cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethics and Pervasive Augmented Reality: Some Challenges and Approaches

Google has recently announced Project Glass, a plan to embed computers into eyeglasses. Their vision is that technology should “be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don’t.” The main idea behind this technology is called augmented reality. In this chapter I will introduce the main ideas behind augmented reality, and the most interesting examples (so far) of how it is used. I’m most interested, however, in the ethical challenges this technology will present as it becomes pervasive. I describe and explain two examples; augmented reality as an extension of the home (which has privacy implications), and augmented reality advertising (which has implications for property rights and local government). Along the way I will introduce several techniques and concepts that are useful in analyzing the ethics of new technologies, including pervasive information and computing technology (PICT).
Producer Response to Technological Change in West Pakistan

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent and types of changes in farm practices that were taking place on farms in northern West Pakistan and to determine the motivation for making these changes. Further, information was sought pertaining to the aspirations of cultivators to make changes and what they considered the limiting factors. Two hundred cultivators from four villages were interviewed, the sample having been stratified in recognition of cultural and other differences. One‐third of the cultivators made changes of some kind in 1962. The greatest number of changes occurred where cultivators were more able to bear the risks involved. The major motivation appeared to be the desire for more food for family consumption, although the desire to make certain types of production investments was also evident. Although there were apparent barriers to change, the cultivators were, for the most part, optimistic that they would make certain changes in the future.
Technical Factors Contributing to Successful Kidney Transplantation in Small Children

AbstractCadaveric renal transplantation in small children has not been as successful as either cadaver transplantation in older children, or adults, or living-related transplantation in small children. We report the results of cadaver renal transplantation in 17 children 6 years or younger with only 1 graft lost within 1 year after transplantation. The important technical factors that have enabled these improved results include careful intraoperative fluid management, use of adult kidneys with arterial anastomoses to the common iliac artery or aorta, and sequential immune suppression.
Optimization Methods for Catalyst Design

Abstract We describe a microkinetic-based optimization model for a steady-state continuously stirred tank reactor that can be used to globally optimize the energetic properties of a catalyst (binding energies and activation energies) to maximize the catalytic activity for a specific reaction. The utility of this approach is demonstrated using CO oxidation as a case study. The proposed formulation allows for rapid optimization at different reaction conditions and is also applicable for reactions with many independent variables.
Information Processing and Information Evaluation if Information Effected Changes of the Equilibirum Prices are Considered

In Sec. 2, it was assumed that the prices at the beginning of the period are exogeneously given and not influenced by the information activity. Now the information problems are treated within the framework of a market model. The presupposed equilibrium prices reflect the expectations of the investors and change correspondingly, if the expectations of the market participants are influenced by an information activity. Information activity is here interpreted as the observation of an information system by a defined group of investors where it is presupposed that the other investors do not obtain any additional information, and that their expectations, correspondingly, do not change. Such a consideration, of course, is only possible for a capital market model which allows heterogeneous expectations. For even if prior all investors have homogeneous expectations, the information activity usually1) leads to posterior inhomogeneous expectations. In Sec. 3.1, first the hybrid model for one investor introduced in Sec. 2.1 is extended to a market model, and the equilibrium prices are explicitly determined. Then information systems are considered, and information values corresponding to two alternative scenarios are defined and explicitly determined for them. In order to keep the representation clear, only the situations of theorem 3 and theorem 5 are more precisely dealt with, i.e. the basic hybrid model and unbiased, normally distributed estimators of the end-of-period prices2) are presupposed.
The utility of entanglement swapping in quantum communications

The nonlocal correlations between quantum states in an entangled system are essential to many quantum communications applications. A basic quantum operation, which permits the distribution of entanglement between two initially uncorrelated systems, is entanglement swapping. Here we present a rigorous formulation of entanglement swapping of any two partially mixed two-qubit states without limiting ourselves to any specific type of state or noise. Further, for two important classes of the input states, Bell diagonal and pure states, we describe how the concurrence of the final state is related to the concurrence of the initial states. First, we consider Bell diagonal states, and find bounds on the concurrence of the final state in terms of the concurrences of the initial states. These bounds are important for communications applications because polarization mode dispersion in fibers produces Bell diagonal states up to a local unitary rotation. Second, we show that swapping pure states occasionally results in a state of higher concurrence than either of the initial states. In addition, we find that two pure states are most likely to be capable of swapping to a state of increased concurrence when the two initial states have similar concurrences. Our analysis offers a completely general framework for investigating the behavior of any pair of two-qubit states when used for entanglement swapping.
Incidence of Arnold's nerve reflex in patients with chronic cough

Background: In animals and man, cough can only be induced by stimulation of a structure innervated by the vagus nerve or one of its branches. The auricular branch of the vagus nerve (Arnold9s nerve) supplies the external acoustic meatus. Induction of cough by manipulation of the ear is known as Arnold9s nerve reflex or ear-cough reflex. Three previous studies evaluating a total of 1702 outpatients presenting to an otorhinolaryngologist revealed an incidence of Arnold9s cough reflex of 2.64%. To our knowledge, the incidence of the ear-cough reflex in patients with chronic cough has not been previously studied. Methods: Patients presenting to a specialty cough center (Montefiore Cough Center, New York, USA) for evaluation of chronic cough (>8 weeks duration) underwent physical examination that included the insertion of a cotton-tipped swab (bud) into the external acoustic meatus of each ear and mechanical stimulation of its circumference. Cough occurring within 10 seconds of stimulation was considered induced by the intervention. Results: To date, 33 (24 female, 9 male) of a planned 100 consecutive subjects have been evaluated. Overall incidence of Arnold9s nerve reflex was 11/33 (33 %), with a significant gender difference: 42 % (10/24) in women; 11 % (1/9) in men. Conclusion: The incidence of Arnold9s nerve reflex is much higher in patients with chronic cough than in other populations previously studied. Such hypersensitivity of a branch of the vagus nerve is consistent with the recently-proposed concept of the Cough Hypersensitivity Syndrome, in which sensory hypersensitivity is the presumed mechanism by which chronic refractory cough arises and persists in a population of predisposed individuals.
Forward and Option Contracts and Their Pricing

The ultimate tool for coping with risk is what we call today an option. The first to realize this was Bachelier. In his thesis of 1900 he introduced options for just this purpose. To see how it works, suppose a bank holds a few thousand shares in a security trading for $50 per share at the present time. The bank’s plan is to sell the stock in 3 months but it must receive at least $45 per share at that time. To deal with its risk, the bank enters into a contract with a second party that agrees to buy its shares at $45 in 3 months no matter what the market price is then. As a further stipulation of the contract, the bank is not obligated to sell at $45; if the market price in 3 months happens to exceed this, the bank is free to sell at the market price.
325. Persistence of hAQP1 Expression in Human Salivary Gland Cells Following AdhAQP1 Transduction Is Associated With a Lack of Methylation of hCMV Promoter

In 2012, we reported that five out of 11 subjects in a clinical trial (NCT00372320) of AdhAQP1 to radiation-damaged parotid glands showed increased saliva flow rates and decreased symptoms over the initial 42 days. AdhAQP1 is a first generation, E1-deleted, replication-defective, serotype 5 adenoviral vector encoding human aquaporin-1 (hAQP1). This vector uses the human cytomegalovirus enhancer/promoter (hCMVp). Since subject responses were longer than expected, we hypothesized that the hCMVp may not be methylated in human salivary gland cells to the extent previously observed in rodent salivary gland cells. To test our hypothesis, initially we transduced mouse and rat cell lines in vitro, or submandibular glands in vivo, with the same AdhAQP1 used in the clinical trial. The hCMVp was gradually methylated over time in rodent cells and associated with a decreased functional hAQP1 expression. The hCMVp, however, was not methylated in human salivary gland primary cultures or human salivary gland cell lines after transduction with AdhAQP1. Importantly, hAQP1 maintained its function in those cells. These data suggest that the hCMVp in AdhAQP1is likely not methylated, resulting in an unexpectedly longer functional expression of hAQP1 in transduced human salivary gland cells.
Immigrant Health through the Lens of Home Visitors, Supervisors, and Administrators: The Florida Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.

Objective The Florida Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program aims to minimize the occurrence of adverse maternal and child health outcomes for mothers deemed at-risk during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth. This study sought to understand the needs of and challenges faced by immigrant families in accessing health care through the perspective of Florida MIECHV home visitors, supervisors, and administrators. Design and Sample In this exploratory qualitative study, focus groups were held at each of the Florida MIECHV-funded program sites with a total of 81 MIECHV staff to discuss how the program addresses a range of participant needs. Measures Data were collected through 32 semi-structured focus groups. Transcripts were analyzed using a hybrid approach entailing the development of an a priori codebook and thematic analysis. Results Staff from eight of the 11 programs described social and physical isolation and economic hardship faced by immigrant families enrolled in their programs, resulting in barriers to needed health care and social services. Conclusions Home visitors in the Florida MIECHV program served as trusted confidants that helped families navigate social services. Future research should focus on the impact that home visiting has on immigrant health and whether this impact is maintained over time.
Forming the Radio Image with Multiple Antennas

In the preceding chapter, we discussed image-formation options at radio wavelengths, and we committed ourselves to an array of directional antennas, a “compound eye” architecture. We have seen that the directional sensitivity of individual sensors is essential, and that their fields must be somewhat overlapped. We have also seen (in Sect. 2.2) that every distant radio source produces sensors’ outputs that lie on a lobe shape pointing toward that source; we refer to this shape as the rotated lobe.
Open adrenalectomy through a makuuchi incision: A single institution's experience

Abstract Background Surgical techniques for adrenalectomy have evolved substantially over the last century. Although minimally invasive approaches are favored for benign disease, open adrenalectomy remains the gold standard for large tumors and those concerning for malignancy. Most reports describe the use of midline, subcostal, or thoracoabdominal incisions for open adrenalectomy. We studied our experience with the Makuuchi incision, designed to optimize exposure and minimize denervation of the abdominal wall. Methods All open adrenalectomies at the University of Rochester from 2009 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographic characteristics, intraoperative details, and postoperative complications were investigated. Surgical site infection and hernia rates of Makuuchi incision were compared with non–Makuuchi incision patients and with published standards. The study was approved by the university Institutional Review Board. Results A total of 41 adrenalectomies were performed via Makuuchi incision. Population statistics included a mean age of 51.7 (19–86) years, a mean body mass index of 29.7 (17.3–45.8), and a mean tumor diameter of 8 cm (3.1–26 cm). Fourteen (34%) required multivisceral resection. Twenty-one (51%) were previous or current smokers, and 9 (22%) had hypercortisolemia. Median duration of stay was 6 days (4–73). Incisional hernia occurred in 5 patients (12%) and surgical site infection in 3 patients (7%), 2 patients had Cushing syndrome and 1 was immunosuppressed. Pain was managed with patient-controlled epidural anesthesia or patient-controlled anesthesia with postoperative day 1 daily morphine equivalents equating to 0.5 mg of hydromorphone q2h. Among 15 non–Makuuchi incision patients, there were 2 hernias (13%), 2 surgical site infections (13%), and 1 case of postoperative pneumonia. Conclusion The Makuuchi incision is well tolerated and affords outstanding exposure of the adrenals and adjacent viscera. Incisional hernia and surgical site infection rates were favorable compared with published rates for midline or subcostal incisions, despite an obese population with a high incidence of hypercortisolism and immunosuppression.
The Pocket Laboratory: The Blowpipe in Eighteenth-Century Swedish Chemistry.

This article examines the role of the blowpipe in the discovery process of the disproportionately large number of new elements found by Swedish chemists during the eighteenth century and into the n...
Dosimetric Performance and Planning/Delivery Efficiency of a Dual-Layer Stacked and Staggered MLC on Treating Multiple Small Targets: A Planning Study Based on Single-Isocenter Multi-Target Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) to Brain Metastases.

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric performance and planning/delivery efficiency of a dual-layer MLC system for treating multiple brain metastases with a single isocenter. Materials and Methods: 10 patients each with 6-10 targets with volumes from 0.11 to 8.57 cc, and prescription doses from 15 to 24 Gy, were retrospectively studied. Halcyon has only coplanar delivery mode. Halcyon V1 MLC modulates only with the lower layer at 1 cm resolution, whereas V2 MLC modulates with both layers at an effective resolution of 0.5 cm. For each patient five plans were compared varying MLC and beam arrangements: the clinical plan using multi-aperture dynamic conformal arc (DCA) and non-coplanar arcs, Halcyon-V1 using coplanar-VMAT, Halcyon-V2 using coplanar-VMAT, HDMLC-0.25 cm using coplanar-VMAT, and HDMLC-0.25 cm using non-coplanar-VMAT. All same-case plans were generated following the same planning protocol and normalization. Conformity index (CI), gradient index (GI), V12Gy, V6Gy, V3Gy, and brain mean dose were compared. Results: All VMAT plans met clinical constraints for critical structures. For targets with diameter 1 cm, Halcyon VMAT plans had CI similar to non-coplanar VMAT plans, and better than non-coplanar clinical DCA plans. For GI, Halcyon MLC plans performed similarly to coplanar HDMLC plans and inferiorly compared to non-coplanar HDMLC plans. All coplanar VMAT plans (Halcyon MLC and HDMLC) and clinical DCA plans had similar V12Gy, but were inferior compared to non-coplanar VMAT plans. Halcyon plans had slightly reduced V3Gy and mean brain dose compared to HDMLC plans. The difference between Halcyon V1 and V2 is only significant in CI of tumors less than 1cm in diameter. Halcyon plans required longer optimization than Truebeam VMAT plans, but had similar delivery efficiency. Conclusion: For targets with diameter >1 cm, Halcyon's dual-layer stacked and staggered MLC is capable of producing similar dose conformity compared to HDMLC while reducing low dose spill to normal brain tissue. GI and V12Gy of Halcyon MLC plans were, in general, inferior to non-coplanar DCA or VMAT plans using HDMLC, likely due to coplanar geometry and wider MLC leaves. HDMLC maintained its advantage in CI for smaller targets with diameter <1 cm.
AN ATYPICAL PRESENTATION OF MYOPERICARDITIS LEADING TO DIAGNOSIS OF CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS

Amyloidosis is a systemic disorder characterized by deposition of misfolded immunoglobulin proteins leading to organ dysfunction. Clinical evidence of cardiac involvement occurs in 50% of cases; untreated, the median survival is less than 6 months once heart failure symptoms begin. The diagnosis can
On the Theoretical Analysis of Memristor based True Random Number Generator

Emerging nano-devices like memristors display stochastic switching behavior which poses a big uncertainty in their implementation as the next-generation CMOS alternative. However, this stochasticity provides an opportunity to design circuits for hardware security. There are several examples in literature where the stochastic switching time of memristors are used as the source of entropy to build true random number generators (TRNGs). Software-based pseudo-random numbers may not be random enough for many different applications where true random numbers are a necessity. In this work, we have analyzed traditional TRNG designs that utilize memristors' switching time and evaluated them in varying operating conditions and with process variation in mind. Specifically, we have mathematically formulated how large process variation and strong temperature and voltage dependence of memristors can degrade the performance of these TRNGs. Depending on these analyses, we also have proposed a new way of designing memristive TRNG based on difference between stochastic high resistance states of a pair of memristors. Using simple probabilistic mathematics, we have evaluated our proposed method with existing ones and shown that our proposed design is robust in unfavorable environmental conditions and in the presence of large process variation where traditional TRNG bit quality degrades rapidly.
Disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in an underserved population

6569 Background: CRC is a common, potentially lethal, yet preventable disease. Screening tests for CRC are known to reduce the rate of death by detecting early cancer. To evaluate factors associate...
Thermal Smearing and Chemical Bonding

As the experimentally accessible electron density is averaged over the thermal vibrations of the crystal, detailed knowledge and adequate modeling of the crystal dynamics is required if details of the experimental charge distribution are to be interpreted.
High Ambient Temperature and Infant Mortality in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A Case-Crossover Study.

Objective. To quantify the association between heat and infant mortality and identify factors that influence infant vulnerability to heat.Methods. We conducted a time-stratified case–crossover anal...
PET attenuation correction using non-AC PET-based synthetic CT

The accuracy of attenuation correction on whole-body PET images is subject to inter-scan motion, image artifacts such as truncation and distortion, and erroneous transformation of structural voxel-intensities to PET mu-map values. We proposed a deep-learning-based method to derive synthetic CT (sCT) images from non-attenuation corrected PET (NAC PET) images for AC on whole-body PET imaging. We utilized a 3D cycle-consistent generative adversarial networks (CycleGAN) to synthesize CT images from NAC PET. The model learns a transformation that minimizes the difference between sCT, generated from NAC PET, and true CT. It also learns an inverse transformation such that cycle NAC PET image generated from the sCT is close to true NAC PET image. Both generators are implemented by a fully convolutional attention network (FCAN), and followed by a discriminator which is structured as a fully convolutional network. A retrospective study was performed with a total of 60 sets of whole-body PET/CT, 40 sets for training and 20 sets for testing. The sCT images generated with proposed method show great contrast on lung, soft tissue and bony structures. The mean absolute error of sCT over true CT is less than 110 HU. Using sCT for whole-body PET AC, the mean error of PET quantification is less than 1% and normalized mean square error is less than 1.4%. We proposed a deep learning-based approach to generate synthetic CT from whole-body NAC PET for PET AC, which demonstrates excellent synthetic CT estimation accuracy and PET quantification accuracy.
18F-FDG PET use in the management of adrenocortical carcinoma

198 Objectives Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy. We evaluated the impact of 18F-FDG PET on ACC management. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of ACC patients seen in our institution between 1998 and 2012. Change in management before and after PET was assessed. Accuracy of PET was determined by using pathological reports, radiologic, and clinical data. Correlation between maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), tumor lesion glycolysis (TLG) and survival time, and predictive factors were evaluated. Results Out of 156 reviewed, 114 patients met eligibility criteria. For initial staging, 22 patients had PET scan including 17/22 with previously identified metastatic disease and 5/22 with borderline resectable disease; PET did not change clinical decisions in these patients. For restaging, 92 patients had 297 PET scans. 20.2 % of scans resulted in management changes. At initial diagnosis, PET sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 100 %, 98.7%, and 99.0 % by each region. At recurrence, these were 97.1 %, 99.8%, and 99.4% respectively. At both initial diagnosis and recurrence, SUVmax and TLG did not correlate with survival time. Change in SUVmax following initial chemotherapy cycle did not predict response for chemotherapy. Multivariate analysis showed recurrence at multiple sites and failure of chemotherapy for recurrence were independent poor prognostic factors. Conclusions In a large cohort of ACC patients, PET use during restaging changed treatment plan in 1 out of 5 patients. PET also confirmed advanced disease in the small number of patients seen for initial management, but did not alter treatment. The overrepresentation of advanced cases (referral bias) limits our ability to fully assess the role of PET use in initial staging, but we find large impact of PET in response assessment and subsequent treatment decisions.
Raman scattering in graphite intercalation compounds

Abstract Raman scattering results are reported on graphite intercalated with Br2, ICl and IBr. In all of these acceptor compounds, the single E2g2 Raman peak for pure graphite is replaced by a doublet structure identified with in-plane carbon atom vibrations. In addition, Raman peaks specific to the intercalate species are found at frequencies down-shifted from the stretching modes of the free intercalate molecules.
Changes in weak pair-wise correlations during running reshapes network state in the main olfactory bulb

Abstract Neural codes for sensory representations are thought to reside in a broader space defined by the patterns of spontaneous activity that occur when stimuli are not being presented. To understand the structure of this spontaneous activity in the olfactory system, we performed high-density recordings of population activity in the main olfactory bulb of awake mice. We found that spontaneous activity patterns of ensembles of mitral and tufted (M/T) cells in the main olfactory bulb changed dramatically during locomotion, including decreases in pairwise correlations between neurons and increases in the entropy of the population. Maximum entropy models of the ensemble activity revealed that pair-wise interactions were better at predicting patterns of activity when the animal was stationary than while running, suggesting that higher order (3rd, 4th order) interactions between neurons shape activity during locomotion. Taken together, we found that locomotion influenced the structure of spontaneous population activity at the earliest stages of olfactory processing, 1 synapse away from the sensory receptors in the nasal epithelium. New and Noteworthy The organization and structure of spontaneous population activity in the olfactory system places constraints of how odor information is represented. Using high-density electrophysiological recordings of mitral and tufted cells, we found that running increases the dimensionality of spontaneous activity, implicating higher-order interactions among neurons during locomotion. Behavior thus flexibly alters neuronal activity at the earliest stages of sensory processing.
Plymouth Plantation's Place in the Atlantic World

When Boston entered its pandemic lockdown in early March, it forced the cancellation of the Congregational Library's symposium “1620: New Perspectives on the Pilgrim Legacy.” With the cooperation o...
Journalists’ Use of Knowledge in an Online World: Examining Reporting Habits, Sourcing Practices and Institutional Norms

There has been little empirical study of the extent to which journalists are drawing on and applying academic research and systematic knowledge, or of their sourcing routines and habits in this regard. This paper examines data from an original online survey conducted in fall 2015 with working journalists (n = 1,118). Over all, about half reported drawing on research studies frequently in their stories, and journalists expressed strong support for the idea that research can improve story quality. A multivariate analysis finds that knowledge usage is more likely to take place among journalists with some forms of academic and statistical training, with a national audience, and with more coverage specialization in science-related topics. Political and television journalists are less likely to use expert knowledge.
Phase I trial compensation: How much do healthy volunteers actually earn from clinical trial enrollment?

Background/aimsFinancial compensation for research participation is a major focus of ethical concern regarding human subject recruitment. Phase I trials are sometimes considered to be a lucrative s...
An engineered transcriptional reporter of protein localization identifies regulators of mitochondrial and ER membrane protein trafficking in high-throughput CRISPRi screens

The trafficking of specific protein cohorts to correct subcellular locations at correct times is essential for every signaling and regulatory process in biology. Gene perturbation screens could provide a powerful approach to probe the molecular mechanisms of protein trafficking, but only if protein localization or mislocalization can be tied to a simple and robust phenotype for cell selection, such as cell proliferation or fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). To empower the study of protein trafficking processes with gene perturbation, we developed a genetically encoded molecular tool named HiLITR (High-throughput Localization Indicator with Transcriptional Readout). HiLITR converts protein colocalization into proteolytic release of a membrane-anchored transcription factor, which drives the expression of a chosen reporter gene. Using HiLITR in combination with FACS-based CRISPRi screening in human cell lines, we identified genes that influence the trafficking of mitochondrial and ER tail-anchored proteins. We show that loss of the SUMO E1 component SAE1 results in mislocalization and destabilization of many mitochondrial tail-anchored proteins. We also demonstrate a distinct regulatory role for EMC10 in the ER membrane complex, opposing the transmembrane-domain insertion activity of the complex. Through transcriptional integration of complex cellular functions, HiLITR expands the scope of biological processes that can be studied by genetic perturbation screening technologies.
Establishment of patient-derived organoid models of lower grade glioma.

BACKGROUND Historically, creating patient-derived models of lower grade glioma (LGG) has been challenging, contributing to few experimental platforms that support laboratory-based investigations of this disease. Although organoid modeling approaches have recently been employed to create in vitro models of high grade glioma (HGG), it is unknown whether this approach can be successfully applied to LGG. METHODS In this study, we developed an optimized protocol for the establishment of organoids from LGG primary tissue samples by utilizing physiologic (5%) oxygenation conditions and employed it to produce the first known suite of these models. To assess their fidelity, we surveyed key biological features of patient-derived organoids using metabolic, genomic, histologic, and lineage marker gene expression assays. RESULTS Organoid models were created with a success rate of 91% (n = 20/22) from primary tumor samples across glioma histological subtypes and tumor grades (WHO Grades 1-4), and a success rate of 87% (13/15) for WHO Grade 1-3 tumors. Patient-derived organoids recapitulated stemness, proliferative, and tumor-stromal composition profiles of their respective parental tumor specimens. Cytoarchitectural, mutational, and metabolic traits of parental tumors were also conserved. Importantly, LGG organoids were maintained in vitro for weeks to months and reanimated after biobanking without loss of integrity. CONCLUSIONS We report an efficient method for producing faithful in vitro models of LGG. New experimental platforms generated through this approach are well positioned to support preclinical studies of this disease, particularly those related to tumor immunology, tumor-stroma interactions, identification of novel drug targets, and personalized assessments of treatment response profiles.
MiraLAX vs. Golytely: is there a significant difference in the adenoma detection rate?

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 34: 775–782 Summary Background In recent clinical trials (RCT) of bowel preparation, Golytely was more efficacious than MiraLAX. We hypothesised that there is a difference in adenoma detection between Golytely and MiraLAX. Aims To compare the adenoma detection rate (ADR) between these bowel preparations, and to identify independent predictors of bowel preparation quality and adenoma detection. Methods This was a post hoc analysis of an RCT that assessed efficacy and patient tolerability of Golytely vs. MiraLAX/Gatorade in average risk screening colonoscopy patients. Bowel preparation quality was measured with the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS). An excellent/good equivalent BBPS score was defined as ≥7. Polyp pathology review was performed. ADR was defined as the proportion of colonoscopies with an adenoma. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results One hundred and ninety patients were prospectively enrolled (87 MiraLAX, 103 Golytely). Golytely had a higher rate of a BBPS score ≥ 7 (82.5% vs. MiraLAX 67.8%, P = 0.02). The ADR in the Golytely cohort was 26.2% (27/103), and was 16.1% (14/87) for MiraLAX (P = 0.091). On multivariate analyses, Golytely was 2.13× more likely to be associated with a BBPS ≥ 7 (95% CI 1.05–4.32, P = 0.04) and 2.28× more likely to be associated with adenoma detection (95% CI 1.05–4.98, P = 0.04) than MiraLAX. Conclusions Golytely was more efficacious than MiraLAX in bowel cleansing, and was independently associated with both bowel prep quality (BBPS ≥ 7) and higher adenoma detection. Golytely should be used as first line for bowel prep for colonoscopy. Studies with larger populations are needed to confirm these results. (NCT00889655).
NK cell receptors as tools in cancer immunotherapy.

Natural killer (NK) cells were identified 30 years ago based on their ability to “spontaneously” kill tumor cells. The basis for NK cell recognition and activation is due to a variety of receptors that bind to specific ligands on tumor cells and normal cells. Some of these receptors have the ability to inhibit NK cell function, and other receptors activate NK cell function. Therapeutic strategies for cancer therapy are being developed based on preventing NK cell inhibition or using NK cell receptors to activate NK cells or T cells. There are intriguing clinical data from studies of bone marrow transplantation that support the idea that preventing NK cell inhibition by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules can be a means to promote graft‐versus‐leukemia (GvL) effects and limit graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. Experimental findings also support the blockade of NK cell inhibitory receptors as a way to protect against leukemia relapse. It may be possible to use our knowledge of NK cell activating receptors and their ligands to immunize patients with modified tumor cells to promote beneficial NK cell responses and development of host antitumor cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Finally, new data support the idea of using modified NK cell receptors as a means to target patients’ T cells against their own tumor cells and induce long‐term immunity against them. Tumors are essentially tissues that have overcome normal regulation mechanisms, and therefore the ability to distinguish normal cells from abnormal cells is a key part of selectively attacking tumor cells. NK cells have various receptor systems designed to recognize infected and abnormal cells. Understanding NK cell receptors and their recognition mechanisms provides new tools for the development of immunotherapies against cancer.
A Faith- and Community-Based Approach to Identifying the Individual at Risk for Head and Neck Cancer in an Inner City

Objectives/Hypothesis To perform a subset analysis of faith- and community-based screening events to further identify at-risk populations for head and neck cancer in hopes of further focusing screening efforts. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Methods Three hundred fifty-three individuals (n=353) presented to community events and self-selected for head and neck cancer screenings. A subgroup analysis focusing on risk factors for the development of head and neck cancer and for poor overall prognosis was performed. Subgroups analyzed were individuals screened at church-affiliated events, social events, or community outreach events at homeless shelters. Statistical analysis was performed using one-tailed analysis of variance test. Results The outreach group had more risk factors for development of cancer, and a significantly higher proportion who used tobacco (P 1 drink/day (P<.05). Those in the outreach and church groups had a greater number of risk factors for a poor prognosis with and neck cancer in comparison with the social group: number of uninsured subjects (P<.05), fewer subjects with private insurance (P<.05), fewer subjects with a primary care provider (P<.05), and more subjects with a reported barrier to care (P<.05). Conclusions Inhabitants of homeless shelters represent a particularly vulnerable population for both the development and poor prognosis of head and neck cancer. Members of urban church groups are also an at-risk subpopulation due to the prevalence of poor prognostic risk factors. These groups may benefit from future targeted screenings for head and neck cancer. Level of Evidence 2 b
The Common Ground of Contested Space: Historical Archaeology and American Landscapes

Landscape Archaeology: Reading and Interpreting the American Historical Landscape. Rebecca Yamin and Karen Bescherer Metheny, eds. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1996. 292 pp. Culture Change and the New Technology: An Archaeology of the Early American Industrial Era. Paul A. Shackel. New York: Plenum Press, 1996. 217 pp.
Cinema of Actuality: Japanese Avant-Garde Filmmaking in the Season of Image Politics, by Yuriko Furuhata

Cinema of Actuality focuses on Japanese avant-garde filmmakers of the late 1960s and early 1970s and their overriding concern with ‘actuality’ (akuchuaritii), in both the journalistic sense of topi...
Effect of Nutrient Concentration on the Growth of Escherichia coli

The relationship between specific growth rate of Escherichia coli and the concentration of limiting nutrient (glucose or phosphate or tryptophan) has been determined for populations in a steady state. At high concentrations the specific growth rate is independent of the concentration of nutrient, but at low concentrations the specific growth rate is a strong function of the nutrient concentration. Such a relationship was predicted by Monod; however, Monod's equation does not predict the relationship over the entire range of nutrient concentration. If parameters of the equation are estimated from the results obtained at low concentrations, then at high concentrations of nutrient, the specific growth rate is significantly higher than that predicted by Monod's equation. These results were interpreted on the basis that the rate of growth is controlled by at least two parallel reactions and that the affinities of the enzymes catalyzing these reactions are different. The relationship between specific growth rate and mean cell volume was also measured, and the results indicate that mean cell volume depends not only on the specific growth rate but also on the nature of the limiting nutrient. There are different mean cell volumes at the same specific growth rate established by different limiting nutrients. Therefore, the mean cell volume is not uniquely determined by the specific growth rate.
Hemophilus influenzae Pyarthrosis in an Adult

A case of Hemophilus influenzae pyarthrosis of the ankle joint and septicemia in an adult is described. Four similar cases have been reported in the literature. Treatment by surgical drainage and appropriate antibiotic therapy resulted in a favorable outcome.
Mammalian Cysteine Dioxygenase

Cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) is a mononuclear nonheme Fe(II) enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of l-cysteine to l-cysteinesulfinic acid (CSA) by addition of both atoms of molecular oxygen to the cysteine sulfur. Mammalian CDO is highly expressed in the liver, the pancreas, the adipose tissue, the kidney and the lungs, and the CSA produced is further converted to either taurine or sulfate plus pyruvate. To maintain cysteine levels within the narrow range required for health, mammalian CDO is regulated by the modulation of enzyme turnover and through formation of a Cys93-Tyr157 crosslink that increases its activity over 10-fold. Imbalances in cysteine metabolism have been observed in several neurological disorders, and CDO has been identified as a tumor suppressor. Bacterial CDOs also exist, as do a variety of related thiol dioxygenases that have been less well studied. High-resolution crystal structures of CDO reveal iron coordination by three histidines. Cysteine coordinates the iron by its amino and thiolate groups, leaving a sixth coordination site open for dioxygen. A cysteine persulfenate has been trapped in the active site, but despite substantial spectroscopic studies and theoretical calculations, the details of the mechanism are still a matter of debate and it is uncertain if this is an intermediate. 3D Structure Structure of rat CDO with cysteine persulfenate (or cysteine persulfenic acid) bound based on PDB code 4ieu1. The cupin fold of CDO is shown with the secondary structures labeled; the iron at the center of the β-barrel is shown as a black sphere. The Cys–Tyr crosslink is shown, along with the active site Arg, the iron coordinating His residues and the bound cysteine persulfenate. Figure generated using the PyMOL Molecular Graphics System, Version 1.5.0.4 Schrodinger, LLC.2 Keywords: thiol oxidation; sulfur metabolism; nonheme iron; cysteine; dioxygenase; cysteinesulfinic acid; taurine; sulfate
THE ENDOPHYTIC FUNGAL COMMUNITY IN LEAVES OF A COASTAL REDWOOD POPULATION-DIVERSITY AND SPATIAL PATTERNS

SUMMARY Leaf endophytic fungi were isolated from 1 to 12-yr-old leaves of mature trees and basal sprouts of coastal redwood [Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don ex Lamb.) Endl.] in a redwood forest in Central California. Almost all samples yielded at least one species. The two most frequent species were Pleuroplaconema sp. and Cryptosporiopsis abietina Petrak. Among isolated taxa are endophytic generalists, species previously known as pathogens and a possible specialist. Species composition in leaves of progressing age in single branches revealed a patchy pattern of leaf colonization without an obvious sequence of succession. Changes in diversity and equitability in the endophytic community with leaf age are linked with differential distribution of some species in young versus old leaves and the increase in species richness in 4- and 5-yr-old leaves. The endophytic communities from leaves of trees and sprouts were generally similar, but with important differences in species richness and in distribution of Pleuroplaconema sp. and Pestalotiopsis funerea (Desm.) Stey. Principal component analysis based on endophytic frequency also indicated closeness of trees and sprouts as groups, but clearly separated each tree from its sprout. Differential susceptibility between trees and sprouts to endophytic infection is suggested on the basis of their endophytic communities.
ABYSSAL EROSION AND SCARP RETREAT : DEEP TOW OBSERVATIONS OF THE BLAKE ESCARPMENT AND BLAKE SPUR

Abstract Deep Tow surveys conducted at two sites at the base of the Blake Spur and Blake Escarpment serve to delineate the contact between Mesozoic platform carbonates of the Blake Plateau and adjacent abyssal strata. The continental margin in the surveyed areas consists of steep limestone cliffs and headlands with over 2 km of relief. This extreme topography distorts the hydrographic structure of the water column and intensifies abyssal current flow in the surveyed areas. Significant lateral scarp retreat is indicated by the presence of broad, nearly horizontal benches of Mesozoic limestone presently exposed at the base of the Blake Spur and Escarpment in 4.5–5 km water depth; and by angular, apparently truncated limestone ledges that crop out on the cliff face. At the Blake Spur, the contact between Mesozoic platformal limestones and basinal Tertiary strata does not occur directly at the foot of the cliff, but is exposed on the abyssal plain within a 50 m deep erosional moat. Here, strong (>2 knots) south-flowing bottom currents occur within 100 m of the sea floor. The coincidence of this vigorous current flowing within the moat near the base of the escarpment and the eroded character of the sea floor suggests that currents are an important mechanism in sculpting this abyssal headland and contributing to lateral scarp retreat. Similar erosional processes are indicated along the Blake Escarpment near 29°03′N, where the relatively straight cliff face is interrupted by occasional steep-walled box canyons. On the headland between the canyons, the Mesozoic outcrop projects into the Blake–Bahama Basin for several kilometers as a broad, arcuate, gently-sloping bench. These outcropping benches of Mesozoic strata at the base of the escarpment are analogous to larger-scale buried benches observed in the subsurface that were formed by pre-Miocene erosion. Neogene and Quaternary scarp retreat is suggested by the location of the contact between Mesozoic rocks and younger strata seaward of the steeper cliff face, and is probably the result of current-induced erosion. Focused erosion may be facilitated by the presence of a thin (∼50 m) filament of corrosive Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) that flows vigorously along the base of the cliff at both sites. The recessed position of the canyons shelters them from the main flow of this abyssal current, but the steepness and morphology of the canyon walls suggest that additional unidentified erosional processes are focused at the canyon heads.
Improving Teaching and Its Evaluation: A Survey of Political Science Departments.

The Department of Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University has long viewed undergraduate instruction as a critical element of its mission, and teaching effectiveness has been a key criterion in its hiring decisions over the past several years. However, as with many departments in the United States, VCU's political science department has used few systematic methods of evaluating and improving the quality of instruction. It was fortuitous that a 1994 grant from the University's Committee on Roles and Rewards provided both the incentive and the means to address this problem. While a variety of activities were undertaken under the grant to improve instruction, the principal activity was a mail survey of 140 randomly selected political science departments in U.S. colleges and universities. There were two broad
CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Intracranial Neoplasms, with a Focus on Malignant Tumors:

Stereotactic radiosurgery is well established as a means of managing intracranial tumors, both as an adjuvant to surgical resection, and also as a primary treatment modality for those tumors that are considered unresectable by conventional surgical means. Of particular concern during radiosurgery of brain tumors is the risk of radiation damage to otherwise healthy tissue, potentially resulting in cognitive impairment. The conformality and precise targeting of the CyberKnife radiation beam enables this risk to be minimized to a greater extent than hitherto possible, which may allow treatment to be completed in a small number of fractions, thereby improving the quality of life for patients. The CyberKnife has proven particularly valuable in the treatment of metastases, which represent the great majority of brain tumors, though its role in the management of malignant glial tumors remains a subject of controversy. This article reviews the published studies on the efficacy of CyberKnife radiosurgery for brain tumors of both glial and metastatic origin, and considers its future role in the management of such lesions.