cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Racial Differences in the Anatomical Distribution of Colon Cancer

• The objective of this study was to determine whether racial differences exist with regard to the anatomical distribution of adenocarcinoma of the colon. We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with primary colon cancer seen during a 12-year period (1976 to 1987) identified by the Rush Tumor Registry. The setting was a large, tertiary-care, private medical center, located in the inner city of Chicago, Ill. A χ2unpaired Student'sttest of association was performed to detect any statistically significant difference in the anatomical sites of distribution between blacks and whites. A statistically significant percentage of black patients had proximally located primary colon lesions compared with white patients. This observation was independent of the actual anatomical definition of right-sided or proximal colon lesions. These findings suggest that a significant percentage of black and white patients are less likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer at a more curable stage, when abiding by the current screening guidelines of the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute. The impact is greater on black patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon. (Arch Surg. 1992;127:1241-1245)
A new grasshopper genus and species from Afghanistan (Orthoptera: Pamphagidae)

SYNOPSIS A new genus and species of Pamphagidae, in which the males have a unique stridulatory apparatus of the tegminal (alone) type, are described from males and females taken in Afghanistan.
Fabrication of electrically conductive Langmuir-Blodgett films comprised of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and nickel tetra-tert-butyl phthalocyanine

Abstract Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer and multilayer thin films were formed from nickel tetra-tert-butyl phthalocyanine and mixtures of this molecule with poly(3-hexylthiophene). In the mixed system, the phthalocyanine molecules serve as both a surface active agent to promote spreading and an electroactive material. The phthalocyanine rings exhibited a tendency to be stacked in one-dimensional arrays and oriented essentially perpendicular to the substrate, while the poly(3-hexylthiophene) molecules were found to be oriented nearly parallel to the substrate. The multilayer films of this system were rendered electrically conductive by doping with I 2 or SbCl 5 . Conductivities in the range of 10 −2 –10 −3 S cm −1 were observed in films containing a 5:1 mole ratio of poly(3-hexylthiophene) to phthalocyanine.
Nonlinear radiative condensation in a sheared magnetic field

A well-resolved two-dimensional nonlinear numerical simulation of the radiative/thermal instability in a sheared magnetic field is described which leads to filament formation. The condensation is initiated by a linearly unstable mode and widens until it is slowed by thermal conduction parallel to B. During the nonlinear evolution, the minimum temperature falls from 10 to the 6th K to 10 to the 4th K and eventually reaches a state of local thermal equilibrium in about five e-folding times.
The effect of contextual constraint on semantic judgments by Alzheimer patients.

Abstract Subjects (Alzheimer patients, normal young and elderly individuals) heard a sentence the last word of which was missing. A visual word then appeared and the subjects decided whether it made a sensible ending to the sentence. Sentences varied in the degree to which their semantic context constrained possible endings to the sentence. The degree of contextual constraint greatly influenced response time — the greater the constraint, the faster subjects made their decisions. While Alzheimer patients were slower than normals, their decision time was affected by contextual constraint to the same degree as that of normals. Thus, the performance of Alzheimer patients was sensitive to the amount of semantic context present in sentences, and this context facilitated their ability to make conscious semantic judgements. These findings suggest that Alzheimer patients are capable of using semantic information in a task requiring attention-dependent processes.
Chromospheric Magnetic Reconnection and its Implication for Coronal Heating

According to recent data analyses, the relationship between the coronal energy flux density and the photospheric magnetic flux density is approximately power law; estimates of the exponent tend to be noninteger and fall in the range 1-2. The index is closer to 2 for quiet regions and closer to 1 for active regions. We here examine this relationship on the basis of a recent model of coronal heating. We assume that the coronal energy flux is derived from reconnection of neighboring flux tubes at the level of the chromosphere, and we examine the rate at which such reconnection would occur in terms of a simple kinetic-theory model. In this model, flux elements appear randomly within supergranulation cells, are carried into the network according to a prescribed velocity field, and cancel in the network due to "collisions" between elements of opposite polarity. For any limited range of magnetic flux density, the relationship is approximately power law. We find that the power-law index is in the range 1-2: for weak fields it is close to 2, and for strong fields it is close to 1, in agreement with available evidence.
Analysis of spectral phenomenology in the detection of landmines

Georgia Tech is leading a spectral phenomenology research effort as a component of a Multi-University Research Initiative; these efforts are focused on studying the impact of environmental processes on electro-optical signatures. In particular, this program is conducting phenomenological studies on hyperspectral and polarimetric signatures of landmines and backgrounds in the visible and infrared wavebands. Research studies have focused on the impact of various environmental factors and processes (e.g., subsurface processes) on the resultant spectral infrared signatures. A variety of approaches have been employed in this research to gain a better understanding of the impact of the environment on the spectral and polarimetric characteristics of soil and landmine signatures. These approaches include theoretical analyses, physics-based signature modeling, field measurements, and laboratory studies. Results from these continuing studies will be presented that underscore the importance of incorporating the environmental processes into the signature analyses and analyze the impact of these processes on detection algorithm development. The results of these analyses have been propagated to algorithm developers to permit the creation of more robust processing techniques.
A new conservative numerical scheme for flow problems on unstructured grids and unbounded domains

Abstract We consider the prototype of a flow and transport problem in two dimensions. In particular, in many fluid dynamics problems the boundary conditions may be unknown, or the domain may be unbounded. Furthermore, only numerical schemes which conserve mass and are stable with respect to dominating convection are appropriate to solve these problems. Therefore, we develop a new discrete scheme to address these issues. More precisely, we couple the cell-centered finite volume method and the boundary element method and introduce suitable transmission conditions. Also (semi-) robust a posteriori estimates of residual type are developed which allow us to use an adaptive mesh refinement algorithm to treat efficiently problems which have singularities or boundary/internal layers. Several examples illustrate the effectiveness of our new adaptive coupling method.
Incorporation of Predictive Milk Yield and Dry Matter Intake Equations into a Maximum-Profit Ration Formulation Program

Predictive equations for milk yield and dry matter intake derived from research observations were incorporated into a linear programming model to develop a computerized maximum-profit ration formulation program. To incorporate these nonlinear equations into a linear model, a feasible production response surface was identified and divided into four smaller segments which were defined more adequately by linear equations. Production activities for dry matter units with varying amounts of concentrate and crude protein then were calculated. These activities reflected changes in milk yield in the middle of each production segment as crude protein and concentrate content varied. They were incorporated into a matrix with several types of feed ingredients. Minimum and maximum nutrient constraints outlined by the National Research Council and other research were incorporated into the matrix. The final solution was obtained by allowing the program to solve through one segment of the production response surface, accumulating results, then reformulating a ration for the next segment with the process continuing till maximum differences between milk sales and feed cost was reached.
The genome of a blood fluke associated with human cancer

The sequencing of the genome and transcriptome of Schistosoma haematobium, a highly prevalent blood fluke and human parasite with a proven link to malignant bladder cancer, marks the 160th anniversary of its discovery as the first schistosome known to infect humans. Comparative genomic analyses of S. haematobium and the more prevalent human-schistosomiasis pathogens (Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum) identified both shared and distinct genomic features.
Selection for resistance toBacillus thuringiensis δ-endotoxin in an insect cell line (Choristoneura fumiferana)

A cell line of the spruce budworm (FPMI-CF1) consists of a mixed population of cells that possess variable sensitivity to δ-endotoxin from crystals ofBacillus thuringiensis. A cell strain was selected from FPMI-CF1 which was resistant to the entomocidal protein extracted fromB. thuringiensis crystals. The resistant character was unstable, however, and could not be maintained in the absence of toxin during growth.
Number of portal tract macrophages correlates with the modified hepatic activity index in chronic hepatitis C infection

The Ishak modified hepatic activity index (mHAI) is widely used to score disease activity in chronic hepatitis C infection. However, the scoring of the mHAI components is subjective and prone to interobserver variation. Liver injury results in increased numbers of portal tract macrophages, which are easily identified via periodic acid-Schiff with diastase digestion stain. Evaluation of 30 liver biopsies from patients with chronic hepatitis C revealed increasing numbers of portal tract macrophages as scores of liver inflammation increased. Specifically, the number of PASD-positive portal tract macrophages per centimeter of biopsy length correlated with the level of portal inflammation and total mHAI score, and these correlations were statistically significant (P = .039 and .029, respectively). Although the portal macrophage count appeared to correlate with the interface activity and lobular necroinflammatory score, this did not meet statistical significance (P = .073 and .079, respectively). Interobserver agreement by κ analysis was greater for the portal macrophage count than for any individual component of the mHAI score. In summary, the number of periportal ceroid-laden macrophages correlates with liver inflammation as measured using the mHAI, with better interobserver agreement. This technique may serve as a useful adjunct to the mHAI in the assessment of liver injury in hepatitis C.
B-DNA Binding with Cobalt(III) and Vanadyl(2+) Derivatives of Tetracationic 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphine: Combined CD, Optical, and Electronic MCD Spectra.

Electronic MCD is used for the first time to obtain electronic and geometric structural insight into the free and DNA-bound states of the six-coordinate CoIII and VO2+ derivatives of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphine. Correlations between MCD, CD, and optical spectra measured in the porphyrin Soret band (or B0) region, and FLDr literature data, are consistent with each metalloporphyrin having a face-on orientation in the major groove of CT DNA, sites 5‘AT3‘ and 5‘CG3‘ being preferred, and with porphyrin electric dipole transition moments (edtms) μexD (most perturbed direction in the bound porphyrin) and μexD (least perturbed) having orientation angles of α/β/β‘ = ∼45°/180°/90° and ∼45°/180°/270°, respectively.
The effects of accelerated growth rates and estrogen implants in prepubertal Holstein heifers on estimates of mammary development and subsequent reproduction and milk production

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of accelerating growth rates and of imposing estrogen implants in prepubertal heifers on mammary development and subsequent reproduction and milk production. Sixty-eight Holstein heifers were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups by using a randomized complete block design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The treatments were standard growth rate (700 g/d) or accelerated growth rate (1000 g/d) and estrogen implant or no estrogen implant. The treatments were imposed over 20 wk, beginning at 4.5 mo of age and 130 kg of body weight (BW). During the treatment period, all heifers were fed individually and received the same diet, but the dry matter intake of each heifer was adjusted weekly to achieve the designated growth rate. The estrogen implants were removed at the end of the treatment period at 9.5 mo of age. After the treatment period, the heifers were group fed according to BW and age to allow the heifers to have a similar BW and age at calving. The accelerated growth regimen decreased age at puberty by 32 d. Age, BW, and body condition scores at calving were not significantly different among treatments. The accelerated prepubertal growth regimen decreased first lactation fat-corrected milk yield 7.1%. Prepubertal heifers given estrogen implants produced 5.2% less fat-corrected milk during first lactation than did heifers not implanted with estrogen. Estrogen implants stimulated a large increase in teat length growth during the treatment period, but the advantage was lost posttreatment. Over both the treatment and posttreatment periods, the estrogen implants reduced teat length growth by 30%. Accelerated growth rates from 700 to 1000 g/d and estrogen implants in prepubertal heifers decreased first lactation milk production.
Thought suppression, projection, and the development of stereotypes

The psychodynamic approach to stereotyping and prejudice focuses on how out-group denigration can result from people's efforts to defend themselves against unpleasant thoughts and feelings. In line with that approach, the role of defensive projection in the development of unfavorable impressions of other groups of people was investigated. Hypotheses were derived from Newman, Duff, and Baumeister's (1997) model of projection. Participants were told that they belonged to groups that might have some unfavorable attributes. When they were asked to suppress thoughts about one of those attributes, they subsequently projected it onto another group. This effect was strongest for groups that most successfully suppressed the thought (i.e., those that never mentioned the trait even once during a group discussion). In sum, when people avoid thinking about their own groups' shortcomings, thoughts about those characteristics could become highly accessible and be used to form impressions of other groups of people.
Three-probe microstrip measuring system for S-parameter measurements

The three-probe scheme for input impedance measurement was modified for measuring the S-parameters of a two-port device. The method is simple, low cost and can be easily scaled to millimetre-wave frequencies. The measured results were verified by an automatic network analyser. >
Since the DNA Molecule Returns from the Transcriptional Process Exactly as it was before the Process, the DNA→Protein Production Can Be Seen as a Series of Eigenvalue Problems

Sequence of operators acts on the linear DNA-eigenfunction and gradually transforms it into the 3D protein-eigenvalue. The eigenvalue equation for the DNA→Protein production is Protein (DNA) = RxMxSxTxUtw (DNA).The operation of splicing of an exon (S) is studied in the presented work:mRNA = S (preRNA). Here preRNA = TxUtw (DNA).For illustration, the human beta globin gene cluster located on chromosome 11 is applied. The β- and δ-globin genes are expressed during adult life. The e- and γ-globins are expressed in early embryonic and fetal erythroid tissues. The relative positions of the nucleic acid content centers for each globin gene before and after the splicing determine the initial and final 4x4 matrices. The eigenvalue equation of the preRNA → mRNA transformation is:| g u a c|⋯⋯⋯|g c a u|| c g a u| = S x |g c u a|| c a g u|⋯⋯⋯|c g a u|| g a c u|⋯⋯⋯|c g u a|By solving this equation one finds the matrix operator of exon splicing, S =| u g c a|| a a u u|| g u a c|| c c g g|Is the process of exon splicing a simple removal of the mass? Is it rather a selective removal of specific nucleic acids? The latter changes the flexibility and the strength of the polypeptide chain, and is driven by electrostatic interactions. The former is an important component in defining the final structures and the spatial stability of the protein.
Efficient Dehydrogenation of Amines and Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by a Tetranuclear Ruthenium-μ-oxo-μ-hydroxo-hydride Complex

The tetranuclear ruthenium-μ-oxo-μ-hydroxo-hydride complex {[(PCy3)(CO)RuH]4(μ4-O)(μ3-OH)(μ2-OH)} (1) was found to be a highly effective catalyst for the transfer dehydrogenation of amines and carbonyl compounds. For example, the initial turnover rate of the dehydrogenation of 2-methylindoline was measured to be 1.9 s−1 with a TON of 7950 after 1 h at 200 °C. The extensive H/D scrambling patterns observed from the dehydrogenation reaction of indoline-N-d1 and indoline-α-d2 suggest a monohydride mechanistic pathway with the C−H bond activation rate-limiting step.
Similarity of human mitochondrial transcription factor 1 to high mobility group proteins

Human mitochondrial transcription factor 1 (mtTF1) has been sequenced and is a nucleus-encoded DNA binding protein of 204 amino acids (24,400 daltons). Expression of human mtTF1 in bacteria yields a protein with correct physical properties and the ability to activate mitochondrial DNA promoters. Analysis of the protein's sequence reveals no similarities to any other DNA binding proteins except for the existence of two domains that are characteristic of high mobility group (HMG) proteins. Human mtTF1 is most closely related to a DNA binding HMG-box region in hUBF, a human protein known to be important for transcription by RNA polymerase I.
Structuring a Concurrent Design Environment for Effective Product Design and Development

Coordination within the team is a cornerstone of effective teamworking. This paper argues that Concurrent Design is a means to achieve effective product design and development. Concurrent Design is...
Records of the Yellow-Nosed Cotton Rat (Sigmodon ochrognathus) in Southwestern New Mexico

ABSTRACT. The yellow-nosed cotton rat (Sigmodon ochrognathus) previously was known only from extreme southwestern New Mexico in the Peloncillo and Animas mountains. Here I document S. ochrognathus at 3 localities from the Big Burro and Mogollon mountains in southwestern New Mexico. My northernmost capture represents an extra-limital record of 160 km north of prior records in southern New Mexico and represents the northernmost occurrence in North America. Lack of intensive mammalian surveys in the region render it difficult to interpret my recent captures, but the most parsimonious explanation is that captures likely represent overlooked populations. I captured S. ochrognathus in grassy areas ungrazed by domestic livestock along the Gila River. Understanding the use of limited grassland habitats along arid rivers by terrestrial vertebrates in the region is important because many of these grasslands have been converted to agricultural lands or are grazed by livestock.
Simulation metamodel estimation using a combined correlation-based variance reduction technique for first and higher-order metamodels

This paper develops a procedure for jointly applying the correlation-based variance reduction techniques of common random numbers and control variates in a simulation experiment that is designed to estimate a linear metamodel (that is, linear in the regression model parameters) for a single response variable expressed in terms of an input vector of design variables for the target system. This procedure combines (a) the method of common random numbers for metamodel estimation and (b) a metamodel estimation scheme based on the method of control variates. Under specified conditions on the dependency structure of the simulation outputs and with respect to a variety of optimality criteria, the combined procedure is shown to be superior to each of the following conventional correlation-based variance reduction techniques: independent random number streams, common random number streams, and control variates.
Linear pharmacokinetic models and vanishing exponential terms: implications in pharmacokinetics.

A series of models more closely related than classical models to known facts about drug absorption and disposition are presented. It is shown that mathematically such models require the same number of exponential terms in the equation describing the plasma concentration following intravenous administration as in that describing the plasma concentration following oral administration. However, it is also shown that one or two of the exponential terms of the intravenous, and sometimes the oral, equation often are relatively unimportant and appear to vanish on stripping or fitting of data. This phenomenon leads to ambiguity concerning which model to assign to one or more sets of data. The number of potential models in a given situation has now been greatly increased. It is also shown that if data obey these models then neither the Wagner-Nelson nor the Loo-Riegelman method provides estimates of absorption rate constants when the At/Vp, t data are analyzed by conventional methods.
Complications Associated with Aphakic Contact Lenses

Complications associated with rigid contact lenses are more frequent in aphakia. The limited dexterity of older patients not only may prove an insurmountable barrier to the mastery of daily contact lens insertion and removal, but also may produce significant direct eye trauma, its seriousness determined by the integrity of the cataract wound. Since prolonged wear of aphakic contact lenses is the rule rather than the exception, the risk of irreversible corneal changes such as vascularization and erosions is greater. A poorly fitted aphakic contact lens that does not permit adequate oxygenation of all corneal areas makes such complications even more likely to occur. Decreased corneal sensitivity associated with cataract surgery permits continued wear of a poorly fitted lens, which does not allow the cornea to recover between wearing periods. Detection of keratoconjunctivitis sicca, more prevalent in the older age group, may prevent the associated complications of corneal erosion, iritis, and infection. Complications of aphakic contact lenses can be controlled by patient instruction, appropriate contact lens adjustments, and regularly scheduled follow-up examinations.
Postischemic hyperperfusion on arterial spin labeled perfusion MRI is linked to hemorrhagic transformation in stroke

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hyperperfusion and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (ASL) with background suppressed 3D GRASE was performed during routine clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on AIS patients at various time points. Arterial spin labeling cerebral blood flow (CBF) maps were visually inspected for the presence of hyperperfusion. Hemorrhagic transformation was followed during hospitalization and was graded on gradient recalled echo (GRE) scans into hemorrhagic infarction (HI) and parenchymal hematoma (PH). A total of 361 ASL scans were collected from 221 consecutive patients with middle cerebral artery stroke from May 2010 to September 2013. Hyperperfusion was more frequently detected posttreatment (odds ratio (OR) = 4.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5 to 8.9, P < 0.001) and with high National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at admission (P<0.001). There was a significant association between having hyperperfusion at any time point and HT (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 2.0 to 6.3, P < 0.001). There was a positive relationship between the grade of HT and time-hyperperfusion with the Spearman's rank correlation of 0.44 (P = 0.003). Arterial spin labeling hyperperfusion may provide an imaging marker of HT, which may guide the management of AIS patients post tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and/or endovascular treatments. Late hyperperfusion should be given more attention to prevent high-grade HT.
Science and policy on Capitol Hill

I spent my year as the 1982–1983 AGU Congressional Science Fellow as legislative assistant to Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), covering environment and energy issues. I offer this final report of my year not only for potential Congressional Science Fellows but for all readers of Eos who may want to contribute to science policy making (but are afraid to try). My primary goal was to get a broad exposure to issues, organizations, people, and the legislative process; this I achieved beyond my expectation. Congress, remarkably, is set up like a vast marketplace: There are vendors (the lobbyists and interest groups) and consumers (the constituents), and each group makes its desires known to the members of Congress, who act as brokers. Issues are strewn about like so many fish—some stale and rancid; others fresh and meaty, the catch of the day. And there is no real respite: Problems requiring a response (if not a solution) will seek out even the most diffident Member or staffer.
Mixture additives inhibit the dermal permeation of the fatty acid, ricinoleic acid.

Abstract Ricinoleic acid (RA) like many of the ingredients in machine cutting fluids and other industrial formulations are potential dermal irritants, yet very little is known about its permeability in skin. 3 H -ricinoleic acid mixtures were formulated with three commonly used cutting fluid additives; namely, triazine (TRI), linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), and triethanolamine (TEA) and topically applied to inert silastic membranes and porcine skin in vitro as aqueous mineral oil (MO) or polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixtures. These additives significantly decreased ricinoleic acid partitioning from the formulation into the stratum corneum (SC) in PEG-based mixtures. Except for LAS, all other additives produced a more basic formulation (pH=9.3−10.3). In silastic membranes and porcine skin, individual additives or combination of additives significantly reduced ricinoleic permeability. This trend in ricinoleic acid disposition in both membranes suggests that the mixture interaction is more physicochemical in nature and probably not related to the chemical-induced changes in the biological membrane as may be assumed with topical exposures to potentially irritant formulations.
Enteral Nutrition Support in a Child After Bone Marrow Transplantation

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been associated with numerous negative side effects, which include prolonged anorexia. Historically, parenteral nutrition has been the method of choice for nutrition support. The possibility that enteral feedings may be a practical form of nutrition therapy for those BMT patients who have prolonged anorexia and who have adequate gastrointestinal function was investigated. RR, a 10-year-old male, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in March 1989. The patient received a bone marrow transplant in July 1992 from a human leukocyte antigen genotype-matched sibling. Because of the patient's prolonged anorexia, he was started on enteral feedings via a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding tube on day +63. Over the next 300 days of enteral nutrition support the patient's nutritional status improved as demonstrated by an increased weight and height and the maintenance of normal visceral protein stores. This suggests that enteral feedings may be beneficial for those BMT patients who have prolonged anorexia and have adequate gastrointestinal function.
LTR Retrotransposons Contribute to Genomic Gigantism in Plethodontid Salamanders

Among vertebrates, most of the largest genomes are found within the salamanders, a clade of amphibians that includes 613 species. Salamander genome sizes range from ~14 to ~120 Gb. Because genome size is correlated with nucleus and cell sizes, as well as other traits, morphological evolution in salamanders has been profoundly affected by genomic gigantism. However, the molecular mechanisms driving genomic expansion in this clade remain largely unknown. Here, we present the first comparative analysis of transposable element (TE) content in salamanders. Using high-throughput sequencing, we generated genomic shotgun data for six species from the Plethodontidae, the largest family of salamanders. We then developed a pipeline to mine TE sequences from shotgun data in taxa with limited genomic resources, such as salamanders. Our summaries of overall TE abundance and diversity for each species demonstrate that TEs make up a substantial portion of salamander genomes, and that all of the major known types of TEs are represented in salamanders. The most abundant TE superfamilies found in the genomes of our six focal species are similar, despite substantial variation in genome size. However, our results demonstrate a major difference between salamanders and other vertebrates: salamander genomes contain much larger amounts of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons, primarily Ty3/gypsy elements. Thus, the extreme increase in genome size that occurred in salamanders was likely accompanied by a shift in TE landscape. These results suggest that increased proliferation of LTR retrotransposons was a major molecular mechanism contributing to genomic expansion in salamanders.
Clinical Development of Ixabepilone and Other Epothilones in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

Chemotherapy efficacy in patients with solid tumors is influenced by primary and acquired multidrug resistance (MDR). Epothilones represent a novel class of microtubule inhibitors with lower susceptibility to drug resistance and efficacy in taxane-resistant tumors. While other epothilones are currently under investigation, ixabepilone is the first epothilone B analogue approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ixabepilone has been shown to have preclinical activity in chemotherapy-sensitive and chemotherapy-resistant tumor models, and synergistic antitumor activity with other chemotherapeutic and targeted agents. Single-agent ixabepilone has demonstrated clinical activity in multiple solid tumors including advanced breast, lung, prostate, pancreatic, renal cell, and ovarian cancers. Most notably, efficacy has been demonstrated in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) progressing after treatment with anthracyclines and taxanes. A phase III trial in anthracycline- and taxane-resistant MBC showed superior disease control with ixabepilone plus capecitabine versus capecitabine monotherapy, resulting in its approval. Ixabepilone is also active in chemotherapy-naive and taxane-resistant hormone-refractory prostate cancer and platinum-resistant non-small cell lung cancer. Neutropenia and peripheral sensory neuropathy are the most common adverse events associated with treatment. This review discusses the challenges of MDR and the data that support the use of epothilones in this setting, focusing on ixabepilone.
Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography: recent advances toward clinical utility.

With the advent of Fourier-domain techniques, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has advanced from high-resolution ‘point’ imaging over small fields-of-view to comprehensive microscopic imaging over three-dimensional volumes that are comparable to the dimensions of luminal internal organs. This advance has required the development of new lasers, improved spectrometers, minimally invasive catheters and endoscopes, and novel optical and signal processing strategies. In recent cardiovascular, ophthalmic, and gastrointestinal clinical studies, the capabilities of Fourier-domain OCT have enabled a new paradigm for diagnostic screening of large tissue areas, which addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies and focal biopsy.
Delayed DNA damage associated with mitotic catastrophe following X-irradiation of HeLa S3 cells.

Partial loss of the radiation G2/M checkpoint is thought to be an early event in cell immortalization. One of the attributes of immortalized cell lines is an increase in susceptibility to induction of genomic instability by clastogenic agents. Recently we have shown that in irradiated HeLa cells cell cycle delays in late S and G2 lead to overaccumulation of cyclin Bl and that enhanced intracellular levels of this positive regulator of the cell cycle is correlated with cyclin-dependent kinase activation, spontaneous premature chromosome condensation and subsequent mitotic catastrophe occurring following irradiation. Previous studies have shown that spontaneous premature chromosome condensation and mitotic catastrophe are independent of apoptosis. This report shows that 40 h following X-irradiation of HeLa S3 cells, and subsequent to mitotic catastrophe, DNA strand breaks appear which are chemically distinct from those initially produced by ionizing radiation. This delayed damage is recognized by terminal transferase and thus involves generation of free 3'-OH ends. Pulse field gel electrophoresis analysis of DNA size distributions shows that DNA fragments of -40 kbp and smaller are produced. As strand breaks produced as a direct result of irradiation are generally repaired within a few hours after exposure to X-rays at the doses used, these results describe a novel mechanism for generation of DNA damage occurring a day or more following irradiation. These results may be pertinent to the understanding of mechanisms underlying the delayed lethal effects of irradiation and may provide an initiating mechanism for radiation-induced genomic instability.
Describing service systems

There are many different normative frameworks for describing service systems that take a distinct conceptual perspective. They emphasize the physical arrangement or topology, the functions or processes, the chronology of experience, the causality of value creation, the flow of information or people, or other characteristics. These frameworks are deeply embedded in service system research and design practice, but we have not known how useful or natural they are. University students new to service science concepts described a service system they all used—the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. They identified and categorized the services they encountered or that were involved when they used BART and then created diagrams to depict the system. There was substantial variation in how students described BART in terms of scope, overall number of services, and their granularity. There was also great diversity in the classification of services and in the diagrams or other representations students created. Since most students had little exposure to normative frameworks for describing service systems, their diagrams were often hybrids of different frameworks. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SCEC Broadband Platform: System Architecture and Software Implementation

Online Material: Text‐based (BBP) input and output files and figures of goodness of fit; seismogram comparisons and source model illustrating the BBP validation of the Loma Prieta earthquake. The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Broadband Platform (BBP) is an open‐source software distribution that contains physics‐based ground‐motion models capable of calculating earthquake ground motions at frequencies above 10 Hz across regional distances. In addition, the BBP contains software tools for evaluating ground‐motion models and comparing simulation results to observed ground‐motion recordings and against ground‐motion prediction equations (GMPEs). The BBP also includes software utilities that help users run large numbers of ground‐motion simulations and manage the simulation results. Several of the ground‐motion simulation methods included in the BBP are described in related articles in this special focus issue. In this article, we describe how the BBP system architecture and software implementation support the scientific and engineering processes needed to assess ground‐motion models for use in engineering applications. The BBP design and development was initiated after a number of promising broadband ground‐motion simulation methods were developed (e.g., Atkinson and Boore, 2003; Boore and Atkinson, 2008; Graves and Pitarka, 2010; Mai et al. , 2010; Schmedes et al. , 2010). Researchers were interested in comparing ground‐motion simulation results between methods and in comparing simulation results to observations and to GMPEs. Such comparisons can be difficult because alternative methods often require different input parameters or specify input parameters in dissimilar formats. Fair comparisons between methods are only possible once multiple methods can input equivalent problem definitions and output comparable results. Based on previous experience evaluating simulation methods, seismologists and earthquake engineers recognized a need for a software tool to support the evaluation of the newly emerging broadband simulation methods. Drawing on discussions with both seismologists and engineers (e.g., Jordan and Maechling, 2003; Maechling …
Local composite quantile regression smoothing: an efficient and safe alternative to local polynomial regression

Summary. Local polynomial regression is a useful non-parametric regression tool to explore fine data structures and has been widely used in practice. We propose a new non-parametric regression technique called local composite quantile regression smoothing to improve local polynomial regression further. Sampling properties of the estimation procedure proposed are studied. We derive the asymptotic bias, variance and normality of the estimate proposed. The asymptotic relative efficiency of the estimate with respect to local polynomial regression is investigated. It is shown that the estimate can be much more efficient than the local polynomial regression estimate for various non-normal errors, while being almost as efficient as the local polynomial regression estimate for normal errors. Simulation is conducted to examine the performance of the estimates proposed. The simulation results are consistent with our theoretical findings. A real data example is used to illustrate the method proposed.
The Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Protein 2 Acidic Domain Can Interact with TFIIB, TAF40, and RPA70 but Not with TATA-Binding Protein

The Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2) acidic domain is essential for B-lymphocyte growth transformation and can activate transcription when brought to a promoter by a sequence-specific DNA-binding domain. We now show that the EBNA-2 acidic domain has slightly less activity than the proteotypic acidic transactivator VP16 in depleting nuclear extracts of basal transcription activity. Like VP16, EBNA-2 associates with TFIIB, TAF40, and RPA70. However, EBNA-2 has much less avidity for TATA-binding protein. A Trp-to-Thr mutation within the acidic domain abolishes EBNA-2 transactivating activity and greatly compromises the association with TFIIB, TAF40, and RPA70, establishing a genetic linkage between transactivating activity and these associations.
Quantitative Analysis of Latent Human Cytomegalovirus

Cytomegalovirus latency depends on an interaction with hematopoietic cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood. The distribution of viral DNA was investigated by PCR-driven in situ hybridization (PCR-ISH), and the number of viral genomes per cell was estimated by quantitative competitive PCR during both experimental and natural latent infection. During experimental latent infection of cultured granulocyte-macrophage progenitors, the viral genome was detected in >90% of cells at a copy number of 1 to 8 viral genomes per cell. During natural infection, viral genomes were detected in 0.004 to 0.01% of mononuclear cells from granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized peripheral blood or bone marrow from seropositive donors, at a copy number of 2 to 13 genomes per infected cell. When evaluated by reverse transcription–PCR-ISH, only a small proportion of experimentally infected cells (approximately 2%) had detectable latent transcripts. This investigation identifies the small percentage of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells that become latently infected during natural infection and suggests that latency may proceed in some cells that fail to encode currently identified latent transcripts.
Adaptive critic autopilot design of Bank-to-turn missiles using fuzzy basis function networks

A new adaptive critic autopilot design for bank-to-turn missiles is presented. In this paper, the architecture of adaptive critic learning scheme contains a fuzzy-basis-function-network based associative search element (ASE), which is employed to approximate nonlinear and complex functions of bank-to-turn missiles, and an adaptive critic element (ACE) generating the reinforcement signal to tune the associative search element. In the design of the adaptive critic autopilot, the control law receives signals from a fixed gain controller, an ASE and an adaptive robust element, which can eliminate approximation errors and disturbances. Traditional adaptive critic reinforcement learning is the problem faced by an agent that must learn behavior through trial-and-error interactions with a dynamic environment, however, the proposed tuning algorithm can significantly shorten the learning time by online tuning all parameters of fuzzy basis functions and weights of ASE and ACE. Moreover, the weight updating law derived from the Lyapunov stability theory is capable of guaranteeing both tracking performance and stability. Computer simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive critic autopilot.
Disordered metabolism in diabetes: Have we underemphasized the fat component?

Despite intensive investigation, a clear understanding of the metabolic disturbances in diabetes mellitus and their temporal relationship to each other during disease development has still not emerged. With emphasis on non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM), three possibilities are explored here: (1) that the insulin resistance characteristic of obesity/NIDDM syndromes is the result rather than the cause of hyperinsulinemia, as is widely held, (2) that the linkage between hyperactivity of the pancreatic beta-cell and peripheral insulin resistance is vested in excessive delivery of lipid substrate from liver to the muscle bed, and (3) the conceivably hyperamylinemia works in concert with hyperinsulinemia in promoting overproduction of very-low-density lipoproteins by the liver, and thus in the etiology of muscle insulin resistance.
Studies on the hydrolysis of sodium aluminate solutions. XIX.x‐ray diffraction studies of the crystals precipitated by seeded decomposition of sodium aluminate solution in the presence of some carbohydrates

X-Ray diffraction studies were carried out on the hydrated alumina precipitated during the seeded decomposition of sodium aluminate solution in the presence of glucose, cane sugar and starch (white potato), and the results are considered in relation to the rate of decomposition. Glucose and sugar suppress bayerite formation, may increase crystallite size, and slow down decomposition. Starch is without effect on bayerite formation and increases the rate and extent of decomposition.
A Study of Learners’ Usage of a Mobile Learning Application for Learning Idioms and Collocations

This study explored how four groups of language learners used a mobile software application developed by the researcher for learning idiomatic expressions and collocations. A total of 45 participants in the study used the application for a period of one week. Data for this study was collected from the application, a questionnaire, and follow-up interviews. Findings show that participants usage of the application correlated with their average scores on the quizzes in the application. The more participants used the application, the higher they scored on the quizzes which was the most used feature of the application. Findings show that usage of the application can be predicted by a variety of factors, such as language proficiency, users’ average daily usage of their mobile devices, and motivation and learning goals. Findings also underscore the importance of providing language learners with resources to help them learn idiomatic expressions and collocation. Participants strongly indicated that even within a short period of time, they felt they know more idioms and collocations since they started using the application. Findings also show that participants’ have strong positive attitudes toward the use of mobile technology in language learning.
Aged Mice Are Unable To Mount an Effective Myeloid Response to Sepsis

The elderly have increased morbidity and mortality following sepsis; however, the cause(s) remains unclear. We hypothesized that these poor outcomes are due in part to defects in innate immunity, rather than to an exaggerated early inflammatory response. Young (6–12 wk) or aged (20–24 mo) mice underwent polymicrobial sepsis, and subsequently, the aged mice had increased mortality and defective peritoneal bacterial clearance compared with young mice. No differences were found in the magnitude of the plasma cytokine responses. Although septic aged mice displayed equivalent or increased numbers of circulating, splenic, and bone marrow myeloid cells, some of these cells exhibited decreased phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species production, and chemotaxis. Blood leukocyte gene expression was less altered in aged versus young mice 1 d after sepsis. Aged mice had a relative inability to upregulate gene expression of pathways related to neutrophil-mediated protective immunity, chemokine/chemokine receptor binding, and responses to exogenous molecules. Expression of most MHC genes remained more downregulated in aged mice at day 3. Despite their increased myeloid response to sepsis, the increased susceptibility of aged mice to sepsis appears not to be due to an exaggerated inflammatory response, but rather, a failure to mount an effective innate immune response.
Glide Distribution in Classical Arabic Verb Stems

The seemingly idiosyncratic distribution of glides in the weak verb stems of Classical Arabic is given a coherent analysis as the consequence of constraint interaction, as defined by Optimality Theory. At the core of the analysis are two constraint rankings that determine the vowels of the verb stem. One ranking, which ensures harmonic parsing of a low vowel over high vowels, is based on input/output faithfulness; the other ranking, which ensures harmonic parsing of high vowels over a low vowel, is based on intercandidate faithfulness, as defined by Sympathy Theory. These constraint rankings interact with generally defined markedness constraints to account for glide distribution in all measure I verb forms without specific reference to morphological contexts. As a result, the complex distribution of glides in Arabic is not typologically anomalous.