cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrastructural changes in rabbit ciliary body after extraocular mitomycin C

PURPOSE To study the ultrastructural changes in ciliary body epithelium of the rabbit eye after subconjunctival injections of mitomycin C. METHODS One eye of six New Zealand white rabbits was given a subconjunctival injection at the 12-o'clock position with 0.005, 0.02, 0.08, 0.1, 0.12, or 0.16 mg mitomycin C. The fellow eye was given a subconjunctival injection of balanced salt solution. Two weeks after treatment, the eyes were enucleated, and the ciliary body was exposed and submerged in fresh 4% paraformaldehyde/2% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, at 4 degrees C. Electron microscopy of the ciliary body was performed at two sites: the injection site (12-o'clock position) and 180 degrees away (6-o'clock position). RESULTS At dosages of 0.1 mg and higher, ciliary body epithelial cells beneath the injection site were thinned. There were vacuoles and expansion of intracellular and intercellular spaces. Plasma membrane infoldings were disrupted, and the apical membrane was thinned. Mitochondria and nuclei were normal. Ciliary body epithelium at 6-o'clock position showed only mild architectural distortion of the plasma membrane infoldings. Eyes that received lower doses of mitomycin C (0.005 mg, 0.02 mg, and 0.08 mg) and balanced salt solution showed normal ciliary body epithelium at the injection site and 180 degrees away. CONCLUSIONS Subconjunctival injection of mitomycin C in the rabbit produces dose-dependent localized ultrastructural changes of the ciliary body epithelium.
Clinical and histopathologic manifestations of solid organ transplantation-associated graft-versus-host disease involving the skin: A single-center retrospective study.

Background Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following solid organ transplantation (SOT) is extremely rare and infrequently described in the dermatologic literature. Methods We performed a retrospective clinicopathologic review of our institution's experience with patients diagnosed with SOT-associated GVHD (SOT GVHD) (May 1, 1996 to September 1, 2017). Results Of nine patients with SOT GVHD, seven had undergone liver transplantation, while two had undergone lung transplantation. All presented initially with a skin eruption, which developed an average of 63 days (range: 11-162 days) post transplant. The average time to diagnosis following the onset of the skin eruption was 12 days (range: 0-54 days). Diagnosis was often delayed because of a competing diagnosis of drug reaction. Frequent skin findings included pruritic erythematous to violaceous macules and papules with desquamation. Histopathology showed vacuolar interface dermatitis in 12 of 15 cases (80.0%). Of the 11 specimens in which a hair follicle was present for evaluation, vacuolar interface changes around the hair follicle were present in eight (72.7%) cases. Seven patients (77.8%) died from complications during the follow-up period. Conclusions SOT GVHD presents initially with skin involvement, is associated with vacuolar interface changes on skin biopsy, and is associated with a high mortality rate. Clinicopathologic correlation is required for accurate diagnosis.
Characterization of a dual taper thermosiphon loop for CPU cooling in data centers

Abstract The inefficient cooling processes in data centers consume a large amount of energy making them very expensive. This study is focuses on using a thermosiphon loop as an efficient replacement of currently used air cooling and water cooling techniques for dissipating large heat loads from the CPUs. A symmetric dual taper configuration is introduced in the evaporator to generate a highly efficient and stable two-phase flow in the system using HFE7000. Three different taper angles in the evaporator – 2°, 2.5°, and 3° – are studied, and the respective heat transfer performances are evaluated. The evaporator has 200 µm square microchannels machined on a 34.5 mm × 32 mm copper heat sink. Prior to CPU testing, the dual taper evaporator performance is evaluated in a benchtop thermosiphon loop in which the evaporator is heated by electric heaters. The loop is able to dissipate 280 W without reaching the critical flux point with a heat transfer coefficient of 26 kW/m2 °C. The thermosiphon loop is then tested for cooling a data center server with an i7-930 processor with thermal design power (TDP) of 130 W. The cooling performance of the thermosiphon loop is compared with commercial air based and water based coolers in both server and benchtop configurations.
‘I am still close to my child’: middle-class Korean wild geese fathers’ responsible and intimate fatherhood in a transnational context

This paper employs responsible fathering as a theoretical framework and explores the transnational fathering practices of wild geese fathers – middle-class Korean fathers who remained alone in thei...
High-performance infrared photodetectors based on gold-patched graphene nanostripes (Conference Presentation)

Graphene is a very attractive material for broadband photodetection in hyperspectral imaging and sensing systems. However, its potential use has been hindered by tradeoffs between the responsivity, bandwidth, and operation speed of existing graphene photodetectors. Here, we present engineered photoconductive nanostructures based on gold-patched graphene nano-stripes, which enable simultaneous broadband and ultrafast photodetection with high responsivity. These nanostructures merge the advantages of broadband optical absorption, ultrafast photocarrier transport, and carrier multiplication in graphene nano-stripes with the ultrafast transport of photocarriers to the gold patches before recombination. Through this approach, high-responsivity operation is achieved without the use of bandwidth- and speed-limiting quantum dots, defect states, or tunneling barriers. We demonstrate high-responsivity photodetection from the visible to the infrared regime (0.6 A/W at 0.8 μm and 11.5 A/W at 20 μm) with operation speeds exceeding 50 GHz. Our results demonstrate an improvement of the response times by more than seven orders of magnitude and an increase in bandwidths of one order of magnitude compared to those of higher-responsivity graphene photodetectors based on quantum dots and tunneling barriers.
The Effect of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Pathway Implementation on Abdominal-Based Microvascular Breast Reconstruction.

Abstract Background Although Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) pathways are becoming the standard of care in microvascular breast reconstruction, evidence supporting their use is limited or based on small sample sizes. We hypothesized that improvements in postoperative outcomes would persist when examining the largest cohort of patients undergoing abdominal-based microvascular breast reconstruction, to date. Materials and methods Data were retrospectively reviewed for 276 consecutive patients who underwent abdominal-based free flap breast reconstruction before and after ERAS implementation (pre-ERAS, n = 138 patients; post-ERAS, n = 138 patients). Primary outcomes were postoperative opioid use measured in oral morphine equivalents (OMEs), median hospital length of stay (LOS) in days, and incidence of postoperative complications. Results Postoperative opioid requirements were significantly lower in the post-ERAS cohort compared with the pre-ERAS cohort (57.3 OME, [interquartile range 20.0-115.5] versus 297.3 OME [interquartile range 138.6-437.7], P Conclusions ERAS improves specific aspects of recovery for patients undergoing microvascular breast reconstruction, most notably postoperative opioid use. Patient selection and a shift toward less invasive procedures may explain a nonsignificant impact on hospital LOS.
Large Hind Wings Enhance Gliding Performance in Ground Effect in a Neotropical Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Neotropical butterflies in the nymphalid genera Pierella Herrich-Schaffer, 1865 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) and Cithaerias Hubner, 1819 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) are known to glide near ground level, and have a high forewing aspect ratio.The hind wings of Pierella are proportionately larger than those of Cithaerias, suggesting a potential role in gliding flight. We show that Pierella helvina (Hewitson, 1860) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) is capable of gliding for longer periods of time than Cithaerias pireta (Stoll, 1780) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) both in the field and a laboratory setting. Experimental reduction of hind wing area in P. helvina led to a decrease in male gliding performance, and an increase in female wing-beat frequency. We also found that escape velocity decreased in both sexes after hind wing area reduction, but the effect was strongest in females. Although the increased drag associated with large hind wings could be detrimental to gliding flight, the large hind wing area of P. helvina effectively enhances gliding performance in ground effect.This study is the first to investigate the role of hind wings on butterfly gliding performance.
The Ambivalent U.S. Context of Reception and the Dichotomous Legal Consciousness of Unaccompanied Minors

Author(s): Galli, Chiara | Abstract: This paper examines the effects of immigration laws on unaccompanied minors from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala who migrate to the United States and encounter a context of reception that is ambivalent towards them: they are considered deserving of protection as unaccompanied minors, yet also subjected to exclusion and state legal violence as undocumented immigrants. Apprehended at the US-Mexico border, they are categorized as “Unaccompanied Alien Children” (UACs), and they interact intensively with multiple immigration agencies. Interactions in these institutional spaces teach youths about US laws and behavioral norms expected of young humanitarian claimants deemed deserving of protection, which are construed in opposition to discourses that stigmatize their co-ethnics as “bogus minors/refugees,” “bad” immigrants, and deviant Latino teenagers. I highlight how these institutional encounters shape youths’ sense of belonging and their commonsense understandings of the law or legal consciousness. I argue that the legal consciousness of unaccompanied minors is dichotomous and characterized by the following elements: (1) a combination of trust and fear in the state; (2) concurrent feelings of deservingness/rights and stigma/subordination; (3) information and misinformation about US laws. This dichotomous legal consciousness shapes how UACs claim belonging and rights, both in everyday social interactions and during their applications for legal status in humanitarian adjudication bureaucracies. They do so by leveraging knowledge about their rights and normative notions about desirable teen and migrant behavior, and by perpetuating stigmas about co-ethics as they distance themselves from these to signal their own societal belonging and deservingness of discretionary humanitarian relief.
North American Temperate Grasslands: Conservation at the Center of the Continent

Abstract Grasslands dominate the central regional landscape of the North America, extending from the Canadian prairies south across the Chihuahuan Desert. We describe this grassland diversity, discussing common forms of ecological classification, and highlight the International Vegetation Classification. We then report on a series of analyses and a Landscape Conservation Design for temperate grassland conservation. We targeted 12 major grassland ecosystem types that occur across this region. Component analyses included: (a) documenting long-term trends in extent by grassland type, (b) assessing landscape intactness among grassland areas, and (c) identifying Grassland Potential Conservation Areas to advance grassland conservation. Most severe declines in grassland extent have occurred in tallgrass prairie types, followed by mixed-grass, shortgrass, and semi-desert grasslands. Similar trends by type were documented for landscape intactness and connectivity. A total of 177 Grassland Potential Conservation Areas (GPCAs) were identified to represent grassland type diversity in areas least likely to conflict with other land uses. Within identified GPCAs, type-specific representation varied from a low of just 1% of historic extent for Texas Blackland Tallgrass Prairie to a high of 27% for Western Great Plains Sand Prairie. Combined across all 12 grassland types, 15% of historic extent is represented.
De Sans toit ni loi à Visages villages d’Agnès Varda : Pavés dans la mer

In a 1994 article, I analyzed the documentary-style film Sans toit ni loi (1985) by director Agnes Varda, and demonstrated her experimentation with a neutral space outside film in her quest to iden...
Firm-Determined or Consumer-Determined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? Examining the Effects of Choice-of-Cause in Cause-Related Marketing:

As a widely practiced form of corporate social responsibility (CSR), cause-related marketing (CRM) programs have been considered effective in generating reputational, relational, and financial retu...
Laser Induced Defects and Materials Interactions in the V-Si System

Pulsed laser annealing has been evaluated as a technique for fabricating superconducting V3Si from multilayer V-Si samples, and the nature of laser-induced defects in V3Si single crystals has been examined. Correlated analyses by ion scattering, ion channeling, Tc measurements and TEM were used to examine the composition and structure of samples subjected to single and multiple laser pulses. It was observed that although the superconducting A15 phase could be formed by pulsed laser mixing, the associated rapid quenching effects introduced defects which were not completely removed by thermal annealing to 925 K for 1 hour. Ion channeling and TEM studies of V3Si single crystals showed that pulsed laser irradiation caused microcracks to develop in the surface, probably from mechanical stresses induced by thermal gradients.
Risk based Payment Integrity Evaluation

Improper payments are broadly defined as the payments made by the government to the wrong person, in the wrong amount, or for the wrong reason. The amount of federal improper payments in U.S. was estimated to be 141 billion dollars as of 2015. A variety of payment integrity programs are used to verify the eligibility of the beneficiaries. Their success mostly depends on the ability to collect accurate data. Lack of information about households, inaccuracy of self-reported data, matching of data with different frequencies are among the main challenges to ensure data quality. We propose the Trusted Applicant Program (TAP) as a continuous pre-payment risk-based data verification framework that provides enhanced targeted vetting. The vetting is conducted by using analytical methods such as exact data matching, probabilistic variable accuracy, and facial recognition algorithms. The core strength of the framework comes from the assumption of ineligibility unless otherwise documented and making the applicants an active component of the eligibility checks while using advanced analytics. TAP is a feasible alternative since it has the potential to be affordable, dynamic, scalable, implementable without any legislative changes.
Beyond Education: Radical Studying for Another World

When I was in graduate school (1964–1975) the political science profession paid almost no attention to the question of how to teach. As far as I know, pedagogy was not part of the PhD curriculum an...
Edge Strategies in Industry: Overview and Challenges

This paper discusses some details from the 2020 NetSoft conference DEP panel. This panel consisted of industry experts, and as such the perspective presented here is biased with an industry view of Edge Computing. In sharing this discussion and further expanding on the discussion in this paper the hope is to provide the research community with guidance on opportunities to advance and possibly accelerate the rate of Edge adoption (Tiwari et al. , 2021). There is no avoiding the Edge discussion; today in industry Communication Service Providers see this is an avenue to monetize their 5G investment, the cloud providers, also known as the ‘hyperscalers’, see this as providing an ingress point into new markets, and finally enterprises themselves see this as an opportunity to modernize and gain business advantages through insights and better process management. Two U.S. based mobile network operators have edge portfolios (AT&T Edge Solutions, 2021 and Verizon, 2021). Many examples exist around the globe with other network service providers, an exhaustive list would consume this paper. In addition, 2020 saw Microsoft acquire two Independent Software Vendors (ISV’s), Metaswitch and Affirmed. This clearly is intended to bring edge capability into their Azure product line.
Towards Automatic Instrumentation by Learning to Separate Parts in Symbolic Multitrack Music.

Modern keyboards allow a musician to play multiple instruments at the same time by assigning zones -- fixed pitch ranges of the keyboard -- to different instruments. In this paper, we aim to further extend this idea and examine the feasibility of automatic instrumentation -- dynamically assigning instruments to notes in solo music during performance. In addition to the online, real-time-capable setting for performative use cases, automatic instrumentation can also find applications in assistive composing tools in an offline setting. Due to the lack of paired data of original solo music and their full arrangements, we approach automatic instrumentation by learning to separate parts (e.g., voices, instruments and tracks) from their mixture in symbolic multitrack music, assuming that the mixture is to be played on a keyboard. We frame the task of part separation as a sequential multi-class classification problem and adopt machine learning to map sequences of notes into sequences of part labels. To examine the effectiveness of our proposed models, we conduct a comprehensive empirical evaluation over four diverse datasets of different genres and ensembles -- Bach chorales, string quartets, game music and pop music. Our experiments show that the proposed models outperform various baselines. We also demonstrate the potential for our proposed models to produce alternative convincing instrumentations for an existing arrangement by separating its mixture into parts. All source code and audio samples can be found at this https URL .
Building a Digital Health Risk Calculator for Older Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Thousands of older women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer receive adjuvant radiation treatment therapy that can be safely omitted. The decision to undergo radiation treatment therapy is based upon several factors unique to the individual. Understanding the patient-specific relative risk and benefit of radiation therapy—and making the right decision for the patient’s health—is a complex process that often fails to follow the shared-decision model between patient and clinician. The use of digital health tools to support and navigate complex and personalized healthcare focused decisions have been shown to increase patient comprehension and reduce decision-based conflict. In this paper we describe how we designed, developed, and tested an electronic, tablet-based decision aid tool to provide patient-specific, risk-benefit information with the goal of helping older women determine whether to receive radiation therapy. Our decision aid tool, Radiation for Older Women (ROW), utilizes user-centered design principles to facilitate evidence-based treatment decisions.
High Efficiency InGaN Nanocrystal Tunnel Junction Micro LEDs

InGaN nanocrystal green micro-LEDs with an external quantum efficiency of ~5.5% are demonstrated. Due to the Ga-polarity of the nanocrystals, the active region was formed on the semipolar planes with reduced polarization field which resulted in relatively small wavelength shift and linewidth broadening.
The Hyades Binaries θ1 Tauri and θ2 Tauri: The Distance to the Cluster and the Mass-Luminosity Relation

We report new spectroscopic observations of the close binaries θ1 Tauri and θ2 Tauri in the Hyades. Our radial velocities for the primary component of θ1 Tau, supplemented with other velocities from the literature and existing astrometric information (speckle observations and lunar occultation measurements), have enabled us to solve for an astrometric-spectroscopic orbit giving a period of 16.3 yr and a nearly edge-on configuration on the sky. We have analyzed our echelle spectra of θ2 Tauri with TODCOR, a two-dimensional cross-correlation technique, and have derived a new spectroscopic orbit for this difficult system, including the orbital velocity amplitude of the rapidly rotating secondary component. We then combine this spectroscopic orbit with a published astrometric orbit from the Mark III interferometer and solve for the individual masses and the orbital parallax. Our analysis technique should eliminate the distortion in the velocity amplitude of the primary that has plagued previous studies by fully accounting for the presence of the secondary in the spectrum. Using proper motions for a representative sample of cluster members, along with the orbital parallax of θ2 Tau, we obtain a new estimate for the distance modulus of the Hyades of m - M = 3.39 ± 0.08 (47.6 ± 1.8 pc), in excellent agreement (1%) with similar estimates from two other Hyades binaries (51 Tau and 342), as well as with results from other methods. We also derive individual masses for θ1 Tau using the distance information from θ2 Tau, transferred via relative proper motions. There are now nine main-sequence stars in the Hyades with directly determined masses and with known individual distances. We compare the empirical mass-luminosity relation from these data with recent theoretical isochrones and show that they are in good agreement. This provides a stringent test of stellar evolution models that does not invoke arbitrary shifts, as is usual in the main-sequence fitting technique for clusters.
Evaluation of Elekta 4D cone beam CT-based automatic image registration for radiation treatment of lung cancer

Objective:The study was aimed to evaluate the precision of Elekta four-dimensional (4D) cone beam CT (CBCT)-based automatic dual-image registrations using different landmarks for clipbox for radiation treatment of lung cancer.Methods:30 4D CBCT scans from 15 patients were studied. 4D CBCT images were registered with reference CT images using dual-image registration: a clipbox registration and a mask registration. The image registrations performed in clinic using a physician-defined clipbox, were reviewed by physicians, and were taken as the standard. Studies were conducted to evaluate the automatic dual registrations using three kinds of landmarks for clipbox: spine, spine plus internal target volume (ITV) and lung (including as much of the lung as possible). Translational table shifts calculated from the automatic registrations were compared with those of the standard.Results:The mean of the table shift differences in the lateral direction were 0.03, 0.03 and 0.03 cm, for clipboxes based on spine, spine ...
Religious Experience and Rational Appraisal

Appeal to experience for rational justification of religious belief is probably as old as the question whether religious belief has any rational support. The issues relevant to such appeal range widely, and I will have to be content to deal with only a few of them.
Modeling with a group modeling tool: group support, model quality, and validation

During business process re-engineering, business activities are modelled and analyzed. Redefined models become the blueprints for improved business activities. The cost to produce models of the organization is high and model accuracy is important. How do models help support understanding of business processes? Should functional business personnel or systems analysts create business models for the organization? How are models validated? From their experience with applying EMS technology and re-engineering techniques with actual organizations, the authors discuss benefits of broad involvement during modeling and improvement idea generation. They discuss their experiences using group technology to support groups during the modeling of business activities using the IDEF modeling method, and discuss aspects of broad involvement that influence the quality of the resulting models. >
A systematic review of ovarian cancer and fear of recurrence.

Objective: To assess demographic, medical, and psychological factors that are associated with fear of recurrence (FCR) in ovarian cancer patients. Method: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. For PubMed, a search using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) was run, as well as a text-word search from 1990 to July of 2014. The search terms used consisted of ovarian terms, fear terms, and recurrence/progression themes. Title and abstract reviews were conducted by two independent reviewers to determine eligibility, and discrepancies were decided by a third reviewer. Full-text reviews of potentially eligible articles were conducted by the review team, which met regularly to ensure the reliability of eligibility ratings across all articles. Results: A total of 15 articles met our inclusion criteria. Nine were quantitative studies that utilized a cross-sectional design, and the other six included three qualitative studies, two small intervention studies, and one study that utilized content analysis to explore written correspondence among ovarian cancer patients. FCR was reported as a significant concern for both older and younger women at both early and advanced stages. Women were distressed about recurrence at various times during their treatment and posttreatment. FCR was noted to be prevalent around cancer follow-up examinations. Many women reported not receiving adequate support for recurrence. FCR was also shown to be linked in some way to hopelessness, faith/spirituality, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). FCR was also linked to patients' anxiety about death and dying and uncertainty about the future of their medical health. Significance of Results: This review demonstrates that FCR is prevalent in the ovarian cancer population. Moreover, cancer recurrence fears are not adequately assessed or treated. More information is needed on the factors that may be related to women's fears about recurrence of ovarian cancer. In addition, a validated measure of FCR among ovarian cancer patients as well as a treatment intervention are needed.
Male and Female Attributions and Social Influence Behavior towards a Physically Attractive Female

Summary Past reviews suggest that men and women not only make socially desirable attributions toward attractive and unattractive people, but that such attributions are correlated with positive social behavior toward attractive persons. To assess these suggestions 40 male and female Ss engaged in a social persuasion task and provided attributions toward an attractive or unattractive female confederate. While the female confederate received more socially desirable attributions in the attractive versus unattractive condition, no differences were observed in social persuasion behavior. Such findings question the assumption that social attributions are associated with differential social experiences based on a physical attractiveness stereotype.
Four complementary theoretical approaches for the analysis of NMR paramagnetic relaxation.

Abstract Four theoretical and computational approaches used at the University of Michigan to analyze NMR paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (NMR-PRE) are described. The primary objective of the theory is to describe the relationship of the NMR-PRE phenomenon to the electron spin hamiltonian and the spin energy level structure when zero field splitting interactions are significant. Four formulations of theory are discussed: (1) spin dynamics simulation; (2) the laboratory frame “constant H S ” formulation; (3) the Molecular Frame “constant H S ” formulation; and (4) the zfs-limit “constant H S ” formulation. No single theoretical approach describes all important aspects of the relaxation mechanism in a fully satisfactory way. We use the four formulations in a complementary manner to provide as complete a picture of the relaxation mechanism as possible. We also discuss the integration of NMR-PRE theory and recently developed theory of electron spin relaxation which accounts for effects of the permanent zfs hamiltonian.
An Application of Linear Programming to Polarimetric Radar Differential Phase Processing

AbstractDifferential phase and its range derivative KDP are of interest to several hydrological applications from weather radar systems. Despite the attractive qualities of polarimetric differential phase measurements, the usefulness of these radar measurements is potentially undermined as a consequence of measurement fluctuations and physical or beam geometry artifacts. This paper presents an application of linear programming for physical retrievals, here designed to improve estimates of differential propagation phase by allowing realistic physical constraints of monotonicity and polarimetric radar self-consistency. Results of the linear programming methods to the phase-processing problem are demonstrated at several common weather radar wavelengths (10, 5, and 3 cm).
Effects of 3′-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene on RNA processing in rat liver nuclei

Treatment of rats with the hepatocarcinogen 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'MeDAB) leads to the accumulation of polyadenylated RNA in rat liver nuclei. This polyadenylated nuclear RNA contains more double-stranded stretches than polyadenylated nuclear RNA isolated from liver of control animals. Treatment with 3'MeDAB also results in an increase of sequences homologous to small chromatin-associated RNA (fr 3-RNA) in the polyadenylated nuclear RNA and in the appearance of these sequences in polyadenylated nuclear RNA which contains some double-stranded stretches. The last mentioned fraction of nuclear RNA from liver of control animals did not hybridize with a DNA probe for fr 3-RNA. It is proposed that, perhaps as a result of inhibition of RNA processing by 3'MeDAB, the transient stages of RNA processing can be observed in animals treated with this compound.
Fixed-dose capecitabine is feasible: results from a pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenetic study in metastatic breast cancer.

The pro-drug capecitabine is approved for treatment of anthracycline- and paclitaxel-resistant metastatic breast cancer. However, toxicity and large interpatient pharmacokinetic variability occur despite body surface area (BSA)-dosing. We hypothesized that a fixed-dose schedule would simplify dosing and provide an effective and safe alternative to BSA-based dosing. We conducted an open label, single-arm, two-stage study of oral capecitabine with fixed starting dose (3,000 mg total daily dose in two divided doses × 14 days q21 days) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. We correlated pharmacodynamic endpoints [e.g., efficacy (response) per RECIST and toxicity], adherence and pharmacokinetics/pharmacogenetics. Sample size of 45 patients was required to detect a 25 % response rate from null response rate of 10 % using a Simon two-stage design. Twenty-six patients were enrolled in the first-stage and 21 were evaluable after a median of four cycles of capecitabine. Two thirds of patients received either the same dose or a dose 500 mg lower than what would have been administered with a commonly used 2,000 mg/m2 BSA-dosing schedule. Eight patients had stable disease but progressed after a median of seven cycles. Despite a clinical benefit rate of 19 %, no RECIST responses were observed following the first stage and the study was closed. Dose-reductions were required for grade 2 hand–foot syndrome (28 %) and vomiting (5 %). Adherence was similar when using both patient-reported and Medication Event Monitoring System methods. High interpatient variability was observed for capecitabine and metabolite pharmacokinetics, but was not attributed to observed pharmacogenetic or BSA differences. Single agent activity of capecitabine was modest in our patients with estrogen receptor-positive or -negative metastatic breast cancer and comparable to recent studies. BSA was not the main source of pharmacokinetic variability. Fixed-dose capecitabine is feasible, and simplifies dosing.
Hybridity and intersubjectivity in the clinical encounter: Impact on the Cultural Formulation:

Most case studies of the cultural formulation have focused on encounters with a single clinician. This article examines the assessment of a patient across different settings in which multiple clinicians developed separate understandings of the patient's identity. The formal cultural formulation prepared by the last clinician to work with the patient revealed a vastly different picture than what was previously recognized, reflecting both the impact of the identity of the clinician and the systematic evaluation process on the nature of the patient's responses. This suggests that cultural hybridity can stimulate new modes of inquiry as people integrate disparate cultural references to fashion a new identity. Intersubjectivity can also alter information elicited by clinicians. The conclusion highlights the need for practice guidelines for use of the cultural formulation across treatment settings.
Bayesian signal detection for multiple aspect targets with an uncertain look angle

An optimal signal detection theory approach is presented for the determination of the presence or absence of a target observed at multiple aspects in noise, where there is uncertainty in the initial look angle at which the aspects are observed. Potential targets may be interrogated at any number of aspect angles, and receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) are presented as a function of the number of aspects observed. In order to obtain the effect on performance of the number of aspect angles and other characteristics of the signal, ROC comparisons are made for the same total signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), rather than the average SNR per aspect. Target returns from a real multiple aspect target data set, consisting of acoustic backscatter returns from several objects suspended in a tank of water, are utilized in a detection simulation. The result using the real data indicate that, for the same total signal-to-noise ratio, detection does not necessarily improve with an increasing number of look angles. Theoretical analysis shows that optimum detection for this situation occurs when the signals consisting of multiple aspects, but at different initial look angles, are highly correlated. This conclusion is supported by the real data nd shows that detection performance does not necessarily improve with the number of multiple aspect angles observed, for a given total signal- to-noise ratio, when the initial look angle is uncertain.
Effects of reductions in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity and hematocrit level on oxygen consumption and acid-base state in fetal lambs

To determine whether the high oxygen affinity of fetal blood, compared with that of the adult, is advantageous to the fetus during fetal anemia we studied 16 chronically catheterized fetal lambs. Half of the lambs had hemoglobin-oxygen affinity reduced acutely by isovolemic exchange transfusion with fresh adult whole blood; the other half served as controls. In both groups of fetuses, we measured fetal oxygen delivery, oxygen consumption, and acid-base state at normal fetal hematocrit levels and during reductions in the hematocrit level of 30% (moderate anemia) and 60% (severe anemia) produced by isovolemic exchange transfusions with plasma. At normal fetal hematocrit levels, reductions in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity had no effect on fetal oxygen consumption or acid-base state. During moderate anemia, fetal oxygen delivery decreased in both series of fetuses, but oxygen consumption and base excess fell only in those fetuses whose circulations contained adult hemoglobin. During severe anemia, oxygen consumption and base excess decreased in both groups of fetuses, although these changes were more pronounced in fetuses with adult hemoglobin than in those with fetal hemoglobin. Our data indicate that, even though a high hemoglobin-oxygen affinity may not be essential to a healthy fetus, it is critical for normal metabolism in a fetus subjected to a hypoxic stress such as anemia.
Scanning Electron Microscope Study of Stannous Fluoride-Treated Enamel Surfaces

Scanning electron micrographs showed that the reaction products formed on enamel surfaces increased with prolonged immersion time. Sn3F3PO4 crystals and other amorphous and platelike reaction products were present. These findings corroborate the data obtained from similar samples by electron microprobe analyses.
Peer-reviewed, evidence-based analysis of vitamin D and primary hyperparathyroidism.

Research into the actions of vitamin D on the human body has been increasing at an exponential rate, as has understanding of the impact of vitamin D on various aspects of the endocrine system. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a disease of the endocrine system that can result in debility if not diagnosed. New understanding about the effect of vitamin D on parathyroid hormone regulation may provide an opportunity to better understand the coexistence of PHPT and vitamin D deficiency. An evidence-based literature review was based on a PubMed search for research involving vitamin D and primary hyperparathyroidism, and evaluating existing research on vitamin D. The PubMed search included English-language articles published between 1977 and 2008, with a focus on research and analysis completed between 2005 and the present. This study examined recent developments in understanding the relationship between vitamin D and PHPT. This review of existing literature examined the impact of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency, including the impact on diagnosis of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency, diagnosis and management of PHPT, and the impact on overall health. The level of evidence was determined according to criteria proposed by Sackett et al. and the grade of recommendation according to the criteria proposed by Heinrich et al. Level III and level IV evidence predominates the vitamin D/PHPT based literature, with several notable Heinrich grade A, B, and C studies available. Additional evaluation of studies’ review is provided by reference and by section. Vitamin D metabolism plays an important role in PHPT etiology, diagnosis, and management. Care of both conditions may have an important impact on overall health in humans.
Smooth solutions in Case 1 of the Heawood conjecture for non-orientable surfaces

Abstract This paper gives two proofs of the fact that the chromatic number of a nonorientable surface of genus q is equal to the integral part of (7 + √1+24q) 2 whenever the latter is congruent to 1 modulo 12.
A purely binocular mechanism in human vision

Abstract After scanning a bipartite field, the top half containing a grating tilted to the left: the bottom, a grating tilted to the right; an objectively co-linear pair of gratings will appear bent in the opposite direction: top to the right, bottom to the left (the tilt after-effect: TAE). Following monocular exposure, the binocular TAE is significantly smaller than the monocular TAE. If a weighted average of all activated channels produces the binocular TAE, then the reduced magnitude of that TAE suggests that binocular testing activates a process not adapted during monocular exposure.
Informationally Imperfect Consumer Markets: Empirical Findings and Policy Implications

A local consumer market is informationally imperfect and welfare-reducing to the extent that it is characterized by extensive price dispersion unexplained by utility-conferring properties of the product. This article reports a study to ascertain the extent of informational imperfections for 17 representative products in Syracuse, New York. Except for food, most products exhibited extensive and welfare-reducing price dispersion. The article also reports on a pilot investigation of consumers' perceptions, finding them to be mostly inaccurate (except for food) and typically underestimated. The study findings suggest that consumers are both victims of and contributors to informationally imperfect markets. The paper concludes with a discussion of policy implications.
Hybrid imaging of damage progress in composites through thermal imaging and embedded sensing

In this paper, we investigate the fusion of imaging data from pulsed phase thermography (PPT) with local temperature data obtained from embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors for non-destructive evaluation of composite structures. We use the square pulse heating applied for the PPT imaging as the input thermal wave for both the imaging and sensing processes. In addition, the role of the local microstructure surrounding the FBG on the measured wavelength shift as a function of temperature is derived analytically. Fusing the FBG wavelength response with the PPT data at the corresponding pixel and depth is shown to provide a unique characterization of the local material condition.
Quantitative morphology of arterioles from the hamster cheek pouch related to mechanical analysis

Abstract The structure of 20 second-order arterioles from the hamster cheek pouch was quantitated after histological fixation at physiological pressures. Dilated and contracted vessels with respective internal diameters of 66 ± 9.2 and 30 ± 9.1 μm (SD) were studied. Electron microscopy of four dialted arterioles revealed a combined intima-media thickness of 3.2 ± 1.5 μm with the following composition determined by stereological point counting: endothelial cells (20%), endothelial basement membrane (3%), a continuous elastic lamina (8%), smooth muscle cells (49%), and medial extracellular space (20%). Light microscopy of whole mounts of cheek pouches and isolated arterioles stained with hematoxylin was used to measure orientation and lengths of both smooth muscle and endothelial cell nuclei. The smooth muscle orientation was not significantly different in dilated or contracted arterioles. For all of the muscle orientation measurements combined, the mean pitch angle was 1.1 ± 5.9° ( N = 1000) with respect to the circumferential axis of the vessel. Comparison of dilated and contracted arterioles indicated a significant decrease in the muscle cell and nuclear length, but no detectable change in either orientation or nuclear length of the longitudinally oriented endothelial cells. Wall areas measured from transverse sections of dilated and contracted vessels did not change upon contraction. Stereological estimates of relaxed smooth muscle cell length averaged approximately 60 μm. The manner in which structural parameters affect arteriolar mechanical properties is discussed, and it is concluded that, in hamster pouch arterioles, over 99% of the developed smooth muscle force is transmitted circumferentially.
Selectivity in phagocytosis and persistence of symbiotic algae by the scyphistoma stage of the jellyfish Cassiopeia xamachana

We have investigated whether interactions between cell-surface macromolecules play a role in cellular recognition leading to specificity in the establishment of intracellular symbiosis between dinoflagellates and the polyp (scyphistoma) stage of the jellyfish Cassiopeia xamachana. All strains of the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium microadriaticum were phagocytosed by the endodermal cells of the scyphistomae when presented to them as cells freshly isolated from their respective hosts. The rates of phagocytosis of such cells were high, and were directly correlated with the presence of a membrane, thought to be the host cell vacuolar membrane that surrounds the freshly isolated algae. Cultured algae lack this membrane. All cultured algae, even those that proliferate in host tissues, were phagocytosed at very low or undetectable rates. Freshly isolated algae treated with reagents that removed the host membrane were phagocytosed at low rates. The endodermal cells of the scyphistomae of the non-symbiotic medusa Aurelia aurita also phagocytosed freshly isolated algae, but did not phagocytose cultured algae. Phagocytosis of algae and carmine particles was found to be a competitive process in scyphistomae of C. xamachana. No correlation was observed between the surface electrical charge on algae and their phagocytosis by host endodermal cells. Neither was there any correlation between phagocytosis and persistence. We conclude that the specificity in symbioses between marine invertebrates and dinoflagellates appears to be regulated by processes that occur after potential algal symbionts are phagocytosed.
Scalable simulations for directed self-assembly patterning with the use of GPU parallel computing

Directed self-assembly (DSA) patterning has been increasingly investigated as an alternative lithographic process for future technology nodes. One of the critical specs for DSA patterning is defects generated through annealing process or by roughness of pre-patterned structure. Due to their high sensitivity to the process and wafer conditions, however, characterization of those defects still remain challenging. DSA simulations can be a powerful tool to predict the formation of the DSA defects. In this work, we propose a new method to perform parallel computing of DSA Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. A consumer graphics card was used to access its hundreds of processing units for parallel computing. By partitioning the simulation system into non-interacting domains, we were able to run MC trial moves in parallel on multiple graphics-processing units (GPUs). Our results show a significant improvement in computational performance.
Selective and rapid detection of triacetone triperoxide by double-step chronoamperometry

Abstract A selective detector for the improvised explosive, triacetone triperoxide is proposed. This is based on the rapid redox reaction of peroxides (hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, benzoyl peroxide, t-butyl peroxide, triacetone triperoxide and H2O2) with bromide at 55 °C. Consumption of bromide is indicative of the reduction of the R–O–O–R moiety, the appearance of Br2 was found for all except for triacetone triperoxide. The latter was found to breakdown to acetone which rapidly reacts with Br2 producing bromoacetones. The lack of Br2 production is unique to triacetone triperoxide. Double step chronoamperometry (E1 = 700 mV, E2 = 960 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl)) allows for the quantitation of bromine (Br2 + 2e− ➔ 2Br−) and bromide (2Br− ➔ Br2 + 2e−) respectively. The results yielded a detection limit of 8.5 µM for triacetone triperoxide with a sensitivity of 0.026 µA µM− 1. The detection limits of 16.3 µM and 14.9 µM were found respectively for HMTD and H2O2 based on the appearance of Bromine. These results indicate a possibility to develop a handheld sensor for TATP dermination.
Protective immune responses elicited by immunization with a chimeric blood-stage malaria vaccine persist but are not boosted by Plasmodium yoelii challenge infection

An efficacious malaria vaccine remains elusive despite concerted efforts. Using the Plasmodium yoelii murine model, we previously reported that immunization with the C-terminal 19 kDa domain of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1(19)) fused to full-length MSP8 protected against lethal P. yoelii 17XL, well beyond that achieved by single or combined immunizations with the component antigens. Here, we continue the evaluation of the chimeric PyMSP1/8 vaccine. We show that immunization with rPyMSP1/8 vaccine elicited an MSP8-restricted T cell response that was sufficient to provide help for both PyMSP1(19) and PyMSP8-specific B cells to produce high and sustained levels of protective antibodies. The enhanced efficacy of immunization with rPyMSP1/8, in comparison to a combined formulation of rPyMSP1(42) and rPyMSP8, was not due to improved conformation of protective B cell epitopes in the chimeric molecule. Unexpectedly, rPyMSP1/8 vaccine-induced antibody responses were not boosted by exposure to P. yoelii 17XL infected RBCs. However, rPyMSP1/8 immunized and infected mice mounted robust responses to a diverse set of blood-stage antigens. The data support the further development of an MSP1/8 chimeric vaccine but also suggest that vaccines that prime for responses to a diverse set of parasite proteins will be required to maximize vaccine efficacy.