cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Nova-T IUD--a review of the literature.

The Nova-T IUD is being widely used in Western Europe, Canada, and some parts of Asia; numerous studies based on comparative trials with other types of IUDs have been reported. The results were consistent among most studies, but conflicting among others. This review paper revealed that, in general, the Nova-T IUD is a safe, effective, and acceptable device for contraception. However, more comparative studies with the other copper-releasing IUDs are needed to resolve some of the controversial findings on its long-term (e.g., five years or more) efficacy, especially with the TCu 380A which has the prospect of being used worldwide. The epidemiological (e.g., effects of age, parity, and lactating status of the women) and programmatic aspects (e.g., provider factors and timing of insertion) related to the performance of this device are also reviewed in this paper.
CT-based attenuation correction in (82)Rb-myocardial perfusion PET-CT: incidence of misalignment and effect on regional tracer distribution

Misalignment of low-dose-CT used for attenuation correction (AC) may cause artifacts in cardiac-PET–CT. The aim was to evaluate incidence and severity of misalignment and its quantitative effects on regional myocardial 82Rb-distribution. Rest/dipyridamole 82Rb-perfusion-PET–CT studies of 92 consecutive patients were analyzed for misalignment. Two different scanning protocols were employed: the first 57 patients had separate CTs for rest and stress PET. The following 35 patients had one CT at rest, used for AC of rest and stress PET. Misalignment was visually scored on a five-point scale (0 = no, 1 = minimal, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, and 4 = severe). In five representative patients with normal perfusion and low probability of disease, 95 polarmaps were created by shifting CT vs PET prior to reconstruction of attenuation-corrected data sets using dedicated software (three dimensions of space; magnitude of shifts, 5, 10, 14 mm). PET/CT -misalignment was detected in 60% of rest and 67% of stress studies. Alignment for rest was better than that for stress (0.7 ± 0.7 vs 1.0 ± 0.9, P = 0.03). Comparison of the two protocols revealed no effect on the alignment of the stress study (1.0 ± 0.9 vs 1.0 ± 0.9, P = 0.9). Quantitatively, the largest individual effect of any artificial misalignment was a 25% reduction of relative 82Rb uptake. With a shift of 1 cm, the largest effect in an individual was a 19% decrease. Anterior wall was most frequently influenced by misalignment, but changes of uptake also occurred in all other segments. Misalignment between CT and PET in cardiac-PET–CT influences regional tracer distribution in multiple segments. Repeated CT imaging after dipyridamole does not improve alignment. These results emphasize the need for strategies to improve coregistration in clinical imaging protocols.
Size and frequency dependent gas damping of nanomechanical resonators

We examine size and frequency dependent gas damping of nanobeam resonators. We find an optimal beam width that maximizes the quality factor at atmospheric pressure, balancing the dissipation that scales with surface-to-volume ratio and dominates at small widths, against the interaction with the underlying substrate via the air that dominates the behavior of the wider devices. This latter interaction is found to affect the Knudsen number corresponding to a transition out of the molecular damping regime. We examine higher order modes and tune tension mechanically to vary the frequency of individual resonators, to resolve size and frequency effects.
The Impact of Technical and Non-technical Measures of Water Quality on Coastal Waterfront Property Values in South Florida

Abstract Due to the unprecedented population growth and increased economic activity in coastal areas, the health and hence value of coastal waterbody resources have been the subject of interest in recent years. In this article we estimate the value of a healthy waterbody through a hedonic property price analysis utilizing water quality as the amenity of interest. We compare hedonic analysis results using technical measures of water quality to the results using a non-technical measure of water quality “location grade” available in an urban coastal housing market of South Florida. Our results indicate that water quality improvement is associated with higher property values. In the comparison between technical and non-technical measures of water quality, we find that the technical measures provide better prediction of housing prices than the non-technical location grade. We further impute implicit prices for water quality improvement where significant mean willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates range from $7,531...
Enhanced precision pointing jitter suppression system

Space based defense systems, such as a Space Based Laser (SBL), and space based surveillance systems share a common objective: extremely high resolution Line of Sight (LOS) target imaging. In order to achieve the mission objectives, their beam control subsystem must provide precise LOS pointing and tracking capabilities with suppression of LOS jitter. Draper Laboratory has developed concepts and instrumentation that address these needs based upon a stabilized inertial platform mechanization that holds a collimated light source, called the Inertial Pseudo Star Reference Unit (IPSRU). This paper describes the original IPSRU design and a design concept for a new High Performance version of the IPSRU system (HP-IPSRU) that meet the jitter stabilization needs of the SBL. The IPSRU provides an inertially stabilized optical probe beam that provides a precise pointing and tracking reference with nanoradian jitter performance. The IPSRU serves as a master reference for stabilizing imaging and weapon system pointing and tracking. This paper describes the IPSRU system, its measured error allocation and integrated performance. It presents the error budget required to achieving the 5 nrad rms jitter stabilization performance projected to be necessary for an operational Space Based Laser system. A conceptual design for the HP-IPSRU is presented.
"I help you, and you help me": facilitated telephone peer support among patients with diabetes.

PurposeThe feasibility and acceptability of using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)–based platform to facilitate peer support among older adults with diabetes was evaluated.MethodsDiabetes patients with poor glycemic control receiving care at a Veterans' Affairs medical center completed a baseline survey, received rudimentary training, and were matched based on their diabetes-related self-management needs. They were asked to contact their partner weekly using the toll-free IVR calling line. At the completion of the 6-week period, participants completed follow-up surveys and brief telephone interviews.ResultsForty of 76 patients screened for eligibility by telephone agreed to participate, and 38 completed the 6-week intervention (50% of eligible patients). More than 80% of the pairs spoke at least once a week for 2 of the 6 weeks of the intervention. A total of 79% of the participants reported that the IVR system was easy to use, and 90% stated that they would be more satisfied with their health care if ...
Training's woeful countenance

In this article, we explore how the folk science of physiognomy shaped the training given to salesmen in the early 20th century. In reviewing training and vocational counseling manuals from the past and using them as cultural artifacts, one can put forth the theme that the field of training and development advances only through critical reflection - specifically, questioning training’s role within a broader context including issues of social justice. Lessons learned here include the recurring idea that we, in human resource development (HRD), must be vigilant in ensuring that not only are training outcomes ethical but so too are the interventions.
Thrombotic microangiopathy and cytomegalovirus in liver transplant recipients: a case-based review.

: Background. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a rare but potentially lethal complication encountered in solid organ and bone marrow transplant recipients, requiring rapid recognition, diagnosis, and initiation of therapy. Several potential causes have been identified in this setting, including viral infections and medications. Methods. We report a case of TMA in a liver transplant recipient with active cytomegalovirus (CMV) gastritis. A 41-year-old female presented 3 months after liver transplantation with a 5-week history of nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and diarrhea. CMV serology was donor seropositive and recipient seronegative (D+/R−). The immunosuppressive regimen consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. Evaluation revealed CMV viremia with a high viral load and intravenous ganciclovir was started. A decline in hemoglobin and platelets with an increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) warranted hematologic evaluation, which revealed findings consistent with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Ganciclovir and tacrolimus were discontinued. Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered and daily plasmapheresis was initiated. As the patient's blood counts and LDH started to improve, ganciclovir was cautiously reinstituted. The patient's gastrointestinal symptoms gradually resolved and her blood counts continued to improve with prolonged plasmapheresis (a total of 23 plasmapheresis sessions). Tacrolimus and possibly CMV infection were suspected to be the cause for her TMA, and cyclosporine was substituted. Conclusions. TMA is an important entity in the differential diagnosis of acute hemolytic anemia in liver transplant recipients. Many cases seem to be medication-induced. However, in treatment-resistant or relapsing cases, a possibility of concomitant CMV infection should be considered.
Getting an instructional design position: Lessons from a personal history

(a) choose to apply the lessons described herein, and (b) obtain a desirable instructional design position. Before I begin to describe the lessons I learned, I would like to describe briefly some of the conditions under which I learned them. First, I learned the lessons back in 1975. As many people are fond of saying, "times were different then" (but not all that different). Second, I learned the lessons when I was a doctoral student about to graduate from the instructional design program at Arizona State University. Third, at the time I learned these lessons, I was looking for a job in higher education in the United States. The conditions I just described are likely to be different from the conditions you face during your search for a job. However, I believe that most of the lessons I learned will be applicable to your search for an instructional design position, regardless of the circumstances facing you. Now that I have masterfully handled any concerns you may have had about the external validity of my findings, let me take you back to those thrilling days of yesteryear (1975, to be exact) . . . the lowly graduate student (me) plods along againI In the 1970s many people were talking about "the light at the end of the tunnel," and in January, 1975, I finally began to see it; I realized that within a few months I would most likely graduate from Arizona State University's doctoral program in instructional design. At that point, I decided I should start looking for a position I could move into upon my graduation. Thus began my job search. The first source I turned to during my search was the job book that was kept by the faculty members in my doctoral program. As I looked through that job book, I was reminded of a song that was popular back then . . . "Is That All There Is?" Needless to say, the number of academic positions listed in the job book was considerably less than I had expected. Thus, I decided to turn to other sources in order to find out about
Identifying and Controlling Coding Errors in Information Systems

Abstract Decision scientists and decision makers are often faced with a situation of uncertainty in the use of their methods and techniques when they must rely on data bases and information systems for accurate data. This paper reports on a research effort designed to change the uncertainty of the human element in the preparation of reports and data accuracy into a statement of risk in computer systems utilizing fields of coded data. Human errors in these data fields are dependent on the type of character used in the coding system, i.e., alpha, alphanumeric or all numeric, but independent of other factors commonly assumed to be causal. A methodology is presented for defining the upper limit of the probability of error in a coded data field, both before and after classical edit routines are invoked. Using this methodology, data accuracy can be treated as an element of risk rather than a factor to be pondered in the application of decision science techniques.
The “Invisible Hand”: Neoclassical Economics and the Ordering of Society1:

The dominant economic discourse of the industrialized world — in political, academic, and popular terms — is neoclassical economics. A founding proposition is that an “invisible hand” aggregates individual decisions driven by rational self-interest into socially optimal outcomes. We draw upon economics as well as the sociology and philosophy of science to question this fundamental proposition and investigate neoclassical economic theory's dominant position in shaping social and political organization. We document the historical and contingent processes by which the neoclassical narrative has come to dominate the discursive space of capitalist societies. We argue that, contrary to claims of value neutrality, neoclassical economics functions as a master social narrative, or a technology of power, that concentrates power by transferring socio-economic decision-making from multiple sites to the centralized nodes of global economic and political institutions. This transfer occurs through the domination of the ...
Application of Attenuation Measuring Ultrasound Shearwave Elastography in 8 post-transplant liver patients

Ultrasound and magnetic resonance elastography techniques are used to assess mechanical properties of soft tissues. Tissue stiffness is related to various pathologies such as fibrosis, loss of compliance and cancer. The basic principle of elastography methods is measuring shear wave velocity in tissue due to intrinsic motion or an external source of vibration, and relating the velocity to tissue elasticity. All tissue are inherently viscoelastic and ignoring viscosity biases the velocity-based estimates of elasticity and ignores a potentially important parameter of tissue health. We present Attenuation Measuring Ultrasound Shearwave Elastography (AMUSE), a technique that independently measures both shear wave velocity and attenuation in tissue and therefore allows model-free measurement of tissue elasticity and viscosity. Theoretical basis for AMUSE is first derived and validated in finite element simulations and polyvinyl alcohol and excised liver phantoms. AMUSE is used to measure shear wave velocity and attenuation in 8 transplanted livers in patients with potential acute rejection, and the results were compared with the biopsy findings in a blind study. The comparison showed excellent agreement and suggests that AMUSE can be used to separate livers with acute rejection from livers with no rejection.
Memantine strikes the perfect balance.

Excessive stimulation of glutamate receptors results in excitotoxicity and has a role in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease. By blocking pathological extrasynaptic activity but preserving normal synaptic function, the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine—at the proper dosage—emerges as a potential treatment for such neurological disorders (pages 1407–1413 ).
Building the foundation.

The teaching alliance, defined as the “explicit contract between teacher and learner,” is a fundamental dimension of all education and of particular importance in psychiatric and psychotherapy education. However, it is an often neglected concept in medical education and even, somewhat surprisingly so, in the psychiatric educational literature. The fine article by Ursano, Kartheiser, and Ursano in this volume of Psychiatry calls attention to this fundamental component of the relationship between learner and teacher in an important and useful way. The authors draw an analogy between the teaching alliance and the therapeutic alliance. The latter is an enduring concept which continues to be addressed as an important and “measurable psychotherapy skill” (Summers & Barber, 2003) of fundamental clinical importance for psychiatrists to acquire. Analogously, developing and maintaining the teaching alliance is a pedagogic skill that psychiatric educators must attain. In this commentary, I will call attention to how the teaching alliance in educational activities can be influenced by not only “transference issues” familiar to psychiatrists, but also the “Hidden Curriculum” of educational relationships (Haidet & Stein, 2006) which is an implicit, but powerfully important factor in educational settings. Haidet and others describing the hidden curriculum contend that the totality of what educators “do” in the learning environment creates an educational atmosphere that influences educational relationships like the teaching alliance in a manner analogous to how the therapeutic alliance can be influenced (for better and worse) by transference phenomena (Lazaratou et al., 2006).
Self-scanning of a dye laser due to feedback from a BaTiO(3) phase-conjugate reflector.

Feedback from a self-pumped BaTiO3 phase-conjugate reflector into an untuned cw dye laser produces substantial line narrowing (4–6 GHz) and generates a recurrent wavelength sweep from the rhodamine 6G peak at 618 nm to as far as 644 nm.
Nitric oxide-releasing S-nitrosothiol-modified xerogels

The synthesis, material characterization, and in vitro biocompatibility of S-nitrosothiol (RSNO)-modified xerogels are described. Thiol-functionalized xerogel films were formed by hydrolysis and co-condensation of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS) sol-gel precursors at varying concentrations. Subsequent thiol nitrosation via acidified nitrite produced RSNO-modified xerogels capable of generating nitric oxide (NO) for up to 2 weeks under physiological conditions. Xerogels also exhibited NO generation upon irradiation with broad-spectrum light or exposure to copper, with NO fluxes proportional to wattage and concentration, respectively. Xerogels were capable of storing up to approximately 1.31 micromol NO mg(-1), and displayed negligible fragmentation over a 2-week period. Platelet and bacterial adhesion to nitrosated films was reduced compared to non-nitrosated controls, confirming the antithrombotic and antibacterial properties of the NO-releasing materials. Fibroblast cell viability was maintained on the xerogel surfaces illustrating the promise of RSNO-modified xerogels as biomedical device coatings.
Parallel Construction of Bidirected String Graphs for Genome Assembly

Graph theoretic models for genome assembly are continually being proposed and refined. At the same time, large scale assembly projects rely on the overlap-layout-consensus assembly paradigm, in which the best pairwise alignments serve as seeds for a greedy extension of contigs. These methods, which largely rely on local information, are used despite research that demonstrates the superiority of other graph models, largely because the memory requirement of such models is prohibitive on single processor architectures. In this paper, we present a parallel algorithm for constructing bidirected string graphs from whole genome shotgun sequencing data, for use in the assembly problem. Our algorithm uses O(n/p) local computation - where n is the total size of shotgun sequences and p is the number of processors - and a constant number of all-to-all communications. We demonstrate scalability of the algorithm on the Blue Gene/L, and show that graphs for large, complex genome sequencing projects with deep sequence coverage can be effectively handled using parallel computers.
Regional Heat Sources and the Active and Break Phases of Boreal Summer Intraseasonal (30–50 Day) Variability*

Abstract The boreal summer intraseasonal variability (BSISV) associated with the 30–50-day mode is represented by the coexistence of three components: poleward propagation of convection over the Indian and tropical west Pacific longitudes and eastward propagation along the equator. The hypothesis that the three components influence each other has been investigated using observed outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), NCEP–NCAR reanalysis, and solutions from an idealized linear model. The null hypothesis is that the three components are mutually independent. Cyclostationary EOF (CsEOF) analysis is applied on filtered OLR to extract the life cycle of the BSISV. The dominant CsEOF mode is significantly tied to the observed spatial rainfall pattern associated with the active/break phases over the Indian subcontinent. The components of the heating patterns from CsEOF analysis serve as prescribed forcings for the dry version of the linear model. This allows one to investigate the possible roles that the regional he...
Manufacturing resource planning: an integrated decision-support system

A manufacturing resource planning system provides a vertically and horizontally integrated set of plans for each level of management and for each of the supporting areas of the organization. Computer simulations are used to generate these coordinated plans. Thus, a total system model is available for simulating alternative actions and evaluating the effects of each strategy of the business enterprise. The input requirements, benefits, and problems associated with such a planning and control system are also discussed.
Applicability of the US-DPC to the ITER model poloidal coil

The US-Demonstration Poloidal Coil (US-DPC) is a 2-m-diameter, 30 kA, 8 MJ, forced-flow Nb/sub 3/Sn solenoid made with a cable-in-conduit conductor using an Incoloy 908 conduit. It is approximately one half the scale of the proposed ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) model coil, and its test results offer several implications for the model coil design. The US-DPC was leak tight; it performed very well in DC tests; and it performed well in AC tests, achieving approximately 70% of its ambitious design goal of 10 T/s to 10 T in a series-connection mode with the JAERI background field coils DPC-U1 and U2. In a single-coil mode, the US-DPC achieved stable ramps ranging from 0.5 T/s to 6.6 T (35 kA) to as high as 19 T/s to 4.0 T (21 kA). An unexpected barrier of field or current (or both) versus ramp rate was identified above 23 kA, which appears to be related to short-duration energy disturbances and the 'limiting current' of the conductor. The authors describe the design and fabrication of the coil and the applicability of the US-DPC experience and test results to the ITER model poloidal coil. >
Sintering of ZnO: II, Density Decrease and Pore Growth During the Final Stage of the Process*

During the last stage of sintering of ZnO, a decrease in bulk density is accompanied by an increase in pore size and a decrease in the number of pores. Examination of the microstructures indicated that the pores are almost always situated at the grain boundaries and at the corners. The dominant pore size increases with time raised to the 1/3 power. The apparent diffusion coefficients calculated from the pore growth rate are in good agreement with lattice diffusivity for zinc. It is postulated that gas diffusion takes place along the boundaries during pore growth.
Plasmodium, Saurocytozoon and Haemocystidium parasites (Apicomplexa: Plasmodiidae) from the rock agama, Laudakia caucasia (Sauria: Agamidae), in southern Asia

Abstract: The rock agama, Laudakia caucasia Eichwald (Agamidae) is host to Plasmodium caucasica sp. n. and Saurocytozoon agamidorum sp. n. in western Pakistan. Plasmodium caucasica is characterized by very large meronts, 11-21 by 8-17 µm that produce 32-67 merozoites, which nearly fill the host erythrocyte, and smaller, ovoid to elongate gametocytes, 6-14 by 2.5-6 µm, with length by width (LW) 21-55 µm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-4.0. Host cells are usually mature erythrocytes. In Azerbaijan, P. caucasica parasitizes immature erythroid cells. Dimensions of meronts are 10-16 by 6-12 µm, and merozoite numbers are 12-44. Gametocytes are 6-14 by 3-6 µm, with LW 31-56 µm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-4.0. Saurocytozoon agamidorum sp. n. gametocytes are 6.5-13 µm in diameter, with LW 35-79 µm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-2.2. They occupy lymphocytes as host cells, which are greatly distorted by gametocyte presence and often show nuclei nearly divided into two portions, one portion at each end of the cell. Haemocystidium grahami (Shortt, 1922), redescribed from material found in L. caucasia from Azerbaijan, has rounded to elongate gametocytes, 8-19.5 by 4-8 µm, LW 60.5-102 µm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-4.5. The prominent light golden pigment granules often coalesce to nearly cover the surface of the gametocyte. The presence of P. caucasica and S. agamidorum extends the range of the two genera in saurian hosts throughout much of the southern Asia mainland.
Th1 and Th2 cytokines cooperate to stimulate mannose-receptor-mediated phagocytosis.

The mannose receptor is a macrophage surface receptor that mediates both endocytosis and phagocytosis. Previous work has demonstrated that the prototypical Th2 cytokine, interleukin-4 (IL-4), increases both cell-surface receptor expres- sion and mannose receptor-mediated endocytosis, whereas the prototypical Th1 cytokine, inter- feron-g (IFN-g), decreases both surface expression and endocytosis. In many aspects of the immune response, Th1 and Th2 cytokines oppose each others' actions. We demonstrate that IL-4 and IFN-g alone and together enhance mannose recep- tor-mediated phagocytosis, despite opposing ef- fects on cell-surface mannose receptor expression and endocytosis. Thus these usually antagonistic cytokines cooperate in increasing mannose recep- tor phagocytic function. The cooperative effect of these cytokines is not observed for Fc receptor- mediated phagocytosis. The Th2 cytokine IL-13 exerts similar effects to IL-4. Our results suggest that Th1 and Th2 cytokines may act in concert at sites of inflammation to enhance mannose receptor- mediated phagocytosis of microorganisms. J. Leu- koc. Biol. 64: 108-113; 1998.
Pre-Kaposi's sarcoma

Clinically uninvolved skin in a homosexual patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and Kaposi's sarcoma showed abnormal vascular proliferation (pre-Kaposi's sarcoma). The diagnostic and therapeutic implications of this finding are discussed.
Measuring Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Optimizing health-related quality of life (HRQL) has become an important treatment focus for patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Consideration of HRQL is especially relevant with the development of new antiretroviral agents that have significant side effects. The measurement of HRQL is still in evolution, and several methods have been used to quantify HRQL in the HIV-infected population. A review of existing studies shows that HRQL scores do not always correlate with disease stage or health indices and that symptoms have a significant impact on HRQL. Studies have also revealed that certain therapies for HIV and opportunistic infections exact a significant cost in terms of HRQL. HRQL outcomes will play a major role in treatment decisions for HIV-infected patients and in the development and marketing of new pharmaceutical agents in the near future.
Design of throughput-optimized arrays from recurrence abstractions

Many compute-bound applications have seen order-of-magnitude speedups using special-purpose accelerators. FPGAs in particular are good at implementing recurrence equations realized as arrays. Existing high-level synthesis approaches for recurrence equations produce an array that is latency-space optimal. We target applications that operate on a large collection of small inputs, e.g. a database of biological sequences, where overall throughput is the most important measure of performance. In this work, we introduce a new design-space exploration procedure within the polyhedral framework to optimize throughput of a systolic array subject to area and bandwidth constraints of an FPGA device. Our approach is to exploit additional parallelism by pipelining multiple inputs on an array and multiple iteration vectors in a processing element. We prove that the throughput of an array is given by the inverse of the maximum number of iteration vectors executed by any processor in the array, which is determined solely by the array's projection vector. We have applied this observation to discover novel arrays for Nussinov RNA folding. Our throughput-optimized array is 2× faster than the standard latency-space optimal array, yet it uses 15% fewer LUT resources. We achieve a further 2× speedup by processor pipelining, with only a 37% increase in resources. Our tool suggests additional arrays that trade area for throughput and are 4–5× faster than the currently used latency-optimized array. These novel arrays are 70–172× faster than a software baseline.
PD-L1 expression in nonclear-cell renal cell carcinoma

ABSTRACT Background Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in nonclear-cell RCC (non-ccRCC) and its association with clinical outcomes are unknown. Methods Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens were obtained from 101 patients with non-ccRCC. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in both tumor cell membrane and tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMC). PD-L1 tumor positivity was defined as ≥5% tumor cell membrane staining. For PD-L1 expression in TIMC, a combined score based on the extent of infiltrate and percentage of positive cells was used. Baseline clinico-pathological characteristics and outcome data [time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS)] were correlated with PD-L1 staining. Results Among 101 patients, 11 (10.9%) were considered PD-L1+ in tumor cells: 2/36 (5.6%) of chromophobe RCC, 5/50 (10%) of papillary RCC, 3/10 (30%) of Xp11.2 translocation RCC and 1/5 (20%) of collecting duct carcinoma. PD-L1 positivity (PD-L1+) in tumor cells was significantly associated with higher stage (P = 0.01) and grade (P = 0.03), as well as shorter OS (P Conclusion In non-ccRCC, patients with PD-L1+ tumors appear to have worse clinical outcomes, although only PD-L1 positivity in tumor cells is associated with higher tumor stage and grade.
Structural organization of intercellular channels II. Amino terminal domain of the connexins: sequence, functional roles, and structure

Abstract The amino terminal domain (NT) of the connexins consists of their first 22–23 amino acids. Site-directed mutagenesis studies have demonstrated that NT amino acids are determinants of gap junction channel properties including unitary conductance, permeability/selectivity, and gating in response to transjunctional voltage. The importance of this region has also been emphasized by the identification of multiple disease-associated connexin mutants affecting amino acid residues in the NT region. The first part of the NT is α-helical. The structure of the Cx26 gap junction channel shows that the NT α-helix localizes within the channel, and lines the wall of the pore. Interactions of the amino acid residues in the NT with those in the transmembrane helices may be critical for holding the channel open. The predicted sites of these interactions and the applicability of the Cx26 structure to the NT of other connexins are considered. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The Communicating junctions, composition, structure and characteristics.
Autistic traits are associated with diminished neural response to affective touch

�Social braincircuitry has recently been implicated in processing slow, gentle touch targeting a class of slow-conducting, unmyelinated nerves, CT afferents, which are present only in the hairy skin of mammals. Given the importance of suchaffective touchin social relationships, the current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study aimed to replicate the finding ofsocial braininvolvement in processing CT-targeted touch an dt o examine the relationship between the neural response and individualssocial abilities. During an fMRI scan, 19 healthy adults received alternatin g blocks of slow (CT-optimal) and fast (non-optimal) brushing to the forearm. Relative to fast touch, the slow touch activated contralateral insula, superior temporal sulcus (STS), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and amygdala. Connectivity analyses revealed co-activation of the mPFC, insula and amygdala during slow touch. Additionally, participantsautistic traits negatively correlated with the response to slow touch in the OFC and STS. The current study replicates and extends findings of the involvement of a network ofsocial brainregions in processing CT-targeted affective touch, emphasizing the multimodal nature of this system. Variability in the brain response to such touch illustrates a tight coupling of social behavior and social brain function in typical adults.
Performance of CDMA receivers under imperfect channel estimation

In a CDMA system, imperfect channel estimation causes performance degradation of a minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) receiver. This paper studies the effects of channel estimation error on the performance of a direct matrix inversion (DMI) MMSE receiver and subspace MMSE receiver when channel parameters are estimated by a covariance-matching technique based on finite data samples. The receivers' output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratios (SINRs) and bit-error-rates (BERs) are adopted for performance measures. Those performance indicators under such an imperfect condition are derived from a perturbation perspective and verified by simulation examples.
Structure of the hydrogen-stabilized MgO (111) - (1×1) polar surface: Integrated experimental and theoretical studies

The surface structure of $\mathrm{MgO}(111)\text{\ensuremath{-}}(1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1)$ bulk and thinned single crystals have been investigated by transmission and reflection high-energy electron diffraction, low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and x-ray photoelectron and Auger electron diffraction. The $(1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1)$ polar surface periodicity is observed both after 800 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C annealing in air and also after oxygen plasma cleaning and annealing in ultrahigh vacuum. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction results were analyzed by simulations based on path-reversed LEED theory and by first-principles calculations to help distinguish between different mechanisms for the stabilization of this extremely polar oxide surface: (1) stabilization by adsorption of a hydrogen monolayer; maintaining the insulating nature of the surface and (2) stabilization of the clean O or Mg terminated $1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1$ surface by interlayer relaxations and two-dimensional surface metallization. The analysis favors stabilization by a single OH layer, where hydrogen sits on top of the O ions with O-H bond distance of 0.98\AA{}. The in-plane O and Mg positions fit regular rocksalt sites, the distance between the topmost O and Mg plane is 1.04 \AA{}, contracted by $\ensuremath{\sim}14%$ with respect to bulk MgO distance of 1.21 \AA{}, while the interlayer separation of the deeper layers is close to that of bulk, contracted by less than 1%. The presence of a monolayer of H associated with the terminal layer of oxygen reduces significantly the surface dipole and stabilizes the surface.
Heavy-Ion Damage to Magnesium Diboride Films: Electrical Transport-Current Characterization

The use of magnesium diboride in superconducting magnets, transmission lines, or other large-scale applications depends on the transport-current characteristics of this material in magnetic field, and how they compare to the properties of conventional and high-temperature superconductors. Thin films of boron grown on sapphire substrates during electron-beam evaporation were exposed to Mg vapor to produce 0.5-µm thick layers of the metallic compound MgB2. Four-terminal measurements of their voltagecurrent relations, E(J), were carried out before and after exposure to Bf=1-T and higher doses of 1-Gev U ions. These doses lowered critical temperatures Tc≈39 K less than 0.1 degree, raised the normal-state resistivity, and reduced the loss-free critical current density, Jc. Higher doses added little. The reduction of current densities was greater in the presence of applied magnetic field greater than 0.1 T.
GI and Liver Transplantation Pathology in Childhood

This chapter attempts to focus on the main indications and pathology of liver, gastrointestinal and bone marrow transplantation. The author has attempted to restrict the findings to pediatric transplants and focuses on the salient features of all complications post-transplant. The first portion on liver transplant pathology focuses on the common pediatric indications as well as the use of explanted livers as a teaching library for pediatric liver diseases. The role of the pathologist is stressed and the complications of rejection, both acute and chronic are highlighted. The post-transplant infections and tumors are also discussed. The important focus is on differential diagnosis and how to differentiate changes of rejection from other causes and recurrence of disease. The second part of the chapter deals with the common indications and complications of small bowel transplant along with grading of acute cellular rejection, pathology of chronic rejection, posttransplant infections and posttransplant tumors. A brief focus on colonic and gastric transplants included as part of a multivisceral transplant is also described. The third section on complications of bone marrow transplant concentrates on the main GI complications involving the liver and gastrointestinal tracts. All sections have been illustrated amply to highlight the major pathologic points.
Optimization of RANS Solver Simulation Setup for Propeller Open Water Performance Prediction

Mesh and domain optimization strategies for a RANS solver to accurately estimate the open water propulsive characteristics of fixed pitch propellers are proposed based on examining the effect of different mesh and computation domain parameters. The optimized mesh and domain size parameters were selected using Design of Experiments (DoE) methods enabling simulations to be carried out in a limited memory environment, and in a timely manner; without compromising the accuracy of results. A Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes solver is used to predict the propulsive performance of a fixed pitch propeller. The predicted thrust and torque for the propeller were compared to the corresponding measurements.A total of six meshing parameters were selected that could affect the computational results of propeller open water performance. A two-level fractional factorial design was used to screen out parameters that do not significantly contribute to explaining the dependent parameters: namely simulation time, propeller thrust and propeller torque. A total of 32 simulations were carried out only to find out that the selected six meshing parameters were significant in defining the response parameters. Optimum values of each of the input parameters were obtained for the DOE technique and additional simulations were run with those parameters. The simulation results were validated using open water experimental results of the same propeller.It was found that with the optimized meshing arrangement, the propeller opens simulation time was reduced by at least a factor of 6 as compared to the generally popular meshing arrangement. Also, the accuracy of propulsive characteristics was improved by up to 50% as compared to published simulation results. The methodologies presented in this paper can be similarly applied to other simulations such as calm water ship resistance, ship propulsion to systematically derive the optimized meshing arrangement for simulations with minimal simulation time and maximum accuracy. This investigation was carried out using STAR-CCM+, a commercial CFD package; however the findings can be applied to any RANS solver.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Snai2 and Snai3 transcriptionally regulate cellular fitness and functionality of T cell lineages through distinct gene programs

T lymphocytes are essential contributors to the adaptive immune system and consist of multiple lineages that serve various effector and regulatory roles. As such, precise control of gene expression is essential to the proper development and function of these cells. Previously, we identified Snai2 and Snai3 as being essential regulators of immune tolerance partly due to the impaired function of CD4(+) regulatory T cells in Snai2/3 conditional double knockout mice. Here we extend those previous findings using a bone marrow transplantation model to provide an environmentally unbiased view of the molecular changes imparted onto various T lymphocyte populations once Snai2 and Snai3 are deleted. The data presented here demonstrate that Snai2 and Snai3 transcriptionally regulate the cellular fitness and functionality of not only CD4(+) regulatory T cells but effector CD8(α+) and CD4(+) conventional T cells as well. This is achieved through the modulation of gene sets unique to each cell type and includes transcriptional targets relevant to the survival and function of each T cell lineage. As such, Snai2 and Snai3 are essential regulators of T cell immunobiology.
Maintenance of thyroid hormone production during exercise-induced weight loss

Calorie restriction reduces thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) production, but the effects of exercise-induced weight loss on thyroid hormone metabolism in rodents are unclear. We studied the effects of chronic exercise on T4 and T3 metabolism comparing exercising (exercise) rats pair fed to sedentary (control) rodents and to weight-matched underfed sedentary animals (underfed; caloric intake 75% of ad libitum-fed controls). The exercise group utilized voluntary running wheels (28 days), and thyroid hormone metabolism was assessed using a three-compartment kinetics model. The exercise and underfed groups were equivalent in weight, but protein mass was greater in the exercise vs. underfed groups (30.4 +/- 0.5 vs. 27.9 +/- 0.5 g; P less than 0.05). During exercise, the T4 plasma clearance rate (PCR) was decreased (-39.2%; P less than 0.01) and the T4 concentration in serum was increased (48.6%; P less than 0.01), resulting in an unchanged T4 plasma appearance rate (PAR) vs. the control group. The decrease in T4 PCR in the exercise group was associated with a lower transport rate of T4 out of the slow pool (P less than 0.01). In the underfed group there was a reduction in both T4 serum concentration and PAR (-36%; P less than 0.01) compared with the control group, which was associated with a decrease in the volume of distribution (-25%; P less than 0.01). T3 PAR decreased 38.7% (P less than 0.01) during underfeeding but only 16.9% (P = not significant) during exercise vs. the control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Right hepatic lobe atrophy in horses: 17 cases (1983-1993)

The case records of 17 horses with atrophy of the right hepatic lobe were reviewed. Fifteen horses had signs of colic. Two horses had clinical problems that were unassociated with gastrointestinal tract disease. Ages ranged from 5 to 30 years (mean, 12.6 years) and there was no breed or sex predisposition. In clinically normal horses, the right hepatic lobe constitutes half of the total liver weight. The right hepatic lobe in the 17 horses in this study ranged from 11.0 to 38.3% of the total liver weight (mean, 27.8%). Findings on histologic examination of hepatic tissue from horses in the study were variable. Most had loss of hepatocytes, with condensation of hepatic stroma and thick wrinkled hepatic capsules. Additional findings in the horses included torsion of the large colon (15), ileus without gastric rupture (3), typhlocolitis (2), colon infarction secondary to mesenteric strangulation (1), colon infarction secondary to sepsis (1), strangulation of the small intestine from pendulous lipoma (1), and nephrosplenic entrapment (1). No morphologic evidence of angiopathic disease involving the arterial or venous blood supply to the right hepatic lobe was found. Additionally, there was no evidence of biliary tract disease in this portion of the liver. Right hepatic lobe atrophy is believed to result from long-term, insidious, compression of this portion of the liver from abnormal distention of the right dorsal colon and base of the cecum. The practice of feeding horses high-concentrate, low-fiber diets may contribute to atony of the right dorsal colon, with resultant distention that compresses the right hepatic lobe against the rigid, visceral surface of the diaphragm.
A neuroendocrine-immune interface. The immunostimulatory state of aldosteronism.

Hypertension is an important determinant of heart failure. Ventricular systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction can eventuate in an activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Circulating RAAS effector hormones lead to: the appearance of the congestive heart failure syndrome; and a systemic illness that features oxi/nitrosative stress in various tissues, including blood, together with circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, anorexia and, ultimately, cachexia. In addition to its well-known endocrine properties, expressed in epithelial cells of classic target tissues, aldosterone (ALDO) has an emerging portfolio of actions in nonclassic target tissues, such as circulating lymphocytes and monocytes (or peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC]). This neuroendocrine-immune interface is based on Na+-dependent, ALDO-induced iterations in PBMC cytosolic free [Mg2+]i and [Ca2+]i. Ca2+ loading contributes to an induction of oxi/nitrosative stress and activation of PBMC transcriptome. This immunostimulatory state begets a pro-inflammatory/fibrogenic vascular phenotype involving the heart and systemic organs and can be prevented by either ALDO receptor antagonism or antioxidant. The established efficacy of ALDO receptor antagonism as an integral component of the overall management of symptomatic heart failure may include its immunomodulatory properties. This brief review traces studies that led to and then identified the neuroendocrine-immune interface that accompanies aldosteronism.
Iron pyrite thin films grown through a one-step annealing of iron oxide using sulfur sources, tert-butyl disulfide and H2S

Abstract In this work, we report synthesis of pyrite thin films using tert- butyl disulfide (TBDS) and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) in one-step atmospheric pressure sulfurization of iron oxide films at 400 °C on a soda-lime glass, molybdenum coated soda-lime glass and sodium-free glass substrates. The iron pyrite thin films grown using TBDS did not require the presence of sodium to form the pyrite phase, whereas H 2 S grown pyrite thin films did. It was observed that the pyrite formation and thus the sulfur diffusion into the oxide film was slower in TBDS compared to H 2 S. The synthesized films were characterized for their surface morphology and phase identification using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. The S:Fe atomic ratio as well as their chemical bonding states were monitored to obtain and maintain a stoichiometric 2:1 ratio through the entire film thickness as a function of the sulfurization time by performing an XPS depth profile. Transmittance measurements confirmed the pyrite phase with an optical bandgap of 1.15 eV. The TEM electron-beam diffraction spots were used to verify the impurity phases observed in XRD patterns. Hall Effect measurements showed p-type carriers for the pyrite films.