cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What drives customer Re-engagement? The foundational role of the sales-service interplay in episodic value co-creation

Abstract As existing business-to-business value co-creation (VCC) contracts approach their planned expiration, customers evaluate incumbent suppliers when forming their decisions to re-engage or defect. During this late stage of VCC, supplier sales and service personnel perform unique activities to support one another and foster VCC re-engagement. To investigate this sales-service interplay, the authors employ an exploratory inquiry consisting of 115 depth interviews across 63 customer accounts. Interviews were conducted with customers following the decision to re-engage or defect from an incumbent supplier. Findings suggest that sales' efforts to renew the VCC contract depend on tactical insights provided by service. Through their involvement with customers, service holds a tactical perspective that can extract micro-level customer insights. Findings also suggest that service's ability to influence supplier-specific knowledge stores within the customer organization depends on macro-level strategic customer directives that may be shared by sales. Further, service's activation of such knowledge stores moderates the relationship between sales' RFP response and the customer's VCC re-engagement decision. The results have implications for the industrial sales and service fields, since the integration of the sales and service teams is critical for garnering intrafirm knowledge flows that drive recurrent VCC within collaborative customer-supplier relationships.
Are you your resumé

"... And What About You?" is a regular column in Advanced Practice Nursing Quarterly featuring multiple facets of personal and career development. This column will provide tools and strategies to support the continual learning that is vital for self-management of one's personal growth and career development.
Next-generation sequencing informs diagnosis and identifies unexpected therapeutic targets in lung squamous cell carcinomas.

Abstract Objectives Potentially targetable genomic alterations have been identified in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), but none have yet translated into effective therapy. We examined potential benefits of next generation sequencing (NGS) in a cohort of consecutive LUSC patients with emphasis on distinctions between smokers and light/never smokers and implications for clinical trial enrollment. Methods We retrospectively evaluated results from an internally developed NGS assay (OncoPanel) targeting ∼300 genes with a mean overall target coverage of >200x for consecutive LUSC seen at our institution over 30 months. Results Tissue was obtained from 172 patients for targeted NGS. 42 (24 %) samples were insufficient for testing. Median age of tested patients was 66, including 87 % moderate/heavy versus 13 % light/never smokers; 66 % were stage IIIB or IV. Of 130 patients with evaluable NGS results, 49 (38 %) had at least 1 alteration qualifying for enrollment to a LungMAP treatment arm (PIK3CA, MET, FGFR family, cell cycle, or homologous recombination pathways) or for an approved therapy or other clinical trial (e.g. EGFR sensitizing mutations, MET exon 14 splice mutations, TSC1/2 mutation, or microsatellite instability). Therapeutic targets were enriched in light/never smokers (47 % vs 35 % moderate/heavy smokers). Unexpectedly, genomic features suggested an alternative diagnosis (metastatic cutaneous squamous carcinoma; mesothelioma) in 7 patients, including 35 % of never/light smokers. Conclusion NGS in a real-world LUSC cohort yields potentially targetable genomic alterations informing clinical trial enrollment and approved therapies and critical diagnostic insights. Our findings strongly support current guidelines recommending mutational profiling of LUSC arising in light/never smoking patients; the utility of sequencing in smokers with LUSC appears to be limited to identification of research targets.
Prospective associations between parental substance use and youth highly processed food intake in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.

Abstract Background Given growing evidence of overlap in characteristics of addictive substances and highly processed foods (e.g., ice cream), transdiagnostic approaches may be appropriate. Prior work indicates youth with parents who use addictive substances are at risk for greater substance use. The current study tested hypotheses that parental substance use behaviors would prospectively predict greater youth highly processed food intake [but not minimally processed food intake (e.g., fruit)]. Methods The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study was a longitudinal birth cohort study of youth (N = 4,898) born in large U.S. cities in 1998-2000. The current study was an archival data analysis using parental substance use data collected at youth birth and when youth were age 3, and youth diet data collected when youth were ages 5, 9, and 15. Results Over and above the influence of covariates including family income, prenatal maternal illicit drug use significantly predicted 0.34, 0.23, and 1.32 servings increase in youth sugary food/beverage intake at ages 5, 9, and 15, respectively, and 0.25 servings increase in youth snack foods or chips intake at age 9. Prenatal maternal illicit drug use did not significantly predict youth fruit and vegetable intake at any age. Less consistent and weaker significant prospective associations emerged between postnatal maternal substance use and youth diet, and between paternal substance use and youth diet. Conclusions Prenatal exposure to illicit drugs may present transdiagnostic risk for greater youth highly processed food intake and substance use. Future causal and mechanistic research is warranted.
A new sampler for the collection and retrieval of dry dust deposition

Abstract Atmospheric dust can influence biogeochemical cycles, accelerate snowmelt, and affect air, water quality, and human health. Yet, the bulk of atmospherically transported material remains poorly quantified in terms of total mass fluxes and composition. This lack of information stems in part from the challenges associated with measuring dust deposition. Here we report on the design and efficacy of a new dry deposition sampler (Dry Deposition Sampling Unit (DSU)) and method that quantifies the gravitational flux of dust particles. The sampler can be used alone or within existing networks such as those employed by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP). Because the samplers are deployed sterile and the use of water to remove trapped dust is not required, this method allows for the recovery of unaltered dry material suitable for subsequent chemical and microbiological analyses. The samplers were tested in the laboratory and at 15 field sites in the western United States. With respect to material retention, sampler performance far exceeded commonly used methods. Retrieval efficiency was >97% in all trials and the sampler effectively preserved grain size distributions during wind exposure experiments. Field tests indicated favorable comparisons to dust-on-snow measurement across sites (r2 0.70, p
Chapter 2 – Multivariable Optimization

This chapter is based on the simplest category of multivariable optimization problems and it includes decision variables, feasible and optimal solutions, and constraints. Unconstrained optimization involves finding the maximum or minimum of a differentiable function of several variables over a nice set. To meet the complexity of the problems, computer algebra system can be used to perform the necessary calculations. In this chapter, a review of the method of Lagrange multipliers is provided for the benefit of those students who were not exposed to this important technique in multivariable calculus. This method is a more sophisticated structure to consider the complicated models by the existence of constraints on the independent variables. The sensitivity analysis and shadow prices are explained with appropriate real-world examples.
Tolerability and Blinding of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in People with Parkinson's Disease: A Critical Review.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is accompanied by transient sensations (e.g., tingling, itching, burning), which may affect treatment outcomes or break the blinding of the study protocol. Assessing tolerability and blinding is integral to providing ample evidence of a “real effect” from the applied stimulation and dispelling the possibility of placebo effects. People with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) endure many motor and non-motor symptoms that might be amenable to tDCS. However, because the disease also affects sensation capabilities, these subjects might report tolerability and blinding differently than other cohorts. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to aggregate the tolerability and blinding reports of tDCS studies in PwPD and recommend a standard tolerability and blinding reporting practice. A literature search of the PubMed and Scopus databases from 1 January 2020 to 1 April 2020 was performed to identify publications that applied tDCS to PwPD. Seventy studies were potentially reviewable, but only 36 (nine with quantitative tolerability reports, 20 with qualitative tolerability reports, and seven that only reported blinding) provided sufficient information to be included in the review. Quantitative information on tDCS tolerability and blinding maintenance in PwPD is scarce, and future reviews and metanalyses should carefully consider the possibility of placebo effects in their included studies.
Islamist Exegesis of Q 3:110: The Islamic Doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect

Is there an Islamic version of the UN doctrine of the "Responsibility to Protect"? Are Muslims obligated to defend their own community, and to save the rest of the world from tyranny andoppression? The UN doctrine commits member states to protect people from certain types of harm, and specifically includes protecting populations from their own governments. If a comparable Islamic doctrine exists, it is especially ironic that the UN doctrine is so frequently applied to Muslim majority countries in the Middle East. This irony allows for a new perspective on the continuing conceptual and physical conflicts between western powers and states in the Middle East.
Updated Review: The Steroid Controversy for Management of Spinal Cord Injury.

Background Acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) is a devastating event that can have a profound impact on the lives of patients and their families. While no definitive medical treatment exists, the role of methylprednisolone (MP) in the management of ASCI and other spinal cord pathologies has been investigated in depth; however, its use remains contentious. While MP initially showed promise in the efficacy of ASCI treatment, more recent studies have questioned its use citing numerous systemic adverse effects. Pharmacologic treatments in this area are poorly understood due to the scarcity of knowledge surrounding the pathophysiology and heterogeneity of patients presenting with these conditions. Despite these shortcomings and due to the lack of alternative treatment options, MP is still widely used by physicians. Methods We review prior and current literature on the use of MP treatment for ASCI patients with a discussion of novel drug delivery systems that have demonstrated the potential to improve MP's bioavailability at the site of injury while minimizing systemic side effects. In addition, current views on the role of MP and dexamethasone in metastatic spinal cord compression and postoperative infection are reviewed. Results While some data support benefits in the use of steroids on spinal cord pathology, extensive research suggests at best limited effects and an unresolvable risk/benefit problem. Conclusions At present, evidence regarding use of dexamethasone for MSCC is contentious, especially regarding dose regiments. Ultimately, further investigation into the use of steroids is required to determine its utility in treating patients with spinal cord pathology.
Infrared absorption cross sections for hot isobutane in the CH stretching region

Abstract Spectra of pure isobutane were recorded at high temperature in the C-H stretching region (2750-3050 cm−1) with a high resolution Fourier transform spectrometer. Isobutane absorption cross sections were determined for six temperatures from 295 K to 739 K. These data may be useful for simulations of hot Jupiter exoplanets and brown dwarfs. Integrated cross sections were compared with adjusted cross section data from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) database.
A CFAR Detection Approach for Identifying Gas Bubble Seeps With Multibeam Echo Sounders

A cell-averaged constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detector is described and applied to data collected with a multibeam echo sounder (MBES). The CFAR detector is designed specifically for transient targets observed with MBES, and operates under the assumption that background noise, including volume and seafloor reverberation, is locally stationary in time. This assumption, and the CFAR detector performance in general, was examined for data collected by a 30-kHz MBES operating in the Gulf of Mexico where the targets of interest were methane gas bubble plumes rising up from the seabed. Results with example data suggest that the CFAR detector was able to remove 99.1% of the MBES raw data while preserving the targets of interest. False detections appear randomly distributed throughout a single MBES ping, unlike the targets, and a within-ping target clustering algorithm was able to remove many of the false detections. In a single ping, an example is shown where the combined CFAR detector and a target cluster-size rule was able to reduce the number of false detections to 99.8% of the original data. The detector and cluster-size rules were applied to a sequence of approximately 400 pings, and two additional morphological rules based on the size and aspect ratio of the resulting target clusters were then applied to the detections to isolate the MBES backscatter intensity associated with gas bubbles. This combination of CFAR detector and simple morphological classification rules provides a useful way to detect gas bubble seeps or other transient targets.
Feedback on Section 1201 Provisions of Digital Copyright Act of 2021

This is my feedback on the discussion draft of the Digital Copyright Act: https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2020/12/tillis-releases-landmark-discussion-draft-to-reform-the-digital-millennium-copyright-act.
Kinship and Cohort in an aging society: from generation to generation

Kinship and Cohort in an Aging Society: From Generation to Generation is a successful festschrift, a collection of 15 writings to honor leading family sociologist and gerontological scholar Vern Be...
Endotracheal Tube Placement in Infants

To the Editor.— A recent article1 inPediatrics describing the early experience with illuminated endotracheal tubes in premature and term infants is of considerable interest. The idea is certainly a novel one and would probably appeal to many. However, it does require a specially designed endotracheal tube and fiberoptic light source, both of which may not be available. I would like to describe a method that I have been using for many years and that I have found most reliable.
Anatomy Of Foreign Aid To Ethiopia: 1960-2003

The purpose of this study is to present a portrait of the foreign aid flow to Ethiopia during the 1960 to 2003 period. Since the launch of Marshal Plan after World War II, the flow of foreign aid has been seen as the panacea to overcome underdevelopment. Ethiopia is not an exception to this view, and Ethiopia is one of the recipients of foreign aid not only to provide emergency relief but also to support long-term economic development. This study shows the flow of aid to Ethiopia in terms of major donors (bilateral and multilateral), method of delivery, and major recipient sectors/purposes. The study attempts to answer the following questions: Which are the major donor countries? For what purposes has the aid been given? For which sectors has the country been receiving aid? Further, during the study period the country has twice experienced changes in government. How have the composition, donors, and purposes of aid changed with the changes of government? The paper attempts to present aid flows for the country's three government regimes. The study will use detailed aid data collected from donors by the OECD and recently made available. This study does not attempt to link the flow of aid to the progress, economic or otherwise, that has ensued from the flow of aid.
Cloning, sequencing, and characterization of the principal acid phosphatase, the phoC+ product, from Zymomonas mobilis.

Abstract The Zymomonas mobilis gene encoding acid phosphatase, phoC, has been cloned and sequenced. The gene spans 792 base pairs and encodes an Mr 28,988 polypeptide. This protein was identified as the principal acid phosphatase activity in Z. mobilis by using zymograms and was more active with magnesium ions than with zinc ions. Its promoter region was similar to the -35 "pho box" region of the Escherichia coli pho genes as well as the regulatory sequences for Saccharomyces cerevisiae acid phosphatase (PHO5). A comparison of the gene structure of phoC with that of highly expressed Z. mobilis genes revealed that promoters for all genes were similar in degree of conservation of spacing and identity with the proposed Z. mobilis consensus sequence in the -10 region. The phoC gene contained a 5' transcribed terminus which was AT rich, a weak ribosome-binding site, and less biased codon usage than the highly expressed Z. mobilis genes.
"Breaking bad news": standardized patient intervention improves communication skills for hematology-oncology fellows and advanced practice nurses.

Background. Breaking bad news is 1 of cancer specialists’ most common and difficult duties, yet hematology-oncology fellowship programs typically offer little formal preparation for this daunting task. We designed the Breaking Bad News Standardized Patient Intervention (BBNSPI) as a standardized patient educational intervention to improve the communication skills of hematology-oncology fellows (HOFs) and advanced practice nurses (APNs) in breaking bad news to cancer patients. Methods. A total of 6 HOFs and 2 APNs participated in the preintervention test and an educational session designed to improve communication skills. A total of 5 HOFs and 1 APN participated in the postintervention test 1 week later. Results. The average test score of the participants improved from 56.6% in the preintervention test to 68.8% (P<.005) in the postintervention test. The preintervention perception survey showed that 2 of 6 subjects (33%) expected the intervention to improve their communication skills in breaking bad news compared to 5 of 6 subjects (83%) in the postintervention survey (P<.08). The long-term intervention perception survey showed that all 6 subjects (100%) thought the intervention improved their communication skills in breaking bad news to cancer patients* (P<.048). Conclusions. BBNSPI improved HOFs’ and APNs’ communication skills in breaking bad news to cancer patients. The perception of the subjects about BBNSPI was positive.
A alteridade ameríndia na ficção contemporânea das Américas

Resenha do livro A alteridade amerindia na ficcao contemporânea das Americas , de Rita Olivieri-Godet. Publicado em 2013 pela editora Fino Traco, a obra versa sobre as representacoes da alteridade amerindia em romances contemporâneos de escritores brasileiros, argentinos e quebequenses. O livro e composto por uma introducao e nove capitulos. Neles, o leitor perfaz uma agradavel viagem no tempo e no espaco pelo continente americano a partir da analise literaria de romances onde o amerindio e instância de alteridade e reflexao sobre os possiveis e impossiveis hibridismos culturais nas Americas.
Studies of human sulfatase "B." I. Purification and properties from liver.

Abstract Sulfatase B (arylsulfate sulfohydrolase, EC 3.1.6.1) was purified 290-fold from human liver. The Km values were 6.7 × 10−4M for nitrocatechol sulfate (NCS) and 2.8 × 10−3M for 4-methyl-umbelliferone sulfate (MUS). The purified enzyme required a relatively high temperature (52.5°C) in order to reach its maximum initial velocity using NCS as a substrate. Human albumin activated the purified enzyme, but bovine albumin inhibited it. The pH activity curve showed three peaks; the highest enzyme activities were at pH 6.0, 6.3, and 6.6. When the purified enzyme was applied to an isoelectrofocusing gel, two of the four protein bands were active using NCS or MUS as a substrate. In a modified column gradient fractionation using CM-Sephadex, there was one major peak with a molecular weight of 40,500 and a second minor peak with a molecular weight of 35,000. Further studies are underway to define the parameters of activity and substrate specificity of the different sulfatase B fractions.
Hypothesis Testing of Edge Organizations: Simulating Performance Under Industrial Era and 21st Century Conditions

11th Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium (CCRTS), June 20-22, 2006, San Diego, CA.
Secretion of rabbit C-reactive protein by transfected human cell lines is more rapid than by cultured rabbit hepatocytes.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major acute phase protein in humans and rabbits. Its synthesis by the liver varies over a 1000-fold range depending on the presence and severity of inflammatory stimuli. In previous studies of synthesis and secretion of rabbit CRP, we showed that secretion becomes more efficient over the course of the acute phase response as CRP synthesis rates increase (Macintyre, S.S., Kushner, I., and Samols, D. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 4169-4173). The current studies were undertaken to help distinguish between two alternative explanations for this finding: 1) that secretion efficiency may simply be a property of the rate of synthesis and intracellular concentration of CRP or 2) that secretion may be regulated by separate intracellular mechanisms. A fusion gene containing the mouse metallothionein I promoter linked to the protein coding region of the rabbit CRP gene was introduced into the human hepatoma cell line, NPLC, and the nonliver cell line, HeLa. In this system a graded response of the mouse metallothionein I promoter following exposure to increasing zinc concentrations results in increasing CRP synthesis. Unlike hepatocytes from rabbits undergoing the acute phase response, we found that rabbit CRP was secreted by these transfected cell lines with a very high degree of efficiency which was independent of the rate of CRP synthesis. This finding implies that normal rabbit hepatocytes retard the secretion of CRP and that this inhibition is diminished as the acute phase response progresses. It further indicates that the relationship between changes in synthetic rate and efficiency of secretion of rabbit CRP is not a causal one and that synthesis and secretion of CRP by rabbit hepatocytes are regulated by independent intracellular mechanisms during the acute phase response.
Acculturation and Smoking Patterns Among Hispanics: A Review

Objective To conduct a systematic review of published studies investigating the association of acculturation and smoking patterns among Hispanic men and women in the United States. Methods Online bibliographic databases were searched from 1985 to 2003 using three key search terms. The methodology and findings of all retrieved articles were critically evaluated. Data were extracted from each article regarding study population, study methods, exposure assessment, outcomes measured, acculturation measures used, and results. Results The literature search identified 78 articles from MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsychINFO databases; of these, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven regional studies based in the western United States and four nationwide studies were included in the review. Seven studies used formal acculturation scales, three used language spoken, and one used language spoken and country of birth to indicate acculturation status. Nine studies showed a positive association between acculturation and smoking among women, and one study involving men showed a negative association. Conclusions The findings suggest that the association of acculturation and smoking is gender-specific. In this instance, increased smoking prevalence with increased acculturation is consistently observed among Hispanic women but not among men. As Hispanic women acculturate, their cigarette smoking may increase because their behavior becomes more strongly influenced by the norms and practices of the dominant group than among men. Immigrant- and gender-specific public health interventions need to be designed to combat the increase in smoking rates among Hispanics in the United States.
Kinetics of Acetate Metabolism during Sludge Digestion

The quantitative contribution of acetic acid to methane production was studied by use of C(14)-labeled acetic acid. Samples of domestic sewage sludge were incubated anaerobically in Warburg vessels. The rate of methane production in the vessels was 0.033 mumoles per ml per min. C(14)-labeled acetic acid was added, and the turnover rate was calculated. The pool size of acetic acid in the sludge was 4.7 mumoles/ml. The turnover rate was 0.0052 min(-1), giving a rate of formation of acetic acid of 0.024 mumoles per ml per min. Under these conditions, acetic acid would account for approximately 73% of the methane produced by the sludge. Acetic acid was found to exist primarily in an extracellular pool. The turnover rate of the extracellular pool was rapid, and it was concluded that most of the acetic acid must be metabolized to methane by a specialized microflora not involved in the formation of acetic acid.
The Use of Eschatological Lists within the Targumim of the Megilloth

Several of the Targumim of the Megilloth contain lists (songs, famines, kings, etc.) that culminate in the future Messianic age. For example, Tg. Song opens with the list of Ten Songs and Tg. Ruth opens with the list of Ten Famines. Such lists are well known from other midrashic texts and this article will consider how and why these lists are used in the Targumim of the Megilloth and will propose that these additions are not merely the result of an opportunity presented by the Hebrew text but are being used specifically to further the overarching exegetical agenda of the Targum in question.
Economic amenity values of wildlife: Six case studies in Pennsylvania

The travel clost method (TCM) and contingent valuation method (CVM) were used to evaluate the economic value of six different ecotourism activities involving observation of wildlife in Pennsylvania. The six activities were: catch-and-release trout fishing; catch-and-release trout fishing with fly-fishing equipment; viewing waterfowl; watching elk; observing migration flights of raptors; and seeing live wildlife in an environmental education setting. TCM results provided significant statistical relationships between level of use and travel costs for the two types of trout fishing activities. CVM provided estimates of consumer surplus for the other four sites. The consumers' surplus value (1988 dollars) of all six activities to participants amounted to a total of more than $1.28 million annually—twice the total out-of-pocket expenditures of approximately $640,000 spent to visit the sites. The economic amenity values of the six activities compare favorably with similarly derived values in other studies for hunting, fishing, hiking, and backpacking in dispersed recreation environments and wilderness areas in western states.
Acute alcohol intoxication and vicarious emotional responsiveness

Abstract The effects of acute alcohol intoxication on vicarious emotional responsiveness were investigated using 30 young male social drinkers who were randomly assigned to one of three alcohol administration conditions. Dose levels were selected to approximate the following blood alcohol concentrations: (1) placebo-0.00%; (2) low alcohol dose-0.05%; or (3) high alcohol dose-0.10%. The vicarious conditioning paradigm required participants to observe another individual (videotaped model) receive an electric shock subsequent to auditory presentation of a numbered stimulus in a series from 1 to 7. Electrodermal activity and heart rate were monitored. Resting levels of autonomic functioning were minimally influenced by alcohol intoxication, although the high alcohol dose significantly reduced variability in nonspecific electrodermal responses. Magnitude of electrodermal response to the stimulus immediately paired with shock did not differ as a function of alcohol dose, but alcohol had a dose-related effect on vicariously instigated anticipatory electrodermal responses occurring prior to the stimulus associated with shock.
31P MRS measurement of mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle: reliability, force-level sensitivity and relation to whole body maximal oxygen uptake.

The reliability, relation to whole-body maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)), and force-level sensitivity of (31)P MRS markers of mitochondrial function were studied in 39 normal-weight women. Following 90 s isometric plantar-flexion exercises at 45, 70 and 100% of maximum voluntary contraction, skeletal muscle mitochondrial function was determined from the phosphocreatine recovery time constant (TC(PCr)), the ADP recovery time constant (TC(ADP)), and the rate of change in PCr during the first 14 s of recovery (OxPhos). VO(2max) was measured on a treadmill. Test-retest measurements were obtained in a subset of seven women. Overall, TC(PCr), TC(ADP) and OxPhos were reproducible for all exercises (coefficients of variation = 2.3-19.3%). With increasing force-level, TC(PCr) was prolonged (29.0 +/- 8.2, 31.9 +/- 9.0 and 35.4 +/- 9.5 s), OxPhos was increased (0.159 +/- 0.081, 0.247 +/- 0.090 and 0.310 +/- 0.114), and TC(ADP) was shortened (22.4 +/- 7.9, 21.3 +/- 6.2, and 19.5 +/- 6.7; p < 0.01). All MRS markers of mitochondrial function were correlated with VO(2max) (r = 0.41-0.72; p < 0.05). These results suggest that measurements of TC(PCr), TC(ADP) and OxPhos yield reproducible results that correlate with whole-body VO(2max) and that vary in force-level sensitivity.
Heck products of parthenolide and melampomagnolide-B as anticancer modulators that modify cell cycle progression

Abstract ( E )-13-(Aryl/heteroaryl)parthenolides ( 5a – i and 6a – i ) were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to modify cell cycle progression during progesterone-stimulated Xenopus oocyte maturation and screened for their anticancer activity against a panel of 60 human cancer cell lines. ( E )-13-(4-aminophenyl) parthenolide ( 5b ) caused a significant inhibition of progesterone-stimulated oocyte maturation, and was determined to function downstream of MAP kinase signaling, but upstream of the activation of the universal G 2 /M regulator, M-phase promoting factor (MPF), cyclin B/Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK). The compound ( E )-13-(2-bromo-phenyl)parthenolide ( 5c ) activates oocyte maturation independently of progesterone stimulation. Compounds 5b and 5c displayed modest growth inhibition on select cancer cell lines at 10 μM dose when tested on the panel of 60 cancer cell lines. By contrast, compounds ( 5f and 7 ) did not modulate oocyte maturation but did exhibit micromolar level growth inhibition against most of the human cancer cell lines over a range of doses. Together, our findings indicate that screening of compounds in the oocyte maturation assay may identify additional effective cell cycle regulatory compounds that do not necessarily exert overt cytotoxicity as assessed in traditional drug screening assays.
IMPACT-ECHO CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF STRUCTURES

The impact-echo method of nondestructive testing of concrete and masonry structures is based on the use of impact-generated stress (sound) waves, propagating through the material and reflected by internal flaws and external surfaces. It can be used to locate and measure the extent of faults such as cracks, delaminations, and voids in a wide variety of plain, reinforced and post-tensioned concrete and masonry structures. These structures include slabs, pavements, walls, decks, concrete with asphalt overlays, pipes, and tunnels. The following case studies, mostly in the USA but one in Denmark, illustrate how the impact-echo method and instrument can be used as a condition-assessment tool for engineers who evaluate concrete structures: (1) detecting delaminations in a concrete bridge deck with an asphalt overlay; (2) detecting cracking in a reinforced concrete railway bridge; (3) locating voids in the grouted ducts of a post-tensioned road bridge; (4) durability of repairs in a precast segmental box-girder rail bridge; (5) detecting cracking in beams and columns of a parking garage; and (6) measuring the thickness of concrete road pavements. Each case presented includes a description of the structure and of the problems to be diagnosed, and discusses the role and summarises the results of impact-echo testing.
The Resolving Power of Calcite for X-Rays and the Natural Widths of the Molybdenum K α Doublet

The half widths at half maximum of the rocking curves in parallel positions of the double x-ray spectrometer have been observed for the first five orders of reflection of $\mathrm{Mo}K{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}$ from calcite. The calculated half widths for a single crystal have been compared with the theoretical results of Darwin and Ewald. The observed values are of the same order of magnitude as the theoretical, but slightly larger (1.4 times as large in the first order).
Phase i study of temsirolimus in combination with EKB-569 in patients with advanced solid tumors

Purpose Activation of EGFR can stimulate proliferative and survival signaling through mTOR. Preclinical data demonstrates synergistic activity of combined EGFR and mTOR inhibition. We undertook a phase I trial of temsirolimus (T, an mTOR inhibitor) and EKB-569 (E, an EGFR inhibitor) to determine the safety and tolerability. Methods The primary aim was to determine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of this combination in adults with solid tumors. Following the dose-escalation phase, (Cohort A), two subsequent cohorts were used to assess any pharmacokinetic (PK) interaction between the agents. Results Forty eight patients were enrolled. The MTD of this combination was E, 35 mg daily and T, 30 mg on days 1–3 and 15–17 using a 28-day cycle. The most common toxicities were nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, anorexia, stomatitis, rash, anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hypertriglyceridemia. Sixteen patients (36%) had at least one grade 3 toxicity. The most frequent grade 3/4 toxicities were diarrhea, dehydration, and nausea and vomiting (19% each). No grade 5 events were seen. Four patients had a partial response and 15 had stable disease. Clinical benefit was seen across a range of tumor types and in all cohorts. PK analysis revealed no significant interaction between E and T. Conclusions This combination of agents is associated with tolerable toxicities at doses that induced responses. PK studies revealed no interaction between the drugs. Further investigations of this targeting strategy may be attractive in renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, alveolar sarcoma, and carcinoid tumor.
Prevention of Cholera-induced Intestinal Secretion in the Cat by Aspirin

BENNETT1 has suggested that cholera toxin stimulates the release or synthesis of prostaglandins (PG) which, in turn, interact with the cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate system to produce diarrhoea. PGs might also be involved in the diarrhoea associated with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, the carcinoid syndrome and ganglioneuroma2–4. Diarrhoea has also been observed in patients with phaeochromocytoma (unpublished results of R. L. K.) and large amounts of PGE2 and PGF2α have been reported in phaeochromocytoma2. Vane5, Smith and Willis6, and Ferreira et al.7 showed that aspirin inhibits the synthesis of PGs in several in vitro systems. Bennett1 therefore suggested that aspirin might prevent the diarrhoea associated with cholera. Our study was undertaken to investigate this possibility in cats.
TRAILING EDGE NOISE DATA WITH COMPARISON TO THEORY

The noise emission generated by the passage of a turbulent airstream over the trailing edge of a semi-infinite plate was measured over a large range of airstream velocity and plate geometry. The experiment was designed to validate trailing edge noise theories. The results show that the peak of the radiation pattern moves from an upstream to a downstream direction as the velocity increases. The measured radiation pattern of the noise was in excellent agreement with that predicted by the recent theory of Goldstein. As predicted, the pattern shape was independent of the nature of the turbulence producing the noise.
Modeling the modification depth of carbon dioxide laser-treated dental enamel.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Many studies of laser-induced thermal decomposition of dental enamel have demonstrated a reduction in the rate of acid dissolution, size of artificial caries-like lesions, and acid reactivity. Additionally, studies have correlated the loss of carbonate from dental enamel with a reduction in acid dissolution. Dental mineral consists of hydroxyapatite with many substitutions, the major one being carbonate ( approximately 3-5% by weight), which markedly affects acid reactivity. The principle objective of the present work was to determine the precise depth of modification, i.e. , thermally induced decomposition of dental enamel (carbonate loss), at the predicted optimum laser irradiation parameters. STUDY DESIGN/ MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bovine enamel blocks were irradiated at lambda = 9.6 microm with 2-microsec and 100-microsec pulses and at lambda = 10.6 microm with 2-microsec pulses. Carbonate loss was calculated from infrared spectra as a function of depth and compared to numerical simulations of the maximum temperature rise. RESULTS Carbonate loss was initiated at temperatures greater than 400 degrees C, but was complete only after repeated irradiation of the surface above the melting threshold. Carbonate loss of dental enamel irradiated at 9.6 microm with a 100-microsec pulse and at 10.6 microm with a 2-microsec pulse was greater than that of enamel irradiated at 9.6 microm with a 2-microsec pulse. The depth of carbonate loss in dental enamel irradiated with a 2-microsec pulse was greater for lambda = 10.6 microm than for lambda = 9.6 microm. CONCLUSION The depth of modification is consistent with the presented model that incorporates the absorption depth and thermal relaxation time/pulse duration. However, repeated irradiation is required for complete removal of carbonate, depending on absorption depth and pulse duration.
Cellular cytotoxicity to herpes simplex virus-infected cells of leukocytes from patients with serious burns.

Patients with serious burns occasionally are inflicted with unusually severe herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. Purified monocyte—macrophages (MP), lymphocytes (L), and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) from 11 patients with serious burns were studied for their ability to mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and natural killer cytotoxicity (NKC) to HSV-infected target cells in an 18-hr chromium release assay. PMNL-ADCC of the burn patients (29.1 ± 4.1) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than control subjects (17.2 ± 2.6) in the acute phase immediately following the burn. The patients' MP-ADCC (12.3 ± 2.7) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than control subjects' MP-ADCC (32.8 ± 8.2) during the thrid week postburn. There were no significant differences in MP-NKC, L-NKC, and L-ADCC between patients and controls. High PMNL-ADCC was correlated with the high number of immature PMNL in the blood of patients during the acute phase following a serious burn. Low MP-ADCC was noted at the time when severe HSV infection tends to occur in these patients. This may help to explain the burn patient's susceptibility to unusually severe HSV illness.
Titan: 1-5 μm photometry and spectrophotometry and a search for variability

The first photometric measurements of Titan in the mid-IR free of possible contamination from long-wavelength filter leaks are reported. A low-resolution spectrum covering the last unobserved gap in Titan's near-IR spectrum from 3.1 to 5.1 micron is shown. A series of photometric measurements is reported that may lay the foundation for long-term searches for variations in the albedos. Low-resolution spectra of Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa are also reported along with marginal detections of Neptune at 4.8 micron and two 4.8 micron observations of Uranus.
Numerical solution of differential equations to prescribed accuracy

Abstract A review of recent results is presented, and a history of the invention of new types of numbers for new types of problems.
Role of calmodulin in cadmium-induced microtubule disassembly

Abstract Micromolar CdCl2 has been shown to cause disassembly of the cytoplasmic microtubule complex in cultured Swiss 3T3 cells. We show in this paper that Cd(II), an environmental and occupational health hazard, induces microtubule disassembly in an in situ cytoskeleton model system, and that the calmodulin inhibitors, trifluoperazine and Compound 48 80 , prevent this Cd(II)-induced microtubule disassembly. Our results suggest that Cd(II) affects microtubules by activating calmodulin associated with the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, the fact that these two ions have very similar ionic radii (0.99A vs. 0.97A) supports our conclusion that Cd(II) acts similarly to Ca(II) in inducing microtubule disassembly. This may be relevant to the mechanism of Cd-mediated cellular injury.
The effects of sensory distractions on short-term recall of children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder versus normally achieving children

Children diagnosed with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have difficulties in learning, attributable, in part, to varying attention. Learning requires the use of memory. However, children may often miss a word or phrase that is essential to the processing of information, memory, and learning. This study addressed short-term recall in 11 children with ADHD and 8 normally achieving children (matched for age and grade) on repetitive tasks involving auditory, visual, and combined distractions. The children with ADHD performed more poorly in the middle and end (but not at the beginning) of a short-term recall task than did the normally achieving children matched for age and grade. Both groups of children showed a decrement in performance on the short-term recall task from the beginning to the middle to the end of the task. However, the decrement in performance directly attributable to specific sensory distractions was relatively small (about 2%–14%) and statistically nonsignficant in comparison with decreases in performance attributable to increasing proactive interference, increasing difficulty of the statements from begining to end of a 30-statement set, and other factors.
Error Analysis of Digitally Controlled Servo Hydraulic Actuators for Structural Testing

Advanced control strategies, such as a model-based control, are essential to improve accuracy of servo hydraulic actuators in structural testing. Such control strategies require a servo-loop, often referred to as an inner-loop, of the actuator to be digitally controlled. To make the best use of digitally controlled inner-loops that have numerous advantages over conventional analog counterparts, a thorough understanding of the actuator inner-loop is needed. This study presents an error analysis of digitally controlled servo hydraulic actuators with a focus on sources and growth of errors in the actuator inner-loop. First, effects of errors such as measurement errors and electrical noises on the performance of servo hydraulic actuators are analytically investigated. Then, using detailed models of those errors and an open-loop servo hydraulic actuator, an extensive numerical simulation is performed to evaluate the effect of errors on the actuator performance. Numerical results show that the displacement meas...
Chloride depletions and enrichments in seafloor hydrothermal fluids: Constraints from experimental basalt alteration studies

Na-K-Ca-Cl fluid was reacted with diabase at 400° and 425°C, 400 bars and fluidrock mass ratio of 0.5 to assess the relative mobility of dissolved Cl. Fluids from the present experiments reveal relatively large time and temperature dependent decreases in Cl; temperature increase enhances Cl removal, whereas reaction progress has the opposite effect. These changes are not due to boiling and/or phase separation. At 400° and 425°C, 400 bars, Cl removal from solution is accompanied by Ca and Na fixation, respectively. Both experiments produced mixed-layer chlorite/smectite, clinozoisite and albite(?). Olivine was not detected by X-ray diffraction or petrographic analysis of run products from either experiment, however, we propose that the time dependent changes in dissolved Cl result from olivine replacement by an Fe-hydroxy chloride phase followed by hydration effects. Quenched and washed alteration products, however, did not reveal anomalous Cl, which suggests that the Cl-bearing phase is characterized by retrograde solubility. This is consistent with the relative magnitude of Cl fixation observed for experiments at both temperatures and from results of an isobaric cooling experiment. The experiments provide evidence for the non-conservative behavior of Cl during hydrothermal alteration of basalt. The data are particularly important in light of the Cl-depleted nature of some ridge crest hot spring fluids, and suggest temperatures of formation for these fluids of approximately 410°C, assuming sub-seafloor pressure of 400 bars. In addition, the retrograde solubility of the Cl-bearing phase responsible for Cl fixation during high temperature basalt alteration, may help to explain Cl enrichment in hot spring fluids which have conductively cooled below 350°C
Cluster’s risk evaluation based on fuzzy nearness degree

In view of the adverse effects of declining cluster, a method of evaluating risk level of mature cluster is developed. Through analyzing causes of declining, a risk indexes system is established. The features of clusterpsilas operation conditions with different risk levels are described. Owing to the complexity and uncertainty of cluster system, a TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation method based on fuzzy nearness degree is proposed. Firstly, asymmetry nearness degree between risk indexes system and operation conditions are calculated. Secondly, according to the method of TOPSIS, the positive and negative ideal grades are defined. Finally, symmetry nearness degrees between each operation condition and ideal grades are calculated and compared to determine the risk level of mature cluster. An example is given to show the feasibility of the method.