cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ring structures on groups of arithmetic functions

Abstract Using the theory of Witt vectors, we define ring structures on several well-known groups of arithmetic functions, which in another guise are formal Dirichlet series. The set of multiplicative arithmetic functions over a commutative ring R is shown to have a unique functorial ring structure for which the operation of addition is Dirichlet convolution and the operation of multiplication restricted to the completely multiplicative functions coincides with point-wise multiplication. The group of additive arithmetic functions over R also has a functorial ring structure. In analogy with the ghost homomorphism of Witt vectors, there is a functorial ring homomorphism from the ring of multiplicative functions to the ring of additive functions that is an isomorphism if R is a Q -algebra. The group of rational arithmetic functions, that is, the group generated by the completely multiplicative functions, forms a subring of the ring of multiplicative functions. The latter ring has the structure of a Bin ( R ) -algebra, where Bin ( R ) is the universal binomial ring equipped with a ring homomorphism to R. We use this algebra structure to study the order of a rational arithmetic function, as well the powers f α for α ∈ Bin ( R ) of a multiplicative arithmetic function f. For example, we prove new results about the powers of a given multiplicative arithmetic function that are rational. Finally, we apply our theory to the study of the zeta function of a scheme of finite type over Z .
Time asymptotic solutions of blunt-body stagnation-region flows with nongray emission and absorption of radiation.

Asymptotic solutions of blunt body stagnation flows with nongray radiation emission and absorption, discussing radiation coupled shock layer flow fields
A convenient and general synthesis of 2‐amino‐1,3,4‐thiadiazoles. Dehydration of acylthiosemicarbazides with methanesulfonic acid

2-Amino-5-alkyl and 2-amino-5-aryl-1,3,4-thiadiazoles were prepared by the dehydration of 2-acylthiosemicarbazides with molar equivalents of methanesulfonic acid in refluxing toluene. The synthesis appears to be general.
OnabotulinumtoxinA therapy for compensatory hyperhidrosis.

Summary Background Compensatory hyperhidrosis due to the treatment for focal primary hyperhidrosis can be devastating and life-altering. Objective The purpose of this paper is to discuss use of the iodine starch test and dilute botulinum toxin to decrease compensatory hyperhidrosis over large surface areas. Methods A large area of the trunk affected by compensatory hyperhidrosis was treated with dilute botulinum toxin therapy using a starch iodine test for localization. Results The patient had exceptional results with his compensatory truncal sweating returning to normal and remaining stable for multiple months. Conclusion Treating compensatory hyperhidrosis of large surface areas with dilute botulinum toxin therapy is effective and safe.
Production and characterization of cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies to sweet proteins

We report on the characterization of a panel of eight murine monoclonal antibodies induced by immunization with the sweet protein monellin and which display cross-reactivity with thaumatin, another sweet natural molecule. Cross-reactivity was determined based on direct binding assays and antigen competition experiments. Interestingly, half of antibodies bound thaumatin more than monellin, the immunizing antigen. The relatedness between the binding sites of the eight monoclonal antibodies was assessed by cross-competition of the binding of monellin to individual monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies that bound in a similar way monellin and thaumatin were on average the best inhibitors. All antibodies also bound Sp1, a genetically-engineered single chain monellin. These studies demonstrate that the immune repertoire encodes for specificities that are common to monellin and thaumatin despite the fact that the two molecules share little, if any, structural homology. These results are discussed in relation to the use of cross-reactive antibodies to generate anti-receptor antibodies via idiotypic immunization.
Zeta potential orientation dependence of sapphire substrates.

The zeta potential of planar sapphire substrates for three different crystallographic orientations was measured by a streaming potential technique in the presence of KCl and (CH3)4NCl electrolytes. The streaming potential was measured for large single crystalline C-plane (0001), A-plane (1120), and R-plane (1102) wafers over a full pH range at three or more ionic strengths ranging from 1 to 100 mM. The roughness of the epi-polished wafers was verified using atomic force microscopy to be on the order of atomic scale, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to ensure that the samples were free of silica and other contaminants. The results reveal a shift in the isoelectric point (iep) of the three samples by as much as two pH units, with the R-plane surface exhibiting the most acidic behavior and the C-plane samples having the highest iep. The iep at all ionic strengths was tightly centered around a single pH for each wafer. These values of iep are substantially different from the range of pH 8...
Examining the operant function of challenging behavior in young males with fragile X syndrome: A summary of 12 cases

Abstract This study used experimental functional analyses to examine the operant function of challenging behaviors exhibited by 12 males (ages 27–51 months) with fragile X syndrome (FXS). Eight children met criteria for negatively reinforced challenging behavior in the form of escape from demands and/or escape from social interactions. Nine children met criteria for positively reinforced challenging behavior in the form of obtaining access to highly preferred items. Attention was identified as a maintaining consequence for three children. The functional analysis was inconclusive for one child. Results suggest that, for young males with FXS, challenging behaviors may more likely be tangibly and escape maintained than attention maintained. Our findings affirm past research suggesting a unique behavioral phenotype for this population.
Design and Optimization of Printed Spiral Coils for Efficient Inductive Power Transmission

The next generation of high power neuroprosthetic devices such as retinal implants are going to be powered through transcutaneous inductive links formed between a pair of printed spiral coils (PSC) that are batch fabricated using micromachining technology (MEMS). Optimizing the power efficiency of the wireless link is imperative to minimize the size of the external energy source, electromagnetic heating of the tissue, and interference with other devices. In this paper, we outline the theoretical foundation of optimal power transmission in an inductive link and combine it with semi- empirical models to predict parasitic components in PSCs. Moreover, this foundation is utilized to devise an iterative PSC design methodology to find optimal PSC geometries. Finally, we have executed this procedure on two design examples at 1 and 5 MHz achieving power transmission efficiencies of 41.2% and 85.8%, respectively, at 10 mm spacing.
Determining the relative physical stability of anhydrous and hydrous crystal forms of GW2016

The slurry equilibration method used to determine the relative physical stability of polymorphs is extended to a crystal system of an anhydrate and hydrate. The method involves preparation of organic/aqueous slurries of known water activity containing mixtures of the anhydrate and hydrate forms. The slurries equilibrate to the lowest free energy form, from which the relative physical stability is determined as a function of relative humidity. The method is particularly valuable when one or more of the crystal forms is kinetically stable, since solvent-mediated transformation accelerates the conversion process. Results are provided for GW2016 anhydrate and monohydrate crystal forms, for which it was determined that interconversion occurs between 7 and 15% relative humidity.
Two-component circuitry in Arabidopsis cytokinin signal transduction

Cytokinins are essential plant hormones that are involved in shoot meristem and leaf formation, cell division, chloroplast biogenesis and senescence. Although hybrid histidine protein kinases have been implicated in cytokinin perception in Arabidopsis, the action of histidine protein kinase receptors and the downstream signalling pathway has not been elucidated to date. Here we identify a eukaryotic two-component signalling circuit that initiates cytokinin signalling through distinct hybrid histidine protein kinase activities at the plasma membrane. Histidine phosphotransmitters act as signalling shuttles between the cytoplasm and nucleus in a cytokinin-dependent manner. The short signalling circuit reaches the nuclear target genes by enabling nuclear response regulators ARR1, ARR2 and ARR10 as transcription activators. The cytokinin-inducible ARR4, ARR5, ARR6 and ARR7 genes encode transcription repressors that mediate a negative feedback loop in cytokinin signalling. Ectopic expression in transgenic Arabidopsis of ARR2, the rate-limiting factor in the response to cytokinin, is sufficient to mimic cytokinin in promoting shoot meristem proliferation and leaf differentiation, and in delaying leaf senescence.
Studies of an Enneanuclear Manganese Single-Molecule Magnet

The reaction of [Mn3O(O2CMe)6(py)3] with the tripodal ligand H3thme (1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane) affords the enneanuclear complex [Mn9O7(O2CCH3)11(thme)(py)3(H2O)2] 1·1MeCN·1Et2O. The metallic skeleton of complex 1 comprises a series of 10 edge-sharing triangles that describes part of an idealized icosahedron. Variable temperature direct current (dc) magnetic susceptibility data collected in the 1.8−300 K temperature range and in fields up to 5.5 T were fitted to give a spin ground state of S = 17/2 with an axial zero-field splitting parameter D = −0.29 cm-1. Ac susceptibility studies indicate frequency-dependent out-of-phase signals below 4 K and an effective barrier for the relaxation of the magnetization of Ueff = 27 K. Magnetic measurements of single crystals of 1 at low temperature show time- and temperature-dependent hysteresis loops which contain steps at regular intervals of field. Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) studies on complex 1 confirm the S = 17/2 ground state and analysis of the IN...
Considerations in Starting a Patient with Advanced Frailty on Dialysis: Complex Biology Meets Challenging Ethics

Nephrologists have focused on the uremic syndrome as an indication for dialysis. The elderly frail renal patient approaching ESRD represents a complex biologic system that is already failing. This patient phenotype exhibits progressive geriatric disabilities and dependence interspersed with shrinking periods of stability regardless of whether dialysis is started. Consequently, the frail renal patient faces challenging treatment choices underpinned by ethical tensions. Identifying the advanced frail renal patient and optimizing the shared decision-making process will enable him or her to make well informed choices based on an understanding of his or her overall condition and personal values and preferences. This approach will also permit nephrologists to fulfill their ethical obligations to respect patient autonomy, promote patient benefit, and minimize patient harm.
Magic, (colonial) science and science studies

This article draws on Latour's ethnography of science, analysis of the Great Divide and call for a symmetrical anthropology, to follow magic's emergence as a modern category. The focus is ethnology in colonial Indonesia. Tracing a practice initially known as guna-guna, it analyses five successive Dutch texts. Early texts show that guna-guna could affect Europeans but purify guna-guna's effects as either natural or cultural/psychological. In later texts, that translate guna-guna as magic, references to Europeans, efficacy and substances vanish; guna-guna is simply a culturally specific belief. Terming practices magic has ontological and political consequences; irreduction offers an alternative to analytic habits that yield magic.
An improved surgical technique to treat femoral shaft malunion: revised reamed intramedullary nailing technique.

Twenty-four consecutive adult patients who sustained a femoral shaft angular or rotational deformity, with or without significant shortening, were treated with skeletal traction of the femoral condyle, transverse femoral osteotomy, realignment of the shaft axis with or without lengthening, stable reamed intramedullary nail stabilization, and corticocancellous bone grafting. Twenty-one patients who underwent the treatment were followed-up for at least 1 year (range 1.0–4.5 years), and all achieved a solid union. The union rate was 100% (21/21) with a union period of 4.9 ± 0.5 months. There were no significant complications. All patients achieved a satisfactory outcome as indicated by patient satisfaction and physician assessment of outcome (p < 0.001, Fisher’s exact test). In the present series, the use of this revised reamed nailing technique resulted in a high success rate and a low complication rate. It provides an effective alternative treatment in indicated cases.
Why change the calendar

Emiliani does not present a good argument for making a change in something as fundamental as the present calendar. Despite the obvious problems with our present one, I see no reason to replace one arbitrary calendar with another arbitrary calendar. Any simple computer program can account for the fact that there was no year 0 in our present calendar. Why replace a calendar based on something (the alleged date of the birth of Christ) with one based on nothing (for example, Emiliani's rounded-off guesstimate of the beginning of the Holocene)? We may as well fix the beginning of the calendar on the formation of the Earth (approximately 4.6 b.y.a.), although this might give historians and civil servants fits.
Multidisciplinary High-Fidelity Analysis and Optimization of Aerospace Vehicles, Part 2: Preliminary Results

An Objective of the High Performance Computing and Communication Program at the NASA Langley Research Center is to demonstrate multidisciplinary shape and sizing optimization of a complete aerospace vehicle configuration by using high-fidelity finite-element structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics aerodynamic analysis in a distributed, heterogeneous computing environment that includes high performance parallel computing. A software system has been designed and implemented to integrate a set of existing discipline analysis codes, some of them computationally intensive, into a distributed computational environment for the design of a high-speed civil transport configuration. The paper describes both the preliminary results from implementing and validating the multidisciplinary analysis and the results from an aerodynamic optimization. The discipline codes are integrated by using the Java programming language and a Common Object Request Broker Architecture compliant software product. A companion paper describes the formulation of the multidisciplinary analysis and optimization system.
Clinical predictors of survival in patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia following cardiac arrest.

Introduction: Therapeutic hypothermia has been shown to provide neuroprotection and improved survival in patients suffering a cardiac arrest. We report outcomes of consecutive patients receiving therapeutic hypothermia for cardiac arrest and describe predictors of short and long-term survival. Methods: Eighty patients receiving therapeutic hypothermia between January 2005 and December 2008 were identified and categorized as those who survived and died. Outcomes and predictors of survival were determined.
Initiation and Promotion of Endochrondral Bone Formation by Bone Morphogenetic Proteins: Potential Implications for Avian Tibial Dyschondroplasia

The initiation and promotion of bone morphogenesis is regulated by bone morphogenetic proteins. Morphogenesis of the skeleton is the developmental cascade of pattern formation, establishment of mirror-image bilateral symmetry, initiation and promotion of endochondral bone differentiation, and growth culminating in functional weight bearing. Implantation of demineralized bone matrix initiates a developmental cascade of endochondral bone formation that is reminiscent of the sequential bone morphogenesis in the limb bud in the embryo. The inductive agents in the demineralized bone matrix were identified, isolated and cloned, and demonstrated to be bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP). The BMP have been implicated in the pattern formation, differentiation, and regeneration of bone. Because there is a persistent defect in endochondral bone formation in the epiphysed growth plate in tibial dyschondroplasia in poultry, it is likely that BMP signaling mechanisms may be impaired.
In vitro activities of gemifloxacin (SB 265805, LB20304) against recent clinical isolates of Chlamydia pneumoniae.

We compared the in vitro activity of gemifloxacin, a new quinolone antibiotic, to the activities of levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, trovafloxacin, erythromycin, and doxycycline against 20 isolates of Chlamydia pneumoniae. Gemifloxacin was the most active quinolone tested, with a MIC at which 90% of the isolates are inhibited and a minimal bactericidal concentration at which 90% of strains tested are killed of 0.25 μg/ml, but this activity was less than those of doxycycline and erythromycin.
The Shame of Failure: Examining the Link Between Fear of Failure and Shame

The present research was designed to examine hypotheses derived from the proposition that shame is the core of fear of failure. Study 1 was conducted in a naturalistic setting and demonstrated that individuals high in fear of failure reported greater shame upon a perceived failure experience than those low in fear of failure. These findings were obtained controlling for other negative emotions. Study 2 was conducted in a controlled laboratory setting and demonstrated that high fear of failure individuals reported greater shame, overgeneralization, and closeness to their mother (controlling for baseline levels of these variables) than those low in fear of failure. Those high in fear of failure also reported that they would be less likely to tell their mother and father about their failure experience and would be more likely to tell their mother and father about their success experience. The implications of these findings for acquiring a deeper understanding of fear of failure are discussed.
The Relative Odds of Progressing by Structural and Functional Tests in Glaucoma.

Author(s): Abe, Ricardo Y; Diniz-Filho, Alberto; Zangwill, Linda M; Gracitelli, Carolina PB; Marvasti, Amir H; Weinreb, Robert N; Baig, Saif; Medeiros, Felipe A | Abstract: PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of disease severity and number of tests acquired during follow-up on the relative odds of identifying progression by structural or functional tests in glaucoma.MethodsThis was an observational cohort study involving 462 eyes of 305 patients with glaucoma and 62 eyes of 49 healthy subjects. Glaucoma patients and healthy subjects were followed for an average of 3.6 ± 0.9 and 3.8 ± 0.9 years, with a median (interquantile range) of 8 (6-9) and 7 (6-8) visits, respectively. At each visit, subjects underwent visual field assessment with standard automated perimetry (SAP) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) evaluation by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Slopes of change in SAP mean sensitivity and OCT RNFL thickness over time were estimated by linear regression using progressively cumulative visits over time. Cutoff values for age-related expected rates of change for each test were obtained from the healthy group. Progression by SD-OCT and/or SAP was determined if the slope of change was statistically significant and also lower (faster) than the fifth percentile cutoff calculated from the healthy group. A generalized estimating equation logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relative odds of progressing by OCT versus SAP in glaucoma eyes.ResultsEyes with less severe disease at baseline had a higher chance of being detected as progressing by SD-OCT but not by SAP, whereas an increase in disease severity at baseline increased the chance that the eye would be detected as progressing by SAP but not SD-OCT. Each 1 dB higher MD was associated with a 5% increase in the odds of detecting progression by SD-OCT versus SAP (odds ratio = 1.05 per 1 dB; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.09; P = 0.005).ConclusionsThe ability to detect glaucoma progression by SAP versus SD-OCT is significantly influenced by the stage of disease. Our results may provide useful information for guiding clinicians on the relative utility of these tests for detecting change throughout the disease continuum.
The Atlanta Paradox . Edited by David L. Sjoquist. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2000. Pp. 300. $34.95.

This book is the third volume (of a proposed four) in the Russell Sage Foundation's Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality. The paradox mentioned in the title refers to Atlanta's seemingly contradictory position as both a symbol of Sunbelt South racial and economic progress and a pit of persistent poverty. Yet for all the apparent progress of the postâ€“World War II years, Atlanta in the 1990s remained a highly segregated city and its poverty rate ranked as the fifth highest in the nation. This is â€œthe Atlanta paradoxâ€ that the authors set out to try and explain. The chief sources of data for this book, as with other volumes in the series, are household and employers surveys conducted between 1992 and 1994 as part of the Multi-City Study. A useful appendix summarizes the survey methodology (pp. 9â€“12). The surveys themselves will surely become a useful resource for other scholars.
A comparison of anastrozole and testosterone versus placebo and testosterone for treatment of sexual dysfunction in men with epilepsy and hypogonadism

Hyposexuality is commonly associated with low bioavailable testosterone (BAT) and relative estradiol elevation in men with epilepsy. This prospective, randomized, double-blind trial compared the effects of depotestosterone+the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (T-A) versus depotestosterone+placebo (T-P) on sexual function, hormone levels, mood, and seizure frequency in men with epilepsy. Forty men with focal epilepsy, hyposexuality, and hypogonadism were randomized 1:1 to two groups (T-A or T-P) for a 3-month treatment trial of depotestosterone+either anastrozole or matching placebo. Outcomes included both efficacy and safety measures. Normalization of sexual function (S-score) occurred with greater frequency in the T-A (72.2%) than in the T-P (47.4%) group, but the difference was not statistically significant. T-A resulted in significantly lower estradiol levels and S-scores correlated inversely with estradiol levels at baseline and during treatment. Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) scores improved significantly in both groups and changes in S-score correlated inversely with changes in BDI-II score. Changes in seizure frequency correlated with changes in BDI-II score. Seizure frequency decreased with both treatments and showed significant correlations with estradiol levels. Triglyceride levels increased with T-P and decreased with T-A. The difference in triglyceride changes between the two treatments was significant and correlated with changes in estradiol levels. Significant correlations between estradiol levels and S-scores, as well as seizure outcomes and triglyceride levels, suggest further study regarding a potential role for anastrozole in the treatment of men with epilepsy who have hyposexuality and hypogonadism.
Assessing the War on Terror: An Ambivalent Polemic

Assessing the War on Terror. Edited by Mohammed Ayoob, Etga Ugur. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2013. 225 pp., $55.00 hardcover (ISBN-13: 988-1-58826-978-2). Assessing the War on Terror argues that the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have been disastrous, but its evidence is selective and ambiguous. According to Mohammed Ayoob's opening chapter, the book endeavors to evaluate the War on Terror and its cross-regional effects. The book's contributors argue that America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have weakened US power and emboldened its adversaries. Some of the book's contributors offer important insights. Fawaz Gerges' excellent critique of Al Qaeda makes a strong contribution. He debunks the myth that Al Qaeda commands a mass following of jihadists. Instead, bin Laden's organization is presented as an elitist aberration whose far enemy strategy of attacking the United States has little following among extremists. Gerges portrays a fragmented, dysfunctional post-9/11 Al Qaeda. He argues the group's loss of its terror sanctuary after 9/11 created a diffuse organization impervious to central direction. Gerges persuasively argues that Al Qaeda's affiliates in Iraq, Somalia, the Maghreb, and Yemen are committed to ultraviolent takfiri doctrines that have killed thousands of Muslims and diminished the organization's popularity across the Islamic world. Having sketched a debilitated Al Qaeda, Gerges paradoxically concludes that the War on Terror has propped up the organization. Beyond his depiction of the Iraq War as …
Resident competencies and work hours: are they mutually exclusive

For many years significant changes in residency education in the US have occurred primarily in the required curriculum for each specific training discipline. Now, residency training is undergoing dramatic revision across all graduate medical education programmes as part of the General Requirements for Graduate Medical Education. Two issues are driving this change—the assessment of resident education based on a set of general competencies, and a “legislated” reduction in work hours. In the US, residency training is under the direction of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). ACGME establishes the core training requirements for all accredited postgraduate training programmes. These core requirements are clearly articulated and include the requirements for sponsoring institutions. Within its mandate for establishing these core requirements, ACGME has developed two major revisions that must now be incorporated and instituted by all programmes in order to remain accredited. In February 1999, ACGME announced its recommendations for outcome assessment of trainees. This is highlighted by the ACGME requirement that all accredited programmes must measure resident competency in the following areas:
Geometric Analysis of Occlusal Plane Orientation Using Simulated Ear‐Rod Facebow Transfer

Purpose Ear-rod facebow techniques may position casts high or low between the upper and lower members on the articulator when using orbitale or nasion as anterior reference positions. This study assessed the effect of changing the anterior reference position on simulated mountings utilizing simulated ear-rod facebow. Materials and methods Tracings from latoral cephalographs made on seven subjects were superimposed with an outline model of a semiadjustable articulator. Three simulated mountings were performed for each subject in which the plane of occlusion was positioned (1) high, (2) midway, and (3) approaching the lower member (low). Maxillary and mandibular occlusal planes representing intercuspal position were determined from the cephalographs and positioned on the articulator model in a simulated centric relation position for each mounting. Condylar guidance was determined from a simulated protrusive position. Results Analysis of the three mounting positions demonstrated no change in intercuspal position within subjects; however, angles formed between upper member and condylar guidance were 14.9% smaller for the mid-distance mounting, 42.9% smaller for the high mounting, and 13.4% higher for the low mounting positions when compared with a standard Frankfort horizontal plane reference. Conclusions The cephalographs showed extreme variability in the position of the ear piece to bony structures of the skull, but this deviation appeared to be compensated by a change in the horizontal condylar guidance relative to mounting. Results also suggest that casts may be mounted in a convenient mid-position for routine articulation.
Sex, Culpability and the Defence of Provocation, Danielle Tyson (2013) Abingdon: Routledge, 223pp. The Language of Sexual Misconduct Cases, Roger Shuy (2012) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 229pp.

Sex, Culpability and the Defence of Provocation, Danielle Tyson (2013) Abingdon: Routledge, 223pp. The Language of Sexual Misconduct Cases, Roger Shuy (2012) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 229pp.
On interface element insertion into three-dimensional meshes

Abstract An algorithm is summarized for inserting zero-thickness interface elements or “couplers” into finite element meshes in two and three dimensions. Using only element connectivity, couplers are inserted according to regions within the analysis domain, a geometrically intuitive means to designate their locations. A wide class of volume elements and interface couplers are treated. A three-dimensional test case verifies that the algorithm generates meshes passing the patch test.
Tasquinimod in the treatment of castrate-resistant prostate cancer - current status and future prospects.

Treatment options have significantly expanded in recent years for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), with the routine use of immunotherapy (sipuleucel-T) and novel hormonal agents such as enzalutamide and abiraterone acetate prior to taxane-based chemotherapy or radium-223 radiotherapy. A number of immune checkpoints limit the immune response of the host to metastatic tumor progression in prostate cancer, one of which is an immunosuppressive and pro-angiogenic cell called the myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC). Tasquinimod is a small molecular oral inhibitor of S100A9, a key cell surface regulator of MDSC function, and has shown anti-angiogenic, antitumor and immune-modulatory properties in preclinical models of prostate cancer and other solid tumors. A large randomized phase II trial of tasquinimod in men with chemotherapy-naive mCRPC demonstrated a significant prolongation in radiographic and symptomatic progression-free survival compared with placebo, which was also associated with improvements in overall survival. Tasquinimod was studied in a global phase III randomized trial in men with bone mCRPC and, while it significantly improved radiographic progression-free survival, this did not result in an overall survival benefit. However, tasquinimod is under evaluation as well as a combination therapy with other systemic agents in prostate cancer and as a single agent in other solid tumors. This review encompasses the preclinical and clinical development of tasquinimod as a therapy for men with prostate cancer.
Pentacene Thin Film Transistors and Circuits: Influence of Processing and Device Design

The influence of different dielectrics on the structural and electronic properties of pentacene films and TFTs is discussed. The pentacene films were thermally evaporated on inorganic dielectrics compatible with flexible substrates. A strong correlation between morphology and structural properties of the pentacene films and the mobility of the TFTs was observed for all the dielectrics studied. In the case of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon nitride and silicon oxide dielectrics the growth of pentacene is mainly determined by the roughness of the dielectric. The roughness inhibits the ordering of pentacene molecules on the surface. However, by optimizing the fabrication process of the dielectrics, we have achieved similar pentacene mobilities on PECVD dielectrics and thermal oxide (0.4 cm2/Vs), without employing self-assembled monolayers like octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS). An OTS treatment of oxide based dielectrics leads to an increase of the mobility by a factor of 2-3 up to >1cm2/Vs for thermal oxide. Pentacene films on inorganic dielectrics exhibit mobilities from of 0.2-1.2 cm2/Vs and high on/off ratios between 107 and 108.
The Analysis of PCBs in Methylene Chloride Using Column Switching

Analyse en chromatographie en phase gazeuse a 2 colonnes et une valve et un detecteur a capture d'electrons de biphenyles polychlores
Study of the Atmospheric Chemistry of 2-Formylcinnamaldehyde

2-Formylcinnamaldehyde is a significant product of the reaction of naphthalene with OH radicals, and its photolysis and gas-phase reactions with O3, NO3 radicals, and OH radicals have been investigated in this work. 2-Formylcinnamaldehyde was observed to undergo photolysis by black lamps, with a photolysis rate of 0.14 × J(NO2), where J(NO2) is the NO2 photolysis rate. The measured rate constants for the reactions of 2-formylcinnamaldehyde with O3, NO3 radicals, and OH radicals (in units of cm3 molecule–1 s–1) were 1.8 × 10–18, 4.3 × 10–14, and 2.1 × 10–11, respectively, with those for the O3 and NO3 reactions being for the E-isomer. 2-Formylcinnamaldehyde was observed to undergo significant adsorption and desorption from the reaction chamber Teflon film walls, and the photolysis rate and rate constants are subject to significant uncertainties. In the atmosphere, the dominant chemical loss processes for 2-formylcinnamaldehyde will be photolysis during daylight hours and reaction with NO3 radicals during n...
Structure and Dynamics of NaxCoO2 and the Hydrated Superconductor

The properties of the NaxCoO2 class of materials are of interest from a number of viewpoints. These compounds are based on a triangular lattice of spin-1/2 ions—prototype RVB system—where a high thermoelectric-power Curie-Weiss metallic paramagnet is found for Na0.7CoO2, a charge ordered insulator at x=0.5, and a paramagnetic metal where superconductivity is induced in Na0.3CoO2 when it is intercalated with water. Here we briefly review our neutron diffraction and inelastic scattering measurements characterizing the crystal structure and lattice dynamics, and relate these to the observed physical properties. The basic structure of NaxCoO2 is hexagonal and consists of robust layers of CoO2 interspersed by Na layers with two inequivalent sites. Two special cases are x=1 where one of these sites is fully occupied and the other empty, and x=1/2 where both sites have equal occupancies of 1/4 and the system is a charge ordered insulator. For general x the site occupancies are inequivalent and vary systematically with x. In the regime of x=0.75 we find a first-order transition from a high symmetry Na site at low T to a three-fold split site (with lower symmetry) at high T. This transition is first order and varies with x. For the Na0.3CoO2 1.4(H/D)2O superconductor, the water forms two additional layers between the Na and CoO2, increasing the c-axis lattice parameter of the hexagonal P63/mmc space group from 11.16 A to 19.5 A. The Na ions are found to occupy a different configuration from the parent compound, while the water forms a structure that replicates the structure of ice to a good approximation. We find a strong inverse correlation between the CoO2 layer thickness and the superconducting transition temperature (TC increases with decreasing thickness). The phonon density-of-states for Na0.3CoO2 exhibits distinct acoustic and optic bands, with a high-energy cutoff of ~100 meV. The lattice dynamical scattering for the superconductor is dominated by the hydrogen modes, with librational and bending modes that are quite similar to ice, supporting the structural model that the water intercalates and forms ice-like layers in the superconductor.
Aprotinin inhibits the contact, neutrophil, and platelet activation systems during simulated extracorporeal perfusion.

Aprotinin reduces blood loss after cardiac operations and decreases the bleeding time. The mechanism of action of aprotinin that produces these effects is not clear. During simulated extracorporeal circulation the contact and complement systems, platelets, and neutrophils are activated. We investigated the effect of aprotinin on kallikrein-CĪ-inhibitor complex and CĪ-CĪ-inhibitor complex formation, neutrophil degranulation, and platelet release and aggregation during simulated extracorporeal circulation. Fresh heparinized human blood was recirculated at 37° C for 2 hours in a spiral coil membrane oxygenator-roller pump perfusion circuit. Changes in platelet count, leukocyte count, platelet response to adenosine diphosphate, and plasma levels of β-thromboglobulin, kallikrein-CĪ-inhibitor complexes, CĪ-CĪ-inhibitor complexes, and neutrophil elastase were measured before and at 5, 30, 60, and 120 minutes of recirculation at 0, 0.015, 0.03, 0.06, and 0.12 mg/ml doses of aprotinin. Platelet counts decreased to 36% ± 12% of control values at 5 minutes and increased to 56% ± 13% at 120 minutes without aprotinin. Aprotinin did not affect platelet counts, but it did prevent the decrease in sensitivity of platelets to adenosine diphosphate and it attenuated β-thromboglobulin release. In the absence of aprotinin, kallikrein-CĪ-inhibitor and CĪ-CĪ-inhibitor complexes increased progressively to 0.53 ± 0.14 U/ml and 2.38 ± 0.33 U/ml, respectively, at 120 minutes. Kallikrein-CĪ-inhibitor complexes were completely inhibited and CĪ-CĪ-inhibitor complexes were partially inhibited at aprotinin concentrations of 0.03 mg/ml or greater. Release of neutrophil elastase was partially but not completely inhibited at the highest dose of aprotinin and was 50% inhibited at a dose of 0.03 mg/ml. Because activation of the fibrinolytic system does not occur in this system, the changes were independent of the inhibition of plasmin. We conclude that aprotinin in high doses completely inhibited kallikrein-induced activation of neutrophils and partially inhibited complement-induced activation. Aprotinin did not directly affect platelet adhesion or aggregation, but it indirectly preserved platelet sensitivity to agonists and also attenuated release of α-granule contents. The data indicate that in the presence of aprotinin platelet function was partially preserved, kallikrein production was totally inhibited, complement activation was partially inhibited, and neutrophil release was partially inhibited, thus attenuating the "whole body inflammatory response" associated with cardiopulmonary bypass. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1993;106:1-10)
Detection of human papillomavirus in squamous neoplasm of the penis

Infection of the external human urogenital system with human papillomavirus has been implicated with the development of genital cancer. A modified polymerase chain reaction technique has been used to evaluate type specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences of unique E6 to E7 transforming regions of human papillomavirus genomes (types 6b/11, 16 and 18) in a morphological spectrum of in situ (carcinoma in situ) and invasive neoplasm of the penis. We studied 15 examples of carcinoma in situ [7 bowenoid and 8 nonbowenoid (squamoid or simplex)], 11 of invasive squamous carcinoma, 1 of verrucous carcinoma, 2 of verrucous hyperplasia, 1 of urethral adenocarcinoma and 1 solitary papilloma. Viral DNA was not detected in any of the nonbowenoid specimens of carcinoma in situ, the verrucous carcinoma, the adenocarcinoma or the papilloma of the penis. Human papillomavirus types 6b/11 and 18 specific sequences also were not detectable in any of the specimens examined. However, all 7 of the bowenoid forms of carcinoma in situ were positive for human papillomavirus type 16 DNA. The presence of human papillomavirus type 16 was also detected in 9 of 11 invasive squamous carcinomas and in both verrucous hyperplasias. Our results confirm that the bowenoid forms of intraepithelial neoplasms and most invasive squamous carcinomas contain the E6 to E7 portion of type 16 human papillomavirus genome.
The Gilliatt-Sumner Hand

One form of NTOS results in the development of a clinical finding known as the Gilliatt-Sumner hand (GSH). The clinical features of GSH include weakness and atrophy of the thenar, hypothenar, and interossei intrinsic hand muscles. In addition, there is hypesthesia in the ulnar and medial antebrachial cutaneous distribution, but normal median nerve sensation. Electrical findings include decreased median and ulnar compound muscle action potentials (CMAP’s) and ulnar and medial antebrachial cutaneous (MAC) sensory nerve action potentials (SNAP’s). GSH has a frequent association with congenital anatomic variations which cause entrapment of the lower trunk of the brachial plexus. These variations include bony anomalies such as hypertrophic C7 transverse processes and cervical ribs, or soft tissue abnormalities like a cervical band, Sibson’s fascia, or thickened medial border of the scalene muscle. In this subgroup of NTOS patients, a surgical decompression is indicated. Surgical results indicate that symptom progression is usually stopped, and often the pre-existing neurological deficits are reversed.
Recycled Racism: Nicholas Wade and the Same Old Bad Science

In A Troublesome Inheritance, Nicholas Wade articulates his vision of race and humanity in the 21st century. Wade believes that race determines life chances at the genetic level and, therefore, Europeans are wealthy and powerful because they have superior genes. Sub-Saharan Africans, on the other hand, are poor and powerless because they have inferior genes. Does this sound familiar? It should because, far from articulating a new vision of race, Wade has simply applied fresh makeup to an ugly brand of scientific racism: eugenics.
Candida Albicans Yeast Seek to Adhere in Energetically Optimal Locations

Formation of surface associated multicellular communities of microorganisms known as biofilms is of concern in environmental, medical, and industrial settings. Biofilm formation starts with adhesion of microorganisms on substrates, as such understanding the microbe-substrate interaction at single-cell resolution is crucial to advancing the current understanding of the biofilm formation. Previous works have demonstrated that bacteria motility appendages are critical to recognition of substrate nanostructures and modulation of adhesion behavior. In contrast, fungal pathogens such as the model organism Candida albicans, are presently thought to lack motility appendages and to be non-motile both in planktonic and adherent forms. In this study, we investigated the early-stage adhesion of C. albicans to fiber-textured surfaces (diameter: 0.5, 1, and 2 µm) at high spatiotemporal resolution to gain insight into the mechanisms involved in recognition and response to surface topography in absence of motility. We report that upon adhering to textured surfaces, C. albicans continually adjust their location until an equilibrium attachment location is achieved. This behavior was observed to occur more vigorously on substrates textured with larger diameter fibers (1.0-2.0 µm). We hypothesized this to occur due to the spatial gradient in total energy experienced on textured surfaces. To quantitate the total energy of adherent cells as a function of fiber diameter, we developed a biophysical model. The model verified that the experimentally obtained equilibrium resting positions correspond to locations of energy minima, especially on surfaces where significant energy gradient is experienced. Notably, we find this behavior to be biologically-driven, as adjustment of initial adhesion location was not observed in UV-treated cell. We further demonstrate that the single cell total energy quantitation enables prediction of the population-level cell attachment density, which can be utilized towards ab initio design of surfaces with controlled biofilm growth.
Sequencing the Mouse Genome for the Oxidatively Modified Base 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine by OG-Seq.

Oxidative damage to the genome can yield the base 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG). In vitro studies suggested OG would preferentially form in 5′-GG-3′ sequence contexts after exposure to reactive oxygen species. Herein, OG locations in the genome were studied by development of “OG-Seq” to sequence OG sites via next-generation sequencing at ∼0.15-kb resolution. The results of this study found ∼10 000 regions of OG enrichment in WT mouse embryonic fibroblasts and ∼18 000 regions when the OG repair glycosylase Ogg1 was knocked out. Gene promoters and UTRs harbor more OG-enriched sites than expected if the sites were randomly distributed throughout the genome and correlate with reactive 5′-GG-3′ sequences, a result supporting decades of in vitro studies. Sequencing of OG paves the way to address chemical and biological questions surrounding this modified DNA base, such as its role in disease-specific mutations and its epigenetic potential in gene regulation.
HCV screening in a cohort of HIV infected and uninfected homeless and marginally housed women in San Francisco, California

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening has taken on new importance as a result of updated guidelines and new curative therapies. Relatively few studies have assessed HCV infection in homeless populations, and a minority include women. We assessed prevalence and correlates of HCV exposure in a cohort of homeless and unstably housed women in San Francisco, and estimated the proportion undiagnosed. A probability sample of 246 women were recruited at free meal programs, homeless shelters, and low-cost single room occupancy hotels in San Francisco; women with HIV were oversampled. At baseline, anti-HCV status was assessed using an enzyme immunoassay, and results compared in both HIV-positive and negative women. Exposures were assessed by self-report. Logistic regression was used to assess factors independently associated th HCV exposure. Among 246 women 45.9% were anti-HCV positive, of whom 61.1% were HIV coinfected; 27.4% of positives reported no prior screening. Most (72%) women were in the ‘baby-boomer’ birth cohort; 19% reported recent injection drug use (IDU). Factors independently associated with anti-HCV positivity were: being born in 1965 or earlier (AOR) 3.94; 95%CI: 1.88, 8.26), IDU history (AOR 4.0; 95%CI: 1.68, 9.55), and number of psychiatric diagnoses (AOR 1.16; 95%CI: 1.08, 1.25). Results fill an important gap in information regarding HCV among homeless women, and confirm the need for enhanced screening in this population where a high proportion are baby-boomers and have a history of drug use and psychiatric problems. Due to their age and risk profile, there is a high probability that women in this study have been infected for decades, and thus have significant liver disease. The association with mental illness and HCV suggests that in addition increased screening, augmenting mental health care and support may enhance treatment success.
Does vapor pressure deficit drive the seasonality of δ13C of the net land‐atmosphere CO2 exchange across the United States?

Center for High Performance Computing at the University of Utah; US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Terrestrial Ecosystem Science (TES) Program [DE-SC0010625]; US National Science Foundation Macrosystems Biology Program [EF-1137336]; Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) [DE-AC02-05CH11231]; NOAA Climate Program Office's Atmospheric Chemistry, Carbon Cycle, and Climate Program [NA14OAR4310178]; U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science; NSF as part of the Harvard Forest LTER; DOE TES program [DE-SC0006741]