cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disposition of decabromobiphenyl ether in rats dosed intravenously or by feeding.

The disposition of 14C‐labeled decabromobiphenyl ether (DBBE) in male Fischer rats dosed by feeding (0.025–5.0% of the diet) or intravenously (1 mg/kg) was determined. For rats dosed by feeding, intestinal absorption of DBBE was evident in that the intact compound was present in extracts of liver. For these rats, the size of the liver increased with increasing concentration of DBBE in the diet. Liver contained a maximum of 0.449% of the administered radioactivity at 24 h after feeding rats a diet containing 0.0277% [14C]DBBE; no other organ or tissue contained more than 0.26%. The total amount of radioactivity found in tissues was less than 7% of the dose. Of the radioactivity recovered in the feeding experiments, more than 99% was in the feces and gut contents at 72 h; a maximum of 0.012% of the dose was in the urine. In the feces of rats fed [14C]DBBE, there were three metabolites, which together comprised 1.5–27.9% of the radioactivity. Since absorption was minimal, most of the metabolism of [14C]DBBE ...
Vascular Permeability Factor/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor: A Critical Cytokine in Tumor Angiogenesis and a Potential Target for Diagnosis and Therapy

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), the founding member of the vascular permeability factor (VPF)/VEGF family of proteins, is an important angiogenic cytokine with critical roles in tumor angiogenesis. This article reviews the literature with regard to VEGF-A's multiple functions, the mechanisms by which it induces angiogenesis, and its current and projected roles in clinical oncology. VEGF-A is a multifunctional cytokine that is widely expressed by tumor cells and that acts through receptors (VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and neuropilin) that are expressed on vascular endothelium and on some other cells. It increases microvascular permeability, induces endothelial cell migration and division, reprograms gene expression, promotes endothelial cell survival, prevents senescence, and induces angiogenesis. Recently, VEGF-A has also been shown to induce lymphangiogenesis. Measurements of circulating levels of VEGF-A may have value in estimating prognosis, and VEGF-A and its receptors are potential targets for therapy. Recognized as the single most important angiogenic cytokine, VEGF-A has a central role in tumor biology and will likely have an important role in future approaches designed to evaluate patient prognosis. It may also become an important target for cancer therapy.
Atomistic simulations of the wetting behavior of nanodroplets of water on homogeneous and phase separated self-assembled monolayers

The wetting behavior of water nanodroplets on homogeneous and phase separated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) composed of CH3(CH2)10SH and HOCH2(CH2)10SH on Au(111) was studied using molecular dynamics simulation. A simple model is introduced for the SAM where only the top eight or ten atomic layers are considered. For the homogeneous monolayers the CH3– and HOCH2–terminated chains are uniformly mixed. With χp denoting the mole fraction of HOCH2-terminated chains, we report the equilibrium contact angles of water droplets composed of 4000 molecules on homogeneous monolayers for χp = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1. Good agreement is seen between the simulation results and experimental data for millimetre-size drops. For χp = 0.5, the contact angle and base diameter of the droplet are found to be 51.9 ± 1.3° and 10.2 ± 0.2 nm, respectively. Large deviations from the Cassie model are observed while the Israelachvili-Gee equation gives a better prediction. For the monolayers with χp = 0 and 0.25, we estimate the line tension through the drop-size dependence of the contact angle and find good agreement with theoretical predictions. For the phase separated monolayers, the HOCH2-terminated chains are organized into randomly-located circular domains which are embedded in a background matrix of CH3-terminated chains. With χp = 0.5, we consider two domain sizes with the diameters of the small and large domains being 1 and 2 nm. The water contact angle is found to be 63.1° for the monolayer with small domains and 68.1° for the monolayer with large domains. The results for the homogeneous and phase separated monolayers with χp = 0.5 indicate that the nanoscale wetting behavior of the SAM is sensitive to its nanostructure.
Polysaccharide production by sponge-immobilized cells of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans

T.P. WEST AND B.R.-H. STROHFUS. 1996. Cells of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans ATCC 42023 were immobilized in sponge cubes and examined for their ability to elaborate the polysaccharide pullulan in relation to carbon source. It was found that fungal cells grown on corn syrup, sucrose or glucose as a carbon source could be immobilized in sponge cubes and that comparable cell weights and viable cell concentrations were immobilized. Independent of the carbon source tested, the immobilized fungal cells could be used at least three times for the production of polysaccharide. The immobilized A. pullulans cells elaborated the highest polysaccharide levels in the culture medium after 5–7 d of growth at 30°C.
How Initiatives Don’t Always Make Citizens: Ballot Initiatives in the American States, 1978–2004

Advocates claim that when citizens can make law through voter initiatives, they become better citizens. This paper puts that claim into context. Using data from the Current Population Survey November Supplement and American National Election Studies for each election between 1978 and 2004, it demonstrates that voter initiatives in the American states have limited effects on turnout, and on political knowledge and efficacy. Initiatives increase voters’ likelihood of turning out to vote in six of seven midterm elections under study, but show no effect on turnout at presidential elections. For knowledge among non-voters and for political efficacy among all respondents, the results show null effects; for knowledge among voters, they indicate modest effects.
Age differences and changes in sprint swimming performances of masters athletes

Sprint swimming speeds were compared in cohorts of masters swimmers ranging from 25-29 to 65-69 years of age in 1976. The cross-sectional comparisons were repeated for the same cohorts in 1981. The ten fastest performers in the United States in each cohort were obtained for women (n = 1407) and men (n = 1437) in 50-yd and 100-yd races for each of the four competitive strokes. Results showed the greatest decrement in performance with increasing age for the butterfly stroke. The slowing with age was unaffected by the length of the race. The results supported the hypothesis that age differences in performance are due primarily to differences in muscle strength. As in previous studies, changes in performance with age in the same cohort were substantially smaller than differences between cohorts.
Electrochemical Generation of Gradients in Surfactant Concentration Across Microfluidic Channels

We report the generation and manipulation of spatial gradients in surfactant and micelle concentration across microfluidic channels by combining use of a redox-active surfactant with electrochemical methods. The approach is founded on the observation that 11-ferrocenylundecyltrimethylammonium bromide (FTMA) behaves as a surfactant in aqueous solution (e.g., self-assembles to form micelles at a critical concentration of 0.1 mM in aqueous 0.1 M Li(2)SO(4)) whereas oxidized FTMA remains dispersed in a monomeric state up to concentrations of at least 30 mM. By flowing aqueous FTMA solutions through microfluidic channels (width of 80 microm, depth of 72 microm, and length of 42 mm) and by applying potentials of 0 V (vs Ag|AgCl; cathode) and +0.3 V (vs Ag|AgCl; anode) to gold electrodes lining both side-walls of the microfluidic channels, we measured lateral gradients in concentration of oxidized FTMA and reduced FTMA to be generated across the microfluidic channels by splitting the exiting stream into four channels. These measurements revealed the lateral concentration profile of FTMA to be consistent with the presence of slowly diffusing micelles of FTMA in a spatially localized region near the cathode and monomeric FTMA only near the anode. The lateral concentration profiles of reduced and oxidized FTMA, and thus the patterning of micelles within the microfluidic channels, were manipulated via changes in the inlet FTMA concentration, potentials applied to the electrodes, and flow rate. These experimental measurements were compared to a simple model, which assumed fast electrode kinetics, lateral transport of FTMA by diffusion only (no migration), and local micelle-monomer equilibrium within the bulk solution. This comparison revealed qualitative but not quantitative agreement between model and experiment. Calculations of ionic conductivity and associated experimental measurements support the proposition that Ohmic resistance to the passage of current along the channel (between the working and the counter electrodes) contribute, in part, to the lack of quantitative agreement between the model and the measurements. The capability to generate and manipulate lateral concentration profiles of surfactants and micelles across microfluidic channels, as demonstrated by the results presented in this paper, offers the basis of new principles for continuous separation processes and microanalytical systems, and more broadly, new methods to generate gradients in concentration of analytes that interact with surfactants.
Substituent and isomer effects on structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical properties of dirhodium(III,II) complexes containing four identical unsymmetrical bridging ligands.

Substituent and isomer effects on the structural, spectroscopic, (UV−visible and ESR) and electrochemical properties of dirhodium(III,II) complexes containing four identical unsymmetrical bridging ligands are reported for seven related compounds of the type Rh2(L)4Cl where L = 2-(2-fluoroanilino)pyridinate (2-Fap), 2-(2,6-difluoroanilino)pyridinate (2,6-F2ap), 2-(2,4,6-trifluoroanilino)pyridinate (2,4,6-F3ap), or 2-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluoroanilino)pyridinate (F5ap) anion. Rh2(2-Fap)4Cl exists only in a (4,0) isomeric conformation while Rh2(2,6-F2ap)4Cl, Rh2(2,4,6-F3ap)4Cl, and Rh2(F5ap)4Cl exist as both (4,0) and (3,1) isomers. It had earlier been demonstrated that Rh2(L)4Cl complexes can adopt different geometric conformations of the bridging ligands, but the current study provides the first example where two geometric isomers of Rh25+ complexes are obtained for one compound using the same synthetic procedure. The synthesis, structural, spectroscopic, and/or electrochemical properties of (3,1) Rh2(2,6-F2ap)...
Orbilia ultrastructure, character evolution and phylogeny of Pezizomycotina

Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that the monophyletic classes Orbiliomycetes and Pezizomycetes are among the earliest diverging branches of Pezizomycotina, the largest subphylum of the Ascomycota. Although Orbiliomycetes is re- solved as the most basal lineage in some analyses, molecular support for the node resolving the relation- ships between the two classes is low and topologies are unstable. We provide ultrastructural evidence to inform the placement of Orbiliomycetes by studying an Orbilia, a member of the only order (Orbiliales) of the class. The truncate ascus apex in the Orbilia is thin- walled except at the margin, and an irregular wall rupture of the apex permits ascospore discharge. Ascus, ascogenous and non-ascogenous hyphae were simple septate, with septal pores plugged by unelabo- rated electron-dense, non-membranous occlusions. Globose Woronin bodies were located on both sides of the septum. Nuclear division was characterized by the retention of an intact nuclear envelope, and a two- layered disk-shaped spindle pole body. The less differentiated nature of the spore discharge apparatus and septal pore organization supports an earliest diverging position of Orbiliomycetes within the sub- phylum, while the closed nuclear division and disk- shaped spindle pole body are interpreted as ancestral state characters for Ascomycota.
From Agreement to Application A Cross-Country Analysis of Injury Determinations Under the WTO Antidumping Agreement

Although the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Antidumping Agreement includes rules that govern the application of antidumping duties, countries still have a great deal of latitude in how they decide whether to impose this form of protection. This research is one of the first papers to explore country and industry specific dierences in the determinants of antidumping injury decisions. Using a random-coecients probit model, I estimate the amount of variance in the marginal impact of particular characteristics on the probability of an armative injury determination. I investigate to what extent this variance can be explained by specific characteristics of the investigating country. The results indicate that there is a great deal of inconsistency in injury decisions under the current WTO Antidumping Agreement.
Effects of lunar cumulate mantle overturn and megaregolith on the expansion and contraction history of the Moon

[1] Gravity anomalies derived from recent Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory data suggest the presence of early volume expansion of the Moon. The absence of identifiable thrust faults limits the total net contraction that has occurred. These observations provide constraints on the lunar thermal evolution which raise questions for giant impact origin of the Moon. To study the lunar expansion/contraction history, we perform 3-D thermochemical mantle evolution models, with solidifying core overlain by a layer of ilmenite-bearing cumulates (IBCs) resulting from mantle overturn after magma ocean solidification. Our models focus on the effects of the overturn-produced density stratification with a deep heat-producing element (HPE) distribution and a top insulating megaregolith layer. The deep HPE can cause an early expansion up to 1.5 km radius due to the heating of thedeep mantle. This HPE distribution also reduces the present-day contraction by ~7 km. Compared to the models without overturn, an end-member model with a stable IBC-rich layer on the core-mantle boundary shows an overall present-day contraction as small as 1.1 km. The low thermal conductivity of megaregolith also affects the present-day contraction, reducing it by ~3 km.
Quality Control in the Flavor Industry

Flavor houses are in the position of having to provide a consistent, high-quality product to their customers. The quality control group plays an important role in assuring that this commitment is achieved.
Estrogen-Induced Luteolysis in the Ewe: Possible Sites of Action

To investigate the site(s) and mechanism(s) by which estrogen is luteolytic in cyclic ewes, estradiol cyclopentylpropionate (ECP) (20,40 and 100 µg/ewe) was injected directly into corpora lutea (CL) on day 10 after estrus. By day 14, progesterone concentration in CL had fallen to undetectable levels, whereas luteal weight was unaffected. These data support the hypothesis that increased secretion of ovarian estrogens during the preovulatory period promotes functional luteolysis in cyclic ewes. In a second experiment, continuous infusion of LH (600 µg/day), starting on day 10 after estrus. prolonged luteal life span to day 20 in ewes whose ovarian follicles were destroyed to minimize endogenous estrogen secretion. Injection of ECP (but not oil vehicle) directly into CL of such ewes caused luteal regression, whereas injection of ECP into the contralateral ovary did not. Since circulating LH concentrations were maintained by continuous infusion of the gonadotropin, a negative feedback suppression of LH secret...
Human Interaction with Caribbean Karst Landscapes: Past, Present and Future

Karst provides a critical physical backdrop for much of the Caribbean’s history and many of its existing environmental, agricultural, economic and cultural issues. The karstlands are challenging to human habitation, since they possess a broad array of natural hazards, but they are also at risk of degradation and vulnerable to environmental change. The karst has a rich legacy of pre-Colombian settlement and contains many regional archaeological sites. Unsustainable European colonial agricultural practices degraded the vegetation and landscape severely. The karstlands also played a major role in resistance to colonial authority, and were used by Maroons as both refuges and bases for harassment and guerilla actions. Following emancipation and independence, the karst became a basis for subsistence agriculture, increasingly yielding to commercial agriculture, urbanization and industrial activities, and tourism. Despite hazards such as drought and flooding, human impacts on the karstlands have been long-term and severe. Regional predictions are that anthropogenic climatic change will lead to rising sea levels, changing precipitation totals and the increasing frequency of extreme events, such as droughts and hurricanes. The effects of all these changes will be magnified in the karst, particularly with respect to karst hydrology. Climate change and other human impacts will increasingly threaten already at-risk and vulnerable ecosystems and human communities, necessitating integration of climate change parameters and the adoption of appropriate risk management measures.
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

A 30-year-old woman presents with a history of no menses since she stopped taking oral contraceptives 6 months ago in order to conceive. She had undergone puberty that was normal in both timing and development, with menarche at 12 years of age. At 18 years of age, she started taking oral contraceptives for irregular menses. She reports stress at work. Her weight is 59 kg, and her height 1.66 m; her body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) is 21.3. There is no galactorrhea, hirsutism, or acne. The pelvic examination is normal, a pregnancy test is negative, the prolactin level is normal, and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level is in the menopausal range. How should she be evaluated and treated?
Antimicrobial Agents from Marine Algae

The antimicrobial activity of five compounds extracted from marine algae was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesuis, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Candida albicans, and Escherichia coli. Three of the compounds, cycloeudesmol, laurinterol, and debromolaurinterol, exhibited activity at concentrations approaching that of streptomycin. None of the compounds inhibited all of the organisms tested. There appeared to be selectivity for gram-positive microbes.
Role for NGF in augmented sympathetic nerve response to activation of mechanically and metabolically sensitive muscle afferents in rats with femoral artery occlusion

Arterial blood pressure and heart rate responses to static contraction of the hindlimb muscles are greater in rats whose femoral arteries were previously ligated than in control rats. Also, the prior findings demonstrate that nerve growth factor (NGF) is increased in sensory neurons-dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of occluded rats. However, the role for endogenous NGF in engagement of the augmented sympathetic and pressor responses to stimulation of mechanically and/or metabolically sensitive muscle afferent nerves during static contraction after femoral artery ligation has not been specifically determined. In the present study, both afferent nerves and either of them were activated by muscle contraction, passive tendon stretch, and arterial injection of lactic acid into the hindlimb muscles. Data showed that femoral occlusion-augmented blood pressure response to contraction was significantly attenuated by a prior administration of the NGF antibody (NGF-Ab) into the hindlimb muscles. The effects of NGF neutralization were not seen when the sympathetic nerve and pressor responses were evoked by stimulation of mechanically sensitive muscle afferent nerves with tendon stretch in occluded rats. In addition, chemically sensitive muscle afferent nerves were stimulated by lactic acid injected into arterial blood supply of the hindlimb muscles after the prior NGF-Ab, demonstrating that the reflex muscle responses to lactic acid were significantly attenuated. The results of this study further showed that NGF-Ab attenuated an increase in acid-sensing ion channel subtype 3 (ASIC3) of DRG in occluded rats. Moreover, immunohistochemistry was employed to examine the number of C-fiber and A-fiber DRG neurons. The data showed that distribution of DRG neurons with different thin fiber phenotypes was not notably altered when NGF was infused into the hindlimb muscles. However, NGF increased expression of ASIC3 in DRG neurons with C-fiber but not A-fiber. Overall, these data suggest that 1) NGF is amplified in sensory nerves of occluded rats and contributes to augmented reflex sympathetic and blood pressure responses evoked by stimulation of chemically, but not mechanically, sensitive muscle afferent nerves and 2) NGF likely plays a role in modulating the muscle metaboreflex via enhancement of ASIC3 expression in C-fiber of DRG neurons.
Diffractive Optics and Micro-Optics: Introduction to the Feature Issue

This issue of Applied Optics features 16 papers related to the fabrication, design, and application of diffractive and micro-optical elements. A companion feature in the Journal of the Optical Society of America A [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 16(5), 1091 (1999)] includes papers on the modeling of diffractive elements.
JISC's Academic Database Assessment Tool as a Collection Development and Management Tool for Bibliographic Databases

The Academic Database Assessment Tool (ADAT) from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) enables users to compile and compare journal title lists from many different suppliers. The makers claim that this tool can help identify overlap of coverage among comparable databases and platforms. This article provides an overview of the tool's major features, including limitations, and how it can be used in academic libraries to make informed collection development and management decisions regarding electronic databases.
The effect of a propofol-based sedation technique on cumulative embryo scores, clinical pregnancy rates, and implantation rates in patients undergoing embryo transfers with donor oocytes

Abstract Study Objective: To determine the effect, if any, of a propofol-based sedation technique on the reproductive outcomes of patients undergoing embryo transfers with donor oocytes. These ova recipients form a unique subgroup, whose clinical outcomes are unrelated to direct anesthetic effects on their reproductive tracts. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: A 1200-bed university medical center. Patients: 117 patients who received fresh embryo transfer cycles between January 1991 and December 1995. Measurements and Main Results: The anesthesia records of 106 women who donated ova were reviewed for propofol usage during the transvaginal needle aspiration of the ova. The medical records of the 117 patients who received these donated embryos were reviewed for cumulative embryo scores, clinical pregnancy rates, and implantation rates. Fourteen patients received ova from women who were sedated with fentanyl and midazolam during ovum retrievals, while 103 patients received ova from women who had been given fentanyl, midazolam, and propofol in doses of 1.87 mg/kg to 8 mg/kg. The pregnancy rate among all patients who received ova from women who received propofol (44 of 103=42.7%) was 14.1 % greater than those whose ovum donors did not receive propofol (4 of 14=28.6). 78.6% of both propofol and nonpropofol-exposed groups had cumulative embryo scores of greater than 50. Among patients who became pregnant, 52.3% of propofol-exposed and 50% of nonpropofol-exposed cases had greater than 20% implantation rates. Conclusions: There is no evidence from our data that the administration of propofol during the aspiration of ovarian follicles for oocyte donation had a negative impact on the oocytes as measured by cumulative embryo scores, probability of a clinical pregnancy, or implantation rate.
PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF FOUR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER DECK PANELS

In an effort to assess the constructability and performance of bridges with fiber-reinforced polymer ~FRP! composite decks, the short-term and long-term responses of a 207 m, five-span bridge retrofitted with four different FRP panel systems were monitored. The overall aspects of the panel systems, connection details, and construction techniques are presented prior to presentation of the observed and measured responses. Key design parameters ~impact factors, girder distribution factors, and level of composite action ! for FRP and reinforced concrete decks are evaluated. This paper demonstrates that FRP replacement decks are a viable alternative to reinforced concrete decks and identifies the differences in performances of various FRP deck systems. Two of the FRP panel systems were found to perform considerably better than the other deck systems. Issues that may reduce the service life of FRP deck systems are presented and discussed.
Communication and Member Disengagement in Planned Organizational Exit

The processes by which members prepare to exit organizations have received little attention in socialization research. This study investigates an important area of organizational exits—members' planned exit—in which the time of exit is predetermined at entry. Utilizing 31 interviews with departing sorority members at two universities, we examine communication and organizational identification as members disengage. The data and resulting Model of Planned Organizational Exit demonstrate that members transition across three substages—Focus on the Future, Focus on the Present, and Focus on the Past and Future—characterized by different critical incidents, participation, communication between members, and anticipatory deidentification.
Cost-Effective Bypass Design of Highly Controllable Heat-Exchanger Networks

Design of a cost-effective and highly controllable heat-exchanger network (HEN) has drawn a great deal of attention for years. One of the key issues in such a design is how to effectively minimize undesirable disturbance propagation in a network with minimum cost increment. Design options in this regard include the derivation of a superior network structure and the selection of bypasses associated with heat exchangers. A unique system modeling approach is developed to predict disturbance propagation and to reject disturbances using bypasses. A novel mathematical representation scheme for a HEN is introduced to facilitate system analysis and design. A relative gain-array approach is extended to the analysis of nonsquared systems. In addition, an iterative design procedure is introduced to determine optimal bypass locations and nominal fractions for complete disturbance rejection, while economic penalty reaches the minimum. The efficacy of the model-based approach is demonstrated by designing three HENs where bypasses are optimally placed, and the control schemes are simultaneously developed.
AppBuilder for DSSTools: an application development environment for developing decision support systems in Prolog

Abstract A programming environment for developing complex decision support systems (DSSs) should support rapid prototyping and modular design, feature a flexible knowledge representation scheme and sound inference mechanisms, provide project management, and be domain-independent. We have previously developed DSSTools (Decision Support System Tools), a reusable, domain-independent, and open-ended toolkit for developing DSSs in Prolog. DSSTools provides modular design, a flexible knowledge representation scheme, and sound inference mechanisms to support development of any knowledge based system components of a DSS. It also provides tools for building the DSS interface and for integrating other non-Prolog components of a DSS such as simulation models, databases, or geographical information system, into a multi-component DSS. DSSTools does not provide project management, and its complex syntax makes rapid prototyping difficult. AppBuilder for DSSTools is a GUI-based application development environment for developing DSSs in DSSTools that supports rapid prototyping and project management. AppBuilder’s easy-to-use dialogues for managing and building knowledge based and top-level control components of a DSS free developers from having to memorize complex syntax and reduce development time without sacrificing the flexibility of the underlying toolkit. AppBuilder has been used to develop the Regeneration DSS, a system for predicting the regeneration of southern Appalachian hardwoods. AppBuilder is an application development environment for both prototyping and developing a complete DSS.
Symptomatic ganglion cyst in a patient with knee pain.

The patient was a 39-year-old man who was referred to a physical therapist by his primary care physician for a chief complaint of left posterior knee pain. Radiographs of the left knee, which had been previously ordered by the patient's primary care physician, were interpreted as normal. Given the patient's worsening symptoms, no history of trauma or injury, and lack of improvement with prior conservative measures, the patient was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left knee was ordered, which revealed a septated ganglion cyst within the femoral notch that caused moderate displacement of the cruciate ligaments. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2014;44(10):840. doi:10.2519/jospt.2014.0412
Computing response time distributions using stochastic Petri nets and matrix diagrams

In this paper, we consider random variables expressed in terms of the time required for the state of a stochastic Petri net to pass from a set of starting markings to a set of stopping markings. These random variables have continuous phase-type distributions when the all transitions have exponentially-distributed firing delays. We demonstrate how to numerically compute the distribution of the random variable using both explicit techniques and an implicit approach based on multi-way decision diagrams and matrix diagrams. We present an efficient matrix-vector multiplication algorithm for matrix diagrams that is necessary for numerical solution. We demonstrate the efficiency of our approaches using several models. The lower storage requirements of the implicit approach effectively increases the size of models that can be analyzed by about an order of magnitude.
Patterns of Dispersal and Establishment of Bryophytes Colonizing Natural and Experimental Treefall Mounds in Northern Hardwood Forests

Abstract Treefall gaps are a ubiquitous feature of forested ecosystems and provide regeneration opportunities for many forest mosses which are dependent on microsites created by disturbance. Bryophyte communities on treefall mounds present an excellent opportunity to explore the extent to which community composition is influenced by dispersal patterns and establishment success. The goals of this paper are to 1) determine the bryophyte community structure of treefall mounds in the Adirondack forests and 2) to evaluate the extent to which community structure of treefall mounds is a consequence of dispersal limitation and establishment success and 3) to assess the role of microsite in successful establishment by sown spores and vegetative fragments. Bryophyte communities were described from field census of treefall mounds differing in age class. Most mounds support only 1–2 species, of the possible 13 species that colonize treefall mounds in the study area, the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Moss sp...
The Appropriateness Of Parental Involvement In The Job Search Process

This paper explores millennial job seekers and their parental involvement in the job search process. Preliminary work on a scale to measure the “appropriateness” of certain job search behaviors is reported. Ten parental job search behaviors are identified. The appropriateness constructs of “mentoring” and “meddling” are developed and empirically tested. Results indicate that both meddling and mentoring are valid and initially useful constructs in examining the suitability of parental involvement in the job search process. The possible impact of parental involvement in the job search process is then discussed along with possible managerial responses.
Experienced Intellectual Property Mediators: Increasingly Attractive in Times of 'Patent' Unpredictability

This short paper suggests that mediation with an expert well versed in patent law offers a robust alternative to patent litigation at the trial level. The paper briefly discusses how the use of jurors and district court judges in patent law disputes needlessly promotes uncertainty, exaggerates already exorbitant trial costs, and leaves disputants with solutions that do not fit their needs. The paper then shows that these problems can be alleviated through increased use of intellectual property (IP) mediators as these mediators are uniquely qualified to: (1) help disputing parties gain a realistic appreciation of how the unpredictability of the court system affects their cases; (2) bypass the steep learning curve that afflicts jurors and district court judges that are unfamiliar with patent law; and (3) understand and creatively address the interests peculiar to patent disputants. Beyond these practical benefits, the paper further discusses the societal benefits of mediation with experts in patent law.
When Turnabout is Fair Play: Character Evidence and Self-Defense in Homicide and Assault Cases

The most important issue in a self-defense case is determining who started the fight. In a fast-moving, violent encounter between two or more combatants, traditional forms of evidence – including eyewitness testimony, forensic evidence, or the self-interested testimony of the parties – are of limited value. Character evidence can potentially play a critical role in helping the jury determine the identity of the first aggressor in a self-defense case. If a jury is aware, for example, that the alleged victim has a history of starting fights, the defendant’s claim of self-defense is much more plausible.Unfortunately, character evidence rules in most American jurisdictions fall far short of their potential in helping to sort out the important issues in a self-defense case. In fact, the rules complicate not only the jury’s task of deciding who started the fight, but also the defendant’s ability to present a meaningful defense. There are two primary reasons the rules fall short. First, most jurisdictions prohibit the introduction of specific instances of conduct to prove character, requiring instead the use of reputation or opinion testimony; these forms of character evidence lack the precision of specific-acts evidence and can blur important distinctions between different types of violent behavior. Second, the rules tend to be imbalanced, unnecessarily favoring either the prosecution or the defense in the introduction of character evidence at trial.In this article, I examine the interplay between American character evidence rules and self-defense in homicide and assault cases and propose a new rule with three primary characteristics: (1) the use of all forms of character evidence, including specific acts evidence; (2) appropriate use by both sides of relevant and reliable character evidence in a self-defense case; (3) a balancing test that accounts for the different positions and interests of the criminal defendant, the victim, and the prosecution at trial. I then apply the proposed rule to several hypothetical case studies, evaluating it according to its tendency to (1) assist the jury in accurately determining the first aggressor in a self-defense case; and (2) permit the defendant to raise a meaningful defense at trial.
A Legal and Policy-Based Evaluation of the Proposed Deepwater Wind Block Island Wind Farm

Questions Presented: Is the Block Island Wind farm project consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law? Does the Block Island Wind farm make economic sense for: (a) Block Island residents, and (b) Rhode Island electricity customers? What are the economic and environmental implications of offshore wind energy in general?
Quantifying the impact of gate efficiency on switching steepness of quantum-well tunnel-FETs: Experiments, modeling, and design guidelines

DC and RF characterization up to 10 GHz from RT to T = 77 K combined with detailed modeling are used for the first time in a comprehensive investigation of the impact of gate efficiency on the subthreshold swing (SS) in Quantum-well Tunnel-FETs (QWTFETs). Calibrated modeling of experimental InGaAs/GaAsSb QWTFETs based on IV, CV and RF measurements and full quantum-mechanical (QM) simulations suggest that only 55% of the gate voltage contributes to the tunneling current modulation which results in degraded switching steepness. This is due to the coupling of the tunneling junction with the MOS structure, that severely degrades the gate efficiency. The proposed model can be adapted to analyze the gate efficiency in various TFET designs, and/or to use in circuit simulation. Based on the QM simulations, design guidelines resulting in up to 1.4X improved gate efficiency to ∼78% in our device structure are proposed.
GPS4 IS ALLELIC TO ARL2: IMPLICATIONS FOR GRAVITROPIC SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION

Almost all aspects of plant form and development are impacted by gravity. The most basic of these is gravitropism, a change in the direction of growth in response to a physical reorientation with respect to the gravity vector. However, at 4°C, gravitropic bending is virtually undetectable in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana (Fukaki et al., 1996), but if plants are returned to vertical at room temperature (RT), transient curvature occurs. This cold effect is known as the Gravity Persistent Signal (GPS) response and is caused by temperature effects on auxin transport (Nadella et al., 2006). To identify genes involved in the signal transduction pathway of gravitropism, a mutant screen was performed to isolate Arabidopsis lines that displayed an aberrant GPS response (referred to here as the GPS treatment) (Wyatt et al., 2002). One of these lines, gravity persistent signal 4 (gps4) showed no response after the GPS treatment (Fig. 3 & Fig. 6). However, room-temperature gravitropism in the inflorescence stem appeared to be unchanged (Fig. 6).
PD01-05: Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor LBH589 (Panobinostat) Suppresses the Activated-NFκB Pathway in Acquired Aromatase Inhibitor Resistant Breast Cancer Cells.

Background: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are effective in treating postmenopausal patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. However, resistance to endocrine therapies remains a major problem in the management of ER-positive breast cancer. Recently, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) show promise as cancer therapeutics, but the full scope of their utility remains unknown. Experimental Design: In order to search for critical genes in developing resistance to AI, a microarray study was performed on AI resistant cells derived from MCF-7aro cells that overexpress aromatase and on AI resistant tumors from our mouse experiments. Moreover, using MCF-7aro cells that are resistant to anastrozole (Ana-R), letrozole (Let-R), and exemestane (Exe-R), as well as LTEDaro, we evaluated the significance of NFKB1 and several regulatory genes in AI resistance, and the anti-NFκB1 activity of HDACi LBH589 in vitro and in vivo. Results: Significant changes (Fold change cutoff > 1.5, false discovery rate in vitro and in vivo models of acquired AI resistance. NFKB1 is a key player in one of three networks, including 11 genes, and is functionally up-regulated in all AI resistant cells. NFκB1 knockdown suppresses the proliferation of AI resistant cells more than that of MCF-7aro cells. Moreover, AI resistant cell lines are highly sensitive to LBH589 treatment and apoptosis is induced in these cell lines. LBH589 suppressed NFκB1 as demonstrated at both the mRNA and protein levels in LTEDaro and other AI resistant cell lines. Furthermore, the LBH589 treatment abrogated tumor growth in mice, and was associated with significant decreased levels of NFKB1 in tumors. Conclusions: Our findings provide new insights into how the NFκB1-mediated networks play roles in AI resistance, and strongly support that LBH589 offers a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with AI resistant breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr PD01-05.
Some Remarks on Variations and Differentials

(1966). Some Remarks on Variations and Differentials. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 73, No. 4P2, pp. 63-76.
[Si(HNCH2CH2)2(NCH2CH2)N]2: A Novel Product of Hydrogen Elimination from HSi(HNCH2CH2)3N

Rather than oligomers, the title dimer is formed in high yield by dehydrogenation of HSi(HNCH2CH2)3N under a variety of conditions ranging from 77% by pyrolysis at 200 °C to 95% by dimerization in liquid ammonia in the presence of a catalytic amount of NaNH2. The structure of the dimer was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic studies.
Pheochromocytoma:diagnosis and treatment.

Chemical and pharmacologic tests are valuable in the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, but diagnosis in time to benefit the patient largely depends on the alertness of the first physician to see the patient. Eight case histories which illustrate diagnostic points are presented.
The Spatial Aging Pattern and Its Driving Forces in Guangdong

This paper analyzes the spatial distribution of population aging at the prefectual cities level in Guangdong Province and the underlying driving forces using three representative years.Six variables are adopted to classify the population aging in Guangdong into five stages: young,early growth,late growth,early aging,and middle aging.Spatial autocorrelation model is used to detect the spatial structure,and spatial Markov chain is employed to study space-time dynamics of population change.The underlying driving forces are analyzed from the perspectives of socioeconomic and educational perspectives.It is noted that migration of younger population from other provinces in China has slowed down the progress of aging in Guangdong.However,many regions in Guangdong have been the aging society.When the dividend of sufficient labor force comes to the end,Guangdong should accelerate economic transformation and upgrading the economic structure to cope with an aging society.
Development of student academies at Alpert Medical School.

VOLUME 93 NO. 8 AUGUST 2010 The design of the new Alpert Medical School (AMS) building provides an opportunity to address issues that have arisen as a result of recent changes in the institution. These changes, including the establishment of a “standard” admissions route, changes in administrative structure and leadership, curriculum reform, and the on-going increase in class size, require us to reexamine our medical school identity and the way in which we define ourselves as a community. An additional change, the move of the medical school away from College Hill will have a profound impact on the environment and culture in which our students are educated. Many medical schools in the United States divide their students into smaller groupings upon matriculation. Harvard established their society structure in the 1980s, the University of Iowa in 1999, UCLA in 2002, Case in 2003, and Johns Hopkins in 2006, to name a few. While there are many potential models for student communities, the shared purpose is to create smaller networks of faculty and students within the larger institution. These networks are thought to provide a more supportive educational experience through increased contact with a reduced number of peers and a small number of involved faculty and staff. A system of student communities serves to model teamwork and team learning. It can foster habits of mind that are essential for the training of physicians, and yet are not explicitly taught. It provides an administrative structure through which the institution can provide individualized personal, academic and career advising. Finally, such a system potentially provides the medical school with a formal means by which to bring much that we value about the current Brown community along with us to the new building.
ICSI outcomes in men undergoing TESE for azoospermia and impact of maternal age.

Summary This retrospective study compared clinical outcomes in men with obstructive and nonobstructive azoospermia after ICSI following testicular sperm extraction and the influence of maternal age. Fertilisation rates, embryo quality, pregnancy rates, miscarriage rates and live birth rates were evaluated. Men with obstructive azoospermia (OA) had significantly higher rates of diploid fertilisation and clinical pregnancy than men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), but miscarriage rates and live birth rates were not significantly different. The higher rates of fertilisation, embryo quality and clinical pregnancy in men with OA were statistically significant when their female partners were <35 years but results were similar in both groups when female partners ≥35 years. Although the OA group had better overall quality embryos than the NOA group when maternal age was <35 years, embryologists can select the morphologically better embryos for transfer, eliminating the effect of embryo quality differences present in these two groups. Understanding more about factors that affect TESE/ICSI outcomes will not only help us predict patients' outcomes but it can help us educate and better counsel our patients.
Giant colonic mucocele after diversion colostomy for ulcerative colitis

We report an unusual complication occurring after diversion transverse loop colostomy in a patient with long-standing ulcerative colitis. The formation of a giant colonic mucocele resulted from distal stomal and rectal stenosis, with subsequent accumulation of mucus in the obstructed segment over many years. The pathophysiologic features of this case, which are similar to mucocele of the appendix, are discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of a giant colonic mucocele after diversion colostomy.
Japanese Evidence for the History of the Architecture and Iconography of Chinese Buddhism

(1940). Japanese Evidence for the History of the Architecture and Iconography of Chinese Buddhism. Monumenta Serica: Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 638-679.
Interference with glutamine metabolism: A novel approach for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

I contrast to normal cells, rapidly dividing leukemia cells reprogram their nutritional requirements to match an increased metabolic demand. The two main nutrient sources for growth and survival of cancer cells are glucose and glutamine. Depletion of glutamine or interruption of its cellular processes can be detrimental to leukemia cells but not normal cells. Asparaginases deplete amino acids asparagine and glutamine and are FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The anti-leukemia effect of asparaginases in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is not established. Here we describe the preclinical effect of different asparaginase products on the survival of AML cells with or without isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations, which culminates in glutamine depletion resulting in disruption of protein synthesis downstream of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) causing strong apoptotic and autophagic responses. The clinical experience with asparaginase in AML patients will also be discussed. Moreover, the cytotoxic effect of pharmacologic inhition of glutaminase, the enzyme that converts glutamine to ammonia and glutamate, will be reported in AML cells with different mutational status.
Outsourcing of Core and Non-Core Competencies in U.S. Corporations

Outsourcing has been a significant industry trend over the past decade. However, some scholars have stressed that companies may have gone too far by outsourcing core, as well as non-core competenci...
Alternative methods for health care expenditure projection

Projections based on statewide health care expenditure data provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are traditionally in nominal terms and have not taken into account of differen...