cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 424: Invasion and metastasis of human colon cancer cells is prevented by aldose reductase inhibition

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Worldwide colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA. Although therapeutic options for patients with CRC have increased substantially, including earlier diagnosis, improved surgery as well as chemo- and radiation therapies, ∼61% of patients have metastatic disease and of these, 90% die within 5 years of diagnosis. Hence better therapeutic interventions to manage the metastatic process in CRC patients are mandatory. We have recently shown that inhibition of aldose reductase (AR), an enzyme that catalyzes reduction of lipid aldehydes and their glutathione conjugates, prevents human colon cancer cell growth in culture as well as in nude mice xenografts by inhibiting the NF-kB-dependent activation of inflammatory and carcinogenic markers. We have now investigated the effect of AR inhibition in metastatic spread of human CRC cells in nude mice and the molecular mechanisms by which AR inhibition prevents colon cancer cell invasion, migration, adhesion and metastasis. Our results indicate that AR inhibition prevents growth factors-induced migration and invasion of HT-29 CRC cells in a dose-dependent manner. AR inhibition also significantly inhibited adhesion of CRC cells to endothelial cells and inhibited the expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and VE-cadherin. Further, we injected KM20 cells, transfected with a plasmid containing green fluorescent protein (GFP), into the spleen of athymic nude mice to establish liver metastases. The mice were treated with AR inhibitor or siRNA for 30 days. Our results indicate that AR inhibition or ablation prevents in vivo invasion and metastasis of CRC cells by reducing levels of AR, MMP2, cyclin D1, and CD34 and suppresses the activation of NF-kB. Since AR inhibitor fidarestat aggressively prevents human tumor growth and metastasis in nude mice and cellular models, and has already undergone phase-iii clinical studies for diabetic neuropathy, it is an excellent candidate for clinical application in preventing colon cancer tumorigenesis and metastasis. Funding Support: NIH/NCI [CA129383][1] (SKS). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 424. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=GEN&access_num=CA129383&atom=%2Fcanres%2F70%2F8_Supplement%2F424.atom
Patient-Centric Privacy: Envisioning collaboration between payers, providers & patients with the patient at the core

Protection of personal healthcare information (PHI) has been as a significant hindrance to the acceptance, adoption and continued use of healthcare information technology (HIT). As nations and corporations encourage innovation in the healthcare sector for better outcomes for all its stakeholders, they are proceeding under a latent assumption - the equation of data stewardship with data ownership. This notion relegates the patient to the role of information provider and empowers infrastructure owners with data ownership rights. In this paper, we introduce Patient-Centric Privacy, which refers to 1) the recognition that patients are a fundamental and integral part of the disclosure, access and use processes, and 2) to the ability of the patient to control the release of their healthcare information.
Techniques for Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support and Conversion to Temporary Left Ventricular Assist Device

Veno-arterial ECMO is a powerful tool for resuscitating patients in refractory cardiogenic shock. However, outcomes are poor unless it is implemented correctly and converted to more long term devices in a stepwise and timely fashion. In this article we detail the steps required to guarantee the highest survival rate for these critically ill patients.
A Photochromic Fiber Optic Cathode Ray Tube Image Storage Plate

All materials interact with light in some manner, but few record a view-able image. Very few materials record an erasable, viewable image. Thus, the invention by W. H. Armistead and S. D. Stookey (Ref. 1) of photochromic glass offers the possibility of devices using image write-read-erase capability. Photochromic glass is formed by precipi-tation of silver halide crystals of 50 to 100 A diameter spaced 500 to 1000 A apart in a glass matrix as described by G. P. Smith (Ref. 2). The possibility of fabricating large pieces and of using the many glass manipulation pro-esses gives photochromic glass advantages over crystalline materials for practical applications. G. K. Megla (Ref. 3) has described the optical properties and an appropriate system of units to characterize the features of photochromic glass. He has also described experiments demonstrating that photochromic glass is free of fatigue, at least to 300,000 cycles of operation. It may be added that no evidence of fatigue in photochromic glass has been encountered in our work. G. K. Megla and D. R. Steinberg (Ref. 4) have described a time-sharing computer terminal using the image storage CRT incorporating the photochromic fiber optic plate discussed here. This use of photochromic glass places many requirements on the material. Considerable effort has been expended both to configure the system to minimize material requirements and to measure material performance ance relative to system operation.© (1973) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
How life is hard: visceral notes on meaning, order, and Morocco

This essay explores Clifford Geertz's injunction to attend to the ‘hard surfaces of life’ in cultural analysis, and the importance of how such surfaces are experienced, how they feel, in conveying their significance. Reflecting on his personal experiences in Morocco, the author examines how the corporal concerns of the researcher relate to the material dilemmas recognised among his Moroccan interlocutors, and how these change over time. The article concludes that anthropologists have tended to outline a disembodied ‘culture’ at the expense of ‘hard surfaces,’ and that scholars have had special difficulty expressing visceral understandings, especially of being poor in Morocco.
The Lewis A. Conner memorial lecture, the nature of cardiac and of pulmonary dyspnea.

Dyspnea has many characteristics, differing from one clinical state to another. In pulmonary diseases the immediate cause is usually a disproportion between actual ventilation (breathing requirement) and breathing capacity. The hyperventilation of organic pulmonary disease is often mistakenly diagnosed as psychoneurosis. In early cardiac dyspnea, muscular fatigue associated with inadequate cardiac output may be a factor. True pulmonary congestion becomes important in more advanced left ventricular failure.
A Contribution to the Approximation Problem

A method is outlined whereby a given attenuation curve is approximated by the addition of a finite number of semi-infinite slopes, each of which in turn is closely approximated by the attenuation curve of a Butterworth function. These functions therefore constitute a set of approximation functions for impedance functions. The set is extended by the addition of Tschebyscheff functions, which seem more appropriate for the approximation of curves with filter properties. The method avoids most of the labor normally involved in the numerical solution of approximation problems and the calculation of impedance zeros and poles. It seems especially suited for cases of rather smooth attenuation curves extending over a wide range of frequency. A short indication is given of how to apply the same method to the approximation of resistance, reactance, and phase functions.
LEDGF activation of PKC γ and gap junction disassembly in lens epithelial cells

Abstract Lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF) has been shown to enhance survival of lens epithelial cells (LECs) against stress. The objectives of these studies are to determine how LEDGF controls PKC γ activity in normal LECs: how this control of PKC γ regulates the phosphorylation of Connexin 43, the inhibition of gap junction activity, and the prevention of assembly of gap junctions in LECs. A rabbit LEC line, N/N1003A, was grown in the absence or presence of LEDGF. PKC γ protein was translocated from the cytosolic fractions to the membrane fractions upon addition of LEDGF at 10 ng ml−1. In whole cell extracts of N/N1003A cells, co-immunoprecipitation assays showed a protein–protein interaction between PKC γ and Connexin 43. In the presence of LEDGF the activation of PKC γ enhanced the phosphorylation of Connexin 43 by four-fold compared to the absence of LEDGF. The addition of LEDGF for 30 min resulted in a 65% decrease in gap junction Connexin 43 at the cell surface and a 70% decrease in gap junction activity. These results suggest that the activation of PKC γ by LEDGF plays a major role in gap junction assembly/disassembly, which may enhance survival of LECs against osmolarity-stress induced by high sugar concentration.
Tyrosine kinase receptor expression in thymomas

Purpose Promising new therapies for neoplasia include tyrosine kinase receptor antagonists. Tyrosine kinase oncogenes present an appealing anti-tumor drug target since they play an integral role in a variety of cellular responses including cell proliferation and differentiation. We previously demonstrated a high rate of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in advanced-stage thymic epithelial tumors. More recently, we have examined c-KIT (CD117) expression in a similar series of tumors.
A four-subunit DNA polymerase ζ complex containing Pol δ accessory subunits is essential for PCNA-mediated mutagenesis

DNA polymerase ζ (Pol ζ) plays a key role in DNA translesion synthesis (TLS) and mutagenesis in eukaryotes. Previously, a two-subunit Rev3-Rev7 complex had been identified as the minimal assembly required for catalytic activity in vitro. Herein, we show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pol ζ binds to the Pol31 and Pol32 subunits of Pol δ, forming a four-subunit Pol ζ(4) complex (Rev3-Rev7-Pol31-Pol32). A [4Fe-4S] cluster in Rev3 is essential for the formation of Pol ζ(4) and damage-induced mutagenesis. Pol32 is indispensible for complex formation, providing an explanation for the long-standing observation that pol32Δ strains are defective for mutagenesis. The Pol31 and Pol32 subunits are also required for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-dependent TLS by Pol ζ as Pol ζ(2) lacks functional interactions with PCNA. Mutation of the C-terminal PCNA-interaction motif in Pol32 attenuates PCNA-dependent TLS in vitro and mutagenesis in vivo. Furthermore, a mutant form of PCNA, encoded by the mutagenesis-defective pol30-113 mutant, fails to stimulate Pol ζ(4) activity, providing an explanation for the observed mutagenesis phenotype. A stable Pol ζ(4) complex can be identified in all phases of the cell cycle suggesting that this complex is not regulated at the level of protein interactions between Rev3-Rev7 and Pol31-Pol32.
Carbon capture and utilization via chemical looping dry reforming

Abstract Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a clean energy technology for CO 2 capture that uses periodic oxidation and reduction of an oxygen carrier with air and a fuel, respectively, to achieve flameless combustion and yield sequestration-ready CO 2 streams. While CLC allows for highly efficient CO 2 capture, it does not, however, provide a solution for CO 2 sequestration. Here, we propose chemical looping dry reforming (CLDR) as an alternative to CLC by replacing air with CO 2 as the oxidant. CLDR extends the chemical looping principle to achieve CO 2 reduction to CO, which opens a pathway to CO 2 utilization as an alternative to sequestration. The feasibility of CLDR is studied through thermodynamic screening calculations for oxygen carrier selection, synthesis and kinetic experiments of nanostructured carriers using cyclic thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and fixed-bed reactor studies, and a brief model-based analysis of the thermal aspects of a fixed-bed CLDR process. Overall, our results indicate that it is indeed possible to reduce CO 2 to CO with high reaction rates through the use of appropriately designed nanostructured carriers, and to integrate this reaction into a cyclic redox (“looping”) process.
Protein synthesis and degradation during regression of thyroxine-induced cardiac hypertrophy.

To characterize changes in rates of protein turnover during regression of thyroxine-induced left ventricular hypertrophy, New Zealand White rabbits received intravenous thyroxine (200 micrograms/kg/d) for 9 days. Thyroxine was withheld, and in vivo protein turnover was evaluated on the 10th, 15th and 20th days. Animals not receiving thyroxine served as controls. Heart rate, blood pressure, and rate-pressure product were measured to correlate changes in cardiac work with protein turnover rates during the development and regression of hypertrophy. Thyroxine administration produced left ventricular hypertrophy by increasing the rate of protein synthesis (from 37.9 +/- 8.9 to 64.1 +/- 15.3 mg/day; P less than 0.05) to a greater degree than protein degradation (from 29.8 +/- 8.9 to 48.2 +/- 15.3 mg/day for control and thyroxine-treated animals, respectively; P less than 0.05). Cessation of thyroxine administration resulted in an eventual return of left ventricular mass to that of normally growing control animals. The major observation noted during thyroxine withdrawal was a return of protein synthetic rates to normal. Absolute rates of protein degradation remained elevated, whereas fractional protein degradative rates (i.e. the fraction of total protein degraded per day) were unchanged by the administration and withdrawal of thyroxine. These results indicate that suppression of both physiological and hormone-induced growth following cessation of thyroxine resulted from a decrease in cardiac protein synthetic rates and an increased rate of flux through the protein degradative pathway(s), while fractional rates of protein degradation (and thus average protein half-life) remained unchanged. The development and regression of thyroxine-induced hypertrophy correlated with thyroxine-mediated alterations in cardiac work.
OSL—optimal single-loop guide paths for AGVS

SUMMARY This study deals with the Automated Guided Vehicle System guide path design problem. We suggest a single closed loop guide path layout configuration as an alternative to conventional but more complex guide path designs. The benefits of using a simple guide path versus more complicated guide paths are discussed. A procedure for designing an optimal single loop guide path for a given facility layout is presented. Finally, the single loop's throughput performance is tested and compared to that of a more complex guide path.
Otolaryngology Resident Perspective of Proposed Duty Hour Restrictions

Results A total of 150 otolaryngology residents nationwide completed the survey, representing 13.8% of the ENT physicians in training. Most residents were satisfied with their current level of training and felt that increased work hour restrictions would be a challenge to education (79%). Residents expressed concern about the level of care they could provide their patients. Fifty-six percent strongly agreed that they would not be able to provide the same level of call coverage for their patients given the new restrictions.
Capillary instabilities in polycrystalline metallic foils: Experimental observations of thermal pitting in nickel

Abstract Interference microscopy has been used to measure the surface profile of a thermal pit at the intersection of three grain boundaries on the surface of an annealed nickel foil. The experimentally obtained profile is compared with the predictions of a recently developed model of thermal pitting at grain boundary vertices by surface diffusion. This comparison indicates reasonable agreement between experimental observations and theoretical predictions.
A Two-Dimensional Kinetic Triangulation with Near-Quadratic Topological Changes

A triangulation of a set S of points in the plane is a subdivision of the convex hull of S into triangles whose vertices are points of S. Given a set S of n points in ${\Bbb R}^2,$ each moving independently, we wish to maintain a triangulation of S. The triangulation needs to be updated periodically as the points in S move, so the goal is to maintain a triangulation with a small number of topological events, each being the insertion or deletion of an edge. We propose a kinetic data structure (KDS) that processes $n^2 2^{O(\sqrt{\log n \cdot \log \log n})}$ topological events with high probability if the trajectories of input points are algebraic curves of fixed degree. Each topological event can be processed in $O(\log n)$ time. This is the first known KDS for maintaining a triangulation that processes a near-quadratic number of topological events, and almost matches the $\Omega(n^2)$ lower bound [1]. The number of topological events can be reduced to $nk\cdot 2^{O(\sqrt{\log k \cdot \log\log n})}$ if only k of the points are moving.
Objectively measured hyperactivity--II. Caffeine and amphetamine effects.

Errors of commission and omission, chair movements, and reaction times were assessed in fifteen previously diagnosed hyperactive children on a Continuous Performance Test after four drug regimens: amphetamine at doses of 1.6 and 5.0 mg twice a day, as well as 300 mg caffeine administered alone and with 1.6 mg amphetamine twice a day, produced significant reductions in errors of commission and increased reaction times in those children scoring 24 or more on the Conner's Abbreviated Parent Questionnaire. In addition, subjective symptoms on this questionnaire were significantly reduced by all drug treatments. The high (600 mg) daily dose of caffeine was observed to significantly control hyperactive symptoms, however, it also produced a number of side effects as well.
Remyelination follows antibody‐induced central nervous system demyelination

Remyelination after anti-galactocerebroside-induced demyelination in the guinea pig optic nerve was evident 17 days after the onset of demyelination. The tempo of remyelination was uniform for large- and small-diameter axons and progressed, with compaction and thickening of myelin sheaths. Demyelinated axons were found interspersed among remyelinated fibers and were consistently separated from oligodendrocytes by astrocytic processes. These findings indicate that central nervous system remyelination may occur after in vivo antibody-induced demyelination, but that new myelin formation may be limited by mechanical interference from astrocytic processes.
Maintaining the Competitive Edge - Use of Computers for Undergraduate Instruction

There is a revolution in U.S. undergraduate engineering curricula, one marked by a renaissance of interest in liberal arts education, re-emphasis on basic education, and a new emphasis on computer training. The Dept. of Petroleum Engineering at the U. of Texas recognized its weaknesses and in Sept. 1987 designed and implemented new curricula incorporating computer and technical communications skills for undergraduate students. This paper provides details of the curricula changes. The results of this 4-year program demonstrate that problem-solving skills of petroleum engineering students are sharpened through computerized education and proficient communication.
On the symmetries of strong and weak interactions

A model of strong interactions is proposed which admits a group (G 4×H) in the limit of a suitably defined doublet approximation,G 4 being a 4-dimensional extension of the isotopic spin group andH the hypercharge gauge group. Weak interactions having phenomenological chirality invariance properties or obeying the ΔI=1/2 rule are shown to be invariant under an unitary subgroup of the group (G 4×H).
Cytomegalovirus induction of interleukin-6 in lung fibroblasts occurs independently of active infection and involves a G protein and the transcription factor, NF-κB

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection induces the proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-6, which may contribute to the pathology of the infection. In vitro CMV induction of IL-6 by human lung fibroblasts was studied. The quantity of cytokine in culture supernatants was maximal 20 h after infection and decreased thereafter. Transcription of the IL-6 gene and IL-6 protein expression were equally stimulated by infectious and UV-inactivated virus (CMV-UV). CMV-UV-stimulated IL-6 was inhibited by pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (an inhibitor of the transcription factor, NF-kappaB) and by pertussis toxin (suggesting the involvement of a G protein) and occurred in the absence of CMV immediate-early antigen transcription. Neutralizing antibodies to IL-1beta or tumor necrosis factor-alpha did not affect CMV-UV-induced IL-6, but expression was inhibited by antibody to the CMV attachment glycoprotein. IL-6 production by fibroblasts occurs independently from productive infection but has characteristics that suggest a ligand receptor-mediated pathway. This function may be important in pathology or disease resolution.
Pollination Biology, Seed Dispersal, and Recruitment in Rudbeckia auriculata (Perdue) Kral, a Rare Southeastern Endemic

Abstract Managing rare endemic plants often requires an understanding of their reproductive ecology. We investigated pollination biology, seed set, seed dispersal, and seedling recruitment of Rudbeckia auriculata (Asteraceae), a species endemic to the Southeastern United States. Based on observations of pollinator abundance and pollen load on floral visitors, the most likely pollinators are primarily native bees, particularly Andrena aliciae Robertson in medium and large populations of R. auriculata, and Halictids in small populations. Seed set varied from 0.24% to 16.9% in small populations (<40 flowering stems) and from 26.5% to 31.4% in medium (40-999 flowering stems) and large (1000+ flowering stems) populations, with significantly lower seed set in the small populations. Exclusion of visitors from inflorescences showed that, like many members of the Asteraceae, R. auriculata is probably self-incompatible. Seed dispersal appears to be highly localized and dependent upon gravity. Seedling recruitment i...
Anomaly Constraints on Monopoles and Dyons

Fermions with magnetic charges can contribute to anomalies. We derive the axial anomaly and gauge anomalies for monopoles and dyons, and nd eight new gauge anomaly cancelation conditions in a general theory with both electric and magnetic charges. As a byproduct we also extend the Zwanziger two-potential formalism to include the parameter, and elaborate on the condition for CP invariance in theories with fermionic dyons.
Multiple minute palmar-plantar digitate hyperkeratoses.

SUMMARY Digitate hyperkeratoses are rare lesions of unknown cause. We wish to add a new variant of this entity to the few reports in the literature. Our patient is a 79-year-old woman with palmar pits and digitate hyperkeratoses limited to her palms and soles.
Unusual Complication of Endoscopic Cystogastrostomy

Gastroenterology 2014;146:e12–e13 Question: A 65-year old man underwent abdominal ultrasonography for occasional abdominal pain and early satiety. It showed an 8-cm cyst in the head of the pancreas with debris, subsequently confirmed on computed tomography (CT; Figure A). The patient denied excessive alcohol use, abdominal trauma, or abdominal surgery. There was no history to suggest acute pancreatitis. Upper endoscopy showed a bulge in the fundus and proximal body of the stomach. Patient underwent endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), which showed a 9 7-cm, unilocular, anechoic cyst occupying the entire body and tail of the pancreas. There was some layering debris within the cyst. Aspiration of cyst fluid revealed a watery, brownish aspirate, which on analysis showed a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level of >200 ng/mL and high amylase. Cytology was negative for malignant cells, with additional findings of amorphous material, anucleate squames, and macrophages. No mucin was seen. Despite high CEA, because of the appearance of the fluid, high amylase, and cytology results, pseudocyst remained in the differential. Owing to persistence of symptoms and patient’s reluctance to undergo operative evaluation, a transgastric cyst gastrostomy was performed. A 10-Fr double–pigtailed plastic biliary stent was placed from stomach into the cyst to establish drainage. There were no immediate complications and the patient was discharged home the same day in satisfactory condition. The patient developed right shoulder pain 2 days after the procedure. He did not have abdominal pain, shortness of breath, fevers, or chills and was tolerating a regular diet. Physical examination was pertinent for stable vital signs, normal breath sounds, and a soft, nontender but distended tympanitic abdomen. Abdominal CT is shown in Figure B. The stent was in a satisfactory position. What is your diagnosis and what will be the next step in management? See the Gastroenterology web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.
Sliding modes synthesis in nonlinear dynamic systems with application in pulse voltage stabilizers

The author develops methods of variable structure system theory for an output tracking problem in nonlinear dynamical systems. The goal is to provide the system a given (desired) quality of tracking error behavior in sliding mode (given eigenvalue placement and invariance to nonlinearities). The sliding mode in such a system is formed on the deviations between system state and the solution of a specially formed system of differential-algebraic equations (DAEs), called the system center. The developed approach is applied to the problem of control law synthesis in pulse voltage stabilizers with a two-section filter. >
Toward ethical norms and institutions for climate engineering research.

Climate engineering (CE), the intentional modification of the climate in order to reduce the effects of increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, is sometimes touted as a potential response to climate change. Increasing interest in the topic has led to proposals for empirical tests of hypothesized CE techniques, which raise serious ethical concerns. We propose three ethical guidelines for CE researchers, derived from the ethics literature on research with human and animal subjects, applicable in the event that CE research progresses beyond computer modeling. The Principle of Respect requires that the scientific community secure the global public's consent, voiced through their governmental representatives, before beginning any empirical research. The Principle of Beneficence and Justice requires that researchers strive for a favorable risk–benefit ratio and a fair distribution of risks and anticipated benefits, all while protecting the basic rights of affected individuals. Finally, the Minimization Principle requires that researchers minimize the extent and intensity of each experiment by ensuring that no experiments last longer, cover a greater geographical extent, or have a greater impact on the climate, ecosystem, or human welfare than is necessary to test the specific hypotheses in question. Field experiments that might affect humans or ecosystems in significant ways should not proceed until a full discussion of the ethics of CE research occurs and appropriate institutions for regulating such experiments are established.
Treat Early or Wait? A Stubborn Question that Remains Unanswered

In this issue, Schroder et al report the results of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) study 30846, which was designed to compare early endocrine treatment (EET) given at initial diagnosis with delayed endocrine treatment (DET) given at clinical progression in patients with newly diagnosed clinical T2-T3 pN1-3 M0 prostate cancer [1]. Endocrine treatment (ET) in both arms of the study consisted of monthly subcutaneous administration of goserelin acetate, and cyproterone acetate was given orally for the first 4 wk of treatment. Two hundred thirty-four patients were randomized between February 1986 and November 1998. The authors found that the results were inconclusive. I have a number of comments related to study design, interpretation of data, clinical considerations, and future perspectives.
Extramedullary B lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL/B-LBL): a diagnostic challenge.

B lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL/LBL) accounts for 2% of lymphoid neoplasms diagnosed in the United States. The incidence appears to be rising in both children and adults. B-cell acute lymphoproliferative disease manifest as pure leukemia (B-ALL) in 80% of cases, isolated extramedullary disease (B-LBL) in 10% and mixed B-ALL/B-LBL in 10% of cases. Extramedullary presentations frequently have marrow involvement at diagnosis that may be morphologically evident or may require detection by high-resolution flow cytometry.1-3 Sternberg et al. first recognized the correlation between nodal and leukemic presentations of pre-B cell neoplasms in 1905. He described a patient with mediastinal lymphoma that subsequently progressed to acute leukemia. Nathwani and colleagues established the current morphologic description of “lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL)” presenting with extramedullary mass lesions comprised of cells indistinguishable from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).4, 5 Current 2008 WHO criteria continue to classify B-ALL and B-LBL as a spectrum disorder, with B-LBL defined by the presence of extramedullary lesions with fewer than 25% marrow blasts. 6, 7 Herein we describe a case of isolated extramedullary B-LBL and review the pertinent literature regarding diagnosis and management.
Expression of 'drugable' tyrosine kinase receptors in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour: Potential molecular therapeutic targets for a chemoresistant cancer

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive malignancies developing sporadically (~50%) or in neurofibromatosis type-1 contexts (NF1; ~50%).1. Surgical resection is the only curative intervention for these highly chemoresistant tumors 1. Unfortunately many MPNSTs progress during treatment; inoperable disease is generally lethal, 2, 3 mandating improved molecular-targeted MPNST therapeutic strategies. While Nf1 protein loss with enhanced RAS pathway signaling activation may contribute to initial transformation, 1,2 additional genetic/epigenetic molecular aberrations are required for tumorigenesis and MPNST progression.6 Tyrosine kinase receptor (TKR) over-expression and deregulated signaling occur in many malignancies, inducing activation of signaling pathways mediating tumor progression.3 Several of these receptors (e.g. EGFR, HER2, KIT) have been successfully utilized as anti-cancer therapeutic targets, providing strong rationales for blocking cancer-type specific deregulated TKRs. Several TKRs may be over-expressed in MPNST.4 However, due to tumor rarity, such insights are generally made using small MPNST sample cohorts. With an overarching goal of developing MPNST clinical trials using molecularly-targeted therapies, we evaluated protein expression levels of multiple TKRs in a large MPNST cohort assembled on a previously described tissue microarray (TMA).2
Asymmetric Division: AGS Proteins Position the Spindle

Abstract Many cells divide asymmetrically by shifting their division machinery toward a specific region of the cell cortex, but little is known about how this occurs. Three recent papers have implicated activators of heterotrimeric G protein signaling in this process in Caenorhabditis elegans .
Elemental translocation and loss from three highly weathered soil–bedrock profiles in the southeastern United States

Abstract Chemical weathering of soils and rocks during pedogenesis is significant because it provides many essential elements for life and because it is coupled with the rise and fall of atmospheric CO2. We used geochemical mass-balance equations to quantify the net result of pedogenic weathering, i.e. elemental loss and gain, in three residual soil–bedrock profiles on the Piedmont of North Carolina. Soils are located on interfluves and derived directly from the bedrock below: a Kanhapludult (Tarrus series) from phyllite, a Kanhapludult (Cecil series) from granitic gneiss, and a Hapludalf (Enon series) from diabase. Bulk density ratios of soils and bedrock as well as elemental concentrations referenced to Zr, Ti, Y, and V were used to estimate strain and open-system mass-transport functions through the soil profiles. Estimated strains of the three soils indicated substantial volumetric changes during C horizon and saprolite formation. Overall, desilication was the most predominant pedogenic process removing chemical elements from the three soils. Losses of Si were about 50% of total elemental molar losses in the 8.5-m deep Tarrus profile, 75% of total losses in the 3.8-m deep Cecil profile, and 39% of total losses in the 4-m deep Enon profile. Base cations were also lost in great amounts following desilication. Losses of base cations accounted for about 50% of the total elemental losses in the Tarrus, 20% of the total losses in the Cecil, and 37% of the total losses in the Enon profiles. The specific base cations lost in greatest amounts differed among the three soils and depended on bedrock mineralogy. Sodium and Mg accounted for 24% and 16% of total elemental loss from Tarrus profiles, Na and K accounted for 14% and 4% of total elemental loss from Cecil profiles, and Ca and Mg accounted for 19% and 12% of total elemental loss from Enon profiles. The vertical pattern of loss of base cations was not always gradual from surface soil horizons to saprolite to bedrock. For example, almost 100% of Ca in the bedrock had been lost from throughout the upper 4.5-m deep Cecil and 8-m deep Tarrus profiles. Aluminum and iron were lost from A and E horizons but were accumulated in B and C horizons due to translocation as well as secondary clay and sesquioxide formation at depth. Physical and chemical data from all three soils and geologic substrata indicate that the entire regolith profile (A through C horizons or solum plus saprolite) is formed by pedogenic processes of elemental inputs, transformations, translocations, and removals.
Repeatability and randomness in heterogeneous freezing nucleation

This study is aimed at clarifying the relative importance of the specific character of the nuclei and of the duration of supercooling in heterogeneous freezing nucleation by immersed impurities. Laboratory experiments were carried out in which sets of water drops underwent multiple cycles of freezing and melting. The drops contained suspended particles of mixtures of materials; the resulting freezing temperatures ranged from ?6°C to ?24°C. Rank correlation coefficients between observed freezing temperatures of the drops in successive runs were >0.9 with very high statistical significance, and thus provide strong support for the modified singular model of heterogeneous immersion freezing nucleation. For given drops, changes in freezing temperatures between cycles were relatively small (<1°C) for the majority of the events. These frequent small fluctuations in freezing temperatures are interpreted as reflections of the random nature of embryo growth and are associated with a nucleation rate that is a function of a temperature difference from the characteristic temperatures of nuclei. About a sixth of the changes were larger, up to ±5°C, and exhibited some systematic patterns. These are thought to arise from alterations of the nuclei, some being permanent and some transitory. The results are used to suggest ways of describing ice initiation in cloud models that account for both the temperature and the time dependence of freezing nucleation.
Invasive Evaluation of Patients With Angina in the Absence of Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease

Background—More than 20% of patients presenting to the cardiac catheterization laboratory with angina have no angiographic evidence of coronary artery disease. Despite a “normal” angiogram, these patients often have persistent symptoms, recurrent hospitalizations, a poor functional status, and adverse cardiovascular outcomes, without a clear diagnosis. Methods and Results—In 139 patients with angina in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (no diameter stenosis >50%), endothelial function was assessed; the index of microcirculatory resistance, coronary flow reserve, and fractional flow reserve were measured; and intravascular ultrasound was performed. There were no complications. The average age was 54.0±11.4 years, and 107 (77%) were women. All patients had at least some evidence of atherosclerosis based on an intravascular ultrasound examination of the left anterior descending artery. Endothelial dysfunction (a decrease in luminal diameter of >20% after intracoronary acetylcholine) was pres...
Utility in clinical practice of immunoglobulin a anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody for the diagnosis of celiac disease

Background & Aims: The diagnosis of celiac disease often relies on the anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody test. The aim of this study was to evaluate its sensitivity and specificity in clinical practice with the use of commercial laboratories, in which the test characteristics might differ from research laboratories. Methods: We identified 122 patients with suspected celiac disease who had anti-tTG antibody serologies as well as upper endoscopy with duodenal biopsies. Those with celiac disease were classified as either classic (with diarrhea or other symptoms of malabsorption) or silent (asymptomatic). Biopsies from celiac disease patients were classified as either partial (Marsh IIIA) or total (Marsh IIIB or IIIC) villous atrophy. Results: The overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the anti-tTG antibody test were 70.6%, 65.0%, 91.1%, and 30.2%, respectively. The sensitivity was 90.0% for patients with total villous atrophy and 42.3% for patients with partial villous atrophy ( P P P = .02). Conclusions: The sensitivity of the anti-tTG antibody in clinical practice is not as high as previously reported in research laboratories. The sensitivity is significantly lower in patients with partial villous atrophy. There is also significant variability in test characteristics among major commercial laboratories in the United States. These results need to be confirmed in prospective studies.
Optimization of computation time for systolic arrays

This work deals with the general case of processors with multiple, possibly pipelined, functional units that operate concurrently and presents a method for the minimization of the actual computation time n/sub sys/*t/sub sys/. The selection of a linear scheduling function, which minimizes n/sub sys/*t/sub sys /is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem, which is shown to have a bounded search space. An efficient branch-and-bound method for the solution of that problem is proposed and applied to several examples. >
Dissociation of sad facial expressions and autonomic nervous system responding in boys with disruptive behavior disorders

Although deficiencies in emotional responding have been linked to externalizing behaviors in children, little is known about how discrete response systems (e.g., expressive, physiological) are coordinated during emotional challenge among these youth. We examined time-linked correspondence of sad facial expressions and autonomic reactivity during an empathy-eliciting task among boys with disruptive behavior disorders (n=31) and controls (n=23). For controls, sad facial expressions were associated with reduced sympathetic (lower skin conductance level, lengthened cardiac preejection period [PEP]) and increased parasympathetic (higher respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) activity. In contrast, no correspondence between facial expressions and autonomic reactivity was observed among boys with conduct problems. Furthermore, low correspondence between facial expressions and PEP predicted externalizing symptom severity, whereas low correspondence between facial expressions and RSA predicted internalizing symptom severity.
Developing As-Built Building Information Model Using Construction Process History Captured by a Laser Scanner and a Camera

Availability and accuracy of building information is critical for a variety of tasks during the lifecycle of facilities. Currently Building information modelling (BIM) is mostly used for design and construction. When the as-designed BIM is not updated with the construction changes, it can contain inaccurate information. A way to collect the as-is conditions is to capture how a facility is changing over time. Vision-based data capture technologies, namely laser scanners and cameras, are being widely used. However, occluded components and the challenges associated with reverse engineering of complex construction objects can result in incomplete as-built data. This paper presents a case study, in which a laser scanner and a camera were used to capture the construction history and develop a more complete as-built BIM. A progressive approach is followed to mitigate challenges associated with cluttered construction data. Components/features occluded in any captured scans were reconsidered throughout a continuous planning and data capturing process. Other sources such as as-designed documents are supplemented to as-built data for extraction of information items required for the as-built BIM. The discussions include more ample description of the background research and the addressed problem, followed by detailed description of this study’s approach. Lessons learned, findings and recommendations for future research are summarized.
Self-focusing effects in femtosecond laser-induced damage in solids

We show that nonlinear propagation phenomena can alter the laser-induced breakdown threshold in bulk materials. These effects play a critical role in the resulting damage morphology and explain previously discrepant damage measurements.
Evidence for Rapid Functional Reorganization in Inferior Colliculus and Cochlear Nucleus

During development, the neural circuits in the central auditory pathway are laid down and fine tuned; however, once adulthood is reached, it has generally been assumed that the neural circuits remain stable throughout the life span. Recent studies in the somatosensory and visual system have challenged this hard wired view of the nervous system since extensive remodeling and reorganization occur in both somatosensory and visual pathways when their peripheral inputs are either temporarily or permanently eliminated (Eysel et al., 1980, 1981; Merzenich and Kaas, 1982; Kaas et al., 1990). Because of the relative ease of deafferenting a specific segment of the peripheral receptor surface, the somatosensory system has been one of the most popular systems for studying the reorganization of the central nervous system. A striking example of the rapid reorganization that can occur in the somatosensory cortex is illustrated by studies in which the peripheral inputs from a specific digit or peripheral nerve is temporarily or permanently eliminated by chemical or surgical means (Dostrovsky et al., 1976; Devor and Wall, 1981; Calford and Tweedale, 1988). For example, some neurons in the somatosensory cortex have excitatory receptive fields that are only activated by mechanical stimulation delivered to a specific digit. If the peripheral inputs that activate the neuron are eliminated by amputating or anesthetizing the digit, the neuron does not become “silent” or inactive, but instead, rapidly shifts it excitatory receptive field to an adjacent region of the body surface to which it was originally unresponsive (Calford and Tweedale, 1988). This rapid reorganization is presumably due to the unmasking of the system’s intrinsic neural networks which were originally “covered over” by powerful inhibitory circuits. Functional reorganization is not unique to the somatosensory cortex. Indeed, it has been observed at the level of the brainstem and spinal cord following peripheral damage (Dostrovsky et al., 1976; Devor and Wall, 1981).
Important Probability Distributions

In Chapter 1 we said that a measurement is determined in part by a “signal” of interest, and in part by unknown factors we may call “noise.” Statistical models introduce probability distributions to describe the variation due to noise, and thereby achieve quantitative expressions of knowledge about the signal—a process we will describe more fully in Chapters 7 and 10.
Editors Introduction: Commodity Chains in and of the World System

In the two decades since the publication of Gereffi and Korzeniwicz's (1994) ground-breaking edited volume, Commodity Chains and Global Capitalism, scholars have conducted a vast quantity of research on international production networks. 1 Today there are voluminous literatures on constructs that are or would appear, at least morphologically, to be similar to the structure that Hopkins and W allerstein defined as a "network of labor and production processes whose end result is a finished commodity" ( 1986: 159). Although the commodity chain, or one of its later variants, has been widely mobilized to address concerns quite distinct from those of its creators, the provenance of the concept in world-systems analysis is often noted (Raikes, Jensen and Ponte 2000; Leslie and Reimer 1999; Le Heron and Stringer 2012; Fernandes 2010). The term was first introduced by Hopkins and Wallerstein in a 1977 article outlining a research program to study patterns of development of the modem world-system. Specifically, they proposed to follow the production networks of particular commodities as a way to trace the incorporation of new areas into an emergent worldwide division of labor during the long sixteenth century. Observing that the sequential steps involved in the creation, cultivation , and transportation of a particular good could be conceived as a commodity chain, they and their colleagues studied several specific chains to ascertain where these activities were carried out, and how the unequal returns to these activities created a stratified world-system. During the 1990s, in the context of growing academic and popular interest in what was perceived to be a novel and/or intensified phase of globalization, the commodity chain concept grew in popularity as one of the few analytical methods available for studying the growing complexity of international production networks. A new set of scholars~many of whom were unfamiliar with the macro-historical tradition of commodity chain research~embraced the chain construct to analyze changing industrial geographies, the rise of organizational practices such as outsourcing and off-shoring, and the implications of these developments for both core economies and developing countries. As the commodity chain concept gained currency, it began to circulate far beyond the community of PEWS scholars that coined it, complicating the relationship between commodity chain analysis and world-systems analysis. The clearest indication of this growing estrangement was a marked change in the conceptualization of commodity chains as potential pathways for development or upward mobility. Accepting that all commodity chains include a combination of "core" activities (those earning relatively high returns) and "peripheral" activities (those earning relatively low returns), commodity chain analysts nevertheless observed that the mix of activities