cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serpentinites, Peridotites, and Seismology

Understanding the physical properties of ultramafic rocks is important for evaluating the wide variety of petrologic models for the Earth's upper mantle and lower oceanic crust. At comparable tempe...
Nanostructural features on stable microbubbles

Stable, surfactant-coated microbubbles offer an interesting new platform on which to study the nanostructural features of Langmuir monolayers, particularly in regions of high compression and where curvature effects are important. Recent electron and fluorescence microscopy images have revealed a rich array of possible domain shapes. Polygons, dendrites, beans and networks have been observed. Domain formation arises owing to Laplace-pressure-driven compression and may occur through more than one mechanism, such as phase separation or a buckling transition. Highlighted are recent reports on the relationships between surfactant composition, processing history and domain nanostructure. More work is necessary to better understand the origins of nanostructure and the impact on microbubble properties. Such insights will lead to creative and innovative microbubble formulations for biomedical and industrial applications.
Sural nerve grafts for delayed repair of divided posterior interosseous nerves

Sural nerve grafts were used in three patients to bridge gaps measuring 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 cm in previously transected but not repaired posterior interosseous nerves. The grafts were done at 4, 5, and 7 months after injury. Extension was weaker in all three than on the uninjured side, but the range of motion was complete, with the exception of a slight lag of index finger extension and partial return of extension of the extensor carpi ulnaris in the same patient. All three patients recovered full function of the involved hand 1 year after grafting. The properties of the posterior interosseous nerve (pure motor and short distance to the muscle) contribute to good results with nerve grafts in delayed nerve repairs. We believe that these results are better than tendon transfers, at least in young patients.
Pro‐anorexia websites: What a clinician should know

Objective: The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of the “Tips and Tricks” section of pro-ana websites to better understand information shared on these sites, and aide clinicians in identification, treatment, and prevention of anorexia. Method: Nine pro-ana websites were evaluated to identify categories of information in “Tips and Tricks.” A content analysis was performed using emergent coding methods and 16 categories were determined. Reliability was acceptable (Cohen's Kappa = 0.702). Discrepancies were corrected by consensus. Frequencies of individual categories were computed. Results: Most “Tips and Tricks” are directed at dieting/restricting calories (28.6%) and distraction (14.0%). Most disturbing, 11% of comments were directed at lying and concealing symptoms. Discussion: Clinicians aware of “Tips and Tricks” might be better equipped to recognize the symptoms of anorexia early in treatment. Knowledge of “Tips and Tricks” can also facilitate better education, making it difficult for clients to conceal their illness. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009
Use of an Optimized Transient Occlusion of the Middle Cerebral Artery Protocol for the Mouse Stroke Model

Intraluminal occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in rodents is widely used for investigating cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. Two types of filaments used for occlusion were tested in terms of surgical success, incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage, and mortality: a standard 6-0 monofilament coated with methyl methacrylate glue (rigid probe) and an 8-0 monofilament coated with silicone (flexible probe). In 98 wild-type (WT) mice, the flexible probe produced significantly ( P
How some infant smiles get made

Abstract Developmental change is the cumulative product of individual events taking place in brief moments in time. This study identifies factors that play a role in moment-to-moment smile production at 8 months of age, and that might contribute to the development of ‘anticipatory’ smiling—smiling then turning the smiling face towards another—which appears in the second half of the first year. In Experiment 1 ( N = 20), mothers’ attention promotes infants’ smiling during looks to mother from a distance. In Experiment 2 ( N = 16), we identify infant and maternal behaviors that positively predict these smiles. An account is proposed whereby three factors—infants’ looking to mother, infants’ active toy play, and mothers’ social responses during infant looks—come together to produce infant smiles at 8 months and to promote the development of ‘anticipatory’ smiles thereafter.
A LabVIEW-based virtual instrument for simulation and analysis of SECM approach curves

We have developed a LabVIEW virtual instrument (PAC_Fit.vi) for efficient simulation and analysis of probe approach curve data from a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM). The virtual instrument (VI) is available for free download and can be used to determine absolute probe height above a substrate, measure rate constants for irreversible electron transfer at a substrate, and perform simulations of SECM approach curves. We anticipate the VI will be of use for educational purposes as well, perhaps as a classroom tool for introducing the principles of SECM. We have applied the VI to an analysis of the dynamic nature of an aluminum alloy (AA2024-T3) substrate immersed in acid solution in which the activity of the substrate increases over time due to dissolution of the passive oxide layer. The value of k apparent is observed to increase by a factor of 40 over an immersion time of approximately 1 h.
A Pilot Study: Post-Acute Geriatric Rehabilitation Versus Usual Care in Skilled Nursing Facilities

Objectives To compare discharge outcomes, postdischarge health care use, and death rates among patients treated in a postacute geriatric rehabilitation unit (GRU) housed within a skilled nursing facility (SNF) with those treated in a traditional SNF. Design Retrospective observational pilot study. Setting Two similar SNFs were compared. Participants All patients were admitted from the acute hospital to either the GRU (n = 95) or to the usual care (UC) SNF (n = 55). Intervention The GRU intervention consisted of comprehensive geriatric assessment and weekly interdisciplinary team rounds with a geriatrician and a geriatric nurse practitioner (GNP). The geriatrician visited the GRU twice a week and the GNP was present 4 to 5 times per week. On discharge, GRU patients were followed up with telephonic case management for 1 year. Measurements Demographic data collected included age, gender, and race. Information collected from each facility's patient records included admitting diagnosis, length of stay, discharge disposition, and functional outcomes. Emergency department (ED) visits and hospital readmissions for 1 year after discharge from the nursing facility were obtained from our institutional database. The Rehabilitation Outcome Measure (ROM) was used by each facility to measure functional status on admission and at the time of discharge. Results Baseline patient characteristics were comparable between the 2 facilities. At discharge from the nursing facility, GRU patients showed greater improvement in ADLs and mobility, had a significantly shorter length of stay, and were discharged to home more often. At 1 year, GRU patients had significantly fewer hospital readmissions. GRU patients also had fewer ED visits and days in the hospital at 1 year, however these results were not significant. Conclusion These pilot results suggest that GRU may be an effective means to improve patient outcomes and reduce undesirable health care use after an acute illness. Further studies using a randomized design are needed.
Evaluation of Cysteine 266 of Human 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA Lyase as a Catalytic Residue

The role of cysteine 266 in human 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) lyase, a residue that is homologous to a cysteine mapped to the active site of prokaryotic HMG-CoA lyase by protein chemistry approaches, has been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. Both the wild-type human enzyme and a C323S variant, in which a regulatory sulfhydryl has been eliminated without any negative effect on catalytic activity (Roberts, J. R., Narasimhan, C., Hruz, P. W., Mitchell, G. A., and Miziorko, H. M. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 17841-17846), were used as models. Mutant enzymes C266A, C266A/C323S, C266S, and C266S/C323S were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. In all cases, kinetic characterization indicated that the Km value for HMG-CoA was not substantially different from the value measured using wild-type human lyase, suggesting that no serious structural perturbation occurs upon replacing Cys-266. A dissociable divalent cation (Mn2+ or Mg2+), which is required for activity in both native and C323S enzymes, is also an essential component for activity in each of the Cys-266 mutants. The structural integrity of the human mutants was further indicated by Mn2+ binding studies, which demonstrate similarities not only in the activator cation binding stoichiometries, but also in the KD values for Mn2+ as determined for wild-type and mutant C266A or C266S proteins. Purified C266A and C266A/C323S mutants both displayed approximately 1.3 x 10(4)-fold diminution in specific activity, while the kcat value was diminished in both C266S and C266S/C323S by approximately 9.9 x 10(2)-fold. This large diminution in catalytic efficiency in enzyme variants that display no substantial structural perturbations is in accord with an active-site assignment to Cys-266 and qualifies its sulfhydryl group for consideration as a component of the catalytic apparatus.
Intervention Without Leverage: Explaining the Prevalence of Weak Mediators

Existing research on international mediation emphasizes the importance of leverage in altering the combatants' ability to reach a negotiated settlement. Less understood is the role of third parties that do not have access to sources of leverage even though they comprise a substantial amount of mediation efforts. This paper highlights two potential explanations for the prevalence of “weak” mediators. First, a choice of third parties without leverage might be a product of the “supply side” preferences of the international community, in particular, the great powers. Second, the inclusion of third parties without any leverage can result from actors hedging their commitments to the peace process when they suspect with some uncertainty that one side will use third-party involvement insincerely for ends other than peace. Using data from the Managing Intrastate Low Level Conflicts (MILC) project, in conjunction with the PRIO/UPPSALA Armed Conflict data, empirical results using competing risk models confirm both l...
Abstract 1131: Novel inhibitor of Notch signaling for the treatment of cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The Notch pathway is a highly conserved signaling system that plays an important role in development and tissue homeostasis. While Notch mutations are well characterized and implicated in hematological malignancies such as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, mutations in solid tumors were not reported until recently. With the whole genomic deep sequencing of a large number of samples, deregulated Notch signaling has been implicated in a small percentage of solid tumors such as ovarian, lung, and triple negative breast cancer due to genomic alterations including mutations, amplification, and fusion of Notch pathway components. Inhibition of Notch signaling may provide an attractive targeted cancer therapeutic strategy. We have identified and characterized LY3039478 a novel small molecule that is an exquisitely potent inhibitor of Notch-1 intracellular domain (N1ICD) cleavage with an IC50 of ∼1nM in most of the tumor cell lines tested. We also demonstrate that LY3039478 potently inhibits mutant Notch receptor activity. In a xenograft tumor model, LY3039478 inhibited N1ICD cleavage and expression of Notch-regulated genes in the tumor microenvironment. The inhibition of Notch cleavage also resulted in the induction of apoptosis in a Notch-dependent xenograft model. Using extensive PK/PD data we determined the strength and duration of N1ICD cleavage required for anti-tumor activity which was observed in several xenograft tumors including patient derived tumors representing colon, lung, ovarian, gastric, and breast cancer and glioblastoma. To mitigate the mucoid gasteroentropathy caused by Notch inhibition, PK/PD data were incorporated in devising dosing strategies that identified an optimal intermittent dosing schedule without negatively impacting efficacy. Furthermore, the mucoid gastroentropathy was also mitigated by the prophylactic administration of dexamethasone without negatively impacting the Notch inhibitor mediated efficacy. Mechanistic studies revealed that dexamethasone does not interfere with LY3039478-mediated inhibition of N1ICD cleavage and gene expression but alters the expression of stem cell gene expression in GI tract. In summary, we have characterized an orally bio-available small molecule Notch inhibitor that may provide therapeutic benefit to cancer patients with deregulated Notch signaling. LY3039478 is specifically designed to potently inhibit Notch signaling and is being investigated in Phase I. Citation Format: Mark H. Bender, Hong Gao, Andrew R. Capen, Julia M. Clay, Philip A. Hipskind, Jon K. Reel, Maciej J. Zamek-Gliszczynski, Jason R. Manro, Karim Benhadji, Bharvin K. R. Patel. Novel inhibitor of Notch signaling for the treatment of cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1131. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1131
The effects of mass and age on standard metabolic rate in house crickets.

Abstract. This study employed flow-through respirometry to measure the oxygen consumption rates (VO2) of inactive male house crickets, Acheta domesticus L. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), and to quantify the effects of body mass and adult age on standard metabolic rate (SMR). The Vo2 increased with male body mass at a rate similar to that found in other studies of insect aerobic metabolism. The data reported in this study are combined with published data from other species of Orthoptera to generate a consensus allometric relationship between SMR and body mass for the Order. In general, the Orthoptera expend 2–3 times the energy per unit of body mass when inactive as compared to other arthropods, such as tenebrionid beetles, ants and spiders. Possible explanations for this substantial difference are discussed. By contrast to body mass, mass-specific Vo2 decreased with increasing male age. This age effect has previously been reported for mammals but is not well established for insects, and its implications for the preference of cricket females for older mates is discussed. As energy expended for metabolic maintenance comprises 78% of a male cricket's daily energy budget, changes in SMR may have a substantial effect on the energy available for reproduction.
Superposition Predictions of the Reduction of Hot Streaks by Coolant From a Film Cooled Guide Vane

The turbine section of a gas turbine engine is subjected to hot gases flowing from the combustor that typically have high temperature regions known as “hot streaks.” These hot streaks pass through the nozzle guide vanes, either impacting the vanes or passing through the passages between vanes. Generally the vanes are highly film cooled, and the coolant from the vanes interacts with the hot streak resulting in a reduction of the hot streak temperature. In this study, predictions of the reduction of hot streaks were made using superposition of measured temperature distributions due to coolant injection and measured temperature distributions of hot streaks. These predictions were compared to the measured hot streak reduction to determine the accuracy of the superposition technique. Results showed that the superposition predictions generally underpredicted the reduction of the peak hot streak temperature, but were within at least 20% of the peak temperature value. The superposition technique was also found to be useful for determining the hot streak reduction for different hot streak locations, and different coolant and hot streak operating conditions.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Comment on determination of the soliton wave-function in polyacetylenes

Abstract Electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), electron nuclear nuclear (TRIPLE) resonance and electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) experiments permit a considerable enhancement in resolution relative to electron paramagnetic resonance for the determination of small hyperfine interactions. Such measurements applied to various polyacetylene samples permit determination of the wavefunction of the S = 1 2 defect (e.g., the soliton wavefunction). Experimental results are discussed in terms of various theoretical calculations. Special attention is given to discussing the limitations of both experimental and theoretical results.
Prediction of furan pharmacokinetics from hepatocyte studies: comparison of bioactivation and hepatic dosimetry in rats, mice, and humans.

Abstract Furan is a volatile solvent and chemical intermediate that is hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic in rats and mice but is not mutagenic or DNA-reactive. Furan hepatotoxicity requires cytochrome P450 2E1 bioactivation to cis -2-butene-1,4-dial. We have previously shown that furan biotransformation kinetics determined with freshly isolated rat hepatocytes in vitro accurately predict furan pharmacokinetics in vivo [Kedderis et al. (1993) Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 123, 274], suggesting that furan biotransformation kinetics determined with freshly isolated mouse or human hepatocytes can be used to develop species-specific pharmacokinetic models. Hepatocytes from male B6C3F1 mice or human accident victims ( n = 3) were incubated with furan vapors to determine the kinetic parameters for furan bioactivation and compared to our previous data for rat hepatocytes. Isolated hepatocytes from all three species rapidly metabolized furan ( V max of 48 nmol/hr/10 6 mouse hepatocytes, 19–44 nmol/hr/10 6 human hepatocytes, and 18 nmol/hr/10 6 rat hepatocytes) with high affinity ( K M ranging from 0.4 to 3.3 μ M ). The hepatocyte kinetic data and physiological parameters from the literature were used to develop dosimetry models for furan in mice and people. The hepatocyte V max values were extrapolated to whole animals assuming 128 × 10 6 hepatocytes/g rodent liver and 137 × 10 6 hepatocytes/g human liver. Simulations of inhalation exposure to 10 ppm furan for 4 hr indicated that the absorbed dose (mg/kg), and consequently the liver dose of cis -2-butene-1,4-dial, was approximately 3- and 10-fold less in humans than in rats or mice, respectively. These results indicate that the target organ concentration, rather than the exposure concentration, is most appropriate for interspecies comparison of dose. The initial rates of furan oxidation in rat, mouse, and human liver were approximately 13-, 24-, and 37-fold greater than the respective rates of blood flow delivery of furan to the liver after 4-hr exposures to ≤300 ppm. One important consequence of blood flow limitation of furan bioactivation is that the amount of toxic metabolite formed in the liver will be unaffected by increases in V max due to the induction of cytochrome P450 2E1. Therefore, the interindividual variations observed in cytochrome P450 2E1 activity among human populations would not be expected to have a significant effect on the extent of furan bioactivation in people. These considerations may be important for human cancer risk assessments of other rapidly metabolized rodent carcinogens.
Diffractive ray tracing of laser beams

A method is developed for extending conventional ray-tracing techniques to include diffractive effects associated with focused laser beams. The main idea is to provide rays with a distribution of directions at each point in space, as in radiative transfer calculations. The Wigner phase-space distribution function is used to obtain formulas for the spread of ray angles that yield the correct diffraction patterns for coherent and partially coherent beams. This method is readily implemented numerically by means of computer programs that are used in Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations.
Ethical Considerations in the Use of Subliminal Stimulation to Improve Handwashing Compliance: Scientific Utility Versus Autonomy of the Individual

lem for the healthcare system in the United States. At least 5% of patients will acquire an infection during their hospital stay,' extending hospitalization by four days per infection, directly accounting for an estimated 60,000 deaths per year2,3 and an additional $10 billion of the amount spent on healthcare. Previous studies have demonstrated that pathogenic bacteria can be recovered from the hands of healthcare workers4-6 and transmitted to patients.7,8 Moreover, a recent study has shown that hand carriage of organisms and subsequent contact may be the most important mechanism of nosocomial infection transmission in the intensive care unit setting.9 Handwashing has played an integral role in infection
MOCVD growth of AlGaN UV LEDs

Issues related to the MOCVD growth of AlGaN, specifically the gas-phase parasitic reactions among TMG, TMA, and NH{sub 3}, are studied using an in-situ optical reflectometer. It is observed that the presence of the well-known gas phase adduct (TMA: NH{sub 3}) could seriously hinder the incorporation behavior of TMGa. Relatively low reactor pressures (30--50 Torr) are employed to grow an AlGaN/GaN SCH QW p-n diode structure. The UV emission at 360 nm (FWHM {approximately} 10 nm) represents the first report of LED operation from an indium-free GaN QW diode.
Alteration of the omega-3 fatty acid desaturase gene is associated with reduced linolenic acid in the A5 soybean genotype

Reducing the linolenic acid (18 : 3ω 3,6,9) concentration of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] oil may lessen the need for chemical hydrogenation and enhance flavor stability. Soybean genotypes A5 and A23 have reduced linolenic acid concentration compared with current cultivars. Seed linolenic acid is synthesized primarily by the ω-3 fatty acid desaturase located in the microsomes. The objective of this research was to study whether this enzyme has a role in reducing the fatty acid levels in the soybean genotypes A5 and A23. DNA from A5 and A23 was analyzed by gel-blot hybridization with a cDNA encoding the ω-3 fatty acid desaturase. A5 and lines selected from it have a DNA fragment missing compared to A23 and lines with normal linolenic acid concentration. Seventy F4:5 lines from a population segregating for linolenic acid concentration were scored for presence or absence of the fragment. The absence of the fragment was significantly (P?0.0001) associated with a reduced linolenic acid level and accounted for 67% of the variation for linolenic acid in the population. These results suggest that the reduced linolenic acid concentration in A5 was at least partially the result of a full or partial deletion of a microsomal ω-3 desaturase gene. No DNA polymorphisms were found for the desaturase gene in A23, so no mutations could be studied in this line.
Laboratory investigations of interactions of irradiated o-xylene/NOx/SO2/air mixtures with aqueous media containing sodium fluoride, sodium trifluoroacetate, ammonium nitrate and hydrogen peroxide

Abstract Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate interactions between complex air mixtures and aqueous films containing hydrolysis products of hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) oxidation products. The experiments consisted of exposing aqueous films mixtures of NH 4 NO 3 , H 2 O 2 and either NaF or NaCF 3 COO on stainless steel panels to irradiated o -xylene/NO x /SO 2 /air mixtures. The complex air mixtures and exposed films were chemically analysed. Aliquots of the exposed films were then allowed to evaporate, after which the chemical composition of the remaining residual salt was determined. The data were used to determine how the chemical composition of the film influenced (1) the deposition of components of the complex air mixture to aqueous films and (2) the fate of film constituents during evaporation. For small H 2 O 2 loadings the SO 2 deposition was limited by the available oxidant. However, for the higher loadings, the uptake data were consistent with control by gas-phase mass transfer. Effective aqueous film deposition velocities for HCHO and CH 3 COCHO were 0.37 and 0.67cms −1 , respectively. The evaporative anion loss data suggest that NO3 3 − , NO 2 − , F − , HCOO − and CF 3 COO − were lost by evaporation of the corresponding acid. However, the possibility of other CF 3 COO − reactions occurring during evaporation could not be eliminated. The laboratory results show that depositions of HCFC and HFC oxidation products to acidic aqueous media that can undergo evaporation may not always serve as permanent sinks.
Control of Position and Grasping Force With Cooperating Arms: A Feedback Linearization Approach

Robotic applications require coordination of multiple manipulators. This paper discusses an approach for control of manipulators with given end-effector stiffness properties. The approach is designed for concurrent regulation of position of a work piece and grasping force applied by the manipulators on the work piece. The approach is based on input-output feedback linearization. Simulations demonstrate feasibility of the proposed control scheme.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Annealing behavior of electrodeposited gold containing entrapments

An experimental study of electrodeposited gold shows that the presence of entrapments, mostly in the form of gas bubbles containing hydrogen, can drastically affect its physical and mechanical properties. These property changes are expected to manifest themselves as unique problems in many electronic packaging applications. It has been shown that bubbles, ranging from less than 50 to 2000 angstroms in diameter, can be present in densities as high as 1017/cm3. Annealing studies in conjunction with changes in bubble size and density, electrical resistivity, outgassing, and hardness are specifically discussed.
Homography-based ground plane detection for mobile robot navigation using a Modified EM algorithm

In this paper, a homography-based approach for determining the ground plane using image pairs is presented. Our approach is unique in that it uses a Modified Expectation Maximization algorithm to cluster pixels on images as belonging to one of two possible classes: ground and non-ground pixels. This classification is very useful in mobile robot navigation because, by segmenting out the ground plane, we are left with all possible objects in the scene, which can then be used to implement many mobile robot navigation algorithms such as obstacle avoidance, path planning, target following, landmark detection, etc. Specifically, we demonstrate the usefulness and robustness of our approach by applying it to a target following algorithm. As the results section shows, the proposed algorithm for ground plane detection achieves an almost perfect detection rate (over 99%) despite the relatively higher number of errors in pixel correspondence from the feature matching algorithm used: SIFT.
Oaxaqueno/a Students' (Un)Welcoming High School Experiences.

To date, research on immigrant Latino students has neglected to fully explore the school experiences of immigrants from Oaxaca, a community that has historically experienced economic, political, social, and cultural oppression in Mexico and now in the United States. Drawing from formal and informal interviews and observations, I examine the high school experiences of 4 Oaxaqueno/a students in a northern California agricultural city. Analysis of the Oaxaqueno/a students' experiences illuminates the contradictory messages of “unwelcomeness” received from the school's welcoming practices. The students' accounts also shed light on how their ethnic/linguistic identities are sources for discrimination at school.
Optimal Traffic Assignment with Elastic Demands: A Review Part I. Analysis Framework

This study reviews, in two parts, the formulation, interpretation, and solution methodology of the traffic assignment problem with elastic demands, originally described by Beckmann, McGuire and Winsten. This paper Part I defines the different possible modes of traffic assignment in a network and identifies the economic rationales of the associated extremum formulations. The accompanying paper Part II examines algorithmic approaches for calculating the resulting flow patterns. The assignment problem is characterized as an interaction between users and operators of the transportation system, analogous to the interaction between consumers and producers in the marketplace. The notions of “user-optimization” and “system-optimization” thus acquire congruent interpretations, expressed by a systemwide maximization objective.
Third-Generation Chemotherapy Agents in the Treatment of Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose To estimate the efficacy of third-generation (3G) chemotherapy agents (paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and irinotecan) on response and survival in stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods A meta-analysis was performed using trials identified through MEDLINE. Results on tumor response and survival were collected from randomized trials comparing 3G monotherapy versus best supportive care (BSC), 3G monotherapy versus second-generation (2G) platinum-based regimens, and 3G platinum-based regimens versus 2G platinum-based regimens. Results Of the 2480 citations screened, 20 randomized controlled trials fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 19 trials were used in the analyses. The data from two, three-arm trials were used in two different comparisons. Five trials ( n = 1029 patients) compared 3G monotherapy with BSC. The summary risk difference (RD) for 1-year survival favored 3G agents by 7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2%, 12%). Four trials ( n = 871 patients) compared treatment with 3G monotherapy versus 2G platinum-based regimens. The response RD was −6% (95% CI: −11%, 0%), and the 1-year survival rate RD was 3% (95% CI: −3%, 10%), suggesting that despite a slightly higher response rate for 2G platinum-based regimens relative to 3G monotherapy, there is equivalency in survival. Twelve trials ( n = 3995) compared 3G versus 2G platinum-based regimens. The RD for response was 12% (95% CI: 10%, 15%). A RD for 1-year was not calculated, because of heterogeneity among the trials. A subset analysis of 3G versus 2G platinum-based doublets revealed a 1-year survival-rate RD of 6% (95% CI: 2%, 10%), favoring 3G platinum-based regimens without evidence of heterogeneity. Conclusions 3G agents have been a significant advance in the treatment of NSCLC.
Metastable argon density evolution in a pulsed ICP discharge

A two-dimensional self-consistent plasma fluid model was developed to study the dynamics of a pulsed power inductively coupled argon discharge. The metastable Ar*(/sup 3/P/sub 0/ and /sup 3/P/sub 2/ levels) density evolution during a pulse is governed by volumetric reactions, giving rise to complex spatiotemporal behavior.
Passive Aerosol Sampler. Part II: Wind Tunnel Experiments

Wind tunnel experiments have been performed on a passive aerosol sampler. The sampler estimates average concentrations and size distributions using a deposition velocity model and the measured particle flux to the sampler. The small-scale wind tunnel incorporated a high-output aerosol generator that produced nonvolatile, polydisperse particles. An eight-stage impactor was connected to the tunnel with an isoaxial, isokinetic probe and was equipped with polycarbonate-membrane substrates saturated with oleic acid to minimize particle bounce. Before performing experiments, the tunnel's test section was characterized. Aerosol concentrations were determined to have a CV < 6%. The friction velocity, an index of turbulence, was found to range from 0.09 to 0.25 m/s for wind speeds of 1.5 to 5 m/s. The empirical portion of the deposition velocity model, γm, was determined as a function of particle size by minimizing the sum-of-squares difference between impactor and passive sampler across all size bins and all experiments. The relatively simple correlation is a function of the particle Reynolds number only. Precision was assessed by running three passive samplers simultaneously in each experiment. The tests yielded CV PM2.5 = 18.1% and CV PM10 = 32.2%. ANOVA tests were conducted on accuracy and precision to see whether they depended on wind speed, relative humidity, or aerosol concentration, and accuracy was tested with respect to particle size. No significant trends were observed. Sensitivity analysis showed that the volume shape factor is the most important of the mass and shape conversion factors. If SEM is used, the passive sampler will exhibit some error when sampling volatile aerosols. Because concentrations fluctuate over time, long-term exposures measured by the passive sampler should be more accurate than conventional averages based on short-term samples.
Post‐operative risk factors associated with artificial urinary sphincter infection‐erosion

Objective To determine the incidence of infection-erosion associated with the implantation of artificial urinary sphincters (AMS 800) in a high-risk group of patients (post-major pelvic surgery/radio therapy), and to emphasize the commonly neglected risk factors associated with this complication. Patients and methods One-hundred-and forty-five male patients aged 55–79 years (mean 71) who had had an AMS 800 artificial sphincter implanted between January 1987 and November 1993 were reviewed. All patients had undergone meticulous surgical technique, intra-operative shave and rigorous scrub, and were given peri-operative antibiotics. The mean follow-up was 34.3 months (range 1–83). Results Infection-erosion occurred in 13 patients (9%), of whom 10 are currently available for follow-up. One atient died of his underlying disease (bladder cancer) and two were lost to follow-up. AH 13 patients had undergone radical pelvic surgery (radical retropubic prostatectomy, radical cystectomy and abdomino-perineal resection); seven patients had also received radiation therapy. Cultures of the infected AMS 800 devices revealed a pleomorphic group of organisms, specifically enteric, Gram-positive and anaerobic organisms. The risk of infection-erosion was found to be increased in the presence of two main factors, improper urethral catheterization and urethral endo-scopic manipulation with an activated AMS 800 artificial sphincter in place and exposure to radiation. At the time of revision, nine of the 13 patients were found to have positive urine cultures. Conclusion Despite all the precautions taken, there remains a group of patients who are still at a higher risk of infection-erosion due to adverse circumstances that distort the anatomy of the perineal area, impair the host defence mechanisms, and ultimately enable the establishment of the infection-erosion complex. Radiotherapy is known to increase the likelihood of non-mechanical complications, specifically infection-erosion. Extreme care must be taken so that avoidable iatrogenic factors such as improper urethral catheterization and endoscopic manipulation with an activated AMS 800 device in situ are not the cause of ‘failure’.
A configuration process for a distributed software development environment

The authors describe work-in-progress on a configuration facility for a multi-site software development environment. The environment supports collaboration among geographically-dispersed teams of software developers. Addition and deletion of local subenvironment sites to a global environment is performed interactively inside any one of the existing local subenvironments, with the same user interface normally employed for invoking software development tools. This registration process is defined and executed using the same notation and mechanisms, respectively, as for the software development process. Everything described by the authors has been implemented and is working, but since they are in the midst of experimentation, they do not expect that the "final" system will be exactly as described. >
Tools for building clinic-community partnerships to support chronic disease control and prevention.

PurposeDeveloping partnerships among health care clinics and community organizations is an important strategy for increasing resources and supports for chronic disease care and management. Although several tools assessing partnership characteristics exist, tools to assess the progression from partnership development to the achievement of specific short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes have not been developed to date. The purpose of this article is to introduce tools developed by the Diabetes Initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to fill that gap.ConclusionThe Diabetes Initiative used a group process with program grantees to better delineate the phases of partnership development that contribute to the achievement of a shared long-term goal. The Framework for Building Clinic-Community Partnerships to Support Chronic Disease Control and Prevention presented in this article was developed as a result of this process. To apply the framework, 3 checklists were created to correspond to each s...
Effect of Temperature on Shear Strength of Recycled Asphalt Shingles

The effect of seasonal variations in field temperature on the shear strength of recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) improved by mixing with bottom ash (BA) was evaluated for their use as structural fill material in highway embankments. Typical field temperatures ranging from 5°C to 35°C were induced to compacted mixtures of RAS:BA. An increase in temperature reduced the shear strength of compacted mixtures of RAS:BA, and therefore temperature effects should be taken into consideration in design. The friction angle of compacted RAS:BA mixtures, however, remained within the range suitable for stability of embankment fills. Thermal cycling induced thermal preloading to the mixtures containing RAS; this pre-loading in turn increased shear strength. From these results, to achieve optimum engineering behavior, construction of highway embankments made with granular materials containing RAS is recommended during warm seasons. The use of RAS in high-volume structural fill applications can contribute to more sustainabl...
Computation of cutoff wavenumbers of TE and TM modes in waveguides of arbitrary cross sections using a surface integral formulation

A procedure is described for obtaining the cutoff wave numbers of transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes in waveguides of arbitrary cross section. A surface integral equation approach is used in which the E-field equation has been transformed into a matrix equation using the method of moments. An iterative technique is used to pick the eigenvalues of the solution matrix which corresponds to the waveguide cutoff wave numbers. The salient features of this technique are its speed, its simplicity, and the absence of any spurious modes when waveguides of arbitrary cross section are treated. The first four modes are tabulated for various waveguides, and the results are in very good agreement with published data. >
Induction of ResDE-Dependent Gene Expression in Bacillus subtilis in Response to Nitric Oxide and Nitrosative Stress

The ResD-ResE signal transduction system controls the transcription of various genes that function in aerobic and anaerobic respiration, as well as genes of the Pho regulon (for a review, see references 11 and 24). Direct interaction between the response regulator ResD and promoter DNA of ResDE regulon genes was demonstrated (23, 34), and transcriptional activation of one of the genes, ctaA, in vitro by ResD was also reported (27). ResD-dependent activation is heightened in vivo when the level of oxygen becomes limited (22). A previous study suggested that ResE kinase and phosphatase activities are reciprocally regulated in response to oxygen level (21). Oxygen limitation seems to shift the ResE enzyme activity from a phosphatase-dominant to a kinase-dominant form, thereby leading to higher levels of ResD phosphorylation. However, we have also shown that oxygen limitation alone is not sufficient to induce expression of the ResDE regulon and that full induction requires both anaerobiosis and the presence of nitrite (15, 20). It is unknown whether nitrite itself or a metabolite of nitrite is needed for the induction. Because nitrite is spontaneously converted to nitric oxide (NO) by protonation and NO is freely diffusible in and among cells, NO might be responsible for the observed stimulatory effect by nitrite. In this paper, I examined whether NO affects ResDE-dependent gene regulation under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
The Pattern of Ethnicity in Ghana: a Research Note

In almost any analysis of contemporary African society, ethnic affiliation is an important independent variable. A wide range of behaviour, particularly of a political nature, has been explained and understood in terms of presumed intra-tribal solidarity and inter-tribal tension. Most of the evidence of ethnically-oriented behaviour is drawn from the actions and public rhetoric of political and journalistic elites or, if concerned with the phenomenon on a mass level, is indirect – e.g. inferences from patterns of voting behaviour. There is relatively little in the way of‘hard’ data on the ethnically oriented perceptions of Africans, and it is important that we collect direct evidence of their existence, so as to confirm our inferences based on indirect and impressionistic methodological techniques. One method of obtaining such evidence is by survey research.
Dodecyl Maltopyranoside Enabled Purification of Active Human GABA Type A Receptors for Deep and Direct Proteomic Sequencing

The challenge in high-quality membrane proteomics is all about sample preparation prior to HPLC, and the cell-to-protein step poses a long-standing bottleneck. Traditional protein extraction methods apply ionic or poly-disperse detergents, harsh denaturation, and repeated protein/peptide precipitation/resolubilization afterward, but suffer low yield, low reproducibility, and low sequence coverage. Contrary to attempts to subdue, we resolved this challenge by providing proteins nature-and-activity-promoting conditions throughout preparation. Using 285-kDa hetero-pentameric human GABA type A receptor overexpressed in HEK293 as a model, we describe a n-dodecyl-β-d-maltopyranoside/cholesteryl hemisuccinate (DDM/CHS)-based affinity purification method, that produced active receptors, supported protease activity, and allowed high performance with both in-gel and direct gel-free proteomic analyses-without detergent removal. Unlike conventional belief that detergents must be removed before HPLC MS, the high-purity low-dose nonionic detergent DDM did not interfere with peptides, and obviated removal or desalting. Sonication or dropwise addition of detergent robustly solubilized over 90% of membrane pellets. The purification conditions were comparable to those applied in successful crystallizations of most membrane proteins. These results enabled streamlined proteomics of human synaptic membrane proteins, and more importantly, allowed directly coupling proteomics with crystallography to characterize both static and dynamic structures of membrane proteins in crystallization pipelines.
Child and teacher reports of teacher–student relationships: Concordance of perspectives and associations with school adjustment in urban kindergarten classrooms

This investigation examines child and teacher perceptions of teacher–child relationships among 157 children (M age = 6.1) who attended 12 full-day kindergarten classrooms in a large urban school district. Children and teachers completed comparable assessments designed to measure perceptions of social support from teachers and they also completed comparable measures of school adjustment. Findings indicated that some aspects of children's reports of their relationships were reliable but their reports of some dimensions of support had low internal consistency. There was minimal concordance between child and teacher reports of teacher–student relationships suggesting that rater perceptions differed. Analyses of associations between children's and teachers' perceptions of support and their reports of school adjustment indicated stronger within-rater associations than cross-rater associations. Lastly, analyses of demographic variables indicated that student race as well as teacher–student ethnic match was related to teacher but not to student perceptions of teacher–student relationship quality. The implications of these findings for research and practice efforts are discussed.
Treatment of iatrogenic femoral arterial pseudoaneurysms: comparison of US-guided thrombin injection with compression repair.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the treatment of iatrogenic femoral arterial pseudoaneurysms by using ultrasonographically (US) guided direct thrombin injection with US-guided compression repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with iatrogenic femoral arterial pseudoaneurysms were treated with direct thrombin injection. With US guidance, a 22-gauge needle was placed into the pseudoaneurysm flow lumen and thrombin (mean volume, 0.35 mL; range, 0.10–0.60 mL) was injected with continuous color Doppler US guidance. Demographics, clinical variables, pseudoaneurysm characteristics, and results in these patients were compared with those in 281 consecutive patients who underwent US-guided compression repair. RESULTS: The success rate of thrombin injection was 96% (25 of 26 patients), which was significantly higher than that of compression, 74% (209 of 281 patients) (P = .013). Twenty of 26 (77%) patients required a single injection, and six (23%) required two injections. Mean thrombosis time for throm...
Implications of the Black Marriage Market for Marital Conflict

Demographic characteristics of the black population that force departures from the dominant mate selection pattern are identified. These are as follows: (1) There are more educated black women than educated black men; (2) black women have a higher occupational status than black men; and (3) black women are much closer in income to black men than white women are to white men. The implications of these marriage market conditions for marital strain are discussed in terms of the “good provider” role and the changes in it brought about by working wives.
Application of Relational Database to Computer-Aided-Engineering of Transmission Protection Systems

When applying computer aids to engineering problems, a major difficulty is data handling. We have used a database management system as the central strucutre for a package of computer-aided-engineering (CAE) software for utility engineers concerned with transmission system protection. This paper discusses the design of the database and its role in the CAE package. The use of database management systems in all such CAE tools is discussed.