cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 334: PIK3CA overexpression induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinonoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients have a poor prognosis and invasion and metastasis are the major causes of mortality. However, the molecular mechanisms of HNSCC invasion and metastasis remain obscure. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway regulates a wide range of cellular processes crucial for tumorigenesis. Amplification and mutation of PIK3CA, the gene coding for the catalytic subunit of PI3K, are among the most common genetic alterations in human HNSCC. To delineate the in vivo roles of PIK3CA during head and neck tumorigenesis, we developed a PIK3CA genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM), in which PIK3CA overexpression is specifically induced in the head and neck epithelia. While overexpression of PIK3CA alone resulted in epithelial hyperplasia, and carcinoma in situ, it was not sufficient to induce visible tumor formation. In contrast, when we applied 4NQO, a DNA adduct-forming agent widely used as a tobacco surrogate together with PIK3CA overexpression, the PIK3CA-GEMM developed ∼50% poorly differentiated HNSCC compared to ∼10% of those in the control mice. PIK3CA tumors also had increased numbers of infiltrated leukocytes and angiogenesis. In addition, either regional lymph node metastases or lung metastases was observed in ∼40% of the PIK3CA-GEMM compared to no metastases in control mice. Characterizations of PIK3CA tumors revealed that PIK3CA tumors underwent epithelial and mesenchymal transition, and formed poorly differentiated metastatic tongue SCC in an orthotopical mouse model. Molecular analysis of the PIK3CA tumors suggests that rather than AKT, PDK1 facilitates progression of PI3K-driven HNSCC, and enhanced TGFbeta signaling with increased TGFbeta1 ligand and Smad3 may further contribute to this process. Lastly, overexpression of PIK3CA is associated with HNSCC progression and metastasis, and positively correlated with PDK1 expression but negatively with AKT activation, further verified the clinical relevance of our GEMM study. In summary, our results suggest that PIK3CA oncogene drives invasion and metastasis of HNSCC through PDK1 and TGFbeta signaling, and combined targeting of these pathways will reduce tumor progression in advanced HNSCC patients with PIK3CA alterations, which comprise about ∼40% of all HNSCC patients. Citation Format: Li Du, Xi Chen, Jingping Shen, Fang Zhang, Shi-Long Lu. PIK3CA overexpression induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinonoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 334. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-334
Continuum slip foundations of elasto-viscoplasticity

A continuum slip theory for dislocation glide is employed to derive macroscopic, phenomenological models for incompressible viscoplasticity. The microstructural origins of kinematic/isotropic hardening and rate-dependence are examined within the framework of the continuum slip theory of Rice and the single slip scale invariance theory of Aifantis for dislocation glide. In the process, the limitations on primitive assumptions for existing forms of state variable viscoplasticity become apparent. A form for rate-dependent evolution of backstress is derived which supports recent phenomenological approaches. Extensions to finite strain and compressible viscoplasticity are discussed.
Cyclic reduction on a binary tree

Ensembles of large numbers of processors tightly coupled into networks are of increasing interest. Binary tree interconnect has many favourable characteristics from a construction point of view, though the limited communication bandwidth between arbitrary processors poses a potential bottleneck. In this paper we present an algorithm for odd-even cyclic reduction on a binary tree for which the limited bandwidth does not increase the order of the computational complexity, compared to an ideal parallel machine. The complexity is 2 log2N with respect to arithmetic operations, and 3 log2N with respect to communication. The communication complexity compares favourably with the best previously published result, O(log22N). We also show that the benefits of truncated cyclic reduction are much greater for parallel reduction algorithms than for sequential algorithms. A reduction in the computational complexity proportional to the reduction in the number of reduction steps is possible.
Air flow in cavities of labyrinth seals

The leakage flow rate through a sequence of labyrinth seal cavities, and the associated pressure and the circumferential velocity distributions are calculated for seals used in turbomachinery. Computational Fluid Dynamics is used to justify the use of bulk cavity variables, and to analyze the details of the flow in a single cavity under steady state, axisymmetric conditions. Periodic, analytic solutions of the continuity and circumferential momentum equations are obtained for the case of time dependent flow generated by a non-axisymmetric rotation of the shaft. The dynamic stiffness and damping coefficients necessary for the lateral stability analysis of the rotor are then calculated. The results compare reasonably well to experimentally obtained values.
Imaging Caspase-3 Activation as a Marker of Apoptosis-Targeted Treatment Response in Cancer

We tested whether positron emission tomography (PET) with the caspase-3-targeted isatin analog [18F]WC-4-116 could image caspase-3 activation in response to an apoptosis-inducing anticancer therapy. [18F]WC-4-116 uptake was determined in etoposide-treated EL4 cells. Biodistribution studies with [18F]WC-4-116 and [18F]ICMT-18, a non-caspase-3-targeted tracer, as well as [18F]WC-4-116 microPET imaging assessed responses in Colo205 tumor-bearing mice treated with death receptor 5 (DR5)-targeted agonist antibodies. Immunohistochemical staining and enzyme assays confirmed caspase-3 activation. Two-way analysis of variance or Student’s t test assessed for treatment-related changes in tracer uptake. [18F]WC-4-116 increased 8 ± 2 fold in etoposide-treated cells. The [18F]WC-4-116 % ID/g also increased significantly in tumors with high caspase-3 enzyme activity (p < 0.05). [18F]ICMT-18 tumor uptake did not differ in tumors with high or low caspase-3 enzyme activity. [18F]WC-4-116 uptake in vivo reflects increased caspase-3 activation and may be useful for detecting caspase-3-mediated apoptosis treatment responses in cancer.
Positive contrast obtained in rats following a shift in schedule, delay, and magnitude of reward

Sixty-four rats were used in a 2 by 2 by 2 factorial design (Phase 1) which combined two levels of delay schedule (partial vs. continuous), two levels of magnitude of reward (1 vs. 22 pellets), and two levels of delay of reward (10 vs. 30 sec). On each trial in Phase 2, each subject received 22 pellets after a 10-sec delay interval. A significant positive contrast effect was obtained when all three variables of magnitude, delay, and schedule were upshifted. Similarly, positive contrast was obtained based on a shift in delay and schedule, magnitude and schedule, and magnitude and delay. Moreover, positive contrast was obtained based on either an upward shift in schedule or magnitude. A simple decrease in delay of reward did not produce positive contrast. The results were viewed as favoring relative rather than absolute theories of reinforcement. However, a modified sequential (capaldian) interpretation of positive contrast was also offered.
Calcyon Transcript Expression in Macaque Brain

The anatomical distribution of the transcript encoding calcyon, a 24 kDa membrane protein associated with coupling D1-like dopamine receptor activation to potentiated intracellular calcium release, was examined using in situ hybridization in the macaque brain. Calcyon mRNA is found to be abundantly distributed throughout the primate brain. In neocortex, moderately dense, diffuse signal is found in all areas, with increased intensity present in a superficial isodense band corresponding generally to cortical layers II and III. Increased intensity of signal is also seen in the pyramidal cell layers of medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex. Calcyon mRNA is present abundantly in subcortical limbic areas such as the nucleus accumbens, septum, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus. Moderate calcyon transcript expression is seen in caudate and putamen, with lower levels in globus pallidus. Thalamic nuclei, including the reticular nucleus, express low to moderate levels. Very dense expression is noted in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Numerous brainstem regions express this transcript, notably monoaminergic nuclei including the locus coeruleus and dorsal raphe. The cerebellum has detectable levels of expression in both cortex and deep nuclei. Although calcyon is hypothesized as a means for D1-like receptors to modulate “cross-talk” with other neurotransmitter receptor systems, it is notable that abundant calcyon transcript is detected in brain regions not associated with D1-like neurotransmission, particularly the substantia nigra pars compacta and other dopamine-synthesizing cell groups. A substantial proportion of this may relate to the reported association of calcyon with the D5 receptor, or in addition, may suggest that calcyon has a wider role as a regulator of intracellular signal transduction. J. Comp. Neurol. 468:264 –276, 2004.
Air-assisted sprayer adapted for precision horticulture: Spray patterns and deposition assessments in small-sized citrus canopies

An axial-fan air-assisted sprayer, adapted with variable rate nozzles and adjustable air-assist flow control, for citrus tree-specific precision spraying, was tested. Static experiments were conducted to determine spray patterns at varied nozzle flow rates and air-assistance settings. Spray patterns confirmed that the sprayer delivered variable liquid flow rates and the air-diverting louvre controlled the air-assistance providing targeted spray delivery. Field experiments were conducted to determine suitable air-assistance and nozzle combinations needed in the future for sensor-controlled spraying in young (small-sized) citrus canopies. Experiments involved two nozzle treatments, a) nozzles 1–6, and b) nozzles 2–3 at 100% output rates and three (40%, 70%, and 100%) levels of air assistance selected based on spray patterns. The sprayer was operated at a travel speed of 4.5 km h −1 and the water-soluble tracer deposition on biological and artificial targets, at 0.6 m and 1.4 m above ground and laterally at the canopy front, middle, and back, respectively were measured using fluorimetry. Results suggested that within nozzles 1–6 treatments with varied air-assist, 70% air-assistance was more effective for small sized canopies than 100% air-assistance; it appeared that the latter propelled the spray beyond the canopy and reduced the spray deposition efficiency. Also, for the citrus canopies studied, the use of two or three nozzles instead of the lower six nozzles (i.e. the control treatment) might be more suitable since they would result in 50% or less chemical usage while having comparable spray deposition to that of the control.
Trimethylsilyl-Substituted Hydroxycyclopentadienyl Ruthenium Hydrides as Benchmarks To Probe Ligand and Metal Effects on the Reactivity of Shvo Type Complexes

The bis(trimethylsilyl)-substituted hydroxycyclopentadienyl ruthenium hydride [2,5-(SiMe3)2-3,4-(CH2OCH2)(η5-C4COH)]Ru(CO)2H (10) is an efficient catalyst for hydrogenation of aldehydes and ketones. Because 10 transfers hydrogen rapidly to aldehydes and ketones and because it does not form an inactive bridging hydride during reaction, hydrogenation of aldehydes and ketones can be performed at room temperature under relatively low hydrogen pressure (3 atm); this is a significant improvement in comparison with previously developed Shvo type catalysts. Kinetic and 2H NMR spectroscopic studies of the stoichiometric reduction of aldehydes and ketones by 10 established a two-step process for the hydrogen transfer: (1) rapid and reversible hydrogen bond formation between OH of 10 and the oxygen of the aldehyde or ketone followed by (2) slow transfer of both proton and hydride from 10 to the aldehyde or ketone. The stoichiometric and catalytic activities of complex 10 are compared to those of other Shvo type ruth...
Increasing plasma concentration tolerability study of flunarizine in comedicated epileptic patients.

Summary: Twelve patients with intractable partial seizures [4 receiving carbamazepine (CBZ), 4 phenytoin (PHT), and 4 both] entered a study of the tolerability of flunarizine (FNR) at specified plasma concentrations. After an 8-week baseline period, a single-dose pharmacoki-netic study was performed for each patient to calculate a loading dose and maintenance dosage necessary to achieve a target plasma FNR concentration of 30 ng/ml. The first 8 patients received the loading dose (as divided doses) during a 1-week hospitalization and the maintenance dosage for the ensuing 8 weeks. These patients proceeded to treatment periods with target concentrations of 60 and then 120 ng/ml, using doses based on an assumed linear relation between dose and plasma concentration. The last 4 patients were studied only at the 120-ng/ml target level. Results indicated that this procedure successfully approximated target levels of 30 and 60 ng/ ml, but observed concentrations in the last period exceeded the 120-ng/ml target level and continued to increase with time, often necessitating a dosage reduction owing to intolerability. Calculated doses for a given target concentration varied by a factor of 12. The most frequently reported adverse experiences were sedation and increased fatigue; reports of dizziness, headache, and lethargy were also common. Based on this study, a target concentration of at least 60 but <120 ng/ml is recommended for a controlled clinical trial of the antiepileptic efficacy of FNR.
Question authority: in defense of moral naturalism without clout

Metaethicists of all stripes should read and learn from Richard Joyce’s book The Evolution of Morality. This includes moral realists, despite Joyce’s own nihilism. Joyce thinks that moral obligations, prohibitions, and the like are myths. But that is just a bit of a rich, broad account of moral attitudes and practices, the bulk of which can comfortably be accepted by realists. In fact, other than nihilism itself, there’s only one claim of Joyce’s which realists must reject. I argue that that claim ought to be rejected, and reply to Joyce’s argument to the contrary. The result is that—aside from nihilism and one rejectable claim—realists are free to take from Joyce whatever they like.
Bioengineered probiotics, a strategic approach to control enteric infections.

Enteric infections account for high morbidity and mortality and are considered to be the fifth leading cause of death at all ages worldwide. Seventy percent of all enteric infections are foodborne....
Toward asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reactions with enolizable aldehydes: access to defined configured stereotriads, tetrads, and stereopentads.

Asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reactions of enolizable aldehydes and ketones in the presence of chiral BINOLTi(OtBu)2/cinchona alkaloids complexes are described. Different configurative outcomes of these reactions depend on an equilibration through a retro aldol/aldol sequence and can be influenced by the configurative architecture of substrates. The results are explained by means of transition state models and rate constants. These considerations offer a fine-tuning of diastereoselectivity in aldol-Tishchenko reactions. Extensions of this research give access to defined configured stereotriads, stereotetrads, and stereopentads.
There are at least two sides to every heterogeneous system

Since there are at least two sides to every heterogeneous system, optimizing for heterogeneous systems is inherently an exercise in manag-ing complexity, balanced trade-offs and layering. Efforts to make the hardware simple may result in software complexity, unless there's an abstracting software layer involved. Different customer-driven usage models make it challenging to offer a layered but consistent pro-gramming model, a cost-effective set of performance features and a flexibly-capable systems software stack. And often, the very reasons why heterogeneous systems exist drives them to change over time, making them difficult to target from a code generation perspective.As a company that provides hardware systems, compilers, systems software infrastructure and services, one of Intel's research and devel-opment focuses is on optimizing for heterogeneous systems, such as a mix of IA multi-cores architectures that are used for both graphics and throughput computing. This talk addresses some of the challenges we've encountered in that space, and offers some potential directions.Primary among the case studies used in this talk is a dynamic compiler that uses Intel's Ct technology, which strives to make it easier for programmers to specify what data-parallel work needs to be accomplished, and manages extracting parallelism from the application and making use of it on multicore and many-core Intel architectures optimized for throughput computing. The set of issues that will be ad-dressed include how to specify parallelism, safety and debugging, software infrastructure and compiler architecture, and achieving performance on heterogeneous systems.
The Fifth Column: Optimization of Academic Raises, or Optimizing Academia for Fun and Profit, Part 2

Second part of the essay on attempts to apply optimization methods in evaluating research and teaching contribution in a university department. It is shown how wrong assumptions in the mathematical model completely bias the stated goals and distort the participants behavior in the case their raises depend on the outcome of the proposed model.
Fourier transforms having only real zeros

Let G(z) be a real entire function of order less than 2 with only real zeros. Then we classify certain distribution functions F such that the Fourier transform H(z) = f∞ - ∞ G(it)e izt dF(t) has only real zeros.
Interconnections Between Processors and Memory Modules Using the Shuffle-Exchange Network

The shuffle-exchange network is considered as an interconnection network between processors and memory modules in an array computer. Lawrie showed that this network can be used to perform some important permutations in log2 N steps. This work is extended and a network is proposed that permits the realization of any permutation in 0([mi][/mi]N) shuffle-exchange steps. Additional modifications to the basic. procedure are presented that can be applied to perform efficiently some permutations that were not realizable with the original mechanism. Finally, an efficient procedure is described for the realization of a shuffle permutation of N elements on an array computer with M memory modules where M < N.
Origin of high-temperature superconductivity

Abstract High- T c superconductivity is shown to occur in the hole-condensate which occupies the SrO, BaO, or interstitial regions of layered perovskite superconductors. Cuprate-planes are unnecessary for high- T c superconductivity, as demonstrated by the doped Sr 2 YRuO 6 system, which has no cuprate-planes. A single class of high-temperature superconductors includes cuprates, ruthenates, and certain organics (e.g., κ -[BEDT-TTF] 2 Cu[NCS] 2 ), with the holes on O (or S) ζ -paired.
On the association between lysogeny and carcinogenicity in nitroquinolines and related compounds.

In einer Serie von 16 Nitroquinolinen und verwandten Substanzen wurde eine gute Ubereinstimmung zwischen Phageninduktion inEscherichia coli C-600 und Karzinogenese nachgewiesen.
The sequencing of post‐communist transition

Examines the sequencing of economic reforms in the post‐communist transition, focusing on Russia. Proposes a moderately expansionary stabilization, succeeded by gradual liberalization and marketization, followed by a more ambitious economic restructuring and privatization.
BEYOND THE SUBLIME: THE AESTHETICS OF THE ANALOGY OF BEING (PART ONE)

This essay, the second half of a larger work, offers a constructive proposal for a theological aesthetics based upon a theological ontology of the analogia entis. The doctrine of the analogia entis, as articulated most famously by Erich Przywara, S. J., has been the subject of much criticism; however, the essay attempts to defend the doctrine, specifically, against the criticisms of Karl Barth and Martin Heidegger. The essay then offers a precis of Przywara's actual doctrine—beyond typical characterizations of it—with a view to the possibility it offers for a theological aesthetics and, specifically, for a genuinely theological account of the relationship between the beautiful and the sublime.
Special cutaneous receptor organs of fish. 3. The ampullary organs of Eigenmannia.

Ampullary receptor organs of the South American weakly electric gymnotid fish Eigenmannia virescens consist of a pore at the surface of the skin, a canal through the epidermis, and the expanded basal end of the canal in the corium. The cavity of the organ contains a jelly that is filled with fine fibers. The canal wall consists of three to six layers of flattened cells that appear to be derived from the adjacent skin. Along the lumen of the organ the cells are joined by tight junctions. Usually there are four spherical receptor cells in the base of the organ. They are innervated by single neural terminals. These organs are compared to tuberous receptor organs found in the same species, and the functional significance of the fine structure observed in these cells is discussed.
Polyphenolic Composition of Marion and Evergreen Blackberries

: The polyphenolics in aqueous extracts of Marion (Rubus sp. hyb) and Evergreen (Rubus laciniatus) blackberries and blackberry seeds were isolated by solid-phase extraction using C18 cartridges and polyamide mini-column chromatography, and characterized using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatogra-phy/diode array spectral techniques. Flavonols (primarily quercetin glycosides) were the major phenolics in berries, whereas procyanidins (catechin and epicatechin) and ellagic acid derivatives predominated in seeds. No flavonols were found in seeds. Evergreen berries contained higher level of epicatechin, ellagic acid derivatives, and flavonols than Marion berries, whereas Marion berries and seeds were higher in anthocyanins, total phenolics, and antioxidant properties as measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity and ferric reducing antioxidant power.
Combined endovenous ablation and transilluminated powered phlebectomy: is less invasive better?

This study was undertaken to evaluate the evolution of operative vein approaches from combined “open” saphenous stripping-stab avulsion phlebectomy to combined “minimally invasive” endovenous ablation-transilluminated powered phlebectomy with a focus on comparing clinical outcomes. All patients undergoing a combined operative approach for concomitant saphenous vein insufficiency and associated varicose tributary veins between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2005 were identified. Patients were stratified by operative approach into 3 groups: combined saphenous vein stripping-stab avulsion phlebectomy (STRIP-PHLEB); combined saphenous vein stripping-transilluminated phlebectomy (STRIP-TPP); and combined endovenous ablation-transilluminated phlebectomy (EVAB-TPP). Clinical volume, indications, technical details, and complications were retrospectively reviewed. Over the 8-year period, there were 72 limbs in 59 patients treated with STRIP-PHLEB, 92 limbs in 81 patients with STRIP-TPP, and 99 limbs in 76 patien...
Pushbroom Laser Altimetry using Fiber Lasers and Photon Counting Detectors

We report on progress in developing a new swath mapping laser altimeter measurement approach using multiple laser measurement beams, modulated fiber lasers, photon counting detectors, and event timers for future space missions.
Academic Self-Concept of Older Adults in Career Transition.

The authors investigated the academic self-concept of students age 50 and older who are in career transition to identify their perceptions of their academic abilities and the teaching and learning environment.
Bjerknes forces between two bubbles. Part 2. Response to an oscillatory pressure field

The motion of two gas bubbles in response to an oscillatory disturbance in the ambient pressure is studied. It is shown that the relative motion of bubbles of unequal size depends on the frequency of the disturbance. If this frequency is between the two natural frequencies for volume oscillations of the individual bubbles, the two bubbles are seen to move away from each other; otherwise attractive forces prevail. Bubbles of equal size can only attract each other, irrespective of the oscillation frequency. When the Bond number, Bo (based on the average acceleration) lies above a critical region, spherical-cap shapes appear with deformation confined on the side of the bubbles facing away from the direction of acceleration. For Bo below the critical region shape oscillations spanning the entire bubble surface take place, as a result of subharmonic resonance. The presence of the oscillatory acoustic field adds one more frequency to the system and increases the possibilities for resonance. However, only subharmonic resonance is observed because it occurs on a faster timescale, O(l/s), where E is the disturbance amplitude. Furthermore, among the different possible periodic variations of the volume of each bubble, the one with the smaller period determines which Legendre mode will be excited through subharmonic resonance. Spherical-cap shapes also occur on a timescale O( 1 /e). When the bubbles are driven below resonance and for quite large amplitudes of the acoustic pressure, E % 0.8, a subharmonic signal at half the natural frequency of volume oscillations is obtained. This signal is primarily associated with the zeroth mode and corresponds to volume expansion followed by rapid collapse of the bubbles, a behaviour well documented in acoustic cavitation experiments.
Encapsulated path planning for abstraction-based control of multi-vehicle systems

We introduce an encapsulation approach to path planning for multi-vehicle control that permits other decision processes to work with simple, spatially-abstracted domain models, and partially or wholly ignore obstacles, observation uncertainty and vehicle dynamics. The encapsulation results in formal domain representations called patch models that generate path planning problems in two standard forms: patch realization and differential patch realization, that we formulate and address in this paper. We present enhancements to existing ways of partitioning the path planning problem, and also present enhancements for each component. Conditions are presented characterizing domains suitable for abstraction-based methods.
Notch-Delta signaling induces a transition from mitotic cell cycle to endocycle in Drosophila follicle cells

In many developmental processes, polyploid cells are generated by a variation of the normal cell cycle called the endocycle in which cells increase their genomic content without dividing. How the transition from the normal mitotic cycle to endocycle is regulated is poorly understood. We show that the transition from mitotic cycle to endocycle in the Drosophila follicle cell epithelium is regulated by the Notch pathway. Loss of Notch function in follicle cells or its ligand Delta function in the underlying germline disrupts the normal transition of the follicle cells from mitotic cycle to endocycle, mitotic cycling continues, leading to overproliferation of these cells. The regulation is at the transcriptional level, as Su(H), a downstream transcription factor in the pathway, is also required cell autonomously in follicle cells for proper transitioning to the endocycle. One target of Notch and Su(H) is likely to be the G2/M cell cycle regulator String, a phosphatase that activates Cdc2 by dephosphorylation. String is normally repressed in the follicle cells just before the endocycle transition, but is expressed when Notch is inactivated. Analysis of the activity of String enhancer elements in follicle cells reveals the presence of an element that promotes expression of String until just before the onset of polyploidy in wild-type follicle cells but well beyond this stage in Notch mutant follicle cells. This suggests that it may be the target of the endocycle promoting activity of the Notch pathway. A second element that is insensitive to Notch regulation promotes String expression earlier in follicle cell development, which explains why Notch, while active at both stages, represses String only at the mitotic cycle-endocycle transition.
Effects of lossless cavity-backing on power spiral antenna in time-domain

Effects of lossless cavity-backing on time-domain performance of a two-arm combined equiangular/power spiral antenna are discussed. The impact of cavity depth is studied and guidelines for achieving low pulse distortion are established. The resistive arms' termination is found to be necessary to achieve a compromise between good time and frequency performances at the expense of efficiency at low frequencies. Developed antenna with diameter to depth ratio of 8:1 has wide-angle fidelity factor of 90% while maintaining VSWR 5 dBic, and axial ratio <2.2 dB. Presented results show that the proposed antenna is viable candidate for many applications including pulsed and continuous-wave through-wall imaging, electronic attack/support measures, and ground penetrating radar. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:677–681, 2015
Finite Element Modeling of Shallow Foundations on Nonlinear Soil Medium

This paper investigates the dynamic response of shallow foundations on linear and nonlinear soil medium using finite element method. The study was motivated by the need to develop macroscopic foundation models that can realistically capture the nonlinear behavior and energy dissipation mechanism of shallow foundations. An infinitely long strip foundation resting on soil half-space is analyzed in depth to evaluate the dependence of its dynamic responses on various parameters, e.g. foundation width, material properties, input motion amplitude and frequency etc. Special attentions are paid to choose appropriate domain scale, mesh size and boundary conditions so as to minimize the often observed numerical oscillations when the outgoing waves are contaminated by the reflecting waves at boundaries. Such judicious choice results in an excellent agreement between the finite element analysis and the analytical solution of strip foundation on linear soil half-space. Closed-form formulas are developed to describe the frequency-dependent linear dynamic stiffness of strip foundation along both horizontal and vertical directions. Various nonlinear constitutive models of soil, which exhibit the yielding and kinematic hardening behavior of soil, are implemented in this study to evaluate the dynamic stiffness of strip foundation sitting on nonlinear soil medium. The finite element analyses reveal the strong dependency of response on input motion amplitude, frequency and yielding of soil. A nonlinearity indicator is developed to incorporate the combined effects of initial elastic stiffness, yielding stress and excitation amplitude. The numerical analyses presented here provide improved understanding on the nonlinear behavior and energy dissipation mechanism of shallow foundations under dynamic loads.
3D finite element calculation of harmonic electromagnetic fields

A procedure is implemented using edge-type elements for the solution of frequency-domain electromagnetic field problems. It consists of a coupled simple-layer integral equation procedure for an interior-exterior problem where a homogeneous object is under external excitation. In addition, a hybrid finite-element procedure using vectors E or H as the state variable for efficiently handling interior homogeneities is given. Some representative results are presented. >
The Classical Origins of Akamatsu's "Flying-Geese" Theory: A Note on a Missing Link to David Hume*

The ‘flying-geese” theory of economic development introduced by Kaname Akamatsu (1897-1974) of Hitotsubashi University in the mid-1930s is the only “Japan-born” theory that has so far attracted wide attention and some acceptability in the academia worldwide. Studying in Germany for two years in 1924-26, Akamatsu was strongly influenced by a number of development-stages theories expounded by the German historical school, notably Friedrich List (1789-1846), Bruno Hildebrand (1812-1878), Karl Marx (18181883), and Gustav von Schmoller (1838-1917). Akamatsu also drew on the ideas of Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804) and Henry Carey (1793-1879), both Americans, who along with List, advocated infant-industry protection in order to build national industrial development. Surprising is, however, that there is no mention of David Hume (17111776) in Akamastsu’s works despite the fact that Hume was a noted thinker on economic development and a major philosopher, who impacted both Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and Georg Wilhelm F. Hegel (1770-1831). Akamatsu was very much engrossed in Hegelian dialectic. His analysis was, in fact, couched in dialectical perspectives. What is most fascinating was that Hume (1754) observed how a rich country is destined to lose its competitiveness in manufacturing and compels its producers to “gradually shift their places, leaving those countries and provinces which they have already enriched, and flying to others, whither they are allured by the cheapness of provisions and labour” (emphasis added). Hume thus zeroed in on the core mechanism of cross-border industrial transmigration and a sequential spread of economic growth and prosperity from one emerging economy to another. His insightful observation amply adumbrated Akamatsu’s flying-geese theory, though the latter apparently missed to notice it.
Is Diet Quality Improving? Distributional Changes in the United States, 1989–2008

This article measures changes in the distribution of dietary quality among adults in the United States over the period 1989-2008. Diet quality is a direct input to health, is often used as a proxy for well-being, and is an outcome variable for a wide variety of economic interventions. For the population as a whole, we find significant improvements across all levels of diet quality. Further, we find improvements for both low-income and higher-income individuals alike. Counterfactual distributions of dietary quality are constructed to investigate the extent to which observed improvements can be attributed to changes in the nutritional content of foods and to changes in population characteristics. We find that 63% of the improvement for all adults can be attributed to changes in food formulation and demographics. Changes in food formulation account for a substantially larger percentage of the dietary improvement within the lower-income population (19.6%) vs. the higher-income population (6.4%).
Screening for Spousal or Partner Abuse in a Community Health Setting

The most frequent victims of domestic violence are women. Although estimates of spousal or partner abuse vary from 3.8% to 44%, this type of abuse is unrecognized and underreported. A screening study for abuse occurred in a community health setting. Some 2,410 women were screened. The results indicated an incidence rate of 8.4%. Health care providers have an obligation to identify, treat, and provide appropriate resources for victims of spousal abuse. Screening for spousal or partner abuse should take place in primary care settings.
Name Transliteration with Bidirectional Perceptron Edit Models

We report on our efforts as part of the shared task on the NEWS 2009 Machine Transliteration Shared Task. We applied an orthographic perceptron character edit model that we have used previously for name transliteration, enhancing it in two ways: by ranking possible transliterations according to the sum of their scores according to two models, one trained to generate left-to-right, and one right-to-left; and by constraining generated strings to be consistent with character bigrams observed in the respective language's training data. Our poor showing in the official evaluation was due to a bug in the script used to produce competition-compliant output. Subsequent evaluation shows that our approach yielded comparatively strong performance on all alphabetic language pairs we attempted.
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor-Mediated Suppression of an Inward Rectifier Current Is Linked via a cGMP Cascade.

Glutamate, the neurotransmitter released by photoreceptors, excites horizontal cells and OFF-type bipolar cells by activating ionotropic receptors. This study investigated an additional action of glutamate in which it modulates a voltage-gated ion channel in horizontal cells. We find that glutamate and APB (2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate) produce a delayed and moderately prolonged suppression of an inward rectifier current (IRK +). This effect is proposed to occur via an APB-sensitive metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) because common agonists for the ionotropic or APB-insensitive mGluRs are ineffective and the APB-insensitive receptor antagonist α-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG) does not block the actions of glutamate or APB. 8-Br-cGMP, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (IBMX), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) but not 8-Br-cAMP mimic the suppression of IRK +. The effects of glutamate and APB are blocked by protein kinase inhibitors including Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS, H-8, and H-7 as well as by ATPγS. We hypothesize that the APB receptor suppresses IRK +via upregulation of cGMP and subsequent activation of a cGMP-dependent protein kinase. This pathway is likely regulated by an ATP-dependent phosphorylation. This is a novel signaling pathway for mGluRs and indicates that at least two distinct APB-activated pathways exist in the retina. Functionally, this APB receptor-mediated action found in horizontal cells would provide a means by which spatially restricted changes of glutamate, produced by local illumination of photoreceptors, could regulate IRK + and consequently the response properties of these neurons. This would serve to adapt selectively retinal regions stimulated by small regions of the visual world.
Simultaneous Generalized Hill-Climbing Algorithms for Addressing Sets of Discrete Optimization Problems

This paper introduces simultaneous generalized hill-climbing (SGHC) algorithms as a framework for simultaneously addressing a set of related discrete optimization problems using heuristics. Many well-known heuristics can be embedded within the SGHC algorithm framework, including simulated annealing, pure local search, and threshold accepting (among others). SGHC algorithms probabilistically move between a set of related discrete optimization problems during their execution according to a problem probability mass function. When an SGHC algorithm moves between discrete optimization problems, information gained while optimizing the current problem is used to set the initial solution in the subsequent problem. The information used is determined by the practitioner for the particular set of problems under study. However, effective strategies are often apparent based on the problem description. SGHC algorithms are motivated by a discrete manufacturing process design optimization problem (that is used throughout the paper to illustrate the concepts needed to implement a SGHC algorithm). This paper discusses effective strategies for three examples of sets of related discrete optimization problems (a set of traveling salesman problems, a set of permutation flow shop problems, and a set of MAX 3-satisfiability problems). Computational results using the SGHC algorithm for randomly generated problems for two of these examples are presented. For comparison purposes, the associated generalized hill-climbing (GHC) algorithms are applied to the individual discrete optimization problems in the sets. These computational results suggest that near-optimal solutions can be reached more effectively and efficiently using SGHC algorithms.
Effect of flavophospholipol on conjugation frequency between Escherichia coli donor and recipient pairs in vitro and in the chicken gastrointestinal tract

Results: A dose-dependent reduction in transconjugant populations was observed in vitro when flavophospholipol was present in the secondary conjugation culture. The susceptibility profiles of transconjugants obtained from in vitro studies were identical to the predicted profile of the donor and recipient combination. There was no significant difference (P ‡ 0.05) in the number of transconjugants isolated from chickens among any of the flavophospholipol treatment groups when compared with the controls. The susceptibility profiles of chicken transconjugants suggested acquisition of naturally occurring plasmids. Conclusions: Flavophospholipol strongly inhibited conjugation in vitro, but did not prevent recipient E. coli from acquiring resistance determinants in vivo.
Chronic Youth: Disability, Sexuality, and US Media Cultures of Rehabilitation

Within contemporary US media culture, the imperative to overcome—be it illness, poverty, or poor self-esteem—is ubiquitous. From the spate of reality television programs insisting on making over on...
Thidoredxin-2 overexpression fails to rescue chronic high calorie diet induced hippocampal dysfunction

A high calorie diet (HCD) can impair hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive function in animal models. Mitochondrial thioredoxin 2 (TRX-2) is critical for maintaining intracellular redox status, but whether it can protect against HCD-induced impairment of synaptic plasticity is unknown. We found that levels of TRX-2 are reduced in the hippocampus of wild type mice maintained for 8 months on a HCD, and that the mice on the HCD exhibit impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation at CA1 synapses) and cognitive function (novel object recognition). Transgenic mice overexpressing human TRX-2 (hTRX-2) exhibit increased resistance to diquat-induced oxidative stress in peripheral tissues. However, neither the HCD nor hTRX-2 overexpression affected levels of lipid peroxidation products (F2 isoprostanes) in the hippocampus, and hTRX-2 transgenic mice were not protected against the adverse effects of the HCD on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive function. Our findings indicate that TRX-2 overexpression does not mitigate adverse effects of a HCD on synaptic plasticity, and also suggest that oxidative stress may not be a pivotal factor in the impairment of synaptic plasticity and cognitive function caused by HCDs.
A statistical analysis of the effects of Scrum and Kanban on software development projects

Traditionally, software development processes have relied on the use of the "Waterfall" and "Vee" models. Later, Agile methodologies were used to handle the challenges of managing complex projects during the development phase. Agile methodologies are a group of incremental and iterative methods that are more effective, and have been used in project management. Kanban and Scrum are two powerful Agile project management approaches in software development. The objective of Scrum and Kanban is achieved by optimizing the development process by identifying the tasks, managing time more effectively, and setting-up teams. A review of the literature reveals that there is a lack of statistical evidence to conclude which methodology is more effective in dealing with the traditional project management factors of budget handling, risk control, quality of the project, available resources, having clear project scope, and schedule handling. This research statistically compares the effectiveness of the Scrum and Kanban methods in terms of their effects on the project management factors for software development projects. Numerical analysis is performed based on survey responses from those with experience in the Scrum and Kanban methods. Results suggest that both Scrum and Kanban lead to the development of successful projects, and that the Kanban method can be better than the Scrum method in terms of managing project schedule. Statistical analysis of Scrum vs. Kanban according to project management factors.Data obtained from surveys of people involved in software development.Analysis suggests that Kanban is slightly better than Scrum for the Schedule factor.
Systemic manifestations of traumatic brain injury

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects functioning of various organ systems in the absence of concomitant non-neurologic organ injury or systemic infection. The systemic manifestations of TBI can be mild or severe and can present in the acute phase or during the recovery phase. Non-neurologic organ dysfunction can manifest following mild TBI or severe TBI. The pathophysiology of systemic manifestations following TBI is multifactorial and involves an effect on the autonomic nervous system, involvement of the hypothalamic–pituitary axis, release of inflammatory mediators, and treatment modalities used for TBI. Endocrine dysfunction, electrolyte imbalance, and respiratory manifestations are common following TBI. The influence of TBI on systemic immune response, coagulation cascade, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, and other systems is becoming more evident through animal studies and clinical trials. Systemic manifestations can independently act as risk factors for mortality and morbidity following TBI. Some conditions like neurogenic pulmonary edema and disseminated intravascular coagulation can adversely affect the outcome. Early recognition and treatment of systemic manifestations may improve the clinical outcome following TBI. Further studies are required especially in the field of neuroimmunology to establish the role of various biochemical cascades, not only in the pathophysiology of TBI but also in its systemic manifestations and outcome.
Market-Sharing in the Packing Industry

Market-sharing of some sort has apparently been a phenomenon of the packing industry for 40 or 50 years. Between 1890 and 1902 it took the form of dressed-meat pools in which quotas on dressed meats and division of sales territory were established for the several large firms. These pools were halted by Supreme Court injunction in 1903. The large packers next tried to form a merger-a common means of evading the anti-trust laws at that time-but the financial panic of 1903 prevented its fulfillment. From 1903 to 1912, however, the three major packers jointly owned property resulting from the attempted merger, until threat of a civil suit brought its dissolution.
Analysis of the response-inhibition concept of septal functions in “passive-avoidance” behavior

The effects of septal lesions in rats on “passive avoidance” of a food-reinforced lever response were studied in relation to strength of response tendency and intensity of shock. The lesion impairment related initially to strength of response. But, unlike control performance, increased shock failed to deter responding by septal Ss.