cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational methods for task-directed sensor data fusion and sensor planning

In this article we consider the problem of task-directed information gathering. We first develop a decision-theo retic model of task-directed sensing in which sensors are modeled as noise-contaminated, uncertain measurement systems, and sensing tasks are inodeled by a transforma tion describing the type of information required by the task, a utility function describing sensitivity to error, and a cost function describing time or resource constraints on the system.This description allows us to develop a standard condi tional Bayes decision-making model where the value of information, or payoff, of an estimate is defined as the average utility (the expected value of some function of decision or estimation error) relative to the current proba bility distribution and the best estimate is that which max imizes payoff. The optimal sensor viewing strategy is that which maximizes the net payoff (decision value minus observation costs) of the final estimate. The advantage of this solution is generality—it does not...
Metabolic and evolutionary relationships among Pyrococcus Species: genetic exchange within a hydrothermal vent environment.

ABSTRACT Pyrococcus furiosus and Pyrococcus woesei grow optimally at temperatures near 100°C and were isolated from the same shallow marine volcanic vent system. Hybridization of genomic DNA from P. woesei to a DNA microarray containing all 2,065 open reading frames (ORFs) annotated in the P. furiosus genome, in combination with PCR analysis, indicated that homologs of 105 ORFs present in P. furiosus are absent from the uncharacterized genome of P. woesei. Pulsed-field electrophoresis indicated that the sizes of the two genomes are comparable, and the results were consistent with the hypothesis that P. woesei lacks the 105 ORFs found in P. furiosus. The missing ORFs are present in P. furiosus mainly in clusters. These clusters include one cluster (Mal I, PF1737 to PF1751) involved in maltose metabolism and another cluster (PF0691 to PF0695) whose products are thought to remove toxic reactive nitrogen species. Accordingly, it was found that P. woesei, in contrast to P. furiosus, is unable to utilize maltose as a carbon source for growth, and the growth of P. woesei on starch was inhibited by addition of a nitric oxide generator. In P. furiosus the ORF clusters not present in P. woesei are bracketed by or are in the vicinity of insertion sequences or long clusters of tandem repeats (LCTRs). While the role of LCTRs in lateral gene transfer is not known, the Mal I cluster in P. furiosus is a composite transposon that undergoes replicative transposition. The same locus in P. woesei lacks any evidence of insertion activity, indicating that P. woesei is a sister or even the parent of P. furiosus. P. woesei may have acquired by lateral gene transfer more than 100 ORFs from other organisms living in the same thermophilic environment to produce the type strain of P. furiosus.
Correlation of singlet-triplet gaps for aryl carbenes calculated by MINDO/3, MNDO, AM1, and PM3 with Hammett-type substituent constants

Heats of formation, atomic charges, and geometries of some 110 structures involving substituted singlet and triplet phenyl and 4,4-dimethyl-1,4-dihydronaphthalene carbenes and the corresponding diazomethanes were calculated by MINDO/3, MNDO, AM1, and PM3 semiempirical molecular orbital methods. The singlet-triplet gaps for AM1 and PM3 calculations for the para derivatives in both systems have been successfully correlated with Brown σ+ constants. Good correlations with σ+ were found for the charges on the carbenic centers of the singlets as well as with the energy barrier for rotation of the aryl group about the C-C single bond in substituted singlet phenylcarbenes. Comparisons of these results with experimental data indicate that AM1 and PM3 are much better than MNDO and MINDO/3 in predicting the intrinsic substituent effects in singlet carbenes.
Accuracy of Atmospheric Energy Budgets from Analyses

Abstract Issues relevant to achieving an accuracy of better than 10 W m−2 on 250-km scales for monthly means in the atmospheric energy balance are explored from the standpoint of the formulation and computational procedures using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP–NCAR, hereafter referred to as NCEP) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalyses. The focus is on the vertically integrated energy components, their monthly tendencies, transports, and divergences, using the most accurate computations in model and pressure coordinates. Approximate equations have often been used previously; although relatively small compared with the moist static energy, kinetic energy transports should be taken into account, as divergences can exceed several tens of watts per square meter. Changes in energy storage terms over a month are not negligible, as they are typically over 25 W m−2 in storm track regions. Transports of energy a...
Surface texturing to control friction and wear for energy efficiency and sustainability

Precise control of friction and wear is very important for energy efficiency and sustainability in manufacturing processes. In this research, different kinds of surface textures have been created on steel surfaces to vary the frictional conditions at the interface. The surface textures were varied from unidirectional pattern to criss-cross pattern by rubbing the steel surfaces under dry conditions against different grits of emery papers for various numbers of cycles. The sliding experiments were conducted at a velocity of 2 mm/s using an inclined pin-on-plate apparatus with Al–Mg alloy pins against steel plate surfaces of different textures with roughness under dry and lubricated conditions at ambient conditions. Results showed that the coefficient of friction (COF) and transfer layer formation on the plate surfaces were controlled by the surface textures of the steel materials under both dry and lubricated conditions. Analyzing the surfaces in terms of various roughness parameters, it was found that the asperity angle of the steel surface played a key role in controlling the COF and transfer layer during sliding. The friction and wear performance can be accurately controlled by creating appropriate surface textures and understanding their surface roughness parameters in order to enhance energy efficiency and the quality of finished products in manufacturing processes.
Procedural Justice and Participation

Recent social psychological work on procedural justice suggests that people given the opportunity to participate in a decision are more likely to see that decision as just than those given no such opportunity. The operation of this “fair process effect” in legal settings contributes to the legitimacy of those settings and to the stability of their structure over time. A similar, limited opportunity for participation by experimental subjects playing the role of employee in situations designed to model hierarchical, profit-oriented business enterprises produces a similar effect in some cases, but a 'frustration” effect in others. In this latter case, limited participation leads people to see the decision as less just than when no participation is allowed. Previous interpretations of these data neglect the possibility that those in the role of employees recognize a basic conflict of interest with employers in such enterprises and see limited participation as a strategic device to induce loyalty and commitmen...
Numerical solutions of Maxwell’s equations for nonlinear-optical pulse propagation

A model and numerical solutions of Maxwell’s equations describing the propagation of short, solitonlike pulses in nonlinear dispersive optical media are presented. The model includes linear dispersion expressed in the time domain, a Kerr nonlinearity, and a coordinate system moving with the group velocity of the pulse. Numerical solutions of Maxwell’s equations are presented for circularly polarized and linearly polarized electromagnetic fields. When the electromagnetic fields are assumed to be circularly polarized, numerical solutions are compared directly with solutions of the nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation. These comparisons show good agreement and indicate that the NLS equation provides an excellent model for short-pulse propagation. When the electromagnetic fields are assumed to be linearly polarized, the propagation of daughter pulses, small-amplitude pulses at three times the frequency of the solitonlike pulse, are observed in the numerical solution. These daughter pulses are shown to be the direct result of third harmonics generated by the main, solitonlike, pulse.
Laparoscopic Therapy of Cholelithiasis

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has emerged as the treatment of choice for symptomatic cholecystolithiasis. Results will improve and complications rates decrease as surgeons gain experience in the method. New developments will permit a complete laparoscopic approach to cholelithiasis.
Thyroid neoplasms after therapeutic radiation for malignancies during childhood or adolescence

BACKGROUND Recent data indicate that the risk of developing a thyroid neoplasm clearly is increased after high-dose, therapeutic radiation therapy during childhood. To better understand the time course, natural history, and histopathology of thyroid lesions that develop after high-dose irradiation, the authors undertook a retrospective study of all survivors of childhood and adolescent malignancies who were treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and who developed a clinically apparent thyroid neoplasm. METHODS The authors searched the data base of the Department of Pediatrics, the hospital-based tumor registry, and the hospital medical records database for patients with thyroid neoplasms. RESULTS Thirty-three patients were identified who developed a thyroid neoplasm after therapeutic radiation. Primary diagnoses were Hodgkin disease (n = 18 patients), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 10 patients), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 2 patients), acute myeloid leukemia (n = 1 patient), Wilms tumor (n = 1 patient), and neuroblastoma (n = 1 patient). The median age at the time of diagnosis of the primary malignancy was 12.0 years (range, 3.7–18.3 years), the median radiation dose to the thyroid gland was 2400 centigrays (cGy; range, 1000–4200 cGy), and the median interval from the time of radiation therapy until the recognition of thyroid disease was 13.0 years (range, 6.2–30.1 years). Thirteen of 33 thyroid lesions (39%) were malignant (11 papillary carcinomas and 2 follicular carcinomas). Age at diagnosis, gender ratio, and time elapsed since initial treatment did not differ between patients with malignant and benign lesions, but the median radiation dose to the thyroid was lower in patients who had malignant disease compared with patients who had benign disease (2000 cGy vs. 2950 cGy; P = 0.03). Disease was confined to the neck in all patients who had malignant thyroid lesions; after a median follow-up of 6.5 years (range, 0.9–12 years), none of the patients developed progressive or recurrent disease. CONCLUSIONS Data from this study suggest that a high proportion of clinically apparent thyroid neoplasms that develop after therapeutic radiation for a childhood malignancy are malignant. However, most of these thyroid malignancies do not appear to behave in an aggressive fashion. Because thyroid neoplasms may not become evident for decades after radiation therapy, all individuals who are at risk require life-long follow-up. Cancer 2003;97:2397–403. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11362
Treatment-induced expression of anti-apoptotic proteins in WSU-CLL, a human chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell line.

Bryostatin 1 (bryo 1) has been shown to potentiate the anti-tumor activity of 2-chloro-2-deoxyadenosine (2-CdA) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and in the WSU-CLL cell line. However, like resistant CLL, WSU-CLL cells lose their sensitivity to bryo 1/2-CdA treatment. We report that 2-CdA-induced IAP expression may be a possible mechanism whereby resistance to apoptosis is acquired in these cells. In WSU-CLL cells, three members of the Inhibitors of Apoptosis (IAP) family were identified. Bryo 1 treatment of WSU-CLL cells leads to initiation of the apoptotic cascade and induced a marginal increase in XIAP protein expression. In contrast, 2-CdA treatment, alone or in combination with bryo 1, induced a substantial increase in survivin and XIAP proteins and phosphorylation of BAD. Bryo 1 alone induced caspase-7 and -9 dependent [poly ADP-ribose] polymerase (PARP) cleavage, while sequential treatment with bryo 1(72h) followed by 2-CdA (24 h) induced caspase-3,-7, and -9 dependent PARP cleavage and increas...
Prolonged Refractory Hypotension Secondary to Amlodipine Overdose A Therapeutic Challenge

Calcium channel blocker overdose is one of the leading causes of overdose death among cardiovascular medications. We present a patient with the highest reported dose of amlodipine ingestion in combination pill. She was asymptomatic initially and soon became hypotensive and obtunded. She was intubated for airway protection, gastric lavage was done, and activated charcoal was given. She was resuscitated with 4L 0.9% normal saline, calcium chloride, glucagon, insulin, and glucose infusions. Her hypotension worsened necessitating use of norepinephrine 200 µg/min, phenylephrine 200 µg/min, dopamine 50 µg/kg/min, and vasopressin 0.06 U/min concurrently. She continued to improve and was weaned off vasopressors and mechanical ventilation. Few cases of extremely high-dose ingestion have been reported. Patients may be normotensive but rapidly progress to shock depending on ingested dose. High doses are associated with shock, bradycardia, pulmonary edema, renal failure, and heart failure. The primary goal is to main...
Designing systerns-on--chip using cores

Leading-edge systems-on-chip (SoC) being designed today could reach 20 Million gates and 0.5 to 1 GHz operating frequency. In order to implement such systems, designers are increasingly relying on reuse of Intellectual property (IP) blocks. Since IP blocks are pre-designed and pre-verified, the designer can concentrate on the complete system without having to worry about the correctness or performance of the individual components. That is the goal, in theory. In practice, assembling on SoC using IP blocks is still an error-prone, labor-intensive and time-consuming process. This paper discusses the main challenges in SoC designs using IP blocks and elaborates on the methodology and tools being put in place at IBM for addressing the problem. It explains IBM's SoC architecture and gives algorithmic details on the high-level tools being developed for SoC design.
An Interview With Robert E. Quinn Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership: Reflections on the Path to Transformational Teaching

The article interviews Robert E. Quinn, M.E. Tracy Collegiate Professor in Organization Behavior and Human Resource Management at the University of Michigan, on his thoughts about the relationship ...
Clickers in college classrooms: Fostering learning with questioning methods in large lecture classes

What can be done to promote student–instructor interaction in a large lecture class? One approach is to use a personal response system (or ‘‘clickers”) in which students press a button on a hand-held remote control device corresponding to their answer to a multiple choice question projected on a screen, then see the class distribution of answers on a screen, and discuss the thinking that leads to the correct answer. Students scored significantly higher on the course exams in a college-level educational psychology class when they used clickers to answer 2 to 4 questions per lecture (clicker group), as compared to an identical class with in-class questions presented without clickers (no-clicker group, d = 0.38) or with no in-class questions (control group, d = 0.40). The clicker treatment produced a gain of approximately 1/3 of a grade point over the no-clicker and control groups, which did not differ significantly from each other. Results are consistent with the generative theory of learning, which predicts students in the clicker group are more cognitively engaged during learning.
Publication in Major Marketing Journals: 1960-1986:

Academic authors from 276 American/Canadian institutions have written over 2,400 articles in major marketing journals since 1960. Contributions were studied by five-year periods to determine trends in the number of schools represented, relative rank of the institutions, professorial rank of the author(s), and the number of authors per article.
Youth Sports & Public Health: Framing Risks of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in American Football and Ice Hockey

The framing of the risks of experiencing mild traumatic brain injury in American football and ice hockey has an enormous impact in defining the scope of the problem and the remedies that are prioritized. According to the prevailing risk frame, an acceptable level of safety can be maintained in these contact sports through the application of technology, rule changes, and laws. An alternative frame acknowledging that these sports carry significant risks would produce very different ethical, political, and social debates.
Matrix completion with noisy side information

We study the matrix completion problem with side information. Side information has been considered in several matrix completion applications, and has been empirically shown to be useful in many cases. Recently, researchers studied the effect of side information for matrix completion from a theoretical viewpoint, showing that sample complexity can be significantly reduced given completely clean features. However, since in reality most given features are noisy or only weakly informative, the development of a model to handle a general feature set, and investigation of how much noisy features can help matrix recovery, remains an important issue. In this paper, we propose a novel model that balances between features and observations simultaneously in order to leverage feature information yet be robust to feature noise. Moreover, we study the effect of general features in theory and show that by using our model, the sample complexity can be lower than matrix completion as long as features are sufficiently informative. This result provides a theoretical insight into the usefulness of general side information. Finally, we consider synthetic data and two applications — relationship prediction and semi-supervised clustering — and show that our model outperforms other methods for matrix completion that use features both in theory and practice.
Pacemaker implantation after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Background Sinus node dysfunction requiring pacemaker implantation is commonly associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), but may not be clinically apparent until restoration of sinus rhythm with ablation or cardioversion. We sought to determine frequency, time course, and predictors for pacemaker implantation after catheter ablation, and to compare the overall rates to a matched cardioversion cohort.
Current status of data on cangrelor

P2Y12 receptor inhibition in addition to aspirin is the cornerstone of treatment in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Despite advances in contemporary antithrombotic therapy, periprocedural thrombotic complications such as myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis remain a major concern in patients treated with PCI. Current practice guidelines recommend treatment with a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor as early as possible in patients with ACS. Existing oral P2Y12 receptors inhibitors (clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor) have several limitations such as delayed onset and offset of action, interindividual variation, and only oral availability. Cangrelor, an intravenous, fast-onset, direct-acting P2Y12 receptor inhibitor offers potent platelet inhibition that is rapidly reversible. In large randomized trials, cangrelor has shown substantial reduction in ischemic events with no increase in severe bleeding compared with clopidogrel among patients undergoing PCI. Cangrelor is approved as an adjunct to PCI to reduce the risk of periprocedural MI, repeat coronary revascularization, and stent thrombosis in patients who have not been pretreated with a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor and are not receiving a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. This review aims at providing a comprehensive analysis of the current evidence pertaining to the role of cangrelor in contemporary practice.
Resignation as the Moral Psychology of Sacrifice: A Reading of Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling

Danielle Allen has recently argued that sacrifice is a democratic fact, which is to say that sacrifice is (or at least ought to be) central to our understanding of citizenship within a democratic context. The present paper explores this claim through an original reading of Soren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, in which I argue that the often overlooked figure - the knight of infinite resignation - provides insights into what can be called the moral psychology of sacrifice. This assists in uncovering the psychological movements associated with sacrificing, which in turn allows us to more accurately and fully understand the character of a mode of citizenship that requires such a practice. Drawing upon interpretations of this text by Derrida and Mooney, the paper begins with an examination of the relationship between the movement of resignation and the concept of sacrifice, which is then deepened and made clearer when Kierkegaard's understanding of faith is introduced and shown to be distinct from resignation/sacrifice. The argument concludes by showing that a mode of citizenship which emphasizes sacrifice need not fall prey to the common criticism that calls to sacrifice - especially if understood as a kind of resignation - may often result in an apathetic and complacent citizenry that no longer cares to participate in the democratic process; hence undermining democracy itself.
Effect of laser-assisted zona thinning technique on the clinical outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer

Objective:To investigate the effects of laser-assisted zona thinning technique on the clinical outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer(FET).Methods:The data of 603 patients after FET were retrospectively analyzed.They were divided into assisted-hatching(AH) group and none-AH group according to whether underwent laser-assisted zona thinning.Then the two groups were subdivided into 35 years group and ≥35 years group according to their age.The rates of implantation,clinical pregnancy,abortion,live birth and multiple pregnancy were statistically analyzed.Results:The rates of implantation,clinical pregnancy,abortion rate,live birth and multiple pregnancy in two groups were 26.5%vs.26.8%,46.8%vs.41.7%,6.2,%vs.3.8%,36.8%vs.34.9%,24.4% vs.29.3%respectively.There were no significant differences in the rates of implantation.The clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in AH group were higher than those in none-AH group,but there was no significant difference(P0.05).Conclusions;The results suggest that laser-assisted zona thinning technique has no beneficial effect on implantation and clinical pregnancy outcomes of FET.
System Design and Application Analysis of Grid Infrastructure Projects Repository Management System

To meet the needs of economic development, power grid enterprises are gradually reinforcing infrastructure constructions and develop grid infrastructure projects repository management system. The system uses information technologies to manage the infrastructure projects repository, improves the safety and reliability of infrastructure project management, optimizes enterprises’ resource allocation, and provides an effective technology support for investing grid infrastructure projects. For an example of Gansu electric power corporation infrastructure projects repository management system, this paper describes key technologies of system design and implementation, and analyzes its main functions and practical values. It will be helpful to improve the intensive finance management level and promote the comprehensive progress of infrastructure project management.
The pragmatics of negation across contexts.

Why do some negative sentences sound strange, even when they are both true and grammatical? We explore the pragmatics of negation by examining adults’ explicit felicity judgments of negative sentences in context. In Experiment 1, we found that a pragmatically supportive context elicited higher felicity ratings for negative sentences, and that negative sentences expressing nonexistence were rated higher than negative sentences referring to an alternative object. In Experiment 2, we used a within-subjects design to compare three context types, and found that negative sentences were rated more felicitous in a context where most of the characters possessed the negated object, compared to contexts where the other characters possessed an alternative object or nothing. We discuss the pragmatics of negation in light of these results, arguing that the felicity of negative sentences is influenced by changes in the informativeness of these sentences in different contexts.
Circulating Progenitor Cells Identify Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Rationale: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a clinical manifestation of extra-coronary atherosclerosis. Despite sharing the same risk factors, only 20-30% of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) develop PAD. Declines in the number of bone-marrow derived circulating progenitor cells (PCs) is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Whether specific changes in PCs differentiate patients with both PAD and CAD from those with CAD alone is unknown. Objective: Determine whether differences exist in PCs counts of CAD patients with and without known PAD. Methods and Results: 1497 patients (mean age 65, 62% male) with known CAD were identified in the Emory Cardiovascular Biobank. Presence of PAD (n=308) was determined by history, review of medical records or imaging, and was classified as carotid (53%), lower extremity (41%), upper extremity (3%) and aortic disease (33%). Circulating PCs were enumerated by flow cytometry. Patients with CAD and PAD had significantly lower PC counts compared to those with only CAD. In multivariable analysis, a 50% decrease in CD34+ or CD34+/VEGFR2+ counts were associated with a 31% (P=0.032) and 183% (P=0.002) increase in the odds of having PAD, respectively. CD34+ and CD34+/VEGFR2+ counts significantly improved risk prediction metrics for prevalent PAD. Low CD34+/VEGFR2+ counts were associated with a 1.40-fold (95%CI, 1.03, 1.91) and a 1.64-fold (95%CI 1.07, 2.50) increase in the risk of mortality and PAD-related events, respectively. Conclusions: PAD is associated with low CD34+ and CD34+/VEGFR2+ PC counts. Whether low PC counts are useful in screening for PAD needs to be investigated.
Progesterone Receptors of Chick Oviduct

The chick oviduct progesterone receptor has been purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography and its molecular action studied in vitro. The native receptor is a 200,000 MW dimer of two dissimilar 4S subunits with different intranuclear function. The receptors directly regulate RNA chain initiation sites in oviduct chromatin by interactions involving target tissue nuclear acceptor sites. There is a 1:1 correspondence between receptor “acceptor” sites and RNA sites. Only the dimer form of the receptor is active in vitro on chromatin templates. The study suggests a novel model for hormone action which can be tested directly in this system.
Online professionalism: social media, social contracts, trust, and medicine

The AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) has initiated an important discussion on medical professionalism and the use of social media by issuing thoughtful and practical guidance for physicians and medical students. The implications of online activities for trust in the profession, as well as for trust between patient and doctor, however, will need further exploration as digital life expands and evolves.
SU-D-209-04: Raise Your Table: An Effective Way to Reduce Radiation Dose for Fluoroscopy

Purpose: Patient table height plays an important role in estimating patient skin dose for interventional radiology (IR) procedures, because the patient’s skin location is dependent on the height of table. Variation in table height can lead to as much as 150% difference in skin dose for patient exams with similar air kerma meter readings. In our facility, IR procedural workflow was recently changed to require the IR physicians to confirm the patient table height before the procedure. The patient table height data was collected before and after this workflow change to validate the implementation of this practice. Methods: Table height information was analyzed for all procedures performed in three IR rooms, which were impacted by the workflow change, covering three months before and after the change (Aug 2015 to Jan 2016). In total, 442, 425, and 390 procedures were performed in these three rooms over this time period. There were no personnel or procedure assignment changes during the six-month period of time. Statistical analysis was performed for the average table height changes before and after the workflow change. Results: For the three IR rooms investigated, after the workflow change, the average table heights were increased by 1.43 cm (p=0.004084), 0.66 cm (p=0.187089), and 1.59 cm (p=0.002193), providing a corresponding estimated skin dose savings of 6.76%, 2.94% and 7.62%, respectively. After the workflow change, the average table height was increased by 0.95 cm, 0.63 cm, 0.55 cm, 1.07 cm, 1.12 cm, and 3.36 cm for the six physicians who routinely work in these three rooms. Conclusion: Consistent improvement in table height settings has been observed for all IR rooms and all physicians following a simple workflow change. This change has led to significant patient dose savings by making physicians aware of the pre-procedure table position.
Rapidly growing squamous cell carcinoma.

Antecedents: Le carcinome spinocellulaire (SCC) peut etre associe a une progression rapide. De multiples sous-types de SCC ont ete decrits en fonction de leurs caracteristiques histologiques et de leur etiologie, mais pas le sous-ensemble que representent les SCC a progression rapide (RGSCC). Objectif: Evaluer et decrire les caracteristiques cliniques et histologiques des carcinomes spinocellulaires qui progressent rapidement. Methode: Etude des donnees cliniques et des biopsies de 26 lesions a progression rapide que l'histologie a permis de diagnostiquer comme etant des SCC. Resultats: Les SCC a progression rapide se presentaient le plus souvent a la region tete et cou, suivie des mains et des extremites. Sept semaines se sont ecoulees en moyenne avant le diagnostic. La taille moyenne des lesions etait de 1,29 cm et dans pres de 20 % des cas les patients etaient des sujets avec immunosuppression. Conclusion: Certains SCC progressent rapidement. Les motifs de cette croissance rapide ne sont pas clairs et l'etude traite de plusieurs hypotheses, dont l'immunosuppression et l'etiologie virale. Ces lesions doivent etre traitees energiquement, puisque ni leur comportement ni le pronostic ne sont encore bien decrits.
Exact Quantum Reaction Probabilities for the Collinear O(3P) + H2 Reaction on an Ab Initio and Diatomics-in-Molecules Potential Surface

The reaction O(3P) + H2 → OH + H is of fundamental importance in the combustion of molecular hydrogen and hydrogen-containing fuels. Many experimental studies of the rate constant for this reaction have been made over a large temperature range. A review of the experimental work is given in reference 1. Recently, this reaction has received considerable theoretical attention. Two semi-empirical LEPS type potential energy surfaces have been constructed for this reaction.2,3 These have been used to determine transition state theory rate constants2 as well as rate constants from quasi-classical trajectory calculations.3 In the latter study, the quasi-classical rate constant for reaction of H2(v=1) was also calculated.3 Diatomics-in-molecules (DIM) potential surfaces for the O(3P) and O(1D) + H2 systems have also been reported4 and used in quasiclassical trajectory calculations.4 More recently, two Ab initio determinations of the O(3P) + H2 potential energy surfaces have been reported.5,6 A review of all of the O(3P) + H2 potential surfaces is given in reference 6. Quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the reaction cross sections and rate constants for H2 in the ground and first two excited vibrational states have been reported,7 using the potential reported in reference 5.
Epidemiology of Brain Tumors.

Abstract Brain tumors are the commonest solid tumor in children, leading to significant cancer-related mortality. Several hereditary syndromes associated with brain tumors are nonfamilial. Ionizing radiation is a well-recognized risk factor for brain tumors. Several industrial exposures have been evaluated for a causal association with brain tumor formation but the results are inconclusive. A casual association between the common mutagens of tobacco, alcohol, or dietary factors has not yet been established. There is no clear evidence that the incidence of brain tumors has changed over time. This article presents the descriptive epidemiology of the commonest brain tumors of children and adults.
A NOVEL TRICYCLIC TERPANE BIOMARKER SERIES IN THE UPPER PROTEROZOIC BITUMINOUS SANDSTONE, EASTERN YANSHAN REGION

Based on coinjection and/or comparison with synthesized standards, a novel C_(18-23) tricy- clic terpane series with a base peak at m/z 123 on their mass spectra have been detected and conclusively identified from the basal sandstone in the Upper Proterozoic Xiamaling For- mation, eastern Yanshan region, North China, and their molecular structure has been deter- mined as 13α(n- alkyl)- tricyclic terpanes. Dealing with the biomarker assemblage of the reser- voir bitumen, the source input of their organic material, two kinds of degradation effects and origin of the novel tricyclic terpane series are approached herein.
Anti-Leukemic Property of Sulphoraphane In Precursor B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract 3974 Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of hematologic malignancy in children. In spite of significant advances achieved in the treatment of childhood ALL, one fifth of these patients still relapse after the standard treatment. Moreover, relapse ALL is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in children. The development of novel therapies is prevented by a limited understanding of the exact pathobiology. There are emerging evidences that the transcription factor KLF4 has a tumor suppressor property in ALL. Recently, a gene expression classifier study in pediatric precursor B-cell ALL (pre-B ALL) showed that KLF4 expression was significantly reduced in high risk ALL patients with positive MRD after induction. This finding suggests a possible role of this cell cycle inhibitor on the development, expansion and drug-resistant of leukemic cells. Several studies demonstrate that overexpression of KLF4 in normal B cells and BCR transformed B cells show increased apoptosis and reduced proliferation. Furthermore, we recently described that KLF4 inhibits proliferation of naive lymphocytes by activating p21 (Yamada, et al, 2009). Sulphoraphane (SF; 4-methylsulfonylbutyl isothiocyanate) is a dietary compound derived from Cruciferae vegetables with anti-carcinogenic activity in colon cancer by upregulating KLF4 and p21 among other genes. Thus, we hypothesized that SF could also exhibit anti-leukemic activity in human-derived acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells via the activation of KLF4. The pre-B ALL cell lines (Nalm6, REH, RS-4, SUP-B15) and an EBV transformed B cell line were treated with different concentrations of SF (0-40 μM) for 24–48 hours. Then, cell number was estimated using an ATP-based viability method. Flow cytometric analysis of ANNEXIN-V/7-AAD binding as well as CFSE dilution was used to measure apoptosis and proliferation respectively. We found that SF induced cytotoxicity in Nalm-6, REH and RS-4 cell lines in a dose and time dependent manner. This cytotoxic effect was less pronounced in EBV-transformed B cell line. SF treatment led to increased ANNEXIN-V and 7-AAD positive cells (82% apoptotic cells in SF-treated versus 9% in DMSO control). Further, SF-treated cells displayed significantly less proliferation in comparison to DMSO controls thus suggesting that SF inhibits cellular proliferation. Preliminary data also suggest that SF-mediated apoptosis is caused by upregulation of KLF4. In conclusion, Sulphoraphane exhibits an anti-leukemic property by inducing apoptosis and abrogating proliferation in pre-B ALL cell lines. Thus, sulphoraphane could potentially be used as an adjunctive therapy in a subgroup of pre-B ALL patients who have decreased expression of KLF4. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Endoscopic treatment of leak at the tip of the “J” ileal pouch

Background and study aims The tip of the “J” of the ileal pouch is the vulnerable location for leak after restorative proctocolectomy, which has normally been treated with surgery. We aimed to describe a novel endoscopic method to treat the same. Patients and methods A cohort of 12 consecutive patients with a leak at the tip of the “J” was identified in our prospectively maintained Pouch Registry. The endoscopic over-the-scope clipping (OTSC) system was used for the closure of the leak. Results Eight patients (66.6 %) achieved complete closure of the leak documented by endoscopy confirmed with guidewire and/or contrasted pouchogram, with 6 requiring a single endoscopic session and 2 undergoing a repeat session. Four patients (33.3 %) had a persistent leak and required surgical intervention, of whom 1 developed abscess in the pre-spine region 14 days after the endoscopic procedure and underwent pouch revision surgery. Conclusions OSTC appears to be safe and effective in treating the leak at the tip of the “J” in the majority of patients.
Statin Use and Risk of Cirrhosis and Related Complications in Patients With Chronic Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background & Aims Statins have been variably shown to decrease risk and complications of chronic liver diseases (CLDs). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between statins and risk of cirrhosis and related complications in patients with CLDs. Methods Through a systematic literature search up to March 2017, we identified 13 studies (3 randomized trials, 10 cohort studies) in adults with CLDs, reporting the association between statin use and risk of development of cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, improvements in portal hypertension, or mortality. Pooled relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence interval (CIs) were calculated using random effects model. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria were used to assess quality of evidence. Results Among 121,058 patients with CLDs (84.5% with hepatitis C), 46% were exposed to statins. In patients with cirrhosis, statin use was associated with 46% lower risk of hepatic decompensation (4 studies; RR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.46–0.62; I2 = 0%; moderate-quality evidence), and 46% lower mortality (5 studies; RR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.47–0.61; I2 = 10%; moderate-quality evidence). In patients with CLD without cirrhosis, statin use was associated with a nonsignificant (58% lower) risk of development of cirrhosis or fibrosis progression (5 studies; RR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.16–1.11; I2 = 99%; very-low-quality evidence). In 3 randomized controlled trials, statin use was associated with 27% lower risk of variceal bleeding or progression of portal hypertension (hazard ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59–0.91; I2 = 0%; moderate-quality evidence). Conclusions Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis, statin use is probably associated with lower risk of hepatic decompensation and mortality, and might reduce portal hypertension, in patients with CLDs. Prospective observational studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this observation.
Clemencia de Ignacio Manuel Altamirano, el manual de urbanidad y el proceso de formación del patriota moderno

Las ideas para un proyecto que transformara el aspecto incivil del sujeto posindependentista en un cuidadano avanzado y culto, encontraron en el manual de urbanidad y en la novela romantica de caracter sentimental del siglo XIX una de las vias para su difusion. La urbanidad, asumida como una extension de las virtudes civiles del ciudadano, impuso reglas de conducta cuyo acatamiento se percibio como la exteriorizacion del valor moral de los individuos. De esta forma, el discurso de la novela y el de la socializacion del manual, construyen y refuerzan el codigo cultural que la clase lectora intento imponer. En la novela Clemencia (1869) de Ignacio Manuel A1tamirano se analiza como, en nombre del sueno del progreso de la nacion, el guerrero independentista es transformado en el sujeto civil a traves de la promocion del sentimiento civico de disciplina y sacrificio presentes en los manuales de urbanidad.
Acutely Decompensated Heart Failure in a County Emergency Department: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Comparison of Nesiritide Versus Placebo Treatment: Answers to May 2008 Journal Club Questions

Editor’s Note: You are reading answers to the third installment of Annals of Emergency Medicine Journal Club. The questions and the article they are about (Miller et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2008;51:571-578.) were published in the May 2008 issue. Information about journal club can be found at http://www.annemergmed.com/content/ journalclub. Readers should recognize that these are suggested answers. We hope they are accurate; we know that they are not comprehensive. There are many other points that could be made about these questions or about the article in general. Questions are rated “novice,” ( ), “intermediate,” ( ), and “advanced” ( ) so that individuals planning a journal club can assign the right question to the right student. The novice rating does not imply that a novice should be able to spontaneously answer the question. “Novice” means we expect that someone with little background should be able to do a bit of reading, formulate an answer, and teach the material to others. Intermediate and advanced questions also will likely require some reading and research, and that reading will be sufficiently difficult that some background in clinical epidemiology will be helpful in understanding the reading and concepts. We are interested in receiving feedback about this feature. Please e-mail journalclub@acep.org with your comments.
Maiakóvski em Cuba: a visão dos trópicos em Minha descoberta da América, Sou Cuba, Tristes Trópicos e Hitler, Terceiro Mundo

Este artigo explora a ideia do “exoItico” como um entre-lugar entre o novo e o familiar. EI atraves desse lugar intermediario que VladiImir MaiakoIvski, em um poema da Minha Descoberta da AmeIrica , chega ao aI‚mago dos problemas socioeconoI‚micos de Cuba, que Fernando Ortiz analisara quinze anos mais tarde no seu Contraponto cubano do tabaco e do acI§uIcar . Serguei Urussevski, o diretor de fotografia de Sou Cuba , assim como Claude Levi-Strauss, em Tristes TroIpicos , teI‚m que recorrer aI€ ressaltada artificialidade das imagens para expressar “o exoItico” dos troIpicos. Analisando a obra do escritor e diretor brasileiro, Jose Agrippino de Paula, o artigo examina como tais maneiras de representar “o exoItico” obriga os “habitantes” dos troIpicos a duplamente exotizar e marginalizar sua autorrepresentacI§aIƒo, para poder re-criar sua arte e identidade por meio da antropofagia, ou tropicalismo, marginal.
Small RNA-mediated regulation of DNA dosage in the ciliate Oxytricha.

Dicer-dependent small noncoding RNAs play important roles in gene regulation in a wide variety of organisms. Endogenous small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are part of an ancient pathway of transposon control in plants and animals. The ciliate, Oxytricha trifallax, has approximately 16,000 gene-sized chromosomes in its somatic nucleus. Long noncoding RNAs establish high ploidy levels at the onset of sexual development, but the factors that regulate chromosome copy numbers during cell division and growth have been a mystery. We report a novel function of a class of Dicer (Dcl-1)- and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP)-dependent endogenous small RNAs in regulating chromosome copy number and gene dosage in O. trifallax. Asexually growing populations express an abundant class of 21-nt sRNAs that map to both coding and noncoding regions of most chromosomes. These sRNAs are bound to chromatin and their levels surprisingly do not correlate with mRNA levels. Instead, the levels of these small RNAs correlate with genomic DNA copy number. Reduced sRNA levels in dcl-1 or rdrp mutants lead to concomitant reduction in chromosome copy number. Furthermore, these cells show no signs of transposon activation, but instead display irregular nuclear architecture and signs of replication stress. In conclusion, Oxytricha Dcl-1 and RdRP-dependent small RNAs that derive from the somatic nucleus contribute to the maintenance of gene dosage, possibly via a role in DNA replication, offering a novel role for these small RNAs in eukaryotes.
Virginia Garrard-Burnett and David Stoll (Ed.)

Review of Rethinking Protestantism in Latin America, Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1993
Assessment of cognitive reserve using near infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Cognitive reserve (CR) is the ability to preserve cognitive functions in the presence of brain pathology. One commonly used proxy measure of CR is IQ. In the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), patients with higher CR show better cognitive performance relative to brain damage therefore higher CR reduces the risk of dementia. There is a strong need to develop a reliable biomarker of CR given the growing interest in understanding protective brain mechanisms in AD. Recent fMRI studies indicate that frontoparietal network may play an important role in the maintenance of cognitive reserve. The goal of this study was to measure functional connectivity (FC) of the prefrontal cortex using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and to study the relationship of prefrontal FC with cognitive abilities and motoric skills. We analyzed resting state optical data recorded from prefrontal cortex in 13 healthy individuals who were also assessed by Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) test and the Purdue Pegboard test (PPT). For each participant, activity of each prefrontal channel was correlated with all other channels and positive correlation coefficients were Fisher-transformed and averaged over all PFC channels giving the Global Functional Connectivity (GFC) of PFC. The resulting GFC number for each individual was then correlated with the corresponding IQ (WASI full score) and the PPT scores. Prefrontal connectivity was found to positively correlate with IQ while showing the lack of or negative correlation with the Purdue Pegboard subtests. These results demonstrate that the cost-effective and noninvasive NIRS technology can be used to evaluate prefrontal functional connectivity thus providing a neurophysiological measure of cognitive reserve. E-mail address for correspondence: am236@georgetown.edu