cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the determinants of cross-country aggregate agricultural supply

The nature of supply response is a subject often encountered in evaluating the effects of economic policies. The concept of supply response concentrates on the output-price relationships. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of price and various public inputs, or shifters, on the aggregate agricultural supply. The sample consists of annual observations for 58 countries for the period 1969-1978. This paper summarizes some of the findings which are reported in greater detail in Binswanger et al. The study has several major findings. l) A weak positive supply response is obtained from the variations over time for the individual countries. 2) An implausible negative supply response is obtained from the between-country variations. 3) The shifters, as a group, account for most of the variations in supply in the within-country and between-country analysis. Does it mean that prices have no role in the determination of supply? The answer is no but the role is somewhat more difficult to detect. The paper indicates that the within-country estimates measure the short-run response and as such the paper's estimates are consistent with estimates obtained from similar data using for the agricultural production function.
Change in physical activity during active treatment in a prospective study of breast cancer survivors

Physical activity offers many benefits to breast cancer survivors, yet research on physical activity during the immediate period following a breast cancer diagnosis is limited. In a prospective cohort study of 1,696 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Medical Care Program from 2006-2009, we describe change in self-reported physical activity levels from around diagnosis to 6 months post-diagnosis and determine factors associated with change. Participants completed a comprehensive physical activity questionnaire at baseline (2 months post-diagnosis) and at follow-up (8 months post-diagnosis). Predictors of physical activity change were determined by multivariable linear regression. Reductions in all physical activity levels were observed (P < 0.0001); mean (SD) change (h/week) of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was -1.28 (4.48) and sedentary behavior was -0.83 (6.95). In fully-adjusted models, overweight and obesity were associated with greater declines in MVPA of -1.58 h/week (SD = 0.92) and -1.29 h/week (SD = 0.93), respectively (P = 0.0079). Receipt of chemotherapy only was also associated with a greater decrease in MVPA (-2.12 h/week; SD = 0.92; P < 0.0001), specifically for recreational activities (-1.62 h/week; SD = 0.64; P = 0.0001). These data suggest challenges in maintaining physical activity levels during active treatment among women with breast cancer. Interventions to encourage physical activity in breast cancer survivors should be pursued.
The inhibitory effect of genistein on the growth and metastasis of a transplantable rat accessory sex gland carcinoma.

Abstract Background : A cell line (K1) derived from a carcinogen-induced accessory sex gland carcinoma was used to examine the effects of the soybean extract, genistein, on tumor growth and metastasis. Methods : Male Lobund–Wistar rats were injected s.c. with 20 million K1 cells; genistein (50 mg/kg BW) or the vehicle was administered s.c. every 12 h for 31 days. Results : Genistein significantly inhibited tumor growth. Compared with controls, fewer genistein-treated rats developed invasive tumors (11% vs. 44%) or lymph node metastases (44% vs. 89%). No lung metastases were found in genistein-treated animals in contrast to controls (0% vs. 44%). Estrogenic side effects were precipitated in genistein-treated rats, including decreased accessory sex gland complex weight, increased pituitary weight, decreased testis weight, and decreased (BW). Serum testosterone was undetectable and serum prostate-specific acid phosphatase activity was 38% lower in genistein-treated rats compared with controls. Genistein concentrations in the solid tumors (2 nmol/g) were one-third those in blood. Conclusions : These data suggest that genistein may be a useful chemotherapeutic agent to inhibit the growth and metastasis of accessory sex gland cancers, such as those derived from the prostate.
Comparative study of Series-Series and Series-Parallel compensation topologies for electric vehicle charging

Loosely coupled inductive power transfer (IPT) systems have recently gained enormous attention for electric vehicle (EV) battery charging. For EV battery charging, a constant-current source is required. Numerous published papers suggest that the secondary of loosely coupled IPT systems, if series compensated, can act as constant-voltage source; and, if parallel compensated, it can act as constant-current source. In this paper, the authors prove that both series as well as parallel compensated secondary can act as constant-current source as well as a constant-voltage source, depending on the nature of power supply. Hence, either of the topological options can be utilized efficiently for EV charging. The authors intend to present the work for the case where primary is in the form of a long track, such as in a mono-rail or electric traction metro system. Hence, the primary is always considered to be series compensated.
Sex, sex‐role identification, and awareness of sex‐role stereotypes

An experiment was run to determine if androgynous people have transcended traditional sex roles or merely incorporated both sex roles into their repertoire. Masculine sex-typed, feminine sex-typed, and androgynous people listed as many masculine and feminine stereotypes as they could think of in a time-limited task. Highly sex-typed individuals showed more awareness of their own sex's attributes than the other sex's stereotypes. Androgynous people showed greater awareness of both sexes' attributes as compared with sex-typed people, indicating support for the incorporation hypothesis rather than the transcendance hypothesis. However, the stereotypes androgynous people listed were somewhat less evaluative in tone compared with those of sex-typed people, Overall, subjects listed more stereotypes of females than males, and female stereotypes were more negative than male stereotypes.
Design and Use of a Laser Interferometer for Ultrasonic Bonding Studies

An in-line laser interferometer was developed to study motions during ultrasonic bonding. The interferometer consists of a 2 milliwatt He-Ne laser with output mirrors at both ends, a lens with adjustment apparatus, and a photodiode detector. The detector output is displayed on an oscilloscope. The lens permits the beam to be focussed to a spot diameter less than 25 micrometers. The beam is focussed on a periodically moving target which results in a fringe pattern displayed on the oscilloscope. Peak-to-peak displacements up to 50 micrometers have been measured with an accuracy of ± 25 nanometers. The fringe pattern observed may be described in terms of a Michelson interferometer. The experimentally observed fringe pattern corresponds exactly to the theoretical plot using the Michelson interferometer. Peak-to-peak displacements are determined by counting the number of fringes on the oscilloscope.
A theoretical comparison of list scanning models

Abstract Eight specific list scanning models are developed and relationships between predictions of contrasting models (serial versus parallel search, self-terminating versus exhaustive processing) are investigated. All models assume that items contained in a list are uniquely defined by specific features, and that the only process by which two items may be tested for equality is to compare corresponding features. All models predict RT to be linearly related with list length when no subject errors occur. With errors, some models predict theoretical nonlinearity but sample calculations indicate that deviation from linearity is slight in many cases. The importance of coding strategy is also discussed.
Preparation of fatty 3,5‐disubstituted isoxazole compounds from FA esters

Long-chain fatty compounds containing an isoxazole heterocyclic ring system substituted at the 3- and 5-ring positions were prepared in moderate to good yields (40–64%) in one pot by condensing FA esters such as methyl palmitate, stearate, oleate, or linoleate with the lithiated anion of N-(isopropylidene)isopropylamine followed by dehydrative cyclization. This approach allows readily available FA esters to be utilized and incorporated into the construction of the isoxazole ring system. These novel products were isolated then characterized by NMR, IR spectroscopy, GC-MS, and m.p. Mass spectra of the fatty isoxazole compounds, derived utilizing EI ionization, showed distinctive cleavage patterns that occurred uniformly along the fatty alkyl chain allowing the position of double bonds to be readily located. Two prominent ions at m/z 97 and 110 were common to all the fatty isoxazole compounds examined and were presumably from a McLafferty rearrangement and a cyclization displacement reaction, respectively.
Comparison of TDNN and RNN performances for neuro-identification on small to medium-sized power systems

For Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to become more widely used in power systems and the future smart grids, ANN based algorithms must be capable of scaling up as they try to identify and control larger and larger parts of a power system. This paper goes through the process of scaling up an ANN based identifier as it is driven to identify increasingly larger portions of a power system. Distributed and centralized approaches for scaling up are taken and the pros and cons of each are presented. The New England/New York 68-bus power network is used as the test bed for the studies. It is shown that while a fully-connected (centralized) ANNs is capable of identification of the system with appropriate accuracy, the increase in the training times required to obtain an acceptable set of weights becomes prohibitive as the system size is increased.
Effect of Powdery Mildew on Apple Yield and Economic Benefits of Its Management in Virginia.

Virginia and include ‘Ginger Gold’, ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Granny Smith’, ‘Idared’, ‘Jonagold’, ‘Jonathan’, ‘Paulared’, ‘Rome Beauty’, ‘Stayman Winesap’, and ‘Winesap’. The presence of mildew in an orchard one year, coupled with the normal weather conditions in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia, makes the recurrent presence of mildew likely. Currently, the primary mildewcides are sterol demethylation inhibitors (DMIs) and sulfur. The DMIs have been perceived by many growers as being highly effective, but more expensive than sulfur for mildew control. When either type of fungicide is applied too infrequently to maintain protective coverage in a dry spring, an increase in mildew beyond the suggested action threshold level of 20% infection may result. Three reports cite differing effects of DMI fungicides on return bloom (1,4,7), and several have indicated positive effects on one or more elements of yield by one or more of the DMI fungicides in the presence of mildew (6,8‐10).
Expression of J chain RNA in cell lines representing different stages of B lymphocyte differentiation

During B cell differentiation to pentamer IgM secretion, synthesis of the pentamer joining component, the J chain, is initiated. We investigated the mechanism for initiating J chain synthesis by analyzing murine cell lines representing different stages in B cell differentiation. The expression of functional J chain mRNA was evaluated by cell-free translation and specific immunoprecipitation of a J chain product. The expression of precursor mRNA was examined by hybridization with a J chain probe obtained by molecular cloning of cDNA. No J chain-specific RNA could be demonstrated in a lymphoma line representative of an undifferentiated B lymphocyte, but three species of J chain RNA were identified in hybrid cell lines representative of IgM-secreting plasma cells: a mature message of approximately 1.5 kb and two minor components of 2.5 and 0.92 kb. The encounter of a B cell with antigen or mitogen must therefore trigger events that effect either transcription of J chain sequences or their intranuclear stabilization.
Cardiovascular effects in rats following exposure to a high-boiling coal liquid.

Abstract In previous work, increased blood pressure was observed in anesthetized rats following a subchronic aerosol exposure to solvent-refined coal heavy distillate (HD). To determine if this increase is a permanent, dose-related response, 11-week-old male rats were exposed by inhalation to 0, 0.24, or 0.70 mg/liter (control, low-exposure, and high-exposure groups, respectively) of HD for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week, for 6 weeks. In addition to blood pressure, select cardiovascular parameters were measured to obtain information on other possible toxic effects of the HD and also to gain some insight into potentially altered regulatory mechanisms that could be affecting the blood pressure. The angiotensin-aldosterone hormonal system, body fluid regulation, cardiac function and regulation, and pulmonary gas-exchange capabilities were examined. Two weeks after the end of exposure, mean blood pressures and heart rates of anesthetized animals in the low- and high-exposure groups were elevated relative to the controls. Plasma angiotensin concentrations decreased with increasing dose, whereas aldosterone concentrations were unaffected. In the high-dose group, blood and plasma volumes were 20 and 28%, respectively, higher than those of controls. Seven weeks after exposure, all measured cardiovascular parameters were similar to control values. Results from this study show that a 6-week exposure to HD resulted in dose-dependent, transient changes in a variety of physiological factors considered important in cardiovascular function.
SU(3) -symmetry breaking and partial conservation of axial-vector current in the constituent-quark basis

The axial-vector-current divergences do not transform under SU(3) as they naively appear to transform. The consequences of this observation are drawn, correcting and extending an earlier paper of the author. (AIP)
The Design of a Low Speed Water Turbine

This paper describes a method for the design of a low r.p.m water turbine designed for an operating point of 5 knots that would be suitable for use as a generator on a recreational sailboat. The low flow speed also means that this design process is also suitable for the hydraulic design of stationary tidal or current generators. The turbine example described in this pare has subsequently been manufactured and successfully tested with a hydraulic efficiency of 13%. Details of the testing are described in a separate paper. (Bredariol et al (2010)).Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Cavitation in the neck of a deformed Ti-47Al-2Nb-2Cr creep specimen

In creep deformation, intergranular cavitation is the predominant damage process that leads to fracture. In addition to the strain rate, nucleation and growth of cavities are the most important issues to examine when considering material lifetimes. Cavities tend to grow on boundaries normal to the tensile stress axis. Constrained cavity growth models describe how the growth rate is retarded due to the need for the surrounding matrix to accommodate the volume increase. Near-{gamma} TiAl has a microstructure that is very sensitive to heat treatment and deformation history. In this study, the authors investigate a necked creep specimen upon which creep rates were evaluated in a history that started with a large stress and steadily decreased by stress changes through the end of the experiment. Since creep rates at similar stresses are as much as an order of magnitude higher than in a specimen deformed in a generally increasing stress change history, the cavitation evident in the neck is expected to be strongly affected by the particular deformation history in the material.
Technology Talk: Public Speaking Textbooks' Coverage of Information Retrieval Technology Systems

College students use technology to gather information and conduct their daily lives. Textbooks increasingly relate course content to students through technology. An analysis of the top ten public speaking textbooks revealed the ways in which technology is addressed within information-gathering chapters. Seven areas of technology were identified: search engines/conducting searches, the Internet, general computing, non-computer technologies, technology applications, technology in general, and the provision of Website addresses. Chi-square tests showed significant differences in the coverage of the technology topics. Instructors can make more informed textbook selections as a result of this investigation. Technology is essential to the information gathering process, and this study suggests how its treatment may be more beneficial to both students and instructors.
In the Shadow of the Pyramids: Domestic Violence In Egypt

Domestic violence in Egypt shares many of the features identified in Western-feminist scholarship: the hidden or invisible nature of the problem, the tendency toward ‘victim blaming’, and the failu...
Microsomal cytochrome P-450 function in fish evaluated with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to cytochrome P-450E from scup (Stenotomus chrysops)

Abstract Monooxygenase reactions catalyzed by cytochromes P-450 are paramount in the oxidative metabolism of many xenobiotics, determining both the persistence and effects of numerous types of compounds. Immunological probes are proving useful in evaluating the functions of P-450 isozymes in microsomal preparations from many species. The regulation of specific isozymes by endogenous and exogenous factors can also be evaluated with such probes. Here we describe studies on the activities apparently catalyzed by induced P-450 in fish, evaluated with both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to cytochrome P-450E, the apparent major β-naphthoflavone(BNF) or methylcholanthrene(MC)-inducible isozyme purified from scup ( S. chrysops ) liver.
Activation and reactivation of catalyst by organic chlorides in the rhodium-catalyzed codimerization of α-olefin and conjugate dienes

Abstract Organic chlorides with labile CCl bonds can be used to convert certain Rh I complexes into a catalyst for the codimerization of α-olefins and 1,3-dienes to form 1,4-dienes. In the presence of excess organic chlorides, the catalytic activity can be maintained indefinitely through continuous reactivation of decayed catalyst. This catalyst activation effect can be attributed to the ability of the organic chlorides to convert an inactive Rh I species to an active Rh III species by oxidative addition.
Spectral derivative based image reconstruction provides inherent insensitivity to coupling and geometric errors

A reconstruction algorithm for multiwavelength diffuse optical tomography is presented, where instead of using data at each wavelength separately or even simultaneously, the difference in data for multiple wavelength pairs is used to reconstruct absolute concentration maps of chromophores. The results indicate a dramatic improvement in image reconstruction and the elimination of image artifacts, which are often associated with unknown measurement errors such as coupling coefficients and external boundary variations, because these errors are often less dependent on wavelength, and are effectively removed from the data set of the first derivative of intensity with respect to wavelength.
Some aspects of the wetting transition1

The wetting of an attractive planar wall by liquid at liquid-gas coexistence is investigated from a microscopic point of view. A model for interface detachment due to thermal fluctuations is first worked out. An empirical framework for distinguishing between first-order and continuous wetting transitions is then set up, and quantified by the introduction of the van der Waals mean field model. This is solved for strong, short-range and weak, long-range forces. The role of fluctuations is reconsidered, and the nature of the required corrections examined, both for wall-fluid and fluid-fluid interfaces.
Variations in the levels of secretory component in human uterine fluid during the menstrual cycle.

Abstract To determine whether variations in the level of secretory component (SC) occur during the menstrual cycle, we compared the amounts of SC in human uterine secretions during the proliferative, secretory, and menstrual phases. Uterine washes were obtained from women (ages: 18–49) with histologically normal endometria by lavage with Gravlee jet wash device using isotonic glycine. SC was measured by a radioimmunoassay which recognizes primarily free SC. Levels of uterine luminal SC, when expressed as the percentage of total wash protein, were highest during the secretory phase, significantly reduced during the proliferative phase and lowest during menstruation. The mean protein concentration in uterine fluids did not vary significantly during the menstrual cycle. Total amounts of SC were also greatest during the secretory phase, averaging two times higher than SC levels in proliferative samples. These results demonstrate that fluctuations do occur in the SC content of human uterine secretions during the menstrual cycle and suggest that hormones play an important role in the secretory immune system of the human uterus.
Disturbing effects of contracts based on effort supervision

Abstract This paper points out some of the paradoxical and counterfactual results that contracts based on effort supervision may lead into. Specifically it is argued that those contracts may lead to the dismissal of the most able workers and to promoting the least able. An alternative framework is also suggested to eliminate those effects.
The scientific basis of bioassays

The ultimate goal of ecotoxicological testing is to predict ecological effects of chemicals and other stressors. Since damage should be avoided rather than corrected after it occurs, the predictive value of such tests is crucial. A modest base of evidence shows that, in some cases, extrapolations from bioassays on one species to another species are reasonably accurate and, in other cases, misleading. Extrapolations from laboratory bioassays to response in natural systems at the population level are effective if the environmental realism of the bioassay is sufficiently high. When laboratory systems are poor simulations of natural systems, gross extrapolation errors may result. The problem of extrapolating among levels of biological organization has not been given the serious attention it deserves, and currently used methodologies have been chosen for reasons other than scientific validity. As the level of biological organization increases, new properties are added (e.g., nutrient cycling, energy transfer) that are not readily apparent at the lower levels. The measured responses (or end points) will not be the same at all levels of biological organization, making the validation of predictions difficult. Evidence indicates that responses of ecologically complex laboratory systems correspond to predicted and documented patterns in stressed ecosystems. The difficulties of improving the ecological evidence used to predict adverse effects are not insurmountable since the essence of predictive capability is the determination of effects thresholds at all levels of organization. The dilemma between basing predictive schemes on either traditional or holistic methods can only be solved by facing scientific and ethical questions regarding the adequacy of evidence used to make decisions of environmental protection.
The solar wind-magnetosphere dynamo and the magnetospheric substorm

Abstract In a quiet condition, the solar wind kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy. A small part of this energy is dissipated as heat energy in the polar ionosphere. We identify at least three types of magnetospheric disturbances which are not associated with an increase of the heat production and call them reversible disturbances, while the magnetospheric substorm is an irreversible disturbance which is associated with a large increase of the heat production. The magnetosphere appears to have an inherent internal instability by which a large amount of heat energy is sporadically produced in the polar upper atmosphere at the expense of the magnetic energy in the magnetotail. A positive feed-back process may be responsible for the growth of the instability and for the expansive phase, while the recovery phase sets in when some process begins to suppress the positive feed-back process.
Spatial properties of spontaneous parametric down-conversion and their effect on induced coherence without induced emission

The quantum state for spontaneous parametric down-conversion was evaluated to include information about the transverse spatial characteristic of the down-conversion fields. This state was used to calculate the angular spectrum of down-conversion in the case of both single-channel and coincidence measurements, while retaining the characteristic nonclassical correlations. Actual transverse profiles for typical experimental parameters were evaluated numerically and measurements were performed with results that compared well with the numerical calculation. This theoretical spatial model was then applied nonrigorously to the case of induced coherence without induced emission. The theoretical results implied that there was a reduction in the degree of induced coherence due strictly to the spatial distribution of the down-conversion beams. This was interpreted as a result of increased distinguishability of the overlapping idler photons. Measurements were conducted which support these results qualitatively. In addition, the present theory explained an unexpected quantitative discrepancy between second- and fourth-order visibilities in previous induced-coherence experiments. This discrepancy was interpreted phenomenologically as a difference between intrinsic and nonintrinsic indistinguishability, and some implications towards quantum measurement theory and the role of the observer were suggested.
Modeling Intelligent Adversaries for Terrorism Risk Assessment: Some Necessary Conditions for Adversary Models

Intelligent adversary modeling has become increasingly important for risk analysis, and a number of different approaches have been proposed for incorporating intelligent adversaries in risk analysis models. However, these approaches are based on a range of often-implicit assumptions about the desirable properties of intelligent adversary models. This "Perspective" paper aims to further risk analysis for situations involving intelligent adversaries by fostering a discussion of the desirable properties for these models. A set of four basic necessary conditions for intelligent adversary models is proposed and discussed. These are: (1) behavioral accuracy to the degree possible, (2) computational tractability to support decision making, (3) explicit consideration of uncertainty, and (4) ability to gain confidence in the model. It is hoped that these suggested necessary conditions foster discussion about the goals and assumptions underlying intelligent adversary modeling in risk analysis.
The Influence of Corporate Credibility on Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intent

Corporate credibility forms part of the overall reputation of a company. It describes how consumers evaluate the company's honesty and expertise. Along with endorser credibility, it is another type of source credibility that can influence consumer reactions to a company's advertisements and shape their brand attitudes. In this paper, we examine these two sources of credibility and assess their relative impact on three sets of consumer perceptions — their ‘attitude-toward-the-ad,’ ‘attitude-toward-the-brand,’ and ‘purchase intentions.’ The results of two experimental studies indicate that both corporate credibility and endorser credibility had significant impacts on attitude-toward-the-ad, attitude-toward-the-brand, and purchase intentions. However, while corporate credibility had a greater effect on attitude-toward-the-brand, endorser credibility seemed to have a stronger influence on attitude-toward-the-ad. Overall, the findings confirm that corporate credibility plays a key role in influencing consumer reactions to advertisements and brands.
Reactions of the Alkoxy Radicals Formed Following OH-Addition to α-Pinene and β-Pinene. C−C Bond Scission Reactions

The atmospheric degradation pathways of the atmospherically important terpenes α-pinene and β-pinene are studied using density functional theory. We employ the correlation functional of Lee, Yang, ...
Patterns of desynchrony in agoraphobia: a preliminary report.

Abstract Changes in heart rate in three moderate to severe agoraphobic women were monitored by a Holter Recorder, used for obtaining portable EKGs. These data were collected before, half-way through, and at the end of a 12 session, group therapy program consisting of exposure and cognitive restructuring while subjects walked, or in one case, were driven along a standard 1.2 km course leading away from the treatment setting. Self-reports of anxiety were collected simultaneously. Despite substantial behavioral improvement in all cases, markedly different patterns of synchrony or desynchrony were noted between heart rate and self-reports of anxiety and substantial increases in heart rate were noted in one subject.
Presheath and boundary effects on helicon discharge equilibria

The location and existence of a double layer observed in the core of an argon helicon discharge (3 to 4 mTorr, 500 W rf power) with uniform magnetic fields (900 G), previously reported by Siddiqui (2014 Phys. Plasmas 21 020707), is shown to be modulated by the distance of the downstream conducting boundary from the helicon antenna and the length of its presheath. A region of locally hot electrons (Te ≈ 10 eV) is observed in all cases. When the downstream grounded boundary is 33 cm away from the antenna no double layer is observed and the electrons cool due to heat conduction, requiring the electron density to increase concurrently in order to maintain axial electron pressure balance. When the boundary is held 27 cm or closer to the antenna, the boundary's presheath, which requires the density to decrease monotonically, does not allow enough room for the electrons to cool via conduction. The double layer only exists in these cases, and is shown to trap the hot electrons upstream from the boundary. As such, the interaction of the boundary's presheath with the upstream rf electron heating is shown to determine the overall discharge equilibrium in the system.
An Internal Polypyrimidine-Tract-Binding Protein-Binding Site in the Hepatitis C Virus RNA Attenuates Translation, Which Is Relieved by the 3′-Untranslated Sequence

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA binds to several cellular proteins, which may regulate translation or replication of viral RNA. One of these is polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB), which binds to the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) and the 3'-end 98 nucleotides (nt) (X region) of HCV RNA. Both of these PTB-binding sites regulate HCV translation. In this study, we further investigated the nature of PTB binding on HCV RNA. UV cross-linking studies using HeLa cell extracts and a recombinant PTB showed that the PTB-5'-UTR binding was much weaker than the PTB-3'-UTR binding. Unexpectedly, we found an even stronger PTB-binding site in the core-protein-coding region of HCV RNA. The binding domain was mapped to the 3'-end of this region, which contains a pyrimidine-rich sequence highly conserved among HCV isolates. Using a set of synthetic HCV RNAs with or without this sequence in in vitro translation studies, we showed that the PTB-binding sequence in the core-coding region strongly inhibited translation of HCV RNA. This inhibition was relieved by the presence of the X region at the 3'-end. Furthermore, the previously reported translational enhancement by the HCV 3'-UTR was more pronounced when this PTB-binding site was present in the RNA. These results suggest that PTB binding to an internal site of HCV RNA provides another mechanism for regulation of HCV translation.
Bootstrap MISE Estimators to Obtain Bandwidth for Kernel Density Estimation

Research in the area of bandwidth selection was an active topic in the 1980s and 1990s, however, recently there has been little research in the area. We re-opened this investigation and have found a new method for estimating mean integrated squared error for kernel density estimators. We provide an overview of other methods to obtain optimal bandwidths and offer a comparison of these methods via a simulation study. In certain situations, our method of estimating an optimal bandwidth yields a smaller MISE than competing methods to compute bandwidths. This procedure is illustrated by an application to two data sets.
Three algorithms on Braun trees

Among the many flavours of balanced binary trees, Braun trees (Braun and Rem, 1983) are perhaps the most circumscribed. For any given node of a Braun tree, the left subtree is either exactly the same size as the right subtree, or one element larger. Braun trees always have minimum height, and the shape of each Braun tree is completely determined by its size. In return for this rigor, algorithms that manipulate Braun trees are often exceptionally simple and elegant, and need not maintain any explicit balance information.Braun trees have been used to implement both flexible arrays (Braun and Rem, 1983; Hoogerwoord, 1992; Paulson, 1996) and priority queues (Paulson, 1996; Bird, 1996). Most operations involving a single element (e.g. adding, removing, inspecting or updating an element) take O(log n) time, since the trees are balanced. We consider three algorithmically interesting operations that manipulate entire trees. First, we give an O(log2 n) algorithm for calculating the size of a tree. Second, we show how to create a tree containing n copies of some element x in O(log n) time. Finally, we describe an order-preserving algorithm for converting a list to a tree in O(n) time. This last operation is not nearly as straightforward as it sounds!
Sufficient conditions for Nash strategies in a class of non-zero-sum differential games†

A general class of two-person differential games, where the first player tries to minimize a cost criterion, while the second tries to maximize a different cost functional, by controlling inputs to a single dynamic system, is investigated as an extension of optimal control theory. Using variational techniques, sufficient conditions for open-loop Nash equilibrium strategies are developed.
Robust matched filters

The problem of designing robust matched filters for situations in which there is uncertainty in the signal structure or noise statistics is considered. Two general aspects of this problem are treated. First, maximin robust designs are characterized for a general Hilbert-space formulation of the matched filtering problem and explicit solutions are given for two intuitively appealing models for uncertainty. These results are seen to generalize earlier results for specific matched filtering problems. The second general aspect treated is the application of the theoretical maximin results to the particular problem of designing filters to combat uncertain nonlinear channel distortion. Channel distortion is modeled by considering an unknown received signal which may differ in L_{2} -norm from the transmitted or nominal signal by no more than a fixed amount. The effect of the channel distortion is seen to be equivalent to that of adding a white noise to the channel whose spectral height depends on the degree of distortion. General expressions are developed for the determination of the robust filter and its performance, and numerical results are presented for the case of baseband detection in Gauss-Markov noise.
Phase 3 study comparing the use of docetaxel on an every-3-week versus weekly schedule in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer†

BACKGROUND Previous studies have evaluated 3-week and weekly docetaxel schedules in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The varying efficacy results and toxicity profiles noted in these earlier studies led to a comparison of the schedules to determine which was safer and more efficacious. METHODS A phase 3 clinical trial was conducted in patients with MBC who were treated with docetaxel either every 3 weeks or once weekly to determine and compare response rate and duration, time to disease progression, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Patients were randomized to receive docetaxel at a starting dose of either 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks or 35 mg/m2 weekly for 3 consecutive weeks followed by 1 week of rest. RESULTS A total of 118 patients underwent efficacy analysis; 59 patients were randomized to the every-3-week treatment arm and 59 to the weekly arm. The response rate was 35.6% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 23.6–49.1%) for the every-3-week arm versus 20.3% (95% CI, 11.0–32.8%) for the weekly arm. There was no statistical difference between the every 3-week and the weekly treatment arms with regard to median PFS (5.7 months vs 5.5 months; P = .46) or OS (18.3 months vs 18.6 months, respectively; P = .34). There was a higher overall toxicity rate (grades 3 and 4, according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria [version 2.0]) in the every-3-week treatment arm versus the weekly treatment arm (88.1% vs 55.9%, respectively; P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS Compared with patients who received weekly docetaxel, those who received docetaxel every 3 weeks had a higher response rate but experienced similar PFS and OS and a more pronounced toxicity. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-deficient mice generate normal immune responses to model antigens and are resistant to TCDD-induced immune suppression.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates many of the toxic effects induced by exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a high-affinity AhR ligand and a potent immunotoxicant. AhR-deficient mice have been constructed, and there are reports that the animals display altered splenic architecture and cellularity with an apparent increased incidence of infection. These observations have led to speculation that the immune system of these animals might be compromised, however, their functional immune response has not been directly tested. In the studies presented here, we examined the immune response of two strains of 8- to 10-week-old AhR-deficient mice. Mice were challenged with model antigens, allogeneic P815 tumor cells, or sheep red blood cells, and their ability to generate cell-mediated and humoral immune responses was examined. In addition, to address the obligatory role of the AhR in TCDD-induced immune suppression, we examined the immune response of the AhR-null animals following exposure to an immunosuppressive dose of TCDD. Results from these studies showed that AhR-deficient mice were able to mount normal productive immune responses to both model antigens and that neither the cellular nor the humoral response was suppressed by exposure to TCDD. Interestingly, however, we found that the immune response of heterozygous AhR(+/-) mice was less sensitive to TCDD than homozygous AhR(+/+) mice. The results of these studies suggest that the absence of the AhR does not impact the function of the immune system, but confirm the findings of previous studies that have indicated the AhR plays an obligatory role in TCDD-induced immune suppression.
The innovation funnel

Abstract The path to technological innovation is made up of a number of identifiable macro and micro level discriminators. The macro level includes: (1) the technological prerequisites; (2) the country's sociocultural tendencies; and (3) the country's material, human, and institutional infrastructures. At the micro level the filters include: (4) the structure of the particular industry: (5) the size and nature of the individual firm; (6) the attitudes of the management of the firm; and (7) the establishment of standards for the widespread diffusion of the innovation. The absence of one or more of these seven sequential steps diminishes the likelihood that innovation will occur. This article examines the macrocosm of innovation and the screening process while presenting two propositions that suggest how to enhance an invention's progression through the innovation funnel.
NOSER: An algorithm for solving the inverse conductivity problem

The inverse conductivity problem is the mathematical problem that must be solved in order for electrical impedance tomography systems to be able to make images. Here we show how this inverse conductivity problem is related to a number of other inverse problem. We then explain the workings of an algorithm that we have used to make images from electrical impedance data measured on the boundary of a circle in two dimensions. This algorithm is based on the method of least squares. It takes one step of a Newton's method, using a constant conductivity as an initial guess. Most of the calculations can therefore be done analytically. The resulting code is named NOSER, for Newton's One-Step Error Reconstructor. It provides a reconstruction with 496 degrees of freedom. The code does not reproduce the conductivity accurately (unless it differs very little from a constant), but it yields useful images. This is illustrated by images reconstructed from numerical and experimental data, including data from a human chest.
Calibration of Hubble Space Telescope advanced camera for surveys emission-line filters

The most commonly used narrowband filters of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope do not allow the clear delineation of individual emission lines as done with the more narrow field-of-view Wide Field and Planetary Camera. However, we have determined the calibration characteristics that allow separation of the Hα and [N ii] lines by means of observations in both the F658N and F660N filters. When coupled with F550M filter continuum measurements, these observations can then be rendered into absolute flux units. A similar set of calibration parameters is also determined for the [O iii] emission measured by the F502N filter. The results are expressed in a set of equations that should allow other observers to calibrate their ACS observations in either the wide-field or high-resolution channels of this instrument.
Microtubule-associated Protein 1 Light Chain 3 (LC3) Interacts with Bnip3 Protein to Selectively Remove Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria via Autophagy

Autophagy plays an important role in cellular quality control and is responsible for removing protein aggregates and dysfunctional organelles. Bnip3 is an atypical BH3-only protein that is known to cause mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. Interestingly, Bnip3 can also protect against cell death by inducing mitochondrial autophagy. The mechanism for this process, however, remains poorly understood. Bnip3 contains a C-terminal transmembrane domain that is essential for homodimerization and proapoptotic function. In this study, we show that homodimerization of Bnip3 is also a requirement for induction of autophagy. Several Bnip3 mutants that do not interfere with its mitochondrial localization but disrupt homodimerization failed to induce autophagy in cells. In addition, we discovered that endogenous Bnip3 is localized to both mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To investigate the effects of Bnip3 at mitochondria or the ER on autophagy, Bnip3 was targeted specifically to each organelle by substituting the Bnip3 transmembrane domain with that of Acta or cytochrome b5. We found that Bnip3 enhanced autophagy in cells from both sites. We also discovered that Bnip3 induced removal of both ER (ERphagy) and mitochondria (mitophagy) via autophagy. The clearance of these organelles was mediated in part via binding of Bnip3 to LC3 on the autophagosome. Although ablation of the Bnip3-LC3 interaction by mutating the LC3 binding site did not impair the prodeath activity of Bnip3, it significantly reduced both mitophagy and ERphagy. Our data indicate that Bnip3 regulates the apoptotic balance as an autophagy receptor that induces removal of both mitochondria and ER.
Chronic ethanol exposure alters the lung proteome and leads to mitochondrial dysfunction in alveolar type 2 cells.

The lungs can undergo irreversible damage from chronic alcohol consumption. Herein, we developed an animal model predisposed for edematous lung injury following chronic ingestion of alcohol to bett...
Limitations of cerebral oxygenation monitoring by near-infrared spectroscopy in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease and profound polycythemia.

In this case series, a group of 10 patients with significantly high preoperative hematocrit secondary to congenital cardiovascular disease for whom regional cerebral oxygen saturation was unmeasureable via nearinfrared spectroscopy were identified. Institutional review board approval was obtained for the review of records and data collection for patients with failure of intraoperative NIRS detection. In a period of 1 year (2010), 10 of 1,820 (0.55%) patients were identified intraoperatively and in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with failed NIRS monitoring and profound polycythemia (ie, hematocrit values significantly above the laboratory reference range). After the induction of anesthesia, appropriate-sized bilateral INVOS 5100 sensors (Somanetics Corp, Troy, MI) were placed on the patient’s forehead. If the rSO2 was unobtainable (failure to display a value on the monitor screen), the probes were removed and placed on the attending anesthesiologist to confirm that the probes and equipment were functional. The probes were replaced onto the patient’s forehead, and again an rSO2 value failed to display. Data collection included demographics, hematocrit, hemodynamic variables, and ventilatory variables, and the presence or absence of rSO2 detection was recorded with every arterial blood gas analysis.
Marketing of Personalized Cancer Care on the Web: An Analysis of Internet Websites

Internet marketing may accelerate the use of care based on genomic or tumor-derived data. However, online marketing may be detrimental if it endorses products of unproven benefit. We conducted an analysis of Internet websites to identify personalized cancer medicine (PCM) products and claims. A Delphi Panel categorized PCM as standard or nonstandard based on evidence of clinical utility. Fifty-five websites, sponsored by commercial entities, academic institutions, physicians, research institutes, and organizations, that marketed PCM included somatic (58%) and germline (20%) analysis, interpretive services (15%), and physicians/institutions offering personalized care (44%). Of 32 sites offering somatic analysis, 56% included specific test information (range 1–152 tests). All statistical tests were two-sided, and comparisons of website content were conducted using McNemar’s test. More websites contained information about the benefits than limitations of PCM (85% vs 27%, P < .001). Websites specifying somatic analysis were statistically significantly more likely to market one or more nonstandard tests as compared with standard tests (88% vs 44%, P = .04).
SPICE-compatible transmission line modeling using synthesized broadband multi-port representations

Broadband multi-port representations of multi-conductor transmission line systems are utilized for the development of SPICE-compatible models of coupled interconnects. The validation of the proposed models is effected through the test structures identified in the introductory paper in this special session.