cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A RATIONAL PERMIT FEE STRUCTURE FOR THE STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY PERMIT PROGRAM

To maintain street pavements that have been cut open to repair or install utility services, city public works departments set up permit programs aimed at recovering direct and indirect costs from the utility companies. This paper describes a study carried out to review Cincinnati's utility cut permit program. The study compared the city's street rights-of-way practices and policies with other communities. The true costs of permit programs were identified and a new, rational permit fee structure was suggested. A unique procedure has been developed to assess the monetary impact of utility cuts on street pavement. The proposed fee structure considers all the estimated direct and indirect expenses to support the permit program and to maintain the physical assets. Engineering and administration fees are suggested, along with pavement preservation, traffic delay and loss of revenue fees. Engineers and legal counsel were consulted to ensure technical and legal justification of the new procedure. The implementation of the plan is under consideration by city officials. Although the new permit fee structure has been developed using data specific to Cincinnati, other cities can use the procedure developed here to revise their own permit fee program.
Establishment of the Brown Citrus Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Central America and the Caribbean Basin and Transmission of Citrus Tristeza Virus

The brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy), is distributed widely on citrus but is not known to occur in the Mediterranean region or, until recently, in North America. The brown citrus aphid is an important pest of citrus because it is an efficient vector of citrus tristeza virus. Surveys have shown that the brown citrus aphid has rapidly expanded its distribution in the Caribbean Basin and Central America. In September 1991, the brown citrus aphid was found widespread on citrus in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama but was not found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, or Mexico. In 1992, it was found in the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Trinidad, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and, in 1993, in Cuba and Jamaica. The aphid was not found in the Bahamas or Bermuda in the survey. Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay tests from citrus trees indicated that citrus tristeza virus incidence was low (<15%) in most areas and probably was caused by the use of infected budwood, rather than by aphid vectors, because of its random pattern of a few infected fields separated by tristeza-free fields. Most citrus tristeza virus isolates detected did not react with the severe-strain discriminating monoclonal citrus tristeza virus antibody, MCA13, and, thus, are probably mild strains. Some MCA13 reactive isolates were found in Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad. The brown citrus aphid was ≍6-25 times more efficient in transmitting several strains of citrus tristeza virus than the melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover. Incidence of decline isolates of citrus tristeza virus could increase rapidly with the advancing movement of the brown citrus aphid and could threaten ≍180 million citrus trees on citrus tristeza virus-sensitive sour orange rootstock in the Caribbean Basin, Central America, Mexico, and the United States. An additional threat exists if this aphid begins to spread grapefruit and sweet orange stem-pitting strains of citrus tristeza virus.
Developement of an Interactive Power System Research Simulator

An interactive power system research simulator is described which has been developed specifically for interactive computation on time-sharing computer systems with high-speed cathode-ray tube (CRT)/printer interfaces.
Theoretical sensitivity limits in optical interferometric imaging

We review our previous work in which we have shown that imaging by an ideal optical interferometric array, which suffers only from the Poisson noise of photoelectron counting, is essentially insensitive to how light beams are split and recombined. Any physically large, monolithic array such as those planned for space will however also suffer from mechanical noise in its structure. We show that inclusion of this technical noise amounts to an effective decorrelation that degrades sensitivity. We calculate this decorrelation factor for an otherwise ideal nC2 array and make some pertinent comments about its effect on other sorts of arrays as well. Finally, we review our work on ground-based arrays which suffer sharp reductions in the sensitivity compared to ideal arrays, particularly at low count rates.
Communications overlapping in fast multipole particle dynamics methods

In molecular dynamics the fast multipole method (FMM) is an attractive alternative to Ewald summation for calculating electrostatic interactions due to the operation counts. However when applied to small particle systems and taken to many processors it has a high demand for interprocessor communication. In a distributed memory environment this demand severely limits applicability of the FMM to systems with O(10 K atoms). We present an algorithm that allows for fine grained overlap of communication and computation, while not sacrificing synchronization and determinism in the equations of motion. The method avoids contention in the communication subsystem making it feasible to use the FMM for smaller systems on larger numbers of processors. Our algorithm also facilitates application of multiple time stepping techniques within the FMM. We present scaling at a reasonably high level of accuracy compared with optimized Ewald methods.
ADP-based optimal control for a class of nonlinear discrete-time systems with inequality constraints

In this paper, the adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) approach is utilized to design a neural-network-based optimal controller for a class of nonlinear discrete-time (DT) systems with inequality constraints. To begin with, the initial constrained optimal control problem is transformed into an infinite horizon optimal control problem by introducing the penalty function. Then, the iterative ADP algorithm is developed to handle the nonlinear optimal control problem with two neural networks. The two neural networks are aimed at generating the optimal cost and the optimal control policy respectively. Finally, the numerical results and analysis are presented to illustrate the performance of the developed method.
Reactivity of Tuck-in and Tuck-over Uranium Metallocene Complexes

The reactivity of the uranium tuck-in and tuck-over cyclopentadienyl moieties {[η5:η1-C5Me4CH2]U}2+ and {U[μ-η5:η1-C5Me4CH2]U}6+, respectively, has been investigated by examining the reactivity of (C5Me5)U[μ-η5:η1:η1-C5Me3(CH2)2](μ-H)2U(C5Me5)2, 1, and (C5Me5)(η5:η1-C5Me4CH2)(hpp)U [(hpp)− = 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidinato], 2, with hydrogen, silyl halide, sulfide, amine, and hydrocarbon reagents. The reactivity of 2, which has a single tuck-in reactive site, provides valuable comparisons with that of 1, where the presence of two hydride ligands as well as both tuck-in and tuck-over moieties leads to products in which multiple transformations have occurred. Both 1 and 2 react with H2 to form hydrides, namely, the [(C5Me5)2UH2]2/[(C5Me5)2UH]2 equilibrium mixture and (C5Me5)2(hpp)UH, 3, respectively. Attempts to make a simple chloride derivative of 1 with Me3SiCl yielded a new tethered metallocene, (C5Me5)ClU(η5-C5Me4CH2SiMe2CH2-κC), 4, which formally results from a silylmethyl C−H bond...
Lipoprotein(a) and peripheral atherosclerosis in older adults.

As part of an ancillary study to the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program, carotid and lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) were evaluated in 369 subjects, 186 with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) > or = 160 mmHg, and 183 with SBP or = 20 mg/dl were considered elevated. Rates of carotid stenosis were 24% among those with an Lp(a) > or = 20 mg/dl and 14% among those with an Lp(a) level or = 20 mg/dl had a 36% prevalence of a low AAI vs 14% among those with a Lp(a) level or = 20 mg/dl. Thus, Lp(a) appears to be independently associated with peripheral atherosclerosis in older adults, both men and women. The relationship is particularly strong for atherosclerotic disease of the lower extremities.
Electron acceleration below quarter-critical density in CO2 laser-produced plasmas

Abstract We present detailed characteristics of heated electron distributions in long-scale-length underdense plasmas irradiated by intense nanosecond CO 2 laser radiation. Below n c /4, the heated electron distributions are consistent with heating by Raman instability.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE BLUEGENE/L SYSTEM SOFTWARE ORGANIZATION

BlueGene/L is a 65,536-compute node massively parallel supercomputer, built using system-on-a-chip integration and a cellular architecture. BlueGene/L represents a major challenge for parallel system software, particularly in the areas of scalability, maintainability, and usability. In this paper, we present the organization of the BlueGene/L system software, with emphasis on the features that address those challenges. The system software was developed in parallel with the hardware, relying on an architecturally accurate simulator of the machine. We validated this approach by demonstrating a working system software stack and high performance on real parallel applications just a few weeks after first hardware availability.
Effects of prosodic and lexical constraints on parsing in young children (and adults).

Abstract Prior studies of ambiguity resolution in young children have found that children rely heavily on lexical information but persistently fail to use referential constraints in online parsing [Trueswell, J.C., Sekerina, I., Hill, N.M., & Logrip, M.L, (1999). The kindergarten-path effect: Studying on-line sentence processing in young children. Cognition, 73 , 89–134; Snedeker, J. & Trueswell, J. (2004). The developing constraints on parsing decisions: The role of lexical-biases and referential scenes in child and adult sentence processing. Cognitive Psychology, 49 (3), 238–299]. This pattern is consistent with either a modular parsing system driven by stored lexical information or an interactive system which has yet to acquire low-validity referential constraints. In two experiments we explored whether children could use a third constraint—prosody—to resolve globally ambiguous prepositional-phrase attachments (“You can feel the frog with the feather”). Four to six-year-olds and adults were tested using the visual world paradigm. In both groups the fixation patterns were influenced by lexical cues by around 200 ms after the onset of the critical PP-object noun (“feather”). In adults the prosody manipulation had an effect in this early time window. In children the effect of prosody was delayed by approximately 500 ms. The effects of lexical and prosodic cues were roughly additive: prosody influenced the interpretation of utterances with strong lexical cues and lexical information had an effect on utterances with strong prosodic cues. We conclude that young children, like adults, can rapidly use both of these information sources to resolve structural ambiguities.
Palmitate interaction with physiological states of myoglobin.

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown that palmitate (PA) can bind specifically and non-specifically to Fe(III) MbCN. The present study has observed PA interaction with physiological states of Fe(II) Mb, and the observations support the hypothesis that Mb may have a potential role in facilitating intracellular fatty acid transport. Methods 1H NMR spectra measurements of the Mb signal during PA titration show signal changes consistent with specific and non-specific binding. Results Palmitate (PA) interacts differently with physiological states of Mb. Deoxy Mb does not interact specifically or non-specifically with PA, while the carbonmonoxy myoglobin (MbCO) interaction with PA decreases the intensity of selective signals and produces a 0.15 ppm upfield shift of the PA methylene peak. The selective signal change upon PA titration provides a basis to determine an apparent PA binding constant, which serves to create a model comparing the competitive PA binding and facilitated fatty acid transport of Mb and fatty acid binding protein (FABP). Conclusions Given contrasting PA interaction of ligated vs. unligated Mb, the cellular fatty acid binding protein (FABP) and Mb concentration in the cell, the reported cellular diffusion coefficients, the PA dissociation constants from ligated Mb and FABP, a fatty acid flux model suggests that Mb can compete with FABP transporting cellular fatty acid. General significance Under oxygenated conditions and continuous energy demand, Mb dependent fatty acid transport could influence the cell's preference for carbohydrate or fatty acid as a fuel source and regulate fatty acid metabolism.
Second Cross Virial Coefficients for Interactions Involving Water. Correlations and Group Contribution Values

A simple method is presented for estimating the second cross virial coefficients for interactions involving water. It is based on the Tsonopoulos corresponding-states correlation and consists of a semiempirical equation for evaluating the mixture-specific parameter k12 of this correlation. The general structure of this equation is guided by a theory-based relation, which is valid for interactions between spherical nonpolar molecules. An empirical extension of this relation to interactions involving water was done by replacing the “energy” term with a function of the Gibbs energy of hydration of a compound at 298 K and 0.1 MPa. This correlation is supported by experimental B12 values for interactions between water and numerous compounds that differ greatly in size and strength of water−solute interactions. Limitations of this empirical correlation are briefly discussed. In addition, available B12 data for interactions between water and normal alkanes, from ethane to octane, strongly suggest the applicabili...
Natural course of retinitis pigmentosa over a three-year interval

Ninety-four patients, 6 to 49 years old, with progressive forms of retinitis pigmentosa were examined at baseline and annually for three consecutive years with respect to visual acuity, kinetic visual fields, dark-adaptation thresholds, computer-averaged electroretinograms, and fundus photographs. A subset was recalled within two months of a given visit to measure intervisit variability and to develop criteria for what constitutes significant (P
Has cyber technology produced a new group of peer aggressors

Abstract Cyber technology provides a new venue for the expression of aggression. However, whether cyber technology has produced a new group of peer aggressors or simply allowed aggressive peers new tools to victimize others is unclear. This study sampled 1,672 adolescents to assess their engagement in cyber aggression. Although “cyber,” “overt,” and “relational” represent distinct subtypes of aggressive behavior, our results indicate that adolescents' behaviors clustered according to their frequency—not type—of aggression. Thus cyber technology provides new tools for youth who already engage in aggressive behaviors in the physical world to victimize peers in cyberspace.
Sobolev spaces on graphs

The present paper is devoted to discrete analogues of Sobolev spaces of smooth functions. The discrete analogues that we consider are spaces of functions on vertex sets of graphs. Such spaces have applications in Graph Theory, Metric Geometry and Convex Geometry. We present known and prove some new results on Banach-space-theoretical properties of such spaces. Keywords: Sobolev space on a graph; isoperimetric constant of a graph; Cheeger constant; Banach-Mazur distance Quaestiones Mathematicae 28(2005), 501–523.
Population analyses that utilize projection operators

Several different methods have been explored that partition the 3-D space of a molecule into its atomic components using Hermitian one-electron position-space projection operators, PA. Previously, we defined PA so that hard interatomic boundaries between atoms are observed. This idea has been extended to allow softer boundaries that have a region of overlap between atoms that can be controlled through an iterative process. Functions that determine the shape of the atomic volume are also discussed. The atomic electron populations of 17 different systems are presented as a function of these two factors. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 93: 384–394, 2003
Acute crystal-induced arthritis and rheumatoid factor seropositivity.

Joint Bone Spine - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since jeudi 25 decembre 2014
Recent advances in surface integral equation formulation for analysis of multi-scale and composite systems

We present a novel multi-trace surface integral equation (SIE) method for solving multi-scale and complex electromagnetic problems. There are three major technical ingredients in the proposed SIE formulation: a. A discontinuous Galerkin integral equation method, which makes it possible to solve surface integral equations without any interelement continuity condition; b. A multi-trace surface integral equation domain decomposition method (SIE-DDM) to account for multi-scale composite targets; and, c. A optimized second order transmission condition to enforce currents continuities across domain interfaces. It further improves the convergence of SIE-DDM for electrically large problems. The strength of the proposed method is illustrated by means of challenge real-world applications.
Resolution of singularities of Schubert cycles

Let G(r,n) be the Grassmannian of r-dimensional subspaces of Kn. With each sequence t = (t1,…,tr) of positive integers such that 1<-t1<t2<⋯<tr<-n a set St is associated and called a Schubert cycle. In general, the Schubert cycles are not smooth, i.e. they have singular points, and our purpose is to eliminate these points of singularity by blowing up certain sub-Schubert cycles; to be more precise, we order the sub-Schubert cycles, say σ1≤σ2≤⋯ σk of the Schubert cycle St1,…,tr by dimension, then the main result of this article guarantees that the singularities of St1,…,tr can be resolved by blowing up first σ1, then by blowing up the strict transform of σ2, then of σ3, etc.
Mechanistic Insights into the Michael Addition of Deoxyguanosine to Catechol Estrogen-3,4-quinones†

The reaction of catechol estrogen quinones with DNA to produce the depurinating adducts, 4-OHE 2(E 1)-1-N7Gua and 4-OHE 2(E 1)-1-N3Ade, has been linked to the initiation of breast and other human cancers. A better understanding into the mechanism of how these adducts are formed would be useful to studies aimed at correlating adduct formation to DNA damage. Possible reaction intermediates, produced as a result of Michael addition of deoxyguanosine (dG) to catechol estrogen-3,4-quninones, have been modeled using density functional theory to determine likely intermediates on the potential energy surface (PES) of this reaction. Specifically, the sequence of elimination events, glycosidic bond cleavage and rearomatization of the estrogen A ring, was explored. Consistent with known experimental procedures, B3LYP calculations indicate that a proton source is needed to effect the Michael addition. Calculations also indicate that a catalytic mechanism, where one catechol estrogen quinone could adduct multiple purine bases, is unlikely. Experimental investigation toward an observed cationic reaction intermediate was also consistent with a stoichiometric reaction between estrone-3,4-quinone (E 1-3,4-Q) and dG. HPLC-MS analysis indicates that the cationic reaction intermediate contains the 2'-deoxyribose moiety. Assay of 4-OHE 1-1-N7Gua adduct formation and 2'-deoxyribose formation at different times during the reaction of E 1-3,4-Q with dG indicates that equimolar amounts of each are produced, further supporting a stoichiometric process with respect the catechol estrogen quinone. Differences in the UV spectroscopy of cationic reaction intermediate and the 4-OHE 1-1-N7Gua adduct allowed for kinetic analysis of the glycosidic bond cleavage process. Kinetic scanning analysis indicates that the decomposition of the cationic reaction intermediate is a first-order process with a t 1/2 of 40 min at 30 degrees C. Measurement of the unimolecular rate constant k at different temperatures afforded an Arrhenius plot, which provided values for Delta H, Delta S, and Delta G of 24.7 kcal/mol, 7.2 eu, and 26.8 kcal/mol, respectively. The computational data in conjunction with experimental results are consistent with a mechanism that involves a proton-assisted Michael addition to form an alpha-ketoenol ring system, followed by slow loss of the proton at C1 to restore the aromatic A ring, then fast cleavage of the glycosidic bond to form the 4-OHE 1-1-N7Gua adduct.
A cloud-resolving model with the radiation scheme based on the Monte Carlo method

Abstract A fully compressible cloud-resolving model was developed based on the MacCormack numerical scheme with a shortwave radiation scheme based on the Monte Carlo method. On the basis of the results from a numerical experiment with a buoyant bubble in the neutral atmosphere, the model exhibited close correlation with other similar compressible models. The radiation scheme was evaluated using the data reported by Nicholls [Nicholls, S., 1984. The dynamics of stratocumulus: aircraft observations and comparison with a mixed layer model. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. 110, 783–820.]. Use of the model permitted accurate reproduction of the structure of measured shortwave radiation fluxes. Various accuracy and sensitivity tests were conducted. It was found that more than 10,000 photons were needed to provide sufficient accuracy. The present Monte Carlo radiation scheme appeared to be computationally more efficient than the Streamer model with the eight streams option. The sensitivity tests indicated that the optical thickness was the most critical parameter in the calculations of shortwave radiative fluxes. A comparison of radiation flux fields for broken- and solid-cloud cases showed significant differences confirming that the Monte Carlo method is the most appropriate for flux calculations in a broken-cloud case.
Optical phase shift measurement (77°K) of carrier decay time in direct GaAsP

Abstract Measurements are made (77°K) of excess carrier lifetimes and the spectral behaviour of optically excited high quality vapor grown n-type GaAs1-xPx (0.0667 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.35) for both the low level spontaneous and the high level laser regimes of excitation. In several platelet samples the ambiguities in bulk lifetime measurements resulting from surface recombination are minimized by two methods, one involving excitation through a GaAlAsP window and the other a phosphorus anneal of the sample. The spontaneous lifetime of n-type GaAsP with reduced non-radiative surface losses is typically 1–1.6 nsec which may be compared to spontaneous lifetimes of 4–5nsec (Δn ∼ 1016/cm3) for lightly doped n-type GaAs. This indicates that additional bulk non-radiative processes occur in the ternary probably arising from the disorder and strain in the alloy system.
Neurotrophic factors and neuromuscular disease: I. General comments, the neurotrophin family, and neuropoietic cytokines.

Neurotrophic factors are growth factors or cytokines that are inducible polypeptides and permit intercellular communication. An explosion of information about neurotrophic factors is setting the stage for significant advances in neural disease therapy in the next century. The effects of these trophic factors are overlapping and pleiotropic, acting on many cell types and tissues to control proliferation and differentiation of developing neurons and to exert a variety of functions on mature neurons. Studies of receptors unique to several neurotrophic factor families have revealed exquisite mechanisms of signal transduction. Preclinical trials in neuromuscular disease were promising, but results from initial clinical trials have been disappointing; new and better designed clinical trials are under way. Laboratory investigators also are exploring techniques to deliver factors directly to the central nervous system by means of viral vectors or to exert neurotrophic signals on the nervous system using novel small molecules that stimulate neurotrophic factor or neuroimmunophilin receptors. Combination therapies, refined delivery techniques, and treatment timing may be the key for successful treatment with neurotrophic factors. In this two-part review, we discuss the neurobiology of neurotrophic factors, the characteristics of the major neurotrophic factors, and their therapeutic potential in neuromuscular disease. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 22: 983–999, 1999
Race and Racism in Marx's Camera Obscura

The charge that Marx's work leaves sociologists few tools with which to understand the phenomena of race and racism has been a common one. Against such claims, this essay attempts to mobilize sever...
FINANCIAL AID AWARDS OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS IN THE NORTHEASTERN STATES AS A FUNCTION OF SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS1

The study analyzes the relationship between socioeconomic status of financial aid applicants and college practices in distributing aid, taking account of measured academic ability and financial need. Five socioeconomic classes are distinguished, ranging from upper to lower; colleges are grouped according to source of control, type of student body, and type of institution; and awards are classified in seven combinations of grant, loan, and job. The study is limited to the Northeastern area of the United States, where the Scholastic Aptitude Test is predominantly used as a basis for college admission and financial aid decisions. Socioeconomic status was determined from variables extracted from approximately 16,000 Parents' Confidential Statements, randomly selected from files accumulated during the 1964-65 academic year. One thousand colleges returned 19,131 usable questionnaires. Award offers were made to 6,579 of the applications represented by the questionnaires and were included in the analysis. Results of analyses of variance and covariance procedures indicate that there is no straightforward answer to the question of whether socioeconomic classes are treated differently. In some ways upper classes receive preferential treatment, apparently because of superior test scores; lower classes are treated better in other ways, partly because of their poverty. It may be said that lower-class applicants have a better chance of receiving aid, and in larger amounts, than their upper-class peers. But their awards more often consist of loans and jobs rather than outright grants which are more frequently awarded to the upper-class applicant. Thus, the upper socioeconomic classes are more likely to graduate from college with less indebtedness than lower classes, who not only mortgage their future more heavily but are also required to devote more of their free time to gainful employment.
Combinatorial and Topological Invariants of Modules of Piecewise Polynomials

Abstract For a polyhedral subdivision Δ of a region in R d , the r -differentiable piecewise polynomial functions on Δ form a module over the polynomial ring R [ x 1 , ..., x d ]. We study to what extent freeness and homological dimension of these modules is determined by the topological and combinatorial properties of Δ . We obtain a complete classification of homological dimension for three classes of complexes: when d ≤ 2, for simplicial Δ when r = 0, and for complexes whose dual graphs contain at most one cycle. In order to prove the latter result, we introduce the syzygy module of the dual graph of Δ .
Dual-oriented thin crystals of molybdenum grown under Ar+ ion bombardment

Ar+ sputtering of an Cu(111) surface while simultaneously supplying Mo atoms is known to induce an oriented growth of Mo thin crystals, or “seed-layers”, on evolving conical Cu protrusions. The seed-layers thus formed are shown to be dual-oriented, or bicrystalline, consisting of columnar crystallites grown homo-epitaxially. The orientation relationship between the two types of crystallites was (100)I ‖ (111)II with [001]I ‖ [110]II, and this bicrystallinity probably resulted from a non-uniform charge-up of the layers' growth front. As concluded from high-resolution electron microscopy, the Mo(100) stacking is elastically converted into the Mo(111) stacking and vice versa, under the influence of tensile stress. The homo-epitaxy that the seed-layers exhibited is believed to reflect the mutual convertibility of the Mo(100) and (111) stackings.
Diastereoselective manipulations of bicyclo[m.1.0]alkane derivatives. 5. α′-alkylations of bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones

Abstract α′-Alkylations of bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones were shown to proceed with high diastereoselectivity under conditions which favor kinetic control of the product distribution. Product yields for active electrophiles were good to very good. In sequential α′-alkylations with different electrophiles, reversal of the order of alkylation switches the configuration of the newly formed quaternary center.
Combined regional and systemic chemotherapy for advanced and inoperable non-small cell lung cancer.

Aims: The objective was to establish the feasibility and toxicity of regional chemotherapy using an isolated thoracic perfusion (ITP) technique plus low dose systemic chemotherapy as induction chemotherapy followed by surgery in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: twenty-two chemotherapy-naive patients with NSCLC (median age of 57 years, stage III–IV disease with metastases only in the thoracic region, Karnofsky index >60), received two cycles of regional plus systemic chemotherapy with a treatment-free interval of 4 weeks. The cytostatic regimen consisted of 10 mg/m2mitomycin, 25 mg/m2 navelbine and 30 mg/m2 cisplatin during ITP followed by low-dose systemic chemotherapy with 250 mg/m2 5-fluorouracil and 20 mg/m2 cisplatin given as a continuous infusion on day 1–4. Patients were re-evaluated for response and surgery was carried out if possible. Results: All 22 patients could be assessed for toxicity, response and survival. There were 19/22 remissions corresponding to a regression rate of 86.4%; 16/22 patients could be resected. This corresponded to a resectability rate of 72.7% (13 complete resections R0, 1 R1, 2 R2). Side-effects were transient and acceptable with no treatment- or surgery-related deaths. Median survival has not been reached after an observation time of 15 months. The estimated 1-year survival rate was 67.3%. Conclusions: Regional chemotherapy using an ITP application form is highly effective in advanced NSCLC stage III–IV leading to a high rate of resectability with an encouraging survival outcome.
Distribution pattern of coccolithophorid blooms in the western North Atlantic Ocean

Abstract The temporal and spatial distribution patterns of coccolithophorid blooms in surface waters of the western North Atlantic (40°W–75°W, 40°N–60°N) from 1979 to 1986 were determined by recording the presence of these blooms through visual examination and supervised computer classification of atmospherically-corrected visible Nimbus-7/Coastal Zone Color Scanner imagery. In addition to the previously documented occurrence of satellite detected coccolithophorid blooms on the continental U.S. shelf and in the Gulf of Maine, large expanses of spectral characteristics unique to these blooms were also consistently observed in surface waters of the Scotian Shelf and Slope, the Gulf of St Lawrence, the Grand Banks and the shelf off northeastern Newfoundland and southeastern Labrador. Blooms were observed in the western North Atlantic from mid-May to early November, achieving their greatest total areal extent in August. Blooms annually covered an average of 300,000 km2, yet this value is probably an underestimate due to restricted visibility of the sea-surface caused by both clouds and incomplete imagery coverage. The magnitude and periodicity of coccolithophorid blooms demonstrate their importance as an episodic source of CaCO3-carbon and of dimethyl sulfide-sulfur to the western North Atlantic.
A Spanish language module in a first-year pharmaceutical care laboratory course.

Objective. To assess the impact of incorporating Spanish language lectures and activities in a required Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory course on first-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students’ per...
On the limit distribution of discrete random variables

It is well-known that the possible limit distributions of triangular arrays (X nk )(n≧1, 1≦k≦k n )of infinitesimal random variables with independent rows are exactly the infinitely divisible distributions. In the present paper, it is shown that requiring the random variables X nk to assume only two values with prescribed probabilities p nk and 1-p nk does not narrow the class of possible limit distributions, provided that the numbers p nk satisfy 0<p nk <1 and $$\mathop {lim}\limits_{n \to \infty } \sum\limits_{\mathop {1\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{ \leqslant } k\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle-}$}}{ \leqslant } kn}\limits_{Pnk\underline \leqslant \varepsilon } } {P_{nk} = \infty } for every \varepsilon > 0.$$ A similar result is obtained for limit distributions of sequences of inde-pendent random variables. As an application to probabilistic number theory, the class of possible limit distributions in the central limit theorem for additive arithmetic functions is determined.
A Data Placement Strategy for Data-Intensive Cloud Storage

Data-Intensive applications in power systems often perform complex computations which always involve large amount of datasets. In a distributed environment, an application may needs several datasets located in different data centers which faces two challenges including the high cost of data movements between data centers and data dependencies within the same data centers. In this paper, a data placement strategy among and within data centers in a cloud environment is proposed. Datasets are placed in different centers by a clustering scheme based on the data dependencies. And within the center, data is partitioned and replicated using consistent hashing. Simulations show that the algorithm can effectively reduce the cost of data movements and perform a evenly data distribution.
Reactive γ-ketoaldehydes promote protein misfolding and preamyloid oligomer formation in rapidly-activated atrial cells

Rapid activation causes remodeling of atrial myocytes resembling that which occurs in experimental and human atrial fibrillation (AF). Using this cellular model, we previously observed transcriptional upregulation of proteins implicated in protein misfolding and amyloidosis. For organ-specific amyloidoses such as Alzheimer's disease, preamyloid oligomers (PAOs) are now recognized to be the primary cytotoxic species. In the setting of oxidative stress, highly-reactive lipid-derived mediators known as γ-ketoaldehydes (γ-KAs) have been identified that rapidly adduct proteins and cause PAO formation for amyloid β1-42 implicated in Alzheimer's. We hypothesized that rapid activation of atrial cells triggers oxidative stress with lipid peroxidation and formation of γ-KAs, which then rapidly crosslink proteins to generate PAOs. To investigate this hypothesis, rapidly-paced and control, spontaneously-beating atrial HL-1 cells were probed with a conformation-specific antibody recognizing PAOs. Rapid stimulation of atrial cells caused the generation of cytosolic PAOs along with a myocyte stress response (e.g., transcriptional upregulation of Nppa and Hspa1a), both of which were absent in control, unpaced cells. Rapid activation also caused the formation of superoxide and γ-KA adducts in atriomyocytes, while direct exposure of cells to γ-KAs resulted in PAO production. Increased cytosolic atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and the generation of ANP oligomers with exposure to γ-KAs and rapid atrial HL-1 cell stimulation, strongly suggest a role for ANP in PAO formation. Salicylamine (SA) is a small molecule scavenger of γ-KAs that can protect proteins from modification by these reactive compounds. PAO formation and transcriptional remodeling were inhibited when cells were stimulated in the presence of SA, but not with the antioxidant curcumin, which is incapable of scavenging γ-KAs. These results demonstrate that γ-KAs promote protein misfolding and PAO formation as a component of the atrial cell stress response to rapid activation, and they provide a potential mechanistic link between oxidative stress and atrial cell injury.
Occupation and impressions: Stereotypes of males and females in three professions

Stereotypes of persons in 3 professions and of “average persons” were studied. The results suggested an earlier finding is limited in generality, if not an artifact. The pattern of males being perceived as more autonomous and effective but less acceptable than females occurred only when target occupation was unspecified and data of both sexes were combined. Females were generally rated equal or superior to males, although male participants gave average females low ratings. Male participants also rated male nurses as less acceptable than did female participants. Female cross-sex-role occupational behavior was not disapproved. Computer professionals generally scored high on autonomy and effectiveness, but not on acceptability. Liberal education and role modeling were suggested as means of countering negative stereotypes.
Anti-p110 autoantibodies identify a subtype of seronegative Myasthenia gravis with prominent oculobulbar involvement

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by muscle weakness and pathogenetic autoantibodies directed against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (seropositive myasthenia gravis; SPMG). Nearly 15% to 20% of MG patients do not have these antibodies (seronegative myasthenia gravis; SNMG), but several evidence indicate that these patients have circulating pathogenic autoantibodies directed against other muscle antigens. Using the TE671 rhabdomyosarcoma cell line as an antigen source, we analyzed sera from 63 SNMG and 26 SPMG patients and 26 healthy blood donors by FACS analysis. We found that 40 of 63 SNMG patients and only 1 of 26 SPMG patients had IgG binding to the TE671 cell line. None of the sera bound to the unrelated MRC5 cell line. To identify the antigen, we analyzed sera immunoreactivity in more detail by immunoprecipitation of biotinylated membrane proteins from TE671 cells. When the immunoprecipitated proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and then transferred to nitrocellulose membranes, we found that SNMG IgG identify a band corresponding to a protein with a molecular weight of 110 kDa (P110), which is not recognized by seropositive MG sera. This anti-P110 immunoreactivity is significantly associated with a distinct clinical picture characterized by a prominent involvement of ocular and bulbar muscles, with frequent respiratory problems (p < 0.005), and is recognized by a specific antimuscle specific kinase (MuSK) antiserum. In a recent article, the presence of anti-MuSK antibodies was described in SNMG. Our results confirm the presence of these antibodies in SNMG and suggest that anti-P110/MuSK autoantibodies identify a subtype of SNMG in which the different pathogenesis induces the distinct clinical picture.
Fitness components estimated from population budgets of genotypic mixtures and hybrid populations of Tribolium

The frequency of the black gene increased from 0.25 to over 0.28 in two generations of hybridization of the wild and Chicago Black strains of Tribolium castaneum. Population budgets constructed from census data taken at five-day intervals over both generations reveal marked differences in the mortality schedules of the three genotypes. Selection over a generation is explained as a two-step process involving differential production of bb eggs and high +b survivorship.
Fibroblast-specific expression of AC6 enhances β-adrenergic and prostacyclin signaling and blunts bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibroblasts regulate extracellular matrix production and degradation and are critical in maintenance of lung structure, function, and repair, but they also play a central role in lung fib...
Congress, the Bureaucracy, and Casework

Based on interviews with and questionnaires returned by a total of 232 federal branch and 402 current and former members of Congress and congressional staff assistants, this study tests three hypotheses about congressional casework: (1) that it is more useful than commonly believed for purposes of congressional and internal executive oversight of programs, personnel, and operations; (2) that congressional and administrative elites hold very similar views about congressional casework; and (3) that the positions and responsibilities held by congressional and administrator participants in the casework process affect their views toward casework in a fashion predicted by a textbook understanding of administrative processes. The findings of the study generally support the hypotheses, differing somewhat with previous findings at the state level. Explanations for the discrepancy are provided and an assessment of the consequence is made.
The influence of floral display size on selfing rates in Mimulus ringens.

Pollinators often visit several flowers in sequence on plants with large floral displays. This foraging pattern is expected to influence the rate of self-fertilization in self-compatible taxa. To quantify the effects of daily floral display on pollinator movements and selfing, we experimentally manipulated flower number in four replicate (cloned) arrays of Mimulus ringens (Scrophulariaceae), each consisting of genets with unique combinations of homozygous marker genotypes. Four display classes (two, four, eight and 16 flowers) were present in each array. Pollinator visitation rate per flower and seed set per fruit were unaffected by display. However, flower number strongly influenced the frequency of within-plant pollinator movements, which increased from 13.8% of probes on two-flower displays to 77.6% of probes on 16-flower displays. The proportion of within-plant movements was significantly correlated with selfing (r=0.993). The increase from 22.9% selfing on two-flower displays to 37.3% selfing on 16-flower displays reflects changes in the extent of geitonogamous self-pollination. We estimate that approximately half of all selfing on 16-flower displays resulted from geitonogamy. Selfing also varied dramatically among fruits within display classes. Nested ANOVA indicates that differences among flowers on two-flower ramets accounted for 45.4% of the variation in selfing, differences among genets accounted for 16.1% of the variation, and statistical and sampling error accounted for 38.5% of the variation. Differences among flowers within ramets may reflect the order of sequential floral probes on a display.
Molecular structure and ionic mechanisms of an ion-selective transmembrane channel: Monovalent versus divalent cation selectivity

The original proposed structure and transport mechanism of the Gramicidin A transmembrane channel are reviewed, as are the structural issues to be resolved in proving the structure in the membrane. The proposed structural elements of (1) the single-stranded β6.33,3 helix, (2) the association of amino end to amino end by hydrogen bonding, and (3) the left-handed helix sense have been confirmed. Two binding sites related by twofold symmetry and separated by just over 20 A have been observed, and a free-energy profile for sodium ion permeation through the channel has been obtained. A comparison of 1-13C-L-tryptophanyl chemical shifts induced by sodium ions and by barium ions demonstrates the barium ion binding to the mouth of the channel with a location displaced toward the aqueous solution. With the nuclear magnetic resonance observed rapid exchange between the barium ion binding site and the solution it is concluded that the central barrier, due to the positive image force of the lipid surrounding the channel, prevents divalent ion permeability.
Treatment of infected pilon nonunions with small pin fixators.

Six consecutive patients with infected intra-articular fractures of the distal tibia were studied. They were treated with resection of all infected or necrotic bone, systemic antibiotics, and instrumentation with a small pin fixator (llizarov external fixator). The fixator was used to perform an ankle arthrodesis and to fill the defect created by bone resection with distraction osteogenesis.In all cases, the infections were eradicated, and a solid arthrodesis was attained. The patients required from zero to two revision procedures (average 1.3), and their time in the fixator varied from 3 to 13 months (average 8 months). All of the patients experienced at least minor complications during treatment (superficial pin tract infections).At final follow-up, no patient demonstrated shortening of more than 1.5 cm. One patient has an internal rotation deformity of 15°; a second has a varus deformity of 10° and occasionally uses lateral support (a cane) secondary to unsteadiness on uneven ground; and one patient us...
THE FAMILY BEHAVIOR OF CALIFORNIA QUAIL: A MOLECULAR ANALYSIS

Abstract During the breeding season, California Quail (Callipepla californica) form two types of groups: those with a single associated adult female (single family groups), and those with more than one associated female (communal family groups). Although single family groups are assumed to be the result of a monogamous pairing of the associated male and female, additional males often associate with these groups. I conducted a preliminary investigation of the genetic relationship among the adults and young in California Quail families using three single-locus microsatellite markers. Both male and female adults were excluded as being the parents of some proportion of the associated young. Females had higher exclusion rates in communal than in single families, while there was no difference for males. A limited number of young were excluded from being the offspring of any of the adults associated with their family. In the first of three study years, adults were more related to one another in families than the...
Transcatheter cryoablation of ventricular myocardium in dogs.

Introduction: Surgical cryoablation, a highly effective technique used during antiarrhythmic surgery, produces voluminous, histologically uniform and discreet myocardial lesions. In contrast, radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation, which as a result of its less invasive nature has largely supplanted antiarrhythmic surgery, produces smaller, histologically heterogeneous myocardial lesions. Since small lesion size and heterogeneity may reduce antiarrhythmic efficacy, we sought to reproduce the large, histologically homogeneous lesions created by surgical cryoablation, using a catheter cryoablation system (Cryogen, Inc., San Diego, CA) in the canine ventricle. Methods and Results: In seven dogs, nineteen ventricular lesions (two right and seventeen left) were created with a 10F cryoablation catheter with either a 2 or 6[emsp4 ]mm tip. In one dog AV node ablation was also performed. For each 'freeze', catheter tip nadir temperature, lesion width, depth, and transmurality were recorded, and lesion volume calculated. Average tip nadir temperature was −79.6±4.9°C. Cooler nadir tip temperature was associated with deeper (p=.007) and more voluminous lesions (p=.042), and a greater likelihood of lesion transmurality (p=.034). Average lesion volume was 500±356[emsp4 ]mm3. No other variables predicted lesion volume or transmurality. Histologically, the catheter cryoablation lesions were sharply demarcated and homogeneous. The single freeze performed at the AV junction produced complete AV block. One complication, catheter rupture following its repetitive use, resulted in a coronary air embolus and death. Conclusion: Catheter cryoablation of canine ventricular myocardium produced voluminous, discrete, transmural lesions, which might be effective for ablation of ventricular tachycardia. Lesion volume and transmurality were dependent on catheter tip nadir temperature.