cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finite Element Simulation of Self-Writing Waveguide Formation Through Photopolymerization

This article presents the simulation of the dynamics of the self-writing waveguide phenomenon in photopolymerizable resin systems using the finite element method. The rate equation of the photopolymerization process, mechanical shrinkage in the resin and lightwave propagation through the waveguide are included in the finite element model. An emphasis is placed on the simulation of processes occuring at multiple time scales and the introduction of mechanical shrinkage through an equivalent body force. Simulation results predict the features of self-writing previously observed including nonuniformities in the final polymerized waveguide.
HNRNP H IS A COMPONENT OF A SPLICING ENHANCER COMPLEX THAT ACTIVATES A C-SRC ALTERNATIVE EXON IN NEURONAL CELLS

The regulation of the c-src N1 exon is mediated by an intronic splicing enhancer downstream of the N1 5' splice site. Previous experiments showed that a set of proteins assembles onto the most conserved core of this enhancer sequence specifically in neuronal WERI-1 cell extracts. The most prominent components of this enhancer complex are the proteins hnRNP F, KSRP, and an unidentified protein of 58 kDa (p58). This p58 protein was purified from the WERI-1 cell nuclear extract by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Mono Q chromatography, and immunoprecipitation with anti-Sm antibody Y12. Peptide sequence analysis of purified p58 protein identified it as hnRNP H. Immunoprecipitation of hnRNP H cross-linked to the N1 enhancer RNA, as well as gel mobility shift analysis of the enhancer complex in the presence of hnRNP H-specific antibodies, confirmed that hnRNP H is a protein component of the splicing enhancer complex. Immunoprecipitation of splicing intermediates from in vitro splicing reactions with anti-hnRNP H antibody indicated that hnRNP H remains bound to the src pre-mRNA after the assembly of spliceosome. Partial immunodepletion of hnRNP H from the nuclear extract partially inactivated the splicing of the N1 exon in vitro. This inhibition of splicing can be restored by the addition of recombinant hnRNP H, indicating that hnRNP H is an important factor for N1 splicing. Finally, in vitro binding assays demonstrate that hnRNP H can interact with the related protein hnRNP F, suggesting that hnRNPs H and F may exist as a heterodimer in a single enhancer complex. These two proteins presumably cooperate with each other and with other enhancer complex proteins to direct splicing to the N1 exon upstream.
Experience and motivation in two types of judgments of speech during delayed auditory feedback

Abstract Four groups of judges, differentiated by experience and motivation, judged paired samples of normal feedback and delayed auditory feedback speech. One judgment mode was qualitative on five speech parameters, and one mode was quantitative in counting repetitions, prolongations, and hesitations. Results indicated no effect of motivation; experienced judges took longer and had less variability; qualitative judgments showed less variability than did quantitative judges; judgments of articulation/fluency showed highest correlation with over-all speech evaluation as compared with judgments of changes in pitch, loudness, or rate. There is a need for uniform judging scales, procedures, and descriptions of judge qualifications.
Designing fast converging phylogenetic methods

Absolute fast converging phylogenetic reconstruction methods are provably guaranteed to recover the true tree with high probability from sequences that grow only polynomially in the number of leaves, once the edge lengths are bounded arbitrarily from above and below. Only a few methods have been determined to be absolute fast converging; these have all been developed in just the last few years, and most are polynomial time. In this paper, we compare pre-existing fast converging methods as well as some new polynomial time methods that we have developed. Our study, based upon simulating evolution under a wide range of model conditions, establishes that our new methods outperform both neighbor joining and the previous fast converging methods, returning very accurate large trees, when these other methods do poorly.
Soft tissue angiosarcomas

From 1949 to 1979, 12 patients with soft tissue angiosarcoma received radiotherapy (alone or in combination with other modalities of treatment) with curative intent at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute. The primary site was the head and neck in six patients (scalp, four; maxillary antrum, one; and oral tongue, one), the breast in four patients, and the thigh in two patients. All four patients with angiosarcoma of the scalp had advanced multifocal tumors, and two of them had clinically positive neck nodes. None of these tumors were controlled locally, and local recurrences occurred within and/or at a distance from the generous fields of irradiation. The remaining two patients with head and neck lesions had their disease controlled by surgery and postoperative irradiation. Three of the four angiosarcomas of the breast were primary cases which were treated by a combination of surgery (excisional biopsy, simple mastectomy, radical mastectomy) and postoperative irradiation. One patient also received adjuvant chemotherapy. The fourth patient was treated for scar recurrence after radical mastectomy. All four patients had their disease locally controlled, and two of them have survived over 5 years. The two patients with angiosarcoma of the thigh were treated bymore » conservative surgical excision and postoperative irradiation. One patient had her disease controlled; the other had a local recurrence requiring hip disarticulation and subsequent hemipelvectomy for salvage.« less
Design and calibration of a single-transducer variable-frequency sonication system.

Abstract The design of a novel single-transducer variable-frequency sonication system capable of operating at constant acoustic power over the range 20–500 kHz is described. The system employs a mass-loaded sandwich transducer arrangement and a series of transformers to provide an accurate impedance matching circuit. Approximately 0–5 W of acoustic power are produced by the system at typical operating frequencies of 20, 40, 150, 200, 300, and 450 kHz. As a first test of the single-transducer variable-sonication system we have re-examined the frequency dependence of the sonochemical oxidation of potassium iodide. Previous investigators have monitored the frequency dependence using a multi-transducer system to obtain the different frequencies required. In accordance with the earlier findings, we have observed an eightfold increase in the rate of potassium iodide oxidation at 300 kHz compared to 20 kHz, as well as an inversion in the rate of oxidation for argon and air-saturated solutions at 300 kHz. Possible reasons for the rate variations are discussed.
Wendell Pritchett, Brownsville, Brooklyn: Blacks, Jews, and the Changing Face of the Ghetto. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002. xii + 333 pp. $35 cloth; $20 paper.

Wendell Pritchett challenges popular and scholarly images of the modern ghetto by highlighting Brownsville's history as a working-class neighborhood. This area of East Brooklyn underwent significant racial change, beginning the twentieth century as a largely white, Jewish neighborhood. Brownsville's black and Latino populations grew rapidly in the postwar years. Between 1940 and 1970, the population switched from eighty-five percent white to ninety-five percent black and Latino. Throughout these decades, however, this remained a home for New York's changing working classes. Brownsville residents, generally from the lower tiers of the city's working class, shared a history of political and economic marginalization. The neighborhood's later residents faced greater obstacles, as a result of racism, public policy, and economic change. Pritchett's fine study chronicles these changes and continuities and emphasizes white and black residents' unending efforts to secure needed resources and power.
ACTIVATION ENERGY FOR STRENGTH DEGRADATION OF FUSED SILICA OPTICAL FIBERS

The strength degradation behavior of fused silica optical fiber is well known to be sensitive to the temperature and an apparent activation energy can be determined. In addition, it has been observed that the activation energy also depends on the applied stress and the nature of the environment. However, no consistent model for this behavior has emerged. We propose a chemical kinetics model which accounts for the temperature dependence of the dissociation of water which predicts that degradation should be faster in pH 7 buffer than in pure water. Static fatigue of fused silica fibers in both water and pH 7 buffer solution has been carefully studied as a function of temperature to test the model. The apparent activation energies are stress dependent, and, while the dependency is not clear, different environments give different dependencies. These observations support the proposed model.
Boosting cross-modality image registration

Cross-modality image registration is a difficult problem because the same structures have different intensity patterns in the two modalities, making straightforward methods based on SSD or cross-correlation not applicable. This paper presents a learning based approach to cross-modality image registration. First, it describes a method to map the image registration problem into a problem of binary classification. Then, it presents a method to select a number of image registration algorithms from a larger pool and combine them by AdaBoost into a boosted algorithm that is more accurate than any of the algorithms in the pool. Finally, it presents a method named virtual boosting that allows to directly obtain the result of the boosted algorithm without performing any parameter search. In our cross-modality image registration application, the algorithm pool consists of many feature-based registration algorithms with different configurations. An experimental validation on the registration of thousands of aerial video frames with satellite images from Google Maps showed that the boosted algorithm has a 20–30% smaller error than the best registration algorithm from the pool (based on SIFT features). More generally, the method presented can be applied to combine a number of algorithms aimed at solving the same problem into a boosted algorithm that is more accurate than any of them.
Decarboxylation reactions of alkyne-carboxylic acids as a route to multiply bonded [Re2]n+μ-alkyne and μ-carbyne complexes

Multiply bonded organometallic complexes Re2(μ-Cl)(μ-η2-HCCH)Cl4(μ-dppm)2 (2) and Re2(μ-Cl)(μ-CCH2CH3)Cl4(μ-dppm)2 (3) are formed upon refluxing Re2(μ-O2CCH3)Cl4(μ-dppm)2 (1) with HO2CCCCO2H and CH3CCCO2H, respectively; these reactions are believed to proceed via the in situ formation of the corresponding metal alkynoates and the crystal structures of 2 and 3 show that the Re–Re distances of 2.6567(5) and 2.5277(6) A are in accord with Re–Re bond orders of 1.5 and 2, respectively.
Multi-signal flow graphs: a novel approach for system testability analysis and fault diagnosis

In this paper, we present a comprehensive methodology for a formal, but intuitive, cause-effect dependency modeling using multi-signal directed graphs that correspond closely to hierarchical system schematics and develop diagnostic strategies to isolate faults in the shortest possible time without making the unrealistic single fault assumption. A key feature of our methodology is that our models lend naturally to real-world necessities, such as system integration and hierarchical troubleshooting. >
Expression of the androgen receptor and 5α-reductase type 2 in the developing human fetal penis and urethra

Normal penile development is dependent on testosterone, its conversion via steroid 5α-reductase type 2 to dihydrotestosterone, and a functional androgen receptor (AR). The goal of this study was to investigate the distribution of AR and 5α-reductase type 2 in the developing human fetal external genitalia with special emphasis on urethra formation. Twenty fetal genital specimens from normal human males (12–20 weeks gestation) were sectioned serially and stained by avidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex method with antigen retrieval. Stained sections throughout male genital development documented the expression of AR and 5α-reductase type 2 in the phallus. Between 12 and 14 weeks of gestation, AR was localized to epithelial cells of the urethral plate in the glans, the tubular urethra of the penile shaft, and stromal tissue surrounding the urethral epithelium. In the fetal penis between 16 and 20 weeks gestation, the density of AR expression was greatest in urethral epithelial cells versus the surrounding stromal tissues. There was a characteristic pattern of AR expression in the glandular urethral epithelium between 16 and 20 weeks gestation. AR expression was greater along the ventral aspect of the glandular urethra than along the dorsal aspect of the urethral epithelium. The expression of 5α-reductase type 2 was localized to the stroma surrounding the urethra, especially along the urethral seam area in the ventral portion of the remodeling urethra. These anatomical studies support the hypothesis that androgens are essential for the formation of the ventral portion of the urethra and that abnormalities in either the AR or 5α-reductase type 2 can explain the occurrence of hypospadias.
A computational study of the threshold energies of the 1,2-FCl interchange reaction of chlorofluoroethanes

The 1,2-FCl rearrangement reaction of a series of haloethanes is investigated by comparisons of the optimized ground- and transition-state geometries. Investigation of the effect of level of theory...
Effects of Dietary Cholesterol in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Dietary cholesterol has received a lot of attention in regards to its potential association with both heart disease and Type 2 diabetes from health professionals and the general public. There is ample evidence from epidemiological data, meta-analysis reports and clinical interventions on the lack of a relationship between dietary cholesterol and heart disease risk. However, current reports appear to indicate that increased dietary cholesterol may be associated with an increased risk for heart disease in diabetic patients. Further, the relationship between dietary cholesterol and diabetes risk has not reached a consensus in the current literature and clinical studies have failed to prove that increased dietary cholesterol affects glucose metabolism or insulin resistance, indicating the need for more prospective and clinical studies. The current review will address the controversies from studies focusing on the associations and/or lack of correlation between dietary cholesterol and heart disease as well as ...
Enhanced functional information from predicted protein networks

Experimentally derived genome-wide protein interaction networks have been useful in the elucidation of functional information that is not evident from examining individual proteins but determination of these networks is complex and time consuming. To address this problem, several computational methods for predicting protein networks in novel genomes have been developed. A recent publication by Date and Marcotte describes the use of phylogenetic profiling for elucidating novel pathways in proteomes that have not been experimentally characterized. This method, in combination with other computational methods for generating protein-interaction networks, might help identify novel functional pathways and enhance functional annotation of individual proteins.
Reporter gene assays for algal-derived toxins.

We have modified the cell-based directed cytotoxicity assay for sodium channel and calcium channel active phycotoxins using a c-fos-luciferase reporter gene construct. In this report we describe the conceptual basis to the development of reporter gene assays for algal-derived toxins and summarize both published and unpublished data using this method. N2A mouse neuroblastoma cells, which express voltage-dependent sodium channels, were stably transfected with the reporter gene c-fos-luc, which contains the firefly luciferase gene under the transcriptional regulation of the human c-fos response element. The characteristics of the N2A reporter gene assay were determined by dose response with brevetoxin and ciguatoxin. Brevetoxin-1 and ciguatoxin-1 induced c-fos-luc with an EC50 of 4.6 and 3.0 ng ml−1, respectively. Saxitoxin caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of brevetoxin-1 induction of c-fos-luc with an EC50 of 3.5 ng ml−1. GH4C1 rat pituitary cells, which lack voltage-dependent sodium channels but express voltage-dependent calcium channels, were also stably transfected with the c-fos-luc. GH4C1 cells expressing c-fos-luciferase were responsive to maitotoxin (1 ng ml−1) and a putative toxin produced by Pfiesteria piscicida. Although reporter gene assays are not designed to replace existing detection methods used to measure toxin activity in seafood, they do provide a valuable means to screen algal cultures for toxin activity, to conduct assay-guided fractionation and to characterize pharmacologic properties of algal toxins. Published in 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An argument for judicious use of error detection mechanisms in LANs

The authors examine the ISO Open Systems Interconnection philosophy and the error detection mechanisms at each layer. They trace the progress of a message through each of these layers and comment on the overhead of error detection. They also offer some performance results at the transport layer. They argue that the error detection rate in modern LANs is not improved by mechanisms above the MAC, but rather that performance is severely degraded. >
High frequency dielectric properties of thin-film PZT capacitors

Abstract We present a method for calculating the dielectric constant and the dissipation factor for thin-film ferroelectric capacitors from scattering parameter measurements at multi-gigahertz frequencies. Physical measurement is discussed along with description of the model upon which the calculation is based. Experimental results for 0.5 micron films of PZT are reported up to 15 GHz. Direct measurement is compared with indirectly calculated values at the 100 MHz to 1.5 GHz range, showing excellent agreement.
The biomechanics of trans-femoral amputation

The biomechanics of trans-femoral amputations has not been previously described. Little attention has been paid to the importance of adductor magnus in holding the femur in its normal anatomical axis. Loss of function of adductor magnus leads to abduction of the residual femur, in a trans-femoral amputation. A cadaver study of the adductor group of thigh muscles has been done and the biomechanical importance of these muscles is documented. The moment arms of the three adductor muscles have been determined, based on muscle attachments and muscle size, relative to each other. Adductor magnus has a major mechanical advantage in holding the thigh in its normal anatomical position. Loss of the distal third of its attachment results in a 70% loss of the effective moment arm of the muscle, which contributes to the abducted femur in standard trans-femoral amputations. A muscle preserving trans-femoral amputation, which keeps adductor magnus intact, prevents abduction of the residual femur and may allow for easier walking with a prosthesis. The conflicting reports about adductor magnus activity during the gait cycle can be explained by this muscle's dual innervation by the sciatic and obturator nerves and its dual function as a hip adductor and extensor.
A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PEST CONTROL RESEARCH

Systems analysis would be a useful tool for certain kinds of pesticide research, particularly that involving decisions affecting the environment or the ecosystem. A well-designed systems analysis would permit researchers and policymakers to learn more about the complete effects of their decisions relating to pesticides. It is doubtful whether any one person or group of persons can mentally formulate all the complex effects of a pesticide on the environment, on optimum farm organization and practices, on human welfare, and on the myriad of other interrelated factors.
Meeting the Needs of Chinese English Language Learners at Writing Centers in America: A Proposed Culturally Responsive Model.

This paper describes the ways in which Writing Centers (WC) currently serve English Language Learners (ELL) at American universities. The authors argue that the pedagogy offered at these centers does not always meet the needs of the Chinese ELLs who make up the largest population of ELLs at American universities. The proposed supplemental model they recommend, which is grounded in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP), has the potential to better meet the needs of Chinese ELLs. The authors identify obstacles to successful implementation of the proposed model and ways in which these, and gaps in research, can be addressed by directors of Writing Centers.
Modeling and Experimental Measurement of Active Substrate-Noise Suppression in Mixed-Signal 0.18- $\mu\hbox{m}$ BiCMOS Technology

Simulation and experimental results are presented for an active-noise-suppression technique to reduce substrate crosstalk in mixed-signal IC technology. The method utilizes a 3-D distributed resistive-capacitive substrate model, along with a BiCMOS wideband differential noise suppression amplifier (NSA) designed in IBM's 0.18-mum 7WL BiCMOS technology. Simulation results for a GR-defined ldquoquietrdquo region predict a noise suppression factor of -6 dB over a frequency range of 10 MHz-2 GHz at the center of the region with a peak suppression of -14 dB at the point of the NSA connection to the guard ring (GR). BF-Moat and P+ region/deep trench/n-well GR isolation structures were also integrated into the 3-D substrate model, for investigation of their isolation ability. The simulated substrate-noise suppression and isolation results were verified with an experimental test site, designed and fabricated in 7WL technology. Measurements of both noise suppression and isolation factors were compared to the simulation results and to predictions derived from an analytical model.
Modification of hERG1 channel gating by Cd2

Each of the four subunits in a voltage-gated potassium channel has a voltage sensor domain (VSD) that is formed by four transmembrane helical segments (S1–S4). In response to changes in membrane potential, intramembrane displacement of basic residues in S4 produces a gating current. As S4 moves through the membrane, its basic residues also form sequential electrostatic interactions with acidic residues in immobile regions of the S2 and S3 segments. Transition metal cations interact with these same acidic residues and modify channel gating. In human ether-a-go-go–related gene type 1 (hERG1) channels, Cd2+ coordinated by D456 and D460 in S2 and D509 in S3 induces a positive shift in the voltage dependence of activation of ionic currents. Here, we characterize the effects of Cd2+ on hERG1 gating currents in Xenopus oocytes using the cut-open Vaseline gap technique. Cd2+ shifted the half-point (V1/2) for the voltage dependence of the OFF gating charge–voltage (QOFF-V) relationship with an EC50 of 171 µM; at 0.3 mM, V1/2 was shifted by +50 mV. Cd2+ also induced an as of yet unrecognized small outward current (ICd-out) upon repolarization in a concentration- and voltage-dependent manner. We propose that Cd2+ and Arg residues in the S4 segment compete for interaction with acidic residues in S2 and S3 segments, and that the initial inward movement of S4 associated with membrane repolarization displaces Cd2+ in an outward direction to produce ICd-out. Co2+, Zn2+, and La3+ at concentrations that caused ∼+35-mV shifts in the QOFF-V relationship did not induce a current similar to ICd-out, suggesting that the binding site for these cations or their competition with basic residues in S4 differs from Cd2+. New Markov models of hERG1 channels were developed that describe gating currents as a noncooperative two-phase process of the VSD and can account for changes in these currents caused by extracellular Cd2+.
Sustained delivery of bioactive cytokine using a dense collagen gel vehicle collagen gel delivery of bioactive cytokine.

Summary Objective The use of cytokines as localized therapeutic agents is limited by the lack of a satisfactory delivery system. The aim of the current investigation was to determine the release kinetics and bioactivity of a simplified cytokine/collagen gel system designed to achieve extended, local delivery of bioactive cytokines at sites of premature cranial suture fusion (craniosynostosis). Design Cytokine release was determined by ELISA measurements of Tgf-β3 collected in media. Cytokine bioactivity was determined by measuring the effect of conditioned media, containing released Tgf-β3, on mink lung epithelial cell proliferation and osteoblast alkaline phosphatase activity. Osteoblast response was evaluated by measuring proliferation of cells cultured on collagen gel containing Tgf-β3 using an AlamarBlue assay. Results Gels loaded with 100 and 500 ng of Tgf-β3 produced a sustained release over 14 days with a pattern of initial large release followed by a gradual reduction in the amount released over the time. The reduced release over time was correlated to the amount initially loaded. Mink lung epithelial cell assay results indicated that Tgf-β3 released from the collagen gel retained its bioactivity following incorporation into the collagen gel and release into the media. This bioactivity was further illustrated by a decreased alkaline phosphatase activity measured in osteoblasts cultured on the gels loaded with Tgf-β3. Osteoblast proliferation assays demonstrated that the collagen gel has an inherent inhibitory effect on osteoblast cell number. Conclusions This collagen gel/cytokine delivery system can retain and release bioactive cytokine over a prolonged period. These results will allow for better optimization of future in vitro and in vivo studies directed at improving the treatment of craniosynostosis.
Social Control and the National Drug Policy: A Critical Analysis

The 1989 National Drug Control Strategy is described and critically examined. The analysis is based on a model of social control and an examination of research on deterrence. Current drug control p...
Developing Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping Techniques for Consequence Analysis of Second and Third Order Effects

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is the Department of Defense’s (DOD) official Combat Support Agency for countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD). DTRA focuses on WMD and mitigating the consequences of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield explosive threat (CBRNE). The initial direct effects of a CBRNE incident are well defined and documented; however, the second and third order effect’s are complex and not thoroughly understood or documented. Consequence analysis is the practice of analyzing the effects of major events such as a CBRNE event and can assist in predicting the second and third order effects. Currently there is no method to predict or analyze the second and third order effects of CBRNE events. This research focused on identifying the entities associated with a CBRNE event initially. The use of experts and surveys developed an exhaustive list of entities and associated realtionships. The follow-on research focused on the type and strength of the entity relationships. Next, Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) techniques identify and evaluate the complex relationships of the second and third order effects. Using a mind mapping computer program, FCM techniques produced second and third order effect relationships. The final product provided a solid first attempt at analyzing a CBRNE event and the associated second and third order effects. Subsequent research will require greater effort to employ system dynamics techniques to enhance the product and develop a more thorough model.
Quantitative measures of healthy aging and biological age

Numerous genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to aging. To facilitate the study of these factors, various descriptors of biological aging, including ‘successful aging’ and ‘frailty’, have been put forth as integrative functional measures of aging. A separate but related quantitative approach is the ‘frailty index’, which has been operationalized and frequently used. Various frailty indices have been constructed. Although based on different numbers and types of health variables, frailty indices possess several common properties that make them useful across different studies. We have been using a frailty index termed FI34 based on 34 health variables. Like other frailty indices, FI34 increases non-linearly with advancing age and is a better indicator of biological aging than chronological age. FI34 has a substantial genetic basis. Using FI34, we found elevated levels of resting metabolic rate linked to declining health in nonagenarians. Using FI34 as a quantitative phenotype, we have also found a genomic region on chromosome 12 that is associated with healthy aging and longevity.
BETWEEN THE GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY AND THE LATIN AMERICAN “BOOM”: BRAZILIAN LITERATURE IN THE UNITED STATES

This article studies the translation of Brazilian literature in the United States between 1930 and the end of the 1960s. It analyzes political, historical and economic factors that influenced the publishing market for translations in the U.S., focusing on the editorial project of Alfred A. Knopf, the most influential publisher for Latin American literature in the U.S. during this period, and Harriet de Onis, who translated approximately 40 works from Spanish and Portuguese into English. In addition to translating authors such as Joao Guimaraes Rosa and Jorge Amado, de Onis worked as a reader for Knopf, recommending texts for translation. The translator’s choices reflected the demands of the market and contributed to forming the canon of Brazilian literature translated in the United States.
Constitutional Design: Vital but Insufficient for Conflict Management

In his classic Institutions, institutional change and economic performance, North (1990) observes that while many Nineteenth century Latin American countries adopted replicas of the United States C...
A pancreatic cancer multidisciplinary clinic: insights and outcomes.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary clinic (MDC) on the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We hypothesized that an MDC would improve trial participation, multimodality therapy, neoadjuvant therapy, time to treatment, and survival. Materials and methods Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer registry patients from 2008–2012 were analyzed. Outcomes of patients evaluated at the MDC were compared with patients not evaluated at the MDC (non-MDC). Results A total of 1408 patients were identified, 557 (40%) MDC and 851 (60%) non-MDC. MDC were more likely to be an earlier stage than non-MDC (P = 0.0005): I – 4% versus 4%, II – 54% versus 43%, III – 11% versus 9%, and IV – 32% versus 44%. MDC were younger than non-MDC (68 versus 70; P = 0.005); however, younger ( Conclusions Patients evaluated in an MDC were more likely to receive any treatment, receive multimodality therapy, neoadjuvant therapy, and participate in a clinical trial.
Authors’ response: A systematic review of the association between pleural plaques and changes in lung function

We welcome the opportunity to respond to Goodman et al ,1 and to correct their misperceptions about our paper.2 As noted in their letter, Kerper et al 3 also recently analysed lung function decrements associated with pleural plaques. While the methodological details of our publications differed somewhat, the identified literature and the conclusions regarding magnitude of effect on lung function were well aligned. We found statistically significant 2–4% decrements in lung function in people exposed to asbestos with pleural plaques relative to asbestos-exposed people without abnormalities. Kerper et al 3 reported 3–5% decrements. It is not clear why Kerper et al 3 chose to ignore differences in study size: all studies were considered equally in their analysis, despite sample sizes ranging from tens to thousands, and a summary estimate was not calculated. With respect to the specific points raised, …
Direct Observation of Charge Inversion in Divalent Nanofluidic Devices

Solid-state nanofluidic devices have proven to be ideal systems for studying the physics of ionic transport at the nanometer length scale. When the geometrical confining size of fluids approaches the ionic Debye screening length, new transport phenomena occur, such as surface mediated transport and permselectivity. Prior work has explored these effects extensively in monovalent systems (e.g., predominantly KCl and NaCl). In this report, we present a new characterization method for the study of divalent ionic transport and have unambiguously observed divalent charge inversion at solid/fluid interfaces. This observation has important implications in applications ranging from biology to energy conversion.
Fabrication of Ceramic MEMS by Pyrolysis Conversion of Pre-Ceramic Polymers

It is necessary to explore the means of fabrication and processing technique of ceramics which are attractive and important materials for harsh-environment MEMS applications,such as high temperature and corrosive media.This paper reports emphatically a kind of new fabrication technique of ceramic MEMS-fabricating ceramic MEMS by pyrolysis convession of pre-ceramic polymers based on a simple review of the limits of traditional fabrication techniques for MEMS.The processing scheme,advantages and disadvantages of this technique and the developing direction in the future are also discussed in great detail.
No Teacher Is an Island: Bridging the Gap between Teachers’ Professional Practice and Research Findings

Despite decades of research regarding best practices for the teaching and learning of chemistry, as well as two sets of national reform documents for science education, classroom instruction in high school chemistry classrooms remains largely unchanged. One key reason for this continued gap between research and practice is a reliance on traditional, prescriptive professional development (PD) in place of PD that focuses on changing teachers’ ideas and beliefs. The former view treats teachers as technicians, workers who are supposed to follow a manual to produce student results. The latter view holds that teachers are professionals and develop good practice over time through professional reflection and interaction with other professionals. Bridging research to practice requires moving away from the standard short-term dissemination model of PD and toward a more coherent, long-term PD model in which teachers collaborate with educational researchers to transform instruction. The recent release of the Next Gen...
Magnetic Multivalent Trehalose Glycopolymer Nanoparticles for the Detection of Mycobacteria.

Abstract A multivalent trehalose-grafted poly(lactic acid) is synthesized and encapsulated with iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. The magnetic micelles interact with Mycobacterium smegmatis to form orange clusters. Very little particle interaction is found on Staphylococcus epidermidis 35984 or Escherichia coli ORN 208. The presented new approach to the detection of mycobacteria does not require molecular biology reagents or sophisticated instruments.
Maternal dietary intake during pregnancy and offspring body composition: The Healthy Start Study

Background Consistent evidence of an influence of maternal dietary intake during pregnancy on infant body size and composition in human populations is lacking, despite robust evidence in animal models. Objective We sought to evaluate the influence of maternal macronutrient intake and balance during pregnancy on neonatal body size and composition, including fat mass and fat-free mass. Study Design The analysis was conducted among 1040 mother-offspring pairs enrolled in the prospective prebirth observational cohort: the Healthy Start Study. Diet during pregnancy was collected using repeated 24-hour dietary recalls (up to 8). Direct measures of body composition were obtained using air displacement plethysmography. The National Cancer Institute measurement error model was used to estimate usual dietary intake during pregnancy. Multivariable partition (nonisocaloric) and nutrient density (isocaloric) linear regression models were used to test the associations between maternal dietary intake and neonatal body composition. Results The median macronutrient composition during pregnancy was 32.2% from fat, 15.0% from protein, and 47.8% from carbohydrates. In the partition multivariate regression model, individual macronutrient intake values were not associated with birthweight or fat-free mass, but were associated with fat mass. Respectively, 418 kJ increases in total fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and total carbohydrates were associated with 4.2-g ( P = .03), 11.1-g ( P = .003), 5.9-g ( P = .04), and 2.9-g ( P = .02) increases in neonatal fat mass, independent of prepregnancy body mass index. In the nutrient density multivariate regression model, macronutrient balance was not associated with fat mass, fat-free mass, or birthweight after adjustment for prepregnancy body mass index. Conclusion Neonatal adiposity, but not birthweight, is independently associated with increased maternal intake of total fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and total carbohydrates, but not protein, suggesting that most forms of increased caloric intake contribute to fetal fat accretion.
Fractionation of hydrogen isotopes by sulfate- and nitrate-reducing bacteria

Hydrogen atoms from water and food are incorporated into biomass during cellular metabolism and biosynthesis, fractionating the isotopes of hydrogen –protium and deuterium –that are recorded in biomolecules. While these fractionations are often relatively constant in plants, large variations in the magnitude of fractionation are observed for many heterotrophic microbes utilizing different central metabolic pathways. The correlation between metabolism and lipid δ2H provides a potential basis for reconstructing environmental and ecological parameters, but the calibration dataset has thus far been limited mainly to aerobes. Here we report on the hydrogen isotopic fractionations of lipids produced by nitrate-respiring and sulfate-reducing bacteria. We observe only small differences in fractionation between oxygen- and nitrate-respiring growth conditions, with a typical pattern of variation between substrates that is broadly consistent with previously described trends. In contrast, fractionation by sulfate-reducing bacteria does not vary significantly between different substrates, even when autotrophic and heterotrophic growth conditions are compared. This result is in marked contrast to previously published observations and has significant implications for the interpretation of environmental hydrogen isotope data. We evaluate these trends in light of metabolic gene content of each strain, growth rate, and potential flux and reservoir-size effects of cellular hydrogen, but find no single variable that can account for the differences between nitrate- and sulfate-respiring bacteria. The emerging picture of bacterial hydrogen isotope fractionation is therefore more complex than the simple correspondence between δ2H and metabolic pathway previously understood from aerobes. Despite the complexity, the large signals and rich variability of observed lipid δ2H suggest much potential as an environmental recorder of metabolism.
Environmental Surveillance of Dairy Processing Plants for the Presence of Yersinia Species.

Thirty dairy processing plants were surveyed to determine if the psychrotrophic nature of Yersinia influenced its environmental niche within the plants. Three hundred forty-seven samples obtained from 30 dairy processing plants were tested for the presence of Yersinia spp. Ten (33.3%) plants had one or more positive sites. A total of 20 of the 347 (5.8%) sites tested were positive for one or more species of Yersinia. Yersinia enterocolitica was present at 85% (17/20) of the positive sites. It was identified by itself on 15 occasions and twice with other species of Yersinia. Other species identified included Yersinia ruckeri in 3 of the 20 positive samples (15%); Yersinia kristensenii and Yersinia frederiksenii both in 1 of the 20 (5%) positive samples. Ten of the 20 (50%) positive samples were obtained from coolers and entrances to freezers. Yersinia-positive cooler/freezer sites were obtained from 9 of the 10 positive plants. The remaining 10 Yersinia-positive sites were from raw milk receiving areas (4/...
Automated Strong Cation-Exchange Cleanup To Remove Macromolecular Crowding Agents for Protein Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry.

Measuring amide hydrogen exchange (HX) of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) in solutions containing high concentrations of macromolecular crowding agents would give new insights into the structure and dynamics of these proteins under crowded conditions. High concentrations of artificial crowders, required to simulate cellular crowding, introduce overwhelming interferences to mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. We have developed a fully automated, dual-stage online cleanup that uses strong cation-exchange (SCX) followed by reversed-phase desalting to remove Ficoll, a synthetic polymer, for HX-MS analysis of proteins under crowded conditions. We tested the efficiency of our method by measuring the HX-MS signal intensities of myoglobin peptides from crowded samples containing 300 g L–1 Ficoll and from uncrowded samples. Although there was loss of abundance relative to uncrowded myoglobin analyzed using conventional HX-MS, 97% coverage of the myoglobin sequence was still obtained. Control HX-MS experiment...
Restrictive transfusion in radical cystectomy is safe

Abstract Introduction and objective Perioperative blood transfusion (PBT) is commonplace in radical cystectomy (RC) and has been linked to poorer oncologic outcomes. Limiting PBT in this largely elderly and comorbid population has not been studied. Herein, we first investigate the safety of a restrictive transfusion protocol (RTP) in patients undergoing RC for urothelial carcinoma and then compare oncologic outcomes between patients who did and did not receive PBT. Methods Outcomes for 173 consecutive patients meeting inclusion criteria undergoing RC for urothelial carcinoma from April 2010 to June 2014 by a single surgeon employing RTP were analyzed from an institutional review board–approved, prospectively collected database. Pairwise matching to a cohort undergoing RC during an earlier era of more liberal PBT was performed, and 90-day outcomes were compared. Results Median follow-up for the RTP cohort was 3.1 years (range: 0–5.1 y). Median age was 70 years (range: 38–93 y). Forty-six patients (26.6%) received PBT. Eighty-seven matched pairs were generated from RTP cohort and liberal era where PBT rate was 94%. There were no differences in 90-day complication rates, mortality, or readmission rates ( P >0.05). In the RTP cohort, patients who underwent PBT had higher estimated blood loss (500 vs. 350, P = 0.001), lower baseline hematocrit (28.9 vs. 33.3, P = 0.005), and similar operative time (5.8 vs. 5.3 h, P = 0.01) and length of stay (5.5 vs. 5, P = 0.07). At discharge and 3-week follow-up, there was no difference in hematocrit ( P >0.05). In the no-PBT group, 90-day (65.6% vs. 86.7%, P = 0.007) and high-grade (15.6% vs. 34.8%, P = 0.003) complication rates were lower. On multivariable analysis, predictors of PBT were age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% CI [1.01–1.11]), Charlson comorbidity index≥2 (OR = 2.68, CI [1.09–7.04]), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR = 3.74, CI [1.46–10.19]),≥pT3 (OR = 5.5, CI [2.33–13.73]), baseline hematocrit (OR = 0.95, CI [0.87–1.00]), and estimated blood loss (OR = 1.001, CI [1–1.003]). PBT was associated with lower recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio = 2.16; CI [1.13–41.12]; P = 0.02) and overall survival (hazard ratio =2.25; CI [1.25–4.88]; P = 0.01). Conclusions The use of RTP in RC is safe. PBT was associated with poorer recurrence-free survival and overall survival independent of clinicopathologic characteristics.
Electronic, magnetic, and magnetocrystalline anisotropy properties of light lanthanides

Abstract Theoretical understanding of interactions between localized and mobile electrons and the crystal environment in light lanthanides is important because of their key role in much needed magnetic anisotropy in permanent magnet materials that have a great impact in automobile and wind turbine applications. We report electronic, magnetic, and magnetocrystalline properties of these basic light lanthanide elements studied from advanced density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We find that the inclusion of onsite 4 f electron correlation and spin orbit coupling within the full-potential band structure is needed to understand the unique magnetocrystalline properties of these light lanthanides. The onsite electron correlation, spin orbit coupling, and full potential for the asphericity of charge densities must be taken into account for the proper treatment of 4 f states. We find the variation of total energy as a function of lattice constants that indicate multiple structural phases in Ce contrasting to a single stable structure obtained in other light lanthanides. The 4 f orbital magnetic moments are partially quenched as a result of crystalline electric field splitting that leads to magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The charge density plots have similar asphericity and environment in Pr and Nd indicating similar magnetic anisotropy. However, Ce and Sm show completely different asphericity and environment as both orbital moments are significantly quenched. In addition, the Fermi surface structures exemplified in Nd indicate structural stability and unravel a cause of anisotropy. The calculated magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE) reveals competing c-axis and in-plane anisotropies, and also predicts possibilities of unusual structural deformations in light lanthanides. The uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is obtained in the double hexagonal closed pack structures of the most of the light lanthanides, however, the anisotropy is reduced or turned to planar in the low symmetry structures. Through crystal field calculations we also illustrate the crystal field ground state 4f multiplets of light lanthanides.
Informativeness and Timeliness of 10-K Text Similarity for Predicting Tail-Risk Comovement

We measure a bank’s connectedness by constructing a measure of its text similarity with other banks based on 10-K business description and MD&A discussions. We find that tail-risk comovement between a given bank and the banking system is increasing in the bank’s average similarity. We also construct groups of connected peer banks, finding that banks co-move significantly more in the tails with their highest similarity peers. Finally, we separate 10-K text into boilerplate and non-boilerplate components. We find that both boilerplate and non-boilerplate similarity have incremental information about future tail comovement. However, non-boilerplate similarity is significantly timelier than boilerplate, consistent with non-boilerplate similarity capturing commonalities across banks in currently evolving fundamentals and boilerplate similarity capturing commonalities in structural features that evolve slowly over time.