cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autologous bone marrow transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia using monoclonal antibody-purged bone marrow

We report our experience from a clinical trial of autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in the treatment of 30 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) using monoclonal antibody (MoAb) and complement-treated bone marrow. All patients were in complete remission (CR) at the time of transplant: 6 patients were in first CR, 18 in second CR, and 6 in third CR. The median age of all patients was 42 years (range 11 to 57 years). For marrow ablation, 28 patients were treated with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation. One patient was treated with busulfan and cyclophosphamide and one was treated with busulfan and VP-16. Each patient was then transfused with autologous bone marrow that had been harvested previously and treated with two MoAbs, PM-81 and AML-2–23, and rabbit complement. Median time to recovery of neutrophils (500/microL) was 30 days, and platelets (20,000/microL) was 45 days. Median time for initial erythrocyte engraftment, assessed by a flow cytometric reticulocyte assay, was 13 days. Median overall and relapse-free survival of first CR patients was at least 17.4 months post-ABMT and the 2- and 3-year actuarial overall and relapse-free survival was 67% (+/- 19%). Median survival for the 24 patients in second or third CR was 6.8 months post-ABMT and 9.3 months since CR; however, six patients survived disease-free from 16 to 61 months post-ABMT. For the second and third CR group it was observed that six patients (5 of the 6 survivors) showed “inversions,” when their post-ABMT remission lasted longer than any previous one. Actuarial 2- and 3-year disease-free and overall survival of patients in second and third CR was 25% (+/- 9%) and 18% (+/- 9%), and 29% (+/- 9%) and 23% (+/- 9%), respectively. ABMT avoids the problems of graft- versus-host disease and of finding suitable donors for allogeneic marrow transplantation.
Czy możliwe jest w naszych czasach przywrócenie jedności uniwersytetu

In this paper I argue that the intellectual unity of the university, in particular the Catholic university, can and must be restored. This becomes clear in the light of a new reading of the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the Encyclical Fides et Ratio—both promulgated with the intention to reform university research and teaching. I offer a reconsideration of these documents on the basis of what I call a ‘radical philosophical theology of revelation,’ and also on the basis of a ‘philosophy of the people’ developed with respect to the intellectual background of Pope Francis. If the intellectual unity of the Catholic university is restored along these lines, the question of the genuine community of university researchers and teachers can be addressed anew. In particular, I argue that the philosophical basis of Catholic universities needs to be reinterpreted and linked to important fields of contemporary science, especially quantum theory and awareness study. As I show in a Venn-diagram, the various layers of the unity of university research, teaching and community can be connected to one another in a systemic way in which philosophy, in particular the philosophy of revelation, plays the fundamental role.
Robust and Automated Direct On-Axis Laser Writing of Coupling Elements for Photonic Chips

The size/complexity of coupling structures printed with direct laser writing at the ports of photonic chips is increased by printing parallel to the ports’ axes. We demonstrate robust automated laser writing using passive alignment.
P51 A Comparison of Breastfeeding Cessation Between Preterm and Term Infants During the First Year of Life

Background Breastfeeding positively influences maternal and infant health. Considerable research with preterm infants is available, however, differences between preterm and term infants’ breastfeeding duration and factors influencing cessation has not been fully evaluated. This information is needed for developing focused interventions. Objective To compare factors affecting breastfeeding duration/cessation in preterm and term infants, including infant (latching, eating, food intolerance, weight gain), maternal (medications, weight loss concerns, stress/fatigue), and environmental (convenience, time, returning to work, family support) factors. Study Design, Setting, Participants A cross-sectional survey using SurveyMonkey distributed through social media and online breastfeeding support groups included mothers ≥18 years old, with a child 12-24 months old, US born, who received breastmilk at any point during the first year of life. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Breastfeeding rates at 0 through 12 months, reasons for cessation, breastfeeding education and demographics are reported. Chi-square was used for comparisons. Results The majority of respondents (n = 531) were non-Hispanic White (78.7%), college-educated (61.6%), and from southern states (63.3%). Fifty had preterm ( 37 weeks) infants. No significant difference was found for exclusive breastfeeding between preterm and term infants at any point, 0-5 months; a significant difference at 6 months (40.0% vs 22.7%), χ² (1, n = 531) = 7.4, P Conclusion Differences exist in exclusive breastfeeding rates between preterm and term infants at 6 months. Maternal medications and multiple births may influence early breastfeeding cessation. Participation in WIC may positively influence breastfeeding duration. Research is needed to confirm findings in a more diverse sample.
Posttraumatic stress disorder collaborative care: A quality improvement study in veterans affairs primary care.

Introduction: Collaborative care improves depression and anxiety outcomes. In this naturalistic, observational case study, we adapted an evidence-based depression collaborative care protocol for the assessment and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sought to demonstrate that the protocol could be implemented in Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care. Method: Based on feedback from a content expert panel, clinical stakeholders, and a pilot study conducted in a postdeployment clinic, the original depression collaborative care protocol was modified to include PTSD assessment and support for PTSD medication adherence, self-management, and engagement in evidence-based PTSD care. Results: The modified program was implemented from November 2012 to March 2017, and 239 patients with PTSD were referred. Nearly two thirds (n = 185) enrolled, and they participated in the program for an average of 4 to 5 months and completed calls approximately once per month. Among patients with more than one assessment of clinical outcomes, 53.4% (n = 94) reported clinically significant improvement in depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (≥ 5-point decrease), and 42.2% (n = 35) reported clinically significant improvement on the PTSD Checklist (≥ 10-point decrease). Veterans and clinical staff described the modified collaborative care program positively in qualitative interviews. Discussion: Our findings suggest that a depression collaborative care program can be modified to support treatment of PTSD in primary care. The modified program was acceptable to both veterans and clinical staff and showed potential for positive clinical change in an uncontrolled quality improvement study. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Narrative Literature Review Guided Approach of Inhaled Corticosteroid de-escalation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

ObjectiveTo review the 2020 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) report recommendations and create an algorithm to assist clinicians in determining which chronic obstructiv...
Abstract 19082: Cardiac Events and Mortality During Admissions for Delivery in Women with Congenital Heart Disease

Background: Labor, delivery, and the postpartum period are a time of increased arrhythmia and congestive heart failure (CHF) incidence. With improvements in the treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD), more women are reaching childbearing age and may be at increased risk for cardiac events and mortality during pregnancy and delivery. Methods: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project was used to identify admissions for vaginal and cesarean delivery in California hospitals between 1/1/2005 and 12/31/2011. We compared length of stay, in-hospital mortality, incident CHF, cardiac arrest, and incident arrhythmias for women without CHD to women with non-complex CHD (NC-CHD) and complex CHD (C-CHD). Results: We identified 2,720,980 deliveries resulting in 2,770,382 live births (74% of live births in the state over this period), which included 3,218 women with NC-CHD and 248 women with C-CHD. History of CHF was more common in women with CHD (8.1% for C-CHD, 2.6% for NC-CHD, and 0.08% for women without CHD, p Conclusions: In this study of 2.7 million women admitted to California hospitals for delivery, women with CHD were more likely to undergo cesarean section and had longer length of stay. Despite more frequent history of CHF in women with CHD, incident CHF and arrhythmias were rare during hospitalization. In-hospital mortality and cardiac arrest were not higher in CHD patients. These results suggest that in pregnant women with CHD, cardiac events and mortality at the time delivery are uncommon.
Activation of the SNF2 family ATPase ALC1 by poly(ADP-ribose) in a stable ALC1·PARP1·nucleosome intermediate.

The human ALC1/CHD1L oncogene encodes an SNF2 family ATPase with a macrodomain that binds poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR). We and others previously showed that ALC1 possesses a cryptic ATP-dependent nucleosome remodeling activity that is potently activated in the presence of PARP1 and NAD+, its substrate for PAR synthesis. In this work, we dissected the mechanism by which PARP1 and NAD+ activate ALC1 nucleosome remodeling. We demonstrate that ALC1 activation depends on the formation of a stable ALC1·PARylated PARP1·nucleosome intermediate. In addition, by exploiting a novel PAR footprinting assay, we obtained evidence that the ALC1 macrodomain remains stably associated with PAR on autoPARylated PARP1 during the course of nucleosome remodeling reactions. Taken together, our findings are consistent with the model that PAR present on PARylated PARP1 acts as an allosteric effector of ALC1 nucleosome remodeling activity.
Mobility Control with Local Views of Neighborhood in Mobile Networks

Recent work in mobile ad hoc networks, simply MANETs, has drawn attention to the mobility capability of each node. In the work of Goldenberg et al. (2004), it is proved that the optimal positions of the relay nodes along a single active flow must lie entirely on the line between the source and destination with each node spaced evenly along such a line. Based on this, we propose two distributed schemes to control the relay nodes in MANETs to approach their optimal positions in the local relative coordinate system, one using one-hop neighborhood and the other using two-hop neighborhood. Unlike the one presented by Goldenberg et al. (2004) using only one-hop neighborhood, our methods have no oscillation problem and converge more quickly. To reduce the overhead in synchronization, outdated neighborhood (lagging by one round of information exchange and update) is used in our two-hop neighborhood based approach. The simulation results show the substantial improvement on the speed of achieving the optimal configuration and the total moving distance of nodes
Human Müller cells express VEGF183, a novel spliced variant of vascular endothelial growth factor.

PURPOSE. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor expressed as multiple RNA transcripts due to alternative splicing. During an investigation of the expression of VEGF mRNA in human Muller cells cultured under hypoxic conditions, a cDNA species was isolated whose size was incompatible with known VEGF transcripts. This study was performed to determine the nucleotide sequence of the candidate VEGF species and examine the effects of hypoxia on its expression. METHODS. Cultured human Muller cells were exposed to normoxic (20% O 2 , 5% CO 2 , 75% N 2 ) or hypoxic (2% O % CO 2 , 93% N 2 ) conditions at 37°C for 4 hours and processed for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), molecular cloning, Southern hybridization, nucleotide sequencing, semiquantitative RT-PCR, and ribonuclease protection assay. RESULTS. The nucleotide sequence of the novel VEGF species isolated from human Muller cells had a short exon 6-encoded sequence without 18-bp nucleotides immediately upstream of the exon 7-encoded sequence in VEGF189. The 18-bp deletion (corresponding to the six amino acids Tyr-Lys-Ser-Trp-Ser-Val) was compatible with a polypeptide containing 183 amino acids (VEGF183). Although VEGF183 mRNA was found in all tissues studied, its expression seemed to be higher than that of VEGF189 in the brain and spleen; lower in the kidney, retina, skeletal muscle, and liver: and at similar level in the heart. Exposure to hypoxic conditions for 4 hours promoted increased levels of VEGF mRNA including that of VEGF183. CONCLUSIONS. The expression of the novel isoform VEGF183 in human Miiller cells, its variable tissue expression, and its modulation by hypoxia may provide another pathway for VEGF induction of angiogenesis in the retina.
Specimen Thickness Effects for Elastic-Plastic CTOD Toughness of an A36 Steel

This paper describes the results of an experimental and analytical study of the effect of specimen size on the fracture-toughness behavior of A36 steel, primarily in the lower-transition region. This region is beyond the limits of plane-strain as defined by ASTM E-399, but in the region where failure occurs prior to any macroscopic fibrous tearing. Experimental results were obtained using Crack-Tip Opening Displacement (CTOD) three-point bend specimens and analytical results were obtained using a 3-D elastic-plastic finite-element analysis. Two specimen sizes, full thickness (31.8 mm (1.25'') thick) and reduced thickness (12.7 mm (0.50'') thick), were investigated using the preferred t x 2t x 8t specimen size.
Medium Formulation and Design, E. coli and Bacillus spp.

Introduction Nutritional Requirements Generalized Media Chemically Defined Media Undefined (Complex) Media Catabolite Repression Diauxic Growth Effects of Nutrient Fluctuations Enrichment and Isolation Media Sporulation Media for Bacillus spp. Molecular Biology Media General Growth λ-Bacteriophage Propagation Recombinant Detection Competent Cells and Transformation The Use of Antibiotics in Media Media for Culture Preservation by Freezing or Lyophilization Media Formulations Bibliography Keywords: antibiotics; catabolite repression; chemically defined media; competence; diauxic growth; enrichment media; freezing; isolation media; lyophilization; sporulation; undefined (complex) media
Free Electron Lasers

Synchrotron radiation is emitted when electromagnetic fields exert a force on a charged particle. This opens the possibility to apply external fields with specific properties for the stimulation of electrons to emit more radiation.
Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon Transfer for Calcific Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy

Calcific insertional Achilles tendinopathy can result in significant pain and disability. Although some patients respond to nonoperative therapy, many patients are at risk for long-term morbidity and unpredictable clinical outcomes. There is no evidence-based data to support the timing of operative invention, choice of procedures, or whether equinus requires treatment. This article suggests the need for a classification system based on physical examination and imaging to help guide treatment. There is an obvious need for evidence-based studies evaluating outcomes and for properly conducted scientific research to establish appropriate treatment protocols.
Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Viral Markers in 52,000 Alaska Natives

As a part of a program to screen and immunize as many Alaska Natives as possible against hepatitis B infection, hepatitis B virus seromarkers were measured in 52,022 Alaska Natives between 1983 and 1987. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was found in 1,603 persons (3.1%), and 7,155 persons (13.8%) exhibited hepatitis B virus seropositivity. While the prevalence of total seropositivity increased with increasing age (p < 0.001), the proportion of seropositive persons who were also positive for HBsAg was significantly higher in children under age 5 years than in persons over age 60 (p < 0.001). The total hepatitis B virus seropositivity was significantly higher in males than in females (p < 0.001), and a greater proportion of seropositive males than seropositive females had HBsAg (p < 0.001). The prevalence of HBsAg and total seropositivity differed significantly by geographic region (p < 0.001), ranging from 0.5% to 8.2% for presence of HBsAg and from 5.4% to 29% for total seropositivity. Of persons who were HBsAg positive, hepatitis B e antigen was found in 35.4%, and antibody to hepatitis e antigen was found in 49.6%. The prevalence of hepatitis B e antigen significantly decreased with age, while that of antibody to hepatitis e antigen significantly increased. The prevalence of hepatitis B virus seropositivity is high in Alaska Natives, and there are significant differences in both the prevalence of HBsAg and total hepatitis B virus seromarkers by age, sex, and geographic region.
Membrane Traffic in Skeletal Muscle

Skeletal muscle tissue is made up of highly organized multinuclear cells. The internal organization of the muscle cell is dictated by the necessary regular arrangement of repeated units within the protein myofibrils that mediate muscle contraction. Skeletal muscle cells have the usual membrane traffic pathways for partitioning newly synthesized proteins, internalizing cell surface receptors for hormones and nutrients, and mediating membrane repair. However, in muscle, these pathways must be further specialized to deal with targeting to and organizing muscle-specific membrane structures, satisfying the unique metabolic requirements of muscle and meeting the high demand for membrane repair in a tissue that is constantly under mechanical stress. Specialized membrane traffic pathways in muscle also play a role in the formation of muscle through fusion of myoblast membranes and the development of internal muscle-specific membrane structures during myogenesis and regeneration. It has recently become apparent that muscle-specific isoforms of proteins that are known to mediate ubiquitous membrane traffic pathways, as well as novel muscle-specific proteins, are involved in tissue-specific aspects of muscle membrane traffic. Here we describe the specialized membrane structures of skeletal muscle, how these are developed, maintained and repaired by specialized and generic membrane traffic pathways, and how defects in these pathways result in muscle disease.
A case study of the space telescope science institute's learning community

Professional development opportunities are critical in any scientific or engineering discipline. Engineers need professional development in order to apply state of the art concepts and techniques to solving company problems. Basically, there are three broad categories of professional development opportunities: individual, group, and organizational opportunities. Individual opportunities include technical sabbaticals and planned professional development. Group opportunities include engineering colloquia with guest lecturers from industry and seminar courses on specific topics. Organizational opportunities include tuition refund program and other human resources initiated opportunities. All of these techniques intertwine to foster a strong organizational learning culture. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) has implemented a successful program of sustained learning opportunities for its employees. This paper provides a case study of the STScI's learning community. This paper explores the professional development opportunities available to employees and examines the costs and benefits associated with them based on the STScI model.
An Expendable Acoustic Transponder

The design and development of an expendable, low-cost acoustic transponder is described. The transponder is interrogated with a 9 kHz pulse of short duration and responds with a longer pulse at the same frequency. When operated in conjunction with a long-baseline tracking system, the transponder package allows accurate measurements of its position to be made. The primary application of this device has been to measure water current profiles in the Arctic, where the device is trimmed to sink at a slow rate. It could also be placed on the bottom to measure the drift of an ice-mounted tracking system. In addition, it serves as a handy, lightweight device for measuring locations on an ice floe by inserting it through holes drilled in the ice. Low cost (about S30 for parts) was achieved by using inexpensive miniature components for the electronics and standard plastic-pipe end caps for the pressure case. The heart of the system is a transducer that is mounted inside the pressure case and mechanically coupled to the end bell. This transducer is based on a piezoelectric smoke alarm buzzer. The details of the electronics and transducer design are presented along with the results of field tests of the system. The output of the system is approximately one acoustic watt; in arctic tests, it was possible to track the transponder at ranges in excess of 1000 yd, the range being limited more by refraction than by the power or sensitivity of the transponder. It is possible to extend the system operation to other frequencies by using the design approach described in the paper.
Systemic complications and hypothermia

Cooling for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a novel and promising neuroprotective therapy that requires significant understanding of how cooling affects all organ systems and interventions used to treat systemic complications of cooling in an intensive care setting. As cooling is used more widely and has been newly introduced in neonatal units, continued surveillance of its use in clinical practice is mandatory. Units offering cooling should strongly consider joining a registry (e.g. the Vermont-Oxford Neonatal Encephalopathy Registry in the USA or the TOBY Register in the UK) that facilitates benchmarking of short-term adverse effects and long-term outcomes of cooling and that supports local quality improvement efforts.
Parametric modeling for quantitative analysis of pulmonary structure to function relationships

While lung anatomy is well understood, pulmonary structure-to-function relationships such as the complex elastic deformation of the lung during respiration are less well documented. Current methods for studying lung anatomy include conventional chest radiography, high-resolution computed tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging with polarized gases (MRI scan). Pulmonary physiology can be studied using spirometry or V/Q nuclear medicine tests (V/Q scan). V/Q scanning and MRI scans may demonstrate global and regional function. However, each of these individual imaging methods lacks the ability to provide high-resolution anatomic detail, associated pulmonary mechanics and functional variability of the entire respiratory cycle. Specifically, spirometry provides only a one-dimensional gross estimate of pulmonary function, and V/Q scans have poor spatial resolution, reducing its potential for regional assessment of structure-to-function relationships. We have developed a method which utilizes standard clinical CT scanning to provide data for computation of dynamic anatomic parametric models of the lung during respiration which correlates high-resolution anatomy to underlying physiology. The lungs are segmented from both inspiration and expiration three-dimensional (3D) data sets and transformed into a geometric description of the surface of the lung. Parametric mapping of lung surface deformation then provides a visual and quantitative description of the mechanical properties of the lung. Any alteration in lung mechanics is manifest by alterations in normal deformation of the lung wall. The method produces a high-resolution anatomic and functional composite picture from sparse temporal-spatial methods which quantitatively illustrates detailed anatomic structure to pulmonary function relationships impossible for translational methods to provide.
Studies of SV 40 DNA. V. Conversion of circular to linear SV 40 DNA by restriction endonuclease from Escherichia coli B.

Restriction endonuclease preparations from Escherichia coli strains B, K(P1) and B(RTF2) have been found to cleave SV 40 DNA. Purified E. coli B restriction endonuclease converted covalently closed circular SV 40 DNA to predominantly full length linear molecules with intact single strands; open circular molecules were intermediates in the reaction. After denaturation and renaturation, the linear products formed circular duplexes with high efficiency, indicating that individual SV 40 DNA molecules had been cleaved by the B enzyme at different sites. Consistent with this conclusion was the finding that digestion of the linear product with restriction endonuclease from Hemophilus influenzae yielded DNA fragments indistinguishable electrophoretically from those found after digestion of circular SV 40 DNA with the same enzyme.
Living Our Mission: A Study of University Mission Building

ABSTRACT At the same time that organizational communication and management scholars are focusing attention on trends of spirituality in the workplace, faith-based organizations are taking up the question of how they might maintain a distinct spiritual identity. For these institutions, communicating mission becomes the defining feature of institutional identity. Explicitly religious organizations provide a venue for understanding the implications of incorporating spirituality in organizational discourse. This empirical study explores a mission-building conference and examines the ways in which communicating a spiritual mission simultaneously enriches and constrains both the individual members and the organizations as a whole.
Generalized One-Dimensional Compressible Flow Matrix Inverse

Unlike simple flows, most generalized flows are not amenable to closed-form analysis. The one-dimensional compressible flow differential equations are generally obtained from tables of influence coefficients. Attention is presently given to a matrix inverse useful in the generation of either the table of influence coefficients or the differential equations for generalized one-dimensional compressible flows. 5 refs.
Effective Teachers for At-Risk or Highly Mobile Students: What are the Dispositions and Behaviors of Award-Winning Teachers?

What distinguishes effective teachers of at-risk or highly mobile students was the essential question addressed in this study. We conducted a cross-case analysis of US national or state award-winning teachers who taught in schools with student populations characterized as highly mobile, homeless, and/or high poverty. Six teachers meeting the criteria were selected as participants. Frameworks of effective teaching characteristics were adapted from prior research and from a review of the literature to gather on-site classroom observational and interview data from participating teachers. The data were examined in light of extant research related to teaching at-risk or highly mobile students and yielded information regarding beliefs and practices. Teachers' interview responses focused on 2 main areas of teacher effectiveness: the importance of student–teacher relationships and instructional delivery. These teachers emphasized affective and academic needs in their planning, instruction, and assessment. They ha...
The varieties of chance in scientific research

Four kinds of luck can be defined --- one that is pure "blind" luck, and three others that are influenced to some degree by certain behavioral characteristics. The term, altamirage is introduced to call attention to that special personal quality by which good luck is prompted as a result of personally distinctive actions (Chance IV). In contrast, serendipity involves finding valuable things as a result of happy accidents (Chance I), general exploratory behaviour (Chance II), or saga-city (Chance III). The most novel scientific discoveries occur when several varities of chance coincide.
Prompt quark production by exploding sphalerons

Following recent works on the production and subsequent explosive decay of QCD sphaleronlike clusters, we discuss the mechanism of quark pair production in this process. We first show how the gauge field explosive solution of Luscher and Schechter can be achieved by noncentral conformal mapping from the O(4)-symmetric solution. Our main result is a new solution to the Dirac equation in real time in this configuration, obtained by the same inversion of the fermion O(4) zero mode. It explicitly shows how the quark acceleration occurs, starting from the spherically O(3)-symmetric zero energy chiral quark state to the final spectrum of nonzero energies. The sphaleronlike clusters with any Chern-Simons number always produce ${N}_{F}\mathbf{L}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}\mathbf{R}$ quarks, and the antisphaleron-like clusters the opposite chirality. The result are relevant for hadron-hadron and nucleus-nucleus collisions at large $\sqrt{s},$ wherein such clusters can be produced.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome secondary to pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is a rare (approximately 2.0%) complication of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP/HUS). The opposite finding has rarely been reported. We present a case of an 18 years old obese male with alcohol associated pancreatitis (amylase 840 IU/L) who three days after onset, as the pancreatitis subsided (amylase 341 U/L), developed TTP/HUS. The TTP/HUS was marked by oliguria and severe renal failure (creatinine 1,326 mumol/L), was treated with daily plasma exchanges, obtained a complete response, and recovered renal function (creatinine 115 mumol/L). Similarly, in six of seven other cases from the medical literature the TTP/HUS occurred within 2-3 days of the onset of pancreatitis.
An electron microscopic study of degeneration of nerve terminals after administration of epinephrine.

Abstract 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been used clinically to create a chemical sympathectomy and has been shown to cause acute, selective degeneration of sympathetic nerve terminals. Because epinephrine, an endogenous catecholamine, resembles 6-OHDA structurally, it was reasoned that some doses of epinephrine might cause similar degeneration. Supralethal doses of epinephrine were given to five cats pretreated with phenozybenzamine (an alpha receptor blocker known to protect animals from epinephrine's lethal effects) and the irises and spleen capsules were examined with the electron microscope and compared to control animals. In addition, high doses of epinephrine alone were given to three cats and specimens were taken and compared to controls. It appears systemic epinephrine administration can result in acute degeneration of nerve terminals while leaving other structures intact as has been reported for 6-OHDA.
Enhanced sympathetic neurite outgrowth on rat hippocampal tissue sections following septal lesions

Cryostat sections of the rat hippocampus were used as tissue culture substrates for embryonic chick sympathetic explants. Neurite outgrowth from these explants was found to be significantly greater on sections taken from animals with septal lesions as compared to those receiving sham operations. This finding suggests that septal denervation leads to hippocampal substrate changes that enhance sympathetic neurite outgrowth in vitro, perhaps analogous to the sympathetic sprouting response that occurs in vivo.
Identifying children with special health care needs in the National Health Interview Survey: a new resource for policy analysis.

Objective To test the feasibility of using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to identify children with chronic illness through a noncategorical approach, as exemplified by the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) screener. The ability to use the NHIS to identify CSHCN will permit analyses of the effects of welfare reform and public insurance eligibility expansions during the late 1990s on CSHCN.
Effects of the Gain Saturation Factor on the Nonlinear Dynamics of Optically Injected Semiconductor Lasers

The gain saturation factor describes the proportionality between the real and imaginary parts of the optical susceptibility associated with the circulating optical field in the laser cavity. This factor depends on where the laser operates relative to the gain peak. The effects of the gain saturation factor on the characteristics of the nonlinear phenomena induced by optical injection are studied to find the optimal operating conditions for various application requirements. Such requirements include high microwave frequency, low phase noise, broadband frequency tunability, high modulation bandwidth, optical single-sideband modulation, and stability. Optically injected semiconductor lasers of positive, negative, and zero gain saturation factors are compared through mappings of their nonlinear dynamical characteristics as functions of the detuning frequency and the injection strength. It is found that the instability of an optically injected laser is enhanced by a smaller or more negative gain saturation factor. In both stable locking and periodic oscillations, a laser of a positive gain saturation factor that is smaller than the linewdith enhancement factor is most suitable for optical transmission requirements.
Limitation of Time-of-Flight Resolution in the Ultra High Mass Range

In this work, we have examined the reason for the deterioration of resolution and mass accuracy of time-of-flight mass analyzers with increasing mass after the expansion-induced kinetic energy has been eliminated by collisional cooling in an ion guide. Theoretically, removing the expansion-induced kinetic energy by collisional cooling permits the ions to travel along the ion guide axes without significant deviation so that they can be injected into the analyzer in a well-collimated ion beam with well-defined kinetic energy. If the ions can be injected into an orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass analyzer (oa-TOF) in this manner, high-resolution mass analysis can be obtained regardless of mass or m/z. Unfortunately, high resolution did not result. It is our contention that the effusive expansion out of the first ion guide yields dispersive axial ejection that reduces TOF resolving power with increasing mass not m/z.
Triangular repunit—there is but 1

In this paper, we demonstrate that 1 is the only integer that is both triangular and a repunit.
Protein Kinase A-dependent Transactivation by the E2A-Pbx1 Fusion Protein

The chimeric gene E2A-PBX1 is formed by the t(1;19) chromosomal translocation exclusively associated with pediatric pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL). The resultant fusion protein from this chimeric gene contains the DNA-binding homeodomain of Pbx1. The first and only functional Pbx1 binding site has been localized in bovine CYP17 to a sequence (CRS1) that participates in cAMP-dependent transcription of this gene encoding the steroid hydroxylase, 17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P450. Because Pbx1 is not expressed in pre-B cells, it may be possible that the E2a-Pbx1 fusion protein expressed in pre-B cells having this translocation will activate, in response to cAMP, transcription of genes not normally expressed in these cells leading to arrest of differentiation at the pre-B cell stage. We have now shown that reporter genes comprising CRS1 are activated transcriptionally by protein kinase A (PKA) in the pre-B cell line 697, which endogenously expresses the fusion protein, and that overexpression of E2A-Pbx1 in additional cell lines enhances transcription of reporter genes in a PKA-dependent fashion. Thus, it seems plausible that arrest in the pre-B stage leading to pre-B ALL includes cAMP-dependent activation of E2A-Pbx1.
Model laws of eddy-current couplings for aircraft alternator drives

A description of different types of eddy-current clutches is given. The difficulties encountered in designing these are explained. A method to predict the torque-speed characteristic of eddy-current devices based on dimensional analysis and model theory is developed. Experimental data show the calculations made with the method are sufficiently accurate for engineering purposes.
Clinical and Genetic Characterization of a Kindred with Thr60Ala Transthyretin Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy (P03.188)

Objective: To describe the variable presentation of TTR Thr 60 Ala Transthyretin Familial Amyloidotic Polyneuropathy (FAP) within a family and determine if the mutation is de novo or related to the previously described Donegal kindred. Background Transthyretin FAP is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by sensory and autonomic polyneuropathy and variable cardiac, renal, liver, and other organ system involvement. Over 100 known mutations exist. The Thr 60 Ala mutation has been reported by several groups and felt to be the result of a founder mutation from Donegal, Ireland. Design/Methods: We describe the clinical and available electrodiagnostic presentations of six mutation positive individuals in a family with Thr 60 Ala Transthyretin FAP. Haplotype analysis on two affected family members was performed using PCR and compared to the previously described haplotype of the Donegal kindred. Results: The proband developed a painful sensory polyneuropathy at age 48. Muscle weakness rapidly followed. Autonomic symptoms of erectile dysfunction, orthostasis, and postprandial nausea and vomiting were prominent and early features. Cardiomyopathy was also identified. Electrodiagnostic evaluation showed severe sensorimotor axonal polyneuropathy. Death occurred within 7 years of diagnosis. The other five family members with the mutation were less severely affected, ranging from asymptomatic to mild polyneuropathy and cardiac involvement. Haplotype analysis strongly suggested that this family is related to the previously described Donegal kindred. Conclusions: The Thr 60 Ala Transthyretin FAP phenotype is characterized by variable penetrance with sensory > motor polyneuropathy and cardiac involvement. Haplotype analysis suggests this mutation arose primarily from a single founder and is not a common spontaneous mutation. Supported by: In part by the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey, FoldRx, and Pfizer. Disclosure: Dr. Graham has nothing to disclose. Dr. Slavov has nothing to disclose. Dr. Taylor has received personal compensation for activities with Guidepoint Global as a consultant. Dr. Quan has nothing to disclose.
Characterization of the Light-induced Transient States of the Chlorophyll Proteins 668 and 743 from Atriplex rosea

The light-induced transient states of chlorophyll-protein 668 (Cp668) and its photoconverted from Cp743 were investigated using flash photolysis. Short lived transient species induced by a short flash were detected in both Cp668 and Cp743. The Cp668 transient had a half decay time of 2.0 milliseconds and showed a broad absorption band at 460 nanometers. The Cp743 transient had a half decay time of only 0.6 millisecond and had a major absorption peak at 410 nanometers in addition, to a broad absorption band around 530 nanometers. Both transient signals were quenched by oxygen. Cp668 had a temperature-dependent delayed fluorescence at room temperature with a half-life of 2.0 milliseconds, the same as the life-time of the absorption transient. This suggests that the transient species observed was a triplet state of chlorophyll. The light-induced transients of both Cp668 and Cp743 were formed with high efficiency. A very low quantum efficiency was found for the photoconversion of Cp668 to Cp743 suggesting another intermediate in the conversion sequence. The photoconversion reaction requires oxygen suggesting that an intermediate in the reaction sequence might be superoxide or singlet oxygen.
Configuration products and quotients in geometric modeling

The six-dimensional space SE(3) is traditionally associated with the space of configurations of a rigid solid (a subset of Euclidean three-dimensional space R^3). But a solid itself can be also considered to be a set of configurations, and therefore a subset of SE(3). This observation removes the artificial distinction between shapes and their configurations, and allows formulation and solution of a large class of problems in mechanical design and manufacturing. In particular, the configuration product of two subsets of configuration space is the set of all configurations obtained when one of the sets is transformed by all configurations of the other. The usual definitions of various sweeps, Minkowski sum, and other motion related operations are then realized as projections of the configuration product into R^3. Similarly, the dual operation of configuration quotient subsumes the more common operations of unsweep and Minkowski difference. We identify the formal properties of these operations that are instrumental in formulating and solving both direct and inverse problems in computer aided design and manufacturing. Finally, we show that all required computations may be approximated using a fast parallel sampling method on a GPU and provide error estimates for the approximation.
SU‐E‐T‐271: Irradiating a Single Hippocampus in a Small Rodent Using VMAT‐ RapidArc SRS: Preliminary Data

Purpose: To develop and optimize the procedures for the precise irradiation of the hippocampal region in a rodent with minimum radiation dose to the remainder of the brain. For this purpose, VMAT‐RapidArc SRS was used to irradiate one hippocampus of athymic nude (ATN) rats. Prescribed dose was verified through TLD measurements and spared brain region(s) were confirmed through immunohistochemical analysis postmortem.Methods: Seven ATN rats, 10–12 weeks old underwent human‐like radiation treatment planning followed by SRS.MRI and CT axial images of 0.8 mm thickness of the rat's skull were acquired and transferred to ECLIPSE treatment planningsoftware where brain, right and left hippocampi were contoured. A VMAT‐RapidArc plan consisting of two 3600 axial arcs and two 1200 vertex arcs irradiated the left hippocampus only to a dose of 10 Gy. Treatment was delivered using a 6 MV photon beam from a Trilogy Linac equipped with OBI. TLD measurements were performed prior to treatment using a custom made phantom that simulated the rat's brain and body. Orthogonal x‐ray images taken with the OBI and co‐registered to DRR images were used to adjust the rat's treatment position. One month post‐ irradiation, rats were sacrificed and brain dissection was performed to verify the radiation effects in the targeted and non‐targeted regions. Results: Percent differences between calculated and measured dose were ∼12% which was expected due to the small field sizes (<2cm) used. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed a significant reduction in cell population in the ipsilateral hippocampus while cell populations comparable to those in a non‐irradiated subject were observed in the contralateral hippocampal region. Conclusions: Present results demonstrate that precise irradiation of small volumes within a rat's brain can be achieved with human‐like image‐guided VMAT‐RapidArc treatment. Postmortem analysis of the rat brain provides evidence of high‐precision targeted radiation damage and dose sparing.
Age alone should not preclude surgery: Contemporary outcomes after aortic valve replacement in nonagenarians

Objectives Advanced age plays a major role in surgical risk algorithms; however, the outcomes data for the very elderly are lacking. We, therefore, evaluated the outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in nonagenarians (age, >90 years) at our institution during an 11-year period. Methods The demographics, procedural details, and in-hospital outcomes were retrospectively analyzed for 119 nonagenarians with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis who had undergone SAVR or SAVR plus concomitant surgery from 2001 to 2012. The mean follow-up period was 915 ± 832 days. Results The average age was 91.7 ± 1.9 years (range, 90-98), and the mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 8.9 ± 5.7. The mean aortic valve gradient was 45 ± 16 mm Hg, mean aortic valve area was 0.66 ± 0.2 cm 2 , and mean ejection fraction was 49.8% ± 11.8%; 47% underwent isolated SAVR. The average length of stay was longer than expected; however, the rates of prolonged ventilation (16.8%), new atrial fibrillation (43.7%), stroke (0.8%), and renal failure (5.9%) were acceptable. Three patients (2.5%) required reoperation for bleeding. Overall, the 30-day and 1-year mortality was 7.6% and 21.0%, respectively. The multivariate predictors of mortality at 1 year included previous myocardial infarction (hazard ratio, 2.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-6.45; P = .016), obstructive lung disease (hazard ratio, 3.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.66-9.15; P = .025), and diabetes (hazard ratio, 2.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-7.07; P = .033). The observed in-hospital mortality was lower than expected (observed/expected, 0.85). Conclusions Excellent procedural and long-term outcomes can be achieved in nonagenarians, and age alone should not be a contraindication to SAVR in selected populations. Our sample cohort has validated the feasibility of a primary operative strategy in elderly patients with aortic stenosis and acceptable risk profiles.
Semivolatile particulate organic material in southern Africa during SAFARI 2000

[1] During August and September 2000, the University of Washington's (UW) Cloud and Aerosol Research Group (CARG) with its Convair-580 research aircraft participated in the Southern African Fire-Atmosphere Research Initiative (SAFARI) 2000 field study in southern Africa. Aboard this aircraft was a Particle Concentrator-Brigham Young University Organic Sampling System (PC-BOSS), which was used to determine semivolatile particulate material with a diffusion denuder sampler. Denuded quartz filters and sorbent beds in series were used to measure nonvolatile and semivolatile materials, respectively. Results obtained with the PC-BOSS are compared to those obtained with conventional quartz–quartz and Teflon–quartz filter pack samplers. Various 10–120 min integrated samples were collected during flights through the free troposphere, in the atmospheric boundary layer, and in plumes from savanna fires. Significant fine particulate semivolatile organic compounds (SVOC) were found in all samples. The SVOC was not collected by conventional filter pack samplers and therefore would not have been determined in previous studies that used only filter pack samplers. The SVOC averaged 24% of the fine particulate mass in emissions from the fires and 36% of the fine particulate mass in boundary layer samples heavily impacted by aged emissions from savanna fires. Concentrations of fine particulate material in the atmospheric mixed layer heavily impacted by aged savanna fire emissions averaged 130 μg m−3. This aerosol was 85% carbonaceous material.
One- and two-metal ion catalysis: global single-turnover kinetic analysis of the PvuII endonuclease mechanism.

Ester hydrolysis is one of the most ubiquitous reactions in biochemistry. Many of these reactions rely on metal ions for various mechanistic steps. A large number of metal-dependent nucleases have been crystallized with two metal ions in their active sites. In spite of an ongoing discussion about the roles of these metal ions in nucleic acid hydrolysis, there are very few studies which examine this issue using the native cofactor Mg(II) and global fitting of reaction progress curves. As part of a comprehensive study of the representative homodimeric PvuII endonuclease, we have collected single-turnover DNA cleavage data as a function of Mg(II) concentration and globally fit these data to a number of models which test various aspects of the metallonuclease mechanism. DNA association rate constants are ∼100-fold higher in the presence of the catalytically nonsupportive Ca(II) versus the native cofactor Mg(II), highlighting an interesting cofactor difference. A pathway in which metal ions bind prior to DNA i...