cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variation in needle longevity of Pinus tabulaeformis forests at different geographic scales

Needle longevity of conifer species is known to increase with latitude, but little is known about intraspecific variation and associated factors within a location. Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) forests were investigated to identify patterns of needle longevity at seven sites with distinctive climatic conditions along a latitudinal gradient (33-38° N) in Shaanxi province, northwest China. A demographic approach was used to quantify needle longevity as an index of entire foliage population adjusted to needle-age-specific mortality rates. There were significant differences in needle longevity of Chinese pine stands across sites and across sample plots within a site. Individual tree needle longevity ranged from 0.62 to 3.75 years for 276 samples across sites. Needle longevity increased with latitude (R 2 = 0.40, P < 0.0001), but decreased with mean January temperature (R 2 = 0.63, P < 0.0001). Foliage retention of Chinese pine stands at the regional level was generally associated with climatic variability, indicating that variation in needle longevity was primarily an environmental acclimation to low temperature in winter. Stand characteristics were closely associated with needle longevity at three sites located within the same climatic zone. Needle longevity was positively correlated with tree age (R 2 = 0.48, P < 0.0001) and stand density (R 2 = 0.26, P = 0.0015) at Huanglong and Huangling, respectively, whereas it was negatively associated with total tree height at Zhidan (R 2 = 0.50, P < 0.0001). It is concluded that, at the stand and individual tree level, intraspecific variation in needle longevity is most likely a result of adaptation to patchy microsite environments.
Inactive of l-lactate monooxygenase by nitration with tetranitromethane

Abstract l -Lactate monooxygenase is rapidly and irreversibly inactivated by reaction with tetranitromethane at 30 °C by a process which is first order in tetranitromethane and in enzyme. The rate of inactivation is increased by the deprotonation of a group with an apparent pKa of 6.6. Binding of the competitive inhibitors acetate, d -lactate, or oxalate to the enzyme provides essentially complete protection from inactivation. Although excess tetranitromethane and long incubation times result in the oxidation of sulfhydryl groups, complete loss of catalytic activity is accompanied by nitration of a single tyrosine per subunit without polymerization of the enzyme with less vigorous conditions. Nitration of the enzyme results in loss of the ability of the coenzyme to be reduced by substrate, partial loss of the reactivity of the coenzyme toward sulfite, and complete loss of the ability of the apoprotein to bind the flavin cofactor. The essential tyrosine appears to be located at the active site of the enzyme and may be directly involved in the catalytic mechanism.
beta-Tubulin mutation suppresses microtubule dynamics in vitro and slows mitosis in vivo.

Microtubule (MT) dynamics vary both spatially and temporally within cells and are thought to be important for proper MT cellular function. Because MT dynamics appear to be closely tied to the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity of β-tubulin subunits, we examined the importance of MT dynamics in the budding yeast S. cerevisiae by introducing a T107K point mutation into a region of the single β-tubulin gene, TUB2, known to affect the assembly-dependent GTPase activity of MTs in vitro. Analysis of MT dynamic behavior by video-enhanced differential interference contrast microscopy, revealed that T107K subunits slowed both the growth rates and catastrophic disassembly rates of individual MTs in vitro. In haploid cells tub2-T107K is lethal; but in tub2-T107K/tub2-590 heterozygotes the mutation is viable, dominant, and slows cell-cycle progression through mitosis, without causing wholesale disruption of cellular MTs. The correlation between the slower growing and shortening rates of MTs in vitro, and the slower mitosis in vivo suggests that MT dynamics are important in budding yeast and may regulate the rate of nuclear movement and segregation. The slower mitosis in mutant celis did not result in premature cytokinesis and cell death, further suggesting that cell-cycle control mechanisms “sense” the mitotic slowdown, possibly by monitoring MT dynamics directly. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Compact electron beam accelerator driven by a high-voltage piezoelectric transformer

Summary form only given. A compact electron beam accelerator driven by a lithium niobate piezoelectric transformer was used to produce beams with energies greater than 100 keV. Charge was directly extracted from the transformer output using field-electron emitters. Electric fields generated by the transformer accelerated the charge into a grounded metallic target. The resultant bremsstrahlung radiation was used as a direct measurement of beam voltage. Time-dependent analysis of the x-ray spectra showed that electron beam production was limited to approximately one-minute intervals. This limitation was attributed to the accumulation of surface charge at the transformer output.
Quantitation of pancuronium, 3-desacetylpancuronium, vecuronium, 3-desacetylvecuronium, pipecuronium and 3-desacetylpipecuronium in biological fluids by capillary gas chromatography using nitrogen-sensitive detection

Abstract A sensitive and specific capillary gas chromatographic (GC) assay was developed for the quantitation of the quaternary ammonium steroidal neuromuscular blocking drugs pancuronium (PANC), vecuronium (VEC) and pipecuronium (PIP), as well as the metabolites 3-desacetylpancuronium (3-desPANC) and 3-desacetylvecuronium (3-desVEC) in plasma, bile and urine; the putative metabolite 3-desacetylpipecuronium (3-desPIP) was extracted and quantitated only in urine. The procedure employed a single dichloromethane extraction of the iodide ion-pairs of the monoquaternary or bisquaternary ammonium compounds (including internal and external standards) from acidified, ether-washed biological fluid followed by the formation of stable O- tert .-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives at the 3-hydroxy steroidal position of the metabolites. An automated capillary GC system fitted with a nitrogen-sensitive detector and an integrator was then used to analyze and quantitate both parent compounds and their derivatized metabolites. Optimal extraction, derivatization and GC conditions, as well as short-term stability and recoveries of these drugs and metabolites in plasma, are reported. Electron ionization mass spectrometry combined with GC was used to confirm the identities of compounds eluted from the column. The assay demonstrated a 10 3 -fold linear range up to 5000 ng/ml for PANC, VEC, 3-desVEC and PIP, and lower limits of detection with adequate precision of 2 ng/ml for PANC, VEC and PIP, and 4 ng/ml for 3-desVEC; 3-desPANC was linear from 8 to 500 ng/ml while 3-desPIP was linear from 25 to 1000 ng/ml. The precision (coefficient of variation) of the calibration curves for underivatized drugs and their derivatized metabolites over the linear ranges was 2–20% and the reproducibility of the assay over a range of clinical concentrations of these drugs found in human plasma was 5–16% for PANC, 2–4% for VEC and 6–11% for PIP. No interferences were detected in the assay of plasma samples from 106 surgical patients.
"And How does it Look in America?": H. F. J. Kropff's Historic Report on U.S. Marketing

A 1939 report on the state of U.S. marketing by veteran Austrian advertising consultant H. F J. Kropff, translated and presented in large part here, provides a fine picture of the depth, sophistication, and power of U.S. marketing thought and practice half a century ago. Kropff's report yields implications of considerable value to marketing strategists, policy planners, and marketing educators.
Planning an energy-conserving policy for Taiwan based on international examples of success

Abstract Taiwan lacks indigenous energy resources and imports 99% of its energy supply. This heavy energy-dependence represents a hidden threat for Taiwan's energy security and economic development. The most effective solution thus is to adopt an energy-conservation policy, similar to those successfully implemented in certain highly developed countries, such as the UK, the USA, Japan, and Germany. From the successful experiences of these countries, this study proposes a general mechanism of increasing energy efficiency by 2% annually, together with an executive master plan, followed by a scenario breakdown for energy-conserving policy in Taiwan. The feasibility of these proposals has been confirmed by the finding that their achievements in terms of energy saving and CO2 emission reduction conform to the goals of the “Taiwan National Energy Conference 2005”.
Functional and gene expression analysis of the p53 signaling pathway in clear cell sarcoma of the kidney and congenital mesoblastic nephroma.

Mutation of p53 has been implicated in progression of classical Wilms tumor (WT) into the anaplastic variant (AWT), drug resistance, and poor prognosis. Because of prognostic similarities, clear ce...
Alarm prediction in large-scale sensor networks — A case study in railroad

Sensor network is broadly used across industries to monitor equipment conditions. Huge volume of information collected from a large set of sensors poses great challenges to make inferences for prediction of significant events. We collaborate with a US Class I railway company and apply advanced analytics techniques to be able to predict alarms associated with catastrophic equipment failures several days ahead of time. We use the case study in railroad to demonstrate the techniques to address the big data concerns. In addition, the alarm-prediction rule development needs to satisfy the critical constraints to meet the high standards of prediction accuracy combined with human interpretability in railroad industry. We build customized SVM algorithm to meet the requirements. By adding a unique and remarkable feature of human interpretability to the rules we develop, our solution is able to facilitate the decision making process of operators and lead to efficient operational decision support.
Self-administered vaginal swabs are a feasible alternative to physician-assisted cervical swabs for sexually transmitted infection screening in the emergency department.

Background: Screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the emergency department (ED) is limited by the need for pelvic examination. It has been suggested that using self-administered vaginal swabs (SAVS) for this purpose may save time and resources and may be more comfortable for patients. Objectives: The objective was to test the feasibility of using SAVS for STI screening in the ED. Methods: This was a prospective study of female ED patients 18 to 55 years old who consented to physician-assisted cervical swab (PACS) and SAVS in two urban teaching hospitals. The ED personnel offered the test to all patients, whether or not a pelvic examination was indicated, based on their chief complaint. All specimens were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Categorical data are presented as percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Patients with a positive test result for Chlamydia trachomatis and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae were considered positive for STI. PACS were used as the criterion standard. Results: One-hundred sixty-two subjects were enrolled from July 2006 to July 2007 (mean [±SD] age = 32 [±10] years). Eighty-one percent of patients had a genitourinary symptom (most common: vaginal bleeding/spotting). SAVS had a sensitivity of 91% (95% CI = 60% to 99%), specificity of 99% (95% CI = 95% to 99%), positive likelihood ratio of 91, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.09 in diagnosing STIs. None of the patients reported difficulty or discomfort using this technique. Conclusions: Self-administered vaginal swabs can be utilized as a feasible alternative to PACS for STI screening in the ED.
Hypoxia increases plasma glutathione disulfide in rats

We tested the hypothesis that hypoxia causes cellular oxidative stress by measuring plasma concentrations of glutathione disulfide (GSSG) in rats exposed to acute and subacute hypoxia. In awake, unanesthetized, catheter-implanted rats, exposure to 8% O2 for 10 min caused pulmonary vasoconstriction and increased plasma GSSG. This increase in plasma GSSG was reversible upon re-exposure to room air. In another group of rats exposed to 48 hours of hypobaric hypoxia (Pb 450 mmHg, equivalent to about 14,500 feet altitude), plasma GSSG, but not total glutathione, was significantly increased over control values (2.83±0.24 vs 1.84±0.14 nmol/ml,p<0.05). While lung tissue GSSG in high altitude-exposed rats were somewhat higher than in controls (17.4±7.0 vs 11.9±3.6 nmol/g wet lung wt.), the difference was not statistically significant. Treatment of the rats with a radical scavenger, DMSO, before altitude exposure, blocked the increase in plasma GSSG (1.86±0.16 nmol/ml). We conclude that both acute and subacute hypoxia increase plasma GSSG in rats and speculate that hypoxia induces cellular oxidative stress in vivo.
Modal analysis for random vibration of hysteretic frames

An algorithm is presented for the direct stiffness formulation of hysteretic frames which is suitable for random vibration analysis under zero mean or non-zero mean random excitation. A modal transformation is used to reduce the number of active degrees of freedom. First and second order response statistics are presented for two example frames using stochastic equivalent linearization and Monte Carlo simulation. The modal transformation stabilizes the stationary response calculation algorithm by eliminating superfluous higher modes. The iterations for transient response calculations under non-zero mean excitations are destabilized by elimination of too many modes. The modal transformation allows reasonable response estimates to be obtained with significant reductions in computing time. The expected lower modes dominate the response, but inclusion of several higher modes is necessary to provide reasonable response estimates.
Czochralski-type crystal growth in transverse magnetic fields

Te-doped inSb single crystal growth in transverse magnetic fields, using Czochralski crystal puller
On the statistical and theoretical basis of signal detection theory and extensions: Unequal variance, random coefficient, and mixture models

Abstract Basic results for conditional means and variances, as well as distributional results, are used to clarify the similarities and differences between various extensions of signal detection theory (SDT). It is shown that a previously presented motivation for the unequal variance SDT model (varying strength) actually leads to a related, yet distinct, model. The distinction has implications for other extensions of SDT, such as models with criteria that vary over trials. It is shown that a mixture extension of SDT is also consistent with unequal variances, but provides a different interpretation of the results; mixture SDT also offers a way to unify results found across several types of studies.
Patients and prisoners: the ethics of lethal injection

In the United States there are at least ten states which permit execution by lethal injection. Prison doctors do not themselves administer the lethal injection, but they do supervise the technicians who do so and pronounce the prisoner dead. In this essay I want to explore, from the perspective of a moral philosopher, the ethics of physician participation in administering capital punishment. Is it a violation of medical ethics for a doctor to participate directly in lethal injection? Does it matter exactly what the nature of that participation is? What is the connection between the existence of a professional code of ethics and one's moral duties and responsibilities? How do one's moral views about lethal injection fit in with other controversial medical practices such as euthanasia?
Pathways for fatty acid elongation and desaturation in Neurospora crassa

Neurospora crassa incorporated exogenous deuterated palmitate (16:0) and 14C-labeled oleate (18:1 delta 9) into cell lipids. Of the exogenous 18:1 delta 9 incorporated, 59% was desaturated to 18:2 delta 9,12 and 18:3 delta 9,12,15. Of the exogenous 16:0 incorporated, 20% was elongated to 18:0, while 37% was elongated and desaturated into 18:1 delta 9, 18:2 delta 9,12, and 18:3 delta 9,12,15. The mass of unsaturated fatty acids in phospholipid and triacylglycerol is 12 times greater than the mass of 18:0. Deuterium label incorporation in unsaturated fatty acids is only twofold greater than in 18:0, indicating a sixfold preferential use of 16:0 for saturated fatty acid synthesis. These results indicate that the release of 16:0 from fatty acid synthase is a key control point that influences fatty acid composition in Neurospora.
Mutation analysis of the EMX2 gene in Kallmann’s syndrome ☆

Abstract Objective: To investigate the possibility that a mutation in the human EMX2 gene may be involved in Kallmann's syndrome. Design: In vitro experiment. Setting: Academic Medical Center. Patients: One hundred and twenty patients with Kallman's syndrome or idiopathic hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (IHH). Intervention: Peripheral blood leukocytes were used to obtain DNA. Main outcomes measures: Single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was used to identify possible mutations of the EMX2 gene. Results: One hundred and twenty patients with Kallmann's syndrome or IHH, had no mutations noted in this gene. Conclusion: It is unlikely that EMX2 mutations are a clinically significant cause of IHH or Kallman's syndrome.
Social Competitiveness and Plasticity of Neuroendocrine Function in Old Age: Influence of Neonatal Novelty Exposure and Maternal Care Reliability

Early experience is known to have a profound impact on brain and behavioral function later in life. Relatively few studies, however, have examined whether the effects of early experience remain detectable in the aging animal. Here, we examined the effects of neonatal novelty exposure, an early stimulation procedure, on late senescent rats' ability to win in social competition. During the first 3 weeks of life, half of each litter received daily 3-min exposures to a novel environment while the other half stayed in the home cage. At 24 months of age, pairs of rats competed against each other for exclusive access to chocolate rewards. We found that novelty-exposed rats won more rewards than home-staying rats, indicating that early experience exerts a life-long effect on this aspect of social dominance. Furthermore, novelty-exposed but not home-staying rats exhibited habituation of corticosterone release across repeated days of social competition testing, suggesting that early experience permanently enhances plasticity of the stress response system. Finally, we report a surprising finding that across individual rat families, greater effects of neonatal novelty exposure on stress response plasticity were found among families whose dams provided more reliable, instead of a greater total quantity of, maternal care.
A comparison of the advertising and accessibility of cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and loose tobacco.

Abstract Background. Tobacco products were compared in regard to their price, point-of-purchase advertising, accessibility to shoplifters, and rate of sale to minors. Methods. An experimental design compared the rates of illegal sales to minors of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and cigars. Observational surveys of 102 stores measured the number of advertisements for four tobacco products, the manner in which products were displayed, and their accessibility to shoplifters. Results. Illegal sales rates were similar for cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and cigars. Cigars were the least expensive. Cigarettes were the most heavily advertised product, followed by chewing tobacco, cigars, and loose tobacco. Cigarettes were the most accessible to shoplifters. All types of tobacco products were displayed to permit the package to serve as advertising. Conclusions. Point-of-purchase advertising for cigars may be increasing, and their lower price makes them more affordable to youths. Food and Drug Administration regulations that limit point-of-purchase advertising for tobacco products should be expanded to include cigars. Manufacturers pay retailers for the placement of product displays that allow the package to be used as an advertisement without the appearance of the Surgeon General's warning. Generic packaging may be necessary to protect children from point-of-purchase advertising.
Trapp Stimulates Guanine Nucleotide Exchange on Ypt1p

TRAPP, a novel complex that resides on early Golgi, mediates the targeting of ER-to-Golgi vesicles to the Golgi apparatus. Previous studies have shown that YPT1, which encodes the small GTP-binding protein that regulates membrane traffic at this stage of the secretory pathway, interacts genetically with BET3 and BET5. Bet3p and Bet5p are 2 of the 10 identified subunits of TRAPP. Here we show that TRAPP preferentially binds to the nucleotide-free form of Ypt1p. Mutants with defects in several TRAPP subunits are temperature-sensitive in their ability to displace GDP from Ypt1p. Furthermore, the purified TRAPP complex accelerates nucleotide exchange on Ypt1p. Our findings imply that Ypt1p, which is present on ER-to-Golgi transport vesicles, is activated at the Golgi once it interacts with TRAPP.
RATIONAL CHOICE AND SUPREME COURT DECISION MAKING: A REVIEW ESSAY

This review essay offers a broad overview of the history of the uses of rational choice theory to study decision making on the Supreme Court and presents and critiques two topics from the past. The first involves the size of the opinion coalitions on the Court and the second concerns the outcome-prediction strategy in certiorari voting. The two models regarding the size of the opinion coalitions are shown to be based on unrealistic assumptions, while there is empirical support for the outcome-prediction strategy. These mixed results are explained. This essay also suggests a list of questions for possible future research.
Modulation of the immune response to Listeria monocytogenes by benzene inhalation.

Abstract Benzene is a potent bone marrow toxicant. While all blood cell types are targets for benzene poisoning, lymphocytes are particularly sensitive. The immunotoxic consequences of benzene or its metabolites have been demonstrated in a number of in vitro studies; however, little data exist regarding the effects of benzene on host resistance to infectious agents. This investigation examined the effects of benzene on murine resistance to an infectious agent, Listeria monocytogenes . Four concentrations of benzene were employed, 10, 30, 100, and 300 ppm. To determine recovery from the effects of benzene, two exposure regimens were employed: 5 days prior to infection (preexposure), or 5 days prior to and 7 days during infection (continuous exposure). Appropriate air controls were maintained. Splenic bacterial counts and immune responsive cell populations were determined from mice killed at Days 1, 4, and 7 of infection. Preexposure to benzene produced increased bacterial numbers at Day 4 of the infection only at the highest benzene concentration (300 ppm). In contrast, continuous exposure produced increased bacterial numbers at Day 4 of infection at all but the lowest benzene concentration (10 ppm). Bacteria counts were not increased in any benzene-treated group at Day 1 or Day 7 of infection. The increased bacterial numbers at Day 4 suggest an effect on cell-mediated immune responses. Both T and B lymphocytes were particularly sensitive to benzene exhibiting reductions at all concentrations ≥ 30 ppm for both exposure regimens. Esterase-positive cells, however, were relatively resistant to benzenes effects. The results point to a benzene-induced delay in the immune response to L. monocytogenes .
Feasibility and optimization of rigidified inflatable structures for housing

Rigidified inflatable structures (RIS), previously used and tested in space technology applications, are of potential interest to residential construction. RIS technology is examined and the case of a single, exterior wall subjected to wind and roof load is considered. A design approach for RIS technology in residential construction is presented. Models based on three different materials and three different loading conditions are analyzed and optimized. The optimization problem statement minimizes material volume subject to: permissible stresses, maximum allowable deflection, and minimum membrane thickness. Design criteria include yield stress, deflection, and buckling. Optimum range of membrane thicknesses and number of bays are determined for each load and material case. Practical issues involving manufacturing and packaging are considered as additional design considerations. Additional suggested research involving reinforcing membranes and cavity filling is discussed. The work presented makes a significant step in establishing the feasibility of RIS for housing applications.
Temporal decorrelation of short laser pulses

We describe a unique approach for extracting the temporal profile of ultrashort laser pulses from typical autocorrelation measurements. The use of the constraint that intensity is a nonnegative quantity enables an iterative numerical algorithm to reconstruct pulse shapes in a one-dimensional procedure. With the reconstruction of the intensity profile, the Gerchberg–Saxton algorithm can be used to retrieve the phase of the electric field from a spectral measurement. Because these procedures are carried out in one dimension, they are numerically much faster than two-dimensional techniques such as frequency-resolved optical gating. Their high computational efficiency can save substantial time by constructing good trial solutions for the more accurate but slower procedure of frequency-resolved optical gating.
Phase I trial of high-dose etoposide, high-dose cisplatin, and reinfusion of autologous bone marrow for lung cancer.

We undertook a phase I trial using fixed-dose cisplatin, escalating doses of etoposide, and reinfusion of previously obtained autologous bone marrow in 29 relapsed or refractory small cell and non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Median age was 59 years (range of 38-68 years). Three patients had small-cell and 26 patients had non-small-cell lung cancer. Patients received i.v. cisplatin 200 mg/m2 over 5 days and i.v. etoposide 600 mg/m2/day for 3 days (total of 1,800 mg/m2) that was escalated to 800, 1,000, 1,200, 1,400, and 1,600 mg/m2/day for 3 days (total of 2,400-4,800 mg/m2). Cryopreserved autologous bone marrow was thawed and reinfused through a central venous catheter the second day after the completion of chemotherapy. Toxicities included nausea, vomiting, alopecia, high-tone hearing loss, mucositis, diarrhea, renal insufficiency, metabolic acidosis, and severe myelosuppression. The duration of neutropenia (less than 500 neutrophils/microliter) ranged from 5 to 22 days (median of 11 days) and the duration of severe thrombocytopenia (platelets of less than 20,000/microliters untransfused) ranged from 2 to 19 days (median of 9 days). Reversible renal insufficiency (peak serum creatinines of 6.7, 6.6, 4.3, and 3.5 mg/dl) occurred in four patients who completed the therapy. In three patients, death occurred within 4 weeks of chemotherapy and marrow reinfusion. Three complete and 12 partial remissions (range of 1+(-)22+ months, median of 3 months) were observed. No response was noted in eight patients and tumor progression within 1 month of transplant occurred in two patients. The maximally tolerated dose of etoposide was 1,400 mg/m2/day (total of 4,200 mg/m2), since two of three patients developed life-threatening diarrhea at the 1,600 mg/m2/day (total of 4,800 mg/m2) dose. The encouraging antitumor effects of this regimen suggest that this approach may be useful therapy for lung cancer and other tumors sensitive to VP-16 and cisplatin.
Egyptian women, revolution and the making of a visual public sphere

The theory of visibility as a site of performativity for social practices and relations between women opens up new perspectives and methods for the explorations of areas previously neglected in the fields of cultural studies and gender and women’s studies related to the question of women, revolution and the making of a visual public sphere in Egypt. Drawing a line of connection between the 2011 and the 1919 revolutions, this article reflects back on the 1919 revolution and its aftermath in order to explore the gap that the archival documents have left out in the study of the historical experience of women’s contribution to the emergence of a visual public sphere in Egypt.
Optimization of Transmission Mode Metallic (Aluminum) Photocathodes

Abstract Transmission mode metallic photocathodes are studied, especially for aluminum ones, to test complete 8“x8” largearea planar photodetectors in ambient condition. We have derived a quantitative model for transmission mode metallic photocathodes which permits optimization of the thickness of these cathodes (approximately 15∼20 nm) and estimation of quantum efficiency based on the theory and the known parameters from the literatures.
Lupus band test: clinical applications.

Abstract The presence of immunoglobulin deposits at the dermal-epidermal junction (DE J) in skin lesions of patients with lupus erythematosus (LE) was first noted by Burnham and co-workers 1 in 1963. Independently, Cormane 2 in 1964, noted the same findings but also reported that similar immunoglobulin deposition occurs in normal-appearing skin of patients with systemic LE (SLE). Tan and Kunkel, 3 Ten Have-Opbroek, 4 and Pohle and Tuffanelli 5 soon confirmed these findings and suggested that the presence of immunoglobulin deposits in normal-appearing skin provided a means of differentiating chronic discoid LE (DLE) and SLE. Although not positive in all cases of SLE, the "lupus band" test or LE band test (immunoglobulin deposits in clinically normal skin) is one of several useful tests for confirming the diagnosis of SLE.
Towards undistorted and noise-free speech in an MRI scanner: Correlation subtraction followed by spectral noise gating

Noise cancellation in an MRI environment is difficult due to the high noise levels that are in the spectral range of human speech. This paper describes a two-step method to cancel MRI noise that combines operations in both the time domain (correlation subtraction) and the frequency domain (spectral noise gating). The resulting filtered recording has a noise power suppression of over 100 dB, a significant improvement over previously described techniques on MRI noise cancellation. The distortion is lower and the noise suppression higher than using spectral noise gating in isolation. Implementation of this method will aid in detailed studies of speech in relation to vocal tract and velopharyngeal function.
Design and synthesis of a series of substituted polyphenylene-thiophenes

A series of substituted phenylene-thienyl based conducting polymers have been synthesized where fluorine and alkoxy functionalities have been systematically incorporated into the phenylene moiety. The structures of the monomers and the polymers were confirmed by spectroscopy. Thin films were obtained by chemical and electrochemical deposition. The polymers demonstrated a wide variation of solubility, optical absorption, electrical conductivity, and electrochemical properties.
Extension of the rough hard-sphere theory for transport properties to polar liquids

A simple extension of the rough hard-sphere theory is proposed to describe the thermal conductivity and viscosity of a wide variety of polar compounds. The method is based on the known transport pr...
Do Variations in the Strength of Corporate Governance Still Matter? A Comparison of the Pre- and Post-Regulation Environment

Corporate scandals brought the issue of corporate governance to the forefront of the agendas of lawmakers and regulators in the early 2000s. As a result, Congress, the New York Stock Exchange, and the NASDAQ enacted standards to improve the quality of corporate governance, thereby enhancing the quantity and quality of disclosures by listed companies. We investigate the relationship between corporate governance strength and the quality of disclosures in pre- and post-regulation time periods. If cross-sectional differences in corporate governance policies affect the quality of financial disclosures, the quality of information available to analysts varies with such policies. Specifically, higher quality disclosures, produced as a result of strong corporate governance, should lead to more accurate and less dispersed analysts’ forecasts. Our analysis suggests that voluntary implementation of stronger corporate governance enhanced the quality of disclosures in the pre-regulation period; however, exceeding current corporate governance standards does not appear to result in higher quality disclosures post-regulation. These results suggest that SOX and the stronger regulations enacted by U.S. exchanges were effective in reducing variation in the quality of financial information available to investors.
Relationship between acetaldehyde levels and cell survival in ethanol‐metabolizing hepatoma cells

We have created a number of recombinant Hep G2 cell lines, designated VA cells, that constitutively express alcohol dehydrogenase. Oxidation of ethanol by the VA cells results in the production and accumulation of acetaldehyde, and a dramatic increase in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced (NADH)/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) ratio (redox-state). It is believed that production of acetaldehyde, and the increase in the redox-state of hepatocytes, are responsible for many of the dysfunctions associated with alcoholic liver disease. When the VA cells were cultured in the presence of ethanol, we observed a dramatic reduction in cell accumulation. This reduction was more pronounced in cells that metabolized ethanol more efficiently. Inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase activity abolished this reduction, demonstrating that ethanol oxidation was required for this dysfunction. Subsequent investigations indicated that this ethanol oxidation-mediated reduction in cell accumulation was the result of both cytotoxicity and impaired DNA synthesis. To dissociate the increase in the cellular redox-state from acetaldehyde production, VA cells were cultured in the presence of isopropanol. The oxidation of isopropanol results in similar redox changes, but the metabolic by-product of isopropanol oxidation is acetone. The metabolism of isopropanol by VA cells resulted in very little reduction in cell number. Furthermore, treatment of ethanol-metabolizing VA cells with the aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor, cyanamide, increased the levels of acetaldehyde and resulted in an additional reduction in cell number. In conclusion, these studies indicated that exposure to acetaldehyde caused cytotoxicity, as well as the ethanol oxidation-mediated reduction in cell number.
Ajmalicine production in methyl jasmonate-induced Catharanthus roseus cell cultures depends on Ca2+ level.

Cytosolic Ca2+ and jasmonate mediate signals that induce defense responses in plants. In this study, the interaction between Ca2+ and methyl jasmonate (MJ) in modulating defense responses was investigated by monitoring ajmalicine production in Catharanthus roseus suspension cultures. C. roseus suspensions were treated with nine combinations of CaCl2 (3, 23, and 43 mM) and MJ (0, 10, and 100 μM) on day 6 of growth. Increased Ca2+ influx through the addition of extracellular CaCl2 suppressed ajmalicine production in MJ-induced cultures. The highest ajmalicine production (4.75 mg/l) was observed when cells were treated with a low level of calcium (3 mM) combined with a high level of MJ (100 μM). In the presence of 3 mM CaCl2 in the medium, the addition of Ca2+ chelator EGTA (1, 2.5, and 5 mM) or Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil (1, 10, and 50 μM) to MJ-induced (100 μM) cultures on day 6 also inhibited ajmalicine production at higher levels of the Ca2+ inhibitors. Hence, ajmalicine production in MJ-induced C. roseus cultures depended on the intracellular Ca2+ concentration and a low extracellular Ca2+ concentration (3 mM) enhanced MJ-induced ajmalicine production.
Response of a stream diatom community to top predator manipulations

I investigated the effects top predator manipulations have on the community structure of benthic diatoms in a small, third-ordered stream ecosystem. Following the concept of trophic cascades in food webs, changes in top predator abundance should, via herbivore elimination, influence community metrics and species composition of stream periphyton. Using in situ stream enclosures, I varied the density of two common stream predators, sculpin and a perlid stonefly larva. Over three weeks, in three seasons, I sampled both invertebrate prey and diatoms from tiles placed in each enclosure. Diatoms did respond to predator manipulations. Changes in diversity, species richness, evenness, and dominance varied with treatment and between seasons. Cluster analysis showed pronounced assemblage dissimilarities before and after predator manipulations. However, species composition did not change between treatments, though rankings of the ten most abundant species did shift. Top predators can alter the community composition and structure of stream benthic algae indirectly through grazer suppression and directly by disruption due to foraging activity. This study demonstrates that top predators can impact nonadjacent trophic levels and that predator type and abundance should be considered when comparing diatom communities temporally and spatially.
Diagnosis and management of acute cholangitis

Bacterial infection that occurs in the setting of biliary obstruction can lead to acute cholangitis, a condition characterized by fever, abdominal pain and jaundice. Choledocholithiasis is the most common cause of acute cholangitis and is often associated with bacterial infection and colonization in addition to biliary obstruction. Iatrogenic introduction of bacteria into the biliary system most commonly occurs during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with biliary obstruction. The majority of patients with acute cholangitis respond to antibiotic therapy, but endoscopic biliary drainage is ultimately required to treat the underlying obstruction. Acute cholangitis is often diagnosed using the clinical Charcot triad criteria; however, recommendations from an international consensus meeting in Tokyo produced the most comprehensive recommendations for the diagnosis and management of acute cholangitis. These guidelines enable a more accurate diagnosis of acute cholangitis than do earlier methods, and they facilitate the classification of disease as mild, moderate or severe. Although these guidelines represent a notable advance toward defining a universally accepted consensus for the definition of acute cholangitis, they have several limitations. This Review discusses current recommendations for the diagnosis of acute cholangitis and addresses the advantages and disadvantages of different modalities for the treatment of this disease.
A cell kinetics model for prostate cancer and its application to clinical data and individual patients.

Abstract A cell kinetics model is developed to describe the evolution of prostate cancer (PC) from diagnosis to PC specific death. Such a model can be used to estimate an individual's eventual outcome and thus to inform decisions about therapy. To describe the observed clinical progression, the model must postulate three PC cell populations that are (1) local to the prostate and sensitive to hormones, (2) regional and hormone sensitive, and (3) systemic and hormone resistant. A set of coupled first-order differential equations describes the exponential growth of a PC tumor as well as its transformation from a local to systemic disease. The time dependence of the solutions is scaled to the doubling time of the prostate specific antigen (PSADT) because it characterizes the tumor growth for the individual. The conversion from local to systemic cell populations is described with a parameter α that can be associated with the Gleason score. The model also has three critical cell populations that describe (1) the initiation of the non-local populations, (2) the saturation level of the local tumor, and (3) the cell count likely to cause PC specific death. These parameters are calibrated by reproducing published PC clinical data and survival tables. The model is then applied to individuals with complete PC diagnostic data in order to calculate the progression to PC specific death. One man has early stage PC as described in the ‘vignette’ patient of Walsh et al. (2007. N. Engl. J. Med. 357, 2696–2705). The second man has a more serious condition and has undergone both local and systemic treatments. Unfortunately, I am that patient.
Regularized learning in Banach spaces as an optimization problem: representer theorems

We view regularized learning of a function in a Banach space from its finite samples as an optimization problem. Within the framework of reproducing kernel Banach spaces, we prove the representer theorem for the minimizer of regularized learning schemes with a general loss function and a nondecreasing regularizer. When the loss function and the regularizer are differentiable, a characterization equation for the minimizer is also established.
Effect of anti-ganglioside antibodies on the metastatic spread of intraocular melanomas in a nude mouse model of human uveal melanoma.

In vivo and in vitro studies were performed to determine: (a) if human uveal melanoma cells expressed GD2 and GD3 gangliosides; (b) if anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies would inhibit the propensity of human uveal melanoma cells to localize in the liver following intravenous injection; and (c) if anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody would reduce the spontaneous metastasis of primary intraocular melanomas in nude mice. The results showed that all three of the human uveal melanoma cell lines tested expressed GD2 and GD3 gangliosides in vitro and in vivo. The human uveal melanoma cell lines preferentially localized in the liver and entered the hepatic parenchyma following spontaneous metastasis from the eyes of nude mice. In vivo administration of anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody produced a sharp reduction in the number of uveal melanoma cells that disseminated to the 1 iver following either intravenous injection or by spontaneous metastasis from primary intraocular melanomas. Collectively, the results demonstrate that uveal melanoma cells display a propensity to localize in the liver after entering the bloodstream; however, this localization can be significantly inhibited by in vivo administration of anti-ganglioside antibodies. The expression of GD2 and GD3 surface gangliosides on uveal melanomas and the capacity of anti-gang1 ioside antibodies to inhibit metastasis formation in mouse models of ocular and cutaneous melanomas raise the possi bi
Electrical Homogenization of Ventricular Scar by Application of Collagenase A Novel Strategy for Arrhythmia Therapy

Background— Radiofrequency ablation for ventricular tachycardia is an established therapy. Use of chemical agents for scar homogenization represents an alternative approach. The purpose of this study was to characterize the efficacy of collagenase (CLG) application on epicardial ventricular scar homogenization. Methods and Results— Myocardial infarcts were created in Yorkshire pigs (n=6) by intracoronary microsphere injection. After 46.6±4.3 days, CLG type 2, type 4, and purified CLG were applied in vitro (n=1) to myocardial tissue blocks containing normal myocardium, border zone, and dense scar. Histopathologic studies were performed to identify the optimal CLG subtype. In vivo high-density electroanatomic mapping of the epicardium was also performed, and border zone and dense scar surface area and late potentials were quantified before and after CLG-4 application (n=5). Of the CLG subtypes tested in vitro, CLG-4 provided the best scar modification and least damage to normal myocardium. During in vivo testing, CLG-4 application decreased border zone area (21.3±14.3 to 17.1±11.1 mm2, P =0.043) and increased dense scar area (9.1±10.3 to 22.0±20.6 mm2, P =0.043). The total scar area before and after CLG application was 30.4±23.4 and 39.2±29.5 mm2, respectively ( P =0.08). Late potentials were reduced by CLG-4 application (28.8±21.8 to 13.8±13.1, P =0.043). During CLG-4 application (50.0±15.5 minutes), systolic blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly changed (68.0±7.7 versus 61.8±5.3 mmHg, P =0.08; 77.4±7.3 versus 78.8±6.0 beats per minute, P =0.50, respectively). Conclusions— Ventricular epicardial scar homogenization by CLG-4 application is feasible and effective. This represents the first report on bioenzymatic ablation of arrhythmogenic tissue as an alternative strategy for lesion formation.
Progress in Indirect-Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion Experiments

Summary form only given. Results from the first NIF indirect-drive ICF experiments and Omega experiments testing new hohlraum and capsule designs are described. In the area of laser-hohlraum coupling, the effects of laser beam smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD) and polarization smoothing (PS) on the beam propagation in long scale gas-filled targets has been studied at NIF at plasma scales relevant to indirect drive low Z filled ignition hohlraum designs. At Omega, a NIF-relevant high electron temperature gas-filled hohlraum platform has been developed for laser-plasma coupling studies. In the area of hohlraum energetics, isolated and integrated measurements of albedo and conversion efficiency have been performed on well characterized multi-element ("cocktail") hohlraum wall materials predicted to improve coupling efficiency. In parallel, a joint energetics and symmetry campaign testing new foam-filled ignition hohlraum designs and laser entrance hole shields in a NIF-like multicone illumination geometry has begun. We are also testing the hydrodynamic stability of more efficient Cu-doped Be capsule ablators and the hydrodynamic effects of fuel fill-tubes using X-ray absorption and emission imaging on hohlraum-driven surrogate capsules. Finally, the first set of high convergence implosions in NIF-relevant >250 eV hohlraums with NIF-like hohlraum-to-capsule coupling ratios have been performed, demonstrating good coupling and symmetry
Trends in Use of Second-Generation Antipsychotics for Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in the United States, 1998-2009

Objective:The authors examined trends in the use of second-generation antipsychotics for treatment of bipolar disorder before and after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval in 2000 of olanzapine for use in treating acute manic episodes of bipolar disorder. Methods:The IMS Health National Disease and Therapeutic Index was used to derive monthly patient treatment visits between January 1998 and December 2009 by individuals 18 and older with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder who were treated with one or more pharmacotherapies. Results:The percentage of treatment visits in which a second-generation antipsychotic was prescribed increased from 18% in 1998 to 49% in 2009. Use of mood stabilizers and first-generation antipsychotics declined substantially. In the 12 months after approval of olanzapine for bipolar disorder, its use increased by 92%, and use of other second-generation antipsychotics increased by 42%. Conclusions:Second-generation antipsychotics are increasingly used for bipolar disorder, a...