cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 3155: Interferon-gamma-induced melanoma plasticity and response to PD-1 blockade therapy

Melanoma is a cancer of melanocytes, which develop from neural crest cells during embryogenesis. One of the ways melanoma can resist targeted therapy or adoptive T cell transfer therapy (ACT) is by dedifferentiation, whereby the tumor becomes less melanocytic and more neural crest-like. ACT-induced dedifferentiation and therapy resistance was a result of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) from antitumor T cells (Landsberg, Nature 2012), which can serve as a positive control for inflammatory cytokine-induced melanoma plasticity. To study whether immune checkpoint blockade induces melanoma dedifferentiation, we analyzed RNA-seq data from paired biopsies of 68 patients before and during anti-PD-1 therapy. Surprisingly, the tumors of patients with complete or partial response dedifferentiate following therapy (paired p= 0.00015), but those of stable or progressive disease do not (paired p= 0.31 and 0.32, respectively). As the presence of interferon-gamma signatures in biopsies is best correlated with response to anti-PD-1 therapy, we hypothesized that interferon-gamma mediates dedifferentiation. We dedifferentiated four human melanoma cell lines by in vitro exposure to long-term (three to five weeks) interferon-gamma and compared it to three days of TNF as positive control. Although TNF and long-term interferon-gamma induced similar phenotypic changes based on flow cytometry, ATAC-seq showed that they each drive different global chromatin remodeling. Motif enrichment analyses revealed STAT6, TFAP2C, and SOX proteins are key transcription factors involved in interferon-gamma-induced dedifferentiation. Inferred protein activity analysis of the matching RNA-seq data showed that these regulators, as well as IRF3 and HMGA1, alter in activity selectively with dedifferentiation. In conclusion, dedifferentiation may be a marker of positive response to anti-PD-1 therapy, mediated by chronic exposure to T cells producing interferon-gamma. Citation Format: Yeon Joo Kim, Katherine M. Sheu, Jennifer Tsoi, Gabriel Abril-Rodriguez, Catherine Grasso, Alexander Hoffmann, Stephen T. Smale, Thomas G. Graeber, Cristina Puig-Saus, Antoni Ribas. Interferon-gamma-induced melanoma plasticity and response to PD-1 blockade therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 3155.
Functional phenotyping of small multidrug resistance proteins from Staphylococcus aureus and Francisella tularensis reveals functional homology to EmrE

Small multidrug resistance (SMR) transporters efflux toxic substrates from bacterial cells. These transporters were recently divided into two subfamilies: the GdX-like and EmrE-like SMRs. The EmrE-like subfamily of SMRs is predicted to contain transporters that are highly promiscuous in both substrate specificity and mechanism based on extensive characterization of the founding member of this subfamily, EmrE. However, there is only limited functional analysis of other members of this family from pathogenic strains such as Staphylococcus aureus and Francisella tularensis. Here, we use a small compound screen to explore the substrate specificity and diversity of EmrE-subfamily SMRs from these two bacterial species and confirm that they are functionally more like EmrE than the GdX-like subfamily of toxic-metabolite transporters. The results of these experiments lay the foundation for understanding the complex substrate specificity profiles of SMR family transporters and assess the potential for targeting these transporters for future antibiotic development, either broadly or in a species-specific manner.
Differences in Levels of Biomarkers of Potential Harm Among Users of a Heat-Not-Burn Tobacco Product, Cigarette Smokers, and Never-Smokers in Japan: A Post-Marketing Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION Cigarette smoking is associated with the risk of certain diseases, but non-combustible products may lower these risks. The potential long-term health effects of the next-generation non-combustible products (heat-not-burn tobacco products (HNBP) or electronic vapor products) have not been thoroughly studied. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of biomarkers of potential harm (BoPH) of one of HNBP (a novel vapor product: NTV (novel tobacco vapor)), under the conditions of actual use. AIMS AND METHODS This study was an observational, cross-sectional, three-group, multi-center study. Exclusive NTV users (NTV, n = 259), conventional cigarette smokers (CC, n = 100) and never-smokers (NS, n = 100) were enrolled. Biomarkers of tobacco smoke exposure (cotinine and total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL)) and BoPH including parameters of physical pulmonary functions relevant to smoking-related diseases were examined, and subjects answered a questionnaire on cough-related symptoms (J-LCQ) and health-related quality of life (SF-36v2®). RESULTS Levels of cotinine, total NNAL and BoPH (high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglyceride, sICAM-1, WBC count, 11-DHTXB2, 2,3-d-TXB2, 8-epi-PGF2α, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), % predicted value of FEV1 (%FEV1) and maximum midexpiratory flow (FEF25-75)) were significantly different in the NTV group as compared to levels in CC group (p < .05). Significantly higher levels of cotinine, total NNAL, and 2,3-d-TXB2, and lower levels of FEV1 and %FEV1, were observed among NTV users compared to the NS group. CONCLUSION In a post-marketing study under actual use conditions, BoPH associated with smoking-related disease examined in exclusive NTV users were found to be favorably different from those of CC smokers, a finding attributable to a reduction in exposure to harmful substances of tobacco smoke. IMPLICATIONS Cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary diseases like COPD, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers. There is a growing body of evidence that HNBP reduces the exposure associated with smoking and that there is a favorable change in BoPH. However, long-term effects regarding the relative health risks to HNBP users compared to CC smokers have not been examined. This study provides post-marketing data under actual use conditions of the effects on biomarkers of potential harm in NTV, one of HNBP, exclusive users compared to CC smokers and never-smokers. The evidence suggests that exclusive NTV users have favorable levels of BoPH compared to CC smokers, and that is result from a sustained reduction in exposure to harmful substances of tobacco smoke.
Obstructive sleep apnea and stroke severity: Impact of clinical risk factors.

Background Specific clinical and demographic risk factors may be associated with improving or worsening neurologic outcomes within a population of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with a history of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The objective of this study was to determine the changes in neurologic outcome during a 14-day recovery as it relates to initial stroke severity in AIS patients with OSA. Methods This retrospective study analyzed baseline clinical risk factors and demographic data collected in a regional stroke center from January 2010 to June 2016. Our primary endpoint measure was the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and our secondary endpoint measures included the clinical factors associated with improving (NIHSS score ≤7) or worsening (NIHSS score >7) neurological outcome. The relative contribution of each variable to stroke severity and related outcome was determined using a logistic regression. The regression models were checked for the overall correct classification percentage using a Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and the sensitivity of our models was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results A total of 5469 AIS patients were identified. Of this, 96.89% did not present with OSA while 3.11% of AIS patients presented with OSA. Adjusted multivariate analysis demonstrated that in the AIS population with OSA, atrial fibrillation (AF) (odds ratio [OR] = 3.36, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.289-8.762, P = 0.013) and changes in ambulatory status (OR = 2.813, 95% CI, 1.123-7.041, P = 0.027) showed an association with NIHSS score >7 while being Caucasian (OR = 0.214, 95% CI, 0.06-0.767, P = 0.018) was associated with NIHSS score ≤7. Conclusion In AIS patients with OSA, AF and changes in ambulatory status were associated with worsening neurological outcome while Caucasian patients were associated with improving neurological outcome. Our findings may have significant implications for patient stratification when determining treatment protocols with respect to neurologic outcomes in AIS patients with OSA.
Identifying External Contacts from Joint Torque Measurements on Serial Robotic Arms and Its Limitations

The ability to detect and estimate external contacts is essential for robot arms to operate in unstructured environments occupied by humans. However, most robot arms are not equipped with adequate sensors to detect contacts on their entire body. What many robot arms do have is torque sensors for individual joints. Through a quantitative analysis, we argue that it is fairly likely for two distinct contacts on the robot’s surface to generate almost identical joint torque measurements. When this happens, the best contact estimate achievable is the set of possible contact positions, all of which would reproduce the measured joint torque. Searching for elements of this set is equivalent to solving to global optimality a nonlinear program.By combining rejection sampling with gradient descent, we propose a contact estimation method which in practice finds all local optima of the nonlinear program at real-time rates. In addition, we propose an active contact exploration method which falsifies spurious contact estimates in the set of local optima by making small motions around the robot’s current configuration. The proposed methods highlight the caveats of contact estimation from only joint torque, which, coupled with known limitations of such estimators, suggest that a more capable sensor is probably needed for robust whole-body contact estimation.
After-words: Post-Holocaust Struggles with Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Justice

Prologue: "Did you say: after? Meaning what?"--David Patterson and John K. Roth Part One: Forgiveness1/ Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Jewish Memory after Auschwitz--Peter J. HaasIn Response:--Rachel N. Baum--Leonard Grob--Peter J. Haas2/ The Face of Forgiveness in a Post-Holocaust World--Henry F. KnightIn Response:--Britta Frede-Wenger--David Patterson--Henry F. Knight3/ Forgiveness after the Holocaust--Didier PollefeytIn Response:--Peter J. Haas--Juergen Manemann--Didier Pollefeyt Part Two: Reconciliation4/ Useless Experience: Its Significance for Reconciliation after Auschwitz--John K. RothIn Response:--Rachel N. Baum--Didier Pollefeyt--John K. Roth5/ Anthropological Remarks on Reconciliation after Auschwitz--Britta Frede-WengerIn Response: --Juergen Manemann--Didier Pollefeyt--Britta Frede-Wenger6/ Struggles for Recognition in an Era of Globalization: The Necessity of a Theology of Reconciliation from a Political-Theological Perspective after Auschwitz--Juergen ManemannIn Response:--Peter J. Haas--David Patterson--Juergen Manemann Part Three: Justice7/ G-d, World, Humanity: Jewish Reflections on Justice after Auschwitz--David PattersonIn Response:--Britta Frede-Wenger--John K. Roth--David Patterson8/ The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Just Reconciliation in the Shadows of the Holocaust--Leonard GrobIn Response:--Henry F. Knight--John K. Roth--Leonard Grob9/ The Post-Holocaust Jewish Heart--Rachel N. BaumIn Response:--Leonard Grob--Henry F. Knight--Rachel N. Baum Postscript: An After That is Yet to Be--David Patterson and John K. Roth BibliographyAbout the Editors and ContributorsIndex
Design Principles for Aerospace Structures Utilizing SHM

Structural health management (SHM) and its related technologies offer the combined benefits of reducing maintenance costs while preserving or improving structural design performance. Advanced SHM technology implementation for in-service aerospace platforms requires a disciplined approach to quantify how each application can provide benefit in the context of design practices and design and maintenance criteria. The focus of this chapter will be to describe SHM from a broader integrated design perspective and vision for the future. This will be accomplished by first providing a brief historical illustration of how design practices have evolved along with the ability to collect in-service knowledge. An overview of SHM from a design and integration perspective will then be provided, followed by some examples that demonstrate SHM implementation in the context of a broader design and maintenance perspective. Keywords: structural health management; maintenance; design; structural integrity
A 14-Year-Old Female With Abdominal Pain and Vaginal Bleeding

Determining pregnancy status is vital in the approach to adolescent females with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding. The prognosis of extrauterine pregnancies and gestational trophoblastic disease depends greatly on the ability to make an early diagnosis. Urine qualitative β human chorionic gonadotropin ( β -hCG) tests are routinely used in emergency departments for pregnancy screening. However, point-of-care testing can be misleading in molar or late first-term pregnancies when β -hCG levels are extremely high. We report a case of an adolescent female presenting with a molar pregnancy in which point-of-care pregnancy testing was falsely negative due to the "high-dose hook effect." The "hook effect" affects almost all current qualitative assays and highlights the dangers of reliance on a single laboratory test.
The Class Hierarchy of MtgLib—External

MtgLib classes that correspond directly to input parameters and have some intuitive “meaning” to the user are called external. Instances of these classes are defined in MtgLib’s scripting language MtgScript, as defined in Appendix B. The following categories of external classes exist: Instruments: Maturity, payoff policy, knock-out policy and early-exercise policy are the dominant orthogonal features of instruments. American/European options with or without knock-out boundaries and with linear of digit al payoff are standardized in MtgLib. Portfolios: Instruments are combined into portfolios which generalize some of their properties (the longest maturity, for instance). Models: Models consist of specifications of factors and model coefficients, possibly uncertain. A one-factor Black-Scholes model is used in most of this book. Model coefficients: They may have their own classes to allow term structure. At this time, piecewise constant volatility and drift coefficients are supported. The volatility coefficient may be uncertain. Scenarios: Models and their (uncertain) coefficient s are interpreted according to a prescribed scenario. We have discussed worst- case volatility and volatility scenarios. Some consistency between the model and the scenario is required: if the model incorporates uncertain model coefficients, the scenario must be able to resolve the uncertainty. Numerical methods: MtgLib supports explicit or mixed implicit/ explicit finite difference schemes as well as Monte-Carlo simulation. The requirements diverge: while finite difference schemes are based on a collection of lattice instances, Monte Carlo methods require path instances which are treat ed differently. In MtgLib, lattices and path spaces are indeed separate objects. Evaluators: At first objects are passively stored in a repository. Concrete pricing operations are only triggered by specifying an evaluator object which lives only while the particular portfolio/model/scenario combination is evaluated. Evalu ators format and output the result.
THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY OF PESTICIDES - A REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS FOR 2002-2004

SUMMARY Applications of thin-layer chromatography and high-performance thin-layer chromatography for the separation, detection, and qualitative and quantitative determination of pesticides, other agrochemicals, and related compounds are reviewed for the period mid-2000 to mid-2004. Analyses are covered for a variety of samples, such as food, crops, biological, environmental, pharmaceuticals, and formulations, and for residues of pesticides of various types, including insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, belonging to different chemical classes. In addition to references on residue analysis, studies of pesticide–structure relationships, metabolism, degradation, adsorption, uptake, dissipation, mobility, and lipophilicity are covered, many of which make use of thin-layer radiochromatography.
Search Control in China

Min Jiang was a speaker at the second edition of the Society of the Query conference in Amsterdam, 7-8 November 2013. She participated in the session called 'Search Across the Border', where she spoke about borders on web search in China, expanding on her previous research on search results in China.
Gender Quotas: A Path to Empowerment?

Gender equality is an idea that is enshrined in the Millennium Development Goals. In order to achieve gender equality, a significant amount of women’s empowerment must occur. Since women’s empowerment is a way out of poverty, many countries have been undertaking tasks to assist women’s ascent in society. One institution that has been established is gender quotas, which allocates seats for women in legislatures. This paper will explore how a country’s context can influence the effectiveness of gender quotas in bringing women into legislatures. From there, I will look at how female politicians affect society at large. By studying regions of the world, I measure societal effects through political engagement at the local level and public opinion of women. Overall, gender quotas do seem to increase public opinion of women, but do not increase local level political engagement. Further research should be done on what policies women in legislatures support.
The streaming of 1.3 - 2.3 MeV cosmic-ray protons during periods between prompt solar particle events

The anisotropy of 1.3 to 2.3 MeV protons in interplanetary space was measured using the Caltech electron/isotope spectrometer aboard IMP-7 for 317 6 hour periods from 72/273 to 74/2. Periods dominated by prompt solar particle events are not included. The convective and diffusive anisotropies were determined from the observed anisotropy using concurrent solar wind speed measurements and observed energy spectra. The diffusive flow of particles was found to be typically toward the sun, indicating a positive radial gradient in the particle density. This anisotropy was inconsistent with previously proposed sources of low energy proton increases seen at 1 AU which involve continual solar acceleration. The typical properties of this new component of low-energy cosmic rays were determined for this period which is near solar minimum.
Genetic analysis of brahma: The drosophila homolog of the yeast chromatin remodeling factor SWI2/SNF2

The Drosophila brahma (brm) gene encodes an activator of homeotic genes related to the yeast chromatin remodeling factor SWI2/SNF2. Here, we report the phenotype of null and dominant-negative brm mutations. Using mosaic analysis, we found that the complete loss of brm function decreases cell viability and causes defects in the peripheral nervous system of the adult. A dominant-negative brm mutation was generated by replacing a conserved lysine in the ATP-binding site of the BRM protein with an arginine. This mutation eliminates brm function in vivo but does not affect assembly of the 2-MD BRM complex. Expression of the dominant-negative BRM protein caused peripheral nervous system defects, homeotic transformations, and decreased viability. Consistent with these findings, the BRM protein is expressed at relatively high levels in nuclei throughout the developing organism. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to investigate the functions of conserved regions of the BRM protein. Domain II is essential for brm function and is required for the assembly or stability of the BRM complex. In spite of its conservation in numerous eukaryotic regulatory proteins, the deletion of the bromodomain of the BRM protein has no discernible phenotype.
Impleme Nting Standardized Client Education in a Combined BSW and MSW Program

This study presents an evaluative study of a combined BSW and MSW program's use of standardized clients—actors trained to portray a client in a realistic and reproducible manner. Two standardized client cases were used: one for BSW and foundation MSW students and one for advanced MSW students. The logistics of implementing standardized clients across the BSW and MSW program as well as student and faculty evaluations regarding the use of standardized clients are also presented.
Rising oil prices: The cost of revolution and the course of true love

Jerome E Roos lays out the economic and political ramifications, in the UK and globally, of high, rising and volatile oil prices, and argues for a state-led drive to establish a stable new relationship with alternative energy technologies.
Embedded Rationality: A Unified Simulation Framework for Interactive Form Finding

This paper describes embedded rationality as a method for implicitly combining fabrication constraints into an interactive framework for conceptual design. While the concept of ‘embedded rationality’ has been previously discussed in the context of a parametric design environment, we employ this concept to present a novel framework for dynamic simulation as a method for interactive form-finding. By identifying categories of computational characteristics, we present a unified physics-solver that generalizes existing simulations through a constraint-based approach. Through several examples we explore conceptual approaches to a fixed form where the resulting effects of interacting forces are produced in real-time. Finally, we provide an example of embedded rationality by examining a constraint-based model of fabrication rationale for a Planar Offset Quad (POQ) panelization system.
The effect of valgus/varus malalignment on load distribution in total knee replacements

Valgus or varus malpositioning of the tibial component of a total knee implant may cause increased propensity for loosening or implant wear and eventually may lead to revision surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of valgus/varus malalignment on tibio-femoral mechanics during surgical trial reduction and simulated gait loading. In seven cadaver legs, posterior cruciate sparing total knee replacements were implanted and tibial inserts representing a neutral alignment and 3° and 5° varus and valgus alignments were sequentially inserted. Each knee with each insert was loaded in a manner representative of a trial reduction performed during knee surgery and loaded in a physiological knee simulator. Simulated gait performed on the simulator demonstrated that internal/external and adduction/abduction rotations showed statistical changes with some of the angled inserts at different points in the walking cycle. Neither medial/lateral nor anterior/posterior translations changed statistically during simulated walking. The pressure distribution and total load in the medial and lateral compartments of the tibial component changed significantly with as little as a 3° variation in angulation when loaded in a manner representative of a trial reduction or with a knee simulator. These results support the need for precise surgical reconstruction of the mechanical axis of the knee and proper alignment of the tibial component. These results further demonstrate that tibial contact pressures measured during a trial reduction method may be predictive of contact mechanics at the higher loading seen in the knee simulator.
Further studies on ligation of the thyroid arteries in depancreatized diabetic dogs

Conclusions1. The mortality of completely depancreatized dogs after ligation of the thyroid arteries is high.2. Glycosuria in depancreatized diabetic dogs was checked after complete ligation of the thyroid arteries.3. Tetanyor infection, or both, seem to interfere with the disappearance of the glycosuria.4. Partial ligation of the thyroid arteries apparently intensifies the diabetes produced by pancreatectomy.
Generalization of Moll–Ross relations for heterojunction bipolar transistors

Abstract Moll–Ross relations for the current flow through the base region of a bipolar transistor, and for the base transit time, have been generalized for heterojunction bipolar transistors with a nonuniform energy bandgap in the base region. The effect of both heavy doping and carrier degeneracy has been taken into account.
Male-like behaviour in an all-female lizard: relationship to ovarian cycle

Abstract A quantitative analysis of the relationship between pseudocopulatory behaviour and the ovarian cycle in the parthenogenetic lizard Cnemidophorus uniparens indicates (1) that this behaviour is frequently and regularly expressed by captive individuals, and (2) that the sexual role, either male-like or female-like, exhibited by an animal is correlated with its ovarian state. The expression of female-like behaviour patterns was associated with and primarily limited to the vitellogenic stage of the cycle. Male-like behaviour patterns occurred most frequently during post-ovulatory stages but was not limited to these stages. Neither behavioural role was ever expressed by non-reproductive individuals. Reproductive individuals often alternated in assuming the female-like and male-like roles during the progress of the ovarian cycle. These observations suggest that pseudosexual behaviour is hormonally activated in this species. However, it also appears that the prevailing social situation is an important factor determining which behavioural role is taken. This work strengthens the hypothesis that pseudosexual behaviour in all-female lizards occurs as the result of natural selection.
Priapism pathophysiology: clues to prevention

Priapism, in which penile erection persists in the absence of sexual excitation, is an enigmatic yet devastating erectile disorder. Current endeavors to manage the disorder suffer from a poor fundamental knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of priapism. These endeavors have remained essentially reactive, which commonly fail to avert its pathological consequences of erectile tissue damage and erectile disability, not to mention its psychological toll. The role of preventative management seems paramount with respect to priapism. As a prerequisite to formulating prevention strategies, gaining understanding of its pathogenic features and likely pathophysiologic mechanisms is viewed to be quite important. This review combined an analysis of clinicopathologic reports as well as a summary of clinical and basic science investigations on the subject to date. These assessments support the basic classification of priapism into low-flow (ischemic) and high-flow (nonischemic) hemodynamic categories, resulting from venous outflow occlusion and unregulated arterial overflow of the penis, respectively. In addition, consistent with the hypothesis that dysregulative physiology of penile erection accounts for some presentations of priapism, several plausible molecular mechanisms influencing the functional state of the erectile tissue are discussed. Current progress in the field suggests prevention possibilities using androgenic suppressive therapy, adrenergic agonist therapies, and effectors of the nitric oxide-dependent erection regulatory pathway in the penis. New ideas for prevention may emerge from targeting molecular mechanisms involved in regulating erectile tissue function.
A New BIA Equation Estimating the Body Composition of Young Children

Bioelectric impedance analyses (BIA) provides a valid and reliable measure of body composition in field, clinical, and research settings if standard protocol procedures are followed, and population-specific equations are available and utilized. The objective of this study was to create and cross-validate a new BIA body composition equation with representative healthy weight (HW), overweight (OW), and obese (OB) young children. Participants were 436 children who were 5-11 years of age. Dual-energy absorptiometry fat-free mass (FFM) was used as the criterion measure and a single frequency tetra-polar BIA device was used to create the new BIA equation. The new BIA equation explained 95.2% of the variance in FFM with no statistical shrinkage upon cross-validation. The use of this equation may help to identify effective intervention strategies to prevent or combat childhood obesity, and may assist in additional conditions or treatments where information concerning body composition measures would provide greater accuracy and sensitivity measures for preventing or combating disease.
Left bundle branch block masquerading as right bundle branch block.

Abstract 1. 1. Four cases having electrocardiograms with the following features have been presented: (a) signs of left bundle branch block in the limb leads; (b) signs of right bundle branch block in the precordial leads; (c) qR deflections in aVR. 2. 2. Vectorcardiograms were obtained in these cases, all of which reveal the nature of the conduction defect to be left bundle branch block. 3. 3. The mechanisms responsible for the unusual vectorcardiographic and electrocardiographic features have been discussed. 4. 4. These observations suggest that electrocardiograms showing the paradoxical features described be interpreted as left bundle branch block with extensive septal and inferolateral myocardial infarction. 5. 5. As might be expected in posterior infarction, high grade atrioventricular block is an occasional feature.
Neurotology Telemedicine Consultation

The opportunity to treat neurotologic patients when the patient and physician are in separate locations is an important clinical delivery mechanism. The authors developed their applications of neurotologic telemedicine in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and found this to be an effective way to deliver clinical care, develop a clinical neurotology practice, and train residents and fellows and to manage a growing neurotologic clinical practice remotely. This article outlines the technical requirements, current uses, clinical applicability, and implementation details of the Our Lady of the Lake - LSU neurotology telemedicine program; administrative issues surrounding telemedicine; and future considerations.
Yet another privacy metric for publishing micro-data

Recently many schemes, including k-anonymity [8], l-diversity [6] and t-closeness [5] have been introduced for preserving individual privacy when publishing database tables. Furthermore k-anonymity and l-diversity have been shown to have weaknesses. In this paper, we show that t-closeness also has limitations, more specifically we argue that: i) choosing the correct value for t is difficult, ii) t-closeness does not allow some values of sensitive attributes to be more sensitive than other values, and iii) to prevent certain types of privacy leaks t must be set to such a small value that it produces low-quality published data. In this paper we propose a new privacy metric,(αi, βi)-closeness, that mitigates these problems. We also show how to calculate an optimal release table (in the full domain model) that satisfies (αi, βi)-closeness and we present experimental results that show that the data quality provided by 9αi, β;i),-closeness is higher than t-closeness, k-anonymity, and l-diversity while achieving the same privacy goals.
Why not just Google it? An assessment of information literacy skills in a biomedical science curriculum

Few issues in higher education are as fundamental as the ability to search for, evaluate, and synthesize information. The need to develop information literacy, the process of finding, retrieving, organizing, and evaluating the ever-expanding collection of online information, has precipitated the need for training in skill-based competencies in higher education, as well as medical and dental education. The current study evaluated the information literacy skills of first-year dental students, consisting of two, consecutive dental student cohorts (n = 160). An assignment designed to evaluate information literacy skills was conducted. In addition, a survey of student online search engine or database preferences was conducted to identify any significant associations. Subsequently, an intervention was developed, based upon the results of the assessment and survey, to address any deficiencies in information literacy. Nearly half of students (n = 70/160 or 43%) missed one or more question components that required finding an evidence-based citation. Analysis of the survey revealed a significantly higher percentage of students who provided incorrect responses (n = 53/70 or 75.7%) reported using Google as their preferred online search method (p < 0.01). In contrast, a significantly higher percentage of students who reported using PubMed (n = 39/45 or 86.7%) were able to provide correct responses (p < 0.01). Following a one-hour intervention by a health science librarian, virtually all students were able to find and retrieve evidence-based materials for subsequent coursework. This study confirmed that information literacy among this student population was lacking and that integration of modules within the curriculum can help students to filter and establish the quality of online information, a critical component in the training of new health care professionals. Furthermore, incorporation of these modules early in the curriculum may be of significant value to other dental, medical, health care, and professional schools with similar goals of incorporating the evidence base into teaching and learning activities.
Ginger: Inhibition of thromboxane synthetase and stimulation of prostacyclin: Relevance for medicine and psychiatry

Ginger, the common spice, has recently been found to act as a potent inhibitor of thromboxane synthetase, raising levels of prostacyclin, without a concomitant rise in PGE2 or PGF2 alpha. Indications for use of ginger to replace either thromboxane inhibitors having serious side effects or prostacyclin are given.
Earl Weaver was right: it's what you learn after you think you know it all that counts.

(2002). Earl Weaver Was Right: It's What You Learn after You Think You Know It All That Counts. The American Journal of Bioethics: Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 1-2.
Reactive column HPLC: rapid analysis on RPC-5 of oligoadenylates that differ at the 3'-terminus.

Abstract Oligoadenylates can be analyzed according to the type of 3′-terminus (A n A, A n Ap, and A n A > p, oligoadenylates that have at the 3′-terminus no phosphate, a 2′(3′)-monophosphate, and a 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate respectively) by hplc on RPC-5 support using a novel dual-column technique. The first column separates A n Ap plus A n A > p from A n A, and at the start of the second column a layer of bacterial alkaline phosphatase enzyme converts the A n Ap into A n A. Hence this A n A emerges separately from the original A n A and from the A n A > p. The technique can be used to analyze a three-component mixture for a single chain length or a mixture of A n Ap and A n A > p of mixed chain lengths ( n = 3 to 7). The presence of poly(U) does not interfere with the analysis.
Chronic widespread pain and fibromyalgia: Two sides of the same coin?

Chronic widespread pain (CWP) is very prevalent in the general population (5%-10%) and is characterized by pain in all four body quadrants, the neck, and back. CWP differs from localized pain not only in its distribution but also in the way it affects lives. Multiple pain sites are associated with higher pain intensity, longer pain duration, and greater disability. Anxiety and depression are more common in CWP patients than among those with localized pain and pain-free controls. Fibromyalgia (FM) has been classified as CWP of more than a 3-month duration, with mechanical hyperalgesia at > or = 11 tender-point sites. FM has been found in 2% to 4% of community subjects and represents the extreme of CWP. This article compares pain characteristics, quality of life, consequences for daily living, and psychosocial status between FM patients and individuals with CWP. Available evidence shows that FM is associated with more severe symptoms and consequences for daily life and higher pain-severity compared with CWP.
Software engineering for seniors—overcoming the administrative fears

A five-year old program of a two-semester course sequence in software engineering is described. Strategies for handling four common faculty administrative concerns of teaching a project centered software engineering course are presented. The methods and experiences described are the results of a program now in its fifth year. The program is centered around industry sponsored projects which computer science seniors take from design to implementation during the school year.
Theory Of Anomalous X-Ray Scattering From Atoms And Ions

New developments in the theory of anomalous x-ray scattering are reviewed. The second order S-matrix calculations remove several previous discrepancies, in particular it is now known that there is an error in the Cromer-Liberman tables. In high Z elements a window is found in near threshold scattering at back angles. New results obtained for ions indicate that with increasing degrees of ionization the anomalous behavior near threshold weakens.
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND GENESIS OF SELECTED FIRECLAYS FROM LATAH COUNTY, IDAHO

ABSTRACT Fireclay deposits occur in Latah County, Idaho, as residual weathered products, and as lacustrine sediments comprising part of the Miocene Latah formation. The residual deposits were developed upon granitic (granodioritic, gneissic) masses by surface weathering. The lacustrine fireclays were derived dominantly from weathered residuum and to a minor extent from volcanic ash. Mineral proportions in the residual clay are typically as follows: kaolin minerals, 65 percent; quartz, 20 percent; K-bearing micas, 12 percent; and montmorillonite— chlorite mixed-layer clay, trace. The sedimentary fireclay deposits range widely in clay content, from some that are almost wholly kaolin to others containing as little clay as the residual material, or alternatively, to those meeting minimal requirements of fireclay. As the content of kaolin decreases in the deposits, there is a corresponding increase in content of quartz, K-bearing micas, and in the less abundant components orthoclase, mixed-layer illite-montmorillonite, and mixed-layer chlorite-montmorillonite. In both the transported and residual clay bodies the kaolin minerals are, in order of decreasing abundance, halloysite, endellite, and fireclay mineral. The lake deposits also contain seams of poorly crystallized kaolin that is inferred to have been derived from volcanic ash because (1) it contains minor quantities of tridymite, sanidine, and volcanic glass, and (2) it contains notably more endellite and allophane (amorphous and relatively soluble in NaOH) than is present in the other kaolin deposits. Endellite seemingly has developed in two separate geologic environments: as an alteration product of granodiorite gneiss by surface weathering and as an alteration product of volcanic ash deposited and altered in a fresh-water lake. It is postulated that endellite is a relatively common product of weathering.
Sensing with mid-infrared frequency combs: a novel modality for ultrasensitive detection of hazardous materials

We propose a new concept for point and stand-off detection of chemical and biological agents as well as explosives' vapors and residues on solid surfaces based on frequency comb spectroscopy in the region of mid-IR molecular vibrational "fingerprints". Our method will allow identification of hazardous substances with high detection sensitivity and real-time data processing. A two-octave-wide mid-infrared frequency comb output will be produced by a cascaded sub-harmonic optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a fiber laser. The proposed device will use the principle of coherent Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer and offer an unprecedented precision and speed of acquisition of spectral information.
Finding Information on Health Care Management: The Health Planning and Administration Database

To work in the field of health care management, one must have thorough knowledge of management principles, as well as a solid understanding of the health care system. To students and practitioners in this field, finding information for papers, research, or problem‐solving might appear to be a difficult task. The Health Planning and Administration database (HEALTH) offers a quick and efficient solution to this problem.
Grating visual acuity in infantile nystagmus in the absence of image motion.

Purpose: Infantile nystagmus (IN) consists of largely horizontal oscillations of the eyes that usually begin shortly after birth. The condition is almost always associated with lower than normal visual acuity (VA). This is assumed to be at least partially due to motion blur induced by the eye movements. Here, we investigated the effect of image motion on VA. Methods: Grating stimuli were presented, illuminated by either multiple tachistoscopic flashes (0.76 ms) to circumvent retinal image motion, or under constant illumination to subjects with horizontal idiopathic IN and controls. A staircase procedure was used to estimate VA (by judging direction of tilt) under each condition. Orientation-specific effects were investigated by testing gratings oriented about both the horizontal and vertical axes. Results: Nystagmats had poorer VA than controls under both constant and tachistoscopic illumination. Neither group showed a significant difference in VA between illumination conditions. Nystagmats performed worse for vertically-oriented gratings, even under tachistoscopic conditions (p < 0.05), but there was no significant effect of orientation in controls. Conclusions: The fact that VA was not significantly affected by either illumination condition strongly suggests that the eye movements themselves do not significantly degrade VA in adults with IN. Treatments and therapies that seek to modify and/or reduce eye movements may therefore be fundamentally limited in any improvement that can be achieved with respect to VA.
Cost effectiveness in victim-witness advocate programs: A case study

An existing victim and witness advocate program is described and evaluated in terms of costs, benefits, and operations. Quantitative and qualitative data indicate that the program is cost beneficial and is also socially beneficial to both the victims and witnesses and the criminal justice system. Proposed programmatic changes are recommended to further improve the programs.
Preimmigration beliefs of life success, postimmigration experiences, and acculturative stress: South Asian immigrants in the United States.

This study retrospectively explored the links between preimmigration beliefs of life success and postimmigration experiences and their influence on acculturative stress among a group of parents who recently immigrated with their children from three non-English speaking countries—Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan—to the United States. The respondents, 75 sets of parents residing in New York City, participated in semistructured qualitative interviews. Discrepancies between the parents' anticipated life success in the United States and actual experiences after immigration were associated with the parents' expectations of their children fulfilling parents' own dreams of success. Two criteria specific to Asian culture that guided parental expectations were the responsibility of children in enhancing family pride and the role of education as a way to advance through the social class and the caste systems. Implications for understanding immigrant parents' sociocultural contexts, the potential negative impact of unrealistic expectations on children's development, and the significance of acculturative stress for parents as well as their children were discussed.
Equilibrium and metastable samarium-cobalt deposits produced by arc plasma spraying

Abstract The “crystal” and “micro” structures of plasma-sprayed samarium-cobalt deposits depend markedly on the spray conditions that are employed. Various structures were obtained in deposits formed with binary compositions of samarium and cobalt containing from 23 to 37 wt.% samarium. Process variables such as gun-to-substrate distance, substrate temperature and particle size and distribution were controlled systematically to obtain the desired structures. Deposits that contain broad unresolved peaks in their X-ray diffraction patterns were formed by keeping the substrate-deposit combination sufficiently cold during deposition. This is believed to be the result of the same process that lead to the formation of broad halos in the X-ray patterns of glassy materials produced by conventional rapid cooling techniques. Most of the changes observed are thought to be influenced by the fluidity of the molten particles as they impact on the substrate.
Perturbation of chiral solitons

Abstract This paper studies the perturbation of soliton due to the chiral nonlinear Schrodinger's equation by the aid of soliton perturbation theory. The perturbation term that is studied is the quantum potential perturbation of the chiral soliton that is known as Bohm potential. The stable fixed point of the chiral soliton parameters is obtained.
Electron microscopic imaging of multiple markers in glutaraldehyde fixed CNS tissue of Macaca fascicularis: Maximizing information from a single experimental animal

Abstract Sensory and motor pathways in the central nervous system (CNS) of macaque monkeys were visualized by anterograde or retrograde axonal transport of wheatgerm agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) reacted with the chromagen tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), or by the use of anterograde degeneration after specific ablation lesions. To maximize information from each animal we combined the results of the anterograde and retrograde axonal transport with several pre- and post-embedding markers at both the light and electron microscopic levels while maintaining good preservation of tissue. Pre-embedding techniques included those for cytochrome oxidase activity and the calcium-binding proteins calbindin D-28k and parvalbumin. Post-embedding techniques imcluded immunocytochemistry for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or other amino acid neurotransmitters. We believe that the methods described here provide superior tissue preservation, thus permitting a more detailed analysis of tissue prepared after experiments concerned with neural circuitry.