cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implications of Anti-AAPI Racism in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Xenophobia against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities has spanned decades of American history, recently escalating in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, there were 2583 reports of anti-Asian hate incidents as of August 2020, with reports only rising [1]. The federal government has done little to ameliorate this racial discrimination. Although H. Res 908, condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment, passed in September, 2020, the resolution took over 6 months to pass with 164 members of the House voting against the resolution. The national response to AAPI xenophobia parallels the experiences of the AAPI community within medicine, promoting a cycle of mental health issues stemming from prejudice and lack of systemic support. In particular, AAPI students in the medical field face the same encounters of discrimination in addition to the stress and pressure associated with medical school. Students witness encounters of xenophobia within their future career paths, instigating a sense of fear and uncertainty of how they will be perceived by future patients [2]. Concerns of xenophobia are compounded by the model minority myth, which implicates that academic achievement and accomplishments define self-worth, value, and identity [3]. A profound repercussion is that this leads to an unwillingness to seek out help and address mental health concerns within the AAPI community. Ultimately, there lies a challenge as to how we can adequately support our current AAPI medical community. Firstly, an increase in mental health support for AAPI students is pertinent, as this increase may incentivize students to seek help. Secondly, medical education requires more topics regarding diversity, which aid in dismantling the model minority myth while teaching faculty about the presence and history of xenophobia. Lastly, systemic lack of representation necessitates an institutional push for more Asian-American representation in academia. Despite Asians being over-represented in medical recruitment, AAMC reports that only 6% of Asians are professors, 3.52% are chairpersons, and 0% are deans [4]. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated how pervasive AAPI xenophobia is both within and beyond the medical institution; therefore, we have the responsibility to mitigate this dilemma.
Monitoring and Management of Late Effects

Late and long-term sequelae of treatment for patients with brain tumors can greatly affect their quality of life, daily functioning, and even mortality. Though some late effects are permanent, many can be mitigated or addressed with interventions. Thus, it is important to follow patients long term to monitor for treatable late effects and recognize other unexpected toxicities from radiation therapy. This chapter outlines possible late effects and treatments after brain irradiation.
PP2A and E3 ubiquitin ligase deficiencies: Seminal biological drivers in endometrial cancer.

Abstract Objective PI3K-AKT pathway mutations initiate a kinase cascade that characterizes endometrial cancer (EC). As kinases seldom cause oncogenic transformation without dysregulation of antagonistic phosphatases, pivotal interactions governing this pathway were explored and correlated with clinical outcomes. Methods After exclusion of patients with POLE mutations from The Cancer Genome Atlas EC cohort with endometrioid or serous EC, the study population was 209 patients with DNA sequencing, quantitative gene-specific RNA expression, copy number variation (CNV), and surveillance data available. Extracted data were annotated and integrated. Results A PIK3CA, PTEN, or PIK3R1 mutant (−mu) was present in 83% of patients; 57% harbored more than 1 mutation without adversely impacting progression-free survival (PFS) (P = .10). PIK3CA CNV of at least 1.1 (CNV high [-H]) was detected in 26% and linked to TP53-mu and CIP2A expression (P Conclusion PP2A and E3UL deficiencies are seminal biological drivers in EC independent of PIK3CA-mu, PTEN-mu, and PIK3R1-mu and PIK3CA CNV.
Patients With Primary Hyperparathyroidism Have Shorter QT/QTc Intervals

Background: Previous studies suggest that patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) have subclinical cardiovascular disease, but data regarding cardiac conduction abnormalities are limited. The aim of this study was to assess cardiac conduction abnormalities in patients with PHPT compared to controls with thyroid disease (TD). Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients over 40 years of age who underwent parathyroidectomy or thyroidectomy at a single tertiary institution between 2013 and 2018. Demographics and EKG parameters from pre-operative EKG reports were compared using the Mann-Whitney U and Chi Square tests. Regression was used to compare EKG differences between the PHPT and control groups adjusted for sex, age, and other variables found to be significant on univariate analysis. Results: A total of 1181 patients were analyzed, 51% in the PHPT group (n=602) and 49% in the TD group (n=579). The median age was 60.5 years (IQR 53.5–67.9) and there was no difference in sex between the cohorts. PHPT patients had a higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia (HLD, 49% vs 36%, p<0.001) and hypertension (HTN, 50.7% vs 42.1%, p<0.01), but had no differences in EKG rhythm patterns or prevalence of arrhythmia compared to TD patients. As expected, mean serum calcium levels were higher for the PHPT group, 10.74 (0.66) vs 9.53 (0.44). However, the PHPT group included both normocalcemic and hypercalcemic patients. The PHPT group had a lower median QT interval compared to the TD group, 386ms (IQR 368–406) vs 398ms (IQR 376–418), p<0.001 and a higher median PR value, 158ms (IQR 144–174.5) vs 156ms (IQR 143.5–171), p<0.05. More PHPT patients (n=21, 3.5%) had a short QTc interval (<360ms males/<370ms females), compared to TD controls (n=1, 0.2%). Among PHPT patients with a short QT interval, the proportion of patients with hypercalcemia (95%) was higher than that of the PHPT group overall (75%). On multivariable analysis, PHPT patients had a shorter QT interval than TD controls after controlling for sex, age, HLD, HTN. There was no difference between PHPT and TD when serum calcium was included in the model, suggesting that calcium mediates the relationship between QT interval and disease status. Conclusion: PHPT patients have shorter QT/QTc intervals compared to TD controls, but no increased prevalence of arrythmia at baseline. While the QT interval was associated with degree of serum calcium elevation, these findings in a large cohort suggest that PHPT is not associated with arrythmia at baseline among those undergoing parathyroidectomy.
Anonymous Nondirected Living Liver Donation: Has the Time Come to Formalize the Process?

"Repetitive donor disorder?" A fair question to be asked when reviewing the authors case series(1) of altruistic (now termed anonymous non-directed) live liver donation when almost 70% had previously donated a kidney. In many respects, it is completely natural to react cautiously. Relative to much of society, medicine is by nature a conservative field. After all, primum nihil nocere is significantly more conservative than "move fast and break things." And yet, Yoeli et al present compelling data regarding the outcomes of 13 non-directed donors. In addition, they clearly relate the current state of transplantation, in which, the number of deceased and directed live donors does not meet the current needs of the listed pediatric candidates. So, when considering the application of non-directed donation in liver transplantation, significant reflection is required.
Protective Heterologous T Cell Immunity in COVID-19 Induced by MMR and Tdap Vaccine Antigens

T cells are critical for control of viral infection and effective vaccination. We investigated whether prior Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) or Tetanus-Diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccination elicit cross-reactive T cells that mitigate COVID-19. Using co-cultures of antigen presenting cells (APC) loaded with antigens and autologous T cells, we found a high correlation between T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 (Spike-S1 and Nucleocapsid) and MMR and Tdap vaccine proteins in both SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and individuals immunized with mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The overlapping T cell population contained effector memory T cells (T EMRA ) previously implicated in anti-viral immunity. TCR- and scRNA-sequencing detected cross-reactive clones with T EMRA features among the cells recognizing SARS-CoV-2, MMR and Tdap epitopes. A propensity-weighted analysis of 73,582 COVID-19 patients revealed that severe disease outcomes (hospitalization and transfer to intensive care unit or death) were reduced in MMR or Tdap vaccinated individuals by 38-32% and 23-20% respectively. In summary, Tdap and MMR memory T cell reactivated by SARS-CoV-2 provides protection against developing severe COVID-19 disease. Funding: This work was supported by National Institutes of Health R01HL065095 (T.M.), R01AI152522 (T.M.), R01NS097719 (L.J.) and a generous donation from Barbara and Amos Hostetter and the Chleck Foundation (D.R.W.) Declaration of Interest: V.M., X.C., M.D., A.H.L., M.K., L.J. and T.M. declare that they have no competing interests to disclose. D.R.W has a financial interest in Quanterix Corporation, a company that develops an ultra-sensitive digital immunoassay platform. He is an inventor of the Simoa technology, founder of the company and serves on its Board of Directors. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 Simoa assays in this publication have been licensed by Brigham and Women’s Hospital to Quanterix Corporation. T.G. receives royalty payments from Brigham and Women’s Hospital for the antibodies assay technology. Ethical Approval: All procedures performed were in accordance with ethical standards. Blood samples were obtained from consented healthy, self-reporting SARS-CoV-2 uninfected volunteers under a Mass General Brigham Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved protocol (1999P001694). Patients signed informed consent to participate in a Mass General Brigham IRB-approved COVID-19 observational sample collection protocol (2020P000849).
International Portfolio Management: A Volatility-Based Method

Volatility-based portfolios behave differently to returns in different countries, for different factors, and over different time periods. In this paper, an adjusted management portfolio is constructed and distributed to both developed countries and the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan) to observe how the management strategy alters and influences the return of the five factors Mkt, SMINUSB, HMINUSL, RMINUS, and CMINUSA over the three-time period. My strategy is to use the reciprocal of the variance realized last month to approximate the conditional risk-return trade-off. I find that the returns of the five factors in developed and developing countries react differently to the new portfolios. This paper is not only a typical risk-based portfolio interpretation but also a study of the structure of expected returns over time.
The effect of marker location variability on noninvasive canine stifle kinematics.

Objective: Evaluate the effect of marker placement on kinematics of the canine stifle in 3 distinct hindlimb models. Study Design: In vivo biomechanical study. Animals: Normal adult mixed-breed dogs (n=5). Methods: Ten retroreflective markers were affixed to the skin on the right rear leg of each dog to establish normal stifle kinematics. Four additional markers were placed around the greater trochanter (GT), 2 cm cranial, caudal, dorsal, and ventral to evaluate single marker placement variability on kinematic model data. Dogs were walked and trotted 5 times through the calibrated space. Sagittal flexion and extension angle waveforms were acquired during each trial with 3 models that were produced simultaneously during each gait. The GT marker was reassigned to 1 of the 4 additional locations (cranial, caudal, dorsal, and ventral) to alter the kinematic model. Comparison of sagittal flexion and extension angle waveforms was performed with Generalized Indicator Function Analysis. Results: Each model provided consistent equivalent sagittal flexion–extension data. Analysis revealed statistically significant differences between all GT locations. The differences were greatest in the cranial and caudal locations for all models. Conclusions: Deviation of the GT marker in the cranial/caudal direction from an anatomically normal position produces a greater degree of difference than deviation in a dorsal/ventral direction.
The Universe Framed with Respect to Paradox: Is Memory Physically All That Exists?

If all of the motive forces of the physical world, physically of the world, can be agreed upon to occur from the conceptual/ethereal as a confrontation of the logically entailed with its' antithesis, as the paradox, a scheme might be evolved to detail all phenomenon as occurrences that are the result of an elemental universal construction effected by the inversion, then one might account for the sciences, its' theory, the questions of nature, natural history, human history, rather than as explanation, as if seeking explanation for existence in the third person, but as an accounting that is closer conceptually to the innately perceived. If it is at the juncture of paradox where the pursuits of civilization seem to expand in a never ending seeking, perhaps one might reorient his frame to define in terms of paradox. Though this reorientation does not appear on the surface as potentially productive, does not resolve the paradox, one might assume it to be the only route available and, if not productive, one might also potentially assume that all efforts to extract a knowledge of nature are in vain in the sense that one might only arrive at paradox, originating itself from an active pursuit to bear fruit for continuance. At the surface of this inquiry is presentation of a valid criteria for the ubiquitous existence of paradox throughout all of nature, though more in line with presentation first of paradox and subsequently exposed as ubiquitous and employed for explanation. Since paradox arises from the willed/active application of the intellect to the external world there is no ground to assume that it is innate itself in a simpler setting of nature, the natural world and its' processes, in this presentation I will try to establish that paradox, defined as logically irreconcilable conflict, other than being solely the product of active perception, is, in an analogous corresponding form, ubiquitously companioned ,and tangential to direction, a partner to the inversion that pervades the universe. The inversion is given as a substrate for the faces of the paradox and the two combined as an elemental unit of nature. With regards to paradoxes of mind and matter, an ultimate conceptually/philosophically arrived paradox, a synthesis of the physical/biological/philosophical concepts with the empirical, DNA is given a role as the actual embodiment of all that can and does ensue in the universe - path and memory. In light of theory and current research results in the science of physics, DNA is elevated, with potential, scientific validity, to possess both a ubiquitous nature and unique existence confined to biological entities as 'a physical piece of physical path', a biological source of all memory, perception and cognition, a physically energetic absolute and fixed differential standard of path/emergence in physical form, contained physical emergence that serves to energetically emerge, and defining of all from a first perspective beholding to the possessor of life as a sole criteria for perspective and reference with which to scientifically organize experiences of nature.
A 'Plausible' Defense: Applying Twombly and Iqbal to Affirmative Defenses

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2007 and 2009 decisions in Twombly and Iqbal radically altered the environment in which federal complaints are filed by creating a “plausibility” requirement where the Federal Rules before required only a “short and plain statement” providing “notice” of a claim. The lower federal courts have just now begun to deal with the Twombly-Iqbal fallout. One of the issues that has arisen – the issue addressed by this article – is whether the new plausibility pleading standard applies only to plaintiffs’ complaints, or whether it applies also to affirmative defenses raised in defendants’ answers. This article argues that, regardless of whether the Twombly-Iqbal departure from notice pleading was wise, the new standard should be applied uniformly to all pleadings, because to do otherwise would even further uniquely and unfairly disadvantage plaintiffs.
The effect of tag recognition on non-local adaptation

Populations of agents are evolved to perform noisy iterated prisoner's dilemma on a toroidal grid. The agents consist of a finite state machine specialized for playing iterated prisoner's dilemma with a simple tag recognition capability. The populations are allowed to evolve for 10,000 generations and the world is stored every 500 generations. Populations from these samples are placed in competition with populations from generation 10,000. This procedure is repeated for varying levels of overall mutation rate, with and without tags, and varying frequencies of tag related mutations. Non-localized adaptation is seen in these populations, however, tags seem to slow the acquisition of non-localized adaptation. Although the concept of non-localized adaptation is not a widely accepted phenomenon in biology, these results suggest that it does happen and that the effect is persistent in the face of changes in mutation rate and in the face of increased task complexity. Also, the study shows patterns of "tag space" usage by populations with tag recognition enabled. The population tends to have a predominant tag most of the time with punctuated periods of increased tag space usage that most likely correspond to invasion of the population by an opportunistic agent with a new tag identifier. This study serves to provide more evidence for and give a more detailed view of non-localized adaptation.
Histopathology Laboratory Setup and Necessary Instrumentation

A well-prepared and smoothly running office and lab are very important to performing successful Mohs micrographic surgery. The medical office of a Mohs surgeon is unique compared to most other medical offices in the sense that throughout the day, patients move frequently between the operating room and the surgical waiting room. While this is occurring, tissue specimens are being carried between the operating room, histopathology laboratory, and the microscope. It is necessary to have a well- equipped operating room, a comfortable waiting area, a laboratory to process the tissue specimens, an area for histopathology slide reading, and a space to clean and sterilize instruments properly. As each area of the office is discussed, equipment pertinent to that area will be addressed.
Medical Care Delivery

As the inevitable march toward ubiquity continues, the Internet has crept into nearly every aspect of medical care delivery. From the way health care personnel research current medical information to the methods by which patients are educated, the practice of medicine has been revolutionarily changed. On the other hand, the very open nature of the Internet, arguably its greatest strength, is also its Achilles heel in the medical arena. The massive volumes of medically related information that are frequent targets of the lay population vary in quality and accuracy. Tremendous amounts of personal information find their way through cyberspace, perhaps subject to any number of prying eyes. Clearly this digital transformation is not yet complete. Privacy legislation (e.g., Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) will place significant limitations as to what can be transmitted electronically and to whom without a patient's express permission. Yet at the same time, practitioners' access to up-to-date, multimedia medical data has never been better, potentially raising the standard and safety of medical care delivery. Keywords: electronic medical record (EMR); medical care delivery; multimedia medical; privacy legislation; virtual meeting
Spinal interleukin-10 therapy to treat peripheral neuropathic pain

Introduction: Current research indicates that chronic peripheral neuropathic pain includes a role for glia and the actions of proinflammatory factors. This review briefly discusses the glial and cytokine responses that occur following peripheral nerve damage in support of utilizing anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) therapy to suppress chronic peripheral neuropathic pain. Spinal Nonviral Interleukin-10 Gene Therapy: IL-10 is one of the most powerful endogenous counter-regulators of proinflammatory cytokine function that acts in the nervous system. Subarachnoid (intrathecal) spinal injection of the gene encoding IL-10 delivered by nonviral vectors has several advantages over virally mediated gene transfer methods and leads to profound pain relief in several animal models. Nonviral gene delivery: Lastly, data are reviewed that nonviral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) encapsulated by a biologically safe copolymer, poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA), thought to protect DNA, leads to significantly improved therapeutic gene transfer in animal models, which additionally and significantly extends pain relief. Conclusions: The impact of these early studies exploring anti-inflammatory genes emphasizes the exceptional therapeutic potential of new biocompatible intrathecal nonviral gene delivery approaches such as PLGA microparticles. Ultimately, ongoing expression of therapeutic genes is a viable option to treat chronic neuropathic pain in the clinic.
An Experimental Study of Lean Blowout With Hydrogen Enriched Fuels in a Swirl Stabilized Premixed Combustor

Lean premixed combustion is widely used to achieve better compromise between nitric oxide (NOx) emissions and combustion efficiency (related to CO levels). However, combustor operation near the lean blowout (LBO) limit can render the flame unstable and lead to oscillations, flashback or extinction, thereby limiting the potential of lean combustion application. Recent interest in integrated gasification combined cycle plants (IGCC) and syngas combustion requires an improved understanding of the role of hydrogen on the combustion process. Therefore, in the present study, combustion of pure methane and blended methane-hydrogen with hydrogen-levels up to 80% by volume has been conducted in a swirl stabilized premixed combustor. Stereo particle image velocimetry (PIV) and OH* chemiluminescence imaging have been used in this study. Results show that there is a single-ringed structure of internal recirculation zone (IRZ) in the non-reacting flow, while in the reacting flows there is a complicated flow pattern with a two-celled IRZ structure in which the axial velocity near the center-axis is oriented downstream. As equivalence ratio decreases, the width of IRZ decreases in methane flames while it increases in hydrogen enriched flames, and the flame shape changes from conical to an elongated columnar shape, especially in hydrogen enriched flames. There are two different modes of vortex breakdown observed, spiral mode in methane flames and bubble mode in hydrogen enriched flames. The mechanisms of LBO in pure methane and hydrogen enriched premixed flames are shown to be different and explained in the present study.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
High Spatial Resolution Multi-Site EPR Oximetry: The Use of a Convolution-Based Fitting Method

We describe a new method to enhance the spatial resolution of multi-site electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry. The method is suitable for any shape (density distribution function) of a solid paramagnetic material implanted in tissue. It corrects distortions of lineshapes caused by the gradient and thus overcomes limitations of previous multi-site EPR oximetry methods that restricted the ratio of the particle size to the distance between sites. The new method is based on consecutive applications of magnetic field gradients with the same direction but with a different magnitude and uses a convolution-based fitting algorithm to derive Lorentzian EPR linewidths of each individual peak of the EPR spectrum. The method is applicable for any particulate EPR oxygen sensitive materials whose EPR spectra can be approximated by a Lorentzian function or a superposition of Lorentzian functions. By incorporating this model of the lineshape in the data processing, we are able to decrease significantly the number of parameters needed for the calculations and to recover the oxygen concentration, even from quite noisy spectra. We (i) describe our method and the data-processing algorithm, (ii) demonstrate our approach in model and in vivo experiments, and (iii) discuss the limitations.
Creating Culturally Responsive Family Therapy Models and Research: Introducing the Use of Responsive Evaluation as a Method

Models of marriage and family therapy (MFT) typically reflect Western values and norms, and although cultural adaptations are made, many models/frameworks continue to be inappropriate or inadequate for use with non-Western cultures. Worldwide, therapists are examining ways of using MFT models in a culturally sensitive manner, especially when working with clients who are seen as having minority status or perceived as "other" by the dominant group. This essay suggests the use of responsive evaluation as a theoretically consistent methodology for creating and evaluating culturally responsive therapies. This approach rigorously evaluates each unique client/therapist context, culture, power, needs, and beliefs. We describe responsive evaluation and discuss how each component addresses the research needs of examining culturally responsive family therapies. A case illustration is offered delineating the process of conducting culturally responsive therapy with a Cambodian sample using solution-focused and narrative therapy.
Effects of Estradiol and Progesterone on Plasma Gonadotropins, Prolactin, and LHRH in Specific Brain Areas of Ovariectomized Rats

We examined the effects of physiological concentrations of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) on plasma LU, FSH, and prolactin (PRL) and on LHRH concentrations in several microdissected brain regions in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. One week after ovariectomy (Day 0), rats received Silastic capsules containing only sesame oil or 37.5, 75.0 or 150 � E2/ml of oil s.c. TheE2 capsules produced plasma estrogen concentrations of 7.0, 9.6, or 15.4 pg/mI, respectively, on Day 2 whereas oil-treated controls had 5.4 pg/mI of E2 in plasma. All three E2 -treated groups of rats had LH surges of comparable magnitude during the afternoon of Day 2. Two Silastic capsules of P (50 mg/mI) were implanted at 0900 h on Day 2 into E2 -treated rats. In animals in which E2 levels were 7.0 or 9.6 pg/mI, P only moderately amplified the LH surges. However, when plasma E2 concentrations reached 1 5 pg/mI, P treatment evoked a massive release of LH and advanced the time of release by 1 h. In contrast, the stress of inserting oil capsules into ether-anesthetized E2 -treated rats at 0900 h on Day 2 had no effect on afternoon LH surges in these animals. FSH surges occurred only in rats receiving both E2 and P. PRL surges were induced using the highest concentrations of E2 and were advanced in time by P. When the highest dose of E2 was used, LHRH concentrations in the median eminence (ME) increased prior to and decreased during the E2 P-induced surge. These changes were not paralleled by any changes in the other anterior brain regions we examined (suprachiasmatic preoptic nucleus, suprachiasmatic nucleus, medial preoptic nucleus, anterior hypothalamic nucleus, and retrochiasmatic area). No changes in LHRH concentrations were observed under any other steroid treatment regimen. Higher plasma E2 concentrations induced by the 150 �g/ml E2 capsule were correlated with higher LHRH concentraions in the median eminence concomitant with a parallel trend in some of the anterior brain areas: MPN (P<0.06), SPN (P<0.06), and RCA (P<0.03).
Driving Habits and Risk Exposure in Older Drivers: Lessons Learned From the Implementation of a Self-Regulation Curriculum

Objective: This article describes the development and pilot testing of Seniors on the MOVE (Mature Operators Vehicular Education), a safe driving education program for older adults. The study aims are to describe driving experiences and habits of a community sample of older drivers and to determine whether the program reduces their driving risk exposures. Methods: A 2-group randomized design was used. Fifty-eight participants with an average age of 70 were randomly assigned to the MOVE program or a no treatment control group. MOVE is a 4-session program designed to help older drivers better understand and utilize self-regulation skills for safer driving. Baseline and 4-week follow-up questionnaires were completed by both groups, after which the control group received the MOVE program. Results: In the total sample, 14 percent reported having ever been in a traffic crash where someone was injured, and 10 percent reported having received a traffic citation in the past 6 months. Almost one half of the sample ...
umuC-dependent and umuC-independent gamma- and UV-radiation mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

The effects of the umuC36 and umuC122::Tn 5 mutations on gamma- and UV radiation mutagenesis (nonsense, missense, and frameshift mutation assays) in Escherichia coli K12 were studied. Although both mutations reduced radiation mutagenesis, the umuC36 mutation appeared to be leaky since considerably more UV radiation mutagenesis could be detected in the umuC36 strain than in the umuC122::Tn 5 strain. In general, the umuC strain showed much larger deficiencies in UV radiation mutagenesis than they did for gamma-radiation mutagenesis. The mutability of the umuC122:: Tn 5 strain varied depending on the radiation dose, and the mutation assay used. For gamma-radiation mutagenesis, the deficiency varied from no deficiency to a 50-fold deficiency; for UV radiation mutagenesis, the deficiency varied from 100-fold to at least 5000-fold. We concluded that both umuC-dependent and umuC-independent modes function for gamma-radiation mutagenesis, while UV radiation mutagenesis seems to depend almost exclusively on the umuC-dependent mode.
Transient Effects in Resonance Fluorescence and Spontaneous Emission by a System of Identical Atoms

A simple theoretical model is formulated which describes dynamical features of the interaction of two-level atoms with a continuum of radiation oscillators. In particular, this paper is concerned with resonance scattering by single atoms in the presence of an external classical field, and spontaneous emission by a system of identical atoms. In the case of resonance scattering, the response of an atom to rapid changes of the amplitude of the external field is studied. The model for spontaneous emission by a system of atoms is based on the assumptions that all atoms have the same resonance frequency, and that the atoms are contained in a volume whose extension is small compared with the wavelength of the emitted radiation. The complete evolution of a system of $m$ atoms is determined by a set of coupled first-order linear differential equations, and explicit solutions are presented for the values $m=1,2,3,4, \mathrm{and} 8$. Pair correlations of the atoms and photon-number fluctuations are discussed. An approximation for resonance fluorescence by a system of atoms with a broad distribution of resonance frequencies is included in an Appendix.
The clash of social philosophies and personalities in the nuclear arms control debate: A healthful dialectic?

Nuclear arms have forced philosophic conflicts into the open. However, little scholarly research has been conducted on the psychological determinants of behavior regarding nuclear arms. The field stands in need of a new measure specifically geared to issues of confronting policy makers and the public. This article outlines the development of such a measure, namely, the Nuclear Arms Reduction Scale (NAR). Two opposing political stances on nuclear weapons are presented in this 10‐item scale, which is keyed in the direction of a pronuclearfreeze (as opposed to a probuild‐up policy preference). In samples from West Germany and the United States, correlations between the NAR Scale and other scales from the Barron Inventory of Personal Philosophy showed positive relationships with disposition toward originality, independence of judgment, and complexity of outlook (allp <. 001). Positive correlations were also found with several other scales (e.g., internationalism and trust in human nature), and negative correl...
CustomVue laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia and myopic astigmatism using the Visx S4 excimer laser: Efficacy, predictability, and safety.

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy, predictability, and safety of custom laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using the Visx wavefront platform CustomVue for the treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism. Setting Stanford University Eye Laser Center, Stanford, California, USA. Methods This retrospective analysis was of the initial 140 eyes of 78 patients treated consecutively with LASIK for myopia using the Visx Star S4 excimer laser. Primary outcome variables, including uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), manifest refraction, and complications, were evaluated at 1 week and 1 and 3 months. Vector analysis was performed on eyes that received astigmatic correction. Results Mean preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) was reduced from −3.89 diopters ± 1.48 (SD) to an SE of −0.21 ± 0.36 D at 1 month and −0.28 ± 0.36 D at 3 months (P Conclusion Wavefront-guided LASIK using the Visx CustomVue system was effective, predictable, and safe for correction of low to moderate myopic refractive error.
A survey of the tension applied to a doubled hamstring tendon graft for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Abstract Purpose: Currently there is no consensus regarding the amount of tension to apply to a graft when reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). We undertook a study to determine whether sports trained orthopedic surgeons tension hamstring tendon grafts maximally during ACL reconstruction, and also whether surgeons tend to load their grafts within a narrow range of tensions. Type of Study: Cross-sectional study. Methods: One fresh-frozen cadaveric knee with appropriately placed femoral and tibial tunnels and five pairs of preconditioned semitendinosus and gracilis tendons were used. Custom-made computer software and a custom-made, load measurement device was employed. Thirteen orthopedic sports medicine physicians from our community took part in the study. Surgeons were asked to tension the graft as they would in surgery and were then asked to tension the graft maximally. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the normal tension (14.8 ± 7.2 lb) was significantly less ( P = .005) than the mean maximal tension (22.3 ± 6.9 lb). Conclusions: This study shows that most ACL surgeons do not tension their graft maximally. Moreover, graft tensioning is highly variable among sports medicine orthopedists. These findings revisit the question as to whether tension should be more accurately measured and controlled for intraoperatively. Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Vol 18, No 9 (November- December), 2002: pp 983–988
Amblyospora salinarian. sp. (Microsporidia: Amblyosporidae), Parasite ofCulex salinarius(Diptera: Culicidae): Its Life Cycle Stages in an Intermediate Host

Horizontal transmission testing with an Amblyospora species from the mosquito Culex salinarius has documented the involvement of a copepod intermediate host. Meiospores (one type of uninucleate spore) of the Amblyospora sp. were infectious per os to female Macrocyclops albidus adults. All developmental stages in the copepod had unpaired nuclei (were haplophasic), starting with the sporoplasms from the meiospore, continuing as a succession of schizonts undergoing binary division and ending with sporulation, producing a second type of uninucleate spore. These spores, formed in the ovaries of M. albidus, were lanceolate, slightly curved and measured 13.23 x 3.85 microm. They infected C. salinarius larvae, both male and female, when ingested. In addition, cross-infectivity testing was conducted and demonstrated that while A. californica from C. tarsalis will infect C. salinarius, it does not complete its life cycle in this host. Based on these findings, we conclude that Amblyospora sp. from Culex salinarius is a distinct species and assign it the name Amblyospora salinaria n. sp.
Systematic Errors in Length Frequency Data and their Effect on Age-Structured Stock Assessment Models and Management

Abstract Length frequency data are a central component of many statistical age-structured models, which are used widely to conduct fisheries stock assessments and produce estimates of stock status for management. However, these data can be biased due to systematic errors during the sampling process. This study examined how bias in length frequency data affected stock status estimates from an age-structured assessment model and subsequent prescribed management actions. A simulation approach was used to test the effect of two different scenarios of bias on assessment results. Populations were simulated based on life history parameters for three different serranid species in the southeastern United States and followed a trajectory that increased and then decreased over time. From these simulated populations, fishery-dependent length frequency data were generated and then altered to represent different types of systematic sampling error. Data that were biased towards larger fish had a considerable effect on t...
Reconstructing Earth's Past Climates: The Hidden Secrets of Pollen

ABSTRACT Palynology is the study of fossil pollen and spores, and these tiny grains can provide fundamental information about past climates on Earth. Among their many unique and useful properties, pollen and spores are composed of some of the most chemically resistant organic compounds found in nature. They are also produced in vast quantities and are unique to the specific plant from which they originate. All these features make them ideal to reconstruct past climates from both recent history as well as from the ancient past. The purpose of this activity is to get students familiar with palynology and how scientists study climate change. It is based on real palynological data acquired from Antarctic cores obtained recently from the ANDRILL and SHALDRIL drilling campaigns. In order for students to understand this research and its importance, they will separate and identify pollen and spores from a simulated core sample in which different species of plants are represented as different colors of glitter. St...
Right ventricular dysfunction secondary to acute massive pulmonary embolism detected by helical computed tomography pulmonary angiography.

Abstract Objective Acute massive pulmonary embolism causes abrupt pulmonary arterial hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction (RVD). Patients with RVD have a worse prognosis than those with normal right ventricular function. Consequently, recognizing the RVD at the time of pulmonary embolism is useful for risk stratification and enables more aggressive therapy. The study compared the accuracy of helical computed tomographic (CT) scans with echocardiography in the detecting of RVD in patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism. Materials and methods Specifically, this work reviewed the CT pulmonary angiograms of 14 patients who were positive for acute massive pulmonary embolism during a 52-month period. CT scans were reviewed for findings indicating RVD. Scans were considered positive for RVD if the right ventricle was dilated or there was leftward shift of the interventricular septum. Echocardiographic reports serving as the reference standard for the diagnosis of RVD were also reviewed. CT study results were then correlated with echocardiography results. Results Among 14 patients with massive pulmonary embolism, echocardiography identified 12 patients having RVD, whereas the remaining two patients were negative for RVD. Meanwhile, CT correctly identified 11 of 12 patients as having RVD, and was negative for RVD in the remaining 3 patients. Correlated with echocardiography, CT scan for RVD detection had a sensitivity of 91.6% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusions CT can accurately detect RVD in patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism. However, this result requires confirmation using a larger prospective cohort study.
The pharmacokinetization of psychiatry.

The titration and monitoring of drug therapy using pharmacokinetic principles along with measurements of serum or plasma drug concentrations have become essential components of pharmacotherapy in many areas of clinical medicine, including the treatment of asthma, seizure disorders, certain infectious diseases, and cardiac arrhythmias. The value of pharmacokinetic principles in these therapeutic areas follows from several mathematical and biologic requisites. The first is that the drug's steady-state serum or plasma concentration (Css) during multiple dosage bears a reasonably predictable relationship to clinical outcome. When Css falls in some “therapeutic range,” the likelihood of clinically effective drug therapy is maximized. If Css exceeds this range, toxicity becomes increasingly likely, while values of Css below the therapeutic range may be therapeutically ineffective. Second, Css can be expressed as the quotient of two independent factors: dosing rate divided by total clearance. The health care professional has control over dosing rate, and therefore controls one major determinant of Css. All else being equal, Css will rise or fall correspondingly as dosing rate is changed. However, the health care practitioner has no control over total clearance, the other major determinant of Css. Clearance best describes the capacity of a given patient to remove a given drug, and is a unique property of each drug in each individual. Because clinicians seldom know the clearance of a particular drug in a particular patient, clearance usually must be estimated, based on findings from prior pharmacokinetic studies along with consideration of physiologic factors, disease states, or drug interactions that may alter clearance.
Abstract B207: Prostate specific membrane antigen is a diagnostic marker of response to allosteric androgen receptor inhibition

Molecular imaging in oncology aims to complement the growing repertoire of chemotherapies with noninvasive diagnostic tools to measure pharmacodynamics and improve predictions of disease response. In prostate cancer, several chemotherapeutic strategies have been developed to inhibit androgen receptor (AR) function, and currently show promise in treating advanced, castration resistant disease. Among these, competitive inhibitors of steroid agonist/receptor interactions have been effectively staged with fluorine‐18‐fluoro‐5α‐dihydrotestosterone, an AR agonist compatible with quantitative PET imaging. However, some allosteric inhibitors of AR do not impact agonist/receptor interaction (or AR stability) and currently cannot be evaluated with a quantitative imaging technology. We address this problem here by presenting evidence that prostate specific membrane antigen is a diagnostic marker of allosteric AR inhibition. In culture or in xenograft models of LNCaP, 22Rv1, LAPC4, and VCaP, PSMA is repressed by androgen treatment. Ablation of AR with siRNA inhibits the hormone‐mediated suppression of PSMA, directly implicating AR in the mechanism. We further show that PSMA suppression is antagonized by several competitive and allosteric AR inhibitors. Finally, we conducted a pilot study with 22Rv1 xenografts to demonstrate that 64Cu‐DOTA‐J591, a monoclonal antibody designed for clinical PET imaging of PSMA, quantitatively detects hormone‐mediated PSMA suppression. Collectively, these results promote the use of PSMA imaging reagents in the clinic to stage allosteric AR inhibitors. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(12 Suppl):B207.
Immune Activation, Cd4+ T Cell Counts, and Viremia Exhibit Oscillatory Patterns over Time in Patients with Highly Resistant HIV Infection

The rates of immunologic and clinical progression are lower in patients with drug-resistant HIV compared to wild-type HIV. This difference is not fully explained by viral load. It has been argued that reductions in T cell activation and/or viral fitness might result in preserved target cells and an altered relationship between the level of viremia and the rate of CD4+ T cell loss. We tested this hypothesis over time in a cohort of patients with highly resistant HIV. Fifty-four antiretroviral-treated patients with multi-drug resistant HIV and detectable plasma HIV RNA were followed longitudinally. CD4+ T cell counts and HIV RNA levels were measured every 4 weeks and T cell activation (CD38/HLA-DR) was measured every 16 weeks. We found that the levels of CD4+ T cell activation over time were a strong independent predictor of CD4+ T cell counts while CD8+ T cell activation was more strongly associated with viremia. Using spectral analysis, we found strong evidence for oscillatory (or cyclic) behavior in CD4+ T cell counts, HIV RNA levels, and T cell activation. Each of the cell populations exhibited an oscillatory behavior with similar frequencies. Collectively, these data suggest that there may be a mechanistic link between T cell activation, CD4+ T cell counts, and viremia and lends support for the hypothesis of altered predator-prey dynamics as a possible explanation of the stability of CD4+ T cell counts in the presence of sustained multi-drug resistant viremia.
RADICAL EXPLANATIONS OF PENAL TRENDS: THE RATE OF SURPLUS VALUE AND THE INCARCERATION RATE IN THE U.S., 1977-2004

ABSTRACT This article reassesses the relationship between the rate of surplus value and the rate of imprisonment in the US. Prior studies of this relationship indicated that the rate of surplus value, which measures the marginalization, exploitation and alienation of the labor force, and the rate of imprisonment were statistically related. These studies, however, focused on data from the 1950s through the 1970s. The present article updates that analysis by focusing on the time period from 1977 through 2004. The results support those from earlier studies, lending additional support to radical explanations of the expansion of formal social control such as imprisonment. This article also offers an elaboration of the radical economic underpinnings of this explanation, as well as various radical explanations of incarceration. Further, the implications for political economic theories of punishment derived from post-Fordist economic perspectives, the politics of punishment, and agency perspectives on punishment ...