cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utility of death certificate data in predicting cancer incidence.

Background Studies often rely on death certificates to identify cancer occurrence. This research assessed the death certificate's ability to reflect cancer incidence and factors that influence agreement with cancer registry data. Methods This study compared death certificates to cancer incidence data for an occupational cohort of 1,795 deceased workers who were registered by the Iowa Cancer Registry (ICR) between 1973 and 2005. Logistic regression models examined the effects of factors such as survival time, age at diagnosis, and gender on the odds of agreement between death certificate and incidence data. Results Death certificates under-reported cancer incidence by 10–100%, depending on site. A 1-year increase in survival decreased the odds of agreement between death certificate and ICR data by 18%. Younger and female workers had increased odds of agreement. Conclusions Death certificates can be useful predictors of cancer incidence, particularly for diseases with shorter survival and among subjects diagnosed earlier in life. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:153–162, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is benign prostatic hyperplasia a risk factor for chronic renal failure

ABSTRACTPurpose: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic renal failure (CRF) are common medical conditions in older men. Based on the low prevalence of CRF in clinical trials recent American...
DPYD Variants as Predictors of 5-fluorouracil Toxicity in Adjuvant Colon Cancer Treatment (NCCTG N0147)

Background Previous studies have suggested the potential importance of three DPYD variants (DPYD*2A, D949V, and I560S) with increased 5-FU toxicity. Their individual associations, however, in 5-FU-based combination therapies, remain controversial and require further systematic study in a large patient population receiving comparable treatment regimens with uniform clinical data. Methods We genotyped 2886 stage III colon cancer patients treated adjuvantly in a randomized phase III trial with FOLFOX or FOLFIRI, alone or combined with cetuximab, and tested the individual associations between functionally deleterious DPYD variants and toxicity. Logistic regressions were used to assess univariate and multivariable associations. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results In 2594 patients with complete adverse event (AE) data, the incidence of grade 3 or greater 5FU-AEs in DPYD*2A, I560S, and D949V carriers were 22/25 (88.0%), 2/4 (50.0%), and 22/27 (81.5%), respectively. Statistically significant associations were identified between grade 3 or greater 5FU-AEs and both DPYD*2A (odds ratio [OR] = 15.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.54 to 50.96, P Conclusion In the largest study to date, statistically significant associations were found between DPYD variants (DPYD*2A and D949V) and increased incidence of grade 3 or greater 5FU-AEs in patients treated with adjuvant 5-FU-based combination chemotherapy.
Antibiotic-taking experiences of undergraduate college students.

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the medication-taking experiences of undergraduate college students prescribed short-term antibiotic therapies and to describe factors influencing their adherence. Data sources: Thirty-four undergraduate students prescribed antibiotics for treatment of an acute infectious illness at a large university health center were recruited to participate in this study. Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted after students finished their course of treatment. Qualitative descriptive content analysis was used to analyze the transcripts typed from the audio-taped phone interviews. Conclusions: The main theme that emerged from the data was antibiotic-taking self-management. Most participants were able to adapt medication regimens into their daily routines, and used events in their day and specific reminder strategies to help them to remember to take their medications. This occurred despite an ever-changing class and work schedule and being prescribed complex, lengthy antibiotic regimens. Most dosing errors occurred during times when schedules changed or students were off campus during weekends or college breaks. A small number of students discontinued therapy early because of side effects or forgetfulness. Implications for practice: By understanding factors that influence antibiotic adherence from a college student perspective, healthcare providers can suggest strategies to promote adherence that are tailored to the specific needs of this unique population.
Teaching Fido new ModiFICation tricks.

The Fic (filamentation induced by cAMP) family of proteins comprises several thousand members that are found in all domains of life [1], [2]. In bacteria, these proteins are often expressed by pathogens as virulence factors that disrupt signaling in the mammalian host cell through inhibition of one or more GTPases or kinases involved in cell signaling. By integrating surprising new insights, this Pearl highlights the spectrum of potent posttranslational modifications catalyzed by the Fic family of proteins in bacterial pathogens. We will also discuss how Fic proteins are predicted to endow bacterial pathogens with the ability to perturb essential signaling pathways in their host cells (for secreted Fic proteins) or enable the pathogen to endure stresses such as antibiotic exposure (for intracellular Fic proteins derived from toxin-antitoxin modules). All Fic family proteins (also referred to as “Fido” because the family includes Doc toxins [3]) contain a Fic domain of 100–140 amino acids that exhibits two hallmarks, striking structural similarity and a highly conserved, nine amino acid active site (Figure 1). At the structural level, Fic domains have an α-helical core consisting of six or eight α-helices (reviewed in [3], [4]). Yet, there is no significant sequence similarity among all Fic domain proteins beyond the 9-residue active site, the Fic motif. These conserved features alone did not provide clues to the function of Fic domain proteins. Only upon molecular analysis of the Vibrio parahemolyticus virulence factor VopS by the Orth group [5] was a precise enzymatic activity of Fic domain proteins revealed. This discovery set the stage for a series of unanticipated twists demonstrating that Fic domains can influence pathogenesis by inactivating target proteins involved in cell signaling by one of four posttranslational modifications: AMP, UMP, phosphocholine, or phosphate (summarized in Figure 2). Figure 1 Overview of Fic domain proteins, their targets, and their roles in bacterial virulence. Figure 2 Features and functions of effector proteins that contain a Fic domain.
Comparison of the Dynamic Properties and Undrained Shear Strengths of Offshore Calcareous Sand and Artificially Cemented Sand

Calcareous sand specimens were obtained from Campeche Bay in the southern Gulf of Mexico. The dynamic properties of these specimens were measured in resonant column and torsional shear (RCTS) tests, while the undrained shear strength was measured in unconsolidated-undrained (UU) triaxial compression tests. For weakly cemented, natural materials like this, it is difficult to obtain reliable properties from laboratory tests because sampling and handling of the soil specimens damages the particle cementation to an unknown degree. Artificially cemented specimens can be studied to better understand this problem. In this work, the strength and dynamic properties of artificially cemented sand were also measured using RCTS and UU tests. The artificially cemented specimens were formed by mixing uniform sand with a sodium silicate solution. The degree of cementation was varied by using different sodium silicate concentrations. This approach could be used to reproduce cemented test specimens in the laboratory with similar mechanical properties as cemented offshore soils. The results from this limited study show that the small-strain dynamic properties measured in the laboratory, and their variation with confining pressure, clearly identifies disturbance in the calcareous soils.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Disclosure to therapists: What is and is not discussed in psychotherapy

This study used the 80-item Disclosure to Therapist Inventory-R to investigate the nature of patient disclosure within therapy. Participants (45 men, 102 women) were all currently in therapy. A Principal Components Analyses with varimax rotation yielded nine meaningful factors; mean disclosure scores were lowest for the factors of Sexuality and Procreation and highest for the factors of Negative Affect and Intimacy. Specific items most extensively discussed included characteristics of parents that are disliked, and aspects of one's personality that are disliked or worrisome. No significant differences were found in overall degree of disclosure as a function of patient gender or shame-proneness; disclosure was, however, found to be positively correlated with strength of the therapeutic alliance.
Transparent blocks--an aid in simulation

Abstract The use of standard cutouts made of pressed wood ∗ ∗Masonite. and lead solder is advocated for treatment simulation of blocked fields. The advantages offered are the ability to see "through" the block and the capability of planning simple or complex blocking within the limits of existing lead block shapes.
Distribution patterns of three subfractions of drosophila nonhistone chromosomal proteins: possible correlations with gene activity

Abstract The distribution of three molecular weight subfractions of the Drosophila nonhistone chromosomal proteins (NHC proteins) has been studied using an immunofluorescent technique (Silver and Elgin, 1976). In all three cases, the fluorescence distribution patterns obtained are distinct and reproducible. The results imply that different NHC protein components have different distributions along the polytene chromosomes. A highly selective pattern is obtained using antiserum against subfraction ϱ; puffs (loci highly active in RNA synthesis) and many nonpuffed chromomeres which are known to puff at other times during the third larval instar or prepupal stages are brightly fluorescent. New RNA synthesis can be induced at 87A, 87B-C1 and other chromomeres by heat shock treatment; these loci, previously stained at low levels, are subsequently stained brightly using the ϱ serum. The staining of the heat shock puffs appears to be superimposed upon the prior ϱ pattern. The results suggest that a change in chromosomal structure, as indicated by staining using the ϱ serum, is associated with gene activity as indicated by puffing. This different chromosomal structure may be the consequence of either a redistribution of a ϱ antigenic determinant [a new association of specific protein(s) with the active sites] or a change in chromatin configuration [making the ϱ antigenic determinant(s) newly available to the antibody probe].
Albuterol extended-release products: effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of single oral doses of Volmax and Proventil Repetabs in healthy male volunteers.

The absorption of albuterol from a single 4-mg oral dose of Volmax and Proventil Repetabs was investigated under both fasting and fed conditions in an open-label, randomized, four-period, crossover study in 24 healthy male volunteers. Blood was collected for determination of albuterol plasma concentrations by HPLC over 30 hours postdose. Twenty subjects were evaluable for data analysis. The mean Cmax for Volmax; administered after a meal was 19% lower than that of the drug administered in a fasting state (3.9 ng/mL vs. 4.8 ng/mL; P less than .01). An almost equivalent lowering of the mean Cmax (by 21%) was observed for Proventil Repetabs after administration with a meal versus fasting (4.2 ng/mL vs. 5.3 ng/mL; P less than .01). There were no significant differences between the two formulations in the degree of Cmax reduction due to the presence of food. The tmax occurred significantly later during the fed treatment for Volmax only (4.9 hours fasted vs. 6.4 hours fed; P less than .01). The lag time was significantly greater during the fed treatments for Volmax. No differences were observed in the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) for either formulation under fasting versus fed conditions, suggesting that the extent of absortion was not altered by food. Overall, food caused a more sustained release of albuterol from both Volmax and Proventil Repetabs.
Output-Dependent Diagnostic Test Generation

Existing diagnostic test generation procedures are output-independent, i.e., they attempt to distinguish faults on any output. We show that an output-dependent approach can facilitate diagnostic test generation and produce smaller diagnostic test sets for stuck-at faults in full-scan circuits. In the proposed output-dependent approach, the outputs of the circuit are considered one at a time. Faults in the logic cone of an output z under consideration are distinguished from other faults by detecting some faults but not others on z. Diagnostic test generation is facilitated by the need to consider only the inputs driving the output under consideration. Furthermore, we demonstrate that an output typically has a small number of input vectors that differ in their subsets of detected faults and are thus effective for diagnosis.
Advanced Condensed Matter Physics

This text includes coverage of important topics that are not commonly featured in other textbooks on condensed matter physics; these include surfaces, the quantum Hall effect and superfluidity. The author avoids complex formalism, such as Green's functions, which can obscure the underlying physics, and instead emphasizes fundamental physical reasoning. This text is intended for classroom use, so it features plenty of references and extensive problems for solution based on the author's many years of teaching in the Physics Department at the University of Michigan. This textbook is ideal for physics graduates as well as students in chemistry and engineering; it can equally serve as a reference for research students in condensed matter physics. Engineering students in particular, will find the treatment of the fundamentals of semiconductor devices and the optics of solids of particular interest.
Suicide: risk factors and prevention in refractory major depression.

The literature regarding risk factors for suicidal behavior in the context of major depressive episode is reviewed. An organized framework for prevention strategies is provided. Risk factors for suicide in major depression can be organized according to whether their effect is on the threshold for suicidal acts or whether they serve mainly as triggers or precipitants of suicidal acts. For patients sufficiently depressed to present for evaluation and treatment, severity of depression is a poor guide to risk for suicidal acts. The best predictors relate to the threshold or predisposition to suicidal acts in response to major depression. Although available literature on suicidal behavior focuses on major depression in general, the findings may be usefully applied in refractory depression. Guidelines for assessment and management of suicidal behavior in major depression are offered. Depression and Anxiety 5:202–211, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Free vibration and physical parameter identification of non-uniform composite beams

Abstract A new low order analytical model is developed for the analysis of non-uniform composite beams, which approximates the dynamic behavior of the continuous system accurately and solves the associated direct and inverse problems. The analysis of some non-uniform composite beams is considered that are governed by Bernoulli–Euler beam equations. The mathematical model approximates the non-uniform composite beam, with another beam having piecewise constant material properties, leading to certain direct and inverse transcendental eigenvalue problems with transcendental matrix elements. Numerical methods are developed to solve such eigenvalue problems and several examples are solved. In solving direct problems, it is shown that the spectrum of non-uniform composite beams can be obtained with fair accuracy. Furthermore, it is also demonstrated that the physical parameters of piecewise composite beams can be reconstructed accurately from the spectral data obtained from vibration modal analysis experiments.
The Avoidance of Punishment: A Legal-Bureaucratic Model of Suspended Sentences in Federal White-Collar Cases Prior to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines

This research proposes a legal-bureaucratic framework of sentencing in white-collar crime cases. This framework offers a model of sentencing that goes beyond the legall extralegal debate by specifying how an interplay between legality and bureaucratic interests intervene in the relationship between defendant characteristics, case complexity, and sentence outcomes. In decisions to suspend punishment in federal district courts prior to the federal sentencingguidelines, findings from the structural model indicate the direct and indirect effects ofpleadingguilty and case complexity on the decision to suspend an incarceration sentence. In addition, thefindings offer modest supportfor the hypothesis that defendant's location in the stratification system translates into advantage at sentencing via a structural link with case complexity and pleadingguilty the nexus of the legal-bureaucratic model.
The conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. XIV. The effect of calcium on the formation and dissociation of intermediate polymers

Abstract 1. 1. Measurements of light scattering and sedimentation have been made to study the effect of calcium ion at concentrations up to 0.002 M on the dimensions of intermediate polymers of fibrinogen formed in the presence of hexamethylene glycol. The polymer width appears to be unaffected but the length is somewhat increased. 2. 2. The dissociation of such polymers when diluted at constant solvent composition has been followed by light-scattering measurements of the changes of molecular weight and length with time. It is concluded that each polymer molecule breaks up gradually and that the bonds between the fibrinogen units are broken in the middle as well as at the ends of the polymer. Empirically, the average molecular weight decreases with time following a first-order rate law except in the early stages of the process. 3. 3. When the serum factor of Laki and Lorand is present, increasing concentrations of calcium diminish both the extent and rate of dissociation. It is concluded that the stronger bonds which have been inferred from the properties of fibrin clots prepared in the presence of calcium are formed in the primary polymerization process.
Plasmonic nano-optical conveyer using C-shaped engravings

We develop a near-field based optical trapping and conveyor belt system based on a novel plasmonic structure: C-shaped engraving. Using polarization rotation and wavelength switching, we demonstrate controlled transport of nanoparticles along different paths.
Mitochondrial proteostasis in the control of aging and longevity

Mitochondria play a central role in the aging process. Studies in model organisms have started to integrate mitochondrial effects on aging with the maintenance of protein homeostasis. These findings center on the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR mt ), which has been implicated in lifespan extension in worms, flies, and mice, suggesting a conserved role in the long-term maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Here, we review current knowledge of the UPR mt and discuss its integration with cellular pathways known to regulate lifespan. We highlight how insight into the UPR mt is revolutionizing our understanding of mitochondrial lifespan extension and of the aging process.
Effect of diabetes mellitus on disruption of the blood-brain barrier during acute hypertension.

Abstract The goal of this study was to determine whether the susceptibility of the blood-brain barrier to disruption during acute hypertension is altered during diabetes mellitus. Intravital fluorescent microscopy and fluorescein-labelled albumin were used to evaluate disruption of the blood-brain barrier under control conditions and during acute arterial hypertension in non-diabetic rat and diabetic rats. Permeability of the blood-brain barrier was quantitated by calculating clearance of fluorescent-labelled albumin and by counting the number of microvascular leaky sites under control conditions and during acute hypertension. In non-diabetic rats, when systemic arterial pressure was increased from105 ± 5 (mean±S.E.) to185 ± 8mmHg, clearance of albumin increased from0.16 ± 0.04 to 1 ± 0.34ml/s× 10−6. In diabetic rats, when systemic arterial pressure was increased from117 ± 3to184 ± 3mmHg, clearance of albumin increased0.22 ± 0.10 to 1.30 ± 0.32ml/s× 10−6. These findings suggest that the susceptibility of the blood-brain barrier to disruption during acute hypertension is not altered during diabetes mellitus.
Repair of DNA Double-Strand Breaks Induced by Ionizing Radiation Damage Correlates with Upregulation of Homologous Recombination Genes in Sulfolobus solfataricus

The mechanisms used by members of the archaeal branch of life to repair DNA damage are not well understood. DNA damage responses have been of particular interest in hyperthermophilic archaea, since these microbes live under environmental conditions that constantly elevate the potential for DNA damage. The work described here focuses on the response of four Sulfolobus solfataricus strains to ionizing radiation (IR) damage. Cellular survival of three wild-type strains and a defined deletion mutant strain was examined following exposure to various IR doses. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, we determined chromosomal DNA double-strand break persistence and repair rates. Among the strains, variable responses were observed, the most surprising of which occurred with the defined deletion mutant strain. This strain displayed higher chromosomal repair rates than the parent strain and was also found to have increased resistance to IR. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we found that transcript levels of homologous recombination-related genes were strongly upregulated following damage in all the strains. The mutant strain again had an enhanced response and dramatically upregulated expression of recombination genes above levels observed for the parent strain, suggesting that increased levels of recombinational repair could account for its increased radiation resistance phenotype. Our results demonstrate a transcriptional response to IR in S. solfataricus for the first time and describe a defined deletion mutant strain that may give the first insight into a damage-based archaeal control element.
Population genetics of orchid bees in a fragmented tropical landscape

The prospects for persistence of bees living in fragmented landscapes is a topic of considerable interest due to bees’ importance as pollinators of agricultural crops and wild plants, coupled with the ubiquity of native habitat loss and evidence that bees may be declining worldwide. Population persistence in fragmented areas depends on dispersal potential and maintenance of gene flow among fragments of habitat. Here we used population genetic techniques to characterize, for two equally abundant orchid bee species that differ in their physiology and ecology, levels of genetic differentiation among fragments of tropical forest in southeastern Costa Rica in a ~200 km2 landscape. We measured population differentiation with ϕPT (an analogue to the traditional summary statistic Fst), as well as two measures that may more accurately reflect the level of differentiation when highly variable loci are used: G’st and Dest. We also calculated pairwise genetic distances among individuals and conducted Mantel tests to test the correlation of genetic and geographic distance, for each species. We found strong differences in genetic structure between the species. Contrary to our expectations, each measure of genetic structure revealed that the larger-bodied species, Eulaema bombiformis, had higher levels of differentiation than the smaller species, Euglossa championi. Furthermore, for Eulaema bombiformis there was a significant positive correlation of genetic and geographic distance while for Euglossa championi there was no significant positive correlation. Our results demonstrate that bee species can have strikingly different levels of gene flow in fragmented habitats, and that body size may not always act as a useful proxy for dispersal, even in closely related taxa.
Ion charge-state production and photoionization near the K-edge in argon and potassium

Abstract We have measured, by time-of-flight techniques, the charge-state distributions of ions of argon and potassium following X-ray absorption at energies near their respective K-edges. We confirm previously observed enhancements of the higher charge states at energies up to 100 eV below the K-edge in argon. The measurements confirm recent calculations suggesting excitation of a virtual 1s state in this energy range.
Accuracy of world-wide-web death searches for persons with traumatic brain injury

Primary objective: Determine (1) the sensitivity of world-wide-web searches for deaths among persons with traumatic brain injuries and (2) factors associated with the likelihood of identifying deceased persons with traumatic brain injuries.Research design: Stratified case series.Methods and procedures: Sequential submission of 371 deceased persons with traumatic brain injuries to a world-wide-web site to determine inclusion in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).Main outcomes and results: Almost 87% of deceased persons ages 50+ were found, 69.8% of persons ages 30–49 and 34.6% of persons younger than age 30. Other factors influencing the likelihood of finding deceased persons in the SSDI were male gender, white race, being married, knowing the Social Security number and survival of 1+ years post-injury.Conclusions: The SSDI provides useful information for mortality studies among persons with traumatic brain injuries, but does a poor job of identifying deaths among younger persons. Sole reliance on the ...
The Response of the Extratropical Hydrological Cycle to Global Warming

Abstract The change in the hydrological cycle in the extratropics under global warming is studied using the climate models participating in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report. The changes in hydrological quantities are analyzed with respect to the increases expected from the Clausius–Clapeyron (C–C) equation, which describes the rate of increase of a hydrological quantity per temperature increase. The column-integrated water vapor increases at a rate close to the C–C rate, which is expected if relative humidity remains nearly constant. The poleward moisture transport and the precipitation increase with temperature at a rate less than the C–C rate, with the precipitation increasing the least. In addition, the intermodel variance of poleward moisture transport and precipitation is explained significantly better when the zonal-mean zonal wind change as well as the temperature change is taken into account. The percent increase in precipitation per temperature increas...
Light scattering in vivo as a tool for mineral nutrient deficiency diagnosis in crop plants

Abstract Changes in light scattering of leaves during photosynthetic induction exhibited characteristics which varied with mineral element deficiency. In the case of sugar beet plants (Beta vulgaris L.) grown in growth chambers, light scattering curves differed significantly from the control with deficiencies of N, P, K, Mn, Fe, S and Cu deficiencies but not with B, Zn and Mg. The results suggest that, with some mineral elements, light scattering of leaves might be used as a means of rapid diagnosis of nutrient deficiency for crop plants in the field.
EUV mask absorber characterization and selection

In this paper, we will present our research work in EUVL mask absorber characterization and selection. The EUV mask patterning process development depends on the choice of EUVL mask absorber material, which has direct impact on the mask quality such as critical dimension (CD) control, and registration. EUVL mask absorber material selection consideration involves many aspects of material properties and processes. These include film absorption at EUV wavelength, film emissivity, film stress, mask CD and defect control, defect inspection contrast, absorber repair selectivity to the buffer layer, etc. The selection of the best candidate is non-trivial since no material is found to be superior in all aspects. In an effort of searching the best absorber materials and processes, we evaluated Al-Cu, Ti, TiN, Ta, TaN, and Cr absorbers. The comparison of material intrinsic properties and process properties allowed us to focus on the most promising absorbers and to further develop the corresponding processes to meet EUVL requirement.
Phonon dispersion and anharmonicity in cubic KNbO3

Abstract Inelastic neutron scattering measurements of cubic KNbO 3 have been performed to study the temperature dependence and anharmonicity of the phonon branches believed to be associated with the subsequent phase transitions. Our results show that the cubic phase displays an anomalously flat and low energy transverse acoustic mode propagating in the 〈100〉 directions, absent from the previous study on the cubic phase. The transverse optic mode along the same directions shows large damping which is consistent with the previous report. A strong temperature dependent coupling occurs between these two modes, similar to the behavior reported in BaTiO 3 . The behavior of the other phonon branches, in contrast, show normal dispersion behavior and the phonon groups are well behaved. Computer simulations of lattice dynamics demonstrate that the phonon branches have largely harmonic behaviour except for the two anomalous modes. The transverse acoustic and lowest energy optic mode in the 〈100〉 directions can be successfully modeled with an anharmonic, non-linear polarizability model for a reduced system. This model is intrinsically anisotropic and indicates that the origin of the anomalous behavior arises from anisotropic oxygen polarizability. This anisotropy also manifests itself in the anomalous thermal diffuse X-ray scattering that has been shown to display a planar distribution in the reciprocal space.
where are we now? Some thoughts about expansionism

Ou en sont les bilbiotheques en termes de budget, d'image dans l'universite, de service aux utilisatuers. Reflexions generales
Regulation of Hepatic Lecithin:Retinol Acyltransferase Activity by Retinoic Acid Receptor-Selective Retinoids

The microsomal enzyme LRAT esterifies retinol and has been implicated in the hepatic storage of vitamin A. Previously, we showed that hepatic LRAT activity is negligible during vitamin A deficiency and that all-trans-retinoic acid (all-trans-RA) rapidly induces the activity of liver LRAT in retinoid-deficient rats. In the present studies, we have examined the ability of natural and synthetic retinoids to induce liver LRAT activity in retinoid-deficient rats. The natural retinoids retinol, all-trans-RA (100 microg), 9-cis-RA, or equal molar amounts of other retinoids were injected ip and LRAT specific activity was measured in liver homogenates 17-18 h later. In retinoid-deficient rats, liver LRAT activity was extremely low [0.13 +/- 0.03 pmol retinyl ester (RE)/min/mg liver protein, mean +/- SE]. The natural retinoids retinol and all-trans-RA strongly induced LRAT activity (12.71 +/- 1.09 and 13.10 +/- 1.55 pmol RE/min/mg, respectively), whereas 9-cis-RA induced a lower level of LRAT activity (3.96 +/- 1.88 pmol RE/min/mg, P < 0.001 vs all-trans-RA). The retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-selective analog (RAR pan-agonist) all-trans-UAB8 and the RAR-alpha-selective retinoid Am580 also strongly induced LRAT activity. In contrast, neither RXR-selective agonists nor retinoids having a retro structure were active. For retinoids with significant RAR-alpha binding activity there was a strong direct correlation between receptor binding in vitro and the ability to induce hepatic LRAT activity in vivo (r2 = 0.920). These data implicate the RARs in the induction of hepatic LRAT and suggest a predominant role for RAR-alpha-active ligands.
PHOTOELECTRON QUANTUM YIELD SPECTRUM AND PHOTOELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF β-CAROTENE

—The absolute photoelectron quantum yield spectrum for β-carotene in the wavelength range 180–230 nm is reported. β-Carotene is very photoemissive over this wavelength region with photoelectron quantum yields on the order of 2 × 10--3 electrons per incident photon at 180 nm, 4 × 10--4 at 210 nm, and 3 × 10--5 at 230 nm. At wavelengths longer than 240 nm, β-carotene photoemission dropped off monotonically with increasing wavelength. The photoelectron quantum yield spectrum of β-carotene is very similar to that of chlorophyll a. A photoelectron micrograph of β-carotene deposited on a thin layer of the fatty acid arachidic acid demonstrates the marked photoemission contrast between β-carotene and membrane lipid. Photoelectron micrographs of samples with β-carotene and Chl a in the same field show that prolonged (1 h) illumination in vacuo causes β-carotene to markedly fade while leaving the Chl a photoemissive. This differential bleaching of β-carotene may allow it to be distinguished from Chl in high magnification photoelectron micrographs of photosynthetic membranes.
Integration of Intraoperative Ultrasound Volume Into CT-Based Treatment Planning in Prostate HDR Brachytherapy: A Pilot Study

Purpose/Objective(s): The main challenge for CT-based prostate HDR treatment planning is to accurately define target (prostate) volume in CT images due to the poor soft-tissue contrast. To overcome this limitation, we propose a novel approach that integrates an intra-operative ultrasound (US)-based prostate volume into treatment planning through US-CT coregistration based on the catheters (needle tracks). Materials/Methods: In CT-based prostate HDR brachytherapy, needle placement is commonly performed under the guidance of intra-operative transrectal ultrasound, while treatment planning is based on post-operative prostate CT images. However, prostate delineation using CT images is difficult. We have developed a technology that integrates an intraoperative US-based prostate volume into HDR treatment planning. Our approach requires an additional 3D US images acquired in the operating room right after the catheters are inserted, which takes less than 5 minutes. These US images are then used to create prostate contours. The catheters are reconstructed on intra-operative US and post-operative CT images, and subsequently used as landmarks for the US-CT image registration using a fuzzy-to-deterministic algorithm. The intra-operative US-based prostate volume is then deformed using B-splines to the CT image to obtain the accurate CT prostate volume, which is used for treatment planning. Three fiducial (gold) markers are implanted into the prostate and the displacements between their positions on the postregistration US and CT images are used to evaluate the accuracy of our technique. This technique was first tested using a prostate phantom, and further investigated in a prospective study of 10 consecutive patients (age: 59 10) who had received HDR monotherapy or boost brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Results: For the prostate phantom study, 14 catheters and 3 gold markers were implanted. The mean displacement of the 3 gold markers between the post-registration US and CT images was 0.41 0.11 mm, which demonstrated the precision of our intra-operative US-based prostate volume approach. In the pilot study of 10 patients, 14-18 catheters were implanted and 9 out of 10 patients had 3 gold markers implanted. US-CT registration was successfully performed for all 10 patients. The mean displacement of 27 gold markers of the 9 patients was 1.09 0.25 mm. This further demonstrated the feasibility and accuracy of our approach. Conclusions:We have introduced a novel approach that integrates intraoperative ultrasound-based prostate volume into CT-based prostate HDR treatment planning, and demonstrated it clinical feasibility. This technique will improve prostate delineation, enable accurate dose planning and delivery, and potentially enhance prostate HDR treatment outcome. Author Disclosure: X. Yang: None. P. Rossi: None. T. Ogunleye: None. W.J. Curran: None. T. Liu: None.
Diagnosis of sebaceous lymphadenoma by fine needle aspiration in a patient with Cowden syndrome: Case report and review of the literature

Sebaceous lymphadenoma (SLA) is a rare benign tumor of the salivary gland that commonly arises in the parotid gland in adults. It is rarely diagnosed correctly preoperatively. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, SLA has not been described yet in the literature in association with Cowden's syndrome (CS). We present an extremely rare case of parotid SLA that was diagnosed preoperatively by fine needle aspiration in a patient with CS.
Treatment of thematic mapping in sentence comprehension: implications for normal processing

Abstract The inability of some aphasic patients to interpret semantically reversible sentences has been hypothesised to arise from failure to link the grammatical roles of nouns (e.g. subject, object) to their corresponding thematic roles (e.g. agent, patient). Several previous attempts to improve patients' thematic mapping abilities have demonstrated a range of treatment effects of considerable relevance to the development of cognitive models of sentence processing. This study reports a new treatment approach to thematic mapping impairment; it succeeded in improving auditory sentence comprehension in a chronic aphasic patient with a long-standing comprehension deficit. Generalisation of improvement to auditory comprehension of sentences with untreated verbs, to comprehension of written sentences, and to tests using pictorial and videotaped materials not used in treatment, place constraints on the range of possible interpretations of the functional locus of treatment effects. Two areas that did not show s...
Mannose Phosphate Isomerase Regulates Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Family Signaling and Glioma Radiosensitivity

Asparagine-linked glycosylation is an endoplasmic reticulum co- and post- translational modification that enables the transit and function of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) glycoproteins. To gain insight into the regulatory role of glycosylation enzymes on RTK function, we investigated shRNA and siRNA knockdown of mannose phosphate isomerase (MPI), an enzyme required for mature glycan precursor biosynthesis. Loss of MPI activity reduced phosphorylation of FGFR family receptors in U-251 and SKMG-3 malignant glioma cell lines and also resulted in significant decreases in FRS2, Akt, and MAPK signaling. However, MPI knockdown did not affect ligand-induced activation or signaling of EGFR or MET RTKs, suggesting that FGFRs are more susceptible to MPI inhibition. The reductions in FGFR signaling were not caused by loss of FGF ligands or receptors, but instead were caused by interference with receptor dimerization. Investigations into the cellular consequences of MPI knockdown showed that cellular programs driven by FGFR signaling, and integral to the clinical progression of malignant glioma, were impaired. In addition to a blockade of cellular migration, MPI knockdown also significantly reduced glioma cell clonogenic survival following ionizing radiation. Therefore our results suggest that targeted inhibition of enzymes required for cell surface receptor glycosylation can be manipulated to produce discrete and limited consequences for critical client glycoproteins expressed by tumor cells. Furthermore, this work identifies MPI as a potential enzymatic target for disrupting cell surface receptor-dependent survival signaling and as a novel approach for therapeutic radiosensitization.
Effects of chronic electrical stimulation on paralyzed expiratory muscles

Following spinal cord injury, the expiratory muscles develop significant disuse atrophy characterized by reductions in their weight, fiber cross-sectional area, and force-generating capacity. We de...
Effect of K+, and other ligands on the thiol reactivity and tryptic cleavage pattern of scallop sarcoplasmic reticulum

The kinetics of reaction of the thiol groups of both membranous and non-ionic detergent-solubilized Ca-ATPase of scallop sarcoplasmic reticulum towards 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) were greatly modified in different ways by the presence of the following combinations of ligands: Ca2+, EGTA (no Ca2+), (ATPMg2−+EGTA) and (ATP+Ca2+). K+ was found to influence greatly the pattern of reactivity of the thiol groups of the scallop Ca-ATPase, modifying the kinetics of reaction differently according to the types of other ligand present. While all the thiol groups on the non-ionic detergent-solubilized Ca-ATPase were available for reaction in the absence of K+, whatever the combination of ligands, in the presence of K+, several groups became completely unreactive towards the reagent. In some cases the rate of inactivation of Ca-ATPase activity could be related to the rates of reaction of different kinetic classes of thiol group, according to the ligands present. Large differences were also seen in the tryptic cleavage pattern in the presence of the different ligands, and K+ led to major modifications in the products of digestion in the absence of nucleotide. An 80 kDa tryptic fragment was observed, as with lobster Ca-ATPase but unlike rabbit skeletal muscle Ca-ATPase. A complete amino-acid analysis of the scallop Ca-ATPase was carried out. Differences in the non-polar amino-acid content from rabbit skeletal muscle Ca-ATPase may relate to the different lipid composition of the two membranes.
Approximate deconvolution boundary conditions for large eddy simulation

We introduce new boundary conditions for large eddy simulation. These boundary conditions are based on an approximate deconvolution approach. They are computationally efficient and general, which makes them appropriate for the numerical simulation of turbulent flows with time-dependent boundary conditions. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the new boundary conditions in a simplified linear setting.
Author Reply: Coregulation is a State of a Temporal Interpersonal Emotion System

People in an emotional exchange form a temporal interpersonal emotion system (TIES), in which their emotions are interconnected over time (Butler, 2011). These systems can be in various states, defined by the pattern of emotional interconnections. We have defined coregulation as one such state involving coupled dampened oscillations between partners’ emotions that converge on a stable level. Coregulation could be distinguished from other states, such as stress buffering, by comparing statistical models that represent the theoretical distinctions between states. Optimal data for such modeling includes assessments of both partners’ emotions over time and a contrast between securely attached partners, strangers, and being alone. Research of this sort is needed to uncover the mechanisms by which emotional interdependence promotes well-being.
Osseous and chondral fixation of polypropylene mesh.

Summary Fixation of polyprepylene (Marlex) mesh in the epigastrium and at the iliac crest can be ineffective because of insufficient local fascia; however, two techniques have been described to obtain firm and durable attachment of polypropylene grafts at these sites. Perichondral slips at the costal margin permit very satisfactory attachment with excellent long-term results. Stainless steel wire fixation of the mesh to the iliac crest has satisfied the need for osseous fixation in that area. Long-term repair of difficult and recurrent hernias has been described in three patients for whom other tactics for abdominal wall repairs were not available.
Loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 13 is associated with advanced stage prostate cancer.

AbstractPurpose: In order to investigate the possible involvement of a tumor suppressor gene(s) on chromosome 13 in prostatic neoplasms, we performed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis on normal and tumor pairs from 36 prostate cancer patients.Materials and Methods: Pure DNA was obtained from carcinoma cells and normal epithelium by tissue microdissection. The DNA had previously been analyzed for LOH on chromosomes 8 and 16. After an initial pilot experiment to determine the region(s) of significant LOH from 9 loci on chromosome 13q, 3 loci at and near the Rb1 locus (D13S153, D13S1319, and D13S1303) were chosen for further study.Results: The overall rate of LOH on chromosome 13 was 27.3%. Four tumors exhibited LOH at all 3 loci. Two tumors exhibited LOH at D13S153 but not at the other, more telomeric loci; two additional tumors had loss at D13S1303 or D13S1319 but not D13S153. These data suggest that a tumor suppressor gene involved in prostate cancer may be located just telomeric to Rb1. Analysis of c...
Effects of estradiol and progesterone on uterine prostaglandin levels in the pregnant rat.

The purpose of this study was to delineate the effects of estradiol and progesterone treatment on uterine prostaglandin F (PGF), PGE, Thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha (6KF) levels in the pregnant rat. Rats were ovariectomized on day 19 of pregnancy (sperm in vagina = day 0) and received the following treatments via silastic inserts placed s.c.: controls; estradiol (E); progesterone (P); estradiol + progesterone (EP). Twenty-four hours later (day 20 of pregnancy) uterine venous blood and uterine tissue were obtained and assayed for PGE, PGF, TxB2 and 6KF by radioimmunoassay. E treatment significantly enhanced (p less than .05) uterine PGF, TxB2 and PGE (4.5, 2.8 and 1.8 fold increase, respectively) but did not alter 6KF levels when compared to C. Concomitant administration of P with E (EP) blocked the stimulatory effects of estradiol. P treatment by itself was ineffective. Steroid treatment induced no significant alterations (p greater than .05) in uterine venous plasma PG levels. These results suggest that estradiol can provoke a dramatic increase in uterine PGF, TxB2 and PGE levels in the pregnant rat but has no effect on net production of 6KF. These data are compatible with the hypothesis that an increase in the ratio of E/P at the end of pregnancy in the rat contributes to enhanced uterine concentrations of PGF, TxB2 and PGE at term, but they do not explain the augmented 6KF concentrations reported at parturition.
Pelvic and hindlimb musculature of Tyrannosaurus rex (Dinosauria: Theropoda).

In this article, we develop a new reconstruction of the pelvic and hindlimb muscles of the large theropod dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex. Our new reconstruction relies primarily on direct examination of both extant and fossil turtles, lepidosaurs, and archosaurs. These observations are placed into a phylogenetic context and data from extant taxa are used to constrain inferences concerning the soft-tissue structures in T. rex. Using this extant phylogenetic bracket, we are able to offer well-supported inferences concerning most of the hindlimb musculature in this taxon. We also refrain from making any inferences for certain muscles where the resulting optimizations are ambiguous. This reconstruction differs from several previous attempts and we evaluate these discrepancies. In addition to providing a new and more detailed understanding of the hindlimb morphology of T. rex--the largest known terrestrial biped--this reconstruction also helps to clarify the sequence of character-state change along the line to extant birds.
Perceived Sources of Stress Among Dental Students

A survey of dental students' perceptions of stress indicates that academic factors and faculty relationships with students are the areas that create the most stress. Differences between the four classes in the ranking of several areas reflect the differences in academic and clinical requirements and experience associated with each class.