cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Norm convergence of random walks on compact hypergroups

where IG[ is the order of G and P" is the nth convolut ion power of P. They show that this is a natural tool for studying strong uniform times for r a n d o m walks on G, and they show in Theorem 7 of [1] (stated as Theorem 5 in [-7, Chap. 4C]) that if I[P'-ml[~O as n ~ , then s(n)~O as n ~ at a rate that depends on how fast l iP ' -m[[ converges to 0 but does not depend on the size of the group G. In particular, if J[P"-m[[ is small then s(2n) is small.
An application of document filtering in an operational system

This paper describes an applied document filtering system embedded in an operational watch center that monitors disease outbreaks worldwide. At the initial time of this writing, the system effectively supported monitoring of 23 geographic regions by filtering documents in several thousand daily news sources in 11 different languages. This paper describes the filtering algorithm, statistical procedures for estimating Precision and Recall in an operational environment, summarizes operational performance data and suggests lessons learned for other applications of document filtering technology. Overall, these results are interpreted as supporting the general utility of document filtering and information retrieval technology and offers recommendations for future applications of this technology.
Gate oxide integrity of MOS/SOS devices

Time-dependent dielectric breakdown and ramp-voltage oxide breakdown measurements were used to evaluate the oxide integrity of MOS/SOS devices fabricated by a 3-µm process with a 500-Athick gate oxide and dry-etched silicon islands. Field and temperature acceleration factors were determined on device arrays which ranged from 1 to 1000 devices. The measured temperature and field acceleration factors are used to give reasonable stress conditions for elimination of defective multiple device arrays without significantly altering the wear out time for nondefective arrays. Extrapolation of the data is used to suggest stress conditions and predict wear out time for 4K RAM's.
Measurements of positronium formation cross sections for positron-ar and-K scattering

We have made preliminary measurements of positronium (Ps) formation cross sections for 9 to 452 eV positrons scattered from Ar atoms and for 1 to 20 eV positrons scattered from K atoms. Our experimental approach involves setting lower and upper limits on Ps formation cross sections using a combination of (1) the detection of the coincidences of 511 keV annihilation gamma rays produced by the decay of para-Ps and by the interaction of ortho-Ps with the wall of the scattering cell in which the Ps is formed, and (2) the determination of scattering cross sections associated with the measured transmission of the positron beam through the gas in our scattering cell with the angular discrimination of our apparatus deliberately made as poor as possible. The constraints placed by these lower and upper limits are used to check for consistency with prior experimental and theoretical results for Ar and to provide the first measurements of Ps formation cross sections for K, which are compared with available theoretical results.
Differential equations in Schatten classes of operators

We study a system of differential equations in Schatten classes of operators, \({\mathcal{C}_p(\mathcal{H})\,(1 \leq p < \infty}\)), with \({\mathcal{H}}\) a separable complex Hilbert space. The systems considered are infinite dimensional generalizations of mathematical models of unsupervised learning. In this new setting, we address the usual questions of existence and uniqueness of solutions. Under some restrictions on the spectral properties of the initial conditions, we explicitly solve the system. We also discuss the long-term behavior of solutions.
Observation of a Foam Morphology of the Liquid-Condensed Phase of a Langmuir Monolayer

Abstract We have studied Langmuir monolayers of stearylamine on an acidified subphase using surface pressure isotherm measurements and fluorescence microscopy observations. Compression of the monolayer to low area per molecule in the coexistence region between the liquid-expanded and liquid-condensed phases followed by expansion results in a novel transition from a lamellar to a foam-like morphology for the liquid-condensed phase.
Beef Cattle Welfare in the United States: Current State and Future Directions

The beef industry prides itself on nonhuman animal welfare practices. Fewer and fewer consumers are connected to agriculture. This gap in contact with the industry has widened. The television and I...
The effects of grapefruit pectin on patients at risk for coronary heart disease without altering diet or lifestyle

Dietary intake of cholesterol has been linked to coronary heart disease. The effect of grapefruit pectin (Citrus paradisi) on plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the low-density lipoprotein:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio was studied. The study design was a 16-week double-blind, crossover (placebo or pectin) using 27 human volunteers screened to be at medium to high risk for coronary heart disease due to hypercholesterolemia. The study did not interfere with the subjects' current diet or lifestyle. Grapefruit pectin supplementation decreased plasma cholesterol 7.6%, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 10.8%, and the low-density lipoprotein:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio 9.8%. The other plasma lipid fractions studied showed no significant differences. We conclude that a grapefruit pectin-supplemented diet, without change in lifestyle, can significantly reduce plasma cholesterol.
William R. Davidson (1919-2012): a pioneer in retailing

Purpose – This biographical sketch aims to describe the life and career of William R. Davidson. Design/methodology/approach – The biographical research used in this study draws upon extensive personal interviews with the subject, on some archival research, and on extensive analysis of the subject's published scholarship. Findings – Davidson fashioned a distinguished career as a scholar, teacher, and consultant in retailing management. The founding mission statement for his consulting firm, Management Horizons, included the ambition to “advance the frontier of knowledge in the distribution industries”. His tremendous success in that endeavour over a period of half a century earned William R. Davidson the recognition as a pioneer in marketing. Originality/value – This article is adapted with permission from a chapter titled “William R. Davidson (1919-): Mr Retailing”, in Pioneers in Marketing, published in 2012 by Routledge.
Bioinspired Structural Material Exhibiting Post-Yield Lateral Expansion and Volumetric Energy Dissipation During Tension

Nature has inspired the design of improved synthetic materials that achieve superior and more efficient mechanical performance. Here microstructures inspired by the inner nacreous layer of seashells are designed and their mechanical properties including stiffness, strength, and energy dissipation are computed using micromechanical analysis. The hierarchical mineral/ polymer microstructure can be tailored to achieve not only stiffness and strength, but also lateral plastic expansion during tension providing a volumetric energy dissipation mechanism.
Prandial drinking induced by atropine.

Abstract Rats injected with atropine (1–2.25 mg/kg) before daily 1 hr feeding-drinking sessions acquired the prandial drinking characteristic of surgically desalivate rats. Two to three sessions were required for the full development of prandial drinking. As a consequence of the acquisition of prandial drinking, atropine increased total water intake. Atropine methyl nitrate (which has little central activity) was as effective as atropine sulfate. In 4 of the 6 rats prandial drinking persisted after atropine injections ceased. Persistent prandial drinking was suppressed by pilocarpine and by intra-oral infusions of water with each food pellet. Temporary (pharmacological) as well as permanent (surgical) desalivation induced prandial drinking, supporting the idea that this drinking is generated by the necessity for lubrication when dry food must be swallowed from a dry mouth. Prandial drinking is therefore under peripheral control.
Fractographic interpretation of failure mechanisms in titanium matrix composites

Abstract Titanium matrix composites (TMC) offer a combination of good mechanical properties and high temperature durability that make them attractive candidate materials for advanced engine components and high temperature structural applications. In such applications the material will be subjected to changing mechanical loads and temperature fluctuations, resulting in complex stress states within the constituents of the composite. This study examines how the various loading conditions on the TMCs are reflected in the fracture behaviour to gain insight into the damage mechanisms active in these materials. A fractographic study was conducted on several different TMC specimens, fabricated from Ti-15-3 and Timetal 21S alloys and SCS-6 fibres, that have been subjected to various thermomechanical loading conditions. The analysis showed that the Ti-15-3 composites were more susceptible to damage during sustained load at elevated temperature than the Timetal 21S composites. For both materials, striations only appear during elevated temperature fatigue when the residual processing stresses are relieved. During the Generic Hypersonic Flight Profile (GHFP) tests, the higher temperatures of the Mission 1 profile induce more damage in the Timetal 21S composites. The striations appear in the composites containing centre holes, unlike the unnotched specimens, indicating that the combined effect of stress concentration due to the hole and an underdeveloped fibre bridging zone may have resulted in crack closure.
A Follow-up of Admissions to the California Civil Addict Program

A follow-up interview study of early admissions to the California Civil Addict Program found that those continuing in the program performed substantially better during the commitment period than did a comparable group discharged shortly after admission. To a lesser extent, the program also appeared to have had some impact subsequent to discharge. Those program discharges defined as successes tended to do relatively well until the time of interview. Comparisons under the strict (pre-1970) and more lenient regimens showed roughly comparable behavior, but the availability of methadone maintenance was also a significant factor in reducing heroin use during the latter period.
An operator in signal flow graphs and its applications

In the theory of electrical networks, Tellegen's theorem and its generalization play an important role. This theorem is a direct result of Kirchhoff's laws. In a signal flow graph, the signals in the graph do not depend on Kirchhoff's laws, and therefore Tellegen's theorem does not apply to signal flow graphs. However, there exists a similar formula for signal flow graphs and digital filters. This formula is generalized by using the operator concept, and some of its applications are presented. >
Acquiring minds: acquisitions in two contexts

This paper compares and contrasts the work of acquisitions in two contexts: a large academic research library and a small special library serving a research-based non-profit institution. Organizational structure, staff issues, acquisitions services, and competencies for librarians are discussed.
On the Molecular-Level Interactions between Pittsburgh No. 8 Coal and Several Organic Liquids

Pittsburgh No. 8 coal, whose average short-range structural domain contains approximately three parallel layers separated by an average inter-layer distance of 3.9 A, forms a stable adduct with aniline. In this adduct, the inter-layer structuring characteristic of Pittsburgh No. 8 coal is not disrupted to an extent measurable by wide-angle x-ray scattering methods. No such adduct is formed when Pittsburgh No. 8 coal is treated with toluene, with triethylamine, with tetrahydrofuran, or with chlorobenzene.
On Zeros of Certain Analytic Functions

Given a function s which is analytic and bounded by one in modulus in the open unit disk \({{\mathbb D}}\) and given a finite Blaschke product \({\vartheta}\) of degree k, we relate the number of zeros of the function \({s-\vartheta}\) inside \({{\mathbb D}}\) to the number of boundary zeros of special type of the same function.
Hemicholinium-3 prevents the working memory impairments and the cholinergic hypofunction induced by ethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A).

The present study examined whether intraventricular administration of the potent high affinity choline transport (HAChT) inhibitor hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) would attenuate the memory impairments and the neurochemical deficits induced by i.c.v. ethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to perform a delayed-non-match to sample radial arm maze (RAM) task in which a 1-h delay was imposed between the fourth and fifth arm selections. Following 30 acquisition trials, animals were bilaterally injected with AF64A (3 nmol/side) or AF64A preceded by HC-3 (20 micrograms/side) into the lateral ventricles and allowed 7 days to recover before behavioral testing resumed. Control animals received either artificial cerebrospinal fluid or HC-3. AF64A-treated rats were significantly impaired in their performance of the RAM task as evidenced by fewer correct choices following the delay and more total errors to complete the task. This behavioral deficit was associated with a significant (32%) decrease in HAChT in the hippocampus. In contrast, animals pretreated with HC-3 exhibited no significant decreases in HAChT or decrements in RAM performance. These findings indicate that the memory deficits resulting from intraventricular administration of AF64A are a consequence of the compound's cholinotoxic properties and in particular its interaction with the HAChT carrier. Furthermore they demonstrate that a select alteration of septohippocampal cholinergic activity is sufficient to disrupt working memory processes.
A Novel Isoform of Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor Inhibits IL-8 Gene Expression in Human Cervical Stromal Cells

Cervical ripening during pregnancy is a profound change in cervix structure and function characterized by increases in the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 and dissolution of the cervical extracellular matrix. Relatively little is known about the molecular mechanisms that underlie these events. Here, we report identification of a novel isoform of micropthalmia-associated transcription factor in human cervical stromal cells (MiTF-CX) that is down-regulated 12-fold during cervical ripening and that represses expression of IL-8. Ectopic expression of MiTF-CX in human cervical stromal cells resulted in substantial suppression of endogenous IL-8 mRNA and protein expression, whereas expression of dominant negative MiTF-CX mutants with impaired DNA binding resulted in dramatic increases in IL-8 production. Gel shift, reporter gene, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed one strong binding site (E-box (-397) CACATG(-391)) in the human IL-8 promoter that was crucial for mediating transcriptional repression by MiTF-CX. Moreover, we show that MiTF-CX expression in the cervix was itself positively autoregulated via two E-box motifs within a 2.1-kb promoter fragment. We therefore propose that maintenance of cervical competency during pregnancy is an active process maintained through suppression of IL-8 by the transcription factor MiTF-CX. During cervical ripening, loss of MiTF-CX would result in significant up-regulation of IL-8 mRNA and protein synthesis, thereby leading to recruitment and activation of leukocytes within the cervix and dissolution of the extracellular matrix.
A six-hour in vitro virulence assay for Listeria monocytogenes using myeloma and hybridoma cells from murine and human sources

An in vitro cell culture assay using myeloma cells and hybrid lymphocytes was developed which detected pathogenic Listeria strains in just 6 h. Three separate hybridoma cell lines, murine Ped-2E9 and EM-7G1 and human RI.37 and murine myeloma NS1 cells, proved equally sensitive in responding to virulent Listeria species. Listeria monocytogenes along with other Listeria spp., collected from food and clinical sources, were inoculated at 10(8) cfu/ml into a suspension of Ped-2E9 (10(6)/ml). Pathogenic Listeria spp. killed 80% of hybridoma cells by 4 h, as determined by trypan blue exclusion test. Conversely, none of all nonpathogenic Listeria spp. killed the hybridoma cells. Ped-2E9 cells exposed to three strains of L. monocytogenes strains showed 96-97.5% death in 6 h measured by trypan blue staining and release of 91-97% of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme. RI.37 cells showed similar results. A multiplicity of exposure (MOE) of 100 L. monocytogenes to 1 hybridoma cell or of 10:1 killed about 80% of the hybridoma cells in 4 or 6 h respectively. The in vitro virulence assay of L. monocytogenes with hybridoma cells compared favorably with the immunocompromised mouse model, yielding results in 6 h instead of 3 days. Intracellular L. monocytogenes and L. innocua were not recovered from Ped-2E9 hybridoma cells after 2 or 4 h of exposure. However, attachment of both L. monocytogenes and L. innocua cells on Ped-2E9 cell surfaces were observed under epifluorescence microscopy. Direct contact of hemolysin positive L. monocytogenes with hybridoma cells is essential to cause death, since hybridoma cells were not killed when they were separated from the growing bacteria by a 0.45 microns filter.
Electrophysiologic effects of propranolol on sinus node function in children

Little is known regarding the effects of propranolol (P) on sinus node function in children. In this study, corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT) and estimated sinoatrial conduction time (SACT) were measured in 10 children (ages 3 to 16 years; mean 8.3 years) without clinical evidence of sinus node dysfunction before and after intravenous P. The spontaneous sinus cycle length (SCL) increased after P(0.1 mg/kg) in all patients. Mean SCL increased 13.4% from 635 +/- 200 msec (+/- SD) to 720 +/- 202 msec (p less than 0.01). Maximum CSNRT increased in nine patients after P and mean CSNRT increased 63% from 203 +/- 61 msec to 330 +/- 190 msec (p less than 0.05). SACT changed in a random fashion after P. Mean SACT did not change significantly. We conclude that P significantly suppresses sinus node automaticity in children with normal sinus node function but has little or no effect on sinoatrial conduction.
USFD: a unified storage framework for SOAR HPC scientific workflows

USFD is a better support SOAR HPC scientific workloads through enhanced file I/O support and co-located storage and analysis. In this work, we analyse the performance of USFD and other traditional HPC approaches for SOAR scientific workloads. Our results show that SOAR workflows using USFD complete 7.5 times faster over other approaches with quantum chromodynamic workflows and 4 times faster with FLASH workflows.
World population growth, soil erosion, and food security

Global food insecuity is growing as the worldwide attempt to expand food production loses momentum. The grain surpluses that accumulated in the food exporting countries during the decades of the 1950s and the 1960s have disappeared. World food supplies are tightening and the slim excess of growth in food production over population is narrowing. Throughout the world pressures on the cropland are intensifying. Focus in this discussion of world population growth is on the loss of momentum the return of famine the North American breadbasket declining food security the conversion of cropland to nonfarm use thinning topsoil land productivity trends and the loss of irrigated land. As the decade of 1980 begins the growth in world food production is losing momentum and its excess over population growth is narrowing. In Africa if soils continue to deteriorate the 10 year decline in food output per person there could become chronic. If soil erosion and the other forces that have slowed food production in the world as a whole continue to intensify and the projected population increases occur then growth in food production could drop below that of population for the world as a whole. Responding effectively to the cropland threats associated with mounting food demands creates a dilemma for both farmers and governmental planners. Economic forces and political instincts encourage short-term measures yet pressures to wring too much from the land in the short run could destroy it over the long run. Wider public understanding of the longterm effect of cropland conversion and topsoil loss on food prices is the key to an effective worldwide response. The US Soil Conservation Service has outlined a national plan that would bring the annual loss of topsoil down to a tolerable level. Along with maintaining the conservation systems now in place some 158 million acres of the 413 million acre cropland base need additional attention. Of this total 17 million acres of cropland are eroding so rapidly that the Soil Conservation Service recommends that it be shifted from continuous row cropping and converted to either woodland grassland or longterm rotation. The remaining 141 million acres of cropland that are presently losing over 5 tons of soil per year are in need of the adoption of some form of conservation tillage. Officials in India are struggling with the same issues as officials and soil scientists in the US. Governments everywhere must consider the realignment of priorities that will allow soils to be stabilized.
The value of history and goals of care with code status; even in an emergency setting.

This is a case report involving an elderlyJehovah9s Witness woman with a history of chronic anaemia who suffers cardiac arrest and is resuscitated. This case illustrates, even in an emergency setting, (1) the value of obtaining relevant history, (2) addressing code status within the framework of achievable goals of care and (3) the need to revise both history and goals of care, as more information becomes available. We also propose aspects of this discussion that would benefit from future research.
An interview with sir william osler on the GPEP report

The effectiveness and safety of ciprofloxacin, a new quinolone antibiotic, were prospectively evaluated in the treatment of patients with complicated urinary tract infections caused by gram-negative organisms resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Twenty-five elderly (mean age, 70.4 years) patients (24 men and one woman) were enrolled. Initial pathogens included Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15 isolates), Escherichia coli (five isolates), Enterobacter aerogenes (one isolate), Citrobacter freundii (one isolate), Serratia species (two isolates), Proteus vulgaris (one isolate), and enterococcus (one isolate). Patients received 500 mg of ciprofloxacin orally twice daily for one week (mean, 6.98 days). Results of urine cultures obtained during therapy were negative in all cases, and at one week post-therapy, 21 of 25 (84 percent) infections were cured. Four patients experienced a relapse with P. aeruginosa. Repeat urine culture specimens were obtained at four to six weeks from 14 patients who had cures at one week post-therapy, and seven continued to have cures. Three patients had late relapses with P. aeruginosa, E. coli, or Serratia marcescens, and four were reinfected with new strains. Five patients who received concomitant oral antacids had lower mean peak and trough serum ciprofloxacin levels than did patients not receiving antacids (p less than 0.05, Wilcoxon rank sum test). Mild adverse effects were seen in seven patients: eosinophilia (one patient), eosinophilia and reduced white blood cell count (one patient), crystalluria (one patient), granular casts (one patient), elevation of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels (one patient), and nausea (two patients), but none warranted discontinuation of ciprofloxacin therapy. P. aeruginosa isolates from two patients who experienced a relapse showed increases in minimal inhibitory concentrations from 0.13 to 0.5 and 2.0 micrograms/ml, respectively, to ciprofloxacin and other antibiotics. Orally administered ciprofloxacin was a safe and effective therapy for complicated urinary tract infections in elderly patients.
Comparison of myeloperoxidase and hemi-myeloperoxidase with respect to catalysis, regulation, and bactericidal activity

Abstract It has been demonstrated previously (P. C. Andrews and N. I. Krinsky (1981) J. Biol. Chem.256, 4211–4218) that human leukocyte myeloperoxidase, an α2β2 enzyme, can be cleaved by mild reduction and alkylation to an α1β1 structure that we have termed hemi-myeloperoxidase. The native enzyme and hemi-myeloperoxidase have the same specific activity in a Cl−-independent peroxidase assay and identical visible spectra under either oxidized or reduced conditions. This paper compares other properties of native and hemi-myeloperoxidase. Both enzymes are inhibited by high concentrations of H2O2 in an identical fashion. Both enzymes showed identical regulation by pH and Cl−. The utilization of Cl−, as assayed by chlorination of diethanolamine, was moderately decreased in hemi-myeloperoxidase. This reduction in chlorination was not reflected in a bactericidal assay, where again, hemi-myeloperoxidase was identical in activity to native myeloperoxidase.
Inheritance and molecular mapping of anthracnose resistance genes present in sorghum line SC112-14

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineolum) is one of the most destructive diseases of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], affecting all aerial tissues of the plant. The most effective strategy for its control is the incorporation of resistance genes. The anthracnose resistance response present in the sorghum line SC112-14 (Cs-SC112) was therefore studied against pathotypes from Puerto Rico, Texas, Arkansas, and Georgia using F2 progenies and recombinant inbred lines. The results show that a series of nearest single loci at the distal region of chromosome 5 control the resistance responses against pathotypes from Puerto Rico, Texas, and Arkansas. Resistance loci against pathotypes from Texas and Puerto Rico are tightly linked and flanked by simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers Ch5-55.0 and Ch5-56.1, while the resistance locus against pathotypes from Arkansas is 9.5 cM below SSR marker Ch5-56.1. The resistance locus against pathotypes from Georgia is not located in the distal region of chromosome 5, and its location could not be determined. Comparative analysis confirmed that the region associated with these three loci is not associated with the anthracnose resistance locus Cg1, which was previously mapped in the distal region of the same chromosome. The dominant mode of action against pathotypes from Puerto Rico suggests that these resistances sources can be beneficial for sorghum hybrid production. The durability of anthracnose resistance in sorghum depends on the adequate use of multiple resistance sources. Thus, the knowledge and genetic markers developed herein provide tools to initiate the pyramiding of multiple anthracnose resistance loci through marker-assisted selection.
Polyglycolic acid mesh in repair of renal injury

To evaluate the use of a polyglycolic acid (PGA) mesh graft for partial nephrectomy, we replaced the upper pole of the left kidney in 12 New Zealand white rabbits with a free omental fat graft and the lower pole with PGA mesh. The mesh stopped the bleeding immediately during the operation. At forty-eight hours, the fibers were still intact, with an organized clot on the surface of the mesh. Between two weeks and two months, the fibers had begun to be digested by histiocytes, with formation of giant cells and fibroblastic proliferation with collagen deposition around the mesh. At three months, there was complete resorption of the PGA mesh and formation of a new fibrous capsule. There was no renal reaction and no difference between the PGA mesh and the omental fat graft. We believe that PGA mesh can be helpful in repairing injured kidneys by securing hemostasis and serving as a scaffold for the formation of a new capsule.
Two implementations of a concurrent simulation environment

This paper discusses the design of a concurrent simulation environment hosted on the Ada programming language at the Laboratory for Software Research at Texas A & M University. This environment was first implemented on a VAX 11/750 single processor system and then ported to a Sequent Balance 8000 parallel computer system with ten processors. Two run-time Ada systems were available on the Sequent: one for sequential and one for parallel. This paper reports our experiences in porting the original software to these new environments.
Integrity attacks on cyber-physical systems

In this paper we consider the integrity attack on Cyber-Physical System(CPS), which is modeled as a discrete linear time-invariant system equipped with a Kalman filter, LQG controller and Χ2 failure detector. An attacker wishes to disturb the system by injecting external control inputs and fake sensor measurements. In order to perform the attack without being detected, the adversary will need to carefully design its actions to fool the failure detector as abnormal sensor measurements will result in an alarm. The adversary's strategy is formulated as a constrained control problem. In this paper, we characterize the reachable set of the system state and estimation error under the attack, which provides a quantitative measure of the resilience of the system. To this end, we will provide an ellipsoidal algorithm to compute the outer approximation of the reachable set. We also prove a necessary condition under which the reachable set is unbounded, indicating that the attacker can successfully destabilize the system.
Immunotherapy of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Prevailing Challenges and New Perspectives

Patients with recurring or metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) have strikingly low long-term survival, while conventional treatments such as chemotherapeutic intervention and radiation therapy marginally improve longevity. Although many factors involving immunosurveillance and immunosuppression were recently validated as important for patient prognosis and care, a multitude of experimental immunotherapies designed to combat unresectable mCRC have, in few cases, successfully mobilized anti-tumor immune cells against malignancies nor conclusively or consistently granted protection, complete remission, and/or stable disease from immunotherapy, benefitting less than 10 % of those receiving therapy. After decades of progress, however, new insights into the mechanisms of immunosuppression, tolerance, and mutation profiling established novel therapies that circumvent these immunological barriers. This review underlines the most exciting methods to date that manipulate immune cells to curb mCRC, including adoptive cell therapy, dendritic cell vaccines, and checkpoint inhibitor antibodies, hinting at effective and enduring protection against disease progression and undetected micrometastases.
Systematic review of self-ligating brackets.

Introduction Self-ligating brackets have been gaining popularity over the past several decades. Various advantages for these systems have been claimed. The purposes of this systematic review were to identify and review the orthodontic literature with regard to the efficiency, effectiveness, and stability of treatment with self-ligating brackets compared with conventional brackets. Methods An electronic search in 4 data bases was performed from 1966 to 2009, with supplemental hand searching of the references of retrieved articles. Quality assessment of the included articles was performed. Data were extracted by using custom forms, and weighted mean differences were calculated. Results Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, including 2 randomized controlled trials with low risk of bias, 10 cohort studies with moderate risk of bias, and 4 cross-sectional studies with moderate to high risk of bias. Self-ligation appears to have a significant advantage with regard to chair time, based on several cross-sectional studies. Analyses also showed a small, but statistically significant, difference in mandibular incisor proclination (1.5° less in self-ligating systems). No other differences in treatment time and occlusal characteristics after treatment were found between the 2 systems. No studies on long-term stability of treatment were identified. Conclusions Despite claims about the advantages of self-ligating brackets, evidence is generally lacking. Shortened chair time and slightly less incisor proclination appear to be the only significant advantages of self-ligating systems over conventional systems that are supported by the current evidence.
Krupple-like factors in the central nervous system: novel mediators in stroke.

Transcription factors play an important role in the pathophysiology of many neurological disorders, including stroke. In the past three decades, an increasing number of transcription factors and their related gene signaling networks have been identified, and have become a research focus in the stroke field. Kruppel-like factors (KLFs) are members of the zinc finger family of transcription factors with diverse regulatory functions in cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, migration, apoptosis, metabolism, and inflammation. KLFs are also abundantly expressed in the brain where they serve as critical regulators of neuronal development and regeneration to maintain normal brain function. Dysregulation of KLFs has been linked to various neurological disorders. Recently, there is emerging evidence that suggests KLFs have an important role in the pathogenesis of stroke and provide endogenous vaso-or neuro-protection in the brain’s response to ischemic stimuli. In this review, we summarize the basic knowledge and advancement of these transcriptional mediators in the central nervous system, highlighting the novel roles of KLFs in stroke.
Review of Chitin and Chitosan as Fiber and Film Formers

Abstract Chitin is one of the most abundant polysaccharides found in nature. It is often considered a cellulose derivative although it does not occur in organisms producing cellulose. Cellulose consists of β-(1→4)-D-glucopyranose units. In contrast, chitin has the same backbone but the 2-hydroxy has been replaced by an acetamide group, resulting in mainly β-(1→4)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D- glucopyranose structural units (GLcNAc). Chitosan is the N-deacetylated derivative of chitin, though this N-deacetylation is almost never complete. A sharp nomenclature border has not been defined between chitin and chitosan based on the degree of N-acetylation [1, 2]. Structural examples of cellulose, chitin, and chitosan can be found in Fig. 1. The structural and chemical features will be elaborated on in a later section.
The myosin catalytic domain does not rotate during the working power stroke

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of a spin probe attached to cys-707 on myosin cross-bridges was used to monitor the orientation of the myosin catalytic domain at the beginning and end of the working power stroke in active muscle. Elevated concentrations of orthophosphate and decreased pH were used to shift the population of cross-bridges from force-producing states into low force, pre-power-stroke states. The spectrum of probes in active fibers was not changed by conditions that reduced tension by 70%, indicating that the orientation of the catalytic domain was the same at the beginning and end of the power stroke. Thus the data show that the catalytic domain remains rigidly oriented on the actin filament during the power stroke.
Radio sources: angular size from scintillation studies.

The frequency spectrum of fluctuations caused by interplanetary scintillations may give a sensitive estimate of the diameter of a radio source. Observations of 3C 138, 3C 245, 3C 267, and 3C 273 give diameters of 0.1, ≤0.04, ≤ 0.2, and ≤ 0.02 second of arc, respectively. Resolution is at least a factor of 5 higher than that obtained to date by means of either radio interferometers or lunar occulations.
Shoulder impingement syndrome

Normal shoulder function requires humeral head depressors, adequate subacromial space, and normal capsular laxity. Abnormalities of any of these can result in shoulder impingement syndrome [1]. Shoulder impingement syndrome was first described by Jarjavay [2] in 1867. In the last 3 decades, it has become better understood and increasingly diagnosed [3]. The clinical features of shoulder impingement syndrome depend on the location of the impingement. Subacromial impingement syndrome is a specific diagnosis that usually causes anterior-superior shoulder pain, although the pain can be diffuse in nature [4]. Symptoms are generally slowly progressive and are usually not associated with a specific injury. Weakness and stiffness are often additional complaints. Overhead activities generally increase the pain, and the pain is often worse when lying down, and may awaken the patient from sleep. Rest pain is usually not present. The presence of ‘‘snapping’’ of the shoulder has classically been associated with coraco-acromial ligament thickening [5].
Modern Treatment of Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty With a 2-Stage Reimplantation Protocol

The purpose of this study was to determine if 2-stage reimplantation for the treatment of infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is still effective for treating contemporary pathogens, many of which are multidrug resistant (MDR). The medical records of all cases of infected TKAs from April 1998 to March 2006 were retrospectively reviewed for data on infecting organism and success of treatment. Of 72 patients (75 knees), with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up, who completed the protocol, the infection was eradicated in 90.7% (68/75 knees). Thirty-one (91.2%) of 34 of MDR infections and 42 (91.3%) of 46 of non-MDR infections were successfully treated. These results support previous studies that demonstrated the effectiveness of a 2-stage reimplantation protocol with a standard 1:8 minimal bactericidal titer for treating infections after TKA, including MDR organisms.
Data quality for process design

Abstract Chemical process design requires a wide variety of data, judged to be adequate and communicated effectively. The sensitivity of equipment size and cost to typical data errors can be insignificant or enormous, depending on the process situation. Quality indicators are required to permit judgment of the benefits for the costs of increased data accuracy. Communication of data quality information permits sharpened engineering judgment and reduces duplication of effort. Data quality information includes prioritization of available data sources, references to sources of accepted and rejected values, ranges of applicability, measures of fit to correlation models, quality codes indicating reliability, numerical estimates of accuracy, and textual information accompanying numerical data. The DIPPR Data Compilation is described as an example of an effective implementation of data quality information for process design work. In a computing environment, where process design work is done, problems of accessibility, data conversion, format flexibility, and consistency in communicating data quality information must be thoughtfully addressed.
Ellipsometry for cSiGe metrology

In this paper we report the effectiveness of optical ellipsometry in measuring thickness and Germanium % of channel SiGe on SOI substrate used in advanced node high performance semiconductor devices. Keywords—cSiGe, Ellipsometry, Thickness, Ge Concentration, metrology.
Street Gangs and Preventive Interventions

This article presents an evaluation of an intervention aimed at youth at risk for joining street gangs. In a quasi-experimental design, targeted youth were assigned to one of two levels of treatment (classroom sessions or a combination of classroom sessions and structured after-school activities) or to a no-treatment control group. To ascertain gang membership following the intervention, the youths' names were compared with gang membership rosters obtained from informants. Four members of the control group and one receiving youth receiving the more intensive intervention were subsequently identified as gang members. Implications of the study for public policy are considered, methodological difficulties in conducting research in this area are discussed, and future research directions are suggested.
SLOTS in microstrip patch antenna “qualified devices”

This article describes an accentuated investigation about applications of slots in patch of microstrip antennas. Many antennas, with or without slots, were simulated, constructed, measured and analyzed. Specifications with different slots models as horizontals, verticals and angular were used. Different resonant frequencies and bandwidths are shown through graphics, as well as the comparison between proposed antennas demonstrate that slots are qualified devices.
CDP1, a novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene required for proper nuclear division and chromosome segregation.

To identify new gene products involved in chromosome segregation, we isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants that require centromere binding factor I (Cbf1p) for viability. One Cbf1p-dependent mutant (denoted cdp1-1) was selected for further analysis. The CDP1 gene encodes a novel 125-kD protein that is notably similar to previously identified mouse, human and Caenorhabditis elegans proteins. CDP1Δ and cdp1-1 mutant cells were temperature sensitive for growth. At the permissive temperature, cdp1-1 and cdp1Δ cells lost chromosomes at a frequencies ~20-fold and ~110-fold higher than wild-type cells, respectively. These mutants also displayed unusually long and numerous bundles of cytoplasmic microtubules as revealed by immunofluorescent staining. In addition, we occasionally observed improperly oriented mitotic spindles, residing entirely within one of the cells. Presumably as a result of undergoing nuclear division with improperly oriented spindles, a large percentage of cdp1 cells had accumulated multiple nuclei. While cdp1 mutant cells were hypersensitive to the microtubule-disrupting compound thiabendazole, they showed increased resistance to the closely related compound benomyl relative to wild-type cells. Taken together, these results suggest that Cdp1p plays a role in governing tubulin dynamics within the cell and may interact directly with microtubules or tubulin.
An All Solid-State MIC Transmit - Receive Module

This paper discusses the results obtained in the design and development of two breadboard solid- state MIC transmit-receive modules; the second unit being an improved version of the first unit. Attention will be focused on both results that were obtained, and the associated problems involved in the integration of several distinct components into a single module. The associated problem discussion will deal with two areas: 1) The difference in RF boundary conditions of a single component and of multiple components integrated into a single subsystem. 2) Fabrication difficulties as they related to integrating several components. The module under consideration was designed by Raytheon Company, Missile Systems Division, in 1969-1970. The effort was sponsored by the Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The overall objective is to ultimately use such a module in airborne phased array communication systems.
Gender and Social Capital

Gender and Social Capital. Edited by Brenda O'Neill and Elisabeth O'Neill Gidengil. New York and London: Routledge. 2006. 425 pp. 29.95 paper.The essays in this volume constitute a feminist response to Robert Putnam's influential book Bowling Alone, and they shed light on two interrelated questions: First, how is our understanding of the nature and impact of social capital enriched by the introduction of a concern with the consequences of gender differences? Second, how is our understanding of the relationship of gender to politics deepened by an ongoing concern with social capital? As Virginia Sapiro put it (p. 152) in her exceptionally clear theoretical essay: “Wherever discussions of social capital and politics lead, our understanding of the phenomenon will be severely limited if scholars neglect the roles of gender in the creation and distribution of social capital and in the links between social capital and politics. Important aspects of the historically different cultural constructions of male and female in society and politics suggest that disregarding gender in understanding social capital is unwise. Given how different are the structures of women's and men's day-to-day lives and the different types and amounts of financial and social resources to which they have access, a ‘gender-neutral’ story of social capital and politics is likely to be a faulty story.”
A Theoretical Model of Public Response to the Homeland Security Advisory System

Using a differential equation modeling approach, this paper explores the issue of public response to, and confidence in, anti-threat warnings. The effects of anti-threat warnings and their associated public confidence levels are modeled as a group of nonlinear differential equations. The analytical solutions of these nonlinear differential equations are derived to show how warning frequency and the duration of a warning affect public confidence, and how the effects of anti-threat warnings are constrained by the degree of public concern as the threat level changes. Phase plane analysis suggests that the number of warnings for a particular type of threat has a threshold level. Below this threshold, increasing the number of reliable warnings can improve the credibility and effectiveness of the warning system. However, once the number of warnings exceeds the threshold, the greater the number of warnings issued the less the public responds and the lower public confidence becomes. The resulting graphic represen...
You bet they're having fun! Older Americans and casino gambling

This exploratory two-stage study of a small sample of older Minnesotans finds no evidence that casino gambling activities threaten their well-being. For most respondents, the social benefits were the most salient parts of this activity and they were well aware of the danger signs of problem behaviors. Social exchange theory explains why they visit casinos and how much they spend. The life course perspective explains their decisions based on past behaviors and is consistent with how they have lived their lives. We suggest that age norms determine the public's perceptions that casino gambling is problematic for older people. Results are consistent with cross-sectional surveys that find no evidence that older adults participate more often in or have greater problems with gambling than any other age group. Public concerns and media images may be based on socially constructed assumptions and fears.
Analysis of shells of revolution composed of workhardening material

Abstract This paper is concerned with the mechanical behaviour of shells of revolution made of a rigid, workhardening material. The yield criterion and its dependence on the strain-history are determined in terms of stress resultants of the shell and the rates of extension and curvature of the middle surface. The nature of the mathematical problem that arises in the analysis of work-hardening shells is discussed. Incipient plastic deformation of a cylindrical shell is treated as an example. The uniqueness of the incipient velocity field is discussed and the dependence of the velocity rates on the rate of surface tractions is established for a simple case.