cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An adaptive voltage control algorithm with multiple distributed energy resources

Distributed energy resources (DE) with power electronics (PE) interfaces with the right control are capable of providing reactive power related ancillary services. Voltage regulation in particular has drawn much attention. In this paper the challenges to control multiple DEs to regulate the local voltage in distribution systems is addressed and a decentralized adaptive voltage control method is proposed. The simulation results in different system conditions show that this adaptive voltage control method is capable of satisfying the fast response speed requirement without causing oscillation or instability of the system. Since this method has high tolerance to the shortage of the system parameters and can be widely adaptive to the variable operation situations of the power systems, it is very suited for the utility application.
Can Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Regulated Effectively?

With breathtalung speed, traditional criminal prohibitions against assisted suicide have been declared unconstitutional in twelve states, including California and New York. This poses great promise and great peril. The promise is that competent terminally ill patients, as a compassionate measure of last resort, will have the option of putting an end to their suffering by physician-assisted suicide (PAS). More sigmficant, legally permitting this controversial option may be a catalyst for doctors, health care institutions, and society to improve the care of the dying. PAS should be limited only to those relatively few competent patients who continue to suffer intolerably despite unrestrained efforts to palliate and who face a continued existence that they regard as worse than death. When dying patients know they will not be abandoned to miserable and pointless suffering if palliative care fails, they will be fortified to cope better with the process of dying. The immediate peril is that PAS will become a quick fix, available on demand to any patient diagnosed as terminally ill, thus bypassing palliative care and producing premature deaths.
Relational Control and Interactive Media Choice in Technology-Mediated Communication Situations.

The study develops a framework to examine the communication goals of interacting partners and how these affect media choice. The study hypothesizes that in communication situations when the relational dimension of communication goals is competitive, relational control would affect media choice. Personal interviews were conducted among a nonrandom sample of 70 persons. The respondents were presented with different communication situations and asked if and why they would select one mode of communication over another. A content analysis of the responses supported the main argument of the study that in situations of relational competitiveness relational control would be a significant factor affecting media choice.
Squeezable orthogonal bases and adaptive least squares

Orthogonal bases of piecewise polynomial smooth functions on arbitrary partitions are constructed using techniques developed by the authors for constructing orthogonal multiwavelets. These bases are generated by a small number of functions that are translated and scaled to each of the intervals in the partition.
β-Adrenoceptors in the rat parotid gland enlarged by salivariectomy and bulk diet. Effects of denervation

Abstract The numbers of β-adrenergic receptors and level of cyclic AMP (cAMP) of the parotid gland of adult female rats were determined 4 weeks after introduction of a regimen that induced a 2-fold increase in gland weight. This regimen consisted of ablation of the submandibular-sublingual glands and substitution of the normal chow diet with a bulk diet consisting of 50% inert cellulose and 50% ground solid chow. There was a 2.4-fold increase in number (density) of β-adrenoceptors in the enlarged parotid gland when comparison was made with parotid glands of control rats. The β-adrenoceptor present in the enlarged and normal glands was of the β1 subtype. Removal of either autonomic pathway at the time of partial salivariectomy and dietary substitution was followed by a small reduction in number of β-adrenoceptors (4–9% with either denervation), but when both nerves were removed the reduction was 25%; in magnitude, these changes were generally similar to those observed with denervated parotid glands of chow-fed rats. The norepinephrine concentration of the enlarged gland was much less than that of normal glands (reduced 38%); sympathectomy of normal or enlarged parotid glands resulted in a marked lowering of norepinephrine concentrations (to 1–5% of control levels): parasympathectomy had no effect on norepinephrine concentration of enlarged parotid glands but caused a decrease in that of the parotid of normal size. Apparently, the number of β-adrenoceptors depends on the degree of activity of both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves to the parotid. The level of cAMP was elevated in the enlarged parotid gland and was more than 6 times as high as that of control parotid glands.
The net greenhouse warming forcing of methanol produced from biomass

Abstract Recent national and international actions regarding atmosphere warming mitigation, clean technology, and technology transfer have emphasized the need for a method for unambiguous greenhouse gas emissions analysis for comparing technologies, documentation of application of the method, and proof of applicability. We have developed and applied such an approach to production of methanol fuel from woody biomass. The entire approach is detailed, whereby the system was defined, its emissions for its entire lifetime delineated, and the atmospheric warming forcing calculated for that lifetime plus after effects. The results are presented with material and energy balances including ancillary equipment, external energy subsidies and invested quantities. These extend the analysis considerably beyond those possible using the global warming potential (GWP). For wood input of 283 mg day−1, 70 mg of methanol are produced. System carbon dioxide emissions are 3.18 tonne/tonne methanol produced, with another 1.37 mg emitted when that tonne methanol is burned in a vehicle. System energy usage efficiency was 41.2%, and 41.1% with inclusion of energy to construct the system. In essence, more than two Joules of carbon must be produced in wood for every Joule burned in the vehicle.
Randomized controlled trial of a paraprofessional-delivered in-home intervention for young reservation-based American Indian mothers

Abstract Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a paraprofessional-delivered, home-visiting intervention among young, reservation-based American Indian (AI) mothers on parenting knowledge, involvement, and maternal and infant outcomes. Method From 2002 to 2004, expectant AI women aged 12 to 22 years ( n = 167) were randomized (1:1) to one of two paraprofessional-delivered, home-visiting interventions: the 25-visit "Family Spirit" intervention addressing prenatal and newborn care and maternal life skills (treatment) or a 23-visit breast-feeding/nutrition education intervention (active control). The interventions began during pregnancy and continued to 6 months postpartum. Mothers and children were evaluated at baseline and 2, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Primary outcomes included changes in mothers' parenting knowledge and involvement. Secondary outcomes included infants' social and emotional behavior; the home environment; and mothers' stress, social support, depression, and substance use. Results Participants were mostly teenaged, first-time, unmarried mothers living in reservation communities. At 6 and 12 months postpartum, treatment mothers compared with control mothers had greater parenting knowledge gains, 13.5 ( p p p p Conclusions This study supports the efficacy of the paraprofessional-delivered Family Spirit home-visiting intervention for young AI mothers on maternal knowledge and infant behavior outcomes. A longer, larger study is needed to replicate results and evaluate the durability of child behavior outcomes. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 2009;48(6):591-601.
Motion-Error Immunity In Photo Coordinate Determination-A Novel Approach To The Absolute Comparator

The comparator is a device facilitating both the delineation of features of an object via some indicating means and determination of their relative spatial coordinates from a scale. The concept is fundamental to spatial measurement and is embodied in a broad spectrum of instruments ranging from the simple shop micrometer to the sophisticated photogrammetric plotters. All compare object to scale and can be discussed in terms of mapping scale space into object space. The absolute comparator is the ideal; the mapping is one-to-one, undistorted and uncorrupted, ie. the mapping is error-free. In the real-world, the mapping is physically embodied as the mechanical linkage between the viewing and measuring systems, so that residual bearing play and runout, plus the plastic flexibility of linkage elements result in motion-error which manifests as mapping errors. Motion-error is often the dominant error component in coordinate measurements and presents a major hurdle in state-of-the-art comparator technology. There are three approaches to the motion-error problem: reduction, compensation and immunization. The first is a matter of mechanical refinement and finesse, while the second relies upon brute-force calibration and/or measurement over-determination. The third approach involves a concept so simple it has been essentially overlooked despite its far-reaching implications. The theoretical considerations and evolution of an experimental prototype comparator enjoying motion-error immunity are presented.
On polynomiality of the Mehrotra-type predictor-corrector interior-point algorithms

Recently, Mehrotra [3] proposed a predictor—corrector primal—dual interior-point algorithm for linear programming. At each iteration, this algorithm utilizes a combination of three search directions: the predictor, the corrector and the centering directions, and requires only one matrix factorization. At present, Mehrotra's algorithmic framework is widely regarded as the most practically efficient one and has been implemented in the highly successful interior-point code OB1 [2]. In this paper, we study the theoretical convergence properties of Mehrotra's interior-point algorithmic framework. For generality, we carry out our analysis on a horizontal linear complementarity problem that includes linear and quadratic programming, as well as the standard linear complementarity problem. Under the monotonicity assumption, we establish polynomial complexity bounds for two variants of the Mehrotra-type predictor—corrector interior-point algorithms. These results are summarized in the last section in a table.
Noise-induced unstable dimension variability and transition to chaos in random dynamical systems

Results are reported concerning the transition to chaos in random dynamical systems. In particular, situations are considered where a periodic attractor coexists with a nonattracting chaotic saddle, which can be expected in any periodic window of a nonlinear dynamical system. Under noise, the asymptotic attractor of the system can become chaotic, as characterized by the appearance of a positive Lyapunov exponent. Generic features of the transition include the following: (1) the noisy chaotic attractor is necessarily nonhyperbolic as there are periodic orbits embedded in it with distinct numbers of unstable directions (unstable dimension variability), and this nonhyperbolicity develops as soon as the attractor becomes chaotic; (2) for systems described by differential equations, the unstable dimension variability destroys the neutral direction of the flow in the sense that there is no longer a zero Lyapunov exponent after the noisy attractor becomes chaotic; and (3) the largest Lyapunov exponent becomes positive from zero in a continuous manner, and its scaling with the variation of the noise amplitude is algebraic. Formulas for the scaling exponent are derived in all dimensions. Numerical support using both low- and high-dimensional systems is provided.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of [bpyr]4[V4O4Cl12] and [bpyr]4[Bi4Cl16] grown in Ionic Liquid [bpyr][AlCl4] (bpyr = 1-Butylpyridinium)

Ionic solids with large inorganic cluster anions have been synthesized from the reaction of oxides with a chloroaluminate ionic liquid, [bpyr][AlCl4] (bpyr = 1-butylpyridinium cation). The reaction of the AlCl4− anion with vanadium and bismuth oxides in the presence of metal reducing agents has resulted in two new salts with anionic cluster complexes of vanadium(IV) ([bpyr]4[V4O4Cl12]) and bismuth(III) ([bpyr]4[Bi4Cl16]). The compound [bpyr]4[V4O4Cl12] crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c (a = 32.771(2) A, b = 9.4505(6) A, c = 17.5068(11) A, β = 106.474(1)°) and compound [bpyr]4[Bi4Cl16] crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 (a = 10.9179(1) A, b = 11.2495(2) A, c = 13.3045(2) A, α = 109.460(3)°, β = 94.883(3)°, γ = 101.055(3)°). These materials consist of inorganic clusters of [VOCl3]44−and [BiCl4]44−, respectively, which are separated by discrete butylpyridinium cations. The crystal structure of the neat frozen ionic liquid has also been determined, confirming the presence of AlCl4− te...
Effect of aging on human rectus extraocular muscle paths demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract PURPOSE: To compare normal functional anatomy of rectus extraocular muscles (EOMs) and pulleys in normal older humans with previously reported findings in younger subjects. DESIGN: Experimental study of the orbits of normal healthy older volunteers by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: In planes perpendicular to the orbital axis, contiguous MRI images spanned the anteroposterior extents of 22 orbits in 12 older adults with an average age of 65.2 years (range, 56–74). Images were obtained in central gaze in all subjects and repeated in supraduction, infraduction, abduction, and adduction in some subjects. Mean EOM cross-sectional area centroids were normalized to an oculocentric coordinate system and plotted over the length of each EOM to determine paths. RESULTS: Compared with images obtained using identical technique in 12 younger subjects (average age, 28.5 years, range 21–33), the horizontal rectus EOMs in the 12 older subjects were significantly displaced inferiorly throughout the anteroposterior extent of the orbit. The vertical rectus EOM was positioned identically to those of younger subjects. Inflections in EOM paths produced by the connective tissue pulleys could not be determined in most older subjects, because of difficulties in maintaining extreme eccentric gaze. For one subject who was able to do this, the anteroposterior location of the medial rectus pulley inferred from path inflection was similar to that of younger subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The horizontal rectus EOMs are displaced inferiorly in the elderly relative to the globe center. This displacement presumably reflects an inferior location of the corresponding pulleys, partially converting horizontal rectus EOM force to depression. This may contribute to the observed impairment of elevation in older people and predispose them to a characteristic pattern of incomitant strabismus.
The Binding of Arachidonic Acid in the Cyclooxygenase Active Site of Mouse Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase-2 (COX-2) A PUTATIVE L-SHAPED BINDING CONFORMATION UTILIZING THE TOP CHANNEL REGION

The chemical mandates for arachidonic acid conversion to prostaglandin G(2) within the cyclooxygenase (COX) active site predict that the substrate will orient in a kinked or L-shaped conformation. Molecular modeling of arachidonic acid in sheep COX-1 confirms that this L-shaped conformation is possible, with the carboxylate moiety binding to Arg-120 and the omega-end positioned above Ser-530 in a region termed the top channel. Mutations of Gly-533 to valine or leucine in the top channel of mCOX-2 abolished the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin G(2), presumably because of a steric clash between the omega-end of the substrate and the introduced side chains. A smaller G533A mutant retained partial COX activity. The loss of COX activity with these mutants was not the result of reduced peroxidase activity, because the activity of all mutants was equivalent to the wild-type enzyme and the addition of exogenous peroxide did not restore full COX activity to any of the mutants. However, the Gly-533 mutants were able to oxidize the carbon 18 fatty acid substrates linolenic acid and stearidonic acid, which contain an allylic carbon at the omega-5 position. In contrast, linoleic acid, which is like arachidonic acid in that its most omega-proximal allylic carbon is at the omega-8 position, was not oxidized by the Gly-533 mutants. Finally, the ability of Gly-533 mutants to efficiently process omega-5 allylic substrates suggests that the top channel does not serve as a product exit route indicating that oxygenated substrate diffuses from the cyclooxygenase active site in a membrane proximal direction.
The inflammasome: firing up innate immunity.

Innate immunity provides a first line of defense against invading pathogens. The host cell is equipped with a set of germ-line-encoded pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognizes the basic structural units that make up microorganisms. These receptors are located on the cell surface, endosomal membrane, and in the cytoplasm. The membrane-bound toll-like receptors (TLRs) serve to detect ligands from the extracellular and endosomal milieu, whereas nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing receptors (NLRs), the AIM2-like receptors (ALRs) and RIG-I-like receptors provide immune surveillance in the cytoplasm. Of these, NLRs and ALRs have the ability to form an inflammasome, a multi-protein entity with the capacity to activate the cysteine protease caspase-1, and ultimately induce proteolytic cleavage of the proinflammatory cytokines pro-interleukin-1β (pro-IL-1β) and pro-IL-18. Inflammasome activation also engages a violent and proinflammatory form of cell death known as pyroptosis.
Phasic activation of individual neurons in the locus ceruleus/subceruleus complex of monkeys reflects rewarded decisions to go but not stop

Neurons in the brainstem nucleus locus ceruleus (LC) often exhibit phasic activation in the context of simple sensory-motor tasks. The functional role of this activation, which leads to the release of norepinephrine throughout the brain, is not yet understood in part because the conditions under which it occurs remain in question. Early studies focused on the relationship of LC phasic activation to salient sensory events, whereas more recent work has emphasized its timing relative to goal-directed behavioral responses, possibly representing the end of a sensory-motor decision process. To better understand the relationship between LC phasic activation and sensory, motor, and decision processing, we recorded spiking activity of neurons in the LC+ (LC and the adjacent, norepinephrine-containing subceruleus nucleus) of monkeys performing a countermanding task. The task required the monkeys to occasionally withhold planned, saccadic eye movements to a visual target. We found that many well isolated LC+ units responded to both the onset of the visual cue instructing the monkey to initiate the saccade and again after saccade onset, even when it was initiated erroneously in the presence of a stop signal. Many of these neurons did not respond to saccades made outside of the task context. In contrast, neither the appearance of the stop signal nor the successful withholding of the saccade elicited an LC+ response. Therefore, LC+ phasic activation encodes sensory and motor events related to decisions to execute, but not withhold, movements, implying a functional role in goal-directed actions, but not necessarily more covert forms of processing.
A bifurcation theorem for potential operators with infinite dimensional kernel

Abstract In this paper we discuss the abstract equation F (λ, x ) = ƒ′( x ) − λ x = θ, F (λ, θ) = θ in a Hilbert space. Assuming the potential function ƒ of ƒ′ satisfies the Palais and Smale condition, we prove that if λ 0 is an isolated eigenvalue of ƒ′′(θ), then (λ 0 , θ) is a bifurcation point of the abstract equation. The main tool is the Mountain Pass Lemma and its modified form.
Human Brain Connectomics: Networks, Techniques, and Applications [Life Sciences]

The human brain is organized into a collection of interacting networks with specialized functions to support various cognitive functions. The word "connectome" first burst on the scene with the work of Sporns et al., who urged brain researchers to advance a comprehensive structural description of the elements and connections forming the human brain. An increasing body of evidence indicates that schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, and autism exhibit abnormal brain connections. Changes in connectivity also appear to occur as a consequence of neuron degeneration, either from natural aging or diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. A connectome is hence fundamentally important for understanding brain growth, aging, and abnormality. At the micro level, the brain elements consist of single neurons, the amount of which often treads the realm of hundreds of billions, and possible connections between them numbering in the order of 1015. At a more macro (and more manageable) level, the brain is parcellated into a number of regions, where each region accounts for the activity and coactivity of a population of neurons. The colossal task of constructing a connectome calls for powerful tools for handling the vast amount of information given by advanced imaging techniques. In this article, we provide an overview of the fundamental concepts involved, the necessary techniques, and applications to date.
Ozonation of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Their Assemblies on Rigid Self-Assembled Monolayers

Ozonation of single-walled carbon nanotubes (O3-SWNTs) produces oxygenated functional groups, e.g., carboxylic acid, ester, and quinone moieties, which can be removed from the SWNT surface by heating at 600−800 °C. The annealed SWNTs appear to be pristine. The electrical resistance of the O3-SWNTs depends on the degree of oxidation and is about 20−2000 times higher than that of pristine SWNTs, owing to the deformation of the π-conjugation structure along the tube. The O3-SWNTs are easily dispersed in dimethylformamide (DMF) and show enhanced solubility in other polar solvents such as water and ethanol. The O3-SWNT suspensions consist of individual and shortened tubes due to the separation of nanotube bundles and the shortening that results from oxidation. Toward fabrication of SWNT-based molecular electronic devices, two methods have been used to assemble the O3-SWNTs on functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of conjugated oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s. The first, termed “chemical assembly”, is ba...
Artificial death switches: Induction of apoptosis by chemically induced caspase multimerization

Apoptosis involves the activation of an unusual class of cysteine proteases, termed caspases (for cysteine aspartic acid-specific protease) (5, 6). The original evidence for an involvement of caspases in apoptosis came from genetic analyses of programmed cell death in the nematode C. elegans: loss-of-function mutations in ced-3, which encodes a caspase, lack programmed cell death during development (7, 8). A large number of mammalian caspases have been isolated in recent years, and evidence for their involvement in apoptosis has come from a variety of inhibition and overexpression studies (5). Caspases are synthesized as inactive zymogens that need to be proteolytically processed to generate the active enzyme (6). Based on the known three-dimensional structure of two caspases (caspase-1 and -3), it is thought that the active protease consists of two heterodimers that are produced by internal proteolytic cleavages of the pro-enzyme. This leads to the removal of an N-terminal prodomain and the generation of a large (p20) and small (p10) subunit. Significantly, these cleavages occur after aspartate residues at substrate recognition consensus sites for caspases, and mature caspases can often cleave and activate their own as well as other caspase zymogens in vitro. This has led to the idea of a …
Maintaining Relationships on Facebook: Associations with Uncertainty, Jealousy, and Satisfaction

Existing research suggests that social networking sites (SNSs) allow romantic partners to maintain their relationships online. This study examined how relational maintenance behaviors associated with Facebook (FB) use were predicted by satisfaction, uncertainty, and FB jealousy. A survey was conducted sampling 281 undergraduates in a romantic relationship where both partners were active users of FB. The results revealed that when partners (a) perceived mutual and definitional uncertainty in their relationship they used more FB monitoring to maintain their relationship; (b) when partners reported future and definitional certainty they used more FB assurances and openness; (c) when partners experienced FB jealousy they used more FB positivity, openness, assurances, and monitoring; and (d) when partners were satisfied they used more FB positivity and assurances.
Cytochrome P450 1A1 promoter as a genetic switch for the regulatable and physiological expression of a plasma protein in transgenic mice.

Abstract Transgenic and gene knockout techniques allow for in vivo study of the consequences of adding or subtracting specific genes. However, in some instances, such as the study of lethal mutations or of the physiological consequences of changing gene expression, turning on and off an introduced gene at will would be advantageous. We have used cytochrome p450 1A1 promoter to drive expression of the human apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene in transgenic mice. In six independent lines, robust expression of the transgene depended upon injection of the inducer beta-naphthoflavone, whereas the seventh line had high basal expression that was augmented further by the inducer. The low level of basal expression in an inducer-dependent line was confirmed upon breeding the transgene onto the hypercholesterolemic apoE-deficient background. In the basal state transgene expression was physiologically insignificant, as these mice were as hypercholesterolemic as their nontransgenic apoE-deficient littermates. When injected with the inducer, plasma cholesterol levels of the transgenic mice decreased dramatically as apoE expression was induced to yield greater than physiological levels in plasma. The inducer could pass transplacentally from an injected mother to her fetuses with concomitant induction of fetal transgene mRNA. Inducer could also pass via breast milk from an injected mother to her suckling neonatal pups, giving rise to the induction of human apoE in neonate plasma. These finding suggest a strategy to temporarily ameliorate genetic deficiencies that would otherwise lead to fetal or neonatal lethality.
Experimental Analysis of Self-Folding SMA-Based Sheet Design for Simulation Validation

The goal of this research is to experimentally characterize the capabilities of a concept for a self-folding reconfigurable sheet for use in origami-inspired engineering design and to use this characterization to validate simulations of physics-based models of the sheet. The sheet consists of an active, self-morphing laminate that contains two shape memory alloy (SMA) mesh layers and a passive compliant medium between these layers. The SMA layers are thermally actuated, allowing bending to occur in both positive and negative directions to create soft hill and valley folds. These folds are completely reversible, allowing the structure to fold and unfold without permanent deformation. Unlike past work on self-folding structures, these sheets can have folds along any line, be subsequently unfolded, and then be folded again in a new way.To explore the effect of changing design parameters on the performance metrics of the sheet, it is desirable to use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations instead of relying on time consuming experiments. Such models have been created incorporating user material subroutines (UMATs) in an FEA solver such as Abaqus to capture material behavior, but these must now be validated against experimental data to establish how well they match experimental performance. The primary performance metric of the sheet was chosen to be the radius of curvature measured perpendicularly to the line of heating. Both experiment and simulation focus on the radius of curvature achieved by the sheet for a given set of design parameters and actuation path. The goal of validation is to achieve a desirable level of agreement and repeatability in these results.To measure the deformation and curvature in the sheet as it actuates, a 3D Digital Image Correlation (3D DIC) system is employed to track the movement of points along the surface of the sample as it is heated to a temperature above the transformation temperature of the SMA and allowed to fully actuate. These tools are utilized for a number of samples so that validation of the sheet encompasses multiple values for each of the primary design parameters.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Positive margins after radical prostatectomy: Implications for failure and role of adjuvant treatment

Surgery is one of the most common curative modalities in prostate cancer. Unfortunately, as with any therapy, patients can suffer recurrence. Postoperative adjuvant therapy has been shown to prevent or delay recurrence. The presence of positive margins puts the patient at a high risk for recurrence. Additional risk factors have been identified that can predict for recurrence, but it is still uncertain as to who warrants immediate treatment. We reviewed the extensive surgical literature for prognostic factors for recurrence in addition to positive margins. We attempted to be exhaustive, first searching PubMed and Medline for all papers for radical prostatectomy and then checking the articles cited in those papers. We sought out papers that reviewed the effect of positive margins and its modifying factors on outcome. With the supposition that patients with >70% risk of failure is enough to consider additional treatment, we were able to identify the factors that appear to consistently place patients at or above that level of recurrence. For patients with positive margins, any one of these factors places the patients at a very high risk of recurrence: positive lymph nodes or seminal vesicles, preoperative PSA > 20 ng/ml, or a Gleason score > 7. Many Gleason 7 patients with positive margins fall into the >70% risk of failure category, especially if they have additional risk factors (i.e., those with extraprostatic extension). While there are no absolutes, all these patients should be strongly considered for adjuvant therapy in addition to radical prostatectomy.
Exchange Rates and Concurrent Leasing and Selling in Durable-Goods Monopoly

Theoretical durable-goods models suggest that a monopolist will prefer to lease rather than sell units of output due to the seller’s commitment problem with potential buyers. However, many monopolistic durable-goods manufactures are commonly observed simultaneously leasing and selling output. We provide a theoretical rationale for this observed behavior in firms engaged in trade with a foreign country. In a simple two-period setting we show that a foreign durable-goods monopolist will concurrently lease and sell output if the expected future exchange rate is lower than the current rate. With this concurrent strategy the firm earns higher profit than a pure rental or sales regime. Additionally, our model provides additional theoretical underpinnings for the empirical finding that increases in expected future exchange rates increase the current sales price of durable products. Finally, our analysis examines the role of product durability in determining exchange rate pass-though to domestic prices.
Mastectomy skin necrosis after microsurgical breast reconstruction

Abstract Background Mastectomy skin necrosis represents a significant clinical morbidity after immediate breast reconstruction. In addition to aesthetic deformity, necrosis of the native mastectomy skin may require debridement, additional reconstruction, or prolonged wound care and potentially delay oncologic treatment. This study aims to evaluate patient and procedural characteristics to identify predictors of mastectomy skin necrosis after microsurgical breast reconstruction. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all immediate microsurgical breast reconstructions performed at a single academic center. Patient records were queried for age, diabetes, active smoking, previous breast surgery, preoperative radiation, preoperative chemotherapy, body mass index, mastectomy type, mastectomy weight, flap type, autologous flap type, and postoperative mastectomy skin flap necrosis. Results There were 746 immediate autologous microsurgical flaps performed by three plastic surgeons at our institution during the study period. The incidence of mastectomy skin flap necrosis was 13.4%. Univariate analysis revealed a significantly higher incidence of mastectomy skin necrosis in patients with higher mastectomy weight ( P P P = 0.021). No significant association was found for age, smoking, prior breast surgery, preoperative chemotherapy or radiation, or mastectomy type. Multivariate analysis demonstrated statistically significant associations between mastectomy skin necrosis and both increasing mastectomy weight (odds ratio 1.348 per quartile increase, P = 0.009) and diabetes (odds ratio 2.356, P = 0.011). Conclusions Increasing mastectomy weight and coexisting diabetes are significantly associated with postoperative mastectomy skin necrosis after microsurgical reconstruction. These characteristics should be considered during patient counseling, procedure selection, operative planning, and intraoperative tissue viability assessment.
p53 and Apoptosis: It's Not Just in the Nucleus Anymore

The tumor suppressor p53 triggers apoptosis in response to a variety of stress stimuli. Its role as a transcription factor modulating gene expression has been clearly implicated in this process. Two recent publications now argue for an additional direct role of p53 at the mitochondria in inducing apoptosis.
Update on emerging drugs for insomnia

In recent years, there has been no evidence that the problem of chronic insomnia has faded in the least in US adults; on the contrary, a recent estimate of annual lost productivity due to insomnia was $63.2 billion dollars. However, the proportion of insomniacs who are treated continues to be low, indicating the need for continued development and dissemination of effective therapies. Hypnotic drug development has arguably become more focused in recent years, particularly upon the highly anticipated novel target, the orexin (hypocretin) system. Merck's suvorexant (MK-4305) is the first compound of the so-called dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) class expected to be submitted for FDA approval, with a new drug application anticipated in 2012. While there has also been some new activity in the modulation of well-characterized targets with well-characterized agents, such as CNS histamine receptors with low-dose doxepin, a decades-old antidepressant and GABAA with sublingual zolpidem, experience with melat...
Ontogenesis of prolactin receptor gene expression in the rat olfactory system: potential roles for lactogenic hormones in olfactory development.

The PRL receptor (PRLR) is expressed at very low levels in the olfactory bulb of the adult rat but is detected in abundance in the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb of the fetal rat in late gestation. To explore potential roles for the lactogenic hormones in olfactory differentiation and development, we have used in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to examine the ontogeny of PRLR gene expression in the rat olfactory system. At midgestation (embryonic day 12.5), messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding the long and short isoforms of the rat PRLR were detected in the medial and lateral nasal processes, the epithelial lining of the olfactory pit, and the neuroepithelium lining the cerebral ventricles in the region of the rhinencephalon. PRLR mRNA was also expressed prominently in the frontonasal mesenchyme and in mesenchymal tissue underlying the developing brain and overlying the pontine flexure in the interpeduncular fossa. The distribution of PRLR immunoreactivity was similar to that of PRLR mRNA,...
Humoral suppression of erythropoiesis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Anemia due to inadequate red cell production often accompanies systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. We investigated its pathogenesis in 17 patients with these disorders, using a plasma clot culture system. In serum from normal donors and nonanemic patients CFU-E derived colony formation was not significantly altered by normal marrow cells (mean 74±12 colonies/6 × 10 4 cells), whereas colony formation was inhibited (mean 36 ± 6 colonies/6 × 10 4 cells) in serum from 10 anemic patients. In serum from anemic patients proliferation of the more primitive BFU-E was also reduced in three cases. In two patients with a humoral inhibitor, colony growth was suppressed by autologous marrow cells. In another patient without an inhibitor, colony formation was not suppressed by autologous bone marrow. The physical properties of this inhibitor are compatible with those of an immunoglobulin. Moreover, its presence is related to disease activity and it can be removed by successful therapy with either corticosteroids or plasma exchange. Circulating inhibitors of erythropoiesis may play an important role in causing severe anemia in patients with these rheumatic diseases.
Chemotherapy and the Surgery Patient: Principles and Recent Advances

Surgery is the mainstay of cancer therapy, yet there is mounting information demonstrating that chemotherapy is effective for the treatment of a wide variety of malignancies in dogs, cats and horses. Chemotherapy is not only being used to delay or eliminate metastatic disease, but also to enhance the local control of malignancies. New drugs and innovative combinations of chemotherapeutic agents are being evaluated at an ever increasing rate. Anticancer drugs are being delivered safer and more effectively because patients are being treated in new ways such as intralesionally or within body cavities. These agents are also being scheduled in more effective ways such as prior to, during, or after surgery. Techniques are being developed for drugs to be inhaled to reduce metastatic pulmonary disease. The purpose of this article is to review the general principals of cancer chemotherapy, the various toxicoses associated with these drugs, as well as examples of how chemotherapy has been used in combination with surgery.
Enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of dentin adhesives containing a new urethane-based trimethacrylate monomer

A new trimethacrylate monomer with urethane-linked groups, 1,1,1-tri-[4(methacryloxyethylamino-carbonyloxy)-phenyl]ethane (MPE), was synthesized, characterized, and used as a co-monomer in dentin adhesives. Dentin adhesives containing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA, 45% w/w) and 2,2-bis[4(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxy-propyloxy)-phenyl] propane (BisGMA, 30% w/w) in addition to MPE (25% w/w) were formulated with H2O at 0 (MPE0), 8 (MPE8) and 16 wt % water (MPE16) to simulate the wet demineralized dentin matrix and compared with controls [HEMA/BisGMA, 45/55 w/w, at 0 (C0), 8 (C8) and 16 wt% water (C16)]. The new adhesive showed a degree of double bond conversion and mechanical properties comparable with control, with good penetration into the dentin surface and a uniform adhesive/ dentin interface. On exposure to porcine liver esterase, the net cumulative methacrylic acid (MAA) release from the new adhesives was dramatically (P < 0.05) decreased relative to the control, suggesting that the new monomer improves esterase resistance.
Use of radioimmunoassay as a screen for antibiotics in confined animal feeding operations and confirmation by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Abstract Approximately one-half of the 50 000 000 lb of antibiotics produced in the USA are used in agriculture. Because of the intensive use of antibiotics in the management of confined livestock operations, the potential exists for the transport of these compounds and their metabolites into our nation’s water resources. A commercially available radioimmunoassay method, developed as a screen for tetracycline antibiotics in serum, urine, milk, and tissue, was adapted to analyze water samples at a detection level of approximately 1.0 ppb and a semiquantitative analytical range of 1–20 ppb. Liquid waste samples were obtained from 13 hog lagoons in three states and 52 surface- and ground-water samples were obtained primarily from areas associated with intensive swine and poultry production in seven states. These samples were screened for the tetracycline antibiotics by using the modified radioimmunoassay screening method. The radioimmunoassay tests yielded positive results for tetracycline antibiotics in samples from all 13 of the hog lagoons. Dilutions of 10–100-fold of the hog lagoon samples indicated that tetracycline antibiotic concentrations ranged from approximately 5 to several hundred parts per billion in liquid hog lagoon waste. Of the 52 surface- and ground-water samples collected all but two tested negative and these two samples contained tetracycline antibiotic concentrations less than 1 ppb. A new liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method was used to confirm the radioimmunoassay results in 9 samples and also to identify the tetracycline antibiotics to which the radioimmunoassay test was responding. The new liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method with online solid-phase extraction and a detection level of 0.5 μg/l confirmed the presence of chlorotetracycline in the hog lagoon samples and in one of the surface-water samples. The concentrations calculated from the radioimmunoassay were a factor of 1–5 times less than those calculated by the liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry concentrations for chlorotetracycline.
ATP utilization by yeast replication factor C. IV. RFC ATP-binding mutants show defects in DNA replication, DNA repair, and checkpoint regulation.

Replication factor C is required to load proliferating cell nuclear antigen onto primer-template junctions, using the energy of ATP hydrolysis. Four of the five RFCgenes have consensus ATP-binding motifs. To determine the relative importance of these sites for proper DNA metabolism in the cell, the conserved lysine in the Walker A motif of RFC1,RFC2, RFC3, or RFC4 was mutated to either arginine or glutamic acid. Arginine mutations in allRFC genes tested permitted cell growth, although poor growth was observed for rfc2-K71R. A glutamic acid substitution resulted in lethality in RFC2 andRFC3 but not in RFC1 or RFC4. Most double mutants combining mutations in two RFC genes were inviable. Except for the rfc1-K359R andrfc4-K55E mutants, which were phenotypically similar to wild type in every assay, the mutants were sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. The rfc2-K71R and rfc4-K55R mutants show checkpoint defects, most likely in the intra-S phase checkpoint. Regulation of the damage-inducible RNR3 promoter was impaired in these mutants, and phosphorylation of Rad53p in response to DNA damage was specifically defective when cells were in S phase. No dramatic defects in telomere length regulation were detected in the mutants. These data demonstrate that the ATP binding function ofRFC2 is important for both DNA replication and checkpoint function and, for the first time, that RFC4 also plays a role in checkpoint regulation.
Properties and distribution of glutamine synthetase in the southern armyworm, Prodenia eridania.

Abstract Glutamine synthetase prepared from internal tissues of Prodenia eridania larvae was purified about 4-fold by isoelectric precipitation of acetone-powder extracs. The relatively unstable enzyme incubated with l -glutamate, NH4+ (orNH2OH), ATP and Mg2+ formed stoichiometric amounts of glutamine (or γ-glutamylhydroxamate), ADP and inorganic phosphate. The hydroxamate reaction with d -glutamate was considerably slower than with the l -isomer. γ-Glutamyl-transferase activity was about three times that of the synthetase. Characterization of the insect enzyme did not reveal any special or unique properties. Synthetase activity was highest in the larval fat-body, the gut and Malpighian tubules had a much lower titer, and little or no activity was found in the hemolymph. During adult development a more or less progressive decrease in synthetase activity occurred until just before emergence of the adult moth when the titer increased slightly.
Two New Parameters for Predicting the Entropy of Melting: Eccentricity (ε) and Spirality (μ)

The prediction of the entropy of fusion of organic compounds is studied. Rotational symmetry (σ) and flexibility (φ) have already been shown to contribute to the orientational and conformational entropy of fusion, respectively. Eccentricity (e) and spirality (μ) are two new parameters that influence translational and configurational entropy. e is defined as the ratio of the volume of a box around a rigid molecule to the cubed radius of a sphere containing the same molecular van der Waals volume. μ is defined as the number of benzo[c]phenanthrene regions present in the molecule. This moiety results in repulsion and out of plane twisting to maximize the distance between hydrogens. Enthalpy of melting, melting point, and geometrical data for 117 compounds were gathered from the literature. The database consists of alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkyl benzenes, and other alkyl aromatics. The addition of e and μ to σ and φ as predictors for the entropy of melting revealed a best fit melting point p...
From the Editors: How to write a high-quality review

The peer review process is widely used by academic journals, including the Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS), to evaluate the quality of manuscript submissions relative to the journals’ scholarly goals. Our overview suggests that the best reviews also facilitate the introduction of new and important ideas to the field. Content analysis of 156 past JIBS reviews found that the best reviews (highly rated reviews written by reviewers who won the JIBS best reviewer award in 2011 and 2012) shared many key features, including a focus on the overall contribution (potential impact) of the manuscript, a positive tone and specific suggestions for improvement. We also surveyed current JIBS action editors and found that, despite the importance of high-quality reviews for the advancement of the field, few recalled being formally trained or mentored on how to write them. To better understand the features of a good review, the editors rated the various features of the peer reviews on helpfulness, and they also rated how often these features are present in the reviews they receive. Based on the survey of action editors and the content analysis of previous reviews, this editorial offers detailed guidance for current and future reviewers on how to write helpful, developmental and possibly even award-winning peer reviews.