cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prophylactic red blood cell exchange for ABO-mismatched hematopoietic progenitor cell transplants.

Author(s): Cunard, Robyn; Marquez, Isagani I; Ball, Edward D; Nelson, Connie L; Corringham, Sue; Clopton, Paul; Sanchez, Amber P; Lane, Thomas; Ward, David M | Abstract: BackgroundTo enhance donor availability, almost half of hematopoietic progenitor cell transplants (HPCTs) cross ABO blood type boundaries. ABO-incompatible HPCTs are well tolerated; however, there is an increased risk of delayed hemolysis in patients with minor and bidirectional ABO mismatches. Delayed hemolysis generally occurs 1 to 2 weeks after HPCT and is related to production of alloantibodies directed against recipient ABO red blood cell (RBC) antigens by passenger donor lymphocytes. One previous study has suggested that prophylactic RBC exchange in patients with minor and bidirectional ABO-mismatched HPCT reduces the risks of severe immune hemolysis, but this recommendation is controversial.Study design and methodsHerein we describe our experience using prophylactic RBC exchange in patients with minor and bidirectional ABO-mismatched HPCTs who were deemed to be at high risk for immune hemolysis. We compare the group of patients that received prophylactic RBC exchange with a historical cohort of ABO-mismatched patients who underwent HPCT without prophylactic RBC exchange.ResultsOur study suggests that prophylactic RBC exchange in minor and bidirectional ABO-mismatched HPCT does not reduce severe immune hemolysis, nor does it improve 1-year survival, the number of RBC units transfused after transplant, or length of hospitalization after HPCT.ConclusionThis study failed to identify a clear role for selected prophylactic RBC exchange in patients who were deemed at risk for severe post-HPCT immune hemolysis.
Use of Dietetic-Specific Nutritional Diagnostic Codes in Clinical Reasoning Relevant to the Nutritional Management of Core Clinical Outcome Indicators in Hemodialysis Patients

The Health Care Financing Agency (HCFA) has recommended conscientious monitoring of four core outcome indicators (anemia, albumin, treatment adequacy, and hypertension) by the end stage renal disease (ESRD) health care team. Dietetic-specific nutritional diagnostic categories (D-S NDC's) can be a powerful tool in guiding renal nutrition specialists through the clinical reasoning required to diagnose and clinically correct nutrition-related problems in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The purpose of this article is to portray one clinician's dual use of D-S NDC's to identify the nutritional problem responsible for poor performance and determine nutritionally treatable causes. Although four indicator-specific sets of D-S NDC's commonly used in the nutritional assessment of anemia, albumin, treatment adequacy and hypertension were identified and referenced, seven codes were consistently repeated. These D-S NDC's were (1) altered nutritional biochemistry integrity; (2) absence of/limited nutritional service; (3) deficit in nutrition knowledge; (4) imbalance of nutrient/fluid; (5) nutrition misinformation; (6) toxicity of nutrient/nutrient end-product; and (7) possibility of developing a specific disease. Thus, in ESRD, use of D-S NDC's shows the implicit role of the registered dietitian in disease prevention, management of altered nutrient disposition, and patient education.
Factors controlling initiation of vitellogenesis in a primitively social bee,Lasioglossum zephyrum (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Hormonal, nutritional, and environmental factors influencing vitellogenesis inLasioglossum zephyrum females were studied in bees maintained in plastic vials or in glass nest sites.
Preventive Cardiology: The Effects of Exercise

Physical adaptations to dynamic exercise (i.e., exercise training) lead to increased aerobic and strength capacities (including cardiovascular reserve, endurance and velocity of movement) (Noakes et al., Clin Sports Med 3(2):527–543, 1984). These attributes are relevant in vigorous athletes, who in addition to high performance also tend to have better metabolism and health, as well as for older adults who compared to age-matched sedentary adults enjoy better health, greater independence, and better quality of life. Exercise regimens are best tailored to the needs of individual patients, with varying emphasis on strength vs. aerobic, and with different intensities/modes based on clinical contexts.
The Formation and Structure of Flux Ropes in the Magnetotail

Flux ropes are a common signature in spacecraft observations in the plasma sheet of the nightside magnetosphere. The probability of observing the signature of a helical magnetic structure appears to increase with distance down the magnetotail, suggesting that there is a gradual transition with downtail distance from ordinary bubble-like plasmoids to flux ropes with significant magnetic fields at the core. On the other hand, a few very small flux ropes have been observed relatively close to the Earth. Thus observations of the distribution of flux ropes with distance may be biased by increases of the scale size as these structures propagate down the tail. Despite their obvious importance the formation process is not fully understood. A review of the present understanding of the formation, structure and evolution of magnetospheric flux ropes in the magnetotail is presented. The review includes a summary of flux rope observations by different spacecraft. Next, possible scenarios of flux rope formation from more bubble-like plasmoids are discussed. Analytical theory of flux rope structure is used to compare to observations. The review includes an outlook and analysis of flux rope importance in different plasma systems.
Legionella pneumophila genes that encode lipase and phospholipase C activities.

Legionella pneumophila, the agent of Legionnaires’ disease, is an intracellular parasite of aquatic protozoans and human macrophages. The type II protein secretion system of the Gram-negative Legionella organism promotes intracellular infection. A lipase activity and a p-nitrophenylphosphorylcholine (pNPPC) hydrolytic activity are two of the factors that are diminished in L. pneumophila type II secretion mutants. The Legionella lipase activity was found to include free fatty acid release from di- and triacylglycerol substrates, in addition to the previously reported cleavage of monoacylglycerol. In a number of other bacterial systems, the release of p-nitrophenol from pNPPC is due to a phospholipase C. In an attempt to identify exoproteins that potentiate intracellular infection, three genes were identified and mutated in L. pneumophila strain 130b that were predicted to encode either a secreted lipase or a phospholipase C. The first two genes, which were designated lipA and lipB, encoded proteins containing the lipase consensus sequence [LIV]-X-[LIVFY]-[LIVMST]-G-[HYWV]-S-X-G-[GSTAC]. Mutations in lipA in particular reduced supernatant activity against mono- and triacylglycerols. However, loss of lipA and/or lipB did not impair the ability of L. pneumophila to infect Hartmannella amoebae or U937 cell macrophages. The third L. pneumophila gene, which was denoted plcA, encoded a protein that was highly homologous with a phospholipase C from Pseudomonas fluorescens. Inactivation of plcA diminished secreted pNPPC hydrolase activity but did not influence Legionella infection of host cells. Taken together, these data indicate that L. pneumophila has multiple lipases and possibly several phospholipase C enzymes but that LipA, LipB and PlcA are not among those exoproteins required for optimal intracellular infection.
Adjuvant and Salvage Radiotherapy After Prostatectomy: AUA/ASTRO Guideline

Purpose: The purpose of this guideline is to provide a clinical framework for the use of radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy as adjuvant or salvage therapy.Materials and Methods: A systematic literature review using the PubMed®, Embase, and Cochrane databases was conducted to identify peer-reviewed publications relevant to the use of radiotherapy after prostatectomy. The review yielded 294 articles; these publications were used to create the evidence-based guideline statements. Additional guidance is provided as Clinical Principles when insufficient evidence existed.Results: Guideline statements are provided for patient counseling, the use of radiotherapy in the adjuvant and salvage contexts, defining biochemical recurrence, and conducting a re-staging evaluation.Conclusions: Physicians should offer adjuvant radiotherapy to patients with adverse pathologic findings at prostatectomy (i.e., seminal vesicle invasion, positive surgical margins, extraprostatic extension) and should offer salvage radiother...
Sumatriptan-Associated Ischemic Colitis: Case report and Review of the Literature and FAERS

Background and Aims Ischemic colitis (IC) is being increasingly recognized, although specific etiological causes are observed in a minority of patients. While several drugs have been associated with IC, most remain anecdotal reports. We recently treated a patient with IC thought to be related to sumatriptan for migraines, and performed a literature review along with a review of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database to identify additional cases.
Effects of molsidomine on coronary artery thrombosis and myocardial ischemia in acute canine experiments

Antithrombotic and hemodynamic properties of molsidomine (0.10 mg/kg i.v.) were evaluated in an in-vivo model of coronary artery thrombosis initiated by electrical stimulation for 6 h. Molsidomine prolonged time to vessel occlusion and prevented heart rate and end-diastolic pressure increase and contractility decrease. Infarct size was smaller after drug treatment related either to left ventricle (P < 0.02) or to vessel area-at-risk (P < 0.01). It is suggested that molsidomine has antithrombotic effects which might prevent acute coronary infarction.
Chemoautotrophy as a strategy in the ecology of indigenous soil bradyrhizobia

Le but de l'etude est de determiner si Bradyrhizobium japonicum vivant dans le sol peut se developper en autotrophie chimique en etant en competition avec d'autres bacteries qui oxydent H 2 . Les populations de B.j. sont detectees et denombrees par immunofluorescence. La croissance chimio-autotrophique de B.j. peut avoir lieu en sol anaerobie avec des nitrates comme accepteurs d'electrons
Quantitative Structural Health Monitoring by Ultrasonic Guided Waves

This paper presents a global-local (GL) method to simulate the interaction of ultrasonic guided waves with structural defects in isotropic and multilayered composite platelike structures. The GL method uses a full finite-element (FE) discretization of the defected region to properly represent wave diffraction phenomena and a suitable set of wave functions to simulate regions away from the joint. Displacement and stress continuity conditions are imposed at the boundary between the global and the local regions. The radiated wave field can be then calculated by using standard techniques (least-squares method). The novelty of the proposed approach over previous GL techniques is the use of semianalytical FE (SAFE) modeling for the “global” simulation. The SAFE method, which only requires the discretization of the waveguide’s cross section, allows handling complex structures (multilayered composites, arbitrary cross sections, etc.) in a computationally efficient manner. Applications of the GL method to damage q...
Effects of Voltage Impulses on Solid Dielectric Cable Life

Underground power cables on electric utility systems are frequently subjected to lightning impulses during normal service. They can also be subjected to impulses from fault locating equipment (thumpers). The effects of these impulses on the power cable's life is not well defined. Various cable designs were aged in the laboratory using an accelerated water treeing test. Some samples were subjected to lightning impulses, some to thumping impulses and some were aged without impulses applied. The impulse effects were evaluated using time to failure data, ac breakdown data and impulse breakdown data. The results show that lightning or thumping impulses do not affect cable ac or impulse breakdown strength. There is also no visual difference between wafers taken from impulsed and control samples. However, there is a strong indication that lightning impulses can reduce cable life. Interestingly, almost all the aging failures occurred while the cable were warm. No failures occurred during the impulse application. Also, increased cable wall thickness extended cable life for one insulation but not for another. ..
A Baby Step for Nano

Nanomedicine treatment postnatally in an inflammatory model of cerebral palsy ameliorates motor deficits.
Sentencing of Native Americans: A Multistage Analysis Under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines

Research exploring the impact of Native American race on felony sentencing suggests the existence of contextual discrimination. That is, in some geographic locations, for some offenses, Native American offenders are treated more harshly than White offenders. In an attempt to expand on previous studies, this research examines the multistage sentencing process in the state of Minnesota, with data from 2001, focusing on a variety of legal and extralegal factors. The racial composition of Minnesota provides us with a unique opportunity to examine a large number of Native American offenders. An integrated theoretical perspective with a focus on conflict theory is used. The results provide support for the existence of contextual discrimination in the application of the Minnesota sentencing guidelines toward Native Americans and Blacks. The implications of these findings support the need for a distinct “race theory” approach to understanding the impact of criminal justice decision making on Native Americans.
The Role of Interface in Fabrication of Clay-Polyolefin (PO) Nanocomposites: Computation and Reality

The effect of interfacial interaction between the nano-particles and the polymer matrix plays a determined role in the fabrication of polymer nanocomposites. For layered structure nano-particles like nanoclays, depending on the level of such interaction, the dispersion of the nanoclays can vary from micro-size (micro-composite) to nano-size (nano-composite, both intercalated and exfoliated structure). This article focuses on the effect of the interaction between the nanoclay and polypropylene matrix on the dispersion of the obtained nanocomposites. Both computation (molecular modeling) and experiments have been conducted on various systems (with different modifications of clay surface) in order to get a better understanding about this complex issue. The results have provided different useful highlights for the fabrication of polyolefin nanocomposites.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Motion planning for robust wireless networking

We propose an architecture and algorithms for maintaining end-to-end network connectivity for autonomous teams of robots. By adopting stochastic models of point-to-point wireless communication and computing robust solutions to the network routing problem, we ensure reliable connectivity during robot movement in complex environments. We fully integrate the solution to network routing with the choice of node positions through the use of randomized motion planning techniques. Experiments demonstrate that our method succeeds in navigating a complex environment while ensuring that end-to-end communication rates meet or exceed prescribed values within a target failure tolerance.
PREDICTING STOCK MARKET BEHAVIOR THROUGH RULE INDUCTION: AN APPLICATION OF THE LEARNING‐FROM‐EXAMPLE APPROACH*

An artificial intelligence-based rule-induction approach to the analysis of stock market prediction is presented. A single investment analyst was used as the expert for this study. Predicting intermediate fluctuations in the movement of the market for nonconservative investors was selected as the decision to analyze. Commercially available rule-induction software was used to generate rules that predicted the market calls of the market analyst and the actual movements of the market. Rules predicting actual market movement performed better than rules predicting the analyst's calls and better than the analyst himself. Such an approach may prove useful in designing a decision support system for market analysts or in improving the decision-making processes of such analysts. The dynamic nature of the stock market represents a substantially different decision environment than those previously analyzed by learning-from-example (LFE) techniques. This study provides insights into the limits and applications of LFE approaches.
Stimulus Intensity Effects on Verbal Learning

Nonsense syllables were aurally presented once at constant or variable intensities in SPL (55, 70, and/or 85 db). Free recall after instruction to learn (INT), to judge intelligibility (IRR), or to listen (INC) was unaffected. Rather, Grice and Hunter's (2) hypothesis that intensity effects in human conditioning are substantially greater in repeated measurements designs (i.e., with variable presentation), was supported only by an insubstantial trend. Serial position curves from the three learning conditions indicated a greater recency than primacy effect in recall, only for IRR. Thus, a recency effect in INC seems contingent rather upon attention being directed away from to-be-relevant aspects on the stimuli than a characteristic of INC, per se.
Production of Ice Particles in Clouds Due to Aircraft Penetrations

Abstract Evidence is presented that the passage of an aircraft through supercooled clouds can produce high concentrations of ice particles (> 1000 L−1 at −8°C in one case). These Aircraft Produced Ice Particles (APIPs) are characterized, initially, both by their high concentration and very uniform size distribution. The ice particles are contained in a cylindrical-like volume of air that is initially oriented along the flight track of the aircraft; the diameter of the cylinder is ∼300 m after 5 min of elapsed time. Possible mechanisms for APIPs are discussed. In view of these findings, care must be taken in the interpretation of data on clouds that have been penetrated by aircraft. It seems likely that some previous observations of abnormally high concentrations of ice particles in clouds were due to APIPs. Also, since APIPs mimic some of the effects produced by deliberate artificial seeding, it could complicate the evaluation of cloud seeding experiments.
The brief survival of free-ranging baboon infants (Papio cynocephalus) after separation from their mothers

The importance of mother — infant attachment in free-ranging primates is illustrated by events culminating in the deaths of two baboon infants a few days after losing their mothers. These two cases are contrasted with those of a severely injured infant, not separated from its mother, which lived, and an animal which lost and refound its troop. Protective behavior of adult males is described. In captivity, separation sometimes produces infant depression; in nature, such depression may be fatal.
On the Solution of an Integral Equation Appearing in the Delta‐Wing Theory

The integral equation appearing in the formulation of the non-steady motion of the flow around a delta-wing in supersonic flight has been studied and solved using a new approximate technique developed in this paper. The solution of this integral equation represents the source function for the three-dimensional non-steady perfect flow. In this paper the solution for transonic case is obtained, but no difficulties arise for the solution in the domain outside this region. The new technique developed in this paper for the solution of this integral equation is based on the perturbation of the domain of integration. This method reduces the integral equation under consideration to known equation in the aerofoil theory developed by Fuchs, Hopf and Seewald. Generally speaking, the development of this theory is believed to be one of the worthwhile new techniques in this field, which is a contribution to the major factors arising in the theory of the flutter phenomenon in rocket motion. Die Integralgleichung fur den nichtstationaren Flus um einen Delta-Flugel bei Uberschallgeschwindigkeit wird untersucht und mittels eines neuartigen Approximationsverfahrens gelost, das hier entwickelt wird. Die Losung der Integralgleichung reprasentiert die Quellenfunktion fur den nichtstationaren perfekten dreidimensionalen Flus. Die vorliegende Arbeit gibt die Losung fur den Fall der Uberschallgeschwindigkeit, doch ergeben sich keine Schwierigkeiten fur die Losung auserhalb dieses Gebietes. Das neue Naherungsverfahren basiert auf der Storung des Integrationsgebietes. Dadurch wird die gegebene Integralgleichung reduziert auf die bekannte Gleichung der Tragflachentheorie von Fuchs, Hopf und Seewald. Allgemein gesprochen bedeutet wohl die Entwicklung dieser Theorie eine neue sich lohnende Methode auf diesem Gebiet, da sie einen Beitrag liefert zur theoretischen Erfassung der Hauptfaktoren, die beim „flutter”- Phanomen der Raketen eine Rolle spielen.
STRATEGY FOR FINDING A NEAR-OPTIMAL MEASUREMENT SET FOR PARAMETER ESTIMATION FROM MODAL RESPONSE

Algorithms that estimate structural parameters from modal response using least-squares minimization of force or displacement residuals generally do not have unique solutions when the data are spatially sparse. The number and character of the multiple solutions depend upon the physical features of the structure and the locations of the response measurements. It has been observed that both the number of solutions and the sensitivity of the parameter estimates to measurement noise is greatly influenced by the choice of measurement locations. In this paper, we present a heuristic method to select a near-optimal subset of measurement locations starting from a particular set of measurements, by minimizing the sensitivity of the parameter estimates with respect to observed response. The statistical properties of solution clusters generated from a Monte Carlo samples of noisy data are used to determine the best candidate measurement to be dropped from the current set. The process is repeated until solution sensitivity cannot be significantly reduced. We also show that the laborious Monte Carlo computations can be avoided in certain cases by using a direct computation of sensitivity estimates. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the method and to examine the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Second-Order Optimality Conditions for Constrained Domain Optimization

This paper develops boundary integral representation formulas for the second variations of cost functionals for elliptic domain optimization problems. From the collection of all Lipschitz domains Ω which satisfy a constraint ? Ω g(x)?dx=1, a domain is sought which maximizes either $\mathcal{F}_{x_{0}}(\Omega )=F(x_{0},u(x_{0}))$ , fixed x 0?Ω, or ?(Ω)=? Ω F(x,u(x))?dx, where u solves the Dirichlet problem Δu(x)=?f(x), x?Ω, u(x)=0, x??Ω. Necessary and sufficient conditions for local optimality are presented in terms of the first and second variations of the cost functionals $\mathcal{F}_{x_{0}}$ and ?. The second variations are computed with respect to domain variations which preserve the constraint. After first summarizing known facts about the first variations of u and the cost functionals, a series of formulas relating various second variations of these quantities are derived. Calculating the second variations depends on finding first variations of solutions u when the data f are permitted to depend on the domain Ω.
Tiered Developer-Centric Representations for 3D Interfaces: Concept-Oriented Design in Chasm

In our experience, novel ideas for 3D interaction techniques greatly outpace developers' ability to implement them, despite the potential benefit of these ideas. We believe this is due to the inherent implementation complexity of 3D interfaces, without sufficient support from methods and tools. Believing a developer-centric representation could overcome this problem, we investigated developer practices, artifacts and language. This resulted in the theory of concept-oriented design and Chasm, a prototype realization of the theory. The key feature of concept-oriented design is its use of developer-centric representations to create a multi-tiered implementation, ranging from an envisioned behavior expressed in conversational language to low-level code. Evaluation of Chasm by domain experts and its use in multiple case studies has demonstrated that concept-oriented design in Chasm enabled developers to represent an exponential growth in 3D interface complexity with only a linear growth in implementation complexity. Positive comments by developers further support the developer-centric representation.
Effect of burn injury on glucose and nitrogen metabolism in the liver: preliminary studies in a perfused liver system.

Abstract Background. The direct impact of burn injury on liver metabolism was studied in a rat liver perfusion system to remove the influence of systemic factors that modulate liver metabolism. Methods. Seven animals received a burn injury covering 20% of the total body surface area, and seven were sham burned. The in situ liver perfusion studies were carried out in these animals after 3 days of isonitrogenous-isocaloric enteral feeding. In each study oxygen consumption and the rates of uptake and release of glucose, urea, and various amino acids were measured. Results. Burn injury significantly increased urea production (18.5 ± 0.4 versus 12.2 ± 0.6 μmol/gm liver/hr and oxygen consumption (3.23 ± 0.17 versus 1.21 ± 0.03 μmol/gm liver/min) in the liver but did not alter the rate of gluconeogenesis. The change in amino acid concentrations in the perfusion medium implies an increased net protein breakdown. Conclusions. Our study indicates that (1) burn injury induces a hypermetabolic state in the liver, (2) the observed enhancement of gluconeogenesis in vivo after burn is probably regulated by factors outside the liver, and (3) the liver itself plays an active role in up-regulating urea production in burn injury. Identifying intrahepatic factors that up-regulate urea production may provide an “intrahepatic approach” to ameliorate the severe nitrogen loss after bum injury.
Integrating microbial community data with ecological theory

Molecular and bioinformatics techniques are revealing the rich diversity of microbial communities. These approaches generate valuable data that ecologists could use to develop and test theories that apply to a large fraction of living organisms. However, the complexity of microbial community data is a challenge to achieving this integration. A fundamental question in microbial ecology is how to aggregate microbial communities so that their taxa may be represented in theoretical models. Recently, models based on microbial traits have been developed to tackle this question. Such models may represent microbial taxa as functional groups or stochastic assemblages with a distribution of trait values. Here, I define these two model types and show how they can be used to make predictions about the function of complex microbial communities. I focus on organic matter decomposition and nutrient mineralization because this function is typically driven by complex microbial communities. When applying ecological theory to predict rates of organic matter turnover, complex communities can be aggregated based on relevant traits, such as the ability to produce extracellular enzymes. Ecological and evolutionary theories provide a framework for predicting the distribution of these traits across time and space. For example, theories on ecological succession may predict the temporal progression of enzyme traits that occur in association with a decomposing substrate. Dispersal parameters from island biogeography theory may determine the movement of enzyme traits across the microbial landscape. Evolutionary theory can be used to predict the appearance and loss of enzyme traits due to selective pressures in microbial ecosystems. All of these theories then determine the abundance of particular functional groups, or the means and variances of trait distributions that directly affect ecological function. Functional group models may be useful in simple systems, but stochastic models based on distributions may be more relevant for complex communities with a diversity of continuous traits and many unidentified members.*The audio track for talks in this symposium may be obtained at the following web address:**https://sites.google.com/site/esa2010symposium13audiocontent/esa2010-symposium13-audio-content*
T1 Measurements for Detection of Expansion of the Myocardial Extracellular Volume in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background We aimed to assess whether chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with expansion of the myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) using T1 measurements.
Competitive exclusion and coexistence for pathogens in an epidemic model with variable population size

We study an SIR epidemic model with a variable host population size. We prove that if the model parameters satisfy certain inequalities then competition between n pathogens for a single host leads to exclusion of all pathogens except the one with the largest basic reproduction number. It is shown that a knowledge of the basic reproduction numbers is necessary but not sufficient for determining competitive exclusion. Numerical results illustrate that these inequalities are sufficient but not necessary for competitive exclusion to occur. In addition, an example is given which shows that if such inequalities are not satisfied then coexistence may occur.
The Influence of Perceived Risk Knowledge on Risk Communication

This study developed and validated the Risk Knowledge Index (RKI). The RKI is designed as a simple measure of the degree to which an individual perceives he or she understands the nature of a specific risk. The study examined the criterion validity of the RKI using variables common in instructional communication: nonverbal immediacy, communication clarity, receiver apprehension, satisfaction, and perceived credibility. An individual's perceived understanding of a risk was significantly related to all of the variables in the study.
TSC2 Deficiency Increases PTEN via HIF1α

Substantial evidence suggests roles of TSC2 and PTEN in the development of cancer predisposition syndromes. Loss of TSC2 results in benign tumors, neurological disorders, and angiomyolipomas. We found that PTEN mRNA and protein levels are elevated in Tsc2−/− mouse embryo fibroblasts with concomitant reduction in Akt phosphorylation. Reconstitution of TSC2 in Tsc2−/− mouse embryo fibroblasts decreases PTEN levels. Interestingly, increased HIF1α activity present in Tsc2 null cells is required for PTEN transcription and protein expression. We identified a canonical hypoxia-responsive element in the PTEN promoter, which regulates the transcription of this tumor suppressor protein in a TSC2-dependent manner. Finally, we demonstrate a positive correlation between expression of HIF1α and PTEN in renal angiomyolipomas from TSC patients. Our results reveal a unique function of HIF1α in up-regulation of PTEN and provide a new mechanism of reduced Akt phosphorylation in Tsc2 null cells. These data suggest that PTEN may safeguard against developing malignant tumors in patients with TSC deficiency.
LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT USING HISTORICAL FIRE REGIMES: BLUE RIVER, OREGON

Landscapes administered for timber production by the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest in the 1950s-1980s were managed with dispersed patch clear- cutting, and then briefly in the late 1980s with aggregated patch clear-cutting. In the late 1990s, use of historical landscape patterns and disturbance regimes as a guide for landscape management has emerged as an alternative to the static reserves and standard matrix pre- scriptions in the Northwest Forest Plan. Use of historical information to guide management recognizes the dynamic and variable character of the landscape and may offer an improved ability to meet ecosystem management objectives. We describe a landscape management plan based in part on interpretations of historical disturbance regimes. The plan contains a reserve system and other landscape areas where three distinct types of timber harvest are prescribed. Timber harvest prescriptions approx- imate the frequency, severity, and spatial extent of past fires. Future harvest blocks are mapped and used to project forest patterns 200 yr forward and to map resulting landscape structure. This plan is compared with an alternative plan for the same area based on the extensive reserves and prescriptions for matrix lands in the Northwest Forest Plan. The management approach based on historical patterns produced more late-successional habitat (71% vs. 59%), more overstory structure in young stands (overstory canopy cover of 15-50% vs. 15%), larger patches (mean patch size of 48 vs. 26 ha), and less edge between young and old forest (edge density of 19 vs. 37 m/ha). While landscape structures resulting from both plans are historically unprecedented, we feel that landscape management plans incorporating key aspects of ecosystem history and variability may pose less risk to native species and ecological processes.
Outpatient Healthcare Settings and Transmission of Clostridium difficile

Background Recent reports suggest that community-associated Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) (i.e., no healthcare facility admission within 90 days) may be increasing in frequency. We hypothesized that outpatient clinics could be an important source for acquisition of community-associated CDI. Methods We performed a 6-month prospective study of CDI patients to determine frequency of and risk factors for skin and environmental shedding during outpatient visits and to derive a prediction rule for positive cultures. We performed a point–prevalence culture survey to assess the frequency of C. difficile contamination in outpatient settings and evaluated the frequency of prior outpatient visits in patients with community-associated CDI. Results Of 67 CDI patients studied, 54 (81%) had 1 or more outpatient visits within 12 weeks after diagnosis. Of 44 patients cultured during outpatient visits, 14 (32%) had skin contamination and 12 (27%) contaminated environmental surfaces. Decreased mobility, fecal incontinence, and treatment with non-CDI antibiotics were associated with positive cultures, whereas vancomycin taper therapy was protective. In patients not on CDI therapy, a prediction rule including incontinence or decreased mobility was 90% sensitive and 79% specific for detection of spore shedding. Of 84 clinic and emergency department rooms cultured, 12 (14%) had 1 or more contaminated environmental sites. For 33 community-associated CDI cases, 31 (94%) had an outpatient visit during the 12 weeks prior to onset of diarrhea. Conclusions Patients with recent CDI present a significant risk for transmission of spores during outpatient visits. The outpatient setting may be an underappreciated source of community-associated CDI cases.
The parasitic phase of the fungi of chromoblastomycosis: development of sclerotic cells in vitro and in vivo.

(1957). The Parasitic Phase of the Fungi of Chromoblastomycosis: Development of Sclerotic Cells in Vitro and in Vivo. Mycologia: Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 318-331.
Lived Experiences of Failure on the National Council Licensure Examination - Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN): Perceptions of Registered Nurses

This study was to promote a deeper understanding of the possible meanings that may be given to the lived experiences of graduate nurses who failed the NCLEX-RN as perceived by registered nurses. The data collected in this study were recalled memories of feelings, experienced when graduate nurses failed the NCLEX-RN. Qualitative phenomenological study with a constructivist approach was utilized, after conducting a pilot study. Eighteen Registered Nurses who had failed the NCLEX-RN answered the research questions. Close face-to-face, one-on-one audio-taped in-depth interviews allowed for listening more effectively to the voices of participants, while observing body language as participants recalled their lived experiences of failure. The recalled experiences emerged in underlying themes and patterns and were analyzed and organized and include: disappointment; depression; and avoidance that evolved as temporary decreased psychological and sociological well being. Knowledge seeking behavior and confidence evolved from: not knowing what to expect; distraction; poor test-taking skills; and overall, inadequate preparation. Implications are for positive change to improve NCLEX-RN test-taking outcome.
Essential requirement for PP2A inhibition by the oncogenic receptor c-KIT suggests PP2A reactivation as a strategy to treat c-KIT+ cancers -- Letter.

In the article by Roberts and colleagues ([1][1]), the authors demonstrated that inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) was required for survival of myeloid cells expressing mutant KIT. Restoration of PP2A activity by FTY720 (fingolimod; Novartis) was cytotoxic to these cells. The U.S. Food and
Smoothing of irradiance spectra with finite-bandwidth windows, with application to particle-size analysis

We investigate the problem of obtaining minimum-bias spectral estimates under the constraint of finite spectral-window bandwidth. The problem is meaningful for spectral estimation with a coherent optical system in which the power-spectrum estimate, i.e., the Fourier irradiance, is physically available for smoothing. An example that deals with the smoothing of statistically unstable optical data is furnished in connection with the problem of particle-size estimation with an optical-digital computer. We show that the smoothing of the irradiance spectrum prior to particle-size estimation furnishes more satisfactory results than operating with unsmoothed data.
Variational solution for unsteady heat transfer in boundary layer flows

The transient thermal response of a non-Newtonian, laminar boundary layer flow over a wedge is analyzed by means of the semidirect variational method of Kantorovich. Consideration is given to the case of a step change in surface temperature. Details of the transient heat flux and the temperature field are obtained and by comparison with the exact solution it is observed that the results are good within an error margin of 5%. The range of Prandtl numbers investigated is from 5 to 1000, while the viscosity index is allowed to vary from 0.1 to 5.0.
Renal parenchyma‐sparing surgery as conservative treatment of renal cell carcinoma*

Objective To evaluate the role of parenchyma-sparing surgery in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Patients and methods Between 1965 and 1990, 34 patients with RCC underwent renal parenchyma-sparing surgery. There were 22 men and 12 women with a mean age of 62 years (range 40–89). Ten patients underwent enucleation (Group A), 15 partial nephrectomy (Group B), and nine a combination of procedures (Group C). Conservative surgery was performed in the presence of a normal contralateral unit in four patients (12%). Results Five patients developed local recurrence. Metastases appeared in six patients (18%) from 12 to 58 months post-operatively. Adequate renal function was obtained in 32 of the 34 patients. The mean follow-up for all patients was 64.6 months overall, 75.6 months for group A, 64.1 months for group B and 53.4 months for group C. The 3 and 5 year probabilities of survival for all patients were 77.8% and 69.5% respectively. The probabilities of 3 and 5 year survival were 80% for group A, 80% for group B and 71.4% and 57.1% for group C. Conclusion Enucleation and partial nephrectomy are both viable options in the management of solitary or bilateral RCC, as there is no decline in effective tumour control and prognosis. Larger groups and longer follow-ups are needed to assess the role of renal parenchyma-sparing surgery more definitively.
Seropositive, symmetric polyarthritis in a patient with poorly differentiated lung carcinoma: Carcinomatous polyarthritis, hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, or rheumatoid arthritis?

Polyarthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be the presenting manifestation of occult malignancy. Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) may also develop in association with pulmonary neoplasia and consists of clubbing, periostitis, and arthropathy. We describe a patient who presented with a seropositive, symmetric, inflammatory polyarthritis only 4 weeks before a lung tumor became clinically and radiographically apparent. After initiation of chemotherapy, she developed features characteristic of HOA. It appears that the patient had both RA and HOA. We discuss the differential diagnosis and review the relationship of RA, HOA, carcinomatous polyarthritis, and malignancy.
Estrogen attenuates the MPTP-induced loss of dopamine neurons from the mouse SNc despite a lack of estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ)

Abstract Estrogen attenuates the loss of dopamine from striatum and dopamine neurons from the substantia nigra (SNc) in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Interestingly, estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) are thought to be sparse or absent in mouse striatum and SNc. Since ERα is markedly induced in rodent cortex after ischemic injury, the present studies evaluated changes in ERs after acute treatment with the dopamine neurotoxin MPTP. Mice were injected daily with estradiol, injected with MPTP on day 6, and brains collected on day 9 or 13. Immunocytochemistry was then used to assess tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in striatum and investigate the localization of ERα and ERβ in the striatum and SNc. In addition, cryostat sections were hybridized with a riboprobe complementary to ERα or ERβ mRNA. Evaluation of TH immunoreactivity revealed a dense network of fibers in the striatum of vehicle-treated animals, while a near complete loss of terminals was seen after MPTP treatment. When, however, mice were pretreated with estradiol, the MPTP-induced loss of TH was attenuated. Evaluation of ERα and ERβ in the SNc and striatum demonstrated a sparse localization of both ERs in vehicle-treated mice, a pattern that did not change in animals treated with vehicle/MPTP or estradiol/MPTP. These data demonstrate that ERs are sparse in the mouse striatum and SNc and show that this pattern does not change after MPTP intoxication. This observation and the finding that estrogen affords some protection against MPTP suggest that estrogen may act via nuclear receptor independent mechanisms to protect dopamine neurons from toxins such as MPTP.
Numerically simulating alpine landscapes: The geomorphologic consequences of incorporating glacial erosion in surface process models

Abstract A numerical model that simulates the evolution of glaciated mountain landscapes is presented. By employing a popular, sliding based, glacial erosion model, many common glacial landforms are created. The numerical model builds on earlier work as it is fully two-dimensional and employs the first order forcing on mountain evolution. These forcings include tectonic uplift, isostasy, hillslope processes, fluvial processes, and glacial processes. A climate-dependent model of ice dynamics is employed to determine ice coverage and ice flux. Two simulations are presented; one with generic model parameters, and a second with parameters that correspond to conditions in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Landforms that are produced by the model include climate climate-dependent elevation lowering, similar to what might be expected by a “glacial buzz-saw”, valley overdeepening, terminal moraines, and valley retreat. The model also predicts that current rates of sedimentation are higher than the long-term average, and that several tens of thousands of years are required for the landscape to adjust to a change in the dominant erosional forcing. Therefore, glaciated orogens are unlikely to achieve topographic steady state over Milankovitch timescales.
Polarization transfer in n-p scattering at 50 MeV

The polarization transfer parameter D/sub t/(180/sup 0/) for n-p scattering has been measured at 50 MeV for the first time. Polarized neutrons produced in the /sup 2/H(darrow,narrow) /sup 3/He reaction were scattered from the hydrogen in a polyethylene target and the polarization of the recoil protons emitted at 0/sup 0/ was measured in a carbon polarimeter. The result of this measurement tests the prediction of D/sub t/ from a phase shift analysis of the N-N data and that of a theoretical proposal concerning n-p charge exchange.
Autoagglutination in Ejaculates Caused by Sperm-Agglutinating Antibodies

: Human spermatozoa may be agglutinated by bacteria, virus, and mycoplasmas, as well as by epithelial cells and cellular debris. Agglutination may also be caused by sperm-agglutinating antibodies, but controversy exists as to its significance. One reason for the controversy is that the degree of agglutination has generally been evaluated in a wet smear. During this routine examination, the specimens are often shaken and a part of the specimen is usually transferred to a microscope slide before examination. Such mechanical agitation may cause the agglutinates to break up. Later, the spermatozoa reagglutinate but these agglutinates are usually smaller and may easily be overlooked and therefore, its significance has not been fully recognized. In the present study, portions from ejaculates were obtained immediately after ejaculation and kept under liquid parafin oil in microchambers, a technique that permits the agglutination to proceed undisturbed, but still under observation. The degree of agglutination in ejaculates from 129 men with tail-to-tail (T-T) and 36 men with head-to-head (H-H) sperm-agglutinating antibodies were compared with findings in 138 men without antibodies, and the influence of different titers evaluated. The results indicate that ejaculates from men with H-H or low titers (≤ 1:32) of T-T sperm-agglutinating antibodies displayed the same degree of agglutination as was seen in the ejaculates from men without any antibodies. Patients with high T-T titers (≥ 1:512) very often had a quite pronounced or complete agglutination in the ejaculates. Evaluation of seminal fluid using anion exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and various absorption experiments indicated that the T-T sperm-agglutinating factor in the seminal fluid was caused by IgA antibodies and in a few samples the T-T agglutination was also caused by IgG antibodies. Analysis of the T-T sperm agglutination in male sera demonstrated that this factor was caused by IgG antibodies and that H-H agglutination was caused by IgM antibodies. Head-to-head agglutination was not present in the seminal fluid, which is consistent with the fact that IgM antibodies do not penetrate to the seminal fluid.
Polymorphism of genes involved in anti-tubular basement membrane disease in rats.

Inbred strains of rats differ widely in their susceptibility to interstitial nephritis induced by rabbit renal tubular basement membrane (TBM) preparations. We now report that susceptibility is determined in part by an RTI-linked gene for effector cell responsiveness producing interstitial lesions. Furthermore we also obtained evidence that the gene determining expression of the target TBM antigen is linked to the gene for albinism on the first linkage group. When non-susceptible rats lacking the TBM antigen but having the gene for cellular responsiveness were mated with non-susceptible rats which had the TBM antigen but lacked the gene for cellular responsiveness, the F1 hybrids were susceptible to the induction of interstitial nephritis. Although strains varied widely in the amount of anti-TBM antibody (αTBM-Ab) they produced, this variation does not appear to be controlled by RTI-linked genes, nor does the isotype or amount of antibody appear to be related to the susceptibility to infiltrating cellular lesions.