cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Robust Flow Shop

In this chapter, job processing requirements are considered to be uncertain. They are no longer assumed to be deterministically known. One modeling approach would be to consider processing time probability distributions, and indeed this is done in a later chapter. Here, we provide a standard minimax regret approach, which however has been exploited very little in the context of scheduling. The limited research that has been conducted on this topic demonstrates that the minimax regret approach is particularly useful in scheduling problems because the corresponding solutions are quite robust on processing time variations. On a negative note, the available research indicates that this technique is at least a level of magnitude harder to deal with than its deterministic counterpart.
Time-optimal control in the plane

We outline a research program in control theory, whose goal is to characterize local properties of systems in terms of Lie bracket configurations, and we illustrate it by carrying out part of the analysis for time-optimal control in the plane, for systems with a scalar control that enters linearly.
A Time-Resolved Line-Focus Acoustic Microscopy Technique for Surface-Breaking Crack Depth Determination

Time-resolved line-focus acoustic microscopy (TRLFAM) combines the advantages of a conventional pulse-echo system with those of the acoustic microscope. Compared to high frequency line-focus acoustic microscopy [1], this technique employs a much larger (aperture 28mm) pulsed line-focus immersion transducer at much lower center frequencies. The insonified length of the specimen is an order of magnitude larger than that of the line-focus acoustic microscope operating at 225 MHz. This has the advantage that the amplitudes and the arrival times of the directly reflected wave, the leaky surface wave as well as other possible echo arrivals, can be time-resolved with considerable accuracy when the sample is moved inside the focal region of the transducer. Moreover, since the transducer is line focused, for an anisotropic material leaky surface wave arrivals can be time resolved along different directions. In earlier papers TRLFAM has been used to determine elastic constants for both isotropic and anisotropic materials [2].
Comparing Process- and Outcome-Oriented Approaches to Voluntary Incident Reporting in Two Hospitals

Article-at-a-Glance Background The debate over whether patient safety efforts should focus on adverse events or errors logically extends to voluntary incident reporting in hospitals. Reports emphasizing adverse events take an outcome-oriented approach to improving quality, whereas those emphasizing errors take a process-oriented approach. These approaches were compared in an analysis of 2,228 paper incident reports for 16,575 randomly selected inpatients at an academic hospital and a community hospital in the United States in 2001. Methods Measures were developed for process orientation (care varying from the norm) and outcome orientation (physical or nonphysical patient harms, regardless of cause); preventability; and any patient, system, and provider factors contributing to the incidents. Results Fifty percent of the reports were only process-oriented, 35% only outcome-oriented, and 10% both. Exclusively process-oriented reports were better than exclusively outcome-oriented reports for ascertaining preventability (as determined from 96% versus 25% of reports, respectively), system factors (described in 49% versus 5%), and provider factors (37% versus 4%) but were worse for identifying patient factors (5% versus 63%), all at p Discussion Many incident reports contain process information or outcome information but not both. Outcome-oriented reports lack the information needed to assess risk and formulate safety improvements; therefore, follow-up investigations are required. Because process-oriented reports include the necessary information more often, they are more directly useful for improving patient safety. Hospitals should focus voluntary incident reporting systems on capturing process-oriented reports and should train staff to describe contributing factors. This focus should not only improve the quality of the information in the reports but is consistent with efforts to promote a blame-free reporting culture.
Resistance and Possibility in Nadia Beugre's

Contemporary dance, characterized by experimentation, innovation, and social or political commentary, has proliferated throughout the African continent since the 1980s. Institutions, annual festivals, and workshops support the growth of the dance form while connecting practitioners across national boundaries. I posit that contemporary African dance is a site of agency in which new possibilities and representations of identity can be constructed, subverting a dominant Eurocentric narrative of dancing black African bodies. In this paper, I refer to Daphne Brooks’ concept of Afro-alienation acts and Nicole Fleetwood’s concept of excess flesh in an analysis of one contemporary dance work by an African choreographer: Ivoirian Nadia Beugre’s “Quartiers Libres.” I argue that Beugre resists a colonizing gaze in her representation of the dancing black African body through tactics including implicating spectators, self-inflicted violence, and non-conformance.
Modeling the annual cycle of daily Antarctic sea ice extent

Abstract. The total Antarctic sea ice extent (SIE) experiences a distinct annual cycle, peaking in September and reaching its minimum in February. In this paper we propose a mathematical and statistical decomposition of this temporal variation in SIE. Each component is interpretable and, when combined, gives a complete picture of the variation in the sea ice. We consider timescales varying from the instantaneous and not previously defined to the multi-decadal curvilinear trend, the longest. Because our representation is daily, these timescales of variability give precise information about the timing and rates of advance and retreat of the ice and may be used to diagnose physical contributors to variability in the sea ice. We define a number of annual cycles each capturing different components of variation, especially the yearly amplitude and phase that are major contributors to SIE variation. Using daily sea ice concentration data, we show that our proposed invariant annual cycle explains 29 % more of the variation in daily SIE than the traditional method. The proposed annual cycle that incorporates amplitude and phase variation explains 77 % more variation than the traditional method. The variation in phase explains more of the variability in SIE than the amplitude. Using our methodology, we show that the anomalous decay of sea ice in 2016 was associated largely with a change of phase rather than amplitude. We show that the long term trend in Antarctic sea ice extent is strongly curvilinear and the reported positive linear trend is small and dependent strongly on a positive trend that began around 2011 and continued until 2016.
Elastic full waveform inversion with probabilistic petrophysical clustering

ABSTRACT Full waveform inversion aims to use all information provided by seismic data to deliver high‐resolution models of subsurface parameters. However, multiparameter full waveform inversion suffers from an inherent trade‐off between parameters and from ill‐posedness due to the highly non‐linear nature of full waveform inversion. Also, the models recovered using elastic full waveform inversion are subject to local minima if the initial models are far from the optimal solution. In addition, an objective function purely based on the misfit between recorded and modelled data may honour the seismic data, but disregard the geological context. Hence, the inverted models may be geologically inconsistent, and not represent feasible lithological units. We propose that all the aforementioned difficulties can be alleviated by explicitly incorporating petrophysical information into the inversion through a penalty function based on multiple probability density functions, where each probability density function represents a different lithology with distinct properties. We treat lithological units as clusters and use unsupervised K‐means clustering to separate the petrophysical information into different units of distinct lithologies that are not easily distinguishable. Through several synthetic examples, we demonstrate that the proposed framework leads full waveform inversion to elastic models that are superior to models obtained either without incorporating petrophysical information, or with a probabilistic penalty function based on a single probability density function.
Dapagliflozin-Induced Acute Pancreatitis: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are increasingly used as add-on therapy in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although pancreatitis is not a known side effect of SGLT-2 inhibitors, there have been case reports of SGLT-2 inhibitor use being associated with pancreatitis. Case Presentation. A 51-year-old male with a history of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and status-post cholecystectomy presented to the emergency room with a four-day history of periumbilical pain radiating to the back. He denied any history of recent alcohol intake or prior episodes of pancreatitis. On physical examination, his abdomen was diffusely tender to palpation without guarding or rebound. Initial labs were notable for a leukocyte count of 9.3 × 109/L, creatinine level of 0.72 mg/dL, calcium level of 9.5 mg/dL, lipase level of 262 U/L, and triglyceride level of 203 mg/dL. His last HbA1c was 8.5%. CT scan of his abdomen and pelvis showed findings consistent with acute pancreatitis with no biliary ductal dilatation. Careful review of his medications revealed the patient was recently started on dapagliflozin five days prior to admission in addition to his longstanding regimen of insulin detemir, sitagliptin, metformin, and rosuvastatin. His symptoms resolved after discontinuation of sitagliptin and dapagliflozin. A year later, due to increasing HbA1c levels, a decision was made to rechallenge the patient with dapagliflozin, after which he developed another episode of acute pancreatitis. His symptoms resolved upon cessation of dapagliflozin. Conclusion. This case highlights the possible association of SGLT-2 inhibitors and pancreatitis. Patients should be informed about the symptoms of acute pancreatitis and advised to discontinue SGLT-2 inhibitors in case such symptoms occur.
Effects of Laser Power and Substrate on the Raman Shift of Carbon-Nanotube Papers

Abstract The progress in the fabrication of carbon-nanotube-based structures has made it possible to use Raman spectroscopy to measure the deformation states of carbon nanotubes and abutting materials. In this work, we investigate the effects of laser power and surrounding materials on the Raman shift of carbon-nanotube (CNT) papers for the laser intensity in a range of 0.071 to 1.415 kW/mm2 without action of mechanical loading. Two different configurations of the CNT papers are used in the Raman measurement; one uses a suspended CNT paper, and the other places a CNT paper on a glass or aluminum substrate. The experimental results reveal that there exist combinational effects of the laser power and abutting materials on the changes of the wavenumbers of the D, G and G′ bands of the CNT papers. We derive an analytical relation between the strain components, temperature and the change of the wavenumber of the Raman peak, which yields a proportional relationship between the change of the wavenumber of the Raman peak and the laser power. Such a relationship is supported by the experimental results.
Crystal orientation dependence of interfacial magnetic anisotropy at heavy-metal/magnetic-garnet interfaces

Ferrimagnetic insulators capped with a heavy metal are becoming an increasingly interesting materials system in spintronics due to their unique ability for electrical manipulation and detection of magnetic states and spin textures via spin-orbit torques. The ability to engineer magnetic anisotropy is a powerful tool for tuning the recently discovered phenomena in these bilayers such as electrical switching or the stabilization of topological magnetic textures. We observe large shifts in the magnetic anisotropy in ${\mathrm{Tm}}_{3}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{5}{\mathrm{O}}_{12}$ and ${\mathrm{Y}}_{3}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{5}{\mathrm{O}}_{12}$ thin films due to heavy-metal capping layers, which strongly depends on the orientation of the substrate and therefore the orientation of the epitaxial films. This work suggests large Rashba spin-orbit coupling at the metal/ferrimagnetic-insulator interface, which can be engineered in spintronic devices that utilize spin-orbit torques for electrical control of the magnetization in magnetic insulators.
The Internal Geography of Firms

We document that the plants belonging to small and mid-sized firms are geographically concentrated, while large firms are much more dispersed. These differences are sizable; firms with 2 plants have a dispersion that is 5 log points lower than predicted by industry location patterns, while the corresponding figure is less than 2 log points for firms with 40 plants and less than a half for firms with 100 or more plants. These patterns are qualitatively robust across industries, time periods, and alternative specifications. We also find that plants that are farther from the firm center employ significantly less workers than closer plants within the same firm, and that this effect is attenuated in large firms. These findings suggest that large firms face lower costs of geographic expansion.
Local rigidification and possible coacervation of the Escherichia coli DNA by cationic nylon-3 polymers.

Abstract Synthetic, cationic random nylon-3 polymers (β-peptides) show promise as inexpensive antimicrobial agents less susceptible to proteolysis than normal peptides. We have used superresolution, single-cell, time-lapse fluorescence microscopy to compare the effects on live Escherichia coli cells of four such polymers and the natural antimicrobial peptides LL-37 and cecropin A. The longer, densely charged monomethyl-cyclohexyl (MM-CH) copolymer and MM homopolymer rapidly traverse the outer membrane and the cytoplasmic membrane. Over the next ∼5 min, they locally rigidify the chromosomal DNA and slow the diffusive motion of ribosomal species to a degree comparable to LL-37. The shorter dimethyl-dimethylcyclopentyl (DM-DMCP) and dimethyl-dimethylcyclohexyl (DM-DMCH) copolymers, and cecropin A are significantly less effective at rigidifying DNA. Diffusion of the DNA-binding protein HU and of ribosomal species is hindered as well. The results suggest that charge density and contour length are important parameters governing these antimicrobial effects. The data corroborate a model in which agents having sufficient cationic charge distributed across molecular contour lengths comparable to local DNA-DNA interstrand spacings (∼6 nm) form a dense network of multivalent, electrostatic "pseudo-cross-links" that cause the local rigidification. In addition, at times longer than ∼30 min, we observe that the MM-CH copolymer and the MM homopolymer (but not the other four agents) cause gradual coalescence of the two nucleoid lobes into a single dense lobe localized at one end of the cell. We speculate that this process involves coacervation of the DNA by the cationic polymer, and may be related to the liquid droplet coacervates observed in eukaryotic cells.
A Bidirectional Neural Interface SoC With Adaptive IIR Stimulation Artifact Cancelers

We present a 180-nm CMOS bidirectional neural interface system-on-chip that enables simultaneous recording and stimulation with on-chip stimulus artifact cancelers. The front-end (FE) cancellation scheme incorporates a least-mean-squares (LMS) engine that adapts the coefficients of a two-tap infinite-impulse-response filter to replicate the stimulation artifact waveform and subtract it at the FE. Measurements demonstrate the efficacy of the canceler in mitigating artifacts up to 700 mVpp and reducing the FE amplifier saturation recovery time in response to a 2.5-Vpp artifact. Each recording channel houses a pair of adaptive infinite-impulse-response filters, which enables the cancellation of the artifacts generated by the simultaneous operation of the two on-chip stimulators. The analog FE consumes $2.5~\mu \text{W}$ of power per channel and has a maximum gain of 50 dB and a bandwidth of 9.0 kHz with 6.2- $\mu \text{V}_{\text {rms}}$ integrated input-referred noise.
The Two Faces of Tax Neutrality: Do They Interact or Are They Mutually Exclusive?

The term "tax neutrality" refers to at least two different concepts. In its most common usage, tax neutrality refers to tax provisions that conform to an ideal tax system. A tax provision that is consistent with such an ideal system is described as neutral. Tax neutrality is sometimes used to describe a tax system that does not create a bias that could influence a taxpayer to choose one investment or course of action over another. As used in this context, a neutral tax provision is one that permits the choice of investment or action to be made on the basis of market or personal considerations without influence from the tax laws. The question arises whether there is a conflict between seeking this type of neutrality and the type of neutrality used to describe conformity with an ideal tax system. This article also addressed the use of the Haig-Simons definition of income. One these of the paper is that the Haig-Simons definition of income has been used for purposes which it cannot properly serve. The definition is a useful tool, but it does more harm than good when its evaluative attributes are exaggerated.
Suggested Steel Ductility Requirements

Test evidence is presented on the performance under tension of perforated plates, bolted connections and formability of corners, supplemented by an elastic-plastic analysis of perforated and notched plates, in order to arrive at suggested lower limits of structurally satisfactory ductility. For a crude identification of adequately ductile steels, it is suggested that a minimum conventional elongation in 2 minimum tensile 7% and a minimum tensile to yield strength ratio of 1.05 may serve as criteria. It is not maintained that steels with even lower ductility cannot be used structurally for particular applications and under adequate controls.
The structure of the world wide web graph: a goldmine of opportunities for undergraduate research

This paper reviews work that has been done in understanding and modeling the World Wide Web and related structures, and shows that this area affords many opportunities for undergraduate research and projects. It also highlights many of the sources and software packages that are most important in this area.
Strength and Fracture Toughness of Hot Pressed Titanium Dibiride

Room temperature uniaxial and flexural strength, Weibull parameters, and fracture toughness of hot pressed TiB{sub 2} are presented. Fracture toughness estimated from fractographic analysis was compared to the SEPB K{sub IC} measurements. Discrepancy between the estimated and measured values were rationalized by invoking the possibility of R-curve behavior. Fractographic analysis and the load displacement records of Vickers indented specimens point to the existence of rising R-curve behavior.
Interleukin-8 gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus-infected endothelial cells

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) plays a crucial role in the migration of neutrophils to bacterium-infected sites. This study investigated IL-8 induction in Staphylococcus aureus-infected endothelial cells (EC). We observed that S. aureus-infected EC were induced to express both IL-8 mRNA and protein, which can promote transmigration of neutrophils across an EC monolayer.
What matters most? The content and concordance of patients' and providers' information priorities for contraceptive decision making.

Objective(s): The objective of this study was to identify women's and health care providers' information priorities for contraceptive decision making and counseling, respectively. Study Design: Cross-sectional surveys were administered online to convenience samples of 417 women and 188 contraceptive care providers residing in the United States. Participants were provided with a list of 34 questions related to the features of contraceptive options and rated the importance of each. Participants also ranked the questions in descending order of importance. For both women and providers, we calculated the mean importance rating for each question and the proportion that ranked each question in their three most important questions. Results: The average importance ratings given by women and providers were similar for 18 questions, but dissimilar for the remaining 16 questions. The question rated most important for women was "How does it work to prevent pregnancy?" whereas, for providers, "How often does a patient need to remember to use it?" and "How is it used?" were rated equally. The eight questions most frequently selected in the top three by women and/or providers were related to the safety of the method, mechanism of action, mode of use, side effects, typical- and perfect-use effectiveness, frequency of administration and when it begins to prevent pregnancy. Conclusion(s): Although we found considerable concordance between women's and provider's information priorities, the presence of some inconsistencies highlights the importance of patient-centered contraceptive counseling and, in particular, shared contraceptive decision making. Implications: This study provides insights into the information priorities of women for their contraceptive decision making and health care providers for contraceptive counseling. These insights are critical both to inform the development of decision support tools for implementation in contraceptive care and to guide the delivery of patient-centered care.
Microstructure and damage evolution during tensile loading in a wrought magnesium alloy

Damage evolution in a wrought magnesium alloy under uniaxial tensile deformation is investigated. Sectioned specimens subjected to interrupted tensile deformation were examined under optical microscopy to quantify the number density of cracked intermetallic particles as a function of applied strain. Digital image analysis of the optical images was employed to quantify damage by separating cracked from non-cracked particles. Finally, an internal state variable damage model was shown to adequately capture the experimentally observed damage progression due to the intermetallics.
Robust estimation of location in samples of size three

Youden (1953) discussed the practice of averaging the two most concordant observations in sets of three measurements as a method of estimating location. Distributional results for this estimator can be found in Seth (1950) and Lieblein (1952). It follows from their work that the sample median has smaller variance for normal and uniform populations. In this paper it is shown that themedian stochastically dominates the average of the two closest observations for uniform, normal, double–exponential and Cauchy populations and thus is the superior resistant estimator in these cases for a broad class of loss functions. However, an example is given in which, for a particular contaminaion model and loss function, the mean of the closest two observations has smaller risk than the median.
Magnetic properties of the electron-doped superconductor Nd2−xCexCuO4−δ

Abstract Magnetic susceptibility and magnetization data are presented for the Nd 2−x Ce x CuO 4−δ system. The Nd local moments are seen to be crucial in interpreting the magnetic response. Evidence for a pervasive diamagnetic component (onsetting near 24 K) in the low field response, which is sharply maximized near x = 0.16, is presented.
Adhesion of follicular lymphoma cells to lymphoid germinal centers-a potential mechanism of tumor cell homing following autologous transplantation

Follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) generally present as disseminated diseases with infiltration of lymphoid organs, bone marrow (BM), as well as peripheral blood (PB). These lymphoma cells may recapitulate the behavior of normal germinal center (GC) B cells, some of which remain in follicles and others which have the capacity to migrate. Normal activated B cells and follicular lymphoma cells bind to GCs in vitro and this interaction is mediated by VLA-4 on the lymphoid cell and VCAM-1 on follicular dendritic cells. Since the disseminated nature of follicular NHLs may be related to the ability of PB and BM cells to recirculate through lymphoid tissues, we examined the adhesive characteristics of follicular lymphoma cells isolated from these site. Cells from 10 of 14 cases of follicular NHL involving PB or BM bound to normal GCs. Neoplastic GCs could similarly support the binding of PB or BM derived follicular NHL cells. This interaction was inhibited by monoclonal antibodies directed against VLA-4 and VCAM-1. These studies may provide insight into the clinical behavior of these diseases. More importantly the homing and adhesion of lymphoma cells is likely to be relevant to the use of PB and BM as a source of hematopoietic stem cells following high dose ablative therapy.
CCL18-stimulated upregulation of collagen production in lung fibroblasts requires Sp1 signaling and basal Smad3 activity.

A CC chemokine CCL18 stimulates collagen production in pulmonary fibroblasts through an unknown signaling mechanism. In this study, involvement of Sp1 and Smad3 in CCL18 signaling in primary human pulmonary fibroblast cultures was investigated. Phosphorylation of Sp1, DNA-binding by Sp1, and the activity of an Sp1-dependent reporter were all increased in response to CCL18 stimulation. CCL18 did not stimulate a detectable increase in Smad3 phosphorylation or Smad3/4 DNA-binding activity, although some basal phosphorylation and DNA binding by Smad3/4 were noted. Transient overexpression of dominant negative mutants of Sp1 and Smad3 abrogated CCL18-dependent upregulation as well as basal production of collagen. These observations suggested that CCL18 activates collagen production in pulmonary fibroblasts through an Sp1-dependent pathway that also requires basal Smad3 activity. Possible involvement of autocrine TGF-β in CCL18 signaling was considered. CCL18 stimulated increases in collagen mRNA and protein production without detectable changes in TGF-β1, -β2, and -β3 mRNA or protein levels. Neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibodies, latency-associated peptide, ALK5-specific inhibitor SD431542, and an inhibitor of the protease-dependent TGF-β activation aprotinin, each failed to block CCL18-stimulated collagen production. These observations suggest that both CCL18 signaling in pulmonary fibroblasts and basal Smad3 activity are independent of autocrine TGF-β. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cervical cancer screening: Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of American Indian women

Cervical cancer is a significant problem among American Indian women. Studies report very high mortality and poor 5-year survival rates compared with other ethnic groups. This paper reports on the impact of a culturally framed cervical cancer educational project on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward cervical cancer screening among American Indian women in California. Eight Indian clinic centers, four urban and four rural, were assigned randomly to intervention and control sites (n = 414). A culturally sensitive educational approach was used as a vehicle to provide cancer education to improve adherence to cancer screening recommendations. Pre- and posttest questionnaires were administered, and the data were analyzed. Clinic charts were abstracted. Study results indicated significant statistical differences in postintervention knowledge levels between women from the intervention and control centers. The analysis of changes in attitude statements resulted in only modest changes. Behavioral changes require additional analysis, because the self-administered questionnaire results conflict with the participant's chart review. This study has shown the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate approach and methodology for teaching about recommended preventive health techniques for cancer control. Cancer 1998;83:1799-1804. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Routine cholangiography is not warranted during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

• The role of intraoperative cholangiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy was prospectively evaluated in 514 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Before surgery, all patients were assigned to one of three groups depending on the likelihood of their having common bile duct stones. Stratification was based on objective historical, laboratory, or radiologic criteria. In 453 patients deemedunlikelyto have stones, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed without cholangiography. Of these patients, four had retained stones (0.9%). In 25 patientslikelyto have stones, preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography identified stones in six patients (24%). In 36 patients whose likelihood of having stones was deemedindeterminate, intraoperative cholangiography was performed at laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A common bile duct stone was identified in one patient (2.8%). One common bile duct injury occurred in the group deemed unlikely to have stones, and this injury would not have been prevented by intraoperative cholangiography. We conclude that preoperative assessment will identify common bile duct stones and that routine cholangiography is not warranted. Meticulous dissection of the cystic duct at its origin at the infundibulum will prevent common bile duct injury. (Arch Surg. 1993;128:551-555)
GTx-822, an ER{beta}-selective agonist, protects retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE-19) from oxidative stress by activating MAPK and PI3-K pathways.

PURPOSE The goal of this study was to determine whether an estrogen receptor-β (ERβ)-selective agonist (GTx-822; GTx, Inc., Memphis, TN) could prevent hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cells and to elucidate the molecular pathways involved in this protection. METHODS The selectivity of GTx-822 for ERβ was determined by receptor-binding assay (RBA) and transactivation assay. Cultured ARPE-19 cells were subjected to oxidative stress with t-butyl hydroxide (t-BH) or hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in the presence and absence of GTx-822. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by using H(2)DCFDA fluorescence. Apoptosis was evaluated by cell death ELISA. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured with the JC-1 assay. Gene expression and protein expression and activation were quantitated with qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Phospho-protein arrays elucidated the activation of protein kinases. RESULTS The RBA and transactivation assay revealed that GTx-822 is an ERβ-selective agonist (K(i) = 0.53 nM). GTx-822 prevented oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cells. It preserved mitochondrial function and prevented cellular apoptosis. Pretreatment with GTx-822 increased ERβ gene and protein expression during oxidative stress. Upregulation of the phase II antioxidant genes GPx-2 and HO-1 was also seen in an ERβ-dependent mechanism. GTx-822 pretreatment induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, PI3-K, and Bad. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report to show that GTx-822, an ERβ agonist, can protect ARPE-19 cells from the cellular apoptosis induced by oxidative stress. GTx-822 mediated cytoprotection was mediated through induction of both genomic and nongenomic pathways. The results of this study open new avenues for the use of a selective ERβ agonist in treatment of ocular diseases like AMD where oxidative stress plays a major role in disease pathogenesis.
Clinical predictors of leak after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity

Background: Gastrointestinal leak is a complication of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). Contrast studies may underdiagnose leaks, forcing surgeons to rely solely on clinical data. This study was designed to evaluate various clinical signs for detecting leakage after LRYGB. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 210 consecutive patients who underwent LRYGB between April 1999 and September 2001. There were nine documented leaks (4.3%). Clinical signs between patients with leaks (group 1) and those without leaks (group 2) were compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Evidence of respiratory distress and a heart rate exceeding 120 beats per min were the two most sensitive indicators of gastrointestinal leak. Routine upper gastrointestinal contrast imaging detected only two of nine leaks (22%). Conclusion: Leak after LRYGB may be difficult to detect. Evidence of respiratory distress and tachycardia exceeding 120 beats per min may be the most useful clinical indicators of leak after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
Studies on the nucleotide arrangement in deoxyribonucleic acids III. Identification of methylcytidine derivatives among the acid degradation products of rye germ DNA

Abstract This paper reports the isolation from an acid hydrolysate of rye germ deoxyribonucleic acid of three derivatives of methylcytidine, viz. , the 3′,5t-diphosphate and the two dinucleoside triphosphates that this pyrimidine nucleoside shares with cytidine and thymidine, respectively. Some of the properties of these compounds are also described.
Isolation of sterols with cyclopropyl-containing side chains from the cultured marine alga

Abstract The sterol fraction of the cultured dinoflagellate Peridinium foliaceum contains in addition to cholesterol, 24-methylcholesterol, 4,24-dimethylcholesterol and dinosterol ( 3c ) small amounts of the cyclopropyl-containing sterols gorgosterol ( 1a ) and 5α-gorgostanol ( 1b ) as well as 4α-methylgorgostanol ( 1c ) and E-4α,22ξ,23ξ (or 24ξ)-trimethylcholest-17(20)-en-3β-ol ( 6c or 7c ). The biosynthetic implications of the first isolation of such sterols from a free-living alga are emphasized.
Optical CoMP Transmission in Millimeter-Wave Small Cells for Mobile Fronthaul

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a prototype of local centralized optical coordinated multipoint (CoMP) that targets beamforming applications in future-proof millimeter-wave small cells based on radio-over-fiber fronthauls.
Echo size and asymmetry : impact on NEXRAD storm identification

The effects of echo shape and radar viewing angle on detecting small thunderstorms with the NEXRAD storm identification algorithms are examined. The amorphous low-level echo shapes are modeled as ellipses with major axes ranging from 5-15 km and minor axes varying between 2-5 km. The model echoes are then used to create a 'probability of detection' chart that demonstrates the impact of storm asymmetry on cell identification. The algorithm performance on small thunderstorms observed near Huntsville, Alabama and Kennedy Space Center, Florida is examined. A new algorithm based on the analysis of 15 storms observed in Florida, Alabama, and New Mexico is proposed that would identify storms as having lightning if 40 dBZ reflectivity is present at the -10 C level and the echo top exceeds 9 km. This algorithm would have a 100 percent probability of detecting lightning producing storms 4-33 min before the first flash, a 7 percent false alarm rate and a critical success index of 93 percent.
Grid-based numerical Hartree-Fock solutions of polyatomic molecules

Numerical solutions of the Hartree-Fock (HF) equation of polyatomic molecules have been obtained by an extension of the numerical density-functional method of Becke and Dickson [J. Chem. Phys. 89, 2993 (1988); 92, 3610 (1990)]. A finite-difference method has been used to solve Poisson's equation for the Coulomb and exchange potentials and to evaluate the action of the Laplace operator on numerical orbitals expanded on an interlocking multicenter quadrature grid. Basis-set-limit HF results for an atom and diatomic and triatomic molecules are presented with the total energies and the highest occupied orbital energies converged to within 10{sup -5} Hartree without any extrapolation.
Production of intraspecific aneuploids in the genus Solanum. III. Intraspecific aneuploids

The triploids recovered from 4x×2x crosses in three Solanum species were very vigorous and although few seeds/fruit were obtained when the triploids were crossed to diploids, the extensive crossing programme produced sufficient seed of four species cph, chc, pnt and tar. The average seed set for the 3x-2x crosses was an extremely low 3.5 seeds/fruit. Approximately 90% of the progeny of the 3x−2x crosses were aneuploids with chromosome numbers of 2n=25–29. The frequency of the aneuploids in the three species that were studied was chc 93%, pnt 94% and tar 92%. The aneuploids of chc and tar were extremely vigorous and fertile and they were used as females in crosses to the marker stocks. The aneuploids of pnt were vigorous, but the crossability barrier of pnt prevented their use in crosses to the marker stocks. A number of the aneuploids produced seed upon being selfed, but the ability to produce self seed may be related to the pseudo-compatibility of the parental clones. In only 7 aneuploids was there an indication that the self fertility was due to overcoming the self-incompatibility barrier as a result of competition-interaction of the aneuploid gamete. Plants in the families from the triploid-diploid crosses had a tremendous amount of variation in morphological characteristics (leaf shape, size and color; berry shape, color and degree or verrucose spotting: and plant habit and vigor). A large portion of variation exhibited in these families was due to the normal genetic segregation of the heterozygous parents. It was impossible to distinguish the aneuploids from their diploid sibs especially those having only one or two additional chromosomes because they were as vigorous and fertile as the diploids. There were some preliminary indications of the existence of distinct morphological characteristics among the aneuploids (separate petals, long berries, and extreme verrucose berries). However, there was no indication that these traits were due to the dosage effect of the extra chromosome. If it should be determined that this was true, it would be extremely useful in associating genes with chromosomes and determining the phenotypic effects due to the presence of an additional chromosome.
Indian popular cinema: A selected filmography

(1989). Indian popular cinema: A selected filmography. Quarterly Review of Film and Video: Vol. 11, Indian Cinema, pp. 79-81.
Notes from the field

In the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin worried about the sudden appearance of animal fossils at the base of the Paleozoic (∼542 million years ago). Was this a true burst of evolutionary innovation, or a reflection of the nature of fossil preservation? As a geologist, Darwin understood the inadequacies of the fossil record, and found in them his explanation for what we now know as the Ediacaran–Cambrian Explosion of animal life. But in this, at least, Darwin was wrong, for this great evolutionary transition really is as sudden as it appears, at least for the diversification of bilaterian animals during the Early Cambrian (∼542–513 million years ago).
Equilibrium selection in static and dynamic entry games

Abstract We experimentally assess the predictive power of two equilibrium selection principles for binary N -player entry games with strategic complementarities. In static entry games, we test the theory of global games which posits that players play games of complete information as if they were playing a related global game of incomplete information. By contrast, in dynamic n -period entry games, the efficient subgame perfect equilibrium prediction is for all to enter whenever the payoff relevant state variable exceeds a certain threshold. The subgame perfect entry threshold of the dynamic game will generally differ from the global game threshold of the static version of the same game. Nevertheless, our experimental findings suggest that entry thresholds are similar between static and dynamic versions of the same game. An implication is that the modeling of entry games with strategic complementarities as static, one-shot games – ignoring the dynamic element of such interactions – may not be unreasonable.
Ameloblastoma of the mandible.

A 28-year-old woman presented with a 9-month history of progressive right-sided facial swelling. A transoral incisional biopsy was performed at a community hospital and was suggestive of ameloblastoma. The patient subsequently presented to our center for further management. X-ray (A) and CT scan (B) demonstrated a multiloculated mass extending from the ascending ramus to the body of the mandible but not involving the temperomandibular joint. The extent of this mass was readily appreciated on 3-dimensional CT reconstruction (C). She underwent a right hemimandibulectomy with an immediate right fibular myosseous free flap microvascular reconstruction from a right leg donor site. Grossly the specimen showed a 6.0 2.0 3.5-cm mass involving the ramus of the right mandible. On sectioning, the mass had a multicystic appearance and histology was suggestive of an acanthomatous variant of ameloblastoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged home on postoperative day 13. She was subsequently fitted with a partial lower denture and 20 months postoperatively she remains disease free and reports a good functional outcome. Ameloblastoma of the jaw is a rare odontogenic tumor. A review of 3,677 cases reported over 33 years in the world literature has been previously published. Ameloblastomas tend to present in young patients (average age 36 years) as a painless slow-growing mass in the molar region of the mandible. Radiographically they can be classified as unicystic or multicystic. Unicystic lesions have a higher recurrence rate than multicystic lesions. On histopathologic assessment one-third are plexiform variants, one-third are follicular variants, and one-third are other types. Follicular variants recur more commonly than plexiform variants. Surgery is the therapy of choice for these tumors and the role of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in disease management is limited. Vascularized fibular free flap microvascular reconstruction can offer these patients an excellent aesthetic and functional outcome.
Tandem iodine-mediated oxidations of tetrahydro-β-carbolines: total synthesis of eudistomins Y1–Y7

An efficient iodine-mediated oxidation of tetrahydro-β-carbolines is described to yield aromatic β-carboline products with tandem C–H oxidation. The utility of the method was demonstrated in total syntheses of the alkaloids eudistomins Y1–Y7.
Receiver psychology turns 20: is it time for a broader approach?

Twenty years ago, a new conceptual paradigm known as ‘receiver psychology’ was introduced to explain the evolution of animal communication systems. This paradigm advanced the idea that psychological processes in the receiver's nervous system influence a signal's detectability, discriminability and memorability, and thereby serve as powerful sources of selection shaping signal design. While advancing our understanding of signal diversity, more recent studies make clear that receiver psychology, as a paradigm, has been structured too narrowly and does not incorporate many of the perceptual and cognitive processes of signal reception that operate between sensory transduction and a receiver's response. Consequently, the past two decades of research on receiver psychology have emphasized considerations of signal evolution but failed to ask key questions about the mechanisms of signal reception and their evolution. The primary aim of this essay is to advocate for a broader receiver psychology paradigm that more explicitly includes a research focus on receivers' psychological landscapes. We review recent experimental studies of hearing and sound communication to illustrate how considerations of several general perceptual and cognitive processes will facilitate future research on animal signalling systems. We also emphasize how a rigorous comparative approach to receiver psychology is critical to explicating the full range of perceptual and cognitive processes involved in receiving and responding to signals.
A light-weight solution for large sparse Markov processes

This paper illustrates the uniformization procedure for a numerical transient solution of large sparse Markov processes. Alternative implementations are discussed, particularly on the small state space of a Markov process. A light weight solution is presented for solving large sparse systems. The light weight solution has the merits of clear modularity, platform independency, and ease of deployment on the network for remote computing.
Mechanisms of oxygen incorporation in indium–tin–oxide films deposited by laser ablation at room temperature

The use of 18O2 as a background gas in pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) of indium–tin–oxide (ITO) films allows clear discrimination between the two oxygen sources in the films: target and background gas. A study of both stoichiometric and electrical properties of the ITO films in terms of the relative contributions of the two oxygen sources at different background-gas pressures is presented in this work. The film with lowest resistivity (∼4×10−4 Ω cm) incorporates 28% oxygen from the background gas as compared to the total oxygen in the film. This relatively strong oxygen incorporation from the background gas suggests a strong exchange rate between 16O from the target and 18O from the background gas in the “plume” phase of the PLD process.
Lipopeptides Incorporated into Supported Phospholipid Monolayers Have High Specific Activity at Low Incorporation Levels

The ability to present cell adhesion molecule (CAM) ligands in controlled amounts on a culture surface would greatly facilitate the control of cell growth and differentiation. Supported lipid monolayer/bilayer systems have previously been developed that allow for presentation of CAM ligands for cell interaction; however, these systems have employed peptide loadings much higher than those used in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based immobilization systems. We report the development of synthetic methods that can be used for the efficient and versatile creation of many linear and cyclic lipid-linked peptide moieties. Using RGD-based peptides for the alpha5beta1 integrin as a model system, we have demonstrated that these lipopeptides support efficient cell binding and spreading at CAM ligand loadings as low as 0.1 mol %, which is well below that previously reported for supported lipid systems. Engineered lipopeptide-based surfaces offer unique presentation options not possible with other immobilization systems, and the high activity at low loadings we have shown here may be extremely useful in presenting multiple CAM ligands for studying cell growth, differentiation, and signaling.
A modified SPIHT algorithm for image coding with a joint MSE and classification distortion measure

The set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) algorithm is an efficient wavelet-based progressive image-compression technique, designed to minimize the mean-squared error (MSE) between the original and decoded imagery. However, the MSE-based distortion measure is not in general well correlated with image-recognition quality, especially at low bit rates. Specifically, low-amplitude wavelet coefficients that may be important for classification are given low priority by conventional SPIHT. In this paper, we use the kernel matching pursuits (KMP) method to autonomously estimate the importance of each wavelet subband for distinguishing between different textures, with textural segmentation first performed via a hidden Markov tree. Based on subband importance determined via KMP, we scale the wavelet coefficients prior to SPIHT coding, with the goal of minimizing a Lagrangian distortion based jointly on the MSE and classification error. For comparison we consider Bayes tree-structured vector quantization (B-TSVQ), also designed to obtain a tradeoff between MSE and classification error. The performances of the original SPIHT, the modified SPIHT, and B-TSVQ are compared.