cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of photovoltaic cells using poly(phenylenevinylene) doped with perylenediimide electron acceptors

The performance of a sandwich junction device based on doped 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)phenylenevinylene (BEH-PPV) is reported. The power conversion efficiency is dependent on the doping level, external load, and work function of the cathode. The increase in power conversion efficiency (ηe=0.8%) is due to efficient charge separation resulting from photoinduced electron transfer from the BEH-PPV donor to the perylene dicarboximide acceptor.
The occurrence of shivering in cardiac arrest survivors undergoing therapeutic hypothermia is associated with a good neurologic outcome.

Abstract Background The incidence of shivering in cardiac arrest survivors who undergo therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is varied. Its occurrence is dependent on the integrity of multiple peripheral and central neurologic pathways. We hypothesized that cardiac arrest survivors who develop shivering while undergoing TH are more likely to have intact central neurologic pathways and thus have better neurologic outcome as compared to those who do not develop shivering during TH. Methods Prospectively collected data on consecutive adult patients admitted to a tertiary center from 1/1/2007 to 11/1/2010 that survived a cardiac arrest and underwent TH were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who developed shivering during the cooling phase of TH formed the "shivering" group and those that did not formed the "non-shivering" group. The primary end-point: Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scale; good (CPC 1–2) or poor (CPC 3–5) neurological outcome prior to discharge from hospital. Results Of the 129 cardiac arrest survivors who underwent TH, 34/94 (36%) patients in the "non-shivering" group as compared to 21/35 (60%) patients in the "shivering" group had good neurologic outcome ( P =0.02). After adjusting for confounders using binary logistic regression, occurrence of shivering (OR: 2.71, 95% CI 1.099–7.41, P =0.04), time to return of spontaneous circulation (OR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.93–0.98, P =0.004) and initial presenting rhythm (OR: 4.0, 95% CI 1.63–10.0, P =0.002) were independent predictors of neurologic outcome. Conclusion The occurrence of shivering in cardiac arrest survivors who undergo TH is associated with an increased likelihood of good neurologic outcome as compared to its absence.
Metastability in Magnetically Confined Plasmas

The parameter space of magnetically confined plasmas near marginal instability for interchange-type modes is divided into three regions according to qualitative stability properties. Region I is linearly stable though nonlinearly unstable to large excitations. Region II is linearly unstable, nonlinearly stable to small excitations, and nonlinearly unstable to large excitations. Region III is linearly and nonlinearly unstable. For an equilibrium evolving through marginal stability, region III and therefore explosive instability are inevitably encountered.
Fat transfer--a "pinch" technique for accurate placement of donor tissue.

. A useful and simple technique for fat transfer requiring bilateral pressure prior to injection for effective correction of cosmetic defects is described.
Organizational Information, Organizational Commitment and Intention to Quit A Study of Trinidad and Tobago

This study examines an often-ignored area, namely the relationship between organizational information and organizational commitment, using a sample of employees from Trinidad and Tobago. Basing our arguments on research in Anglo cultures, we postulated that organization information would be positively related to organizational commitment and the latter mediates the relationship between organization information and job satisfaction. Furthermore, we also predicted that job satisfaction would mediate the relationship between organizational commitment and turnover intentions. Finally, it was hypothesized that job alternatives will moderate the relationship between job satisfaction and intention to quit. The hypothesized relationships yielded mostly significant results. The latter is not surprising given that Trinidad and Tobago's cultural context is fairly similar to Anglo cultures. We discuss both theoretical and practical implications of our findings in the context of cross cultural management. KEY WORDScross cultural managementjob satisfactionorganizational commitment • organizational informationTrinidad and Tobago
Abstract LB-122: LY2835219, a selective inhibitor of CDK4 and CDK6, inhibits growth in preclinical models of human cancer.

Cell growth is regulated by the activity of certain cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), including CDK4 and CDK6 (hereafter CDK4/6), which specifically regulate cell cycle progression through the G1 restriction point. These CDKs act with the D-type cyclins to phosphorylate and inactivate the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor protein, which in turn enables cell cycle progression from G1 to S phase. LY2835219 is a selective inhibitor of CDK4/6 with IC50 of 2 and 10 nM for CDK4 and CDK6, respectively. The current study evaluates the activity of LY2835219 in preclinical models of human cancer including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and ovarian cancer. A secondary focus of this study is to identify potential predictive biomarkers for response to LY2835219 in NSCLC, melanoma, and other cancers. For NSCLC, increased sensitivity to LY2835219 is associated both in vitro and in vivo with KRAS mutations. For established melanoma cell lines, similar levels of in vitro sensitivity are observed in different genetic subtypes. Accordingly, LY2835219 shows single-agent activity in the A375 melanoma xenograft model with daily oral dosing at 45 or 90 mg/kg. For MCL, durable growth inhibition of subcutaneously implanted xenografts is achieved with daily oral dosing at 50mg/kg. Finally, in an intra-peritoneal model that recapitulates clinical features of human ovarian cancer, LY2835219 not only inhibits tumor growth but also increases survival. These studies suggest that LY2835219 may have potential therapeutic application in the treatment of human cancers with specific molecular alterations. Citation Format: Jack A. Dempsey, Edward M. Chan, Teresa F. Burke, Richard P. Beckmann. LY2835219, a selective inhibitor of CDK4 and CDK6, inhibits growth in preclinical models of human cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-122. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-LB-122
Tracing and sketching performance using blunt-tipped styli on direct-touch tablets

Direct-touch tablets are quickly replacing traditional pen-and-paper tools in many applications, but not in case of the designer's sketchbook. In this paper, we explore the tradeoffs inherent in replacing such paper sketchbooks with digital tablets in terms of two major tasks: tracing and free-hand sketching. Given the importance of the pen for sketching, we also study the impact of using a blunt-and-soft-tipped capacitive stylus in tablet settings. We thus conducted experiments to evaluate three sketch media: pen-paper, finger-tablet, and stylus-tablet based on the above tasks. We analyzed the tracing data with respect to speed and accuracy, and the quality of the free-hand sketches through a crowdsourced survey. The pen-paper and stylus-tablet media both performed significantly better than the finger-tablet medium in accuracy, while the pen-paper sketches were significantly rated higher quality compared to both tablet interfaces. A follow-up study comparing the performance of this stylus with a sharp, hard-tip version showed no significant difference in tracing performance, though participants preferred the sharp tip for sketching.
Multi-view biclustering for genotype-phenotype association studies of complex diseases

Complex disorders exhibit great heterogeneity in both clinical manifestation and genetic etiology. This heterogeneity substantially limits the identification of geneotype-phenotype associations. Differentiating homogeneous subtypes of a complex phenotype will enable the detection of genetic variants contributing to the effect of subtypes that cannot be detected by the non-differentiated phenotype. However, the most sophisticated subtyping methods available so far perform unsupervised cluster analysis or latent class analysis on only phenotypic features. Without guidance from the genetic dimension, the resultant subtypes can be suboptimal and genetic associations may fail. We propose a multi-view biclustering approach that integrates phenotypic features and genetic markers to detect confirming evidence in the two views for a disease subtype. This approach groups subjects in clusters that are consistent between the phenotypic and genetic views, and simultaneously identifies the phenotypic features that are used to define a subtype and the genotypes that are associated with the subtype. Our simulation study validates this approach, and our extensive comparison with several biclustering and multi-view data analytics on real-life disease data demonstrates the superior performance of the proposed approach.
Simultaneous Multianalyte Detection with a Nanometer-Scale Pore

It was recently shown that naturally occurring, genetically engineered or chemically modified channels can be used to detect analytes in solution. We demonstrate here that the overall range of analytes that can be detected by single nanometer-scale pores is expanded using a potentially simpler system. Instead of attaching recognition elements to a channel, they are covalently linked to polymers that otherwise thread through a nanometer-scale pore. Because the rate of unbound polymer entering the pore is proportional to its concentration in the bulk, the binding of analyte to the polymer alters the latter's ability to thread through the pore, and the signal that results from individual polymer translocation is unique to the polymer type; the method permits multianalyte detection and quantitation. We demonstrate here that two different proteins can be simultaneously detected with this technique.
Testbed for the comparison of parametric surface methods

There are currently a number of methods for solving variants of the following problem: Given a triangulated polyhedron P in three-space with or without boundary, construct a smooth surface that interpolates the vertices of P. Problems of this variety arise in numerous areas of application such as medical imaging, scattered data fitting, and geometric modeling. In general, while the techniques satisfy the continuity and interpolation requirements of the problem, they often fail to produce pleasing shapes. Our interest in studying this problem has necessitated the construction of a flexible software testbed that allows rapid implementation and testing of new surface fitting methods and analysis techniques. The testbed is written entirely in the C programming language and is highly portable. Other relevant features of the testbed are discussed, and recommendations for improving the shape characteristics of several interpolation methods are given.
Characterization of the Golgi Complex Cleared of Proteins in Transit and Examination of Calcium Uptake Activities

To characterize endogenous molecules and activities of the Golgi complex, proteins in transit were > 99% cleared from rat hepatocytes by using cycloheximide (CHX) treatment. The loss of proteins in transit resulted in condensation of the Golgi cisternae and stacks. Isolation of a stacked Golgi fraction is equally efficient with or without proteins in transit [control (CTL SGF1) and cycloheximide (CHX SGF1)]. Electron microscopy and morphometric analysis showed that > 90% of the elements could be positively identified as Golgi stacks or cisternae. Biochemical analysis showed that the cis-, medial-, trans-, and TGN Golgi markers were enriched over the postnuclear supernatant 200- to 400-fold with and 400- to 700-fold without proteins in transit. To provide information on a mechanism for import of calcium required at the later stages of the secretory pathway, calcium uptake into CTL SGF1 and CHX SGF1 was examined. All calcium uptake into CTL SGF1 was dependent on a thapsigargin-resistant pump not resident to the Golgi complex and a thapsigargin-sensitive pump resident to the Golgi. Experiments using CHX SGF1 showed that the thapsigargin-resistant activity was a plasma membrane calcium ATPase isoform in transit to the plasma membrane and the thapsigargin-sensitive pump was a sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase isoform. In vivo both of these calcium ATPases function to maintain millimolar levels of calcium within the Golgi lumen.
A Model for the Tensile Fracture Behavior of Air-Jet Spun Yarns:

A model that describes the fracture behavior of air-jet spun yarns is proposed. The failure mechanism of wrapper and core fibers is described, and an expression for com puting total yarn strength is derived. The effects of structural parameters and fiber properties on the strength of air-jet spun yarns are discussed, and the limitations of the model are analyzed.
Trends in carpal tunnel surgery: an online survey of members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

Purpose To investigate the current treatment patterns of carpal tunnel surgery by members of the American Society of Surgeons of the Hand today and to assess how several elements of practice vary by surgeon location and experience. Methods An online survey consisting of 10 questions was sent electronically to members of the American Society of Surgeons of the Hand (N = 2,413). A brief description of the study and a link were sent to participants by the investigators. Results were anonymously uploaded to an online spreadsheet. Results 716 hand surgeons (30%) responded to the survey. Surgeons were nearly equally represented by region. A wide variation in surgeon experience was observed. A majority (65%) performed most of their surgery at an outpatient surgical center. Preoperative electrodiagnostic testing was used, at least occasionally, by 90% of surgeons. Approximately one-half did not administer preoperative antibiotics at the time of surgery. Intravenous sedation with local anesthesia was the most common practice (43%), followed by Bier block (18%). A mini-open incision was most commonly used (50%). A minority reported using an orthosis postoperatively (29%), and they rarely prescribed a course of postoperative therapy (12%). Postoperative pain management was variable, with hydrocodone and derivatives given most commonly (61%). International practitioners were much less likely to operate in an outpatient surgical center (45%) or use antibiotics (13%). Younger surgeons were more likely to use electrodiagnostic testing (96%) compared with the mean (90%). Conclusions When compared with several previous similar studies, we noted a trend toward increased use of electrodiagnostic testing and decreased use of postoperative therapy and immobilization. Type of study/level of evidence Economic and decision analysis V.
The process of research investigations in artificial intelligence-a unified view

A number of research communities recognize artificial intelligence (AI) as a valid reference discipline. However, several papers have criticized AI's research methodologies. This paper attempts to clarify and improve the methods used in AI. Definitions are proposed for terms such as AI theory, principles, hypotheses, and observations. Next, a unified view of AI research methodology is proposed. This methodology contains a long term dimension based upon the scientific method and an individual project dimension. The individual project dimension identifies four strategies: hypothetical/deductive, hermeneutical/inductive, case-based, and historical analysis. The strategies differ according to how prototyping is used in an experiment. >
Biodegradable luminescent porous silicon nanoparticles for in vivo applications.

Nanomaterials that can cir culate in the body hold great potential to diagnose and treat disease 1‐4 . For such applications, it is important that the nanomaterials be harmlessly eliminated from the body in a reasonable period of time after they carry out their diagnostic or therapeutic function. Despite efforts to improve their targeting efficiency, significant quantities of systemically administered nanomaterials are cleared by the mononuclear phagocytic system before finding their targets, increasing the likelihood of unintended acute or chronic toxicity. However, there has been little effort to engineer the self-destruction of errant nanoparticles into non-toxic, systemically eliminated products. Here, we present luminescent porous silicon nanoparticles (LPSiNPs) that can carry a drug payload and of which the intrinsic near-infrared photoluminescence enables monitoring of both accumulation and degradation in vivo. Furthermore, in contrast to most optically active nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles and quantum dots), LPSiNPs self-destruct in a mouse model into renally cleared components in a relatively short period of time with no evidence of toxicity. As a preliminary in vivo application, we demonstrate tumour imaging using dextran-coated LPSiNPs (D-LPSiNPs). These results demonstrate a new type of multifunctional nanostructure with a low-toxicity degradation pathway forinvivo applications. The in vivo use of nanomaterials as therapeutic and diagnostic agents is of intense interest owing to their unique properties such as large specific capacity for drug loading 2 , strong superparamagnetism 3 ,efficientphotoluminescence 1,5 ordistinctive Raman signatures 4 , among others. Materials with sizes in the range of 20200nm can avoid renal filtration, leading to prolonged resi
THE EVOLUTION OF POSTZYGOTIC ISOLATION: ACCUMULATING DOBZHANSKY-MULLER INCOMPATIBILITIES

Hybrid sterility and inviability often result from the accumulation of substitutions that, while functional on their normal genetic backgrounds, cause a loss of fitness when brought together in hybrids. Previous theory has shown that such Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities should accumulate at least as fast as the square of the number of substitutions separating two species, the so-called snowball effect. Here we explicitly describe the stochastic accumulation of these incompatibilities as a function of time. The accumulation of these incompatibilities involves three levels of stochasticity: (1) the number of substitutions separating two allopatric lineages at a given time; (2) the number of incompatibilities resulting from these substitutions; and (3) the fitness effects of individual incompatibilities. Previous analyses ignored the stochasticity of molecular evolution (level 1) as well as that due to the variable effects of incompatibilities (level 3). Here we approximate the full stochastic process characterizing the accumulation of hybrid incompatibilities between pairs of loci. We derive the distribution of the number of incompatibilities as a function of divergence time between allopatric taxa as well as the distribution of waiting times to speciation by postzygotic isolation. We provide simple approximations for the mean and variance of these waiting times. These results let us estimate. albeit crudely, the probability, p, that two diverged sites from different species will contribute to hybrid sterility or inviability. Our analyses of data from Drosophila and Bombina suggest that p is generally very small, on the order of 10(-6) or less.
Revitalizing problem based learning: student and tutor attitudes towards a structured tutorial

Background: The pre-clinical curriculum at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine is a hybrid model that includes small group, problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials and didactic lectures. A structured tutorial format was piloted for the human sexuality/reproduction organ system block for the PBL component. The objective of this study was to compare the acceptability of the structured format and its effectiveness with that of a traditional PBL tutorial.Methods: Students were surveyed after the renal/endocrinology block of 2004 (traditional tutorial format) and after the human sexuality/reproduction block of 2004 (structured tutorial format) (n = 70). Survey questions covered the quality of learning and of tutorial. Students (n = 132) and tutors (n = 24) who participated in human sexuality/reproduction in 2004 and 2005 were surveyed for attitudes about the structured tutorial overall and specific components. Means of responses were compared using t-tests.Results: Students indicated that the struct...
Repair of DNA loops involves DNA-mismatch and nucleotide-excision repair proteins

A number of enzymes recognize and repair DNA lesions. The DNA-mismatch repair system corrects base-base mismatches and small loops, whereas the nucleotide-excision repair system removes pyrimidine dimers and other helix-distorting lesions. DNA molecules with mismatches or loops can arise as a consequence of heteroduplex formation during meiotic recombination. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, repair of mismatches results in gene conversion or restoration, and failure to repair the mismatch results in post-meiotic segregation (PMS). The ratio of gene-conversion to PMS events reflects the efficiency of DNA repair. By examining the PMS patterns in yeast strains heterozygous for a mutant allele with a 26-base-pair insertion, we find that the repair of 26-base loops involves Msh2 (a DNA-mismatch repair protein) and Rad1 (a protein required for nucleotide-excision repair).
Dietary Selenium Intake Modulates Thyroid Hormone and Energy Metabolism in Men

Most studies of selenium and thyroid hormone have used sodium selenite in rats. However, rats regulate thyroid hormone differently, and selenite, which has unique pharmacologic activities, does not occur in foods. We hypothesized that selenium in food would have different effects in humans. Healthy men were fed foods naturally high or low in selenium for 120 d while confined to a metabolic research unit. Selenium intake for all subjects was 47 microg/d (595 nmol/d) for the first 21 d, and then changed to either 14 (n = 6) or 297 (n = 5) microg/d (177 nmol/d or 3.8 micromol/d) for the remaining 99 d, causing significant changes in blood selenium and glutathione peroxidase. Serum 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) decreased in the high selenium group, increased in the low selenium group, and was significantly different between groups from d 45 onward. A compensatory increase of thyrotropin occurred in the high selenium group as T3 decreased. The changes in T3 were opposite in direction to those reported in rats, but were consistent with other metabolic changes. By d 64, the high selenium group started to gain weight, whereas the low selenium group began to lose weight, and the weight changes were significantly different between groups from d 92 onward. Decreases of serum T3 and compensatory increases in thyrotropin suggest that a subclinical hypothyroid response was induced in the high selenium group, leading to body weight increases. Increases of serum T3 and serum triacylglycerol accompanied by losses of body fat suggest that a subclinical hyperthyroid response was induced in the low selenium group, leading to body weight decreases.
Golgi-to-late endosome trafficking of the yeast pheromone processing enzyme Ste13p is regulated by a phosphorylation site in its cytosolic domain.

This study addressed whether phosphorylation regulates trafficking of yeast membrane proteins that cycle between the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and endosomal system. The TGN membrane proteins A-ALP,...
A New Single-Step PCR Assay for the Detection of the Zoonotic Malaria Parasite Plasmodium knowlesi

Background: Recent studies in Southeast Asia have demonstrated substantial zoonotic transmission of Plasmodium knowlesi to humans. Microscopically, P. knowlesi exhibits several stage-dependent morphological similarities to P. malariae and P. falciparum. These similarities often lead to misdiagnosis of P. knowlesi as either P. malariae or P. falciparum and PCRbased molecular diagnostic tests are required to accurately detect P. knowlesi in humans. The most commonly used PCR test has been found to give false positive results, especially with a proportion of P. vivax isolates. To address the need for more sensitive and specific diagnostic tests for the accurate diagnosis of P. knowlesi, we report development of a new single-step PCR assay that uses novel genomic targets to accurately detect this infection. Methodology and Significant Findings: We have developed a bioinformatics approach to search the available malaria parasite genome database for the identification of suitable DNA sequences relevant for molecular diagnostic tests. Using this approach, we have identified multi-copy DNA sequences distributed in the P. knowlesi genome. We designed and tested several novel primers specific to new target sequences in a single-tube, non-nested PCR assay and identified one set of primers that accurately detects P. knowlesi. We show that this primer set has 100% specificity for the detection of P. knowlesi using three different strains (Nuri, H, and Hackeri), and one human case of malaria caused by P. knowlesi. This test did not show cross reactivity with any of the four human malaria parasite species including 11 different strains of P. vivax as well as 5 additional species of simian malaria parasites. Conclusions: The new PCR assay based on novel P. knowlesi genomic sequence targets was able to accurately detect P. knowlesi. Additional laboratory and field-based testing of this assay will be necessary to further validate its utility for clinical diagnosis of P. knowlesi.
Research on teams with multiple boundaries

The main purpose of the paper is to discuss: (a) types of boundaries found in field research on teams; (b) methodological challenges encountered when examining teams that cross boundaries; and (c) possible research design solutions. Based on our own field research at three companies (a software development organization, a telecommunications firm, and a financial institution), we outline four different types of boundaries (geographical, functional, identity, and organizational) and discuss methodological issues in distinguishing the effects of one boundary where multiple boundaries existed. We suggest solutions to help: (a) isolate the effects of distance, (b) assess functional similarities within and across teams, (c) identify and control for the impact of multiple project affiliations, and (d) distinguish organizational level influences. Only though careful attention to measurement can we properly assess the effects of team boundaries and draw accurate conclusions about these changing forms of organization.
Diagnostic Issues in Childhood Bipolar Disorder

The field of psychiatry has largely discounted the existence of bipolar disorder (BD) in children and viewed adolescent-onset BD as uncommon until recently. Evidence demonstrating that a significant number of adults with BD report symptom onset before age 19 has led to an explosion in the recognition of childhood BD over the past decade. Because children and adolescents, including preschoolers, are being diagnosed with BD in rapidly increasing numbers, the criteria for mania are being adjusted in children and adolescents to accommodate various presentations of emotional dysregulation into the paradigm of BD. Still, it has yet to be seen whether these presentations will develop in adulthood into what we have traditionally considered to be BD. This blurring of the diagnostic lines has led to significant controversy in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry. This article introduces current thinking about this controversial diagnosis through two case examples.
Topical thrombin and acquired coagulation factor inhibitors: clinical spectrum and laboratory diagnosis

Topical bovine thrombin preparations are used extensively in cardiovascular, neurosurgical, and otolaryngologic procedures. Patients who are treated with these topical thrombin preparations may develop antibodies to bovine coagulation factors that may cross-react with the endogenous human clotting proteins. We have identified four patients with acquired factor inhibitors following exposure to topical thrombin at Duke University Medical Center and summarize these cases in addition to 13 patients previously reported in the literature. In most cases, the inhibitor developed following a second (or subsequent) exposure to topical thrombin. The clinical course was extremely variable, ranging from totally asymptomatic to life-threatening hemorrhage. The most consistent laboratory abnormality was a prolonged bovine thrombin clotting time, which corrected, at least partially, when human thrombin was substituted for bovine thrombin. Some of these patients also developed factor V inhibitors with prolonged prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times. Although these patients have prolonged clotting times, they should not be considered "autoanticoagulated," since thromboembolic complications can still occur. Therapeutic intervention is largely empirical and depends on the clinical manifestations of the individual patient.
Metal Induction of Heme Oxygenase

The experimental data that have been reviewed support the following conclusions regarding metal induction of microsomal heme oxygenase activity: 1. Induction of heme oxygenase in liver, kidney, and other organs of rodents is a nonspecific, toxic response to parenteral administration of numerous metal compounds. 2. The Co2+ and Cd2+ ions are especially potent for induction of heme oxygenase in rat liver; Sn2+, Ni2+, and As3+ are especially potent for induction of the enzyme in rat kidney; Hg2+ is especially potent for induction of the enzyme in rat adrenal. 3. Rat spleen, testis, and brain are relatively refractory to metal induction of heme oxygenase activity; in testicular microsomes from Cd2+-treated rats, heme oxygenase activity is markedly inhibited. 4. Metal induction of heme oxygenase requires de novo synthesis of mRNA and protein, based on 1) experiments with metabolic inhibitors (actinomycin D, puromycin, and cycloheximide) and 2) translation assays of heme oxygenase mRNA. 5. Heme oxygenase induction by metals is generally suppressed by treatments with SH compounds (for example, cysteine and glutathione) and enhanced by agents that deplete tissue SH levels (for example, diethyl maleate), suggesting that the induction mechanism may involve binding of metal ions to SH-containing regulatory molecules. 6. Administration of DDC exerts a pronounced synergistic effect on Ni2+ induction of heme oxygenase activity in rat tissues, attributable in part to enhanced cellular uptake of nickel. 7. Induction of heme oxygenase is not sustained during repeated daily treatments of rats with NiCl2, pointing to an adaptive mechanism for tolerance to the enzyme inducer. Investigations of metal induction of heme oxygenase activity have commonly involved sc or ip administration of the test compounds to rats. The paucity of studies in other species and the dearth of experiments with oral or respiratory exposures hinder extrapolations of the animal data to human environmental or occupational exposures to metal compounds.
Efficient optical coupling to Bloch waves

Summary form only given. Highly non-linear dispersion of Bloch waves which may be designed into photonic crystals (PCs) has potential application in optical signal processing, laser beam steering, and WDM filtering. However, due to the large mismatch between the group velocity in a PC material and an isotropic material it is difficult to couple light efficiently to these structures over a wide range of input wavelengths. In this paper we show how a non-periodic dielectric transition region may be used to reduce coupling losses. In this way we provide an approach to remove one of the barriers to practical application of PCs.
Two- and three-pion production by ν μ d reactions near threshold: The implications for nucleon-decay experiments

We use ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$-deuteron reactions into exclusive multipion final states to determine the extent to which atmospheric $\ensuremath{\nu}$ interactions can imitate nucleon decay. For decays $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{l}^{c}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{c}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{c} ({l}^{c}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{c}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{c}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0})$, neutrinos induce background events at the rate 0.07\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06 (0.03\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02) per kiloton year. By requiring a multipion final state to be consistent with a $\ensuremath{\rho}$, $\ensuremath{\omega}$, or $\ensuremath{\eta}$, a fivefold reduction of the background is obtained. Thus presentgeneration experiments are capable of searching for such decays at a lifetime level corresponding to many kiloton years of detector exposure.
What is the relationship between gestational age and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) levels

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) are increasingly transferred from mother to fetus late in pregnancy. Infants born before this transfer is complete are at risk for deficiency. This study determines the relationship between gestational age (GA) and circulating LCPUFA levels to better understand the unique needs of premature infants born at various GAs. Whole blood was collected within the first 7 days of life from 60 preterm (≤34 weeks GA) and 30 term infants (≥38 weeks GA) and FA levels were analyzed. Since concurrent intravenous lipid emulsion can skew composition data, blood LCPUFA concentrations were also measured. Levels were compared among groups, and linear regression models were used to examine the association between FA composition and GA. Preterm infants had significantly lower DHA and ARA levels than term peers, and whether assessed as concentrations or compositions, both directly correlated with GA (p<0.0001). Moreover, FA comparisons suggest that premature infants have impaired synthesis of LCPUFAs from precursors and may require preformed DHA and ARA. This study confirms that essential FA status is strongly related to GA, and that those babies born the earliest are at the greatest risk of LCPUFA deficiency.
Statin Use and the Five-Year Incidence and Progression of Age-related Macular Degeneration

Purpose To examine the association of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) with the five-year incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Population-based cohort study. Methods settings: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. study population: Participants included persons 53 to 96 years of age at examination in 1998 to 2000 (n = 2,962), of whom 2,204 participated in a follow-up five years later. observation procedures: Standardized procedures were used for physical examinations, blood collection, and questionnaire administration. AMD was determined by grading images of the posterior pole using a standard protocol. Standard univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. main outcome measures: Incident early and late AMD and progressed AMD. Results There were 1,347 and 1,638 persons not using statins and 339 and 429 using statins at the 1998 to 2000 examination at risk of early and late AMD, respectively. The unadjusted five-year incidence of early and late AMD, respectively, was 5.9% and 1.8% in those not using statins and 6.8% and 2.3% in those using statins. While controlling for age, gender, smoking status, and multivitamin use, a history of statin use was not associated with the five-year incidence of early AMD (odds ratio [OR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71 to 1.91, P = .55), progression of AMD (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.78, P = .51) or incidence of late AMD (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.60 to 2.69. P = .53). Conclusion These findings do not show an association between statin use and the incidence or progression of AMD over a five-year period.
Lack of Involvement of 6-Hydroxymethylation in Benzo[a]pyrene Skin Tumor Initiation in Mice

The skin tumor-initiating activities of benzo(a)pyrene (BP), 6-hydroxymethylbenzo(a)pyrene (6-OH-CH/sub 2/-BP), and 6-methylbenzo(a)pyrene (6-CH/sub 3/-BP), as well as the effects of 7,8-benzoflavone (7,8-BF), quercetin, and 1-benzylimidazole on their activity, were determined in outbred female CD-1 mice by use of a two-stage system of tumorigenesis. The skin tumor-initiating activity of 6-OH-CH/sub 2/-BP and 6-CH/sub 3/-BP was 12.5 and 20%, respectively, of the activity of BP. 7,8-BF had little effect on the skin tumor-initiating activity of 6-OH-CH/sub 2/-BP and 6-CH/sub 3/-BP. However, a dose-dependent inhibition of BP tumorigenesis by 7,8-BF was noted. Quercetin and 1-benzylimidazole also inhibited BP skin tumor-initiating activity. These findings indicated that direct hydroxymethylation of BP is not an important pathway in the activation of BP in mouse skin tumor initiation.
Hypoxia in Models of Lung Cancer: Implications for Targeted Therapeutics

Purpose: To efficiently translate experimental methods from bench to bedside, it is imperative that laboratory models of cancer mimic human disease as closely as possible. In this study, we sought to compare patterns of hypoxia in several standard and emerging mouse models of lung cancer to establish the appropriateness of each for evaluating the role of oxygen in lung cancer progression and therapeutic response. Experimental Design: Subcutaneous and orthotopic human A549 lung carcinomas growing in nude mice as well as spontaneous K-ras or Myc -induced lung tumors grown in situ or subcutaneously were studied using fluorodeoxyglucose and fluoroazomycin arabinoside positron emission tomography, and postmortem by immunohistochemical observation of the hypoxia marker pimonidazole. The response of these models to the hypoxia-activated cytotoxin PR-104 was also quantified by the formation of γH2AX foci in vitro and in vivo . Finally, our findings were compared with oxygen electrode measurements of human lung cancers. Results: Minimal fluoroazomycin arabinoside and pimonidazole accumulation was seen in tumors growing within the lungs, whereas subcutaneous tumors showed substantial trapping of both hypoxia probes. These observations correlated with the response of these tumors to PR-104, and with the reduced incidence of hypoxia in human lung cancers relative to other solid tumor types. Conclusions: These findings suggest that in situ models of lung cancer in mice may be more reflective of the human disease, and encourage judicious selection of preclinical tumor models for the study of hypoxia imaging and antihypoxic cell therapies. Clin Cancer Res; 16(19); 4843–52. ©2010 AACR.
Long-term effectiveness of restoration treatments on closed wilderness campsites

This study assessed long-term recovery of vegetation on six wilderness campsites in subalpine forests in Oregon that were closed to use and that received common restoration treatments (scarification, soil amendments, mulch, transplanting, and seeding). Vegetation cover was assessed every year for the first 7 years following treatment, as well as 10 and 15 years after treatment. This made it possible to compare long-term treatment effectiveness to short-term efficacy. Plots that were closed and not scarified had virtually no vegetation cover even after 15 years without use. If long-used campsites in these subalpine forests are simply closed and allowed to recover on their own, restoration of undisturbed conditions will require hundreds if not thousands of years. Study results show, however, that simple treatments can accelerate recovery rates substantially. Scarification and transplanting were highly effective treatments, with seeding and soil amendment with organic matter and compost also contributing to success, but to a lesser degree. The use of a mulch mat, in contrast, had no effect, either positive or negative. Assessments of success conducted within the first few years of treatment overestimate treatment efficacy, particularly the effectiveness of soil amendments and seeding.
Sporadic fatal insomnia with clinical, laboratory, and genetic findings

A 75-year-old man presented with a three-year history of progressively worsening insomnia and dementia. His mother and older sister had similar disorders. On initial examination, he was awake, apathetic, and disoriented but had no focal neurological deficits. Electroencephalography showed diffuse background slowing with neither periodic discharge nor sleeping activity. A single-photon emission CT scan showed significantly reduced cerebral perfusion in bilateral thalami, basal ganglia, and limbic cortices. In the late stage of his illness, he developed sphincter dysfunction. Laboratory studies showed increased T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes and reduced cortisol level. Cerebrospinal fluid 14-3-3 protein was absent. Genetic evaluations failed to show the aspartate to asparagine point mutation at codon 178 but disclosed an asparagine to serine substitution at codon 171 in one allele and a deletion of 24 base pairs in the other allele in the human prion protein gene. These findings led to a diagnosis of sporadic fatal insomnia, which is a recently described prion disease.
An investigation of glasses for capillary chromatography

An investigation was conducted of various glasses, other than soda lime or borosilicate, for use in glass capillary gas chromatography. The work has uncovered some unique chromatographic qualities in the use of potash soda lead and fused silica glasses as materials for making glass capillary columns. The fused silica proved to be an ideal material for capillary column construction, being inherently more inert than glass containing metal oxides. It has been shown that through the use of thin wall capillary tubing of high flexibility many of the mechanical problems associated with glass capillary columns, such as fragility and column straightening, can be avoided.
An FPGA Implementation of the Hestenes-Jacobi Algorithm for Singular Value Decomposition

As a useful tool for dimensionality reduction, Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) plays an increasingly significant role in many scientific and engineering applications. The high computational complexity of SVD poses challenges for efficient signal processing and data analysis systems, especially for time sensitive applications with large data sets. While the emergence of FPGAs provides a flexible and low-cost opportunity to pursue high-performance SVD designs, the classical two-sided Jacobi rotation-based SVD architectures are restricted in terms of scalability and input matrix representation. The Hestenes-Jacobi algorithm offers a more parallelizable solution to analyze arbitrary rectangular matrices, however, to date both FPGA and GPU-based implementations have not lived up to the algorithm's potential. In this paper, we introduce a floating-point Hestenes-Jacobi architecture for SVD, which is capable of analyzing arbitrary sized matrices. Our implementation on an FPGA-based hybrid acceleration system demonstrates improved efficiency of our architecture compared to an optimized software-based SVD solution for matrices with small to medium column dimensions, even with comparably large row dimensions. The dimensional speedups can be achieved range from 3.8x to 43.6x for matrices with column dimensions from 128 to 256 and row sizes from 128 to 2048. Additionally, we also evaluate the accuracy of our SVD process through convergence analysis.
Periocular gene transfer of sFlt-1 suppresses ocular neovascularization and vascular endothelial growth factor-induced breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a critical stimulus for both retinal and choroidal neovascularization, and for diabetic macular edema. We used mouse models for these diseases to explore the potential of gene transfer of soluble VEGF receptor-1 (sFlt-1) as a treatment. Intravitreous or periocular injection of an adenoviral vector encoding sFlt-1 (AdsFlt-1.10) markedly suppressed choroidal neovascularization at rupture sites in Bruch's membrane. Periocular injection of AdsFlt-1.10 also caused significant reduction in VEGF-induced breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier, but failed to significantly inhibit ischemia-induced retinal neovascularization. Periocular delivery of an adenoviral vector encoding pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), another secreted protein, resulted in high levels of PEDF in the retinal pigmented epithelium and choroid, but not in the retina. This may explain why periocular injection of AdsFlt-1.10 inhibited choroidal, but not retinal neovascularization. Periocular de...
Investor Protection in the Philippines

Investor protection entails the safeguarding of the investors from the unscrupulous elements in the market. This entails investor education as well. The project first discusses the meaning and scope of investor protection. Secondly, the investor protection mechanism in the Philippines is discussed. In doing so the role played by the 'Securities and Exchange Commission' along with the 'Investor Protection and Surveillance Department of the Philippines' is highlighted. Further, a relative understanding of the Philippines system with that of other Asian-Pacific nations is also delved into. Lastly this project lists out the benefits and impact the investor protection framework has had overall.
Experimental demonstration of greenberger-horne-zeilinger correlations using nuclear magnetic resonance

The Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) effect provides an example of quantum correlations that cannot be explained by classical local hidden variables. This paper reports on the experimental realization of GHZ correlations using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The NMR experiment differs from the originally proposed GHZ experiment in several ways: it is performed on mixed states rather than pure states, and instead of being widely separated, the spins on which it is performed are all located in the same molecule. As a result, the NMR version of the GHZ experiment cannot entirely rule out classical local hidden variables. It nonetheless provides an unambiguous demonstration of the ``paradoxical'' GHZ correlations, and confirms the predictions of quantum mechanics.
Ocular Photoreception for Circadian Rhythm Entrainment in Mammals

Circadian rhythms are self-sustained, approximately 24-h rhythms of physiology and behavior. These rhythms are entrained to an exactly 24-h period by the daily light-dark cycle. Remarkably, mice lacking all rod and cone photoreceptors still demonstrate photic entrainment, an effect mediated by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). These cells utilize melanopsin (OPN4) as their photopigment. Distinct from the ciliary rod and cone opsins, melanopsin appears to function as a stable photopigment utilizing sequential photon absorption for its photocycle; this photocycle, in turn, confers properties on ipRGCs such as sustained signaling and resistance from photic bleaching critical for an irradiance detection system. The retina itself also functions as a circadian pacemaker that can be autonomously entrained to light-dark cycles. Recent experiments have demonstrated that another novel opsin, neuropsin (OPN5), is required for this entrainment, which appears to be mediated by a separate po...