cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Product Quality Impact of Aligning Buyer-Supplier Network Structure and Product Architecture: an Empirical Investigation in the Automobile Industry

There has been a trend, in the last decade, of buyers outsourcing new product development (NPD) activities to suppliers. This study examines the impact of (mis) alignment between buyer-supplier network structure and product architecture on two product development outcomes: product quality and product recalls. The hypotheses are tested on a uniquely assembled database of supplier networks of automakers for 12 vehicle systems. The results suggest that while dense supplier network are associated with higher future product quality and lower future recall magnitude, structural holes are associated with lower future product quality and higher future recall magnitude. Further, the results suggest that product quality partially mediates the relationship between supplier network characteristics and recall magnitude. Interestingly, these effects are significantly moderated by the product architecture. While network density is positively related to product quality of weak design interfaces (i.e., modular systems), structural holes in the supplier network are positively related to product quality of strong design interfaces (integral systems). The results offer valuable insights to managers about the appropriate supplier network structure for superior quality.
Should forest regeneration studies have more replications

When it comes to testing for differences in seedling survival, researchers sometimes make a Type II statistical error (i.e. failure to reject a false null hypothesis) due to the inherent variability associated with survival in tree planting studies. For example, in one trial (with five replications) first-year survival of seedlings planted in October (42%) was not significantly different (alpha = 0.05) from those planted in December (69%). Did planting in a dry October truly have no effect on survival? Authors who make a Type II error might not be aware that as seedling survival decreases (down to an overall average of 50% survival), statistical power declines. As a result, the ability to declare an 8% difference as â€œsignificantâ€ is very difficult when survival averages 90% or less.Â We estimate that about half of regeneration trials (average survival of pines <90%) cannot declare a 12% difference as statistically significant (alpha = 0.05).Â When researchers realize their tree planting trials have low statistical power, they should consider using more replications.Â Other ways to increase power include: (1) use a one-tailed test (2) use a potentially more powerful contrast test (instead of an overall treatment F-test) and (3) conduct survival trials under a roof.
Buffer insensitive optoelectronic quality of InP-on-Si with templated liquid phase growth

As Moore's law comes to an end, the search for additional integrated circuit functionality has shifted from scaling down lateral dimensions to combining multiple materials onto a single substrate. However, the quality of crystalline semiconductors is highly sensitive to the substrate upon which it is grown, preventing multiple materials from being directly grown on single substrates. To circumvent this challenge, many complex growth strategies have been developed, such as strain relaxation buffer-layers, nanostructure growth, and template selective epitaxy. However, even with these advanced growth techniques, the growth of manufacturable crystalline materials is still limited to crystalline surfaces. Here, the authors show that using templated liquid phase (TLP) growth, single crystalline indium phosphide on Si can be grown using a variety of buffers, both crystalline and amorphous. Moreover, by performing detailed optoelectronic characterization, the authors find that the quality of the grown material not only closely matches commercial single crystalline InP wafers but is also highly insensitive to the buffer layer used. This unique feature of TLP growth could enable the next generation of crystalline material integration.As Moore's law comes to an end, the search for additional integrated circuit functionality has shifted from scaling down lateral dimensions to combining multiple materials onto a single substrate. However, the quality of crystalline semiconductors is highly sensitive to the substrate upon which it is grown, preventing multiple materials from being directly grown on single substrates. To circumvent this challenge, many complex growth strategies have been developed, such as strain relaxation buffer-layers, nanostructure growth, and template selective epitaxy. However, even with these advanced growth techniques, the growth of manufacturable crystalline materials is still limited to crystalline surfaces. Here, the authors show that using templated liquid phase (TLP) growth, single crystalline indium phosphide on Si can be grown using a variety of buffers, both crystalline and amorphous. Moreover, by performing detailed optoelectronic characterization, the authors find that the quality of the grown material no...
Examining influences on active travel by sex among college students

Abstract Active travel (AT) is associated with various health benefits and may be advantageous in preventing the decline in physical activity during college years. Differences in factors related to AT by sex are not well understood. Objective To examine factors related to AT by sex among college students. Participants Participants included students at a large northeastern United States university (n=782). Methods Students completed an online survey in September 2012 regarding multiple factors related to AT. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association of factors related to AT by sex. Results Men were more likely to use AT than women. Among men, distance to campus had a significant negative association, and living with a roommate that walked or biked to campus had a significant positive association with AT. Among women, significant negative associations with AT were found for distance to campus and terrain. Conclusions Findings from the present study suggest that among college students AT was higher among men than women. Targeting women over men for PA and AT interventions in a university setting may be warranted. Identifying populations at risk for physical inactivity may be useful in developing and implementing tailored multi-factor interventions.
Speech to the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee

On behalf of the numerous environmental organizations from all over the world participating in this fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, I thank you for this opportunity to share our views on the situation now confronting you—and the world—as this session comes to a close.
CROSS-ADAPTATION BETWEEN SALTS IN THE RAT'S CHORDA TYMPANI RESPONSE

Publisher Summary Adapting the sense of taste to one substance and testing for the effect upon a different stimulus substance is the typical cross-adaptation paradigm. In man, cross-adaptation among a variety of salts reduces or eliminates taste sensations to varying degrees in psychophysical experiments. Cross-adaptation is strongest when adapting and adapted stimulus solutions have the same cation and when the two stimuli elicit about equal total sensation magnitudes. This chapter describes the cross-adaptation among salts in the chorda tympani response of the rat. Cross-adaptation among salts can be seen in the transient responses of the rat chorda tympani nerve that vary between 0% and 100%, depending upon the particular salts paired. The human chorda tympani response shows an initial transient followed by a slower declining tonic phase that adapts to base line. Human records differ from that of the rat in showing complete as compared with partial adaptation.
Non-Tatonnement and Disequilibrium Adjustments in Macroeconomic Models

The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and the principal characteristics of the non-tâtonnement methodology in the context of macroeconomic theory. The first part contains a discussion of the analytical requirements for disequilibrium models in general, and for disequilibrium macroeconomics in particular, together with a short survey of the recent literature on disequilibrium or non-tâtonnement models. The second part examines the structure and implications of the ‘dual decision hypothesis’, and establishes certain propositions concerning the validity of Walras’ Law in an environment where the amount of information available to the economic units is limited by what the impersonal competitive price mechanism is transmitting to them. In the third part, the adjustments occurring in disequilibrium situations are examined in the context of a period-analysis framework involving discrete timeintervals corresponding to self-contained Hicksian weeks. The results of the adjustment processes, which provide an illustration of the crucial role of effective demand in the Keynesian system, lead to short-run quasi-equilibria that may involve both unemployment and inflation.
A Knowledge-Based Approach to Reducing Complexity of Maintaining Semantic Constraints in Data Exchange and Integration

Different enterprises may adopt different XML syntax to represent similar business data. For the same XML dialect, its different versions may differ in syntax too. For effective business data communication and integration, the XML documents must be syntactically valid and semantically meaningful. Generally, DTD and XSD are used to specify XML syntax, and Schematron is used to specify semantic constraints of business data. Since the same type of business data is often represented by many different syntaxes, we need to maintain a large growing pool of different versions of semantic constraints in Schematron, which could easily lead to chaos and consistency errors. We provide a knowledge-based approach by extending OWL to support the effective concept-level representation of semantic constraints on business data, so that we only need to design and maintain one Schematron document for similar business data constraint thus reduce complexity.
HESCNET: A Synthetically Pre-Trained Convolutional Neural Network for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colony Classification

This paper proposes a method for improving the results of deep convolutional neural network classification using synthetic image samples. Generative adversarial networks are used to generate synthetic images from a dataset of phase-contrast, human embryonic stem cell (hESC) microscopy images. hESCnet, a deep convolutional neural network is trained, and the results are shown on various combinations of synthetic and real images in order to improve the classification results with minimal data.
Fake News in the News: An Analysis of Partisan Coverage of the Fake News Phenomenon

Since the 2016 U.S. election cycle, "fake news" (a term describing verifiably false and misleading news articles) has garnered increasing public attention. This work sheds insight onto this phenomenon by examining the way 10 popular partisan media sites discuss "fake news". We use linguistic analysis techniques including Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), word embedding models, and supervised learning classifiers to analyze news stories containing the phrase "fake news" from left- and right-leaning news sites. Our results yield several insights, including that article text can be used to classify political affiliation with high accuracy, and that left-leaning sites focus on specific fake news stories and individuals involved, while right-leaning sites shift the focus to a narrative of mainstream media dishonesty more broadly.
Calculated High-Temperature Thermopower of Niobium and Molybdenum*

The electron-diffusion thermopower is calculated for Nb and Mo at temperatures 200 K < T < 1600K. The energy dependent conductivity σ(e) = N(e)v2(e)τ(e) is taken from APW and KKR band calculations. It is assumed that N(e)τ(e) is a smooth function of e. Agreement with experiment for Nb is not good. This is ascribed to failure of the Boltzmann equation.
Function of the MYND Domain and C-Terminal Region in Regulating the Subcellular Localization and Catalytic Activity of the SMYD Family Lysine Methyltransferase Set5.

ABSTRACT SMYD lysine methyltransferases target histones and nonhistone proteins for methylation and are critical regulators of muscle development and implicated in neoplastic transformation. They are characterized by a split catalytic SET domain and an intervening MYND zinc finger domain, as well as an extended C-terminal domain. Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two SMYD proteins, Set5 and Set6, which share structural elements with the mammalian SMYD enzymes. Set5 is a histone H4 lysine 5, 8, and 12 methyltransferase, implicated in the regulation of stress responses and genome stability. While the SMYD proteins have diverse roles in cells, there are many gaps in our understanding of how these enzymes are regulated. Here, we performed mutational analysis of Set5, combined with phosphoproteomics, to identify regulatory mechanisms for its enzymatic activity and subcellular localization. Our results indicate that the MYND domain promotes Set5 chromatin association in cells and is required for its role in repressing subtelomeric genes. Phosphoproteomics revealed extensive phosphorylation of Set5, and phosphomimetic mutations enhance Set5 catalytic activity but diminish its ability to interact with chromatin in cells. These studies uncover multiple regions within Set5 that regulate its localization and activity and highlight potential avenues for understanding mechanisms controlling the diverse roles of SMYD enzymes.
Self-Determination Strategy in Mountaineering: Collecting Colorado’s Highest Peaks

This qualitative study elucidates motives and psychological outcomes of engaging in mountaineering, defined as climbing mountains, trekking, and hiking. Specific activities for completing all 54 Co...
An Exploration of Professional U.S.-Based Basketball Players Competing in Turkey

In the wake of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, basketball experienced a surge in popularity as an international sport. Recently, to field more competitive teams, professional leagues aroun...
Is Tobias His Own Man? The Book of Tobit as a Coming-Of-Age Tale

Responding to recent conversations surrounding the maturation of Tobias in the tale, the essay applies recent advancements in masculinity studies to examine the portrayal of Tobias in the book of T...
(±)VK4-40, a novel dopamine D 3 receptor partial agonist, attenuates cocaine reward and relapse in rodents.

Background and purpose Despite widespread abuse of cocaine, there are no approved treatments for cocaine use disorder. Chronic cocaine use is associated with up-regulated dopamine D3 receptor expression in the brain. Therefore, most D3 -based medication development has focused on D3 antagonists. However, D3 antagonists do not attenuate cocaine intake under "easy" self-administration conditions, when response requirements are low. We evaluated a novel, highly selective and metabolically stable D3 partial agonist, (±)VK4-40, for its efficacy in reducing cocaine intake and relapse to drug seeking. Experimental approach The impact of (±)VK4-40 on cocaine intake and relapse was evaluated using intravenous self-administration procedures under a fixed-ratio 2 reinforcement schedule and cocaine-primed reinstatement conditions in rats. Optogenetic brain-stimulation reward procedures were used to evaluate the interaction of (±)VK4-40 and cocaine in the mesolimbic dopamine system in mice. Sucrose self-administration in rats and a conditioned place preference paradigm in mice were used to evaluate the abuse potential of (±)VK4-40 alone and other unwanted effects. Key results (±)VK4-40 dose-dependently reduced cocaine self-administration and cocaine-primed reinstatement of drug-seeking behaviour. (±)VK4-40 also inhibited cocaine-enhanced brain-stimulation reward caused by optogenetic stimulation of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area. (±)VK4-40 alone decreased brain-stimulation reward but produced neither conditioned place preference nor place aversion. This new D3 partial agonist also failed to alter oral sucrose self-administration. Conclusion and implications The novel D3 partial agonist, (±)VK4-40 attenuates cocaine reward and relapse in rodents, without significant unwanted effects. These findings support further investigation of D3 partial agonists as putative treatments for cocaine use disorder.
The Limits of the Interstate Commerce Power: How to Decide the Close Cases

In the many close Commerce Clause cases, the courts must routinely confront, or else ignore, multiple problems of vagueness; of what kinds and degrees of effects on interstate commerce are constitutionally required in a given case; of how to meaningfully distinguish between 'active' and 'passive' involvement with interstate commerce; and of when and how to aggregate minimal effects on interstate commerce into a somehow substantial overall effect. Until the courts arrive at some appropriate clarification of these unresolved constitutional uncertainties, courts are better advised to direct their focus elsewhere when addressing close Commerce Clause power cases. Specifically, courts in such cases should consider whether the case circumstances detectably evoke a sense of the crucial values underlying any fundamental constitutional or human right. Violent bias-motivated attacks present the clearest such cases, and those cases should ordinarily be held to fall within the scope of the Commerce Clause power. Such cases afford the courts an opportunity to at least symbolically or expressively validate, if not to materially advance and promote, national-level policy values of the highest order. On the other hand, if a close Commerce Clause case evidently bears no such detectable relationship to any fundamental constitutional or human right, the courts should normally accommodate instead the values and interests served by federalism, and hold the case to fall outside the scope of the Commerce Clause power.
RNA sequence and structure determinants of Pol III transcriptional termination in human cells

The precise mechanism of transcription termination of the eukaryotic RNA polymerase III (Pol III) has been a subject of considerable debate. Although previous studies have clearly shown that multiple uracils at the end of RNA transcripts are required for Pol III termination, the effects of upstream RNA secondary structure in the nascent transcript on transcriptional termination is still unclear. To address this, we developed an in cellulo Pol III transcription termination assay using the recently developed Tornado-Corn RNA aptamer system to create a Pol III-transcribed RNA that produces a detectable fluorescent signal when transcribed in human cells. To study the effects of RNA sequence and structure on Pol III termination, we systematically varied the sequence context upstream of the aptamer and identified sequence characteristics that enhance or diminish termination. For transcription from Pol III type 3 promoters, we found that only poly-U tracts longer than the average length found in the human genome efficiently terminate Pol III transcription without RNA secondary structure elements. We observed that RNA secondary structure elements placed in proximity to shorter poly-U tracts induced termination, and RNA secondary structure by itself was not sufficient to induce termination. For Pol III type 2 promoters, we found that the shorter poly-U tract lengths of 4 uracils were sufficient to induce termination. These findings demonstrate a key role for sequence and structural elements within Pol III-transcribed nascent RNA for efficient transcription termination, and demonstrate a generalizable assay for characterizing Pol III transcription in human cells.
Sustainable exploitation of macroalgae species from Chilean coast: Characterization and food applications

Abstract The use of macroalgae has been always linked to direct consumption, however, current trends have increased the applications of algae in the formulation of foods to replace animal proteins. Hence, we must ensure the safety of the increasing food products based on macroalgae. In this regard, and due to the worldwide variability of its composition, we determined the nutritional characterization of Durvillaea Antarctica, Macrocystis pyrifera, and Lessonia nigrescens to evaluate their potential at nutritional level. Also, as they are accumulating organisms, we characterized their minerals and heavy metals content, to determine its potential applications and consumption risks. The results indicated that the content total As is into the safe range to be consumed (16.92 and 60.75 mg/kg dw), but Cd (between 3.97 and 6.15 mg/kg dw) is higher than 0.5 mg/kg of final product (regarding Chilean Normative), and in this case, we have two possibilities: To add no more than 12.5% of M. pyrifera and no more than 8% of D. antarctica or L. nigrescens flour in the final product; or avoid the heavy metals by the extraction of alginates to enhance applications in food such as increasing the viscosity or improving dispersion stability. From the last point of view, we have compared the alginates extracted from D. antarctica, M. pyrifera, and L. nigrescens through the use of two methodologies to obtain calcium alginate (10.55–16.75% extraction yield) and sodium alginate (12.45–20.8% extraction yield), where the methodology to extract sodium alginate showed the best perform for the three macroalgae. The results showed that viscosities at 20 °C and alginate concentration of 40 g/L were: 1201.4 cP, 544.0 cP and 722.4 cP for D. antarctica, M. pyrifera, and L. nigrescens respectively. With these results we can conclude that the macroalgae D. antarctica is the one with both the highest extraction yield and technological potential as it generates a higher viscosity.
Flood impacts on urban transit and accessibility—A case study of Kinshasa

Abstract Transportation networks underpin socioeconomic development by enabling the movement of goods and people. However, despite their frequency, little is known about how floods disrupt transportation systems in developing country cities. We collect an innovative dual-condition transit feed specification dataset, and combine it with a travel survey and high-resolution flood maps to examine how regular floods in Kinshasa impact transport services, job accessibility, and the associated economic opportunity costs from travel delays. Our results show that flood disruptions cause increases in public transit headways, transit rerouting, decreases in travel speeds, which translate into travel delays and loss of job accessibility. This induces substantial economic costs to local commuters – about $1.2 million daily – and hinders the establishment of an integrated citywide labor market. In addition, we reveal sizeable socio-spatial heterogeneities, with clusters of low-income residents incurring a large share of the travel delays and identify critical network segments that should be prioritized for resilience interventions.
Mouse Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation Under Physiological Oxygen Reduces Residual Teratomas

Residual pluripotent stem cells (PSC) within differentiated populations are problematic because of their potential to form tumors. Simple methods to reduce their occurrence are needed. Here, we demonstrate that control of the oxygen partial pressure (pO2) to physiological levels typical of the developing embryo, enabled by culture on a highly oxygen permeable substrate, reduces the fraction of PSC within and the tumorigenic potential of differentiated populations. Differentiation and/or extended culture at low pO2 reduced measured pluripotency markers by up to four orders of magnitude for mouse PSCs (mPSCs). Combination with cell sorting increased the reduction to as much as six orders of magnitude. Upon implantation into immunocompromised mice, mPSCs differentiated at low pO2 either did not form tumors or formed tumors at a slower rate than at high pO2. Low pO2 culture alone or in combination with other methods is a potentially straightforward method that could be applied to future cell therapy protocols to minimize the possibility of tumor formation.
Evaluation of Frailty Assessment Compliance in Acute Care Surgery: Changing Trends, Lessons Learned.

ABSTRACT Background Routine frailty assessment has emerged recently in the surgical literature and is an important prognostication and risk stratification tool. The aim of our study was to review our 7-y experience with two frailty assessment tools and changing trends in their use. Methods We performed a 7-y (2011-2017) analysis of our prospectively maintained frailty database. Frail patients were identified using the emergency general surgery and trauma specific frailty indices. Outcome measures were rates of compliance with frailty assessment, overall complications, discharge to skilled nursing facility (SNF)/rehab, and mortality over the study period. Multivariate logistic regression and Cochran-Armitage trend analyses were performed. Results We evaluated a total of 1045 geriatric patients (Trauma: 587, EGS: 458). Mean age was 74.5 ± 7.9 y, 74% were males, and 81% were white. Overall, 34% of the patients were frail. Compared to non-frail patients, frail patients had higher adjusted rates of complications (OR 2.4 [1.9-2.9]), mortality (OR 1.8 [1.4-2.3]), and rehab/SNF disposition (OR 3.7 [3.1-4.3]). The compliance rate of measuring frailty increased from 12% in 2011 to 78% in 2017, P Conclusions Adherence to frailty measurement increased over the study period. This was accompanied by a significant decline in overall in-hospital complications. Frailty indices can be utilized to identify high-risk patients and develop post-operative strategies to improve outcomes in acute care surgery.
A 4.5 mm/sup 2/ multiplier array for a 200 MFLOP pipelined coprocessor

This multiplier array is used in the floating point coprocessor that is part of several PA-RISC processor chips. This coprocessor is single- and double-precision IEEE compliant and is implemented in a 3-level-metal 0.8 /spl mu/m CMOS process. The floating point unit is comprised of a pipelined ALU, a pipelined multiplier, a divide and square-root unit, a 32/spl times/64 b register file and a control unit. Each of these units operates independently, allowing concurrent operations. The latency is nominally 20 ns for addition, multiplication and data conversions with a new issue every 10 ns. The latency of a single-precision divide or square-root is 80 ns. >
A Home-Based Diaphragmatic Breathing Retraining in Rural Patients With Heart Failure

Dyspnea limits physical activity and functional status in heart failure patients. This feasibility study examined effects of a diaphragmatic breathing retraining (DBR) intervention delivered over 8 weeks with follow-up at 5 months. The intervention group (n = 18) was trained at baseline and received four telephone calls. An attention control group (n = 18) received four telephone calls with general health information. Results from linear mixed model analysis with effect sizes (η(2)) showed dyspnea improved in both groups, with little difference between groups. Compared with attention alone, the intervention increased physical activity (calories expended; η(2) = .015) and functional status (η(2) = .013) across the 5-month follow-up and increased activity counts at 8 weeks (η(2) = .070). This intervention was feasible and demonstrated promising effects on activity and function but not by reducing dyspnea. Patients may have increased physical activity because of instructions to use DBR during activities of daily living. Further exploration of the intervention's underlying physiological effect is needed.
Access to Infrastructure

Access to infrastructure is a perennial issue in the field of communication, which started in the era of postal services and continues to the present era of broadband networks. As infrastructures, or large-scale systems, information and communication technologies are central to citizens' political, economic, and social lives. Historically and today, a variety of factors such as political and regulatory decisions impact access to infrastructure. Current concerns about equitable access include the issue of network neutrality. Keywords: access; communication and public policy; history of media and communications; information and communication technology; media convergence; media law and policy; media regulation
The war on teenage terrorists

This paper interprets a recent, aggressive state crackdown on public gatherings of African American youth in the streets of Philadelphia's commercial districts against the backdrop of historical geographies of race and disinvestment. Drawing on news accounts and government publications, and deploying theories of securitization and space, it joins those who argue that the performance of security in everyday spaces works to conceal the social relations undergirding the post-9/11 security state. We consider how city officials and others have constructed the collective figure of the ‘flash mob’ as a perpetrator of urban terrorism and the subject of state intervention. We trace the application of this subjectivity to individual bodies marked by age, race and class, thereby revealing how the latest strategic move in a historic reinforcement of the US ghetto sustains and feeds off of newly heightened and intertwined anxieties about the sources of criminality, violence and terror. If the venal urban geopolitics o...
Bacteriophage T4D Receptor and the Escherichia coli Cell Wall Structure: Binding of Endotoxin-Like Particles to the Cell Wall

A variety of degradative treatments have been used to investigate the nature of the structure and components of the cell walls of Escherichia coli B. The binding and localization of the endotoxin-like particles found on the cell walls were of special interest because some of them are associated with the site where the inner tail tube of bacteriophage T4D penetrates the cell wall. Modified cell walls were obtained by heating a suspension of bacterial cells originally in 0.1 M phosphate, pH 7.0, after the addition of 12.5 M NaOH to a final concentration of 0.25 M. With regard to the endotoxin-like particles, it was found that: (i) at least part of them still remained bound to the modified cell wall after the alkali treatment; (ii) the subsequent incubation of alkali-treated cell walls with lysozyme destroyed the bacterial form and released a complex of endotoxin-like particles together with a fibrous material; (iii) on the other hand, treatment with 45% phenol at 70 degrees C removed the endotoxin-like particles from the surface of the alkali-treated cell walls, but most of the fibrous material was left on the cell wall; and (iv) incubation of alkali-treated cell walls with 5 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid at 20 degrees C also removed the endotoxin-like particles, but did not disrupt the rodlike bacterial form. However, if the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid treatment was performed at 55 degrees C, the bacterium-like form was destroyed. These differential sensitivities to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid suggested that loosely bound divalent metal ions normally hold these endotoxin-like particles on the cell wall surface, but that probably more tightly bound metal ions are involved in the determination of cell shape. Analysis of the protein components of the alkalitreated cell walls showed that only one protein was present in significant amounts, and this protein had an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of the Braun lipoprotein. This protein was released from the alkali-treated cell walls upon heating with 2% sodium dodecyl sulfate at 100 degrees C. Phospholipids were also absent from this structure. The distribution of the remaining cell wall components on the alkali-treated cell walls is discussed.
MHRDRing Z‐Pinches and Related Geometries: Four Decades of Computational Modeling Using Still Unconventional Methods

For approximately four decades, Z‐pinches and related geometries have been computationally modeled using unique Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) numerical methods. Computational results have provided illuminating and often provocative interpretations of experimental results. A number of past and continuing applications are reviewed and discussed.
Accumulation of Homocyst(e)ine in Vitamin B-6 Deficiency: a Model for the Study of Cystathionine β-Synthase Deficiency

The accumulation of homocyst(e)ine in rats deficient in vitamin B-6 was monitored. Homocysteine and cysteine linked by disulfide bonds to plasma proteins, to red blood cells (RBC) membranes, and free in plasma were analyzed by HPLC separation and electrochemical detection. As the vitamin B-6 deficiency progressed, the concentration of plasma protein-bound and RBC membrane-bound homocysteine increased and that of cysteine decreased. Changes in free homocysteine concentration paralleled those seen in protein-bound homocysteine, but free cystein concentration did not fluctuate throughout the deficiency. Refeeding vitamin B-6 to deficient animals resulted in a return of homocysteine and cysteine concentrations to control levels within 2 days. Bound homocysteine and cysteine and plasma free homocyst(e)ine concentrations in rats deficient in vitamin B-6 were in the same concentration range as those seen in patients with homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency. Monitoring changes in plasma protein-bound and free homocysteine concentration during vitamin B-6 deficiency in rats may provide a useful system for the study of cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency and its treatment.
Role of the JAK-STAT Signalling Pathway in Cancer

The JAK-STAT pathway is important in cytokine-mediated immune responses. Research in the JAK/STAT field has elucidated its roles in various cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis and migration, and has found frequent dysregulation of the JAK/STAT pathway in diverse types of cancer. In recent years, JAK and STAT have also been implicated in a noncanonical mode of action: the regulation of genomic stability independent of their functions in cytokine signalling. Research in Drosophila has shown that nuclear, unphosphorylated STAT physically interacts with heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) and stabilises its binding to heterochromatin. A similar interaction occurs in human cells, where unphosphorylated STAT5A interacts with HP1α and acts as a tumour suppressor. Nuclear JAK2, however, functions as a histone tyrosine kinase, displacing HP1α from chromatin. These data have important implications for human cancer: They suggest new drug therapies, which could target the noncanonical functions of JAK and STAT. In this article, we discuss how the canonical arm of the JAK-STAT pathway functions in tumourigenesis, focussing on JAK and on STAT1, STAT3 and STAT5. We then discuss recent findings regarding epigenetic silencing of JAK/STAT pathway components, and the direct involvement of JAK and STAT in regulating heterochromatin integrity. Key Concepts: The tyrosine kinase JAK and its downstream target STAT respond to cytokine signalling in cells. In response to cytokines, JAK itself is phosphorylated, leading to its activation. The activated JAK kinase then phosphorylates specific STATs. STAT proteins dimerise and translocate into the nucleus upon phosphorylation by JAK, where they bind to DNA and regulate transcription. Overactivation of the JAK-STAT pathway can cause cancer by bypassing apoptosis and cell cycle checkpoints. Unphosphorylated STAT is also found in the nuclei and mitochondria of cells that are not stimulated by cytokines. Mitochondrial STAT upregulates cellular respiration and can promote oncogenic transformation. Unphosphorylated nuclear STAT binds to HP1α and stabilises heterochromatin. STAT5A in colon cancer cells acts as a tumour suppressor via this mechanism. Nuclear JAK2 is a histone tyrosine kinase. Phosphorylation of histone 3 tyrosine 41 displaces HP1α/CBX5 from chromatin and contributes to tumourigenicity. In some cancers, DNA methylation suppresses the expression of inhibitory SOCS proteins, resulting in uncontrolled JAK/STAT pathway activation. Keywords: JAK; STAT; cancer; epigenetic; heterochromatin; metastasis; angiogenesis; HP1; CpG methylation
Inter-rater reliability of manual muscle strength testing in ICU survivors and simulated patients

Objective The goal of the paper is to determine inter-rater reliability of trained examiners performing standardized strength assessments using manual muscle testing (MMT).
Pulmonary embolism: diagnosis, incidence and implications

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of pulmonary embolism at an academic tertiary care center, to identify the methods of diagnosis, and to characterize the outcomes for this population. A retrospective analysis of multiple data sources including records from the Medical Information System, and the Departments of Pathology, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Pharmacy were reviewed for all patients with positive reports of pulmonary embolism. These were verified by the medical records and a listing of all positive cases was developed. A total of 320 patients developed pulmonary embolism during the study period and 121 died before discharge. The prevalence was 3.5 cases per 1000 admissions, with a mortality of 1 per 1000 cases. Significant misclassification of patients and errors in rate estimation would have occurred if multiple sources of information were not used. Definitive diagnosis and appropriate treatment with a Greenfield filter was associated with improved early survival. By relying on ICD-9 coding, 80% of fatalities and 13% of patients with positive angiograms would have been missed. © 1997 The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery.
Chirped pulse amplification scaling in thulium-doped fiber lasers

We will report on our effort to scale the pulse energy and peak power from ultrashort pulse Tm doped fiber laser systems, with >1 μJ pulse energy within 300 fs duration after compression.
New method for detecting cellular transforming genes

Tumor induction in athymic nude mice can be used to detect dominant transforming genes in cellular DNA. Mouse NIH 3T3 cells freshly transfected with either cloned Moloney sarcoma proviral DNA or cellular DNA's derived from virally transformed cells induced tumors when injected into athymic nu/nu mice. Tumors were also induced by cells transfected with DNA from two tumor-derived and one chemically transformed human cell lines. The mouse tumors induced by human cell line DNA's contained human DNA sequences, and DNA derived from these tumors was capable of inducing both tumors and foci on subsequent transfection. Tumor induction in nude mice represents a useful new method for the detection and selection of cells transformed by cellular oncogenes.
Sexual rehabilitation of the prostate cancer patient

Since the accidental discovery in the early 1980s that a pharmacologic agent introduced into a man's penis resulted in an erection, a revolution in sexual rehabilitation has been in progress. For the patient with prostate cancer, in particular, this has been good news. Although, the patient with prostate cancer may or may not have been experiencing erectile dysfunction before surgery, researchers estimate that 85% will experience some decrease in sexual functioning after surgery. Basically, the patient with prostate cancer has five options for sexual rehabilitation. First, the patient may choose to do nothing. Second, psychologic therapy may be warranted to assist the patient in coping with changes in his life style and sexual functioning. Third, is the vacuum tumescence device, which is easy to use and effective. Fourth, pharmacologic penile injections of papaverine, phentolamine, and/or prostaglandin E-1, used individually or in combination, are a popular, effective choice. Fifth, penile prosthesis are available in three models, all of which are effective and have a high satisfaction rate. Cancer 1995 ; 75 :1954-6.
The national cancer data base report on prostate cancer

Background. Previous Commission on Cancer studies on prostate cancer have examined time trends in disease stage, treatment patterns, and survival. The most current National Cancer Data Base data for prostate cancer are reviewed in this report. Methods. Two Calls for Data have yielded a total of 85,813 prostate cancer reports from hospital registries across the country. Results. The proportion of early stage, curable prostate cancers diagnosed in the United States has increased. In 1990, African-American patients were more likely to be diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer than were non-Hispanic whites. The proportion of patients treated by prostatectomy increased between 1974 and 1990. Consistent with the pattern of more advanced disease at diagnosis, African-American patients were less likely to have received prostatectomy or radiation treatment and more likely to have received only hormonal treatment. Prostate cancer survival was associated strongly with disease stage. African-American men had a lower 5-year survival than did non-Hispanic white men. Conclusions. This information provides national points of reference against which individual hospital performance can be compared and should be particularly helpful to cancer committees, tumor boards, and cancer registrars for the monitoring and evaluation of prostate cancer management in hospital cancer programs. Not all segments of the population-at-risk are benefiting from earlier detection of prostate cancer. Improvements in early detection have important consequences for treatment patterns, allowing the increased use of curative surgical or radiotherapeutic treatment.
Implementation of a laboratory information system on a UNIX-driven Fourier transform infrared spectrometer

Abstract Data base software has been integrated with Mattson's Fourier transform infrared software package with UNIX shell programming to form a laboratory information system for a high-volume industrial analytical laboratory. The primary benefits have been time savings and increased productivity. Time savings have resulted from fewer data entries, faster information retrieval, and templated reports. The menu-driven system has also led to fewer mistakes. It is also possible to electronically mail reports to customers. In this article, a detailed description of the programming, implementation, and operation of this system will be given.
Effects of mesoscale eddies on the flow of the Alaskan Stream

[1] Using a high-resolution, pan-Arctic ice-ocean model forced with realistic atmospheric data, we examine the mean transport and temporal and spatial variability within the Alaskan Stream. Model results are analyzed and compared with observations, including satellite altimetry and CTD measurements. The mean net transport of the Alaskan Stream is found to be between 34 and 44 Sv, intensifying downstream. Mesoscale eddies are found to periodically move along the path of the Alaskan Stream and alter the mean position of the typically westward-flowing current. However, the strength of the current is not reduced as an anticyclonic eddy passes a point along the path. Instead, there appears to be an offshore (or southward) shift in the current velocity core. Stationary measurement instruments may not be able to detect this shift in position over the slope if their southernmost location does not coincide with the current shift due to an eddy. This may result in recording of a weakened or sometimes reversed flow. Finally, we examine and demonstrate that modeled eddies within the Alaskan Stream have dominant effect on northward transport and variability through the eastern and central Aleutian Island passes.
Enhancing intuitive skills among adolescent mothers

Studies indicate that adolescent mothers differ from adult mothers in their ability to interact with the infant in an adaptive fashion. In particular, teenage mothers appear to possess immature representational capacities which prevent them from predicting imminent infant achievement. As a result, they behave in a manner that undermines the emergence of new developmental skills in the infant. For example, the visual and vocal cues of adolescent mothers tend to be either subdued or absent, while holding behavior often fails to convey a sense of security. Physically punitive actions are also more common among these younger caregivers than among adult mothers. The application of a new developmental strategy referred to as previewing may, however, reverse these trends by fostering representational and interpersonal skills in adolescent mothers.
Some observations on probabilistic qualification in approximate reasoning

We study the concept of probabilistic qualification defined by L.A. Zadeh. We show its relationship to truth qualification and compatibility. We discuss the effects of using fuzzy and precise qualifiers in these propositions. We discuss the combining of evidence with different importances. We discuss other sources of information of the type obtained by probabilistic qualifiers.
Control of second-order systems at large amplitudes

Unconstrained optimal control of dynamical systems governed by second-order nonlinear differential equations is considered. Large amplitude behavior is investigated, and a control problem defined by the dominating nonlinearities is treated exactly. This asymptotic problem is reduced to a single differential equation by means of a similarity transformation, and control strategies are determined from the phase-plane behavior. The control of the Duffing equation is treated in detail.
Interlaminar shear fracture of laminated composites

The interlaminar fracture toughness in mode II and mode III of a number of advanced composites was studied using beam type test specimens and scanning electron microscopy. Special emphasis was placed on elucidating the material aspects of the fracture process and on quantifying the effect of matrix on fracture energy. The fracture energy in mode II was independent of crack extension while that for mode III exhibited a rather probablistic “resistance” behavior that was attributed to the effect of fiber bridging. The initiation fracture energy, considered here the true measure of G IIIC , coincided with G IIC . For either mode, the interlaminar region ahead of the crack tip exhibited considerable plastic deformations, the severity that is believed to control the laminate toughness. The interlaminar fracture energy in shear, hereby denoted as G SC (=G IIC =G IIIC ), was accurately predicted from a straightforward adhesive joint fracture test provided the adhesive thickness coincide with the thickness of the interlaminar resin layer.
Review on the Ball Drop-off Mechanisms of Lead-free Ball Grid Array Package

Missing ball at ppm-level has been an issue in the industry. Several mechanisms are reviewed in this paper. In general, for all surface finishes, fluxing problem is the main cause of missing ball right after BGA assembly process. Massive spalling of Cu6Sn5-based IMC is the unique cause for SnAgCu (SAC) solder ball reacting with electrolytic Ni/Au or Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG) surface finished pads. Black pad, Kirkendall voids in NiSnP layer, and complicated IMCs stacking at the interface make ENIG a more vulnerable type of surface finish subjecting to ball drop-off problem. Kirkendall voids in Cu3Sn layer plus two-layer IMCs stacking of Cu6Sn5/Cu3Sn are the main causes of ball drop-off for Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP) pad.
Domain-wall-type defects as anyons in phase space

We discuss how the braiding properties of Laughlin quasiparticles in quantum Hall states can be understood within a one-dimensional formalism we proposed earlier. In this formalism, the two-dimensional space of the Hall liquid is identified with the phase space of a one-dimensional lattice system, and localized Laughlin quasiholes can be understood as coherent states of lattice solitons. The formalism makes comparatively little use of the detailed structure of Laughlin wave functions, and may offer ways to be generalized to non-Abelian states.