cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase I clinical and pharmacokinetic study of irinotecan in adults with recurrent malignant glioma.

Purpose: A preliminary evaluation of the efficacy of irinotecan in patients with malignant glioma demonstrated modest activity. A markedly lower than expected incidence of drug-related toxicity was also noted. This was consistent with pharmacokinetic data indicating that the total body clearance (CL) of irinotecan in this patient population was considerably greater than in colorectal cancer patients. Concomitant medications used chronically in brain cancer patients, especially glucocorticoids and anticonvulsants that induce hepatic enzymes involved in the metabolism or excretion of drugs, were believed to be the cause of the alteration in pharmacokinetic behavior. A Phase I study was therefore undertaken in patients with recurrent malignant gliomas to independently determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of irinotecan in patients stratified according to the use of enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants (EIAs). Experimental Design: Patients with recurrent malignant gliomas received irinotecan as a weekly 90-min i.v. infusion for four consecutive weeks, with additional cycles of treatment repeated every 6 weeks. The starting dose was 125 mg/m2/week for both groups of patients (+/−EIA). Groups of ≥3 patients were evaluated at each dose level, and the modified continual reassessment method was used for dose adjustments. The plasma pharmacokinetics of irinotecan, its active metabolite, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin (SN-38), and the glucuronide conjugate of SN-38, SN-38 glucuronide, were determined in all patients during treatment with the first weekly dose. Results: Forty patients were enrolled into the study and treated with a total of 135 cycles of irinotecan. The MTD was determined to be 411 mg/m2/week in the +EIA cohort and 117 mg/m2/week in the −EIA cohort for the weekly × 4 every 6 weeks schedule. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that the CL of irinotecan was distinctly dose dependent in the patients receiving EIAs, decreasing from ∼50 liters/h/m2 at the lower dose levels (125–238 mg/m2) to a mean ± SD value of 29.7 ± 9.0 liters/h/m2 (n = 7) at the MTD. The grand mean CL for a group of 13 patients who were not taking EIAs, 18.8 ± 10.6 liters/h/m2, was significantly different from the mean CL at the MTD of the +EIA cohort (P = 0.033). Mean values of the AUC of SN-38 (P = 0.4) and SN-38 glucuronide (P = 0.55) were not significantly different at the MTDs for the two cohorts of patients. Conclusions: The MTD of irinotecan was 3.5 times greater in patients with malignant glioma who were concurrently receiving EIAs than in those who were not. This study has also served to confirm that the concomitant administration of EIAs results in marked enhancement in the CL of irinotecan. These findings have important implications for subsequent clinical trials to further evaluate irinotecan in brain cancer patients and underscore the importance of assessing the potential for pharmacokinetic interactions between concurrent medications and chemotherapeutic agents.
Lung transplant infection

Lung transplantation has become an accepted therapeutic procedure for the treatment of end-stage pulmonary parenchymal and vascular disease. Despite improved survival rates over the decades, lung transplant recipients have lower survival rates than other solid organ transplant recipients. The morbidity and mortality following lung transplantation is largely due to infection- and rejection-related complications. This article will review the common infections that develop in the lung transplant recipient, including the general risk factors for infection in this population, and the most frequent bacterial, viral, fungal and other less frequent opportunistic infections. The epidemiology, diagnosis, prophylaxis, treatment and outcomes for the different microbial pathogens will be reviewed. The effects of infection on lung transplant rejection will also be discussed.
Novel beam-control techniques using dielectric-image-line-fed microstrip patch-antenna arrays for millimeter-wave applications

This paper reports novel beam-control methods which have the potential of low cost and simplicity. The beam direction of the antenna array is controlled by changing the distance between the perturbed dielectric image line (DIL) and a movable reflector plate. A rigorous hybrid-mode theoretical analysis is developed for calculating the dispersion of propagation constants in DILs without or with the movable reflector plate and, then, for designing beam-control patch-antenna arrays. Experimental results of scanning angles agree well with theoretical predictions at Ka-band frequencies.
Auditory correlates of perceived mallet hardness for a set of recorded percussive sound events

A psychophysical investigation of timbre was undertaken with the intent of deriving quantitative results that could be useful in musical applications. Recordings of metal objects being struck with percussion mallets were rated by subjects on a unidimensional perceptual scale of perceived mallet hardness. Four acoustical parameters of the attack portion (first 325 ms) were defined and evaluated as predictors of perceived mallet hardness rating. To measure these parameters, a critical‐band filter bank was employed. Two curves were extracted from the filter‐bank output: (1) spectral level (log of area under spectrum) over time, and (2) spectral centroid over time. For each curve, two parameters were measured: the mean and the slope of the spectral level curve, and the mean and the time‐weighted average of the spectral centroid curve. Multiple regression analysis was used to relate the perceptual ratings to these four acoustical parameters, and a good fit was achieved (multiple R‐squared=0.725, F=1135.8, p<0.01). The resulting function is suitable for quantitatively predicting the perceptual dimension of perceived mallet hardness.
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Pile Repair Incorporating Cathodic Protection

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) are increasingly being used for corrosion repair. As barrier elements, FRPs can only slow down corrosion. Cathodic protection (CP) is the only proven method for stopping electrochemical corrosion of steel. But a new method repairs corrosion damage: a sacrificial CP system is incorporated within an FRP repair. The system was implemented in a demonstration project in which corroding piles supporting the Friendship Trail Bridge, Tampa Bay, Florida, were repaired. The repaired piles were instrumented so that performance of the CP system could be assessed. Results indicate that the CP system is effective in protecting the reinforcing steel. It also shows that corrosion rates are lower in FRP-wrapped piles. This lower rate can increase the life of anodes used by the CP system by more than 20%.
Neighborhood park use by children: use of accelerometry and global positioning systems.

Background Although having a greater number of neighborhood parks may be associated with greater overall physical activity in children, information is lacking about the extent to which children actually use parks for physical activity. Purpose This study combined accelerometer, GPS, GIS, and self-report methods to examine neighborhood park availability, perceived proximity, and use for physical activity in children. Methods Low- to middle-income children (aged 8–14 years) ( n =135) from suburban communities in Southern California wore an Actigraph accelerometer and GlobalSat BT-335 GPS device across 7 days to measure physical activity and park use, respectively. ArcGIS identified parks within a 500-m residential buffer of children's homes. Parents reported perceptions of neighborhood park proximity through the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Survey (NEWS). Data were collected from March 2009 to December 2010, and analyzed in 2013. Results Fifty-four percent of families lived within 500 m of a park. Of these children, GPS data indicated that 16% used it more than 15 minutes and an additional 11% of children used it between 5 and 15 minutes during the 7-day study period. The odds of extended park use (>15 minutes) increased fourfold when the distance between home and the nearest neighborhood park decreased by 100 m. Additionally, the odds of any park use (>5 minutes) doubled when moving from the 25th to the 75th percentile for park greenness/vegetation density. Conclusions Although children's use of neighborhood parks was generally low, it increased substantially when parks were closer to children's homes and had greater vegetation density.
Adhesive interactions of erythrocytes with neutrophils, platelets and fibrin: Implications for deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a low flow pathology often prevented by vascular compression to increase blood movement. We report heterotypic adhesive interactions of normal erythrocytes operative at low wall shear rates (/spl gamma//sub w/) below 100 s/sup -1/. Adhesion at /spl gamma//sub w/ = 50 s/sup -1/ of washed RBC to fibrinogen-adherent platelets was 4-fold less (p 80 % reduction) by soluble fibrinogen (3 mg/ml) and EDTA. RBC-platelet adhesion was reduced in half by antibodies against CD36 and GPIb, but not by antibodies against GPIIb/IIIa, vWF, TSP, or P-selectin. Adhesion of washed RBC to fibrinogen-adherent neutrophils was increased 6-fold in the presence of 20 /spl mu/M fMLP to a level of 67 RBC per 100 neutrophils after 5 min at 50 s/sup -1/. This adhesion was antagonized (>80%) by antibodies against CD18 (/spl beta//sub 2/-integrin) and EDTA, but not by soluble fibrinogen or antibodies against CD36 or TSP. RBC adhesion to activated platelets and activated neutrophils was prevented by wall shear stress above 1 dyne/cm/sup 2/ (at 100 s/sup -1/). While washed RBC did not adhere to fibrin formed from purified fibrinogen, adhesion was marked when pure fibrin was pre-coated with TSP or when RBC were perfused over fibrin formed from recalcified plasma. Endothelial activation and unusually low flow may be a setting prone to receptor-mediated red blood cell adhesion to adherent neutrophils (or platelets/fibrin), all of which may contribute to DVT.
Effects of electrically stimulated muscle contractions on bone loss & muscle atrophy

Abstract-Exposure to the disuse environment affects a wide range of populations and severely debilitates musculoskeletal function. Non-invasive therapeutic treatments are essential to prevent bone loss and muscular atrophy. Electrically stimulated muscle contractions have been suggested as a treatment mechanism to prevent disuse induced bone loss and muscle atrophy. Understanding the treatment mechanism is essential before validation and optimization. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of muscle stimulations at varying frequencies in the mouse functional disuse model. Muscle contraction stimulations were compared at 1 Hz and 20 Hz loading frequencies. Quadriceps muscle contractions were stimulated in a disuse mouse model for 10 minutes a day for 3 weeks, and the stimulated groups were compared with baseline, age-matched, disuse control groups. Hind limb muscle wet weights revealed 9% recovery of soleus muscle mass in animals stimulated with 20 Hz frequencies. Similarly, micro-computed tomography revealed 18% recovery of trabecular bone volume in the distal femur of animals stimulated with 20 Hz frequencies. The inter-dependent relationship between muscle pump contractions and bone quantity suggest muscle contraction stimulations as a therapeutic treatment for disuse induced musculoskeletal atrophy.
Apis mellifera pomonella, a new honey bee subspecies from Central Asia

Endemic honey bees of the Tien Shan Mountains in Central Asia are described as a new subspecies, Apis mellifera pomonella, on the basis of morphometric analyses. Principal component and discriminant analysis of the morphological characters measured clearly place these bees into the oriental evolutionary branch of honey bees, but also show that they are distinct from the other subspecies in this lineage. The existence of this newly described honey bee subspecies extends the range of endemic A. mellifera more than 2000 km eastward than previously estimated. Sequence analysis of mitochondrial DNA places A. m. pomonella within the C mitochondrial lineage (a group that is inclusive of both C and O morphological lineages). These findings support the conclusion that A. m. pomonella has a phylogeographic history shared with subspecies from the eastern limit of the previously known range.
A critique of the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework.

lafond c.m. & van hulle vincent c. (2012) A critique of the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework. Journal of Advanced Nursing00(0), 000–000. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06048.x Abstract Aims. To present a critique of the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework. Design. Fawcett’s criteria for theory analysis and evaluation are used. Background. Use of simulated learning experiences in nursing education is widespread; a sound framework to guide educators across the globe in implementing these experiences effectively is essential. The basic assertion of the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework is that student-learning outcomes are influenced by the concepts of teacher, student, educational practices, and simulation design characteristics. Data sources. A literature search was performed using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies published in the English language, between 2005–June 2011, where the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework was tested or used as a theoretical framework for research. Discussion. Sixteen publications (two articles in press) from the USA and UK were identified using the framework to guide research; outcomes included increased student satisfaction, confidence, and improved skill performance. Implications for nursing. As a newer theoretical framework, the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework offers promise to guide the construction and implementation of simulation experiences resulting in positive student outcomes. Conclusion. Empirically supported definitions of concepts would strengthen the framework and help educators to consistently produce and identify positive outcomes. Additional rigorous research is necessary to further test relationships among concepts and the associated concept variables in the framework. More studies outside of the United States are needed to confirm the framework is relevant to nursing programs in other countries.
Ecological Machining: Near-dry Machining

This chapter points out major ways to reduce the ecological and health impacts of metal working fluids (MWFs). In the continuous quest for dry machining, only one process can offer a near-term solution for practical applications. This process uses a minimum quantity of lubrication and is referred to as “near-dry”. In near-dry machining (NDM), an air–oil mixture called an aerosol is fed onto the machining zone. Compared to dry machining, NDM substantially enhances cutting performance in terms of increasing tool life and improving the quality of the machined parts. This chapter presents a classification of NDM methods, discussing their advantages and drawbacks. Analyzing the available information on the performance of NDM, the chapter offers a physically attractive explanation of why NDM works. It considers the essential components of the whole NDM system, arguing that a 360° vision approach is the key to successful implementation of NDM.
Deconstructing Babel: Toward a Theory of Structural Reparations

Officially known as "A Freedom Budget for all Americans," the proposal advocated massive federal expenditures (approximately $100 billion over a ten-year period) to revive America's decaying inner cities. ... It is worth noting that Randolph's proposal linked the larger question of black urban revitalization in the 1960s, not to the imperatives of litigation, but to the dynamics of political activism and deeper structural reform. ... The Author suggests that the idea of racial reconciliation is a byproduct of the ideological uncertainty that grew out of Reconstruction's failures, which continues to impact both reparations discourse and, at a larger level, the discourse of black empowerment. ... Interestingly, there appears to be no indication that blacks saw, in the Blair Bill, the delivery of some sort of reparation entitlement. ... Racial reconciliation through a complete public disclosure of the harms slavery has produced in the black community, or via an official apology, has emerged as a central theme in reparations discourse. ... This Article has suggested two ways that reparations scholars might begin the task of historical reassessment: by jettisoning from slavery reparations discourse demands for racial reconciliation and by embracing a program of internal group transformation that stresses black institutional capacity building. ...
Daniel Goodman’s empirical approach to Bayesian statistics

30 Bayesian statistics, in contrast to classical statistics, uses probability to represent uncertainty 31 about the state of knowledge. Bayesian statistics has often been associated with the idea that 32 knowledge is subjective and that a probability distribution represents a personal degree of belief. 33 Dr. Daniel Goodman considered this viewpoint problematic for issues of public policy. He 34 sought to ground his Bayesian approach in data, and advocated the construction of a prior as an 35 empirical histogram of “similar” cases. In this way, the posterior distribution that results from a 36 Bayesian analysis combined comparable previous data with case-specific current data, using 37 Bayes’ formula. Goodman championed such a data-based approach, but he acknowledged that it 38 was difficult in practice. If based on a true representation of our knowledge and uncertainty, 39 Goodman argued that risk assessment and decision-making could be an exact science, despite the 40 uncertainties. In his view, Bayesian statistics is a critical component of this science because a 41 Bayesian analysis produces the probabilities of future outcomes. Indeed, Goodman maintained 42 that the Bayesian machinery, following the rules of conditional probability, offered the best 43 legitimate inference from available data. We give an example of an informative prior in a recent 44 study of Steller sea lion spatial use patterns in Alaska. 45
Data Analysis from Stepwise Throttled Pump Tests

A method for analyzing drawdown data from a pump test in which the discharge was changed in abrupt steps is described. The drawdown curve of the varied discharge test is transformed into a synthetic curve for constant discharge, from which transmissibility and storage coefficients can be computed by conventional procedures.
ORIGIN AND MAINTENANCE OF A FEMALE MATING PREFERENCE.

We investigated the role of maintenance and origin of female mating preferences in three species of fish. Poecilia latipinna and P. mexicana are sexual species that hybridized to form the gynogenetic clonal P. formosa, which reproduces asexually but requires sperm to initiate embryogenesis. We demonstrate that all three species display almost identical and statistically indistinguishable preferences for large males. Although processes of good genes, runaway sexual selection, and direct selection could maintain preferences in the sexual species, good genes and runaway sexual selection are unlikely to operate in the asexual species. Furthermore, we found that the most likely direct selection benefit, an increase in fecundity, can also be excluded in the gynogens. We conclude that the most parsimonious explanation for this P. formosa preference is that it was inherited from the parental species and is maintained without forces generated by good genes, runaway selection, or direct selection for increased fecundity. This preference may be maintained because of pleiotropic effects (e.g., sensory bias) or mate searching costs.
Concepts: a review

Concepts serve critical functions in science, through their descriptive powers and as the building-blocks of theory. When concepts are undeveloped, therefore, science suffers. Philosophical understanding of concepts, however, is relatively limited in most scientific disciplines, including management. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to review the literature on concepts. It begins by establishing the link between concepts and science. It then highlights the lack of emphasis on concepts in the management discipline. It continues by discussing the role of concepts and cognition. Finally, it defines and discusses the different philosophies of concepts.
Carotenoid Pigments of the Dematiaceous Fungus Wangiella Dermatitidis

The synthesis of carotenoid pigments by Wangiella dermatitidis was demonstrated with both wild-type (wt) and melanin-deficient (Mel~) strains. The carotenoids synthesized included torulene and torularhodin and their syntheses were shown to require photoinduction. Illuminated incubation of a Mel~ strain provided carotenoid-pigmented cells which were more resistant to ultraviolet irradiation than dark-incubated, nonpigmented cells. Both the wt and Mel" strains were capable of photoreactivation following exposure to ultraviolet light. These data describe the first observation of carotenoid synthesis by one ofthe dematiaceous yeasts and suggest that these pigments may have some role in photoprotection. Carotenoids are polyisoprenoid compounds responsible for the pigmentation of a number of fungi, including the red yeasts of the form-genus Rhodotorula (Goodwin, 1972; Simpson et al, 1964) and their perfect forms as the basidiomycetous teliomorphs of the genus Rhodosporidium (Kockova-Kratochvilova and Bystricky, 1974). The fungal form-family Dematiaceae is characterized by the production of dark pigments associated with the cell wall (Ainsworth, 1971), but carotenoid production has been demonstrated in only two dematiaceous molds, Epicoccum nigrum Link ex Fr. (Gribanovski-Sassu and Foppen, 1969) and Alternaria alternata (Fries) Keissler (Haggblom and Unestam, 1979), and in none of the black yeasts. The human pathogen, Wangiella dermatitidis (Kano) McGinnis (McGinnis, 1977'a, b) is a polymorphic, dematiaceous fungus which grows in vitro primarily as a yeast, but may also produce hyphal or multicellular morphologies (Szaniszlo et al, 1981). Like other dematiaceous fungi, this organism produces a darklypigmented cell wall. Melanin synthesis within the cell wall is responsible for the dark pigmentation (Geis and Szaniszlo, unpublished observation). The purpose of this communication is to report the isolation and identification of carotenoid pigments from yeast cells of W. dermatitidis and to demonstrate the potential role of these pigments in photoprotection.
A Modified High-Clearance Sprayer for Plot Use

Commercial, high-clearance, self-propelled sprayers are well adapted for applying insecticides to many field crops, and with certain modifications these machines can be used efficiently in experimental plots. Several sprayer modifications have been used at this station, including one similar to that described by Wilkes and Walker (1961). The major disadvantage of this and most other modifications is that once modified, the sprayer cannot be readily used for conventional spraying or on large-scale field plots.
A central limit theorem for fluctuations in 1D stochastic homogenization

In this paper, we analyze the random fluctuations in a 1D stochastic homogenization problem and prove a central limit theorem: the first order fluctuations is described by a Gaussian process that solves an SPDE with an additive spatial white noise. Using a probabilistic approach, we obtain a precise error decomposition up to the first order, which also helps to decompose the limiting Gaussian process, with one of the components corresponding to the corrector obtained by a formal two-scale expansion.
The relative performance of mb and alternative measures of elastic energy in estimating source size and explosion yield

A comparison has been made of the relative scatter of classical mb and alternative measures of P -wave energy from underground nuclear explosions at test sites in East Kazakh, USSR. The scatter of the energy measures is observed in teleseismic arrays of short-period Global Digital Seismic Network (GDSN) stations and the local broadband array at Graefenburg, Federal Republic of Germany. Four measures of A in log( A/T ), spectral magnitudes, peak velocity, rms coda, and integrated velocity-squared are compared. The measures are constructed to be in equivalent units of the flux rate of radiated elastic energy. All measures are assumed to have the same slope in a linear regression of log(yield) versus log(measure). Three independent tests were made of the stability of the yield estimators: the scatter of the measures using: (1) Graefenburg array data; (2) GDSN data normalized to a reference station; and (3) GDSN data normalized to a reference event. The differences among the standard deviations are small (≦ 0.1 mb units), making it difficult using a small data base to conclude whether the performance of one estimator is significantly better than another. The relative order in the performance of the yield estimators, however, is preserved in each of the three tests. The coda measure is the most stable, followed by the spectral and time-domain A/T measures. The relations observed at Graefenburg between (1) the amplitude of direct P versus P coda, (2) the apparent azimuth of direct P , and (3) complexity, suggest that amplitude variations across an array are a product of scattering along the entire ray path as well as scattering, focusing, and defocusing localized in the lithosphere beneath the source and receiver sites.
Method to determine index of emissivity difference between spots of pattern painting

To determine the index of emissivity difference between the camouflage paint spots,the model to determine the emissivity difference between the camouflage paint spots on an equipment was derived by analyzing imaging mechanism of thermal imaging system and the law of conversation of energy.It is shown that the emissivity difference was influenced by the performance of thermal imaging system,the relative humidity, the temperature of the atmosphere and the surface temperature of the equipment.And the influence of the temperature of both atmosphere and equipment was bigger than that of the relative humidity.The index of emissivity difference determined under good weather condition provides the quantification basis for the automatic design system of thermal infrared camouflage and the development of thermal infrared camouflage equipment.
Energy Through Motion©: An Evidence-Based Exercise Program to Reduce Cancer-Related Fatigue and Improve Quality of Life.

Background Evidence supports addressing cancer-related fatigue (CRF) with activity. Activity promotion is feasible during and following cancer treatment and improves patient outcomes. Objectives This project provided an evidence-based activity program for adult cancer survivors after treatment to reduce CRF and improve quality of life. Methods The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Quality Care guided development of the activity promotion evidence-based practice project. This included evidence review, creation of an evidence-based activity intervention, and evaluation of the practice change. Two groups participated in the project; one group, the usual care group, provided baseline data and received "usual" instructions for activity, fatigue, and sleep, whereas the Energy Through Motion© (ETM) activity group received a three-month activity intervention with prepackaged ETM kits and follow-up phone calls. Findings Patients in the ETM activity group had increased activity levels, whereas those in the usual care group had decreased activity levels. Fatigue levels in the ETM activity group decreased, and quality of life improved. This project supports nurse-led activity promotion as useful in addressing CRF and feasible for use in a busy clinical setting.
Earthquakes near swift reservoir, Washington, 1958-1963: Seismicity along the southern St. Helens seismic zone

Abstract Five earthquakes ( M > 4.0) that occurred near Swift Reservoir on the southern St. Helens seismic zone (SHZ) in southwestern Washington in 1960 and 1961 were located using a master-event technique. These five earthquakes include the 17 September 1961 Siouxon Peak earthquake of magnitude 5.1 ( M L ) as well as the Swift Creek earthquake on 11 October 1960 ( M coda = 4.4). The Siouxon Peak earthquake focal mechanism exhibits right-lateral strike-slip faulting on a north-south fault plane and is very similar to focal mechanisms calculated for recent earthquakes along the SHZ. The sense of motion for the more poorly determined Swift Creek earthquake focal mechanism is consistent with either left-lateral strike-slip on a northerly striking fault plane or thrust, both of which are anomalous for southwestern Washington. Based on first-motion differences in polarity (which results in a different focal mechanism) and the temporal separation between the Swift Creek earthquake and a swarm that preceded the Siouxon Peak earthquake, we have divided the earthquakes near Swift Reservoir into two sequences: the Swift Creek earthquake sequence beginning in early 1959 and culminating in the October 1960 Swift Creek earthquake, and the Siouxon Peak sequence that began in January 1961 and included the Siouxon Peak main shock 8 months later. The temporal and spatial pattern for the 1961 Siouxon Peak sequence agrees well both with that predicted by an asperity model and that observed for the 1980 to 1981 Elk Lake earthquake sequence along the SHZ about 35 km to the north. The temporal similarities of these two sequences coupled with their similar moment release suggest an empirical model which may permit forecasting the next moderate earthquake along the SHZ. The Swift Creek activity with its unusual (for southwestern Washington) focal mechanism may have been induced by the impounding of the nearby Swift Reservoir.
The Biology of Meningiomas

Biochemical analyses of meningiomas have disclosed a high prevalence of progesterone and androgen receptors. Attempts to manipulate these receptors pharmacologically have yielded equivocal results thus far. Meningiomas are also being intensely studied using powerful molecular biologic techniques in an effort to gain a fundamental understanding of their oncogenesis and guide novel therapeutic strategies. The major trends and points of controversy in this exciting field are summarized in this article.
Tubular Approaches to the Posterior Cervical Spine

Minimally invasive approaches to the cervical spine have evolved dramatically over the past two decades. It is currently feasible to perform minimally invasive procedures on a wide variety of cervical spine disorders with less injury to soft tissue, less postoperative axial neck pain, and faster recovery compared to open surgery. In this chapter, we discuss current advances in the management of degenerative diseases of the cervical spine, with special focus on minimally invasive posterior cervical approaches. We describe the technical nuances and complications of two minimally invasive posterior cervical decompression procedures, the cervical microendoscopic discectomy/Foraminotomy and the cervical microendoscopic decompression of stenosis.
The Effect of Interfacial Material on Tailored Ceramic Nuclear Waste Form Dissolution

The long radioactive lifetime of the fission products in nuclear wastes requires that the material be isolated from the biosphere for periods of 103 to 105 years. One method of accomplishing this is to consolidate the waste into a chemically stable solid form contained within a multiple barrier canister which can be transported to a geologically stable repository for long-term storage. A number of candidate solid waste forms are being assessed to determine their suitability for incorporating various nuclear waste compositions. These include the current reference form (borosilicate glass), ceramics, high silica glasses, and cementitious forms. In this laboratory, research is currently being conducted on chemically immobilizing synthetic nuclear waste in high alumina content tailored ceramics, made by high temperature and pressure consolidation of the waste material with selected additives to produce a fully dense, fine grain ceramic.1 The specific crystalline phase assemblages produced by tailoring the waste sludge provides chemical host sites for the individual radionuclides in ceramic phases which closely approximate natural mineral assemblages that have proven stability over geologic time scales.
The Relationships between Protein Kinase Activity and Chlorophyll a Fluorescence Changes in Thylakoids from the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6301

The change in distribution of excitation energy between the two photosystems, in response to preferential illumination of photosynthetic cells with light for PSI or PS2, was discovered independently by Bonaventura and Myers (1) and Murata (2). These workers defined the illumination conditions resulting in changes in PSI and PS2 fluorescence, now referred to as state transitions, and biochemical mechanisms have been partially elucidated. A mobile antenna model for higher plant regulation has been developed based upon the reversible protein phosphorylation of LHC discovered by Bennett (3) and consideration of the postulated lateral heterogeneity of thylakoid membranes. See (4) for a recent review.
Mitochondrial Calcium and Ischemia: Reperfusion Injury in Heart

Cardiac ischemia (I) caused by coronary artery occlusion or by significantly reduced blood flow may be lethal if not treated. However, ischemia “preconditioning” may provide benefit to future ischemic insults. The treatment for ischemia itself (i.e., reperfusion, R) can have significant adverse effects. For example, reperfusion may underlie myocardial cell metabolic and Ca2+ signaling dysfunction in these robust but non-regenerating contractile cells. This chapter reviews and discusses the experimental evidence that links mitochondrial dysfunction or mitochondrial collapse to cardiomyocyte cell death as primary cause. Pathophysiological changes in the Ca2+ level in the mitochondrial matrix ([Ca2+]m) appear to be pivotal in triggering the collapse. Nevertheless, this and other aspects of the I-R process are not fully understood and are under active investigation as highlighted here. We have divided the presentation into four parts. First, our state-of-the art quantitative understanding of Ca2+ movement across the mitochondrial inner membrane (IMM) is discussed. The presentation focuses specifically on how cytosolic [Ca2+]i signals affect [Ca2+]m and our new understanding of this process that arises in the context of recent molecular characterizations of the transport systems that mediate Ca2+ fluxes across the IMM. Specific emphasis is placed on the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) and the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX). Second, the ionic and energetic imbalances that develop during ischemia are identified and discussed with respect to how these imbalances progressively degrade the ability of cardiomyocytes to regulate [Ca2+]i and [Ca2+]m. Third, the altered regulation of [Ca2+]m during the ischemia is presented and this dysregulation of [Ca2+]m is discussed as a predisposing component of the eventual mitochondrial collapse on reperfusion. Finally, emerging evidence suggests that the mitochondrial collapse is due to a catastrophic activation of mitochondrial permeability transition pores (mPTPs). Controversial molecular aspects of mPTP activation are also highlighted and discussed along with the putative regulation by pathological [Ca2+]m and the possible beneficial consequences of therapeutic control of mPTP behavior.
DOCA-salt hypertension impairs artery function in rat middle cerebral artery and parenchymal arterioles.

Objective Chronic hypertension induces detrimental changes in the structure and function of surface cerebral arteries. Very little is known about parenchymal arterioles (PAs), which perfuse distinct neuronal populations in the cortex and may play a role in cerebrovascular disorders. We investigated the effect of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt induced hypertension on endothelial function and artery structure in PAs and middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). Methods Uninephrectomized male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with a subcutaneous pellet containing DOCA (150 mg/kg b.w.) and drank salt-water (1% NaCl and 0.2% KCl) for 4 weeks. Sham rats were uninephrectomized and drank tap water. Vasoreactivity and passive structure in the MCAs and the PAs were assessed by pressure myography. Results Both MCAs and PAs from DOCA-salt rats exhibited impaired endothelium dependent dilation (p<0.05). In the PAs, addition of NO and COX inhibitors enhanced dilation in DOCA-salt rats (p<0.05) suggesting that dysfunctional NO and COX-dependent signaling could contribute to impaired endothelium-mediated dilation. MCAs from DOCA-salt rats exhibited inward remodeling (p<0.05). Conclusions Hypertension-induced MCA remodeling coupled with impaired endothelium dependent dilation in both the MCAs and PAs may exacerbate the risk of cerebrovascular accidents and the associated morbidity and mortality. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Design of an automatic lead inspection system: an integrated application of machine vision and robotics

The development and design are described of a machine-vision-based lead-inspection system used in the semiconductor assembly process and completely developed and integrated by the Factory Automation Group at Intel Corporation. The motivation behind the project is discussed, as are design considerations, features of major components, and how state-of-the-art vision and robot technologies are integrated to provide a total system solution. A flexible lead-inspection system has been in production since the beginning of 1987 and has inspected over one million plastic leaded chip carrier packages. The system's performance indicators have either met or exceeded engineering expectations. The part manipulation and vision subsystems support a three-second cycle per part. Speed and consistency are superior to manual inspection using comparators. The system is often used as a standard in bringing up other dedicated inspection equipment. >
Beyond the code-and-count analysis of tutoring dialogues

In this paper, we raise a methodological issue concerning the empirical analysis of tutoring dialogues: The frequencies of tutoring moves do not necessarily reveal their causal efficacy. We propose to develop coding schemes that are better informed by theories of learning; stop equating higher frequencies of tutoring moves with effectiveness; and replace ANOVAs and chi-squares with multiple regression. As motivation for our proposal, we will present an initial analysis of tutoring dialogues, in the domain of introductory Computer Science.
Iterative Jacobian-Based Inverse Kinematics and Open-Loop Control of an MRI-Guided Magnetically Actuated Steerable Catheter System

This paper presents an iterative Jacobian-based inverse kinematics method for an MRI-guided magnetically-actuated steerable intravascular catheter system. The catheter is directly actuated by magnetic torques generated on a set of current-carrying micro-coils embedded on the catheter tip, by the magnetic field of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The Jacobian matrix relating changes of the currents through the coils to changes of the tip position is derived using a three dimensional kinematic model of the catheter deflection. The inverse kinematics is numerically computed by iteratively applying the inverse of the Jacobian matrix. The damped least square method is implemented to avoid numerical instability issues that exist during the computation of the inverse of the Jacobian matrix. The performance of the proposed inverse kinematics approach is validated using a prototype of the robotic catheter by comparing the actual trajectories of the catheter tip obtained via open-loop control with the desired trajectories. The results of reproducibility and accuracy evaluations demonstrate that the proposed Jacobian-based inverse kinematics method can be used to actuate the catheter in open-loop to successfully perform complex ablation trajectories required in atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. This study paves the way for effective and accurate closed-loop control of the robotic catheter with real-time feedback from MRI guidance in subsequent research.
Woodrow Wilson and American Internationalism

In this new work, one of the world's leading historians of US foreign relations, Lloyd E.Ambrosius, addresses enduring questions about American political culture and statecraft by focusing on President Woodrow Wilson and the United States in international relations during and after World War I. Updated to include recent historiography as well as an original introduction and conclusion, Woodrow Wilson and American Internationalism features nine different essays closely linked together by the themes of Wilson's understanding of Americanism, his diplomacy to create a new world order in the wake of World War I, and the legacy of his foreign policy. Examining the exclusive as well as universal dimensions of Wilsonianism, Ambrosius assesses not only Wilson's role during his presidency but also his legacy in defining America's place in world history. Speaking to the transnational turn in American history, Ambrosius shows how Wilson's liberal internationalist vision of a new world order would shape US foreign relations for the next century.
REMAX: Reachability-Maximizing P2P Detection of Erroneous Readings in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) should collect accurate readings to reliably capture an environment's state. However, readings may become erroneous because of sensor hardware failures or degradation. In remote deployments, centrally detecting those reading errors can result in many message transmissions, which in turn dramatically decreases sensor battery life. In this paper, we address this issue through three main contributions. First, we propose REMAX, a peer-to-peer (P2P) error detection protocol that extends the WSN's life by minimizing message transmissions. Second, we propose a low-overhead error detection approach that helps minimize communication complexity. Third, we evaluate our approach via a trace-driven, discrete-event simulator, using two datasets from real WSN deployments that measure indoor air temperature and seismic wave amplitude. Our results show that REMAX can accurately detect errors and extend the WSN's reachability (effective lifetime) compared to the centralized approach.
Mechanical ventilation strategies alter cardiovascular biomarkers in an infant rat model.

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is routinely used in pediatric general anesthesia and critical care, but may adversely affect the cardiocirculatory system. Biomarkers are increasingly measured to assess cardiovascular status and improve clinical treatment decision-making. As the impact of mechanical ventilation strategies on cardiovascular biomarkers in ventilated infants is largely unknown, we conducted this retrospective study in a healthy in vivo infant rat ventilation model using 14-days old Wistar rats. We hypothesized that 2 h of mechanical ventilation with high and low positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), hyperoxemia, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and hypocapnia would significantly impact B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and endothelin-1 (ET-1). We found BNP to be driven by both high (9 cmHO) and low (1 cmHO) PEEP compared to ventilated control animals (P < 0.05). VEGF concentrations were associated with high PEEP, hyperoxemia, hypoxemia, and hypocapnia (P < 0.05), whereas ET-1 levels were changed only in response to hypoxemia (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the mode of mechanical ventilation alters plasma biomarker concentrations. Moreover, BNP and VEGF might serve as surrogate parameters for ventilation induced cardiovascular compromise and lung tissue damage. Furthermore, our data support the hypothesis, that sudden onset of hyperoxemia may trigger a quick VEGF release as a possible cellular survival reflex.
Extra-endothelial TRPV1 channels participate in alcohol and caffeine actions on cerebral artery diameter.

Abstract Alcohol (ethyl alcohol; ethanol) and caffeine are the two most widely used psychoactive substances in the world. Caffeine and ethanol have both been reported to constrict cerebral arteries in several species, including humans. We have recently shown that application of 10-μM caffeine mixed with 50 mM ethanol to in vitro pressurized cerebral arteries of rats reduced ethanol-induced constriction. This effect was dependent on the presence of nitric oxide (NO•) and could be observed in de-endothelialized arteries supplied with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The molecular target(s) of ethanol-caffeine interaction in cerebral arteries has remained unknown. In the present work, we used rat and mouse middle cerebral arteries (MCA) to identify the extra-endothelial effectors of NO -mediated, caffeine-induced protection against ethanol-evoked arterial constriction. Constriction of intact MCA of rat by either 50 mM ethanol or 10 μM caffeine was ablated in the presence of a selective TRPV1 pharmacological blocker. TRPV1 pharmacological block, but not block of TRPA1, PKG, or BK channels, removed caffeine-induced protection against ethanol-evoked rat MCA constriction, whether evaluated in arteries with intact endothelium or in SNP-supplemented, de-endothelialized arteries. In mouse arteries, caffeine-induced protection against ethanol-induced MCA constriction was significantly amplified, resulting in actual vasodilation, upon pharmacological block of TRPV1, and in TRPV1 knock-out arteries. Despite some species-specific differences, our study unequivocally demonstrates the presence of functional, extra-endothelial TRPV1 that participates in both endothelium-independent MCA constriction by separate exposure to ethanol or caffeine and caffeine-induced protection against ethanol-evoked MCA constriction.
Multiple Regression—Dummy Variables and Contrasts

Any analysis of variance model (for example, anything in Chapters 6, 12, 13, or 14) can be expressed as a regression with dummy variables. Many software procedures and functions make explicit use of this form of expression. Here we explore this equivalence. The notation in Chapter 10 is that used in Sections F.4.2, 9.2, and 9.5.1.
Cognitive Bias in Panic Disorder: A Process Dissociation Approach to Automaticity

We applied a variant of Jacoby's (1991) process dissociation procedure to parse the relative contributions of automatic and controlled processes to word-stem completion performance involving threatening, positive, and neutral material in patients with panic disorder and healthy control participants. Contrary to prediction, processing of threatening (relative to nonthreatening) information in panic disorder was not disproportionately influenced by automatic processing. We found limited evidence, however, that panic patients exhibit a baseline bias for completing stems relevant to threat relative to nonthreat stems, perhaps indicating a proneness to engage in self-generated priming of threat material.