cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data-Driven Development of an Institutional "Gross-Only" Policy for the Examination of Select Surgical Pathology Specimens

Objectives To determine diagnostic, workflow, and economic implications of instituting a gross-only policy at our institution. Methods Retrospective (2017) key word searches were performed to identify "gross-only" cases for which microscopic evaluation could potentially be omitted, but was performed, and those who underwent gross evaluation per surgeon request. Cases were evaluated for type(s), part(s), block volume, turnaround time, demographics, and diagnosis. Laboratory costs and reimbursement were evaluated. Results In total, 448 potential gross-only cases with 472 specimens consisted of atherosclerotic plaques (33.5%), bariatric stomach/bowel (32.6%), hernia (15.7%), heart valves (12.7%), and other (5.9%). Four (2.6%) bariatric surgery cases had Helicobacter pylori infection; these were the only cases with "significant" histologic findings. Cost analysis revealed that converting all potential gross-only specimens to gross only would result in overall losses based on average reimbursements, most influenced by bariatric specimens (Current Procedural Terminology code 88307), comprising 65.2% of estimated loss. Conclusions Establishing a gross-only policy should be guided by established recommendations but institutionally individualized and data driven. It was reasonable for us to establish a gross-only policy for most evaluated specimens, while excluding bariatric stomach specimens in which microscopic pathology could be missed, given the lack of H pylori screening at our institution.
Development, characterization and validation of starch based biocomposite films reinforced by cellulose nanofiber as edible muffin liner

Abstract Three different starch-based films (2%, tapioca, potato, corn) incorporating different concentrations of cellulose nanofiber (CNF, 0, 10, and 20 % w/w starch) and glycerol (20, 30, and 40 % w/w starch) were developed, characterized, and optimized based on their water resistance and thermal stability using two consecutive experimental designs. The optimized film formulations were evaluated as edible muffin liners. Incorporation of CNF reduced water absorption and water solubility, and also improved thermal and mechanical properties of the films. Film from starch with higher amylose (potato) exhibited lower water absorption and enzymatic degradation while that with higher amylopectin (tapioca) showed higher mechanical and thermal properties. The 2% potato starch-based films incorporating 5% CNF and 30 % glycerol (w/w starch) demonstrated the best performance as edible muffin line. This study revealed the physicochemical, morphological, mechanical and thermal properties of different starch-CNF biocomposite films and validated the potential application as environmental-friendly muffin liners.
Higher metastasis and death rates in cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas with lymphovascular invasion.

ABSTRACT Background Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is an aggressive histologic finding but is excluded from current staging systems due to lack of demonstrated independent prognostic significance. Objective To evaluate the impact of LVI on CSCC tumor outcomes. Methods 10,707 CSCC tumors from a 20-year retrospective multicenter cohort were stratified by presence (LVI+) or absence (LVI-) of LVI. Outcomes (local recurrence, in transit metastasis, nodal metastasis, disease specific death) were compared based on low (Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) stage T1/T2a) and high (BWH T2b/T3)-tumor stage. Results Of the 10,707 tumors, 78 tumors had LVI. Analysis of low-stage BWH tumors showed the LVI+ group had a significantly higher 5-year cumulative incidence of LR (LVI+: 12.3% vs. LVI-: 1.1%, p Limitations Retrospective study design. Conclusion LVI+ CSCCs have a higher rate of metastasis and death at 5-years. Future staging systems should consider incorporating LVI.
Food, Society, and Environment

This is a Senior Perspective (SRP) course that may also be taken as a Sociology course or an environmental science course to count toward tracks of those programs. The goals of all SRP courses as specified by the College of Arts and Sciences are that students will: 1.integrate knowledge using knowledge from a variety of previous courses, applying this to an important social concern; 2.continue to develop critical thinking skills in an interdisciplinary manner; 3.develop, articulate, defend, and critique a cogent personal position; and 4.address human diversity, in so far as possible.
Clinical Utility of Multimodality LA Imaging Assessment of Size, Function, and Structure

The reservoir, conduit, and contractile functions of the left atrium are integral to overall cardiac performance. Recent advances in cardiac imaging offer the accurate assessment of LA phasic functions and structure, using techniques such as 3-dimensional echocardiography, color tissue Doppler imaging, and speckle tracking, as well as cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. These new developments are particularly important in view of the increasing use of intervention involving the left atrium. This review article highlights and contrasts the imaging of the size, mechanics, and structure of the left atrium using multiple modalities. The authors discuss recent studies on the clinical applications of the various techniques in disease conditions.
Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy: Power balance in a fusion reactor

Introduction Based on the results derived in Chapter 3 it is now possible to assemble all the sources and sinks that contribute to the overall power balance in a fusion reactor. Chapter 4 describes the construction and analysis of such a power balance model. The goal is to determine quantitatively the requirements on pressure, density, temperature, and energy confinement of the D–T fuel so as to produce a favorable overall power balance in a reactor: P out ≫ P in . Clearly, power balance plays a crucial role in determining the desirability of magnetic fusion as a source of electricity. An analysis of power balance determines the ease or difficulty of initiating fusion reactions. Specifically, how much external power must be supplied, either initially or continuously, to produce a given amount of steady state fusion power? The input power required must be sufficiently low in comparison to the output power in order that a large net power is produced – this is the basic requirement of a power reactor. Basic power balance for a magnetic fusion reactor involves the analysis of the 0-D form of the law of conservation of energy from fluid dynamics. The general procedure for deriving the 0-D energy equation is the first topic discussed in Chapter 4. This is followed by a detailed analysis of the 0-D model, leading to quantitative conditions on the pressure, temperature, density, and energy confinement that must be satisfied in order to achieve a favorable power balance.
Rapid calculation of missile aerodynamic coefficients using artificial neural networks

A variety of machine-learning methods has been applied to problems for which physics-based solutions are either nonexistent or computationally expensive. Based on such methods, surrogate models, i.e., empirical models that are trained on outputs of the more computationally intensive methods, can provide acceptable accuracy while dramatically reducing execution time and expense. This work describes the application of an artificial neural network ensemble (ANNE) approach, originally developed over the past fifteen years for cheminformatics studies in the pharmaceutical industry, to train surrogate models that predict missile aerodynamic coefficients. This modeling engine has been consistently demonstrated to provide best-in-class predictive models for a variety of molecular properties from only a molecule's structure, and is in widespread use in the pharmaceutical industry today. The surrogate models developed to predict aerodynamic coefficients for arbitrarily shaped missiles at arbitrary Mach numbers and angles of attack have resulted in highly accurate predictions that execute in milliseconds on a modern laptop computer. The ability for rapid predictions can be integral in the design process for missiles and other aerodynamic bodies. Building on previous work, we show how descriptor sensitivity analysis identifies the key descriptors driving the model performance, and relates inputs to outputs to help meet critical design/mission objectives.
Assays for determination of ertapenem for applications in therapeutic drug monitoring, pharmacokinetics and sample stability

Carbapanems are a class of β-lactam antibiotics with broad-spectrum potency and high β-lactamase resistance. Ertapenem, a member of this class, sold under the trade name Invanz™, has been of interest in the world of antibiotic therapeutic drug monitoring owing to its highly standardized 1 g dose and its high degree of plasma protein binding. Owing to the relative newness of this drug, fewer than 30 methods for ertapenem quantification have been published. Among these about half utilize biological matrices at the sample type. Liquid-liquid extraction and protein precipitation prevail as the most frequently used sample preparation techniques, despite their low recoveries compared with solid-phase extraction. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) is the instrumentation choice for most ertapenem assays. While these approaches may not achieve the highest possible sensitivity for ertapenem quantification, they provide clinically relevant tools for monitoring ertapenem in real patients. Sample stability is an ongoing concern for laboratories that handle ertapenem analysis, with buffering being of paramount importance, as well as low temperature (<−70°C) storage, to ensure minimal drug degradation in situ. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Endogenous Attenuation of Allergic Lung Inflammation by Syndecan-1

The airway plays a vital role in allergic lung diseases by responding to inhaled allergens and initiating allergic inflammation. Various proinflammatory functions of the airway epithelium have been identified, but, equally important, anti-inflammatory mechanisms must also exist. We show in this study that syndecan-1, the major heparan sulfate proteoglycan of epithelial cells, attenuates allergic lung inflammation. Our results show that syndecan-1-null mice instilled with allergens exhibit exaggerated airway hyperresponsiveness, glycoprotein hypersecretion, eosinophilia, and lung IL-4 responses. However, administration of purified syndecan-1 ectodomains, but not ectodomain core proteins devoid of heparan sulfate, significantly inhibits these inflammatory responses. Furthermore, syndecan-1 ectodomains are shed into the airway when wild-type mice are intranasally instilled with several biochemically distinct inducers of allergic lung inflammation. Our results also show that syndecan-1 ectodomains bind to the CC chemokines (CCL7, CCL11, and CCL17) implicated in allergic diseases, inhibit CC chemokine-mediated T cell migration, and suppress allergen-induced accumulation of Th2 cells in the lung through their heparan sulfate chains. Together, these findings uncover an endogenous anti-inflammatory mechanism of the airway epithelium where syndecan-1 ectodomains attenuate allergic lung inflammation via suppression of CC chemokine-mediated Th2 cell recruitment to the lung.
Disposition of cimicoxib in plasma and milk of whelping bitches and in their puppies

Caesarean section of bitches is a well recognized painful condition in dogs and it can be classified as a soft tissue surgery. Cimicoxib, a newly registered NSAID in European Union has a claim for the relief of pain in peri-operative conditions. However, in case of caesarean section, the main concerns of using NSAIDs are the transfer of the drugs into milk and its impact on the suckling pups. Thus, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the transfer of cimicoxib into the milk of 6 lactating bitches after a single oral administration of the drug on day 0 (just after whelping) and on day 28 at the target dose of 2 mg/kg. Another aim of the study was to evaluate the transfer of the drug from the milk into the suckling pups. Blood and milk samples were collected from the bitches after each administration on day 0 and day 28 and blood samples were drawn from the pups after suckling on day 28. All bitches whelped without any complication and gave birth to 38 pups. After administration on D0, the mean observed plasma Cmax in bitches was 0.5323 μg/mL and the mean area under the concentration-time curve extrapolated to the infinity, AUCINF, was 2.411 μg.h/mL. After administration on D28, only AUCINF was significantly higher with a value of 3.747 μg.h/mL. In milk, after administration on D0, the mean observed Cmax was 0.9974 μg/mL and the mean area under the concentration-time curve until the last measurable time point, AUClast, was 4.205 μg.h/mL. Out of 24 sampled pups on D28, only 2 animals had a sample with very low cimicoxib concentrations slightly above the limit of quantification (0.01 μg/mL). The presented data show that cimicoxib given by oral route to lactating bitches at a single dose of 2 mg/kg had a high transfer rate into the milk with a milk to plasma ratio of 1.7 to 1.9. The transfer rate to the suckling pups was low and no clinical abnormalities were detected in both bitches and pups.
The design of the CPRF control system

The Confinement Physics Research Facility (CPRF), under construction at Los Alamos, is a facility for research into the plasma confinement properties of various magnetic-field configurations. The first device to be tested in the CPRF will be ZTH, a reverse field pinch. The CPRF/ZTH control system has been designed as a distributed system with four major semiindependent subsystems. Each subsystem will be capable of stand-alone operation for commissioning and maintenance purposes. The subsystem controller hardware has been selected. It will consist of commercially available programmable logic controllers (PLCs) linked by a fast fiber-optic network. The man-machine interface, which is under procurement as of June, 1989, will have multiple graphic workstations interfaced to the PLC fiber-optic network. The central control console will initially have three stations. Permanent local stations will be located at two of the subsystems with a transportable station serving the remaining subsystems. Standard process-control software will be used, but the selection criteria emphasize the open architecture of the system so that user programs can be easily integrated. >
Exploring QoE for Power Efficiency: A Field Study on Mobile Videos with LCD Displays

Display power consumption has become a major concern for both mobile users and design engineers, especially considering the prevalence of today's video-rich mobile services. The power consumption of liquid crystal display (LCD), a dominant mobile display technology, can be reduced by dynamic backlight scaling (DBS). However, such dynamic changes of screen brightness may degrade users' quality of experience (QoE) in viewing videos. How would QoE be impacted by different DBS strategies has not yet been understood clearly and thus obscures the way to achieve systematic power saving. In this paper, we take a first step to explore the QoE of DBS on smartphones and aim at maximally enhancing the display power performance without negatively impacting users' QoE. In particular, we conduct three motivational studies to uncover the inherent relationship between QoE and backlight scaling frequency, magnitude, and temporal consistency, respectively. Motivated by the findings of these studies, we design a suite of techniques to implement a comprehensive DBS strategy. We demonstrate an example application of the proposed DBS designs in a mobile video streaming system. Measurements and user evaluations show that more than 40% system power reduction, or equivalently, 20% more power savings than the non-QoE approaches, can be achieved without QoE impairment.
Neuroendocrine response to estrogen and sexual orientation

A neuroendocrine component, the positive estrogen feedback effect, thought to be related to sexual orientation and, indirectly, to sexual differentiation, was evaluated in healthy, noninstitutionalized research volunteers. Men and women with a lifelong heterosexual orientation and men with a lifelong homosexual orientation were administered an estrogen preparation known to enhance the concentration of luteinizing hormone in women but not in men. The secretory pattern of luteinizing hormone in the homosexuals in response to estrogen was intermediate between that of the heterosexual men and that of the women. Furthermore, testosterone was depressed for a significantly longer period in the homosexual men than in the heterosexual men. These findings suggest that biological markers for sexual orientation may exist.
Gnawing is the preferred consummatory behavior initially induced by tail pinch

Recently, Rowland and Marques have hypothesized that the predominant effect of mild tail pinch may be the motor act of biting with eating being incidental. In this study we show that rats prefer a “gnawable” substrate to ground laboratory chow, strongly suggesting that the primary acute effect of tail pinch is biting. We also showed that tail pinch behavior can be blocked by local application of xylocaine.
Armature of the MIT-EPRI superconducting generator

This paper is a description of the armature built as part of the second MIT-EPRI experimental superconducting alternator. This armature has several new features, including an integral, non-magnetic and non-conducting structure, an open header cooling system using the same fluid as coolant and as electrical insulation, and a limited voltage gradient winding pattern. These features are described, along with the results of measurements of the electrical and thermal properties of the armature.
Oligoclonality of CD8+ T cells in multiple sclerosis

We have shown earlier that CD8+ T cell oligoclonality occurs frequently in normal individuals and general exhibits a very diverse repertoire. In order to investigate the role of CD8+ T cells in MS, we analysed CD8 oligoclonality in 125 patients with MS in varying stages of disease. A multiplex PCR assay for CDR3 length variation was employed to detect oligoclonality in 25 TCRBV segments/families. CD8 clonal dominance was found to be frequent in MS. Comparison of the CD8 T cell repertoire in MS with that in normal controls revealed an increased frequency of oligoclonality involving the TCRBV9, -18 and -23 families. Sequence analysis of the TCRs from these clonally dominant CD8+ cells revealed a high degree of diversity overall. However, we observed one instance of identical TCRBV18 sequences in CD8 cells from two unrelated MS patients. In addition, several TCRs with motifs homologous to those found in MS brain and MBP specific T cell clones in EAE and MS were also detected. Future characterization of the function and specificity of these clonally expanded populations may provide insight into the nature of immune dysregulation in this autoimmune disorder.
Sea Surface Temperature Variability at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Pier

AbstractSea surface temperature (SST) has been measured from near the end of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) pier daily since 1916. It is one of the world’s longest instrumental time series of SST. It is widely used in studies of climate and marine ecosystems and in fisheries management. The authors hypothesized that a discontinuity exists in 1988, when the old pier was replaced with the present pier. A regression of annual-mean SST at SIO (SSTSIO) on the Pacific decadal oscillation index for 1916–87 was used to predict annual-mean SST (SSTSIO, PDO) for 1916–present. The residual (ResSSTSIO = SSTSIO − SSTSIO,PDO) time series shows a positive discontinuity in 1988, when the present SIO pier was first used to measure SSTSIO. No discontinuity in 1988 was observed for ResSST at 12 other shore stations or in nearby waters. Use of the first principal component of other shore station time series of annual-mean SST as the predictor yields similar results. SSTSIO measured over 3 days shows a diel cyc...
Preparation of lunar sample and meteorite mock-ups: or how to make rocks

In order to accurately determine the cosmogenic and primordial radionuclide concentrations in meteorites and lunar samples, it is necessary to prepare mock-ups containing known concentrations of the radioisotopes of interest. This paper describes a technique for preparing such mock-ups containing known concentrations of homogeneously distributed radionuclides within a matrix having the same gamma-ray attenuation characteristics as the original rock. The procedure can be modified to reproduce other elemental or physical characteristics as required.
Nursing care patterns for patients receiving total hip replacements.

Background Successful recovery from total hip replacement requires not only proper surgical technique but also appropriate nursing care during the immediate recovery period. Purpose The study focused on (1) describing nursing interventions for inpatients who underwent total hip replacement; (2) depicting the patterns of nursing interventions over the hospital stay; and (3) examining relationships among patient characteristics, nursing interventions, and complication rates. Methods With retrospective data, the types, numbers, and time required for nursing interventions were identified by descriptive statistics. Using a cross-tabulation table and a graph, the patterns of nursing interventions were depicted by day. A correlation analysis was conducted to examine relationships among variables. Results On the first day of admission, the 5 most frequent nursing interventions were intravascular administration, care plan, orthotics management, teaching/emotional support, and elimination care. However, when frequencies and time required for nursing interventions were considered together, the rank order was different. Furthermore, complications had significant relationships with age, comorbidity, severity of illness, length of stay, and some nursing interventions at the significant level (p ≤ .05). Conclusion The description and review of nursing interventions being provided in a hospital are necessary to delineate nursing work and improve nursing practice. The significant relationships among nursing interventions, comorbidities, and complications found in this study suggest that nurses should consider comorbidities in their care planning, monitoring, and documenting of nursing interventions and outcomes along with the onset of complications.
Victorian women: A documentary account of women's lives in nineteenth century England, France, and the United States

(1985). Victorian women: A documentary account of women's lives in nineteenth century England, France, and the United States. History of European Ideas: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 83-84.
Synthetic Water-Oxidation Catalysts for Artificial Photosynthetic Water Oxidation.

This review focuses primarily on homogeneous catalysts for the oxidation of water, but does include selected heterogeneous systems. It does not attempt to summarize all chemistry related to systems that are capable of oxidizing water. In particular, heterogeneous catalysts that have no direct relevance to understanding the WOC [water-oxidizing complex] are not discussed in detail. Neither are nonbiomimetic systems for artificial photosynthesis or water-splitting in its elements discussed. However, a list of some of the recent references in these areas can be found in section X (Nonbiomimetic Water Oxidation Catalysts). The authors will first give a brief summary of the current view of the photosynthetic WOC and its functionality, followed by analysis of the thermodynamic and kinetic constraints for water-oxidation that have to be overcome by any catalyst. Since manganese is the metal that performs this reaction in the WOC, manganese catalysts will be discussed first, followed by other transition metals, particularly ruthenium. In the final section the authors summarize the principles of reactivity learned from theory and existing models that will guide one toward synthesis of better catalysts in the future. This review does not attempt to summarize manganese chemistry relevant to nonfunctional (structural) models of the WOC, whichmore » has been reviewed recently. Water-oxidation catalysts are intrinsically important in their own right, independent of possible biological relevance. They have direct applications as catalysts in artificial photosynthetic systems for the splitting of water that could be used in future fuel cells for the generation of electricity. 133 refs.« less
The effect of mobile phase modifiers on the simultaneous LC elution of a gadolinium complex and free ligand

A liquid chromatographic method was developed for simultaneous separation of a gadolinium complex and corresponding ligand using a reversed-phase anion-exchange column. The effect of mobile phase pH, EDTA and chloride ion concentration, added to the mobile phase as counter-ions, on the elution of a metal complex and ligand were investigated. Decreasing the mobile phase pH from 9.4 to 7.4 decreased the retention time of the free ligand but had little effect on changing the retention time of the complex. Increasing the EDTA concentration of the mobile phase from 0 to 0.5 mM decreased the retention of the free ligand but had little effect on changing the retention time of the metal complex. Both the retention times of the metal complex and free ligand decreased as the chloride ion concentration was increased from 0 to 0.2 M.
Selective hepatobiliary transport of human polymeric IgA in mice

Both subclasses of human polymeric IgA (pIgA) were selectively transported from the serum into the bile of mice relative to human IgG or IgM. Removal of human pIgA from serum corresponded to the clearance kinetics shown for murine pIgA. The biliary pIgA was intact as determined by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. This hepatic uptake was specific for the IgA isotype and occurred independently of receptors in the liver specific for glycoproteins that terminate with galactose or mannose moieties. Desialylation of human pIgA resulted in its rapid clearance from serum and subsequent deposition in the liver in a manner similar to most other desialylated serum glycoproteins. The desialylated pIgA present in bile was also an intact molecule; thus the asialoglycoprotein receptor may represent an additional mechanism for the transport of serum pIgA into bile.
The Diffusion of an Innovation in Indonesia

Traces the diffusion of palm oil by a joint venture company in Indonesia during the early 1980s. The diffusion framework provided by E.M. Rogers is examined in this context. The author relates his personal observations over the course of two years and arrives at certain conclusions. In keeping with Rogers′ framework, characteristics of the innovation and change agent effort were critical in the diffusion. However, Rogers′ two‐step model of diffusion was not relevant in this case. A one‐step model of diffusion is recommended for the marketing of industrial products where knowledge of the innovation is considered to be proprietary information and is not spread through interpersonal networks.
The effect of lithium carbonate on the ultrastructural transformation of kidney mitochondria

Abstract Lithium carbonate has been shown to cause swelling of mitochondria in the distal portion of the nephron of rat kidneys. The present study determined the ADP:O and respiratory control ratios of isolated kidney mitochondria from lithium-treated rats and their ability to undergo ultrastructural transformation while in state IV respiration (absence of phosphate acceptor, ADP). The kidney mitochondria isolated from the animals treated with the 10 or 30 mg/kg/day lithium carbonate dosage showed no changes in the ADP:O ratio at day 12 when compared to control values. However, by day 60 both dosages caused a decrease in ADP:O ratio. The kidney mitochondria isolated from the animals that received the 100 mg/kg/day lithium carbonate dosage showed a decrease in ADP:O ratio by day 12 and a further decrease by day 40. Control kidney mitochondria respiring in state IV underwent ultrastructural transformation from a condensed to orthodox configuration. Some kidney mitochondria from the lithiumtreated rats transformed from the condensed to orthodox configuration while respiring in state IV but they continued to swell. Other mitochondria stayed in the condensed configuration. More mitochondria seemed to swell and undergo degeneration at the higher lithium dosage and the longer time periods of the experiment.
The Sustained Impact of Adolescent Violence Histories on Early Adulthood Outcomes

Abstract A history of victimization and violence perpetration are well-established risk factors that hamper positive development in early adulthood, yet their separate and overlapping effects are rarely examined simultaneously, confounding understanding of their relative impacts. This study follows a diverse sample of at-risk adolescents (N = 570) into early adulthood, comparing roles and resources, stress and distress, and maladaptive behaviors for those with a history of no violence, victimization only, perpetration only, and both perpetration and victimization. Results demonstrate four distinctive profiles, although all violence-exposed youth report more problems in the three assessed domains relative to those with no violence histories. Implications for intervention are discussed.
Novel Energy-Saving Steer-by-Wire System for Articulated Steering Vehicles: A Compact Wheel Loader Case Study

Improving energy efficiency remains a priority in the industrial and academic communities given the ever increasing demand on fossil fuels and their skyrocketing prices. Pump displacement controlled (DC) actuation is an energy efficient alternative to traditional valve controlled actuation. The technology has shown significant fuel savings on mobile machinery when applied to the working hydraulics (implement) functions of such machines. However, DC actuation has never been investigated for use on mobile machinery chassis systems, namely power steering. In this paper and for the first time, a novel closed-circuit pump DC system architecture is devised to perform the power steering system function of a compact wheel loader. A dynamic model of the new system was generated to corroborate concept feasibility, perform system sizing and analysis, and predict performance during standard steering maneuvers. Simulation results showed that a DC power steering system is a feasible, promising, and challenging alternative, which upon further research and development will be brought to life and tested on a prototype machine.
Cells to surgery quiz: January 2015.

1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA Image appears with permission from VisualDx. © Logical Images, Inc. JID and Logical Images, Inc., have cooperated to offer the Cells to Surgery Quiz, incorporating diagnostic images from VisualDx’s vast database. Questions relate to the image as well as to selected articles in JID, which are listed after the questions. Answers will be posted as supplementary material. We hope you enjoy this challenge.
Fanning the Flames: Religious Media Consumption and American Politics

Both religion and mass media are politically important in the United States. However, little is known about the political role of religious media. Religious media might be politically influential because they help translate religion into political thinking and because their consumers are likely to internalize the political cues these media provide. We find that almost a quarter of the public claims to have relied on religious media when making voting decisions in 2000. Religious media users felt significantly closer to George W. Bush and Pat Buchanan and farther away from Al Gore and were more likely to vote for Bush and Republican House candidates than nonusers, even after controlling for a host of religious and political variables. These findings reflect more than self-selection effects and suggest that religious media have a polarizing effect on the candidate evaluations and voting behavior of their core audience of political conservatives.
Evidence for Acupuncture's Analgesic Effectiveness and Proposals for the Physiological Mechanisms Involved

Abstract Results of research on two aspects of acupuncture—its effectiveness in reducing pain and the physiological mechanisms involved—indicated that acupuncture does raise the pain threshold for some disorders and that endorphins and neurotransmitters, probably interacting, may be the physiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture.
Liver steatosis assessment: correlations among pathology, radiology, clinical data and automated image analysis software

Quantitating hepatic steatosis is important in many liver diseases and liver transplantation. Since steatosis estimation by pathologists has inherent intra- and inter-observer variability, we compared and contrasted computerized techniques with magnetic resonance imaging measurements, pathologist visual scoring, and clinical parameters. Computerized methods applied to whole slide images included a commercial positive pixel count algorithm and a custom algorithm programmed at our institution. For all liver samples (n=59), including pediatric, adult, frozen section, and permanent specimens, statistically significant correlations were observed between pathology, radiology, and each image analysis modality (r=0.75-0.97, p<0.0001), with the strongest correlations in the pediatric cohort. Statistically significant relationships were observed between each method and with body mass index (r=0.37-0.56, p from <0.0001 to <0.05) and with albumin (r=0.55-0.64, p<0.05) but not with alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase. Although pathologist assessments correlated (r=0.64-0.86, 0.92-0.97, and 0.78-0.91 for microvesicular, macrovesicular, and overall steatosis, respectively), the absolute values of hepatic steatosis visual assessment were susceptible to intra- and inter-observer variability, particularly for microvesicular steatosis. Image analysis, pathologist assessments, radiology measurements, and several clinical parameters all showed correlations in this study, providing evidence for the utility of each method in different clinical and research settings.
Integration Host Factor (IHF) Dictates the Structure of Polyamine-DNA Condensates: Implications for the Role of IHF in the Compaction of Bacterial Chromatin†

Integration host factor (IHF), a nucleoid-associated protein in bacterial cells, is implicated in a number of chromosomal functions including DNA compaction. IHF binds to all duplex DNA with micromolar affinity and at sequence-specific sites with much higher affinity. IHF is known to induce sharp bends in the helical axis of DNA in both modes of binding, but the role of IHF in controlling DNA condensation within bacterial cells has remained undetermined. Here we demonstrate that IHF influences the morphology of DNA condensed by polyamines in vitro. In the absence of IHF, spermidine and spermine condense DNA primarily into toroidal structures, whereas in the presence of IHF, polyamines condense DNA primarily into rodlike structures. Computer simulations of DNA condensation in the absence and presence of IHF binding lend support to our model in which DNA bending proteins, such as IHF and HU, promote the condensation of DNA into rodlike structures by providing the free energy necessary to bend DNA at the ends of linear bundles of condensed DNA. We propose that a common function of IHF and HU in bacterial cells is to facilitate DNA organization in the nucleoid by the introduction of sharp bends in chromosomal DNA.
Correlation of the orbach relaxation coefficient with optical linewidths- laf3-er3 plus

Correlation of Orbach coefficient of spin-lattice relaxation with optical transition linewidths for trivalent erbium in lanthanum fluoride
The Arab Revolution is Beyond America's Control

The Great Arab Revolt of 2011 has moved swiftly from the peaceful overthrow of autocrats in the nation-states of Tunisia and Egypt to brutal repression in the tribal societies of Libya, Syria, Bahrain and Yemen. Meanwhile, the wired youth bulge of the Middle East that brought change is dissipating into an impotent diaspora while the organized interests of the old regimes and the once-suppressed Islamists charge ahead to power. This section examines the revolt, the reaction and the power struggles in its aftermath.
Design of color screen tile vector sets

For electrophotographic printers, periodic clustered screens are preferable due to their homogeneous halftone texture and their robustness to dot gain. In traditional periodic clustered-dot color halftoning, each color plane is independently rendered with a different screen at a different angle. However, depending on the screen angle and screen frequency, the final halftone may have strong visible moire due to the interaction of the periodic structures, associated with the different color planes. This paper addresses issues on finding optimal color screen sets which produce the minimal visible moire and homogeneous halftone texture. To achieve these goals, we propose new features including halftone microtexture spectrum analysis, common periodicity, and twist factor. The halftone microtexture spectrum is shown to predict the visible moire more accurately than the conventional moire-free conditions. Common periodicity and twist factor are used to determine whether the halftone texture is homogeneous. Our results demonstrate significant improvements to clustered-dot screens in minimizing visible moire and having smooth halftone texture.
Effect of poultry manure on the leaching of carbon from a sandy soil as a potential substrate for denitrification in the subsoil.

There is evidence from laboratory incubations that denitrifying bacteria occur in the deep subsoils of UK soils and that lack of available carbon (C) generally limits their activity. Animal manures can be a source of substantial carbon input to farming systems. This experiment measured the effect of broiler litter application on the movement of C in soil solution to depths below 1 m, which might be sufficient to allow denitrification of nitrate moving from the rooting zone towards ground water aquifers. Six broiler litter rates were applied each autumn from 1992-1994 to field plots on a loamy medium sand in Nottinghamshire, UK. Total loadings over the 3 years ranged from 0 to 125 t ha -1 broiler litter, supplying 0-32 t ha -1 total C. Teflon and ceramic water samplers, placed at 1.0 and 1.5 m, and monolith lysimeters (0.5 m 2 area, 1.5 m deep) were used to measure total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations in the drainage. Ceramic samplers indicated significantly (P < 0.05) larger concentrations than Teflon samplers; there were no differences between concentrations measured by Teflon samplers and the lysimeters. Water samples analysed for both dissolved and total C showed that nearly all was in a dissolved form. TOC concentrations on plots which received no manure were less than 20 mg litre -1 at 1 m for the duration of the experiment; concentrations peaked at 65 mg litre -1 with the largest manure loading. There was a linear relationship between C leached and C applied, with about 5% leached below 1 m by the end of the experiment. There was some evidence of movement of C to 1.5 m depth, but there were no large peaks corresponding to those at 1 m, because of either adsorption or microbial utilisation. The results provide evidence of movement of substantial C to depth in some circumstances, particularly on fields which regularly receive large dressings of organic manure. The availability of this as a substrate for denitrification needs further examination.
Darier's Disease: A Partially Immunodeficient State

Darier's disease (Keratosis follicularis) a dominantly inherited keratinizing disorder of the skin, is associated with the development of severe, progressive viral and bacterial skin infections. We investigated the possibility that an inadequacy of the immune system might be responsible for this tendency. Seven of our 8 patients with Darier's disease showed complete anergy to common skin test antigens and their peripheral blood lymphocytes failed to produce the lymphokine, leukocyte inhibitory factor (LIF) in vitro when stimulated with the same antigens. One Darier's patient and 6 controls showed positivity to at least one skin test antigen and produced lymphokine in vitro to the appropriate antigen. All patients had normal leukocyte and differential counts and normal numbers of circulating T and B cells. All 8 patients with Darier's disease demonstrated no proliferative response to optimal doses of the T cell mitogen Con A while showing normal responses to the T cell stimulant PHA and the T cell dependent B cell stimulant PWM. This previously unreported finding suggests a subtle abnormality of T cells in Darier's and might be a marker for these patients. Serum from 2 patients with Darier's disease did not suppress the in vitro immunologic activity of lymphocytes from normals. Finally, 13-Cis-retinoic acid in dosages adequate to clear their skin disease did not alter the in vivo or in vitro immunologic functions in 3 Darier's patients, suggesting that the immune dysfunction is not a secondary phenomenon.
Nucleation and stabilization of microbubbles in liquids

An important aspect of the processes of cavitation and boiling is the concept of a nucleus that acts as a preferential site for the inception of these events. It is commonly thought that except for rare instances or specially controlled experiments, all cavitation and boiling sites originate at the location of such a nucleus. In order to study these important phenomena, then, it is imperative that as much as possible be known about nucleation in cavitation and boiling. It is generally accepted that free air bubbles normally do not act as nucleation sites because they are inherently unstable to dissolution due to surface tension. Thus, the study of nucleation is necessarily associated with mechanisms for stabilizing microbubbles or pockets of gas within the liquid. In this paper, various stabilization models that have been proposed are reviewed as well as the experimental evidence that supports the specific models. One particular model, the crevice model, is examined in some detail, and its predictions are used to explain several different measurements of boiling and cavitation inception. Finally, some evidence that has recently become available concerning the damaging aspects of high intensity ultrasound is examined. Many aspects of this evidence point to the existence of cavitation as the damage mechanism. Also given in this paper are preliminary explanations of these effects due to the growth of microbubbles or cavitation nuclei by rectified diffusion.
Differential etching of chalcogenides for infrared photonic waveguide structures

Chemical etching rates for two different chalcogenide glass compositions (As2S3 and As24S38Se38) were studied using sodium hydroxide based etchant solutions. Etching was performed using a variation of standard photolithographic masking and wet-etching techniques. Variations in etch rate with NaOH concentration and glass composition were observed. The depth of etch was characterized using an optical profilometer. Etch rate differences as large as three orders of magnitude between these two glasses were observed at low NaOH concentration (0.053 M). We present a single variable etch rate curve of etch depth per time (nm/s) versus NaOH overall solution concentration (in M) for these two different chalcogenide glasses (As2S3 and As24S38Se38). This technology shows promise for fabricating highly asymmetrical photonic structures and has potential applications in fabricating novel photonic bandgap (PBG) structures that will function in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) regime.
In vitro effects of polychlorinated biphenyls and hydroxy metabolites on nitric oxide synthases in rat brain

Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) play a key role in motor activity in the cerebellum, hormonal regulation in the hypothalamus, and long-term potentiation (LTP), learning, and memory processes in the hippocampus. Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been shown to affect psychomotor functions, learning and memory processes, and to inhibit LTP. We hypothesized that PCBs may disrupt the regulation of such neurological functions by altering NOSs. We have studied the in vitro effects of several PCB congeners and some hydroxy PCBs on NOS activity in cytosolic (presumably neuronal NOS [nNOS]) and membrane (presumably endothelial NOS [eNOS]) fractions in different brain regions of young and adult rats. Among the two selected dichloro PCBs, the ortho-PCB, 2,2'-dichlorobiphenyl (DCB), inhibited both cytosolic and membrane NOS activity at low micromolar concentrations (3-10 microM) in the selected brain regions of all age groups while the non-ortho-PCB, 4,4'-DCB, did not. 2,2'-DCB inhibited cytosolic NOS to a greater extent than membrane NOS. Pentachloro-PCBs (PeCBs) and hexachloro-PCBs (HCBs) did not have a significant effect on adult cerebellar cytosolic or membrane NOS. However, mono- and dihydroxy derivatives of HCBs significantly decreased cytosolic NOS (IC50s: 16.33 +/- 0.47 and 33.65 +/- 4.33 microM, respectively) but resulted in a marginal effect on membrane NOS in the cerebellum. Among three adult rat brain regions, the hypothalamic cytosolic NOS was the most sensitive to 2,2'-DCB. Also, cytosolic NOS in the cerebellum and hypothalamus of young rats was less sensitive than in the older rats. In summary, these results indicate that only di-ortho-PCB inhibited both NOS and hydroxy substitution of one or more chlorine molecules significantly increased the potency of both ortho- and non-ortho-HCBs. The selective sensitivity of NOS to dichloro- ortho-PCB and hydroxy metabolites suggests that the inhibition of NOS could play a role in the neuroendocrine effects as well as learning and memory deficits caused by exposure to PCBs.
FerryMon: Ferry-Based Monitoring and Assessment of Human and Climatically Driven Environmental Change in the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound System†

Ships of opportunity afford ready study of marine environments so as to understand how they change.
Radiation therapy of esophageal carcinoma: correlation of clinical and radiographic findings.

Seventeen patients with esophageal carcinoma treated by radiation therapy (RT) at our hospital between 1981 and 1984 had initial diagnostic esophagrams and 1 or more repeat esophagrams after completing RT. Total regression of the tumor was observed radiographically in 10 patients (59%) with a normal esophagus (24%) or benign-appearing residual stricture (35%) at the site of the previous lesion. Partial regression was observed in 4 patients, and progression of the tumor in 3. No correlation was found between the size, stage, or morphology of the lesion and its response to therapy. Although local recurrences were relatively uncommon, patient survival was often limited by the development of distant metastases. Fourteen of 15 patients with clinical followup initially had significant relief from dysphagia as the tumor regressed. However, 9 of those patients had recurrent or increased dysphagia over a subsequent 3–9-month period. Exacerbation of symptoms did not necessarily indicate recurrent carcinoma; it also resulted from benign radiation strictures, opportunistic esophagitis, or other complications of RT detected on esophagography.