cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adenoviral thymidine kinase prodrug gene therapy inhibits sarcoma growth in vivo.

Local recurrence of sarcoma is due to residual tumor cells remaining alter surgical resection and is associ- ated with decreased survival. We implemented adenovi- ral-mediated transfer of the herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSTK) gene with subsequent ganciclovir (GCV) administration to treat a model of residual sarcoma. (3H)Thymidine uptake in MCA sarcoma cells was deter- mined alter infection with replication incompetent ade- novirus of the AdMLP .HSTK construct in the presence of GCV. In vivo efficacy was evaluated in a model of residual sarcoma when 9 mg of MCA tumor was im- planted into the latissimus muscle of Fischer 344 rats. Three days alter implantation, animals were random- ized to receive AdMLP .HSTK, AdCMV .Null, or viral sus- pension buffer intratumorally. From Day 4, animals were administered b.i.d. GCV (50 mgikg) or saline ip. Tumors were excised on Day 14 and weighed. Statistical analysis was by Mann-Whitney U test. In vitro: (3HJ- thymidine incorporation was significantly decreased in MCA sarcoma cells infected with AdMLP .HSTK in the presence of GCV (P < 0.05). In vivo: Growth of MCA sarcoma treated with AdMLP.HSTK and GCV was sig- nificantly inhibited. Final tumor weights in the AdMLP .HSTR/GCV group were lower than all control groups (P < 0.05). A significant antitumor growth effect on MCA sarcoma was seen with adenoviral-mediated transfer of the HSTK gene and GCV administration, both in vitro and in an in vivo model ofresidual disease. This prodrug gene therapy strategy warrants investiga- tion as an adjuvant modality in the management of sar- coma. @ 1997 Academic Press
Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse

Recently, there has been a growing awareness of the relationship between eating disorders and substance abuse. This area is of interest to clinicians not only for their involvement in the etiology of cocaine abuse but also for the challenges it presents in the successful diagnosis and treatment of addiction. The well-known denial associated with use of a single drug may be complicated by the patient’s reluctance to admit an eating disorder, as well as the reluctance of patients with eating disorders to admit to drug use. This reluctance may stem from ignorance (for example, patients may not realize how their eating disorder affects their cocaine consumption). Or the patient—having one form of substance abuse detected—may “sacrifice” this substance so that other forms of substance abuse or eating disorder can continue. Furthermore, clinicians, having identified one abused substance, may not press to uncover other abused substances. These clinicians may believe that correcting one problem is difficult enough without the added burden of another. As a result, the association between eating disorders and substance abuse, specifically cocaine, deserves greater attention.
Burden and Well-Being: The Same Coin or Related Currency?

To examine whether caregiver burden and general well-being are opposite sides of the same coin or distinct constructs, we compared burden (in physical, mental, financial, and social domains) and well-being (in the same domains, but with separate objective and subjective measures). The domains of burden and well-being were examined first as correlates of one another, second as correlates of antecedents in the caregiving situation, and finally, as predictors of likelihood to institutionalize. We conclude that burden and well-being are not opposite sides of the same coin, but rather related currency, each useful for tapping unique facets of the caregiving experience.
Chemical activities of graphitic carbon spheres

Monodispersive carbon spheres with a high percentage of purity have been synthesized using a mixed-valent oxide-catalytic carbonization (MVOCC) process. In this paper, the chemical activities of the carbon spheres are examined by dispersing Pt, CdS and WO, nanoparticles, respectively, on the carbon surfaces from the microstructure information provided by transmission electron microscopy. The spheres are composed of graphitic flakes with high density open edges at the surfaces, thus, they are a good candidate for catalysis applications.
Changes in antigen-specific T-cell number and function during oral desensitization in cow's milk allergy enabled with omalizumab.

Changes in antigen-specific T-cell number and function during oral desensitization in cow's milk allergy enabled with omalizumab
After FRANCIS: next steps in the clinical evaluation of varespladib methyl.

Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) represents a family of isoenzymes that participate in lipoprotein and inflammatory pathways, mediate atherosclerosis and enhance myocardial ischemic injury. The Fewer Recurrent Acute Coronary Events with Near-term Cardiovascular Inflammatory Suppression (FRANCIS) trial (NCT00743925) was a Phase II trial designed to examine the effects of varespladib methyl, a small-molecule inhibitor of sPLA2, on plasma biomarkers in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who were treated with atorvastatin 80 mg and standard-of-care daily. Varespladib methyl significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and inflammatory biomarkers in ACS subjects treated with standard-of-care and atorvastatin 80 mg daily. There was a nonsignificant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events at study completion; however, positive trends remained for unstable angina and myocardial infarction. In order to achieve the widespread use of varespladib methyl in ACS patients, completion of ...
An inverted-growth approach to development of an IR-transparent, high-efficiency AlGaAs/GaAs cascade solar cell

An approach for inverted-grown AlGaAs/GaAs cascade cells, where the AlGaAs top cell is grown first at high temperatures, placing the surface to be illuminated nearest to the substrate, is presented. Following the growth of the top cell, the GaAs tunnel interconnect and the bottom cell are grown at lower temperatures. After the inverted growth, the AlGaAs/GaAs cascade structure is selectively removed from the parent substrate, Ge in this case. Advantages of the inverted-growth approach are discussed. >
Can generating representations enhance learning with dynamic visualizations

This study explores the impact of asking middle school students to generate drawings of their ideas about chemical reactions on integrated understanding. Students explored atomic interactions during hydrogen combustion using a dynamic visualization. The generation group drew their ideas about how the reaction takes place at the molecular level. The interaction group conducted multiple experiments with the visualization by varying the amount of energy provided to ignite the reaction. The generation group integrated more ideas about chemical reactions and made more precise interpretations of the visualization than the interaction group. Embedded assessments show that generation motivated students to interpret the visualization carefully and led to more productive explanations about ideas represented in the dynamic visualization. In contrast, the interaction group was less successful in linking the visualization to underlying concepts and observable phenomena and wrote less detailed explanations. The study suggests that drawing is a promising way to help students interpret complex visualizations and integrate information. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 1177-1198, 2011
Flow regime alterations under changing climate in two river basins: implications for freshwater ecosystems

We examined impacts of future climate scenarios on flow regimes and how predicted changes might affect river ecosystems. We examined two case studies: Cle Elum River, Washington, and Chattahoochee–Apalachicola River Basin, Georgia and Florida. These rivers had available downscaled global circulation model (GCM) data and allowed us to analyse the effects of future climate scenarios on rivers with (1) different hydrographs, (2) high future water demands, and (3) a river–floodplain system. We compared observed flow regimes to those predicted under future climate scenarios to describe the extent and type of changes predicted to occur. Daily stream flow under future climate scenarios was created by either statistically downscaling GCMs (Cle Elum) or creating a regression model between climatological parameters predicted from GCMs and stream flow (Chattahoochee–Apalachicola). Flow regimes were examined for changes from current conditions with respect to ecologically relevant features including the magnitude and timing of minimum and maximum flows. The Cle Elum's hydrograph under future climate scenarios showed a dramatic shift in the timing of peak flows and lower low flow of a longer duration. These changes could mean higher summer water temperatures, lower summer dissolved oxygen, and reduced survival of larval fishes. The Chattahoochee–Apalachicola basin is heavily impacted by dams and water withdrawals for human consumption; therefore, we made comparisons between pre-large dam conditions, current conditions, current conditions with future demand, and future climate scenarios with future demand to separate climate change effects and other anthropogenic impacts. Dam construction, future climate, and future demand decreased the flow variability of the river. In addition, minimum flows were lower under future climate scenarios. These changes could decrease the connectivity of the channel and the floodplain, decrease habitat availability, and potentially lower the ability of the river to assimilate wastewater treatment plant effluent. Our study illustrates the types of changes that river ecosystems might experience under future climates. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Collective I/O Scheme Based on Compiler Analysis

Current approaches to parallel I/O demand extensive user effort to obtain acceptable performance. This is in part due to difficulties in understanding the characteristics of a wide variety of I/O devices and in part due to inherent complexity of I/O software. While parallel I/O systems provide users with environments where persistent datasets can be shared between parallel processors, the ultimate performance of I/O-intensive codes depends largely on the relation between data access patterns and storage patterns of data in files and on disks. In cases where access patterns and storage patterns match, we can exploit parallel I/O hardware by allowing each processor to perform independent parallel I/O. To handle the cases in which data access patterns and storage patterns do not match, several I/O optimization techniques have been developed in recent years. Collective I/O is such an optimization technique that enables each processor to do I/O on behalf of other processors if doing so improves the overall performance. While it is generally accepted that collective I/O and its variants can bring impressive improvements as far as the I/O performance is concerned, it is difficult for the programmer to use collective I/O in an optimal manner. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a compiler-directed collective I/O approach which detects the opportunities for collective I/O and inserts the necessary I/O calls in the code automatically. An important characteristic of the approach is that instead of applying collective I/O indiscriminately, it uses collective I/O selectively, only in cases where independent parallel I/O would not be possible. We have implemented the necessary algorithms in a source-to-source translator and within a stand-alone tool. Our experimental results demonstrate that our compiler-directed collective I/O scheme performs very well on different setups built using nine applications from several scientific benchmarks.
P-wave reflection coefficients for transversely isotropic models with vertical and horizontal axis of symmetry

The study of P-wave reflection coefficients in anisotropic media is important for amplitude variation with offset (AVO) analysis. While numerical evaluation of the reflection coefficient is straightforward, numerical solutions do not provide analytic insight into the influence of anisotropy on the AVO signature. To overcome this difficulty, I present an improved approximation for P-wave reflection coefficients at a horizontal boundary in transversely isotropic media with vertical axis of symmetry (VTI media). This solution has the same AVO-gradient term describing the low-order angular variation of the reflection coefficient as the equations published previously, but is more accurate for large incidence angles. The refined approximation is then extended to transverse isotropy with a horizontal axis of symmetry (HTI), which is caused typically by a system of vertical cracks. Comparison of the approximate reflection coefficients for P-waves incident in the two vertical symmetry planes of HTI media indicates that the azimuthal variation of the AVO gradient is a function of the shear-wave splitting parameter y, and the anisotropy parameter describing P-wave anisotropy for nearvertical propagation in the vertical plane containing the symmetry axis.
Integrins in Vascular Development

In recent years, there has been a sustained interest in vascularization processes. Much, if not all, of the work has included the concept of new vessel morphogenesis. Surprisingly, most of the work has not addressed developmental mechanisms directly, but rather as an offshoot of a disease process, wound healing process, or from the perspective of inducing vessels in an ischemic site. One theme has dominated the various studies on capillary or endothelial tube morphogenesis-integrin-mediated cell behavior. Integrin biology impacts virtually every known step of nascent vessel formation. In this review article, we attempted to summarize key findings from the viewpoint of developmental biologists/morphologists. We also attempted to summarize and contrast data obtained using integrin gene ablation approaches in mice with other experimental systems. It is hoped this review will provide a distinct cell biological perspective to vascular scientists from the clinical, molecular, and tissue engineering communities.
Computability-Theoretic and proof-theoretic aspects of vaughtian model theory

I will discuss some recent results in the analysis of the computability-theoretic and proof-theoretic content of Vaughtian model theory, that is, the study of special models such as prime, saturated, and homogeneous models, and associated results such as the omitting types theorem. This is a research program dating back to the 1970's (see [4]), but which has recently picked up steam with the application of finer computability-theoretic tools. Here are two examples.
Architecture and synthesis for on-chip multicycle communication

For multigigahertz designs in nanometer technologies, data transfers on global interconnects take multiple clock cycles. In this paper, we propose a regular distributed register (RDR) microarchitecture, which offers high regularity and direct support of multicycle on-chip communication. The RDR microarchitecture divides the entire chip into an array of islands so that all local computation and communication within an island can be performed in a single clock cycle. Each island contains a cluster of computational elements, local registers, and a local controller. On top of the RDR microarchitecture, novel layout-driven architectural synthesis algorithms have been developed for multicycle communication, including scheduling-driven placement, placement-driven simultaneous scheduling with rebinding, and distributed control generation, etc. The experimentation on a number of real-life examples demonstrates promising results. For data flow intensive examples, we obtain a 44% improvement on average in terms of the clock period and a 37% improvement on average in terms of the final latency, over the traditional flow. For designs with control flow, our approach achieves a 28% clock-period reduction and a 23% latency reduction on average.
Identification of co‐occurring Branchinecta fairy shrimp species from encysted embryos using multiplex polymerase chain reaction

Morphological identification of many fairy shrimp species is difficult because distinguishing characters are restricted to adults. We developed two multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays that differentiate among three Branchinecta fairy shrimp with distributional overlap in southern California vernal pools. Two of the species are federally listed as threatened. Molecular identification of Branchinecta from cysts allows for species surveys to be conducted during the dry season, expanding the timeframe for population assessment and providing a less intrusive method of sampling sensitive vernal pool habitats.
Similar transplantation outcomes for acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome patients with haploidentical versus 10/10 human leukocyte antigen-matched unrelated and related donors.

Abstract Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has been performed primarily with an HLA-matched donor. Outcomes of haploidentical transplantation have recently improved, and a comparison between donor sources in a uniform cohort of patients has not been performed. We evaluated outcomes of 227 patients with AML/MDS treated with melphalan-based conditioning. Donors were matched related (MRD) (n = 87, 38%), matched unrelated (MUD) (n = 108, 48%), or haploidentical (n = 32, 14%). No significant differences were found between haploidentical and MUD transplantation outcomes; however, there was a trend for improved outcomes in the MRD group, with 3-year progression-free survival for patients in remission of 57%, 45%, and 41% for MRD, MUD, and haploidentical recipients, respectively (P = .417). Recovery of T cell subsets was similar for all groups. These results suggest that haploidentical donors can safely extend transplantation for AML/MDS patients without an HLA-matched donor. Prospective studies comparing haploidentical and MUD transplantation are warranted.
Persistence of the metabolic syndrome over 3 annual visits in overweight Hispanic children: association with progressive risk for type 2 diabetes.

Objective To examine an association between persistent metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the risk for type 2 diabetes in overweight Hispanic children. Study design A total of 73 subjects (mean age, 11.0 1.7 years) from a longitudinal study were classified as Never (negative for MetS at all 3 annual visits), Intermittent (positive for MetS at 1 or 2 visits), or Persistent (positive for MetS at all 3 visits). Measures included dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, magnetic resonance imaging, the 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test, and the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. Results The Persistent group had a faster rate of fat mass gain than the Never group (20% vs 15% gain of baseline value; P < .05 for time*group interaction [time = visit]). Independent of body composition, the Persistent group increased by 70% in insulin incremental area under the curve, whereas the other groups decreased (P < .05 for time*group interaction). Despite no time*group interactions for insulin sensitivity, acute insulin response, or disposition index, the Persistent group maintained 43% lower insulin sensitivity (P < .01) and by visit 2 had a 25% lower disposition index (P < .05) compared with the Never group. Conclusions Patients with persistent MetS had accelerated fat gain, increased insulin response to oral glucose, and decreased sensitivity and beta cell function, indicators of progressively greater risk for type 2 diabetes (J Pediatr 2009;-:---).
Breast cancer metastasis and the lymphatic system (Review)

Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, despite a significant decline in death rates due to early detection. The majority of cancer mortalities are due to the metastasis of tumor cells to other organs. Metastasis or tumor cell dissemination occurs via the hematogenous and lymphatic systems. For many carcinomas, the dissemination of tumor cells via lymphatic drainage of the tumor is the most common metastatic route. Such lymphatic drainage collects at the regional lymph nodes and the dissection and pathological examination of these nodes for lodged cancer cells is the gold standard procedure to detect metastasis. The present report provides an overview of the lymphatic system and its clinical significance as a prognostic factor, in addition to the interactions between the primary tumor and its microenvironment, and the influence of genomic subtypes on the resulting organ-specific pattern of tumor cell dissemination. It also examines the seemingly protracted asymptomatic period, during which the disseminated cells remain dormant, leading to the manifestation of metastasis decades after the successful treatment of the primary tumor.
Professing Professionalism: Bureaucratization and Deprofessionalization in the Academy

(2000). Professing Professionalism: Bureaucratization and Deprofessionalization in the Academy. Sociological Focus: Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 365-383.
Adaptive model predictive control for hybrid electric vehicles power management

For hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that have predictable routes, it is beneficial to use model predictive control (MPC) to derive the optimal control trajectories that can minimize fuel consumption while achieving other objectives. However, for applications such as city buses and delivery trucks, even though the driving routes are pre-determined, the loads of the vehicles are changing from time to time. The trajectories computed by the dynamic programming (DP) or other optimization algorithms based on the pre-defined model might not be optimal during real-time operation. Therefore, an adaptive control design with on-line vehicle parameter estimator is needed to account for those unpredictable changes. In this work, we propose an adaptive model predictive control (AMPC) design that can estimate and update the vehicle mass in real-time. A comparative case study is conducted to analyze the effectiveness of adaptation by comparing the AMPC and non-adaptive MPC in terms of fuel economy. An MPC algorithm based on DP is integrated with a parameter estimation algorithm based on the least squares, simulation results based on a comprehensive vehicle model is presented in this paper.
EVALUATION OF SOLAR ENERGY INVENTIONS

ABSTRACT One part of the United States Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974 directs the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) to evaluate all promising nonnuclear energy-related inventions for the purpose of obtaining direct grants for their development from the Department of Energy (DOE), The program provides an opportunity for independent inventors and small businesses to obtain Federal assistance in developing and commercializing their inventions.
Decentralized Access Control on Data in the Cloud with Fast Encryption and Outsourced Decryption

Fine grained access control is a requirement for data stored in untrusted servers like clouds. Owing to the large volume of data, decentralized key management schemes are preferred over centralized ones. Often encryption and decryption are quite expensive and not practical when users access data from resource constrained devices. We propose a decentralized attribute based encryption (ABE) scheme with fast encryption and outsourced decryption. The main idea is to divide the encryption into two phases, offline preprocessing phase which is done when the device is otherwise not in use and an online phase when the data is actually encrypted with the policy. This makes encryption faster and more efficient than existing decentralized ABE schemes. For decryption outsourcing, data users need to generate a transformed version of the decryption key allowing an untrusted proxy server to partially decrypt the ciphertext without gaining any information about the plaintext. Data users can then fully decrypt the partially decrypted ciphertext without performing any costly pairing operations. Comparison with other CP-ABE schemes shows that our scheme significantly reduces computation times for both data owners and data users.
Real-time feedback based control of cardiac restitution using optical mapping

Cardiac restitution is the shortening of the action potential duration with an increase in the heart rate. A shorter action potential duration enables a longer diastolic interval which ensures that the heart gets adequate time to refill with blood. At higher rates however, restitution becomes steep and thus, can lead to unstable electrical activity (alternans) in the heart, leading to fatal cardiac rhythms. It has been proposed that maintaining a shallow slope of cardiac restitution could have potentially anti-arrhythmic effects. Previous studies involved the control of action potential duration (APD) or diastolic interval (DI) in isolated tissue samples based on the feedback from single microelectrode recordings. This limited the spatial resolution of the feedback system. Here, we aimed to develop a real time feedback control system that enabled the detection of APDs from various single pixels based on optical mapping recordings. Stimuli were applied after a predefined fixed DI after detection of an APD. We validated our algorithm using optical mapping movies from an ex-vivo rabbit heart. Thus, we provide an optical mapping based approach for the control of cardiac restitution and a potential means to validate its anti-arrhythmic effects.
Role of multivalent ions and electrical double layer overlap in electroosmotic nanoflows

A thermodynamically consistent method of calculating electroosmotic flow in reservoirconnected nanochannels, particularly useful for studying situations with overlapped electrical double layers, is suggested in this study, in favor of the method suggested by Zheng et al. and in favor of the methods in the literature that ignore the nanochannel-reservoir connectivity. The causes and consequences of the approximations inherent in the method of Zheng et al. are highlighted through a combination of closed-form analysis and numerical experiments involving the solution of the same set of test problems by the suggested method, Zheng et al.’s method and analytical approximations, where available. One class of test problems studied is designed, as in Zheng et al. , to understand the effect of multivalent ions on electroosmotic flow. The other class of problems studied involve the realization of either well-separated or overlapping electrical double layers on the nanochannel walls, by varying the electrolyte ionic strength through dilution. The effect of serial dilution of sodium tetraborate solutions on electroosmotic flow is studied numerically and compared with available experimental data on the electroosmotic mobility and the zeta potential.
Interview with Harold A. Poling chairman, CEO, Ford Motor Company

During the eighties we witnessed the apparent unraveling of what had once been the proudest of American industries. In the face of foreign competition, largely Japanese, the domestic auto industry appeared paralyzed. In fact, during this critical period, the big three domestic automakers were treated to a crash course in global competitiveness. The stakes were high, mistakes were costly, and strategies were eventually reconfigured to meet the new cost, quality, and marketing challenges.
Symmetry breaking in shape transitions of epitaxial quantum dots

During heteroepitaxial growth, coherently strained islands form. These ``self-assembled quantum dots'' then undergo a series of shape transitions with increasing size. The best-known examples are the transitions of Ge on Si(001) and InAs on GaAs(001) from pyramidal islands to multifaceted domes. Here we examine the transition pathway, using a simple two-dimensional model. We find that the transition occurs via sequential nucleation of individual facets. While the stable states are symmetrical, the transition states are highly asymmetrical. The calculated transition path can pass through a metastable half-dome island shape, consistent with experimental observations. The broken symmetry of the transition state can be ``locked in'' by intermixing with substrate material, leading to asymmetrical islands.
Diagnosis and management of neuropathic pain: a balanced approach to treatment.

Purpose To provide nurse practitioners with a conceptual framework from which to diagnose and manage chronic neuropathic pain, specifically postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). A current review of the available treatment options for the management of neuropathic pain and PHN is provided. Data sources A comprehensive literature review was conducted. Clinical articles, meta-analyses, and reviews were selected for their relevance to the diagnosis and management of chronic neuropathic pain and PHN. Conclusions Managing patients with chronic neuropathic pain is a common clinical challenge due to variability in individual symptoms, mechanisms, and treatment responses. In patients with PHN, a balanced treatment approach focusing on efficacy, safety, and tolerability is recommended. With appropriate treatment, most patients are able to achieve clinically significant relief from neuropathic pain. Implications for practice Diagnosis and management of neuropathic pain syndromes is challenging. Because of the complexity of chronic pain, successful long-term treatment can be especially difficult (Nicholson, 2003b). While most acute pain is nociceptive (i.e., a response to noxious stimuli), chronic pain can be nociceptive, neuropathic, or of mixed origin. PHN is a chronic pain syndrome that can last for years, causing physical and social disability and psychological distress (Kanazi, 2000). Despite major recent advances in the treatment of PHN, many patients remain refractory to current therapy (Dworkin, 2003). For practicing clinicians, including nurse practitioners, viewing pain as a disease rather than a symptom is the first step towards its successful management. Understanding the pathophysiology of chronic pain and emerging treatment paradigms for the management of neuropathic pain and PHN is critical to optimal care.
Numerical modeling of carbon dioxide injection and transport in Deep Saline Aquifers

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the development of a compositional reservoir simulator capable of modeling multiphase transport of carbon dioxide (CO2) in brine aquifers. As an example, it considers the radial injection of supercritical CO2 in a brine aquifer, and results are provided that illustrate the evolution of a 2-phase fluid system in which the injected CO2 resides in a dense supercritical phase and also dissolves into the liquid phase. Salt precipitation into a solid phase is found to occur close to the injection well where the gas phase dominates. To determine the feasibility of deep aquifer sequestration it is necessary to have a numerical model that can accurately predict the fate of CO2 under the conditions of interest. Conditions that support the existence of supercritical CO2 should be present at depths greater than about 800 m where pressure and temperature would be above the critical point of CO2.
Shades of Green and Gray: Dual Meanings in Wilde’s Novel

In February of 1892 Wilde asked a number of his friends, including one of the actors, to wear a green carnation to the opening night of Lady Windermere’s Fan. When one of the chosen coterie, Graham Robertson, asked about the meaning of the gesture, Wilde replied that it meant ‘nothing whatever, but that is just what nobody will guess’.2 The green carnation would become a recurring symbol in both Wilde’s writing and his dress: he would wear one again at the opening night of The Importance of Being Earnest two years later3 and would have Salome promise to reward the Young Syrian for allowing her to speak to Jokanaan by dropping ‘une petite fleur verte’ (CWOW5, p. 519).
Out-of-Body and Near-Death Experiences

In the present chapter, I begin a three-chapter exploration of phenomena allegedly suggestive of survival and that provide data on which classical empirical arguments for survival are based. In these chapters, I focus primarily on strands of data that empirical survivalists claim support or are favorable toward the survival hypothesis. In sorting through explanatory alternatives in the latter half of the book, it will be necessary to introduce other strands of data that arguably render the survival hypothesis less plausible. After some general observations on the empirical approach to survival and how it contrasts with philosophical and religious grounds for survival beliefs, I examine out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and near-death experiences (NDEs). While OBEs and NDEs are distinct in several respects, they are closely related, especially if, as I will do, we limit the consideration of NDEs to those with an OBE component.
SUPPRESSIVE ACTIVITY OF LYMPHOID CELL EXTRACTS FROM NON-RESPONDER MICE INJECTED WITH THE TERPOLYMER L-GLUTAMIC ACID60 – L-ALANINE30-L-TYROSINE10 (GAT)

ABSTRACT The immune response by inbred strains of mice to the terpolymer L-glutamic acid60-L-alanine30-L-tyrosine10 (GAT) is under H-2 linked genetic control. In non-responder mice, GAT does not elicit a GAT-specific antibody response but does stimulate development of a population of GAT-specific suppressor T cells. Furthermore, extracts prepared from lymphoid cells of GAT-primed non-responder mice inhibit the development of GAT-specific antibody responses to GAT coupled methylated bovine serum albumin (GAT-MBSA) by normal non-responder syngeneic mice. This suppression is specific and dose-dependent. The activity can be removed from these extracts by passage over GAT-Sepharose, but not BSA-Sepharose. The molecular weight of the active component(s) is between 10,000–50,000.
Guideline-based statin/lipid-lowering therapy eligibility for primary prevention and accuracy of coronary artery calcium and clinical cardiovascular events: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Background With multiple cholesterol guidelines, we evaluated the accuracy of recommended statin therapy on identifying coronary artery calcium (CAC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events by 2004 NCEP/ ATP III, 2016 ESC/EAS, and 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines. Hypothesis ACC/AHA guidelines are more accurate in identifying persons at risk for CVD. Methods 5002/6814 participants age 0, ≥100, and ≥300) and 10 years of CVD outcomes were considered. Sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV), and likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated. Mean age was 59 years; 47% of subjects were males. Results 1297 (26%), 1381 (28%), and 2538 (51%) had class I indications for statin/LLT by the NCEP ATP III, ESC/EAS, and AHA/ACC guidelines, respectively. SN, SP, NPV, and PPV for CAC ≥300 were: NCEP ATP III (41.1%, 75.5%, 93.3% and 13.4%), ESC/EAS (54.1%, 74.8%, 94.6% and16.6%), and ACC/AHA (87.2%, 52.6%, 97.8% and 14.5%). SN, SP, PPV, and NPV for corresponding CVD outcomes were: NCEP ATP III (45.8%, 75.1%, 96.3%, and 8.9%), ESC/EAS (50.5%, 72.9%, 98.7%, and 3.6%), and AHA/ACC (79.6%, 50.7%, 98%, and 7.7%). ESC/EAS had significantly higher positive LR 2.15 (95% CI, 1.95 – 2.38) and ACC/AHA had significantly lower negative LR [0.24, (95% CI 0.19 – 0.31)] for corresponding CVD. Conclusions Despite the increased in SN of statin eligibility by the ACC/AHA, it has similar NPV and PPV for CAC/future CVD events. The ACC/AHA class I indications for statin may be a superior screening tool for subclinical and clinical CVD.
Utilization of Technology as Promotion Media of Cultural Tourism in Central Java

Tourism is one industry that is growing rapidly. Lots of models are offered and one of them is cultural tourism. One example of cultural tourism is a temple and a museum. In addition to the introduction through the temples and museums, the government's approach to conduct activities such as Dieng Culture Festival. Within these activities, the public can know more about the traditional ceremonial and moral values of Dieng. However, interest in the festival began to decrease each year. That's because the lack of a media campaign that resulted in people becoming not know and less concerned about the cultural tourism. If it continues, the cultural attractions such as museums will sink and disappear eroded by age. In this study, will discuss ways of promoting cultural tourism through the use of technology so that cultural tourism can be known internationally
Is axillary surgery beneficial for patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast

Background and objectives Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare, typically triple-negative, breast cancer reported to have a favorable prognosis and low rate of nodal metastasis. No consensus guidelines exist for axillary staging and treatment. Methods We identified all patients with ACC evaluated at our institution from January 1994 to August 2016. Patient, tumor, and treatment variables were abstracted and analyzed. Results We identified 20 pure ACCs (0.13% of all invasive breast cancers) with size range 0.2-4.8 cm, in 19 women, median age 59 years. Preoperative axillary ultrasound was normal in 10/13 women and suspicious in 3/13 who had a subsequent negative lymph node fine needle aspiration (FNA). Fifteen patients (75%) had sentinel lymph node surgery and were pathologically node-negative, while the remaining five had no axillary surgery. With 3.6 years median follow-up (range 0.2-38.6 years), three patients experienced an in-breast recurrence at 2, 16, and 17 years, respectively, while none recurred in regional nodes. Conclusions We observed no cases of nodal metastasis in 20 consecutive cases of ACC of the breast. Preoperative axillary ultrasound with FNA of suspicious nodes accurately predicted pathologic nodal stage. These data suggest axillary surgery might be omitted safely in patients with pure ACC and a clinically negative axilla.
Mechanisms for Lithium Nucleation and Dendrite Growth in Selected Carbon Allotropes

Using information gained from parallel investigations on lithiated/over-lithiated graphite and hard carbon, we propose two different processes for lithium nucleation and dendrite growth in the carbon allotropes based on their different crystal structures. In the case of graphite, lithium nucleation and initial growth of lithium dendrites occur inhomogeneously on the graphite surfaces during the over-lithiation process, which exposes lithium nucleation to the electrolyte causing formation of a large amount of electrolyte degradation products (EDPs) and knob-like dendrites covered with a thick lithium electrolyte interphase (LEI). However, in the case of hard carbon, lithium nucleation and initial growth occur inside the hard carbon nanopores, which limits side reactions, provides a higher capacity (∼550 mA h/g vs ∼370 mA h/g for graphite), and generates dendrites with smooth clean surfaces during the over-lithiation process. These findings could profoundly influence the overall electrode design, the improv...
Coming Out of the Closet in Japan: An Exploratory Sociological Study

Invisibility is a major obstacle to the improvement of the lives of GLBT individuals in contemporary Japanese society. Japanese GLBT scholars and activists attest that it is extremely difficult to ...
Impacts of topographic shading on direct solar radiation for valley glaciers in complex topography

Abstract. Topographic shading, including both shaded relief and cast shadowing, plays a fundamental role in determining direct solar radiation on glacier ice. However, shading has been oversimplified or incorrectly incorporated in surface energy balance models in some past studies. In addition, no systematic studies have been conducted to evaluate relationships between shading and other topographic characteristics. Here we develop a topographic solar radiation model to examine the variability in irradiance throughout the glacier melt season due to topographic shading and combined slope and aspect. We apply the model to multiple glaciers in high-mountain Asia (HMA) and test the sensitivity of shading to valley aspect and latitude. Our results show that topographic shading significantly alters the potential direct clear-sky solar radiation received at the surface for valley glaciers in HMA, particularly for north- and south-facing glaciers. Additionally, we find that shading can be extremely impactful in the ablation zone. Cast shadowing is the dominant mechanism in determining total shading for valley glaciers in parts of HMA, especially at lower elevations. Although shading can be predictable, it is overall extremely variable between glacial valleys. Our results suggest that topographic shading not only is an important factor contributing to surface energy balance but could also influence glacier response and mass balance estimates throughout HMA.
An Unusual Case of Blepharochalasis.

Purpose To describe a rare case of blepharochalasis that progressed from unilateral to bilateral involvement at five years after disease onset. Case report A previously healthy five-year-old white boy presented to our hospital for a screening visual examination. He was found to have a 2-mm right eyelid ptosis with crepe-like skin and subcutaneous telangiectatic vessels. His mother noted that since the age of three, the child has been having two to seven day-long episodes of right upper eyelid swelling and edema with tenderness. The episodes eventually progressed to involving the left eyelid as well. Oral steroid taper was found to effectively resolve these exacerbations, and a diagnosis of blepharochalasis was made. Conclusion Blepharochalasis should be in the differential diagnosis for young children presenting with unilateral or bilateral ptosis with periorbital skin abnormalities.
Superplastic Flow in Ceramics Enhanced by a Liquid Phase

Grain boundaries are paths for rapid solid-state diffusion in most polycrystalline materials. If a liquid phase is segregated to the grain interfaces then the diffusivity is further enhanced, in some cases by several orders of magnitude, provided that the crystal is soluble in the liquid. In stressed polycrystals the enhanced rate of matter transport can lead to unusually fast strain-rates, which may render ceramics amenable to superplastic forming. We show here that in fine grained glass ceramic materials a near ideal superplastic behavior, charaterized by strain rate sensitivity of one, is obtained. The ductility of these ceramics is found to be limited by the nucleation and growth of cavities at grain boundaries, or by the propagation of cracks from the surface in tensile testing. Nevertheless tensile elongations greater than one hundred percent are easily obtained. The results from these experiments are described. In addition a theoretical basis for predicting superplastic behavior in fine grained ceramics is developed.
Anterior polar cataracts in CS rats: a predictor of mature cataract formation.

Purpose The objective of this study was to characterize the morphology of the anterior opacities formed during recovery from posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. Methods Lenses from RCS rats at 8 and 12 weeks postnatal (n = 14 and 12, respectively) were examined under a dissecting microscope for the presence of anterior opacities. Lenses with anterior opacities were fixed, embedded in epoxy resin, and sectioned along the optic axis for light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results At eight weeks postnatal, 21.5% of animals (3/14) had anterior cataracts. Light microscopy of 1- to 2-microm-thick sections revealed an anomalous layer of material located at the epithelium-fiber interface, which was identified as a zone of liquefaction by TEM. Epithelial cells had minor structural defects but were not necrotic. Anterior portions of elongating and cortical fibers under the zone of liquefaction were undisrupted, whereas their posterior portions had numerous vacuoles. The anterior opacities were classified as anterior polar cataracts (APCs) based on the location and type of morphologic damage in the affected lenses. At twelve weeks postnatal, 25% of animals (3/12) had APCs that involved prominent vesiculation of the anterior cortex. Ultrastructural examination showed that large vesicles were located between and inside anterior fibers and that most extracellular spaces were abnormally widened. Posteriorly, internalization of the PSC by new fiber growth was disordered and displayed vesiculation and density variations. In the bow region, LM revealed minor structural irregularities that were identified as groups of apparently degenerating fibers by TEM. Conclusions APCs in RCS rats are caused by degeneration of elongating fibers in the bow region and subsequent damage in the superficial anterior cortex. The percentage of animals with APCs (25%) was consistent with the percentage of animals in which mature cataracts eventually develop. The morphologic changes, time of onset, and percentage of animals affected suggest that APC is the initial manifestation of mature cataract formation in RCS rats.
Freud, Dreams, and Humor: A Phenomenological Perspective

This chapter examines Freud’s analysis of dreams and humor in a number of texts including The Interpretation of Dreams, Jokes, and their Relation to the Unconscious, his essay on “Humor” as well as some of the works of his critics. In particular, I attempt to investigate the association that Freud identified between dreams and humor from a phenomenological rather than a psychoanalytic one. I examine the same similarities Freud identified between dreams and humor in order to determine if these parallels correspond to how we actually experience them. After analyzing the common elements that dreams and humor share, the next part discusses some important differences between them. In the final part of this chapter, I highlight the significance of the similarities in how we experience dreams and humor for human flourishing. I argue that one important aspect of dreams and humor is that they both represent healthy, albeit different, ways of responding to the absurd nature of our existence.
Defining Optimal Comorbidity Measures for Patients With Early-Stage Non-small cell lung cancer Treated With Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Abstract Purpose Comparison of overall survival (OS) between stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and other treatments for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer is confounded by differences in age, performance status, and medical comorbidity. We sought to define the most robust measurement for this population among 5 indices: age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and age-adjusted CCI (CCIa). Methods and Materials A total of 548 patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer treated with SBRT were analyzed. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups for OS for each index using the log-rank test. Continuous and dichotomized models were compared via Akaike information criterion and the Vuong test. Multivariate Cox regression modeling was used with demographic information to determine the independent prognostic value of the continuous and dichotomized versions of the indices. The best was used to stratify the patients into as many significantly different cohorts as possible. Results Optimal cut-points between high-risk and low-risk OS groups for age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27, CCI, and CCIa were ≥75 years, ≥1, ≥3, ≥3, and ≥6 with hazard ratios for death of 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.50), 1.66 (1.28-2.15), 1.37 (1.12-1.67), 1.43 (1.17-1.76), and 1.47 (1.20-1.80), respectively. Dichotomizing did not result in a significant loss of prognostic power. Although there was no significant difference in prognostic power among the indices, CCIa best predicted OS. CCIa divided the patients into 3 cohorts with median OS of 42 months, 33 months, and 23 months for scores of ≤5, 6 to 7, and ≥8, respectively. Conclusions CCIa was the best indicator of OS in every model employed with no loss of prognostic power with dichotomization. Dichotomization of CCIa (≥6) could be implemented in future comparisons of SBRT with OS. No cohort could be identified with a median survival of less than a year, for which treatment could be deemed futile.