cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mean-Variance Approaches to Risk-Return Relationships in Strategy: Paradox Lost

A growing number of articles in the area of strategic management employ a mean-variance approach to risk-return relationships. Some researchers investigating risk-return relationships in this fashion claim to have found negative associations between the levels of return and risk. The analysis reported here demonstrates that the mean-variance approach to return and risk carries with it the consequence that statements about the relationship are inherently unverifiable in the context of the system being examined. This further implies that results obtained by using mean and variance of return are specific to the data and period examined and are not necessarily generalizable. Additionally, since mean and variance are arithmetically linked, augmenting the system with additional equations will not provide the information necessary to establish the validity or generalizability of statements involving the mean-variance relation. The analytic proofs are supplemented by examples drawn from an empirical study of the U.S. airline industry.
Measuring quality of pediatric care: where we've been and where we're going.

It is a special privilege to receive an award that honors Doug Richardson, who was my attending physician during residency. He showed extraordinary dedication to his patients, his colleagues, and his trainees. I thought I would share my thoughts on quality measurement here not only because the care that Doug gave was of the highest quality but also because he believed in applying measurement to the delivery of health care1,2 and he encouraged me to view health services research as fundamental to improving children’s health. First, I will discuss why we measure quality. Then I will describe where the field was 2 decades ago when I first started working in it. I will then move on to where we are now, and finally, where I hope to see us go in the future. So, to begin, what do we use quality measurement for? First, quality measurement can help us improve quality. If we don’t know how we’re doing, we don’t know where we need to do better. Study after study has shown that measuring quality can lead to improving it.3–5 Quality measurement can also make us more accountable, as in public reporting and pay-for-performance, which are becoming more common around the country.5 Quality measurement can inform accreditation and certification processes.5 The Joint Commission, for example, has incorporated quality measures into its accreditation process and has found evidence suggestive that these measures might be leading to improvement.6 And quality measurement can answer critical research questions. It can elucidate disparities by race, ethnicity, income, and geography,7 and it can document the effects of policy changes and innovations, such as the development of Accountable Care Organizations. Back when I was first starting out, I worked on an analysis of published quality-of-care studies for … Address correspondence to Mark A. Schuster, MD, PhD, Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail: mark.schuster{at}childrens.harvard.edu
Functionalist vs. Conflict Theories: Entrepreneurship Disrupts the Power Structure in a Small Southern Community.

After a period of downtown retail decline, entrepreneurial activity was initiated in a small, southern, rural community. A decline in the agricultural base of the region spurred public sector decision makers to find funding to encourage enterprise creation and expansion. This paper examines the disruptive effects of a public/private effort to introduce an innovative venture intended to spur further economic development. The findings suggest that entrepreneurial activity is most likely to occur under conditions described in the conflict model of community power. Conflict initiated by an entrepreneurial faction may preempt potential opposition by power elites while generating community interest and support. In addition, useful information for community development practitioners is provided on the successful use of public funds to foster entrepreneurship and economic development.
New Polymeric Sorbents: Enhancing Solid-Phase Extraction

Dr Datta Ponde studied chemistry at the University of Pune (India). He joined Dr V. H. Deshpande’s group at the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India, and received his Ph.D. in 1998. From 1999 to 2001 he worked with Prof. Raphael Mechoulam at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, then with Prof. Michael J. Welch at the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. His research interests lie in the development of chemical probes for molecular imaging.
Comparison of outcome after stenting for de novo versus restenotic narrowings in native coronary arteries

Abstract Intracoronary stenting of de novo narrowings results in a lower restenosis rate when compared with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. We sought to determine whether intracoronary stenting for restenotic narrowings is associated with a worse outcome when compared with stenting for de novo narrowings. A total of 114 consecutive patients with 124 narrowings were retrospectively identified. Stents were deployed in 46 de novo (37%) and in 78 restenotic (63%) narrowings. The 2 groups were similar with respect to variables known to affect restenosis. Follow-up angiograms were available in 88% of patients at a mean of 6.3 ± 3.3 months after stent implantation. At follow-up angiography, a significantly higher restenosis rate in the restenotic group was observed (p = 0.05). Restenosis risk could not be predicted from variables known at the time of stent implantation. However, the presence of angina at the time of follow-up was significantly associated with restenosis (p = 0.01). Kaplan-Meier survival curves for freedom from repeat target-site revascularization demonstrated a significant difference in the need for target-site revascularization between the de novo and restenotic groups over the first-year post-stent implantation (p = 0.01; relative risk = 1.94). Multivariate analysis identified restenosis as the indication for stenting (p
Determination of radioactivity in polyacrylamide gel slices mounted on solid supports.

A simple, economical method for counting acrylamide gel slices on solid filter paper supports in a toluene-based scintillation cocktail is described. Major advantages of the system include no requirement for either dissolution of the gel or elution of the radioactive material prior to emulsion counting and the direct reutilization of scintillation cocktail and vials. Additionally, 32P-labeled RNA samples can be counted with better relative efficiencies and those labeled with 14C or 33P can be determined at equivalent efficiencies. Tritium was detected less readily, with an absolute efficiency of approximately 10%.
Induction motor transient response to multiple faults in unbalanced power systems

Abstract Although the effects of an unbalanced supply on overheating induction motors have been known for some time, little or no attention has been paid to the dynamic response of such a system. A recent investigation though has evaluated the effects of an unbalanced distribution system, unbalanced single-phase loads, unbalanced shunt faults, and series faults (open conductor) on the transient behavior of a three-phase induction motor. This paper extends that work to the case of motor transient response due to multiple asymmetrical faults in an unbalanced power system. The paper investigates the dynamic behavior of an induction motor connected to an unbalanced three-phase power system subjected to a shunt fault at one location and blown fuses or open conductor at another location. The method involves phase frame representation of the line. A significant finding is that certain multiple faults cause the induction motor to lose stability.
Recovery Strength Measurements in Arcs from Atmospheric Pressure to Vacuum

Measurements are reported for the recovery of electric strength following interruption of an arc drawn in nitrogen at pressures ranging from atmospheric to 0.02 torr. These data are compared with similar results obtained for vacuum arcs. Recovery strength measurements followed a single half-cycle of sinusoidal arc current with a peak of 400 amperes. For conditions of gap length and pressure described by the Paschen curve minimum, full recovery is reached in a time less than a few micro-seconds. The voltage corresponding to full recovery is essentially determined by contacts, their separation, and ambient gas pressure.
Toward a theoretical approach to medical error reporting system research and design

The release of the Institute of Medicine (Kohn et al., 2000) report "To Err is Human", brought attention to the problem of medical errors, which led to a concerted effort to study and design medical error reporting systems for the purpose of capturing and analyzing error data so that safety interventions could be designed. However, to make real gains in the efficacy of medical error or event reporting systems, it is necessary to begin developing a theory of reporting systems adoption and use and to understand how existing theories may play a role in explaining adoption and use. This paper presents the results of a 9-month study exploring the barriers and facilitators for the design of a statewide medical error reporting system and discusses how several existing theories of technology acceptance, adoption and implementation fit with many of the results. In addition we present an integrated theoretical model of medical error reporting system design and implementation.
Synthesis and patterning of nanostructures of (almost) anything on anything

A necessary and very challenging condition for progress in nanoscience is being able to synthesize the requisite material. While there has been substantial success for some materials, one would like to develop protocols to fabricate structures of a wide variety of materials on an equally wide range of supports, preferably with size selection and the ability to pattern on large areas at low cost. The paper by Kerner and Asscher in this issue [1] is significant because it shows how at least some of those conditions can be satisfied in a novel and creative way. Building on the techniques of surface science, many researchers have focused on physical vapor deposition and the subsequent assembly of 1D wires, 2D islands, and 3D clusters. The problem, of course, is that Nature provides rather stringent rules that prevent the spontaneous assembly of 3D structures for all but a few materials. In particular, 3D growth will occur only if the adatoms interact only weakly with the surface but strongly with one another, with details dictated by surface and interface energies. A technique was developed a few years ago that by-passed these rules, termed buffer-layer-assistedgrowth (BLAG) [2–4], and the paper by Kerner and Asscher combines this technique with laser induced thermal desorption to form patterns in a novel and potentially important way. The idea behind buffer layer assisted growth is remarkably simple, as depicted in Fig. 1. The buffer layer replaces adatom–substrate interactions with very weak adatom–buffer interactions so that balling-up occurs out of contact with the substrate. The buffer must subsequently be removed so that the clusters are delivered in the ultimate of soft landings to the substrate where wetting is frustrated by kinetics. While there
Implementing a research-based model of cooperative learning

The author used qualitative research methods to explore an 8th-grade mathematics teacher's personal definition of cooperative learning and the enactment of cooperative learning in his classroom according to that definition. Data collection involved interviews and classroom observations. The author used coding schemes and descriptive statistics for data reduction and analysis. Constructivist psychology provided the theoretical groundwork for conclusions based on consistency across interview and observational data. Results revealed that while the teacher implemented a research-based model of cooperative-learning instruction, he adapted the model for use in his classroom. Results also identified the teacher's prior experience and teaching context as factors that influenced his implementation of cooperative-learning instruction.
[5,5] Sigmatropic Rearrangement. DFT Prediction of a Diradical Mechanism for a Woodward−Hoffmann “Allowed” Thermal Pericyclic Reaction

The mechanisms of the degenerate [5,5] sigmatropic rearrangements of 5,5a,10,10a-tetrahydroheptalene and (Z,Z)-1,3,7,9-decatetraene were explored with restricted and unrestricted Becke3LYP/6-31G* hybrid HF-DFT calculations. The restricted DFT wavefunctions for the synchronous, concerted transition structures for these formally Woodward−Hoffmann allowed 10-electron rearrangements are unstable with respect to unrestricted wavefunctions. A stepwise diradical mechanism is predicted for both reactions. The 9 kcal/mol preference for the [5s,5s] mechanism over the [5a,5a] pathway in the rearrangement of decatetraene results primarily from the geometric distortions that the system must adopt in the [5a,5a] transition structure. The geometric and electronic characteristics of the [5,5] and [3,3] (Cope) rearrangements are compared.
Conversion of Alkoxide Solutions to Oxides: Evaporation of Products

The evaporation of organic by-products released during drying of 1-mm thick silicon tetramethoxide gels was analyzed using gas chromatography. The evaporation kinetics of methanol depended on the drying rate achieved by flowing dry air over the gel. For drying at flow rates less than 50 cm3/min, exponential kinetics were observed initially with a long time constant (about 100- to 400-min). For drying rates greater than 70 cm3/min, diffusional (t−1/2) kinetics were observed initially. Cracking of the gel during drying was used to indicate the degree of stress. At low drying rates, minor cracking was observed near the edges of the gel. At high flow rates, extensive cracking was observed in samples that exhibited early t−1/2 kinetics. Monitoring the kinetics of drying is essential to optimizing the drying conditions to minimize stress and cracking in gels.
Supplemental nitric oxide augments satellite cell activity on cultured myofibers from aged mice

Abstract Skeletal muscle regenerative potential is reduced with aging. We hypothesized that in vitro activation of muscle satellite cells would be compromised, and that nitric oxide (NO) supplementation would improve satellite cell activity in old muscle. Single intact myofibers were isolated from the gastrocnemius muscles of young (2 mo), adult (10 mo), and aged (22 mo) mice. Fibers were centrifuged to stimulate satellite cells and incubated with l -arginine (2 mM), the NO donor, diethylenetriamine NONOate (DETA-NO; 10 μM), or control media for 48 h. The number of activated satellite cells after centrifugation was reduced in aged fibers compared to young and adult. l -Arginine or DETA-NO treatment increased satellite cell activation in all age groups. However, an age-dependent deficit in satellite cell activity persisted within treatment groups. In separate fibers, exogenous HGF was equally effective in activating satellite cells across age groups, indicating that events downstream of HGF release are intact in aged muscle. These data suggest that l -arginine bioavailability and NO production limit muscle satellite cell activity in response to a submaximal mechanical stimulus, regardless of age. Further, the decline in satellite cell activity in early senescence can be partially abrogated by exogenous l -arginine or an NO donor.
Tyrosine protein kinase inhibitors prevent activation of cardiac swelling-induced chloride current.

The effect of tyrosine protein kinase inhibitors on the swelling-induced chloride current (ICl-swelling of dog atrial myocytes was studied using the whole-cell patch-clamp recording technique. Currents were measured during hyperpolarizing voltage ramps with potassium currents blocked by cesium. Osmolarity was varied using mannitol. Exposure to hypotonic solution (≈249 mosmol/kg) activated ICl-swelling. Hypertonic solution (≈ 363mosmol/kg) was used to shrink swollen cells and turn off ICl-swelling. In studies on the acute effect of tyrosine protein kinase inhibitors each cell was swollen three separate times. Control, treatment, and washout ICl-swelling were compared. Genistein (50–80 μM) prevented reactivation of ICl-swelling without affecting cell size. The effect of genistein partially subsided upon washout. The effect of genistein on ICl-swelling was not mimicked by 80 μM daidzein, a related compound that does not inhibit tyrosine protein kinases. When intracellular adenosine 5′-0-(3-thiotriphosphate (ATP[γS]) was used, genistein did not prevent the reactivation of ICl-swelling. Intracellular ATP[γS] did not result in a persistent activation of ICl-swelling when cell size was returned to control. Acute exposure to 1 μM herbimycin A or 100 μM tyrphostin 51 did not prohibit the activation of ICl-swelling. A 24-h exposure to 1 μM herbimycin A did inhibit ICl-swelling. The results provide important clues regarding the activation mechanism for ICl-swelling and suggest that a tyrosine protein phosphorylation may be necessary, but not sufficient, for activation of ICl-swelling.
HVDC-AC Harmonic Interaction Part II -AC System Harmonic Model with Comparison of Calculated and Measured Data

This paper is Part II of a two part series. The two papers will report part of the research project RP-1138 sponsored by EPRI and BPA on HVDC-AC System Interaction from AC Harmonics. The two papers describe the harmonic impedance measurement of Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) system as seen from the Celilo HVDC substation, the development of analytical techniques to calculate the harmonic impedance of the system, and comparison of the calculated and measured results.
Arterial pressure and heart rate changes during natural sleep in rat

Abstract Mean arterial pressure and heart rate data during quiet wakefulness and phases of sleep in conscious rat are sampled by a computer at a rate of 100/sec. Average values and variability expressed as standard deviation are computed for each recording session. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate and their variability decrease from quiet wakefulness to synchronized sleep. During desynchronized sleep, mean arterial pressure increases to the level of quiet wakefulness and is more variable than during synchronized sleep. Heart rate is lower and more uniform during sleep than during quiet wakefulness, and there is no difference between synchronized and desynchronized sleep except that a greater variability occurs during desynchronized sleep. The study shows that characteristic and specific cardiovascular changes accompany the phases of sleep and that a hierarchy of arterial pressure is present during the resting behavior in rat.
Three suppressor forms of bacteriophage T4 leucine transfer RNA

Abstract Three suppressor forms of bacteriophage T4 leucine transfer RNA were isolated and characterized. One suppresses U-A-G mutations, another suppresses U-A-G and U-A-A mutations, while the third suppresses U-G-A mutations. Each suppressor specifies a new anticodon sequence in leucine transfer RNA. Whereas wild-type leucine transfer RNA has the anticodon sequence N-A-A (N is a modified U), the suppressor forms have C-U-A, N-U-A or N-C-A, respectively.
Inverting papilloma of the temporal bone.

Objectives Inverting papilloma of the temporal bone is exceedingly rare. The objective is to familiarize the clinician with the clinical presentation and prognosis of this entity. Study Design Retrospective case study and literature review. Methods Published reports of inverting papillomas originating in the temporal bone were reviewed in conjunction with two cases presenting at the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, TX). Results Inverting papillomas of the temporal bone are frequently associated with persistent middle ear effusion and ipsilateral sinonasal tumors and display a higher incidence of malignancy. Conclusions Successful management of these tumors requires an aggressive surgical resection. Adjuvant radiation therapy is recommended in patients with malignant changes.
Time-resolved spectrophotometry of the AM Herculis system E2003 + 225

Time-resolved, medium-resolution photometry is reported for the binary system E2003 + 225 over a complete orbital period in 1984. The object was 1.5-2 mag fainter than when viewed earlier in 1984. The fluxes, equivalent widths and full widths at FWHM for dominant lines are presented for four points in the cycle. A coincidence of emission lines and a 4860 A continuum line was observed for the faster component, which had a 500 km/sec velocity amplitude that was symmetric around the zero line. An aberrant emission line component, i.e., stationary narrow emission lines displaced about 9 A from the rest wavelengths, is modeled as Zeeman splitting of emission from material close to the primary.
Optimal Backlogging Over an Infinite Horizon Under Time-Varying Convex Production and Inventory Costs

We consider an infinite horizon production planning problem with nonstationary, convex production and inventory costs. Backlogging is allowed, unlike as in related previous work, and inventory cost is interpreted as backlogging cost when inventory is negative. We create finite horizon truncations of the infinite horizon problem and employ classic results on convex production planning to derive a closed-form formula for the minimum forecast horizon. We show that optimal production levels are monotonically increasing in the length of horizon, leading to solution convergence and a rolling horizon procedure for delivering an infinite horizon optimal production plan. The minimum forecast horizon formula is employed to illustrate how cost parameters affect how far one must look into the future to make an infinite horizon optimal decision today.
Sivelestat Attenuates Myocardial Reperfusion Injury during Brief Low Flow Postischemic Infusion

The neutrophil elastase inhibitor sivelestat (ONO-5046) possesses unknown mechanisms of cardioprotection when infused following global ischemia, even in the absence of neutrophils. Since myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury is strongly associated with endothelial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation during reperfusion, we have tested the hypothesis that infusion of sivelestat during postischemic low flow would preserve endothelial and contractile function and reduce infarct size through an ROS-mediated mechanism. Isolated male rat hearts, subjected to global ischemia of 25 minutes, were reperfused with low flow with or without sivelestat followed by a full flow reperfusion. Hearts treated with sivelestat showed a significant improvement of LV contractile function and a reduction in infarct size. Infusion of L-NAME (nonspecific blocker of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)) along with sivelestat during reperfusion reversed the preservation of contractile function and infarct size. In vitro EPR spin trapping experiments showed that sivelestat treatment decreased superoxide adduct formation in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation. Similarly, dihydroethidine (DHE) staining showed decreased superoxide production in LV sections from sivelestat-treated hearts. Taken together, these results indicate that sivelestat infusion during postischemic low flow reduces infarct size and preserves vasoreactivity in association with decreased ROS formation and the preservation of nitric oxide.
Metrizamide myelography in cervical root avulsion injury

Abstract A cervical root avulsion with an unusual radiographic finding observed on metrizamide myelography is described which has not been previously reported. The advantage of using this new water-soluble contrast agent is discussed.
Developing Policy For HIV/AIDS in Sport: Separating Fact From Fiction

In recent years, HIV-positive athletes hove increasingly made the headlines. leading to questions and concerns regarding HIV transmission through sport. Based on limited understanding and irrational fear. athletes have been excluded from sport competitions or encouraged to retire prematurely. In other cases. they have been subjected to random, mandatory HIV testing prior to sport competition. Because HIV/AIDS is a medical and social problem, information from health-related sources is included in this analysis, including the modes of HIV transmission. This analysis focuses on further issues related to rights, obligations, risks, privacy, and policy. The growing dilemma for the sport professionals to weigh an athlete's right to privacy against their own duty to warn in the decision-making process is examined, with a discussion on mandatory HIV testing for athletes. Guidelines based on principles of medical ethics are offered to aid sport practitioners in providing all athletes with the best possible service.
Determinants of postfire recovery and succession in mediterranean-climate shrublands of California

Evergreen chaparral and semideciduous sage scrub shrublands were studied for five years after fires in order to evaluate hypothesized determinants of postfire recovery and succession. Residual species present in the immediate postfire environment dominated early succession. By the fifth year postfire, roughly half of the species were colonizers not present in the first year, but they comprised only 7-14% cover. Successional changes were evaluated in the context of four hypotheses: (1) event-dependent, (2) fire interval, (3) self- regulatory, and (4) environmental filter hypotheses. Characteristics specific to the fire event, for example, fire severity and annual fluctuations in precipitation, were important deter- minants of patterns of change in cover and density, supporting the ''event-dependent'' hypothesis. The ''fire interval'' hypothesis is also supported, primarily through the impact of short intervals on reproductive failure in obligate seeding shrubs and the impact of long intervals on fuel accumulation and resultant fire severity. Successional changes in woody cover were correlated with decreases in herb cover, indicating support for ''self-regulatory'' effects. Across this landscape there were strong ''environmental filter'' effects that resulted in complex patterns of postfire recovery and succession between coastal and interior as- sociations of both vegetation types. Of relevance to fire managers is the finding that postfire recovery patterns are substan- tially slower in the interior sage scrub formations, and thus require different management strategies than coastal formations. Also, in sage scrub (but not chaparral), prefire stand age is positively correlated with fire severity, and negatively correlated with postfire cover. Differential responses to fire severity suggest that landscapes with combinations of high and low severity may lead to enhanced biodiversity. Predicting postfire management needs is complicated by the fact that vegetation recovery is significantly controlled by patterns
Knoop microhardness of single crystal sulphur

The Knoop microhardness of single crystal sulphur was measured as a function of crystallographic orientation and applied test load on the (110) and (111) planes. Microhardnesses were determined to be in the range of 25–35 kg mm−2. Anisotropy of the microhardness and a normal indentation size effect (ISE) were observed. The ISE was addressed by the application of the traditional power law and the proportional specimen resistance model (PSR) of Li and Bradt. The load-independent hardness was determined, from which it was concluded that the (111) plane is harder than the (110) plane and also that the (111) plane is more anisotropic in microhardness.
Seasonal regulation of NMDA receptor NR2B mRNA in the adult canary song system.

Developmental changes in the composition and function of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are believed to regulate neural plasticity. For example, in songbirds, vocal learning entails NMDAR activation, and the sensitive period for such learning in zebra finches (ZFs) parallels developmental changes in NMDAR density and phenotype within several song-related brain regions. In contrast to ZFs, canaries exhibit vocal plasticity recurrently throughout adulthood, prompted by seasonal changes in day length and testosterone (T) levels. We used in situ hybridization to determine if such changes in photoperiod affect NMDAR subunit expression in adult canaries. Birds were sacrificed while on short days (SD) when T levels were low, or on long days (LD) when T levels were high. Transcript levels for the constitutive NMDAR subunit (NR1) and two modulatory subunits (NR2A, NR2B) were measured in four song control nuclei: lMAN, Area X, HVc, and RA. NR1 and NR2A mRNA levels were comparable in SD and LD groups in all four song regions studied. However, NR2B mRNA levels within lMAN and RA were significantly higher in SD than in LD birds. Photoperiod did not affect NR2B transcript levels in Area X, HVc, or a nonsong region just lateral to lMAN. Our data support the hypothesis that changes in NMDAR subunit expression may contribute to the neural and behavioral reorganization that accompanies seasonal song remodeling in adulthood. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 54: 593–603, 2003
Sodium-induced alterations of opiate effects on the binding of 3H-dihydromorphine to mouse brain homogenates

Abstract The inhibitory potency of opiate agonists on the stereo-specific binding of 3H-dihydromorphine in mouse brain homogenates was not affected by the presence of sodium ions. That of pure antagonists was greatly enhanced by NaCl whereas the inhibitory effects of mixed agonist-antagonists were reduced by NaCl, indicating that sodium ions might affect the agonist component more than the antagonist component of narcotic-antagonist analgesics. The inhibitory potency of the opiates tested in our system agrees with their potency in reducing the stereospecific binding of 3H-naloxone to rat membranes, the contractions of co-axially stimulated guinea pig ileum and their analgesic potency in animals and humans.
The (miR)e of CTCL

In this issue of Blood, Ito et al demonstrate pathogenic implications of microRNA-150 (miR-150) repression in an aggressive form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).1 Noncoding RNAs, such as microRNA, profoundly influence gene transcription and protein translation machinery to change hematopoietic cell fate in physiologic and pathologic conditions.
Down-regulation of caspase-2 by rottlerin via protein kinase C-delta-independent pathway.

Protein kinase C-delta (PKC delta) plays an important role in DNA damage-induced apoptosis. We have previously shown that the PKC delta inhibitor rottlerin protects against cisplatin-induced apoptosis acting upstream of caspase-9. In the present study, we have investigated if rottlerin regulates caspase-2 activation. Knockdown of caspase-2 by siRNA inhibited processing of apical caspase-9 and caspase-8, whereas depletion of caspase-9 had little effect on caspase-2 processing. Rottlerin inhibited activation and processing of caspase-9 and caspase-8 and cleavage of poly(ADP)ribose polymerase. We made a novel observation that rottlerin induced down-regulation of caspase-2 but not of caspase-3, caspase-7, caspase-8, or caspase-9. Pharmacologic inhibitors of PKC, such as Go 6983 and bisindolylmaleimide, or depletion of PKC delta by siRNA had no effect on the down-regulation of caspase-2 by rottlerin. The proteasome inhibitor MG132 reversed caspase-2 down-regulation by rottlerin, whereas calpain inhibitor had no effect. These results suggest that rottlerin induces down-regulation of caspase-2 via PKC delta-independent but ubiquitin proteasome-mediated pathway. Furthermore, down-regulation of caspase-2 by rottlerin can explain its antiapoptotic function during DNA damage-induced apoptosis.
A survey of multimedia streaming in wireless sensor networks

A wireless sensor network with multimedia capabilities typically consists of data sensor nodes, which sense, for instance, sound or motion, and video sensor nodes, which capture video of events of interest. In this survey, we focus on the video encoding at the video sensors and the real-time transport of the encoded video to a base station. Real-time video streams have stringent requirements for end-to-end delay and loss during network transport. In this survey, we categorize the requirements of multimedia traffic at each layer of the network protocol stack and further classify the mechanisms that have been proposed for multimedia streaming in wireless sensor networks at each layer of the stack. Specifically, we consider the mechanisms operating at the application, transport, network, and MAC layers. We also review existing cross-layer approaches and propose a few possible cross-layer solutions to optimize the performance of a given wireless sensor network for multimedia streaming applications.
What Do Private Equity Firms Look for in an Investment? Target Governance Provisions and Going Private Transactions

I examine the role of governance characteristics in determining the probability of a firm undergoing a going private transaction. I find that firms with greater board control are more likely to go private while firms with strong anti-takeover provisions are more likely to be acquired by other public companies. The positive relationship between greater board control and the likelihood of going private is driven by private equity backed deals. On the other hand, the negative relationship between anti-takeover provisions and the probability of going private is driven by non private equity backed deals. In addition, I find that shareholder voting restrictions do not affect firms’ survival status while a higher number of state antitakeover laws reduces the likelihood of being acquired. Finally, abnormal returns to shareholders are much lower for going private transactions than for acquisitions by public firms. The results suggest that governance provisions affect shareholder wealth during change of control transactions by playing an important role in determining the type of acquirer.
Re-engineering a split-GFP reassembly screen to examine RING-domain interactions between BARD1 and BRCA1 mutants observed in cancer patients

Identification of protein–protein interactions is critical for understanding protein function and regulation. Split protein reassembly is an in vivo probe of protein interactions that circumvents some of the problems with yeast 2-hybrid (indirect interactions, false positives) and co-immunoprecipitation (loss of weak and transient interactions, decompartmentalization). Split GFP reassembly, also called Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC), is especially attractive because the GFP chromophore forms spontaneously on protein folding in virtually every cell type tested. However, cellular fluorescence evolves slowly in bacteria and fails to evolve at all for some interactions. We aimed to use split-GFP reassembly to examine the determinants of association for a heterodimeric four-helix bundle, and we chose the N-terminal RING domains of BARD1 and the tumor suppressor BRCA1 as our test system. The wild-type interaction failed to give fluorescence with the split sg100 GFP variant. We found that split folding-reporter GFP (a hybrid of EGFP and GFPuv) evolves fluorescence much faster (overnight) with associating peptides and also evolves fluorescence for the BRCA1/BARD1 wild-type pair. Six cancer-associated BRCA1 interface mutants were examined with the system, and only two resulted in a significant reduction in complex reassembly. These results are generally in accord with Y2H studies, but the differences highlight the utility of complementary approaches. The split frGFP system may also be generally useful for other proteins and cell types, as the split-Venus system has proven to be in mammalian cells.
Death Induction by Recombinant Native TRAIL and Its Prevention by a Caspase 9 Inhibitor in Primary Human Esophageal Epithelial Cells

The cytotoxic death ligand TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) is a tumor-specific agent under development as a novel anticancer therapeutic agent. However, some reports have demonstrated toxicity of certain TRAIL preparations toward human hepatocytes and keratinocytes through a caspasedependent mechanism that involves activation of the extrinsic death pathway and Type II signaling through the mitochondria. We have isolated and purified both His-tagged protein and three versions of native recombinant human TRAIL protein from Escherichia coli .W e found that 5 mM dithiothreitol in the purification process enhanced oligomerization of TRAIL and resulted in the formation of hyper-oligomerized TRAILs, including hexamers and nonomers with an extremely high potency in apoptosis induction. Although death-inducing signaling complex formation was much more efficient in cells treated with hyper-oligomerized TRAILs, this did not convert TRAIL-sensitive Type II HCT116 colon tumor cells to a Type I death pattern as judged by their continued sensitivity to a caspase 9 inhibitor. Moreover, TRAIL-resistant Type II Bax-null colon carcinoma cells were not converted to a TRAIL-sensitive Type I state by hyper-oligomerized TRAIL. Primary human esophageal epithelial 2 cells were found to be sensitive to all TRAIL preparations used, including trimer TRAIL. TRAIL-induced death in esophageal epithelial 2 cells was prevented by caspase 9 inhibition for up to 4 h after TRAIL exposure. This result suggests a possible therapeutic application of caspase 9 inhibition as a strategy to reverse TRAIL toxicity. Hyper-oligomerized TRAIL may be considered as an alternative agent for testing in clinical trials.
A Cross-Coupled Iterative Learning Control Design for Precision Motion Control

This paper presents an improved method for precision motion control by combining individual axis iterative learning control (ILC) and cross-coupled ILC (CCILC) into a single control input. CCILC is a new method in which a multi-axis cross-coupled controller (CCC) is reformatted into a single-input single-output (SISO) ILC format. Applying the techniques of ILC to CCC enables learning of the cross-coupled error which leads to a modified control signal and subsequent improvements in the contour trajectory tracking performance. In this paper, performance of the combined ILC and CCILC system is compared to standard feedback control through computer simulations and experimental testing on a Cartesian robotic system. Sufficient stability and convergence properties for the combined system are presented along with a modified approach for determining monotonic convergence of systems that are computationally challenging. The combined design is shown to enhance the precision motion control of the robotic system through performance improvements in individual axis tracking and contour tracking.
Three dimensional structure directs T-cell epitope dominance associated with allergy.

Background CD4+ T-cell epitope immunodominance is not adequately explained by peptide selectivity in class II major histocompatibility proteins, but it has been correlated with adjacent segments of conformational flexibility in several antigens.
The red cell distribution width as a prognostic indicator in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Abstract Background The course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by variable patterns of disease progression. The red cell distribution width (RDW) is a parameter that is routinely reported with all CBC counts. We sought to test the prognostic usefulness of this parameter in a well-defined cohort of patients with IPF. Methods CBCs, demographics, and pulmonary function data from patients with IPF evaluated between January 1997 and June 2011 were collated. Patient outcomes were ascertained from the program's database and the Social Security Death Index. Results There were 319 patients with IPF evaluated in whom baseline CBCs were available. The range in the RDW was 11.9 to 21.9 (median 14.1). There were 228 subjects with RDW values ≤ 15 (normal) and 91 patients with RDW values > 15. Patients with normal RDW values had a median survival of 43.1 months compared with 16.3 months for those whose RDW was > 15 ( P = .001). There were 198 patients with available serial RDW data. Those patients who had a change in the RDW of less or greater than +0.010/mo had median survivals of 43.0 and 23.9 months, respectively ( P = .0246). Conclusions The RDW is a readily available laboratory test result that may provide important, independent prognostic information at baseline and follow-up in patients with IPF. Further studies are warranted to validate this as a biomarker for IPF outcomes, as well as to define the biologic basis for this association.
Conflicts and Regrets in the Venture Capitalist–Entrepreneur Relationship

The goal of this paper is to examine whether conflicts with venture capitalists (VCs) could prompt chief executive officers (CEOs) to experience regret of action (regarding their poor partner choice) or regret of inaction (regarding their own inability to avert conflict). We argue that it is important to examine such feelings of regret that could motivate CEOs to change their financial intermediation and collaboration strategies in the future. We propose that VCs and CEOs may experience two types of conflict: (1) pacing conflicts regarding the direction and speed of venture advancement driven by perceived inequities in economic and social exchange; and (2) prerogative conflicts about the allocation of control rights and relationship issues driven by the perceived inequities in power relations. We hypothesize that pacing conflicts will be related to increasingly intense prerogative conflicts, whereas the latter will be associated with both types of CEO regret. The proposed model is tested with structural equation modeling techniques applied to the data collected from104 CEOs of VC-backed ventures. All the hypotheses are supported. Our main finding is that CEOs appear to be ambivalent about their conflict with VCs, regretting both their prior choices as an error of judgment (regret of action) and their own lack of initiative (regret of inaction).
Impaired leptin response to glucocorticoid as a chronic complication of diabetes.

Abstract Leptin has anorectic, anti-obesity, and insulin-sensitizing properties. We recently reported subnormal responses to the leptin secretagogue dexamethasone in diabetes (DM). To determine whether this defect precedes or follows the occurrence of diabetes, we have studied 37 adults: 11 with type 2 DM diagnosed within 6 months prior to study, 16 with chronic (≥20 years) DM, and 10 healthy controls. After baseline measurements, subjects ingested dexamethasone (4 mg), followed by blood sampling 16 and 40 h later. Nadir plasma cortisol levels ( P
Charting the emergence of 'global water initiatives' in world water governance

Abstract Over the last century, the aperture of water governance has widened beyond local and regional schemes to include a growing number of dynamic organizations and events with a “global” scope. Until recently, little had been written about the historical development of global water governance, institutional connectivity within the field, or key organizational successes and failures as perceived by water experts. This paper provides water scientists, managers, policymakers, and those with an interest in international water issues with an overview of global initiatives. It charts the emergence of a set of institutions and events, referred to as “global water initiatives,” or GWIs, using a survey of water experts and other research. Institutional diversity among GWIs is described by defining four distinct types of initiatives and specific differences in scope and programmatic orientation. This overview also entails the historical paradigms of water management, evaluation of the results of the growth and proliferation of numerous new GWIs in recent decades, and some recommendations for supporting and sustaining GWI efforts in order to foster and improve multilevel water management in the future.
The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem.

Researchers have recently questioned the benefits associated with having high self-esteem. The authors propose that the importance of self-esteem lies more in how people strive for it rather than whether it is high or low. They argue that in domains in which their self-worth is invested, people adopt the goal to validate their abilities and qualities, and hence their self-worth. When people have self-validation goals, they react to threats in these domains in ways that undermine learning; relatedness; autonomy and self-regulation; and over time, mental and physical health. The short-term emotional benefits of pursuing self-esteem are often outweighed by long-term costs. Previous research on self-esteem is reinterpreted in terms of self-esteem striving. Cultural roots of the pursuit of self-esteem are considered. Finally, the alternatives to pursuing self-esteem, and ways of avoiding its costs, are discussed.
Low rates of clinical recurrence after biopsy of benign to moderately dysplastic melanocytic nevi.

Background Little is known about the recurrence/persistence rates of dysplastic nevi (DN) after biopsy, and whether incompletely removed DN should be re-excised to prevent recurrence. Objective Our purpose was to determine the recurrence rates of previously biopsied DN, and to assess whether biopsy method, margin involvement, congenital features, epidermal location, and degree of dysplasia are associated with recurrence. Methods Patients having a history of a "nevus biopsy" at least 2 years earlier were assessed for clinical recurrence. Slides of original lesions were re-reviewed by a dermatopathologist. Results A total of 271 nevus biopsy sites were assessed in 115 patients. Of 195 DN with greater than 2 years of follow-up, 7 (3.6%) demonstrated recurrence on clinical examination. In all, 98 DN had a follow-up period of at least 4 years with no clinical recurrence. Of 61 benign nevus biopsy sites examined, clinical recurrence was observed in two (3.3%). For all nevi, recurrence was significantly associated with shave biopsy technique but not with nevus dysplasia or subtype, or the presence of positive margin or congenital features. Limitations Most biopsies were performed in a pigmented lesion clinic at a single tertiary referral center. Determinations of nevus recurrence were made on clinical rather than histologic grounds, and follow-up times were limited in some cases. Conclusion In this cohort, rates of clinical recurrence after biopsy of DN and benign nevi were extremely low. Re-excision of nevi, including mildly to moderately DN with a positive margin, may not be necessary.
The insulated linear antenna-revisited

In the past, the insulated linear antenna has been analyzed with an approximate transmission-line theory. The range of validity for this theory has not been established. In this paper, the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is used to analyze the insulated monopole antenna. The validity of the FDTD analysis is established by comparison of results with accurate measurements for a variety of antennas. The FDTD analysis is then used to determine the accuracy of the approximate transmission-line theory. Graphs are provided to quantify the errors in the approximate theory as functions of the geometry and the electrical properties of the monopole antenna.