cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are Right-Sided Colectomy Outcomes Different From Left-Sided Colectomy Outcomes? Study of Patients With Colon Cancer in the ACS NSQIP Database

Importance Optimization of surgical outcomes after colectomy continues to be actively studied, but most studies group right-sided and left-sided colectomies together. Objective To determine whether the complication rate differs between right-sided and left-sided colectomies for cancer. As a secondary analysis, we investigated hospital length of stay. Design We identified patients who underwent colectomy for colon cancer in the 2005-2008 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database and stratified cases by right and left side. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were compared. Multivariable techniques were used to assess the impact of the side of colectomy on operative outcome measures, adjusting for covariates. Setting Hospitals within the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients We identified 4875 patients who underwent elective laparoscopic or open colectomy for right-sided or left-sided colon cancer in the database. Main Outcomes and Measures Major complications and surgical site infection (SSI) rates. Results In the 4875 colectomies studied, a laparoscopic approach was used in 42% of cases and at similar frequency in right-sided and left-sided colectomies. Thirty-day mortality (1.5%) was similar in both groups. Major complications were seen in 17% of patients in each group. Superficial SSI was more likely to occur in patients who underwent left-sided colectomy (8.2% vs 5.9%). Among patients with postoperative sepsis or deep or organ space SSIs, more patients in the left-sided colectomy group underwent reoperation compared with the right-sided colectomy group (56% vs 30%). Laparoscopic right-sided colectomy patients were more likely to have a prolonged hospital length of stay than laparoscopic left-sided colectomy patients (odds ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.09-1.78). Conclusions and Relevance The outcomes after colectomy for cancer are comparable in right-sided and left-sided resections, except for in the case of superficial SSI, which is less common in right-sided resections. Further research on SSI after colectomy should incorporate right vs left side as a potential preoperative risk factor.
Computer generated holograms using personal computers

Abstract Holography or the method of wave-front reconstruction to produce an image was introduced by D. Gabor in 1948. Normally a laser is necessary to produce holograms in the laboratory. This paper introduces the usage of the high resolution display of the IBM-PC and a graphics printer to generate holograms. The advantages of using this method are that holograms of real or fictitious objects can be made, since all objects can be represented by a collection of points and one does not need an elaborate set up to make the holograms. This method is also useful for making Fourier transform holograms, image plane holograms, spatial filters, optical elements, etc. 1,2
Extending the duration of response in chronic myelogenous leukemia: targeted therapy with sequential tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the mainstay for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Imatinib was the first TKI approved for use in CML, but resistance to this therapy has emerged as a significant issue, and second-line options are often necessary. Increased-dose imatinib may elicit responses in some patients, but clinical evidence suggests only a minority experience sustained benefit. The second-generation TKIs, dasatinib and nilotinib, have demonstrated efficacy in patients resistant or intolerant to imatinib. Changes in therapy, with the aim of inducing durable response, should occur promptly after imatinib failure is identified as all agents are more effective in chronic phase disease than in later stages. Selection of second-line agents should be driven by efficacy and safety: dasatinib may be more effective in patients with P-loop or F359C mutations; nilotinib may be more effective in those with F317L mutations.
Metal selective flame ionization detection after supercritical fluid chromatography

This work describes the construction and operation of a flame ionization detector for the selective detection of metal-containing compounds after capillary supercritical fluid chromatography. Using optimal conditions for achieving metal sensitive flame ionization responses which have been established for the detector after capillary gas chromatography, initial evaluation of the detector after SFC proved promising. Like the carbon sensitive FID, it appears that the metal sensitive FID is compatible with SFC when pure carbon dioxide is used as the mobile phase. Response characteristics were found to be similar to those observed when the detector is used in gas chromatography.
Influence of Anode Layout on the Performance of SiC JBS Diodes

Various layouts of the anode of Junction Barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes are compared theoretically and it is found that the hexagonal honeycomb structure with 3-D symmetry offers the best figure of merit (FOM). Proportional relationships between the various layouts are reported, using which we extend a fully analytical 2-D model for reverse biased field shielding in a JBS diode to the superior 3-D layouts. The effect of reducing implanted feature size is also analyzed as a trade-off between FOM and breakdown voltage capability.
Notch-induced E2A ubiquitination and degradation are controlled by MAP kinase activities

Notch signals are important for lymphocyte development but downstream events that follow Notch signaling are not well understood. Here, we report that signaling through Notch modulates the turnover of E2A proteins including E12 and E47, which are basic helix–loop–helix proteins crucial for B and T lymphocyte development. Notch‐induced degradation requires phosphorylation of E47 by p42/p44 MAP kinases. Expression of the intracellular domain of Notch1 (N1‐IC) enhances the association of E47 with the SCF Skp2 E3 ubiquitin ligase and ubiquitination of E47, followed by proteasome‐mediated degradation. Furthermore, N1‐IC induces E2A degradation in B and T cells in the presence of activated MAP kinases. Activation of endogenous Notch receptors by treatment of splenocytes with anti‐IgM or anti‐CD3 plus anti‐CD28 also leads to E2A degradation, which is blocked by the inhibitors of Notch activation or proteasome function. Notch‐induced E2A degradation depends on the function of its downstream effector, RBP‐Jκ, probably to activate target genes involved in the ubiquitination of E2A proteins. Thus we propose that Notch regulates lymphocyte differentiation by controlling E2A protein turnover.
Surgical management of aortic dissection during a 30-year period

Background Certain recent studies have demonstrated improved surgical outcome in patients with aortic dissection. We analyzed the surgical survival rates of patients with acute aortic dissections and the late prognosis of those with aortic dissection during a 30-year period. Methods and Results Between 1963 and 1992, 360 patients (256 men and 104 women; mean±1 SD age, 57±14 years) underwent surgery for aortic dissection: 174 patients had an acute type A (AcA), 46 an acute type B (AcB), 106 a chronic type A (ChA), and 34 a chronic type B (ChB) aortic dissection. The overall operative mortality rate was 24±8% (26±3% for AcA, 39±8% for AcB, 17±4% for ChA, and 15±6% for ChB, [±70% confidence limit]). The operative mortality rates for patients with acute aortic dissection (AcA or AcB) were assessed for five time “windows”: 1963 to 1972 (42±8%), 1973 to 1977 (37±8%), 1978 to 1982 (15±6%), 1983 to 1987 (27±6%), and 1988 to 1992 (26±6%). Logistic regression analysis suggested that the low operative mortality rate...
Fertilizing ability of spermatozoa from aged C57BL/6NNia mice

Spermatozoa from C57BL/6NNia mice (7- and 25-month-old males that produced offspring and 25-month-old males incapable of producing offspring which either mated or did not mate after being paired for 1 month with proven-fertile females) were tested in in-vitro fertilization studies. The 7-month-old males fertilized the largest number of oocytes (80-86%) in vitro and 79% of them subsequently developed into blastocysts in culture. Aged males which failed to mate fertilized the lowest number of oocytes (11-19%) with 48% developing to blastocysts. This group of mice had the lowest number of spermatozoa in the cauda epididymidis (3.2 +/- 0.4 x 10(5)/mg tissue) with fewer motile spermatozoa (22.3 +/- 5.1%) than younger males. The percentage of spermatozoa retaining their acrosome after 3 h in culture was higher in aged males which had not mated when compared to younger males that had mated. After 4 h in culture, however, the number of spermatozoa that had lost their acrosome was almost identical in the two groups. Superovulated mice which were artificially inseminated with spermatozoa from 25-month-old mice that had not mated did not become pregnant. Testosterone concentrations were lowest in aged mice not mating. These concentrations may explain the poor behavioural response of these males, but whether they account for the inability of spermatozoa to fertilize ova in vitro or in vivo after artificial insemination is not known.
Progress in the development of a durable silver-based high-reflectance coating for astronomical telescopes

Silver-based high-reflectance coatings that can withstand the humid and polluted conditions common in the open air have been developed for astronomical telescope optics. The successful designs incorporate a silver reflective layer with a copper underlayer and a stack of dielectric overlayers. Prototypes have been deposited and tested in a controlled environmental chamber and in true operating conditions on Kitt Peak in Arizona. The improved durability, which is due to the copper underlayer, has been investigated with analytical techniques, including Rutherford backscattering.
Follicle stimulating hormone enhances attachment of rat testis cells in culture.

EXTENSIVE in vivo experiments indicate that mammalian spermatogenesis is under the regulation of pituitary gonadotrophins. The cellular sites and mechanisms by which spermatogenesis is regulated by gonadotrophic hormones, however, are poorly understood. Means has shown in vivo that follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates several cellular processes1,2. So far, however, no one has shown an in vitro effect of FSH on the testis. Several reports have indicated that hormones or hormone mediators alter cell properties in culture. In particular, testosterone was found to cause morphological changes in CHO cells3 and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate has been shown to affect the adhesive properties of L-929 (ref. 4) and BHK (ref. 5) cells. We have been studying the growth of testis cells from the 10-d-old rat in culture and report here our observations on the stimulation of testicular cell attachment to culture dishes by follicle stimulating hormone.
System level performance of millimeter-wave access link for outdoor coverage

The increased demand on data and the scarcity of available bandwidth motivate research for new technologies beyond 4G. In this paper we provide a system level study of a new cellular architecture that incorporates millimeter wave technology (60 GHz) for the access link. A system level simulation is carried out for a university campus and an urban environment and the sensitivity to various design parameters has been studied. The objective of such a system is to provide up to 500X the wireless network capacity that is delivered today without a significant increase in energy or deployment costs.
Comparison of sucrose and glucose in the causation of dental caries in gnotobiotic rats

Abstract Complete replacement of sucrose by glucose resulted in a higher incidence of dental caries in gnotobiotic rats inoculated with Lactobacillus casei, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus faecalis, or Streptococcus FA-1. Caries was observed only in the occlusal sulci and there were no observable accumulations of dental plaque. A series of thirteen experiments was performed. There was considerable variation from one experiment to another. Mean scores of 18.0 were obtained in one experiment only to be followed by a mean score of zero although the same strain of rats, the same diet, and the same micro-organism were used in a repeat experiment. Biologic variation is a factor which must be considered even in gnotobiotic experiments.
Parentification and the Impostor Phenomenon: An Empirical Investigation

This article examines the hypothesis that individuals who were parentified as children are more likely to report impostor feelings in adulthood. A sample of 213 graduate students were given the Parentification Questionnaire (Sessions & Jurkovic, 1986) and Clance's Impostor Phenomenon Scale (Clance, 1985). Results indicated that parentification and the impostor phenomenon are moderately correlated (r = .37). No significant gender differences were found for either construct. With regard to racial/ethnic differences, no significant differences were found in parentification scores; however, Caucasians endorsed significantly higher impostor phenomenon scores than African Americans. The results suggest that the impostor phenomenon can be explained, in part, as a significant long-term effect of childhood parentification.
Effect of Ni, Pd, and Pt impurities on the resistance anomaly of diluteC uMn alloys

Low-temperature electrical-resistivity measurements are reported for dilute alloys of Cu with approximately 100-ppm Mn which have been doped with Ni, Pd, and Pt additions at concentrations ranging from a few tenths to a few atomic percent. Whereas Ni and Pt additions affect the temperature dependence of the resistance anomaly associated with the Kondo effect in a similar and striking fashion, Pd additions do not change the temperature dependence of the resistance anomaly within the resolution of the experiment. No correlation between the spin-orbit energy of the Ni, Pd, and Pt additions and the manner in which they modify the resistance anomaly could be established.
Lopinavir‐Ritonavir: A New Protease Inhibitor

Lopinavir is a new protease inhibitor that is structurally related to ritonavir. It recently was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a coformulation with ritonavir under the brand name Kaletra. Ritonavir substantially increases lopinavir drug exposure by inhibiting cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 3A4. Based on limited data, lopinavir-ritonavir demonstrates safety and efficacy in both antiretroviral-naive and protease inhibitor-experienced patients. It has the ability to durably suppress human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA for up to 2 years in antiretroviral-naive patients. Compared with nelfinavir, it had superior virologic control at 48 weeks in antiretroviral-naive patients. Its side effects include diarrhea, abnormal stools, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and asthenia. A number of patients experienced grade 3-4 laboratory abnormalities in liver function tests, cholesterol, and triglycerides while receiving this drug combination. The exact resistance patterns of lopinavir-ritonavir are unknown, but the Department of Health and Human Services strongly recommends it for the initial treatment of HIV-infected adults and adolescents.
Ocular deviation following excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy

We present a case of ocular deviation and diplopia that developed 9 months after monocular excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. In this case, decompensation occurred because of a breakdown of fusion at distance. We suggest a cover test to assess the presence of significant phorias in all candidates for refractive surgery procedures.
Prostacyclin protects ischemic reperfused myocardium in the dog by inhibition of neutrophil activation.

Abstract Prostacyclin (PGI2) and the stable PGI2 analogue SC39902 (6,9α-epoxy, 5S-fluoro-11α, 15S-dehydroxyprosta-6, 13E-dien-1-oic acid, sodium salt) were studied in anesthetized open-chest dogs subjected to 90 minutes of left circumflex coronary artery (LCCA) occlusion and 6 hours of reperfusion. PGI2 (50 ng/kg/min, infused into the left atrium) reduced infarct mass by 59% compared to control, but SC39902 (1.5 μg/kg/min) failed to produce a significant reduction in infarct size. Both PGI2 and SC39902 reduced mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and rate-pressure product to the same extent. Regional myocardial blood flow measured with radiolabelled tracer microspheres did not demonstrate an increase in regional blood flow to the ischemic myocardium during the 90 minutes of LCCA occlusion in the PGI2 and control treatment groups. Canine neutrophils were isolated from whole blood and activated with opsonized zymosan. PGI2 produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of neutrophil activation as measured by superoxide production in vitro, whereas SC39902 failed to effectively inhibit neutrophil activation. Neutrophil migration into inflammatory skin lesions was effectively attenuated when dogs were pretreated with PGI2 (50 ng/kg/min, intravenously). Therefore, it is suggested that the cytoprotective effect of PGI2 during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion is related to an inhibition of neutrophil migration and the production of cytotoxic activated oxygen species.
Electron Impact Studies of Hydrazine and the Methyl-substituted Hydrazines1

Relative abundances and appearance potentials are reported for the principal ions in the mass spectra of hydrazine, monomethyl-, 1,1-dimethyl-, 1,2-dimethyl-, trimethyl-, and tetramethyl hydrazine. Heats of formation of the radical ions and probable ionization-dissociation processes are tabulated consistent with the calculated energetics. Molecular ionization potentials computed by the use of antisymmetrized orbitals are compared with experimental observations. Heats of formation of various hydrazyl and methyl amino radicals obtained from the appearance potential data permit a determination of bond strengths in the methyl hydrazines and other nitrogen-containing molecules. Ionization potentials of various hydrazyl radicals are calculated and found to be surprisingly low. A characteristic decrease in ionization potential with increased methyl substitution is noted.
Duty hours and pregnancy outcome among residents in obstetrics and gynecology.

Abstract Objective To assess the present status of resident duty hours in obstetrics and gynecology, identify existing policies concerning work schedules during pregnancy, and evaluate pregnancy outcome in female house officers. Methods A questionnaire-based study was administered to residents taking the 2001 Council on Residency Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology examination. Results More than 90% of the residents reported that their institution had a maternity leave policy. The leave was usually 4–8 weeks long and was paid. Nearly 95% of residents reported that they had to take over the work of residents on maternity leave. Most women residents worked more than 80 hours weekly throughout pregnancy, and few took time off before delivery. Most pregnancies occurred during the fourth year of training and did not seem to be adversely affected by the long work hours. Conclusion This study, performed before the institution of the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education resident duty hour policies, demonstrated that, although women house officers continued to work more than 80 hours per week during pregnancy, most had a good pregnancy outcome. Nevertheless, there was a higher frequency of preterm labor, preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction in female residents than in spouses or partners of male residents.
Static and Dynamic Crush Behavior of Circular Aluminum Extrusions With Rigid PU Foam Filler

This paper introduces a new technique to increase the specific energy absorption (SEA) for foam-filled circular aluminum tube significantly. The idea is to first utilize initiators to deform the foam inside an aluminum tube under the effects of constraints of the tube wall. Then the aluminum tube and foam are crushed together. In this study, the foam with 190mm length has been filled inside a 200mm aluminum tube and attached to two 50 mm length initiators (one initiator in each side of the tube). Initially, the foam-filled tube has been compressed a total of 90mm by entering and sliding the two initiators inside the aluminum tube. Then the foam, two initiators and the aluminum tube have been compressed together for another 30 mm (The total crushing distance is 120mm). The technique was utilized under quasi-static and dynamic axial compression loading conditions and is found to increase the specific energy absorption (SEA) for the foam-filled circular aluminum tube up to 30% more compared to pure aluminum tubes for quasi-static and dynamic axial compression loading conditions. Both experimental and analytical/computational results are presented.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Pancreatic cancer: Clinical presentation, pitfalls and early clues

The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer usually depends upon symptoms; consequently it is late when there is no chance for cure. At this point, pain, anorexia, early satiety, sleep problems and weight loss are present. Back pain also may be prominent, which predicts unresectability and shortened survival after resection. However, earlier recognition of symptoms of pancreatic cancer might improve early detection of the cancer. For example, 25% of patients have symptoms compatible with upper abdominal disease up to 6 months prior to diagnosis and 15% of patients may seek medical attention more than 6 months prior to diagnosis. These symptoms erroneously may be attributed to problems such as irritable syndrome. Symptoms, however, may be less common. For example a quarter of patients with pancreatic cancer may have no pain at diagnosis, and half, particularly those with pancreatic head tumors, may have little pain compared with patients with body-tail tumors. However, if the tumor is suspected because of predisposing conditions, earlier diagnosis may be possible. These conditions include diseases such as chronic pancreatitis, intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT), and recent onset of diabetes mellitus, particularly if the diabetes occurs during or beyond the sixth decade. In addition inherited syndromes also are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer including familial pancreatic cancer, hereditary pancreatitis, familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome (FAP) and familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome (hereditary dysplastic nevus syndrome). Of these conditions, recent onset of diabetes may be the best clue and should be included in a clinical profile of patients prior to the onset of symptoms to identify a high-risk group to apply screening strategies for detection of early disease. Contrary to a clinical aphorism that pancreatic cancer patients are elderly, lean and recently may have developed diabetes, we found that patients who develop pancreatic cancer are overweight prior to onset of symptoms compared to controls (body mass index, 28 vs 25). Forty percent had the diagnosis of diabetes made at the time of diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and more patients with a resectable tumor had diabetes (58%) compared to patients with locally unresectable or metastatic disease (37%). Perhaps, screening overweight persons who have new-onset diabetes may lead to a diagnosis of asymptomatic, early, resectable pancreatic cancer.
Collaborating to connect global citizenship, information literacy, and lifelong learning in the global studies classroom

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the concepts of lifelong learning, information literacy, and global citizenship, making explicit connections among them via theories of social capital. It then presents a model of librarian‐faculty collaboration that relies upon information literacy as a framework for fostering lifelong learning and global citizenship.Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with a theoretical analysis of lifelong learning, information literacy, global citizenship, and social capital in order to provide a conceptual framework for the case study that follows. The case study describes the librarian‐faculty collaboration, which included the development of course goals, the syllabus, learning outcomes and objectives, assignments, course‐integrated library instruction sessions, and assessment tools.Findings – Social capital is a useful theoretical tool for conceptualizing pedagogical strategies for promoting information literacy and global citizenship. Pre‐ and...
Biphasic NF-κB activation in the excitotoxic hippocampus

Excitotoxic stimulation of NMDA receptors results in the activation of a variety of cellular responses. The inducible transcription factor NF-κB is known to be involved in excitotoxic responses by neurons. Here, we show that NF-κB activation occurs in a biphasic manner in hippocampal slices following a 20-min N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) exposure. The biphasic activation profile consists of an early, rapid phase at 0.5–1 h post-insult, and a delayed phase evident 10–24 h post-insult. Endogenous inhibitors of NF-κB, IκBs, were examined for their involvement in the biphasic activation. IκBβ exhibited marked degradation in response to the excitotoxity, while changes in the levels of IκBα and p105 isoforms were not detected. The initial decline in IκBβ occurred in as little as 30 min post-NMDA exposure, coinciding with early NF-κB activity. A second, more gradual phase of IκBβ degradation was also evident, possibly giving rise to the delayed activation of the transcription factor. While both phases of NF-κB activation were disrupted by the NMDA receptor antagonist AP5, they were distinct with regard to the composition of activated complexes and their responsiveness to altered culture conditions. The two phases of NF-κB activity also were associated with distinct gene regulation events. Up-regulation of bcl-2 message occurred early after the excitotoxic insult and remained up-regulated for an extended period. In contrast, bax message initially remained unchanged after the insult, but then exhibited an increase 24 h later, corresponding with the second phase of the NF-κB response. These results indicate that distinct phases of NF-κB activation are generated in the excitotoxic hippocampus, and that the phases may be involved in opposing cellular responses.
Rates of diffusion-limited reaction in periodic systems

The pseudopotential and perturbation theory are used to derive the first three terms in the expansion of the smallest eigenvalue of the Helmholtz equation both for infinite two-dimensional systems with an array of perfectly absorbing circles centered on (1) a square lattice and (2) a triangular lattice, and also for infinite three-dimensional systems both with arrays of perfectly absorbing interspersed cylinders and with an array of perfectly absorbing spheres centered on (1), a simple cubic lattice, (2) a body-centered cubic lattice, and (3) a facecentered cubic lattice. In all cases, the perturbation parameter involves the ratio of the radius of the absorber to the lattice spacing. These eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenfunctions are used to compute the first three terms of expansions of the first passage time of a diffusing point particle randomly placed outside the absorbers. Expressing the perturbation parameter as a function of the area or volume fraction occupied by the absorbers reveals a remarkable similarity among the rates of diffusion-limited reaction for arrays of absorbers and the corresponding radially symmetric system containing one central absorber.
High-quality GaN heteroepitaxial films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

In this paper, we describe the growth and characterization of high-quality GaN heteroepitaxial films grown on basal-plane sapphire substrates using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The quality of these films is analyzed by a variety of methods, including high-resolution x-ray diffraction, optical transmission spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), room temperature photoluminescence, and room-temperature Hall measurements. The x-ray diffraction full width at half maximum value of ΔΘ ∼37 arc s is the narrowest reported to date for any III-V nitride film on any substrate. The x-ray rocking curves for ∼0.48 μm thick GaN/Al2O3 heteroepitaxial layers exhibit Pendellosung fringes, indicating that even relatively thin films can be of high quality. High-resolution TEM lattice images further attest to the excellent structural quality, showing the films to be completely free of stacking faults. Furthermore, no evidence of columnar growth is observed.
A bound on aperture coupling from realistic EMP

Rigorous modification of the step function electromagnetic pulse (EMP) energy bound, for apertures, to the more realistic description of an EMP waveform is carried out. The double exponential EMP waveform is used first and a general formula is derived for the energy scattered and absorbed by the aperture. This result shows that for very small apertures the energy can be quite small compared to the previous step function result. However, it is indicated that, in principle, if no further conditions are imposed on the structures behind the aperture (or attached to the aperture), the smallest applicable bound is the previous step function bound. Finally, the inverse exponential EMP waveform (with more realistic high-frequency spectrum) is used with very small apertures to obtain even smaller energy bounds than the double exponential waveform result. >
Hypoxia Increases the Expression of Stem-Cell Markers and Promotes Clonogenicity in Glioblastoma Neurospheres

Hypoxia promotes the expansion of non-neoplastic stem and precursor cell populations in the normal brain, and is common in malignant brain tumors. We examined the effects of hypoxia on stem-like cells in glioblastoma (GBM). When GBM-derived neurosphere cultures are grown in 1% oxygen, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) protein levels increase dramatically, and mRNA encoding other hypoxic response genes, such as those encoding hypoxia-inducible gene-2, lysyl oxidase, and vascular endothelial growth factor, are induced over 10-fold. Hypoxia increases the stem-like side population over fivefold, and the percentage of cells expressing CD133 threefold or more. Notch pathway ligands and targets are also induced. The rise in the stem-like fraction in GBM following hypoxia is paralleled by a twofold increase in clonogenicity. We believe HIF1α plays a causal role in these changes, as when oxygen-stable HIF1α is expressed in normoxic glioma cells CD133 is induced. We used digoxin, which has been shown to lower HIF protein levels in vitro and in vivo, to inhibit the hypoxic response. Digoxin suppressed HIF1α protein expression, HIF1α downstream targets, and slowed tumor growth in vivo. In addition, pretreatment with digoxin reduced GBM flank xenograft engraftment of hypoxic GBM cells, and daily intraperitoneal injections of digoxin were able to significantly inhibit the growth of established subcutaneous glioblastoma xenografts, and suppressed expression of vascular endothelial growth factor.
Intracellular calcium chelators and oxidant‐induced renal proximal tubule cell death

The effect of intracellular calcium chelators on rabbit renal proximal tubule (RPT) cell death induced by t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) and H2O2 was examined. Preincubation of RPT suspensions with 50 microM QUIN 2/AM completely prevented TBHP (0.5 mM) and H2O2 (2 mM) induced cell death [i.e., release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)]. QUIN 2/AM, BAPTA/AM, EGTA/AM, and FURA 2/AM, at 5 microM, decreased LDH release (at 6 hr) from 41% to 4%, 21%, 26%, and 33%, and decreased lipid peroxidation (at 1 hr) from 1.0 to 0.1, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 nmol MDA/mg protein, respectively, after TBHP exposure. Since oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation and cell death are iron-dependent in this model, these results suggest that the intracellular calcium chelators inhibit cell death by chelating iron.
Numerical simulation of selforganized stone stripes

GEOMETRICALLY regular stripes of stones are found on many unvegetated alpine and polar hillslopes; known as ‘sorted stripes’ because of the characteristic textural sorting between surface stones and fine-grained soil, they contrast markedly with the lack of order typical of natural landscapes. The spacing of the stripes can range from centimetres to metres (about 10–20 times the average stone diameter1,2), with individual stripes extending down-slope for many tens of metres (Fig. 1). A variety of formative mechanisms have been proposed3, but it is still unclear how such orderly stripes can arise spontaneously, and what dictates the spacing. Here we present two-dimensional computer simulations in which the displacement of surface stones is governed by the preferential growth of needle-ice in stone-free regions of soil during each freezing cycle. Regular patterns of stones and soil that closely resemble natural stripes are found to emerge spontaneously from the model as a result of identifiable feedbacks between soil texture, ice growth and local slope.
ESR of Fe3+ -Rhombic, Fe2+ -Vo and Fe1+ -Vo complexes in SrTiO3

Abstract Three new Fe-defect complexes have been identified by ESR in Fe doped crystals of SrTiO3. These are an Fe3+ center with rhombic fine structure in the “as-grown” crystals, and the vacancy associated complexes Fe2+ -Vo and Fe1+ -Vo in “reduced” crystals. Photo-excited charge transfer effects are observed for these centers.
The onset of the thermal oxidation of silicon from room temperature to 1000 j

Abstract This paper presents experimental results of the onset of SiO 2 growth at high temperatures ranging from 800 to 1000°C, and reviews observations made on the intitial stages of silicon oxidation at low temperatures ranging from 300 to 700°C, and native-oxide growth at room temperature. An incubation period of duration T D , during which the oxide does not grow at the onset of oxidation at all temperatures, is observed. The dependence of the delay T D on substrate orientation, doping, and oxidation temperature is summarized. A model exploring the influence of SiO formation at the onset of the thermal oxidation of silicon at high temperatures in dry oxygen on the passive-to-active oxidation transition is presented.
An experimental pressure-response method to measure gas-liquid kinetics

Abstract We introduce a novel physical method to ascertain gas-liquid kinetic parameters without resort to wet chemistry. The conditions whereby the controversial technique called the “chemical method” can be reliably used to measure the interfacial area in gas-liquid dispersions has been recently clarified by Schumpe and Deckwer (1980, Chem. Engng Sci. 35 , 2221-2233). Much of the disagreement arises because researchers use literature bench-scale kinetic data to estimate the interfacial area in a larger pilot-scale unit, with differing water quality and chemical purities. It is now widely recognized that in-house data, which matches the specific pilot plant condition, is the prudent course of action. Thus, a simple bench-scale unit is necessary, the description of which is the purpose of the present work. The batch method used is fast, cheap and simple, and produces reliable results, even for non-linear chemical systems. The only measured quantity is the gas-phase pressure above a reacting liquid interface. The key physical-chemical design constraint requires that the system time constant is at least an order of magnitude larger than the total experimental contact time. Under such conditions, the analysis shows that a single parameter contains all the necessary order and rate constant information. The first pressure-transient prototype is tested using the classical sulphite oxidation reaction in the presence of cobaltous catalyst. Very good agreement with literature values is obtained.
Future neutrino telescopes

We briefly review the four major high energy neutrino telescopes currently under construction and the motivation for their construction. Progress is such that several instruments with muon detection in the 104 m2 class should be operating in the next several years. Plans are advancing for an international consortium to propose a km3 scale instrument. We highlight a newly identified experiment which may be carried out with such an instrument, if there are substantial numbers of neutrinos in the PeV energy range, as are indeed predicted from some AGN models. The idea is to search for what we call "double bang events", which contain a PeV cascade followed by a charged particle track and then a second and larger cascade separated by about 100 m. This appears to be a nearly background free signature for charged current τ production and decay, and would constitute strong evidence for ντ oscillations, and thus mass. We discuss possible sources of ντ 's, backgrounds for these events, both few, and implications of such detetion.
A PEG-Fmoc conjugate as a nanocarrier for paclitaxel.

We report here that a simple, well-defined, and easy-to-scale up nanocarrier, PEG5000-lysyl-(α-Fmoc-e-t-Boc-lysine)2 conjugate (PEG-Fmoc), provides high loading capacity, excellent formulation stability and low systemic toxicity for paclitaxel (PTX), a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for various types of cancers. 9-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) was incorporated into the nanocarrier as a functional building block to interact with drug molecules. PEG-Fmoc was synthesized via a three-step synthetic route, and it readily interacted with PTX to form mixed nanomicelles of small particle size (25-30 nm). The PTX loading capacity was about 36%, which stands well among the reported micellar systems. PTX entrapment in this micellar system is achieved largely via an Fmoc/PTX π-π stacking interaction, which was demonstrated by fluorescence quenching studies and (13)C NMR. PTX formulated in PEG-Fmoc micelles demonstrated sustained release kinetics, and in vivo distribution study via near infrared fluorescence imaging demonstrated an effective delivery of Cy5.5-labled PTX to tumor sites. The maximal tolerated dose for PTX/PEG-Fmoc (MTD > 120 mg PTX/kg) is higher than those for most reported PTX formulations, and in vivo therapeutic study exhibited a significantly improved antitumor activity than Taxol, a clinically used formulation of PTX. Our system may hold promise as a simple, safe, and effective delivery system for PTX with a potential for rapid translation into clinical study.
Provider and patient intervention to improve weight loss: a pilot study in a public hospital clinic.

Abstract Objective To assess the efficacy of a literacy-appropriate weight loss intervention targeting providers and patients in improving physicians’ weight loss counseling and patients’ self-reported beliefs, and self-efficacy. Methods The study took place in a public hospital nephrology clinic. The intervention included two physician workshops and a small group patient education. Physician–patient communication was observed and coded. Structured interviews assessed patient recall of weight loss recommendations, weight-related beliefs, and self-efficacy. Results 64 patient visits were observed before and after the intervention. 75% of patients were African American, 96% lacked private insurance, 71% had low literacy skills; mean body mass index (BMI) of 35 kg/m2. Physician counseling improved significantly post-intervention, particularly in assessing, supporting and advising patients about weight loss and exercise. Patients reported increases in recall of weight loss recommendations and were more likely to report greater confidence about losing weight (52% vs. 70%, p Conclusions This pilot study offers promising directions to address provider and patient barriers to weight loss education and counseling in a public hospital. Practice implications Hospital-based weight loss interventions need to target both physicians and patients.
SU-GG-I-143: Correction of Respiration-Induced Cardiac Motion in SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Purpose: Displacement of the heart due to respiration introduces blur into myocardial perfusion images. Similar to ECG‐gating of the cardiac cycle, a respiratory monitoring device may be used to bin events according to respiratory phase. The images may then be compensated with an estimate of the frame‐to‐frame motion. We have found that the accuracy of these motion estimates can be highly dependent on the degree of segmentation of the heart from other organs. The purpose of this work was to investigate several proposed respiratory motion estimation methods for cardiacSPECT.Method and Materials: High‐count respiratory‐gated projection data modeling scatter, attenuation, and detector response were obtained from a mathematical phantom which modeled respiration. After scaling, Poisson noise was simulated for a total of 10 noise realizations. Reconstruction was performed using OSEM. A variety of Butterworth filters and intensity thresholds were used to generate many different segmentations of the myocardial activity. Four rigid‐body motion estimation methods were tested on the segmented images: [1] a 3D center‐of‐mass‐shift (3‐DOF), [2] an iterative estimation of the translational motion (3‐DOF), [3] the principle axes transformation (6‐DOF), and [4] an iterative estimation of the rotational and translational motion (6‐DOF). Iterative methods minimized the sum‐of‐squared‐errors (SSE) between the segmented image frames using the conjugate gradient method. Accuracy and robustness were quantified as the mean and standard deviation of the phantom‐matching‐error (PME) over the segmented images. The PME is the SSE for the original phantom frames (myocardial activity only), given the current motion estimate. Results: Iterative methods had an average PME of 1334.2 ± 97.6 and 648.8 ± 389.7, for 3‐ and 6‐DOF methods, respectively. Analytical methods had an average PME of 1715.6 ± 534.5 and 4011.8 ± 2405.16, for 3‐ and 6‐DOF methods, respectively. Conclusion: Iterative methods were found to have superior accuracy and robustness to analytical methods.
Use-wear analysis of obsidian artifacts from Later Stone Age shell midden sites on the Red Sea Coast of Eritrea, with experimental results

This paper presents results of use-wear study on lithic artifacts from two Later Stone Age sites (Gelalo and Misse) on the Red Sea Coast of Eritrea. The sites produced large quantities of lithic artifacts in association with mollusk shells and ostrich eggshell beads, but it is unclear if all the stone tools were required for bead and mollusk shell processing. The study involved recording of microfracture damage traces in order to infer the use-material and the manner in which the artifacts were used. A large percentage of the analyzed samples from Gelalo and Misse preserve wear patterns suggestive of human use. The diagnostic wear types include: (1) dense step, snap (crushing) and hinge fractures typically confined on the working edges, and (2) feather scars organized in a scalar manner visible on the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the active parts. The observed damage patterns suggest cutting and engraving medium to hard materials. The evidence is incomplete for more generalization about the specific activities carried out at the sites. A brief experimental study involving ostrich eggshell drilling, oak twig sawing and bark scraping, meat slicing, and mollusk shell sawing and drilling was carried out to aid interpretation of wear features observed on the archaeological specimens. Wear traces produced by sawing mollusk shell and oak wood showed close affinity to those observed on the archaeological specimens. The study contributes important information about early Holocene site use on the Red Sea Coast of Eritrea. The close association of used lithic artifacts, symbolic objects (beads) and broken shell remains indicates that the sites were habitation areas.
Electrochemical studies on doping of polyacetylene

Abstract The mechanism for electrochemical doping of polyacetylene was studied using cyclic voltammetry. The I–V curve of a thin (CH)x filme (
Fossil Evidence on Origin of the Mammalian Brain

Many hypotheses have been postulated regarding the early evolution of the mammalian brain. Here, x-ray tomography of the Early Jurassic mammaliaforms Morganucodon and Hadrocodium sheds light on this history. We found that relative brain size expanded to mammalian levels, with enlarged olfactory bulbs, neocortex, olfactory (pyriform) cortex, and cerebellum, in two evolutionary pulses. The initial pulse was probably driven by increased resolution in olfaction and improvements in tactile sensitivity (from body hair) and neuromuscular coordination. A second pulse of olfactory enhancement then enlarged the brain to mammalian levels. The origin of crown Mammalia saw a third pulse of olfactory enhancement, with ossified ethmoid turbinals supporting an expansive olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity, allowing full expression of a huge odorant receptor genome.
5-HT1B Receptor Knockout Mice Exhibit an Enhanced Response to Constant Light:

Serotonin (5-HT) can act presynaptically at 5-HT1B receptors on retinal terminals in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to inhibit glutamate release, thereby modulating the effects of light on circadian behavior. 5-HT1B receptor agonists (1) inhibit light-induced phase shifts of circadian activity rhythms, (2) attenuate light-induced Fos expression in the SCN, and (3) reduce the amplitude of optic nerve-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents in SCN neurons in vitro. To determine whether functional disruption of the 5-HT1B presynaptic receptors would result in an amplified response of the SCN to light, the period (tau) of the circadian rhythm of wheel-running activity was estimated under several different conditions in 5-HT1B receptor knockout (KO) mice and genetically matched wild-type animals. Under constant light (LL) conditions, the tau of 5-HT1B receptor KO mice was significantly greater than the tau of wild-type mice. A quantitative analysis of the wheel-running activity revealed no differences between wild-type and KO mice in either total activity or the temporal distribution of activity under LL conditions, suggesting that the observed increase in tau was not a function of reduced activity. Under constant dark conditions, the period of the circadian rhythm of wheel-running activity of wild-type and 5-HT1B receptor KO mice was similar. In addition, no differences were noted between wild-type and 5-HT1B receptor KO mice in the rate of reentrainment to a 6 h phase advance in the 12:12 light:dark cycle or in phase shifts in response to a 10 min light pulse presented at circadian time 16. The enhanced response of the SCN circadian clock of the 5-HT1B receptor KO mice to LL conditions is consistent with the hypothesis that the endogenous activation of 5-HT1B presynaptic receptors modulates circadian behavior by attenuating photic input to the SCN.