cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
OP013/#417 Cost-effectiveness of dostarlimab in advanced recurrent deficient mismatch repair endometrial cancer patients

Objectives Women with recurrent endometrial cancer who fail carboplatin and paclitaxel have a poor prognosis with few effective options. The recent GARNET Trial showed promising results for dostarlimab in these patients. We developed a decision model to compare the cost-effectiveness of dostarlimab to other treatment options in patients with progressive/recurrent deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) endometrial cancer who have failed first-line chemotherapy. Methods A Markov model was created to simulate the clinical trajectory of women with progressive/recurrent dMMR endometrial cancer who failed carboplatin and paclitaxel (figure 1). The initial decision point in the model was treatment with either dostarlimab, pembrolizumab or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). Model probabilities, cost and utility values were derived with assumptions drawn from published literature. The effectiveness was measured in terms of quality adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. The primary outcome was incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), expressed in 2018 US dollars/QALYs. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed to vary the assumptions across a range of plausible values. Results PLD was the least costly strategy at $54,307, followed by pembrolizumab ($160,780) and dostarlimab ($251,132). PLD was cost-effective compared with dostarlimab with an ICER of $199,621, while pembrolizumab was subjected to extended dominance (table 1). Multiple one-way sensitivity analyses did not substantially impact the cost-effectiveness. Conclusions Dostarlimab is associated with greater survival compared with other treatments for women with recurrent dMMR endometrial cancer. However, the agent is substantially more costly.
Maintenance Therapy with Peginterferon

Treatment failure with interferon and ribavirin is seen in over 50% of patients with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. Maintenance therapy with IFN has been suggested as an option to prevent disease progression in these treatment failures. Three large clinical trials evaluating maintenance therapy with low-dose pegylated interferon have been completed. None of the studies demonstrated either regression or lack of progression of fibrosis. However, both HALT-C and EPIC3 showed an improvement in necroinflammatory score in patients receiving IFN compared to observation alone. More importantly, none of the studies by intent to treat showed a reduction in clinical events in patients receiving maintenance IFN therapy. Subgroup analysis for both EPIC3 and COPILOT did show some benefit in patients with portal hypertension with a reduction in both liver failure and portal hypertensive bleeding. Side effects are common and dose reduction/discontinuation frequent (up to 50%) in these 3–4 year treatment programs. This chapter evaluates these trials and the potential role of maintenance therapy in patients with HCV and advanced fibrotic liver disease.
Efficient kernel density estimation of shape and intensity priors for level set segmentation

We propose a nonlinear statistical shape model for level set segmentation which can be efficiently implemented. Given a set of training shapes, we perform a kernel density estimation in the low dimensional subspace spanned by the training shapes. In this way, we are able to combine an accurate model of the statistical shape distribution with efficient optimization in a finite-dimensional subspace. In a Bayesian inference framework, we integrate the nonlinear shape model with a nonparametric intensity model and a set of pose parameters which are estimated in a more direct data-driven manner than in previously proposed level set methods. Quantitative results show superior performance (regarding runtime and segmentation accuracy) of the proposed nonparametric shape prior over existing approaches.
Regulation of the 45- and 55-kDa forms of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by nucleotides

The synthesis of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4-phosphate and PI 4,5-bisphosphate in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is stimulated by glucose. PI 4-kinase (ATP:phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.67) catalyzes the committed step in the synthesis of these phosphoinositides. Previous studies have suggested that the glucose effect on phosphoinositide synthesis is mediated by cellular levels of ATP and ADP and by the RAS/cAMP pathway. Using purified preparations of the membrane-associated 45- and 55-kDa forms of PI 4-kinase, we examined the regulation of these activities by nucleotides and cAMP-dependent protein kinase. MgADP was a potent inhibitor of both forms of the enzyme. Detailed kinetic analyses of the 45- and 55-kDa enzymes using Triton X-100/PI-mixed micelles showed that MgADP was a competitive inhibitor (Ki = 0.14 and 0.25 mM, respectively) with respect to MgATP and a noncompetitive inhibitor (Ki = 1.3 and 0.9 mM, respectively) with respect to PI. The Ki values for MgADP were about 2-fold lower than the Km values the enzymes have for their substrate MgATP and about 2-fold lower than the cellular concentration of ADP. The 45- and 55-kDa forms of PI 4-kinase activity were regulated differentially by CTP, an important nucleotide involved in phospholipid biosynthesis. Whereas the 55-kDa PI 4-kinase was inhibited by CTP, the 45-kDa enzyme was unaffected by CTP. CTP was a mixed type of inhibitor (Ki = 1.5 mM) with respect to MgATP and a noncompetitive inhibitor (Ki = 4 mM) with respect to PI. The Ki value for CTP was 4-fold higher than the Km value for MgATP and 7-fold higher than the cellular concentration of CTP. The 45- and 55-kDa PI 4-kinases were neither phosphorylated nor regulated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. These results did not support the previous conclusion that PI 4-phosphate synthesis was mediated by the RAS/cAMP pathway. Our kinetic studies supported the conclusion that the glucose effect on the synthesis of PI 4-phosphate was mediated by cellular levels of ATP and ADP through the regulation of membrane-associated PI 4-kinase activity.
Big Apple Kickoff vs. Tipoff: A Twitter Analysis

This paper examined the different Twitter strategies used by each of two NFL and NBA teams. The study examined the New York Jets, New York Giants, New York Knicks, and the Brooklyn Nets to analyze the tweets these organizations posted starting one week prior to the opening regular season games―and during those games. Tweets were classified into one of six categories: engagement, information, team statistics, advertisements, player involvement, and promotion and advertisements. Results showed clear differences in Twitter strategies between the teams: The NBA teams posted about twice as many tweets as the NFL teams. The study also found that the two NBA teams implemented "best practices" in using tweets.
Time dependent gravitational sedimentation of aerosol particles from steady laminar flows in channels and ducts

Abstract Time dependent aerosol particle deposition due to gravitational settling is examined for steady laminar flow in ducts of different cross sections and flow profiles. Analytic and some numerical calculations based on the analysis of limiting particle trajectories are used to determine the deposition efficiencies and penetrations as functions of duct length and time. Both efficiencies and penetrations are found to be strongly time dependent.
Choosing Healthplans All Together: A Deliberative Exercise for Allocating Limited Health Care Resources

CHAT (Choosing Healthplans All Together) is an exercise in participatory decision making designed to engage the public in health care priority setting. Participants work individually and then in groups to distribute a limited number of pegs on a board as they select from a wide range of insurance options. Randomly distributed health events illustrate the consequences of insurance choices. In 1999-2000, the authors conducted fifty sessions of CHAT involving 592 residents of North Carolina. The exercise was rated highly regarding ease of use, informativeness, and enjoyment. Participants found the information believable and complete, thought the group decision-making process was fair, and were willing to abide by group decisions. CHAT holds promise as a tool to foster group deliberation, generate collective choices, and incorporate the preferences and values of consumers into allocation decisions. It can serve to inform and stimulate public dialogue about limited health care resources.
Proximate determination of male horn dimorphism in the beetle Onthophagus taurus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

The existence of discrete phenotypic variation within one sex poses interesting questions regarding how such intrasexual polymorphisms are produced and modified during the course of evolution. Approaching these kinds of questions requires insights into the genetic architecture underlying a polymorphism and an understanding of the proximate mechanisms determining phenotype expression. Here we explore the genetic underpinnings and proximate factors influencing the expression of beetle horns ‐ a dramatic sexually selected trait exhibiting intramale dimorphism in many species. Two relatively discrete male morphs are present in natural populations of the dung beetle Onthophagus taurus (Scarabaeidae, Onthophagini). Males exceeding a critical body size develop a pair of long, curved horns on their heads, while those smaller than this critical body size remain essentially hornless. We present results from laboratory breeding experiments designed to assess the relative importance of inherited and environmental factors as determinants of male morphology. Using father‐son regressions, our findings demonstrate that horn length and body size of male progeny are not predicted from paternal morphology. Instead, natural variation in an environmental factor, the amount of food available to larvae, determined both the body sizes exhibited by males as adults and the presence or absence of horns. The nonlinear scaling relationship between the body size and horn length of males bred in the laboratory did not differ from the pattern of variation present in natural populations, suggesting that nutritional conditions account for variation in male morphology in natural populations as well. We discuss our results by extending ideas proposed to explain the evolution of conditional expression of alternative phenotypes in physically heterogeneous environments toward incorporating facultative expression of secondary sexual traits. We use this synthesis to begin characterizing the potential origin and subsequent evolution of facultative horn expression in onthophagine beetles.
Web-Based Corporate Governance Information Disclosure: An Empirical Investigation

Effective and timely use of the Internet, with a navigable and regularly-updated corporate Web site, can improve perceptions about a company's transparency vis-i-vis corporate governance practices. Based on an empirical analysis of data from 30 company Web sites in the DJIA, we conclude that a majority of companies underutilize their Web sites in communicating corporate governance information. Nearly all companies provide only routine content disclosure using minimal Web design features. A proactive display of compliance and due diligence content is largely absent, and most companies have yet to exploit advanced Web technologies to the fullest. Companies with better quality content and design appear to have higher corporate governance quotient CGQ ratings thereby implying greater transparency. The resultant framework can help companies vastly improve their Web sites by including more content that reflects due diligence and transparency and implementing Web 2.0 and other advanced technologies. Companies serious about transparency will adopt a more strategic approach to Web content and design. The lists of variables we identify can serve as checklists and/or templates for executives and researchers.
Changes in the Virulence of Nuclear Polyhedrosis Viruses when Propagated in Alternate Noctuid (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Cell Lines and Hosts

Nuclear polyhedrosis viruses isolated from the alfalfa looper, Autographa californica (Speyer) (AcMNPV), the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) (TnMNPV), Rachiplusia ou (Guenee) (RoMNPV), Heliothis armigera (Hubner) (HaMNPV), and a plaque purified variant of A. californica (Ac6RMNPV), were serially passed numerous times in larvae of the cabbage looper and the beet army worm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner). These viruses were also produced in vitro in the SF-21AE cell line from the fall army worm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and in the TN-368 cell line from T. ni . After passage in susceptible alternate in vivo and in vitro systems, all of the viruses were assayed in both neonate T. ni and S. exigua larvae to evaluate the effects on the viruses. The most significant increase in virulence for viruses produced in vivo occurred in HaMNPV, where a 12.5-fold increase occurred to neonate T. ni at the LC50after three passages in T. ni larvae after 12 initial passages in S. exigua larvae. A 14.9-fold increase in virulence of this virus at the LC50 for neonate S. exigua also occurred. Viruses obtained from the first and fifth passages in vitro exhibited the greatest variation in virulence. Virulence of HaMNPV to neonate T. ni when produced in the SF-21AE cell line was 9.4 x 106-foldgreater at the LC50 for the fifth passage virus than for the first passage virus in this cell line. The insect from which the hemolymph containing the nonoccluded virus (NOV) was taken also affected virulence of the virus produced in vitro.
Density Functional Theory Study of the Electronic State, Geometry, and Harmonic Frequencies for Linear CnP2 Clusters: A Comparison with CnN2

Linear C n N 2 and C n P 2 clusters, in the lowest energy singlet and triplet states, were studied using the B3LYP/ 6-311G** theoretical method for n = 5-10 and the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ method for n = 5-8. Harmonic frequenciesare also reported. Clusters with odd numbers of carbon atoms have lower lying triplet ground states, while those with even numbers of carbons are singlets. The energies of the acetylenic singlet ground states are approximately 2.5 eV below those of the lowest triplet state, while the triplet ground states tend to be more cumulenic and are preferred by 0.6-0.8 eV. A comparison of the properties of the di-heteroatom terminated clusters, on the basis of the atomic properties of nitrogen and phosphorus, is presented. Some important differences in molecular properties are highlighted.
Maximum velocity of shortening of three fibre types from horse soleus muscle: implications for scaling with body size.

1. To explore how maximum velocity of shortening (Vmax) of fibres varies within one muscle and how Vmax varies with body size, we measured Vmax of muscle fibres from soleus muscle of a large animal, the horse. 2. Vmax was determined by the slack test on skinned single muscle fibres at 15 degrees C during maximal activation (pCa = 5.2). The fibre type was subsequently determined by a combination of single-cell histochemistry and gel electrophoresis of the myosin light chains. 3. Vmax values for the type I, IIA and IIB muscle fibres were 0.33 +/- 0.04 muscle lengths/s (ML/s) (+/- S.E.M., n = 6), 1.33 +/- 0.08 ML/s (n = 7) and 3.20 +/- 0.26 ML/s (n = 6), respectively. It is likely that the large range in Vmax is due to differences observed in the myosin heavy chains and light chains associated with the three fibre types. 4. Comparison of Vmax over a 1200-fold range (450 kg horse vs. 0.38 kg rat) of body mass (Mb) suggests that slow fibres scale more dramatically (Mb-0.18) than do fast glycolytic fibres (Mb-0.07). This difference may enable the slow fibres to work at high efficiencies in the large animal while the fast fibres can still generate a large mechanical power when necessary.
Oak decline risk rating for the southeastern United States

Des modeles d'evaluation du risque de deperissement de chenes ont ete etablis pour des forets feuillues d'altitude du sud-est des Etats-Unis en utilisant des donnees recueillies au cours des enquetes regionales sur le deperissement des chenes. Au total, 15 variables relatives au site et aux placettes ont ete correlees a l'intensite du deperissement en utilisant des analyses discriminantes par etapes. Des modeles predictifs ont ete developpes pour chacune des trois sous-regions, ainsi que pour une zone plus vaste comprenant les trois sous-regions. Le meilleur modele pour la sous-region «Nord-Appalache» comportait les facteurs suivants: profondeur (par classe) du sol, surface basale, index de site et âge du placeau (R 2 = 0,65). Dans la sous-region «Sud-Appalache», les variables les plus significatives etaient la pente, la profondeur du sol, la surface basale, et la quantite d'argile (R 2 = 0.30). Le modele «Ozark» comprenait les variables: quantite d'argile, pente, et surface basale (R 2 = 0.32). Le modele global comprenait les facteurs: index du site/âge du placeau, quantite d'argile, pente, profondeur du sol et surface basale (R 2 = 0.22). Les valeurs R 2 relativement faibles et la variation des relations entre ces parametres suggerent la possibilite que les incidents majeurs de deperissement de chenes soit fortement influences par des facteurs additionnels.
Clonal T-Large Granular Lymphocyte Proliferation in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Large granular lymphocytic (LGL) leukemia is a rare disorder, usually caused by clonal proliferation of CD3+ CD57+ T-LGL cells. T-cell clonality is confirmed by rearrangements of the T-cell receptor (TCR) gene. Characteristic features of T-LGL leukemia include neutropenia, anemia, and constitutional symptoms such as fatigue. Many solid organ transplant recipients experience similar symptoms and have neutropenia and anemia often attributed to immunosuppressive therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of T-LGL proliferation in solid organ transplant recipients and demonstrate its association with leukopenia and anemia. Twenty-three cardiac and renal transplant patients were evaluated by peripheral smear examination, flow cytometry, and TCR gene rearrangement study by polymerase chain reaction. Ten of 14 (71%) cardiac transplant patients and 4 of 9 (44%) renal transplant patients, without evidence of either allograft rejection or a viral syndrome, were found to have clonal expansion of T-LGL cells. Constitutional symptoms were present in 30% of these patients. Anemia of <10 g/dL was seen in 75% of renal transplant and 10% of cardiac transplant patients. None of these patients had significant neutropenia defined as absolute neutrophil count of 1500 μ/L. Most of the patients did not require any specific therapeutic intervention. Although TCR gene rearrangement is considered a hallmark of T-LGL leukemia, we believe that this monoclonality is not a true form of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Constant antigenic stimulus from the allograft may be the underlying etiology of clonal expansion and may contribute to cytopenias and fatigue seen in transplant patients.
Lens hexokinase deactivation by near-UV irradiation.

Photodamage to lens hexokinase has been investigated by exposing the lenses of rat, rabbit and calf eyes to 300 nm irradiation. Hexokinase activity was diminished by 15.9% ± 5.4 and 23.4% ± 5.0 upon irradiation of the isolated rat lens for 1 and 2 hours respectively. Irradiation of the whole eye for 2 hours resulted in hexokinase deactivation of 13.6% ± 5.8 and 19.2% ± 6,2 for rat and rabbit lens homogenates and 55% ± 7 for calf lens capsule plus epithelium. Enzyme deactivation was prevented when the isolated lens was irradiated with the vitreous attached. Glucose, catalase or ascorbate added to the medium prior to irradiation, each had a protective effect on hexokinase deactivation. The results are consistent with a mechanism in which photochemical generation of active species of oxygen, via the photosensitizing action of tryptophan photoproducts, plays a significant role in enzyme deactivation.
Deep-sea Ostracoda from the Eastern Equatorial Pacific (ODP Site 1238) over the last 460 ka

Abstract Core top and near-surface core catcher samples from eight drill sites in the Eastern Tropical Pacific were investigated for ostracod assemblage composition. Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Sites U1337 and U1338 (4200–4463 m water depth) are almost devoid of Ostracoda. Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 1237, 1238, 1239, 1240, 1241 and 1242 (depth range of 1400–3200 m) exhibit a similar taxonomic composition with a predominance of Krithe spp. Site 1238 located ~ 200 km west of Ecuador at a water depth of 2203 m had the highest total abundance and was selected for the downcore assemblage study of glacial–interglacial variations over the last 460 ka. A total of three different assemblages were distinguished: glacial, interglacial and background. The glacial assemblage is characterized by higher total ostracod abundance, ostracod valve accumulation rates, and species diversity. The typical glacial taxa are Krithe spp., Legitimocythere castanea, Bradleya mesembrina, Cytheropteron spp. and Fallacihowella sol. Interglacial intervals are characterized by low abundance and diversity and the characteristic taxa are Pseudobosquetina mucronalata, Bradleya sp. 1, Agrenocythere hazelae and Poseidonamicus major. A background assemblage is found throughout the entire record and consists of Parakrithe sp., Ambocythere cf. sturgio and Rugocythereis sp. During glacial intervals (Marine Isotope Stages [MIS] 6, 8, 10, 12), Site 1238 was more strongly influenced by the colder, higher oxygenated Circum-Polar Deep Water. Interglacial intervals (MIS 7, 9, 11) were characterized by climate warming, increased bottom water corrosiveness and decrease in dissolved oxygen. The upper part of the record at Site 1238, MIS 1–5, is characterized by increased biogenic sedimentation rates and possible intensification of upwelling.
Orthopedic Implant Retrieval—Imperatives and Possibilities

Premature orthopedic implant failure occurs for a variety of reasons. In such scenarios implant retrieval is an issue that has a potential for further investigation leading to redesign of components and to improve implant longevity. While strict standards must be adhered to in order to gain FDA approval to use an implant, capturing, and recording the contributing factors leading to explantation and that of retrieved implant is neither strictly adhered to nor enforced. This article presents data illustrating implant standards both pre-market approval as well as in the retrieval scenarios. This paper provides a compilation of specific specifications on implant retrieval handling and storage, compelling imperatives and possibilities at national or global scale. The need for a user-definable, searchable interface is proposed in this paper to facilitate such an important task.
The effect of density and temperature on the hydroxyl proton chemical shift in liquid ethanol

Abstract By employing the Fourier transform method, the internally referenced chemical shifts of the protons of absolute ethanol at temperatures between -83 and 120°C and pressures up to 5 kbar have been measured. Corresponding densities of absolute ethanol between 23 and 120°C are also reported for pressures up to 4 kbar. A substantial portion of the temperature shift of the hydroxyl proton is found to be due to density variation. An essentially linear change of the hydroxyl shift with density at five constant temperatures can be described by an empirical equation valid only for liquid ethanol relating the relative chemical shift of the hydroxyl proton to temperature and density.
Thrust system technology for solar electric propulsion.

Solar electric thrust system technology concerning performance, thruster control system stability and method for solution
Adaptation of cultured human lymphoblasts to growth in citrulline.

Abstract Growth and enzymic studies of the urea cycle have been carried out in long-term human lymphoblast cultures. Lymphoblasts could utilize argininosuccinate in place of arginine; however, only 2 of 8 lines could immediately utilize citrulline in place of arginine, the other 6 lines exhibiting lag periods of a few days to a few weeks before growing in arginine-deficient medium supplemented with citrulline. Adaptation of the entire population rather than the outgrowth of exceptional variants during the lag period was suggested by the ability of cells to form clones in citrulline as efficiently as in arginine-supplemented media and by the phenotype of clones selected in complete medium, most of which exhibited delays before growth in citrulline similar to those of the parental lines. This ability to grow in citrulline was not lost after growth for 60–80 generations in arginine. Citrulline itself in the presence of arginine did not act as an inducer. Argininosuccinate synthetase activity appeared to be significantly enhanced in the citrulline-adapted derivatives, while argininosuccinase activity remained constant in the parental lines and variants. Selective adaptation of urea cycle enzymes has not been observed in other human diploid lines in culture, and it may reflect a flexibility in gene expression characteristic of these immunoglobulin-producing cells.
THE FOUNDING ABYSS OF COLONIAL HISTORY: OR “THE ORIGIN AND PRINCIPLE OF THE NAME OF PERU”

The name of "Peru" and the entities and beings it names first appeared "in an abyss of history" on "the edge of the world" in the early 1500s. In this essay I ask what hermeneutical truths or meanings the strange event that made the name of Peru both famous and historical holds for-and withholds from-any understanding of the meaning of colonial history. By way of a reading of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega's rendering, in Los Comentarios Reales de los Incas (1609) of "the origin and principle of the name of Peru," I suggest that Peru's name is itself an inaugural event that marks the founding void or abyss of colonial and postcolonial history, which is to say, of modern global history. This evenemential void is not unoccupied, however. It is inhabited by another founding, mythopoetic figure of history: "the barbarian" whose speech is registered in the historian's text.
Target signature manifold methods applied to MSTAR dataset: preliminary results

The primary contribution of this paper is to demonstrate the application of signature manifold methods on the MSTAR data. Three manifold estimation methods (FIR, FFT, and Kalman smoothing) are compared to a baseline algorithm, MSE. The preliminary results show the manifold methods perform just as well as the baseline algorithm and have the potential for increased performance. In addition, both GLRT and Bayes hypothesis test algorithms are demonstrated for all of the manifold estimation algorithms.
A Study of Mechanical Engineering Students’ Learning Outcomes During Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences

Undergraduate research experiences, which are highly promoted and supported by NSF and other agencies, present a great opportunity for our students to learn essential problem solving skills. The National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is one of the largest initiatives supporting active research participation by undergraduate students in all of the areas of research funded by NSF. The REU program, with more than 600 sites around the world, presently funds over 1000 active awards, totaling over $327 million. From these active REU awards, 384 (38% of the total active awards) are related to engineering (determined by having ‘engineering’ as a keyword in the title and abstract) and account for about $170 million, about half of the total amount of awards to date. In spite of such widespread support and belief in the value of undergraduate research, limited well-grounded research and evaluation studies exist [1]. Most of the existing literature reveals the predominance of program descriptions, explanation of models, and evaluation efforts, rather than studies grounded on research. Only recently have research and evaluation studies focused on assessing the benefits of undergraduate research [1–8]. Some of these benefits are (a) retention for underrepresented groups, (b) increased interest in the discipline, (c) gaining critical thinking skills, (d) increased self-confidence, and (e) clarification of career goals. Moreover, most of these studies on undergraduate research have focused on the sciences, whereas undergraduate research experiences in engineering have been understudied.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Direct Miniemulsification of Anionically Synthesized Polystyrene to Form Uniform Submicrometer Particles

Abstract A direct emulsification technique has been developed to prepare relatively uniform, submicrometer particles from anionically synthesized polystyrene with molecular weight as high as 650,000 g/mole. This technique utilizes ultrasonics and a filtration process through submicrometer polycarbonate membranes. The concentration of the polymer in the oil phase, the oil to water ratio, and the homogenization schedule are such that the crude latex can pass through a 4000 A membrane with a low nitrogen gas pressure but does not pass through a 2000 A membrane even under a high gas pressure. After the cyclohexane solvent is evaporated, particles of the order of 1000 A diameter are prepared.
Thresholds of non-Rutherford nuclear cross sections for ion beam analysis

Abstract A theoretical model of classical scattering in the presence of combined Coulomb and weakly perturbing nuclear fields predicts the incident ion energies at which elastic backscattering cross sections begin to deviate from their Rutherford values [M. Bozoian et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B51 (1990) 311]. The model, parameterized with two nuclear constants, is in good agreement with experimental data for proton and helium-ion beams. This classical model was revised by including the nature of the Z = 1 and 2 projectiles. In this paper the revised model is applied to Z = 3 projectiles. Although little backscattering data exists, there is consistency among the optical model calculations of departures from Rutherford backscattering for the lithium-target systems considered. The revised model is in good agreement with these calculations. New experimental results for 6 Li and 7 Li ion beams compared with the revised model are presented at this conference [K.M. Hubbard et al., Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 35 (1990) 1785].
DEVELOPMENT OF A CLINICALLY USEFUL COLORIMETRIC METHOD FOR SERUM LIPASE.

Summary Sodium cholate has proved to be a more reliable activator of human pancreatic lipase in human serum than the unsatisfactory sodium taurocholate, which has been useful in the measurement of dog serum lipase. Since both activators work well on human pancreas alone, human serum plays a role in determining the ability to detect human pancreatic lipase with either activator. A method for the determination of human serum lipase which takes advantage of this species difference has been developed. This new method utilizes well buffered sodium cholate as a reliable activator and β-naphthyl myristate as a substrate. The advantage of the myristate over the laurate ester of β-naphtyl is the slower rate of hydrolysis of the former by serum esterase. As little as 0.2 μg. of a pooled extract of human pancreas added to 0.2 ml. of human serum can be detected. Lipase activity can be demonstrated in normal human serum, with an upper limit of 265 Klett units or 75 lipase units, and with a mean of 155 Klett units or 43 lipase units. A survey of serum lipase in patients suspected of having pancreatitis was performed using a one hour and a five hour incubation method. Elevation of both lipase and amylase activity in serum correlated with the presence of early acute pancreatitis. Although correlation with amylase activity was closer, false positive amylase activity was detected in some patients by means of the lipase assay. Marked elevations in amylase were almost always accompanied by elevations in lipase. Although the five hour test is more reliable, the one hour test may serve as a useful adjunct in emergencies, since a positive one hour test consistently predicted a positive five hour test.
A comparative dosimetric analysis of virtual stereotactic body radiotherapy to high-dose-rate monotherapy for intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Abstract Purpose Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is being used with increasing frequency as definitive treatment of early stage prostate cancer. Much of the justification for its adoption was derived from earlier clinical results using high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. We determine whether HDR's dosimetry can be achieved by virtual SBRT. Methods and Materials Patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer on a prospective trial evaluating the efficacy of HDR monotherapy treated to dose of 9.5 Gy × 4 fractions were used for this study. A total of 5 patients were used in this analysis. Virtual SBRT plans were developed to reproduce the planning target volume (PTV) HDR dose distributions. Both normal tissue– and PTV-prioritized plans were generated. Results From the normal tissue–prioritized plan, HDR and virtual SBRT achieved similar PTV V 100 (93.8% vs. 93.1%, p = 0.20) and V 150 (40.3% vs. 42.9%, p = 0.69) coverage. However, the PTV V 200 was not attainable with SBRT (15.2% vs. 0.0%, p D max was significantly lower with HDR (94.2% vs. 99.42%, p = 0.05). The rectal D 2 cc was also lower (60.8% vs. 71.1%, p = 0.07). Difference in D 1 cc urethral dose was not significantly different (87.7% vs. 75.2%, p = 0.33). Comparing the PTV-prioritized plans, the rectal D max (94.2% vs. 111.1%, p = 0.05) and mean dose (27.1% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.03) were significantly higher using SBRT, and the rectal D 2 cc was higher using SBRT (60.8% vs. 81.8%, p = 0.07). Conclusions HDR achieves significantly higher intraprostatic doses while achieving a lower maximum rectal dose compared with our virtual SBRT treatment planning. Future studies should compare clinical outcomes and toxicity between these modalities.
Spin-on-glass coatings for the generation of superpolished substrates for use in the extreme-ultraviolet region

Substrates intended for use as extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) optics have extremely stringent requirements in terms of finish. These requirements can dramatically increase the cost and fabrication time, especially when nonconventional shapes, such as toroids, are required. Here we present a spin-on-glass resist process capable of generating superpolished parts from inexpensive substrates. The method has been used to render diamond-turned substrates compatible for use as EUV optics. Toroidal diamond-turned optics with starting rms roughness in the 3.3-3.7 nm range have been smoothed to the 0.4-0.6 nm range. EUV reflectometry characterization of these optics has demonstrated reflectivities of approximately 65%.
Evaluating Portfolio Use as a Tool for Assessment and Professional Development in Graduate Nursing Education

The portfolio is emerging as an efficient and effective method for evaluating program outcomes and professional development in nursing education. Although there is a host of literature about the use of portfolios in undergraduate nursing programs, fewer reports exist about their use in graduate nursing education. This article presents the results of a formative evaluation process, using student and faculty focus groups, conducted at a midsized university's graduate nursing education program to determine the effectiveness of portfolio use. Content analysis of the focus group data yielded three student themes and two faculty themes with associated theme clusters that revealed similarities and unique perceptions of students and faculty regarding the portfolio process. The information gleaned will provide direction to faculty as they make decisions about the use of this evaluation method in the graduate program.
An optimization approach for minimum norm and robust partial quadratic eigenvalue assignment problems for vibrating structures

The partial quadratic eigenvalue assignment problem (PQEVAP) concerns the reassignment of a small number of undesirable eigenvalues of a quadratic matrix pencil, while leaving the remaining large number of eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenvectors unchanged. The problem arises in controlling undesirable resonance in vibrating structures and in stabilizing control systems. The solution of this problem requires computations of a pair of feedback matrices. For practical effectiveness, these feedback matrices must be computed in such a way that their norms and the condition number of the closed-loop eigenvector matrix are as small as possible. These considerations give rise to the minimum norm partial quadratic eigenvalue assignment problem (MNPQEVAP) and the robust partial quadratic eigenvalue assignment problem (RPQEVAP), respectively. In this paper we propose new optimization based algorithms for solving these problems. The problems are solved directly in a second-order setting without resorting to a standard first-order formulation so as to avoid the inversion of a possibly ill-conditioned matrix and the loss of exploitable structures of the original model. The algorithms require the knowledge of only the open-loop eigenvalues to be replaced and their corresponding eigenvectors. The remaining open-loop eigenvalues and their corresponding eigenvectors are kept unchanged. The invariance of the large number of eigenvalues and eigenvectors under feedback is guaranteed by a proven mathematical result. Furthermore, the gradient formulas needed to solve the problems by using the quasi-Newton optimization technique employed are computed in terms of the known quantities only. Above all, the proposed methods do not require the reduction of the model order or the order of the controller, even when the underlying finite element model has a very large degree of freedom. These attractive features, coupled with minimal computational requirements, such as solutions of small diagonal Sylvester equations make the proposed algorithms ideally suited for application to large real-life structures. Numerical results show significant improvement in feedback norms and in the condition number of the closed-loop system. Also, the closed-loop eigenvalues have acceptable accuracy.
Representative Role Perceptions Among Local Councilors in Western Germany

F ROM THE DAYS of Edmund Burke to the present time there has been considerable speculation concerning the representative role of the elected member of a legislative body. In recent years American researchers have broadened Burke's constituency-common good dichotomy of objects or foci of representation to include political parties, interest groups, and administrative agencies. The "politico" or "other" has been added to the traditional trustee and delegate "styles" of representational roles,' and a number of writers have shown that one style is not necessarily associated with one particular object of representation.2 Evidence has been presented which suggests that American legislators may conform to different representative traditions according to the issue or policy involved.3 Recent writings on representation in the United States have generally concentrated on examining some of the premises of the Burkean model and on refining concepts of representative behavior. In Western Germany a small but prominent group of scholars have adopted an entirely different approach. Their writings have had
Parents' concern about their own and their children's genetic disease risk: potential effects of family history vs genetic test results.

Objective To evaluate the effect of the genetic risk information source (family history vs genetic test results) on parents' concern about their own and their children's genetic disease risk. Design Randomized trial using a Web-enabled survey. Setting Internet survey. Participants National sample of 1342 parents. Intervention Parents first received a vignette about their hypothetical genetic risk, randomized as either a family history assessment or genetic test results. Next, parents received a vignette about their youngest child's hypothetical genetic risk, similarly randomized. Main Outcome Measure Parents' concern about their own and their child's genetic disease risk. Results The response rate was 71.2%. Parents were more likely to be concerned about their own disease risk when the risk estimate came from a family history assessment vs a genetic test result (odds ratio, 1.96; 95% confidence interval, 1.44-2.68). In contrast, information source was not associated with parents' concern about their children's disease risk. Parents' level of concern about disease risk was identical for themselves and their children 73% of the time in the same scenario. When concern differed, parents almost always reported greater concern about disease risk for their children. Conclusions Positive family history of disease generated greater concern about parents' own risk of inherited disease than did genetic test results. This effect was not evident for parents' concern about their children's risk. As genetic tests emerge and become increasingly available, physicians must not overlook the effect of family history on an individual's concern about disease risk.
Multi-Laboratory Uncertainty Analysis of PIV-Measured Flow Quantities Relevant to Blood Damage in the FDA Nozzle Model

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) has been used in regulatory submissions to the FDA for pre-clinical and post-market evaluations of flow fields in medical devices, such as artificial heart valves, blood pumps, and stents. The velocity and shear fields obtained from the PIV experiments are also used to validate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data accompanying the submissions. However, previous studies have questioned the accuracy of PIV measurements in regions of high shear and low velocity (regions prone to hemolysis and thrombosis). Currently, there is no clear estimate of the amount of uncertainty involved in measuring various flow parameters in these high-risk regions. The objective of this study was to perform an inter-laboratory PIV study in a simplified nozzle model and quantify the uncertainties involved in measuring flow quantities relevant to blood damage, such as near-wall velocity, viscous and Reynolds shear stresses, size and velocity within recirculation regions, and for estimating an index of hemolysis.© 2011 ASME
Increased EID1 nuclear translocation impairs synaptic plasticity and memory function associated with pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease

Though loss of function in CBP/p300, a family of CREB-binding proteins, has been causally associated with a variety of human neurological disorders, such as Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, Huntington's disease and drug addiction, the role of EP300 interacting inhibitor of differentiation 1 (EID1), a CBP/p300 inhibitory protein, in modulating neurological functions remains completely unknown. Through the examination of EID1 expression and cellular distribution, we discovered that there is a significant increase of EID1 nuclear translocation in the cortical neurons of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient brains compared to that of control brains. To study the potential effects of EID1 on neurological functions associated with learning and memory, we generated a transgenic mouse model with a neuron-specific expression of human EID1 gene in the brain. Overexpression of EID1 led to an increase in its nuclear localization in neurons mimicking that seen in human AD brains. The transgenic mice had a disrupted neurofilament organization and increase of astrogliosis in the cortex and hippocampus. Furthermore, we demonstrated that overexpression of EID1 reduced hippocampal long-term potentiation and impaired spatial learning and memory function in the transgenic mice. Our results indicated that the negative effects of extra nuclear EID1 in transgenic mouse brains are likely due to its inhibitory function on CBP/p300 mediated histone and p53 acetylation, thus affecting the expression of downstream genes involved in the maintenance of neuronal structure and function. Together, our data raise the possibility that alteration of EID1 expression, particularly the increase of EID1 nuclear localization that inhibits CBP/p300 activity in neuronal cells, may play an important role in AD pathogenesis.
A technique for blepharoplasty without incising or "puncturing" orbital septum.

. A blepharoplasty procedure is described in which the actual dissection and removal of adipose tissue has been replaced simply with unipolar electrodesiccation.
LASER-LINEWIDTH EFFECTS ON THE INTERFERENCE SPECTRA OF A TWO-LEVEL ATOM

Abstract We have considered the effects of the laser-linewidth on the interference spectra arising from the competition between a spontaneous process and one induced by the laser field in a two-level atom at low- and high-intensities of the laser field. For the excited state spectra in the low-intensity limit and at resonance, the frequency profiles of the two peaks, which arise from the spontaneous and induced processes, cancel each other out completely near the center of the line for zero laser-linewidth, while for finite laser-linewidth, there is a partial cancellation between the heights of the peaks in question. The intensity (height) of the frequency dip arising from the cancellation process depends strongly on the values of φ L = γ L γ , namely, it decreases as φL increases and disappears for 0.1 γ 2 and γL denote the spontaneous and laser linewidths, respectively. For finite values of the detuning and for a given value of φL, the frequency dips appear at the corresponding values of the detuning and their intensities decrease as the values of the detuning increase. The effects of the laser-linewidth on the induced processes, where a laser photon is absorbed (emitted) by the ground (excited) state of the atom have been considered in detail.
Abstract 5097: Co-targeting of convergent, switchable nucleotide biosynthetic pathways induces synthetic lethality in leukemia

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Pharmacological targeting of metabolic processes in cancer must overcome redundancy in biosynthetic pathways. Deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP) can be produced by the de novo pathway (DNP) via ribonucleotide reductase, and/or by the nucleoside salvage pathway (NSP) via deoxycytidine kinase (dCK). The NSP's role in supporting tumor DNA replication is unknown. Here we show that survival of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells upon inhibition of DNP-dependent dCTP production requires a functional NSP. Thus, DNP inhibition triggers a compensatory switch to NSP-mediated dCTP production. This metabolic switch can be imaged by positron emission tomography, thereby providing a non-invasive method for monitoring pharmacological targeting of the DNP. Blocking both DNP dCTP production using thymidine and the switch to NSP using a new dCK inhibitor induces replication stress overload and synthetic lethality in leukemia cells, without significant host toxicity. This co-targeting therapy may be broadly applicable against other malignancies characterized by high levels of replication stress. Citation Format: Caius G. Radu, David A. Nathanson, Johannes Czernin. Co-targeting of convergent, switchable nucleotide biosynthetic pathways induces synthetic lethality in leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5097. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5097
On the use of piecewise-linear functions in suboptimal feedback control laws

The synthesis of a suboptimal feedback control law for second-order nonlinear systems with a quadratic performance index is considered. The synthesis methods developed for this problem generally consist of different ways for determining the coefficients of a power series which approximates the optimal control laws. A method using piecewise-linear functions is described.