cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicology and Pharmacokinetics of BOPP in a Canine Model

The development of new tumor-selective boron compounds for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, melanoma and other malignancies only begins with the synthesis of new compounds. Compounds that show initial promise as a result of cell culture and small animal studies face the further requirement that they exhibit acceptable levels of toxicity in larger animal models. Furthermore the pharmacokinetic behavior of such compounds as determined in small animals must be re-examined at the level of larger mammals in order to more closely approximate their expected behavior in human Phase 1 biodistribution trials.
Mathematics, Computation, and Economics

Many believe that mathematics is one of the most beautiful creations of humankind, second only to music. The word creation, however, may be disputed. Have humans created something called mathematics? Then how is it that we increasingly discover that the world, and indeed the universe around us, obey one or another mathematical law? Perhaps to the faithful, the answer is clear: A higher power is the greatest mathematician of all. A worldly answer may be that humans discovered, rather than created, mathematics. Thus, wherever we look, we see mathematical laws at work. Whether humans created mathematics and it just so happened that the world seems to be mathematical, or the universe is a giant math problem and human beings are discovering it, we cannot deny that mathematics is extremely useful in every branch of science and technology, and even in everyday life. Without math, most likely we would be still living in caves. But what is mathematics? And why are so many afraid of it?
Cardiac Rehabilitation for Elderly People

The population in the United States is aging, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is more prevalent in the elderly. Prevention of CVD and its complications can occur in people over 65 years of age when risk factor reduction is instituted. Knowledge of the normal aging changes at rest and during exercise give the healthcare provider a baseline from which to work with the elderly patient with CVD. Physical medicine and rehabilitation is the ideal setting for cardiac rehabilitation among elderly patients because the approach is holistic and provides preventive and rehabilitative care.
Using audio-visual information to understand speaker activity: Tracking active speakers on and off screen

We present a system that associates faces with voices in a video by fusing information from the audio and visual signals. The thesis underlying our work is that an extreme simple approach to generating (weak) speech clusters can be combined with strong visual signals to effectively associate faces and voices by aggregating statistics across a video. This approach does not need any training data specific to this task and leverages the natural coherence of information in the audio and visual streams. It is particularly applicable to tracking speakers in videos on the web where a priori information about the environment (e.g., number of speakers, spatial signals for beamforming) is not available.
Film and Television Genres of the Late Soviet Era

Alexander Prokhorov and Elena Prokhorov, Film and Television Genres of the Late Soviet Era. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017. 219pp. ISBN: 9781441134288
Most cases with Lewy pathology in a population-based cohort adhere to the Braak progression pattern but ‘failure to fit’ is highly dependent on staging system applied

Abstract Braak et al.’s 2003 paper detailing the caudo-rostral progression of Lewy body pathology (LP) formed the foundation of current understanding of disease spread in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, its methods are difficult to recreate and consequently multiple new staging systems emerged to recapitulate Braak's staging system using standard neuropathological methods and to account for other patterns of LP. Studies using these systems have documented widely variable rates of cases that ‘fail to fit’ expected patterns of LP spread. This could be due to population differences, features of individual systems, or may constitute under-recognized patterns of disease. We examined 324 neuropathological cases from the Honolulu Asia Aging Study and applied four different LP staging systems to determine the proportion of cases adhering to different staging methodologies and those that ‘fail to fit’ expected patterns of LP. Of 141 cases with LP (24: PD, 8: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), 109: Incidental Lewy body disease (ILBD)), our application of Braak et al., 2003 classified 83.7%, Muller et al., 2005 classified 87.9%, Beach et al., 2009 classified 100%, and Leverenz et al., 2008 classified 98.6%. There were significant differences in the cases classifiable by the Leverenz and Beach systems versus the Braak and Muller systems (p
Altered vascular function in chronic kidney disease: evidence from passive leg movement.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and is characterized by reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and vascular dysfunction, typically assessed using brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). It has been previously reported that passive leg movement (PLM)-induced hyperemia, an assessment of lower extremity vascular function, is highly dependent on NO, but has not yet been utilized to assess vascular function in patients with CKD. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assess vascular function in patients with CKD using PLM, in addition to the traditional FMD technique. Assessment of vascular function via PLM and FMD was performed on 12 patients (CKD, 66 ± 3 years) and 16 age-matched healthy controls (CON, 60 ± 2 years). Blood velocity and artery diameters during PLM and FMD were measured using duplex ultrasound of the femoral and brachial arteries, respectively. Habitual physical activity, assessed by accelerometry, was performed in a subset of each group. CKD patients had reduced peak leg blood flow (LBF) (384 ± 39 vs. 569 ± 77 mL/min, P < 0.05) and change in LBF from baseline to peak (∆peakLBF) (143 ± 22 vs. 249 ± 34 mL/min, P < 0.05) during PLM compared to CON. Additionally, PLM responses were significantly associated with kidney function and physical activity levels. As anticipated, FMD was significantly attenuated in CKD patients (5.2 ± 1.1 vs. 8.8 ± 1.2%, P < 0.05). In conclusion, both upper and lower extremity measures of vascular function indicate impairment in CKD patients when compared to controls. PLM appears to be a novel and feasible approach to assessing lower extremity vascular function in CKD.
Technology and Dating Among Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Residential Foster Care: A Mixed Qualitative Approach Comparing Staff and Adolescent Perspectives:

The aim of this study was to explore the role of technology in the dating and sexual experiences of pregnant and parenting adolescent girls placed in residential foster care. Interviews with progra...
Investigating "A Consensus of Uninformed Dogma": C.H. McCloy and Strength Training Research at the University of Iowa in the Mid-Twentieth Century.

Into the 1960s, many coaches advised their athletes to avoid weight training, fearing that lifting weights would result in their becoming stiff, slow, and "muscle-bound." By the early 1970s, however, some teams had begun hiring specialists to devise and supervise strength and conditioning programs for their athletes. This paradigm shift in the understanding of the relationship between strength training and athletic performance was precipitated by numerous factors, including the exposure of many soldiers to barbells during World War II, Cold War-era concerns about soft living, athletes who trained despite their coaches' advice, and scientists who investigated the effects of strength training. C.H. McCloy, a Research Professor of Anthropometry and Physical Education at the University of Iowa from 1930 to 1954, was one of the first in the field of physical education to encourage and promote research on strength training. Although an advocate of various forms of training throughout his career, McCloy began to encourage investigations of the relationship between strength and performance by Iowa graduate students in the late 1940s. When those studies indicated that barbell training actually enhanced jump height, swimming speed, and more, McCloy publicized those results in the classroom, at conference talks, and in both professional and popular press magazines. Some of those investigations became part of the foundation on which later strength research was based. Owing to his backing and promotion of scientific investigations of strength training, C.H. McCloy was a key figure in making strength training an integral element of sport preparation.
Manufacturing and Industrial

While the majority of blockchain applications are in the financial industry, interest in exploiting blockchain in the manufacturing industry is increasing. Blockchain technology holds a great deal of potential for a range of activities in the manufacturing industry and has the ability to radically change the face of manufacturing.
EMC issues in RF stations for particle accelerators

RF systems are used in particle accelerators to add energy, to accelerate the beam and to focus the beam in the direction of motion (longitudinal direction). RF stations include a power stage, based on a tunable resonant cavity, and a feedback system, named Low-Level RF (LLRF), that sets the operating points, regulate the cavity fields, keep the structure on resonance and reject both external disturbances from the beam (beam loading) and spurious signals injected to the RF power system. Based on the current and future specifications for the regulation of the accelerating field of the cavities, EMC based design of the LLRF is becoming important to assess the performance requirements. In this paper, an overview of the RF station and the LLRF system is presented, focusing and analyzing the critical areas where an EMC based design is required.
Labyrinths as an Embodied Pilgrimage Experience: an Ignatian Case Study

In the Middle Ages as in today, pilgrimages in the form of maps, manuscripts, and pavement labyrinths engendered an experience of embodied pilgrimage for those who could not travel physically to far-away sites and shrines for a variety of reasons. This essay shifts the focus to the present through a focused study of the recently-commissioned outdoor labyrinth at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos—El Retiro San Inigo, California. It will be examined within the context of Ignatian spirituality and through the lens of the experiences of pilgrims, retreatants, and the designer/creator of the labyrinth himself who have described a sense of divine presence while perambulating within the space. The study of the visual and material culture of religion has brought forth a new and powerful awareness within the field of art history of the ways in which viewers can engage with devotional objects (both ‘officialized’ and also stemming from practices which emerged from popular piety). The continuity of religious context that undergirds both the experiences of medieval embodied viewing and contemporary labyrinth-walking provides a lens through which to examine an anagogic and prayerful practice that is facilitated through a visual and material aid; in this case, a built environment.
Exploring Environmental Attitudes and Forest Program Uptake with Nonindustrial Private Forest Owners in Michigan

Government programs in the United States offer benefits and opportunities to help private landowners manage their forests; however, participation is very low. Currently, little is known about the b...
Daily stressors and diurnal cortisol among sexual and gender minority young adults.

Objective Minority stress may contribute to poor health by dysregulating stress response systems, including diurnal cortisol rhythms. However, few studies have examined the association between sexual and gender minority stress and diurnal cortisol in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. The current investigation tested whether the daily experience of minority stressors is uniquely related to diurnal cortisol above and beyond general stressors. Method One hundred and 21 sexual and gender minority young adults (aged 18-35, 54.5% female) completed initial and daily evening questionnaires for 7 consecutive days to document daily general stressors and LGBT stressors. A randomly selected subset (n = 58) also provided salivary cortisol samples at wake, 45-min postwake, 12-hr postwake, and bedtime. Results Controlling for covariates (sex assigned at birth, wake time, bedtime, and day of the week) and general stressors, individuals who reported more LGBT stressors across the week displayed elevated cortisol levels at wake, t(491) = 9.68, p = .002 and 45-min postwake, t(492) = 6.41, p = .011, relative to individuals who reported fewer LGBT stressors. In contrast, after controlling for covariates, the frequency of general stressors only predicted cortisol 12 hr postwake, t(785) = 2.02, p = .043. Diurnal cortisol was unrelated to within-person fluctuations in LGBT and general stressors. Conclusions Results imply that the experience of everyday minority stressors is uniquely related to diurnal cortisol and may have implications for the mental and physical health of LGBT adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Opportunities to “Make Macro Matter” through the Grand Challenges for Social Work:

The Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative, led by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW), aims to organize the social work profession around 12 entrenched societal ch...
Use of dipyridyl-dithio substrates to measure directly the protein disulfide-thiol interchange activity of the auxin stimulated NADH: protein disulfide reductase (NADH oxidase) of soybean plasma membranes.

Dipyridyl-dithio substrates were cleaved by isolated vesicles of plasma membranes prepared from etiolated hypocotyls of soybean. The cleavage was stimulated by auxins at physiological concentrations. The substrates utilized were principally 2,2′-dithiodippyrine (DTP) and 6,6′-dithiodinicotinic acid (DTNA). The DTP generated 2 moles of 2-pyridinethione whereas the 6,6′-dithiodinicotinic acid generated 2 moles of 6-nicotinylthionine. Both products absorbed at 340 nm. The auxin herbicide, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) stimulated the activity approximately 2-fold to a maximum at about 10 μM. Concentrations of 2,4-D greater than 100 μM inhibited the activity. Indole-3-acetic acid stimulated the activity as well. The growth-inactive auxin, 2,3-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,3-D), was without effect. DTNA cleavage correlated with oxidation of NADH and reduction of protein disulfide bonds reported earlier in terms of location at the external plasma membrane surface, absolute specific activity, pH dependence and auxin specificity. The dipyridyl-dithio substrates provide, for the first time, a direct measure of the disulfide-thiol interchange activity of the protein previously measured only indirectly as an auxin-dependent ability of isolated plasma membrane vesicles to restore activity to scrambled and inactive RNase.
Proving Geometry Statements of Constructive Type

This paper presents a method to generate non-degenerate conditions in geometric form for a class of geometry statements of constructive type, called Class C. We prove a mathematical theorem that in the irreducible case, the non-degenerate conditions generated by our method are sufficient for a geometry statement in Class C to be valid in metric geometry. About 400 among 600 theorems proved by our computer program are in Class C.
Characterization Methods of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound-Induced Thermal Field

Publisher Summary High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a minimally invasive medical procedure used for thermal ablation of tumors and uterine fibroids, vessel cauterization, thrombolysis, drug delivery, and gene activation. Tissue damage via ultrasound is achieved by the conversion of the mechanical energy of acoustic waves to thermal energy as the ultrasound propagates through the tissue. Unlike other hyperthermia techniques such as radio frequency (RF) and laser ablation procedures, during a typical HIFU procedure, a large amount of energy is deposited in a short duration causing sudden, drastic, and localized rise in tissue temperature. This chapter focuses on the new preclinical testing methods developed for acoustic intensity and temperature measurements at HIFU energy levels. A preliminary step in the analysis of new medical devices involving high-intensity ultrasound is the determination of the acoustic intensity field in a liquid medium. Medical ultrasound fields generated by focused transducers are usually characterized in water using calorimetry methods, hydrophones, and radiation force balance techniques. The chapter also describes alternate characterization methods and acoustic streaming-based method. Thin wire thermocouples embedded in tissue-mimicking materials or excised tissues have been popularly used as a cost-effective method for measuring the HIFU-induced transient temperature rise. An improvement in HIFU characterization studies is the development of nonperturbing methods, to assess the thermal field in a tissue medium. In this method direct sonication of thermocouple junctions is avoided to prevent artifacts in the temperature data. The beam is focused at locations off the thermocouple junctions and the temperature rise at the remote junctions is measured.
Constructing one-step and limiting fuzzy transition probabilities for finite Markov chains

In this paper a methodology for constructing one-step and limiting transition probabilities for fuzzy Markov chains is proposed. This method involves employing Dempster-Shafer type mass functions to construct transition probabilities for set-valued Markov chains in which the sets are subsets of the original state space. The relationship between the composition of mass functions via the Dempster-Shafer rule of combination and set-valued Markov chains is utilized to obtain these transition probabilities. Limiting transition probabilities make use of a limit theorem for the infinite composition of homogeneous mass functions. These set-valued transition probabilities are then converted into transition probabilities on the original state space. Since more than one sequence of mass functions can be under consideration with varying degrees of certitude, the resulting transition probabilities are typically fuzzy sets.
Studies on Human Proinsulin ISOLATION AND AMINO ACID SEQUENCE OF THE HUMAN PANCREATIC C-PEPTIDE

Human proinsulin C-peptide has been extracted from human pancreas with acid-ethanol and purified by means of gel filtration, carboxymethyl-cellulose chromatography, paper electrophoresis, and partition chromatography. The purified material was judged to be about 98% pure by compositional analysis. Amino acid sequence analysis was carried out on the intact C-peptide and fragments derived by hydrolysis with chymotrypsin and thermolysin. On the basis of these results, and in accord with the compositional stoichiometry, the following 31-residue amino acid sequence is proposed: Glu-Ala-Glu-Asp-Leu-Gln-Val-Gly-Gln-Val-Glu-Leu-Gly-Gly-Gly-Pro-Gly-Ala-Gly-Ser-Leu-Gln-Pro-Leu-Ala-Leu-Glu-Gly-Ser-Leu-Gln. Although sufficient human proinsulin has not been available thus far for detailed structural studies, the probable identity of this pancreatic C-peptide with the corresponding region of human proinsulin is supported by both compositional and immunological studies on human proinsulin. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of the bovine, porcine, and human C-peptides reveals homology but also much greater variability in both length and sequence than occurs among the insulins in these species. The conformation and role in peptide chain folding of the connecting polypeptide region of proinsulin is evaluated in the light of these findings.
Procidentia with vesical calculi

Abstract Two cases of procidentia associated with vesical calculi have been presented. There were no foreign bodies in the bladder of either patient besides the stones.
Dig the Dirt

It seems kind of strange that eating parasitic worms causes a cure rather than a disease. Yet, this fact is no stranger than many other man-bites-dog stories about “real life” in contemporary times.1 Such stories arise at moments of changing equilibria in the processes of the social construction of reality. They are especially evident during periods of intense dialectic in which long held theses are being upended by powerful antitheses, and the glimmer of an eventual synthesis is still occluded by ignorance and confusion about what is at stake. The emergent dialectic among the “real” and the “virtual” provides a particularly interesting opportunity to explore the mechanisms of such dialectics. The opening quote from Laurie Anderson is a device to explicate the tension between the real and the virtual, and the mechanics of reconciliation by which a new equilibrium might be forged.
Behavioral and Perceptual Differences Between Structurally Equivalent, Two-Person Games A Rich Versus Poor Context Comparison

This research primarily examines the effects of “naturalness” of context upon (a) game-related trusting behavior, (b) the cognitive predictors of trusting behavior such as the other's trustworthiness and perceived intentions, and (c) subjects“ attributions of causality within the experimental gaming situation itself. Since reward level and trust-worthy first impressions could possibly moderate the effects of context, a 2 × 2 × 2 (rich versus poor context x 83% versus 50% reward level x good versus bad first impression) factorial design was used in which 60 male Yale undergraduates responded to a series of 12 games (n = 40 for the rich; n = 20 for the poor). The ”rich“ context was created with 12 verbal communication choice dilemmas. The ”poor“ context consisted of 12 numeric outcome games, verified to be structurally equivalent to the verbal games. More trusting behavior was observed in the poor context (83% versus 62%). Negative first impression in the rich context only was a powerful inhibitor of initia...
Badminton at 65 and Older.

(1979). Badminton at 65 and Older. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 50, Including Leisure Today, pp. 26-28.
On J. R. Haddock’s conjecture

In this paper we prove the following conjecture of J.R. Haddock: each solution of the following neutral equation tends to a constant, if F : R →R is continuous and increasing, 0 < c <1.
Stimulation of mitochondrial protein synthesis and oxygen consumption by thyroxine in vitro without deiodination to triiodothyronine.

Abstract The abilities of triiodothyronine (T 3 ) and thyroxine (T 4 ) to stimulate protein synthesis and oxygen consumption and to alter ADP/O and respiratory control ratios in normal rat liver mitochondria in vitro have been investigated together with determinations of the extent of conversion of T 4 to T 3 . There was no significant differences in the ability of either hormone to stimulate protein synthesis or oxygen consumption. ADP/O and respiratory control ratios were approximately equally depressed by T 4 and T 3 in concentrations (10 and 50 μM) which increased mitochondrial protein synthesis and oxygen consumption. T 4 was not appreciably deiodinated to T 3 , indicating that the hormones are of equal potency in producing these effects in normal mitochondria in vitro .
Chemisorption of iodine on In- and Sb-terminated InSb(001)

Abstract The chemisorption of I 2 on the In-terminated InSb(001)-c(8×2) and Sb-terminated InSb(001)-c(4×4) surfaces was investigated with synchrotron-based soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. For both terminations, the predominant species formed is InI 2 , and the surfaces become disordered. Further analysis suggests that iodine adsorption induces In to migrate from the bulk up to the surface. These results are compared to results for similar systems. It is suggested that the ability of InI 2 to form on the surface is critical in determining the reaction pathway. InI 2 is readily formed because of the relatively large lattice spacing and the relatively weak InSb bond strength, as compared to other III–V materials. Thus, the reaction of I 2 with InSb can proceed more completely, and the surface product distribution more closely reflects the bulk chemical thermodynamics.
Interpreting Visual versus Audio Messages in Television News.

A three-way experimental design examined the relative power of visual, audio, and audiovisual television messages on people's learning of and feelings about political issues. Evidence from these experiments showed that audio alone is just as effective as a combined audio and visual presentation for conveying information, including the critical interpretation of a news story. Comparing results across stories demonstrated that encoding information in a narrative form enhanced learning from the visual track alone. In stark contrast with much of the accumulated findings on the affective impact of visuals, the results here show little difference between the affective responses to audio and video channels. Rather, subjects were most emotionally aroused by a combination of audio and visual channels, which is the essential character of television.
Escherichia coli Shiga toxin 1 and TNF-α induce cytokine release by human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells

Infection with Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli can lead to development of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Patients with severe HUS often exhibit central nervous system (CNS) pathology, which is thought to involve damage to brain endothelium, a component of the blood-brain barrier. We hypothesized that this neuropathology occurs when cerebral endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier, sensitized by exogenous TNF-alpha and stimulated by Stx1, produce and release proinflammatory cytokines. This was tested by measuring changes in cytokine mRNA and protein expression in human brain endothelial cells (hBEC) in vitro when challenged by TNF-alpha and/or Stx. High doses of Stx1 alone were somewhat cytotoxic to hBEC; Stx1-treated cells produced increased amounts of IL-6 mRNA and secreted this cytokine. IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA, but not protein, were increased, and IL-8 secretion increased without an observed increase in mRNA. Cells pretreated with TNF-alpha were more sensitive to Stx1, displaying greater Stx1-induction of mRNA for TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6, and secretion of IL-6 and IL-8. These observations suggest that in the pathogenesis of HUS, Stx can induce cytokine release from hBEC, which may contribute toward the characteristic CNS neuropathology.
Infective endocarditis: Clinical features in young and elderly patients

The elderly constitute an increasing percentage of patients with infective endocarditis. The disease manifestations and outcomes in 53 episodes of endocarditis in patients over the age of 60 were reviewed and compared with 55 episodes of endocarditis in patients less than 40 years of age and 46 episodes of endocarditis in patients aged 40 to 60. The percentage of cases caused by staphylococci and streptococci were roughly equal in all groups. Enterococci, Streptococcus bovis, and coagulase-negative staphylococci were more common in the elderly. In the elderly, invasive vascular procedures were the most common source of infection. Endocarditis acquired nosocomially accounted for 23 percent of all episodes in older patients. The elderly reported fewer symptoms and showed a diminished febrile response. Errors in diagnosis were noted in 68 percent of elderly patients, and a delay in initiating appropriate therapy was more common in this age group. The mortality rate was significantly higher in the elderly (45.3 percent) than in the middle-aged (32.6 percent) and young (9.1 percent). Endocarditis in elderly patients is often nosocomially acquired, is difficult to diagnose, and is associated with a higher mortality than noted in younger patients.
Self-Adjoint Toeplitz Operators Associated with Representing Measures on Multiply Connected Planar Regions and Their Eigenvalues

A direct calculation of the vector of Riemann constants corresponding to the marked double of a multiply connected planar region is given. The existence of eigenvalues of self-adjoint Toeplitz operators acting on Hardy spaces associated with non-negative representing measures on 1-holed planar regions is established in the case where there exists one bounded component in the complement of the essential range of the symbol $$\phi $$ of the operator. The analysis is done by using the zeros of translations of theta functions restricted to $$\mathbb R $$ in $$\mathbb C $$ .
Beta blockers and the primary prevention of nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with high blood pressure.

Abstract A population-based, case-control study was conducted to determine whether β blockers, used for the treatment of high blood pressure, prevent first events of coronary heart disease. All study subjects were health-maintenance organization enrollees with pharmacologically treated hypertension. Patients presented in 1982 to 1984 with new coronary heart disease, and control subjects were a probability sample of eligible hypertensive enrollees free of coronary heart disease. With the investigators blind to case-control status, the subjects' medical records were reviewed for other coronary risk factors, and the health-maintenance organization's computerized pharmacy database was used to ascertain the use of β blockers. A larger proportion of controls than cases were using β blockers. This difference was confined to the subgroup with nonfatal myocardial infarctions. For current use, the estimated relative risk for nonfatal myocardial infarction was 0.62 (95% confidence interval, 0.39 to 0.99). Among current users of β blockers, higher doses conferred greater protection. Past use and total lifetime intake of β blockers were only weakly associated with case-control status. The current use of β blockers may prevent first events of nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with high blood pressure.
Lasers in contemporary oral and maxillofacial surgery

The practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery has included the use of lasers since the 1960s. Over the past few decades, the use of lasers among oral and maxillofacial surgeons has grown dramatically. Their evolution within the specialty not only has enhanced current surgical options for treatment, but also contributed to a variety of new procedures that are now commonplace in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The management of patients with sleep apnea, temporomandibular joint derangements, dental implants, premalignant lesions, and posttraumatic facial scarring has improved significantly with the advent of laser surgery. As the number of laser systems grows and their technology becomes more advanced, a thorough understanding regarding the principles of their use is paramount to providing safe and effective patient care.
Quantitative studies of the mating system in two sympatric species of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae)

The rates of outcrossing in sympatric populations of Ipomoea purpurea and I, hederacea were estimated (using electrophoretic markers) to be 70% and 7% respectively. The difference in outcrossing rate is not apparently due to differences in pollinator service received by the species, but is associated with differences in anther-stigma distance. In I. purpurea stigmas are generally exserted and there is much genetic variation for anther-stigma distance. Variation in this character has a significant effect on the ease with which selfpollination occurs. In contrast there is no variation for the character in the I. hederacea population, the anthers being invariably held at the same level as the stigma, an arrangement promoting self-pollination.
Passivation of MBE grown GaInSb/InAs superlattice photodiodes

We have performed wet chemical passivation tests on InGaSb/InAs superlattice photodiode structures grown molecular beam epitaxy. The details of the devices growth and characterization as well as the results of chemical passivation involving RuCl3 and H2SO4 with SiO2 dielectric depositions are presented.
An approximate solution method for the fixed charge problem

In the absence, to date, of an exact method for solving the linear programming problem with fixed charges, two heuristic methods have been proposed and extensively investigated, computationally, for moderate sized problems. The results indicate that the heuristic methods produce optimal solutions in well over 90 percent of the several hundred problems investigated and very close to optimal (a few percent) in the remaining cases. Hence it should be of practical significance to practitioners in the field.
The effects of aggregating sub-grid land surface variation on large-scale estimates of net primary production

The use of large grid cell databases (1/2° to 5°) to drive nonlinear ecosystem process models may create an incompatibility of scales which can often lead to biased outputs. Global simulations of net primary production (NPP) often assume that bias due to averaging of sub-grid variations in climate, topography, soils, and vegetation is minimal, yet the magnitude and behavior of this bias on estimates of NPP are largely unknown. The effects of averaging sub-grid land surface variations on NPP estimates were evaluated by simulating a 1° × 1° land surface area as represented by four successive levels of landscape complexity, ranging from a single computation to 8,456 computations of NPP for the study area. Averaging sub-grid cell landscape variations typical of the northern US Rocky Mountains can result in overestimates of NPP as large as 30 %. Aggregating climate within the 1° cell contributed up to 50 % of the bias to NPP estimates, while aggregating topography, soils, and vegetation was of secondary importance. Careful partitioning of complex landscapes can efficiently reduce the magnitude of this overestimation.
Design of Dissipative and Stable Assist Robots

This paper presents a methodology for design of dissipative assist robots with proven stability during set-point control. A dissipative assist robot is defined as one where the actuators continuously dissipate energy from the robot until the robot reaches the desired set point. We have discussed in this paper that, under well known control laws, it is hard to characterize dissipativity of a general assist robot. However, by appropriately designing the robot through inertia redistribution, the dynamic equations can be modified so that the control laws can now be proven to be both dissipative and stable under set-point control. The proposed method is demonstrated through simulation of a three-link planar manipulator used as an assist robot to modify human functional movements in a vertical plane.
Current and future greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity generation in China: implications for electric vehicles.

China’s oil imports and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have grown rapidly over the past decade. Addressing energy security and GHG emissions is a national priority. Replacing conventional vehicles with electric vehicles (EVs) offers a potential solution to both issues. While the reduction in petroleum use and hence the energy security benefits of switching to EVs are obvious, the GHG benefits are less obvious. We examine the current Chinese electric grid and its evolution and discuss the implications for EVs. China’s electric grid will be dominated by coal for the next few decades. In 2015 in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, EVs will need to use less than 14, 19, and 23 kWh/100 km, respectively, to match the 183 gCO2/km WTW emissions for energy saving vehicles. In 2020, in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou EVs will need to use less than 13, 18, and 20 kWh/100 km, respectively, to match the 137 gCO2/km WTW emissions for energy saving vehicles. EVs currently demonstrated in China use 24–32 kWh/100 km. Elect...
Use of solid supported nucleophiles and electrophiles for the purification of non-peptide small molecule libraries

Abstract Solid supported nucleophiles and electrophiles are employed to expedite the work-up and purification of a variety of amine alkylations acylacylations. These solid suported scavengers are particularly advantageous for the construction of non-peptide libraries in a parallel array format.
Separation of Drosophila RNAs on acrylamide gels in formamide

Abstract A procedure is described for extraction and fractionation of RNA components from microgram quantities of tissues. Illustrations are from experiments with salivary glands, brains, and whole animals of Drosophila melanogaster. The procedures given are suitable for studies of changes in RNA components as related to development.
icAuth: image-color based authentication system

Authentication interfaces are GUIs that provide the protection for an application or system. In this paper, we present icAuth: a novel image and color based authentication interface for the authentication process. We enhance the existing Image Based Authentication (IBA) with an additional interactive method. In our approach, the user not only chooses image(s) as a key during the registration process, but also clicks on various regions on the image to generate an additional key. This additional key is in the form of a sequence of colors that correspond to the clicked areas. In essence, the user chooses a color sequence along with the selected images. During the next authentication process, the user has to produce the same color sequence on the recognized images. The user is required to remember the same switching sequence among the images, without having to memorize the precise location of the initial clicks during setup.
Salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A: An Update on Pharmacology and Analytical Methodology

SALVIA DIVINORUM L. (Lamiaceae) has been used for centuries by the Mazatecan culture and has gained popularity as a recreational drug in recent years. Its potent hallucinogenic effects seen in case reports has triggered research and led to the discovery of the first highly selective non-nitrogenous κ opioid receptor agonist salvinorin A. This review critically evaluates the reported pharmacological and toxicological properties of S. DIVINORUM and one of its major compounds salvinorin A, its pharmacokinetic profile, and the analytical methods developed so far for its detection and quantification. Recent research puts a strong emphasis on salvinorin A , which has been shown to be a selective opioid antagonist and is believed to have further beneficial properties , rather than the leaf extract of S. DIVINORUM. Currently animal studies show a rapid onset of action and short distribution and elimination half-lives as well as a lack of evidence of short- or long-term toxicity. Salvinorin A seems to be the most promising approach to new treatment options for a variety of CNS illnesses. However, many further investigations are necessary to fully understand and elucidate the various medicinal properties of the plant itself and to provide the legislative authorities with enough information to cast judgement on S. DIVINORUM. CNS: central nervous system FST: forced swimming test I. T.: intrathecal KOR: kappa opioid receptor LSD: lysergic acid diethylamide norBNI: norbinaltorphimine P. O.: per os S. C.: subcutaneous ssp.: subspecies
Online linear optimization and adaptive routing

This paper studies an online linear optimization problem generalizing the multi-armed bandit problem. Motivated primarily by the task of designing adaptive routing algorithms for overlay networks, we present two randomized online algorithms for selecting a sequence of routing paths in a network with unknown edge delays varying adversarially over time. In contrast with earlier work on this problem, we assume that the only feedback after choosing such a path is the total end-to-end delay of the selected path. We present two algorithms whose regret is sublinear in the number of trials and polynomial in the size of the network. The first of these algorithms generalizes to solve any online linear optimization problem, given an oracle for optimizing linear functions over the set of strategies; our work may thus be interpreted as a general-purpose reduction from offline to online linear optimization. A key element of this algorithm is the notion of a barycentric spanner, a special type of basis for the vector space of strategies which allows any feasible strategy to be expressed as a linear combination of basis vectors using bounded coefficients. We also present a second algorithm for the online shortest path problem, which solves the problem using a chain of online decision oracles, one at each node of the graph. This has several advantages over the online linear optimization approach. First, it is effective against an adaptive adversary, whereas our linear optimization algorithm assumes an oblivious adversary. Second, even in the case of an oblivious adversary, the second algorithm performs slightly better than the first, as measured by their additive regret.
Broadband single-ended to differential signal converter embedded in silicon decision circuit

A broadband decision circuit with a novel single-ended input and differential output operating from DC to >6 Gbit/s has been fabricated using silicon bipolar transistor technology. Single-ended to differential signal conversion is realised within a single flip-flop stage by using an emitter-coupled feedback loop which eliminates the need for a stable reference voltage source. >
Two-photon excitation spectroscopy of benzene and toluene in nonpolar liquids

Abstract The two-photon excitation spectra of benzene and toluene in dilute solutions of tetramethylsilane, n -pentane, perfluoro- n -hexane, perfluoromethylcyclohexane, and perfluorodimethylcyclobutane have been measured over the laser excitation wavelength region from 360 to 560 nm, corresponding to a two-photon energy range from 55 500 to 35 700 cm −1 . Vibrational analyses of the 1 B 2 u state of benzene from 36 570 to 47 280 cm −1 and of the 1 B 2 state of toluene from 36 100 to 44 700 cm −1 have been conducted and polarization measurements of the 1 B 2 u state, using both linearly and circularly polarized light, are presented and discussed. The 0-0 levels of the 1 B 2u ← 1 A 1g transitions of benzene and the 1 B 2 ← 1 A 1 transitions of toluene were observed at 38 050 ± 10 cm −1 and 37 411 ± 10 cm −1 in perfluoro- n -hexane and at 37 853 ± 20 cm −1 and 37 210 ± 20 cm −1 in n -pentane, respectively.
Cannabinoid receptors: nomenclature and pharmacological principles

The CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family that are pharmacologically well defined. However, the discovery of additional sites of action for endocannabinoids as well as synthetic cannabinoid compounds suggests the existence of additional cannabinoid receptors. Here we review this evidence, as well as the current nomenclature for classifying a target as a cannabinoid receptor. Basic pharmacological definitions, principles and experimental conditions are discussed in order to place in context the mechanisms underlying cannabinoid receptor activation. Constitutive (agonist-independent) activity is observed with the overexpression of many GPCRs, including cannabinoid receptors. Allosteric modulators can alter the pharmacological responses of cannabinoid receptors. The complex molecular architecture of each of the cannabinoid receptors allows for a single receptor to recognize multiple classes of compounds and produce an array of distinct downstream effects. Natural polymorphisms and alternative splice variants may also contribute to their pharmacological diversity. As our knowledge of the distinct differences grows, we may be able to target select receptor conformations and their corresponding pharmacological responses. Importantly, the basic biology of the endocannabinoid system will continue to be revealed by ongoing investigations.
Social Media and Online Political Communication: The Role of Interpersonal Informational Trust and Openness

This study examines relationships among interpersonal informational trust and openness with Internet-based political activities and attitudes. Conceptually, it proposes the categorization of online spaces and activities as consumption or interaction types, and classifies interpersonal informational trust within inner and outer circles. Interpersonal informational trust was found to be positively associated with perception of online activities as political participation. It also was associated with use of all types of online media for purposes of political communication, but mostly with online spaces that require interaction with others. Interpersonal political openness showed positive association with the use of interactive-type Web sites for purposes of political communication.
The Legumain Protease-Activated Auristatin Prodrugs Suppress Tumor Growth and Metastasis without Toxicity

Naturally occurring antimitotic pentapeptide dolastatin 10 (1, Figure 1)[1] and its synthetic analogue auristatin E (AE, 2)[2] possess subnanomolar cytotoxicity against many human cancer cell lines and are over a hundred- to a thousand-times more potent than many pharmaceuticals, including taxol and doxorubicin, respectively, which are currently used in clinic. These pentapeptides have mechanism of actions similar to that of taxol, but through processes that appear opposing to each other; that is, dolastatins and auristatins inhibit tubulin polymerization, whereas taxol promotes it and stabilizes the microtubules.[3] In the end, both dolastatins or auristatins and taxol inhibit cell proliferation. Additionally, auristatins function as the vascular disrupting agents and damage the established tumor vessels, thereby likely causing a more pronounced effect than taxol in vivo.[4] Nonetheless, the therapeutic efficacies of the auristatins and dolastatins are poor as they also cause nonselective toxicity to normal cells.[5] Seattle Genetics has pioneered the selective delivery of auristatins to tumor cells by further modifying them to suitable analogues, including di-desmethylauristatin E (DDAE, 3) and monomethylauristatin E (MMAE, 4), and conjugating them to tumor-targeting antibodies (Ab) in the Fc region through a linker.[6] Upon uptake of the conjugates in tumor cells, free drugs are released by lysosomal protease-catalyzed hydrolysis of the linker. Many such auristatin–Ab conjugates have shown very high efficacy in tumor models, and several conjugates are in clinical trials for the treatment of various cancers.[7] We are interested in this class of molecules as they could also feed our ongoing program in the development of prodrugs[8] and their conjugates to the programmed Abs (progAbs).[9] First, we prepared and evaluated a series of AE (2) analogues and compared their cytotoxicity to the previously described analogues, DDAE and MMAE. An examination of the results revealed that new auristatin analogues were highly potent, but they were not as cytotoxic as compounds 1–4. Therefore, we focused on MMAE and DDAE, and prepared and evaluated their prodrugs, which undergo tumor-associated protease-catalyzed activation. Herein, we report the results of our preliminary study comparing their in vitro and in vivo efficacy and selectivity to the parent cytotoxins MMAE and DDAE.
In vitro and in vivo Properties of Autoantibodies eluted from Kidneys of Sheep with Autoimmune Glomerulonephritis

SHEEP injected with heterologous glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and Freund's adjuvant (FA) develop progressive glomerulonephritis which is characterized by a linear, continuous deposit of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and β10-globulin (C′3) along the GBM1–3. We have found that IgG eluted from the GBM of nephritic sheep consists largely, if not entirely, of antibodies against the GBM. When these antibodies are injected intravenously into lambs, they seem to react with lamb GBM, fix complement (C′3) and induce glomerular injury.