cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Esophagus sparing with IMRT in lung tumor irradiation: an EUD-based optimization technique.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate (1) the use of generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) to optimize dose escalation of lung tumors when the esophagus overlaps the planning target volume (PTV) and (2) the potential benefit of further dose escalation in only the part of the PTV that does not overlap the esophagus. Methods and Materials: The treatment-planning computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with primary lung tumors located in different regions of the left and right lung were used for the optimization of beamlet intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans. In all cases, the PTV overlapped part of the esophagus. The dose in the PTV was maximized according to 7 different primary cost functions: 2 plans that made use of mean dose (MD) (the reference plan, in which the 95% isodose surface covered the PTV and a second plan that had no constraint on the minimum isodose), 3 plans based on maximizing gEUD for the whole PTV with ever increasing assumptions for tumor aggressiveness, and 2 plans that used different gEUD values in 2 simultaneous, overlapping target volumes (the whole PTV and the PTV minus esophagus). Beam arrangements and NTCP-based costlets for the organs at risk (OARs) were kept identical to the original conformal plan for each case. Regardless of optimization method, the relative ranking of the resulting plans was evaluated in terms of the absence of cold spots within the PTV and the final gEUD computed for the whole PTV. Results: Because the MD-optimized plans lacked a constraint on minimum PTV coverage, they resulted in cold spots that affected approximately 5% of the PTV volume. When optimizing over the whole PTV volume, gEUD-optimized plans resulted in higher equivalent uniform PTV doses than did the reference plan while still maintaining normal-tissue constraints. However, only under the assumption of extremely aggressive tumors could cold spots in the PTV be avoided. Generally, high-level overall results are obtained when optimization in the whole PTV is also associated with a second simultaneous optimization in the PTV minus overlapping portions of the esophagus. Conclusions: Intensity modulated radiation therapy optimizations that utilize gEUD-based cost functions for the PTV and NTCP-based constraints for the OARs result in increased doses to large portions of the PTV in cases where the PTV overlaps the esophagus, while still maintaining (and confining to the overlap region) minimum dose coverage equivalent to the homogeneous PTV optimization cases.
The ′T Hooft-Polyakov monopole near the Prasad-Sommerfield limit

Abstract A perturbative classical monopole solution for the SO(3) gauge theory is constructed in the limit of small but non-vanishing Higgs potential. This corresponds to the limit μ 2 2M W 2 = λ ⪡ 1 , where μ equals the mass of the scalar particle and MW equals the mass of the intermediate vector particles. The monopole solution and mass are found to involve non-analytic functions of λ: γ and λ ln λ. The monopole mass Mm is calculated to order μ 2 M W as M m = 4π e 2 M w 1+ 1 2 μ M w + 1 2 μ 2 M 2 w ln μ M w +0.7071 μ 2 M 2 w .
Are crime waves in the United States regional or national

Rates of crime rise and fall over time. It is generally assumed that these fluctuations are largely the result of local and not national factors. This study examined the fluctuation of violent and property crime rates of all 50 states in the United States and the District of Columbia individually for the period 1971 through 1991, comparing these rates with mean rates of violent and property crime for the nation as a whole during the same period. It was found that a majority of states experienced equivalent fluctuations in their violent crime rates over time, even though some had far higher annual rates than others. This was even truer for property crime. No explanation could be offered for these similarities over time among states so socioeconomically dissimilar.
Competitive Stem Cell Recruitment by Multiple Cytotactic Cues

A multitude of cytotactic cues direct cell migration in development, cancer metastasis and wound healing. However, our understanding of cell motility remains fragmented partially because current migration devices only allow the study of independent factors. We developed a cell motility assay that allows competitive recruitment of a given cell population simultaneously by gradients of multiple cytotactic cues, observable under real-time imaging. Well-defined uniform gradients of cytotactic cues can be independently generated and sustained in each channel. As a case study, bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) were exposed to 15 cytokines that are commonly present in arthritis. Cytokines that induced robust recruitment of MSCs in multiple groups were selected to ‘compete’ in a final round to yield the most chemotactic factor(s) based on cell migration numbers, distances, migration indices and motility over time. The potency of a given cytokine in competition frequently differed from its individual action, substantiating the need to test multiple cytokines concurrently due to synergistic or antagonistic effects. This new device has the rare capacity to screen molecules that induce cell migration in cancer therapy, drug development and tissue regeneration.
Theory of chromatic noise masking applied to testing linearity of S-cone detection mechanisms

A method for testing the linearity of cone combination of chromatic detection mechanisms is applied to S-cone detection. This approach uses the concept of mechanism noise, the noise as seen by a postreceptoral neural mechanism, to represent the effects of superposing chromatic noise components in elevating thresholds and leads to a parameter-free prediction for a linear mechanism. The method also provides a test for the presence of multiple linear detectors and off-axis looking. No evidence for multiple linear mechanisms was found when using either S-cone increment or decrement tests. The results for both S-cone test polarities demonstrate that these mechanisms combine their cone inputs nonlinearly.
Public finance and environment: correlations of selected taxes with pollution and CO2 emissions in China between 1999 and 2006

China's breakneck economic growth in recent decades was accompanied by visible environmental pollution and degradation. In the same period, tax revenues also increased sharply. Replacing existing taxes with the environment taxes called for by many environmental economists seems a promising solution to its environmental problems, but this needs more insight into the relationship of the existing taxes with the environment. The study of the relationship of the taxes with pollution and CO2 emissions may offer the needed knowledge. This article will first explore the changes in China's pollution and CO2 emissions and in selected tax revenues, and then examine the correlations between these changes. The findings of this study may help one to better understand the complex relationship between China's public finance and its pollution and degradation, and help justify and substantiate more effective and viable incentive-based solutions so that economic activities in the transition to a green economy may change the way they impact the environment.
The retinotopic match between area 17 and its targets in visual suprasylvian cortex.

It is widely believed that cells in area 17 send axons specifically to neurons in other cortical areas whose receptive fields coincide with their own. We asked whether this was true in cats for area 17's projection to a large suprasylvian visual area, the Clare-Bishop area. Receptive fields were plotted at multiple sites in the Clare-Bishop area. Then, in area 17, anterograde tracer was injected at a retinotopically-characterized site, giving rise to patches of labeled terminals in the Clare-Bishop area. Receptive field centers recorded within these patches were located close to the visual field location at the injection site in area 17. Receptive fields recorded outside of labeled patches, on the other hand, were never in register with that plotted in area 17. However, due to their large size, even fields located outside of labeled patches often encompassed the visual field point injected in area 17. In other experiments, receptive fields for both neurons and presumed cortical afferents were recorded at the same site in the Clare-Bishop area. The centers of such pairs of receptive fields were on average less than 1° apart. Finally, the gaps between widely separated patches of label were investigated. Both physiological and anatomical evidence indicated that a different part of the visual field was represented in gaps than in the adjacent patches.
Electronic structure due to hydrogen and vanadium as substitutional impurities in InP.

The self-consistent local-density theory is used in a cluster model to calculate the charge distribution, one-electron energy spectra, and the density of states for pure InP and for H and V substituted at the In site. The pure semiconductor gap is found to be 0.8 eV, consistent with experiments. The hydrogen impurity introduces a trapping center at E/sub v/+0.37 eV in the gap region: a semi-insulating-like behavior. The transition metals are generally found to introduce deep levels in the gap region, but for vanadium we find the gap swept clean of any impurity level, with the last partially occupied state close to the bottom of the conduction band. This is consistent with deep-level transient spectroscopy experiments where no vanadium-related deep levels in the band gap are found down to 4 K.
Right Bundle-Branch Block and Left Anterior Fascicular Block (Left Anterior Hemiblock) Following Tricuspid Valve Replacement

Right bundle-branch block occurred in 42.8% and left anterior hemiblock in 35% of 14 patients after surgical replacement of the tricuspid valve. The combination of RBBB with left anterior hemiblock is caused by injury to the branching portion of the bundle of His or more likely, by a lesion involving the pseudobifurcation. This study provides further proof that left anterior hemiblock may be produced by a "central" lesion of the conduction system. An attempt was made to re-define the relationships of the bundle of His and bundle branches to the membranous septum and septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve and to correlate the site of surgical injury with the type of conduction disturbances produced.
Inhibition of bovine mononuclear cell proliferation, interleukin-2 synthesis, protein-tyrosine kinase and leukotriene B4 production by a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein

Genistein, an isoflavanoid compound, a selective inhibitor of protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK), inhibited PHA-stimulated bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation (PBMC), interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, phosphorylation of PTK p56lck. Further, genistein also inhibited leukotriene B4 production from A-23187 stimulated cultures. Our data suggest that the PTK plays an important role in the signal transduction of bovine PBMC proliferation.
A Fast 8 × 8 Pruned DCT Algorithm

Abstract El-Sharkawy, M., and Eshmawy, W., A Fast 8 × 8 Pruned DCT Algorithm, Digital Signal Processing 6 (1996), 145–154. A new algorithm that computes the 8 × 8 pruned Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) using the vector–radix approach is introduced. The vector–radix approach decomposes the 8 × 8 pruned DCT into four 4 × 4 pruned DCTs. The 4 × 4 pruned DCT is then decomposed into four one-dimensional pruned DCTs. The number of points that need to be calculated from each one-dimensional DCT depends on the allowed amount of pruning. The proposed algorithm does not require any bit reversal operations. To illustrate the usefulness of the proposed pruned DCT algorithm, we utilize it to compress images using a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) algorithm. The proposed 8 × 8 pruned DCT algorithm improves the compression ratio and reduces both the complexity and execution time of the modified JPEG algorithm.
The conjunction of aromaticity and hypervalency: the C5H5SF3 molecule 1,1,1-trifluorothiabenzene

Abstract Ab initio quantum mechanical methods have been applied to the molecule formed via the intimate union of benzene and sulfur hexafluoride. The self-consistent-field (SCF) method has been used with a full double zeta (DZ) basis extended by a set of d functions on sulfur and also with the DZ basis extended by polarization functions on all atoms (DZ+P). The stationary point geometries of two structures, both of C s symmetry, have been determined theoretically. In Structure C s I the two C-S bonds are equivalent, and in Structure C s , II the C 5 H 5 S skeleton is coplanar. At the DZ+ d (S) SCF and DZ+P SCF levels of theory, Structure I is a transition state, lying 2.1 and 3.4 kcal mol −1 , respectively, above Structure II which is a true minimum. Structure I is distinctly aromatic, Structure II has some aromatic characteristics, and it is argued that the effective structure of 1,1,1-trifluorothiabenzene is likely to be a superposition of Structures I and II. These results are easily explained with the concepts of directional repulsion effects of π bonds, apicophilicity of substituent groups in trigonal bipyramidal systems, and Bent's rule. Comparisons of the calculated structures are made with benzene, sulfur hexafluoride, CH 2 SF 4 , and CH 3 -SF 5 . The predicted vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities may be helpful in the eventual identification of 1,1,1-trifluorothiabenzene.
Robert T. Soper MD (1925-2012)

Dr. Robert T. Soper died at his home in Iowa City, Iowa, on October 3, 2012. Shortly before death he developed a cerebrovascular accident and passed away without suffering, surrounded by his family. He was 87 years old. Bob was born at the University of Iowa Hospital in 1925 and grew up in Emmetsburg, Iowa. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the World War II, he completed his college education in 1949, graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. He received his medical doctorate from the University of Iowa in 1952. Upon completion of his surgical residency at Iowa in 1958, he was appointed an Instructor in the Department of Surgery of the University of Iowa. One year later, he moved to the Alder Hay Children's Hospital in Liverpool, England to work as a fellow in pediatric surgery for Mr. Peter P. Rickham. Upon his return from Liverpool, Dr. Soper joined the faculty as a pediatric surgeon and pioneered the establishment of a pediatric surgical service at the University of Iowa Hospital. Bob was the first, and only, pediatric surgeon in the state of Iowa for many years. He was named Director of the Pediatric Surgical Service at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in 1972. He
Effects of Metal Gates and Back-End-of-Line Materials on X-Ray Dose in ${\rm HfO}_{2}$ Gate Oxide

The effects of 10-keV and 400-keV endpoint-energy bremsstrahlung x-rays have been studied using the Monte Carlo simulator, MRED, for MOS capacitors with HfO2 gate dielectrics and TiN and TaN metal gates. We compute the reduction in dose that occurs for 10-keV x-ray irradiation of thin HfO2 gate dielectrics sandwiched between the metal gate and the Si substrate. We quantify the effects of back-end-of-line metallization layers, including copper interconnects, W vias, and borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) and SiO2 passivation layers for low and medium energy x-rays. For thick metallization stacks irradiated by 10-keV x-rays, dose enhancement or attenuation can occur, depending on material type and overlayer thicknesses. For similar stacks irradiated with 400-keV endpoint-energy bremsstrahlung x-rays, significant dose enhancement is observed.
Traumatic brain injury and Schizophrenia in Members of Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder pedigrees

OBJECTIVE: Schizophrenia following a traumatic brain injury could be a phenocopy of genetic schizophrenia or the consequence of a gene-environment interaction. Alternatively, traumatic brain injury and schizophrenia could be spuriously associated if those who are predisposed to develop schizophrenia have greater amounts of trauma for other reasons. The authors investigated the relationship between traumatic brain injury and psychiatric diagnoses in a large group of subjects from families with at least two biologically related first-degree relatives with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder. METHOD: The Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies was used to determine history of traumatic brain injury and diagnosis for 1,275 members of multiplex bipolar disorder pedigrees and 565 members of multiplex schizophrenia pedigrees. RESULTS: Rates of traumatic brain injury were significantly higher for those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression than for those wit...
SINGLE AND MULTIPLE DERMAL GRAFTS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SEVERE PENILE CURVATURE

AbstractPurpose: Conventional techniques result in chordee correction in the majority of patients. However, some with extensive chordee require further treatment to correct persistent extraordinary penile curvature. Our practice has been to treat this condition with interpositional dermal grafting. We review our experience with this procedure.Materials and Methods: During a 5-year period dermal grafts harvested from the nonhair-bearing inguinal skin fold were placed in 51 patients with a mean age of 29 months. The primary diagnosis was penoscrotal or perineal hypospadias in 36 patients (hypospadias cripple in 4), the exstrophy-epispadias complex in 3, mid shaft or distal hypospadias with severe chordee in 10 and chordee without hypospadias in 2. A total of 49 patients (96%) underwent staged urethroplasty.Results: One graft was placed in 29 patients (57%), 9 (18%) received 1 graft and underwent a Nesbit plication, (14%) received 2 grafts, 5 (10%) received 2 grafts and underwent dorsal plication, and 1 (2%)...
Persistence of uranium groundwater plumes: Contrasting mechanisms at two DOE sites in the groundwater–river interaction zone

We examine subsurface uranium (U) plumes at two U.S. Department of Energy sites that are located near large river systems and that are influenced by groundwater-river hydrologic interaction. Following surface excavation of contaminated materials, both sites were projected to naturally flush remnant uranium contamination to levels below regulatory limits (e.g., 30 µg/L or 0.126 µmol/L; U.S. EPA drinking water standard), with 10 years projected for the Hanford 300 Area (Columbia River) and 12 years for the Rifle site (Colorado River). The rate of observed uranium decrease was much lower than expected at both sites. While uncertainty remains, a comparison of current understanding suggests that the two sites have common, but also different mechanisms controlling plume persistence. At the Hanford 300 A, the persistent source is adsorbed U(VI) in the vadose zone that is released to the aquifer during spring water table excursions. The release of U(VI) from the vadose zone and its transport within the oxic, coarse-textured aquifer sediments is dominated by kinetically-limited surface complexation. Modeling implies that annual plume discharge volumes to the Columbia River are small (< one pore volume). At the Rifle site, slow oxidation of naturally reduced, contaminant U(IV) in the saturated zone and a continuousmore » influx of U(VI) from natural, up-gradient sources influences plume persistence. Rate-limited mass transfer and surface complexation also control U(VI) migration velocity in the sub-oxic Rifle groundwater. Flux of U(VI) from the vadose zone at the Rifle site may be locally important, but it is not the dominant process that sustains the plume. A wide range in microbiologic functional diversity exists at both sites. Strains of Geobacter and other metal reducing bacteria are present at low natural abundance that are capable of enzymatic U(VI) reduction in localized zones of accumulated detrital organic carbon or after organic carbon amendment. Major differences between the sites include the geochemical nature of residual, contaminant U; the rates of current kinetic processes (both biotic and abiotic) influencing U(VI) solid-liquid distribution; the presence of detrital organic matter and the resulting spatial heterogeneity in microbially-driven redox properties; and the magnitude of groundwater hydrologic dynamics controlled by river-stage fluctuations, geologic structures, and aquifer hydraulic properties. The comparative analysis of these sites provides important guidance to the characterization, understanding, modeling, and remediation of groundwater contaminant plumes influenced by surface water interaction that are common world-wide.« less
Minimum permanents on certain doubly stochastic matrices. II

Abstract For certain choices of m and n , we determine the minimum permanents and minimizing matrices on the faces of Ω m + n , the polytope of ( m + n )×( m + n ) doubly stochastic matrices, whose nonzero entries coincide with those of where J is the matrix with all entries equal 1, and I is the identity matrix.
A Modification of a Percentile Estimation Procedure Based on Generalized Polya Urns

Adaptive designs find an important application in the estimation of unknown percentiles for an underlying dose-response curve. A nonparametric adaptive design was suggested by Mugno et al. (2004) to simultaneously estimate multiple percentiles of an unknown dose-response curve via generalized Polya urns. In this article, we examine the properties of the design proposed by Mugno et al. (2004) when delays in observing responses are encountered. Using simulations, we evaluate a modification of the design under varying group sizes. Our results demonstrate unbiased estimation with minimal loss in efficiency when compared to the original compound urn design.
The Effects of Minimum Wages over the Business Cycle

This study examines whether the low-skilled employment effects of minimum wage increases differ over the state business cycle. Controlling for spatial heterogeneity via state-specific productivity shocks to the low-skilled sector and state-specific non-linear time trends, the results suggest that minimum wage increases between 1989 and 2012 reduce low-skilled employment more during recessions than expansions. Estimated employment elasticities with respect to the minimum wage range from 0 to −0.2 during state economic expansions, but reach as high as −0.3 during troughs in the business cycle.
Asymptotic stabilization of infinite-dimensional systems which cannot be exponentially stabilized

The question of the stabilization by state feedback of an infinite-dimensional continuous-time system is discussed. Systems are introduced for which no state feedback exists such that the closed-loop system is exponentially stable. But it is shown that a state feedback exists such that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable.
What does risperidone add to parent training and stimulant for severe aggression in child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder?

Objective Although combination pharmacotherapy is common in child and adolescent psychiatry, there has been little research evaluating it. The value of adding risperidone to concurrent psychostimulant and parent training (PT) in behavior management for children with severe aggression was tested. Method One hundred sixty-eight children 6 to 12 years old (mean age 8.89 ± 2.01 years) with severe physical aggression were randomized to a 9-week trial of PT, stimulant (STIM), and placebo ( Basic treatment; n = 84) or PT, STIM, and risperidone ( Augmented treatment; n = 84). All had diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional-defiant disorder (n = 124) or conduct disorder (n = 44). Children received psychostimulant (usually Osmotic Release Oral System methylphenidate) for 3 weeks, titrated for optimal effect, while parents received PT. If there was room for improvement at the end of week 3, placebo or risperidone was added. Assessments included parent ratings on the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (Disruptive-Total subscale was the primary outcome) and Antisocial Behavior Scale; blinded clinicians rated change on the Clinical Global Impressions scale. Results Compared with Basic treatment (PT + STIM [44.8 ± 14.6 mg/day] + placebo [1.88 mg/day ± 0.72]), Augmented treatment (PT + STIM [46.1 ± 16.8 mg/day] + risperidone [1.65 mg/day ± 0.75]) showed statistically significant improvement on the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form Disruptive-Total subscale (treatment-by-time interaction, p = .0016), the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form Social Competence subscale ( p = .0049), and Antisocial Behavior Scale Reactive Aggression subscale ( p = .01). Clinical Global Impressions scores were substantially improved for the 2 groups but did not discriminate between treatments (Clinical Global Impressions–Improvement score ≤2, 70% for Basic treatment versus 79% for Augmented treatment). Prolactin elevations and gastrointestinal upset occurred more with Augmented treatment; other adverse events differed modestly from Basic treatment; weight gain in the Augmented treatment group was minor. Conclusions Risperidone provided moderate but variable improvement in aggressive and other seriously disruptive child behaviors when added to PT and optimized stimulant treatment. Clinical trial registration information—Treatment of Severe Childhood Aggression (The TOSCA Study), URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov, unique identifier: NCT00796302.
Abstract B70: Physical activity and BMI in a population-based case-control study of endometrial cancer risk

Introduction: Endometrial (uterine corpus) cancer is the fourth most common incident cancer among women in the United States. Recent systematic reviews have published summary data suggesting an inverse association between physical activity and risk of endometrial cancer. However, studies show conflicting results, many do not report on reliability or validity of physical activity questionnaires, and few studies have examined the combination of physical activity and BMI on endometrial cancer risk. Thus, we evaluated the independent association between physical activity, BMI and endometrial cancer risk, as well as the combination of physical activity and BMI on risk. Methods: We identified 668 incident cases of endometrial cancer through the population-based Rapid Case Ascertainment Shared Resource at the Yale Cancer Center and age-matched 665 controls using random digit dialing. Research staff interview-administered structured questionnaires, collecting information on demographic features, environmental exposures and lifestyle factors. We performed unconditional logistic regression to examine the relationship between moderate- to vigorous-intensity sports/recreational physical activity (MV PA) and endometrial cancer risk. Results: We found, compared to women reporting 0 Metabolic Equivalent (MET) hours per week of MV PA, those who reported 7.5 MET hr/wk or more of MV PA had a 34% lower endometrial cancer risk (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50-0.87) after adjusting for other risk factors including BMI. We created a composite measure of physical activity (inactive ≤ 7.5 MET hr/wk, active > 7.5 MET hr/wk) and BMI (normal weight Conclusion: Our data support an inverse, independent association between physical activity and endometrial cancer risk after adjusting for BMI and other risk factors. However, the combination of physical activity and BMI appears to further impact risk of endometrial cancer. Programs to increase physical activity levels to the current recommendation of 150 minutes per week may lower the incidence of endometrial cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):B70.
Assignment of the carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of selected folates

Abstract In this report we present the assignments of the 13 C NMR spectra of 7,8-dihydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, amethopterin, and 10-methylfolate. These assignments derive from the assignment of the 13 C NMR spectrum of folate [J. A. Lyon, P. D. Ellis, R. B. Dunlap, Biochemistry 12 , 2425 (1973)] which was based on additivity calculations and analysis of such model compounds as the purine nucleosides and p -aminobenzamide. The spectrum of 10-methylfolate differs slightly from that of folate in that a new peak appears at +27.98 ppm (dioxane) and the chemical shifts of carbons P6 and P7 are resolved. In amethopterin, the deshielding of P2 and shielding of P4 resulting from substitution of the 4-hydroxyl group of 10-methylfolate with an amino group can be predicted by examining purine riboside data and comparing the chemical shifts for the appropriate carbons in guanosine and 2,4-diaminopurine riboside. The spectrum of 7,8-dihydrofolate is substantially different from that of folate in that the resonances of P6 and P7 appear at −84.18 and +23.53 ppm respectively as opposed to −81.3 ppm for P6 and P7 in folate. The deshielding of P6 can be predicted if the reduction of 1,3-butadiene to 1-butene is employed as a model. The spectrum of 5-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolate reveals three new peaks in the alkyl region of the spectrum as compared to folate. These peaks correspond to P6, P7, and the 5-methyl group.
A soybean gene encoding Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase was isolated by functional complementation in Escherichia coli and is found to be osmoregulated.

We have isolated several cDNA clones encoding delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR, L-proline: NAD(P)+ 5-oxidoreductase, EC 1.5.1.2) which catalyzes the terminal step in proline biosynthesis, by direct complementation of a proC mutation in Escherichia coli with an expression library of soybean root nodule cDNA. The library was constructed in the lambda ZapII vector, converted to a plasmid library by in vivo excision of recombinant pBluescript phagemids, and used for transformation of the E. coli mutant. Complementing plasmids contained inserts of about 1.2 kb which hybridized to a 1.3 kb RNA transcript in nodules, uninfected roots and leaves. DNA sequence analysis of one full length cDNA clone showed that it encodes a 28 586 Mr polypeptide with 39% amino acid identity to the E. coli P5CR sequence. Genomic analysis showed that there are two to three copies of the P5CR gene in the soybean genome. The steady-state level of P5CR mRNA in root nodules was twice as high as in uninfected roots and about five times higher than in leaves. Subjecting young seedlings to osmotic stress by watering with 400 mM NaCl resulted in an almost six-fold increase in the level of root P5CR mRNA, suggesting that this gene may be osmoregulated.
Crystallographic, electronic and magnetic studies of Ce4Ni6Al23: a new ternary intermetallic compound in the cerium–nickel–aluminum phase diagram

Abstract The Al-rich portion of the ternary Ce–Ni–Al has been investigated and a new ternary phase of composition Ce4Ni6Al23 has been found. This compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m with the cell parameters a=16.042(8), b=4.140(4), c=18.380(8) A and β=113.24(5)°. The structure has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The local environment of Ni and Ce is close to what is observed in the CeNi2Al5 and CeNiAl4 structures. Band structure calculations, using the tight-binding–linear muffin-tin orbital–atomic-spheres approximation (TB-LMTO-ASA) method, have been performed to understand the electronic structure of Ce4Ni6Al23 and the results are discussed in connection with those two other Ce–Ni–Al intermetallic compounds, which possess heavy-fermion behavior. Magnetic and heat capacity measurements have also been measured to analyze the low-temperature magnetic behavior of this new compound.
In situ deformation of silicon nanospheres

As a natural response to the ongoing trend of device miniaturization, many effects of scaling on the properties of materials have become well documented. However, the mechanical properties of individual nanoparticles are not well understood and the direct observation of nanoparticle deformation has only recently been achieved. This work investigates the mechanical behavior of silicon nanospheres in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) using an in situ indentation sample holder. In situ TEM studies provide information which is not accessible by more traditional means, including particle orientation prior to deformation and the type and location of any preexisting defects. In this study, isolated nanoparticles were located and compressed between a diamond tip and a sapphire substrate. Here, the deformation behavior of individual particles is investigated and analogous strain fields between small particles are discussed.
Intermediate-coupling collision strengths for P−P and P−D transitions produced by electron impact on highly charged He-like ions

Abstract Intermediate-coupling collision strengths have been calculated by a Coulomb-Born-Exchange method for all fine-structure transitions between states of the 1 s 2 p configuration and those of the 1 snp and 1 snd configurations with n = 3, 4, and 5 produced by electron impact on He-like ions with nuclear charge number Z in the range 8 ≤ Z ≤ 50. For each transition results are given for impact electron energies equal to 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 1.9, 2.5, and 4.0 times threshold. Transition energies are provided for use in converting the impact electron energies to energies in rydbergs.
Labor Scheduling, Part 1 Forecasting Demand

This paper focuses on forecasting demand for services, the first of a four-part series on developing effective workforce schedules. Serving customers well, at a reasonable cost, requires the proper number and mix of employees. Scheduling too many employees means high labor costs, while scheduling too few workers can mean poor service that drives away business. Forecasting customer demand involves eight steps: determine the nature of the work, identify those factors that generate the work (i.e., the labor drivers), determine whether the labor drivers are time variant or time invariant, determine the time interval for tracking the time-variant labor drivers, forecast the time-variant labor drivers, smooth those forecasts, track the error in those forecasts, and define the allowable window for controllable work. Balancing employees' skills and availability, plus governmental regulations, company policies, and contractual obligations regarding work schedules, can be a manager's nightmare.
A biochemical and electron microscopy study of rice bodies from rheumatoid patients.

Rice bodies (corpora oryzoidea) from rheumatoid patients were studied biochemically and by electron microscopy. The data indicate that only a relatively small portion of the rice bodies is identical to fibrin, and the bulk is composed of other fibrinlike mucoproteins and a small amount of lipids. Some lipids and neuraminic acid are located on the surface. The recurrence of rice bodies is prevented by synovectomy. Fibrous rice bodies represent an end product of synovial inflammation, proliferation, and subsequent secondary degeneration. Corpores oryzoidee ab patientes rheumatoide esseva studiate biochimicamente e per microscopia electronic. Le datos indica que solo un relativemente micre portion del corpores oryzoidee es identic con fibrina durante que le plus grande portion de illos es componite de altere mucoproteinas fibrinoide e de un micre quantitate de lipido. Un certe quantitate de lipido e de acido neuraminic es locate al superficie. Le recurrentia de corpores oryzoide es prevenite per synoviectomia. Fibrotic corpores oryzoide representa un producto final de inflammation, proliferation, e subsequente degeneration secundari synovial.
Pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with concomitant heterotopic pancreatic cystic neoplasia of the stomach: a case report and review of the literature

A 60-year-old Caucasian male underwent a total pancreatectomy for a mixed type pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) arising in the main and secondary pancreatic ducts. During surgery, a subserosal polypoid mass was noted at the greater curvature of the gastric antrum and was enucleated. This mass was proven to be heterotopic pancreatic tissue with cystic neoplasia of the IPMN histologic subtype. Through an extensive search of the literature, we found that this is the first case ever reported with simultaneous existence of IPMN changes, in the main and secondary ducts of the orthotopic pancreas and in the heterotopic pancreatic tissue of the gastric wall.
How Zaynab Became the First Arabic Novel

This paper is part of a History Compass conference cluster tracing the formation of national culture in Egypt. Guest edited by Walter Armbrust, this cluster of articles was originally part of a conference in Oxford on January 12–13, 2007, organized by Walter Armbrust, Ronald Nettler, and Lucie Ryzova, and funded by the Middle East Centre (St. Antony’s), The Faculty of Oriental Studies, The Khalid bin ‘Abdullah Al-Sa’ud Professorship (Professor Clive Holes), and The Centre for Political Ideologies. The cluster is made up of the following articles:
Three Colopterus Beetle Species Carry the Oak Wilt Fungus to Fresh Wounds on Red Oak in Missouri

Beetles in the family Nitidulidae can transmit the oak wilt fungus, Ceratocystis fagacearum, to fresh wounds on healthy oak trees, leading to infection and disease development. Historically, nitidulid beetles have not been considered important vectors of the pathogen in Missouri. Studies were conducted in the spring of 2005 and 2006 to determine frequencies of nitidulid beetle species contaminated with C. fagacearum visiting fresh wounds on red oak trees in central Missouri. Colopterus truncatus, C. niger, and C. semitectus were the most abundant species collected from fresh wounds and the only species found to be contaminated with Ceratocystis fagacearum. Of 230 beetles assayed for C. fagacearum, 23 yielded the fungus. Contamination frequencies were higher for beetles collected in April than May; no beetles collected in June were contaminated. We hypothesize that Colopterus truncatus, C. niger, and C. semitectus are principal nitidulid beetle vector species in Missouri during spring. The risk for pathogen transmission by these beetles appears to be greatest in April and least in June.
Talking up Liquidity: Insider Trading and Investor Relations

Managements ("insiders") of many corporations, especially small or newly public firms, invest considerable resources in investor relations such as voluntary disclosures and courting analyst coverage. We develop a model to explore the role of such costly investments and the incentives of insiders to undertake them. In contrast to existing theories, we point out that insiders may undertake such investments not necessarily to improve the share price, but to enhance the liquidity of their block of shares in case they have to sell their equity stakes for liquidity reasons. This leads to a divergence of interest between insiders and dispersed outside shareholders regarding investor relations. The costs of investor relations are paid by all shareholders, though dispersed shareholders care little about market liquidity because of their small holdings. Our model predicts that the demographics of insiders (e.g. liquidity needs, size of equity stakes) are determinants of the extent of investor relations across firms.
MULTIPROTEIN-DNA COMPLEXES IN TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION

Transcription in eukaryotes is frequently regulated by a mechanism termed combinatorial control, whereby several different proteins must bind DNA in concert to achieve appropriate regulation of the downstream gene. X-ray crystallographic studies of multiprotein complexes bound to DNA have been carried out to investigate the molecular determinants of complex assembly and DNA binding. This work has provided important insights into the specific protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions that govern the assembly of multiprotein regulatory complexes. The results of these studies are reviewed here, and the general insights into the mechanism of combinatorial gene regulation are discussed.
Neural Systems for Reading Aloud: A Multiparametric Approach

Reading aloud involves computing the sound of a word from its visual form. This may be accomplished 1) by direct associations between spellings and phonology and 2) by computation from orthography to meaning to phonology. These components have been studied in behavioral experiments examining lexical properties such as word frequency; length in letters or phonemes; spellingsound consistency; semantic factors such as imageability, measures of orthographic, or phonological complexity; and others. Effects of these lexical properties on specific neural systems, however, are poorly understood, partially because high intercorrelations among lexical factors make it difficult to determine if they have independent effects. We addressed this problem by decorrelating several important lexical properties through careful stimulus selection. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data revealed distributed neural systems for mapping orthography directly to phonology, involving left supramarginal, posterior middle temporal, and fusiform gyri. Distinct from these were areas reflecting semantic processing, including left middle temporal gyrus/inferior-temporal sulcus, bilateral angular gyrus, and precuneus/posterior cingulate. Left inferior frontal regions generally showed increased activation with greater task load, suggesting a more general role in attention, working memory, and executive processes. These data offer the first clear evidence, in a single study, for the separate neural correlates of orthography--phonology mapping and semantic access during reading aloud.
The Expected Value of Control: An Integrative Theory of Anterior Cingulate Cortex Function

The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) has a near-ubiquitous presence in the neuroscience of cognitive control. It has been implicated in a diversity of functions, from reward processing and performance monitoring to the execution of control and action selection. Here, we propose that this diversity can be understood in terms of a single underlying function: allocation of control based on an evaluation of the expected value of control (EVC). We present a normative model of EVC that integrates three critical factors: the expected payoff from a controlled process, the amount of control that must be invested to achieve that payoff, and the cost in terms of cognitive effort. We propose that dACC integrates this information, using it to determine whether, where and how much control to allocate. We then consider how the EVC model can explain the diverse array of findings concerning dACC function.
Barking Up The Wrong Treelength: The Impact of Gap Penalty on Alignment and Tree Accuracy

The current technique for estimating phylogenies from sequence data uses two phases: first, the sequences are aligned, and then the tree is estimated using the obtained alignment. More recently, however, several computational methods have been developed for simultaneous estimation of the alignment and the tree, of which POY (a heuristic for the NP-hard "minimum treelength" problem, which extends maximum parsimony (MP) so that gaps contribute to the cost) is the most popular. In a 2007 paper published in Systematic Biology, Ogden and Rosenberg reported on a simulation study in which they compared POY to the very simple two-phase method of estimating the alignment using ClustalW and then analyzing the resultant alignment using MP. They found that in the overwhelming majority of the cases, ClustalW + MP outperformed POY with respect to alignment and phylogenetic tree accuracy, and they concluded that simultaneous estimation techniques (collectively referred to as "Direct Optimization") are not competitive with two-phase techniques. Our paper presents a simulation study in which we take a closer look at the points raised by Ogden and Rosenberg. Instead of focusing specifically on POY, we focus on the NP-hard optimization problem that POY addresses: minimizing treelength. Since this optimization depends upon the specific edit distance criterion used to score a tree, our study considers the impact of the gap penalty (in particular, affine versus simple) on the accuracy of the resultant alignment and tree that optimizes the treelength for that gap penalty function. Our study suggests that the poor performance observed for POY by Ogden and Rosenberg is due to the simple gap penalties they used to score alignment/tree pairs, but also suggests the intriguing possibility that optimizing under an affine gap penalty might produce alignments that are not only better than ClustalW alignments, but competitive with (or perhaps better than) those produced by the best current alignment methods. This study also shows that optimizing under this affine gap penalty produces trees whose topological accuracy is better than ClustalW + MP, and competitive with the current best two-phase methods.
Partial purification and serological relationship of three strains of bean yellow mosaic virus

SUMMARY Three biologically distinct strains of bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMVS, BYMV1 PV-2) were partially purified by centrifugation at relatively low g forces. Serologically these strains appeared to be distinct from each other but were related.
Routes to Ultrahigh Efficiency Photovoltaic and Photoelectrochemical Devices

We discuss ‘full spectrum’ photovoltaic modules that leverage low-cost III-V compound semiconductor cells, efficient optics and unconventional fabrication/assembly methods, and discuss advances in photoelectrochemical water-splitting with high efficiency.