZT/Si thickness ratio. In addition, it is found that with appropriate geometrical dimensions, both high sensitivity and broad frequency bandwidth can be achieved. The calculation of the stress distribution in the suspended PZT/Si beam structure when the device is subjected to large vibrational acceleration indicates that the thin film microaccelerometer can stand extremely large g conditions with very good mechanical reliability. In the dynamic analysis, it is found that both analytical model and finite element modeling give very close results of the resonance frequency of the device. The results of this study can be readily applied to on-chip piezoelectric microaccelerometer design and its structural optimization.
Partial Gap Transduced MEMS Optoacoustic Oscillator Beyond Gigahertz

Electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical system (MEMS) oscillators are limited to few megahertz–gigahertz range on account of transduction inefficiency at higher frequencies. Piezoelectric transduction affords lower motional impedances at high frequencies, however mass-loading on account of metal electrodes imposes practical limits on the mechanical quality factor of piezoelectric resonators in the gigahertz frequency regime. In this paper, we present a silicon optoacoustic oscillator operating at 2.05 GHz with signal power 18 dBm and phase noise −80 dBc/Hz at 10-kHz offset from carrier. We employ displacement amplification and partial air gap capacitive transduction to enhance the transduction efficiency. An unconventional photolithography step is performed on a released MEMS structure, which greatly simplifies the fabrication process and allows electrical contact with the electrodes. Built-in nonlinear optomechanical modulation provides noiseless up-conversion of the oscillation signal all the way up to 16.4 GHz with −45-dBm signal power. We develop a phase noise model for the oscillator and identify the photodetector shot noise to be the dominant noise source. Using a high gain and low noise avalanche photodetector enables reduction of the far-from-carrier phase noise floor by 15dB. The phase noise model provides insights into understanding the influence of laser detuning on the oscillator noise performance, which has not been studied to date. [2013-0291]
Studies on carcinogenesis by avian sarcoma viruses. V. Requirement for new DNA synthesis and for cell division

Partially synchronized secondary cultures of chicken embryo fibroblasts were exposed to Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) at various times in the cell cycle. The initiation of normal virus production could be inhibited by treatment with excess thymidine or with cytosine arabinoside without any effect on mitosis. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that the provirus of RSV is DNA, although the virion of RSV contains only RNA. It was, also, found that treatment which prevented or interferred with the first mitosis after exposure to virus prevented the initiation of normal virus production. Later mitoses did not appear to be necessary. A corollary of this finding is that virus production is synchronized by mitosis and that the length of the latent period depends upon when in the cell cycle a cell is exposed to virus.
Culture Shock, Positive Face, and Negative Face: Being Polite in Tlaxcala

Recent work on politeness by Lakoff (1973) and Brown and Levinson (1978) provides some underlying principles which allow us to provide an account of contrasting cultural styles which are often a source of major difficulties in cross-cultural understanding. The examples in this paper are largely drawn from the experiences of myself and my husband, who went into the field in Tlaxcala and Puebla convinced that we were warm, friendly, outgoing people. We turned out, however, in contrast to the people among whom we worked, to exemplify an extraordinarily “up-tight” cultural style which is probably widespread among professional-managerial North Americans, including a good many anthropologists. An understanding of politeness principles proposed here may allow other field anthropologists working in similar contexts to modify their behavior to avoid many of the problems of misunderstanding and genuine full-blown “culture shock” which we experienced.
Pure Palladium and Palladium Phosphorus Depositions Used in ENEPIG and ENEP Surface Finishes – Comparison of Physical Properties and Their Influence on Soldering and Au Wire Bonding

As a surface finish, electroless nickel / electroless palladium / immersion gold (ENEPIG) has received increased attention for both packaging/IC-substrate and PWB applications. With a lower gold thickness compared to conventional electroless nickel / immersion gold (ENIG) the ENEPIG finish offers the potential for higher reliability, better performance and reduced cost.[1,2] This paper shows the benefits of using a pure palladium layer in ENEPIG and ENEP (Electroless Nickel / Electroless Palladium) surface finishes in terms of physical properties and in terms of gold wire bonding and solder joint integrity.
Unsteady heat transfer to slug flows: Effect of axial conduction

Solutions are obtained for three illustrative cases of unsteady heat transfer to slug flows, taking axial conduction into account. The magnitude of the correction to the solutions neglecting this effect is shown to be quite appreciable near the leading edge. In agreement with previous steady state estimates, the axial conduction correction becomes negligible for Peclet numbers in excess of 100.
Inhibition of Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Kinase β and Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase IV Is Detrimental in Cerebral Ischemia

Background and Purpose—Elevation of intracellular calcium was traditionally thought to be detrimental in stroke pathology. However, clinical trials testing treatments that block calcium signaling have failed to improve outcomes in ischemic stroke. Emerging data suggest that calcium may also trigger endogenous protective pathways after stroke. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK) is a major kinase activated by rising intracellular calcium. Compelling evidence has suggested that CaMKK and its downstream kinase CaMK IV are critical in neuronal survival when cells are under ischemic stress. We examined the functional role of CaMKK/CaMK IV signaling in stroke. Methods—We used a middle cerebral artery occlusion model in mice. Results—Our data demonstrated that pharmacological and genetic inhibition of CaMKK aggravated stroke injury. Additionally, deletion of CaMKK β, one of the 2 CaMKK isoforms, reduced CaMK IV activation, and CaMK IV deletion in mice worsened stroke outcome. Finally, CaMK...
The Signal Recognition Particle Pathway Is Required for Virulence in Streptococcus pyogenes

The signal recognition particle (SRP) pathway is a universally conserved pathway for targeting polypeptides for secretion via the cotranslational pathway. In particular, the SRP pathway is thought to be the main mechanism for targeting polypeptides in gram-positive bacteria, including a number of important human pathogens. Though widely considered to be an essential cellular component, recent advances have indicated this pathway may be dispensable in gram-positive bacteria of the genus Streptococcus under in vitro conditions. However, its importance for the pathogenesis of streptococcal disease is unknown. In this study, we investigated the importance of the SRP pathway for virulence factor secretion in the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. While the SRP pathway was not found to be essential for viability in vitro, SRP mutants demonstrated a medium-specific growth defect that could be rescued by the addition of glucose. We also observed that a distinct subset of virulence factors were dependent upon the SRP pathway for secretion, whereas others were completely independent of this pathway. Significantly, deletion of the SRP pathway resulted in mutants that were highly attenuated in both a zebrafish model of necrotic myositis and a murine subcutaneous ulcer model, highlighting the importance of this pathway in vivo. These studies emphasize the importance of the SRP pathway for the in vivo survival and pathogenesis of S. pyogenes.
Dilution-Free Analysis from Picoliter Droplets by Nano-Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The expanding role of microfluidics for chemical and biochemical analysis is due to factors including the favorable scaling of separation performance with reduced channel dimensions,[1] flexibility afforded by computer-aided device design, and the ability to integrate multiple sample handling and analysis steps into a single platform.[2] Such devices enable smaller liquid volumes and sample sizes to be handled than can be achieved on the benchtop, where sub-microliter volumes are difficult to work with and where sample losses to the surfaces of multiple reaction vessels become prohibitive. A particularly attractive microfluidic platform for sample-limited analyses employs aqueous droplets or plugs encapsulated by an immiscible oil.[3,4] Each droplet serves as a discrete compartment or reaction chamber enabling, e.g., high throughput screening[5,6] and kinetic studies[7-9] of femto- to nanoliter samples, as well as the encapsulation[10-12] and lysis[10] of individual cells with limited dilution of the cellular contents