cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activin Upregulation by NF-κB Is Required to Maintain Mesenchymal Features of Cancer Stem–like Cells in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Soluble growth factors and cytokines within the tumor microenvironment aid in the induction of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although EMT promotes the development of cancer-initiating cells (CIC), cellular mechanisms by which cancer cells maintain mesenchymal phenotypes remain poorly understood. Work presented here indicates that induction of EMT stimulates non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to secrete soluble factors that function in an autocrine fashion. Using gene expression profiling of all annotated and predicted secreted gene products, we find that NF-κB activity is required to upregulate INHBA/Activin, a morphogen in the TGFβ superfamily. INHBA is capable of inducing and maintaining mesenchymal phenotypes, including the expression of EMT master-switch regulators and self-renewal factors that sustain CIC phenotypes and promote lung metastasis. Our work demonstrates that INHBA mRNA and protein expression are commonly elevated in primary human NSCLC and provide evidence that INHBA is a critical autocrine factor that maintains mesenchymal properties of CICs to promote metastasis in NSCLC. Cancer Res; 75(2); 426–35. ©2014 AACR.
27.3: e‐Skin IT Device

In this paper we will outline our progress towards developing flexible electronics. The basic function of this flexible device is timepiece. The ultra thin flexible electronic device (e-skin IT device).with TFTs made by CMOS type low temperature poly-Silicon thin film process, bear the characteristics of high mobility and low power consumption. The display part of device is made by plastic top substrate, VA mode LC and 50 μm of glass bottom substrate. In order to fit the flexible requirement, we use 4 μm of photo spacer to replace ball spacer. 3 rechargeable polymer Li-ions batteries are bonded on this cell module via a FPC to make a complete, independent electronic device. The weight of e-skin IT device is merely 6g with ultra-thin, ultra-light, flexible character.
Atypical features in the manifestations of the acutely inflamed, nonruptured appendix

PPENDICITIS is a treacherous disA ease. It is at a11 times totally unpredictable in regard to when, if ever, it wiI1 perforate. And while the symptoms and physical signs which it causes are often so typica that even the most inexperienced student wouId not fail to recognize the disease, at other times its manifestations may be so bizarre as to confuse the most cIever of cIinica1 observers. It has been emphasized that earIy recognition and remova of the acuteIy inflamed appendix before perforation occurs represents the onIy means of controIIing the mortaIity in appendicitis. To accompIish this, campaigns of education of the Iaity in regard to the potential dangers of abdomina1 pain have been undertaken by numerous agencies throughout the country. Much has been accompIished by them. However, unless the medica profession itseIf becomes famiIiar with the atypica1 as we11 as the typical features of the disease, the campaign for contro1 of deaths from appendicitis may be only haIf won and the cause for faiIure may then properIy be pIaced at the door of the medical profession itself. Reid,’ Boyce and McFettridge2 and others have drawn attention to the frequency with which acute appendicitis manifests itseIf in unusua1 ways. They have emphasized the necessity of recognizing such cases if the appendicitis mortality is to be Iowered. Nevertheless, proper recognition of this point has not been made. As a resuIt a stereotyped picture of appendicitis remains rooted in the minds of many of our doctors. And with it they fai1 entirely to make the correct diagnosis when confronted with an atypica1 picture of the disease. In the typica textbook picture of appendicitis the attack begins abruptIy in an otherwise healthy young adult. The first symptom is pain usualIy in the epigastrium which later Iocalizes in the right lower quadrant. Pain is folIowed by nausea and perhaps vomiting, constipation, moderate fever, Ieucocytosis and Iocalized tenderness and muscIe spasm in the right Iower quadrant. Such a series of events in the sequence as Iisted is known by even the most inexperienced of students,, as we11 as by most intelrigent laymen. UnhappiIy, however, the picture strictly as given is not the usua1 one, as a critica analysis of the first go0 cases* of acute unruptured appendices operated upon at the Duke Hospital wil1 show.
Modulation of metabolic effects of morphine-6-glucuronide by morphine-3-glucuronide

Modification of pharmacological effects of morphine by its glucuronides has been recently reported. Morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) is a more potent opioid agonist than morphine, whereas morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) has no opioid effects and has been suggested to be an antagonist of morphine's antinociceptive and respiratory depressive effects. This study addressed the metabolic effects of direct central nervous system administration of M3G and its interaction with the hyperglycemic effects of M6G. Hormonal and whole body glucose metabolic effects of M3G, M6G, and M3G + M6G ICV administration were studied in conscious unrestrained chronically catheterized rats. Whole body glucose kinetics were assessed with a primed constant intravenous infusion of 3[3H]glucose in rats injected intracerebroventricularly (ICV) with H2O (5 microliters), M3G (1 microgram), M6G (1 microgram), or M3G (1 microgram) + M6G (1 microgram). A significant rise in plasma glucose level was observed after ICV injection of M6G (28%), and M3G + M6G (41%), but not after M3G as compared to time-matched H2O control. Early increases in the rate of glucose appearance (Ra) and whole body glucose utilization (Rd) were observed (58% and 48%, respectively) 30 min after M3G + M6G administration, whereas the increases after M6G injection were progressive and reached values 47% higher than basal 180 min after injection. M3G administration enhanced the M6G induced increase in plasma glucose level (+21%), Ra (+29%), Rd (+26%), and plasma lactate level (+21%). Though no significant hormonal change was observed in H2O, M3G, and M6G injected animals, the combination of M3G + M6G resulted in a significant increase in circulating catecholamine levels with no alterations in plasma corticosterone, insulin, and glucagon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Compact column design for a focused ion-beam lithography system

A focused ion beam system using a multicusp plasma ion source and an all-electrostatic accelerator column design is being investigated for maskless direct-write lithography processes. The all-electrostatic accelerator column is very compact with a total length of 3 cm. It consists of an extraction lens, a collimator aperture, a focusing lens and a deflector. Ion beam transport code IGUN and charged particle optics design software (Munro's code) are used to analyze and optimize the performance of the accelerator column. The column can accelerate an 0.1 (mu) A O2+ ion beam to about 1 keV and focus it down to 0.2 micrometer spot size. Both axial and deflection aberration of the beam are investigated using the OPTICS and SOFEM packages of Munro's code.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Simulating buying center decision processes: propositions and methodology

Organizational purchasing decisions can be thought of as rule‐discovery tasks in which members of the buying center develop proposals regarding the best choice of products and vendors. The uncertainty associated with buying center decisions causes the group to search for generalizations that describe the distinguishing characteristics of successful suppliers. Such generalizations identify the “rules” used to categorize future vendors; discovery of the best rules is key to accurate classification. Acknowledging the process of searching for patterns not only focuses attention on the information members use to derive patterns, but also provides a mechanism for investigating how members influence each other’s assessment of the patterns. Research into rule‐discovery tasks has the potential to enable monitoring of simulated organizational purchasing decision processes in the controlled environment of an experiment. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a set of propositions and a methodology for examining rule discovery task behavior in buying centers.
Long-term cost-effectiveness of medical, endoscopic and surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background The long-term cost effectiveness of medical, endoscopic, and operative treatments for adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains unclear. We sought to estimate the cost effectiveness of medical, endoscopic, and operative treatments for adults with GERD who require daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Methods A Markov model was generated from the payer's perspective using a 6-month cycle and 30-year time horizon. The base-case patient was a 45-year-old man with symptomatic GERD taking 20 mg of omeprazole twice daily. Four treatment strategies were analyzed: PPI therapy, transoral incisionless fundoplication (EsophyX), radiofrequency energy application to the lower esophageal sphincter (Stretta) and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. The model parameters were selected using the published literature and institutional billing data. The main outcome measure was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained) for each therapy. Results In the base case analysis, which assumed a PPI cost of $234 over 6 months ($39 per month), Stretta and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication were the most cost-effective options over a 30-year time period ($2,470.66 and $5,579.28 per QALY gained, respectively). If the cost of PPI therapy exceeded $90.63 per month over 30 years, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication became the dominant treatment option. EsophyX was dominated by laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication at all points in time. Conclusion Low-cost PPIs, Stretta, and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication all represent cost-effective treatment strategies. In this model, when PPIs exceed $90 per month, medical therapy is no longer cost effective. Procedural GERD therapy should be considered for patients who require high-dose or expensive PPIs.
Is continued enthusiasm for ursodeoxycholic acid therapy for the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis warranted

Background. In primary biliary cirrhosis the hepatic lesions may result, at least in part, from the intracellular accumulation of potentially toxic endogenous bile acids. Preliminary work suggests that the administration of ursodiol (also called ursodeoxycholic acid), a hydrophilic bile acid without hepatotoxicity, leads to improvement in the condition of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Methods. We conducted a two-year, multicenter, double-blind trial to compare the efficacy of ursodiol with that of placebo. Patients with biopsy-proved primary biliary cirrhosis were randomly assigned to receive either ursodiol (13 to 15 mg per kilogram of body weight per day) (n = 73) or placebo (n = 73). Treatment failure was defined as a doubling of bilirubin levels to more than 70 μmol per liter or the occurrence of a severe complication (ascites or variceal bleeding) or an adverse reaction. Results. Treatment failed in 6 patients in the ursodiol group, as compared with 13 in the placebo group (P < 0.01 by Cox regression model). A single patient in each group withdrew because of minor adverse effects. After two years of treatment, the proportion of patients with clinically overt disease decreased only in the ursodiol group (P < 0.02). The patients treated with ursodiol had significant improvements in serum levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, cholesterol, and IgM (all P < 0.001); the antimitochondrial-antibody titer (P < 0.01); and the Mayo risk score (P < 0.001). Follow-up analysis of 95 liver-biopsy specimens showed a significant improvement in the mean histologic score (P < 0.002) and in all the characteristic histologic features except fibrosis only in the group given ursodiol. Conclusions. Ursodiol is a safe and effective treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis.
Selective dampening of lipogenic enzymes of liver by exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids

Abstract Oral administration of methyl esters of linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acids to rats maintained on a high-carbohydrate, fat-free diet brought about a progressive dimunition of the activity of liver enzymes which participate in the synthesis of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids: acetyl CoA carboxylase (CBX), fatty acid synthetase (FAS), citrate cleavage enzyme (CCE), malic enzyme (ME), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH). In the same three day experimental period the fatty acid composition of liver phospholipid and free fatty acids reflected the exogenous input of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The role of Igh-1 disparate congenic mouse T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of herpetic stromal keratitis

The corneal destruction associated with herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) is primarily the result of the host's immune response to herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection. We examined the role of T cells and T cell subsets in the pathogenesis of HSK. Naive and immune T cells and HSV-1 immune CD4+ and CD8+ subsets from Igh-1 disparate BALB/c congenic mice were adoptively transferred into athymic BALB/c nude mice, which normally do not develop HSK. The results demonstrated that while the transfer of naive T cells from either HSK-susceptible C.AL-20 (Igh-1d) or HSK-resistant C.B-17 (Igh-1b) mice had little influence on HSK development, transfer of either CD3+ or CD4+ HSV-1 immune T cells from C.AL-20 mice resulted in the development of severe HSK in all of the recipients. Transfer of the same cell populations from C.B-17 mice resulted in the development of only a mild keratitis in 50% of the recipients. Transfer of CD8+ cells from either donor strain did not result in stromal disease in any recipient mouse. These results clearly demonstrate the pivotal role of CD4+ T cells in the development of necrotizing herpes stromal keratitis, and further demonstrate that CD8+ T cells are not essential in HSK development in the BALB/c system.
Four New δ Scuti Pulsators from a Variability Survey of 131 Stars

ABSTRACT In a photometric variability survey of 131 stars with \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $B\lesssim 14$ \end{document} mag, we have found four new δ Scuti stars. We were sensitive to oscillation amplitudes as low as a few millimagnitudes (mmag). The detection rate of short‐period ( \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{a...
Inhibition of adenine nucleotide translocator by lipid peroxidation products

Abstract Our previous data showed that aldehydic lipid peroxidation products, interacting with mitochondrial membrane lipids, could alter the physicochemical status of the membrane. This study was initiated to examine the interaction of these aldehydes with a major mitochondrial protein, the adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT). Our findings showed that the transporting activity of ANT in intact mitochondria was inhibited by two unsaturated aldehydes, 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and 4-hydroxyhexenal (HHE). To probe further into the underlying mechanism of this inhibition, a reconstituted ANT model was developed by incorporating isolated ANT into liposomes. Pretreatment of ANT with HNE prior to reconstitution resulted in decreased activity in the reconstituted ANT. Further investigation revealed that this decreased activity was probably due to loss of sulfhydryl groups, which are essential for ANT activity. Interestingly, pretreatment of the liposomes with HNE also caused a decrease in the reconstituted ANT activity by indirectly altering the physicochemical status of the lipid environment in which ANT was embedded. These results demonstrate that the reactive aldehydes derived from mitochondrial lipid peroxidation can impair the membrane function by interacting with both the protein and the lipid moieties in the membrane. Thus, the varied damaging effects associated with lipid peroxidation may be mediated by their secondary aldehydic byproducts.
Changes in mechanical properties in metal-forming processes

This article presents a paradigm for the mechanical properties of a metal that result from the plastic deformation that occurs in forming processes, including multiple-step or cyclic processes. Some of the new concepts included are a new strength designation that includes the sense (tensile or compressive), the direction (longitudinal, transverse, etc.), the specific type of deformation (tensile, compressive, etc.); a concept of an equivalent strain; and the apparent rules of strain strengthening. Examples of strength
Orienting of Attention to Gaze Direction Cues in Rhesus Macaques: Species-Specificity, and Effects of Cue Motion and Reward Predictiveness

Primates live in complex social groups and rely on social cues to direct their attention. For example, primates react faster to an unpredictable stimulus after seeing a conspecific looking in the direction of that stimulus. In the current study we tested the specificity of facial cues (gaze direction) for orienting attention and their interaction with other cues that are known to guide attention. In particular, we tested whether macaque monkeys only respond to gaze cues from conspecifics or if the effect generalizes across species. We found an attentional advantage of conspecific faces over that of other human and cartoon faces. Because gaze cues are often conveyed by gesture, we also explored the effect of image motion (a simulated glance) on the orienting of attention in monkeys. We found that the simulated glance did not significantly enhance the speed of orienting for monkey face stimuli, but had a significant effect for images of human faces. Finally, because gaze cues presumably guide attention towards relevant or rewarding stimuli, we explored whether orienting of attention was modulated by reward predictiveness. When the cue predicted reward location, face and non-face cues were effective in speeding responses towards the cued location. This effect was strongest for conspecific faces. In sum, our results suggest that while conspecific gaze cues activate an intrinsic process that reflexively directs spatial attention, its effect is relatively small in comparison to other features including motion and reward predictiveness. It is possible that gaze cues are more important for decision-making and voluntary orienting than for reflexive orienting.
The Management of Primary Amenorrhea in Hypopituitarism

THE MANAGEMENT of functional primary amenorrhea has always been an imposing problem, particularly when associated with marked hypopituitarism. Many clinicians question the advisability of treating a persistent primary amenorrhea since the establishment of autonomous function cannot readily be expected with the available means of therapy (1–4). It is noteworthy that cases of this type are seriously handicapped both psychologically and sociologically. There is a persistent request and need for any treatment, regardless of its limitations, which might enable these patients to cope with their handicaps. Cyclical uterine bleeding or menstruation can be induced in any type of functional amenorrhea with adequate dosage of estrogens and progestogens (5–9). Such therapy, while only substitutional, is usually ac’ companied by changes in the psychological status and secondary sex characteristics which are of the utmost importance.
Antibodies to GM1 and Gal(β1–3)GalNAc at the nodes of Ranvier in human and experimental autoimmune neuropathy

Autoantibodies to Gal(β1–3)GalNAc epitopes on glycolipids and glycoproteins are associated with motor neuron disease and motor or sensorimotor neuropathy. These epitopes are ubiquitously distributed on cell surfaces. In the nervous system they are present on axons and myelin, specifically also at the nodes of Ranvier. Binding of GM1 antibodies to the nodal area may contribute to disease development in some of these conditions. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Factorial Invariance of a Pan-Hispanic Familism Scale:

This article considers the validity and factorial invariance of an attitudinal measure of familism. Using a large, nationally representative sample of U.S. Hispanics, the validity and factorial invariance of the measure was tested across country of origin (United States, Mexico, and Latin America) and the language in which the survey was conducted (Spanish and English). Results support the invariance of the measure in both group comparisons, suggesting that the measure assesses a quality of familism that persists across country of origin and language preference. Further, the results also support equality in mean factor levels across these groups.
Alternative relay domains of Drosophila melanogaster myosin differentially affect ATPase activity, in vitro motility, myofibril structure and muscle function

The relay domain of myosin is hypothesized to function as a communication pathway between the nucleotide-binding site, actin-binding site and the converter domain. In Drosophila melanogaster, a single myosin heavy chain gene encodes three alternative relay domains. Exon 9a encodes the indirect flight muscle isoform (IFI) relay domain, whereas exon 9b encodes one of the embryonic body wall isoform (EMB) relay domains. To gain a better understanding of the function of the relay domain and the differences imparted by the IFI and the EMB versions, we constructed two transgenic Drosophila lines expressing chimeric myosin heavy chains in indirect flight muscles lacking endogenous myosin. One expresses the IFI relay domain in the EMB backbone (EMB-9a), while the second expresses the EMB relay domain in the IFI backbone (IFI-9b). Our studies reveal that the EMB relay domain is functionally equivalent to the IFI relay domain when it is substituted into IFI. Essentially no differences in ATPase activity, actin-sliding velocity, flight ability at room temperature or muscle structure are observed in IFI-9b compared to native IFI. However, when the EMB relay domain is replaced with the IFI relay domain, we find a 50% reduction in actin-activated ATPase activity, a significant increase in actin affinity, abolition of actin sliding, defects in myofibril assembly and rapid degeneration of muscle structure compared to EMB. We hypothesize that altered relay domain conformational changes in EMB-9a impair intramolecular communication with the EMB-specific converter domain. This decreases transition rates involving strongly bound actomyosin states, leading to a reduced ATPase rate and loss of actin motility.
Influence of Growth Phase on Adhesion Kinetics of Escherichia coli D21g

The influence of bacterial growth stage and the evolution of surface macromolecules on cell adhesion have been examined by using a mutant of Escherichia coli K-12. To better understand the adhesion kinetics of bacteria in the mid-exponential and stationary growth phases under flow conditions, deposition experiments were conducted in a well-controlled radial stagnation point flow (RSPF) system. Complementary cell characterization techniques were conducted in combination with the RSPF experiments to evaluate the hydrophobicity, electrophoretic mobility, size, and titratable surface charge of the cells in the two growth phases considered. It was observed that cells in stationary phase were notably more adhesive than those in mid-exponential phase. This behavior is attributed to the high degree of local charge heterogeneity on the outer membranes of stationary-phase cells, which results in decreased electrostatic repulsion between the cells and a quartz surface. The mid-exponential-phase cells, on the other hand, have a more uniform charge distribution on the outer membrane, resulting in greater electrostatic repulsion and, subsequently, less adhesion. Our results suggest that the macromolecules responsible for this phenomenon are outer membrane-bound proteins and lipopolysaccharide-associated functional groups.
Treatment of Solid L1210 Murine Tumors with Local Hyperthermia and Temperature-sensitive Liposomes Containing Methotrexate

Abstract Liposomes can be designed to break down and release their contents preferentially in an anatomical region subjected to local hyperthermia. Such “temperature-sensitive” liposomes, containing 3H-radiolabeled methotrexate ([3H]MTX), were made by sonication of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and distearoyl phosphatidylcholine (7:3, by weight) and injected i.v. into mice with L1210 tumor implanted in each hind foot. The lipid was radiolabeled with [14C]dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine. Encapsulated [3H]MTX at a dose of 0.0058 mg/kg was cleared from the plasma more rapidly when one foot was heated to 42° in a water bath than when neither foot was heated. This finding indicated release of methotrexate (MTX) from liposomes in the small fraction of blood circulating through the heated foot. Four hr after injection of liposomes, the heated tumors contained an average of 14 times as much [3H]MTX as did the unheated ones. A large dose (300 mg/kg) of free, unlabeled MTX effectively blocked incorporation of [3H]MTX but not of [14C]dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine into the tumors, indicating that the differences observed with heating did not simply represent liposomes sequestered in the extravascular space of the tumors. Similar inhibition was seen with a dose of dl-l-calcium leucovorin (300 mg/kg), a compound which competes with MTX for membrane transport. A larger fraction of injected lipid than of [3H]MTX remained in the circulation after 4 hr, and there was less than a factor of 2 difference in [14C]dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine uptake between heated and unheated tumors. These findings combined with those from our previous studies in vitro suggest the following picture. The temperature-sensitive liposomes break down preferentially in the heated tumor. Some of the released drug is taken up into the tumor cells via the usual transport mechanisms for MTX, and the rest circulates in the bloodstream to be cleared into other tissues and finally from the body by liver and kidneys. The lipid continues to circulate longer partly in association with serum apolipoproteins. In chemotherapy studies with MTX (3 mg/kg), the major findings were these: (a) liposome-encapsulated MTX caused a greater delay in tumor growth than did an equivalent concentration of free MTX with or without heating; and (b) heating alone of the tumor to 42° for 1 hr delayed tumor growth for about 0.7 days, whereas heating increased by about 2.8 days the growth delay observed with heat-sensitive liposomes containing MTX (3 mg/kg). The nonadditive effect (about 2.1 days) corresponds to an extra cell kill of 4- to 16-fold. The magnitude of the nonadditive effect was probably limited by such factors as saturation of cellular transport mechanisms for MTX and saturation of the ability of the serum to release MTX from liposomes at the phase transition.
Formation of a sol-gel derived Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin-film capacitor with polycrystalline SrRuO3 electrodes

The characteristics of a sol-gel derived Pb(Zr,TiO) 3 capacitor with polycrystalline SrRuO 3 electrodes deposited by reactive sputtering were evaluated. A single perovskite phase Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 film with columnar grain structure was formed on SrRuO 3 substrates since nucleation of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 took place at the interface with SrRuO 3 . A Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 capacitor with top and bottom SrRuO 3 electrodes exhibited good polarization reversibility. Remanent polarization at 5.0 V was 20.8 μ c/cm 2 . No degradation of remanent polarization was observed up to switching cycles of 1x10 10 , Polycrystalline SrRuO 3 thin film is expected to be a good candidate for the electrode material of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 capacitors.
Would Women Leaders Have Prevented the Global Financial Crisis? Implications for Teaching about Gender, Behavior, and Economics

Would having more women in leadership have prevented the financial crisis? This question may arise in courses on Gender and Economics, Money and Financial Institutions, Pluralist Economics, or Behavioral Economics, and offers an important teaching moment. The first part of this essay argues that while some behavioral research seems to support an exaggerated "difference" view, non-simplistic behavioral research debunks this and instead reveals the immense unconscious power of stereotyping. The second part of this essay argues that the more urgently needed gender analysis of the financial industry is not concerned with (presumed) "differences" by sex, but rather with the role of gender biases in the social construction of markets. Specific examples and tools that can be used when teaching about difference, similarity, and markets are discussed throughout.
A MEMS-based approach that uses temperature-dependent sensing responses to recognize chemical targets in untrained backgrounds

A major practical challenge for solid state microsensors is the detection of trace chemical species over time and in complex gas-phase backgrounds. We describe a MEMS-based, chemiresistive technology that has succeeded in such problems by combining oxide nanomaterials on microscale platforms, acquisition of dense temperature-dependent response data streams, and novel signal processing methods. Unlike the operation and analysis employed with many electronic noses, our higher dimensional approach captures surface electronic implications of changing adsorptive/reactive phenomena caused by rapid thermal cycling. Here, we demonstrate new capabilities for recognizing toxic targets over extended time periods, even in untrained backgrounds that contain aggressive contaminants at higher concentrations. The approach involves a moving-window, correlation-based methodology to identify chemical events and decouple the foreground conditions from the background.
RESTORATION OF PRONOSUPINATION CONTROL BY FNS IN TETRAPLEGIA-EXPERIMENTAL AND BIOMECHANICAL EVALUATION OF FEASIBILITY

Individuals with C5/C6 tetraplegia lack voluntary control of the forearm pronators. We evaluated the feasibility of restoring forearm pronation/supination control using an electrically activated pronator opposed by voluntary supination. To this end, we measured the electrically produced pronation moments of subjects with tetraplegia. The maximal pronation moment achieved by stimulating the pronator quadratus ranged from 30 to 100 N cm in three forearms of two subjects. These moments were sufficient to produce forearm pronation in all three forearms. Voluntary control of pronosupination during constant pronator stimulation was achieved by having the subject voluntarily supinate or relax to change the balance of rotational torques acting on the forearm. In all cases, the subjects were able to supinate voluntarily against the continuously stimulated pronator, producing intermediate angles between full pronation and full supination. We also observed under some conditions that subjects could voluntarily pronate and supinate even without pronator stimulation. Using a biomechanical model, we show how pronation can be initiated from a supinated position using the brachioradialis, with gravity completing the pronation. This method of pronation without stimulation is extremely sensitive to the orientation of the forearm in the gravitational field, and thus is not a widely applicable technique. We conclude that forearm pronosupination via Functional Neuromuscular Stimulation is feasible, and would provide subjects the ability to pronate without the assistance of gravity.
Adjuncts in posterior lumbar spine fusion: comparison of complications and efficacy.

The purpose of this study was to define the efficacy of recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM) compared to autograft in posterior lumbar spine fusion by comparing complication rates. During a 7-year period (2003–2009), all patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion were retrospectively evaluated within a large orthopedic surgery private practice. Patient demographics, comorbidities, number of levels, type of surgery, and types of bone void filler and osteobiologics were analyzed. Complications were defined as reoperation secondary to failed symptomatic fusion, hyper-reaction with fluid collections, bone overgrowth, and infections. 1,398 patients were evaluated with 41.1 % males and 58.9 % females. Mean age was 60 years and BMI 30.6 kg/m². Patients were subdivided in treatment groups: rhBMP-2, 947 (67.7 %), DBM 306 (21.9 %), and autograft 145 (10.4 %). The overall infection rate was 2.1 %. No significant differences were found between the three groups. The incidence of seroma formation was higher in the BMP group (3.2 %) than in the DBM or autograft group (2.0 and 1.4 %, respectively) but this was not significant (p = 0.286 and p = 0.245, respectively). 103 patients (7.4 %) underwent redo surgery for clinically significant nonunion. We found significantly fewer nonunions (4.3 %) in the rhBMP-2 group (p < 0.001) compared to the DBM or autograft group (13.1 and 15.2 %, respectively). ICBG is the gold standard. DBM leads to comparable fusion rates and does not increase infection or seroma formation. rhBMP-2 supplementation instead of ICBG or bone marrow aspirate results in higher fusion rates compared to autograft alone or autograft plus DBM.
Methods in March-hare madness

Mate Choice. Edited By Patrick Bateson. Cambridge University Press: 1983. Pp.460. Hbk £30, $59.50; pbk £12.50, $19.95.
Haplotype association analysis of North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium data using a generalized linear model with regularization

The Genetic Analysis Workshop 16 rheumatoid arthritis data include a set of 868 cases and 1194 controls genotyped at 545,080 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Illumina 550 k chip. We focus on investigating chromosomes 6 and 18, which have 35,574 and 16,450 SNPs, respectively. Association studies, including single SNP and haplotype-based analyses, were applied to the data on those two chromosomes. Specifically, we conducted a generalized linear model with regularization (rGLM) approach for detecting disease-haplotype association using unphased SNP data. A total of 444 and 43 four-SNP tests were found to be significant at the Bonferroni corrected 5% significance level on chromosome 6 and 18, respectively.
From pull-down data to protein interaction networks and complexes with biological relevance

Motivation:Recent improvements in high-throughput Mass Spectrometry (MS) technology have expedited genome-wide discovery of protein–protein interactions by providing a capability of detecting protein complexes in a physiological setting. Computational inference of protein interaction networks and protein complexes from MS data are challenging. Advances are required in developing robust and seamlessly integrated procedures for assessment of protein–protein interaction affinities, mathematical representation of protein interaction networks, discovery of protein complexes and evaluation of their biological relevance. Results: A multi-step but easy-to-follow framework for identifying protein complexes from MS pull-down data is introduced. It assesses interaction affinity between two proteins based on similarity of their co-purification patterns derived from MS data. It constructs a protein interaction network by adopting a knowledge-guided threshold selection method. Based on the network, it identifies protein complexes and infers their core components using a graph-theoretical approach. It deploys a statistical evaluation procedure to assess biological relevance of each found complex. On Saccharomyces cerevisiae pull-down data, the framework outperformed other more complicated schemes by at least 10% in F1-measure and identified 610 protein complexes with high-functional homogeneity based on the enrichment in Gene Ontology (GO) annotation. Manual examination of the complexes brought forward the hypotheses on cause of false identifications. Namely, co-purification of different protein complexes as mediated by a common non-protein molecule, such as DNA, might be a source of false positives. Protein identification bias in pull-down technology, such as the hydrophilic bias could result in false negatives. Contact: samatovan@ornl.gov Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Frame-based dynamic voltage and frequency scaling for a MPEG decoder

This paper describes a dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) technique for MPEG decoding to reduce the energy consumption while maintaining a quality of servic(QoS) constraint. The computational workload for an incoming frame is predicted using a frame-based history so that the processor voltage and frequency can be scaled to provide the exact amount of computing power needed to decode the frame. More precisely, the required decoding time for each frame is separated into two parts: a frame-dependent (FD) part and a frame-independent (FI) part. The FD part varies greatly according to the type of the incoming frame whereas the FI part remains constant regardless of the frame type. In the DVFS scheme presented in this paper the FI part is used to compensate for the prediction error that may occur during the FD part such that a significant amount of energy can be saved while meeting the frame rate requirement. The proposed DVFS algorithm has been implemented on a StrongArm-1110 based evaluation board. Measurement results demonstrate a higher than 50% CPU energy saving as a result of DVFS.
Critical Technologies for Poly-Si TFT in High Resolution AM-LCD

Polycrystalline silicon (p-Si) TFT offers higher aperture ratio with integrated driver circuits compared to the conventional a-Si TFT in AM-LCD application. The advantages of the p-Si TFT as the pixel switching element will be more pronounced for AM-LCDs with large number of scan lines and/or high pixel density. This paper reviews challenges and issues associated with the technology of p-Si TFT, particularly in active silicon layer deposition, solid phase and laser crystallization, hydrogenation, leakage current, performance of different device architectures and reliability. Critical issues affecting the p-Si TFT AMLCD pixel design are analyzed, including: lithographic resolution and overlay accuracy, pixel density and aspect ratio, display format, storage to LC capacitance ratio, and gate dielectric thickness. Predictions on the regimes of dominance for different flat-panel technologies by advantages in performance and-or cost with respect to panel size and pixel density will be presented.
Surface waves and spatial localization in vibrotactile displays

The locus of vibrotactile stimulation is often used as an encoding cue in tactile displays developed for spatial orientation and navigation. However, the ability to localize the site of stimulation varies as a function of the number and configuration of the vibrating motors (tactors) in the display. As the inter-tactor distance decreases it has been found that the ability to localize a point of stimulation diminishes. One factor that may limit tactile localization is the surface wave elicited by vibration that propagates across the skin at a velocity that depends on the frequency of vibration and the viscoelastic properties of the skin. A material that simulates the stress-strain characteristics of human skin was used to measure the characteristics of surface waves during vibrotactile stimulation. Accelerometers glued to the simulated skin at fixed distances from the activated tactors were used to measure the amplitude of the acceleration as a function of distance as well as the propagation velocity. It was determined that at a distance of 60 mm from the site of activation, the surface wave was on average attenuated to less than 1 m/s2. This suggests that for this type of tactor an inter-tactor distance of at least 60 mm would be optimal for a display in which the locus of stimulation is used as an encoding variable. It seems that much of the difficulty encountered in identifying the locus of a vibrotactile stimulus in multi-tactor displays may result from small intertactor distances.
Information Quality Surveys Seen from the Perspective of Operations

This is a discussion of three blinded cases of eliciting responses on information quality for statistical analysis that yielded mixed, inconclusive, sometime contradictory results. Surveys asked questions without the necessary context and neglected interdependencies of factors. Information quality is a subset of quality problems with operation factors. A broader approach is needed. This paper suggests improvements from the teleological perspective of operations. A preparatory qualitative study of the domain, how it works, and how interdependent the factors are might yield better survey instruments with well-thought out questions asked within their adequate context and complemented with some checks and balances. We need distinguish whether we seek truth about reality or truth about what respondents think. In operations, reality and results matter. This study calls for challenge, critique, and discussion by researchers using surveys.
An Investigation of Cybercrime-Related Online Search Behavior vs General Search Behavior

Information seeking through search engines is one of the most common modes of accessing information over the internet. The purpose of the paper is to understand internet information foraging and user search behavior based on user search sessions. We characterize a search session by the number of the queries and the number of the clicks. A set of search logs from a large search engine is used in the study for the analysis. We identify user sessions using hierarchical agglomerative clustering. Based on information foraging theory, we propose a model that yields the probability distribution for the number of queries and the number of clicks in a search session. The model assumes that users make a sequence of decisions to proceed from one query to another query, continuing as long as the expected value of continuing search exceeds some threshold. The relationship between the number of queries and the number of clicks is examined, and it shows a strong linear relationship. We compare characteristics between the generally sampled search sessions and cybercrime-related search sessions. The results indicate strong regularities in user search sessions, and those two types of sessions show different patterns.
A breadth-first approach to memory-efficient graph search

Recent work shows that the memory requirements of A* and related graph-search algorithms can be reduced substantially by only storing nodes that are on or near the search frontier, using special techniques to prevent node regeneration, and recovering the solution path by a divide-and-conquer technique. When this approach is used to solve graph-search problems with unit edge costs, we have shown that a breadth-first search strategy can be more memory-efficient than a best-first strategy. We provide an overview of our work using this approach, which we call breadth-first heuristic search.
Children Hospitalized with Rhinovirus Bronchiolitis Have Asthma-Like Characteristics.

Children with bronchiolitis often are considered a homogeneous group. However, in a multicenter, prospective study of 2207 young children hospitalized for bronchiolitis, we found that children with respiratory syncytial virus detected differ from those with rhinovirus detected; the latter patients resemble older children with asthma, including more frequent treatment with corticosteroids.
Molecular Modeling of the Structural and Dynamical Changes in Calcium Channel TRPV5 Induced by the African-Specific A563T Variation

Transient receptor potential cation channels, vanilloid subfamily, member 5 (TRPV5) plays a key role in active Ca(2+) reabsorption in the kidney. Variations in TRPV5 occur at high frequency in African populations and may contribute to their higher efficiency of Ca(2+) reabsorption. One of the African specific variations, A563T, exhibits increased Ca(2+) transport ability. However, it is unclear how this variation influences the channel pore. On the basis of the structure of TRPV1, a TRPV5 model was generated to simulate the structural and dynamical changes induced by the A563T variation. On the basis of this model, amino acid residue 563 interacts with V540, which is one residue away from the key residue, D542, involved in Ca(2+) selectivity and Mg(2+) blockade. The A563T variation increases secondary structure stability and reduces dynamical motion of D542. In addition, the A563T variation alters the electrostatic potential of the outer surface of the pore. Differences in contact between selective filter residues and residue 563 and in electrostatic potential between the two TRPV5 variants were also observed in another model derived from an alternative alignment in the selective filters between TRPV5 and TRPV1. These findings indicate that the A563T variation induces structural, dynamical, and electrostatic changes in the TRPV5 pore, providing structural insight into the functional alterations associated with the A563T variation.
Discussion: Macro Models of U.S. Agriculture

The paper by Heady and Hall may be divided into three parts: 25 percent of the space is devoted to an introduction and brief enumeration of past spatial studies; 70 percent is allotted to a brief synopsis of two previous studies which Heady has co-authored; and 5 percent (the last three paragraphs) is devoted to a comparison of various types of models. Let me limit my comments to this last 5 percent. They indicate that the usual representative-farm programming models can more accurately reflect short-run resource immobilities than can regional spatial models because the latter assume complete resource mobility among farms in a given region. They suggest that the prospect of combining in a single model the essential characteristics of both regional and typical-farm models "is almost upon us" but leave us in suspense regarding how this might be done. Fortunately, we are not left in suspense very long because Sharples and Schaller claim that they have provided a partial solution to the aggregation problem by using flexibility restraints. However, their concern is with aggregation at a different level: response of an entire region treated as one producing unit vs. individual farm response. So there are really four levels of aggregation involved-all farms in a region treated individually, several farms representative of many others not appearing in the model, one typical or average farm representing all farms in a region, and a region treated as one large farm. If the gap between individual-farm models and regional models can be partially bridged by the use of flexibility restraints, this same technique should be useful in bridging Heady and Hall's gap between representative-farm models and regional models. I will, therefore, confine the remainder of my remarks to the use of flexibility restraints in the Sharples-Schaller model. First, let me say that I am not a strong proponent of using linear programming for positive, short-run supply response predictions. The difference between what profit maximizers should do and what farmers actually do is fairly large, and to my knowledge there have been few successes in predicting short-run supply within a linear programming framework. However, I do see considerable promise in this area with the use of sophisticated flexibility restraints. Although Sharples and Schaller do use flexibility restraints, I would call theirs naive flexibility restraints.