cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photo-controlled release of paclitaxel and model drugs from RNA pyramids

Stimuli-responsive release of drugs from a nanocarrier in spatial-, temporal-, and dosage-controlled fashions is of great interest in the pharmaceutical industry. Paclitaxel is one of the most effective and popular chemotherapeutic drugs against a number of cancers such as metastatic or nonmetastatic breast cancer, non–small cell lung cancer, refractory ovarian cancer, AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma, and head and neck cancers. Here, by taking the advantage of RNA nanotechnology in biomedical and material science, we developed a three-dimensional pyramid-shaped RNA nanocage for a photocontrolled release of cargo, using paclitaxel as a model drug. The light-triggered release of paclitaxel or fluorophore Cy5 was achieved by incorporation of photocleavable spacers into the RNA nanoparticles. Upon irradiation with ultraviolet light, cargos were rapidly released (within 5 min). In vitro treatment of breast cancer cells with the RNA nanoparticles harboring photocleavable paclitaxel showed higher cytotoxicity as compared to RNA nanoparticles without the photocleavable spacer. The methodology provides proof of concept for the application of the light-triggered controlled release of drugs from RNA nanocages.
Crisaborole (Eucrisa) for Mild to Moderate Atopic Dermatitis.

Crisaborole has been shown to be effective in about one-third of patients who use it, but it is much more expensive than other available products. Although crisaborole is a safe option for patients in whom topical corticosteroids are considered risky (e.g., children at least two years of age), it should not be routinely considered until long-term effectiveness and safety data become available.
On the economic impact of innovation and technological transformation for people with mobility limitations

Recently, there have been numerous innovations and advancements in technology to improve the health of people with mobility limitations. These changes are expected to enhance their living standards leading to potential employment opportunities and to improve the overall economics for them, their supporters, and their communities. To address those changes, we looked into assistive technologies and the surrounding technical improvements around those devices to address their economic impacts. The advances include the progress with information and communication technologies, brain-controlled interactions, and connectivity of all these devices or the Internet of Things to provide solutions for these populations to improve their abilities for better employment opportunities to create more value in the economy. Although there are many promising devices, communication tools, interconnections, and networks to allow the disabled to enhance their livelihood, yet there are also many barriers and challenges to consider to achieve economic benefits to the full extent.
Intensity noise and bandwidth analysis of nanolasers via optical injection

A measurement method that can be used to extract the relative intensity noise of a nanolaser is introduced and analyzed. The method is based on optical injection of emission from a nanolaser, serving as a master oscillator, transferring its intensity fluctuations to a low-noise semiconductor laser serving as a slave oscillator. Using the stochastic rate equation formalism, we demonstrate that the total relative intensity noise of the system is a weighted superposition of the relative intensity noise of individual lasers. We further discuss the analytical relations that can be used to extract the relative intensity noise spectrum of a nanolaser. Finally, we use mutual correlation as a mathematical tool to quantify the degree of resemblance between the injected and extracted intensity fluctuations, theoretically confirming that the spectra are at least 97% correlated within the 3-dB bandwidth when an injection strength is chosen properly.
Synthesis of a C(1)-C(14)-containing fragment of callipeltoside A.

A C(1)−C(14)-containing fragment of callipeltoside A (1, Scheme 1) was synthesized efficiently via a dianion aldol coupling reaction between aldehyde 2 and ketoester 3. A surprising lack of reactivity between the alkenes in 13 and the Grubbs initiator 15 was encountered. An equally surprising rate acceleration of the reaction between 15 and allylic alcohols (alk-1-en-3-ols) as well as their subsequent cleavage to methyl ketones was discovered. In situ 1H NMR analysis has proven to be a very useful tool for monitoring RCM reactions of complex substrates such as 13.
Role of S[(123)〈634〉] orientations in the preferred nucleation of cube grains in recrystallization of FCC metals

The rival theories of Oriented Nucleation (ON) and Oriented Growth (OG) for the formation of strong recrystallization textures on the annealing of deformed materials has been actively disputed for many years. The classic ON hypothesis is that the predominant orientations in the recrystallization texture, for example ``Cube`` [{l_brace}001{r_brace} ] in rolled fcc metals, nucleate much more frequently than other orientations--giving a significantly higher than random frequency of Cube nuclei. The classic OG hypothesis of Cube recrystallization texture assumes that the Cube grains grow faster and thus larger than other grains. Recent studies on cold-rolled high purity aluminum and warm plane strain extruded commercial purity aluminum have given very clear evidence of ON, but found little or no size advantage for the Cube grains. Somewhat similar observations, at least regarding the high nucleation rate of Cube grains, has been reported for cold-rolled high purity copper. There is now a need to address the question as to the mechanism or mechanisms by which the observed preferential nucleation of Cube grains takes place.
Photoacoustics of core-shell nanospheres using comprehensive modeling and analytical solution approach

Photoacoustic visualization of nanoparticles is capable of high contrast imaging at depth greater than that of traditional optical imaging techniques. Identifying the impact of various parameters on the photoacoustic signal is crucial in the design of effective medical imaging and diagnostics. Here, we develop a complete model of Fourier heat conduction incorporating the interfacial thermal resistance and photoacoustic equation for core-shell nanospheres in a fluid under nanosecond pulsed laser illumination. An analytical solution is obtained, elucidating the contribution of each region (core, shell, or the fluid) in the generation of the photoacoustic signal. The model reveals that the sharper the laser pulse temporal waveform is, the higher the sensitivity of the generated photoacoustic signal will be to the interfacial thermal resistance, and, thus, the higher the possibility of photoacoustic signal amplification will be using silica-coating. The comprehensive model and adopted analytical solution reveal the underlying physics of the photoacoustic signal generation form core-shell nanosphere systems. Photoacoustic imaging of colloidal nanosystems is a useful tool for biological applications, yet current models of the photo-induced thermal processes contain un-physical assumptions. Here, the authors propose a model capable of disentangling the role of the nanoparticle, shell, surrounding material, and laser pulse properties.
Economic and cost-effectiveness issues in breast cancer treatment

The need for cost-effectiveness analyses is based on the unfortunate but universal situation of limited financial resources that ideally should be used to maximal benefit. Formal cost-effectiveness analyses assume a societal utilitarian perspective with the objective of maximizing net health benefit for members of a population within a limited level of resources. This societal perspective is in stark contrast to the clinician's perspective, whose goal is to maximize his or her patient's health status (no matter what effect those decisions have on other patients or resources). This difference in perspective and objectives explains why many clinicians object to the use of cost-effectiveness analysis in setting policies. When considering the natural history of breast cancer from screening, evaluation of suspicious lesions, primary therapy, staging, adjuvant therapy, monitoring, metastatic disease, and palliative care, it is striking that most cost-effectiveness studies have been related to screening or the use of adjuvant drug therapies. In prior work our group has shown that the use of chemotherapy in node-negative breast cancer and of tamoxifen alone or in combination with chemotherapy in premenopausal women are cost-effective compared with other common medical treatments. Given the increasing pressure to contain costs in contemporary medicine, one should remember that cost effectiveness is related to value, value defined as quality/costs. Examples are discussed when the controversy focuses on increasing quality (eg, valued outcomes, such as additional years of life or years of breast preservation) and on controlling costs (eg, integrating multidisciplinary care, minimizing superfluous testing, or reducing surgical biopsy rates). Efforts should be directed at both sides of this ratio.
Gαs proteins activate p72Syk and p60-c-Src tyrosine kinases to mediate sickle red blood cell adhesion to endothelium via LW-αvβ3 and CD44–CD44 interactions

Abstract G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been suggested as new drug targets to treat a variety of diseases. In sickle cell disease (SCD), the LW erythrocyte adhesion receptor can be activated by stimulation of β2 adrenergic receptors (β2ARs), to mediate sickle erythrocyte (SSRBC) adhesion to endothelium. However, the involvement of tyrosine protein kinases in β2AR signaling to activate SSRBC adhesion to endothelium has not been thoroughly elucidated. Either direct activation with Cholera toxin of Gαs protein, which acts downstream of β2ARs, or inhibition with Pertussis toxin of Gαi, mediating suppression of adenylyl cyclase, increased SSRBC adhesion to endothelium over baseline adhesion. This effect involved the non-receptor tyrosine kinases, p72Syk and p60-c-Src, which were more abundant in SSRBCs than in normal erythrocytes. In contrast, Pertussis toxin and Cholera toxin failed to increase adhesion of normal erythrocytes. SSRBC Gαi inhibition also increased phosphorylation of p72Syk and p60-c-Src. Further, we investigated the relevance of activation of p72Syk and p60-c-Src, and identified LW (ICAM-4, CD242) and CD44 as the erythroid adhesion molecules both physically interacting with activated p60-c-Src. As a result, SSRBC LW underwent increased tyrosine phosphorylation, leading to SSRBC LW and CD44 binding to endothelial αvβ3 integrin and CD44, respectively. These data provide in vitro mechanistic evidence that p60-c-Src, which could act downstream of Gαs/p72Syk, associates with LW and CD44 on SSRBCs leading to their interactions with endothelial αvβ3 and CD44, respectively. Thus, increased activation of these signaling mechanisms in SSRBCs could initiate or exacerbate vascular occlusion, the hallmark of SCD.
COX-2/PGE2 axis regulates hippocampal BDNF/TrkB signaling via EP2 receptor after prolonged seizures.

Objective The objective of this study was to identify the signaling pathway that is immediately triggered by status epilepticus (SE) and in turn contributes to the excessive brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) signaling within the hippocampus. Methods We used quantitative PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot analysis to examine gene expression at both mRNA and protein levels in the hippocampus following prolonged SE in mice and rats. Three classical animal models of SE were utilized in the present study to avoid any model- or species-specific findings. Results We showed that both cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and BDNF in the hippocampus were rapidly upregulated after SE onset; however, the induction of COX-2 temporally preceded that of BDNF. Blocking COX-2 activity by selective inhibitor SC-58125 prevented BDNF elevation in the hippocampus following SE; prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a major product of COX-2 in the brain, was sufficient to stimulate hippocampal cells to secrete BDNF, suggesting that a PGE2 signaling pathway might be directly involved in hippocampal BDNF production. Inhibiting the Gαs-coupled PGE2 receptor EP2 by our recently developed selective antagonist TG6-10-1 decreased the SE-triggered phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and activation of the BDNF/TrkB signaling in the hippocampus. Significance The molecular mechanisms whereby BDNF/TrkB signaling is upregulated in the hippocampus by SE largely remain unknown. Our findings suggest that COX-2 via the PGE2/EP2 pathway regulates hippocampal BDNF/TrkB activity following prolonged seizures. EP2 inhibition by our bioavailable and brain-permeable antagonists such as TG6-10-1 might therefore provide a novel strategy to suppress the abnormal TrkB activity, an event that can sufficiently trigger pathogenic processes within the brain including acquired epileptogenesis.
Discovery, structure-activity relationship study and biological evaluation of 2-thioureidothiophene-3-carboxylates as a novel class of C-X-C chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) antagonists

Abstract The C-X-C motif ligand 8 and C-X-C chemokine receptor 2 (CXCL8-CXCR2) axis is involved in pathogenesis of various diseases including inflammation and cancers. Various CXCR2 antagonists are under development for several diseases. Our previous high-throughput cell-based assay specific for CXCR2 has identified a pyrimidine-based compound CX797 acting on CXCR2 down-stream signaling. A lead optimization campaign through scaffold-hopping strategy led to a series of 2-thioureidothiophene-3-carboxylates (TUTP) as novel CXCR2 antagonists. Structure-activity relationship study of TUTPs led to the identification of compound 52 that significantly inhibited CXCR2-mediated β-arrestin recruitment signaling (IC50 = 1.1 ± 0.01 μM) with negligible effect on CXCL8-mediated cAMP signaling and calcium flux. Similar to the known CXCR2 antagonist SB265610, compound 52 inhibited CXCL8-CXCR2 induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2. TUTP compounds also inhibited CXCL8-mediated cell migration and showed synergy with doxorubicin in ovarian cancer cells, thereby supporting TUTPs as promising compounds for cancer treatment.
Hidden Spaces: Treatment of an Occult Utero-Vaginal Septum

Study Objective To describe the unique presentation and surgical management of a complete utero-vaginal septum. Design Video case report. Setting Tertiary care academic medical center. Patients or Participants We present a 25-year-old G2P0020 who is referred for evaluation after imaging and clinical examination revealed conflicting information. She was initially seen by her local provider for menorrhagia. Locally, an ultrasound revealed a septate uterus and examination under anesthesia with hysteroscopy noted a single vagina and cervix with a unicornuate uterus. Due to incongruous findings, she was referred for evaluation. Interventions Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), examination under anesthesia, vaginal surgery and operative hysteroscopy. Measurements and Main Results MRI identified a complete utero-vaginal septum with a single septate cervix. Vaginal gel was used to define vaginal anatomy and gel was noted to fill the right hemivagina, while none noted on the left. Examination under anesthesia revealed an imperforate hymen with a small opening on the left as the cause for confusion in the clinical presentation. A hymenectomy was performed followed by guided surgical management of a complete utero-vaginal septum, unicollis. Conclusion Presentation of mullerian anomalies are often complex and anatomic variations in commonly described anomalies make misdiagnoses common. Advanced imaging with use of MRI with vaginal gel or 3-dimensional ultrasonography and detailed examination are often helpful. Differentiating between unicollis and bicollis presentations in complete utero-vaginal septum cases is an important distinction during surgical management.
External Imagery in Computer Programming

Imagery is a cognitive process commonly used in sports in which athletes internally or externally visualize themselves performing a skill, allowing them to create an internal experience similar to the physical event. It is intended to allow participants to refine and perfect their performance. This paper investigates the use of imagery in the setting of computer programming. We explore the idea that watching a keystroke replay of yourself writing computer code that solves a specific problem can increase the speed and quality of a subsequent attempt at solving a similar problem as well as improve attitude and engagement. We investigate the theory of imagery, its application to computer programming, and we present results of a qualitative study. Our results suggest that using imagery could have a positive effect on the profitability of spending time reviewing code.
Importance of Phytobiomass and Ungulates to Hydrologic Function in a Temperate Grassland

Abstract Hydrologic dysfunction associated with desertification of grazing lands likely depends on two opposing biophysical drivers, compaction by livestock and bioturbation by plant roots and soil biota. To understand which is most important, we conducted a long-term field experiment. We tested the effects of phytobiomass (control vs. herbicide treated) and three ungulate disturbance treatments (none, once, and twice disturbed) on soil water transport in northern mixed-grass prairie. Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (i.e., infiltration) was primarily reduced by the most severe (twice disturbed) ungulate disturbance treatment. To a lesser degree, ungulate disturbance and phytobiomass interacted, and similar levels of hydrologic dysfunction were detected for plots annually treated with herbicide and disturbed by a single livestock disturbance event (and while soils were dry and resistant to compaction) and naturally vegetated plots that had been twice disturbed (including while soils were wet and susceptible to compaction). Our findings suggest hydrologic dysfunction in grazing lands is mainly due to compaction by ungulates, especially when grazing at high stocking rates and while areas are vulnerable to compaction (e.g., fine soils, wet soils, not well vegetated).
Weekly Insulin Becoming a Reality.

Insulin was first isolated in 1921 and developed as a therapeutic agent in the 1920s. The initial crude preparations were injected multiple times daily because of their short duration of action. Consequently, there were many attempts to develop insulin preparations with prolonged biological availability in the hope that less frequent once-daily administration would be feasible (1). A host of such preparations were introduced, including protamine insulin, protamine zinc insulin, surfen insulin, globin insulin, iso-insulin, isophane insulin (NPH), and insulin zinc suspensions (lente insulins) (1) (Fig. 1). The goal was mainly to reduce the number of injections and thus the patient burden. Yet, with the development of a radioimmunoassay for insulin (2), it became apparent that physiologic insulin secretion involved two components: meal-related insulin secretion with postprandial spikes and basal insulin secretion that remains relatively constant with some minor pulsatility (3). Subsequently, as modern insulin therapy evolved, facilitated by patient self-monitoring of blood glucose (4,5), it became apparent that the inherent peaks in basal insulin preparations, such as with the nonsoluble NPH or lente insulins, created risk of hypoglycemia, especially if the insulin vials were not correctly rolled to create a proper suspension. Moreover, these insulins did not have sufficiently long duration of action to be used once daily. Consequently, in addition to making them soluble, two of the goals in development of basal insulin analogs, such as insulin glargine and insulin detemir, were to eliminate insulin peaks and to prolong the action to approach 24 h (6,7). Second-generation basal insulin analogs, such as insulin degludec and insulin glargine U300, came with …
Weighted graph Laplace operator under topological noise

Recently, various applications have motivated the study of spectral structures (eigenvalues and eigenfunctions) of the so-called Laplace-Beltrami operator of a manifold and their discrete versions. A popular choice for the discrete version is the so-called Gaussian weighted graph Laplacian which can be applied to point cloud data that samples a manifold. Naturally, the question of stability of the spectrum of this discrete Laplacian under the perturbation of the sampled manifold becomes important for its practical usage. Previous results showed that the spectra of both the manifold Laplacian and discrete Laplacian are stable when the perturbation is "nice" in the sense that it is restricted to a diffeomorphism with minor area distortion. However, this forbids, for example, small topological changes.We study the stability of the spectrum of the weighted graph Laplacian under more general perturbations. In particular, we allow arbitrary, including topological, changes to the hidden manifold as long as they are localized in the ambient space and the area distortion is small. Manifold Laplacians may change dramatically in this case. Nevertheless, we show that the weighted graph Laplacians computed from two sets of points, uniformly randomly sampled from a manifold and a perturbed version of it, have similar spectra. The distance between the two spectra can be bounded in terms of the size of the perturbation and some intrinsic properties of the original manifold.
Surrounding Nodes in Coordinate-free Networks

Consider a network of nodes in the plane whose locations are unknown but which establish communication links based on proximity. We solve the following problems: given a node in the network, (1) determine if a given cycle surrounds the node; and (2) find some cycle that surrounds the node. The only localization capabilities assumed are unique IDs with binary proximity measure, and, in some cases, cyclic orientation of neighbors. We give complete algorithms for finding and verifying surrounding cycles when cyclic orientation data is available. We also provide an efficient but non-complete algorithm in the case where angular data is not available.
Sample matrix effects in capillary electrophoresis: I. Basic considerations

Abstract Serum samples contain high concentrations of proteins and ions which interfere in the analysis of small molecules such as theophylline. These effects are minimized by employing an electrophoresis buffer with high ionic strength. Although such buffers slow the speed of the analysis, they minimize the effects of proteins and ions, improve the separation and enable a larger volume of sample to be introduced into the capillary leading to enhanced signals. Therefore, serum samples can be diluted in weak buffers and analyzed directly rendering capillary zone electrophoresis an attractive technique in the clinical laboratories.
Retrieving life-place from colonized space

Abstract The thesis advanced in this paper is that the phenomena of impeded development and ethno-national unrest in the Third World are inextricable from one another. Their origins are identified in the spatial structure of post-colonial states, which produce societies that are anthropologically, economically and ecologically fragmented. Such fragmentation derives from the drawing of colonial borders in a manner aimed at maximizing economic benefit and/or geostrategic advantage to the metropolitan powers. Boundaries drawn in this way did not serve the interests of indigenous social formations since they frequently divided such groups and the ecosystems of which they are a part. The post-colonial state today is essentially indigenized colonized space. These polities perpetuate the fragmentary ethnic and ecological territories pieced together as part of the imperial enterprise; decolonization simply entailed the transfer of control over these polities to indigenous elites. In this context, the territorial composition of the post-colonial state renders it resistant to sustainable development. The social fragmentation which is so dominant a feature of post-colonial societies seriously challenges the possibilities for nation-building as well as for development. The fragmentation of the Kurdish ethno-region as a result of the establishment of the post-colonial states into which it is divided serves as the illustrative case of this study.
Towards a Toolkit for Actor System Specification

This paper represents a first step towards developing a toolkit for modular reasoning about components of object-based open distributed systems. Our starting point is the actor theory framework [10],[11], a general semantic framework, based on the actor computation model, for specifying and reasoning about such systems. System components are modeled as actor theory configurations and an actor theory determines both an operational semantics and an abstract trace-like interaction semantics for its configurations. The “tools” presented here take the form of relations, operations, and transformations on actor theories that can be used to establish refinement and interaction equivalence relations between actor theory configurations. The use of these tools is illustrated by simple but representative examples.
A Voice of her Own: Translations of Ishrat Afreen's Poems

Abstract: The collection of translated poems by Ishrat Afreen is aptly title “A Voice of her Own” as the three poems reflect a strong feminist voice and a yearning for romanticism- a combination which is unique to Afreen’s work. The poems, “Age of Sorrow,” “The Messenger,” and “Poetics of Union” bring juxtaposing ideas together to reflect an authentic and creative voice from a female Urdu poet writing about very personal topics. The poet is a contemporary poet but one whose strength in classical and literary Urdu is very prevalent in her work.
Automatic online partial evaluation

We have solved the problem of constructing a fully automatic online program specializer for an untyped functional language (specifically, the functional subset of Scheme). We designed our specializer, called Fuse, as an interpreter that returns a trace of suspended computations. The trace is represented as a graph, rather than as program text, and each suspended computation indicates the type of its result. A separate process translates the graph into a particular programming language. Producing graphs rather than program text solves problems with code duplication and premature reduce/residualize decisions. Fuse's termination strategy, which employs online generalization, specializes conditional recursive function calls, and unfolds all other calls. This strategy is shown to be both powerful and safe.
Compact airborne aerosol lidar system

A compact 532 nm and 1064 nm aerosol lidar has been deployed for small aircraft and ground based atmospheric measurements. Analog and photon counting detection are used to provide high resolution 3-D profiles over the Atlantic Ocean.
The effects of firocoxib on cautery disbudding pain and stress responses in preweaned dairy calves

Perioperative analgesic effects of oral firocoxib following cautery disbudding were investigated in preweaned calves. Twenty Holstein calves approximately 4 to 6wk old received a single oral dose of firocoxib, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory, at 0.5mg/kg (n=10) or placebo (n=10) in a randomized controlled clinical trial. Responses, including ocular temperature determined by infrared thermography, pressure algometry measuring mechanical nociception threshold, and heart rate, were evaluated at 2, 4, 7, 8, and 24h after cornual nerve block and cautery disbudding. Blood samples were collected over 96h and analyzed for plasma cortisol and substance P concentrations by RIA. Additionally, ex vivo prostaglandin E2 concentrations were determined over a 72-h study period using an enzyme immunoassay. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed effects model with repeated measures. An inhibition of ex vivo prostaglandin E2 synthesis was observed from 12 to 48h following disbudding in calves treated with firocoxib. Cautery disbudding was associated with an increased nociception for the duration of sampling (24h). During the initial 24-h period following disbudding, no difference in response between treatment groups was noted. Following 24h, mean cortisol concentrations diverged between the 2 study groups with placebo-treated calves having increased cortisol concentrations at approximately 48h after disbudding. Furthermore, the overall integrated cortisol response as calculated as area under the effect curve tended to be reduced in firocoxib-treated calves. The prolonged effects of cautery dehorning require further investigation. Moreover, the effect of firocoxib on cortisol reduction observed in this study requires additional exploration.
Personality and situational correlates of self-reported reasons for intimate partner violence among women versus men referred for batterers' intervention.

This study examines personality and situational correlates of self-reported reasons for intimate partner violence (IPV) among women and men court-ordered to batterers' intervention as IPV offenders. Women endorsed self-defense and men retaliation as their primary reasons for IPV. Both also endorsed emotion dysregulation as a reason for much of their violence. Women's partner violence was largely, but not exclusively, situationally motivated. Women's reasons for violence also related significantly to self-reported borderline personality symptomology. Men's reasons for IPV related primarily to their self-reported antisocial and borderline personality traits, not to situational factors. Thus, the IPV of some women and some men may be considered "characterological," in that it reflects something about the individual's character or personality. Control or domination of one's partner was not a primary reason for violence among women or men, despite the assumption on which many batterer intervention programs are based, that IPV is primarily a power and control tactic. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are provided. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Elimination of Spurious Modes in SH0 Lithium Niobate Laterally Vibrating Resonators

This letter reports on a spurious mode suppression technique for the shear horizontal (SH0) mode lithium niobate laterally vibrating resonators. The concept utilizes triangular and arched edge shapes on the transversal sides of a resonant cavity to effectively distribute and scatter the acoustic waves in the inactive regions, yielding the suppression of transverse spurious modes. 2D models and 3D finite-element analyses were employed to theoretically verify the technique. For devices with the arched-shape edges, complete removal of higher order transverse modes has been experimentally demonstrated with $2\times $ enhancement for quality factor ( $Q$ ). The $Q$ enhancement arises from the improved concentration of mechanical energy under the inter-digitated transducers. The fabricated device exhibits a $Q$ of 920, a large electromechanical coupling ( $k_{t}^{2}$ ) of 17.8%, and a figure of merit of 164.
Urban Poverty in China – By Fulong Wu, Chris Webster, Shenjing He and Yuting Liu

A review of the book "Urban Poverty in China," by Fulong Wu, Chris Webster, Shenjing He and Yuting Liu is presented.
Single crystal magnetization studies of DySb

Abstract High resolution magnetization measurements in single crystal-spherical DySb samples have been performed versus T in fields to 23.6 kOe. Measurements with H along principal crystallographic and 〈11 2 〉 directions are interpreted in terms of the intermediate metamagnetic phase having the HoP structure. Magnetization components parallel and perpendicular to the applied field for field rotations in (110) and (111) crystallographic planes have been measured and are interpreted in terms of a simple model with a single critical field. For H ∥ 〈110〉, M and H are collinear. The (M - H - T) phase diagram has been determined for H ∥ 〈110〉. The metamagnetic transition is 1st order below a critical point Pc = (8.5 K, 14.7 kOe) becoming 2nd order above. Field induced order for T >TN is observed in agreement with the results of Brun et al. The absence of hysteresis in M∥(θ) for H in (110) and (111) planes is interpreted as evidence for the tunneling model in DySb.
A spatial correlation technique for estimating velocity fields using molecular tagging velocimetry (MTV)

A direct spatial image correlation technique is presented for estimating the Lagrangian displacement vector from image pairs based on molecular tagging diagnostics. The procedure provides significant improvement in measurement accuracy compared to existing approaches for molecular tagging velocimetry (MTV) analysis. Furthermore, this technique is of more general utility in that it is able to accommodate other laser tagging patterns besides the usual grid arrangement. Simulations are performed to determine the effects of many experimental and processing issues on the sub-pixel accuracy of displacement estimates. The results provide guidelines for optimizing the implementation of MTV. Experimental data in support of this processing technique are provided.
Determination of MK-0767 enantiomers in human plasma by normal phase LC-MS/MS.

Abstract A sensitive and selective analytical method for the enantioselective determination of MK-0767, a dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α/γ agonist, in human plasma has been developed and validated. The chromatography is based on normal-phase chiral separation on a Kromasil, 5 μm, CHI-DMB 250 mm × 4.6 mm column. The detection involves the direct introduction of the normal phase eluent into MS/MS without the addition of a post-column reagent. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APcI) mode was selected as the ion source in this method. With proper sample handling and processing procedures, ex vivo interconversion of the enantiomers was kept to minimum during sample collection, preparation and short term storage of frozen human plasma samples. The method was successfully utilized to determine the concentrations of MK-0767 enantiomers in human plasma to support pharmacokinetic investigation in man.
Transition from nanoparticle to molecular behavior: a femtosecond transient absorption study of a size-selected 28 atom gold cluster

AbstractTheultrafastelectrondynamicsofchemicallypreparedgoldnanoclusterswitha28atomgoldcoresurroundedby16glutathionemoleculeswereinvestigated.Afterexcitationwithfemtosecondlaserpulsestheseclustersshowaninducedtransientabsorptioninthevisiblefrom2.58to1.65eV(480–750nm)withamaximumaround2.07eV(600nm).Theexcitedstaterelaxationshowsabiexponentialdecaywithasubpicosecondandalongernanoseconddecaytimein-dependentofthelaserpumppower.Theseresultsarediﬀerentfromthoseobservedpreviouslyforlargergoldnano-particles,whichsuggeststhattheAu 28 –glutathionesystemshowsmolecularproperties. 2002ElsevierScienceB.V.Allrightsreserved. 1. IntroductionRecentlythechemicalsynthesisandstructuralcharacterizationofaverystable,water-soluble28atomgoldclusterwhichiscappedbyamonolayerof16tripeptideglutathioneunits(GSH¼c–Glu–Cys–Gly)havebeenreported[1,2].Theopticalabsorption spectrum of these clusters is wellstructuredwithadistinctabsorptiononsetnear1.31eV(950nm)correspondingtoanelectronicgapbetweenthehighestoccupied(molecular)or-bitalandthelowestunoccupiedorbital(HOMO–LUMOgap)[1].Aﬁrststrongabsorptionmaxi-mumisseenat1.84eV(675nm)followedbyacontinuousincreaseintheabsorptionintensityathigherenergies.Inarecentluminescencestudy[3]itwasfurtherfoundthattheseclustershavetwoseparateluminescencebandswithmaximaat1.5and1.15eV(800and1100nm)[3].Thetotalquantumyieldoftheluminescenceasmeasuredatambient temperature was approximated to beaboutð3:5 1:0Þ 10
Personal values' influence on the ethical dimension of decision making.

Personal values have long been associated with individual decision behavior. The role played by personal values in decision making within an organization is less clear. Past research has found that managers tend to respond to ethical dilemmas situationally. This study examines the relationship between personal values and the ethical dimension of decision making using Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis. The study examines personal values as they relate to five types of ethical dilemmas. We found a significant positive contribution of altruistic values to ethical decision making and a significant negative contribution of self-enhancement values to ethical decision making.
Permanent preparations with the Thomas arginine histochemical test.

A modification of Thomas' arginine histochemical method, yielding a stable coloration, is described. Elimination of some intermediary and clearing fluids which were found to have a dilatorious effect on the color, changes in the reaction times, and the use of mineral oil as mounting medium all contribute to color permanency. The method described is simpler than the original ones and offers considerable economy in time and material.
3D video transcoding for virtual views

Recent emerging development of three dimensional video (3DV) has been vigorously driving the Multiview Video Coding (MVC) standard developed by Joint Video Team as an amendment to H.264/AVC and the new 3DV standard developed by MPEG. It is expected that 3DV contents will soon be available to various media consumers. Because of the heterogeneous networks and terminal devices, a variety of end users shall not have (1) the 3DV decoder and view synthesize software installed on their devices, and (2) adequate network bandwidth for 3DV content delivery. 3DV transcoder is therefore necessary for users without 3DV decoder to enjoy 3DV services, as well as for service providers to better control virtual view quality of all 3DV customers. In this paper, we report the first 3DV transcoding scheme for virtual view, which is able to generate bitstream of one single view that can be decoded by H.264/AVC. The key idea of the proposed transcoding is to appropriately generate candidate motion and modes based on motion information from other views in the original bitstream making best use of inter-view correlation. These candidate motion and modes are then properly used to encode a virtual view with significantly reduced complexity for decoding by H.264/AVC. Simulation results show that, compared to the straightforward cascade algorithm, the proposed transcoding experiences minor performance loss with a significantly reduced computation cost. Such low complexity transcoding can be deployed at various media gateways to deliver 3DV content to non-3DV devices.
The analysis of complex developmental programmes: amphibian metamorphosis

Metamorphosis in frogs and toads is a set of complex developmental programmes controlled by thyroid hormone (TH). The pervasive and dramatic changes that occur as a tadpole turns into a frog have captured the attention of life scientists from many disciplines. For evolutionary biologists, the extent to which related organisms incorporate metamorphosis in their life cycle is of paramount interest. For specialists who study cell death, a burgeoning field of research interest, apoptosis is a major event in metamorphosis. It can be induced in many tissues, even in whole organs, by TH. For endocrinologists, TH-induced metamorphosis is a model for the general problem of the molecular basis of TH action and the interaction of the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the thyroid glands. However, the emphasis in this essay is the use of amphibian metamorphosis to study complex developmental programmes such as vertebrate organogenesis which can be initiated by the simple addition of TH to the tadpole's rearing water.
Same Setting Laparoscopic Antegrade Continence Enema and Antegrade Bladder Neck Injection for Constipation and Urinary Incontinence in the Spina Bifida Population

Purpose: Fecal impaction and urinary incontinence and are among the most important problems in patients with spina bifida. We report our preliminary results with a minimally invasive approach to these 2 problems, that is same setting laparoscopic antegrade continence enema and antegrade bladder neck injection.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the charts of all patients who underwent same setting laparoscopic antegrade continence enema and antegrade bladder neck injection between January 1, 2006 and August 1, 2008. Demographic data, surgical indications, operative details and results were recorded. Surgical steps were uniform in all cases. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed. Two additional 5 mm trocars were placed. The appendix was mobilized to reach skin in the right lower quadrant. The antegrade continence enema channel was matured. A small percutaneous cystotomy was then created via the suprapubic port site. The cystoscope was passed suprapubically and dextranomer/hyaluronic acid was injected in the ...
Intracoronary ultrasound imaging: intraobserver and interobserver variability of morphometric measurements.

Measurements of lumen and plaque dimensions by intracoronary ultrasound imaging are useful in assessing effects of intracoronary interventions and in quantifying plaque burden in transplant patients or during regression trials. However, these measurements are affected by inter- and intraobserver variability. In 87 patients, 120 intracoronary ultrasound images were obtained with a 4.3F, 30 MHz catheter. Morphometric measurements were performed two times by three independent observers using computerized planimetry. Intraobserver and interobserver agreement for qualitative parameters (presence of atherosclerotic plaque, calcified plaque, and residual nondiseased wall) was high (>87%). For quantitative parameters measured directly in the images (lumen area, minimal and maximal lumen diameters, area within the internal elastic lamina, arc of calcium plaque) interobserver and intraobserver correlation between measurements was high (correlation coefficient r > 0.90) and differences between measurements were low (mean differences 10%) occurred for plaque area. Thus most qualitative and quantitative measurements of lumen and plaque dimensions performed in intracoronary ultrasound images have low intraobserver and interobserver variability; derived parameters may have slightly higher variability. Variability of morphometric measurements has to be considered, especially when serial ultrasound measurements are compared.
Phenology of a northern hardwood forest canopy

While commonplace in other parts of the world, long-term and ongoing observations of the phenology of native tree species are rare in North America. We use 14 years of field survey data from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest to fit simple models of canopy phenology for three northern hardwood species, sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis). These models are then run with historical meteorological data to investigate potential climate change effects on phenology. Development and senescence are quantified using an index that ranges from 0 (dormant, no leaves) to 4 (full, green canopy). Sugar maple is the first species to leaf out in the spring, whereas American beech is the last species to drop its leaves in the fall. Across an elevational range from 250 to 825 m ASL, the onset of spring is delayed by 2.7±0.4 days for every 100 m increase in elevation, which is in reasonable agreement with Hopkin's law. More than 90% of the variation in spring canopy development, and just slightly less than 90% of the variation in autumn canopy senescence, is accounted for by a logistic model based on accumulated degree-days. However, degree-day based models fit to Hubbard Brook data appear to overestimate the rate at which spring development occurs at the more southerly Harvard Forest. Autumn senescence at the Harvard Forest can be predicted with reasonable accuracy in sugar maple but not American beech. Retrospective modeling using five decades (1957–2004) of Hubbard Brook daily mean temperature data suggests significant trends (P≤0.05) towards an earlier spring (e.g. sugar maple, rate of change=0.18 days earlier/yr), consistent with other studies documenting measurable climate change effects on the onset of spring in both North America and Europe. Our results also suggest that green canopy duration has increased by about 10 days (e.g. sugar maple, rate of change=0.21 days longer/yr) over the period of study.
A Structure of Bistable Electromagnetic Actuated Microvalve Fabricated on a Single Wafer, Implementing the SLA and PDMS Technique

This report presents a complete package for bistable electromagnetic actuated microvalve. The function of the valve is to control the fuel delivery system in a fuel cell unit for power generation [1,2]. The microvalves were fabricated on top of a single wafer using 8 masking steps. The fabrication processes have a maximum processing temperature of 300 °C, providing potentially a CMOS compatible process. The valve arrays that compromise of 12 valves per 12 MM × 12 MM chip are built completely by surface micromachining. The chip is assembled into a package with fluidic connection parts. The parts were made from the stereo lithography (SLA) frame that was filled with PDMS. The PDMS also acts as a gasket to seal the microvalve from leaking. The fluidic tests show that the whole valve assembly can stand from leaks up to the pressure of 57.4 kPa.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The Changing Face of Al Qaeda and the Global War on Terrorism

This article assesses current trends and developments in terrorism within the context of the overall progress being achieved in the global war on terrorism (GWOT). It examines first the transformation that Al Qaeda has achieved in the time since the 11 September 2001 attacks and the variety of affiliated or associated groups (e.g., what are often referred to as Al Qaeda "clones" or "franchises") that have emerged to prosecute the jihadist struggle. It then focuses on recent developments in Saudi Arabia and especially Iraq in order to shed further light on Al Qaeda's current strategy and operations. In conclusion, this article offers some broad recommendations regarding the future conduct of the GWOT.­
Profile of administrators of schools of nursing, part I: Resources for goal achievement

Part one of a two-part study was conducted with administrators of schools of nursing to determine the perceived importance of various resources in their goal achievement. The deans and directors of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing member schools were mailed a questionnaire that included the scale of Sources of Influence and sections on personal and career characteristics. A response rate of 73.5 per cent was obtained. The most important resource was communication skills; 99.1 per cent of the subjects indicated that this resource was highly important. The top resources also included interpersonal skills, creativity in thinking, ability to mobilize groups, and intellectual ability. The results were remarkably similar to earlier studies that used different subject groups. Similarities in the rankings were noted in the top-ranked resources as well as the lower-ranked personal traits, work or professional organization positions, and mentoring. The resources that are of a supportive or prescribed nature appeared to be less important than the resources that can be controlled and developed. For nurse administrators, particular emphasis should be placed on the development and enhancement of communication skills and the other thinking and relating types of skills.
Isolation of a major hydrophobic protein of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Abstract A protein of molecular weight 29,000 has been isolated from the mitochondrial inner membrane. It is a major component of Racker's hydrophobic protein mixture and is also rather selectively released from the inner membrane by lysolecithin treatment. Data indicate that the 29,000 component may be as much as 10% of the total protein of the inner membrane.