cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computation of shear bands using a new variational approach II: Use of weight functions in a crack problem

Application du programme LEASTS sur des espaces ponderes pour resoudre un probleme de fissure
Interfacial phase formation during growth of ferromagnetic CdCr2Se4 on AlGaAs and ZnSe/AlGaAs

Abstract Microstructure and interfacial phase formation of CdCr2Se4 thin films deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs, Al0.1Ga0.9As and ZnSe/Al0.1Ga0.9As have been investigated with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, fine-probe energy-dispersive spectroscopy and Z-contrast imaging. For CdCr2Se4 grown epitaxially on GaAs and/or Al0.1Ga0.9As, Cr tends to segregate to the interface forming either a layer enriched with Cr or trapezoidal-shaped Cr-rich precipitates. On ZnSe, CdCr2Se4 grows epitaxially at temperatures >300 °C, but when grown at 350 °C, the interface is quite rough or wavy. When the CdCr2Se4 is grown at 300 °C, the CdCr2Se4/ZnSe interface is more planar, but the CdCr2Se4 film is only epitaxial up to a thickness of about 5 nm, and then becomes polycrystalline as the thickness of the film increases. An interfacial phase, CdxZn1−xSe, forms at the CdCr2Se4/ZnSe interface, the thickness of which is determined by specific growth conditions.
Differentiation and antiproliferation effects of retinoic acid receptor β in hepatoma cells

Evidence indicates that the retinoic acid receptor beta (RARbeta) gene might be a tumor suppressor gene. Previously, we have shown that the expression of the RARbeta gene was either inhibited or downregulated in tumorigenic hepatoma cell lines such as McA-RH8994. McA-RH8994 cells expressed RARalpha and gamma and three types of retinoid X receptor (RXRalpha, beta and gamma), but not RARbeta mRNA. To further analyze the molecular mechanisms which might account for RARbeta gene inactivation, the rat RARbeta gene promoter was cloned from McA-RH8994 cells and no mutation was detected. By transient transfection, McA-RH8994 cells contained the necessary factors to activate the RARbeta gene. To study the possible roles of RARbeta in hepatoma cells, the expression of the RARbeta gene was restored in McA-RH8994 cells by stable transfection. A RARbeta positive cell line named McA-RH8994beta was characterized. The results demonstrated that expression of the RARbeta gene resulted in increased sensitivity of the hepatoma cells to the antiproliferative effect of retinoic acid (RA). Furthermore, expression of RARbeta resulted in a spontaneous differentiation of the hepatoma cells. These data indicate that RARbeta plays important roles in differentiation and antiproliferation.
Control of long-interval performance on mixed cyclic-interval schedules

Pigeons were exposed to a series of cyclic-interval food reinforcement schedules in which each cycle comprised 12 I-min intervals followed by 2 2-min intervals, 2 6-min intervals, or 6 6-min intervals. Response rate was higher and postfood pause shorter in the long (2- or 6-min) than in the short (1-min) intervals. Response rate decreased and pause generally increased across successive 2-min intervals, but response rate increased and pause generally decreased across successive 6-min intervals. Performance in the 2-min intervals is consistent with a temporal discrimination account, but performance in the 6-min intervals supports earlier suggestions that some other factor (response "momentum") may be involved when the long intervals are sufficiently longer than the short. On simple fixed-interval (FI) schedules of reinforcement, pigeons respond at lower rate in longer in tervals, where reinforcement is less frequent (Schneider , 1969) . If, however, interreinforcement duration varies within a session in a repeating cyclic pattern consisting of a series of relatively short fixed intervals followed by a series of longer fixed intervals, without discriminative stimuli to differentiate the two components (a mixed cyclic-interval schedule; Innis & Staddon, 1970), the opposite relation is obtained; response rate is higher in the long-interval part of the cycle (Staddon, 1964, 1967, 1969), in violation of the usual "matching" relationship between reinforcement frequency and response rate (cf. Herrnstein, 1970) . With a mixed cyclic-interval schedule in which each cycle consisted of 12 consecutive l-min intervals followed by 4 3-min intervals (12 FI 1, 4 FI 3), Staddon (1967) showed that the paradoxical higher response rate in the long than in the short intervals resulted from a constant postreinforcement pause appropriate in length to the l-min intervals, followed by responding at a steady rate regardless of the actual length of the interval. The Ss appeared to be "set" to the shortest interreinforcement time they experienced (1 min). Their performance may be described as a failure to discriminate long from short intervals within a session. On a 12 Fl l , 6 FI 2 mixed cyclic-interval schedule, it has been shown that pause increases and response rate decreases across the six long intervals, both performance measures approaching typical values for simple FI 2 min (Innis & Staddon, 1970) . While there is no complete
Stomatitis areata migrans

Abstract Migratory lesions of the oral cavity are usually localized to the tongue (glossitis areata migrans). Two cases of migratory lesions occurring principally or solely on the oral mucosa (stomatitis areata migrans) are presented. These lesions appear to be associated with emotional stress.
Investigation into the correlation between sensation and leg movement in restless legs syndrome.

We evaluated rest effects on restless legs syndrome (RLS) sensory and motor symptoms. During two 60-minute Suggested Immobilization Tests (SIT) subject's signals of RLS leg sensations and periodic leg movements while awake (PLMW) were recorded. Sensations, PLMW, sensations preceding or after PLMW, sensations occurring without following PLMW, and PLMW occurring without preceding sensation were determined. The RLS patients were divided into equal-sized high and low PLMW groups for further analysis. Data from 46 subjects (28 RLS and 18 controls) revealed sensations increased linearly with rest in RLS patients and controls. Movement rate increased linearly with rest for controls but increased rapidly for the first 45 minutes for all RLS patients. PLMW/hour increased with further rest for low but not high PLMW patients. Sensations followed by PLMW and PLMW without preceding sensations followed similar patterns. Sensations without subsequent PLMW increased dramatically in the last 15 minutes of the SITs. Whereas both sensory and motor signs of RLS increase with rest, there is minimal increase for controls. Patients with higher but not lower PLMW rates reached a ceiling for PLMW after 35 to 40 minutes. The temporal dissociation between sensory and motor events supports viewing these motor and sensory events as separate but loosely linked manifestations of RLS. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society
STUDIES ON THYROID MEDICATION I. SOME CONDITIONS DETERMINING THE HAEMATOP OIETIC EFFECTS

The relation of the thyroid gland to the activities of the hematopoietic tissues has for years been a subject of clinical and experimental study. The literature on the topic was reviewed up to 1929 by Hoskins and Sleeper (1) who added a report of studies on 15 patients. The literature was found consistently to indicate that in experimental animals thyroidectomy results in decrease in the red cell count. As regards the white cells reports both of increase and of decrease in the polymorphonuclear as Avell as the lymphocytic elements have been made. The literature on the whole indicates that hypothyroidism in man is frequently but by no means always marked by secondary anemia, leucopenia and relative or absolute lymphocytosis. Eosinophilia is occasionally but by no means characteristically found. The evidence regarding the effects of thyroid feeding is likewise not concordant. Most observers have reported an increase in the red cells but instances of decrease are not lacking. Deviations in both directions ha...
Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 mutations in cholangiocarcinoma

Somatic mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 genes are common in gliomas and help stratify patients with brain cancer into histologic and molecular subtypes. However, these mutations are considered rare in other solid tumors. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 mutations in cholangiocarcinoma and to assess histopathologic differences between specimens with and without an isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation. We sequenced 94 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cholangiocarcinoma (67 intrahepatic and 27 extrahepatic) assessing for isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (codon 132) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (codons 140 and 172) mutations. Multiple histopathologic characteristics were also evaluated and compared with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 mutation status. Of the 94 evaluated specimens, 21 (22%) had a mutation including 14 isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 7 isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 mutations. Isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations were more frequently observed in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma than in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (28% versus 7%, respectively; P = .030). The 14 isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutations were R132C (n = 9), R132S (n = 2), R132G (n = 2), and R132L (n = 1). The 7 isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 mutations were R172K (n = 5), R172M (n = 1), and R172G (n = 1). Isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations were more frequently observed in tumors with clear cell change (P < .001) and poorly differentiated histology (P = .012). The results of this study show for the first time that isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 genes are mutated in cholangiocarcinoma. The results of this study are encouraging because it identifies a new potential target for genotype-directed therapeutic trials and may represent a potential biomarker for earlier detection of cholangiocarcinoma in a subset of cases.
Experimental study in the function reserve of peripheral nerve repaired in different size by small gap briding

Objective To study the functional change of peripheral nerve after repaired in different size by small gap briding (the proximal end is smaller than the distal in size), compared with epineurium suture in the same size. To explore the effect of functional reserve of peripheral nerves and the best situation for the reserve of nerve functional. Methods 10 Wistar rats served as the donors of arteris for briding. 80 Wistar rats (female), aging 2 months and weighing 200–250 g, were randomized into the 4 groups (n=20 per group). The group A was the control group, with only explosion of the right sciatic nerves. In group B, the right sciatic nerves were cut off at the level of 1.5cm distal to infrapiriform foramen, and received epineurium suture. In group C and D, the right sciatic nerves were cut off at the same level and 1cm segment of the common fibular nerves were removed from the proximal ends, the remaining were repaired with epineurium suture in group C, and with 3 mm gap artery sleeve bridging in group D.16 weeks after operation, SFI was determined by walking tract analysis. Observation under microscope of the nerve repaired site; nerve electrophysiological parameters (motor nerve conduction velocity, NCV and amplitude, AMP), TSCI (triceps surae muscle cuadros index) and the muscle force parameters, morphological features of re-innervated musculus triceps surae were detected respectively.
105 Akt signaling mediates prostate cancer response to cryoablation

Prostate cancer (CaP) has a significant impact on men’s health and quality of life with more than 230,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the United States. The androgen signaling pathway is integral in CaP progression and as such androgen deprivation is a widely utilized therapeutic option to treat CaP. Typically, with the application of the anti androgen treatment, the androgen sensitive (AS) CaP cells cease to proliferate and undergo apoptosis, leading to tumor regression. Although the therapy yields initial success in many cases, it eventually fails in most patients as the disease progresses to a hormone refractory state due to selection for androgen independent (AI) CaP. The mechanisms by which AI occurs are numerous, with many factors stimulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase or the Akt pathways, which may provide mechanisms for survival cross talk signaling. In AI cells, overabundant Akt signaling is one mechanism utilized to bypass reduced androgen responsiveness. As such, in this study, we investigated AKT signaling in two AI and two AS CaP cell lines following freezing in an effort to develop a more efficient therapeutic approach for CaP through the selective targeting of AKT signaling. Western blot analysis revealed total Akt levels for each cell line remained unchanged over the post-freeze analysis period. The AI LNCaP HP and PC-3 cells demonstrated an increased total Akt levels versus the AS LNCaP LP and PC-3 AR, respectively. This suggested that the AI cells had greater potential for Akt pathway signaling. In contrast to total Akt levels, phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) levels for AS cells declined substantially 3 to 6 h post-freeze. This suggests a reduction in cell survival signaling following the freezing event. Conversely, AI cells maintained elevated pAkt levels, indicating a strong cell survival signal following freezing. Modulation of AKT signaling using the Akt inhibitor Wortmannin, illustrated that Akt inhibition during freezing resulted in a reduction of post-freeze cell viability ( p Source of funding: CPSI Biotech. Conflict of interest: None declared. jmbaust@cpsibiotech.com
Improved Upper Bounds for Hollander's Mu and Lehmann's Lambda

ABSTRACT Let X 1,…, X 7 be i.i.d. random variables with a common continuous distribution F. The parameters μ (F) = P(X 1 < X 5 and X 1 + X 4 < X 2 + X 3) and λ (F) = P(X 1 + X 4 < X 2 + X 3 and X 1 + X 7 < X 5 + X 6), which appear in the moments of some rank statistics, have been studied by many authors. It is shown that 37/120 ≈ 0.30833 is the tight upper bound for μ(F) and that λ (F) ≤ (7 + g 2 − g/5)/24 ≈ 0.29125, where g = [1 − (2/3)1/2]/2. These are improvements over the best existing bounds, 0.30868 and 0.29132, respectively.
Relativistic two-body models

A new method is introduced for constructing relativistic models of two directly interacting particles. This method includes the construction of B. Bakmjian and L. H. Thomas ({ital Phys}. {ital Rev}. {bold 92} (1985), 995) and generalizations (S. N. Sokolov and Shatnii, {ital Teor}. {ital Mat}. {ital Fiz}. {bold 37} (1978), 291; F. Coester and W. N. Polyzou, {ital Phys}. {ital Rev}. {ital D} {bold 26} (1982), 1348), to P. A. M. Dirac's forms ({ital Rev}. {ital Mod}. {ital Phys}. {bold 21} (1949), 392) of the dynamics as special cases. The new feature of this method is the way in which the theory of group representations is used to decouple the problem of adding interactions from the problem of ensuring full Poincare invariance. An analytically solvable example is given and discussed. {copyright} 1989 Academic Press, Inc.
Organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis in callus cultures of Rosa hybrida and Rosa chinensis minima

Pre-incubation of somatic tissues of the cut rose ‘Carefree Beauty’ and miniature roses ‘Red Sunblaze’ and ‘Baby Katie’ in 10, 100, or 200 μM 2,4-D induced the development of highly rhizogenic callus. Upon transfer of rhizogenic callus to a regeneration medium containing 23 μM TDZ and 3 μM GA3, a low frequency of shoot organogenesis (3.3%) and somatic embryogenesis (6.6%) was observed. Incubation of leaf and stem internodes in 11, 27, 54, 81, or 108 μM NAA followed by transfer of explants to the regeneration medium resulted in up to a 25% increase in shoot organogenesis from callus-derived internodal explants of ‘Red Sunblaze’, but no somatic embryogenesis was observed. The influence of glucose versus sucrose in the regeneration medium on leaf explants of ‘Carefree Beauty’ and ‘Baby Katie’ pre-incubated in 100 μM 2,4-D revealed a difference in genotypic response to shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. For ‘Carefree Beauty’, a concentration of 111 mM glucose induced higher frequencies of both organogenic (33%) and embryogenic calluses (25%) than either 59 mM or 117 mM sucrose. For ‘Baby Katie’, no significant difference was found for number of organogenic calluses induced on 59 mM sucrose and 111 mM glucose.
Distribution of Fluid Phases Within the Steam Zone in Steam-Injection Processes

The saturation distribution of steam, water, and oil within the steam zone in a steam injection process at constant injection rates is examined. It is shown theoretically that for typical values of injection parameters the oil saturation in the steam zone rapidly reaches its residual value at steam zone conditions. This result, which corroborates previous experimental evidence, is a consequence of the relatively fast changes in phase saturations compared to the rate of the advance of the steam front. Explicit expressions for the steam saturation distribution are obtained. It is shown that the average steam saturation is a slightly decreasing function of time and approaches a limiting value which is a nearly constant fraction of the steam saturation at the injection point. This result provides theoretical justification for the often made assumption of constant average steam saturation in steam injection calculations.
Myosin-1c regulates the dynamic stability of E-cadherin–based cell–cell contacts in polarized Madin–Darby canine kidney cells

Cooperation between cadherins and the actin cytoskeleton controls the formation and maintenance of cell-cell adhesions in epithelia. We find that the molecular motor protein myosin-1c (Myo1c) regulates the dynamic stability of E-cadherin-based cell-cell contacts. In Myo1c-depleted Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, E-cadherin localization was dis-organized and lateral membranes appeared less vertical with convoluted edges versus control cells. In polarized monolayers, Myo1c-knockdown (KD) cells were more sensitive to reduced calcium concentration. Myo1c separated in the same plasma membrane fractions as E-cadherin, and Myo1c KD caused a significant reduction in the amount of E-cadherin recovered in one peak fraction. Expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Myo1c mutants revealed that the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate-binding site is necessary for its localization to cell-cell adhesions, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays with GFP-Myo1c mutants revealed that motor function was important for Myo1c dynamics at these sites. At 18°C, which inhibits vesicle recycling, Myo1c-KD cells accumulated more E-cadherin-positive vesicles in their cytoplasm, suggesting that Myo1c affects E-cadherin endocytosis. Studies with photoactivatable GFP-E-cadherin showed that Myo1c KD reduced the stability of E-cadherin at cell-cell adhesions. We conclude that Myo1c stabilizes E-cadherin at adherens junctions in polarized epithelial cells and that the motor function and ability of Myo1c to bind membrane are critical.
Laparoscopic Component Separation in the Single-Stage Treatment of Infected Abdominal Wall Prosthetic Removal

The ideal surgical treatment for complicated ventral hernias remains elusive. Traditional component separation provides local advancement of native tissue for tension-free closure without prosthetic materials. This technique requires an extensive subcutaneous dissection, with the division of perforating vessels predisposing to skin flap necrosis and complicated wound infections. The laparoscopic separation of components provides a minimally invasive alternative to open techniques, while eliminating the potential space and subsequent complications of large skin flaps. We report our initial experience with a minimally invasive component separation with early postoperative outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients who underwent a minimally invasive component separation for abdominal wall reconstruction during the resection of an infected prosthetic. Pertinent details included baseline demographics, reason for contamination, operative technique and details, postoperative morbidity, mortality, and recurrence rates. Between August 2006 and January 2007, seven patients were identified who underwent a laparoscopic component separation. There were four males and three females, with a mean age of 54 years (range 34–84), mean American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) score of 3.2 (range 3–4), and mean body mass index (BMI) of 37 kg/m2 (range 30–45). The reason for contamination included exposed non-healing mesh (6) and contaminated fluid collection around the mesh (1). Residual defect size following the removal of all prosthetics was 338 cm2 (range 187–450). The mean operative time was 185 min (range 155–220). Laparoscopic component separation enabled tension-free primary fascial reapproximation in all patients. Three postoperative complications occurred, including superficial surgical site infection (1), respiratory failure (1), and hematoma (1). There was no mortality in this series. During an average follow-up period of 4.5 months, no recurrences were identified. This study shows that a minimally invasive component separation is feasible and can result in minimal postoperative wound morbidity in these complex patients. Long-term follow-up is necessary to evaluate the outcomes with respect to recurrence rates.
The Somigliana ring dislocation

A basic elasticity solution applicable to an important class of internal stress problems related, for example, to fiber-matrix composites and spalling of cylindrical coatings is obtained. The basic problem that has been solved is that of the singular stress-displacement field resulting from the introduction of a Somigliana ring dislocation in an isotropic linear elastic solid. The Burgers vector of this dislocation has two components, one being normal to the plane of the circular ring dislocation (Volterra type) and the other being in the radial direction of the ring dislocation everywhere (Somigliana type). The analytical solution, in terms of complete elliptic integrals of the first, second and third kinds, is obtained using the Love stress function and Fourier transform. The results are verified numerically and by examining various limiting cases, including the straight edge dislocation as the radius of the dislocation loop tends to infinity, the orthogonal pair of dipoles as the radius tends to zero, and the Lame solution of a cylindrical bar and a cylindrical hole in an infinite medium as the axial location of the dislocation tends to minus infinity. The resulting analytical solution is considered as a step towards evaluating both the extended stress field around and interactions among various three-dimensional defects such as cylindrical cracks, fiber-tips and fiber-matrix debonding.
Immunocytochemical localization of epidermal growth factor during the postnatal development of the submandibular gland of the mouse

The time of appearance and the pattern of localization of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in submandibular glands of mice was studied during postnatal development immunocytochemically. EGF was first detectable in the granular convoluted tubule (GCT) cells in the glands of males at 20 days of age and of females at 30 days of age. Development of GCT cells containing EGF was rapid in males, approaching adult conditions by 45 days of age. In females EGF- containing GCTs developed more slowly and irregularly, and did not reach adult status by 45 days of age. It is concluded that EGF is restricted during postnatal development to the GCT cells, and that these cells and the distribution of EGF are represented dimorphically from their first appearance in the submandibular glands of both sexes.
Pigmented villonodular synovitis therapy with MSCF-1 inhibitors.

Purpose of review Giant cell tumor of tendon sheath and pigmented villonodular synovitis are synovial-based diseases that are generally treated by surgery. For aggressive and recurrent tumors, treatment alternatives are needed. This review explores a targeted therapeutic strategy. Recent findings Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, blocks expression of colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) by a small subpopulation of tumor cells that recruit CSF1-bearing nonneoplastic cells. Limited clinical data support the efficacy and side effect profile of imatinib in stabilizing disease in most patients. Summary Imatinib along with other such inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies to CSF1R are putative drugs that may play an important role in the treatment of these tumors.
Decreased norepinephrine transporter availability in obesity: Positron Emission Tomography imaging with (S,S)-[(11)C]O-methylreboxetine.

Objectives Noradrenergic dysfunction is implicated in obesity. The norepinephrine transporter (NET) regulates the synaptic availability of norepinephrine. However, NET availability has not been previously characterized in vivo in obese people using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. Here we report findings evaluating NET availability in individuals with obesity and matched lean (i.e., normal weight) comparison subjects.
Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome: clinical, immunological and molecular distinctions that suggest two different diseases

Although mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome are presently defined by the WHO/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer criteria as two distinct subtypes of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the two diseases present with some overlapping clinical and pathological features and share the same staging system. Advances in understanding the roles and immunologic features of different subsets of T helper cells have allowed researchers to segregate mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome with more precision, suggesting that these diseases, despite some similarities, arise from distinct T-cell subsets. New evidence acquired from recent studies in genetics and molecular signaling pathways has contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of these two disease entities, supporting this theory. The purpose here is to survey recent advances in the biological origin, immunophenotype, genetics and molecular profiles of mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome, leading to a greater understanding of the differe...
Controllable ultrabroadband slow light in a warm rubidium vapor

We study ultrabroadband slow light in a warm rubidium vapor cell. By working between the D1 and D2 transitions, we find a several-nanometer window centered at 788.4 nm in which the group index is highly uniform and the absorption is small (<1%). We demonstrate that we can control the group delay by varying the temperature of the cell, and we observe a tunable fractional delay of 18 for pulses as short as 250 fs (6.9 nm bandwidth) with a fractional broadening of only 0.65 and a power leakage of 55%. We find that a simple theoretical model is in excellent agreement with the experimental results. Using this model, we discuss the impact of the pulse’s spectral characteristics on the distortion it incurs during propagation through the vapor.
Induction of sister-chromatid exchanges by the replication of 5-bromouracil-substituted DNA under conditions of nucleotide-pool imbalance

Abstract The induction of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) by the replication of 5-bromouracil(BrUra)-containing DNA under conditions of nucleotide-pool imbalance was investigated. A modification of a protocol developed for the induction of mutations under these conditions (.E.R. Kaufman, Mol. Cell. Biol., 4, 2449–2454, 1984) was used. To induce SCEs, Chinese hamster ovary cells were grown under non-mutagenic conditions which allowed the uniform incorporation of BrUra into their DNA at specific levels of substitution for thymine residues (25, 50 and 75% BrUra substitution). After 4 and 5 days of growth, the cells, which had incorporated BrUra into their DNA, were washed free of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) and provided with fresh culture medium supplemented with various concentrations of thymidine (10 μM to 3 mM) and no BrdUrd. The cells were allowed to replicate their BrUra-containing DNA under these conditions, in the absence of BrdUrd, for two rounds of DNA synthesis to achieve sister-chromatid differentiation, and second-division metaphase were scored for SCEs. The results of these studies indicated that the SCEs observed (i) were proportional to the level of BrUra substituted for thymine in the cellular DNA, (ii) were induced by increasing concentrations of thymidine in the culture medium during replication of the BrUra-containing DNA, (iii) correlated well with the induction of mutations to thioguanine resistance and to ouabain resistance, (iv) correlated with increase in the intracellular levels of dTTP and dGTP generated by the high concentrations of thymidine. These findings provide direct evidence for the induction of SCEs by the replication of BrUra-containing DNA and for the importance of the pools of nucleotide triphosphate precursors for DNA replication in these processes. When the effects of 3-aminobenzamide, a potent inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis, were tested, it was found that 3-aminobenzamide significantly increased SCEs, but it had no effect on mutations induced.
Should Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Be a First-Line Therapy in the Young?

During the past decade, catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has emerged as an important treatment option for patients with symptomatic AF. It is now widely accepted that catheter ablation of AF is indicated for treatment of symptomatic AF refractory to at least one class 1 or 3 antiarrhythmic drug.1 The body of literature that has defined the safety and effectiveness of AF ablation comprises single-center experiences, registry data, metaanalyses, and a number of prospective multicenter randomized clinical trials. The patients enrolled in these clinical trials were predominantly white, otherwise healthy men aged 50 to 65 years with paroxysmal AF. Much remains to be learned about the long-term effectiveness of AF ablation and the safety and effectiveness of AF ablation in those populations of patients who were not well represented in these prior clinical trials. Article see p 452 In this issue of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology , Leong-Sit et al2 contribute to the discussion by asking whether younger patients may benefit more than older patients from AF ablation. The authors report outcomes from 2038 AF ablation procedures in 1548 consecutive patients performed over an 8-year period. This single-center observational experience compares effectiveness and complication rates among the following groups of patients stratified by age: group 1, 65 years (n=308). The primary outcome measure of “AF control” includes patients with “rare AF,” which is defined as 6 or fewer AF episodes over the prior 12 months on or off antiarrhythmic medications after 1 or more ablation procedures. Major complications are defined as stroke or transient ischemic attack, significant pulmonary vein stenosis, pericardial tamponade, atrioesophageal fistula, death, phrenic nerve injury, retroperitoneal bleeding, or severe anaphylaxis. Other complications were large …
Efficient finite-difference method for quasi-periodic steady-state and small signal analyses

This paper discusses a finite-difference mixed frequency-time (MFT) method for the quasi-periodic steady-state analysis and introduces the quasi-periodic small signal analysis. A new approach for solving the huge nonlinear system the MFT finite difference method generates from practical circuits is given, which makes efficient frequency-sweeping quasi-periodic small-signal analysis possible. The new efficient solving technique works well with the Krylovsubspace recycling or reuse [4], which can not be achieved with existing techniques. In addition, this paper gives a way to calculate the quasi-periodic Fourier integration weights, necessary in the adjoint MFT small-signal analyses, and a way to calculate quasi-periodic large-signal Fourier spectrum that is more efficient than existing methods. Numerical examples also show that the finite-difference MFT method can be significantly more accurate than shooting-Newton MFT method and the new preconditioning technique is more efficient.
Physiological monitoring of the warfighter.

Modern battlefield conditions and technologies are becoming increasingly complex. In this current military environment, the need to remotely monitor each warfighter's physical and mental condition has become an essential component of the health, safety, and optimal effectiveness of a military unit.
Railway Systems Engineering Why is Water Wet

• Systems - The essence of Systems is Emergence - Why is Water Wet? • Systems Engineering - Systematic and Systemic • Systems Engineer - Expert in one or more disciplines and breadth across the system domain. - Foxhogs are the future
Sex Differences in Pain-Related Symptoms and Self-Initiated School Nurse Visits Among Pre-Adolescents

We examined sex differences in self-initiated school nurse visits and pain-associated symptoms in 57 pre-adolescents (36 girls), aged 9-11, with a brief, pain-focused version of the Children's Somatization Inventory (CSI). Using sequential multiple regression, pain symptom scores, sex, and their interaction were analyzed in relation to nurse visits prospectively collected for 1 year. Neither sex, nor pain scores alone, predicted total nurse visits. For girls only, higher pain symptom scores predicted increased total visits and increased visits for complaints with documented physical findings. For both sexes, higher pain symptom scores predicted more visits for complaints without documented physical findings. A complex relationship between sex, pain-related symptoms, and self-initiated nurse visits was found in this pre-adolescent sample. Our findings suggest pain-focused symptom measures may be useful in studies of early predictors of adult pain-related healthcare utilization.
Smoking decreases the response of human lung macrophages to double-stranded RNA by reducing TLR3 expression

Background: Cigarette smoking is associated with increased frequency and duration of viral respiratory infections, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely defined. We investigated whether smoking reduces expression by human lung macrophages (Mo) of receptors for viral nucleic acids and, if so, the effect on CXCL10 production. Methods: We collected alveolar macrophages (AMo) by bronchoalveolar lavage of radiographically-normal lungs of subjects undergoing bronchoscopies for solitary nodules (n= 16) and of volunteers who were current or former smokers (n= 7) or never-smokers (n= 13). We measured expression of mRNA transcripts for viral nucleic acid receptors by real-time PCR in those AMo and in the human Mo cell line THP-1 following phorbol myristate acetate/ vitamin D3 differentiation and exposure to cigarette smoke extract, and determined TLR3 protein expression using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. We also used flow cytometry to examine TLR3 expression in total lung Mo from subjects undergoing clinically-indicated lung resections (n= 25). Of these, seven had normal FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio (three former smokers, four current smokers); the remaining 18 subjects (14 former smokers; four current smokers) had COPD of GOLD stages I-IV. We measured AMo production of CXCL10 in response to stimulation with the dsRNA analogue poly(I:C) using Luminex assay. Results: Relative to AMo of never-smokers, AMo of smokers demonstrated reduced protein expression of TLR3 and decreased mRNA for TLR3 but not TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, RIG-I, MDA-5 or PKR. Identical changes in TLR3 gene expression were induced in differentiated THP-1 cells exposed to cigarette smoke-extract in vitro for 4 hours. Among total lung Mo, the percentage of TLR3-positive cells correlated inversely with active smoking but not with COPD diagnosis, FEV1% predicted, sex, age or pack-years. Compared to AMo of never-smokers, poly(I:C)-stimulated production of CXCL10 was significantly reduced in AMo of smokers. Conclusions: Active smoking, independent of COPD stage or smoking duration, reduces both the percent of human lung Mo expressing TLR3, and dsRNA-induced CXCL10 production, without altering other endosomal or cytoplasmic receptors for microbial nucleic acids. This effect provides one possible mechanism for increased frequency and duration of viral lower respiratory tract infections in smokers.
Geotropic Response of Wheat Coleoptiles in Absence of Amyloplast Starch

Young coleoptiles of wheat (Triticum durum var. Henry), depleted of amyloplast starch by incubation at 30°C with gibberellin plus kinetin, retained their geotropic responsiveness. Depleted coleoptiles curved upward more slowly than controls, but this was commensurate with their slower growth. The ratio of curvature to growth was about 50° per mm of elongation in both cases. Newly excised coleoptiles, though containing much more starch than incubated controls, curved only about 25° per mm. The tissue treated in gibberellin plus kinetin appeared to contain no starch when examined (a) freshly squashed, (b) as fixed material sectioned thin and stained by the PAS procedure, and (c) as electron micrographs. Shrunken, starch-free amyloplasts could be identified in certain regions, but these did not show evidence of asymmetric distribution under the influence of gravity. The possibilities that other organelles function as statoliths are considered, and it is concluded not only that georeception is independent of starch grains, but further that it may not be due to statoliths at all in an ordinary sense.
Intravesicular Cidofovir for the Treatment of Polyomavirus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis

Objective:To review the literature regarding the use of intravesicular cidofovir in the treatment of polyomavirus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis.Data Sources:Searches of PubMed were conducted, with key search terms including intravesicular cidofovir, polyomavirus, BK virus, JC virus, and hemorrhagic cystitis. Limits were set to include human subjects.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All articles identified were evaluated, and one was excluded due to being published only in the German language. All case studies/case series were included if patients received at least 1 dose of intravesicular cidofovir for treatment of cystitis.Data Synthesis:Polyomavirus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis is more common in immunocompromised patients, particularly those who have undergone stem cell transplantation. Early-onset cystitis is often due to chemotherapy agents, while cystitis that develops 10–14 days into therapy is often associated with infection with Polyomavirus, such as BK virus. There is no standard of thera...
The Privatization of Development Assistance: Symposium Overview

This short essay describes the themes canvassed in a Symposium on the role that private actors play in providing financial assistance to developing countries. Many of the papers presented at the Symposium and described in the essay will be published in the NYU Journal of International Law & Politics.
Do we use the appropriate controls for the identification of informative methylation markers for early cancer detection

It is possible to miss potential DNA methylation markers of tumorigenesis because of the initial filtering of profiling results on the basis of inappropriate controls.
A two-dimensional model of second order rapid reactions in turbulent tubular reactors

Abstract Previous studies of second order rapid reactions in turbulent tubular reactors have been analyzed in terms of a one-dimensional model. Deviations between theory and experiment have been interpreted in terms of diffusion limited reaction rates. In this paper the experimental results are re-analyzed in terms of a two-dimensional model leading to the conclusion that mixing and entrance region effects are responsible for the deviations between the experimental results and one-dimensional theory. A new upper bound for the Damkohler number associated with diffusion controlled reaction rates is suggested.
Monolithic very high frequency GaN switched-mode power converters

This paper describes very high frequency (10–200 MHz) switched-mode power converters using custom GaN chips with integrated power switches and gate drivers, allowing standard logic-level PWM control inputs. Circuit design techniques are described in depletion-mode 0.15μm RF and 0.25μm switch GaN-on-SiC processes, including integration of gate-drive and level translation circuits. Operating from up to 25 V dc input voltage, efficiencies exceeding 90% are demonstrated at switching frequencies up to 100 MHz and at power levels exceeding 10 W. When used as an envelope-tracking drain supply modulator for high-efficiency RF transmitters, a monolithic two-phase 25 V, 10 W GaN converter prototype achieves 20 MHz large-signal tracking bandwidth with 89.7% average power-stage efficiency.
Redundancy revisited

This paper shows that when it comes to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) designs undetectability does not necessarily imply redundancy. The definition of redundancy is extended to account for the special behavior encountered in CMOS designs. The accuracy of the new redundancy definition has been tested on several CMOS chips and has been found to be correct.
A Rotary Leaf Washer for Sampling Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) on Spinach

An alternate sampling technique was developed for sampling aphids in savoyed (i.e., crinkled leaf) spinach grown for processing in south-central United States. The technique used water jets in a rotary leaf washer to dislodge aphids from spinach leaves. Aphids were collected on 850-µm or 250-µm sieves and transferred to paper toweling for counting. Counts of green peach aphids, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), sampled with the rotary leaf wash technique averaged 84.5% of whole-plant visual searches and were significantly correlated with visual counts. Furthermore, the rotary leaf wash procedure reduced sampling time by an estimated factor of ca. 12 and permitted washed aphids to be frozen for subsequent counting.
Distribution of the floating-leaf macrophyteNelumbo lutea (American water lotus) in a coastal wetland on Lake Erie

The areal distribution of the floating-leaf macrophyteNelumbo lutea was mapped for 10 of 18 years between 1977 and 1994 in the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve (OWC), a coastal wetland located in Lake Erie’s western basin. The areal extent ofN. lutea in the wetland increased from 2.84 hectares (3%) in 1977 to 19.24 hectares (36%) in 1993. Despite an overall increase in the distribution and abundance ofN. lutea, individual beds show annual variations in bed coverage and production. Few studies to date have examined the various factors regulating annual macrophyte population dynamics in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Water-level fluctuations are generally considered the principal factor affecting change in these plant communities; however, we suggest that specific plant growth characteristics such as bed age and reproduction may play a significant role in explaining the observed changes inN. lutea distribution and abundance.
Top-Down Approach to the Fabrication of GaN-Based Photonic Crystal Biosensor

Combining optics and microfluidics to create a portable optofluidic photonic crystal (PhC) biosensor is an approach with promising applications in the fields of counter-terrorism, agricultural sciences, and health sciences. Presented here are fabrication processes of a gallium nitride (GaN)-based PhC biosensor with a resonance-enhanced fluorescence detection mechanism that shows potential for meeting the single molecule detection requirements of these application areas. GaN is being targeted as the photonic crystal slab material for two main reasons: its transparency in the visible spectral range, within which the excitation and emission wavelengths of the commercial fluorescent-labeling dyes fall, and its intrinsic thermal stability which provides an increased flexibility of operating in different environments. Optical modeling efforts indicate a 25-fold enhancement of the fluorescent emission in this portable fluorescentbased PhC biosensor.
Effect of level of intake and supplemental barley on marker estimates of fecal output using an intraruminal continuous-release chromic oxide bolus

Sixty wethers (average BW = 45 kg) fitted with fecal collection bags were used in four experiments to evaluate the ability of a intraruminal continuous-release chromic oxide bolus to predict fecal DM output. In Exp. 1, 18 wethers housed in metabolism crates were fed barley at either 0, 100, or 200g/d and allowed ad libitum consumption of alfalfa pellets. In Exp. 2, 18 wethers were housed in metabolism crates and fed alfalfa pellets at either 70, 85, or 125% of pre-study ad libitum consumption. In Exp. 3, 12 wethers grazed a sagebrush-bunchgrass range and were individually fed barley at 0 or 200 g/d. In Exp. 4, 12 wethers grazed either an ungrazed (383 kg/ha herbaceous biomass) or a heavily grazed (175 kg/ha herbaceous biomass) sagebrush-bunchgrass range. Experiments 1 and 2 were balanced 3 x 3 Latin squares, and Exp. 3 and 4 were crossover designs. Chromium content was determined in rectal grab samples. Treatment effects were compared using marker-estimated fecal output divided by total fecal collection, multiplied by 100, as the dependent variable. Accuracy of the estimate was verified by comparing marker-estimated fecal output with total fecal collection using a paired t-test. In Exp. 1 and 2, treatments were different (P less than .05). No differences (P greater than .50) were detected in Exp. 3 and 4. In Exp. 1, 2, and 3 accuracy was different (P less than .02) among wethers within study and treatment. Only in Study 4 were minor or no differences (P greater than .09) in accuracy found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using a Combination of Autograft and Allograft Tendon: A MOON Cohort Study

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with hamstring autografts less than 8.5 mm in diameter is associated with worse patient-reported outcome scores and increased risk of revi...
The Reappearance of the Cult of Personality in China

Over the past 2 years, there have been signs that the Chinese Communist Party has activated the propaganda machine to build a cult of personality around the current leader: Xi Jinping. The campaign has global ambitions. This study analyzes Chinese state media news stories, music videos, and animation on social media to discuss the themes of rhetoric and ritual. Using firsthand observation along with a brief comparison of the Soviet Union system and the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC), this study provides details on how the CPC is attempting to produce a cult of personality and the constraints it faces in doing so. Understanding this process is important for understanding the CPC and predicting whether China will continue to experience personalized regimes in the future.