cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Structure of the Phage T4 DNA Packaging Motor Suggests a Mechanism Dependent on Electrostatic Forces

Viral genomes are packaged into "procapsids" by powerful molecular motors. We report the crystal structure of the DNA packaging motor protein, gene product 17 (gp17), in bacteriophage T4. The structure consists of an N-terminal ATPase domain, which provides energy for compacting DNA, and a C-terminal nuclease domain, which terminates packaging. We show that another function of the C-terminal domain is to translocate the genome into the procapsid. The two domains are in close contact in the crystal structure, representing a "tensed state." A cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the T4 procapsid complexed with gp17 shows that the packaging motor is a pentamer and that the domains within each monomer are spatially separated, representing a "relaxed state." These structures suggest a mechanism, supported by mutational and other data, in which electrostatic forces drive the DNA packaging by alternating between tensed and relaxed states. Similar mechanisms may occur in other molecular motors.
Introducing Antitrust in the Basic Marketing Course

The federal antitrust acts have a strong influence on a number of marketing decisions. Although the acts are usually discussed in a basic marketing course, most introductory marketing textbooks do not discuss these acts in enough depth for the student to understand how marketing activities are affected. This article provides the marketing educator with a framework for introducing antitrust in the basic marketing course. Common terminology used in antitrust and key court decisions that established judicial standards in selected areas of antitrust are also presented for the marketing educator's reference.
The fine structure of spermatids from the tick, Amblyomma dissimili

Spermatids of the tick, Amblyomma dissimili , were examined by electron microscopy. Evidence presented here shows that they are elongate, tubule-shaped cells, closed at one end, open at the other. At the closed end an inner plasma extension (“inner cord”) extends from the tubule-shaped “outer sheath.” The plasma membrane of the free tip end of the “inner cord” gives rise to cellular processes which extend helically the length of the spermatid, closely investing the “inner cord” and just beneath the plasma membrane of the “outer sheath.” These processes contain within their center two hollow, longitudinally directed, electron-dense, filaments which are 60–90 A in diameter and are spaced 100–125 A apart. The cellular processes are motile structures ( 3 ) which propel the mature spermatozoids of ticks, performing the same function as flagella in flagellate sperm. A comparison is made between the similarity in subunit structure of these filaments with the paired central filaments of cilia.
Field evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes for the biological control of the annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in golf course turfgrass.

Abstract The ability of entomopathogenic nematodes to suppress larval populations of the annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis, was investigated under field conditions over a 3-year period (2006–2008). Combination of nematode species, application rate and timing produced strong numerical yet few statistically significant reductions. Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser, S. feltiae Filipjev, and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar applied at 2.5×109 IJs/ha reduced first generation late instars between 69 and 94% in at least one field trial. Steinernema feltiae provided a high level of control (94%) to low densities (~20 larvae per 0.09 m2), but gave inadequate control for higher densities (24 and 50% suppression). No significant differences were found among treatment timings. However, applications timed to coincide with the peak of larvae entering the soil (fourth instars) generally performed better than applications made prior to (preemptive) or after the majority of the population advanced from th...
A new scheme for efficient and direct shape optimization of complex structures represented by polygonal meshes

In this paper, a new shape optimization approach is proposed to provide an efficient optimization solution of complex structures represented by polygonal meshes. Our approach consists of three main steps: (1) surface partitioning of polygonal meshes; (2) generation of shape design variables on the basis of partitioned surface patches; and (3) gradient-based shape optimization of the structures by reducing a weighted compliance among all load cases. The main contributions of this paper include (i) that our approach can be directly applied on polygonal meshes with the reduction of design variables or decision variables by 10 to 1000 times, compared to the conventional design variable scheme of using each mesh node; (ii) our perturbation scheme is mathematically proven with respect to maintaining the smoothness of each surface patch, except on its boundary; and (iii) overall, our approach can be used to automate time-consuming shape optimization of polygonal meshes to a greater extent. Numerical experiments have been conducted and the results indicate the effectiveness of the approach. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Collisions of Neutrons with Protons

A linear polonium source of about 2 millicuries strength is surrounded by beryllium contained in a brass cylinder coated with a layer of paraffin. This assembly is mounted on the piston in the center of a large automatic Wilson cloud chamber, in which the tracks due to protons projected from the paraffin layer by the neutrons are photographed. The angle between the proton track and its associated radius is measured. Corrections for scattering volume and effective solid angle of the cloud chamber are applied. On plotting the corrected number of proton tracks against the angle of projection a sharp maximum is found at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The bearing of this distribution on the structure of the neutron is discussed.
Multi-Agent Coordination by Decentralized Estimation and Control

We describe a framework for the design of collective behaviors for groups of identical mobile agents. The approach is based on decentralized simultaneous estimation and control, where each agent communicates with neighbors and estimates the global performance properties of the swarm needed to make a local control decision. Challenges of the approach include designing a control law with desired convergence properties, assuming each agent has perfect global knowledge; designing an estimator that allows each agent to make correct estimates of the global properties needed to implement the controller; and possibly modifying the controller to recover desired convergence properties when using the estimates of global performance. We apply this framework to the problem of controlling the moment statistics describing the location and shape of a swarm. We derive conditions which guarantee that the formation statistics are driven to desired values, even in the presence of a changing network topology.
Circadian Determinants of Subjective Alertness

Four healthy male subjects each experienced a temporal isolation experiment lasting several months. During part of each experiment (2-5 weeks), the subject's entire imposed daily routine (including light-dark, rest-activity, and meal routines) was either stretched (two subjects: T = 25.8 hr, 26.0 hr) or reduced (two subjects: T = 22.8 hr, 23.1 hr) to beyond the range of entrainment of the endogenous circadian pacemaker (ECP), which then ran at a different period (tau). Subjective alertness was measured approximately three times per hour (during wakefulness), using a computerized visual analogue scale technique. Circadian rhythms in subjective alertness were then plotted both at tau, the period length of the ECP, and at T, the period length of the imposed sleep-wake cycle (SWC) and light-dark cycle. At tau, the alertness rhythm was closely in phase with the temperature rhythm. At T, the alertness rhythm showed an "inverted-U" function with a peak toward the middle of the subjective day, upon which was superimposed a "postlunch dip" for one subject. Thus, subjective alertness would appear to be under the control fo both ECP and SWC mechanisms, which combine to produce the composite time-of-day function normally observed in a diurnal setting.
Early Experience With Lung Transplantation Using Donors After Cardiac Death

Lung transplantations that utilize donor organs after cardiac death (DCD) can substantially increase the number of available allografts for waiting recipients. Unfortunately, reported clinical outcomes are limited and widespread acceptance is slow. To further examine the potential of this modality, the results of 4 patients transplanted with DCD organs, implementing a protocol of controlled organ retrieval (Maastricht Classification III), were reviewed. There were no operative deaths; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was required in 1 patient secondary to severe primary graft dysfunction. Three patients are alive and well at 4, 15 and 21 months; 1 patient died at 34 months with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, in part attributable to medication non-compliance.
UFAT-a particle tracer for time-dependent flow fields

Time-dependent (unsteady) flow fields are commonly generated in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations; however, there are very few flow visualization systems that generate particle traces in unsteady flow fields. Most existing systems generate particle traces in time-independent flow fields. A particle tracing system has been developed to generate particle traces in unsteady flow fields. The system was used to visualize several 3D unsteady flow fields from real-world problems, and it has provided useful insights into the time-varying phenomena in the flow fields. In this paper, the design requirements and the architecture of the system are described. Some examples of particle traces computed by the system are also shown.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma treatment using bexarotene and PUVA: A case series

Background Mycosis fungoides, the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, often presents as chronic eczematous or psoriasiform patches and plaques that can be resistant to a variety of single-agent treatment modalities, necessitating combination therapy. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of combination therapy with bexarotene and psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) in treating patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) that recurred following monotherapy with multiple agents, including electron-beam irradiation, interferon, PUVA, and topical steroids. This was done by retrospective chart review. Methods Retrospective chart review analysis of eight patients with CTCL ranging from stage Ia to IIb who failed multiple single-agent treatment regimens treated with low-dose oral bexarotene and PUVA combination therapy. Results We noted an initial response in all eight patients and complete remission in five of the patients treated, with pruritus being the most common adverse event. Conclusion In view of its good safety profile, combination therapy with bexarotene and PUVA may be considered for patients with treatment resistant CTCL refractory to monotherapy.
Share Repurchase Programs and Liquidity: An Examination of Dutch Auction Repurchases *

ABSTRACT The existing evidence on the liquidity effects of share repurchase programs is mixed. However, previous studies focused solely on open market repurchase programs which do not allow for precise estimates of share buy-back intensity to measure liquidity effects. Since firms are under no obligation to disclose when (or even if) they are repurchasing shares, typically little is known about the precise timing and execution of open market repurchases. Furthermore, open market share repurchase programs are often renewed and can span several years. The indefinite time horizon clouds the ability to measure the permanent impact of share repurchase programs on firm liquidity. Consequently, we examine Dutch auction share repurchase programs to circumvent these problems, and investigate the temporary and permanent effects of repurchase programs on liquidity. The advantage of studying the Dutch auction format is twofold. First, the timing, quantity, and price of repurchases are known from company press releases. Second, Dutch auctions occur over a relatively short period (average tender period is typically 30 days). Therefore, our analysis of Dutch auction share repurchase programs allows us to investigate the short-term effects that occur over the one-month tender period. More importantly, we can examine possible lasting effects on liquidity after the repurchase program is over. We find that the improvement in liquidity is transitory and limited to the one-month tender period when the firm’s offer to repurchase shares is outstanding. Improvements in liquidity over longer intervals (or permanent impacts due to the share repurchase program) appear to be the result of an overall price improvement and a reduction in volatility and not because of a structural change in market dynamics. In sum, our results dovetail with those of Cook, Krigman, and Leach (2004) where improved liquidity occurs on the days when the firm actually enters the market and repurchases shares.
Party and the Dynamics of Congressional Committee Composition in the US House, 1947–96

Renewed scholarly interest in the role of US congressional parties has recently coincided with a continuing interest in legislative committee influence and the extent to which that influence relies on committee preference composition. We argue that majority party incentives to influence composition vary by committee salience and party margins. In turn, the party’s ability to influence composition of salient committees is constrained, but varies by party resource levels. We present data on committee composition for the 80th to 104th US Houses and test these expectations using time-series cross-section analysis. The evidence provides support for the predictions – which have been hypothesized or tested anecdotally but have not heretofore been systematically tested – explaining both spatial and temporal variation.
Gastroenteritis Due to Listeria monocytogenes

It has been known for a long time that many patients experience diarrhea antecedent to the development of bacteremia or meningoencephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes, but it was only recently that convincing evidence was obtained that this organism can cause acute, self-limited, febrile gastroenteritis in healthy persons. At least 7 outbreaks of foodborne gastroenteritis due to L. monocytogenes have been reported. Illness typically occurs 24 h after ingestion of a large inoculum of bacteria and usually lasts 2 days. Common symptoms include fever, watery diarrhea, nausea, headache, and pains in joints and muscles. L. monocytogenes should be considered to be a possible etiology in outbreaks of febrile gastroenteritis when routine cultures fail to yield a pathogen.
“At a Certain Age It’s Not Appropriate to Monitor One’s Child”: Perceptions of Parental Mediation of Emerging Adult Interactive Technology Use

Little is known about the role parental mediation plays in emerging adult technology use. As such, the current exploratory study was designed to identify the prevalence of parental mediation during this developmental period, ascertain how parents mediate, and understand the reasons parents elect not to mediate. Eighty-two unmarried college participants and 76 of their parents participated in this descriptive qualitative study. A majority of emerging adults and parents reported that parents did not mediate their child’s interactive technology. Reasons for not monitoring revolved around parental trust, child maturity, and parental priorities. For those who reported parental mediation, monitoring content and usage was the mediation technique most frequently implemented.
Satellite-based radar wind sounder (RAWS) optimal frequency study

Modeling global atmospheric circulations and forecasting the weather would improve if worldwide information on winds aloft were available. Recognition of this led the authors to study a space-based instrument that could measure Doppler shifts from clouds and rain: the RAdar Wind Sounder (RAWS). Previous studies conducted at the University of Kansas show RAWS to be feasible (Moore, et al., 1992). This paper describes a new SNR sensitivity study conducted for the RAWS program. The authors first verified the Deirmendjian drop-size distribution model and then applied the radar range equation to obtain the SNR. The Deirmendjian distribution has the advantage of modeling many different cloud types with different altitudes. The authors computed the SNR versus cloud altitude at six frequencies to determine the optimal transmit frequency. The results show an improvement in performance with two transmit frequencies, a higher frequency (94 GHz) to obtain sensitivity for thinner clouds and a lower frequency (24 GHz) for better penetration in rain. The authors' previous studies used 10 and 35 GHz, which this study showed not to be optimum. >
Beam position monitor data acquisition for the Advanced Photon Source

This paper describes the beam position monitor (BPM) data acquisition scheme for the Advanced Photon Source (APS) storage ring. The storage ring contains 360 beam position monitors distributed around its 1104-meter circumference. The beam position monitor data acquisition system is capable of making turn-by-turn measurements of all BPMs simultaneously. It is VXI-based with each VXI crate containing the electronics for 9 BPMs. The VXI local bus is used to provide sustained data transfer rates of up to 13 mega-transfers per second to a scanner module. The system provides single-bunch tracking, bunch-to-bunch measurements, fast digital-averaged positions, beam position history buffering, and synchronized multi-turn measurements. Data is accessible to the control system VME crates via an MXI bus. Dedicated high-speed ports are provided to supply position data to beam orbit feedback systems. >
Protein phosphatase 1α activity prevents oncogenic transformation

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) phosphorylates Thr320 of protein phosphatase 1alpha (PP1alpha) in late G(1), thereby inhibiting its activity. Phosphorylation-resistant PP1alphaT320A, acting as a constitutively active (CA) mutant, causes a late G(1) arrest by preventing the phosphorylation and inactivation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). Both PP1alpha-mediated G(1) arrest and PP1alpha phosphorylation in late G(1) require the presence of pRb, indicating that PP1alpha is a crucial regulator of the pRb pathway, which is almost invariably mutated in human cancer. These findings prompted us to investigate whether PP1alpha interferes with oncogenic transformation. The ability of NIH 3T3 cells to form foci after transformation with ras/cyclin D1 was significantly inhibited by co-transfection with PP1alphaT320A, but not PP1alpha. Likewise, cells expressing PP1alphaT320A or PP1alphaT320A fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) were unable to form colonies in soft agar, regardless of whether PP1alpha constructs were co-transfected with ras/cyclin D1 or transfected into stably transformed cells. Overexpressed wild-type (Wt) PP1alpha and GFP-PP1alpha were phosphorylated in Thr320, most likely explaining its lack of effect. Expression of GFP-PP1alphaT320A was associated with caspase-cleaved pRb in Western blots (WB) and morphological signs of cell death. These findings demonstrate that PP1alpha activity can override oncogenic signaling by causing cell-cycle arrest and/or apoptosis rather than restoring contact inhibition or anchorage dependence.
Minimally Invasive Ear Reshaping With a 1450-nm Diode Laser Using Cryogen Spray Cooling in New Zealand White Rabbits

Background: Otoplasty is the current standard of care for treating prominent ears, a psychologically and sometimesfunctionallydisablingdisorder.Thetechnicallydemanding procedure carries many risks such as poor aesthetic outcome, need for revision surgery, and need for general anesthesia. This study investigates the use of laser irradiation combined with cryogen skin cooling and stenting to reshape cartilage in the ears of New Zealand white rabbits. Methods:Inthisprospective,randomized,internallycontrolled animal study, the right ears of 9 rabbits were mechanically deformed with a jig and then irradiated with a1450-nmdiodelasercombinedwithcryogenskincooling (14 J/pulse with cryogen spray for 33 milliseconds per cycle and a 6-mm spot size). The left ear served as the control. The ears were splinted for 1, 3, or 4 weeks. The rabbits were then given a lethal dose of intravenous pentobarbital, and the splints were removed and ears examined and photographed. Light and confocal microscopy were performed on the specimens. Results:Shape change was observed in all 9 treated rabbit ears, while none of the control ears (stenting alone) showed significant change. Qualitatively, reshaped ears were stiffer after 4 weeks of splinting than after 1 or 3 weeks. None of the rabbits showed evidence of skin injurynordidtheyshowsignsofpostproceduralpain.Findings from histologic analysis in the treated areas showed evidence of an expanded chondrocyte population in the region of laser irradiation, along with some perichondrial thickening and some fibrosis of the deep dermis. Confocal microscopy revealed minimal cellular death at 1 week and none thereafter. Conclusions:Cartilage reshaping using laser energy can beperformedsafelytranscutaneouslyusingcryogenspray cooling in rabbits. This animal model has similarity to human ears with regard to skin and cartilage thickness and is a stepping stone toward developing minimally invasive laser auricle reshaping in humans. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2009;11(6):399-404
Mobile social media: Future challenges and opportunities:

This article explores the future research opportunities and challenges of mobile social media. First, I problematize what constitutes the boundaries of mobile social media. Distinctions between location-based mobile social networks and non-location-based mobile social networks are established to suggest that the mobility of social media is in fact much broader than location alone. Second, several key theoretical questions are identified for future exploration, including micro, meso, and macro-level theories. Lastly, methodological challenges and opportunities are reflected upon and culminate in the call for multi-disciplinary programs of research to fully understand the role of mobile social media in the world today.
Connections and Lingering Presence as Cocreated Art

Parse described nursing practice as a performing art where the nurse is like a dancer. Just as in any dance performance, unplanned events may occur. When a nurse is artistically living, unique and meaningful performances might emerge from unplanned events. In this practice column, the author describes how shifting experiences surfaced with unforeseen connections and lingering presence during her study of feeling confined. In her study she was in true presence with men living in prison, who were diagnosed with severe mental illness. The humanbecoming school of thought was the nursing perspective guiding the research study.
Spatial analysis of an invasion front of Acer platanoides: dynamic inferences from static data

It is an open question whether the invading tree species Acer platanoides is invading and displacing native trees within pre-existing forest stands, or merely preferentially occupying new stands of secondary forest growth at the edges of existing forests. Several threads of spatial pattern analyses were used to assess the invasibility of A. platanoides, and to link the invasion to the structure of a plant community in the deciduous forest of the northeastern United States. The analyses were based on maps of a contiguous 100×50 m area along an A. platanoides infestation gradient. The distribution of A. platanoides was highly aggregated and the population importance value increased from 28.1 to 38.5% according to mortality estimated from standing dead trees, while the distribution of native tree species was close to random and importance value of Quercus spp. decreased from 33.4 to 26.9% over time. The size distributions of each tree species across distance indicated that A. platanoides was progressively invading the interior of the forest while the native species (including A. rubrum) were not spreading back towards the A. platanoides monospecific patch. The null hypothesis of no invasibility was rejected based on quantile regressions. There were negative correlations between A. platanoides density and the densities of native species in different functional groups, and negative correlation of A. platanoides density and the species diversity in forest understory. The null hypothesis that A. platanoides invasion did not suppress native trees or understory was rejected based on Dutilleul's modified t-test for correlation, consistent with experimental results in the same study site. The combination of multiple spatial analyses of static data can be used to infer historical dynamical processes that shape a plant community structure. The concept of “envelop effects” was discussed and further developed.
Demand-driven compositional symbolic execution

We discuss how to perform symbolic execution of large programs in a manner that is both compositional (hence more scalable) and demand-driven. Compositional symbolic execution means finding feasible interprocedural program paths by composing symbolic executions of feasible intraprocedural paths. By demand-driven, we mean that as few intraprocedural paths as possible are symbolically executed in order to form an interprocedural path leading to a specific target branch or statement of interest (like an assertion). A key originality of this work is that our demand-driven compositional interprocedural symbolic execution is performed entirely using first-order logic formulas solved with an off-the-shelf SMT (Satisfiability-Modulo-Theories) solver - no procedure in-lining or custom algorithm is required for the interprocedural part. This allows a uniform and elegant way of summarizing procedures at various levels of detail and of composing those using logic formulas. We have implemented a prototype of this novel symbolic execution technique as an extension of Pex, a general automatic testing framework for .NET applications. Preliminary experimental results are encouraging. For instance, our prototype was able to generate tests triggering assertion violations in programs with large numbers of program paths that were beyond the scope of non-compositional test generation.
Prevention of thromboembolic disease after elective surgery of the hip.

1. A high incidence (53.6 per cent) of venous thrombosis occurs after elective surgery of the hip. 2. The diagnosis of venous thrombosis by clinical signs and symptoms is far less sensitive than by venography. 3. Low molecular weight dextran has a marked protective effect against the occurrence of thromboembolism as demonstrated in a controlled study of 106 elective hip operations. 4. Low molecular weight dextran has been shown to be safe as well as effective. 5. The prophylactic administration of low molecular weight dextran is recommended for patients undergoing elective surgery of the hip.
Whaling: Law & the Market Economy

This paper examines the whaling issue as it has developed as a dispute in the International Court of Justice between Japan and Australia and, now, New Zealand. While the likely legal outcome is that Japan does not have any enforceable obligations under the current whaling regime to abstain from the purportedly scientific whaling it is conducting in the Pacific and Southern Oceans, a purely legal analysis bypasses the domestic and international political economies which sustain Japanese whaling in the first place. This paper argues that the contentions over Japanese whaling are actually artifacts of the ideological dispute as to what a capitalist economy should look like, what types of economic activities should be off-limits in the developed world, and what role cultural norms play in the ordering of capitalist economic life. In examining the whaling question through a political economic lens, this paper advances the thesis that market forces, if allowed to operate freely, would be more efficacious in ending Japanese whaling than the current, inoperative legal framework through which Australia and New Zealand are attempting to enforce norms onto Japan.
Phase I/II trial of the novel Hsp90 inhibitor, IPI-504, in patients with relapsed and/or refractory stage IIIB or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer stratified by EGFR mutation status

B79 Introduction: Inhibition of the Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) chaperone protein results in selective destruction of the mutated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and significantly reduces tumor growth in in vivo models, including those resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). We designed a phase I/II trial of IPI-504, a water-soluble Hsp90 inhibitor, for patients (pts) with advanced NSCLC who had received prior TKI therapy. Methods: Patients with Stage IIIB (with malignant effusion) or Stage IV NSCLC who had received prior therapy with an EGFR TKI (e.g., gefitinib or erlotinib) for ≥12 weeks, and had available tissue for EGFR mutation analysis were eligible for treatment. The goal of the Phase I portion was to evaluate the safety and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of IPI-504 in pts with advanced NSCLC. Once dose-escalation is completed, the Phase II portion will begin with a goal of determining the potential anti-tumor activity of IPI-504 in NSCLC pts, stratified by EGFR mutation status. Pts received IPI-504, IV in 250 cc of normal saline over 30 mins, twice weekly on a four-week cycle. Subjects were evaluated for clinical benefit and radiographic improvement or stabilization by RECIST. Pharmacokinetic profiling of IPI-504 and its major active metabolites (17-AAG and 17-AG) was also performed on all pts. Results: 8 NSCLC pts have been entered at 3 dose levels (150 mg/m2 IPI-504 [n=3], 225 [3], 300 [2]); 7 females, 1 male; age range 47-83; 7 were positive for EGFR mutation (exon 19del or L858R); avg. # prior therapies 3.7 (range 1-6); All pts completed at least 1 cycle and were evaluated. No objective responses have been observed yet; however, 2 pts had stable disease including 1 pt on therapy for >5 cycles (20 weeks). IPI-504 has been well-tolerated to date; one DLT (grade 3 AST elevation, reversible) was observed at 300 mg/m2. This dose level has been expanded. The MTD has not been reached, and dose escalation in the phase I portion of the study is ongoing. Conclusions: Targeting Hsp90 represents a novel therapeutic strategy in advanced, metastatic NSCLC patients who have failed prior therapy with TKIs. IPI-504 has been well-tolerated overall, and encouraging preliminary biological activity has been observed with the occurrence of extended stable disease.
Biomechanical effects of autonomous augmentation on the adjacent unaugmentedvertebral bodies: influence of the number of functional spinal units in a finite element model

PURPOSE The results of finite element analysis (FEA) studies on the effect of augmentation of one vertebral body (VB), using vertebroplasty (VP) or balloon kyphoplasty (BKP), on the biomechanics of the adjacent and nonadjacent VBs are contradictory. One reason for this record is that different levels of the spine, numbers of structures, and numbers of functional spinal units (FSUs) (X) were included in the models used in different studies. The purpose of the present study was to clarify this effect as far as X is concerned. METHODS A validated three-dimensional solid model of the lumbar spine was constructed from computed tomography scans and prophylactic augmentation of L2 was simulated. In the FEA, the model was subjected to a uniformly distributed compressive load (total load = 1300 N) on the superior endplate of L1. The extent to which a change in X affects the values of the mean von Mises stress (sigmaVM) and the mean elastic strain energy density (ESED) in all structures adjacent to L2 was determined. (These changes were with respect to the case where all the VBs in the model are intact.) RESULTS As X increased (from 1 to 2, from 2 to 3, and from 3 to 4), there were clear variations in the number of stable changes in both sigmaVM and ESED in each structure. The largest number of these changes occurred when X changed from 2 to 3. CONCLUSION The results suggest that three is the number of FSUs that should be included in models of the lumbar spine to be used in FEA studies of VP and BKP.
P2-S3.06 Exploring sexual identity development of African American male college students Age 18–25 at a historically black college and university

Among the estimated 56 000 new yearly infections of HIV in the USA, 51% are among African Americans. This demonstrates a disproportionate burden of HIV infection as African Americans make up approximately 12% of the population. One group warranting attention in North Carolina has been African American male college students. Between 2000 and 2003, 11% of new HIV infections among men ages 18–30 were enrolled in college at the time of their diagnosis, with 87% of those college students being African American. Another examination of HIV transmission among men ages 18–30 in North Carolina revealed that 15% of the men reported sexual contact with both men and women in the year prior to their diagnosis, and that these individuals were more likely than men who exclusively have sex with men to be African American and enrolled in college. Sexual identity is a complex and multidimensional construct, many factors of which have yet to be sufficiently explored in the context of the sexual transmission in the HIV epidemic. This is particularly true for heterosexual men and men who have sex with both men and women, as the work that has concerned sexual identity has often ignored these two groups. This neglect may stem from the fact that sexual identity development has often been inappropriately conflated to claiming a minority sexual orientation. As a part of an attempt to more fully understand the role that sexual identity may play in the lives of African American men, we interviewed African American male college students within a historically Black college and university (HBCU) in North Carolina. Our aim was to address a gap in the literature by exploring what shapes sexual identity and its development among African American men. This could potentially lead to future research that could explain sexual behaviour within the context of the HIV epidemic for this population. Interviews were used to assess experiences, attitudes, and beliefs about sexual identity development and sexual activity held by African American male college students. A total of 31 African American male students took part in this investigation that occurred at a HBCU in the central Piedmont region of North Carolina, located in one of the largest cities within the state. Researchers developed interview questions based on The Measure of Sexual Identity Exploration and commitment (MoSIEC) survey instrument. Results from this qualitative exploratory study revealed that the ideas and beliefs about sexuality and sexual identity for African American college males are heavily impacted by their peers and their environment. Males that had influence from an older sibling, cousin, or father about sex reported less sexual partners. Majority of the males reported that it is more acceptable for men to have multiple sex partners, but it is unacceptable for a woman to do the same.
CN-20BEVACIZUMAB CAUSING RECURRENT CEREBRAL INFARCTION IN A PATIENT WITH GLIOBLASTOMA: A PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED PHENOMENON

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab, an anti-angiogenic VEGF antibody, is utilized for various malignancies, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). There has long been a correlation between bevacizumab therapy and CNS complications, including ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage. Data on the pathophysiology of this correlation are scarce, and it has proven difficult to ascribe causality. To our knowledge there has never been a documented case of recurrent ischemia temporally associated with recurrent bevacizumab therapy. RESULTS: SS is a 70 year-old man with GBM. He received concomitant radiation and temozolamide (TMZ), followed by adjuvant TMZ and bevacizumab. After 5 cycles of TMZ/bevacizumab, he developed acute-onset left hemiparesis, upon which an MRI demonstrated an acute ischemic infarction. Angiography demonstrated mild attenuation of distal branches within the tumor bed. Chemotherapy was temporarily suspended, but after nearly two months, he had clinically recovered somewhat from the infarction. His TMZ/bevacizumab was restarted as his MRIs had been favorable to that point, with little disease progression. However, shortly thereafter, he had acute recurrence of his hemiparesis, and MRI again demonstrated acutely restricted diffusion. He was therefore switched to an alternative regimen that did not include bevacizumab. CONCLUSIONS: Here we describe a case of an ischemic stroke with radiographic correlate while on bevacizumab, with clinical improvement arrested by the development of a recurrent stroke when bevacizumab was restarted. Interestingly, the distal arteries within the stroke bed appeared somewhat attentuated, suggestive of radiation vasculopathy. This case, describing a previously undocumented phenomenon, raises the possibility of a synergistic effect of bevacizumab and radiation vasculopathy. It may be that radiation vasculoapthy alone is typically insufficient to cause ischemia, but the addition of bevacizumab may precipitate a sufficiently anti-vascular milieu as to cause frank and sudden-onset ischemia. In implicating bevacizumab, future directions may include large-scale studies to explore the temporal association of bevacizumab and ischemic stroke.
An Integrated MEMS System for In-Situ Mechanical Testing of Nanostructures

We present a hybrid nano-electromechanical system for study of the mechanics of nanostructures. The system has a testing platform based on a deep reactive ion-etched high aspect ratio MEMS device. A new approach has been developed with top-down manufacturing of the micro-device and bottom-up post-fabrication assembly of samples (nanostructures) to be tested. A process that minimizes chemical or physical damage of the sample is used to integrate suspended nanowires/nanotubes into the system. The system provides nanoscale resolution of displacement and force. The device is used in an SEM and is being tested for in situ experiments on various nanowires or nanotubes.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Corrosion protection methods of steel in concrete

Abstract The management of corrosion can be handled in many ways. However, approaches proposed for the corrosion protection of reinforcing steel bars in concrete do not replace the significance of high-quality concrete as the primary source of barrier protection against corrosive species. Steel in concrete can be protected from corrosion in three main ways: (1) seal the surface of the concrete to minimize the ingress of chloride ions, carbon dioxides, and water, (2) modify the concrete to reduce its permeability, and (3) protect the reinforcing bars to reduce the effects of chlorides and carbon dioxide when they do reach the steel. This chapter briefly discusses the last method of protection.
The extracranial facial nerve: high resolution three-dimensional Fourier transform MR imaging.

PURPOSE To investigate the use of high-resolution three-dimensional Fourier transform gradient-echo MR in evaluation of the extracranial facial nerve. METHODS Nine normal subjects and one clinical patient were scanned. Several imaging parameters, including echo time, field-of-view, and the use of Gd-DTPA, were manipulated to determine the optimal technique. Adequate results were obtained in less than 7 minutes acquisition time using a T1-weighted (50/5.3) gradient-echo technique, with a 30 degree flip angle, a 12-cm field of view, 128 x 256 matrix, and 28 or 60 1.0-mm-thick contiguous sections. RESULTS Gd-DTPA administration was not found useful in identifying the normal extracranial facial nerve. The proximal extracranial facial nerve was seen as a branching low signal intensity tubular structure on 10 to 20 contiguous images in all five volunteers in which this optimal technique was employed. Postprocessing of the images to produce curved oblique planar reconstructed images was useful to display long segments of the facial nerve on a single image. CONCLUSION Our experience with high resolution three-dimensional Fourier transform MR imaging indicates that it can consistently demonstrate the intraparotid facial nerve on multiple contiguous images.
Reviving the Treaty of Friendship: Enforcing International Investment Law in U.S. Courts

In an earlier era, treaties of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation (FCNs) were the primary international law mechanism through which the U.S. government sought to promote and protect foreign investment. Conventional wisdom holds that FCNs are of only limited historical interest, having been replaced by more ambitious bilateral investment treaties (BITs). In this Article we provide a partial challenge to the conventional wisdom. Our aim is to revive interest in the FCNs by arguing that these treaties, most of which remain in force, provide foreign investors with domestically enforceable rights in the courts of the United States. Many FCNs contain promises of favorable substantive treatment that are quite similar, if not identical, to the rights commonly extended to investors through BITs and investment chapters in free trade agreements such as NAFTA. We argue that because FCNs are self-executing and give rise to a private right of action, foreign nationals and companies can invoke these treaties against U.S. governmental entities in domestic litigation. The treaties thus provide investors with the ability to access substantive international investment law through domestic litigation rather than international arbitration. This ability is of significant practical and theoretical importance. First, it could lead foreign companies to radically rethink their approach to asserting indirect or regulatory takings claims against governmental entities in the United States. Second, it suggests that these entities’ risk exposure to international investment law is greater than commonly recognized. Third, it suggests a mechanism through which U.S. courts may play a meaningful role in interpreting, articulating and developing international investment law. Fourth, and finally, it suggests that foreign investors may in some cases enjoy domestically enforceable rights that are superior to those accorded to citizens under the U.S. Constitution.
Analysis of 25 Incidents of Acute CO Poisoning in Nanning City

[Objective]Through the analysis of characteristics of acute carbon monoxide(CO) poisoning cases,to find some protective measures. [Methods]The data of acute carbon monoxide poisoning cases in Nanning City from 2006 to January,2011 were collected and analyzed. [Results]Of 25 incidents of acute CO poisoning in Nanning,there were 97 poisoning cases,with 10 death cases,males were more than females.The highest age of onset were 20 to 30 years(71.1%),most cases occurred in winter and spring,the gas water heater accident was the mainly reason for acute CO poisoning(78.3%). [Conclusion]Indoor ventilation in winter and spring must be strengthened,as well as correct installation and use of the gas water heater and the training about CO poisoning related knowledge.The self-prevention consciousness should be enhanced to prevent acute CO poisoning.
RISK ANALYSIS FOR RESERVIOR MANAGEMENT PROJECT

As a result, risk analysis for the project plays a very important role in the reservoir management. The risk existing in the reservoir management projects has been analyzed according to characteristic of oil?gas exploitation and exploration. It is pointed out that the key of the analysis on the reservoir management project lies in correct risk estimation, and the methods applying in risk distinguish and risk estimation have been presented.Three typical methods, namely Desired Value,Monte?Carlo Simulation,Risk Influence Diagram, have been specified. Some suggestions about using these methods have been put forward.
Pathogenic characteristics of influenza in Shenyang area before and after influenza A(H1N1) pandemic

[Objective]To analyze the pathogenic characteristics of influenza in Shenyang before and after influenza A(H1N1) pandemic.[Methods]The throat swab specimens of influenza-like cases were collected from sentinel hospitals from October 2005 to March 2011,and influenza virus was isolated and identified.The study duration were divided into three periods according to influenza A(H1N1) pandemic.[Results]A total of 6 808 throat swab specimens of influenza-like cases were collected,and 861 stains of influenza virus were isolated with the total isolation rate of 12.6%.The detection rate of influenza virus before,during and after pandemic was 13.8%,18.2% and 5.2%,respectively.There was no significant difference in the infection rate of influenza virus between males and females,and the difference in age structure of influenza-like cases among different periods was significant.The low age group was susceptible to new influenza A(H1N1).During and after new influenza A(H1N1) pandemic,the season peak moved forward.There were different subtypes of influenza virus in different years,and the dominant strain of this surveillance cycle would be restrained or replaced by other subtypes in next cycle.[Conclusion]Some of epidemiological characteristics of influenza in Shenyang have changed before and after influenza A(H1N1) pandemic,and whether the changes are continuous needs to be verified by continuous surveillance.It is necessary to pay high attention to A3(H3N2) and new influenza A(H1N1) subtypes during the surveillance cycle of 2011-2012.
Effect of race on survival following in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Background Race has been shown to be a significant predictive factor in a number of treatment decisions and outcomes, including survival following out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The goal of this study was to determine whether race is associated with the rate of survival to discharge following in-hospital CPR. Methods Consecutive adult patients undergoing attempted CPR at three teaching hospitals were identified. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from the time of admission, information about the resuscitation attempt, and the outcome of CPR were recorded for each patient. The characteristics of black and non-black patients were compared. Logistic regression was used to determine whether race was a significant independent predictor of CPR outcome. Results A total of 656 patients were identified. Black patients had a higher mean severity of illness as measured by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III score, were more likely to have an initial rhythm of electromechanical dissociation or asystole, were less likely to have an admitting diagnosis of myocardial infarction or a history of coronary artery disease, and had a higher serum creatinine level, lower serum albumin value, and lower 24-hour urine output for the first 24 hours. There was no difference between black and nonblack patients regarding the rate of survival of the resuscitative effort itself. However, black patients were significantly less likely than nonblack patients to survive to discharge following resuscitation (Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio, 0.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.15 to 0.68). This relationship persisted after adjusting for potential confounders such as age, sex, initial cardiac rhythm, diagnosis of pneumonia, serum creatinine level, hospital, and APACHE III score. Conclusions Black race is significantly associated with a lower rate of survival to discharge following in-hospital CPR. Further work is needed to explore this association in other settings; to examine the effect of other possible confounding variables, such as tobacco use, socioeconomic status, and marital status; and to further study the determinants of physician decision-making about resuscitation.