cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-performance liquid chromatographic separation and isolation of quinidine and quinine metabolites in rat urine.

Abstract A procedure for the separation and isolation of the urinary metabolites of quinidine and quinine by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography is described. Nine metabolites of quinidine and eight metabolites of quinine were detected in the urine of male Sprague-Dawley rats after a single dose of quinidine or quinine (50 mg kg −1 ). Following extraction from urine, the metabolites were separated on either an analytical or a semi-preparative reversed-phase column by gradient elution. After isolation and derivatization, the metabolites were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography—mass spectrometry.
Vasoconstrictor response to prostacyclin in rabbit pulmonary circulation.

Abstract We have determined the effect of prostacyclin (PGI2) on segmental vascular resistance in rabbit lungs. Lungs of 26 rabbits were isolated and perfused with blood; 16 adult, > 6 months old, five juvenile, 6–8 week old and five neonatal, 2—3 week old. Six of the adult lungs were pretreated with indomethacin to block cyclooxygenase, prior to infusion of PGI2. In all lungs, flow was adjusted initially to keep pulmonary artery pressure ∼ 20 cmH2O, left atrial and airway pressures being 8 and 6 cmH2O, respectively (zone 3), and then kept constant. We measured pulmonary artery pressure continuously and in the 10 untreated adult lungs, in which a vasoconstrictor response to PGI2 was obtained, we also measured pressures in 20–50 μm diameter subpleural arterioles and venules by the micropipette-servonulling method. We found that in juvenile and neonatal rabbit lungs, PGI2 did not change total vascular resistance significantly but in untreated adult lungs, it caused a significant increase in total vascular resistance only after a dose of 10 μg/kg. This age-related difference in vasoconstrictor response to PGI2 was not related to baseline total vascular resistance in the three groups of lungs. In adult lungs, vasoconstriction occurred mainly in arteries with a small effect in veins. Circulating levels of thromboxane B2, leukotriene C4, and 6-keto-PGF1α increased following PGI2 infusion in adult lungs, whereas in neonatal lungs, only 6-keto-PGF1α increased significantly. Indomethacin pretreatment completely abolished the vasoconstrictor response to PGI2. We conclude that PGI2-induced vasoconstriction is age and dose dependent in isolated rabbit lungs and that a cyclooxygenase product, such as thromboxane A2, may play a role in mediating the vasoconstriction.
New and experimental therapies for HCV

Standard treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin only cures just over half of patients with HCV infection. Pereira and Jacobson review the evidence on the efficacy and promise of several specifically targeted antiviral therapies, which, most likely in combination with interferon and ribavirin, may improve the success rate of HCV therapy.
Exploring automatic music annotation with "acoustically-objective" tags

The task of automatically annotating music with text tags (referred to as autotagging) is vital to creating a large-scale semantic music discovery engine. Yet for an autotagging system to be successful, a large and cleanly-annotated data set must exist to train the system. For this reason, we have collected a data set, called Swat10k, which consists of 10,870 songs annotated using a vocabulary of 475 acoustic tags and 153 genre tags}from Pandora's Music Genome Project. The acoustic tags are considered "acoustically-objective" because they can be consistently applied to songs by expert musicologists. To develop an autotagging system, we use the Swat10k data set in conjunction with two new sets of content-based audio features obtained using the publicly-available Echo Nest API. The Echo Nest Timbre (ENT) features represent a song using a collection of short-time feature vectors. Compared with Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs), ENTs provide a more compact representation of music and improve autotagging performance. We also evaluate the Echo Nest Song (ENS) feature vector, which is a collection of mid-level acoustic features (e.g., beats per minute, average loudness). While the ENS features generally perform worse than the ENTs, they increase the performance of several individual tags. Furthermore, we plan to publicly release our song annotations and corresponding Echo Nest features so that other researchers will be able to use Swat10K to develop and compare alternative autotagging algorithms.
The growth and differentiation of cultured newborn rat keratinocytes.

Keratinocytes were cultured from adult and newborn rat epidermis using the 3T3 feeder cell technique. By modifying culture conditions a long-lived line of new- born rat keratinocytes was developed which showed a plating efficiency of 40% and a doubling time of 16 h. The cells produced stratified colonies with tonofilaments, desmosomes, cell envelopes, and keratohyaline granules. When the cells were grown on a collagen gel they formed a thick stratum corneum and many keratohyaline granules. The fibrous proteins synthesized by the newborn rat cultured keratinocytes were different than those of newborn rat epidermis but similar to those of adult rat cultured keratinocytes. A histidine-rich basic protein was identified by immunologic techniques but it appeared to be more heterogeneous than that of newborn rat epidermis. A cell envelope precursor protein was identified by dansyl cadaverine incorporation studies and was identical to a major envelope precursor of newborn rat epidermis. The growth characteristics, colony morphology, and biochemical markers did not change for up to 40 pas- sages and there was no evidence of malignant transformation. Because of their ease of growth and long-term survival these cells are useful for studying a variety of problems related to keratinization.
Modulation of mammalian polyol: NADP oxidoreductase activity by ADP and ATP.

Abstract The xylose-reducing activity of polyol:NADP oxidoreductases isolated and partially purified from rabbit lens, sciatic nerve, and pancreas were found to be stimulated by ATP and to be inhibited by ADP. With the lens enzyme these effects of ATP and ADP appear to be associated with changes in Vmax without significant changes in the Km's for xylose or NADPH.
On the development of gemcitabine-based chemoradiotherapy regimens in pancreatic cancer.

The use of chemotherapy with concurrent radiation therapy remains a standard treatment option for patients with unresectable or resected adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. This treatment strategy is based in large part on data from serial Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group trials that have included 5-fluorouracil. Unfortunately, the majority of patients continue to succumb to the disease process. Recently, there has been a resurgence in clinical trials utilizing gemcitabine as a single agent, in combination chemotherapy regimens, and with concurrent radiation therapy. Use with concurrent radiation therapy is based in part on laboratory studies investigating mechanisms of radiosensitization and strategies that might increase the therapeutic index. In the current review, the authors summarize the preclinical data that support the use of gemcitabine as a radiosensitizing agent and the clinical trials that have been conducted to date. Issues regarding the use of gemcitabine in concurrent radiotherapy regimens need to be viewed in the context of both local and distant disease control, given the radiosensitizing and systemic activity of this agent.
Variation in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene and treatment response to venlafaxine XR in generalized anxiety disorder

Antidepressant drugs are the preferred choice for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). However, the choice of pharmacotherapy is determined on a trial-and-error basis, as the underlying mechanisms of treatment response are unknown. We examined whether the COMT gene, which has been known to play a role in antidepressant treatment response in major depressive disorder (MDD), has a pharmacogenetic effect in antidepressant treatment response in GAD. In our study, 156 patients diagnosed with GAD received venlafaxine XR treatment as part of an 18-month relapse prevention study. Genotypes were obtained for the COMT functional variant rs4680 (Val158Met) for all patients; however, pharmacogenetic analysis was only conducted for the European American population (n=112). We found no significant association between our primary Hamilton Anxiety Scale outcome measure and rs4680. However, we did find a nominally significant allelic association between this variant and a secondary treatment outcome measure (CGI-I) in our European American population (n=112). Furthermore, we show a slight dominant effect of the A-allele with the CGI-I measure in the European American population indicating a possible pharmacogenetic role of rs4680 in antidepressant treatment outcome in GAD. Further studies in a larger population are needed to confirm this effect.
Theoretical thermal runaway analysis of heterojunction bipolar transistors: Junction temperature rise threshold

Abstract The thermal runaway behavior of single- and multiple-emitter-element heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) under both voltage and current modulated operations was studied. Under voltage modulation, thermal runaway causes device destruction due to an ever increasing junction temperature. Under current modulation, thermal runaway induces current instability concurrent with the formation of hot spots. It is found theoretically that thermal runaway occurs when the junction temperature rise reaches a threshold value. The dependence of this value for both current and voltage modulation modes of operation on device electrical and thermal parameters is numerically calculated. The electrical parameters include the negative temperature coefficient of the base-emitter turn-on voltage, base current ideality factor, apparent valence band discontinuity for npn HBT and emitter ballast resistance. The thermal parameters include the self-induced and coupled thermal resistances.
The reaction of cytochrome c from different species with cytochrome c oxidase immobilized in an electrode supported lipid bilayer membrane

In past work the direct electron transfer reactions of bovine cytochrome c oxidase in an electrode-supported lipid bilayer membrane have been studied. Its reaction with cytochrome c in solution was also studied and found to be consistent with previous solution studies. In this work it is shown that the electron transfer reactions of cytochrome c oxidase in this electrode-supported lipid bilayer membrane depend on the source of cytochrome c. This property has also been widely studied for solution samples. The differences in the electron transfer reaction rates correlate with the differences in the amino acid sequence for the cytochrome c molecules studied. Electrochemical results suggest that the dissociation of the cytochrome c/cytochrome c oxidase reaction complex is the rate-controlling step in this electron transfer mechanism for cytochrome c from some sources. Moreover, the electron transfer reaction mechanism exhibits biphasic reaction kinetics, which is consistent with earlier work on reactions between solubilized cytochrome c oxidase/cytochrome c samples. These results indicate that the cytochrome c oxidase modified electrodes described herein could be used to distinguish amino acid sequence variations in proteins such as cytochrome c, and this has potential relevance as a diagnostic for disease states.
Proposed Standard Length–Weight Equation for Northern Pike

Abstract Relative weight (W r) is an easily interpreted index for analyzing fish condition; it is the percentage of a standard weight at length (W s) for a species: W r = 100 × (measured weight)/ W s. A standard length-weight equation must be available to calculate W r for any given length. Thirty-three data sets for northern pike Esox lucius from 23 populations in eight U.S. states and one Canadian province were summarized to develop a proposed W s equation. The proposed equation is log10W s, = –5.369 + 3.059 log10L; W s is weight in grams and L is total length in millimeters. The English equivalent of this equation is log10 W s = –3.727 + 3.059 log10L; W s is pounds and L is inches. Age and growth data were available for 11 of the 23 populations, and W r was significantly correlated with growth. Mean population W r values were also summarized according to the subjective judgement of the biologists who contributed 25 data sets; fast-growth populations had a mean W r of 106, moderate-growth populations ha...
The Causes of Globalization

The most important causes of globalization differ among the three major components of international market integration: trade, multinational production, and international finance. The information t...
Clinical Correlates of Circulating Visfatin Levels in a Community-Based Sample

Visfatin, a novel adipokine with insulin-mimetic characteristics, is highly expressed in visceral fat (1). Associations of circulating visfatin concentrations with diabetes and obesity have not been rigorously established, most likely due to small sample sizes of prior studies. Furthermore, relations of visfatin to other cardiovascular risk factors in the general population have not been examined systematically. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that plasma visfatin would be positively related to obesity, diabetes, and visceral adiposity in a community-based sample. The design and selection criteria of the Framingham Third Generation Cohort are detailed elsewhere (2). Briefly, 4,095 adults (53% women; mean age 40 years) having at least one parent in the Framingham Offspring Study cohort were recruited in 2001–2005. At their first examination, participants underwent anthropometry, medical history and physical examination, laboratory assessment of cardiovascular risk factors, and, in a subsample, imaging for coronary calcification and adiposity using multidetector computer tomography (MDCT). The present study was performed in a subsample of 374 participants (9% eligible; 53% women) in whom plasma visfatin was assayed. We randomly selected these participants using a weighted sampling scheme with oversampling of the lowest and highest sex-specific quintiles of BMI (ratio of 1.5:2:1.5 for the lowest, middle three, and upper quintiles, respectively) using the participants undergoing MDCT imaging as the sampling frame. We chose this sampling strategy for cost efficiency and optimizing the use of nonrenewable serological resources (given …
Improvement of stone fragmentation during shock-wave lithotripsy using a combined EH/PEAA shock-wave generator—in vitro experiments

Abstract To control the collapse of cavitation bubbles induced during shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL), a piezoelectric annular array (PEAA) shock-wave generator was fabricated and combined with an experimental electrohydraulic (EH) shock-wave lithotripter with a truncated HM-3 reflector. The PEAA generator consists of eight individual transducers of 200-kHz resonant frequency. At a discharge voltage of 15 kV, the PEAA generator produces a shock wave with a peak positive pressure of 8.2 MPa, a positive half cycle duration of 2.9 μs, and a −6-dB beam width of 5 mm. The trigger of the PEAA generator was controlled via fiberoptic link with reference to the spark discharge of the EH generator. Hence, the PEAA-generated shock wave could be used to interact with cavitation bubbles induced by the EH source at various stages of their oscillation. The duration of bubble oscillation during SWL was monitored by a 2.25-MHz focused hydrophone, and this information was used to control the release timing of the PEAA generator. Stone fragmentation tests in vitro were carried out, and demonstrated that stone comminution could be significantly enhanced when the shock wave-bubble interaction occurred during the collapsing phase of the bubbles. A maximum increment of 60% to 80% in stone fragmentation was achieved when the PEAA-generated shock wave arrives near the collapse of the bubbles. Under these conditions, much intensified collapse of the bubbles near the surface of the stone, with strong secondary shock-wave emission and increased stress concentration at the impact site of the solid boundary, was observed using high-speed shadowgraph and photoelastic imaging.
Oral cancer and United States presidents

Since the inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States in 1789, 43 men have assumed this prestigious office, and the American public has become aware of their medical diagnoses. John F. Kennedy, for example, was afflicted with Addison’s disease, Franklin Roosevelt with poliomyelitis, and George Bush with Grave’s disease. The development of Alzheimer’s disease in Ronald Reagan occurred after his departure from office in 1989 and has resulted in greater understanding and appreciation by the American public of this dementing illness. Two US presidents, Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland, had oral malignant disease; General Grant remains the only US president known to have died from cancer of any type. It is the purpose of this review to provide the historical perspectives associated with the diagnosis and management of oral cancer in these 2 US presidents.
Identification of putative interactions between swine and human influenza A virus nucleoprotein and human host proteins

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are important pathogens that affect the health of humans and many additional animal species. IAVs are enveloped, negative single-stranded RNA viruses whose genome encodes at least ten proteins. The IAV nucleoprotein (NP) is a structural protein that associates with the viral RNA and is essential for virus replication. Understanding how IAVs interact with host proteins is essential for elucidating all of the required processes for viral replication, restrictions in species host range, and potential targets for antiviral therapies. In this study, the NP from a swine IAV was cloned into a yeast two-hybrid “bait” vector for expression of a yeast Gal4 binding domain (BD)-NP fusion protein. This “bait” was used to screen a Y2H human HeLa cell “prey” library which consisted of human proteins fused to the Gal4 protein’s activation domain (AD). The interaction of “bait” and “prey” proteins resulted in activation of reporter genes. Seventeen positive bait-prey interactions were isolated in yeast. All of the “prey” isolated also interact in yeast with a NP “bait” cloned from a human IAV strain. Isolation and sequence analysis of the cDNAs encoding the human prey proteins revealed ten different human proteins. These host proteins are involved in various host cell processes and structures, including purine biosynthesis (PAICS), metabolism (ACOT13), proteasome (PA28B), DNA-binding (MSANTD3), cytoskeleton (CKAP5), potassium channel formation (KCTD9), zinc transporter function (SLC30A9), Na+/K+ ATPase function (ATP1B1), and RNA splicing (TRA2B). Ten human proteins were identified as interacting with IAV NP in a Y2H screen. Some of these human proteins were reported in previous screens aimed at elucidating host proteins relevant to specific viral life cycle processes such as replication. This study extends previous findings by suggesting a mechanism by which these host proteins associate with the IAV, i.e., physical interaction with NP. Furthermore, this study revealed novel host protein-NP interactions in yeast.
BMP-4 inhibits neural differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells.

Members of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, including bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4), have been implicated as regulators of neuronal and glial differentiation. To test for a possible role of BMP-4 in early mammalian neural specification, we examined its effect on neurogenesis in aggregate cultures of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Compared to control aggregates, in which up to 20% of the cells acquired immunoreactivity for the neuron-specific antibody TuJ1, aggregates maintained for 8 days in serum-free medium containing BMP-4 generated 5- to 10-fold fewer neurons. The action of BMP-4 was dose dependent and restricted to the fifth through eighth day in suspension. In addition to the reduction in neurons, we observed that ES cell cultures exposed to BMP-4 contained fewer cells that were immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein or the HNK-1 neural antigen. Furthermore, under phase contrast, cultures prepared from BMP-4–treated aggregates contained a significant proportion of nonneuronal cells with a characteristic flat, elongated morphology. These cells were immunoreactive for antibodies to the intermediate filament protein vimentin; they were rare or absent in control cultures. Treatment with BMP-4 enhanced the expression of the early mesodermal genes brachyury and tbx6 but had relatively little effect on total cell number or cell death. Coapplication of the BMP-4 antagonist noggin counteracted the effect of exogenous BMP-4, but noggin alone had no effect on neuralization in either the absence or presence of retinoids. Collectively, our results suggest that BMP-4 can overcome the neuralizing action of retinoic acid to enhance mesodermal differentiation of murine ES cells. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 40: 271–287, 1999
Interleaved Memory Bandwidth in a Model of a Multiprocessor Computer System

An approximate analysis is performed of an often studied model of an interleaved memory, multiprocessor system consisting of M memory modules and N processors. A closed-form solution is obtained and the one approximation used is found to result in negligible error. This solution is about an order of magnitude more accurate than the best previous result.
Complications Related to Hamstring Tendon Harvest

The semitendinosus, gracilis, and patellar tendons are the most commonly harvested grafts for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The use of hamstring autografts offers the advantage of preserved quadriceps function, decreased anterior knee pain, and reduced risk of patellar tendon rupture and patellar fracture when compared with bone–patellar tendon–bone autografts. Harvesting of the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons is, however, not without complications including injuries to branches of the saphenous nerve, donor site pain, medial collateral ligament injury, premature graft amputation, and temporary hamstring weakness. We review the anatomy of the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons, describe potential morbidities of tendon harvesting, and discuss techniques that may minimize these complications.
Four Isoforms of Arabidopsis 4-Coumarate:CoA Ligase Have Overlapping yet Distinct Roles in Phenylpropanoid Metabolism

The biosynthesis of lignin, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamoyl esters share the first three enzymatic steps of the phenylpropanoid pathway. The last shared step is catalyzed by 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL), which generates p-coumaroyl CoA and caffeoyl CoA from their respective acids. Four isoforms of 4CL have been identified in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Phylogenetic analysis reveals that 4CL1, 4CL2, and 4CL4 are more closely related to each other than to 4CL3, suggesting that the two groups may serve different biological functions. Promoter-GUS analysis shows that 4CL1 and 4CL2 are expressed in lignifying cells. In contrast, 4CL3 is expressed in a broad range of cell types, and 4CL3 has acquired a distinct role in flavonoid metabolism. Sinapoylmalate, the major hydroxycinnamoyl ester found in Arabidopsis, is greatly reduced in the 4cl1 4cl3 mutant, showing that 4CL1 and 4CL3 function redundantly in its biosynthesis. 4CL1 accounts for the majority of the total 4CL activity, and loss of 4CL1 leads to reduction in lignin content but no growth defect. The 4cl1 4cl2 and 4cl1 4cl2 4cl3 mutants are both dwarf but do not have further reduced lignin than the 4cl1 mutant, indicating that either 4CL1 or 4CL2 is required for normal plant growth. Although 4CL4 has a limited expression profile, it does make a modest contribution to lignin biosynthesis. Together, these data show that the four isoforms of 4CL in Arabidopsis have overlapping yet distinct roles in phenylpropanoid metabolism.
Elevated Strain and Structural Disarray Occur at the Right Ventricular Apex

The right ventricular apex (RVA) is a potential hot spot for development of cardiac rhythm anomalies. Many conditions, including arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and Brugada's syndrome affect the RVA, and further, the RVA remains an incompletely characterized pacing region. Whether there are structural reasons underlying these conduction properties remains unsettled. In the current study, we characterize the mechanical strains and structural attributes of the right ventricular wall, and test the hypothesis that the right ventricular apex experiences heterogeneous strain distributions and altered fiber organization, and is thus susceptible to conduction alterations. Electromechanical wave imaging (EWI), or elastography, of hearts was used to quantify mechanical strains occurring through a cardiac cycle. Histological and immunofluorescence imaging techniques were used to examine cardiac wall structure and arrangement of junctional proteins. Right ventricular mechanical strains were elevated and sustained throughout systole, compared to the left ventricle and septum. Heterogeneous strain distributions, myocardial fiber disarray, and altered junctional protein localization occured at the RVA. Disarray and altered strain distributions suggest decreased structural strength at the right ventricular apex in particular and increased mechanical impositions in the right ventricle, respectively. Thus, these data demonstrate why the right ventricular apex may be particularly vulnerable to conduction abnormalities.
Sanction Power, Jurisdiction, and Economic Policy‐making: Explaining Contemporary Telecommunications Policy in Japan

Variation in policy-making is an important analytical issue in public policy analysis, but it has not been extensively discussed in the literature on Japanese politics and political economy. Focusing on the interaction between state and societal actors, this article presents a causal argument to account for variation in Japanese economic policy-making. It is argued that variation in policy-making patterns is determined by the strength of a bureaucracy’s sanction power and the exclusivity of its jurisdiction. This argument is elaborated through analysis of four related cases of Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) policy-making: the privatization process of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT), the regulation of telecommunications after NTT privatization, the promotion of advanced telecommunications, and the reorganization of NTT. The causal framework is also applied to contemporary Ministry of International Trade and Industry economic policy-making to highlight the argument’s preliminary applicability to Japanese policy-making. This analysis of Japanese policy-making lays a base for further analysis of variation in policy-making in general.
Feminist Policymaking in Chile . By Liesl Haas

The election of Michelle Bachelet as president of Chile in January 2006 was heralded in the world press as an advancement of women's rights in Chile. Not only did Bachelet's election increase women's representation at the highest levels, but it also raised expectations that Chile would adopt more women-friendly policies as well. Although focused on the years between the democratic transition and the election of Bachelet, Liesl Haas's Feminist Policymaking in Chile speaks volumes to the questions of how and why such representation makes a difference. Although the women's movement and feminist policymaking in Chile have been well mined by gender scholars, Haas provides a different perspective, both in terms of time frame and of theoretical argument. The book is notable for its extensive documentation of the legislative process, church activism, and feminist policymaking in Chile in the posttransition era. This rich description will make it valuable to gender scholars wishing to understand the Chilean case and to Latin Americanists wishing to understand more about gender politics in Chile. But my particular interest, and my focus in this review, concerns what the book tells us about the reasons that feminist policies get adopted in a particular place at a particular point in time.
The Peace of Westphalia of 1648 and the Origins of Sovereignty

(1999). The Peace of Westphalia of 1648 and the Origins of Sovereignty. The International History Review: Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 569-591.
A Millimeter-Wave (40–45 GHz) 16-Element Phased-Array Transmitter in 0.18- $\mu$ m SiGe BiCMOS Technology

This paper demonstrates a 16-element phased-array transmitter in a standard 0.18-mum SiGe BiCMOS technology for Q-band satellite applications. The transmitter array is based on the all-RF architecture with 4-bit RF phase shifters and a corporate-feed network. A 1:2 active divider and two 1:8 passive tee-junction dividers constitute the corporate-feed network, and three-dimensional shielded transmission-lines are used for the passive divider to minimize area. All signals are processed differentially inside the chip except for the input and output interfaces. The phased-array transmitter results in a 12.5 dB of average power gain per channel at 42.5 GHz with a 3-dB gain bandwidth of 39.9-45.6 GHz. The RMS gain variation is < 1.3 dB and the RMS phase variation is < for all 4-bit phase states at 35-50 GHz. The measured input and output return losses are < -10 dB at 36.6-50 GHz, and <-10 dB at 37.6-50 GHz, respectively. The measured peak-to-peak group delay variation is plusmn 20 ps at 40-45 GHz. The output P-1dB is -5plusmn1.5 dBm and the maximum saturated output power is - 2.5plusmn1.5 dBm per channel at 42.5 GHz. The transmitter shows <1.8 dB of RMS gain mismatch and < 7deg of RMS phase mismatch between the 16 different channels over all phase states. A - 30 dB worst-case port-to-port coupling is measured between adjacent channels at 30-50 GHz, and the measured RMS gain and phase disturbances due to the inter-channel coupling are < 0.15 dB and < 1deg, respectively, at 35-50 GHz. All measurements are obtained without any on-chip calibration. The chip consumes 720 mA from a 5 V supply voltage and the chip size is 2.6times3.2 mm2.
Teaching and Researching Motivation by DÖRNYEI, ZOLTÁN, & EMA USHIODA

A review of the second edition of the book "Teaching and Researching Motivation," by Zoltan Dornyei and Ema Ushioda is presented.
Dielectric relaxation properties of filled ethylene propylene rubber

Thermally stimulated discharge currents and time domain dielectric spectroscopy were employed to characterize the behavior of clay-filled ethylene propylene rubber. Measurements were made on samples with different clay concentrations and particle sizes. The main effect of the clay filler on the electrical properties is on interfacial polarization which occurs at the clay polymer interface. The experimental results are sensitive to the shape of the clay particles. A few results indicate that other mechanisms also affect the electrical behavior of this material. >
The Role of Mental Health on Maternal-Fetal Attachment in Low-Income Women

ABSTRACT Objective To examine and describe the influence of maternal depressive symptoms on maternal‐fetal attachment (MFA) in predominantly low‐income women. Design Mixed method. Setting Three urban obstetric/gynecologic (OB/GYN) clinics serving predominantly low‐income women. Participants A convenience sample of 166 women participated in the quantitative component and a purposeful subsample of 12 women participated in the qualitative component; all women were between 24 and 28 weeks gestation at the time of data collection. Methods Linear regression models were used to examine the influence of depressive symptoms and social support on MFA. Individual in‐depth interviews were conducted among a subsample of women to explore the influence of maternal depressive symptoms on MFA. Results Fifty‐nine percent ( n = 98) of participants had scores that were clinically significant for depressive symptoms. In the final model of social support and depressive symptoms regressed on MFA, social support ( b = .23, 95% CI [0.09, .37], p = .002) and depressive symptoms ( b = −1.02, 95% CI [−1.32, −.73], p Conclusions Findings from this study highlight the importance of assessing for depressive symptoms during pregnancy given its influence on MFA. By understanding how important it was for these women to have a supportive person to experience their pregnancies with, nurses can improve the pregnancy experience for vulnerable populations.
Statistical signatures of structural organization: The case of long memory in renewal processes

Abstract Identifying and quantifying memory are often critical steps in developing a mechanistic understanding of stochastic processes. These are particularly challenging and necessary when exploring processes that exhibit long-range correlations. The most common signatures employed rely on second-order temporal statistics and lead, for example, to identifying long memory in processes with power-law autocorrelation function and Hurst exponent greater than 1/2. However, most stochastic processes hide their memory in higher-order temporal correlations. Information measures—specifically, divergences in the mutual information between a process' past and future (excess entropy) and minimal predictive memory stored in a process' causal states (statistical complexity)—provide a different way to identify long memory in processes with higher-order temporal correlations. However, there are no ergodic stationary processes with infinite excess entropy for which information measures have been compared to autocorrelation functions and Hurst exponents. Here, we show that fractal renewal processes—those with interevent distribution tails ∝ t − α —exhibit long memory via a phase transition at α = 1 . Excess entropy diverges only there and statistical complexity diverges there and for all α 1 . When these processes do have power-law autocorrelation function and Hurst exponent greater than 1/2, they do not have divergent excess entropy. This analysis breaks the intuitive association between these different quantifications of memory. We hope that the methods used here, based on causal states, provide some guide as to how to construct and analyze other long memory processes.
List of Information Sources for Airport Planners

A compilation was prepared to acquaint the engineer with names and addresses of organizations that have been active as sources of information on airport planning and design. Rather than a bibliography of specific documents, the list is instead primarily a directory, which may be used as a checklist by a veteran planner/designer to insure that he does not overlook a less prominent source, or it may be used as a starting point by a newcomer in assembling his working library. Implementation of the Federal Airport and Airway Act of 1970 is expected to attract many such newcomers into the field of airport planning and design. Sources are arbitrarily separated into five categories: books; government organizations; professional organizations; manufacturers and trade organizations; and commercial periodicals.
The σ term revisited

A standard analysis of the pion-nucleon sigma term uses partial conservation of the axial-vector current, current algebra, and a seemingly benign quark-model assumption and disagrees with experiment by a factor of 2. Here I calculate the sigma term in a hybrid chiral bag model and find that the discrepancy disappears. Excepting the sigma term the (successful) pattern of SU(3)- and SU(3) x SU(3)-symmetry violation in the model is essentially identical to the more standard analysis.
6 TISSUE-INJURIOUS EFFECTOR FUNCTIONS OF T LYMPHOCYTES IN THE UNSTABLE ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE.

Purpose Unstable atherosclerotic plaque is characterized by an inflammatory infiltrate of macrophages and CD4 T cells. Traditionally, macrophages have been implicated in tissue injury. Less is known about the role of T cells. We have examined whether CD4 T cells interact with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), how T cell-VSMC communication is regulated on the molecular level, and what the biological outcome is. Methods CD4 T cells were isolated from peripheral blood of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and age/sex-matched controls and stimulated by VSMC monolayers. Alternatively, T-cell function was examined with non-VSMC antigen-presenting cells loaded with superantigen. T cell-VSMC contact zones were examined by confocal microscopy. Receptor-induced reorganization of the cytoskeleton was measured by the accumulation of F-actin. Target cell apoptosis was used as a biological outcome measure. Results CD4 T cells from AMI patients but not those from controls rapidly induced apoptosis of VSMC. Apoptosis induction involved formation of an organized and sustained immunologic synapse and transfer of cytotoxic granules. To examine the role of antigen presented by VSMC in activating patient T cells, we compared patient and control T-cell responses to superantigen-loaded artificial target cells. Real-time confocal microscopy showed rapid movement of CD3 and LFA-1 to the contact zone for patient and control T cells. However, patient T cells recruited notably higher amounts of CD3-T cell receptor (TCR) complexes to the central region of the synapse within the first 4 min of conjugate formation ( p = .006). By 10 min patient T cells had accumulated more F-actin molecules in the peripheral synapse ( p Conclusions CD4 T cells from AMI patients induce apoptosis of VSMC, a mechanism possibly associated with weakening of the fibrous cap, plaque destabilization, and plaque rupture. Apoptosis induction results from abnormal responsiveness of CD4 T cells that react to TCR ligation with enhanced recruitment of receptor complexes, faster reorganization of the cytoskeleton, and sustained stabilization of the synapse. Tuning down the activation threshold in such "trigger-happy " T cells may have therapeutic value for plaque stabilization.
Recent advances in gene mapping of skin diseases. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum: A satisfying sibling study.

Antecedents : Revue des progres recents du mapping genetique du pseudoxanthome elastique, affection cutanee hereditaire. Methodes : Revue des etudes d'individus affectes parmi la fratrie, des analyses de liaisons parametriques et des tests d'heterogeneite des liaisons afin de localiser le gene responsable du pseudoxanthome elastique. Resultats : La segregation entre transmission familiale autosomique dominante et autosomique recessive du pseudoxanthome elastique semble liee au chromosome 16p13.1. Conclusion : Il y a, sur le chromosome 16p, un gene responsable du pseudoxanthome elastique. L'anomalie moleculaire sous-jacente n'est pas encore elucidee.
Emerging nontaxane therapies for metastatic breast cancer.

RO The treatment decisions are based on whether the cancer is estrogen-receptor positive, HER2 positive, or triple negative. In patients with estrogen-receptor–positive cancer, very often we start with hormonal therapy. In patients with HER2-positive disease, we usually start with trastuzumab (Herceptin, Genentech) plus chemotherapy. In triple-negative disease, we start with chemotherapy, usually a taxane, particularly if the patient has not been treated in the adjuvant setting and has not received a taxane for a period of time. I tend to use single-agent paclitaxel, but docetaxel (Taxotere, SanofiAventis) is also used quite widely. A patient who has received an adjuvant taxane within a year before relapse might be considered for an agent such as capecitabine (Xeloda, Genentech) as an alternative. A clinical trial is always a good option for these patients.
Application of vacuum assisted venous drainage in heart surgeries for newborns.

OBJECTIVE To explore the role of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with vacuum assisted venous drainage(VAVD)in the management of newborns with congenital heart diseases. METHODS Total 15 newborns with congenital heart diseases (11 males and 4 females)underwent heart operations. Their age ranged from 2 days to 28 days [mean:(15.67 ± 2.22)days], and their body weight from 2.3 kg to 4.8 kg [mean: (3.75 ± 0.19)kg]. Sternal median incision was made to establish CPB,during which VAVD was applied for all the newborns. RESULTS In these 15 newborns,the mean CPB time was from 50 minutes to 343 minutes [mean:(170.3 ± 26.6)minutes], and the mean aortic clamping time ranged from 20 minutes to 172 minutes [mean:(85.8 ± 14.6)minutes]. No macroscopic hematuria, inadequate drainage, or cannulation vena cava difficulty was observed during the procedures. All the newborns were successfully weaned from the machine. No neurological complication due to micro air embolus caused by negative pressure was noted. No vena cava infarction, thrombosis, or other complication was reported after the surgery, although one patient died after the surgery and another patient was discharged upon its family's own decision. CONCLUSIONS VAVD is a safe, simple, and cost-effective technique. Appropriate negative pressure can the resistance during thinner venous intubation and thus speed up blood drainage,provide adequate perfusion flow,and reduce the pre-filling volume.
Bcl-x Rather Than Bcl-2 Mediates CD40-Dependent Centrocyte Survival in the Germinal Center

Both rapid B-cell proliferation and programmed cell death (PCD) occur during the differentiation and selection of B cells within the germinal center. To help elucidate the role of Bcl-x in B-cell antigen selection and PCD within the germinal center, we examined its expression in defined B-cell populations and by immunochemistry of tonsil tissue. Purified B-cell fractions enriched for centrocytes express high amounts of Bcl-x and relatively low amounts of Bcl-2, whereas fractions enriched for centroblasts lack significant levels of both proteins. Consistent with this observation, immunocytochemistry localized Bcl-x within cells scattered throughout the germinal center. Stimulation of tonsil B cells with either CD40 or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan increase bcl-x mRNA and protein levels. Treatment of a cell line with a germinal center phenotype (RAMOS) or the tonsillar B-cell centroblast fraction with CD40 rapidly increased Bcl-x levels and partially rescued B cells from PCD. These data suggest that Bcl-x rather than Bcl-2 may rescue centrocytes during selection in the germinal center.
Tacit Knowledge Sharing and Negotiations

Facing a myriad of challengers and biases, tacit knowledge sharing became a key strategy for the Chinese-born women scientists and engineers to overcome difficulties and advance careers. This chapter explores the main categories of tacit knowledge that the Chinese women community shares on a regular basis.
Opiate Antagonists In CNS Injury

Traumatic insults to the central nervous system (CNS) may produce tissue injury through both direct and indirect (secondary) mechanisms. This secondary injury process appears to result from the release or activation of endogenous “autodestructive” factors in response to the original insult. Delayed injury may be associated with reduction in blood flow and/or an alteration of the local metabolic environment. Recently, endogenous opioids have been implicated as secondary injury factors following CNS trauma. The rationale for this hypothesis has been based primarily on the therapeutic effects of opiate-receptor antagonists in a variety of experimental CNS trauma models. This review summarizes the use of opiate-receptor antagonists in the treatment of CNS injury.
Short range ordering in n-Octyl Bromide-Decalin solutions

Measurements of the low frequency limiting value of the relative permittivity e can provide useful information about molecular interactions in liquids and gases. In particular, the value of e for a solution of a polar solute in a nonpolar solvent may be measured as a function of concentration and temperature to study association in the liquid state. This technique is extensively used to examine hydrogenbonding interactions and may be used to study weak complexes involving charge transfer effects.1,2
Navigating Uncharted Waters: Study Abroad Predeparture Activities and the 2-Year-College Student

ABSTRACTStudy abroad programs typically reveal issues that are not commonly found in classes on the home campus. At University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College (UCBA), a 2-year regional campus of University of Cincinnati, we offer three short-term summer study abroad programs each year. Students in these programs have traditionally participated in social gatherings and orientations that include information on culture, behavior, travel logistics, program itineraries, and course curricula prior to travel. To identify student concerns about travel abroad and to measure the effectiveness of how well predeparture activities prepare our students, we administered open-ended student surveys, one predeparture and one posttravel, in our three programs. Using open and axial coding and contrastive analysis, we found that students express a variety of concerns in the areas of behavior and group dynamics, friendship and bonding, and academics and course-related issues. Moreover, posttravel surveys indicate that most of o...
Risk stratification for disease progression in pT3 prostate cancer after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

The aim of this study is to identify optimal patients for adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) in pT3 prostate cancer. The role of ART for patients with adverse pathologic features after radical prostatectomy (RP) has been demonstrated, but over- or under-treatment remains a significant concern. Two-hundred and five patients with pT3N0M0 who underwent robot-assisted RP without ART were analyzed. Multivariate Cox proportional regression analyses were used to identify predictors of biochemical recurrence (BCR) and clinical progression (CP). The estimated 5-year BCR-free survival (BCRFS) and CP-free survival (CPFS) were 52.8% and 85.6%, respectively. Preoperative prostate-specifc antigen (PSA) ≥10 ng ml−1 (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.288-6.027; P = 0.003), pathologic Gleason score (pGS) ≥8 (HR: 4.146; P = 0.014), and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (HR: 2.167; P = 0.026) were associated with BCR. Based on these factors, a risk stratification tool was developed. Patients with no risk factors (PSA <10 ng ml−1 , pGS 6, and absent LVI) showed excellent BCRFS and CPFS at 5 years (91.9% and 100.0%, respectively), but those with two or more risk factors (PSA ≥10 ng ml−1 , pGS ≥8, or present LVI) had poor BCRFS and CPFS (12.1% and 54.6%, respectively). In addition, the multivariate analysis revealed that pathologic stage pT3b (HR: 5.393; P = 0.025) was the only predictor of CP. Our study demonstrated the heterogeneity of oncologic outcomes in patients with pT3 prostate cancer. The proposed risk stratification can be used to identify patients who are at risk for disease progression and may aid in identifying the best patients for ART.
Trends in JPBI Publications, 1999–2016:

The field of positive behavior support (PBS) has expanded and evolved significantly since the first issue of Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI) was published. To ascertain how evolution of the field was reflected in the research, we examined trends in empirical studies published in JPBI since its inception. We coded 217 articles published between 1999 and 2016 that included data-based assessment or data-based intervention practices for key variables pertinent to potential trends in PBS. Analyses revealed increases across the publication period in studies that (a) included participants at risk for behavioral difficulties, (b) implemented interventions in general education settings, (c) utilized clinicians/experimenters as intervention agents, and (d) focused on adult skills as the intervention target. Findings are discussed in the context of the expansion of school-wide positive behavior interventions and support.