cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Erdafitinib: A novel therapy for FGFR-mutated urothelial cancer

Purpose To provide an overview of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) gene alterations and the pharmacology, clinical effectiveness, dosage and administration, cost, and place in therapy of erdafitinib in bladder cancer. Summary Erdafitinib (Balversa, Janssen Pharmaceuticals) is a novel pan-FGFR inhibitor recently approved for the treatment of patients with advanced urothelial cancer with specific FGFR genetic alterations who have received at least one prior platinum-containing regimen. Erdafitinib binding to the FGFR2 and FGFR3 receptors inhibits FGF activity, resulting in cell death. Erdafitinib is available in tablet form, and the current recommended daily dosing is 8 mg, with dose escalation to 9 mg after 14 to 21 days of therapy if tolerated. A phase 2 clinical trial demonstrated that patients who received erdafitinib experienced on average 5.5 months of progression-free survival (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.2-6.0 months). In addition, 40% (95% CI, 31-50%) of patients responded to erdafitinib therapy. Patients receiving erdafitinib therapy should be monitored specifically for elevations in serum phosphate levels and changes in vision. Other adverse effects include anemia, thrombocytopenia, and electrolyte abnormalities. Conclusion Erdafitinib is the first small-molecule FGFR inhibitor approved for use in advanced bladder cancer.
Chapter 1 – Paleoclimatic Reconstruction

Paleoclimatology is the study of climate prior to the period of instrumental measurements. Instrumental records span only a tiny fraction (< 10− 7) of the Earth's climatic history and so provide a totally inadequate perspective on climatic variation and the evolution of climate today. A longer perspective on climatic variability can be obtained by the study of natural phenomena, which are climate-dependent and which incorporate into their structure a measure of this dependency. Such phenomena provide a proxy record of climate and it is the study of proxy data from natural archives that is the foundation of paleoclimatology. As a more detailed and reliable record of past climatic fluctuations is built up, the possibility of identifying causes and mechanisms of climatic variation is increased. Indeed, many natural archives also provide a record of past forcing (factors that may have caused the climate to change). Thus, paleoclimatic data provide the basis for reconstructing climates of the past and for testing hypotheses about the causes of climatic change. When the causes of past climatic fluctuations are understood, forecasts of climatic variations in the future will be on firmer ground.
The Influence of Unemployment and Disability Status on Clinical Outcomes in Patients Receiving Surgery for Low Back-Related Disorders: An Observational Study

Introduction Employment status plays an essential role as a social determinant of health. Unemployed are more likely to have a longer length of hospital stay and a nearly twofold greater rate of 30 day readmission than those who were well employed at the time of back surgery. This study aimed to investigate whether employment status influenced post-surgery outcomes and if so, the differences were clinically meaningful among groups. Methods This retrospective observational study used data from the Quality Outcomes Database Lumbar Registry. Data refinement was used to isolate individuals 18 to 64 who received primary spine surgeries and had a designation of employed, unemployed, or disabled. Outcomes included 12 and 24 month back and leg pain, disability, patient satisfaction, and quality of life. Differences in descriptive variables, comorbidities, and outcomes measures (at 12 and 24 months) were analyzed using chi-square and linear mixed-effects modeling. When differences were present among groups, we evaluated whether they were clinically significant or not. Results Differences (between employed, unemployed, and disabled) among baseline characteristics and comorbidities were present in nearly every category (p<0.01). In all cases, those who were disabled represented the least healthy, followed by unemployed, and then employed. Clinically meaningful differences for all outcomes were present at 12 and 24 months (p<0.01). In post hoc analyses, differences between each group at nearly all periods were found. Conclusions The findings support that the health-related characteristics are markedly different among employment status groups. Group designation strongly differentiated outcomes. These findings suggest that disability and unemployment should be considered when determining prognosis of the individual.
Teilprothesen am Kniegelenk – wann sinnvoll?

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty - a solution? Abstract. Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has various advantages over total knee arthroplasty (TKA); however, national joint registries communicate a significantly higher revision rate. Nevertheless, good results with high patient satisfaction can be achieved by appropriate patient selection. The good functional outcome may be due to the philosophy of the procedure, since the unicompartmental joint replacement is a pure resurfacing replacement, which aims to restore the individual, variable native, pre-arthrotic alignment, joint line and knee laxity, thus respecting the kinematics of the native knee joint. In addition, important proprioceptive structures such as ligaments are preserved. The advantages of unicompartmental joint replacement (minimally invasive procedure, preserving ligaments, cartilage and bone stock, more physiological kinematics, faster rehabilitation and easier revision surgery) outweigh the disadvantages of this procedure (technically more demanding, higher revision rate in national registers).
Spinal cord injury level and Phrenic Nerve Conduction Studies do not predict diaphragm pacing success or failure- all patients should undergo diagnostic laparoscopy.

Abstract Background Diaphragm Pacing(DP) demonstrates benefits over mechanical ventilation(MV) for spinal cord injured(SCI) patients. The hypothesis of this report is that phrenic nerve conduction study(PNCS) results cannot differentiate success or failure in selection of patients for DP. Direct surgical evaluation of the diaphragm should be performed. Methods Observational report of prospective databases of patients undergoing laparoscopic evaluation of their diaphragms to assess for ability to stimulate to cause contraction for ventilation. Results In 50 SCI patients who could not be weaned from MV, PNCS results showed latencies in stimulated patients (n = 44) and non-stimulated(n = 6) overlapped (7.8 ± 2.5 ms vs 9.4 ± 2.8 ms) and the null hypothesis cannot be rejected (p-value>0.05). Amplitudes overlapped (0.4 ± 0.2 mV vs 0.2 ± 0.2 mV) and the null hypotheses cannot be rejected (P-value >0.05). In 125 non SCI patients with diaphragm paralysis, there were 78(62.4%) with false negative PNCS. Conclusion PNCS are inadequate pre-operative studies. Direct laparoscopic evaluation should be offered for all SCI patients to receive the benefit of DP.
Tuberculosis Bacilli Identification: A Novel Feature Extraction Approach via Statistical Shape and Color Models

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease resulting in 1.5 M deaths worldwide every year. Early diagnosis can play an important role in reducing TB induced mortality rates. A common inexpensive approach to test for TB is a manual examination of sputum smear images under the light/fluorescent microscope. To enhance the process, computer-aided diagnostic devices and machine learning algorithms have been developed with the capability of identifying TB bacilli using image processing techniques. Here, we propose a novel statistical model of the shape and color of TB bacilli in Ziehl-Neelsen stained images under the light microscope to identify bacilli in these images. These simple statistical models are utilized as a general library for reconstructing any bacillus with various background colors and can overcome the difficulties associated with geometric feature extraction methods. We use various methods to classify the individual bacilli and overlapping bacilli from the rest of the image based on the eigenvalues of the shape and color models. Our results show that the k-NN classifier performs best among selected classifiers with an average accuracy of 82.7% for single bacilli and overlapping bacilli detection, and 99.1% accuracy of identifying individual bacilli alone from overlapping bacilli and other objects.
Recent Research on Late Life Depression.

Although most older adults are resilient in the face of health and social challenges, some do struggle periodically with clinically significant depressive symptoms which are associated with a host ...
An Examination of Moderating Effects of Demographics on Bullying to Turnover Intention: A Case of Korean Kitchen Employees in Upscale Hotels

The primary objective of this research is to identify the relationship between bullying and turnover intentions of kitchen workers. The study further investigates moderating effects of selected demographic variables on turnover intention when employees experience bullying. Cross-sectional survey data was collected from 288 kitchen workers from 12 upscale hotels in Korea. The results of the study identified several important demographic characteristics that determine employees’ intentions to leave. Practical recommendations are outlined for managers involved in human resources management. The study offers valuable insights for prospective employers to develop on-going programs to create a positive working environment within the hospitality industry.
Does deep brain stimulation improve Parkinson's disease-related lower urinary tract symptoms and voiding dysfunction?

Parkinson’s disease (PD), caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, leads to motor and autonomic symptoms. A large proportion of PD patients experience lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and voiding dysfunction, associated with poor quality of life. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an adjunctive therapy used in combination with medication for Parkinsonian motor symptoms and is currently being explored to treat PD-related LUTS. This review discusses the current literature on the effects of DBS on lower urinary tract function and whether this modality can be used to modulate PD-related LUTS and voiding dysfunction.
Climatology of aerosol optical properties at ACRF sites in the tropical warm pool region

[1] The long-term multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer measurements at three Atmospheric Radiation Measurements Climate Research Facility sites of Darwin, Nauru, and Manus have been processed to develop the climatology of aerosols in the tropical warm pool region at the interannual, seasonal, and diurnal temporal scales. Due to their unique geolocations and associated large-scale circulation patterns, aerosols at the Nauru site exhibit background oceanic characteristics (strongly correlated with the sea surface wind), aerosols at the Darwin site show strong influences by biomass-burning aerosols, particularly in the dry season, and aerosols at the Manus site have climatologic characteristics in between the Darwin and Nauru sites. There are no obvious trends of aerosol loading for past decades at all three sites. El Nino/Southern Oscillation has its impacts on aerosol optical depth, as well as particle size and composition, at all three sites. Madden-Julian Oscillation modulates aerosol optical depth at the Manus and Nauru sites along the equator but has no apparent impact at the Darwin site. The annual or seasonal variation of aerosols is closely linked with Indo-Australian monsoons, exhibiting wet and dry season differences. The aerosol loading is significant lower with relatively larger particles in the wet season than in the dry season. There are significant diurnal cycles in both aerosol optical depth and Angstrom exponent at the Darwin site: low values of aerosol optical depth and Angstrom exponent in the midday and the two peaks in the early morning and late afternoon. There are noticeable changes between the dry and wet seasons. The amplitude of diurnal variation during La Nina periods is greater than that during El Nino periods. However, there are no significant diurnal variations of aerosol loading at the Manus and Nauru sites.
A toolset for creating iconic interfaces for interactive workspaces

To work productively in an interactive workspace, users need effective interfaces for seamlessly sharing, annotating, and juxtaposing digital information across heterogeneous devices. In this paper, we present an interface toolset for constructing and using iconic interfaces for interactive workspaces. Using an iconic representation of the physical workspace, users can quickly and easily relocate applications and redirect input across devices. The toolset provides a graphical tool for rapidly constructing iconic representations for various workspaces, supports an existing interactive workspace infrastructure, and is engineered to be portable to others. A usability evaluation showed that the interaction design of the interfaces created with our toolset is effective for redirection and relocation tasks. Our results provide the first empirical baseline for comparing alternative interfaces for interactive workspaces. The use of our toolset facilitates more productive use of interactive workspaces for both individual and group work and is available for download today.
Radio Observations of Coronal Mass Ejections

In this chapter we review the status of CME observations in radio wavelengths with an emphasis on imaging. It is an area of renewed interest since 1996 due to the upgrade of the Nancay Radioheliograph in conjunction with the continuous coverage of the solar corona from the EIT and LASCO instruments aboard SOHO. Also covered are analyses of Nobeyama Radioheliograph data and spectral data from a plethora of spectrographs around the world. We will point out the shortcomings of the current instrumentation and the ways that FASR could contribute. A summary of the current understanding of the physical processes that are involved in the radio emission from CMEs is be given.
What is the meaning of a news link

This paper investigates the meaning of news links in the context of a qualitative description of links on the home pages of six online news sites. Links are analyzed according to the following taxonomy: who is saying what, where, when, and to what purpose. This 5-Ws method for analyzing links yields four meanings: navigation, commercial, social, and citation. It is argued that the meaning of news links, while theoretically infinite, actually lies within the boundaries of these four meanings. Opportunities to use computational tools to analyze large datasets of news links are discussed in the context of a journalism tool (Jot), the author and colleagues are developing. Issues raised by this taxonomy of news links are several, but two in particular are highlighted for discussion: (1) the role of navigation links in determining the form of news; and (2) the fact that opportunities to share content via social links invariably are outsourced to social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter.
Cardiovascular Effects of H2‐receptor Antagonists

The type II histamine receptor antagonists, cimetidine and ranitidine, widely used in treatment of peptic ulcer disease have been reported to cause bradycardia. To evaluate the cardiovascular effects of H2 antagonists nineteen healthy volunteers were entered into a double-blind crossover comparison of cimetidine 300 mg qid, ranitidine 150 mg bid, and placebo. Subjects ingested study medicine for 7 days prior to being tested by the Bruce Exercise Test. Heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption, expiratory volume, and fractional expiration of CO2 and O2 were measured at rest, exercise and recovery. A plasma sample for determination of cimetidine and ranitidine levels were obtained prior to the exercise period. Multivariate analysis and paired t test revealed no significant differences for the cardiovascular or pulmonary variables. However, in 5 subjects, the heart rate at 25% maximum VO2 was depressed 8% (P less than or equal to 0.03). This effect in a small percentage of the population suggests that further studies are needed to determine if subpopulations are affected.
Evidence that the dissociation of human haemoglobin by p-mercuribenzoate is related to the structure of the β-chain

Abstract Human haemoglobin A, but not rabbit or C57B1 mouse haemoglobin, was separated by electrophoresis into α- and β-subunits after treatment with excess p-mercuribenzoate at pH 6. Sedimentation equilibrium analyses revealed that human haemoglobin treated in this way was dissociated partially into monomeric subunits at this pH; the rabbit and mouse haemoglobins did not dissociate to monomers. Experiments were performed to determine if the ability of haemoglobin A to dissociate into the individual chains could be correlated with the structure of either the α- or β-chain. The α2A β2RAB and α2RAB β2A hybrid haemoglobins were formed and subsequently isolated by electrophoresis on columns of polyacrylamide gel. Upon treatment with p-mercuribenzoate, the α2RAB β2A hybrid, like human haemoglobin A, dissociated into two electrophoretically separable components. The α2A β2RAB hybrid, like the rabbit haemoglobin, did not dissociate into components separable by electrophoresis. Similar results were obtained in experiments with hybrid haemoglobins containing human and C57B1 mouse chains. These data indicate that the ability of haemoglobin A to dissociate into α- and β-subunits is related to the structure of the β-chain, and are consistent with the hypothesis that the presence and position of the two cysteine residues in the human β-chain are important in the dissociation by p-mercuribenzoate. These results suggest that high yields of haem-containing α-chains from some animal haemoglobins may be obtained by forming a hybrid with human haemoglobin A and subsequently dissociating the isolated hybrid with p-mercuribenzoate.
Statistical Significance Testing and Cumulative Knowledge in Psychology: Implications for Training of Researchers

Data analysis methods in psychology still emphasize statistical significance testing, despite numerous articles demonstrating its severe deficiencies. It is now possible to use meta-analysis to show that reliance on significance testing retards the development of cumulative knowledge. But reform of teaching and practice will also require that researchers learn that the benefits that they believe flow from use of significance testing are illusory. Teachers must revamp their courses to bring students to understand that (a) reliance on significance testing retards the growth of cumulative research knowledge; (b) benefits widely believed to flow from significance testing do not in fact exist; and (c) significance testing methods must be replaced with point estimates and confidence intervals in individual studies and with meta-analyses in the integration of multiple studies. This reform is essential to the future progress of cumulative knowledge in psychological research.
Faculty Perceptions of a Basic Self‐instructional Teaching Analysis Programme

Abstract Fourteen college and high school faculty used a self‐instructional teaching analysis programme to assess their own use of 20 specific teaching skills and behaviours. Faculty collected and analysed data from multiple sources to arrive at a profile of their major teaching strengths and areas needing improvement. The researcher collected data to determine faculty perceptions of the usefulness of the self‐instructional approach to teaching analysis, the usefulness of the particular materials under study and the time required to administer the self‐instructional programme as compared with similar services provided by a specialist.
403. Long-Term, High alpha-L-iduronidase Expression in MPS I Dogs Following Neonatal, Intravenous, Retroviral Vector Gene Therapy

Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) is a lysosomal storage disease due to deficient activity of alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA). Manifestations include bone and joint disease, heart disease, and neurological dysfunction. The MPS I dog has a G to A transition in the donor splice site of intron 1 creating a premature termination codon at the exon-intron junction. The disease in the dog resembles the clinical manifestation in humans. We treated six MPS I dogs at three days of age intravenously with 2.5 to 10.1 |[times]| 10E9 (mean 3.6+/-2.9 SD) transducing units (TU)/kg of a retroviral vector (RV) expressing canine IDUA from the human 1-antitrypsin promoter (hAAT-cIDUA-WPRE). The group had 22-749 nmol/ml/hr of serum IDUA activity (mean = 337+/-334; normal = 14.6 +/-2.4, N = 7) (Fig. 1). The 3 oldest dogs at more than 1 year of age have stable activity at 1.3x, 2.1x, and 41|[times]| normal. The serum activity was not proportional to the dose. Clinically in the dog, early manifestations of MPS I are much less severe than those of MPS VII previously reported. Early signs include facial dysmorphia, prolapse of the 3rd eyelid, corneal clouding, mitral valve insufficiency, and joint disease. The 3 RV-treated dogs at 1 year of age showed improvement in corneal clouding, facial dysmorphia, 3rd eyelid prolapse, and valvular heart disease. Corneal clouding scores were 0/3,1/3, and 0/3 for the RV-treated dogs (serum IDUA activity of 35, 22, and 684 nmol/ml/h, respectively) compared with scores of 2/3 for four 6 month-old untreated MPS I dogs. Scores for facial dysmorphia were 0/4 for all RV-treated dogs compared to 2-3/4 for 3 untreated dogs. No treated MPS I dog exhibited 3rd eyelid prolapse, a sign seen in all untreated dogs. At 1 year of age, none of the 3 RV-treated dogs had a cardiac murmur, whereas two of the three oldest untreated MPS I dogs had a grade 2/6 murmur of mitral insufficiency. Two untreated dogs were euthanized at 1 year of age due to signs of severe cervical spinal cord disease, no signs of which are present in any of the treated dogs, the oldest of which is 17 months. One dog was treated with 1.3X10E9 TU/kg at 7 weeks of age and at 6 weeks post-treatment has 2.9 nmol/ml/hr (17% of normal) IDUA activity in serum (I-173, Fig. 1), which has been stable since 4 days post-transduction. These data show that in contrast to previous treatment modalities, neonatal, intravenous, RV gene therapy was successful in producing stable serum IDUA levels in MPS I dogs, improving early clinical disease.
Locke, Darwin, and the American Science of Modern Virtue

American “progress” has typically been reconstructed in terms of the Lockean understanding of who we are. That “progress” is only ambiguously progress. It highlights the truth about our personal freedom, but at the expense of the truth about who we are as free and relational beings. So our Lockeanism receives and deserves Darwinian criticism—criticism from the point of view of the social animals evolutionary theory says we are. This article is a scientific prelude to our openness to a theory that incorporates what’s true about Locke, what’s true about Darwin, and more.
Pion Double Charge Exchange on He-4

We have examined the reaction /sup 4/He(..pi../sup + -/,..pi../sup - +/)4(/sup p//sub n/) in a model in which there occur two single ..pi..-N charge-exchange scatterings with intermediate off-shell pion propagation between scatterings. Separable ..pi..-nucleon t matrices having off-shell form factors were used with fully antisymmetrized nuclear wave functions. Spin-flip of the struck nucleons was included. Both angular distributions and total cross sections were calculated and compared with available data.
Arginine 49 Is a Bifunctional Residue Important in Catalysis and Biosynthesis of Monomeric Sarcosine Oxidase: A Context-Sensitive Model for the Electrostatic Impact of Arginine to Lysine Mutations†,‡

Monomeric sarcosine oxidase (MSOX) contains covalently bound FAD and catalyzes the oxidative demethylation of sarcosine ( N-methylglycine). The side chain of Arg49 is in van der Waals contact with the si face of the flavin ring; sarcosine binds just above the re face. Covalent flavin attachment requires a basic residue (Arg or Lys) at position 49. Although flavinylation is scarcely affected, mutation of Arg49 to Lys causes a 40-fold decrease in k cat and a 150-fold decrease in k cat/ K m sarcosine. The overall structure of the Arg49Lys mutant is very similar to wild-type MSOX; the side chain of Lys49 in the mutant is nearly congruent to that of Arg49 in the wild-type enzyme. The Arg49Lys mutant exhibits several features consistent with a less electropositive active site: (1) Charge transfer bands observed for mutant enzyme complexes with competitive inhibitors absorb at higher energy than the corresponding wild-type complexes. (2) The p K a for ionization at N(3)H of FAD is more than two pH units higher in the mutant than in wild-type MSOX. (3) The reduction potential of the oxidized/radical couple in the mutant is 100 mV lower than in the wild-type enzyme. The lower reduction potential is likely to be a major cause of the reduced catalytic activity of the mutant. Electrostatic interactions with Arg49 play an important role in catalysis and covalent flavinylation. A context-sensitive model for the electrostatic impact of an arginine to lysine mutation can account for the dramatically different consequences of the Arg49Lys mutation on MSOX catalysis and holoenzyme biosysnthesis.
Ionic permeation of lipid bilayer membranes mediated by a neutral, noncyclic Li+-selective carrier having imide and ether ligands. I. Selectivity among monovalent cations

We have found that Simon's neutral, noncyclic, Li+-selective complexone, which has imide and ether ligands, renders lipid bilayer membranes selectively permeable to certain cations and anions. The present paper characterizes the ability of this molecule to carry monovalent cations; and we show it to be most selective for Li+ among the alkali cations, the first reconstitution of Li+-selective permeation in lipid bilayer membranes. This complexone acts as an “equilibrium-domain” carrier for Ag+> Li+>Tl+>Na+>NH 4 + >Rb+>Cs+ over a wide range of experimental conditions. The major type of membrane-permeating species formed is a 2∶1 carrier/cation complex dominant except at the lowest salt and carrier concentrations where a 1∶1 carrier/cation, with a similar selectivity sequence, can be detected. Among the groupIa cations the selectivity sequence in bilayers, Li+>Na+>K+>Rb+>Cs+, is similar to that previously found for this molecule in thick solvent-polymer membrane electrodes. We find this carrier to be more selective to Ag+ than to any other monovalent cation yet studied. This high Ag+ selectivity is used, together with the dependence of the selectivity on the nature of the N-amide substitutents, to argue that the imide oxygens play a major role as ligands.
Simulations of Pickup-Ion Acceleration at Quasi-Perpendicular Shocks

We present results from hybrid simulations (kinetic ion/fluid electron) of the interaction of interstellar pickup ions with collisionless shocks. Since cross-field transport is unphysically suppressed in the one-dimensional geometry used here, an ad hoc scattering algorithm is used to model this effect. This is a necessary step to accelerate the pickup ions from their initial low energies at quasi-perpendicular shocks to the high energies which are often observed associated with traveling interplanetary shocks by Ulysses.
Correlation of infants' brain and behavior response to temporal changes in visual stimulation.

This research was designed to test the hypothesis that a direct, parametric relationship exists between infant attention and the occipital visual evoked potential (VEP) induced by temporal frequency of visual pattern stimulation. Infants (13-weeks-old; N=32) were shown identical checkerboard patterns modulated at different rates of temporal change in a paired-comparison design and durations of orienting responses were measured. Another group of infants (13-weeks-old; N=14) were shown a series of checkerboard patterns, each modulated at a different temporal rate, and the midline occipital brain response was recorded. The results showed that behavioral attention and the signal strength/sec of the VEP are both significantly related to temporal frequency of stimulation. Furthermore, when plotted to the log2 of temporal rate, both behavioral and neurophysiological response functions were best described by inverted U-shaped curves with similar maxima (4.8 Hz vs 5.8 Hz). These data taken together indicate that infants’visual attention and occipital brain response to temporal frequency covary and that a common neurophysiological mechanism may be involved.
A revisit to the one form kinetic model of prothrombinase

Thrombin is generated enzymatically from prothrombin by two pathways with the intermediates of meizothrombin and prethrombin-2. Experimental concentration profiles from two independent groups for these two pathways have been re-analyzed. By rationally combining the independent data sets, a simple mechanism can be established and rate constants determined. A structural model is consistent with the data-derived finding that mechanisms that feature channeling or ratcheting are not necessary to describe thrombin production.
New directions for high-Q microcavities

Summary form only given. High-Q performance in microcavities relies upon use of low absorption dielectrics and creation of smooth dielectric interfaces. For chip-compatible devices, silica has the lowest intrinsic material loss [1]. Microtoroid resonators combine this low material loss with a reflow technique in which surface tension is used to smooth lithographic and etch-related blemishes [2]. At the same time, reflow smoothing makes it very challenging to fabricate larger diameter UHQ resonators and likewise to leverage the full range of integration tools and devices available on silicon. The devices reported here attain Q factors as high as 875 million using only conventional semiconductor processing methods [3]. Moreover, the best Q performance occurs for diameters greater than 500 microns, a size range that is difficult to access using microtoroids on account of the limitations of the reflow process. Fabrication control of the free-spectral range to 1:20,000 is also demonstrated, opening the possibility of precision repetition rate control in microcombs [4] or precision spectral placement of modes in certain nonlinear oscillators [3,5,6]. As an application, the use of these devices in microcombs [5] and also for microwave generation by stimulated Brillouin scattering will be described [6]. For the latter, a microwave synthesizer with performance comparable to mid-range commercial systems is demonstrated. Finally, the resonator micro-fabrication process also lends itself to creation of record low loss waveguides on chip. Delay lines as long as 27 meters will be described in which waveguide loss is less than 0.1 dB/m [7].
Pre-Sleep Arousal and Sleep Problems of Anxiety-Disordered Youth

The current study examined sleep problems and pre-sleep arousal among 52 anxious children and adolescents, aged 7-14 years, in relation to age, sex, ethnicity, and primary anxiety disorder. Assessment included structured diagnostic interviews and parent and child completed measures of sleep problems and pre-sleep arousal. Overall, 85% of parents reported clinically-significant child sleep problems, whereas 54% of youth reported trouble sleeping. Young children, those with primary generalized anxiety disorder, and Latino youth experienced the greatest levels of sleep disturbance. Additionally, greater levels of pre-sleep cognitive rather than somatic arousal were found and pre-sleep thoughts were associated with decreased total sleep duration and greater sleep problems. Findings suggest that attention to sleep should be part of assessment procedures for anxious children in both research and clinical settings.
Leading a start-up in an enterprise: Lessons learned in creating Microsoft Response Point [DSP Education]

For many of us who have worked on technologies, a dream simply won't quit. This dream is to bring the miraculous technology we have researched and refined for many years to the mass market. This dream is to offer the public a new feature, a new product, or a new service, derived from the great technology we helped to create, to make the world a much better place.
A new integral approximation formula for kinetic analysis of nonisothermal TGA data

Etablissement d'une nouvelle formule integrale approchee pour l'analyse cinetique des donnees experimentales d'etudes de pyrolyse par thermogravimetrie. Comparaison de la precision de cette formule avec celle de la formule proposee par Coats-Redfan
The General Behavior Inventory as an outpatient screen for dysthymic disorder

High prevalence, morbidity, and response to treatment make the detection of dysthymic disorder an important public health issue. We report our experience with the General Behavioral Inventory, a self-report questionnaire developed to detect affective illness, including dysthymic disorder. In a small sample of psychiatric outpatients the instrument yielded a sensitivity of 61% and a specificity of 88% for dysthymic disorder. These results challenge the utility of this instrument for detecting dysthymic disorder in this population.
Is terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase an intracellular mutagen

Abstract We have established stably transformed mammalian cell lines expressing recombinant human terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. A 58 kDa, enzymatically active protein is produced by these cell lines. Using the lac I gene of pJYMib shuttle vector as mutagenic target, we found no increase in mutation retes in cells expressing terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase compared to controls. Our results suggest that the presence of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase alone in mammalian cells does not increase mutation rates.
Evidence for the presence of two thiocyanate-dependent antibacterial systems in human saliva

Abstract Two lactobacillus inhibitory systems have been demonstrated in human parotid secretions. One of these consists of hydrogen peroxide, thiocyanate and a peroxidative enzyme. The second system consists of thiocyanate and an unidentified salivary protein component. The peroxidative system functions aerobically and is inhibited by the presence of catalase. The non-peroxidative system functions as well anaerobically as aerobically and is not inhibited by catalase. The reaction products produced differ in the two systems. The thiocyanate carbon was shown to be converted to a non-volatile product in the non-peroxidative system whereas it appears to be converted to a volatile product in the peroxidase system. The use of sulphur-35 labelled thiocyanate demonstrated the production of sulphite and sulphate reaction products in the peroxidative system. However, these products were not demonstrable in the non-peroxidative inhibitory system.
Podapolipus kurosai spec. nov. (Acari: Podapolipidae), Parasite of Phloeonotus humilis Gerstaecker (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) in Swaziland, Southern Africa

Podapolipus kurosai spec. nov. (Acari: Podapolipidae) is described, illustrated and compared with related Podapolipus species from Orthoptera and Blattodea. Podapolipus kurosai is a subpronotal parasite of the pigmy grasshopper Phloeonotus humilis Gerstaecker collected in Swaziland, Southern Africa. This is the first record of a podapolipid mite from Tetrigidae.
Some Studies of the Effects of Axial Conduction in a Tube Wall on the Steady-State Laminar Convective Heat Transfer

Whenever a superheated fluid flowing inside a tube is cooled to its saturated state, there is a sudden and significant increase in the heat transfer coefficient at the solid-fluid interface. Since the temperature of the fluid remains almost constant, this causes a step change in heat flux at the tube wall. This increased heat flux will increase the temperature of the tube wall. Even for thin wetted tubes, this temperature increase can cause considerable heat flow along the axial direction of the tube. This axial conduction in the tube wall may have an influence on the rate of condensation of the fluid and the amount of heat removed from the fluid flowing inside the tube. There are other situations, such as in power plants, where a step increase in heat flux to the tube may occur. Therefore, a detailed study of this effect of a step increase in heat transfer at a given location was initiated. A careful examination of the literature reveals that a considerable amount of work has been done in the area of conjugate heat transfer in channel flows. The present investigation was prompted by the increase in heat transfer near the condensation point of a superheatedmore » vapor being cooled inside a circular pipe. The conjugate heat transfer with the added complexity of a two-phase flow prevented this exact problem from being solved. In order to reduce the complexity of the problems, the effects of axial tube wall conduction on the steady-state, laminar, convective heat transfer of a single-phase fluid with a step change in heat flux were studied.« less
The financial crisis and bank–client relationships: Foreign ownership, transparency, and portfolio selection

Abstract Using a unique dataset that matches banks with their client firms, we investigate the differences between foreign and domestic banks in a developing country. In particular, we are interested in examining how foreign banks solve the information asymmetries that characterize lending relationships and whether those relationships have changed since the financial crisis of 2008. Foreign banks are likely to limit their lending activity to larger firms or more transparent firms because they are at an informational disadvantage relative to domestic banks. We find that foreign banks focus on relationships with foreign, listed, and larger firms. In addition, their portfolio is more heavily weighted towards firms in less competitive industries and exporting firms. Comparing outcomes for 2006 and 2009, we find that banks are more concerned with leverage in 2009 and have reduced the number of firms in their portfolio post-crisis.
Development of an inexpensive remote radio control system for slide projection

An inexpensive remote radio control system for slide projection has been developed. It consists of an electronic receiver/decoder designed for attachment to commercially available slide projectors and a self-contained, portable FM transmitter with a foldable (collapsible) antenna/pointer. The system allows remote lens focusing (forward and backward) and slide change (forward and reverse) to be accomplished over a 100-ft range. It offers desirable freedom of movement to the lecturer or behavioral researcher, by eliminating locational restraints imposed by the extension cord.
AN INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN ENGLISH. Gunnel Tottie . Oxford: Blackwell, 2002. Pp. xx + 294. $68.95 cloth, $31.95 paper.

Virtually all American English teachers who have taught outside of the United States have been confronted by student questions about the differences between American and British English, often with the implication that British English is somehow superior. Despite such implications, the economic and political importance of the United States, as well as the attractiveness of American universities to international students, has created a strong demand for more knowledge about American varieties of English. An introduction to American English goes a long way toward meeting that demand.
Theory of the soliton-lattice to polaron-lattice transition in conducting polymers

Abstract We begin by reviewing the conditions under which an accurate representation of the excitations of a conducting polymer can be derived starting from a simple Fermi-liquid-like model, such as the SSH model, which incorporates only a single explicit interaction, the electron-phonon interaction, with the effects of other interactions included pertubatively. We show that it is reasonable to suppose that these conditions are satisfied in lightly doped trans -(CH)x. However, heavily doped (CH)x is shown to violate these conditions leading to the conclusion that several other residual interactions can qualitatively affect the nature of the excitation spectrum. We show that in certain very simplified models, either interchain coupling or electron-electron interactions can drive a transition from a ground state which has the symmetries and quantum numbers of a soliton-lattice to one which has the properties of a polaron lattice. Finally, we present possible experimental signatures of the soliton-lattice to polaron-lattice transition, some of which have been observed in doped trans -(CH)x.
Prompt Orchiectomy Reduces Morbidty and Mortal from Testicular Carcinoma

Summary— The records of 154 patients with non-seminomatous germ cell testicular tumours were reviewed to determine the potential effect of prompt diagnosis and orchiectomy on morbidity and mortality from this disease. Orchiectomy was performed 30 days or less after the onset of testicular symptoms on 65 patients (Group 1) and more than 30 days after the onset of symptoms on 89 patients (Group 2). The initial clinical stages of Group 1 patients were: I, 40 (62%); II, 14 (22%); III, 5 (8%); marker only, 6 (9%). The initial clinical stages for Group 2 patients were: I, 25 (28%); II, 15 (17%); III, 35 (39%); market only, 14 (16%). The difference between the percentages of Group 1 and Group 2 patients with stage I disease was statistically significant, as was the difference between the percentages of Group 1 and Group 2 patients with stage III disease. One of the Group 1 patients died, whereas 11 of the Group 2 patients died. In 5 of the Group 2 patients who died, orchiectomy had been performed more than 120 days after the onset of testicular symptoms. This study suggests that orchiectomy performed promptly after the onset of testicular symptoms not only helps to reduce mortality from testicular cancer but also has a major effect on its morbidity by reducing the need for systemic chemotherapy or major surgery.
Geometric effect of radiative heat exchange in concave structure with application to heating of steel I-sections in fire

Abstract In structural fire engineering, it is well-known that the radiative heat exchange in unprotected steel I-section is attenuated due to geometric effect. An analytical approach to formulate the geometric effect by employing view factors is presented in this paper for concave structures in general. In particular, the exact solution is extended to predict the net radiation flux and the temperature evolution for unprotected steel I-sections in fire, which are fully characterized by the I-section aspect (width-to-depth) ratio. The proposed method is validated by comparison to the conventional model in Eurocode 3, as well as to experimental investigations. The method predicts the transient temperature field inside the I-sections with reasonable accuracy, while Eurocode provision yields over-estimations. Besides, the effective emissivity is found to be insensitive to temperature, but rather controlled by the section aspect ratio.
Untyped sets, invention, and computable queries

Conventional database query languages are considered in the context of untyped sets. The algebra without while has the expressive power of the typed complex object algebra. The algebra plus while, and COL with untyped sets (under stratified semantics or inflationary semantics) have the power of the computable queries. The calculus has power beyond the computable queries; and is characterized using the typed complex object calculus with invention. The Bancilhon-Khoshafian calculus is also discussed. A technical tool, called “generic Turing machine”, is introduced and used in several of the proofs.
Optimum working fluids for solar powered Rankine cycle cooling of buildings

Abstract The results of an investigation of possible working fluids suitable for the solar Rankine cycle cooling of buildings are presented. The Underwriter's safety requirements, system operating reliability and fluid thermal stability were the primary factors used in the screening process. Although minimum development problems would appear to exist when using steam, a low power level, multi-stage turbine, having a high degree of superheat, would run at excessive shaft speed resulting in high turbine disc stresses. In addition, the machine would be delicate, expensive, and require tight tolerances thereby complicating its manufacture. Moreover, the presence of two-phase flow in its bearings would cause erratic operation. Water is therefore considered to be an unsuitable fluid for such systems. Among the various organic fluids considered, including those proposed for various prototype developments presently in progress, only the halocarbon compounds R-11, R-113 and R-114 and the fluorinert compounds FC-75 and FC-88 satisfied safety requirements. Their two-phase pressure drops per unit length, mean two-phase heat transfer coefficients and maximum allowable heat flux were determined for Reynolds numbers of 10,000 to 120,000 at an average, fully-developed, liquid-phase velocity of 1.22 m/sec, and 16.6 mm inside tube diameter. A preliminary assessment based on these results, and those available of static, thermal stability tests together with the values of the vapor pressures in the condensing temperature range and the boiling points is presented. It indicates that R-113 followed by FC-88 are the most suitable fluids for such application. A final assessment however, should be based on dynamic thermal stability tests, where boiling, condensing and other stresses are imposed on the fluids.
DC-HIL-Expressing Myelomonocytic Cells Are Critical Promoters of Melanoma Growth

A major barrier to successful cancer immunotherapy is the tumor’s ability to induce T-cell tolerance by exploiting host regulatory mechanisms. Having discovered the DC-HIL receptor, which inhibits T-cell responses by binding to syndecan-4 on effector T cells, we posited the DC-HIL/syndecan-4 pathway to have an important role in cancer promotion. Among DC-HIL+ myelomonocytic cells, during growth of implanted mouse melanoma, CD11b+Gr1+ cells were the most expanded population and the most potent at suppressing T-cell activation. Deletion of the DC-HIL gene or infusion of anti-DC-HIL mAb abrogated these cells’ suppressor function and expansion, and markedly diminished melanoma growth and metastasis. IL-1β and IFN-γ were elevated in mice bearing melanoma, and concurrent exposure to both cytokines optimally induced DC-HIL expression by tumor-infiltrating CD11b+Gr1+ cells. Ligation of DC-HIL transduced phosphorylation of its intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif, which in turn induced intracellular expression of IFN-γ and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), known to mediate T-cell suppression by CD11b+Gr1+ cells. Thus, DC-HIL is the critical mediator of these cells’ suppressor function in melanoma-bearing mice and a potential target for improving melanoma immunotherapy.
Science and the Spiritual Vision: A Hindu Perspective

Every religious tradition has a spiritual basis. Hinduism is no exception. In this paper the spiritual framework of Hinduism is discussed, after a brief historical background, with reference to scientific worldviews. Particular attention is paid to the notions of objective knowledge, transcendental reality, and the Hindu view on the meaning of human existence.
Core-hole screening and plasmon satellites in calcium

The valence bands and the outermost p core levels of Ca metal have been studied by synchrotron radiation photoemission. High-resolution studies of the 3p core levels reveal three peaks and anomalously strong plasmon satellites. It is shown by the Z+1 approximation that empty states in Ca metal which are just above the Fermi level are pulled below ${E}_{F}$ by the core-hole potential and the core hole is screened by a 3d electron. Localization of the 3d electron at the core-hole site is confirmed by good agreement between the observed core-level structure and the calculated 3${p}^{5}$3${d}^{1}$ multiplet. This conclusion is consistent with valence-band and core-level photoemission results for the Ca-Si interface and ${\mathrm{CaH}}_{2}$. Studies of the Ba 5p core levels show structures which are ascribed to the multiplet of 5d-screened 5${p}^{5}$5${d}^{1}$ final states. Possible effects of the poorly screened core-hole states (3${p}^{5}$3${d}^{0}$) on the plasmon satellites are discussed.