cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multidisciplinary Care of Adult Wilms' Tumor During Pregnancy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Abstract While Wilms’ tumor (WT), or nephroblastoma, is the most common pediatric tumor, it is rarely seen in adults and represents less than 1% of all renal neoplasms. The diagnosis of WT during pregnancy is rarer yet and requires a multidisciplinary approach between surgery, radiation, obstetrics/maternal fetal medicine, pediatrics and medical oncology with special consideration for the safety of both the patient and the fetus. We report a clinical case of a pregnant patient with a localized WT who underwent nephrectomy, chemotherapy during pregnancy, Cesarean section followed by post-partum chemotherapy and radiation therapy without evidence of disease recurrence in the year since completing therapy. We also conducted a review of the sparse published data on the optimal treatment of WT in pregnancy. Our case demonstrates a treatment plan for WT diagnosed during pregnancy when the patient requires systemic therapy prior to delivery.
Feasibility of Capturing Cancer Treatment Data in the Utah All-Payer Claims Database.

PurposeIncompleteness of treatment data is a recognized limitation of cancer registry data. An all-payer claims database (APCD) is a tool that states use to capture health care information across s...
The More Things Change: Hundley v. Gorewitz and 'Change of Neighborhood' in the NAACP’s Restrictive Covenant Cases

Racially restrictive covenants flourished throughout the United States in the early twentieth century. These private agreements prohibited the sale or rental of specific parcels of land to non-white individuals, with the goal of maintaining residential segregation. Today, the primary case associated with restrictive covenants is Shelley v. Kraemer, in which the Supreme Court used the state action doctrine to strike down restrictive covenants in 1948. However, there was a road not taken. The NAACP challenged hundreds of restrictive covenants and lost the majority of these cases, with a notable exception in 1941: Hundley v. Gorewitz. In Hundley, a federal court struck down a racially restrictive covenant in Washington, D.C., under a different theory: the “change of neighborhood” doctrine. This doctrine allows a court in equity to declare a restrictive covenant unenforceable if there has been such a radical change in the neighborhood that the covenant’s original purpose has been defeated. NAACP lawyer Charles Hamilton Houston was able to persuade the D.C. Circuit that a racially restrictive covenant was unenforceable if a neighborhood was already becoming predominantly Black, and the Hundleys kept their home. This Note seeks to provide a legal historical account of Hundley v. Gorewitz and the change of neighborhood doctrine in the fight against restrictive covenants. A close examination of this case and doctrine provides insights into the NAACP’s civil rights litigation strategy. First, Hundley demonstrates the NAACP’s desire to use litigation as a tool to educate the courts and the public about the social and economic impacts of restrictive covenants. In addition, the use of this doctrine highlights Houston’s legal pragmatism: Ideologically, the change of neighborhood doctrine was a compromise because it accepted the premise of segregated neighborhoods. In making this argument, Houston utilized the converging interests of white homeowners, who wanted to be able to sell their properties to Black buyers. Ultimately, Hundley and the change of neighborhood doctrine showcase Houston’s ingenuity, pragmatism, and forward thinking at a time when the NAACP faced long odds in the fight against housing segregation.
An Examination of Social Media Reportage and Its Impact Towards Promoting School Development in Nigeria: A Study of Success Adegor’s Viral Video

The study investigates Stephanie Idolor’s short video clip on Miss Success Adegor’s school fees payment saga that went viral in social media. The study aims to establish whether discussions on social media have impact on society particularly in the area of school administration. The findings resonated with a high awareness of 78% creating grand means of between 1.556 to 1.784 on all measurable items on knowledge to activate practical experiences at 0.05 level of significant to show that a strong relationship exists between the Stephanie Idolor’s short video clip on Miss Success Adegor and the desire of teachers, parents, and school administrators to intervene in the administration of primary schools in Nigeria. The findings are further substantiated with 2.373 and 0.8499 coefficient scores for awareness and knowledge at positive levels to suggest that both variables have a positive association with the administration of primary schools in Nigeria. Received: 2 January 2021 / Accepted: 21 February 2021 / Published: 5 March 2021
Risk of COVID-19 infection among prison staff in the United States.

Multiple large outbreaks of COVID-19 have been documented in prisons and jails across regions of the world, with hazardous environmental conditions amplify the risks of exposure for both incarcerated people and correctional staff. The objectives of this study are to estimate the cumulative prevalence of COVID-19 cases among U.S. prison staff over time and compare it to the prison inmate population and the general U.S. population, overall, and to examine risk of COVID-19 infection among prison staff across jurisdictions. We use publicly available data (April 22, 2020 to January 15, 2021) to estimate COVID-19 crude case rates per 1000 with 95% confidence intervals over the study period for prison staff, incarcerated population, and general population. We also compare COVID-19 case rates between prison staff and the general population within jurisdictions. Over the study period, prison staff have reported consistently higher rates of COVID-19 compared to the general population, with prison staff case rates more closely mirroring the incarcerated population case rates. The rolling 7-day average case rates for prison staff, prison population, and general population on January 15, 2021 were 196.04 per 1000 (95%CI 194.81, 197.26), 219.16 (95%CI 218.45, 219.86), and 69.80 (95%CI 69.78, 69.83), respectively. There was substantial heterogeneity across jurisdictions, yet in 87% of study jurisdictions, the risk of COVID-19 was significantly greater among prison staff than the general state population. Targeting staff for COVID-19 mitigation strategies is essential to protect the health of people who intersect with the correctional system and to flatten the curve in the surrounding communities.
Identification of microbial agents in tissue specimens of ocular and periocular sarcoidosis using a metagenomics approach

Background : Metagenomic sequencing has the potential to identify a wide range of pathogens in human tissue samples. Sarcoidosis is a complex disorder whose etiology remains unknown and for which a variety of infectious causes have been hypothesized. We sought to conduct metagenomic sequencing on cases of ocular and periocular sarcoidosis, none of them with previously identified infectious causes. Methods : Archival tissue specimens of 16 subjects with biopsies of ocular and periocular tissues that were positive for non-caseating granulomas were used as cases. Four archival tissue specimens that did not demonstrate non-caseating granulomas were also included as controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from tissue sections. DNA libraries were generated from the extracted genomic DNA and the libraries underwent next-generation sequencing. Results : We generated between 4.8 and 20.7 million reads for each of the 16 cases plus four control samples. For eight of the cases, we identified microbial pathogens that were present well above the background, with one potential pathogen identified for seven of the cases and two possible pathogens for one of the cases. Five of the eight cases were associated with bacteria ( Campylobacter concisus, Neisseria elongata, Streptococcus salivarius, Pseudopropionibacterium propionicum, and Paracoccus yeei ), two cases with fungi ( Exophiala oligosperma, Lomentospora prolificans and Aspergillus versicolor ) and one case with a virus (Mupapillomavirus 1). Interestingly, four of the five bacterial species are also part of the human oral microbiome. Conclusions : Using a metagenomic sequencing we identified possible infectious causes in half of the ocular and periocular sarcoidosis cases analyzed. Our findings support the proposition that sarcoidosis could be an etiologically heterogenous disease. Because these are previously banked samples, direct follow-up in the respective patients is impossible, but these results suggest that sequencing may be a valuable tool in better understanding the etiopathogenesis of sarcoidosis and in diagnosing and treating this disease.
Associations Between Alcohol Use and Liver-Related Outcomes in a Large National Cohort of Patients With Cirrhosis

Alcohol use can cause hepatic necroinflammation and worsening portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis. We aimed to evaluate the associations between degree of alcohol use and clinical liver-related outcomes according to etiology of cirrhosis. In this retrospective cohort analysis, 44,349 U.S. veterans with cirrhosis from alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease were identified who completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption questionnaire in 2012. Based on this score, level of alcohol use was categorized as none, low level, or unhealthy. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess for associations between alcohol use and mortality, cirrhosis decompensation (new ascites, encephalopathy, or variceal bleeding), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). At baseline, 36.4% of patients endorsed alcohol use and 17.1% had unhealthy alcohol use. During a mean 4.9 years of follow-up, 25,806 (57.9%) patients died, 9,409 (21.4%) developed a new decompensation, and 4,733 (11.1%) developed HCC. In patients with ALD-cirrhosis and HCV-cirrhosis, unhealthy alcohol use, compared with no alcohol use, was associated with higher risks of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07-1.19 and aHR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.08-1.20, respectively) and decompensation (aHR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.07-1.30 and aHR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.00-1.16, respectively). Alcohol use was not associated with HCC, regardless of cirrhosis etiology. Conclusion: Unhealthy alcohol use was common in patients with cirrhosis and was associated with higher risks of mortality and cirrhosis decompensation in patients with HCV-cirrhosis and ALD-cirrhosis. Therefore, health care providers should make every effort to help patients achieve abstinence. The lack of association between alcohol use and HCC merits further investigation.
Compartmentalized Covariance Intersection: A Novel Filter Architecture for Distributed Localization *

This paper introduces the Compartmentalized Covariance Intersection (CCI) algorithm, a consistent technique to fuse measurements in cooperative navigation networks. The algorithm reduces the excess conservatism of standard Covariance Intersection (CI) by assuming that correlation is only present within each measurement stream and not across the different sources. This assumption allows the sources to be compartmentalized and fused with the Kalman equations rather than the CI method, resulting in tighter convergence. The CCI algorithm is applied to a cooperative localization application and is demonstrated to substantially outperform CI, with a covariance that approaches the performance of an ideal centralized estimator in simulations of linear, Gaussian systems. This approach is also demonstrated to be consistent using Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, CCI was used in a laboratory demonstration to perform distributed localization with real-world range measurements between a team of six agents.
Introduction: A Plague of Superheroes

Chapter One: Introduction: A Plague of Superheroes begins with superhero studies, the scholarly history of the cinematic superhero, and the study’s theoretical approach to the cinematic superhero as social practice. Although the subject of this study is typically considered within the field of popular culture studies (and comics studies), this chapter positions the cinematic superhero as also a psychoanalytic phenomenon as a way to analyze the function of fantasy-as- ideology in popular cinema. The study’s critical context brings together Lacanian psychoanalysis, a taxonomy of restorative and reflective nostalgia developed by Svetlana Boym, and Althusser’s definitions of ideology, interpellation, and subject formation.
Modernising European Competition Law: A Developmental Perspective

The European Commission’s proposals to “modernise” the European competition law system are of central importance for the future of European integration, not only because competition law plays a role in the legal framework of integration, but also because the proposals are often viewed as a test case for future reform efforts in Europe.European competition law experience is critically important for both evaluating and implementing the proposals. A developmental perspective uses that experience to reveal structures and forces operating on and within the system and to provide guidelines for implementing changes in it. My main objective in this essay is to view the proposals from such a perspective — to refract the current situation through the accumulated European experience of using law to protect competition.
Listening to the "wives" of the "female husbands".

SUMMARY This article treats two of the central queer texts of eighteenth-century Britain, the autobiographical narrative of Charlotte Charke, a well-known cross-dressing actress who spent a portion of her life as a husband to another woman, and Henry Fielding's pamphlet, The Female Husband. Focusing on these texts, this study moves away from the traditional subject of such work-the female husbands themselves- and instead centers on the wives and lovers of these figures. In this way, the author offers a model of what she calls a project of imaginary coalition-building across time between contemporary femmes and the differ-ently-but still queerly-desiring feminine women in Charke's and Fielding's texts. Tracing two models of queer but gender-normative feminine subjectivity in these texts, the “wife” in a same-sex companionate marriage, and the “duped woman,” this article challenges assumptions by mainstream as well as queer scholars about just who should be our subjects of study and why, ultimately calling ...
Layer-2 mobility management in hybrid wired/wireless systems

In hybrid wired and wireless systems, mobile hosts constantly changes points of attachment to the wired networks, causing frequent disruptions to the ongoing network traffic. An infrastructure supported approach is required to meet the stringent delay and jitter requirements in non-disrupted services. We propose a mobility management scheme, called personal AP, to support seamless roaming. In personal AP systems, the network attachment information, i.e., the association states, of a mobile station is extracted, and handed off from one physical access point to another along with the mobile station, thus eliminating the mobile station from reassociating with new access points. Simulation results show that personal AP can greatly reduce the handoff latencies, and is suitable to support delay-sensitive multimedia applications
Monoclonal antibody therapeutic trials in seven patients with T-cell lymphoma

We have studied the clinical effects of a murine monoclonal anti-human T-cell antibody in seven patients with T-cell lymphoma. Four to 17 treatments with anti-Leu-1 were given to each patient over periods of 14–75 days. Doses of antibody ranged from 250 micrograms to 100 mg. Antibody treatments usually caused a rapid fall in circulating T cells, with return to baseline levels within 24–48 hr. The optimum dose appeared to vary for each patient. Clearance of circulating tumor cells correlated with the amount of antibody bound to cells. Other than dyspnea in one patient, no serious toxicity was noted. Five patients had definite tumor responses, but these were of short duration (1.5–4 mo). Four patients developed anti-mouse immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies, and in three patients, this was responsible for tumor escape from therapy. Although 95% of the host anti-mouse Ig response was directed against mouse Ig constant region determinants, a small but significant component was found to be antiidiotype.
Army Needs for Diesel Fuel Stability and Cleanliness

This paper reviews the general topic of fuel deterioration. Primary emphasis is on diesel fuels used in compression ignition engines, which power the majority of Army tactical and combat vehicles. Field problems regarding the fuel stability and related problems are summarized, and the status of on-going research and development programs is outlined. This information places in perspective the background which has prompted current research activities to detect, predict, and prevent fuel stability-associated equipment failures. Concern for anticipating deleterious product formation in current and future fuel formulations composed of diverse petroleum crude and synthetic (shale or coal) crude oils, fuel/equipment interactions, diverse storage conditions, and the increased desire for prolonged storage periods provides the driving factors in defining the Army's fuel stability research programs. While placing these concerns in perspective, the Army's present and future needs for diesel fuel stability and cleanliness control are identified.
Multi-scale investigations of liquid Flow in a fractured basalt vadose zone

This paper introduces an approach to the problem of characterizing flow and transport in a fractured basalt vadose zone. We propose the development of physically based conceptual models on a hierarchy of scales. This approach is derived from field investigations that were conducted in the vadose zone of the Snake River Plain in southeastern Idaho. Three scales of ponded infiltration tests were carried out: a Large Scale Infiltration Test (LSIT) conducted at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) (pond area ∼26,000 m 2 ), intermediate-scale infiltration tests (pond area 56 m 2 ) conducted at the Box Canyon site (near Arco, Idaho), and small-scale infiltration tests (pond area 0.5 m 2 ) conducted at the Hell's Half Acre Lava Flow Site (near Shelly, Idaho). Laboratory water-dripping experiments were also conducted using fracture models with constant and variable apertures. We find that, at each scale of investigation, different models for flow phenomena must be used to explain the observed behavior. These models can be used to describe the flow processes on different scales, with no apparent scaling principles evident. To characterize flow phenomena in fractured basalt, we recommend that investigations be carried out at four scales: elemental, small-scale, intermediate-scale, and large-scale. An elemental component is a single fracture or a block of homogeneous porous media. Small-scale components include one or a few fractures and the surrounding matrix. Intermediate-scale (mesoscale) components include a basalt flow with its fracture network and other parts (fracture zones, vesicular lenses, soil, massive basalt, rubble zone) of a single basalt flow. Large-scale (regional) components include multiple basalt flows and their surrounding network of rubble zones and sedimentary interbeds.
Recurrent competitive Hebbian learning

Competitive Hebbian learning is extended to networks with trainable lateral connections, in addition to the trainable feedforward connections considered previously by the author (1991,1992). These recurrent systems are able to learn to respond to ordering in time of the input vectors. The theoretical framework for the extension of competitive Hebbian learning to recurrent systems is presented. This is followed by three demonstrations of recurrent competitive Hebbian learning, two unsupervised and one quasi-supervised. The first example is a system of two nodes which are trained on a set of Gaussian spots presented in a 10-by-10 input array. The second example shows the system learning to respond to vertical lines in a small, 4-by-4 input array. The final example is of a system trained to produce useful responses to a tiny Boolean algebra test, where the Boolean variables are the successive values of the single input variable. >
Electron paramagnetic resonance lineshapes of randomly oriented fixed molecules

Abstract We have examined by numerical methods the properties of EPR lineshapes of a system of randomly oriented spins. The anisotropy of the axially symmetric g -tensor is assumed to be small. The unresolved axially symmetric hyperfine interactions are treated in a phenomenological way. The g -factors and anisotropic linewidths may be determined from experimental lineshapes by means of the graphs presented.
Measuring depression and pain with home health monitors

The objective of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of using home health monitors to administer standardized measures for depression and pain in a Veterans Affairs (VA) patient population. Five patients were recruited from a larger study of collaborative depression care, and were asked to use Viterion 100 Telehealth monitors to transmit depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and pain severity (SF36-V bodily pain items) scores on a weekly basis for 24 weeks. Information was received and reviewed by a nurse care manager, who recommended treatment changes as appropriate. The care manager occasionally followed up reports of changes in symptom severity with phone calls; in one case, she called to inquire why a patient was not submitting data. Overall, four patients were able to use the monitors successfully and frequently. Patient satisfaction was high: 5 of 5 reported that they would use monitors again, and 3 of 5 preferred monitors to phone or mail for completing questionnaires. Patients expressed no concerns about privacy. The data allowed tracking of the longitudinal interrelationship between depression and pain severity. However, the monitors were limited in their ability to display questionnaire items, and the system could neither directly compute measure scores nor transfer data to patient medical records. These results suggest that with modifications, home health monitoring shows promise for monitoring symptom severity for a variety of medical and mental health conditions, for either clinical or research purposes.
Weak, long-range complexes of Mg with HF and H2

Abstract Well correlated ab initio calculations have been carried out to characterize the equilibrium structures, the well depths and the shifts in the intramolecular vibrational transition frequencies of the long-range complexes formed from a magnesium atom with hydrogen fluoride and with the hydrogen molecule. The first of these is predicted to be linear and the other is T-shaped. The interaction of the polar HF with the polarizable Mg atom leads to a calculated stability for the Mg-HF complex of 213 cm −1 . The interaction with H 2 yields a well only about a tenth as deep. Comparison calculations were also carried out with a model of the interaction based on the constituents' electrical properties.
Open Innovation at HP Labs

The role of HP Labs, the central research arm of Hewlett-Packard, is to look beyond the roadmap of currently offered products and services and solve some exciting technical problems that will be critical to customers. The paper mentions that active collaboration with academic, commercial, and government partners augments and accelerates knowledge creation and technology transfer.
A SYSTEM FOR THE ANALYSIS OF CLINICAL ACID-BASE STATES BASED ON MICROMETHODS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PLASMA BICARBONATE CONCENTRATION AND BLOOD PH.

Abstract A micromethod of analysis of acid-base parameters of capillary blood is presented based on the measurement of blood pH and plasma bicarbonate. From these measurements PCO2 may be derived permitting a complete and unambiguous description of acid-base states with respect to the bicarbonate-carbonic acid system. The method is presented as an alternate one to those described by Astrup 3, 4 and by Singer et al.19 The precision of the method of bicarbonate determination is comparable to that performed on conventional size samples (1 ml or more). A number of factors possibly affecting the accuracy of the method are briefly considered, notably, collection of sample, separation of plasma and cells, temperature of titration, and comparison between capillary and arterial values. Data bearing on these factors and their effects on the validity of the method are presented. Comparative studies with the Astrup3 system of blood pH and plasma pH measurements at different known values of PCO2 and the system involving blood pH and plasma CO2 content by the method of Van Slyke and Neill 2 are presented. The method is proposed as an alternative one to these two systems of deriving acidbase parameters.
Design and implementation of a novel dynamic load balancing library for cluster computing

This paper presents the design and implementation of a library based on an integrated approach to dynamic load balancing. This approach combines the advantages of optimizing data migration via novel dynamic loop scheduling strategies with the advances in resource management and task migration capabilities offered by a recently developed parallel runtime system. The performance improvements obtained by the use of this library have been investigated by its use in three scientific applications: the N-body simulations, the profiling of automatic quadrature routines, and the heat solver in an unstructured grid. The experimental results obtained underscore the significance of using such an integrated approach, as well as the benefits of using the library especially in applications characterized by irregular and unpredictable behavior.
Technical services and user service improvement

Purpose – From the cataloging librarians' point of view, this paper aims to present how technical services, especially the cataloging department, can play important roles in the improvement of user services.Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the practices of the University of Oklahoma Libraries.Findings – The paper identifies several aspects in which technical services can enhance the quality of user services, especially in the cataloging department. A library's online catalog becomes the first point of access to the library's information resources. Its quality can be improved and enriched in many ways to raise users’ satisfaction. Aside from the improvement in technical aspects, efforts should also be made to promote collaboration between technical and public services so as to ensure efficient processing of materials and to meet the needs of library users.Originality/value – The value of the paper is in showing that the quality of an online catalog and the cooperation between public and tec...
Control of infection in major burn wounds by cerium nitrate/silver sulphadiazine

MOST of the deaths in patients hospitalized from burns are due to sepsis originating on the open wounds. Silver sulphadiazine is widely used for topical chemotherapy in burns, but it does not reliably prevent or suppress the growth of Gramnegative bacteria in patients with injuries covering 50 per cent or more of the skin surface (Bade, 1958). The rare earth metal cerium, like silver, is a potent in vitro antibacterial and has low toxicity to mammalian cells (Burkesand McCleskey, 1947; Durbin et al., 1955). It was found previously that human burn wounds exposed for weeks to the cerium salt Ce (NO&. 6H,O were infrequently colonized with Gram-negative bacteria, although Gram-positive bacteria, especially Stuphylococcus aureus, were often recoverable in moderate or high density (Monafo et al., 1976). A clinical trial was subsequently undertaken using a watermiscible cream containing both cerium nitrate and silver sulphadiazine. The results in 70 consecutive hospitalized burn patients whose wounds were so treated form the basis of this report. No septic death occurred. Correspondingly, even the most extensive burn wounds were consistently found to be free, or nearly free, of bacteria-especially of the troublesome Gramnegative strains-for many weeks.
Interdigitated hydrocarbon chains in C20 and C22 phosphatidylcholines induced by hydrostatic pressure

Abstract Saturated diacyl-phosphatidylcholines (PCs) can exist in an unusual gel phase in which the acyl chains from opposing monolayers interdigitate. This pahse is induced by a variety of small amphiophillic molecules such as ethanol and by hydrostatic pressure. Pressure-temperature (P-T) phase diagrams previously established conditions for interdigitation of dipalmitoyl-PC (C16) and distearoyl-PC (C18). Measurements have now been made for P-T phase diagrams up to 1 kbar pressure for diarachidoyl-PC (C20) and dibehenoyl-PC (C22) using the small-angle neutron scattering facilities at NIST. The minimum pressure for interdigitation was found to be about 0.6 kbar for diarachidoyl-PC and slightly less for dibehenoyl-PC. Together with previous results for distearoyl-PC and dipalmitoyl-PC, these results establish that the minimum pressures for interdigitation, which occur at about 60°C except for dibehenoyl-PC, decrease monotonically with acyl chain length. The data are fit reasonably well by an exponential. Also, the curved phase boundaries for interdigitation show that entropy changes associated with interdigitation change sign with increasing temperature at about 60°C.
Near-infrared pH-activatable fluorescent probes for imaging primary and metastatic breast tumors.

Highly tumor selective near-infrared (NIR) pH-activatable probe was developed by conjugating pH-sensitive cyanine dye to a cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (cRGD) peptide targeting αvβ3 integrin (ABIR), a protein that is highly overexpressed in endothelial cells during tumor angiogenesis. The NIR pH-sensitive dye used to construct the probe exhibits high spectral sensitivity with pH changes. It has negligible fluorescence above pH 6 but becomes highly fluorescent below pH 5, with a pKa of 4.7. This probe is ideal for imaging acidic cell organelles such as tumor lysosomes or late endosomes. Cell microscopy data demonstrate that binding of the cRGD probe to ABIR facilitated the endocytosis-mediated lysosomal accumulation and subsequent fluorescence enhancement of the NIR pH-activatable dye in tumor cells (MDA-MB-435 and 4T1/luc). A similar fluorescence enhancement mechanism was observed in vivo, where the tumors were evident within 4 h post injection. Moreover, lung metastases were also visualized in a...
Ecologic analysis of asthma-related events and dispensing of inhaled corticosteroid- and salmeterol-containing products.

Background An association between salmeterol use and serious asthma episodes or asthma-related mortality has been noted in 2 clinical trials; however, a causal relationship has not been established. To date, observational studies have not replicated this finding. Objective To examine the relationship between number of prescriptions dispensed of salmeterol-containing products and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-containing products and the rates of asthma-related hospitalizations and mortality in the United States. Methods In this ecologic study, annual age-adjusted rates of asthma-related hospitalization and asthma-related mortality from US population-based sources were graphed alongside annual number of prescriptions dispensed of salmeterol- and ICS-containing products by year from 1991 to 2004. We computed the Spearman rank correlations between number of prescriptions dispensed and serious events (asthma-related hospitalization rate, number of hospitalizations, asthma-related mortality rate, and number of asthma deaths). Results During more than 14 years, while number of prescriptions dispensed of salmeterol-containing and ICS-containing products increased, age-adjusted asthma-related mortality rates declined and asthma-related hospitalization rates remained relatively stable. The number of asthma-related deaths has decreased steadily since the mid-1990s. Conclusion This study provides population-level evidence that asthma-related death rates declined and asthma-related hospitalization rates remained relatively constant for more than 14 years during a period of improvements in asthma management per treatment guidelines, including increased use of maintenance medications, such as ICSs and salmeterol.
Advertising, new product profit expectations, and the firm's R&D investment decisions

By expanding the perceived demands for new products and enlarging their profit potential, advertising may serve as a catalyst for innovation and the research and development (R&D) upon which it depends. This paper investigates this hypothesis by developing a profit maximizing model of the firm in order to determine whether such behaviour is optimal for the firm. Other theories of how advertising may be able to encourage research and development are advanced, and all the theories are tested econometrically. The empirical results indicate that advertising does spur research and development by expanding new product demands, and that other factors – principally firm size and technological opportunity – exert at least as much influence on R&D as advertising does.
Multishocked, Three-Dimensional Supersonic Flowfields with Real Gas Effects

This program determines the supersonic flowfield surrounding three-dimensional wing-body configurations of a delta wing. It was designed to provide the numerical computation of three dimensional inviscid, flowfields of either perfect or real gases about supersonic or hypersonic airplanes. The governing equations in conservation law form are solved by a finite difference method using a second order noncentered algorithm between the body and the outermost shock wave, which is treated as a sharp discontinuity. Secondary shocks which form between these boundaries are captured automatically. The flowfield between the body and outermost shock is treated in a shock capturing fashion and therefore allows for the correct formation of secondary internal shocks . The program operates in batch mode, is in CDC update format, has been implemented on the CDC 7600, and requires more than 140K (octal) word locations.
Narrow annular packed-bed radial void fraction correlation

The purpose of this study is to calculate radial void fraction distributions of equal-sized spheres for narrow annular packed beds, D e /d≤4, and to obtain a radial void fraction correlation from these distributions that can be used in NAPB (narrow annular packed bed) transport models.
The synthesis of isotopically labeled (+)‐2‐aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane‐2,6‐carboxylic acid and its 2‐oxa‐ and 2‐thia‐analogs

As part of a program aimed at the design of conformationally constrained analogs of glutamic acid, (+)-2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-carboxylic acid (1), identified as a highly potent, selective, group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist has been synthesized and studied clinically. Heterocyclic analogs of 1 were subsequently synthesized in which the C-2 methylene has been replaced by an oxygen atom (2) or a sulfur atom (3). C-14 labeled isotopomers of 1, 2 and 3 have been synthesized to facilitate pre-clinical ADME studies. A tritium labeled isotopomer of 1 was also synthesized for use in in vitro experiments. A stable labeled isotopomer of rac-1 was prepared for use as an internal standard for bioanalytical assays. The key step in each of these syntheses was the reaction of chiral ketone 4, 5 or 6 with K14CN/(NH4)2CO3 using the Bucherer–Berg protocol. In the preparation of the stable labeled isotopomer, rac-4-[13C2] was prepared in two steps from ethyl bromoacetate-[UL-13C2]; subsequent reaction of rac-4-[13C2] with K13CN/15NH4Cl/Na2CO3, followed by hydrolysis of the hydantoin yielded rac-1-[13C3,15N]. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Components of Great Sex

Ubiquitous “sex tips” in popular media evidence an unquenchable public interest in learning how to experience “great sex,” and studies confirm that a great sexual relationship correlates to general relationship satisfaction, which in turn correlates to overall happiness. While studies of great sex or “optimal sexuality” are few, enough is known to conclude that the paths to great sex depicted in popular media are largely dead ends. This lesson plan will help educators (a) dispel inaccurate information about optimal sexuality disseminated in the popular media and (b) inform students about the components of optimal sexuality.
Management of the vertebral artery in excision of extradural tumors of the cervical spine.

Abstract Extradural tumors of the cervical spine may involve the vertebral artery on one or both sides, posing one of the limiting factors toward the radical resection of such neoplasms. A standard anterior approach may be inadequate for the management of such tumors. An anterolateral approach allows the dissection and mobilization of the vessel, which can then be preserved, resected, or reconstructed with a vein graft. An anterior approach can be supplemented with this for tumor resection and stabilization. This management strategy is described in 10 patients with a variety of tumors.
Effects of morphine on forskolin-stimulated pro-enkephalin mRNA levels in rat striatum: a model for acute and chronic opioid actions in brain

Abstract Opioid agonists inhibit adenylyl cyclase in brain through Gi-coupled receptors. One potential biological role for this reaction would be to decrease pro-enkephalin mRNA synthesis by decreasing intracellular cAMP levels and preventing stimulation of gene expression via the cAMP regulatory element (CRE). To determine whether such effects occur in vivo, rats were injected i.c.v. with a water-soluble analog of forskolin, 7-0-deacetyl-7β[γ-(morpholino)-butyryl] forskolin (DMB-forskolin), to stimulate the CRE. Pro-enkephalin mRNA levels were assayed in striatum by Northern blot analysis. The treatment with the forskolin analog increased striatal pro-enkephalin mRNA levels approximately 2-fold in 4 h. When rats were injected with morphine (20 mg/kg i.p.) 1 h before DMB-forskolin administration, the stimulation of pro-enkephalin mRNA levels was eliminated. This acute effect of morphine was blocked by co-administration with 10 mg/kg naloxone. When rats were chronically treated with morphine for 8 days, then injected with morphine (20 mg/kg i.p.) 1 h before DMB-forskolin administration, the inhibitory effect of morphine was lost (i.e. DMB-forskolin increased pro-enkephalin mRNA levels by 2 fold in either control and morphine-treated rats). These data not only demonstrate the in vivo relevance of opioid-inhibited adenylyl cyclase in the control of pro-enkephalin mRNA levels, but also show that this model is useful for studying how this signal transduction system is attenuated during the development of tolerance.
Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content of Oat as Affected by Cultivar and Location

Phenolic compounds in oat (Avena sativa L.) may have health-promoting effects on humans due to their antioxidant or other properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of cultivar and location on phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of alcohol-soluble extracts from oat groats. Antioxidant activities (AOA) and concentrations of eight phenolic compounds having AOA were measured in three cultivars grown at seven locations in Wisconsin during 1998. There were significant differences among cultivars for AOA, concentrations of all of the phenolic compounds measured except p-coumaric and ferulic acids, and for total free phenolic contents (FPC). Location significantly affected the concentrations of five of the phenolics and total FPC, but did not affect AOA. There were significant cultivar x location interactions for the concentrations of avenanthramides and for total FPC. The unexpectedly high concentrations of avenanthramides from the Sturgeon Bay location were confirmed by analysis of groats from 1999 and 2000. It should be possible to improve the AOA and phenolic concentrations of oat as quantitative traits in a cultivar development program, but significant location effects may attenuate rapid progress.
Hydrogenation of olefins on alumina: I. Active sites for hydrogenation of ethylene

Abstract Hydrogenation of ethylene on alumina has been studied at low temperatures (−20 ° to +90 °C). The reaction has been found to occur even at and below room temperature if ethylene is preadsorbed on the catalyst. There are at least two different types of active sites on alumina for ethylene hydrogenation. These are the same sites which were previously found by the authors to be responsible for the chemisorption and polymerization of olefins. However, the hydrogenation occurs much more readily on the active sites on which chemisorption is weaker, while polymerization of ethylene takes place preferentially on the other (stronger) sites. The results of hydrogenation on the stronger sites suggest that these sites are heterogeneous.
Oil spill debris disposal hardware systems methods for conceptualization and development

A study sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) showed that additional equipment systems are needed for disposal of wastes collected during cleanup of oil spills. In most cases, existing systems are designed for specific environmental and debris conditions and may not provide the flexibility for the variety of situations that can be encountered during USCG operations. Equipment is presently available that can be included in disposal systems for responding to a wide range of oil spill mass scenarios. Ten specific disposal systems were identified and recommended to the USCG for procurement and further development. These ten systems are described and a discussion is presented of spill debris scenarios and specific equipment systems, including fluid collection and transport, debris collection and transport, debris transfer, and debris size reduction.
Transport in thermal DIP pen nanolithography

The manufacture of nanoscale devices is at present constrained by the resolution limits of optical lithography and the high cost of electron beam lithography. Furthermore, traditional silicon fabrication techniques are quite limited in materials compatibility and are not well-suited for the manufacture of organic and biological devices. One nanomanufacturing technique that could overcome these drawbacks is dip pen nanolithography (DPN), in which a chemical-coated atomic force microscope (AFM) tip deposits molecular ‘inks’ onto a substrate [1]. DPN has shown resolution as good as 5 nm [2] and has been performed with a large number of molecules, but has limitations. For molecules to ink the surface they must be mobile at room temperature, limiting the inks that can be used, and since the inks must be mobile in ambient conditions, there is no way to stop the deposition while the tip is in contact with the substrate. In-situ imaging of deposited molecules therefore causes contamination of the deposited features.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Purification of thyrotropin and other glycoprotein hormones by immunoaffinity chromatography.

Immunoaffinity methods for separation of TSH and other glycoprotein hormones as well as their common asubunit are described. Partially purified antibodies to TSH and the a-subunit of CG were coupled to agarose and packed in columns (15 × 0.9 cm). The anti–TSH column had a capacity of 31 μg TSH/ml agarose, and the anti-a had a column capacity of 3.6 μg TSH/ml agarose. Material that had been applied and adsorbed to the columns was eluted with 0.1–4.0 m guanidine- HC1, pH 3.2, at 4 C. This procedure yielded high recovery of TSH immunoactivity and adenylate cyclase-stimulating activity. Less than 5% dissociation of the hormone into its subunits occurred during such immunoaffinity purification. For separation of the glycoprotein hormones and the free asubunit, advantage was taken of their different affinities for the antibodies. When adsorbed radiolabeled material was exposed to a linear guanidine gradient, substances with lower affinities for the antibodies eluted earlier than substances with higher affinitie...
The case for global measles eradication.

Abstract The global eradication of measles is desirable because the disease occurs almost universally, affects large numbers of children, can cause serious complications, and is responsible for about 900 000 deaths a year in developing countries. The feasibility of a measles eradication programme is suggested by the success of smallpox eradication, the availibility of a heat-stable, cheap, and effective vaccine, and the fact that interruption of measles transmission has been achieved in some places. Eradication of measles globally would also result in the saving of the large sums of money being spent on measles treatment, vaccination, and surveillance.
The Effects of Lipid Lowering on Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract The effect of lipid lowering on hard exudates was determined in six consecutive patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Diet and hypolipidemic drug therapy including the use of pravastatin, a new inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase, were used to treat patients for one year. The total cholesterol concentration decreased from a mean baseline value of 231 mg/dl to a treatment mean value of 165 mg/dl. The mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration decreased from 157 mg/dl to 93 mg/dl. Masked grading of fundus photographs indicated an improvement in hard exudates in all six patients and a decrease in microaneurysms in four patients. Visual acuity improved in one patient and did not change (one line or less change) in five patients. No remarkable side effects resulting from treatment were observed. Our pilot study suggests that aggressive therapy of diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia may have a beneficial effect on background retinopathy.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE BONDING IN SOME 'NONCLASSICAL' D0 AND D10 METAL CARBONYL COMPLEXES

Abstract The bonding in nonclassical carbonyl complexes, those with unusually high CO stretching frequencies, is analyzed via Fenske-Hall molecular orbital calculations. The systems analyzed include nonclassical carbonyl complexes of d10 Ag(I) and of d0 Zr(IV); these are compared to classical carbonyl complexes of Zr(II) and Mo(O). The Cotton-Kraihanzel CO-stretch force constants are correlated to the Mulliken populations of the 5σ and 2π molecular orbitals of the CO ligands.
Comments from the Editorial Office: Exploring trends in community development research

This special issue of Community Development includes a collection of articles assembled under the leadership of Guest Editors Norman Walzer, Jane Leonard, and Mary Emery. The theme is “innovative m...