cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of advanced stages of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia with interferon-alpha and low-dose cytarabine.

PURPOSETo evaluate the efficacy of interferon-alpha (IFN-A) and low-dose cytarabine (ara-C) combination chemotherapy in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).PATIENTS AND METHODSSixty patients with advanced phases of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive CML received combination therapy with IFN-A 5 x 10(6) U/m2 daily, and low-dose ara-C 15 mg/m2 daily for 2 weeks every 4 weeks until remission, then for 1 week every month as maintenance. Forty patients were in late chronic-phase CML, and 20 were in accelerated-phase CML (16 with clonal evolution only, four with other criteria). Their outcome was compared with 58 patients (39 late chronic-phase CML and 19 accelerated-phase CML) who had been previously treated with IFN-A alone in the same dose schedule.RESULTSIn late chronic-phase CML, patients receiving IFN-A plus ara-C had a better complete hematologic response (CHR) rate compared with those treated with IFN-A alone (55% v 28%; P = .02), a trend for better Ph suppression (15% v 5%; P = .13), an...
Bis(4‐trimethylsilylphenyl) Disulfide and Bis(4‐trimethylsilylphenyl) Diselenide

X = S [18546-89-9] C18H26S2Si2 (MW 362.70) X = Se [850185-96-5] C18H26Se2Si2 (MW 456.49) InChI = 1S/C18H26S2Si2/c1-21(2,3)17-11-7-15(8-12-17)19-20-16-9-13-18(14-10-16)22(4,5)6/h7-14H,1-6H3 InChIKey = RNHDNEGPJOGBBX-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagents used as odorless replacements for diphenyl disulfide and diphenyl diselenide) Physical Data: bis(4-trimethylsilylphenyl) disulfide is a colorless solid, mp 47–48 °C (hexane), and bis(4-trimethylsilylphenyl) diselenide is a yellow solid, mp 45 °C. Preparative Methods:1 the synthesis of bis(4-trimethylsilylphenyl) disulfide 2 involves oxidation of odorless 4-trimethylsilylthiophenol 12a with odorless methyl 6-morpholinohexyl sulfoxide (MMSO)2b in the presence of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) (eq 1). For the diselenide, 4-trimethylsilylphenylmagnesium bromide was reacted with selenium powder to provide the organoselenium intermediate 3, which was then reduced with NaBH4 in MeOH to afford the desired diselenide 4 in 65% overall yield (eq 2). (1) (2)
Increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus with HIV-1 infection

Abstract Background : The proportion of people with HIV-1 infection who have coexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing. The higher incidence of type 2 DM in this patient population is associated with increased survival from HIV-1 infection due to advanced HIV treatment strategies and therapies, as well as a complex interaction of diabetes risk factors, including family history, body composition, comorbidities, HIV treatment modality, and disease progression. Objective : The purpose of this article was to describe the impact of these contributing factors on the risk for type 2 DM among people with HIV-1 infection and the available treatment options for managing type 2 DM in these patients. Methods : The Ovid MEDLINE database was searched for English language articles published between January 2005 and June 2009. Various search strategies were applied to identify appropriate articles. The references listed in the retrieved documents were searched for additional articles. Nonhuman studies were excluded. Results : Abnormal glucose homeostasis and metabolic disturbances associated with HIV-1 infection appear to have become widespread after the introduction and application of potent antiretroviral therapy, including protease inhibitors (PIs), ritonavir-boosted PIs, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). PIs and NNRTIs may have pathogenic roles in insulin resistance, whereas the stage and progression of HIV-1 infection affect lipid values and glucose homeostasis. It is estimated that as many as 80% of patients currently treated with PIs develop insulin resistance compared with ~2% before the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Evidence suggests that statins may be contraindicated as a combination therapy with PIs when comanaging dyslipidemia and HIV-1 infection. Pharmacotherapy for HIV-1 infection must be monitored closely for its impact on patients' metabolic and cardiovascular systems, and necessary modifications made while monitoring and maintaining the stability of the viral load. Conclusions : The metabolic effects of combination therapies for HIV infection, including PIs, ritonavir-boosted PIs, NRTIs, and NNRTIs, appear to increase the risk for insulin resistance, type 2 DM, and poor cardiovascular disease outcomes. Because of differences in the pharmacokinetic properties between statins and PIs, it is critical for clinicians to properly manage combination antiretroviral therapy, as well as pharmacotherapy for DM and dyslipidemia, when managing patients with HIV-1 infection and insulin resistance. Clinicians must consider the stage of HIV disease and the demographic characteristics of patients with these comorbid diseases, both of which require careful attention to medical management, pharmacotherapy, and patient adherence to treatment recommendations.
TOTAL SHOULDER ARTHROPLASTY VERSUS HEMIARTHROPLASTY: Current Trends

Currently, a debate exists regarding the indications for hemiarthroplasty and total shoulder arthroplasty. A number of factors are important in making this decision. The article discusses some of the variables related to choosing the appropriate procedure for every patient. The authors also discuss their approach to various arthritic conditions of the shoulder, the rationale behind their approach, and their results. Future work will be necessary before more definitive recommendations can be made, and they may well be different for each individual surgeon.
From Poor Substrates to Good Inhibitors: Design of Inhibitors for Serine and Thiol Proteases†

Serine and thiol proteases react with peptide substrates to form an acyl-enzyme. We have synthesized inhibitors which are pseudo-substrates and react with the proteases to generate acyl-enzymes whi...
Synthesis and photodegradation of poly[1,4-bis(dimethylsilyl)naphthalene]

Poly[1,4-bis(dimethylsilyl)naphthalene](I), a copolymer with alternating 1,4-naphthalene and disilyl units, has been prepared by the Wurtz coupling of 1,4-bis(dimethylchlorosilyl) naphthalene (II) or 1,4-bis(dimethylfluorosilyl)naphthalene (III) with sodium metal dispersion in toluene. The molecular weight distribution of I prepared from III is significantly higher than when I is prepared from II. I has been characterized by 1H, 13C and 29Si NMR, IR, UV, GPC, TGA and elemental analysis. Photolysis of I in benzene/methanol solution results in rapid degradation of I.
Kinetic stabilization of an oligomeric protein by a single ligand binding event

Protein native state stabilization imposed by small molecule binding is an attractive strategy to prevent the misfolding and misassembly processes associated with amyloid diseases. Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidogenesis requires rate-limiting tetramer dissociation before misassembly of a partially denatured monomer ensues. Selective stabilization of the native TTR tetramer over the dissociative transition state by small molecule binding to both thyroxine binding sites raises the kinetic barrier of tetramer dissociation, preventing amyloidogenesis. Assessing the amyloidogenicity of a TTR tetramer having only one amyloidogenesis inhibitor (I) bound is challenging because the two small molecule binding constants are generally not distinct enough to allow for the exclusive formation of TTR.I in solution to the exclusion of TTR.I(2) and unliganded TTR. Herein, we report a method to tether one fibril formation inhibitor to TTR by disulfide bond formation. Occupancy of only one of the two thyroxine binding sites is sufficient to inhibit tetramer dissociation in 6.0 M urea and amyloidogenesis under acidic conditions by imposing kinetic stabilization on the entire tetramer. The sufficiency of single occupancy for stabilizing the native state of TTR provides the incentive to search for compounds displaying striking negative binding cooperativity (e.g., K(d1) in nanomolar range and K(d2) in the micromolar to millimolar range), enabling lower doses of inhibitor to be employed in the clinic, mitigating potential side effects.
A randomized controlled trial comparing acetaminophen, acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and acetaminophen and codeine for postoperative pain relief after Mohs surgery and cutaneous reconstruction.

BACKGROUNDThere are no population-based data comparing analgesics after Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and reconstruction.OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy in pain management of three analgesic combinations.METHODSIn a randomized, double-blind, controlled study, patients undergoing MMS and reconstru
Determination of the intracellular concentration of 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate in cultured mammalian fibroblasts

Abstract The properties of an assay for the 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) content of cultured mammalian fibroblasts are described. The assay is based upon the PRPP-dependent release of 14 CO 2 from [ carboxyl - 14 C]orotic acid by a commercially available preparation of yeast orotidine-5′-monophosphate pyrophosphorylase and orotidine-5′-monophosphate decarboxylase. The advantages of the assay include the fact that it is based on the enzymatic recognition of PRPP, employs an irreversible reaction, and does not involve either the chromatographic separation of substrate and product or the purification of a phosphoribosyltransferase. The disadvantage of the assay is that the efficiency of PRPP measurement varies somewhat, in part because the yeast enzyme preparation contains 5′-nucleotidase activity. A calibration procedure is described which corrects for variation in efficiency both between and within experiments. This procedure seems to yield highly reliable estimates of PRPP content. The assay will readily detect 0.6 nmol, and the cell strain studied contained 7.76 ± 1.14 nmol of PRPP 10 7 cells .
Endogenous adenosine and secondary injury after chest trauma.

Background: No previous studies have examined actions of adenosine or related compounds after blunt chest trauma, but we have shown that the prototype adenosine-regulating agent, acadesine (aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide [AICAR]), has multiple favorable anti-inflammatory actions after other forms of trauma, ischemia, hemorrhage, and sepsis; and that a progressive inflammatory response in the contralateral (uninjured) lung after unilateral blunt chest trauma is caused (in part) by activation and sequestration of circulating leukocytes (white blood cells [WBCs]). Thus, we hypothesized that AICAR would ameliorate WBC-dependent, secondary pathophysiologic changes after blunt chest trauma. Methods: Mongrel pigs (28 ± 1 kg, n = 21) were anesthetized, mechanically ventilated, and injured on the right chest (pulmonary contusion) with a captive bolt gun. Either AICAR (1 mg/kg + 0.2 mg/ kg/min) or its saline vehicle were administered for a 12-hour period, beginning IS minutes before injury. Results: Injury caused a three- to fourfold increase in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) WBC counts, 10- to 20-fold increases in BAL protein, and 200% increases in lung edema as measured by wet-dry ratio (all p < 0.05), in both the injured (right) and the noninjured (left) lungs. With AICAR versus saline, BAL WBC counts, lung myeloperoxidase levels, and systemic hemodynamics were similar. However, the increases in BAL protein were attenuated by 30% to 50% (p < 0.14, NS) and edema was reduced (p < 0.05) in both lungs. Furthermore, oxygenation, hypercapnia, acidosis (all p < 0.05), and survival were improved (9 of 10 vs. 4 of 11, p < 0.04). Conclusion: Pretreatment with AICAR before experimental pulmonary contusion ameliorates the trauma-induced destruction of the alveolar capillary membrane, and attenuates the delayed secondary injury in the contralateral uninjured lung, by a mechanism that may be independent of leukocytes. Endogenous adenosine could have a role in the pathophysiologic response after blunt chest injury, with potential sites of action including the endothelium and alveolar macrophage. Adenosine-regulating agents may have therapeutic potential after blunt chest injury, but further studies are needed in clinically relevant models, with administration begun at the time of resuscitation.
Subthalamic nucleus stimulation and lesioning have distinct state-dependent effects upon striatal dopamine metabolism.

The mechanism by which deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) achieves its effects in Parkinson's disease (PD) is not known. In animal models of PD, stimulation and lesioning of the STN have some effects which are the same, but others which differ, in reversing cellular and behavioral changes induced by dopamine depletion. We compared the effects of short-term STN stimulation and lesions upon extracellular levels of dopamine and metabolites using in vivo microdialysis of the dorsal striatum of awake, intact and unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6OHDA)-lesioned rats. STN stimulation in control rats decreased striatal dopamine levels and caused a relative increase in dopamine metabolism, as expressed by HVA/dopamine and DOPAC/dopamine ratios. This suggests an increase in both vesicular dopamine release (metabolized to HVA), and release from the cytoplasmic dopamine pool (metabolized to DOPAC). STN lesions in control rats increased the HVA/dopamine ratio, also suggesting a relative increase in vesicular dopamine release. These results indicate that STN stimulation and lesioning can affect striatal dopamine metabolism in the intact system. In 6OHDA-lesioned rats at baseline, metabolic ratios were markedly decreased as compared with controls. STN lesions of 6OHDA-lesioned rats did not affect relative metabolic ratios as compared with baseline levels. In 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, STN stimulation decreased extracellular levels of dopamine, and, to a greater extent, metabolites, resulting in a decrease in metabolic ratios. This further decrease in dopamine turnover with STN stimulation would serve to maintain dopamine levels in the dopamine-depleted striatum, and may account for the therapeutic benefit of DBS in Parkinson's disease. Synapse 63:136–146, 2009. Published 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Erythropoietin-Induced Thrombosis as a Result of Increased Inflammation and Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolytic Inhibitor

Chronic inflammation is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease. The associated anemia in these patients due to renal cortical atrophy and erythropoietin deficiency is treated with recombinant erythropoietin. Recent reports suggest a growing incidence of symptomatic venous thrombosis in cancer patients treated with recombinant erythropoietin. Several investigators have reported on different mechanisms of thrombosis in these patients. We hypothesize that thrombosis in patients with end-stage renal disease due to increased expression of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a result of chronic inflammation promotes the release of thrombin activatable fibrinolytic inhibitor causing fibrinolytic deficit and eventually thrombosis. Furthermore, because endothelial nitric oxide is responsible for the maintenance of the normal vascular function, the decreased levels of nitric oxide in chronic inflammation cause endothelial damage and result in thrombosis. To test this hypothesis, blood samples were collected from 106 patients (49 male and 57 female, aged 59.8+/-15.7 years) with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis and treated with recombinant erythropoietin at a mean dose of 201.8 U/kg/week. Blood samples were drawn in 5-mL tubes containing 3.2% sodium citrate just before the hemodialysis procedure. These blood samples were immediately centrifuged to obtain platelet-poor plasma, which was aliquoted and frozen at -70 degrees C until further analysis. Erytropoietin antibodies were measured using an anti-EPO enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method developed in our laboratory. Nitric oxide was measured using a NO analyzer (Sievers 280I, Ionics, Boulder, CO). Plasma CRP levels were measured with a highly sensitive ELISA method IMUNOCLONE CRP ELISA (American Diagnostica, Greenwich, CT). TAFI antigen levels in plasma were analyzed with an IMUCLONE TAFI ELISA kit (American Diagnostica, Greenwich, CT). TAFI functional activity was assayed with an ACTICHROME TAFI activity kit. The measured levels of nitric oxide, CRP, TAFI antigen, and TAFI functional were 37.36+/-36.8 (normal value, 37.49+/-18.96; range, 19.3-102 microM), 12.27+/-10.6 (normal value, < 1 microg/mL), 146.9+/-28.4% NHP (normal, 100% NHP), and 102.55+/-37% NHP (normal range, 22.3-165.7; mean, 89.5% NHP), respectively. The erythropoietin antibody was detected in 9.4% of the patient group. While 20% of the erythropoietin antibody-positive and 27.1% of the erythropoietin antibody-negative patients experienced chest pain, thrombotic events developed in 9.4% of the erythropoietin antibody-negative patients. These data provide the rationale for a novel mechanism of thrombosis through increased activity of CRP, nitric oxide, and TAFI, leading to fibrinolytic deficit and thrombosis in patients treated with erythropoietin.
Research on meaning-representation in natural languages: U. of California at Berkeley

A basic assumption underlying our approach to the problem of meaning-representation in natural languages is that almost everything that relates to natural languages is a matter of degree. Viewed in this perspective, the classical two-valued logic does not provide a suitable basis for a comprehensive theory of natural languages and, especially, for the representation of meaning, knowledge and strength of belief.
Orbital compartment syndrome from retrobulbar hemorrhage

A 48-year-old man sustained significant left-sided facial and eye trauma after having been struck with a falling tree branch. He had a proptotic left eye with a fixed and dilated pupil, complete unilateral vision loss, and an intraocular pressure of 80 mmHg. An emergent lateral canthotomy was performed, ophthalmology was paged, and the patient was sent for computed tomography (CT). The orbital space is an enclosed area that is unable to expand making it particularly vulnerable to compartment syndrome. Acute rises in intraorbital pressures (normal <20 mmHg), such as those following traumatic events, can lead to a dramatic decrease in perfusion with subsequent ischemia much like those seen in other compartment syndromes [1]. Raised intraorbital pressures lasting for just 60–100 min can lead to permanent visual sequelae [2]. Thus early recognition and prompt treatment are essential to preventing vision loss. Orbital compartment syndrome (OCS) is a clinical diagnosis that should always be suspected in patients presenting with periorbital bruising, impairment of vision, fixed dilated pupils, and proptosis following a blunt trauma [3]. CT is commonly employed to further evaluate the extent of injury to guide further management. This is preferred to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) primarily because of time constraints associated with this syndrome. OCS is an ophthalmologic surgical emergency; therefore, treatment should not be delayed to obtain imaging. First-line treatment for suspicion of OCS is emergent lateral canthectomy which can be performed at the bedside [4]. Additional management in the case of OCS from significant trauma is usually required as adjacent structures are often involved. CT scan revealed a possible small extra-axial hematoma along the anterior-inferior left temporal lobe, multiple maxillofacial bone fractures, left orbital blowout fracture with herniation of the orbital contents inferiorly, abnormal ocular globe contour, left maxillary and paranasal sinus hemorrhage, and small hemocephalus.
The dynamics of framing environmental values and policy: Four models of societal processes

While the subject of framing has achieved considerable recognition recently among social scientists and policy analysts, less attention has been given to how societies arrive at stable, collective frames of meaning for environmental values and policy. This paper proposes four models of societal processes by which framing occurs: narration, modelling, canonisation and normalisation. These four models are developed, compared, and explored in detail through a case study of the framing of the impacts of climate change on human societies in US science policy from the 1960s through the 1990s. I conclude by offering a number of potentially fruitful avenues for further research into the dynamics of framing.
Model studies of ferulate-coniferyl alcohol cross-product formation in primary maize walls: implications for lignification in grasses.

Ferulate and diferulates mediate cell wall cross-linking in grasses, but little is known about their cross-coupling reactions with monolignols and their role in lignin formation in primary cell wal...
A senior manager with a knowledge management portfolio: the Santa Clara County experience.

The agency director sought to create a systematically coordinated department that utilizes knowledge management strategies to promote evidence-informed practice. In his view, the organization was not providing needed information or organizational supports for practitioners to use knowledge effectively. To address this issue, he created a Director of Development and Operational Planning (DDOP) position with the responsibility to build structures and facilitate processes that support knowledge management. The DDOP oversees research and planning, government relations, legislative development and support, Board of Supervisors communications, staff development and training, community contracts, public information and in-house communication. The DDOP is reorganizing units under her supervision to create a knowledge management matrix that will implement new knowledge sharing strategies related to evaluation, contracts, legislation, organizational development, policy and planning, and staff development. The case ...
Consumer health information services in the hospital setting.

Abstract Before planning for provision of Consumer Health Information Services, the librarian and administration must anticipate the problems encountered in sharing funds, personnel, space, and materials with an existing medical or patient education library. Establishing new space within or outside the hospital, or participating in community projects which meet consumer health information needs, are important considerations for planners. This article sets forth the place of some CHI services in the hospital setting, and how they relate to other library services. Differences between hospital library support for Patient Education and for Consumer Health Information services are discussed.
Agent-Relative Prerogatives to Do Harm

In this paper, I offer two arguments in support of the proposition that there are sometimes agent-relative prerogatives to impose harm on nonliable persons. The first argument begins with a famous case where most people intuitively agree it is permissible to perform an act that results in an innocent person’s death, and where there is no liability-based or consequentialist justification for acting. I show that this case is relevantly analogous to a case involving the intentional imposition of lethal defensive harm on a nonliable person. In the final part of the paper, I provide a second, independent, argument in support of the proposition that there are agent-relative permissions to foreseeably harm or kill nonliable people under certain conditions.
Modeling the Formation of Porphyry-Copper Ores

Porphyry-copper ore systems, the source of much of the world's copper and molybdenum, form when metal-bearing fluids are expelled from shallow, degassing magmas. On page 1613 of this issue, Weis et al. ( 1 ) demonstrate that self-organizing processes focus metal deposition. Specifically, their simulation studies indicate that ores develop as consequences of dynamic variations in rock permeability driven by injection of volatile species from rising magmas. Scenarios with a static permeability structure could not reproduce key field observations, whereas dynamic permeability responses to magmatic-fluid injection localized a metal-precipitation front where enrichment by a factor of 103 could be achieved [for an overview of their numerical-simulation model CSMP++, see ( 2 )].
Chromium−Chromium Multiple Bonding in Cr2(CO)9

Density functional theory (DFT) is used to obtain the first structural characterization of the unsaturated dichromium carbonyl Cr2(CO)9, which is predicted to have a remarkably short metal−metal bond length of 2.31 A (B3LYP) or 2.28 A (BP86). This chromium−chromium distance is essentially identical to that reported experimentally for the established Cr⋮Cr triple bond in (η5-Me5C5)2Cr2(CO)4. The dissociation energy to the fragments Cr(CO)4 and Cr(CO)5 is determined to be 32 kcal/mol (B3LYP) or 43 kcal/mol (BP86). For comparison, the Cr2(CO)10 molecule and the saturated Cr2(CO)11 system have negligible dissociation energies. The minimum energy Cr2(CO)9 structure is of Cs symmetry with the two chromium atoms asymmetrically bonded to the bridging carbonyls. However, within 0.1 kcal/mol lies a C2 symmetry structure with one symmetric and two asymmetric bridging carbonyls. Furthermore, the high symmetry D3h structure analogous to Fe2(CO)9 lies only ∼1 kcal/mol higher in energy. The Cr2(CO)9 molecule is thus hig...
Police discretion: Relations of experience to officers' beliefs and arrest decisions

Questionnaires to assess generalized beliefs about people and factors associated with arrest decisions were completed by police officers. Responses to the Philosophies of Human Nature Scale (Wrightsman, 1974) and to statements about law enforcement and arrest decisions indicated divergent beliefs and interpretations associated with different amounts of experience in the police role. Results are discussed in terms of socialization pressures on officers, and a broader perspective to understand the dynamics of that socialization is proposed.
Child sexual abuse: a follow-up study of reports to a protective service hotline

While much has been written about identifying and treating cases of child sexual abuse, we know little about which services are needed, which are offered and which are used. This study followed 124 cases of child sexual abuse over a minimum period of one year. Findings indicate workers still have difficulty discussing sexual abuse, that over one-third of the cases were reported again during the study period for protective service reasons; that services are provided for less than two years in the majority of cases, and that a multitude of services are needed, but not always available. Implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions made for protective service workers and agencies.
Bilateral synchronous breast cancer: mode of detection and comparison of histologic features between the 2 breasts.

Abstract Background. Bilateral synchronous breast cancer is uncommon (accounting for 1.0%-2.6% of all patients with breast cancer), and most physicians do not accumulate a large personal experience of patients with this disease. We reviewed our experience with patients with bilateral synchronous breast cancer, focusing on the mode of detection and histologic features in the 2 breasts. Methods. The charts of patients who were treated at this institution for bilateral synchronous breast cancer during the 15-year period of 1984 through 1999 were reviewed. Information regarding age, mode of detection, histopathologic features, treatment, and overall survival were analyzed. Results. During the study period, 51 patients (all women) were treated at our institution for bilateral synchronous breast cancer. This comprised 2.1% of all patients (n = 2382 patients) treated for breast cancer during the same period of time. The first cancer was detected by palpation in 81% and by mammography in 14%. The corresponding figures for the contralateral cancer were 24% and 54%, respectively. The histologic type of cancer was identical in the 2 breasts in 29 patients (57%) and was different between the 2 breasts in 22 patients (43%). The overall 10-year survival rate was 63%. Conclusions. Bilateral synchronous breast cancer is often detected by mammography and is frequently of the same histologic type as the index cancer. A better awareness of the risk for this disease may help detect bilateral breast cancer earlier. (Surgery 2000;128:702-7.)
Coping with Time‐Varying Demand When Setting Staffing Requirements for a Service System

We review queueing-theory methods for setting staffing requirements in service systems where customer demand varies in a predictable pattern over the day. Analyzing these systems is not straightforward, because standard queueing theory focuses on the long-run steady-state behavior of stationary models. We show how to adapt stationary queueing models for use in nonstationary environments so that time-dependent performance is captured and staffing requirements can be set. Relatively little modification of straightforward stationary analysis applies in systems where service times are short and the targeted quality of service is high. When service times are moderate and the targeted quality of service is still high, time-lag refinements can improve traditional stationary independent period-by-period and peak-hour approximations. Time-varying infinite-server models help develop refinements, because closed-form expressions exist for their time-dependent behavior. More difficult cases with very long service times and other complicated features, such as end-of-day effects, can often be treated by a modified-offered-load approximation, which is based on an associated infinite-server model. Numerical algorithms and deterministic fluid models are useful when the system is overloaded for an extensive period of time. Our discussion focuses on telephone call centers, but applications to police patrol, banking, and hospital emergency rooms are also mentioned.
On the accuracy of velocity and vorticity measurements with PIV

A number of numerical techniques aimed at improving the accuracy of measurements using the correlation approach in Particle Image Velocimetry, PIV, are proposed and investigated. In this approach the velocity (displacement) is found as the location of a peak in the correlation map. Based on an experimental model the best performing peak finding approaches are selected among different strategies. Second, an algorithm is proposed which minimizes errors on the estimates of vorticity using velocity distributions obtained by means of PIV. The proposed methods are experimentally validated against a flow with known properties.
RT-WiFi: Real-Time High-Speed Communication Protocol for Wireless Cyber-Physical Control Applications

Applying wireless technologies in control systems can significantly enhance the system mobility and reduce the deployment and maintenance cost. Existing wireless technology standards, however either cannot provide real-time guarantee on packet delivery or are not fast enough to support high-speed control systems which typically require 1kHz or higher sampling rate. Nondeterministic packet transmission and insufficiently high sampling rate will severely hurt the control performance. To address this problem, in this paper, we present our design and implementation of a real-time high-speed wireless communication protocol called RT-WiFi. RT-WiFi is a TDMA data link layer protocol based on IEEE 802.11 physical layer to provide deterministic timing guarantee on packet delivery and high sampling rate up to 6kHz. It incorporates configurable components for adjusting design trade-offs including sampling rate, latency variance, reliability, and compatibility to existing Wi-Fi networks, thus can serve as an ideal communication platform for supporting a wide range of high-speed wireless control systems. We implemented RT-WiFi on commercial off-the-shelf hardware and integrated it into a mobile gait rehabilitation system. Our extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of RT-WiFi in providing deterministic packet delivery in both data link layer and application layer, which further eases the controller design and significantly improve the control performance.
Single cell molecular recognition of migrating and invading tumor cells using a targeted fluorescent probe to receptor PTPmu

Detection of an extracellular cleaved fragment of a cell–cell adhesion molecule represents a new paradigm in molecular recognition and imaging of tumors. We previously demonstrated that probes that recognize the cleaved extracellular domain of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase mu (PTPmu) label human glioblastoma brain tumor sections and the main tumor mass of intracranial xenograft gliomas. In this article, we examine whether one of these probes, SBK2, can label dispersed glioma cells that are no longer connected to the main tumor mass. Live mice with highly dispersive glioma tumors were injected intravenously with the fluorescent PTPmu probe to test the ability of the probe to label the dispersive glioma cells in vivo. Analysis was performed using a unique three-dimensional (3D) cryo-imaging technique to reveal highly migratory and invasive glioma cell dispersal within the brain and the extent of colabeling by the PTPmu probe. The PTPmu probe labeled the main tumor site and dispersed cells up to 3.5 mm away. The cryo-images of tumors labeled with the PTPmu probe provide a novel, high-resolution view of molecular tumor recognition, with excellent 3D detail regarding the pathways of tumor cell migration. Our data demonstrate that the PTPmu probe recognizes distant tumor cells even in parts of the brain where the blood–brain barrier is likely intact. The PTPmu probe has potential translational significance for recognizing tumor cells to facilitate molecular imaging, a more complete tumor resection and to serve as a molecular targeting agent to deliver chemotherapeutics to the main tumor mass and distant dispersive tumor cells.
Fuel droplet burning rates at high pressures

Combustion of methanol, ethanol, propanol-1, n-pentane, n-heptane, and n-decane was observed in air under natural convection conditions, at pressures up to 100 atm. The droplets were simulated by porous spheres, with diameters in the range from 0.63 to 1.90 cm. The pressure levels of the tests were high enough so that near-critical combustion was observed for methanol and ethanol. Due to the high pressures, the phase-equilibrium models of the analysis included both the conventional low-pressure approach as well as high-pressure versions, allowing for real gas effects and the solubility of combustion-product gases in the liquid phase. The burning-rate predictions of the various theories were similar, and in fair agreement with the data. The high-pressure theory gave the best prediction for the liquid-surface temperatures of ethanol and propanol-1 at high pressure. The experiments indicated the approach of critical burning conditions for methanol and ethanol at pressures on the order of 80 to 100 atm, which was in good agreement with the predictions of both the low- and high-pressure analysis.
How teachers negotiate the use of reality television in their pedagogy

While the integration of popular culture into classroom practices is often characterized as superficial, this article proposes that reality television game shows, such as Kid nation, The amazing race and Project runway, can provide educators with ideas for designing authentic activities based on the challenges carried out in these programmes. In these shows, contestants are asked to produce useful products and solutions to actual problems. These shows, which combine aspects from traditional game shows, reality shows and sporting events, can redefine the ways in which educators infuse popular culture into their pedagogical practices. Based on a fourth-grade unit on government, this article examines how two teachers incorporated aspects of reality television into their teaching and how their students responded to these lessons. The author concludes with a discussion of how teachers might negotiate the use of these shows in their practice.
Studies on the deproteinization of DNA

Abstract The deproteinization of mammalian DNA by standard deproteinizing reagents (phenol, detergent, chloroform and organic salts) shows a pronounced time dependence which may amount to several days, if an optimum yield of DNA is desired. The physicochemical properties of DNA obtained from extended extractions was not different from that obtained from short-term extractions. It is concluded that one of the difficulties experienced in extracting DNA from higher organisms may be due to inadequate periods of deproteinization.
Genetic and social control of male maturation in Phallichthys quadripunctatus (Pisces: Poeciliidae)

Age and size at maturity can have significant fitness consequences. Selection often favors early-maturing individuals because of their higher survival to maturity and greater relative contribution to population growth rate, but it may also favor delayed maturation if fitness increases with age or size at maturity. Males of several poeciliid fishes exhibit variation in age and size at maturity primarily controlled by a sex-linked gene called the P-locus. Wild-caught Phallichthys quadripunctatus males show a bimodal size distribution, which is often associated with a P-locus polymorphism in other poeciliids. We conducted two experiments to evaluate the inheritance of male age and size at maturity and the influence of social environment (presence of mature or juvenile males during development) on these traits. We specifically tested the hypothesis that male age and size at maturity in P. quadripunctatus are governed by a single Y-linked locus, and modified by the social environment. Although our results imply both a genetic and an environmental component to the dimorphism in maturation, both large and small males were able to sire both large and small sons, allowing us to reject the hypothesis that age and size at maturity in this species are controlled by a single, Y-linked locus. Our data do not conform adequately to any of the genetic mechanisms described to date for maturation polymorphism in poeciliids. We suggest alternative mechanisms that may operate in P. quadripunctatus.
Why don't U.S. boards get more involved in strategy?

Abstract About 5 years ago there was strong interest in the United States in increasing the role of the Board in corporate strategy development. In practice, these expectations were not met. The reasons include: lack of governmental and other pressures; the lack of conspicuous ‘success’ stories among major companies with active Board committees of this kind; and general reappraisals of the strategic planning process itself. There are continuing grounds for skepticism. Nevertheless, there are some reasons for optimism, including two surveys of Boards of Directors indicating that expectations continue to glow.
Solving nonlinear principal-agent problems using bilevel programming

Abstract While significant progress has been made, analytic research on principal-agent problems that seek closed-form solutions faces limitations due to tractability issues that arise because of the mathematical complexity of the problem. The principal must maximize expected utility subject to the agent’s participation and incentive compatibility constraints. Linearity of performance measures is often assumed and the Linear, Exponential, Normal (LEN) model is often used to deal with this complexity. These assumptions may be too restrictive for researchers to explore the variety of relationships between compensation contracts offered by the principal and the effort of the agent. In this paper we show how to numerically solve principal-agent problems with nonlinear contracts. In our procedure, we deal directly with the agent’s incentive compatibility constraint. We illustrate our solution procedure with numerical examples and use optimization methods to make the problem tractable without using the simplifying assumptions of a LEN model. We also show that using linear contracts to approximate nonlinear contracts leads to solutions that are far from the optimal solutions obtained using nonlinear contracts. A principal-agent problem is a special instance of a bilevel nonlinear programming problem. We show how to solve principal-agent problems by solving bilevel programming problems using the ellipsoid algorithm. The approach we present can give researchers new insights into the relationships between nonlinear compensation schemes and employee effort.
Supporting Students Structurally: Engaging Architectural Students in Structurally Oriented Haptic Learning Exercises

Beginning architecture students have traditionally been taught structural design using an engineering-based educational model. Often, information is presented in formula-rich lectures filled with abstract representations of architectural space. In other words, when structural design is presented as a series of calculations instead of a series of design explorations, educators miss a great opportunity to develop a better integration between structural information and other architectural coursework—and integration that would enhance design development by balancing technical resolution and exploration. A new educational model for teaching structural design to architects is needed. Architecture students should be given a series of exercises that help to develop their understanding about the relationship between structural form and forces, structural behavior, and the array of potentially responsive architectural forms. This paper will demonstrate how a curriculum based on experiential exercises, haptic learning methodologies and project-based design exercises in a laboratory setting can provide a more effective way forward in educating architects about building structures. Because initial exposure to complex topics can often make a significant difference in long-term learning efficacy, this paper will primarily discuss the very first lab project in the sequence, an ergonomic lab in which the students use their bodies to explore basic structural principles related to the relationship between form and forces.
Modeling aerosol activation in a tropical, orographic, island setting: Sensitivity tests and comparison with observations

Abstract The aerosol, updraft and cloud droplet observations from the 2011 Dominica Experiment (DOMEX) field campaign provide an interesting opportunity to investigate the process of cloud droplet activation in a tropical, orographic, convective setting. This study involves adiabatic parcel model simulations with a state-of-the-art parameterization of droplet activation, which we run with aerosol size distributions and updraft velocities based on DOMEX data. We compare the cloud droplet concentrations predicted by the parameterization with the observations from DOMEX, and run various sensitivity tests to changes in model inputs on the order of their uncertainty, in order to gain insights into what factors are most important in determining the aerosol activation fraction in this setting. Our control simulations overestimated the observed droplet concentrations, especially for the days with strong trade winds, but in most cases these discrepancies could be eliminated by realistic changes in our assumptions. The remaining error could be the result of entrainment of sub-saturated air, precipitation, or advection of pre-existing clouds from upwind. We found strong sensitivities to the mean updraft velocity and to the size distribution and composition of particles in the Aitken mode, the smallest mode including particles below 100 nm. The Aitken mode accounted for 42% to 68% of the simulated droplet concentration in our control simulations, and simulations excluding the Aitken mode underestimated the observed droplet concentrations under realistic assumptions. Droplets from the Aitken mode dominated the changes in the simulated droplet concentrations in our sensitivity tests. The precision of our simulations, and our ability to constrain the role of the Aitken mode, were limited by our lack of knowledge of the composition and size distribution of Aitken mode particles, highlighting the importance of measuring these variables in field campaigns in similar settings.
Robot Navigation in a Decentralized Landmark-Free Sensor Network

A wireless sensor network has the ability to autonomously perform event detection over large areas, but power and/or cost constraints limit the addition of equipment such as cameras onto sensor modules to verify events. Accordingly, verification must be performed by an independent mobile robotic vehicle which has sensing equipment for improved event detection. The main challenge, however, is that the robotic vehicle itself is typically located somewhere in the sensor field and has no prior knowledge of the geographic location of the event. In this paper, we specifically focus upon the scenario of navigating a robotic vehicle through a stationary wireless sensor network as a means to perform event verification. The underlying assumptions are that the robotic vehicle has distance traveled and heading measurements, but the only additional information provided by the stationary sensors is a communication boundary. More significantly, we emphasize that under this scenario, neither the robot nor the ground-fixed sensing nodes have location or any other geographical landmark information. The paper introduces two distinct and novel navigation algorithms that permit the robotic vehicle to travel from one fixed node to another along a communication path established in an ad-hoc fashion. These navigation algorithms have been tested on a newly developed UTrekr robotic vehicle within a hardware based ground-fixed sensor network and under assumption of perfect communication and network operations, we report a nearly 100% success rate even while using open-loop robot control.
Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Syndrome Misdiagnosed as Dilated Cardiomyopathy on Several Occasions, Presenting With Recurrent Stroke.

A 5 7 - year - old African American female with a history of ischemic cardiomyopathy and a recent stroke with no residual deficits presented with apraxia and confusion. Non - contrast CT scan of the head revealed multiple embolic strokes in both cerebral hemispheres. Transthoracic echocardiography raised the suspicion for increased trabecular meshwork in the left ventricle. Cardiac MRI confirmed the findings of isolated left ventricular no n- compaction (LVNC) syndrome. A contrast - enhanced transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated the characteristic features of this unusual disease with the additional demonstration of contrast filling the trabecular meshwork. Interestingly multiple transthoracic echocardiograms in the past had failed to identify myocardial non - compaction. The patient was started on warfarin for prophylactic anticoagulation and an implantable defibrillator was placed to lower the risk of sudden death. L VNC is a rare type of genetic cardiomyopathy characterized by excessively prominent trabeculations and deep inter-trabecular recesses in the ventricle wall. Non - compaction remains frequently overlooked even by experienced echocardiographers. Failure to diagnosis may lead to insufficient treatment since it is often associated with a risk of thromboembolism, life - threatening arrhythmias and sudden death. Furthermore, because of the familial association described with ventricular non - compaction, screening of first relatives with echocardiography is recommended. Cardiol Res. 2014;5(1):42-47 doi: http://dx.doi.org/ 10.14740 / cr323w
Quantifying uncertainty in reservoir performance using streamtubes

We present the use of a streamtube approach to study the uncertainty in reservoir performance resulting from a stochastic description of the flow domain. The streamtube technique is an efficient numerical method which is particularly effective for modeling convective displacements that are dominated by large-scale heterogeneities. Stable, numerical-diffusion-free solutions can be obtained in a fraction of the time taken by conventional finite difference simulators, thereby allowing a statistical approach to reservoir simulation and forecasting.