cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management Strategies for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Current Clinical Perspectives

In the last decade, the introduction of novel agents including the immunomodulatory drugs thalidomide and lenalidomide, and the first-in-class proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, has dramatically improved clinical outcome in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) compared to conventional chemotherapy alone. Although combination treatment approaches with traditional cytotoxic agents and novel agents have led to response rates as high as 85% in patients with relapsed/refractory disease, not all patients will respond to established novel agents, and even those who do respond will ultimately relapse or become refractory to currently available regimens. There is no generally accepted standard treatment for patients with relapsed/refractory disease; however, both disease-related (eg, quality and duration of response to previous therapies and the aggressiveness of the relapse) and patient-related (eg, preexisting toxicities, comorbid conditions, quality of life, age, and performance status) factors should be considered when selecting the best treatment option. This article will review up-to-date approaches for managing patients with relapsed/refractory MM, including the efficacy and safety of established novel agents, the use of adjunctive/supportive care, and strategies for tailored treatment.
ADDITION OF THIOGLYCOLIC ACID TO STENDOMYCIN

Base-catalyzed addition of thioglycolic acid to the dehydrobutyrine residue in stendomycinfollowed by hydrolysis and isolation of the newly formed amino acid (S-carboxy-methyl-β-methylcysteine) provided a pair of optically active diastereoisomers. Thus, the addition of the thiol to the double bond is stereoselective and is governed by thearchitecture of the molecule of the antibiotic.
Detector for neutron time-of-flight spectrometry with improved response to low energy neutrons

Abstract Design and operating characteristics are described of a neutron detector based on coincident detection of proton-recoil scintillations. Large area, compact construction, and efficient operation at neutron energies in the range of tens of keV are major features. A light output curve for proton energies down to 50 keV is reported, together with absolute photoelectric yields at several proton energies.
The search for time-dependent CP-asymmetries in the neutral B-meson system

In this talk I first present an overview of Standard Model predictions for CP violation in the neutral B-meson sector. Then, I present a status report from the experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center which has been designed especially to measure time-dependent asymmetries whose interpretation in the Standard Model is directly related to the parameters of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrix.
Light-cone gauge in Polyakov's theory.

The interacting bosonic string is formulated by fixing the light-cone gauge in Polyakov's theory. The independence between the light-cone and conformal gauges is emphasized. The determinants involved in the light-cone gauge are calculated by using the conformal-invariance principle. Finally, it is shown that the conformal anomaly associated with this new gauge fixing is canceled at dimensions d = 26. .AE
Prognostic implications of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in epidermal growth factor receptor-negative non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is a regulatory subunit of HIF-1 that is stabilized and activated under hypoxic conditions. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), over-expression of HIF-1α has been associated with poor overall survival. However, there is conflicting data on the role of HIF-1α as a prognostic factor. Some studies have demonstrated close association between the HIF-1α signal pathways and epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs). We evaluated the prognostic significance of HIF-1α expression in 178 NSCLC patients using tissue microarray in the context of EGFR gene copy number and protein expression status. EGFR gene copy number was evaluated using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), and EGFR protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The difference in overall survival (OS) between HIF-1α-positive and HIF-1α-negative groups was statistically significant in patients with low EGFR gene copy number and negative EGFR expression (log-rank test, P =0.03). In univariate and multivariate analyses, HIF-1α was a significant worse prognostic factor for OS in patients with low EGFR gene copy number and negative EGFR expression (hazard ratio=2.992; 95% CI, 1.113–8.045; P =0.03 in univariate analysis and hazard ratio=8.127; 95% CI, 1.874–35.251; P
A Review and Extension of Current Models of Dynamic Criteria

An important issue in personnel selection and test validation has been the nature of performance criteria and more specifically the existence of dynamic criteria. There is a continuing debate regarding the extent to which performance and validity coefficients remain stable over time. We examine research within work, laboratory, and academic settings and evaluate existing models of dynamic criteria. Building on previous models, we propose an integrative model of dynamic criteria that identifies important issues for ability and performance constructs and discusses how variables related to the task, job, and organization can affect the temporal stability of criterion performance and the ability-performance relationship.
Ngn1 inhibits astrogliogenesis through induction of miR-9 during neuronal fate specification

It has been postulated that a proneural factor, neurogenin 1 (Ngn1), simultaneously activates the neurogenic program and inhibits the alternative astrogliogenic program when specifying the neuronal fate. While Ngn1 substantially suppresses the activation of the astrogliogenic Jak-Stat pathway, the underlying molecular mechanism was unknown. Here, by employing in vivo and in vitro approaches, we report that Ngn1 binds to the promoter of a brain-enriched microRNA, miR-9, and activates its expression during neurogenesis. Subsequently, our in vitro study showed that miR-9 directly targets mRNAs of Lifr-beta, Il6st (gp130), and Jak1 to down-regulate these critical upstream components of the Jak-Stat pathway, achieving inhibition of Stat phosphorylation and consequently, suppression of astrogliogenesis. This study revealed Ngn1 modulated non-coding RNA epigenetic regulation during cell fate specifications.
Learning to Recognize Objects

A theory of object recognition requires a theory of shape. Despite considerable empirical and theoretical research, however, a definition of object shape has proved elusive. Two experiments provide new insights by showing that children's object recognition changes dramatically during the period between 17 and 25 months. During this time, children develop the ability to recognize stylized three-dimensional caricatures of known and novel objects. This ability is linked to the number of object names in children's vocabularies, suggesting that category learning may be a driving force behind the developmental changes.
Neuroprotection With NBQX in Rat Focal Cerebral Ischemia Effects on ADC Probability Distribution Functions and Diffusion-Perfusion Relationships

Background and Purpose We have previously shown that treatment with glutamate receptor antagonists after focal ischemia can partially reverse acute lesions measured with diffusion-weighted MRI. The goal of this study was to examine the quantitative nature of these effects of neuroprotection. Methods Rats were subjected to permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery under halothane anesthesia and treated with 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(F)quinoxaline (NBQX) (30 mg/kg IP; two doses given immediately after ischemia and 1 hour after ischemia) or given injections of saline. Diffusion-weighted MRI scans were performed to map the changes in water diffusivity during the first 3 hours after ischemia. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) within the ischemic hemisphere were calculated, and ischemic changes were expressed as absolute reductions and as a percentage of contralateral mean values. Relative perfusion deficits in the ischemic hemisphere were assessed with dynamic MRI of transient changes in transverse relaxation rates (ΔR2*). Results Analysis with ADC probability distribution functions showed that focal ischemia was present with gradients in ADC reductions emanating from the center to the periphery of the lesion. Ischemic evolution in control rats was manifested as a progressive shift of the probability distribution functions over time. NBQX treatment resulted in a reverse shift of these probability functions. By 3 hours after occlusion, probability distribution functions were significantly improved in treated rats ( P <.05). Because of the temporal evolution of the probability distribution functions, ADC thresholds that correlated with histological outcomes of infarction changed over time. NBQX did not alter the cerebral perfusion index, measured as ΔR2* peak values. Conclusions The results indicate that ADC probability distribution functions can be used to quantitatively evaluate the effects of neuroprotective treatment on the gradients of injury in focal cerebral ischemia. The probability functions also allow for intrasubject comparisons and may therefore be useful for exploring therapeutic windows.
An effective lower bound on the “Diophantine approximation” of algebraic functions by rational functions

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews an effective lower bound on the diophantine approximation of algebraic functions by rational functions. In an article in the Proceedings in 1959, Professor Ellis Kolchin showed an analogue of Liouville's theorem, which dealt with the approximation of solutions of algebraic differential equations. The most concrete application of Kolchin's theorem is to the approximation by rational functions of formal power series solutions of a nontrivial algebraic differential equation. Kolchin's theorem says that there exists a natural number n and a real number c such that for every r, s ≠ 0: ord(y1 - r/s)
Introduction to Respondents Panel on Current Analyses of Economic Costs

As I look out over the audience, I’m struck by how many of us were here in a previous life. I guess there is life after acid rain. The last time I spoke to this group was five years ago on the costs and benefits of acid rain control. At that time, I’m pretty sure we thought no more contentious environmental issue could confront the Congress. We were wrong. What we’re discussing today—climate change—is much bigger. A lot of our earlier analytic and economic analyses were really just warming up—if you’ll pardon the pun—for this all-encompassing issue.
The village midwife program and infant mortality in Indonesia

Abstract Indonesia introduced over 50,000 midwives into villages in the 1990s to provide primary care to women lacking easy access to health facilities. It seems plausible to argue that the significant reduction in infant mortality that occurred from about 1993–94 was a consequence of this. The paper estimates the village midwife program's impact on infant mortality, using data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey. Regressing mortality outcomes against choice of services would lead to biased estimates because of the correlation between service choice and unobserved individual characteristics. Furthermore, non-random placement of midwives could bias estimates of their impact on infant mortality. This study overcomes such endogeneity problems by aggregating mortality outcomes and program prevalence at district level and taking account of district fixed effects in estimating the program's impact. Surprisingly, the results do not support the hypothesis that the midwife program was responsible for the observe...
Thymectomy for the myasthenia gravis patient: Factors influencing outcome

Abstract Thymectomy is a therapeutic option for patients with myasthenia gravis with moderate to severe disability. To document the efficacy of thymectomy coupled with medical therapy to treat this disease and to identify clinical factors that influence outcome, the clinical courses of all 46 patients (12 male and 34 female; mean age, 30 ± 16 vears) with myasthenia gravis who underwent thymectomy through a median sternotomy at a single institution over a 21-year period were reviewed. Clinical staging was determined preoperatively, at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively, and at last follow-up (mean time, 75 months postoperatively) using the Oosterhuis classification. Changes in severity of illness were graded as "deteriorated," "unchanged," "improved," or "much improved." Preoperative Oosterhuis classification was 3.3 ± 1.1 and at last follow-up, 1.4 ± 1.2 ( p = 0.022). At last follow-up, 40 patients (87%) were in the improved or much improved category, and 6 patients were in the deteriorated or unchanged category. Status at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months after operation predicted outcome at last follow-up visit ( p = 0.007, p = 0.005, and p = 0.001, respectively). Clinical factors that positively influenced outcome were age less than 45 years ( p = 0.004), female sex ( p = 0.0309), and preoperative stage ( p = 0.021)
Synthesis and characterization of monodisperse porous polymer particles

Monodisperse porous polymer particles in the size range of 10 μm in diameter were prepared via seeded emulsion polymerization. Linear polymer (polystyrene seed) or a mixture of linear polymer and solvent or nonsolvent were used as inert diluents. The pore diameters of these porous polymer particles were on the order of 1000 A with pore volumes up to 0.9 mL/g and specific surface areas up to 200 m2/g. The physical features of the porous polymer particles depended on the diluent type and the crosslinker content, as well as the molecular weight of polymer seed particles. By varying the molecular weight of the linear polymer, monodisperse porous polymer particles with different pore size distribution could be synthesized. Polymer seed with a low degree of crosslinking instead of linear polymer could also be used to prepare monodisperse porous polymer particles with smaller pore volume and pore size.
Genetic Analysis of Duchenne Dystrophy

We have heard many interesting presentations on the physiology and genetic structure of muscle related proteins. The examples have ranged from dystrophic muscle cells in culture to very specific analysis of both actin and myosin genes. I would like to present some of the genetic analyses of the human X chromosome being pursued in the Genetics Division at Children’s Hospital in Boston. My presentation will concentrate mainly on our efforts to develop diagnostically useful restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) (579) for the human X-linked muscular dystrophies. I will close my presentation with some initial attempts at “walking” (580) in specific X chromosomal regions.
Inferring Weak Selection from Patterns of Polymorphism and Divergence at ``silent'' Sites in Drosophila DNA

Patterns of codon usage and "silent" DNA divergence suggest that natural selection discriminates among synonymous codons in Drosophila. "Preferred" codons are consistently found in higher frequencies within their synonymous families in Drosophila melanogaster genes. This suggests a simple model of silent DNA evolution where natural selection favors mutations from unpreferred to preferred codons (preferred changes). Changes in the opposite direction, from preferred to unpreferred synonymous codons (unpreferred changes), are selected against. Here, selection on synonymous DNA mutations is investigated by comparing the evolutionary dynamics of these two categories of silent DNA changes. Sequences from outgroups are used to determine the direction of synonymous DNA changes within and between D. melanogaster and Drosophila simulans for five genes. Population genetics theory shows that differences in the fitness effect of mutations can be inferred from the comparison of ratios of polymorphism to divergence. Unpreferred changes show a significantly higher ratio of polymorphism to divergence than preferred changes in the D. simulans lineage, confirming the action of selection at silent sites. An excess of unpreferred fixations in 28 genes suggests a relaxation of selection on synonymous mutations in D. melanogaster. Estimates of selection coefficients for synonymous mutations (3.6 < magnitude of Nes < 1.3) in D. simulans are consistent with the reduced efficacy of natural selection (magnitude of Nes < 1) in the three- to sixfold smaller effective population size of D. melanogaster. Synonymous DNA changes appear to be a prevalent class of weakly selected mutations in Drosophila.
Concordance of self-rated and observer-rated dysphoric symptoms in mania

Abstract Objectives High rates of some depressive symptoms occur in both mixed and pure manic episodes. This study examined whether manic subjects identify these depressive symptoms by self-report consistently with observer ratings, whether dysphoric symptoms are self-rated differently in mixed compared to pure manic episodes, and whether discriminative self-rated dysphoric symptom sets agree with those established by observer ratings. Methods Ninety-four inpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for mania were classified as in pure or mixed episodes. Dysphoric symptoms were evaluated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the self-rated Carroll Depression Scale (CDS). Total scores and individual symptom scores on the two scales were compared, as were differences between the manic and mixed subtypes. Positive predictive values (PPV) of individual CDS statements for a diagnosis of a mixed bipolar episode were calculated. Those with a PPV of 0.5 or greater were summed across all subjects and the distributions within the bipolar manic and mixed groups inspected. Results Self-rated depressive symptoms were highly concordant with observer-rated depressive symptoms in mania. Differences were demonstrated between mixed and pure manic subjects based on self-report, and these differences were similar to those observed with HDRS evaluations. A group of 8 dysphoric symptoms discriminated mixed from pure manic episodes on both scales. These symptoms were depressed mood, pathological guilt, suicidal tendency, anhedonia, psychomotor agitation, psychic and somatic anxiety, and general somatic symptoms (fatigue). Conclusions Manic patients report depressive symptoms consistently with observer ratings. Self-rated dysphoric symptoms differ significantly between mixed and pure manic episodes. Patient self-rating is another tool which may help in the diagnosis of mixed mania and the recognition of depressive symptoms during manic episodes. Limitations The current study included patients who were evaluated during inpatient hospitalization only. The study included only subjects capable and willing to give written informed consent. Generalizability to other bipolar patients is not established.
“It's a touchy subject”: Latino adolescent sexual risk behaviors in the school context

Adverse sexual health outcomes remain disproportionately high for Latino adolescents. To examine sexual risk behaviors in Latino adolescents, we conducted in-depth interviews with 18 Latino parents and 13 school staff members and carried out 1 year of fieldwork in the school and community. "It's a touchy subject [sex] here" exemplified the reluctance of addressing sexual risk behaviors. Community- and systems-level strategies are recommended.
Photoluminescent Silicon Nanocrystals with Mixed Surface Functionalization for Biophotonics

Orange-emitting photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals have been grafted with pairs of compounds to produce a mixed monolayer on their surface. Vinyl acetic acid (VA) is used to enhance dispersibility in water by providing carboxyl termination, while alkyl groups are used to improve the stability of the photoluminescence (PL). The grafting of these molecules to the surface is enabled by an etching procedure that leaves a hydrogen terminated surface on the silicon nanocrystals. Multiple molecules can be grafted in series by taking advantage of the residual hydrogen present after initial grafting with a first compound. Multiple molecules can also be grafted in parallel by allowing them to compete for surface reactive sites and varying their concentration in solution to control the composition of the mixed surface layer. Both series and parallel grafting result in particles that have a mixture of two distinct molecules on their surface, and thereby allow control of the particle dispersibility in different solvents and the density of reactive groups for subsequent functionalization steps. Optimizing the surface composition may allow production of particles that can be reacted with proteins via carbodiimide linking chemistries while maintaining their PL and their dispersibility in water and buffer solutions. Here we focus on the parallel grafting approach.
High-Rate Analysis of Vector Quantization for Noisy Channels

In this paper, the sensitivity of the high-rate performance of conventional source coding to symmetric channel errors (i.e., a channel where all index errors are equally likely) with arbitrary distortion measures is analyzed. It is shown that, in general, the overall distortion due to source quantization and channel errors cannot be expressed as the sum of the distortion due to the finite bit representation of the source and the distortion due to channel errors. An exception to this is when the distortion is measured as the mean-squared error. The binary symmetric channel with random index assignment is a special case of the analysis, and as the number of code-points gets large, the performance approaches a nonzero constant. Finally, the framework is applied to the wideband speech spectrum quantization problem, where it correctly predicts the channel error rate permissible for operation at a particular distortion level.
The Effect of Frequency of Ejaculation on the Semen Production, Seminal Characteristics, and Libido of Bulls during the First Post-Puberal Year

Summary In a study using nine Holstein bulls, sexual interest was first expressed at an average age of 29.4 weeks. Ability to ejaculate was first demonstrated at an average of 38.9 weeks. Approximately 10 weeks was required for the transition from the infantile to the sexually functional bull. Highly significant differences were found in semen volume, per cent motile sperm, sperm concentration, total sperm per ejaculation and total motile sperm per ejaculation as the bulls aged during a 1-year period after puberty. No significant differences in semen volume, sperm concentration, per cent motile sperm, semen pH, total sperm per ejaculation, total motile sperm per ejaculation, or per cent atypical sperm were found attributable to frequency of ejaculation when frequencies of once, twice, and three times per week were compared. A highly significant reduction of libido, as measured by the proportion of failures to mount and ejaculate, was found in bulls scheduled to ejaculate three times per week. Ejaculation frequencies up to three times per week were not harmful to the seminal characteristics nor to spermatozoan production of young bulls except as they adversely affected libido.
OCCURRENCE AND ABUNDANCE OF GREEN‐FLUORESCING DINOFLAGELLATES IN SURFACE WATERS OF THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC AND NORTHEAST PACIFIC OCEANS1

We have cultured green fluorescing heterotrophic dinoflagellates whose continuous green fluorescence is due to an unidentified compound, probably a flavin, that excites with blue (∼460 nm) light and emits green (∼535 nm) light. No evidence of bioluminescence was found, but we note that compounds with similar fluorescence characteristics have been associated with bioluminescence in other taxa. These cells, all naked gymnodinoids, are widespread and abundant in the Northwest Atlantic and Northeast Pacific Oceans (103–105 L−1). They comprise 4–100% of the total heterotrophic dinoflagellate component which, in turn, is usually equivalent magnitude to the phototrophic naked dinoflagellate component of the phytoplankton community.
AN ANALYSIS OF OPTIMAL FARM CAPITAL STRUCTURE

Use of debt in financing agricultural firms is an weak theoretical framework. Many earlier writings issue of perennial interest. Much of this interest have been conceptualized in a marginal returns and reflects farmers' disastrous experience with debt marginal costs framework. Conceptual and empirical during the Great Depression. The foreclosed mort- difficulties in including risk in this standard framegages and bankruptcies of that era reaffirmed an work limit its usefulness in analyzing situations where historical feeling that achieving a level of zero debt or risk is important. In corporate finance theory, the financial leverage was a high priority goal. E.G. concept of cost of capital is utilized to analyze Johnson, who was Chief of the Economic and Credit optimum level of financial leverage [1, 11]. While Research Division of the Farm Credit Administration, Hopkin, Barry and Baker present a theoretical disarticulated the position in the 1940 Yearbook of cussion of this concept in their textbook [5, pp. Agriculture that this goal is even more important than 251-256], it has not been integrated into empirical increasing profits: "It may be well to emphasize again analysis in agricultural finance. The purpose of this that while credit properly used may help farmers to paper is to explore applicability of the concept of increase their income and raise their standard of cost of capital in analyzing farmers' decisions to living, the fact must not be overlooked that more utilize financial leverage. Specific objectives include: credit will not cure all the ills of agriculture. The (1) a brief discussion of the concept of cost of greatest need is to assist the farmers in getting out of capital, (2) derivation of an empirical model from the debt, not deeper into it," [6, p. 754]. As memories cost of capital concept to analyze the decision to of the Great Depression faded, agricultural econo- employ financial leverage and (3) presentation of a mists tended to emphasize the effect of debt on farm discriminant analysis which tests the model for a size and therefore net income. Heady emphasized sample of Georgia farmers. increased income from obtaining more resources through use of debt [3, pp. 535-561], and Hopkin, Barry and Baker stressed that leverage could increase
Worst-case and average H/sub 2/ performance analysis against real constant parametric uncertainty

In this paper we present methods for calculating both the average and worst-case quadratic performance for a family of linear time-invariant systems with real constant parametric uncertainty. The linear systems are described by state-space models with affine linear dependence on the uncertain parameters. A closed form expression for the average performance is given and it is shown that the worst-case calculation is similar to that of the H/sub /spl infin// norm of a certain augmented system.
Behavior symposium Workshop A report - current guidelines/revision.

Abstract A Workshop of attendees was convened following the completion of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) symposium, "Beyond the Guidelines: Factors Affecting Behavior Guidance." The title of Workshop A was Guidelines/Revisions and charges were to review whether the current AAPD Behavior Management Guidelines were adequate to guide delivery of dental care for children with specific attention to their effectiveness and safety, the protection of the pediatric patient and dentist, and the newly revised Protective Stabilization guideline, considering the presentations during the symposium. Major themes emerged as areas for consideration in future revisions of the guidelines: 1) toxic stress and the culture of poverty; 2) behavior risk assessment; 3) contemporary knowledge of pain theory; 4) deferred treatment; 5) parental presence in the operatory and 6) current use of protective stabilization. These issues were examined in the context of the current economic, social, and political environment. A summary of the topics and discussions that took place regarding the adequacy of the guidelines is presented.
The Japanese American Cases - A Bigger Disaster than We Realized

Sixty-one years ago, Eugene V. Rostow published the first major academic article on the Japanese American internment of World War II. The article's title left little doubt about Rostow's view of the Supreme Court's decisions in Hirabayashi v. United States (1943) and Korematsu v. United States (1944): The Japanese American Cases - A Disaster. Rostow's claim was that these two cases were a substantive disaster of constitutional doctrine - a fundamentally mistaken endorsement of a repressive military program. Rostow's conceptualization of the disaster of the Japanese American cases continues to define - and, in a sense, to confine - our view of the legal history of this wartime period. There are, in fact, many more wartime Japanese American cases to remember than Korematsu and Hirabayashi. These two cases were really just one small part of a much broader program of litigation in which the government sought both to capitalize on and to reinforce the image of Japanese Americans as disloyal subversives. This Article broadens Rostow's assessment of the Japanese American cases as a disaster by recasting both of those terms. It widens the focus of the term Japanese American cases to include stories of the many wartime Japanese American cases that the literature has slighted or forgotten. This broader view reveals that the Japanese American cases of World War II were a disaster of a different sort: a litigative debacle, in which an astonishing number of cases ended in acquittals, dismissals, stern judicial rebukes, and other repudiations of the government's legal and factual positions. The Article concludes that the overall litigative project was a misadventure in using the law - especially the criminal law - to tar a racial group with the badges of disloyalty during wartime.
Ab initio study of electronic interaction energies and desolvation energies for dopaminergic ligands in the catechol-O-methyltransferase active site

Abstract Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) deactivates dopamine and other catecholic substrates via the methylation of a hydroxyl group. The targeted inhibition of COMT can prevent premature metabolism of both endogenous and exogenous ligands; for example, it can prolong the effectiveness of l -DOPA treatments for Parkinson’s disease. The inhibitory ability of a suite of dopaminergic derivatives against COMT has been studied using electronic interaction energies between each ligand and the enzymatic active site as well as desolvation energies for each ligand. A crystal structure of the COMT active site in complex with a known COMT inhibitor, BIA 8-176, was isolated from the Protein Data Bank (PDB ID: 2CL5 ). The positions of a suite of dopaminergic derivatives in this same active site were optimized using M062X/6-31G with three different model chemistries: in vacuo with rigid amino acid side chains, with implicit solvation and rigid amino acid side chains, and with implicit solvation and flexible amino acid side chains. Electronic interaction energies between the ligands and the active site residues were calculated for each model using M06L and MP2 with the 6-311+G∗ basis set. Ligands with a nitrile substituent were favored over other substituents in vacuo, but this preference was not retained when the same ligands were optimized with implicit solvation; the preference was regained when using implicit solvation and a relaxed active site. Desolvation energies of the ligands were calculated using a series of hydration shells (n = 7, 9, 11 and 13) with M062X and the aug-cc-pvdz, cc-pvdz, and cc-pvtz basis sets. Ligands with carboxyl and nitro substituents exhibited the least favorable desolvation energies, whereas ligands with the nitrile substituents exhibited the most favorable desolvation energies.
Governance of Bulgarian Farming - Modes, Efficiency, Impact of EU Accession

This paper employs New Institutional and Transaction Costs Economics to analyze Bulgarian agriculture. It evaluates the efficiency of dominant governing forms on the eve of EU accession, and assesses the likely impact of CAP implementation on farming structures. Firstly, assessment is made on the comparative efficiency, complementarily, and sustainability of major farm structures such as agro-firms, cooperatives, unregistered and subsistence farms. Next, principal modes of land, labor, service, inputs and financial supplies, in addition to marketing in different types of commercial farms, are identified and evaluated. Finally, a feasible pace for CAP implementation in the Bulgarian condition is projected, and the likely impact on farm structures is estimated.
Quantitative Detection of Nucleoside Analogues by Multi-enzyme Biosensors using Time-Resolved Kinetic Measurements

Fast, simple and cost-effective methods for detecting and quantifying pharmaceutical agents in patients are highly sought after to replace equipment and labor-intensive analytical procedures. The development of new diagnostic technology including portable detection devices also enables point-of-care by non-specialists in resource-limited environments. We have focused on the detection and dose monitoring of nucleoside analogues used in viral and cancer therapies. Using deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dNKs) as biosensors, our chemometric model compares observed time-resolved kinetics of unknown analytes to known substrate interactions across multiple enzymes. The resulting dataset can simultaneously identify and quantify multiple nucleosides and nucleoside analogues in complex sample mixtures.
Ecology of Chironomidae, Chaoboridae, and Other Benthos in Fourteen Wisconsin Lakes

The ecology of benthos in the profundal zones of 14 Wisconsin hikes was studied for 3 years. Chironomid larva were reared to the imago for identification, and a key to the species of Chironomus larvae in the 14 lakes was constructed. Populations of 10 species of Chironomus, Procladius spp., 3 species of Chaoborus, Palpomyia spp., Ostracoda, and Copepoda were determined from monthly samples and correlated with one another and with 14 physical and chemical characteristics, to determine possible relationships. Chiranomus plumosus (L.), Procladius larvae, and Ostracoda occurred in the same lakes, and their occurrence was positively correlated witht a high p H of the mud and negatively correlated with the amount of organic matter in the mud. The presence of C. attcnuatus Walker and Palpomyia larvae was correlated with clear water. Chironomus, n. sp. “A,” C. staegeri Lundbeck, and Chironomus, n. sp. “C” all occurred most commonly in the same lake. Chaoborus punctipennis (Say) larvae were commonest in lakes that formed a summer thermocline, and Copepoda were abundant in the most eutrophiclakes.
DOES TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC DILATATION IN THE SETTING OF A NORMAL PHARMACOLOGIC NUCLEAR SCAN REALLY MATTER

Although Transient Ischemic Dilatation (TID) noted on SPECT perfusion images has been a well established marker of significant CAD its clinical significance in presence of otherwise NORMAL SPECT MPI has been recently called in question. We used our laboratory internally validated TID value for
Catheter-directed thrombolysis prevents post-thrombotic syndrome in patients with acute deep vein thrombosis in the upper half of the thigh

Commentary on: Enden T, Haig Y, Klow NE, et al. Long-term outcome after additional catheter-directed thrombolysis versus standard treatment for acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (the CaVenT study): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2012;379:31–8.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) can be a debilitating consequence of acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The subset of patients with iliofemoral DVT represents a particularly high-risk cohort of patients likely to develop PTS.1 Anatomically, the common femoral, external iliac and common iliac veins represent the single venous outflow tract from the lower extremity and, when acutely occluded, result in high venous and compartment pressures.2 Sustained venous hypertension, specifically ambulatory venous hypertension, is the underlying pathophysiology of chronic post-thrombotic venous disease. Treatment strategies which eliminate clot and restore unobstructed venous drainage to the vena cava have resulted in … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DLancet%26rft.stitle%253DLancet%26rft.aulast%253DEnden%26rft.auinit1%253DT.%26rft.volume%253D379%26rft.issue%253D9810%26rft.spage%253D31%26rft.epage%253D38%26rft.atitle%253DLong-term%2Boutcome%2Bafter%2Badditional%2Bcatheter-directed%2Bthrombolysis%2Bversus%2Bstandard%2Btreatment%2Bfor%2Bacute%2Biliofemoral%2Bdeep%2Bvein%2Bthrombosis%2B%2528the%2BCaVenT%2Bstudy%2529%253A%2Ba%2Brandomised%2Bcontrolled%2Btrial.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252FS0140-6736%252811%252961753-4%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22172244%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61753-4&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22172244&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F17%2F6%2F182.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000298913000035&link_type=ISI
Repackaging Cigarettes — Will the Courts Thwart the FDA?

A U.S. appeals court has deemed unconstitutional FDA regulations requiring graphic warnings on cigarette packs. An eventual Supreme Court decision in the case will determine the government's ability to regulate commercial speech for public health and safety.
Effects of Two Triterpenoids from Neem on Feeding by Cucumber Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

In laboratory and greenhouse tests, suspensions containing low concentrations of azadirachtin and salannin, compounds isolated from ethanolic extracts of neem seeds, Azadirachta indica A. Juss., possessed activity as feeding deterrents against the striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum (F.), and the spotted cucumber beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber. The chemicals were particularly active against the striped cucumber beetle, the more serious pest of muskmelons. In greenhouse and seed bed tests, the protection provided by azadirachtin against the striped cucumber beetle was not as great as the protection provided by carbaryyl.
Sustainability Ethics and Metrics: Strategies for Damage Control and Prevention

It is generally and increasingly believed that humanity’s survival depends on adoption of sustainable development practices, which are based on adequate satisfaction of quantitatively defined and interrelated economical, environmental and social criteria. One can then argue that sustainable development has a meta-ethical foundation, a definition of right and wrong paths stemming from what one might consider a Universal Truth that is humanity’s desire to survive. One finds that “sustainability” is very much in vogue as a positive attribute, and more and more extensively used erratically and often improperly and even fraudulently over the entire social spectrum. Since sustainability is of vital importance to our survival, using its terminology in vain diminishes its vitally important value by desensitizing society and sowing distrust. Importantly, unethical usage of sustainability concepts causes much harm to the development of credible sustainability science. This paper briefly defines sustainability and its quantitative metrics, presents examples of ongoing ethical and unethical use of the concept, and recommends a path towards damage control that includes the development of internationally acceptable standards for that vital concept. © 2013 L&H Scientific Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Interpretation on Tax Preferential Policies in the New Law on Corporate Income Tax

Tax preference is a measure often taken by many countries to reduce tax burden.Since the reform and opening up,China has worked out many tax preferential policies,which embody the direction of its economic development and policy guidance and promote the growth of its economy.On March 16th,2007,a new Law on Corporate Income Tax was issued and came into effect from January 1st,2008.A correct understanding of the tax preferential policies in the Law can help enterprises grasp the economic policies better and realize maximized social benefits.
Detection and clinical significance of myeloid human cytomegalovirus in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Objectives To explore the effect of myeloid human cytomegalovirus(HCMV)infection in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP).Methods Eighty-one subjects with ITP were recruited.Two-step immunohistochemistry assay was used to detect HCMV-early antigen(EA)in bone marrow.The platelets in blood were counted and HCMV IgM and IgG in serum was detected by ELISA.Results The detection rate of HCMV from bone marrow was significantly higher than that from blood(P 0.01).The detection rate of myeloid HCMV antigen in chronic ITP was significantly higher than that in acute ITP(P 0.05).There were no significant differences between the positive rates of HCMV-IgM and IgG between chonic and acute ITP groups(P 0.05).The average age of onset,pre-treatment platelet count,and the increment of platelet counts after treatment were significantly different between myeloid HCMV-positive and negative groups(P 0.05=.There was no significant difference in the number of megakaryocyte and proplatelet megakaryocyte between these two groups(P 0.05).There was no significant difference of average age of onset,pre-treatment platelet count,and the increase amount of platelet after the treatment between HCMV-IgM positive and negative groups,as well as between HCMV-IgG positive and negative groups(P 0.05).There was no correlation between the grades of positive myeloid HCMV-cells and platelet count before treatment(P 0.05).Conclusions ①HCMV is widely detected in ITP.The detection of myeloid HCMV is a sensitive and specific index for the evaluation of bone marrow HCMV infection in children ITP.②ITP Children with myeloid HCMV infection have a tendency towards exacerbation,refractoriness and chronization.③In the pathogenesis of ITP,HCMV in bone marrow might not affect hematopoiesis,but it may affect the peripheral immune system and lead to the destruction of mature thrombocytes.
Ten Arab filmmakers: political dissent and social critique

As American colleges and universities move towards diversifying and internationalising curricula through the expansion of current course offerings, placing special emphasis on ‘non-Western’ regions...
How to turn a (not-yet-)possessed DP into a predicate nominal in Cochabamba Quechua

This paper provides an analysis of a possession construction in Cochabamba Quechua (Quechuan, SOV): (1) Noqa pana-yoq ka-ni. I sister-yoq be-1s ‘I have a sister.’ I show that the –yoq suffix in (1) is a derivational morpheme which attaches to a DP and starts a new nominal extended projection. Thus we have an existence proof that "predicativization" as identified by Stassen (2009) is a genuinely distinct phenomenon which cannot be reduced to more familiar subtypes of possession construction. Semantically, -yoq takes a possessed DP ‘missing’ its possessor and returns a predicate nominal, which can then be predicated of the possessor. This supports the idea that a theta-role (a possessor role in this case) need not be satisfied in the position where it is introduced (Marantz 2013; Wood 2012). I conclude by pointing out the predictions made by the analysis for parametric variation.
Establishment of Quantitative Consequence Analyses Criteria for the Los Alamos National Laboratory Nuclear Materials Technology Division

The Nuclear Materials Technology Division at the Los Alamos National Laboratory performs consequence analysis on postulated accident scenarios identified during facility hazard analyses. While a comprehensive set of qualitative criteria was established for consequence analysis, quantitative criteria have historically been exiguous. The sparsity of established quantitative criteria coupled with ambiguities in the existing qualitative criteria has contributed to inconsistencies in these analyses. This paper will detail recent changes the NMT Division has made in its consequence analysis methodology designed to increase its objectivity and to facilitate consistency. These changes include the establishment of a complete set of quantitative consequence-severity criteria for accident phenomenon common to the NMT Division facilities as applied to receptors of interest.
Classical Abstract Choice Theory

We start our development of revealed preference theory by discussing the abstract model of choice. All revealed preference problems have two components: data , and theory . Given a family of possible data, and a particular theory, a revealed preference exercise seeks to describe the particular instances of data that are compatible with the theory. We shall illustrate the role of each component for the case of abstract choice. The data consist of observed choices made by an economic agent. A theory describes a criterion, or a mechanism, for making choices. Given is a set X of objects that can possibly be chosen. In principle, X can be anything; we do not place any structure on X . A collection of subsets ∑ ⊆ 2 X \﹛∅﹜ is given, called the budget sets. Budget sets are potential sets of elements from which an economic agent might choose. A choice function is a mapping c : ∑ →2 X \﹛∅﹜ such that for all B ∈ ∑ , c(B) ⊆ B . Importantly, choice from each budget is nonempty. For the present chapter, choice functions are going to be our notion of data. The interpretation of a choice function c is that we have access to the choices made by an individual agent when facing different sets of feasible alternatives. A particular choice function, then, embodies multiple observations. The main theory is that of the maximization of some binary relation on X . The theory postulates that the agent makes choices that are “better” than other feasible choices, where the notion of better is captured by a binary relation. The theory will be refined by imposing assumptions on the binary relation: for example that the relation is a preference relation (i.e. a weak order). Given notions of data and theory, the problem is to understand when the former are consistent with the latter. We are mainly going to explore two ways of formulating this notion of consistency.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Clinical Practice: Uses and Abuses

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a technique that was first developed 25 years ago, but is only now beginning to gain acceptance as a clinically useful procedure. The inherent variability of blood pressure and its susceptibility to transient emotional influences means that the conventional clinical measurements may not accurately reflect an individual’s “true” level of blood pressure. These sources of error provide the rationale for ambulatory monitoring, which can be overcome by increasing the number of readings and taking them outside the clinic setting.