cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bladder preservation in the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Organ preserving strategies are being increasingly utilized in the treatment of solid malignancies with the intent of reducing surgical morbidity and maintaining quality of life. Organ preservation becomes a viable approach only when cancer outcomes are not compromised when compared to radical resection. We reviewed the current literature on bladder preservation for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, focusing on trimodality therapy consisting of complete transurethral resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Acknowledging the absence of randomized clinical trials, differences in patient selection, and variation in study protocols, trimodality therapy may yield similar 5- and 10-year overall survival rates compared to radical cystectomy alone. This includes the approximately 30% of patients who enter a bladder preservation protocol and undergo salvage radical cystectomy for failure of local control. Currently, bladder preservation appears to be an alternative to radical cystectomy in select patients who have appropriate rigorous surveillance.
The Study of Deviant Subcultures as a Longstanding and Evolving Site of Intersecting Membership Categorizations

Intersectional scholarship has become increasingly important, largely because it is more nuanced than scholarship emphasizing only class, race, or gender. Much intersectional scholarship is limiting, however, in curtailing our conceptualizations of how many intersecting identities might be relevant for explaining crime. The older literature on deviant subcultures, including gang studies, actually addressed issues of intersectionality, and in a less restrictive manner, also acknowledging the importance of youth and neighborhood ecology. Drawing on early and more recent subcultural scholarship, the theoretical importance of Weberian and ethnomethodological themes is illustrated, suggesting the value of closely empirical research sensitive to theoretical issues including how social categories are used in explaining crime and how patterns of offending are carried by individuals subject to categorization.
More Challenging Speech-Perception Tasks Demonstrate Binaural Benefit in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users

Objective: Preliminary studies show that bilateral cochlear implantation improves speech-recognition ability in many subjects; however, the magnitude of this improvement has been variable. The objective of our research was to explore means to better differentiate the binaural benefit that many patients who receive bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) describe. Hypothesis: Binaural improvements in speech-perception performance will be consistently evident across patients when they are tested in more challenging listening situations. Design: This was a prospective clinical study. Speech-perception performance was compared between the unilateral and bilateral cochlear implant conditions. Because the purpose was to investigate testing parameters that would demonstrate binaural benefit, word- and sentence-recognition tests were administered under several stimulation conditions: with and without noise and at three presentation levels. In addition, all subjects completed the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit as a measure of subjective benefit. Subjects were adult cochlear implant recipients. Three device manufacturers were represented (Advanced Bionics Corporation, Cochlear Americas, and the Med-El Corporation); three patients received simultaneous implantation, and the other four patients received sequential CIs. The setting was a comprehensive cochlear implant program/tertiary referral center. The main outcomes measures were speech-recognition scores in percent correct, mean score difference for unilateral versus bilateral conditions, and subjective benefit scores. Results: The most significant improvements in binaural cochlear implant use were found when subjects were tested with sentence material presented at 60 dB SPL with a +8 dB signal-to-noise ratio. Six of seven subjects showed significant binaural improvement, with a mean improvement score of 12.43% (SD = 5.32). All subjects preferred the binaural listening condition. Measured improvements in quality of life were seen. Conclusions: Preliminary study findings suggest that significant cochlear implant binaural benefit in speech perception may be observed when testing in more difficult listening situations (i.e., lower presentation levels and in noise). According to the outcome of our study, testing the binaural benefit of CIs requires consideration of suitable test materials and stimulation parameters.
Biochemical studies on chicken macrophages infected in vitro with Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract 1. 1. Normal chicken serum lyses the culture forms of T. cruzi , but does not affect the blood stream forms of the parasite. The lytic activity is heat labile and may involve complement. 2. 2. Glucose consumption is principally a fermentation in the system studied. 3. 3. Parasitized macrophage cultures show a significantly higher rate of glycolysis when compared with unparasitized controls. 4. 4. No correspondence between increased glucose consumption and parasite density can be established. 5. 5. T. cruzi can undergo intracellular development with small quantities of exogenous glucose available. 6. 6. Parasitized and non-parasitized cultures accumulate the same amino acids in the culture incubates.
Compositional Effects, Segregation and Test Scores: Evidence From the National Assessment of Educational Progress

A model of the effects of economic level and ethnicity on grade 8 mathematics scores both within and between schools found that both the economic composition and the ethnic composition of a school were directly related to the effectiveness of that school. Projection of the data suggests that if the nation's schools were completely desegregated economically (but not at all ethnically), the test-score gap between free lunch students and students paying full price for lunch would decline by 25 %. Ethnic compositional effects for black, Asian/Pacific Islander (API), and Hispanic students were reversed from their within-school effects, with positive effects for students in schools with larger proportions of black and Hispanic students and a strong negative effect for students in schools with larger proportions of Asian/Pacific Islander students.
Highway Evaluation of Terrain-Aided Localization Using Particle Filters

This work evaluates a real-time algorithm to localize a vehicle on a highway in the direction of travel without the use of GPS. The algorithm uses a particle filter to estimate vehicle position along a map of road grade using real-time pitch measurements from an in-vehicle pitch sensor as the input. Experiments over 60 kilometers along Interstate I-80 and US Route 220 in Pennsylvania are used to demonstrate the algorithm, observe the speed of convergence, and evaluate several methods of implementation. The results indicate that the method can localize a vehicle with a position accuracy of 5 meters after traveling about 1 kilometer within the 60 kilometer map.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Heat capacity and thermal conductivity of hexagonal pyrolytic boron nitride

We have measured the heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the layered material hexagonal pyrolytic boron nitride from 2 to 10 K by a pulse-heating technique. The thermal conductivity has also been determined by a steady-state technique from 1.5 to 350 K. At low temperatures, the heat capacity has a ${T}^{3}$ dependence and the thermal conductivity a ${T}^{2.4}$ dependence. Crystallite size was found from transmission electron micrographs. The influence of dislocations on the thermal conductivity is discussed.
Simplified method for lysine content of wheat and rice seeds by gas chromatography.

Abstract A rapid, accurate, and precise gas chromatographic method is described for the determination of lysine in acid hydrolyzates of wheat and rice seed. Chemical procedures are minimum but critical, and derivatization is simple. Precautions for high precision and accuracy are discussed in detail. The method appears applicable to many types of seeds with suitable adaptations to specific needs.
Protein kinase C in diabetic nephropathy

Protein kinase C is activated in numerous tissues obtained from diabetic animals and in several cultured cell systems exposed to high media glucose in vitro including glomerular mesangial cells. Several activators of protein kinase C, such as high media glucose, angiotensin II, phorbol ester, low density lipoprotein, and the thromboxane analogue U-46619, increase TGF beta bioactivity or mRNA expression and increase the synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins by mesangial cells in culture. The studies described in the present report support the hypothesis that activation of protein kinase C by thromboxane, an eicosanoid whose production is known to be elevated in diabetes, increases TGF beta production by mesangial cells in culture. TGF beta then acts to increase extracellular matrix protein synthesis through a mechanism that does not require active protein kinase C. Thus, activation of protein kinase C in the glomerulus in diabetes could contribute to mesangial expansion by stimulating active TGF beta production.
Usefulness of baseline obesity to predict development of a high ankle brachial index (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

An abnormally high ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The relation of obesity to incident high ABI has not been characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that increased obesity—quantified by body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip-ratio—is positively associated with a high ABI (≥1.3) and with mean ABI increases over a 4-year follow-up. Prevalence and incidence ratios for a high ABI were obtained for 6,540 and 5,045 participants, respectively, in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), using log-binomial regression models adjusted for demographic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory and novel risk factors. Linear regression was used to analyze mean ABI change. The prevalence and incidence of a high ABI were significantly higher for the highest compared to the lowest quartile of every baseline measure of obesity, with weight and body mass index demonstrating the highest incidence ratios (2.7 and 2.4, respectively). All prevalence and incidence ratios were positive and graded across obesity quartiles and were persistent in the subpopulation without diabetes. In those with normal baseline ABI values, 1 MESA standard deviation increase in every baseline measure of obesity was associated with significant increases in mean ABI values. In conclusion, independent, positive, and graded associations of increasing obesity with prevalent and incident high ABI and with mean increases in ABI values over time were found. Weight and body mass index seemed to be at least as strongly, if not more strongly, associated with a high ABI than were measures of abdominal obesity.
Curcumin and Epigallocatechin Gallate Inhibit the Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype via Down-regulation of STAT3–NFκB Signaling

Background/Aim: The cancer stem cell (CSC) model postulates the existence of a small proportion of cancer cells capable of sustaining tumor formation, self-renewal and differentiation. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling is known to be selectively activated in breast CSC populations. However, it is yet to be determined which molecular mechanisms regulate STAT3 signaling in CSCs and what chemopreventive agents are effective for suppressing CSC growth. The aim of this study was to examine the potential efficacy of curcumin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) against CSC and to uncover the molecular mechanisms of their anticancer effects. Materials and Methods: To suppress the CSC phenotype, two breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF7 cells transfected with HER2) were treated with curcumin (10 μM) with or without EGCG (10 μM) for 48 h. We used tumor-sphere formation and wound-healing assays to determine CSC phenotype. To quantify CSC populations, Fluorescence-activated cell sorting profiling was monitored. STAT3 phosphorylation and interaction with Nuclear Factor-kB (NFkB) were analyzed by performing western blot and immunoprecipitation assays. Results: Combined curcumin and EGCG treatment reduced the cancer stem-like Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44)-positive cell population. Western blot and immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that curcumin and EGCG specifically inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation and STAT3-NFkB interaction was retained. Conclusion: This study suggests that curcumin and EGCG function as antitumor agents for suppressing breast CSCs. STAT3 and NFκB signaling pathways could serve as targets for reducing CSCs leading to novel targeted-therapy for treating breast cancer.
Endothelial heterogeneity and adhesion molecules N-glycosylation: implications in leukocyte trafficking in inflammation

Inflammation is a major contributing element to a host of diseases with the interaction between leukocytes and the endothelium being key in this process. Much is understood about the nature of the adhesion molecule proteins expressed on any given leukocyte and endothelial cell that modulates adhesive interactions. Although it is appreciated that these proteins are heavily glycosylated, relatively little is known about the roles of these posttranslational modifications and whether they are regulated, and if so how during inflammation. Herein, we suggest that a paucity in this understanding is one major reason for the lack of successful therapies to date for modulating leukocyte-endothelial interactions in human inflammatory disease and discuss developing paradigms of (i) how endothelial adhesion molecule glycosylation (with a focus on N-glycosylation) maybe a critical element in understanding endothelial heterogeneity between different vascular beds and species, (ii) how adhesion molecule N-glycosylation may be under distinct, and as yet, unknown modes of regulation during inflammatory stress to affect the inflammatory response in a vascular bed- and disease-specific manner (analogous to a "zip code" for inflammation) and finally (iii) to underscore the concept that a fuller appreciation of the role of adhesion molecule glycoforms is needed to provide foundations for disease and tissue-specific targeting of inflammation.
The presence of the adenovirus E3 region improves the oncolytic potency of conditionally replicative adenoviruses.

Purpose: The initial development of conditionally replicative adenoviruses (CRAds) for cancer treatment has aimed at achieving selective replication in and killing of malignant cells. Other aspects such as the potentiation of the cytolytic capacity have also been investigated but still require new endeavors. As an extension of our prior work, we analyzed the effect of the E3 region, which includes the adenovirus death protein, in the context of CRAd oncolytic potency. Experimental Design: We constructed E3-positive (E3+) and E3-negative (E3−) variants of the previously characterized CRAd, Ad5-Δ24, and its infectivity enhanced version, Ad5-Δ24RGD, and compared their oncolytic effect in human cancer cell lines infected with 0.01 viral particle/cell and in s.c. xenografts of A549 human lung cancer cells injected intratumorally with a single dose of 10 7 adenoviral particles in immunodeficient mice. Results: The in vitro experiments showed that the E3+ viruses kill tumor cells 1.6–20 times more effectively in different cell lines. As well, the in vivo study demonstrated that the administration of E3+ CRAds resulted in a more potent oncolytic effect compared with the same dose of their E3− counterparts 35 days after virus administration. Moreover, a time course study of virus replication within the tumor xenografts established a correlation between higher in situ propagation of E3+ CRAds and tumor growth inhibition compared with E3− viruses. Conclusions: These results indicate that the presence of E3 can enhance the antitumor potency of CRAds over and above the levels conferred by the enhancement of infectivity via Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD).
A lower bound on the minimum Euclidean distance of trellis codes

A lower bound on the minimum Euclidean distance of trellis codes is considered. The bound is based upon Costello's free distance bound for convolutional codes [1]. The bound is a random coding bound over the ensemble of nonlinear time-varying Euclidean trellis codes. We compare schemes using different signal constellations and mappings and apply the bound to particular trellis coded modulation (TCM) schemes such as Ungerboeck's [3] and Lafanechere and Costello's [4].
Individual and Social Influences on Ethnic Identity among Latino Young Adults

Building on prior Latino ethnic identity research, this study had three goals: describe age-related trends in ethnic identity among young adults, examine relations among ethnic identity and individual factors, and explore the impact of family and peer socialization on ethnic identity. The participants (two hundred 19- to 30-year-olds; mean age = 22.5) completed self-report surveys sent to Latino undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in four midwestern institutions of higher education. The findings suggest individual factors are strong predictors of ethnic identity during early adulthood; respondents who were younger, high on Latino orientation, spent more time in the United States, and whose parents had more formal education reported high levels of ethnic identity achievement. In contrast, ethnic identity exploration was higher among individuals whose parents preferred they date Latinos and had less formal education. The findings contribute knowledge regarding ethnic identity and suggest directions...
Vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis in rehabilitation inpatients.

Abstract Shinchuk LM, Morse L, Huancahuari N, Arum S, Chen TC, Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis in rehabilitation inpatients. Objective To determine vitamin D status and bone mineral density (BMD) in patients admitted to a subacute rehabilitation facility. Design Cross-sectional cohort study. Setting Subacute rehabilitation facility. Participants Fifty-three community-dwelling patients admitted from June through February 2005. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures BMD, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), C-telopeptide (CTX), osteocalcin, and dietary milk intake. Results Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D R 2 =.22) indicating increased bone remodeling. Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency and osteopenia and osteoporosis were highly prevalent in patients admitted for rehabilitation. Elevated bone resorption and remodeling were evident. This could be due to vitamin D deficiency that should be corrected before antiresorptive therapy is considered. The study emphasizes the need for vigilance for vitamin D status and BMD testing in patients admitted to rehabilitation facilities.
Study Of PbTiO2 Formation Kinetics by an In–Situ Stress Measurement Technique

The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate an in–situ stress measurement technique for the study of formation kinetics of multicomponent thin films such as PbTiO 3 . Film stress–temperature and film stress–time plots have been successfully used to monitor the phase formation of PbTiO 3 films in a in–situ way. It is believed that the mechanism of this reaction was dominated by grain boundary diffusion of the participating cations. The activation energy of the PbTiO 3 phase formation from PbO/TiO 2 double layers was estimated to be 108 kcal/mole.
Inequalities of Race, Class, and Place and Their Impact on Postincarceration Higher Education:

Postsecondary correctional education (PSCE) is witnessing a revitalization, offering the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated an important source of human and social capital. Yet, opportunities for higher education among this population are patterned by larger structural exclusions based on race, class, and place. In this article, we investigate the impact of race and class inequalities among students in a program for formerly incarcerated individuals at a large state university. Specifically, we draw from 34 in-depth interviews with past and present program participants to examine how pre- and postcarceral financial, familial, community, and social network contexts shape postsecondary experiences after incarceration. Research participants came from community contexts with vastly different resources, with consequences for social identities, educational preparedness, and embeddedness in crime preincarceration. These circumstances differentially prepared students for university studies postre- lease. In addition, during the postcarceral period, study participants had disparate access to familial supports, were unequally burdened by financial difficulties and familial responsibilities, and differentially exposed to risks for reoffending. These patterns were closely tied to race, social class, and neighborhood characteristics. Our work highlights the import of attention to such disparities for PSCE, to facilitate its equitable access among incarcerated and formerly incarcerated populations.
Collaborative teaching to create integrated building envelopes

Industry trends in the United States have started to recognize the value of collaborative efforts in producing buildings, thus the growing popularity of design build and integrated practice models. In an academic setting there are no economic forces driving disciplines to unite in order to create more efficient and effective delivery models, but the rewards of teaching in a collaborative model are professionally fulfilling and ultimately better prepare students for the future. The idea of infusing a multi-disciplinary approach in the classroom is not new to academia, but using professors and students from multiple disciplines is unique. The key to the course was finding viable projects, identifying the appropriate learning outcomes, and most importantly finding professors who shared the same vision and approach to design - much like team building in the real world. The idea of offering a building envelopes course started as an idea to expose students to design and construction issues dealing with the facade; massing, materials, attachment, day lighting, thermal comfort, sequencing, and fabrication. But as the course has evolved, it has become an experimental course in Building Information Modeling (BIM) where students can explore there designs in 3D from inception to fabrication by creating a virtual model which is used to collaborate during design and compare construction alternatives.
Antimicrobial treatment of anaerobic infections

Introduction: Anaerobes are the most predominant components of normal human skin and mucous membrane bacterial flora and are, therefore, a common cause of endogenous bacterial infections. Because of their fastidious nature, they are difficult to isolate from infectious sites and are often overlooked. Anaerobic infections can occur at all body sites, including the central nervous system, oral cavity, head and neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, skin and soft tissues. Areas covered: This up-to-date review describes the antimicrobials available for the treatment of anaerobic infections and the advantages in using them according to the site of infection and expected antimicrobial susceptibility. Expert opinion: Treatment of anaerobic infection is complicated by the slow growth of these organisms, their polymicrobial nature and the growing resistance of anaerobes to antimicrobials. Antimicrobial therapy is often the only therapy required, or it is an important adjunct to a surgical approach. Because anaerobes genera...
Elevated Genome-Wide Instability in Yeast Mutants Lacking RNase H Activity

Two types of RNA:DNA associations can lead to genome instability: the formation of R-loops during transcription and the incorporation of ribonucleotide monophosphates (rNMPs) into DNA during replication. Both ribonuclease (RNase) H1 and RNase H2 degrade the RNA component of R-loops, whereas only RNase H2 can remove one or a few rNMPs from DNA. We performed high-resolution mapping of mitotic recombination events throughout the yeast genome in diploid strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking RNase H1 (rnh1Δ), RNase H2 (rnh201Δ), or both RNase H1 and RNase H2 (rnh1Δ rnh201Δ). We found little effect on recombination in the rnh1Δ strain, but elevated recombination in both the rnh201Δ and the double-mutant strains; levels of recombination in the double mutant were ∼50% higher than in the rnh201 single-mutant strain. An rnh201Δ mutant that additionally contained a mutation that reduces rNMP incorporation by DNA polymerase e (pol2-M644L) had a level of instability similar to that observed in the presence of wild-type Pol e. This result suggests that the elevated recombination observed in the absence of only RNase H2 is primarily a consequence of R-loops rather than misincorporated rNMPs.
Transcript RNA supports precise repair of its own DNA gene.

ABSTRACTThe transfer of genetic information from RNA to DNA is considered an extraordinary process in molecular biology. Despite the fact that cells transcribe abundant amount of RNA with a wide range of functions, it has been difficult to uncover whether RNA can serve as a template for DNA repair and recombination. An increasing number of experimental evidences suggest a direct role of RNA in DNA modification. Recently, we demonstrated that endogenous transcript RNA can serve as a template to repair a DNA double-strand break (DSB), the most harmful DNA lesion, not only indirectly via formation of a DNA copy (cDNA) intermediate, but also directly in a homology driven mechanism in budding yeast. These results point out that the transfer of genetic information from RNA to DNA is more general than previously thought. We found that transcript RNA is more efficient in repairing a DSB in its own DNA (in cis) than in a homologous but ectopic locus (in trans). Here, we summarize current knowledge about the proces...
Silencing mTOR signal by small interfering RNA enhances rapamycin-induced autophagy in malignant glioma cells.

5502 The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a central role in regulating the proliferation of malignant glioma cells. Therefore, mTOR specific inhibitors such as rapamycin are considered a promising therapy for malignant gliomas. However, the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors in the treatment of patients with malignant gliomas is only mild, probably because rapamycin does not directly inhibit the mTOR kinase activity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether direct disruption of the mTOR molecule enhances the antitumor effect of rapamycin on malignant glioma cells. We demonstrated that rapamycin induced autophagy, which is a rapamycin9s antitumor effect. The extent of autophagy was associated with the sensitivity of tumor cells to rapamycin and exogenous expression of the mTOR mutant interfering with its kinase activity remarkably enhanced the incidence of rapamycin-induced autophagy. Moreover, disruption of mTOR with small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly augmented the inhibitory effect of rapamycin on tumor cell proliferation through stimulation of autophagy ( P= 0.01 to P
The influence of competing organisational appeals on individual donations

Policy scholars and the public alike are concerned not only with the actions policymakers take in the legislature but also with the money that enables policies to reach the legislative agenda. A significant portion of these funds come from individual donors. We examine how appeals from public policy organisations influence donation behaviour. Existing research studies the effectiveness of appeals in isolation, but few studies consider the competitive environment in which these appeals occur. With nearly 1.5 million nonprofit organisations in the United States, Americans face many competing appeals for their limited funds. We develop a theoretical account of the effects of competing appeals on donation behaviour and test our theory with a large experimental study across two Midwestern states. Our results suggest that negative emotional appeals, rather than increasing total donation behaviour, increase the proportion of donations directed towards the soliciting organisation. Furthermore, two competing appeals cancel out one another.
Identification of plant semiochemicals and evaluation of their interactions with early spring insect pests of asparagus

ABSTRACTInformation is lacking on the chemical ecology of asparagus, and knowledge about the effects of its volatile emissions on its associated early season pest species is completely absent. The current study aimed to (1) evaluate whether the asparagus miner responds to asparagus volatiles, (2) identify and compare the changes in asparagus host plant volatiles from mechanical and chewing damage by the black cutworm, a temporally co-occurring species with the asparagus miner, and (3) assess how asparagus volatiles affect asparagus miner populations in the field. Results indicated that asparagus miners were significantly attracted to healthy asparagus stems when compared to clean air. Damaged asparagus headspace volatiles were quantitatively and qualitatively different from healthy plants. Volatile baits elicited a range of responses, but their effects were inconsistent between sampling years and phenology-dependent. Overall, we demonstrated that the chemical ecology of asparagus may be altered by its pes...
Object Relations Theory, Mothering, and Religion: Toward a Feminist Psychology of Religion

Although psychoanalytic object relations theory has been acclaimed for its ability to revitalize the psychological understanding of religion, the implicit sensitivity of object relations theory to feminist concerns has not been recognized. This paper suggests that object relations theory shares with feminist thought three central foci: relationality, mature dependency, and a revaluing of the mother-infant relationship. Through this coincidence of concern object relations theory can move toward a feminist psychology of religion which avoids not only Freud's reductionism toward religion, but also his patricentrism. The psychological antecedents of religious experience, ritual, and the image of God are examined from the object relational perspective, and are located in the maternal-infant matrix. It is suggested that this linkage of culture and mother offers a radical challenge to the psychoanalytic perspective.
Directional beam control using on/off-axis high-efficiency diffractive optics integrated on substrate-emitting wertical-cavity lasers

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are very attractive for many integrated photonic systems. Two-dimensional arrays are required to provide the compact geometry needed by many optical interconnect systems.1 However, without a discrete optical element, such as a focusing lens, the diverging Gaussian beam can introduce cross talk if the adjacent receivers are within the spread of the beam diameter. In addition, the direction of the output beam limits many applications to on-axis system configurations. Integrating diffractive optical elements on the transparent substrate of a substrate-emitting VCSEL provides a method for controlling the direction and minimizing the divergence of the exiting beam.2
A Compositional Window of Kinetic Stability for Amphiphilic Polymers and Colloidal Nanorods

Amphiphilic polymers are often used to disperse nanoparticles in aqueous solution. Polymer adsorption theory predicts that there exists a narrow compositional range of hydrophobic groups on the polymer chain that allows for kinetic stabilization. Too few groups limit polymer adsorption, while too many allow aggregation of polymer-coated nanoparticles for lack of entropic repulsion. We experimentally validate and mathematically describe the existence of this compositional range, and the resulting stability “window” for the first time using a phenoxy-dextran polymer to disperse single-walled carbon nanotubes. The results should provide a theoretical basis for the design of nanoparticle dispersants.
Understanding Asphaltene Dispersants for Paraffinic Solvent-Based Bitumen Froth Treatment

Asphaltene dispersants are used in the paraffinic solvent-based bitumen froth treatment process to increase the fluidity of underflow that is made of precipitated asphaltene aggregates, water, and ...
COMPARATIVE EVOLUTION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PRIMITIVE MECHANISMS

The subject of "comparative evolution" (Huxley, 1942; White, 1945) has not received the attention which it deserves. Current views regarding the nature of evolutionary mechanisms are based mainly on the behavior of highly specialized, organisms, themselves the products of hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary selection and fixation. These views presume that there has been little or no evolution of evolutionary mechanisms in about two billion yearsa most unlikely presumption! It is our belief (1) that there has been an evolution of evolutionary mechanisms as well as of the products of such mechanisms, and (2) that evolutionary mechanisms, as well as their products, may be primitive or advanced, generalized or specialized, and may evolve in a divergent, parallel or convergent manner. The evidences which bear upon the analysis of specialized evolution lie all about us and have been intensively studied in the last few decades. A host of workers has examined -these evidences and the general consensus of opinion in regard to specialized evolution in animals is that it depends upon the occurrence of shifting gene frequencies in cross-fertilizing organisms, followed by the development of reproductive isolation, which leads to subspecific and thence to specific origins and ultimately to the evolution of all the higher categories. This NeoDarwinian interpretation' has been carefully developed and expounded in the recent books of Dobzhansky (1951), Mayr (1942) and Simp'son (1944),-who present, from the viewpoints of Genetics, Systematics and Paleontology, the theorythat all evolution is' subspeciational. But this is theory and not proven fact for no one has as yet been a witness to the production of a single animal species by such processes. Furthermore even the bestdocumented evolutionary or phylogenetic sequences are but fragmentary records of what is assumed to have happened on the theory of continuous gradation, and the hopes of actually witnessing the production of a new animal species are very remote if the estimates of Haldane' (1949), Simpson (1944, 1949) and Zeuner (1950), for the times required for the production of new species, are valid. These estimates relate to periods of the order of magnitude of a half-million years for the most rapid rate of speciation. Under the circumstances we may say only that the Neo-Darwinian theory is still a theory based on incomplete evidences, and even that the masterly treatment of the theory by Simpson (1944) does not provide the missing evidences so much as to try to explain why they may not be obtained. This is a kind of negative evidence and such evidences may be dangerous. It is possible then to say "not proven" for the Neo-Darwinian theory and to hold alternative views in regard to the evolutionary mechanisms operating even in highly specialized animals. Thus Goldschmidt (1940, 1952) categorically denies the theory of evolution by subspeciation only and claims that speciation and the evolution of the higher categories involve processes and mechanisms of a very different nature. Clark (1930) has
Dynamic Rotation of Bridging Aryl Ligands in Unsaturated Metal Carbonyl Cluster Complexes

Variable-temperature NMR studies of the compound Os3(CO)10(μ-η 1 -C6H5)(μ-AuPPh3 )( 1) have revealed a dynamic process of hindered rotation of the bridging phenyl ligand about the metalmetal bond. The activation parameters for the process, ΔH ⧧ = 73.33(42) kJ/mol and ΔS ⧧ = �2.66(1.25) J/(K mol), were determined by analysis of variable-temperature 1 H NMR spectra. A density functional theory analysis has provided a mechanism that involves a shift of the ligand out of the bridging position with the formation of an agostic interaction of one of the ortho-positioned CH bonds of the phenyl ring to the neighboring metal atom. The related compound Os3(CO)10(μ-η 1 -Py)(μ-AuPPh3 )( 2; Py = 2-C15H9) was synthesized and was found to exhibit a similar rotation of the bridging pyrenyl ligand about the metalmetal bond: ΔH ⧧ = 70.93(61) kJ/mol and ΔS ⧧ = �6.98(1.83) J/(K mol).
Surveillance of non-communicable chronic diseases and its major risk factors among adults in Shunyi District,Beijing in 2008

Objective To describe distribution of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD) and their risk factors such as smoking,alcohol drinking,and so on,and their impacts among adults in Shunyi District of Beijing.Methods With multi-stage cluster sampling,827 adult residents aged 18 yeas and over were investigated at 11 villages of three townships and towns in Shunyi. Results Overall prevalence was 36.52 percent for hypertension,9.92 percent for diabetes,43.41 percent for overweight,23.80 percent for obesity,and 50.91 percent for dyslipidemia in adults of Shunyi. Prevalence of smoking and alcohol dinking were 56.10% and 42.28%,respectively. Conclusion Hypertension,diabetes,obesity,dyslipidemia,and so on were harmful to health of local residents,and prevalence of risk factors for NCD,such as smoking,alcohol dinking,and so on were all in an increasing trend without decrease,which constitutes a huge challenge to public health in NCD control.
Regeneration of reduced glutathione in erythrocytes: stoichiometric and temporal relationship to hexose monophosphate shunt activity.

The stoichiometric and temporal relationships between glutathione reduction and hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS) activity in normal red blood cells were investigated using azoester to oxidize reduced glutathione (GSH) and an ionization chamber-electrometer apparatus to measure continuously the 14 CO 2 derived from 14 C-glucose. Under air, azoester produced rapid oxidation of GSH followed by rapid regeneration. The HMPS response was delayed and occurred after the period of maximal GSH regeneration. Due to the generation of hydrogen peroxide by azoester, cumulative shunt activity was far in excess of that theoretically required to regenerate GSH oxidized directly by azoester. Under carbon monoxide, no hydrogen peroxide was generated by azoester, and a stoichiometric relationship existed between GSH regeneration and HMPS activity. Again, however, the response of the HMPS was temporally dissociated from GSH regeneration. These findings demonstrate that under carefully controlled conditions there is a stoichiometric relationship between the regeneration of GSH and CO 2 production by the HMPS but that this stoichiometry is not the result of a "direct linkage" of the two reactions.
A Family of Wave‐Mean Shear Interactions and Their Instability to Longitudinal Vortex Form

The inviscid instability of O(e) two-dimensional periodic flows to spanwiseperiodic longitudinal vortex modes in parallel O(1) shear flows of the form ū = ± |z|q is considered. Here the mean velocity ū is relative to the wave and q is a constant. Such shear flows admit neutral Rayleigh waves with amplitudes that either diminish or diverge with |αz|; both are considered. Of particular interest are streamwise α and spanwise l wavenumbers in the range l2 ≫ α2, α = O(1), as it is here that the most analytical progress can be made. A generalized Lagrangian-mean formulation is used to describe the effect of fluctuations upon the mean state and, because the developing mean flow acts to distort the waves, a further equation, the Rayleigh-Craik equation, is employed to complete the specification. It is shown that instability to longitudinal vortex form is likely for both classes of waves in many physically interesting situations, from simple mixing layers to atmospheric boundary layers over undulating surfaces.
Resonance Effects in the Valence-Band Spectra of Yb2O3

Resonance effects at the 4d threshold of rare-earths and rare-earth compounds are well-established in absorption spectra. In this paper we present experimental results for studies of the decay processes following the absorption in a model system, namely Yb2O3, where the 4f occupancy is 4f13 and where the 4d → 4f absorption thus produces a single resonance peak.
Understanding Photorefractivity in High-Performance Polymer Composites

Recently-developed photorefractive polymer composites now show sufficiently high performance to allow effects such as self-pumped phase conjugation and speeds approaching video frame rates. To understand the mechanisms leading to this new level of performance, a simple spectroscopic method for the determination of the trap density in fullerene-sensitized photorefractive (PR) polymers is presented. This method is compared with results obtained from traditional trap density measurements which involve two-wave mixing, and good correlation is observed. This technique is used to identify the inactive (compensating) trap as the nonlinear optical chromophore (NLO).
Nutrient Channels Aid the Growth of Articular Surface-Sized Engineered Cartilage Constructs.

Symptomatic osteoarthritic lesions span large regions of joint surfaces and the ability to engineer cartilage constructs at clinically relevant sizes would be highly desirable. We previously demonstrated that nutrient transport limitations can be mitigated by the introduction of channels in 10 mm diameter cartilage constructs. In this study, we scaled up our previous system to cast and cultivate 40 mm diameter constructs (2.3 mm overall thickness); 4 mm diameter and channeled 10 mm diameter constructs were studied for comparison. Furthermore, to assess whether prior results using primary bovine cells are applicable for passaged cells—a more clinically realistic scenario—we cast constructs of each size with primary or twice-passaged cells. Constructs were assessed mechanically for equilibrium compressive Young's modulus (EY), dynamic modulus at 0.01 Hz (G*), and friction coefficient (μ); they were also assessed biochemically, histologically, and immunohistochemically for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collage...
Significance of ambient conditions in uranium absorption and emission features of laser ablation plasmas

Abstract This study employs laser ablation (LA) to investigate mechanisms for U optical signal variation under various environmental conditions during laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Potential mechanisms explored for signal quenching related to ambient conditions include plasma chemistry (e.g., uranium oxide formation), ambient gas confinement effects, and other collisional interactions between plasma constituents and the ambient gas. LA-LAS studies show that the persistence of the U ground state population is significantly reduced in the presence of air ambient compared to nitrogen. LA-OES yields congested spectra from which the U I 356.18 nm transition is prominent and serves as the basis for signal tracking. LA-OES signal and persistence vary negligibly between the test gases (air and N 2 ), unlike the LA-LAS results. The plume hydrodynamic features and plume fundamental properties showed similar results in both air and nitrogen ambient. Investigation of U oxide formation in the laser-produced plasma suggests that low U concentration in a sample hinders consistent detection of UO molecular spectra.
Pathway approaches to ovarian cancer risk discovery

CN12-02 It is generally accepted that for every type of cancer, there are at least two forms, one which is “hereditary” and one which is not. With regard to epithelial ovarian cancer, there are several genes that when inherited in mutated form are known to significantly increase risk. These genes, including BRCA1 and BRCA2 , plus genes involved with the Lynch Syndrome, are rare. The general conclusion is that there exist additional genetic susceptibility factors that account for non-Mendelian familial risks that remain to be discovered. The prevailing hypothesis is that these will turn out to be common polymorphisms, each associated with low levels of increased risk. Rapid advances in genotyping technology have greatly increased throughput capabilities at ever decreasing costs. In addition, collaborative efforts like the HapMap project have lead to the availability of large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphisms, some of which can serve as “tags” for haplotype blocks. Collectively, the ability to cover the genome is now feasible, either through genome wide association studies (GWAS) or more focused studies on particular pathways or networks. Both approaches are expected to increase our knowledge of the underlying biology of common cancers. We have formed a collaboration between several groups to apply both strategies in the study of epithelial ovarian cancer. This talk will focus on efforts considering specific pathways and networks. The foundation for this work is based upon two large, ongoing case-control studies in North America. Cases had incident epithelial ovarian cancer ascertained at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota or a 48-county region in North Carolina (Duke University). Cancer-free controls were frequency matched to the cases on age, race, and residence. After an interview to obtain data on risk factors, a sample of blood was collected for DNA. Among Caucasians, a total of 837 incident cases (388 at Mayo and 449 at Duke) and 941 controls were included in these analyses. Genes and pathways were identified through a number of sources including peer-reviewed published literature and the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project (CGAP) Biokarta and Kegg pathway databases. For each gene, chromosome and protein attributes were selected and the data mined from the Ensembl database version 34 (Biomart) using the gene reference sequence identification number (RefSeq ID) and the approved gene symbol from HUGO or Entrez Gene. The chromosomal location on build 35 and strand (forward or reverse) were provided to Illumina (San Diego, CA). Illumina verified chromosomal coordinates. We requested all SNPs within each gene as well as up to 10kb in the 5’ and 3’ flanking regions and all non-synonymous SNPs with a MAF > 0.05 and Illumina Design Score > 0.6. The Illumina ADT (assay design tool) database includes all SNP data contained in the public domain, filtering out SNPs that are not suitable for the Illumina platform such as insertions/deletions, tri- and tetra-allelic SNPs, and SNPs that are not uniquely localized. We excluded subjects and individual SNPs with genotype call rates
Computer Simulation and Optimization

Computer simulation and optimization are mathematical modeling methods designed to provide analysis and decision support for systems-level problems, particularly those involving great uncertainty. They are thus well-suited to and increasingly used in disaster applications. Proper implementation of the methods can benefit greatly from collaboration with social scientists, particularly in the formulation and interpretation phases of the modeling process. This chapter offers a high-level introduction that aims to equip readers with a vocabulary and understanding of simulation and optimization to encourage and enable them to participate effectively on disaster projects involving these methods. Specifically, we provide an overview of engineering mathematical models in general, and for each specific method, we describe the basics of how it works, types, strengths and limitations, and examples applications in disaster research. The opportunities and potential challenges of increased collaboration between social scientists and engineers around the use of computer simulation and optimization are also discussed.