cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3364 Asge guidelines on therapeutic ercp training: are they appropriate?

Introduction: ASGE recommends one year of intensive therapeutic ERCP training for receiving previleges in an academic center. Aims: To examine the outcome of one year of advanced ERCP training on the technical success & complication rate of therapeutic ERCP by one endoscopist during the first year after graduation from advanced endoscopy fellowship training program. Methods & Results: ERCP Training: During 7/98-6/99, the trainee (GSR) participated in 697 ERCPs & shared the ERCP caseload with 4 GI fellows at the BIDMC. The trainee did 50% of the ERCP cases and also assisted in the training of the 3rd year GI fellows. The trainee was encouraged to do multiple stages of each procedure. If cannulation was unsuccessful, the mentor cannulated & gave the endoscope back to the trainee to complete the remaining procedure. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was taught early on & during the latter half of training, the trainee learned precut techniques. During the last quarter, the trainee completed 19 of 21 consecutive therapeutic ERCP cases successfully, without assistance from the mentor. First year after ERCP training: After joining KUMC as a therapeutic endoscopist(GSR) in 7/98, the outcome of consecutive ERCP cases done in first year by GSR was analyzed (n= 100). Classification of the ERCP cases according to the difficulty of the ERCP procedures ( Gastrointest endosc 1999;49:AB148 ): Group 1-Simple diagnostic ERCP: 22/24 (92%); Group 2-Simple therapeutic ERCP: 15/16 (94%) (biliary sphincterotomy, cbd stone ( 3) / large (>1cm) CBD stone removal, CBD stricture dilation, CBD stenting); Group 5-Ultracomplex therapeutic ERCP:13/17 (76%)(needle knife sphincteotomy, CBD stone lithotripsy+ stone removal, intrahepatic stone removal or stricture dilation, & all pancreatic therapy). Complications: pancreatitis: 8; bleeding: 0; perforation: 0; neck infection: 1; cardiac arrest: 1 (revived). Mortality: one patient died 48 hours after the procedure due to a CVA & aspiration. Conclusions: Dedicated therapeutic ERCP training for one year provides the necessary endoscopic skills to perform ERCP successfully with low complication rate. The outcome is comparable to the results published in the literature (Gastrointest endosc 1999;49:AB148). The ASGE guidelines on therapeutic ERCP training appear to be appropriate.
Tropospheric ozone and climate change

Considerable attention has been paid in recent years to photochemical smog pollution close to the earth's surface and to stratospheric ozone depletion. There is reason to suspect that the next round of scientific concern will be devoted to the perturbations in the “free troposphere.” Tropospheric ozone has been building up in many regions of the northern hemisphere. Ozone changes in the upper troposphere will exert a considerable impact on global warming. This could affect moisture levels, cloud amount and distribution, precipitation, and atmospheric dynamics on different scales. This paper analyzes: (1) the physical and chemical processes contributing to changes in tropospheric ozone concentration; (2) the observational evidence of previous ozone change; and (3) results drawn from computer modelling of past and future radiative forcing caused by rising ozone concentrations in the upper troposphere. The solar and longwave radiative model developed by Wang et al. (1991) was used for calculating the change ...
Measuring global gasoline and diesel price and income elasticities

Abstract Price and income elasticities of transport fuel demand have numerous applications. They help forecast increases in fuel consumption as countries get richer, they help develop appropriate tax policies to curtail consumption, help determine how the transport fuel mix might evolve, and show the price response to a fuel disruption. Given their usefulness, it is understandable why hundreds of studies have focused on measuring such elasticities for gasoline and diesel fuel consumption. In this paper, I focus my attention on price and income elasticities in the existing studies to see what can be learned from them. I summarize the elasticities from these historical studies. I use statistical analysis to investigate whether income and price elasticities seem to be constant across countries with different incomes and prices. Although income and price elasticities for gasoline and diesel fuel are not found to be the same at high and low incomes and at high and low prices, patterns emerge that allow me to develop suggested price and income elasticities for gasoline and diesel demand for over one hundred countries. I adjust these elasticities for recent fuel mix policies, and suggest an agenda of future research topics.
Production and immunoselection of IgM-IgA hybridomas: preparing immunoglobulins with dual binding specificity.

Abstract Fusion between the thioguanine resistant myeloma cell line MOPC-315 [which produces alpha, lambda-2 antibodies specific to the 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) hapten] and a long term in vivo maintained hybridoma 6100.15 [which produces mu, lambda-1 antibodies specific to the 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl (NP) hapten] resulted in the generation of 12 hybridomas. These hybridomas secrete a mixed family of immunoglobulins (Ig) that bind both DNP and NP and express both IgM and IgA serological determinants. Affinity purified molecules from NP, DNP, anti-mu, or anti-alpha immunosorbents react with both anti-mu and anti-alpha antisera, suggesting that these Ig represent IgM-IgA hybrid molecules. This conclusion was supported by idiotypic analyses. To determine the roles of individual immunoglobulin chains in determining antibody specificity this IgM-IgA hybridoma was used for immunoselection. Following lysis with specific anti-mu and anti-idiotype antibodies, an alpha + , mu − variant clone (A12) was identified, which secreted Ig that binds DNP but not NP. The DNP binding proteins were shown to express alpha, lambda-1 and lambda-2 chains. In contrast, the Ig which lack DNP binding activity only expressed alpha and lambda-1 determinants. The combined results demonstrate that the lambda-1 chain from 6100.15 hybridoma cannot replace lambda-2 of MOPC-315 for DNP binding activity. These data imply that these closely related lambda chains carry sites critical for antigen binding activity. An IgM-IgA hybridoma variant (MA2) which secretes Ig that binds to NP and DNP and expresses mu, alpha and lambda-2 chains was also characterized. This molecule lacked a lambda-1 chain. To determine if the Ig prepared with heterologous mu and lambda-2 chains had NP binding activity required immunoselection of a fourth clone (M2). M2 secretes homogeneous Ig bearing only mu and lambda-2 chains. In contrast to either parental Ig, the M2 antibody molecules express dual binding activity to both NP and DNP. Thus, critical amino acid substitutions in the MOPC-315 lambda-2 sequence are required for DNP binding specificity.
Isolation and Characterization of cDNAs encoding oat 12S globulin mRNAs.

A cDNA library was made from poly(A+) RNA isolated from developing oat seeds, and oat globulin cDNA clones were identified by hybridization with synthetic oligonucleotides. Globulin clones were characterized by restriction enzyme mapping and cross-hybridization analysis. Based on these comparisons, four classes of globulin clones were distinguished. These clones hybridized to multiple DNA fragments in restriction enzyme digests of oat genomic DNA, indicating that the genes exist in a multigene family. The nucleotide sequence of one of the globulin cDNA clones was determined. The amino acid sequence derived from the DNA sequence verified its identity as an oat globulin and confirmed that the protein is synthesized as a precursor similar to legume 11S storage globulins. The basic polypeptide encoded at the 3′ end of the mRNA was found to be homologous to the basic polypeptides of other 11S seed globulins.
High-dimensional subset recovery in noise: Sparse measurements and statistical efficiency

We consider the problem of estimating the support of a vector beta* isin R" W based on observations contaminated by noise. A significant body of work has studied behavior of lscr1 -relaxations when applied to measurement matrices drawn from standard dense ensembles (e.g., Gaussian, Bernoulli). In this paper, we analyze sparsified measurement ensembles, and consider the trade-off between measurement sparsity, as measured by the fraction 7 of non-zero entries, and the statistical efficiency, as measured by the minimal number of observations n required for exact support recovery with probability converging to one. Our main result is to prove that it is possible to let gamma rarr 0 at some rate, yielding measurement matrices with a vanishing fraction of non-zeros per row while retaining the same statistical efficiency (sample size n) as dense ensembles. A variety of simulation results confirm the sharpness of our theoretical predictions.
A heterodyne receiver for 40-GHz-modulated 1.3- mu m optical signals using a multi-tasked InP-based HEMT

Heterodyne reception of a millimeter-wave modulated 1.3- mu m optical carrier signal is achieved with an InP-based HEMT (high-electron-mobility transistor) that performs four simultaneous functions all in one. The functions are carrier demodulation, generation of a local oscillation signal, frequency multiplication thereof, and transistor-internal downconversion of the modulation signal to a lower intermediate frequency band. The measured performance characteristics of the heterodyne receiver are reported together with results derived from a systematic study of optical detection and mixing properties of a HEMT by itself, observed as functions of modulation signal frequencies up through 40 GHz and bias conditions. >
Tectonic Framework of the Kachchh Earthquake of 26 January 2001

The 26 January 2001 Kachchh earthquake (USGS MW 7.6) is the most destructive event to hit peninsular India in historical times. This event, which occurred on India's Republic Day, was centered near Bhachau in the Kachchh (formerly known as Cutch and Kutch) peninsula in India's western Gujarat state. It was located – 150 km southeast of the estimated epicenter of the 1819 event, famous for the creation of the Allah Bund (mound of God) and having a similar, extensive felt area. Unlike the 1819 earthquake, the study of which was limited to descriptions of destruction (MacMurdo, 1824), a subsequent visit through the meizoseismal region (Burnes, 1835), and an analysis of collected data over a century later (Oldham, 1926), the January 2001 event is the subject of intense ongoing geological and seismological investigations. As the results of these investigations become available, they will improve our understanding of this and earlier seismicity in the region. In this paper we describe our current understanding of the tectonic framework within which the 26 January 2001 event occurred and suggest a possible model for its occurrence. ### Development of the Kachchh Rift Basin The development of the Kachchh and other rift basins on the western margin of India has been described by Biswas (1982, 1987) and Gombos et al. (1995). The following section has been extracted from those studies. Biswas (1982) concluded that “the rifting events occurred in successive stages during the migration of the Indian plate after its break from Gondwana in Late Triassic or Early Jurassic.” He concluded that these rift basins opened up successively along major Precambrian trends as a result of counterclockwise drift of the Indian craton. Figure 1, taken from Biswas (1982), is a tectonic map of the western margin of India showing the Kachchh, Cambay, and Narmada rift basins and major Precambrian tectonic …
vrrB, a Hypervariable Open Reading Frame in Bacillus anthracis

Bacillus anthracis appears to be the most molecularly homogeneous bacterial species known. Extensive surveys of worldwide isolates have revealed vanishingly small amounts of genomic variation. The biological importance of the resting-stage spore may lead to very low evolutionary rates and, perhaps, to the lack of potentially adaptive genetic variation. In contrast to the overall homogeneity, some gene coding regions contain hypervariability that is translated into protein variation. During marker analysis of diverse strains, we have discovered a novel ca. 750-nucleotide open reading frame (ORF) that contains in-frame, variable-number tandem-repeat sequences. Four distinct variable regions exist within vrrB, giving rise to 11 distinct alleles in eight different length categories among B. anthracis strains. This ORF putatively codes for a 241- to 265-amino-acid protein, rich in glutamine (13.2%), glycine (23.4%), and histidine (23.0%). The variable-region amino acids of the vrrB ORF are strongly hydrophilic. Coupled with putative transmembrane domains flanking the variable regions, this suggests a membrane-anchored cytosolic or extracellular location for the putative protein. Sequence analysis of the complete ORFs from three Bacillus cereus strains shows maintenance of the ORF across species boundaries, including strong conservation of the amino acid sequence and the capacity to vary among strains. The presence of 11 different alleles of the vrrB locus is in stark contrast to the near homogeneity of B. anthracis. Evolution of hypervariable genes can negate the lack of genetic variability in species such as B. anthracis and provide select rapid evolution in other more variable species.
A 90-nm MOS-only 3-11GHz transmitter for UWB

This paper presents an upconversion mixer that uses triode devices and dynamic biasing to achieve smooth current steering and very low spur levels, e.g. at 3 times the local oscillator frequency. This eliminates the need for filtering resulting in a low-cost design free of inductors and external filters. The mixer is sized to provide all the required power to the antenna without requiring a separate power amplifier. Eliminating the RF amplification results in a very large RF bandwidth (3-11 GHz) again without any need for inductors for bandwidth extension. The transmitter has been fabricated in a 90nm digital CMOS process and achieves a peak power of 3dBm, while dissipating 36mW from a 1.2V supply. The transmitter supports a baseband bandwidth in excess of 1GHz. This performance is compatible with OFDM-based UWB requirements.
Amazon Cone: Morphology, Sediments, Age, and Growth Pattern

The morphology, sediment distribution, and growth pattern of the Amazon cone are similar to those of other deep-sea fans; its sediment, at least during the late Quaternary Period, was deposited in response to glacial-interglacial cycles, and its age of formation is estimated to be middle to late Miocene. Sedimentation on the Amazon cone, at least during Quaternary time, has been climatically controlled. During high sea-level stands, terrigenous sediment is trapped on the inner continental shelf, and only pelagic sediment is deposited on the cone. During low sea-level stands, the Amazon River discharges terrigenous sediment into the Amazon Submarine Canyon, from where it is easily transported to the cone by gravity-controlled sediment flows. Wisconsin sedimentation rates on the cone were in excess of 30 cm/10 3 yr. Average sedimentation rates for the Pleistocene Epoch, based on the extrapolated age (2.2 m.y.) of a prominent acoustic reflector within the cone, range from 50 to 115 cm/10 3 yr. The Amazon cone began to form about 8 to 15 m.y. B.P. and is thus about one-tenth the age of the Equatorial Atlantic.
Cardiac transgenesis with the tetracycline transactivator changes myocardial function and gene expression

The cardiac-specific tetracycline-regulated gene expression system (tet-system) is a powerful tool using double-transgenic mice. The cardiac α-myosin heavy chain promoter (αMHC) drives lifetime exp...
Tissue Differences in the Concentration of Triiodothyronine Nuclear Binding Sites in the Rat: Liver, Kidney, Pituitary, Heart, Brain, Spleen and Testis

Using a previously reported in vivo isotopic displacement technique, we have demonstrated limited nuclear binding sites for L-triiodothyronine (T3) in the following rat tissues: liver, kidney, heart, anterior pituitary, brain, spleen and testis. The concentration of these sites expressed both per mg DNA and per g tissue (wet wt) varied widely. If liver is normalized to 1, the relative binding capacity per mg DNA is: pituitary, 1.3; liver, 1.0; kidney, 0.87; heart, 0.65; brain, 0.44; spleen, 0.03; testis, 0.004. The relative binding capacity per g tissue is: pituitary, 3.7; kidney, 1.5; liver, 1.0; heart, 0.45; brain, 0.24; spleen, 0.18; and testis, 0.01. Approximately 40–50% of available sites are saturated at endogenous levels of circulating T3 and the calculated association constants of nuclear binding appear similar in the various tissues studied. The relatively low concentration of binding sites in brain, spleen, and testis is of interest since these tissues do not respond to thyroid hormone with the ...
Comparison of global and local sensitivity techniques for rate constants determined using complex reaction mechanisms

Many rate constant measurements, including some “direct” measurements, involve fitting a complex reaction mechanism to experimental data. Two techniques for estimating the error in such measurements were compared. In the first technique, local first-order elementary sensitivities were used to rapidly estimate the sensitivity of the fitted rate constants to the remaining mechanism parameters. Our group and others have used this technique for error estimation and experimental design. However, the nonlinearity and strong coupling found in reaction mechanisms make verification against globally valid results desirable. Here, the local results were compared with analogous importance-sampled Monte Carlo calculations in which the parameter values were distributed according to their uncertainties. Two of our published rate measurements were examined. The local uncertainty estimates were compared with Monte Carlo confidence intervals. The local sensitivity coefficients were compared with coefficients from first and second-degree polynomial regressions over the whole parameter space. The first-order uncertainty estimates were found to be sufficiently accurate for experimental design, but were subject to error in the presence of higher order sensitivities. In addition, global uncertainty estimates were found to narrow when the quality of the fit was used to weight the randomly distributed points. For final results, the global technique was found to provide efficient, accurate values without the assumptions inherent in the local analysis. The rigorous error estimates derived in this way were used to address literature criticism of one of the studies discussed here. Given its efficiency and the variety of problems it can detect, the global technique could also be used to check local results during the experimental design phase. The global routine, coded using SENKIN, can easily be extended to different types of data, and therefore can serve as a valuable tool for assessing error in rate constants determined using complex mechanisms. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 784–802, 2001
EVALUATION OF PROFESSIONAL SINGERS

Professional voice users present interesting challenges for laryngologists and speech-language pathologists. Many of these patients place olympic demands on their voices and must meet standards of near-perfection to succeed as vocal artists. Through systematic treatment combining the traditional art of medicine with modern technology, the physician should generally be able to care for the premier voice professional. The expertise gained improves the standard of care for all voice patients.
Functional Specialization of Male and Female Vocal Motoneurons

Vocal behaviors of African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) are produced by a single pair of muscles. This simplification, relative to other vertebrates, allows us to more easily determine how CNS motor pathways function to produce sex-specific songs. We describe here certain sexually differentiated properties of vocal motoneurons that are matched to male and female vocal demands. Both active and passive membrane properties differ between the sexes. Male motoneurons have lower input resistances and larger membrane capacitances than female motoneurons. Two distinct firing patterns are found, in different proportions, in males and females. The strongly adapting neurons that predominate in males initiate spikes at short, reliable latencies, whereas the weakly adapting motoneurons characteristic of females translate graded levels of depolarization into different firing rates. Low-threshold potassium currents (IKL) predominate in males. Hyperpolarization-activated cationic currents (IH) are found almost exclusively in males. Modeling results indicate that sex-typical active and passive properties can account for the occurrence of strongly and weakly adapting spike trains in the sexes. In particular, IKL seem to play an important role in determining the firing patterns of neurons. We suggest that these physiological differences facilitate transformation of synaptic inputs into male- and female-specific outputs that generate sexually distinct songs in vivo.
Laparoscopic placement of distal ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheters.

Object Ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPSs) are commonly placed into the peritoneal cavity via a small laparotomy or blindly by using a split trocar. Larger patients require larger incisions, and placement is made more difficult by previous abdominal operations and obesity. For general surgeons, laparoscopy has become the first-choice approach for abdominal procedures, using 1 or several very small incisions. The authors discuss their pediatric series of patients in whom laparoscopy was used to place distal shunt catheters. Methods The authors reviewed the medical records accrued over a 9-year period, noting VPS operations performed using laparoscopy. Complications, morbidity, and alterations of planned management were noted. Results One hundred thirty-seven VPS operations in 126 patients were identified, 92 performed by the senior author (M.H.H.) alone and 45 conducted with the assistance of a general surgeon. A second port was placed for lysis of adhesions or retrieval of old catheters in 7 cases. There w...
Zinc oxide nanoparticles for selective destruction of tumor cells and potential for drug delivery applications.

Importance of the field: Metal oxide nanoparticles, including zinc oxide, are versatile platforms for biomedical applications and therapeutic intervention. There is an urgent need to develop new classes of anticancer agents, and recent studies demonstrate that ZnO nanomaterials hold considerable promise.Areas covered in this review: This review analyzes the biomedical applications of metal oxide and ZnO nanomaterials under development at the experimental, preclinical and clinical levels. A discussion regarding the advantages, approaches and limitations surrounding the use of metal oxide nanoparticles for cancer applications and drug delivery is presented. The scope of this article is focused on ZnO, and other metal oxide nanomaterial systems, and their proposed mechanisms of cytotoxic action, as well as current approaches to improve their targeting and cytotoxicity against cancer cells.What the reader will gain: This review aims to give an overview of ZnO nanomaterials in biomedical applications.Take home...
Survey of Near Infra-Red Communication Systems

The development of methods of communication by means of light beams is reviewed from the work of A. G. Bell in 1880 to the termination, in 1945, of the activities carried out under the auspices of the Office of Scientific Research and Development. The review is limited to voice and code systems, and includes a discussion of methods of producing modulated beams of radiation, use of filters to provide security in military applications, and a summary of the various types of photo-sensitive receiving elements used. An attempt is made to correlate the factors responsible for the trend of developments during each period and to evaluate the relative merits of the several types of systems which have been studied. Descriptions of several types of foreign light-beam communication equipments are included. An extensive bibliography has been compiled.
Search and detection comparing midwave and longwave infrared

To investigate the benefits of multiband infrared sensor design for target detection, search and detection experiments were conducted in the midwave infrared (MWIR) and longwave infrared (LWIR) wavebands in both rural and urban battlefields. In each battlefield environment, real imagery was collected in both bands by a single sensor using the same optics for both bands, resulting in perfect co-registration of the imagery. In order to study the performance impact of the spectral content, and not diffraction or other sensor-specific differences, the images were processed as needed so that differences in resolution due to diffraction were mitigated. The results of perception experiments, including detection probabilities, search times, and false alarm data, were compared between the wavebands.
Pediatric injury patterns by year of age

Purpose Since trauma is the leading cause of death and disability among children, understanding injury patterns may reduce morbidity and mortality through targeted prevention efforts. The purpose of this study was to identify pediatric injury patterns by year of age using a large national database.
Hepatic Tyrosine Trans aminase Activity and Plasma Tyrosine Concentration in Rats with Altered Thyroid Function

The activity of hepatic tyrosine- a-ketoglutarate transaminase, the first enzyme in the major degradative pathway of tyrosine metabolism, was measured in hyperthyroid, athyrotic and euthyroid male rats. Treatment of 15 rats with L-thyroxine for 4–6 weeks increased enzyme activity from 89.7 Mmoles p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid formed/g dry wt/hr to 126, whereas radiothyroidectomy of 12 rats decreased enzyme activity to 44 μmoles. Tyrosine transaminase activity of the athyrotic rats was not changed by adrenalectomy. To test the specificity of the changes in tyrosine transaminase activity, a related enzyme, phenylalanine-pyruvate transaminase, was simultaneously assayed and was found to be unaltered by any changes in thyroid function. Plasma tyrosine concentration increased from 14.1 μg/ml to 17.1 in rats chronically treated with thyroxine and decreased to 11.5 μg/ml after radiothyroidectomy. L-Thyroxine treatment for only 1–3 days increased plasma tyrosine levels, but hepatic tyrosine transaminase activity wa...
A stochastic model for optimizing composite predictors based on gene expression profiles.

Purpose. This project was done to develop a mathematical model for optimizing composite predictors based on gene expression profiles from DNA arrays and proteomics.
The Role of Psychology in Integrated Primary Care for Complex Patients: Effects on Mental Health, Utilization of Medical Services, and Physiological Markers of Health

THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGY IN INTEGRATED PRIMARY CARE FOR COMPLEX PATIENTS: EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH, UTILIZATION, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF HEALTH By Danielle Christina Worthington, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015. Major Director: Stephen Auerbach, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Department of Psychology This study served as an initial evaluation of integrated psychology services within a clinic designed to serve uninsured patients with complex medical concerns and high utilization histories at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia. The current study evaluates patient outcomes, and more specifically, it further quantifies and describes the role that psychologists play in the primary care setting and their impact on utilization of medical care and in improved health outcomes. Additionally, the study evaluates psychologists’ success at treating mental and behavioral health conditions within the primary care model. The present study demonstrates that patients with complex medical and mental health needs can be effectively managed and treated in an integrated ambulatory care clinic. Care within this clinic resulted in significant improvements in depression, anxiety, HbA1c, cholesterol, and blood pressure. The findings suggested possible improvements in behavioral health outcomes such as insomnia as well, but more structured follow-up data are needed in future research to explore this relationship. Additionally it is possible that reductions in BMI may be significant if followed over a longer period of time. Utilization outcomes were more mixed, and contrary to the expectation that integrated services and improvements in health would be related to decreased utilization. Given the shift in health outcomes over the follow-up period, it is possible that early increases in utilization at the six-month mark, may shift to reductions in utilization and cost if the window of observation is expanded.
Dynamic reduction of query result sets for interactive visualizaton

Modern database management systems (DBMS) have been designed to efficiently store, manage and perform computations on massive amounts of data. In contrast, many existing visualization systems do not scale seamlessly from small data sets to enormous ones. We have designed a three-tiered visualization system called ScalaR to deal with this issue. ScalaR dynamically performs resolution reduction when the expected result of a DBMS query is too large to be effectively rendered on existing screen real estate. Instead of running the original query, ScalaR inserts aggregation, sampling or filtering operations to reduce the size of the result. This paper presents the design and implementation of ScalaR, and shows results for an example application, displaying satellite imagery data stored in SciDB as the back-end DBMS.
Failure of rutin and catechin to affect vascular lesions of experimental hypertension or hypersensitivity.

SummaryNeither rutin nor catechin altered the vascular lesions of hypersensitivity arteritis in rabbits or of experimental malignant hypertension in dogs.
Zonal changes in proliferation in the rhesus endometrium during the late secretory phase and menses

The objective of the present study was to examine the zonal changes in endometrial proliferation that occur during the late secretory phase, menses, and postmenstrual endometrial regeneration. We used as our model ovariectomized rhesus monkey in which artificial menstrual cycles were simulated. Our marker of proliferation was the immunohistochemical detection of the Ki-67 antigen. On Day 26, as progesterone (P) levels are falling in the late secretory phase, proliferation in zone IV of the basalis decreased compared with Day 23 (peak P level). Proliferation in the upper regions of the endometrium remained suppressed. Three days after a single bolus injection of the potent antiprogestin RU-486 on Day 20, proliferation in zone IV was virtually absent compared with Day 23 of an artificial cycle. No distinct changes in the pattern of proliferation were observed in the upper regions of the endometrium. On Day 1 of menses (P levels undetectable, estradiol [E] levels of 70-100 pg/ml), there was little proliferation throughout the endometrium. On Day 3 or menses, proliferation returned to zones II-III of the basalis and the functionalis. This proliferation was primarily observed in the glandular epithelia whereas little or no proliferation was observed in zone IV of the basalis. By Day 5 proliferation continued in the glandular epithelia of zones I, II, and III, and was now clearly observable in the stromal cells. Only minimal proliferation was observed in glandular epithelia of zone IV. In the absence of basal E stimulation the return of proliferation to the glandular epithelia in zones I, II, and III was dramatically reduced. These data demonstrate a reciprocal pattern of proliferation in glandular epithelia that is dependent on the prevailing hormonal stimulation. Under P dominance, proliferation is inhibited in zones I, II, and III, and maintained in zone IV, whereas under E dominance (Day 3 or 5) proliferation is driven by E stimulation in zones I, II, and III with little or no proliferation present in zone IV. In addition, the inhibition of proliferation in zone IV by the antiprogestin RU-486 and the decline of zone IV proliferation associated with falling P levels provide further evidence that proliferation of glandular epithelia in zone IV is mediated in part by P.
Lateral Orientation and Cerebral Activation: Considerations for Information Display

This study investigated the hypothesis that a lateral shift in the direction of an operator's orientation (looking to the left or looking to the right) will facilitate processing in the cerebral hemisphere which is contralateral to the direction of the orientation shift. In view of the specialized functions of each hemisphere, it was hypothesized that displays with “verbal” content would be best located 20° to the right of center and displays with “spatial” content would be best located 20° to the left of center. A laboratory study was conducted to test this theory. The results support the idea that lateral eye-gaze orientation shifts influence hemispheric processing, implying that this phenomenon may be a consideration for selectively locating complex visual displays.
Holocene Environmental and Climatic Changes from the Information of Peat Bog Sediment in Northeastern China

As geological information records, peat bogs are playing more and more important role in the global environmental change study. Northeastern China is located in one of the sensitizing ranges on the earth, so peat bog study of this area is more remarkable. Most of the research results of peat bogs in Northeastern China have been analyzed here. Evolution of peat forming and the climatic changes in Holocene were both educed, that is: ① there were three peak periods during the peat sedimentation, one started from the Mid-Holocene and the other from the initial stages of Late Holocene; ② this area has experienced seven main climatic transition stages since 10,000 a B.P.: from wet-cold, suitable warm, cool-wet, warm on the dry side, cold-dry, cold on the wet side to warming.
Experimental study on determination of formaldehyde in the workplace air by phenol reagent colormetry

Objective:To develop a method for the determination of formaldehyde in the air of workplace and improve reagent,color temperature,color time and colorimetric wavelength.Methods: Phenol reagent of 0.05 g/L as working solution,ammonium ferrous sulfate solution was prepared with nitric acid,and reacted at room temperature,finallly the absorbance was measured at the 630 nm with UV–1700 spectrometer.Results: The relative standard deviation(RSD) was 0.57%~2.17%,the limit of detection(LOD) was 0.016 mg/m3(3 L),and the quality control results was in the reference range.Conclusion: The improved phenol reagent colorimetric method succeeded in determining formaldehyde of the workplace with the advantages of good precision,accuracy and high sensitivity,which was suitable for the analysis of formaldehyde in the air of workplace.
Hegel’s Recasting of the Theological Proofs

This chapter clarifies Hegel’s discussions of the theological proofs in the Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion. The author criticizes the “standard interpretation” of Hegel’s recasting of the theological proofs, which is that Hegel accepted the discrediting of the proofs as proofs as complete and given. The standard interpretation cannot survive a careful examination of Hegel’s last projected book, his incomplete (and virtually unknown) Lectures on the Proofs of the Existence of God. The most important insight is formulated by Hegel’s thesis that the three types of proof constitute an integral, organic whole, that the ontological proof supplements and completes the cosmological and teleological proofs. This organic whole is Hegel’s true infinite, in distinction from the spurious infinity. The author summarizes Hegel’s views on the ontological proof, and suggests how this proof unifies and grounds the others. It lifts them out of domain of the spurious infinite that ought to be.
FIB-TEM Study of Magnesium Corrosion Products after 14 Days in the Murine Artery

After a decade of intensive research on magnesium biodegradation, the composition and structure of corrosion products formed during in vivo corrosion are still not precisely known. Focused ion beam (FIB) micromilling and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to elucidate the nanostructure and crystallography of the corrosion products that form at or near the interface between the corrosion products and metallic magnesium. This study built upon previously reported scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data. These prior results revealed a duplex corrosion layer comprising a calcium- and phosphorus-containing outer product (near the tissue interface) and a magnesium- and oxygen-containing inner product (near the metallic interface). A specimen that had resided in the murine arterial wall for 14 days was selected for FIB-TEM analysis. Highly oriented, nanocrystalline magnesium oxide was identified near the metallic magnesium, apparently withou...
Systems Analysis of High-Throughput Data

Modern high-throughput assays yield detailed characterizations of the genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic states of biological samples, enabling us to probe the molecular mechanisms that regulate hematopoiesis or give rise to hematological disorders. At the same time, the high dimensionality of the data and the complex nature of biological interaction networks present significant analytical challenges in identifying causal variations and modeling the underlying systems biology. In addition to identifying significantly disregulated genes and proteins, integrative analysis approaches that allow the investigation of these single genes within a functional context are required. This chapter presents a survey of current computational approaches for the statistical analysis of high-dimensional data and the development of systems-level models of cellular signaling and regulation. Specifically, we focus on multi-gene analysis methods and the integration of expression data with domain knowledge (such as biological pathways) and other gene-wise information (e.g., sequence or methylation data) to identify novel functional modules in the complex cellular interaction network.
Canonical and Noncanonical Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Pathways New Developments in Biology and Signal Transduction

The past 5 years have witnessed a significant expansion in our understanding of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling. In particular, the process of canonical activation of VEGF receptor tyrosine kinases by homodimeric VEGF molecules has now been broadened by the realization that heterodimeric ligands and receptors are also active participants in the signaling process. Although heterodimer receptors were described 2 decades ago, their impact, along with the effect of additional cell surface partners and novel autocrine VEGF signaling pathways, are only now starting to be clarified. Furthermore, ligand-independent signaling (noncanonical) has been identified through galectin and gremlin binding and upon rise of intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species. Activation of the VEGF receptors in the absence of ligand holds immediate implications for therapeutic approaches that exclusively target VEGF. The present review provides a concise summary of the recent developments in both canonical and noncanonical VEGF signaling and places these findings in perspective to their potential clinical and biological ramifications.
Fundamentals of Nucleate Pool Boiling of Highly-Wetting Dielectric Liquids

Direct cooling with inert, dielectric liquids may well become the technique of choice for the thermal management of future electronic systems. Due to the efficiency of phase-change processes and the simplicity of natural circulation, nucleate pool boiling is of great interest for this application.
Next Steps in Immuno-Oncology: Enhancing Antitumor Effects Through Appropriate Patient Selection and Rationally Designed Combination Strategies

ABSTRACT Background Cancers escape immune surveillance via distinct mechanisms that involve central (negative selection within the thymus) or peripheral (lack of costimulation, receipt of death/anergic signals by tumor, immunoregulatory cell populations) immune tolerance. During the 1990s, moderate clinical benefit was seen using several cytokine therapies for a limited number of cancers. Over the past 20 years, extensive research has been performed to understand the role of various components of peripheral immune tolerance, with the co-inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death 1 (PD-1), and its ligand (PD-L1) being the most well-characterized at preclinical and clinical levels. Patients and methods We used PubMed and Google Scholar searches to identify key articles published reporting preclinical and clinical studies investigating CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1, frequently cited review articles, and clinical studies of CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 pathway inhibitors, including combination therapy strategies. We also searched recent oncology congress presentations and clinicaltrials.gov to cover the most up-to-date clinical trial data and ongoing clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combinations. Results Inhibiting CTLA-4 and PD-1 using monoclonal antibody therapies administered as single agents has been associated with clinical benefit in distinct patient subgroups across several malignancies. Concurrent blockade of CTLA-4 and components of the PD-1/PD-L1 system using various schedules has shown synergy and even higher incidence of durable antitumor responses at the expense of increased rates of immune-mediated adverse events, which can be life-threatening, but are rarely fatal and are reversible in most cases using established treatment guidelines. Conclusions Dual immune checkpoint blockade has demonstrated promising clinical benefit in numerous solid tumor types. This example of concurrent modulation of multiple components of the immune system is currently being investigated in other cancers using various immunomodulatory strategies.
Predictors of flourishing among children with hearing loss.

Abstract Objectives To examine parent report of flourishing in children with hearing impairments compared to children without hearing impairments, and to explore whether school engagement and bullying related to child flourishing. Methods Participants were 655 children with hearing impairments and 44, 618 children without hearing impairments who were 10–17 years of age. Caregivers completed telephone interviews about their child's functioning for the National Survey of Children's Health. Results Children without hearing loss had higher parent-reported flourishing compared to children with hearing loss when controlling for child demographics (i.e., race, age, sex). School engagement was positively related to flourishing of children with hearing loss. Bullying behaviors were not related to flourishing of children with hearing loss. Conclusion Improving school engagement may increase flourishing of children with hearing loss, which is critical given that children with hearing loss experience lower flourishing than children without hearing loss. Examining the relationships among other risk and resilience factors and flourishing for children with hearing loss will provide information for interventions to enhance the adaptation of these children.
Long Nonpriismatic Folded Plate Structures

A theory is presented for the analysis of long nonprismatic folded plates, which may consist of combinations of tapered and rectangular plate elements. This is a natural extension of ordinary folded plate theory and is based on a method of nodal analysis. Corrections are considered for the effects of relative joint displacements. Application of the theory is not limited to cases of similar loadings, and prismatic folded plates can be analyzed as special cases. A computer program developed for applying the theory is described. Examples illustrating applications of the theory are presented. Studies of varying the plate taper in a structure show that the effects of relative joint displacements are large in regions where the tapered plates are narrow. It is also shown that elementary beam theory may be very inaccurate in predicting the stresses in interior elements of nonprismatic folded plates.
Impact of UV irradiation on multiwall carbon nanotubes in nanocomposites: Formation of entangled surface layer and mechanisms of release resistance

Abstract Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are nanofillers used in consumer and structural polymeric products to enhance a variety of properties. Under weathering, the polymer matrix will degrade and the nanofillers may be released from the products potentially impacting ecological or human health. In this study, we investigated the degradation of a 0.72% (by mass) MWCNT/amine-cured epoxy nanocomposite irradiated with high intensity ultraviolet (UV) light at various doses, the effects of UV exposure on the surface accumulation and potential release of MWCNTs, and possible mechanisms for the release resistance of the MWCNT surface layer formed on nanocomposites by UV irradiation. Irradiated samples were characterized for chemical degradation, mass loss, surface morphological changes, and MWCNT release using a variety of analytical techniques. Under 295 nm–400 nm UV radiation up to a dose of 4865 MJ/m 2 , the nanocomposite matrix underwent photodegradation, resulting in formation of a dense, entangled MWCNT network structure on the surface. However, no MWCNT release was detected, even at very high UV doses, suggesting that the MWCNT surface layer formed from UV irradiation of polymer nanocomposites resist release. Four possible release resistance mechanisms of the UV-induced MWCNT surface layer are presented and discussed.
Leukapheresis reduces 4-week mortality in acute myeloid leukemia patients with hyperleukocytosis - a retrospective study from a tertiary center.

AbstractHyperleukocytosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can lead to leukostasis, which if left untreated, has a high mortality. While prompt cytoreductive chemotherapy is essential, treatment with leukapheresis is controversial. This study investigated the outcomes of patients with hyperleukocytosis who received leukapheresis. From 5596 encounters of patients with leukemia seen at Houston Methodist Hospital, we identified 26 patients who had newly diagnosed AML, WBC >50,000/μL, and received leukapheresis. We matched 26 patients who had similar baseline characteristics but did not receive leukapheresis. The primary endpoint was to compare the 28-day mortality rates between the treatment and the control groups. Secondary endpoints were 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year mortality rates. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, leukapheresis was associated with significantly lower 28-day mortality rate (30.8% vs. 57.7%, p = .022). There was, however, no difference in long-term mortality rate...