cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to second-line chemotherapy in patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer receiving two sequences of mitoxantrone and taxanes

Abstract Objectives Clinical trials have demonstrated a survival benefit with docetaxel chemotherapy, but limited data exist regarding the activity of second-line chemotherapy. Methods We retrospectively identified all patients at one institution who received at least two chemotherapy regimens for hormone-refractory prostate cancer, one mitoxantrone-based and the other taxane-based, either including docetaxel or paclitaxel. Patients were evaluated using criteria modified from the Prostate-Specific Antigen Working Group. Results A total of 68 patients were analyzed; 33 patients received mitoxantrone followed by taxane-based treatment, and 35 received taxane-based chemotherapy followed by mitoxantrone. The median patient age was 66 and 58 years and the median prostate-specific antigen at the start of treatment was 23 and 24 ng/mL in the mitoxantrone-first and taxane-first group, respectively. The response rates to taxane-based chemotherapy were greater whether it was used first or second ( P P P = 0.67). Overall survival was also not significantly different (15.2 and 17.1 months, P = 0.97). Neither age nor the interval from diagnosis to chemotherapy influenced the differences in PFS. Conclusions Taxane-based chemotherapy is active before or after mitoxantrone. Although PFS was longer with taxane-based chemotherapy, the total PFS and overall survival were equivalent for both sequences in this retrospective analysis, suggesting that taxane-based chemotherapy retains activity, even if delayed. Although responses were seen with mitoxantrone after taxanes, the median PFS was short, and new agents are needed after taxane-based chemotherapy.
BPR: fast FPGA placement and routing using macroblocks

Numerous studies have shown the advantages of hardware and software co-design using FPGAs. However, increasingly lengthy place-and-route times represent a barrier to the broader adoption of this technology by significantly reducing designer productivity and turns-per-day, especially compared to more traditional design environments offered by competitive technologies such as GPUs. In this paper, we address this challenge by introducing a new approach to FPGA application design that significantly reduces compile times by exploiting the functional reuse common throughout modern FPGA applications, e.g. as shared code libraries and unchanged modules between compiles. To evaluate this approach, we introduce Block Place and Route (BPR), an FPGA CAD approach that modifies traditional placement and routing to operate at a higher-level of abstraction by pre-computing the internal placement and routing of reused cores. By extending traditional place-and-route algorithms such as simulated-annealing placement and negotiated-congestion routing to abstract away the detailed implementation of reused cores, we show that BPR is capable of orders-of-magnitude speedup in place-and-route over commercial tools with acceptably low overhead for a variety of applications.
Fluorimetric characterization of tryptophan residues in Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA-binding (SSB) protein and its poly(dT) complex

The individual contribution of the 4 tryptophan residues (at positions 40, 54, 88, and 135) of E.coli SSB to its fluorescence emission was elucidated by deconvolution of the spectral envelope of wild type (wt), singly (-W40F, -W54F, -W88F, -W135F), and doubly (-W88F+W135F) point-mutated SSBs. Upon excitation at 297 nm, Trp 40, Trp 54, Trp 88, and Trp 135 peaked at 342, 347, 344, and 352 nm, respectively, and accounted for 22, 43, 24, and 11% of the SSB integrated emission. Extensive Tyr to Trp energy transfer at the singlet level was detected. Upon binding poly(dT), the emission spectra of all SSBs containing Trp 135 was red-shifted by 3 to 5 nm and their linewidth increased by ca. 4%, whereas for SSBs lacking Trp 135 more pronounced broadening without spectral shift was observed. In poly(dT) complexes, the limiting quenching (Qmax) at saturation (relative to the free protein) for the various SSB mutants was 93, 90, 89, 88, 85, and 79% for SSB-W88F+W135F, SSB-W135F, wt SSB, SSB-W88F, SSB-W40F, and SSB-W54F, respectively. From these Qmax values and the contribution of individual Trp residues to the overall emission of free SSB, the calculated individual Trp Qmax were 92, 95, 81, and 59% for residues 40, 54, 88, and 135, respectively. Trp 40 and Trp 54, shown earlier to be the only two Trp residues involved in stacking interactions with nucleic acid bases in SSB/polynucleotide complexes, exhibit almost complete quenching. In wt SSB/poly(dT) complex, Trp 40, 54, 88, and 135 account for 14, 18, 33, and 36% of the total emission. The dominance of the red-emitting Trp 135 in the fluorescence of SSB/poly(dT) complexes accounts for the spectral red-shift in systems containing this residue. Global analysis of fluorescence lifetime experiments in the frequency domain showed that Trp 54 has the longest average lifetime (8.0 ns). The long lifetime of Trp 54 appears to be due to its particular microenvironment, since that average lifetime for all individual Trp were in the 2 to 4 ns range in 8 M urea.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An expectation–maximization algorithm for the Lasso estimation of quantitative trait locus effects

An expectation–maximization algorithm for the Lasso estimation of quantitative trait locus effects
Productivity: An Economic and Management Analysis with a Direction Towards a New Synthesis

In order to compete in today‘s marketplace American industry must make some vital decisions concerning: (1) more efficient and dynamic management; (2) a reemphasis on long range production goals; and (3) a commitment to a more efficient technology. Presently, new technology cannot be incorporated into the industrial sector because of an organizational ideology that is unprepared for the new manager and the modern productive worker and a financial strategy oriented towards “buying” productivity rather than “creating” productivity.
Intracellular signaling involved in macrophage adhesion and FBGC formation as mediated by ligand-substrate interaction.

Fibronectin and RGD- and/or PHSRN-containing oligopeptides were preadsorbed onto physicochemically distinct substrata: polyethyleneglycol-based networks or tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). The role of selected signaling kinases (namely protein tyrosine kinases, protein serine/threonine kinases, PI3-kinase, Src, and MAPK) in the adhesion of human primary blood-derived macrophages and the formation of foreign-body giant cells (FBGC) on these modified substrata was investigated. The involvement of individual intracellular signaling molecules in mediating macrophage adhesion dynamically varied with the culture time, substrate, and ligand. For example, fibronectin on TCPS or networks involved similar signaling events for macrophage adhesion; however, fibronectin and G3RGDG6PHSRNG, but not peptides with other RGD and/or PHSRN orientations, mediated similar signaling events for macrophage adhesion on TCPS but mediated different signaling events on networks. Depending on the substrate, a specific molecule (i.e., Src, protein kinase C) within the protein tyrosine kinase or protein serine/threonine kinase family was either an antagonist or agonist in mediating FBGC formation. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 62: 478–487, 2002
Stability analysis of time-point relaxation Runge-Kutta methods with respect to tridiagonal systems of differential equations

Abstract We investigate stability properties of time-point relaxation Runge-Kutta methods with respect to the tridiagonal systems of ordinary differential equations with two real parameters. Stability regions for these methods are compared with the corresponding regions of the underlying Runge-Kutta methods.
A qualitative analysis of the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of curved orthotropic panels

Abstract This paper presents a qualitative study of the nonlinear free vibration characteristics of curved, simply supported orthotropic panels. The panels are modeled using the Donnell-Mushtari-Vlasov shell relationships. An approximate solution to the resulting nonlinear equations is constructed using the Galerkin procedure in the spatial domain and the Lindstedt-Poincare perturbation technique in the temporal domain. The combination of these procedures is implemented using the symbolic manipulator Mathematica. The analysis shows that although the transverse displacement may be assumed to have a single mode, the compatibility condition forces the in-plane stress resultants to be multi-modal. It is shown that the type of nonlinearity that the panel exhibits is strictly cubic if either of the axial or circumferential modes is asymmetric. On the other hand, the nonlinearity is both quadratic and cubic for axisymmetric modes. Numerical simulations using various geometric and material properties show that the reponse of the first modes of the panel could be either hardening or softening depending on the geometric and material properties of the panel. On the other hand, the response of the higher modes for the studies cases is always hardening. Numerical results also suggest that it is possible to tailor the dynamic response of some panels to produce softening or hardening behaviors.
Cascaded VLSI neural network chips: Hardware learning for pattern recognition and classification

Currently map data is stored as high- resolution digitized pixel data on CD-ROM storage devices. The copious amount of data generated from the global map data base overwhelms even high-density optical storage methods. In addition, the map user is concerned not with the high-resolution image of the map, but the actual features such as roads and rivers. By classifying the map-image pixels into separate features, the dimensional ity of the data is dramatically reduced, the map is significantly decluttered, and the data is in the form most suitable for further analysis. Because of the extensive volume of the data already stored and its on-demand nature, classification speed must exceed the CD-ROM read speed so that access rates are unaffected. This paper describes a neural network approach to pattern classification applied to map pixel data. Software simulations of a sophisticated neural network show that neural networks are indeed equivalent to optimal statistical pattern classifiers. Furthermore, a fully pa...
Synergistic activation of the murine gastrin promoter by oncogenic Ras and β-catenin involves SMAD recruitment

Abstract While Wnt and Ras signaling pathways are activated during progression of colorectal cancers, many of their important downstream targets remain to be elucidated. The gastrin gene encodes for a family of peptide growth factors that are commonly upregulated in colorectal neoplasia. Previously, we showed that the Wnt signaling pathway moderately stimulates the gastrin promoter. To determine whether Ras signaling can cooperate with Wnt signaling in transcriptional regulation of gastrin gene expression, we have analyzed the response of murine gastrin promoter–reporter gene constructs to combinations of oncogenic stimulation in transient transfection assays. We found a strong (25- to 40-fold) synergistic stimulation of the gastrin promoter by the combination of oncogenic β-catenin and K-ras overexpression. Deletion analysis localized the response element to an area between −140 and −110 bp upstream in the murine gastrin promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays detected a complex containing β-catenin/TCF, AP1, and SMAD3/4 transcription factors that bound to a DNA element through AP1 and SMAD binding sites. Gastrin promoter activation could be further enhanced or suppressed by the co-expression of wild type SMAD4 or dominant negative mutant of SMAD4, respectively, and abrogated by the PI3K inhibitor, LY20004, but not by the MEK inhibitor, PD98059. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that oncogenic Wnt and Ras signaling pathways can synergistically induce gastrin expression, possibly contributing to neoplastic progression.
The slip boundary condition in the dynamics of solid particles immersed in Stokesian flows

Abstract This paper reviews the classical theories of the dynamics of solid particles in a viscous flow via traditional Navier–Stokes/Stokes equations with slip or nonslip boundary conditions, and also studies a corresponding dynamical equation. The emphasis of this paper is on the explicit expressions of the slip effect at the solid-fluid boundary in the dynamics of solid particles in Stokesian fluids.
Comment on 'The evidence for a pentaquark signal and kinematic reflections'

The Regge exchange model used by Dzierba et al. is shown to be questionable, since the pion pole term is not allowed. Hence the Regge amplitudes in their calculation are exaggerated. The amount of kinematic reflection in the mass spectrum of the (nK+) system, which is one decay channel of a possible pentaquark, is not well justified in the fitting procedure used by Dzierba et al., as shown by comparison with the (K+K-) invariant mass spectrum, which is one decay channel of the a{sub 2} and f{sub 2} tensor mesons. While kinematic reflections are still a concern in some papers that have presented evidence for the pentaquark, better quantitative calculations are needed to demonstrate the significance of this effect.
Emergent US Adenovirus 3 Strains Associated with an Epidemic and Serious Disease

Background Adenovirus type 3 (HAdV3) is one of the most prevalent serotypes detected globally. Variants of HAdV3 have been associated with outbreaks of severe disease.
Complicated transseptal puncture during intervention catheter ablation on atrial fibrillation concomitant with straight back syndrome

Straight back syndrome (SBS) is a thoracic deformity with absence of upper thoracic spine kyphosis and heart compression. The anatomic abnormity of SBS may raise the difficulty of introcardial operation and increase the complicated risk of intervention performance. Here we report a case of SBS with complicated transseptal puncture during intervention catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.
Direct treatment of fetal supraventricular tachycardia after failed transplacental therapy

Digitalization by direct intramuscular injection of the fetus successfully controlled supraventricular tachycardia at 24 weeks' gestation after more traditional intensive trials of transplacental therapy with digoxin, verapamil, and procainamide, either separately or in combination, had failed. The fetal pharmacokinetics were calculated from fetal blood samples obtained by cordocentesis. No clear evidence of placental transfer of digoxin administered to the mother could be found despite a digoxin concentration in the mother that ranged from 1.8 to 2.6 ng/ml for 4 days. After direct fetal digitalization we calculated that the coefficient of elimination for digoxin from the fetus was 0.0463 h-1, and digoxin elimination half-life was 15.9 hours. The latter time span is substantially less than the 50-hour half-life previously reported in newborn infants with low birth weight. The fetal/maternal concentration ratio of procainamide was 0.914. However, maternal clearance of procainamide (9.7 ml/kg-1/min-1) was twice as long as the clearance reported for nonpregnant patients undergoing fast acetylation. We conclude first, that at least in the dose of this ill fetus, little digoxin administered to the mother crossed the placentae; and second, that while direct fetal therapy with digoxin is effective, the necessary frequent number of injections render this therapy impractical. Direct fetal digitalization should probably be reserved for the preterm fetus who has evidence of heart failure and has not responded to maternally administered therapy other than digoxin.
LEVERAGING THE POWER OF THE ETHNIC ENCLAVE: RESIDENTIAL INSTABILITY AND VIOLENCE IN LATINO COMMUNITIES

Early Chicago school thinkers linked crime to the disorganizing influx of Eastern European immigrants and black migrants from the South. Extending this to contemporary concerns, we use Census and Vital Statistics data to examine whether migration to ethnic enclaves among Latinos and blacks raises violence. It appears that when Latinos settle in their ethnic enclaves, violence in their communities declines. Contrary to Chicago school assertions, this improves economic conditions and strengthens group ties as the community mobilizes to receive newcomers. In contrast, such migration does not dampen violence in black communities. We discuss the implications of this for ecological theorizing.
WISKOTT-ALDRICH SYNDROME (WAS) CARRIER DETECTION BY X-CHROMOSOME INACTIVATION ANALYSIS

WAS is an X-linked disorder characterized by immune deficiency, thrombocytopenia and eczema. Previous studies of G-6-PD isozyme expression in rare females doubly heterozygous for WAS and G-6-PD found one of two X chromosomes to be preferentially active in T cells and platelets compared to their fibroblasts. Presumably this is due to selection against cells in which the X chromosome with the WAS allele is active. We have used a new strategy that distinguishes the active and inactive X chromosomes for the detection of WAS carriers. Genomic ONA is analyzed by Southern blot to detect heterozygosity for X chromosome restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) at the PGK or HGPRT loci. For both loci, the state of methylation is different and constant between the active and inactive X chromosomes. In females heterozygous for these RFLP's the active and inactive X's can thus be distinguished with with methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases. We have screened 32 female relatives of WAS patients; 14 were heterozygous at one of the two loci (44% potentially informative). The methylation pattern of DNA from T cells of non-carriers showed random X-inactivation. In contrast, DNA from T cells of WAS carriers showed only one of the two X chromosomes to be active. Thus, X-inactivation analysis appears to directly identify WAS carriers and does not require the rare co-occurence of G-6-PD heterozygosity. We are currently using this method to determine the cell lineages affected by the WAS gene defect.
Shoshoni: a new russet-skinned potato with resistance to common scab and Verticillium wilt

Field trials have shown that Shoshoni is adapted to southeastern Idaho; it has consistently produced high yields, with dehydrating quality comparable to that of Russet Burbank. Shoshoni is late-maturing and the tubers are round to oblong, slightly flattened, and moderately netted. Shoshoni possesses moderate resistance to common scab and Verticillium wilt.
Plum Valley Hospital: A Critical Governance Matter

This case involves the quandary of a businessman named Arthur Eldredge. A member of the Board of Trustees of Plum Valley Hospital, he is uneasy about apparent conflicts of interest among many board members. Further, Mr. Eldredge is unsure if he can fulfill his responsibilities to the Board. As a trustee of the hospital, he thinks he should do something about these issues: and he is uncertain about what action to take.
Cationic polymerization of norbornadiene

The polymerization of norbornadiene (NBD) initiated by the 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane/titanium tetrachloride system was investigated. Efforts were made to develop conditions for the living polymerization of NBD by the use of proton trap and electron donor in the −35 to −60 °C range however this objective was only partially attained. The molecular weights increased linearly with conversion, and the rate was first-order in confirmed monomer concentration up to approximately 25%; however, chain transfer became operational beyond this range. The microstructure of polynorbornadiene (PNBD) was investigated by high-resolution 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. According to these techniques, the chain consisted of about equal amounts of exo/exo and exo/endo connected tricyclic repeat units. The head and tail groups were identified and quantitated, and this led to absolute molecular weight determination by integration. Molecular weights obtained by this method and by gel permeation chromatography (relative to polyisobutylene standards) were in good agreement. NMR spectroscopy indicated the presence of small but still identifiable amounts of branching units and their structures. The plot of the glass-transition temperature against the reciprocal of the number-average molecular weight was linear and yielded a glass-transition temperature of 323 °C for the infinite molecular weight polymer. According to thermogravimetric analysis, PNBD was stable up to approximately 250 °C and showed a 5% weight loss at approximately 335 °C. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 732–739, 2003
Irreversibility of birth-related changes in the pulmonary circulation

We hypothesized that establishing conditions of hypoxia and fluid filling of the airways in lungs of newborns would reproduce the high levels of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) observed in the fetal state. We assessed the hemodynamics of the left pulmonary circulation of 1- to 3-day-old lambs during a variety of airway states while attempting to reestablish fetal conditions. Eleven animals were studied during both normoxemia and hypoxemia in a baseline airway state with a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 4 cm H2O, and in experimental airway states, of atelectasis, and fluid filling to 15 and 30 mL/kg and with PEEP of 12 cm H2O. PVR increased while pulmonary blood flow decreased with all airway state changes as compared to baseline, suggesting a passive mechanism for these changes. With the addition of hypoxemia there was a further increase in PVR in all states accompanied by an increase in pulmonary blood flow, indicating that active vasoconstriction was responsible for the increase in PVR. The combined effects of hypoxemia and fluid filling, designed to approximate the fetal state, increased PVR to only 20-30% of fetal values. Thus, additional factors appear to be important in maintaining the high PVR of the fetal state. We speculate that ventilation of the lungs at birth irreversibly alters these factors.
The photochemical or thermal rearrangement of oxaziranes as a method in alkaloid synthesis

Abstract The conversion of cyclic ketones to β-arylethyl amine derived imines, their oxidation to oxaziranes and subsequent photochemical rearrangement to N-(β-arylethyl) lactams was probed as a potential method for alkaloid syntheses.
Repression of Multiple Myeloma Growth and Preservation of Bone with Combined Radiotherapy and Anti-angiogenic Agent

The effects of ionizing radiation, with or without the anti-angiogenic agent anginex (Ax), on multiple myeloma growth were tested in a SCID-rab mouse model. Mice carrying human multiple myeloma cell-containing pre-implanted bone grafts were treated weekly with various regimens for 8 weeks. Rapid multiple myeloma growth, assessed by bioluminescence intensity (IVIS), human lambda Ig light chain level in serum (ELISA), and the volume of bone grafts (caliper), was observed in untreated mice. Tumor burden in mice receiving combined therapy was reduced to 59% (by caliper), 43% (by ELISA), and 2% (by IVIS) of baseline values after 8 weeks of treatment. Ax or radiation alone slowed but did not stop tumor growth. Four weeks after the withdrawal of the treatments, tumor burden remained minimal in mice given Ax + radiation but increased noticeably in the other three groups. Multiple myeloma suppression by Ax + radiation was accompanied by a marked decrease in the number and activity of osteoclasts in bone grafts assessed by histology. Bone graft integrity was preserved by Ax + radiation but was lost in the other three groups, as assessed by microCT imaging and radiography. These results suggest that radiotherapy, when primed by anti-angiogenic agents, may be a potent therapy for focal multiple myeloma.
High heat load monochromator development at the Advanced Photon Source

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) has embarked on a systematic program in high heat load x-ray monochromator optics to mitigate the thermal effects due to the powerful x-ray beams at third-generation synchrotron sources. This program includes both experimental and computational studies. The approaches being studied include the use of new coolants (cryogens and liquid gallium), new crystal geometries (inclined and variable asymmetric), and new materials (diamond). The paper summarizes the high heat load monochromator program at the APS.
CELLULAR RESPONSES IN MOUSE LEUKEMIA L1210 CELLS MADE RESISTANT TO DEOXYADENOSINE

Abstract Recent studies have implicated nucleotides in diverse and unexpected functions related to p53 levels, p53-dependent G0/G1cell cycle arrest, and the role of dATP in the activation of the caspase-induced apoptosis. Using deoxyadenosine-resistant L1210 cells (ED2 and Y8) that had ribonucleotide reductase that was not sensitive to inhibition by dATP and also exhibited other metabolic alterations, the properties of these cells with respect to the role(s) of nucleotides in these functions were explored. In the ED2 and Y8 cells that did not express p53 protein, the pools of UTP, CTP, ATP, and GTP were markedly decreased. The decreased cellular levels of UTP and CTP did not result in these cells being more sensitive to either PALA or acivicin. The ED2 and Y8 cells did not block in G0/G1in response to PALA treatment even though the basal cellular concentrations of UTP and CTP were reduced 50 to 80%. While it has been shown that dATP in combination with cytochrome c is involved in the apoptotic pathway, the concentration of exogenous deoxyadenosine required to induce apoptosis in the parental L1210 cells was far in excess of the concentration required to inhibit cell growth. Deoxyadenosine did not cause an increase in apoptosis in the deoxyadenosine-resistant Y8 cells. These data suggest that the new roles ascribed to nucleotides may be specific for the particular cell type under very specific conditions.
Development and application of bone morphogenetic proteins for the enhancement of bone healing

Bone morphogenetic proteins are multifunctional cytokines and members of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily. They include the only signaling molecules that can singly induce de novo bone formation at orthotopic and heterotopic sites. Their osteoinductive potency and ability to enhance or accelerate bone healing has been demonstrated in animal models of human orthopedic injuries and diseases, and in human clinical orthopedic patients. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 7 have recently received the approval of regulatory agencies for the clinical treatment of selected human acute long bone fractures and nonunions, as well as lumbar fusion. It is likely that additional indications will be approved as supportive data for the proteins’ efficacy in the treatment of specific orthopedic conditions are generated. In addition to the type I collagen presently being used clinically as a locally implantable delivery vehicle for bone morphogenetic proteins, mineral, synthetic polymer, and extracellular matrix components continue to be tested as alternative matrices. Other means of bone morphogenetic protein delivery undergoing preliminary evaluation include gene transfer therapy and systemic administration.
Thermal expansion, Debye temperature and Grüneisen parameter of synthetic (Fe, Mg)SiO 3 orthopyroxenes

Thermal expansion properties of synthetic orthopyroxenes (Fe0.20Mg0.80)SiO3, (Fe0.40Mg0.60)SiO3, (Fe0.50Mg0.50)SiO3, (Fe0.75Mg0.25)SiO3 and (Fe0.83Mg0.17)SiO3 were systematically studied by means of single-crystal x-ray diffraction in the temperature range from 296 to 1300 K. The measurements of unit cell dimensions as a function of temperature reveal that the a and c dimensions and the unit cell volume V increase nonlinearly with a positive curvature with rising temperature, whereas the b dimension behaves differently, depending on the total Fe content. For Mg-rich orthopyroxenes (Fe/(Fe+Mg) 30%. Together with the high temperature neutron diffraction data on enstatite (MgSiO3) (McMullan, Haga and Ghose, unpublished) and x-ray diffraction data on ferrosilite (FeSiO3) (Sueno et al. 1976), the measured unit cell dimensions were analyzed in terms of the Gruneisen theory of thermal expansion. The linear thermal expansion coefficients α a and α c both increase as temperature is elevated, with α c increasing faster, while α b changes gradually from increasing for Mg-rich orthopyroxenes to decreasing for Fe-rich orthopyroxenes. The relative magnitudes of linear thermal expansion coefficients are always in the order α b >α c >α a between 300 and 500 K, but at higher temperatures, the order changes to α c >α b >α a for Mg-rich orthopyroxenes and α c >α a >α b for Fe-rich ones. The linear thermal expansion behavior is interpreted on the basis of the structural mechanical model of Weidner and Vaughan (1982). The anomalous behavior of α b is mainly attributed to the changes in the Fe2+ population at the M2 site and the relative stiffness of the M2(Fe2+)-O bonds compared to the M2(Mg2+)-O bonds. The volume thermal expansion coefficients are nonlinear functions of temperature and lie between 23 and 49×10−6/K. The previously reported results of mean volume thermal expansion coefficients appear to represent the α V values characteristic of higher temperatures compared to our results. The thermal Debye temperatures are composition-dependent, decreasing linearly from 812 (MgSiO3) to 561 K (FeSiO3), and are systematically higher than the corresponding acoustic Debye temperatures. The Gruneisen parameters range from 0.85 to 0.89 and do not seem to vary with composition. The linear compressibilities derived from thermal expansion and elastic moduli data agree very well. The pressure derivatives of the isothermal bulk modulus (dK0/dP) are also composition-dependent and decrease from 11.2 (MgSiO3) to 8.77 (FeSiO3). Such large values indicate possible anomalous elastic behavior of orthopyroxenes at high pressures in the Earth's upper mantle.
Coupled cluster geometries and energies of C20 carbon cluster isomers – A new benchmark study

Abstract As a benchmark study, the relative energies of ring, bowl, and cage (fullerene) isomers of carbon cluster C20 are reexamined via coupled cluster calculations. The full geometry optimizations and vibrational frequency calculations at CCSD/cc-pVTZ level and single point energy computations at CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level are performed in this work. Both the CCSD and CCSD(T) results support that the bowl is the most stable at 0 K. At high temperature, the ring isomer gradually becomes the most stable.
Clinical and economic consequences of early discharge of patients following supratentorial stereotactic brain biopsy

Object. The goal of this study was to determine the clinical and economic consequences of early discharge (< 8 hours) of patients following stereotactic brain biopsy (SBB). Methods. The records of all patients who underwent percutaneous SBB at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, a tertiary care teaching hospital, during 1994 and 1995 (Group A) were retrospectively reviewed to collect data on the nature and timing of perioperative (< 48 hours) clinical and radiological complications. Biopsies were performed using image-guided stereotaxy either with or without a frame. Based on the results, guidelines for early discharge of patients following SBB were implemented. Information on the nature and timing of perioperative complications was also collected prospectively in all patients who underwent percutaneous SBB from January 1996 through July 1998 (Group B). Hospital financial records for patients who underwent SBB in 1997 and 1998 were also reviewed and assessed for net revenue stratified by discharge status: ea...
Chemical characterization of outdoor PM2.5 and gas-phase compounds in Mira Loma, California

Outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) andgas-phase compound s were investigatedin Mira Loma, a semi-rural community in southern California, between September 2001 andJanuary 2002. Outdoor PM 2.5 concentrations for the study duration averaged 41.8m gm � 3 , with nitrate andorganic carbon being the major contributors ( � 26% each). Higher PM2.5 concentrations were observed during the first half of the study relative to the second half, corresponding with actinic flux calculations. Gas-phase ammonia concentrations were 6–7 times greater than nitric acid concentrations, while formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations were consistent with Air Resources Board results. Use of a back trajectory model together with PM2.5 chemical composition data showed distinct differences in nitrate andtrace element concentrations for back trajectories originating from Los Angeles andOrange counties versus those originating from Nevada. Source apportionment using a chemical mass balance model helped demonstrate that the total contribution of secondary aerosol (56%) was greater than the total primary vehicular exhaust contribution to PM2.5 by a factor of 5. These results highlight the importance of region-wide secondary sources to the local air quality in this semi-rural area. r 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effects of UCS probability on the contingent negative variation and electrodermal response during long ISI conditioning.

Nine subjects participated in a long ISI, trace conditioning paradigm. Tone CSs, at three different frequencies, signaled that a loud noise UCS would occur with either a .17, .50, or .83 probability. Subjects were instructed on the CS-UCS contingencies. To avoid effects of differential motor preparation, two button presses were required on each trial. Button presses were signaled by lights, one second after the point at which the UCS would occur. EDR was recorded from the nonpreferred hand; EEG was recorded from the Cz and Pz sites. Only responses to the CSs were quantified. For the EDR, the first interval response was largest at the .83 UCS probability level. The CNV was more negative at the .50 UCS probability level than at the .17 and .83 UCS probability levels across the ISI. An early component of the CNV was also most negative at the .50 UCS probability level, and was larger at Cz than at Pz. A late CNV component did not differ significantly among UCS probability levels. It was concluded that the EDR and CNV reflect different properties of the associative process between paired stimuli.
Long-Term Care Patients in Acute Care Facilities: Determining Discharge Arrangements:

This research examined 201 hospitalized patients who underwent preadmission screening for Medicaid-reimbursed long-term care. Results suggest that these patients have substantial problems in health andfunctioning and may lack needed informal supports. Availability of community living space is consistently associated with authorization decisions for institutional versus community care and skilled versus intermediate institutional care, as well as expected length of stay in an institutional setting. We discuss implications for further research, nursing practice, and discharge planning strategies for long-term care patients in acute carefacilities.
Colloidal bismuth subcitrate impedes proton entry into Helicobacter pylori and increases the efficacy of growth-dependent antibiotics

Summary Background Successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori is becoming more difficult, mainly due to emerging antibiotic resistance. Treatment regimens containing bismuth have increased efficacy, but the mechanism is unknown. Helicobacter pylori is a neutralophile adapted to survive the acidic gastric environment via acid acclimation, but demonstrates more robust growth at neutral pH. Many antibiotics used to treat H. pylori rely on bacterial growth. Aim To investigate the mechanism of increased efficacy of bismuth-containing H. pylori treatment regimens. Methods RNAseq and qPCR, urease activity in permeabilised and intact bacteria, internal pH and membrane potential were measured with and without colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS). Bacterial survival was assessed with CBS and/or ampicillin. Results Genes involved with metabolism and growth were upregulated in the presence of CBS at acidic pH. Urease activity of permeabilised H. pylori at pH 7.4 and 4.5 decreased in the presence of CBS, but intact urease activity decreased only at acidic pH. The fall in cytoplasmic pH with external acidification was diminished by CBS. The increase in membrane potential in response to urea addition at acidic medium pH was unaffected by CBS. The impact of CBS and ampicillin on H. pylori survival was greater than either agent alone. Conclusions Bismuth is not acting directly on urease or the urea channel. Colloidal bismuth subcitrate impedes proton entry into the bacteria, leading to a decrease in the expected fall in cytoplasmic pH. With cytoplasmic pH remaining within range for increased metabolic activity of a neutralophile, the efficacy of growth-dependent antibiotics is augmented.
Splitting Number at Uncountable Cardinals

We study a generalization of the splitting number s to uncountable cardinals. We prove that 𝔰(κ) > κ+ for a regular uncountable cardinal κ implies the existence of inner models with measurables of high Mitchell order. We prove that the assumption 𝔰(ℵω) > ℵω+1 has a considerable large cardinal strength as well.
Cost Moment Control and Verification Theorem for Nonlinear Stochastic Systems

In this paper we consider a system which is nonlinear in the state and linear in control action. Then we optimize the distribution of the cost function using the statistical control method. In statistical control, the optimal controller is found by optimizing any cost moments or cumulants. The optimal controller is found via the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. As a part of statistical control, we investigate n-th moment optimal control in this paper. The Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation for the n-th cost moment case is presented as a necessary condition for optimality. Then the verification theorem for n-th moment control is proved. We solve the optimizing controller for the first cost moment utilizing the derived HJB equation and the verification theorem. we verify that the new theory reduces to classical LQG result for a linear system with quadratic cost. Furthermore, we solve time-invariant nonlinear system by transforming the HJB equation to a first order partial differential equation using the pseudo-inversion method. Even though that the necessary and sufficient conditions are more easily derived, we conclude that n-th moment control generates more complicated controller then n-th cost cumulant case.
Culture-Specific Assets to Consider when Counseling Latina/o Children and Adolescents.

Strength-based cultural considerations for counseling Latina/o children and adolescents are not well articulated in the literature. Furthermore, research and demographic data indicate concerns for Latinas/os, such as acculturative stress and discrimination. This article describes treatment applications focused on Latina/o youth's cultural strengths, including family bonds, bilingual abilities, and bicultural skills.
Diffusion Models and Fashion: A Reassessment

Large-scale diffusion processes such as those affecting fashionable clothing are difficult to study systematically. This article assesses the relevance of top-down as compared to bottom-up models of diffusion for fashion. Changes in the relationships between fashion organizations and their publics have affected what is diffused, how it is diffused, and to whom. Originally, fashion design was centered in Paris; designers created clothes for local clients, but styles were diffused to many other countries. This highly centralized system has been replaced by a system in which fashion designers in several countries create designs for small publics in global markets, but their organizations make their profits from luxury products other than clothing. Trends are set by fashion forecasters, fashion editors, and department store buyers. Industrial manufacturers are consumer driven, and market trends originate in many types of social groups, including adolescent urban subcultures. Consequently, fashion emanates fro...
Characterization and snubbing of a bidirectional MCT switch in a resonant AC link converter

The MOS-controlled thyristor (MCT) is emerging as a powerful switch that combines the characteristics of existing power devices. This paper presents a study of switching stresses on the MCT under zero voltage resonant switching. Two MCTs and two diodes are connected to form a bidirectional switch which was used in an AC/AC resonant link inverter. Current and voltage spikes are observed and analyzed with variations in the timing of the MCT switching. Different snubber circuit configurations are investigated to minimize the effect of these transients. Some failure modes of the device are also presented. >
Population-Based Study of Survival after Osteoporotic Fractures

Vertebral fractures are the most frequent of the fractures associated with osteoporosis, yet little is known of their impact on health in the United States. To aid in this understanding, the authors examined the survival rate of 335 residents of Rochester, Minnesota, who had an initial radiologic diagnosis of vertebral fracture between 1985 and 1989. Seventy-six died during 809 person-years of follow-up. The overall survival rate was worse than expected, and diverged steadily from expected values throughout the course of the study. At 5 years after diagnosis, the estimated survival was 61% compared with an expected value of 76% (relative survival = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-0.92). The 5-year relative survival after a hip fracture in Rochester was a comparable 0.82 (95% CI 0.77-0.87), but there was a much greater excess of deaths within the first 6 months as compared with patients with vertebral fractures. The 5-year relative survival rate after a distal forearm fracture was 1.00 (95% CI 0.95-1.05). Clinically diagnosed vertebral fractures are rarely fatal, and the reduced survival seen subsequently could related to comorbid conditions. Nonetheless, the excess mortality should be accounted for in assessing the public health impact of osteoporosis.
Simulating uncertainty in mass balance modeling for fresh water reservoirs; case study: Deer Creek Reservoir, Utah, USA

Simple mass balance techniques can be used to build a zero-dimensional model for a fresh water reservoir to quantify the amount of water and certain pollutants flowing into and out of the system. Yet, great uncertainty is involved in the environmental and hydrological factors related to a reservoir and it is useful to build a model that incorporates uncertainty. A generic mass balance model was built for a hypothetical reservoir and applied to Deer Creek Reservoir in Utah. Simulation was used to model the stochastic nature of the inflows and outflows to estimate the distribution of water volume and pollutant concentrations. The historical observations and simulated values were shown to be in good agreement. The model can therefore be used to manage the performance of the reservoir. The modeling process is not site specific, thus it can be used to model any reservoir provided that there are enough data.
Optimization of the absorption efficiency of an amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by a metallic surface-relief grating

The rigorous coupled-wave approach was used to compute the plane-wave absorptance of a thin-film tandem solar cell with a metallic surface-relief grating as its back reflector. The absorptance is a function of the angle of incidence and the polarization state of incident light; the free-space wavelength; and the period, duty cycle, the corrugation height, and the shape of the unit cell of the surface-relief grating. The solar cell was assumed to be made of hydrogenated amorphous-silicon alloys and the back reflector of bulk aluminum. The incidence and the grating planes were taken to be identical. The AM1.5 solar irradiance spectrum was used for computations in the 400–1100 nm wavelength range. Inspection of parametric plots of the solar-spectrum-integrated (SSI) absorption efficiency and numerical optimization using the differential evolution algorithm were employed to determine the optimal surface-relief grating. For direct insolation, the SSI absorption efficiency is maximizable by appropriate choices of the period, the duty cycle, and the corrugation height, regardless of the shape of the corrugation in each unit cell of the grating. A similar conclusion also holds for diffuse insolation, but the maximum efficiency for diffuse insolation is about 20% smaller than for direct insolation. Although a tin-doped indium-oxide layer at the front and an aluminum-doped zinc-oxide layer between the semiconductor material and the backing metallic layer change the optimal depth of the periodic corrugations, the optimal period of the corrugations does not significantly change.
Angular momentum transfer by gravitational torques and the evolution of binary protostars

The efficiency of angular momentum transport by gravitational torques is investigated semianalytically for two idealized models. The first model, a rotating ellipsoid embedded within another ellipsoid, is compared with numerical results for the fission instability of a radpidly-rotating polytrope. The fission instability is aborted by the rapid transfer of angular momentum outward by gravitational torques. The global rates of angular momentum transfer by gravitational torques in rotating gas clouds such as the presolar nebula are shown to be comparable to the rates assumed to be appropriate for transfer by turbulent stresses. The second model is a binary system embedded within a rotating ellipsoid. The binary orbital angular momentum decreases significantly when the phase angle with the ellipsoid is constant; the binary separation may then decrease by a factor of 100 within about an orbital period. For a variable phase angle, little secular loss of orbital angular momentum occurs. Binaries which form in the isothermal regime of the theory of hierarchical fragmentation will not undergo orbital decay, whereas very close binaries composed of nonisothermal fragments may decay and merge into single objects.
Important roles of hydroxylic amino acid residues in the function of Bacillus subtilis adenylosuccinate lyase

Thr(93), Ser(94), Thr(140), and Ser(306) are conserved in all adenylosuccinate lyases (ASL) and are close to other amino acids previously identified by mutagenesis as being in the active site. To test their involvement in the enzyme's function, each of these amino acids was replaced by alanine. All the mutants exhibit circular dichroism spectra which are similar to that of wild-type enzyme, indicating there is no appreciable change in secondary structure. T93A exhibits 0.5% of the V(max) of wild-type ASL with a 10-fold increase in K(m) for adenylosuccinate. S94A has 65% of the V(max) of wild-type ASL with little change in K(m). T140A exhibits 0.03% of the activity of wild-type enzyme with an 11-fold increase in K(m). S306A has 0.4% of the V(max) of wild-type ASL with a sevenfold increase in K(m). Measurements of the pH-V(max) profile reveal a pK(2) value for S94A of 7.83 and S306A of 7.65, in contrast to 8.24 for the wild-type enzyme and 8.42 for T93A. Thr(93) may orient adenylosuccinate optimally for catalysis, while Ser(94) stabilizes protonated His(89), a determinant of pK(2). Thr(140) may, through hydrogen bonding, interact with Asn(270), an amino acid essential for catalysis. Ser(306) may be involved in a hydrogen bond network that ultimately stabilizes protonated His(68), which is probably the general acid in the reaction of enzyme with substrate. The results of this paper demonstrate the importance in the catalytic function of ASL of hydrogen bonds and hydrogen bonding networks involving serine and threonine.