cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of nitrate on ethylene biofiltration

Abstract This study investigated the effects of filter media types and nitrate (NO 3 − ) concentrations in nutrient solutions on C 2 H 4 biofiltration. A new nutrient solution with zero NO 3 − concentration was supplied to two perlite-bed biotrickling filters, two perlite-bed biofilters, and two GAC (Granular Activated Carbon)-bed biofilters, while the other with 2 g L −1 of NO 3 − was used for the other two GAC biofilters. All reactors underwent a total test duration of over 175 days with an EBRT (Empty Bed Residence Time) of 30 s, inlet gas flow rate of 7 L min −1 , and inlet C 2 H 4 concentrations of 20–30 mg m −3 . NO 3 − concentration and media type significantly affected the C 2 H 4 removal efficiencies in all types of biofiltration. The perlite media with no NO 3 − achieved C 2 H 4 removal efficiencies 10–50% higher than the others. A NO 3 − concentration as high as 2 g L −1 in the original nutrient solution may act as an inhibitor that suppresses the growth or activity of C 2 H 4 degraders. In addition, the perlite media resulted in higher C 2 H 4 removal efficiencies than GAC media, because the hydrophilic surface of the perlite leads to a higher moisture content and thus to favorable microbial growth.
Three dimensional thermal analysis of rocket thrust chambers

A numerical model for the three dimensional thermal analysis of rocket thrust chambers and nozzles has been developed. The input to the model consists of the composition of the fuel/oxidant mixture and flow rates, chamber pressure, coolant entrance temperature and pressure, dimensions of the engine, materials and the number of nodes in different parts of the engine. The model allows for temperature variation in three dimensions: axial, radial and circumferential directions and by implementing an iterative scheme, it provides nodal temperature distribution, rates of heat transfer, hot gas and coolant thermal and transport properties.
Intranigral Transplants of Fetal Ventral Mesencephalic Tissue Attenuate D1-Agonist-Induced Rotational Behavior

Rats were given unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions and tested 4 weeks later for rotational behavior elicited by either systemic or intranigral injections of dopamine agonists. Subsequently, transplants of fetal (E14) ventral mesencephalic (VM) or cortical tissue were implanted into the lesioned substantia nigra and allowed to develop and integrate within the parenchyma of the host midbrain for a 4-week period before rotational behavior was retested. In animals receiving transplants of fetal VM tissue, systemic injections of amphetamine (5.0 mg/kg, ip) or the D2-agonist, quinpirole (0.2 mg/kg, sc), elicited rotational behavior that was quantitatively similar to rotational behavior observed (1) before animals received transplants of fetal VM tissue or (2) in animals with midbrain transplants of fetal cortical tissue. Intranigral administration of quinpirole (10.0 μg) immobilized most animals and did not elicit rotational behavior in any animals regardless of treatment. Rotational behavior elicited by systemic administration of the D1-agonist, SKF 82958 (0.01 mg/kg, sc), was slightly attenuated by VM transplants placed into the midbrain. Rotational behavior elicited by intranigral injections of SKF 82958 (7.5 μg) was markedly reduced in animals with VM transplants. These data support the hypothesis that midbrain D1-receptors modulate the expression of dopamine agonist-induced rotational behavior.
Reflex venomotor alterations during exercise and hyperventilation

Abstract 1. 1. Reflex venomotor responses were measured in an isolated segment of the forearm in 14 subjects during short periods of exercise, single deep inspirations, and hyperventilation, as well as with passive leg motion, the anticipatory emotional reaction, and reactive hyperemia of the lower extremities. 2. 2. Exercise, single deep inspiration, and short intervals of hyperventilation resulted in consistent increases in venous pressure in the isolated segment. The other maneuvers studied elicited less regular responses. The exercise response exceeded in magnitude that of the respiratory maneuvers. Autonomic ganglionic blockade resulted in suppression of these venomotor responses. 3. 3. These data provide further support for the concept of active participation of venomotor reflexes in the cardiovascular adaptation to exercise.
Geochemical cycling of silver in marine sediments along an offshore transect

Abstract Although there have been many surface water and water column silver (Ag) analyses in the ocean, the absence of high resolution pore water and solid phase Ag profiles has hampered our understanding of its oceanic geochemical cycling. This manuscript presents pore water and solid phase profiles of Ag along an offshore transect in the northeast Pacific off the coasts of Washington/Oregon states, USA. Pore water Ag concentrations are uniformly low ( 1 cm, pore water Ag concentrations reach extremely high concentrations in the top 5 cm (8–24 nmol kg− 1). High concentrations in pore waters provide evidence for a flux of Ag from ocean sediments, but the more oxidizing nature of these sediments precludes appreciable solid phase Ag accumulation in the top 30 cm ( Although upward Ag fluxes from sediments underlying shorter water columns are small (0.02–0.07 nmol cm− 2 y− 1), calculated fluxes increase for sediments underlying longer water columns and are largest for the more oxidizing sediments (2–5 nmol cm− 2 y− 1). Calculated fluxes of pore water Ag to the solid phase at these more oxidizing stations are inconsistent with measured solid phase Ag concentrations and suggest that the pore water profiles represent non-steady state conditions. Clearly, the early diagenesis of Ag is a highly dynamic process and more research is required to fully understand Ag cycling in sediments in continental margin locations.
Robust Parameter Design: A Review

Parameter design is an engineering methodology intended as a cost-effective approach for improving the quality of products and processes. The assumption is that there are both controllable factors (control variables) and uncontrollable/difficult to control factors (noise variables) that operate on the quality characteristic of a process. The goal of parameter design is to choose the levels of the control variables that optimize a defined quality characteristic while minimizing the variation imposed on the process via the noise variables. Parameter design was popularized in the mid 1980s by Japanese quality consultant Genichi Taguchi. A panel discussion edited by Nair summarized important responses to Taguchi's ideas and methodology. In the last decade, there have been many applications and new developments in this important area. This review paper focuses largely on the work done since 1992, but a historical perspective of parameter design is also given. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single-Molecule Fluorescence Resonant Energy Transfer in Calcium Concentration Dependent Cameleon

The degree of fluorescence resonant energy transfer in the protein construct “cameleon”, whose structure is based on two green fluorescent protein mutants and the calmodulin Ca2+-binding protein, is a sensitive ratiometric reporter of the concentration of Ca2+ in solution and cells. For the first time, the detection of single copies of cameleon immobilized in agarose gels is described. This work exemplifies the issues involved in the observation of binding kinetics at the single-molecule level, using fluorescence resonant energy transfer as a signature of the response of the system to the presence of Ca2+ ions. The energy transfer distribution deduced from single-molecule fluorescence signals shows an increased width at the Ca2+ dissociation constant concentration, which is consistent with the ligand binding kinetics. The complex dynamics of the fluctuations are examined using a combination of autocorrelation and cross-correlation in conjunction with polarization information. We find both negative and pos...
Incarcerated femoral hernia after radical cystectomy

Abstract A case is presented of incarcerated femoral hernia that developed in the early post-operative period after radical cystectomy. Possible causation and preventive measures are discussed.
Regulation of Anaerobic Dehalorespiration by the Transcriptional Activator CprK

Abstract Desulfomonile, Desulfitobacterium, and Dehalobacter are anaerobic microbes that can derive energy from the reductive dehalogenation of chlorinated organic compounds, many of which are environmental pollutants. There is very little information about how anaerobic dehalorespiration is regulated. An open reading frame within the Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans chlorophenol reductase (cpr) gene cluster (cprK) was proposed to be a transcriptional regulatory protein (Smidt, H., van Leest, M., van der Oost, J., and deVos, W. M. (2000) J. Bacteriol. 182, 5683–5691). We have cloned, actively overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and purified to homogeneity the D. dehalogenans CprK. The results of electrophoretic mobility shift assays, DNA footprinting studies, and promoter-lac fusion experiments indicate that CprK is a transcriptional activator of the cpr gene cluster. CprK binds 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetate (CHPA) with high affinity (Kd = 3.5 μm, determined by isothermal titration calorimetry), which promotes its specific interaction with a DNA sequence (TTAAT-N4-ACTAA) located upstream of the –35 and –10 promoter regions of several cpr genes and activates transcription of these genes. Binding to the upstream “box” sequence increases the affinity of CprK for CHPA by ∼10-fold (Kd = 0.4 μm, determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays). Chlorophenylacetate, which lacks the ortho-hydroxy group, and hydroxyphenylacetate, lacking the chlorine group, do not activate transcription or promote DNA binding, even at millimolar concentrations, at least 1000-fold higher than the Kd value for CHPA. Lacking metals, CprK is oxygen-sensitive. Oxidation by diamide, which converts thiols to the disulfide, inactivates CprK, and reduction of the oxidized protein by dithiothreitol fully restores DNA binding, indicating that CprK is redox-regulated and is active only when reduced. This is the first reported characterization of a transcriptional regulator of anaerobic dehalorespiration.
Histochemical demonstration of aminopeptidase activity in the cells of the blood and bone marrow from various haematological disorders.

Histochemical Demonstration of Aminopeptidase Activity in the Cells of the Blood and Bone Marrow from Various Haematological Disorders
Partial 11β‐hydroxylase activity suppression after dexamethasone in patients with major depression

Eleven beta-hydroxylase activity was assessed by measuring the cortisol to 11-deoxycortisol ratio in 20 control subjects, 38 patients with major depression, and five patients with Cushing's disease before and after 1 mg of dexamethasone. The mean levels of 11 beta-hydroxylase activity did not differ among groups before dexamethasone. After dexamethasone patients with Cushing's disease showed a nonsignificant increase in 11 beta-hydroxylase activity while patients with major depression and controls subjects both showed a decrease. Endogenous depressive patients were no more likely to show high 11 beta-hydroxylase activity than neurotic depressive patients; however, depressed patients with cortisol nonsuppression after dexamethasone were. Post-dexamethasone 11 beta-hydroxylase activity is positively correlated with age in both control subjects and patients with depression.
Seasonal Effects of Prepartum and Postpartum Fat and Niacin Feeding on Lactation Performance and Lipid Metabolism

Control, prilled fat (5% of ration DM), niacin (12 g/d), or fat and niacin treatments were fed to 39 Holstein cows beginning 17 d prior to expected calving through 15 wk postpartum to determine effects on hepatic lipid content, plasma ketone concentration, and lactation performance. Cows were blocked according to season of calving (cool = November 1 through April 1; warm = April 2 through August 1). Fat supplementation tended to increase milk yield but only for cows that calved in the warm season. Milk composition was not affected by treatments. Fat supplementation did not decrease BW loss in early lactation but increased rate of BW gain af ter 8 wk postpartum. Dry matter intake and glucose, nonesterified fatty acid, and beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in plasma were not different among treatments. Fat and niacin supplementation tended to increase hepatic total lipid and triglyceride content. Between 17 d prior to expected calving and 1 to 2 d postpartum, hepatic lipid content increased approximately 2-fold and triglyceride content increased 6- to 10-fold. Hepatic lipid and triglyceride contents were greater postpartum during the warm season than the cool season and were greater at 5 wk than at freshening during the warm season but lower at 5 wk than at freshening during the cool season. The cause of the dramatic increase in hepatic lipid and triglyceride content prepartum is unknown.
Motivating foreign language students using self-determination theory

Abstract Creating classroom environments that are enjoyable to students and support their learning can be challenging for instructors. The purpose of this article is to: (a) discuss self-determination theory and how it can be used to motivate students; and (b) provide specific examples of how we implemented this theory in an undergraduate foreign language course to increase students’ intrinsic motivation. Our questionnaire results and firsthand observations indicate that intentionally implementing the self-determination perspective can be an effective way to create enjoyable and interesting classes. We present six successful examples of how we motivated students by: having students create Play-Doh objects, conducting review sessions, discussing personal objects, facilitating peer interactions, creating assignments of varying difficulties, and showing unusual pictures. We believe that this article will help instructors better connect self-determination theory to practice by providing specific examples that...
AcceSS: accessibility through simplification & summarization

The goal of this project is to make the Web more accessible by providing some of the features naturally available to sighted users to users with visual impairments. These features are direct access and gestalt understanding, which can emerge from simplification and summarization. Simplification is achieved by retaining sections of the web page that are considered important while removing the clutter. The purpose of summarization is to provide the users with a preview of the web page. Simplification and summarization are implemented as a "guide dog" that helps users navigate the entire web site.
The Cost of Sea Turtle Preservation: The Case of Hawaii's Pelagic Longliners

The Cost of Sea Turtle Preservation: The Case of Hawaii's Pelagic Longliners Author(s): Rita Curtis and Robert L. Hicks Reviewed work(s): Source: American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 82, No. 5, Proceedings Issue (Dec., 2000), pp. 1191-1197 Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1244249 . Accessed: 23/01/2012 17:27
End-Grafted Low-Molecular-Weight PNIPAM Does Not Collapse above the LCST†

The interfacial properties of end-grafted temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacryamide) (PNIPAM) were quantified by direct force measurements both above and below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 32 degrees C. The forces were measured between identical, opposing PNIPAM films and between a PNIPAM film and a lipid membrane. At the grafting densities and molecular weights investigated, the polymer extension did not change significantly above the LCST, and the polymers did not adhere. Below the LCST, the force-distance profiles suggest a vertical phase separation, which results in a diluter outer layer and a dense surface proximal layer. At large separations, the force profiles agree qualitatively with simple polymer theory but deviate at small separations. Importantly, at these low grafting densities and molecular weights, the end-grafted PNIPAM does not collapse above the LCST. This finding has direct implications for triggering liposomal drug release with end-grafted PNIPAM, but it increases the temperature range where these short PNIPAM chains function as steric stabilizers.
Voiding symptom evaluation: it is time to recalibrate.

Those of us who care for men (and women) who have voiding symptoms are swept by the conundrum of distinguishing quantity from quality. Over the past 20 yr, various symptoms scores such as the Madsen-Iversen, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS-1) have focused on quantifying symptoms. Based on these scores, categorical markers have been implemented to assess symptoms severity, that is, mild, moderate, or severe. These symptom scores have been useful in gauging symptom prevalence in various male populations as well as assessing therapeutic efficacy of various medications, devices, and surgical procedures. Unfortunately, our approach has been predicated on symptom quantity. We have done poorly in assimilating symptom quality in our day-to-day metrics. How have we arrived at this point? The initial goals of symptom assessment were aimed at quantification. Symptom quantification assumes that it is the magnitude of the sums of all symptoms that will drive the patient to seek evaluation and potentially treatment. To some degree this is true. It is reasonable to assume that a man who scores a 30 on an IPSS versus a man who scores a 10 has more symptoms and is more bothered. However, how do we verify this and more importantly how do we ensure that our metrics are really accurate barometers of quality of life impairment? The backbone of our current metrics of symptom evaluation, the IPSS, has only one question on ‘‘bothersomeness.’’ Clearly, we need to refocus our efforts.
The influence of counter anions on the underpotential deposition of mercury(II) on Au(1 1 1): temperature-dependent studies

Abstract We have studied the temperature dependence of the underpotential deposition (upd) of mercury(II) onto Au(1 1 1) electrodes from a series of electrolytes in which anion interactions could be varied from essentially zero (i.e., HClO4) to strongly interacting with either the Au(1 1 1) substrate (i.e., H2SO4) or with solution phase Hg2+ ions (i.e., HC2H3O2). Both isothermal and non-isothermal cells were used to make temperature-dependent cyclic voltammetry measurements. Analysis of the temperature-dependent cyclic voltammetric curves at a constant ΓHg yielded values for the half-reaction entropy and enthalpy, ΔS0rc(upd) and ΔH0rc(upd), for the Hg upd reaction. ΔS0rc(upd) values of −30.9 and −18.3 J/mol K were measured for perchloric acid and sulfuric acid electrolytes, respectively. The respective ΔH0rc(upd) values for these electrolytes were −182 and −184 kJ/mol. In acetic acid media, thermodynamic functions were found to depend on the electrolyte pH. ΔS0rc(upd) values increased monotonically from +16.4 to +83.5 J/mol K as the pH was increased from 2.7 to 5.3 at a constant formal acetate concentration of 0.10 M. Under the same experimental conditions, ΔH0rc(upd) increased from −150 to −102 kJ/mol.
House Guest of the AEC: Dorothy Hutchinson, the 1958 Fast at the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Domestication of Protest

Quaker peace activist Dorothy Hutchinson joined a fast against nuclear weapons testing at the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) headquarters during Mother's Day weekend in 1958. Supporting the crew of the Golden Rule, then in jail in Honolulu for sailing into a nuclear testing zone, the fasters demanded a meeting with AEC chairman Lewis Strauss. The protest helped the Golden Rule's message resonate with the political culture of the day. Hutchinson's activism combined successfully the pragmatic peace activism of the years between the world wars with the direct action protest born from the existential angst of the nuclear age.
Structural Relationships Between Social Activities and Longitudinal Trajectories of Depression Among Older Adults

Purpose: This study examines the structural relationships between social activities and trajectories of late-life depression. Design and Methods: Latent class analysis was used with a nationally representative sample of older adults ( N = 5,294) from the Longitudinal Study on Aging II to classify patterns of social activities. A latent growth curve model captured longitudinal changes in depression and tested the impact of social activities while controlling for residential relocation, health status, insurance, and sociodemographics. Results: We found 3 different patterns of participation across 8 social activities. Specifi c activities of volunteering and exercise, selfperception of social activity level as “ enough, ” and a higher participation level pattern were associated with lower initial status and longitudinal changes in depression. Implications: Assessing involvement in multiple social activities is important when using social activities to prevent and treat depression. Future work with improved measures can further clarify how specifi c activities may reduce risk for depression.
High Performance Deep-Submicron Inversion-Mode InGaAs MOSFETs with maximum G m exceeding 1.1 mS/µm: New HBr pretreatment and channel engineering

High performance deep-submicron inversion-mode InGaAs MOSFET with ALD Al 2 O 3 as gate dielectric has been demonstrated. Transistors with gate lengths down to 150 nm have been fabricated and characterized. Record high extrinsic transconductance of 1.1 mS/µm has been achieved at V ds = 2.0 V with 5 nm Al 2 O 3 as gate dielectric. G m can be further improved to 1.3 mS/µm by reducing the gate oxide thickness to 2.5 nm at V ds = 1.6 V. HBr pre-treatment, retro-grade structure and halo-implantation processes are introduced for the first time into III-V MOSFET to further improve high-k/InGaAs interface quality and on-state/off-state performance of the devices. The key transistor scaling metrics such as S.S., DIBL, V T of these treated devices are compared with the controlled devices with channel lengths from 250 nm to 150 nm.
Assessment of Right Ventricular Function

In contrast to studies suggesting that the right ventricle (RV) often functions primarily as a conduit for blood flow from the venous circulation to the lungs, recent data show that the chamber plays a major role in maintenance of global cardiovascular homeostasis un der many conditions. Accordingly, clinicians involved with the perioperative care of surgical patients must be familiar with factors influencing RV performance. Com prised of two embryologically distinct regions, the inflow and outflow tracts, the crescent-shaped RV exhib its characteristics of filling and contraction that are different from those of the left ventricle (LV). Further more, although the basic determinants of ventricular function (rate and rhythm, preload, afterload, and con tractility) are the same for both the LV and RV, the relative contribution of each determinant to overall function of each chamber is somewhat different. This review approaches assessment of RV function from two directions. First, the anatomic and physiologi...
MFM quantification of magnetic fields generated by ultra-small single pole perpendicular heads

The perpendicular fields emanating from an ultra small perpendicular single pole heads have been quantified using a new MFM field mapping technique. This technique utilizes two MFM tips with different field sensitivities which have been focused ion beam etched to identical geometries. This technique has been used to quantify the perpendicular fields around a 100/spl times/200 nm pole, also fabricated with focused ion beam etching.
Practising Gender at Work: Further Thoughts on Reflexivity

In an effort to make visible the subtle and seldom acknowledged aspects of gendering dynamics, Martin focuses on unreflexive practices that both communicate and constitute gender in paid work settings. She reviews the distinction between practices that are culturally available to ‘do gender’ and the literal practising of gender that is constituted through interaction. While acknowledging that agency is involved in any practicing of gender, she considers how intentionality and agency intersect, arguing that people in powerful positions routinely practise gender without being reflexive about it. Defining practising as emergent, directional, temporal, rapid, immediate and indeterminate, Martin shows how these qualities affect men as well as women in unexpected and often harmful ways. She concludes with a call for innovative ways to ‘catch gender in practice’ and for attention to reflexivity's role in the ongoing constitution of gender at work.
Design of toroidal inductors using stressed metal technology

This paper presents design, fabrication and characterization of three-dimensional (3-D) toroidal inductors using a stressed metal technology developed at Purdue University. The fabricated 31-turn toroidal inductor on high-resistivity silicon substrate shows inductance value of 25.4 nH and peak quality factor of 14.2. Because of the arc deployment of inductor turns, it is found that a sufficiently narrow turn-to-turn gap is essential to achieve high inductance value. In addition, it is found that, even for toroidal inductors, the substrate effects are the dominant loss mechanism at high frequencies and should be suppressed in order to obtain high values of the quality factor.
Interactions of Tannic Acid and Catechin with Legume Starches

Model system interactions between five different legume starches (azuki red bean, split yellow pea, small red bean, bush bean, and California kidney bean), potato starch, amylose, and amylopectin and two phenolic compounds - tannic acid and catechin - were investigated. The amounts of tannic acid and catechin associated with different starches and starch fractions at room temperature (21°C) ranged, respectively, from 261-652 and 123-586 Mg catechin equivalents/100 mg starch. Heating the systems at 95°C for 30 min decreased the quantities of tannic acid and catechin associated with different starches (151-417 and 147-378 μg catechin equivalents/100 mg starch of tannic acid and catechin, respectively). Bound tannic acid and catechin decreased the in vitro digestibility of the starches.
Convection of heat

Several aspects of the formulation and physical meaning of heat flux by convection are discussed. Convective heat flux, is uniquely determined only when the flux of each constituent substance vanishes. For uniform composition, the physically satisfactory formulation of eddy flux of heat is in terms of the velocity fluctuation about the weighted mean introduced byHesselberg but in some important problems this formulation is practically the same asSwinbank's. It is suggested that convective heat flux be interpreted to include the flux of not only enthalpy but also potential energy.
Effects of Seating Position and Appropriate Restraint Use on the Risk of Injury to Children in Motor Vehicle Crashes

Background. Currently, many states are upgrading their child restraint laws to include provisions for the use of age-appropriate restraints through 6 to 8 years of age, with some also requiring rear seating for children, enabling the laws to be in closer alignment with best-practice recommendations. Objective. To evaluate the relationships of seating position and restraint status to the risk of injury among children in passenger vehicle crashes. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study of children Results. Approximately 62% of the children used seat belts, 35% used child restraints, and 3% used no restraint. Nearly 4 of 5 children sat in the rear seat, with one half of all children being restrained appropriately for their age in the rear, although this varied according to the age of the child. Overall, 1.6% of children suffered serious injuries, 13.5% had minor injuries, and 84.9% did not have any injury. Unrestrained children in the front were at the highest risk of injury and appropriately restrained children in the rear were at the lowest risk, for all age groups. Inappropriately restrained children were at nearly twice the risk of injury, compared with appropriately restrained children (odds ratio [OR]: 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–2.3), whereas unrestrained children were at >3 times the risk (OR: 3.2; 95% CI: 2.5–4.1). The effect of seating row was smaller than the effect of restraint status; children in the front seat were at 40% greater risk of injury, compared with children in the rear seat (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.2–1.7). Had all children in the study population been appropriately restrained in the rear seat, 1014 serious injuries (95% CI: 675–1353 injuries) would have been prevented (with the assumption that restraint effectiveness does not depend on a variety of other driver-related, child-related, crash-related, vehicle-related, and environmental factors). Conclusions. Age-appropriate restraint confers relatively more safety benefit than rear seating, but the 2 work synergistically to provide the best protection for children in crashes. These results support the current focus on age-appropriate restraint in recently upgraded state child restraint laws. However, it is important to note that considerable added benefit would be realized with additional requirements for rear seating.
Competing-risks analysis for renal cell carcinoma: how do we accurately communicate the risks and benefits of treatment to patients?

Accurately conveying the benefits and risks of treatment interventions to patients diagnosed with small renal masses (SRMs) is essential for appropriately identifying which patients will achieve better oncologic outcomes and confer a survival advantage from treatment. Although current clinical guidelines recommend surgical extirpation for localized renal tumors [1] ,t reatment decisions to determine the ideal management with nephrectomy, ablation, or active surveillance for patients remain highly complex and rely on clinical judgments in regard to a patient’s functional age (rather than chronologic age), comorbidities, performance status (PS), life expectancy, and treatment preference. However, some recent studies suggest that more aggressive surgical intervention may be warranted, given the increasing rates of cancer-related deaths in older patients [2,3]. As a result, previous studies have used competing risk analysis to elucidate the effects of age, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and surgical treatment to create a standardized comparative measure in identifying those patients who are unlikely to derive improved cancer-specific survival from nephrectomy (because these individuals are far more likely to die from other causes) [4,5]. In this issue of European Urology, Sun and colleagues use population-based data from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program to perform a competing risk analysis of all patients diagnosed with RCC from 1988 to 2006 [2]. This study presents new findings on the effects of age in a stage-for-stage and gradefor-grade competing risk analysis of patients who were managed surgically and nonsurgically for clear-cell, papillary, and chromophobe RCC. Sun et al suggest that advanced age is associated with higher cancer-specific mortality in their competing risk model after adjusting for age, race, tumor size, histologic grade, stage, treatment, and all-cause mortality. Another finding is that the competing risk for cancer-related mortality appeared highest for localized stage I (T1N0M0) and low-grade tumors in those patients >80 yr of age. Overall, increasing age correlated with higher cancer-specific mortality in a stage-for-stage and grade-forgrade competing risk analysis of all patients as well as those who underwent radical nephrectomy (RN) only. The implications of this study indicate that more
The role of cerebrovascular disease and the association between diabetes mellitus and dementia among aged medicare beneficiaries

Objective The aim of this study is to assess whether diabetes mellitus is associated with overall dementia and its subtypes (Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia) among the elderly and to identify the role of cerebrovascular disease in the association between diabetes and dementia. Methods In a retrospective cross-sectional study, 5160 community-dwelling and institutionalized Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or over without health maintenance organization enrollment from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey in 2010 were included. The International Classification of Diseases–9 codes were used to identify the outcome and independent variables from the Medicare claims. The key predictor was diabetes mellitus and the outcomes were overall dementia and its subtypes. Logistic regression was employed to assess the association between dementia and diabetes after adjusting for age, gender, race, education, income, smoking status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with overall dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–1.77), vascular dementia (OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.02–1.64), and Alzheimer's disease (OR = 1.51, 95% CI, 1.10–2.09). The OR decreased to 1.26 (95% CI, 1.01–1.58) for overall dementia, controlling for cerebrovascular disease. The associations between diabetes mellitus and vascular dementia (OR = 1.13, 95% CI, 0.89–1.44) and Alzheimer's disease (OR = 1.39, 95% CI, 1.00–1.92) were no longer statistically significant once cerebrovascular disease was controlled. Conclusions The association between diabetes mellitus and dementia is only partially mediated through cerebrovascular disease, suggesting that diabetes mellitus is associated independently with overall dementia among the elderly, but not with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microbial Respiration and Diffusive Transport of O2, 16O2, and 18O16O in Unsaturated Soils and Geologic Sediments

Molecular oxygen (O2) in unsaturated geologic sediments plays an important role in soil respiration, biodegradation of organic contaminants, metal oxidation, and global oxygen and carbon cycling, yet little is known about oxygen isotope fractionation during the consumption and transport of O2 in unsaturated zones. We used a laboratory kinetic cell technique to quantify isotope fractionation due to respiration and a numerical model to quantify both consumptive and diffusive fractionation of O2 isotopes at a field site comprised of unsaturated lacustrine sandy materials. The combined use of laboratory-based kinetic cell experiments and field-based isotope transport modeling provided an effective tool to characterize microbial respiration in unsaturated media. Based on results from the closed-system kinetic cells, O2 consumption and isotope fractionation were attributed to the alternative cyanide-resistant respiration pathway. At the field site, the modeled depth profiles for O2 and δ18O matched the measured...
Framing Third-Sector Contributions to Service Provision: The Case of the Holy Cross Dispute

Third-sector organizations provide essential services, but not all types of organizations operate equally well given different intensities of public problems. This article considers the need to create three-dimensional maps of the sector matching populations of service providers with the intensities of public problems where they operate. It does so by providing a framework for understanding third-sector organizational service provision. It is illustrated by following a case of essential service provision in the face of state failure. It concludes by highlighting the utility of three-dimensional maps for policy makers.
The calculation of the viscosity from the autocorrelation function using molecular and atomic stress tensors

The stress-stress correlation function and the viscosity of a united-atom model of liquid decane are studied by equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation using two different formalisms for the stress tensor: the atomic and the molecular formalisms. The atomic and molecular correlation functions show dramatic difference in short-time behaviour. The integrals of the two correlation functions, however, become identical after a short transient period which is significantly shorter than the rotational relaxation time of the molecule. Both reach the same plateau value in a time period corresponding to this relaxation time. These results provide a convenient guide for the choice of the upper integral time limit in calculating the viscosity by the Green-Kubo formula.
Distribution functions for a two-dimensional non-interacting quantum electron gas in an external magnetic field

The exact n-body distribution functions are calculated for a two-dimensional, non-interacting quantum electron gas in an external magnetic field for any temperature and density. At low tempertures and filled lowest Landau level (LLL), these functions are identical to the exact distribution functions obtained by Jancovici [1981, Phys. Rev. Lett., 46, 386] for the classical two-dimensional one-component plasma (2DOCP) at the special plasma parameter Γ = 2, thus establishing that the 2DOCP provides an exact classical Boltzmann factor which describes the ideal LLL quantum state associated with the integral quantum Hall effect.
Don't look back: Retroactive, dynamic costs and benefits of emotional capture

When people search for targets within rapid streams of images, irrelevant emotional distractors—relative to neutral distractors—spontaneously demand attention and impair subsequent target detection, an effect that can be likened to an emotion-induced “attentional blink”. But what happens when emotional distractors appear after a target has already come and gone? Here, we describe new findings of retroactive emotion-induced effects on target awareness. First, emotion-induced impairments of target awareness extended even to targets that appeared immediately before emotional distractors (Experiment 1). Second, when targets preceded distractors by two items—rather than by one item—negative distractors led to enhanced target processing relative to when distractors were neutral (Experiment 2). In contrast, when a target appeared after an emotional distractor, target awareness was impaired regardless of whether it was the first or second subsequent item. These results potentially implicate separable impacts of e...
On back-to-back testing

Back-to-back testing involves cross-comparison of all responses obtained from functionally equivalent software components. Whenever a difference is observed it is investigated and, if necessary, a correction is applied. Events associated with back-to-back testing process are defined and examined. The process is first modeled assuming failure independence, and then, assuming failure correlation. It is shown that multiversion testing involving more than four versions, offers rapidly diminishing returns in terms of failure-detection effectiveness, unless additional versions reduce the span of correlated failures. It is also shown that back-to-back testing can remain an efficient way of detecting failures even when the probability of identical and wrong responses from all participating versions, is very close to one. >
Vitamin A is essential for proper embryonic submandibular salivary gland growth.

iv. List of Tables viii. List of Figures ix. Chapter 1: Introduction and Background 1 1.1 Salivary Gland Overview 1 1.2 Causes of Salivary Gland Damage 2 1.3 Potential Therapies for Salivary Hypofunction. 3 1.4 Submandibular Salivary Gland Development 4 1.5 Vitamin A Metabolism in the Developing Embryo 8 1.6 Study Hypothesis 13 Chapter 2: Materials and Methods 14 2.1 Maternal Supplementation 14 2.2 Euthanasia and Dissection 14 2.3 Paraffin Embedding and Sectioning 15 2.4 Hematoxylin and Eosin Staining 16
Effects of Kinase Inhibitors and Taurine Analogues on the Phosphorylation of Specific Proteins in Mitochondrial Fractions of Rat Heart and Retina

We have demonstrated that taurine at physiological concentrations inhibits the phosphorylation of specific proteins in mitochondrial fractions of the rat heart and retina2, 5. However, while the functions of these proteins, specifically an ∼44 kDa phosphoprotein present in the heart and an ∼20 kDa phosphoprotein present in the retina, are unknown we have considered it worthwhile to characterize these proteins with respect to a number of parameters. The concentration-response relationships of the effects of taurine and a series of taurine analogues on the phosphorylation of both the ∼44 kDa5 and ∼20 kDa proteins have been studied. In addition, we have characterized both proteins with respect to the nature of the phosphate bond, the identification of the phosphorylated amino acid, the isoelectric point of the proteins, and the partition of the proteins into an aqueous phase rather than a lipid phase3, 4, 5.
A Superstructure-Based Framework for Simultaneous Process Synthesis, Heat Integration, and Utility Plant Design

Abstract We propose a superstructure optimization framework for process synthesis with simultaneous heat integration and utility plant design. Processing units in the chemical plant can be modeled using rigorous unit models or surrogate models generated from experimental results or off-line calculations. The utility plant subsystem includes multiple steam types with variable temperature and pressure. For the heat integration subsystem, we consider variable heat loads of process streams as well as variable intervals for the utilities. To enhance the solution of the resulting mixed-integer nonlinear programming models, we develop (1) new methods for the calculation of steam properties, (2) algorithms for variable bound calculation, and (3) systematic methods for the generation of redundant constraints. The applicability of our framework is illustrated through a biofuel case study which includes a novel non-enzymatic hydrolysis technology and new separation technologies, both of which are modeled based on experimental results.
Three Indicators on the Cross Section of Stock Expected Returns

The stock expected returns are positively related to operation performances and negatively related to investment and financing activities, we check the three indicators with significant predictive power in the cross-section of stock returns, across large, medium and small cap stock groups: Net Cash Flow from Operation, Accumulative Depreciation, and Change in Common Stock Capital. Stock portfolios with high or low scores in the three indicators demonstrate significant alphas relative to the market portfolio. The long-short portfolios contructed by the scores in the three indicators in large cap and medium cap stock groups demonstrate to enhance the ex-post Sharpe ratio for the market portfolio in back-testing from July 1972 to June 2010.
Effects of histone H4 depletion on the cell cycle and transcription of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We have constructed a yeast strain (UKY403) in which the sole histone H4 gene is under control of the GAL1 promoter. This allows the activation of H4 mRNA synthesis on galactose and its repression on glucose. UKY403 cells, pre-synchronized in G1 with alpha-mating factor, have been used to show that glucose treatment results in the loss of approximately half the chromosomal nucleosomes. This depletion is only partially reversible when the H4 gene is reactivated on galactose. It was found that the resultant lethality manifests itself first in S phase, the period of nucleosome assembly, but leads to highly synchronous arrest in G2 and a virtually complete block in chromosomal segregation. Histone H4-depleted chromatin was analyzed for its efficiency as a template for all three RNA polymerases. Using pulse-labeling, we find no evidence for altered transcription by RNA polymerase I (25S, 18S and 5.8S rRNAs) or RNA polymerase III (5S rRNA, tRNAs). Northern blot analysis was used to measure levels of RNA polymerase II transcripts. There was little effect on the activation or repression of the CUP1 chelatin gene. While there may be some decrease in the level of certain mRNAs (e.g. HIS4, ARG4) other message levels (HIS3, TRP1) show little change upon glucose repression. Therefore, nucleosome loss certainly does not have a general effect on transcription.
Electrophoretic analysis of glycoprotein glycans produced by lepidopteran insect cells infected with an immediate early recombinant baculovirus encoding mammalian β1,4-galactosyltransferase

Glycosylation, the most extensive co- and post-translational modification of eukaryotic cells, can significantly affect biological activity and is particularly important for recombinant glycoproteins in human therapeutic applications. The baculovirus-insect cell expression system is a popular tool for the expression of heterologous proteins and has an excellent record of producing high levels of biologically active eukaryotic proteins. Insect cells are capable of glycosylation, but their N-glycosylation pathway is truncated in comparison with the pathway of mammalian cells. A previous study demonstrated that an immediate early recombinant baculovirus could be used to extend the insect cell N-glycosylation pathway by contributing bovine β-1,4 galactosyltransferase (GalT) immediately after infection. Lectin blotting assays indicated that this ectopically expressed enzyme could transfer galactose to an N-linked glycan on a foreign glycoprotein expressed later in infection. In the current study, glycans were isolated from total Sf-9 cell glycoproteins after infection with the immediate early recombinant baculovirus encoding GalT, fluorescently conjugated and analyzed by electrophoresis in combination with exoglycosidase digestion. These direct analyses clearly demonstrated that Sf-9 cells infected with this recombinant baculovirus can synthesize galactosylated N-linked glycans.
Laser production for NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) lidar

The Lasers and Electro-Optics Branch at Goddard Space Flight Center has been tasked with building the Lasers for the Global Ecosystems Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Lidar Mission, to be installed on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) on the International Space Station (ISS)1. GEDI will use three NASA-developed lasers, each coupled with a Beam Dithering Unit (BDU) to produce three sets of staggered footprints on the Earth's surface to accurately measure global biomass. We will report on the design, assembly progress, test results, and delivery process of this laser system.
Effect of Combined Red-Blue Light on IL-1 and IL-6、IL-8 in serum expression of acne vulgaris patients

Objective To explore effect of Red-Blue Light on IL-1、IL-6、IL-8 expression of Acne vulgaris patients. Methods 95 patients with Acne vulgaris were devided randomly divided into 2groups,53 cases as experimental group were treated by Red-Blue Light combined with lsotrefinoin Erythromycin Gel and 42 cases as control group were treated by lsotrefinoin Erythromycin Gel. 24 healthy subjects served as normal controls.IL-1,IL-6,IL-8 level was determined by radioimmunity assay before and after the ciinical therapy. Results IL-1、IL-6、IL-8 in the patients with Acne vulgaris were significantly lower than that in healthy subjects(P0.01).There was significant difference in IL-1,IL-6,IL-8 between Acne vulgaris patients and healthy persons before treatment. There was significant difference after treatment(P0.01),and was higher than that in control group(P0.05). Conclusion Red-Blue Light therapy in patients with Acne vulgaris inhibited IL-1、IL-6、IL-8 expression, so as to achieve a therapeutic effect.
Intestinal Microorganisms of Termites and Other Invertebrates

Though part of a Soil Biology series, this fact is not indicated by the title of the volume. No less than 51 contributors, European and Asian, have contributed to this book. In the foreword, Konrad Dettner, the president of the German Society for General and Applied Microbiology, hopes that “this promising and comprehensive book will truly inspire this fascinating area of interdisciplinary research…” I take it to mean, that in the future, American researchers will also be included.