cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TH‐C‐137‐04: Separating the Dosimetric Consequences of Changing Tumor Anatomy Vs. Positional Uncertainty for Conventionally Fractionated Lung Cancer Patients

Purpose: To differentiate between the dosimetric consequences of positional uncertainty and changing tumor anatomy for conventionally fractionated lung cancer treatment plans. Methods: Modified IMRT photon treatment plans were retrospectively generated for 12 lung cancer patients (prescription range = 45–66 Gy). 10 of 12 patients had centrally located tumors, and the average internal target volume (ITV) was 119.5 cc (standard deviation = 133.3 cc). To simulate a large and immediate tumor response, all voxels corresponding to tumor within the ITV were reassigned an electron density equivalent to lung. The original, unchanged treatment plan was then calculated on this modified image set. To simulate positional uncertainty, isocenters in each plan were shifted by 2 mm and 5 mm in each of 6 directions: superior/inferior, left/right, anterior/posterior. Shifted plans were calculated for both the original and modified ITV. Paired t‐tests were used to compare the original and modified plans, both with and without simulated positional uncertainty. For the purposes of this abstract, changes to the volume of the PTV receiving 95% of prescription dose (PTV V95%), mean lung dose, the percent volume of lung receiving 20 Gy (Lung V20%), the volume in ccs of esophagus receiving 55 Gy (V55Gy(cc)), and the volume in ccs of spinal cord receiving 45 Gy (V45Gy(cc)) are reported. Results: Reduced tumor volumes alone resulted in minimal dosimetric impact. Shifts of 2 and 5 mm reduced PTV coverage by 0.54% and 3.3% respectively when compared to the original (unshifted) plan. When comparing modified and original plans which are both shifted in the same direction, small increases in dose were seen. Conclusion: The dosimetric consequences of positional uncertainty are larger than volumetric tumor reduction. Adaptive replanning techniques based solely on the perceived dosimetric consequences of shrinking tumor anatomy are unwarranted for conventionally fractionated lung cancer patients.
An experimental study on artificially induced CSF pulse waveform morphological modifications

Abstract Objective: The analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulse pressure waveform has been considered as a reliable method to investigate the intracranial system (ICS) dynamics. We have examined the morphological changes of the CSF pulse wave and of the sagittal sinus pressure (SSP) wave during a progressive increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) in order to investigate the ICS dynamics. Methods: Four dogs were anesthetized. Blood pressure, ICP, and SSP were simultaneously recorded. Two vertical tubes were inserted inside one lateral ventricle, thus allowing the half-opening (one tube open) and opening (both tubes open) of the ICS. ICP was modified by varying the height of the liquid column into the tubes. Pressures were analyzed by applying the fast Fourier transformation on each pulse pressure wave. We distinguished two peaks (first and second peaks) and a notch in each pulse pressure wave. The pressure was raised from resting pressure up to 50 mmHg. Results: A progressive and distinct change in th...
Development, Validation, and Use of Quantitative Structure−Activity Relationship Models of 5-Hydroxytryptamine (2B) Receptor Ligands to Identify Novel Receptor Binders and Putative Valvulopathic Compounds among Common Drugs

Some antipsychotic drugs are known to cause valvular heart disease by activating serotonin 5-HT2B receptors. We have developed and validated binary classification QSAR models capable of predicting potential 5-HT2B actives. The classification accuracies of the models built to discriminate 5-HT2B actives from the inactives were as high as 80% for the external test set. These models were used to screen in silico 59 000 compounds included in the World Drug Index, and 122 compounds were predicted as actives with high confidence. Ten of them were tested in radioligand binding assays and nine were found active, suggesting a success rate of 90%. All validated actives were then tested in functional assays, and one compound was identified as a true 5-HT2B agonist. We suggest that the QSAR models developed in this study could be used as reliable predictors to flag drug candidates that are likely to cause valvulopathy.
Prophylaxis of Candida albicans Infection in Neutropenic Mice with Liposome-Encapsulated Amphotericin B

The efficacy of liposome-encapsulated amphotericin B in the prophylaxis of disseminated Candida albicans infections in neutropenic mice was studied. The administration of liposome-encapsulated amphotericin B was associated with protection against infection with C. albicans when used at doses of greater than or equal to 2 mg of amphotericin B per kg of body weight. Neither empty liposomes nor free amphotericin B showed prophylactic efficacy.
Nucleotide sequence of a mosquito 18S ribosomal RNA gene

We have sequenced an 18S ribosomal RNA gene from the mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Computer alignment of the 1950 nucleotide coding region (56% A + T) with 18S rRNA sequences from two insect and three vertebrate species revealed greater sequence divergence among the insects than among the vertebrates. Sequence alignments showed that variable region V4, which has been considered to be the most poorly conserved domain in the 18S rRNA gene, was better conserved among insects and vertebrates than was the V6 domain.
Asymptomatic atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant cause of morbidity and health care expenditures. Patients with AF suffer a variety of symptoms including chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Some patients have no symptoms, a condition referred to as asymptomatic or "silent" AF. Asymptomatic AF has significant clinical implications. Patients with unrecognized AF may present with devastating thromboembolic consequences or a tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy. The incidence of asymptomatic AF is greater than previously perceived. This manuscript provides an overview of the clinical entity of asymptomatic AF including the epidemiology, clinical significance, and the implications it has on the daily management of patients suffering from AF.
Ratio-dependent functional response emerges from optimal foraging on a complex landscape

Abstract A spatially implicit consumer–resource model, having the form of the Rosenzweig–MacArthur equations except for density-dependent loss on the consumer, is analyzed. Both the rates of resource intake and of mortality of the consumer are assumed to be proportional to the amount of risk it takes during foraging, and the consumer is assumed to take an amount of risk that maximizes its fitness as a tradeoff between growth and predation. Given these conditions, it is shown that a ratio-dependent functional response for the consumer–resource interaction emerges and that the system is highly stable.
Oxidation of l-glucose by a Pseudomonad

Abstract A new enzyme, d -threo- aldose dehydrogenase (2S,3R-aldose dehydrogenase), found in Pseudomonas caryophylli, was capable of oxidizing l -glucose, l xylose, d -arabinose, and l -fucose in the presence of NAD+. The enzyme was synthesized constitutively and purified about 120-fold from d -glucose-grown cells. The Km values for l -glucose, l -xylose, d -arabinose, and l -fucose were 1.5 · 10−2, 4.5 · 10−3, 2.8 · 10−3, and 2.1 · 10−3, respectively. d -Glucose and other aldoses inhibited the enzyme reaction; this inhibition was competitive with l -glucose as substrate and d -glucose as inhibitor. The optimum pH for the enzyme reaction was 10; the molecular weight of the enzyme was determined by gel filtration to be 7 · 104.
Measuring Performance for Collaborative Public Management Using Network Analysis Methods and Tools

Social network analysis and centrality measures are used with the UCINET software program to analyze the outcomes of an evolving collaborative network through the relationship structures and processes of an interorganizational governance network. The study data were collected from content analyses of newspapers, situation reports, and organizational documents. In the context of disaster response networks, the structure and performance of the planned networks are compared to the actual networks. The results indicate that the September 11 response network's performance differed from that of the Federal Response Plan network and that the outcomes of the Hurricane Katrina response network showed different structures from those of the National Response Plan. The insights generated about the structural differences between these formal versus informal and planned versus actual networks demonstrate the utility of the measurements of network performance outcomes discussed here.
Perivascular epithelioid cell tumour (PEComa) of the uterus associated with malignant neoplasm of the female genital tract

(2004). Perivascular epithelioid cell tumour (PEComa) of the uterus associated with malignant neoplasm of the female genital tract. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 600-604.
An in vivo examination of the effects of leucine on skeletal muscle protein synthesis in the fasting rat

Abstract Leucine has been shown to stimulate protein synthesis in in vitro muscle preparations. However, in vivo studies have been unable to reproduce these results consistently. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of leucine on in vivo protein synthesis using a bolus injection of 14 C-tyrosine as a tracer. Intraperitoneal injections of leucine resulted in a linear increase in muscle free leucine up to 6 times control values. Leucine stimulated protein synthesis in skeletal muscles from fasted rats. The extensor digitorum longus and plantaris synthesis rates in 1-day fasted rats were increased with leucine in the absence of added insulin, while synthesis rates in the soleus remained unchanged. In fed rats, there was no stimulation of protein synthesis with leucine administration. These results indicate that leucine has the potential to stimulate muscle protein synthesis in vivo , however, the response is dependent on the nutritional status and the muscles selected.
Psychology: Psychological factors and distance education

(1990). Psychology: Psychological factors and distance education. American Journal of Distance Education: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 10-24.
A Spatio-Temporal Approach to Selective Data Dissemination in Mobile Peer-to-Peer Networks

We examine data dissemination in mobile peer-to-peer networks, where moving objects communicate with each other via short-range wireless technologies such as IEEE 802.11 or Bluetooth. Given the memory and bandwidth/energy constraints at moving objects, the ideal mobile peer-to-peer dissemination method is for each moving object to store and transmit only the reports that are new to other objects encountered in the future. However, in practice no object can know the states of all the other objects due to the distributed and dynamic nature of mobile peer-to-peer networks. Thus, predicting the novelty probability of a report is important for efficient data dissemination in mobile peer-to-peer networks. In this paper we propose a decentralized spatio-temporal approach to selective data dissemination. In this approach, the novelty probability of a report is estimated based on both spatial and temporal attributes (AGE and DISTANCE) of the report and each moving object only stores and transmits the reports with the highest novelty probabilities. We study different strategies of using novelty factors to compute the novelty probability. Extensive experiments are conducted to test and analyze the performance of different strategies. The experimental results determine the best strategy and demonstrate its superiority against existing mobile peer-to-peer methods.
EXCRETION IN THE CEPHALOPOD, OCTOPUS DOFLEINI.

Although excretory processes in vertebrate animals have been studied extensively during the past fifty years, comparatively few investigations have been carried out on invertebrates. The cephalopod molluscs represent a group which is suited to experimental study due to the large size that has been attained by some of the forms, their relatively high and constant level of metabolic activity and the presence of excretory structures which are accessible and well defined. For these reasons a study was initiated on the large octopus of Puget Sound, Octopus dofleim martini (Pickford, 1964). Previous studies of the excretory system of the octopus have been limited for the most part to morphological investigations. The majority of these have been reviewed by Turchini (1923). The early physiological experiments conducted by Solger (1881), Kovalevsky (1889) and Cuenot (1899) consisted of injections of dye solutions with subsequent observations of the areas of localization. These authors reported dye accumulation in the renal appendages, the branchial hearts and the branchial heart appendages. From these results they considered these to be. sites of excretion in the octopus. In 1906 a brief physiological investigation of excretion in the octopus was made by Gompel & Henri. They injected various substances into the blood stream and followed their changes in concentration in the urine. From the results obtained, they concluded that secretion in the octopus seems to occur in the same fashion as in the dog. Mayer & Rathery (1907) carried out the most detailed experiments reported on the excretory system of the octopus. These authors were concerned primarily with the problem of determining the function of the constituent elements in the complicated vertebrate kidney. They noted a similarity of the epithelium of the renal appendage of the octopus to that of the convoluted tubule of the mammal and began a study of excretion in the octopus in the hope that they would make some progress in interpreting the cellular activity of the epithelium of the vertebrate kidney. After having shown that the molecular concentration of sea water, of blood and urine in the octopus are the same, the three liquids freezing at — 2-24° C, they altered the concentration of the blood by the injection of glucose, sodium chloride or urea. In a short time urine was formed in greater than normal volume and was more concentrated in crystalloids. After a period of time the normal concentration of the blood was re-established. They concluded that the elimination of injected substances did not arise from a filtration mechanism because the urinary liquid was more strongly concentrated than the blood. Nor did they think that it arose by osmosis or diffusion
Successful Use of CALL Software: An Investigation from the User's Perspective

This study explores the use and implementation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software in graduate professional education. The investigation looked into self-reported information on graduate students' use of ESL (English as a Second Language) software to improve language skills and their competencies in professional English communication. Both qualitative and quantitative data provide findings regarding students' use of and satisfaction with the software and perceived learning outcomes. The results suggest principles for effective use of CALL software in ESL classrooms and a framework for evaluating software from the students' perspectives. The research has implications for using CALL software in language teaching and suggests principles that inform software implementation and development.
Italian immigrant catholic clergy and an exception to the rule: the reverend Antonio Demo, Our Lady of Pompei, Greenwich Village, 1899-1933

L'A. presente le role joue par le Reverend Antonio Demo au sein de sa paroisse new-yorkaise, a l'egard du probleme des immigrants catholiques italiens, ses paroissiens.
A statistical examination of SENSE image reconstruction via an isomorphism representation

In magnetic resonance imaging, the parallel acquisition of subsampled spatial frequencies from an array of multiple receiver coils has become a common means of reducing data acquisition time. SENSitivity Encoding (SENSE) is a popular parallel image reconstruction model that uses a complex-valued least squares estimation process to unfold aliased images. In this article, the linear mathematical framework derived in Rowe et al. [J Neurosci Meth 159 (2007) 361–369] is built upon to perform image reconstruction with subsampled data acquired from multiple receiver coils, where the SENSE model is represented as a real-valued isomorphism. A statistical analysis is performed of the various image reconstruction operators utilized in the SENSE model, with an emphasis placed on the effects of each operator on voxel means, variances and correlations. It is shown that, despite the attractiveness of models that unfold the aliased images from subsampled data, there is an artificial correlation induced between reconstructed voxels from the different folds of aliased images. As such, the mathematical framework outlined in this manuscript could be further developed to provide a means of accounting for this unavoidable correlation induced by image reconstruction operators.
The Knowledge-Based View, Nested Heterogeneity, and New Value Creation: Philosophical Considerations on the Locus of Knowledge

At what level is new value created, or, put differently, what is the locus of knowledge? While knowledge and capabilities-based researchers argue that the locus of new value and knowledge lies at the firm level, we challenge this conceptualization and theoretically build toward more individualist foundations. We explicate the underlying philosophical assumptions of extant knowledge and capabilities-based work and discuss attributional problems. Nested (individual-level, a priori) heterogeneity may provide a better explanation of collective heterogeneity.
Nonlinear Control of a Prototypical Wing Section with Torsional Nonlinearity

With the increase in popularity of active materials for control actuation, renewed interest is evident in the derivation of control methodologies for aeroelastic systems. It has been known for some time that prototypical aeroelastic wing sections can exhibit a broad class of pathological response regimes when the system includes certaintypesofnonlinearities.Weinvestigatenonlinearcontrollawsforaeroelasticsystemsthatincludepolynomial structural nonlinearities and study the closed-loop stability of the system. It is shown that locally asymptotically stable(nonlinear)feedbackcontrollerscanbederivedfortheaeroelasticsystemusingpartialfeedbacklinearization techniques. In this case, the stability results are necessarily local in nature and are derived by considering stability of theassociated zero dynamics subsystem. Itis also demonstrated that globally stable (nonlinear)adaptivecontrol methods can be derived for a class of aeroelastic systems under consideration. Numerical simulations are used to provide empirical validation of some of the results.
Role of Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule and Polysialic Acid in Mouse Circadian Clock Function

The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) express the highly polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) that has been proposed to promote plasticity in the adult brain. To investigate a role for NCAM in SCN circadian clock function, we examined the daily locomotor rhythm of mice homozygous for a mutation, Ncam tm1Cwr, which results in deletion of the NCAM-180 isoform that in brain carries polysialic acid (PSA). Mutant mice entrained well to a 12 hr light/dark cycle but exhibited a significantly shortened free-running period and longer activity duration under constant darkness (DD) than did wild-type mice. By the third week of DD treatment, circadian rhythmicity in the mutant was abolished. Immunocytochemical analyses of the mutant SCN revealed an abnormal number and distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-producing neurons, suggesting a developmental effect of the mutant phenotype; however, a direct physiological effect of the mutation on clock function was indicated by the fact that removal of PSA from adult wild-type SCN by microinjection of endoneuraminidase shortened the free-running period to a similar extent as in the mutant. Together, these data indicate critical roles for NCAM and PSA in the development and physiology of the mammalian SCN circadian clock.
Voting to Ban Same-Sex Marriage: Interests, Values, and Communities

From 2000 through 2008, initiatives proposing to ban same-sex marriage were on the ballot in 28 states. Although same-sex marriage opponents scored lopsided victories in most cases, voting outcomes varied substantially at the county level. This article examines sources of that variation and argues that opposition to same-sex marriage should be strong in communities characterized by the predominance of traditional gender roles and family structure. Perhaps more interestingly, the analysis also shows that the effects of traditional family structure and gender roles are especially strong in counties characterized by weak community cohesion, as indicated by residential instability, low rates of home ownership, and high crime rates.
Extension Strategies for Poverty Alleviation: Lessons from China and India

Abstract This paper discusses the transition from a national focus on food security during the last half of the 20th century to an emerging strategy on helping small-scale farm households increase farm income to reduce rural poverty. The basic proposition is that if extension is going to help increase farm incomes and rural employment, then it must shift from being a ‘supply-driven’ to a more ‘market-driven’ extension system. This shift requires at least three major institutional changes. First, extension must give higher priority to high-value, labor-intensive crops/products where there is real demand in domestic and/or export markets. Second, small-scale producers must get organized into groups to achieve economies of scale and to become linked with the ‘value chains’ that supply these markets. Third, extension planning and decision-making must become decentralized to determine the most suitable crops and/or enterprises vis-a-vis the interests and resources of different farmer groups, in light of agro-e...
Osteopontin Between a Rock and a Hard Plaque

Vascular calcification is widely regarded as merely a rare, end-stage, passive, degenerative, and inevitable process of aging. Decades ago, atherosclerosis had been similarly dismissed, but extensive research finally demonstrated its active regulation. Current research is now revising outdated views of vascular calcification. New imaging techniques made it clear that coronary calcification is neither rare nor end stage but occurs in 90% of patients with coronary artery disease1 and that the vast majority of significant coronary stenoses are calcified.2 Coronary calcification is also associated with increased cardiovascular risk.3 4 One clue to the regenerative—rather than degenerative—nature of vascular calcification is that it often includes histopathological features of bone. In the 1700s, Morgagni and others described arterial ossification in their postmortem examinations: “… the left coronary artery appeared to have been changed into a bony canal from its very origin… . ”5 In 1863, Virchow labeled the vascular changes as “ossification, not mere calcification, occurring by the same mechanism by which an osteophyte forms on the surface of bone.”6 In 1906, marrow was described within the bone tissue within the arteries—a richly vascularized cellular red marrow containing adipocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphoid and erythroid cells, reticulocytes, megakaryocytes, and other characteristic elements of marrow.7 Bunting further described (and we have also observed) evidence of resorption by osteoclast-like cells in this tissue. Within the vascular tree, the aorta and cardiac valves are the most common sites of ossification, and these contain all the stages of osteogenesis from the youngest variety of osteoid tissue up to true bone.8 Calcification of cardiac valves also involves lipid deposition and expression of bone matrix proteins.9 Because of various selection bias effects, the ossified …
High Frequency Premixed Flame Response to Acoustic Perturbations

This paper studies the high frequency heat-release response of premixed wedge flames to perturbations in pressure, velocity, and fuel/air ratio. Each of these mechanisms has multiple pathways by which they excite heat release oscillations, where the relative roles of the different paths change with frequency and operating conditions. This paper assesses the key physical processes controlling the high frequency flame response, focusing on the relative length and time scales associated with the global flame position ( e.g. , its length) and its internal structure. It is shown that pressure coupling, while growing in importance with frequency, nonetheless remains essentially negligible. Rather, the high frequency flame response remains dominated by velocity and fuel/air ratio coupling, as it is at low frequencies. However, these mechanisms are influenced by internal flame non quasisteadiness and stretch effects, processes which can be neglected at lower frequencies.
Membrane-filter bubble-point test.

In a recent article on caspofungin acetate compatibility, the bubble-point test of filter membranes—used to collect precipitates—was described as resistance felt on a syringe plunger in response to hand-applied air pressure.[1][1] The correct bubble-point test employs a gauge to verify that
Involvement of Wnt1 and Pax2 in the formation of the midbrain‐hindbrain boundary in the zebrafish gastrula

The secreted signalling molecule encoded by the wntl gene and the paired box-containing pax2 gene are thought to play an integral role in patterning the zebrafish rostral nervous system. Using a double-label analysis, we compare the expression patterns of wnt1 RNA and pax2 protein during zebrafish embryogenesis to determine whether they were expressed in identical or overlapping patterns in individual embryos. During gastrulation, wntl RNA was detected in a pattern similar but not identical to the pax2 protein. Later, wntl and pax2 co-localize to the midbrain-hindbrain boundary. Exogenous retinoic acid, a teratogen that is known to affect the formation of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary, has a profound affect on both wntl and pax2 expression at gastrulation. Furthermore, when pax2 is overexpressed in zebrafish embryos, the wntl pattern of expression expands ventrally in the prospective rostral neuroepithelium. Despite the widespread and random distribution of exogenous pax2 RNA, it alone is unable to induce wntl expression in other ec-topic sites. These results are consistent with the coordinate expression of wntl and pax2 being in a pathway responsible for establishing the midbrain-hindbrain boundary and support the earlier interpretation that pax2 may regulate wntl expression [Krauss et al., 1992], although only in a subset of embryonic cells. These data suggest that a predisposition for the regionalization of the central nervous system exists at gastrulation. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Characterization of zebrafish Rad52 and replication protein A for oligonucleotide-mediated mutagenesis

Zebrafish has become a favorite model organism not only in genetics and developmental biology, but also for the study of cancer, neuroscience and metabolism. However, strategies for reverse genetics in zebrafish are mostly limited to the use of antisense oligonucleotides, and therefore the development of other targeting methods is highly desirable. Here, we report an approach to gene targeting in this system in which single-stranded oligonucleotides and zebrafish Rad52 protein are employed. It has been proposed that a single-stranded oligonucleotide containing a mutation can be incorporated into the genome by annealing to the single-stranded region of the lagging strand of the replication fork. Rad52 is expected to accelerate the annealing step. In vitro experiments using purified truncated Rad52 proteins and replication protein A (RPA) showed that annealing of oligonucleotides is accelerated by Rad52 in the presence of RPA. We developed a simple and sensitive PCR-based method to detect point mutations in the genome. In exploratory experiments, we found that microinjection of single-stranded oligonucleotide targeted to a specific gene together with truncated Rad52 into zebrafish embryos resulted in a low level of recombinant copies in 3 of the 80 embryos tested under these conditions.
The impact of emotional states on cognitive control circuitry and function

Typically in the laboratory, cognitive and emotional processes are studied separately or as a stream of fleeting emotional stimuli embedded within a cognitive task. Yet in life, thoughts and actions often occur in more lasting emotional states of arousal. The current study examines the impact of emotions on actions using a novel behavioral paradigm and functional neuroimaging to assess cognitive control under sustained states of threat anticipation of an aversive noise and excitement anticipation of winning money. Thirty-eight healthy adult participants were scanned while performing an emotional go/no-go task with positive happy faces, negative fearful faces, and neutral calm faces emotional cues, under threat or excitement. Cognitive control performance was enhanced during the excited state relative to a nonarousing control condition. This enhanced performance was paralleled by heightened activity of frontoparietal and frontostriatal circuitry. In contrast, under persistent threat, cognitive control was diminished when the valence of the emotional cue conflicted with the emotional state. Successful task performance in this conflicting emotional condition was associated with increased activity in the posterior cingulate cortex, a default mode network region implicated in complex processes such as processing emotions in the context of self and monitoring performance. This region showed positive coupling with frontoparietal circuitry implicated in cognitive control, providing support for a role of the posterior cingulate cortex in mobilizing cognitive resources to improve performance. These findings suggest that emotional states of arousal differentially modulate cognitive control and point to the potential utility of this paradigm for understanding effects of situational and pathological states of arousal on behavior.
Tibial Condylar Fractures

Intracondylar fractures of the proximal tibia have presented perplexing problems to the orthopaedic surgeon over the years. Much controversy still exists over the amount of incongruity which can be present in a joint without the eventual development of degenerative joint disease. One factor which is perhaps universally accepted is that prolonged immobilization of the knee joint in the presence of an intraarticular fracture can be damaging and that in the presence of incongruity a fully mobile joint is less likely to undergo degeneration.
Comparing pedagogical approaches for the acquisition and long-term robustness of the control of variables strategy

This study compared three pedagogical approaches on the acquisition and robust understanding of the control of variables strategy (CVS). In Sao Pedro et al. (2009), we showed that two direct learning conditions (with and without reification) significantly outperformed the discovery learning condition for constructing unconfounded experiments starting from an initially multiply confounded experimental setup. In the study described here, we retested 57 students six months later on constructing unconfounded experiments in a virtual ramp environment, solving problems requiring CVS, and explaining CVS. Collapsing over time, we found that the direct+reify condition had more robust learning than either the direct-no reify or discovery learning conditions on constructing unconfounded experiments. At the delayed posttest, we found a strong trend favoring the direct+reify condition over the other conditions as measured by tasks designing unconfounded experiments starting from a multiply confounded state.
Ablation of transcription factor Oct-1 antagonizes the Warburg effect and offers a potential new target for anticancer therapy

A90 In cancer cells, cellular metabolism is shifted from oxidative to glycolytic pathways, a phenomenon described by Otto Warburg in 1956. After a long hiatus, there is renewed interest in the metabolic derangements that occur in cancer cells. A key feature of the Warburg effect is that in cancer cells there is a decrease in oxidative phosphorylation and increased aerobic glycolysis resulting in production of lactic acid, which creates an acidic microenvironment and renders the cells more susceptible to DNA damage. Transcription factor Oct-1 levels have been shown to be elevated in several human cancers. We have recently reported that the deficiency of Oct-1 renders the cells hypersensitive to various kinds of cellular stresses and elevates levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS is produced as a by-product of mitochondrial respiration. Increased ROS levels in the absence of Oct-1 may be primarily due to increased mitochondrial function. In this study we show that the Oct-1-/- cells show both anti-Warburg and anti-tumorigenic properties. We used early passage Oct-1-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and Oct-1+/- mice to study the metabolic effects resulting from Oct-1 deficiency. We provide evidence for metabolic alterations due to the absence of Oct-1, including increased mitochondrial activity (oxidative pathways). Although Oct-1-/- cells grow at the similar rates, these cells are less dependent on glucose for their energy needs. A cardinal feature of the Warburg effect is increased lactate levels. In contrast, we observed reduced steady-state lactate levels. Moreover, our data also suggest increased oxidative phosphorylation events in the Oct-1-/- cells as shown by increased TCA cycle intermediates in this cell type. Another striking finding is the increased utilization of amino-acids as the likely source of cellular energy. We also present the evidence that ablation of Oct-1 decreases the tumorigenic potential of p53 deficiency, for example, using soft-agar assays, we show that Oct-1-/-; p53-/- MEFs form smaller and fewer colonies compared to p53-/- MEFs. Moreover, Oct-1+/-; p53-/- mice survive longer than p53-/- mice. Collectively, our findings provide a novel potential molecular target to modulate cellular metabolism as anti-cancer therapy.
A Photochemical Characterization of Reactions of Psoralen Derivatives with DNA

Psoralens are nucleic acid photoreagents which form mono-and diadducts to pyrimidine bases upon irradiation with long wavelength ultraviolet light (Musajo et al., 1967). Diaddition results in the formation of interstrand bridges or crosslinks in nucleic acid dou ble helices (Cole, 1970, 1971). Crosslink formation is a multistep process involving initial dark binding or intercalation of the psoralen, photoaddition of the psoralen to a pyrimidine base forming a monoadduct followed by conversion of the monoadduct to crosslink by a second photoaddition to a second pyrimidine base. Each of these steps may be investigated as a function of the type and position of the substituents of a given psoralen compound.
Bulk Optical Properties of Normal Breast with Endogeneous and Exogeneous Contrast

The bulk optical properties of 52 healthy female breast tissues are measured in vivo in the parallel plate transmission geometry, and quantified using methods employing a priori spectral knowledge.
Kirogi Women’s Psychological Well-Being The Relative Contributions of Marital Quality, Mother–Child Relationship Quality, and Youth’s Educational Adjustment

The current study is based on the responses of 153 married Korean mothers accompanying their youth in the United States or in New Zealand while their spouses remained in Korea. Kirogi means “wild geese” in Korean and has come to refer to split-family transnational living for the sake of children’s education. Spillover, or a positive correlation, between indicators assessing marital and parent–child relationship quality was tested within the transnational family context. It was also hypothesized that mother–child relationship quality and youth’s educational progress would be positively and uniquely predictive of indicators of maternal well-being when compared with marital quality due to education-focused Confucian values among Koreans. Results indicated positive correlations between indicators of marital and parent–child relationship quality; and only measures of marital quality had unique associations with maternal well-being.
Studies in process synthesis—I: Branch and bound strategy with list techniques for the synthesis of separation schemes

Abstract The synthesis of a good flowsheet for a multicomponent separation problem constitutes a formidable task even for a small scale problem. The number of alternate, feasible separator sequences increases rapidly as the number of components in the mixture and the number of allowed separation methods increase. Some methods to select a sequence are almost purely heuristic to permit rapid screening among the alternatives without a guarantee of optimality. Another is based on dynamic programming and for special problems can in principle locate the best sequence, but it is notably time consuming. This paper uses primal and dual bounds in a branch and bound strategy to develop a procedure for locating a small number of nearly optimal separation sequences; furthermore, the optimal sequence must be among those found. Restrictions necessary for the dynamic programming approach can be relaxed (serial structure, high product purity), and in principle the method should generally be significantly faster. Two examples illustrate the approach.
Characterization of acyclovir-resistant and -sensitive herpes simplex viruses isolated from a patient with an acquired immune deficiency

Several different genital and non-genital HSV isolates were obtained from a patient with an acquired immune deficiency of unknown aetiology. The patient was initially treated with topical acyclovir (ACV) and later with topical and intravenous ACV. In spite of treatment with antiviral drugs the patient continued to shed virus and to have extensive genital ulcerations. Restriction endonuclease (RE) analyses of the viral DNA revealed that all the isolates had characteristic HSV-2 patterns and that there were three genetically distinct virus groups among the ten isolates tested. Three post-therapy isolates, with the same RE pattern, were found to be devoid of thymidine kinase activity (TKD), highly resistant to ACV in cell culture, but sensitive to vidarabine (ara-A), phosphonoacetate and phosphonoformate. Two of these TKD isolates were obtained during and after topical ACV therapy and before intravenous treatment. Mice inoculated intracerebrally with a lethal dose of each of the three TKD viruses were refractory to ACV, but responded to vidarabine or a combination of ACV and ara-A. Mice inoculated with the TK+ viruses (including the pre-therapy isolate) responded to ACV and/or ara-A treatment. The results indicate that: (i) TKD variants may be produced in humans after topical ACV therapy; (ii) different ACV-resistant or sensitive HSV-2 variants can establish latency at different body sites and reactivate; and (iii) when drug-resistant viruses are isolated from patients with multiple reactivations, the drug in question should not be discontinued, since the patients may also be shedding drug-sensitive virus at a different body site.
Advocacy as a Strategy for Social Change: A Qualitative Analysis of the Perceptions of UN and Non-UN Development Workers

AbstractAdvocacy is an important strategy in achieving change in international development programming. Different aid agencies design and implement advocacy programmes to influence the political cl...
Levitation Diffusion Chamber Measurements of the Mass Growth of Small Ice Crystals from Vapor

AbstractA levitation diffusion chamber designed to examine the mass growth from the vapor of small ice particles (diameter < 100 μm) at ambient pressure (≃970 hPa) and low temperature (T < −30°C) is presented. The diffusion chamber is unique in that charged ice particles are levitated by an opposing voltage on the lower copper plate with lateral stability provided by button quadrupole electrodes attached to the upper copper plate. The button electrodes are far from the ice particle growth region, allowing ice particles to grow free of substrate influences. Experiments have been conducted for temperatures from −30° to −35.7°C, ice supersaturations from 2.5% to 28.6%, and over growth times ranging from 5 to 15 min. The experiments indicate that mass varies nonlinearly in time and exhibits a dependence on initial particle radius and ice supersaturation in accord with expectations from theory. In contrast to expectations from spherical capacitance theory, the derived mass growth rates do not scale linearly wi...
Indications for primary cesarean delivery relative to body mass index.

Background Obesity is a known risk factor for cesarean delivery. Limited data are available regarding the reasons for the increased rate of primary cesarean in obese women. It is important to identify the factors leading to an increased risk of cesarean to identify opportunities to reduce the primary cesarean rate. Objective We evaluated indications for primary cesarean across body mass index (kg/m 2 ) classes to identify the factors contributing to the increased rate of cesarean among obese women. Study Design In the Consortium of Safe Labor study from 2002 through 2008, we calculated indications for primary cesarean including failure to progress or cephalopelvic disproportion, nonreassuring fetal heart tracing, malpresentation, elective, hypertensive disease, multiple gestation, placenta previa or vasa previa, failed induction, HIV or active herpes simplex virus, history of uterine scar, fetal indication, placental abruption, chorioamnionitis, macrosomia, and failed operative delivery. For women with primary cesarean for failure to progress or cephalopelvic disproportion, dilation at the last recorded cervical examination was evaluated. Women were categorized according to body mass index on admission: normal weight (18.5-24.9), overweight (25.0-29.9), and obese classes I (30.0-34.9), II (35.0-39.9), and III (≥40). Cochran-Armitage trend test and χ 2 tests were performed. Results Of 66,502 nulliparous and 76,961 multiparous women in the study population, 19,431 nulliparous (29.2%) and 7329 multiparous (9.5%) women underwent primary cesarean. Regardless of parity, malpresentation, failure to progress or cephalopelvic disproportion, and nonreassuring fetal heart tracing were the common indications for primary cesarean. Regardless of parity, the rates of primary cesarean for failure to progress or cephalopelvic disproportion increased with increasing body mass index (normal weight, overweight, and classes I, II, and III obesity in nulliparous women: 33.2%, 41.6%, 46.4%, 47.4%, and 48.9% [ P P P P P > .05) or multiparous ( P > .05) women. Among nulliparous women who had a primary cesarean for failure to progress or cephalopelvic disproportion, rates of cesarean prior to active labor (6 cm) increased as body mass index increased, accounting for 39.3% of women with class I, 47.1% of women with class II, and 56.8% of women with class III obesity compared to 35.2% for normal-weight women ( P Conclusion Similar to normal-weight women, the indication of cesarean for failure to progress or cephalopelvic disproportion was the major factor contributing to the increase in primary cesarean in obese women, but was even more prevalent with increasing obesity class. The rates of intrapartum primary cesarean prior to achieving active labor increased with increasing obesity class in nulliparous women.
TU-FG-207B-05: Funding Opportunities at the National Science Foundation

Up-to-date knowledge about federal funding opportunities related to medical physics research, as well as obtaining skills for writing effective grant proposals are critical for academic and entrepreneurial medical physicists. In this symposium, program directors from key federal research funding agencies, including the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and the National Science Foundation, will present information about current funding opportunities relevant to the field of medical physics. They will also provide insight to issues that applicants should pay special attention to when crafting their research grant proposals. In addition, the symposium will include presentations on research funding for small business concerns, and the results of an independent AAPM study of the National Institutes of Health funding of AAPM members from 2002–2015. Learning Objectives: 1.To learn about current federal funding initiatives relevant to medical physics research 2.To learn about tactics important for crafting convincing research proposals 3.To learn about an independent study of NIH funding of research done by AAPM members B. Whelan, this work was commissioned and funded by the AAPM
Kinetics of nitroreductase-mediated phytotransformation of TNT in vetiver grass

The effectiveness of vetiver grass in removing 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the involvement of nitroreductase (NR) enzyme in TNT degradation in vetiver has been documented in our earlier studies. The present study was designed to optimize the parameters influencing NR enzyme-mediated TNT transformation in vetiver. The current study is the first report of detailed kinetic examination of NR enzyme induced by TNT in vetiver. Results show that NR activity in vetiver root increased with exposure time as well as with initial TNT concentration, showing a first-order reaction kinetics at lower and a second-order reaction kinetics at higher TNT concentrations. Nitroreductase activity was higher in shoot compared to root in all TNT treatments. Increasing concentration of TNT resulted in a significant increase in the NR activity in shoot. Very high increase in the shoot NR activity indicates a faster root-to-shoot translocation of TNT. The optimum range of the factors influencing NR-mediated TNT transformation and the kinetic parameters were determined, which will be crucial for the application of vetiver for phytoremediation of TNT-contaminated systems.
Social Context in Mental Health Service Use Among Young Adults

ABSTRACTExamining the sources of health communication that young adults with mental health challenges receive regarding service use is critical to curbing the societal concern of unmet mental health needs of this population. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 59 young adults, all of whom were diagnosed with a mood disorder and used public mental health services and additional public systems of care during childhood. Thematic analysis was utilized. Of the 59 participants, 45 nominated at least one supportive adult, with a total of 97 relationships analyzed. Results indicate that the majority of messages came from informal supports (e.g., family) who spoke positively about mental health services. Fewer messages came from formal supports (e.g., professionals). Messages included statements surrounding beliefs toward services, social norms (approval and disapproval), self-efficacy, and image considerations around using services. These findings can suggest ways that mental health service engagement i...