cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Assessment of Transcriptional Regulation Facilitates Metabolic Engineering of Isoprenoid Accumulation in Arabidopsis

In plants, two spatially separated pathways provide the precursors for isoprenoid biosynthesis. We generated transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) lines with modulated levels of expression of each individual gene involved in the cytosolic/peroxisomal mevalonate and plastidial methylerythritol phosphate pathways. By assessing the correlation of transgene expression levels with isoprenoid marker metabolites (gene-to-metabolite correlation), we determined the relative importance of transcriptional control at each individual step of isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis. The accumulation patterns of metabolic intermediates (metabolite-to-gene correlation) were then used to infer flux bottlenecks in the sterol pathway. The extent of metabolic cross talk, the exchange of isoprenoid intermediates between compartmentalized pathways, was assessed by a combination of gene-to-metabolite and metabolite-to-metabolite correlation analyses. This strategy allowed the selection of genes to be modulated by metabolic engineering, and we demonstrate that the overexpression of predictable combinations of genes can be used to significantly enhance flux toward specific end products of the sterol pathway. Transgenic plants accumulating increased amounts of sterols are characterized by significantly elevated biomass, which can be a desirable trait in crop and biofuel plants.
Efficient pipeline architectures for Underwater Big data analytic

Big data are found in numerous underwater applications, such as Seismic Monitoring, Detection and tracking of marine objects applications, underwater multimedia systems, 3D maps of underwater sites, and many other applications. Such information is large in size and often generated continuously at fast rate. Current techniques used to collect data from underwater nodes relay on different approaches such as fixed wired link, AUV systems which usually incorporate RF waves, and wireless sensors networks. The first method is impractical in deep underwater sites while the second one suffers from high energy cost and short ranges. Underwater wireless sensors mitigate these previous limitations due to its cheap cost, limited power consumption and long distance coverage. Therefore as a technology, it has become a promising way to extract and collect underwater data. Nonetheless, underwater sensor networks suffer from low communication bandwidth and long propagation delay. Such factors limit the amount of transmitted data and reduce the efficiency for better bandwidth utilization. Therefore, it becomes crucial to develop systems that able to gather and process large underwater data sizes before or during the transmission stages (in-network processing). In this work, we develop a set of efficient pipeline architectures for Underwater Big data analytics. These architectures use pipelining to speed up data processing and transmission. The advantages of each architecture are highlighted as well as the operation of each one.
Considerations for the use of transcriptomics in identifying the 'genes that matter' for environmental adaptation.

ABSTRACT Transcriptomics has emerged as a powerful approach for exploring physiological responses to the environment. However, like any other experimental approach, transcriptomics has its limitations. Transcriptomics has been criticized as an inappropriate method to identify genes with large impacts on adaptive responses to the environment because: (1) genes with large impacts on fitness are rare; (2) a large change in gene expression does not necessarily equate to a large effect on fitness; and (3) protein activity is most relevant to fitness, and mRNA abundance is an unreliable indicator of protein activity. In this review, these criticisms are re-evaluated in the context of recent systems-level experiments that provide new insight into the relationship between gene expression and fitness during environmental stress. In general, these criticisms remain valid today, and indicate that exclusively using transcriptomics to screen for genes that underlie environmental adaptation will overlook constitutively expressed regulatory genes that play major roles in setting tolerance limits. Standard practices in transcriptomic data analysis pipelines may also be limiting insight by prioritizing highly differentially expressed and conserved genes over those genes that undergo moderate fold-changes and cannot be annotated. While these data certainly do not undermine the continued and widespread use of transcriptomics within environmental physiology, they do highlight the types of research questions for which transcriptomics is best suited and the need for more gene functional analyses. Such information is pertinent at a time when transcriptomics has become increasingly tractable and many researchers may be contemplating integrating transcriptomics into their research programs.
Articulating a trans-boundary infrastructure supply chain greenhouse gas emission footprint for cities: Mathematical relationships and policy relevance

Abstract This paper compares the policy relevance and derives mathematical relationships between three approaches for GHG emissions accounting for cities. The three approaches are: (a) Purely-Geographic Inventory, (b) Trans-boundary Community-Wide Infrastructure Footprint (CIF), and (c) Consumption-Based Footprint (CBF). Mathematical derivations coupled with case study of three US communities (Denver Colorado, Routt Colorado, and Sarasota Florida), shows that no one method provides a larger or more holistic estimate of GHG emissions associated with communities. A net-producing community (Routt) demonstrates higher CIF GHG emissions relative to the CBF, while a net-consuming community (Sarasota) yields the opposite. Trade-balanced communities (Denver) demonstrate similar numerical estimates of CIF and CBF, as predicted by the mathematical equations. Knowledge of community typology is important in understanding trans-boundary GHG emission contributions.
Radar observations of negative-ion photodetachment at sunrise in the auroralzone mesosphere

Abstract During the winter half of the year, the large 50 MHz MST radar at Poker Flat, Alaska records strong echoes from the mesosphere when energetic-particle precipitation is occurring. Echoes in the 70–75 km height range are mainly confined to the daytime, and often show a sharply defined sunrise onset at a solar zenith angle near 94°. Models of the time-varying atmospheric transmission during the sunrise period and of the time-dependent ion chemistry of the mesosphere are used to simulate the growth of electron concentrations during sunrise as a result of photodetachment from negative ions, chiefly CO3− and NO3−. The balance between the concentrations of these two ions is critically dependent on the concentration of nitric oxide, and this balance can be estimated from the sunrise onset times, since CO3− and its hydrates are destroyed efficiently by visible sunlight, while NO3− requires u.v. light. The analysis suggests that the NO concentration at 72 km in the auroral-zone fall and winter may exceed 109 cm−3 when energeticparticle precipitation is present, but is highly variable in time.
Fewer Postoperative Fevers: An Unexpected Benefit of Multimodal Pain Management?

Background Elevated temperatures after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) are common and can be a source of anxiety both for the patient and the surgical team. Although such fevers rarely are caused by acute infection, many patients are subjected to extensive testing for elevated body temperature after surgery. We recently implemented a multimodal pain management regimen for TJA, which includes acetaminophen, pregabalin, and celecoxib or toradol, and because some of these medications have antipyrexic properties, it was speculated that this protocol might influence the frequency of postoperative pyrexia.
Reframing person-centered nursing care for persons with dementia.

Alzheimer’s dementia manifests in a complex clinical presentation that has been addressed from both biomedical and phenomenological perspectives. Although each of these paradigmatic perspectives has contributed to advancement of the science, neither is adequate for theoretically framing a person-centered approach to nursing care. The need-driven dementia-compromised behavior (NDB) model is discussed as an exemplar of midrange nursing theory that promotes the integration of these paradigmatic views to promote a new level of excellence in person-centered dementia care. Clinical application of the NDB promotes a new level of praxis, or thoughtful action, in the care of persons with dementia.
Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and frailty status in older women.

Context: Vitamin D deficiency and frailty are common with aging, but the association between these conditions is uncertain. Objective: To determine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and prevalent and incident frailty status among older women. Design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of a prospective cohort study. Setting: Four U.S. centers. Participants: 6307 women aged ≥69 years. Main Outcome Measures: Frailty status classified as robust, intermediate stage, or frail at baseline; and robust, intermediate stage, frail, or dead (all-cause mortality) at follow-up an average of 4.5 years later. Results: At baseline, there was a U-shaped association between 25(OH)D level and odds of frailty with the lowest risk among women with levels 20.0–29.9 ng/ml (referent group). Compared with this group, the odds of frailty were higher among those with levels <15.0 ng/ml [multivariable odds ratio (MOR) 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19–1.82], those with levels 15.0–19.9 ng/ml (MOR 1.24, 95% CI 0.99–1.54), and those with levels ≥30 ng/ml (MOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.06–1.63). Among 4551 nonfrail women at baseline, the odds of frailty/death (vs. robust/intermediate) at follow-up appeared higher among those with levels 15.0–19.9 ng/ml (MOR 1.21, 95% CI 0.99–1.49), but the CI overlapped 1.0. The odds of death (vs. robust/intermediate/frail at follow-up) was higher among those with levels <15.0 ng/ml (MOR 1.40, 95% CI 1.04–1.88) and those with levels 15.0–19.9 ng/ml (MOR 1.30, 95% CI 0.97–1.75), although the latter association did not quite reach significance. Conclusion: Lower (<20 ng/ml) and higher (≥30 ng/ml) levels of 25(OH)D among older women were moderately associated with a higher odds of frailty at baseline. Among nonfrail women at baseline, lower levels (<20 ng/ml) were modestly associated with an increased risk of incident frailty or death at follow-up.
Anticipated monetary policy and real output: evidence from Latin American countries

This paper is an empirical investigation of the effects of anticipated and unanticipated monetary policies on real output for 13 LDCs in Latin and Central America. The well-know Mishkin econometric procedure is applied to the annual IMF date for the decomposition of actual money growth into anticipated and unanticipated components and the evidence of significant relation between anticipated money supply and real output for each country is reported. The results derived in this paper thus provide additional empirical support for the validity of the ‘non-classical rational expectations’ macro models of Fisher, and Phelps and Taylor.
A versatile electron collimation system to be used with electron cones supplied with Varian's Clinac 18.

Abstract A method of fabricating individualized electron shields with openings corresponding to desired field shapes and sizes is discussed. The electron shields are made from an alloy called Lipowitz' metal. These shields are designed to be mounted on any of six cone sizes provided with the Varian's Clinac 18 linear accelerator. The effect of these shields on electron dosimetry is shown.
Univalent harmonic mappings of annuli and a conjecture of J. C. C. Nitsche

Letw=f(z) be a univalent harmonic mapping of the annulus {ρ≤|z|≤1} onto the annulus {σ≤|w|≤1}. It is shown thatσ≤1/(1+(ρ 2/2)(logρ)2).
A Generalization of the Half-Normal Distribution with Applications to Lifetime Data

A two-parameter family of lifetime distribution which is derived from a model for static fatigue is presented. This derivation follows from considerations of the relationship between static fatigue crack extension and the failure time of a certain specimen. The cumulative distribution function (cdf) of this new family is quite similar to the cdf of the half-normal distribution, and therefore this density is referred to as the generalized half-normal distribution (GHN). Furthermore, this GHN family is a special case of the three-parameter generalized gamma distribution. Even though the GHN distribution is a two-parameter distribution, the hazard rate function can form variety of shapes such as monotonically increasing, monotonically decreasing, and bathtub shapes. Some properties of this family are given, and examples are cited to compare with other commonly used failure time distributions such as Weibull, gamma, lognormal, and Birnbaum-Saunders.
Effects of Poor Transportation on Lean Production and Industrial Clustering: Evidence from the Indian Auto Industry

Abstract Conventional wisdom suggests that poor transportation systems adversely affect industrial competitiveness by raising the unit cost of freight. This study finds that freight is neither the only nor the most significant cost that poor transportation creates for auto firms in India. Poor transportation also raises the damages incurred in transit, total inventories, and ordering and overhead costs. Worse, it creates external diseconomies by introducing inefficiencies and unreliability in the supply chain, making it difficult for assemblers to implement lean production. These external diseconomies—rather than excessive freight prices or other direct costs—may be the more debilitating impact of poor transportation infrastructure on industrial performance. In India, transportation constraints and the imperatives of lean production are driving assemblers to create auto clusters.
Surface-plasmon enhancement of Brillouin light scattering from gold-nanodisk arrays on glass

Enhancement of Brillouin light scattering (BLS) at the wavelength of 532 nm was observed from Rayleigh-like and Sezawa-like acoustic modes of alkaline-earth boro-aluminosilicate glass covered with periodic arrays of gold nanodisks. This enhancement is attributed to mediation of surface plasmons of the nanodisks. For nanodisks with diameters of 71 nm to 90 nm, heights of 30 nm, and periodicity of 100 nm, the maximum measured surface-plasmon enhancement of BLS intensity was, respectively, ~ 2.4 and ~ 5.6 for Rayleigh-like and Sezawa-like modes, relative to the intensity from a gold film with the same fractional coverage area but without surface-plasmon coupling. The maximum for the Rayleigh-like modes occurs with the smallest-diameter nanodisks, and that for the Sezawa-like modes occurs with the largest-diameter nanodisks. The angular dependence is relatively broad. Calculations employing the discrete dipole approximation were used to predict the electric-field intensities in the gold disks and nearby glass as a function of nanodisk diameter. The average calculated intensity at the top surface of the gold increases with decreasing diameter, consistent with the experimental results for Rayleigh-like modes and the expectation that surface ripple is the dominant scattering mechanism for such modes. The results of this study suggest that nanodisk arrays can provide a platform for practical implementation of surface-enhanced BLS analogous to other surface-enhanced spectroscopies, and suggest the additional possibility of substantially extending the range of wave numbers in BLS through plasmonic-crystal band folding.
Affordability of electric vehicles for a sustainable transport system: An economic and environmental analysis

Abstract This paper compares the economic and environmental benefits of electric and hybrid electric vehicles with that of conventional vehicles. Without tax credits, only the hybrids without plug-in incur lifetime total costs equivalent to a conventional vehicle whereas the consumer affordability for all other vehicles is less encouraging and depends on changes in gasoline prices. With the provision of federal tax incentives, the lifetime total cost for all electric vehicle types that are driven for 120,000 miles over 12 years was found to be generally affordable with no more than 5% higher in lifetime total cost than a conventional vehicle, except the hybrid electric plug-in equipped with a 35-mile electric driving range. Results of sensitivity analysis reveal that a greater lifetime driven mileage would promote further overall cost savings even at a greenhouse gas abatement cost as low as $42 per ton. Our study has demonstrated the importance of an energy policy that includes tax credits to address the inadequacy of cost differentials and consumer affordability. The environmental benefits provided by the electric and hybrid electric vehicles should satisfy consumers' interest in protecting the environment, reducing the dependence on imported fossil fuels, and switching from traditional to alternative fuel vehicles.
Fluorescence Polarization and Fluctuation Analysis Reveals Covert Changes in CaMKII Holoenzyme Organization Triggered by Calmodulin and Camkiintide

The calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase-II (CaMKII) is a multimeric kinase involved in memory and synaptic modulation. In the auto-inhibited state, a CaMKII holoenzyme is composed of catalytic domain pairs that are distributed around a central core of association domains. Upon binding calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) the kinase is activated. Ca2+/CaM binding is also thought to trigger a conformational change that exposes the T interaction site on the catalytic domain, The T-site allows the kinase to interact with several synaptic proteins, including NMDA receptors. In the context of the intact holoenzyme, little is known about the conformational changes initiated by Ca2+/CaM binding to the regulatory domain or by subsequent T-site interactions. We have used Fluorescence Polarization and Fluctuation Analysis (FPFA), a hybrid microscopy technique to assess these changes. FPFA simultaneously measures Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET, a 1-10 nm proximity gauge), brightness (a measure of the number of fluorescent subunits in a complex), and diffusion time (an attribute sensitive to the mass and shape of a protein complex). In homogenates, activation with Ca2+/CaM triggered catalytic-domain pair extension (as indicated by diffusion time) without catalytic-domain pair separation (as assayed by homo-FRET). CaMKIINtide inhibitor peptide, a T-site ligand, triggered catalytic-domain pair separation, but only when co-incubated with Ca2+/CaM. Furthermore, a T-site mutant, CaMKII (I205K), which cannot bind to NMDA receptors or translocate to spines, exhibited an increase in FRET (catalytic-domain dimerization) upon activated by Ca2+/CaM, and also prevented CaMKIINtide triggered catalytic-domain pair separation. These observations suggest that catalytic-domains remain paired in the activated holoenzyme by virtue of T-site regulated interactions. Catalytic-domain pairs only separate if exogenous T-site ligands can effectively compete for the sites holding catalytic domains together.
Thermal constrained workload distribution for maximizing throughput on multi-core processors

Power density and heat density of multi-core processor system are increasing exponentially based on Moore's Law. The reliability of a chip is severely impacted by temperature “hot spots”. In this paper, we study scheduling algorithms for multi-core processors that incorporate temperature constraints. Our goal is to optimize the workload distribution on a multicore processor to maximize throughput with a given maximum operating temperature. Our algorithms are targeted for a larger class of data parallel and task parallel applications. Experimental results show that our algorithms are computationally fast, maximize throughput and provide effective temperature management.
The Role of Internet Engagement in the Health-Knowledge Gap

The current research posits that education leads to differential levels of Internet engagement, which moderate the association between Internet use for health information and general health knowledge. Using a nationally representative survey that covers adults between the ages of 40 and 70 in the United States, it is found that education is positively related to Internet engagement. Also, Internet use has stronger associations with health knowledge for people exhibiting high Internet engagement than for people exhibiting low Internet engagement. The implications of these findings for research on both Internet use and knowledge gaps are discussed.
Composition of oriented binary quadratic form-classes over commutative rings

Let G'(~) denote the set of all equivalence classes, under proper equivalence, of binary quadratic forms over )7 of discriminant 5, and let G($) denote the subset of all primitive such form-classes. (It will be recalled that a binary quadratic form a x e + bxy + cy 2 with integral coefficients is called primitive if a, b, c have g.c.d. 1, and is called "properly equivalent" to any form obtained from it by a linear transformation with integral coefficients and determinant + 1.) Lagrange's theory of equivalence and reduction of quadratic forms over Z (1773) showed G'(8) to be a finite set, whence G(~) is finite; later, Gauss (1801), by a truly marvelous construction, defined on G(S) a binary operation he called "composition," and verified that under this operation G(~) is an Abelian group. Two alternative ways (in addition to Gauss' original method) of constructing these composition groups were developed in the nineteenth century:
Splanchnic Uptake Of Leucine in Healthy Children and in Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Interpretation of tracer studies of amino acid kinetics in the fed state is dependent on knowledge of splanchnic uptake of diet-derived amino acids. We studied five healthy control children and five children with cystic fibrosis (CF). After an overnight fast, the children ingested, hourly, a formula diet for 11 h. 5,5,5-[2H3]Leucine was added to the feedings during the last 6 h, and an i.v. infusion of 1-[13C]leucine was administered during the last 2 h of the formula feeding. The mean rate of splanchnic uptake of leucine was similar in the CF and control group, 23.8 +/- 24.0 and 21.5 +/- 21.2 mumol.kg-1.h-1, respectively. Fractional splanchnic uptake of leucine was not significantly different in the patients with CF (0.16 +/- 0.112 mean +/- SD) compared with the control children (0.244 +/- 0.256(-1)). The rate of whole body protein breakdown was not significantly different between the groups (CF versus control) with (159 +/- 18 versus 135 +/- 28 mumol.kg-1.h-1) or without (135 +/- 14 versus 114 +/- 20 mumol.kg-1.h-1) correction for splanchnic leucine uptake. However, for the 10 cases combined, protein breakdown corrected for splanchnic leucine uptake (147 +/- 26 mumol.kg-1.h-1) was 18% greater than uncorrected protein breakdown (124 +/- 20 mumol.kg-1.h-1) (p = 0.009). The data suggest that companion studies of splanchnic uptake might enhance the interpretation of leucine kinetics in the fed state.
Judgements of food healthfulness: food name stereotypes in adults over age 25.

Previous findings indicated that college-aged women (compared to men) were more likely to use stereotypes when judging food names by their healthfulness. The present study is a replication and extension of an earlier study, using older (i.e. not traditional college age) participants (M(age)=46). In general, men had fewer and smaller discrepancies between their evaluations of food names and descriptions than did females. As previously found, gender differences occurred for evaluations of food names rather than nutrient descriptions, with women using less information than men. The stereotype women used when judging food names involved negative attitudes toward dietary fat, whereas men appeared to take account of vitamin and mineral content in addition to fat. The older sample was generally more accurate (i.e. had smaller discrepancies when judging food names and descriptions) than were the previous sample of younger adults. Also, the current sample of older adults used more characteristics when evaluating food healthfulness of descriptions than did the previous sample of college students, indicating a more complex strategy of evaluating healthfulness of food descriptions.
Multisite Promiscuity in the Processing of Endogenous Substrates by Human Carboxylesterase 1

Human carboxylesterase 1 (hCE1) is a drug and endobiotic-processing serine hydrolase that exhibits relatively broad substrate specificity. It has been implicated in a variety of endogenous cholesterol metabolism pathways including the following apparently disparate reactions: cholesterol ester hydrolysis (CEH), fatty acyl Coenzyme A hydrolysis (FACoAH), acyl-Coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransfer (ACAT), and fatty acyl ethyl ester synthesis (FAEES). The structural basis for the ability of hCE1 to perform these catalytic actions involving large substrates and products has remained unclear. Here we present four crystal structures of the hCE1 glycoprotein in complexes with the following endogenous substrates or substrate analogues: Coenzyme A, the fatty acid palmitate, and the bile acids cholate and taurocholate. While the active site of hCE1 was known to be promiscuous and capable of interacting with a variety of chemically distinct ligands, these structures reveal that the enzyme contains two additional ligand-binding sites and that each site also exhibits relatively non-specific ligand-binding properties. Using this multisite promiscuity, hCE1 appears structurally capable of assembling several catalytic events depending, apparently, on the physiological state of the cellular environment. These results expand our understanding of enzyme promiscuity and indicate that, in the case of hCE1, multiple non-specific sites are employed to perform distinct catalytic actions.
Clinical predictors for prolonged intensive care unit stay in adults undergoing thoracic aortic surgery requiring deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe clinical predictors for prolonged length of stay in the intensive care unit (PLOS-ICU) after adult thoracic aortic surgery requiring standardized deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA); and to determine the incidence of PLOS-ICU after DHCA, univariate predictors for PLOS-ICU, and multivariate predictors for PLOS-ICU. Study Design: A retrospective and observational study. PLOS-ICU was defined as longer than 5 days in the ICU. Study Setting: Cardiothoracic operating rooms and the ICU. Participants: All adults requiring thoracic aortic repair with DHCA Interventions: None. Main Results: The cohort size was 144. The incidence of PLOS-ICU was 27.8%. The mortality rate was 11.1%. Univariate predictors for PLOS-ICU were age, stroke, DHCA duration, vasopressor dependence >72 hours, mediastinal re-exploration for bleeding, and renal dysfunction. Multivariate predictors for PLOS-ICU were stroke, vasopressor dependence >72 hours, and renal dysfunction. Conclusions: PLOS-ICU after DHCA is common. The identified multivariate predictors merit further hypothesis-driven research to enhance perioperative protection of the brain, kidney, and cardiovascular system.
Design and Characterization of a Soft Electroactive Adaptive Structure for Legged Robotic Motion

Legged robotics exhibit mobility over complex terrains that overcomes many of the challenges experienced with traditional wheeled robots. This includes the ability to traverse rough terrain, climb obstacles, and in some robotic platforms, even scale walls. It is known from bio-locomotion research that humans and other animals adjust the stiffness of their muscles to accommodate differences in the terrain. Methods to implement changes in the passive mechanical stiffness on a legged robotic platform have included geometric changes to the leg configuration, complex mechanical linkages and gears, or thermally induced modulus changes in polymers. Each of these cases are limited in their dynamic response and efficiency. As an alternative, we have developed a leg module that changes its stiffness by application of an electric field. This is achieved by applying a large voltage to the dielectric elastomer VHB. Previous studies have demonstrated up to a 92% stiffness reduction. The goal of this work is to identify the electromechanical dynamic responses of those elements to understand limits in adaptability from abrupt changes in terrain. We quantify the structural dynamic behavior and electromechanical limits governing rapid stiffness changes in our legged VHB module. Structural vibration characterization is presented to illustrate transient dynamic changes when the VHB material is exposed to a step input voltage change. The results are analyzed and compared to the system dynamics required for the iSprawl legged robot.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
A kinetic and spectroscopic study of the interaction between a M(CO)5 (M=Cr, W) fragment and ethyl diazoacetate

Abstract The reaction between Cr(CO)5[C6H6] and ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) has been studied using the technique of laser flash photolysis. Results indicate that the Cr(CO)5 fragment reacts very rapidly with the EDA ligand. Low temperature spectroscopic studies suggest that in the case of W(CO)5, and by analogy also in the case of Cr(CO)5, the initial adduct between the pentacarbonyl fragment and EDA is one where the oxygen atom of the diazocarbonyl ligand is bound to the metal center. This kinetic product is then converted to a thermodynamically favored complex which is tentatively assigned as the nitrogen bound W(CO)5-EDA complex that appears to be stable at r.t.
A randomized phase II trial of echinomycin, trimetrexate, and cisplatin plus etoposide in patients with metastatic nonsmall cell lung carcinoma: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study (E1587)

BACKGROUND Patients with metastatic nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) usually have a poor prognosis. A chemotherapy regimen containing cisplatin is commonly used for symptom palliation. Echinomycin is a potent bifunctional intercalator of double-strand DNA; trimetrexate is a new derivative of methotrexate and is active against methotrexate-resistant tumor cells in vitro. METHODS The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group conducted a randomized Phase II study. Eligible patients were assigned to receive echinomycin 1200 μg/m2 by intravenous (i.v.) infusion over 30-60 minutes once a week for 4 weeks, repeated every 6 weeks; trimetrexate 12 mg/m2 i.v. bolus on Days 1-5 every 3 weeks, or 8 mg/m2 i.v. bolus on Days 1-5 for patients who had prior radiation to greater than 30% of their bone marrow; or cisplatin 60 mg/m2 i.v. on Day 1 and etoposide 120 mg/m2 i.v. on Days 1-3 every 4 weeks. Patients were evaluated before each cycle for tumor response, toxicity, and quality-of-life measurements. RESULTS One hundred thirty-six patients were entered on the study, and 118 were evaluable for toxicity and response. The response rates were 16%, 5%, and 5% in patients treated with cisplatin and etoposide, echinomycin, and trimetrexate, respectively. There were no complete responses. The median survival was 37.9, 24.3, and 28.0 weeks for patients who received cisplatin and etoposide, echinomycin, and trimetrexate, respectively. Although cisplatin and etoposide appeared to give better therapeutic results, the response rate or survival did not reach statistical significance. This may have been due to inadequate sample size. Neither did quality-of-life measurement show any significant differences among treatments. CONCLUSIONS Echinomycin and trimetrexate had minimal antitumor activity in patients with metastatic NSCLC. Response rate and survival remained poor in all three treatment arms. Patients should be encouraged to participate in clinical trials so that more effective therapy can be identified. Cancer 1998;82:292-300. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
THEORIES OF THE BANKING FIRM: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE*

This paper reviews the theoretical literature on the banking firm. Apart from studies dealing purely with the reasons why banks exist, the survey is fairly comprehensive in that it covers the main categories of microeconomic models of bank behaviour. The emphasis is on recent work, which also includes modern, information-based, theories of loan commitments, credit rationing, collateral and the bank-client relationship.
Solution to peptide sequencing challenge

The cyclic peptide described is kalata B1 [1, 2] and its structure is shown in Fig. 1. The partial reduction of the cyclic peptide [2, 3] allows one to establish the disulfide connectivity. The first peptide is amino-ethylated at only {2}Cys and {5}Cys, whereas the second peptide is amino-ethylated at only {1}Cys and {4}Cys. The original peptide therefore contains disulfide bridges at {2} Cys and {5}Cys and at {1}Cys and {4}Cys, and consequently also at {3}Cys and {7}Cys. Since this disulfide connectivity cannot be drawn on a plane without any disulfide bonds crossing, kalata B1 forms a nonplanar graph commonly known as the cyclic cystine knot [3].
A primer on determining the cost‐effectiveness of training – part 2

Increasingly, training professionals are being asked to justify whether training is a worthwhile investment. Following on from part one, describes four practical methods for determining the cost‐effectiveness of training. Presents details and examples on how to use each method. Also identifies the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Ends with a skill check which provides an opportunity to apply the content covered.
ApoB-containing lipoproteins in apoE-deficient mice are not metabolized by the class B scavenger receptor BI.

The scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) recognizes a broad variety of lipoprotein ligands, including HDL, LDL, and oxidized LDL. In this study, we investigated whether SR-BI plays a role in the metabolism of cholesterol-rich lipoprotein remnants that accumulate in apolipoprotein E (apoE) - / - mice. These particles have an unusual apolipoprotein composition compared with conventional VLDL and LDL, containing mostly apoB-48 as well as substantial amounts of apoA-I and apoA-IV. To study SR-BI activity in vivo, the receptor was overexpressed in apoE - / - mice by adenoviral vector-mediated gene transfer. An ∼10-fold increase in liver SR-BI expression resulted in no detectable alterations in VLDL-sized particles and a modest depletion of cholesterol in intermediate density lipoprotein/ LDL-sized lipoprotein particles. This decrease was not attributable to altered secretion of apoB-containing lipoproteins in SR-BI-overexpressing mice. To directly assess whether SR-BI metabolizes apoE - / - mouse lipoprotein remnants, in vitro assays were performed in both CHO cells and primary hepatocytes expressing high levels of SR-BI. This analysis showed a remarkable deficiency of these particles to serve as substrates for selective lipid uptake, despite high-affinity, high-capacity binding to SR-BI. Taken together, these data establish that SR-BI does not play a direct role in the metabolism of apoE - / - mouse lipoprotein remnants.
Thermal stability of copper on Te–Ti thin films

Abstract In this letter, we demonstrate the stability of Te–Ti thin films as a barrier against Cu after thermal annealing. Te–Ti chalcogenide glass films of composition Te 0.20 Ti 0.70 O 0.10 and thickness 35 nm are annealed in vacuum for up to 30 min at several temperatures up to 600 °C. Four-point-probe analysis results show that the Cu layers are stable up to 500 °C, with abnormal increases in resistance after annealing at 600 °C. The Te–Ti thin film serves as a barrier to thermal Cu diffusion up to 500 °C, as revealed using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. X-ray diffractometry indicates Cu grain growth up to 500 °C and phase instability of the Te–Ti barrier at 600 °C. These results indicate the potential of Te–Ti thin films as a copper diffusion barrier in high temperature microelectronics and integrated circuits.
Age, revaccination, and tolerance effects on pneumococcal vaccination strategies in the elderly: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Abstract Optimal pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (PPV) policy is unknown for cohorts aged ≥65 years. Using a Markov model, we estimated the cost-effectiveness of single- and multiple-dose PPV strategies in 65-, 75-, and 80-year-old cohorts. PPV at age 65 cost $26,100 per QALY (quality adjusted life years) gained. Vaccination at ages 75 and 80 cost $71,300–75,800 per QALY; revaccination strategies cost more. When prior vaccination and loss of vaccine effectiveness due to tolerance are assumed, cost-effectiveness ratios increase substantially. Single-dose PPV is worth considering in patients aged 65–80 from clinical and economic standpoints. Revaccination strategies for the elderly are less cost-effective, particularly when prior vaccination and vaccine tolerance are considered.
Decoupling of Sleepiness from Sleep Time and Intensity during Chronic Sleep Restriction: Evidence for a Role of the Adenosine System

Study objective Sleep responses to chronic sleep restriction (CSR) might be very different from those observed after short-term total sleep deprivation. For example, after sleep restriction continues for several consecutive days, animals no longer express compensatory increases in daily sleep time and sleep intensity. However, it is unknown if these allostatic, or adaptive, sleep responses to CSR are paralleled by behavioral and neurochemical measures of sleepiness. Design This study was designed to investigate CSR-induced changes in (1) sleep time and intensity as a measure of electrophysiological sleepiness, (2) sleep latency as a measure of behavioral sleepiness, and (3) brain adenosine A1 (A1R) and A2a receptor (A2aR) mRNA levels as a putative neurochemical correlate of sleepiness. Subjects Male Sprague-Dawley rats Interventions A 5-day sleep restriction (SR) protocol consisting of 18-h sleep deprivation and 6-h sleep opportunity each day. Measurement and results Unlike the first SR day, rats did not sleep longer or deeper on days 2 through 5, even though they exhibited significant elevations of behavioral sleepiness throughout all 5 SR days. For all SR days and recovery day 1, A1R mRNA in the basal forebrain was maintained at elevated levels, whereas A2aR mRNA in the frontal cortex was maintained at reduced levels. Conclusion CSR LEADS TO A DECOUPLING OF SLEEPINESS FROM SLEEP TIME AND SLEEP INTENSITY, SUGGESTING THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT SLEEP REGULATORY SYSTEMS: one mediating sleepiness (homeostatic) and the other mediating sleep time/intensity (allostatic). The time course of changes observed in adenosine receptor mRNA levels suggests that the basal forebrain and cortical adenosine system might mediate sleepiness rather than sleep time or intensity.
The Janus Character of Heterogeneous Dendritic Nanoparticles

We present a computational and theoretical study of dendrimer-based nanoparticles composed of two linear chain types attached to the terminal groups of a core dendrimer. The chains were coupled to ...
A Red Hot Sternal Mass

A propos d'un cas d'actinomycose pulmonaire se presentant avec une masse medio-thoracique. Des signes cliniques a type de toux non productive d'amaigrissement et de pebricule evoluent depuis 2 mois
Fluctuations of spin transport through chaotic quantum dots with spin-orbit coupling

As devices to control spin currents using the spin-orbit interaction are proposed and implemented, it is important to understand the fluctuations that spin-orbit coupling can impose on transmission through a quantum dot. Using random matrix theory, we estimate the typical scale of transmitted charge and spin currents when a spin current is injected into a chaotic quantum dot with strong spin-orbit coupling. These results have implications for the functioning of the spin transistor proposed by Schliemann, Egues, and Loss. We use a density matrix formalism appropriate for treating arbitrary input currents and indicate its connections to the widely used spin-conductance picture. We further consider the case of currents entangled between two leads, finding larger fluctuations.
The MACE Approach for Caching Mashups

In recent years, Web 2.0 applications have experienced tremendous growth in popularity. Mashups are a key category of Web 2.0 applications, which empower end-users with a highly personalized mechanism to aggregate and manipulate data from multiple sources distributed across the Web. Surprisingly
Coalescing the theories of two nurse visionaries: Parse and Watson

The theories of two nurse visionaries, Rosemarie Rizzo Parse and Jean Watson, are examined for areas of agreement and notable differences. Watson and Parse reject (or hold seriously suspect) traditional, positivistic methods of studying human behaviour and posit their theories as alternatives to the totality paradigm. Since both of these theories, Parse's theory of human becoming and Watson's theory of transpersonal care, borrow heavily from existential phenomenology, major tenets of this philosophic perspective are outlined. Each theory is then described with emphasis on anchoring motifs, concepts, and principles. Next both theories are analysed and critiqued simultaneously. Finally, the theories are applied to a case study with the intent of maximizing their mutual strengths and diminishing their limitations. Coalescence of compatible theories is recommended as a way of enhancing the application of nursing knowledge in practice.
Computational learning of languages

This thesis focuses on the Gold model of inductive inference from positive data. There are several aspects in which the model appears unsatisfactory for language learning: the class of families of learnable languages is highly restricted; even if a family is learnable, there exists no uniform method to obtain a learner for it, and the learner itself is complex. In this thesis, some such criticisms are being addressed. It is shown that no automatic synthesis of a learner from the description of a learnable family is possible. Nevertheless, in some special cases, this synthesis can be achieved and a general result is developed. In order to make the learner simpler, it is stipulated that the learner can change its guess only when the guess is inconsistent with the input evidence. Such a conservative learner never overgeneralizes. Exactly learnable families are characterized for prudent learners with the following types of constraints: (0) conservative, (1) conservative and consistent, (2) conservative and responsive, and (3) conservative, consistent, and responsive. It is also shown that, when exactness is not required, prudence, consistency, and responsiveness, even together, do not restrict the power of conservative learners. Conservative learners are simple in only one respect; even though it is easy to determine when to make a new guess, it is still hard to know what this guess should be. Finally, a learner that exploits pattern evident in the input is developed. Absence of a particular string over a suitable interval of the input can be viewed as a kind of 'indirect negative evidence'. Now, the learning criterion needs to be weakened to allow limited failure. It is shown that any family of languages can be learned with probability 1 from stochastic input, provided something is known about the probability distribution according to which the input is presented. Given the family, the learner is uniformly constructible. Further, the behavior of the learner is simpler in many aspects. It is expected that a variety of other natural constraints can be imposed on this learner without additional cost.
Regenerative critical periods for locus coeruleus in post- natal rat pups following intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine: a model of noradrenergic development

Abstract Rat pups were injected intracisternally with 20, 40 or 80 μg of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) at various ages over the first 12 postnatal days in order to determine the critical period of the noradrenergic regenerative-sprouting response in the cerebellum. Twenty-four hours after the treatment NE fibers in the cerebellum had become extensively degenerated. NE levels were reduced by greater than 90–95% and histofluorescence microscopy revealed an absence of innervation except for lesioned axon stumps in the basal white matter and peduncles. The 80 μg dose produced considerable cellular degeneration in the locus coeruleus and no regenerative growth was seen to follow this treatment. Following the two lower doses, however, regenerative growth did occur. This was maximal in those rats treated closest to birth and declined progressively to become insignificant in rats which were treated on postnatal days 5–12, depending upon the cerebellar subregion. This decline in regenerative potential paralleled the time course for development of NE levels in control cerebella. For this reason the mechanism(s) controlling noradrenergic developmental and regenerative growth in the cerebellum appear to be similar. Such regenerative growth may thus be a useful model for the study of developmental growth of locus coeruleus axons. Contrary to the cerebellar projection, regenerative growth of the forebrain noradrenergic projection was not detected until the rats were between 7 and 12 days old at the time of treatment. This regeneration in the cerebral cortex was preceded by incomplete initial destruction of NE fibers there, in apparent similarity to regenerative growth described to occur in the adult rat forebrain 4,7,32 .
Genetic diversity of North American captive‐born gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are designated as critically endangered and wild populations are dramatically declining as a result of habitat destruction, fragmentation, diseases (e.g., Ebola) and the illegal bushmeat trade. As wild populations continue to decline, the genetic management of the North American captive western lowland gorilla population will be an important component of the long-term conservation of the species. We genotyped 26 individuals from the North American captive gorilla collection at 11 autosomal microsatellite loci in order to compare levels of genetic diversity to wild populations, investigate genetic signatures of a population bottleneck and identify the genetic structure of the captive-born population. Captive gorillas had significantly higher levels of allelic diversity (t7 = 4.49, P = 0.002) and heterozygosity (t7 = 4.15, P = 0.004) than comparative wild populations, yet the population has lost significant allelic diversity while in captivity when compared to founders (t7 = 2.44, P = 0.04). Analyses suggested no genetic evidence for a population bottleneck of the captive population. Genetic structure results supported the management of North American captive gorillas as a single population. Our results highlight the utility of genetic management approaches for endangered nonhuman primate species.
Phase Transitions in Metal Clusters and Cluster Catalysts

Comparing the phase transitions of metal clusters with those of dielectric clusters shows that although the relative energies of the phase transitions for metals is typically less than those of dielectrics, other parameters of the phase transitions such as the entropy jumps and the relative widths of the coexistence bands are comparable for the two kinds of clusters. The dominating special characteristic of metal clusters is the large number of isomers with low excitation energy, in contrast with dielectric clusters, whose liquid aggregate states, generated by configurational excitation requiring fairly significant energies (relative to the atomic bond energy), have a significantly smaller density. This is partially due to the contribution of low-lying electronic excited states of the metal clusters. We analyze hysteresis in the phase transitions of large metal clusters as a result of cluster heating and cooling. The experimental and theoretical aspects of metal clusters as catalysts are considered.