cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraoperative and percutaneous iridium-192 high-dose-rate brachytherapy for previously irradiated lesions of the spine

Abstract Purpose Advances in stereotactic radiosurgery have improved local control of spine metastases, but local failure is still a problem and repeat irradiation is limited by normal tissue tolerance. A novel high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy technique has been developed to treat these previously irradiated lesions. Methods and Materials Five patients with progressive disease at previously irradiated sites in the spine who were not amenable to further external beam radiation were treated. Catheters were placed intraoperatively in 2 patients and percutaneously implanted in 3 patients with image-guided techniques. Conformal plans were generated to deliver dose to target tissues and spare critical structures. Patients received single-fraction treatment using HDR iridium-192 brachytherapy. Results Median dose was 14 Gy (range, 12–18 Gy) with a median gross total volume D 90 of 75% (range, 31–94%); spinal cord/cauda equina dose constraints were met. At a median followup of 9 months, no local progression of disease has been observed. Four patients had reduction in pain 1–4 weeks after treatment. No brachytherapy-related complications have been observed. Conclusions Intraoperative and percutaneous iridium-192 HDR spine brachytherapy techniques were not associated with complications or acute toxicity. There has been no local progression at treated sites, and most patients experienced reduction in cancer-related pain.
TREATMENT OF ADVANCED CARCINOMA OF THE SIGMOID AND RECTUM.

Advanced carcinoma of the sigmoid flexure and rectum will continue to present multiple problems until the diagnosis is made at an earlier stage of the disease. Delay in the diagnosis is a serious problem and merits a major crusade on the part of all who are interested in carcinoma of the colon and rectum. Preoperative knowledge, or suspicion that a carcinoma of the sigmoid flexure or rectum has extended to adjacent structures, provides an opportunity to prepare the patient adequately and to plan the operative procedure. The more that is known preoperatively about a patient’s physical and mental condition, the better is the opportunity to decide just what is the best procedure when advanced carcinoma is found. In spite of careful preoperative investigation, the surgeon occasionally will be surprised to discover unsuspected advanced disease at operation. On the other hand, what appears at first to be a non-resectable advanced carcinoma of the rectum or sigmoid flexure may still be curative. A concerted effort,consistent with sound surgical judgment, should be made to remove the involved organs. The end results in a given case will depend upon many factors, which often will be surprising and gratifying. “Preventive colostomies” are unnecessary and should be avoided. A few technical procedures have been discussed, including intralymphatic injection of radioactive gold and 5-fluorouracil, preoperative radiation, intra-abdominal ureteral catheterization, ligation of internal iliac arteries and the primary blood supply to the pelvis, concomitant hysterectomy, oophorectomy, cystectomy, prostatectomy, vaginectomy and reconstruction of the vagina.
On the Australian linyphiid spider Alaxchelicera ordinaria Butler, 1932 (Araneae).

Very few studies have addressed the linyphiid fauna of Australia. Most of the existing taxonomic work on Australian linyphiids consists of isolated species descriptions (e.g., Rainbow 1912) or at most are based on small number of species also described outside a revisionary context (e.g., Wunderlich 1976) (but see van Helsdingen 1972 for a revision of the Australian species of the genera Laperousea Dalmas, 1917 and Laetesia Simon, 1908).
3T MRI induced post-traumatic stress disorder: a case report.

Introduction MRI is considered a safe and well tolerated imaging technique with risks largely limited to heating and/or displacement of implanted ferromagnetic metal in the patient’s body, worsening anxiety, triggering claustrophobia, and gadolinium induced nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.
Physics-based multi-domain subspace deformation with component mode synthesis

Fast and accurate simulation of 3D soft objects is important to virtual environment and reality. Simulating 3D deformation of large model in real-time is a challenging problem as it is very computation-demanding involving intensive matrix-based operation of large scale. Reduction techniques, consequently flourish where the dynamic is computed within a subspace of much smaller size with accuracy loss. This type of technique greatly boosts the simulation performance. Currently, most reduction methods use globally-computed bases. As a result, when large local deformation occurs, global bases often fail to provide necessary freedoms at the desired region. Alternatively, we construct subspaces locally based on the linear component mode synthesis (CMS) method. The components are the mutually disjoint sub-meshes (with duplicated boundary DOFs) and the local bases are called component modes which are the displacements of the components under certain mechanical equilibrium.
Ventilation-perfusion inequality during constant-flow ventilation.

Previous work by Lehnert et al. (J. Appl. Physiol. 53:483–489, 1982) has demonstrated that adequate alveolar ventilation can be maintained during apnea in anesthetized dogs by delivering a continuo...
Finite‐frequency resolution limits of wave path traveltime tomography for smoothly varying velocity models

SUMMARY The Rytov approximation that expresses phase residuals as an explicit function of the slowness perturbations, is also related to the generalized Radon transform (GRT). Using Beylkin's formalism, we derive the corresponding inverse GRT to give the slowness model as an explicit function of the phase residuals. This expression is used to deduce the resolution limits of wave path traveltime tomograms as a function of source frequency and source–receiver geometry. Its validity is restricted to arbitrary models with smooth variations in velocity, where the scale wavelength of the velocity variations must be at least three times longer than the characteristic source wavelength. The formula explicitly gives the slowness perturbation function as a function of the product of the frequency and the traveltime gradient that can be obtained by ray tracing. It shows that the spatial resolution limits of a slowness anomaly can be estimated by calculating the available wavenumbers of the slowness perturbation function. Using this procedure, resolution limits are obtained for several types of data: controlled source data in a crosswell experiment, data from a diving-wave experiment and earthquake data using the reference velocity model of the whole Earth. This formula can also be used for diffraction-limited pixelization of velocity models or for direct inversion of traveltime data.
AN ULTRACENTRIFUGAL ANALYSIS OF CONCENTRATED STAPHYLOCOCCUS BACTERIOPHAGE PREPARATIONS.

Analytical observations have been made with the air ultracentrifuge on concentrated staphylococcus bacteriophage solutions and on these solutions inactivated by alkali, chymo-trypsin, and heat. All active solutions contain a homogeneous heavy component that sediments with a constant of s 20° = ca . 650 x 10–13 cm. sec.–1 dynes–1, has an apparent density of ca . 1.20, and a molecular weight probably not less than 200 millions. There is also present some very light ultraviolet-absorbing material which is not a carrier of bacteriophage activity. The amount of the heavy component is not strictly proportional to the bacteriophage activity so that if the activity resides in it, as appears to be the case, inactivation may occur without measurable change in molecular size and shape. When the bacteriophage solutions are inactivated by chymo-trypsin, the heavy component is not disrupted but the sedimenting boundaries have always been fairly diffuse. As the activity gradually disappears from alkaline solutions, the heavy component is replaced by unsedimentable material. When a solution is inactivated by heating, a dilute gel is produced which sediments with an exceptionally sharp boundary in a relatively intense centrifugal field,
Use of modafinil in spastic cerebral palsy.

After an initial patient with cerebral palsy had an apparent dramatic reduction in spasticity when placed on modafinil, a pilot study was undertaken in 10 pediatric patients to confirm or refute the benefit of modafinil in cerebral palsy. Nine of 10 patients completed the 1-month treatment period. The study patients were treated with 50 or 100 mg of modafinil once daily in the morning. An assessment was made at baseline and at 1 month on treatment. All patients had a clinical examination, Modified Ashworth Scale scores (spasticity) determined by a physical therapist, and videotaping of ambulation. In comparing visit 1 (baseline) and visit 2 (on treatment), statistically significant improvement in the modified Ashworth Scale scores was noted in seven of the nine patients completing the study (P = .0080). A blinded review of the videotapes did not show statistically significant differences in ambulation, but the speed (ft/sec) of gait improved in six of the nine patients (P = .0192). In this study, modafini...
Chiral spin liquids and quantum error-correcting codes

The possibility of using the twofold topological degeneracy of spin-1/2 chiral spin liquid states on the torus to construct quantum error-correcting codes is investigated. It is shown that codes constructed using these states on finite periodic lattices do not meet the necessary and sufficient conditions for correcting even a single qubit error with perfect fidelity. However, for large enough lattice sizes, these conditions are approximately satisfied, and the resulting codes may therefore be viewed as approximate quantum error-correcting codes.
Pseudo- C ℓ estimators which do not mix E and B modes

Pseudo-${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ quadratic estimators for CMB temperature and polarization power spectra have been used in the analysis pipelines of many CMB experiments, such as WMAP and Boomerang. In the polarization case, these estimators mix E and B modes, in the sense that the estimated B-mode power is nonzero for a noiseless CMB realization which contains only E modes. Recently, Challinor, and Chon showed that for moderately sized surveys (${f}_{\mathrm{sky}}\ensuremath{\sim}0.01$), this mixing limits the gravity wave B-mode signal which can be detected using pseudo-${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ estimators to $T/S\ensuremath{\sim}0.05$. We modify the pseudo-${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ construction, defining pure pseudo-${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ estimators, which do not mix E and B modes in this sense. We study these estimators in detail for a survey geometry similar to that which has been proposed for the QUIET experiment, for a variety of noise levels, and both homogeneous and inhomogeneous noise. For noise levels $\ensuremath{\lesssim}20\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{arc}\text{ }\mathrm{min}$, our modification significantly improves the B-mode power spectrum errors obtained using pseudo-${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ estimators. In the homogeneous case, we compute optimal power spectrum errors using a Fisher matrix approach, and show that our pure pseudo-${C}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}$ estimators are roughly 80% of optimal, across a wide range of noise levels. There is no limit, imposed by the estimators alone, to the value of $T/S$ which can be detected.
Increased flexibility of AneuRx stent-graft reduces need for secondary intervention following endovascular aneurysm repair.

l l Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a change in the manufacturing of the AneuRx stent- graft on the long-term results of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Methods: The first 70 AAA patients treated with the AneuRx stent-graft between October 1996 and December 1998 were reviewed. The early stiff bifurcated design (STIFF) was used in 23 patients (mean age 71.7 6 9.3 years, range 45-87) and the current flexible bifurcated design (FLEX) in 47 mean age 75.0 6 7.3 years, range 61-96). Data on patient demographics, aneurysm morphology, technical success, complications, secondary procedures, and out- comes were compared using Kaplan-Meier estimates to evaluate patient survival and free- dom from surgical conversion, rupture, and secondary interventions at 6, 12, and 24 months. Results: The 2 groups were equally matched with regard to age, preoperative comorbidi- ties, proximal neck dimensions, and aneurysm diameter. Mean follow-up times were 22.42 6 11.72 months (range 1-46) for the STIFF cohort and 18.08 6 6.14 months (range 1-30) for the FLEX (p 5 0.057). Eleven (48%) of 23 STIFF patients required secondary interven- tions versus 6 (13%) of 47 FLEX patients (p , 0.05). There were no ruptures. At the 24- month interval, survival estimates were 86% for STIFF and 76% for FLEX (p 5 NS); freedom from surgical conversion was 100% for STIFF and 97% for FLEX (p 5 NS) and freedom from secondary interventions was 18% for STIFF and 90% for FLEX (p , 0.05) at 24 months. Conclusions: The AneuRx stent-graft was effective in achieving the primary objective of preventing aneurysm rupture in all patients. However, increasing the flexibility of the bi- furcated module significantly improved the primary success rate by reducing the need for subsequent secondary interventions. J Endovasc Ther 2001;8:583-591
Extrapulmonary Pneumocystis carinii Infections

A case of disseminated infection with Pneumocystis carinii is presented, and the Englishlanguage literature is reviewed for cases of documented extrapulmonary infection with this organism. In this case- with P. carinii diffusely replacing the bone marrow and causing hepatic, adrenal, and glomerular tuft necrosis - the clinical illness and multiple-organ dysfunction attributed to disseminated P carinii were more severe than had previously been described. Because the rate of extrapulmonary R carinii infection found at autopsy in patients with AIDS is at least 2.5% at our institution, we caution against the routine use of aerosol rather than parenteral pentamidine for treatment of P carinii pneumonia until additional data are available. Pneumocystis carinii is the most common agent causing opportunistic infection in patients with AIDS. Over 60% of patients with AIDS reported to the Centers for Disease Control have presented with P carinii pneumonia (PCP) as their initial op
From Einstein's 1905 postulates to the geometry of flat space‐time

Minkowski diagrams in 1+1 dimensional flat space-time are given a strictly geometric derivation, directly from two gedanken experiments incorporating the principle of the constancy of the velocity of light and the principle of (special) relativity. Rectangles of photon trajectories play a central role in determining the simultaneity convention and in establishing the invariance of the interval.
Concurrent endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma (EIC) and endometrial hyperplasia

Abstract Endometrial cancer is one of the most common gynecological neoplasms in the United States. It is divided into type I and type II carcinomas based on histological features. The mixed endometrioid (type I) and serous (type II) adenocarcinomas of endometrium were reported in previous studies. The concurrence of their precursor lesions was not studied. In current study, we present five cases with concurrent precursor lesions of endometrioid (endometrial hyperplasia) and serous adenocarcinomas (endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma and p53 signature). Due to the potential progressive clinical outcome of precursor lesions of serous adenocarcinoma, caution needs to be performed to identify endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma and p53 signature in the background of endometrial hyperplasia.
Distribution of codeine and morphine into rat hair after long-term daily dosing with codeine.

Hair analysis for drugs of abuse provides a possible long-term measure of drug use not possible with urinalysis. Many drugs and their metabolites have been detected in hair; however, the factors influencing the incorporation of chemicals into hair are poorly understood. An animal model for chemical uptake into hair utilizing controlled drug administration was developed to ascertain if increasing doses of codeine are reflected in the concentrations of codeine and its metabolites found in hair. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered codeine at 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg (intraperitoneally; n = 6) daily for 21 days. At various times during and after the dosing protocol, approximately 50 mg of hair was shaved from a different area of the animals' backs and analyzed for codeine and morphine concentrations by ion-trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Peak hair codeine concentrations for the 5-, 10-, and 20-mg/kg groups occurred 20 days after beginning the dosing protocol and were 0.57  0.13, 0.80  0.10, and 1.95  0.35 ng/mg hair, respectively. Morphine peak concentrations occurred at the same time and were 1.08  0.28, 1.21  0.09, and 2.10  0.26 ng/mg hair for the 5-, 10-, and 20-mg/kg groups, respectively. Long-term dosing in the rat resulted in similar or greater hair concentrations of morphine (metabolite) than codeine. The plasma pharmacokinetics of codeine and morphine were also obtained after a single, intraperitoneal codeine administration of 20 mg/kg. An experiment involving washing the rat hair with methanol or phosphate buffer (pH 9.0) did not reduce the concentration of codeine or morphine measured in hair as compared with nonwashed control hair. Data obtained in this study indicate that after controlled administration the incorporation of codeine and its metabolite, morphine, into rat hair occurs in a distinct dose-proportional manner.
Kerr electro-optic measurements of space charge effects in HV pulsed propylene carbonate

The Kerr electro-optic field mapping technique has been used to study space charge effects in HV pulsed propylene carbonate (C/sub 4/H/sub 6/O/sub 3/) using stainless steel parallel-plane, aluminum blade-plane, and aluminum point-plane electrodes. Measurements presented here were taken using a circular polariscope with aligned polarizers at room temperature (T /spl sim/ 20 to 27/spl deg/C). Average peak space charge free electric field strengths were E/sub 0/ /spl sim/ 52 kV/cm for the parallel-plane electrodes, E/sub 0/ /spl sim/ 210 kV/cm at the blade electrode tip and E/sub 0/ /spl sim/ 240 kV/cm at the point electrode tip. The measurement times ranged from 10 /spl mu/s to 1 ms. For the parallel-plane electrodes, the light intensity pictures were analyzed along a line between electrodes in the center of the electrode gap and for the blade-plane and point-plane electrodes the light intensity pictures were analyzed both from the tip of the blade and point, to the plane, and along the plane surface. From the light intensity distribution for the parallel-plane and blade-plane electrodes, the electric field and space charge density were calculated as a function of position and time. The calculated space charge distributions show both positive and negative charge injections from the electrodes as well as bulk charge dissociation and recombination. The light intensity was recorded on Polaroid film for the parallel-plane, blade-plane and point-plane electrode measurements and also with a CCD camera for the point-plane electrodes. A CCD camera was used for the point-plane electrodes to resolve more accurately the gray-scale light intensity distribution because of the short optical path length. All the HV Kerr electro-optic measurements showed significant space charge effects in propylene carbonate because the light intensity distributions differed significantly from the calculated Kerr effect patterns from numerical solutions to Laplace's equation under space-charge free conditions.
Enzymatic activity of Lactobacillus reuteri grown in a sweet potato based medium with the addition of metal ions

The effect of metal ions on the enzymatic activity of Lactobacillus reuteri was studied. The enzymatic activity was determined spectrophotometrically using the corresponding substrate. In the control group, L. reuteri MF14-C, MM2-3, SD2112, and DSM20016 produced the highest α-glucosidase (40.06 ± 2.80 Glu U/mL), β-glucosidase (17.82 ± 1.45 Glu U/mL), acid phosphatase (20.55 ± 0.74 Ph U/mL), and phytase (0.90 ± 0.05 Ph U/mL) respectively. The addition of Mg2+ and Mn2+ led to enhance α-glucosidase produced by L. reuteri MM2-3 by 113.6% and 100.6% respectively. α-Glucosidase produced by MF14-C and CF2-7F was decrease in the presence of K+ by 65.8 and 69.4% respectively. β-Glucosidase activity of MM7 and SD2112 increased in the presence of Ca2+ (by 121.8 and 129.8%) and Fe2+ (by 143.9 and 126.7%) respectively. Acid phosphatase produced by L. reuteri CF2-7F and MM2-3 was enhanced in the presence of Mg2+, Ca2+ or Mn2+ by (94.7, 43.2, and 70.1%) and (63.1, 67.8, and 45.6%) respectively. On the other hand, Fe2+, K+, and Na+ caused only slight increase or decrease in acid phosphatase activity. Phytase produced by L. reuteri MM2-3 was increase in the presence of Mg2+ and Mn2+ by 51.0 and 74.5% respectively. Ca2+ enhanced phytase activity of MM2-3 and DSM20016 by 27.5 and 28.9% respectively. The addition of Na+ or Fe2+ decreased phytase activity of L. reuteri. On average, Mg2+ and Mn2+ followed by Ca2+ led to the highest enhancement of the tested enzymes. However, the effect of each metal ion on the enzymatic activity of L. reuteri was found to be a strain dependent. Therefore, a maximized level of a target enzyme could be achieved by selecting a combination of specific strain and specific metal ion.
Differential regulation of mannose 6-phosphate receptors and their ligands during the myogenic development of C2 cells.

The mammalian insulin-like growth factor II/cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (IGF-II/CIMPR) mediates both targeting and endocytosis of mannose 6-phosphate-containing proteins and binds insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). The cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CDMPR) lacks an IGF-II-binding site and participates only in the intracellular trafficking of lysosomal enzymes. During terminal differentiation of the myogenic C2 cell line, there is an increase in cell surface expression of the IGF-II/CIMPR in parallel with a rise in secretion of IGF-II (Tollefsen, S.E., Sadow, J.L., and Rotwein, P. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 1543-1547). In this study we show that IGF-II/CIMPR mRNA increases by more than 10-fold during the initial 48 h of C2 muscle differentiation with kinetics similar to the rise in IGF-II mRNA. Comparable levels of both mRNAs are expressed in C2 myotubes and in primary cultures of fetal muscle. By contrast, no change is observed in CDMPR transcript abundance during differentiation, and only a small, transient increase is seen in the enzymatic activities and mRNA levels of several lysosomal enzymes. The differential regulation of the two mannose 6-phosphate receptors during muscle differentiation suggests that they may serve distinct functions in development.
Evaluation of recent limnological changes at Lake Apopka

Recent changes in submersed macrophytes and water quality variables have been offered as the strongest evidence that the current restoration program at Lake Apopka will be effective (Lowe et al., 2000); however, the new beds of submersed plants in Lake Apopka are found only on hard substrates on the fringes of the lake within 40 m of shore and are protected from waves by cattails (Typha spp.). They occupy only 0.02% of the lake area, and there is no indication that they can colonize the flocculent sediments that make up 90% of the lake area. There is no correlation between annual inputs of phosphorus and total phosphorus concentrations in the lake, and patterns of change in chlorophyll and other water quality variables do not follow changes in phosphorus loads. Rather than reflecting decreases in phosphorus loading, the recent changes could be related to the harvest of benthivorous fish or are just the normal fluctuations found in lakes that have not been perturbed. Regardless of the reason the macrophytes were lost in the 1940s, the new analyses confirm our previous findings that the high turbidities in Lake Apopka are due to the resuspension of sediments, and that the fluid mud cannot support the colonization of submersed aquatic macrophytes. Even without the fluid mud, the target phosphorus concentration of 55 mg m−3 is too high to bring about the restoration of the former macrophyte beds in the lake.
Ovulation and pregnancy in acromegaly.

Abstract Clinical and laboratory features of acromegaly have been reviewed. Two patients with resumption of ovulatory cycles, and one successful pregnancy following radiation therapy for acromegaly have been described. The concepts of therapy have been discussed particularly in relation to maintenance of reproductive function.
Use of Botulinum Toxin in Urologic Diseases

OnabotulinumtoxinA (onaBoNTA) is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of urinary incontinence due to neurogenic detrusor overactivity and for the treatment of refractory overactive bladder. As a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, onaBoNTA showed no difference over placebo in recently published studies. In contrast, treating interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome with onaBoNTA has shown efficacy, and the current American Urological Association guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome lists onaBoNTA as fourth-line treatment. This comprehensive review will present all studied applications of onaBoNTA within the lower urinary tract.
Thoughts on Rereading Henry Adams

As is meet and right for the spirit of a Conservative Christian Anarchist so to do, the ghost of Henry Adams continues to appear in various unorthodox places. Not so long ago, for example, he provided the central metaphorical arch for a shrine to professional football in general and the Pittsburgh Steelers in particular. ' More recently, one sensed his presence when Dorothy Day defined her life's work as "having a complacency to shatter.' '2 And surely he is here with us in Detroit, comparing the Renaissance Center with his beloved Medieval Cathedral as he awaits his appointment with Henry Ford to discuss the irrelevance of History. Let us set them at it squarely. Henry Ford: "History is more or less the bunk. We want to live in the present, and the only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history we make today. "3 Henry Adams: "From cradle to grave this problem of running order through chaos, direction through space, discipline through freedom, unity through multiplicity, has always been, and must always be, the task of education...... "Education should try to ... train minds to react, not at haphazard, but by choice.... "4
Chemosystematic Studies of the Triboliini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): Phylogenetic Inferences from the Defensive Chemicals of Eight Tribolium spp., Palorus ratzeburgi (Wissmann), and Latheticus oryzae Waterhouse

The organic chemicals in the defensive secretions of 10 species representing both genus groups in the tenebrionid tribe Triboliini (subfamily Tenebrioninae) have been identified and quantified. All taxa contain substantial quantities of 2-methyl- and 2-ethylbenzoquinone with approximately 10-fold less of the corresponding hydroquinones. These are the only components in Palorus ratzeburgi , the only species examined from the Palorus genus group. Within the Tribolium genus group, the defensive secretion of Latheticus oryzae also contains 15-, 16-, and 17-carbon olefins. Eleven nonquinoid chemicals occur in the eight species of Tribolium examined. Members of the confusum species group ( Tribolium anaphe, Tribolium confusum, Tribolium destructor ) contain the 15-, 16-, and 17- carbon olefins. Those in the castaneum species group ( Tribolium castaneum, Tribolium freemani, Tribolium madens ) contain these olefins and two aromatic ketones. Species in the brevicornis group ( Tribolium brevicornis, Tribolium audax ) contain the olefins, the same aromatic ketones, and two aromatic esters. No taxonomically significant differences were found between the secretions of males and females. A comparison of the defensive secretions from six populations of T. castaneum , four of T. confusum , and two of T. audax indicated only quantitative intraspecific variation. A new species-group placement of T. audax is suggested based on the available morphological, biochemical, and biogeographical evidence; and chemosystematic inferences regarding the phylogeny of Tribolium are presented.
The myogenic lineage: evidence for multiple cellular precursors during avian limb development.

ConclusionsThese studies indicate that there are no generic myoblasts that fuse with other genetic myoblasts to form generic skeletal muscle fibers which then can be molded by the central nervous system into fibers of a variety of types. Experiments on limbs developing aneurally (35, 36) or in which neuromuscular transmission was blocked by curare (3, 37) clearly demonstrated in both instances that muscle fiber diversity proceeded normally. This is most consistent with the diversity of the primary muscle fibers of the limb musculature being rooted in diversity of the myoblast population that produces the first muscle fibers. This is not to say that there is no role for the central nervous system in defining the definitive phenotype of a muscle fiber. Cross-reinnervation experiments as well as analysis of secondary fiber formation in the fetus showed that innervation can modify myosin isoform expression (3, 38, 39). Additional influences such as activity and thyroid hormone exposure can affect the phenotyp...
On the nature of the anti-tryptic action of serum and its biologic significance:

The power which serum possesses to inhibit tryptic digestion is a well known phenomenon, but the nature of the process is not well understood. This is evidenced by the fact that the anti-tryptic power of serum has been variously ascribed to the proteins, the lipoids, and the nitrogenous crystalloids of the serum, and more recently to the saponified unsaturated fatty acids present in it.The observations to be reported were made in the course of a study begun two years ago on the isolation of the different pancreatic ferments. For reasons which will be discussed at another time, the anti-tryptic action of serum was investigated. At first an inquiry was made into the particular substance in the serum which was endowed with the power to inhibit tryptic digestion. Our results were in conformity with those who found that the albumin fraction of the serum proteins was chiefly responsible for the phenomenon. It may be added that other substances contribute to the total inhibitory action of serum. The globulins, f...
Peripartum Anesthetic Management and Genomic Analysis of Rare Variants in a Patient with Familial Pulmonary Fibrosis

A 29-year-old patient, 32 weeks' pregnant, with a history of familial interstitial fibrosis, was treated for acute hypoxemia after admission to the intensive care unit. Within 48 hours, this was followed by an emergent cesarean delivery, under general anesthesia, due to acute respiratory failure. Successful perinatal obstetric and anesthetic management resulted in the delivery of a baby and recovery of the mother. Subsequent genomic analysis using next-generation sequencing of the patient's entire exome revealed that she was a carrier of a deleterious mutation in the TERT gene, previously associated with the hereditary forms of interstitial fibrosis.
Arg-Gly-Asp peptide increases endothelial hydraulic conductivity: comparison with thrombin response

The contribution of integrin receptors to the regulation of endothelial permeability was studied using cultured bovine pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell (BPMVEC) monolayers by the measurement of hydraulic conductivity (Lp). Treatment of monolayers with a peptide containing the sequence Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro (GRGDSP) (0.85 mM) to compete for the RGD sequence of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins increased endothelial Lp threefold, whereas the control peptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Glu-Ser-Pro had no effect on Lp. This action of GRGDSP on Lp was not significantly altered by dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (DBcAMP; 0.5 mM). Endothelial Lp increased twofold when the monolayers were challenged with alpha-thrombin (5 x 10(-8) M for 10 min), and this response was completely reversed by DBcAMP. The strength of adhesion of endothelial cells was estimated by evaluating the ability of endothelial cells to remain attached to ECM after treating the monolayers with 0.05% trypsin plus 0.5 mM EDTA. Exposure of the monolayers to either GRGDSP or alpha-thrombin significantly reduced the strength of adhesion to the ECM. DBcAMP prevented the antiadhesive effect of alpha-thrombin but not that of GRGDSP. Treatment of the monolayers with either alpha-thrombin or GRGDSP caused formation of intercellular gaps, but only the thrombin-induced intercellular gaps were accompanied by reorganization of actin filaments. These results indicate that integrin binding to ECM proteins regulates an important determinant of endothelial permeability and that alpha-thrombin and GRGDSP increase endothelial cell monolayer permeability by different mechanisms.
Visual consequences of electronic reader use: a pilot study

With the increasing prevalence of electronic readers (e-readers) for vocational and professional uses, it is important to discover if there are visual consequences in the use of these products. There are no studies in the literature quantifying the incidence or severity of eyestrain, nor are there clinical characteristics that may predispose to these symptoms with e-reader use. The primary objective of this pilot study was to assess the degree of eyestrain associated with e-reader use compared to traditional paper format. The secondary outcomes of this study were to assess the rate of eyestrain associated with e-reader use and identify any clinical characteristics that may be associated with the development of eyestrain. Forty-four students were randomly assigned to study (e-reader iPAD) and control (print) groups. Participant posture, luminosity of the room, and reading distance from reading device were measured during a 1-h session for both groups. At the end of the session, questionnaires were administered to determine symptoms. Significantly higher rates of eyestrain (p = 0.008) and irritation (p = 0.011) were found among the iPAD study group as compared to the print ‘control’ group. The study group was also 4.9 times more likely to report severe eyestrain (95 % CI [1.4, 16.9]). No clinical characteristics predisposing to eyestrain could be identified. These findings conclude that reading on e-readers may induce increased levels of irritation and eyestrain. Predisposing factors, etiology, and potential remedial interventions remain to be determined.
Load-Deflection Behavior Prediction of Intact and Corroded RC Bridge Beams with or without Lap Splices Considering Bond Stress-Slip Effect

AbstractIn the design and performance evaluation of RC structures, different quantities, such as ultimate strength, serviceability, and ductility, need to be considered. Because these quantities deal with both strength and deflection, the nonlinear load-deflection prediction of RC bridges becomes essential. In this paper, an analytical procedure is proposed for predicting the flexural behavior of intact and corroded RC beams with or without lap splices considering the bond stress-slip behavior at the steel–concrete interface. The accuracy of the proposed procedure is verified through several experimental and numerical case studies. Last, the proposed procedure is applied to predict the flexural behavior of intact and corroded T-beams of a RC bridge, and the results are verified through the finite-element analyses.
Five‐year mortality outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective To examine peri-procedural and long-term outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Background Patients with advanced CKD are considered high risk when undergoing PCI. Limited published data exist on quantifying risk and assessment of long-term outcomes after PCI in this group. Methods Examining the Cornell Coronary Registry, we prospectively collected data of 6,478 consecutive patients who underwent elective or urgent PCI between 2009 and 2013. Patients were grouped into CKD stages by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) according to KDOQI guidelines. Procedural and 30-day outcomes are reported with assessment of long-term differences in 5-year all-cause mortality. Results Patients were grouped by CKD stages: 1,351 patients with eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2 (stage 1), 2,882 with eGFR 60–89 (stage 2), 1,742 with eGFR 30–59 (stage 3), 191 with eGFR 15–29 (stage 4), and 312 with eGFR <15 or on dialysis (stage 5). The incidence of post-procedural acute heart failure, stroke, new dialysis requirement, transfusions, and bleeding events were higher in patients with greater CKD stage (P < 0.05). Five-year Kaplan–Meier overall survival among CKD stages 1–5 was 98.1, 95.5, 91.8, 82.5, and 76.9%, respectively (P < 0.001 by log-rank test). The hazard ratios of all-cause mortality for CKD stages 2–5 as compared to stage 1 by multivariate Cox regression analysis were as follows: 1.32 (P = 0.26), 2.04 (P < 0.01), 2.79 (P < 0.01), and 5.49 (P < 0.001). Conclusion Among patients undergoing PCI, lower GFR is associated with decreased long-term survival. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quality Control, Statistical: Reliability and Life Testing

The article starts with a brief mention of the various meanings and interpretations of the term ‘reliability,’ and settles upon that which views reliability as a measure of functional quality. It then overviews the historical development of the subject, and describes its impact on problems of commerce, medicine, and engineering. The role of life testing in reliability is articulated, and this is followed by a criticism of some of the techniques that are being used to assess reliability. The article calls for a paradigm shift that is deemed necessary for addressing the difficult reliability problems that will be posed by the complex technological systems of the twenty-first century.
Abstract 4534: Cyclooxygenase inhibitors as delivery vehicles for histone deacetylase inhibitors

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Reversible acetylation state of histones determines the existence of the chromatin in either the euchromatin state or the heterochromatin state, which in turn control the accessibility of transcription factors to promoter regions of genes on the chromatin. This reversible acetylation state is regulated by two enzymes: histone deacetylases (HDAC) and histone acetyl transferases (HAT). Imbalance in the expression of these enzymes is associated with many diseases, with equilibrium tilted towards HDAC in tumors. Reversal of the HDAC enzymes to their basal expression level, by small molecule inhibition, has been shown to significantly reduce the growth of tumors and/or completely eliminate them. Currently, there are three (3) FDA approved HDAC inhibitors in the market: vorinostat, FK228 and belinostat (all approved by the FDA for treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma). Although highly effective, these compounds suffer drawbacks such as lack of activity against solid tumors, off-target toxicities, short half-life, and lack of HDAC isoform selectivity. To address some of these challenges, we chose to incorporate a targeting moiety to the head group in the classical vorinostat pharmacophoric model (comprising head group, linker and zinc binding group (ZBG)). We envisaged that selective toxicity towards tumors (hence, reduction in off-target toxicities), may be achieved if the HDAC inhibitor is selectively delivered to tumor cells expressing cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) enzyme. COX-2, which catalyzes the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, is ubiquitously expressed in a wide range of cancer types and has been exploited to selectively image cancer cells in the past. To achieve this, we designed and synthesized series of hydroxamic acid-based compounds having either celecoxib or indomethacin (COX-2 inhibitors) as the targeting moiety. In addition to these compounds, we made compounds having “biaryl group” as ZBG. Compounds based on this ZBG have been reported to selectively inhibit HDAC isoforms 1&2, both culprits in a wide range of cancer types. Consistent with the reported HDAC isoform selectivity, our “biaryl” ZBG compounds potently and selectively inhibited HDACs 1& 2. Also, our hydroxamic acid-based compounds were better than vorinostat in cell-free assay and showed potent activity in MCF-7, A549 and HCT-116 cancer cell lines. Effort is underway to evaluate the in vivo activity of our lead compounds in animal models. Citation Format: Idris Olawale Raji, Emily Janeira, Fatima Yadudu, Fathi Shaghayegh, James Kornacki, Milan Mrksich, Adegboyega Oyelere. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors as delivery vehicles for histone deacetylase inhibitors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4534. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4534
Photoenhanced toxicity of weathered crude oil in sediment and water to larval zebrafish.

Solar radiation exposure can increase the toxicity of bioaccumulated oil compounds in a diversity of aquatic species. We investigated the photoenhanced toxicity of weathered South Louisiana crude oil in sediment and water accommodated fractions (WAF) to larval zebrafish. Larvae were first exposed for 24 h to one of six treatments: no oil (sediment or water), 7.5 g oil/kg sediment, oil-only WAF, oil WAF plus the dispersant Corexit 9500A, or dispersant alone. Larvae were then exposed to high or low levels of sunlight in control water for 3 or 3.5 h. Hydrocarbon concentrations were measured in exposure media, including alkanes, polycyclic aromatic compounds and total petroleum hydrocarbons. Significant phototoxicity was observed in larvae exposed to oiled sediment, oil-only WAF, and oil plus dispersant WAF. The results indicated that petroleum from the northern Gulf of Mexico can be phototoxic to larval fish exposed to oil in either the water column or sediment.
Do specialized board committees impact the transparency of corporate political disclosure? Evidence from S&P 500 companies

Abstract This study examines how the specific attributes of one type of voluntary corporate governance mechanism, a specialized political contribution committee, improves the transparency of corporate political disclosure (CPD). The results demonstrate that the existence of a committee that establishes and reviews key political activities and disclosure policies, particularly one composed entirely of outside directors, significantly enhances the transparency of corporate political disclosure, and reveal that an under-studied board committee, the political contribution committee, effectively improves CPD transparency. The results are consistent with agency theory and further support the more generalizable idea that specialized governance mechanisms (e.g., a political contribution committee) and fully independent committees lead to more transparent disclosure. Finally, the results suggest that the existence of a political contribution committee and committee independence are channels to improve CPD transparency. Public-policy makers and regulators seeking to enhance CPD transparency might consider implementing regulations that mandate or recommend these governance mechanisms as best practice.
Super-resolution textured digital surface model formation using aerial texel images taken from a low-cost, small unmanned aerial system

Methods for the creation of Textured Digital Surface Models (TDSM), which are a 3D representation of a terrain surface, are of increasing interest. This paper investigates the prospects for the generation of higher resolution TDSMs using texel images taken from a low cost unmanned aerial system (UAS). Coarse measurements for attitude and position are obtained from a low cost GPS/IMU fitted into the UAS. Using these coarse measurements and the data from the texel image, the error in the camera position and attitude is reduced which helps in producing an accurate TDSM. The main reason for using texel images is that these images contain both 2D image data and 3D lidar data. Despite having many texel images as input, the out- put TDSM reported previously only has approximately same resolution as the input texel image. In this pa- per, we propose a method to combine these low resolution texel images to produce a TDSM with high resolution texture using multi-frame Wiener filter super- resolution. The final image has the resolution at the sub-pixel level instead of pixel level and because of this, the TDSM looks visually better. The improvement pro- vided by implementing super-resolution on the texture is reported and the final registered TDSM results are shown.
In-situ observation of oxygen mobility and abnormal lattice expansion in ceria during flash sintering

Abstract Flash sintering has been shown to be an effective method of sintering for many types of ceramics. However, the characteristics of flash sintering for each type of ceramic varies. When ionically conducting ceramics are sintered under a DC electric field, a strong dependence of densification with respect to position is observed. Microstructural analysis of the effect of electric field on oxygen ion conductors shows non-stoichiometry (oxygen deficiency) at the cathode which continues to build up over time under flash. In oxygen ion conductors, dominant charge carriers during flash are oxygen ions and the final density of the specimen is related to the availability of oxygen. This effect is no longer evident when using an AC power supply. Thus, use of AC instead of DC electric field is preferable for flash sintering of ionically conducting ceramics.
The Derivation of Generalized Expected Utility Expansions

In Machina (1982), I presented an analytical approach, termed “generalized expected utility analysis,” for the study of smooth non-expected utility preference functionals V(·) defined over cumulative distribution functions F(·) on an outcome interval [0,M]. Specifically, I showed that: If such a functional is differentiable in F(·) in a formally specified sense, it will possess a first order linear approximation — a “local expected utility” differential expansion involving a “local utility function” U(·;F) — at each distribution F(·). In such a case, the method of path integration can be applied to obtain exact results on how properties of the local utility functions are linked to global properties of the preference functional — or in other words, to properties of preferences over large changes in distributions, and hence to global attitudes toward risk.
The Physical Interpretation of VB Configuration Wavefunctions

One of the main reasons why VB theory has never been developed into a powerful qualitative theory of chemical bonding lies in the fact that the CW basis has been regarded as a short, long, or interminable, depending on the system at hand, list of functions which cannot be classified in a physically meaningful manner which projects their interrelationships and the role that they play in determining the relative energies of ground and excited states of one or more systems. In this section we develop a physical model for the interpretation of VB wavefunctions which is based on three novel constructs: a) The concept of the elementary bond. b) The concept of the elementary structure. c) The concept of intrinsic, direct, and indirect coupling between elementary bonds and structures.