cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracranial disease control for EGFR -mutant and ALK -rearranged lung cancer with large volume or symptomatic brain metastases

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are commonly employed for patients with brain metastases from lung cancer and specific driver mutations. We sought to identify the correlation between intracranial tumor burden and outcomes in patients with brain metastases treated with TKIs. We identified and retrospectively reviewed cases of EGFR-mutant or ALK-rearranged lung cancer with brain metastases at any time during their cancer course. Clinical characteristics and treatment information were abstracted from the medical records. Brain metastases were contoured to calculate total volume of disease at diagnosis and after initial therapy. High intracranial burden was defined as either > 10 brain metastases, volume of brain metastases > 15 cc, or largest lesion > 3 cm. Intracranial response was determined according to Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria on the patient level. We determined the correlation between clinical and imaging characteristics and intracranial progression free survival (IC-PFS) and overall survival (OS). Fifty-seven patients with EGFR (n = 49) and ALK (n = 8) alterations were identified. Median follow-up from initial brain metastasis diagnosis was 17 months. Neurological symptoms were present in 54% at brain metastasis diagnosis. For those receiving TKIs alone or TKIs with radiation, at least a partial intracranial response (≥ 65% volume reduction) at 3 months from starting therapy was achieved in 94% and 58%. Progressive intracranial disease at 3 months occurred in 6.3% and 8.3%. Patients with high intracranial burden (n = 21) had a median 17 brain metastases, 6.5 cc volume, and 1.9 cm maximal tumor diameter. Median IC-PFS and OS for patients with high intracranial burden was 13.9 and 35.4 months. Patients with high intracranial burden and neurological symptoms at diagnosis had similar IC-PFS and OS compared to those with low burden and absence of neurological symptoms (p > 0.05 for each). Most patients receiving TKIs as part of their initial therapy achieve an early and durable volumetric intracranial response, irrespective of presenting disease burden or neurologic symptoms.
Dimensionality reduction of many-body problem using coupled-cluster sub-system flow equations: classical and quantum computing perspective

We discuss reduced-scaling strategies employing recently introduced sub-system embedding sub-algebras coupled-cluster formalism (SES-CC) to describe many-body systems. These strategies utilize properties of the SES-CC formulations where the equations describing certain classes of sub-systems can be integrated into a computational flows composed coupled eigenvalue problems of reduced dimensionality. Additionally, these flows can be determined at the level of the CC Ansatz by the inclusion of selected classes of cluster amplitudes, which define the wave function "memory" of possible partitionings of the many-body system into constituent sub-systems. One of the possible ways of solving these coupled problems is through implementing procedures, where the information is passed between the sub-systems in a self-consistent manner. As a special case, we consider local flow formulations where the so-called local character of correlation effects can be closely related to properties of sub-system embedding sub-algebras employing localized molecular basis. We also generalize flow equations to the time domain and to downfolding methods utilizing double exponential unitary CC Ansatz (DUCC), where reduced dimensionality of constituent sub-problems offer a possibility of efficient utilization of limited quantum resources in modeling realistic systems.
Guided Sonar-to-Satellite Translation

Underwater navigation and localization are greatly enhanced by the use of acoustic images. However, such images are of difficult interpretation. Contrarily, aerial images are easier to interpret, but require Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors. Due to absorption phenomena, GPS sensors are unavailable in underwater environments. Thus, we propose a method to translate sonar images acquired underwater to an aerial counterpart. This process is called sonar-to-satellite translation. To perform the conversion, a U-Net based neural network is proposed, enhanced with state-of-the-art techniques, such as dilated convolutions and guided filters. Afterwards, our approach is validated on two datasets containing sonar images and their satellite analogue. Qualitative experimental results indicate that the proposed method can transfer features from acoustic images to aerial images, generating satellite images that are easier to interpret and visualize.
Reduced Nonlinear Model for Orbit Uncertainty Propagation and Estimation

This paper presents a novel method for nonlinear uncertainty propagation and estimation in orbital dynamics. The proposed technique relies on a Taylor series expansion of the integral flow to model...
Zeon Matrix Inverses and the Zeon Combinatorial Laplacian

In this paper, inverses of matrices over zeon algebras are discussed and methods of computation are presented. As motivation the zeon combinatorial Laplacian of a simple finite graph is defined, and its inverse is shown to enumerate paths and cycles in its associated graph.
Comparative counter-archival creativity: M. NourbeSe Philip’s Zong! and La Vaughn Belle’s Chaney

This article presents a comparative analysis of works of Caribbean art and literature that engage in a mutual project of addressing the paradox of the colonial archive. Trinidadian-Canadian writer ...
SP-SVPWM IP Core Design for DC-to-AC Conversion

This paper presents an implementation of a single-phase space vector pulse width modulation (SP-SVPWM) IP1 Core suitable for the design of single-phase DC-to-AC converters (inverters). The SP-SVPWM generation uses a RTL2 approach to leverage the real-time implementation of the major concepts behind the IP Core. The design employs RTL-based modern arithmetic algorithms to allow a sinusoidal variation of the switching pulse which controls the power transistors of a single-phase inverter. The value of the switching period depends on the latency of the arithmetic function blocks. Preliminary results of the use of the IP core deployment in an inverter design, resulted in a less than 1% harmonic distortion.
Age-dependent Effect Imposed by Rotenone Exposure

Background: The increasing awareness that environmental exposure may lead to sporadic neurological disorders has implicated rotenone to the etiology of some neurodegenerative diseases. However, the risk associated with rotenone toxicity remains controversial as a limited amount of research has studied its effects on brain health. Objectives: This work assessed the risk of rotenone exposure to mice of different ages, gender, and duration by examining in vivo effects on brains. Methods: Using a mouse model, the impact of rotenone exposure was determined by analyzing the cellular phenotype in the murine brain. Results: Our results highlight the neurological susceptibility to long-term rotenone exposure in younger ages. For such, younger mice exhibit seizures and convulsions, resulting in shorter lifespan. At the cellular level, rotenone exposure specifically alters the migrating neuroblast populations in the dentate gyrus and causes disorganized pyramidal neurons in the CA3 within the hippocampus. Our findings, albeit the absence of transgenerational inheritance, demonstrated age-related outcomes from rotenone exposure. Discussion: We demonstrated that rotenone exposure specifically influences the population of neuroblasts and pyramidal neurons residing in the hippocampus, a brain region important for learning/memory and associated with convulsive seizure. Our understanding of how exactly rotenone affected region-specific neuronal cells and the molecular mechanism behind exposure risk is still limited. From the perspective of public health, our in vivo study highlights age-related susceptibility to rotenone toxicity. Future investigations in environmental epidemiology should determine whether age and duration of exposure to rotenone in human subjects pertains to the development of seizures or other neurological abnormalities over time.
More Quantum Technology: Solid State Physics

Solid-state physics is the largest discipline of physics practiced today. Solidstate physics deals with solids and materials, and in general, with their thermal, optical, electrical, and magnetic properties. Of all these subfields we will discuss only one, the electrical properties. In particular, we will ask the question: What is the difference between conductors and insulators?
Algebras with Standard Involution

Again, R is any commutative ring. The goal of this chapter is the analysis of the structure of an algebra over R with “standard” involution. The Clifford algebra C(M) of a quadratic module M over R which is nonsingular and free of rank 2 is the most prominent example and will receive particular attention. A number of the concepts and constructions of the previous chapter are illustrated in the process. In addition, we will see that C(M) is separable over R, that the center of C(M) is R, and that Cen C0(M) = C0(M) is a free separable quadratic algebra over R. These matters will be taken up for a general non-singular M in Chapter 9. The special case of rank 2 is a cornerstone for this investigation.
Electron Relay in Proteins

Electron transfer in proteins can be accelerated by electron relay along a chain of residues.
Variable selection using Lq penalties

High-dimensional data analysis emerges in many different areas of scientific research and social practice. Variable selection is an important task in statistical analysis for high-dimensional data. The traditional all-subset-selection method can be ideal for variable selection, but it is computationally intractable in the high-dimensional setting. In both regression and classification contexts, sparsity penalties are commonly used for the purpose of defining the complexity of the resulting model so as to achieve variable selection. The current article reviews a few important milestones and some recent works in the area of variable selection, especially those methods which use Lq norm and their variants as the penalty term. In particular, we review the Lq penalty, nonconvex penalties, among others. In ultrahigh-dimensional data analysis, independence learning is often used for the purpose of dimension reduction. Theoretical results, methodological developments and computational innovations in regard to these methods are discussed. These variable selection techniques can be easily extended to problems beyond linear regression, such as classification, quantile regression, etc. Lastly, an interesting and promising research trend is the combination of multiple methods and we review several successful methods which fall into this category. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
Exponential Expansion: Galactic Destiny or Technological Hubris?

Is it our destiny to expand exponentially to populate the galaxy, or is such a vision but an extreme example of technological hubris? The overall record of human evolution and dispersion over the Earth can be cited to support the view that we are a uniquely expansionary and technological animal bound for the stars, yet an examination of the fate of individual migrations and exploratory initiatives raises doubts. Although it may be in keeping with our hubristic nature to predict ultimate galactic expansion, there is no way to specify how far expansionary urges may drive our spacefaring descendants.
Trivariate statistical analysis of extreme rainfall events via the Plackett family of copulas

[1] Recent hydrologic studies on multivariate stochastic analysis have indicated that copulas perform well for bivariate problems. In particular, the Frank family of Archimedean copulas has been a popular choice for a dependence model. However, there are limitations to extending such Archimedean copulas to trivariate and higher dimensions, with very specific restrictions on the kinds of dependencies that can be modeled. In this study, we examine a non-Archimedean copula from the Plackett family that is founded on the theory of constant cross-product ratio. It is shown that the Plackett family not only performs well at the bivariate level, but also allows a trivariate stochastic analysis where the lower-level dependencies between variables can be fully preserved while allowing for specificity at the trivariate level as well. The feasible range of Plackett parameters that would result in valid 3-copulas is determined numerically. The trivariate Plackett family of copulas is then applied to the study of temporal distribution of extreme rainfall events for several stations in Indiana where the estimated parameters lie in the feasible region. On the basis of a given rainfall depth and duration, conditional expectations of rainfall features such as expected peak intensity, time to peak, and percentage cumulative rainfall at 10% cumulative time increments are evaluated. The results of this study suggest that while the constant cross-product ratio theory was conventionally applied to discrete type random variables, it is also applicable to continuous random variables, and that it provides further flexibility for multivariate stochastic analyses of rainfall.
Non-linear response and event plane correlations

Abstract We apply a non-linear flow response formalism to the recently measured event plane correlations. We find that the observed event plane correlations can be understood as an average of the linear and quadratic response.
Mechanism of Mengo Virus-Induced Cell Injury in L Cells: Use of Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis to Dissociate Virus-Specific Events

L cells were infected with Mengo virus in the presence of varying concentrations of protein synthesis inhibitors (azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, p-fluorophenylalanine, puromycin), and examined with respect to the effects of the inhibitors on several features of virus-induced cell injury. The virus-specific events in the cells could be dissociated into three groups, based on their sensitivity to the inhibitors: (i) viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis, bulk viral protein synthesis, and infectious particle production, all of which were prevented by low inhibitor concentrations; (ii) the cytopathic effect (CPE) and stimulation of phosphatidylcholine synthesis, which were sensitive to intermediate concentrations of the inhibitors; and (iii) the virus-induced inhibitions of host RNA and protein synthesis, which were resistart to the inhibitors of protein synthesis except at very high concentrations. It is concluded from this that the virus-induced CPE and stimulation of phosphatidylcholine synthesis are not consequences of the inhibition of cellular RNA or protein synthesis. Analysis of the virus-specific protein and RNA synthesized at several concentrations of azetidine and puromycin suggests that the CPE may be induced by a viral protein precursor. Virus-induced inhibition of host RNA and protein synthesis occurred at azetidine concentrations which blocked the synthesis of over 99.7% of the total viral RNA and over 99% of the viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Calculations show that this would correspond to less than 150 dsRNA molecules per infected cell, resulting in a dsRNA-polysome ratio of less than 1:1,000; this indicates that host protein synthesis cannot be inhibited by an irreversible binding of dsRNA to polysomes.
Intrinsic AGN Absorption Lines

Strong absorption lines are common in rest-frame UV spectra of AGNs due to a variety of resonant transitions, for example the HI Lyman series lines (most notably Ly-alpha 1216) and high-ionization doublets like CIV 1549,1551. The lines are called ``intrinsic'' if the absorbing gas is physically related to the AGN, e.g. if the absorber resides broadly within the radius of the AGN's surrounding ``host'' galaxy. Intrinsic absorption lines are thus valuable probes of the kinematics, physical conditions and elemental abundances in the gas near AGNs. Studies of intrinsic absorbers have historically emphasized the broad absorption lines (BALs) in quasars. Today we recognize a wider variety of intrinsic lines in a wider range of objects. For example, we now know that Seyfert 1 galaxies (the less luminous cousins of quasars) have intrinsic absorption. We also realize that intrinsic lines can form in a range of AGN environments --- from the dynamic inner regions like the BALs, to the more quiescent outer host galaxies >10 kpc away. This article provides a brief introduction to current observational and theoretical work on intrinsic AGN absorbers.
Direct titrimetric method for determination of carbonates in small amounts of serum.

Summary1. A direct acidimetric titration method is presented for the estimation of serum carbonate in small volumes of serum or plasma. Serum bicarbonate is precipitated as the barium salt by the addition of barium hydroxide, the precipitated bicarbonate is dissolved in hot boric acid, and the Ba(H2BO3)2 in solution is titrated with standard acid to the pH of a pure solution of boric acid with the aid of an ultramicro burette. The titration represents the bicarbonate in equivalents. 2. Various critical points in the method were investigated and are discussed. The probable existence in serum of a protein bound carbonate is indicated. There is close agreement between the values obtained in this method on 0.1 ml of serum and the results obtained by the manometric procedure of Van Slyke, employing 1.0 ml of serum.The authors are indebted to the valuable assistance of Miss Penni A. Lipschitz in the preparation of the manuscript, and to Mr. Bruno Elkan and Mr. Harold Schonhorn for some of the analyses performed...
Do CD4+ T cell functional responses to Epstein-Barr virus provide protective immunity against CNS lymphoma in AIDS?

Since highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) regimens became widely available in North America and Europe in 1996, the incidence of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections and malignancies has declined dramatically. This decline has been attributed to restoration of protective immunity by HAART since HAART improves many of the deficits in T and B cell function that are caused by uncontrolled HIV infection. Some of these deficits include diminished antigen-specific T cell proliferation and cytokine expression, decreased production of new naive T cells by the thymus, and abnormally high levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell and B cell activation [1–3]. However, the causal link between the reversal or prevention of these T and B cell functional abnormalities and immune protection against AIDS-defining opportunistic infections and malignancies remains largely hypothetical at present.
Making room for mathematicians in the philosophy of mathematics

We began this essay with the concept of mathematician and the realization that a concept of mathematician could be idealized in various ways. We drew an elementary distinction between private and public conceptions. Private theories of mathematicians applied, in principle, to the case of a single mathematician practicing in isolation. Public theories made essential use of the fact that mathematicians occur in communities. We argued that tradition encourages us to prefer private theories and that competition among traditional schools in the philosophy of mathematics is competition among private theories of mathematicians. The rest of the essay tried to establish public theories as an alternative in serious philosophy of mathematics. We considered the practice of teaching and argued that it was an important feature of mathematical experience, intimately related to other central aspects of mathematics and finally, that teaching could only be accounted for by public models. Teaching is not traditionally regarded as a central topic in the philosophy of mathematics, but the nature of mathematical proof is. So we turned to the concept of proof and tried to suggest how it might appear from the perspective of public epistemology. We found that the proofs of a mathematical community could be characterized very differently from the formal proofs of private, isolated mathematicians. These arguments are very suggestive. They raise for the philosophy of mathematics some issues that are basic to contemporary epistemology and the philosophy of science. More important, they offer to philosophy a new way of looking at and characterizing mathematics, one that better coheres with the experience of mathematicians. In making room for the concept of mathematicians in the philosophy of mathematics, perhaps we are also making more room for mathematicians themselves.
ACQUISITION OF A SPATIALLY DEFINED OPERANT WITH DELAYED REINFORCEMENT

Two experiments investigated the role of an immediate, response-produced auditory stimulus during acquisition, via delayed reinforcement, of a response selected to control for possible unprogrammed, operandum-related sources of response feedback. Experimentally naive rats were exposed to a delayed-food reinforcement condition, specifically a tandem fixed-ratio 1 differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior 30-s schedule. The response was defined as breaking a photocell beam located near the ceiling at the rear of the operant conditioning chamber. In Experiment 1, rates of photobeam breaking by each rat increased from near zero, regardless of the presence or absence of a tone that immediately followed the response initiating the delay interval. Though not essential, the tone facilitated response acquisition and resulted in more efficient response patterns at stability. Experiment 2 demonstrated that photobeam-breaking response rates under the delayed reinforcement contingency exceeded those in a preceding baseline condition in which no food was delivered. In addition, upon introduction of the delayed reinforcement procedure, correspondence between response patterns and the requirements of the reinforcement schedule increased over baseline levels in the absence of a food contingency. Together with a previous report of Lattal and Gleeson (1990), the present results suggest that response acquisition with delayed reinforcement is a robust phenomenon that may not depend on a mechanically defined response or an immediate external stimulus change to mediate the temporal gap between response and reinforcer.
Consequences of s-channel helicity conservation in multiparticle amplitudes

If the Pomeron-exchange contribution to 2 ..-->.. 2 amplitudes obeys strict s-channel helicity conservation, then the Reggeon-Pomeron contribution to 2 ..-->.. 3 amplitudes has a very simple form. Tests of this form are discussed.
Tests for the mean residual life

SUMMARY In this paper we develop tests for alternatives representing decreasing mean residual life and the property 'new better than used in expectation'. The decreasing mean residual life test statistic, V*, is new, and critical constants and a large-sample approximation are obtained to make the test readily applicable. The new better than used in expectation statistic, K*, is shown to be equivalent to the total time on test statistic; the latter is ordinarily viewed as a test statistic for alternatives of increasing failure rate. Consistency and asymptotic relative efficiency results are obtained for the tests based on V* and K*. These results lead to a reinterpretation of the total time on test statistic as a test statistic for classes of alternatives larger than the increasing failure rate class and including the 'new better than used in expectation' class.
Utilizing improvement science methods to improve physician compliance with proper hand hygiene

OBJECTIVE: In 2009, The Joint Commission challenged hospitals to reduce the risk of health care–associated infections through hand hygiene compliance. At our hospital, physicians had lower compliance rates than other health care workers, just 68% on general pediatric units. We used improvement methods and reliability science to increase compliance with proper hand hygiene to >95% by inpatient general pediatric teams. METHODS: Strategies to improve hand hygiene were tested through multiple plan-do-study-act cycles, first by 1 general inpatient medical team and then spread to 4 additional teams. At the start of each rotation, residents completed an educational module and posttest about proper hand hygiene. Team compliance data were displayed daily in the resident conference room. Real-time identification and mitigation of failures by a hand-washing champion encouraged shared accountability. Organizational support ensured access to adequate hand hygiene supplies. The main outcome measure was percent compliance with acceptable hand hygiene, defined as use of an alcohol-based product or hand-washing with soap and turning off the faucet without using fingers or palm. Compliance was defined as acceptable hand hygiene before and after contact with the patient or care environment. Covert bedside observers recorded at least 8 observations of physicians’ compliance per day. RESULTS: Physician compliance with proper hand hygiene improved to >95% within 6 months and was sustained for 11 months. CONCLUSIONS: Instituting a hand-washing champion for immediate identification and mitigation of failures was key in sustaining results. Improving physician compliance with proper hand hygiene is achievable and a first step in decreasing health care–associated infections.
Some advances in integrative muscle physiology.

Integrative muscle physiology has evolved from black box correlations to an understanding of how muscular systems are designed at the molecular level. This paper traces some of the obstacles facing integrative muscle physiology and some of the intellectual and technological breakthroughs which led to the field’s development. The ability to determine (1) which fiber types are active, (2) over what sarcomere lengths and velocities they shorten during locomotion and (3) their respective force–velocity relationships, enabled us to show that many muscular systems are designed so that muscles operate at optimal myofilament overlap and at optimal V/Vmax (where maximum power is generated). The ability to impose the in vivo length change and stimulation pattern on isolated muscle has further showed that fish muscle has a relatively slow relaxation rate, and thus rather than generating maximum power during swimming, the muscle appears designed to generate power efficiently. By contrast, during the single shot jump, frog muscle remains maximally activated during shortening and generates maximum power. Recently biophysical techniques have shown that relaxation rate can be altered during evolution by changing (1) Ca2+transient duration; (2) Ca2+-troponin kinetics, and (3) crossbridge kinetics. New technologies will soon enable us to better appreciate how different animal designs evolved.
Metabolism of 5S RNA in the absence of ribosome production.

Abstract The results presented in this report show that during early development of Xenopus laevis the synthesis of 5S RNA occurs in blastula embryos, whereas the synthesis of 18S and 28S RNA cannot be detected until gastrulation. Thus the initiation of synthesis of the three ribosomal RNAs is not coordinate during early development. Blastula embryos are similar to anucleolate mutants of Xenopus laevis, in that they both synthesize 5S RNA, but are unable to assemble new ribosomes because they do not synthesize 18S and 28S RNA or ribosomal proteins. The blastula and anucleolate embryos thus provide a unique opportunity to determine if newly synthesized soluble 5S RNA can exchange with the 5S RNA present in existing ribosomes. The results show that newly synthesized 5S RNA is not incorporated into the ribosomes of blastula or anucleolate embryos. Furthermore, the 5S RNA synthesized by anucleolate mutants has a shorter half-life than the 5S RNA made by normal embryos. The synthesis of excess 5S RNA and its subsequent degradation in the absence of ribosome production appears to be another example of the phenomenon of wastage of newly synthesized ribosomal RNA.
Mastery Learning of Temporary Hemodialysis Catheter Insertion by Nephrology Fellows Using Simulation Technology and Deliberate Practice

Background Temporary hemodialysis catheter (THDC) insertion is a required skill for nephrology fellows. Traditional fellowship training may provide inadequate preparation to perform this procedure. Our aim was to use a central venous catheter (CVC) simulator to assess nephrology fellows' THDC insertion skills and evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on skill development to mastery standards. Study Design Prospective observational cohort study. Setting & Participants 18 nephrology fellows from 3 academic centers in Chicago from May to August 2008. Six graduating fellows (traditionally-trained) underwent assessment of internal jugular THDC insertion skill using a CVC simulator. Subsequently, 12 first-year fellows (simulator-trained) underwent baseline testing and received a 2-hour education session featuring deliberate practice with the CVC simulator. Simulator-trained fellows were retested after the intervention and expected to meet or exceed a minimum passing score. Predictor Completion of CVC simulation education session. Outcomes THDC insertion skill performance. Measurements Skills examination was scored on a 27-item checklist. Minimum passing score was set by an expert panel. Results Performance of traditionally-trained graduating fellows in THDC insertion was poor (mean, 53.1%), and only 17% met the minimum passing score. Performance of simulator-trained first-year fellows improved from a mean of 29.5% to a mean of 88.6% after simulator training ( P = 0.002). Simulator-trained fellows showed significantly higher THDC insertion performance than traditionally-trained graduating fellows ( P = 0.001). The education program was rated highly. Limitations Although it represents fellows from 3 programs, sample size was small. Conclusions A curriculum featuring deliberate practice dramatically increased the skill of nephrology fellows to mastery standards in THDC insertion. This program illustrates a feasible and reliable mechanism to achieve and document procedural competency.
Fluorescence-guided laser removal of chemically damaged cornea

Abstract Purpose To correlate the observed fluorescence spectrum with the depth of ablation during 193 nm argon−fluoride excimer laser ablation of chemically damaged corneas. Setting Laser facility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA. Methods Three cadaver New Zealand white rabbit corneas were exposed to 1 N hydrogen chloride for 10 seconds. The resultant opaque corneas were ablated to perforation using the excimer laser. Laser-induced fluorescence was collected at 45 degrees from incidence and channeled into an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer coupled to an optical multichannel analyzer reading a diode array detector. The detector recorded single-shot fluorescence spectra. The data were examined by principal component analysis, and the evolution of eigenvectors and their weighting coefficients were used to compare data among corneas. The results were correlated with histopathological sections. Results The eigenvalues of 3 principal components corresponded to 88.9%, 10.0%, and 0.4% of the data in acid-burned corneas. Compared to that in undamaged corneas, more information was stored in the first principal component and the third eigenvector was distinctly altered. Acid-scarred tissue blue shifted the dominant fluorescence peak compared to that in normal corneal tissue. Conclusions After severe hydrogen chloride burn to the rabbit corneal surface, monitoring the dominant peak wavelength shift of excimer-laser-induced fluorescence can detect the transition between severely acid-damaged and underlying tissue.
THE SONOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF NORMAL AND ABNORMAL FETAL GENITALIA

AbstractPurpose: Prenatal sonography has evolved through advancements in imaging technology and observer experience. This review focuses on our current knowledge of the sonographic appearance of normal and abnormal fetal genitalia.Materials and Methods: A MEDLINE computerized reference and manual bibliography reviews were performed to find pertinent peer-reviewed articles on the sonographic appearance of normal and abnormal fetal genitalia.Results: The sonographic appearance of the normal fetal genitalia has been defined. The male phallus can be visualized as early as 10 to 11 weeks of gestation, while testicular descent is not seen before 26 weeks. Hydroceles are commonly detected. In the female subject the labia majora and labia minora are visible by 15 weeks. Hydrometrocolpos due to uterovaginal anomalies can be seen as early as 26 weeks.Conclusions: Advances in prenatal sonography enable one to diagnose late first trimester gender. Sonography of the fetal genitalia complements fetal sex determination ...
Plantar pressure sensing using loop antenna sensors

Foot complications associated with diabetes might lead to foot ulcers. Foot ulcers if neglected can cause foot infection and subsequent amputation. Ulceration is believed to be contributed by stresses acting over the foot. Therefore, measurement of plantar pressures is important in diagnosis and foot ulcer evaluation. However, current plantar pressure measurement systems are either expensive or have a low resolution. This paper investigates the feasibility of employing a loop antenna sensor printed on a dielectric substrate (Rogers 4350B) to detect plantar pressure distribution. This flexible, low profile, inexpensive, high resolution sensor can be easily embedded in shoes to measure the plantar pressures in real-time. The most important advantages of the antenna sensor are they can be multiplexed and wirelessly interrogated. The principal of operation, sensor fabrication, experimental setup, experimental procedure and results are presented. Preliminary results show that the loop antenna sensors have a very low hysteresis loss and respond to pressure with good repeatability. Finally, a technique to wirelessly interrogate the loop antenna sensor is proposed.
Aldosterone‐sensitive neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract: Efferent projections

The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) contains a subpopulation of neurons that express the enzyme 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD2), which makes them uniquely sensitive to aldosterone. These neurons may drive sodium appetite, which is enhanced by aldosterone. Anterograde and retrograde neural tracing techniques were used to reveal the efferent projections of the HSD2 neurons in the rat. First, the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin was used to label axonal projections from the medial NTS. Then, NTS-innervated brain regions were injected with a retrograde tracer, cholera toxin beta subunit, to determine which sites are innervated by the HSD2 neurons. The HSD2 neurons project mainly to the ventrolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTvl), the pre-locus coeruleus (pre-LC), and the inner division of the external lateral parabrachial nucleus (PBel). They also send minor axonal projections to the midbrain ventral tegmental area, lateral and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei, central nucleus of the amygdala, and periaqueductal gray matter. The HSD2 neurons do not innervate the ventrolateral medulla, a key brainstem autonomic site. Additionally, our tracing experiments confirmed that the BSTvl receives direct axonal projections from the neighboring A2 noradrenergic neurons in the NTS, and from the same pontine sites that receive major inputs from the HSD2 neurons (PBel and pre-LC). The efferent projections of the HSD2 neurons may provide new insights into the brain circuitry responsible for sodium appetite.
A Two-Stage Approach for Decomposition of ICESat Waveforms

Decomposing a waveform into distinct components by fitting a mixture of Gaussians impacts the ultimate interpretation of the return waveform, because the resulting parameter estimates of the Gaussian mixture directly affect the understanding of vertical structure within laser footprints. Decomposing the waveform into a mixture of Gaussians involves two related problems; (1) determining the number of Gaussian components in the waveform, and (2) estimating the parameters of each Gaussian component of the mixture. In this study, a two-stage approach is proposed and applied over three areas with different land cover characteristics. Experimental results indicate that the proposed two-stage approach typically fits Gaussian mixtures over received waveforms using fewer components, while the SSE value is smaller than that of the corresponding NASA GLA14 product.
Impact of intraportal N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine infusion on hepatic glucose metabolism in total parenteral nutrition-adapted dogs: interaction with infection.

During chronic total parenteral nutrition (TPN), liver glucose uptake and lactate release are markedly elevated. However, in the presence of an infection, hepatic glucose uptake and lactate release are reduced. Glucose delivery (the product of liver blood flow and inflowing glucose concentration) is a major determinant of liver glucose uptake. Hepatic blood flow is increased during infection, and increased nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis is thought to contribute to the increase. Our aim was to determine if the increase in liver blood flow served to limit the infection-induced decrease in hepatic glucose uptake and metabolism. Chronically catheterized conscious dogs received TPN for 5 days at a rate designed to match daily basal energy requirements. On the third day of TPN administration, a sterile (SHAM) or Escherichia coli (E. coli)-containing (INF) fibrin clot was implanted in the peritoneal cavity. Forty-two hours later, somatostatin was infused with intraportal replacement of insulin (10 +/- 2 v 23 +/- 2 microU/mL, SHAM v INF, respectively) and glucagon (22 +/- 4 v 90 +/- 8 pg/mL) to match concentrations observed in sham and infected animals. Tracer and arteriovenous difference techniques were used to assess hepatic glucose metabolism. Following a 120-minute basal sampling period, sham and infected animals received either intraportal saline or N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA; 37 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) infusion for 180 minutes. Isoglycemia (120 mg/dL) was maintained with a variable glucose infusion. In the infected group L-NNA infusion decreased hepatic arterial blood flow (23.3 +/- 0.7 to 8.6 +/- 0.5 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)), but not portal vein blood flow. Neither portal vein nor hepatic artery blood flow were altered by L-NNA infusion in the sham group. Hepatic glucose uptake and lactate metabolism were not altered by L-NNA infusion in either group. In summary, during infection, an increase in NO biosynthesis contributes to the increase in hepatic arterial blood flow, while it exerts no effect on hepatic glucose metabolism.
Localizing non-affine array references

Existing techniques can enhance the locality of arrays indexed by affine functions of induction variables. This paper presents a technique to localize non-affine array references, such as the indirect memory references common in sparse-matrix computation. Our optimization combines elements of tiling, data-centric tiling, data remapping and inspector-executor parallelization. We describe our technique, bucket tiling, which includes the tasks of permutation generation, data remapping, and loop regeneration. We show that profitability cannot generally be determined at compile-time, but requires an extension to run-time. We demonstrate our technique on three codes: integer sort, conjugate gradient, and a kernel used in simulating a beating heart. We observe speedups of 1.91 on integer sort, 1.57 on conjugate gradient, and 2.69 on the heart kernel.
Complementation of DNA repair‐deficient Escherichia coli by the yeast Apn1 apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease gene

Summary The Saccharomyces cerevisiae APN1 gene encoding an AP endonuclease/3′ -diesterase was engineered in vitro for expression in Escherichia coli. The expression vector directs the synthesis in E. coli of a Mr 40500 protein that reacts with anti-Apn1 antibodies and has the DNA-repair activities characteristic of Apn1 isolated from yeast. A band corresponding to Apn1 was observed in DNA repair activity gels only with extracts of E. coli harbouring the APN1 expression plasmid. Expression of Apn1 conferred resistance to oxidants and alkylating agents in E. coli lacking exonuclease III and endonuclease IV. For H2O2 damage, this rescue effect was correlated with the repair of oxidative lesions in the bacterial chromosome by the Apn1 protein. Thus, Apn1 can function in bacteria in a manner similar to its proposed multiple functions in yeast.
Abstract 2010: Development of a cytotoxic peptide based on the C-terminal domain of Bax

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL The Bcl-2 family proteins maintain the balance of life and death in a cell. Bax, a pro-apoptotic member, translocates to the mitochondrial membrane in response to diverse death stimuli, initiating a cascade of programmed events that lead to cell death. Tumor progression involves deregulation of this process, in part, through mutations that cause aberrant expression of anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family that normally sequester and inhibit Bax. This study seeks to identify functional domains of Bax that can be developed into therapeutic peptides to promote the death of cancer cells resistant to existing chemotherapeutics. Our goal was to generate a peptide, much like antimicrobial peptides, that could target and disrupt mitochondrial membranes. To this end, we discovered that the C-terminal, alpha-9 helix of Bax (CT20), when tagged to EGFP or a destabilization domain (DD), could bind mitochondria and cause cell death, mimicking the activity of full-length Bax. Cell death was measured by morphological changes, such as membrane blebbing, as well as DNA fragmentation. Targeted mutagenesis of two adjacent lysines at the carboxyl end of the CT20 peptide demonstrated that these residues enabled mitochondrial membrane association. Expression of the CT20 peptide in the presence or absence of endogenous Bax resulted in cytotoxicity, indicating that the death mechanism engaged could function independently of the Bcl-2 family. These findings suggest the CT20 peptide has the potential to be developed into a viable therapeutic agent in the treatment of a broad range of cancer types. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2010. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2010
Consequences of Use of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids

Whether providing anticipatory guidance to the young adolescent patient, conducting a preparticipation examination on a young athlete, or treating a sick user of anabolic androgenic steroids (AASs), the primary care physician must be familiar with the adverse consequences of the use of these compounds. This article reviews the endocrine, cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, musculoskeletal, hematologic, hepatic, and miscellaneous effects of AASs, highlighting effects reported in children and adolescents, and relying on consequences in adults when pediatric data is unavailable.
The problem of divine exclusivity

The A. argues that the classical theistic claims that God is essentially morally perfect and that God is gracious to some (but not to others) are incompatible. The incompatibility of these traditional claims is what he calls the problem of divine exclusivity
A eole for the MS analysis of nucleic acids in the post-genomics age

The advances of mass spectrometry in the analysis of nucleic acids have tracked very closely the exciting developments of instrumentation and ancillary technologies, which have taken place over the years. However, their diffusion in the broader life sciences community has been and will be linked to the ever evolving focus of biomedical research and its changing demands. Before the completion of the Human Genome Project, great emphasis was placed on sequencing technologies that could help accomplish this project of exceptional scale. After the publication of the human genome, the emphasis switched toward techniques dedicated to the exploration of sequences not coding for actual protein products, which amount to the vast majority of transcribed elements. The broad range of capabilities offered by mass spectrometry is rapidly advancing this platform to the forefront of the technologies employed for the structure-function investigation of these noncoding elements. Increasing focus on the characterization of functional assemblies and their specific interactions has prompted a re-evaluation of what has been traditionally construed as nucleic acid analysis by mass spectrometry. Inspired by the accelerating expansion of the broader field of nucleic acid research, new applications to fundamental biological studies and drug discovery will help redefine the evolving role of MS-analysis of nucleic acids in the post-genomics age.
Behavioral responses to low doses of cocaine are affected by genetics and experimental history

We recently conducted a set of two experiments to investigate the possible co-operation between genetics and exposure to novelty on the putative locomotor inhibiting effects of low doses of cocaine in male and female C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice. Experiment one examined the effects of three low doses of cocaine (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg) on locomotion, exploration, stereotypy and wall-seeking in an automated activity monitor. Testing occurred on two consecutive days, with subjects receiving an IP injection of saline on day one, and one dose of cocaine on day 2 (S-C). Immediately following injection, subjects were placed into automated activity monitors, where four behaviors were recorded; total distance, nosepokes, stereotypy and margin time. Using this S-C injection regimen, we found significant decreases in measures of total distance and stereotypy when compared to saline in both male and female C57 mice. Experiment two was designed to determine if the observed decrease in locomotor activity was the result of low-dose cocaine or pre-exposure to the test procedure and apparatus. All conditions and procedures were identical to those in experiment one, with the exception of the injection regimen. In this experiment, we injected all subjects IP with 0.1 mg/kg cocaine on day one, followed by saline on day two (C-S). Additionally, a group of subjects receiving saline on both days (S-S) served as the control. In contrast to experiment one results, cocaine produced locomotor activation. Furthermore, significant sex and strain differences were found in both experiments. The results of our experiments suggest that the behavioral effects of low doses of cocaine are markedly influenced by both the genetic constitution of the experimental animal and by familiarity with the test apparatus.