cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is there a Lower Limit to the Thermal Conductivity of Solids

The thermal conductivity of various systematically disordered crystals has been measured. It has been found that the lowest thermal conductivity above ∼100 K that can be achieved is equal to that of the amorphous phase. This experimentally observed lower limit of the thermal conductivity can be described with a model proposed by Einstein in which the elastic energy propagates in a random walk among the atoms which are vibrating with random phases, and which is called the minimum thermal conductivity. This heat transport mechanism resembles somewhat that commonly accepted in liquids.
Magnetic effect on the size distribution of catalyst and nanotubes under arc discharge system

Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNT) by Iijima in 19911, their unique properties and useful applications in thermo, mechanics, and electricity have attracted a deluge of interest of scholars and boosted the energy-related research nowadays. Arc discharge generated by plasmas is the most widely used method to synthesize CNT, by which the product has few structural defects, higher purity and better crystallinity comparing to other methods2.
Formation of Ga2O3 barrier layer in Cu(InGa)Se2 superstrate devices with ZnO buffer layer

The junction formation when Cu(InGa)Se2 is deposited onto ZnO in a superstrate configuration (glass/window/buffer/Cu(InGa)Se2/contact) is investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and analysis of device behavior. When Cu(InGa)Se2 is deposited on ZnO, a Ga2O3 layer is formed at the interface. Approaches to avoid the formation of this unfavorable interlayer are investigated. This includes modifications of the process to reduce the thermal load during deposition and improvement of the thermal stability of the ZnO buffer layer. It was demonstrated that both lowering of the substrate deposition temperature and deposition of the ZnO buffer layer at elevated temperature limits the Ga2O3 formation. The presence of Ga2O3 at the junction does affect the device behavior, resulting in a kink in JV curves measured under illumination. This behavior is absent in devices with limited Ga2O3 formation.
Wind and temperature profiles near the ground in stable stratification

Observed wind and temperature profiles from O'Neill, Nebraska and Antarctica are analysed to determine their characteristics in inversion conditions. Analyses of the similarity between wind and temperature profiles are presented. These show that the profiles are generally similar when the Richardson number is small. However, there is strong evidence in the Antarctic data for a departure from similarity and a decrease in the ratio of eddy conductivity to eddy viscosity for Richardson numbers greater than 0·08. It is shown that the log-linear wind profile fits the observations well for Richardson numbers less than about 0·14. the constant in the log-linear equation is found to have a value of approximately seven in stable air, implying a critical gradient Richardson number of 1/7. From the log-linear theory, heat flux and surface stress can be calculated given winds at two levels and the surface roughness. Predicted values are compared with observations. the agreement is good in the case of surface stress and fair for heat flux.
ON THE BEHAVIOR OF STOCK PRICE RELATIVES AS A RANDOM PROCESS WITH AN APPLICATION TO NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE PRICES

s of Doctoral Dissertations 695 these 200 stocks, and two different time lags-daily and weekly-are also considered. In all, eight different cases were analyzed using a Burroughs 5500 computer. The results for the individual-process Markov-chain model indicate that there is little difference in the outcome of tests of fixed-time and variable-time individualprocess Markov-chain models. However, there is considerable difference between the results for daily and weekly relatives. Specifically, it appears that while the stock market has a short-term memory as far as daily price relatives are concerned, this dependence does not carry over to weekly relatives. Further, the Markov chains for daily closing and high price relatives are found to be nonstationary, and therefore cannot be used for predictive purposes. When weekly closing and high price relatives are considered, the process becomes independent in time, and the question of predicting future (weekly) behavior does not arise. In addition to conclusions reached in reference to the individual-process Markovchain models, the results of the empirical analysis also show that because of heterogeneity the vector Markov chain cannot be used to analyze stock-price movements as
Attentional functioning in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE To compare patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to patients without psychiatric or cognitive disorders on neuropsychological measures of attention. METHODS The sample included 19 patients with PTSD and 22 participants with no cognitive or psychiatric diagnosis. All had been referred for clinical neuropsychological evaluation at a VA Medical Center. None were diagnosed with dementia, delirium, or current substance dependence except nicotine or caffeine, and none had a history of stroke or of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness. Patients were excluded if they failed to exert adequate effort on testing. RESULTS PTSD patients performed significantly more poorly than patients without psychiatric diagnoses on Digit Span. CONCLUSION PTSD patients were impaired relative to participants without psychiatric diagnoses on a measure of focused attention. Several factors, including the small sample size, suggest that the results should be considered preliminary.
Fetal Onset of Aberrant Gene Expression Relevant to Pulmonary Carcinogenesis in Lung Adenocarcinoma Development Induced by In Utero Arsenic Exposure

Arsenic is a human pulmonary carcinogen. Our work indicates that in utero arsenic exposure in mice can induce or initiate lung cancer in female offspring. To define early molecular changes, pregnant C3H mice were given 85 ppm arsenic in drinking water from days 8 to 18 of gestation and expression of selected genes in the fetal lung or in lung tumors developing in adults was examined. Transplacental arsenic exposure increased estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) transcript and protein levels in the female fetal lung. An overexpression of various estrogen-regulated genes also occurred, including trefoil factor-3, anterior gradient-2, and the steroid metabolism genes 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 and aromatase. The insulin growth factor system, which can be influenced by ER and has been implicated in the pulmonary oncogenic process, was activated in fetal lung after gestational arsenic exposure. In utero arsenic exposure also induced overexpression of alpha-fetoprotein, epidermal growth factor receptor, L-myc, and metallothionein-1 in fetal lung, all of which are associated with lung cancer. Lung adenoma and adenocarcinoma from adult female mice exposed to arsenic in utero showed widespread, intense nuclear ER-alpha expression. In contrast, normal adult lung and diethylnitrosamine-induced lung adenocarcinoma showed little evidence of ER-alpha expression. Thus, transplacental arsenic exposure at a carcinogenic dose produced aberrant estrogen-linked pulmonary gene expression. ER-alpha activation was specifically associated with arsenic-induced lung adenocarcinoma and adenoma but not with nitrosamine-induced lung tumors. These data provide evidence that arsenic-induced aberrant ER signaling could disrupt early life stage genetic programing in the lung leading eventually to lung tumor formation much later in adulthood.
AN AGENDA FOR INVASION BIOLOGY

Here I advocate a comparative and systematic approach in which invasion (the extension of species ranges to areas not previously occupied by that species) is studied from the perspective of individual species as well as of the regions and biotas that export and receive invaders. In order to go beyond the particulars of invasion, it is important to ask: (1) how invaders differ from non-invaders in the arrival, establishment, and integration phases of invasion; (2) how donor regions or communities that have produced many successful invaders differ from those in which few resident species have been able to extend their ranges; (3) how recipient ecosystems with many successfully established invaders differ from those in which few species have taken hold; and (4) how invasion affects evolution not only of the invader itself, but of species in the recipient community with which the invader interacts.
Literacy and capital in immigrant youths' online networks across countries

Communication technologies are playing an increasingly prominent role in facilitating immigrants' social networks across countries and the transnational positioning of immigrant youth in their online language and literacy practices. Drawing from a comparative case study of the digital literacy practices of immigrant youth of Chinese descent, this paper examines the cross-border social relationships that are fostered between the youth and their peers in their natal country through the use of instant messaging and other online media. Using Pierre Bourdieu's capital and field theory, and the concept of social capital, this paper considers how literacy development in transnational contexts constitutes the production of social and cultural capital. It argues that the youths' online literacy practices need to be understood within the particular social fields in which they are situated and how they allow the youth to navigate and take up position within social fields that cross national boundaries.
The α‐sheet: A missing‐in‐action secondary structure?

The α-sheet has been speculated to play a role as a toxic conformer in amyloid diseases. However, except for relatively short fragments, its detection has remained elusive. Here, we present molecular dynamics simulations that support the existence of the α-sheet as a stable, metastable, or long-lived secondary structure in polyglutamine and, to a lesser extent, in polyasparagine aggregates. Proteins 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Alanine Scanning Mutants of Rat Proinsulin I Show Functional Diversity of Anti-Insulin Monoclonal Antibodies

In contrast to autoantibodies that are functionally silenced or deleted, IgG Abs that react with autologous insulin routinely follow hormone administration and arise spontaneously in autoimmune (type I) diabetes mellitus. To understand Ab interactions with autologous insulin, rat proinsulin I and 32 alanine substituted analogues were expressed as fusion proteins and used to examine 16 anti-insulin mAb in ELISA. The results identify several amino acid residues that contribute to binding by a large majority (>75%) of mAb, although no single residue is uniformly required for binding by all mAb. Replacements at charged or polar residues on the insulin surface including A4 (Asp), A5 (Gln), A9 (Ser) A12 (Ser), A17 (Gln), A18 (Asn), B13 (Glu), and B21 (Glu) consistently decreased mAb binding. Single alanine substitutions at positions A16 (Leu), A11 (Cys), B8 (Gly), and B15 (Leu) that are predicted to alter the core structure or chain folding vary widely in their impact on Ab binding. mAb that bind insulin preferentially on solid phase (i.e., ELISA) are highly sensitive to replacement of single residues, and substitutions that alter conformation abolish binding. In contrast, high affinity mAb that bind insulin in solution are relatively insensitive to substitutions at single residues, and they maintain binding to all mutants, including those with disrupted conformation. For such high affinity mAb, replacement of long hydrophobic side chains can augment binding, suggesting mAb interactions with insulin include an induced fit. Thus, the ability of insulin to function as a “molten globule” may contribute to the diversity and autoreactivity of the anti-insulin repertoire.
An 11 Base Pair Duplication in Exon 6 of the SMN Gene Produces a Type I Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Phenotype: Further Evidence For SMN as the Primary SMA-Determining Gene

The gene for autosomal recessive spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has been mapped to 5q12 in a region that contains repeated markers and genes. Three cDNAs that detect deletions in SMA patients have been reported. One of these, the survival motor neuron (SMN) cDNA, is encoded by two genes (SMN T and SMN C ) which are distinguished by base changes in exons 7 and 8. Exon 7 of the SMN T gene is not detectable in -95% of SMA cases, due either to deletion or sequence conversion. There is limited information on the mutations in SMA patients that have detectable SMN T : these are critical for confirmation of SMN T as the SMA gene. Using SSCP analysis of the SMN exons we screened our SMA patients that possess at least one intact SMN T allele for mutations in SMNT. We identified one type I SMA patient with an 11 bp duplication in exon 6 which causes a frameshift and premature termination of the deduced SMN T protein. Dosage and SSCP analysis of SMN T in this family indicated that the father contributed a SMN T -deleted allele to the affected child whereas the mother passed on the 11 bp exon 6 duplication SMN T allele. Analysis of RNA by RT-PCR conclusively demonstrated that the 11 bp duplication is associated with the SMN T locus and not SMN C . This mutation provides strong support for SMN as the SMA-determining gene and indicates that disruption of SMN T on its own is sufficient to produce a severe type I SMA phenotype.
-PLUS prehospital mass-casualty triage: a strategy for addressing unusual injury mechanisms.

Introduction: Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) and more recently developed prehospital casualty triage algorithms are widely used, in part because they are easy to teach and learn, and can be performed rapidly. Every rapid triage protocol has inherent, significant limitations: (1) no mechanism of injury (MOI) considerations; (2) limited assessment points; and (3) no refinement in truly mass-casualty situations where transport of "minor" or "moderate" patients may be delayed. Hypothesis: When rapid initial triage protocols are utilized, a significant triage deficiency ("under-triage") may occur when "minor" or "moderate" casualties actually are more severely injured than initially triaged. Some MOI produce casualties with subtle or latent (i.e., hidden or delayed) signs and symptoms not considered in the commonly used prehospital triage algorithms. This research did not focus on START or other initial triage screening methods. Instead, it focuses on developing follow-on triage guidance to more specifically prioritize "delayed transport" casualties based upon signs and symptoms related to their MOI. Methods: Using expert opinion and accepted clinical criteria, triage algorithms were developed to re-evaluate patients triaged to "minor" and "moderate" cohorts. A detailed literature search produced a draft list of relevant signs and symptoms for each selected MOI. The lists then were evaluated by a multi-disciplinary panel of experts via an anonymous, mail-based Delphi method. The input shaped triage algorithms for each selected MOI, which then were subjected to a second stage Delphi process. Results: Consensus was achieved using the Delphi method. The algorithms extend patient assessment beyond the rapid initial triage protocols and incorporate triage criteria specific to each selected injury mechanism or condition: (1) penetrating injuries; (2) unconventional MOI (burns, blast, chemical, radiation); (3) smoke and other inhalation exposure; and (4) injuries with concomitant pregnancy. The full list of triage protocols is designated by the acronym "-PLUS". Conclusions: "-PLUS" Prehospital Casualty Triage may supplement the strengths of already existing, widely accepted mass-casualty triage strategies. It does not displace START or other rapid initial triage protocols, but in mass-casualty situations with extensive delays in transport, it provides a method to identify under-triage of seriously injured casualties. "-PLUS" also presents a framework for capturing the triage considerations used by experienced medical providers, and so may provide a valuable teaching tool for training future triage professionals. Further research and field assessment is required. Language: en
Browsing for conservation: springtime forage value of midstory shrubs of degraded oak savannas in southern Wisconsin.

Oak (Quercus spp.) savanna is a rare and dwindling ecosystem primarily due to the clearing of vast areas for agriculture and encroachment of woody midstory shrubs in the remnant areas. There is interest in introducing controlled grazing to re-open these ecologically sensitive semi-wooded areas. We report the forage quality and diet selection by Scottish Highland cattle (Bos taurus spp.), a breed recognized for their browsing behavior, of the most common shrubs in this ecosystem. Shrub species sampled included prickly ash (Xanthoxylem americana Mill), gooseberry (Ribes missouriense Nutt.), gray dogwood (Cornus racemesa L.), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora Thunb. ex Murr.), black or red raspberry (Rubus spp.) and wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L). Leaf biomass was collected in June 2001 and 2002 and analyzed for forage quality. Animal observations showed that diet included a fairly even mixture of shrub leaves, grass and herbaceous forbs. Prickly ash and raspberry were most frequently browsed and had the highest crude protein (CP; 190 g kg - 1 ), while multiflora rose and gray dogwood, neither highly browsed upon, had the lowest levels of CP (120 g kg - 1 ). All shrubs had high in-vitro true digestibility, with prickly ash approaching 850 g kg - 1 (as compared to 688 g kg - 1 for mature alfalfa). The quality of the shrub layer in late spring is adequate to provide nutritional support for beef cattle as long as dry matter intake is not limited. Integrating shrubs into the rotation could expand the pasture base by providing feed at a time when cool-season pastures are typically quasi-dormant.
Identification of Two Nuclear Androgen Receptors in Kelp Bass (Paralabrax clathratus) and Their Binding Affinities for Xenobiotics: Comparison with Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) Androgen Receptors

Two distinct nuclear androgen receptors (ARs) were identified in brain and ovarian tissues of kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus, termed kbAR1 and kbAR2, which correspond to the two nuclear ARs we have previously characterized in Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias undulatus, termed acAR1 and acAR2. Scatchard analysis of nuclear fractions of whole brain tissue demonstrated that kbAR1 had a single class of high-affinity binding sites for testosterone (T; K(d) of 1. 8 nM and B(max) of 1.0 pmol/g tissue), whereas cytosolic fractions of kbAR2 ovarian tissue had a single class of high-affinity binding sites for dihydrotestosterone (DHT; K(d) of 0.1 nM and B(max) of 0.5 pmol/g tissue). Competition studies showed that both kbAR1 and kbAR2 were specific for androgens. However, kbAR1 bound only T with high affinity, whereas kbAR2 bound DHT, mibolerone, 17alpha-methyl-testosterone, T, and 11-ketotestosterone with high affinity. In addition, we examined the binding affinities of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its derivatives, several hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, PCB mixtures, and the fungicide vinclozolin and its two metabolites M1 and M2 for the two ARs in Atlantic croaker ovarian, testicular, and brain tissues and in kelp bass ovarian and brain tissues. Only 4, 4'-PCB-3-OH and 2',5'-PCB-3-OH demonstrated greater than 50% displacement of [(3)H]testosterone from either acAR1 or kbAR1. In contrast, with the exception of vinclozolin, all of the xenobiotics examined demonstrated binding to acAR2 in testicular and ovarian tissues. The binding affinities were highest in the testicular tissue with M2, 2,2'5'-PCB-4-OH, and o,p'-DDD all binding with EC(50)s less than 10 microM. The binding affinities of xenobiotics to kbAR2 in ovarian tissue were similar to their binding affinities for ovarian acAR2. The finding that AR1 and AR2 possess different binding affinities for natural androgens and synthetic steroids, as well as for xenobiotics, suggests that the activities of androgens and of certain xenobiotics will depend upon the type of AR present within the target tissue.
The American Political Science Review Citation Classics

In any scholarly field, some works are widely acknowledged as classics, whereas the rest—indeed, the great majority—are little noted nor long remembered. Indeed, according to the “Iron Law of Important Articles,” the number of significant articles increases only to the extent of the square root of the number of published articles (Holub, Tappeiner, and Eberharter 1991). It follows that as a research literature grows, important articles constitute an ever-decreasing proportion of the total output.
Whither internalism? How internalists should respond to the extended mind hypothesis

: A new position in the philosophy of mind has recently appeared: the extended mind hypothesis (EMH). Some of its proponents think the EMH, which says that a subject's mental states can extend into the local environment, shows that internalism is false. I argue that this is wrong. The EMH does not refute internalism; in fact, it necessarily does not do so. The popular assumption that the EMH spells trouble for internalists is premised on a bad characterization of the internalist thesis—albeit one that most internalists have adhered to. I show that internalism is entirely compatible with the EMH. This view should prompt us to reconsider the characterization of internalism, and in conclusion I make some brief remarks about how that project might proceed.
Virtual Instruction: Teaching an Online Graduate Seminar

Many colleges and universities are augmenting their distance- learning programs with telecommunications media. However, there s little guidance available on the mechanics of instructing in a virtual classroom. The objectives of this article are to briefly discuss the history and central issues of distance education, to describe my own experience in teaching an online virtual seminar, and to offer recommendations for future courses.
HbA1c overtesting and overtreatment among US adults with controlled type 2 diabetes, 2001-13: observational population based study

Study question What is the extent and effect of excessive testing for glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) among adults with controlled type 2 diabetes? Methods A retrospective analysis of data from a national administrative claims database included commercially insured individuals in the USA, 2001-13. Study patients were aged 18 years or older, had type 2 diabetes with stable glycemic control (two consecutive tests showing HbA 1c 1c testing frequency was measured within 24 months after the second (index) HbA 1c test, and classified as guideline recommended (≤2 times/year), frequent (3-4 times/year), and excessive (≥5 times/year). Changes in treatment regimen were ascertained within three months of the index test. Study answer and limitations Of 31 545 patients in the study cohort (mean age 58 years; mean index HbA 1c 6.2%), HbA 1c testing frequency was excessive in 6% and frequent in 55%. Despite good glycemic control at baseline, treatment was further intensified by addition of glucose lowering drugs or insulin in 8.4% of patients (comprising 13%, 9%, and 7% of those tested excessively, frequently, and per guidelines, respectively; P 1c testing. What this study adds In this US cohort of adults with stable and controlled type 2 diabetes, more than 60% received too many HbA 1c tests, a practice associated with potential overtreatment with hypoglycemic drugs. Excessive testing contributes to the growing problem of waste in healthcare and increased patient burden in diabetes management. Funding, competing interests, data sharing NDS and RGM are funded partly by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (R18HS18339) and AcademyHealth Delivery System Science Fellowship (2013), respectively. No competing interests declared. Additional data are available from mccoy.rozalina@mayo.edu.
Examining procedural learning and corticostriatal pathways for individual differences in language: testing endophenotypes of DRD2/ANKK1

The aim of the study was to explore whether genetic variation in the dopaminergic system is associated with procedural learning and the corticostriatal pathways in individuals with developmental language impairment (DLI). We viewed these two systems as endophenotypes and hypothesized that they would be more sensitive indicators of genetic effects than the language phenotype itself. Thus, we genotyped two SNPs in the DRD2/ANKK1 gene complex, and tested for their associations to the phenotype of DLI and the two endophenotypes. Results showed that individuals with DLI revealed poor procedural learning abilities and abnormal structures of the basal ganglia. Genetic variation in DRD2/ANKK1 was associated with procedural learning abilities and with microstructural differences of the caudate nucleus. The association of the language phenotype with these DRD2/ANKK1 polymorphisms was not significant, but the phenotype was significantly associated with the two endophenotypes. We suggest that procedural learning and the corticostriatal pathways could be used as effective endophenotypes to aid molecular genetic studies searching for genes predisposing to DLI.
Radiation-Induced Microenvironments and Their Role in Carcinogenesis

Ionizing radiation is a well-established carcinogen in humans and experimental models. While many attribute the increase in cancer risk following ionizing radiation (IR) to DNA damage and subsequent mutations, our experimental data and that of others suggest that ionizing radiation also induces signals that alter multicellular interactions and phenotypes that promote carcinogenesis . Rather than being accessory or secondary to genetic damage, we propose that such radiation effects on stroma and microenvironment create the critical context that promotes cancer development. This review highlights recently described molecular pathways by which stromal cells contribute to cancer and addresses evidence that radiation may act though the microenvironment to promote cancer.
ERRATUM to 'A Productivity Growth Accounting Approach to the Ranking of Developing and Developed Nations'

Productivity growth accounting studies generally focus on productivity growth or decline in more developed countries such as the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members. In this paper, we develop a generalized efficiency index for a much larger set of 57 national governments (NGs), both developing and developed, by employing four components of gross national product and five resource-availability indicators. Using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) linear-programming approach, we maximize the components of Gross National Product (GNP), subject to minimizing specific resource-input measures. If used with appropriate precautions, the DEA-based comparative production-efficiency measures developed here can be used by individual NGs and international organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to make equitable and sustainable lending-allocation decisions in the public and private sectors of the increasingly interdependent global economy.ERRATUM: Section 2 ‘DEA National Government (NG) Model’ draws heavily from Ehsan H. Feroz, Raymond Raab and Stephen Haag, “An Income Efficiency Model Approach to Economic Consequences of the OSHA Cotton Dust Regulations” Australian Journal of Management Volume 26, Number 1, June 2001, pp. 86-89. While the context here is different (NG), the basic parameters and expositions of the models are the same. Since this problem arose mainly because of the authors’ failure to submit corrections to the proof in a timely fashion, the authors sincerely regret any confusion or misperception created by this unintended overlap between the two papers. Remaining errors are the responsibility of the authors.
Temperature Control During Homogenization.

SummaryEffective cooling during prolonged homogenization at 15,000 r.p.m. in the Waring Blendor was obtained by simple, inexpensive modifications to standard Waring Blendor containers. Homogenates in glass containers were cooled by insertion of coils made of metal tubing through which ice water was pumped; metal semi-micro containers were modified by installation of water jackets for circulation of a coolant.
ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY IN PRETERM PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES

Rationale for Antimicrobial TherapyIn the setting of preterm PROM, once the clinician has determined that fetal outcome will be optimized by expectant management, the benefits of adjunctive therapy with antibiotics are clearly proven. The ultimate goal of antibiotic use in this setting is to minimiz
Of poker, roles, and aging: description, discussion, and data.

Gambling, a $50 billion annual business and a source of sporadic pleasure and pain for at least one-fourth and most likely well over one-half of the adult residents of the United States, is rarely looked at by behavioral scientists. The authors studied participants in legally organized poker palaces in California, with particular attention to the role of the elderly. A personally distributed questionnaire produced 29 usable responses, approximately half from persons over age 65. Analysis indicated that all except one of the older players expect to lose, while most of the younger players expect to win. Additional results are presented and an interpretation based upon locus of control is made.
Nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma: where are we now?

Since the creation of the World Health Organization’s nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma category, the attempt to further classify, describe, and improve treatment in this entity has been underway. There has been quite a bit of confusion and frustration regarding diagnosis, staging, and treatment approaches. With his article in this issue of ONCOLOGY, Dr. Au has attempted to improve our knowledge of current approaches to NK/T-cell lymphomas, providing a thorough and contemporary review of the clinical management of these difficult tumors. The following commentary reflects a deep appreciation for the author’s work and expands upon a few points not previously highlighted.
Perioperative course in patients with hereditary or acquired angioedema

Abstract Purpose Two types of bradykinin-mediated angioedema, hereditary angioedema (HAE) and acquired angioedema (AAE), result from deficiency or dysfunction of C1 esterase inhibitor, leading to an overproduction of bradykinin, which can lead to vascular permeability and life-threatening angioedema of the airway. The objective of this study was to review perioperative outcomes in a series of patients with HAE and AAE and to review current knowledge about anesthetic complications in patients with HAE or AAE. Methods Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for perioperative complications in patients with HAE or AAE who underwent general anesthesia from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2014, at our institution. Results Twenty-four patients (13 with HAE, 10 with AAE, and 1 with unspecified angioedema) underwent 38 instances of general anesthesia with airway manipulation. All except 4 received prophylactic therapy. One patient, a 67-year-old woman who was pretreated with stanozolol and fresh frozen plasma required reintubation after postoperative airway edema developed. Conclusion Life-threatening episodes of angioedema of the airway occur infrequently, but they can occur in patients who received pretreatment and in patients who have previously undergone anesthesia uneventfully. Anesthesiologists must be ready to emergently manage a difficult airway and must be familiar with recommendations provided in consensus guidelines for the treatment of HAE and AAE patients.
Transcription factors dynamically control the spatial organization of the yeast genome

ABSTRACTIn yeast, inducible genes such as INO1, PRM1 and HIS4 reposition from the nucleoplasm to nuclear periphery upon activation. This leads to a physical interaction with nuclear pore complex (NPC), interchromosomal clustering, and stronger transcription. Repositioning to the nuclear periphery is controlled by cis-acting transcription factor (TF) binding sites located within the promoters of these genes and the TFs that bind to them. Such elements are both necessary and sufficient to control positioning of genes to the nuclear periphery. We have identified 4 TFs capable of controlling the regulated positioning of genes to the nuclear periphery in budding yeast under different conditions: Put3, Cbf1, Gcn4 and Ste12. In each case, we have defined the molecular basis of regulated relocalization to the nuclear periphery. Put3- and Cbf1-mediated targeting to nuclear periphery is regulated through local recruitment of Rpd3(L) histone deacetylase complex by transcriptional repressors. Rpd3(L), through its his...
Salience in Second Language Acquisition: Physical Form, Learner Attention, and Instructional Focus.

We consider the role of physical form, prior experience, and form focused instruction (FFI) in adult language learning. (1) When presented with competing cues to interpretation, learners are more likely to attend to physically more salient cues in the input. (2) Learned attention is an associative learning phenomenon where prior-learned cues block those that are experienced later. (3) The low salience of morphosyntactic cues can be overcome by FFI, which leads learners to attend cues which might otherwise be ignored. Experiment 1 used eye-tracking to investigate how language background influences learners’ attention to morphological cues, as well as the attentional processes whereby different types of FFI overcome low cue salience, learned attention and blocking. Chinese native speakers (no L1 verb-tense morphology) viewed Latin utterances combining lexical and morphological cues to temporality under control conditions (CC) and three types of explicit FFI: grammar instruction (VG), verb salience with textual enhancement (VS), and verb pretraining (VP), and their use of these cues was assessed in a comprehension test. CC participants were significantly more sensitive to the adverbs than verb morphology. Instructed participants showed greater sensitivity to the verbs. These results reveal attentional processes whereby learners’ prior linguistic experience can shape their attention toward cues in the input, and whereby FFI helps learners overcome the long-term blocking of verb-tense morphology. Experiment 2 examined the role of modality of input presentation – aural or visual – in L1 English learners’ attentional focus on morphological cues and the effectiveness of different FFI manipulations. CC participants showed greater sensitivity toward the adverb cue. FFI was effective in increasing attention to verb-tense morphology, however, the processing of morphological cues was considerably more difficult under aural presentation. From visual exposure, the FFI conditions were broadly equivalent at tuning attention to the morphology, although VP resulted in balanced attention to both cues. The effectiveness of morphological salience-raising varied across modality: VS was effective under visual exposure, but not under aural exposure. From aural exposure, only VG was effective. These results demonstrate how salience in physical form, learner attention, and instructional focus all variously affect the success of L2 acquisition.
Cost-effectiveness of routine computed tomography in the evaluation of idiopathic unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Objectives/hypothesis To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of routine computed tomography (CT) in individuals with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) STUDY DESIGN: Health Economics Decision Tree Analysis METHODS: A decision tree was constructed to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of CT imaging in UVFP patients. Univariate sensitivity analysis was utilized to calculate what the probability of having an etiology of the paralysis discovered would have to be to make CT with contrast more cost-effective than no imaging. We used two studies examining findings in UVFP patients. The decision pathways were utilizing CT neck with intravenous contrast after diagnostic laryngoscopy versus laryngoscopy alone. The probability of detecting an etiology for UVFP and associated costs were extracted to construct the decision tree. The only incorrect diagnosis was missing a mass in the no-imaging decision branch, which rendered an effectiveness of 0. Results The ICER of using CT was $3,306, below most acceptable willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds. Additionally, univariate sensitivity analysis indicated that at the WTP threshold of $30,000, obtaining CT imaging was the most cost-effective choice when the probability of having a lesion was above 1.7%. Multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analysis with Monte Carlo simulations also showed that at the WTP of $30,000, CT scanning is more cost-effective, with 99.5% certainty. Conclusions Particularly in the current healthcare environment characterized by increasing consciousness of utilization defensive medicine, economic evaluations represent evidence-based findings that can be employed to facilitate appropriate decision making and enhance physician-patient communication. This economic evaluation strongly supports obtaining CT imaging in patients with newly diagnosed UVFP. Level of evidence 2c. Laryngoscope, 2016 127:440-444, 2017.
Stop the Blame Game: Restructuring Morbidity and Mortality Conferences to Teach Patient Safety and Quality Improvement to Residents

Abstract Introduction Adverse events leading to patient harm are rarely the result of an individual error but are instead due to a series of errors resulting from system breakdowns. Thus, the Accre...
The impact of a multidisciplinary blood conservation protocol on patient outcomes and cost after cardiac surgery

Abstract Objective Although associations between transfusion and inferior outcomes have been documented, there is a lack of blood transfusion standardization in cardiac surgery. At the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, a multidisciplinary, criterion-driven algorithm for transfusion management was implemented. We examined the effect of our blood conservation protocol on transfusion rates and outcomes after cardiac surgery and on stability of transfusion over time. Methods Patients undergoing first-time cardiac surgery from 2006 (full year before protocol) were compared with those in 2009 (after protocol) and propensity score matched to improve balance. Data were prospectively collected. Stability of transfusion incidence also was compared (2005-2006 vs 2008-2014). Results After matching, 890 patients from each year were included. Use of blood products decreased from 54% in 2006 to 25% in 2009 ( P P = .04), reoperations for bleeding (2% vs 4%, P = .004), and readmissions at less than 30 days (6% vs 12%, P P = .001) and mental ( P = .02) quality of life than patients in 2006. Reduction of blood products led to significant cost savings for packed erythrocytes ( P P Conclusions A multidisciplinary blood conservation program can significantly control blood transfusion rates, improve outcomes, and be sustained over time. Efforts are needed to implement evidence-based protocols to standardize and decrease blood use in cardiac surgery to improve outcomes and reduce cost.
Deep Mutational Scans as a Guide to Engineering High Affinity T Cell Receptor Interactions with Peptide-bound Major Histocompatibility Complex

Proteins are often engineered to have higher affinity for their ligands to achieve therapeutic benefit. For example, many studies have used phage or yeast display libraries of mutants within complementarity-determining regions to affinity mature antibodies and T cell receptors (TCRs). However, these approaches do not allow rapid assessment or evolution across the entire interface. By combining directed evolution with deep sequencing, it is now possible to generate sequence fitness landscapes that survey the impact of every amino acid substitution across the entire protein-protein interface. Here we used the results of deep mutational scans of a TCR-peptide-MHC interaction to guide mutational strategies. The approach yielded stable TCRs with affinity increases of >200-fold. The substitutions with the greatest enrichments based on the deep sequencing were validated to have higher affinity and could be combined to yield additional improvements. We also conducted in silico binding analyses for every substitution to compare them with the fitness landscape. Computational modeling did not effectively predict the impacts of mutations distal to the interface and did not account for yeast display results that depended on combinations of affinity and protein stability. However, computation accurately predicted affinity changes for mutations within or near the interface, highlighting the complementary strengths of computational modeling and yeast surface display coupled with deep mutational scanning for engineering high affinity TCRs.
Abstract 1252: Arginylation as a new link between oxidative stress response and prostate cancer progression

In this study, we evaluate the role of post-translational arginylation in prostate cancer, and introduce its potential as a biomarker of prostate cancer progression. Arginylation has not yet been studied in cancer. Our lab has observed Aringyltransferase (Ate1) is required for oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis. Our preliminary data in multiple eukaryotic cell models demonstrate that a downregulation of Ate1 increases resistance to oxidative stress, and elevated Ate1 is sufficient to induce cell death. Preliminary data mining shows that a downregulation of Ate1 correlates with a poorer prognosis in prostate cancer. Because prostate cancer cells produce a high amount of oxidative stress, the decrease of Ate1 likely increases their survival. We hypothesize that Ate1 is essential for the normal cellular response to insurmountable oxidative stress leading to apoptosis, and that a downregulation of Ate1 will promote cancer cell progression. We found that a loss of Ate1 in a nontumorigenic fibroblast cell line promotes spontaneous tumorigenicity within immunocompromised mice, a disruption of normal cell-cell interactions, and loss of contact inhibition. Also consistent with our hypothesis, prostate cancer cell line PC-3 with stably knocked down Ate1 exhibit higher invasiveness in the Boyden Chamber invasion assay, and higher resistance to H2O2-induced cell death during a 12-hour variable dose treatment. Similarly, the highly metastatic subpopulation of PC-3, PC3-ML, has naturally reduced Ate1 and exhibits higher invasiveness and resistance to H2O2. Finally, histological analysis of primary patient prostate cancer samples show a dramatic reduction of Ate1 compared to normal prostate tissue. These findings warrant further study of Ate1 as a metastasis suppressor, as well as a potential biomarker for prostate cancer progression. Citation Format: Fangliang Zhang, Michael D. Birnbaum, Akhilesh Kumar, William M. Morgan. Arginylation as a new link between oxidative stress response and prostate cancer progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1252. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1252
Taming instability of magnetic field in chiral medium

Abstract Magnetic field is unstable in a medium with time-independent chiral conductivity. Owing to the chiral anomaly, the electromagnetic field and the medium exchange helicity which results in time-evolution of the chiral conductivity. Using the fastest growing momentum and helicity state of the vector potential as an ansatz, the time-evolution of the chiral conductivity and magnetic field is solved analytically. The solution for the hot and cold equations of state shows that the magnetic field does not develop an instability due to helicity conservation. Moreover, as a function of time, it develops a peak only if a significant part of the initial helicity is stored in the medium. The initial helicity determines the height and position of the peak.
The US Preventive Services Task Force 2017 Draft Recommendation Statement on Screening for Prostate Cancer: An Invitation to Review and Comment.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued a draft recommendation statement on screening for prostate cancer, based on an updated systematic evidence review and assessment of the evidence. The full draft recommendation is available for public comment on the USPSTF website1 through May 8, 2017. The USPSTF has proposed the following draft summary language and grade:
Er:fiber frequency comb for optical synthesis with mHz resolution

We describe an erbium-fiber laser frequency comb that supports optical frequency synthesis at the millihertz level, or fractionally as 3×10−18 τ−1/2, by ensuring all critical fiber paths are within the servo-controlled feedback loop.
Bolstering the Number and Function of HSV-1-Specific CD8 + Effector Memory T Cells and Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells in Latently Infected Trigeminal Ganglia Reduces Recurrent Ocular Herpes Infection and Disease.

HSV type 1 (HSV-1) is a prevalent human pathogen that infects >3.72 billion individuals worldwide and can cause potentially blinding recurrent corneal herpetic disease. HSV-1 establishes latency within sensory neurons of trigeminal ganglia (TG), and TG-resident CD8+ T cells play a critical role in preventing its reactivation. The repertoire, phenotype, and function of protective CD8+ T cells are unknown. Bolstering the apparent feeble numbers of CD8+ T cells in TG remains a challenge for immunotherapeutic strategies. In this study, a comprehensive panel of 467 HLA-A*0201-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes was predicted from the entire HSV-1 genome. CD8+ T cell responses to these genome-wide epitopes were compared in HSV-1-seropositive symptomatic individuals (with a history of numerous episodes of recurrent herpetic disease) and asymptomatic (ASYMP) individuals (who are infected but never experienced any recurrent herpetic disease). Frequent polyfunctional HSV-specific IFN-γ+CD107a/b+CD44highCD62LlowCD8+ effector memory T cells were detected in ASYMP individuals and were primarily directed against three "ASYMP" epitopes. In contrast, symptomatic individuals have more monofunctional CD44highCD62LhighCD8+ central memory T cells. Furthermore, therapeutic immunization with an innovative prime/pull vaccine, based on priming with multiple ASYMP epitopes (prime) and neurotropic TG delivery of the T cell-attracting chemokine CXCL10 (pull), boosted the number and function of CD44highCD62LlowCD8+ effector memory T cells and CD103highCD8+ tissue-resident T cells in TG of latently infected HLA-A*0201-transgenic mice and reduced recurrent ocular herpes following UV-B-induced reactivation. These findings have profound implications in the development of T cell-based immunotherapeutic strategies to treat blinding recurrent herpes infection and disease.
Special issue on historical perspectives on punishment and social control

ABSTRACTThis essay introduces and provides the epistemological context for a special collection of writings that explore in historical perspective the justifications and presumed logic of contemporary justice system policies. They include those bedrock practices designed for the deterrence of crime, and the sanctioning, rehabilitation and punishment of offenders.
Supreme Court Amicus Brief of Law Professors in Support of Certiorari, Jones v. Harris Associates, No. 08-586

Amici curiae law professors filed this brief to urge the Court to grant the petition for certiorari and to clarify the proper scope of the fiduciary duty under Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act that investment advisers owe to mutual fund shareholders with respect to the compensation that advisers receive. The brief addresses the Seventh Circuit's decision to disavow the long-established Gartenberg precedent and to hold, instead, that so long as an adviser make[s] full disclosure and play[s] no tricks, a plaintiff cannot prevail in a Section 36(b) action. Amici argue that the Seventh Circuit's decision creates a circuit split, elides a critical provision from the statutory text, and engages in a superficial market analysis.