cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantum dot solar cells: Hole transfer as a limiting factor in boosting the photoconversion efficiency

Semiconductor nanostructures are attractive for designing low-cost solar cells with tunable photoresponse. The recent advances in size- and shape-selective synthesis have enabled the design of quantum dot solar cells with photoconversion efficiencies greater than 5%. To make them competitive with other existing thin film or polycrystalline photovoltaic technologies, it is important to overcome kinetic barriers for charge transfer at semiconductor interfaces. This feature article focuses on the limitations imposed by slow hole transfer in improving solar cell performance and its role in the stability of metal chalcogenide solar cells. Strategies to improve the rate of hole transfer through surface-modified redox relays offer new opportunities to overcome the hole-transfer limitation. The mechanistic and kinetic aspects of hole transfer in quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs), nanowire solar cells (NWSCs), and extremely thin absorber (ETA) solar cells are discussed.
New Directions in Integration and Ethnicity

The theme of the Seminar, "New Directions in Integration and Ethnicity," had special reference to the two major trends observable with regard to migrant groups today: the assistance given to international migrants in resettling and adjusting to life in a new land, and the growing emphasis upon ethnic identity manifested by both them and so-called internal migrants such as Negroes, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and American Indians.
Arthritis That Develops After Joint Injury: Is It Post-Traumatic Arthritis or Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis?

Arthritis that develops after joint injury, or post-traumatic arthritis (PTA), is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to the overall burden of arthritis. PTA is in many ways ideal for the study of development of arthritis. PTA has known joint involvement and time of onset; the onset of significant arthritis is often much more rapid than nontraumatic forms of osteoarthritis. However, PTA as a disease is relatively understudied compared to rheumatoid arthritis and nontraumatic osteoarthritis. Arthritis that develops following joint injury encompasses a variety of clinical conditions, some that are similar to osteoarthritis and others that have a more distinct inflammatory phase. We believe that the terms PTA and post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) are both valid in describing the clinical condition of arthritis that develops following joint injury.
Can Radiologic Staging With Multiparametric MRI Enhance the Accuracy of the Partin Tables in Predicting Organ-Confined Prostate Cancer?

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy of multiparametric MRI with endorectal coil and Partin tables in predicting organ-confined (OC) prostate cancer in a contemporary cohort undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) and to assess the possible added value of radiologic staging based on multiparametric MRI to the predictive accuracy of Partin tables. MATERIALS AND METHODS. One hundred fifty-eight consecutive subjects underwent 3-T multiparametric MRI with endorectal coil before RP between November 2010 and November 2013. Data were randomly split 60% and 40% into derivation (n = 95) and validation (n = 62) datasets. Multiparametric MRI was used to assess the radiologic stage, and logistic regression models were created using the derivation dataset and were fit on the independent validation dataset using multiparametric MRI staging alone and with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level as the covariate. The probability of each patient to harbor OC disease was calculated using an updat...
Which analgesics are appropriate in patients with liver dysfunction

Dose and frequency adjustments to analgesics may be needed for patients with liver dysfunction to avoid toxicity and minimize adverse reactions.
DISINFECTION QUALITY MONITORING AND EVALUATON ON NURSERIES AND KINDERGARTENS IN ZIBO CITY

Objective To investigate the disinfection situation in nurseries and kindergartens of Zibo,evaluate the risk and increase the quality of disinfection. Methods Field sampling was used to monitor and evaluate the disinfection quality of Zibo municipal nurseries and kindergartens from 2010 to 2012. Results 629 kinds of samples from the municipal 30nurseries and kindergartens were collected. The average disinfection passing rate was 67. 6%. From 2010 to 2012,samples of each year passing rates were 71. 2%,64. 1% and 67. 3%,respectively. The qualified rate of drinking fountains was only 16. 3%. Conclusion The disinfection quality of nurseries and kindergartens in Zibo is poor,especially in the application of water health problems,which results in the security risks of infectious disease of digestive tract.
Using and Exploring Hierarchical Data in Spreadsheets

More and more data nowadays exist in hierarchical formats such as JSON due to the increasing popularity of web applications and web services. While many end-user systems support getting hierarchical data from databases without programming, they provide very little support for using hierarchical data beyond turning the data into a flat string or table. In this paper, we present a spreadsheet tool for using and exploring hierarchical datasets. We introduce novel interaction techniques and algorithms to manipulate and visualize hierarchical data in a spreadsheet using the data's relative hierarchical relationships with the data in its adjacent columns. Our tool leverages the data's structural information to support selecting, grouping, joining, sorting and filtering hierarchical data in spreadsheets. Our lab study showed that our tool helped spreadsheet users complete data exploration tasks nearly two times faster than using Excel and even outperform programmers in most tasks.
Abdominoscrotal hydrocele: youngest case report and review of the literature.

Abstract Abdominoscrotal hydrocele is a rare finding, especially in children. Herein we report on the youngest patient to date and review the literature.
Rare Autoimmune Blistering Disorders

The spectrum of autoimmune blistering disorders continues to evolve as previous associations become new entities, and these entities demonstrate distinct clinical, histologic, and immunohistochemical characteristics. The rare autoimmune blistering disorders present both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to clinicians. Diagnostically, there can be overlapping features between the rare and more common autoimmune diseases. From a therapeutic standpoint, there is a general lack of studies that demonstrate treatment efficacy and outcomes in these entities leading to clinical practice gaps. This chapter will review the clinical and histological features of lichen planus pemphigoides (LPP), bullous lichen planus (BLP), bullous systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), IgA pemphigus, and subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SPD), and provide an evidence-based review of the treatment options reported in the literature.
The Isolated Firm and Consumer Benchmarking of Measurable Characteristics

In this chapter we develop a framework within which characteristics choices can be incorporated with price/output decisions and solved through the use of closed and simulation analysis when cardinal measurement of characteristics is appropriate. The characteristics discussed are “core qualitie” in the sense discussed in Chapters 1 and 2. In this chapter the firm is considered in isolation from rivals under the assumption that it produces a differentiated product but treats other firms’ prices as parameters and anticipates no feedback from them as it makes its decisions. Such analysis would be most appropriate in dominant firm oligopoly. Interactive competition within an oligopolistic context will be dealt with in Chapter 9, but the current chapter will establish a base for that more difficult modeling.
Collision avoidance by IPMC actuated robotic fish using the collision cone approach

This paper addresses the problem of collision avoidance by robotic fish that have one caudal and two pectoral fins, all driven by Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) actuators, which are often called artificial muscles. A dynamic model of the robotic fish is developed. A collision cone approach is employed, using which an analytical expression of a nonlinear guidance law that generates the requisite acceleration for collision avoidance is determined. This acceleration vector is converted into fin thrusts that satisfy the constraint that all the thrusts are non-negative. The developed guidance law is tested on an integrated simulation setup comprising the dynamic model of the robotic fish, the dynamics of the IPMC actuator and the relative velocity kinematics of the fish to obstacles in its path, and simulations demonstrate the satisfactory working of the integrated system.
Developing theories and models to serve: A manifesto for indigenous psychologists

This article reviews the theoretical foundations of Height Psychology, which proposes that researchers not only do research but act on their ideas to make the world a better place. It is posited that researchers should be passionate humanist whose thoughts propel actions and whose actions propel new thoughts, and they should be engaged change agents who work with communities in defining and solving problems rather than being disinterested scientists who are only interested in creating a body of objective knowledge. This approach is likely to fit the worldview of non-western psychologists engaged in indigenous psychology, and also allow the development of global psychology that is culturally integrated and not excessively biased toward western or experimental psychology.
Evolutionary Processes in Suicide

Suicidal behavior contains several dynamic elements. Due to its complexity, empirical science may approach suicide through various avenues. One underutilized approach is taking an evolutionary perspective. Our review of the literature presents two evolutionary processes that may be implicated in suicidal behavior, namely eusocial behavior and antipredator response behaviors. Studies have indicated that aspects of suicidal behavior parallel self-sacrificial behavior in eusocial animals, and that systems similar to hyperarousal-shutdown systems involved in antipredator behaviors may be activated among suicidal individuals. Research on brain activity and decision-making processes among suicidal individuals also suggests that eusociality and antipredator response behaviors in suicide may not be mutually exclusive. These processes represent novel sources of information and potential solutions regarding suicide.
HIV-risk reduction intervention for juvenile offenders on probation: The PHAT Life group randomized controlled trial.

Objective Juvenile offenders report high rates of sexual risk taking, increasing the possibility of HIV. This 2-arm group randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of PHAT Life, a sexual risk reduction program, compared with a time-matched health promotion program for youth on probation. Method Male and female 13- to 17-year-olds (M = 16.08; SD = 1.09) recently arrested and placed on probation at an Evening Reporting Center were eligible for the study. Youth were 66% male, and 90% African American. Teens self-reported their sexual behavior (condom use, number of sexual partners) at baseline and 6 months. Retention was 85%. Results Youth were randomized to PHAT Life (n = 163) or a health promotion program (n = 147). Among youth reporting the highest risk at baseline (a composite measure of multiple partners and inconsistent condom use), those who received PHAT Life were over 4 times more likely than the control group to report a lower level of risk (i.e., no sex or one partner plus consistent condom use) by 6 months, OR = 4.28 with 95% CI [1.37, 13.38], SE = 0.58, p = .01. Among sexually active teens who reported sexual debut before 12-years-old, those who received PHAT Life reported significantly fewer sexual partners at 6-months than controls, partial eta squared = .32, p = .002. Conclusions Findings support PHAT Life's efficacy to reduce sexual risk for juvenile offenders on probation. Future research should examine how best to disseminate PHAT Life to ensure that it is self-sustaining within the juvenile justice system. (PsycINFO Database Record
Molecular analysis of pancreatic cyst fluid changes clinical management.

Background and Objectives: DNA molecular analysis has been suggested as a tool to evaluate pancreatic cysts. This study assesses whether the addition of DNA molecular analysis alters clinical management. Methods: This is a retrospective review of 46 consecutive patients who underwent EUS-FNA of pancreatic cysts with DNA molecular analysis at two major academic institutions. Cases were presented to two pancreaticobiliary surgeons first without and then with DNA molecular analysis data. The primary outcome was the frequency with which clinical management was altered with the addition of DNA molecular analysis. Results: Forty-six patients with a mean age of 62.0 (±13.4) years and mean cyst size of 3.2 (±2.3) cm were included in the study. Cyst carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was available in 30 patients and ranged from 0.4 to 15,927 ng/mL. DNA molecular analysis was described as benign in 23 (50%), statistically indolent in 13 (28%), statistically higher risk in 9 (20%), and indeterminate in 1 (2%). Surgeon #1 changed the management in 13/46 cases (28%) and surgeon #2 changed the management in 12/46 cases (26%) with the addition of DNA molecular analysis. When organized by CEA concentration, those with an intermediate CEA (45–800 ng/mL) or without a CEA concentration had a management changed more frequently (40%) compared to all others (P
Restructuring Restaurant Work: Employer Responses to Local Labor Standards in the Full-Service Restaurant Industry

Recent research shows that increasing the minimum wage does not result in significant job losses. Yet, there is still uncertainty as to how higher labor standards may reshape employment practices w...
Plane-Wave Imaging Improves Single-Track Location Shear Wave Elasticity Imaging

Single-track location shear wave elasticity imaging (STL-SWEI) is immune to speckle bias, but the quality of the images is depth dependent. We hypothesize that plane-wave imaging can reduce the depth dependence of STL-SWEI. To test this hypothesis, we developed a novel technique known as plane-wave STL-SWEI (pSTL-SWEI). To evaluate the pSTL-SWEI’s potential, we performed studies on phantoms and excised murine pancreatic tumors. The mean shear wave speeds measured with STL-SWEI and pSTL-SWEI were similar. However, the elastographic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR e ) of pSTL-SWEI elastograms was noticeably higher than that produced with STL-SWEI. Specifically, we observed an improvement in SNR e ranging from 39.9%–55.1%, depending on tissue stiffness. The spatial resolution of pSTL-SWEI elastograms was 2.7%–12.1% lower than that produced with STL-SWEI. pSTL-SWEI elastograms displayed higher contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR e ) than those produced with STL-SWEI, especially when imaging was performed with low push pulse intensities and low pulse durations.
Tyrosine phosphorylation induced by cross-linking of Fc gamma-receptor type II in human neutrophils.

Abstract Neutrophils express several receptors for the Fc region of IgG molecules. Specific cross-linking of the type II receptor (Fc gamma RII) can be achieved by treating neutrophils with the Fab fragment of a specific monoclonal antibody IV.3 against the receptor followed by goat anti-mouse IgG F(ab')2 fragment. Such treatment initiates a number of neutrophil responses including the release of O2-. and increased protein tyrosine phosphorylation. The increase in tyrosine phosphorylation is rapid and transient and correlates with O2-. release. Both responses are inhibited by pretreatment of neutrophils with a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein. The increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation is not inhibited by pretreatment of neutrophils with pertussis toxin or an intracellular Ca2+ chelator, but is enhanced by a phosphoprotein phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid. The activity of a neutrophil Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMPKII) is also stimulated by cross-linking Fc gamma RII. The increase in CAMPKII activity is inhibited by pretreatment with either genistein or Ca2+ chelator. The results suggest that the increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation induced by cross-linking of Fc gamma RII requires neither pertussis-toxin-sensitive G-proteins nor a rise in intracellular Ca2+ but can be regulated by protein phosphatases. Furthermore, protein tyrosine phosphorylation may be an early signal functionally linked to Fc gamma RII-mediated signal transduction leading to CAMPKII activation and O2-. release in human neutrophils.
Molecular aspects of T cell regulation of B cell isotype differentiation.

One of the questions which has fascinated mucosal immunologists is why the mucosal B cell, i.e., the B cells developing in mucosal lymphoid follicles such as Peyer’s patches, have a greater tendency to become IgA B cells, than B cells in other developmental areas. One theory is based on the supposition that surface IgM-bearing (mIgM-bearing) B cells in the mucosal follicles are more subject to antigen stimulation than cells in other areas and therefore undergo more rounds of cell division. This, in turn, is accompanied by progressive deletion of heavy chain constant region genes and thus the acquisition of IgA because the IgA heavy chain constant region is, at least in the mouse, the ultimate gene in the Ig heavy chain constant region (1,2).
Measurement and modeling of diffusion characteristics in EUV resist

As a critical driver of the resolution, line edge roughness, sensitivity tradeoff, understanding acid diffusion in chemically amplified resist (CAR) is critical for its continued use in extreme ultraviolet lithography. Here we present an experiment that probes the nature of acid diffusion in a commercially available, conventional polymer CAR by measuring the developed linewidth of features as a function of post exposure bake time. In contrast to deep ultraviolet resists, the linewidth vs baketime relationship in the EUV resist studied is not linear. The observed trend in EUV was shown to be well described by the multivariate Poisson propagation model using a Gaussian diffusion kernel with a diffusivity of 25 nm2=s. Deviations from a purely Gaussian diffusion profile were modeled by the inclusion of base that reduces the effective acid concentration in unexposed regions of resist. We thus conclude that acid blur in EUV CAR can be well described as a Fickian diffusion process.
Key Terms Guided Expansion for Verbose Queries in Medical Domain.

Due to the complex nature of medical concepts and information need, the queries tend to be verbose in medical domain. Verbose queries lead to sub-optimal performance since the current search engine promotes the results covering every query term, but not the truly important ones. Key term extraction has been studied to solve this problem, but another problem, i.e., vocabulary gap between query and documents, need to be discussed. Although various query expansion techniques have been well studied for the vocabulary gap problem, existing methods suffer different drawbacks such as inefficiency and expansion term mismatch. In this work, we propose to solve this problem by following the intuition that the surrounding contexts of the important terms in the original query should also be essential for retrieval. Specifically, we first identify the key terms from the verbose query and then locate the contexts of these key terms in the original document collection. The terms in the contexts are weighted and aggregated to select the expansion terms. We conduct experiments with five TREC data collections using the proposed methods. The results show that the improvement of the retrieval performance of proposed method is statistically significant comparing with the baseline methods.
High Crimes Without Law

Professor Bowie has authored one of two Responses the Forum is running in December inspired by Professor Laurence Tribe and Joshua Matz’s recently published book on impeachment, To End a Presidency. These pieces are being published contemporaneously with Professor Michael Stokes Paulsen’s book review. Bowie offers a theory of the proper scope of the impeachment power that neither Paulsen nor Tribe and Matz embrace — namely, that Congress may only impeach for conduct that violated an extant criminal law. In other words, “high Crimes and Misdemeanors” can only refer to conduct that is in fact a crime or a misdemeanor, and impeachment is best understood as a criminal, rather than civil, process. This was the theory articulated by then-former Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Curtis as he defended President Andrew Johnson from impeachment, and Bowie asserts that Curtis’s theory has been right all along. Among his many arguments, Bowie closes with a practical one: Insisting that impeachment be grounded in positive criminal law is the most effective way to ensure that, both now and in the future, it does not become a mere political weapon.
Do Demographic or Anthropometric Factors Affect Lateralization of the Tibial Tubercle in a Diverse Population? A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis

INTRODUCTION The tibial tubercle-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance is commonly used to evaluate and guide treatment for patellar instability. There is limited data available regarding TT-TG variability based on patient demographics and anthropometric factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS TT-TG was measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for 384 consecutive adult patients. Demographic information for the corresponding was then gathered from the medical record and analyzed. Demographic variables analyzed included age, sex, race, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS Mean TT-TG among the 384 patients was 12.68mm (standard deviation [SD]: 4.13mm, 95% confidence interval [CI] 12.26-13.10mm, range, 3.2-27.0mm), and there was a significant correlation with height (p=0.009), weight (p=0.017), and race (p<0.001). However, there was no significant correlation seen with sex (p=0.854), BMI (p=0.253), or age (p=0.096). Height and African American race were identified as independent predictors of increased TT-TG (p=0.007 and p<0.001, respectively); and females were found to have an increased TT-TG relative to height (p=0.015). CONCLUSION Tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance was significantly correlated with race and height in the 384 patients examined. These findings may help explain clinical differences in these patients and help establish "norms" for patients of various ethnic and anthropometric variability.
Baseline and dynamic plasma chromogranin A (CgA) level to predict clinical outcome and tumor response in Asian patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (GEP-NET).

e15151 Background: The plasma CgA level is a reliable biomarker in diagnosing neuroendocrine tumors.The objective of this study is to correlate both the baseline value and the dynamic changes of pl...
The quantitative acid phosphatase test. A statistical analysis of endogenous and postcoital acid phosphatase levels in the vagina.

The acid phosphatase test is routinely used in many laboratories as a test for semen in cases involving sexual assault. The basis for this test is the fact that the level of acid phosphatase (ACP) activity is 500 to 1000 times higher in human semen than in other normal body fluids or secretions [1]; this ACP is secreted into semen by the prostate gland. It has been amply demonstrated that elevated levels of ACP activity persist in the vaginal pool after sexual intercourse and in semen stains [2–16]. Thus the detection of strong ACP activity is considered a fairly reliable indicator of semen.
Nanotechnology for Bioengineers

Abstract Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that is rapidly evolving and expanding. Significant advancements have been made in nanotechnology-related disciplines in the past few decades a...
Late Operative Rib Fixation is Inferior to Nonoperative Management.

BackgroundOperative rib fixation (ORF) of traumatic rib fractures has been shown to decrease hospital length of stay (LOS), ventilator days, and mortality. ORF performed within 1 day of admission h...
Limb Lengthening after Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: Customized Patient-Specific Instrumentation Does Not Affect Expected Limb Lengthening.

Introduction. Expectations for limb length differences after TKA are important for patient perception and outcomes. Limb length discrepancies may occur due to postoperative leg length increases, which can lead to decreased patient functionality and satisfaction and even possible litigation. The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency and extent of limb lengthening among various preoperative deformities and between two different implant systems. Methods. Preoperative and postoperative full-length standing radiographs were obtained between August 2018 and August 2019 to measure mechanical axis and limb length of operative limbs. Demographic information such as age, sex, and BMI was also collected. Patients were grouped into categories for pre- and postoperative subgroup analysis: valgus, varus, customized implant, and conventional implant. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate significant relationships. Results. Of the 121 primary TKAs analyzed, 62% of the knees showed an increase in limb length after TKA, with an average lengthening of 5.32 mm. Preoperative varus alignment was associated with a mean lengthening of 3.14 mm, while preoperative valgus alignment was associated with a mean lengthening of 16.2 mm. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in limb lengths pre- and postoperatively ( = 0.23) and no significant changes in limb length for any subgroup. Further, no variables were associated with limb length changes ( = 0.49), including the use of customized implants ( = 0.2). Conclusions. Limb lengthening after TKA is common and, on average, occurs more significantly in valgus knees. No significant difference in limb lengthening could be demonstrated using customized over conventional implants. Preoperative counseling is important to manage patient expectations.
A Look at Accounting and Business Matters in Belgium, Brazil and Vietnam

The activities of internal auditors, management accountants, and other business professionals are increasingly affected by the globalization of business. Internal auditors and management accountants have to understand accounting and business developments in places where their companies carry out operations. In the U.S., financial reporting is based on U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), but in other countries, other accounting standards apply. This article examines developments in Belgium, Brazil and Vietnam, representing the continents of Europe, South America, and Asia. A summary of accounting and business matters is presented, along with a brief history of each country. This information will be meaningful to internal auditors, management accountants, and others involved in business in these areas.
Polychlorinated biphenyls induce oxidative stress and metabolic responses in astrocytes

Exposure to environmental toxicants is prevalent, hazardous and linked to varied detrimental health outcomes and disease. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a class of hazardous organic chlorines once widely used for industrial purposes, are associated with neurodegenerative disease and oxidative stress in both in vitro and in vivo models. Here, we investigated the impact of Aroclor 1254, a commercially available PCB mixture, on primary murine astrocytes to determine the response to this once ubiquitously used toxicant on the most numerous cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Astrocytes are a critical component of homeostasis throughout the CNS, including at the blood-brain barrier, where they serve as the primary defense against xenobiotics entering the CNS, and at the synapse, where they are closely coupled to neurons through several metabolic pathways. We hypothesized that PCBs cause astrocytic oxidative stress and related dysfunction including altered metabolism. We exposed primary murine cortical astrocytes to PCBs and report an increased expression of antioxidant genes (Prdx1, Gsta2, Gfap, Amigo2) in response to oxidative stress. Our data show increased ATP production and spare respiratory capacity in astrocytes exposed to 10 μM (∼ 3 ppm) of PCBs. This dose also causes an increase in glucose uptake that is not seen at a higher dose (50 μM) suggesting that, at a lower dose, astrocytes are able to engage compensatory mechanisms to promote survival. Together, these data suggest that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls impact astrocytic metabolism, which is important to consider both in the context of human health and disease and in cell culture and animal models.
Model‐data comparison of MCI field campaign atmospheric CO2 mole fractions

Atmospheric transport model errors are a major contributor to uncertainty in CO2 inverse flux estimates. Our study compares CO2 mole fraction observations from the North American Carbon Program Mid-Continental Intensive (MCI) field campaign and modeled mole fractions from two atmospheric transport models: the global Transport Model 5 from NOAA's CarbonTracker system and the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting model. Both models are coupled to identical CO2 fluxes and lateral boundary conditions from CarbonTracker (CT2009 release). Statistical analyses were performed for two periods of 2007 using observed daily daytime average mole fractions of CO2 to test the ability of these models to reproduce the observations and to infer possible causes of the discrepancies. TM5-CT2009 overestimates midsummer planetary boundary layer CO2 for sites in the U.S. corn belt by 10 ppm. Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-CT2009 estimates diverge from the observations with similar magnitudes, but the signs of the differences vary from site to site. The modeled mole fractions are highly correlated with the observed seasonal cycle (r ≥ 0.7) but less correlated in the growing season, where weather-related changes in CO2 dominate the observed variability. Spatial correlations in residuals from TM5-CT2009 are higher than WRF-CT2009 perhaps due to TM5's coarse horizontal resolution and shallow vertical mixing. Vertical mixing appears to have influenced CO2 residuals from both models. TM5-CT2009 has relatively weak vertical mixing near the surface limiting the connection between local CO2 surface fluxes and boundary layer. WRF-CT2009 has stronger vertical mixing that may increase the connections between local surface fluxes and the boundary layer.
Completions of ε-Dense Partial Latin Squares

A classical question in combinatorics is the following: given a partial Latin square $P$, when can we complete $P$ to a Latin square $L$? In this paper, we investigate the class of textbf{$epsilon$-dense partial Latin squares}: partial Latin squares in which each symbol, row, and column contains no more than $epsilon n$-many nonblank cells. Based on a conjecture of Nash-Williams, Daykin and H"aggkvist conjectured that all $frac{1}{4}$-dense partial Latin squares are completable. In this paper, we will discuss the proof methods and results used in previous attempts to resolve this conjecture, introduce a novel technique derived from a paper by Jacobson and Matthews on generating random Latin squares, and use this novel technique to study $ epsilon$-dense partial Latin squares that contain no more than $delta n^2$ filled cells in total. In Chapter 2, we construct completions for all $ epsilon$-dense partial Latin squares containing no more than $delta n^2$ filled cells in total, given that $epsilon If we omit the probabilistic techniques noted above, we further show that such completions can always be found in polynomial time. This contrasts a result of Colbourn, which states that completing arbitrary partial Latin squares is an NP-complete task. In Chapter 3, we strengthen Colbourn's result to the claim that completing an arbitrary $left(frac{1}{2} + epsilonright)$-dense partial Latin square is NP-complete, for any $epsilon > 0$. Colbourn's result hinges heavily on a connection between triangulations of tripartite graphs and Latin squares. Motivated by this, we use our results on Latin squares to prove that any tripartite graph $G = (V_1, V_2, V_3)$ such that begin{itemize} item $|V_1| = |V_2| = |V_3| = n$, item For every vertex $v in V_i$, $deg_+(v) = deg_-(v) geq (1- epsilon)n,$ and item $|E(G)| > (1 - delta)cdot 3n^2$ end{itemize} admits a triangulation, if $epsilon This strengthens results of Gustavsson, which requires $epsilon = delta = 10^{-7}$. In an unrelated vein, Chapter 6 explores the class of textbf{quasirandom graphs}, a notion first introduced by Chung, Graham and Wilson cite{chung1989quasi} in 1989. Roughly speaking, a sequence of graphs is called "quasirandom"' if it has a number of properties possessed by the random graph, all of which turn out to be equivalent. In this chapter, we study possible extensions of these results to random $k$-edge colorings, and create an analogue of Chung, Graham and Wilson's result for such colorings.
The Membrane Systems and Cytoskeletal Elements of Mammalian Myocardial Cells

This chapter reviews various findings, made primarily by means of electron microscopy, on the “tubular” (membrane) systems and structural fibrils of mammalian cardiac muscle cells. The term “membrane systems,” as used herein, does not necessarily imply possession of cylindric structure by all parts of the so-called “transverse” (T)-tubules or the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), but instead implies solely that these structures are composed of membranes and possess some form of organization within each cell.
Enzymatic approaches for obtaining amino acid sequence: on-target ladder sequencing

Peptide sequencing by mass spectrometry (MS) is usually based on detecting mass differences associated with various amino acids in the polymer chain. Post-source decay (PSD) and MS/MS spectra may yield internal peptide sequences. However, determination of the order of the first two, and sometimes the last few, amino acids in the peptide is often problematic without additional experiments. Several enzymatic approaches have proven useful for identifying the N- and C-terminal residues. They involve the use of carboxypeptidases and aminopeptidases to produce peptide ladders for rapid analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). This unit describes the ladder sequence method to generate amino acid sequence information from low- to subpicomole quantities of peptides. It can be performed directly on the sample stage, thus minimizing potential sample losses to vials and through sample transfer.
Gender role nonconformity

Gender role nonconformity involves social aspects, as gender roles can vary across societies and over time in a given society. There is also evidence of biological aspects which influence gender role nonconformity. Additionally, gender role nonconformity is associated with non-heterosexual sexual orientation. Keywords: gender role; gender atypicality; sex role; transgender
Lifetime-based sensing of glucose using luminescent ruthenium (II) metal complex

ABSTRACT We describe optical sensing of glucose using a luminescent ruthenium metal complex, [Ru(bpy)2(dphen)J(PF6)2 (wherebpy is 2,2'-bipyridine and dphen is 5,6-dihydroxy-1,10-phenanthroline). At pH 8.00 the complex, [Ru(bpy)2(dphen)](PF6)2, appears to form a cyclic-ester with 2-bromophenylboronic acid (BBA). In the presence ofglucose cyclic-ester forms equilibrium between glucose and BBA. With increasing concentrations of glucose the freeruthenium complex is formed. The emission intensity of the free [Ru2(bpy)2(dphen)2]° complex can be used todetermined the concentration of glucose. In this communication we describe synthesis and characterization of the complex, and spectral evidence for formation of the cyclic-ester with BBA and dphen ligand of [Ru(bpy)2(dphen)](PF6)2.The emission intensity response and lifetime on titration with glucose are also presented. The absorption maxima at 440 nm and long lifetime near 370 ns allows low cost glucose monitoring by using simple instrumentation using LED andphase fluorometry technique.Keywords: Optical sensing, glucose, luminescent ruthenium, metal complex, lifetime, titration, simple instrumentation
Resistance of transgenic tall fescue to two major fungal diseases

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is an open-pollinated, perennial, cool-season turf and forage grass species of great economic importance. The main problems of maintenance of tall fescue, and many other turfgrasses, are two severe fungal diseases: gray leaf spot caused by Magnaporthe grisea, and brown patch caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Three genes from various sources have been introduced into two elite cultivars, ‘Coronado’ and ‘Matador’, of tall fescue through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, and conferred resistance to the diseases. Two genes, the alfalfa b-1,3-glucanase AGLU1 gene and a truncated frog dermaseptin SI gene, conferred resistance to both diseases. The rice Pi9 gene was specific against gray leaf spot. Of 15 T0 transgenic plants examined, 6 showed high levels of resistance to M. grisea, and 3 had enhanced resistance to R. solani. The resistance in most of these cases was highly significant. # 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Integrity Assessment of Pressure Components With Local Hot Spots

Local hot spots can occur in some pressure vessels and piping systems used in industrial processes. The hot spots could be result of, for instance, localized loss of refractory lining on the inside of pressure components or due to a maldistribution of process flow within vessels containing catalysts. The consequences of these hot spots on the structural integrity of pressure components are of considerable importance to plant operators. The paper addresses structural integrity issues in the context of codes and standards design framework. The interaction of hot spots as is the case when multiple hot spots occur is addressed. An assessment method suitable for Level 2 “Fitness-for-Service” evaluation is discussed, and applied to a commonly used pressure component configuration.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
The role of KLF6 and its splice variants in cancer therapy.

The Kruppel-like zinc finger transcription factor (KLF6) gene encodes a family of proteins generated through alternative splicing involved in the regulation of cancer development and progression. Alternative splicing of the KLF6 gene results in the production of at least four alternatively spliced isoforms, two of which are extensively discussed in this review. The full length form of the KLF6 gene is a tumor suppressor gene that is frequently inactivated by loss of heterozygozity (LOH), somatic mutation, and/or decreased expression in human cancer. While the exact mechanisms underlying KLF6's tumor suppressor roles are not completely known, a number of highly relevant, overlapping pathways have been described: transactivation of p21 in a p53-independent manner, reduction of cyclin D1/cdk4 complexes via interaction with cyclin D1, inhibition of c-Jun proto-oncoprotein activities, decreased VEGF expression, and induction of apoptosis. Kruppel-like factor 6 splice variant 1 (KLF6-SV1) is an oncogenic splice variant of the KLF6 tumor suppressor gene that is specifically overexpressed in a number of human cancers. Increased KLF6-SV1 expression is associated with poor prognosis in prostate, lung, and ovarian cancer. Furthermore, KLF6-SV1 has been shown to be biologically active, antagonizing the tumor suppressor function of KLF6 and promoting tumor growth and dissemination in both ovarian and prostate cancer models. In addition, a common germline polymorphism in the KLF6 gene associated with increased prostate cancer risk in a large multi-institutional study of 3411 men results in increased expression of KLF6-SV1. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that targeted reduction of KLF6-SV1 results in the induction of spontaneous apoptosis in cell culture, synergizes with chemotherapeutic agents like cisplatin, and results in significant tumor regression in vivo. Combined, these data make the KLF6 gene family a compelling therapeutic target for both the treatment of localized as well as metastatic cancer.
Trends in Radiotherapy After Breast-Conserving Surgery in Elderly Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

The benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in elderly breast cancer patients is debatable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in RT rates after breast-conserving surgery. Breast cancer patients ≥70 years treated from 2000 to 2009 were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were estrogen receptor positive with negative or unknown lymph node status. Trends in RT recommendation over years were evaluated with the Jonckheere–Terpstra test. Multiple logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard tests were used to determine factors associated with radiation recommendation and survival. Of 46,581 patients, 31,989 (68.7 %) were recommended RT and 14,592 (31.3 %) were not. The recommendation for RT decreased from 70.3 % in 2000 to 67.4 % in 2009 (p 2–5 cm) tumor size (HR 2.02, 95 % CI 1.86–2.19), older age (80+, HR 2.38, 95 % CI 2.25–2.53), and black race (HR 1.13, 95 % CI1.03–1.23). Rates of radiation recommendation in the elderly have been steadily decreasing without appreciable acceleration in this decline. This trend was not consistent across all registries. Continued research is necessary to assess differences in clinical practice and its impact on patient outcomes.
Abnormal implantation of permanent pacemaker lead in the left ventricle via a patent foramen ovale: Clinical and echocardiographic recognition of a rare complication

Abstract An 84-year-old man with a history of permanent pacemaker placement had a preoperative cardiac evaluation for prostate cancer surgery. The patient was asymptomatic, and the results of a physical examination were consistent with a right bundle branch block, which was confirmed by electro-cardiogram as his paced rhythm. A chest radiograph raised the possibility of an abnormal lead location, and transthoracic echocardiography confirmed the mechanism of an abnormal placement of the pacemaker lead. Left ventricular location of pacemaker is rare, and awareness of its clinical and imaging findings, complications, and management options is important for clinicians involved in the care of patients with pacemakers. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2001;14:231-3.)
Differential effects of modulation of docosahexaenoic acid content during development in specific regions of rat brain.

Variation in brain FA composition, particularly decreased DHA (22ŋ6n−3), affects neurodevelopment, altering visual, attentional, and cognitive functions, and is implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders. To further understand how specific brain processes and systems are affected by variation in brain DHA content, we sought to determine whether specific brain regions were differentially affected by treatments that after brain DHA content. Adult male Long-Evans rats were raised from conception using diet/breeding treatments to produce four groups with distinct brain phospholipid compositions. Total phospholipid FA composition was determined in whole brain and 15 brain regions by TLC/GC. Brain regions exhibited significantly different DHA contents, with the highest levels observed in the frontal cortex and the lowest in the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area. Increased availability of DHA resulted in increased DHA content only in the olfactory bulb, parietal cortex, and substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area. In contrast, treatment that decreased whole-brain DHA levels decreased DHA content in all brain regions except the thalamus, dorsal midbrain, and the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area. Alterations in DHA level were accompanied by changes in docosapentaenoic acid (n−6 DPA, 22∶5n−6) content; however, the change in DHA and n−6 DPA was nonreciprocal in some brain regions. These findings demonstrate that the FA compositions of specific brain regions are differentially affected by variation in DHA availability during development. These differential effects may contribute to the specific neurochemical and behavioral effects observed in animals with variation in brain DHA content.
Terbinafine is more effective than itraconazole in treating toenail onychomycosis: results from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Toenail onychomycosis is a challenge for clinicians to treat, and this challenge is compounded by conflicting information in the medical literature concerning the efficacy of the two principal agents used in its treatment: terbinafine and itraconazole. Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis is to compare the efficacy of terbinafine with that of itraconazole in the treatment of toenail onychomycosis caused by dermatophytes. Methods: A Medline search was performed for all English language publications from 1966 to June 1999 on the use of terbinafine and itraconazole in the treatment of toenail onychomycosis. Included were randomized studies in which subjects received no less than 3 months (or cycles) and no more than 4 months (or cycles) of either terbinafine or itraconazole. Data were abstracted and statistical analyses (random effects model, fixed effects model, and Peto’s method) were applied. Results: Thirteen studies were included from the original literature review of 1636 total referenced reports; four studies did not fulfill our inclusion or exclusion criteria. The primary analysis of six studies directly comparing terbinafine to itraconazole resulted in an odds ratio ranging from 1.8 (95% CI = 1.8, 2.8) to 2.9 (1.9, 4.1). The secondary analysis of three studies comparing either itraconazole or terbinafine to placebo estimated an odds ratio of 1.1–1.7. The former shows that terbinafine is 80%–190% more likely to result in mycologic cure than is itraconazole; the latter demonstrates a 10%–70% greater likelihood. The difference between the relative efficacies of terbinafine and itraconazole was highly statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Meta-analysis of the published worldwide literature finds that terbinafine is significantly more effective than itraconazole at achieving mycologic cure of toenail onychomycosis.
Opportunistic Behavior in a Cartel Setting Effects of the 1984 Supreme Court Decision on College Football Television Broadcasts

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) governs athletics at colleges and universities in the United States. Economists commonly view the NCAA as a cartel. We empirically reexamine evidence from the 1984 Supreme Court decision on football telecasts and find support for cartel behavior and evidence that this model does not fully explain. Our analysis indicates that the NCAA central organization may have behaved opportunistically by overregulating relative to what would maximize cartel net benefits. We provide a theoretical rationale and show that our empirical estimates are consistent with this behavior that occurs within the cartel framework.
Markovian queueing models with periodic-review

This article concerns the production/inventory system with periodic-review policy. The system is modelled as an M/M/c-type of queue and is analysed by using the embedded Markov chain technique. The probability generating functions for the queue length are derived, which are used to determine the mean queue length, mean job waiting times, and higher moments of these quantities. Analytic results are obtained for M/M/1 queues and M/M/∞ queues with periodic-review. For M/M/c queues of 1 < c < ∞, analytic solutions do not exist. Thus, numerical methods have to be applied. An optimization model is imposed on the queueing model that balances the inventory (waiting) cost and the cost of reviewing the system. The cost is minimized by determining the length of the review period. Both constant and state-dependent lengths of the review period are considered and compared. The optimal review periods are given for various numerical examples.