cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute promyelocytic leukemia with a novel variant (15;17) rearrangement

Dear Sir, Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by the translocation of chromosomal (15;17)(q22;q21) involving the fusion of the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) and RARA genes, resulting in a PML/RARA fusion gene on derivative chromosome 15 and reciprocal RARA/PML fusion gene on derivative chromosome 17 [1]. Variant rearrangements have been reported in 5% to 10% of APL patients [2]. We report a case of APL associated with a novel variant translocation. The patient is a 67-year-old male presented with epistaxis. He was found to have pancytopenia and rare abnormally hypergranular, bilobed, immature cells consistent with leukemic promyelocytes on peripheral blood smear. No definite Auer rods were seen. Additional laboratory tests show a prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and elevated D-dimer. Bone marrow aspirate smear showed replacement by the same type of cells noted on the peripheral blood smear. Flow cytometric analysis of the marrow aspirate indicated the presence of a large-sized, immature, hypergranular myeloid population. This population brightly expressed CD33, CD13, CD117, and MPO, dimly expressed CD64, and was negative for CD34, HLA-DR, and CD11b. Cytogenetic G-banded analysis of 20 metaphase cells from bone marrow revealed a karyotype of 46,XY, del (17) (q12q21.1), ins(15;17)(q22;q21.2q25.3)[18]/46,XY[2] (Figs. 1 and 2). FISH analysis using the dual-color, dual-fusion PML (15q22-red)/RARA (17q21-green) probe showed a variant abnormal pattern (Fig. 2). Typical APL patients have 1R (red):1G (green):2F (fusion) signals, indicating the presence of two fusion genes. In our case, this typical abnormal pattern (Fig. 3A) was seen in only 1.5% of the cells. On the other hand, 85% of the cells had 2R:1G:1F (Fig. 3B). PML gene remained on the der (15), and PML/RARA was inserted into or translocated to the der (15) (Fig. 2). This indicated an absence of the RARA/PML fusion gene on the derivative (der) chromosome 17 and the insertion or translocation of the PML/RARA fusion gene to the der (15). The remainder of the nuclei (3.5%) demonstrated a normal signal pattern (2R:2G) (data not shown). Metaphase FISH on ten cells using the TelVysion 17q probe showed that the subtelomeric region of the long arm of chromosome 17 was present on both 17 homologs (data not shown). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction performed on the RNA extracted from peripheral blood is positive for PML–RARA transcripts. This case was presented at the 2011 annual meeting of the College of American Pathology in Grapevine (Dallas/Ft. Worth), Texas. M. Bellone : T. Ahmed :Y. Hu Department of Anatomic Pathology, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
The classification of free-living spirochetes.

The natural relationships among free-living and host-associated spirochetes were studied by investigating aspects of their morphology, physiology and DNA base composition. These studies indicated that the strictly and facultatively anaerobic, free-living spirochetes share characteristics which distinguish them from their host-associated counterparts and from the free-living leptospires.
Investigation of speech separation as a front-end for noise robust speech recognition

Recently, supervised classification has been shown to work well for the task of speech separation. We perform an in-depth evaluation of such techniques as a front-end for noise-robust automatic speech recognition (ASR). The proposed separation front-end consists of two stages. The first stage removes additive noise via time-frequency masking. The second stage addresses channel mismatch and the distortions introduced by the first stage; a non-linear function is learned that maps the masked spectral features to their clean counterpart. Results show that the proposed front-end substantially improves ASR performance when the acoustic models are trained in clean conditions. We also propose a diagonal feature discriminant linear regression (dFDLR) adaptation that can be performed on a per-utterance basis for ASR systems employing deep neural networks and HMM. Results show that dFDLR consistently improves performance in all test conditions. Surprisingly, the best average results are obtained when dFDLR is applied to models trained using noisy log-Mel spectral features from the multi-condition training set. With no channel mismatch, the best results are obtained when the proposed speech separation front-end is used along with multi-condition training using log-Mel features followed by dFDLR adaptation. Both these results are among the best on the Aurora-4 dataset.
Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures and corn yields in the southeastern USA: lagged relationships and forecast model development

Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) can provide valuable predictive information for regional climate and agricultural yields in many parts of the world. This study was conducted to identify relationships between Atlantic and Pacific SSTs and corn yields in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and to use these relationships to develop forecasts that can be used at lead times prior to spring planting. The relationships between seasonal SSTs and detrended county corn yields were analysed using singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis and confirmed using principal component analysis (PCA). Using a Monte Carlo approach, field-significant results were found with SSTs in the July–September (JAS−1) and October–December (OND−1) seasons in the previous year and with the January–March (JFM) season of the current. A significant portion of the variability of SSTs with corn yield residuals was connected with anomalous heating and cooling associated with the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Based on the results found by SVD analysis and confirmed by PCA, indices of spatially averaged SSTs in regions of the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans were derived. Using these indices along with the Nino3.4 index to represent tropical Pacific SSTs, cross-validated multiple linear regression models were developed to predict corn yield residuals using index values in the JAS−1 and OND−1 seasons. Using the cross-validated models 91.5 and 98.4% of forecasted county corn yield residuals showed predictive skill (based on tercile hit scores) with seasonal index values in the JAS−1 and OND−1 seasons, respectively. The results of the models indicate that the indices of SSTs show significant predictability with corn yield residuals at lead times up to 4–7 months prior to spring planting and are a significant improvement over the use of an index of ENSO alone. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Adult age differences in memory for schema-consistent and schema-inconsistent objects in a real-world setting

The present study examined age-related differences in the inconsistency effect, in which memory is enhanced for schema-inconsistent information compared to schema-consistent information. Young and older adults studied schema-consistent and schema-inconsistent objects in an academic office under either intentional or incidental encoding instructions, and were given two recognition tests either immediately or after 48 hr: A yes/no item recognition test that included modified remember/know judgments and a token recognition test that required determining whether an original object was replaced with a different object with the same name. Young and older adults showed equivalent inconsistency effects in both item and token recognition tests, although older adults reported phenomenologically less rich memories of schema-inconsistent objects relative to young adults. These findings run counter to previous reports suggesting that aging is associated with processing declines at encoding that impair memory for details of schema-inconsistent or distinctive events. The results are consistent with a retrieval-based account in which age-related difficulties in retrieving contextual details can be offset by environmental support.
Estimation for Sub-Sampling Designs Employing the County as a Primary Sampling Unit

Abstract This paper summarizes a study of the application of various two-stage sampling designs and estimation procedures for preparation of state estimates of agricultural items in North Carolina. Among the principal objectives of the investigation were (i) the comparison of selection of the primary sampling units with equal probability and with probability proportional to size and (ii) assessment of the magnitude of the within primary sampling unit error component contribution to the total survey sampling error. Altogether eight different survey designs with associated estimates have been used to secure information on these two main points. Examination of these designs and estimates indicates a preference for a particular ratio estimate. * Journal paper No. J-2057 of the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa, Project S113, Statistical Laboratory operating with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, United States Department of Agriculture.
Submillimeter spectroscopy - water and oxygen: Where are these key species in the interstellar medium?

Water and oxygen are two of the key species necessary for life. Water vapor and molecular oxygen are predicted to be abundant gas phase species in dense regions of the interstellar medium where formation of new stars and planetary systems is taking place. But observations to date have revealed that the abundances of H2O and O2 are much lower than expected, and suggest that a surprisingly large amount of atomic oxygen (OI) is present in molecular clouds. Resolving the disagreement between theory and observations will require better spectroscopic observations from new satellite and airborne facilities which fortunately will become available in the next few years. In this talk I briefly review the observations to date, the issues for theoretical models, and suggest what future observations will help resolve this ldquooxygen problemrdquo.
Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma: hormonal aspects☆

Abstract Objective The goal of this work was to determine whether exposure to estrogen following treatment of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas affects clinical outcome. Methods Twenty-two patients with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas were reviewed to determine whether they were exposed to exogenous or endogenous estrogen and/or progestins following their diagnosis and whether exposure to these hormones might have influenced their prognosis. Estrogen receptor (ER) α and β and progestin receptor (PR) status were analyzed from paraffin-embedded tissue by immunohistochemistry and ER mRNA was measured in fresh tissue by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results Ten of the twenty-two patients with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas developed recurrent disease. Four of five patients (80%) who received estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) recurred. Four of eight patients (50%) with retained ovaries recurred. Eight of the ten specimens available for analysis were positive for ERα, none were positive for ERβ, and 9 of 10 were positive for PR. Four of thirteen patients who received progestins as adjuvant therapy recurred, compared with 6 of 9 patients who did not receive progestins (31% vs 67%). Eight recurrences were treated with progestin therapy and 7 (88%) of them had either stable disease (3/8, 38%) or complete response (4/8, 50%). Conclusions Our results suggest that ERT may be detrimental in patients with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma. Retention of normally functioning ovaries, on the other hand, may not significantly affect the recurrence rate following hysterectomy alone in Stage I patients. The lack of ERβ expression in endometrial stromal sarcomas compared with normal endometrial stromal cells suggests that loss of ERβ may be a marker for malignancy. Progestin therapy should be routinely considered for adjuvant therapy and for the treatment of recurrent endometrial stromal sarcomas.
Laser ablation as a new tool for material science

The recent rapid advances in the field of laser ablation have led to an important new tool for both material synthesis and material processing. Experiments in our laboratory have served as examples of both types of contributions from this new technique. The kinetic differences of growth between standard solid state synthesis and in situ growth by laser ablation have allowed the substitution of Ce, Tb and Th for Y in Y1Ba2Cu3O7 for the first time. The effects of substitution for Y on the material Tc is discussed within the framework of the existing models for the Pr system. We suggest that localization of the holes by trapping may provide a suitable mechanism to account for the observed properties of the Pr and Ce substituted compounds. As an example of new material processing, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) films were deposited by the laser ablation of a bulk PTFE target using the 4th harmonic, at 266 nm, of a Nd-YAG laser. The films are found to be stoichiometric with bulk- like optical properties. We propose a model which suggests that UV absorption onsets the pyrolitic decomposition of PTFE leading to monomer as the main ablation product. The monomer, ejected from the target at high velocity, subsequently re-polymerizes on the substrate.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
ESTIMATING FISHERY BYCATCH AND EFFECTS ON A VULNERABLE SEABIRD POPULATION

Pelagic longline fisheries worldwide incidentally take long-lived seabird species. This mortality has led to fisheries restrictions to protect seabirds at risk, including Wandering (Diomedea exulans) and Amsterdam Albatross (D. amsterdamensis) in the South Pacific and Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata) in the South Atlantic. Because pelagic longline fisheries involve multinational fleets operating in vast ocean regions, assessing total bycatch levels for a seabird is challenging. Here we present a case study of quantifying bycatch from a basin-wide pelagic longline fishery and assessing the population-level impact on a vulnerable seabird, the Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) in the central North Pacific. We develop an assessment method that uses observer data to estimate bycatch for one fleet and then uses scenario analysis to estimate bycatch for remaining fleets. Our method generates a bounded estimate of bycatch within an ocean region, ranging from the worst-case to the best-case bycatch scenario. We find that Black-footed Albatross mortality across all fleets in the central North Pacific may total as much as 10 000 individuals/yr. At this level of mortality, population declines are likely. However, even at the best-case bycatch estimate (5200 individuals/yr), population declines may occur over the next three generations (60 years). Although this analysis requires extensive estimation and extrapolation from existing data, it is critical to provide fisheries managers with bounded estimates of likely population-level effects of current fishing activity. Corresponding Editor: Paul Dayton
The Cumulative Effect of Minor Transgressions on Major Ones: A Self-Regulatory Approach

Many recent corporate scandals have been described as resulting from a slippery slope in which a series of small infractions gradually increased over time (e.g., McLean & Elkind, 2003). However, be...
Dissecting the Mechanisms of Katanin-Mediated Microtubule Severing and Depolymerization

Microtubules are important for forming networks in cells from mitotic spindles and cilia to neuronal networks. Microtubule networks are regulated by a variety of proteins including microtubule-severing enzymes, which regulate the length of microtubule filaments through severing and depolymerization. Katanin, the first-discovered microtubule severing enzyme, is a AAA+ enzyme that oligomerizes into hexamers and uses ATP hydrolysis to sever microtubules. It has been suggested that katanin targets to microtubule defects, and we showed that katanin targets interfaces between microtubules made with dislocation defects. To further dissect the severing and depolymerization abilities of katanin, we performed in vitro biophysical assays using four different types of microtubules with different known defects to distinguish where katanin may be targeting. Our results show that there is preferential severing of microtubules with fewer protofilaments and that the c-terminal tail is required for severing activity. However, microtubules without any c-terminal tails are still depolymerized and do so at a faster rate, suggesting that katanin utilizes two different mechanisms to drive depolymerization and severing of microtubules.
Accessing singular antecedents in conjoined phrases

Two experiments examined processing of singular pronouns when the antecedent (e.g., Mary) was a noun phrase (NP) in a conjoined phrase (e.g., Mary and John). Whole-sentence reading times showed an increase in processing time associated with splitting the conjoined phrase to access a single NP antecedent. The increase in processing occurred both when the antecedent was in the subject position and when it was in a nonsubject position. The source of the disruption was further investigated using eyetracking methods. Summing over regions of the text, the magnitude of the processing cost incurred by having to split a conjoined NP was closely comparable when there was and when there was not a gender-appropriate distracting potential antecedent. When there was no such potential antecedent, the increase in processing time occurred immediately in the pronoun region when eye movements were measured. In contrast, when there was a second discourse entity that matched the gender and number of the pronoun (but was not a plausible antecedent for the pronoun), eyetracking measures suggested that the processing difficulty was delayed until additional information was read that forced the antecedent to be one of the conjoined NPs. The results are interpreted in terms of Sanford and Garrod’s (1981) scenario-based model of text comprehension.
Using the centroid operator for faster multiresolution image compression and pattern recognition

ABSTRACT It is possible to build a multiresolution image encoding technique using the fractal transform. Fractalencoding methods rely on measuring least mean square difference between image blocks at two different spatialscales for most efficient block matching. If we instead, compute the centroid of the blocks to be matched beforematching occurs and preserve this centroid information in the encoding process we both speed up the encoding pro-cess and have information that will allow us to interpret the shape of objects in the encoded scenes. This ability maydramatically increase the speed at which pattern identification in large volumes of image data may be performedsince less data would have to be processed for searches over large number of images.Keywords: centroid, multiresolution, image compression, pattern recognition, fractal 1. INTRODUCTION Jacquin5 began the process of the fractal transform by dividing an object into two sets of blocks. Therange blocks. as he describes them, are square blocks that are some integral power of two in size and the domainblocks are square blocks that are the next larger power of 2 in dimension. Typically range blocks are 4*4 or 8*8 pix-els in size. Matching is achieved by decimating the domain blocks by a factor of two and using the least mean squaresdifference between a given range block with all possible domain blocks with 8 possible flips and rotations applied tothem (see Fig. 1). In this way, matching occurs between two different scales of detail in the image. This algorithm isconcisely described by Bogdan1 with
Strategic demonstration of problem solutions by groups: The effects of member preferences, confidence, and learning goals

Research indicates that groups perform best, and their members learn the most, when they solve problems with demonstrably correct solutions. These outcomes are often attributed to correct members demonstrating to incorrect members how to solve such problems. However, because few studies have directly observed group interaction (Moreland, Swanenburg, Flagg, & Fetterman, 2010), the extent to which correct members actually demonstrate problem solutions remains unclear. Assuming that groups are strategic and desire to solve problems both accurately and efficiently, we predicted that initially correct minorities would be more likely than initially correct majorities to demonstrate problem solutions. Results from two studies support this prediction, in the form of member behavioral intentions (Study 1) and observed group interaction processes (Study 2). Study 1 also highlights the role of confidence in this effect, while Study 2 reveals that demonstration is overall more likely when groups have a goal that encourages member learning.
RNAi screening for host factors involved in Vaccinia virus infection using Drosophila cells.

Viral pathogens represent a significant public health threat; not only can viruses cause natural epidemics of human disease, but their potential use in bioterrorism is also a concern. A better understanding of the cellular factors that impact infection would facilitate the development of much-needed therapeutics. Recent advances in RNA interference (RNAi) technology coupled with complete genome sequencing of several organisms has led to the optimization of genome-wide, cell-based loss-of-function screens. Drosophila cells are particularly amenable to genome-scale screens because of the ease and efficiency of RNAi in this system 1. Importantly, a wide variety of viruses can infect Drosophila cells, including a number of mammalian viruses of medical and agricultural importance 2,3,4. Previous RNAi screens in Drosophila have identified host factors that are required for various steps in virus infection including entry, translation and RNA replication 5. Moreover, many of the cellular factors required for viral replication in Drosophila cell culture are also limiting in human cells infected with these viruses 4,6,7,8, 9. Therefore, the identification of host factors co-opted during viral infection presents novel targets for antiviral therapeutics. Here we present a generalized protocol for a high-throughput RNAi screen to identify cellular factors involved in viral infection, using vaccinia virus as an example.
Genetic and molecular analysis of REC114, an early meiotic recombination gene in yeast

Four new meiotic recombination genes were previously isolated by selecting for mutations that rescue the meiotic lethality of rad52 spo13 strains. One of these genes, REC114, is described here, and the data confirm that REC114 is a meiosis-specific recombination gene with no detectable function in mitosis. REC114 is located on chromosome XIII approximately 4.9 cM from CIN4. The nucleotide sequence reveals an open reading frame of 1262 bp, consensus intron splice sites close to the 3' end, and indicates that the second exon codes for only seven amino acids. In the promoter region, a URS1 consensus sequence (TGGGCGGCTA), identical to the URS1 found in the promoter of SPO16, is present 93 bp upstream of the translation start site. Northern-blot hybridization demonstrates that REC114 is transcribed only during meiosis and that it is not expressed in the absence of the IME1 gene product, even when IME2 is constitutively expressed.
Adolf Meyer-Abich, Holism, and the Negotiation of Theoretical Biology

Adolf Meyer-Abich (1893–1971; known as Adolf Meyer before 1938) spent his career as one of the most vigorous and varied advocates in the biological sciences. Primarily a philosophical proponent of holistic thought in biology, he also sought through collaboration with empirically oriented colleagues in biology, medicine, and even physics (including C. J. van der Klaauw, Karl Kotschau, Hans Boker, Jakob von Uexkull, and Pascual Jordan) to develop arguments against mechanistic and reductionistic positions in the life sciences, and to integrate them into a newly disciplinary theoretical biology. He participated in major publishing efforts including the founding of Acta Biotheoretica. He also sought international contacts and worked for long stretches in Chile, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and the United States. His career straddled the Nazi period, which led him into a complex dance of support for and resistance to the regime. Despite the relative failure of his conceptual innovations (e.g., “holobiosis” and “holistic simplification”) to catch on, his ideas and writings sit squarely within the trajectory of thought and argument that has led to today’s reinvigoration of thought about conceptual integration in evolutionary developmental biology.
Citizenship and Civil Society: A Framework of Rights and Obligations in Liberal, Traditional, and Social Democratic Regimes

Rights and obligations are confusing. When people really want or need something they call it a right. Can they simply attach this word to anything they want? Can people disregard obligations with impunity? This book argues that they cannot. One must understand those relationships in specific ways to really know what can or can not be done with rights and obligations in public discourse and politics. They must create a web of interaction between citizens so that more long-term social investments may be made. Professor Janoski shows that individual rights protecting privacy, free speech, and legal access are more highly developed in social democratic countries than in liberal countries. On the other hand, obligations in those same social democratic countries are higher. On the whole, rights and obligations are in balance; or, you get what rights you pay for in terms of fulfilling obligations to the state and society.
The Influence of Future Certainty and Contextual Factors on Delinquent Behavior and School Adjustment Among African American Adolescents

This study examined the ability of future certainty—an individual's perception of future stability, operationalized as the likelihood of certain life outcomes–to explain variance in delinquency and school adjustment, while controlling for economic, neighborhood, and family factors, among a cross-sectional sample of 1422 male and 1562 female African American adolescents drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Three kinds of future certainty were examined: future life certainty (e.g., life expectancy), marriage certainty, and college certainty. In hierarchical multiple regression analyses, future certainty and family functioning were stronger predictors than economic and neighborhood variables: neighborhood disorganization and family socioeconomic status. Future life certainty and expectations of attending college were stronger predictors of delinquency among males than females. Marriage certainty was the weakest predictor of the three certainty variables.
Fragment wound pseudoaneurysm presenting 54 years after injury

Abstract A 74-year-old man presented with acute arterial insufficiency of the left leg. Surgical history was remarkable for a mortar fragment injury to his proximal medial left thigh in 1945. His wounds healed secondarily after operative debridement. He denied any knowledge of a vascular repair. He was asymptomatic until his acute presentation with a threatened limb. Physical examination demonstrated an acutely ischemic extremity with moderately impaired neurologic function and a pulsatile mass over the proximal superficial femoral artery (SFA). Arteriography demonstrated an SFA pseudoaneurysm in proximity to multiple mortar fragments with intraluminal clot and distal arterial obstruction. The extremity was successfully revascularized with embolectomy of the distal arterial thrombus and repair of the arterial injury and pseudoaneurysm with reversed contralateral saphenous vein. This case represents the longest reported delayed presentation of a traumatic false aneurysm. It emphasizes that proper assessment of underlying potential vascular injury must be performed if delayed complications are to be avoided. Comparisons between the unique challenges presented by combat associated injury versus those seen in today’s civilian environment are emphasized.
Gastrointestinal problems in diabetes

Gastrointestinal symptoms are often encountered in patients with diabetes mellitus. Symptoms may arise in any region of the alimentary tract; common symptoms are heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, fecal incontinence, and abdominal pain. This article reviews practical approaches to the identification of the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in diabetic enteropathies and their complications and briefly outlines strategies to treat these symptoms. Particular emphasis is placed on applied physiologic tests and the choice of pharmacotherapy (e.g., cisapride, erythromycin, or octeotide). The current role of pancreatic transplantations also is briefly reviewed.
Minimally invasive papillary muscle sling placement during mitral valve repair in patients with functional mitral regurgitation

Background We evaluated the safety and feasibility of minimally invasive mitral valve repair with papillary muscle sling placement via a right anterior thoracotomy approach in patients with severe functional mitral regurgitation (MR). Methods We retrospectively reviewed all minimally invasive mitral valve repairs with papillary muscle sling placement in patients with severe functional MR performed at our institution between October 2011 and September 2012. The operative times, lengths of stay, postoperative complications, and mortality were analyzed. Results We identified a total of 19 consecutive patients. There were 12 men (63%); the mean age was 60 ± 13 years. The mean ± SD left ventricular ejection fraction was 23% ± 5.5%, and 4 (21%) of the patients underwent previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The median aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 106 (interquartile range [IQR], 76-120) and 163 (IQR, 119-170) minutes, respectively. The median intensive care unit length of stay was 64 (IQR, 43-75) hours, and the median postoperative length of stay was 7 (IQR, 5-7.5) days. Postoperatively, 2 patients developed acute kidney injury. There were no reoperations for bleeding or any cerebrovascular accidents. The 30-day mortality was 0. A follow-up echocardiogram, obtained at a median of 3 (IQR, 1-7.5) months, demonstrated none to trivial MR in all patients. Conclusions Minimally invasive mitral repair with papillary muscle sling placement for severe functional MR is safe and effective in the short-term. Long-term data are needed to evaluate the effects on left ventricular remodeling and to assess the durability of the repair.
PS2-54: The Flow of Tumor Data: A Technical Review of Tumor Data Production, Submission and Use.

BackgroundThe Virtual Data Warehouse tumor registry enables important multi-site research in cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes, as well as health communications and quality. Ideally, data are collected from hospitals where the tumors are biopsied, staged, and reported to the state. These data can be difficult to obtain for HMOs such as Kaiser Permanente in the Mid-Atlantic States (KPMAS) that do not own their own hospitals. In such cases, the HMO must request tumor data from the state. This process is particularly complex at KPMAS, which represents three independent jurisdictions (Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia). Our end goal is to develop a KPMAS tumor registry that integrates data from electronic health record (EHR) systems and state tumor registries. A key intermediate objective was to develop a comprehensive understanding of tumor registry development at more advanced HMORN sites in order to efficiently build the KPMAS tumor registry.MethodsWe used a multi-pronged approach to develop the technical structure for the KPMAS tumor registry. First, we surveyed other HMORN sites that have previously successfully developed tumor registries. Second, we reached out to existing tumor registry efforts within KPMAS toThird, we developed relationships with key tumor registry managers in all three KPMAS jurisdictions to identify the processes required for obtaining tumor data corresponding to our members. During this process, we requested both a data dictionary and a set of dummy data from each of the external jurisdictions.ResultsUsing the data dictionaries and dummy data provided by the external tumor registries, we developed a technical solution for housing and managing tumor related information from multiple sources. Key considerations involved integrating data from external sources with data from the EHR and removing duplicate data that results from integrating data from three external agencies that cover a highly mobile geographic area.ConclusionsIntegrating tumor data from multiple sources involves both technical challenges and requires that a complete understanding of the data meaning.
A Novel Method to Radiolabel Gastric Retentive Formulations for Gamma Scintigraphy Assessment

To develop a robust radiolabeling technique to enable evaluation of difficult to radiolabel gastric retentive formulations using gamma scintigraphy. The use of a successful radiolabel will allow accurate assessment of the gastric residence time of the formulations. The retention of two radionuclides, indium (111In) and samarium (153Sm), with and without further processing to improve radiolabel performance were evaluated in simulated gastric pH in vitro. The most successful formulation from the in vitro screening was further evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. In vitro evaluation revealed significant radionuclide leakage at pH 1.5 for most radiolabeling attempts. Radionuclide leakage at pH 4.5 was less pronounced. The most successful radiolabel was formulated by adsorbing indium chloride onto activated charcoal, followed by entrapment in a cellulose acetate polymer melt. This provided the best radiolabel retention under both pH conditions in vitro. The radiolabel also proved to be successful during preclinical and clinical evaluations, allowing evaluation of gastric retention performance as well as complete gastrointestinal transit. A simple, yet robust radiolabel was developed for gastric retentive formulations to be evaluated pre-clinically or in a clinical setting by entrapping the radionuclide in an insoluble polymer through a simple polymer melt process.
Environmental effects in the stress corrosion cracking of turbine disc steels

Abstract The effects of environmental parameters, such as the impurity concentration, oxygen content and pH value on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of 3.5Ni-Cr-Mo-V and 2Cr-Ni-Mo steels were studied. SCC of these two alloys only occurs in steams containing both oxygen and contaminating ions. A concentration of 40 ppb of Cl − or around 5 ppm of SO 4 2− in steam is found to be enough to induce SCC on both alloys when oxygen exists in the steam. Sulfate ions suppress the severity of chloride ions in causing SCC of both materials in a Cl − and SO 4 2− containing steam. This effect was proposed to result from the iron sulfate salt deposition. SCC of these steels in steam is accomplished by corrosion of active path, while the reaction rate is determined by the rate of cathodic reaction of the SCC system. Unless the pH value is 3 or less, the change in pH of de-aerated environments induces no SCC on both materials. SCC in the pH ⩽ 3 environment is a result of the change of the cathodic reaction from water decomposition to proton reduction in this SCC system.
Calcium or magnesium concentration affects the severity of organophosphate-induced neuromuscular block.

Abstract When the rat diaphragm muscle was treated with dusopropyl fluorophosphate, an organophosphate inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, a decrement in the compound action potential and in the force of contraction was observed. It was found that the decrement produced by 30 Hz nerve stimulation for 1 s could be reversed by lowerinf the calcium concentration or increasing the magnesium concentration.
Electronic structure of transition metal high-k dielectrics: interfacial band offset energies for microelectronic devices

Transition metal silicates, (ZrO2)x(SiO2)1� x, have dielectric constants k > 10 that make them attractive for advanced Si devices. Band offset energies relative to Si are an important factor in determining tunneling leakage current, and internal photoemission. Studies by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) are combined with ab initio calculations to identify the compositional variation of the band-gap, and valence and conduction band offset energies of Zr silicate alloys with respect to Si. The minimum conduction band offset, due to
Do All Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels Use MiRPs?

Once again, a MinK-related peptide (MiRP) has been implicated in allowing a pore-forming, voltage-gated potassium channel α subunit to achieve its potential. In this issue of Circulation Research , Zhang et al1 show that MiRP1 (encoded by the KCNE2 gene) can alter the function of Kv4 family subunits (which contribute to I to, transient outward currents in heart and brain) when they are expressed together in Xenopus oocytes. After recent reports that MiRP1 affects the behavior of HERG2 3 4 5 6 and MiRP2 affects the function of KCNQ1, KCNQ4, HERG, and Kv3.4,7 8 the MiRP subunits have been accused of widespread promiscuous partnering. Whether this salacious charge is a valid reflection of natural physiology is the critical issue at hand. MinK and its four recognized relations (MiRP1 through MiRP4 encoded by KCNE1 through KCNE5 ) are diminutive single-transmembrane subunits that coassemble with α subunits during protein translation to form stable complexes9 10 (Figure⇓). In doing so, MinK alters the gating kinetics, permeation attributes, and pharmacology of KCNQ1 α subunits to yield the attributes recorded for native cardiac I Ks channels.11 12 So, too, MiRP1 and HERG combine to create complexes with unique functions that recapitulate the properties of cardiac I Kr channels.2 3 4 5 6 In each of these cases, inherited mutations in either the MiRP or its associated α subunit partner have been linked to similar pathophysiology. The present work by Zhang et al1 indicates that MiRP1 can alter the function of Kv4 subunits in experimental cells …
Lower Levels of Circulating Progenitor Cells Are Associated With Low Physical Function and Performance in Elderly Men With Impaired Glucose Tolerance: A Pilot Substudy From the VA Enhanced Fitness Trial

p < .005, p < .001, and p < .007), rapid gait speed ( p < .001, p < .003, and p < .001), and 6-minute walking distance (all comparisons p < .001), and longer time required to complete five chair stands (p < .006, p < .002, and p < .004). CPC counts of mature endothelial or monocytic markers were not associated with physical function. Conclusions. The numbers of CD34 + and ALDH br CPCs are significantly lower in patients with impaired physical function. Further studies are needed to determine the underlying causes for this association.
Pedagogical agent research and development: Next steps and future possibilities

The purpose of this interdisciplinary panel of leading pedagogical agent researchers is to discuss issues regarding implementation of agents as “simulated humans,” pedagogical agent affordances/constraints, and future research and development possibilities.
Electrochemical membrane process for flue gas desulfurization

A flue gas desulfurization process being developed for coal-fired power plants removes and concentrates sulfur oxides (SO[sub x]). The key element is an electrochemical cell using a sulfur oxide selective membrane. It achieves 90% sulfur oxide removal with near 100% electric current efficiency. Recent research has focused on improving the structure of the electrochemical membrane and its interface with the electrodes. The capillary forces of the membrane and porous electrodes establish an equilibrium. To maintain electrode surface area enhancement, it is necessary to retain the electrolyte in the membrane and allow only wetting of the electrode pores. Chemically-stable matrix materials for the membrane have been identified; several fabrication techniques were used to prepare the actual membrane structure. A new electrode material, (LiO)[sub x]NiO, possesses the proper chemical stability and electrical properties in the corrosive environment. These modifications have led to an order of magnitude increase in flux and operating lifetime.
New Methods for Tobacco Dependence Treatment Research

Introduction Despite advances in tobacco dependence treatment in the past two decades, progress has been inconsistent and slow. This paper reviews pervasive methodological issues that may contribute to the lack of timely progress in tobacco treatment science including the lack of a dynamic model or framework of the cessation process, inefficient study designs, and the use of distal outcome measures that poorly index treatment effects. The authors then present a phase-based cessation framework that partitions the cessation process into four discrete phases based on current theories of cessation and empirical data. These phases include: (1) Motivation, (2) Precessation, (3) Cessation, and (4) Maintenance.
Learning in a Virtual World: Experience Using Second Life for Medical and Health Behaviors Education

Virtual worlds are becoming an important part of the educational technology landscape. Second Life (SL) is one of the best known of these environments. This presentation will describe two of our recent educational projects using SL – one for healthcare professionals (HCP) and one for patients. The HCP project was a pilot to determine the feasibility of using virtual worlds for the global “Training in Sexual and Reproductive Health Research” distance-learning course co-sponsored by the Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research (GFMER) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The HCPs, from over 30 countries, enroll in the course to learn basic principles of sexual and reproductive health for their patients. Working with the GFMER and WHO instructors, we adapted one session (on population control and demography) of the six-month long course for delivery in the virtual world. Some participants joined the session in-world as avatars, and some watched via livestream in their browser. The video recording was archived. We will describe learning objectives, adaptation of content for the virtual world, the actual session process, learning outcomes, and feasibility for future global training enterprises. The second project, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was a comparative effectiveness study of health education delivered in SL versus face to face for inner-city Black women with uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients were recruited from community health centers and an urban safety-net hospital, trained in the use of computers, wireless modems, and SL. They were provided with laptop computers and wireless 4-G modems to connect to the virtual world from the convenience of their homes. Four cohorts of patients met in small groups, and four times individually, with a health educator, in Second Life or face-to-face at the hospital, if randomized to the comparison group. The eight-week health education group sessions were designed to promote lifestyle and behavior changes (diet and physical activity) in order to improve glycemic control. We will report outcomes from participants in this clinical trial including baseline and end-point measurements of hemoglobin a1c, physical activity, diet, and other measures on comparative effectiveness and patient acceptance of, and adherence to, the two methods. Our talk will provide a brief overview of both projects, design issues, our results, data evaluating the experience, and the key lessons learned when working with virtual world technology. []
Individual Isomers of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduce Inflammation Associated with Established Collagen-Induced Arthritis in DBA/1 Mice

Previously, dietary conjugated linoleic acid [(CLA), an equal mixture of cis-9, trans-11 (c9t11) and trans-10, cis-12 (t10c12) CLA isomers], was found to reduce inflammation in the murine collagen antibody-induced arthritis model, but less so in the murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, an arthritic model dependent upon acquired immunity. Because CLA is known to alter the acquired immune response, it was hypothesized that feeding CLA after the establishment of arthritis would reduce paw swelling in the CIA model. In this study, upon the establishment of arthritic symptoms, mice were randomized to the following dietary treatments: corn oil (CO) control (n = 6), 0.5% c9t11-CLA (n = 8), 0.5% t10c12-CLA (n = 6), or 1% combined CLA (1:1 c9t11:t10c12-CLA, n = 6). Paws were scored for severity of arthritis and measured for changes in thickness during an 84-d study period. Dietary c9t11- and combined-CLA similarly decreased the arthritic score (29%, P = 0.036, P = 0.049, respectively, when normalized to initial score) and paw thickness (0.11 mm, P = 0.027, P = 0.035, respectively) compared with CO. Dietary t10c12-CLA reduced the arthritic score (41%, P = 0.007 when normalized) and paw thickness (0.12 mm, P = 0.013) relative to CO. Reduced interleukin-1beta on d 7 and 21 for all CLA treatments (n = 3) relative to CO suggested that antiinflammatory effects of CLA isomers might work by common mechanisms of known pathways involved in chronic inflammation. In conclusion, dietary CLA reduced inflammation associated with CIA, and both c9t11-CLA and t10c12-CLA exhibited antiinflammatory effects.
The Washington Consensus: A post-mortem

Abstract After guiding development policies for nearly 20 years, the “Washington Consensus” lies in shambles. Although selected components remain relevant for development policies around the world, some specifics of the broader policy “package” and, more generally, the concept of a standardized package of policies applicable to all developing countries has clearly been discredited. Criticism has been directed at the assumed link from economic liberalization of international trade and financial flows to more rapid economic growth. Apart from a handful of developing countries, admittedly including some large and important ones, most of the world saw little of the promised economic benefit from widespread and on-going trade and financial liberalization, initially. Many countries actually regressed, when evaluated against broader socio-economic development goals, including income inequality. We conclude that differences in initial conditions (history, culture, geography and levels of industrial and institutional development) preclude any single development policy package from being universally effective.
The Social Construction of “What's Fair” at Work1

This paper examines how the public views an act of discrimination as a consequence of the social context in which the injustice occurs and as a function of how the victim rcsponds. Results indicate that a context that offers grievance procedures to workers who feel unjustly treated enhances the public's perception of injustice if the victim decides not to file a grievance or if the victim files a grievance and wins. The victim who loses her or his claim is derogated and the act of discrimination justified. Implications for policy and public opinion on sex and race discrimination cases are examined.
Stresses in the lives of parents of children with disabilities: Providing effective caregiving

Families of children with significant developmental delays and disabilities must contend with stressors produced both by the prejudices and fears, the ‘countertransference’ reactions, of the larger society, and by the conflicts and griefs which arise within the family's own interactions and dynamics. The nature and substance of these stresses are reviewed, both from a societal context and from the context of the nuclear family environment. Themes of social deviance, isolation, and blame attribution are examined, as are problematic parent - professional relationships, and the impact of a disabled child on various family subsystems. Therapeutic responses to chronic family stresses appropriate to a range of health care professionals are explored. The article concludes with a summary of caregiving strategies helpful in developing healing relationships with families of children with disabilities.