cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dosimetric Effect of MRI Positive-Contrast Markers vs. Negative-Contrast Fiducial Markers on Proton Radiation.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) The usage of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been limited in prostate cancer radiation because a lack of effective positive-signal MRI fiducial markers (FM). The FM used in our prostate clinic (gold anchor [GAFM] for photons; carbon [CFM] for protons) are not reliably localized with MRI. The uncertainty of FM localization using MRI affects spatial accuracy of the target volume planning and limits optimum patient treatment positioning. Current FM generate 10-38% proton dose perturbation. We hypothesize that the novel multimodality positive-signal FM (C4 Nova [C4NFM], are visible on kilovoltage, computed tomography, and MR images, with a reduced imaging artifact versus GAFM or CFM) can potentially improve the precision and accuracy of radiotherapy and present more acceptable proton dose perturbation. Herein, dose perturbation of different FM was compared. MATERIALS/METHODS The negative- (GAFM [0.38 × 8.4 mm], CFM [0.59-0.88 × 3 mm]) and positive-signal (C4NFM-5 [1.0 × 5.5 mm], C4NFM-10 [1.0 × 9.8 mm]) MRI FM were tested. Markers were arranged inside plastic water material at the center of a passively scattered spread-out Bragg peak (160 MeV, range 16 cm, SOBP 10 cm). The dose was measured using radiochromic film placed at 0, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mm downstream from the markers. The FM were oriented perpendicularly (PER) or parallel (PAR) relative to the beam axis. The films were scanned using Epson 11000XL flatbed scanning in 300 depi resolution and were further analyzed using imageJ software. RESULTS The proton dose perturbation is associated with marker type, orientation, and the depth of measurement (Table). Proton dose perturbation increased with the depth away from the FM before it gradually decreased to zero. Less dose perturbations were observed at the PER vs. PAR orientation. GAFM induced higher dose perturbation versus CFM and C4NFM in both the maximum value and the perturbation depth. Compared to CFM, C4NFM produced a lower maximum dose perturbation (1.4% vs. 3.0% at PER; 5.7% vs. 7.9% at PAR), and shallower perturbation depth (5 vs. 20 mm at PER). Notably, both the longer C4NFM-10 and shorter C4NFM-5 produced the same dose perturbation in both maximum value (5.7% at PER) and the depth (20 mm). CONCLUSION C4 Nova MRI positive-contrast fiducial markers have the least proton dose perturbation effect compared with gold and carbon MRI negative-contrast markers. These data may serve as evidence for future clinical trials to study the benefit of MRI from treatment planning to delivery using positive MRI signal C4 Nova FM in preserving tumor control while decrease radiation related toxicities in patients with prostate cancer.
Hepatitis B Screening Before Biologic or Targeted Synthetic Disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drug Therapy: Many Roads to Improvement

Biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) have long been recognized to cause hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in individuals chronically infected with or previously exposed to HBV.1 Despite this knowledge, many patients treated with b/tsDMARDs experience HBV reactivation each year because of inconsistent screening.2.
Generalizing Deep Models for Overhead Image Segmentation Through Getis-Ord Gi* Pooling

That most deep learning models are purely data driven is both a strength and a weakness. Given sufficient training data, the optimal model for a particular problem can be learned. However, this is usually not the case and so instead the model is either learned from scratch from a limited amount of training data or pre-trained on a different problem and then fine-tuned. Both of these situations are potentially suboptimal and limit the generalizability of the model. Inspired by this, we investigate methods to inform or guide deep learning models for geospatial image analysis to increase their performance when a limited amount of training data is available or when they are applied to scenarios other than which they were trained on. In particular, we exploit the fact that there are certain fundamental rules as to how things are distributed on the surface of the Earth and these rules do not vary substantially between locations. Based on this, we develop a novel feature pooling method for convolutional neural networks using Getis-Ord Gi* analysis from geostatistics. Experimental results show our proposed pooling function has significantly better generalization performance compared to a standard data-driven approach when applied to overhead image segmentation.
Use of Quantitative Admissions Data to Predict Academic And Licensure Examination Performance Among Physical Therapist Students

USE OF QUANTITATIVE ADMISSIONS DATA TO PREDICT ACADEMIC AND LICENSURE EXAMINATION PERFORMANCE AMONG PHYSICAL THERAPIST STUDENTS By Ralph Russell Utzman, PT, MPH A dissertation submitted in partial hlfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Daniel L. Riddle, PT, PhD, FAPTA Otto Payton Professor Department of Physical Therapy Professional physical therapist education programs use a variety of measures of academic performance, aptitude, and interpersonal skills when selecting students for admission. Grade point averages (GPA) and scores on standardized tests, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), are commonly used quantitative measures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of these measures in predicting which physical therapist students will encounter difficulty in the academic program or in passing the National Physical Therapist Examination (NPTE). This study used a retrospective longitudinal design. A nationally representative sample of 20 programs was drawn from the population of physical therapist education programs that utilize the GRE and enroll 30 or more students per year. The sample programs provided data regarding student demographic characteristics and undergraduate GPA and GRE scores for each student admitted to the cohorts graduating in 2000 through 2004. Programs also provided data regarding academic difficulty for each student. Data provided by the programs were matched to data provided by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy regarding whether the student encountered difficulty passing the NPTE. Data were analyzed using logistic regression, receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and diagnostic likelihood ratios. The final sample included data on 3,585 students from 20 programs. When controlling for program, cohort, ethnicity, and age, undergraduate GPA (O.R. = 0.851 k0.031), verbal GRE score (O.R. = 0.970 3Z0.017), and quantitative GRE score (O.R. = 0.963 *0.015) were independently predictive of academic difficulty. Within programs, undergraduate GPA was the most consistent predictor of academic difficulty, contributing to prediction of difficulty for 12 of the programs in the sample. When controlling for program, cohort, and NPTE test version, undergraduate GPA (O.R. = 0.882 3~0.03 I), verbal GRE score (0.R = 0.935 *0.016), and quantitative GRE score (O.R. = 0.965 3Z 0.014) were independently predictive of NPTE difficulty. Within programs, verbal GRE score was the most consistent predictor of difficulty on the NPTE, contributing to prediction of difficulty in 11 of the sample programs. The results support the use of undergraduate GPA and GRE scores for making admissions and academic decisions in physical therapist education.
Frenzied Representation and the Forbidden Image: 9/11's Falling Man and the Unrepresentable

This article deconstructs the events surrounding the initial deletion of Richard Drew's "Falling Man" photograph from the archive of September 11. Via such philosophers as Paul Ricoeur and Georges Didi-Huberman, it explores the ethical implications of examining the photograph, both by itself and in montage , and investigates American views of death and dying in that context. The testimonies and images that followed the collapse of the World Trade Center brought to the fore several prescient, though often ignored, philosophical questions which surround the nature of the image, its role in shaping the narrative of an event, and whether an image of a man in the last seconds of his life, directly following his decision to die but preceding his death, functions as a reminder that we might carefully interrogate what it means to deem something unimaginable, unfathomable, unrepresentable.
Los usos Del sexo

Este articulo analiza como la clasificacion legal y social de ciertas conductas como “sexuales” o “basadas en el sexo” dice demasiado o muy poco acerca del dano que estas inflingen. Por un lado, dicha clasificacion sobredetermina la conducta y el dano como algo sexual, y, por el otro, subvalora otros aspectos de esa conducta y ese dano que son descalificados cuando se les imprime el sello de lo “sexual”—aspectos raciales, nacionales o religiosos, entre otros. A partir de tres ejemplos (las interpretaciones que algunos antropologos hacen de las practicas seminales de los sambia como un tipo de “homosexualidad ritualizada,” del ataque contra el inmigrante haitiano Abner Louima cometido por oficiales de la policia de Nueva York, y de las violaciones y otros ataques perpetrados contra hombres y mujeres por soldados en la Antigua Yugoslavia) el articulo muestra como la nocion de “practicas sexuales” o de “crimen sexual” puede esconder discriminaciones de genero, raza y religion. Con esto en mente, la autora propone un desplazamiento desde el uso juridico discrecional de lo “sexual” hacia una revision de la violencia desde la perspectiva del derecho internacional humanitario. No podemos, concluye el articulo, perder de vista “los usos del sexo en la construccion de los hombres, la masculinidad y las naciones y en la destruccion de las mujeres, los hombres y los pueblos.”
Fooling All of the People Some of the Time: A Theory of Endogenous Sequencing in Confidential Negotiations

We analyse a bargaining game in which one party, called the buyer, has the option of choosing the sequence of negotiations with other participants, called sellers. When the sequencing of negotiations is confidential and the sellers' goods are highly complementary, efficient, non-dissipative equilibria exist in which the buyer randomizes over negotiation sequences. In these equilibria, the buyer can obtain higher pay-offs than in pure strategy equilibria or in public negotiations. The degree of sequencing uncertainty that maximizes buyer pay-offs is inversely related to the aggregate bargaining power of the sellers.
Effects of Transient Donor Chimerism on Rejection of MHC-Mismatched Vascularized Composite Allografts in Swine

Background: Despite encouraging outcomes in vascularized composite allograft (VCA) transplantation, the risks of chronic immunosuppression limit widespread applicability. It has been suggested that infusion of donor bone marrow along with the VCA may reduce the level of immunosuppression required to prevent clinical VCA rejection. However, no clear evidence has yet been presented to confirm the role of donor bone marrow in the prevention of rejection. In this study we investigated the immunologic effects of concurrent bone marrow transplantation in a large animal VCA model. Methods: MGH miniature swine (n=4) received a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen consisting of low-dose total body irradiation, T-cell depletion, a short course of Cyclosporine A, with or without varying doses of donor bone marrow cells in combination with a complete MHC-mismatched VCA. Animals were monitored daily for signs of rejection or graft versus host disease. Chimerism levels were assessed using flow cytometry and in vitro ...
Developmental regulation of segment-specific cholinergic receptors on Retzius neurons in the medicinal leech

Retzius (Rz) neurons in the midbody ganglia of medicinal leeches responded to ACh, applied to their somata, in a manner that depended upon the neuron's segmental location: Rz neurons in ganglia from midbody segments 5 and 6 [Rz(5,6)] hyperpolarized, whereas Rz neurons from all other segments [Rz(X)] depolarized. Midbody segments 5 and 6 are notable because they contain the male and female reproductive organs. Both types of Rz neurons responded to ACh in a complex way, but the initial phase of each response appeared to be nicotinic because nicotinic agonists evoked the responses and nicotinic antagonists blocked them. The reversal potentials of the responses and the effects of changing the internal and external Cl- concentration indicated that the hyperpolarizing response of Rz(5,6) neurons depended upon Cl- whereas the depolarizing response of Rz(X) neurons did not. The segmentally characteristic responses of Rz neurons arose during embryonic development. Removing the reproductive ducts [the peripheral targets of Rz(5,6)] early in embryogenesis caused the Rz(5,6) neurons to depolarize in response to ACh rather than to hyperpolarize. This result indicates that development of the characteristic response of Rz neurons to ACh is strongly influenced by interactions between the neurons and their appropriate target tissues.
TRANSFER RNA GENES ARE GENOMIC TARGETS FOR DE NOVO TRANSPOSITION OF THE YEAST RETROTRANSPOSON TY3

Insertions of the yeast element Ty3 resulting from induced retrotransposition were characterized in order to identify the genomic targets of transposition. The DNA sequences of the junctions between Ty3 and flanking DNA were determined for two insertions of an unmarked element. Each insertion was at position -17 from the 5' end of a tRNA-coding sequence. Ninety-one independent insertions of a marked Ty3 element were studied by Southern blot analysis. Pairs of independent insertions into seven genomic loci accounted for 14 of these insertions. The DNA sequence flanking the insertion site was determined for at least one member of each pair of integrated elements. In each case, insertion was at position -16 or -17 relative to the 5' end of one of seven different tRNA genes. This proportion of genomic loci used twice for Ty3 integration is consistent with that predicted by a Poisson distribution for a number of genomic targets roughly equivalent to the estimated number of yeast tRNA genes. In addition, insertions upstream of the same tRNA gene in one case were at different positions, but in all cases were in the same orientation. Thus, genomic insertions of Ty3 in a particular orientation are apparently specified by the target, while the actual position of the insertion relative to the tRNA-coding sequence can vary slightly.
Origin of Axial and Radial Expansions in Carbon Nanotubes Revealed by Ultrafast Diffraction and Spectroscopy

The coupling between electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom in low-dimensional, nanoscale systems plays a fundamental role in shaping many of their properties. Here, we report the disentanglement of axial and radial expansions of carbon nanotubes, and the direct role of electronic and vibrational excitations in determining such expansions. With subpicosecond and subpicometer resolutions, structural dynamics were explored by monitoring changes of the electron diffraction following an ultrafast optical excitation, whereas the transient behavior of the charge distribution was probed by time-resolved, electron-energy-loss spectroscopy. Our experimental results, and supporting density functional theory calculations, indicate that a population of the excited carriers in the antibonding orbitals of the nanotube walls drives a transient axial deformation in ∼1 ps; this deformation relaxes on a much longer time scale, 17 ps, by nonradiative decay. The electron-driven expansion is distinct from the phonon-driven dynamics observed along the radial direction, using the characteristic Bragg reflections; it occurs in 5 ps. These findings reveal the nonequilibrium distortion of the unit cell at early times and the role of the electron(phonon)-induced stress in the lattice dynamics of one-dimensional nanostructures.
Development of Field-Controlled Smart Optic Materials (ScN, AlN) with Rare Earth Dopants

The purpose of this investigation is to develop the fundamental materials and fabrication technology for field-controlled spectrally active optics that are essential for industry, NASA, and DOD applications such as: membrane optics, filters for LIDARs, windows for sensors, telescopes, spectroscopes, cameras, flat-panel displays, etc. ScN and AlN thin films were fabricated on c-axis Sapphire (0001) or quartz substrate with the RF and DC magnetron sputtering. The crystal structure of AlN in fcc (rocksalt) and hcp (wurtzite) were controlled. Advanced electrical characterizations were performed, including I-V and Hall Effect Measurement. ScN film has a free carrier density of 5.8 x 10(exp 20)/per cubic centimeter and a conductivity of 1.1 x 10(exp 3) per centimeter. The background ntype conductivity of as-grown ScN has enough free electrons that can readily interact with the photons. The high density of free electrons and relatively low mobility indicate that these films contain a high level of shallow donors as well as deep levels. Also, the UV-Vis spectrum of ScN and AlN thin films with rare earth elements (Er or Ho) were measured at room temperature. Their optical band gaps were estimated to be about 2.33eV and 2.24eV, respectively, which are obviously smaller than that of undoped thin film ScN (2.4eV). The red-shifted absorption onset gives direct evidence for the decrease of band gap (Eg) and the energy broadening of valence band states are attributable to the doping. As the doped elements enter the ScN crystal lattices, the localized band edge states form at the doped sites with a reduction of Eg. Using a variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer, the decrease in refractive index with applied field is observed with a smaller shift in absorption coefficient.
Increased Stiffness of the Abdominal Aorta With Intrauterine Growth Restriction in the Near-Term Fetal Sheep

Fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) results in increased placental resistance to blood flow, fetal hypertension and increased pulsatility [1]. These hemodynamic changes have been shown to lead to vascular remodeling in adolescents and adults [2, 3] but have received little study of its effect during this critical period of vascular formation. Epidemiological studies link IUGR to cardiovascular disease in adulthood [4], but the reason for this is not clearly understood. Here, we examine a large elastic artery for developmental alterations under hypertensive conditions. We hypothesize that fetal hypertension induces abdominal aorta (AA) stiffening in the fetal ovine model of IUGR and that the increased systemic artery stiffness is due to altered extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and structural changes.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
EFFECTS OF SURFACE STEP DENSITY ON THE ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OF ETHANOL TO ACETIC ACID

The electrochemical oxidation of ethanol (0.3 M in 0.1 M HClO4) was studied at Pt(111), Pt(557) ≡ Pt(s) − [6(111) × (100)], and Pt(335) ≡ Pt(s)-[4(111) x (100)] single crystal electrodes. The oxidation pathway leading to acetic acid showed a marked dependence on electrode surface structure; acetic acid formation decreased as the surface step density increased. On the stepped surfaces, facile C−C bond cleavage and high surface poisoning appear to account for the low acetic acid production. Isolation and quantification of acetic acid was achieved with ion chromatography. Oxidation products were generated in a small (∼40 μL) drop of electrolyte solution in contact with a single crystal electrode and analyzed following a short (60 s) electrolysis period. This approach enabled the specific and quantitative determination of soluble reaction products. For Pt(111), results were compared with acetic acid yields determined by in-situ infrared spectroscopy. Agreement between the two methods is within the uncertainty...
Why don't producers adopt best management practices? An analysis of the beef cattle industry

Cattle producers were surveyed to determine their adoption rates and reasons for non-adoption of 16 best management practices. Potential reasons for non-adoption included unfamiliarity, non-applicability, high cost, still considering adoption, and preference not to adopt. The two most commonly cited reasons for non-adoption were unfamiliarity and non-applicability of the practice. Results highlight the importance of educational efforts in encouraging adoption, as well as farm type and financial situation of the farmer.
Changes in splenic histology and cytology in mice bearing plasmacytomas

Studies of immunosuppression in plasmacytoma-bearing mice (PC-mice) yield important information for understanding a variety of immune phenomena. Most investigations of this model system have utilized splenic cells; thus, valid interpretation of much of this data rests on knowledge of the nature of the cells present in the spleens of PC-mice (PC-spleen). Nevertheless, no comprehensive description of PC-spleens has ever been made and is therefore the subject of this report. Major differences exist between normal and PC-spleens. PC-spleens are enlarged and contain an increased number of cells, the greater proportion of which are large in size. On the basis of morphology and expression of cell surface markers the absolute number of B cells and T cells per spleen was found to be normal or somewhat increased in PC-mice. However, the percentage of these cells was decreased due to an increase in other cell types causing changes predominantly in the red pulp of the spleen. The major populations expanded are polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages. The numbers of megakaryocytes, immature precursor cells, and metastatic tumor cells are also increased to a smaller degree. The implications and relevance of these data to studies of PC-induced immunosuppression are discussed.
Hepatitis B virus X protein increases expression of p21Cip-1/WAF1/MDA6 and p27Kip-1 in primary mouse hepatocytes, leading to reduced cell cycle progression

Abstract Previously, we have linked prolonged intense mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase; MAPK) signaling in hepatocytes to increased expression of p21 Cip-1/WAF1/MDA6 (p21) and p16 INK4a (p16), that leads to a p21-dependent growth arrest. In this study, we investigated the impact of hepatitis B virus X protein (pX) expression on MAPK-modulated cell cycle progression in primary mouse hepatocytes. In hepatocytes, expression of pX enhanced protein levels of p21 and p27, but not of p16. The elevated levels of p21 and p27 correlated with reduced DNA synthesis in wild-type (+/+) hepatocytes and with a weak stimulation of DNA synthesis in p21 null (−/−) cells. Antisense p27 messenger RNA (mRNA) (p27as) increased DNA synthesis in +/+ and p21 −/− cells, and pX blunted this effect in +/+ cells. In p21 −/− cells, however, p27as permitted pX to further stimulate DNA synthesis. These data argue that a reduced ability to enhance expression of both p21 and p27 is required to fully reveal the growth-potentiating properties of pX. This finding also implies that depending on the functional status of the p21 and p27 genes, expression of pX can have 2 very different effects on hepatocyte proliferation. Prolonged intense MAPK signaling reduced DNA synthesis in +/+ cells and enhanced DNA synthesis in p21 −/− cells. The enhancement of DNA synthesis in p21 −/− cells was blocked by pX, and the effect of pX was abrogated by p27as. Furthermore in p21 −/− cells, overexpression of p16 blocked MAPK-stimulated DNA synthesis, and this effect was partially reversed by p27as. These data argue that p27 can also cooperatively interact with p16 to inhibit DNA synthesis in hepatocytes. Collectively, our findings show that reduced expression of p16, p21, and p27, which can occur during hepatocellular carcinoma, enhances the ability of MAPK signaling and pX to cause proliferation in hepatocytes. Thus loss of cyclin kinase inhibitor function may play an important role in the process of tumor progression after chronic hepatitis B virus infection. (H EPATOLOGY 2001;34:906-917.)
Learning to cooperate with Pavlov an adaptive strategy for the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma with noise

Conflict of interest may be modeled, heuristically, by the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game. Although several researchers have shown that the Tit-For-Tat strategy can encourage the evolution of cooperation, this strategy can never outscore any opponent and it does poorly against its clone in a noisy environment. Here we examine the family of Pavlovian strategies which adapts its play by positive and negative conditioning, much as many animals do. Mutual cooperation will evolve in a contest with Pavlov against a wide variety of opponents and in particular against its clone. And the strategy is quite stable in a noisy environment. Although this strategy cooperates and retaliates, as does Tit-For-Tat, it is not forgiving; Pavlov will exploit altruistic strategies until he is punished by mutual defection. Moreover, Pavlovian strategies are natural models for many real life conflict-of-interest encounters as well as human and computer simulations.
Ecdysteroids in vitro promote differentiation in the accessory glands of male mealworm beetles.

Physiological peak doses of 20-hydroxyecdysone were added to organ cultures of young pupal accessory glands of maleTenebrio molitor. During subsequent culture in vitro or in vivo, the glands accumulated adult-specific antigens. Control organ cultures showed no such antigen accumulation. In this system, ecdysteroid controls not only cell cycles but also differentiation.
Biotic integrity of Platanus wrightii riparian forests in Arizona: first approximation

Abstract Many of the streams and aquifers that sustain Interior riparian deciduous forests in the US Southwest are being dewatered, yet we know little about how the plant communities are being affected by these hydrologic changes. This study found that several measures of biotic integrity, including Platanus wrightii xylem water potential, P. wrightii radial growth rate, tree species diversity, and woody plant wetland indicator scores, varied significantly with ground water depth and fluctuation among nine sites in Arizona. P. wrightii trees had highest productivity, and the forests had greatest compositional diversity, where ground water averaged less than 2 m below the tree base during the growing season and less than 0.5 m below the stream thalweg, and where ground water fluctuated annually by less than a meter. Where ground water was at a depth of 3 to 5 m, trees had low growth rates and low, seasonally fluctuating stem water potentials. Ground water tolerance ranges differ between juvenile and adult life stages, and P. wrightii seedlings were largest and most abundant where ground water was less than 0.5 m below the flood plain surface. Productivity and diversity generally were highest in perennial stream reaches; however, values also were high at the one ephemeral-flow site (Garden Canyon) that had high and stable ground water tables. The ground water thresholds identified in this study could be incorporated into monitoring plans and used as management ‘triggers’ to prevent ground water mining activities from causing loss of biotic integrity in this riparian forest type.
A test of fruit varieties on entry rate and development by neonate larvae of the codling moth, Cydia pomonella

The rate of entry by neonate larvae of the frugivorous codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), into fruit material was investigated. We used no-choice bioassays in climate-controlled rooms to assay larval entry across four host plant species (apple, pear, quince, walnut) and three varieties within a single fruit species (apple). Larvae successfully entering apples were reared to adulthood, and we collected tissue samples from apples which were successfully colonized in order to determine sucrose concentrations. This information was used to evaluate differences in adult moth size, development time, and pulp sucrose concentration due to apple variety. Four important findings emerged: (1) neonate larvae had the highest frequency of entry (86% of larvae) into apple fruits, compared with pear (78%), quince (56%), and walnut (32%); (2) the frequency of larval entry into immature apples differed across apple varieties, and larval entry rate was highest in variety Golden Delicious (72%), compared with Granny Smith (46%) and Red Delicious (64%); (3) on average, adult moths were larger and development times were shorter on the variety with the highest entry frequency (Golden Delicious); and (4) apple pulp sucrose concentrations were higher for Golden Delicious (17.5 μg mg−1) than for either Granny Smith (15.9 μg mg−1) or Red Delicious (15.1 μg mg−1) varieties, which correlates positively with entry and development data. We conclude that host fruit species and varietals within a species affect the entry rate of neonate codling moth larvae in no-choice assays. We hypothesize that larval development is influenced by mean sucrose concentrations or other phytochemical differences associated with host fruit varieties.
RB loss in resistant EGFR mutant lung adenocarcinomas that transform to small-cell lung cancer

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are effective treatments for non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. However, relapse typically occurs after an average of 1 year of continuous treatment. A fundamental histological transformation from NSCLC to small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is observed in a subset of the resistant cancers, but the molecular changes associated with this transformation remain unknown. Analysis of tumour samples and cell lines derived from resistant EGFR mutant patients revealed that Retinoblastoma (RB) is lost in 100% of these SCLC transformed cases, but rarely in those that remain NSCLC. Further, increased neuroendocrine marker and decreased EGFR expression as well as greater sensitivity to BCL2 family inhibition are observed in resistant SCLC transformed cancers compared with resistant NSCLCs. Together, these findings suggest that this subset of resistant cancers ultimately adopt many of the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of classical SCLC.
Endometrial stromal sarcoma involving the placenta

This report presents two cases of endometrial sarcoma tumor detected in decidua submitted with placentas for pathologic evaluation. The first patient had low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma discovered in the omentum and decidua at the time of a cesarean section for placenta previa. The second patient underwent a cesarean section for breech presentation and was noted to have a mass beneath the placenta that was histologically compatible with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma. We believe these to be the first reported cases of endometrial stromal sarcoma involving the decidua. These findings should elevate awareness that endometrial stromal tumors may be detected during placental examination.
Cyanide metabolism in the isolated, perfused, bloodless hindlimbs or liver of the rat

Female CD1 rats weighing 250-300 g were anesthetized with ip pentobarbital, 50 mg/kg, and either the liver or the hindlimbs were surgically isolated and perfused in situ with a Krebs-Henseleit buffer, pH 7.4, at 38 degrees C, containing 40 g/liter dextran and 30 mg/liter papaverine. Perfusion pressure was continuously monitored, and in most experiments, flow was maintained at the physiological rate of 8.5 ml/min. In-line Clark-type electrodes allowed the continuous measurement of oxygen extraction. Potassium cyanide to 0.15 mM was usually added to the perfusate just prior to the start of a run. After a period of equilibration, samples of the perfusate were taken periodically for cyanide (CN) and thiocyanate (SCN) analyses. The results were used to determine CN extraction ratios or clearance and rates of SCN formation. When it was apparent that a steady state had been reached with respect to the above, sodium thiosulfate (TS) was added to the perfusate (to 0.1, 1.0, or 2.0 mM), and periodic samples were again collected after an equilibration period. In the absence of albumin, TS rapidly and significantly increased the rate of conversion of CN to SCN in both the liver and the hindlimbs. The rate of CN clearance in milliliters per minute per kilogram perfused tissue was 20-fold greater in the liver than in the hindlimbs. However, when the results from hindlimbs were extrapolated to the total body skeletal muscle mass, the rate of CN clearance by the total liver mass was only 1.5-fold greater than in total muscle mass. In the absence of TS, total muscle mass cleared CN at a rate that was 2.6-fold greater than the total liver mass, but the rates in both tissues were very much less than in the presence of TS. The extraction ratio for CN in the liver was 0.8 and the clearance was dependent on the flow rate. The extraction ratio for CN in the hindlimbs was 0.2, and the clearance was independent of the flow rate. Thus, CN clearance by the liver probably increases (within limits) with increasing portal blood flow. Evidence was obtained for the existence of a significant CN "sink," particularly in the liver, which presumably represents reversible binding to unknown tissue constituents.
Adenocarcinoma of the lung metastatic to the uterine cervix: a case report and review of the literature

Hollier LM, Boswank SE, Stringer CA. Adenocarcinoma of the lung metastatic to the uterine cervix: A case report and review of the literature. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1997; 7:490–494. Adenocarcinoma metastatic to the uterine cervix is rare. When it occurs, extragenital primary disease is often in the gastrointestinal tract or breast. We report a case of adenocarcinoma of the lung which metastasized to the uterine cervix. Six months after treatment for lung cancer, the patient was referred for evaluation of vaginal bleeding. She had a visible cervical lesion and biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma with cells identical to the lung primary. She had no evidence of systemic disease. The patient was palliated with total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Were view the literature and stress the importance of appropriate diagnosis of cervical adenocarcinoma.
Efficient transduction of green fluorescent protein in spinal cord neurons using adeno-associated virus vectors containing cell type-specific promoters

In this study, we have evaluated the capacity of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors, containing cell type-specific promoters, to transduce neurons in vivo in the normal adult rat spinal cord. The neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter and the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) B-chain promoter were used to direct expression of a 'humanized' form of the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP). Neuron-specific rAAVs were injected into the mid-cervical regions of adult rat spinal cords. At 10-14 days, expression was detected in all animals and persisted for up to 15 weeks. Immunocytochemical and morphological profiles of transduced cells were consistently neuronal, and there was no evidence of transgene expression in glial elements. Transduction efficiencies for the NSE and PDGF rAAVs were estimated at 15 and 45 infectious particles per GFP-positive neuron, respectively, in the absence of detectable adenovirus. This study strongly supports a role for rAAV vectors in CNS gene therapy and lays the groundwork for delivery of more functional genes to spinal cord neurons as a possible way to enhance spinal cord repair following injury.
Signal processing related to the vestibulo-ocular reflex during combined angular rotation and linear translation of the head

The contributions of vestibular nerve afferents and central vestibular pathways to the angular (AVOR) and linear (LVOR) vestibulo-ocular reflex were studied in squirrel monkeys during fixation of near and far targets. Irregular vestibular afferents did not appear to be necessary for the LVOR, since when they were selectively silenced with galvanic currents the LVOR was essentially unaffected during both far- and near-target viewing. The linear translation signals generated by secondary AVOR neurons in the vestibular nuclei were, on average, in phase with head velocity, inversely related to viewing distance, and were nearly as strong as AVOR-related signals. We suggest that spatial-temporal transformation of linear head translation signals to angular eye velocity commands is accomplished primarily by the addition of viewing distance multiplied, centrally integrated, otolith regular afferent signals to angular VOR pathways.
Recognition of major histocompatibility complexantigens on murine glial cells

Summary Recognition of autologous major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens by T cells is an essential step in the induction of an immunologic reaction to either endogenous or exogenous antigens. We investigated the ability of murine glial cells of different ages to stimulate clones of allospecific T lymphocytes. We also investigated the effects of supernatants from cultures of activated T cells on the immunologic recognition of MHC antigens on murine glial cells. Lymphocyte clones specific for Class I, Class II and non-MHC, background antigens were obtained from C57B1/6J-anti-DBA/2 mixed lymphocyte cultures. Glial cell cultures were prepared from newborn syngeneic (C57B1/6J) and allogeneic (DBA/2) mouse brains. Glial cultures 1–4 weeks of age were able to stimulate α-Class I-specific clones. No stimulation of α-Class II or α-background clones was noted. Incubation of glial cells with supernatants from cultures of alloantigen-activated spleen cells (C57131/0-anti-DBA/2) resulted in a decreased ability of glial cells to stimulate a-Class I responses. In contrast supernatant-treated cultures acquired the capacity to stimulate a-Class II-specific clones. No responses were noted in clones responsive to non-MHC antigens. The ability to stimulate α-Class II-specific clones was most prominent with one-week-old glial cultures and was lost by four weeks of culture. The increased susceptibility of younger glial cultures to the modulatory effects of lymphokines from activated T cells may be a factor in the increased susceptibility of the immature central nervous system to persistent viral infections and the development of autoimmune phenomena.
Pouchitis Following Ileal Pouch Anal Anastomosis

Pouchitis is the most common complication resulting from a restorative ileal pouch anastomosis following a total colectomy for management of ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis. The etiology of pouchitis is unknown but it is presumed to be related to a change in the intestinal microflora in conjunction with an altered immune response in the ileal mucosa in genetically susceptible individuals. The use of antibiotics to induce remission and probiotics to prevent occurrence and maintain remission has been the mainstay of empirical therapy that has gained clinical research support. The majority of patients with an ileal pouch anal anastomosis enjoys a quality of life comparable to the general population, though pouchitis may have a negative effect for some.
People can live longer by being physically more activity

We all know being physically active is good for you. But do we know how good? People can live up to 3 years longer, even with as little as 15 min of physical activity a day, according to last October’s report by Wen and his colleagues at the China Medical University in Taiwan, China. Many researchers in the field of sport and health sciences know being physically active can bring many benefits to one’s life. But this message has sometimes been disseminated using a negative tone. So much so, Bortz of California, USA, has coined the word “inactivity” to describe “disuse” in 1982, and it is widely used in literature today. Just like the old saying, if you don’t use it, you lose it. One can lose one’s physical capacity too, if not used. This is especially true with advanced age, in addition to what comes with aging. Although we have learned a lot by studying the hazard brought about by being physically inactive, these researches did little to increase the level of physical activity as a whole. Most people have not been scared; despite the tone the information was presented. More and more researchers are trying to present this information positively in recent years. The positive information is presented mainly in the form of reduction of “Hazard Ratio”, Wen et al. used this term in their paper too, but most people really have no idea how to interpret “Hazard Ratio”. Lately, a few researchers used additional life expectancy to present their results with hope that these results will be easier to digest by the public and motivate more people to change their sedentary life style to a more active one. In most of the following studies summarized here, additional life expectancy due to physical activity is estimated using Life Table method after following a large group of people for a long time (e.g. 400,000 people, for about 8 years,
Effect of placement of phosphorus in a ring on the triplet-sensitized photorearrangement of 2-phenylallyl phosphites

Abstract The triplet-sensitized photorearrangement of 2-phenyllayl phosphite 4 is of the order 50–100 times less efficient than that for its acyclic counterpart, 1. This surprising effect can be understood in terms of the influence of the spiro ring system of 10 on the rate of its conversion to thermodymanically more stable 11 from which phosphonate 12 is formed.
Visceral pericardial hemangioma: unusual location for a rare cardiac tumor.

A 41-year-old man presented with chest pain and a positive electrocardiographic stress treadmill test. Coronary angiography revealed no significant coronary disease, but suggested a mass posterior to the heart. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography revealed a smooth-surfaced mass in the inferoposterior atrioventricular groove, with color Doppler evidence of vascular formation within the mass. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of the tumor, without extension into adjacent cardiac chambers or pericardial effusion. At operation, a 4.6- × 3.0-cm tumor attached to the visceral pericardium was excised. Pathologic section resulted in a diagnosis of hemangioma. Hemangiomas account for 2% to 5% of benign cardiac tumors, arising from the cardiac ventricles, atria, valves, and, rarely, the epicardium/pericardium. This case illustrates a very rare location for an unusual benign cardiac tumor. The patient recovered after operation without complication.
The Harrisons Go To Jamaica: Race and Sexual Violence in the Age of Abolition:

This article explores the intersection of race, the abolition of slavery, and the fear of sexual violence in the correspondence of Robert Monroe Harrison. A white Virginian and career diplomat for the United States, Harrison spent his career in the Caribbean, sometimes joined by his wife, Margaret, and their five children. For many years, Harrison's positions could not maintain the family overseas, but in 1831 he was stationed in Jamaica, Britain's largest slave colony, and the family was reunited. But slave rebellion swept the island in 1831, and Parliament abolished slavery in 1834. Harrison feared that sexual violence against whites would be the inevitable result of black emancipation, and, unable to protect his family, Harrison wrote about his fears to his superiors. Harrison's racial fears characterized those of white men faced with black emancipation across time and space. His correspondence is a valuable if disturbing window into the shaping of racist thought.
Clinical relevance of 1p and 19q deletion for patients with WHO grade 2 and 3 gliomas

Purpose To assess the frequency of chromosomes 1p and 19q deletions in gliomas and to correlate 1p deletion with prognosis in patients with grade 2 and grade 3 gliomas independently of histologic subtype. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 208 patients with WHO grade 2 and 3 gliomas who had 1p/19q molecular studies performed between 2000 and 2004. DNA was extracted from tumor tissue and germline material and evaluated by PCR using microsatellite markers for each chromosome. Results There were 113 men and 95 women with a median age at diagnosis of 40. Thirty-eight patients had a low-grade astrocytoma (A2), 58 low-grade oligodendroglioma (O2), 31 low-grade oligoastrocytoma (OA2), 21 anaplastic astrocytoma (A3), 37 anaplastic oligodendroglioma (O3), and 23 had an anaplastic oligoastrocytoma (OA3). Chromosome 1p analysis was performed in all patients and showed deletions in 105 patients (76% of O2, 42% of OA2, 21% of A2, 89% of O3, 17% of AO3, and 14% of A3). Chromosome 19q studies were performed in 118 patients and showed deletions in 46 (56% of O2, 45% of OA2, 27% of A2, 76% of O3, 11% of OA3 and 0% of A3). On multivariate analyses, chromosome 1p was a prognostic factor for prolonged PFS (HR = 1.75, P = 0.03) and OS (HR = 3.59, P = 0.02) in grade 2 gliomas but not for grade 3 (HR = 0.81, P = 0.7 for PFS; HR = 1.31, P = 0.7 for OS). Conclusion Chromosome 1p deletion is a significant positive prognostic marker in diffuse, grade 2 gliomas regardless of histologic subtype.
Cautions and Suggestions for Geochemical Sampling in Fractured Rock

Collecting water samples for geochemical analyses in open bedrock boreholes or in discrete intervals of boreholes intersected by multiple fractures is likely to yield ambiguous results for ground water chemistry because of the variability in the transmissivity, storativity, and hydraulic head of fractures intersecting the borehole. Interpreting chemical analyses of water samples collected in bedrock boreholes requires an understanding of the hydraulic conditions in the borehole under the ambient flow regime in the aquifer as well as during sampling. Pumping in open boreholes, regardless of the pumping rate and the location of the pump intake, first draws water from the borehole and then from fractures intersecting the borehole. The time at which the volumetric rate of water entering the borehole from fractures is approximately equal to the pumping rate can be identified by monitoring the logarithm of drawdown in the borehole as a function of the logarithm of time. Mixing of water entering the borehole from fractures with water in the borehole must be considered in estimating the time at which the pump discharge is representative of aquifer water. In boreholes intersected by multiple fractures, after the contribution from the borehole volume has diminished, the contribution of fractures to the pump discharge will be weighted according to their transmissivity, regardless of the location of the pump intake. This results in a flux-averaged concentration in the pump discharge that is biased by the chemical signature of those fractures with the highest transmissivity. Under conditions where the hydraulic head of fractures varies over the length of the borehole, open boreholes will be subject to ambient flow in the water column in the borehole. In some instances, the magnitude of the ambient flow may be similar to the designated pumping rate for collecting water samples for geochemical analyses. Under such conditions, the contributions to the pump discharge from individual fractures will be a function not only of the transmissivity of the fractures, but also of the distribution of hydraulic head in fractures intersecting the borehole. To reduce or eliminate the deleterious effects of conducting geochemical sampling in open boreholes, a straddle-packer apparatus that isolates a single fracture or a series of closely spaced fractures is recommended. It is also recommended that open boreholes be permanently outfitted with borehole packers or borehole liners in instances where maintaining the hydraulic and chemical stratification in the aquifer is of importance. In a field example, a comparison of results from sampling in an open borehole and in discrete intervals of the same borehole showed dramatic differences in the concentrations of chemical constituents in the water samples, even though chemical field parameters stabilized prior to both open borehole and discrete interval sampling.